bleffed Liberty which we enjoy of Serving SERM. God and Frequenting his Sanctuary; nay, XIV. our very Prayers are defpifed, becaufe we have been fo long fed with this heavenly Manna, and they are now grown common to us; but should God for a While change our Condition with that of other Countries, should he take away from us the free Exercife of our Religion, and give his Gofpel to a People bringing forth Fruits in due Seafon; fhould he command either Sword, or Famine, or Peftilence, to pass through our Land; we should then magnify the Name of our God for the leaft of those Mercies which now pass by us without any due Regard. How fhould we then hunger and thirst after our heavenly Food, how defirous fhould we be to partake of those Sacraments, and to join in those public Offices of Religion, which now are fo bur thenfome to us, and a Weariness to the Flesh. As for temporal Mercies; let us confider, how great a Disturbance the Want of a Night's Sleep, or a Meal's Meat, brings upon our frail Constitutions; how uneafy would our Lives be made, fhould God withdraw the Light of the Sun, or with-hold the Dew of Heaven, or forbear meting out SERM. out our daily Bread; or afflict us continuXIV. ally with the least of those Pains our frail Bodies are fubject to? This would take away the Comfort of all our other Enjoyments, would yield us little Pleasure and Satisfaction; and yet how infenfible are we of thefe Bleffings, how fmall a Tribute of our Praise do we offer up unto God for them ? 4. LET us confider how importunate we are with God, when we are under any preffing Neceffity, and ftand in Need of any of these Mercies: Then, like the Mariners in a Storm, we cry every one unto bis God, and, like the ten Lepers in the Gofpel, we lift up our Voices and beg hard; but when we have received the defired Favour, there is hardly one in ten returns the Praise due unto his Holy Name. When we are upon a Sick-bed, what Vows do we make, what Refolutions do we form of living better for the Time to come? How do we bemoan the past Follies of our Lives? And yet, when we are reftored to our former Health, we return to the fame evil Course of Life; nay, it is frequently seen, that we are more hardened in our Wickednefs than we were before. Now what unfuitable Returns are these for the won derful 7 derful Mercies God has vouchfafed unto us? SERM. To conclude all, let the Contemplation Song SERM. Song which even the Angels themselves XIV. cannot fing: Unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our Sins, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father, to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever. Amen. SERMON SERMON XV. The ftrait Gate. LUKE xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate: For many, I fay unto you, will seek to enter in, and fhall not be able. I T is a wonderful and amazing Thing SERM. to confider that, amongst thofe Mul- XV. tudes who make Profeffion of the Christian Religion, there are fo very few who are the true Difciples and Followers of the holy Jefus, who fubmit to his Laws here, or have any rational Hopes of obtaining those Rewards which he has propofed, and of being eternally happy hereafter. And yet thus it is, for our bleffed Saviour has told us, that his Flock is a very little one ; and that ftrait is the Gate, and Matth. vii, narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, VOL. II. Z and 14. |