who, inftead of correcting, fported with or encouraged the firft inftances of impiety: who taught me, by example, to profane my Creator's name, and to neglect his fervice; and who, though ambitious of making me rich and great for a few days in a tranfitory world, haft contributed to bring me to, and fix me forever in this place of torment! Take warning then, I beseech you, all of every rank, and increase not your own condemnation by the guilt of seducing others. In the third place, what hath been faid upon this fubject will enable you to try the purity and fincerity of your outward converfation. An inquiry here is of the more confequence, that we are in great danger of deceiving ourfelves, because both a truly serious and a worldly motive may lead to many of the fame outward actions. For this purpose let me afk you, whether it is the glory of God, and the good of others, that makes you watchful of your conduct; or a tenderness of your own reputation? This may be, in a good meafure, difcerned by the faithful fearch and trial of your own hearts; and particularly by observing, whether the injuries and reproaches of wicked men excite in you a greater refentment of the offence, or compaffion for their folly. Again, I would afk you, whether you are equally confcientious in fuch duties as may be painful and troublesome, and may expofe you to the reproaches and infults of the ungodly, as in those that immediately tend to your outward honor and credit? I have fhown above, that it is neceffary to make your light to fhine, by the first as well as the laft. Is then your concern equal and impartial to fulfil the duties of your ftation, whatever they are, whether agreeable or mortifying to the flesh or are you moft careful when you will reap the greatest present reward? By examining into thefe particulars, you may be enabled to judge of the purity of your intentions. In the last place, fuffer me to improve this fubject, by an earneft exhortation to all who now hear me, to the practice of the duty recommended in the text, to "make your light fhine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." That this may be the more diftinct and effectual, I shall addrefs it to three different claffes. First, To those who are the profeffed advocates of good works. Every one who hath any experience of, or commerce with the world, muft know, that there is a fet of men who profefs to love and efteem thofe difcourfes only that teach and recommend good works; and that in order to state a distinction where there ought to be none, between the truths of the glorious gospel, and the doctrines of morality. I intreat all of you to confider what hath been faid of the great extent of visible religion, and it will have a greater tendency to humble you, and excite you to feek the fanctifying grace of God as the fource of true holinefs, than to glory in the excellence or perfection of your moral character. Take heed alfo, that you fall not into the fhameful inconfiftency too common in the world, of being the strongest pleaders for moral preaching, and the least tender of moral practice. What a fhame and fcandal is it, and how pitiful in the eyes of thofe who understand what true and undefiled religion is, to hear one who is unwilling, unable or afhamed to worship God in his own family, who is but rarely to be feen in the public affemblies of God's people, who hardly ever gave child or fervant a serious advice, but whom they have often feen guilty of drunkennefs and excefs; to hear, I fay, fuch an one rife up as an advocate for morality; to hear him crying out, morality is the whole of religion; and therefore that he cannot endure fuch ftuff as conviction and humiliation, converfion or regeneration, flying to, embracing, or relying upon a Saviour; phrafes which, among too many, are now going into defuetude; whether they retain their important meaning, I fhall leave to the judgment of another day. Nay, I am afraid we might produce more inftances than one, capable of faying, upon hearing a dif courfe of the love of God," Such things are not to be un"derftood; 'twere pity but minifters would fatisfy them"felves with preaching plain morality;" as if the love of God, which is the fum and fubftance of the moral law, were no part of it at all. To fuch may it not justly be faid, "Thou that makeft thy boaft of the law, through breaking the law difhonoreft thou God?" Let all fuch of you, therefore, be exhorted to act up to their character, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." But be fure you underftand what thefe commandments are and then, if you can maintain before God, who is greater than your hearts, that your hearts, that you have kept thefe perfectly in thought, word and deed, you may reft your falvation upon it; for it not only was, but continues to be a certain truth, that" the man who doth them fhall live in them." But it is greatly to be feared, that this is a fource of life, by far too deep for any of the children of Adam to draw it out. In the fecond place, I would addrefs this exhortation to all who have, or profefs to have a high esteem of the doctrine of Chrift, and of him crucified. Extremes commonly beget one another; and fo the ill-founded zeal which defpifers of the gofpel fometimes pretend for good works, makes others ftate themfelves in oppofition to them, and makes the word itself to have an unacceptable found. But, my brethren, beware of being thus overcome of evil. Remember the words of our Saviour, "Let your light fo "fhine before men, that they may fee your good works." Hear alfo the apoftle Paul" +This is a faithful faying, and "these things I will that thou affirm conflantly, that they “which have believed in God, might be careful to main"tain good works." You cannot more effectually bring a reproach on that holy name by which you are called, and in which you glory, than by being enemies in word o in deed to holinefs and purity of converfation, or by not being even apparently and visibly holy. For though you muft lay your account with the reproach of men, and hatred of the world in many cafes, wo is pronounced against you, if you do not "love them that hate you, and bless "them that perfecute you." Let therefore your converfation be without offence. Neglect not any part of your duty in the fight of the world, and be the more watchful, that, on account of your profeffion, they will be the more diligent in obferving, and the more fevere in cenfuring Rom. ii. 23. † Titus iii. 8. your conduct. Whilft therefore you remember that faith in Chrift is the only fource of new obedience, remember alfo, that faith without works is dead, being alone. In the last place, I would addrefs this exhortation to all fuch in this audience as, by their office or station, or wealth or character, are raised above others. You will furely be fenfible of the propriety of this exhortation, "Let your "light fo fhine before men, that they may fee your good "works." You are placed in a confpicuous fituation, expofed to public view, and your influence will be great, whether it be profitable or hurtful. You ought not to count your higher ftation in life a favor blindly bestowed on you for your pleasure only, but a truft committed to you for which you muft render an impartial account. How fhould this reprefs and reftrain all vain-glorious oflentation of the temporary differences between man and man, and excite to a diligent improvement of your talents against the coming of your Lord, when the highest shall be upon a level with the loweft. I hope it will contribute to enforce the exhortation, that, in this age, the declining ftate of religion loudly calls for the affiftance of all to its revival, but particularly for eminent and fhining examples. How hard is it, that when vice and infidelity have fo many advocates in writing and converfation, there fhould be fo few exerting themselves in their ftation, for the promoting of truth and righteoufnefs! And let none excufe themfelves for their own neglect of duty, by throwing the blame upon others, and holding up to light the floth or wickednefs of those who are moft eminently guilty. Let none fay, "Alas, my sphere of usefulness is very narrow, my influence is very fmall; but if those who "are in more eminent ftations, and whose stations, give "them greater weight, would but exert themfelves, the "effect would be fenfible." Remember your stations are juft what God hath affigned you, and for these, and these alone, you are to be called to an account. The lefs important they are, the duties are the more eafily fulfilled, and the neglect, in one refpect at leaft, (though I cannot fay in all,) more criminal and inexcufeable. To conclude, Let the wife and powerful magiftrates, minifters, parents, |