miserable death will befall them. Our charity for them would be very cruel if we did not endeavour to save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire, Jude 23. If we did not shew them hell opening its jaws, and the eternal torments wherewith God, in his just wrath, punishes impenitent and hardened sinners: Knowing the terrour of the Lord, we persuaded men, 2 Cor. v. 11. For if we fail in this duty, their blood will be required at our hands, Ezek. xxxiii.

It was in vain that the Heathen philosophers discoursed so learnedly concerning the shortness of life; and to as little purpose were those momentos of mortality so highly affected by many of their princes. They were only vagrant thoughts, barren of any benefit, seeing they could not prevail upon them to reform their lives, and by consequence to prepare for a happy death. It was likewise in vain that Balaam so passionately desired to die the death of the righteous, and that his last end might be like his, Numb. xxiii. 10; seeing he still lived the life of a sinner, and continued in the congregation of idolaters; therefore he died with them, and was involved in their punishment, Numb. xxxi. 8. As he was a partner in their crimes, it was but just and reasonable that he should share in their calamity, and be a partaker of their sufferings.

To forsake vice and sin, is to spoil death of its venom, and all its fiery darts. It is to disarm this furious beast of its teeth and claws. It is to break the cords and chains, by which the devil drags us into perdition. It is to strangle the monsters that affright us, and the furies that haunt us. In short, it is to change hell and its torments into a paradise of delights. There never was any person yet that led an holy and religious life, but he

died happily in the favour of God. Now that the Lord knocketh, open unto him the doors of your hearts, and at the hour of your death, he will open unto you the gates of heaven. Present him, during this life with your souls and bodies, and he will accept the gift, and set his own seal upon it. Here below, he will enrich you with his graces, and crown you in heaven with his glory. Blessed are the dead. which die in the Lord, Rev. xiv. 13; but to die in the Lord, we must live to the Lord, that we may be able to say with the Apostle, Whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: Whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's, Rom. xiv. 8.

To excite us to this religious duty, we must consider, in the first place, the command which God gives us to love him, to fear him, to repent of our sins, and to walk in his holy laws. Unto this he exhorts us in all the writings of the Old Testament; as in Deuteronomy vi. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. In the 2nd Psalm, Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. In the 8th chapter of Isaiah, Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear and dread. And in chap. lv. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. In the 2nd chapter of the prophet Joel, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. And in the first chapter of Malachi, A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?

And in the 13th

2. Jesus Christ did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it; therefore in the New Testament, we have no less frequent exhortations to the practice of piety and virtue. As in the 5th chapter of St. Matthew, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. And in the first chapter of St. Mark, Repent ye, and believe the gospel. The apostle St. Paul, in the 12th of the Romans, has these divine words: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. chapter, Walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. In 1 Cor. xv. Awake to righteousness and sin not. In Eph. iv. Put ye off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. In Col. iii. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. In the fifth chapter of the first epistle to the Thessalonians, Watch and be sober: abstain from all appearance of evil. And in the fourth chapter of the Philippians, Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatso

ever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. I might with as much ease count the stars of the sky, as reckon up all the passages in Scripture that exhort to an holy life.

3. God not only commands us to labour after holiness, justice, and innocency of life; but he proposes himself for our example, that as obedient children delight to copy their father's virtues, so we may endeavour to imitate in our lives the divine perfections of our heavenly Father, and re-engrave in our hearts his sacred image. It is this glorious pattern which he sets before us in the 11th chapter of Leviticus, Be ye holy, for I am holy: As does St. Peter, reciting this very passage, As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ gives us the same lesson: "Love, says he, your enemies, bless them "that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray "for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you: "that ye may be the children of your Father which is in "heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on

the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the un"just. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father "which is in heaven is perfect." And the apostle St. Paul, writing to the Ephesians, recommends the same model to us in these divine words: "Be ye followers of God, as "dear children," chap. v. 1. Put ye off the old man, and put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. And in Col. iii. Now put off all these ; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his

deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

4. Let us meditate with attention upon the excellent and precious promises that God hath made to such as addict themselves to piety and good works. As in the 20th chapter of Exodus: "I shew mercy unto thousands "of them that love me and keep my commandments." And 1 Sam. ii. Them that honour me, I will honour. And in Is. iii. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with them; for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings. In Matthew v. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. And in chap. vi. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. And in chap. vii. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. St. Paul speaks thus to the Romans: "If ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds "of the body, ye shall live," chap. viii. 13. And in the 1st epistle to Timothy, "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of "that which is to come." And in the 20th chapter of the Revelations, it is written, " Blessed and holy is he "that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the "second death shall have no power.

5. Let the earth hear and tremble at the terrible judgment which God hath denounced against all impen itent sinners; as in Exod. xx. I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. In the 2nd chapter of the first book of Samuel, Them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. In