what we shall drink, and wherewith hall we be cloathed? Appears to be the chief Concern of the Generality of Mankind. Not that I think the Body should be excluded from a neceffary and proper Proportion of our Care and Diligence; as it would be abfurd and irrational to fuppofe our Bodies can fubfift without fuitable Care and Provision: On the contrary, it is every Man's indif penfible Duty to provide a Subfiftance for himself and his Houthold; fuch who do not, are con fider'd by the Apoftle worfe than Infidels; having, by this Neglect, denied their Faith in Chrift: But then let it be a rational, moderate and Christian Care ; let the Things appertaining to this Life have their juft and proper Place in our Affections; and not rebelliously and unnaturally ufurp an Au thority Almighty Wifdom thought fit to invest his Creature Man with, at the Time when he presented him with the Creation, and put it under his Subjection, faying, Have thou Dominion over every living Thing, &c. and fubdue the Earth. Here was all fublunary and earthly Objects placed under our Feet; that the Creatures were, by the Wifdom and Order of God, placed in Subordination and Subjection to us, to be our Servants, not our Lords (that our Reason fhould rule them, not they govern our Reason) which they immediately. become, when we make an unlawful and improper Ufe of them; and which we certainly do, when we employ them to fulfil the finful Lufts and Vanities of the Flesh.

And further, is it not Matter of Wonder and Amazement, Compaffion and Lamentation, to obferve fo little Provifion made for, or Concern employ'd

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employ'd about the immortal Soul, which must abfolutely and certainly have an eternal Existence, either in Bliss or Mifery? And tho' many who pretend to Religion and Virtue, acknowledge that our Felicity confifts in rightly knowing, truly loving, and reverently ferving the Supreme Being: And that Obedience, Submiffion and Refignation to his divine Will and holy Commands, is the higheft Point of Wisdom, and indifpenfable Duty of all rational Minds; yet how small the Proportion of those who act agreeable to this Confeffion, to thofe, by far the greater Number, who inconfiderately and blindly follow the dark Imaginations of their own Will and Affections? This Confideration is indeed Subject of Mourning to those whofe Eyes and Understandings the Almighty has mercifully opened by the Hand of his divine Power, and affifted by the Light of his Grace, to fee their own Mistakes; and has graciously afforded his holy Aid and Inftruction, by which they were enabled to rectify them. These, seeing the manifold Dangers all who are in a State of Sin and Forgetfulness of God are obnoxious to, are concerned to discover and point out the dangerous Rocks fuch muft inevitably fall on, if they continue to pursue the perilous Courfe of Sin and Folly; and to mark out, as far as they are enabled, the Way and Means by which they may escape the Pollution of and Punishment due to Sin; and obtain Acceptance with the Almighty, viz. Repentance towards God, Faith in Jefus Christ, and, by the Affiftance of his holy Spirit, a conftant and confiftent Walking in the Paths of Virtue and Holiness: For we are not fo ignorant as not to know, that his Will concerning us, is our Sanctification:

Sanctification: And that we may not be led aftray, nor be deceived by the grand Adverfary of our Soul's Happiness, our merciful and benign Creator, knowing our Weakness and Inability to perform any good Action, or to refift the leaft Temptation, by any Strength or Power of our own, without the Inftruction, Aid and Affiftance of his Almighty Arm, has provided us a Leader and Conductor, who is mighty to fave, and able to deliver to the Uttermoft, all who come to him with full Faith in his Power. We muft, as the blind Man did (who came to Chrift to have his Eyes open'd) believe that he is able to do the fame great Work for us in a fpiritual Senfe, which he perform'd for him in a natural; and alfo fay, with the Leper, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean; and as Chrift's Office was alfo to open the Prison Doors, and to let the Captives go free; All you who may be in cruel Bondage, held in Captivity by Sin and Satan, as it were, by Chains of grofs Darkness, if you are but willing to be releafed from the Slavery, apply to Chrift, who is able to bind the ftrong Man armed, to spoil his Goods, and to expel him out of your Hearts. Are you willing to be free? Christ our Lord proclaims a Year of Jubilee, wherein he is ready and willing to fet you free on eafy Terms, viz. Love and Obedience to his Will, whofe Service is perfect Freedom; for if Chrift make you free, then fhall you be free indeed; when the Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus bath made you free from the Law of Sin and Death, and brought you into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God; glorious Privilege indeed! Behold the stupendous Love of the Father, and the G 2 Dignity

Dignity he bestows upon those that are led by his Spirit, that they shall be called the Sons of God! and if Sons, then Heirs, Joint Heirs with Chrift, Rom. viii. 14, 17. of the Kingdom he hath promised to them that love and obey him. And permit me to affure you, from my own happy Experience; (which I would always mention with Humility and Reverence, never, I hope, forgetting, that what I am, I am by the Grace God) That whofoever looketh into this perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein, this Man fhall be blessed in bis Deed, Ifa. i 25. For the Effect of Obedience to the royal Law of God, is Quietness and Affurance for ever; which will afford us a wellgrounded Hope of Acceptance with the Almighty, agreeable to the Apoftle; Beloved, if our Hearts condemn us not, then have we Confidence towards God, 1 John iii. 21. And the Reason he affigns is, Because we keep his Commandments, and this is his Commandment, That we should believe on the Name or Power of his Son Chrift Jefus, ver 23. And you know that he was manifefted to take away our Sins. But if any one afk, How shall I apply to Chrift, or where shall I go to meet with him; fince fome fay, Lo, here is Chrift; and others, Lo he is there?

Hear now where the Apostle Paul directs all fuch Enquirers; Say not in thine Heart, who shall afcend into Heaven? that is, to bring Chrift down from above: Or who shall defcend into the Deep? that is, to bring Chrift again from the Dead (for the Righteousness, which is of Faith, peaketh on this wife) The Word is nigh thee, even in thy Mouth, and

in thine Heart, that is the Word of Faith which we preach, Rom. x. 6, 7, 8.

And this is the Law and new Covenant the Prophet Jeremiah foretold God would make with his People, which in these latter Days, or Gopel Dilpenfation, our great Legiflator puts into the Hearts of Mankind, and writes in the most fecret Receffes of our Confciences; inftructing us more immediately in our Duty, and faying to the Unrighteous and Disobedient, This is the Way, not that which thou art walking in, of Sin and Folly; but this is the Way, the Way of Righteousness, Holiness, and Obedience to all God's Commands; for the Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light; and the Reproofs of Inftruction is the Way to Life, Prov. vi. 23.

In this Way and Light the Righteous are careful to walk; the Law of his God being in his Heart (if ftrictly adhered to) none of his Steps fhall flide, Pfalm xxxvii. 31.

To the Truth and Extention of this Light, or Grace of Chrift's Holy Spirit, in our Hearts, this more fure Word of Prophecy, the Apostle Paul bears ample Teftimony, as I have elsewhere noted, in thefe Words; The Grace of God that brings Salvation, hath appeared to all Men, teaching us, that denying Ungodliness, and the World's Lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent World. Titus ii. 11, 12.

With this Testimony of the Light the Liturgy of the Church of England concurs." God, who "at this Time didft teach the Hearts of thy "faithful

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Col. Whit. Sun.