SERM. the juftness and the force of his reasoning, money for that which is not bread? and your 2dly, The way to obtain this end is plain- SER M. ly marked out to us in fcripture, particularly V. in this Text; and it is very inexcufable folly and thoughtlesness if we mistake it. Suppofing men to have a general perfuafion that the favour of God is of the greatest confequence to them, and they cannot be happy without it, yet still an attachment to their fins mifleads them another way, that is, they flatter themselves that it is poffible to obtain it without reforming their lives. How many are there who prefume in their hearts that they are the favourites of God, though they go on in their finful courfes, and harden themselves more and more in their vices? To what caufe can this be attributed, or what are the pretences by which men profeffing religion thus fatally deceive themfelves? Indeed the very profeffion of religion itself deceives them, though it is very furprizing that it fhould. Thus the Jews, because they were the people of God, in covenant with him, the pofterity of Abrabam, and of Ifrael, and because they conftantly performed the outward rites of worfhip which he appointed, therefore imagined they were in a good ftate towards God; though the prophets often reprefented to them SERM. them the vanity of fuch pretences, which V. were refuted by many plain inftances demonstrating that God had no regard to them. Their own history fhewed that though he brought their fathers out of Egypt with a ftrong hand, and they did eat fpiritual meat, and drank Spiritual drink, yet with many of them he was not well pleased. He afterwards forfook Shiloh, the tent which he placed with men; and the ark of the covenant in which they trufted for their defence, was taken into captivity, the temple itself was burned; and the last fatal catastrophe of the Jewish nation demonftrated that the favour of God is not annexed to the greatest outward privileges, fince even they may come fhort of it, whofe are the fathers, and the giving of the Laws, and the fervice of God, and the promises. After fuch examples, fhall we vainly imagine that any external privileges, profeffions, or acts of devotion, will entitle us to the divine acceptance? Our bleffed Saviour hath taken much pains to guard his difciples against such a pernicious error; he hath expreffly affured us, that if we should say to him at the laft day, have we not eaten and drank in thy prefence, prophefied in thy name, and in thy name have caft out out devils, and in thy name have done many SERM. wonderful works? His answer will be, Ine- V. ver knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity, Mat. vii. 22. SER SERMON VI. Honour, LONG-LIFE, RICHES, and HONOUR, the Fruits of WISDOM. SER M. VI. PROVERBS III. 16. Length of days is in her right-hand, and in her left-hand riches and bonour. MAN ANY and great are the advantages which Solomon attributeth to wisdom or religious virtue, thereby recommending it to our choice. It must be acknowledged that thofe mentioned in the text are of the lowest kind, and fo they will always appear to a mind well inftructed, and which hath a true taste of real excellence. The pleafures of felf-approbation, the inward tranquillity of foul, which ariseth from the teftimony of an unreproaching heart, fupporting it in all events, and a sense of the favour of God, are enjoyments of a far superior nature, as well as more durable, than the longest, and moft profperous, and honourable life which can be hoped for in this world, 3 |