SERM. of fincere chriftians; engageth them to a XI. conftant attendance. Befides a growth in knowledge, which is earnestly desired, as being the foundation of increase in every good quality, and abounding in every good work, we are so apt to let divine truths flip out of our minds, that we need to be often ftirred up by way of remembrance, which is one proper end of the holy miniftrations: For this it was that the apoftle Peter wrote both his epistles, as he telleth us in the 3d chapter of his fecond epiftle, and ift verse; and he declareth it to have been the proper bufinefs of his apoftolic office, as long as he lived, to ftir up christians, chap. i. 12, 13. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of those things, though

ye

know them, and be established in the prefent truth: yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in remembrance. But ftill, a religious practice, what our Saviour calleth good fruits, the fruits of righteoufnefs and charity, and the apoftle defcribeth as works which are good and profitable to men, these are the great end of facred miniftrations, and fhould be our end in attending them. Then are we the true difciples of wisdom, and watch at her gates not in vain, when

XI.

we conftantly pursue the defign of reform- SER M. ing our lives, ftrengthening good difpofitions, correcting bad ones, and that we abound more and more in the fruits of righteousness, which are, by Jesus Christ, to the glory of God.

may

2dly, Our watching at the gates of wif dom, and waiting at the pofts of her doors, that is, the regular performance of the inftrumental duties of religion, requireth a conftant care and folicitude that the benefit of them may not be loft; and, particularly, a ftrict vigilance over our own fpirits and our whole behaviour. They who wait at the doors of the great, are always ready to embrace every occafion of getting their bu finefs done, their homage paid, or their petitions presented; they will not amuse themfelves with trifles, neglecting their chief concern, that would be very indecent in fuch circumstances, and foolish. When we go up to the house of God, to the folemnities, of public worship, or ufe any other means appointed for our inftruction, we ought to confider ourselves as fervants in waiting, and to be wholly taken up in the business of our prefent fervice, attending with earneft defire and a refolution of ready obedience, every fignification of our mafter's will. Be

bold,

SERM. bold, faith the Pfalmift, Pfal. cxxiii. 2. as XI. the eyes of fervants look unto the band of their

masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the band of her mistress, fo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. But every one who reflecteth on himself, will find, by experience, it is no fmall difficulty to preserve such a temper of mind, to watch all the avenues of the heart, and keep it with diligence, as Solomon adviseth, to prevent the incurfions of vanity, and restrain the wanderings of the imagination, fo that the fervice of God may be performed, and the proper defign of it pursued without distraction.

3dly, We have need of patience, which alfo is fignified by waiting. Our progrefs in religious knowledge and virtue is gradual. God hath been pleased to accommodate his methods of inftruction to our weaknefs; as little children are taught the first rudiments of knowledge very flowly, and the fame things must be often repeated and inculcated to make an impreffion upon their minds; fo the prophet representeth the divine condefcenfion in communicating useful truths and precepts to those who are flow of heart to understand and receive them, Ifa. xxviii. 10. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon

line, bere a little and there a little. So we SER M. ought to attend with unwearied affiduity XI. the means of religion, till we obtain the benefit of them. I do not fay we should be patient of any thing that is finful in ourfelves, for that is not the proper object of patience; and it is certain there is fin in our imperfections and infirmities, intended to be cured by the prescriptions of wisdom; yet patience is the character of a continuance in well doing, as well as of enduring afflictions, and while we have many difficulties to struggle with, arifing from temptations and from our own frailty, we ought not to weary and faint in our minds, for that will end in unactive floth; the gates of wisdom will then be unfrequented by us, or we shall repair to them without earneft defire, without fpirit and refolution, whereby our attendance will become unprofitable to us. Very often indeed fo it is, that little fenfible advantage is obtained by the means of religion, which is always chargeable on ourfelves; for the means are in themselves, well fitted to their proper end. Any one who seriously confiders them, will fee that this is particularly the character of the chriftian inftitutions. But from whatever caufe it ariseth, there is a danger of the VOL. III. U service

SER M. service of God's being infipid and burthenXI. fome to us, and of our being indifferent

and fpiritlefs in it, againft which we should guard with the utmost care, and always endeavour with alacrity and vigor to use the means of our religious inftruction and improvement.

Let us, my brethren, very feriously confifider this important declaration in the text, that they are bleffed who bear wisdom, watching at her gates, and the posts of her doors. If wifdom be in itself an excellent attainment, the very perfection and integrity of the human nature, if its ways be pleafantnefs and peace, and will entitle us to a great future reward, then certainly we fhould feek it with the greateft earnestness, cry after it, as Solomon fpeaketh, and use diligently all proper means for attaining

it. As they are bleffed who hear, on the contrary, they make themselves unhappy who defpife inftruction; as it is faid at ver. 36. of this chapter, in the name of wisdom, He that finneth against me, wrongeth his own foul; all they that hate me, love death; and yet more fully, in the firft chapter of this book from the 24th verfe, the miferable effects of fuch defpite to wifdom are laid before us, because I have called and ye re

fufed,