wickedness; and as fuch, chiefly, he receives it. He has the guilt of no great fin upon his conscience. He troubles not himself with motives, and what he calls, the refinements of religion; but hopes, a life free from great wickedness will carry him to heaven.

The real Chriftian is the reverse of all these. Through faith in Chrift, and a firm belief of all the doctrines of chriftianity, he converts his moral virtues into chriftian doctrines; and though he may hope, that in fome of his works he may please God, yet he prefumes not on any of them, acknowledging with contrition that he has no hopes of falvation through his own righteousness, but merely through the merits of his Redeemer, Of course, therefore, he thinks an innocent life. is not all that is required; but endeavours to recommend himself to God, by devotion and prayer by heavenly affections, and works of charity.

If a fet difcourfe should be taken from this hint, it might conclude with an exhortation to a congregation, to examine themfelves by the feveral characters fet before them; from which they might be inftructed, on proper motives, to imitate the best,

XVI..

Ceafe to do evil; learn to do well.-Ifa. i. 16.

WE have here the whole duty of man in two

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fentences. We are firft to cleanfe the heart from wickedness, and then to adorn it with virtues. The ground muft be prepared, before the feed can be fown.-But there is a manifold difference between thefe two operations; and the prophet feems to mark it. By the powers of nature, he seems to fuppofe we may ceafe to do evil. Confcience, in many cafes, is a law unto itfelf; and, if it be attended to, will curb many of the great exceffes of vice. We know it may, from the practice of feveral heathen worthies.

But though nature may, in a good degree, prevent our doing evil, fomething more is required to teach us to do well-fomething, as the prophet fays, which we are to learn. Here the gospel comes in: it teaches us to fpiritualize our affections, and to regulate all our actions by its holy precepts.

XVII.

Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.-Rom. xiv. 22.

FEW men are fo wicked as not to make fome

excuse to their own confciences for their tranfgreffions of duty. Though they are not fo weak as to fuppofe their excufes are a cover for fin; yet an excuse serves to let their minds quietly down, as it were, to the tranfgreffion. This is what is generally meant by allowing a tranfgreffion. We do not approve it; but by fome fophiftry we have argued ourselves into the allowance of it.-Now this is the very thing against which the apoftle warns us. Knowing how apt human nature is to quibble itself into improper allowances, we are inftructed not to fuffer any action, which our confcience does not fairly allow. The condemnation of confcience is the avowal of guilt.

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XVIII.

The Scribes and Pharifees fit in Mofes's feat. All, therefore, what they bid you obferve, that obferve and de: but do not after their works; for they fay, and do not.-Matt. xxiii. 2.

THIS is a very fevere cenfure of a very corrupt prieft hood-a priesthood that gives inftruction, without example. How far this cenfure of the Scribes and Pharifees characterizes the minifters of cour church, I should not wish to inveftigate. Numbers, no doubt, there are, who add example to precept: at the fame time, we fear there are many who fay, and do not. To inftruct, is an eafy matter. There is ready accefs, in this enlightened age, to inftruction of various kinds, which may be easily given at second hand; and Mofes's feat may be very well filled. But a holy example is a different matter. Here we cannot draw from others, as we may topics of inftrution. We muft draw all from ourfelves; and if future confiderations have no weight with us, let us at leaft confider the fcandal of talking an d acting in different ways, and thus continually giving ourselves the lie.

XIX.

This people honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.-Matt. xv. 8.

THIS was spoken of the Scribes and Pharifees whofe religion went no farther than their lips.But it was the application of a prophecy, which may extend to this people, or that people, or any people, who treat God with their lips, and not with their hearts. More or lefs, all our prayers, alas! come under the prophet's cenfure. Who can keep his devotion fo guarded, as never to fuffer his thoughts to idle abroad? But when we keep the best guard upon them we can, in driving out all intruding thoughts, it may be hoped we may in a great degree efcape the prophet's cenfure. He only is the guilty person, who deliberately makes the time of his devotion a time for thinking over any fubject which may then occupy his thoughts--who can fettle an account, in his mind, at church, or adjust the terms of a bargain-and have his lips alone in God's fervice.