Imatges de pàgina
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he teaches us a quite different Leffon; namely, that It will be an Aggravation of our Guilt, and expofe us to a much feverer Punishment, than we fhould otherwile be afflicted with? as is evident from Luke xii. 47, 48. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will, and prepared not bimfelf, neither did according to his Will, Shall be beaten with many Stripes. But be that knew not, and did commit Things worthy of Stripes, shall be beaten with few Stripes: For unto whomfoever much is given, of him fall be much required; and to whom Men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

From what hath been faid therefore 'cis plain, that by refting in a bare Knowedge of our Duty, we fhall lofe the Divine Favour; forfeit the Hopes of Felicity; and unavoidably draw upon ourselves Deftruction. We fhall be like unto the foolish Man who buildeth his House upon the Sand, and trusteth in that for Protecti on and Shelter: For as when the Sea rages and wells, and the Waves thereof tofs themselves prodigioufly, fuch a House will betray a Man, the more fatally to the violent and difmal over-flowing of the vast Collection of Water; fo when the fierce Vengeance of Almighty Gop fhall be ter

ribly difplayed before all the World; by having known our Duty and not done it, we shall be funk the Deeper in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. But if we look into the perfect Law of Liberty and continue therein, and be not forgetful Hearers, or Knowers only, but Doers of the Work; then we shall be Happy, for ever Happy, in our Deeds. Which leads me to the

Second Thing propounded; That is, to fhow that we fhall affuredly be happy, if we know our Duty and do it too. Thus our Bleffed Saviour tells us in the Text; If ye know these Things, happy are ye if ye do them. If ye know thefe Things: We must first of all endeavour to get a right Knowledge of our Duty, otherwife 'tis not to be expected that we should tightly perform it. By blindly following the Directions of others, we may perhaps do fome Acts of Obedience, But then 'tis but by chance that we do them: We are uncertain whether we do them or not: And whilft we think we are obeying GOD, we may for ought we know, be tranfgreffing his Commands. The Service which God requires of us is a reafonable Service; but That cannot be juftly reckoned Reasonable, for the doing of

which we can give no better Reason, than. that others confidently Say we must do it: And indeed 'tis but too evident, from Matter of Fact; that thofe Perfons who abfolutely refignup themfelves to the Guidance of others, instead of taking upon them the eafy Yoak of CHRIST, are in a fair Way to be heavy laden with grievous Burdens of Men: Burdens which they ought not to bear; and which the Imposers of them are unwilling to touch fo much as with one of their Fingers; unless it be to Prefs them clofer upon their poor, unthinking, miferable, implicit Believers.

If then we would avoid these Dangers, and walk in the certain Road to Happinefs; we must conftantly follow the Directions of the Holy Scriptures They are the only infallible Guides in Things pertaining to our Duty: Of them therefore let us enquire what we are to do: By them let us try every Doctrine we are taught: And according as it fquares or difagrees with them, let us embrace or reject it. In fhort; let us fee with our own Eyes, as much as we can; and where they fail us, let us take in the Affistance of those whom we have the best Reason to think will not mislead us; always imploring the Favour of Heaven to preferve us from falling into Error.

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By thefe Means, (and only by thefe) we may arrive at a competent Knowledge of our Duty; and then if we likewife practife. it, we shall certainly be happy We shall be happy in pleafing Reflections on our paft Conduct: Happy in the Enjoyment. of Peace with Gop: Happy in the Peace and Quiet of our own Confciences; And. happy in the bleffed Expectations of future Happiness. To think that we have obeyed the Dictates of right Reafon; and followed the Prelcriptions of our holy Religion; will afford us Abundance of Gladnefs and Complacency. To be temperate in our Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, Labours, and Diverfions, will ftave off a great deal of Pain, and Sicknets; and make our Bodies clean, vigorous, and lively. To bridle our impetuous Paffions, and keep them in order, will defend us from being troubled with inward Tempefts, and regale our Souls with a. perpetual Calm. And to meditate on the precious Promises, which are made to them who perfevere in well-doing, will in fome fort bring Heaven down to Earth, and entertain us with an Earneft of the Delights of Canaan, whilst we are Pilgrims in the Wilder! ness.

Thus if we know our Duty and do it

too,

;

too, the Thoughts of it will lie fmooth and even, our Bodies will be healthful and ftrong; our Minds compofed and ferene and, like the upper Region of the Air, be free from all boifterous Hurricanes and Commotions. And in all Conditions of Life, we may refresh and gladden our Hearts, by the Contemplation of that inconceivable Reward, which will be dif pensed to us in another World, And how happy must fuch Circumstances neceffarily render us? How pleasantly must our Years roll on, when, befides an har-monious Frame of Body, we poffefs the most transporting Joys in our Souls? These Joys are equal to the Capacities of a rational Creature: Thefe Joys are noble and intellectual; and as far fuperior to all senfual Satisfactions, as the Subject of them, the Soul, is fuperior to the Body: And yet thefe Joys will immediately be conveyed to us, upon the due Performance of our Duty.

But as for the Happiness that will be bestowed upon us, after we are Diffolved? and be with CRHIST; if a Man had the Tongue of an Angel, and the Knowledge of an Arch-angel, he could not raise in you a perfect Notion of it. Until our Understandings are more enlightened, and

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