with all four Strength, we tranfgrefs the FirftandGreat Commandment confequently we are guilty of a Sin of the First Magnitude; confequently we are liable to the Punishment due to that Sin; and confequently deserve to lofe Happiness in this World, and in the next, and to become Miferable in both.

In short then; the Way to be Happy on Earth and in Heaven, is to do the Will of God on Earth as it is done in Heaven; that is, with all poffible Willingnels and Alacrity; agreeable to that excellent Advice of King David to his Son Solomon, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. And thou Solomon, my Son, know thou the God of thy Father, and ferve him with a perfect Heart, and with a willing Mind for the Lord fearcheth all Hearts, and underftandeth all the Ima ginations of the Thoughts. Which Confideration ought to move us.

T

Thirdly, To do our Duty with Sintcerity: I mean according to the best of our Abilities, with an honeft Intention of pleafing God, advancing his Glory, and working out our own Salvation. If this Qualification of Sincerity doth accompany the Performance of our Duty, God will mercifully accept of it for the Sake of our bleffed Redeemer's Merits notwithstand

ing those Infirmities and Defects under which it will continually labour in this imperfect State.

But if Sincerity be wanting; if we practile the Duties of Chriftianity only, in order to obtain the Praife of Men; or for the Maintenance or Increafe of our fecular Intereft; if thefe, or fuch as thefe, be the principal Motives or Ends of our Actions and Behaviour, God will be fure to reject them with Indignation and Hatred; and our own Hearts will frequently condemn us for our vile Hypocrify.

Let none of us, therefore, put on the Vizor of Holiness to further ambitious and worldly Defigns for the Confcioufness of Infincerity will difcompose the Peace of our Minds, and how well foever a fair Covering may conceal our Intentions from Men, it cannot hide them from God's All-piercing Eye. He beholds the fecret -Springs of every Action, and is privy to the inmolt Thoughts and Purpoles of the Soul, and accordingly if he finds them Honeft and Sincere, he will confer upon us the Blefing of true Believers; but if the contrary, he will appoint us the Curfed Portion of falfe-hearted Hypocrites.

Fourthly, Our Duty must be done with -Perfeverance? If we would be conftantly

Happy,

Happy, we must be conftantly Obedient; for Happiness being to be found only in the Way of Righteou/ne/s, as foon, as we forfake that, we shall begin to be Miferable.

And as to what Concerns an Hereaf ter;our labouring in the Work of the Lord will be in vain, unless we finally perfilt in it: Nay, we had better not dif card our Sins at all, nor, ever enter into the Paths of Virtue than after having done fo for a while to draw back, aud! like the Dog return to our Vomit again, or with the Sow that is washed, to our wallowing in the Mire; for if after we have escaped the Pollutions of the World, through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, we are again entangled therein and overcome, the Laft State of us, will be worse than the Firft.

A's

'Tis not enough, therefore, to do our Duty only for a Month; for a Year; or any other Period of Time, except that which is alfo a Period to our Lives. we enter in at the frait Gate, begin a religious Course, so we must be still going forward in the narrow Way; ftill presfing towards the Mark, fill afpiring after Perfection; until GoD is pleased to stop our Progrefs himself, by calling us to defcend

into the Chambers of Mortality: So we fhall affuredly receive the invaluable Prize of our bigh Vocation; fo we fhall be fatisfied with that perfect Holiness and Bliss, after which our Souls inceffantly panted. And fo much may fuffice for the third Thing propounded, which was to enquire bow out Duty must be done, in order to make us Happy.

Since then in my former Difcourfe, I have fet before you'; First of all, the Necellity of Chriftian Practice, in order to Happiness; and Secondly, the Certainty of Happiness upon Chriftian Practice: Since in my prefent Difcourfe, I have Thirdly declared to you, thofe Qualifications, which are effentially requifite in such a Practice: I may now proceed in the

Laft Place, to observe to you, what Influence the Doctrines delivered under the foregoing Heads, ought to have upon our Hearts and Lives.

And First, the Neceffity of doing our Duty, in order to the Attainment of Happiness, should antidote us against the poifonous Contagion of those Perfons, who regard little more than the Knowledge of it.

This Remark cannot appear unfeafonable to any one that is at all acquainted with the World; for though perhaps

there

there are few or none who heartily Believe, that Knowledge alone will be available towards Happinefs and Salvation; yet there are many who live as if they did fo believe. How very common is it with those who are ufficiently endued with the Knowledge of their Duty, to let their Behaviour thwart and contradict it? How often do they difpute for the Truths of Religion, and enervate their own Arguments by their impious Conversation? How ready are they upon all Occasions to infinuate their Understanding in the deep Things of the Spirit, and yet conftantly ftupifie themselves in the Pleasures of Flesh and Senfe? Such Proceedings as these are but too vifible; they fpread far and wide, which fhows their infectious Nature: But they could never be so rife among us, were we cordially perfuaded that Chriftian Practice is as neceffary to our Happiness as Chriftian Knowledge; and that This alone will but serve to enhance our Mifery; because Happiness and Mifery being Objects, the One of our warmeft Defire; the other of our most inconquerable Antipathy; we should naturally Purfue and Embrace, that which we really thought was Conducive or Neceffary to the Former; and carefully beQ

ware