flesh," who were never cut off from the natural stock, and ingrafted into Chrift the true vine, fuch perfons, the Apostle tells us, (Rom. viii. 8.) " cannot please God." They may perform the outward acts of duty, they may even do them with a confiderable degree of natural fervour; but all the while their moft fpecious fervices are only "dead works," offered up with "strange

fire," which cannot afcend to God with acceptance.. -I fpeak therefore to the living members of Chrift, to thofe who are regenerated by the Spirit of God; and my request to you is, that, from this time forward, you fhould "ftir up the gift of God "that is in you," and be fervent in Spirit, ferving the Lord.

The declining interest of religion requires all the fupport you can give it. Men are wearing out of acquaintance with God; nor is it greatly to be wondered at, seeing his image is fo faintly to be difcerned, even upon those who are really his children. Look around you, and obferve how active and violent wicked men are in the fervice of Satan; their pace, like" the driving

" of

"of Jehu, the fon of Nimfhi, is swift and "furious." With what zeal, with what

rope

you

carefulness, with what felf-denial,-I had almost faid, with what fear and trembling, -do many of them work out their own damnation!" drawing iniquity with cords "of vanity, and finning as with a cart!"And will be cold and negligent, nay, timorous and fhamefaced, in the fervice of the true and living God? Oh! how unfeemly, how fcandalous, how hurtful were this! hurtful to yourselves, hurtful to your fellow Christians, hurtful even to the wicked with whom you converse: they know that heaven and hell are in direct oppofition, and confequently that the roads which lead to them must be widely distant from each other; and therefore they will never be perfuaded that they shall be thrust down into utter darkness, if fuch as

you, who in appearance are treading the fame path that they do, fhall get to heaven at last.- -Ungrateful fervants! how hath your Redeemer deferved this at your hands? Is this the way to gains mens hearts to the love of holiness? Would you

with the world to write after fo imperfect and blotted a copy as you fet before them? I beseech, I obteft you, by all the regard you have for the glory of God, your own comfort, and the good of others, that henceforth you would diftinguish yourfelves more visibly from "the men of the "world, who have their portion in this "life." "Have no fellowship with the "unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." them." Let Christianity be fo deeply engraved on every part of your conduct, that he who runs may read whose fervants you are, and thus God may be glorified in his faints.It is a mean inglorious aim, merely to keep within the limits, which divide the lawful from the forbidden ground: Show that you are men of another fpirit," by "following the "Lord fully," and ftraining every nerve, as it were, to attain the highest perfection of which our nature is capable in its prefent imperfect ftate. Let faith realife to you the life of Jefus; and beg of God, for Chrift's fake, that he, by his Spirit, may kindle that holy fire in your hearts,

which

which fhall gradually confume all your drofs, and carry you swiftly forward to the Zion above, that imperial city of the great King, where, like thofe flaming ministers who furround his throne, you shall serve God day and night in his temple, without interruption, without imperfection, and without wearinefs. To which exalted felicity, may God, of his infinite mercy, bring us all in due time, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SER

SERMON XVÍ.

NUMBERS XIV. 24.

401

But my fervant Galeb, because he had another Spirit with him, and hath FOLLOWED ME FULLY; him will I bring into the land whereinto be went; and his feed fhall poffefs it.

I

PROPOSE to recommend to your imitation this illuftrious fervant of the Moft High God, whofe name is recorded with fuch distinguished honour in the paffage I have just now read in your hearing. Caleb followed the Lord fully, and obtained a glorious reward: and if we hope or wish to be rewarded as he was, reafon teacheth us, that we should walk in his steps, and do as he did.

But what are we to understand by following the Lord fully?—This question is first in order; and after I have endeavoured to give a fatisfying answer to it, I fhall then proceed to prefs the duty by fome motives and arguments.