scorn, hatred, or indignation. 2. The next is to suffer reproof without excusing ourselves; which is only to set it aside in a civil manner. 3. Then he that proceeds in this instance, will admit it without regret, or secret murmuring and unwillingness. 4. But if, in addition to this, he voluntarily confesses his fault, and eases his spirit of the infection, then it is certain that he is not only a professed enemy to sin, but a zealous and prudent person, active against all its interests; who never counts himself at ease but while he rests on the banks of Sion, or at the gates of the temple; he reckons it no shame to be abased in the face of men, so that he may be gracious in the sight of God: this topic enlarged on.

6. He that is grown in grace and the knowlege of Christ, esteems no sin to be little or contemptible; none fit to be cherished or indulged in. He not only thinks that it is inconsistent with the love of God to entertain any indecency or beginning of a crime, but he always remembers how much it cost him to arrive at the good state to which the grace of God hath already brought him. It makes men negligent when they have an opinion that they are persons extraordinary in nothing; that a little care will not mend them; that another sin cannot make them much worse: but it is a sign of a tender conscience and a reformed spirit, when a man is sensible of every alteration; when an idle word is troublesome; when a wandering thought puts the spirit on its guard; when a too free merriment is wiped off with a sigh and a sad thought, a severe recollection, and a holy prayer.

7. He that is grown in grace, pursues virtue for its own interest, without the mixture of collateral designs and equally-inclining purposes. God, in the beginning of our returns to him, entertains us with promises and threats, and the apprehension of temporal advantages, with fear and with shame, &c.; and, at first, men snatch at the lesser or lower ends of virtue, and such rewards as are visible, and which God sometimes gives in hand, to entertain our weak and imperfect desires: this topic enlarged on. But perfect persons

should serve God out of mere love to him and his divine excellences; and, doubtless, many come to that growth of charity, that the goodness and excellency of God are more pressing on their spirit than any considerations of reward; they love God for himself, and do their duties for the fruition of him and his pleasure; all that, is but heaven in another sense, and under another name.

8. Some men there are, who in the beginning of their holy walking with God, and while they are babes in Christ, are presently busied in delights of prayers, and rejoice in public communion, and count all solemn assemblies as festivals: but as they are pleased with them, so they can easily be without them: but it is the sign of a common and vulgar love, only to be pleased with the company of a friend, and to be as well without him: this enlarged on.

9. But as some are active only in the presence of a good object, but remiss and careless for the want of it; so, on the other hand, an infant grace is safe in the absence of a temptation, but falls easily when it is in presence. He, therefore, that would understand if he

be grown in grace, may consider if his safety consists only in peace, or in the strength of the Spirit. It is good that we will not seek opportunities of sin; but are we not too apprehensive of it when it is presented? or do we not sink under it when it presses us? topic enlarged on.

This

10. No man is grown in grace, but he that is ready for every work; that chooses not his employment; that refuses no imposition from God, or his superior. A ready hand, an obedient heart, and a willing, cheerful soul, in all the work of God, and in every office of religion, is a great index of a good proficient in the ways of godliness. This is not to be expected from beginners; for they must be enticed with fit employments; and it may be that their office and work so fits their spirits, as to make them first in love with it, and then with God for giving it: this enlarged on.

11. Lastly; some there are, who are firm in all great and foreseen changes, and have laid up in the storehouses of the spirit, reason and religion, arguments and discourses enough to defend them against all violences, &c.: but something may be wanting yet; and in the direct progress towards heaven, that may be called an infallible sign of a great grace, and the greatest degree of it, when a man is prepared against sudden invasions of the spirit, surreptitious and extemporary assaults: this topic enlarged on. These are the parts, acts, and offices of our growing in grace: concerning which a few cautions must be interposed.

1. The growth of grace is to be estimated as other moral things are; not according to the growth of things natural. Grace does not grow by observation, and a continual efflux, and a constant proportion, &c.

2. It is not always to be discerned, in single instances, or in single graces.

3. We must be careful to observe that these rules are not all to be understood negatively, but positively and affirmatively: that is, a man may conclude he is grown in grace, if he observe in himself the characters above mentioned; but he must not conclude negatively, or that he is not grown in grace, if he cannot observe such signal testimonies: this enlarged on.

4. In considering our growth in grace, let us take more care to reckon matters that concern justice and charity, than those that concern the virtue of religion; because in these may be much, in the other there cannot easily be any illusion and cozenage.

To these parts and actions of a good life, or growth in grace, are added some considerations, which are rather signs than parts of it: such as, 1. To praise all good things, and to imitate what we praise : 2. To feel a noble emulation: 3. To bear sickness patiently, and to improve it 4. Devotion and delight in prayer: 5. Whispers of God's Spirit, prompting us to obedience: 6. The offering of peace to those that have injured us, &c.: 7. Love to the brethren: 8. Not repining at the honors or fortune of others: 9. A freedom from temptation, &c.: 10. An excellent habit of body and of the material

passions: 11. Peculiar acts of devotion; but though these may proceed from a great love of virtue, yet because some men may do these and no more, they are not to be relied on: but we must be content to work on still. Conclusion.

SERMON VIII.

OF GROWTH IN SIN; OR, THE SEVERAL STATES AND DEGREES OF SINNERS, WITH THE MANNER HOW THEY ARE TO BE TREATED.

JUDE, VERSES 22, 23.

And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.

PART I.

MAN has but one entrance into the world, but a thousand exits. And as in the natural, so it is in the spiritual state: nothing but the union of faith and obedience can secure our regeneration; but there are a thousand passages turning to darkness. There are various stages and descents to death, as there are degrees of torment in the kingdom of sorrow: yet for every one of these stages of sin, God hath measured out a proportion of mercy. If sin abounds, grace shall much more abound. Yet there are some sins for which God hath not appointed a remedy: some men have sinned like the fallen angels, and have outrun the conditions of grace. This is a state to be avoided with all care and anxiety. The aim of this discourse stated:-to remonstrate on the several states of sin and death, and to show the remedies which God hath proportioned for them; that we may observe the evils of the least, and so avoid the intolerable mischiefs of the greater; lest we fall into such sins as the eternal God will never pardon.

I. Of some have compassion. These reduced to four heads or orders of men and actions: all which have their proportional remedies.

1. The first are those that sin without observation of their peculiar state; either because they are uninstructed in the special cases of conscience, or because they do an evil against which there is no express commandment. Millions are in a state of sickness and danger, who are made to believe that they are in perfect health and they do actions concerning which they never made a question whether they were just or not, nor were ever taught by what names to call them this explained. Others sin, because the crime is not under the restraint of an express commandment, and there is no

letter of the law to condemn them by an express sentence: this enlarged on. 2. Men sin without an express prohibition, when they commit a thing that is like to a forbidden evil. When St. Paul had reckoned many works of the flesh, he adds, and such like; that is, all that have the same unreasonableness and carnality: this explained. 3. A man is guilty, even when no law names his action, if he does any thing that is a cause or an effect, a part or unhandsome adjunct, of a forbidden instance: this explained. 4. Besides the express laws of our religion, there is a universal line and limit to our passions and designs, which is called the analogy of Christianity, that is, the proportion of its sanctity, and the strictness of its holy precepts. This is not forbidden; but does it become you? Is it decent in a Christian to live in plenty and ease, and heap up money, and never to partake of Christ's passions? this subject dilated on. It is but reasonable that we should take account of our lives by the proportions, as well as by the express rules of our religion; for that which in the accounts of men is called reputation and public honesty, is the same which in religion we call analogy and proportion: this point enlarged on.

II. The next sort of those who are in the state of sin, and yet to be handled gently and with compassion, are those who entertain themselves with the beginnings and little entrances of sin: this point enlarged on the compassion to be used to such persons is the compassion of a severe tutor or of a physician. Chastise thy infant sin by discipline and acts of virtue. He that means to be temperate, and to avoid the crime and dishonor of drunkenness, must not love to partake of the songs, or bear a part in the foolish scenes of laughter which distract Wisdom, and fright her from the company. Danger of admitting the first entrances of sin described, and illustrated by a beautiful simile.

III. There are some who are very much to be pitied and assisted, because they are going into hell, and, as matters stand with them, they cannot, or they think they cannot, avoid it. There are persons whose life is wholly in dependence on the will of others; and if the prince or patron be vicious and imperious, it is the loss of his dependent's fortune not to lose his soul: state of such persons enlarged on. So also it is when ignorant people are catechised into false doctrine, and know nothing but such principles as weaken the nerves and enfeeble the joints of holy living; they never heard of any other. State of those considered who follow great and evil examples, who are engaged in the public sins of a kingdom, which they understand not, and either must venture to be undone on the strength of their own little reasonings, or else must go where the popular misery has made the way plain before their eyes, though it be uneven and dangerous to their consciences. Many, if they be left alone, out of the sight of their tempter, go whither their education or custom carries them but it is not in some natures to deny the face of a man and the boldness of a sinner, especially when it is not their interest to do so. These men are in a pitiable condition, and are to be helped by the following rules:

PART III.

2 A

1. Let every man consider that he has two relations to serve, and he stands between God and his master, or his nearest relative: in such cases it comes to be disputed, which interest is to be preferred; which of the persons is to be displeased, God or his master, God or his prince, God or his friend. If we be servants of the man, let us remember that we are also servants of God: this topic enlarged on. 2. The next advice to persons thus tempted is, that they should learn to separate duty from mistaken interest: let them both be served in their just proportions, when we have learned to make a difference. Take the counsel of the son of Sirach: Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.'

3. When passion mingles with duty, and is a necessary instrument of serving God, let not passion run its own course, and pass on to liberty, and thence to license and dissoluteness: this explained.

4. Let every such tempted person remember, that all evil comes from ourselves, and not from others; and therefore all pretences and prejudices, all commands and temptations, all opinions and necessities, are but instances of our weakness, and arguments of our folly; for unless we listed, no man could make us drink beyond our measures; and if I tell a lie for the advantage of my master or my friend, it is because I prefer a little money or flattery before my honor and innocence: this topic dilated on to the end.

PART II.

IV. The last sort of those that sin, and yet are to be treated with compassion, is of them that interrupt the course of an honest life with single acts of sin; whose resolution stands fair, and whose hearts sojourn in religion, or rather dwell there; though, like evil husbands, they go abroad and enter into places of dishonor and unthriftiness. Such as these all histories remember with a sad character: instance of David. God has given us precepts of such holiness and purity, meekness and humility, as have no pattern but Christ, no precedent but his own purity: and therefore it is intended that we should not live a life whose actions are chequered with white and black, half sin and half virtue. It is not meant by this that a man's life must be as pure as the sun but it may be like the moon, in which there are spots, but they are no deformity; a lessening only and an abatement of light this enlarged on. The danger of allowing ourselves to enter on the confines of vice, to see the beauties, as it were, of the enemy's country, described: comparison of Dinah, Jacob's daughter. When men thus fall, not by design, but by folly; not by malice, but by surprise; not by the strength of the will, but by the weakness of grace: they are to be treated with great compassion, and to be assisted by the following considerations and exercises :

1. First, we should consider, that for a good man to be overtaken in a single crime, is the greatest dishonor and unthriftiness in the world. As a fly in a box of ointment, so is a little folly to him who