SERM. one, if applied, would prevail with the sinner II. to break the whole law, or any of its com

mandments, which actually prevails with him in the one point wherein he does offend. Now what is the consequence from all this? So Speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Let the influence of your professed expectation of a future judgment by the gospel, appear in the whole of your Conduct, in all your works and words, Do not imagine, that you fatisfy the obligations of your christian character, or that you can maintain the wellgrounded hope of divine acceptance at last by some good actions, and abstaining from some fins, unless you abound in every good work, and abstain from all kind and all appearance of evil.

One reflection upon what has been said, is very obvious, and that is all I shall farther insist upon at this time, namely, libertinism in practise, or licenciousness of life, is so far from being included in, that it is directly contrary to christian liberty. For the apostle, when he is most strictly pressing the observance of all God's commandments, and enforcing it by the most powerful of all confiderations, the future judgment, he gives the gospel the cha

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racter of the law of liberty; which ifSERM. it were to be understood in this sense, that II. it gives a licence to fin, would be perfectly inconfiftent. Nay, in the words immediately following the text, and thro' the whole remaining part of the chapter, he designedly and largely proves, that we cannot be justified before God, otherwise than by works of righteousness, or an universal and perfevering obedience. There were some then, as there have been at other times, who profeffing the gospel, expected to be justified by the faith of it without works, and tho' they indulg'd themselves in wicked courses, which was turning the grace of God into a criminal liberty, and into lafciviousness, as the Apostle Jude speaks, and making Christ the minister of fin: but, St. James shews the vanity of such a pretence, and confirms his doctrine of Justification, or final absolution in the day of judgment, by works; he confirms it, Isay, by examples from the Old Testament, such as Rahab, and the patriarch Abraham, which might be very convincing to the Jews who had gone into this pernicious Error.

Let us then, take care to understand our liberty aright, and that we do not abuse it to purposes inconfiftent with its true nature and defign,

SERM. design; which we may be sure is always II. done, when men take any encouragement from it to fin; to allow themselves in any works contrary to righteousness, to the fear of God, to purity and charity. This is a point in which the apostles have taken great care to instruct christians. St. Paul, indeed, in his epistle to the Galatians, shews a very warm zeal for liberty; he could not bear that any encroachment should be made upon it; for, when false brethren were brought in privily, to spie out the liberty of christrians in order to ensnare, and bring them into bondage, he would not give place by subjection fo much as for an hour *. Nay, when the apostle Peter thro' fear of the Jews, had gone into a separation upon the sfcore of the ceremonies, requiring the observance of them as a condition of religious communion, and so compelling the Gentiles to conform to the customs of the Jews; Paul withstood him to the face, and he recommended it to christians, Chap. v. 1. To stand fast in the liberty wherewith Chrift bath made us free; but in the 13th Verse, he gives this neceffary caution, ye have been called into liberty, only use not liberty for an occafion to the flesh: do

II.

not take a licence to yourselves in any viciousSERM. practices, nor indulge corrupt affections; and let there be no animosities, no strife, nor envying among you, which will indeed shew you to be carnal and walk as men; but by love Serve one another. To the same purpose he warns the Corinthians that they should not in the use of their liberty offend against charity, ist epistle viii. 9. But take beed leaft by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. St. Peter, also, earnestly exhorts the converted Jews, not to imitate the rest of their country men who committed great disorders under the pretence of freedom, ist epistle ii. 16, as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, by an obstinate re sistance and contempt of lawful human authority, but as the fervants of God.

Thus let us always value our liberty as a high priviledge; maintain, but not abuse it; and live in expectation of the future judgment; being holy in all manner of conversation *. Expecting the refurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, let us, after the example of the holy apostle, herein exercise ourselves to have always confciences void of offence towards God and towards men.

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SERMON III.

OF REPENTANCE.

Matth. iv. 17.

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

T

HE kingdom of Heaven, or the kingdom of God, does usually in the New-Teftament, and particularly in the difcourses of our Saviour hirnself, fignify the gospel state, that glorious model formed in the divine counsels for recovering finful men to their duty, and restoring them to the favour of God. The Deity has a upreme unalienable right to our obedience, which necessarily refults from our relation to him as the workmanship of his hands, endued with those powers which render us capable of knowing and doing his will, continually depending on him, and receiving favours from him. But when mankind had corrupted their ways, and fallen short of the glory of God, it pleased him