for Succour and Confolation,

to

* the

Lively hope of an Inheritance Incorruptible; to which we are begotten by the Refurrection of Chrift Jefus from the Dead.

But I have fo Few minutes left, for addreffing my felf further to you, that I must go on to the

II. Second General Head of this Difcourse, Namely, Some Short Directions to be obferved, as Means of accomplishing that Converfation, which becometh the Gofpel of Chrift. And

1. Let us frequently read the Holy Scripture with Reverence, as well as Attention; ever Confidering it, as the Word of God himself, and the Indifpenfable Rule of Our Conduct. If we Mean any thing, if there be any Reality in our profeffing a Belief of the Scripture; let that Reverence be paid to it, which is its Juft Due. We fhall one day find, that we are obliged to pay the fame Awful Regard, and Exact Obedience, to the Word of God, as if we fhould hear him pronounce it by a Miraculous Voice from

* Pet. i. 3, 4..

Heaven,

Heaven. When we once come to a Particular, Intire knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, by reading them with Conftancy and Seriousness; and when our minds are become habitually affected with a deep Sense of their Divine Authority; Then the Promifes and the Threatnings in them will be apt to work fo Strongly and Effectually upon us, that we fhall be Restless in our felves, till our Obedience is fulfilled.

2. Let us entertain our Minds with

Daily meditations upon the Omniprefence and Omniscience of God. Hope of Secrefy is a Principal Inftigation to Sin. When the Wicked think themselves Secure, that no Eye can fee them; then they tranfgrefs, without Reftraint and Reserve. Vain and Unthinking Man! who would thus build up Safety for himfelf without a Foundation; who thus hopes to intrench himself in a Shadow, and whofe trust is in a Spider's Web! Darkness may conceal us from Humane Eyes; but we Still lie open to the Sight of God; for the Darkness is no Darknefs with Him, and to Him Darkness and

Light are both alike. Let This confideration fink deep into our Minds, and for ever remain There; and Then Audacious, and Prefumptuous indeed must we be, if we can perfuade our felves, Wilfully to commit even the most Secret of Sins, fince All fins are equally manifeft to Him, who is Prefent in every place, beholding the Evil and the Good.

And as this Perfuafion is a Powerful restraint from Sin; fo will it fupply us with abundant Support and Satisfaction, under the moft Laborious Duties Incumbent upon us. How can we grow weary in well doing? How can we fail of being Refreshed, and Revived and Delighted in sustaining the Difficulties of the Chriftian Life, whilft we confider, that none of our Holy Labours can be Lost, or Difregarded; that God is continually with us, obferving and weighing our Fidelity to Him and his Laws, and that all our Duties which are thus particularly feen and obferved, will be for ever Punctually Remembred, and followed with an Eternal Reward?

3. Let us accuftom our felves to Daily reflections

reflections upon Death. For They are apt to contribute greatly towards Removing the main Obstacles of Chriftian Converfation. When a Covetous man, is running on moft Eagerly, in the Pursuit of Riches; will it not stop him in his Career, to think seriously, that if he should Successfully gain the Poffeffion of them, yet the Day will Inevitably and Soon come on, when he muft bid a Final adieu to the World, and Finally leave his Riches behind him? Or, would it not check Any Man, in a finful Course of Senfual · Pleasures, to Think that his Unavoidable Portion is, that the Body, which he is thus enflaved by, fhall very Speedily become a Prisoner of the Grave, and the Worm Shall feed Sweetly on him? Or, would it not bring Any man down, from the Height of Ambition, to confider Thoroughly, that All Glory, befides That in Heaven, is Fading, and in a very little time all Mortals, High and Low, shall lie mixed in the Common duft together? One would think it scarce poffible that any kind of Temporal gratifications should prevail with us to neglect our Salvation,

if this Thought were but Continually kept up in our minds, that all these gratifications will Presently be paft and gone, and as if they had never been; As if they had never been, in every respect, but that the Influence they have had upon our Lives will be Particularly examined, and receive its Juft recompence, in the Judgment of the great day.

4. Let the Future Judgment be another Subject of our Daily Meditations.

That any man should be under a firm Perfuafion and Expectation, that he Must hereafter appear before Chrift our Judge, and before all the World, as Certainly and as Plainly, as we now appear before one another, at the fame time his Vices appearing as plainly as his Perfon, and that he fhould, under this Expectation, wilfully suffer himself to be defiled by Sin, and to Continue under the Habit of it, is Unaccountable. How confufedly and Ghaftly will be the Confciences and the Countenances of all Impenitent Sinners, whilst they stand a Spectacle before the Judgment Seat, with all their Abominaons about them; And when they obferve

the