XV.

The kingdom of heaven is like a net, which was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind.-Matt. xiii. 47.

JUST fuch a gathering will there be at the last great day: the net will be spread abroad, and a final feparation made. The name of Christian will then be a name of great confequence; and many will endeavour to fhield themselves under it.-Let us examine their several pretenfions:The first is the nominal chriftian. He has nothing to say, but that he was born in a christian country, and was baptized in the name of Chrift. Of the faith of a Christian, he knows little; and of the practice, still less.

The moral man comes next. He profeffes the Teftament to be a most excellent system of morals; but he expunges from it the divinity of Chrift- his atonement for fin-the affistance of the Holy Spirit; and, in fhort, all the comfortable doctrines of christianity. Why he acknowledges

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ledges his Teftament to be good authority in one case, and not in another, is a question which may probably give him fome difficulty in answering hereafter. It may, however, rather be doubted, whether his contempt for the doctrines of christianity may not fomewhat interfere with his exactness in the practice of it.

Let us next take a view of the felf-righteous man. He acknowledges all the doctrines of christianity; but he thinks he has not much occafion for them. Chrift died, he allows, for finners; but he does not conceive himself in that class. The little errors of his life are loft in the multitude of his virtues; and he has no fear of appearing in the presence of God, clothed merely in his own righteousness. It is well for him, if he do not find his mistake hereafter.How far God's mercy may extend to fuch prefumption, is not for us to fay; but we have no gofpel-ground to hope for God's mercy, unlefs we believe and truft in the merits of that Redeemer, through whom alone it is promifed.

The innocent man is queftioned next. He has no objection to christianity: indeed, he hardly ever thought about it. In a general view, however, he conceives the gospel to be a law against wickedness;

wickedness; and as fuch, chiefly, he receives it. He has the guilt of no great fin upon his conscience. He troubles not himself with motives, and what he calls, the refinements of religion; but hopes, a life free from great wickedness will carry him to heaven.

The real Chriftian is the reverfe of all these. Through faith in Chrift, and a firm belief of all the doctrines of christianity, he converts his moral virtues into christian doctrines; and though he may hope, that in fome of his works he may please God, yet he prefumes not on any of them, acknowledging with contrition that he has no hopes of falvation through his own righteousness, but merely through the merits of his Redeemer. Of course, therefore, he thinks an innocent life is not all that is required; but endeavours to recommend himself to God, by devotion and prayer by heavenly affections, and works of charity.

If a fet difcourfe fhould be taken from this hint, it might conclude with an exhortation to a congregation, to examine themselves by the feveral characters fet before them; from which they might be instructed, on proper motives, to imitate the best.

XVI.

Ceafe to do evil; learn to do well.-Ifa. i. 16.

WE have here the whole duty of man in two

fentences. We are first to cleanse the heart from wickedness, and then to adorn it with virtues. The ground must be prepared, before the feed can be fown.-But there is a manifold difference between these two operations; and the prophet seems to mark it. By the powers of nature, he seems to fuppofe we may cease to do evil. Confcience, in many cafes, is a law unto itfelf; and, if it be attended to, will curb many of the great exceffes of vice. We know it may, from the practice of feveral heathen worthies. -But though nature may, in a good degree, prevent our doing evil, fomething more is required to teach us to do well-fomething, as the prophet says, which we are to learn. Here the gofpel comes in it teaches us to fpiritualize our affections, and to regulate all our actions by its holy precepts.

XVII.

Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.-Rom. xiv. 22.

FEW men are fo wicked as not to make some

excufe to their own confciences for their tranf greffions of duty. Though they are not fo weak as to fuppofe their excufes are a cover for fin; yet an excuse serves to let their minds quietly down, as it were, to the tranfgreffion. This is what is generally meant by allowing a tranfgreffion. We do not approve it; but by fome fophiftry we have argued ourselves into the allowance of it.-Now this is the very thing against which the apoftle warns us. Knowing how apt human nature is to quibble itself into improper allowances, we are inftructed not to fuffer any action, which our confcience does not fairly allow. The condemnation of conscience is the avowal of guilt.