duty enjoined in the text is a reasonable duty?

This, my brethren, was the conviction to which, on beginning the fubject, I wished to bring you. If I have fo far gained my point: if I have led you to fee that the duty enjoined in the text, though it be hard and painful, is yet a neceffary duty; one, which your own judgement cannot but approve; one, which your own intereft requires you to perform it now only remains, that I endeavour to ftir you up to the discharge of it. To approve the command is not enough, you must obey it. Nor think to get rid of the conviction, to which you are brought, by fuppofing that the duty is one, which belongs to others, and not to yourself. It belongs to all, and to you among the reft. The cafe fuppofed, is not one which feldom happens, and which concerns only few perfons. Every perfon has naturally fome member which offends him: fome fin, which "moft easily befets him :" fome evil propensity to which he is most readily inclined: fome luft of the flesh, by which he is most strongly tempted. Here then must the work of mortification begin. To the root of this tree muft the axe be decidedly laid. Examine therefore yourselves. Look each of you into your own heart and life, into your

tempers, your employments, and your cir cumstances, and fee whether, in all, or in any of these, there be not yet remaining fome part of "the old man," which the command in the text requires you to put off: whether there be not yet fome hand, or foot, or eye, which still offends you. Is there any evil paffion which you have been in the habit of indulging, either pride, or anger, or luft, or malice, or covetoufness? Is there any finful practice to which you have been addicted, either drunkennefs, or fornication, or dishonesty, or falfehood, or evil-fpeaking? Are you engaged in a calling, which you cannot follow with a good confcience? Is there fome branch of your bufinefs, which, though profitable, is forbidden by the law of God? Are you in a fituation, which, however defirable in other refpects, yet neceffarily draws you into fin? Have you made friendships and connections, which, though in a worldly view advantageous, in a spiritual light are hurtful, and prove a conftant fnare to your foul? All these are cafes fuppofed and intended in the text: cafes in which you are called upon to perform the duty there enjoined. Perform it then, my brethren. Cut off the hand. Pluck out the eye. Deny that evil paffion. Renounce that finful practice.

Give up that unlawful calling. Lop off that forbidden branch. Leave that enfnaring fi tuation. Withdraw from thofe ruinous friendships and connections.-Do these commands found harsh? Remember, you have already feen and owned them to be reafonable. The flesh, we know, will protest against them, and will plead ftrongly for indulgence. It will tell you, that you will be 'torn from enjoyments, which habit has made a fecond nature that you will lofe your 'pleafures, ruin your projects, make the "world your enemy, and bring on yourself difgrace, contempt, and ridicule.'-Listen not to thefe fuggeftions. Silence them all by this one thought, that it is better to fuffer these things, than to be fhut out from heaven, than to be caft into hell. Recollect that "it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life." Come out and be ye feparate. "Put away the accursed thing from you." "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness."

For your direction and encouragement in the discharge of this great duty, I would remind you, that if you ferioufly defire to fet about the work, there is a powerful friend, who is ready to affift you with all needful ftrength and help. It is only "through the * Deut. xxxii. 47.

Spirit" that you can mortify the deeds of the body but this Spirit is given to all who pray for it. "Our heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him †." It is only through the good Spirit of God working in you, and with you, that you can part with the offending member. But through Him you may certainly do it. If you call upon upon him, he will strengthen your weakness, and will "work in you both to will and to do of his good pleafure ." Nay, through his grace you fhall find the work itfelf far lefs difficult than you may now fuppofe it to be. By his divine confolations he will leffen the pain, and abundantly make' up the lofs even in this prefent world. He will provide you with new comforts, new pleafures, new friends in the room of those which you may give up. He will bestow on you better riches than thofe which the world ean furnish. He will give you inward peace, and abiding joy, and reft unto your foul. Pray then for the Spirit. Go forth in his ftrength. By his help "crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of fin §."

*Rom. viii. 13.
Phillip. i. 13.

+ Luke, xi. 13.
f Baptifm Service.

SERMON V.

The Day of Account.

LUKE, XVI. 2.

Give an account of thy Stewardship.

BOTH reafon and the Bible agree in teaching us, that this life is a ftate of 'trial. It is the time allowed to us for workking out our falvation and preparing for eternity. Short then as this time may be, our everlasting condition depends on the ufe or abuse we make of it. We fhall be happy or miferable for ever, accordingly as we now improve or waste the talents entrufted to our care. God grant! then, my brethren, that we may work, "while it is day; for the night cometh when no man can work * !",

The words of the text are taken from the parable of the unjust steward: the chief defign of which was to fhew, that godly people, in following after heavenly things, may * John, ix. 4.