[SERM. tuation, Wavering, and Inconftancy of Mind, when a Man is off and on, hot and cold, uneafy and undetermined; but in the mean time, continues a faft Slave to his Vices and evil Habits; by this Description likewife it is diftinguished from a bare Determination of the Judgment, without engaging the Will, Affections, and executive Powers for it is one Thing for a Man by an Act of the Judgment to conclude that fuch a Thing is beft in itself, or even beft for him; and another Thing, by a refolute Determination of the Will and the Affections, to difentangle himself from all Indifpofitions and Impediments, and courageously to fet about it. This Defcription doth likewife diftinguish this holy Chriftian Refolution from a fufpended Determination of the Will, which is not to take Place at prefent, but is to be put off to fome future Time; of which Nature are the faint. Purposes of too many, being indeed rather Delays of the Thing at prefent, than any determinate Refolutions of putting it in Practice hereafter.

(2.) The fecond Thing I mentioned in the practical Part, is Christian Vigilance; now this is of two Sorts. A Vigilance against Temptations to Sin; and a Vigilance for Occafions and Opportunities to do good. Both must be carefully minded, by every good Chriftian. First, A Vigilance against Temptations; it requires a great Knowledge, both of the World and of our own Temper and Circumftances, fo much as to know or foresee the Temptations, to which we shall be expofed. There is such an infinite Number of them from the Devil, the World, and the Flesh; our corrupt Natures, and our evil Habits, and vicious 1

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vicious Custom and Education, and our Age and Complexion, and Weaknefs and Inclination, that it is not fo much as poffible to foresee them all, far lefs to be well fortified against them. Yet it is certain that Chriftian Vigilance is a great Help both to forefee and to prevent the Danger. And if we would take due Pains to ftudy our own Infirmities, and to obferve the ufual Temptations to which we are expofed, we should be infinitely better furnished against Satan's Devices, than we commonly are; efpecially, if our Refolution should extend to the Means, as well as to the End: that is, if we do in good Earneft defign to conquer fuch and fuch Vices, then let us refolve to decline, cut off, or avoid all the Causes, Occafions, Inducements, Inlets, Helps, and Inftruments, by Means whereof we are ufually led into Temptation. The fame Christian Vigilance we must use, to find out Occafions and Opportunities to do good. For God has fo ordered it in his wife Providence, that as a Man cannot build up a material Houfe without a great deal of Pains, Charge, Skill, and Contrivance, it is much more fo in this fpiritual Building, where, with the Help of God's Grace, we must build all ourfelves, and cannot hire Workmen and Labourers to do it for us. We must then carefully confider our own Abilities, Talents, and Opportunities, and improve them all to the best Advantage of doing good. Efpecially let us not forget to add to the Study of every Virtue, the Study of the Helps, Occafions, Means, and Inducements. to the Practice of thofe Virtues; e. g. Do we know in general, that the reading of the holy Scriptures, the hearing them read and explained, VOL. IV. Y Medita

[SERM. Meditation, publick and fecret Prayer, Selfexamination, Preparation for the holy Sacrament, and the devout receiving of it, frequenting good Company, and the like, are great Helps towards the attaining of all Virtue? then let us refolve diligently to make ufe of all fuch Helps and Means of Grace. And fo in every particular Virtue, if we know any Thing which is a great Help for attaining or preferving it, let us have a particular Regard to that, and reduce it to Practice.

(3.) A third Thing I mentioned, as abfolutely neceffary to the putting in Practice our Saviour's Doctrine, is fervent Prayer. And this follows well after Vigilance; watch and pray. For God's Bleffing and our own Endeavours must go hand in hand together, if we intend to labour with Succefs in this fpiritual Building: For as the Apoftle fays in another Simile, but to the fame Purpose, Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God who gives the Increafe. Christian Virtues are an Exercife too exalted for any bare human Endeavour. It must be nothing less than the Grace of God which must qualify us for this noble Employment. And if a Man fhould refolve ever fo fincerely to apply himself to the Study of Chriftian Duties, without betaking himself first to God, by continual Application to the Throne of Grace, he will quickly find all his other Endeavours to be in vain, and to no Purpose. Let Prayer then begin, and let Prayer end all our own Endeavours; and let Prayer be ever intermixed in our religious Duties, to oil the Wheels of Action. It will not only contribute mightily towards the Virtues we aim at,

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as one great Means in itself; but it will derive down a Bleffing on all the other Means and Inftruments of Religion. And therefore where this is well plied, I take it for granted this great Work will go well on; and that although now and then we are furprized with a Temptation, we fhall not be abandoned, but by God's Grace renew the Combat against our Lufts and Corrup tions, and come off victorious at laft. For,

(4.) There is continual Occafion, and an absolute Neceffity to exercife Repentance for our daily Lapfes and Infirmities. It is a fad Cafe, in this imperfect State, that we are continually kept fo low with frequent Lapfes into either greater or leffer Sins; which is enough to make every good Man utterly to distaste this wretched Life. But we must fubmit to it, and not be out of Heart, but apply ourselves daily to Repentance, and to begging of God Forgiveness; the great Danger is, that being fo frequently foiled, we at laft defpond, and give over the Ufe of Means. No, we must stir up ourselves fo much more vigorously to the Combat, and put on the whole Armour of God, Eph. vi. 11. confidering that it is in fome Sense a nobler Courage, when weak and beaten, to renew the Battle, than to hold on if we were ftill flushed with fresh Victories.

(5.) A fifth Thing I mentioned as neceffary in order to the reducing of our Saviour's Precepts into Practice, is Courage against evil Examples. For fo univerfal and fo prevalent is the Corruption of the World, that if we are to be fhaken with either Shame or Fear, it will be impoffible for us to preferve our Innocency. How hard a Thing it is to overcome Shame, we may obferve

by the univerfal Prevalency of Custom or Fashion, which, if an exact Calculation were to be made, would be found to carry more after it than either Law or Religion. How few Persons are there of Joshua's Refolution, that whatever others did, as for him and his House they would ferve the Lord? The many State Revolutions in Matters of Religion, and the many particular Changes they have carried along with them, are sufficient to convince us, that Cuftom, backed with Authority, and legal Rewards and Punishments, is much more univerfally followed, than the Scripture and good Confcience. Then as for Fear, we fee the fatal Effects of Perfecutions for Religion; how many are fcared from their Principles with any light fudden Fright? Peter, for all his Courage, was furprized into a Denial of his Mafter, upon the fudden Accufation of a poor Servant Maid; and all the Apoftles ran away for Fear, upon the apprehending of their Mafter. If any Man has the Boldness to act out of Conscience against his Intereft, where one speaks well of him for it, there is an infinite Number that fhall impute it to an unreasonable Stiffness or Opiniatrete, if not to fome fchifmatical, rebellious, turbulent Principle. It requires then a very stayed, refolute Courage, far above the Opinions and Cenfures of Men, and all worldly Interest whatsoever, with a pure Eye to Chrift, to adhere refolutely to our Duty, though we should be fingular in it, and expofed, ridiculed, or to all Intents and Purpofes ruined, as to this World,

on Account thereof.

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-(6.) The