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prosperity signify? if it do not lead to heaven, what is it worth? when the scene is shifted, if nothing but death and darkness remain behind; much more, if God Almighty be all this while offended by our forgetfulness both of his mercies and his laws, our neglect of his service, our indevotion, our thoughtlessness, our disobedience, our love of the world to the exclusion of all consideration of Him; if we be assured, and if, in reality, it be the case, that his displeasure shall infallibly overtake us at our death, what, in truth, under all this appearance of advantage, are we getting or gaining? The world may amuse us with names and terms of felicitation, with their praises or their envy, but wherein are we the better in the amount and result of substantial happiness? We have got our aim, and what is the end of it? Death is preparing to level us with the poorest of mankind; and after, that, a fearful looking for and expectation of judgment; no well founded hopes of happiness beyond the grave; and we drawing sensibly nearer to that grave every year. This is the sum

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of the account. Or, which is another case no less apposite to cur present argument, is it some sensual pleasure that tempts us, some wicked enjoyment that has taken such hold of our passions, that we are ready to rush upon it, whatever be the consequence. If we gain our object; if we possess our wishes, we are happy: but what, if we lose our own souls? What, if we find ourselves condemned men for hardily venturing upon crimes, which will, and which we were forewarned that they would, render us the objects of God's final indignation and displeasure? Will any gratifications, which sin affords, be a recompence or a consolation? Are they so even for the diseases shame and ruin, which they often bring upon men in this world? Ask those who are so ruined or so diseased. How much less then for the gnawings of that worm which dieth not; the burnings of that fire which will not be quenched? In hopeless torment will it assuage our sufferings, or mitigate the bitterness of our self-accusation to know that we have brought ourselves into this state for some transient pleasure, which is gone,

lost

lost and perished for ever? Oh that we had thought of these things before, as we think of them now! That we had not been infidels, as touching our Lord's declaration! that we had believed in him; and that, believing that he had a perfect knowledge of the future fate of mankind, and of the truth of what he taught, we had listened in time to his admonition!

Universally the true occasion for remembering and applying the passage of scripture before us is, when we are deliberating concerning the conduct we are to pursue, in the contests which arise between temptation and duty, between the flesh and the world, or between both united and our own souls. Be the temptation what it will, either in kind or strength, this is the thought to be for ever set against it, that if we give way, we give way in exchange for our own souls; that the perdition of the soul is set forth in scripture in terms most tremendous, but not more tremendous than true; that the sinner, the man involved in unrepented, unforsaken sins, can never know how soon he may be reduced to this state.

SER

SERMON XXXII.

PRESERVATION AND RECOVERY FROM SIN.

TITUS ii. 11, 12.

"For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

THERE are certain particular texts of scrip

ture which are of inestimable use; for that in a few, short, clear words, they shew us the sum of our duty. Such texts ought to be deeply infixed and imprinted upon our me mories; to be written indeed upon our hearts. The text, which I have read to you, is en

titled to this distinction. No single sentence, that ever was written down for the direction of mankind, comprises more important truth: in less room. The text gives us a rule of life and conduct and tells us, that to lay down for mankind this rule, and enforce it by the promise of Salvation, was a great object of the gospel being published in the world. The gospel might include other objects, and answer other purposes; but, as far as related to the regulation of life and conduct, this was its object and its purpose. The rule, you hear, is, that, "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world." We must begin "by denying ungodliness and worldly lusts:" which means that we must resist or break off all sins of licentiousness, debauchery, and intemperance; for these are what are specifically meant by worldly lusts. And these must be denied; that is, they must either be withstood in the first instance, or the evil courses, into which they have drawn us, must be broken off.

When

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