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exposing themselves to a charge, from which Christi> anity itself is perfectly free.

But still, were we to speak of virtue, as always its own reward here, and attaining its end sufficiently in the compass of this narrow life; that would be an extreme on the other hand, and a very pernicious one; whatever great names have countenanced it, some with good designs, and some with bad. Such extravagant praises of moral beauty and excellency will seldom have any other effect, where they have most, than raising an enthusiasm for it, that will be little more than notional, or an affectation of it, that will be nothing more than talk. And with the cooler part of mankind, attempting to persuade them of the contrary to what, in many cases, they see and feel, is losing all credit; and making every thing that is said to the advantage of right conduct suspicious, by insisting on more, than can possibly be true.

The real state of the case is plainly this. A temper and behaviour of piety, justice, benevolence, and ra tional self-government, is fitted in its nature to make our lives here as happy, as we can make them. And therefore, though we had no farther prospect, our present interest would, generally speaking, consist in these things and would always consist in them, if no particular circumstances happened, to make exceptions. But the misfortune is, that such circumstances do frequently happen. Some men have, from their very constitution, peculiarly strong propensities to sin, which give them long and painful exercise; and after all, can barely be kept under, not rooted out, let them do what they will. Is this a state of enjoyment, and its own reward? or a state of warfare, that requires a future recompence, proportionable to the sufferings of it, to make it eligible? but others are yet more unhappy. They have added evil habits to evil

inclinations; and, if they will amend their ways, must feel deep remorse for what they have done amiss already; and go through infinite difficulties to do right for the time to come, in contradiction to all their bad customs, their inflamed passions, their vicious friends: must bear great reproach, perhaps undergo much lóss, in making reparation for the injuries they have committed; when the whole of this might possibly have been avoided, by persisting in their former course. And, it may be, after all, they have a prospect at most, barely of living long enough to accomplish the change, but not to enjoy it. Who is there now, that can well be more miserable, than such a man's resolution of amendment makes him, if in this life only he hath hope? Here then is a plain case in which the belief of a future state is able to defend the cause of virtue, and every thing else unable. But that, already mentioned, of persecution, is a plainer still. When men are to suffer shame and infamy, penalties and imprisonments, pains and tortures, for the sake of true religion, as multitudes have done; or of moral honesty, as has been the case of too many; what is there in the fullest consciousness of doing their duty, sufficient to compensate for these things, to souls of any common make, if such consciousness alone be all the comfort they are to have, and even that very soon, perhaps instantly to die with them? Undoubtedly the sense of acting as we ought is a powerful support. But, in cases of extremity, it is mocking the miseries of the good, to propose that single remedy, as enough for them. And though it may happen but seldom, that they suffer a great deal for righteousness sake*; yet they very often suffer more or less for it. And whoever doth not see, how happy it is in every instance of this sort, and how necessary

* 1 Pet. iii. 14.

in most, that the encouragements of futurity should come in to the assistance of the present motives to do well; hath either very little attention to the weakness of human minds; or very little concern to have virtue practised, how vehemently soever he may plead for its being applauded.

I will not enlarge on a farther consideration, though an exceedingly material one, that the sufferings, which mankind in general have to go through, are so frequent and so heavy, that there is much need of a better prospect to alleviate them; and though the pious and virtuous were never to be the most miserable of all men, yet all men, in one part or another of their days, would be miserable more than enough, if they had hope in this life only.

The expectation of future blessedness therefore, even when it was more doubtful, was a light shining in a dark place*, to cheer the fainting hearts, and direct the wandering steps of the children of men. Yet still to have happiness in their view, with such uncertainty as former ages were in, whether it could be attained or not, must unquestionably mix great anxiety with their expectations; and leave their circumstances on the whole very pitiable. But God, in his mercy, hath removed all doubts from us; not only by express promises, but an experimental proof also, of a resurrection to life everlasting, in the person of our blessed Lord that through him we might have the strongest consolation, when we fly for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast, and which entereth within the veil; whither also the fore-runner is already entered for us, even Jesus†.

You cannot but see then, of what great consequence it is for all wise men to encourage this faith,

2 Pet. i. 19.

+ Heb. vi. 18-20.

and all good men to have frequent recourse to it For the principal reason, why we are, most of us, so faulty and so wretched, in this life is, that we attend so little to the rewards of another. We ourselves perhaps do not suspect, how little it is. Would God that every one who hears me, would make a diligent examination, what share of his desires, his hopes, and his fears, the unseen world takes up; and seriously ask himself, whether it can possibly be fit, that the infinitely most important part of his condition should be allowed so very much the least part in his thoughts.

But then to think of our condition to good effect; we must be sure, not to set our minds more on the privileges, than the duties of it; but remember, that as the virtuous would sometimes be the most miserable of men, if there were no expectation of futurity; so the vicious must be always the most miserable, if there be any. Every promise of the Gospel is a threatening to them: and the doctrine of salvation will only condemn them to severer punishments. Let every man therefore, who hath hope in Christ, purify himself, even as he is pure*. And let every man who desires to do so, remember, that he can do it only by a stedfast belief, that Christ died and rose again on our account; for this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith: by an humble dependance on grace from above, to be obtained by our prayers; for we are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing ‡: and by a diligent and constant use of that grace, in labouring to perform every part of our duty; for we are to work out our own salvation, because God worketh in us, both to will and to do §.

1 John iii. 3. +2 Cor. iii. 15.

+ 1 John v. 4.
§ Phil. ii. 12, 13.

SERMON IX.

MATT. XII. 31, 32.

Wherefore I say unto you: all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him: neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

THESE words of our blessed Lord seldom, if ever, fail to excite a peculiar attention and alarm in the minds of all, who read or hear them: and the doctrine, which they contain, appears to some, either so difficult to be understood, or so improper to be admitted; and fills others with such terrors, or sinks them into such despondency; that, for the sake of great numbers, it should be well explained from time to time. And men ought to have the nature of this crime laid before them, when they are not disturbed within by the imagination of having committed it. For when they are, the agitation of their minds too commonly disqualifies them from judging rightly concerning either the sense of the text, or even their own actions.

Now there are several sins against the Holy Ghost, mentioned in Scripture; Lying to*, resisting †, tempt

*Acts v. 3.

+ Acts vii. 51.

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