derstanding figurative Expreffions lite- SER M. rally and abfurdly, contend that wick- XIV. ed Men have no Power to do any thing towards their own Converfion; and confequently afcribe the Caufe of Men's Impenitency, to God's not giving them (as they call it) the Grace to Repent. Which is a very great Abuse of a Scripture-expreffion. For, God's giving or granting Men Repentance, fignifies (in Scripture) his granting them the Fa vour to have their Repentance accepted to the Forgiveness of paft Sins, or al lowed inftead of Innocence; and not his conferring Repentance upon them, as an external Donation: Which is altogether unintelligible. Nor is it lefs abfurd, from thofe paffages where very bad Men are faid to be dead in trefpaffes and fins; and that when they amend, God creates in them a new Heart; to conclude literally, that wicked Men have no more Power to amend their manners than to raise themselves from the dead, or to create themselves anew. Which Doctrine, muft of neceffity make Men very flothful Servants. 2dly, THE

Y 4

SERM. 2dly, THE fecond Ufe proper to be XIV. made of the explication now given

of the words of the Text, is to Exhort Men to be diligent in working out their own Salvation by the Ufe

of those Means which God has worked or implanted in them. Which exhortation cannot be better expreffed, than in the words of the Author of the Book of Wisdom, ch. i. 12. Seek not Death in the Errour of your life; and pull not upon yourselves deftruction with the works of your own band. For God made not Death, neither has be pleasure in the deftruction of the living. But, ungodly Men with their works and words called it unto them. And Eccluf. xv. II. Say not thou, the Lord has caufed me to err; for he hath no need of the finful man. The Lord hateth all abomination ; and they that fear God, love it not. He bimfelf made Men from the beginning, and left them in the hands of his counfel; if thou wilt, to keep the Commandments, and to perform acceptable Faithfulness. He hath fet fire and water before thee; fretch forth thy hand unto

whether

whether thou wilt. Before man is Life SER M. and Death; and whether him liketh fhall XIV. be given him. For the Wisdom of the Lord is great; and he is mighty in Power, and beholdeth all things. And his Eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of Man. He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither has be given any man licence to fin.

SERMON

E

SERMON XV.

Of the KINGDOM of GOD.

T

MATT. vi. 10.

Thy Kingdom come.

HOUGH every Chriftian ac-SER M. knowledges this Prayer of our XV. Lord's compofing, to be a complete Pattern and Direction, as to the Subject-matter of the things we are to pray for; yet Many, very Many, 'tis to be feared, perpetually repeat the Words, with very little Attention to the Sense expressed by them: Not confidering, that All Devo

tion