SERMON LXXXV.

PREACHED AT A CONFIRMATION.

THE FOLLY AND DANGER OF EXPECTING THE BLESSINGS OF CHRISTIANITY, WITHOUT LEADING A CHRISTIAN LIFE.

EPHES. iv. 17.

THIS I SAY THEREFORE, AND TESTIFY IN THE LORD, THAT YE HENCEFORTH WALK NOT AS OTHER GENTILES WALK, IN THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND; [THAT IS, FOLLOWING THEIR OWN WICKED INCLINATIONS.*]

THE

HERE cannot be too much pains taken to forewarn Chriftians against satisfying themselves with the bare performance of the outward duties of religion.

It is probable, that there are more people loft, who thought themselves fafe, than of fuch who, knowing that they had no religion, had therefore no hopes of falvation.

A man who goes conftantly to church (for inftance) will be apt to think himself in a better condition than one who does fo feldom or never. I should be loth to encourage a man See Rom. i. 18. 2 Tim. iii. 5. I Pet. iv. 3.

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to think fo of himfelf, till I fee whether his going to church makes him a better man than the other who stays at home. If it does not, pray what will his going to church profit him? You will fay, he is in the way of knowing his duty. Be it fo. But to know one's duty, and not to do it, is to be in a worse condition than if one had never had the means of knowing it. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him fhall much be required.

Now, that this is really the cafe of the generality of Chriftians, any body will be fatisfied, who does but feriously obferve what paffes in the world. For example:-Confider how very careful people are to have their children dedicated to God in baptifm, and what a great misfortune they would think it, if they were in a place where they could not have that sacrament duly administered; and yet, generally speaking, there is as little care taken, by these very parents, to have their children taught the meaning of this ordinance, and the obligations it lays their children under, as if it had been a matter of no confequence, whether they had been baptifed or not. But you will fay, however, they are hereby within the covenant of grace, and that is a great bleffing. So it is, provided they understand it, and are taught to keep it. But let me put you in mind, that just thus were Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, within the covenant; and yet they went alive into the pit. So was Judas himfelf.

• Luke xii. 48.

felf. So were all those who yet have taken the broad way, and are this very moment lamenting their loft condition in another life.

But one would hope better things of fuch as with their own mouth and confent, (in the prefence of God and his church) do ratify, and confirm, and acknowledge themselves bound to believe, and to do, all those things which were promifed for them in baptism. One would hope better things of these. But, God knows, it is too often otherwife. And you fhall fee too many, who have thus folemnly given themselves up to God, as carelefs how they live, as if they had never been baptifed, never been confirmed.

Let us, in the next place, confider Chriftians in one of the moft folemn duties of christianity. If ever Chriftians are serious, and put on holy purposes of living as becomes their profeffion, it must fure be when they go to the Lord's fupper. But what will you think of Chriftians who come from the Lord's table without charity, without purposes of becoming better men, better neighbours, better Chriftians, for the time to come? You must fay, that they do not understand their religion, or that they hope their profeffion will do them good without a fuitable practice.

We fee people every day going out of the world, feemingly fatisfied with their condition, without having made any Christian preparation for that great change. Could this

poffibly be, but that Chriftians hope that their baptifm, and being within the covenant, will fave them, like a charm, they know not how?

These observations may convince you, that nature is extremely corrupt; that we are blind, and most apt to deceive ourselves in matters of the greatest concern to us; and that Chriftians ought to be often called upon to confider their profeffion, and what it obliges them to; and that to think to enjoy the bleffings of christianity, without leading a Chriftian life, is a very great delufion. I conjure you, faith the apostle in the text, I conjure you by the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not (that is, live not) as other gentiles, or as men unconverted do, in the vanity of their mind; that is, following their own corrupt inclinations, and vainly hoping that an outward religion, without an inward fenfe of God, and a practice fuitable to it, will gain his favour, and make them happy when they die.

It is thus that people unconverted live. A Chriftian is to live after another manner, as he hopes for falvation. A Chriftian ought to know, that this is not the world he was made for; that by his profeffion he is not to love the world; that it is impoffible for any man to love the world, and be a friend of God. It is true, these are hard fayings to flesh and blood, and it is utterly impoffible for any man, without the grace of God, to receive

them