the nation, like a candle lighted at both ends, on a flame, and every day the fire coming nearer and nearer to ourselves, be so soon forgotten? Now, that at such a time as this, a nation, and that the professing part of it, should grow looser, more proud, covetous, contentious, wanton in their principles, and careless in their lives; this must be for a lamentation. We have little cause to boast of our peace and plenty, when the result of our deliverance is to deliver us up to commit such abominations; this is as if one whose quartain ague is gone, but leaving him deep in a dropsy, should brag his ague hath left him, little thinking that when it went it left him a worse guest in its place. An unhappy change, God knows it is, to have war, pestilence, and famine removed, and to be left swoln up with pride, error, and libertinism. Again, we are a people who have made more pretensions to righteousness and holiness than our forefathers ever did. What else meant the many prayers to God, and petitions to man for reformation? what interpretation could a charitable heart make of our putting ourselves under the bond of a covenant, to endeavour for personal reformation, and then national, but that we meant in earnest to be a more righteous nation than ever before? This made such a loud report in foreign parts, that our neighbour churches were set a wondering to think what these glorious beginnings might ripen to; so that now, having put forth these leaves, and told both God and man by them what fruit was to be looked for from us, our present state must needs be nigh unto cursing for disappointing the just expectations of both. Nothing can save the life of this our nation, or lengthen out its tranquillity, in mercy to it, but the recovery of the much decayed power of holiness. This, as a spring of new blood to a weak body, would (though almost dying) revive it, and procure many happy days, yea more happy days to come over its head than yet it hath seen; but, alas! as we are degenerating from bad to worse, we do but die lingeringly, every day we fetch our breath shorter and shorter; if the sword should but be drawn again among us, we have hardly strength to hold out another fit.

CHAP. VI.

CONTAINS THE FIRST INSTANCE WHEREIN THE CHRISTIAN IS TO EXPRESS THE POWER OF HOLINESS, AND THAT IS IN HIS BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS SIN, BRANCHED INTO SEVERAL PARTICULARS.

THE second particular, into which the point was branched, comes now to be taken into hand; and that was to instance in some particulars wherein every Christian is to express the power of a holy and righteous life. Now this I shall do under several heads,

First, Christian, be sure thou maintainest the power of holiness in thy contest with sin, which thou art to express in these particulars following.

First, Thou must not only refuse to commit broad sins, but shun the appearance of sin also; this is to walk in the power of holiness. The dove doth not only fly from the hawk, but will not smell so much as of a single feather that falls from the hawk. It should be enough to scare the holy soul from any enterprize if it be but malè coloratum. We are commanded "to hate the garment spotted with the flesh." Jude xxiii. A cleanly person will not only refuse to wallow in the dunghill-he is a beast indeed-but is careful also that he doth not get so much as a spot on his clothes as he is eating his meat. The Christian's care should be to keep, as his conscience pure, so his name pure, which is done by avoiding all appearance of evil. Bernard's three questions are worth the asking ourselves in any enterprize: An liceat? an deceat? an expediat? Is it lawful? may I do it, and not sin? Is it becoming me a Christian? may I do it, and not wrong my profession? That work which would suit a mean man would it become a prince? Should such a one as I flee? said Nehemiah nobly. Neh.vi. 11. Lastly, Is it expedient, may I do it, and not offend my weak brother? There are some things we must deny ourselves of for others' sake; though a man could sit his horse, and run

him full speed without danger to himself, yet he should do very ill to come scouring through a town, where children are in the way, that may be, before he is aware, rid over by him, and spoiled. Thus some things thou mayest do, and without sin to thee, if there were no weak Christians in thy way to ride over, and so bruise their tender consciences, and grieve their spirits. But, alas! this is too narrow a path for many flaunting professors to walk in now-a-days; they must have more room and scope for their loose hearts, or else they and their profession must part. Liberty is the Diana of our times. O what apologies are made for some suspicious practices? long hair, gaudy garish apparel, spotted faces, naked breasts; these have been called to the bar in former times, and censured by sober and solid Christians, a thing at least suspicious, and of no good report; but now they have hit on a more favourable jury that find them not guilty; yea many are so fond of them, that they think Christian liberty is wronged in their censure; professors are so far from a holy jealousy, that should make them watch their hearts, lest they go too far, that they stretch their consciences to come up to the full length of their tether; as if he were the brave Christian that could come nearest the pit of sin, and not fall in; as in the Olympian games, he bore the garland away that could drive his chariot nearest the mark, and not knock on it. If this were so, Paul mistook when he bade Christians "abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thes. v. 22. he should rather have said by these men's divinity abstain not from the appearance, only take heed of what is in itself grossly evil; but he that can venture on the appearance of evil, under pretence of liberty may, for ought I know, commit that which is more grossly evil, under some appearance of good: it is not hard, if a man will be at the cost, to put a good colour on a rotten stuff and practice also.

Secondly, Thou must not only endeavour against all sin, but that on noble principles; here lies the power of holiness. Many forhear to sin upon such an unworthy account that God will not thank them for it another day. As it is in actions of piety and charity, God makes

no account of them, except he be interested in them; when we fast or pray, God asks, "do you fast and pray to me, even to me?" Zech. vii. 5. When we give alms, “a cup of cold water" for his sake, given in "the name of a disciple," Matt. ii. 42. is more valued by him than a cup of gold for private and low ends; so in sin, God looks that his authority should conclude and his love constrain us to renounce it. Before the commandments (as princes before their proclamations prefix their arms and royal names) God sets his glorious name: "God spake all these words, and said," &c. Exod. xx. and why this but that we should sanctify his name in all we do? A master may well think himself despised by that servant that still goes on when he bids him leave off such a work, but has done presently at the entreaty of another. O how many are there that go on to sin, for all that God says to the contrary; but when their credit bids, for shame of the world, to give over such a practice, they can knock off presently; when their profit speaks, it is heard and obeyed. O sirs, take heed of this: God expects his servants should not only do what he commands, but this at his command, and his only. And as in abstaining from evil, so in mourning for sins committed by us; if we will be Christians indeed, we must take in, yea prefer God's concernments before our own. Indeed it were to be wished, that some were so kind to their own souls, as to mourn for themselves, when they have sinned; that they would cry out, with Lamech, "I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt." Gen. iv. 23. Many have such brawny consciences they do not so much as complain they have hurt themselves by their sins; but little of the power of holiness appears in all this: there may be a great cry in the conscience, I am damned, I have undone myself, and the dishonour that is cast upon God by him not laid to heart. You remember. what Joab said to David, taking on heavily for Absalom's death: "I perceive (said he) if Absalom had been alive, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well." 2 Sam. xix. 6. Thus we might say to such selfish mourners: We perceive, that if thou couldest but save the life of thy soul from eternal death and damna

tion, though the glory of God miscarried, thou couldest be pleased well enough. But know, that a gracious soul's mourning runs in another channel: "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned," is holy David's moan. There is a great difference between a servant that works for another, and one that is his own man, as we say; the latter puts all his losses upon his own head: so much, saith he, I have lost by such a ship, so much by such a bargain; but the servant that trades with his master's stock, he when any loss comes, puts it to his master's account, so much I have lost of my master's goods. O Christian, think of this, thou art but a servant, all the stock thou tradest with is not thine, but thy God's; and therefore when thou fallest into any sin, bewail it as a wrong to him; so much, alas! I have dishonoured my God, his talents I have wasted, his name I have wounded, his Spirit I have grieved.

Thirdly, He must not only abstain from acting a sin, but also labour to mortify it. A wound may be hid, when it is not healed; covered, and yet not cured. Some men are like unskilful physicians, who rather drive in the disease than drive out the cause of the disease. Corruption, thus left in the bosom, like lime unslaked, or an humour unpurged, is sure at one time or other to take fire and break out, though now it lies peaceably, as powder in the barrel, and makes no noise. I have read that the opening of a chest where some clothes were laid up, not very well aired and cleared from the infection that had been in the house, was the cause of a great plague in Venice, after they had lain many years there without doing any hurt. I am sure we see, for want of true mortification, many, after they have walked so long unblameably as to gain the reputation of being saints in the opinion of others, upon some occasion, like the opening of the chest, have fallen sadly into abominable practices, and therefore it behoves us not to satisfy ourselves with any thing less than a work of mortification, and that followed on from day to day. "I protest," saith Paul, "by my rejoicing in Christ, I die daily;" here was a man walked in the power of holiness. Sin is like the beast, Rev. xiii. 3. which seemed at one time as if it would pre