from an incenfed God, "Their blood will I require at thine hands;" than to hear from the Chief Shepherd, when he shall

appear,

"Caft

"the unprofitable fervant into utter darkness, "there fhall be weeping, and wailing, and "gnashing of teeth." Let a man, therefore, fo account of us in the fpirit of candour and equity, as. minifters of Chrift, and stewards "of the mysteries of God."

66

II. Chriftians, you are required to entertain a just esteem for the office and character which we bear. I am aware how delicate a fubject it is to talk of that estimation which we claim from you on this account. I am sensible that our highest glory consists in our humility, and our best dignity in ftooping to be useful: "For we preach not ourfelves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord, and ourfelves your fervants for Jefus fake." We claim no obfequious homage, we arrogate no dominion over your faith; but we expect that no man should defpife us; we account our office venerable enough to entitle thofe to refpect who do the duties of it with propriety. Indeed we have not diffidence enough to apprehend, in the least degree, that fuch refpect will be

denied,

did not preach the gofpel; and if we did, wo will be to you if you did not receive it. In these views, it is no flight or tranfient relation which was folemnifed fo lately in this place: And happy indeed will it be, if the fame fentence of the Judge fhall acquit us both at the great day.

In the mean time, remember and lay it to heart, that my task is not to please or to amuse you, but to dispense to you the word of life, which is able to fave your fouls.

Many, I doubt not, will come to this as to other churches, merely to fit in judgment as critics of the speaker's abilities. But I hope God will fave us from an undue respect to any of you in this capacity.

I hope he will fave you from that disdainful nicety which fcorns to be inftructed with plain exhortations. A profeffed declaimer may justly be cenfured if he fails to entertain his audience. For this purpose it is his part to make what excurfions he pleaseth into the regions of imagination. But we have a difpenfation committed to us, a form of found words, from which we must not depart; a doctrine which we muft deliver with uncor

ruptnefs,

ruptness, with gravity, with fincerity. Permit us, therefore, to aim only at the praise of faithfulness, wishing indeed to please you, but at the fame time to please you only to edifi

cation.

Brethren, pray for us, that we may be found faithful. Pray for yourselves, that ye may be able to fuffer the word of exhortation, and to profit thereby. And may the great Master of the vineyard watch over us with a propitious care, to direct our labours, and in you to give the increase of fruit unto holiness, and in the end everlafting life. Amen.

VOL. IV.

B

SER

Let not fin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the lufts thereof; neither yield ye your members as inftruments of unrighteousness unto fin; but yield yourfelves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the dead, and your members as inftruments of righteoufnefs unto God.

HE Apoftle had, in the preceding part

THE

of the Epiftle, opened at great length that fundamental doctrine of our holy religion, the justification of a finner through faith in Jefus Chrift. In the chapter from which the text is taken, he proceeds to guard the Chriftians to whom he wrote against those falfe conclufions which they might be in danger of inferring from this doctrine. And, that none might pretend to turn the grace of God into lafciviousness, he fhows, with great

ftrength

ftrength of evidence, that the truths which he had been ftating fo far from giving encouragement to a licentious life, on the contrary, laid peculiar obligations on all who embraced them to a ftrict and univerfal holinefs. This he argues from the nature of Chriftian baptifm, the initiating feal of the covenant of grace, fhowing, that, by this rite, we are folemnly engaged to die unto fin and live unto righteoufnefs, in conformity to Chrift's death and refurrection, fignified in that ordinance. Afterwards he goes on to diffuade them from giving indulgence to fin in any kind or degree, and to enforce the obligations to universal purity by a variety of weighty arguments. "Let not fin therefore "reign in your mortal body." Sin is faid. to reign, when it bears chief fway in, the foul, and the perfon is wholly fubject to its influence. The beft and moft fanctified Chrif tian on earth hath ftill fome remainder of corruption abiding in him: For perfection doth not belong to the prefent ftate; and he that faith he hath no fin, deceiveth himself, and the truth is not in him. The Apoftle therefore expreffeth himself in this qualified manB 2

ner.