matter of Uriah the Hittite. We read of many Sins of Infirmity which he commit ted, but these were eafily pardoned; that fuck close to him, and could not be wiped off but by a long and ftrict Repentance, and patient enduring of terrible Calamities inflicted on him. Other Sins alter not the Conftitution of the Soul of Man; and if a good Man fhould fuddenly die even in the Commiffion of one of them, we might still hope for Mercy; but for a wilful Sin no Mercy is to be expected, till the habit of the Mind be intirely changed by Repen tance. This Diftinction of Sins may inftruct you in the neceffary manner of forming your Repentance. For Sins of Ignorance. and Infirmity, a general Repentance may fuffice; a hearty Sorrow for having offended God in Thought, Word or Deed; an humble Supplication of Pardon, a fincere Refolution of endeavouring to avoid any fuch for the future. But for every wi ful Sin a particular Repentance is required, a fad Reflection of the Mind upon it, an earnest and continued Supplication for Par don of it; a diligent ftruggling with the Corrupt Inclinations of the Will; a long Preparation of it by Prayer, by Refolution, by Meditation, by all neceffary Acts of Mortification, which may intirely change the Bent, and remove the Corruptions of it, and fubdue it to the Obedience of God. 1 Then, Then, and not till then may the wilful Sinner presume of Pardon; believe himself reconciled to God, and to have escaped the Sentence of Deftruction pronounced in the Text: Which God of his infinite Mercy Grant, that by a true and perfect Repentance we may all avoid, for the Sake, c. VOL. I. X SERMON 306 SERMON XII. Preach'd April 21, 1689, at Lambeth Chapel. Acts X. 34, 35. Then Peter opened his Mouth and faid, of a Truth I perceive that God is no refpecter of Perfons. But in every Nation, he that feareth him and worketh Righteouf nefs, is accepted with him. T HE Chriftian Religion being the ultimate, ought alfo to be the most perfect Revelation of the Will of God. And that it is fo, cannot better be difcovered, than from its most perfect Agreement with the Divine Attributes, and Subfervience to them. The End of all Religion is first the Honour and Service of God, and then the good of Men. The firft is promoted by noble Conceptions of God and his infinite Perfecti ons, öns, the latter is inhanced by the extent of it. The primary Attribute of God in Rela tion to us is his Government of the World, and the Excellency of that confifts in the Juftice of it. This Juftice appears moft confpicuously in the universal diffusion of his Benefits, in difpenfing his Rewards as well as Punishments impartially to all Orders and Ranks of Men, in excluding none from his Favour, but for Reasons common to them with all Mankind. This all Men conceive to be a Perfection in God, and as fuch it must be an eter nal Attribute of the Divine Nature; although the Influences and Effects of it may be more manifeft in fome Ages, and under fome Difpenfations, than in others. As his Mercy, his Goodness, and his Power, were from all Ages equal and uniform; but more openly declared to the World by external Actions relating to us. His Justice was always impartial and univerfal; yet clouded in a great Measure under the Mofaick Law, while the Divine Mercies were in Appearance appropriated to a small Divi fion of Mankind; not clouded indeed directly and by neceflary confequence; but by reafon of the fond Opinion of Men, who from the peculiar Favours of God, would take Occafion to fancy him partial in their behalf, and exclude the rest of the World from the participation of the fame Happiness. X 2 This This the Jews in a moft grofs Manner did, who imagined themselves to be the only Members of Mankind, for whom God had any Care or Refpect; fancied themselves dear to God, not upon the common Accouuť of Piety and Obedience, but for peculiar Reafons; as their Defcent from Abraham, their Separation from the reft of the World by Circumcifion, and other Typical Rites. Upon this Account they treated all other Perfons as Prophane and Unclean, allow ed no fhare of the Divine Favour to them ; and believed them to be utterly unregarded by God in his Government of the World. A Prejudice which the Jews had fo far imbibed, that the Apostles retained it many Years, even after the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft, and would not receive the Gentiles to their Company or Converfation; much less to the Hopes and Fellowship of the fame bleffed Calling, until God by an extraordina ry Vifion, and by the Example of Cornelius, taught St. Peter not to call any Man common or unclean; and convinced him that his Favours were not to be reftrained, according to the mean and unworthy Conceptions of the Jews; that the Extent of his Mercy and Goodness was no more capable of Limitati on, than the Nature of them; and that the Conditions of his Favour fhould not, as his Country-men had hitherto vainly imagined, be descent from Abraham, and Obfervation of legal Ceremonies; but the more noble and |