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therefore to be very watchful over themselves, that they do not relapse into their former wickedness, before they are well fenfible of their danger. Efpecially confidering that, thirdly, Our prefent zeal may foon decay and languish, and fo may leave us, in a manner, indifferent, as to the performance of what we had fo eagerly refolved upon; and what we thought a perfect hatred to our fins, may in a little time difcover itself to be only a fudden heat of paffion, which presently wears off, and fo they again infinuate themfelves, as if they had never been refolved against. Hence too many, after all their confidence in their own ftrength, and the firmness of their good purpofes, have started back in a little time; like the church of Ephefus, have (m) left their first love; like the (n) feed fown among the thorns, have had all their good defigns choaked with the cares, and riches, and pleafures of this world, so as to bring no fruit to perfection; or like the Jews, who were once fo transported with zeal for our Saviour, (o) that they would take him by force and make him a king; yet not long after, were as zealously set against him, crying, (P) Away with bim, away with him; crucify bim, crucify him; we have no king but Cæfar. Such fickle uncertain creatures are men when left to themfelves; and fo little dependence is there upon their firmest resolutions, when not built upon folid principles, and duly confidered beforehand, and when not fupported and affifted by the grace of God. (q) Ye did run well, fays St. Paul to the Galatians: Who did binder you, that ye fhould not obey the truth? They acquitted themselves laudably, and as became good chriftians, at their first setting out; yet it seems, not long after, the apostle found cause to reprehend them for not continuing on their course. And thus it frequently fares with others, who having entered upon a new course, think themselves immoveably fettled in it; yet, to their shame and ruin, (m) Rev. ii. (n) Luke viii. 14. (0) John vi. 14, 15. (p) Ibid. xix. 15. (g) Gal. v. 7.

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are by degrees drawn off from their hafty and illgrounded refolutions, as if, (r) having begun in the spirit, they could any way hope to be made perfect by the flesh. They refolved upon a religious life in the grofs, without inquiring aright into the several duties implied in it; but, alas! when they came to be tried in the particular parts of it, this they had never thought of, and found them of a different nature from what they apprehended; one duty feems not fo neceffary, as they had at firft conceived it to be, and another is more difficult, and will put them to a great deal more trouble and pains than they imagin'd; and hence they start back, and repent of their good refolutions, when they find greater diligence, and mortification, and felf-denial, neceffary in order to the execution of them, than they had expected. In a fit of religion, they refolved to cafhier all their lufts, and become new men, and lead a very different life from what they had led formerly; but all this they did rafhly, refolving upon they knew not what, nor what power or ability they had for the performance of it. And no one ought to think it ftrange, if an enterprize, thus indeliberately undertaken, were let fall afterwards, when they came to find their error; and experience taught them, that a great deal more was required of them, than they thought of when they made their refolution. They were in hope of obtaining their pardon, and reconciliation with their offended God, and fo to escape the wrath to come; and this made them defirous to enter into a new covenant with him, to ferve and obey him, and to do all his will; this therefore they readily agreed to, in general terms. But when they found themselves touched in the most fenfible part, and that they must neceffarily quit their most beloved lufts, and engage in what most directly thwarted their natural inclinations, they began to bethink themselves, and were ready to cry out with those at Capernaum, (s) This is a hard faying; who can (r) Ibid. iii. 3. (s) John vi. 60.

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bear it? Wherefore, to fecure us against any such unhappy disappointment, we must be fure to take time before we fix our refolution, confidering well what it is we are about to refolve upon, and what reason we have for engaging in it, weighing the arguments on both fides, and thence making fuch a determination, as we may reasonably conclude we fhall never be able to repent of. The most serious thoughts, and moft advised confultations and debates with ourselves, are little enough to form fuch a purpose of amendment, as may hold out in all times, and upon all occafions. But I fear I have inlarged too far upon this head.

Anchith. Very far from it, I affure you, as to myself. And I may answer for Timotheus, that he would not have had one word omitted of what you have said.

Timoth. I cannot but own the truth of what our good friend has undertaken for me; and shall be very thankful, if you will please to proceed in your own way, fince Anchitbanes, you hear, is ftill disposed to hearken to you.

Anchith. This useful and truly chriftian advice is a very good remedy against my diftemper, and makes me pass the time much easier than I could hope to have done, if left to myself. And therefore, pray, Theophilus, be fo kind as to add what farther directions you think proper concerning this weighty duty.

Theoph. I have hitherto obferved, that all our refolutions of a holy life ought to be ferious and bearty, fettled upon a found and lafling principle, and with due deliberation, and a thorough confideration of what we undertake, and whether it be like to hold out or not. And now I add, in the fourth place, That they must be perfec and intire, fo as to comprehend our whole duty, and guard against all kind of fin. They muft extend to, and comprehend in them, whatever Almighty God has required at our hands; and must exclude, and debar from, whatever is contrary to his moft Holy Will,

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They must be free from all by-ends, and finifter defigns and aims; and muft, like the Pfalmift, (1) have respect to all God's commandments. For if we have referve for any one fin, we cannot be faid to ferve God with all our heart; but know affuredly, on the other hand, that by this our fingle fort of offence, we are in effect guilty of a breach of the whole law. So fays St. James, (u) Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, be is guilty of all. 'Tis but a fmall excufe, fays Dr. Hammond, on the place, To think

that this is but one tranfgreffion, and therefore not • confiderable: For the obedience of God's Will is required univerfally to all that he commands; and he that offends in one, though he keep all the reft, is guilty of the breach of that obedience, and punish⚫able as well as if he had broken all.' All a man's zeal for fome part of his duty will never denominate him holy, or capacitate him for the reward of those that are fo, fo long as he takes liberty to tranfgrefs in any other. It is fo far from this, that fince the fame power and authority of God gives fanction to all his laws, as a late learned (w) author speaks, It is a virtual difowning and disclaiming of that, wilfully to disobey it, and rebel against it, and openly oppofe it in any cafe; which be does who lives in any known and wilful fin. And he is therefore to be accounted an enemy and traitor to Heaven, and punish'd as fuch, who renounces its abfolute power and right to govern him in all things, and fubverts the whole foundation of obedience and fubmiffion to it. This one fin, continued in, is like (x) the dead flies in the ointment, causing it to fend forth a stinking favour; it pollutes and vitiates all our righteousness, and makes it unacceptable to Almighty God; and fo is a ready means of robbing us of our reward. Befides that, in the mean time, it eftranges the Spirit of God from

(†) Pfalm cxix. 6. (u) James ii. 10. of Repentance, Chap. 7. Sect. 1.

(w) Dr. Pain

(x) Ecclef. x. I.

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us, fubjects us to the dominion of vice, and fo exposes us to other kinds of fins, gives the devil a power over us, and if not repented of, we know not how foon it may lodge us in Hell for all eternity. So that you see there is great reafon for every one that would be faved, to refolve against all forts of fins, leffer as well as greater, private as well as publick, of omiffion as well as commiffion; fuch as are defigned to please others, as well as thofe intended only to pleafe ourfelves. Whatsoever fort of iniquity it be, a good Christian cannot but think himself indifpenfably obliged to refolve against it, as ever he would anfwer his moft holy profeffion, or would be happy, either here or hereafter. None muft reckon himself to have finished his work, but to have begun it only, who has renounced his fins in general, but yet retains an affection for fome one darling luft or paffion. Nor can that be esteemed a truly chriftian refolution, which is not fo levell'd against all fins, as to make no allowance for any one breach of God's commandments, under whatsoever temptation, or in whatfoever circumstances. Hence therefore it follows, that, in the fifth place, Our resolutions must be adequate to all times and conditions. First, To all times. They muft not respect futurity only, but the present time, that without any delay we (y) make hafte to keep God's commandments. For to determine to repent hereafter, is in truth no better than to refolve to be wicked at prefent. It is not to forfake our fins, but to be willing to keep them, as long as we can do it with the least hope of impunity; and even to venture our immortal fouls rather than part with them. This is only a device to cheat peoples confciences, and deceive themfelves; and quiet their minds with a belief, that one time or other they fhall certainly do, what they cannot endure to think of, and would gladly excufe themfelves from, and therefore are never like to do, tho' (y) Pfal. cxix. 60.

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