SERMON VIII. 3· He perl\1•odcs Men thatReligion in its Power and Striclnefs is not nccefl:1ry: the abfiaining lrom enor~ous Cnn:es, and tl~e performance_ of iom~ out~vard Scrvite will be available for Salvatton; Hell Is the Pomon of the Devil and Ius Children, and none are of his Race but xncarnate Devils, unclean Spirits in brut1fi1 Bodies. He makes ulC of carnal Men, under the pretence of Friendfl1ip to perfwade thofe who feel the Re. firaints of Confc1ence, to be lefs tender an<\ vigilant, by tellmg them, this Stridnefi is fuperAuous, 'twill fpoil you, make you unfociable and odious: the Wi!c and Learned that think to go to Heaven with t he firll, take a greater liberty: they will fay Mode. ration is a Vertue, and by the pretence of. Temper cherifl1 the loathfom Dif\emper of Lukewarmnefs, that 1s as fatal as a dead ly Coldnefs. The Tempter Will permit Men to make ufe of Religion as a Medicine, a little in fainting Fits, to relieve and recover them but not as their daily Food : not to be their diligent and confiant PraClice. The craft~ Serpent will abufc the Words of the holy Spint, Be not righteous overmuch. As Judd, faid of the precious Ointment poured upon ou.r Saviour, W!Jy wOJ tbis waj/e! [o carnal Men are apt to fay, Why thefe fevere Ref\raints from f:itisfying the natural Appetites 1 Why fuch CircumfpeClion in our walking 1 Why keep the Lord's-day fa relig_ioufly 1 Is it not enough to hear the Sermons 1 May we not afterwards unbend, and enJoy free Society, and recreate our felves with carnal Contentments? They do not believe that God is fa firiCl in his Commands,nor will be fa exaCt. in requiring an account for them: fond Creatures to entertain fuch carnal Conceits of God, to think him like themfelves. They are apt to fay, the Minifiers will fetter them all by imaginative Rules of Holinefs unprefcribed in the Scriptures. For Men would fain have the Light, and the Law that regulates them, to be furable to their Appetites and AClions. But are we not com. manded to imitate and honour our Pattern, to be holy as our 1-lea'Venly Father is /;o~, in all maHner ofCowuerfotion? Are we not enjoined to work out our own Salvation wit}) F(ar aud Trembling,; to cleanfe our felves from all Polutions of Flejh ancl Spirit, and to perfrfl Holinefs in tbe Fear of God.- to fellow Holineflwitb the moj/ zealous a¥tf unfetisfed Defires, that, if it were poffible, we might anticipate Heaven on Earth~ Can there be any Ex· cufe for negleCling thefe holy Duties? There are none more dangeroully deceived than thofe that think they are holy enough, and make no que!lion of the Favour of God and their final Happinefs. They condemn profane outragious Sinners; thofe who vif1bly come !hart of them, tl1ey think will fall fl10rt of Salvation ; but to excel them, they think is a needlefs Precifenefs, a Pride of Singularity, a Mask of Hypocrify. 'Tis one of Satan's Arts to conceal the Good that is in the Saints, that they may condemn themfelves, and to conceal the Evil that is in the Unregenerate, that they may flatter themfclves. How many fall as deep as Hell from fuch high Hopes? for he that does not !crioully defire-and endeavour to be renewed into the unfpotted Image of God, was never truly renewed. SERMON
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