Serm. CXXIX. the Day of pagment. 175 More particularly we should ftri&ly charge our felves, according toour Efrate and Opportunities, to be very much in the Works of Mercy and Charity ; re- membring that our Saviour bath reprefented this as a fpecial Matter of Enquiry at the Judgment of the Great Day, how we have acquitted and difcharged our felves in Duties of this Kind, and that nothing does more immediately qualify us for the Mercyof God, when we shall come to fraud before hisJudgment -Seat, than to have (hewn Mercy to our Brethren : As on the other hand, the Scripture bath terribly threatned, that heshall have jaimoot without Mercy, that hath (hewed no Mercy. By thefe, and all other A&s of a good Life, we (hall be in a con((ant Readinessand Preparation for the Coming of our Lord. And, Oh, what a Hap - pinefs and Comfort will it be to us, to be found by him thus employed ! Blef- fed is that Servant wdom his Lord when be cometh /hall findfo doing. I proceed, 4. We (hould often review our Lives, and call our felves to a arid Account of our A&ions, thatjudging ourfelves, we maynot be judged, and condemned, by the Lord. This frequent Examination of our felves will give usto underfiand our Errors and Miscarriages; which if we ferioufly confider, muff needs prompt us to Repentance, and engage us in Purpofes and Refolutions ofAmendment. And: the Pra&ice of this is certainly the befr Way to keepour Accounts clear, and tó prevent that horrible Confufion which we (hall be in, if Judgment should fur- prize us unawares, when we have the Guilt of great and manifold Sins unre- pented of, lying upon our Confciences; like a heavy Weight, ready to fink us into eternal Perdition. Befides, that this ftri& and frequent Examination ofour A&ions, will be an excellent Means to make us more careful for the Future to, avoid thofe Faults- and Mifca'rriages.which we have obferved in our felves before., We should be ashamed to fall into thofe,Errors again, for which we have fo lately and feverely cenfuredand condemnedour felves. 5. Another Part of our Preparationfor the Coming of our Lord is, an humble Trutt and Cotfidence in the Virtue of his Death and Paflion, as the onlymeth; torious Caufe of the Retniflion of our Sins, and the Reward of eternal Life. Tho' we be regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghofr, and by the Affifrance of God's Grace enabled toperformWorks of Righteoufnefs; and, as isfaid of Zachary and Elizabeth, to live in all the Coaìmandments andOrdinances of the Lord blamelef that is in the general Courfe of our Lives, to yield a firicere Obedience to the Laws of God ; yet becaufe in many Things the offend, and out belt Righteoufnefs is very imperfeet, and falls extremely short of that exa& and tiri& DiatSr, which the Law of God requires ; and if it were perfe&, our Obedience for the Future could make noReparation to the Juffice of God for paff Sins and Tranfgreffions; there- fore we cannot hope for our own Righteoufnefs to be jufrified and accepted with God, and upon theMerit ofit to havebur Sins pardòned, much lefs to be reward ed with eternal Life. Gód indeed ofhis infinite Mercy is pleafed, upon our:Re- pentance, to pardon our Sins paff, and Upon bur fincere Obedience to give us ,eternal Life; and without thefe Qualifications we shall never be made Partakers of thefe Ble(íings; except we repent, our Sins (hall not be forgiven us, and with- out Holinefa no Man shall fee the Lord: But then it is not for the Merit 'of our Repentance and Righteoufnefs, that these Bleffings are conferr'd upon us; but fin' the meritoriousObedience and Sufferings of our Blefled Saviour. that niort ac-. ceptable Sacrifice of himfelf; which he offer'd to God inour Bead, and in our, behalf, hath purchased and procured these Benefits for us 4 and we are acceptedin his beloved Son, and juflifed freely by his Gracethrough the Redemption that is iri Jefus. Chr ; and therefore not for any Works of Righteóufnef Which we havé done, but of his Mercy he fives ses. And here we are to fix our Hopes of Jufrification and Sal- vätion, viz. upon that perfecì Propitiation and Satisfa&ion, which Chriff by the Sacrifice of himfelf once offer'd,, hath made for the Sins of the whole World: For the alone Merit of this Sacrifice, Cod is graciously pleated to forgive us all our Sins, uponour trueRepentance, and to reward our Sincere, rho' very imper- fe&Obedience, with eternal Life. So that through Faith in the Blood.ofChrifi hot, by Confidence in our felves and our own Righteoufnefs, we obtain Rentil tors of Sins, and eternal Life. And it is not only in it fell great Arrogance, but great Ingratitude
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