Serm.CXCVII. fearingGodmore thanMan. 645 you thus offend him ; think of that queftion of the Apoftle, and anfwer it if you can Willye provoke the Lord to jealoufie ? areyeflronger thanbe? Take warning on this fide Hell, while ye may efcape it ; fleefrom the wrath which is to come, while it is yet to come, before it overtake you, and there be no efcaping. And let it not be grievous to us, to be put in mindof thefe terrible things. How much eafier is it now to hear of them, while theymay be avoided, than to endure them hereafter, when they will be both unavoidable and intolerable? And look upon them as the belt and molt faithful friends , who deal plainly with you in thefe matters, and acquaint you with the true Rateof things, and tell you no- thing but what you will certainly find true, if you perfift in this dangerous courfe of offendingGod; who reprefent things to you as they are, and forewarn you of fo great and certain a danger. It is no pleafure to any Man to fpeakof fuch dreadful and tragical things ; it can be no delight to affright Men, and to grate upon their ears with fuch harfhand un- welcome words: bût it is neceffary to the greateft part of finners, to fet their dan- ger before them in the molt terrible and frightful manner; and all this little e- nough to awaken the greateft part of Mankind to due confideration of their ways. Soft words , and fober reafon, and calm arguing , will work upon fame perfons ; fome finners are more yielding, and may be taken in upon parley : but othersare fo obftinate and refolved, that they are not to be carried but by ftorm ; and in this cafe, violence is the greateft ad offriendfhip and kindnefs. Our Saviour, when he fpake thefe terrible words to his Difciples, and gave them this warning, does infinuate, that it proceeded from a molt fincere and hearty friendfhip to them .dnd Ifay untoyou, my friends, Be not afraidof them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but Ìwillforewarnyou whomyefhall fear, &c. S E RMON CXCVIII. The Efficacy of Prayer , for obtaining the Holy Spirit. St. LUKE XI. 13. Howmuch more hall your heavenly Father give the holy fpirit to them that ask him? THE great advantages whichwe have by the Chriftìan Religion , are thefe The Kt three. Sermon on I. A more perfect rule for the direction of our lives. ibis rear. 2. A more powerful afliftance to enable us to the performance of our duty. And, 3. The affurance ofa glorious and an eternal reward. And all thefe are contained in that excellent Sermon of our bleffed Saviour upon the Mount; ofwhich this paffage in St. Luke is a part, altho' it was fpoken here by our Saviour upon another occafion, and at another time. Our Saviour begins thatSermon with the laft of thefe, as being thegreat motive and encouragement to our duty, the promife ofbleífednefs, and of a great reward in Heaven. And then he lays down the rule whichwas the fubffance of thofe moral duties, which are contained in the Law and the Prophets ; only he explains and fupplies whatever was obfcure and defective before, and thereby brings our duty to a greater certainty, and clearnefs, and perfection than it had before. But
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