116 .FALLING SHORT OF HEAVEN righteousness of the Pharisee. Wereyour virtues more glorious than they are, and your righteousnesses more perfect, they could never answer for your former guilt, before the throne of a just and holy God. It is only the atonement of Christ, and his all. sufficient sacrifice, which can stand you in stead there ; and it is pity that a youth, of so much virtue, should fall short of heaven, and be but almost a christian. It is pity that you should have gained so large a share of knowledge, and so honourable a cha- racter of sobriety, and, after all, want the one thing needful, an universal change, and renovation of your hearts, by re- ceiving the gospel. Have you proceeded thus far, and will you not go on to perfection ? Take heed that ye lose not the things that ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full re. ward; 2 John 8. It is pity you should enquire the way to heaven, and not walk in it, when it is marked out before your feet with so much plain- ness : It is pity you should indulge the love of this world so far, as to suffer it to forbid you the pursuit of a better ; or at best, when ye receive instructions about your souls, you let the affairs of this life overwhelm and bury that good seed, and it never grows up to practice. What would you say to the folly of a man, who has a long and hazardous journey to make, to take pessession of a large estate, and once a week he comes to enquire the way, and hears a fair description of all the road, perhaps he mournshis long neglect, and resolves upon the journey ; but the next six days are filled up with a thousand impertinences; and when the seventh returns, he has not taken one step forward in the way? Believe me, sirs, it is not an easy thing to be saved : laziness, and mere enquiries, will never effect your ),sappiness, nor secure your souls from perdition ; and all the pains youhave already takenwill be lost, if you give over the pursuit. Letme call some ofyou this day to remember your former labours, the prayers and tears that you have poured out in secret before ; remember your daysof darkness, and your nights of terror, the groans of conscience, and the inwardagonies ybu felt, when youwere first awakenedtobehold your guilt and danger ; remember thesehours,, and these sorrows ; and love and pity your own souls so far, as to pursue the work, and let not your pains be lost Have ye suf- fered so many things in vain, if it beyetin vain; Gal. iii. 4. Ye have wrestled with some sins, and have in part got the mastery over them ; and shall a darling lust overcome you at last, and slay your souls with eternal death ? Ye have resisted the tempter in some of his assaults and put the powers of hell to flight ; will you give up yourselves at last to be led in triumph by Satan, and become his everlasting slave? Methinks you look so amiable in
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