SERM.IV. palatable to themselves: Verily they have their Reward in Hand, without any wellgrounded Hopes of another in Reverfion, who thus make it their Business to please themselves.

It is univerfally agreed, that in Works of Art, Architecture for Inftance, Painting and Statuary, it is not one detached independent Part, however ornamental, which we call Beauty; it is a full Result and well proportioned Union of all the feveral Parts, which must have a noble and agreeable Effect upon the Whole. Thus in Life, it is not one fingle Accomplishment, how excellent foever, that constitutes the Beauty of a Chriftian Life: It is the Affemblage of all the moral Virtues, as far as in us lies. What avails one glaring Action or two, one fhining Quality or more, which is not of a piece with the rest of our Conduct? It is but a purple Patch fown upon a Garment, every where else despicably poor, and only ferveth to upbraid, by it's ridiculous Splendor, the Homelinefs and Coarfeness of all the reft. The Truth is, fomething must be done to ftill the Clamours of an importunate Conscience: Men cannot be easy in an intire and avowed Irreligion. This puts

Men upon obeying God by Halves. Yet SERM.IV. whatever may be done with this View; nothing can be effectually done, till every vicious Habit, that we know of, is difcharged. For though Imperfections may be pardoned, and fingle Acts of Sin forgiven; yet one habitual Vice endangers our Salvation.

SERMON

SERMON V.

The Duty of an uniform and unreferved Obedience.

St. JAMES II. 10, 11. Whofoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all. For he that faid, do not commit Adultery; faid alfo, do not kill.

I

Second

N a former Difcourfe, having fhewn, 1ft SERM. V. the Reasonableness of an unreserved Obedience to God, and 2dly exempli- Sermon on fied the Folly of a partial One in feveral this SubInstances ;

III. I now proceed thirdly to obviate Objections against the Duty, which the

Text enjoins.

ject.

VOL. I.

H

After

SER. V.

After which, I fhall laftly draw fome practical Inferences from what has been laid down.

Some think themselves excufable for the Commiffion of any Fault, however notorious; because no Body is free from Faults: That is, because the best of Men are fometimes off their Guard, are liable to little Escapes and Inadvertencies, and are, now and then, guilty of Sins of Omiffion; therefore they may indulge themfelves in Drunkenness, Debauchery, Malice, Difhonefty, and, what is indeed the Inlet to all other Vices, the Prophanation of the Lord's Day.

Nay they have recourfe to Scripture to patronize a wicked Life. The juft Man finneth feven times a Day: A Text of their own Invention: For it occurs no where in the Bible. There are indeed thefe Words: The juft Man falleth feven Times and rifeth up again: But the wicked shall fall into Mifchief. It is not said, that the Just falleth into Sin seven Times, much less that he falleth into Sin feven Times a Day; which is an Interpolation of their own: The genuine and obvious Meaning is, The juft Man falleth feven or many Times into Calamity, out of which God rescueth him. And