avoid the chambers of anguish. He submits to the force of this Divine counfel: To bim that is afflicted, pity fhould be fhewed from his friend. In a special manner, when he perceives any poor or in want, he will not be over inquifitive how they came into fuch circumftances; but his foul will be drawn out to deal his bread to the hungry, according to his ability and their neceffity. Whofo bath this world's goods, and feeth his brother have need, and fbutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? He who is wife to falvation knows, on the one hand, the benediction which Christ pronounced,-Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; and on the other, he trembles at the denunciation of our Apostle,-They shall have judgment without mercy, who have shewed no mercy. Therefore, my bre thren, let us be all attention to the exhortation of St Paul to the Coloffians, As the elect of God, put on bowels of mercy.

The fixth conftituent of true religion is, that it is full of good fruits. Full of mercy and good fruits.-The description rises upon us. Religion is not a barren tree, but brings forth in abundance; and the fruits which it produces are good, fuch as promote the glory of God, and the highest interest and happiness of man. Herein, faith our Lord to his followers, is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, fo fhall ye be my difciples. By good fruits are undoubtedly meant all the outward duties of piety and righteousness which we owe to God and our neighbour. Thus religion will always produce morality and good works. In vain we make a show of religion, and hope for the bleffings of it without good morals. Good works are effential to true religion in all adult perfons. The latter cannot exist without the former. your light fo fbine before men, that others, feeing your good

Let

u orks,

works, may be induced to glorify their Father which is in heaven. This is the great end of their renovation or converfion. They are the workmanship of God, created unto good works. This was a principal defign of Chrift's coming into the world; of his humiliation and paffion, that he should purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Hence it is abfolutely certain, that the subjects of this heavenly religion must be, in fome confiderable measure, habitually adorned with good fruits.

A feventh property of this excellent wifdom is, that it is without partiality. The Greek term fignifies being without a partial, wrangling, suspicious, judging temper; so that there is no English word fully expreffive of the original. The really pious will not be guilty of base wrangling, undue furmifes, or unreasonable suspicions; they will not be given to hafty or partial judging, respecting perfons, through outward fplendour or party affection. They are not fuch as thofe defcribed by St Jude, who bave mens perfons in admiration because of advantage. They do not fufpiciously enquire into the faults of others, nor deal partially among men. They esteem and treat every one according to his apprehended worth, and carry themselves fuperior to the mean spirit of partiality, uncandid conjecture, and deftructive cenforiousness. Uprightness, integrity, candour, and honour, attend them in all their commerce with mankind. But,

Eighthly, The last branch of this beautiful delineation of true religion is, that it is without hypocrify. It wears no mafk, difguife or deceitfulness. Those managements and practices which the world count wife, confifting in craft and guile, it cannot away with. It is fincere, open, fteady, and uniform, and confiftent with itself. Carnal men oftentimes pretend to be what they are not; and many of them for ftrange purposes will pretend to be re

ligious,

ligious, but they cannot poffibly hold out, or act uniformly to the end; and when the irregularity of their conduct flashes the conviction of abfurdity and inconfiftency upon them, they will fometimes drop the mask, and appear what they always really were. But the truly good man's principal care is, to be what he seems.-The defires of his heart are to be devoted to God in Chrift in fincerity; to walk in duty with a true mind, and to do the things which are honeft in the fight of all men. He intends not, by a profeffion of Christianity, to impose upon God, the church, or mankind. His love to God and his neighbour is without diffimulation, abhorring that which is evil, and cleaving to that which is good. Honesty and faithfulness dwell with him. Chicanery, cunning, tricking, and artfulness enter not into his habitation. An undiffembled fincerity marks all his conduct, and shines in all his converfation. The pure breathings of their hearts are, to be able to fay with the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, Our rejoicing is this, the teftimony of our confcience, that in fimplicity and godly fincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. Let us fee that we have that faith which is unfeigned, and love not only in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth.

I proceed to close this fubject with a very brief improvement.

1. It must awaken in every mind fentiments of forrow and lamentation. Alas! if these things be fo, how small the number of the truly pious or good! How few, how very few can the most extenfive charity observe, who are firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrify! May we not justly take up the lamentation of the weeping Prophet, and fay, O that our head

were

were waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears, that we might weep day and night, over the flain of the daughter of our people; over decayed love, loose morals, and wasted religion Is it not a melancholy truth, that many in all the affemblies of our people are treacherous men? they bend their tongues like their bow for lies; they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and know not me, faith the Lord. What ferious mind, without pain, can contemplate mankind, and behold one wallowing in all impurities; another governed by angry and peace-destroying paffions; one addicted to knavery and dishonefty; a second outraging the facred laws of truth; a third indulging himself in grofs intemperance; a fourth belching out torrents of profanity, &c. Tears ran down the Pfalmift's eyes when he beheld men tranfgreffing God's law. How fhould true Chriftians mourn over the abominations which every where almost abound in these days of degeneracy!

2. This doctrine naturally leads us to examine and try ourselves, whether we poffefs that wisdom which comes down from above, or, whether we are the fubjects of true religion as defcribed in the Divine oracles. God has iffued this injunction, Try your ownselves. Wherefore, let us bring ourselves to this touchstone of fincerity. Of what fort is our religion? Is it the wisdom from beneath, which is earthly, fenfual, devilish, full of envy, malice, confufion, and every evil work? Or, is it the wisdom that defcendeth from above, that is firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrify. Our Saviour affirms, The tree is known by his fruits. What fruits does our religion produce? Let us folemnly bring ourselves to this doctrine, as to a criterion, by which we may learn our real ftate and character.

Are

Are we pure? Are our hearts purified by Divine grace? Are we opposed in heart to fin, and do we abhor all moral defilements? Do we avoid evil company, vi. cious conversation, and prohibited indulgences? Do we delight in God; meditate on things holy and spiritual; ftriving to keep our minds pure and pious? Is Chrift Jefus, and the way.of salvation through faith in his blood, precious to us?

Are we peaceable? cultivating peace with God; following the things which make for peace among mankind; maintaining peace in our confciences, families, neighbourhood and church? Do we avoid wrath, angry difputations and contention?

Are we gentle? Are we moderate, patient, meek, modeft, harmless and inoffenfive?

Are we eafy to be entreated? eafily perfuaded to that which is rational, decent, just and proper? Are we readily induced to forfake that which is wrong, and to practife that which is good?

Are we full of mercy? tender, kind, and compaffionate; ready to forgive those that offend, to pity the wicked, feel for the diftreffed, and relieve the poor and miferable?

Are we full of good fruits? Do we make it an object of our attention to do good to all as we have opportunity? Are we diligent and careful in the performance of duty towards God and man? Are we doing juftly, loving righteousness, and practising strict honefty? Are we rich in good works, and do others seeing our works glorify God?

Are we without partiality? Are we free from groundlefs fufpicions, evil furmifings, rafh judgings, underhand dealings, finifter and partial decifions? When we are

called