solemn preparation every time they receive the sacrament. The great necessity that lies upon us, is, to live as becomes Christians, and then we can never be absolutely unprepared.

But because the examination of ourselves is a thing so very useful, and the time which men are wont to set apart for their preparation for the sacrament is so advantageous an opportunity for the practice of it; therefore I cannot but very much commend those who take this occasion to search and try their ways, and to call themselves to a more solemn account of their actions. It ought to be done some time, and I know no fitter time for it than this. And perhaps some would never find time to recollect themselves, and to take the condition of their souls into serious consideration, were it not upon this solemn occasion.

To conclude: The sum of what I have said is this, that, supposing a person to be habitually prepared by a religious disposition of mind, and the general course of a good life, this more solemn and actual preparation is not always necessary: and it is better, when there is an opportunity to receive without it, than not to receive at all. But the greater our actual preparation is, the better. For no man can examine himself too often, and understand the state of his soul too well, and exercise repentance, and renew the resolutions of a good life too frequently. And there is perhaps no fitter

opportunity for the doing of all this, than when we approach the Lord's table, there to commemorate his death, and to renew our covenant with him to live as becomes the gospel.

SERMON XIX.

THE NATURE AND INFLUENCE OF THE PROMISES OF THE GOSPEL.

2 PET. i. 4.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.

IN handling these words, I shall consider,

I. The promises here spoken of; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.

II. The influences which these promises ought to have upon us; that by these ye might be made partakers of a divine nature.

As to the promises here spoken of, it will be proper to consider,

First, What they are.

Secondly, Why they are said to be exceeding great and precious.

Thirdly, The tenor of them.

Fourthly, When men may be said to have a right to them, so as they may apply them to themselves.

First, By the promises here spoken of, the apostle, no doubt, intends those great and excellent promises which Christ hath made to us in the Gospel, the principal whereof are these three:

1. The promise of the free pardon and forgiveness of our sins, upon our faith and repentance. We have full and clear promises made to us, that if we believe the Gospel, forsake our sins, and amend our wicked lives, all that is past shall be forgiven us; Christ having died to obtain for us remission of sins. The light of nature, upon consideration of the mercy and goodness of God, gave men great hopes, that upon their repentance God would forgive their sins: but they were doubtful of this, and therefore used expiatory sacrifices to appease the offended Deity. The Jewish religion allowed of expiation only for involuntary transgressions. If men sinned wilfully, there was no sacrifice appointed by the law for such sins. But the grace of the Gospel justifies us from the greatest sins, upon our faith and sincere repentance. So St. Paul tells the Jews, Acts xiii. 38, 39. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness" of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by

the law of Moses. There was no general promise of pardon, nor way of expiation under the law; perfect remission of sins, is clearly revealed and ascertained to us only by the Gospel.

2. Another of the promises made us in the Gospel is, that of God's Holy Spirit to assist our obedience. Our blessed Saviour hath promised, that our heavenly Father will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him. It is true, indeed, that there was a promise of such gifts of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles and Christians of the first ages, as are not to be expected now the Christian religion is established in the world. But the Spirit of God still concurs with the Gospel to excite us to, and assist us in that which is good. And though the manner of its operation be so very secret, as not to be accounted for by us, yet the effects of it are very sensible; and this influence of God's Holy Spirit is common to all Christians in all ages of the world. This proposition is universally true, If any man hath not the Spirit of God, he is none of his.

In the first times of christianity, when men were strongly possessed with the prejudices of other religions in which they had been brought up, more outward means of conviction were then necessary, as well as a more powerful internal operation of the Spirit of God upon their minds, to bear down those prejudices. But now, as the principles of religion are more

gradually instilled by the gentle degrees of pious instruction and education; so the Spirit of God concurs with these means in a way, which is better suited to our reason, and offers less violence to our nature. So that the promise of God's Holy Spirit is now made good to us, as the necessity and circumstances of our present state requires.

3. A third promise in the Gospel is, that of eternal life to reward and crown our obedience. This St. John ii. 25. speaks of as the great promise of the Gospel : This is the promise which he hath promised us, even eternal life. Upon this account the new covenant of the Gospel is preferred before the old covenant of the law, because it is established upon better promises. All the special promises of the law were of temporal good things, and these were the great encouragements to obedience under that imperfect dispensation: but now godliness hath not only the promise of the life that now is, but of that which is to come. 1 Tim. iv. 8. The Gospel hath clearly revealed to us a happy state of immortality after this life, of which men had before but very obscure and doubtful apprehensions: so the apostle tells us, 2 Tim. i. 10. That it is now made manifest, by the appearance of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Holy men had hopes of it before; but they had no