Page images
PDF
EPUB

but Licentioufnefs; and whoever goes on to gratify his wanton and fenfual Paffions, upon the Principle of being his own Mafter, and enjoying his Freedom as a Man, will find himself, upon cool Reflection, reduced to this very worthy Conclufion, that a State of Sin is a State of Liberty, and that Degeneracy muft bid fair for human Perfection.

FROM what has been faid I would briefly conclude this Difcourfe by inferring the fuperlative Excellency of the Christian Difpenfation, and confequently the great Reafon we have to close with thofe geneous and beneficial Offers of Freedom and Salvation which are vouchfafed us under that bleffed Institution; that Inftitution, which by reftraining us from following our own Inclinations, with-holds us from doing the highest Injury to our most fubftantial Welfare, and by fubjecting us to the Gofpel Dispensation, invefts us with perfect Freedom.

THESE are the Privileges of the Gofpel Covenant, and it is our Duty to enjoy and improve them, because these Privileges, bright and noble as they are, are

not

not the Whole of our Happiness; that State of Freedom, in which it hath pleafed Almighty God at prefent to place us, is no other than a State of Probation ; and this our State of Probation is no other than a Prelude of heavenly Glory, whereby we shall be advanced from the Liberty to the Inheritance of God's Children in his eternal and ever bleffed Kingdom; but all this through the alone Merits of Jefus Christ our Lord.

To whom, &c.

Q 3

SERMON

SERMON XII.

RATE

PSALM Xxvii. 4.

One Thing have I defired of the Lord, that will I feek after; that I may dwell in the Houfe of the Lord all the Days of my Life, to behold the Beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple.

W

HATEVER was the Occafion of Holy David's compofing this Pfalm, whether the Perfecution which

he suffered under Saul, or

the unnatural Rebellion which his Son Abfolom had formed against him, his Di

Q4

ftrefs

ftrefs was evidently very great, but his Faith and Confidence in God's Power and Goodness were much greater. The Words of the Text plainly mark out one of these to have been the Occafion of it; for in both those Cases he was driven from Jerufalem, and confequently from the Place of publick Worship. Private Devotion certainly was not wanting; that it was which gave him the Maftery over the Calamities with which he was oppreffed, and infpired him with a pious Dependance upon the Almighty, that tho' an Hoft of Men were laid against him, yet would not his Heart be afraid; and tho there rofe up War against him, yet he would put his Traft in God. But one Circumftance of Affliction there was, which his Piety could not fo cafily furmount; nay, the stronger his Piety, the deeper seems his Diftrefs; he could not join Publick to Private Devotion: His Soul had a Defire and Longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord's Houfe, to praise and adore God in the great Congregation; but the hazardous Pofture of his Affairs prevented him; and how afflicting fuch Prevention

was,

« PreviousContinue »