above its appointed level, and doubt of every thing which the comprehension cannot reach, lest you be led *" to cast away your confidence, to draw back unto perdition," and "to deny the Lord that bought you." Be sincere and rational believers in your Redeemer Christ. Be fervently and practically pious, showing forth your faith by your works, and regulating and adorning your works by your faith. "The life, which you now live in the flesh, live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved you, and gave himself for you," and "do not frustrate the grace of God," by "neglecting so great salvation" as that which he has offered you in the Gospel. Impress deeply on your minds these words of the Apostles: "If," says St. Paul," thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth con *Heb. x. 35-39. Gal. ii. 20. Heb. ii. 3. + 2 Pet. ii. 1. § Rom. x. 9-11. fession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." And St. John saith, *"He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God has given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He, that hath the Son, hath life; and he, that hath not the Son of God, hath not life." * 1 John, v. 10—12. SERMON II. 1 PET. II. 7. FEAR GOD. IN my last Discourse I explained to you that part of your Duty towards God, which consists in your Belief in him, as the Creator, Governor, Preserver, Redeemer, Sanctifier, and Judge of the world. I likewise showed you the nature and substance of your Christian Profession; and at the same time cautioned you against Enthusiasm on the one hand, and Infidelity on the other, directing you to seek for the truth between these two Extremes. I come now to the second part of that duty, The Fear of God. *The fear of the Lord," says Solomon, "is the beginning of wisdom." That it is wisdom + "to depart from evil" is the instruction of Scripture; but from the *Prov. ix. 10. + Job, xxviii. 28. |