neighbour, and ourselves, will flow from these principles, and are necessary to make the man of God perfect. We must particularly teach them to "add to their faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity," if we would not leave. them blind, and unfruitful.* And we should, in a particular manner, speak of "the fruits of the Spirit, as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance;" and at proper seasons explain and enforce each of them. We should apply the lamp of the word to detect and disgrace all the particular "works of darkness," and to make manifest "the fruits of the flesh; such as adultery, lasciviousness, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." § 11. If I should read to a sick person a learned lec-. ture on the benefit of health, and exhort him to take care to recover it, but never inquire into the nature of his disease, or prescribe proper methods and medicines for the cure, he would hardly acquiesce in me for his hysician, or resign to me the care of his bodily health. Nor is it a more likely way to the soul's health, to rest in mere general exhortations to holiness, without distinctly handling the several branches thereof, and the opposite sins. 12. 4. Particularly applying to the several cases, tempers, and experiences of the hearers. Besides many thoughts suited in general to all cases, there might properly arise in the application of most subjects, thoughts distinctly proper to the converted and unconverted; to notional hypocrites, and mere moralists, to mourners, to backsliders, and lazy christians; and at several times to a much greater variety of characters and persons. Now such particular addresses, when the case is drawn in a lively manner, and in the natural language of the sort of men intended, and judiciously and artfully treated, are the closest, most weighty, and most useful parts of the application. * 2 Pet. i. 7. † Gal. v. 22, 23. 4 Gal. v. 19, 21. 13. That this is the true way of addressing an auditory, viz. to divide them into several classes, and distinctly speak to each, will be plain, if we look through the apostolic writings, and, I might add, the prophetic also, with this view; and we shall find that both prophets and apostles frequently take care to distinguish the holy and the vile, the converted and the unconverted. As for instance, as to their knowledge and apprehension of things: The natural inan receiveth not the things of the Spirit, they are foolishness to him, he cannot know them: but the spiritual judge all things."* And also as to their obedience to the law; "The carnal mind is enmity against God, is not subject to God's law, nor can be subject, or please God."† 14. They particularly reprove scoffers, and confute gainsayers: "Behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish." For instance, those who denied or cavilled at the resurrection; "Thou focl, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die, &c." And also those that were for a faith without works; "Wilt thou know, vain man, that faith without works is dead, &c."l 15. They address carnal stupid sinners in an awful denounce way; แ woe to them that are at ease;" as Paul, when he made Felix tremble; or as Stephen, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised," &c.¶ § 16. They laid convinced sinners to Christ; to those that are inquiring they say, " If ye will inquire, inquire ye, return, come; turn to the strong hold; if the Lord hath torn, he will heal." "Repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins," &c.**Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," &c.ft § 17. They reason with the moralist, and those that "trust in themselves that they are righteous;" shewing their righteousness is " as filthy rags." "The law saith, there is none righteous, but all the world are guilty before God; therefore by the deeds of the law * 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15. # 1 Cor. 15. Acts xxiv. 25. **Acts ii. 38. † Rom. viii. 7, 8. Acts vii. 51-54. shall no flesh be justified; but the righteousness of God is manifested, that God might freely justify them that believe on Jesus, therefore man is justified by faith; boasting is excluded by the law of faith."* And ye received the Spirit by the hearing of faith; the gospel was before preached to Abraham; they that are of the works of the law are under the curse. But the law could not disannul the covenant confirmed before, but was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith; they then that are Christ's are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."t 18. They sharply rebuke and expose pretending hypocrites, shewing them their abominations, detecting and confounding the wretches that "delight to know God's ways, and hear his word, but will not do it." As Peter; "Thou hast no part in this matter; thy heart is not right in the sight of God;"‡ and James; "Shew me thy faith without thy works;-the devils believe and tremble."! $ 19. They rouse and encourage christians, who have but little strength, and persuade them to make farther advances in religion; that he that is "feeble may be as David." "Ye are dull of hearing for the time ye ought to have been teachers; strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age; therefore, leaving the first principles, let us go on to perfection."S 20. They deal with the several sorts of distempered christians tenderly, and yet plainly, and faithfully; as particularly, with those who idolize one minister, and despise others; telling them, it is not by might and power of man, but by God's Spirit, that the gospel is successful. "While one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who is Paul or Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed? It is God that giveth the increase; Paul, Apollos, Cephas, all are yours."They endeavour to soften those of too rigid a temper, exhorting them not to speak to the grief of those whom God hath smitten: as, "Ye ought rather to forgive and comfort him; I beseech you to confirm your love towards him."* **If a man be overtaken in a fault, restore him in the spirit of meekness, considering lest thou also be tempted."―They talk roundly to those who are apt to make God the author of sin; who say, "We unavoidably pine away in our iniquities, and how can we then be saved?" As in James, "Let no man say I am tempted of God; for God tempteth not any man."+ $21. Declining christians are quickened, awakened, and put in mind of the love of their espousals: "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die."|| § 22. They awfully warn those who are in danger of sinning, and falling back to perdition; telling them, "the righteousness they have done will be remembered no more:" and "God's soul will have no pleasure in them." "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, &c. if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucify the Son of God afresh. '6 $23. They encourage the persecuted and afflicted; telling them, "When they pass through the fire and water, God will be with them," and that "when they are tried they shall come forth as gold, and be the Lord's in that day when he maketh up his jewels." "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed."¶ We are compassed with a cloud of witnesses; Jesus endured the cross, and is set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and that for our profit; chastening yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness."** And more particularly those that lament relations dead in Christ, are told they shall go to be happy with them, though the dead shall not return: “Sorrow hot as do others that have no hope; for those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."* 24. There are also particular lessons for strong christians, viz. to be tender to the weak, and to be public-spirited, that as "Ephraim should not envy Judah, so neither should Judah vex Ephraim:"" Him that is weak in the faith receive:-Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not;-Let none put a stumbling-block in his brother's way;-Let not your good be ill spoken of;-Hast thou faith? have it to thyself;-Bear the infirmities of the weak;-Let every one please his neighbour for his good to edification."t "Knowledge puffeth up: but charity edifieth;-Let not your liberty be a stumbling-block to the weak,-nor through thy knowledge let thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died;-If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh whilst the world stands." "# Again, they are told, that "a mark is set upon the men" that deplore the sins of the times; and "a book of remembrance is written" for those who distinguish themselves by their piety in'times of abounding wickedness. "Thou hast a few names who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy."|| § 25. You find also a suitable portion for those who are groaning under corruption; who complain they were "shapen in iniquity," and their actual "errors are past understanding;" although "I am carnal, sold under sin, and what I would I do not, and what I hate that do I; in my flesh dwells no good, and to perform good I find not, yea, with the flesh I serve the law of sin, (Oh wretched man that I am!") yet, "I consent to God's law, and delight in it after the inner-man; it is not then I that do this evil, but sin that dwelleth in me. I thank God through Jesus Christ; with my mind I serve God's law, and God will deliver me from the body of this death."§ And they are told how God hath * 1 Thes. iv. 13, 14. Rev. iii. 4. † Rom. xvi. |