I. That it does not belong to Man, but to GOD alone, to judge of secret things, of the Intentions and Imaginations of the Heart; but,

II. They may judge of those things which outwardly appear; the Ministers of GOD, and the Civil Magistrate, having Power to take Cognisance of, and to rebuke and punish such Persons as offend either in Words or Deeds: So that whenever any Sin comes to publick Knowledg, He or She that has committed it must receive the Reproof and Punishment it deserves; as in the Case of those Persons who are guilty of Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Envyings, Murders, Thefts, and the like, which St. Paul tells us (Gal. Ch.5. and other places) are manifest; Men indeed (in Authority) are not only allow'd, but commanded to judge of them.

Having enlarg'd upon, and from Scripture illustrated, these Propositions, I undertook to speak to these two things chiefly, viz.

1st, The Works of the Flesh, i. e. Adultery, Fornication, &c. which I have (now) mention'd from the Apostle, and consider'd (then) under these three Particulars;

1. Their Kinds, which I singly examin'd.

2. Their Effects, which tend to Destruction.

3. Their Punishment, which is very severe, in that the commission of those Sins shut Men out of Heaven, unless they do truly, and in due time repent. And against those Works of the Flesh I did set,

2dly, These Virtues, which are diametrically opposite to those Vices, and the Apostle, in that 5th Chap. of his Epistle to the Galatians, calls, The Fruit of the Spirit, being (as he there says) Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, &c.

In my Explanation of which Christian Virtues, I distinctly treated of,

1. Their Property.

2. Their Kinds.

3. Their Benefits.

Shewing from the same Apostle, that against such as practise them, there is no Law; i. e. the Law cannot take hold on such Persons as are endow'd with such Virtues: There is no Law to condemn them; No Law to compel them; for as they are led by the Spirit, so are they free, serving the Lord without Compulsion or Constraint. If there were no Punishment in this Life, nor Hell in the next for Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Drunkenness, Murder, Theft, and other Sins and Works of the Flesh, yet they would abstain from them out of meer Love to GOD and Goodness: For they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts thereof, Gal. 5. 24.

On these Heads and Particulars I then largely discours'd: And on the last Lord's Day, the 21st instant, I again preach'd to them, both in the Morning and Afternoon, upon this Text, Mat. 11. 28, 29, 30. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest. Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in Heart, and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls. For my Yoke is easie, and my Burthen is light.

These Words I first explain'd in general, and then did distinctly and particularly discourse from them upon these four principal Heads, shewing,

I. Who is the Inviter here, and that is CHRIST JESUS, saying, Come unto me.

II. Who are the Invited, viz. All that labour and are heavy laden; i. e. All that lie opprest under the weighty Load of their Sins.