the constant Practice of Piety and true Holiness suitable to the Divine Precepts given us therein.

7. That as the Pharisees were infinitely mistaken in valuing themselves for their sitting in Moses's Chair, and teaching and practising (as they pretended) the Duties of Religion (which in truth they only did for a Show) so we Christians will find our selves likewise in a sad Mistake, disappointed of our Hopes, and totally ruin'd in our Great and Spiritual Concern at last, if we do rely only upon an Outward Profession of Christianity, unaccompany'd with the Life of it.

8. That we are not (with the Pharisees of old, nor their Imitators of later date) to fancy that a strict Performance of some Religious Duties commanded by Almighty God, o some others pretended and invented by Men, will compensate and make amends for (or any ways excuse) the wilful Neglect of any thing which God requires of us; for we ought to look upon our selves as most indispensably oblig'd to do (to the utmost of our Power) whatever He has been pleas'd to enjoyn us. And herein we are to take due Care not to make our Religion (as some do theirs) a Cloak of Maliciousness, a Pretence or Motive to any Action that is unlawful or unwarrantable.

9. That a Thorough (or at least a Competent) Knowledge in Religion (to which we should all desire and endeavour to attain) is a most excellent Means to bring us to the Love of God, and Obedience to all his Commands; And this will have such a powerful Influence upon our Hearts, as both to turn and incline them to that which is Good, and deter and keep them from what is Evil.

10 ult. That from all the Premisses, duly consider'd, we may reasonably infer, That as we are Pilgrims and Strangers here on Earth, so 'tis both our Duty and Interest always to have in our View, and entertain in our Thoughts, a livly Sense of the Things of another World; making those Excellent Things that are above, and out of the sight of our Corporal Eyes, present and visible to our Souls, by a living and stedfast Faith, which (if we ask) God will give us, and which (upon our Perseverance in it) will render both Our selves and Services acceptable to God in this World, and comfortably prepare and dispose us for Eternal Bliss and Glory in the next.

These Particulars and Inferences I enlarg'd upon, and recommended to the serious Consideration and Practice of my Hearers.

And on the last Lord's Day, the 18th instant , I preach'd to them again, both in the Morning and Afternoon, upon part of one of the Psalms which came to be read for that Morning-Service, viz. Psal. 90. 12. the Words being these: So teach us to number our Days, that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom.

From which Words (once spoken by Moses to the Children of Israel, and now with their Context explain'd and apply'd) I laid down this Proposition, viz.

That it is the greatest piece of Wisdom for Men to spend their Days (which are but few) in this World, in a constant Religious and Godly Life, and so Prepare themselves for their future happy State in the next.

And the Reasons of this I shew'd to be principally these:

1. Because this Preparation is of absolute Necessity, for our avoiding Everlasting Misery, and obtaining Eternal Felicity.

2. Because the Time for this Preparation (tho' it were the Whole of our Natural Life) is but short, and when once gone, never to be recall'd.

3. Because this Time is often made shorter, and the Account we are to give of it much greater, by our heinous wilful Sins, which naturally tend to our Temporal and Eternal Ruin both of Body and Soul.

To which I added,

4. ult. That when Men have miserably brought themselves to this sad and deplorable Condition, 'tis their great Interest, as well as Duty, to str up themselves to the highest degree of Repentance, earnestly praying to GOD (the Giver of all good Gifts) to assist them powerfully with his Grace, that they may Believe, Repent, and be Saved.