2. They do great reverence to his name and memory, profess themselves Christians, and abhor Turks and inlidels. No; this will not do neither. Many prize Christ's name that neglect his office ; honouring the physician without taking his remedies never brought health. They have learned to speak well of Christ by rote after others, but they do not savingly and sincerely believe in him to cure and heal their souls, and sutler him to do the work of a mediator there. The other res[)ect is to be ascrilxid to the chance of their birth : they have the happiness to be born there where Christ is the God of the country ; that which makes others Turks and infidels makes them Christians : but though they stand upon the higher ground, they are not the taller men.
3. They are very willing to be forgiven by Christ, and to obtain eternal life ; but this is what mere necessity requires them. They will not suffer him to do his whole work, to sanctify them, and fit them to live to God, nor part with their nearest and dearest lusts, and come into the obedience of the gospel ; or at least, if Christ will do it for them, without their improving this grace, or using his holy means, they are contented. But ' having such precious promises,' and such a blessed Picdeemer, we are to ' cleanse ourselves,' 2 Cor. vii. 1. The work is ours, though the grace be from him. So Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affec- tions and lusts.'
4. Some have a strong conceit that they shall be saved and have benefit by Christ. This, which they call their faith, may be the greatest unbelief in the world ; that men living in their sins shall yet do well enough is to believe the flat contrary uf what God had spoken in his word: 1 Cor. vi. 9, 'Know ye not that tlie unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither forni- cators, nor idolaters, nor drunkards, nor effeminate persons, &c., shall inherit the kingdom of God.' It is not strength of conceit, but the sure foundation of our hope, that will supjwrt us ; nor are they the most hapi)y who have the least trouble, but who have the least cause.
DeUT. XXX. 15.] THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON. 357"
Use 2. Do we believe in the Son of God ? Here will be the great case of conscience for settling our eternal interest.
1. If we believe, Christ will be precious to. us : 1 Peter ii. 7, ' Unto- them which believe, he is precious.' Christ cannot be accepted where- he is not valued when other things come in competition with him, and God will not be prodigal of his grace,,
2. Where there is true faith, the heart will be purified : Acts xv. 9, ' Purifying their hearts by faith.'
3. If you do believe in Christ, the heart will be weaned from the world : 1 John v. 4, ' For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world ; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.'
4. If you have the true faith, it works by love : Gal. v. 6, ' For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircum- cision ; but faith, which worketh by love.'
By these' things will the case be determined. Then the comfort and sweetness of this truth falls upoui your hearts, that ' God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever beUeveth in him should not perish,, but have everlasting life.'
SERMON, XVII.
See, I Jiave set before thee this daij life and good, death and evil. — Deut. XXX. 1.5.
Moses, the man of God, having acquainted the people with the tenor of God's commandments, both concerning worship and civil conver- sation, doth enforce all by a pregnant exhortation, laying before their eyes the blessings of obedience, and the plagues and curses that should overtake them in case they should decline from the ways of the Lord thus recommended to them ; in all which he showeth himself not only as an ordinary preacher speaking by way of exhortation and doctrinal threatening, but as a special prophet speaking by way of prediction, and that with such clearness and certainty that these few chapters may be looked upon as an exact calendar and prognostication, wherein the good or bad days of this people are expressly calculated and fore- told; yea, comparing events with the prediction, you would rather conceive Moses his speech to be an. authentic register and chronicle of what is past than an infallible prophecy of what was to come : nothing good or bad hath befallen this people from the beginning to this day but what is here foretold.. What is more largely declared upon in this exhortation is contracted into a- narrow room and sum- mary here in the text : ' See, I have set before thee this day life and good, death and evil'
In the words observe : —
1. The matter propounded, in two pairs, that have a mutual con- nection one with another : life and good, death and evil.
358 THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON. [DeUT. XXX. 15.