SERM. XV.

The true, and falfe, Notions of Repentance, confidered.

ACTS III. part of the 19th Verfe. Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out.

SERM. XVI.

321.

The Example of the Thief upon the Crofs, confidered.

LUKE. XXIII. 42, 43.

And He faid unto Jefus, Lord, Remember me when thou comeft into thy Kingdom. And Jefus faid unto Him, Verily, I fay unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradife.

SERM. XVII.

347

Upon the fame Subject: and upon the Danger of trusting to a Death

bed Sorrow.

373.

SERM.

SERM. XVIII.

The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard, explained: together with the great Danger of delaying Amendment.

MATTH. xx. 1, 2, 3, &c.

For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man that is an Houfholder, which went out early in the Morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard, &c.

405.

Concerning

[i]

Concerning the Terms of Acceptance, &c. SERMON I.

LUKE X. The latter part of the 25th

Verfe.

Mafter, What shall I do to inherit eternal

T

Life?

HIS is the Enquiry of one SER M. of the Students and Interpre

ters of the Law of Mofes:

who, hearing of our Lord's Behaviour, and Pretenfions to fo great a Character as that of the Meffiah fent by God to inftru&t Mankind in the right way to Happiness, came, amongst others, either out of Curiofity, or fome worse Principle, to try what Anfwer he would give to fo important a Question as this in the Text, What shall I do to inherit eternal Life? i. e. What are the great Points B

of

I.

SER M. of Practice which can recommend me,

I.

who am a few, and adhere to the Law of Mofes, to the Favour of God? For by our Lord's Answer it is plain, that this Queftion related to the chief practical Duties of Religion; and that it was not our Lord's Defign to give the Enquirer a particular Account of the Conditions of Juftification, and Terms of Acceptance, which He, and his Apostles, were in due time to lay open to the World. He appeals, We fee, to the Enquirer himself, what the great Precepts of the Law were; and afterwards declares that an exact obfervance of those two comprehenfive Duties, of loving God, and our Neighbour, would entitle him to eternal Life: Duties, fo comprehenfive indeed, that to them may be reduced all that is good in any Religion in the World, and all that can poffibly render us acceptable to God. But though this fummary Declaration anfwered well our bleffed Lord's Purpose at that time, as it was a fufficient Reply to the prefent Enquirer: yet it was the great Bufinefs of his Divine Miffion to enter more particularly into this grand Debate; to promulgate to the World more expressly,

and

and more fully, thofe Terms and Conditions, SER M. upon which Almighty God, for the fake of I. what he undertook to do and suffer in this World, will accept Mankind, and make those happy, who cannot pretend to a finlefs and perfect Obedience to his Laws, but ftand confcious to themselves of many paft Tranfgreffions of them. Since therefore, this was the profeffed Business of Him, in whom we believe: it becomes us all, if we have any thoughts of Happiness, to address ourfelves to the fame Perfon, with a very serious Curiofity; and to enquire what it is that is expected at our Hands, in order to our Juftification, and final Acquittance from the guilt of our Sins, at the great Day. This is the Enquiry which is of the utmost importance to us.

BUT it will be proper here to obferve, that, with respect to fuch as have been educated in any other falfe Religion, or WorShip, and have contracted the guilt of many Sins, the first part of the Enquiry, and of the Answer to it, will be fomewhat different from what it must be, with refpect to fuch as have been educated in the knowledge and belief of Chriftianity, and taken the B 2 Profeffion