KNOW ye not, fays the apostle, that fo many of us as were baptiz'd into Jefus Chrift, were baptiz'd into his death? therefore we are buried with him by baptifm into death. (a)

Now, Chriftians may be faid to be baptiz'd into the death of Chrift, if their baptifm puts them into a state like to that, in which our Saviour was at his death. The apoftle fhews this to be the meaning of it, by faying, if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, that is, if our baptifm has put us into a ftate like that of his death.

So that Christian baptism is not only an external rite, by which we are entered into the external fociety of Chrift's church; but is a folemn confecration, which prefents us an offering to God, as Christ was offer'd at his death.

WE are therefore no longer alive to the enjoyments of this world; but as Chrift was then nail'd to the cross, and devoted entirely to God, that he might be made perfect through sufferings, and afcend to the right hand of God; fo is our old man to be crucified, and we confecrated to God, by a conformity to the death of Christ, that like as Chrift was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in newness of life; and being rifen with Chrift, skould feek thofe things which are above.

THIS is the true undeniable state of Christianity; baptifm does not make us effectually Chriftians, unlefs it brings us into a state of death, confecrates us to God, and begins a life fuitable to that state of things, to which our Saviour is rifen from the dead. This, and no other than this, is the holiness and spiritual temper of the Chriftian life, which implies fuch a refignation of mind, fuch a dedication of ourselves to God, as may resemble the death of Chrift; and on the other hand, fuch a newness of life, fuch an af

cenfion of the foul, fuch a holy and heavenly beha. viour, as may fhew that we are rifen with Chrift, and belong to that glorious ftate, where he now fits at the right hand of God.

IT is in this fenfe, that the holy Jefus faith of his difciples, they are not of this world, even as I am not of this world; being not left to live the life of the world, but chofen out of it for the purposes of his kingdom, that they might copy after his death and oblation of himself to God.

AND this is the condition of all Chriftians to the confummation of all things, who are to carry on the fame defigns, and by the fame means raife out of this corrupted ftate, a number of fellow-heirs with Chrift in everlasting glory. The Saviour of the world has purchased mankind with his blood, not to live in ease and pleasurable enjoyments, not to spend their time in foftnefs and luxury, in the gratifications of pride, idleness, and vanity; but to drink of his cup, to be baptiz'd with the baptifm that he was baptiz'd with, to make war with their corrupt natures, humble themfelves, mortify the defires of the flesh, and like him be made perfect through fufferings.

St. PAUL fo well knew this to be the defign and fpirit of religion, that he puts his title to the benefits of Chrift's refurrection upon it, when he fays,

THAT I may know him, and the power of his refurrection, and the fellowship of bis fufferings, being made conformable to his death. (a)

IT is his being made conformable to his death, on which he founds his hopes of fharing in the refurrection of Chrift. If Chriftians think, that falvation is now to be had on fofter terms; and that a life of indulgence and fenfual gratifications is confiftent with the terms of the gofpel; and that they need not now be made conformable to his death; they are miferably

(a) Philip. iii. 10.

blind, and as much mistake their Saviour, as the worldly Jews, who expected a temporal Meffiah to deliver them.

OUR redemption is a redemption by facrifice, and none are redeemed, but they who conform to it. If wwe fuffer with him, we shall also reign with him.

WE must then, if we would be wife unto falvation, die and rife again like Christ, and make all the actions of our life holy by offering them to God. Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we must do all to the glory of God.

SINCE therefore he, that is called to Chriftianity, is thus called to an imitation of the death of Christ, to forbear from fin, to overcome the world, to be born of the fpirit, to be born of God; these furely will be allowed to be fufficient evidences, that Chriftianity requireth an entire change of our nature, a life perfectly devoted to God.

Now, if this is Christian piety, it may serve to instruct two forts of people :

FIRST, thofe who are content with an outward decency and regularity of life: I don't mean fuch as are hypocritical in their virtues; but all those who are content with an outward form of behaviour, without that inward newness of heart and spirit which the gofpel requireth.

CHARITY, chastity, fobriety and juftice, may be practifed without Chriftian piety: a Jew, a Heathen, may be charitable and temperate; but, to make thefe virtues become parts of Christian piety, they must proceed from a heart truly turned unto God, that is full of an infant fimplicity, that is crucified with Chrift, that is born again of the fpirit, that has overcome the world. Temperance or justice, without this turn of heart, may be the temperance of a Jew or a Heathen; but it is not Chriftian temperance till it proceed from a true Chriftian fpirit. Could we do and fuffer all that Chrift himself did or fuffered; yet, if

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it was not all done in the same spirit and temper of Chrift, we should have none of his merit.

A CHRISTIAN therefore must be sober, charitable and juft, upon the fame principles, and with the fame fpirit, that he receives the holy facrament, for ends of religion, as acts of obedience to God, as means of purity and holiness, and as so many instances of a heart devoted to God.

As the bare eating of bread and drinking wine in the holy facrament, is of no ufe to us, without those religious difpofitions which constitute the true frame of a pious mind, fo is it the fame in all other duties; they are mere outward ceremonies and useless actions, unless they are performed in the spirit of religion charity and fobriety are of no value, till they are so many instances of a heart truly devoted to God.

A CHRISTIAN therefore is to be fober, not only fo far as answers the ends of a decent and orderly life, but in fuch a manner as becomes one, who is born of the Holy Spirit, that is made one with Chrift, who dwells in Chrift, and Christ in him. He must be fober in fuch a measure as beft ferves the ends of religion, and practise such abstinence as may make him fitteft for the holiness, purity, and perfection of the Christian life.

He must be charitable, not so far as fuits with humanity and good efteem amongft men, but in fuch a measure as is according to the doctrines and spirit of religion.

FOR neither charity, nor temperance, nor any other virtue, are parts of Chriftian holiness, till they are made holy and religious, by fuch a piety of heart, as fhews that we live wholly unto God.

THIS is what cannot be too much confidered by a great many people, whofe religion has made no change in their hearts, but only confists in an external decency of life, who are fober without the piety of sobriety, who pray without devotion, who give alms

without charity, and are Chriftians without the fpirit of Christianity.

LET them remember, that religion is to alter our nature, that Christian piety confifts in a change of heart, that it implies a new turn of spirit, a spiritual death, a fpiritual life, a dying to the world, and a living wholly unto God.

SECONDLY, This doctrine may serve to inftru&t those who have lived ftrangers to religion, what they are to do to become true Chriftians.

SOME people, who are ashamed of the folly of their lives, and begin to look towards religion, think they have done enough when they either alter the outward courfe of their lives, abate fome of their extravagancies, or become careful of fome particular virtue.

THUS a man, whofe life has been a course of folly, thinks he has made a fufficient change, by becoming temperate. Another imagines he has fufficiently declar'd for religion, by not neglecting the publick worship as he ufed to do. A lady fancies that the lives enough to God, becaufe fhe has left off plays and paint, and lives more at home than in the former part of her life.

Bur fuch people fhould confider, that religion is no one particular virtue; that it does not confift in the fewness of our vices, or in any particular amendment of our lives; but in fuch a thorough change of heart, as makes piety and holiness the measure and rule of all our tempers.

IT is a miferable error to be content with ourselves, because we are lefs vain or covetous, more fober and decent in our behaviour than we ufe to be; yet this is the state of many people, who think they have fufficiently reform'd their lives, because they are in fome degree different from what they were. They think it enough to be changed from what they were, without confidering how thorough a change religion requires."

BUT let fuch people remember, that they, who thus measure themselves by themselves, are not wife. É 3

Let