sinners run headlong on to their own ruin: and though it may be said, that they deserve the less pity because it is their own fault, and they choose to do so; yet there is something really pitiable in that depravity of will and blindness of heart which drives them on to make such ill choices. There is not a more forlorn and miserable wretch under heaven than an overgrown sinner, become mad, desperate, and incurable in his sins. For, though such persons regard neither God nor man, nor have any mercy or tenderness for friend or brother, but would go any lengths in mischief, and set the world on fire, (if it lay in their power;) yet we very well know, all the while, that they are weak and impotent, are under bridle and restraint, and must wait for God's leave before they can do any thing. The utmost they can do is only to afflict and torment good men for a time here, while they themselves lie exposed to eternal vengeance, to torments everlasting hereafter. This consideration may sometimes move a good man's pity and tender compassion, as was St. Paul's case in the text, while he lamented over the hardened Jews, his adversaries and persecutors, and would have wished even himself to die a thousand deaths. for them, so he might but reform and save them. This affectionate temper of mind, this benevolent disposition towards all men, is what the text recommends to us in two examples, one of our blessed Lord himself, and the other of our Lord's Apostle. Learn we from both to be kind, friendly, and compassionate one towards another, and to have a true value and concern both for the bodies and the souls of men. We shall find matter enough for our exercise and improvement in this heavenly disposition, and shall have occasions, more than one would wish, to excite us to it; for sin and wickedness abound daily. "Evil men "and seducers wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being "deceived"." But let it be our care, in the first place, to continue stedfast in the things that we have learned, 2 Tim. iii. 13. knowing of whom we have learned them: and in the next place, to do our best to convince and reclaim sinners from their evil ways, to save their souls from death, and thereby to bring glory to Almighty God, and to make joy in heaven over every sinner so repenting. SERMON XXI. A sinless Perfection and Security of Salvation no Prerogative of a regenerate State. 1 JOHN iii. 9, 10. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, beause he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. FOR the right understanding of these words, it will be proper to note something of the occasion and design of them, so far as may be probably learned from Church history. The Apostle had said but two verses before, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doth ❝righteousness is righteous, even as he [that is, Christ] "is righteous." It seems, there were some, at that time of day, who presumed to think themselves righteous, and born of God, without the practice of holiness; and they had endeavoured to seduce others into that strange and absurd, or rather wicked, persuasion. Therefore said the Apostle to his own converts or followers, "Little chil"dren, let no man deceive you;" that is to say, by fair speeches, plausible insinuations, or false colourings. Those deceivers, probably, were some disciples of Simon Magus; for that impostor had taught, that men are saved by grace only, without any regard to good works. As if Iren. lib. i. c. 20. Theodorit. Hæret. Fab. lib. i. c. 1. Grabe, Annot. ad Bull. Harm. Apost. p. 13, 33. Exam. cen. p. 5. Gospel righteousness were no necessary condition for the enjoying Gospel privileges; or as if men might be born of God, and become heirs of salvation, independent of Christian holiness, though Scripture is express, that " without "holiness no man shall see the Lord b." In opposition to such dangerous principles, the good Apostle asserts, and strongly inculcates, the necessity of a pure heart and life, to denominate any person good, and to entitle him to the privileges of Christian sonship. "Whosoever is born "of God doth not commit sin:" and a little after, "Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." He fixes the point both ways, to enforce it the more strongly if a person is of God, he will of course abstain from the practice of sin: or, if he does not, besides, practise righteousness, performing his bounden duty, he is not of God, but is a child of the devil. Words so full and so express, as to bear no dispute, nor to admit of evasion. In discoursing farther, I shall endeavour to state and clear the particulars here following: : I. To show, negatively, what the text does not mean. II. To show, positively, what its true and full meaning is. III. To point out the practical use and improvement of the whole. I. I shall endeavour to show, negatively, what the text does not mean, in order to prevent scruples, and to obviate misconstructions. 1. The text most undoubtedly concerns grown persons, and does not directly concern infants. Infants are not capable of doing righteousness, though capable of being born of God in Baptism: they preserve that regenerate state, once entered into, till they become guilty of actual and grievous sin. Of this there can be no dispute they are justified at the same time that they are regenerated, and are therefore righteous in God's sight; and b Heb. xii. 14. accordingly they are interpretatively included in St. John's rule, though not specially considered by him. The gainsayers, whom he opposed, pretended that even grown persons, not practising righteousness, but living under the dominion of sin, were in a state of salvation notwithstanding. That was the doctrine which the Apostle here laboured to correct: infants were no way concerned in it, and so there was no need to make an exception for their case. 2. I must further observe, that the text does not mean to exclude any persons from salvation who are really penitent, or whose hearts are really changed, or renewed, and only want time to bring forth the fruit of good works; such, for instance, as the penitent thief upon the cross. Indeed, good works are justly interpreted to mean either inward or outward works. There are the inward works of sincere faith, humble contrition, detestation of sin, trust in the Divine mercy, firm reliance on the merits of Christ, together with cordial resolutions of a thorough amendment: works of this kind transacted within, if such a person should be suddenly taken off, will be interpreted as works of righteousness by God, who knows the heart. Therefore this also is a case which falls within the equity, or even the letter of the Apostle's rule, 'O wowy тýv dixaiooúvny, he that doeth righteousness, or he that makes righteousness, be it outwardly or inwardly, he is righteous. The false teachers, whom the Apostle here opposed, required neither outward nor inward righteousness, but promised salvation to their deluded hearers without regard to either, independent of both alike. Therefore St. John's rule may reasonably be understood with a tacit exception to the case of inward righteousness, which had nothing to do with the main question then in hand: for the question was not about dying penitents, but about persons living in impenitency, and under the dominion of sin. 3. I must add, thirdly, that the text does not mean to exclude all that are in any degree sinners from a state of |