o aim at so pure and so
holy a society? Shall I yoke in myself with drunkards, liars, swearers,
and other slaves of sin? Shall I rank myself thus, and conform myself to
the world, seeing there is a noble and glorious society to incorporate
with, the King of kings to converse with daily? Alas, what are these worms
that sit on thrones to him? But far more, how base are these companions
in iniquity, your pot companions? &c. And what a vile society is it like
that of the bottomless pit, where devils are linked together in chains?

Sermon XXIII.

1 John ii. 1.--"My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father," &c.

In the gospel we have the most perfect provision against both these
extremities, that souls are ready to run upon, the rock of desperate
distrust, and the quicksands of presumptuous wantonness. It may be said
to be a well-ordered covenant in all things, that hath caveated and
cautioned the whole matter of our salvation, in such a way, that there is
neither place for discouragement and downcasting, nor yet room for liberty
in sin. There is no exemption from the obligation of God's holy law, and
yet there is pardon for the breach of it, and exemption from the curse.
There is no peace, no capitulation with sin, and yet there is peace
concluded with the sinner, who is, by that agreement, bound to fall out
with sin. There is no dispensation for sin, and from the perfection of
holiness, and yet there is an advocation for the sinner, who aims and
studies after it. So that, in sum, the whole gospel is comprised in
this,--"he speaks peace to his saint, but let them not return to folly;
thou art made whole, sin no more." All that is in the gospel saith this,
"that thou shouldst sin no more." But because sin is necessarily incident,
therefore all that is in the gospel speaks this further,--though ye be
surprised in sin, yet believe, and this is the round in which a believer
is to walk,--to turn from pardon to purity, and from pollution again to
pardon, for these voices and sounds are interchanged continually. If ye
have sinned, believe in Christ the advocate and sacrifice, and, because ye
have believed, sin not, but if ye be overtaken in sin, yet believe. And as
this is daily renewed, so the soul's study and endeavour in them, should
be daily renewed too. If ye have sinned, despair not, if ye be pardoned,
yet presume not.