7 c 
 
 / 
 
 . 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 
 OF 
 
 THE 
 
 \ Theologiea 
 
 1 Semin,ary, 
 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. | 
 
 Case,, 
 Shelf, 
 Book, 
 
 
 ....Div-LSion 1 
 
 Section ' '' 
 
 No,,...: ..— 
 
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y 
 
 .4i 
 
 SEVERAL 
 
 / /' 
 
 1/ 
 
 I 
 
 DISCOURSES 
 
 Concerning the 
 
 Terms of Acceptance 
 
 WITH 
 
 GOD. 
 
 IN WHICH 
 
 I. The Terms themfelves are diftin^lly laid down -, 
 as they are propofed to Chriftians in the New 
 Teflament. And 
 
 II. Several falfe Notions of the Conditions of Sal- 
 
 vation are confidered. 
 
 P ARTIC 
 
 Of being Taved by Faith. 
 
 Of trulling to External Perfor- 
 mances. 
 
 Of the Power of Charity ^o 
 cover Sins. 
 
 Of relying upon the Merits of 
 ChrilL 
 
 Of Man's Wcaknefs, and God's 
 Grace, 
 
 ULARL Y 
 
 Of Repentance. 
 
 Of the P^xample of the Thief 
 on the Crois. 
 
 Of trulling to a Death-bed Sor- 
 row. 
 
 Of the Parable of the Labourers 
 in the Vineyard. 
 
 Of depending upon Amendment 
 in time to come. 
 
 By B E N J A M I N H o A D L y, M, A, Redor of St. 
 
 Peler's Poor ( now Lord Bifhop of JVinchefier. ) 
 
 The Fourth Edition-. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for James, John, and Paul K n a p t o \, at th? 
 Croivn Ml Uidgate-Street, MDCCi'x:jciv. 
 
9- 
 
" ' ' 1" TT (T* *^ r--"^'-^. ' 1^ 
 
 Mrs. HOW LAND, 
 
 O F 
 S T R E A T HA M in S U R R r, 
 
 Thefe Sermons (as a Pub- 
 lick Teftimony of the Sin- 
 cereft Gratitude and 
 Higheft Respect,} are 
 moft humbly Dedicated 
 
 Bj Her mofi obliged 
 
 AND 
 
 mofi obedient Servantl 
 Benj. HoADLr. 
 
 / 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 PARISHIONERS 
 
 O F 
 
 St. Peter's Poor, London. 
 
 H E fol/owmg Sermons 
 
 were jirfi Framed^ and 
 
 then Preached^ with a 
 
 Jincere Dejign of fixing in 
 
 your Minds fuch Notions of Religionj 
 
 A 3 and 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 and of the "[terms of Salvation^ as 
 might he the Fouiidatton of a regu- 
 lar Courfe of Holinefs here^ and of 
 an eternal State of Happinefs here- 
 ajter. A?2d they are now Publifhedy 
 in order to carry forward more ex- 
 tenfively the fame good E?2d. 
 
 It hath been long my Opinio?^ that 
 the Bad Lives of Chriflians are not 
 owing fo much to their Ignorance of 
 what is truly Evily and Sinful^ as 
 to a certai?i fecret Hope of God^s 
 Favour-, built upon fomething fepa- 
 rated from the conflant PraBife of 
 all that is Virtuous and Praife- 
 worthy. This made 7ne chufe tofpend 
 fome time in eflablifhing', ajter the 
 mojl unexceptionable 7nanner , the 
 true Grounds upon which only it is 
 reafo7table to build our ExpeBations 
 
 of 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 of Happinefs ; and in demonjlratlng 
 the great Danger and TVeah^efs of 
 depending on any other Methods. 
 My chief Study hath been to do thisy 
 not only by the 7noJi convinci?2g Argu- 
 mentSy but with the greatejl Pldin- 
 nefs of ExpreJJion : having had 7io 
 other VieWy either in the Choice^ 
 or Profecution^ of this Defig?ty but 
 that of being ufeful^ in a Matter 
 of the higheft Importance. A?id if 
 thefe Sermons Jhall^ through God's 
 BleJJingy either awake^t^ or co7tfrmy 
 in any Chrifians^ a true Senfe of 
 Religion^ and of the great Defgn of 
 Chrifiianity ; 1 fhall have a Satif 
 faEiion within^ hardly to be exprejfed 
 ifi JVords. 
 
 / have made them of fuch a 
 
 Lengthy that any one of thefn 7nay 
 
 A 4 be 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 he ready either in the Family^ or 
 the Clofety within the co?npafs of 
 half a7t Hour. And hecaufe they 
 will moji probably^ as they are de- 
 fgnedy be ready every one^ f'^gly 
 in its Order ; / have therefore 
 endeavoured rather to make^ than 
 to avoid , the Repetition of fuch 
 thi?tgSy as either are of fo great ifn- 
 portancey as to be equally Necejfary 
 on fever al Qccafions ; or ferve to 
 make every Difcourfey by it felf the 
 more complete and ufefuL 
 
 I a?n very fen fible of the Obliga-^ 
 tiotis I lie tindery to contribute my 
 utmoji towards your right Under- 
 Jlandingy and confcientious PraBicey 
 of true Religion. It hath pleajed 
 Gody by a particular Providence , 
 to make 7ny Power to ferve you 
 
 much 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 much lefs than my Will : nor am 
 I infenjibh of 7ny many Imperfec- 
 tions in the difcharge of thofa 
 parts of my Office which I am flill 
 able to perform. But of this you 
 your f elves are IVitneffes ; ( and 
 thefe Sermons will be feme Tefli- 
 mony of it to the World ; ) that 
 the Points which I have chiefly^ I 
 may fay conflantly^ inculcated upo?i 
 you from the Pulpit^ have been the 
 great y undifputedj Duties of the 
 Gofpely and the indifpenfable Ne- 
 cejpty of an Holy Life. Tou fee^ 
 I would willingly find out femething 
 that ?night atone a little for my De- 
 feSis in other parts of my Ofilce : 
 and I can think of nothing better 
 than thisy that I have carefully en- 
 deavoured to point out to you the 
 true way to Heaven. Nor can I 
 
 poffibly 
 
The PREFACE 
 
 pojfthiy give you a greater Demon- 
 Jlration than this, how truly I de- 
 fire your Happinefs ; and how Jin- 
 cerely I am 
 
 Your Faithful Friend, 
 
 and Servant, 
 
 Benj, Hoadlt 
 
 CON 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 « E R M. L IL III. IV. V. 
 
 Concerning the Terms of Accep- 
 tance with God, &^c. 
 
 L UK E X. latter part of the 25th Ferfe. 
 
 Majiery what Jh all 1 do to inherit eternal 
 Life i page i, 20, 40, 60, 87. 
 
 S E R M. VI. VIL 
 
 Concerning an Univerfal Obedience 
 to the Law of God. 
 
 St* 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 St. y AMES II. lo. 
 
 For whofoever Jhall keep the whole Law, 
 
 and yet offend in one pointy is guilty of 
 
 all, 109, 132* 
 
 SERM. vrii. 
 
 Objeftions againft the Poffibility of 
 the Pardon of fome Sinners, an- 
 fwer'd. 
 
 HEBREWS X. 26, 27. 
 
 For if we fin wilfully , after that we have 
 received the Knowledge of the T'ruth, there 
 remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin : but 
 a certain fearful looking for of judgment, 
 and fiery Indignation, which Jl: all devour 
 the Adverfaries, 154. 
 
 SERM. IX. 
 
 The Miftake of relying upon Faith, 
 
 confidered. 
 
 EPHE- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 EPHESIANS IL 8. 
 
 For by Grace areyoufaved through Faith ; 
 and that not of your felves : it is the 
 Gift of God. 1 80. 
 
 SERM. X. 
 
 The Miftake of relying upon Ex- 
 ternal Performances, confidered. 
 
 ROMANS X. 13. 
 
 For whofoever Jhall call upon the Name of 
 the Lord^ JJ:all be faved. 2©j;. 
 
 SERM. XL 
 
 The Power of Charity to cover Sins, 
 confidered. 
 
 1 PETER IV. 8. 
 
 'And above all things have fervent Charity 
 
 MmonE 
 
CONTENTS/ 
 
 among your f eh e^ : for Charity fiall cover 
 the multitude of Sins, zzy. 
 
 SERM. Xll. 
 
 Of relying upon the Merits of Chrift, 
 for Salvation. 
 
 I JOHN IL part of the ift and 2d Verfes. 
 
 If any Manfn^ we have an Advocate with 
 the Father j Jefus Chriji the Righteous : 
 And He is the Propitiation for our Sins. 
 
 250. 
 
 SERM. XIII. XIV. 
 
 Miflakes about Man's Inability, and 
 God's Grace, confidered. 
 
 II COR. IIL 5. 
 
 Not that we are fufficient of our felves^ to 
 think any thing as of our f elves : but our 
 Sufficiency is of God. 271, 291- 
 
 5ERM- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERM. XV. 
 
 The true, and falfe, Notions of Re- 
 pentance, coniidered. 
 
 ACT'S III. part of the 19th Verfe. 
 
 Repent ye therefore^ and be convert edy that 
 your Sim may be blotted out. 3 14, 
 
 SERM. XVI. 
 
 The Example of the Thief upon 
 the Crofs, confidered. 
 
 LUKE XXIII. 42, 43. 
 
 And He /aid unto Jefus^ Lord^ Remember 
 me when Thou comeji into thy Kingdom. 
 
 And Jefus faid unto Him, Verily, I fay 
 unto thee. To day Jhalt thou be with me in 
 Paradife. ^40, 
 
 SERM. XVII. 
 
 Upon the fame Subjea: : and upon 
 the Danger of trufting to a Death- 
 bed Sorrow. 366. 
 
 SERM- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 S E R M. XVIIL 
 
 The Parable of the Labourers in the 
 Vineyard , explained : together 
 with the great Danger of delay- 
 ing Amendment. 
 
 MATTH, XX. I, 2, 3, &c. 
 
 For the Ki7tgdo?7i of Heaven is like unto a 
 Man that is an HouJJjolder^ which went 
 out early in the Morning to hire Labou- 
 rers into his Vineyard^ ice, 397. 
 
 Conarning 
 

 Concerning the Therms of Acceptance^ &c. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 LUKE X. The latter part of the 25th 
 Verfe. 
 
 Majier^ What Jhall I do to inherit eternal 
 Life ? 
 
 H I S is the Enquiry of one S e r m« 
 of the Students and Interpre- I. 
 ters of the Law of Mofes : ^^^VNI 
 who, hearing of our Lord's 
 Behaviour, and Pretenfions to 
 fo great a Charader as that of the Mejjiah 
 fent by God to inftrudl Mankind in the 
 right way to Happinefs, came, amongft o- 
 thers, either out of Curioiity, or fome worfe 
 Principle, to try what Anfwer he would 
 give to fo important a Queftion as this in 
 the Text, What foall I do to inherit eter- 
 nal Life ? i, e. What are the great points 
 
 B of 
 
2 Concer72ing the Terms 
 
 S E R M. of Pradice, which can recommend me, 
 ^' who am a Jew^ and adhere to the Law of 
 
 ^•^^'^''^ Mofes^ to the Favour of God ? For by our 
 Lord's Anfwer it is plain, that this ^ejli- 
 on 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 Juilification, 
 and Terms of Acceptance, which He^ and 
 his Apojlles^ were in due time to lay open 
 to the World. He appeals. We fee, to the 
 Enquirer himfelf, what the great Precepts 
 of the Law were ; and afterwards declares 
 that an exa6l obfervance of thofe two com- 
 prehenlive 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 an- 
 fwered well our blefled Lord's Purpofe 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 gr)tnd Debate j to 
 promulgate to the World more exprefly, 
 
 and 
 
of Acceptance. 3 
 
 and more fully, thofe Herms and CondltionSy^ e r m^' 
 upon which Almighty God, for the fake of '• 
 what he undertook to do and fuffer in this^"'^'^^^ 
 World, will accept Mankind, and make 
 thofe happy, who cannot pretend to a fin- 
 lefs and perfedt Obedience to his Laws, but 
 fland confcious to themfelves of many paft 
 Tranfgreffions of them. Since therefore, 
 this was the profefled bufinefs of Him^ in 
 whom we believe : it becomes us all, if we 
 have any thoughts of Happinefs, to addrefs 
 our felves to the fame Perfon, with a very 
 ferious Curiolity ; and to enquire what it is 
 that is expeded 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 
 utmoft importance to us. 
 
 But it will be proper here to obferve, 
 that, with refpecffc to fuch as have been edu- 
 cated in any other falfe Religiony or Wor^ 
 jJiip^ and have contracfled the guilt of ma- 
 ny Sins, the firft part of the 'Enquiry^ and 
 of the Anfwer to it, will be fomewhat dif- 
 ferent from what it muft be, with refpecfb to 
 fuch as have been educated in the knowledge 
 and belief of Chriftiarnty^ and taken the 
 B 2 Profeffion 
 
4- Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Profeffion of it upon themfelves ; and af- 
 I- ter that contrafted the guilt of wilful Sins : 
 
 ^•^'^''^ as may appear to any who ferioufly con- 
 fult the New Teftament, For the Jirft En- 
 quiry there made by fuch as were at any 
 time touched to the Heart, and uneafy un- 
 der the confcioufnefs of their former Sins, 
 was, how they {hould be faved from this 
 guilt which they had already contraded ; 
 or what they fhould do to be acquitted 
 from thefe Sins committed in their former 
 State. And the Anfwer we find was, that 
 their receiving Chrift for their Mafter ; their 
 firft Faith, and believing in him, (hould 
 have that Efficacy with Almighty God, 
 that all their paft Sins, committed be- 
 fore this Faith^ fliould be cancelled -, and 
 they looked upon as juft perfons, with ref- 
 pedt to all that was pafl. 
 
 This matter of the Heathen and Jewijh 
 World being juftified, or acquitted from 
 all paft guilt, by their Faith, or belief in 
 Jefus Chrift, having been ftrenuouily aflert- 
 ed, and fully exprefied by the Apojlles, and 
 efpecially St. Faul \ many weak and unfta- 
 ble Men have built fuch Notions upon this, 
 as have been, and may be, of pernicious 
 
 confequencc 
 
of Accepta7ice. 5 
 
 confequence to Chrtfiians^ under the Gof- S e r m. 
 pel-State, and after they have receiv'd and ^' 
 profefled this Faith in Cbrijl : arguing as ^^^^^^ 
 if a ftrong Faith or Confidejice in Jefus 
 Chrift^ and his Merits, would do all ; ac- 
 quit from all Sins ; and render the wicked 
 Chriftian fpotlefs at laft ; and prefent him 
 blamelefs before the Throne of God. 
 Whereas it is manifeft that, after this firjl 
 yuftijication, and acquittance, w^s obtain- 
 ed by means of believing in Jefus Chrift ; 
 this very believing, or Faith^ brought the 
 Believer under the moft ftrift Obligations 
 imaginable ; more in Number, and feverer 
 in their Nature, than the Man was under 
 before ; and thefe bound upon him under 
 the penalty of God's eternal Difpleafure. 
 This is as plain in the New Tejiamenf^ as 
 Words can make it. But of this yujlifica^ 
 tion which profeffed ChriJIians exped: at 
 any time to be wrought for them by Faith ^ 
 or Confidence only, I fliall have occafion 
 to fpeak more in the farther profecution of 
 my prefent Defign. At prefent I will on- 
 ly obferve to you, that wlien it is enquired 
 in the New Tefiament, what fhall we do 
 to he faved ? and when it is anfwered to 
 B 3 the 
 
6 Concerning the Terms 
 
 Serm. the Enquirers^ or laid down, that to be- 
 !• lieve and to be baptized^ or that Faith 
 
 ^^'^ will fave them, or the like ; it is only 
 meant, that they who do not believe al- 
 ready {hall be acquitted from their paft Sins, 
 or faved from the Guilt of them, by believ- 
 ing, and coming into the T^ernn required 
 by the Gofpel ; or that the firft ftep to their 
 Salvation, and that which will put theni 
 into a fafe way, is Faith^ or taking Chrijl 
 for their Mafter, and being entered into his 
 Religion. Or elfe. Faith is taken for the 
 whole GofpeUmethod ; for the whole of 
 what is required in that : and fo, it is the 
 intent of thefe Expreffions to fignifie that it 
 is this method which only can fave them ; 
 not the Law of Mofes^ or the Inftitutions 
 of the Heathen World, in which they had 
 before been educated. And it is plain that 
 all this related to fuch only as had not be- 
 fore profelTed, or taken upon themfelves, 
 the belief of the Gofpel -, and toucheth not 
 the Cafe in which we are concerned, who 
 have been educated in this belief, or long 
 profelkd it. Chrijiians of later Ages are 
 generally of this fort : and it is their own 
 cafe and condition^ not that of others, 
 
 about 
 
of Acceptance. 7 
 
 about which their Enquiry ought to be ; S e R m. 
 and which it concerns the Minijters of the I- 
 Gofpel principally to confider. V/W 
 
 This is my Defign ; and what I pro- 
 pofe to do as fully as I can : as well by 
 laying down pofitively what is the true an- 
 swer to this Enquiry 5 as by confidering and 
 refuting thofe falfe Anfwer^ which Men 
 have framed to themfelves, from their own 
 vain Wifhes, fortified with fome miftaken 
 and mifapplied Paffages in the Word of 
 God. But, before I come to the main De- 
 fign, it is very expedient, 
 
 I. To propofe diftindlly what the great 
 ^ejiiony and Enquiry is, which concerns 
 I7i, who have taken upon our felves the 
 profeffion of the Chrijiian Religion-^ and 
 continue in that Profeffion : that io the 
 Anjwer to it may be the better under- 
 ftood. 
 
 II. T o confider the great importance of 
 this Enquiry 5 and the hazard of miftaking 
 in it : that we may be the more folicitous 
 to find out the only true account of this 
 matter ; and the more guarded againft any 
 Deceit and Delufion in a bufinefs of fuch 
 moment. 
 
 B 4 III. To 
 
S Concerning the Terms 
 
 Se R M. III. To fhew the only method of com- 
 
 ^* ing to a true Refolution of this ^,eJlion ; 
 
 and where it is that we may expedl fuch an 
 
 account of this Affair, as we may fafely, and 
 
 fecurely, depend upon. Now, 
 
 I. T H E great Enquiry in which we are 
 concerned, is this, What it is that the Gof- 
 fel requires of Men, who beheve in Jefus 
 Chrift, and profefs his Faith^ and own him 
 for their Mojier ; in order to their acquit- 
 tance from the punifhment of any wilful 
 Sins, which they have at any time commit- 
 ted, during their profeffion of his Religion ^ 
 and to their final Juftification before God 
 at the Day of Judgment ; and to their eter- 
 nal Happinefs after this. 
 
 That many Chrijlians do fall into great 
 and wilful Sins after their Baptifm ; after 
 their knowledge of the Truth ; and after 
 they have taken upon themfelves the pro- 
 feffion of their moft holy Religion'; is mat- 
 ter of daily Obfervation, and of daily Ex- 
 perience. That the very befl: have not, in 
 every parr of their paft Lives, done exadly 
 what they know they ought to have done ; 
 that, in feme paft Inftances or other, of 
 Thought, Word, or Deed, they have had 
 
 experience 
 
of Acceptance. 9 
 
 experience of fome fudden Paflion, or fome S e r m. 
 latent Weaknefs, which, by a greater de- ^• 
 gree of conftant Watchfulnefs, might have ^-'^"^"^'"^ 
 been prevented ; is likewife evident : and 
 by theinfelves always made matter of Con- 
 feffion and Humiliation. That there is a 
 metliod of Reconciliation propofed in the 
 Go/pel to both thefe forts of Cbrijiians ; 
 and Terms laid down in it, on which 
 ChriftiaJi Sinners, if I may fo fpeak, (hall 
 be accepted and acquitted, is plain from 
 many Exhortations in the New Tejlament 
 to fuch Chriftians as had finned ; and from 
 the Behaviour of the Apojlles with refpedl to 
 fuch ; as well as from the Abfurdities fol- 
 lowing from the contrary Suppofition : 
 which would render the Go/pel a mod. in» 
 effedual Inftitution, debarring every indi- 
 vidual profeffor of it, upon one fingle, fud- 
 den, wilful Tranfgreffion, from all future 
 Hopes of Happinefs ; (and who then can he 
 faved?) or a mod pernicious Inititution, 
 turning every Chriftian into a defperate Sin- 
 ner, by allowing no Hopes of any benefit 
 from his recovering himfelf. 
 
 But whatever Terms, or Conditions are 
 allowed us, after relapfe into Sin, or con- 
 tinuance 
 
I o Concerning the Terms 
 
 Serm. tinuancc in it, we know they are granted, 
 ^- for the fake of Jefus Chrijl ; in confidera- 
 
 ^-^^^^^ tion of w^hat he did and fuffered for this ve- 
 ry purpofe, that thefe I'erms and Conditi- 
 ons might be granted to Chrijiians. This 
 therefore, I fay, is the ^ejlion about which 
 our greateft Concern is to be employed. 
 What thofe T'enns and Conditions are, on 
 which, for the fake of Jefus Chriji^ God 
 will acquit us of oqr Sins, and at laft make 
 us eternally happy. For tho' it be for the 
 fake of Chrijl^ that he will do this at all ; 
 yet he expeds fomething at our own Hands ; 
 And it is upon fuch and fuch Conditions 
 only, that for his Jake He will accept us ; 
 without the performance of which He leaves 
 us no room to hope for any Benefit from 
 the Merits of Chrijl. AH that Chrijl has 
 done, and fuffered, for our fakes, was only 
 in order to the fettling thefe Conditions • 
 but what We are to do, according to this 
 treaty and Compact, in which he is the 
 Mediator -, This belongs to us chiefly to en- 
 quire after. 
 
 II. The importance oi i\\\^Enguiry plain- 
 ly appears from the account of it, v^hich 
 1 have now given. Our acceptance with 
 
 God 5 
 

 of Acceptance. 1 1 
 
 God ; our Jufliification ; our acquittance S e r M. 
 from the euiit of our Sins 5 our final and ^' , 
 eternal Happinefs, depend entirely upon our 
 due Apprehenfions, and effedual Senfe> of 
 this matter. If we employ our Minds fe- 
 rioufly about it ; and come to fettle in 
 them true Notions, and a juft account of it: 
 it will be the Fountain of all Happinefs to 
 US; by being the Foundation of fuch a Pra- 
 dice, and fuch a Condud of our Lives, as 
 will end in Glory^ and Peace for ever. And 
 the importance of it is enlarged, and height- 
 ened, when we confider the vaft and un- 
 fpeakable Danger of miftaking in this^r^;^^ 
 Enquiry 'y that if we do, through Prejudice, 
 or Paffion, or love to this World, or fond- 
 nefs for carnal Pleafure, entertain wrong 
 Notions of this Affair, they will lead us 
 into a wrong method of Adion, and con- 
 clude us at lafl: under inexpreffible Mifery : 
 the Mifery, not only of deprivation, or 
 being debarred from the Happpinefs of Hea- 
 ven, and the Communications of God's Fa- 
 vour 5 but that of enduring politive Tor- 
 ments, the Wrath of God, and the Punifh- 
 ments threatned by his Son in the GofpeL 
 The Confideration of this made our Lord 
 
2 1 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. fo earneft to free the Minds of Men from 
 I- all falfe Surmifes about the great bufinefs 
 
 ^"^'"^'^ upon which he came into the World ; that 
 neither Unbelievers^ nor Believers^ might 
 miftake his Errand. The confideration of 
 this made the Apojiles, and particularly 
 St. Pauly fo frequent in their Warnings a- 
 gainft all Inclination to be deceived in this 
 matter : well knowing that ChriJlianSy e- 
 ven in thofe firfl: Days, were in great dan- 
 ger, from the inward Motions of their own 
 Lulls and Paffions, and the outward Hard- 
 fhips of Perfecution^ to be mifled by fuch 
 falfe Apojlles, and falfe Teachers^ as would 
 footh their prefent Inclinations, and flatter 
 them into vain and delufive Hopes. 
 
 Let not therefore any thing either with- 
 in us, or without us ; let not any thing of 
 this World ; ( Profit, or Honour, or Plea- 
 fure,) lay a Biafs upon our Minds in this 
 Enquiry. Neither Profit, nor Honour, nor 
 Pleafure can, in the leafl avail us, when we 
 have made the fatal miftake : nor can any 
 prefent Gratification countervail the lofs of 
 all Happinefs to all Eternity. What there- 
 fore can induce us to be fo carelefs, or fo 
 weak, as to be willingly impofed upon in 
 
 a klfejli^ 
 
of Acceptance. 13 
 
 a ^lueftton, upon the juft Refolution of S e r Nf * 
 which Eternity depends ; and the falfe ac- •^• 
 count of which, once permitted to enter '^^^^^^ 
 into our Minds, muft draw after it more 
 Mifery, and Unhappinefs than we can now 
 conceive ? Since therefore it is an Enquiry 
 of fuch vaft, and unfpeakable importance ; 
 let us 
 
 III. Confider the true Method of coming 
 to a Refolution of this grand ^lejlion ; 
 and where it is that we may expedt fuch an 
 Account of this Affair, as we may fafely 
 and fecurely depend upon. Now it being 
 a Matter of infinite Grace and Mercy that 
 Almighty God will enter into any Treaty at 
 all with a finful World ; or come to any 
 Terms with his rebellious Subjefts : it is ve- 
 ry evident that the Perfons immediately 
 commiffion'd by him, or by the Per/on 
 whom he fent into this World upon fo good 
 an Account, are thofe only, on whom we 
 can fafely and with Honour rely in this Af- 
 fair. It depended on his Will, to make the 
 Conditions what he fliould think agreeable 
 to his own unalterable Perfeftions, and to 
 the eternal and unvariable Nature of Juft 
 and Right. To promulgate thefe Conditi- 
 ons, 
 Z 
 
14- Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. tions, and to give an Account of thefe 
 I- Terms, He fent Jefus Chrijl into the World : 
 
 ^^^"'^^'^ who in his Life-time did it, as fully as was 
 requifite to his prefent Defign ; and, for 
 the fame End, immediately commiffion'd 
 his Apoflles to preach the glad Tidings to 
 the whole World, and to lay open more 
 fully thefe Terms ^ and conduced them by 
 an infallible Spirit, to fecure them from all 
 Error in this Matter. Whither then fhould 
 we go but to him : for he hath the Words 
 of Eter?2al Life ? and to his Apoflles : for 
 they were the immediate EmbaJJ'adors of 
 Chrift, befeeching us to be reconciled to Gody 
 and preaching the Conditions of this Recon- 
 ciliation ? It is in the Preachings of Chrift 
 himfelf, and in the Writings of thefe yipo- 
 Jiles, that we can fecurely hope to find the 
 only Account of this Enquiry that will avail 
 us any thing. 
 
 As for our felves, and all others, who 
 fucceed in teaching, and feeding the Flock 
 of Chriji \ we cannot pretend to any new 
 Revelations. It is our Bufinefs only to ex- 
 plain the old \ to convince Men of any Er- 
 rors difagreeable to the written Word of 
 God ; and to lay before them, in the beft 
 
 manner 
 
of Acceptance. 1 5 
 
 manner poffible, what Is contained, andSERM. 
 proposed in it. We cannot make the Therms I- 
 of Salvation what we, or many others, may ^•>^'^'^^ 
 wiih. They are fix'd by thofe who only had 
 Authority to fix them, from God, and his 
 Holy Spirit : and we muft not vary from 
 thofe who have declared long ago the whole 
 Will of God. Other Churches may pre- 
 tend to be themfelves, ( confider*d diftinftly 
 from the Apojiles and their Dodlrine, ) the 
 Ground and Pillar of Truth ; and not on- 
 ly the Keepers, and Guardians of the lively 
 Oracles of God : but our Church declareth 
 the contrary, and profeffeth to be only the 
 Medium, and Interpreter^ by which the 
 Will of God already fettled may be made 
 known to the People ; and openly proclaims 
 that the Articles and Terms of Salvation 
 are long ago fix'd and determin d, in fuch 
 fort, that it is an invading the Province of 
 God himfelf to pretend to make new ones, 
 or to alter them into what they were not, 
 at the Beginning of the GofpeL Let that 
 JJnchriftian Church , therefore, anfwer for it, 
 that debars the People from confulting thofe 
 Books which alone are able to make them 
 ivife unto Salvation s afid impofeth upon 
 
 them 
 
i6 Concerning the Terms 
 
 SER-M.them Traditions and Cuftoms, and Doft- 
 ^ rines of her own, which make void the 
 
 ^^^■"^"^ Will of God, and render ineffeftual all his 
 gracious Offers of Salvation to the World 3 
 that hides the true Word of God from all 
 Communication with the Light ; and teach- 
 eth thofe who depend upon her, to feek 
 Salvation, and to learn the Terms of it, 
 from fuch as impofe what they pleafe in- 
 ftead of them. But let any Church upon 
 Earth, or any Minijiers of the Gojpely pre- 
 tend to what they pleafe : whether they 
 fpeak Truth or Falfhood j whether they 
 lighten or increafe the burthen of thefe Con-- 
 ditions, or fix them where they ought to be j 
 the New Tejlament is the Standard to which 
 all muft be brought to be tried ; and by 
 which it is the Duty of ail to examine, whe- 
 ther they be truly directed, or invited afidc 
 into paths of Darknefs and Error. 
 
 The great Lines of the Gofpel, and 
 thofe parts of it which declare the Terms 
 of Salvation, have no obfcurity in them, 
 but lie level to all who have capacity to un- 
 derftand what God, and Salvation^ and Hap-^ 
 pinefs^ mean. It will not therefore, in this 
 grand Affair, be a fufficient Apology for any, 
 
 at 
 
of Acceptance, 1 7 
 
 at the great Day of Accounts, to fay that S e r m, 
 they followed their Leaders \ that they de- Jv^ 
 pended upon their Dodlrine ; and fwallow- 
 ed whatever they told them about the Will 
 of God : becaufe the New liejiament hath 
 been tranfmitted down for their Ufe ; to 
 teach all Chriftians what is their Duty, as 
 well as to guide others in their Doc^trine 
 concerning it. The greateft part of it was 
 preached, and written, to the Laity : from 
 whence it appears, That they were thought 
 Judges of what fo much concerned them ; 
 and that it was their bufinefs to take their 
 Notions of the Go/pel, from Thofe who 
 were immediately fent by God, and Chrift, 
 to propofe it to the World. The utmoft 
 that can be faid for depending on any other, 
 fince that time, is, that it is probable, or to 
 be hoped, that they will not deceive or mif- 
 lead us. But how weak an Exxufe will this 
 prove, when we know that our Eternity de- 
 pends upon it J that there are Writings which 
 cannot deceive us \ and that, if we ferioufly 
 and conftantly advife with them, no human 
 Error, which doth not arife from any wilful 
 Crim.e in our felves, (hall be charged upon us ? 
 Could you not have confulted thefe Scrip- 
 
 C tures. 
 
1 8 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. tures, and feen whether thefe things were 
 I- fo, as your Church, or your Leaders^ taught 
 
 ^'^'"^^'^ you ? will be a very fufficient Reply to all 
 who think to find Refuge, at laft, in de- 
 pending upon any other Authority in fo 
 weighty a matter. And were it not out of 
 regard to fome fecular or By-end j from 
 want of Defire to know the Truth, or an 
 affedled unwillingnefs to alter the accufto- 
 med methods of Adtion : no one could be 
 fo fenfelefs as to depend upon the Word of 
 any modern Authority 5 when it was in his 
 Power to go himfclf to the original Cove- 
 nant. No Man afts in this manner, in the 
 Cafe of his worldly Concerns -, or in any 
 Point which may affed his Body^ or his 
 Eft at e^ in this tranfitory World : and this 
 will ferve to condemn All who are guilty of 
 fo great a negledl, in a concern infinitely, 
 more weighty and important. 
 
 And if it will not avail any at laft, that 
 they have depended upon the Word of any 
 Church-^ o): Churchman^ upon Earth : much 
 lefs will it avail them, that they have con- 
 fulted with Flefh and Blood -, and can plead 
 the Didates of them againft the Didates of 
 God himfelf And yet it is to be feared, 
 2 that 
 
of Acceptance. 1 9 
 
 that many Men, in this ^ueftion, upon S e r m. 
 which their eternal State depends, inftead '• 
 of confulting our Lord, and his ApoftleSy ^^^"^"^ 
 what is truly required of them in order to 
 Juftification and Salvation, turn their 
 Thoughts another way : and confult their 
 own Lufts, and Paffions, and Tempers, and 
 Defigns in this World, what will be the moft 
 confiftent with them ; and how far they will 
 let them go towards a Refolution of this 
 Enquiry, But this is even to advife with 
 Sata?i himfelf, and with all the Enemies of 
 God, and of a Man's own Happinefs, what 
 it is that Almighty God requires ; and what 
 it is that will bring him to that Happinefs, 
 which it is their Delire, he {hould never ar- 
 rive at. 
 
 Thus have I gone over the three prin^ 
 cipal Poi?2ts of which I thought it proper to 
 fpeak, before we enter upon the Debate it 
 fqlf. There are fome other Particulars^ 
 which are confequences from thefe : and 
 which it is likewife highly ufeful for us to 
 goniider^ in order to make our Enquiry the 
 more effectual, and fuccefsfui. But thefe 
 I muft kferve for another opportunity. 
 
 C 2 S E R. 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 Concerning the Terms of Acceptance^ &c. 
 
 SERMON IL 
 
 L UKE X. The latter part of the 25th 
 Verfe. 
 
 Majler^ What Jhall I do to inherit eternal 
 Life? 
 
 N mj former Difcourfe I ob- 
 ferved to you, that this was 
 the curious Enquiry of a Stu- 
 dent of the Law of Mofes^ in 
 order to try what Anfwer would be given 
 to fo important a ^eftiouy by our bleffed 
 Lord, who appeared in the World with the 
 Charader of the Mef/iah, fent by God into 
 it, to inftru6l Mankind in the right way to 
 Happinefs; though not received or acknow- 
 ledged as fuch by the Perlbn who made this 
 Enquiry : and that it was our Duty, and 
 becoming our Profeffions, who believe in 
 
 Jefus 
 
of Acceptance. 21 
 
 Jefus Chrijl, as one fent on fo gracious an'SE r m. 
 Errand, to make the fame 'Enquiry^ with all ^^* 
 the ferious Solicitude which a Bufinefs of 
 fo vaft Importance requires. And, in order 
 to proceed fuccefsfuUy in the Enquiry^ 
 
 I.I LAID down carefully and diftindly 
 the great ^.ejlion, as it concerns us of la- 
 ter Ages ; who are generally educated in 
 the Knowledge, and continue long in the 
 profeffion of the Chrijiian Religion : viz. 
 What are thofe Terms and Conditions, 
 which are required on our Parts ; and up- 
 on which, God Almighty will, for the fake 
 of J ejus Chriji^ and of what he did and fuf- 
 fered to that End, forgive us our Sins, com- 
 mitted during this profeffion of the Chrijii- 
 an Religion^ and finally juftify or acquit us 
 at the great Day, and make us afterwards e- 
 ternally Happy ? This, I told you, is the 
 Enquiry in which we are concerned : which 
 it is of infinitely more importance to us to 
 regard than any other thing in the World. 
 
 2. I URGED fome Confiderations pro- 
 per to make us fenfible of the great impor- 
 tance of this Enquiry j and the great hazard 
 of being milled, and miftaken in it : and 
 this in order to make us truly ferious, and 
 
 C 3 truly 
 
22 Co?icerntng the Terms 
 
 S E R M. truly folicitous not to be impofed upon, in 
 ^I' this grand Affair. 
 
 ^^^"^'^^'^ 3. I SHEWED you that the only fecure 
 Method of proceeding, and the only fafe 
 way of coming to a Refolution of this %/^ 
 tion, is to confult the New ^ejlament our 
 felves, in which we have a plain and full 
 Account of what our bleffed Lord himfelf, 
 and they who were immediately commiffi- 
 oned by Him, declared concerning this Mat- 
 ter ; and that all other ways and methods 
 are unfuccefsful, and full of Danger. But 
 I then told you likewife, that, in order to 
 our arriving at a true account of the im- 
 portant Queftion now before us, there were 
 fome other particulars that deferve to be 
 carefully obferved : and though thefe be in- 
 deed but fo many corifequences from the 
 forementioned Heads ; yet, I cannot but 
 think it very well worth our while diftindl- 
 ]y to propofe, and coniider them. As 
 
 I. That the Terms oi Salvation, and 
 Acceptance with God, are what He hath 
 made them 5 and of To inflexible a Nature, 
 that it is not in our Power to bend, or al- 
 ter them, as we pleaie, into what Shape, 
 or Nature, we think fit. And this is plain : 
 
 becaufe 
 
of Acceptance. 2 3 
 
 becaufe k did not belong to us to contrive S e r m. 
 or frame them \ but to the Supreme Lord ^.^1-^ 
 of all things. It is He, to whom it belongs 
 to propofe a method of Reconciliation to 
 his Creatures ; and He alone, whofe Office 
 it is to fix the Conditions of this Reconcili- 
 ation : becaufe He alone knows what is in 
 all refpedls fitting, and agreeable to the eter- 
 nal Laws of Reafon, andWifdom \ of which 
 we our felves could not be proper and im- 
 partial Judges. He hath, by Virtue of his 
 Wifdom, Goodnefs, and Power, an un- 
 doubted Right to give us new Laws ; and 
 to lay upon us the Conditions of a Second 
 Covenant, as w^ell as of a Firji : But we 
 have no Right, either from Wifdom, or 
 Power, to give Lav/s to Him ; or to fix the 
 Terjns proper for him to accept. 
 
 I F therefore he hath offered any particu- 
 lar Terms and Conditions, upon which he 
 will accept us ; if He hath fent his Son, 
 and his Apojiles to lay open thefe Terim : 
 here we muft reft, and remember that it is 
 not our Bufinefs to attempt any alteration 
 of thefe Therms-, and that it is the m.oft fruit- 
 lefs as well as arrogant Imagination to 
 think of doing it. In vain doth any Mor- 
 C 4. tal 
 
24 Concerning the 'Terms 
 
 Serm. tal wifli or defire them to be other than 
 "• what they are determin'd to be in his Will : 
 and in vain will it be for the greateft or 
 wifeft of us all to attempt to accommodate 
 and bend them to our Schemes^ or our In- 
 clinations. The Syjiem of Chriftianify was 
 long ago framed, and the Scheme of Salva- 
 tion laid, in the Breaft of the Almighty, as 
 it w^as defign'd in Time to appear : and this 
 SyJlem hath long ago been written by the 
 E'vangelifts and Apoftles ; and this Scheme 
 hath long ago been propofed in the New 
 ^ejlament^ for the Benefit of all who are 
 in a Frame and Difpofition of Mind capable 
 of receiving Benefit. God hath there {hewn 
 us, which is the Way to the Salvation He 
 promifeth. If, therefore, we will arrive at 
 his Salvation -, it mufl be in the Paths which 
 he hath marked out : and we muft, indeed, 
 either not think of going to Heaven j or we 
 muft go to it, in his Way, and not in our 
 own. 
 
 I T is neceffiiry to obferve this, becaufe 
 the Gtntv2i\\vf oi profejfed Chriftians, tho* 
 they have Defire enough of being happy 
 hereafter ; yet it muft be in their own Way : 
 and they will not depart from their own 
 
 Schemes, 
 
of Acceptance, 25 
 
 Schemes, and their own Wifhes. Nay, S e r m. 
 they feem ro think it much more fit that ^^ 
 God Almighty fliould come down to their^""^^^ 
 Terms, than that themfelves fhould go up 
 to his. The Young Man, in the Gofpel, 
 was mt far from the Kingdom of God^ as 
 our I ord thought : becaufe he came to Him 
 with feme Difpofition, and fome Defire af- 
 ter Happinefs. He was willing enough to 
 be his Difciple, and to be faved by him ; 
 if the T'erms of his Difciplefhip and Salva- 
 tion (hould appear fuch as he could com- 
 ply with. But when he found that the C/V- 
 cwnjlances of his profefling the Gofpel at 
 that Time were fuch, that he muft divefl 
 himfelf of his large Poffeffions ; and follow 
 our Lord with an entire Dependence upon 
 him for the common Neceffaries of Life ; 
 and (hare in common with him the Wants 
 and Necefiities to which He exposed him- 
 felf : he went away forrowful ; griev'd to 
 hear that he could not be made happy by 
 Him at lefs expence, and that the Terms of 
 his Salvation were fo uneafy to be comply'd 
 with. Thus it is with many Frofeffon of 
 Chrijlianity in later Ages. They are, in 
 this Senfe, not far from the Kingdom of 
 
 God, 
 
26 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. God^ that they defire the Happinefs of Chri- 
 ^' ftians, and of fuch as belone to that Kins;- 
 dom : but then they arc forrowful to hear 
 of the Terms plainly required ; if they don't 
 fuit their prefent Inclinations, and Defigns. 
 And fo they either depart from our Lord ; 
 arid give up all Pretenfes to his Favour, and 
 his Salvation ; or clfe they lay hold of one 
 Pretext or other, or alter thofe Terms ; and 
 amufe themfelves with fome fort of pre- 
 fent Peace and Tranquillity, by making 
 them confift and comply with their own 
 Defires, and Willies. Let this therefore be 
 always remembered, that our Fancies, or 
 Tempers, or Defires, cannot make the 
 Terms of our Acceptance other than what 
 they are already ; fix'd and determined by 
 the Father of our Lord Jefus Chriji^ with 
 whom there is no Variahlenefs^ nor Jhadow 
 of turning : who, after having viev^'d all 
 Things relating to our Nature, and his own, 
 upon the Principles of unerring Wifdom, 
 appointed the Bounds of his own Mercy, 
 and the Conditions of our Happinefs ; nei- 
 ther of which is it in our Power either to 
 enlarge or diminifli, 
 
 Nor 
 
of Acceptance. 27 
 
 No R is It any other than egregious Fol- Se r m. 
 ly for us to imagine that He hi'mfelf will ^^' 
 at laft vary from his own Terms ; and, af- ^"^ 
 ter He hath declared and promulgated Rules, 
 by which he affures us He will be governed 
 in the Diftribution of his Love and Favour, 
 to flatter our felves that he will depart 
 from thefe Rules, for our Sakes^ who would 
 not depart from our own unreafonable 
 Praftifes either for his Sake, or our own 5 
 and that he will adapt his Proceedings at 
 laft to ourVx2i6i\cQ, in Pity to us, who would 
 not adapt our Praftice to his Laws. And 
 yet I know of but this one Way in which 
 any Alteration or Abatement, or new Mo- 
 dification, of the Covenant of Grace can 
 be hop'd for ; viz. that God himfelf will 
 at laft new model it, and alter it into fome 
 other Form : The Weaknefs of which Ima- 
 gination I fhall have occafion hereafter more 
 fully to lay open. At prefent I make this 
 Obfervation, that the Terms of Acceptance 
 are eftablifh'd and unalterable ; as God him- 
 felf hath fix'd them in the Gofpel : becaufe, 
 unlefs v/e be perfuaded of this, all our En- 
 quiries after them v/ill be only fo many 
 Speculations, and fruitlefs Searches ; rather 
 
 ferving 
 
28 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. ferving to fatisfy Curiofity, than to diredl 
 II* Praftice. For if we entertain a Thought, 
 
 ^^^'"'^'^^^ that thofe Terms^ tho' folemnly fettled, and 
 folemnly promulgated, by the Son of God 
 and his Apoftles, may be again altered, and 
 changed into fomething more agreeable to 
 us, and more confiftent with our Ways ; 
 the Gofpel can have but little, very little, 
 effedl upon our Minds, under the power- 
 ful Affaults of any confiderable Temptati- 
 on. Pleafure, Honour, and Profit, will 
 work ftrongly upon a Mind fluduating in 
 uncertainty about the Confequences of 
 things ; or made unftable by the flattering 
 Hope that the Confequences at laft may not 
 be found fo terrible as they are reprefented 
 in the Gofpel. But if we be poffefs'd before- 
 hand that fuch are the Terms of Accept 
 tance, as the plain Declarations of the New 
 Tejlament make them ; and that fuch they 
 will be found at laft : then our ferious En- 
 quiries after them will have a great and 
 powerful Influence upon our Condu(fl ; and 
 be of more force than the Efforts of Flefli 
 and Blood, or the Infinuations of this tran- 
 fitory World. Bur, 
 
 2» Another 
 
of Acceptance. 29 
 
 2. Another very necejfary Rule to be S e r m. 
 obferved in this important Enquiry^ is, that ^^• 
 all preconceived Notions of our own ^ all ^-^^"^^ 
 
 the Impreffions of Education s all the In- 
 clinations of Senfe y all the Influences of 
 Temporal Intereft, and every thing that 
 may cafl a Cloud before our Eyes, or pre- 
 vent our feeing or receiving the Truth, muft 
 be difrcgarded, in comparifon of any one 
 plain Declaration of the New T^efla?nent 
 upon this Head. This is fo necefTary, that 
 it is in vain to fearch after any Truth ; un- 
 lefs all Prejudices, and evil Habits of Think- 
 ing, or Adting, inconfiftent with it, be laid 
 aiide, and for the prefent difregarded. And 
 much more necefTary is it in this moft Im- 
 portajit Enquiry^ that our Minds fliould 
 lay aiide every weight vs^hich will incline 
 them againft Truth, and weigh up the con- 
 trary Balance in v^hich that ineftimable 
 Jewel is tryed ; that we (hould be perfedly 
 willing to find that True^ which is T'riie^ 
 whether we find it or no ; that we fliould 
 be as free as poffible from the Biafs im- 
 prefs'd upon the Soul, by former Schemes 
 received upon the Authority of others, or 
 by Evil Habits built upon our own Sin and 
 2 Folly ; 
 
unrv 
 
 30 Concerning the Terms 
 
 Se R M. Folly ; that we fliould go to thofe Books in 
 i L . which the Account of this is laid before us, 
 with Hearts difpofed to Truth ; and indif- 
 ferent whether this Account Ihall be found 
 to contradict our former Notions, and Pra- 
 (ftices, or not. 
 
 The force of Paffion, and Prejudice, a- 
 gainft 7ruth is fo great, that Men tolerably 
 well skiird in that fort of Learning, may 
 fometimes be hindred from feeing even the 
 plain Truth of a Mathematical Demojjftra' 
 tion^ by fome private Refentment, and fe- 
 cret Pique againll: others : in which Science 
 there is no complaint of indeterminate Ideas, 
 or obfcure Expreffion. In like manner, fet 
 a Man about the Enquiry we are now fpeak- 
 ing of, who hath been ufed to a way of 
 thinking at fecond hand ; and is in love 
 with the Notions received from others, tho* 
 never fo falfe : his Labours (hall be found to 
 tend to little, unlefs it be to ftrain the ob- 
 fcure Paflages into a Senfe agreeable to his 
 own Notions; whilft the plain ones are neg- 
 lected. Or, fet a Man about this Enquiry, 
 immerfed in this World ; embarrafs'd with 
 a fordid love of Gain, or Honour ; or cap- 
 tivated by Luft, and fenfual Pleafure : and 
 
 how 
 
of Acceptance. 3 1 
 
 how hardly will He, if at all, receive any S e r m. 
 thing, as the Will of God, inconfiftent with ^^• 
 his prefent Views ? What a Biafs will his ^'^^'"^^"^ 
 own Wifhes, and his perverted Will, clap 
 upon his Underilanding ? and how many 
 Ways will He find, if He have any Thoughts 
 of Religion at all, to reconcile the plaineft 
 contrary Declarations of God's Will to his 
 own State, and his own Hopes ? This makes 
 me fay that, if we would make the Enquiry 
 with guccefs, we muft be willing to find 
 that true which is fo; and that we muft re- 
 nounce to all our own Wiflies, or Hopes, 
 or Defires, whether founded upon former 
 Notions infufed into us by others ; or upon 
 former PraBices indulged by our felves. 
 
 Nay, how weak 5 how unreafonable ; 
 how injurious, and pernicious a thing is it 
 to be ocherwife difpos'd ? For we make nor 
 Truth : but it is what it is, and what it 
 ever will be, whether we receive it, or not; 
 and, when plainly proposed to us, it is our 
 Condemnation, if we rejedl it, or prefer 
 any thing before it. And if w^e have been 
 engag'd in fuch a Habit of Sin as may incline 
 us to one fide more than another : the far- 
 ther we go in this Way, by eftabliihing this 
 
 Habit 
 
32 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Habit of evil Pra&ice by an Error fixed 
 ^^* in the TJnderJlanding^ we are fo much the 
 
 ^^^^more deeply engaged in aCourfe of Ruine; 
 and fo much the more irrecoverably loft. 
 For by this means we go not in the Dark ; 
 but do as it were light and diredt our felves 
 all along the Paths of Mifery. We go fe- 
 curely perhaps for the prefent : but at laft 
 the Sight and Senfe of our wilful Error 
 will be the moft painful Horror, and in- 
 fupportable Burthen. This fhould engage 
 Sinners, that have any Thoughts of finding 
 Mercy, to break off their evil Habits : be- 
 caufe the longer they proceed in them, the 
 more effectually will they blind their Eyes, 
 and the more certainly will they indifpofe 
 them, either to fee the Truth of God^s Co- 
 venant, tho' written in never fo plain Cha- 
 rasters \ or to receive it to any purpofe, if 
 chey /l:iouId not avoid the feeing it. For 
 nothing unqualifies Men for Divine Truths^ 
 of Importance to Happinefs, fo much as the 
 Habit of Sin : nothing makes Men more 
 afraid of, or unfit for, the Light, than their 
 having exercis'd themfelves in the IVorks 
 of Darknefs, 
 
 'J. Another 
 
of Accept a7Ke. 3 3 
 
 3. Another Particular I mud men- S e r m. 
 tion, of great ufe in this Enquiry, is, that -'^^• 
 we muft take all the Declarations of the ^^^^^^^"^ 
 New Teflament upon this Head, into the 
 Account ; and not Jome only : and then 
 that, if there be any feeming Variety in any 
 of them ; the more obfcure muft be inter- 
 preted fo as to be agreeable to the mofl 
 plain and repeated Declarations. This it 
 is but reafonable to require : bccaufe nei- 
 ther our Saviour, nor his Apoftles, have in 
 any one fingle Portion of the New Te/fa- 
 metif, laid down the feveral Branches of the 
 New Covenant -, but fpoken of them, as 
 diftinft Occafions gave them Ground to do: 
 fometimes of one, fometimes of another. 
 Now all things, equally declar'd by Them 
 to h^ Conditions oi OUT pardon, or falvati- 
 on, are with equal Willingnefs, and equal 
 Regard, to be received by us. And this 
 Rule will prevent all thofe Miftakes in us, 
 which others have fatally run into, by at- 
 tending to fome fingle Declarations upoa 
 this Subject ; to the Negleft and Contra- 
 diftion of others, perhaps more plain and 
 intelligible. This will teach us that, if one 
 Place of Scripture attributes Happinefs to 
 D one 
 
24 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. one Virtue, or one A5t of the Mind ; and 
 /^- another as plainly to another j and a third 
 
 ^'^'^^^ to a third ; and a fourth to the Performance 
 of the whole Will of God, without men- 
 tioning Particulars: I fay, This will teach us 
 not to overlook one PafTage for the fake of 
 another, not more plain, or more intelli- 
 gible ; when all have the fame Stamp of 
 Divine Authority ; and when, without re- 
 garding 'all, we cannot pretend to know 
 the whole of what Almighty God hath de- 
 clared concerning this Affair. The a6ling 
 contrary to this, is juft as if the rebellious 
 Subjedls of a Prince, now to be reftored to 
 his Favour upon fuch and fuch Conditions^ 
 Ihould attend only to one or two of thefc 
 Conditions \ and pafs over all the reft, as 
 if they were not of equal Importance, and 
 had not the Sand:ion of the fame Autho- 
 rity. 
 
 And then, fuppofing there fliould be 
 fome Obfcurity in one or more PafTages rela- 
 ting- to this Affair ; there can be no Danger 
 to Us, but in pretending to underftand thefe, 
 and at the fame time underftanding them 
 fo, as to invalidate the Delign of the more 
 plain and exprefs Declarations : and this out 
 . of 
 
bf Accepta7ice. 3 5 
 
 6f a bcfire to reconcile our own Praftlces to S e r m, 
 the Hopes of Happinefs. For it is no Crime ^^• 
 in any Chriftian, not to underftand an ob- 
 fcure or dubious PafTage ; provided he hath 
 nothing wilful to accufe himfelf of, in this 
 want of Underftanding : But the Crime is, 
 to refolve to underfland it in fuch a Senfe, 
 as may beft confift with his fah'e Hopes ; tho* 
 it confifts not at all with thofe plainer Texts^^ 
 about the Meaning of which there can be 
 no Doubt. 
 
 Let us, therefore, but take into the 
 Account the V/hole of what is, in feveral 
 Places of the New T^ejlameiit^ made ne- 
 ceffary to our obtaining God's Favour, and 
 Eternal Happinefs. And, if w^e meet with 
 any thing which we do not perftdtly un- 
 derftand upon this Head, let us but attend 
 to the plain and repeated Declarations 5 
 and not prefume to negledt them for the 
 fake of thofe which are not fo •, or to in- 
 terpret thofe which are not fo, after fuch ^ 
 manner as to contradiB thofe which are fo : 
 and I dare fay, we need not fear any Error in 
 this great Enquiry. For the Terms abfolute- 
 ]y i-equired are plainly, and frequently, ex- 
 prelTed : and what is fo, is^ in eVery fort of 
 D 2 Writi-n< 
 
 
36 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Writing, allowed to explain what is not fo ; 
 ^^' but what is not fo is never allowed to be 
 
 ^^^^ interpreted fo as to contradidl what is fo. 
 And therefore it will be unjuftifiable and 
 inexcufable in any one, to lay hold on any 
 part of the New I'ejlament^ or any Text 
 in it, which is in any refpedl obfcure ; and 
 to oppofe this to the plaineft and moft re- 
 peated : in order to build a Dodlrine^ or a 
 Scheme^ upon it, not to be reconciled to 
 thefe ; or perhaps abfolutely inconfiftent 
 with them. This is not to confult the Ho- 
 nour of God : nor is it the way to find out 
 the Therms oi our own Happinefs. 
 
 These Rides^ and Obfervations^ which 
 I have now laid down, are in order to your 
 careful and exacft Examination of what I 
 defign to fay, when I come to lay before 
 you the Therms of our Acceptance and Sal- 
 vation, as they appear to me in the New 
 Tejlament : to which I cannot now pro* 
 ceed for want of Time j but before which, 
 it was neceffary to commend to your 
 Thoughts the Confideratiom before-menti- 
 oned J which will, I hope, be of great ufe 
 in all your future Enquiries after the Way 
 10 Eternal Life. And all but little e- 
 
 noueh 
 
of Acceptance. 37 
 
 nough, or rather, I fear, too little, to make S e r m. 
 the Generality of Chriftians as fincere in ^^* 
 their Enquiries, and as ready to embrace the ^""^^^ 
 true Anfwer to them, as they ought to 
 be. 
 
 And indeed I have mentioned, and in- 
 fifted upon, all thefe Precautions ; becaufe it 
 is Eternal Life we are enquiring after ; and 
 the Favour of that God, whofe Favour is 
 better than Life, and whofe Difpleafure is 
 infinitely worfe than Death. Were they 
 the Concerns of this Life, that fieeth away 
 like a Shadow, and is not to be flopp'd by all 
 the Art, or all the Power of Man, about 
 which we are enquiring 3 it would be of no 
 fuch vaft Importance to be folicitous about 
 the Matter. Let PaJJion, or Pride, or Co^ 
 vetoufnefs dired: us; Let Ambition, or Lujl, 
 blind our Eyes \ an End would quickly come, 
 when this World could have no part in us. 
 But yet, behold the Perverfenefs of Man- 
 kind. Were the Enquiry after the Pleafures, 
 or Riches, or Honours, of this World ; had 
 there any Perfon of great Sagacity, or un- 
 common Penetration, appeared in it, to di- 
 reft them in the fure Way to thefe Riches, 
 or Pleafures, or Honours, that muflend with 
 D 3 thig 
 
gS Co7Kerning the Terms 
 
 SERM-this Temporal Life: how few Miftakes 
 H- fhould we find made even by the weakeft 
 ^'i^'^''^^^^ pf Men ? The CovefQus would eafily under- 
 hand, and make rhcmfelves pcrfed: Mafters 
 of the Way to Wealth ; the FGiuptuous 
 ^vould never mifs the Path of Pleafure; nor 
 the Ambitious^ the Road to Preferment, and 
 Honour, and Titles. None of them would 
 |:ruft any Diredion at fecond hand, when 
 th.ey could confult the Oracle it felf, None 
 pf them would be diverted from their E'-nqui- 
 xy by any Impulfe contrary to that by which 
 they profefied to be direfed. None pf them 
 would hazard the Dilappointment of their 
 main End, by relying on any thing but what 
 was plainly propofed by their Guide. And 
 all of them would be Proof againfi: every 
 Attempt that could be ufed, either to de- 
 ceive their Underftandings, or to influence 
 their Wills to contrary Ways. 
 
 But let it not always be fa id, that thp 
 Childreit of this IVo^rld are wifcr, in their 
 Generation ; v/ifer in their Purfuits and En- 
 quiries after Trifles and Mifery andRuine 3 
 lefs capable of being impofed upon •, m.org 
 e;uarded and fecure in their Way, than the 
 Children of V^ht, who profcfs to havQ 
 
 nobler 
 
of Accept aiicc^ 39 
 
 nobler Things in View j a State of unchange- S t: R m; 
 able Happinefs, Eternal in the Heavens, ^^ 
 after this poor, uncertain State is at an End. ^^^"^^^-^ 
 If we be the Children of Light ; if Vv^e have 
 Eternal Life truly in View, and be truly 
 inquifitive after the ^^^ that leads to it ; let 
 us confider what Eternal Life is ; how 
 much it outweighs all that this Life can 
 offer us ; how much it exceeds all our pre- 
 fent Conceptions which are formed upon 
 very imperfe6l Ideas ; how vaftly it w^ill re- 
 compenfe all the Pains, and Care, and Cau- 
 tion of the ftricfteft Enquirer -, how uncon- 
 c^eivable an Happinefs mufl be contained in 
 the Favour of God, the Supreme and Origi- 
 nal Father of all Things : and we fhall think 
 no Precaution too much to fecure us from 
 Miftake, whilft we are feeking our Way to 
 it ; no Care fuperfluous to defend us from 
 the great Enemies of this Enquiry -, no Pains> 
 or Study, too great on our Parts, in order 
 to be fully fatisfied, What we mii/i do to in-- 
 herit Eternal Lije, 
 
 T o the Refolution of which grand ^tef 
 tion I defiga to proceed the next Opportu- 
 nity, 
 
 r> 4 SER« 
 
[ 40 ] 
 
 Concerning the Terms of Acceptance^ &c. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 LUKE X. The latter part of the 25th 
 Verfe. 
 
 Majier, What fiall I do to inherit eternal 
 Life? 
 
 S E R M. 
 III. 
 
 
 m 
 
 H E Enquiry which I told you, 
 thefe Words gave me Occafion 
 to propofe, as of Importance to 
 Perfons educated, and continu- 
 ing , in the Profeffion of the Faith of 
 Chrift, (in which Number, we, and all of 
 later Ages, generally are ) is this : What 
 it is that. the Gofpel requires of Men, who 
 believe in Jefus Chriji^ and have been bap- 
 tized into his Religion, and acknowledge 
 Him for tlieir Maiter, in order to their 
 Acquittance from any Sins they have at any 
 nnie been v/ilfully guilty of; during their 
 
 Chrijiian 
 
of Acceptance. 4 r 
 
 Chrijlian ProfeJJion ; and to their final Jufti- S e r m. 
 fication at the Day of Judgment ; and to W. 
 their Eternal Happinefs after this. And, hav- ^-''''^»^'^ 
 ing in Two feveral Difcourfes endeavoured 
 to engage your Attention, and to raife your 
 Solicitude after Truth, in a Matter of fuch 
 unfpeakable Moment ; as well as to point 
 out to you the true Method of your coming 
 to a well-grounded Satisfadion, {viz, your 
 examining whatfoever is at any time laid be- 
 fore you on this Head by all the plain^, and 
 intelligible Texts in the New Tejta?nent 
 concerning it, carefully laid together, and- 
 fincerely compared : ) I come now to a par- 
 ticular Refolution of the ^lejiion propofed, 
 which I think may be comprized under the 
 four following Heads. 
 
 1. 1 T is required of a Chrijlian, who hath 
 been a wiiful Sinner^ that he renounce, and 
 forfake, his Sins. 
 
 II. It is required of him, that he fmcere- 
 ly, and with Perfeverance, praftife the con- 
 trary Virtues. And tho* to thefe Two all 
 other Terms may be reduced ; yet it is very 
 proper particularly to mention two more, 
 viz, 
 
 III. It. is not fufficient that the Sinner 
 forfake the Sius of which he ftands guilty be- 
 fore 
 
42 Cmcerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. fore God, and amend his outward Life ; but 
 ^^^- he muft entirely forgive the OfFenfes, and 
 Trefpafies, of others againft himfelf : which 
 is io neceflary a Condition, that without it 
 even thofe Sins which he hath forfa ken (hall 
 iiever be forgiven him. 
 
 IV. I N the Cafe of Injuftice, or Frauds 
 or OppreJJion \ it is required of the Sinner, 
 if he ever hope for Pardon, and Acceptance, 
 not only that he leave off Injuftice for the 
 future, and adl juftly, and honeftly ; (which 
 alone is not fufficient ;) but alfo that he make 
 Reftitufion, in whatfoever Inftances, he 
 hath, by any ways or means, injured any one 
 in the World. 
 
 These are the four particular Therms ^ 
 or Conditiom^ upon which ChriJiia?jSy who 
 have been wilful Sinners, may hope for 
 Acceptance ; and without which the Gofpel 
 gives them not the leafl Ground for fuch 
 Hope. They may be all comprized in one 
 general Propojition, viz. That it is require4 
 of Chriftians, who have the Guilt of any 
 Sins upon them, to endeavour heartily, and 
 fincerely, for. the future, to pradife the whole 
 Will of God, revealed in the Book of Na-f 
 ture^ and the Gofpel of J ejus Chrif : and 
 
 that 
 
of Acceptance. 43 
 
 that without this honeft, fincere, and uni- S e r m . 
 verfal Obedience, they cannot hope to be ijlj 
 accepted, for the Sake, and upon the 'HermSy 
 of 'Jejus Chrifl. But it is fit to be more 
 particular ; and therefore I have chofen to 
 fpeak of this Matter under the foremen^ 
 fioned Heads : every one of which I defign 
 diftindlly to confider, /r//, fhewing that 
 they are moft plainly required ; and tben^ 
 fhewing the Fitnefs iand Realonablenefs of 
 them. And after we are fully fatisfied con- 
 cerning thefe, they will be fo many infalli- 
 ble Diredions to us ; and prevent all fatal 
 Miftakes, which otherwife may be occafi- 
 oned by a too great Readinefs to lay hold on 
 any obfcure, or mifinterpreted, PalTage of 
 Scripture, for the Support of any other No- 
 t:ions concerning this important Matter. 
 
 These are the Poi?2ts^ I fay, which I 
 defign particularly to handle. But the En- 
 quiry now before us, relating, as you fee^ 
 to the Cafe of fuch profejfed Chrijiians as 
 have been wiijul Simiers^ and fo have need 
 of other Conditions to be offered them, 
 than that of a perfedl, and unfpotted Holi- 
 nefs \ it will not be an ufelefs, or improper 
 Pigreffion, before I came to the particular 
 
 handling 
 
44 Concerning the Terms 
 
 St^KM. handling; of the Points now laid down, to 
 III 
 ^^' confider, who they are that may be called 
 
 wilful Si7iners ; and the feveral Sorts^ and 
 Degrees of fach as are fo : that fo, we may 
 be all feniible that the very beft of us may 
 have need of fome or other of thefe Terms 
 of Condefcenfion offered us thro' Jefus Chrifi^ 
 and, for his Sake only, made T!erms of Ac^ 
 ceptance with God. And here, it being 
 manifeft that all Thofe may juftly be called 
 wilful Sinners^ who fin, either jfr/?, againft 
 fufficient Light ; or fecondly^ againft the 
 Dictates of their own Confciences to the 
 contrary : it will be proper to {hew who they 
 are that may be fa id thus to fin, cither a- 
 gainft the one, or the other. Now, 
 
 I. All thofe may be faid to adl againft 
 fufficient Light, and fufficient Evidence to 
 the contrary, who have fair Opportunities 
 and Abilities of knowing their Duty ; who 
 profefs a Religion, and live in any particu- 
 lar Place, or at any particularTime, in which 
 their Duty is laid plainly before them. And 
 here I muft remark that not only thofe Sin- 
 ners who have attended to this Evidence, 
 and been fenfible of the Direftlons of this. 
 Lights may be faid to fin againft it 5 but 
 
 fuch 
 
of Acceptance. 4^ 
 
 fuch alfo, as have wilfully refufed to giveSs r ivf. 
 any attention to it, and have rejedled the ^^^• 
 offers of its Diredion, may equally be faid "^""^^^^^^ 
 to fin againfl; it j becaufe they wilfully refufe 
 to pay any Refpedl, or Attention to it : and 
 not only upon this account ; but becaufe 
 they aft againft the Maxims which that is 
 perpetually offering to their View, and which 
 they might, if they pleafed, be very well 
 acquainted with. For no Ignorance that is 
 wilful, and afFecfted ^ or that proceeds from 
 a Refolution to guard againfl better Informa- 
 tion, and is founded upon an iil-difpofed 
 Mind ; can avail a Sinner any thing, or di- 
 flinguifh him at all from the moft wilful of 
 Sinners. And this ought to be remarked, 
 becaufe many Perfons feem to be fo weak, as 
 to chufe voluntarily not to be better in- 
 formed, becaufe they are pretty well refolved 
 ifot to alter their bad Courfes 5 and then to 
 imagine that their Ignorance will be a fort 
 of an Excufe for their Vices. Whereas this 
 fort of Ignorance gives the Man all the £/- 
 fence ^ and Guilty of 2. wilful Sliiner ; nay, 
 and makes Him a Sinner againft that very 
 Light and Evidence, to v/hich He wilfully 
 refufeth to attend. So that, with refped: 
 3 to 
 
^6 Concerning the Ter7m 
 
 S E R M. to perfons who have profeffed to believe in 
 11^- Jefus Chrift, and to receive Him for their 
 
 ^^^^'^'^^'^ Mafter, ( of whom we are now particularly 
 fpeaking) it may be affirmed that, not on- 
 ly T^hey fm againft the Light of his Gofpct^ 
 who, at the very time of their committing 
 Sin, know, and are fcnlihle, that the A6li- 
 on they are going about is condemned by 
 his Go/pel', but alfo 'They v/ho, after having 
 profefTed Faith in Him, are wilfully carelefs 
 and negligent in their Enquiries after his 
 Will ; and chufe, upon very bad Principles, 
 rather not to know, than to know, the 
 Rules which He hath laid down. For this, 
 I fay, is manifeftly finning againft the Light 
 of that Gofpely which they wilfully refufe 
 to confult, or attend to, upon a Sufpicion 
 that it may diftufb them in their prefent 
 Courfe ; and confequently, upon a Refolu- 
 tion of continuing in it withcrut that Dif- 
 turbance. 
 
 These T'wo forts of Chriftians therefore 
 are wilful Sinners : fuch, as fin againft the 
 Rules of the Go/pel, knowing that they con- 
 demn their Pra6lice at the very time of their 
 finning ; and fuch likewife, as fin againft 
 thofe fame Rules, with an Ignorance vv^hich 
 
 proceeds 
 
of Acceptance, 47 
 
 pi-occeds from a perverfe and deliberate De- Se r m^ 
 fire of being undifturbed in their Courfe : an ^^- 
 Ignorance, in which they wilfully enjrench ^-^^^'"^ 
 themfeives, as fome fort of Security againft 
 the Guilt of Sin ; but which, in truth, is as 
 great an Aggravation of it, as can well be ima- 
 gined. The Difference between thefe "Tijoo^ is 
 only fuch a Difference as may be fnppofed be- 
 tween Two difobedient Sons of the fame Fa- 
 ther: the one of which lifiens to his Will 
 ^nd hears his Commands, and afterwards 
 tranfgrefleth them ; and the other ^ whene- 
 ver his Father is going to declare his Will to 
 Him, flops his Ears, and refufeth to hear his 
 Voice, merely becaufe He is refolved to go 
 on in his own Way, without any Regard to 
 his Will. And which of thefe Tw^o is the 
 moft criminal, it is hard to determine : on- 
 ly that there feems more Refolution of Dif- 
 obedience in the latter. Such Perfons as I 
 have been now defcribing, muft not expecl 
 to be reckoned by our Saviour amongfl thoie 
 Servants who know not their Mafters WiH^ 
 and fo fiall be beaten with fewer Jiripei 
 than others : for the Servants meant in that 
 Saying of our Lord's, are fuch as have not 
 the Opportunity of knowing their Mafter's 
 
 Will 
 
4? Co7tcerning the Terms 
 
 Se R M, Will fo fully as others have; not fuch as 
 III. have the Opportunity, and wilfully refufe to 
 
 ^^'■^^^makeufeof it. 
 
 2. A s there are ^wo forts of Sinners^ 
 who may be faid to fin againft fufficient 
 Light : fo likewife, there are T%vo Jorts 
 of Sinners, who may be faid to fin againft 
 their own Judgments and Confciences > and 
 confequently, to be wilful Sinners, Firft, 
 fuch as, at the very time of their finning, 
 perceive within themfelvesfomething which 
 forbids that Action, and reprefents the Un- 
 reafonablenefs of it, and the Anger of God 
 confequent upon it : and fecondly, fuch as, 
 tho' they have by a Cuftom of finning worn 
 off all Senfe of their Duty fo far as to fin 
 without any prefent Difturbance, and Un- 
 eafinefs of Mind, at the very time of finning ; 
 yet, before this habitual Pradice of Vice, 
 have often owned and acknowledged, or, 
 during the continuance of it, do, upon many 
 Occafions, and in their moft ferious Inter- 
 vals, judge and determine that the contrary 
 Courfe of A(ftion is truly their Duty, and 
 what alone can entitle them to the Favour 
 of God. Concerning the former of thefe, 
 no one will doubt but that they fin againft 
 
 their 
 
of Acceptance. 49 
 
 their Confcience^ : becaufe they are warn- S e r m. 
 ed, and made uneafy, by them at the very I^^- 
 time of finning. And^ as to the latter, I ^-^^^^ 
 think it equally certain that they likewifedo 
 the fame. For they fin againft that Judg- 
 ment which they have heretofore often made, 
 before an Habit of Sin had made them infen- 
 fible ; they fin againfl their own Determina- 
 tions in their mofl ferious moments ; they fin 
 againfl: a former Judgment of their Minds, 
 which their Reafon and Confideration hath 
 never yet rcverfed, or ever determined to be 
 falfe or groundlefs ; they fin aeainfl: that 
 which was the Voice of their Confcience, 
 when they had any awake in their Minds : 
 and confequently, They may be truly fa id to 
 fin againfl: their Judgments, and Confcien- 
 ces ; tho', at the very time of their finning, 
 they have no prefent Allarm and Difturb- 
 ance from them. 
 
 All the Difference between the T^wo 
 forts of Sinners I have now mentioned, is 
 the fame that may be fuppofed between Two 
 Servants of the fame Mafl:er : the One of 
 which having not fhewn his Difobedience fo 
 often, the Mafl:er fl:ill attends upon him, and 
 direds him in his Adions, hoping to keep 
 E him. 
 
50 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. him, by this means, from all bad and per- 
 ^^^- nicious Pradices, which neverthelefs he 
 fometimes ventures upon, even under his 
 Mafler's Eye ; and the Other having (hewn 
 the fame Difobedience, under his Mafter*s 
 immediate Direction, more frequently, the 
 Mafter thinks it ufelefs any longer to attend 
 upon Him, or to warn him againft any par- 
 ticular Adlion. But yet, this Servant, the' 
 He offends not againft his Mafter's prefent 
 cxprefs Warning to the contrary; He wilful- 
 ly offends againft all his paft Rules, and all 
 thofe Directions which He hath heretofore 
 given him. So that his Cafe is worfe than 
 that of the Former^ in this, that the Former 
 hath not finned beyond the Patience of his 
 Mafter : or fo as to forfeit hi^s conftant Atten- 
 dance upon him : which He hath done ; and 
 ftill perfifts in that Difobedience. Juft thus it 
 is with the Tico forts of Sinners now menti- 
 oned. Before an Habit of Sin hath made it 
 otherwife ; the Man hath generally the Re- 
 monftrances of his Confcience, whilft He is 
 thinking to venture upon any Vice. But 
 Confcience may at laft he fuppofed to be 
 Vv^eary of that good Office ; and to find it 
 fruitlefs to give fo particular an Attendance 
 
 upon 
 I 
 
of Acceptance, 5 1 
 
 upon the Sinner. Yet the Sinner neverthe-S e r m. 
 lefs fins againft ir, becaufe He continues to ^^^* 
 fin* againft all it's former Remonftrances ; ^^^^'^ 
 againft that Judgment and Determination 
 which He himfelf hath formerly acknow- 
 ledged to be juft and reafonable ; and which 
 He cannot think, or prove to be otherwife, 
 even in the Heighth of his Wickednefs. So 
 that it is manifeft that He fins againft his 
 own Judgment and Confcience, whofe Con- 
 fcience hath heretofore fufficiently warned 
 Him againft the Courfe He purfues, and fuf- 
 ficiently recommended the contrary toHim; 
 as well as He, whofe Confcience ftill con- 
 tinues to do that good Office : and confe- 
 quently, that both have equally the Guilt of 
 wilful Sinners, 
 
 Those profefled Chriftians, therefore, 
 who do, in any fingle Adlion, or in any 
 Courfe of Adions, tranfgrefs thofe Rules, 
 which they know to be laid down in the Gof- 
 pel ; and they alfo, who wilfully refufe to 
 know thofe Rules, merely that they may the 
 more quietly pradtice what themfelves think 
 fit ', Both wilfully aft againft fufficient X/^/^/", 
 and Evidence : and therefore are both cer- 
 tainly 'wilful Sinners, So like wife, they 
 
 E 2 who 
 
^ 2 Concerning the Therms 
 
 S E R M. who do, either in any particular Adlion, or 
 I^I- in any Courfe of Anions, fin againft the pre- 
 
 ^»f^^^>^'^ fent Checks and Warnings of their own Con- 
 fciences ; and they alfo, who fin againft the 
 paft Determination of their own Judgments, 
 and the ferious Refuh of their own beft Rea- 
 fon, tho* wholly unmindful of it juft at the 
 time of finning -, both wilfully fin againft 
 their Confciences : and therefore are both 
 certainly wilful Sinners, And now, from 
 what hath been faid upon this Subjedt, it will 
 not be improper to obferve more particularly 
 the feveral Deg?^ees, and Ranks, of thofe 
 who may juftly be ftiled wilful Sinners, As 
 I. It is plain that in the loweft degree of 
 wilful Sin?2ers are fuch Perfons as have a fin- 
 cere Defire of avoiding all Sin ; fuch as keep 
 up in their Minds a warm Senfe of theGuilt of 
 it ; and do, in the main Tenour of their Lives, 
 demonftrate the Sincerity of their outward 
 Profeflion of Chrijlianity, by obferving its 
 Laws, behaving themfelves according to its 
 Rules, and refifting great and frequentTemp- 
 tations to fin : but nevertheiefs are fome- 
 times, through the Violence of fome parti- 
 cular Temptations, hurried into fuch a Be- 
 haviour, and fuch Anions, as they know to 
 
 be 
 
of Acceptance. t^j^ 
 
 be condemned by the Gofpel they profefs, S e r m. 
 and to be difpleafing to Almighty God. But ^^^* 
 in this State they do not continue, or glory; 
 but lament and abhor their Condition ; and 
 by Amendment raife themfelves as foon as 
 poffible from it. Thefe are ^wilful Sinners^ 
 in this particular Behaviour : becaufe they 
 do the thing which their Confciences con- 
 demn ; and becaufe they wilfully ad: in this 
 Particular, againft the Light of that Gofpel 
 which they enjoy. But it is hard to call fuch 
 Perfons by the Name juftly beftowed upon 
 thofe whofe main Courfe of Living is diredled 
 and governed by a quite contrary Principle, 
 For as they are not denominated ^C(?^ and 'u/r- 
 tuous^ from one or two particular good and 
 virtuous A(5tions ; whilft the greateft part of 
 their Lives is filled up with the contrary 
 Pradlices : fo neither can the others juflly be 
 denominated wicked Men, from one or two 
 particular Commiffions of Sin, whilft the 
 main of their Lives hath been dedicated to 
 Virtue ; provided that, by their Amendment 
 in thofe particular Inftances, they have gi* 
 ven fufficient Proof of their Repentance. 
 But what I obferve at prefent is this, that 
 fuch Perfons are, in thefe Aftions, wilful 
 E 3 S^inners^y 
 
54 Concernhtg the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Sinners, for the Reafons before given ; and 
 ^^^' that they certainly ftand in need of an A5l 
 of Grace, from Almighty God, in order to 
 be affured of Pardon and Forgivenefs ; be- 
 caufe they have done v^hat they themfelves 
 acknov^ledge they ought not to have done ; 
 and have wilfully committed what deferveth 
 Punifliment -, what they cannot iuftify, but 
 are forced to condemn themfelves for. 
 
 2. In the next Degree oi wilful Sinners, 
 may be placed fuch Perfons as have fome 
 Senfe of Religion, and fome fort of Refo- 
 lution of pradifing the Duties of it : but yet, 
 when any confiderable Temptation offers it 
 felf, yield up themfelves to the Power of it > 
 and at that time, when only they can ex- 
 perience the Sincerity of their own Minds, 
 viz, in the Day oi Trial, do very often will- 
 fully fall into grievous and deliberate Sins., 
 I do not fuppofe thefe Perfons to be fo bad 
 as to feek out Opportunities of finning 5 or 
 to harbour in their Minds before-hand any 
 Defigns of laying hold on fuch Opportuni- 
 ties : but, thro' fome great Defeft, or Neg- 
 ligence in themfelves, tobefurpriz'd, byaU 
 moil: every Trial, into Sin -, and to give them- 
 felves Proofs of little, thro' their whole Be- 
 haviour, 
 
of Acceptance. 55 
 
 haviour, befides the Weaknefs of their own S e r m. 
 Refolutions, and the ineffeftual Senfe they ^^^• 
 have of the Truths of Religion. Of tkofe, '^^'^^^^ 
 mentioned under the foregoing Head^ it 
 may be faid that they arc fincere, and fettled 
 in the Ground- work of Religion ; becaufe 
 they refift many Temptations, and govern 
 the main part of their Lives by the Rules of 
 it : but oithefe, I fear, it can hardly be faid 
 that they do both truly underftand, and hear- 
 tily believe, the Nature and Importance of 
 what they profefs ; becaufe whenever any 
 confiderable Trial offers itfelf, (which alone 
 can prove whether a Man deceiveth himfelf 
 in this Matter, or not,) they find no Strength, 
 no Affiftance, in thofe Principles which they 
 fuppofe or profefs themfelves to have 5 but 
 always renounce them for the fake of fome 
 prefent Profit or Pleafure in finning. When 
 none, or very little, Fruit is feen to proceed 
 from the good Seed fown \ it is a certain 
 Sign that there is fome Fault in the Ground 
 in which it is lodged. But, 
 
 3. 1 N the higheft Order o? wilful Sinners^ 
 are to be placed thofe who are come to fuch 
 a Pitch in Wickednefs, as to contrive and de- 
 fign Evil before-hand J to lay Scenes of 
 
 E 4 Sin; 
 
56 Co7tcernhtg the Terms 
 
 5 E R M. Sin ; and to invite, orfeekout, Temptations 
 ^^^' and Opportunities for it, with aRefolutioit 
 
 ^^^''^ of complying, and yielding to them. 1 can- 
 not conceive any Degree of Sinners beyond 
 this: and it will make but a fmall Difference 
 in thofe of this Order, that fome of them 
 meet with much fewer Opportunities fuccefs- 
 ful to their Wiffies than others do. For in 
 the Eye of God, and of Natural Juftice, He 
 hath all the Guilt of Sin, who deliberates and 
 refolves upon the Aftion, whenever a fair Op- 
 portunity fliall offer itfelf to him \ and is al- 
 ways prepared for more and more Sins, as 
 more and more Occafions prefent themfel ves. 
 That He doth not always meet with thefe Op- 
 portunities, may be happy to others: but is no 
 Alteration of his own inward Guilt. For the 
 Guilt oi Sin lies where the Wilfidnefs of it lies * 
 and that is in the inward Defign and deliberate 
 Refolution : the longer Time any Perfon 
 hath for the deliberating part, enhancing 
 find increafing the Wilfidnefs of the Adion. 
 T H u s, in the Account of the Gofpel, 
 Mtirtbers, Adulteries, Fornications, and all 
 Sins, are condemned, as in the Heart ; and 
 proceeding out of the Heart : that is, as de- 
 figned, and refolved upon, within. In the 
 
 Eye 
 
of Acceptance. 57 
 
 Eye of our Lord^ He is an Adulterer^ who S e r m. 
 hath deliberately refolved upon the commit- ^ILl. 
 ting Adultery j whether the Opportunity of 
 doing it ever prefent itfelf, or not : And fo. 
 He is a Murtherer, that is, He hath the 
 Guilt of Murther before God, who hath re- 
 folved and decreed within himfelf, to take 
 away his Neighbour's Life unjuftly ; whether 
 He ever meet with a favourable Opportuni- 
 ty, or not. 
 
 And tho' Humane Governours cannot 
 reach the Mind, or difcover the fecret Inten- 
 tion, but by the outward Acft ; and fo cannot 
 reafonably judge of Guilt but by the outward 
 Afl: : yet there is all the Reafon in the World 
 that Almighty God fhould always judge of 
 Guilt by the inward Aft and Deiign -, becaufe 
 it always lies there, and becaufe He knows 
 the inward Ad of the mind in it felf, much 
 more perfedlly than We can know it from 
 any outward, or open Ad:. Nay, weourfelves 
 never condemn the outward AS i on ^ but when 
 it appears, at leaft, to have proceded from a 
 bad Defign within. Who ever blamed a Ma- 
 chine, or Engine, or thought that guilty of 
 Murther; becaufe Men's Lives have been ta- 
 ken awayby the Violence of it? Or, whoever 
 
 thought 
 
5 8 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. thought a Brute guilty, in the Senfe in which 
 M* a realbnable Creature is fo, for having been the 
 
 '-^'"^"^ Occafion of a Man's Death ? Nay, who ever 
 condemned a Man as deferving Punifhment, 
 if through unavoidable Inadvertence, or de- 
 fio-ning Good and Kindnefs, he hath proved 
 the Inftrument of Death to a Perfon, to 
 whom he is known to have meant no Evil ? 
 Yet in all thefe Cafes there is the material 
 ABion which is in all Murthers j a taking a- 
 way the Life of a Man : notwithftanding 
 which, Guilt is not fuppofed to belong to 
 it, becaufe there wants the Defign, the De- 
 liberation, and the Refolution, knowingly 
 to do the Adion. All this fhews plainly 
 that it is in thefe that the Evil of Sin lies ; 
 and that by thefe, the Men who have but 
 few Opportunities of bringing their inward 
 Refolutions to outward Ads, may be made 
 equal in Guilt to thofe w^ho have many 
 more Opportunities of carrying their defign- 
 ed Wickcdnefs into adlion ; that isy if they 
 have an equal Number of the fame evil De- 
 figns within, and wicked deliberate Refolu- 
 tions. We may, indeed, fuppofe an accidental 
 Difference in this, that one Man's Heart may 
 relent and alter, when the Opportunity offers 
 
 itfelfs 
 
of Acceptance, 59 
 
 it fclf ; and another's may not. But of thisS e r m. 
 God alone can judge: and therefore, to ^^^* 
 Him alone it belongs to do it. Thefe are^^^'^^''^^ 
 all the feveral Orders^ and Degrees, of 
 wilful Sinners, which I can think of: and 
 to one or other of thefe, All that come 
 under that Name may be reduced. 
 
 I SHALL only obferve farther the Differ- 
 ence between thefe Three forts of wilful 
 Sinners, with refpeft to the Habit of fin- 
 ning. For though it be impoflible to de- 
 fine exadlly what Number of wilful Sins 
 ihall conftitute an habitual Sinner ; as it is 
 in any Cafe, what particular Number of 
 Adtions are necefiary to confl:itute an Ha^ 
 bit, or Cujlom : yet it is manifeft that the 
 firji fort of Sinners cannot be called habitu- 
 al Sinners, becaufe the main Tenour of their 
 Lives is governed by the Moral Rules of the 
 Gofpel \ and it is only in fome few particu- 
 lar Inftances of Temptation that they have 
 been overcome, and tranfported from the 
 general Bent and Biafs of their Lives, in the 
 Courfe of which they have triumphed over 
 many more of the fame fort of Trials, and 
 Difficulties. It is manifeft, in the next place, 
 
 that 
 
6o Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. that the two other forts of wilful Sinners 
 ^^^' may juftly be called habitual : becaufe even 
 
 ^^^'^ the better fort of them give themfelves up 
 to the Power of all confiderable Temptati- 
 ons J fuffering themfelves to be carried by 
 them into Sin ; and much more frequently 
 yielding to the Strength of the Trials they 
 meet with, than ufmgall the Force of their 
 Souls to refift and overcome them. But 
 with this remarkable Difference, that the 
 one of them do not defign or refolve upon 
 Sin before-hand ; or pleafe themfelves with 
 the Thought and Deliberation concerning 
 it : whereas the other fort have given up 
 themfelves to contrive their own Sins ; to 
 be their own Tempters, and to yield to their 
 own Temptations. 
 
 But though there be this very great 
 Difference between thefe T'hree forts of 
 wilful Sinners-, yet they agree in this, 
 that they have -all, ( the lowefl as well 
 as the highefl Degree of them,) done what 
 they ought not to have done ; that they may 
 all juflly fear a Punifhment from God, pro- 
 portionable to their feveral Eftates ; that 
 they all ftand in need of an Adl of Grace^ 
 and Favour, from the great Judge of the 
 
 World ; 
 
of Acceptance. 6 1 
 
 World ; of Therms of Cojidefcenfion^ below S e r m, 
 thofe of exaft and rigorous Juftice : in or- '^^^• 
 der to their Reconciliation with an offended ^•^'^'^^'''^ 
 God ; and to a well-grounded Peace, and 
 Satisfadtion within themfelves. 
 
 The T^ertm of which Reconciliation^ 
 and Favour, I laid down at the beginning of 
 this Difcourfe : and fhall diftindlly profecute 
 one after another, in my following Ser- 
 mons. 
 
 SERMON 
 
[ 6a ] 
 
 Concerning the Terms of Acceptance^ &c, 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 LUKE X. The latter part of the 25th 
 Verfe. 
 
 Mqftery What JJ:aIl I do to inho'-it eternal 
 Life? 
 
 H E Enquiry we are now upon^ 
 is this, What it is that the 
 Gofpel requires of Men, who 
 beUeve in Jefus Chrijl^ and 
 have been baptized into his 
 Religion, and acknowledge him for their 
 Mafter, in order to their Acquittance from 
 any Sins which they have at any Time been 
 vi^ilfully guilty of, during their Chriflian 
 Profellion j and to their final Juflification at 
 the Day of Judgment ; and to their Eternal 
 Happinefs after this. The Anfwer to this 
 Enquiry^ in my laft Dlfcourfe, 1 laid down 
 in four Particulars, And I obferved to 
 
 you 
 
of Acceptance. 63 
 
 you, that 2\\four might be comprized in this S e r m. 
 outgeneral Propofifion, viz. That it is re- In- 
 quired of Chrijiians who have been wilful ^-^^""^^ 
 Sinners, fincerely to endeavour for the fu- 
 ture to pradtife the whole Will of God, any 
 ways made known to them ; and that with- 
 out this Amendment, and iincere, univerfal 
 Obedience, the Gofpel gives them no 
 Ground for Hopes of Pardon and Accept- 
 ance, and Eternal Life : but that it would 
 be more ufeful to difcourfe upon this Sub- 
 jed:, under the fore-mentioned Particulars. 
 In order likewife to our knowing our own 
 Condition, and the need we all haveoffome 
 or other of thefe Terms^ offered to fuch as 
 have been wilful Sinners, I laid before you 
 an Account of the Nature of wilful Sin ; 
 what it is that makes a Man a wilful Sinner • 
 and what are the feveral Differences, and 
 Degrees, of fuch as are wilful Sinners, And 
 after having done this \ I now come diflindt- 
 ly to confider, in their Order, every one of 
 the four Propofitions, laid down in my lad 
 Difcourfe : and this, firfl, with refpedt to 
 their T^ruth 3 and fecondl)\ with regard to 
 their Fitnefs, and Reafonablenefs, Tht firji 
 Propofition is this, 
 
 I. It 
 
{jnrsj 
 
 64 Concerning the Terms 
 
 Serm. I. It is required, in the Gofpel-Dlfpenf- 
 ^^- aiion^ of every Chrijiian^ who hath been 
 in any fort, or any degree, a wilful Sinner^ 
 that He renounce, and forfake his Sins. 
 
 I. Th E Truth of this will plainly appear 
 from the following Proofs. In general, The 
 Grace of God^ i. e. his Mercy in the Gofpel 
 is declared by St. Paul^ Titus ii. 12, 13. to 
 have appeared unto all Men^ teaching them 
 to de?iy Ungodlinefs^ and worldly Lujls ; i. e. 
 to renounce and have no Communication 
 with them for the future. And at the 14. v. 
 Chrift is faid to have given hi mf elf for m 
 Chriftians, that he might firft redeem us from 
 all Iniquity ; in order to redeem us at laft from 
 the Punlfliment of it. // is a faithful Sayings 
 and worthy of all Acceptation^ that Chrijl 
 Jefus came into the World to fave Sinners^ 
 faith the fame Apoftle, i Tim. i. 15. But 
 then immediately mentioning himfelf, as an 
 Example and Inflance of this Truth, by the 
 Name of the Chief of Sift?iers^ on account 
 of his having bitterly perfecuted the Church 
 oi Chrift ; he plainly lets us know what fort 
 of Sinners they are to whom this Salvation is 
 given, viz. fuch as have left their Sins : as 
 He had entirely, and with the utmoft Ab- 
 horrence, 
 
of Acceptance. 65 
 
 horrence, that great one of perfecut-ng HisSe r m. 
 Fellow- Creatures on the account of their ^^' 
 differing from Him in their Religion, and ''"'^''"''^^'^ 
 Worfliip of God. 
 
 In Purfuance of this main Defign of 
 Chriftianity, all that name the 7iame ofChriJl 
 are commanded to depart from Iniquity^ 2 
 Tim. ii. 19. to have no Fellowj^ip with the 
 unfruitful Works of Darknefs, Eph. v. 1 1, 
 which cannot be avoided without forfaking 
 them 5 to abhor that which is evily Rom. 
 xii. 9. to abjlainfrom all appeara7Ke, or, as 
 the Words fignify, every fort of Evil, 
 I ThefT V. 22. to mortify their Members 
 which are upon Earthy under which Expref- 
 fion all Sin is contained, C^/. iii. 5. Particu- 
 larly, He that hath folen, is required to 
 Jleal no more. Eph. iv. 28. Agreeably to this, 
 the fame St, Paul^ defcribing the Acceptance 
 or Juftification, purchafed by Chrift, expref- 
 feth himfelf thus, Rom. viii. i. There is now 
 no Condemnation to them which are in Chrijl 
 Jefus, (i. e. which believe in him, and pro- 
 fefs his Religion) adding thefe Words, who 
 walk not after the Flefh. And v. iz. we^ 
 Chriftians, are Debtors^ not to the Flejh^ to 
 live after the Flefh : And v, 13, For if ye 
 
 F ^ livt 
 
66 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Vroe after the FleJJ?, ye JJjall die, i. e. etcr- 
 I^'- nally : but if ye, thro the Spirit, mortify 
 
 ^^^^' the Deeds of the Body, (which is a Scrip- 
 ture-Expreffion for renouncingand forfaking 
 ail Sin,) yc f^all live-, that is, enjoy the Fa- 
 vour of God eternally. In another place, 
 after having reckoned up the Promifcs of 
 God thro' Jefus Chrift, he infers, Having 
 therefore thefe Promifes, dearly beloved^ let us 
 clean fe our felvesfrom all Filthinefs of Fleffj 
 and Spirit, 2 Cor. vii. i. that is, let us, who 
 are Chriftians, if we hope to obtain the Pro- 
 mifes of God, cleanfe our felves from all Sin. 
 Timothy is commanded to turn away from^ 
 or difown, all fuch Chriftians as having the 
 Form of Godlinefs, deny the Power thereof 
 2 Tim. iii. 5. And left all this ftiould not be 
 funicient ; continual Warnings are given to 
 fuch as are profeffed Chriftians, of the Dan- 
 cer and Eternal Puniihment of Sin. They 
 are affured over and over again by St. Paul, 
 that it is for their Sins that the Wrath of God 
 ivillcome upon them. Col. iii. 6. He appeals 
 to Chriftians themfelves, 1 Cor, vi. 9. Know 
 ye not that the Unrighteous jhall not inherit 
 the Kingdom of God. Be not deceived, nei- 
 ther Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor other 
 Sinners, there counted up, f^all inherit the 
 I Kingdom 
 
of Acceptance. ty 
 
 Kingdom of God, Gal. v. 19, 20, 21, theSERM* 
 Works of the Flefli arc enumerated to Chrif" ^^'• 
 tians, that is, all the principal Sins, of the ^"^^^^ 
 which the Apojile tells them, as He faith He 
 had before, that they which do fuch things, 
 fiall not inherit the Kingdom of God : And 
 at V. 24. They that are truly Chrift'i^ i. e. 
 who will have any Benefit by him, are fuch 
 as have crucifed the Flefi with the Affe^i- 
 071S and Lnjis. Chap, vi. v. 7, 8, the Gala- 
 tians are called upon again ?2ot to be decei- 
 vedi and aflured that God is not mocked: but 
 that he that foweth to the Flejh^ i. e. who 
 doth the Works of the Flefli, fiall of the 
 Flefi reap Corruption, The Ephejian Chrijl- 
 tians are likewife called upon, not to he de- 
 ceived with vain fVords, Eph. v. 6. and 
 aflured that becaufe of thefe things^ i. e. the 
 Sins before counted up, the Wrath of God 
 cometh upon the Children of Difobedience ; 
 and that no fuch Sinners as are tliere men- 
 tioned, have any Inheritance in the Kingdom 
 of Chrift and of God ^ ver. 5. 
 
 All which, as it was the immediate In- 
 
 ftru£lion of God, to his Apofde -y fo was it 
 
 agreeable to the open Declarations oi Chrift ^ 
 
 when He was upon Earth. In his own Ac- 
 
 F 2 count 
 
68 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. count of his Proceedings at the great Day, 
 I^- He brings in fuch as profeffed themfelves his 
 
 ^■^''"^^'^ Difciples, and had many Gifts to boaft of; 
 to whom yet he declares He will then fay, 
 I hiow you nof^ depart from me^ ye Workers 
 of Iniquity, Matt. vii. 22. In the Parable of 
 the Tares growing up with the Wheat, (by 
 which muft be meant unfruitful Profeflbrs of 
 liis Gofpel) the Tares are ordered at laft to be 
 gathered for burning. Matt. xiii. 30. And 
 at the 4 1, and 42. Verfes, they which do 
 Iniquity are to he gathered out of his King- 
 dom (to which they profeffed themfelves to 
 belong 3) and to be caft into a Furnace of 
 Fire : there fiall be wailing and gnafdi^ig of 
 Teeth, The Angels are 10 fever the Wick- 
 ed from the Jufl, and to caf the Wicked in- 
 to the Furnace of Fire, v. 47. The Man in 
 the Parable, found without a Wedding Gar- 
 ment^ Matt. xxii. 13. and xhe unprofitable 
 Serva?2t, who had not improved the Talent 
 entrufted to him, that is, the Light, and 
 Strength afforded him in the Gofpel, Matt. 
 XXV. 30. are both ordered to be caft into 
 outer Darknefs^ there fj all be wailijig^ and 
 gnafing of Teeth. 
 
 I TH OU GHT 
 
of Acceptance. 69 
 
 I THOUGHT it fitting to make this Mat- S e r m. 
 tcr fo exceeding evident, that there might ^^' 
 remain no Doubt of it : and thefe Texts are ^^"'^'^^ 
 fo plain, that there can be no Thought of 
 miftaking their Meaning ; tho' they be not fo 
 jnany in Number as might eafily be alleged 
 from the fame Sacred Writings. And can 
 any Chriftians hear all this, and not argue 
 certainly from hence, that there is a Necef- 
 fity of forfaking their Sins, in order to any 
 Hopes of Pardon and Acceptance at laft ? For, 
 if it were the Defign of the Gofpel to teach, 
 and influence Men to deny all Vngodlinefs -, 
 if Chrijliam be commanded, upon Pain of 
 God's Eternal Difpleafure, to forfake all Sin ; 
 if it be declared, both by Chrijl and his A- 
 pojiles^ that all Workers of Iniquity (hall cer- 
 tainly be excluded the Kingdom of Heaven : 
 then it is moft evident, that unlefs they for- 
 fake their Sins, and are changed from being 
 Workers of Iniquity, they are not truly, and 
 fully, Chrijiians ; nor fhall ever be admitted 
 to the Favour of God, or the Rewards of 
 Heaven. 
 
 From hence therefore appears moft evi- 
 dently the Truth of they?r/? Propofition, viz. 
 That it is required, in the Gofpel-Difpenfa- 
 F 3 tion^ 
 
no ConccT^tincr the Terms 
 
 SERM^tion, oio^vtvy Chriftian, who hath been, in 
 
 ^^'* any fort, or any Degree, a wilful Sinner y 
 
 ^^-^^^^^ that Re renounce and forfake his Sins. Let 
 
 us now proceed to ihtjecond-, which will 
 
 ilill more confirnri the Truth of the Jirjl: viz- 
 
 II. It is required likewife of Him, that 
 
 He fmcerely, and with Perfeverance, prac- 
 
 tife Flollnefs, and Virtue. 
 
 T H I s is ahuoft always, in the New 'Tejia^ 
 ment^ joined to the forfaking of Sin. The 
 Grace of God is declared to have appearedy 
 jn the Gofpel-Difpenfation, teaching Men, 
 not only to deny Vngodlinefs and wordly 
 Lufts, but alfo to live foberly^ right eoujly^ 
 6ind godly i?i this IVorld, Tit. ii. 12, 13. And 
 at the 14^^ V. Chrift is faid to have given 
 himfclf for us, not only to redeem us from 
 all Iniquity, but to purify to himjelf a pe- 
 People zealous of goed Works. Agree- 
 
 Lihli 
 
 ar 
 
 ably to this, Chriftians are commanded not 
 only to abhor that which is coil, but alfo to 
 cleave to that which is good, Rom. xii. 9. 
 not only to clcanfe themfelves from all 
 Vilthinef f Flefi and Spirit^ but alfo to 
 per feci JloUneJs in the Fear of God, 2 Cor. 
 vii. I. They arc told, that there is but one 
 way of running in the Chriftian Race, fo as 
 
 to 
 
of Acceptance. 7 1 
 
 to obtain the Prize, i Cor. x. 24 ; that no- S e R m. 
 thing avails in Chrijl J ejus, that is, in the ^J^^ 
 Chriftian Difpenfation, but a New Creature, 
 or an Alteration of every thing that is bad, 
 GaL vi. 15 ; or, in other Words, that no- 
 thing avails, but Faith which worketh by 
 Love, ch. v. 6. They are allured that Faith^ 
 or their believing in Chrift Jefus, is made 
 perfeB by good JVorks ; and is dead without 
 them, and of no account before God. Jam, 
 ii. 26 ; that whofoever fjall ket'p all other 
 parts ofG^^/'sLaw, and willfully and habitu- 
 ally offend in oneFoint, is guilty of all, v. 
 10 ; that without Flolinefs 710 Man fb all fee 
 the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. And indeed a great 
 part of St. FauV% Epiftles is generally fpent 
 in inculcating the Moral Precepts of Reli- 
 gion. It is for them only, who, by pat ie fit 
 continuance in well-doing, feek for Glory 
 and Immortality, x.\\2ii Eternal Life is refer- 
 ved. Rom. ii. 7. Nay, it is declared to be fo 
 far from being an Advantage to a wicked 
 Man, that he profeffeth Chrifianity, that it 
 had been better for fuch an one iiot to have 
 known the way of Righteoufnefs, 2 Pet. ii. 
 21. As our Lord himfelf faith, I'he Servant 
 who knew his Mafers JVill^ and did it not^ 
 F 4 Jl,iiU 
 
72 Conceri^ing the Terms 
 
 S E R M.Jl:}all be beaten with majiy Stripes. Luke 
 ^^' xii. 47. 
 
 I M I G H T multiply plain, unexception- 
 able Pafiages, without Number, declaring 
 that the Rewards of God belong only to 
 Righteoiijnefi ; that Chriftians are called to 
 Holinefi ; that unlefs theyy^w to tloe Spirit^ 
 and brmg forth the Fruits of the Spirit^ they 
 muft not expe(fl Life everlafiijig ; that, ac- 
 cording to what they have done in this Life, 
 fo fliall be their Doom : and the like. But 
 they would all, as indeed they are, be only 
 Repetitions, and Enforcements of that moft 
 plain and exprefs Declaration of our Lord 
 himfeif, who beft knew the Terms of that 
 Acceptafice, which He himfeif purchafed ; 
 viz. Matt. vii. 2 1. Not every one that faith 
 unto me^ Lord^ Lord^ fball enter into the 
 Kingdom of Heaven j but he that doth the 
 Will of my Father which is in Heaven : 
 which utterly precludes all profeffed Chrifti- 
 ans from any Benefit from their Religion, 
 unlefs they confcientioufly pradife that good, 
 and perfed Will of God, which they know 
 to contain their Duty. 
 
 And this being the declared Nature and 
 Defiea of the Gofpel ; this beine thus evi- 
 
 dently 
 
of Acceptance. j ^ 
 
 dently required of Chriftians, as neceffary to S e r m. 
 Salvation, in naany plain PalTages, uncapa- ^^'^• 
 b!e of any other Senfe : no Chriftian can ^-'''"V^ 
 think any thing of Force enough to induce 
 him to doubt of the 'Truth of what I have 
 now laid down in the Twofirjl Propofitions^ 
 viz. that it is abfolutely neceffary for any 
 Chriftian, who hath been in any refped: a 
 wilful Sinner, in order to his Acceptance, 
 and Eternal Happinefs, to forfake his Sins ; 
 and with Perfeverance to pradlife all Virtue 
 and Holinefs, whilft He hath Opportunity 
 allowed him : and that unlefs He do this fo 
 as to make it his own voluntary Ad: and 
 Deed, (which muft be before a Death-bed 
 makes it impoffible -,) and fo, as to be defer- 
 vedly denominated, holy^ righteous^ fpiri^ 
 tual, and the like \ He cannot have a Title 
 to thofe Rewards, which in the Gofpel are 
 promifed to none but fuch as are trulv fo. 
 
 And thus having eftablifhed the Truth 
 of thefe Two firjl Propofitions, upon fuch 
 plain Texts as cannot be fliaken by any thing 
 dubious, or obfcure ; I proceed 
 
 2. Secondly, to coniider, as I propo-^ 
 fed, thofe Marks of Juftlce, Reafon, and 
 Wifdom, which we our fclves may fee to be- 
 
 long 
 
U-VNJ 
 
 y^ Co7tcerning the Term^ 
 
 S E R M. long to thefe Two 'Terms of the Covenant 
 ^^^ of Grace, thus explained. 
 
 And here I think I may affirm, That, 
 fuppofing the Nature of Almighty God to 
 be fuch as it is ; at an infinite Diftance from 
 all Sin and Iniquity, as well as kindly and 
 tenderly difpofed towards his rational Crea- 
 tures 3 we cannot imagine any poffible Con- 
 ditions of the Acceptance of Sinners xo his 
 Favour, fo free from all Exception, as thofe 
 now laid down in the Two foregoing Pro- 
 pofitions. For if God will at all accept Sin- 
 ners to Mercy for the Sake of yefus Chrifi ; 
 it muft befuppofed, either, i. That He will 
 accept them, for his Sake, let their inward 
 Sentiments, and their outward Behaviour, 
 continue what they pleafe ; that is, that He 
 requires nothing at all on their part towards 
 it : Or, 2. That He will, for the Sake oije- 
 fus Chrijl, accept them, without any Alter- 
 ation in their outward Condud: and Behavi- 
 our ', provided they do but conceive and ex- 
 prefs a great Sorrow and Concern that they 
 have tranfgreiTed his Lav/s : Or, 3 . That He 
 will, for the fake of Chrift, once pardon to 
 them all their former Tranfgreflions ; or that 
 'be will forgive fuch a pariicular Number of 
 
 Tranfgrefhons ; 
 
of Acceptance. 75 
 
 Tranfgreffions ; after which the Sinner Ser^m. 
 fhould have no Hope of Pardon, if He aiould ^^^^ 
 relapfe into the Commiffion of any wilful 
 Sin : or elfe, 4. and laftly, That, for the 
 fake of Jefus Chrijl, the Smter fhall be par- 
 doned who doth, at any time, fo forfake his 
 Sins, as to bring forth, in the whole Courfe 
 and Tenour of his Life, the contrary Virtues, 
 and do the whole Will of God. Thefe are 
 all the Suppojitions that, I believe, can be 
 thought of, concerning the Terms of Accep- 
 tance of any who have been wilful Sinnen^ 
 
 Now, 
 
 I. L E T us examine the firft Suppofitton, 
 which puts the Cafe, as if it were declared 
 that Sinners fl:LOuld be accepted, for the fake 
 of Chrijl, whether they regarded his Laws, 
 or not ; whether they altered their Notions, 
 and Behaviour, or not. And what can we 
 imagine a greater Repugnancy to all thofe 
 Conceptions we have of the holy Nature of 
 God, and of the great Law of Reafon, and 
 uncorrupted Nature ? For what plainer De- 
 claration could Almighty God make, to lead 
 Men to think that there was no Difference 
 between M?r^/ Good 2ind Moral Evil -, that 
 Firtue was of no account in his Eyes ; and 
 
 that 
 
76 Concerni?tg the Terms 
 
 S E R M. that the Diflindlion between that and Vice^ 
 ^^ • was not worthy to be regarded by rational 
 Creatures ? This would be to make this 
 World an Hell of Wickednefs and Mifery j 
 and Heaven, at laft, the Attendant upon Vice^ 
 which would by this means prevail over the 
 Face of the Earth, and not upon Virtue^ 
 which would by this means ceafe from 
 amongft the Children of Men. This is to 
 fuppofe Almighty God defcending in Offers 
 of Mercy, in order to encourage Men, in- 
 deed, to continue in Sin \ and caufing his 
 Son to be bora into the World, I will not 
 fay, to no Furpofe, but to the worft of all 
 Purpofes, that is, to the utter Confulion, 
 and Difgrace of the Caufe of Virtue. It is 
 to fuppofe, either that He hath given no Mo- 
 ral Laws to be obferved, which we know to 
 be falfe ; or that He hath left it indifferent 
 whether Men will obferve them, or no , nay, 
 that He hath fent his Son to affure Men that 
 this is an indifferent Matter ; which is high- 
 ly abfurd. It is to fuppofe fuch an extraordi- 
 nary Perfon coming into the World in fo ex- 
 traordinary a manner, for nothing but to 
 fpeak Comfort to the worft part of Mankind, 
 even whilil they continue the worfl: 5 and 
 
of Acceptance, yj 
 
 not to leave them the leaft effeftual Motive S e r m. 
 to engage them to make themfelves better : ^^• 
 which is the higheft Affront v^e can offer to ^^^^^^^^ 
 Almighty God ; who cannot be fuppofed, 
 without the greateft Indignity, to vifit his 
 Creatures after fo extraordinary a manner^ 
 in order to carry on a Defign oppofite to his 
 own Nature. In fine, it is to fuppofe the 
 Caufe of Virtue left entirely unguarded -, and 
 the main Encouragements of the Gofpel to 
 lie on the fide of Vice : which having the 
 Inclinations and Cufl:oms of mofi: Men on its 
 fide, wants nothing but fuch a collateral Af- 
 fiftance as this, to enable it to overwhelm 
 the World with an irrcfiftible Torrent. 
 
 I F any ask, Who are they that ever could 
 think thus of the Terms of Acceptance with 
 God ? I mayanfwer, All fuch as, (tho*they 
 do not fay it, and fpeak it aloud, in fo many 
 Words, yet,) think and fpeak, in fuch a 
 manner, of the Merits of Chriji'^ Sufferings, 
 and the Imputation of hisperfonal Holinefs 
 to Believers, as to make his Moral Laws of 
 none cffed:, and to render all Virtue in Chrif- 
 tians^ a poor infignificant, unneceffary Mat- 
 ter ', unlefs it be the great Virtue of applying 
 the Merits of Chrifl to our felves : a Virtue, 
 X which 
 
IV 
 
 yS Co77cer?iing the Terms 
 
 S E^R^M. which They who have mofl Spirits, are the 
 moft frequently obferved to be Matters of: 
 and which hath been too often feen to be 
 founded upon the greateft degree of Confi- 
 dence, and the greateft degree of Guilt, mix d 
 and tempered together by a ftrong Fancy, and 
 Imagination. And would not this be the 
 greateft Reflexion upon Almighty God, to 
 imagine that He fliould propofe the Kifigdom 
 of Heaven to fifffer fuch Violence ; not to 
 be taken by the Force of an holy and exemp- 
 lary Life, but by the Force of a groundlefs 
 AiTurance, and a confident Application of 
 his Promifes ? 
 
 2. I F this be not a tolerable Suppofition, 
 let us examine the next Suppofition I fpake 
 of, concerning the Terms of Acceptance ; 
 viz. That all manner of paft Sins (liall be 
 v^holly pardoned for the fake of Jefus Chrift, 
 provided that the Sinner do fometimes, and 
 efpecially in his laft Moments, conceive and 
 exprefs a very great Sorrow, and deep Con- 
 cern for them. And here, let any one of 
 the meaneft Capacity judge, whether this be 
 a tolerable Suppofition concerning Almigh- 
 ty God, that He requires our Grief, or our 
 Sorrow, for the fake of it felf, whilft no- 
 thing 
 
of Acceptance. 79 
 
 thing good refults from it : which is an Ab- S e r m. 
 furdity plainly implied in this Imagination. }1l. 
 For all Sorrow is, for the prefent, Mifery 
 and Uneafinefs, in its own Nature : and Al- 
 mighty God cannot, in a State of Trial, be 
 fuppofed to require, or exped, the leaft Un- 
 eafinefs in his Creatures, confidered as Un- 
 eafinefs J but merely with refpedt to their 
 better State, and greater Happinefs for the 
 Time to come. Nor doth He ever require 
 our Sorrow, but as the beginning of Amend- 
 ment, and the firfl Step to Reformation. 
 But of this I fhall have occafion to fpeak 
 more largely, under the Second Branch of 
 my prefent Defign : when I come to exa- 
 mine more at length the falfe Hopes, and 
 dangerous Mifi:akes of Men, in this Ajftair./ 
 I fhall only therefore at prefent obferve far- 
 ther, that the Suppofition we are now confi- 
 dering, is encompafiTed with the fame infu- 
 perable Abfurdities, under which the former 
 laboured : viz. That Chrift Jefiis defcended 
 from Heaven to teach Men to grieve, and 
 filed Tears ; that He hath left Virtue unac- 
 companied with Encouragements, and hath 
 beftow^ed his Favours upon that which is not 
 fa much as the Shadow of Virtue ; upon a 
 
 Piaftice 
 
8o Concerning the Terms 
 
 Se R M.Praftice depending more upon a peculiar 
 ^^' Temper and Conftitution of Body, than up- 
 
 ^^^"^^^'^^on any thing truly good and virtuous in the 
 Mind. It is to fuppofe jilmighfy God to 
 accept, inftead of Service, what no Father, 
 no Mafler upon Earth, would accept ; and, 
 in one Word, it is to fuppofe God himfelf 
 to invalidate and render vain, every Precept 
 of Virtue, and every Moral Law, from one 
 End of the New 'Tejlament to the other : 
 which who can believe, unlefs one that can 
 believe any thing of the Judge of the whole 
 Earth ? Let us therefore, 
 
 3 . Examine the T^kti^d Suppofitioft, 
 viz. That Almighty God declares He is wil- 
 ling to pardon a Sinner juft to fuch a par- 
 ticular Term of Life, or fuch a particular 
 Number of Sins : but that if, after that, He 
 fhall fm wilfully ; He fliall be abfolutely un- 
 pardonable. This looks like a very great 
 Difcouiagement to Sin : but yet at the End 
 inevitably leads to it. For what would be 
 the liTue, fuppofe any one, after his final 
 Pardon, (liould through the Violence of a 
 Temptation, beenfnared into a wilful Sin ? 
 What v/ould He think within himfelf, when 
 He was once fure that He was in a defperate 
 
 Condition ' 
 
of Accept a?2ce, 8 1 
 
 Condition ? Would He not certainly find a S e r m. 
 fort of a prefcnt Refuge, in being more re- ^* 
 folute than ever in his wicked Courfes, fince '"-^^^^^^ 
 He could hope for no Good in breaking 
 them off ? Confidering, therefore, the pre- 
 fent Frailty and Weaknefs of Man, this 
 would be a vaft Difadvantage, in the End, 
 to the Caufe of Holinefs and Virtue. For 
 the promifing Pardon to fuch a particular 
 Number of Tranfgrefiions, or to a Courfc 
 of Sin of fuch a particular Duration, v/ould 
 almofl fatally influence Men, who were not 
 of a fort of Angelical Nature, to venture io 
 far in fome Inftance or other, without Fear, 
 or Sufpicion of Danger : and all that Time 
 the Caufe of Vice would be wholly unre- 
 ftrained. And then their own Weaknefs, 
 and the Strengthof their evil Habits, would, 
 without all doubt, in fome Cafe or other, 
 carry them fo much farther, as that they 
 muft come to an hopelefs State : and that 
 State of Defpair of future Mercy muft make 
 them violent and refolved in their Wicked- 
 nefs. Thus wc fee that even this Suppofi- 
 tion, which feerns to take moft Care of the 
 Caufe of Virtue, leaves it, not only in a na- 
 
 G ked> 
 
82 ' Concernino; the Terms 
 
 S E R M. ked, and unguarded, but in a very defperate 
 ^' Condition. 
 
 Nay, let us fuppofe that it was declared 
 only in general, that there was a certain 
 Number of Sins, or a certain Period of Time, 
 beyond which God would not pardon ; and 
 not any particular Number, or Time, fpe- 
 ciiied to the World : yet ftill moft Men, it 
 is too juftly to be feared? would firft be led 
 by Hope to commit many Sins with a flat- 
 tering Ferfuafion that they fhould not come 
 up loihditNumber, or arrive at that Period -y 
 and then, w^hen the Habit was become flrong, 
 would be fixed by Defpair in this Opinion, 
 that being probably got paft that Number, 
 and Period, they had e'en as good continue 
 in their Sins, as their Inclination powerfully 
 direds them. 
 
 Thus it appears that we our felves can 
 difcover great and confiderable Inconveni- 
 encies in any other Propofal of Terms of 
 Reconciliation between God, and Sinners, 
 except that which I mentioned in the laft 
 place, and have before proved to be the 
 "Truth of the Matter ; viz, 
 
 4. That, for the fake of Jefus Chrift^ 
 the Sinner lliall be pardoned, who doth, at 
 
 3 a^y 
 
of Acceptance. 83 
 
 any time, fo forfake his Sins, as to bring S e r m. 
 forth, in the Courfe and Tenour of his Life, ^'^• 
 the contrary Virtues, and fincerely perform ^^'""^^'^ 
 the whole Will of God. In which Propofal, 
 you may fee, that when it is faid that all wiU 
 fill Sinners^ amending their Lives, fhall be 
 accepted, there is all the Encouragement pof- 
 fible given to the Pradice of Virtue, without 
 making its Caufe defperate, even to thofe 
 who have very much neglefted it for the 
 Time paft : and that when it is faid that no 
 wilful Sinners, without fuch aftual Amend- 
 ment of their Ways, fhall be accepted, there 
 is all the Difcouragement given to Vice that 
 can be, without throwing the Sinner into 
 fuch a defperate Condition, as to tempt him 
 to have recourfe to his very Sins for Comfort. 
 I AM not unfeniible that there is this In- 
 convenience attending the Promulgation of 
 Pardon and Favour, even upon thefe Terms ; 
 njiz. That Men of evil Difpofitions, and 
 ftrong Propenfions to Sin, but yet not void 
 of all regard to future Happinefs, are led 
 from hence to the bafeft Return to fo nuich 
 Mercy; to imagine? becaufe all wilful Sin- 
 ners are pardonable upon thefe Conditions, 
 that therefore all is well, if one time or other 
 
 G 2 they 
 
KjTsrsj 
 
 84 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. they take care to come up to them: and (o^ 
 ^^^ with the Poffibility of this, they rather en- 
 courage themfelves to go on for the prefent 
 in the Commiflion of Sin, than immediate- 
 ly to forfake it. We find that there were 
 fome fuch ungrateful Perfons, in the very 
 firft Ages of the Gofpel^ who bafely encou- 
 raged themfelves to continue in their Sins, 
 as if it would magnify the Honour of God's 
 Favour, to have more to pardon than they 
 had already committed. St.P^^/Zfpeakswith 
 the utmoft Abhorrence of this way of argu- 
 ing, Rom. vi. I. What pall we fay then ? 
 Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may a^ 
 bound'? That is, in order to give the Mercy 
 of God an Opportunity of fhewing it felf 
 yet more ? God forbid I God forbid, indeed, 
 that any fhould be of fo unworthy a Temper, 
 as wilfully before-hand to encourage them- 
 felves to affront their Maker, becaufe He 
 hath been fo merciful, beyond their Defer- 
 vings, as to declare that He will accept them 
 whenever they truly turn to him. 
 
 1 MENTION not this, in order to argue 
 at this time with fuch Perfons as thefe, who 
 feem to be in the very next Degree to defpe- 
 rate and unpardonable ; ( which one would 
 
 think 
 
of Acceptance, 85 
 
 think fufficient to allarm any Men in their S £ r m. 
 Senfes; ) but in order to obviate an Objecfti- ^^* 
 on which may arife from the feeming Impru- '-^"^''^^^ 
 dence of openly propofing Favour upon fuch 
 Conditions, 'viz. That wicked Men may be 
 led to abufe them to other Purpofes, and to 
 their own Deftru6lion : In order, I fay, to 
 obviate fuch an Objedlion by obferving that 
 nothing of this Nature can be framed, but 
 what they may fo abufe j that it is fit and 
 reafonable that, in fo great a Matter, fome- 
 thing ihould be left to the Application of 
 Men themfelves, and to the Sincerity of their 
 own Minds ; and therefore that this rather 
 fhews the Wifdom of the Difpenfation than 
 deftroys it ; that if our Gofpel be inefFe(5lual 
 on this Account, it is fo only to thofe 'who 
 are lofty that is, to Men loft to all Senfe of 
 Virtue, or common Gratitude; lojl to all 
 that is good and tolerable, and totally given 
 up to worldly or beftial Enjoyments ; and 
 that M'en of fuch Tempers deferve to fall 
 into fuch a Snare, and appear refolved upon 
 Sin, whatever Ter?ns of Acceptance could 
 have been offered them, Notwithftanding 
 therefore, that this Inconvenience may at- 
 tend this peculiar Method of Acceptance : 
 
 G 3 yet 
 
86 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M . yet fince it is excellently fitted for the Hap- 
 I^ • pinefs of all who are truly honeft and fincerc ; 
 fi ace it hath been fhewn that much greater 
 Inconveniencies muft attend all others that 
 can well be ihought of; and it is plain that 
 this arileth from an invincible Perverfity of 
 JVLnd ; this is fufficient to juftify the excel- 
 lent Contrivance of this Method, above all 
 others. For infinite Wifdom itfelf can do 
 no more than chufe that particular Method 
 which is the beft of all that are poffible ; 
 and hath the fewsiT: real Inconveniencies at- 
 tending it; and is moft agreeable to the Na- 
 ture of God, the Condition of Man, and 
 the E?id propofed in it. 
 
 I SHALL only add that, from what hath 
 been faid, we may learn to adore the Good- 
 nefs of God in condefcending to grant any 
 Terms to wilful Sinners-^ and to admire his 
 Wifdom, in doing this after fuch a manner 
 as at once to fhew the ftrideft Regard to Vir^ 
 tue ; and the tenderefl Compaffion to his 
 Creatures that have erred from the Paths of 
 it. And God grant that we may be of the 
 Number of thofe happy Chriftians, who em- 
 brace thefe Terms, and, upon them only, feek 
 for Happinefs and Eternal Life ! Amen ! 
 
 S E R- 
 
[ 87 ] 
 
 Concerning the Terms of Acceptance^ &c. 
 
 SERMON V 
 
 LUKE X. The latter part of the 25th 
 Verfe. 
 
 Majlery What fiall I do to inherit eternal 
 Life ? 
 
 N anfwer to the Enquiry which s £ r m. 
 I propofed from thefe Words, V. 
 viz. What it is that is required U'"VN^ 
 in the Gofpel, of a Chrifiiany 
 who hath been in any fort, or degree, a 
 wilful Sinner, in order to his Acquittance, 
 and Eternal Happinefs, thro* Jefus Chrift ; 
 I laid down the/^//r following Propofitions. 
 
 I. It is required of fuch an one, that He 
 renounce and forfake his Sins. 
 
 II. It is required that He fincerely, and 
 with Perfeverance, pradlife Holinefs, and 
 
 Virtue. 
 
 G 4 
 
 III. I N 
 
8 8 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. ni. In order to his Acceptance, it is re- 
 ^V,^^ quired not only that he forfake his own Sins, 
 and amend his Life in other Inllances ; but 
 likewife that He entirely forgive the Offen- 
 fes and Trefpaffcs of others againft himfelf. 
 And, 
 
 IV. In the Cafe of Injujlice, it is not 
 fufficient that the Sinner leaves off Injuftice 
 for the future, fo far as to do Wrong to no 
 more Perfons than thofe He hath already in- 
 jured : but He muft alfo, as ever he hopes 
 for Mercy and Acceptance with God, make 
 Rcftitution of what He hath at any time 
 wronged any one of; and all poffible Repa- 
 ration for the Injuries which he hath here- 
 tofore been guilty of. 
 
 The Twojirjl of thefe I confidered in 
 my laft Difcourfe, firji, lliewing the "Truth 
 of them from plain, unexceptionable TVjv^i 
 of the New Tefiament^ uncapable of any 
 other Meaning ; 2.v\A feco7jdIy, the Reafon- 
 ablenefs, and Fitnefs of the Terms of Salva- 
 tion laid down in them, confidering the Na- 
 ture of God and Man, above any other, 
 w^hich we could pofiibly fuppofe. I come 
 nov/ to confider the Third Propofition laid 
 down, viz, 
 
 III. That 
 
of Acceptance. 89 
 
 III. That it is required of a ChriJiian^SE r m. 
 who hath been a wilful Sin?2er, not only to ^ ' 
 forfake his own Sins, and amend his Life;^^^^ 
 buc hkewile entirely to forgive the OjfFen- 
 fes, and Trefpafles of others, againft him- 
 felf. 
 
 This Condition of Acceptance^ as I 
 hinted to you once before, might juftly have 
 been reduced to the Two foregoing Propo^ 
 Jit ions : becaufe, Forgivenefs being a part of 
 Evangelical Duty, and Implacability and Re- 
 venge finfui and criminal in their own Na- 
 tures, it is impoffible that a Man fliould for- 
 fake his Sins, which, according to the firji 
 Propofition^ is abfolutely required, without 
 forfaking his Refolutions, and Difpofition 
 to Revenge, and Retaliation ; or that He 
 fliould pradife all Holinefs and Virtue, ac- 
 cording to the Second Propojition^ without 
 pradtifing Forgivenefs, and demonftrating 
 himfelf to be of a yielding and placable Tem- 
 per. But fince the Evidence of this Virtue 
 hath been fo much over-clouded by the Paf- 
 fions of Men -, nay, fince it hath pafled, in 
 many Cafes, almoft for a Vice > fince our 
 Lord, and his Apoftles, added to their gene-^ 
 ral Exhortations concerning Repentance, 
 
 and 
 
go Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. and Amendment, themoft particular Injunc- 
 ^* tions about this Point ; fince, even under tlie 
 
 ^^^^ Light of the Gofpel there are too many, who 
 will hardly be perfuaded to put their high 
 Refentments, and Purpofes of Retaliation, 
 amongfl: their Vices, which they are obliged, 
 upon Pain of Damnation, to relinquiih, and 
 forfake ; and lajily\ fince there is fo much 
 faid in the Gofpel oi xh^ peculiar Neceffity 
 of this forgiving Temper towards our own 
 Forgivenefs, and of its peculiar Efficacy to- 
 wards our Juftilication, it very defervedly 
 claims a particular Place in our Confidera- 
 tion, when we are enquiring after the Terms 
 of our Eternal Happinefs : as will appear, I 
 do not doubt, from what I have to offer 
 concerning it. And for your Satisfadlion in 
 this Inftance, I propofe, 
 
 1. To fhew you, from the plaineft Paf- 
 fages of the New T^ejiament^ that this For- 
 givenefs of others is indifpenfably required 
 at our Hands, in order to our own Forgive- 
 nefs. 
 
 2. T o prevent Miflakes, I defign to fhew 
 you the true Meaning of what is declared in 
 ^ny of thefe Texts concerning the peculiar 
 
 Efficacy 
 
of Acceptance. 9 1 
 
 Efficacy of this Virtue upon Almighty God S e r m* 
 towards our Acceptance with him. And, J!^ki 
 
 3. I s H AL L Ihew you the great Reafon- 
 ablenefs, and Fitnefs, of God's requiring this 
 of us ; and of our pradifing it, in its utmoft 
 Extent, and Comprehenfion. 
 
 I. I s A Y, I defign to prove the Truth of 
 the Propofition laid down 5 and to fhew you 
 that the Forgivenefs of the OfFenfes and Tref- 
 paffes of others againft our felves is indifpen- 
 fably required at our Hands, in order to our 
 own Forgivenefs, and Juftification. 
 
 The firft Proof we meet with of this, is 
 in the Sixth Chapter of St. Matthew^ pare 
 of that Divine Difcourfe upon the Mount, in 
 which our Lord defigned to let his Difciples 
 into the Knowledge of the Nature of his 
 Bleffings, and of his Dodlrlne. At the 7th 
 Verfe we find him teaching them amoft com- 
 prehenfive Form of Prayer : one Petition of 
 which, V, 1 2. is this, Forgive us our Debts^ 
 as we forgive our Debtors, The DebtSy by 
 which we have become obnoxious to Al- 
 mighty God, are our Sins, and OfFenfes a- 
 gainft his Law. Accordingly, in St. Luke^ 
 this Petition is expreffed thus, ch, xi. v. 4. 
 Forgive jus our Sins : for we alfo forgive ^- 
 
 very 
 
92 Co7'icernt7ig the Terms 
 
 S E R M. 'very one that is indebted to us. This is the 
 V. greateft Proof our blelTed Lord could have 
 
 ^-^'''V^^ given of the Importance, and Necefficy, of 
 this forgiving Temper in us ; that He hath 
 put it into this very fliort Form, in which 
 He could not exprefs all Things particularly; 
 and commanded his Difciples to ask Forgive- 
 nefs of God on no other Terms, but their 
 forgiving the OiFenfes of others againfl: them- 
 felves. Forgive us, as we forgive others ; 
 /. e, as far as we do the fame to our Fel- 
 low-Creatures ; and no farther ; or, ajs it is 
 in St. Luke, Forgive us, for we forgive all 
 others : as if we ought not to approach God, 
 and could not, upon the Gofpel-Covenant, 
 apply to Him for Forgivenefs, unlefs at the 
 fame time we could appeal to our own 
 Hearts, and declare that we were entirely dif- 
 pofed to forgive all others. 
 
 But becaufe this was, to the corrupted 
 State of Mankind, a new Dodtrine, tho* e- 
 ternally reafonablc, and good ; our Lord, 
 for the farther Declaration and Explication 
 of his Mind, Matth, vi. 14, 15. immediate- 
 ly adds the following Words, For if ye for- 
 give Men their T^refpafes (that is the mean- 
 ing oiDsbts, ver. iz.) your Heavenly Father 
 
 wll 
 
of Acceptance. 93 
 
 "Will alfo forgive you. But if ye forgive not S e r m. 
 Men their ^refpafes ; neither will your Fa- ^' 
 ther forgive your Trefpaffes. As if He had ^^^"^^"^ 
 faid, Be not furprized that 1 put fuch a Peti- 
 tion into the Prayer^ which I have recom- 
 mended to you y fo feemingly new, upon the 
 Principles commonly received in the World: 
 for r tell you that this is one main part of my 
 Doftrine, and one great Condition of that 
 Forgivenefs, which I am to preach, and 
 which Sinners arc feeking after, that ye for- 
 give one another ; and that without it God 
 will never forgive you. Agreeably to this, 
 Markxi, 2^,26, He tells his Difciples plainly, 
 that this Forgivenefs isfo neceifary and requi- 
 fite, that they had as good not pray to God 
 for Forgivenefs at all, as to pray to him with- 
 out this forgiving Difpofition. And when ye 
 fi and prayings (or, when ye are praying to 
 God) forgive if ye have ought againji any : 
 that your Father which is in Heaven may 
 forgive you your Trefpajfes, But if ye do not 
 forgive^ neither will your Father which is 
 in Heaven forgive your T['refpa[fes, It is in 
 vain for you to expeft ; it is impudent for 
 you to ask, of God, Forgivenefs on your own 
 
 Behalf J 
 
 3 
 
94- Concerning the Ter?ns 
 
 S E R M. Behalf ; if you refufe to entertain this for- 
 ^* giving Temper with refped: to others. 
 
 ^^^^ The fame thing, thus plainly expreffed, 
 is very fignificantly fet forth, Matth, xviii. 
 23. in the Parable of a Serva?it, or Slave ^ 
 who owed his Mafter Ten ThoufandT'alentSy 
 which his Mailer, upon his earneft Requeft, 
 forgave him. But He^ little moved with 
 the Compaffion oi his Mafler, went and 
 found one of his Fellow-Servants, who owed 
 him an hundred Fence : whom, notwith- 
 ftanding all his Entreaties, He call: into Pri- 
 fon, and reduced to extreme Mifery, on this 
 Account. But when his Lord heard it. He did 
 not reckon that it was fit to let his former 
 Forgivenefs ftand good : but gave him up to 
 Mifery, and Punifhment, till He could fa- 
 tisfy for his old Debt. Of which, for fear 
 Chriftians fhould not willingly make the Ap- 
 plication themfelves, our Lord doth it in 
 plain Words, ver. 3 5. So likewife jhall my 
 Heave?ily Father do alfo unto you^ if ye^ 
 from your Hearts^ forgive not^ every one 
 his Brother their Trefpaffes : that is, He fhall 
 rigoroufly exadtof us a due Satisfaftion, and 
 Punifliment for every Sin wc have been guil- 
 ty of towards him ^ if we be fo rigorous as 
 
 to 
 
of Acceptance. 95 
 
 to take Vengeance of our Fellow-Creatures S e r m, 
 for the Oftenfes they have been guilty of to- ^• 
 wards our felves. This Parable^ concerning ^-^^'Vn/ 
 an unconfined Forgivenefs, was fpoken, up- 
 on occafion of St. Peter '^ Queflion to our 
 Lord, v. 21. He had naturally a great deal 
 of Warmth in his Temper, and an abun- 
 dance of Heat and Paffion, before the Chri- 
 ftian Spirit had quelled, and tamed it. This 
 Temper made him willing to hope that, if 
 any Forgivenefs was neceifary, yet perhaps 
 not a Forgivenefs unlimited, and unreftrain- 
 ed ; but only a Forgivenefs of fo many par- 
 ticular Affronts, or Injuries, after which Re- 
 venge, (for the Sweetnefs of which fome Men 
 would even be content with receiving Inju- 
 ries) might again become lawful. The}! came 
 Peter to htm^ andfaidy L^rd^ how oft JJjall 
 my Brother Jin againjl me, and I forgive 
 him? Till f even Times? He was willing, 
 you fee, to allow what we efteem a good 
 Number of Affronts, provided there might 
 be any Hope left of coming afterwards to 
 Revenge again. But Jefus faith unto him, v. 
 22. I fay mt^ unto thee^ until f even times^ 
 hut until feventy times feven : which An- 
 fwer, according to the ufual way of fpeaking. 
 
g6 Coiiceniing the Terms 
 
 S E R M. (/. e. putting a definite large Number for an 
 ^' indefinite one) manifeftly was defigned to 
 teach him, and, in him, all Men of the like 
 natural Heat and Fire, that his Doctrine was 
 not defigned to fix any Bounds to Forgive- 
 nefs ; but that, as we muft have Forgivenefs 
 at the Hands of God, not for Seven Offenfes^ 
 but for Seventy times Seven '^ not for any 
 particular Number of our Sins, but for all, 
 without Exception, before we can be hap- 
 py ; fo, we muft forgive our Fellow-Crea- 
 tures, not Seven times only, but Seventy 
 times Seven, if there be occafion ; even all, 
 and every of their Offenfes againft us. 
 
 The lame thing, in the 17th Chapter of 
 St. Luke, V. 4. is exprefl^ed by our Brother's 
 finning againft us Seven ti?nes in 07ie Day j 
 where that Number is put for an indefinite 
 Number, becaufe it is not well poflible to 
 fuppofe that any one ftiould be guilty, in 
 one Day, of fo many Injuries towards 
 another, as Seven, If He trefpafs againft 
 thee /even times in a Day, and feveJi times 
 in a Day turn again to thee, faying, I re- 
 pent ; thou Jhalt forgive him. Here in- 
 deed it is put upon the injurious Man's re- 
 penting ; and coming to us > and begging 
 
 Pardon 
 
of Acceptance. 97 
 
 Pardon ; and declaring his Senfe of his S e r m. 
 Crime. But it is manifefl that we are rt-qui- ^^• 
 red to forgive not only when He doth this; ^•^"^^^"^ 
 but likewife when He doth not: becaufe, as 
 I have before obferved, we are not to beg 
 Pardon of God any farther than we pardon 
 others , and we are never to pray for For- 
 givenefSj without declaring that we do for- 
 give others ; or without feeling within our 
 felves that we have the Difpofition and Re- 
 folution to do it. The fame ^x. Luke, ch.vi. 
 V, 7. records thefe plain Words of our 
 Lord, Forgive, and ye fiall be forgiven ; 
 'and V. 38. For with the fame Meafure that 
 ye mete (or meafure) withal, it pall be me a- 
 fured to you again: that is, if ye do not for- 
 give others, but are rigorous upon them; 
 Almighty God will certainly be as rigorous 
 upon you, in the requiring Satisfa-ftion and 
 Puniibment for every Sin that you have at 
 any time committed againft him. 
 
 A G R E E A B L y to this plain Dodtrine of 
 their Mafter, the Apojlles preached the fame 
 univerfalLove, and unconfined Spirit of For- 
 givenefs. St. P^a7 calls upon the Ro/nans to 
 lay afide all Thoughts of Revenge, upon any ■, 
 Provocation, or Injury. Ch. xii. v. ig. 
 H Dearly 
 
9S Concerning the Terms 
 
 Se KM. Dearly Beloved^ avenge not your felves. 
 ^* And V, 21. Be not overcome of Evi!^ fo far 
 
 ^^^^ as to return, and retaliate, Injuries ; but over^ 
 cofne Evil.hy v&iuimv.g Good for it: which 
 cannnot be done without a forgivingTemper. 
 I omitt many fuch like Paffiges in the 
 Gofpels, againft Revenge, and Retaliati- 
 on; becaufe 1 would confine my felf to 
 thofe Texts which exprefly touch the Point 
 in hand. The lame St. Paul calls upon the 
 Ephefians^ Be ye kind^ one to another ; ten-- 
 der- hear ted', forgiving one another^ even as 
 God for Chriji'sfake hath forgiven you. ch. 
 iv. 32. And addreffes himfelf to the Colof 
 Jians^ ch. iii. V. 12, 13. after this pathetical 
 manner. Put on tkerfore^ as the EleB of 
 God, holy and beloved^ (for fo Chriftians 
 are called in the New Teftament,) Bowels of 
 Mercies^ Kindnefs, Long-fuffering ; for- 
 bearing one another, and forgiving one ano- 
 ther, if any Man have a parrel againfl 
 any : even as Chrif forgave you, fo alfo do 
 ye. I have now faid what is fully fufficient 
 to fatisfy you that thisForgivenefs of others 
 is indifpenfably required at our Hands, in 
 order to our own Forgivenefs; and that 
 
 without 
 
of Accepta72ce. 99 
 
 without this we ought not fo mucli as to ask S e r m- 
 Forgivenefs of God. I fliall now ^ • 
 
 2. Just obferve to you the true Mean- ^•Z^'^-' 
 ins; of what is declared concernlns; the Effi- 
 cacy of this Forgivenejl of others, upon Al- 
 mighty God, towards our own Forgivenefs, 
 and Acceptance 5 which is in fhort this, That, 
 without this Forgivenefs of others on our 
 part, He will never finally acquit us from the 
 Guilt of any of our Sins : that it is not fuffici- 
 ent for any Sinner to forfake hisDrunkennefs, 
 or Uncleannefs, or Swearing, or any other 
 Vicei but He muft likewlfe forgive others 
 their Trefpailes and Injuries againft himfelf : 
 and that otherwife, God will be as fevere up- 
 on him, and require an Account of every 
 Sin, which he hath at any time been guilty 
 of, through his whole life. 
 
 I HAVE before (liewn you, from the 
 plaineft Texts, that it is abfolutely required 
 that Men forfake all other Vices ; and be- 
 come holy, and virtuous, in order to their 
 final Pardon, and Happinefs. It is impofii- 
 ble therefore, that what is faid concerning 
 the Efficacy of this Forgivenefs of others, 
 (liould invalidate what is fiid of the Necefii- 
 ty of a good Life in other Refpeds. I have 
 H 2 now 
 
lOO Concerning the "Terms 
 
 S E R M. now (hewn you that it is as plainly faid as 
 ^- Words can exprefs it, that if we forgive, we 
 '^"'""^^^^ fhall be forgiven. The Meaning therefore, 
 can be only this, that thofe Sins which we 
 have forfaken, and utterly renounced, fhall 
 be forgiven to us; if we will forgive thofe 
 Sins which others have committed againft 
 us : But if we will not, that our Heavenly 
 Father will upon no Terms forgive us our 
 paft Sins ; not even tho' we have forfaken 
 them. Thus, you fee the feveral Paflages 
 about thefe diftindt Termi are very eafily re- 
 concileable. God will not forgive us, and 
 make us happy, unlefs we forfake our own 
 Sins : nor will He then forgive us, unlefs to 
 this Amendment, in other Inftances, we add a 
 placable forgiving Temper with refped to 
 Neighbours ; and readily and heartily remit 
 to our Fellow-Creatures, fo as not to take 
 Vengeance on them, their Offences againft our 
 iclves. This I juft take notice of here: but 
 I fhall have another Opportunity diftindtly 
 and fully to handle it, when I come, in due 
 Place and Tim.e, to examine thofe Pretences 
 which Men have built upon miftaken and 
 mifapplied Texts of Scripture: amongfl 
 \vhich will come in \\\t Pretence of Men, to 
 
of Acceptance. loi 
 
 get rid of the Neceffity of a good Life in o- S e r m. 
 ther refpeds, founded upon the Promife of ^• 
 God made to this Forgivenefs of other Men's ^'^^'^ 
 Trefpafles, taken diftindlly by itfelf, and fe- 
 parated from the other Rules of the Gofpel. 
 
 3. I PROPOSED, in the third place, to 
 fhew you the great Reafonablenefs, and Fit- 
 nefs, that this forgiving Difpofition fhould 
 be required by God, and heartily pra^flifed 
 by us 5 as it hath been now explained. A ve- 
 ry few Words will fatisfy us of this: for, 
 
 I. If this were fo required, as to ftand 
 in the ftead of other Duties, and atone for 
 the continued Negled of them : then fare- 
 wel all Hopes of any Virtue, except this, in 
 the World : of which I cannot determine, 
 whether it would then be a Virtue, or no. In 
 vain are all the Promifes of God made to 
 Righteoufnefs ; in vain are all his Terrors 
 difplayed againft all manner of Sin j in vain 
 are all theMoral Precepts inculcated from the 
 beginning to the end of the Ne-w Tejla?nent ; 
 if this fingle Virtue may at laft make Atone- 
 ment for a Life of wilful, and habitual Sin, 
 This (hews us the Unreafonablenefs of fup- 
 pofing that God can attribute fuch an Effica- 
 cy to this, as to make all his other Lavvs en- 
 H 3 tirely 
 
102 Comer fling the Terms 
 
 S E R M. tirely of none EfFed: ; and to give a Loofe to 
 V. almoft all manner of Vice, and Wickednefs 
 ^"'"''^^^'^ in the World. Nor could any thing be a . 
 greater Encouragement particularly to the 
 mutual doing of Injuries, than this. It is high- 
 ly reafonable, therefore, that this Forgive- 
 nefs fhould be required, and favoured, no o- 
 therwife than as in Conjunction with all o- 
 ther Virtues. And, 
 
 2. There cannot be a more equitable 
 and unexceptionable Condition, propofed to 
 us than this, that we (liould not expert that 
 Mercy at the Hands of God, which we will 
 not (hew to our Fellow- Creatures. Who that 
 confiders the Obligations He hath received 
 from Almighty God , the infinite Diftance 
 between Him and his Creatures ; the Guilt 
 and Heinoufnefs of the leatt Sin, and the 
 leaft Negled:, where fo much is, on fo many 
 Accounts, owing : Who that hath common 
 Modefty, or the leaft degree of Confiderati* 
 On, would not think it fit, to forgive the 
 oreatefl Offences of oihers againft himfeif, 
 (little and inconfiderable, in comparifon of 
 the leaft Offences of a Creature againft God,) 
 and even voluntarily to do this, in order to 
 difpofe his Judge to be merciful to him ? Or, 
 
 can 
 
of Acceptance* 103 
 
 S E RM. 
 
 V. 
 
 can any one think it proper to come into the S e r m. 
 Prefence of God, and ask or expedl Pardon 
 
 for his own Sins ; and in the fame Breath to 
 •tell Almighty God, He never can forgive his 
 Brother ? Forgive us our TrefpaJJes, O Lord ; 
 tho' we never will forgive thofe committed 
 by frail Men againft our felves. Thus doth 
 every one in effetl: pray, who comes befofe 
 God, with an Heart full of Revenge and 
 Retaliation; or void of Forgivenefs, and 
 Mercy. And how abfurd this is, I need not 
 fay. Would any Earthly Majier, as our 
 Lord intimates in the Parable, forgive a Ser- 
 vant who (hould openly refufe to forgive his 
 Fellow-Servant; or remit his Punifhment for 
 Crimes againft himfelf, when he faw him 
 exerciling Barbarity and Cruelty, in reveng- 
 ing himfelf upon his Fellow-Servants, for 
 the leaft Affronts and Injuries? Nay, what 
 Servant would not gladly comply, and think 
 it great Condefcenfion, if his Mafier fl^ould 
 offer him to forgive him all his Debts, or 
 Offenfes, on Condition that He would do 
 the fame, vt^ith regard to his poor Fello^^- Ser- 
 vants? And certainly, there can be no Chri- 
 ftian, or Man, of fo embittered a Temper, 
 as not to think this a moft r^afonable Condi- 
 H 4 tion 
 
I04 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. tion of his own Forgivenefs 5 or to exped 
 . ^' that God fhould forg;ive Him, whiift He 
 breaths nothing but Revenge, and Punifh- 
 ment, for every Offenfe of his Fellow-Crea- 
 tures. But enough of this. I muft now 
 fpeak a little upon the lajl oi \\vt four Fro- 
 fofitions laid down : which is this. 
 
 IV. In the Cafe of I nju ft ice, itisnotfuf- 
 ficient that the Sinner leave off Injuftice for 
 the future, fo far as not to do the leaft wrong 
 to any Perfons, thro' the remaining part of his 
 life : but He muft alfo, as ever He hopes for 
 Mercy and Acceptance with God, make Ref- 
 titution of what He hath at any time wronged 
 any one of; and Reparation for the Injuries 
 which He hath at any time heretofore, by 
 Word, or Deed, committed againft his 
 Neighbour. 
 
 Here fome one may ask. Where is the 
 plain Text of the New ^efiament, which 
 requires this Refticution ? To which I anfwer, 
 that indeed there is none which in fo many 
 Words doth fay this; but that the reafon of 
 this is manifeftly becaufe this is a part of Com- 
 mon Jiijllce ; of the Obligation to which 
 there w^as ever an open Acknowledgment 
 in all Nations, as of what was no more than 
 one of the loweft Degrees of Virtue. Vve 
 
 2 have 
 
of Acceptance. 105 
 
 have an Inftance in the Gofpel^ I mean that S e r m. 
 of ZaccheuSy who, when he once came to ^' 
 think of making his Peace with God, de- ^^^^^ 
 Glared openly his Refolution to reftore 
 more than what he had wronged any Man 
 of, if any fuch wrong could be proved up- 
 on him. We have it declared by St. Paul, 
 that neither T'hieves, nor Covetous^ nor Ex- 
 tortioners, /J:aU inherit the Kingdom of God» 
 I Cor. 6. 10. And Eph, 5. 5. the Covetous 
 are reckoned up among ft fuch as have 7io In- 
 heritance in the Kingdom of God, and of 
 Chriji, 111 the I'enth Commandment, re- 
 cognized and reinforced, in the Gofpel, we 
 are abfolutely forbid to covet any thing that 
 is our Neighbours. Now whoever doth, af- 
 ter an injurious Acquirement, or indeed an 
 Acquirement of any fort, detain what He 
 knows to belong to another, is moft certain- 
 ly a 'Thief in the Senfe of the Word truly 
 criminal ; a covetous Man and an Extortic^ 
 ner, who fiourifhes upon the Spoils of his 
 Neighbour: and therefore muft exped to be 
 excluded the Kingdom of Heaven, as fuch. 
 For who is there that can more properly be 
 faid to covet what is his Neighbour's, than 
 the Man who, by Fraud, or Force, retains 
 
 in 
 
Tio6 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. in his PofTeffion what He knows another to 
 ^- have a Right to ? Common Honefty, and Juf- 
 
 ^•f"*^^ tice, are what the very Heathens, and even the 
 moft Ignorant of them, have ever acknow- 
 ledged to be Duties. And as furely as the 
 higheft Crimes will be punifhed by Almighty 
 God ; fo furely the Diflioneft, and Unjuft, 
 will have a particular Share in his Wrath. 
 The Defign of the Gofpel was to make 
 Chriflians fomewhat more than honeft Men: 
 but if They, who have the Light of the 
 Gofpel, will not be fo much as good Hea- 
 thens^ they will Idc certain to inherit the 
 Punifhment of xh^worfi of Chrijiians, and 
 of fuch as have refufed to pradlife the very 
 loweft degree of Virtue. 
 
 Restitution, and Reparation, I fay, 
 are Inflances of Juftice, ftricftly due. The 
 continued Refufal of them is a continued \6: 
 of Injuftice; a continued Theft ; a continu- 
 ed Extortion ; an Habit of the groffeft Vice. 
 And confequently, if Injuftice it Mi colW ne- 
 ver be pardoned, til! \i be fcrJakcn ; this 
 complicated, and continued, wilful Injufllce 
 will raife the Account of a Sinner to an un- 
 pardonable Heighth. . How then can \they 
 hope for Mercy, who cannot fo much as pre- 
 9 tend 
 
of Acceptance. 107 
 
 tend to common Honefty, and Juftice ; but S e r m. 
 every Minute of their Lives are treafuring up ^* 
 Wrath, and increafing their firfl Guilt, by ^^^^^^ 
 approving their own Injuftice ; and adling it 
 anew by refufing to undo it by Reftitu- 
 tion, and Reparation ? Certainly, He that 
 can think to go to Heaven without being an 
 honeft Man, and whilfl he robs his Neigh- 
 bour every Moment that He lives without 
 Reftitution, muft take it to be the Reward of 
 Villany, and the Receptacle of fuch Knaves 
 as Humane Society would not bear, could 
 they be fairly detedled, and profecuted, 
 
 T H I s I have faid, becaufe many People 
 feem to think Rejiitution to be fomewhat 
 diftind from common Jujiice, and Hoiiejly : 
 when truly it is only a Branch of it; and the 
 contrary Vice nothing but a complicated 
 Knavery^ and an Injuftice, the Guilt of 
 which increafeth every Moment; and con- 
 fequentiy, the Continuance in it, utterly 
 irreconcileable to all Hopes oi Happinefs, 
 according to the Gofpel-Difpenfation. I 
 might have added more upon this Head: but 
 it is not my prefent Defign to enter into the 
 Nature of this, or any other, particular Vir- 
 tue j but only to flievvthat this is indifpenfa- 
 
 biy 
 
io8 Concerning the Ter7m 
 
 S E R ^i- bly required in order to the Juflification, and 
 V. Happinefs, of fuch Chriftians as have finned 
 
 ^y'^T^ againft the plain Law of Juftice andHonefty. 
 I HAVE now gone over the four general 
 JPropoftions which I laid down, in anfwer to 
 the important Enquiry after the Way to Life 
 and Eternal Happinefs. We fee, from the 
 plaineft Proofs, that there remain no Hopes 
 of Acceptance for Sinners, according to the 
 Gofpel, unlefs they forfake their Sins, and 
 pradife Virtue; unlefs they heartily forgive 
 the Trefpaffcs of their Neighbours ; and 
 make P.eftitution of what they have wrong- 
 ed any Man of, according to the utmoft of 
 their Power. From hence appear the Vanity 
 and Folly of building any Hopes of Mercy 
 upon anything befides thefe, fo clearly, as to 
 need no other Proof. But becaufe the Imagi- 
 nations of Men have been various in framing 
 other Terms of Acceptance -, and prefTing 
 even the New T'ejia?ne?2t\x. felf into their Ser- 
 vice: it is another Branch, therefore, of the 
 Defign I have now in View, to examine par- 
 ticularly into their Pretenfes; and to endea- 
 vour to fnew fuch Perfons their m.iferable 
 Delufion. In the mean timiC, If ice know 
 thefe Things', happy only are we if we do 
 them : Vv'hich God grant, <Sc, S E R- 
 
[ 109 ] 
 
 Concerning the T'erms of Accept ance^ &c. 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 St. J AMES, ii. lo. 
 
 For -^^hofoever fiall keep the whole Law, 
 and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty 
 of alL 
 
 A .V I N G in fe veral Difcourfes en- s e r m. 
 deavoured plainly and particu- VI, 
 larly to propofe the Terms, or WV 
 Conditions, on which alone 
 Chrijiians, who have been, in any fenfe, or 
 any degree, wilful Sinners, may hope to 
 be acquitted, juflified, accepted, and ma4e 
 eternally happy, by Almighty God; it may 
 not be improper now to handle this impor- 
 tant Subjed after a manner, which, tho' 
 fomething diiFerent, may yet be of farther 
 life to us in our ferious Enquiry after the 
 y/ay to Happinefs, and Eternal Life. In or- 
 der 
 
no Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. der to this, I could think of no Paflage of 
 ^I» Scripture, more comprehenfive ; or more 
 
 ^^'^^^^'^ proper, than this taken out of St. y^;;;^j, \x\ 
 which He declares that whofoever Jhall keep 
 the whole Law^ and yet offend in one Poi?if^ 
 he is guilty of all: and I defign, therefore, 
 
 I. T o explain to you, as well as I can, 
 the true Meaning of the Words. 
 
 II. T o propofe to you the Doctrine 
 plainly taught in them : and to prove the 
 Juftice, and Reafonablenefs of it. 
 
 III. T o anfwer fome Queftions , and 
 Doubts, which may arife upon this j5ub- 
 jeft. And 
 
 IV. T o draw fuch Obferyations, and In- 
 ferences, from the whole, as may be of 
 great ufe in order to our fuccefsfql Endea- 
 vours after Eternal Life. 
 
 I. I T is very proper to explain to you, as 
 well as I can, the true Meaning of this Paf- 
 fage : which, as to the manner of Expreflion, 
 is not without fome Difficulty. And, 
 
 i. Th E Meaning of it cannot be this, 
 that whofoever tranfgreffeth in one fingle In" 
 fiance^ is as bad a Man ; as great a Sinner ; 
 as guilty an Offender ; as he that tranfgreffeth 
 in every Inftance poffible : that he who co- 
 vets 
 
of Acceptance. in 
 
 yets his Neighbours Goods, for Example, is Ser m* 
 as bad a Man, and as great a Sinner, as he ^^' 
 who not only covets his Neighbour's Goods, ^-^^^^ 
 but alfo commits Adultery, Murther, and 
 Theft ; profanes the Name of God \ difho- 
 nours his Father and Mother j and breaks e~ 
 very Law that he can poflibly, in Contempt 
 of God, and his Authority. This cannot be 
 the meaning of the Palfage : becaufe it is ab- 
 furd, at firft hearing, thus to take away all 
 Diflindion between the degrees of Sin, and 
 Sinners \ and to make all Tranfgreflbrs, tho* 
 differing in the Inftances, and Number, of 
 their feveral Tranfgreffions, equal in their 
 Crimes, and in their Guilt. Nor confe- 
 quently, 
 
 2. Can it be underftood to imply in it, 
 that God will punifhall fuchPerfons equally; 
 that the Man who offends only in one In- 
 ftance, fhall be m.ade equal, in the degree of 
 Puniiliment, to him who hath offended in 
 that, and in many more : becaufe the Pu- 
 nilhment of Offenders is without doubt to 
 be proportioned to their feveral Offenfes ; 
 and becaufe he who offends in many Cafes, 
 is guilty of a more repeated and fettled Con- 
 f:empt of the Authority of the Law-giver, 
 
 / than 
 
112 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. than the other, and therefore muft reafona- 
 ^^ biy expedl a greater degree of Punifhment. 
 
 3. He who offends againft the known 
 Law of God, in any one Inftance, may, on 
 other Accounts, tho' not on thefe above- 
 mentioned, be fald to be guilty with refpefl 
 to al! his Laws. 
 
 In the firft place, as he fins manifeftly a- 
 gainft that Divine Authority which enaded 
 that part of the Law which he tranfgreffeth, 
 as well as thofe others which he thinks fit to 
 obferve. For Sin, tho* committed but in 
 one Inftance, is a fort of a Denial of that Au- 
 thority by which it is forbidden : and this, 
 tho' applied by the Sinner himfelf to one In- 
 ftance only, yet affefts all others ; becaufe 
 Almighty God hath the fame Authority to 
 com.mandj or forbid one thing, that he hath 
 to command or forbid another. Now if we, 
 by our Practice, deny, in effeft, his Right to 
 govern us in one Inftance ; we do, in effedt 
 deny it in all; becaufe He hath as much Right 
 to do it in this, as in others ; and no more in 
 others than in this. In this refped therefore, 
 whofoever offends wilfully /;/ one Pointy 
 may be faid to be guilt)' of all -^ that his wil- 
 ful 
 
of Acceptance. 113 
 
 ful offending in this Point, Is a Rebellion a- S e r m. 
 gainft the Authority of God : which touch- ^^^• 
 eth all his other Laws, as well as this one^""''^^ 
 which he tranfgreffeth. And thus St. James 
 himfelf feems to explain his own Meaning, 
 in the Verle immediately following the Text. 
 For He that f aid y Do not commit Adulte- 
 ry^ /aid aljby Do not kill. If therefore 
 thou commit no Adultery ^ yet if thou kilU 
 thou art become a Tranjgrefor of the Laio, 
 As if he had expreffed himfelf thus. The 
 meaning of my charging a Man who fins in 
 o?ie Inftance, with being guilty of all ^ is this> 
 that the fame God who forbids the other 
 Sins, forbids this one alfo. Therefore, if 
 thou doft abflain from the other Si::s. and 
 yet wilfully finned in this one point; Thou 
 art a Sinner with refpedt to the other Points 
 as well as this: becauie God claims no great- { 
 er Authority in thole other Points than He \ 
 doth in this; and Thou, by wilfully offend- I 
 ing in this one Point,_ca[left in quefl:ion his ' 
 whole Authority, and the Validity oi his 
 whole Law, which hath no more to uphold 
 it in other Infi:ances, than what it hath in/ 
 this which thou negledefi:. And this cer- ' 
 tainly muft aggravate and increafe the Guilt 
 .1 of 
 
114 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S £ R M. of one, who wilfully fins in any one Inftance 
 ^^' only, thlt it reflects highly upon the whole 
 
 ^"^"^^^ Law ; and that, by calling in queftion, or 
 refufing to obey, the Authority of God in 
 this one Point, the Sinner effecftually calls 
 in queftion his whole Authority, which is 
 juft the fame with refpedl to others. In this 
 Senfe therefore, it may be true, that a Man*s 
 Guilt will not be proportionable to the 
 intrinfic Evil of the fingle Sin which He in- 
 dulges himfelf in 5 but aggravated by confi- 
 dering this Sin, as forbidden by the Autho- 
 rity of God ; and as having a very bad Influ- 
 ence upon that Authority in other refped:s ; 
 tending as much to weaken and deftroy it in 
 other Inftances, as it doth in efFed: call it in 
 queftion, and contemn it in this. 
 
 Again, the Guilt of a Man who of- 
 fends wilfully in one Point of God's Law, 
 muft llkewife befuppofed to extend, in fome 
 degree, to all the reft , becaufe it is certain 
 that the fame Difpofition of Mind which en- 
 gageth, or permits, him to tranfgrefs one 
 Law, when Inclination or Intereft, Plea- 
 fure or Profit, invite him, would likewife 
 prevail with him to tranfgrefs any of the o- 
 thers likewife, fuppofing him under the In- 
 fluence 
 
of Acceptance. i 1 5 
 
 fluence of the fame Inclinaticn or Intej-cft, Se r m/ 
 Pleafure or Profit. For the Occafion of hi^ ^'^' 
 wilful Commlfiion of C'^iT Sin, is that He hath ^-"^"'^ 
 fome Temptation to it, which He has fliewn 
 to be too hard for his Faith, and his Senfe 
 of God's Authority, to conquer. If there- 
 fore, he had the fame Temptatation to ano- 
 ther Vice; if it were accompanied with the 
 fame Circumftances, equally grateful to his 
 Senfuality, or Covetoufnefs, or Ambition ; 
 is it not plain that He would equally permit 
 himfelf to be carried away with the Tempta- 
 tion to it ? So that his Innocence in other 
 Refpe(fts is not owing to his Virtue, or Faith, 
 or Senfe of God's Authority ; but to Necef- 
 fity ; to his want of the fame Inclination, 
 and the fame Temptation to thefe, which 
 He hath, with refped to that which He wil- 
 fully commits. For if he had that Faith, 
 or Senfe of God's Authority, which is fuffi- 
 cient to fet him above the fame degree of 
 Temptation to other Vices -, this Vv^ould as 
 certainly fet him above the Power of the 
 Temptation He hath to this one. And confe- 
 quently, He muft be guilty, in fome degree, 
 with refpe<f;i to all : becaufe He is fo difpo- 
 fcd, as that his Religion, were it to under- 
 1 2 go 
 
1 1 6 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. go an equal Tryal in other Refpedls, would 
 ^ ^' moft certainly yield to it in them, as it doth 
 
 ^-^^*^ in this Inftance, in which it pleafeth God in 
 a particular manner to try his Faith, and 
 Senfe of his Authority. I do not fay that 
 Almighty God will adually punifh fuch a 
 Man as much in degree, as if He had been 
 tried in all other Inftances, and wilfully fin- 
 jied in all : but I know not whether in ftridl 
 Juftice He might not. And this I fay, that 
 a Man's Guilt muft be in Proportion to his 
 inward Difpofition; which, it is manifeft 
 (allCircumllancesof Inclination and Temp- 
 tation being fuppofed equal) would produce 
 the fame Behaviour and Pradice in all Cafes, 
 which it doth in one. Wbofoever therefore 
 offends in one Point only, is guilty of all ^ in 
 this Senfe ; becaufe He would as certainly 
 yield in all^ as He doth in this^ were He to 
 undergo a Tryal, equal in every refpedt, in 
 all other Cafes. 
 
 Again, the fame may be proved, and 
 ^sxplained, by the Cafe of fuch as wilfully 
 tranfgrefs any Humane Law. Would not 
 any Mafler think his Authority, with refpecj 
 to all his Commands, called in queftion, by 
 a Servant, vvhofliould chufe which He would 
 
 obe\'- 
 
LTV^ 
 
 of Acceptance. ny 
 
 obey, and which He would nor, merely by S e r m. 
 his own Humour, or Inclination, or Profit j Y^l 
 and wilfully refufe to obey fuch a particular 
 juft and lawful Command, becaufe He had 
 no mind to it; or could get more prefent 
 Advantage by difobeying it ? And would 
 not that Mafter think that the fame Difpofi- 
 tion of Mind in fuch a Servant would carry 
 him to injure and affront him in all other 
 Inftances likewife, could He propofe to him- 
 felf the fame Pleafure, orlntereft, by fo do- 
 ing ? Nay, Would not He fpeak of him, or 
 treat him, as a Perfon to whom he was obliged 
 for no Service performed out of a Senfe of his 
 Authority, or any farther than his own pre- 
 fent Intereft direded him ? The fame may be 
 faid of any Lawful Supreme Powers, and 
 the SubjeSis under them ; who, if they wil- 
 fully offend againft any one of their jufl Laws, 
 are in fome Senfe guilty of all : as they re- 
 bel agalnfl the Authority which is the fame 
 in this Law, as it is in all others ; and as 
 they would certainly offend againft all o- 
 thers, were they not fenfible, they could not 
 do it, with the fame Pleafure or Profit, the 
 fame Secrecy or Impunity. And who will 
 reckon the material Acl of Obedience, in 
 I 3 any 
 
1 1 8 Co72Cer?ti7ig the Terms 
 
 S E R M. any refped:, a Virtue ; when it is fo certain 
 ^' ^' from other Inflances, that it had been Difo- 
 bedience, had the fame inviting Circumftan- 
 ces attending it ? 
 
 If therefore, any Perfons do allow them- 
 felves in any one wilful Sin ; they may be 
 certain that their Guilt reaches beyond this 
 one Sin , as it includes in it a Contempt of 
 that Authority by which other Sins, as well 
 as this, are forbidden ; and a Difpofition 
 which would end in the Commiffion of all 
 other Sins, were the fame Trials offered 
 them in all refpedls. J-Vhofoever therefore 
 keepeth the ivhole Law be fides, and yet of- 
 fends in one Point, is, in this Senfe, guilty 
 of alL For He that /aid, Do not commit 
 Adultery, /aid alfo. Do not Jieal. Now if 
 thou commit no Adultery, yet if thou Jleal^ 
 thou art become a T!ranfgreJfor of the Law, 
 
 I T feems there were in thofe Days cer- 
 tain unrcafonable Perfons, amongft the 
 Chriftians, who were very ready to obey the 
 Law of God in fuch Inftances as were agree- 
 able to their Inclination or their Intereft. 
 But then they defired leave to hope that 
 they might, for the Sake of this Obedience, 
 be excufcd from obferving it in fome other 
 
 particulu 
 
of Acceptance, 119 
 
 particular Inftance : which to be fure They S e r m, 
 would chufe out for themfelves, according '^'^• 
 to their own Inclination, and Temper. ^^ 
 Thus they would willingly retain a darling 
 Sin; and compound for this, by ferving 
 God, and obeying his Law, in other Inftan- 
 ces, in which they did not find fo much Dif- 
 ficulty. And this, I am perfuaded, is the 
 Cafe of many Chrifliam now a-days, who 
 think, if they obferve the Laws of Chrift in 
 moft Inftances, efpecially if they be not guil- 
 ty of open, and notorious Sins, they may 
 indulge themfelves in one Vice, which they 
 hope will be atoned for by their Obfervance 
 of the other Evangelical Laws. This Vice 
 they chufe for themfelves : not being able to 
 find any Allowance made by God to one, 
 more than to another. But, in oppofition 
 to this unchriftian Humour, and fatal Mif- 
 take, this Affirmation of St. "James in the 
 Text was defigned : which I have explained 
 to you ; and {hall now proceed, as I propo-^ 
 fed, in xki^fecond place ^ 
 
 IL T o lay down the Dodrlne plainly 
 taught, or implied, in thefe Words of St. 
 James : and to prove the Juftice, and Rea- 
 fonablenefs of it. Now, 
 
 J 4 I. The 
 
1 20 Concejmin^ the Tenns 
 
 Serm. I. The lead that can be implied in them 
 ^^- is this, that it is not enough for any Man to 
 obey all the other Laws of God, with a fi- 
 lent referve of fo much as one Cafe, in 
 which he allows himfelf wilfully to tranf- 
 grefs; that the x^uthority of God equally 
 extends to all his Laws ; and that refufal of 
 Obedience in one fingle Liftance is a Rebel- 
 lion againft that Authority 3 that it is an 
 Univerfal Obedience which God requires, 
 to all his Commands equally, and without 
 Partiality; that Obedience in all Particulars 
 except onelliall not atone for the wilful Neg- 
 kd of that ox\t 5 but that whofoevcr doth 
 allow himfelf in one wilful Sin, under this 
 Pretenfe, will find himfelf miferably mifta- 
 ken, and will be judged and puniflied at laft, 
 as a Contemner of the Authority of God. 
 This is the leall, I fay, that can be implied 
 in this Declaration of St. James: and is no 
 more than what our Lord himfelf declared, 
 Matih. vii. 2 r. where He openly warns all 
 his Difciples, that nothing can entitle them 
 to an Entrance into the Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven, but the do'mg the Will of his Father 
 ivhich is in Heaven, But whofoever wil-- 
 fullv tranfgreffetli in anv ')?k Point, certain- 
 
of Acceptance. 121 
 
 ly cannot be faid to do the Will of God, in S e r m. 
 that Iiiftance, tho* He doth it in all others. '^^^• 
 Befides, his Will is his whole Will, taken all ^^^^'^^'^ 
 together : and this being a part of it ; who- 
 ever tranfgrefleth this part of it, doth not do 
 the Will, or the whole Will, of God. That 
 Man therefore, cannot, upon the Gofpel 
 Terms, hope for an Admittance into Hea- 
 ven, who allows himfelf in the habitual 
 Commiflion of any one known Sin ; or in 
 any one wilful Tranfgreffion of the Will of 
 God, Our Lord himfelf hath in thofe 
 Words put our Title to Heaven upon our 
 fincere Regard to the whole Will of God, 
 in all its parts : as his Apoftle, in the Text, 
 hath utterly precluded all who pretend to ob- 
 ferve fome parts of God's Law, whilft they 
 wilfully continue in the Negledl of others, 
 from any Hopes of God's Favour. 
 
 2. The Juftice and Reafonablenefs of 
 God's requiring this Univerfal Obedience^ 
 without any Exception to any one Law, or 
 any one part of his Will more than another, 
 is fo apparent, that every one can fee it in 
 the Cafe of others, tho' He may be fo weak 
 as fondly to hope for an Exemption in his 
 own Cafe, Put it to the covetous Man, 
 
 whether 
 
12 2 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. whether the Condemnation threatned a- 
 ^^' gainft the more expenfive Vices be not iufl 
 and htting ; who more ready to join in it 
 than himfelf ? Put it to the Voluptuary, whe- 
 ther it be not highly reafonable that the 
 Wrath of God fhould be reveled, and exe- 
 cuted, againft fo vile a Crime as Covetouf- 
 nefs ; and you need not doubt of his Appro- 
 bation of it. So will the difhoneft Man con- 
 demn the Uncleannefs of another j and the 
 unclean condemn the diflioneft : every one 
 thinking (if they think at all of fuch Mat- 
 ters) that any particular Tranfgreflion of 
 God's Law muft in reafon be punifhed by 
 God 'y fo it be not That of which they know^ 
 themfelves to be guilty, and for which they 
 have their own peculiar Temper, Inclinati- 
 on, or Intereft, to plead. This indeed they 
 will inwardly except ; out of a Self-Love and 
 an Averfion to Mifery : but yet even this 
 they do, only with fome faint Hope ; not 
 with any fixed Judgment, that it will not be 
 highly fitting even for this particular Sin to 
 receive its juft Reward. But fuppofe this 
 were their fixed Judgment in their own 
 Cafe ; we know their Judgment is biafs'd 
 when themfelves are concerned ; and much 
 
 more 
 
of Acceptance. 123 
 
 more free when it is the Cafe of others e-Serm, 
 bout which they are to judge. irV^ 
 
 Let therefore, but the Judgment of 
 Chriftians be enquired into, about the Cafe 
 of others living but in one known Sin, for 
 which themfelves have no Fondnefs, or In- 
 clination ; and you will find them all allow- 
 ing that this continued Courfe of one parti- 
 cular Sin is a moft high Provocation to God ; 
 a continued Affront to his Authority ; and 
 what juftly defcrves to be puniihed at laft, 
 when He (hall come to judge all Men for 
 their Offenfes againft him. 
 
 But, farther, if this Unherfal Obedience 
 were not the Condition of Eternal Happi- 
 nefs; what would Men have to do, but to 
 chufe out the Vice for which they find the 
 greateft Fondnefs in themfelves, and that 
 which will be moft agreeable to them ; and 
 give themfelves all that Loofe in this, which 
 can be confiftent with the Obfervation of 
 the other Laws of the Gofpel ? Nay, where 
 would be the Harm, upon this Suppofition, 
 if each Man chofe tohimfelf Two or Three 
 Darlings out of the whole Catalogue of Sins, 
 to love, and purfue ? If God can be fuppofed 
 to pafs over the continued wilful Violation 
 
 of 
 
124 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. of his Laws in one Inftance, for the fake of 
 ^ -^* Obedience in others ; why not in Two In- 
 
 ^^^ fiances, if the fame Excufe of Inclination, 
 and Temptation, can'be pleaded ? Thus every 
 Man may have his Idol, fet up in the fame 
 Heart in which God places his Temple: and 
 which do you think will have the greateft 
 Share of Adoration, and Service in this 
 Competition? Why^ it is plain that God Al- 
 mighty can have only that Service which the 
 Idol can fpare; no more Love, or Obedi- 
 ence, than what is confiftent wuth theProfe-^ 
 cution of this particular Vice now fuppofed 
 to be connived at by God. And can any 
 one think it tolerable, to entertain fuch an 
 Opinion of Almighty God, as makes his Will 
 to truckle to a beloved Sin ; and to accept 
 of fo much Service only as that can fparc, 
 without being neglected it felf ? Can any 
 one think it pardonable in himfelf to think 
 thus of the wife, and holy God, that He 
 can give a Licence after fuch a manner to 
 any one Vice : much more to think that 
 He can give fuch Allowance to all Vices. 
 
 For Imuft obfcrve farther, that this Sup- 
 pofition would not only be an Allowance 
 to any one particular Vice ; but in general 
 
 to 
 
of Acceptance, 125 
 
 to all^ and every one. For if Almighty S e r m. 
 God be fuppofed to overlook the Covetouf- ^^• 
 nefs of one Man, for the fake of any other ^"^"^^^^'^^ 
 Virtues; He muft, by the fame Reafon, be 
 fuppofed to connive at the Difhonefly of a- 
 nother ; at the Uncleannefs of a third -, at 
 the Drunkennefs of a fourth ; and fo confe- 
 quently, at the particular Vice to which any 
 particular Perfon hath addided hifnfelf. For 
 by the fame Right that v^e chufe our own 
 Vice, which we think to except from his 
 Anger and Condemnation ; by the fame 
 Right, I fay, another chufes another Vice, 
 agreeable to his Temper, Inclination, and 
 Opportunities. And by this means not only 
 our darling Vice is excepted ; but the dar- 
 ling Vice of every one in particular: which 
 brings in an Encouragement to univerfal De- 
 bauchery, and to every Inftance of Folly, 
 and Wickednefs. The Adulterers, Forni- 
 cators, Drunkards, Swearers, Extortioners, 
 Covetous, Malicious, Revengeful, Back- 
 biters, Envious, Murtherers ; all who are 
 exprefsly excluded the Kingdom of Heaven 
 in the New Tejla?ne?it, may at this rate en- 
 tertain Hopes of getting into it by this Arti- 
 fice : if they can but plead an Obfcrvance of 
 
 Cod's 
 
126 Concer72ing the Terms 
 
 S E R M. God's Law in other refpecfls ; and a ftrong 
 Inclination, and Temptation, to that parti- 
 cular Vice, in which they have indulged 
 themfelves. As unreafonable then, as it is 
 to fuppofe Almighty God to leave room for 
 Hopes of Indulgence, or Pardon, to all man- 
 ner of Vices, fo they meet not in one Per- 
 fon ; fo reafonable is it to believe that an 
 JJniverfal Obedience^ without Partiality, to 
 all his Laws, is the only Obedience to 
 which He hath annexed the Promife of our 
 inheriting Eternal Life. 
 
 Again, if this be not the one only Rule 
 for us to goby, in this Affair; we muft fup- 
 pofe our felves left to our own Government 
 and Guidance, much more than is really 
 confiftent with fuppofing God to be our 
 Lord, and our Legiflator. For, according 
 to this Suppofitlon, it doth not depend upon 
 Almighty God, what Laws fhall be obli- 
 gatory to us ; but upon our felves, and our 
 own Humour, or Inclination ; our Pleafure, 
 or Profit. For we are to pick and chufe out 
 of all the Laws, He hath given us, which 
 it is our Pleafure to negled ; and to except 
 out of all the Sins, which He hath in general 
 concjemned, that particular Sin which we 
 3 have 
 
of Acceptance. 127 
 
 have a mind to indulge. And tho* God hath S e r m. 
 declared it, amongft others, to be a dam- ^^' 
 ning Sin 5 yet at this rate we have it in our ^"^^^^^ 
 Power to reverfe this Decree, and to alter 
 the Nature of it : that fo, what God hath de- 
 clared pernicious, and fruitful of Mifery, 
 fhall become, by our own favour to it, of an 
 harmlefs and innocent Nature ; only an In- 
 ftance of our Frailty, and a Subject for his 
 future Mercy to exercife it felf upon. He 
 hath told us, that if we be not Doers of his 
 Will, we muft expecfl: his Wrath, and Eter- 
 nal Difpleafure : and if this be not fo, then 
 we are our own Direftors, and in great Part 
 out of his Jurifdidion 5 I mean, if we can 
 frame another Rule for our felves, and op- 
 pofe it to his. He commands Obedience to 
 all his Laws. We claim a Right to except 
 one. He forbids every Vice, We pretend 
 a Privilege to retain one: and promife him 
 we will be as careful as can be in other In- 
 ftances, if He will overlook this. After this 
 manner, I fay, we take our felves from un- 
 der his Government j and aflumc a Domini- 
 on over our felves in fome Inftances, equal to 
 what we pretend to allow to him in others. 
 But nothing can be more abfurd than this : 
 
 and 
 
I 28 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S £ R M. and confequently, without univerfal, iin- 
 ^^ piartial Obedience, we can have no Hiopes 
 
 ^^^^^^^ to inherit his Rewards, or efcape his Punifli- 
 ments. 
 
 But, laft of ail, the Suppofition of his ac- 
 cepting of an Obfervance of fome p^ns of 
 his Will, from Men who continue in the 
 known Negled;, and wilful Violation, of o- 
 thers, is direftly contrary to the Defign of 
 Chriftianity; and deftru6tive of the main 
 End of the Gofpel. For it was a Regard to 
 univerfal Holinefs j to a more perfedl Obe- 
 dience to the Laws of Righteoufnefs, and a 
 more perfed Freedom from all Sin, that en- 
 gaged God to fend his Son into the World > 
 and that influenced our Lord to undertake 
 his great Work. He appeared to put away 
 and deftroy, not one, or two, but all the 
 Works of the Devil. His Grace was reve- 
 led to teach Me7t to deny Vngodlinefs^ and 
 worldly Lujls ; without Exception, and 
 without any Referve to what might be the 
 peculiar Favourite of any Man. And it is 
 a contradiding this Defign ; a fruflrating this 
 End ; if he hath left any Hopes of the Mercy 
 which he purchafed, to Thofe who allow 
 themfelves in any one of the Works of the 
 
 Devil ; 
 
of Acceptance. i2g 
 
 Devil ; or continue in any fort of Ungodli- S e r m- 
 nefs ; or in any one worldly Luft. VI. 
 
 Besides, the Cafe of the Generality, or VV'W 
 Bulk, of Mankind being manifeftly this, that 
 it is one particular darling Sin that enflaves 
 the Man ; that he is devoted to this, and 
 for this often negleds other Sins, as well as 
 his Duty : it was without doubt to engage 
 Men to leave the Sin wbicb Jotbfo eafily be- 
 fet them ; to difengage them from that Bon- 
 dage which This kept them in, that the Son 
 of God appeared in the Flelh, and inftituted 
 his holy Religion, I know, there are Men 
 who feem, without Diftindion, to be under 
 the Government and Influence of a whole 
 Body of Sin : to be as covetous, for Inftance, 
 as is confiftent with their other Vices ; and 
 as vicious in other refpeds as is confiftent 
 with their Covetoufnefs, and worldly De- 
 figns. But the Cafe of Multitudes is, that it 
 is one Vice which generally enflaves them fo 
 much, that they can willingly facrifice o- 
 ther Vices, as well as their Virtue, to it. 
 And now put the Cafe, that our Lord can be 
 fuppofed to give any Ground for hope of Fa- 
 vour to fuchPerfons, continuing in this State, 
 upon Condition they do, in other Points, 
 K obferve 
 
130 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. obferve his Laws : and what Good could his 
 ^^- coming into the World be fuppofed to do, if 
 
 ^^^'^ He brings along with Him any fuch Indul- 
 gence as gives Encouragement, and Strength, 
 to the darling Vice of every Man, who be- 
 lieves in him ? Where would be any Endea- 
 vours after the PerfeSlioriy talked of in the 
 Gofpel, and becoming Humane Nature? 
 Where would be the Truth of that Propoli- 
 tion, that Chrift came to call Sinners to Re* 
 penfance, and Amendment ? How vain muft 
 his profeffed Deiign be, and how unworthy 
 of an holy, and wife God ; if He be fuppofed 
 to appear fo partially in the Caufe of Vir- 
 tue ? How might the Heathen Philofophers 
 themfelves have boafted that their own 
 Schemes were more worthy of the Deity ? 
 and have drawn an unanfwerable Argument a- 
 gainft the Divine Authority of an Inftitution, 
 in which Allowance was given, in efFeft, to 
 any Sin or Wickednefs Men would particu- 
 larly give themfelves up to ? But I have faid 
 enough upon the prefent Head. 
 
 The remaining part of what I propofed 
 upon this Subjedl, I muft referve to another 
 opportunity. But from what hath been faid 
 it is evident that, if we would not fix the 
 
 higheft 
 
of Acceptance* 131 
 
 higheft Abfurdities upon Almighty God, and S e r m. 
 our Saviour, and his Go/pel-, we muft be '^^• 
 firmly perfuaded that it is an univerfal O- ^"^^^^ 
 bedience to all his Commands equally, 
 which God requires in order to our Happi- 
 nefs : and that the continued Allowance of 
 our felves in any one wilful Sin, is incon- 
 fiftent with all Hopes of his Mercy, as far 
 as it is revealed and promifed in his GofpeL 
 
 K 2 
 
 SER- 
 
[ 132 ] 
 
 'iminuuuuimiiuuiuiiuninuunmutuimmtmmuuum 
 
 Concernmg the T'erms of Acceptance^ &c. 
 
 SERMON VII 
 
 St. JAMES, ii. lo. 
 
 For whofoever JJjall keep the whole Law, 
 and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty 
 of alL 
 
 S E R M. 
 
 VII. 
 
 
 lija 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 N my laft Difcourfe I propo- 
 led, 
 
 I. To fliew you the true 
 meaning of thefe Words. ^ 
 
 II. T o lay down the Doc- 
 trine certainly taught, or implied, in them. 
 
 III. To anfwer feme Queftions which 
 may arife upon this Subjedt. 
 
 IV. T o draw fuch Obfervations and In- 
 ferences, from the whole, as may be of ufe, 
 in order to our fuccefsful Endeavours after 
 Eternal Life. 
 
 As 
 
of Acceptance. 133 
 
 jirfl of thefe ; I then fliewed 
 you that one who allows himfelf in the wil- 
 
 A s to the jirfi of thefe ; I then fliewed S e r m. 
 u that one who allows himfelf in the wil- ^^^^ 
 ful Negleft of any known Duty, or in the 
 
 wilful Commiffion of any known Sin, may 
 juftly be faid to be guilty, with refpedl to the 
 other parts of God's Law, as well as this par- 
 ticular Inftance, as he fins againft that Di- 
 vine Authority by which the whole was en- 
 acfted ; and as the finning againft that Au- 
 thority in one Inftance doth imply in it a 
 Negled and Contempt of it in all others 
 alfo, in which it is of no greater force or ac- 
 count, than it is in this Particular : and like- 
 wife, as the Difpofitlon of Mind which per- 
 mits or induceth the Sinner wilfully to tranf- 
 grefs in one Inftance, would inevitably pro- 
 duce the fame EfFecS:, in other Inftances, 
 fuppofing all the Circumftances of Inclina- 
 tion, and Temptation, to be equal. 
 
 A s to the fecond Head ; I ftiewed you 
 that the main Defign of the Paffage was to 
 aflure Men of the Folly of imagining that 
 they could atone for the wilful Violation, 
 and continued Tranfgreffion, of any one 
 Law of God, by the Obfervation of others : 
 and therefore, that the leaft that could be 
 intended by St. James in it was this, that 
 
 K 3 it 
 
13+ Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. It IS an univerfal Obedience to all his Laws 
 "^"^ which God expefts of Chriftiansj that if 
 
 ^^^^ they think to except any part of his Will 
 from their Obfervation, and that He will ex- 
 cufe this for the Sake of Obedience to other 
 parts of it, they will find themfelves mifera- 
 bly deluded ; and that nothing can recom- 
 mend them to his Favour at laft, but a fin- 
 cere, conftant, and univerfal Obedience to 
 all his Commands, without Partiality, and 
 without Exception ; and that upon the Con- 
 dition of fuch an Obedience, for the Time 
 to come, any Chriftian who hath been a Sin- 
 ner, may hope for his Mercy, thro* Jefus 
 Chriji : but not without it ; as far as we 
 know of his Will declared in the Gofpel. 
 This I fhewed you to be plain from thefe 
 Words of St. yames^ as well as others of 
 our Lord himfelf : and likewife from the 
 many Abfurdities following from the con- 
 trary Suppofition. I come now, 
 
 III. To confider fome Queflions, and 
 Doubts, v^rhich may arife upon this Subjeft. 
 Now there are Two which prefently 
 offer themfelves to our Thoughts. The firji 
 as this. Whether it doth not follow from 
 what hath been faid that Almighty God re- 
 quires 
 
of Acceptance. 135 
 
 quires of us a perfedt, finlefs, Obedience.S e r m- 
 To which I anfwer, trvNJ 
 
 I. I T is certain that God requires an O- 
 bedience to all, and every of his Commands ; 
 at all Times, and in all Places equally : and 
 likewife that there is no one Sin, or Tranf- 
 greffion of his Law, in any one Inftance, 
 but what He difapproves of, and abfolutely 
 forbids. And therefore , if our Pradice 
 were direfted, without Variation, by his 
 Rules ; it would be a perfecft and finlefs O- 
 bedience. In this Senfe therefore, it may 
 juftly be faid that He requires a p'erfed:, fin- 
 lefs Obedience at our Hands, free from all 
 wilful Sin. And wilful Sin being that which 
 we could have avoided, if we would 5 it is 
 certain, He may juftly forbid, and condemn 
 it in every Inftance. Nay, this we might be 
 certain of, without any exprefs Revelation, 
 that the fupreme infallible Underftanding, 
 the moft wife and holy God, could not but 
 will that every Law of Reafon fhould be 
 ftriftly and conftantly obferved by reafonable 
 Creatures ; and could not but condemn all 
 wilful Tranfgreffions of it, as the moft un* 
 reafonable and abfurd Practices. But now, 
 fince this is fuch an Obedience as was never 
 
 K 4 yet 
 
1^6 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. yet adually performed by any Mortal ; eve- 
 VIL ^y yi^^ ij^ ^Y\t World bavins; found bimfelf 
 furrounded witb Infirmities, and mifled by 
 Temptations and Trials, in fome Inflance or 
 other, fo as that He cannot but confefs bim- 
 felf guilty of fome wilful Deviation, in fome 
 Point or other, from the Rule of right 
 Reafon, and the Will of God; it remains 
 to enquire what Condefcenjion is (hewn by 
 Almighty God, in the Gofpel, thro* Jefus 
 Chrijl. 
 
 2. Therefore, it is certain, from the 
 Gofpel, that every wilful Tranfgrcflion of 
 his Law is not unpardonable : for theDefign 
 of it was to ofier Pardon upon fome Con- 
 ditions to wilful Sinners. This is very con- 
 fiflent with the former Proportion: For, as 
 a Father may command fuch and fuch Parti- 
 culars ; and yet admit his Son to Reconcilia- 
 tion, upon fome Terms, after he hath tranf- 
 greffed any of thefe Commands : fo like- 
 wife may Almighty God require Obedience 
 to every one of his Commands, at all Times, 
 and in all Places j and yet, after any have 
 been fo unhappy as wilfully to tranfgrefs any 
 of his commands. He may forgive them 
 thefe Tranfgreffions, upon fome certain 
 
 Terms, 
 
of Acceptance. 13^ 
 
 Terms, and Conditions. It is, therefore, S e r m. 
 certain that Almighty God forbids every Sin ^^^^• 
 always, and enjoins the Pradice of every ^^'^"^^^^'^ 
 Virtue at all Opportunities; and in this 
 Senfe may be faid to require a finlefs Obedi- 
 ence : and it is as certain that there is room 
 left, by his open Declarations, for Favour 
 and Mercy to fuch as have wilfully commit-- 
 ted Sin. It appears, therefore, 
 
 3. That the Perfedlion, which is fo re- 
 quired of Chriftians, as that they fhall not be 
 made happy at laft without it, is Amend- 
 ment and Reformation in thofe Inftances in 
 which they have wilfully failed ; and a con- 
 ftant Progrefs in Virtue and v/ell-doing. 
 This State of the Cafe at once guards againfl 
 that comfortlefs Doftrine, on the one 
 hand, that God will infift at laft upon that 
 fpotlefs and abfolute Perfecftion which never 
 was yet known in a Mortal : and againfl 
 that fatal Miftake, on the other hand, that 
 He will accept Sinners to Mercy, for the 
 Sake of Chrift, tho' they have no Signs in 
 their Lives and Behaviour, of their hearty 
 Repentance, and Deteftation of Sin. 
 
 The Perfedlion required of Man, in a 
 State of Trial and Probation, cannot be a 
 
 State 
 
138 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. State uncapable of Improvement : becaufe 
 ^^^* this feems not attainable in fuch a State by 
 
 ^■"^"^^^^ fuch a Creature ; or, at leaft, never was actu- 
 ally attained by any. And who, according 
 to this Rule, fuppofing this to be required, 
 could come to any well-grounded Hopes of 
 Happinefs ? For who in his Senfes can think 
 himfelf at any time fo good, fo perfedlly 
 free from every thing evil, as He might pof- 
 fibly be? But it muftconfift in a daily Pro- 
 grefs, and fincere Endeavour, after Perfedi- 
 on ; in an increafing Conqueft over what is 
 evil in us; and in a daily acquiring more 
 and more of thofe good Qualities, in which 
 we can think our felves defeftive. This 
 progreflive Motion in the Paths of Virtue, 
 and this increafing Conqueft over Sin, will 
 fufficiently demonftrate the fincere Repen- 
 tance of a Sinner; and will be a good Foun- 
 dation in his breaft, for Hope and Comfort. 
 I N this Senfe therefore, God requires u- 
 niverfal Obedience to all his Commands c- 
 qually; and infifts upon it as a Condition 
 without which we fhall not be happy at laft; 
 that in what Inftances foever we have in 
 Time paft offended, in thefe He expeds us 
 for the future to amend \ that in what Points 
 
 foever 
 
of Acceptance. 139 
 
 foeverofthe Law of Righteoufnefs we are Serm, 
 defeftive, He abfolutely requires an Improve- T^ 
 ment in them ; a Progrefs, or growing, in 
 all that is good ; a departure, or flying, from 
 every thing that we know to be evil. He 
 will beftow no Happinefs upon thofe who go 
 on to allow themfelves in any one known 
 TranfgrefTion of his Law, till Death over- 
 takes them ; nor doth He in the Gofpel give 
 us Ground to entertain any Hopes, that they 
 fhall ever experience his Favour, or be put 
 upon the Level with fuch as by patient Con- 
 tinuance in welUdoing feek after Glory and 
 Immortality. 
 
 This, therefore, Is a fufficient Anfwer 
 to ihQjirJi ^ejiion^ concerning the Obedi- 
 ence required to all God's Commands ; that 
 it cannot be fo underftood as if He would 
 not make any happy who had not arrived in 
 this World at a State of abfolute PerfeBion 
 and Freedom from every degree of Sin, or 
 moral Evil : but muft be underftood thus, 
 that He doth abfolutely require of all who 
 know themfelves to have been in any refped: 
 nvilfuU Sinners^ that they do fincerely fet a- 
 bout the Work of Amendment ; and de- 
 monftrate their Sincerity by getting Ground 
 
 of 
 
140 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. of their Vices j by proceeding to greater de- 
 , ^^^- grees of Vertue 5 and by going ftill more and 
 more towards the Perfedlion of rational 
 Creatures j at leaft, till they are out of the 
 Power and Dominion of any known Sin ; 
 and till they are in fuch meafure pofief- 
 fed of the contrary Virtue, as to be juftly de- 
 nominated virtuous in that Inftance in which 
 they know they have been vicious. This is 
 a State of Perfedlion to which the meaneft 
 Chriftian may arrive ; if He knows but what 
 Virtue and Vice mean. This is that Condi- 
 tion of our Acceptance, that Law of the Gof- 
 pel, which will admit of no Abatements at 
 the great Day. And it is an invaluable Mer- 
 cy, that God will accept of this Progrefs, 
 and Improvement in Virtue, inftead of a 
 State of blamelefs Perfection. 
 
 The fecond ^leftion which offers itfclf, 
 now we have been fpeaking of the T'erms of 
 Favour propofed in the Go/pel, and the 
 Conditions of our Acceptance at laft, is this> 
 How we ihall be able to form a good Judg- 
 xjient concerning our own Condition ; or 
 to know when we are in fuch Circumftan- 
 ces, as to be able to have a well-grounded 
 Hope unto Eternal Life. 
 
 What 
 
of Acceptance. 141 
 
 W H A T I have faid concerning the loft S e r m. 
 ^lejiion will help us in the refolving this . Y^ 
 to our own Satisfaftion : but I fhall not re- "^^""^^^ 
 fer to that ; but be a little more particular. 
 I am fenfible, indeed, that many defire to 
 know exadly what is barely enough for their 
 Happinefs, for fear they fhould do too much 
 for themfelves ; not out of any Love to 
 Virtue 5 but indeed out of Love to Vice, 
 which they would gladly retain fomething 
 of, if they could with any Safety. This I 
 believe, is impoffible to be defined exaftly, 
 fo as to fuit all Cafes : God having never 
 declared what is the loweil: Pitch of Holinefs 
 that He will accept of at laft. And I cannot 
 but think it wifely concealed from Men ; 
 that fo Sincerity may be encouraged, and a 
 Love to Virtue, which feems impoffible to 
 confift with the Notions of fuch Inquirers ; 
 that fo the more may depend upon Men's own 
 Integrity ; and leaft the general Progrefs in 
 the Paths of Virtue (hould be more ftinted 
 than it is already: it being too probable that 
 moft Men would be content to place them- 
 felves juft out of Danger, rather than to make 
 any large Progrefs in the Ways of Righte- 
 oufnefs. For there is a great deal of difFe- 
 ^*.- rence 
 
142 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. rence between the Love of future Happinefs, 
 ^^*' and the Fear of future Mifery ; and much 
 more in the latter that moves the Adions of 
 moft Men, than in the former j and Ground 
 enough for Sufpicion, that if Men could but 
 fecure themfelves from Punifhment in the 
 Life to come, they would flop juft at that 
 Pitch which they knew would do that, and 
 not greedily afpire after fuch Degrees of Vir- 
 tue as would carry them to great Heighths of 
 Happinefs. But tho' it be impoffible to fa- 
 tisfy all the Inquiries of fuch Perfons, as 
 thefe ; who indeed cannot be in a fafe way, 
 whilft they are of a Temper fo little a-kin 
 to Sincerity, and aferious Love of Religion : 
 yet it may be poffible to offer fuch Confide- 
 rations as may help other more truly fin- 
 cere Chriftians to judge whether they have 
 Ground to hope that they themfelves are fo 
 difpofed, and fo free from Sin, as to be with- 
 in the Covenant of Grace and Mercy, the 
 Conditions of which I have, in fome for- 
 mer Difcourfes, been reprefenting and ex- 
 plaining to you. 
 
 H E therefore, who makes no other ufe 
 of the gracious Propofals of the Gofpel, but 
 to encourage himfelf to recover from any 
 
 Sin^ 
 
of Acceptance. 143 
 
 Sin, of which He knows he hath wilfully Ser m. 
 been guilty ; and is fo affeded by any In- ^^^• 
 ftance of his paft Weaknefs, as to keep a ^^^^^ 
 greater and ftrifter Watch over himfclf for 
 the Time to come ; He, who at any time 
 finds, upon a review of himfelf, that, tho* 
 He be not abfolutely perfedt, yet, He gets 
 Ground of his Imperfeftions, and proceeds, 
 by a daily Courfe, farther and farther, in the 
 Paths of Virtue ; He, who carefully avoids 
 the Opportunities and Temptations, by 
 which He knows He hath formerly fallen . 
 may reafonably conclude that He is trnily 
 fenfible of the Importance of Holinefs, and 
 of the Neceffity of forfaking his Vices, and 
 fincerely difpofed to pradife the one, and 
 relinquifh the other. He, who when He 
 unavoidably, and without any Fault of his 
 own, meets with the fame Trials, and Temp- 
 tations, which have formerly vanquiifhed 
 him, finds his Belief of a future State and 
 Senfe of his Duty ftrong enough to vanquifh 
 them, and refift all their Arts and Force, hath 
 good ground to Hope that He is in a Way 
 acceptable to God. 
 
 I N fome Cafes, the Rule for this Judg- 
 ment is fo manifeft that it cannot be mifta- 
 
 ken. 
 
12}. 4- Concerning the Terms 
 
 Se R M.ken. He who hath robb'd or cheated his 
 ^^^- Neighbour, after any manner ; whether by 
 ^-''^"^^^"^ the Smiles of a Friend, or the Force of ^n 
 Enemy; cannot but know whether He hath, 
 or hath not, made Reflitution, to the utter- 
 moft of his Power, of whatfoever He hath 
 thus obtained by Fraud, or Force. This is 
 what rem.oves the Guilt of that Injuftice : 
 and without this it is impoflible He can think 
 that He comes up to the T'erms of Accep- 
 tance, or is in a fafe Way to Happinefs. So 
 likewife, in all other forts of perfonal Inju- 
 ries, whether refpeftlng the Reputation, or 
 Quiet, of our Neighbour; He who doth to 
 his utmoft make Amends for the Damage re- 
 ceived, comes up to the T!er7m of Accept 
 tance, as far as this Crime is concerned. So 
 that in this Cafe it is too eafy to judge, for 
 Men to pretend an Evafion. In fine, He is 
 certainly in a fafe Way, who, in this State, 
 which, as I faid, is not a State of abfolute 
 but of increafing Perfedlion in Virtue, is 
 ever ftudying what He hath to fubdue in 
 himfelf, and is always fubduing it by the 
 Power of Religion. 
 
 On the contrary; He, who takes Encou- 
 ragement before finning from the Dodlrine 
 
 of 
 
of Acceptance. 145 
 
 of Acceptance and Reconciliation, delivered S e r m. 
 in the Gofpel, to venture ftill farther in the ^^^* 
 Paths of Sin, with a foolifli Hope of com-^^^"^^^ 
 ing up to the T!erm% of that Acceptance 
 fome time or other, is as yet in a very un- 
 fafe Condition ; without any the leaft 
 Ground of Hope from thofe Terms of Fa- 
 vour which He thus abufes to his own vile 
 Purpofes. He, who finds himfelf led by his 
 finning at any time, rather to love the Sin, 
 than to detefl: and guard againfl: it ; rather 
 to run to the Temptation, than to fly from 
 it, hath too much reafon to fufpedl his own 
 Cafe. He, who finds his Senfe of the Im- 
 portance of Morality and Virtue diminifh- 
 ing, and the Power of the World, or the 
 Flefli, increafing over him, fo far that he is 
 ilill every Day carried by their Allurements, 
 or Affrightments, into the Pravftice of Sin, 
 may be fure that he is rather laying up for 
 himfelf the Matter of a terrible Repentance 
 to come, than truly repenting at this time 
 of any thing paft. He, who Keeps Poffeffion 
 of what he hath unjufl:ly obtained y or refufes 
 to do right, or make Refl:itution, to his 
 Neighbour whom he hath injured 5 how 
 deep foever his Sorrow, how many foever 
 
 L his 
 
146 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. his Tears may be, is far from the Way of 
 ^^^- God, or any well-grounded Hopes of Sal va- 
 
 ^"^^""^"^ tion, upon the Gofpel-Terms. In a word, 
 He, who finds within himfelf that his Vir- 
 tue grows lefs, and his Paffions increafe in 
 Strength} that he is fo far from getting 
 Ground of them, that they get Ground of 
 him every Day, is in the worft Condition 
 we can well imagine. And He, who finds 
 that he is a Captive to any one wilful Sin ; 
 that he hath not yet made any fuccefsful 
 Warfare againft it ; that he hath not yet got 
 out of its Power; that his Faith in God, his 
 Senfe of Religion, his Belief of a future 
 State, are not fufficient to difengage him 
 from it ; but that it keeps its Ground, and 
 is too hard for the Refiftance of his Virtue, 
 may be fure that He is not yet in fuch a 
 Condition, as that He may at all depend up- 
 on the Favour of God, promifed in the Gof- 
 pel to returning Sinners ^ having not yet 
 made himfelf any more obedient to his 
 whole Will than He hath been in Time part. 
 These Particulars I have laid down 
 briefly : but hope the Confciences of all, 
 who are any ways concerned, will apply 
 what hath been faid to their own particular 
 
 Cafes ', 
 
of Acceptance. 147 
 
 Cafes ; without any fuch foolifli Partiality S e r m. 
 as may endanger their own Eternal Salvati- ^L^ 
 on. But if they will not afl: fincerely with ^^^^^^ 
 themfelves, when themfelves only are con- 
 cerned, and when Almighty God hath fliewn 
 fuch a tender Regard to their Intereft; bur, 
 on the contrary, will endeavour, and labour 
 hard, to put a Cheat upon their own Souls : 
 how wonderfully ftrange is this ? and how 
 little Thanks will they owe themfelves , 
 when they come to feel the Effedl of fo wil- 
 ful a Delufion ! After having fpoken to thefe 
 T^wo ^{ejlionsy I come now, in the laft 
 place, as I propofed, 
 
 IV. T o draw fuch Obfervations and In- 
 ferences from the whole, as may be of ufe 
 to us in our fuccefsful Endeavours after E- 
 ternal Life. Thefe are fuch as our Thoughts, 
 I hope, have been naturally led into already 
 by my pafl: Difcourfes 5 and will often run 
 into, when we come to retire, and to con- 
 fider of our true and eternal Intereft. The 
 Time will now permit me to mention but 
 Two or Three. As, 
 
 I. From the very Words of St, James 
 
 in the Text, and the loweft Senfe in which 
 
 they can be underftood, as well as from the 
 
 L 2 Abfurdity 
 
148 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Abfurdity which I have jfhewn in the con- 
 ^ ^^- trary Suppofition, it is evident that, upon 
 
 ^^^^ the Gofpel Terms, there is no fuch thing as 
 atoning for the Negled: of one Virtue by the 
 Performance of others ; nay, nor by the 
 Performance of every other Virtue. 
 
 2. From what hath been faid let every 
 one cbferve, that it is not Inclination, or 
 Cuftom, that can excufe or bear them out 
 in the continued Commiffion of Sin j or in 
 the repeated Neglcd: of any known Duty. 
 For God excepts no Sin from his Condem- 
 nation ; no Duty out of his Commands. He 
 requires all equally, as we have feen : and 
 to pretend to exempt our felves, is to put 
 our felves out of his Jurifdidlion, and Go- 
 vernment; and to fet our Humour and In- 
 clination above his Law, and Authority. Yet 
 how many Men do we meet with, who are 
 apt to think their own Sin, to which they 
 a^e moft inclined, and moil eafily feduced, 
 to be out of the Number of the condemned 
 Vices ; or elfe to hope that God will depart 
 from his fettled Rules, on purpofe to releafe 
 their Punifliment. They will prav, and hear ; 
 and perhaps receive the Sacrament; and do 
 feveral good Adtions, to the end that their 
 
 Inclina- 
 
of Acceptance. 149 
 
 Inclination may be allowed of by God Al- S e r m. 
 mighty: and as long as they do what they 
 have no great Temptation to allure them 
 from doing \ or omit that Sin to which they 
 are under no ftrong Bias ; they foolifhly ima- 
 gine that their Inclination and Bias to ano- 
 ther Sin will be Excufe enough for their Dar- 
 ling and Bofom Vice. But, if St. James 
 fays true, they who are, in one Inftance, 
 Tranfgreffors, are Sinners againft all the 
 Law, and the whole Authority by which it 
 was enacfted. 
 
 3. L E T the very befl of us be led, by 
 what hath been faid, to look narrowly into 
 our felves, and to fee whether there be not 
 fome latent Root of Vice in us ; fome fecret 
 and lefs obferved Inftance, in which we 
 tranfgrefs the V\^ill of God. The Chriftian 
 World is come to that pafs, that He who 
 is not guilty of open KOis of notorious Sin, 
 Drunkennefs, Adultery, Blafphemy, Re- 
 venge, or the like, pafTeth for a good Chri- 
 ftian : and many think it well with them, 
 becaufe they cannot accufe themfelves of 
 fuch Sins. And fo far indeed it is well. But 
 alas ! Though they be not thus openly lewd, 
 and profligate : yet perhaps, there remains 
 L 3 fomething 
 
15^ Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. fomething in them that requires, and is wor- 
 ^Ji\^ , thy of, a Cure. They are not Swearers, or 
 ^ Drunkards, or Unclean, or Profane : but 
 perhaps, a filent Difcontent eats thro* their 
 Hearts ; a fecret grudging and repining dif- 
 compofeth their Nights and Days -, Envy 
 gnaws upon them ; or fome Paffion or other 
 torments, and holds them Captive. Some 
 Imperfedion or other we may find, if we 
 turn our Eyes more to what we have of Evil 
 in us, than to what we have not. And here 
 lies the Bufinefs of every Chriftian, to con- 
 quer his own proper Enemy. If we have 
 no very great ones ; if we be out of the 
 Reach and Pov/er of the moft formidable : 
 the more Shame and Ignominy, to be led 
 captive and fpoiled by thofe of lefs Strength, 
 and lefs Account. Let us not think it be- 
 neath us to exert our fclves agaiail the leaft 
 of God's Enemies, and our own. Since 'tis 
 a Progrefs towards Perfe<ftion that is required 
 of us j let us think and aft, as if we thought 
 it our Duty to make this Progrefs, 
 
 If, thro* the Happinefs of a good Difpo- 
 fition, and careful Education, we have efca- 
 ped thofe Pollutions under which fo many in 
 die World groap s let us thank God : and 
 
of Acceptance. 151 
 
 let us remember that it is from hence that S e r m. 
 we are to begin our Race; that we have not ^ ' . 
 thofe Impediments which others have created ^ 
 to themfelves by a long Courfe of wilful 
 Sin ; and that we have Incitements, and En- 
 couragements from hence, as well as Obli- 
 gation, to attempt the greater Heighths of 
 Religion and Virtue. By Religion here I do 
 not mean Devotion, and Prayer; which yer 
 are of admirable Ufe, and of great Neceffity : 
 but the greater Degrees of all that is good ; 
 the more fure Conqueft over all our Paffi- 
 ons ; the more quiet Poffeffion of our Souls 
 in Patience; the more profound Submiffion 
 to God's Will, and to all the Difpenfations 
 of his Providence; the more compofed Re- 
 fignation of our felves to his good Pleafure j 
 the bringing down every Imagination which 
 raifeth it felf againft him ; the fubduing every 
 undue Tendency in us towards worldly Anv 
 bition. Honour, or Riches; the quieting e- 
 very turbulent Motion in our Breafts ; the 
 taking off more and more the Edge of the 
 Mind from all fenfual Enjoyments; the Dif- 
 covery, and gradual An^endment, of the 
 leaft Diflocations, the leaft irregular Move, 
 jnents, the moft fecret Diforders of our Wills 
 
 Iw 4 ^nd 
 
i ^ 2 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. and AfFeftions. This is the Task of a Chri- 
 VII. ftian, who is paft the Danger of being im- 
 
 ^^^^^"^^ merfed in open Vice and Profanenefs : to go 
 on from Strength to Strength; from one 
 Degree to another ; from one Branch of Per- 
 fedion to another; till He is called for by 
 God into a State of greater Perfeftion. And 
 whoever will ferioufly look into themfelves, 
 will find Inftances enough of Imperfedlion ; 
 in the amending of which they will fliew a 
 fincere Intention to pleafe God, and give 
 themfelves a greater Hope of his Mercy than 
 they could otherwife have. 
 
 But laft of all, let none of us incrcafe 
 our own Mifery by fuch a Bafenefs of Tem- 
 per, as ungratefully to abufe the Mercy of 
 God, offered us upon the T'erms of the Gof- 
 fel, to the Purpofes of Sin and Wickednefs. 
 This is a Sin of a deep Hue; and what will 
 indeed be the greateft Aggravation of our 
 continuing in our Vices. God offers us, for 
 the fake of his Son, to receive us to Favour, 
 reiurning to him ; and fincerely pradifing 
 his whole VV^ill for the future, without any 
 Partiality, or Negleft of any part of it. It 
 is a fervile and ignominious Difpofition, for 
 which no Name is bad enough, to take oc- 
 
 cafion 
 
of Acceptance. 153 
 
 cafion from the Offer of Mercy to which S e r m. 
 univerfal Amendment and Holinefs is at any ^^^• 
 time entitled, to defer our Amendment and ^'^^^^ 
 Holinefs. The only generous Way ; the 
 only fecure Way for our ownlntereft, (which 
 we pretend to be fo dear to us ; ) is immedi- 
 ately and without Delay to endeavour to 
 come up to his TermSy that we may obtain 
 his Promifes; to work out our Salvation 
 while the Day lafieth : becaufe the Night 
 cometh ( we know not how foon ) when no 
 Man can work. Thus fhall we find the 
 Way to Eternal Life^ before it be hid from 
 our Eyes ; which God grant we may ! &c. 
 
 S E R- 
 
C 154 ] 
 
 ;5>JS?S5S.^e5^x<e<t:^?:^53s<>:<5ijfi:<^i^c<^^x^^5^s:^^^ 
 
 Concernifjg the T'erms of Acceptancey &c. 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 YIII. 
 
 HEBREV/S X. 26, 27. 
 
 For if we fin wilfully^ after that we have 
 received the Knowledge of the Truth^ 
 there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin : 
 but a certain fearful looking for offudg^ 
 menty and fiery Indignation^ which Jh all 
 devour the Adverfaries. 
 
 H! Have, in feveral Difcourfes , 
 fliewn you, from plain and un- 
 conteftable Paffages of the New 
 Tefia?nent y what thofe T'erms 
 and Conditions are, upon which Almighty 
 God will finally pardon, accept, and juf- 
 tify, thofe profeffed Chriftians, who have 
 been, in any Senfe, or any Degree, wil- 
 ful Sinners : and in my laft Difcourfe I 
 fumm'd them up in that one Condition of 
 
 finccro^ 
 
of Acceptance. 155 
 
 Jincere, univerfal, and impartial Oi^edienceSB rm, 
 to all the Laws of God, without Exception ; ^^^^• 
 or a real and fenfible Amendment of their ^''^'^ 
 Lives and Tempers, in all thofe Inftances, in 
 which they know themfelves to have tranf- 
 greffed any of his Commandments. In or- 
 der ftill more to confirm the Truth of what 
 hath been faid upon this Subjed:, I defign to 
 confider particularly thofe feveral Schemes, 
 and various Hopes, which the Imaginations 
 of Men have framed to themfelves, more a- 
 greeable to their own Humours, and Incli- 
 nations ; in Oppofition to thefe fettled Con- 
 ditions of God's Favour. 
 
 But, before I fet about this, it will be 
 very proper to take notice of another fort of 
 Miftake in this important Affair, equally 
 contradicflory to what I have already laid 
 down ; equally fatal to ill-difpofed Minds ; 
 and very troublefome and afflictive to many 
 well-meaning and honefl: Chriftians : and 
 that is, the Opinion that their Cafe, as well 
 as the Cafe of all profefled Chriftians who 
 have been at any time wilful Sinners^ is fo 
 fad and defperate, that it is in vain for them 
 to hope for Pardon and Reconciliation, up- 
 on any Terms ^ even tho' they (hould hearti- 
 
156 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. ly endeavour to come up to the Conditions 
 vlll. J j^^^g heretofore laid down. Thefe are of 
 a differing fort, and of a differing Temper, 
 from the mofl of their Neighbours. And 
 their Opinion is pretended to be founded 
 upon fome T^exfs of the Nsw T'ejiament ^ 
 which feem to fpeak of the IrremifTiblenefs 
 of fome Sins, which perhaps they fancy 
 themfelves to have been guilty of; and par- 
 ticularly upon this Paffage, now read to you : 
 which, taken by it felf, and feparated from 
 the Context and manifeft Scope of the Wri- 
 ter of this Epijile^ feems to conclude, in ge- 
 neral, againft all Hope of Pardon to fuch as 
 have finned wilfully after the receiving and 
 profefTing the Chriflian Religion. 
 
 In Oppofition to fuch Irhaginations , 
 ( which render all that I have before advan- 
 ced of none effedl ) I (hall not confine my 
 View to this one Text of the New "Tejia- 
 ment : but I ftiall have regard to feveral o- 
 thers, which have been, in the fame man- 
 ner, miflaken and mifapplied ; as well as to 
 fome Confiderations taken from the Nature 
 of God, and the End of the Gofpel 5 de- 
 figning 
 
 I. To 
 
of Acceptance. 157 
 
 I. To (hew the great Abfurdlty of fixing S e r ^f. 
 upon Alm>gbry God, or the Chriftian Reli- "^^I^- 
 gion, any f ich Opinion as that all Hope of^^^'^^^^^ 
 Pardon is cut off, in the Go/pel, from Any 
 Chrijlians who have been wilful Sinners. 
 
 And 
 
 II. To confider particularly the Intent 
 of thofe miftaken Texts ; and the Impoffibi- ' 
 lity of fairly fixing upon them any luch Opi- 
 nion as this. 
 
 And thefe Points I think it very ufeful 
 to explain. For tho' the Generality of pro- 
 fefled Chriftians are more apt to prefume up- 
 on the Goodnefs and Mercy of God -, and 
 to interpret all Texts of Scripture concern- 
 ing that, fo much in their own Favour as to 
 receive fome Support from them, even 
 whilft they wilfully continue in their Sins : 
 yet, fince there are, on one hand, fome o- 
 thers who may, from a pretended Defp. ir 
 of God's Mercy, go on to increafe the Num- 
 ber of their Tranfgreffions ; and, on the o- 
 ther hand, fome weak, tho' honelt, Chri- 
 ftians, who have been brought to rhe me- 
 lancholy Condition of chinking themfelvts, 
 without any Ground, to be fuch fort of Sin- 
 ners as have forfeited all Title to God's lu- 
 
 ture 
 
158 Concerning the "Terms 
 
 S E R M. ture Mercy ; it is very neceffary to confider 
 ^^^' this Point, that fo the Uneafinefs of the lat- 
 
 ^'^^"^^'"^' ter, which is only their prefent Unhappinefs ; 
 and the Defpair of the former, which is their 
 Crime (as it is founded upon their Defire to 
 continue in their Sins ;) may be removed ; 
 and fome Stop put to fuch deftruftive Ima- 
 ginations. Nor can it be amifs for us to de- 
 fcend, as near as we can, to the Wants and 
 Occafions of all forts of Perfons ; to confi- 
 der the Scruples of fome, as well as the Pre- 
 emption of others ; and to accommodate 
 our Teaching fometimes to the more rare 
 and fecret Cafes, as well as at other times 
 to the more known and common. Nay, 
 it is indeed neceffary, in order to place be- 
 yond all reafonable Doubt what 1 have here- 
 tofore laid down, to handle this Subject: 
 that fo it may appear, not only that the 
 T^ernii of God*s Favour which I have point- 
 ed our, are the only Terms upon which He 
 hath promifed Acceptance -, but that there 
 is no reafon to think but that all profeffed 
 Chriftians may be fure of Acceptance, upon 
 coming up to thofe Terms, whatfoever their 
 former Condition hath been. To return. 
 
 1. 1 
 
of Acceptance. 159 
 
 I. I s H ALL now endeavour to fliew the S e r m. 
 great i^bfurdity of fixing upon Almighty ^^^^• 
 God, and the Chriftian Rehgion, any fuch ^^'^^^^'^ 
 Opinion, as that before mentioned. 
 
 I. It is extremely abfurd to fuppofe that 
 Almighty God, in condefcending to make 
 Terms with his Creatures, in the Chriftian 
 Difpenfation, fhould not propofe fome Me- 
 thod of Reconciliation to all thofe who fin af- 
 ter they have received that Religion, as well as 
 to thofe who had been Sinners before their be- 
 lieving : becaufe no Man, tho' never fo hear- 
 ty and fincere in his Profeflion of that Reli- 
 gion, is thereby made fo infallible, that no- 
 thing (hall ever impofe upon his Judgment ; 
 or fo well-guarded and refolute as that no- 
 thing fhall be able to furprize, or entice, his 
 Will into a Confent to Sin, in any poffible 
 Inftance. It may be true that a Chriftian hath 
 fuch a Power, and fo much Strength, and that 
 He is fo free from an abfolute Neceflity of 
 committing any one fingle wilful Sin, that 
 He may poflibly, by Watchfulnefs, and Con- 
 lideration, and a perpetual Care over him- 
 felf, prevent this. But it is true likcwife 
 that this is fo very difficult, that the Expe- 
 rience and Confeffion of all the beft Men, 
 
 in 
 
i6o Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. in all Ages, have demonjftrated that this fin- 
 VIII. lefs Obedience was never performed in Faft. 
 
 ^'^^"'^f'^ There is indeed a vail difference, and 
 in the Opinion of the World a greater fome- 
 times than is juft, between Sins: which hath 
 induced fome Men perhaps to think them- 
 felves more free from Sin than they really 
 are. Some are apt to imagine, becaufe they 
 do not permit themfelves to be guilty of 
 Drunkennefs, or Adultery, or Fornication, 
 or Murther, or Covetoufnefs, or Difhonefty 
 in their Dealings, that therefore they are 
 clean. But they often forget the Thoughts 
 of Pride and Haughtinefs ; of Revenge and 
 Implacability; of Severity and Ill-nature; of 
 Envy and Malice; of Anger and Paffion ; of 
 I Ambition and worldly Grandeur ; the fre- 
 quent Mifpence of their precious Time, and 
 the like : in one, or more, of which, they 
 have, fome time or other, in fome degree 
 or other, too certainly indulged themfelves 
 more than they can anfwer for at the Bar of 
 Juftice. Too certainly, I fay : for. Is there 
 a perfed: Man upon Earth ? Is there one, 
 who hath not one weak Side? who hath been 
 always fo ftridlly upon his Guard as that He 
 can fay, He hath refilled all Temptations to 
 
 every 
 
of Acceptance. 1 6 r 
 
 every fort, and every degree of Sin ? It hath S e r m. 
 been often obferved to you, that Men are ^^^^* 
 too apt to pafs over the Confideration of that ^^^^^^^ 
 particular Vice to which they have found 
 themfelves inclined ; efpecially, if it be not 
 of the Number of thofe which are called 
 fcandalous and notorious Crimes : Whereas 
 fome of thefe I have now mentioned, do in 
 truth defile the Soul ; hinder the Perfecflion 
 of Virtue ; render the M^n as truly obnoxi- 
 ous to the Divine Anger; and as truly oppofe 
 the Defign of Chriftianity, as fome of the 
 former fort ; and therefore ought to be e- 
 fteemed as Sins, and acknowledged as fuch 
 by all Chriftians. 
 
 I BELIEVE, therefore, It maybe truly 
 affirmed that there neither is, nor ever was, 
 aChriftian, who hath not, in fome Inftance 
 or other, fulFered himfelf to be carried be- 
 yond the Bounds of flricft Religion, particu- 
 larly of the Chriftian Inftitution ; fo as that 
 He muft acknowledge himfelf, to the great 
 Judge of the World, and Knower of Hearts, 
 to be, in fome degree or other, a wilful 
 Sinner after the Reception of Chriftianity. 
 St. Faul indeed, after his Converfion to the 
 Chriftian Religion, and his Labours in the 
 M Work 
 
1 62 Concernhw the T^erim 
 
 S E R M. Work of the Gofpel, doth fay, that He is 
 vni. confcious to himfelf of nothing for which 
 
 ^'^'^^^^'^ He can condemn himfelf, i Cor. iv. 4. 
 for that is the meaning of thofe Words, / 
 knmv nothing by myfelf. But He doth not 
 mean this in any other Senfe, to be fure, but 
 tliis, that in the main He had performed his 
 Office after fuch a manner, as that He had 
 good Ground to hope for the Favour of God, 
 and the Pvcwards of Heaven : which AfTu- 
 rance others likewife may arrive at. That 
 He could intend by this to fignify that, in 
 any iingle Inftance either of Thought, Word, 
 or Deed j either confider'd as an Apojtie, or 
 ^s a private Chriftian ; He had nothing to 
 accufe himielf of ; is a Suppofition without 
 all Ground. For He doth not appear to have 
 had fuch an Opinion of himfelf: and parti- 
 cularly feems to have acknowledged himfelf 
 in an hafty and indecent Paffion before the 
 High-prieli, Acfs xxiii. 3. for the Words 
 cannot be underitood to mean lefs than that. 
 Nor indeed doth He extend the Expreffion, 
 I Cor. iv. 4. to himfelf in all Capacities : 
 but is there confidering himfelf particularly 
 as called to, and executing, the Work of an 
 Jpojilc. St. Peter once thought it abfo- 
 
 liuelv 
 
of Acceptance. 163 
 
 lutely impoflible that any worldly Confider- Serm. 
 ation could bring him to a Denial of his ^^^^^* 
 Majler^ after all the convincing Evidences, '''^^^^ 
 to which He had been witnefs, of his being 
 the true Mejjiah : and yet, the fame Night 
 in which He {hewed this Confidence, He 
 fliewed his Weaknefs alfo. 
 
 This, therefore, being undoubtedly true, 
 that no Chriftian, fince the firft preaching of 
 the Gofpel, hath actually fo fulfilled the Law 
 of Chrift, as to be entirely free from all Sin 
 either of Omijjion^ or CommiJ/wn ; either in 
 Thought, or Word, or Deed : I fay, it is ab- 
 furd to fuppofe that Almighty God would 
 leave no room in fuch a Difpenfation, for 
 the Recovery and Reconciliation of vyilful 
 Sinners, after their believing the- Gofpel ; 
 without which there could be no Salvation 
 obtained. This would be to bring Men into 
 fuch a Difpenfation as muft only affright and 
 terrify fome, and throw others into a more 
 profligate Courfe of Sin than they were in, 
 before their believing in Chrift. This is to 
 fuppofe Almighty God calling the World 
 folemnly to the Knowledge of the Gofpel ; 
 defcending to treat with his Creatures, in 
 order to beftow his Mercy upon them after 
 M 2 an 
 
164 Concerning the Therms 
 
 S E R N^. an extraordinary manner : and that the Ef- 
 ^^^^' fecfl of this Condefcenfion is, that the fin ce- 
 
 ^^^^^^^"^ reft Believer that ever embraced his Call to 
 the Chriftian Faith, cannot have any Hopes 
 of Pardon, if He hath once after that wil- 
 fully tranlgrelTcd any of his Laws. And 
 what is this but to publilli a Religion to the 
 World, which hath no EfiFe6l towards ma- 
 king any of the Sons of Men happy ; but in- 
 deed, upon this fuppofition, makes them all 
 much more miferable, in the End, than they 
 would have been without it. 
 
 Some Men have made it a great Objec- 
 tion againft the Wifdom and Goodnefs of 
 God, that he fhould promulgate, after fuch 
 a manner, fuch a Religion as that of Jefus 
 Chrift; when He forefaw that fo many, who 
 have it in their Power to do otherv/ife, 
 would live fo unworthily of it, in the Prac- 
 tice of grofs, and notorious Sins. But the 
 Love of God, in anfwer to this Objedion, 
 is fufficiently feen in the unfpeakable Benefit 
 which the better fort receive from this Infti- 
 tucion ; and in the Proof which that affords 
 us that others might receive the fame, were 
 they not extremely wanting to themfelves. 
 But the prefent Suppofition takes away all 
 IIopcs, even from the moft fincere Believer, 
 
 of 
 
of Accepta7ice, 165 
 
 of acquitting himfelf fo as to obtain God's S e r m. 
 Favour at laft. For the Weaknefs of all ^^^^I- 
 Chriftians, in fomc Inftance or other, prov- ^-^^^^^ 
 ingfuch a Difficulty of abfolute Perfedion, 
 as no Chriftian ever yet conquered ; this 
 Suppofition reprefents Almighty God as in- 
 ftituting a Religion entirely fruitlefs andin- 
 efFedlual. Which is fo great an Abfurdity, 
 that from hence it may certainly be conclu- 
 ded that there is a Method of Pardon and Re- 
 conciliation for thofe who have wilfully fin- 
 ned after their receiving the Chrifdan Reli- 
 gion. And this with refped to all forts of 
 wilful Sinners in that Religion : becaufe, as 
 it is abfurd to fuppofe that God fliould not 
 mean and fpeak Confolation to the better 
 fort of Chriftians ; fo, on the other hand, 
 it is equally abfurd to fuppofe that He fhould, 
 by cutting off all Hopes of Favour on any 
 Terms, urge and force the worfe fort of 
 Chriftians into a more refolute and uninter- 
 rupted Profecution of their Vices. And this 
 brings me to another Confideration, viz, 
 
 2. That, as the contrary Opinion, is, 
 in it felf, abfurd and ftiocking ; fo, it is ex- 
 prefly contrary to the declared Defign of the 
 Gofpel : which is, that all Sinners lliould be 
 
 M 3 called 
 
1 66 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. called and invited to Repentance and Refor- 
 ^^^^' macion ; and that Virtue fhould have an En- 
 
 ^"^^'^^ couragement annexed to it, fufficient to 
 work upon Men to forfake Vice, and re- 
 turn to the Pradice of their Duty. But now, 
 this End could not poffibly be anfvvered, if it 
 were certain that, if once Men arrived to 
 fuch a Pitch of Wickednefs, they Hiould ne- 
 ver be accepted by Almighty God, even tho' 
 they {hould forfake it for the Time to come. 
 For, as I obferved in a former Difcourfe, the 
 Certainty of this, nay, the probable Sufpi- 
 cion of this, would incline all Sinners, efpe- 
 cially habitual Sinners, to ftrengthen them- 
 felves in their Sins 3 and to take Courage 
 from their Defpair ofMercy^ orof any other 
 fort of Happinefs, to take as much as they 
 poffibly could of the Pleafures of a Courfe 
 of all manner of Sin ; and fo to engage 
 themfelves, more inextricably than ever, in 
 a vicious Habit of Life. 
 
 But becaufe fome have built fo pernici- 
 ous an Opinion, not upon the Reafonable- 
 nefs of the thing it felf j or upon the main 
 End and Defign of Chriftianity ; but upon 
 ibme particular Texts and Paffages of the 
 New lejiament ; and argued from them, 
 
 againft 
 
of Acceptance, 167 
 
 againfl the Acceptance of fome Sinners, who S e r m- 
 are profelTed Chriftians, upon any Terms ^ ^^^' 
 whatfoever: I fliall now therefore, in order ^^^""^^ 
 to remedy the Mifchief of fuch a Miftake^ 
 
 II. Endeavour to fliew that thefe 
 Paffages of the New Tejlameiit prove not 
 the Point, for which they are alledged. And 
 of thefe PaiTagcs I fhail take particular No- 
 tice of Three ; upon which the whole of 
 the prefent Debate entirely depends. 
 
 I. T H E firjl is that Paffage, recorded in 
 the Go/pels, in which our Saviour fpeaks of 
 Jinjiing againjl the Holy Ghojl ; and de- 
 clares it unpardonable 5 particularly, Matth. 
 xii. 31, 32 : which fome well-meaning 
 Chriftians have been fo unkind to them- 
 felves, as, in their defponding Minutes, to 
 apply to their own Cafe. The particular 
 handling all the Circumftances of this im- 
 portant Paffage would require a long Dif- 
 courfe on purpofe. But all that is neceffary 
 to my prefent Deiign is to fliew that the Sin 
 there Ipoken of, is a Sin in which fach Per- 
 fons, as we are now fpeaking of, cannot 
 poffibly be concerned. For whatever it was 
 that was there intended by our Lord j this 
 is manifeft, that He fpeaks to, and of, fuch 
 M ± Perfons 
 
1 6 8 Concerning the ' Terms 
 
 S E R M. Perfons as themfelvcs faw the Courfe and 
 ^^^^- Series of his wonderful Works ; and did, 
 out of mere Malice, and an incorrigible 
 Difpofition of Mind, afcribe all that He did 
 to the Power of evil Spirits : the' there was not 
 the leaft Sign of that, but manifefl Demon- 
 ftration that He was acSingdiredly againft the 
 Intereft of all evil Spirits. It is upon this 
 Occafion, and of fuch fort of Sinners, that 
 He-there fpeaks. And from hence it appears 
 that, whatever the Nature and Malignity of 
 that Sin was, it cannot be a Sin which it is 
 poffible for any Perfons to commit, who 
 profefs Faith in Jefus Chrift, and believe 
 Him to have been fent into the World by 
 God ; nay, nor for any who did not them- 
 felves fee with their own Eyes his mighty 
 Works, and, out of mere Malice and Per- 
 verfenefs, afcribe them to the Devil. It 
 follows therefore that, fuppofing the Sin a^ 
 gahi/l the Holy Ghoft ( whatever be the full 
 Nature of it) to be unpardonable; ( which 
 probably muft arife from the perverfe Difpo- 
 fition of Mind from which it proceeds, un- 
 capable of Alteration for the better, and not 
 from any Refolution'of Almighty God never 
 to pardon it upon fuch Alteration for the 
 
 better ; ) 
 
of Acceptance. 169 
 
 better ;) fuppofing, I fay, this Sin unpardo- S e t^ m. 
 nable : yet it follows from what hath been ^^^^ 
 faid that, notwithftanding this, the wilful ^^^^'^^'^ 
 Sins of all who profefs Faith in Jefus Chrifl 
 may be pardoned, upon fome Terms \ and 
 that they may be capable of coming up to 
 thofe Terms. For it appears that no pro- 
 feffed Chriftian, or fincere Believer in Jefus 
 Chrift, is capable of being guilty of this Sin : 
 and it is of Chrijlians, who have been, or 
 are, wilful Sinners, that we are now dif- 
 courfmg. This is fully fufficient for our 
 prefent Purpofe, concerning this PaiTage a- 
 bout finning againji the Holy Ghoji^ njiz. 
 That profefled Chriftians are not, and can- 
 not be, concerned in it. 
 
 2. T H E fecond PaiTage I fhall mention, 
 is that in the Sixth Chapter of the Epijile to 
 the Hebrews^ from v. 4. to v. 7. For // 
 is impoj/ible for thofe who were once enlight- 
 ened^ and have tajied the heavenly Giffy 
 and were made Partakers of the Hol^ Gho/i^ 
 and have tajied the good Word of God, and 
 the Powers of the World to co?Jie, if they 
 jlmllfall awa% to rejiew them again to Re- 
 pentance: feeing they crucify to themfehes 
 the San of God afref\ and put him to an 
 
 Qpen 
 
\yo Co72cerm72g the Terms 
 
 SERU.Gpen Sbame: concerning which Pa/fage, I 
 vIII. h^ye the followino; Obfervations to offer. 
 
 I. Th I s is fpoken only of a wilful and 
 open ApoAacy from the Faith of Chrift, and 
 a publick Denial of Jefus Chrift, perfifted in 
 for fome Time : and this Apoftacy is the 
 Apoftacy of fuch Perfons as had tafted, and 
 been endowed with, fome of the miraculous 
 Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, feen in thofe firft 
 Days; and had been Witneffes to the great 
 and wonderful Gifts which others in the 
 Church likewife enjoyed, and to all the 
 Wonders of the GofpeLAge^ called here by 
 a Jewifh Phrafe, the World, or Age, to come. 
 Thefe are the Perfons, and this is the falling 
 away, here fpoken of: and fuch a falling a- 
 way it is, as may juftly be faid to be, in 
 effed, an Acquittance of thofe who crucijfied 
 our Lord ; and a joining with the Infidel 
 World in bringing a publick Sham.e upon 
 Him, and his Religion. This then is vaftly 
 different from the Cafe of any who are flill 
 profeffed Chriftians ; and cannot poliibly be 
 applied to any, who have nor, by open A- 
 poftacy, fallen from a State of fuch Gifts, 
 j^nd fuch Powers, and fuch Illuminations. 
 
 2. T H r 
 
of Acceptance. lyi 
 
 2. The Impoffibility of the Acceptance Serm. 
 of fuch Perfons is not here fixed upon any ^^^*' 
 Refolution, on the part of Almighty God, ^^'"^^'^ 
 not to accept them ; fhould they again fin- 
 cerely turn to Him and come up to his 
 Terms : but it is declared to arife from the 
 Impoffibility of fuch Perfons ever recovering 
 themfelves, fo as to come up to the Terms 
 
 of the Gofpel. It is faid to be impoffible 
 to renew them to Repentance : not to be im- 
 poffible for them to be pardoned and accep- 
 ted, fuppofing them to come to true Repen- 
 tance. But we are now fpeaking of the Par- 
 don of fuch profeffed Chriftians, tho' never 
 fo notorious Sinners, as may, and do, come 
 up to the Terms required : and this Paffage, 
 you fee, cannot be meant of Sinners, during 
 their Chriflian Profeffion ; or of Sinners of 
 any fort, who do at any time come up to the 
 "Terms offered in the Gofpel. But then, 
 
 3. T H E ImpoJJibility here fpoken of, is 
 not a namral or abfolute Impoffibility : but 
 only ^'very great Difficulty ; which, in the 
 ordinary way of fpeaking, is often faid to 
 be impoffible J and reprefented by Simili- 
 tudes taken from natural Impoffibilities. At 
 this Day, we our felves often call a difficult 
 
 Matter, 
 
172 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. Matter, an impoffible thing ; without mcan- 
 VIII. jj^g ;^ jj^ ^Yit flridt and accurate Senfe of the 
 
 ^'^^^^ Word : and in the Eaftern Nations, their 
 Ways of fpeaking were much more exorbi- 
 tant, and their Figures of Speech more 
 ftrange, than thofe amongft us. Can the E- 
 thiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard 
 hi\ Spots? faith the Prophet, Jer. xiii. 23. 
 then Jlmll ye alfo who are accuftomed to do 
 evil, learn to do well. If one were here to 
 follow the Letter of the Expreffion, one 
 would think that xh^ Prophet was reprefent- 
 ing it to be as impoffible, in the nature of 
 the thing, for the habitual Sinner to turn to 
 the Pradice of Virtue, as it is for the Black- 
 moor to alter the Colour of his Body. Where- 
 as it is manifeft that this could not be in- 
 tended, becaufe it was the fame Prophet's 
 Bufinefs and Defign, ( as it was that of o- 
 thers alfo ) to perfuade thofe very Sinners, 
 to whom He fpeaks, to reform their Ways : 
 which certainly was the abfurdefl Thing 
 imaginable, fuppofing it a Matter which He 
 knew, and reprefented to them, to be ab- 
 folutely impoffible. 
 
 . Thus our Saviour himfelf reprefents the 
 Difficulty of a Rich Man's embracing the 
 
 Gofpel^ 
 
of Acceptance. 173 
 
 Gofpel, and arriving fafe at the Place of fu- S e r m. 
 ture Rewards, ( a Difficulty arifing from the T][^ 
 ftrong Temptations there are in the Pofleffi- ^^""^^^^ 
 on of Riches, to Covetoufnefs, or Pride, or 
 Luxury ; ) by a Similitude taken from a thing 
 abfolutely impoflible : and goeth fo high, 
 in the figurative way of fpeaking, as to fay. 
 It is eafier for a Camel to go through the 
 Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man to 
 enter into the Kingdom oj Heaven. Matth. 
 xix. 24. And yet his great Defign was to call 
 thefe rich Men themfelves to fuch an Ufe of 
 their Riches, as that they might prove the 
 Occafion of their greater Reward hereafter. 
 Which fhews that it was not his Intent, in 
 thofe Words, to fpeak literally ; or to fig- 
 nify any more than his Senfe of the very 
 great Difficulty of rich Men's behaving 
 themfelves fo here, as to attain Eternal 
 Happinefs hereafter. 
 
 Fr o M all this it appears that Things are, 
 in Scripture, faid, or reprefented, to be im- 
 poffible, by an ufual manner of fpeaking, 
 which are only extremely difficult : and con- 
 fequently, that the Word ifnpojjible, in the 
 PaiTage now under Confideration, ( taking 
 into the Account likewife the nature of the 
 
 thing 
 
174 Concerning the "Terms 
 
 S E R M. thing fpoken of, ) doth not fignify any more ; 
 ^^^^- and that the ApoJlle% Defign in that Pajfage 
 
 ^"^^^ was no other than to fignify the extreme Dif- 
 ficulty of the true Repentance of fuch as do 
 totally renounce the Chrifl:ian Faith, and 
 publickly difown their Mafter, Jefus Chrift, 
 after they have received themfelves, and feen 
 in others, the greateft and mofl: miraculous 
 Proofs that He is the true Me/jiah. 
 
 And thus we fee that, whether we con- 
 fider the Perfons concerned in this Pafl'age ; 
 or the thing affirmed of them in it ; it hath 
 no reference to the Sins of profeflTed Chrifti- 
 ans, continuing fuch ; and doth not prove 
 any thing of the Impoflibility of their Re- 
 pentance, and Acceptance. 
 
 3. T H E third and laft Pafage of the 
 New Tejlament which I fhall mention, as 
 quoted, and applied, by fome, to the fame 
 purpofe, is that which I read to you, at the 
 Entrance of this Difcourfe, out of the fame 
 Epijlle to the Hebrews, ch. x. v. 26, 27, 
 For if we fin wilfully after that we have 
 received the Knowledge of the Truth, there 
 remains no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a cer- 
 tain fearful looking for of Judgment, and 
 
 fiery 
 
of Acceptance. 175 
 
 fiery Indignation^ 'which P^all devour the Ad- S e r m, 
 verfaries. Now, ^^^^• 
 
 I. To put fuch an Interpretation upon ^•^^'"*^^"^ 
 this Paffage, as to take away all Hopes of 
 Pardon, from fuch profefled Chriflians as 
 have been, in any degree, wilful Sinners, 
 even fuppofing them to return and amend * 
 is to contradid the main Defign and Tenour 
 of the Gofpcl : as I have juft now fhewed- 
 And whatever contradidsthe main Defign of 
 the Gcfpel, cannot poffibly be the true mean- 
 ing of any particular Paffage in it : whecher 
 we be able to find out the exaft meaning of 
 the Paffage, or not. The Form of Expref- 
 fion, upon which the Suppofition is founded, 
 equally precludes from Mercy the fincereft 
 repenting Chriftian, who hath once wilfully 
 tranfgreffed God's Law, and the vile/i Sinner 
 who is hardened in his Iniquities. So that, 
 if it excludes any Sinner from Pardon ; it 
 excludes all who ever once finned. And 
 who can put fuch a Senfe upon this Paffage, 
 as will render vain the whole Chriftian Dif- 
 penfation 5 and debarr every one, who ever 
 named the Name of Chrift, from all Title to 
 any Benefit from Him ? This it is impoffible 
 to conceive, or embrace, as the Intent of 
 
 the 
 
176 Concerning the Terms 
 
 S E R M. the Apoflle. And as for the true Intent of 
 VIII. it^ 
 
 ^^^^^^^ 2. I T will be obviouSj I believe, to every 
 one's Obfervation, upon the reading the 
 whole Context, that this finning wilfully^ 
 in V. 26. is the total and open forfaking the 
 Chriftian Affemblies, in the Verfe before : 
 which was accounted a renouncing and be- 
 ing afliamed of, the Chriftian Faith, in Com- 
 pliance with the Infidel World about them. 
 And that xkii% finning ^wilfully, here fpoken 
 of, is to be underftood of a publick Renun- 
 ciation of Chriflianity, and Apoflacy from 
 the Gofpel, feems plain from the 29th Verfe, 
 in which the wilfil Sinner^ mentioned here^ 
 is oppofed to one amongft the Jews that 
 defpfed Mofess Law^ and profeffedly op- 
 pofed it ; and is farther defcribed to be one 
 who hath troden under Foot the Son of God^ 
 and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant y 
 wherewith He was finBifed , an unholy 
 things and bath do?ie Defpite unto the Spi^ 
 rit of Grace : Phrafes, very like to thofe by 
 which the Author of this Epijlle defcribes 
 an open Apoftacy from the Chriftian Faith, 
 in the Paffage which I laft confidered j and 
 which cannot agree fo well to any other 
 
 fort 
 
of Acceptance. 177 
 
 fort of wilful Sins, as to that of a Depar- S e r m. 
 ture from the Profeffion of Chriftianity, and, ^^^I- 
 as much as in Men lies, giving an open Af- ^-^''VN/ 
 front to that Difpenfation, and bringing a 
 publick Difgrace upon it. So that the wil- 
 ful Sinner Sy here fpoken of, are not the wilful 
 Sinners^ of whom we are now treating; 
 *inz. thofe who are fo, at any time, during 
 their Profeffion of Chriftianity. 
 
 3. W H A T is affirmed of thefe Sinners, in 
 the Tafage now before us, is, that there 
 remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin: that is, 
 either that the Force of Chrifi's Sacrifice fig^ 
 nifieth nothing to fuch as have renounced his 
 Religion : or that there is no other Sacrifice 
 of any Force, befides that which they have 
 renounced ; which cannot profit them, whilfl: 
 it is publickly renounced by them. But cer- 
 tainly this is faid of them, confidered as con- 
 tinuing in their Apoftacy -, and not as re- 
 turning fincerely again to their former Pro- 
 feffion. And this indeed may be faid of any 
 wilful habitual Sinners, continuing fuch, that 
 the Sacrifice of Chrift will profit them no- 
 thing : but this, without taking from them 
 the Hope of the Favour of God, upon the 
 
 N Altera- 
 
lyS Concerning the Therms 
 
 S E R M. Alteration of their Lives, and their conning 
 ^'I^I- up to his Terms. 
 
 ^•^^^^"^ It appears therefore, I think, very plain- 
 ly, that the Pcrfons here fpoken of, are not 
 wilful Sinners^ who are fuch, during their 
 open Profeffion of Chrijlianity -, and that, 
 fuppofing the thing here affirmed, to be 
 affirmed of all wilful Sinners in general, it 
 is not an utter Exclufion of any of them 
 from all Hopes, but as remaining in their 
 Sins : and confequently, that this Pajfage 
 proves nothing againft the Poffibility of wil^ 
 ful Sinners, of all Degrees, amongft fuch as 
 profefs Chriftianity, obtaining the Favour of 
 God, upon the Terms appointed by Himfelf 
 in the Gofpel : ^^oiz, the forfaking what is 
 evil; and the fincere, univerfal Amendment 
 of their Lives, in allthofe Inftances, in which 
 they can difcover themfelves to have been 
 formerly finful, or defed:ive. 
 
 And it being fo evident, from what 
 I have heretofore difcourfed, that thefe are 
 the only Conditions of their final Juflificati- 
 on, and Acceptance s and fo plain from what 
 I have now faid, that, upon their coming up 
 to thefe Conditions, they need not doubt of 
 that Juflification and Acceptance ; what re- 
 mains. 
 
LT^SJ 
 
 of Acceptance. ijg 
 
 mains, but that we all fliake off every Pre- S e r m. 
 tenfe of Defpair and Defpondency, on the ^ jj]}^' 
 one hand ; and every vain Hope and fruit- 
 lefs Expedation, on the other j and heartily 
 fet our felves to amend whatever is amifs in 
 our Tempers, or Pradice ; to run our Chri- 
 flian Race in that Path which Chriji him- 
 felf hath marked out to us ; and, ly pati- 
 ent continuance in well-doings to feck af- 
 ter Glory and Immortality ? Which God 
 grant we may all obtain, for the Sake of his 
 Son Jefus Chrifi^ our Lord ! 
 
 N:J 
 
 SER- 
 
[ i8o] 
 
 T'be Mijlake of relying upon Faiths conji- 
 deredy &c. 
 
 SERMON IX- 
 
 EPHESIANS ii. 8. 
 
 For by Grace are you faved through Faith ; 
 and that not of your fehes : it is the 
 Gift of God. 
 
 Now come to the Second part 
 of that DefigUy which I have, 
 for fome Time, had in View ; 
 '■ciz. to examine particularly 
 the principal of thofe falfe Pretenfes, and 
 miftaken Notions, concerning the T^erm% 
 of our Acceptance with God, by which 
 Men fupport themfelves in their Continu- 
 ance in their beloved Vices ; and endeavour 
 to elude the Force, and arm themfelves a-- 
 gainft the Power, of thofe plain Texts of 
 ^cripture^ and thofe convincing Arguments, 
 
 by 
 
He Mi/lake^ of relyi?ig^ &c. 1 8 r 
 
 by which I have already proved that the S e r m. 
 Method laid down in the Chriftian Religion, ^^• 
 by which Sinners may hope to be reconciled 
 to God, thro' Jefus Chrift, is the adliial A- 
 mendment of their Lives and Tempers in 
 all fuch Inftances as they know to be con- 
 trary, in any refpedt, to the Law of God ; 
 and that this is indifpenfably required of 
 them in order to their final Juflification ac 
 the great Day of the Lord. 
 
 The /r/?of thefe Miftakes which I fhall 
 take notice of, and examine, is the Miftake 
 of thofe Men who appear to be induced, 
 by fome Texts of the New T^ejiamenfy to 
 rely upon Faith, or their believing in yefus 
 Chrijiy and confident Application of his 
 Merits to themfelves ; and to exped: Salva- 
 tion from this, confidered as diftinft, and 
 feparate, from Obedience to the Moral Laws 
 of the GofpeL And amongft the reft, the 
 Text which I have now read to you, hath 
 been often heretofore, and is very likely to 
 be often again, alledged to this Purpofe, by 
 Men who are thus difpofed to lay hold on 
 any thing rather than heartily to fet about 
 the uneafy Task of reforming what is amifs 
 
 N 3 in 
 
1 8 2 The Mijlake^ of relying 
 
 S E R M. In themfelves. In the Examination of this 
 ^-^' great and fatal Miftake, I defien 
 
 I. T o lay before you the plain meaning 
 of St. Paul in the Text. 
 
 II. To ihew that no fuch Pretenfe as this 
 can fairly be built upon thefe, or any the 
 like Words, in the New Tejl anient. 
 
 III. T o obferve that St. Paul doth, in 
 this very Epiflle, as well as in many other 
 Places, fufSciently declare againft any fuch 
 Pretenfe : as our ble[fed Lord did likewife 
 before Him in the plaineft Words. 
 
 IV. To fhewyou in what Senfe Faitb, or 
 believing the Go/pel, is faid to fave us. 
 
 I. It will be very proper to lay before 
 you the plain meaning of St. Paul in the 
 Texf. 
 
 And*, if you look into the Chapter, you 
 will find that He is there fpeaking of the for- 
 mer Condition in which the Ephe^answerey 
 before their Converfion from a State of Hea- 
 thenifm, to the Belief of the Gofpel ^ and 
 magnifying God's Mercy, and the exceeding 
 Riches of his Grace, or Favour, towards 
 them, from the Jirji Verfe to the eighth : 
 in which He therefore goes on to make them 
 fenfible of their Obligation to that God who 
 
 had 
 
upon Faithy conjidered. 183 
 
 had thus quicken d them who were dead ?;z S e r m , 
 fms. For by Grace are ye faved : that is, ^-^• 
 For if is very Jit you Jhould know and con- ^^'^""^-^ 
 Jider that it is by the mere Grace or Favour ^ 
 or Mercy of God ( as the Word fignifies ) 
 that ye are faved through Faith ; that ye 
 are put into a Method, and State of Safety 
 and Salvation, by means of your receiving 
 the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. It is his own 
 Aa, his mere Mercy, that you have Terms 
 of Acceptance offered you, upon your be- 
 lieving in Chrift. The being faved in this 
 Method is by the Grace or Mercy of God, 
 I fay ; not of your felves^ that is, no Con- 
 trivance, or Appointment of your own ; not 
 owing to your felves : but it is the Gift, the 
 free Contrivance, and Offer of God to you, 
 that you fhould be put into this happy State 
 by the Gofpel. This is the meaning of the 
 Expreflion, and that not of your felves j 
 not, as it may found in our Tranflation, 
 and that Faithy or believing^ not of your 
 felves^ but entirely the Gift of God -^ (for 
 the Word that in the Greek is of the Neuter 
 Gender, and fo cannot fo eafily be fuppofed 
 to relate to (he Word Faith going before : ) 
 l)Ut5 thaty or this whole Matter, this your 
 
 N 4 being 
 
184 Tie Mijiake^ ^f ^^b^^g 
 
 Se R M. bcing/^W hy Faith \ this being called into 
 ^X- a State of Salvation by the Gofpel, is not 
 
 ^'^^'^^'^ of your felves ; but the Gift, the Favour, 
 the Offer of God, previous to all Defign, and 
 Thought of your ov^n. Then follow thefe 
 Words, V. 9. Not of Works, left any Man 
 (hould boaliy i. e. And as the Propofal of 
 this gracious Method of Salvation v/as not 
 owing to your felves, and your Contrivance: 
 fo neither was fuch a Favour merited at the 
 Hands of God by any paft Perfedion, by any 
 good Behaviour of your own, preceding it. 
 For, as I told you already, 1;. i. and 5. you 
 were dead in T^refpajj'es and Sins, when you 
 were called to the Knowledge of this merci- 
 ful Difpenfation. And this I add, left any 
 of you (hould boaft, as if you had deferved 
 of the Hands of Almighty God, by your pafl 
 good Behaviour, fo merciful a Difpeniati- 
 on, fo gracious a Propofal, as is made to you 
 in the Gofpel. Then He goes on to affure 
 them farther that their happy Condition is 
 owing entirely to God, who had, without 
 any Contrivance or Defert of theirs, ordered 
 Affairs fo by his good Providence, that they 
 were now Believers in J ejus Chrift j and 
 
 had 
 
upon Faith J conJtde?'ed. 185 
 
 had the Offers of Salvation, upon the Terms S e r m, 
 of the Gofpel, brought home to them. 
 
 This, therefore, is the manifeft Defign ^^^^^^ 
 of the Apoftle in the Text, to raife the Gra- 
 titude of the Ephefians to Almighty God -, and 
 to infpire them with all pofTible Regard to 
 Him ; by putting them in mind that they 
 were formerly in an helplefs and miferable 
 Condition, dead in Sins, void of the true 
 Life of reafonablc Creatures ; that they had 
 no Thought themfelves of fuch Salvation as 
 had been offered them by the Chriflian Re- 
 ligion ; that they had no Merit to engage 
 God Almighty to make them fuch an Offer, 
 and preach fuch a State of Reconciliation 
 and Salvation to them ; that it was of his 
 Grace, or Favour, that they were faved from 
 their former evil Condition of Sin and Ig- 
 norance, by believing and receiving the Gof- 
 pel : for which they were obliged therefore 
 to magnify the exceeding Riches of God's 
 Mercy towards them in Chrifl ; and not to 
 attribute this Happinefs to themfelves, who 
 were before this void of every thing that could 
 be pleafing to Almighty God, or influence 
 him to (hew them fo great and remarkable 
 a Kindnefs. It is by Grace that ye are deli- 
 vered 
 
l86 The Mijiah^ of relying 
 
 S E R M. vered from your former miferable Conditi- 
 IX. on ; it is an Adt of Grace that ye are faved 
 
 ^^^^'^'■'^ thro Faithy or put into a State of Salvation 
 by believing the Gofpel: and this he'mgfaved 
 in this Method, and by means of this believ- 
 ing, is net of your f elves \ but wholly ow- 
 ing to the good Will of God, whofe free 
 Offer, and Gift it is. This being fo mani- 
 feftly the Intent of the Apoftle in this Place; 
 it appears from hence what I propofed in the 
 fecond place, viz, 
 
 II. That no fuch Pretenfe as that which 
 makes Faith alone, feparated from a good 
 Life and Converfation, the Condition on 
 which we flhall be accepted at laft ; that no 
 fuch Pretenfe as this, I fay, can be built up- 
 on this Paffage of the New Teftamenf : 
 which will lead us likewife to the farther 
 Coniideration of this Miftake ; and to give 
 a true Account of what St. yames, and St. 
 Pauly upon other Occalions, have affirmed 
 upon this Subjedl. 
 
 A. s for the Paffage now before us ; we 
 have feen already that by our being faved by, 
 or thro' Faith, is meant our being put into 
 the true Way of Salvation by believing in 
 Jefus Chrift; and therefore that it cannot be 
 
 laid 
 
tipon Fatthj conjidered. 187 
 
 laid upon any fuch Expreflion as this, that itS e r m. 
 is this Faith or believing taken by it felf, and ^^• 
 confidered without any Influence upon our ^"^'^^^'^ 
 Lives, that will at laft be accepted by God ; 
 if we had Opportunity ofpracflifing Righte- 
 oufnefs, and have refufed to do it. Befides, 
 every thing neceffary to Salvation muft be 
 reprefented as the Method that leads to rt : 
 and becaufe Faith in Chrift, believing in \ 
 
 Him, and receiving Him for our Mafter, is 
 onp and the firft Requifite^ therefore we 
 may be faid to be faved by Faitby without - 
 any fuch meaning as that other Things may 
 not be as neceffary, and as indifpenfable, as 
 that. 
 
 But here it may be faid. Doth not St. 
 Paul exprefly in another place attribute Juf- 
 tification to Faith without the Works of the 
 Law ? Gal. iii. 6, 11. To which I anfwer. 
 Doth not St. James in his Epiftle^ ch. ii. 
 14. exprefly combat that Opinion which 
 fome Men may falfly build upon this, viz. 
 that Faith, without Moral Works confe- 
 quentupon it, is fufficient to Salvation .? And 
 is not St. James s Epifl;le of Authority with 
 Chrifl:ians, as well as St. Paul's ? And is not 
 this a Demonfl:ration to all vt^ho acknow- 
 ledge 
 
1 8 vS 7he Mijiake, of relying 
 
 S E R M* ledge this, that St. Paul could not intend 
 IX. any fuch thing as fome have fathered upon 
 
 V/'W^ Him ? But this is not all that is to be faid. 
 For It is manifcft that St. Paid is there fpeak- 
 ing of fuch Works of the Law, as Circumci- 
 fion ; and arguing, that fuch are not necef- 
 fary, from Abraham\ being juftified by the 
 eminent Faith which He had before Circum- 
 cifion: and this againft fome Perfons who 
 would ftill pretend that the Obfervation of 
 fuch Things was neceflary to the Favour of 
 God. Add to this, that St. Paul ufes the 
 Word Faith for the Gofpel-Difpenfation 
 preached by Jefus Chrift ; and is only arguing 
 that That is fufficient without the Obfer- 
 vation of the Mofaical Ceremonies. But He 
 IS never arguing with defign to make Men 
 believe that a mere empty Faith, void of 
 good Works, the Works of Righteoufnefs, 
 can fave any Man at laft : but faith much to 
 the contrary in all his Epiftles. But with 
 refpedl to what is faid both by Htm and St. 
 yames, concerning the Faith and Juftifica- 
 t\onoi Abraham 2.\\i of Cbriftiam-, it may 
 be proper to obfervc as follows. 
 
 I. St. PaulidAih that Abraham was ju- 
 ftified without, and before, fuch Works as 
 
 Circum-- 
 
upon Fait h-^ conjidered. 189 
 
 Circumcifion, St. James faith that Abraham Se r m. 
 was not juftified by an empty Faith without ^X. 
 Works of Obedience ; and would never ^"^/^VNi 
 have been accepted of God, unlefs He had 
 fhewn the reality of his Faith by Obedience 
 to the Call and Command of God, Here is 
 no Contradiction between them. So like- 
 wife Chrijlians will be juftified by means of 
 believing the Gofpel-Difpenfation, without 
 any fuch Works as Circumcifion, or any o- 
 ther Works of the Ceremonial Law ; as St. 
 Paul argued : But they will never be jufti- 
 fied, and finally acquitted by any Belief in 
 Chrift, without bringing forth, as they have 
 Opportunity, fuch good Fruits, and walk- 
 ing in fuch good Works, as the Gofpel of 
 Chrift diredls, and commands them to prac- 
 tice J as St. James faith. Again, 
 
 2. ABRAHAM vrsiSy for one fignal 
 Adt of Faith and Truft in God, called by 
 Him righteous j taken for fuch, and reputed 
 as a Perfon free from the Guilt of his paft 
 Sins: as faith St. P^^/. But it is manifeft, 
 faith St. JameSy that this Faith of Abra^ 
 ham was not fuch an empty Faith as fome 
 Chriftians pretend to rely upon : nay, that 
 He would not have been juftified finally by 
 
 God, 
 
I go The Mijlake-^ of relying 
 
 S E R M. God, unlefs He had, when He was tried by 
 ^-^- God, fliewn by the Obedience of his Life, 
 that his Faith was real, and fincere. Nei- 
 ther in this is there any Contradidion be- 
 tween them. So likewife it is true that a 
 Chriftian, upon his firft believing the Gofpel, 
 and receiving JefusChrift as the Meffiah and 
 Saviour of the World, is acquitted from the 
 Guilt of his paft Sins ; and reputed at this 
 time, and for the fake of this Faith^ as a juft 
 and righteous Perfon, clear from all paft 
 Guilt : as St. Paul always taught the firft 
 Chriftians y who were converted at ripe 
 Years from a Life of Infidelity and Sin. And 
 fo likewife it is true that no Chriftian who 
 hath Opportunity, after his Converfion, to 
 pradtife Holinefs, and yet continues unfruit- 
 ful, or wicked ; that no fuch Chriftian, I 
 fay, fhall be finally juftified and acquitted, 
 at the laft Day, for the fake of his believing 
 in Chrift; as St. James teacheth: but that 
 the final Juftification of fuch Chriftians de- 
 pends upon their fliewing their Faith by their 
 Works, as St. James exprefleth itj and up- 
 on their bringing forth good Fruit in their 
 Lives and Converfations, 
 
 Thus 
 
tipon Faith ^ conjtdered. igi 
 
 Thus may it eafily be feen that thefe S e r Af . 
 Two Apojlles perfedly agree cencerning the ^^• 
 Neceffity of a good Life, and of every ^^^^^^ 
 Branch of the Law of Virtue. But St. Paul 
 had to deal with a fort of Jewifli Chriftians, 
 who retained an Affedlion for the Works of 
 the Law, and Circumcifion particularly : and 
 therefore found occaiion to tell them that 
 their F^Lthtr Al^raham himfelf was juftified 
 without fuch Works ; that his eminent Faith 
 was one time counted to him for Righte- 
 oufnefs, or Juftification ; that for the fake 
 of that Faith He was efteemed by God free 
 from all the Guilt He had contracfted by Sin 
 before that Time ; and that therefore it was 
 nothing but what was agreeable to that great 
 Example which they pretended to love and 
 honour, that God fhould accept fuch as be- 
 lieved in his Son Jefus Chrift, without their 
 adhering to fuch Works as Circumcifion ; 
 and for the fake of that Faith 5 in Reward, 
 and for Encouragement, of it ; ihould ac- 
 quit them from the Guilt of all their Sins 
 committed before that Time. But St. James 
 found that fome mifunderftood and pervert- 
 ed fuch Doftrine as this ; and that fome Chri- 
 ftians began to pretend that no Works at all, 
 
 not 
 
192 The Mijiake^ of relying 
 
 S E R M. not thofe of Piety, and Charity, were ne- 
 I^» ceflary to their Juftification at the great Day j 
 
 ^"^^"^^"^ and that their believing in Chrift would ac- 
 quit them from the Guilt of all their Sins 
 that they (hould commit after this Belief, and 
 during the Time of their Chriftian Profeffi- 
 on. And therefore He found it neceflary to 
 tell them that Abraham fhewed his Obedi- 
 ence to God's Will in the higheft Inftances, 
 and trufted not in an empty Faith 5 but, 
 tho* He had been once acquitted from paft 
 Sins by an eminent Degree of it, yet that 
 he did not expedl to continue in Favour with 
 God, unlefs by obeying all his Commands, 
 and {hewing himfelf ready to fulfil his whole 
 Will ; and fo likewife that Chrijiians cannot 
 exped: to continue in the Favour of God, or 
 that State of Juftification and Acceptance 
 which their firft believing put them into, 
 without imitating Abraham^ Obedience , 
 and following his Steps in good Works, as 
 well as in Faith j or rather, that there can be 
 no fuch thing as true Faith without good 
 Works, any more than there can be a good 
 Tree without good Fruit. 
 
 These were the different Reafons for 
 the different, tho' not contradiftory, Tofi- 
 
 tions 
 
uponFaithy confidered. 193 
 
 tiom of thefe Two Apojlks ; and for their S e r m. 
 different manner of handling this Point. ^^^ 
 And in this Matter great Account is to be ^"^^'^ 
 had of the following Diflinftion ; that be- 
 lieving in Jefus Chrift acquits from the Guilt 
 of Sins committed before fuch Belief; and 
 this merely in order to a better Life for the 
 future ; which was St. Pauh frequent x\f- 
 firmation : but that believing in Jefus Chrift 
 doth not acquit from the Guilt of any Sins 
 continued in, after this Belief, and during 
 our Chriftian Profeffion, but indeed add 
 to it extremely, as St, James in effedl af- 
 firms ', and as St. Paul often taught. Which 
 will appear more plainly from what will be 
 faid under the Third Propofition, viz. 
 
 3. That St. Paul doth, in this very 
 Epiftle, as well as in maiiy other places, fuf- 
 ficiently declare againft any fuch Pretenfe as 
 that which I have been now examining: and 
 this, in Imitation of his great Mafter who did 
 the fame before him. Our Lord, you can- 
 not but remember, fet himfelf againft this 
 very Deceit, by which He forefaw that many 
 of his profefled Difciples w^ould endeavour 
 to elude the great Defign of his coming into 
 the World. The Words you have often had 
 
 O in 
 
 ,.'j2 
 
194 ^^ Mijlake^ of relying 
 
 Se R M. in your Ears, Not every one that faith unto 
 ^^- me^ Lord, Lord, P^all enter into the Kingdo7n 
 
 ^■^^^^"^ of Heaven ; but He that doth the Will of 
 my Father which is in Heaven : a Declara- 
 tion which, in other Words, exprefleth this 
 very thing, that it is not believing in Him, 
 or acknowledging him for our Mafter, or 
 applying his Comforts to our felves, that 
 ihall avail us at laft j but the doing the Will 
 of his Father ; or a conftant univerfal Obe- 
 dience to the Commands laid upon us in his 
 Gofpel. This I repeat to you, under this 
 Head, becaufe it is fo exprefs a Declaration 
 againft Men's relying on Faith only for Sal- 
 vation, or final Juftification ; that a more 
 exprefs one could not have been made in 
 Words. 
 
 After having remarked this, I come 
 to fliew that St. Paul himfelf guards againft 
 the fame fatal Miftake in this very Epiftle, 
 in which He declares that We are faved 
 through Faith. He doth indeed profefs to 
 the Ephefians, ch:i, v, 9. that their being 
 in fo happy a State came not of their Works: 
 but that is meant of their Works before 
 their Converfion ; that they had no Merit to 
 invite or induce Almighty God to offer them 
 
 fuch 
 
upon Faith ^ confidered. 195 
 
 fuch Salvation. But in the very next Words, S e r m. 
 1), 10. He declares that we Chriftians are ^-^• 
 God's Workmanjhip, created in Cbrifi J ejus ^-''""^^'"^ 
 unto good Works ; that we are, by Conver- 
 fion to Chriftianity, as it were a- new crea- 
 ted by the Will of God, calling us to it 5 and 
 created for this End, that we may perform 
 good Works. So that you fee He immedi- 
 ately guards againft any fuch Notion, as they 
 might weakly entertain, of his attributing 
 our final Salvation to Faith feparated from 
 goods Works, in the Gofpel-Senfe of good 
 Works. And indeed, tho' in fome Places 
 St. Paul Aoili vilify the Merits of the World 
 and their Behaviour, before the coming of 
 the Gofpel ; and tho' in others He vilifies 
 the Works of the Law of Mofes^ with 
 which fome would have burthened the E- 
 vangelical ProfeflSon: yet no one can fliew 
 any one Text, or any one fingle Paflage, in 
 which He vilifies, and fets at nought, the 
 Works of Evangelical Righteoufnefs, or O- 
 bedience to the Moral Laws of Virtue. 
 
 To vilify and decry the Behaviour and 
 Works both of Jew and Gentile, before the 
 Faith of Chrift prevailed, was not to fet at 
 nought good Works^ but bad ones 5 and only 
 
 O 2 to 
 
J 96 ^ T'he Mijlake^ of relying 
 
 £ R M. to obferve the corrupt and fad Eftate of Man- 
 
 K- kind. To vilify the Ceremonial Law^ after 
 
 ^^^^"^^^'^ the coming in of Juftification by Faith (or 
 
 the Go/pel) was not to vilify fuch Works as 
 
 we are fpeaking of: but indeed to take Men's 
 
 Minds off from Shadows, and Ceremonies ; 
 
 and to fix them upon good Works that are 
 
 more fubftantial. Nay, when He ever 
 
 toucheth upon the Moral Duties ; with 
 
 how much Vehemence doth He recommend 
 
 them ? When He fpcaks of the Ephejians^ or 
 
 other Chriftians, having improved in Virtue, 
 
 - nnce their Converfion to Chriftianity ; what 
 
 Commendations doth He give them ? And 
 
 with how much Joy doth He offer up his 
 
 Thanks to God for it? But we never find 
 
 him depreffmg that fort of Works ; or fet- 
 
 tlng up Faith againft them ; or taking off 
 
 the bent of Men's minds from them : but 
 
 prefiing them into the love and prad:ice of 
 
 them with all the Earneftnefs poffible. And 
 
 then, if He mentions the Sins of any profeffed 
 
 Chriftians; doth He do it, as if Ele thought 
 
 their Faith would avail them ? Or rather, doth 
 
 He not do it with fuch a Spirit and Zeal a- 
 
 gainft them, as if no Words were bad enough 
 
 for tb.em ? And yei they had an eafy Reply 
 
 to 
 
upon Faith conjidered. 197 
 
 to make to Him, had He taught them any S e r m. 
 fuch Dodlrine, as that a ftrong Faith would ^-^* 
 fave them at laft, tho' feparate from good ^^^^^^ 
 Works. 
 
 But particularly, in this Epiftle, how 
 many Moral Duties and good Works doth He 
 prefs upon the Ephejians ? And how fo- 
 lemnly doth He affure them, ck v. 5, 6, that 
 the Immoralities there mentioned will ex- 
 clude all, who are guilty of them, from 
 Heaven? And adds. Let no Man deceive 
 you with vain Words : for becaufe of ihefe 
 things the Wrath of God cometh upon the 
 Children of Difobedience, He puts them in 
 mind, v. 8. that they were fometimes Dark- 
 nefs ; but now Light in the Lord : walk 
 as Children of the Light, For the Fruit of 
 the Spirit is in all Goodnefs, and Righte- 
 oufnefsy and TCruth^ v. 9. and fo on. Doth 
 all this, and an hundred times more of the 
 fame fort, that might be urged from his Wri- 
 tings ; Doth all this look like the Dodrine 
 of a Man who taught them that Faith ^ with- 
 out Goodnefs and Virtue, would fave them 
 at laft ? Or rather, Is not all this plainly in- 
 confiftent with that Suppofition ? And doth 
 it not all fliew that it is impoffible He fhould 
 O 3 intend 
 
198 l^he Mijlake^ of relying 
 
 S E R M. intend to teach any fuch Dodlrine; however 
 •^ * his Words may found at firfl hearing ? 
 
 I MENTION not here, what I have of- 
 ten mentioned upon the like Occafion, that 
 it is contradictory to the declared Defign of 
 the Chriftian Religion to fuppofe any fuch 
 thing as this. For if the mere believing in 
 ChriiT: (hall fave us at laft ; tho' during that 
 Belief we have wilfully perfifted in Difobe- 
 dience to his Commands: then is it not true 
 that He came to call Sinners to Repentance -, 
 then is it not true that the Grace of God 
 hath appeared to Men in the GofpeJ^ teaching 
 us to deny Ungodlinefs and worldly Lujis^ 
 and to live Joberly^ righteoiijly^ and godly , 
 in this prejent World -y then is it not true 
 that our Lord expecfts us to bring forth Fruit i 
 or to be prepared for his coming by good 
 Works; or that He will judge us according 
 to what we have done, whether it be good 
 or evil. But on the contrary, thefe Things 
 are true ; and moft exprefly, and pofitively 
 afTerted in the New Teftament : and confe- 
 quently it cannot be true that Faith, with- 
 out good Works, will fave us at laft : nor 
 can any thing be true, that takes away the 
 
 abfolutc 
 
upon Faithj confidered, 199 
 
 abfolute Neceffity of an holy, and virtuous S e r m* 
 Converfation. '^'^' 
 
 But now, after I have thus guarded a- ^^^'^^ 
 gainft that bad and pernicious Senfe in which 
 any Chriftians may underftand fome Expref- 
 fions of Holy Scripture concerning our be- 
 ingfaved by, or through. Faith -, it is time, 
 
 4. To confider a little in what Senfe it is 
 that Chriftians may be faid to be faved by 
 Faith, or by believing in Jefus Chrift. And 
 
 I. Th I s may be well faid of Them, becaufe 
 It is their Faith, or believing, which faves 
 them from the Guilt of all their Sins com- 
 mitted before this Faith : a Privilege which 
 peculiarly belonged to the firft Chriftians 
 converted, at Years of Difcretion, from a 
 Life of Sin and Impurity. And therefore, 
 this firft Juftification is often fpokcn of by 
 St. Paul in his Epiftles, and attributed to 
 Faith. But this doth not concern thofe who 
 have been educated, and inftruded, in the 
 Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion. The 
 guilty Sinner in thofe Days knew not whi- 
 ther to fly from the Guilt of his Sins, till his 
 Belief entitled him to this Favour ; which 
 God had annexed to it, and the Apoftles al- 
 ways promifed in his name. 
 
 O 4 2. We 
 
w/vv 
 
 200 "The Mijiah^ of relying 
 
 S E R M. 2. W E may be well faid to be faved 
 YK^ through Faith, becaufe it is by believing in 
 Jefus Chrift, that we come to know and em- 
 brace thofe Terms which are ojfFered by God 
 for our Salvation and Happinefs. He came 
 to fave us ; and by clofing in with his Pro- 
 pofals we muft be faved : and this we can- 
 not do, without believing Him to be fent of 
 God, and receiving him as fuch. This, 
 therefore, being abfolutely neceflary j we 
 may well find Salvation attributed to this, 
 which is the firft moving Principle towards 
 it ; and without which we fhould not go one 
 Step forward in that Way to Salvation which 
 He came to point out to us. He is theWayy 
 the T'ruthy and the Life ; and without 
 knowing him, and believing in him, how 
 fhould we know the Way, or the Path, to 
 that Eternal Life which He came to unfold 
 to us j who other wife might have wandered, 
 every one after the peculiar Imagination, 
 or Inclination, or Flumour, of our own 
 Hearts ? As Salvation therefore, comes 
 in the Method propofed by Chrift : fo may 
 it well be attributed to believing in Him j 
 becaufe that alone can put us into the Me- 
 thod propofed by Him. 
 
 3. Chri* 
 
upon Faith ^ confidered. 20 1 
 
 3. Christians 2st faved by Faith^^^ '^^^^' 
 becaufe it is the Foundation of their Obedi- r'' . 
 ence, and of all their good Adions. It is 
 the T^ee which bears good Fruit ; without 
 which good Fruit there could be no Salvati- 
 on : and confequently, what is fo neceffary, 
 and fo ufeful, to the Produdtion of good 
 Works, is it felf entitled to thofe Rewards, 
 and happy Confequences , which follow 
 good Works. This is what St. James feems 
 to think, that the only way of proving that 
 we have Faith, is by our good Actions, Ch. 
 ii. 15. Will any one, faith He, believe that 
 you wifh them well, or that you are willing 
 to relieve them, if, when you fee their Dif- 
 trefs, you only tell them (o j and at the 
 fame time deny them what you can afford 
 them towards their Relief? From hence He 
 argues. As there is no true Sign of this cha- 
 ritable Difpofition, but the Fruit of Bene- 
 ficence which it produceth ; and as one who \ 
 is always hard-hearted hath no Pretenfe to 
 it : fo, is there no Proof of a real Faith, but 
 the Works it produceth ; of which WorkvS 
 therefore, a fincere Faith is never deftitute. 
 Thus will even He allow that Faith may 
 
 fave 
 
20 2 T*he Mijlake^ of relying 
 
 S E R u.fave us, by influencing our Adlionsj but na 
 ^X- Gtherwife. 
 
 ^^^"^^^^ Let any one likewife turn to the x\th 
 chap, to the Hebrews , there indeed he will 
 find an Account of the Excellencies and Ad- 
 vantages of Faith ; of its Acceptablenefs to 
 God, and its Efficacy towards our own Hap- 
 pinefs : but He will find that the Argument 
 muft be refolved into this at laft, that with- 
 out Faith it is ijnpojjible to pleafe God, be- 
 caufe without Faith it is impoflible to live a 
 Life of Virtue, or to do fuch Adions as are 
 there recorded ; and that by Faith is meant 
 a vital afilve Principle, moving us to behave 
 our felves agreeably to our Faith. And there- 
 fore, with refpedl to Chriftians,F^/^^muft be 
 an adive Principle, influencing and flirongly 
 moving them to fuch a Behaviour, and Con- 
 dudt ; fuch a Life and Converfation, as their 
 believing in fuch a Maflier naturally direfts 
 to. If we believe in God truly; we cannot 
 but love and honour him above all things. 
 If we believe in Chrijl fincerely ; we can- 
 not but endeavour to obey his Commands ; 
 obferve his Precepts ; and follow his Exam- 
 ple. And thus fliall we be faved thro Faith 
 or believing in Him 5 becaufe this Faith, if 
 
 it 
 
upon Faith y conftdered. 203 
 
 it be fincere, will be the Foundation of fuchS e r m. 
 an univerfal Obedience as He requires of us. ^^* 
 
 I N thefe Senfes therefore, and on thefe ^^^"^^"^ 
 Accounts, great Things might well be faid 
 of Faith in the New Teftament ; and Sal- 
 vation attributed to it. But the great Point, 
 in which we are concerned, is, not to be 
 deceived in a Matter of fuch Importance ; 
 and to that End, not to interpret any one 
 Expreffion of the New Tejl anient fo as to 
 contradidt the plaineft and moft repeated De- 
 clarations of it. Let the Conclufion of the 
 prefcnt Subjed, therefore, be to this effed:. 
 Faith is an Adl of the Mind moft acceptable 
 to God. Faith in his Son faves us, as it puts 
 us into the fecure Way to Salvation, if we 
 be fincere 5 and as it is the Foundation of all 
 our Chriftian Pradice, and of all our beft and 
 moft Godlike Behaviour. This Faith alone, 
 that is, the Method propofed in the Gofpel, 
 without the Works of the Ceremonial Law 
 of Mofes^ is fufRcient to lecure to us our 
 future Happinefs : But Faith alone, that is, 
 a Belief in Chrift, without Obedience to his 
 Laws ; an empty, unfruitful Faith, accom- 
 panied with an ungodly Life, will con- 
 demn us at laft. We are faved thro' Faith y 
 
 or 
 
204 ^^ Mtflake^ of relying^ &c. 
 
 S E R M. orby believing in Chrift 5 no otherwife than 
 IX. by being influenced by it : for Faith is re- 
 
 C/VN^ quired in order to Pradice. Faith is indif- 
 penfably neceffary in order to Salvation : and 
 fo likewife is a good Life indifpenfably ne- 
 ceffary in order to Salvation. Or, in other 
 Words, a Faith working by Love, and ma- 
 nifefting it felf by good Works, is that alone 
 which will be of any Account to us, at laft. 
 For as the Body without the Spirit is dead ; 
 fo Faith without Works is dead alfo. Now 
 to God, G?r. 
 
 SER-- 
 
[ 205 ] 
 
 T'he Miftake^ of relying upon external Per- 
 formances^ conjidered. 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 ROMANS X. 13. 
 
 For whofoever Jhall call upon the Name of 
 the LordJJoall befaved. 
 
 Have frequently obferved to g ^ j^^ j^^ 
 you that when Men are refol- X. 
 ved to retain their Sins, and go vyVN) 
 on in their evil Practices 5 and 
 yet not to caft away all Hopes of future 
 Happinefsj they are ready to lay hold on 
 any obfcure, or miftaken. Text of the New 
 Teftament ; and to draw it to their own 
 Purpofe, without confidering the Purpofe of 
 the Writer, or laying the whole Tenour of 
 the Gofpel together. One of this fort of 
 Paffages, relating to Faith, I confidered in 
 my laft Difcourfe 3 and endeavoured to fhew 
 
 that 
 
2o6 I'he Mijiake of relying upo7t 
 
 S E R M. that no Encouragement could be defigned 
 •^- in it for any to rely on a bare Belief of the 
 
 ^-^""^^"^ Gofpel, without the bringing forth thofc 
 good Fruits, and pradifing thofe Moral Du- 
 ties, which the Gofpel it felf recommends. 
 Another of the like fort, is That 
 which I have now read to you ; which fome 
 Men of weak Underftandings, or ilrong Paf- 
 fions, may be apt to feparate from the reft 
 of this Epijlle, and confider it fo much by 
 it felf, as to imagine that it was the Apoftle's 
 Defign in it to make the Callifjg upo?i the 
 Name of God, or of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 the whole of the Gofpel-Covenant ; and to 
 affix Salvation to the mere outward joining 
 in the public Afts of Chriftian Profeffion, 
 and Worfhip. This is a very great Error: 
 and muft prove at laft a very fatal Miftake, 
 And tho' it be indeed fuch a Miftake as one 
 would think no one who confiders the Na- 
 ture of God, or all his Declarations in the 
 Gofpel, could permit himfelf to be guilty 
 of; yet we find by Experience that many 
 profeffed Chriftians do at leaft feek for Eafe 
 this way ; and find as much as any fuch poor 
 Pretenfe can give to the Confcience of fuch 
 a Creature as Man is. 
 
 It 
 
External Performances^ confidered. 207 
 
 I T cannot therefore be accounted unne- S e r m. 
 ceflary or improper, to confider the Cafe of ?^ 
 fuch profeifed Chriftians as allow themfelves 
 in the Commiffion of known Sins: and yet 
 receive Comfort, and entertain Hopes of fu- 
 ture Happinefs, from their devout, and re- 
 peated Performance of fome outward Afts of 
 Chriftian Profeffion, and Worfhip. They 
 know that they continue in the Pradice of 
 Sin. But becaufe they feel a Warmth of 
 what they imagine to be Devotion in the 
 Worfhip of God ; becaufe they frequent the 
 public Prayers, or Sacrament of the Lord*s 
 Supper; becaufe they hear his Word with 
 fome Attention and Zeal ; upon fuch Ac- 
 counts as thefe, they hope for his Favour at 
 laft, and perceive fome Satisfaction and 
 Reft in that Hope for the prefent : imagin- 
 ing perhaps that St. Taul is on their fide, 
 and hath given it as his Judgment, that 
 whofoever fhould call upon the Name of the 
 Lord, as they do, fhould htfaved. 
 
 Only, before I come to fpeak particu- 
 larly to the Cafe of fuch Chriftians, I muft 
 give you a true Account of St. PauFs Defign 
 in this part of this Epiftle ; which will at 
 the fame time lead you to the true meaning 
 
 of 
 
20 8 The Mijlake of relying upon 
 
 S E R M, of the Words of the Text: viz. that He is 
 ^- here difputnig againft Two Errors of the 
 
 ^^^"""^^^^ Jews, The one is, their feeking Juftifica- 
 tion by the Law of Mofes-, and rejeding the 
 Faith of Jefus Chrift, and the Gofpel preach- 
 ed to them as the only Method of Juftifica- 
 tlon : and the other is, their imagining that 
 the Mefliah, whom they had been taught to 
 exped, was to be of Benefit only to them- 
 felves; and that the Gentiles were to have 
 no part in his Bleffings. Thefe two Er- 
 rors, you may fee, gave St. Paul no occali- 
 on of fpeaking particularly in this place of 
 the Neceflity which profelfed Chriflians lay 
 under, to pradtice all Virtue ; or, any other- 
 wife than in general Terms, of the Chrifti- 
 an Faith, in Oppofition to thefe Miftakes. It 
 was enough for his Purpofe, to put them in 
 mind that, according to the Law it felf, they 
 muft feek for Juftification in another Method, 
 diftindt from that of the Works of the Law 
 of Mofes 'y that this Juftification had been de- 
 clared by their own Prophets to be of fuch a 
 nature, as that it muft be effeded by means of 
 Faith ; and that the fame Prophets had en- 
 larged the Bounds of the Kingdom of the 
 Meffiah, and had promifed this Blefling to 
 
 all 
 
External Performances-^ conjtdered. 209 
 
 all true Believers wherefoever difperfed thro' S e r m. 
 the World. X. 
 
 The firfl: of thefe He doth, v, 4. For^^TV^ 
 Chriji is the End of the Law ; that is, the 
 Law it felf leads to Juftification by the Gof- 
 pel: becaufe, as it follows, v. 5. Mofs 
 ihimfelf propofeth Juftification by the Law 
 upon no other Terms, but that of a perfedl 
 fulfilling the whole Law in every Tittle. 
 Now, none of you can pretend to this : and 
 therefore you ought to be willingly led to 
 feek for Juftification, or Acquittance from 
 your paft Sins and Failings, by believing and 
 embracing the Gofpel. 
 
 A s to the fecond ; He puts them in mind, 
 'V, 1 1, that Ifaiah himfelf, one of their own 
 Prophets, fpeaking of the Mejfiah, had de- 
 clared long ago that the true Method of ob- 
 taining the Aflurance of God'sFavour was by 
 believing in Him, when He ftiould appear ; 
 and by entring into his Religion. And then 
 He argues, from the Latitude of this Decla- 
 ration, that whofoever^ whether Jew or Greek 
 takes this Method, /hall be favedy alledging 
 another of their Prophets, who had likewife, 
 in fpeaking of the Kingdom of the Meffiah, 
 declared that whofoever^ withojut any Ex- 
 
 P ception 
 
H 1 6 7he Mijlake of relying upon 
 
 S E R M. ception of Gaitile more than Jew^ Jhall 
 ^' call upon the Name of the Lord, that is, 
 
 ^^^^ truly receive his Religion, let him be of 
 what Nation or Family foever, Jloall be fa- 
 vedy Hiall be faved by this from the Guilt of 
 his paft Sins; and, if He be fincere in this 
 Profeffion, will infallibly be put hereby into 
 a State of Salvation, and obtain it mod cer- 
 tainly at the great Day of Accounts. 
 
 I T very plainly, therefore, appears that 
 St. Paul's Defign was not to fix the Terms 
 of final Salvation ; or to tell Chriftians ex- 
 actly what was required of them : but, in 
 general, to tell the Jews that it was the 
 Voice of their Law, and their Prophets, that 
 Juftification could not be by their Law ; and 
 that the true Method in w^hich they muft 
 come to be acquitted from the Guilt of their 
 paft Sins, and made happy at laft, is the be- 
 lieving in Jefus Chrift, and feeking this Hap- 
 pinefs in the Ways propofed in the Gofpel -, 
 and that in this Method the Gentiles had as 
 real a Right to God's Mercy, as themfelves. 
 Having thus given you a View of the 
 Apoftk\ Defign in this part of his Epijlle to 
 the Romans ; I fhall now confider the Pre- 
 tenfeof fuch as are led by this, or any other 
 
 like 
 
External Performances^ conjldered. 2 1 1 
 
 like Paflage in the New Teflament, or by S e r m. 
 any falfe Motive, to place their Confidence -^' 
 in the external Parts of Religion, whilft they ^^^^^"^ 
 manifeftly refufe to permit it to have any 
 vital Influence upon their Minds ; and o- 
 penly allow themfelves in an habitual Courfe 
 of Sin. And, 
 
 I. From what hath been faid already, 
 it cannot but appear abfurd to take a gene- 
 ral Expreffion of St. Paul'% ufed upon quite 
 another Occafion \ and to apply it to what 
 was not then in his Thoughts, or in his De- 
 lign. He doth fay, indeed, that the true 
 Way to Salvation is the believing in Jefus 
 Chrift; and the external Profeffion of that 
 Belief : in Oppofition to fuch as fought for 
 Juftification by Mofes's Law. But it is very 
 unfair to argue from hence, that therefore 
 whofoever doth call upon the Name of the 
 Lord JefuSy tho' He live in conftant Rebel- 
 lion to his Laws, fhall at laft be made happy 
 by Him ; and that nothing but this external 
 Adt of Religion is required of Chriftians. So 
 that St. Paul's manifeft Defign forbids us to 
 apply his Words to what was not at all his 
 Intent in this place. 
 
212 The Mijlake of relying upon 
 
 S E R M. 2. If the plain Drift of his Argument did 
 ^- not fuppofe this ; yet it would be thehigheft 
 
 ^^^^^^ Abfurdity to deduce any fuch Confequence 
 from his general Declaration of God's Fa- 
 vour to fuch as (hould come in to the Pro- 
 fefTion of the Chriftian Religion. For fup- 
 pofe a Perfon iLould be commiffioned to af- 
 iure a Company of Rebels, that whofoever 
 of them fliould refign themfelves up to the 
 Mercy of their rightful Prince ; and own 
 him publ.ickly ; and call upon his Name in 
 their Petitions, and Submiffions ; fhould be 
 faved from Punifliment : would it not ht 
 the mod unfair and abfurd Conclulion, if 
 they fliould argue from hence, that the Prince 
 required nothing from them but this exter- 
 nal Ad of Submiffion -, and that this would 
 be for ever fufficient to fecure his Favour; 
 tho' they fliould after this reaflume their for- 
 mer Behaviour; openly violate hisjufl: Com- 
 mands; and affront his Government? Who 
 would not join in condemning fuch an hy- 
 pocritical Submiflion as this ? And who 
 would not think itjufl:, that their Punifli- 
 ment fliould be doubled upon them, even 
 for the fake of this pretended Submiflion ? 
 And yet, Are the Dealings of many Men 
 
 with 
 
Exte7yial Performances^ coiifidered, 2 1 3 
 
 with God Almighty's Declarations, in the S e r m. 
 leaft degree, better, or more juftifiable ? He ^' 
 fends his Son to entreat thofe who are Re- ^^^^'^^ 
 bels againft Him, to be reconciled to Him : 
 and He declareth by Him that wholbever 
 comes in to Him, and believes, and calls up- 
 on him, fliall be in a lafe Condition, and 
 kindly received by Him. And they argue 
 from hence, that this external Ad of Sub- 
 miffion, or Homage, is enough ; and that 
 they may fafely rebel againft Him for the fu- 
 ture ; fo they do but in Words acknowledge 
 Him. Whereas the Submiffion required, 
 is a lincere, and hearty Submiffion : which 
 it cannot be, if it be accompanied with Dif- 
 honour, Difrefped:, and Difobedience, in 
 Adlions. In this Cafe, Men fliould be con- 
 vinced by their own Maxims, and Princi- 
 ples. For if they abhor the Man who pre- 
 tends Friendfliip, or Submiffion, whilft he 
 negledls all Opportunities of doing them Ser- 
 vice; or perhaps employs his Time in af- 
 fronting and injuring them : how can they 
 poffibly imagine that any fuch general De- 
 claration of God's Favour to fuch as call up- 
 on his Name^ or perform any outward Afts 
 of Religion, was intended to make Men 
 P 3 eafy 
 
ai4 2^^ Mijlake of relying upon 
 
 S E R M. eafy under a Courfe of Sin; or to be appli- 
 ^' ed to any Performances but what proceeded 
 
 ^"^^"^^'^ from a fincere and upright Mind, full of a 
 true Senfe of Religion, and bringing forth 
 fuch Fruits as Sincerity cannot be void of? 
 So that were this Declaration in the Text fe- 
 parated from the Defign of the Apoftle ; and 
 taken entirely by itfelf: it is contrary to all 
 the Maxims, and all the Rules of proceeding 
 amongft Men, to interpret it fo, as to take 
 Courage from it to affront Almighty God 
 by the Difobedience of our Lives ; and to 
 hope in his Mercy merely on Account of 
 fome external Performances of religious 
 Worfhip. But, to proceed to other Confi- 
 derations, 
 
 3. This Prefenfe^ which I am now ex- 
 amining, doth really debafe the Value of 
 Virtue, in the Eyes of God, under the Go/- 
 'pel-Difpenfation^ below what it was under 
 the Influence of the Ceremonial Law it felf 
 When that Law was in force, one would 
 have thought, that Men might then, if ever, 
 have trufted to make themfelves acceptable 
 to God by the Externals of Religion -, by Ri- 
 vers of Oil, and Thoufands of Rams : yet we 
 find even then, the Queftion asked, What 
 
 doth 
 
External Perfor77iances^ coiifidered. 215 
 
 doth the Lord require of thee, hut to do jiijl- S £ r m' 
 ly 5 and to love Mercy \ and to walk humb- ^^^^^ 
 lywith thy God? The Moral Virtues were 
 the Things, even then, infifted on, when the 
 Affiftances, and Motives to them were not 
 fo great, or not fo apparent : and when the 
 Minds of the Jews could not but be more 
 amufed, and diverted from them, by their 
 numerous and coftly Services. And can any 
 one believe that, under the Gofpel, in which 
 God hath declared a Day of Judgment to 
 come, and pronounced his Wrath more o- 
 penly, than ever, againft Sin 5 and in which 
 He hath promulgated the greateft Motives, 
 and moft powerful Affiftances; that, under 
 this Gofpel, I fay, God ihould put fuch a 
 Value upon the external Performances of 
 Religion, as to make infignificant the more 
 weighty Matters of it ? That He, who faid 
 under the Law, What doth the Lord require 
 of thee, but to pradlife the Moral Duties ? 
 fhould, under the Gofpel, fay, What dotb 
 the Lord require of thee, but to call upon 
 his Name, or to hear his Word ? That He, 
 who laid fuch Strefsupon Holinefs, and Vir- 
 tue, even when Hehadconfulted Pomp and 
 Ceremony in the Jewijh Religion, fliould 
 P 4 now 
 
iy^-'V 
 
 2 1 6 T^he Mijlaie of relying upon 
 
 S E R M. now in efFeft difengage Men from all ftrid: 
 31^ , Obligation to that Holinefs and Virtue; and 
 turn all their Thoughts upon external Adts 
 of Devotion, and Religion, when He hath 
 called the World to a Spiritual Religion, void 
 of all that unneceffary Pomp, and Ceremo- 
 ny ? Who can believe this ? Or who can fix 
 fo great an Abfurdity upon the Chriflian Re- 
 ligion? And if we cannot in Words fix fuch 
 an Abfurdity upon it; let us not entertain, 
 even in our moft retired Imaginations, any 
 fuch Opinion, or Notion, as doth effedlually 
 lay this Scandal upon the moft holy Religion 
 that ever yet appeared in the World, 
 
 4. Give me leave to put you in mind of 
 thofs many plain, unexceptionable, Texts 
 of the NeiD l^ejlame^it^ by which I fo fully 
 proved, in the former part of my prefent 
 Defign, that the adlual Amendment of our 
 bad Lives, and the Praftife of all Holinefs 
 and Virtue, was indifpenfably required of us 
 in the Gofpel-Difpenfation ; and to argue 
 from thence that it cannot be the Intent of 
 any Paffage, in the fame Ne'vo "Tejlament^ to 
 fix Salvation upon any external Ads of Reli- 
 gion, unaccompanied with Holinefs ; or paid 
 ro Almighty God in order to appeafe him 
 
 for 
 
External P erf or mane es^^ conjidered. 217 
 
 for our Continuance in our Sins. Remem- S e r m. 
 ber particularly Two Paffages : the one of ^• 
 our bleffedior^ himfelfj the other of St.^-'^'^^'^ 
 Faiil^ the fame Apofile who applies to Chri-^ 
 fiians this general Declaration in the Text. 
 
 The firft is that in Matth. vii. 22, 23, 
 Verjh : where, after our Lord hath decla- 
 red that it is not the calling upon his Name, 
 without doing his Father's Will, that can 
 fave us at laft, He goes on farther, Many 
 will fay to me in that Day^ Have we not 
 propbejied in thy Name •, aJid in thy Name 
 have caji out Devils-, and in thy Name 
 done many wonderful Works ? and then will 
 Iprofefs unto them, I never knew you. De- 
 part from me, ye that work Iniquity, So 
 that, fuppofing Perfons can even plead at 
 laft that they have not only profeffed his 
 Religion ; but done many Things, beyond 
 the common Pitch of Believers, by the Pow-- 
 er of his Name : yet they are in a defperate 
 Condition, if they be found to be Workers 
 of Iniquity, And if it {hall fare thus with 
 Profeflbrs of fo extraordinary a Rank : what 
 fhall we fay to Thofe who trull to be accept- 
 ed at laft for the fake of much more incon- 
 fiderable Performances ? Muft not they ex- 
 
 pect 
 
2 1 8 Hoe Mijiake of relying upo?i 
 
 S E R M. ped: as certainly to hear the fame Sentence ; 
 ^- Depart from me^ ye that work Iniquity ? 
 
 ^^^^ The other Paffage is in St. Paul's Second 
 Epijile to T^imothy^ in the Second Chapter^ 
 the 19th Verfe: Let every one that nameth 
 the Name of Chrijly depart from Iniquity : 
 from whence it is evident that this Apojile 
 could not be of that Opinion that naming 
 the Name of Chriji^ or calling upon the 
 Name of the Lordy in the Words of the 
 Text, was fufBcient for Salvation, without 
 departing from Iniquity, For if He had 
 taught any fuch Dodlrine, it might have 
 been eafily retorted upon him by any profef- 
 fed Chriftian, who had a Refolution of con- 
 tinuing in his Sins, What neceflity is there 
 for departing from Iniquity y when it is de- 
 clared that "whofoever calleth upon the Name 
 of the Lordy or nameth the Name of Chrifty 
 {hall be faved, without this Departure from 
 Iniquity ? 
 
 Multitudes of other PaiTages might be 
 ia.lleged from the fame St. Paul, for the Ne- 
 ceflity of Holinefs ; and the Condemnation 
 of Sinners at laft : which all contradift the 
 Pretenfe of fuch as would fix the contrary 
 upon iom^ of his Exprefiions. But I mull; 
 
 no£ 
 
External Performances^ conjidered. 2 1 9 
 
 not be always repeating them. Yet It is Serm. 
 worth while to remember that thefe are the ?L. 
 profeffed Chriftians, of whom He forewarns 
 Timothy, ch. iii. v. 5. under the Charader 
 of thofe who have a Form of Godlinefs^ but 
 deny the Power thereof: whom he efteems 
 no better than Scandals to the ChriflianPro- 
 feffion j Enemies to the Truth ; Men of 
 corrupt Minds ; and reprobate concerning the 
 Faith, V. 8. 
 
 5. I F we confider the Nature, Tenden- 
 cy, and Defign, of all thofe external A(5ls 
 of Religion and Worfhip, in which fome 
 Chriftians are inclined to place fo great a 
 Confidence ; we {hall find it a great affront 
 to Almighty God ; and the moft grofs Abufe 
 and utter Perverfion of their Defign, to refl 
 in them ; to place our Hopes in them ; and 
 to make the Performance of them the 
 Ground of our Expeftation of the Favour of 
 God, whilft we continue in the Prac^tice of 
 known Sins. For the great End of the Chri- 
 ftian Religion is not that Men iLould pay ex- 
 ternal Homage to Almighty God; but that 
 their internal Tempers,and the w^hole Courfe 
 of their Lives, fhould be regulated by a deep 
 and conftant Senfe of God, and of a Judg- 
 ment 
 
2 20 T'he Mijlake of relying upo7i 
 
 S E R M. ment to come. To keep up this Senfe, and 
 ^- render it effectual ; and to encourage others 
 
 ^^^'^ to profefs, and carry forward, the fame End ; 
 public Affemblies of Chriftians were inftitu- 
 ted, and appointed, for the united Acknow- 
 ledgment of God, and their Saviour ; for 
 the more folemn Obligation of themfelves 
 to the Duties of their Religion ; for the 
 praying to God, the hearing his Word, and 
 the partaking of the Lord's Supper, 
 
 Now what is Prayer to God, if it be not 
 afmcere Acknowledgment of his Sovereign- 
 ty, and our Dependency -, of his Authority, 
 and our Duty ? And what is this, but an Af- 
 front, if we know, and own, our Obliga- 
 tions to ferve and obey him j and yet con- 
 tinue wilfully to difobey and diflionour him ? 
 Or, if we imagine to put a Cheat upon him> 
 and to fatisfy him with the Fruit of our LipSy 
 whilft our Hearts are far from him, and en- 
 tirely indifpofed to render him that Service 
 which our Mouths own to be due lo him ? 
 What is this Prayer, unlefs it influence us to 
 Obedience ? And why can we be fuppofed 
 to ask of God his Affiftance, and Holy Spi- 
 rit \ if we be refoived nor to make ufe of 
 
 • -it.. 
 
External Performances^ confidered. 221 
 it, and continue to ftand out againft all its S e r m. 
 Motives, and Offers ? » JS%j 
 
 Again, What can we conceive that ^"^^^^^^ 
 hearing God's Word could be intended for ; 
 unlefs for the Pradlice of what we hear ? 
 Now, fuppofe that a Servant of an Earthly 
 Mafter (liould run with Zeal every Day to 
 receive his Commands, and hear his Will ; 
 eagerly attending to it, and feeming to 
 imbibe it greedily; whilft all the time He is 
 refolved not to perform it, or conftantly 
 goes away to his former Courfe of Negli- 
 gence and Difobedience: would not this 
 be juftly efteemed the higheft Affront, and 
 greateft Indignity, to his Mafter ; and the 
 utter Abufe of his Mafter's Defign in calling 
 upon him to hear his Duty? And thus it 
 muft be in Religion. Hearing can be only 
 in order to our knowing our Duty , and 
 knowing our Duty can be for no other End, 
 but the doing it : and in all Cafes, both of 
 them are fo far from excufing any who neg- 
 lect it, that they are ever efteemed by Men 
 the great Aggravations of that Negled:. To 
 whom much is given, of Him much will be 
 required. He that knows his Mafiers Will^ 
 and doth it not, pall be beaten nvith many 
 
 Strifes : 
 
22 2 The Mijiake of relying upo7Z 
 
 S E R M. Stripes : proportionable to his Knowledge, 
 ^' fliall be his PunilTiment. How contrary to 
 fome of his Difciples, who pretend to fcreen 
 themfelves with their Knowledge? They 
 hear greedily, and know a great deal : and 
 from hence argue that they are what He ap- 
 proves ; and that this their Zeal in hearings 
 jQiall cover their Crime in not doing his Will. 
 This is what St. James warns all Chri- 
 ftians againftj the refting in the external 
 Adtion of hearing. Be ye doers of the Wordy 
 and not hearers only ^ deceiving your ow?i 
 J elves, James i. v. 22. and he goes on to 
 compare a Man, who comes to hear his Du- 
 ty, and goes away and negledls it, to a Man 
 that looks intoaGlafs; and prefently goes 
 away, and forgets his own Countenance. 
 The Man can confult the Glafs with no o- 
 ther Defign, but to fee fomething relating 
 to his own Face ; which he prefently forgets, 
 as much as if he had not confuited it. The 
 Chriftian can hear the Word for no other 
 End, but to know his Duty: and yet, his 
 Behaviour fliews that he goes away and im- 
 mediately forgets it. And thus the End of 
 hearing ; the only End to which it can ferve 5 
 is totally negleded and perverted. 
 
 Of 
 
External Performances^ conjtdered. 223 
 
 O F fuch Hearers as thefe, remember S e r m. 
 what our Lord himfelf pronounces, Matth^ '^• 
 vii. 26. at the end of the longeft Difcourfe, ^^^*^ 
 He is recorded to have made ; and that, in 
 which it was plainly his Defign to preach 
 Morality, and refcue Virtue from the Cloud 
 which had been caft over it. Every one, faith 
 He, that heareth thefe Sayings of mine, and 
 doeth them not, fmll he likened unto a foolifh 
 Man which built his Houfe upon the Sand : 
 And the Rain defcended, and the Floods 
 came, and the Winds blew, and beat upon 
 that Houfe \ and it fell, and great was the 
 Fall of it. Such is the Man, we fee, who 
 builds his Hope of Salvation upon his bare 
 hearing the Word of God with Greedinefs, 
 without a confcientious Praflice of what 
 he hears. The Woman in the Gofpel who 
 heard with Delight the Words of Life, as 
 they proceeded out of our Lord'% own Mouth, 
 lift up her Voice, and faid unto him, Bleffed 
 is the Womb that bare thee. But he faid. 
 Tea rather, Blejfed are they that hear the 
 Word of God, and keep it, Luke xi. 27, 28. 
 So ready was He to lay hold on every Op- 
 portunity of affuring his Difciples, that their 
 
 Happinefs 
 
2 24 'Tlje Mijlake of relying upon 
 
 S E R M. Happinefs depended upon their doing what 
 X. they heard, and knew, to be their Duty. 
 
 ^•''^'^*^^ The like may be faid of partaking of the 
 Lord's Supper: which was intended for the 
 united Profeffion of our Faith in Chrift ; 
 and the open Acknowledgment of our Obli- 
 gations to live as becomes his Difciples. And 
 what then can it be, to rely for Salvation up- 
 on the outward Ad: of communicating ; or 
 the prefent Fit of Devotion in which we find 
 our felves, feparated from, and void of, all 
 Influence upon our Lives , and Praftice : 
 what can this be, I fay, but to mock our 
 bleffed Saviour ; to celebrate his Sufferings, 
 and join in afflicting him j to own our felves 
 his Difciples, and behave our felves as his 
 Enemies ; tocontradid theDefign of the Du- 
 ty ; and to fly to that Religious Rite for Re- 
 fuge from the Punifhment of Sin, which was 
 inftituted for a perpetual Memorial againft 
 Sin, and defigned as one of the greatell Mo- 
 tives againft the Dominion and Power of it ? 
 Nothing, I think, can be plainer than 
 that thus to depend upon the external Ads 
 of Devotion and Religion, for Salvation ; 
 without that Holinefs of Life which they 
 were defigned to further and promote^ is one 
 
 of 
 
External Performances^ conftdered. 225 
 
 of the greateft Inftances of Ingratitude and S e r m. 
 Prefumption that can well be thought of; a J^ 
 formal Mockery of Almighty God and our ^-^^'^^ 
 blefled Saviour ; a Contradiction to the End 
 and Defign of the external Duties themfelvesj 
 and a fual Delufion and Deceit upon our 
 own Souls : it being certain that our Per- 
 formance of thefe external Duties is fo far 
 from being an Excufe ; that it will be the 
 greateft Aggravation of a wicked Life. 
 
 And now, if thefe Things be fo ; what 
 muft we fay of fome fort of Chrlftians ? They 
 come to thefe external Parts of Religion for 
 Comfort. With Hands, and Eyes lifted up, 
 and an Air of the higheft Devotion, they 
 will call upon the Name of the Lord, per- 
 form the public Ads of Worfhip; hear his 
 Word with Greedinefs ; and perhaps partake 
 of his Table. But here they reft. The fame 
 unmortified Lufts and Patlions which they 
 bring with them, they carry back again : and 
 return, day after day, to take their Rounds 
 of what they call Religion ; in order to flat- 
 ter themfelves, the more plaufibiy, into a 
 Fancy that they are not wholly devoted to 
 Sin, and the World. And if they be a little 
 eafy themfelves in this Method ; they are apt 
 
 O to 
 
2 26 'The Miftake^ of relying^ &c. 
 
 S E R M. to think that Almighty God is eafy with 
 -^- them likewife. But it is high time to awake 
 
 ^^^^ out of this Dream. It is the Paradife of 
 Madmen ; and a State of the deepeft Folly 
 and Mifery. It is high time to confider what 
 Religion is : that it is not the being profef- 
 fed Chriitians ; or Members of the beft 
 Church in the World j or Frequenters of 
 the public Worfhip ; or attentive Hearers 
 of God's Word, that can at laft avail us; 
 without living as becomes Chriflians j with- 
 out adorning the Church we boaft of, by 
 an exemplary Holinefs ; without manifeft- 
 ing a deep Senfe of God in all our Conver- 
 fation ; and without doing that Will of our 
 heavenly Father, which we pretend to hear 
 with fo much readinefs. 
 
 And God grant that all of us may fo 
 confider thefe Things, as to let them have 
 their due Influence upon all our future Be- 
 haviour, through 'J ejus Chrijl our Lord ! 
 Amen ! 
 
 SER- 
 
[ 227 ] 
 
 vmrmmmmmffr/rrm 
 
 'ainaiuuiuiimiuunuuuiu 
 
 uuimiuauunuumuuuiwmmiujjuniinum 
 
 Tihe Power of Charity to cover Sins^ con- 
 fidered. 
 
 SERMON XI. 
 
 I P ET. iv. 8. 
 
 Ajid above all things have fervent Charity 
 among your felves : for Charity flmll co- 
 ver the multitude of Sins, 
 
 H E Delign which I am now S e r m. 
 profecuting, obligeth me to XL 
 take notice of fuch Paffaees of ^^^*V^ 
 Scripture as any profefTedChrif- 
 tians may , on any Account , 
 be apt to interpret to a very bad Purpofe : 
 that is, to the giving themfelves Encourage- 
 ment to hope for God's future Mercy, for 
 the Sake of his Son: even whilft they con- 
 tinue in the habitual Pradlice of known Sins. 
 And the Words which I have now read to 
 you, as well as fome others in the New Tef 
 Q 2 tament 
 
2 2 8 TJoe Power of Charity 
 
 Ser m. f anient to the fame purpofe, feem, at firft 
 XI- reading, and taken by themfelves, to be as 
 ^^"^^'^'^^^ likely to be abufed this way, as any we can 
 well pick out : which, therefore, I now de- 
 fign carefully to confider *, in order to pre- 
 vent any fuch fatal practical Miftake as may 
 endanger the Salvation of thofe who profefs 
 the Faith of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 T II E Apojile is, in this Verfe, after the 
 moft earneft manner, preffing upon the 
 Chriftians to whom he writes, the moft fer- 
 vent and unconfined Love towards one ano- 
 ther, Above all things^ have fervent Cha^ 
 rity among your felves : as his great Mafter 
 had frequently, in the moft pathetic man- 
 ner, exhorted his Followers to love one ano- 
 ther. From which Words, Charity among 
 your felves^ it is evident that He is not in 
 this place, prefling upon them Love in the 
 moft. comprehenfive Senfe poflible ; or the 
 Love of God, which is a diftindl part of the 
 Law of Chrift i but particularly the Love of 
 one another. 
 
 Nor is it any Objedion againft this 
 ( whicli is indeed plain from the very Words) 
 that the Form of Expreffion, with which 
 the Apoflle introduceth them, feems too 
 
 much 
 
to cover Sins^ C07tjtdered, 229 
 
 much for this. For the Phrafe, above all S ^ k m. 
 things^ in the common ufe of it, is not de- ■^^• 
 figned to be underftood, as making the thing ^^^^^ 
 fpoken of, of greater Importance than every 
 other Point whatfoever: but only ro fignify 
 that the Matter is of great Importance ; and 
 that there was great Occafion, perhaps from 
 fome manifeft Failure amongft the Perfons 
 fpoken to, to prefs upon them this Particu- 
 lar, at this time, above all others. Thus, 
 to give one plain Inftance, St. James, in 
 x\it fifth Chapter of his Epiflle, at the 12th 
 ver, brings in the Prohibition of Swearing, 
 after the fame manner, But above all things 
 my Brethren /wear 7iet, Not that any one 
 can imagine but that other Crimes, con- 
 demned by the Gofpel, were full as much 
 to be avoided by Chriftians, or were of a 
 lefs heinous nature than this : but that He 
 had fome more than ordinary prefent Occa- 
 fion to remind them of their Duty in this 
 Particular ; and in an efpecial manner to 
 charge them not to be guilty of this Vice. 
 So likewife, in the Cafe before us, there 
 may be fuppofed very good Reafon for St. 
 Peter, at that time, to prefs upon the Chri- 
 Jlians to whom He wrote, the Love of one 
 
 Q 3 another. 
 
230 The Po'wer of Charity 
 
 S E R iM. another, above all things \ becaufe they ei- 
 •^^' ther had offended particularly againfl: this 
 Law, or were mod likely to dofo; without 
 putting fuch a Senfe upon this common 
 Form of ExprefTion, as if He muft mean 
 by it any thing more, and greater, than what 
 his own Words profefsj viz, fervent Cha- 
 rity among tkemfelves. 
 
 This might fuffice to account for the 
 manner of his introducing this Duty : but 
 it is fit likewife to connder that the Love of 
 one another, confidered as a Duty diftind: 
 from the Love of God and all other Duties j 
 the Forgivenefs of one another; the bearing 
 witli, and tenderly regarding one another, 
 is fo peculiar a Branch of Chrifcianity -, is fo 
 much infifted on by Chrift himfelf, as the 
 indilpenfable Condition of our Happinefs, 
 and that which He came down from Hea- 
 ven in an efpecial manner to implant, and 
 encourage in the Minds and Manners of 
 Men ', that an Apoftle, and Preacher of the 
 fame Gofpel, might well, in fpeaking to 
 Chriflians, put them in mind, in a very par- 
 ticular manner,to regard this peculiar Branch 
 of their Profeffion ; that Love of one ano- 
 ther, by Vv^hich all Men v/ere to know they 
 
 were 
 
to cover Sms^ conjidered. 231 
 
 were Chrift's Dilciples, and to fee them di- S e r m, 
 ftinguiflied from the reft of an unfriendly, ^^• 
 and felfiih World about them. LrV\) 
 
 It is, therefore, without doubt, as the 
 Words themfelves fliew, Love to one ano- 
 ther, peculiarly fo called, or a fervent Cha- 
 rity among themfelves^ that St. Peter is 
 preffing upon them with fuch Vehemence; 
 and which he urgeth farther by this Conli- 
 deration ; for Charity^ i. e. this Charity to 
 one another, of which He is fpeaking, f:all 
 cover the multitude of Sins, With refped: 
 to which Words, all my prefent Defign is 
 to guard againft any fatal practical Miftake, 
 by confidering in what Senfes they may pof- 
 fibly, or probably, be underftood; and fhew- 
 ing that no Encouragement can be drawn 
 from thefe or the like Words, taken in any 
 Senfe of which they are capable, to induce 
 Chriftians to hope for Salvation on account 
 of their loving one another, or forgiving 
 one another, without forfaking their own 
 Sins, and entering upon an holy Courfe of 
 Life in other refpedts. 
 
 Indeed, it is very obfervable that there 
 
 are none lefs likely to ftand in need of the 
 
 Abufe of this Text than fuch as are truly cha- 
 
 0^4 ritable -, 
 
uvv^ 
 
 232 The Power of Charity 
 
 Se RM. ritable ; and fincerely love their Neigh- 
 ^I- bours ; and are heartily difpofed to forgive 
 their Offenfes againft themfelves : that none 
 have fewer Faults to cover, than fuch as 
 thefe ; or are lefs likely to take Refuge in 
 their Charity, to indulge themfelves in any 
 thing evil. For, Did any of us ever know 
 one truly charitable Man ; I mean, charita- 
 ble in a regular and ftated Courfe, and in 
 an eminent Degree; who willingly allowed 
 himfelf in the habitual Practice of any 
 known Vice -, or in any fort of Tranfgreffi- 
 on of God's Law ? On the contrary, tho' we 
 may have known a very vicious Man do par- 
 ticular Ads of Liberality, and fhew an un- 
 common Generofity upon fome uncommon 
 Occafion ; perhaps out of an ill-gotren Stock, 
 and to fupport a great Temporal Intereft : 
 yet, did we ever know any Man, who con- 
 tinued in a courfe of a multitude of known 
 Sins^ to be regularly charitable in a great 
 degree ; and always difpofed and ready to for- 
 give and overlook all Offenfes againft him- 
 felf ? But yet it is fitting fometimes to do more 
 than may be ftridlly neceffary, in order to 
 take away all Pretext from fuch Men, as may 
 fancy themfelves pofTelTed of a Charity which 
 
 they 
 
to cover SinSy c on/id ered. 233 
 
 they have not ; and take Courage from S e r m. 
 thence to prefume upon the Mercy of God. ^^• 
 To return therefore, to what I propofed, ^^ 
 
 I. I T IS not at all improbable that the 
 Apojiky when he declares that our Charity 
 fiall cover ^ or covers, the multitude of Sins^ 
 means that it will, or doth, cover the Sins 
 of others-, and not our own : which Interpre- 
 tation at once cuts off the Ground of the 
 Miftake, fuppofed to be founded upon this 
 Declaration. And fuppofing him to fpeak 
 of the Sins of others ; it may be, as it hath 
 been by feveral Interpreters, underflood 
 two ways. 
 
 I. It mayfignify that our Charity and 
 Love to others will incline us to cover , that 
 is, to hide fo as to forgive, and not to re- 
 venge or punifh, all the Offenfes of others 
 againft our felves. So that the Apoftle may 
 exhort the Chriftians to have a fervent inward 
 Affedion for one another, on this Account ; 
 becaufe this fervent Love of one another will 
 incline them to overlook and forgive all the 
 Offenfes of others againft themfelves : which 
 is fo main a part of the Evangelical Law, and 
 fo acceptable in the Eyes of God. Againft 
 
 this 
 
2 34 ^^^ Power of Charity 
 
 S E R M. this Interpretation there may be Two Ob- 
 ^I- jeBions raifed. 
 
 ^■^'"'^^''^ I. T H E firft is, that the Phrafe, which is 
 rendered to cover Sins, is always in other 
 places ufed with refpedt to God's covering 
 our Sins ; and not to our covering the Offen- 
 fesof others againft our felves. But this will 
 not be of great force, becaufe, tho' this may 
 poffibly be found true, yet, it is to be look- 
 ed upon as a Matter purely accidental -, and 
 not arifing from any Impropriety in applying 
 the Word to the Sins of others : it being of 
 that nature, that it is full as apt to exprefs 
 our covering, fo as to pardon the OfFenfes 
 of others , as it is to denote God Almighty's 
 covering, fo as to pardon our OfFenfes. Juft 
 as the Word forgive is ufed both of God's 
 forgiving our Sins, and of our forgiving one 
 another : So m.ay the Word Cover be, in it 
 felf, equally proper in bath Cafes ; and the 
 Circumftances or Words of any particular 
 Paflage of Scripture be reafonably left to de- 
 termine to which it is deligned by the Writer 
 to belong. If the Word which is tranflated 
 forgive, had happened to have been general- 
 ly ufed in fpeaking of God's forgiving us ; 
 this would not have been a Proof that it 
 
 might 
 
to cover Sins^ conjidered. 235 
 
 might not have been ufed, in one or twoSERM. 
 places, where our Forgivenefs of one ano- XI. 
 ther was fpoken of : and the fame may be ^-'^'''^^'^ 
 faid with refpedl to the Word Cover -^ which 
 is equally applicable to both Cafes. From 
 whence it follows, that no Argument can 
 be drawn from hence to prove that it may 
 not as properly and juftly be faid that Charity 
 covers the OfFenfes of others againil us, as 
 that it covers our Offenfes againft God. In- 
 deed, if there were any thing peculiar in the 
 Word, which made it abfurd to apply it to 
 any thing but our own Sins againft God; a 
 critical Argument might be drawn from 
 hence againft this Senfe. But when the 
 Word is frequently ufed in many other Cafes, 
 and applied to many other Things j nay, is 
 only in a metaphorical Senfe ufed for For- 
 givenefs, or taking no notice of, Sins ; no- 
 thing can be urged from hence againft ufing 
 it in all Cafes, in which it is equally proper. 
 Befides, as I hope to make out by and by, 
 this very Word and Phrafe is ufed by St. 
 yames^ with refped: to the Sins of others. 
 
 2. I T may feem to fome a little abfurd to 
 make the Apojlle prefs Chriftians with io 
 much Vehemence to mutual Love ; not by 
 
 declaring 
 
236 ^he Power of Charity 
 
 S E R M. declaring the future Reward of it, but by 
 -^^- laying before them one main Effedl and 
 
 ^^•^^'^ Branch of it, as a Motive to engage them to 
 endeavour after that Love. But if we con- 
 iider what a Strefs the Gofpel layeth upon 
 our Placability, and Forgivenefs of one a- 
 nother 5 we jfhall not much wonder to find 
 an Apoftle^ earneftly prefling Chrijflians to 
 labour after that inward Difpofition, which 
 will produce fuch an Effed: ^ fo neceffary to 
 their own Happinefs. Let us labour after a 
 fervent Charity, or Love for one another ; 
 for this will difpofe us readily to cover ^ to 
 pafs by, overlook, and forgive, the greateft 
 Number of OfFenfes of others againfl: our 
 felves: This, I fay, is no fmall Argument 
 to Chriftians, who know that this is the 
 way to their own Forgivenefs, and Happi- 
 nefs; and a Condition, without which they 
 cannot hope to have their own part Sins 
 covered by Almighty God. The like way 
 of fpeaking is ufed by St. Faid^ Rom. xiii. 
 8. where He exhorts the Chriftians to love 
 one another^ becaufe He that loveth ano^ 
 ther may be faid to h^vt fulfilled the Law : 
 that is, becaufe, if we truly love one ano- 
 ther, this will induce us to do no Mifchief, 
 
 but 
 
to cover SinSy C07ijiclered. 237 
 
 but all poffible Good, to our Neighbour ; S e r m. 
 and fo to come up to what is required of ^^L. 
 us by God, with refpeft to our Neighbour. ^-^^"^^^^ 
 which muft be a great and fubflantial Motive 
 to any Chriftian to endeavour after fuch a 
 Love, and Charity. 
 
 2. T H E fecond way , in which the 
 Words of the Text may be interpreted, with 
 refped to the Si?ts of others, is this ; that, 
 if we have 2i fervent Charity for others, this 
 will engage us to feek after the Converfion 
 of fuch as are Sinners, and fo our Love to 
 the Souls of Men, (hewing it felf by turning 
 many to Righteoufnefs, will be the Occafion 
 of God*s covering, or pardoning, their Sins, 
 who are fo turned from a Life of Sin, to all 
 holy Converfation, and Godlinels. This is, 
 indeed, a fafe Senfe of the Words. But I 
 cannot think it fo probable that the Apoftle 
 could mean this; becaufe it is unlikely that 
 the Chriftians to whom He wrote jQhouId fo 
 underftand him : fince He doth not make 
 the leaft mention, or give the leafl hint, of 
 that Converfion of Sinners, upon which this 
 Interpretation wholly depends. If this had 
 been the thing in his. View ; it is hardly pof- 
 
 iiDle 
 
238 T'he Power of Charity 
 
 S E K M. lible to fuppofe but that He would have once 
 -^^* mentioned what He principally intended. 
 
 ^'^'"^^'^ I GRANT, indeed, that there is a Paffage 
 at the latter end of St. James s Epiftle j which 
 in Words is parallel to this in St. Peter: a- 
 bout which it is now fit to fay fomething. 
 The very laft Words of that Epiftle are thefe. 
 Let him know that He who converts a Sin- 
 ner from the Error of his wa)\ fid all fave a 
 Soul from Deaths and fld all cover a multitude 
 of Sins, the very Words ufed by St. Peter. 
 Where indeed it is very natural to interpret 
 the Words to fignify,that by converting a Sin- 
 ner to Righreoufnefs we fave a Soul from 
 Death ; and are the Occafion of God's not 
 puniil:iing thofe many Sins, which if they 
 had been continued in, mufl have laid the 
 Sinner open to the Divine Vengeance : 
 which is a Conlidetation enough to move 
 any fincere Chriflian to that Work. Nor is 
 it any Objection againft this Interpretation, 
 that favirig a Soul from Deaths and cover - 
 ing a multitude of Sins in this Senfe, are 
 the fame thing, in other Words 3 when the 
 Apoilie feems to propound them as two di- 
 ftindl Motives : becaufe there are number- 
 lefs Inftances, in facred and profane Writers 
 
 of 
 
to cover SinSy conjidered. 239 
 
 of the beft Rank, of the like Tautology to S e r m- 
 this ; viz, the exprefflng the prefent Sen- ^^• 
 timent of their Minds, at the fame time, ^^^^ 
 after feverai ways, and yet ftill to the fame 
 Purpofe. 
 
 But here we fee , when St. James 
 meant particularly to fignify to Chriftians 
 that it was by Converfion of Sinners that 
 they might be Inftruments of covering a mul- 
 titude of Sins^ which was a great and God- 
 like Work ; that He doth not fpeak of Cha- 
 rity in general : but very particularly and 
 plainly points out to them that particular 
 Branch of it, by which a multitude of Sins 
 might be covered. And this is an Argument 
 why St. Peter probably had not this in his 
 View : becaufe, if He had, there is no rea- 
 fon to think but that He would have faid 
 fo, as plainly as St. fames did ; or, at leaft, 
 that He would have given fome Hint, fuf- 
 ficient to have led us to underftand Him to 
 the fame Purpofe. Nor is the ufe of the 
 fame Expreflion fufficient to fhew that they 
 both meant the fame thing : it being full 
 as proper for St. Peter to tell Chriftians that 
 their Love to one another would engage 
 them to forgive one another's OfFenfes, with- 
 out 
 
240 ^e Power of Charity 
 
 S E R M. out refenting or punlfhing them ; as for St. 
 XL 'James to tell other Chriftians that their c®n- 
 
 ^-^^V^ verting a Sinner would be the means of his 
 paft Sins being covered, fo as to be forgiven 
 by God. This fhev^s us that, as the Word 
 Cover is applied to feveral other things as 
 well as Sim -, fo, may the Expreffion of co- 
 ven??g Sifis, or a multitude of Sins, be ufed 
 with refped: to very different Cafes, and 
 with very different Views. 
 
 This, therefore, is the firft general Pro- 
 pofition I lay down, that thefe Words may 
 be fo interpreted, at leaft one way, very 
 probably, as to refpecl only the covering the 
 Sins of others from Punifhment ^ and not 
 our own. And if this be the Intent of the 
 Apoflle in this place ; the Inference is plain, 
 that all Ground is removed of building upon 
 it any fuch Opinion, as that any degree of 
 any fort of Charity will cover our own Sins: 
 fince, according to this Interpretation, all 
 that is here faid, is that our Charity will 
 cover, and overlook, the Failings and Of- 
 fenfes of others. Nay, if this be but a 
 pofTible Interpretation of the Words ; as 
 long as it is free from all Hazard ; who 
 would be fo weak as to venture his Eternity, 
 
 and 
 
to cover Sins^ confidered. 241 
 
 and Salvation, upon the Poffibility of any S e r m. 
 other Senfe, not fo certainly fafe, and fccure ? ^^• 
 But left any Sinner fhould think himfelf too ^-'"'"^^^'"^ 
 hardly dealt with \ and not indulged and 
 fbothed, fo much as he may imagine this 
 PaJJage to have indulged him : let us pro- 
 ceed farther, and, in xh^fecond place, 
 
 II. L E T us fuppofe that the Apo[lle intend- 
 ed in the Text to exhort and allure Cfrnfli- 
 am to Charity amongft one another, by tel- 
 ling them that Charity would cover the ?niiU 
 tkude of their own Sins : and yet we fliall 
 find, upon a due Examination, how fmall 
 a Confolation this, or any the like AiTerti- 
 on, rightly underftood, can afford to any 
 Chrijlian who continues in his Sins. And 
 under this Head, it is my Defign to take no- 
 tice of //^r^^ or /c?z/r feveral Paffages, which 
 may give unftable Men occafion of impofino- 
 upon themfelves. 
 
 As to the Words of the Text 5 fuppofing 
 it be affirmed by St. Peter that Charity fl:all 
 cover the multitude of our own Sinn -, I fay 
 
 I. I T is highly unreafonable to interpret 
 
 this, as if He meant that it fnould atone for 
 
 the wilful Sins in which we ftill continue : 
 
 becaufe to fay this of any thing, is to con- 
 
 R tradid. 
 
242 "The Power of Charity 
 
 S E R M. tradidl, as I have often obferved, the whole 
 ^^- Tenour of the Gofpel, in which the Wrath 
 
 ^ "^^^^ of God is rcveakdy without Exception, a- 
 gainjl all Unright^oufnefs, This, therefore, 
 cannot be fixed upon any obfcure Words of 
 the firfl Preachers of the Gofpel : whofe 
 Bufinefs it was to declare this Wrath of God: 
 it being one certain Rule to go by, not to 
 fix a Senfe upon any particular PalTage, con- 
 trary to the main Dehgn, and Tenour, of 
 the whole. 
 
 2. It is contrary to St. Peters own De- 
 clarations, and mod earneft Exhortations, in 
 this very Epiftle : who befeecheth the Chri- 
 ftians to whom He wrote, to be holy in all 
 manner of Converfation, as He that called 
 them is holy, ch. i. 15. and to ah ft ain from 
 fejbly Lulls ns^hich ivar againf the Soul, 
 ch. ii. V. I r. and the like. Now in vain 
 did He do this 3 and to no purpofe were all 
 his Exhortations : if He can be fuppofed to 
 tell them after all, that tho' they fliould not 
 be holy in all manner of Converfation ; tho* 
 tliey fliould not abftain fro?n flejlAy Liifts ; 
 yet they might be fecure of the Favour of 
 God ; that, if they did but take care to love 
 one another, that would cover all. So that 
 
 if 
 
to cover SinSy conjidered. 243 
 
 if we would not make St. Veter contradid: S e r m. 
 and deftroy his own Defign ; we muft not ^^• 
 make him fpeak after this manner. Lo^nJ 
 
 But if any fhould fay that St. Feter 
 means it of a moft comprehenfive and exten- 
 five Love of God, and Man: I anfwer, that 
 He faith himfelf, He means it of Charity a- 
 7nong the?njelves , and that St. James hath 
 ufed the very fame Words of one fingle 
 Branch of Brotherly-Love, which are fup- 
 pofed) by thofe who allege this, to be 
 exadly parallel in meaning to thefe in St. 
 Peter, This wholly takes away the Benefit 
 of this Obfervation ; and affixeth Salvation 
 to one fingle Branch of Charity, diftindt 
 from other Virtues. 
 
 And here, having mentioned the Paf- 
 fage in St. James again \ I muft obferve of 
 that likewife, that, fuppofing xh^ Apojlle to 
 mean by it, that a Chriftian by converting 
 a Sinner doth cover ^ or make an Atonement 
 for, his own Sins ; yet, it cannot there be 
 underftood of the Sins he continues in $ 
 but only of thofe which He hath forfaken : 
 becaufe the particular Branch of Charity 
 fpoken of there, fuppofeth the Neceflity of 
 all Sinners being converted, in order to the 
 R 2 faving 
 
244 ^^ Power of Charity 
 
 ^ E R M. faving their Souls. If therefore, I convert 
 • ^I- a Sinner ; yet, if I my felf remain a wilful 
 ^■^^^^^^ Sinner againft God's Laws in other refpedts; 
 there is the fame Neceflity of my being con- 
 verted, in order to the faving my Soul, that 
 there was for the Converfion of the other, 
 about whom I have been labouring. But if 
 it were fufficient to convert another ; though 
 the Converter himfelf remain a wilful habi- 
 tual Sinner ; fuppofing that another (hould 
 afterwards convert this Man himfelf from 
 his Sins ; it cannot be faid, as this PafTage 
 affirms, that Hq faves a Soul from Deathy 
 becaufe it was faved before by his having 
 converted another : and then likewife, all 
 the Bufinefs any Man hath to do, is to en- 
 deavour to chuie out fome Sinner, and by all 
 means to labour his Converfion ; upon which 
 He may be fure of God's Favour, let his 
 own Life be what it will. But what then 
 lit^nifieth the Go/pel of Jefus Chriji ? and 
 the Terrors of the Lord difplayed in it a- 
 ^rainft Sinners ; if fuch a Senfe can be fixed 
 Upon any part of it ? It remains, therefore, 
 
 3 . That, if St. Peter meant the Words 
 of the Text with refpedt to our own Sins, 
 all his Intention was to fay that our loving 
 
 one 
 
to cover Si7is^ conjidered. 245 
 
 one another; our kind Regards ; our Placa- S e r ivr 
 bility and good Nature ; our Forgivenefs and XI. 
 Forbearance of one another, would eng-a^e ^-/""V"^ 
 Almighty God to forbear the Punifiiment of 
 us, or to forgive to us our felves thofe mani- 
 fold Sins, whieh we have ever been guilty 
 of towards Him, in Time pad : not thofe 
 which we ftill indulge our felves in ^ but 
 thofe which we have forfaken. For I muft 
 obferve to you that this is the Peculiarity be- 
 longing to that great Virtue of loving one a- 
 nother, fo as to be ready to forbear, and for- 
 give ; viz, that, for the fake of that^ God 
 will forgive us the Sins which we have for- 
 faken : but that, without it, ( that is, unlefs 
 we forgive others, our Neighbours and Bre- 
 thren; ) even thofe Sins which we have for- 
 merly been guilty of; tho' we have forfaken 
 them, and tho* God had, upon that, here- 
 tofore forgiven them ; fhall be remembred a- 
 gainft us, folely on the Account of our im- 
 placable and unforgiving Temper of Mind. 
 
 I F St. Peter^ therefore, fpeajcs of our ow?z 
 Sifts, as covered by our Love to others ; I 
 take him to fay what our Lord himfelf af- 
 firmed, Matth, vi. 14. If ye forgive Men 
 their ^refpajfes^ your heavenly Father njcill 
 R 3 alfo 
 
a ^6 7i^e Power of Charity 
 
 S E R M. alfo forgive you : to the right Interpretation 
 ^^* of which Words, what I have already faid 
 
 ^^'''^^''^^ will lead all Chriftlans who are not refolved 
 to impofe upon themfelves. The Interpre- 
 tation which I mean is this, that, if they 
 forgive the Trefpafles of others, God will 
 likewife forgive them the Sins which they 
 have forfaken, and amended: but, if they 
 do not forgive others, that even thofe Sins 
 which God had formerly remitted to them, 
 on account of their fii-ft Faith, or Amend- 
 ment, fhall be again accounted for, and fc- 
 verely puniilied upon them in the other 
 World. And thus CbriJ} himfelf feems to 
 
 1 have explained it in the Parable, Mattb. xviii. 
 
 3. In which the Lor^/ punifheth his Servant 
 for the Debt which He had once forgiven 
 him, only becaufe afterwards He would not 
 forgive the fmall Debt of one of his Fellow- 
 Servants. 
 
 T o draw towards a Conclufion ; If our 
 Lord, in his Account of the great Day, 
 fpeaks of Alms-giving only ; we fee, by 
 the forementioned Text, and multitudes of 
 others, that it was not his Defign there to 
 fpeak of every thing neceffary ; but only to 
 Hiew the great Acceptablenefs of that Branch 
 
 of 
 
to cover Si?2S^ co7ifidered. 247 
 
 of Charity to God Almighty; and whatSr. rm. 
 ftridl Enquiry there would be made, at the ^^' 
 Great Day, into the Pradice of this Virtue: ^"^^^^ 
 but that we muft not fo interpret it, as to 
 render void his other plain Declarations a- 
 bout the abfolute Neceflity of all the other 
 Inftances of Goodnefs and Holinefs. 
 
 I F, in any other Places of Scripture, or 
 in the Apocryphal pious Writers, Alms-gi^ 
 ving, or any fort of Charity, be fpoken of 
 as an Atonement for Sins ; or particularly, 
 in any of the firft Chriftian Writers: it is 
 evident how a Chr iftian muft underftand fuch 
 Expreflions. Every thing that is commen- 
 dable ; Every Angular Adt of Piety, or Cha- 
 rity, may be, by a Figure of Speech, called 
 a Sacrifice^ as it is offered to the Honour and 
 Service of God by thofe who perform it 
 rightly : or an AtoJiement^ as it may befaid to 
 make fome Amends for a paft Life of con- 
 trary or vicious Adions; juft as a prefent 
 Regard and Friendfliip, and 'the ferving any 
 Man in a very remarkable Matter of Impor- 
 tance, may be called an Atonement for a 
 paft State of Differvice and Difrcfpedl: ; with- 
 out fuppofing any fuch fingle Adllons to be 
 any Satisfadtion, or Atonement, for mulri- 
 
 R 4 ly^i^Q^ 
 
248 7he Powe?^ of Charity 
 
 S E R M. tudcs of Affronts which we continue, upon 
 ■^^' many more Occafions, ftill to offer Him. 
 
 I F any Writers, of good Authority, have 
 parallel I'd the Atonement of Mercy with that 
 of Baptijm ; this (hews ftill farther that 
 they could mean it with refpedl to nothing 
 but pafl Sins, forfaken and abandoned. For, 
 as Baptijm atones not for any Sins, but fuch 
 as were committed before it, and are utterly 
 renounced in it 5 not at all for fuch as the 
 baptized Perfon continues in, after his Bap- 
 tifm ; fo, in like manner, cannot Mercy ^ or 
 Charity, by any one who ufeth this Simi- 
 litude, be thought, or faid, to atone for any 
 Sins, but what are forfaken by the merciful 
 Perfon; not at all for fuch as He flill con- 
 tinues to be guilty of. 
 
 F R o M all which there cannot be any 
 Confolation, or hope of Salvation, drawn 
 to any fuch Chriftians, as ftill go on to allow^ 
 rhemfelves in the wilful Violation of any of 
 the Laws of Chrift : but, on the contrary, 
 this Confolation of making fome fort of 
 amends to God Ahnighty, by fignal Ads of 
 Charity^ belongs only to fuch as, tho' Sin- 
 ners in Time pail:, yet have now actually 
 reformed their Lives. 
 
 This, 
 
to cover Sins^ conjidered. 240 
 
 This, therefore, is the Chriftian Doc- S e r m. 
 trine about Charity ; or rather, about that ^^• 
 part of it which confifts in Forgivenefs oi^^^'^^^^^ 
 others : that, on account of this, for the 
 fake of J ejus Chriji, God will cover and 
 forgive our Sins, which we have forfaken s 
 and not without it. And this is fo far from 
 releafing us from the Obligation of forfaking 
 them ; that it fuppofeth it done, and adds 
 to it the Obligation of our imitating God 
 Almighty in forgiving one another : which 
 God grant we may all do, &c. 
 
 S E R^ 
 
[ 250 ] 
 
 'tii>:;^^:^>:s^^:M2^z.<>:f^<^c.<>:i5>Zif:<>i^^^^ 
 
 Of relying upon the Merits of Chriji, for 
 Salvation, 
 
 SERMON XIL 
 
 Firft Epiftle of St. JOHN, Ch. II. part 
 of the I ft and 2d Verfes. 
 
 If any Man Jin ^ we have an Advocate with 
 the Father, Jefus Chrijl the righteous : 
 aJid he is the Propitiation for our Sins, 
 
 N this PalTage, the Apojile de- 
 clares that it is for the fake of 
 fejus Chrijl, and on account of 
 his Sufferings, that the Sins com- 
 mitted hy his Difciples will be forgiven 
 by Almighty God. Now from this, and 
 the like Declarations in the New T'ejla?nent, 
 many profeffed Chriftians have taken oc- 
 cafion to frame to themfelves fuch Notions 
 concerning the Merits of Chrift, and the Sa- 
 crifice of his Death, and his Interceffion 
 
 with 
 
Of relying upon y &c. 251 
 
 ^ylth the Father^ founded upon thefe ; as S e r m. 
 may comfort themfelves in their Continu- hx 
 ance in Sin, and take off from their Minds ^"^^ 
 all that Uneafinefs which might otherwife 
 arife from the Reflexion on their own wil- 
 ful Demerits, and Unworthinefs. Which 
 fatal Proceeding of Chriftians addided to 
 their Lulls and Paffions, makes it neceffary 
 particularly to confider this Point ; in order 
 to redlify fo pernicious a Miftake. And to 
 this End, I propofe at this time 
 
 I. To lay down the Doctrine oixhtNew 
 I'ejiament, concerning the Merits of Chrijl -, 
 or the Effecfl of his Sufferings, with refped 
 to the Pardon of our Sins, and our future 
 Happinefs. 
 
 II. T o take more particular notice of 
 that unworthy Abufe of this Dodrine, of 
 which Chriftians, in thefe later Ages efpe- 
 cially, have been, and are guilty. 
 
 III. T o fliew the Bafenefs and Abfurdity 
 6f this Abufe. And, 
 
 IV. T o point out to you the true, and 
 good Ufes that Chriftians ought to make of 
 this Dodlrine. 
 
 I. T H E Docflrine It felf, concerning the 
 Merits of Chrifi^ or the Effed of his Suffer^ 
 
 ings 
 
252 Of relying upon the 
 
 S E R M. ings towards the Pardon of our Sins, and 
 ^^- our eternal Happinefs, I have heretofore in 
 
 ^"^^^ effed propofed : when, under the former 
 part of my prefent Defign, I fhewed you 
 that, in order to our Acceptance and final 
 Juftification, thro' Jefus Chriji^ it is abfo- 
 lurely required of us in the Gofpel, that we 
 forfake thofe Sins which we have been guil- 
 ty of; and pradife fincerely an univerfal 
 Obedience to the whole Will of God, any 
 ways made known to us. This having been 
 plainly made out from the mofi: exprefs De- 
 clarations in the New "Tejiamcnt ; it is e- 
 nough to obferve from hence, that, in the 
 Words of the Text, "Jejm Chriji is the Pro-^ 
 pitiationfor thofe Sins^ which we carefully 
 and confcientioufly endeavour to avoid, and 
 forfake; not for thofe which we wilfully 
 continue in : that the Merits of Chriji, (o 
 much talked of by fome, are fo great, that, 
 for the fake of his Sufferings, God will ac- 
 cept to his Favour and Mercy, fuch as lay 
 hold on the Terms offered by the fame Jefus 
 Chrift ', fuch Chriftians as reiinquifh and a^ 
 bandon their Vices; and come up to that 
 Condition of univerfal Holinefs required by 
 Him > but not fuch as ftiU continue, not- 
 
 withftanding 
 
Merits of ChriJ}yfor Sahatmt 253 
 
 withftanding all his Calls, and all his De- S e r m, 
 nunciations, to. profecute their own vile ^^I- 
 Lufts, and to oppofe and contradid the Will ^^"^^^^"^^ 
 of God. 
 
 This, I fay, moft manifeftly follows 
 from the plain Proofs formerly given, out of 
 the New Teftament, concerning the indif- 
 penfable Neceffity lying upon Chriflians to 
 forfake their Sins, in order to their Pardon ; 
 and to pradtife all Virtue, in order to their 
 Happinefs. For if thefe Conditions be plain- 
 ly and exprefsly required in the Gofpel- Co- 
 venant; then it is apparent, beyond Con- 
 tradidion, that, upon the Gofpel-Covenant, 
 fealed by the Blood of Chrift, and entered 
 into for the fake of his MeritS) there can be 
 no Pardon, nor Salvation, demanded, or 
 hoped for, but by fuch as forfake their Sins, 
 and obey the Moral Laws of the Gofpel: 
 and, in other Words, that the Sufferings of 
 Chrifthave actually procured thefe Conditi- 
 ons to be granted by Almighty God; that fo 
 thofe Sinners v/ho have forfaken their Sins, 
 and entred upon a new Courfe of Adion^ 
 may obtain Juftification from the Guilt of 
 their former Sins, and Eternal Happinefsin 
 
 the Kingdom of Fleaven. 
 
 Anp 
 
254 ^f relying upon the 
 
 S E R M. And who will not fay that this is fuffi- 
 XII. cient Satisfaction to any well-difpofed Mind, 
 to be aflured, in fuch a way, that He is ac- 
 cepted by God, and hath a Title to Happi- 
 nefs ? without which AiTurance, the Mind of 
 a confidering Perfon mufl be perpetually dif- 
 turbed with Fears and Jealoufies. And who 
 will not own that this is all that could be 
 expeded, pr reafonably wifhed for, from a 
 God of Holinefs, and Wifdom, as well as of 
 Mercy ; to offer Pardon and Salvation upon 
 thefe Conditions only ? fince by this Method 
 He gives all the Comfort to Sinners that is 
 poffible, without encouraging them to con- 
 tinue in their Sins ; and all the Difcourage- 
 ment poflible to Vice, without making every 
 Inftance of it abfolutely unpardonable. 
 
 I F any reply to this, that the Merits of fo 
 divine, and fpotlefs a Being as "Jefus Chrijl, 
 are infinite ; and therefore every thing may 
 be hoped for from them : I anfwer, that the 
 •Queftion is not, what the Merits of Chrtfi 
 are in themfelves; or what they might poffi- 
 bly have procured j but what the Gofpel de- 
 clareth that they have adlually procured for 
 all fincere Believers. Let them be what they 
 will in themfelves ; They can be no more to 
 
 us. 
 
Merits of Chrijiy for Salvation. 255 
 
 us, than what God Almighty thinks fit to S e r m. 
 make them, agreeably to the eternal Laws of •^^■^• 
 Reafon, and Wifdom. The Mercy of God is, ^-^^"^^'"^ 
 in a good Senfe, infinite : that is, it is bound- 
 ed by nothing but his own perfeft Wifdom, 
 and Holinefs: againft the Laws of which Wif- 
 dom and Holinefs it cannot aft ; and beyond' 
 which, it would not be a Perfection, but a 
 Weaknefs. So likewife, fuppofing the Me- 
 rits and Value of Chrift's Sufferings to be 
 unbounded, and infinite, confidered without 
 fuppofing the Gofpel-Covenant adlually 
 made: yet, when it pleafed God to be mo- 
 ved to make a Covenant by thefe Sufferings; 
 the Merit of thefe Sufferings, with refped: to 
 fuch as God enters into this Covenant with, 
 muft be bounded by the plain Terms and 
 Conditiom of this Covenant. It depends up- 
 on God's Will, and his Wifdom, what thefe 
 Conditions fliall be : and confequently what 
 is procured for us by thefe Sufferings can be 
 no more than what God fees fit ; and what 
 He declareth, they fliall procure for us. And 
 therefore, I fay, let the Merits of Chrift be 
 jiever fo unbounded, before this Covenant 
 is fuppofed ; let the Value of his Propitiati- 
 en be infinite ; yet it is plain they are bound- 
 ed. 
 
^5^ ^f ^^b^^^s ^P^^^ ^'^^ 
 
 Se R M.ed, as to us, as foon as God declares what 
 XII. He will do, and what He will not do, for 
 
 ^-^'"*^^^*^ the fake of thefe Sufferings : which is the 
 Bufinefs of the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Now, when it is declared by this very 
 Perfon, whofe Merits are fo much pleaded 
 by fome, that God will accept returning Sin- 
 ners, upon their Amendment ; and that fuch 
 as continue in their Sins (hall be excluded 
 from his Kingdom : I fay, when He himfelf 
 declareth this ; He doth in effed declare to 
 Chriftians, in other words, that He hath no 
 Merits available for any who are not reform- 
 ed according to his Moral Laws ; that, tho' 
 He be the Propitiation for their Si?is, yet 
 it is for their pafi, and forfaken Sins -, that 
 the Extent and Effect of his Merits, withre- 
 \ fpedtohisDifciples is this, that, for the fake 
 of his Sufferings, God will forgive the Sins 
 of fuch as do at any time fo turn to him as 
 heartily to abhor and forfake them ; and 
 make happy all fuch as do fmcerely fet them- 
 fclves to the Pradice of Righteoufnefs, and 
 make an actual Progrefs in the Ways of his 
 Commandments. Let any one but read the 
 New Teffament with a well-difpofcd Mind ; 
 and He will find that This is the whole Doc- 
 trine 
 
Merits of Chrijt^ for Salvation. 257 
 
 trine of Chrift and his Apoftles, concerning S e r m, 
 the Merits and Value of his Sufferings, and ^^^• 
 their Efficacy towards the Pardon and Sal- ^^^^^^ 
 vation of his Followers. But though this 
 be fo manifeft, yet, 
 
 II. It is as manifeft, that there have been, 
 efpecially in thefe later Ages, and ftill are, 
 (in a very vicious Generation of Men) Mul- 
 titudes of Chriftians, who are not content 
 with this, that God ihould pardon the Sins 
 which they have forfaken, for the fake of 
 the Merits of Chrift: but profefs to believe 
 that He will pardon all the Sins which they 
 can poffibly continue in, till Death overtakes 
 them ; if fo be they can but have Time to 
 declare their Truft in Chrift's Merits to this 
 Purpofe ; or, in the ufual Phrafe, to apply 
 to themfelves, with abundance of Confi- 
 dence, the Merits of their Saviour, or the 
 Promifes of God made to Chriftians for the 
 fake of his Son Jefus Chrift. They fecm to 
 think that Chrift's Merit excufeth them from 
 attempting to have any Merit in themfelves: 
 nay, that it would derogate from, and dif- 
 parage his Merits, if they ihould pretend to 
 have any thing in themfelves fo much as a- 
 greeable to the Will of God j that ic would 
 
 S be 
 
25 S Of r dying upon the 
 
 S E R M. be a piece of unpardonable Prefumption in 
 X^^- them, to pretend to in:iitate the Moral Per- 
 
 ^"''"^^'^ fedions of God, tho' they are called to be 
 holy\ as He is holy. 
 
 Sometimes they urge that there Is no- 
 thing perfed here ; and no Man but what 
 fins : and that, if they themfelves ftand in 
 need of the Merits of Chrift to fcreen them 
 from the Divine Vengeance j fo do their 
 Neighbours likewife. As if, becaufe the 
 Value of Chrifl's Sufferings will atone for 
 the Failings, and the forfaken Sins, of a fin- 
 cere Chriftian; therefore, they muft needs 
 atone for the wilful and continued Tranfgref- 
 fions of fuch as go on to difgracc that holy 
 Name by which they arc called, by a moll: 
 unholy Life, and are every Day wilfully af- 
 fronting their God and Saviour. How un- 
 accountable is this? And yet there is hardly 
 any thing more common, than for the moft 
 notorious and vv^icked Chriftians to profane 
 his Merits, and his Sufferings, by openly pro- 
 felTmg their Trufl, and entire Confidence in 
 them. And, what is very remarkable, the 
 more unchriftian and profligate Men have 
 been in their Lives, the more ftrongand con- 
 fident fliall you often find them in that which 
 
 they 
 
Merits of Chrijiy for Salvation. 259 
 
 they call Faithy and in their fooliih Truft in S e r m. 
 that which belongs not to them. So that, ^^^• 
 whilft many good Chriftians, thro' Excefs of ^■^'"^'^^ 
 Modefty and Humility, or thro* bodily In- 
 difpofition, arcalmofl funk with the Imagi- 
 nation that they have not done enough to 
 give their Hearts Ground for Confidence in 
 the Mercies of God : you (hall frequently 
 find many of thofe, who have flood out a- 
 gainftall the Calls of God to Repentance and 
 Amendment, and perfevered to the End in 
 Vice and Immorality, as fecure of his Fa- 
 vour at laft, and as fatisfied with their Pro- 
 fpeft into another State, by the help of their 
 groundlefs Confidence in Chrift's Merits, as 
 if the Gofpel had been calculated, not to 
 engage Men to deny TJngodlinefs and worldly 
 LtiJiSy and to live fob erly^ righteoujly^ and 
 godlily ', but merely to fpeak Peace , and 
 Quiet, and Comfort, to the Minds of the 
 moll notorious Sinners, even whilft they 
 know themfelves not to be amended in any 
 refpecS. 
 
 But how great muft the Power of the 
 
 World, the Flefh, and the Devil, be upon 
 
 the Hearts of Men, when they can influence 
 
 them to believe, (as it hath happened to 
 
 S 2 fomej 
 
26o Oj relymg upon the 
 
 Se R M. fome) that the way to glorify the Grace and 
 ^^' Mercy of God is to multiply their Sins and 
 
 ^^^^^^^ Vices ; that the way mod largely and ef- 
 fedlually to partake in the Merits of Chrift, 
 is to add Sin to Sin, that there may be the 
 more to be pardoned, and the more Thanks 
 due to him who pardons ? Thefe, and the 
 like Abfurdities, contrary to the whole Te- 
 nour of the Gofpel, hath a Love to Sin im- 
 pofed upon lome Men ; as a Refuge from 
 the Reproaches, and Forebodings, of a guilty 
 Confcience ; and thefe are often found to be 
 lixed, without the leaft Ground, upon fuch 
 general Declarations of the Value of the pro- 
 pitiatory Sacrifice of Chrift, and the Merits 
 of his Sufferings, as that in the Text. 
 
 Because He is declared to be a Propi- 
 tiation for our Sins ; to be our Advocate, 
 by virtue of that Propitiation, with the Fa- 
 ther-, to have purged our Si?is upon the Crofs 5 
 and to have died for us Sinners \ becaufe, 
 in confequence of thefe Declarations, it hath 
 been delivered and taught by the Churches 
 of Chrifl, that, by his one Oblation of him* 
 felf upon the Crofs once offered. He hath 
 made a full, pcrfeB, and fufficient Sacri- 
 fice^ and Satisfa^ion, for the Sim of the 
 
 'whole, 
 
Merits of Chrtjl^ for Salvation 261 
 
 ^hole World : therefore, they argue that S e r m. 
 their Sins cannot be too many for fuch a Sa- ^^v. 
 crifice to atone for; therefore they plead that ^•^'^'^ 
 thefe Sins, thus atoned for, are of all Ibrts ; 
 as well thofe which they indulge themfelves 
 in, to the laft Period of their Lives, as thofe 
 which have been forfaken, and abandoned j 
 abufing the Mercy of God, and the Merits 
 of their Saviour, to their own erernal Perdi- 
 tion ; as will appear, if we confider ferioully^ 
 III. The great Unreafonablenefs, Bafe- 
 nefs, and Abfurdity, of this Abufe. That 
 Chriftians fhould fo far forget the nature of 
 their Religion, which hath, in the plaineft 
 Words, made an univerfal Holinefs indif- 
 penfably neceffary; that they fliould be fo 
 far from being led by the Goodnefs of God 
 to Repentance and Amendment, that they 
 fhould rather take occalion from his Love to 
 treafurc up for themfelves Wrath againft the 
 Day of Wrath -, that thofe very Sufferings of 
 Chrift, which were defigned as the grcateft 
 Argument to ajffright them from all Sin, 
 fliould be made as it were the Incentive and 
 Motive to them to continue in Sin ; that the 
 greateft Inftance of Love ever difplayed be- 
 fore the Eyes of Men ihould be returned in 
 S 3 Affronts, 
 
362 Of relying upon the 
 
 Se RM.. Affronts, and Difobediencc to God, and to 
 ^^^- his Son: Thefe are fuch aftonifhing Marks 
 ^•^'"^'^ of ahfurd Confidence, and Bafenefs of Tem- 
 per, as cannot be parallel'd. 
 
 The Nature, and End, of the Chriftian 
 Religion, plainly eftablifhed, muft dire(5l: uS 
 in all our Interpretations of any of its gene- 
 ral Declarations. And this Religion being 
 holy, pure, and fpotlefs; revealed by the 
 Son of God from Heaven for the Converfion 
 and Amendment of the World, and to teach 
 us to forfake all Sin, and to live in all holy 
 Obedience to God \ the Wrath of God be- 
 ing often declared in it againft all Unrighte- 
 oufnefs of Men : it is impoffible that any 
 Comfort fhould be adminiftred in it to fuch 
 as continue in Sin ; becaufe this would be to 
 defcroy its own main Defign, and to fruf- 
 trate its own great End. From hence there- 
 fore it follows, that it is the higheft Abfur- 
 dity to argue from its general Declarations 
 concerning a Sacrifice for Sins, and a Propi- 
 riation of invaluable Merit, that this Sacri- 
 fice v/ill be available for thofe Sins of Chri- 
 ftians in which they ftill wilfully continue: 
 becaufe this is to contradict the great End of 
 their Religion .; to make all Virtue unnecef- 
 
 fary. 
 
Merits of Chrijiy for Salvation, 263 
 
 fary ; and to turn all Chriftianity into a con- S e r m. 
 fident Appeal to the Merits of Chrift. ^^^' 
 
 Again, It is the moft abfurd and un- 
 reafonable thing in the World, to fix fuch a 
 thing as this upon Almight}/ God : or to fup- 
 pofe that He (hould fend a Perfon from Hea- 
 ven, to live and dye here on Earth, and to 
 teach Mankind an excellent Do(flrine ; and 
 at the fame time declare, that it is no great 
 Matter whether they imitate his Example, 
 or obey his Precepts, if fo be they do but 
 truft in his Merits, rely upon his Sacrifice, 
 and put their Confidence in the infinite Value 
 of his Sufferings ; that this fliall be their 
 Comfort here, and their Reward hereafter. 
 Who can believe this poffible, I fay, that 
 knows and confidcrs what God is ; an holy, 
 and wife Being ; at an infinite diflance from 
 all Sin and Iniquity ? For what would this 
 be, but to reveal a Religion from Heaven, 
 with the greateft folemnity, on purpofe to af- 
 fure Men that Virtue is of no great Impor- 
 tance ', iBnd on purpofe to encourage Vice, and 
 Immorality in the World ? I fay this bccaufe, 
 in truth, fuch Pretenfes of Chriftians do ma- 
 nifeftly, and efFedlually, tend to nothing elfe, 
 but to render vain all the Moral Precepts of 
 S 4 the 
 
264 Oj relyiJig upon the 
 
 S E R M. the Gofpel ; and to bring a Contempt upon 
 ^^^' all that is fubftantially good in Religion. 
 
 And if this be fo abfurd in any reafon- 
 able Creature, to fix fuch an Abfurdity upon 
 God 5 how much more abfurd and intolera- 
 ble mil ft it be in a Chriftian, after this Reve- 
 lation is made, in which the Nature of God, 
 and his Hatred of Sin, are made known to 
 him, to affront Almighty God with a Sup- 
 pofition which a very Heathen would be a- 
 fraid to make ? Nay, it receives a great Ag- 
 gravation, when it is confidered that it is by 
 the Declaration of the Gofpel only that we 
 can know what the Merits of Chrift's Suffer- 
 ings are to usj and that in this they are fo 
 plainly limited, as to the Extent, and End of 
 them, that a fincere Mind cannot miftake. 
 I have already obferved to you what is de- 
 clared there ; and, with how much Plain- 
 nefs, all who continue in their Sins, are de- 
 barred in that from any Benefit from the Suf- 
 ferings of Chrift; nay, how plainly they are 
 aflured that this very Gofpel, and the Suffer- 
 ings of Chrift, fhall bean Aggravation to their 
 Punilhment liereafter. And if, notwith- 
 ilanding all the Limitations which God him- 
 fclf hath fet to his Mercy, and to the Metitsof 
 
 his 
 
Merits of Chriji^ for Salvation. 265 
 
 his Son ; thefe Perfons will make a new Co- S e r m. 
 venant, and a new Compaft, for themfelves : -^^ 
 what muftwe think of fuch an egregious and ^-^^'^ 
 groundlefs piece of Folly and Abfurdity ? 
 
 Besides, how bafc and ungrateful a 
 Temper mufl this proceed from ; to make 
 ufe of the Goodnefs of God, and thofe Suf- 
 ferings which were the higheft Inflance of 
 Chrifl's Love to them, as an Encouragement: 
 to themfelves to take part with the great E- 
 nemy of God and of Chrift ? How would it 
 found in the Ears of any Man of themeaneft 
 Capacity, to hear Chriftians fpeaking thus, 
 God Jo loved the World that He fent hi% 
 only begotten Son ; and this Son of God hath 
 declared his Love in dying for Sinners, after an 
 unparallell'd manner^ therefore,Iet us affront 
 him, and join our felves to his greatcil Adver- 
 fary; ftill trufting that his Merits, and Suffer- 
 ings, will make him look upon us, and treat 
 us as his Friends ? Yet, after this manner doth 
 every Sinner argue, who refolvedly contiiues 
 a Sinner; and yet pretends to trull in the Me- 
 rits of his Saviour for Pardon, and Salvation, 
 T o make the Matter yet more plain ; pui 
 the Cafe that any Prince (liould fend his own 
 Son to a Company of profeffed Rebels -, and. 
 
 for 
 
Kjrv\j 
 
 266 Of relying upon the 
 
 S E R M. for the fake of what He (hould do and fufFer 
 ^^ ^ amongfl them, offer to be reconciled to fuch 
 of them as (hould be influenced by this Me- 
 thod to repent, and return to their Obedi- 
 ence: what greater Affront, or Indignity, 
 can one well imagine, than, if thefe Per- 
 fons, profefUng to lay hold on his Offers, 
 fhould yet continue to affront him, and dif- 
 obey all his juft Commands, as much as ever ; 
 and yet all the time plead before him the 
 Sufferings of his Son, and argue that his Me- 
 rit mufl fcreen them from Punifhment, which 
 was defigned merely to make their future O- 
 bedience accepted ; and which greatly in- 
 creafeth the Guilt of their continuing fuch 
 Affronts, and Injuries ? Would not this Ap- 
 peal to thofe Merits appear only a piece of 
 formal Mockery ; and juflify to all the World 
 the feverefl Punifliment of thofe who fhould 
 have nothing elfe to plead ? Let us therefore, 
 IV. Lastly, from what hath been faid, 
 learn the true and good Ufes which Chrifli- 
 ans ought to make of the Merits of J ejus 
 Cbrijl^ and of the Value of his Sufferings. 
 I. In the firfl place, we may lawfully 
 and ju^lly plead before God the Merits of his 
 Son, and his invaljuable Sacrifice, as what He 
 
 hnth 
 
Merits of Chrijij for Salvation. 267 
 
 hath been pleafed to declare that He accepts, S e r m. 
 as an Atonement for thofe Sins which we X^J^- 
 forfake, and abandon : and for the fake of ^-^'"^'^^ 
 this, we may beg, with a well-grounded 
 Affurance, that He will pardon all our paft 
 Offenfes, and whatever is amifs in our whole 
 Frame ; and accept of our fincere Endea- 
 vours after an univerfal Conformity to his 
 Will in all Things. This is a fort of Trujt ; 
 and indeed the only T^ruji in the Merits of 
 Chrift, which we can juftify, or from which 
 we can reap any Comfort, or Advantage: 
 becaufe indeed this is the only Truft agree- 
 able to the Nature and Defign of the Gof- 
 pel 'y and to the many plain Declarations of 
 the New Teftament. 
 
 There is nothing in that facred Book, 
 of the great Efficacy of applying the Merits 
 of Chrift to our felves, in all Circumftances, 
 with an undaunted Confidence. This is a new 
 and modern Addition to the Gofpel of 
 Chrift. But If we look into any Page of it, 
 we cannot but learn from thence, that we 
 have no Encouragement to apply thefe Merits 
 to our felve?, nor any juft Ground of Satif- 
 fadion from them, unlefs we find in our 
 felves a perfevering Refolution to forfake all 
 
 Vice^ 
 
268 Of relying upon the 
 
 S 5 R M. Vice ; and a conftant Endeavour to perfeft 
 XII. Holinefs, whilft we have Opportunity : and 
 
 ^^^'^^^^"^ that it is the uniform Dodtrinc of the fame 
 New Teftament^ that thofe who have wil- 
 fully continued Sinners to the laft, have no 
 part in the revealed Promifes of God ; nor 
 confequently the leaft Right in the World to 
 apply the Merits of Chrift to themfelves in 
 particular, which are declared to belong only 
 to fuch as have forfaken, and renounced 
 their Sms. And if this be not true ; then it 
 mufl: be true that the Gofpel makes no dif- 
 ference between a virtuous, and vicious Life; 
 but makes Eternity depend upon fuch a 
 Confidence as the beft Chriflians often want, 
 and the worft generally have mod of. 
 
 2. In the next place, we ought all to 
 draw a ftrong Argument againft all Sin, and 
 for all holy Obedience, from thofe very Me- 
 rits, and Sufferings of yefus Chrijly under 
 which fomeChriftians would hide their con- 
 tinued Iniquities. For if Chrift be the Pro- 
 pitiation for our Sins ; then what muft Sin 
 be to Almighty God, who took fo fevere a 
 Method to be reconciled to Sinners? and 
 what ought it to be to Chriftians, who know 
 this ? How hateful, and how abominable ? 
 
 If 
 
Merits of Chrljl-i for Salvation. 269 
 
 If God Jo loved the Worlds that Be fent his S e r m. 
 only begotten Son -, if this Son voluntarily X^^- 
 humbled himfelf to the vileft Death for us : ^'^^'^^'*^ 
 how ought we to fludy to do every thing 
 pleafing to him 5 and to avoid every thing 
 which He hates and abhors? If fo invaluable 
 a Price were paid ; that we might be re- 
 conciled to God upon any Terms: how 
 ought we to be moved, by the Greatnefs of 
 this Price, to come up to all his Terms, and 
 Conditions; and not to think fo long upon 
 the Price, as to forget the End for which 
 it was paid ? 
 
 Te are bought with a Trice -, therefore 
 glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirit^ 
 which are God's : faith St. Paul, i Cor. vi. 
 20. The Price paid by Chrift to buy Us into 
 his Service, is, in his Account, the greateft 
 Motive why we fhould ferve fuch a Mafter 
 faithfully. Pafs the "Time of your Sojourn- 
 ing here in Fear, faith St. Peter, forafmuch 
 as ye know that ye were not redeemed with 
 corruptible Things, as Silver, and Gold, but 
 with the precious Blood of Cbriji, i Pet. i. 
 17, 18, 19. This is the Ufe, which the A- 
 fojiles earneftly d'redt Chri/iians to make, 
 of the Merits of their Saviour : but they ne- 
 ver 
 
270 Of relying upon the^ &c. 
 
 S E R M. ver once advife, or command, or fo much 
 ^^^- as permit, them to think that they ihall be 
 
 ^^'^^ faved by thefe merits, after a Life fpent in 
 continual Difobedience to his Moral Laws. 
 Let this Dodtrine, therefore, be fixed in 
 our Minds. The Merits of Chrift's Suffer- 
 ings are fo great, that they will atone for 
 the longeft Courfe of Sins ; provided we 
 have forfaken, and utterly abandoned them : 
 but of fuch a nature, as terribly to aggra- 
 vate the Guilt and Punifhment of thofe 
 Chriftians, who take occafion to continue in 
 their Sins, becaufe Chriji is declared to be 
 the Propitiation for them. 
 
 SER- 
 
[ 27' ] 
 
 Mijiakes about Man's Liability^ and Go^s 
 Grace, conjidered. 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 II. COR, iii. 5. 
 
 Not that we are fufficient of our felves, to 
 think any thing as of our f elves : but our 
 Suficiency is of God. 
 
 g'. H E Apojile, in this Epijlle, was S e r m. 
 led, by the cunning Manage- XIII. 
 mentof fome evil-minded Per- '•^'^^^^ 
 
 fons amongft the Corinthians, 
 
 to affert his own Apoftlefhip 5 and his own 
 Right to be their Diredor and Inftruclor, 
 as He had been the Founder of their 
 Church, and of their Faith. But left they 
 fhould think that He boafted of himfelf 
 above meafure ; as if from Him, confidered 
 by Himfelf, came all their Good, and all 
 their Happinefs of being made Partakers 
 
 of 
 
272 Mijiakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. of the Go/pel 'y He thinks fit in this Verfe to 
 XIII. obviate this Infinuation, and to affure them, 
 
 ^■^"'^^'^ that by what He had now, or any time be- 
 fore, faid to that purpofe, He did notdefign 
 to arrogate to himfelf the Glory of being 
 the chief and principal Agent in this Mat- 
 ter; but that it was to the great Original of 
 all Things, even to God himfelf, that they 
 were obliged for fo great and unfpeakable a 
 Blefling. Not that we are fufficient of our 
 fekeSy to think anything as of our J elves : 
 but our Siifficiency is of God. That is, Not 
 that We Apoflles^ of our felves, did or could, 
 lay this Scheme of Salvation : not that it is 
 to us that the Contrivance, and Adminiftra- 
 tion of this, is to be afcribed. But our Suf- 
 ficiency \ our being able thus to contribute 
 to your Happincfs, and thus fuccefsfully to 
 minifter to your good, by preaching the 
 Gofpel^ is owing to God. 
 
 That this is the meaning of the Apojlle^ 
 in thefe Words, will be evident to any one 
 who will be at the Pains to lay together what 
 goes before, and what follows after this 
 Verfe. For whoever doth that, will find 
 that the Apojlle is not here fpeaking, or 
 thinking, of the Duty ordinarily required of 
 / Chriftians, 
 
mtd Gods Grace ^ co7ifidercd. 273 
 
 Chriftians, in order to their final Accep- S e r m. 
 tancc ; but of a Subjed: entirely different '^li^- 
 from this } viz, of the Work of an Apojile y ^^'"^^"^ 
 of the firft Original of that Scheme of SaU 
 'vat ion which the Apoftles preached to the 
 World; and of that Knowledge and Suffici- 
 ency which the firft Preachers of the Gofpel 
 had, in order to the Performance of their 
 great Work. But tho* this be fo plainly the 
 meaning of the Words; yet many Chrifti- 
 ans, of later Ages, have been led from this 
 Text, and others of the like Sound, into fuch 
 Errors, as tend, in their own natures, to ob- 
 ftrudt and hinder the great Defign of the 
 Gofpel; and to make Men eafy and carelefs 
 about the Performance of thofe Terms of 
 Acceptance, Holinefs and unlverfal Righte- 
 oufnefs, which are fo plainly required, in 
 the Gofpel. 
 
 I T is therefore, of great Importance, ta 
 examine, and confute fuch pernicious Mif- 
 takes ; and to fliew that there is nothing in 
 the N^'Z£; Tcjiarnent to favour them. The 
 Miftakesat which I now particularly point 
 are fuch as are founded upon a very fatal No- 
 tion of the Weaknefs, andlnability of Man ; 
 and of the part which AJmighty God is to 
 
 T adt 
 
274 Mijlakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. aft in the Bufinefs of Reformation, and 
 -^^^^- Holinefs. For many Perfons have not been 
 
 ^^^*^ content with faying that their Natures are 
 weak and frail ; too eafily carried away by 
 the Force of that multitude of Trials which 
 furround them in this State ; that the Flefo 
 is weak, and their Inclinations diredled with 
 aftrong Biafs towards Sin and Wickednefs; 
 but are likewife pleafed with reprefenting 
 themfelves in fuch a State of Inability, and 
 Infufficiency, as that all Motives, and all 
 Calls to Repentance are in vain ; in fuch a 
 State, as that it is impoffible for them, by 
 ' any Ad of their own Mind, either to pray 
 cfttdually to God 5 or fuccefsfully to bear 
 any part, in the great Work of their Salva- 
 tion, themfelves. 
 
 S o likewife , with refpedl to Almighty 
 Gody they are not content with acknowledg- 
 ing that the great Defign of their Happinefs 
 is owing originally to Him, and is his Work; 
 Qr that all their Powers and Faculties come 
 from Him, who made them what they are ; 
 or that He is ready to affift their Endeavours, 
 whenever they exert them ; to anfwer their 
 fincere Prayers, and to impart to them what- 
 ever is neceffary to their fucccfsful running 
 
 the 
 
and Godt s Grace^ conjtdered. 275 
 
 the Race that is fet before them : but thev S e r m. 
 take a fort of Delight in thinking, and fpeak- ^^^^• 
 ing, as if Almighty God were to do all for ^^'^^ 
 them; as if He^ in his own Time, will irre- 
 liflibly move them to do his Will ; and as if> 
 unlefs he thus interpofeth, they have no 
 Power, or Strength, to do any thing towards 
 forfaking thofe Sins to which they have 
 made themfelves captive. 
 
 In thefe Senfes do they think it for their 
 Purpofe, to underftand the Words of the 
 Text, and fome other Expreffions of the 
 New ^ejiame?tty concerning the InfuScien- 
 cy, and Weaknefs of Man ; and the Suffici- 
 ency, and Power of God, in the Matter of 
 Salvation. In order, therefore, to put a Stop 
 to fuch Notions as thefe, which naturally 
 tend to render Men indifpofed to all At- 
 tempts, and Endeavours to do their Duty ; 
 I have the following Obfervations to make. 
 
 I. St. Paul himfelf builds no fuch Do- 
 £lrine upon that great and ftrong Notion He 
 had of his own Infufficiency i and of the Suf- 
 ficiency of God. This Infufficiency^ I have 
 fhewn already, had reference to the Work of 
 his Apojllejhip ; to and his fuccefsful Perfor- 
 mance of it 5 that is, to his publifliing, and 
 T 2 enforcing^ 
 
276 Mijlakes about Man s tnahllity^ 
 
 S K R M. enforcing, the Terms of Salvation, amidft 
 XIII. a Thoufand Difficulties, and a World of 
 
 ^"^^^ Hazards. But becaufe this great Work of 
 Redemption was originally the fole Defign 
 and Contrivance of Heaven ; becaufe his be- 
 ing an Apojlle was owing immediately to 
 God ; and the Succcfs of his Labours, and 
 his own Courage and Conduct in his Office, 
 depended upon the Providence, and the Fa- 
 vour of God : He doth not prefently infer 
 that nothing was to be done by Himfelf, 
 confidtred as diflind: from his great Patron. 
 But, in this very Epijile, He reprefents Him- 
 felf, and the oxhtr: Apojlles^ as Workers to- 
 gether with God, ch. vi. i. and often fpeaks 
 of his indefatigable Endeavours to anfwer 
 the Ends of his Office. And if He were a 
 Worker together with God ; fie had certainly 
 a part of his own, diftinc^l; from that of Al- 
 mighty God, in this great Affair. And con- 
 fequently, as He had God Almighty's Stiffi- 
 ciency to fupport Him, and make up his De- 
 ficiencies; fo He had like wife fome Strength 
 and Ability of his own, for his own part. 
 And as God was the Architedi , the chief 
 Builder, D/iredor, and Encourager of the 
 
 whole 5 
 
and God's Grace^ conjldered. 277 
 
 whole" ; fo likeWife was the ApojJle]^. Work- S e r ^t 
 evj under, and together with^ Htm. XIII. 
 
 I F, therefore, in that great Work of the ^^^'^'^^^ 
 Apoftlejloip, encompaffed at that time with 
 fo many Difficuhies and Hazards, St. Paul 
 did not mean by fuch Expreffions to fignify 
 that he himfelf had no part to a6l, hut as 
 forced, and impelled irrefiftibly, by God Al^ 
 mighty ; but left a part for himfelf, as well 
 as gave to God the chief Parr, and Glory, 
 in it all : much lefs will it follow, that he 
 meant thefe and the like ExpreiTions, to iia^ 
 nify that, in the Bufinefs of every ordinary 
 Chrillian, fo much lefs difficult than that 
 in which he was engaged, God i\l mighty wa.^ 
 to do all, without the Concurrence of the 
 Man himfelf; and without his having 
 Strength and Power to bear any part in his 
 own Happinefs. \i the Apoftle had fuch 
 Power, as to be a Worker together with 
 God, in that vail and boundlefs Office ; 
 much more may Chriflians, in their ordi- 
 nary Spheres of Action, be fappofed to have 
 Ability to bear fome part in the carrying 
 forward their own Pcrfeftion here, and Sal-* 
 vation h<sreafter, 
 
 T 3 2. But 
 
178 Mijiakes ahout Mans Inahiltty^ 
 
 S E R M. 2. B u T fuppofing that St. Paul had re- 
 XIII. ferred the whole to Almighty God, in the 
 ^'^'^^^ literal, and ftrid: Senfe of the Word 5 and 
 left himfelf nothing but apaffive Charafter; 
 and reprefented himfelf as irrefiftibly mo- 
 ved by his AJmighty Arm : this having been 
 faid by him merely with refpedl to fo great, 
 and difiicult a Task, as was that of an Apo- 
 file^ in thofe firft Days; it will not at all fol- 
 low from hence, that the fame is true, with 
 refpeft to an Office, or Bulinefs, not fo dif- 
 ficult, and hazardous. It will not fo much 
 as follow, that the fame is true with refpedl 
 to fucceeding Minifters, and Paflors of the 
 Church, in the ordinary Courfe of God's 
 Providence ; much lefs will it follow, with 
 refpedl to the Body of Chriftians, whofe 
 Task doth not take in fo great a Compafs. 
 It doth not follow that becaufe Almighty 
 God takes the whole upon himfelf, in a 
 great, and immenfe Difficulty ; therefore. 
 He likewife takes the whole upon himfelf, 
 in a Matter of much lefs Difficulty, and of 
 a much more confined Importance. 
 
 3. The Affiftance which God affords to 
 Chriflians, and the part which He bears in 
 the Work of their Salvation, is fo far from 
 
 being 
 
and God' s Grace^ conjtdered. 279 
 
 g a Proof that they can do nothing to- 
 wards it themfelves \ that it is a moft pow- 
 
 being a Proof that they can do nothing to- S e r m- 
 wards it themfelves \ that it is a moft pow- ^^1, 
 erful Argument, and made ufe of in the 
 
 New Tejlamem, to engage them to do feme 
 thing for themfelves. Work out your own 
 Salvation^ faith the fame St. Paul, with 
 Fear and Trembling : for it is God that 
 worketh in you both to will^ and to do, Phil, 
 ii. 12, 13. On this very account, ufe your 
 own Strength and Power, in the Affair of 
 Religion \ becaufe God himfelf, in the Chri- 
 ftian Difpenfation, affords you his Influen- 
 ces, and his Affiftances. And indeed, what 
 more powerful Motive can there be thought 
 of, to engage us to hearty and uninterrupt- 
 ed Labour, in our Chri ftian Warfare, than 
 this, that we are carrying forward a Work, 
 in which God himfelf is engaged ; that if it 
 fail ac laft, the gracious Defign of God will 
 fail thro' our Negligence ; that we have fo 
 powerful an Afliftant and Patron, that the 
 Difficulty of our Work need not difcourage 
 us from attempting it, or perfevering in itj 
 that we are Fellow-workers together with 
 God > and therefore fhould be animated to 
 exert our felves, as all are incited to do un- 
 der the Eye and Encouragement of therr 
 T 4 Superiors 5 
 
C/^/X.' 
 
 280 Mijiakes about Maiis Inability^ 
 
 Ser M. Superiors; and to do even more Work, 
 ^^ll ^ and with more follicicous Concern, than we 
 could do, if we had not fuch a Patron^ and 
 fuch an AJJifimit ? 
 
 T o take away the Defpair of Succeis, is 
 fo far from encouraging the Idlenefs or Neg- 
 led: of any Perfon engaged in an Enterprize, 
 that it is abfolutely neceffary towards their 
 having any Heart, and Courage, for the Exe- 
 cution of it. This God Almighty takes from 
 us, by reprefenting himfelf as our Director, 
 and Afliiler: and it is this which fliould fill 
 us with more Concern left the Enterprize 
 fliould fail ; and animate us with a ftronger 
 Refolution to ufe all our Endeavours. It is 
 becaufe we have fuch Hope of good Succefs, 
 under the Patronage of fo much Wifdom, 
 andfo much Power, that we fliould be much 
 more vigorous, and refolute, than if we had 
 not fuch an Encouragement as is included in 
 God's working i?i us both to ivill^ and to do. 
 And, 
 
 4. How weak foever we may be; fince 
 jt is plain, from what I have already faid, 
 that the Gofpel doth not fuppofe us in a State 
 of utter Inability to bear any part in our 
 own Happinefs : I fay, our Weaknefs, or 
 
 Jnability 
 
and Gods Grace^. cojijtdered. 281 
 
 Inability to perform the whole, our felves, S e r m. 
 is no Argument why we fhould leave the ^^^^• 
 whole to Almighty God j and not think our ^^/"^^^"^ 
 felves obliged to work together with Him. 
 And yet this feems to have been the Ground 
 of Miftake in this Cafe, that the Evangelical 
 Difpenfation, and confequently, the Salva- 
 tion of Men, is reprefented as the fole Con- 
 trivance and Work of God, in which we 
 bear no part, and were uncapable of bear- 
 ing any. This without doubt is true ; that 
 we could not have thought of, or entered 
 into, fuch a Scheme for our own Happinefs. 
 But it doth not follow that, when He offers 
 this Happinefs to us, He offers it to Beings, 
 asuncapable of laying hold on it^ as the very 
 Stocks and Stones. It doth not follow, be- 
 Cjiufe our great Benefaftor prevents us with 
 his Kindnefs, and voluntarily offers us liis 
 Benevolence, and his helping Hand to free 
 us from the greatefl of Evils, and enftate us 
 in the mofl complete Happinefs ; that there- 
 fore we are unable to accept this Kindnefs, 
 and to-help forward fo good, and merciful 
 aDefign. No, let us acknowledge, as much 
 as we pleafe, our own Infufiiciency , and 
 Inability, for fo God-like a Work as that of 
 
 recovering 
 
282 Mijiakes about Mans Inability y 
 
 S E R M. recovering us from Mif^ry to Happinefs ; to 
 ^^^^- the Glory of Him who is the Author ^^ and 
 
 ^^^ Finijider of our Salvation : but let us not 
 footh our felves in Vice, under the Pretext 
 of a falfe Humility ; and look upon our 
 felves as too weak to do the lead thing to- 
 wards our own Pardon, and Salvation. For 
 our Inability to do fome Things, doth not 
 infer our Inability to do others 3 nor doth our 
 being incapable of the whole, taken all toge- 
 ther, prove that we are incapable of any parr. 
 But, in return to what hath been faid 
 under thefe two laft Heads, I am fenfible 
 that fome other Expreffions of the New T'ef- 
 iamenf may be objeded. As, 
 
 I. It may be faid that the whole of this 
 great Work of Repentance, and Salvation, 
 feems, in fome Expreffions, to be afcribed 
 to God : and He to be reprefented as the fole 
 Agent in it. In anfwer to this I have al- 
 ready obferved that the Contrivance, and 
 Scheme, of the whole Difpenfation , in 
 which we have Salvation offered us, and 
 the making and proclaiming the Terms of 
 it, are wholly owing to Him, and to his 
 Goodnefs ; previous to any Work, or Me- 
 rit, of ours: and confequently, it is no 
 
 Wonder 
 
and God' s GracCy conjidered. 283;, 
 
 Wonder that this is wholly attributed to Serm. 
 Him, which is indeed, literally fpeaking, ^^^:^ 
 folely, and wholy, his Work. When any ^^^^^^ 
 fuch Expreflions, therefore, come in our 
 way, we fliould confider whether the Wri- 
 ter be not fpeaking of this Chrifiian Difpen- 
 fation^ as the Work of God : And if he be, 
 we may be fure that this fignifieth nothing 
 to the prefent Queftion. For God might be 
 the fole Author of this Offer, and this whole 
 Scheme : and yet we may have Strength and 
 Ability to do fomething towards the laying 
 hold on the Terms of it; towards the com- 
 plying (incerely with his Offers ; and towards 
 the finding out, and Performance, of his WilL 
 But if fuch ExprcfTions ihould be ufed, 
 concerning Almighty God^ with refpedl to 
 ©ur receiving Benefit from this Difpenfation, 
 and the like ; it is to be confidered farther 
 that there is nothing more common in all 
 forts of Writers, than to fpeak of the chief 
 Leader, Diredior, and Performer, of any 
 Work^ as if no other deferved to be menti-* 
 oned. Thus God Almighty's Favour and 
 Holy Spirit, being the great Support and 
 Strength of Chriflians -, it is no wonder if, 
 according to the general Cuflom of fpeak- 
 
 ing 
 
2^4 Mijiakes alout Mans Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. ing, the great Affair of Salvation be fpokea 
 ^^^^' of, as all owing to that. Juft as any great 
 
 ^^-^^^^^ Adlion, tho' executed by a great many in 
 Conjundion, is yet frequently faid to be 
 owing to Him particularly, who was the 
 great Difpofer of all Things concurring to 
 it ; and had the chief Haiid in it: fo may it 
 be in this Cafe, without inferring that, ftrid- 
 ly fpeaking, no one befides him hath any 
 Concern in it. It is becaufe, comparatively 
 fpeaking. He bears the chief part ; and be- 
 caufe without his favourable Concurrence 
 nothing could fuccefsfully be done, that He 
 may well, agreeably to the Rules of fpeak- 
 ing, be fometimes reprefented as the Doer 
 of the whole. But it doth not at all follow, 
 from fuch cuftomary Forms of fpeaking, that 
 fie neither expedls, nor requires, the Con- 
 currence, and hearty Endeavours, and Pains, 
 of thofe to whom He is fo good. 
 
 Again, It is proper to conlider that 
 whatever Powers, and Capacities, w^e have, 
 'are originally his Gift, and therefore all the 
 good Effedts of them may juftly be afcribed 
 to Hi jn, as to the firft and original Author 
 of all that we have, and all that we can do . 
 that it is to the Concurrenge of his daily Pro- 
 
 vidence^ 
 
 
and Gods Grace^ conjideredi 285^ 
 
 vidence, and to the Difpofition of all Cir- S erm. 
 cumftances, which is his Work, that we are /^^^ 
 indebted for every thing. Without this, we ^ 
 could not have the Opportunity, or Poffibi^ 
 iity, of knowing the 'Tenm Qi Chriftian Sal-- 
 vatio7i y or of complying with them. And 
 therefore, it may juftly be akribed to Him, 
 whatfoever is done towards our Happinefs, 
 even by our felves. And, in this Senfe, 
 without Himy we could neither think, nor 
 ad, to any purpofe, in our great and moft 
 important Concern. But all this is very 
 confiftent with our being moved, after the 
 manner of free Agents, by the Motives he 
 propofeth; and by the Circumftances in 
 which he is pleafed to put us. 
 
 And then, in all thofe parts of our Chrl- 
 flian Duty, and in ail thofe Cafes, in which 
 his Interpofition is requifite to our Succefs, 
 He hath promifed his Holy Spirit to them 
 that ask it, and make ufe of it : a Spirit, 
 which, as it was to be the Support of his 
 Apoftks in their greater Work ; io is it, in 
 proportion, to be the Guide, and Aiilihr of 
 ail Chriilians, who are imcerely defirous to 
 foiiovv it But this irpphes in it that we are 
 ^ble, at Icaft, to ask for this unfpeakabk Gift 
 
LTSrsJ 
 
 286 Mijiakes about Mans Inability ^ 
 
 Serm. of God: becaufe otherwife it would be but 
 ^^^^* mocking us to promife it to our Prayers. It 
 implies indeed that this Spirit is the great 
 Agent; the great Help to Perfeftion ; and 
 to a Renovation of the Mind of Sinners, 
 and a Reformation of their Pradices ; fo, 
 that great things may be fpoken of it : but 
 it doth not imply that thofe to whom it is 
 given are only the mechanical Inftruments 
 of it, or any thing to that effeft -, any more 
 than the Afliftance of one Man granted to 
 another, in any Affair, in which without it 
 he could not fucceed, fuppofeth that this 
 other muft do nothing himfelf, and make 
 no Steps, as a voluntary Agent, towards the 
 accomplirhing his own Ends. 
 
 Whatever, therefore, is faid, in the 
 New T'eftamejjt, or fuppofed to be faid, of 
 Almighty God, as tht fole Author of all re- 
 lating to our Salvation, may, we fee, very 
 juftly be accounted for, by the common U- 
 fage of fpeaking, without drawing foflrange 
 and abfurd a Confcquence from it, as de- 
 vefts Men of all Pretenfe to any part in it : 
 efpecially confidering, in the laft Place, that, 
 in the fame New Tejtament, the greateft 
 Care is taken, when any parts of it are ad- 
 
 dreffed 
 
and Gocf s Grace^ conjtdered. 287 
 
 drefled to Chriftians themfdves, to urge, Serm. 
 and prefs, and incite them, as free Agents, ^^^^ 
 to the Performance of their Duty j to deal ^-^'^'^ 
 with them as if on themfelves, and on their 
 own Endeavours, depended their Happinefsj 
 to charge them not to be fo ungrateful to God, 
 as to think of leaving all to Him to do: and 
 to threaten them with eternal Damnation, 
 if they negleft to do what is required of 
 them. This likewife will help us, 
 
 2. To anfwer the ObjeBion which may 
 be made to what I have faid concerning the 
 part of Chriftians themfelves in the Affair 
 of Salvation : viz. That the New Tiejlament 
 feems to reprefent them in a dead and life^ 
 lefs Condition ; unable to help themfelves • 
 and the like. For, fuppoling this, yet, that, 
 thefe, and the like, Expreliions were not de- 
 figned to be underftood in any Senfe con- 
 trary to what I have faid, is plain from thofe 
 multitudes of AddreiTes, and Appeals, to 
 Chriftians themfelves -, and from thofe many 
 earneft Entreaties , Motives , Promifes ^ 
 Threatnings, in the fame New Tejlament : 
 all contrived to make them exert themfelves ; 
 all fuch as are inconfiftent with the Suppoii- 
 tion that God will help them without their 
 
 own 
 
288 Mifiakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 Se R M. own Help ;' or that they are not able to do 
 XIII. that part, which God requireth, and inci- 
 
 ^'^'^^^^ teth, them to do. 
 
 Bu T 1 muft remark farther, that, if you 
 confider thofe Paffages which have this Ap- 
 pearance, you will find that they are chiefly, 
 if not always, fuch as refped; only the State 
 of Mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, be« 
 fore the Light of the Gofpel brake in upoii 
 them y and before the Offers of Salvation 
 were made, or accepted. Before that, tlie 
 World was univerfiUy dead in T'refpajjes 
 and Sins : and the Motives, to induce them 
 to arife from this Death, came folely from 
 God; not from themfelves. But yet the 
 very offering them Spiritual Life, fuppofed 
 them capable of accepting it j the very pref- 
 fing, and inciting, them to revive from that 
 Death of Sin^ fuppofeth that they could do 
 what they were fo incited to. Almighty 
 God quickened them by thefe Motives, and 
 Offers; but then, even in this, their ac- 
 cepting and complying with them mail: be, 
 in part, their own Work 3 or it could never 
 be made their Reward. As a Man that is 
 ftupid and infenfible, in fome confiderable 
 v^orldly Concerns, may be faid to be dead^ 
 
 and 
 
and Gocfs Grace^ conjidered. 289 
 
 and lifelefi -, and as the Motives, and Argu- S e r m. 
 ments, and Perfuafives, of Men can quicken ^^^^' 
 and put Life into him ; aftuating him into ^"^^"^^^'^ 
 good Refolutions, and fetting his Zeal on 
 fire ; and yet the Man himfelf not fuppofed 
 to be unable to do any thing for himfelf, 
 but the contrary : fo, in the Cafe before us, 
 a Man may be called dead in Trefpajfes and 
 Sins ', and the Wrath of God, or the Joys of 
 Heaven, and all the Offers of the Gofpel, 
 may quicken him ; and to thefe may the 
 thing be afcribed ; yet, all this while, with- 
 out fuppofing him dead^ in a literal Senfe, 
 or uncapable of bearing any part in the ac- 
 cepting thefe Oifers ; in the regarding thefe 
 Motives ; and in helping forward his own 
 Happinefs. This is a figurative Expreffion, 
 applied to the State of Sinners : who, as they 
 are faid to be guicknedhy God and his Gof- 
 pel ; fo are they very frequently called upon 
 to confider their Ways 5 to rouze themfelves 
 out of their fupine, and flothful ftate ; to 
 forfake that which is evil ^ and fra5iij'e that 
 which is good. Neither therefore, is the 
 great Part which Almighty God bears in our 
 Salvation, an Argument that He will do all, 
 without Us : nor is our Weaknefs, and Ina- 
 
 U bility. 
 
290 Mijiakes about Mans Inability^ &c. 
 
 S E R M. bility, a total Incapacity to join with Him, 
 -^^^'* in our hearty Endeavours and Labours- But, 
 
 ^^^^■^ as his Hand is neceffary ; fo is our own. As 
 his Arm is powerful to fave ; fo is our own 
 requifite to our Happinefs. As our Weak- 
 nels is nothing without his Strength ; fo his 
 Strength will be nothing to us without our 
 Weaknefs. As he is the great Contriver, 
 and Difpofer, of the whole Scheme of our 
 Salvation, and is ready to give the Sufficiency 
 of his Spirit to all who fincerely ask it; fo 
 we are required, and confequently, are able, 
 both to ask it heartily, and to join our own 
 Endeavours with it: on which, together 
 with God's Afiiftance, our Holinefs now, and 
 Happinefs hereafter, moft certainly depend. 
 
 SERr- 
 
C 291 ] 
 
 Mijlakes about Man's Inability^ and God's 
 Grace^ conjidered. 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 WCOR, iii. 5. 
 
 Not that we are ftifficient of our f elves ^ to 
 think any thing as of ourfelves : but our 
 Sufficiency is of God. 
 
 N my former Difcourfe upon S e r ml 
 thefe Words, I (hewed you that XIV. 
 it was the fole Defign of St. ^^^"^^^^ 
 Paul in them , to declare ^ 
 that, in the fetting about, and executing, 
 the difficult and laborious Work of an A- 
 fojlle^ He did not arrogate to himfelf the 
 Power, and Ability, and Succefs, which he 
 had : but that he afcribed his Sufficiency for 
 this great Work, as well as his being defigned 
 to it, to God himfelf, who was the great 
 Contriver of the whole Scheme of Chriftia- 
 U a ftityj 
 
 ijj'j^l 
 
 1 
 
 m 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 fi 
 
 lis 
 
 ^ 
 
 w 
 
292 Mijiakes about Man s Ltability^ 
 
 Ser m. nity; who miraculoufly called the Apojlles 
 ^^^- to the carrying forward his Defign in it ; 
 
 ^'^^^'^^^^ and who endowed them with Powers from 
 above for the Execution of it. This being 
 laid down, as the true meaning of the A- 
 fojlle% Words ; I did from hence take occa- 
 fion to examine and confute the Miftakes of 
 fuch Chriftians, as have pretended to be led, 
 by this and fuch like Expreffions in xh^New 
 Tejlament^ into fuch Notions of their own 
 Weaknefs and Inability to perform the Will 
 of Gods and of the part God Almighty is to 
 bear in their Reformation and Amendment; 
 as induce them to indulge their vicious In- 
 clinations, and retain their evil Habits, un- 
 der the Pretext of waiting for the Interpofi- 
 tioii of Heaven, and the irrefiftible Motions 
 of God's Spirit : without which, they think, 
 they can do nothing towards their Salvation 5 
 and for the obtaining of which, they ima- 
 gine that nothing can be done on their Parts. 
 I HOPE, I then made it appear that what 
 was faid by St. Paul with refpedt to the 
 Work of an Apojile in thofe Days, in which 
 almoft infuperable Difficulties attended it, 
 ought not to be applied to the common Du- 
 ty of all Chriftians, in the ordinary Courfe 
 
 of 
 
and God's Grace^ co?ifidered. 293 
 
 of God's Providence ; that St. Vaul himfelf S e r m. 
 never fpake of the Obedience of Chriftians ^^.,^, 
 to the Moral Commands of the Gofpel, af- 
 ter fuch a manner as to give Encourage- 
 ment to any fuch Opinion, as that of fomc 
 who are not content with the Help of God, 
 but would willingly have all irrefiflibly'done 
 by Him ; and that the Afliflance afforded by 
 God to all the honeft Endeavours of fmcere 
 Chriftians, in the Gofpel-Difpenfation, is 
 fo far from being an Inducement to them 
 to leave all to be effeded by that, that it 
 is the moft pov^erful Argument poffible to 
 them to exert themfelves to the utmoft for 
 their own Good ; and made ufe of to this 
 Purpofe by the Apojlles themfelves, and par- 
 ticularly by St. Paui 
 
 After this, I anfwered more particular- 
 ly to T'wo ObjeBions: for the prefent, fup- 
 pofing that in the New T^ejlament there are 
 fome Expreffions which afcribe the whole 
 Work of Salvation to God, and reprefent 
 Men as dead and unadtive in it. And I {hew- 
 ed, either that thofe Expreffions were de- 
 iigned folely to give to God the Glory of de- 
 figning and contriving the Difpenfation of 
 the Gofpel, and the Work gf Redemption ; 
 U 3 and 
 
294 MiJ^akes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. and to defcribe the State of the World be- 
 •^^ ' fore the Gofpel, buried in Sin, and without 
 ^^^^ any Profped of Help, or any Poffibility of 
 fuch a Pvclief, unlefs it had come firft from 
 Him : or, if any high Expreffions of this 
 -fort be ufed concerning the ordinary Task 
 of the Body of Chriftians, that they maybe 
 juflly interpreted, by all the Rules of fpeak- 
 ing, without recurring to fo great an Abfur- 
 dity, fo deftrudive to the Caufe of Virtue; 
 and particularly, that they muft be explain- 
 ed by the Tenour of plainer Texts, which 
 all reprefent a great deal to depend upon the 
 Endeavours of Chriflians themfelves, as well 
 as upon the Aids of God's Spirit; and 
 are conftantly preffing the labouring part 
 upon all who pretend to be in Purfuit of 
 Happinefs. 
 
 There is one more Objedlion which 
 defer ves a very ferious Confideration in this 
 Debate : and which, therefore, I defign par- 
 ticularly to anfwer before I proceed ; and 
 that is this, that it is more for the Glory of 
 God, that the whole Work of our Amend- 
 ment, and Reformation, and Salvation, 
 (hould be left to i7/;;;, than that any part of 
 it Ihould be claimed by our felves ; and that 
 
 upon 
 
and Gods Grace ^ conjldered. 295 
 
 upon this Account it feems more probable S e r m. 
 that it all depends upon his irrefiftible Arm ; '^^^' 
 and more pious and humble for Men paffive- 
 ly to permit it to do fo. But all this is 
 founded upon Two Errors j firfi^ the not 
 judging rightly what is the true Glory of 
 Almighty God ; 2.r\ifecondly, the imagining 
 that to fuppofe Man capable of ading toge- 
 ther with God in this great Work, is to ex- 
 clude God from being the Original Foun- 
 tain of every thing : and therefore, may be 
 fully anfwered by fome Obfervations, re- 
 lating to thefe Two Points. And, 
 
 I. Th E Glory of God is to be meafured 
 by his Nature, and Attributes ; and by the 
 Declarations of his Word. If we confider 
 his Attributes-, we muft fix nothing upon 
 him but what is perfedly confiftent with the 
 united Harmony of them all. He is per- 
 fedlly wife ; perfe<flly juft ; and perfectly 
 holy. Now it is a greater Glory to his Wif- 
 dom, to make Creatures capable of Freedom 
 in their Aftions, than to make only Clock- 
 work, and Machines, to be moved by the 
 immediate and conftant Interpofition of the 
 Artificer. It is a greater Glory to his Holi- 
 nefs, ( that Attribute by which He is repre- 
 U 4 fented 
 
296 Mijiakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 Se R M. fented as a Lover of Virtue, and Hater of 
 ^^^ Vice, ) to affill: Men in their Endeavours 
 ^"^'^^^'^ after Perfedion ; than to force them to be 
 perfeft, v^rhether they will or no. Nay, the 
 contrary feems utterly inconfiftent with the 
 Suppofition of his loving Virtue more than 
 Vice. For if Virtue be not fomething,. in 
 fome degree, depending upon our felves ; 
 there is no reafon why he fhould love it, as 
 it is in us, more than the contrary. For Juf- 
 tice requires that every one fhould be valued, 
 and rewarded, according to what is in him- 
 ielf good, or evil. Now, if Virtue be no- 
 thing but the irrefiftible Operation of God 
 upon us; there can be no Reafon in the 
 World affigned why He ihould hate and pu- 
 nifh a wicked Man, and love and reward 
 another: becaufe, as to themfelves, they 
 are exa£tly alike. 
 
 The only difference here fuppofed is this, 
 that God is pleafed, after an arbitrary man- 
 ner, to work upon one ; and wholy to pafs 
 by the other. If any Parent fhould heap his 
 Favours upon one Child, and then fhew the 
 greateft Fondnefs to him, merely becaufe 
 thofe Favours have been heaped upon him ; 
 and abfolutely refufe to beftow the leafl de- 
 gree 
 
and Gods Grace^ conftdered. 297 
 
 gree of the fame upon another of his Chil- S e r m. 
 dren, and yet hate and punifli him, becaufe 
 he had not what he could not have with- 
 out his Will: would not all the World 
 condemn fuch a Parent of the moft partial 
 Fondnefs, and of the moft arbitrary Pro- 
 ceeding ; and attribute it to nothing but 
 Weaknefs of Underftanding ; or Strength of 
 Paffion ? And yet this is what we are not 
 afraid to lay upon Almighty God, when wc 
 reprefent Him as doing all for fome, with 
 an irrefiftible Arm ; and then loving them 
 for what they have no part in : and, on the 
 other fide, as paffing by others, and refufing 
 them that fame Strength, without which they 
 cannot move ; and yet hating and condemn- 
 ing them for not being what they cannot be 
 and not doing what they cannot do. If we 
 could not think of this in any Earthly Pa- 
 rent, without calling in queftion his Wif- 
 dom ; or his true Regard to what is praife-^ 
 worthy : how can we fix it upon Almighty 
 God? It is indeed to call in queftion his 
 Wifdom; or his Impartiality; or his Love to 
 what is truly lovely \ or his Averfion to that 
 only which is truly the Objefl: of it. But 
 if a Father hath an equal Regard to all his 
 
 Children :. 
 
2g9 Mijlahs ahout Mans Inahility^ 
 
 S E R M. Children ^ and is ready to affift them all in 
 -^^^' their honeft Endeavours ; to put them in the 
 
 ^^^^*^ way of plcafing him ; to encourage them to 
 do it ; to deter them from the contrary ; and 
 to reward, or punirti them, according as they 
 have voluntarily chofen to make ufe of, or 
 to abufe, his favours : This we account Wif- 
 dom, and Equity ; and a true Notion of 
 Virtue ; and a true Love to what is Praife- 
 worthy ; and a true Abhorrence of what de- 
 ferves Hatred and Difcouragement. 
 
 W E cannot help having fuch Notions of 
 Wifdom, Juftice, and Holinefs: and if, 
 whilft we have fuch, we can fix any thing 
 upon God contrary to thefe; we certainly 
 rob Him of the Glory of what we conftantly 
 account Perfedions ; and of what we ever 
 efteem to belong to Wifdom, Equity, and 
 Holinefs. Let any one therefore think , 
 whether it can be a Glory to God, to repre- 
 fent Him as afting a Part amongft his Chil- 
 dren, and Creatures, which wc /hould fe- 
 verely blame in any Earthly Parent 1 1f J be 
 n Father^ faith Almighty God, upon a dif- 
 ferent Occafion, where is mine Honour ? It 
 may be faid, if God be a Father, and fo 
 thought by us j where is the Regard to Him, 
 
 under 
 
and God* s Grace^ conjidered. 299 
 
 under this Notion, when that Condudl is S e r m. 
 attributed to Him, which would not be feen ^^^* 
 in an earthly Father, without great Detefta- ^''^'**^^'^ 
 tion, and Abhorrence ? If we think, therefore, 
 of God, as of a Being vefted with all Perfec- 
 tion of Wifdom, Equity, and Holinefs ; we 
 fhall find it a greater Glory to fuch a Being, 
 to fuppofe Him aflifting his Creatures in the 
 Way to Happincfs ; joining his Strength to 
 their Endeavours ; and expecSling their fin- 
 cere Endeavours to be joined to his Strength ; 
 than to reprefent Him as doing all irrefiftibly 
 for them ; and then loving them and re- 
 warding them, for what was forced upon 
 them whether they would or no : and, on 
 the other hand, as neglediing many others, 
 who c®uld not ftir one Step without the fame 
 irrefiftible Arm to work for them ; and, af- 
 ter this, hating and condemning them for 
 lying in a State, in which they could not but 
 lie, unlefs He himfelf forced them out of it. 
 The one is the Glory of an equitable Diftri- 
 butor of Favours, and Frowns 5 of Rewards, 
 and Punifliments : the other is the Glory of a 
 Tyrannick and Arbitrary Mind, which raifeth 
 to it felf Favourites out of Humour ; and 
 loves and hates entirely at the Influence of 
 
 Prejudice, 
 
300 Mijlakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. Prejudice, and without Regard to any thing, 
 ^^^- but what is in itfelf bafe and unreafonable. 
 ^^'^ And, as we fhould not fail to judge thus 
 in the Cafe of any Earthly Parent ; fo we 
 cannot help it in the much higher Cafe now 
 before us : nay, we muft lofe all Notions of 
 good, and equal, and wife ; and leave off 
 to fpeak of God at all, if we can think 
 otherwife. If, therefore, we have any Re- 
 gard to the Glory of God ; the Glory due 
 unto his Name ; the Glory of his real and un- 
 alterable Perfeftions : let us not, under Pre- 
 tenfe of making Him great and powerful!, 
 deveft Him of Wifdom, and Equity ; let us 
 not, under Pretenfe of making Him the fole 
 Aftor in the great Affair of Salvation, rob 
 Him of the Glory which is much greater ; 
 the Glory of regarding, and loving, and re- 
 warding, his reafonable Creatures, ( not ac- 
 cording to mere Will and Power ; but) ac- 
 cording to what degrees of good, and fm- 
 cere, are in them ; and according to what 
 depends, in feme meafure, upon themfclves. 
 What we call Virtue, if it be neceflarily pro- 
 duced by an Agent diftind: from our felves, is 
 not Virtue, nor commendable, nor reward- 
 able, in us 5 nor any more to us, than that 
 
 Vice 
 
and Gods Grace^ C07iftdered. 301 
 
 Vice which is fuppofed as neceffary in ano- S e r m. 
 ther. And if fo, we cannot be loved, or J^^ 
 rewarded, by a wife and holy God, for ^-^^^ 
 what doth no more deferve Love in us, than 
 the contrary. But Almighty God is wife, 
 and holy, and equal 5 and certainly loves, 
 and regards Virtue, as a thing Praife- worthy 
 in us. From whence it follows that it is 
 not fo wholy his Work in us, but that He 
 expefts Labour from our felves ; and looks 
 upon it as depending in fome degree, upon 
 our felves : tho* always under the Influences 
 of his good Spirits which is ever ready to 
 attend upon our fincere Endeavours. 
 
 And thus indeed, is He reprefented in 
 holy Scripture-, as delighting in the Man 
 that doth his Will, and walks in the Paths 
 of Virtue; and as abhorring the Man who 
 adls a contrary Part : neither of which could 
 he do, were it equally impoflible to both 
 forts to be virtuous j and were He himfelf 
 the fole Mover, and irrefiftible Worker, of 
 all that IS good. But, 
 
 2. T H E other Confideratlon I mentioned 
 was this, Thar the ObjeSlion I am now an- 
 fwering, is founded upon the Imagination 
 that the giving to Man any part in his own 
 
 Agaend- 
 
30 2 Mijiakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. Amendment , and Salvation , implies in it 
 ^^ ' that it is not owing to Almighty God : 
 
 ^^^^ which feems to derogate from his Glory. 
 Whereas, as I have before obferved to you. 
 Almighty God is not at all excluded by this 
 Suppofition. For Man, having no Powers, 
 and being poflelTed of no Faculties, but what 
 are originally owing to this great Creator ; 
 he can arrive at no Happinefs, but what He 
 muft acknowledge to be bwing to that firfl 
 Original of all his Powers, and all his Fa- 
 culties. '\ 
 
 T o fay, therefore, thiit Men can bear an 
 acftive, and a voluntary Part, in their own 
 Reformation, and Happinefs, is not to de- 
 rogate from God ; becaufe it is no more than 
 to fay that God hath fo made them, and en- 
 dowed them with fuch Powers, as that they 
 are able to do fomething for themfelves. 
 It is not to detrafl: from their Obligations to 
 their great Creator, and Redeemer ; but it 
 is only to fhew what He hath made them ca- 
 pable of doing: and ftill the making of them 
 fo, is entirely his Work ; and all the happy 
 Refult of it, his Glory. Their Ufe of thefe 
 Faculties is indeed made, in fome meafure, 
 their own Work, and voluntary Parts that 
 
 fo 
 
and God's Grace^ conjidered, 303 
 
 fo it may make them the Subjects of Reward: S e r m- 
 but the Grant of thefe Faculties is the crea- ^^^ ' 
 ting Work of God ; afcribed to him ; and a ^^'"^^^^ 
 perpetual Fountain of fuch a Glory as He 
 delights in, when they are ufed well, and as 
 he requires them to be ufedj ahd this a more 
 rational Glory, and a more worthy Honour, 
 than if He had made them only as Machines, 
 to be Inftances of his Power, and Arguments 
 merely of his Greatnefs. And befides, I am 
 far from contending that, in the prefent De- 
 generacy of Humane Nature, thefe Facul- 
 ties can do all. For I maintain the Necef- 
 fity of God's gracious Concurrence. I am 
 only arguing that they can ad: together with 
 God's holy Spirit ; and that our Holinefs 
 depends upon our own Labour, together 
 with the Affiftance of That. 
 
 Thus much may fuffice to {hew the 
 Weaknefs of this ObjeBion, which pretends 
 to facrifice Virtue it felf to the Glory of 
 God j and to prove the Truth of this Propo- 
 lition, that it is the trueft Glory to fuch a 
 Being as we are taught, by Reafon and Re- 
 velation, to efteem Almighty God to be, to 
 have made Man capable, in fome degree, of 
 a voluntarv Motion towards Heaven and 
 
 Happi- 
 
304 Mijiahs about Ma?is Inability^ 
 
 S E R M. Happinefs ; and to love and reward him for 
 XIV. fomething which depends upon himfelf, as 
 
 ^''"^^^ well as upon the friendly Affiftance of God : 
 which is ftill made equally neceflary to his 
 Attainment of Chrijiian Perfeftion. 
 
 But becaufe the Perverfenefs of habitual 
 Sinners is fuch, that they are not only glad 
 to lay hold on fuch Pretenfes, as I have al- 
 ready examined, to fortify themfelves in Sin, 
 which they love, and embrace, as the Effedl 
 of their unavoidable Weaknefs ; but to argue 
 from fome other Fajfages of the Scripture^ 
 relating even to good Men ^ from which they 
 hope for Comfort, and endeavour to flatter 
 themfelves that their prefent deplorable Con- 
 dition is no worfe a State of Weaknefs than 
 what fome in a very fafe Condition have 
 been in: I fhall, therefore, before I con- 
 clude, take notice of T!wo^ or Three^ of 
 thefe abufed and perverted Paflages. 
 
 I. Th E frji I fliall mention, is That In 
 Prov, xxiv. at the i6th ver. For a jujl Man 
 falleth /even times. It is almoft a Shame 
 indeed to mention it : but that fome have 
 been fo extremely weak as to lay hold on it, 
 toadminifter Comfort to themfelves in their 
 falling into Sin, Nay, they generally cite 
 
 it 
 
Und God's Grace^ confidered. 305 
 
 It thus, The ju/i Man falletb feven timCs S e r m. 
 a Day : whereas there is no fuch Word as ^^^• 
 the lafl, either in the Ofighial, or in any ^^^^^^^ 
 Tranjlation, I need only direft any one of 
 the moft ordinary Capacity to the Paflage, 
 as it lies in that Chapter : For whoever turns 
 to it will prefently find that xki't fallings there 
 fpoken of, h falling into Trouble, and Af- 
 flidion, and Misfortune ; and not into Sin. 
 For the whole Verfe is thus. For a jujl 
 Man falleth /even times^ and rifcth up a- 
 gam : but the Wicked jhall fall into Mif 
 chief The Verfe before is Advice to the 
 Wicked. Lay not wait^ O wicked Man^ 
 agai7ijl the Dwelling of the Righteous ; fpoil 
 not his Refling'place, For a jiift Man fal- 
 leth feven ti?}ies^ &;c. It is defigned plainly 
 to reprefent to us that God preferveth the 
 good Man from the Attempts of the Wick- 
 ed; and chat the Wicked ofcen fall into that 
 Mifchief, which they defign againft the Righ- 
 teous. The Verfes following do likcv/ife 
 go on to fpeak wholy of Temporal Evils 5 
 and of falling into AfPiidlion. The whole 
 Ground, therefore, of this Pretenfe is taken 
 ^way. For here is nothing faid of the wil- 
 ful Sins of good Men ; but of their being 
 
 X freqiiently 
 
3o6 Mijiakes about Mans Inability ^ 
 
 S E R M. frequently afflided ; and frequently fupport- 
 ^^^^- ed in, and ralfed our of, their Troubles. 
 
 W^vv; BuT^ fuppofing it were faid that even 
 good Men are irequently, or fometimes, fur- 
 prized into Failings : this can be nothing to 
 thofe wretched Perfons who indulge them- 
 felves in an Habit of finning. For what- 
 ever Failings a truly fincere Chriftian may 
 have been furprized into ; they always ren- 
 der him much more careful, and more arm*d 
 againft them, for the Time to come: whereas 
 the Sinner is confirmed and fettled more and 
 more, in his wicked Courfe, by every Step 
 he takes in the Paths of Sin. Nay, He aggra- 
 vates the Guilt of his fmful Courfe, by 
 making thofe Failings of good Men, which 
 are their Grief, and the i\rguments of the 
 o;reateft Care and Caution to themfelves, to 
 be the Ground of Encouragement to him, 
 in a carttefs, and fupine Negled: of God's 
 Laws. But, 
 
 2. Another as weak Pretenfe is 
 founded upon that paffage in the ASfs of the 
 ApoJUes, ch. xiv. at the 15th v. where Paul 
 and Bariiabas fay to the Lycaonians, We 
 alfo are Men of like Tajjiom "with your 
 fclves : from whence fome have concluded 
 
 them- 
 
and God's Grace^ coiijidei^ed. 307 
 
 themfelves to be in as fafe a Condition asSERM. 
 feme of the befl of Meil ; even whiift their X^^^- 
 Paffions and Lufls were in full Power, ^-^"^"^ 
 Whereas, this PalTage hath no relation to the 
 Diftindion between good and had \ pq/Jio^ 
 nate, and well-temper d Men : but between 
 Men, and God-, between Humane Nature^ 
 and the Droi'tie. It was fpoken to deter the 
 Lycaojiiam from offering Sacrifice to Faiily 
 and Bar?2abas, as if they were Gods, The 
 Words in the Greek fignify, We are Beings 
 liable to the fame Imperfecflions ; the fame 
 Sufferings ; and particularly to Death it felf ; 
 as you are* We are weak, and mortal ; 
 even Men, as well as your felves : and there- 
 fore, do not pay what you account Divine 
 Honour, to us. Then follows immediately, 
 who preach unto you that you floould turn 
 from thefe Vanities unto the living God, 
 This again (hews that the Apofiles did noc 
 level themfelves with thefe Sinners : for it 
 would have been to no purpofe to have en- 
 deavoured to convert them, if, at the fame 
 time, they acknowledged themfelves to be 
 in the fame Condition of 'vicious Fajjion^ 
 and indulged Sin. 
 
 X 2 So 
 
^wTN'-V 
 
 308 Mijiakes about Mans h^ahility^ 
 
 S E R M. So that, whether we confider the Words 
 ^^J^*^ themfelves; they v/ere defigned to lignify 
 nothing but that the Apoflles were mortal 
 Men, and not Gods : or the Circumftances 
 of the Place; they fliew us that the Apojlles 
 were at the very time preaching to the Ly- 
 cao7iiam the ablblute Neceffity of forfaking 
 their Sins. How unjuft, therefore, is it for 
 a Sinner to lay hold on fo fooHfh a Miftakej 
 and to chufe to fix the greateft Blot and Ab- 
 furdity upon the Apojtles themfelves, rather 
 than become truly good and virtuous. 
 
 3. One Pajfage more I {hall juft men- 
 tion ; and that is, Sc. VauW calling him- 
 felf, the chief of dinners, i Tim. i. 15. 
 Chrifi Jejiis came into the World to fanje 
 Si?i?2ers ; of whom 1 am chief. Now, who- 
 ever turns to the 13 th Verfe^ will find that 
 he fpeaks there of himfelf, not in his pre- 
 fent Condition -, but, before his receiving 
 of the Gofpel. For there he defcribes him- 
 felf, (the Si?2?ier on whom Chrift had Mei*- 
 cy,) as one who was before a Bhfphemery 
 and a Perfecutor^ and injurious : not that 
 he was fuch an one at the time he fpake 
 vhis ; but before he was a Chrifiian, So 
 that this can adminifler no Comfort, but 
 
 to 
 
unrsJ 
 
 a7td Gocf s GracCj confide?^ ed. 309 
 
 to one who hath left that fad Condition; Serm. 
 and is become what St. Faul at that time _ i* 
 was: who was to be an Inftance of God's 
 Readinefs to forgive the greateil Enemy, 
 upon hearty x'lmendment ; but not whilfthe 
 remains in that State of Enmity. 
 
 Besides, St. Paul fpeaks not this with 
 relation to a finful and vicious acting againft 
 the Did:ates of his Confcience : but folely 
 with regard to his having been a Perfecutor, 
 and Blafphemer, of the Chriftian Religion. 
 As for other Parts of his Conduct; he often 
 declareth that he was an exad: Obferver of 
 that Law of which he was then a profeffed 
 Difciple ; and therefore this is not to be in- 
 terpreted of that which we commonly call 
 Vice^ and Immorality^ in profefs'd Chrijlians, 
 But the Influence St. PaiiV^ Example fhould 
 have upon Chrijlians^ iliould all be taken 
 from what he was after he was a Chriflian, 
 And thence let all Sinners learn their Shame. 
 For they will find him defcribing himfelf, 
 as an Example to all to whom he addreffed 
 himfelf ; and they will fee Him to have been 
 as great an Inftance of Labour, Humility^ 
 Meeknefs, Charity, Piety, and every Vir- 
 tue, as ever blefled the Church of Chri/l. 
 
 X ^ His 
 
3 1 o Mijlahes ahotit Mans Inability^ 
 
 SERM.His State, as he was a Chriftian, is what 
 ^^^'' Chrillians fliould regard : and in this, they 
 
 ^"'^"^'''^^ v/ill find him fo perfed:, that they will have 
 but little Encouragement from hence to 
 flatter themfelvcs in thofe Vices which he 
 abhorred; or in thatfoolifli Notion of their 
 Weaknefs, of which his Example, as well 
 as Precepts, is the greated Confutation pof- 
 fible. If Men be Heathens, and Infidels in- 
 deed, they may learn from St. Paul's Ex- 
 ample, that God will make Allowances for 
 their Prejudices 5 and accept them, when- 
 ever they fincerely comply with the Offers 
 of his Gofpel : but if they be Cbriftians^ they 
 can learn nothing from his Example, but a 
 continual Watching, and Care, lejl they be- 
 come Caftaways ; and an Afllirance, that 
 they have Strength enough to be Fellow^ 
 workers together 'with God, in order to all 
 things required for their Happinefs, and Sal- 
 vation. 
 
 But hov^ unwilling do we find Men to 
 think themfelvcs able to bear any Part in 
 v/hat is good? In the Paths of Vice; in 
 the Projeds of Iniquity ; in the Execution 
 of what is evil ; their Feet are fwift, and 
 their Hands ilrong J and their Heads able : 
 
 but 
 
and Gods Grace^ co?2fidered. 311 
 
 but when God's Will is to be performed ; S e r m. 
 nothing is fo weak, fo impotent, fo unable ^^'^^• 
 as they. Thus, if you ask a worldly-mind- ^^^'^'^^"^ 
 ed Man for a Gift of Charity, or true Genc- 
 roiity; he often pretends Inability, and In« 
 capacity; whilft he hath enough to lay out 
 upon any Trifle, or ufelefs piece of Vanity; 
 or a great deal laid up, a Sacrifice to Co- 
 vetoufnefs, and Ufelefsnefs. The voluptu- 
 ous Man hath Power and Spirit to encoun- 
 ter Difficulties without Number ; to watch 
 inceffantly ; to labour without Intermiffion ; 
 to deny himfelf in many Inflances, in order 
 to come to fome imaginary Pleafure : but if 
 you fpeak of Self-denial for the fake of Re- 
 ligion, or Virtue; prefently the Weuknefs 
 of Human Nature is pleaded, and the Irn- 
 poffibility of undergoing the leaft part of the 
 fame Labour, for the fake of the greateft 
 Good poffible. If ever they think of Amend- 
 ment they defire to wait God's Time; till bis 
 irrefiftible Arm moves them, againft their 
 WilL As for themfelves ; they are dead, and 
 without Life : unlefs it be to offend God, and 
 provoke his Anger. Foolifli and unwife ! 
 to think that fuch Excufescan ever pafs up- 
 on the Searcher of all Hearts ! to think that 
 X 4 their 
 
312 Mijiakes about Mans Inability^ 
 
 S F. R ^^ their own wilful Habits will be an Apology 
 XIV. £qj. ^j^gjj. continuing in them! No, The 
 
 ^"'''^''^^''^more difficult we find it, the more imme- 
 diately mull: we fet about the Work : confi- 
 dering that the Difficulty hath been created 
 by our own Folly, and Wilfulnefs. 
 
 Let us not, therefore, pretend Weak- 
 nefs and Inability, in a Cafe which fliould 
 fn-e and animate us to do Wonders. Let 
 us pray to God, in Sincerity, for his holy 
 Spirit 5 and heartily labour, our felves, un« 
 der its Directions, and Influences. Let us 
 not think that a vicious Inclination is a bet- 
 ter Excufe on one fide^ than the Didate of 
 a good Confcience is an Argument on the 
 other. Let us not be fo ungrateful to that 
 God who is cur Maker, as to think he 
 frames and fits us for nothing but Sin ; and 
 leaves all that is good entirely out of our 
 Compofition. Let us not be fo bafe, and 
 ungrateful to our Redeemer, as to take oc- 
 cafion, from the Affiftances offered us in 
 the Gofpel, to continue in Sin ; and fo blaf- 
 phemous, as to negleCl to do our Duty, un- 
 der Pretenfe of confulting the Glory of 
 God. But let us remember that our ading 
 our Parts well, is his greateft Glory ^ and 
 
and Gods GracBy conjtdered. 313 
 
 that the gracious Aids of his Spirit are the S e r m, 
 ereateft Encouragement to us to work out, ^^^^ 
 together with Him, our own baivation ; ^ 
 Which God grant we may all do, &c. 
 
 SER- 
 
C 3'4 ] 
 
 trfimnffmniiniinmh 
 
 ^imiiiuunimuuniuuiiUL 
 
 The true, and falfe. Notions of Repentance^ 
 confidered. 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 cr\nvo 
 
 act! S iii. part of the 19th Verfe. 
 
 Repent ye therefore^ and be converted, that 
 your Sms may be blotted out, 
 
 H E great Concern of all Chri- 
 iVians is, fo to pafs through 
 Things Temporal, that they 
 finally lofe not the Things E- 
 ternal : And the moft impor- 
 tant Enquiry in order to this, is that which 
 leads us to the certain Knowledge of thofe 
 T'erms upon which God will pardon, and 
 accept us. But though this be a Point of 
 infinitely the greateft Importance of any that 
 can come within the Thoughts of a Chri- 
 flian : yet there is no Point, in which Chri- 
 ftians ad: a more car^lefs, and furprizing. 
 
 Parr 
 
^he true^ and falfe-^ Notions^ &c. 315 
 
 Pare than in this ; and none in which they S e r m. 
 more willingly contribute to their own De- XV. 
 ceit, and Ruin. Nor in any thing is this WV^ 
 more vifible, than in thofe falfe Notions 
 which many give themfelves leave to enter- 
 tain concerning the Nature of that Repen- 
 tance^ to which they find the Promife of 
 Forgivenefs to be annexed in the Go/pel. 
 As it is our Duty, therefore, to put a Stop, 
 as much as we are able, to fuch miftaken 
 Apprehenfions, as may endanger the Eter- 
 nal Happinefs of Men ; fo, I {hall now en- 
 deavour it, in this Particular, in purfuance 
 of what I have, in fome former Difcourfes, 
 attempted, in order to eftablifh in our Minds 
 the true Notion of thofe Terms which are 
 required of us, in order to our final Accep- 
 tance with God. And, 
 
 I. I SH ALL endeavour to {hew you the 
 true Nature of that Repentance, which is 
 of force for the Remiffion of Sins. And, 
 
 II. Fro m hence I fhall make appear the 
 great Weaknefs of thofe miftaken Notions 
 of it, by which many Chriftians have been 
 deceived. 
 
 I. I N order to fhew the true Nature of 
 that Repentance which is fpoken of in the 
 
 New 
 
> 
 
 3 1 6 The true^ and falfe^ Notions 
 
 S E R M. New Tejlamenfy I fhall premife I'wo or 
 ^^- Three Obfervations, Viz, 
 
 ^^"^^^ I. That our blejfed Lord., and his ^- 
 pojiles, preaching to a World of Men, grown 
 up in Heathen Impieties, and arrived at full 
 Age, without fuch bright Light and Con- 
 viction, as the Go/pel brought along with 
 it, conftantly fpeak of Repentance^ in their 
 Difcourfes to them, as the firft Step towards 
 their Acceptance with God. This We may 
 fee in the Go/pels^ and all thro' the ABs of 
 the Apojiles 5 that, when Heathens, or wick- 
 ed Jews, are fpoken to, and inftrucled what 
 to do, in order to Salvation, the firft Word 
 generally is -, Repent : as here, in the Text^ 
 St. Peter calls upon the Jews who had hir. 
 therto rcjeBed the Lord of Life, to repent ; 
 and that in order to their being converted-^ 
 as it follows, F^or the firft Step that a vici- 
 ous Man can take towards a Change of his 
 Life, is to be truly fenfible of the Unrea- 
 fonablenefs of that Courfe of Sin and Ini- 
 quity, in which he hath formerly lived 5 
 and to have due Sentiments of his paft Be- 
 haviour : becaufe, without this due inward 
 Senfe of it, He can never heartily confent 
 to fgrfake, and amf nd it j or, in the Ex-. 
 
 preffion 
 
of Repenta7tce^ confidercd. 317 
 
 preflion ufed in the ^ext, to be converted^ S e r m. 
 or turned, from it. Thus in the Second ^^^^^ 
 Chapter of the J5is, the fame St. Petcr^ ex- 
 horts the unbelieving yews. Repent and be 
 baptized. Repentance is the firll Step : be- 
 caufe, as I have already obferved, without 
 a Senfe of the Unreafonablenefs and Wick- 
 ednefs of their former State, they could not 
 poffibly, with Sincerity, think it worth their 
 while to believe in Jefus Chrijl j and to be 
 baptizdy and entered, into his Religion, fo 
 different from their former Condition. 
 
 And, this being the firft Step that could 
 be taken by an unbelieving , or wicked 
 Man ; no wonder that this is pointed out as 
 the firft, in order to Salvation, or Remiffi- 
 on of Sins. Upon this firft Repentance of 
 Unbelievers, they were baptized, and by 
 Baptifm put into a State of Salvation ; and 
 a Capacity of being happy upon the Con- 
 ditions of Jefus Chrijl : and therefore this 
 may well be fpoken of, as the Road to Sal- 
 vation, and Happinefs 5 becaufe without it 
 there could be no entering into the Chrijli^ 
 an Difpenfation. This then, is that Con^ 
 dition of Acceptance, which is chiefly fpo- 
 ken of thro' the Gojpeh^ and the ABs of the 
 
 Apojlles ; 
 
31 8 Thetrue^ aud falfe^ Notions 
 
 S E R M. ApoJiles\ which give us an account of what 
 -^^- was faid to Unbelievers^ and wicked Jews, 
 
 ^^^''^ or Gentiles. But, 
 
 2. T H E next Obfervation I have to make 
 is, that, as foon as this firft Condition was 
 complied with, and Men were perfuaded by 
 the ApcjUes Preaching into a due Senfe of 
 their pad evil Courfes, and into a thorough 
 Renunciation of them ; that, as foon as they 
 were, in confequence of this, entered into 
 the Chrijiian Religion by Baptifm , and 
 were profeiTed Members of Chrift's Body, 
 the Church : that then, I fay, all the Ex- 
 liortations of the Apojiles^ and all their Per- 
 fuafions, ran perpetually upon New7jefs of 
 Life-, upon working out their own Salva- 
 tion with Fear and 'Trembling ; upon the 
 Danger of falling back into their former 
 State ; and upon the Perfedtion of Virtue 
 required of them. This is plain from the 
 Epijlks^ written by the Apoftles to profeiTed 
 Chriftians : which are full of the moft pa- 
 thetic Exhortations to all Virtue ; and of the 
 moft fevere Reprehenfions of all Vice ; and 
 of the plaineft Condemnations of Chriftians, 
 who are wilful Sinners, to the greateft De- 
 grees of God's Difpleafure. 
 
 S o 
 
of Repentance^ confidered. 319 
 
 S o that from your Obfervation of what S e r m. 
 you read in the A5ii of the Apojiles ; and XV. 
 of what you find in their Epijiles-y you can- ^-^^^V*^ 
 not but make thefeTwo Conclufions: That 
 Repentance is the Subjecl of their Sermons, 
 when they are preaching to unbelieving, or 
 wicked, Je^vs and Gentiles ; in order to 
 perfuade them to leave off their former Be- 
 haviour, and come over to the Chriftian 
 Religion : and that, after they are Chriftians, 
 they are with the fame Earneftnefs preffing 
 upon them the abfolute, indifpenfable, Ne- 
 ceffity of all Holinefs and Virtue ; as they 
 were before inculcating the Neceffity of their 
 renouncing their former State of Infidelity 
 and Vice. The frequent mention of Re- 
 pentance is made to thofe who were not 
 already Chriftians : but to Chriftians, the 
 Practice of all Virtue, and the pofitive Im- 
 provement in all that is good and Praife- 
 wortby, is vehemently recommended. Bur, 
 
 3. T H o' this be fo in fad;; as will ap- 
 pear to any one who will compare the 
 Preaching of the Apojiles to Unbelievers^ 
 with the Moral Rules and Inftrudions p-iven 
 to Believers ; yet I muft obferve that there 
 was place found for Repcntarice^ in favour 
 
 of 
 
3 20 The true y and falje^ Notions 
 
 S E R M. of fuch profeffed Chriftians as wilfully fiii« 
 ^V' ned, upon their giving evident Tokens of 
 
 ^^^""^^^^ the Sincerity of it. But then, there w^as no 
 other Token of it fuppofed to be fincere, 
 but ad:ual Amendment, and Reformation 5 
 without which it is evident, from the Te- 
 nor of all the udpojiles Declarations, in their 
 EpijUes, that there was no Hope of Ac- 
 quittance at the laft Day of Accounts. Thus 
 the fmful Corinthian was reftored to Peace ; 
 not till He was in danger of being fwal- 
 hwed lip 'with over-much for row ^ 2 Cor. ii. 
 J ; and after much more Difficulty, and 
 Severity of Difcipline, than was ufed in ad- 
 mitting the Repentance of one who had not 
 before profeffed himfelf a Chriftian. If any 
 one who was called a Brother^ i. e. a Chri- 
 ftian, was an habitual Sinner ; His Com- 
 pany was to be avoided by other Chriftians^ 
 as one whom they were not to own for a 
 Chriftian, in thofe Days when it could be 
 done, I Cor, v. 11. But this was upon 
 Suppofition of the Perfon's not amending 
 his Life : for it is evident that, upon the 
 Tokens of a fincere Amendment, He was 
 admitted again to Hopes of Happinefs. Let 
 him that Jlolejleal no more^ was the Me- 
 thod 
 
of Repe7itancey co7^fidered. 321 
 
 thod which St. Taiil prefcribed in the Cafe S e r m. 
 of the Sin of Theft ; Ephef iv. 28. which ^^^• 
 implies in it that Amendment is the Sum of ^"^^ 
 the Repentance of a Chriftian ; and that, 
 upon that Amendment, He is in a fafe Con- 
 dition. ^ 
 
 I COULD give more Evidence of this 
 from the firft Records of Chriftianity : but 
 this one Argument, is fufficient ; which I 
 have heretofore enlarged upon ; inz, that 
 the Gofpel would in-vain profefs to bring 
 Salvation to mortal Men, if every v/ilful 
 Deviation from the Rules of Virtue were 
 fo unpardonable, that no future Amend- 
 ment were fufficient to entitle the Sinner 
 to the Forgivenefs of what was paft. For, 
 as to forgive Sinners without adtual Amend- 
 ment and Reformation, would be ^p en- 
 courage them to continue in Sin : fo^ ab- 
 folutely to deny Forgivenefs to every wilful 
 Sin, tho' fmcercly repented of, and for- 
 faken, would be to drive Men by Defpair 
 into the fame. State of Sin ; and to defeat 
 the Defigns of the Gofpel. And therefore, 
 we may be fure that, asnothing but Amend- 
 ment, and future Ilolinefs^ can entitle a 
 Y Chriftian 
 
3 2 2 The true^ and falfey Notions 
 
 Se R M. Chriftian to Forgivenefs of his paft Sins; 
 -^^ • fo thefe moft certainly will do it. 
 
 Thus then the Cafe flands. The un- 
 believing World of Je^vs, and Gentiles^ 
 were fuppofed by the Apoflles to be great 
 and wilful Sinners : and therefore. Repen- 
 tance was the firft thing fpoken of, to them. 
 Believers, or Chriftians, entered into, and 
 folemnly engaged in, the holiejl of all In- 
 ftitutions, were not fuppofed by them to be 
 Wilful Sinners-, or to continue in thofe 
 Sins which they had renounced at Baptism : 
 as the Apoftle himfelf argues, Rom, vi. 
 And therefore little mention is made to 
 them expreily of Repentance -, but much of 
 living worthy of their ProfefTion, and of 
 fulfilling all the Laws of Morality, and Vir- 
 tue, in the higheft degree poffible. But if 
 any of them were overcome by Sin, and 
 tempted to tranfgrefs the P^ules of their In- 
 ftitution ; Amendment was required and 
 accepted, for the fake of that Advocate 
 ^dinth the Father^ J ejus Chrijl the righte- 
 ous. 
 
 What, therefore, remains for us, who 
 are profeiled Chriilians, to do, in this Mat- 
 ter ? Certainly, We are not to look merely 
 
 to 
 
of Repentance^ conf^dered. 323 
 
 to that which was recommended to ^ewi S e r m, 
 and Gmtiles, as the firft Step only towards , ?Y\ 
 Happinefs : but to thofe Injundtions laid up- 
 on fuch as became profeffed Chriftians ; and 
 to the Methods^prefcribed to Them. And 
 then, we can never miftake in this great 
 and important AfFair: becaufe we can never 
 think our felves at liberty to difpenfe with 
 that Holinefs, and Perfection of Virtue, 
 which is conftantly prefs'd upon Chriftians. 
 If therefore, we take in the whole of this 
 Matter ; and confider Repentance^ with re- 
 lation to profeffed Chriftians, who have been 
 Sinners; as fomething which will entitle 
 them to God's Favour ; it muft certainly e- 
 qually fuppofe and imply in it thefe follow- 
 ing Parts. 
 
 1. A N hearty Sorrow, and deep Concern, 
 for all paft Tranfgreffions of the Laws of 
 God. 
 
 2. A N unfeigned Difpofitlon of Mind, 
 oppofite to that of Sin and Wickednefs, and 
 tending to fulfil his Will. And, 
 
 3. A N adtual avoiding, or refifting, thofe 
 Temptations, by which they have been for- 
 merly over-powered; and an adiual Prac- 
 tice of the contrary Virtues, 
 
 y 2 I. Wi TH 
 
vy-VNj 
 
 324 The true^ and jalfe^ Notions 
 
 Se R M. I. With refpedl to the firfi of thefe ; 
 XV. all are willing enough to admit that Repen^ 
 tance muft fuppofe and imply it ; becaufe a 
 little Sorrow, and a fliort-liv'd Paffion, will 
 coft them little Pains, and Trouble. The 
 loweft Notion of Repentance takes in that 
 of being forrowful ; and having a tender 
 Difpofition of Mind, for the prefent, whilft 
 that Sorrow lafts. About this, therefore, 
 there needs no Debate ; becaufe this is the 
 part of Repenta72ce which the weak fide of 
 Humane Nature is the moft pleafed with. 
 But, 
 
 2. There muft be a Change of Difpo- 
 fitio]! within. The Word ufed in the New 
 '^e ft anient fignifieth an Alteration of the Pur- 
 pofe, and Frame, within. 
 
 S T. Paid reckons not Sorrow a part of 
 Repentance ; but Repentance an Effed of 
 Sorrow: 2 Cor, vii. 10. For godly Sor- 
 row, ( and that is the Sorrow, w^e are now 
 fpeakingof) ivorketk Repentance to Salva- 
 tion, not to be -repented of. It worketh 
 fuch a Difpofition of Mind, as manifeftly 
 Ihews what it is thatproduceth it. If any 
 Perfon be concerned, and forrowful at any 
 thin?- that hath pafs'd him 5 it never fails to 
 
 work 
 
of Repentance^ C07ijidered. 325 
 
 work in Him a Difpofition leading to the S e r m. 
 contrary for the Time to come. And, if X^- 
 you confult the Movements of your own ^-'^'''^^'^* 
 Minds, you muft find that a true Concern 
 within, at any pafl pare of your Condu^ft, 
 is never without a firm Thought, and Dif- 
 pofition, contrary to that which hath caufed 
 that Regret, and Concern, in you. If this 
 be {Oy in all other Cafes ; we may depend 
 upon it, it is the fame in this now before 
 us. If we be truly forrowful, and heartily 
 concerned, that we have oft'ended God, and 
 finned againfi: his Laws ; this will certainly 
 be accompanied with as fincere, and as 
 hearty, a Difpofition to pleafe Kim, and o- 
 bey his whole Will for the Time to come. 
 And it cannot be fuppofed to be a fin- 
 cere Sorrow without this. Nor is this all : 
 for, 
 
 3. This Sorrow, and this Change of 
 Mind, if they be fincere, mufi: unavoidably 
 produce a Courfe of Behaviour contrary to 
 that which caufed this Sorrow, and this 
 Difpofition : and if this be not the Efi^edl 
 of them, they are of no Account -, unlefs 
 it be to increafe the Condemnation of thofe 
 who pretend to them. Thus St. Paul, m 
 Y 3 'the 
 
326 The ti'ue^ and falfe^ Notions 
 
 SERM.the forecited Seventh Chapter of his Se^ 
 ■^^' cond Epiftle to the Corijifhians^ Verfe 10, 
 ^^^**'*^ declareth that godly Sorrow loorketh Re- 
 penta?ice to Salvation^ a Repentance not to 
 be repented of: perhaps the Words more 
 properly fignify, fuch a Repentance, as 
 implies in it no occafion for Repentance af- 
 terwards ; fach a Repentance as implies in 
 it a Condud and Behaviour, of which there 
 is no reafon to repent. And He goes on, 
 in the next Verfe, 10 prove their Sorrow 
 for having offended to he fincere, and ge- 
 nuine j not from their Words, but from 
 their Aftions and Behaviour : by which 
 only it was that He judged that they Jbr- 
 rowed after a godly fort. 
 
 But what need I appeal to Him ? We 
 our felves are Judges of this Matter, if we 
 be not foolifhly partial to our felves, by 
 our intimate Acquaintance with the Springs, 
 and Frame, of Human Nature. Tljere are 
 none of us all, who, in the Cafe of other 
 perfons, do not constantly judge of the 
 Bent of their inw^ard Thoughts, and the 
 Sincerity of their outward Profeifions , 
 by their Adlions and Behaviour ; and by 
 thefe only. In any Matters that concern 
 
 our 
 
of Repent ance-i confidered, 327 
 
 our felves, we never take the Profefiions Se r m. 
 of others concerning their inward Difpo- -^^^' 
 fitions towards us, to be the true Repre- '^^''^^^'''"^ 
 fentations of them, unlefs we fee the Fruits, 
 and Effedts, which, in fuch Cafes, we can- 
 not help judging, would follow upon fuch 
 Difpofitions of Mind. How then can we 
 poffibly think our felves fmcere in our Sor- 
 row^ and inward Repent ance towards God ; 
 whilft we fee them void of thofe sood 
 Effefts, by which only they are as cer- 
 tainly known amongft Men themfelves, as 
 a good Tree is known by the Fruit it pro- 
 duceth ? 
 
 And if we proceed in our Enquiries, 
 and examine farther into the Conftitution 
 of our own Natures ; we fliall find that all 
 the Powers and Faculties of our Minds were 
 given us for no other Purpofe, but to re- 
 gulate our Behaviour, and Condud: ; and 
 that they are all of no account, but as tend- 
 ing, and employed, that way. We never 
 think any Perfons arrived at the ufe of their 
 inward Faculties, till they are fit to ad:, and 
 fliew themfelves in the World : and we ne- 
 ver judge any to be prudent , or impru- 
 dent ; mad, or fober within; but by their 
 Y 4 outward 
 
328 The true^ aiid falfe^ Notions 
 
 Se R Nf. outv/ard Conduct and Demeanor. What 
 '^-^ ' fignlfy all our inv/ard Powers ? Of what 
 ^""^^^^ Importance is it, to judge and determine, 
 within our own Minds -, to reflect and cen- 
 fure our own Aclions 5 unlefs it be in or- 
 der to have an Influence upon them? As 
 fure, therefore, as it is, that any Perfon 
 hath a Power within, to judge which way 
 of A6lion is heft : fo fure is it, that this 
 Power could be given for nothing, but to 
 determine his Adions the beft Way. As 
 lure as it is that we have, all of us, a Con- 
 fcience, or Reafon, to dired: us before we 
 act ; and to applaud, or condemn us after- 
 wards : fo furs is it, that this hath folely 
 a refped to our Adions, and Behaviour. 
 If, therefore, we cannot but refled with 
 Sorrow, and Concern, upon fome part of 
 our Behaviour ; which we find contradido- 
 ry to the Laws of Reafon, and of God : it 
 is certain that this very Power of Reflexi- 
 on was defigned to influence cur Behavi- 
 our for the Time to come. For, to be 
 forty for any part of our Behaviour, im- 
 plies in ie that it was unbecoming, or fin- 
 fal ; and to account it unbecoming, or 
 finful, implies \n it that it ought never to 
 
 be 
 
of Repentance^ confidered. 329 
 
 be praftiled again : and fo it cannot be, but S e r m. 
 that this inward Afifedlion muft be defigned •^^• 
 for the Alteration of what is amifs in us. ^^^'v^^ 
 
 And if to this we add a Confideration, 
 or Two upon the Nature of Almighty God-^ 
 we (hall find it yet more certain, For, his 
 Nature being all Perfedion ; there cannot 
 be an higher Indignity offered to Him, than 
 to fuppofe that our Sorrow, or Grief, which 
 is, in the degree of it, Mifery it felf, is 
 for its own fake acceptable to Him. No, 
 If we think rightly of Him ; we cannot 
 but think that bare Sorrow is what He 
 rather diflikes, than likes: but that it is 
 that godly Sorrow only, which worketh 
 Amendment, and Alteration, that is ap- 
 proved of by Him. Can our Grief, or 
 Sorrow, advantage Him ? Or , can any 
 thing of ours affedt Him ? No. But it is 
 only, as our Grief may advantage our felves; 
 and as our Sorrow may lead us to avoid 
 all Occafions of fuch Sorrow for the Tim_e 
 to come 3 that it can be well-pleafmg in his 
 Eves. 
 
 Will you then judge from the Na- 
 ture of Man ? You fee. All the inward 
 Movements of his Mind are calculated for 
 
 nothing 
 
330 The true ^ a?tdfalfey Notions 
 
 S E R M. nothing but to influence and govern his 
 ^^* Behaviour: and fo, a Sorrow without an 
 
 ^^^'"^^^'^ Effed: of it upon his Life, muft be as in- 
 fignificant, in his own Account, as the Fa- 
 culty of Reafoning it felf, feparated from 
 all Effe6l upon his Conduft, and Behavi- 
 our. Or, will you judge of this Matter 
 from the Nature of God Almighty? He 
 cannot take any Pleafure in our Sorrow; 
 but as it tends to our real Joy and Happi- 
 nefs» It can be of no account in his Eyes ; 
 but as it makes us better, and wifer, for the 
 future. 
 
 O R laftly, will you judge of it from 
 the great Defign of Chriftianity ? How 
 unworthy muft you think it of God, to 
 fend his Son into the World, to live, and 
 dye^ in order to lead Men to a bare, pre- 
 tended, Sorrow and Grief for their Sins? 
 Is it net the doing his Father's Will, which 
 He preffcth upon his Difciples ? Is it not 
 declared, that the Grace of God appeared 
 to Men in the Gofpel^ to teach them to 
 deny Vngodlhiefs a?id worldly Lujls ; a?2d 
 to live foberly^ righteoujly^ and godly , in 
 this World ? And is it not to contradid: 
 all this, in the moft flagrant manner, to 
 
 imagine 
 
of Repentance^ conftdered. 331 
 
 imagine that the End of Chrift's coming S e r m. 
 could be, to lead Men only to a little vain X"^- 
 empty Sorrow? That is, to lead Men to^^^"'^^'^ 
 what doth, in its own nature, aggravate 
 their Guilt, if they flop at it, without pro- 
 ceeding any farther. Aggravate their Guilt, 
 I fay: for when we are forrowful, on ac- 
 count of our Sins ; this Sorrow fuppofeth 
 in it that we ought not to commit them; 
 and that there is a foul Evil, and Guilt in 
 them : and this tacit Acknowledgment that 
 their Nature is foul, and evil, and makes 
 us guilty before God, cannot but help to 
 condemn us for returning to what we our 
 felves think fo Blame-worthy. So that 
 when we have Opportunity to do better, 
 and do not ; but return again to the fame 
 Sins that we think deferve, and call for, 
 our Sorrow ; we are felf- condemned. 
 The Sorrow, by which we hope to cover 
 them, muft help to make them the more 
 meritorious of Punifliment ; as it implies 
 in it Self-condemnation, and an Acknow- 
 ledgment of Guilt. But when it leads to 
 Amendment, and a gradual Increafe in Vir- 
 tue ', then only is it the Parent of good 
 Fruit, lovely in the Eyes of God, and plea- 
 
33 2 "The trtie-y and falfe^ Notions 
 
 S E R M. fing in the Reflexion of the Man himfelf. 
 XV. How plain, therefore, is it, if we will but 
 
 ^■^^^^ confider Things, as they truly are, in their 
 Nature, and Confequences, that the Repen- 
 tance of Chriftians, who have been Sin- 
 ners, neceffarily implies in it, an adlual for- 
 faking of their Sins, and an adlual Progrefs 
 in all Virtue, and Godlinefs of living. 
 
 II. Having thus given as true, and 
 as plain, an Account, as I could, of the 
 Repentance which alone can avail any pro- 
 feiTed Chriftians ; I (hall now only make 
 T^wo or Three fhort Inferences from what 
 I have laid down, with refped to thofe 
 7nijlaken Notions, by which many Chri- 
 ftians deceive themfelves in this Affair. 
 And, 
 
 I. From what hath been faid we fee 
 the Vanity, and Mifery, of thofe vx^ho place 
 their Hopes of Acceptance with God, up- 
 on the Sorrow, and Grief, which they 
 fometimes conceive for their Sins ; and 
 call by the Name of Repc?tta?ice, becaufe, 
 in our Language, w^hen we are forry for 
 any paft part of our Condu^, we are faid 
 to repent of it. If a Man, propofing to 
 
 Himfelf 
 
of Repentance^ conjtdered. ' 333 
 
 Himfelf to travel to a Place at fome dif- S e r m. 
 tance from his prefent Station, fhould con- ^^• 
 elude himfelf to be arrived at it, when He ^^^'^^^"^ 
 had fet but one Step out of his own Home j 
 and there make a full Stop, contented, and 
 fatisfied that this would be fufficient : 
 would you not think fuch a Perfon diftem- 
 pered in his Brain ? Why, juft thus it is 
 in the Cafe we are conlidering. We pre- 
 tend to be travelling towards Happinefs : 
 and Repentance , in all its parts, is the 
 Road to this Happinefs. The frji Step, 
 in this Road, is Sonow for our Sins. He 
 that ftops at this Sorrow, therefore, and refts 
 himfelf contented with it, flops at the firft 
 Step in his Journey : and how likely He 
 is to arrive at his Journey's End, you may 
 eafily judge. 
 
 2. Thus again, if the fecond Step be 
 a good Difpofition of Mind to go forwards ; 
 He that flops, without putting in Executi- 
 on this Difpofition, is flill as unlikely to 
 arrive at the End propofed. This is ano- 
 ther Mijiake of Men in this Affair, that a 
 prefent good DifpofJion , and Refolution 
 of Mind, is fufficient for their Purpofe. 
 But certainly, it is not going one Step, or 
 
 two 
 
334 The true-i and falfcy Notions 
 
 S E R M. two Steps, that will bring us to the End 
 X^- of our Spiritual Journey ; but the pro- 
 
 ^^^^^^^"^ ceeding as far as Time, and Strength, give 
 leave. 
 
 3. From what hath been faid, we are 
 led not to place any Hopes in what we 
 call a Death-Bed Repentance: For this 
 Repentance^ extorted from us by the Prof- 
 peft of Death, can be only a Sorrow for 
 Sin J perhaps rendred more paffionate by 
 our prefent Fears. And this being only 
 Sorrow, and Compuncftion, and perhaps a 
 good Refolution ; it is plain that ftill thefe 
 are only the firft Steps in the Repentance. 
 of a Sinner ; and not complete Repen- 
 tance^ in all its parts. I confefs thefe are 
 not ill Signs : but it ought plainly to be 
 declared that Sorrow , and good Words, 
 are not the End of the Gofpel Inflitutton ; 
 but an holy Life and Converfation. In- 
 deed, where a Perfon hath had no Calls 
 to Repentance and Amendment before ; 
 but been inevitably blinded by unhappy 
 Circumftances of Education , and hardly 
 known what the Gofpel pretends to: if 
 fuch a Perfon be awakened by his Danger 
 into ferious Enquiries, and an hearty Con- 
 
 viftion 
 
of Repentance J confidered. ^ZS 
 
 vidlion of the Truth of the Gofpel ; and S e r m. 
 a great Deteftation of his former Courfes 5 ^^• 
 one might reafonably hope good Things. ^^^'"^^'^ 
 But, in the Cafe of moft profeifed Chrifti- 
 ans, who are called, day after day, to A- 
 mendment; and have all the .Arguments 
 imaginable reprefented to them; and yet, 
 day after day, fhut their Ears ; fpcnd all 
 that Time and Health, which God allows 
 them, in Vice and Iniquity ; and then at 
 laft are forry for this, when God thinks 
 fit to try them no longer : In fuch Cafe, 
 I fay, all that can be faid is, that they are 
 forrowful for their Sins 5 and that if that 
 Sorrow be fincere, they are got one Step 
 towards Happinefs. But to give greater 
 Hopes ; or to fay that they are the Chrifti- 
 ans whom God hath declared. He will ac- 
 cept, in his Gofpel, is to render vain all 
 the Threatnings of his Son ; to place the 
 Sinner and the Saint upon equal Terms ; to 
 put all upon a Man's having a little longer 
 Sicknefs than his Neighbour ; and to un- 
 do the great Defign of reforming Men's 
 Lives, the only End worthy of the Son of 
 God's Incarnation, 
 
 The 
 
336 The true^ and falfe^ IVotions 
 
 S E R M. The Refult of the whole, is this. Since 
 ^^» Almighty God hath plainly declared , ia 
 
 ^■^^"^^^^ his Gofpel, what it is He expedts of thofe 
 who have been Sinners ; I need not tell 
 you, how great a Weaknefs, and how ex- 
 treme a Folly, it is, to have recourfe to 
 vain , and flattering Hopes of our own. 
 Since we are Chriftians, and have a Gof- 
 pel open to us, to have recourfe to, upon 
 this Occafion 5 it is the greateft Weaknefs 
 imaginable to confult our own PafTions 
 and our own Lufts, what it is fit for us to 
 hope for, at the Hands of God. And yet, 
 I am perfuaded, this is the Cafe. Were 
 not Men inwardly captivated to fome Vice ; 
 Covetoufnefs, or Ambition, or Senfuality ; 
 there would not be any thing, in the na- 
 ture of Things, more evident to themfelves, 
 than that Ahnighty God cannot be fuppo- 
 fed to accept any Thing at our Hands, 
 without a fincere Amendment of what v/e 
 know, and acknowledge, to be amifs in 
 our felves. And yet, fuch is the Effed of 
 our own evil Habits, and the Prevalence 
 of our beloved Vices ; that we firft de- 
 fire, and at lail: come really to hope, to 
 be accepted for fome fuperficial Circum- 
 
 flance. 
 
of RepefUance^ conjtdered. 337 
 
 ftance, without a real Reformation of oufSek m. 
 Lives. '^^* 
 
 But how long will Men thus deceive ^^^^ 
 themfelves, in a Cafe in which all Deceit 
 is the Ruine of Soul and Body for ever; 
 and in which they can impofe upon nonp 
 but themfelves ? Behold , ivhaf doth the 
 Lord thy God require of thee^ but to do 
 jufily, to love Mercy^ and to "walk hum~ 
 bly with thy God'? This was plain under 
 the Law. How much more plain under 
 the Gofpel ? As we are Chriftians, we 
 are not fo much as fuppofed to be Sin-' 
 ners. But, if we have tranfgrefled againll 
 the plaineft Light ; God is fo merciful as 
 to allow a Place for Reconciliation to his 
 Favour, upon our Amendment. Is this fo 
 hard a Condition ? Is this fo great am 
 
 *Injury to us, that we fhould turn againfl it, 
 and abufe the Gofpel to our own Deflruc- 
 tion ? Shall the Goodncfs, and Longfuf^ 
 
 fering of God ^ inftead of leadmg us to 
 true Repentance , only lead us to a falfe 
 Image of it ; and to treafure up Wrath to 
 our felves again/l the Day of Wrath ? 
 Shall we continue in Sin; and pretend that 
 Sorrow for it is fufficient ? God forbid ! 
 
 Z How 
 
33^ 5^^ true^ aitd falfe^ Notions 
 
 S^'^^uHow fiall wt\ Chriflians, who, by our 
 ^^- Profeflion, are dead to Sin, live any longer 
 ^^^^"^ therein ? Let not fuch an Ufe be made 
 of our great Lord's indulgent Kindnefs to 
 us in the Gofpel : but let all who know 
 what Repentance is, and what it implies 
 in it, live worthy of that Repentance, by 
 which they hope for Salvation ; and of 
 that Vocation ^wherewith they are called, 
 
 I N a word : If you will have your Sim 
 blotted out \ you muft repent, arid be con- 
 ^certed, in the Words of the Text: that 
 is, adVaally turned from them. If you have 
 been wilful, habitual Sinners ; and think 
 of being; faved by Repentance -, here is the 
 Line marked out. Th^ fir ft; Step is Sor- \ 
 row for your Sins : but it is but the Jirji, 
 The J'econd is a Difpofition to amend your 
 Lives. But there is no flopping here. You 
 cannot think this Sorrow, and this Difpofi- 
 tion, linccre, unlefs they Ihew themfelves 
 in good Effeds. There mud be an adual 
 Amendment ; an aftual entring upon, and 
 Progrefs in, a virtuous and holy Life; 
 whilft God gives Opportunity. Without 
 -thi.s there is not the leaft Security of Hap- 
 
 pinefs : 
 
of Repe72tance^ conjidered. 339 
 
 pinefs : and, if you truft to any other S e r m. 
 Methods, you rely upon other Terms than ^^* 
 what are propofed in the Gofpel of Jefus ^•^'^"^ 
 Chrift. 
 
 7. z 
 
 SER- 
 
[ 340 ] 
 
 a'^i?5l?'^l^!2.^^^'*^-'*^>^^*-^^^^^'*^>^^^>-^^'^^^''^^^ 
 
 '^i!Z4>r4^>z<f:^fz<f:^^f^fl'il*^<f2>Z<^iiZ<Z*}^ii^iS:<^^^ 
 
 "The Example of the I'hief upon the Crofs, 
 conjidered. 
 
 SERMON XVI- 
 
 LUKE xxiii. 42, 43. 
 
 And He /aid unto JefuSy Lord^ Remember 
 me when Thou comeji into thy Kingdom. 
 
 And Jefus /aid unto Him, Verily, I fay 
 unto thee, To day flmlt thou he with me in 
 Faradije, 
 
 S HESE Words contain In them 
 an Account of the happy End- 
 ing of the Life of one of thofe 
 MalefaBors, who were crucified 
 with our bleffed Lord. For, tho' we read, 
 in Two other of t\\Q Evangelijis, that the 
 
 Thieves 
 
"The Example oj the 7hief, &c. 341 
 
 thieves which were crucified with Him^ re- S e r m. 
 viled Him ; yet, that we are not neceilarily ^^^^ 
 to underftand this of both the MalefaBors^ 
 is evident from the like Form of Speech 
 ufed by the fame Writers, concerning any 
 Matter, the minute Circumflances of which 
 they do not undertake exadly to relate. 
 Thus, in the fame Go/pels^ that is fometimes 
 faid to be fpoken by the Difciples^ to J ejus, 
 which was fpoken by o?ie of them only : 
 becaufe it was not thought neceffary to be 
 more particular. And the Plural Num- 
 ber is often thus ufed for the Si?igular^ ei- 
 ther, when the Story related is fo known, 
 as that no Miftake can proceed from thence ; 
 or, when the Matter fpoken of, is of that 
 nature as not to admit a literal Interpre- 
 tation without a grofs Abfurdity ; or, when 
 the Hijiorian, as I have faid, doth not un- 
 dertake to relate every particular Circum- 
 ftanceof a Story, efpecially of one generally 
 and univerfally known at the Time of his 
 writing. On thefe Accounts, this Way and 
 Figure of fpeaking hath been allowed and 
 praftifed. 
 
 B u T St. Luke, defigning, in this part of 
 
 his Hiftory, to be more particular, hath 
 
 Z 3 tranfmitted 
 
34-2 72^ Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. tranfmitted it down to us that what the o- 
 ^^^- ther Evangel ills record concerning the Male- 
 
 ^'^^^ faBors, is to be underftood only of one of 
 them y and that the other was of a much 
 better Difpofition ; that He reproved his 
 Fellow- Sufferer for his rude and unjuft re- 
 viling; and laid hold on that Opportunity, 
 to confefs a great Degree of Faith in a cru- 
 cified Saviour. 
 
 The favourable Reception which this 
 penitent Believer met with, in his laft Mo- 
 ments ; and the comfortable Anfwer which 
 He received from our Lord, feems to have 
 had an Effed, quite contrary to what our 
 Lord intended, and wifhed, upon many 
 Chriftians of later Ages. And, therefore, 
 this part of the Evangelical Hijiory defer- 
 vcth our particular Conhderation : that We 
 may judge truly what is to be concluded 
 fi-om it ; and avoid any Miftakes that may 
 prove fatal to our Eternal Intereft. And, 
 after having, in my laft Difcourfe, laid down 
 the true Notion of Repentance ; I cannot 
 do any thing better than to endeavour to 
 obviate, or refute, the common Error, re- 
 ceived and embraced by too many, viz, 
 that the Acceptance of this Malefadtor is 
 
 an 
 
upo?t the Crofsy conjidered. 343 
 
 an Encouragement to any Chriftians to S e r m. 
 place their Hopes of Salvation, upon a ■^^'^• 
 Death-bed Sorrow, which they nnif-call by ^^^^^^^^ 
 the Name of Repentance. In order to this 
 End, 
 
 I. I SHALL endeavour briefly to give 
 a true and juft Account of the Cafe of this 
 Malefadlor, who v/as thus mercifully re- 
 ceived by our Saviour, in his hifl Mo- 
 ments. 
 
 II. I DESIGN to (hew that this was 
 not an extraordinary Adl of Favour, out 
 of the General Rule^ nor any thing de- 
 pending on the fecret Will and Intention 
 of Almighty God: but perfectly agreeable 
 to the profefTed and declared Tenour of the 
 Gofpel-Covenant ; and what any Perfon, 
 in the fame Circumftances, may claim, up- 
 on the exprefs Terms of the Gojpel. 
 
 III. I N order the more effedually to. 
 prevent all Miftake, I fliall point out to 
 you, and defcribe, the Perfons who are in 
 the fame Circumilances ; and may be as 
 certain of Favour as this believing Malefac- 
 tor. And, 
 
 IV. I SHALL endeavour plainly to fhew 
 the extreme Unreafonablenefs, and great 
 
 Z 4 Danger, 
 
J. The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R >/^ Danger, of the common Miftakes about 
 ^^^ this Inftance of God's Mercy ; and the Va- 
 
 ^^^^^nity of thofe Pretenfes which are built by 
 fome Men, upon this Example. 
 
 I. I SHALL endeavour briefly to give 
 you a true and juft Account of the Cafe of 
 this Malefa6ior, who was fo gracioufly re- 
 ceived by our blefled Saviour, in his laft 
 Moments. 
 
 And here, there is no reafon to doubt 
 hut that He was a Perfon, who had never 
 enjoyed, before this, a fair opportunity of 
 hearing a juft i\ccount of our bleffed Lord, 
 and his Acflions, and Pretenfions : it being 
 much more likely that a Perfon of his fort 
 of Life fhould firil hear and confider, the 
 Charadcr, and Works, and Behaviour of 
 our Lord, during his Imprifonment, than 
 at any time before, whilft He was follow- 
 ing his wicked Trade of Robbery. It is 
 manifeft from his own Words, as well to 
 his Fellow-Sufterer, as to our Lord himfelf, 
 that He had gotten fome Knowledge, both 
 of onr Lord's Perfonal Charafter ; and of 
 his profefling himfelf a King. Now, the 
 Way of Life v/hich he followed, before 
 his Imprifonment, engaged him to keep a<? 
 
 much 
 
upon the Crofsj confidered. 345 
 
 much out of the Cities and Places of ordi- S e r m. 
 nary Converfation ; as much out of the -^^^• 
 Eyes and Obfervation of the World, as He ^■^'^^^^ 
 could poffibly do ; and confequently muft 
 neceffarily be fuppofed to have hindred 
 him of all fair Opportunities of knowing 
 the Truth concerning our bleffed Lord. 
 But, juft before his Crucifixion, He could 
 not well avoid hearing the Rumours fpread 
 about concerning Him, and learning the 
 true Character, and Pretenfions of our Lord. 
 And He feems to have weighed all that He 
 heard, before his Crucifixion, fo well, as 
 to bring with Him to his Crofs, a Refolu- 
 tion to profefs himfelf his Difciple ; and a 
 iincere Difpofition to fticw himfelf fuch, in 
 all refpeds poffible, in that fmall Remain-- 
 der of his Time. 
 
 From fuch a Refolution as this, fuch 
 a Perfon as He might well have been re- 
 moved by the Behaviour of his Fellow- 
 Suflferer ; and by that Current of Affronts, 
 which at that time ran fo violently againP^ 
 our Lord, now feemingly deftitute of all 
 Help from God^ and condemned and out- 
 raged, as an Impoftor, by Men. Or, at 
 leaft, He might have bean led to have con- 
 sented 
 
34^ ^^ Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. tented himfelf, with entreating our Lord, 
 ^^^* tho' fomewhat more ferioufly than others, 
 ^"^^^ to come down from the Crofs^ and to fave 
 himfelf and his Fellow- Sufferers. But He 
 appears to have underflood a great deal, in 
 a very little Time, concerning the true 
 Nature of Chrifl's Kingdom : and fo, ac- 
 knowledging the Heinoufnefs of his own 
 Sins, and the Juftice of God in his Punilli- 
 ment of them j all that He defires of our. 
 Lord, IS, that He would remember Him, 
 when He Ihould come into his King- 
 dom, 
 
 This Malefadtoi*, therefore, you fee, 
 cannot be fuppofed, in the former Courfe 
 of his Life, when his evil Defigns kept 
 him out of the City, and out of Society, 
 to have had any Opportunity of enquiring, 
 or hearing, concerning our bleffed Lord. 
 But, after his Imprifonment, it is very pof- 
 fible, and very probable, that He came to 
 a Knowledge of our Saviour, and of his 
 Offers to Mankind. It is certain, from the 
 exprefs Words of the Evangelijl^ that, on 
 his Crofs, He gave; Teftimony to the un- 
 fpotted Charafter of our Lord ; and Proof 
 of his believing the Truth of his Preten- 
 
 fions. 
 
upon the Crofs^ confidered. 347 
 
 Jions. And laying thefe Things together, S e r m. 
 his Words to our Saviour may reafonably XVI. 
 be fuppofed to imply in them as much, as '--'^"^'^'^ 
 if he had faid thus. " I believe that thou 
 " art truly the Mefjiah, and Saviour of 
 ^' the World ; as thou profefleft thy felf 
 " to be : And, notv^^ithftanding this thy 
 *' ignominious Death upon the Crofs , 
 " that Thou haft a glorious and happy 
 " Kingdom to enter upon ; though not 
 " of this World. I take this Opportunity 
 " of profeffing my felf thy Difciple: which 
 " is the firft I have enjoyed. This I do, 
 ** amidft the Reproaches of thy Enemies, 
 *' and the Infults of my Fellow- Sufferer. 
 *' And, therefore, I beg that I may have 
 ** the Benefit of this my Profeffion ; and 
 " may be accepted by Thee, as thou had 
 " promifed to accept all fuch as do fm- 
 " cerely beHeve> in Thee, and to acquit 
 '' them from the Guilt of all their former 
 '* Sins for the fake of this Belief." This, 
 I fay, may moft reafonably be fuppofed to 
 be implied in the Words of this Malefac- 
 tor to our Lord : it being certain from the 
 Hijlory that He had enquired both after 
 the Cbara6lcr^ and after the Propofals, of 
 
 our 
 
34^ "The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M, our Lord : and found tht former to be un- 
 ^^^- fpotted; and the latter to be Offers of 
 Mercy, and Happinefs, in his Kingdom, to 
 his Difciples. 
 
 I T appears, therefore, that He was one, 
 who was called to the Knowledge of Je- 
 fus Chriji, in the laft Hours, and had no 
 Opportunity of profeffing his Belief in 
 H.m, but in the laft Minutes, of his Life ; 
 when the Night of Death was juft coming 
 upon ""^im, in which no Man can Work : 
 one, who believed, as foon as He poffibly 
 could hear a true Account of our Lord ; 
 and coLiragioufly profeffed his Belief, as 
 foon as He had Opportunity to do it j and 
 this at a time when all about him were re- 
 viling Him. In fliort, He did whatever it 
 was in his Power to do, during that Space 
 of Time, which He had left, after He was 
 called to the Knowledge of the Gofpel : 
 and therefore, was accepted to Favour by 
 our bleffed Lord ; and a Promife was made 
 Him, that he fliould immediately upon his 
 Death, be in an happy Place with Him. 
 Aiid here, you will eafily obierve that this 
 gracious Acceptance of him was not mere- 
 ly, or chiefly, on the account of his Sor« 
 
 row 
 
upon the Crofsj con/iderecl. 349 
 
 row for his paft Sins ; but for the fake of S e r m. 
 his believing in Jefus Chrifi, as foon as J^XJj 
 he could 5 and of his taking this firft Op- 
 portunity of profefiing himfelf his Difciple ; 
 that is, for the fake of his doing all he 
 could to manifeft the Sincerity of his Faith, 
 from the Time of his believing, to the 
 End of his Life. And this leads me to the 
 fecond thing which I undertook to (hew; 
 
 'VIZ, 
 
 11. That this was not an extraordinary 
 A61 of Favour, out of the general Rule 5 
 nor any thing depending upon the fecret 
 Will, or unrevealed Pleafure, of Almighty 
 God: but perfedlly agreeable to the pro- 
 feffed, and declared, Tenour of the Gof- 
 pel ; and what any Perfon, in the fame 
 Circumftances, may claim, upon the Pro- 
 mifes of God, fufficiently promulgated in 
 the Gofpel. This I would willingly make 
 as plain as poffible, becaufe this Inftance 
 of the Thief on the Crofs hath been ge- 
 nerally interpreted as an Inftance of Al- 
 mighty God's profeffed Acceptance of the 
 Sorrow of a Sinner at his Death, inftead of 
 the Pradice of Holinefs, and Virtue, du- 
 ring his Life: and, under this Notion, 
 
 hath 
 
350 The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. hath been fo recommended to the guilty 
 ■^^■^- Confciences of the moft habitual Sinners, 
 
 ^^^"^^"^ as to give them as ftrong an Aflurance of 
 God's Favour, on their Death-beds, as the 
 beft of Chriftians can in reafon poffefs ; 
 and fo applied to themfelves, by w^ilful Sin- 
 ners, in the Time of their Health, as to 
 encourage them to place all their Hopes in 
 the bitter Sorrow of their laft Moments, 
 inftead of redlifying the Diforders , and 
 Wickednefs, of their Lives. But that this 
 all proceeds from a miftaken Notion of this 
 Matter, v^ill appear to you, by proving, as 
 I defign under this fecoiid Head, thefe Two 
 Particulars ; "viz, 
 
 1. That it is highly abfurd to imagine 
 that Almighty God fhould, by any fuch 
 publicklnftance as this, profefs to the World 
 that He doth, on any account, or in Mercy 
 to any Perfon, depart from thofe Meafures 
 which He hath, as publickly, fixed, and 
 promulgated. And, 
 
 2. That this Inftance, as I have 
 before reprefented it, is perfedly agree- 
 able to the Terms of the Go/pel, offered 
 equally to all who hear of it 5 and plain- 
 
upon the Cj^ofs^ conjidered, 351 
 
 ly laid down by Chrift, and his Apo-SERM. 
 files. XVI. 
 
 I. I SAY, it is highly abfurd to ima- ^•'"'^^'^ 
 gine that Almighty God fhould, by any 
 fuch publick Inftance, as this of the Thief 
 on the Crofs, profefs to the World that 
 He doth, on any Acccint, or in Mercy to 
 any Perfon, depart from thofe Meafures, 
 which he hath, as publickly, fixed and pro- 
 mulgated. 
 
 Whether ariy Being be obliged, in 
 the nature of the thing, to execute his 
 Threatnings in their utmoft Rigour, as he 
 is to perform his Promifes to the utmoft ; 
 is another Queftion. Nay, whether it 
 may net be adually fo, in fad, at laft, 
 that Almighty God will remit of that Pu- 
 nifliment he hath threatned ; and not ex- 
 ecute the utmoft of that Wrath which He 
 has declared by his Son againft hardened 
 impenitent Sinners, is a Point wholy di- 
 ftindt from that before us. I muft own 
 that the affirmative fide of this Queftion 
 feems to derogate from the Sincerity of 
 the Divine Revelation y and not well to 
 confift with the Nature of the higheft Sim- 
 plicity : it being a much worthier Sup- 
 
 poiition 
 
352 7^^ Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. pofition concerning Almighty God , that 
 XV I, he fliould declare the exadl Truth of the 
 
 ^■^^^^"^ Matter , and leave it to work upon the 
 Minds of Men as far as it could ; than 
 that he fliould declare what will never 
 come to pafs, and fo endeavour to work 
 upon them by a falfe Perfuafion, which 
 hath nothing in Nature to anfwer it. But 
 I fay that it is not fo abfurd to maintain 
 that fo it may poffibly , or probably, be 
 found at laft; as to fay that Almighty God 
 hath declared, by any public Inftance, that 
 he doth, in the Cafe of fome of the moft 
 notorious Sinners, depart from the Meafures 
 which he hath openly declared he will ftand 
 
 to. 
 
 To come to the Cafe before us ^ Al- 
 mighty God declareth, as plainly as Words 
 can declare any thing, that without Ho- 
 linefs no Ma?i foall fee the Lord: that 
 his Wrath Jloall be upon all the Workers , 
 of Iniquity ; efpecially upon fuch as pro- 
 fefs his Golpel, and yet live in an open 
 Violation of the Laws of it, and an o- 
 pcn Negledt of thcfe Declarations in it. 
 And yet, this Inftance, of the Thief on 
 the Crofs, hath been fometimes fo inter- 
 preted, 
 
upon the Crofs^ conjtdercd. 353 
 
 preted, as to make Almighty God declare S e r m. 
 by it to the World, that he will accept ^^^* 
 of the Death-bed Sorrow of a Sinner ; ^^^"^^^^ 
 though he hath had fufficient Warning 
 through his Life ; though he hath been a 
 profeffed Chriilian, and hath had the fair- 
 eft Opportunities of knowing the true 
 Terms of Chrijiian Jujlif cation. Now 
 this, I fay, it is abfurd to imagine con- 
 cerning Almighty God : becaufe this is 
 publickly to deftroy the Effed^, and De- 
 fign, of his other Declarations j and to 
 give as public an Encouragement as pof- 
 fible, to Men, to continue in their 
 Sins. 
 
 For when once a Man hath entertain- 
 ed this Notion, that the Cafe of this Male^ 
 fa^or is thus to be interpreted ; how eafy 
 is the Paflage of his Thoughts from this, 
 to the Imagination that his own Sorrow 
 on his Death-bed fhall, after the fame 
 manner, be accepted, inftead of a reli- 
 gious and virtuous Life ? For, why iliould 
 he not think fo ? Qr, w^hat fliould hin- 
 der ? Almighty God muft not be fuppofed 
 an arbitrary Being ; a Power acting by Hu- 
 mour, and not guided by juft and equita- 
 A a ble 
 
354- ^^ Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. ble Maxims: but equal iii his Regards to 
 ^^^' all, in Circumftances exadly equal. i\nd 
 if fo, his Proceedings, upon thofe Max- 
 ims, muft be the fame with all in the 
 fame Condition. Fie hath no refpedl to 
 the Perfons of Men : nor can there be 
 any Reafon in the World affigned, why 
 he (hould deal, in the Diftribution of his 
 Eternal Rewards or Punidiments, more 
 favourably with one, than with another, 
 who is not under tlite Circumftances of 
 greater Guilt, at his Departure out of this 
 State, And, therefore, if he hath jfhewn 
 fuch Favour to one of the vileft of Sin- 
 ners, on account of a pungent Sorrow, 
 at the Hour of Death, contrary to the 
 feeming Tendency of all his Declarations; 
 fo will he likewife to me, may the vileft 
 of Men ftill fay. And what can be the 
 Confequence of this, but an impenitent 
 Life, and profligate Manners, in the Time 
 of Health ? 
 
 And thus far, indeed, I agree with 
 fuch Perfons, that, whatever the Cafe of 
 this MalefaBor was ; all who are exaftly 
 in the fame, or a like. Cafe, may reafon- 
 •^ibly expect, and will certainly experience, 
 
 the 
 
npon the Crofsy conjtdered. 355 
 
 the fame Favour which he did. But the S e r m» 
 Suppofition, that Chriftians, who have Re- ^^^• 
 pentance and Amendment, day after day^ v-rVNJ 
 inculcated upon them; who ftand out a- 
 gainft all Calls to Reformation ; and rely 
 at laft upon the Sorrow of a fick Bed, are 
 in the fame Cafe with this Malefa^or ; or 
 that he, confidered as in the fame Cafe 
 with them, is declared in the New Tejla-^ 
 menty to have found Favour with God, and 
 to have been entituled to the Happinefs of 
 Heaven: This Suppofition, I fay, will be 
 ever incredible to us, till We can come 
 to fuppofc Almighty God declaring againft 
 his own plained Declarations -, and ruining 
 his own Defign of the World's Reformati- 
 on ; or elfe ading after an arbitrary andhu- 
 mourfome manner ; accepting of one Man 
 to Eternal Life, and condemning another to 
 Eternal Death, who is, as to himfelf, in 
 the fame Circumftances ; and hath been led, 
 by this Example, to expedt the fame Accep- 
 tance. But who can fuppofe this of the 
 God of Mercy, Truth, and Equity? Or, of 
 that God who hath revealed his Wrath a- 
 gainft all the Workers of Iniquity ? But, 
 
 A a 2 2. As 
 
356 T^he Example of the Thief 
 
 Ser ^f. 2. As thefe Abfurdities fhould affrigh- 
 >-^'^- ten us from fixing fuch a Procedure upon 
 ^^^'^^^"^ Almighty God ; and make us rather wil- 
 ling to luppofe our felves wholy miftaken 
 in our Interpretation of this Dealing of his 
 with the Thief on the Crofs, than tofup-. 
 pofe any fuch Inconfiftencies in his Ways : 
 fo, I muil obferve that there is another very 
 good Account to be given of this Matter, 
 perfectly agreeable to the Tenour of the 
 Gofpel, as the Terms of it were plainly 
 preached by our Lord and his Apoftles ; and 
 vaftly diftant from any fuch Interpretation, 
 as that which I have now been mention- 
 ing. 
 
 I N order to make this evident, I muft 
 obferve to you that it is the declared Tenor 
 of the Gofpel, that God would juftify all 
 who fincerely comply with the Offers of it, 
 and heartily profefs Faith in Jefus Chrijl ; 
 that all, I fay, who do thus, upon good 
 Motives, fl:iall be releafed from the Guilt 
 of their former Sins, and accepted by God, 
 and dealt with as juft Perfons, for this very 
 believing fincerely in his Son Jefus Chrift : 
 and this, whether they live a fhort, or a 
 lorjg, Time after their firfl Belief and Pro- 
 
 feffion 5 
 
upon the Crofs^ confidered. 357 
 
 feffion 5 provided they fliew the Reality of S e r m. 
 their Faith in that Time, and do not relapfe XVI. 
 into a Courfe of Infidelity, or Wickednefs. ^■^'"V^J 
 Thus, we find, our Lord, in the Gofpels, 
 receiving to his Favour, all who embrace 
 his Offers; and accepting them, upon their 
 firft x^cceptance of his Rel'gion, and his 
 Terms. And we find, more evidently, the 
 Apojiles inftruded by the Holy Ghoft to 
 preach the Dodrine of Acceptance, and Re- 
 mifiion of all their former Sins, to all who 
 fhould lay hold on the Opportunity offered 
 them, and embrace the Faith of Jefus Chrirt, 
 and enter themfelves into his Service. Up- 
 on this Faithy and Profeflion of it, Profe- 
 lytes were baptized j and they were baptized 
 for the Remiffion of their Sins ; and Jufli- 
 fication before God was openly promifed, and 
 declared, to them, upon this their firft fin- 
 cere, and undiflTembled Faith. 
 
 Now, fuppofing any of thefe Perfons to 
 be taken away immediately: their former 
 Sins being once pardoned, the Force of 
 this Pardon muft remain ^ and they muft be 
 finally acquitted and juftified before God. 
 But fuppofing any of thefe Profelytes to live, 
 and afterwards to relapfe into their former 
 A a 3 Courfe 
 
35 S 7^^ Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. Courfe of Sin : They not only, by the Te- 
 X^^- nour of the Gofpel, lofe all the Benefit of 
 ^^^^^^this firft Juftification ; but can have no 
 Ground for Hope of a final Juftlfication, at 
 the great Day, without the adual Amend- 
 ment and Reformation of their Lives. On 
 the other hand, if they go on, in living as 
 becomes Chriflians ; they are entitled to a 
 final Acquittance, and to great Degrees of 
 Happinefs in the World to come. 
 
 There are, therefore, Two forts of 
 Perfons, confidered as acquitted in the Gof- 
 pel. I. Such as hear the Gofpel; and fin- 
 cerely receive, and heartily accept it 5 and 
 openly profefs it : v^ho yet have no Time 
 allow^ed them, by the Providence of God, 
 to bring forth the Fruits of a continued 
 Courfe of Rightcoufnefs ; though they cer- 
 tainly have fuch a Faith as would bring 
 forth thefe Fruits. And, 2. Such Perfons 
 as fincerely receive it; and clofe in with the 
 Terms of it ; and, having Time allowed 
 them, live, and aft, in the general Courfe 
 of their Lives, by the Rules of Righteouf- 
 jiefs, laid down in it. As there are, like- 
 wife. Two forts of Perfons condemned, in 
 the fame Gofpel i. Such,, as having Op- 
 portunity 
 
tipon the Crofs^ CG?jfuiered. 359 
 
 pormnity to hear It propofed to them, ei- ^^^j^* 
 thcr revile and perfecute it ; or refufe to ^^^r-^^ 
 attend to it, and receive it. And, 2. Such 
 as, having heard it, receive and profefs it ; 
 and enter themfelves into the Bonds of it : 
 but afterwards relapfe into an Habit of Sin, 
 in which they continue till Death overtake 
 
 them. 
 
 There being, therefore. Two forts of 
 Perfons, to whom Acquittance, or Juftifica- 
 tion, is openly promifed in the Gofpel ; we 
 may be fure, no one fhall be denied that 
 Favour, who belongs to either of the Two. 
 And that the Malefaftor on the Crofs, cer- 
 tainly belonged to the former fort ; and 
 confequently, was accepted by Chrift, not 
 by any arbitrary, or extraordinary Ad: of 
 Favour, but upon the ordinary Terms of his 
 Difpenfation, is, I think, very evident. For 
 it appears that He was a Perfon, who, when 
 He had a fair Opportunity, did ferioufly 
 confider the Charader, and Pretenfions of 
 our Lord-, who, upon that Confidcration, 
 believed in Him, and received him, as the 
 Meffiah; and who took the firft Opportu- 
 nity He had, to declare and profefs this : 
 though He had no Hopes of any Benefit 
 A a 4 from 
 
360 The Example of the Thief 
 
 SEKM.from hence, unlefs in a future State; and 
 ^^-VI. ^as rather difcouraged from it, than incited 
 ^■''''^^^'^ to it, by the Tempers, and Behaviour, of 
 all about Him. He was called to the 
 Knowledge of the Gofpel ; He obeyed that 
 Call ; and He did whatever was in his Pow- 
 er, during the fhort Time God afforded him, 
 to demonftrate the Sincerity of his Faith. 
 What fhould hinder, therefore, but that he 
 lliould be received by our Lord, who came 
 to offer Acquittance, and Juftification, to 
 all who iliould believe him to be the 
 Mejjiah', and fhould a6t agreeably to the 
 Faith, and Pradice enjoyned by him, du- 
 ring the remainder of their Lives, whether 
 long, or fhort ? 
 
 I CANNOT, therefore, but think it 
 plain from hence, that there is nothing ex- 
 traordinary, or nev7, in thislnftance of the 
 Juflification of the Thief on the Crofs: that 
 he was not declared to be accepted by God 
 on the account of his Sorrow, or becaufe he 
 was dying, and at that time cxpreffed a 
 Senfe of his Sins; but becaufe he laid hold 
 on the firfl fair Opportunity, which offered 
 it felf, of believing in Chrifl ; of profef- 
 fing hinifelf his Difciple, and of owning 
 
 Him 
 
upon the Crofs^ conjidered. 361 
 
 Him for his Mafter ; and, confequently, that S e r m. 
 he was accepted to Favour, upon the ordi- -^^^• 
 nary Terms of the Gofpcl, declared in o- ^-^'^ 
 ther Places of the New Teftament, upon 
 which any other lincere Believer, would 
 likewife^ have been accepted and juftified; 
 and upon which, all Chriftians inherit the 
 fame Juftification, and reap the Fruit of it, 
 if they do not, by falling again into a 
 Courfe bf Sin, and continuing in it, forfeit 
 their Title to fo great a Bleffing. 
 
 What hath been faid may likewife 
 ferve to give us fome Account why the o- 
 ther Evangelifts might not think it neceffary 
 to be minute, and particular, in the Rela- 
 tion of the Behaviour, and happy End, of 
 the better of the Two Malefadors : ijiz, 
 becaufe nothing material could be learnt, 
 or drawn, from it, but what might be 
 learnt from other plain Parts of the Gof- 
 pel ; that whoever fliould believe in Jefiis 
 Chrift, and make ufe of the Oppartunities 
 He enjoys to profefs and fhew himfelf to 
 be fincerely his Difciple, fhould, upon thac 
 Belief, and Profeffion, be acquitted from 
 the Guilt of all his paft Sins \ and be put 
 into a State of Favour, and Acceptance , 
 
 with 
 
362 T'he Example of the 7%ief 
 
 Se RM. with God; whether He fliould live a long, 
 XVI. or a iliort Time, after his embracing the 
 
 ^^^"^^^'^ Chriilian Faith. And now , what hath 
 been already laid down will eafily guide us 
 to determine what I propofed in the third 
 place: viz. 
 
 III. Who thofe Perfons are, that may 
 fafely argue, to their own Comfort, from 
 this Example of the Thief on the Crofs ; 
 and may be as fecure of God*s Favour, as 
 He was. And it is plain, they muft be fuch, 
 as are in his Circumftances. I do not 
 mean, fuch as are leaving this World : for 
 that was but an accidental Matter ; and 
 had no Weight towards his Acceptance ; 
 which, I have fliewn, muft have been the 
 fame, upon the Gofpel Terms, whether 
 He had then been dying, or not. But I 
 mean, fuch Perfons, as do not refift the 
 Evidence. of the Gofpel of Chrift ; but re- 
 ceive it upon due Confideration ; and take 
 the Opportunity, offered them by the Pro- 
 vidence of God, to profefs their Faith in 
 Jefus Chrift, and to acknowledge them- 
 felvcs his Difciples. They muft be Perfons, 
 who being come to Years of Difcretion, 
 have a fair Opportunity offered them of 
 
 hearing 
 
upon the Crofs^ conjidered. 363 
 
 hearing the Evidence, and knowing the S e r m. 
 Nature, of the Chriftian Religion. They ^^I- 
 muft be Pcrfons who, upon hearing and^"^^^ 
 weighing this Evidence, do fincerely accept 
 it as the Will of God ; who openly and 
 heartily, profefs this ; and who, during the 
 reft of their Time, behave themfelves a- 
 greeably to their Profeffion. 
 
 And we cannot but obferve from 
 hence, of how fmall Concern, thelnftance 
 now before us is to Perfons bred up in the 
 Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion ; 
 called upon, day after day, to regard the 
 Nature and Obligations, of it : to Perfons 
 who have always profefTed themfelves Chri- 
 ftians ; and yet live on, in an Habit of Sin 
 condemned by their own Profeilion , in 
 hopes that the Sorrow of their lateft Mo- 
 ments fhall atone for the Vices of their paft 
 Lives. 
 
 If, therefore, any one would entertain 
 himfelf with any juft Hopes, drawn from 
 God's Mercy to this crucified Malefadtor ; 
 He muft firft, in all rcafon, confider, whe- 
 ther He himfelf be in the like Circumftan- 
 ces : for otherwife, what Comfort can any 
 Man, in his Senfes, draw from thence ? 
 
 - And 
 
364. The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. And no one, I think, can, by any means, 
 XVI. be faid to be in the like Circumftances, 
 
 ^'^^'^ who is come to Years of Judgment, and 
 Difcretion, in a Country of profeffed Chri- 
 ftians ; and hath, either in his Mind, or 
 in his Manners, diftionoured, or neglefted, 
 the Chriftian Religion. But this will more 
 naturally come under the next Head of my 
 prefenf Defign : which I have not now 
 Time to profecute. 
 
 I SHALL only, therefore, add at pre- 
 fent, that for us, who are called betimes to 
 the Knowledge of Chriftianity ; who have 
 Opportunities of knowing our Duty; and 
 profefs our felves, from the beginning of 
 our Lives, the Difciples of Jefus Chrift : for 
 us, I fay, to have recourfe to any fuch In- 
 ftance as this, in order to defer our Repent- 
 ance and Amendment, is the Extremity of 
 Folly, and Weaknefs. Whatever it is, that 
 makes us eafy in the habitual Practice of 
 any of the Vices condemned in the Gof- 
 pel, is certainly a Cheat and Impofition up- 
 on our felves; a falfe and groundlefs A- 
 mufement. And, therefore, from whence- 
 foever it is, that we may have drawn any 
 fuch Notions ; we may affure our felves, 
 
 (and 
 
upon the Crofs^ conjidered. 365 
 
 ( and it is our Eternal Intereft to be aflured S e r m, 
 of it, ) that we are greatly miftaken in them, ^^^• 
 Almighty God doth, as certainly and as ^"^"^^ 
 plainly, require of us the Praftice of all 
 Righteoufnefs, as He promifeth us all Hap- 
 pinefs. No Man ever was uneafy at the 
 Review of fuch a Praftice : but many a 
 Man hath been rendered miferable on his 
 Death-bed here ; and will be eternally un- 
 done hereafter ; by trufting, in the Time 
 of his Health, to any other falfe and faithlefs 
 Methods. And God grant that We may 
 confider thefe Things, before they be hid 
 from our Eyes ! Amen. 
 
 SER. 
 
[ 366] 
 
 T'he Example of the Thief upon the Crofs^ 
 confidered. 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 LUKE xxiii. 42, 43. 
 
 j^nd He faid unto fefm^ Lord, Remember 
 me when Thou comeji into thy Kingdom. 
 
 And Jefus faid unto Him^ Verily y I fay 
 unto thee^ To day Jh alt thou be with me 
 in Faradife. 
 
 N my laft Difcourfe, ( which 
 was upon the Account given 
 us, in thefe Words, of the 
 happy Ending of the Life of 
 one of the Malefactors crucified with our 
 blelTed Lord, ) I propofed four Heads : 
 three of which I then went over > and 
 
 fhall 
 
T^he Example of the Thief &c, 367 
 
 Hiall now proceed to the fourth^ after I S e r m. 
 have made way for it, by reminding you ^^^I* 
 of what I then, as I hope, very evidently ^'""^^^ 
 proved. 
 
 I N difcourfing on the fir ft , I fliewed 
 you, that this MalefaBor was one who, as 
 foon as He had a fair Opportunity of know- 
 ing the Truth concerning the Character 
 of our blefled Lord, and of hearing the 
 Evidence of his Pretenfions, did fincerely 
 lay hold on it ; and profefs himfelf his Dif- 
 ciple ; and behave himfelf as fuch, amidft 
 the Calumnies and Reproaches of all about 
 him : and that for this Belief, and Profef- 
 fion ; not merely, or chiefly, on account of 
 his Senfe of his pafl: Sins 5 He was accepted, 
 by our Lord, to Mercy. 
 
 Under the fecond Head, I went on 
 to (how you, that it was one profefTed part 
 of the Gofpel, preached both by Chriil and 
 his Apoftles, that whofoever fhould lay 
 hold on the Opportunity oftered by the 
 Providence of God ; and fhould accept of 
 the Terms propofed in the Gofpel ; and 
 believe in Jefus Chriil: with an honeft and 
 lincere Heart j and make Open Profeflion 
 of this Belief: that every fuch Perfon , 
 
 1 fav. 
 
368 The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. I fay, ihould be accepted to Favour -, and 
 XVII. effeftually acquitted from the Guilt of his 
 
 ^-^"^^^"^ paft Sins, whether He {hould live a fliort, 
 or a long, Time after this Profeffion ; fup- 
 pofing Him to behave himfelf, during that 
 Time , agreeably to it. And, in confe- 
 quence of this, I proved to you that this 
 Thief on the Crofs, having fincerely laid 
 hold on the Opportunity offered to Him 
 by Providence 5 having come to the Know- 
 ledge of our Lord's Charafter, and of the 
 Evidence He gave of the Truth of his Di- 
 vine Miffion; and having, upon this, pro- 
 feffed himfelf his Difciple, and fliewn his 
 Sincerity by behaving himfelf in all refpefts, 
 as became fuch an one, during that fhort 
 Time which was allowed him, after He 
 was called to the Knowledge and Faith of 
 Chrift ; that this Malefadtor, I fay, ha- 
 ving aded thus, was accepted upon the or- 
 dinary, known, Terms of the Gofpel\ not 
 upon the fecret and hidden Will of Al- 
 mighty God deviating from, or going be- 
 vond, the common Rules of the Chrijlian 
 Injiitiition ; and that, therefore, this is no 
 Inftance of Almighty God's Acceptance of 
 the Sorrow of a dying Man, inllead of the 
 
 ^ Praftice, 
 
upon the Crofs^ C07ifidered. 369 
 
 Pradlice of Virtue during his Life 3 much S e r m. 
 lefs, an Inftance of his Acceptance of thofe, ^^^f- 
 on the account of their Death-bed Sorrow, ^^^^ 
 who have known and profefed the Clirifti- 
 an Religion through their whole Lives, and 
 have wilfully and habitually lived in ex- 
 prefs Contradidion to its Delign, and its 
 Precepts, during the Time of that Profef- 
 lion. 
 
 Under the rZvV^/Head, I fhewed you 
 that thofe Perfons only are in tlie Cafe of 
 this Malefador, fo as to argue to their own 
 Satisfadion, from his Example, upon any 
 reafonable Grounds, who, whether livino- 
 or dying; whether in perfect Health, or 
 within the Profpedt of Death; lay hold on 
 the firft fair Opportunity offered them: 
 and ferioufly confider the Evidence there is 
 for the Chriftian Religion ; and fmcerely 
 receive it upon that Evidence ; and open- 
 ly profefs themfelves the Difciples of Je- 
 fus Chrift; and behave themfelves, as be- 
 comes his Difciples, through the remaining 
 part of their Lives, whether long , or 
 fhort. And fuch Perfons as thefc, I need 
 not again obferve to you^ would have 
 B b been 
 
370 The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. been entitled to the Juftification, and Fa- 
 XVII. vour, promifed in the Gofpel, upon the 
 ^'^^^'^ plain and exprefs Words of our Lord and 
 his Apoftles -, whether there had been any 
 fuch Inftance, as this of the believing and 
 penitent Malefador, recorded in the Gof- 
 pel, or not. 
 
 Having thus recalled to your Minds 
 what I have already advanced, I may with 
 the more Advantage proceed to th^ fourth 
 thing which I propofed , viz, 
 
 IV. To (how plainly the extreme Un- 
 reafonablenefs, and great Danger, of the 
 common Miftakes about this Inftance of 
 God's Mercys and the Vanity of thofe Pre- 
 tenfes v^'hich fome Men have built upon 
 this Example. And here I fhall mention 
 particularly the Miftakes of Two forts of 
 Perfons: viz. The Miftake of thofe who 
 mifapply this Inftance to their own Ruine ; 
 and the Miftake of thofe who take occafion 
 from it to implant in others very wrong, 
 and very pernicious, Notions concerning 
 Defpciif\ and Frefumption, 
 
 I. From what hath been faid, it mani- 
 feftly appears how great, as well as fatal, 
 
 a Miftake 
 
upon the Crofsy coi^Jidered. 3^1 
 
 a Miftake that Is, which fome Perfons have S e r m. 
 perfuaded themfelves to entertain , from ^^'^^^ 
 this Inftance of the crucified Thief: that ^""^^"^ 
 God will accept them at laft, for the fake 
 of a Death-bed Sorrow and Concern for 
 their paft Sins ; though they have been, 
 all through their Lives, profeffed Chriflians, 
 and have neglected to obey thofe Lavv^s, 
 which they knew to be impofed upon them 
 by the Chriftian Religion, as the Rules of 
 their Actions. The Weaknefs and extreme 
 Folly of arguing at this rate, from this In- 
 ftance, will appear plainly to any one, who 
 will ferioufly connder the Cafe of fuch pro- 
 feffed Chriflians 3 and compare it with 
 what hath been before faid concerning the 
 Cafe of that Maiefador, and the Conditi- 
 ons of Acceptance laid down in the Gof- 
 pel. 
 
 For it is evident, from the Account 
 which I have given of both thefe, that His 
 Cafe was fuch as comes within the pro- 
 feffed Terms of the Gofpel : upon v/hich 
 all who lay hold on the Opportunity given 
 them ; and hear, and receive, and pro- 
 fefs, the Chriflian Religion fincerely^ are 
 B b 2 accepted 
 
272 T'he Example of the l^hief 
 
 Se R M. accepted immediately to Favour, and re- 
 ^"^^^^ leafed from the Guilt of their former Sins, 
 ^•^^'^ Whereas the Cafe of fuch profeffed Chri- 
 ftians as I have been now fpeaking of, is 
 a condemned Cafe, upon the profeffed 
 Terms of the fame Gofpel. For if the 
 Gofpel fiith any thing at all, it plainly 
 affirms this, that thofe Perfons v^ho, af- 
 ter they have received the Faith of Jefus 
 Chrifl:, and been made Partakers of this 
 firft Juftification, do relapfe into a Courfe, 
 or Habit, of thofe Sins which are con- 
 demned in the Gofpel; and continue in 
 that Courfe till Death overtake them : that 
 thofe Perfons, I fay, who do this, {hall be 
 excluded the Kingdom of Heaven ; and , 
 inflead of God's Favour, fhall feel his 
 Wrath, and fcffer the Vengeance of Eter- 
 nal Fire. Now, as Almighty God did, 
 in forgiving and accepting the believing 
 Malefad:or, keep exactly to the Terms, 
 which our bleiled Lord had, in his Name, 
 promulgated : io^ there is all the reafon 
 in the World to conclude that, in con- 
 demning and puniQiing that other fort of 
 Perfons, who have contradided and fcan- 
 
 dalized 
 
upon the Crofsj conjidered. 373 
 
 dalized his Gofpel, by their Behaviour Se r m. 
 during their Chriftian Profeffion, He will ^^^■^• 
 likewife keep clofe to the Terms which ^^^^^ 
 He hath, in the Gofpel, fet before the Eyes 
 of the World. And in this Gofpel, there 
 is another Law promulgated, as the Rule 
 of Judgment in the Cafe of fuch Perfons. 
 They are called to the Knowledge of Chri- 
 ftianity ; they have Time allowed them to 
 live in the Pi-adice of its Precepts, and by 
 that means to fecure, and encreafe, their 
 future Happinefs : and yet they tranfgrefs 
 its Com.mands; and, to all their repeated 
 Affronts to God and his Lav/s, they add 
 the Affurance of imagining, and exped:- 
 ing, that He will deal with them, as He 
 deals with Men, who fincerely receive, and 
 profefs the Chriftian Religion 3 and do 
 whatever they can, in that fhorter Time 
 which is allowed them, to demonitrate the 
 Sincerity of their inward Belief, and out- 
 ward Profeffion. 
 
 Almighty God doth all his Works 
 
 with the mod exad: Proportion : nor can 
 
 it eafily be imagined that perfed Wifdom, 
 
 and perfed Power, can do otherwife. 
 
 B b 3 And 
 
374 ^^ Exa772ple of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. And there is no doubt, therefore, but that 
 XVII. j^g y^,\\\ difpenfe bis Rewards and Puniih- 
 ^^^ ments, with the greateft Equity, and Im- 
 partiaHty. Now can it be confident with 
 any Pvules of Equity and Proportion, to 
 make thofe equal in a State of Retributi- 
 on , whcfe Cafes, and Behaviour , have 
 been vaftly different, in a State of Tryal ? 
 <Bat, bcfides this, it is fufficiently declared 
 to us, in the Name of Almighty God, that 
 He will very much confider, what Light 
 . hath been afforded ; what Powers Perfons 
 ; have enjoyed ; what Time hath been al- 
 * lowed them ; what Improvement they have 
 2 made of this Light; what ufe they have 
 j,made of thefe Powxrs -, and how they 
 ^have fpent this Time, that they have had 
 , granted to them. And though He will 
 very favourably deal with thofe who cn- 
 jov leffer Degrees of Light, and Power ; 
 and no happy Opportunities of Improve- 
 ^^ment ; as Equity requires : yet this is 
 far from fl:iewing that He will be equally 
 favourable to thofe who have enjoyed 
 greater /Advantages, and happier Opportu- 
 nities ; and have made no other ufe of 
 
 them^ 
 
upon the Crofsy C07tfide7^ed, 375 
 
 them, but to affront and didionour botliSERM. 
 God, and Religion, the more. On the •^^^^• 
 contrary, the only Ground of his Favour 
 to the former fort, being their want of' 
 Light, and Opportunity ; this rather implies 
 in it, that where he hath afforded Light,* 
 and Opportunity, there He may juftly, and* 
 will certainly, require a flridt and fevere 
 Account of the Ufe and Improvement that* 
 have been made of them. 
 
 Indeed, in tne Parable of the La- 
 bourers hired, at feveral Hours, into the 
 Vineyard, Mattk, xx. i. fome have been 
 apt to think that the Method of Proceed- 
 ing is fuch, as to encourage Chriftians to 
 depend upon what they fhall be able to do 
 in their laft Moments; and to hope, on 
 the account of That, to be made equal, in 
 the Favour of God, to thofe who have 
 ferved Him faithfully, through their whole 
 Lives \ and fo, to conclude that it is no 
 great Matter, how long foever they defer 
 their Repentance. This Parable I fliall, 
 therefore, in my next Difcourfe, diflindiy 
 and fully confider. At prefent, I fhall ony 
 obferve that it Vv^as chiefly intended to fig- 
 B b 4 nify - 
 
37^ ^he Examph of the Thief 
 
 Serm. nify to the Jews that Almighty God 
 X V II. would make the Gentiles equal to them, in 
 
 ^^'^all Privileges, if they did, in x\\z laft Age 
 of thelVorld (as the Gofpel-Age is called) 
 accept the Invitation given them ; and be- 
 lieve, and obey, the Dodrine of the Gof- 
 .pel : which Interpretation wholy takes a- 
 way the Ground of the Objeclion. And, 
 as fiir as it can be fuppofed to concern par- 
 ticular Perfons, I mud obfcrve, that it can 
 only (ignify that God will reward all fuch 
 with his Favours, as do, whenever they are 
 called to the Knowledge of the Goipel, 
 heartily ernbrice it, and readily obey the 
 Precepts of it, how little Time foever be I 
 allowed them for fo doing. \ 
 
 But can any ant^ though never fo wil- 
 ling to be impofed upon, in this Cafe, find 
 out, I will not fay in this Parable, but in 
 tiie whole New Teflanjcrit, any reward 
 for thofe who are called to the Knowledge 
 of the Golpei in the beginning of their 
 Lives, in the firft Hours of their Day ; and 
 3'et either refufe to come in, upon fo gra- 
 cious an Invitation ; or elfe, profelling to 
 obey ihat Call, and entering themfeives in- 
 to 
 
zipon the Crofs^ conjtdered. 'T^'jj 
 
 to his Religion, and pretending to accept S e r m. 
 the Terms offered by our bleiTed Lord, not ^^^I- 
 only: prove ufeleis and negligent of their 
 Lord's Honour and Service: but even fpend 
 that Time which is due, upon their own 
 Contrad:, to the Service of their Mafter, 
 in ruining his good Defigns ; in diflionour- 
 ing his Name ; in abufing their Fellow-Ser- 
 vants ; or in fome other fort of Pradice 
 detrimental to their Mailer's true Intereft, 
 or inconfiilent with the Office which they 
 have taken upon themfelves ? Wheiv^ do 
 we read of any fuch Servants as rhefe, re- 
 warded and honoured, at laft, by their Ma- 
 iler ? Whenever we meet with the mention 
 of any fuch, in the Gofpel^ it is v/ith a very 
 fad Conclufion, at the End of their Story: 
 and this merely for not improving the Ta- 
 hnts committed to them ; for the neglect- 
 ing to do God pofitive Service in their Sta- 
 tions ; for not ufing the Opportunities, and 
 Abilities, put into their Hands by Providence, 
 for their own Eternal Intereft, and the Ho- 
 nour of their great Mafter r Hovv'' much 
 more fliall this heavy Sentence be ^pronoun- 
 ced upon fuch as not only have not impro- 
 ved 
 
378 T^he Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. ved the Time, and Abilities, and Advanta- 
 XVII. geg^ py^; jj^^Q their Hands i but have like- 
 ^"^'^'^ wife ufed this Time, and thefe Abilities, 
 and Advantages, which God in mercy hath 
 afforded them, to the Differvice of Himfelf, 
 and the Difgrace of his holy Religion; do- 
 ing very great Mifchief by their Example 
 and Influence; affronting God, and ma- 
 king his Enemies to blafphem^e ? Whei-e do 
 we read, all through the Gofpel, of any 
 fuch Perfon, after a Continuance of Af- 
 fronts and Indignities offered to Almighty 
 God, during his Chriflian ProfelTion, ac- 
 cepted at laft to Mercy, on Account of the 
 Sorrow of his dying Hour ? That which 
 hath, moft of all, inclined Men to be de- 
 ceived in this Cafe, is the Inflance of the 
 crucified .Malefadlor : and this Inftance, we 
 have now evidently feen, to be at the great- 
 eft diftance from any Likenefs to the Cafe 
 of fuch as areprofeiicd Chriftians, and live \ 
 on, in a Courfe of Sin, under the Influ- 
 ence of fo groundlefs an Expectation. How 
 great, therefore, as well as fatal, miuft the 
 Miftake of thofe be, who being Chriftians, 
 and having many and continued Opportu- 
 nities 
 
upo?t the Crofs^ confidered. 379 
 
 nities of living worthy of that Name, ftill s e ^ m. 
 continue wilfully in their Sins ; and argue XVII. 
 themfelves into a fond Expeftation of God's ^-/'V'^ 
 Mercy at laft, fronri an Injlance which bears 
 no manner of relation to the Condition, and 
 Circumftances, in which T^bey are ? 
 
 2. I SHALL now mention another Mif- 
 take, which is ufually founded upon the 
 Inftance of the crucified Malefador : and 
 that is, the Miftake of thofe, who do not, 
 indeed, make any ill ufe of it in the Con- 
 dudt of their own Lives ; but yet make ufe 
 of it, to encourage the Frejiimption, and 
 prevent xh^Defpair, of dying Sinners, who 
 have lived all their Lives long, in the Pro- 
 fcflion of Chriftianity, and in the Violation 
 of its Laws; and this, to the great Preju- 
 dice of other Chriftians who furvive them. 
 This Miftake, I confefs, as far as it is found- 
 ed upon this Inftance, is fo much the fame, 
 with the former, in the Ground of it, that 
 it can hardly be reckoned as diftindt from it: 
 and it hath been fufBciently confuted, un- 
 der this View, by what I have faid, upon 
 x\\(^ former, 10 fhew that this Injlance touch- 
 cth not the Cafe of fuch profeffed Chrifti- 
 ans* 
 
,380 The Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. ans. But, as it is applied to another Par- 
 XVII. pole ; and as it is not only founded upon 
 ^^'^^^ this Example of the crucified MalefaBory 
 but upon very wrong, and groundlefs, No- 
 tions concerning Prefumption and Defpair ; 
 it feems to defervc a particular, and diftindl 
 place, in the prefent Debate, as it will give 
 occafion for the fettling the true Nature of 
 thofe Two Difpofitions of Mind : the mif- 
 underftanding of which hath certainly been 
 the reafon of reprefenting what is generally 
 called Defpair^ as the greareft of Sins ; and 
 of making what is truly a criminal Fre^ 
 fumption^ to be a neceflary Duty. 
 
 Now here I fhall lay down one Propo- 
 lition, which is fufficient to determine this 
 Matter : viz. That thefe Two Difpofitions 
 of Mind muft be judged of, by the profeiTed 
 Terms of the Gofpel ; and not by any fup- 
 pofed Poffibilities, And, according to thefe, 
 I think it is evident that for One who hath, 
 againfl all the Calls of God's Spirit, and all 
 the Checks of his own Confcience, conti- 
 nued to live in a conilant Courfe of Sin ^ 
 for (uch an one, I fay to hope, with any 
 fort of Afiurance, that God will bring him 
 
 to 
 
upon the Crofsj conjidered. 381 
 
 to the Happinefs, promifed in the Gofpel S e r m. 
 only toHolinefs and Righteoufnefs, is not/^^^ 
 a virtuous Hope; becaufe it is an Hope with- 
 out any Ground, or folid Foundation : but 
 is a vain, and groundlefs Prefumption ; and 
 fuch a Prefumptio?!, as feems, in truth, to 
 affront Almighty God, by fuppofmg that He 
 will depart, for this Man s Sake, from his 
 own declared and profeffed Terms. And, 
 on the contrary, for fuch an one to De- 
 /pair ; that is, to think that He, having 
 continued through the Time of his Health, 
 and Converfation in the World, an habi- 
 tual Sinner 5 and being that wicked Man, 
 whom the Gofpel conflantly, and in multi- 
 tudes of Paffages, condemns ; that He, I 
 fav, beine fuch an one, fhall be condemned 
 ' at the great Day, as the Gofpel faith : This 
 is indeed his Mifery ; bat is fo far from be- 
 ing his Sin, that I do not fee, if He be- 
 lieveth the Gofpel, how He can poffibly 
 avoid thinking (o. But, as if it were of no 
 Importance to be guided by the Declaracions 
 of the Gofpel it felf, in this great Affair ; 
 dying Chriftians, who have lived a Life of 
 habitual and wilful Wickednefs, have been 
 
 led 
 
382 5^^ Example of the Thief 
 
 S E R M. led Into fuch Notions of thefe Two Things, 
 XVII. that they have come to think this ground- 
 ^^^^""^^^^ lefs Prejiimption their Duty: and, what is 
 of worfe confequence, many By-flanders 
 have been fatally corrupted into a Security 
 in finning, by the fame Expeftations from 
 this unreafonable Confidence in God. 
 Whereas there is nothing in this Confidence, 
 that can alter, or aff^e6l, the Nature of 
 Things : nor is there any Paflage in the 
 whole New T'ejlament^ which recommends 
 fuch a CoJifidence^ in fuch Circumftances ; 
 or which implietli in it, that it is the Duty 
 of fuch Perfons, or any Advantage to them 
 in the Eyes of God, to be confident of thofe 
 Mercies, of which, in truth. He hath fo- 
 lemnly declared they {hall never partake. 
 
 I T is true that many of the beft fort of 
 Chriftians may, in a low and afflided Con- 
 dition , entertain an unreafonable and 
 groundlefs Defpondency, or Defpair. They 
 may imagine that they have not been thofe 
 Chriftians, who fliall be rev^arded at laft ; 
 and be filled with very melancholy Appre- 
 henfions concerning their future Condition. 
 But this Imagination of theirs cannot aft'edl 
 
 their 
 
upon the Crofs^ mtfidered. 383 
 
 their future State : which will be determi- § ^ r m. 
 ned by that God who knows all things as XVII. 
 they are ; and will deal with them, accord- W'VNi 
 ing to what they really have been ^ not ac- 
 cording to what they imagine themfelves 
 to have been. And this Imagination, pro- 
 ceeding from an Excefs of Humility, or 
 from bodily Diforder, is only their prefent 
 Unhappinefs 5 not their Sin : and is remo- 
 ved far from them, as foon as they them- 
 felves are removed out of this State. Where- 
 as the Defpondency of thofe profefled Chri- 
 (lians, who have refolutely continued wick- 
 ed to the laft, is truly well-grounded upon 
 the Gofpel-Ekclarations ; and, as it is (o^ 
 is likewife part of their Punifliment, begun 
 in this World, in the inward Torment of 
 their own Minds : which, if it might be 
 removed from therh, upon any Promife, or 
 Declaration, of God, I fliould moft willingly 
 do it. But who vv^ould dare to incite them 
 to affure themfelves of the Favour of that 
 God, who hath fo plainly declared that 
 They fhall not fee his Face; and that He will 
 be to fuch Sinners a confumhig Fire, 
 
 Nay, 
 
384. 7>5- Example of the Thief 
 
 Serm. Nay, is ic not to bring a iafting Dif- 
 XVII. grace upon the Caiile of Virtue, to teach 
 ^^^"'^^'^ that the confident Affurance of the moft 
 profligate Sinner, when He comes to die, 
 ( perhaos, a more confident Ailurance than 
 the beft of Chriftians commonly have,) (hall 
 fee l)im as much out of the reach of God's 
 Difpleafure 5 and in as fecure a Condition 5 
 as that of the moft virtuous Perfons, who 
 have fpent their whole Lives in the Con- 
 templation, and Pradice, of the Laws of 
 Chriftianity. The Go/pel is far from faying 
 anv fuch thin^: and, therefore, xh^Pt^each- 
 crs of the Gofpel muft likewife be far from 
 entertaining the Confciences of Chriftians 
 with any fuch Fancies 5 who, if they have 
 any Senfe themfelves, w^ill not eafily Aval- 
 low fuch unreafonable Dodrines. 
 
 I GRANT, indeed, that the beft thing 
 v/hich the moft wicked of Chriftians can do, 
 when they come within View of Death ; 
 and what all about them ought to encou- 
 rage them to do ; is to make themfelves as 
 feniible, as they pofilbly can, of the Evil of 
 their paft Ways; to move themfelves, upon 
 the beft ConfiderationS; to abhor and de- 
 left 
 
upon the Crofs^ conjldered. 385 
 
 teft them ; and folemnly to warn all about S e r m. 
 them from the Paths, in which themselves ^^II« 
 have walked. But, after all this, who could ^^^'^^^^ 
 fay that thefe Perfons have come up, in any 
 tolerable degree, to the Terms of the Gof- 
 pel? Or, who could encourage any fuch 
 notorious Sinners to aflure themfelves of the 
 Mercy of God, unlefs a plain Text of Scrip- 
 ture, or Law of Reafon, could be found, 
 fuitable to their Cafe, or promifing them 
 Happinefs ? They muft ftill be left ( as far 
 as the Gofpel hath concerned it felf ) in 
 the State, in which That pronounceth wil- 
 ful and habitual Sinners to be. The utmoft 
 that can be faid is, that they mud be left to 
 the uncove?2anted Mercies of God : and the 
 higheft degree of hope which they can 
 have, muft be founded upon this, that Al- 
 mighty God may poffibly depart from his 
 fettled Method ; and recede from the Terms 
 which He hath openly profeffed, for the fake 
 of thofe, who have lived. Year after Year, 
 in an open Violation of his Laws ; againft 
 all the Checks of their Confciences, and all 
 the Calls of his Gofpel. Which let thejn 
 believe, who can fwallow, and embrace, 
 
 C c any 
 
386 Hhe Danger of depending 
 
 S E R M. any Abfurdities, rather than forfake their 
 
 XVII. Sins. 
 
 ^^^^""^ Having, as I hope, very evidently 
 fhewn that there is nothing, in this Inilance 
 of the believing and penitent Malefaftor, 
 which can, with the leaft Colour of Rea* 
 fon , encourage any , who have been , 
 through many Years, profeffcd Chriftians, 
 and habitual Sinners, to depend upon the 
 Sorrow of their Death-beds, for Acceptance 
 with God ; and having thus finifhed what 
 I propofed to difcourfe of from this Exam- 
 ple: I (liall now take occaficn to enquire 
 whether, in the nature of the thing it felf, 
 there be any greater Ground for Hope, than. 
 We have feen, there is in the Inftance We 
 have been confidering. And this, I think, 
 will be very proper, not only becaufe the 
 Subieft naturally enough leads us to it ; 
 but becaufe it is very obfervable that one 
 great Support of fuch unhappy Perfons, as 
 go on in a Courfe of Sin, and yet retain 
 fome Senfe of Religion, and makeProfeffi- 
 on of Chriftianity, is the Hope which they 
 have placed in the Sorrow of their Death- 
 beds, as if there were fome peculiar Charm, 
 
 and 
 
upon a Death-bed Sorrow. 387 
 
 and Efficacy, in that, above any other Sor- S e r m, 
 row, (which they falfely call Repentance,) ^^^I- 
 conceived, or expreffed, in any other Pare ^"^'^'^'^^ 
 of their Lives. 
 
 N o w, in what is it that this laft Sorrow 
 hath the Advantage over any other? In 
 what it agrees with the Sorrow, and Re- 
 gret, which a Man hath felt in the Time 
 of his Health, it cannot be preferred before 
 it : becaufe it differs not from it. And in 
 what it really differs from it, I fear, it will 
 be found to have the Difadvantage on its 
 fide. For it feems to me that it is much 
 lefs likely to be iincere, or fuch as would, 
 upon Trial, prove effectual, than the other : 
 it being probably rather extorted by the 
 Profped: and Fear of Death, than by the 
 Perfuafion of Reafon ^ and frequently ac- 
 companied with fuch Terrors, as make it 
 rather a Diflradion, than a rational Grief, 
 or a confcientious Sorrow, Whereas, a 
 Regret and Concern for paft Sins, in Time 
 of Health, and whilft a Man hach not fo 
 near a Profped: of a State of Retribution, 
 may be fuppofed more fincere, and more 
 likely to influence Him : becaufe it may 
 C c 2 juftly 
 
388 "The Danger of depending 
 
 Se R M. juftly be thought to be more the Refult of 
 XVII. Reafon, and Judgment ; and rather pro- 
 ^^^^^"^^^ ceeding from a well-grounded Perfuafion 
 of the Man's own Mind, and the juft Con- 
 lideration of the Nature of Things, than 
 from the terrible Dread of immediate Pu- 
 nifhment. 
 
 And yet how is this laft Sorrow ufually 
 preferr'd ; and accounted of a more excel- 
 lent Nature than any of the former ? One 
 would think, merely becaufe it is the laft. 
 Whereas that can make no difference in 
 the Eyes of God : who always judgeth truly, 
 from the nature of the Thing ; and not 
 from the Time^ or any of thofe inconfide- 
 rable Circumftances, which often hide the 
 true nature of things from mortal Eyes, and 
 finite Underftandings. Nay, we our felves 
 cannot judge whether our own prefent Sor- 
 row, and Compundlion, be of that nature 
 as that they would work in us true Repen- 
 tance and Amendment; were we entrufted 
 with more Opportunities of making the 
 Trial. And this is another Reafon why we 
 fhould build nothing upon it, either in our 
 own Cafe, or that of others; becaufe, even 
 
 fuppofing 
 
upon a Death-bed Sorrow. 389 
 
 fuppofing that it would be fincer^ and ef- S t r m. 
 fedual in its Influences, were more Time XVII. 
 allowed ; yet this is a Matter wholy out of *^-^'''^^^**^ 
 the reach of our Knowledge, and wholy im- 
 poffible for us to judge of. 
 
 But, indeed, it is a very material Ob- 
 fcrvation, that wicked Men have much lefs 
 reafon to think this laft Sorrow thoroughly 
 and undoubtedly fincere, than they have 
 heretofore had to think any of their for- 
 mer Sorrows fo; which yet, they know, 
 have ended in nothing confiderable. There 
 are few profeffed Chriftians, even amongft 
 the wickedell of them, who have not, one 
 time or other, had fome juft and concern- 
 ing Thoughts about that Courfeof Sin, and 
 thofe wilful Vices, in which they have in- 
 dulged themfelves ; who have not, one 
 time or other, detefled and refolved to for- 
 fake them, in the Days of their Health and 
 Profperity ; when they had nothing to 
 move them but the Nature of the thing, 
 and the great Reafonablenefs of receiving, 
 and obeying, the Gofpel. If, therefore, 
 they have found that Regret, and Concern^ 
 which they have had, in the beft Seafon, 
 
 C c 3 and 
 
39^ 7^^ Da?2ger of depending 
 
 Serm. and which had fo good Ground for it, to 
 -^^^^- come to nothing; to v;iriifli into Air; and 
 ^^^ leave no good Influence, nor fhew any 
 Power, upon their Lives and Adions : up- 
 on what Accounts can they think, That Sor- 
 row would have any better, or more laft- 
 ing, EiFedl, were the Trial made, which 
 for ought t^ey know, is wholy owing to 
 the prefent Fear of Death, and the near 
 Profped of a future Puniftiment; and con- 
 fequently will moft probably vanilh, when 
 that. Fear, and that Profp eft, are removed 
 from them? 
 
 They will, I dare fay, acknowledge no 
 fuch Sorrow of a fick Bed, to be of any 
 Effed:, if they recover, and relapfe to their 
 former Sins. And how many fuch Inflan- 
 ces have they ic^n in others ? And how of- 
 ten have they themfelves relapfed, after a 
 better, and more reafonable, Sorrow, than 
 this can be efteemed ? And how then can 
 they fo flatter themfelves, as to imagine 
 that this laft, and unproved, Sorrow is 
 trul) {iv\iutXQ', and would be truly eiTedual, 
 were Opportunity given it to fhew its Pow- 
 er, and difplay its Influences : when they 
 
 have 
 
upon a Death-bed Sorrow. 391 
 
 have not one probable Argument on their S e r m» 
 fide, to give Ground for fuch an Imagina- XVII. 
 tion ; but great Prefumptions, and much ^^^'^^^^ 
 Experience, againft it. So that there is no 
 Foundation for fuch a Suppofition : and 
 yet, without it, there is not the leaft Sha- 
 dow of Hope, to fupport them. How 
 miferably deluded, therefore, muft they be, 
 who thus rely upon a Reed ; who thus 
 build all thfiir Hopes, and all their Expecta- 
 tions of Happinefs, upon that which is of 
 a weaker nature, than what, they have ex- 
 perienced, to have deceived them already; 
 who would fain efcape Mifery, and attain 
 to Happinefs, and yet will take none but a 
 defperate Method, and fuch an one, as will 
 too certainly difappoint and cheat them at 
 laftl 
 
 And that they, who indulge themfelves 
 in the Habit of any fort of Sins, may be the 
 more eifcdually fenfible of this; I would 
 ask them, whether they believe that Al- 
 mighty God will punifh any fort of Perfons 
 in another State ; or whether there are any 
 Men iii this World now, who ihall be con- 
 demned, at the great Day, to that miferable 
 C c 4 State 
 
392 The Danger of depending 
 
 Se R M. State v/hich is threatned in the Gofpel. If 
 XVII. they pretend not to believe any fuch thing 
 ^"^"^^^ as this ; why are they in fuch Fears, and 
 in fo great Concern, about it? Why do 
 the Terrors of the Lord opprefs them ? And 
 why do they betray fo much Uneafinefs, 
 at the Thoughts of appearing before Him? 
 But if they do believe that thus it fhall be 
 with fome fort of Perfons, ( as they appear 
 to do by their Prefages, and Apprehenfi- 
 ons ; ) I would then ask, Who, they think, 
 thej are, that fliall inherit moft of the An- 
 ger of God in that future State. Surely, 
 They^ who, upon the account of their 
 whole Lives, do moft deferve it. And 
 who are they that moft deferve it ? It 
 niuft be either the Wilful Sifiners of the 
 unbelieving World ; or the Wilful Sin^ 
 nerSj who are profeffed Chriftians, and en- 
 joy the Light, and Affiftance, of Chrift's 
 Gofpel. And which of tliefe Two do moft 
 deferve it^ is too evident to need many 
 'Words. For who can be fo unreafonable 
 as to think that They who iin not againft 
 fo clear Light, and fo evident a Divine Au- 
 thority to the contrary, are in a more def- 
 
 perate 
 
upon a Death'hed Sorrow. 393 
 
 perate Condition, than thofe who are, or S e r m. 
 may be, fully acquainted with God's Will ; -^V^^- 
 who agree to the Reafonablenefs of it ; who 
 profefs to fulfil it ; and yet live, through 
 their whole Lives, in exprefs Contradidlion 
 to it ? No, certainly, if our Saviour fpeak 
 Truth; or if the Rule of Equity be con- 
 fulted 'y They Jhall be beaten with mojl 
 Stripes , who have k?2own their Maftcr's 
 Will^ and have not done it \ They, who have 
 had all fair Opportunities for Reformation, 
 and the Pradlice of Virtue, and have abufed 
 them all to the Purpofes of Vice. 
 
 I F, therefore, l!hey fhall be moil mife- 
 rable in another State, who have moft de- 
 ferved it ; as without doubt they fhall : 
 tell me, I befeech you, who can deferve it 
 more than the Chriftian, who hath the 
 greateft Favours, and Obligations, beftow- 
 ed upon Him ; the holieft Law to go- 
 vern Him ; the brighteft Light to diredt 
 Him ; the moft powerful Affiftance to 
 ftrengthcn Him 5 and yet goes on to fin 
 againft all the Obligations, and all the 
 Engagements, and all the Motives, to the 
 contrary, which are contained in his Pro- 
 
 felfion. 
 
394- -^^ Dmtger of depending 
 
 S E R M. feffion. And confcquently, unlefs you will 
 XVII. fuppofe, and maintain, that there fhall be 
 
 ^^y*'^'^ no fuch thing as Punidinient in another 
 Worlds but that all (hall equally, either 
 fink into nothing, or be made happy ^ you 
 mufl; be perfuaded of this, as of a certain 
 Truth, that the wicked Chriftian, who con- 
 tinues a wilful Sinner, under the Cloke of 
 his holy Profeffion, is the Perfon , who, 
 becaufe He moft of all deferves this Punifh- 
 ment, fliall therefore moft undoubtedly in- 
 herit it. Nor can his Grief, when He comes 
 within View of it, alter the Cafe : for 
 Grief h not Holinefs, nor Virtue ; nor pro- 
 bably would it end in the Pradice of them : 
 and thefe are the liiings required of Chrif- 
 tians, in the Time of their Health, and 
 during their Converfation in this World. 
 But I need not, I hope, add any more 
 Words, in order to reprefent to you the 
 Vanity and Weaknefs of that fatal Miftake 
 of fome wilful Sinners, that the Sorrow, 
 which they referve to be exprefled upon 
 their Death-beds, will atone for the profli- 
 gate, and unchriftian, Conduft of their 
 whole paft Lives. 
 
 And 
 
upon a Death-bed Sorrow. 3 95 
 
 And now, Chriftians, what fliall wcSerm. 
 fay to thefe Things ? Shall not all that XVII. 
 hath been urged to (hew the Unreafonable- ^-^"^^^^ 
 nefs of thofe Hopes which are built upon 
 any fuch Pretenfe, as I have now been ex- 
 amining, feparated from a Life of Righte- 
 oufnefs, and true Goodnefs : {hall it not, 
 I fay, move us all to lay hold on the pre- 
 fent Opportunity; and to work out our 
 Salvation , whilji the Day lajls ; becaufe 
 the Night co^neth^ ( the Night of Sick- 
 nefs, and of Death,) when ?io Man can 
 work ? How happy would it be for us, 
 would we be induced to live as becomes 
 Chriftians ; and worthy of that holy 
 Name by which we are called ; and of 
 that Divine Mafter, to whom We have 
 given up our felves r This is the Thing 
 required of U>, who have Time allowed 
 us to fhew the Sincerity of our Faith and 
 Profejfion: and this alone it is, that can 
 entitle us to the Favour of God, and the 
 Rewards of Heaven. If we be in earneft 
 feeking after Happinefs j let us not take 
 the Road which leads to certain MKcry : 
 but that good Path which our Lord himfelf 
 
 hath 
 
396 7he Danger of depending^ &c. 
 S E R M ^ hath marked out to us, both by his Exam- 
 
 XVIL pie, and his Precepts; which will infal- 
 ^'^''^ libly bring us to his Heavenly Kingdom. 
 A?nen ! 
 
 I 
 
 8ER> 
 
f 397 ] 
 
 The Parable of the Labourers in the Vine- 
 yardy conjidered. 
 
 SERMON XVIII. 
 
 MATTHEW XX. i, &c. 
 
 For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a 
 Man that is an Houfdolder^ which went 
 out early in the Morning to hire Labourers 
 into his Vineyard^ &c. 
 
 N my laft Difcourfe, I obferved S e r m, 
 to you that fome Perfons had XVIIL 
 miftaken and perverted the ^-^'VNJ 
 Parable in this Chapter; vain- 
 ly arguing, from one part of it, that the 
 laft Hour , or even the laft Minute , of 
 Life, may be fufficient for the Work of 
 Repentance , and turning to God. In 
 that^ I only propofed one or two Confi- 
 
 derations 
 
39^ The Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. derations in general : but I now defiga 
 XVIII. ^^ handle this Matter more particularly j 
 that it may the more clearly be feen, not 
 only that this Parable gives not the leaft 
 Encouragement to any fuch Thought ; but 
 that it really proves to all, who profefs 
 Chriftianity, the abfolute Neceffity of Ho- 
 linefs and Virtue, before the laft Sicknefs, 
 and Death, approach. In order to this, it 
 will be necefiary, 
 
 I. T o lay before you an Account of the 
 Parable it felf. 
 
 II. To ihew you, what was intended to 
 be fignified by it. 
 
 III. T o prove that there is no Founda- 
 tion in it, for any fuch Imagination, as 
 that before-mentioned : but an adtual De- 
 claration of the contrary. 
 
 I. A s for the Parable it felf; it fets forth 
 to us an Houfjolder going forth into the 
 Market-place , to hire Men to come and 
 work for Him, in his Vineyard ; that He 
 met with fome fooner than He did with o- 
 thers ; that thofe whom He hired lateft^ 
 came as foon as He called and invited 
 them j and laboured heartily for the Time 
 
 that 
 
in the Vimyard^ confidered. 399 
 
 that they were in his Vineyard ; and, at S e r m. 
 the End of their Day, were by his Favour XVIII. 
 rewarded, for that fmcere and hearty , ^•Z""*^^'^ 
 though fhort. Labour, with the fame Re- 
 ward which He had agreed to beflow upon 
 thofe whom He hired much fooner. This 
 is the Summ of the Parable -^ as far as it 
 concerns my prefent Defign : for it is not 
 of Importance to relate every particular 
 Circumflance of it. The main Matter here 
 to be confidered, is the Reward beflowed 
 upon Thofe who came fo late into the Vine- 
 yard. 
 
 II. I MUST therefore, now {hew you 
 what was intended by this Parable, And 
 it is plain that it was defigned to reprefent 
 the \'Tethod of God in difpenfing his Fa- 
 vours ^ d ^-.v^irus to the World. "The 
 Kingac '-avcn ^ or the Method of 
 
 Gog's c ;th Mankind in the Revela- 
 
 tion ■■■.- :^ Will, and rhe calling Jx rhera 
 to hmdelf, was to be fet forth in it. But 
 to be more particular, 
 
 I. It is moft probabl . and, I believe, 
 certain, that the mair. 11' not the whole, 
 Defign of it, was to account for i-: u great 
 
 Stumbling- 
 
40 o "The Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. Stumbling-block, as it was indeed, to the 
 XV III. ill^natur'd Jews ; viz, God's calling in the 
 ^^^^^^^"^^^ Gentiles to Himfelf, after the Jews ; and 
 making Them equal to Thefe, in Privileges 
 and Favours, upon their fincere Acceptance 
 of his Invitation. In the lafi Verfe of the 
 preceding Chapter^ our Lord declareth that 
 many that are jirfi Jhall be lajl^ and the lajl 
 frji : that is, that, in thofe firft called to 
 the Knowledge of God, viz. the Jews^ 
 and thofe to be called after them, viz. the 
 Gentiles^ God would make no diifFerence; 
 provided He found a fmcere Difpofition to 
 obey his Call, and ferve Him truly. Then 
 immediately, at xhtjirft Verfe of the 20th 
 Chapter^ our Lord goes on to illuftrate 
 what He had there faid \ and to difcover the 
 Equity of it. 
 
 I N this Senfe then, of the Parable^ Al- 
 mighty God is reprefented as calling Man- 
 kind at feveral Ages of the World : the 
 ^-fews^ and their Forefathers, in the firft 
 Ages ; and, in the lafi Age^ viz. that of 
 the Gofpel, as calling the Gentile World to 
 the Kiiowlej^^e of himfelf j and admitting 
 them to equal Privileges with the Jews^ 
 
 who 
 
in the Vineyard-i conjidered. 401 
 
 who thought themfelves his peculiar Peo- S e r m. 
 pie ; and rewarding them after the fame ^^^^J- 
 manner , upon their lincere Compliance ^-'^^^^ 
 with his Terms, and Acceptance of his 
 Invitation. The Gentile World are repre- 
 fented as coming into his Gofpel, upon 
 his Call ; and living worthy of it after 
 their coming into it : and our Lord is re- 
 prefented, at the End of the Day of this 
 Life, as rewarding Them, as much as the 
 yews themfelves, who were called to the 
 Knowledge of God, in a fo much earlier 
 Age. 
 
 That which makes it moft probable 
 that this was the true Intent of our Lord, 
 in this Parable^ is, that this calling of the 
 Gentiles to equal Privileges with the "Jensos^ 
 was certainly a Matter which was to be 
 opened by due Degrees, even to the beft- 
 temper'd amongft them ; who were averfe 
 enough to all Thoughts of it : and like- 
 wife, that there is exprefs mention made in 
 it, of the murmuring of thofe who were 
 hired firjiy againfl the Mafter of the Houfe,, 
 for rewarding the lajl equally with them. 
 For this agrees very well with the uncon- 
 D d quered 
 
402 ^he Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. quered Prejudices of the Jewifh Nation ; 
 XVIIL and that Selfifhnefs of Mind, by which they 
 ^^'^^ had fet themfelves apart from the reft of 
 the World, and could not bear to think of 
 any who might be equal Sharers with them- 
 felves in the Favour of God, whofe People 
 they had fo long been. But it doth not 
 feem fo well to agree with a good Chrif- 
 tian's Temper J to repine, and murmur, 
 that any other fmcere Perfons are made as 
 happy, by the Favour of Almighty God, as 
 Himfelf is. It rather adds to fuch an one's 
 Happinefs, to fee others happy, than fowrs 
 and fpoils it. But, 
 
 2. L E T us fuppofe that the Parable was 
 intended to fignify to us the Method of 
 God's dealing with particular Perfons, in 
 the great Affair of their Happinefs, and Sal- 
 vation. And then, what is fet forth in it, 
 is this, that Almighty Cod, doth, in his 
 Providence, call and invite fome Perfons 
 to the Chriftian Religion fooner than o- 
 thers ; and that thofe who come lateft to 
 the Knowledge of his Will, if they readily 
 lay hold on his Invitation; if they accept 
 his Offer ; ( nor doth the Parable go any 
 
 farther 
 
in the Vineyard^ conjldered. 403 
 
 farther than the firjl Offer ; ) and comply S e r m. 
 with his Terms ; and enter into his Church ; ^^^1. 
 and labour in it ; working out their own ^^^VN4 
 Salvation , and producing all manner of 
 good Fruits, during that Seafon of Life 
 which is allowed them after this Call, and 
 Invitation: that thofe, I fay, who are thus 
 called, and do thus behave themfelves up- 
 on fuch Call, (hall, for that hearty Since- 
 rity, be equalled in reward, by Almighty 
 God, to thofe whom they would have cer- 
 tainly equalled in their Labours, if they had 
 been as foon called and invited into his 
 Church. 
 
 IIL Having thus laid down what was 
 certainly, or might poffibly be, intended by 
 this Parable : it will be the eafier to fhew 
 that there is no Foundation in it for any 
 fuch Imagination, as that the late Sorrow, 
 falfely called Repentance, of any Chriftian 
 who hath been a wilful habitual Sinner 
 through the whole Courfe of his Life and 
 Health, will atone at laft, for his Sins ; and 
 make him the Objedl of God's Favour: 
 For, 
 
 Dd 2 I. If 
 
404 7^^ Parable of the Labourers 
 
 Ser M. I. If we take the firfl: Account now 
 ^^I^^- given of the meaning of this Parable y 
 ^"'^^^'''^ which is certainly the true one ; then there 
 is nothing contained in it, but that the 
 Gentile World, though called to the Know- 
 ledge of God much later than the JewSy 
 yet, upon their acceptance of that Call, 
 and their hearty application of themfelves 
 to Chriftian good Works, fliall be accepted 
 to equal Privileges, with the JewSy who 
 had fo long before them, been the peculiar 
 People of God. This, therefore, cannot 
 poffibly bear any relation to the Cafe of 
 fuch particular Chriftians, as have been long 
 called to the Knowledge of God, and have 
 wilfully negleded to do the Works of him 
 that called them. No two Matters can be 
 more diftant from one another, than thefe 
 two are : And, therefore, there can be no 
 imaginable Argument drawn, from one to 
 the other. But, 
 
 2. Supposing that the Second Inter- 
 pretation be pitch'd upon: yet, even upon 
 this Suppofition, the Parable fets forth all 
 of them that are hired, as Labourers, The 
 PIouJl:older went out to hire Labourers into 
 
 his 
 
in the Vineyard^ conjidered. 405 
 
 his Vineyard: not fuch as profefled only to Se r m. 
 
 YVTTT 
 
 labour ; but fuch as would acSlually do it. '"Iti/^ 
 So that it is to none but fuch, that he agrees 
 to give any Reward. And when the Per- 
 fons hired are fpokcn of, they are all de- 
 fcribed as truly fetting themfelves to labour, 
 as foon as they are invited, and called in. 
 All the difference is, that fome are met 
 with earlier; and fome later; but as foon as 
 they are fpoken to, they all immediately 
 leave their former Station ; and apply them- 
 felves to work. There is mention indeed, 
 of fome Jlanding idle : but it was in the 
 Market-place-, and it was only becaufe they 
 had met with no body to hire them to work. 
 But as foon as they are hired, there is no 
 mention of their Idlenefs in the Vineyard : 
 but there they worked, immediately, as foon 
 as they enter 'd ; and continued to do fo, as 
 long as the Day lafted, 
 
 Vl^HAT is there then for a Chriftian to 
 learn from hence ? Why, If this Parable 
 touch his particular Cafe ; what He muft 
 learn, is this, viz, that the Supreme Houf- 
 holder, when He calls him into his Vine- 
 yard, the Church, hireshimas a Z^^^oz^r^r; 
 D d 3 and. 
 
40 6 'The Parable of the Labourers 
 
 SERM.and, under that Notion only, agrees with 
 XVIII. j^if^ fQj- a Reward ; that, as foon as He is 
 ^^^^'^ called to the Knowledge of the Gofpel, his 
 time is come for beginning to work ; that, 
 as long as He lives a Profeffor of the Gof- 
 pel, fo long doth the Day laft in which He 
 is to work ; that, if He entered into this 
 Religion in his young and early Days, He 
 muft in his young and early Days labour in 
 the Works of it; that, if He were old be- 
 fore He came to the Knowledge of it, and 
 had Chriftianity propofed to Him, He muft 
 immediately lay hold on the Propofal ; He 
 muft heartily profefs himfelf a Difciple of 
 the Mafter who invites him ; He Huift im- 
 mediately fet himfelf to his Work, and con- 
 tinue to approve himfelf a faithful Servant 
 to Him, as long as his State of Probation 
 lafts. This is what this Parable plainly fets 
 forth. For there is not one of thofe men- 
 tioned, who did not come into the Vine- 
 yard, and work in it, as foon as He was cal- 
 led ; not one, who was idle, unlefs out of 
 neceffity before He was hired; not one, 
 who continued idle afterwards, or did not 
 heartily work in the Vineyard ; not one, 
 
 who 
 
in the Vineyard^ conjtdered. 407 
 
 who delayed his coming in, or ufed any S e r m. 
 pretenfe to avoid working, while the time X^HT. 
 for working lafted : And, therefore, we ^^^"^^^"^ 
 find that, their Sincerity being equal, which 
 is the Ground of all, their Lord made their 
 Rewards equal. 
 
 I F therefore. We will apply this to the 
 State of particular Perfons in Chrift's Vine- 
 yard, the Church ; there can be no hopes 
 of Reward, according to this Parable, but 
 to fuch as carefully and confcientioully fet 
 thcmfelves to work in their State of Trial ; 
 to fuch as come in, when God calls them ; 
 and make ufe of all their Time afterwards, 
 to promote his Honour, and work out their 
 own Salvation. The Perfon, who is called 
 laft, and yet hath a Reward, is one who 
 hath not heard of the Gofpel till Age is 
 come upon him ; but, as foon as He doth 
 hear of it, embraces it; enters into the Ser- 
 vice of it; and fhews himfelf, in the time 
 He hath to live after this, a true and fmcere 
 Difciple of it, by the amendment and re- 
 formation of his Life. 
 
 Had it been fo indeed, that our Lord 
 
 had reprefentcd the Houjholder^ as calling 
 
 D d 4 Men 
 
40 8 The Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. Men into his Vineyard •> and, after they had 
 XVIII. entered into it, and profefled to work, and 
 ^•^^"^^"^ yet fpent their time in it idly, or mifchie- 
 voufly ; either in doing nothing, or in ru« 
 ining his Intereft j as rewarding fuch Per- 
 fons equally with thofe who had laboured 
 hard ; and this merely for their expreffing 
 a Sorrow at Night, for the wilful Faults of 
 the whole Day: fomething then might have 
 been urged ; and there might be fome co- 
 lour from hence, for hoping that Almighty 
 God will at laft reward Chriftians, who 
 profefs his Service, and enter his Vineyard 
 as Labourers, and live ufelefs, wicked, and 
 profligate Lives ; merely for their forrow- 
 ful Concern for their Sins, at the end of 
 their Day of Trial. But, as the Cafe is ; 
 and as the Parable is exprefled : what is 
 there, I befeech you, in it, that can poffi- 
 bly encourage any fuch Hope ? Nay, what 
 is there in it, but what forcibly fliews the 
 neceffity of Chriftian good Works, for the 
 Juftification of all who are called into Chrift's 
 Vineyard ; whether early or late ; whether 
 at the beginning, or towards the end, of 
 their Days ? 
 
 We, 
 
in the Fineyard^ confidered. 409 
 
 W E, for our parts, generally fpeaking, S e r m. 
 are called into God's Vineyard, at the very ^^"I. 
 firft Hour of the Day, at the dawning of -^^^^^ 
 our Lives ; educated in the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion 5 called upon, day after day, to live 
 worthy of that Holy Vocation wherewith 
 we arc called, and of that Profeffion which 
 we make. We are not, therefore, of the 
 Number of thofe who flood Idle in the 
 Market-place^ merely becaufe no one would 
 hire them j and fo were but late called in- 
 to the Vineyard. But we have been long 
 ago hired by God himfelf j and invited in- 
 to his Service by the promife of the moft 
 immenfe and unfpeakable Rewards. If, 
 therefore, "w^Jiand Idle ; it is in his Vine- 
 yard, in which we undertook to do him 
 Service. And if it be asked , why Jland 
 you here all the day Idle ? We cannot 
 have that to urge, becaufe no Body hath 
 hired us : for God Almighty is our Mafter ; 
 and we are his profeffed Servants. And 
 we can have nothing to expecft but the Pu- 
 nifhment due to fuch Servants, as hypocri- 
 tically pretend to ferve, while they difho- 
 nour and difobey, their Mafter. Little will 
 
 it 
 
4 1 o 7he Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. it avail us to take Refuge at laft in Sorrow ; 
 XVIII. ^hen, at the Evening, or at Night, our 
 ^■"^"^^^^^ Work is to be examined ; and the Enquiry 
 to be made, what we have done in that Ser- 
 vice which we have undertaken. If we 
 appeal to this Parable-, that fhews forth no 
 Reward, but for fuch as have adlually work- 
 ed in the Service of their Matter, from the 
 time of their admiffion into the Vineyard, 
 to the time of their being removed out of 
 it : and this will adminifter but little Com- 
 fort to any, who have fpent the time due 
 to their Matter, in the Service of his grea- 
 teft Enemy. And the mere pretending to 
 be his Difciple, or Servant, will be fo far 
 from leflening, that it mutt increafe, the 
 Guilt. 
 
 I N the Chapter following This which I 
 am now confidering, at the 28th Verfe, 
 our Lord propofeth the following Cafe to 
 the Jews, A certain Man had two Sons^ 
 and He came to the jirfi and /aid. Son, go 
 work to Day in my Vineyard. He anfwer-^ 
 ed and faid^ I will not. But afterward 
 He repented, and went. And He came to 
 the fecond, and faid likewife. And He 
 
 anjwered 
 
in the Vineyard^ conjidered. 41 1 
 
 anfwered and faidy I gOy Sir^ and wentSEn m. 
 not. Whether of them twain did the Will XVIII. 
 of his Father ? 'They fay unto Him, the ^^/^^^^'^ 
 Firji. He propofeth this, to let them know 
 that it was not the Profeffion of being his 
 Children, and his People; not the calling 
 Himy Lord^ Lord, that would fatisfy Al- 
 mighty God; but the doing his Will; and 
 that the profeffing to do it, did but aggra- 
 vate the Fault of not fmcerely anfwering 
 that Profeffion. He goes on to tell them, 
 that thofe very Harlots and Publicans, who, 
 though before at a diftance from all pre- 
 tenfes to ferve God, yet repented, and were 
 converted by the Preaching of John the 
 Baptijl, would go into the Kingdom of 
 God, and be accepted to his Favour, long 
 before fuqh as They were; who, making 
 great Profeffions of belonging to God, and 
 being his People, yet, were fcandaloufly de- 
 ficient in performing his Will, and con- 
 ftantly employed in provoking Him by their 
 Difobedience. This is the meaning of thofe 
 Words; and what follow. Verily, I fay 
 unto you, that the Publicans, and the Har- 
 lots^ go into the Kingdom of God before you. 
 
 Not 
 
412 ''The Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. Not that any , continuing fuch Sinners* 
 XVIII. could ever arrive at Happinefs : but, as it 
 ^''^^^^^^ foUov^s, that fuch Sinners, repenting at the 
 Preaching of John the Baptift, and reform- 
 ing their Lives ; even the vile Publicans, 
 fo much detefted by the Jews^ fhould be 
 vaftly preferred before them, with all their 
 Profeffions, and all their Proteftations. 
 
 The Vineyard, therefore, is not a place 
 of Oftentation ; but of Work : not framed 
 to feed and fupport the Idle ; but to em- 
 ploy the Diligent : not made to adorn, and 
 defend, all thofe that enter it ; but to be 
 adorned, and defended, by thofe v^ho pre- 
 tend to come into it. The very Notion of 
 it is, that it wants their Help, and Culti- 
 vation. This is what the great Mafter of it 
 cxpeds- This is what he hires his Labour- 
 ers for. If, therefore, the Reward be fo 
 great, and fo certain, for all, who enter as 
 foon as they are invited ; and fincerely la- 
 bour as loon as they are entered : how great, 
 and how certain, muft be the Punifhment 
 of thofe who ad the Reverfe of this ; who 
 enter indeed, with a Profeflion of work- 
 ing, but bafely defert the Caufe, and pro- 
 
 ftitute 
 
in theVintyardy conjtdered. 413 
 
 ftltute the Honour, and dlfregard the Com- S e r m, 
 mands of that qireat Matter who called and XVIII. 
 invited them to his Service. 
 
 S o that, from this Parable it is impof- 
 fible to coUedt any thing to footh profeffed 
 Chriftians in their hopes of being accepted 
 without a Life of Holinefs and Virtue: nay, 
 it is impoffible, one would think, not to 
 fee that the very defign and intent of it, 
 fuppofing it to refpedt particular Perfons, 
 muft be to (hew that it is indifpenfably re- 
 quired of all, at what time foever they are 
 called to the Knowledge of God and his 
 Gofpel, to obey that Call ; and confcienti- 
 oufly to employ the time allowed them, af- 
 ter this, in the good Works which God hath 
 marked out to them in his Law. Far be it, 
 therefore, from any Chriftian, who hath 
 long ago enter'd into God's Vineyard, to 
 argue himfelf, from this part of the Gofpel, 
 into any fhadow of Hope, whilft He is in a 
 date of fupine Negleft of his dury, or wil- 
 ful Difobedience to God. 
 
 And if we look into any other of thofe 
 Parables, by which our Lord reprefents the 
 Proceedings of Almighty God with his Ser- 
 vants ', 
 
414 ^^ Parable of the Labourers 
 
 S E R M. vants ; we fliall find the plaineft Difcourage- 
 XVIII. rnent to all fuch Hopes. When He repre- 
 ^-'''"^^^^ fents Him as a Mafter, intrufting feveral forts 
 of Talents to feveral Servants, Matth, xxv. 
 14. we find that He certainly expeds an 
 aftual Improvement of thofe TCalents j not 
 only, that they fhould not be made ufe of 
 againft his Honour and Intereft, but that 
 they Ihould not be buried, and rendfed ufe- 
 lefs : And accordingly, that, when one of 
 thofe Servants appears to his Lord to have 
 buried what was intruded to Him, that He 
 might be fure to reftore it whole at his re- 
 turn ; the Sentence is, Caji ye the unproji^ 
 table Servant into outer Darknefs : there 
 jhall be seeping and gnafiing of Teeth. See 
 from hence what Almighty God certainly 
 expefts from thofe who are called to hia 
 Knowledge, and his Service. Nor could all 
 the Sorrow of that Servant, at his Majiers 
 return, atone, or compenfate, for his paft 
 ill Conduft. 
 
 In the 21^ Chapter God is reprefented 
 as letting out his Vineyard to Husbandmen^ 
 who abufed his Mercy ; and, at laft, as de- 
 Jlroying them, and letting out his Vineyard 
 
 to 
 
in the Vineyard^ conjtdered. 415 
 
 to others 'who Jhould render him the Fruits S e r m. 
 in their Seafons, In another Parable, chap. XVIII. 
 xviii. at the end. He is reprefented, as de- ^"^"^^^ 
 livering over to the Tormentors, a Servant 
 only for being unmerciful, and implacable, 
 towards his Fellow-Servant. Doth all this 
 look, as if he would accept of any thing, 
 at laft, at the Hands of thofe who are called 
 into his Service, inftead of an hearty and 
 fincere Obedience j or, as if He did not 
 lay a Duty, an indifpenfable Duty, upon 
 them : the Duty of reforming whatever is 
 amifs in themfelves ; and of flouriihing in 
 all thofe good Fruits, and good Works, 
 which are well-pleafing in his Eyes ? 
 
 And thus have I done what I defigned : 
 And, as I hope, have, in this, and feveral 
 other Difcourfes, effeftually fhewn the great 
 Weaknefs, and Folly, of a Chriftian's rely- 
 ing upon any thing for Salvation, but the 
 adtual Reformation, and Amendment, of 
 what he knows to be finful in himfelf. 
 
 I CAN at prefent think but of one thing 
 more that remains to be touched upon, be- 
 fore we leave this Subjedl. There are fome 
 Chriftians, I am fenfible , who are truly 
 
 convinced 
 
41 6 7^^ Danger and Folly 
 
 S E R M. convinced that this is a juft Account of the 
 XVIII. Matter ; that their only Hopes muft be in 
 '^^^"^'^ the adtual amendment of their Lives, and 
 pradlice of Virtue, whilft God gives them 
 opportunity -, and that all other Hopes are 
 vain and deluding : and are therefore refol- 
 ved to reform w^hat is bad in themfelves. 
 But then, they deferr this great Work ; they 
 are unvrilling to do it immediately : but 
 hope that what they defign may be as well 
 performed fome time hereafter. They place 
 not their Hopes in any thing but Amend- 
 ment : but they put off this Amendment till 
 another Seafon. A few Confiderations will 
 ihew us the extreme Hazard, and Folly, of 
 fuch a Proceeding. For, 
 
 I. Supposing that they are taken a- 
 way before they have put this Refolution 
 into effeft; they are, by their own Con- 
 feffion, in a mod deplorable, inexcufablc^ 
 Condition : being removed from hence, in 
 a State, which they themfelves account to 
 be a State condemned by God in hisGofpel. 
 It is the Amendment of their Lives which, 
 they know. He requires ; and the refoluti- 
 on of Amendment, is not Amendment. 
 
 Nay. 
 
of delaying Amendment. 417 
 
 Nay, indeed, it will be fo far from helping S e r m. 
 them, upon this Suppofition ; that it will XV^H. 
 aggravate their Guilt and their Punifhment, ^^"^^^^^ 
 that they have not adlually done what they 
 knew to be their indifpenfable Duty to do. 
 And who knows when his laft Hour may 
 come ? Is this State, a State of Certainty, 
 and Duration ? In the mid ft of Life^ are 
 ive not in Death ? Do we not fee, every 
 day, Perfons as likely, nay, more likely 
 than ourfelves, to continue here, called to 
 give account of their Lives ? What is it 
 then we can hope for? or how can we 
 think it confiftent with the loweft Degree of 
 Prudence, to delay that which we know 
 not whether we can ever have an opportu- 
 nity to perform, unlefs we lay hold on the 
 prefent ? But, 
 
 2. What is it that can induce Men to 
 delay this great, and neceffary Work? Is 
 it the difficulty of it at prefent ? Alafs ! 
 that will be fo far from being diminifhed, 
 that it will be increafed, by time. Every 
 Step we take, in moft of the Vices, ren- 
 ders the attempt of Reformation fo much 
 the more difficult. As we grow old, evil 
 
 E e Habits 
 
41 8 ^e Danger and Folly 
 
 S E R M. Habits grow old upon us. Cuftom bc- 
 XVIII. comes like Nature it felf 5 not to be put 
 ^•^''^^^ off, or broken through, but with a diffi- 
 culty which wx become willing at laft to 
 think infuperable. This made the Prophet 
 cry out, Can the Ethiopian change his Skin^ 
 or the Leopard his Spots ? then fiall ye 
 alfo^ that are acciijiomed to do evil^ learn 
 to do well. He thought it fuch a difficulty, 
 as, in the figurative Style, might be repre- 
 fented by Matters utterly impoffible. Cer- 
 tainly , to delay an important Matter ; a 
 Bufinefs neceflary to be performed, be- 
 caufe it is difficult; when every Moment, 
 that it is delayed, will add to the difficulty 
 of it ; is to put it more out of our Power 
 than it is at prefent : It is to render our 
 Work more difficult, becaufe it is difficult 
 already ? which is the moft inexcufablc 
 Weaknefs. 
 
 O R, Is it that Men hope that Time, and 
 Years, will naturally wear out their Inclina- 
 tions to Sin ; and that then they fliall find 
 it a much more eafy Matter to live as they 
 ought ? Alafs ! Time, and Years, bring an 
 inclination to fome Vices along with them, 
 
 againft 
 
of delaying A^neiidment. 419 
 
 againft which we fhall find enough to do to S e r m. 
 guard our felves ; and prefent us with Evils, X'^m* 
 under which alone we fhall have enough to ^^'^''*^*^ 
 do to fupport our felves : and to fome for- 
 mer Vices they add a Strength, and Force, 
 which they had not before. Nay, What 
 one ill Temper, or bad Inclination, or Paf- 
 fion, is ever known to be removed, or to- 
 tally cured, by Years ; after an Indulgence 
 hath been given to it through the former 
 Courfe of Life ? It is the Mind, that is the 
 Seat of Vice : and if ihat remain corrupt 
 and vitiated, the Man is ftill corrupt and 
 vicious in the Eyes of God; how much fo- 
 ever his outward Appearance may be altered 
 in other refpedls. 
 
 But could it be fo, that Age and Years 
 would certainly remove all that Vicioufnefs, 
 which Cuftom had been breeding : yet 
 how little likelihood, as I obferved before, 
 is there of arriving at fuch a Term of Years ? 
 And how much more likelihood is there of 
 the contrary ? And if we fliould -, and that 
 fhould be the Cafe : yet how would all 
 the Beauty and Reward of Virtue be gone ? 
 What a Return would it be to Almighty 
 
 E c 2 God. 
 
4. 20 The Danger and Folly 
 
 Ser M.God, for all his Long-fuflfering, to prefent 
 XVIII. i^ij^ ^^ |a{^ ^\^ ^ Heart dead to all the Pur- 
 ^'^^^ pofes of Life ; rendered ufelefs, and infig- 
 niiicant by old Age? What an Affront to 
 Him, to have fpent all the heft part of Life 
 in the Service of his Enemy ; and then to 
 come and offer Him a Service that hath no- 
 thing in It : or, to profefs to ferveHim, when 
 we are paft the time in which it can be ac- 
 ceptable to Him ? Is it Virtue, for Creatures 
 in a State of Probation, to leave off Vices, 
 which they cannot retain ? to forfake Cuf- 
 toms, which they cannot follow? To pretend 
 to relinquifh Habits, which have relinquiflVd 
 them ? For, in truth, this is the Cafe, upon 
 the prefent Suppofition. They defign to 
 ferve God with the Dregs of Life ; They 
 leave not their Vices, but their Vices leave 
 them; They abandon not their Sins, but 
 their Sins have abandoned them. 
 
 Try, therefore, how fuch an Offer, 
 and fuch a Dedication of your felves to 
 God, after a multitude of Years fpent in 
 the hearty Service of his Adverfary, will 
 found. Suppofc your felves in his Pre- 
 fence, addreffing to Him in this manner. 
 
 '' Lord ! 
 
of delaying Amendment. 421 
 
 " Lord! We have indeed fpent the Vigour S e r m. 
 " of our whole Life, in the Service of Sin ; XVIII. 
 « in difhonouring Thee ; and in negleding ^^^^ 
 *' thv Religion. The time is now come, oiOiop 
 « when we can fin no longer, when our i^ermon 
 ^' Vices have abandoned us \ and Human So- T^'Jf ""^ 
 " ciety hath as it were excluded us. Behold ! 'vantages 
 « now, that we cannot well do any thing elfe, ^J^^''^ 
 *^ we offer to Thee our Services, which are 
 *^ without Vigour or Force 5 and prefent to 
 " Thee the Dregs of Life, and the Refufe of 
 ** all our Years.'' This is what every Man 
 muft in effed: fay, that puts off his Amend- 
 ment till Old-age ; upon fuppofition that He 
 fhall arrive at it ; and that then He fliall be a- 
 ble, and willing, to fin no longer. And if 
 there cannot be a greater Affront imagined, 
 than fuch an Offer; and if it be thegreateft 
 Shame even to think of fuch a Return to 
 God as this : let not any Confideration in 
 the World move any of us to defer fo in- 
 difpenfable a Duty to a time fo improper, 
 and fo utterly unfit for it. 
 
 L E T us confider what hath been faid ; 
 that our Days are uncertain ; and, there- 
 fore, that 'tis Madnefs to put off, even for 
 
 one 
 
42 2 ^^he Danger and Folly 
 
 S E P M. one Day, that Work which is certainly ne- 
 XV ill. ceiTary ; that if we (hould have more time 
 ^^^^'^'^^'^ allowed us, yet our Bufinefs of Amendment 
 would grow more and more difficult every 
 Day 5 that the prefent time is that in which 
 it is moft eafy, and moft likely, to be efFeft- 
 cd ; and that if we could fuppofe any fuch 
 time to be coming to us in this State, in 
 which our Vices will forfake us whether we 
 will or no, we muft not exped; that this 
 Ihall be accounted our Virtue, and reckoned 
 to us for Reward, any more than our cea- 
 iin<^ to fm, when we are laid in our Graves: 
 or that God will accept the Prefent of ou^ 
 Service, when all our pafl Health and Life 
 have been wilfully fpent in the Profecution 
 of our Lufls ; and we now offer it to Him, 
 becaufe we know not what elfe to do with 
 it. 
 
 What remains, therefore, but that we 
 immediately fet about that Work, which 
 cannot be too foon begun ; nor too foon 
 fijiidied ? A Work fo neceffary, that it is 
 impoffible to be happy without it? that no- 
 thing delude us into a Delay, in a Cafe in 
 which the le^ Delay may be our Ruine ? 
 
 That 
 
oj delaying Amendment. 42-2 
 
 That no Pretenfe, of what fort foever, di- S e r m. 
 vert us from the entring into the Paths of XVIII. 
 that Holinefs, without which no Man flmll ^^^"^^f^ 
 fee the Lord'? Nothing but this can give 
 us Peace of Confcience here : nothing but 
 this can alTure us of the leaft Degree of 
 Happinefs hereafter. And God grant that 
 this may be the EfFed of what hath been 
 faid j for Jefus Chrift's fake our Lord ! To 
 whom, with the Father, and holy Spirit, be 
 till Glory now^ and for evermore. Amen ! 
 
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