and lovely law, which inculcates perfect love-12we were even to hint that he bears a fecret grudge,, or an immortal enmity to those very fouls whom he commands us to love as Chrift has loved us; that he feeds them only for the great day of flaughter, and. has determined (fo inveterate is his hatred!) before the foundatiin of the world, to fit them as vefels of wrath, that he might eternally fill them with his fiery vengeance, merely to fhew what a great and fovereign God he is; I doubt not whether some would not be highly pleafed and fay, we had "preached a found and fweet difcourfe." This: would probably be the cafe if we addreffed them in fuch a manner as to make them believe they are elect: not indeed of those ancient, legal, and wreflling elect who cry to God day and night to be avenged of their Spiritual adverfary; but of those. modern, indolent elect, who have found out a fhort way to heaven, and maintain," we are abfolutely to do nothing in order to falvation."

With joy I confefs however, that glorious and rouzing truths are frequently delivered in the demonftration of the fpirit and of power. But alas! the blow is feldom followed. You have seen fond mothers violently correcting their children one inftant, and the next dandling them upon their knees; and by foolishly kiffing away their tears, fpoiling the correction they had given. Juft fo it is with feveral of us: We preach a close discourse, and feem determined to drive the buyers and fellers out of the temple. Our antinomian hearers begin to awake and look about them: Some are even ready to cry out, Men and brethren what shall we do? But alas! we found a retreat when we should fhout for a fecond battle: By an unaccountable weakness, before we conclude, we footh them up,, and make a way for their escape; or, which is not much better, the next time we preach, by fetting up Dr. Crifp's doctrine as much as ever, we induftriously repair the breach we had made in the antinomian Babel.

And

And fuppofe fome of us preach against Antingmianifm, is not our practice contrary to our preaching? We are under a dangerous miftake, if we think ourselves clear from antinomianifm, merely because we thunder against antinomian principles: For as fome, who zealously maintain fuch principles, by the happiest inconfiftency in the world. pay nevertheless in their practice a proper regard to the law they revile; fo not a few, who profefs the deepest respect for it, are fo unhappily inconfiftent, as to tranfgrefs it without ceremony. The God of holiness fays. Go and woɔRK in my vineyard. The inconfiftent Antinomian anfwers, "I will not be bound by any Law: I fcorn the ties of Duty:" but nevertheless he repents and goes. The inconfiftent legalift replies, it is my bounden duty to obey, I go Lord; nevertheless he does not go. Which of the two is the greater antinomian? The latter no doubt: his practical antinomianifm is much more odious to God and man, than the speculative error of the former.

The Lord God help us to avoid both! Whether the hellish wolf come barefaced, or in sheep's cloath. ing; or what is a ftill more dangerous difguife, in LAMB's cloathing; in the clothes of the fhepherd, covered from head to foot with a righteousness which he has imputed to himself, and fing the Syren fong of finished falvation.

IV.

I fhall close thefe reflexions upon the antinomianifm of preachers by presenting you with sketches of two very oppofite ways of preaching. The first is an extract from Bifhop Hopkins's 2 th fermon, intitled Practical Chriftianity; upon thofe words of St. Paul, Work out your falvation with fear and trembling, &c. This teftimony will weigh fo

much

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ין

much the more with you as he was a found Calvinift, and a truly converted man.

To work out our Salvation, fays the godly prelate, is to persevere in the ways of obedience, until, through them, that falvation that is begun here on earth be perfected in heaven. This

work implies three things. (1.) Pains and la'bour. Salvation is that which must be wrought out; it is that which will make the foul pant and breathe, yea run down with fweat to obtain it. (2.) It implies conftancy and diligence. A Chriftian that would work out his falvation, must be always employed about it. It is a web, into which we muft weave the whole thread of our • lives. That man who works at falvation only by fome paffionate fits, and then within a while ⚫undoes it all again by foul apoftacy, and notorious fins, will never work falvation OUT. (3.) It promifes fuccefs; though it be hard work, it fhall not be long work; continue working, it fhall be wrought out; what before was your work, shall be your reward; and this falvation that was fo painful in working, fhall be most bleffed in the enjoy

ment.

Say not," We have no ftrength to work with." What God commands us to do, he will affift us in doing. We are impotent, but God is omnipotent: Work therefore, for this omnipotent • God works in you both to will and to do.

The propofition I fhall lay down from the text is this: That it is the Duty of every true Chriftian to work out his own falvation with fear and trimbling: Or, that every Chriftian. nay every man, ought to work for his living, even for an eternal life. To mention places for the proof of this were to tranfcribe the Bible. We can no where open this bleffed book, but we find this truth proved to us, either directly or by confequence. And yet it is ftrange in these days to fee how dubioufly fome men, who would be thought admirers of free grace, fpeak of obedience and working,

as if they were the badge of a legal fpirit Oh it is a foft and eafy doctrine to bid men fit 'ftill and believe, as if God would tranflate them · to heaven upon their couches. Is it poffible that these notions fhould be difperfed and entertained ⚫ but because it has always been the Devil's policy to vent thofe doctrines that indulge the flesh under the patronage of free grace and gospel

' attainments?

6

'Wherefore is it that we are commanded to ftrive that we may enter in at the ftrait gate? Sọ to run that we may obtain? So to wrestle that we may be able to ftand? So to fight that we may lay hold on eternal life? Can you frive and run, and wrestle and fight, and all this by doing no. thing? -If God would fave you without working, why has he given you grace, an operative principle, that you might work? He might as well fave you without grace, as without works: for that is not grace that does not put forth itself in working. God, rather than we shall not work, will fet us at work. He gives and promifes affiftance only that we might work out our own falvation. We are not fufficient of ourselves to ⚫ think any thing: What then? Muft we therefore fit ftill? No, fays the apostle, for God who finds us employment, will alfo find us ftrength: Our fufficiency is of God.

Wherefore is it that men are justly damned? Is it not because they will not do what they are able to do? And whence have they this ability ? Is it not from the grace of God's fpirit?—What is it that men expect? Muft God drive them to heaven by force and violence whether they will

or no?

If man will, he may work out his falvation. I fpeak not this to affert the power of man to work out falvation, without the aid of special grace to incline his will. Where there is fpecial grace given to make the will willing to convert, there is nothing more required to make him able, be

H

• caufe

caufe converfion chiefly confifts in the act of the ⚫ will itself, only to make him willing is required fpecial grace; which they that favour the undue liberty of the will do deny. Our impotency lies in ⚫ the stubbornnefs of our wills. The greateft finwork out his own falvation if he will. If he is but willing, he has that already that may make him able. God puts no new powers in the foul when he converts it!

ner may

Are there any fo defperately profane as not to have prayed unto God in their whole life. Why now to what end have you prayed? Was it not for falvation? And did you work for falvation, and at the fame time believe you could not • work? Thou art inexcufable O man, whoever ⚫ thou art that wilt not work; it is in vain to plead thou wanteft power. God will confute thee out of thy own mouth.'

Would a mafter when he commands his fervant to work, take this as a fufficient excufe for his floth and idleness, that he has no power to work till God acts and moves him? Why this is a truth, and it may as well be objected by your fervants to you, as by you unto God. Though it is impoffible that men fhould ftir without God's concurrence, yet this hinders not their endeavcars, no, nor is it any matter of difcouragement to them. They put these things to the trial. Now why fhould we not do fo in fpirituals as well as in temporals? Are they not of greater concernment? It is not inability but wilful floth that deftroys men. Sinners, wherefore will you perifh? Why will you fleep away your fouls into hell? Is it more painful for you to • work than to be damned? Endeavour therefore to do what you can; labour and fweat at falvation's work, rather than fail of it for a wilful neglect. How shall you escape if you neglect so great fal

•vation?

Obj. Thus to prefs men to working is deroga· tory to Chrift's merits, by which alone we are

faved,