they never applied themselves to do his Will? Matt. 7. 23. When he had only the Name: But the World and Luft had all the Service. They are like to find him a Lord then, by his Judgments: Tho' he could not find it, by their Carriage. He will be as Dreadful, as ever he was Contemptible, to 'em; and make the Enemies his Footftool; that would not be perfuaded to make his Gospel their Rule. And according to Works, will he pronounce the standing Sentences of Judgment, at the Laft day: When every one fhall receive according to what he has done in the Body. 2 Cor. 5. 10. and Mat. 25. Saith the Judge to fome, Ye S did fo and fo; therefore, Come ye blessed: And to others, Ye did contrary; therefore, Depart ye Curfed. Tho' Heaven's Bleffednefs, (it's true) the moft Righteous have not Deferved: Yet fo we are taught, How the Perfons must be Qualified, for whom it is Prepared. As indeed all the Promises in the Law, If ye do fo and fo, Ye fhall be Bleffed, Do not fhew those Works to be the Caufes of the Bleffings: but the Qualifications of God's Servants, for whom thofe Bleffings are defigned. And therefore, as to the Proportions, He diftributes 'em how he pleases; and not just as might feem equal in our eyes; Giving to them that came in at the Eleventh Hour, as much, as to them that had Laboured from the Third. Mat. 20. 9. That he G2 might might let 'em know it to be, Not purely the Reward of the Work; but the free Gift of his Grace. And tho' none shall be Saved for his Works, Yet fhall the Works be Called over, and Enquired after; rather than Faith, in the Judgment. And every one fhall be Tried according to them: Because only their Good works can fhew their Real Faith, and Intereft in the Saviour of the World. And Works being more Publick than Faith, to be Seen by all; (As the Superftructure lies more Open to Beholders Eyes, than the Foundation:) The Publick Sentence before the World, will therefore be pafs'd thereafter. For in the Visible Church, even all pretend to Faith: But then it will be put to the. Trial; Who indeed had it? And then the Two grand Parties of Godly and Ungodly, that divide the World, The Seed of the Woman, and that of the Serpent, Such as Live after the Flesh, and fuch as Live after the Spirit, fhall find a Doom, as different as Heaven and Hell. Tho' many of 'em now Join'd in the fame Articles of Faith; and went in the common Tale, as all Alike. Nay fome, that are not fuch Notorious Sinners, as every Eye fees; nor every Tongue cries fame of their courfes; yet will not find Chrift their Jesus: Nor the Saviour of the World a Saviour to them: If they be not Holy and Heavenly; as well as Honeft and Orderly: If they be not inwardly inwardly Chang'd and Purified; as well as outwardly fair and civiliz'd. Indeed all that are effectually Redeemed by him, will give themselves to Live Holily to him. And of all he does require Holiness; Tho' not Perfect, to Merit Heaven: Yet Real, to Prepare 'em for it. Nor will he Save any, but whom he Sanctifies. In good truth, Our Sanctification is a very Part and Beginning of his Salvation. So that before we fhall find our Souls in Heaven; We muft feel the Workings of that Salvation in our Souls upon Earth. And before we are Number'd with his Saints Above: Here we must be Adapted to their Inheritance: And fhew their holy Properties; As ever we hope to enjoy their Heavenly Privileges. Tho' our Righteousness is no Supplement, to fill up any thing Wanting in Chrift's Sacrifice: Yet it is the Terms of our Receiving its Bleffed Benefit. And tho' we need not Obey, to the End that he did: Yet are we bound to obey, as the Creatures of God, and the Redeemed of the Lord; And muft walk in the way of holy Duty, to his Heavenly Glory; Yea, and Strive for it, as ever we would Enter: Tho that be no Meritorious Caufe of our Entrance. No pretended Affiance in Chrift Jefus, then will avail, without the New-Creature: And why are we made New-Creatures, but that we should walk in Newness of Life? So that G3 every every one is not ftrait to fet up for a Saint; who has but a good Opinion of himself. For O how many do make the good Profeffion of Religion; that like the Cypress Trees, are only Fair, but Fruitless! And yet the Saviour himself has doom'd every Tree that brings not forth good Fruit, to be hewed down, and caft into the Fire. He never came to Effect for us a Juftification, feparate from SanEtification. When they are indeed no more to be Parted, than Light and Heat in the Sun. But as the Gift of the Free Grace of God, is our Fufiification: Rom. 3. 24. So this is the Will of God, even our Sanctification. 1 Theff. 4. 3. And he that makes us Perfect, thro' the Comliness that he puts upon us; Ezek. 16. 14. In giving the Lord our Righteousness, for an Indument unto us: Alfo puts his Spirit within us, Caufing us to walk in his Statutes; that we may keep his Judg ments and do 'em. Ezek. 36. 27. Nor muft we feek unto him, only to have the Pain of our Broken bones Eafed; But to have 'em right Set; that we may ufe our Legs, to Walk in his Ways. And Juftification is not fo Needful, to Reconcile us to God; But Sanctification is as Needful, to bring us to Enjoy him. The former puts out the burning Inflammation, that Afflicts us: And the Later puts a Stop to the fpreading Infection, that would Kill us. The The Redeemer, indeed, makes us a way to Escape: But it is a Holy way; not of such a Latitude, as any the Loofeft Sinners, that are called Chriftiaes, might enter. No, He came not to make it Wider: But to make us Holier; To Strip us of the cumbersome Lufts and Paffions; that would hinder our Entrance at the Gate of Life. Thus then muft we Take Chrift, if we would not Mifake him, and go without the Saving Benefit by him. And as the true Mother was against Dividing the Child: So the true Chriftians will be against Dividing the Saviour: And take him for a Teacher, Ruler, and Sanctifier; as well as a Redeemer: And to Redeem 'em now from their Vain and Vicious Converfation; as well as hereafter from God's Wrath and everlafting Damnation: Yea to Purify, that he may Glorify 'em z and bring 'em to Live, in this World, fo Holily to him; That he may advance 'em in the next, to Live for ever Bleffedly with him. Again, II. Tho' we are Saved thro' Faith; Yet it must be more than a Faith in Conceit, thas will help us to a Heaven in Earnest. 'Tis not only to fhift Opinions, and to go over to the Party of another Perfuafion; and there reckon upon Eafe and Reft: (as at Rome, where Bad men may be Good Sons of the Church; and by profeffing to Believe, as the Church G 4 doe's, |