ledge of salvation. They cannot be safely depended on. Is not this a blasphemousabsurdity?

Beware, therefore, how you take liberty to abuse the church of Christ, for maintaining their high privilege: since in so doing, you reflect equal dishonour on the office each pèrson in the blessed Trinity bears in the plan of salvation. Expose with what severity you please every base pretender to this unspeak

able grace,

grace, and we will, we do join with you. Men whose air and talk bewray forwardness and self-conceit, and evil tempers confute their high pretensions. Object to the making assurance of our eternal felicity, or interest in Christ, essential to the faith of a Christian. We will allow the difference between weak and strong believers. But let not the truth itself, the glory of the church of Christ, the superabundant loving kindness of God, be denied, reproached, and blasphemed, on account of many impostors. Amidst the arts of subtil disputants against Christ, and the miserable wranglings of professed believers about the meaning of his words, attempt not to rob humble souls of what alone can carry them above all perplexity, the full assurance of understanding faith and hope. Attempt not to bereave the excellent of his flock of

their joy in waiting for the dawn of eternity, by telling them, assurance is wild enthusiasm, and spiritual pride. Level not the children of light and of the day, with hypocrites and infidels in this most interesting matter, the knowledge of their future allotment. Nor ga on to encourage all lazy, ignorant, wicked professors of Christianity with this soothing falsehood, that none upon earth know that their sins are forgiven, and their souls shall be saved.

You cannot oppose the doctrine of the full assurance of faith, without maintaining it is.. for the honour of God, and the good of men, that upright Christians should remain in darkness, or doubt; contrary to what has been proved by scripture testimony.

I would proceed one step further, and entreat you to examine, whence such violent prejudice against the knowledge of salvation. takes its rise? Not from good-will to men.... because the lot of humanity calls loudly for such a healing balm, for such refuge in life and death; not from zeal for God, or the honour of his word, because this exceedingly exalts the grace of God, and unspeakably enhances the value of revelation; not from a well-informed regard for holy practice, because the holiest of men possessed the know

ledge of salvation themselves, and earnestly urged all whom they taught, "to make their calling and election sure," But if violent prejudice against this doctrine cannot take its rise either from love to God, or man, or holiness, beware it does not spring from a desire to pacify conscience, alarmed with the report that others are so much more favoured than yourself; or from gross ignorance, not having devoutly searched the oracles of God; or from envy, which cannot allow those privi leges to be possessed by another, which we possess not ourselves.

CHAP. XXIV.

ON THE ABUSE OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE.

THE doctrine of this prophecy proves the fatal mistakes of many religious professors. They justly affirm, that the promise, covenant, and oath of God, are an infallible, security, that not one of the elect shall perish. But at the same time, they seem strangely reserved and cool upon the point of serving -the Lord "in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of their life :" As if this was not as much secured, the means as the end, and no less a blessing. They will

speak perpetually of the infirmities, spots, and falls of the elect; so that one is at a loss to discern any holiness in them, or any benefit they derive from Christ, except that of escaping the flames of hell at last.

This is a mistake, which it behoves every preacher and hearer of the doctrines of grace carefully to avoid, and zealously oppose; because it is very common to charge both with weakening the obligations to obedience, and making Christ a minister of sin. And where the doctrines of grace are taught, satan has no other resource to uphold his tottering throne, than that of beguiling men to imagine the everlasting covenant will afford protection, if not to antinomian rebellion, yet to carelessness, formality, and sloth. At the same time it must be confessed, that from the apostles' days to our own, this utmost stretch of human depravity has appeared, wherever the scripture doctrines have been maintained. Some of the most false, proud, lewd, covetous, and oppressive of mankind, each practising his iniquity till death, have been fierce advocates for the everlasting co-venant, though enjoying not one blessing from it,

It is necessary on all these accounts, to allege several proofs that every religious pro

fessor, who fancies himself excused in any degree from serving the Lord "in holiness and righteousness," under pretence of being safe in the everlasting covenant, is a miserable self-deceiver, an hypocrite, and traitor in the church of Christ, against various indisputable testimonies of his guilt and prevari cation. He is thus guilty against the plainest testimony of the covenant itself, of which he makes his odious boast; for this is holy; an absolute grant of knowledge, power, and grace to his people, enabling them to serve the Lord acceptably. "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts. They shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God." Wherefore the circumstance of slightly regarding personal obedience, instantly stamps a man's character, no less than calling Jesus accursed. It proves him to be an alien to the covenant; it convicts him of imposture upon the spot, in laying claim to that divine grant, which is the promise and certain means of sanctification, himself remaining unsanctified.

The end and design also of the covenant and oath, no less than their nature, bear clear testimony against such a religious professor, as an hypocrite. For both are proofs of the immutable purpose of God, to save his peo.