good pleasuren: yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in ftirring up the grace of God that is in them o.

IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is poffible in this life, are fo far from being able to fupererogate and to do more than God requires, as that they fall fhort of much which in duty they are bound to dop. V. Wę

flesh, and I will give you an heart of fileth. v. 27. And I will put my spirit within you, and caufe you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye fhall keep my judgments, and do them.

Phil. ii. 13. For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. Phil. IV. 13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthneth me. 2 Cor. . 5. Not that we are fufficient of our felves to think any thing as of our felves:, but our fufficiency is of God.

Phil. ii. 12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my prefence only, but now much more in my abfence; work out your own falvation with fear and trembling. Heb. vi. 11. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end: v. 12. That ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 2 Pet. i. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlinefs, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 7.5. And befides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge. v. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling

and election fure: for if ye do these things, ye fhall never fall: v. 11. For fo an entrance fhall be miniftred unto you abundantly, into the everlatting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, Ifa. lxiv. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou haft hid thy face from us, and haft confumed us, because of our iniquities. 2 Tim. i. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou ftir up the gift of God which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands. Acts xxvi. 6. And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: v. 7. Unto which promise our twelve tribes inftantly ferving God day and night, hope to come: for which hope's fake, king Agrippa, I am accufed of the Jews. Jude 20. But ye beloved, building up your felves on your moft holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost, v. 21. Keep your felves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift unto eternal life.

IV. Luke xvii. 10. So likewife ye, when ye fhall have done all thofe things which are commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable fervants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Neh. xiii. 22. And I commanded the Levites, that they fhould

V. We cannot, by our best works merit pardon of fin or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great dif- 1 proportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit, nor fatisfy for the debt of our former fins q; but, when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable fervants; and be cause, as they are good, they proceed from his Spirit; and,

as

fhould cleanse themselves, and that
they should come and keep the
gates, to fanctify the fabbath-day.
Remember me, O my God, con-
cerning this alfo, and spare me ac-
cording to the greatnefs of thy mer-
cy. Job ix. 2. I know it is fo of a
truth: but how should man be jut
with God? v. 3. If he will contend
with him, he cannot anfwer him
one of a thousand. Gal. v. 17. For
the flesh lufteth against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh and
thefe are contrary the one to the o-
ther;
fo that ye cannot do the things,
that ye would.

V. Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there fhall no flesh be juftified in his fight: for by the law is the knowledge of fin. Rom. iv. 2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. v. 4. Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. v. 6. Even as David alfo defcribeth the bleffedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteeufnefs without works. Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are ye faved, through faith; and that not of yourfelves: it is the gift of God. v. 9. Not of works, left any man fhould boast. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he faved us

by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the holy Ghost; v. 6.
Which he thed on us abundantly,
through Jefus Christ our Saviour,
v. 7. That being justified by his
grace, we thould be made heirs, ac-
cording to the hope of eternal life.
Rom. viii. 18. For I reckon that
the fufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which fhall be revealed
in us. Pfal. xvi. 2. O my foul, thou
haft faid unto the Lord, Thou art
my Lord: my goodness extendeth
not to thee. Job xxii. 2. Can a man
be profitable unto God, as he that
is wife may be profitable unto him-
felf? v. 3 Is it any pleasure to the
Almighty that thou art righteous?
or is it gain to him, that thou makest
thy ways perfect? Job xxxv. 7. If
thou be righteous, what giveft thou
him; or what receiveth he of thine
hand? v. 8. Thy wickedness may
hurt a man as thou art, and thy
righteousness may profit the fon of

man.

T

Luke xvii. 10. (See letter p in this chapter.)

ƒGal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, v. 23. Meekness, temperance: againit fuch there is no law.

Ifa. lxiv. 6. But we are all as an

unclean thing, and all our righteouf

neffes

as they are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with fo much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the feverity of God's judgment t.

VI. Yet notwithstanding, the perfons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works alfo are accepted in him, not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreproveable in God's fight w; but that he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward. that which is fincere, altho' accompanied with many weakneffes and imperfections x.

neffes are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Gal. v. 17. For the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; fo that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Rom. vii. 15. For that whichI do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not, but what I hate, that do I. V. 18. I know, that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. Pfalm cxliii. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy fervant: for in thy fight fhall no man living be justified. Pfalm cxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, thouldft mark iniquities: O Lord, who shall stand?

VI. Eph. i. 6. To the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Ye alfo, as lively ftones, are built up a spiritual boufe, an holy priesthood, to offer up fpiritual facrifices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift. Exod. xxviii. 38. And it fhall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Ifrael fhall hallow in

VII. Yet

all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord, Gen.iv. 4.And Abel, healfo brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof; and the Lord had refpect unto Abel, and to his offering. With Heb. xi. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent facrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God teftifying of his gifts: and by it, he being dead, yet fpeaketh.

w Job ix. 20. If I justify myself, my own mouth fhall condemn me: If I fay, I am perfect, it fhall alfo prove me perverfe. Pfal. cxliii 2. And enter not into judgment with thy fervant: for in thy fight fhall no man living be juftified.

x Heb. xiii. 20. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the fheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, v. 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Cor. viii. 12. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted ac cording to that a man hath, and not accord

VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good ufe both to themselves and others y: yet, because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith z; nor are done in a right manner, according the word a; nor to a right end, the glory of Godb; they are therefore finful, and can

not

fons days will I bring the evil upon his houfe. Phil. i. 15. Some indeed preach Chrift even of envy and ftrife; and fome alfo of good-will. contention, not fincerely, fuppofing v. 16. The one preach Christ of to add affliction to my bonds. v. 18: What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Chrift is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

4.

to his offering he had not refpect. z Gen. iv. 5. But unto Cain and And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. With Heb. xi. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent facrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witnefs that he was righteous, God teftifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead, yet fpeaketh. Heb. xi. 6. But without faith it is impoffible to please him: for he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him.

according to that he hath not. Heb. vi. 10. For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have fhewed toward his name, in that ye have miniftred to the faints, and do minifter. Matt. xxv. 21. His Lord faid unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. v. 23. His lord faid unto him, Well done, good and faithful fervant; thou haft been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

VII. 2 Kings x. 30. And the Lord faid unto Jehu, Because thou haft done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and haft done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy chidren of the fourth generation fhall fit on the throne of Ifrael. v. 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Ifrael, with all his heart, for he departed not from the fins of Jeroboam, which made Ifrael to fin. I Kings xxi. 27. And it came to pafs when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes and put fackloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in fackloth, and went foftly. v. 29. Seeft thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his

ftow all my goods to feed the poor, a 1 Cor. xiii. 3. And though I beburned, and have not charity, it and though I give my body to be profiteth me nothing. Ifaiah i. 12. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your ́ hand, to tread my courts?

thou doft thine alms, do not found b Mat, vi. 2. Therefore, when' crites do, in the fynagogues, and in a trumpet before thee, as the hypothe

not please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from Godc. And yet their neglect of them is more finful, and difpleafing unto God d.

THE

CHAP. XVII. Of the Perfeverance of the Saints: HEY whom God hath accepted in his beloved, effectually called and fanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but fhall