with the other hand, lay fast hold on the merits of Jesus Christ. Let this Antinomian principle be for ever rooted out of the minds of men, that our working is derogatory to Christ's work. Never more think Christ hath done all your work for you; for that is unbecoming the free spirit of the Gospel: but labour for that salvation, that he hath purchased and inerited. Could such senseless objections prevail with those men, who ever seriously read that scripture in Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works? were this place seriously pondered over by men, they would be ashamed to object any longer, that our duties and works are derogatory to the purchase of Christ; for he gave himself for this end, that he might purchase such a people, that might be zealous of good works. But, truly, when sloth and ignorance meet together, if you tell men what powers their natures have to work, and how necessary obedience is to salvation, that thereby you may excite and quicken their hearts to obedience; they, with the sluggard, fold their arms in their bosom, doing nothing, telling us these doctrines are Arminianism and flat Popery: whereas, in deed and in truth, they are as far distant from either of them, as light is from darkness: it is their ignorance and sloth only, that makes them think so. But, deceive not yourselves: this doctrine is such, that whether it take hold on your judgments and understandings now, I know not; but, this I know assuredly, it shall take hold of your consciences, either here or hereafter: and, then, it will not suffice you to make this excuse, either that you had no power to do any thing, or that Christ had already done all things for you.

And, so much, for the Second Objection,

OBJECT. iii. Others may Object, that "This duty of working out our salvation, is inconsistent with, and prejudicial to, the freeness of God's grace, by which alone we are saved. If God save them only, that work for salvation; how then doth he save them freely, and how is it that by grace we are saved?"

In general, I answer: That salvation, upon our working and obedience, is free salvation: and that, for Four reasons.

1. Because all our working is a natural duty, that we owe to God, as creatures to their Creator.

Had God required the same things of us that now he doth, and never propounded a reward to encourage us, he had been just, and we had been as absolutely and as indispensibly obliged to obey as now we are. We have not so great a right to salvation, as God hath to our obedience. God can challenge our service and obedience from us, because of our natural bond and obligation; as well as from that voluntary covenant, whereinto we have entered with God to be obedient: but we can only plead for salvation, because God hath made a promise, that he will save those that obey. Whether God had made that promise or not, yet he might have required the same obedience from us that now he doth, because we owe it to him naturally by our creation. And is it not now free grace and mercy, that, when God might have required obedience without a reward, yet he will bestow salvation according to that obedience? See what our Saviour saith, in Luke xvii. 9, 10. Doth the master thank the servant because he did the things that he was commanded to do? I trow not. So even ye likewise, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; for, when we have done all, we have but done that which was our duty to do. Yea, and our duty it was to do it, though God had never made a promise to reward what we have done we are unprofitable servants, and deserve not so much as thanks: Doth the master thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded? I trow not: and, if we do not merit thanks when we have done our utmost, how then can we merit salvation?

2. Because our obedience is imperfect in this life: it is full of cracks and flaws.

And if, to accept and reward the most perfect obedience with salvation, be an act of mercy and free grace; as it is, because it is our duty if there were no salvation promised: how much more is free grace magnified and glorified, in accepting and rewarding a weak and imperfect obedience with that salvation, which the most perfect obedience cannot deserve! For, when we have doue all, we have done but that which was our duty to do: and, if we could say so, doth the master thank the servant? No: But alas! in many things we offend all. Now to reward that with eternal salvation, that deserves eternal damnation; to

re

ward that work with life, that deserves to be rewarded with death; what is this, but the effect of rich and glorious grace? what is this, but to bestow heaven, not according to merit, but rather according to our demerit?

3. Because there is no comparison betwixt salvation and our obediences; and, therefore, free grace shines forth still.

It is free grace, though we do obey. We obey, as creatures: God rewards, as a God. Our obedience is temporal; but our reward is eternal. Our obedience is mixed with rebellion; but the reward hath no mixture to take off the fulness and sweetness of it. Therefore, it is free grace still, to give an infinite reward to so mean an obedience; betwixt which obedience and reward, there is no comparison nor proportion.

4. Because, though we are commanded to obey, yet that grace, whereby we do obey, is the gift of God.

It is he, that works in us this obedience, which he rewards with salvation. And must not this then be wholly of free grace? To save upon an obedience wrought in us by God himself, is to save altogether as freely as if we were saved without any obedience at all.

And, so much, in answer unto the Third Objection.

OBJECT. IV. Others may say, that "It is a vain and most needless thing, to press this doctrine of working for salvation upon us. What! we worla! If we are elected to salvation, we shall be saved, whether we work or not: and, if we are not elected, all our working will be to no purpose, for we shall never be saved by it."

To this I answer: We are to look to God's commands; not to his decrees : to our duty; not to his purposes, The decrees of God are a vast ocean, whereinto many possibly may have curiously pried, to their own horror and despair; but few qr none have ever pried into them, to their own satisfaction. This election, in particular, is not written in the plain word of God; but this duty is plainly written. If thou performest thy duty, thereby thou shalt come to know thy election. It is but a preposterous course, and that which will both discourage all endeavours and fill the soul with despair, to look first to God's decrees, and then to its own duty : whereas, indeed, the right method is, first to perform thy own duty, and thereby to be led into the knowledge of God's decrees. Question not, therefore, whether

mayest

thou art elected or not; but, first, work for salvation: and, if thy work be good and thy obedience true, thereby thou come to a certain knowledge that thou art elected. And, know this also, farther; that God, who elects to the end, elects also to the means: now obedience is the means and way to salvation; and, therefore, if thou art elected to salvation, thou art also elected to obedience. Say not, therefore, " If I am elected, I shall be saved whether I work or not:" there is no such thing: I may boldly say, if thou art elected and dost not work, it is impossible that thy election should save thee. What says the Apostle, 2 Thess. ii. 13? God hath chosen us: there is election: chosen is to salvation: there is the end: but how? through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: chosen us to salvation, as to the end; but it is not an end to be obtained without sanctification. There is, indeed, an absolute election to salvation, whereby God, without respect of works, hath chosen some to salvation: but there is no election to salvation absolute, whereby God hath chosen any to salvation without works; that is, whether they work or not. If, therefore, you believe heartily and obey sincerely, then your election to salvation stands firm. Nay, the Scripture makes election to be terminated, as well in obedience as salvation: clect, says the Apostle, unto obedience, through sanctification of the Spirit: in the former place it was, elect to salvation, through sanctification; but in this it is, elect to obedience, through sanctification: noting thus much to us, that none are elected to salvation, but those that are elected to obedience; and therefore it is unreasonable, yea it is contradictory, to say, "If I am elected, I shall be saved whether I obey or not," for none are thereunto elected but through obedience.

III. And now, having, as I hope, satisfactorily answered all objections and scruples, that may arise in the hearts of men against this doctrine, I proceed to PRESS THIS DUTY of working for salvation upon their consciences: and I shall do it in a USE OF EXHORTATION.

Be persuaded then, O Sinners! to cast off your sloth and laziness; and to rouse yourselves from that drowsy slumber that you have long lain in, and to work for salvation. But, truly, when I consider, how powerful an orator and how mighty a charmer sloth is;-how easily it can stupify and benumb reason,

and lull men asleep on the top of a mast and on the brink of hell;--and, though God and man call upon them, "Sinners, Sinners, bestir yourselves: work for your lives: you perish eternally, if you do not labour to lay hold on eternal life, for you are falling and hell-fire is under you: yet, when we call and cry thus earnestly, how easily a careless, yawning, wretched sinner can slight all these admonitions; baffle all these arguments, motives, and persuasions, though urged upon him with all vehemency and tenderness of affection; and turn about, like a man besotted, falling fast asleep again :-when I consider this, truly I am apt to conclude, that it is but a desperate attempt to press men any more against their natures; and against so many disadvantages, that can soon frustrate the efficacy of weaker words: and am ready to give over in despair, with that of the Prophet, He, that will be righteous, let him be righteous still : and he, that will be wicked, let him be wicked still. And, truly, were it not more for conscience of duty than for any hope of success, I would not speak one word more upon the subject: success, I mean, upon those, who are altogether carnal, whose hearts Satan hath filled, and whose ears Satan hath stopped; we may call long enough and loud enough, ere these men will awake; or, if they do sometimes give a look upwards, they soon close their eyes again and slumber away into destruction. And yet, truly, if variety of motives, if strength of arguments and persuasions would prevail, we might hope for this seldom

seen success.

Then let us consider these following particulars.

i. Consider, Sinners, you have a GREAT AND WEIGHTY WORK TO DO; and, therefore, it is time, yca high time, that you were up and doing.

Believe it, Sirs: God hath not placed you here in this world, as the Leviathan in the great waters, only to play and sport: were it so, you might take your ease, fold your arms in your bosoms, and follow your delights and pleasures; and let him be blamed, that ever should disturb or discourage you. I know not whether some may not think that we ministers are task-masters, and that we make more ado than needs. No, Sirs: it is God, that hath set you your work: we do only tell you how great it is, and of how great concernment it is to you that it be done. And, if you will not do it, who can help it? we have no scourges nor scorpions to drive you to your work; but God hath, to