fent Men as mere Machines, wholly acted upon by a fuperior Power, and incapable of doing any Thing for themfelves. But this is by no means a true State of the Cafe, according to the Scripture-Doctrine. Our Ability and Sufficiency are of God most undeniably. But it refts with Us, whether or no we will make Ufe of the Aids and Powers He graciously affords us; whether we will, or will not, receive his Grace in vain. The Queftion is not, what God can do ? but what He will do? He can, if He pleases, raife up Children out of the Stones of the Street. He can compel the vileft Sinners to be obedient and happy. But this is not the Manner in which He deals with the Sons of Adam. He invites, but does not force, us into his Service. He bath fhewed us what is good, and enabled us to perform it, so far as is confiftent with this State of Frailty and Imperfection. It remains for us to choose whether we will obey and be faved, or dif

obey

This Term is strictly feriptural, and therefore, I hope, unexceptionable.I bave fet before you Life and Death, Bleffing and Curfing: therefore CHOOSE Life, that both thou and thy Seed may live. Deut. xxx. 19. And again: Ye have CHOSEN you the Lord, to ferve him. Jofh. xxiv. 22, So alfo in the New

Teftament:

obey and perish.-Except the Lord build the Houfe, their Labour is but loft that build it. But ftill the Hand of the Workman is required, and God will not perform a Miracle to raise an Edifice without human Labour. Except the Lord keep the City, the Watchman waketh but in vain. Very true: Without the divine Protection the City would be destroyed; but that Protection will not be granted, and must not be expected, without the Concurrence of the Watchman's Care and Vigilance.-It is exactly the fame in regard to Spirituals. It is God that worketh in us both to will, and to do, of his good Pleasure: and without Him we can do nothing. But He requires us to co-operate with Him, and to do our Part in working out pur own Salvation. Phil. ii. 12, 13.-Nay, He urges it as a Reafon, or Motive, for our fo doing. Work out your own Salvation, fays the Apoftle; and then adds, for it is God that worketh in you, &c.-As if he had faid, Be

Teftament: CHOOSING rather to fuffer Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Seafon. Heb.

xi. 25. With refpect to building, in the Spiritual Senfe, compare Eph. ii. 20, 22, and 1 Pet. ii. 5. with Jude 20. with Jude 20. And as tò keeping, in the fame Senfe, compare 1 Pet. i. 5. with Jude 21.

the

the more earnest and diligent in doing your Duty; because the greater Advantages and Affistances you are bleffed with, the more inexcufable will be your Neglect of it. Work it out therefore with Fear and Trembling with Fear of offending that gracious and merciful Being, who enables you to work.For bow fhall we efcape, if we neglect fo great Salvation?With refpect to the Nature and Neceffity of good Works, I am forry to say, that I think you quibble about Words. That you do not really think them neceffary to Salvation (as your Enemies would infinuate) I can never believe; becaufe, to do you Justice, you take Pains, in moft Instances at least, to practise them. Your Lives in general are regular, fober, virtuous, and exemplary. Besides, to deny the Neceffity of good Works, is to deny the Word of God, from the Beginning of the Bible to the End. To mention but one plain Text out of many; WITHOUT HOLINESS. NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD; or be faved. Heb. xii. 14. And yet, if we affirm that Obedience (by which we always underftand imperfect Obedience) is a neceffary Condition

Condition of Salvation, you are angry, and charge us most uncharitably and unjustly with undervaluing the Merits of our Redeemer, and making him but half a Saviour. The Misfortune is, that you will not diftinguish between the meritorious Cause, and the Terms or Conditions, of our Salvation. The former is folely and intirely the all-sufficient Sacrifice, and perfect Obedience, of Christ: the latter are Faith, and the imperfect Services of Man. He died for us: we must live to Him. We must disclaim all Pretenfions to Merit, and with the most unfeigned Humility acknowledge that, when we have done all we can, we are unprofitable and unworthy Servants. But ftill we muft believe that our Obedience, (fuch as it is, hearty and fincere, though imperfect) is necessary; and will be accepted through the Merits and Mediation of the BELOVED. This is the plain Scrip

It has been objected, that this is not a fcriptural Phrase. No more are several others, which frequently occur (as this does) in the Writings of the most orthodox Divines, and which neither you nor we fcruple to make Ufe of. The Merits of Christ, and the Satisfaction of Chrift, are Phrases not to be found in Sqripture; but the Doctrines expreffed by them are so plainly taught there, that no reasonable Exception can be made to the Ufe of the Terms.

ture

ture-Doctrine, the Doctrine which is accord ing to Godliness; expreffed in as clear Terms as I can devife. Thus preached Christ, and his Apostles; not only inculcating the general Obligations of Morality, but explaining and enforcing every particular Branch of it, with Clearness and Accuracy. All which would have been intirely ufelefs and unneceffary, were Faith the only Thing required, and Obedience to follow of Courfe. The Inference to your Teachers (and to every Chrif tian Preacher) is fhort and plain: Go AND DO YOU LIKEWISE. And as for you, their Followers and Disciples, let me earnestly exhort you, in the Spirit of Love, to return to that Church, you have, without any fufficient Reason, forsaken to pay more Regard to the infallible Word of God, and lefs to the Systems of fallible Mento study the Scriptures whole and intire, without Pre

judice;

A partial View of the Scriptures has done Infinite Mifchief, and been a principal Occafion of all the Herefies and false Doctrines, whether relating to Faith or Practice, that have prevailed in the Chriftian Church. For Example: an Attention to the feveral Paffages in the New Teftament, which relate to our Saviour in his human Nature, has led : many