dinary actions of their lives, act allowably enough, with intuition to much lower ends? even those particular ends which the works of their several callings tend to, else they should act as brutes in every thing they do. And would such a one scruple, if he were pining for want of bread, to beg or labor for it for this end, to be relieved? It is the mistaking of the notion of heaven that hath also an ingrediency into this doubt, if it be really a doubt. What! is it a low thing to be filled with the divine fulness? to have his glory replenishing our souls? to be perfectly freed from sin? in every thing conformed unto his holy nature and will? That our minding our interest in this, or any affairs, should be the principal thing with us, is not to be thought: our supreme end must be the same with his, who made all things for himself, of whom, through whom, and to whom all things are, that he alone might have the glory. But subordinates need not quarrel. A lower end doth not exclude the higher, but serves it: and is, as to it, a means. God is our end as he is to be glorified and enjoyed by us: our glorifying him is but the agnition of his glory; which we do most in beholding and partaking it; which is therefore in direct subordination thereto.

(3.) But it may further be doubted, What if it be acknowledged, that these are both things possible and lawful; yet to what purpose will it be to attempt any thing in this kind? O what assurance have I of success! Is there any word of promise for the encouragement of one in my case? Or is God under any obligation to reward the endeavors of nature with special grace? Wherefore, when I have done all I can, he may withhold his influence, and then I am but where I was, and may perish notwithstanding. And suppose thou perish notwithstanding? Do but yet consult a little with thy own thoughts: which is more tolerable and easy to thee to perish, as not attaining what thy fainter strugglings could not reach; or for the most direct, wilful rebellion, doing wickedly as thou couldst? Or who shall have, thinkest thou, the more fearful condemnation? He that shall truly say when his master comes to judgment, "I never had indeed, Lord, a heart so fully changed and turned to thee, as should denote me to be the subject of thy saving, pardoning mercy; but thou knowest (who knowest all things) I longed (and with some earnestness) did endeavor it. Thou hast been privy to my secret desires and moans, to the weak strivings of a listless distempered spirit, not pleased with itself, aiming at a better temper towards thee. I neglected not thy prescribed means; only that grace which I could not challenge, thou wast pleased not to give : thou didst require what I must confess myself to have owed thee; thou didst withhold only what thou owedst me not; therefore must I yield myself a convicted, guilty wretch, and have nothing to say why thy sentence should not pass." Or he that shall as truly hear from the mouth of his Judge, "Sinner, thou

wast often fore-warned of this approaching day, and called upon to provide for it; thou hadst precept upon precept, and line upon line. The counsels of life and peace were with frequent importunity pressed upon thee, but thou rejectedst all with proud contempt, didst despise with the same profane scorn the offers, commands, and threats of him that made thee; hardenest thy heart to the most obstinate rebellion against his known laws; didst all the wickedness to which thy heart prompted thee, without restraint; declinedst every thing of duty which his authority, and the exigency of thy own case did oblige thee to; didst avoid as much as thou couldst to hear or know any thing of my will; couldst not find one serious, considering hour in a whole life-time, to bethink thyself, what was likely to become of thee when thy place on earth should know thee no more. mightst know, thou wast at my mercy, thy breath in my hand, and that I could easily have cut thee off any moment of that large space of time, my patience allowed thee in the world; yet thou never thoughtest it worth the while to sue to me for thy life. Destruction from the Lord was never a terror to thee. Thou wouldst never be brought upon thy knees; I had none of thy addresses; never didst thou sigh out a serious request for mercy; thy soul was not worth so much in thy account. Thy blood, wretch, be upon thy guilty head: Depart accursed into everlasting flames, &c."

Thou

Come now, use thy reason awhile, employ a few sober thoughts about this matter; remember, thou wilt have a long eternity wherein to recognize the passages of thy life, and the state of thy case in the last judgment. Were it supposable that one who had done as the former, should be left finally destitute of divine grace and perish: yet in which of these cases wouldst thou choose to be found at last? But why yet shouldst thou imagine so sad an issue, as that after thine utmost endeavors, grace should be withheld, and leave thee to perish; because God hath not bound himself by promise to thee? What promise have the ravens to be heard when they cry? But thou art a sinner: true, otherwise thou wert not without promise; the promises of the first covenant would at least belong to thee. Yet experience tells the world, his unpromised mercies freely flow everywhere; The whole earth is full of his goodness; yea, but his special grace is conveyed by promise only, and that only through Christ; and how can it be communicated through him to any but those that are in him? What then, is the first in-being in Christ no special grace? or is there any being in him before the first: that should be the ground of that gracious communication? Things are plain enough, if we make them not intricate, or entangle ourselves by foolish subtilties. God promises sinners indefinitely, pardon and eternal life, for the sake of Christ, on condition that they believe on him. He gives of his good pleasure that

grace whereby he draws any to Christ, without promise directly made to them, whether absolute or conditional; though he give it for the sake of Christ also. His discovery of His purpose to give such grace to some, indefinitely, amounts not to a promise claimable by any; for if it be said to be an absolute promise to particular persons, who are they? whose duty is it to believe it made to him? If conditional, what are the conditions upon which the first grace is certainly promised? who can be able to assign them? But poor soul! thou needest not stay to puzzle thyself about this matter. God binds himself to do what he promises; but hath he any where bound himself to do no more? Did he promise thee thy being; or that thou shouldst live to this day? did he promise thee the bread that sustains thee, the daily comforts of thy life? Yea, (what is nearer the present purpose,) did he promise thee a station under the gospel? or that thou shouldst ever hear the name of Christ? If ever his Spirit have in any degree moved upon thy heart, inclined thee at all seriously to consider thy eternal concernments, did he before-hand make thee any promise of that? A promise would give thee a full certainty of the issue, if it were absolute, out of hand; if conditional, as soon as thou findest the condition performed. But what! canst thou act upon no lower rate than a foregoing certainty, a pre-assurance of the event? My friend, consider a little, (what thou canst not but know already) that it is hope (built with those that are rational, upon rational probabilities, with many, oftentimes upon none at all) is the great engine that moves the world, that keeps all sorts of men in action. Doth the husbandman foreknow when he plows and sows, that the crop will answer his cost and pains? Doth the merchant foreknow, when he embarks his goods, he shall have a safe and gainful return? Dost thou foreknow, when thou eatest, it shall refresh thee? when thou takest physic, that it shall recover thy health, and save thy life? Yea further, can the covetous man pretend a promise, that his unjust practices shall enrich him? the malicious, that he shall prosper in his design of revenge? the ambitious, that he shall be great and honorable? the voluptuous, that his pleasure shall be always unmixed with gall and wormwood? Can any say, they ever had a promise to ascertain them that profaneness and sensuality would bring them to heaven? that an ungodly, dissolute life would end in blessedness? Here the Lord knows men can be confident and active enough without a promise, and against many an express threatening. Wilt thou not upon the hope thou hast before thee, do as much for thy soul, for eternal blessedness, as men do for uncertain riches, short pleasures, an airy, soon blasted name? yea, as much as men desperately do to damn themselves, and purchase their own swift destruction? Or canst thou pretend, thou hast no pre-assuring promise, thou hast no hope? Is it nothing to have heard so much of God's gracious na

ture? Is it suitable to the reports, and discoveries he hath made of himself, to let a poor wretch perish at his feet, that lies prostrate there expecting his mercy? Didst thou ever hear he was so little a lover of souls? Do his giving his Son, his earnest, unwearied strivings with sinners, his long patience, the clear beams of gospel light, the amiable appearances of his grace, give ground for no better, no kinder thoughts of him? yea, hath he not expressly styled himself the God hearing prayers, taken a name on purpose to encourage all flesh to come to him. Psal. 65. 2. Wilt thou dare then to adopt those profane words, What profit is it to pray to him? (Job. 21. 15.) and say, it is better to sit still, resolving to perish, than address to him, or seek his favor, because he hath not by promise assured thee of the issue, and that, if he suspend his grace, all thou dost will be in vain ? How wouldst thou judge of the like resolution, if the husbandman should say, When I have spent my pains and cost in breaking up and preparing the earth, and casting in my seed; if the sun shine not, and the rain fall not in season, if the influences of heaven be suspended, if God withhold his blessing, or if an invading enemy anticipate my harvest, all I do and expend is to no purpose; and God hath not ascertained me of the contrary, by express promise, it is as good therefore sit still? Censure and answer him and thyself both together.

(4.) But thou wilt yet, it may be, say that though all this may be possibly true, yet thou canst not all this while be convinced of any need so earnestly to busy thyself about this affair. For God is wont to surprise souls by preventing acts of grace, to be found of them that sought him not, to break in by an irresistible power, which they least thought of. And to go about to anticipate his grace, were to detract from the freeness, and so from the glory of it. But art thou not in all this afraid of charging God foolishly? When the merciful God, in compassion to the souls of men, hath given his gospel, constituted and settled a standing office to be perpetuated through all ages for the publication of it; invited the world therein to a treaty with him, touching the concernments of their eternal peace required so strictly their attendance to, and most serious consideration of his proposals and offers; encouraged, and commanded their addresses to him, set up a throne of grace on purpose, wilt thou dare to say, All this is needless for thee to hear him, or regard what he saith? or when he commands thee to pour forth thy soul to him, wilt thou say, It is a needless thing? Dost thou not plainly see, that the peculiar, appropriate aptitude of the things pressed upon thee, speaks them necessitas medii, necessary, as means to their designed end; whence they are fitly called means of grace? Is not the word of God the immortal seed? Are not souls begotten by that word to be the first fruits of his creatures? Is it not

*1 Pet. 1. 23. Jam. 1. 18. Rom. 6. 17. John 17. 17.

the type, the mould, or print by which divine impressions are put upon the soul: the instrument by which he sanctifies. Are not the exceeding great and precious promises, the vehicula, the conveyancers of the divine nature? 2 Pet. 1. 4. And what can be the means to mollify and melt the obdurate heart of a sinner, to assuage its enmity, to overcome it into the love of God, to transform it into his image, but the gospel discovery of God's own gracious and holy nature? And can it operate to this purpose without being heard, or read, or understood, and considered, and taken to heart? Do but compare this means God works by, with the subject to be wrought upon, and the effect to be wrought, and nothing can be conceived more adequate and fitly corresponding. But inasmuch as there hath been an enmity between God and sinners, and that therefore the whole entire means of reconciliation must be a treaty; and that a treaty cannot be managed or conceived without mutual interlocution, therefore must the sinner have a way of expressing its own sense to God, as well as he speaks his mind to it; which shews the necessity of prayer too and therefore, because the peace begins on his part, (though the war began on ours,) he calls upon sinners to open themselves to him; Come now, let us reason together: Isa. 1. 18. He invites addresses; Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is nigh, &c. chap. 55. 6. And doth not the natural relation itself between the Creator and a creature require this besides the exigency of our present case? Every creature is a supplicant; its necessary dependance is a natural prayer. The eyes of all things look up, &c. It is the proper glory of a Deity to be depended on and addressed to. Should not a people seek unto their God? Isa. 8. 19. It is an appeal to reason; is it not a congruous thing?

Further, Dost thou not know, thy Maker's will made known infers upon thee a necessitas præcepti, necessity of obeying; unless thou think the breach between God and thee is better to be healed by rebellion; and that the only way to expiate wickedness, were to continue and multiply it. Is it a needless thing to comply with the will of him that gave thee breath and being? And whose power is so absolute over thee, as to all thy concernments, both of time and eternity? Again, while thou pretendest these things are needless, come now, speak out freely; what are the more necessary affairs wherein thou art so deeply engaged, that thou canst not suffer a diversion? What! Is the service and gratification of thy flesh and sense so important a business, that thou canst be at no leisure for that more needless work of saving thy soul? Where is thy reason and modesty? Dost thou mind none other, from day to day, but necessary affairs? Dost thou use, when thou art tempted to vain dalliances, empty discourses, intemperate indulgence to thy appetite, so to answer the temptation, Is it not necessary? Or art thou so destitute of