disbelieving and disclaiming it. Are there not some, who instead of making their knowledge of the gospel a means of leading them to Christ for grace and salvation, do make their very knowledge itself to be a part of the.r justifying righteousness? They pride themselves it, make their boast of it, and think that, because they are so intelligent and orthodox, therefore Christ will receive and save them. Thus their knowledge and zeal make them proud, instead of bringing them to the footstool of free grace. And where this is the case, there is great reason to suspect the want of saving faith, though orthodoxy of sentiment may be even joined with regularity of practice. For a person may understand all mysteries, and all knowledge and yet want that faith which worketh by love, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. 5. A person may be affected with the doctrines of the gospel, and the love of Christ, and yet be destitute of saving faith. This I am obliged to add to all the foregoing, because the scripture is so express upon it, and because the superficial experiences of many confirm it. In Matth. xii. 20, 21. we read of the stony-ground hearers, who attend to the word with plea sure, and receive it with joy, and yet have no root in themselves. Thus many, in this day, attend upon the gospel with much de light, seem greatly pleased with it, and affected by it, and are sometimes raised almost to ecstasies and raptures: They are melted by the word read or heard, and so are highly delighted with it. Now such as these, one would imagine, could not fail of being true believers, and we are ready to expect that they will prove eminent Christians. But, alas all this perhaps proves like the morning cloud, or the early dew; we soon find Something in their temper and conduct, that carries a sad evidence with it, that the work is not solid and saving. As therefore we have such instances, 'tis dangerous to conclude from present feelings and motions. Under these occasional impressions, persons may seem cheerfully to venture their souls upon Christ, to be really and strongly desirous of an interest in him, may appear greatly delighted with the method of grace, and to have a flaming love to Christ, and zeal for his cause. In a word, there is scarce one experience you can mention as an ev-' idence of true faith, but it is mimicked by the affections on such occasions. But in reality, the word does not enter into the heart itself, it only floats on the imagination; and instead of being written or engraven upon the heart, the work appears to be surperficial in the event. Some take occasion from such instances to confirm themselves in the denial of that most establishing doctrine of the saints perseverance. But we must 20 swer with the apostle John, in his first epistle, chap. ii. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for af they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued ruh us. We must have more solid evidences for the truth of grace in

the heart, than those which arise from the mere motions of theTM affections.

I must add one particular more.

6. A person may be fully persuaded in his own mind, that he has an interest in Christ, and yet be destitute of saving faith. There are some who make such a persuasion as this to be the very essense of saving faith: And so conclude, that every person who can persuade himself, or be persuaded to believe Christ to be nis, is a true believer; and that those who fall short of this persuasion are void of faith. This is a very discouraging and dangerous opinion. 'Tis a very discouraging tenet, with respect to truly serious souls. For, if none have the principle of faith in them, but such as are arrived to this assurance, then we must cast out of the list of true Christians many thousands of souls, who give the clearest proof, in every other respect, that they are born of God. 'Tis the duty of gospel ministers to hold forth the freest encouragement to distressed doubting souls, and so be helpers of their joy. But farther, this is a very dangerous opinion, and 'tis to be feared some have made an unholy use of it. Some persons of this notion apprehend, that because grace is absolutely free, therefore all a sinner has to do, is to persuade himself directly and immediately, that Christ and all the blessings of grace are his. Thus they encourage a presumptuous hope, an ungrounded assurance; and would persuade per. sons at once to believe, their interest in Christ; and then assure them that all is well. Do any such presumptuous persons read these lines, I would here take the freedom to describe their character, and read their doom. You say in your hearts," well, since Christ and grace are free, I will therefore firmly believe that Christ is mine, and heaven is mine, let my conscience, let my conduct say what it will to the contrary. I am persuaded that all is well; because I am so persuaded, therefore all is actually well with me: I will make it my chief business to keep this persuasion alive in my mind; and when any thing arises in my experience or conduct that would forbid the persuasion, I will believe through it all, and so prove the truth and strength of my faith, by believing in opposition to all my sense, feeling, and conversation." And when a person is risen to such a pitch of presumptuous hope and assurance, he grows the looser in his conduct, and the more regardless about sin and duty, and looks down with contempt upon the poor doubting, but cauticas Christian; esteeming him a Legalist for the tenderness of his conscience, and for the sacred regard he has to practical and experimental religion. I hope there are not many who abuse the precious doctrines of free grace in such a vile manner. But be they more or fewer, they may see their picture, and read theindoom, in Micah iii. 11, 12. The heads thereof judge for reward, &c. yet they WILL lean upon the LORD, and say, is not the LORD among us? surely no evil can come upon us. There

fore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, &c. Those who will thus lean upon the Lord, will persuade themselves at all adventures that they are safe, while they regard iniquity in their hearts, and practise it in their lives are the most detestable of all that wear the Christian name, and must expect to have their presumptuous hopes totally demolished; while the poor, dark, conscientious Christian, whom they despise, shall be brought forth to the light of comfort and joy.

Let us now close up this branch of the subject, by a few words of improvement:

1. How dangerous is all self-righteous doctrine on the one hand, and all Antinomian doctrine on the other?

Both these sorts of doctrine are indeed very agreeable to proud, corrupt nature; this makes it pleasant, but the more pernicious. Some teachers discover no difference between good nature and saving grace; others make little more than mere morality the essence of their religion, not knowing the difference between Heathenish morality and gospel-holiness. And how dangerous must it be for souls to be led to depend upon their own piety, virtue, or devotion, instead of being directed to Christ, in whom alone salvation is to be found! But while morality and piety should not be so exalted, as to be put in the place of Christ for righteousness; so neither should the free grace of God be exalted in such a manner, as to neglect or darken the necessity of true bores in heart and life. Ministers had need take special heedley preach, and others should be as careful how and

wha by st

be

that

Near; lest the pride of human nature should be fed teous doctrine, or the corruption of human nature ed by Antinomian doctrine. He is a true gospel-divine. keep the medium between these two extremes in his preaching; and he is a true Christian that keeps this medium in his experience and conduct. An inclining to either side, to > the right-hand or to the left, in preaching or practice, is very pernicicus.

2. What necessity is there, for all that make pretensions to religion, to examine themselves thoroughly, lest there be a flaw an essential flaw in their religion You may be possessed of many amiable qualifications, may have performed many duties, may make high pretensions, and a shining appearance in your own eyes, and in the eyes of others, without the least degree of true Christianity in the heart. Do not conclude you are true believers upon slight grounds. Are you moral ? so was Paul' when a stranger to a work of grace. Are you devout? so were the Pharisees, and yet were enemies to Christ. Are you ortho dux ? so are many that never felt the power of the truth. Are your affections sometimes moved under ordinances? so it was with the stony-ground hearers. Have you a persuasion with n yourself that Christ is yours? so has many a presumptuous en thusiast. Look therefore closely into your hearts and ways, and

see whether, in the midst of all your profession and pretensions, you have that faith in Christ which worketh by love. Pray earnestly that the Lord would examine and prove you, that he would try your reins and your heart.

3. How desirable and useful are many things, that are yet short of true Christianity! We should not, we would not degrade or depreciate any of those particulars, which have been laid aside as insufficient evidences of a saving faith. God for. bid, that we should despise civility, morality, devotional exercises, or scriptural knowledge. It is the duty of all to aim at, and seek after these things. And those who have believed in God, are under special obligations to maintain good works; for these things are good and profitable to men..

4. What a mercy is it that any are endowed with saving faith, and may come to the knowledge of it for themselves! Some may be ready to say, if these things are so, who then can be saved? But let us not say this in a way of discouragement, but rather answer ourselves; With mẹn it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. And, if we have any desire after this faith and salvation, or any concern about it, let us take that rule with us, Jas. iv, 6 God resistheth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

Do you father enquire, "How is it possible for me to know whether have received this precious faith? I am afraid I have not, since there are so many things that are short of it, and so many difficulties attending the enquiry." I answer let me intreat you to suspend your doubtful and gloomy thoughts upon this head, till you have seen or heard the other part of this subject. I would not have any serious soul discouraged by what has been offered. If the Lord should make it a means of demolishing any false hopes, or awakening the consciences of any deluded souls, it will be a great mercy to them; while the timorous soul, that desires to lean and live upon Christ, will, I trust, receive some encouragement from the plain solution of the next question.

Proceed we now to the other question proposed.

HOW shall we know whether our faith be saving amidst all the weaknesses and doubts that may attend it ?

N. B. It will be very proper in this place to peruse afresh the letter, which occasioned both the questions; because this latter query, as well as the former, is founded upon, and has a continual respect to it.

THERE is scarce a subject in divinity, wherein valuable sound divines are apparently more disagreed, and whereby Christians are more often perplexed, than this which relates to the nature and workings of true saving faith; and yet it is undeniably a subject of the greatest importance: For the implan tation of this grace, and an experience of its workings and actings, are necessary to the very existence of vital Christianity.

No subject is more plainly treated of, more copiously handed, nor more frequently referred to in the sacred scriptures, than this.-There is scarce a page in any of the devotional or doctrinal parts of the Bible, but faith is mentioned, or some of its actings described under the words, trusting, hoping, waiting, receiving, and the like. What is the true reason of this disagreement among judicious Christians, is difficult to ascertain. But I am greatly apt to imagine, that the difference is chiefly in words; the subject itself being of such an experimental nature, the appearances of saving faith being so very various, and language being scarcely adequate to the theme. Nothing is more difficult than to express, in proper words, the motions and workings of the mind. The great question is this, What is the nature of that act of the mind, whereby a soul betakes itself to Christ for all salvation? Does it include in it an assurance or persuasion of a person's own interest in Christ, and the blessings of salvation? If it does, what degree of this persuasion or hope is necessary in saving faith? And if it does not, wherein does the applying act of faith consist ?-For my part, I shall endeavor to cast aside perplexing queries, and take the whole of what I have to say from the sacred scriptures, mentioning and explaining the ideas the Bible gives us of the nature and actings of saving faith; hoping that this method will strike out the clearest light, and afford the most satisfying evidence.

The subject is very copious and large, because the scripture is so full and distinct upon it; but I shall confine myself chiefly to those searching, interesting questions that are put, and to those difficulties that are started in the letter, upon which both these cases of conscience are founded.

The writer of the letter desires me to describe that faith, by which the soul makes out to, applies and recieves Christ alone for salvation; to describe what are those thoughts or acts of the mind towards Christ, which flow from, and are proper evidences of regenerating grace. He next proceeds to argue in a judicious way upon it, by observing that principles are known by their effects, and that therefore this principle of living faith must be known by its acts, by the inward frame, thoughts and affections of the heart. And then puts a question, whether a soul's applying to Christ for salvation with a per-adventure, is a sufficient evidence of justifying faith.

All these questions I shall endeavour to give a reply to, by explaining the language and ideas of scripture on the subject, which I apprehend is the best and safest, and likewise the clearest method. Bear with me then, while I expatiate freely upon it; and let me beg you to read with peculiar attention, as upon a matter that concerns the life of your souls.

We have an exact and ample description of his grace of faith in that well known passage, Heb. xi. 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things nes