and with concern in your selves? or are ye regenerated by the Spirit of God? have ye learned your inability thereby, and hath your soul obtained a desire and a power to conduct acceptably to God? Surely ye have not.

1. Who are indifferent and unconcerned, whether ye must, or can do good, and whether ye must be regenerated. Your thoughts extend not so far, ye think that ye must provide for something else, even your bodily welfare, as if ye had nothing to do with God, and were not under any obligations to him. "Ye slide back, like a backsliding heifer," Hosea, iv. 16.

2. Nor ye neither, who with "Herod do many things,” Mark vi. 20, and with the Jews "have a zeal for God," Rom. x. 2. But are these good things better than heathenish, or Socinian, civil and externally religious virtues, consisting in a forsaking of evil, and doing good externally, without any change or regeneration of the heart? things which do not accompany salvation, which men can do from a natural conscience, and by common grace, like Abimelech, Gen. xx. 4, 5, 6. But ye do not perform them from a principle of the life of regeneration, nor from an union of your souls with Jesus, as the true vine: "to be dead to yourselves, and to live in God with Christ is hidden from you," Coll. iii. 3. If ye knew this, and endeavoured to practise it, ye would see experimentally your inability to do good, and your inclination to all wickedness, and would be concerned.

3. And ye do not know your inability, and are not regenerated, who, when ye have once discovered your duty, and are convinced of your abominable conduct, defer your conversion until this or that opportunity, and so think that ye are able to convert yourselves at any time. Or if ye do not defer your conversion, ye are however not so convinced of your inability, that ye are concerned; for ye are presently ready to purpose and promise idly that ye will not commit this or that sin any more, and that ye will now live better lives than heretofore, which commonly ends in a certain outward morality, or not even in that, as Israel promised inconsiderately, that "whatsoever the Lord had spoken they would do," Exod. xix. 8. xxiv. 3. But what became of their promise? they violated it in a shameful manner, when they made a molten calf for themselves, and wor shipped it, Exod. xxxii.

4. Do ye say, we know that we cannot do any good of ourselves, but only by the grace of God? Do ye then do all things, not of yourselves, but by the grace of God? or doth the knowledge of our inability, of regeneration, and doing all things by the grace of God

consist in a bare understanding of these things, or in empty words? hath not the grace of God only the name, and your natural endeav ours the deed? And how do ye know this? only from hearsay? Ye do not then know your inability, as ye ought, to your salvation. "The Spirit of God alone convinceth the world of sin," and of inability, by means of the word, John xvi. 8. He causeth a person to see the strength of his corruption, and his wicked inclinations, he teaches him the spirituality of the law, and he sets him to work. and so he sees his frequent deviations from his duty, and consequently his inability also wit: concern and grief, and he cries for help. See this in Paul, Rom. vii. Have ye not learned your inability in this manner, ye do not then know it as ye ought, and your knowledge of your misery doth not yet conduce to your deliverance.

5. Perhaps one or another of you will say, I see indeed, and that experimentally, that I have no strength; for I have indeed purposed in my mind to forsake this and that sin, and lead a better life, but I have learned by the event that I am unable to accomplish my purpose: but what effect hath such a discovery upor you? doth it produce distress of mind, and an earnest desire to be regenerated? it doth not in many but it renders them careless, they seek to excuse themselves of doing their duty, and think, if God do not grant me his grace, how can I help it, that I do not perform that which is good in the mean while they do inwardly and secretly rejoice that they have found such a cloak for their shame, and they indulge their depravity and when they are exhorted to do their duty, and are reproved on account of their sins, they think or say, what can I do, When God doth not give me what he commands? and so with our adversaries they accuse God of "doing them injustice, by requiring of them what they cannot perform," and they cry out with the Jews, "If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?" Ezek. xxxiii. 10.

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Is it thus with you, know then that ye are still under the broken covenant of works: and therefore the whole law, and the curse of it are against you for ye have done nothing hitherto but break the law by sinning, and the cure is denounced against him, who "continueth not in all things that the law commands," Gal. iii. 10. Ye have yet your evil nature, which is " wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness," ye are not yet "born again, and cannot therefore enter into the kingdom of God," John iii. 5. And how shall ye, continuing thus, be delivered? for ye cannot do aught else but sin, ye cannot regenerate yourselves, nor pay your debt, nor escape from the hands of your Judge,

Are ye in some measure concerned about your salvation, behold then your desperate misery, be anxious, cry out, "there is no hope," Isaiah Ivii. 10, and ask with solicitude, "What shall we do to be saved?" Acts ii. 37. xvi. 30. Abide under the ministration of the gospel, if it may please God to beget you with the word of truth," James i. 18, and cry unto God that he would exert his power upon you, to convert you, like the church, Lam. v. 20. "Turn us O Lord, unto thee, and we shall be turned."

But, believers, who have been regenerated by the Spirit of God, and favoured by the free grace of the Lord with a new light and life:

1. Consider yourselves as obligated to observe and keep al! God's commandments, and to be a praise in the earth. For ye are not only his creatures, connected with him by nature, to do his will, but also his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that ye should walk in them," Eph, ii. 10. Ye have the beginnings of the new life, new powers, and "help is laid for you upon one who is mighty," Psalm lxxxix. 19, "and ye receive of his fulness, and grace for grace,” John i. 16, Are ye still subject to a great impotency, as well as to other corrup, tions, this doth not discharge you from your duty: but the Lord reveals this to you, not to discharge you from your duty. but that he may induce you to depend on nim and his power, to strengthen yourselves in him, that "his power may be perfected in your weaks ness," and that ye may thus "be strong, when ye are weak," 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10.

2. Beware that ye never begin, nor endeavour to perform your duty in your own strength. The regenerate often act in this manner, and particularly (a) when they set about a duty, which they judge to be necessary, rashly, with might and main, without serious consideration, and without humbly looking up to the Lord for his influence. (b) When they expect so much good from their own resolutions: they have a great desire to do the will of God in all things, and they measure their ability by their desire, therefore they form great resolutions, and they are confident that they will accomplish those resolutions; but they are ashamed of the event: for God willing to acquaint them with themselves, suffers them to fall into grievous sins. See this in Peter, Matt. xxvi. 33, 34, 35. xxvii. 69–75, (c) Then also, when they endeavour to effect, and to force themselves into a good frame by their natural meditations, by their efforts in their own strength, and their bodily exertions. (d) They work also in their own strength, when they endeavour to work above their state,

to wit, when a child attempts to do the work of a young man, or of a father in Christ. He sees with how much assurance, light purity, holiness and strength, this and the other advanced Christian works, and he hath a mind to do the same after him; but he doth not succeed, it is above the power, and beyond the attainment of a child. (d) Also when they work above their frame. We are sometimes in a dark and in a dull frame, and far from the Lord: but if we will do our duty then in such a clear, lively and hearty manner, as when we are in the light, and enlivened, and near to God, we go in our own might, and not "in the strength of the Lord God," Psalm lxxi. 16 (f) Once more, we work in our own strength, when we become fretful and are discouraged, because we have not done our duty as we wished and hoped to do it, we show by this conduct that we looked for much good from our own exertions: whereas whatever we do but sin, we do only by the free grace of God.

The Christian, we say, ought to beware of working in his own strength: he cannot of himself do aught that is pleasing to God; "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts," Zech. iv. 6. Works done in our own strength are strange fire, and they will exceedingly darken, perplex and disturb the soul. 3. Learn by all means to perform your duty in a manner that is suitable to your state and frame. By a state we must understand that measure of advancement in the spiritual life, which one hath above another. One is a child, and another is a youth and a man in Christ, according to 1 John ii. 12, 13, 14. A child hath not that steadfast assurance of the love of God, which a youth and a man have. A youth and a man are more intent upon a knowledge of divine mysteries, that they may govern themselves wisely, and actording to the word of God in all their conversation, and a child is more taken with pleasant and agreeable feelings, and delightful experiences of grace. A youth and a man pursue holiness more, and more singly and steadfastly than a child, who is chiefly intent upon assurance and comfort. A youth and a man are more workingly and actively engaged in their pious exercises, but a child is more passively, and looks out only for immediate influences.

A person ought to be active in his holy exercises in proportion to his advancement in his state, that he may not by exerting himself above his ability, fatigue himself too much, and overweary himself: as the man is, so is his strength," Judges viii. 21. "Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule," Philip. iii. 16. By a frame we understand that particular situation and disposition of mind, whereby a Christian is one while in darkness, and another

while in the light, one while dull and another lively, one while sorrowful and another joyful. When a Christian is in darkness, when he is dull and sorrowful, he cannot work as he can, when he is in the light, when he is lively, and when he rejoiceth, or he will overwork and fatigue himself to no purpose. If he shall then work according to his ability, he must observe and inquire where, and in What manner God worketh in him; say not, when I am barren, dark, dull and sorrowful, the Lord doth not then work in me, and I cannot then effect any thing: for in whatsoever evil frame the soul may be, the Lord doth still work in her in one way or another; for "the Spirit abideth in and with you for ever," John xiv. 16. And he is never mactive in you. When the mind is in an evil frame, we see it with more or less compunction, and this proceeds from the Holy Spirit, who convinceth of sins. We ought to begin our work here by looking into our sinful frame, which would excite in us shame and sorrow, would cause us to inhale the influence of "the north and south wind" of the Spirit, Song iv. 16, and in all our exercises "run after the Lord, when he draweth" us, Song i. 4.

4. Stir up the divine gift of regeneration, "which is in you," 2 Tim. i. 6, that it may increase, be improved and confirmed in you; we must "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," according to 2 Peter iii. 18, and we must "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," Eph. vi. 10. Therefore abide under the dispensation of the means of grace, for they are the nourishment of our spiritual life: As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby," I Peter i 2. Converse much with the most zealous and lively of the godly: "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise," saith the wisest of kings, Prov. xiii. 30, and "iron sharpeneth iron: so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend," Prov xxvii. 17. When we observe our neighbour's improvement in wisdom, his weanedness from the world, his heavenly-mindedness and zealousness in that which is good, we are then seized with a holy emulation to imitate his noble example, as "the zeal of the Corinthians provoked very many," 2 Cor. ix. 2. Engage also much in acts of communion with God: " Acquaint now yourselves with him, and be at peace thereby good shall come unto you," Job xxii 21. Yea, stir up your selves daily, "lift up your hearts in the ways of the Lord," with Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. xvii. 6. Indulge not any manner of slackness, looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God," Heb. xii. 15. Are ye sometimes seized with spiritual sluggishness and drowsiness, like the spouse, Song v. 2, 3, do not nourish it, but rouse,