doubtedly the most generous motive to obedience : but alas! thousands of good men, like Cornelius, are yet ftrangers to that powerful fenfation fhed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghoft: In thousands of weak believers, love is not yet properly kindled; it is rather a Smoking flax than a blazing fire in thousands of Laodicean profeffors it is fcarce lukewarm; and in all apoftates it is waxed cold. Therefore, in the prefent, fickly ftate of the church militant, it is as ab furd in preachers, to urge no motive of good works but grateful love; as it would be in phyficians to infit, that a good ftomach must be the only motive, from which their patients ought to take either food or phyfic.

Our Lord far from countenancing our doctrinal refinements in this refpect, perpetually fecures the practice of good works by promifing heaven to all that perfevere in doing them; while he deters us from fin, by threatening deftruation to all that perfift in committing it; working thus alternately upon our hopes and fears, thofe powerful fprings of action in the human breast.

The force of this double incentive to practical religion, I greatly weakened; when, being carried away by the stream of folifidianifm, I rahly faid in my old + fermon, after fome of our reformers, that "good works fhall be rewarded in heaven and eternal life, altho' not with eternal life and heaven." An antinomian error this, which I again publicly renounce, and against which I enter the following fcriptural protest.

If the oracles of God command us to work FROM an initial life of grace, FOR an eternal life of glory; frequently annexing the promife of heavenly blifs to good works, and threatening all workers of iniquity with hell-torments; it follows, that heaven will be the gracious reward of good works, and hell the just wages of bad ones.

I readily grant however, that, if we confider ourfelves merely as finners, in the light of the first gospelaxiom, and according to the covenant of works, which

+ See the notes 29, and 44.

we

we have fo frequently broken; heaven is MERELY the GIFT of God thro' our Lord Jefus Chrift: for, according to that covenant, deftruction is the wages of all who have committed fin. But, if we are converted finners, or obedient believers; and if we confider ourfelves in the light of the second gospel axiom, and according to the covenant of grace; every unprejudiced perfon, who believes the bible, muft allow that heaven is the gracious REWARD of our works of faith. An illustration may help the reader to fee the justnefs of this diftin&tion - A charitable nobleman difcharges the debts of ten infolvent prifoners, fets them up in great or little farms, according to their refpective abilities; and laying down a thousand pounds before them, he says: I have already done much for you, but I will do more ftill. I freely give you this purfe, to encourage your induftry. You shall fhare this gold among you, if you manage your farms according to my directions: but if you let your fields be over-run with thorns, you fhall not only lofe the bounty I defign for the induftrious, but forfeit all my preceding favours." Now who does not fee, that the thoufand pounds thus laid down, are a free gift of the nobleman; that nevertheless, upon the performance of the condition or terms he has fixed, they become a gracious reward of industry and that confequently, the obtaining of this reward turns now entirely upon the works of industry performed by the

farmers.

66

Juft fo eternal falvation is the free gift of God thro' Jefus Chrift; and yet the obtaining of it [on the part of adults] turns entirely upon their works of faith; that is, upon their works as well as upon their faith. Hence the fcripture fays indifferently, He that BELIEVETH is NOT CONDEMNED; and, If thou DOEST WELL fhalt thou not be ACCEPTED? All that BELIEVE are JUSTIFIED; and, He that WORKETH righteousness is ACCEPTED.-Our Lord, fpeaking of a weeping penitent, fays equally: Her fins, which are many, are forgiven; for fhe LOVED much; and, Thy fins are forgiven,

thy

thy FAITH hath faved thee. As for St. Paul, tho' he always juftly excludes the works of unbelief, and merely ceremonial works, yet he fo joins faith, and the works of faith, as tofhew us, they are equally neceffary to eternal falvation: There is no condemnation, fays he, to them that are in Chrift by faith: [Here is the Pharifee's portion] who WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [Here is the Antinomian's portion.] Hence it appears, that living faith now and always works righteoufnefs; and that the works of righteoufnefs now † and always accompany faith, fo long as it remains living.

I know this is the doctrine,' fays judicious Mr. Baxter, 'that will have the loudeft outcries raised against it; and will make fome cry out, Heresy, Popery, Socinianifm! and what not? For my own part the Searcher of hearts knoweth, that not fingu. larity, or any good will to Popery provoketh me to entertain it but that I have earnestly fought the • Lord's direction upon my knees, before I durft ad• venture on it; and that I refifted the light of this 'conclufion as long as I was able.'-May this bright teftimony make way for an illuminated cloud of prophets and apoftles! and may the fun of righteousness rifing behind it, fo fcatter the fhades of error, that we may awake out of our laodicean fleep, and antinomian dreams, and fee a glorious, unclouded gofpel-day!

That in fubordination to Chrift our eternal falvation depends upon good works, i. e. upon the works of faith, will, I think, appear indubitable to them that believe the bible, and candidly confider the following fcriptures, in which HEAVEN and eternal life IN GLORY are fufpended upon works, if they fpring from a fincere belief in the light of our difpenfation; I fay, if they fpring from true faith, it being abfolutely impoffible for an heathen, and much more for a chriftian,

to

I use the word now, to stop up the antinomian gap, which one of my opponents tries to keep open by infinuating, that tho' a true believer may commit adultery and murder now, yet he will always work righteousness before he die.

to work righteoufnefs without BELIEVING in fome degree that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently feek him, as well as the punifher of them that prefumptuously fin against him: For without faith it is impoffible to please God; all faithlefs works fpringing merely from fuperftition, like thofe of Baal's priefts, or from hypocrify like thofe of the pharifees. Having thus guarded again the doctrine of FAITH, I produce fome of the many fcriptures that directly or indirectly annex the above-mentioned reward to WORKS: And,

-

(1) To confideration, converfion, and exercising our◄ Jelves to godliness. Because he confidereth, and • turneth away from all his tranfgreffions, &c. he shall furely live, he fhall not die. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, &c. he fhall 'fave his foul alive. Wherefore turn yourselves and Exercife thyself unto godliness, for it is pro⚫fitable unto all things; having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.'

• liwe ye.

(2) To doing the will of God.. He that does the will of my Father, fhall enter into the kingdom of heaven. He that does the will of God, abideth for " ever. Whofoever fhall do the will of God, the fame is my brother and fifter i. e. the fame is an ⚫ heir of God, and a joint-heir with Chrift.'

(3) To confeffing Chrift, and calling upon the name of the Lord. With the mouth confeffion is made to fal⚫vation. Whofoever therefore thall confefs me be'fore men, him will I confess also before my Father: But whofoever shall deny me before men, him will I alfo deny before my Father. Whofoever fhall call & upon the name of the Lord, fhall be saved.' (4) To felf-denial: If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: It is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go to hell, &c. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be caft into hell-fire.

There is no man, that hath left houfe, or brethren,

&c.

-

&c. for my fake and the gofpel's, but he shall re⚫ceive an hundred fold now, and in the world to come "eternal life. He that lofeth his life for my fake, fhall find it, &c.-He that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. — And our Lord fuppofes that by "gaining the world," a man may ❝ lose his own foul." For, according to the covenant of grace, even reprobates are not totally loft, till they make themfelves fons of perdition like Judas; i. e. till they perfonally and abfolutely lofe their own fouls and heaven, by their perfonal and obftinate pursuit of worldly things. (5) To diligent labour, and earneft endeavours. man of God, lay hold on eternal life-Work out your own falvation. Labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life-Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the iffues of life. In fo doing thou fhalt fave thyfelf. - Narrow is the gate that leads to life. Strive to enter in. -The violent prefs into the kingdom of God, and take it by force.'

O

(6) To keeping the commandments. -Bleffed are they that do his commandments, &c. that they may enter thro' the gates into the city,' i. e. into heaven. There hall in no wise enter into it any thing that worketh abomination.-If thou wilt enter into life, t keep the commandments. -Thou hait answered right: This do and thou fhalt live. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to fave and to deftroy:' [fome of whole laws run thus:] Forgive, and ye thall be for given Bleffed are the merciful, for they fall obtain mercy With what judgment ye judge, ye fhall be judged For he thall have judgment without that hath fhewed no mercy•· BLESSED are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God,' [and, of courfe, the heirs of the kingdom.]— The king fhall fay unto them, Come, ye BLESSED of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you,

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6 mercy,

K

for

+ See the excellent comment of our church upon these words of our Lord, IVth Check, p. 27.