224

way; to cvidea, by heli..f; a that they are in Lin, and fo free

nation.

good works,

Il condem

It alfo appears, that as no obedience is acceptable to God, except it proceed from a principle of love to his name, and be performed with a view to his glory; and as no man is poffeffed of that heavenly principle, or capable of acting for that exalted end, but the true believer, or the juftified perfon: fo it must be very prepofterous, and entirely unavailing, to exhort finners to do this or the other good work, in order to gain an interest in Chrift; or as preparatory to juftification by him. For an intereft in Chrift, is not acquired by the finner, but freely beftowed of God; and is a primary fruit of eternal, diftinguishing love. Nor are the best works of an unbeliever, any other than fplendid faults; neither fpiritually good in themfelves, nor acceptable to Him that fearches the heart. Till we receive the atonement which is by Chrift, and that forgiveness which is with Jehovah; all our duties arife from a flavish principle, and are directed to a felfish end. Without this, all that you do,' fays Dr. OWEN, however it may pleafe your minds, or eafe your confciences, is not at all accepted with GodYou run, it may be, earneftly; but you run out of the way you ftrive, but not lawfully, and fhall never receive the crown- True gofpel obedience is the fruit of the faith of forgiveness. Whatever you do without it, is but a building without a foundation; a caftle in the air. You may fee the order of gospel-obedience, Eph. ii. 7-10. The foundation must be laid in grace; riches of grace by Chrift, in the free pardon and forgiveness of fin. From hence must the works

of

of obedience proceed, if you would have them to be of God's appointment, or find acceptance with • him*.'

Hence it is evident, that as it is the gofpel of reigning grace, under the agency of the divine Spirit, which produces true holiness in the heart, and furnishes the chriftian with fuch excellent motives to abound in obedience this glorious truth is abfolutely neceffary to reform the world-Neceffary known, that we may pleafe God, or answer any valuable purposes in a holy converfation. For the gofpel only can furnith us with fuch principles and motives to obedi ence, as will caufe us to take delight in it. When we know the truth, as it is in Jefus; then, and not till then, the ways of wisdom will be ways of pleafantnefs. Then faith will work by love to God and our neighbour.

to be known, experimentall

Be it your concern, believer, to keep in view the many inducements to holinefs, with which the book of God abounds and urges upon you. Always con fidering it as your indifpenfible duty and proper bufinefs, to glorify God by an holy, heavenly, useful converfation. Remember, you are not your bron: you are bought with a price: your whole perfon is the Lord's. As nothing is a more powerful perfuafive to holiness, than a confideration of the love of Chrift and the glory of God, that are manifested in the atonement made on the crofs; let that be. the fubject of your frequent meditation. For the crofs, and the work finifhed upon it, exhibit the brightest view of the divine perfections. Endeavour, then, to obtain clearer views of Jehovah's glory, and of your reconciliation to him by Jefus

* On the Hundred and Thirtieth Pfalm, p. 266, 267,

Chrift; and you will have a greater abhorrence of all fin, and be more abafed in your own eyes. Con template the bitter fufferings which Jefus under went, not only for your good, but in your ftead; and you will be pained at the heart on account of your paft tranfgreffions and prefent corruptions*. The more you become acquainted with that divine philanthropy which was manifefted in the redemp tion of your foul from the pit of deftruction; the more will it conftrain you to love, to adore, and to glorify the Lord redeemert. For as the love of God, manifested in Chrift, proclaimed in the gofpel, and experienced by faith, is that which first fixes our affections on him; fo the more we view it, the more will our love be heightened. And as love to God is the only principle of true obedience, the more it is heightened, the more will it influence our minds and conduct in all refpects. Thus grace, that very grace which provided, reveals, and applies the bleflings of falvation, is the mafter which teaches, is the motive which induces, and the fovereign which sweetly constrains a believer to deny himself, and to walk in the ways of holinefsý.

Zech. xii. 10. § Tit. ii. 11, 12.

‡ 2 Cor. v. 14

СНАР. ІХ.

Concerning the Neceffity and Ufefulness of Holiness, and of good Works.

H

AVING confidered the nature of fanctifica tion; the character and state of those happy fours who enjoy the bleffing; the way in which they come to poffefs it; and the many cogent motives to engage believers in the purfuit of holinefs, and in the practice of true virtue; I fhall now proceed to fhow the neceflity of holinefs, and the various important purposes which are anfwered by the perfor mance of good works.

Love to God, being by regeneration implanted in the heart of a finner, he is fitted for fpiritual communion with the great Object of all religious worship, in his ordinances and with his people in the church below; and for a more perfect communion with Him in the world of glory. In this fel lowship with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift, with which believers are indulged in the prefent ftate; and in that more intimate fellow fhip with God, enjoyed by the fpirits of the juft made perfect above, true happiness, both in time and in eternity, confifts. But the unfanctified foul is abfolutely incapable of fuch refined pleafures. There must be a fpiritual difcernment, and a heavenly tafte, before things of this kind can be either enjoyed or defired. For while a man continues in his natural fate, at enmity with God and in love

with fin; he neither has, nor can have any real pleafure in approaching his Maker. Two cannot walk together except they be agreed. Hence it is that our Lord fays; Except a man be born again, he CANNOT fee the kingdom of God. With whom the apoftle agrees, when he afferts, Without holiness no man Shall fee the Lord.

That holiness which the fcripture fo exprefsly requires in order to the enjoyment of God, is poffeffed by every one that is born from above, and in a justified ftate. For every fubject of regenerating grace loves God. Love to God being the grand principle of holinefs, and the fource of all acceptable obedi→ ence; none can enjoy it and not be poffeffed, in fome degree, of real holinefs, Nay, we may venture to affert, that whoever loves the infinitely Amiable, is poffeffed of all that holinefs, in the principle, that fhall at any time flourish and adorn his future converfation, or that shall shine in him to all eternity. Such an one, therefore, must not only have a title to heaven, but alfo be in a ftate of preparation for it.

Some profeffors, who efpoufe the notion of finlefs perfection, and look upon themselves as uncommon friends to the interefts of holinefs; talk, indeed, of perfons being in a regenerate and juftified ftate, while they are yet unfanctified. Confequently, quite incapable of having communion with God, in his ordinances here; entirely unfit for the fublime enjoyments of the heavenly world hereafter; and, therefore, if they leave the prefent ftate in fuch a fituation, everlafting mifery muft be their portion. But as the doctrine of finlefs perfection in this life, is a bold oppofition to the teftimony of God, and contrary to all chriftian experi

ence