after his image "Christ is formed in them," Gal. iv. 19. They become "partakers of the divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4. Yea," they are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord," as the apostle teacheth, 2 Cor. iii. 18. Must not such persons do good works? may they forbear to act conformably to him in holiness? It is become their nature to do good works; for they who are delivered are "the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that they should walk in them," Eph. ii. 10. They must also do them, because they are commanded to resemble him, in holiness, 1 Peter i. 15, 16. How is it possible, that they who are delivered should not be obliged to do good works? for the Holy Ghost dwells in them, leads and comforts them; therefore Paul saith, "Know yo not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are," 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. He saith the same also, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 2. If we consider the ends of good works, we shall perceive clearly, that the delivered must do good works. The instructor mentions three ends of good works: the first and chief end is, "that we may testify by the whole of our conduct our gratitude to God for his blessings, and that he may be praised by us." Gratitude is a cheerful acknowledgment of the kindness of the Lord, manifested in his benefits, and it induceth us to surrender ourselves to him, in order to serve him. Wonderfully great and many are the benefits, which God bestows upon those whom he delivers. We have now spoken only very briefly of them, but more largely before from the fifth Lord's day to the present. Must not those who are delivered be constrained to gratitude by these benefits? is it not their duty? had not God's ancient people their thankofferings, as well as their sacrifices of slain beasts? Because the Lord doth not now impose such a heavy burthen upon them whom he hath delivered, but is kinder to them than he was to his ancient people, must they therefore be unthankful? is the duty of "offering thanksgiving to God" now abolished? Psalm 1. 14. None will say that it is. But how shall we be thankful? It will surely not be enough to "say Lord, Lord, and not to do the will of our Father," Matt. vii, 21. We must evince our thankfulness by doing good works, in order to manifest that we have wholly surrendered ourselves to the service of God, as an acknowledgment of his benefits. Hear what Paul saith of this, Rom. xii. 1. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accepta

ble to God, which is your reasonable service." In this manner de we testify gratitude to God, and praise him with our whole lives, in all that we do, and forbear, "whether we eat, or whether we drink; or whatsoever we do, we do all to the glory of God," according to 1 Cor. x. 31. Yea, "the delivered must serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness, all the days of their lives." Luke i. 74, 75.

The other end is "that each one may be assured in himself of his faith by the fruits thereof." As there are so many, who have only an apparent faith, as believers are not always sufficiently enlightened to perceive the soundness of their faith, and as eve y believer hath not his senses exercised to discern between good and evil, and faithf is often weak. and obscured by many mists of corruption, therefore believers are not always certain, that they possess a true faith. The Holy Spirit, in order to assure them that they possess a true faith; beshines them with his light, by which they behold clearly" the things" (and therefore faith also) "that are freely given them of God," 1 Cor ii. 12. Yea, he gives them sometimes a strong and sensible assurance of the love of God, and of the forgiveness of their sins, and that in several ways, as we have shown on different occasions. See the first and the twenty-third Lord's days. But as this assurance doth not always abide with the soul, and as temporary believers often exhibit a counterfeit assurance, (for they also some times taste the heavenly gift, and the powers of the world to come) therefore good works are, as fruits of faith, the best evidences of a true faith: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit: neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit," saith the Saviour, Matt. vii. 18, and "the tree is known by its fruit," Matt. xii. 33. Therefore good works are very often proposed, as marks for trial, see Psalm xv. and xxiv. 2 Peter i. 4-10. 1 John iii. 14. James more especially doth this: "What doth it profit, my brethren," saith he, chap. ii. 14-26. “ though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? Faith, if it have not works, is dead, being alone, Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." He shows also in that passage that Abraham and Rahab were justified by works, as evidences of faith. What is your opinion now, hearers, doth it not concern those who are delivered to be assured and must they not then do good works, that they may have a steadfast and indisputable assurance ?

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The third end of good works is, "that others may be gained to Christ by the godly conversat on of them who are delivered." The wicked, who know not God, seeing the love, which the delivered have to God and their neighbour, their humility, their self-denial,

heavenly-mindedness, meekness and moderation, conclude therefrom that God is worthy to be loved and feared. They harden themselves against the word of reproof and admonition, but this light stings their eyes, and pierces their hearts so, that "they are convinced and judged, the secrets of their hearts are manifested, and falling down on their faces, they worship God, and report that God is in his people of a truth." 1 Cor. xiv 24, 25. "The husbands are Won without the word by the holy conversation of the wives," and many "are made ashamed," as Peter saith, 1 Peter . 1, 2, 16. Yea, the earnest piety of the delivered will awaken drowsy Christians, and they who are fervent in spirit will become more fervent: *Your zeal hath provoked very many," saith Paul, 2 Cor. ix. 2, See Poil. i. 14 Is it not the duty of every person to win his neighbour for Christ? ought he not, like Christ's "sheep, to bring forth twins, and to be fruitful?" Song iv. 2 vi. 6. Will the fair spoken Christian, the Christian only in words do this? no; even the wicked presently perceive, that he is a mere talker, and they become more averse from godliness than before, when they do not see good works joined to speaking of God and divine things. Must not the delivered then do good works? Surely the Lord Jesus commands it, when he saith to his people, Matt. v. 16. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" Paul requireth the same thing, Philip. ii. 15.

II. It is therefore certain, that they who are delivered without any merit of their own, merely of grace through Christ. must do good works. But what will become of those, "who continuing in their wicked and ungrateful lives, are not converted to God? cannot they be saved?" Thus asks the instructor, and he teaches us to answer, "By no means." This is not a mere fiction of his own brain, but De appeals to "the holy scripture, which saith, that no unchaste person, &c. shall inherit the kingdom of God." The instructor is in the right, for this is declared, 1 Cor. vi. 10 Eph. v. 5. Yea, the word of God saith," that the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience," on account of such shameful sins, Psalm xi. 6. Eph. v. 6. Col. iii. 5, 6. And "they who live after the flesh shall die," Rom. viii. 13. "Without are dogs, &c. Rev. xxii. 15. Such abominable persons shall not be saved, nor any others, who are not truly sanctified according to the image of God, however civil and devout they may otherwise be; for "without holiness no man shall see the Lord," saith Paul, Heb. xii. 14. The Saviour himself saith, Matt. v. 20. "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingVOL. II.

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dom of heaven." And this is also reasonable; for God is holy, "he is of purer eyes than to behold evil," Hab. i. 13. How then should the unholy and loathsome sinner appear before him, and enjoy the embraces of his blessed love? David saith, Psalm v. 4, 5, 6 "Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish sha!! not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man." We may not think that Christ hath satisfied for them, and bought them with his blood, and that they will therefore be saved, though they be ever so ungodly; for such persons manifest that Christ hath not bought them, for he would then have delivered them from the practice of sin because, according to our text," he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The Lord saith, Isaiah lix. 20. 46 The redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them, that turn from transgression in Jacob." Paul saith indeed, Heb. v. 9, that "the Lord Jesus is become the author of eternal salvation unto all,” but he limits those all, when he saith that "they obey him,”

Therefore it cannot avail, either the Papists, or the Antinomians, that we teach that Christ hath satisfied the law for them whom he delivereth, and it doth not follow therefrom, that if they must still do good works, God would then demand the debt twice; for he sat isfied the law, not that he might discharge the delivered from their natural obligation, for they cannot be discharged from that obligation, unless they can cease to be creatures, and become Gods; but the Son of God satisfied, that he might take away guilt, and obtain sanctification; for "he is made to them righteousness and sanctification," 1 Cor. i. 30. And therefore he satisfied, that he might strengthen that eternal obligation. The delivered must do good works, not to satisfy like Jesus, but for the reasons, which we have mentioned

They say, "believers are not under the law," Rom. vi. 14. "The law is not made for the righteous," &c. 1 Tim. i. 9, 10. Are they then on that account discharged from all obedience and subjection to the Lord? no: but they are not under the law, as the condition of the covenant of works, promising life to them who observe the law perfectly, and threatening those who transgress it with a curse, Gal ii. 13. Rom. iii. 19, 20.

The Antinomians object further, that if the delivered "must" do good works, they will do them not from a childlike heart, and wil lingly, but from constraint, like slaves. But this "must" is not

from constraint, but from obligation and a willing mind, as children, must " obey their parents, and nevertheless obey them willingly. See 1 Peter i. 14-17. Psalm cz. 23. That it may consist with willingness, that a person may do a thing from obligation, we learn from Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 16, 17.

APPLICATION.

Therefore when we urge the necessity of good works by such reasons, may we not then, hearers, conclude in opposition to our adversaries, that we have the plainest and most certain proof that the doctrine of our church is agreeable to the word of God? for we deny thus all our own righteousness, seeking our salvation as sinners in Christ only, and we assign no other reasons for sanctification, than those which the word of God exhibiteth to us. The doctrine of "truth is according to godliness," it is "a mystery of godliness," Titusi. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 16. When we therefore urge persons to godliness and good works from the purest principle, even their gra cious deliverance through Christ. without any merit of their own, by the most suitable and powerful ruments, may we not then rest as sured, that the pure truth is taught by us alone? is it not then a vile calumny of our adversaries, when they say, that we are enemies of good works? It is true, that as there is no heretic, who will not appeal to scripture, so there is no erroneous spirit who will not pretend to a form of godliness, unless we will except the Antinomians. But what are the grounds and reasons of their good works? the Pa pists assert that good works are meritor ous, obliging God to them, and so they do good works like hirelings slaves, and legalists. The Remonstrants and Socinians speak only of free-will, of a law improved by Christ, aud of his example; the Remonstrants add for decencie's sake, a general and sufficient grace, which, if they would speak plainly, would be nothing else but free-will, and the outward revelation; for they cannot name aught that is given by God besides free-will, and the outward revelation. But are these things sufficient to influence the soul, which is incapable of good, and disinclined to it? They may urge her to a certain heathenish morality, but they will not effectually captivate her, and conduct her to unfeigned holiness.

Since then we have such a holy and sanctifying doctrine, is it not