his Father's counsels, upholding his own elect, and all things for the elect's sake, till he has called, prepared, and presented them all to his Father at the restoration of all things, when he shall deliver up the kingdom, and wipe tears from every eye in the new heavens and the new earth, where the inhabitants shall not say they are sick where there shall be no more sighing, nor crying, nor groaning, nor curse. So that, as far as a bruised reed and the smoking flax may be true emblems representing the state of a gracious heart, they were as true of Enoch, Noah, Elijah, Daniel, and the Virgin Mary, in their days, and all their days, equally at one time as another, from the first dawning of faith in their hearts, till they finished their course with joy, as of any other heart whatsoever, even of the weakest believer in whom the Holy Ghost dwells at this day. So little ground is there for building your doctrine on the words of the prophet.

But if you leave the prophets, and come to the apostles; alledging, that even Paul cries out sometimes so pitiably, Rom. vii. 24. ‹ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Observe, he cries out also with the same breath in answer to his own exclamation, I thank God, through Jesus • Christ our Lord.' Which same emphatic question and answer are not to be understood of some particular frames of his, at particular and different times; but of the one even and

uninterrupted echo of the heart of every one of those who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groaning within themselves while in this tabernacle, being burdened, waiting for the adoption, namely, the redemption of the body, when they shall be delivered from this bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

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If it be urged from Heb. ii. 15. that there we read of some weak and doubting believers, who through fear of death were all their life ́ time subject to bondage,' whom Christ came to deliver: Remark the answer to your last argument, and the connection of the present text, and then honestly say, if the persons there said to have been all their lifetime, through fear of death, subject to bondage, are not all those whom the Lord by his death delivered from sin, death, and the power of Satan, even all whom he sanctified in himself, who are all his brethren, of one father, with whom he partook in flesh and blood, Abraham, Samuel, and John the apostle, as much as any other person whatsoever of the blood of Adam, whom he loved and washed in his own blood; having found them all in the same condemnation, that he might bring them all to the same absolution and glory in himself. Now, how oddly does your account of certain saints fearing death and damnation, being in bondage, agree with the apostle's account of himself and all the called of God? Ye have

fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.-We groan to have the earthly house of this tabernacle dissolved, that we may be clothed upon with our house from heaven; and in this we are always confident, knowing that while we ⚫ are at home in the body, we are absent from • the Lord And we wait for the Lord from

• heaven.'

Lastly, if you insist upon 2 Pet. i. 10. where believers are called upon to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, that there fore believers may be ignorant of their calling and election, and consequently in darkness as to their interest in Christ; it is asked of you, to whom is this calling and election to be made sure, according to your sense? To God? Absurd! can worms of the earth have any influence upon the purpose or knowledge of God? To themselves? No; the address to them came too late for that: for they were already designed as Elect, and called according to the foreknowledge of God, &c. 1 Pet. i. 2. as being made partakers of the divine nature through the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour, &c. Now, if they are supposed not to know their own character and designation, the exhortation, proceeding upon their knowledge of that character and designation, must go for nothing. To whom then are they called to shew their calling and election? even to all who may behold them; as the Lord said to his disciples, John xv.

You

⚫ have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring ‹ forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. -Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be, that is, approve yourselves to be, my disciples.' And again, The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them who are his : And, Let every one that nameth the name of 'Jesus depart from iniquity.-I know my

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sheep, and am known of them, and they know my voice, and they follow me.'-Shew your faith by your works: as your charity by your alms-giving. Make your calling and election sure. Prove them, manifest them sure. Let the Spirit of life within you have free scope in the direction of your life and motions, that it may appear you were not sealed to the day of redemption for nothing. Thus a man is declared just by his works, even as God himself is justified, or declared just in his works. Thus children, servants, wives, subjects, soldiers, make sure their loyalty and love by their obedience, according to the relation, election, and calling, as we may express it, of their several respective states. Thus good fruit makes sure the goodness of the mother-tree. Thus Isaac made it sure that the Lord was true, and Sarah barren no more. Thus all witnesses of truth establish and make sure the facts which they only shew, and not do. So do ye make your sure calling and election appear, as being God's workmanship, created in

D

Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that ye should walk in them; as dear children, holy and beloved, walking worthy of God to all well-pleasing, as knowing your election of God.

Those spoken of 1 John ii. 13. are evidently the same persons considered in different respects, and not believers of different ranks, or degrees in grace, as weaker and stronger: Certain it is, the weakest of them, even in your view, are not described as doubting of their interest in Christ, but assured of that; in which point they are equal all of them. I write unto you, little • children, because your sins are forgiven you · for his name's sake.-I have not written to you, because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth for ye have an unction from the Holy • One, and ye know all things.' And again, Hereby know we that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.—And we know that we are of God.-And we know that the • Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true: and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.'

It is now entreated of you, in the name of the, Lord Jesus, that you excuse this freedom, and consider the answers which have been given to your arguments, whereby your principal weapons