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Can it now be otherwise, but that this new man should have "a love and delight to hve according to the will of God in all good works?" No; for the law of God is writ.en in his heart; the love of Christ constraineth him, and the eyes of his understanding are enlightened, he looks upon holiness and good works as beams of the divine glory, though before this he considered them as trifles and follies with joy "he esteems all the precepts of God concerning all things to be right," like David, Psalm cxix. 128. He says with Paul, Rom. vii. 12, The law is holy and the commandment holy, and just, and good." He did cates himself willingly to the Lord, and engages, yea, "swears that he will keep God's righteous judgments, and he will also perform it," with David, Psalm cxix. 106. He sighs to the Lord for strength and ability: “O,” saith he, "that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes," vrs. 5. He also actually sets about his duty, yea, "he makes haste and delays not to keep God's commandments," like that fervent man, vrs. 60. His convers on works also this "vehement des re and carefulness," in him, according to the text. He hath also a delight in this after the inward man," with that holy apostle, Rom. vii. 22. Like king David, "he rejoices in the way of God's testimonies more than in all riches," Psalm cxix. 14, and with him, he takes them as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of his heart," vrs. 3.

In this manner is the new man, before dead, q rickened in the converted sinner. He becomes another man, a new creature is united to God, as to his soul; he lives also otherwise than he was used to do before this: he reckons himself to be dead unto sin; but alive nnto God, Rom. vi. 11. This is his element, and the life of his life.

This conversion is ascribed to God: "God giveth repentance unto life," Acts xi. 18. It is also ascribed to man: "At Antioch a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord," Acts. xi. 21: for "God works both to will and to do" in man, Philip ii. 13, whereby man also wills and works, God converts man, and man also converts himself: "Turn me, and I shall be turned," saith the church, Jer. xxxi. 3. Lam. v. 21. The sinner doth not prevent God, but God prevents the sinner, with the work of conversion; yea, in the beginning of conversion God works alone without man, inasmuch as man is blind, and therefore wholly passive here; but in the progress of conversion man works also, because God causeth him to work. And therefore we distinguish conversion into a first and second, and a daily conversion. The first conversion is that by which a man passeth out of the state of nature into the state of grace: so

"God commandeth all men every where to repent," Acts xvii. 30. This conversion is also called regeneration: the second conversion is that by which a converted person rises up after a grievous fall, with Peter, Luke xxii. 32, 62. The daily conversion takes place every day, when a person rises up from his continual stumblings, and bestirs himself repeatedly to "follow after perfection," with Paul, Philip. iii. 12, 14, whereby "the inward man is renewed day by day," 2 Cor. iv. 16.

II. He who is converted in this manner must also do works worthy of conversion. The sinner, estranged from God, and blind before his conversion, knows not what conversion is, nor what good works are. With the Papists he will esteem certain superstitious practices, in which he engages with a religious intention, extraordinary holiness; and with the Pelagians or Semipelagians he will wonder at himself, when he performs certain moral duties; but after he is converted, the eyes of his understanding are enlightened, and he will say with the instructor, "Those only are good works which proceed from a right faith," &c. We will explain this somewhat more particularly.

We must know previously that some works are good, and have these qualifications from their own nature, and so cannot be evil. thus it is with saving faith in Christ, hope in God through Christ, the love of God, and the love of our neighbour, proceeding from the love of God; these are indeed fruits of the Spirit, as Paul saith Gal. v. 22,The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. meekness, temperance." Other works are materially good, but without these qualifications evil. to wit, outward moral duties. The Pharisees seemed to have many good works; but inasmuch as those works had not these good qualificaions, the Saviour expresseth repeatedly his detestation of them. See Mat. xxiii. 13-36. Luke xviii. 10, 11, 12, 14. There are also works which are in themselves indifferent, or neither good nor evil, as eating and drinking of this or that kind of food, following this or that calling; but they become evil, when they are not performed with these qualifications, and good when they are accompanied with them. And thus we must "do all things by faith in the name of Jesus," agreeably to Coll. iii. 17, according to the law of God, "doing the will of God from the heart," Eph. vi. 5, 6, and "to his glory," 1 Cor. x. 31.

1. Therefore if works shall be good, they must in the first place "proceed from a true faith ;" "The end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith un

figned," 1 Tim. 1. 5. Faith makes the heart good, and therefore the works which proceed from such a heart, also agreeable to God; for "the heart is purified by faith," Acts xv. 6. And therefore * whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Rom. xiv. 13, and "without faith it is impossible to please God," Heb. xi. 6. Many know indeed that good works must proceed from faith, but they know not how they proceed from it; the matter is thus, good works proceed from faith (a) when they are performed by a true believer. If a man's doings shall please God, his person must first please him: "The Lord had respect " first "to Abel, and " then "to his offer. ing," as Moses relateth, Gen. iv. 4, 5. Even "the sacrifice, the way, and the ploughing of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight," saith the wise man, Prov. xv. 8, 9. xxxi. 4. They are the "peculiar people" of Jesus, who are "zealous of good works," Titus ii. 14. But how do we become his peculiar people and united to him? do we not by faith, we are taught this, Song ii. 16 John i. 12. Eph. iii. 17. (b) Good works are also performed from faith, when they are done by the power and influence of Christ : "Without him," and his influence," we can do nothing," according to John xv. 45. But how shall we obtain his influence? surely by faith only for we thereby "receive of his fulness, and grace for grace," John 1. 12, 16, and we do thus all things in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus," as Paul commands, Coll iii. 17. (c) We do good works also from faith, when we do them with an assured mind, that they are the will of God, and pleasing to him, and thus, as the will of God, and in obedience to him: therefore the apostle of the Gentiles saith, Rom. xiv. 22, 23, "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned, if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin,"

law of the Lord," for the law is the man to his law,

2. And so they are performed according to the which is necessary, if the works shall be good rule of good works; the Lord God also directs that he may regulate himself in all that he doth according to it: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them," Isaiah viii. 20. He alone is the lawgiver, who can save and destroy, and therefore he alone can determine and prescribe what he will have his reasonable creatures to do and omit. To behave as a man thinks fit, with the Papists, may please the man himself, but it will not the Lord; for then God is rejected, man becomes his own lawgiver, and he

may commit the greatest abominations with a good design to serve God; "Whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service," saith the Saviour to his apostles, John xvi. 2. Yea, we perform then a detestable "will worship," tending only "to the satisfying of the flesh," Col. ii. 23. As we cannot make laws for ourselves, so we cannot for others; "In vain do they worship me. teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,” saith the Lord, Isaiah xxix. 13. Matt. xv. 9. Though a thing be ever so indifferent, yea, ever so good, it still "perisheth with the using," if it be introduced "after the commandments and doctrines of men," as Paul speaks, Col. ii. 22. We must be servants of God, and not of men, according to 1 Cor. vii. 23. We shall not be judged" by the law of men, but "by the law of God," James ii. 12.

3. No work, which is done from faith, and according to the law of God, can be pleasing to him, "unless it be done also to the glory of God." The Lord hath made all things, and especially the reasonable creature, for himself, and for his glory: therefore it be comes the reasonable creature to direct all things to his glory. The Lord is the most glorious being: it is therefore proper that his creature should acknowledge this in all that he doth, "whether he eat, or whether he drink, or whatever else he do," 1 Cor. x 31. When a man aims at himself, he puts himself in the place of God. It is true we must do good works, that we may gain our neighbour for Christ, but this issues in the glory of the Lord. See Matt. v. 16. We must not always disapprove of believers aiming at their own profit and pleasure; for the Lord himself excites and urgeth his people sometimes by these things, Gen. xv. 1, and they also suffer themselves to be moved thereby. See this in the virgins of Jesus, and in Moses, Song 1. 4. Heb. xi. 26. It is also nearly im possible that unexperienced Christians who have but little knowledge of divine truths, should begin all that they do from a direct view to the glory of God; their own salvation, advantage and pleasure will excite them most, and they end thus in the glory of the Lord, since the glory of God is their salvation, and their salvation is the glory of God; when God satisfieth their souls as with marrow and fatness, then their mouths praise him with joyful lips," Psalm Ixviii 5. And so the Lord obtains his end, to wit, his glory, and he esteems such a work good.

APPLICATION.

Do these qualifications render the works of men good, can then the virtues of the heathens be good works, as the patrons of freewill imagine? They had not surely a true faith; did they possess the law of nature, how was it obscured and effaced by their blindness, corruption and evil practices! was it not their own honour, the reputation that they were wise and virtuous, that urged them on? For, "when they knew God," saith Paul, Rom. i. 21, 22, “they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." But we need not wonder that persons, who speak so highly of the powers of freewill, look upon the virtues of the heathens to be good works; for even their own virtues are no better than heathenish morality, the offspring of the corrupt will, and only tricked up with the name of Christian virtues and of faith. The Papists, who value themselves wonderfully upon their good works, have made good works of the most fantastical things; performing pilgrimages, going barefoot, not sparing the body, but scourging it, making monastic vows, yea, doctrines of devils, forbidding to marry, and abstaining from certain meats, these are reckoned not only good works, but even supererogatory good. But these things cannot be done from faith, to the glory of Gol, nor according to his law. God doth not require them at the hands of any man, he detests them: "In vain," saith the Saviour, "do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men," Mat. xv. 9. Our church speaks with more sincerity and truth of good works, and hath therefore the surest evidence, that she thinks rightly, more especially as she speaks according to the word of God.

Will it now suffice, that we have contemplated this matter, as a truth, without respect to ourselves? must we not also apply it to ourselves? It concerns us greatly, whether we also be converted or not. It is certain, that all who are present here are not converted, nor all unconverted. Many feed upon ashes, a deceived heart turns them aside, so that they cannot deliver themselves, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? They ween that they are converted, but the old man hath never yet been mortified in them, nor