probability of it than he was before. And there is none but may thus far, if they will but improve that power and ability that they have. go 2., There is no duty in religion, but the power of nature may carry a man out to the external performance thereof, and that with affection and enlargement also. 1 Ahab humbles himself. Herod heard John Baptist gladly. And so, sinners can pray, hear, read, meditate, and discourse of the things of God: others have done so, formerly; and, therefore, they may and can do so, now. Indeed, heretofore, there were peculiar gifts bestowed upon wicked persons, immediately from God; as Balaam was made to prophesy of Christ, and the like: Numb. xxiv. 17. But these are now ceased: and all unregenerate persons now, have the same power and faculties in them, one as well as another; and may be able to do, one as much as another; in the performance of spiritual duties, if they themselves will. 3. There is no wicked, man whatever, but may, by the mere power of nature, restrain himself from the commission of sin. I speak not of sins, collectively taken; for no man can so say his heart or life is clean and pure: but he may keep out of notorious and scandalous sins. There is no sinner, that hath given himself up to his lusts, but may, if he will, for the future live so inoffensively, that neither the world nor his own conscience may have much to accuse him of, besides common infirmities. Mark the reason of this: because wicked men commonly make choice of sin: this sin they will live in, and that sin they will not live in: the drunkard is not covetous, and the covetous man is not a drunkard; and so I may say of other sins. Now it is from the power of nature, that wicked men refrain from the commission of any one sin; and not from the power of grace: and, therefore, if one sinner hath power to keep from this sin, and another sinner hath power to keep from the commission of another, and a third from a third sin, then every sinner may, by the power of nature, keep from all those sins that any of those sinners do keep themselves from; because there is the same power in each sinner, to lay the same restraint upon this or that sin, that others keep from. he 4. There is no man, how greui a sinner soever, but, if he will, may with constancy, yea to the end and period of his life, con VOL. III. tinue thus in the performance of duties and in the avoiding of sins, by the power of nature only. For, if it be possible that men should do it at any time, then it is possible for them to do it continually. No more power is required to enable them this day, than was required the day past; nor no more power is required for the day to come, than was for this day now present: therefore, having strength to avoid them one time, they might also avoid them another time; yea, and continually persevere in so doing, if they would keep a daily constant watch against them. 5. There is no man, but, through this perseverance and continuance, may attain to habitualness; and, thereby, to a facility and easiness, in the performance of duties, and in the avoiding of sins. When men are accustomed to a road and round of duties, it is a trouble to them to omit them: so, if men did but set themselves to their utmost to perform duties in a more hearty and cordial manner, those duties would become easy to them; and, if men would but engage themselves perseveringly to oppose their corruptions, this would bring them to that pass, that it would be their delight to keep from sin and to perform duty. And all this the power of nature would bring them to. Now, Sinners, you see what a large tenure you have. You are not staked down fast, that you can do nothing: no; it is much, yea very much, that you may do in order to your salvation. But, here, some may possibly say, "We hope that these words are not true:" for they would not be able to do so much as all this comes to, because they are willing to do nothing at all. But, let such know, that that, which will condemn them at the Last Day, will be, that they have not done what they might have done, in performing duties and in opposing sins, and therefore they wilfully fall short of happiness and salvation. OBJECT. iii." But," may some say, "if we should put forth to our utmost the power of Nature, what would that avail us? We cannot thereby work Grace in ourselves; and, without grace, no salvation is to be had." To this I answer: consider, you do not know but, whilst you are thus doing what you can, God may come in and by his grace enable you to do what you cannot do. God is not wont to be wanting, in this particular, unto any. He is found of those, that seek him not; and, much more, will be be found of those, that seek him and enquire after him, though it be but by the weak endeavours of nature. OBJECT. iv. "But", may some say, "hath God obliged himself to convert and save those, that do to the utmost what nature enables them to do, in desiring salvation and in seeking to obtain it ?" To this I answer: God hath not bound himself, but usually he doth so. God is neither bound to give grace, upon the endeavours of nature; neither is he wont to deny it. Can you say, that ever you knew or heard of any careful, conscientious, industrious soul, that diligently and conscientiously exercised itself in performing duties and in avoiding sins, that was not at last truly converted and eternally saved? and why then should you doubt or think that you shall be the first? Cast yourself, therefore, úpon God; trusting to his rich and free grace; doing the utmost of your endeavours. However, suppose the worst, that thou art never converted nor saved, which supposition is very dreadful and terrible; and, if thou art careful and conscientious to improve thy abilities to the utmost, it is altogether improbable; but, suppose the worst: 1. Thou livest hère, then, more according to the rule of naturê and reason, than others do. For, when others wallow in sin, thou shewest thyself to be, more like a rational man: thou art sensible thou hast a soul of more worth, than to be lost for want of care and diligence. And, then, 2. Thy pains and punishments, hereafter, shall be greatly mitigated. Possibly, thou mayest slight this: because, at best, it is damnation: yea, but consider, there are several degrees, of torments in hell. Now thy workings and endeavours may free thee from many degrees of torment; and, therefore, they free thee from many hells: and is not this worth thy labour? Nay, and not only so, but it is very probable that you may altogether escape those torments, if you be conscientious in doing your utmost endeavours. VI. And now, methinks, every one, that hath but reason to judge and a soul to save, must needs see so much strength and force in the arguments that have been propounded, that the next question should be, What must we do, to work the works of God? John vi. 28. In every trade and profession, there is some kind of mystery, that gives to them, that have attained to it, a quicker dispatch in their business than other men have. And so is it in the work and profession of a Christian: there is an art and mystery; and he, that is master of this, shall make good dispatch in his great work. And, possibly, we may have some insight into it by these following DIRECTIONS. DIRECTION 1. If you would work out your own salvation, then DIGEST AND DISPOSE YOUR WORK INTO A RIGHT ORDER AND METHOD. Immethodicalness breeds confusion; and makes that a tumult and a heap of business, that would otherwise become a trade in Christianity. One attainment makes way for and opens into another: and, to attempt any thing in Christianity by leaps and jumps as it were, is fruitless, unprofitable, and vain. No wise man will try to mount up the highest round of a ladder at the first step. But, yet, many such preposterous endeavours are found among men, in the working out of their salvation. In respect of doctrinals, St. Paul tells us, some built hay and stubble upon a foundation of gold: 1 Cor. iii. 12. But, in respect of practicals, it is frequent, that many men endeavour to build gold upon a foundation of hay and stubble. These men's buildings will soon totter, fall, and come to nothing but ruin, shame, and disappointment. Now the right disposing of your great work lies thus: first, you are to work from nature for grace; and, then, from grace unto the holy and spiritual performance of duty, by which grace is much confirmed and strengthened; and so, continuing in duty, to arrive at assurance; and, from this, the next step is salvation: from nature to grace, and from grace to duty. See this method laid down by the Apostle: Heb. xii. 28. Let us, says he, have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear: this is Discouraging and Disheartening. And, 1. They are very Discouraging. Duties never flow freely from the soul, where grace is not like a continual fountain to supply it. Job, speaking of the hypocrite, asks this question, Will he delight himself in God? will he always call upon him? Job xxvii. 10. no: he will not: it is not possible that he should do so: though, for a time, he may drive at a high rate, praying both with fervency and affection; yet will he soon decay and faint, because he hath no life of grace to carry him through duties: but he finds them to flow stubbornly from him; and, therefore, through weariness and discontent, at last he gives them over. The good works of graceless persons may be as flourishing as if indeed they were true saints; but they have not a root to supply them: the root of the matter, as Job speaks, is not in them; and, therefore, they are soon nipped and fade' away. It is simply impossible, that a person, without the life and power of grace, should persevere in a cordial, affectionate performance of good works: interest, credit, respect, and natural conscience, are too weak wheels for so great a burden : it is grace only, that can overbalance all outward discouragements; yea, and which is more, that alone can remove all inward also: this can make obedience sweet to a child of God, which to a wicked man must needs be irksome; and that, because he hath no relish therein. Matth. xvi. 23. Thou savourest not the things that are of God: this may be much more said of graceless persons, because they have not salt in them, for so |