eternal Salvation, provided we continue in our Faith and Obedience.

But, Secondly, Let me add this further upon this Head, and I conclude. What if there be really no fuch Grounds for those Fears and Doubts concerning our own State, from the Decrees of God, as the Objection fuppofeth? What if the Doctrine, upon which they are built, be altogether without Foundation? Thefe Fears I am fpeaking of, do proceed from this Suppofition, that there are a determined Number of Men elected from all Eternity to Salvation, and that all the reft are doomed to Destruction.

As for the former Part of this Suppofition, I do not now make any Question of it; but as to the latter Part, I justly may and do. Nay, if by God's predeftinating Men to Destruction, be meant his decreeing Men from Eternity to Hell-Fire, without Refpect to their evil Actions, or wicked Lives, (as it must be meant in the Objection, otherwise it is not to the Purpose) I fay, the Doctrine is certainly falfe: God never paffed any fuch Sentence upon any of his Creatures. Whatever the Sense be of God's electing fome, and paffing by others, which I fhall not here inquire into, these two Things I dare confidently lay down for Truth, because the Scripture, in very many plain Texts, doth warrant me fo to do: The firft is, that as Chrift died for all Mankind, fo all Mankind that do believe in Chrift, and profefs his Religion, (for as

for

for those that are out of the Pale of the Church, I have nothing to do with them; I fay, all fuch) are in a Capacity of being faved. God is fo far from putting a Bar to the Salvation of any, by any eternal abfolute irrefpective Decrees of his, that he defigned Mercy to them all without Exception, and it is in their Power, by the Grace of God both preventing and affifting, that goes along with them, to accept of that Mercy; and if they do so, they shall without Fail attain everlafting Life.

The scond Thing is this; whatever God's Decrees are concerning Men, it is certain, no Man ever was, or ever fhall be damned, but it was, or shall be, purely thro' his own Fault. And he might have avoided the Damnation, if he would have taken that Care of himself, that in point of Prudence and Self-prefervation he should have done, and which, in other Cafes, he fometimes doth not fail to do.

If now these two Things be true, as they may be evidently proved from the Holy Scriptures, what little Grounds has any Man living to be troubled about God's Decrees concerning him, fince he may be affured that he fhall never mifcarry, but thro' his own Fault; and that it is in his Power, if he will make use of that Grace which God affords him to prevent miscarrying, and to attain to everlasting Salvation? And what can any reasonable Man defire more than this?

I know that there are a great many that do not love to hear of any thing to be done on their Parts, but would have all God's Dealings with Mankind to be fo intirely refolved into his uncontroulable Power, as that whoever is faved, is to be saved by his irrefiftible Grace, without any Concurrence of their own. But fure I am, this Notion of God's bringing Men to Happiness, neither fuits with the holy Scriptures, nor with the Nature he hath given to Mankind. We readily grant, and it is certainly true, that all that comes to pafs in this World, doth come to pafs according to the Counfel of God's Will: But then it is as true, that God hath decreed and determined all Things fo as to give a full Scope to the Exercife of that Power and Liberty that he hath in our Creation bestowed upon us. He hath fo made his Decrees, as that it is from Eternity, a fixed unmoveable Point, that Mankind, who by their Nature are free Agents, fhould in the next World be happy or miferable, only by their own Choice. God determined in the Beginning, to fet Life and Death before us, by our Lord Jefus Christ (and accordingly he hath done fo); he decreed likewife from all Eternity, that all of us that chofe Life upon thofe Terms and Conditions that Chrift hath propofed it, fhould certainly enjoy it. He hath likewife given every one of us Power and Ability fufficient to choose that Life, and to make good thofe Terms and Conditions; and

what

whatever Man or Woman among us does do that, that Perfon is certainly elected; and whoever doth otherwife, is certainly, by the Decrees of God, a Reprobate; that is to fay, he having rejected God's Grace, God will reject him at the last Day.

3

This now is all that we can, conclufively and pofitively, pronounce concerning God's Decrees, and thus much we may pronounce; and this is enough, both to fatisfy our Scruples, and to excite our Industry. It is certain by God's Word, that every one of us may be faved, nay, fhall be faved everlastingly, if we be fincere in our Endeavours after it. I do not fay, if we do all that we can do towards the obtaining Salvation, for that perhaps no Man doth; but if we be fincere in that Degree, that the Infirmity and Degeneracy of human Nature will ordinarily allow us: If we use the fame Sincerity and Industry, in recommending ourselves to God, and our Lord Jefus, and procuring our own everlasting Salvation, that Men ordinarily and cuftomarily do, in profecuting any great Affair in the World, that they have set their Hearts upon: I fay, whofoever is thus far fincere as to his fpiritual Concernments, shall undoubtedly go to Heaven. And fure this is enough, abundantly enough to filence all the Doubts, and Fears, and Perplexities of the most timorous Perfons for ever. I hope they them felves do not defire to go to Heaven upon cafier Terms; or if they do, they are very unreasonable,

reasonable. And on the other hand, if we are not thus ferious in our Endeavours to lead a Holy and Christian Life, all our other Pretences to Salvation will fignify nothing; it will be in vain to rely upon any other Election than that which is made fure by a lively Faith, and a virtuous Conversation. We are all of us the Elect of God, if we live as becomes the Disciples of Chrift Jefus; but we shall all be found Reprobates, if we do

not.

O what a Spur is here to our Industry! How careful fhould we be not to rely upon a barren ineffectual Faith, but to adorn our Profeffion by a godly and a religious Life! How diligent should we be, to make our Calling and Election fure, by adding to our Faith Virtue, and to our Virtue Knowledge, and to Knowledge Temperance, and to Temperance Patience, and to Patience Godliness, and to Godliness brotherly Kindness, and to brotherly Kindnefs Charity! knowing that if thefe Things be in us, and abound, we fhall never be barren nor unfruitful in the Work of the Lord: but an Entrance will be adminiftred unto us more abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jefus.

I conclude all, with that memorable Saying of St. Paul in the 2d of the Rom. the 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Verfes; all which makes to our Purpose: God will render to every Man according to his Works; to them who by patient Continuance in Well-doing, feek for

Glory,