powers God hath bestowed; and is the privilege only of thofe wife and happy fpirits, who attain to a habit of true holiness. And thus, our Lord's rule, Joh. ii. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot fee, or enjoy, the kingdom of God, may extend to all created minds, whatfoever; under their feveral peculiar circumstances.

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IV. Holinefs, or virtue, cannot be forced upon us whether we will or not. The violence which overpowers and compels the Will, deftroys the Will or Choice, and confequently deftroys Virtue; which is no other wife Virtue, than as it is freely chofen. That being which cannot be vicious, cannot be virtuous. If he is not free to choofe evil, he is not free to choose good; for a power of being virtuous, neceffarily implies a power of being the contrary. The only means, therefore, that can bé ufed to induce a moral Agent to Virtue, are inftruction, admonition perfuafion, the impreffion of objects or circumftances upon the mind, the fuggeftions of the Spirit of God, and fuch like methods as engage attention, and influence inclination and choice, without deftroying Freedom. And a habit of Virtue, which alone recommends us to God, can be gained and afcertained no otherwife than by repeated Acts, by use and exercise, by being put to the proof under proper Trials, by refifting folicitations, furmounting difficulties, and bearing fufferings. This is the most natural way of bringing Virtue, or Holinefs, to its maturity and ftability. Therefore,

V. it feems agreeable to the reafon of things, that all rational creatures what foever fhould, for fome time, be in a State of Trial. However; this is, or hath been, the cafe of all we are acquainted with. The Angels have paffed through a probation, doubtiefs adapted to their different circumftances; in which fome of them abode not in the truth; they finned; they kept not their firft eftate; Job. viii. 44. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude 6. And our first parents, how fingular foever their condition might be in other refpects, were put under a particular Trial, by being forbidden to cat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; which must be intended to form their minds to an habitual obedience to the Law, or Will, of God.

VI. We Men are upon Trial. This is evident from Revelation, where we are reprefented as Pilgrims and Strangers, looking for, and travelling to a better country, 1 Pet. ii. 11. As in a warfare, where we muft fight for the victory, as we hope to be crowned, Ephef. vi. 14. A's in a race, where we are running for a prize, Heb. xii. 1. 1. Cor. ix!? 24, 25.-As labourers in a vineyard, who have work to do in order to receive wages, Mat. xx. 1. As fervants intrufted with their mafter's fubftance, for the improvement of which they are accountable to him, Mat. xxv. 14. Luke xix. 13. And God hath appointed a day, in which he will call us to an account for our prefent behaviour, and render to every man according to what he hath done in the body, whether it be good or evil. This is the ftrongest evidence, that we are now upon Trial. And the fenfe of Revelation is abundantly confirmed by our circumftances' in' life.

Our faculties are of the nobleft kind, and we enjoy all manner of means for the cultivation of them; but not without great care, induftry, and refolution. So many are the occafions of deception, and fo eafily are we misled in our searches after the truth, that we cannot attain

to any clear or useful knowledge without a conftant and cautious attention. Even Revelation, like the heavens themselves, is interfperfed with clouds, things dark and hard to be understood. And when we have found the truth, the profeffion of it is attended with much inconvenience and trouble from the pride and malice of perfecution. All which is wifely appointed; for, had all been plain, obvious, and eafy, our integrity and fincere attachment to truth could not have been exercised and proved. The paffions and appetites of the flesh; the poffeffions, gains, pleafures, and cuftoms of the world; the calamities of life, difeafes, difappointments, loffes, dangers, enemies, fears, wants, weakness; all thefe are great embarraffments to virtue and piety, fatigue and folicit our minds from righteoufnefs and purity, and oblige us to conftant watchfulness and self-denial, in order to gain and fecure the habits of holiness. Every condition, every poffeffion is accompanied with its temptations. Wherever we are, we are in the midst of fnares; and whatever we have carries fome danger or other in it; infomuch that, without care and attention, we cannot preferve the purity of our minds, which yet, by the nature of things, and the command of God, we are obliged to do. This thews we are upon Trial, or in a ftate of difcipline. For,

VII. A State of Trial neceffarily requires, that different and opposite interefts (as the Aeth and the fpirit, the law of God, and the law in our members, the present world, and a future state) should fo fland in compe- ' tition for our affections and regards, as to oblige us to be very ferious in confidering, and thoroughly fincere in choofing and purfuing what is right and good. And herein lies our Trial; whether we will follow God, or forfake him; prefer our mortal bodies before our immortal fouls; the gratification of our lufts, before the purity and peace of our minds; the things of this tranfitory world, before the heavenly and eternal inheritance.

VIII. The end and defign of our Trial is to refine and exalt our mature. James i. 12. Bleed is the man that worthily endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he fhall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promifed to them that love him. Heb. xii. 11. No chaftening for the prefent is joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, &c. If indeed we are overcome by temptation, and drawn into a contempt of God, truth, and righteoufnefs, we debase and destroy ourselves; we prove ourfelves to be unfit for the happy fociety in heaven, forfeit the favour of God, and fhall fall into perdition. But this must be our own fault. The noble intention of our Maker is, that we fhould overcome temptation, and then we are happy for ever. We have ftood the teft, we have paffed honourably through our Trials; we have approved ourselves to God, as thofe whom he judges fit for preferment and happiness in his eternal kingdom. And fhortly we fhall hear, Well done, good and faithful, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Hence our Trial is compared to that of filver and gold, Job xxiii, 10. Pfal. lxvi. 10, II. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7.

To explain Scripture language, we muft diftinguish between temptation of Trial, and Seduction. Temptation of Trial, or probation, God hath wifely ordained for the exercife and proof of our virtue. So he tempted Abraham, Gen. xxii. 1. Temptation of seduction is when we are drawn into fin, James i. 13. Let no man fay, when he is tempted, feduced into fin by temptation.

From

From the preceding propofitions we may draw the following con

clufions.

COROL. 1. Trials, of the fevereft kind, are no mark of God's difpleasure, nor any proof that we are under his wrath and curfe. Adam in his ftate of innocence was tried. The beft of God's fervants have gone through heavy Trials. Our Lord was tempted in all points as we are, but without fin, Heb. iv. 15. My fon, defpife not the chaftening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction. For whom the Lord loveth, he corre&teth'; even as a father the fon in whom he delighteth. Prov. iii. 11, 12.

COROL. 2. The appetites and paffions implanted in our conflitution, are not the corruption of our nature, but means of our Trial. And therefore we fhall be freed from them, when that is over, 1 Cor. vi. 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats but God fhall defiroy both it and them-xv. 44. It is fown an animal body, it is raised a fpiritual body.

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COROL. 3. Whatever Trials may be the occafion of fin, may much more be the occafion of virtue and holiness. Temptation may occafion fin, but is not the cause or reafon of it; for, feeing no temptation can ever make it reasonable to fin, every temptation, if the finner chooseth, may be rejected as unreasonable. On the other hand, temptation is naturally an opportunity of exerting our virtue, and of gaining an honourable and glorious victory. Diftreffes and wants may fill our hearts with folicitude, and tempt us to murmur against God; but they have a tendency, being duly confidered, to lead us to faith in him, and a humble patient fubmiffion to his will, the most perfect part of a worthy character. Wealth, honour, and power, may prove incentives to pride, luxury, and oppreffion; but they may, and ought to be motives to gratitude, and means of greater usefulness. Our appetites and paffions may seduce to intemperance and debauchery; but they may be the occasion of practifing the most laudable felf-government and fobriety. And fo of all the reft. Rom. v. 3. We glory in tribulations; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, that hope which maketh not afhamed, or that shall never be difappointed. James i. 2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into temptations; knowing that the Trial of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing to qualify you for the kingdom of heaven.

COROL. 4. In a State of Trial natural evil hath a tendency to promote moral good. For under any defects of happiness, virtue may be exercifed and increase. Hence it follows, (1.) That this life, notwithstanding the afflictions which attend it, is a day of falvation, or a proper and valuable opportunity of attaining eternal life. (2) That the quantity of virtue in this present world is not to be measured by the joy it giveth the poffeffor, or the good it doth to others, but by the circumftances of Trial under which it acteth and fubfifteth. For although all holiness, by the will of God, will fooner or later be crowned with joy; and always actually brings forth good works, in proportion to the agent's power and opportunities; yet two agents, of equal virtue, may be fo differently fituated in the creation, that the virtue of the one fhall produce a thoufand times lefs comfort to its felf, and benefit to others, than the virtue of the other. Or, the fame virtue which, in this life, brings forth but

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one degree of joy and usefulness, in another world may bring forth a thoufand degrees.

This ftands upon two principles. 1. That holiness and happiness are effentially different, and connected only by the will of God. Hence it is, in fact, that many perfons, truly virtuous and pious, have yet no comfort of their virtue. 2. The proper act of a moral agent ftands in the will and choice alone, not in the external effect produced by it; and therefore the will, or choice, may be completely holy, where yet the outward act is hindered by contrary circumftances. Upon these grounds one may venture to affirm, that the virtue of Lazarus, which, under all his pains and poverty in our earth, brought forth but a small degree of joy and usefulness, might, in Abraham's bofom, be equal to the virtue of an Angel in heaven, which actually brought forth ten thoufand degrees. For as a cubical foot of our groffer air might poffibly expand, and fill a cubical furlong in the higher and thinner region of pure Ether; fo that virtue, which can fubfift under the loads and clogs of our temptations and difficulties, though its prefent fruits are but fmall, may dilate and blaze out into a glory, magnificence, and fplendour, equal to that of the holieft Angels. This the Apostle Peter intimates, 1 Pet. i. 7. The tried faith of perfecuted Saints will be found anto praife, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jefus Chrift.

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COROL. 5. This world is not a State of Enjoyment. He that made it, and Man in it, made it for Trial. We must not therefore dream of a continued courfe of eafe, peace, and profperity, but must expect to meet with Trials.

COROL. 6. It is no matter in what temporal circumftances we are, if we do but acquit ourselves will and faithfully in the fight of God. Job, under. all his calamities, was not a worfe man, or lefs the care and delight of Heaven. He was then like gold in the furnace, under the difcipline of Divine Wifdom and Love, in order to his being purified into a condition more illuftrious and excellent. You are in plenty and profperity. What then? This is but an inftance of your Trial, and your real happinefs must be meafured by the effects they have upon your mind. If profperity difpofes to thankfulness and good works, it is happy; but if it feduceth you to forget God, and to indulge irregular appetites, it is hurtful and pernicious. On the other hand, you are in affliction, want, trouble, pain. What then? This is not your fixed condition; it is only one inftance of a temporary Trial, which fhortly will be at an end. And if your affictions work in you greater contempt of the world, felfdenial, faith, fubmiffion, heavenly-mindednefs, &c. your condition is happy, and your afflictions are really better for you than any other State you may fondly with for. But obferve, this is to be understood of afflictions brought upon us by Providence, and will not justify us in bringing them upon ourfelves by any faulty criminal conduct. It is nevertheless our duty, by all lawful means, to procure the conveniencies and comforts of life.

CHAP. VIII.

IT

CHA P. VIII.

Further Reflections an a STATE of Trial.

Tis of the laft importance to have right notions of life, as a State of Trial. For thus the whole fcene, otherwife confused and unaccountable, will appear in a juft and rational light. Thus we fhall be convinced, that our being is given us upon the moft reasonable and advantageous terms, for the higheft and moft excellent ends; and fhall clearly understand what we have to do for the improvement and exaltation of it, free from the vain imaginations and purfuits, hopes and fears, joys and anxieties, which distract the minds of the unthinking and ignorant. What I have further to advance upon this point, is comprised in the following propofitions.

I. It is a matter of great difficulty to adjust our Trials and fuccours, fo as not to overpower our faculties by either, but leave us in the free use of

them.

II. Gad alone hath wisdom fufficient to appoint and adjuft our Trials. Because he alone underftands perfectly how to adapt them to the nature of our minds, and to the defigns of his goodness. Whereas we know but little of the nature of our fpirits, and therefore are not able to propor tion temptations to our powers, nor helps and affiftances to our tempta tions. We are not acquainted with the work we have to do in the future world, nor the feveral forts of beings with whom we may hereafter be concerned, in the way of fellowship or enmity; and therefore are by no means capable of judging, what fort or degree of Trials are proper to give us fuitable qualifications. For this reafon, it is plainly our duty and wisdom, humbly and patiently to fubmit to the Trials God is pleafed to allot, and to behave well and faithfully under them; without cenfuring, or quarrelling with his difpofals, which is foolish and impious. But though our understandings in this cafe are very defective, yet I conceive there are fome general principles of which we may be, in a good measure, certain. As,

III. The bias of Evil in our Trials ought to be firong in proportion to the degree of virtue required of us. For the degree of virtue is to be meafured by the degree of temptation which it refifts. That virtue is but in a low degree, which can overcome but a small temptation; that virtue is in a higher, which can overcome a stronger temptation; and that virtue is in the higheft degree, which is fuperior to all temp

tation.

IV. The degree of Virtue God expects from us, is to be proportioned to the eminent ftations to which we are to be exalted in his kingdom. Or, we fhall be exalted in proportion to the Virtue we have attained. Mat. xix. 28. Luke xix. 16, 17, 18, 19.

V. Our Trial feems to be appointed for a State of Confirmation and therefore the virtue we are to attain muft be fuch as will fecure our perfeverance in it; which confirmation and perfeverance muft ftand, not

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