from it that is intended, and may the Lord bless it to them. Let those who cannot receive the doctrine, be quiet and patient, at present, saying, "what I see not, teach thou me." This is more proper than to cavil and dispute.

But are any inclined to abuse the doctrine, and say, " I am one of God's elect, I may live in sin, and yet go to heaven;" let them know that they are wresting the Scripture to their own destruction. These would take one inscription without the other, though both ought to go together. The second is, "let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." That is, let every one who professeth to look for salvation by Christ alone, see to it that he answer the character of his elect, that he be holy in all his life and conversation, and abstain from all sin, and hate and fight against it to the end of his life. This connection between election and holiness is very remarkable. They always go together in Scripture. One can scarcely recollect a passage which speaks of election, that does not also speak of holiness. One quotation shall serve instead of many. "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." He does not choose men because they are holy; on this plan none would be saved, because all are unholy: but by virtue of his choice of them they are made holy. So far is his electing love from being an enemy to holiness, that it is the cause of all the holiness that is in the world. Take it away, and none will be left.

The Holy Ghost seems to have foreseen, that the

first inscription would be abused or misunderstood, and therefore we have here the second as distinctly expressed as the first. And it is at any man's peril to separate it from the first, or to represent the doctrine of election as against holiness. God's election is meant, in its use, as a doctrine to humble men, and cause them to trust to his grace alone, and not to themselves. It is not meant to allow men to live in sin. Indeed it is impossible that it should. If the Holy God chooses any man that he should be holy, (and that is the true election) his evidence that he is one of God's children must be holiness. He must live a good life, and continue so to do, if he mean ever to prove his election unto life, or to stand before God.

I wish this second inscription were more attended to by professors of godliness than it has been among

Some spend all their zeal on points of doctrine, as if the first inscription could stand without the second. Others build too much upon inward sensations, or outward duties. And too many of both sorts are worldly, contentious, proud, vain-glorious, defective in brotherly love, selfish, negligent of a good life, not discharging aright the duties they owe to their families and other relations, reproaching one another, and not seeing themselves to be equally wrong. Let it then be observed, that to "depart from iniquity" is an infinitely surer mark of a child of God, than all the zeal about doctrine, and all the raptures in the world. A holy life proves a man chosen of God. The thing itself appears. Holiness must be wrought by the God of holiness. His election proves itself. The other things I mentioned may be wrought by Satan. He can give zeal, he can give joy, and high joy and zeal too, and he often has done it; but one fruit of holiness he cannot produce. See we a man live soberly, righteously, and godly, we see one of God's elect beyond doubt.

But you say, " mere moralists lead a good life, and yet hate the gospel." I believe not. No man that hates the glorious gospel of Christ loves either God or his neighbour; and the lives of men show this abundantly. Bring such persons to the tenth Commandment. They will pick and choose among the other commandments. One plumes himself on his honesty, and thinks that will do much for him with God, while he lives profanely and neglects the service of God. Another thinks a little regularity on the Lord's day will atone for his bad conduct the rest of the week. Thus men suppose their attention to some things will excuse their neglect of others. Here is no good life, though there may be much morality, much humanity, much decency. So long as men allow themselves in any one transgression in their practice, they are enemies of God, and will be treated as such. Such sort of christians, I say, pick and choose among the Commandments. " I will follow this; I will follow that. My breach of one will be excused by my attention to another."

Such phrases as this, a good life, have, I confess, been made too cheap among us. No man deserves the name of a good liver, but he who is one of God's elect, and a believer in Jesus. He only has respect to all the commands of God. For "he that keepeth the whole law and vet offendeth in one point is

men.

guilty of all." I would gladly have the professors of godliness to be better acquainted with the true marks of godliness. "How shall I know whether I be a child of God?" The answer to this question is not, " I feel such and such joys and elevations. I had at such a time such manifestations." Alas! nothing more delusive, nothing more liable to deceive But this is the proper answer. " I find, as to my faith, that I can trust in Jesus Christ in low as well as high frames, in adversity as well as prosperity; that though I know myself carnal, sold under sin, and a miserable hell-deserving sinner, yet he has satisfied for all my sins; I trust in his righteousness, and I thankfully receive eternal life, which is freely given me of God in him. As to my practice, though very far short of what it ought to be, I labour more and more to be conformed to Christ, I find a sincere love of God and my neighbour, drawing me not merely to say high things concerning love, but to love indeed and in truth, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly."

He who can say these things of his faith and practice, is a christian. He names not the name of Christ in vain. Christ lives in him by faith. Hence he knows his election of God. And if through temptation, or for chastisement, he do not know it for a time, it is nevertheless certain in itself: nay, if he went mourning all his days in much perplexity, his salvation is sure. Whereas those who live not a sober, righteous, and godly life, though their confidence and joy mount up to heaven, will only have the more dreadful fall at length into hell. The true operations of the Holy Ghost are not meant to pufi

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us up with joy and pleasure; (there is pleasure and joy, indeed, in Christ in this world) but to make us lead holy lives. Perfect joy, and true happiness is for the next life; patience for this.

I shall close this account of the seal of God's foundation with a few suitable reflections:-1. Let me beseech those who seek God, to study after christian knowledge. It is too much neglected by many. The want of it makes them self-conceited, and easily imposed on by false pretenders to religion. One necessary part of true knowledge is a right idea of duty and privilege. Let it be remembered, that whatever is commanded is also given to all God's people. They are commanded to persevere, and he gives perseverance. He gives repentance and faith, and they are commanded as duties. He gives a new heart, and he commands us to make to ourselves a new heart. Ignorant men suppose that both these cannot be true. Hence have arisen the religious disputes among good men. Too narrow in their views, one supposes that if God gives all, we need not work; the other, that if we are to work, God does not give all. But both conclusions are false.

I have in this discourse chiefly attended to matters of knowledge, for the purpose of explaining, from God's own word, my general manner of preaching, which to some appears inconsistent. I derive satisfaction from the supposed inconsistency: For I am supported by Scripture; and in one verse, the verse of the text, you have that view both of duty and privilege, which I constantly inculcate. Zeal and fire without knowledge will not stand. True knowledge influencing the heart will stand to eternity.