Thus I have shown, that those who believe the doctrine of imputed righteousness must be most holy in their lives; that the obligations to obedience are not weakened, but strengthened and confirmed by it. This any impartial person may be convinced of, who will reflect, that it is hardly possible to conceive an obligation to duty, of any kind, which may not be reduced to one or other of those above-named; and, if I am not mistaken, none of them can operate so strongly upon any other scheme, as that which is here espoused, and which is so evidently founded on the Scriptures of truth.

There is, however one general consideration, which it would be wrong to omit, in showing the friendly influence of this doctrine upon holiness of life, although it doth not so properly fall under the notion of a direct obligation; that is, the great encouragement given in it to the study of purity and holiness, by the prospect of success. Despair of success cuts the sinews of diligence in every enterprise. And, particularly on the subject of religion, nothing more effectually enervates our resolutions, and leads to a sullen, despondent neglect of duty, than an opinion that we shall not succeed in attempting it, or shall not be accepted in our endeavours after it, or our imperfect attainments in it. But the doctrine of justification by the free grace of God, "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," gives the greatest encouragement to all who will return to their duty. This encouragement naturally divides itself into two branches: 1st, The sure hope of acceptance through Christ. 2dly, The powerful and effectual aid provided for them in

Christians, and from Christians to infidels, whether he does not deserve far worse treatment from any who believes the Gospel, I leave to the judgment of those who will read his writings.

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the Holy Spirit, which he hath purchased, and bestows for their sanctification.

1st, The sure hope of acceptance through Christ Jesus. Although sin hath greatly blinded the minds of men, there is still so much of the work of the law written in their hearts," as must make them sensible that in many things they offend, and must give them ground of solicitude and fear, while they expect to be justified by their own merits. Accordinngly we find, that except the grossest and boldest infidels, of which sort this age has furuished some examples,* all classes of men confess themselves guilty of many sins, faults or failings; some expressing themselves in a stronger, and some in a softer style, according to the greater or lesser degree of the depravation of natural conscience. If there is any meaning then in these words, they must be liable to the displeasure of God in some respects, for which they cannot themselves atone; and must therefore labour under at least much uncertainty as to their acceptance. This must weaken their hands, and slacken their diligence in an attempt so precarious in its issue.

Perhaps some may say, that this is only levelled against those who deny all satisfaction, or all use of the merit of Christ, but not against those who expect to be justified by their own merit, so far as it goes, and trust in their Saviour for making up what is wanting in themselves. But of such I would ask, how they shall be satisfied that they have gone as far with their own merit as is requisite, if there is any stress to be laid upon it at all? Will they say, as some foolishly do, that they do all in their power, and trust in Christ for

* Vide Essays on the principles of morality and natural religion. These Essays conclude with an address to the Supreme Being, which contains the following words: "What mortals term sin, thou pronouncest to be only error, for moral evil vanishes, in some measure, from before thy more perfect sight."

supplying what may be still deficient? If they dare resolutely stand to this plea at the last day, when God shall judge the secrets of all hearts, that they have done all in their power, there is really nothing wanting to them; they need no Saviour, they need no pardon. But that is what no mere man that ever lived can say with truth. So that upon any scheme but an entire reliance on the merits of Christ for justification before God, there must still be a dreadful uncertainty, inconsistent with that liberal and ingenuous freedom with which the children of God love and serve him. These, strongly penetrated with a sense of duty and obligation, deeply humbled under a sense of sin, and resting on the perfect atonement made by their Saviour and substitute, serve him with alacrity and pleasure, wearing the bonds of love. And knowing the weakness of their best services while here, they long for that blessed time when they shall be made perfectly holy, and yet shall for ever acknowledge themselves indebted for their place in heaven, and their continuance there, to the grace of God and the love of their Redeemer.

The other branch of the encouragement which believers in Christ have to diligence in duty, is the promise of the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth, and guide them to all duty. This promise is expressly made to believers and their seed after them, in every age of the church, to the end of the world. Thus says the apostle Peter, "And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." And it is to this plentiful effusion of the Spirit, that the prophets ascribe the purity and prosperity of the church in the latter days. "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring, and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses."

I am sensible that the nature and form of the argument doth not permit me at once to suppose the truth of this, and to make use of the direct agency and effectual operation of the Spirit of God to prove the holiness of saints. But it may be easily made to appear, that the belief and persuasion of this must have the strongest influence in animating their own endearours. What more proper for such a purpose than the belief of an almighty aid, certainly to be exerted in their behalf? Must not this invigorate their powers, and preserve them from sinking through fear of the number and strength of their adversaries? Nothing but ignorance of themselves can make them boast of their own strength. The result of experience in the study of holiness, must be a humbling conviction of the force of temptation and strength of passion on the one hand, and the weakness and feebleness of human reason and resolution on the other. Must it not then be of the greatest advantage to believers, to be under an habitual persuasion of the presence and operation of the Spirit of God to sanctify them wholly? Without this the attempt would be altogether vain; but this makes the exhortation come with peculiar force and energy; "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

It will be a support to the present argument to observe, that some sense of the weakness of human nature, and its inequality to any thing arduous and difficult, seems to have been pretty universal in every country, and in every age of the world. Thus among the ancient heathens, of whom we have the fullest account, all great enterprises were supposed to be undertaken at the instigation, and executed by the assistance of some superior power. Their poets always gave out that themselves were inspired, and their hero directed by some deity and moderns genrally suppose, that the very imagination of this had

no small influence on the success of the attempt. The interposition of deities was indeed so remarkable in the most eminent ancient poets, that it has been reckoned a branch of their art, distinguished by a particular name, called the machinery, and is now inseparably joined, at least to one species of poetry. Nay, it was a pretty general belief among some nations, that every particular person had an angel, spirit or genius, to whose care he was committed, who assisted him in difficulty, and protected him in danger. Does not all this then evidently prove, that a persuasion of superior aid must have the most happy influence on our activtiy and diligence in duty, and our progress in holiness? Doth it not make it reasonable to expect, that those who trust to nothing better than their own strength, will be proportionably low in their attempts, and deficient in their success; but that those whose eyes are fixed for direction upon God, and who live in a continual dependence on his grace, will become truly partakers of a divine nature.

Now, is not this the distinguishing characteristic of the scheme of redemption by free grace, that it gives less to man and more to God than any other plan? It seems indeed particularly to point at this very design in every part of it, to abase the pride of man, and to exalt the grace of God. Self-denial is the first condition of the gospel, and a renunciation of all self-de. pendence is the lesson continued through the whole. "Surely in the Lord have I righteousnes and strength," may be called the motto of every Christian, is a short and comprehensive summary of his faith, and the great foundation of his hope and trust. As then it has been shown that he is habitually inclined to obedience, with what alacrity and vigour will he apply himself to his duty, since he believes that almighty power is constantly engaged in his behalf; and that however unable he may be of himself, for any thing that is good, yet a thorough and effectual change will be 6*