him take of the water of life freely.' Allthings, Chrift excepted, are to be renounced to the all-fufficiency of a Redeemer, to be the foundation of our hope. The penitent will fay with the Apostle, Phil. iii. 8. Yea doubtlefs, and • I count all things but loss for the excellency of 'the knowledge of Chrift Jefus, my Lord: for • whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and 'do count them but dung, that I may win • Christ, and be found in him, not having mine · own righteoufnefs which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, even 'the righteousness which is of God by faith.'

2. There is a fecond clafs of promises, the performance of which is fufpended on our previous compliance with fomething required as the condition of obtaining them. In these we are not only called 'to accept of the divine mercy, ⚫ but commanded to obey the Divine will.' The order in which I have placed thefe, will, I hope, prevent you from mifunderstanding or mifapplying what may be faid on them. This clafs includes all the promises in Scripture, regarding the daily progrefs of a believer in his fanctifica- tion and conformity to God, as well as the increase of his comfort and peace. I am fenfible, that as the reconciliation of a finner to God, and his right to what is called in Scripture the promife of eternal life, is of free and unmerited mercy, fo, no doubt, all the inferior or fubordinate promifes flow from the fame fource, nay,

in a certain measure, they are entirely upon the fame footing with thofe formerly mentioned; that is to fay, final perseverance, real growth in the spiritual life, and neceffary comfort, are the fure and purchased portion of every one that is born of God. Rom. viii. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he alfo did predeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he 'might be the first-born among many brethren.' But in the diftribution of thofe gifts, particularly in their measure, there is not only an unknown regard to the good pleafure of God, but a known and established regard to our conduct in duty. Thus the abundant fupply of the Spirit is the fruit and return of diligence in prayer. Matt. vii. 7. Afk and it shall be given you, feek and < ye fhall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.' See also Ezekiel xxxvi. 25. compared with the 37. Then will I fprinkle clean water

upon you, and ye fhall be clean from all your ⚫ filthiness; and from all your idols will I cleanfe you, &c. Thus faith the Lord, yet for all this ' will I be enquired of by the house of Ifrael to

do it for them.' Thus alfo inward confolation, as well as outward fecurity, is exprefsly promised as the effect and reward of uniformity and diligence in duty. Ifa. xxxii. 17. And the work

of righteoufnefs, fhall be peace, and the effect of righteoufnefs, quietnefs, and affurance for ever.' As the counter part and illuftration of this, you fee, that a departure from the path of

duty

duty brings on the threatened, or, perhaps, I ought to call it, the promised rod of correction Pf. Ixxxix. 30.-33. But if his children fhal forfake my law, and not walk in my judgments; if they break my ftatutes, and keep not my ⚫ commandments; then will I vifit their tranfgreffions with a rod, and their iniquities with ftripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will "I not take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness to fail. In the fame manner, Ifa. xl. 30, 31. Even the youths fhall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail: but they that wait upon the Lord fhall renew their strength; ( they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they ' fhall run and not be weary; they shall walk

and not faint.' Agreeably to all this, you know, our bleffed Lord prefcribed watchfulnefs and prayer as the great prefervatives against temptation, and whoever expects either fpiritual ftrength or comfort, while he relaxes his diligence in the way of duty, is guilty of that fin, which is called in Scripture, tempting God; and fhall affuredly meet with a dreadful disappoint

⚫ment.

My brethren, as much of the daily exercise of real believers regards their progress in fanctificátion, and their peace and comfort, it is proper that you fhould carefully attend to the tenor of thefe promises, and to what ought to be your reliance upon them. I fhall fum up, in a few

particulars, what I apprehend to be of moft im

portance.

1. Truft in these promifes implies felf-denial, and a deep fenfe of your own weaknefs. Thefe promises would be unneceffary and fuperfluous, were we not infufficient of ourselves for any thing that is good. Truft in God stands directly oppofed to all felf-dependence. Prov. iii. 5. • Truft ⚫ in the lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding.' How jealous. God is, if I may fpeak fo, of the honour that is due to him in this refpect, may be feen from the many foul and fhameful crimes into which he permitted fome of his beft faints to fall, when they were off their guard, by floth, or still more provoked him by pride and prefumption; Noah's drunkennefs, Mofes's paffion, David's adultery and murder, and Peter's denial of his mafter. 1 Cor. x. II, 12. Now all these things happened unto them for enfamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ' ends of the world are come. Wherefore, let

him that thinketh he ftandeth take heed left 'he fall.' For this reafon the Apostle Paul fays, with great propriety, and with great force, which is equally applicable to himself and other believers, a feeming paradox; 1 Cor. xii. 10. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'

1. As we are to put no truft in ourselves, fo we are to exercise the moft unfhaken confidence of our being able to difcharge any duty, or un

dergo

dergo any trial by the help of the Almighty.Oh! how ready are we to fin on both hands! How often do we prefume upon our own ftrength, and forget the neceffity of applying for divine aid! And on the other hand, how prone are we to timidity or defpondence in difficult cafes! When corruptions have long kept their ground, we are ready to dread their influence, and to make but little out of the promises in Scripture, that we shall be made more than conquerors ' through him that loved us.' We have learned, by fad experience, that in us dwelleth no good thing, and yet it is long before we will attend to the leffon that follows hard upon it, 'my grace is fufficient for thee, and my strength fhall be made perfect in weakness."

3. As these promises are expressly made to the diligent, you must still remember that your own attention and application to duty is effentially neceffary, and that the affiftance promised from on high, is always reprefented in Scripture as an argument and encouragement to diligence, and not a warrant or excufe for floth. Philip. ii. 12. Work out your own falvation with fear

and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' It is alfo well worthy of notice, that the fame Prophet Ezekiel, who fays, chap. xxxvi. 6.

A new heart alfo will I give you, and a new fpirit will I put within you,' changes the form of his expreffion; and in another place, chap.

M 3

xviii