f0 T he Po bility and Neceffity 'of 01 . 1 3dly, If we confider the eafie and reafonable Terms upon which be made Partakers of this unfpeakable Benefit, and that is by a conftant and fincere and univerfal Obedience to the Laws of God, which fuppofeth Repentance to- wards God, and Faith in our.Lord Jefus Chrift, as theRoot and Principle of all the Virtues of a goodLife; that is, by doing that which belt becomes us, and . which is molt agreeable to the original Frame of our Nature and to the dictates of our Reafon, and which fetting afide the confideration of our Reward, is really belt for our prefent Benefit and Advantage, our Comfort and Happinefs, even in this World; for God, in givingLaws to us, bath impofednothing upon us, but what in all reafon ought to have been our choice, if he had not impofed it ; no- thing but what is for our good, and is in itsown natureneceffary tomake us capa- bleof that Happinefs which he hath promifed to us. And what canbe more gra- cious, than to make oneBenefit the Condition of agreater ? Than to promife to makeus happy for ever, if we will but do that which uponall accounts is really beft and molt for our Advantage in this prefent Life? Thirdly, Here is abundant Encouragement given toour Obedience we have the divineAfüftance promifed tous, to enable us to the performance of the molt difficult parts of our Duty; we have the holy Spirit ofGod tohelp our Infirmities, to excite us to that which is good, and to helpand ftrengthen us in the doing of it. For our further Encouragement we are allured of the divineAcceptance in cafe of our fincere Obedience, notwithftanding the manifold Failings and Imperfe&ti- ons of it, for the fake of the perfe t Righteoufnefs and Obedience, and the meri- torious Sufferingsof our bleffed Saviour : and tho' whenwe have doneall we can do we are. unprofitable Servants, and have done nothing but what was our duty, yet God is pleafed to accept what we cando, becaufe it is fincere, and to forgive the defects and imperfections of our Obedience, for his fake, who fulled all righte- oufnefs. And betides all this, we have the encouragement of a great and everlafling Re- ward, infinitely beyond all proportion of any fervice and Obedience that we can perform. And if God be ready to aflift and ftrengthen usin the doing of our duty, and be willing fogracioufly to accept and to reward at fuch a rate the Sin- cerityof our endeavours topleafe him, notwithftanding'all the failings and imper-. feûions ofour belt ferviceand Obedience; what can we poffibly define more for our encouragement, to patient continuance inwell-doing, and to beftedfafi and un- moveable, and abundant inthe work of the Lord. Fourthly and laftly, The confiderationof what bath beenfaidupon thisArgument may ferve feverely to rebuke the groundlefs Prefumption of thofe, who rely with fo much confidence upon Chrift for eternal Salvation, without any confcience or care to keep his Commandments ; as if Salvation layupon his Hands, and he knew not how to difpofe of it, and were glad of any one that would come and take it off uponany terms. No, be came to fave ur from our Sins, to redeem us from all iniquity,, and to purifie to himfelf apeculiar people zealous of good Works. So that the Salvation which he bath purchafed for us, doth neceffarily imply our forfaking ofour Sins, and returning to God and our Duty; and hisDeath and Sufferings are not more an argument of his great Love to Mankind, than theyarea demonftration of his perfect hatred of Sin. So that if we continue in the Love andpraltice ofSin, we defeat the whole defign of his coming into the World, and of all that he hath done and fuffered for us; and the redemption which Chrift bath wrought for us will not avail us in the leaft. Salvation is farfrom the wicked, ( lays David, Pfal. r e g. 155.) If we have beenworkers of Iniquity, the Saviour of the World when he comes to judge it, will bid us todepart from him. From all that bath been faid, it is evident, that it is the greateft Prefumption in the World, forany Man to hope to obtain eternal Salvation by any device whatfoever, or in the Communion of any Church whatfoever, without Obedi- ence and a holy Life. For tho' ourObedience cannot merit; yet it is neceffary to qualifie and difpofe us for it : tho' it does not make us aridly worthy; yet it makes us meet to be made partakers of the inheritance of theSaints in light. S E R-
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