106 THE FORM OF THE GOSPEL. justificationbeforemen, or justification in our own consciences, or in the day ofjudgment, and not of a sinner's justifying righ- teousness in the sight of God, when he is first converted and accepted of him through faith in Jesus Christ. Suffer not your disgust and anger immediately to be kind- led at the sound of any of these words, as though they were at once undermining and perverting the gospel of Christ. Nor ever give yourself leave to reproach ministers, as no preachers of the gospel, merely because they chose other modes of expres- sion than those which you must esteem, and frequently use; for such a conduct will warp and binddown the consciences and spi- rits of men to a narrow andan uncharitable partiality. This will render every sermon offensive to them' that is not conceived just in their beloved language, and will utterly prevent their profit by the various gifts Christ has bestowed on his ministers. There are some common christians in our age, who are most unhappy instances of this unchristian temper ;. and it is to those persons chiefly that I give this second advice. ÍII. "Avoid all the high flights and extremes of zealous party-men," 'and which way of preaching soever you approve and pursue, be sure to guard against all extremes, both of notion and language. Let the hopes of exalting free-grace never per- suade you to neglect to enfore the the duties of the gospel, and press them with zeal on the consciences of all men : Nor let the fear of encouraging licenciousness ever tempt you to turn the gospel of grace into a covenant of works : For God, in his gospel of free-grace, bath sufficiently provided for the honour otitis holiness, and thesanctification of his own children. You will tell me here perhaps, that scripture itself useth ex- pressions as highupon particular occasions, and as much leaning to extremes as any men of party among us. But remember then, that the scripture uses such strong and high expressions not on one side only, but on both sides, and infinite wisdomhath done this more forcibly to argue and impress some present truth or duty : But while it is evident the holy writers have used high expressions, strong figures of speech, and vehement turns on both sides, this sufficiently instructs us that we should be mode- rate in our censures of either side, and that the calm doctrinal truth, stripped of all rhetoric and figures, lies nearer to the mid- dle, or at least that some of these appearing extremes, are more reconcileable than angrymen will generally allow. If the apostle charges the Corinthians, so run that ye may obtain ; 1 Cor. ix. 24. and tells the Romans, "It is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God who sheweth mercy ; Rom. ix. 16, we may plainly infer that our running and his mercy, our diligence and divine grace, are both necessary to our salvation. IV. " Let the particular tempers, temptations and dangers of persons withwhom you converse, or with whom you preach,
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