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and uncertainty in them, that men of tender confciences, and defective underftandings, reap nothing from fuch highflown indefinite difcourfes, but doubts and fcruples. It requires a strong and trating judgment to refolve what is the utmoft extent of our power and capacity; what the best mean, and what the most perfect duty, when many prefent themfelves to us, and all variously circumstantiated. But now, as I have ftated matters, we are bound indeed to purfue and labour after growth and improvement in the love of God, and charity towards our neighbour, in purity, humility, and the like. And this we shall certainly do, if we be fincere; in other matters we are left to our prudence, and if the error of our choice proceed only from an error in judgment, and a corruption in our hearts, we are fafe enough.

4. 'Tis very eafy to difcern now where we ftand in reference to Perfection; how remote we are from it, or how near to it. For the nature of an habit being plain and intelligible, the effects and properties of it obvious to the meaneft capacity, 'tis eafy to determine, upon an impartial examination, whether we be habitually good or not, or what approaches we have made towards it. And because this is a matter of no fmall importance, and men are generally

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backward enough to advance too far into fuch reflections and applications, as may breed any disturbance to their peace, or any diminution of their good opinion for themfelves, tho' neither the one nor the other be too well grounded; I fhall not think my time mifpent, if I here take this task upon me; and endeavour by feveral particular deductions, to lay every man's ftate as plainly open to his view as I can.

1. Then, from the notion I have given of Perfection, it appears, that if a man's life be very uneven, unconftant, and contradictory to itself; if he be to day a faint, and to morrow a finner; if he yield to day to the motives of the gospel and impulfes of the fpirit, and to morrow to the follicitations of the flesh and temptations of the world, he is far from being perfect; fo far, that there is not ground enough to conclude him a fincere or real, tho' imperfect, convert. The only certain proof of regeneration is victory; he that is born of God, overcometh the world, 1 John v. 4. faith, tho' it be true, is not presently faving and juftifying, till it have fubdued the will and captivated the heart, i. e. till we begin to live by faith; which is evident from that corn in the parable, which tho' it shot up, yet had it not depth of earth, nor root enough, and therefore was withered up, and brought forth no fruit. Regret

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repentance in Godly forrow repented of. and paffions

and forrow for fin is an excellent paffion; but till it has fubdued our corruptions, changed our affections, and purified our hearts, 'tis not that faving the apostle, 2 Cor. vii. 10. worketh repentance, not to be We may have fudden heats for virtue; but if they be too fhort-liv'd to implant it in us, this is not that charity or love which animates and impregnates the new creature mentioned, Gal. v. 6. faith working by love. Lastly, We may have good purposes, intentions, nay, refolutions; but if these prove too weak to obtain a conqueft over our corruptions, if they prove too weak to refift the temptations we are wont to fall by, 'tis plain that they are not fuch as can demonstrate us righteous, or entitle us to a crown, which is promised to him that overcometh. And here I cannot but remark, to how little purpose controverfies have been multiplied about the juftification of man. 'Tis one thing for God to justify us, i. e. to pardon our fins, and account us righteous, and his children; and another for us to know, or be affured, that he does fo. If we enquire after the former, 'tis plain to me, that no man can be accounted righteous by God, till he really is fo: and when the man is fanctified throughout in fpirit, foul, and body; then is he certainly justified, and

not till then. And this I think is confeffed by all, except Antinomians; and whatever difference there is amongst Chriftians in this matter, it lies in the forms and variety of expreffion. They, that contend earnestly for the neceffity of good works, do not, I fuppofe, imagine, that the works are holy, before the heart is fo; for, as is the fountain, fuch will be its streams; as is the tree, fuch will be its fruits. What abfurdity then is there in admitting that men are juftified before they bring forth good works; if they cannot bring forth good works, till they be fanctified and changed? on the other hand, they who contend fo earnestly for juftification by faith without works, do not only fuppofe that the man is throughly changed, by the infufion of habitual grace; but alfo that this grace, as foon as it has opportunity, will exert and express itself in good works: and they do readily acknowledge that the faith which does not work by love, is an historical unanimated faith. And if fo, how natural is it to comprife in that holinefs, which justi fies, not only the change of the heart, but of the actions? but here I think it is well worth the confidering, whether that thorough change in the nature of a finner, which is called holiness, be now effected at once and in a moment, and not rather gradually and in time? for this may give

fome

fome light to the doctrine of juftification, and draw us off from fpeculations and theories to more ufeful and practical thoughts and difcourfes about it. 'Tis true, in the primitive times, when the conviction of a finner was wrought by a dazling light, by furprizing miracles, by exuberant influxes of the spirit, and the concurrence of many extraordinary things, fanctification (as in the goaler and his family, Acts xvi.) might be begun and finished in the fame hour. But I doubt it is rarely fo with us at this day; our vices are not fo fuddenly fubdued, nor our virtues fo fuddenly implanted. Our conviEtions, in the beginning of conversion, are feldom fo full and clear as theirs: and, if we may judge by the effects, 'tis but feldom that the principle of a new life is infufed in the fame plenty and power it appears to have been in them. And if fo, then these things will follow; 1. Though in the first plantation of the gospel men being converted, as it were, in a moment, ingrafted by baptifm into Chrift, and receiving the Holy Ghost, the earnest of their juftification or acceptance with God, and their future glory: we may very well fay of them, that they were not only justified, but also knew themselves to be fo, before they had brought forth any other fruit of righteoufhefs, than what was implied in the

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