because they "cannot do the things that they would," and long to love God and man as perfectly as the law requires. The fruits of the Spirit, by which their deliverance from the law as a covenant is sealed, are coincident with the requirements of its holy precepts; the example of Christ, which they are called and inclined to imitate, consisted in a perfect obedience to the holy law; the holiness which they follow after, is no other than conformity to it, as resulting from evangelical principles, and a constant regard to the Redeemer's person, and their obligations to him; and the heavenly felicity is the perfection of this conformity, the full enjoyment of God, as the supreme object of their love: and the delight of sharing the happiness of all holy creatures, by loving and being loved by them, without envy, suspicion, fear, or the alloy of any other base and selfish passion. But "the carnal mind," (whether in an infidel, a careless sinner, a Pharisee, or a hypocrite)" is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." All unregenerate men, therefore, at least secretly dislike the strictness and spirituality of the law, and wish to have it abrogated or mitigated: this secret inclination of the heart is the source of all Antinomian principles, and in this respect persons of the most opposite sentiments resemble each other; for virulent opposers, and loose abusers, of the doctrines of grace, are alike influenced, both by the pride of self-confidence, and by the enmity to the law, which distinguishes the Antinomian. But, on the other hand, the true believer approves of the very precept, that condemns his own conduct, and longs to have his own heart changed into conformity to the holy commandment. If then professors of the gospel were more fully acquainted with the requirements of the Divine law, they would be far less exposed to the danger of deceiving themselves; and sincere believers would more clearly perceive, that their mourning for, and hatred of sin, tenderness of conscience, and uneasy longings after higher degrees of holiness, than any of which they once had the least conception, constitute a "witness in themselves," of their actual union with Christ, and of their interest in all the blessings of the new covenant. At the same time a more distinct view of the justice of that awful sentence from which Christ hath redeemed them with his own blood, would, in proportion to their assurance of deliverance, and hope of eternal life, animate them to live more entirely devoted to his service, who died for them and rose again, (2 Cor. v. 14, 15).

V. The knowledge of the law is exceedingly useful to believers, as a standard of continual self-examination, to exclude spiritual pride, and to keep the soul always abased, and simply dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ.. Knowledge, gifts, usefulness, or any other attainment by which men are distinguished from those around them, have a tendency to excite self-complacency, and self-preference: but when a believer comes to compare the state of his heart, and the very duties and services he performs, with the spiritual and holy commands of God; he is reminded of his guilt and depravity, and taught his constant need of repentance, forgiveness, the blood of Christ, and the supplies of his grace. Thus he learns to walk humbly before God, how-. ever distinguished among men; to be ashamed of such good works as he would otherwise admire; to count even his evangelical duties as dross in comparison of Christ and his righteousness; to be simple in his dependence on the Lord in all things; and knowing that he hath not attained, to press forward to the mark, for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

It now remains for us to consider the bad effects which arise from ignorance, inattention, or confused apprehensions respecting the moral law, in the ministers and professors of the gospel. We suppose then that the several doctrines of the gospel are stated and apprehended as fully as they can be, when the perfect law of God is greatly kept out of sight: for this must create some confusion and inconsistency in the best arranged system of evangelical doctrine. We observe also, that there are various degrees and kinds of ignorance and inattention to the law, or of a confused and unscriptural way of speaking about it. Some persons seem almost to leave it out of their

system, or only to speak of it in depreciating terms; others advert to its strictness and severity, but they are not equally sensible of its excellency. Many are acquainted with its uses, in convincing men of sin, but not of its value as a rule of conduct; others, on the contrary, apply its precepts to the regulation of the Christian's conduct, but are less habituated to use them to alarm the consciences of unbelievers. But in proportion as any of these uses are neglected, some or other of the following effects may be appre

hended.

1. Great numbers of those that hear and assent to the gospel, will remain destitute of any serious concern about their souls. Whatever men learn of Christ and his love, or free salvation; they seldom count him the pearl of great price, and consent to part with all for his sake, till they are made deeply sensible of their danger as lost, perishing sinners. We must not indeed limit the Spirit of God: yet "by the law is the knowledge of sin;" and a full acquaintance with its demands and sanctions is the more general means, by which the careless are warned to flee from the wrath to come, and to see and feel their need of the salvation of the gospel.

2. Ignorance of, or inattention to the law, always occasions the prevalence or increase of a legal or self-righteous spirit. This propensity of our proud hearts is first broken by perceiving in some measure how justly and certainly the law of God condemns even our best actions; because they are so defective in their motive and measure, and so defiled in themselves: and were we always influenced by a realizing conviction, that "God deems us deserving of damnation for not loving him with all our hearts;" our proneness to rely on our own works could not subsist, but we must draw all our confidence from the grace of the gospel. All other devices for curing this disease are mere palliatives: but the apostle directs us to the radical cure, when he says, "I through the law, am dead to the law."

3. Ignorance of, or errors about, the holy commandments of God, gives occasion to the increase of unsound professors of the gospel, whose scandalous lives, or awful apostacies, often disgrace the cause of truth. For if men are left to consider the law as an enemy, from which Christ came to deliver us; if they conclude, that their natural dislike to it is excusable, their inability to keep it a misfortune, and their condemnation for breaking it a hard case; if they suppose salvation to consist almost wholly in deliverance from condemnation, and do not in the least perceive that all true believers really repent of, and condemn themselves for breaking the law, are taught to love and delight in it, and are both required and inclined to testify the sincerity of their love by unreserved obedience to all its precepts, they will readily embrace a doctrine which gives relief to their uneasy consciences, and leaves the favourite lusts of their hearts unmolested. Thus stony-ground hearers, who welcome the gospel with impenitent joy, and then in time of temptation fall away; and thorny-ground hearers, who retain an unfruitful profession, with a worldly, covetous, or sensual life, will abound in the visible church, and be as Achans in the camp. No care indeed of man can wholly prevent this but a clear and distinct view of the holy law of God, and its subserviency to the gospel, is one very important means of preventing such dreadful delusions, and such wide-spreading scandals.

4. The prevalence of corrupt and heretical principles originates from the same source. Perhaps it might be shown, that all anti-scriptural schemes of religion coincide in several particulars. They agree in considering the perfect law of God as too strict in its demands, and too severe in its penalty; and in supposing that it would be inconsistent with the Divine justice and goodness to deal with his rational creatures according to it. None of them allow expressly, that Christ died to honour this law, and to satisfy the justice of God for our transgressions of it that he might save sinners, without seeming to favour sin: but they suppose his death to have been designed exclusively for some other purposes. Nor do any of them consider a total change of nature and disposition to be absolutely necessary to salvation; but all of

them explain regeneration to mean something very different from, and far beneath this new creation unto holiness. They who differ and dispute the most about other points, when their sentiments are carefully examined, are. found to harmonize in these particulars. The philosophical Socinian who rejects the doctrine of the atonement as needless, and the eternity of future punishment as unjust, here joins issue with the Antinomian or Enthusiast; who, boasting of free grace and extraordinary illuminations, reviles and tramples on the law, which Christ died to magnify and honour. Almost all errors in religion connect with misapprehensions about the law of God; therefore ignorance, inattention, and confused views of it, must tend exceedingly to favour the propagation of heretical opinions of various kinds. A few instances may be mentioned. It would not be so common, as far as we can see, for those who have been educated in evangelical principles, to diverge into Arian or Socinian sentiments, if a deep and clear knowledge of the demands, excellency, and uses of the law were connected with their views of human depravity, redemption, justification, and regeneration, to assist them in understanding the real nature and necessity of the great doctrines of salvation. For want of this, when they are pressed by reasonings on such subjects, they know not what to answer, and so give up the truth as untenable on rational grounds; instead of perceiving that it has its foundation in the nature of things, in the Divine perfections, and in our condition as transgressors, and as creatures continually propense to transgress. We can hardly conceive that men professing godliness could ever have fancied themselves perfectly free from all sin, and so have been seduced into a most disgraceful and injurious kind of self-preference and spiritual pride; if they had previously been well-grounded in the knowledge of the extensive demands of the Divine law. The Mystic who places the whole of his religion on the internal feelings of his mind, or what he calls the voice or the moving of the Spirit; whilst the doctrine of the atonement, the life of faith in a crucified Saviour, the written word, and the means of grace, are contemptuously disregarded by him; and the Antinomian who is satisfied with what Christ has done for him, and perceives no want of a renovation to the Divine image, or a personal holiness of heart and life; must alike stand confuted, if the real nature, excellency, and uses of the holy law were clearly discovered to them. But where this is overlooked, one of these perversions of the gospel will insinuate itself, and prey insensibly on the vitals of true religion, whatever attempts be made to exclude or eradicate it.

5. Through ignorance of the law, real Christians habitually neglect duties, or give way to evil tempers, &c., to the discredit of the gospel, or to the hinderance of their own fruitfulness, comfort, and growth in grace. It has frequently happened that ministers have heard some of their people acknowledge, after receiving practical instructions, that they had not before been sensible that such or such things were sins, or that this or the other was a duty incumbent on them: nay, the meditation on such subjects has sometimes the same effect on the ministers themselves. The knowledge of the precepts, therefore, is the proper method of rendering believers complete in the will of God, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, and in bringing them to walk worthy of God unto all well-pleasing: and consequently inattention to it must proportionably produce the contrary effects.

6. Lastly, The Scriptures enlarge in commendation of the Divine commandments, and in exhorting men to abound in, and be zealous of good works: but many who profess or preach evangelical truth, speak very little on these subjects, except in an unguarded, depreciating manner: hence additional prejudices are excited in mens' minds against the doctrines of grace, as subversive of holy practice. But if the nature, use, excellency, and necessity of good works as the fruits and evidences of true faith were more fully understood; and the preceptive part of the Bible, in subserviency to the gospel were more prominent in mens' discourse and conduct, such objections would be confuted; and they would be put to shame, who should falsely accuse either our holy doctrine or good conversation in Christ Jesus.

ESSAY XVI.

On the Believer's Warfare and Experience.

THE sacred Scriptures always represent the true Christian as a soldier, engaged in an arduous warfare with potent enemies, against whom he is supported, and over whom he is made victorious by the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, through faith in and obedience to the Lord Jesus, the captain of our salvation. But such expressions as fighting or striving, with other allusions to military affairs, imply an experience essentially different from that of those persons who never engage in the conflict, or who have already obtained the conqueror's palm: nor can any hope, or even assurance of victory and triumph, or any intervening seasons of peace and joy, entirely preclude this difference. The distinction, therefore, between the church militant on earth, and the church triumphant in heaven, hath on good grounds been established; and they who do not well understand and consider it, will be very liable to fall into several injurious, discouraging, disgraceful, or even fatal mistakes. In discussing the subject, we may first offer some reflections on the distinguishing principles, purposes, and desires of the persons who are engaged in this warfare:-we may next enumerate the enemies with whom especially they are called to contend:-we may briefly mention the encouragements, supports, and aids vouchsafed them; the weapons with which they fight, and the manner in which they must put on and use their armour-we may then advert to the nature and effects of their victories; and then conclude with a few hints on the appropriate experience that must result from their situation.

We do not then speak, in this place, of the whole multitude who are called Christians, or who are historical believers of the scriptures; neither do we include all who would subscribe or dispute for the several doctrines that constitute the grand peculiarities of the Christian faith; nor would we be understood to mean the whole company who compose any peculiar sect or denomination, to the exclusion of others. Alas! in all these respects, strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it; for but few strive," or wrestle, " to enter in" (Mat. vii. 13, 14; Luke xiii. 23—30.) A vast majority continue "to hold the truth in unrighteousness," "to walk according to the course of this world," and to "serve divers lusts and pleasures," &c. Many of them, indeed, observe Gamaliel's cautious advice, and are not openly united with those, "who fight against God:" but then, they aim to observe an impracticable and inadmissible neutrality, and know nothing of fighting under the banner of Christ against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and of being his faithful soldiers to the end of their lives; unless they have read or heard of it, in the form of baptism, or have been taught any thing about it, from some orthodox catechism. The persons, of whom this Essay treats, are those of every name, who, by obeying the truth, have been "made free from sin, and become the servants of God;" most of them remember well the time, when "they were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another" (Titus iii. 3-7 :) but "God, who is rich in mercy, of his great love, wherewith he loved them, even when they were dead in sin, hath quickened them" (Eph. ii. 1—10;) and thus "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible," they were enlightened to see something of the glory of God, the evil of sin, the value and danger of their souls, and their need of mercy, grace, and salvation. They were effectually warned to flee from the wrath to come, and led to repent and turn to God, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to renounce their

former hopes of justification before God by their own merits, and to believe in Christ, that they might be justified by faith: and having experienced the work of the Holy Spirit, "as glorifying Christ" in their hearts, and showing them those things that relate to his person, love, redemption, and salvation; they have learned "to count all but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ;" they are prepared to deny themselves, bear the cross, labour, venture, suffer, and part with all for his sake; and "the love of Christ constrains them to live no longer to themselves, but to him," and to the glory of his name. In this manner "they are delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of the beloved Son of God;" they separate from his enemies, and join themselves to his friends; they throw down the arms of their rebellion, and "put on the whole armour of God" they deliberately enlist under the banner of Christ; consider his people, cause, and honour as their own, and his enemies within and around them as equally hostile to them also. Under the conduct of divine grace, these consecrated warriors strive against sin, seeking the destruction of the kingdom of Satan in their hearts and in the world as far as their influence can reach; and do not, when most themselves, so much as entertain one thought of making any peace or truce with the enemies of Christ and of their souls. Holiness (or conformity to the law, and moral perfections of God,) they deem the health and liberty, and sin, the disease, bondage, and misery of their souls: they regard themselves as bound by the strongest and most endearing obligations, to devote themselves wholly to their God and Saviour; they esteem the interests of evangelical truth and vital godliness as of the utmost importance to the happiness of mankind; and they expect their present comfort, as well as their future felicity, from communion with God and enjoyment of his favour.

But various inward and outward impediments and obstructions combine to counteract these desires, and to prevent their principles from entirely producing those effects, which might otherwise be expected from them: and whilst these principles struggle as it were to exert themselves, notwithstanding this opposition, a conflict ensues, to the experience of which all rational creatures in the universe, who are not thus circumstanced, must of course remain strangers: even as none, but soldiers in actual service, experience the dangers, hardships, and sufferings of a military life. The regenerate person as really loves God, and desires to obey, honour, worship, and please him, and for his sake to act properly towards his brethren, as angels in heaven do and at those times, when his heart is enlarged in holy contemplations, he longs to be perfectly holy, obedient, and spiritual; then the principles of the new man vigorously exert themselves; and the remains of corrupt nature, or the old man, lie comparatively dormant: the world is greatly out of sight, or stripped of its attractions; and the enemies of his soul are restrained from assaulting him. But when the Christian hath left his closet, or the house of God, and is returned to the employments of his station in life; he finds himself unable to realize his previous views, or to accomplish the purposes which he most uprightly formed; and he often wonders to find himself so different a person, from what he was a few hours before. Yet this also is only partial and temporary: the better principles implanted in his soul, counteract and prevent the effect of corrupt passions and external objects: and shortly they again resume a more decided ascendancy so that upon the whole, he successfully opposes sin, asserts his liberty, and serves God: and his state is determined by this habitual prevalence of heavenly principles; for "he walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." This conflict may easily be perceived to be a very different thing from the feeble and occasional interruption, which an unregenerate man sometimes experiences, in following the habitual inclinations of his heart; these arise only from convictions of conscience, fear of consequences, or selfish hopes; the man's desires and affections are wholly fixed on carnal things; of spiritual good he cannot properly be said to have so much as one just idea;

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