The tender Father; That Exacts not out Failings; but Compaffionates our Infirmities: And expects not Perfection of Obedience from us; But Approbation of that holy Law, which we can no better fulfil; and an earneft defire and Endeavour, ftill to proceed further, and do Better. And then he chearfully enters the Yoke of Chrift, as that of Wedlock: And draws in it, Not as Compell'd to it, but in Love with it.

Now how Uneafy foever it is, To Move, for Dread of the Lab; Yet what more Delightful than to obey him, that fo fpares us; That has abounded with fuch Riches of Grace towards us; and that is still Surprizing us with Loving-kindness afrefh? Tho' Faith is a Riddle to the Natural man; And Holiness but a Correction-house to the Unfantified Sinner; The Believer is swayed with the Power of the one; and Ravish'd with the Sweetness of the other. And he that has known the Sorrow of his old Distemper, will be proud of the Cure, which Grace has wrought; and ever Wary, to Preserve the Health Recovered. And if Gentiles, in the State of Nature, much more the Regenerate, in the State of Grace, are a Law to themselves. Their own New Nature, and the Divine Image drawn upon 'em, is a standing Rule to 'em. And they that have the Internal Relifh of Heavenly Sweets, and the very Life of

God

God derived to them; will be infinitely Choice and tender thereof; And shrink back, with the utmost Antipathy, from all that Affaults and fpoils, the Portraiture of God, and the Antipaft of Glory, in the Soul. And even when they are fafe in the hands of their Saviour; Yet they will Tremble at the Sins that drew his Blood.

Thus the Doctrine of Free Grace, and Juftification by Faith, (That foft Pillow under the weary Difconfolate Soul,) which, Like other Sweet and Good things, is liable to such foul Abuses; Yet works in all Regenerate perfons to Holy purpofes. And the fame Grace that Juftifies 'em, alfo preferves them from that Diabolical Sophifry, To argue from Divine Mercy, to Carnal Liberty. Thus faith our Church, Art. 17. [The godly confi deration of Predeftination, and our Election in Chrift, as 'tis full of fweet, pleasant, and unSpeakable Comfort to Godly perfons: So does it fervently kindle their Love towards God.] And however forward are fome to Damn Believers to Hell; for the very Perfuafion and Confidence, upon which themselves do know, is built all their Love of God, and Living to him: I can never admire any of thofe Fruits, that are not of the Gospel-Plantation; and that have not Chrift dwelling by Faith in the heart, for the Root, that bears them.

All that know the Grace of God in truth, cannot but know what a Holy thing it is; and how it operates in the Soul, to all the bett Effects Yea what a fatisfaction and pleasure it gives in Well-doing; As the Difcovery of our Unfeigned Believing. And fo makes the Good works more Refreshing to ourfelves, than ever they can be to the Bowels of any others, that fare the better for us. Nay even Godly forrow which works the Repentance, without which we fhall perish, flows from this fame Fountain of Faith. And there cannot be the true Evangelical Repentance, which the Believing of God's Goodness and Love in Chrift Jefus, does not lead us to. So teaches our Church; (Serm. of Rep.) [A part of Repentance is Faith; whereby we do apprehend and take hold on the Promifes of God, touching the free Pardon and forgiveness of our Sins: Which Promifes are Sealed up to us, with the Death and Blood-fhedding of his Son Jefus Chrift. And they that teach Repentance, without Faith in Chrift, and a Perfuafion, that God for his fake, will Forgive us all our Sins, teach but the Repentance of Cain and Judas.]

Where's the wrong then done to Holiness and Good Life, by this Doctrine of Faith; but that it gives a better Security to the Believers Piety and Integrity; To preferve 'em from Apoftacy; and to keep 'em by the Power of God, through Faith to Salvation? And allo

that

that it makes all that is Holy, Juft, and Good in them, more Voluntary and Filial; and better becoming the Lord's Freemen, and the dear Children of our Heavenly Father.

Therefore, tho' we would never take off from the Neceffity of Perfonal Righteousness; nor offer to Relax the Obligation to holy Converfation: Yet we would have a Root, to bear the Fruits: For elfe we know there can be none, but Painted, or Rotten Fruits: which however they may please a Moral Heathen; yet will they not pleafe a Holy God: Who is Pleas'd only in his Beloved Son; and Pleas'd with none, but fuch as are in him. We would not then have Faith Banifb'd; Left all the Good, fo much Contended for, fhould go off with it. For what good Fruits, without an Implantation in Chrift Jefus? If we will hearken to him. Job. 15. 4. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of itfelf, Except it abide in the Vine; No more can ye, Except ye Abide in me. Can Perfons have Lawful Children before they are Married? And what high thoughts can we conceive of their Piety, who make but a Jeft of this Spiritual Matrimony; and fuch a Union with the Heavenly Bridegroom? Sure the Works truly Good, and a Life right Godly, are not fuch a Baftard-Brood; but a more Legitimate Off-spring.

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Tis

'Tis not to say then, If I were compleatly Holy; then I would make bold to Believe: But thou must Believe, that thou may'st get matters amended; and be made Holier and Better; And first be Graffed into thy Saviour; That thou may't bear the Fruits, to Glorify thy Heavenly Father. And fuch as go another way to work, They are Ignorant of God's Righteousness: And the way of Peace they have not known. Let boly Life then be ever own'd, as the Confequent of Holy Faith: And Let every one that names the Name of Chrift Depart from Iniquity. But let them know withal, That by his Grace it is to be done: And acknowledge, with our Apoftle, Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not Ï; but Chrift Liveth in me: and the Life which I now Live, Is by the Faith of the Son of God, who Loved me, and gave himself for me. For he is our Life, and the Eternal Fountain of all Holinefs. So that if any man be in him, he is a New Creature. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Otherwife, he is but a vain Pretender.

Thus I have fhewed an abfolute Neceffity of the Righteousness Inherent; That Righteoufnefs which is called our Own. But yet, after all, There's no Neceffity of Trufting in it: Or building all our Salvation upon it. Take heed of going about fo to Establish it. But,

3. Submit