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 hindrance 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 anto all well-pleasing; and, consequently, inattention to it must proportionably produce the con. trary 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 men's 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 men's 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" (Matt. 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 diverse 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 diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another" (Tit. iii, 3-7); but " God, Q

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. 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 inlist 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

In

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