wrought all her works in her. Ifa. xxvi. 12. For my part I have narrowly observed the lives of God's elect who appear to be found in the truth, and called by grace; and by what I can gather, they are the only workers unto the kingdom of God. I generally find them employed like their bleffed Lord; fometimes weeping and carrying the cross; at other times employed in acts of charity to the utmost of their ability; at other times at war with fome fore temptation, befetting fin, or fpreading error; at other times oppofing the wife difputers of this world, who oppofe the fovereignty of their Maker, and juftify themselves; fometimes I find them at the work of felf-examination; at other times citing themfelves before the tribunal of God for fome mifdemeanor, fighting against the fiefh, confeffing their faults, juftifying their God, imploring forgiveness, and feeking reconciliation with him, as the fummit of all their happinefs; fometimes I find them bemoaning the lofs of their Lord, and earnestly feeking his face; at other times, with the ftate of fome poor finner on their minds, travailing in birth till Chrift be formed in him; at other times with the high praises of God in their mouth, and a two-edged fword in their band, Pfalm cxlix. 6; at other times I find them condoling the miferable, or weeping with them that weep; and fometimes holding forth the word of life, as gooa Stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Per. iv. 10. In short, I never could apply the Lord's divine falutation O 2 falutation of All hail, Matt. xxviii. 9, to any but to these; for these, in the stricteft fense of the word, may be called holy workfolks. I have narrowly watched the various tribes of legal workers, and indeed they fometimes feem to outrun the real faint in outward appearance; but, as the Lord fays, there are laft that shall be first, and first laft; for many are called, but few chofen. While the felf-righteous remain destitute of grace, whatever outward fhew they may make, God is not glorified in them; their principles are corrupt, their judgments filled with confufion; their motives are bafe (while deftitute of the faith of God's elect, and felf is the end aimed at in all their fhew of devotion); they expect to bring in God a debtor to them, while, as the Lord fays, all their works are to be feen of men. I have often heard them abuse the fovereignty of God, and attribute tyranny to their Maker, whofe judgment must be according to truth; at other times calling his decrees blafphemous, though they bring forth a faving knowledge of God's mind and will, and make the barren heart of a finner like a fruitful field; at other times, I find them abufing the teftimony of God's fervants, conftruing their words to a fenfe they never intended, and drawing conclufions that never entered their thoughts, in order to bring the grace of God into contempt; at other times, I find them fo profufe with the mercy of God, as to entail it on all the human race; and at other times fo fparing, as to declare that fome of the Lord's redeemed are in hell. In fhort, pride, arrogance, felf-feeking, and felf-deifying, is all that ever I could fee in the selfrighteous free-willer;-confounding the fenfe of God's word, and rebellion against his fovereign will, has ever discovered itself in all that I have had a knowledge of; and fuch proceedings appear to me to be no better than an introduction to the performances exhibited in hell. O finner, lay by pleading thy own merit, for God will furely reject thy confidences to the end of the chapter: Many will fay unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name? and in thy name have caft out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profefs unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt. vii. 22, 23. Thus you fee that hell itself will not cure the legalift of boafting; nor will the encomiums of the Judge himself ever fet the elect at it; they will ftick to their being unprofitable fervants to the laft, as has been already obferved; and it must be fo, for the Lord declares that be that bumbleth himself fhall be exaited, and be that exalteth himself fhall be abafed. Abimaaz. I fee clearly that faith is a foul-humbling, felf emptying, and self-abafing grace, as well as an evidence of things not feen; but I am at times led to doubt whether I have any faith at all. Cufbi. Didft thou never difcover in the word of God, as well as in the firit open vifion that thou hadit, 0 3 hadft, an amiableness and a fuitableness in the Saviour, as he is fet forth in the word, infomuch that thy very foul went out after him?-that was faith's eye that discovered the object of life. He that followesh me fhall not walk in darkness, but be shall bave the light of life. John viii. 12. And haft thou not found thy heart fo bent for a part and lot in him, that all the world hath appeared as nothing when compared to him?-that is faith's power, inclining the will to chufe and embrace him above all other objects. He that comes to God must believe that he is a rewarder; and again, Faith lays hold on eternal life. Thus faith fhines on the understanding, and discovers the Saviour as the object most defirable, and then inclines the will to chufe him; and then, laftly, the calls in love to admire her choice; this is the grace that availeth-neither circumcifion availeth any thing nor uncircumcifion, but faith that worketh by love. Gal. v. 6. And as foon as love comes into the foul, fhe cafts out flavish fear, and brings in her own attendants, which are joy and peace-God fill you with joy and peace in believing. Rom. xv. 13. The believer now cannot exprefs his fenfations-whom having not feen be loves; and though now be fees kim not, yet, believing, be rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 1 Pet. i. 8. Abimaaz. What you have faid of faith my foul has often experienced and fweetly enjoyed; therefore I hope I am really bleffed with that spiritual grace; grace; and I do find that it purifies my heart-for anfwers of pardon and peace are often brought to me from the Saviour by faith's prayer. - Cubi. Then thou art upon the foundation, and may say with the apoftle, this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask he beareth us, and we have the thing defired. 1 John v. 14. Thy faith is genuine-a real evidence of things not feen. Poverty of fpirit is a fure mark of thofe that fhall obtain the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus. Phil. iii. 14. When a man fees the infufficiency of his own righteoufnefs, he accepts an imputed one; when he feels his loft eftate, he is thankful for a Saviour; when he is confcious of the infinite debt that he has contracted, he flees to the furety; and when fenfible of the deceitfulness of his own heart, that he dares place no confidence in the flesh, he embraces the rock for want of a fhelter; and when his refuges of lies are all fwept away, and his falfe hopes rooted up, then he digs deep, and founds all on the Rock of Ages, This is the man that is poor in fpirit:-Stripped of pride, and humble in heart, like the poor Prodigal, he comes to God, with humble confeffion, knocks at mercy's door, and begs the bread of heaven; fuch an one is fure of the prize-Blessed are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. v. 3. Thirdly, the Holy Ghoft is fent into the believer's heart, to influence, enlighten, and inftruct his understanding and confcience, and to bear a 04 joint |