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VI.

Slips and Failings, provided we be careful, S ER M. to the utmost of our Power, to keep his Commandments.

So that to know Chrift, in the Apostle's Senfe, is not only to know that Chrift is the Advocate, and Propitiation for the Sins of all that repent; but to know also affuredly, that if we persevere in the State we are in, he is our Advocate, and our Propitiation: that we are of the happy Number of those for whom he prays and intercedes, and of those whom, in Confequence of his Interceffion, his Father looks upon as interested in him, as Members of him, united WITH him, and IN him. And fo the Apostle several Times explains himself in this very Epistle: In the Verfe next but one to my Text -Hereby (faith he) know we that we are IN him, ver. 5. And fo in the next ChapterHe that keepeth the Commandments dwelleth IN Chrift, and Christ IN him: And hereby we know that he abideth IN us, by the Spirit which be bath given us, Ch. iii. 24. And so again in the 4th Chapter Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he IN us, because be bath given us of his Spirit, Ch. iv. 13. By the Communication and Influence of which Holy Spirit, we shall farther know that we are

BORN

SERM.

VI.

BORN of him: Which is another Phrase that St. John ufes to express this State: Born of him, Ch. ii. 29. i. e. of Chrift, and born of GOD: Whofe Seed, he affures us, remaineth in every one that is fo born, to preserve him from Sin, Ch. iii. 9. and to be a perpetual Spring and Principle within him, of a new, holy and fpiritual Life: Agreeable to what another Apostle faith, If any Man be in Chrift, he is a new Creature, 2 Cor. v. 17. i. e. A Man who truly believes in Chrift, and has his Spirit, renounces all the carnal Deeds of the old Man, and lives up to that new Evangelical Law, which Chrift introduced; which is the only Teft whereby we can know that we know Chrift, that we are born of him, and abide in him*: As will appear from my

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II. SE

The Reverend Mr. Whitefield in his Sermon on this Text (viz. 2 Cor. v. 17) makes it one of his principal Heads, to fhew "Why we must be new Creatures ere [i.e. before] we

can be in Chrift, or in order to be rightly in Christ." Whereas it is obvious that St. Paul means, that a Man's becoming a new Creature, is a necessary Effect of his being in Chrift; and confequently that he must be in Chrift, before he can be a new Creature. If a Man could new create himself, or become a new Creature by his own Strength, before he was in Chrift; he would be tempted to believe, he had but little need of Christ afterwards. Mr. Whitefield's Arguments on this Head could not fure be fuggested by the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Ghoft

And

VI.

II. SECOND Head, under which I am to SER M. enquire, what Means the Apoftle prescribes for the attaining fuch Knowledge. That my Text exprefly tells us, is Keeping the Commandments: Hereby we DO KNOW, are fure, that we know him, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

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But to speak diftinctly to this 2d Head, I muft fubdivide it into two Particulars: And enquire

First, Who may be faid in the Apostle's Senfe, to keep the Commandments: And

Secondly, What Affurance or Certainty the keeping the Commandments will yield, that we are born of GOD, that we know Chrift, that He is in us, and we in HIM.

First I fhall enquire, Who may be faid to keep the Commandments; or what the keeping bis Commandments implies. Does it mean an abfolute and perfect Obedience, and to all his Commands? If fo; then are we never the nearer to the Knowledge of Chrift as yet. For though a Man which does those Things never fuggefts any thing that contradicts his own Word. Let Mr. Whitefield therefore take heed, what Spirit it is of which he boafts he has a double Portion given him *, and in the De monftration of which he tells us he speaks †, with such great Enlargements, and irrefiftible Power f.

Journal III, p. 15. + Ibid. p. 13.

+ Ibid. p. 24.

Shall

SER M. fhall live by them, Rom. x. 5. yet who is the

VI.

iii. 2.

Man, and where is he to be found, that ever thoroughly observed them? Who can fay, I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin? Prov. xx. 9. This is a Question which the Wife-Man puts in one Place, and he himself anfwers it in another: There is not a juft Man upon Earth (faith he) that doth good, and finneth not, Ecclef. vii. 20. St. James affirms, that in many things we offend all, James And therefore, a few Verfes before my Text, St. John warns us, that if we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us, Ch. i. 8. And again, if we fay, that we have not finned, we make GOD a Liar, and his Word is not in us, ver. IO. From all which it follows, that an absolute and perfect Obedience to God's Laws is not attainable in this Life: But that the best of Men, although they indulge not themselves in any Habit of Sin; yet fometimes offend, both in doing what they ought not, and alfo in omitting to do what they ought. And even the best Actions of the best Man alive have, it is to be feared, fome Allay of Infirmities and Imperfections in them.

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All this is confeffedly true: And yet St. S ER M. John, in this very Epiftle, as plainly tells us. that He that committeth Sin, is of the Devil: But that whosoever is born of GOD, doth not commit Sin; for his Seed [the Seed of GOD] remaineth in him; and he cannot fin, because be is born of GOD, Ch. iii. 8, 9. And again, We know that whosoever is born of GOD finneth not; but that he who is begotten of GOD keepeth himself, and that Wicked One toucheth him not, Ch. v. 18. From all which it follows, on the other Hand, that there is fome Measure or Degree of Holiness and Obedience by which the Children of GOD are manifeft, as the Apostle fpeaks, from the Children of the Devil, Ch. iii. 10. And what that Measure or Degree is, is neceffary to be fhewn.

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Now there are three very obvious Qualifications or Requifites with which such Obedience must neceffarily be attended : And with which when attended, we may humbly truft, it will amount to that keeping the Commandments of GOD, which St. John means. And to each of these I fhall fpeak as briefly as I can.

In the first Place it must be fincere, proceeding from the Heart. For this is neceffary, even to the fatisfying our felves, that our Ob

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