bidden to doubt; and beaten off from any possibility of the confdence of rest and happiness.

But, while I urge this danger of utter discomfort in our irresolu tion, I hear our adversaries talk of a double danger of the contrary certitude: a danger of Pride; and a danger of Sloth. The sup posed certainty of our graces breeds Pride; saith their Cardinal: the assurance of our election, Sloth; saith their Alphonsus a Castro, out of Gregory.

And, indeed, if this cordial doctrine be not well given, well taken, well digested, it may, through our pravity and heedlessness, turn to both these noxious humours; as the highest feeding soonest causeth a dangerous plethory in the body. How have we heard some bold ungrounded Christians brag of their assurance of glory, as if they had carried the keys of heaven at their girdle! How have we seen even sensual men flatter themselves, with a confident opinion of their undoubted safety, and unfailable right to happiness! How have we known presumptuous spirits, that have thought themselves carried with a plerophory of faith; when their sails have been swelled only with the wind of their own self-love! How many ignorant souls, from the misprision of God's infallible election, have argued the needlessness of their endeavours, and the safety of their ease and neglect! As ye love yourselves, sail warily; betwixt these rocks and sauds, on either side.

But, if these mischiefs follow upon the abuse of a sound and wholesome doctrine, God forbid they should be imputed to the truth itself: as if that God, who charges us to do our endeavour to make sure work of our calling and election, did not weil foresee the perils of these mistakings: and if, notwithstanding the provision of these errors, his infinite wisdom hath thought fit to enjoin this task, how safe, how necessary is it, for us to perform it! Did these evils flow from the nature of the doctrine, we had reason to disclaim it; but, now that they flow from the corruption of our nature, fetching evil out of good, we have reason to embrace the doctrine, and to check ourselves.

What a slander is this! Doth the known certainty of our graces breed Pride? Surely, did we challenge these graces for our own, there might be some fear of this vice; but, while we yield them to be God's, how can we be puffed up? What a madness is it in a man, to be proud of another's glory? It is a great word of the Apostle, I can do all things; but, when he adds, through hion that strengthens me, now, the praise is all God's, and not his: now, he boasts all of God; nothing of himself. No: presumption is proud, but faith is humble. There can be no true faith, without repentance; no repentance, without self-dejection. Yea, the very proper basis of all grace whatsoever is humility; much more, of faith : since a man cannot so much as apprehend that he hath need of a Saviour, till he be vile in his own eyes, and lost in his own conceit. Yea, so far is the known certainty of grace from working pride, as that it is certain there can be no grace, where there is pride of grace: so as, while Gregory can say, Si scimus nos habere gratiam, super

bimus; "If we know we have grace, we are proud:" I shall, by a contrary inversion, not fear to say, Si superbimus, scimus nos non habere gratiam; "If we be proud, we know we have no grace."

Sloth, and Security, is the more probable vice. Why may not the spiritual sluggard say, "If I be sure of my calling and election, and God's decree is unchangeable, what need I care for more? Sit down, soul, and take thine ease. Ut quid perditio hæc? To what purpose dost thou macerate thyself, with the penal works of an austere mortification? What needest thou toil thyself, in the busy labours of a constant devotion? What need these assiduous prayers, these frequent sermonings, these importune communicatings? Thou canst be but sure of thine election: thou art so already: sit down now, my soul; and take, not thy ease only, but thy pleasure: let thyself freely loose to those contentments, wherein others seek and find felicity. Be happy here, since thou canst not but be so hereafter." A man might, perhaps, speak thus: but can a Believer say so; whose faith quells the very thought of this pernicious security, and excites him more to a careful endeavour of all good actions, than reward can the ambitious, or fear the cowardly? Lo, this man will be sure to do so much more good, by how much he is more sure of his election; and will be more afraid of sin, than another is of hell. He well knows the inseparable connexion betwixt the end and the means; and cannot dream of obtaining the one, without the other: he knows, that mortification of his corruptions and the life and exercise of grace, are the happy effects of his gracious and eternal election. If he look to his calling, he meets with that of the Apostle; We are called, not to uncleanness, but to holiness; 1 Thess. iv. 7: if to his election; We are chosen that we might be holy, and without blame before him in love; Eph. i. 4. Both calling and election call him to nothing but holiness: and he will more busy himself in the duties of piety, charity, justice, out of love; than a servile nature would, out of constraint: and will do more good, because he is elected; than a mercenary disposition would do, that he might be elected: and will be more careful to avoid sin, because he makes account of heaven; than a slavish mind can or will be, that he may avoid hell. Hezekiah hath fifteen years promised to be added to his life: he is sure God cannot deceive him: What then? Doth he say, "Though I take no sustenance, I shall live: let me take poison: let me run into fire or water, or upon the sword of an enemy: fifteen years is my stint; which can no more be abridged, than prolonged: I will never trouble myself with eating or drinking: I will rush fearlessly upon all dangers?" None of these: he, that knows he shall live, knows he must live by means; and, therefore, feeds moderately; demeans himself no less carefully that he may live, than any other whose life is uncertain. It is for ignorant Turks to make so ill use of their predestination, that, because their destiny is written in their foreheads, they need not regard danger; but may securely sleep upon the pillow of him, that died the day before of the plague: wise men know that Divine Providence is no exemption of our best care. It cannot stand with

a true favourite of heaven, to make so ill use of God's mercies, as to be evil, because he is good; to be secure, because he is bountiful and unchangeable.

What remains, then, but that, out of our duty to the command, out of our sense of the advantage, out of our care to shun the danger of the neglect, we should stir up ourselves, by all means possible, to make our calling and election sure? Away with our poor and petty cares, wherewith our hearts are commonly taken up: one cares to make his house or his coffers sure, with bolts and bars: another cares to make his money sure, by good bonds and counterbonds; another, his estate sure to his posterity, by conveyances and fines; another, his adventure sure, by a wary pre-contract. Alas! what sorry, worthless things are these, in comparison of eternity! And what a slippery security is that, which our utmost endeavours can procure us in these transitory and unsatisfying matters! Oh our miserable sottishness, if, while we are studiously careful for these base perishing affairs, we continue willing unthrifts in the main and everlasting provision for our souls! Religion gives no countenance to ill-husbandry: be careful to make your houses sure; but be more careful to make sure of your eternal mansions: be careful for your earthly wealth; but be more careful of the treasures laid up in heaven: be careful of your estate here; but be more careful of that glorious patrimony above: briefly, be careful to live well here; be more careful to live happily for ever.

Ye have seen that we May, and that we Must endeavour to make sure our calling and election.

III. Our next work is, to shew HOW and BY WHAT MEANS they may and must be endeavoured to be assured.

In some few Greek copies, which Robert Stephens had seen; or; in two copies, as Beza found it; or, in aliquo codice, as Mariana; there is an addition of words to the text dia Tv naλv plav; By good works. The Vulgate reads it thus, and the Council of Trent cites it thus, and some of ours: so the text runs thus; Give diligence, that, by good works, ye may make your calling and election sure.

I enquire not how duly; but, certainly, there is no cause that we should fear or dislike this reading: good works are a notable confirmation to the soul, of the truth of our calling and election: though Cardinal Bellarmin makes ill use of the place; striving hereupon to infer, that our certitude is therefore but conjectural, because it is of works. For the solution whereof, justly may we wonder to hear of a conjectural certitude: certainly, we may as well hear of a false-truth! What a plain implication is here of a palpable contradiction! Those things, which we conjecture at, are only probable; and there can be no certainty in probability.

Away with these blind peradventures. Had our Apostle said, and he knew how to speak," Guess at your calling and election by good works," his game here had been fair; but now, when he says, By good works endeavour to make your calling and election sure, how clearly doth he disclaim a dubious hit-I-miss-I; and implies a feasible certainty!

And, indeed, what hinders the connexion of this assurance? Our works make good the truth of our faith; our faith makes good our effectual calling; our calling makes good our election; therefore, even by good works we make our election sure.

Neither can it hurt us, that the Cardinal saith we hold this certainty to be before our good works, not after them; and, therefore, that it is not caused by our good works. We stand not nicely to distinguish how things stand in the order of nature: surely, this certainty is both before and after our works; before, in the act of our faith; after, in our works, confirming our faith. Neither do we say this certainty is caused by our good works, but confirmed by them. Neither doth this Beaiwais imply always a thing before uncertain; as learned Chamier well: but the completing and making up of a thing, sure before. To which also must be added, that these, naλà epya, good works, must be taken in the largest latitude: so as to fetch in, not only the outward good offices that fall from us in the way whether of our charity, justice, or devotion; but the very inmost inclinations and actions of the soul, tending towards God; our believing in him, our loving of him, our dreading of his Infinite Majesty, our mortification of our corrupt affections, our joy in the Holy Ghost, and whatsoever else may argue or make us holy. These are the means, by which we may and must endeavour to make our calling and election sure.

But, to let this clause pass as litigious; the undoubted words of the text go to no less, If ye do these things, ye shall never fall: Taura, these things, are the virtues precedently mentioned; and not falling, is equivalent to ascertaining our calling and election.

Not to instance, then, and urge those many graces, which are here specified, I shall content myself with those three theological virtues, singled out from the rest, Faith, Hope, Charity; for the making sure our calling and election.

This

For FAITH, how clear is that of our Saviour, He, that believes in him, that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but hath passed from death to life! John v. 24. is the grace, by which Christ dwells in our hearts; Eph. iii. 17: and whereby we have communion with Christ, and an assured testimony of and from him; For, he, that believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself; 1 John v. 10. And what witness is that? This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son; verse 11: He, that hath the Son, hath life; verse 12. See what a connexion here is: eternal life, first: this life eternal is in and by Christ Jesus: this Jesus is ours, by faith: this faith witnesseth to our souls our assurance of life eternal.

Our HOPE is next; which is an arоnapadоnía, "a thrusting out of the head to look for the performing" of that, which our faith apprehends: and this is so sure a grace, as that it is called by the name of that glory which it expecteth; Col. i. 5: For the hope sake, which is laid up for you in heaven; that is, for the glory we hope for. Now, both faith and hope are of a cleansing nature: both agree in this, Purifying their hearts by faith: Acts xv. 9. Every

one, that hath this hope, purifieth himself, even as he is pure; 1 John iii. 3. The Devil is an unclean spirit: he fouls, wheresoever he comes and all sin is nasty and beastly. Faith and hope, like as neat housewives when they come into a foul and sluttish house, cleanse all the rooms of the soul; and make it a fit habitation for the Spirit of God. Are our hearts lifted up then, in a comfortable expectation of the performance of God's merciful promises? and are they, together with our lives, swept and cleansed from the wonted corruptions of our nature, and pollutions of our sin? This is an undoubted evidence of our calling and election,

CHARITY is the last; which comprehends our love both to God and man: for, from the reflection of God's love to us, there ariseth a love from us to God again. The Beloved Disciple can say, We love him, because he loved us first; 1 John iv. 19. And, from both these, resulteth our love to our brethren; which is so full an evidence, that our Apostle tells us, We know we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren; 1 John iii. 14. For, the love of the father is inseparable from the love of the son: he, that loves him that begets, loves him that is begotten of him.

Shortly, then, think not of a ladder to climb up into heaven, to search the books of God.

First, look into your OWN LIVES, Those are most open: we need no locks or keys to them. The Psalmist, in his fifteenth, will tell you who is for that blissful Sion: are your lives innocent; are your works good and holy; do ye abound in the fruits of piety, justice, Christian compassion? Let these be your first trial. It is a flat and plain word of the divine Apostle, Whosoever doth not righteousness, is not of God; 1 John iii, 10.

Look, secondly, into your OWN BOSOMS; open to none but your own eyes. If ye find there a true and lively faith in the Son of God; by whose blood ye are cleansed from all your sins; by virtue whereof ye can cry, Abba, Father: a sure hope in Christ, purifying your souls from your corruptions: a true and unfeigned love to your God and Saviour, who hath done so much for your souls; so as you dare say, with that fervent Apostle, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee: and, in him and for his sake, a sincere love to his children, as such; not as men, not as witty, wise, noble, rich, bountiful, useful, but as Christians; showing itself in all real expressions: These, these are excellent and irrefragable proofs and evictions of your calling and election. Seek for these in your hearts and hands; and seek for them, till ye find them; and, when ye have found them, make much of them as the invaluable favours of God, and labour for a continual increase of them, and a growth in this heavenly assurance by them.

What need I urge any Motives, to stir up your Christian care and diligence? Do but look, first, BEHIND you. See but how much precious time we have already lost; how we have loitered hitherto in our great work. Bernard's question is fit still to be asked by us of our souls; Bernarde, ad quid venisti? Wherefore are we here upon earth? To pamper our gut? To tend our hide?