before. Neither is it plucked out of Chrift's; hand but it ran away freely. Whofoever abideth in Chrift, is written in the book of life, and has caufe to rejoice. He cannot perish, fince he is under the protection of the Father, who is greatest of all. But, at the fame time, as there is no falvation out of Christ, whofoever goeth from Chrift; that is, whosoever is felf-fufficient, defpifing others, overthrowing humility, and the reverence due to God, and forgets the grace received, is fure to perish; and that this may be the cafe, appears from many paffages: particularly from Luke xi. 24. There our Saviour speaks of the unclean fpirit, which, after having walked through dry places, returns to the house from whence he had been caft out. Therefore, an unclean fpirit that is caft out, may return. That is to fay, he that has put on Christ, may grieve the Holy Ghoft, and return again like the dog to his vomit, (2. Peter. ii. 22,) and confequently, be himself the cause that his name is blotted out of the Book of Life. The Ifraelites were undoubtedly God's people; nor could any one pluck them out of his hands. But after they had willingly forfaken God, he forfook them; not as being plucked away, but as run-aways.

Lewis. Indeed all this appears to be very true; but I could wish that you would explain to me what St. Paul writes unto the Romans, concerning Election, that I may have no doubt remaining in my mind. I acknowledge that St. Paul's reasoning has puzzled me for a long while. He appears to me to be so very intricate on this subject, that I have not yet been able to disentangle my thoughts from the difficulties that prefent themselves. I am of opinion that this place is one of those, concerning which St. Peter speaks in his 2d Epist. iii. 16, where he faith, there are in St. Paul's Epiftles fome things hard to be underflood, and which unlearned and unftable men wreft, as they do the other fcriptures, unto their own deftruction. Fred. You do not judge amifs, Lewis. But how fhall we know who they are that wreft them unto their own destruc.

tion? For that fome do wreft them is moft certain; fince they explain them in contrary ways; one of which muft needs be falfe, Lewis. Indeed I do not know. Fred. But I will inform you, (God willing) if you will be attentive. You make no doubt, I trust, but that the way unto falvation is ftrait? Lewis. Moft affuredly. Fred. Confequently whofoever explains the holy fcriptures, which shew us the way unto falvation, in such a manner as to lead men into a broad way, does undoubtedly wreft them to his own destruction. We find an inftance of it in the falfe prophets among the Jews. They were always flattering the people, by telling them that they were the chofen people of God, and that they would not be led away captives to Babylon. And afterwards, when this event happened, they promised them that they should foon shake off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, and return. Hence those arrogant fayings, The temple of the Lord. The temple of the Lord. We have Abraham for our father. The true prophets, on the contrary, always taught a narrow way. Though Coniah were the fignet upon my right-hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; thus fpeaks Jeremiah, (xxii. 24,) And you fee from it how averfe he is, that even those who are most intimate with God (for what can be nearer to a man than the ring he wears on his right-hand,) fhould be confident, unless they be obedient. How fevere is John the Baptift? Think not to fay within yourfilves, we have Abraham for our father; for God is able of thefe ftones to raise children to Abraham. (Matt. iii. 9.) What does Chrift himself say? The children of the kingdom fhall be caft out into outer darkness. The kingdom fhall be taken away from you, and given to a nation that will bring forth fruit in due feafon. Thefe and many fimilar paffages, clearly shew that we must not confide in Election, unless we perfevere in the fame. And agreeable to this, St. Peter writes, (2 Peter. i. 10,) Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election Jure. Let us now come to the Teachers of our own times, and we fhall find the fame. Some pretend

that

I

that those who are chofen, and believe in Chrift, cannot perifh. I leave you to judge, my dear Lewis, what benefit can accrue from this Do&trine. There has lately been a difpute between two Miniflers of your perfuafion, one of whom taught, that men were neceffitated, (that is the word he makes ufe of,) by God to fin. The other opposed that Doctrine. Now tell me, my dear Lewis, how were the people then affected? Lewis. I fcarcely dare speak it, yet muft acknowledge, that I never faw any thing fo deplorable. The people were raving mad: and had attained to that pitch of licentiousness, that nothing was heard among them but, “Let us fin, fince God. chufes fin, and has fubjected us to the neceffity of finning." And had not the Magiftrates put a stop to the evil by an Edict, the greatest part of them would in a short time have ran headlong into enormous licentiousness. Fred. And these are the fure effects of fuch a Doctrine. Believe me, Lewis, the people are fo tenacious of licentious. Tenets, that this wound will not be fo eafily healed as it was given. Now examine the other Doctrine, which teaches that God does not delight in Unrighteoufnefs; and you will readily perceive that the fruits of it are the fear of God, which is the beginning of wifdom. Whereas, on the contrary, that fecurity they teach, is the beginning of folly. The troubles which were the confequences of it, ought to make a doctrine, productive, of fuch effects, fufpected even by the ignorant. For fuch as are the fruits, fuch is the tree. Weigh things well, and you will find that most men who admit of that doctrine, become the worfe for it:

"Happy are thofe whom others' harms make wife."

[To be continued.]

SERMON

111. I

from the preceding Obfervations.

1. And first, if Zeal, true, 'Christian Zeal, be nothing but the Flame of Love, then Hatred, in every kind and degree, then every fort of Bitterness toward them that oppose us, is fo far from deserving the name of Zeal, that it is directly opposite to it. If Zeal be only fervent Love, then it ftands at the utmost distance from Prejudice, Jealoufy, Evil-furmising; feeing Love thinketh no evil. Then Bigotry of every fort, and above all the spirit of Perfecution, are totally inconfiftent with it. Let not, therefore, any of these unholy Tempers screen themselves under that facred Name. As all thefe are thé works of the Devil, let them appear in their own shape, and no longer, under that fpecious difguife, deceive the unwary children of God.

2. Secondly. If Lowlinefs be a property of Zeal, then Pride is inconfiftent with it. It is true, fome degree of Pride may remain, after the Love of God is fhed abroad in the heart: as this is one of the laft evils that is rooted out, when God creates all things new. But it cannot reign, nor retain any confiderable power, where fervent Love is found. Yea, were we to give way to it but a little, it would damp that holy fervor; and if we did not immediately fly back to Chrift, would utterly quench the Spirit.

3. Thirdly. If Meeknefs be an infeparable property of Zeal, what shall we say of those, who call their Anger by that name?

Why,

Why, that they mistake the truth totally; that they in the fulleft fenfe, put darkness for light, and light for darkness. We cannot be too watchful againft this delufion, because it fpreads over the whole Chriftian world. Almoft in all places, Zeal and Anger pass for equivolent terms: and exceeding few perfons are convinced, that there is any difference between them. How commonly do we hear it faid, "See how zealous the man is !" Nay, he cannot be zealous: that is impoffible; for he is in a paffion. And Paffion is as inconfiftent with Zeal, as Light with Darkness, or Heaven with Hell.

It were well that this point were thoroughly understood. Let us confider it a little farther. We frequently observe one that bears the character of a religious man, vehemently angry at his neighbour. Perhaps he calls his brother Raca, or thou fool: he brings a railing accufation against him. You mildly admonish him of his warmth. He anfwers, it is my Zeal! No, it is your fin; and unless you repent of it, will fink you lower than the grave.

There is much fuch Zeal as

this in the bottomlefs pit. Thence all Zeal of this kind comes. And thither it will go, and you with it, unless you are faved from it, before you go hence.

4. Fourthly, If Patience, Contentedness, and Refignation, are the properties of Zeal, then Murmuring, Fretfulness, Difcontent, Impatience, are wholly inconfiftent with it. And yet how ignorant are mankind of this? How often do we fee men fretting at the ungodly, or telling you, They are "out of patience" with fuch or fuch things, and terming all this their Zeal! O fpare no pains to undeceive them? If it be poffible, fhew them what Zeal is: and convince them that all murmuring, or fretting at fin, is a species of fin, and has no resemblance of, or connexion with, the true Zeal of the Gospel.

5. Fifthly, If the object of Zeal be that which is good, then fervour for any evil thing, is not Chriftian Zeal. I inftance in Idolatry, worshiping of Angels, Saints, Images, the Crofs.

VOL. IV.

3 S

Although