ning, our proceeding, our finifhing as we ought, all are owing to that Grace and Spirit of God in our Souls. This, with regard to its Powers and Operations there, anfwers to that enlivening and invigorating Principle, that animates our Bodies. From whence it is eafy to difcern the Neceffity of this Grace, and that the largeft Measures of the Thing, in either of the Two Senfes foregoing, cannot fuffice for our Salvation, but must wait for this Third, to complete and crown them with Succefs.

By thus explaining, how the Grace of God may be understood, it is eafily difcerned, how that Grace is received in vain, according to all thefe Acceptations of it.

Rcm. ii. 4.

1. Take it for Favour and Kindness in general: And thus it is received in vain, when we do not entertain our Bleffings with Thankfulness, nor ufe them with Prudence, nor improve them to thofe Purpofes, they were intended to ferve. For the Goodnefs of God, in every fort and instance, leadeth to Repentance. In the Nature of the Thing, and the Design of the Giver, it is a powerful Motive to Amendment of Life. This, being the only Method we are capable of expreffing our Gratitude by, if not produced, the Purpofe of the Gift is defeated. And That is understood to be in vain, which difappoints our reasonable Expectations, and does not compafs the End, it was done for.

Tit. ii. 11,

2. Take this Grace then for the Gofpel of Chrift, and thus it is received in vain, when the Perfons, to whom it is preached, do not live according to it. This indeed is thatGrace of God that bringeth Salvation: But how? It follows there, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lufts, we should live foberly, and righteously, and godly in this prefent world, &c. It is the only Difpenfation, whereby we can be faved. But neither can we be faved

12, &c.

by It, without coming within the Conditions and Qualifications, on which its glorious Promifes are fufpended. To thofe Hypocritical Profeffors, who are Chriftians in Word and in Name, but not in Deed and in

2 Tim. ii. 19. Rom. i. 18. Luke xi. to 47, 48.

Truth; who profane Chrift's Name, and proftitute his Word, by not departing from iniquity; It reveals the wrath of God from Heaven: And declares the more Stripes due to that wicked Servant, who knew his Mafter's will, and did it not, for that very reason, because he knew it. And, if any thing may be truly faid to have been received in vain; fure that muft needs be fo, for which the Condition of the Receiver is not only never the better, but a great deal worfe, than if he . had not received it at all.

3. Once more. We receive the Grace of God, in the Laft importance of the Word, in vain; When we do not attend to, and comply with, the Suggeftions and good Motions, which, I have obferved before, the Spirit of God works in our Minds. For, if we would think and fpeak rationally concerning this matter, God must be conceived to deal with us on these occafions, in a manner agreeable to thofe Faculties he hath given us. Now the whole of our Duty confifts in a right knowledge firft, and then in the Choice, of Good, and refufal of Evil. Confequently, the affiftances of Grace are neceffary, both for the informing our Judgment, and for inclining our Will. With regard to the Former, God is faid to teach us, to open our Eyes, to enlighten our Ephef. i. 17, 18. Understandings, to fill and enrich us with Knowledge, and the like. With regard to the Latter, he is faid to renew in us a right Spirit, to incline our Hearts, to order our Steps, to turn away our Eyes from Vanity, to lead us into the way of Righteousness, to make us go in the paths of his Commandments; and to do many

Pfal. cxix. 33.

18.

1 Cor. i. 4, 5.

Pfalm li. 11. cxix. 35, 36, 37. cxxxiii. cxliii.

10.

other

other things of like Importance. But all these seem to be done, by fuggefting fuch Ideas, as give us new light; and by propounding fuch Arguments, as perfuade our better Choice, provided we attend to them, and will be determined; nay even in difpofing but not compelling us to attend to, and be determined by, their true Weight and Force. We are fure, 'tis done in fuch a way, as requires our own concurrence, to render it effectual. Hence God is faid to make men a new heart, and they are commanded

xviii. 31.

Philip. ii. 12, 13.

1 Cor. xv. 10.

to make it themselves: He is faid to work in Ezek. xi. 19. us to will and do of his good pleasure; and that very working of His is used as an Inducement, for Us to work out our own Salvation. When we thus do our part, the End is anfwered. For St. Paul gives this as a Proof, that the Grace of God was not bestowed upon him in vain, that he laboured more abundantly than all the Apoftles. And confequently, as oft as God affords us Spiritual Succours, and we neglect to improve them; when his Spirit leads, but we refufe to follow; then is it, that we do, in this fignification alfo, receive the Grace of God in vain.

We fee by this time the plain meaning of the Exhortation, and are thereby capable of judging when we comply with it. The Reafon brought to perfuade fuch compliance comes next to be confidered. For be faith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of Salvation have I fuccoured

Ver. 2.

thee; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of Salvation.

The Words in Ifaiah, from whom they are cited, are spoken to Chrift, in the Perfon of God the Father; and accommodated here to his Members of the Church in Corinth. In which there is no manner of violence, because the whole ftress of the Application lies in those two Words, the time accepted, and the day of

Salvation. And the Argument drawn from hence is, that when the Grace of God is offered, we must be very diligent to lay hold on, and improve it. And, because God hath certain Seafons and Periods, which we cannot promife our Selves the return of at Pleafure: therefore it concerns us to make the best of the prefent Opportunity, which we may know to be fuch a Seafon; but cannot know whether it will be the laft, that God ever intends to afford us.

This Argument implies Two Things. The Danger of flipping the prefent Opportunities of Grace and Salvation; and the Certainty of Succeeding, if we lay

hold on them.

1. The Former of thefe is what we could not but be fenfible of; did we but reflect at all, That this Life is the utmoft Period of the Day of Grace; That the continuance of this Life is the moft uncertain thing in the World; And that we cannot be fure, God will extend to us the Opportunities of Grace, fo long as Life does continue.

1. I need not, I hope, enlarge upon the First, that this Life is the utmoft Period of the Day of Grace; after St. Paul hath fo exprefly faid, that the matter, we are to be judged upon at the laft Day, are the things done in our Bodies. And fo our own Reafon will tell us too. For look about through the whole Scheme of the Chriftian Religion, and you fhall find no one Virtue or Vice, commanded or forbidden there, the Exercife whereof is not Suited to the prefent State. For notwithstanding the Perfection of Some Virtues be referved for a future and better Life; yet the Beginnings even of These are enjoined us here; and do fuppofe a Soul united to a Body, in the first Practice and Progrefs of them. Faith, and Hope, and Truft in God, are recommended by an adherence to Objects unseen, and such as the Body keeps us at a distance from. Love of God, Contempt of the World, Heavenly-Mindednefs, Subduing our Appetites

and

and Paffions, fuppofe us prefent with the Creatures and the Paffions we get above, which we can be in this Life only. Infidelity and Debauchery, Injuring our Neighbour, Difhonouring our Selves by beaftly Lusts, giving Scandal to others by a wicked Life, and the like, are things confined to our prefent State. No State is capable of them, where the Soul lives and acts feparately. And, fince after its Separation by Death, we are not to expect any return to the Body, till the laft Trump fhall raife that to Judgment; it follows, that this will be a Day not of Action but of Recompence; that the Recompence will proceed upon what was done, before these two parted; and confequently, our Condition, we must enter then upon for all Eternity, will depend upon, and be agreeable to, the Condition they left each other in, at their parting. They, who die in the favour of God, fhall receive their Bodies again, to enter upon Blifs and Glory: They who died out of it, have the Sentence of Mifery already begun to be executed upon them; and can have no fresh Tryal, no future Opportunity, of bettering their Condition, either in, or after, the Grave.

2. And is it not manifeft, that we can none of us know, how foon this may be our own Condition? Do we not fee careless Sinners daily fnatched away in the Vigor of their Age, not live out half their Days, which by the Course of Nature they promised themfelves; and do not the number of fuch far exceed the Inftances of Grey Hairs, and thofe Funerals, which come by gentle and leifurely decays? Why fhould we then fool our Selves, by fond and groundless Expectations of a Life, which the very next Moment may take from us? Why prefunte upon a quiet and firm poffeffion of that, which we have no manner of Security for; of that which is often cut off without any warning; that hangs by a Thread fo flender, so easily fnapped in two, that no Accident how flight foever, has not fuffi