will evermore feed those nether springs of grace and holiness in the creature. Though heaven and earth pass away, yet shall the seed of God remain, "He that hath begun a good work will certainly perform it." Where the grace of God hath begotten a divine principle and spirit of true religion in a soul, there is the central force even of heaven itself, still attracting, and carrying the soul in its motions thitherward, until it have lodged it in the very bosom and heart of God. If any principle lower than true religion do actuate a man, it will certainly waste and be exhausted; though it may carry him swiftly in a rapid motion, yet not in a steady; though it may carry him high, yet not quite through. A meteor that is exhaled from the earth by a foreign. force, though it may mount high in appearance, and brave it in a blaze, enough to be envied by the poor twinkling stars, and to be admired by ordinary spectators, yet its fate is to fall down, and shamefuly confess its base original. That religion which men put on only for a cloak, will wear out and drop into rags, if it be not presently thrown by as a garment of fashion. You have read of the seeming righteousness of Jehu, founded in ambition and cruelty, the piety and devotion of Jehoash, grounded upon a good and virtuous education, the zeal of Saul for the worship of God, and his fat sacrifices, growing upon a root of superstition, as Samuel, that man of God, interprets it, 1 Sam. xv. 22. and you have seen the shameful issue of all these dissemblers, and the stinking snuff in which all this candle-light religion ended, very much unlike to that sun-light lustre of true and genuine goodness, "which shineth more and more

unto the perfect day," according to that elegant description which the Spirit of God makes of it in the writings of Solomon, whose pen hath as much adorned this great truth as his life hath blotted it: "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." To this purpose I might fairly allege the frequent testimonies which the Holy Ghost in Scripture gives concerning such hypocritical and unprincipled professors; that, having no root, they wither away in a scorching season, that they are again entangled in the pollutions of the world, and overcome, that, like dogs, they turn to their own vomit again, and, like sows, wallow in the mire from which they had been washed, together with many others of the same nature as also the prophecies that are made concerning them, that that which they seemed to have shall be taken away from them, that they shall proceed no further; "for their folly shall be manifest unto all men," that "evil men and seducers," and of those, self-seducers are the worst, "shall wax worse and worse," with other places of the like nature. It were easy to record many histories of many men, especially great men, who have speedily, I had almost said, disdainfully, thrown off that semblance of humility, meekness, self-denial, justice, and faithfulness, which they had put on, for a vizard, during their probationaryship for preferment, the better to accomplish their selfish designs, and to be possessed of some base ends of their own. But yet I will not deny, but that a hypocrite may maintain a fair conformity to, and correspondence with, the letter of the law of God; he may continue fair and specious to

the very end of his life; yea, perhaps, may go to his grave undiscovered either to himself, or any in the world besides. I believe many men have lived and died Pharisees, have never apostatized from that righteousness which they professed, but have persevered in their formality and hypocrisy to the last. But yet, although that counterfeit righteousness and religion may possibly not fade away, yet, nevertheless, being of an earthly and selfish constitution, it is transitory and fading; and, if it were soundly assaulted and battered with persecutions and temptations, no doubt, would actually vanish and disappear: on the other hand, the promise of God is pregnant and precious," They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall walk and not faint.”.

Take encouragement from hence, all ye that love the Lord; go on in the strength of God; be the more lively, by how much the more you are assured that this well of water shall spring up in you into everlasting life. Make this good use of this comfortable doctrine: will God, indeed, work in you "both to will and to do?" why, then, so much the rather "work out your own salvation," according to the Apostle. "Will the Lord God be with you? will he not fail you nor forsake you till you have finished all your work?" why then, "be strong, and of good courage, and do," as good David infers and argues. Have you this hope, this firm ground of hope, in the promise and goodness of God? why then, "purify yourselves as God is pure," according to the Apostle. Stop the mouths of those men that say the doctrine of perseverance is prejudicial to godliness; let them see, and be forced to acknowledge

it, that the more a godly soul is assured of the infinite and unchangeable love and care of God towards him, the more he is winged with love and zeal, with speed mounting up thither daily, where he longs to arrive. They that understand the doctrine of perseverance, do also understand that they must accomplish it in a way of dutiful diligence, and watchful willingness; and if any grow profane and licentious, and apostatize from the way of righteousness which they have known, it is an evident argument to them that they are no saints, and then what will the doctrine of the perseverance of saints avail them?

CHAPTER VII.

Religion considered in the consequent of not thirsting: divine grace gives a solid satisfaction to the soul. This aphorism confirmed by some Scriptures, and largely explained in six propositions. First, that there is a raging thirst in every soul of man, after some ultimate and satisfactory good. Second, that every natural man thirsteth principally after happiness in the creature. Third, that no man can find that soul-filling satisfaction in any creature enjoyment. Fourth, that grace takes not away the soul's thirst after happiness. Fifth, that the godly soul thirsteth no more after rest in any worldly thing, but in God alone; how far a godly man may be said to thirst after the creature. Sixth, that in the enjoyment of God the soul is at rest; and this in a double sense, namely, so as that it is perfectly matched with its object. Secondly, so satisfied as to have joy and pleasure in him. The chapter concludes with a passionate lamentation over the levity and earthliness of Christian minds.

HITHERTO We have taken a view of true religion, as it stands described in this pregnant text, by its original, nature, and properties: we are now to consider it in the certain and genuine consequent of it; and that is, in one word, affirmatively, satisfaction; or, if you will, negatively, not thirsting: for so it is, in our Saviour's phrase, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.”

Whilst I address myself to the explication of this phrase, I suppose I need not be so exact and curious as to tell you in order, with a certain kind of scho