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ment, and the most powerful incentive to an humble penitent, watchful, holy and heavenly life. Are we united to Chrift? Are we members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones? Surely then we must derive vital influences from fuch a fountain of fpiritual life; and be partakers of his holiness. If we find not this bleffed effect in fome good degree, in vain are our pretences to an interest in Chrift, or union to him. Are we united to Chrift, and thereby made partakers of his ineftimable benefits? Surely then it concerns us to endeavour to live anfwerable to fo high a dignity, and fuch an honourable relation. Surely it concerns us to teftify our gratitude to fuch an infinite Benefactor, by living to the praife of the glory of his grace and love. With what abhorrence therefore thould fuch licentious thoughts as you have fuggested, be entertained by all the true difciples of the holy Jefus, as not fit to be fo much as once named among faints !

If you can have patience with me, I would briefly offer one argument more in favour of the doctrine I have infifted upon; which must recommend it as infinitely preferable in point of fafety, to either of the contrary extremes. By acting up to these principles of mine, you can be in no danger, as to the future and final event, fince you will be built upon Chrift Jefus the fure foundation of hope, and by grace derived from him, bring forth those fruits of holiness and righteoufnefs, which muft end in eternal life.If the Arminians are right, you also are right. For you have the fame fincerity, the fame good works, which any of them may have to depend upon for juftification and falvation. And it can be no prejudice to your falvation, that you obtained thefe in a way of dependence upon Christ only, as well as in a way of diligent activity.If the Antinomians are right, you alfo are right. For you depend

depend only upon Chrift for righteoufnefs and ftrength, as well as they; and it can nowife be injurious to you, that you have infifted upon the neceffity of holiness, as the way leading to eternal life. But now, to turn the tables, if they who plead for justification by works are at laft found in a mistake; and instead of building upon Chrift Jefus and the fovereign grace of God in him, are built upon the fand: Or if they who difclaim the neceffity of holiness are too late found in a mistake, and forted among the workers of iniquity, what will become of their hopes? How dreadful will their dif appointments be!

That you may be found united to Christ, and may be built up in faith and holinefs, with peace and comfort, unto God's heavenly kingdom, is the ear. neft defire and prayer of,

Sir, Your, &c.

LETTER XIX. Containing particular Advices and Directions, for a close and comfortable Walk with GOD.

SIR,

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OU justly observe, that," according to my "former letters, a religious life must be a "course of serious, earneft, and affiduous applica. ❝tion." And you have therefore good reason to be "folicitous in your inquiry, How you must give "diligence to make your calling and election fure "and how you fhall find that peace and pleasure I "speak of, in your walk with God?-But there is "no caufe at all of any apprehenfion, that you shall weary me out, with the continual burdensome "talks you are imposing upon me."-Indeed, Sir,

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you can no way gratify me more, than by putting it in my power to be any way ferviceable to your best interest.I fincerely thank you, that you are now giving me the fatisfaction of propofing "fome "directions for a close walk with God."-It is an affair of the utmost confequence to myself, as well as to you; an affair too little confidered, even by those of whom we must hope the better things that accompany falvation; and an affair, in which I have cause with fhame to confess, that my remiffness has turned to my unspeakable disadvantage.-Let us then, as; in the prefence of God, refolve, by the affiftance of his Spirit and grace, not only to confult, but to practise fuch methods of piety, as may be likely means to fweeten the fatigues of life, prepare us to encounter the last enemy, and give us a refreshing profpect of our future inheritance.

I fhall endeavour (according to your defire) to be plain, familiar, and practical, in the directions and counfels which I am now to lay before you.

And here my advice to you is,

1. That you endeavour to obtain and maintain a deep impreffion of this important truth, That you have but one business to do; and that every affair and conduct of human life tuft be calculated for, and fubfervient to that one great end of your being. God has made us for himself, to glorify and enjoy him. We are but pilgrims and ftrangers upon earth; and have here no continuing city. There is another state before us, a state of our everlasting refidence, a state where we must be unspeakably and inconceivably happy or miserable, to all eternity. Our whole work therefore is, to be preffing towards the mark for the prize of our high calling; to be looking to, and preparing for, another and better country, even an heavenly. This, I fay, is our whole bufinefs; and therefore not to be enterprised

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terprised as a secondary concern: not to be crowded into a corner, to make room for more agreeable entertainments; nor to be attended only at our vacant hours, when difincumbered from our worldly bufinefs, and fenfual gratifications. To fear God and keep his commandments, is the whole of man. You will not fo far misunderstand me, as to fuppofe, that I am inculcating the neceffity of a reclufe life, wholly taken up in devotion, wholly feparated from the common business and fociety of the world. No! I am only recommending to you and to myself, a due fenfe, that we are under obligations, in point of duty and intereft, to ferve God, and thereby to promote our eternal welfare, as well at one time as another; and as much in one bufinefs of life, as another; and as much in our fecular affairs, domeftic concerns, company and diverfions, as in the fpecial duties of religion and devotion. Though thefe call for the more folemn engagement of the whole foul in their performance, being immediately directed to God himself; yet the other also are to be done in obedience to God, and with an eye to his glory. So that we have but one bufinefs; though we have a great many duties of various kinds belonging to it.

Refolve then, to engage in, and to endeavour to manage every affair of common life, out of duty to God, with a spiritual frame of foul, and with a hearty defire therein to fhew yourself approved unto God. Whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.Confider therefore, that you have the fame God to deal with, the fame omniscient eye to obferve and remember your thoughts, views, affections, frames, language and behaviour, while converfant in the common affairs of life, as when upon your knees in your closet, or family, or in the public worship

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of God's house: And that the fame upright views, the fame holy desires, the same faith in Christ, are neceffary in the one, as in the other, if you would have them acceptable to God.-This confideration, duly impreffed, is the true philofopher's ftone, that turns all to gold.This will make every thing ferve as a fresh gale to waft us forward to our defired harbour.

2. Be folemnly careful to attend upon all the ordinances of God, without any reserve.The duties and ordinances of religion belong to the way which God has appointed us to walk in, in order to our falvation; and we must be found in his way, as we would expect his prefence and blessing.Herein be therefore careful to have no referve. Let every duty, whether of the closet, the family, or public worship, be diligently and conftantly maintained, each in its proper feafon. Live in the omiffion of none of them; nor let any ordinary occurrence or excufe divert and put you by, when the proper feafon and opportunity calls for your attendance on them.You are under the fame obligations at all times, as at any time, to perform duty; and to obferve all duties, as to observe any. For they are all required by the fame authority; and to be performed to the fame object, and for the fame end. He therefore who lives in the wilful neglect of any known duty, does thereby turn his back upon God and his falvation. Herein then, the greatest care fhould be exercised, that we may prove (or know and do) what is the good, and perfect, and acceptable will of God concerning us.

You should alfo remember, that the duties of religious worship are to be performed to an omnifcient and heart-searching God; a God who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked; a God, who

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