And having already, by comparing ourselves with the law, found out what our nature is, I proceed to make some further observations, in which I design greater brevity.

4. From what has been said, we may learn that the very best religious performances of all unregenerate men are, complexly considered, sinful, and so, odious in the sight of God. They may do many things materially good, but the principle, end, and manner of them are such, as that, complexly considered, what they do is sin in the sight of God: For sin is a transgression of the law. But,

(1.) The law requires all mankind to do every duty out of love to God, and for his glory: But all unregenerate persons, directly contrary to law, do every duty merely out of love to themselves, and for self-ends; and so, are guilty of rebellion.

(2.) The law requires all mankind to do every duty out of love to God, and for his glory: But all unregenerate persons do every duty merely out of love to themselves, and for selfends; whereby they prefer themselves, and their interest, above God and his glory; and so, are guilty of spiritual idolatry.

(3.) The law requires all mankind to do every duty from love to God, and for his glory: But all unregenerate persons do every duty merely from self-love, and for self-ends; and yet hypocritically pretend to God, that they love and obey him; and so, are guilty of mocking God.

(4.) The law supposes that God infinitely deserves to be loved with all our hearts, and obeyed in every thing, and that our neighbor deserves to be loved as ourselves; and that, therefore, if we should yield perfect obedience in all things, yet we should deserve no thanks: But all unregenerate persons make much of their duties, though such miserable, poor things; and so, affront God to his very face.

Upon these four accounts, their very best performances are done in a manner directly contrary to the law of God, and so are sinful, and therefore odious in the sight of God: (Prov. xv. 8, and xxi. 27-Rom. viii. 8-Psalm lxxxviii. 36, 37.) As is the tree, so is the fruit-as is the fountain, so are the streams; and

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as is the man, so are his doings, in the sight of God, who looks at the heart, (Mat. xii. 33, 34, 35,) and judges not according to appearance, but judges righteous judgment; and with whom many things, that are highly esteemed among men, are abomination.

And if their best religious performances are thus odious in the sight of God, it is certain that they cannot possibly, in the nature of things, have the least tendency to make amends for their past sins, or recommend them to the divine favor; but rather tend to provoke God still more: So that it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. Nor is there the least hope in the sinner's case, but what arises from the sovereign mercy of God; whereby he can have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and have compassion on whom he will have compassion....Rom. ix. 15, 18.

True, some, being ignorant of the law, and of our entire contrariety to it, have fancied a goodness in the sinner's duties; and hence have persuaded themselves that there are promises of special grace made to them :-Not that there are any promises in scripture, of that nature; for the scripture every where considers us as being, while unregenerate, dead in sin....Eph. ii. 1-Enemies to God....Rom. v. 10-II. Cor. v. 17-20 Col. i. 21-yea, enmity against him....Rom. viii. 7—and so far from any true and acceptable obedience to God, as that we are not, nor can be subject to the law, and so cannot please God ....Rom. viii. 7, 8-and every where represents such as being under the wrath of God....the curse of the law, and a present condemnation....John iii. 18, 36-Rom. i. 18-Gal. iii. 10: But the real ground of their opinion is, their ignorance of the sinner's sinful, guilty circumstances, and their fond conceit that there is some real goodness in what the sinner does: both which are owing to their ignorance of the law," and of the nature of

* It is manifest that this notion of the promises, of which Pelagius was the author, and which was condemned for heresy above 1300 years ago, did, with him, and does, with his followers, take its rise, originally, from their ignorance of the nature and meaning of the moral law. But yet some good men may have been inadvertently led into this error by the force of

true holiness....Rom. vii. 8, 9Rom. x. 3. All will own, that if sinners' duties are such as I have represented, it is absurd, and even inconsistent with the divine perfections, that promises of special grace should be made to them.

It is true they refer to Mat. xxv. 29.... To him that hath, shall be given. But that text evidently speaks of the final rewards which shall be given to the godly at the day of judgment; when all the unregenerate shall, with the slothful servant, be cast into outer darkness. They quote also Mat. vii. 7.... Ask and you shall receive, &c. But the condition of this promise was never yet performed by an unregenerate sinner: For this asking is meant right asking; for those who ask amiss, receive nothing ....James iv. 3. Right asking of grace, supposes right desires of it; but the unregenerate are, in the habitual temper of their hearts, directly contrary to grace and all spiritual good, and en tirely so, as has been proved: But to have genuine desires after a thing, and a perfect contrariety to it, in the whole heart, at the same time, is an express contradiction. The reason that sinners many times think that they love holiness, and desire heartily and sincerely to be made holy, is, that they, being ig norant of the nature of true holiness, have framed a false image of it in their own fancies. Did they but distinctly know the very thing itself, their native contrariety to it could no longer be hid....Rom. vii. 8, 9. So the Pharisees thought they loved God, and loved his law; although, at the same time, they perfectly hated the Son of God, who was the express image of his Father, and came into the world to do honor to his Father's law. They had wrong notions of God, and of his law.

OBJ. But this tends to drive sinners to despair.

ANS. Only to despair of being saved by their own righteousness, which they must be driven to, or they will never submit to be saved by free grace through Jesus Christ...Rom. vii. 8, 9, and x. 3.

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education. I believe men's hearts may be sometimes better than their heads but when a false scheme of religion does perfectly suit a man's heart, and express the temper of his mind, then, no doubt, he is graceless ....II. John ix. and John viii. 47. The above notion of the promises perfectly suits a self-righteous heart.

OBJ. But, if these things be true, there is not any motive to excite a poor sinner to reform, or pray, or read, or do any thing.

ANS. By which it is plain, that a sinner cares not a jot for God, and will not go one step in religion, only for what he can get: and if such a sinner had ever so many motives, he would only serve himself, but not serve God at all. And what encouragement can God, consistent with his honor, give to such an one, since he merits hell every moment, even by his best du ties, but only that which St. Peter gave to Simon Magus? Acts viii. 22....Repent, and pray to God, if PERADVENTURE the wickedness of thy heart may be forgiven thee.

OBJ. But this way of reasoning will make sinners leave off seeking and striving, and sit down discouraged.

ANS. Not if sinners are but effectually awakened to see how dreadful damnation is; for a bare who can tell? will make such resolve to run, and fight, and strive, and beg, and pray, till they die; and if they perish, to perish at God's foot: And as for others, all their courage arises from their not seeing what wretched, miserable, sinful, guilty creatures they are; and so must be dashed to pieces, sooner or later, in this world or the next, whenever their eyes come to be opened. And if God ever, in this world, shows them what they are, they will thereby perceive what danger they are in: and now a mere who can tell? will make them also resolve to run for eternal salvation, till their very last breath. It is best that false confidence should be killed; and this way of reasoning does not, in the least, tend to hurt any other: It is best that sinners should know the worst of their case; and this way of reasoning does not tend to make it appear a jot worse than it is.

OBJ. But what good does it do for sinners to be in such earnest to reform, read, watch, pray, run, fight, strive, as for their lives, since all they do is sin, and God will have mercy only on whom he will have mercy.

ANS. (1.) It is less sin to do these things, than not to do them. (2.) Sinners never will be in such earnest, only when God comes to awaken and convince, and so to make them effectual

ly sensible of the dreadful state they are in; and it is not any discouragements that can keep them from being in such earnest then, so long as the least hope appears in their case. Other people care but little about eternal things, and do but very little in religion, but what education, custom, the fashion, and their worldly interest, excite them unto. Most people think it so easy a thing to be saved, as that they look upon such great concern and earnestness as perfect frenzy.

(3.) This great earnestness of awakened sinners makes them try their strength to purpose; whereby they come to be experimentally convinced that it is not in their hearts to love God, be sorry for sin, or do any thing that is good; whereby the high conceit they used to have of their ability and good nature is brought down, and they feel and find that they are enemies to God, and dead in sin: and hereby a foundation is laid for them to see the justice of God in their damnation, and so the reasonableness of God's having mercy only on whom he will have mercy: And thus, the law, though it cannot give life, yet is a school-master to bring men to Christ: And thus the main good the awakened sinner gets, by going to this school-master, is effectually to learn his need of Christ, and of the free grace of God through him....Rom. vii. 8, 9....Gal. iii. 21—24: This is the great end God has in view, and this end all the sinner's earnest strivings are well calculated to obtain.

5. From what has been said, we may learn the nature of a saving conversion, and the manner wherein it it wrought. Conversion consists in our being recovered, from our present sinfulness, to the moral image of God; or, which is the same thing, to a real conformity to the moral law: But a conformity to the moral law consists in a disposition to love God supremely, live to him ultimately, and delight in him superlatively and to loveour neighbor as ourselves....and a practice agreeable thereto : And therefore conversion consists in our being recovered from what we are by nature, to such a disposition and practice.

And now, in order to such a glorious renovation and recovery, God, by his spirit, sets home the law upon the sinner's heart,