but as he The leaft

tenor of the old covenant, Gal. iii. 10, 11. hath revealed his will in the new covenant. duty you perform, ought to be done as a fervice to Chrift. If your heart be carried out to duty, as a fervice to Chrift as Redeemer, then it is evangelical.And if your heart be not carried out against fin, as ftriking at Chrift the Redeemer,, it is not evangelical : but if a fight of the injury offered to Chrift, by fin, doth carry out your heart against it, then it is evangelical. A man may have forrow for, and hatred of fin, as it procures difcredit, fuffering, or the like; but when the foul is touched with a deep fenfe of it, in Chrifl's fufferings for and by it, when its piercing, wounding, and grieving of Chrift does melt the heart for it, then the foul acts evangelically.

2. When a difcovery of the love, goodnefs, and kindness of God in Chrift is the conftraining thing that keeps you from fin; or when the appearing of his grace teaches you fweetly to deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, Tit. ii. 13.; when the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to repentance; and when love overcomes the heart to the acknowledgment of fin: when the remembrance of the former loving-kindness of the Lord doth melt the heart for fin; this is foon fwallowed up with a teftimony of remiffion. See an inftance of this,

2 Sam. xii. 7, 8, 9. 13.

3. Then the choice is evangelical, when the man aims at a conformity to Chrift in his feeking freedom from fin, 1 Pet. ii. 21, 22, 23, &c. Cuftom, example, education, credit, and the like, may make a man to discountenance fin in fome meafure; but except Chrift be the pattern of your imitation, and your forrow be, that you fall fo fhort of him, he regards it not..

4. When the man aims at the coming up to fome fpecial gofpel grace, or the attainment of fome fpecial gofpel privilege, in feeking freedom from fin, then it is evangelical. A man may fee that fin is crofs to his carnal intereft, brings on difeafes on his body, and the like; but then he acts evangelically, when he is forrowful for fin, and hates it because it hinders the

1

exercise of some grace, or the performance of fome duty, or the attainment of communion with Christ.

5. Then is it evangelical when it is by the application of the death of Chrift, in a promife, that he makes resistance against fin, Rom. vi. 4. 14. Heb. ix. 14. Acts v. 31. Rev. xii. 9. 11. " They overcame by the blood of the Lamb." This must be an ingredient in all the former particulars; no freedom but by Christ, Luke i. 71,-75.

6. When fin is really fubjected. Sin cannot be both king and fubject, in the fame foul, at the fame time. There may be a conflict with fin, and yet it may feem to have the upper hand for a time; but when the foul hath gotten fin under it, then it is evident that fin doth not reign.

Queft. How doth it appear when the foul hath gotten fin under it?

Anfw. Sin is fubjected and brought under the foul, when the foul is enabled to a speedy mortification of it upon all its rebellions: when fin, like a cowardly conquered enemy, comes out to the field, but is prefently beat off the field again, and is not able to keep the field any longer. As a conquered enemy may run about and make refiftance, but they haften on their own ruin thereby; fo the motions of fin may be felt, but the foul is enabled to look to Chrift, and to oppofe the word and blood of Chrift to fin, and is fpeedily faved, Revelation xii. 8, 9. II. When corruption is laid lower by every onfet, this fays that it hath not the dominion.

Again, then is fin fubjected under the foul, when even the former prevalency of corruption is made ferviceable for fpiritual ends; as when the prevailing of fin doth produce foul-humiliation, felf-abasement, and fills it with more admiration of, and study after the advancement of the riches of free grace, in opening a way of deliverance from fin, Ezek. xvi. 61. 63. Eph. ii. 5, 6, 7. Thus the foul can triumph over fin through Chrift; and retain its affurance, notwithstanding that corruption works.

But

But here it may be afked, Can a foul retain affurance after the prevailing of corruption.

To which it may be replied; You would know that there are fins of infirmity, or groffer fins, which are the failings of the faints; you would know alfo that there is a nourishing of thefe fins, or there is an endeavouring the mortification thereof, through grace. Now, premifing this, you would know for anfwer,

(1.) That as affurance, in the duration and continuance of it, hath a dependence upon the acting of the Spirit of God, witneffing with our fpirits, who can, if he pleafes, continue fuch acting, at fuch a time, so a man ought not to caft away his confidence, so long as scriptural grounds are given to found it upon. Many Chriftians, if they fall into fin, they presently reckon it their duty to judge their ftate; this is very finful: the church is upbraided for faying, "The Lord had forfaken her, and her God had forgotten her," Ifa. xlix. 14.

(2.) You would know, for aufwer, that the nourishing of fin and corruption hath a tendency to deprive the foul of affurance, Heb. x. 22. Pfal. li. 12. It is dangerous on this account to cherish the leaft fin. Therefore,

(3.) If you enquire, whether affurance may fland with the nourishing of any fin? Either the queftion must look to the time paft, prefent, or to come. If to the time present or to come; know that the Lord hath not granted you liberty one moment for the nourishing of any corruption; and fo it is a fin to be ftudying to make affurance, and any fin to dwell together. But if the question refpect the time paft; though you did nourish fome corruption, yet your after-mortification of it, through grace, is witneffing; it is a part of the witnefs of water.

(4-) I have no hefitation to fay, that affurance may be retained after the prevalency of corruption; after not only fins of infirmity, but alfo the falls of the faints, when these fins are not nourifhed. That it may continue after fins of infirmity, is undeniable; because otherwise it were impoffible for any to retain it, feeing the best of faints, are daily fubject to these fins of infir

mity; and, for other fins, fee 1 Sam. xii. 19, 20. 22. Micah vii.-8, 9.: I fay, when these fins are nourished; for, if fin be nourished, then is the man's confidence, or affurance, highly fufpicious; for, where-ever there. is fenfible affurance, it will make oppofition againft fin in the foul; " Every man that hath this hope, purifieth himself, as he is pure," 1 John iii. 3. See alfo, to this purpose, 1 Sam. xii. 20. 24. Thus much of the witnefs by water, with refpect to mortification.

2dly, I come to fpeak of the witnefs by water, in refpect of vivification, or living to God. Now, if the question be, How may a man know his living to God, which is the other part of fanctification; or, the witnefs of water? A man may know his living to God, and Chrift,

(1.) By his efteeming God and Chrift above all other things: "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none in all the earth that I defire befides thee," Pfalm lxxiii. 25. Others defire Chrift only for heaven; but the believer defires heaven chiefly for Christ. He may be interrupted in his motion toward Christ, in particular acts; but Chrift is the prime and principal object his foul is fet upon, Rom. viii. 5. Phil. iii. 20. Chrift is ALL IN ALL all other things are nothing to him, if Chrift be not enjoyed in them. He is all, in all enjoyments; all, in all enlargements; all, in all duties; all, in all comforts. Hypocrites may apprehend that other things are little, and Chrift is better; but this man reckons thatll other things are nothing, and Chrift ALL IN ALL. Hence he spends all his defires and endeavours, after communion with God in Christ, Song iii. 3. Pfalm cxxx. 5, 6. Phil. iii. 14. And he is

willing to part with all other things at Christ's call, and for his fake, Luke xiv. 26. 33. Matth. x. 37. Hence alfo the carriage of his heart, under Chrift's withdrawings; why, thefe procure fuch heart-fickness as can be cured no way but by the Lord's returning, Song v. 6. 8. Although, or even when, he hath no fear of hell upon. him; yet, oh! the fighings, fobbings, cryings, faintings of a love-fick foul for Chrift's prefence! The foul VOL, IX.

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may

may know its vivification, or living to God, by its enjoyment of the leading of the Spirit. This is a certain evidence of this witnefs of water, or fanctification; and alfo of adoption, Rom. viii. 14. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God."

Queft. When does a man enjoy the leading of the Spirit?

Anfw. 1. When a compliance with the will of Chrift becomes natural to the foul: fuppofe there was no wrath to follow upon difobedience, nor no reward the effect of gofpel-obedience; yet the fweetness of wisdom's ways itself inclines the man to it; "I have chofen thy way of truth; thy judgments have I laid before me," Pfalm cxix. 30. 137. fee alfo verfe 35. Rom. viii. 7. The carnal man calls his liberty, that he takes in fin, freedom; but fuch as are indeed freed from condemnation, and walk after the Spirit, they call this their liberty, to be free for Chrift, and free from fin. A man may be exercifed in external duties; but he is not led by the Spirit, unless he hath a liberty of heart therein, and account it a high favour from the Lord, that he will employ him in any fervice; and it is to him matter of lamentation that he cannot do more for the Lord, that he finds a backwardnefs in himself, and a contrary principle that feeks to obstruct and hinder his following the Lord in his ways; "For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man.-But I fee another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members," Rom. vii. 22, 23. Then he enjoys the leading of the Spirit.

2. Then hath a man the leading of the Spirit, when he hath corroboration and affiftance against these impediments that would hinder his walking in the ways of Chrift; the Spirit removes thefe. Carnal men wonder that any fhould complain of want of ftrength unto duty; they can easily come up unto these duties: why, Satan is quiet, and they are not fenfible of corruption; and they look moftly to the external part. But if you have been eagerly purfued by Satan, and he hath befet you with temptations, and you have found many

and