then? This helps not the matter. For if a sick man knows, that he must unavoidably die, or unavoidably recover, though he knows not which, it is unreasonable for him to take any physic at all. He might justly say, (and so I have heard some speak, both in bodily sickness and in spiritual) "If I am ordained to life, I shall live; if to death, I shall die: So I need not trouble myself about it." So directly does this doctrine tend to shut the very gate of holiness in general, to hinder unholy men from ever approaching thereto, or striving to enter in thereat.

12. As directly does this doctrine tend to destroy several particular branches of holiness.Such are meekness and love; love I mean of our enemies, of the evil and unthankful. I say not, that none who hold it have meekness and Jove (for as is the power of God, so is his mercy.) But that it naturally tends to inspire or increase a sharpness or eagerness of temper, which is quite contrary to the meekness of Christ as then especially appears, when they are opposed on this head. And it as naturally inspires contempt or coldness towards those whom we suppose outcasts from God. O, (but you say) I suppose no particular man a repropate. You mean, you would not if you could help it. You cannot help sometimes applying your general doctrine to particular persons. The enemy of souls will apply it for you. You know how often he has done so. "But you rejected the thought with abhorrence." True; as soon as you could. But how did it sour and sharpen

your spirit in the mean time? You well know it was not the spirit of love, which you then felt towards that poor sinner, whom you supposed or suspected, whether you would or no, to have been hated of God from eternity.

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13. Thirdly, This doctrine tends to destroy the comfort of religion, the happiness of Christianity this is evident as to all those who believe themselves to be reprobated, or who only suspect or fear it. All the great and precious promises are lost to them. They afford them no ray of comfort. "For they are not the elect of God. Therefore they have neither lot nor portion in them." This is an effectual bar to their finding any comfort, or happiness even in that religion, "whose ways were designed to be ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace."

14. And as to you who believe yourselves the elect of God, what is your happiness? I hope not a notion, a speculative belief; a bare opinion, of any kind; but a feeling possession of God in your heart, wrought in you by the Holy Ghost; or, "The witness of God's Spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God." This, otherwise termed the full assurance of faith, is the true ground of a Christian's happiness. And it does indeed imply, a full assurance, that all your past sins are forgiven, and that you are now a child of God. But it does not necessarily imply, a full assurance of our future perseverance. I do not say, this is never joined to it, but that it is not necessarily implied therein; for many have the one, who have not the other.

15. Now this witness of the Spirit, experience

shows to be much obstructed by this doctrine; and not only in those who believing themselves reprobated, by this belief thrust it far from them; but even in them that have tasted of that good gift, who yet have soon lost it again, and fallen back into doubts, and fears, and darkness, horrible darkness, that might be felt. And I appeal to any of you who hold this doctrine, to say between God and your own hearts, whether you have not often a return of doubts and fears concerning your election or perseverance? If you ask, who has not? I answer very few of those that hold this doctrine. But many, very many of those that hold it not, in all parts of the earth many of those who know and feel, they are in Christ to-day, and take no thought for the morrow: who abide in him by faith from hour to hour, or rather from moment to moment. Many of these have enjoyed the uninterrupted witness of his Spirit, the continual light of his countenance, from the moment wherein they first be lieved, for many months or years to this day.

16. That assurance of faith which these enjoy, excludes all doubt and fear. It excludes all kind of doubt and fear, concerning their future perseverance: though it is not properly (as was. said before) an assurance of what is future; but only of what now is. And this needs not for its support, a speculative belief, that whoever is once ordained to life, must live. For it is wrought from hour to hour, by the mighty power of God, by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto, them. And therefore that doctrine is not of God, because it tends to obstruct, if not destroy, this

great work of the Holy Ghost, whence flows the chief comfort of religion, the happiness of Christianity.

* 17. Again, how uncomfortable a thought is this that thousands and millions of men, without any preceding offence or fault of theirs, were unchangeably doomed to everlasting burnings?— How peculiarly uncomfortable must it be, to those who have put on Christ? To those who being filled with bowels of mercy, tenderness and compassion, could even wish themselves accurst for their brethrens' sake.

18. Fourthly, This uncomfortable doctrine directly tends to destroy our zeal for good works. And this it does first, as it naturally tends (according to what was observed before) to destroy our love to the greater part of mankind, namely, the evil and unthankful. For whatever lessens our love must so far lessen our desire to do them good. This it does secondly, as it cuts off one of the strongest motives to all acts of bodily mercy, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and the like, viz. The hope of sav. ing their souls from death. For what avails it to relieve their temporal wants who are just dropping into eternal fire?" Well; but run and snatch them as brands out of the fire." Nay this you suppose impossible. They were appointed thereunto you say from eternity, before they had done either good or evil. You believe it is the will of God they should die. And who hath resisted his will? But you say, you do not know whether these are elected or not?" What then. If you know they are one or the other, that they

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are either elected or not elected, all your labour is void and vain. In either case your advice, reproof, or exhortation, is as needless and useless as our preaching. It is needless to them that are elected; for they will infallibly be saved without it. It is useless to them that are not elected for with or without it they will infallibly be damned. Therefore you cannot, consistently with your principles, take any pains about their salvation. Consequently, those principles directly tend to destroy your zeal for good works; for all good works: but particularly for the greatest of all, the saving of souls from death.

19. But fifthly, This doctrine not only tends to destroy Christian holiness, happiness, and good works, but hath also a direct and manifest tendency to overthrow the whole Christian revelation. The point which the wisest of the modern unbelievers most industriously labour to prove is, that the Christian revelation is not necessary. They well know, could they once show this, the conclusion would be too plain to be denied, "If it be not necessary, it is not true.” Now this fundamental point you give up.. For supposing that eternal, unchangeable decree, one part of mankind must be saved, though the Christian revelation were not in being; and the other part of mankind must be damned notwithstanding that revelation. And what would an infidel desire more? You allow him all he asks. In making the gospel thus unnecessary to all sorts of men, you give up the whole Christian cause. "O tell it not in Gath! Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon! Lest the daughters of the