divide into three different heads.-1. There are promises made to perfons of fuch or fuch a character, or in fuch or such a state.—2. There are promises, the performance of which is fufpended on our compliance with fomething previously required, as the condition of obtaining them. -3. There are promises, not only fufpended on both the preceding terms, but upon the fuppofition of fome circumstances in themselves uncertain, or to us unknown. Let us confider each of these with care and attention.

1. There are promises made to perfons of fuch or such a character, or in fuch or fuch a state, which are therefore to be applied and rested on, according as the evidence of our being of this character, or in this state, is clear or obfcure. In this I have particularly in view, the bleffings of falvation, the pardon of fin, peace with God, the spirit of fanctification, and a right to everlasting life. Thefe all lie in an unbroken chain, and infeparable connection, and might have been more briefly expreffed, by an intereft in Chrift the Saviour, who is the author, fource and fum of these bleflings; for all the promises of God in him, are yea, and in bim Amen, to the glory of God by us. Let no judicious attentive hearer be surprised or diffatisfied, that I have ranked these among conditional promises, for you may obferve that I have expreffed myfelf thus, they are promises made to persons of fuch or such a character, or in fuch or fuch a state. In this, they certainly differ from the promises properly abfolute, mentioned above. It is far from my intention to do injury to that fundamental truth, that falvation is by grace. esteem that doctrine which proceeds upon a felf-righteous fyftem, to be contrary to the word of God, and moft pernicious to the fouls of men. There is nothing at all required in Scripture to be performed by us, as a purchafing or meriting condition. Every gracious act of the Divine

government,

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government, in our favour, is the fruit of the Redeemer's purchase, and every holy difpofition wrought in us is the effect of his Almighty grace. But it is certain at the fame time, that in order to our accepting those bleffings, we must be truly and deeply humbled, and fee ourselves to be incapable and helpless. We must be unfeignedly willing to renounce all claim of merit, and accept of falvation as it is offered in the Gospel; that is, in its full extent, and in the free and fovereign manner of its communication. So far, furely, we must say, the promises of the Gospel are conditional, or wholly pervert the word of God. I know of no promises then to the unbelieving and impenitent, unless you call that a promise, that they fhall have their portion in the lake of fire that burneth with brimftone; and that the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever.

Hear it, my dear brethren, it is the needy, thirfly, Jenfible foul that is invited to come and find reft. Ho! every one that thirfleth, come ye to the waters; and be that bath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. If any shall think fit further to say, that the very deftination of the veffels of mercy, is of God's fovereign plea fure, that conviction itself is by a day of his power, and that faith which interefts us in Chrift's righteousness is his gift: I agree to the whole, but observe, that it is improperly introduced here. No use can poffibly be made of the Divine decree in the application of the promises. It is inverting the order of things. Can any man say, I truft in the mercy of God, because I have been ordained to everlasting life? No man can derive comfort from this, till by his effectual calling it is published, and begins to be accomplished; and then he may look back with won

der

der and gratitude to that everlasting love, by which he was chosen in Chrift before the foundation of the world. Can you judge of the fruit of a tree by looking upon the root? No, but you judge of the strength and deepness of the root, by the fulness of the fruit, and the vigour and verdure of the branches. From an improper mixture of what belongs to the secret will of God, and what belongs to us, as our duty, much error and confufion arises.

Now, my brethren, as to the application of these promises of pardon and peace, the humbled finner, the man among us, who walketh in darkness and hath no light,who is burdened with a fenfe of guilt, and discouraged by the threatenings of the law, the accufations of confcience, and the pure and holy nature of God,-who, perhaps, has all this aggravated by diftrefs and trouble, is called to trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God. He is invited to confider and reft on the extent of the call, the immutability of the promise, and the riches of Divine grace. If he is fo far from pleading any merit in himself, or being diffatisfied with the plan of falvation laid down in the Gofpel, that he is making every thing an argument against himself, and dare not lay hold of, or appropriate so unfpeakable a mercy: This is just the effect of diftruft, and he is called, in the ftrongeft manner, in the text, to trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon bis God. With how many gracious affurances for this purpose is the Scripture filled. John vi. 37. All that the Father bath given me shall come to me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wife caft out. Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft that come to God by him, feeing be ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Rev. xxii. 17. And the Spirit And let him that heareth fay,

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and the bride fay, Come. Come.

And let him that is athirst come. And whofoever

will, let bim take of the water of life freely. All things, Chrift excepted, are to be renounced to the all-sufficiency of a Redeemer, to be the foundation of our hope. The penitent will say with the Apoftle, Phil. iii. 8. Yea doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord: for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chrift, and be found in him, not having mine own righteoufnefs which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, even the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith.

2. There is a fecond clafs of promises, the performance of which is fufpended on our previous compliance with fomething required as the condition of obtaining them. In these we are not only called to accept of the Divine mercy, but commanded to obey the Divine will. The order in which I have placed thefe, will, I hope, prevent you from misunderstanding or mifapplying what may be faid on them. This clafs includes all the promises in Scripture, regarding the daily progress of a believer in his fanctification and conformity to God, as well as the increase of his comfort and peace. I am fenfible, that as the reconciliation of a finner to God, and his right to what is called in Scripture the promise of eternal life, is of free and unmerited mercy, fo, no doubt, all the inferior or fubordinate promifes flow from the fame fource, nay, in a certain measure, they are entirely upon the fame footing with those formerly mentioned; that is to fay, final perfeverance, real growth in the fpiritual life, and neceffary comfort, are the fure and purchased portion of every one that is born of God. Rom. viii. 29. For whom be did foreknow, he also did predeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firft-born among many brethren. But in the diftribution of those gifts, par

ticularly

ticularly in their measure, there is not only an unknown regard to the good pleasure of God, but a known and established regard to our conduct in duty. Thus the abundant fupply of the Spirit is the fruit and return of diligence in prayer. Matt. vii. 7. Ask and it fhall be given you, feek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. See alfo Ezekiel xxxvi. 25. compared with the 37. Then will I fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye fball be clean from all your filthiness; and from all your idols will I cleanse you, &c. Thus faith the Lord, Yet for all this will I be enquired of by the boufe of Ifrael to do it for them. Thus alfo inward confolation, as well as outward fecurity, is expressly promised as the effect and reward of uniformity and diligence in duty. Ifa. xxxii. 17. And the work of righteousness fhall be peace, and the effect of righteoufnefs, quietness, and assurance for ever. As the counter part and illustration of this, you fee, that a departure from the path of duty brings on the threatened, or, perhaps, I ought to call it, the promised rod of correction. Pf. lxxxix. 30.-33. But if his children shall for fake my law, and not walk in my judgments; if they break my fiatutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I vifit their tranfgreffions with a rod, and their iniquities with fripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness to fail. In the fame manner, Ifa. xl. 30, 31. Even the youths fhall faint and be weary, and the young men pall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord fhall renew their firength; they Jhall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary ;—they shall walk and not faint. Agreeably to all this, you know, our bleffed Lord prescribed watchfulness and prayer as the great preservatives against temptation, and whoever expects either fpiritual ftrength or comfort, while he relaxes his diligence in the way of du

ty,