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is able only then to fave the foul, when it is SERM. engrafted in it, when it becomes a prin- XIX. ciple within us, exciting to good works, and making us adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. For this reafon it is to them only that obey him, that Christ is faid to become the Author of eternal falvation *. And not every one (therefore, fo he fpeaks himself, not every one) that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but be that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven +. So that when he elsewhere declares this to be life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom he hath fent ‡, this must be understood of fuch knowledge as will direct our practice, according to his own expreffion in another place, if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them . For 'tis thus when the word is made an inward Principle, not whilft it continues a mere outward Rule, that it brings forth fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Which brings me in order to the

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III. THIRD and laft General Head propofed, viz. the happy condition of all fuch as take care to discharge their duty in this refpect this man shall be blessed in his

* Heb. v. 9. John xiii. 17.

+ Matt. vii. 21. + John xvii. 3.

Gg 2

deed.

SERM. deed. Which muft, I take it, imply one XIX, or more of these three things.

1. First it may fignify, that fuch a man as this does his business to purpose, and is really improved and made better by the word. For he fure may properly be faid to be bleffed in his deed, who attains what he endeavours, and performs the cause he has in hand, at leaft if that performance tends to his own real advantage and improvement. And thus the character is oppofite to his, who doing his bufinefs by. halves, does but deceive himself, is grossly mistaken whilft he thinks himself the better for bearing only without care to practise, and has fo little impreffion made upon his mind by what he hears, that with the man in the fimile, he goes bis way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. This man is fo far from being blessed in his deed, that the very mercies he receives will become curfes to him; and as the light and knowledge he enjoys now aggravate his crime, fo fhall they hereafter increase his condemnation. But he who carefully endeavours to practise what he hears, is enabled by the grace of God to bring forth fruit with patience; and fo the Divine blesfing accompanying his endeavours, he is properly bleffed in his deed.

2. Secondly, It may fignify that the bleffing of God fhall attend fuch a man in his

common

common undertakings. Thus was it pro- SERM. mifed the Ifraelites, if they continued obe- XIX. dient, that they should be bleffed in the city, and bleed in the field; that blessed fhould be the fruit of their body, and the fruit of their ground, the increase of their kine, and the flocks of their sheep: bleed Should be their basket and their flore; blessed Should they be when they came out, and bleffed Should they be when they went in *. And fo fays the Pfalmift, of the good man'in general, of him whofe delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates in it day and night; that he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his feafon; his leaf alfo fhall not wither, and what foever he doth fhall profper +. To the fame purpofe Solomon obferves, that when a men's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him ‡: and it is observed of Jofeph, that the Lord made all that he did to profper in his hand ||

Now though it is not for every good man to expect temporal profperity in the highest fenfe fuch paffages will bear; yet such a one is best qualified even for adversity, and knows how to reckon That a bleffing and advantage to him, fince all things confpire to work together for good, to them that love God §. Or elfe

xvi. 7.

‡ Prov.

Deut. xxviii. 3, &c. + Pfal. i. 2, 3.
Gen. xxxix. 3. § Rom. viii. 28.
3. Thirdly

SERM. 3. Thirdly, and in the laft place, it may XIX. fignify, that fuch a man fhail receive the bleffing of eternal life. It is thus we are exhorted to work out our own falvation with fear and trembling, and to make our calling and election fure. And to the fame purpofe in this very chapter has St. James affirmed, that the engrafted word, the word fo deeply rooted in our minds as to influence our practice, is able to fave our fouls.

For, fo advantageous on our part are the conditions of the covenant of grace, that although when we have done the best we can, we are but unprofitable fervants, full of fin and imperfection, and unworthy of the leaft of all God's mercies, yet be we but fincere in our endeavours, and he who knows whereof we are made, of his abundant mercy will accept them, our imperfections fhall be overlooked and pardoned through the virtue of that fatisfaction Chrift has made for fin; and the fincerity of our endeavours fhall, through his merits, be graciously rewarded. Nay, and to make this goodness out of measure bountiful, it is through the benefit of Divine grace that we are enabled to do any thing at all; fo does God affift us to do what he requires, and after that rewards us for the doing it.

Yet let not this matter be mistaken, as. though we had nothing left to do ourselves,

but

for us.

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but might expect to have every thing done SER M. The operations of grace, though XIX.; powerful, are gentle, and act by a fecret concurrence with our own faculties and powers. And therefore às with due cultivation and improvement, they will grow and increase every day in ftrength and energy: fo if they be neglected or opposed, they will foon grow cooler and abate their force, till they are finally withdrawn from

us.

It is not he then who in fuch a prepofterous fenfe cafts all his care upon God, as to take no care of himself, but expects that God fhould make him fo without any concurrence of his own: Neither is it he who places all his Religion in a bare external obfervance of Divine ordinances, who is fwift to bear the Word, but not diligent to practise it: These are not the men that fhall be bleffed in their deed. No. But it is he who in an honest and good heart, having beard the word, keeps it, and brings forth fruit with patience*. It is he who defires not fo much to have his head filled with fpeculative notions, as to have thofe notions reach his heart, that fo his knowledge may be truly practical; who in one word is convinced, that the fcriptures can then only make him truly wife, when they make him wife unto falvation; and is there* Luke viii. 15.

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