the Spirit, and refifting his Motions, they provoke him to withdraw, and fo they never attain it. Nor,

are,

Fourthly, Are inward Joys and Comforts thofe Things which do neceffarily accompany Salvation. Nay, indeed a true Christian may many Times go mourning and heavily, when an Hypocrite fhall flaunt and triumph in his Joys, and boast of his Evidences, and Ravishments, and overpowering Confolations, as if he were the only Favourite and Minion of Heaven, whom God delighted to carefs and dandle as the Darling of his Affections. See that proud Pharifee, Luke 18, 11. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other Men nor as this Publican. And that Hypocritical Church of Thyatira, Rev. 3. 17. I am rich, and increafed in Goods, and ftand in need of nothing. Thus through the Delusions of Satan, and their own Self-flattery, they may bring themselves into a Golden Dream, that they are rich in Enjoyments, increased in Graces, and stand in Need of nothing that might make them either holy or happy. And fo they give themfelves the fame Applaufe that the rich Fool gave his Soul; Soul, thou hast Goods laid up for many Years, take thine Eafe, eat, drink, and be merry. But, alas! thefe over-weening Conceits prove grofs De

Jufions.

lufions. How many have we feen who have prided themselves in their Joys, and would be still boafting what Sweetness of Spirit, and Soul Ravishments, and other fuch like melting Things they have felt, turn utter Apoftates from the Truth, and the Profeffion of Godliness!

These therefore are not the Things that accompany Salvation; but a Man may fuffer everlafting Torments that hath tafted many delufive Joys and Comforts;

he may drink deep of the Cup of God's Wrath and Fury, who hath tafted of the Powers of the World to come: He may go down to Hell with many Church Privileges and Ordinances, excellent Gifts and Parts, with many common Graces of the Spirit, Convictions, many good Withes and Defires, yea, and many good Duties too, and there fuffer the Vengeance of everlasting Fire, and have all these burnt about him. Thefe Things therefore are no firm Support for your Hope, no good Evidences for your future Happinels: And therefore truft not your Souls upon them, they will fink under you and deceive you. They are only com. mon Things, and may belong to any that live under Gofpel-Difpenfations. Hearing, Praying, Profeffing, Receiving he, Sacraments, though they be abfolutely

necef

neceffary to Salvation, as Means, yet they are not as Evidences. They are diftinguifhing Marks of Chriftians from thofe of another Religion, but they are not diftinguifhing Marks of Saints from Hypocrites: Or, if you will have them Evidences, they are rather exclufive Evidences, than conclufive. That is, it is an affured Evidence that they are no true Chriftians who do neglect, or difown, or defpife thefe Things. Whofoever doth fo, is certainly excluded from this Number, and from all Hopes and Poffibility of Salvation: But they are not conclufive Evidences. We cannot certainly con'clude, that fuch a Man is a true Chriftian, or in the State of Salvation, because fuch Things may be found upon him.

And therefore, in the next Place, let us fee what thefe Things are that do accompany Salvation. And they are of three Sorts:

First, Certain Principles of Faith in the Understanding.

Secondly, Certain gracious Impreffions upon the Heart and Will.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, A certain regular Obedience in the whole Courfe of a Man's Life and Conversation.

And here we must upon every one of these discover thefe Two Things:

First, Shew you what thofe Principles, Habits, and Obedience are. And then, Secondly, Whether we have those Prinaples, Impreffions, and Obedience in a faving Manner.

The First Sort of Things that accompany Salvation, are Divine Principles of Truth in the Understanding. And these are of two Kinds either Doctrinal, or Practical. Thofe, whose immediate Tendency is Information of the Judgment orthofe, whofe immediate Effect is the influencing and regulating of our Lives and Practice..

First, Doctrinal Principles, are abfolutely neceffary to Salvation: Such I mean which are the Vital and Fundamental Articles of the Chriftian Faith. 'Tis true, it is not néceffary for every private Christian to bufy and beat his Head about the nice and curious Questions of Religion, which have always been difputed, but will never be decided, until our imperfect Knowledge give Place to perfect. Sonie Things in Chriftian Religion

are

are Ornamental; and fuch are the more abftrufe Points that are not fo clearly revealed to us in the Scriptures. Thefe, indeed, those that are of Parts, and have competent Leisure, ought to fearch into, as the nobleft Study and Science they can employ themselves about. Other Things are Fundamental and Vital, the Ignorance of which excludes Men from all Poffibility of Salvation. And these we ought to know and believe explicitly, as being Truths that are most clearly revealed to us. And fuch are,

First, The Doctrine of the ever-bleffed Trinity; that there is One infinite Effence, in Three diftinct Hypoftafes or Perfons. A Mystery, which though it be far beyond all the Comprehenfion of Reason, and far deeper than the longest Line of our Understanding can poffibly fathom, yet we are bound to adore and believe what we cannot comprehend. Yea, and thus far Reason it felf teacheth us, that fuch a Being cannot be God, which may be comprehended by Man. This Mystery of Three in One, the Scripture hath exprefly declared to us, 1 John 5. 7. There are Three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and thefe Three are One. They are One, not only in their Record and Teftimony, as

fome