makes finners start up, and it may be cry out; they are awakened out of their fecurity, and raise themselves out of their beds. Now, one would think these perfons in a great forwardness, and very well; but ere ever ye are aware, they are faft afleep again, They return with the dog to the vomit, and with the fow that was washed, to the wallowing in the mire, they fall in with their own fins. Why, what is the matter? Nó degree of conviction can change the heart; and convictions of fhort continuance do rather fright than foundly a waken: therefore when the natural inclination of the heart preffes on to a little more fleep, and Satan joining iffue with this frame of the carnal mind, contributes his part, and endeavours to lay the foul afleep again, it cannot choose but fall afleep; for the flash of light is gone, and the voice of the minifter, or providence, by the noife of thefe folicitations, are banished his mind: and here ends the religion of a great many, who at communions, and fome other occafions, appear to be fomething.

4. When we fpeak of a perfon's being foundly and deeply convinced, and of abiding convictions, we do not mean that there is any one degree of conviction that all come to, who are faved; nor do we mean, that there is any degree of conviction which is always followed with faith: for thefe who are most deeply convinced, may one way or other miscarry and be loft. They may fall into defpair, or they may fall in with falfe remedies; or they may wear out from under convictions, as fome have done, and then turn openly profane. Nor do we intend that every one who believes, before he do fo, muft ly a long time under conviction; for we see the contrary in the jaylor, who

pre

fently believes and rejoices, and fo was very foon out from under his convictions. In fine, we only fpeak of deep and found conviction, in oppofition to these fainter ones, which feldom raise the perfons that have them above the fluggard's defires, or fome ineffectual resolutions: and when we fpeak of abiding conviction, it is in oppofition to thefe flashes, which are prefently gone, and have no other influences than to make half awakened finners start up, and cry out of their fears, but presently their fears are hushed, and they ly down and fall as faft afleep as ever.

5. Our doctrine muft only be understood of those who are yet in time; for damned finners are indeed fufficiently awakened, yet cannot be faid to put this enquiry, because they are abundantly convinced, that falvation is not to be expected. And the fame is to be faid as to these who have split upon the rock of defpair, who, though they be not yet in hell, do judge notwithstanding their escape impoffible. Our doctrine is not to be understood of thefe perfons.

6. We fay not in our doctrine, That convictions, however deep, or distinct, or abiding, iffue in falvation, but in a ferious concern about it. A perfon may be concerned, and put enquiries about that which he may never attain. He may afk, What shall I do to be faved, who shall never be faved. The young man in the gospel asked, What muft I do to inherit eternal life? yet for any thing the fcripture makes appear, he did never inherit it. These things being laid down for clearing the doatrine, we now proceed to the

II. Thing propofed, which was to enquire, what that falvation is, which awakened finners are concerned about, and which they feek after. Sal

vation, as every one knows, fignifies a delivery from fome one thing or other that is looked upon as dangerous, evil and hurtful. None are capable of falvation, fave these who are either under fome fuch evil, or who are in danger of it; and then they may be faid to be faved, when they are freed from it, or from the danger of it; when they are delivered from diftreffes, or when their fafety is provided for. This is the plain import of the word. But as it is ufed by convinced finners, it takes in more: it not only refpects deliverance from evil, but also the enjoyment of God and of good. It is frequently fo ufed in fcripture: falvation there is put, not only for deliverance from hell, but for the title to heaven, and hence believers are ftiled heirs of falvation, Heb. 1. 14. Where the apostle, fpeaking of the angels fays, Are they not all miniftering spirits fent forth to minifter to them who fhall be heirs of falvation? In one word, this falvation that awakened finners feek after, takes in freedom from fin, and a title to life; and hence the question in the text takes in other two.

1. What shall I do that I may get pardon of fin? The finner fees that it is fin that draws hell upon him; therefore unless this be pardoned, he defpairs utterly of freedom from hell and wrath. The one he fees impoffible to be obtained, unless he can first get the other. As fin draws on hell; fo pardon is linked to falvation from hell, or rather falvation from wrath is linked to pardon. This we fee plainly enough in the carriage of these convinced finners, in that vi of Micah and 6. Wherewith fball I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old?

Will the Lord be pleafed with thousands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firft-born for my tranfgreffion, the fruit of my body for the fin of my foul? This is the genuine language of a convinced finner. Pardon he would have at any rate.

2. The other queftion that is implied in this, in the text, is that of the young man that came to Chrift, Mark x. 17. What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Though pardon of fin, or freedom from wrath, be that which first occurs to an awakened finner, as the object of his desires; yet it is not all that he defires. Salvation would be very incomplete, if eternal life came not in to boot: for man might be forgiven, and, yet be turned into nothing, or not admitted into the enjoyment of God. A rebel may be pardoned, and yet never be made a favourite. That this, as well as the other, will be much upon the thoughts of a folidly convinced finner, appears from feveral confiderations.

(1) When God himself condefcends to direct fuch, he makes fomething more than pardon neceffary to them. Hof. xiv. 2. There the rem nant of the Jews, whom the Lord has a mind to do good to, are told what they muft feek from him when they return, and what was neceflary in or. der to their happinefs: not only muft they have their iniquities pardoned, but they muft have gra, cious acceptance with God, or admiffion into his favour. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, Jay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. Gracious acceptance with God, is full as neceflary in order to the content of an awakened finner, as pardon of fin.

(2.) Awakened finners in all ages, have by their L

pra

practice evidently discovered, that pardon alone did not feem fufficient to fatisfy them. They have ever been seeking after some righteousness, wherein they might appear before God, and up. on which they might found their title and claim to eternal life, as being fenfible that pardon of fin alone could not do it. The Jews, who expected pardon from the mercy of God, yet went about to eftablifh a righteousness of their own, being igno rant of the righteoufnefs of God, Rom. x. 3.

(3) In one word, a convinced finner is one that is perfuaded of a future ftate, and that the things of this world cannot make him happy: therefore he certainly means the fame by this que ftion, What shall I do to be faved that we mean when we enquire, What shall make us happy? That every awakened finner is convinced of a future ftate, is unquestionable; fince the wrath he would fo fain be freed from, is chiefly in a future ftate; nor is it lefs plain, that it is complete happiness he aims at, and that all his trouble arifes from the apprehenfions of the inconfiftency between his happiness and unpardoned guilt. That which only remains to be made appear is, That pardon of fin alone cannot fecure him of eternal happiness and this is eafily proven; for there are two things which pardon doth not, and yet without them both, it is impoffible that man fhould be happy. 1. Pardon of fin gives man no title, no claim to eternal life and happiness. Innocence in Adam did not give him a title to heaven: can any then think that pardon now can give us a title? Eternal life was to be the reward of a courfe of obedience; nor had innocent Adam any pretenfions to it, till fuch time as he had fulfilled a course of perfect obedience: far lefs then could fallen man have

any