the apoftles; for fo he accounteth of them while he calleth them Brethren.

2. That albeit we be not fure, for the time, of our effectual calling and election, yet we may be made fure of both, if we ufe diligence; for this he prefuppofeth, faying, Give diligence to make your calling and election fure.

3. That we must not be difcouraged, when we fee many feeming believers prove rotten branches, and make defection; but we mult the rather take the better heed to ourselves; Wherefore the rather, Brethren (faith he) give all diligence."

4. That the way to be fure both of our effectual calling and election, is to make fure work of our faith, by laying the grounds of it folidly, and bringing forth the fruits of our faith in new obedience conftantly: For if we do thefe things, faith he, ye shall never fall; understanding, by thefe things what he had faid of found faith, Verfes 1, 2, 3, 4. and what he had faid of the bringing out of the fruits of faith, Verfes 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

To this fame purpofe, confider Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the fpirit. Verfe 2. For the law of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus hath made me free from the law of fin and death. Verfe 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God fending his own fon in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin condemned fin in the flesh, Verfe. 4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh; but after the fpirit.'

Wherein the apostle teacheth us thefe four things,for laying of the ground of faith solidly;

1. That every one is a true believer, who in the fenfe of his fin, and fear of God's wrath, doth flee for full relief from both unto Jesus Christ alone, as the only mediator, and allfufficient Redeemer of Men; and being fled to Chrift, doth ftrive against his own flefh, or corrupt inclination of nature, and studieth to follow the rule of God's fpirit, fet down in his word: For the man whom the apostle doth here blefs as a t true believer, is a man in Chrift Jefus, who doth not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2. That all fuch perfons as are fled to Christ, and do strive

againft

againft Sin, howfoever they may be poffibly exercised under the fenfe of wrath and fear of condemnation yet they are in no danger; for, their is no condemnation (faith he) to them that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

3. That albeit, the Apostle himself (brought in here for Example's caufe) and all other true Believers in Chriß, be by Nature under the law of fin and death,or under the covenant of works (called the law of fin and death, because it bindeth fin and death unto us till Chrift fet us free) yet the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, or the covenant of grace, fo (called, be'cause it doth enable and quicken a man to a fpiritual life thro Chrift) doth fet the apofile, and all true believers,free from the covenant of works, or the law of fin and death; fo that every Man may fay with him, The law of the Spirit of life, or the Covenant of Grace, hath made me free from the law of Sin and Death, or covenant of works.

4. That the fountain and firft ground; from whence our freedom from the curfe of the law doth flow, is the covenant of redemption, paft betwixt God, and God the Son as incarnate, wherein Christ takes the curfe of the law upon him for fin, that the believer, who could not otherwife be deliver ed from the covenant of works, may be delivered from it. And this doctrine the apostle holdeth forth in thefe four branches: (1.) That it was utterly impoffible for the law, or the covenant of works, to bring righteoufnefs and life to a finner, because it was weak. (2.) That this weakness and inabili ty of the law, or covenant of works, is not the fault of the law, but the fault of finful flesh, which is neither able to pay the penalty of fin, nor to give perfect obedience to the law (prefuppofe bygone fins were forgiven ;) The law was weak (faith he) through the Flesh. (3.) That the righteoufnefs and falvation of finners, which was impoffible to be brought about by the law, is brought to pafs by fending God's own Son, JESUS CHRIST,in the flesh,in whofe flesh fin is condemned and punished, for making fatisfaction in the behalf of the elect, that they might be fet free. (4.) That, by his Means, the law lofeth nothing, because the Righteousness of the law is beft fulfilled this way; firft, by CHRIST'S giving perfect active obedience in our Name unto it in all

things: Next, by his paying in our name the penalty due) to our fins) in his death: And lastly, by his working of far Etification in us, who are true believers, who strive to give new obedience unto the law and walk not after the flesh, but after the fpirit.

Warrants to BELIEVE.

OR building our confidence upon this folid ground, these four warrants and special motives to believe in Chrift may ferve.

The firft whereof is God's hearty invitation, holden forth, Ifa. Iv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

"H, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters; and

he that hath no money, come and buy without money, ' and without price. verfe 2. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which fatisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your foul delight itself in fatnefs. verfe 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me, hear; and your foul fhall live, and I will make an everlasting cove nant with you, even the fure mercies of David. verfe 4 Behold, I have give him for a witnefs to the people, a leader, and commander to the people, &c.

Here (after fetting down the precious ranfom of our redemption by the fufferings of Chrift, and the rich bleffings purchafed to us thereby, in the two former chapters) the Lord, in this chapter,

1. Maketh open offer of Chrift, and his grace, by proclamation of a free and gracious market of righteoufnefs and falvation, to be had through Chrift to every foul without exception, that truly defires to be faved from fin and wrath; Ho, every one that thirfteth, faith he.

2. He inviteth all finners,that for any reafon ftand at diftance with God, to come and take from him riches of grace,running in Chrift as a river, to wash away fin, and to flocken wrath; Come ye to the waters, faith he,

3. Left any own, hould ftand aback, in the fence of his finfulness or unworthinefs, and inability to do any good the Lord calleth upon fuch Perfons in fpecial, faying, He that hath no-Money, come.

4. He craveth no more of his merchant, but that he be pleafed with the wares offered, which are grace and more grace; and that he heartily confent unto, and embrace this offer of grace, that fo he may close a Bargain, and a formal a and a fo this covenant with God; Come, buy without money (faith he) come eat; that is, Confent to have, and take unto you, all faving graces; make the wares your own, poffefs them, and make use. of all Bleffings in Chrift; whatfoever maketh for your Spiritual life and comfort,use and enjoy it freely, without paying any Thing for it: Come buy wine and milk without money and with out price faith he

5. Becaufe the Lord knoweth how much we are inclined to feek righteoufnefs and life by our own performances and fatil-, faction, to have righteoufrefs and Life as it were by the way of works; and how loath we are to embrace Christ Jefus, and to take life by way of free grace through Jefus Christ, upon the terms whereupon it is offered to us: therefore the Lord lovingly calls us off this our crooked and unhappy way, with a gentle and timeous admonition,giving us to understand, that we shall but lose our labour in this our way; Wherefore do ye spend your money (faith hey for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which fatis fieth not?

6. The Lord promifeth to us folid fatisfaction, in the way of betaking ourselves unto the grace of Chrift, even true cortentment, and fulness of Spiritual pleasure faying, Hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your foul delight itfelf in Fatness.

7. Because faith cometh by hearing, he calleth for audience unto the explication of the offer, and calleth for belie ving of and liftning unto the truth, which is able to beget the application of faving faith, and to draw the foul to trust in God; Incline your ear, and come unto me, faith he. To which end, the Lord promifes, that this offer, being received, fhall quicken the dead finner; and that, upon the welcoming of this offer, he will clofe the covenant of grace with the man that fhall confent unto it, even an indiffolvable Covenant of perpetual reconciliation and peace; Hearken

and

and your foul fhall live, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you. Which covenant, he declareth, fhall be in fubftance, the affignation, and the making over, of all the faving graces which David (who is Jefus Chrift, Acts xiii. 34.) hath bought for us in the covenant of redemption; I will make a covenant with you (faith he) even the furé mercies of David. By fure Mercies, he means faving graces, fuch as are righteoufnefs, Peace, and joy in the holy Ghoft, adoption fanctification and glorification, and whatsoever belongs to Godliness and life eternal.

8. To confirm and affure us of the real Grant of these faving mercies, and to perfwade us of the reality of the covenant betwixt God and the believer of this word, the Father hath made a fourfold gift of his eternal and only begotten fon;

Firft, To be incarnate and born for our fake, of the feed of David his type; for which caufe, he is called here, andActs xiii. 34. DAVID, the true and everlafting King of Ifrael. This is the great gift of God to Man, John iv. 10. And here, I have given him to be David, or born of David to the people:

Secondly, He hath made a gift of Christ to be a witness to the people,both of the fure and faving Mercies granted to the Redeemed in the covenant of redemption: and alfo of the Fathers willingness and purpose to apply them, and to make them faft in the covenant of reconciliation, made with fuch as imbrace the offer; I have given him (faith the Lord here) to be a witness to the people. And truly he is a fufficient witnefs in this matter, in many refpects; 1ft, Because he is one of the bleffed trinity, and party-contracter for us, in the covenant of redemption, before the world was. 2dly, He is by office as mediator, the meffenger of the covenant, and hath gotten commiffion to reveal it. 3dly, He began actually " to reveal it in paradife, where he promised the feed of the woman should bruife the head of the ferpent. 4thly He fet forth his own death and füfferings, and the great benefits that should come thereby to us,in the types andfigures of Sacrifices and Ceremonies before his coming. 5thly, He gave more and more Light about this covenant, fpeaking by his Spirit, from age to age, in the holy prophets. 6thly, He came himself in the fulness of time, and did bear witness of all things belonging to this covenant, and of God's

wil