argument of Manoah's wife, Judges xiii. 22. We shall furely die, faid he, because we have feen God. But his wife said unto him, v. 23. If the Lord were pleafed to kill us, he would not have received a burnt→ offering at our hand, nor fhewn us fuch things as he hath done. 'Tis not reasonable to think, that, God having made a large provifion for our relief and recovery; that he should lay a reftraint upon the fovereign virtue of that, which is his own remedy; but fuffer it to grapple with the malignancy of the diftemper, though it extend never fo far. So that if a good effect doth not follow, it is not because God hath been wanting on his part, nor because. he hath not done that which lay upon him to do. If fuch, a remedy prove ineffectual, it must be from fome other caufe, viz. from fome obftacle or impediment, or want of due application: or because of the perfon's impatience under cure, or because things are allowed and delighted in, that are of a contrary nature, and quality; and not for want of good will in the all-wife God. For the means that God ufeth are in themselves fufficient, and in cafe they prove without effect, 'tis because they are not followed.

Men fall fhort in their repentance, because after men have been forrowful, they return again to their former iniquities. Whereas, upon repentance there fhould follow works meet for repentance, Mat. iii. 8. 'Tis an excellent saying that which you find in Ec-. clus xxxiv. 25, 26. He that washeth himself because he hath touched a dead body, and goeth and toucheth it again, what doth his washing profit him? So he that P 3

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humbleth himself for his fins and doth the fame things again, what doth his humbling profit him?

So again, for faith, which is another remedy of God's provifion; for he faith, he that believeth shall be faved. Now what doth a man's faith fignify, if a man profefs to believe; if he do not do those things which naturally follow upon fuch a belief; or as they do, who do really and truly believe; what profit can a man expect from fuch an empty and infignificant faith, as S. James speaks, Jam. ii. 14. Can fuch a faith fave him? Who will think that a man doth believe, who doth things clear contrary to that which he faith he believes? Again:

What come the offers of grace unto, which fhew the favour of God towards finners; if they be not closed with, or if men receive the grace of God in vain ? What doth all this fignify, if that complaint of the prophet may be taken up, that we have laboured in vain, and spent our strength in vain. To what purpose are those prophets fent by God, that rife up early, and fit up late, if men incline not their ears, and will not liften? Jer. xxv. 4. Then in refpect of the finner's state and condition; can he be otherwise than extremely miserable, that is not cured of the rancor and venom that the practice of iniquity hath poisoned his spirit withal? For mifery arifeth from within; 'tis not by any impofition from the effects of any power without us: but a man is miserable from his own inward malignity and naughty difpofition. So that if a man be not cured by all the remedies that are applied, he is not healed of the wound that guilt and fin hath made

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in his confcience which are the true productive caufe of his malady and distemper. And if this effect be not wrought, it is because the patient is refractory and ftubborn. And that is the third thing, viz.. those provisions that God hath made which are worthy, honourable, noble, available and effectual, if we do not obstruct and hinder; but are patient under God's cure, and application of the remedy. The

Fourth thing that I fhall inftance in, is the nature and quality of the things that God, upon account of religion, does require of us, viz. Thofe things whereof religion doth confist: and they are internal good dispositions and acts that are suitable, and do of their own accord follow. I say, an internal good difpofition and such acts as are fuitable and connatural thereunto, and follow of their own accord. For by our carriage and behaviour, by our words and fpeech, we fhew-our mind and temper; by what we do, and practife. In our publick devotion we make this acknowledgment to God, that his fervice is perfect freedom, and we are bid, Gal. v. 1. To. Stand faft in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. And the gospel is called the royal law of liberty, Fam. ii. 8. For the christian state is not as the Jewish; the apostles did not think fit to lay any fuch burdens upon believers, as were in the Jewish ftate, for that is called, Acts xv. 10. A yoke. which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear. Such things were impofed upon them, as had goodness only as they were warranted, and enjoined by him that had power. But all acts in the chriftian religion

religion, have an intrinfick goodness, and in their own nature are fanatory and defirable and this fpeaks honourably of the chriftian religion, that whatsoever it lays upon us, or enjoins, is either good in itself, or for the fociety, or for recovery in case of failing and miscarriage. They are either operative to such an eftate as is good, or confervative of men in fuch a ftate, or prohibitive of the contrary. They are either for our security in a good estate, or for recovery out of a bad one: they are fuch things as are good in themselves, and do fanctify and purify our minds, and make us right and found, and fuch as we ought to be. I might inftance in all the acts required by the christian religion, and make it good of every one of them; which cannot be faid of pofitive inftitution, fuch as was the prohibition to Adam and Eve, Gen. ii. 17. Not to eat of fuch a tree. Neither do we take notice of any fuch prohibition. in the gofpel: but what we find pleafurable or convenient, 1 Cor. x. 25, 27. we eat, asking no queftion for confcience fake. Also those prohibitions that were under the levitical law, for neglect whereof, the fons of Aaron were fo punished as alfo Uzzah, for touching the ark; though with a good mind to keep it from falling; and the Bethshemites for looking into it. There are now no fuch things required, so hazardous and dangerous: for fuch things men had not the fecurity of their minds, but their fecurity lay only in their memories and not in the rectitude of their temper. Whereas we have the fecurity of our temper, because those things that are forbidden, are bafe and unworthy. So that when evil is presented to us, we presently

presently give an answer how can I do this wickedness and fin against God? And out of a sense of the impu¬ rity of the thing we presently object against it. Whereas they had only the security of their memories which is frail and fallible faculty; for we are apt to forget, and do not often think. And this we find, that it is far harder for intellectual nature to do a thing where we fee no reason for it, or to forbear any thing, if we do not fee any reason why, especially if it be against our way and temper. But in the chriftian religion those things that are commanded are regular and kindly, because our minds are caft into the fame mould with them, and framed into fuitableness and conformity with them: fo that weact ourselves, without any great confideration; we are ready to make application to God, and to place all affiance and confidence in him; and to do all acts of righteousness and juftice; and to govern ourselves according to the rules of fobriety and temperance ; because we are reconciled in nature and temper, to all these things: fo that it is an eafy thing to be religious, upon the terms of christianity. We worfhip God readily, because we are in temper, Godlike, according to our measure and degree. Seneca faith, "If a man would be holy and righteous, let "him imitate God; and if a man do partake of "God he is fuch and will be fuch." But why fhould

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quote the philosopher, fince the apostle faith, we partake of the divine nature, by a principle of holiness and righteousness, 2 Pet. ii. 4. This is the fourth thing, the nature and quality of thofe things that God doth require of us.

Fifthly,