make you a new heart and a new fpirit; for why will ye die O houfe of Ifrael? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, wherefore turn your felves and live ye, i. e. If you fin and die, 'tis from your own Wills, therefore blame your felves and not me, Ezek. 18. 30, 31, 32.

Now this again fhows this Obedience to be a poffible work, for God can be no Counsellour or Advifer, much less an importunate Pathetical exhorter to impoffible Attempts and Performances.

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If Obedience were an impoffible thing, his advising us, and exhorting us to obey him, would be no better, than if should advise a young Stripling to be as, ftrong as Sampfon; or an ignorant unbred Ideot, to be as wife as Solomon: And then how able would men be to anfwer and reply to him, that he was not in earnest, and never meant his Advice fhould be followed, for a very good reafon, because he knew it could not. And that this was not the part of a compaffionate Friend, who defired to remedy their unhappiness; but of fome hardhearted looker on, who rejoyc'd and triumph'd in the fame. That if he would not help their weakness, yet at least in common Pity to the miferable, a good

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and compassionate Being would forbear to mock and upbraid them with it; and by fuch infulting Advices and Exhortation, to make thofe, who are despicably low already, much lower ftill. All this might be faid to God, if the Obedience which he exhorts us to, were an impoffible work; and no just answer could be return'd to it. For he could not be thought ferious in his Advices, and fincere in his Exhortations, or any ways compaffionate towards calamitous men, whose Impotency, under a pretence of helping, at this rate, he would only feek reproachfully to expofe: And therefore, if we have any juft reverence for him, from his commanding and exhorting us to it, we must conclude, Obedience to be a thing very poffible for us to perform; if we could not do it he would not have required, or fo paffionately have preffed us to it.

And as this appears from God's commanding, and exhorting us to it: So doth it,

2. Because he has promised this Ability and Obedience to fuch wife, earnest and inceffant Endeavourers, who are the Perfons duely qualified and prepared for them. It was faid of old concern

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ing the Gospel-Covenant, that this power of obeying the whole Will of God should be one part of it. I will give them one heart,faith God,and put a new spirit within them: and I will take the ftony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flefb: that they may walk in my Statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them, Ezek. 11. 19,20. And again, A new heart will I give you, and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them, Ezek. 36. 26, 27. Jer. 31. 31, 33. And one part of the Holy-Covenant fworn with Abraham, Zachariah tells us, fpeaking by the Holy Ghoft, was to grant us Grace to ferve him in holiness

righteousness all our days, Luk. 1.72, 73, 74, 75. in which Predictions, God promises both the effect, viz. Mens keeping his Judgments and Statutes, and the Principle or Caule of it, viz. his Grace and Holy Spirit, which fhould enable them foto do.

And when Chrift came to Seal the New-Covenant in his Blood, this Grace and Strength, is accordingly promised and affured to all difcreet, earnest and inceffant Endeavours, who alone are the Perfons qualified for it: For in that God promifes

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promifes, To give the Holy Spirit to thofe that ask him, Luk. 11. 13. and still “Jam. 5. to entrust a greater measure of Grace; with those who are industrious to improve a small beginning; to him that bath, i e. hath improv'd what he was entrufted with, shall more be given, and be fhall have abundance, Matt. 25. 29. And to work both the Will, and the Deed, in those who heartily joyn with him, and do their best endeavour towards the fame. Work out your own Salvation for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do; and therefore, go on with Courage in that Expectation, Phil. 2. 11, 12. So that this fpiritual Power and Strength to all vigorous Attempters, is not left at uncertainties, but is a promised thing. God's word stands engaged for it: So that they are as fure, in any Cafe of need to be enabled, as they, are fure that God is faithful, and cannot recede from his word. God is faithful, faith St Paul, fpeaking of those great Tryals, where Obedience seems mot of all impracticable, and will not Suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the Temptation, alfo make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it, 1 Cor. 10. 13.

Thus

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Thus have we an affurance, that God will give us all fo much Grace and Strength, as will fuffice to nie us good, if we diligently, and difcrecy apply our felves to become fo. This God engages, and he doth not only permit, but expect that we fhould believe him, and take his word in this, as well as in all other Promifes. He would not only have us to have faith in his mercy, for the pardon of any Sins when we repent of them, but likewife to have faith in his power and fpirit, enabling us to overcome our fins, when we feriously strive against them. When St. Paul bids us work out our own Salvation, he gives God's working in us, as the reason, plainly directing us to work in that Expectation, Phil. 2. 11, 12. And we are kept to Salvation by the power of God thro' faith, i. e. thro' Faith in the Power, faith St. Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 5. God has promised his Spirit to strengthen us against fin, as well as his mercy to pardon and forgive fin: And fince he has promised both; our Duty is to believe both, and not diftruft him in either of them.

And fince we both may and ought to haye this Confidence in God's Grace; that will perfectly answer the main Objection