intelligibly reconcile them with each other.

to attempt, by showing,

This then we are

One

III. That the promises upon these two conditions are consistent with each other. Here then, if we can only discover the true meaning of these two promises, we may easily see whether they are or are not consistent with each other. The first is a promise of eternal life, upon the condition of the first holy exercise of heart. And this promise implies two things. is, that the person who exercises the least degree of grace shall certainly be saved; that is, whoever exercises one holy affection shall not come into condemnation, but eventually secure the salvation of his soul. And the other thing contained in the first promise is, that whoever has one holy exercise shall have another and another in succession, to the end of life. In this sense Christ often explained his first promise. He often declared that those who once loved him and believed in him, should continue in their love and faith and every holy affection until they arrived to the kingdom of heaven. He said to the woman of Samaria, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." And "in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive." Here Christ promises that the first exercises of holiness shall be followed by a long and endless series; or in other words, he connects perseverance in holiness with the first exercises of it. And he expresses this connection between the first and following exercises of grace, in the tenth of John: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." Paul suggests the same idea to the saints at Philippi: "Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Peter addresses christians in similar terms. "Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;

to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." This first promise then, implies not only that all true believers shall be saved, but that they shall be saved by perseverance in holiness, and growth in grace.

But the second promise of eternal life to those who endure unto the end, implies only that perseverance in holiness is absolutely necessary to salvation. Now, if we have given the true meaning of these two promises, it appears that the first does not militate against the second, nor the second against the first. For the first cannot militate against the second, unless it be in one of these two ways: either because it renders the second impossible, or because it renders it void and useless.

It is clear that the first does not render the second impossible; for though it promises salvation upon the condition of the first exercise of faith, yet it does not confine salvation to the first exercise of faith, to the exclusion of all future exercises of grace. It does not imply that the man who begins to love, or repent, or believe, shall be immediately translated to heaven. If it implied this, it would in reality render the promise of eternal life upon condition of perseverance in holiness, utterly impossible. For as soon as the man had performed the first condition, it would be out of his power to perform the second. Suppose God had promised Enoch, that if he for once exercised faith, he should instantly be translated to heaven; and at the same time promised to save him upon the condition that he should walk in obedience to him two hundred years. It is easy to see that the first promise would preclude the second. For if Enoch performed the first condition, and was immediately translated to heaven, he could not perform the second, and persevere in holiness here on earth. So if the promise of eternal life upon the first exercise of faith, confined salvation to that first exercise, then it would render the condition of perseverance in holiness absolutely impossible. But we have seen that this is not the meaning of the first promise of eternal life, upon the condition of the first exercise of faith, and therefore it does not render the second promise, upon the second condition, impossible.

I now go on to observe that the first promise does not render the second needless. This many suppose. They say, If God has promised eternal life upon the condition of the first exercise of faith, they see no propriety, occasion, or necessity of his promising salvation upon the condition of persevering in faith and holiness nnto the end of life. For the first condition renders salvation absolutely certain; and when a man knows that

his salvation is absolutely certain, why should he trouble himself about obedience, or persevering in holiness? This condition is needless. Thus the first promise is supposed to supersede the second, because the first promise renders salvation absolutely certain.

Now let us consider whether, on this account, the second promise, on the second condition, be entirely needless and unmeaning. Here then it is plain that it is not; for this single reason, that the certainty of the end does not destroy the necessity of the means to bring it about. It is true, the first exercise of holiness does render the end, that is salvation, absolutely certain; but this certainty does not destroy the necessity of the means to attain this end. God promised Abraham, that his seed should possess the land of Canaan, and he promised to afford them all necessary aid and assistance to carry them thither; but this promise did not render the exertions of Abraham's seed unnecessary in order to arrive at their promised inheritance. God promised that Judah should return from their long captivity in Babylon, but this promise did not render their prayers and exertions needless, in order to enjoy their ancient city and religious privileges. But on the other hand, in those instances, the certainty of the end established the necessity of the means to bring it to pass; for the end was to be brought about by means, and these were as necessary as the end. Just so in the case before us; the first promise is so far from rendering the second needless, that it renders it absolutely necessary.

But we must still inquire, whether the second condition and promise does not destroy the first. The second condition and promise is," He that endureth to the end shall be saved;" which implies that he that endureth not to the end shall be lost. How, some may ask, is this consistent with the first promise and condition, that he that believes shall certainly be saved? Does not this last promise destroy the certainty of the first? Or does it not necessarily suppose, that a man who has once believed, may, notwithstanding his first faith, be finally lost? I answer, No. For the first exercise of faith is, by the promise, connected with a promise of perseverance in holiness unto eternal life. The first exercise of faith renders the salvation of the believer sure, in a certain way; that is, the way of perse

verance in holiness. And if a man is to be saved in a certain way, then it is very consistent to say that he will not be saved in any other way. Or, in other words, if a man is to be saved in the way of perseverance in holiness, it may be properly and safely said, that he will not be saved, unless he does persevere in holiness unto the end of life.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. If the promise of salvation made to believers upon their first exercise of faith, be consistent with the promise of salvation made upon the condition of their perseverance in faith and holiness, then they are as really in a state of probation as they were before they first believed. The certainty of their salvation rests upon a ground that does not put them out of a state of probation. The rank Antinomians, who maintain that all the elect, or true believers, were justified from eternity, maintain that they are not in a state of probation in this world. They say that their election made their salvation certain, and this certainty is inconsistent with being on trial, or in a state of probation. But though it be certain that all the elect shall be saved, yet their salvation is conditional. God promises them salvation upon two conditions. One is, that they cordially believe the gospel, and the other is, that they persevere in the cordial belief of the gospel. Before they believe, they are upon trial or probation, whether they will believe; and after they have once believed, they are upon trial or probation, whether they will persevere in believing. So that they are as much in a state of trial or probation after they have believed, as they were before; and as much as all other men are in a state of trial or probation. Though Christ was God's first elect, yet he was in a state of trial or probation. His reward was conditional; for it depended upon his perfect and persevering obedience to his Father, though his Father had promised to hold his hand, direct his steps, and carry him through the whole course of his obedience and sufferings. The security of the condition, however, did not destroy his probationary state. He was tried as much as any of his followers, and as truly conquered his enemies, and surmounted all obstacles thrown in the way of obedience, as any of the modern or ancient saints. Accordingly he was rewarded for his persevering fidelity. This he pleads before his Father as the ground of his receiving the promised reward. "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee." "I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Believers now stand connected with Christ, and because he lives, they shall live; because he persevered, they shall persevere; because he overcame, they shall overcome; and because he is rewarded, they shall be rewarded. Their state resembles his

while on earth, and their future state shall be like his in heaven. He was in a state of probation, and they are now in a state of probation. He fulfilled the condition upon which his future blessedness was promised, and they will fulfil the condition. upon which their future blessedness is promised. But they are still in a state of probation as much as he was before his ascension into heaven. As the certainty of Christ's perseverance in duty to his Father was consistent with his being in a state of probation, so the certainty of believers' persevering in faith is consistent with their being in a state of probation, as long as they continue this side of the grave. Their salvation, though certain, is conditional; and so long as it is conditional, they are upon trial.

2. Since saints are to be saved in the way of perseverance in holiness, there is a propriety in their praying for pardon or justification upon the terms of the gospel, as long as they live. It has often been asked whether saints have any reason to pray for the pardon of their sins, seeing they have been once pardoned or justified, upon their first exercise of faith? And at first view, it would seem there is no reason why they should pray for the pardon of their sins, which has already been granted. Gross Antinomians, who believe that all believers were pardoned or justified from eternity, do actually maintain that there is no reason why believers should ever pray for pardon or justification. They say that good works can neither promote nor hinder the salvation of any true believer, or one of the elect. Dr. Gill maintained that the elect were justified from eternity, and that no man is justified by faith, nor condemned for the want of it. There are such Antinomians now in England, and some in the United States. I have read their sentiments. I speak from knowledge and not from hearsay. Not a few, who maintain the doctrine of justification by faith alone, are unable to see the consistency of this important truth with the conditions of salvation proposed in the gospel. And this has led them to hold, that there are no conditions of salvation proposed in the gospel, and of course, that there is no reason why believers should pray for pardon, either before or after they have once believed. But when we consider, that believers are to be pardoned and saved, on the ground of perseverance in faith, holiness and obedience, we may easily see why saints should continue to pray for pardon, justification and salvation as long as they live. According to the gospel, pardon or justification is not of the nature of indulgence. The pope of Rome grants indulgences to commit sins beforehand, or pardons sins before they are committed. But God does not, in justifying believers, grant them an indulgence to sin afterwards, or pardon 45

VOL. V.