and an earnest vigorous endeavour, to overcome them.

And this the fcripture tells us plainly we must use, if ever we expect to prevail against them. St. Peter tells us, we must give all diligence. St. Paul, that we must be circumfpect. Our bleffed Saviour, that we must watch always, and be ever standing upon our guard, and strive to enter in at the ftrait gate. All which shew the greatness of that care, and both the earneftness and conftancy of that endeavour, which we must lay out upon it.

And this now is the fault of all thofe ftrivers, who although they pursue obedience by right and proper methods, do yet mifs of it at laft. They endeavour but by halves, and seek it, either by too short, or too flight pains. They have not either the refolution to fet manfully about it, or the patience to go through with it; and fo, being either faint in their pursuit, or falling off before they are got to the end, they are not reclaimed from their fins by all their pains, but continue fubject, and enflaved to them still.

But

But now when they fail on this account, it is not because they cannot, but because they will not help it. They might become good, if they would be at the trouble of it; and perfevere with patience, till they have finished it: But if they will ufe only flight endeavours, and short onfets; their miffing of fuccefs, must not be charged on the impoffibility of God's laws, but upon their own floth and remifsnefs in performing them. They can and do take great and inceffant pains to be rich, or great, or to compass a worldly intereft. And if they please, they can labour as vigorously, and as inceffantly too, to be good, and do what God commands them. And if once they would do this, it would be the best demonstration, how poffible a thing obedience is; fince less pains than this comes to, will abundantly fuffice them for that purpose.

AND now having faid thus much, to remove the prejudice that lies against this poffibility of performing the laws of God, from the complaints of thofe, who fay

they find it otherwife: I proceed now more briefly in the

II Place to fhew, That among Cbrif tians, there is no caufe for fuch complaints and that they will be firengthened to the performance of all duties, if they are not wanting to themfelves.

They must be careful, as I have obferved, to use their own endeavours; becaufe God that made them, will not alfo fave them without themselves. And these ́endeavours must be in wife ways, fince we must not expect God fhould give effects to unfuitable means, and be at the expence of miracles, to fupply for our follies.

And when we endeavour thus wifely, we must do it alfo vigoroufly and inceffantly; obedience being a work of time and pains, that requires both the earnestness, and the continuance of our applications. These things are required on our part, and if we take care to perform that, the grace of Chrift will make up the reft, and most certainly enable us, as he did St. Paul, to do all things which he indif

penfably

penfably requires of us. He will give us fome ftrength at firft; and as we employ that, according to that great rule of gospel distribution, To him that hath fhall be given, he will add more, till at last

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we perform as much, as is indispensably required; that is, --- either not finning wilfully, or fincerely repenting, and amending whenfoever we do.

If they are thus careful, I fay, in their own endeavours, this ftrength all Chrif tians shall surely receive from the grace of Chrift to these performances, as the apo ftle in my text declares of himself, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Now that every wife, earneft, and inceffant endeavourer, fhall be thus enabled to perform all duties, will appear from this plain reafon; because God indifpenfably requires it of us. God commandeth all men every where to repent; and that, of all their fins for, we are told, the wrath of God is revealed against all unrighte oufness.

Now

Now fince God requireth us to obey all his laws, it muft needs be poffible for us to obey them; for God never requires an impoffible thing. What he commands, he both defires and expects fhould be performed, and therefore calls men to the performance of it; to be not only hearers, but doers of the law. And it is certain they may perform it; fince he is too wife, either to defire or expect what is not to be had.

And moreover, God hath promised this ability and obedience, to all those who are duly qualified and prepared for them. When Chrift came to feal the new covenant in his blood, this grace and strength is accordingly promised to all who earneftly endeavour after it. For in that God promifeth, to give the holy Spirit to those that ask him; and still to intrust a greater measure of grace, with those who are industrious to improve a fmall beginning: To him that bath, i. e. that hath improved what he was intrufted with, shall more be given, and be shall have abundance.

I PROCEED now, in the

IIId. And