they heard the gospel. These persons are industriously circulating errors; trying to make such kind of proselytes, who are twofold more the children of hell than they were before. Such characters are serpents and vipers, make a fair show to deceive and damn immortal souls: they talk about universal charity, universal redemption, and the universal goodness of God as too kind to consign any man to perdition: they argue for an universal salvation; and that if any man should be lost, he will be restored again; so also against the sovereignty of God, in the doctrine of election and divine predestination, one being taken and another left; so against the obedience of Christ, as our justifying righteousness-the divinity of the Son or the Spirit they level their artillery against, also the Trinity in Unity; against the high privileges of God's elect, and the funda. mentals of the gospel; and this to deceive the simple and unwary. Hence such are described in the book of Proverbs: "She eateth (that is, enjoyeth these deceptions and awful delusions) and saith, I have done no wickednes." Prov. xxi. "Ephraim feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, he cannot deliver his soul, nor say is there not a lie in my right hand." This is the serpent's meat, and if grace does not prevent it,they must have the serpent's portion-a fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the ADVERRSARIES-Pharisees. These are of different kinds, and under various orders-some in a profession of gospel truth, sit under its sound, obey its external precepts as far as relates to bodily exercise; others are inimical to the very sound of it altogether, yet pride themselves upon following the religion they were brought up in; that they are as good as they wish to be, and not half so bad as their neighbours. Thus in heart they are all alike; those in a profession and those out of it, are all upon a level. They thank God, they are not so bad as those vile Antinomians, who talk about free grace, and perform no works. Others thank God they are not quite so bad, nor indeed nothing like, other people; they have good hearts, they mean well, and wish well to all. Hence our dear Lord spoke a parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. The Pharisee stood and prayed, "God I thank thee I am not as other men ;"-so they vainly think, and so they declare; their works are of themselves; they wear spider's webs, they make a covering, but not of God's Spirit; they are stretching themselves upon a bed which is too short, and so all will find who reject the plan of salvation, by Jesus alone. These make a noise about holiness, and these sound a trumpet and proclaim their own goodness; and they have their reward-this is but sounding brass and the tinkling of a cymbal-it is feeding on wind; all the works they do, are to be seen of men; but the Saviour says to his disciples, " Be ye not like to them. These will give nothing away without their names are published, printed, or put up in the front of an almshouse, or on the walls of a church or hospital;-on these things they feed

-a good name among men; a reputation in the world: this is the foundation of their hope, and this is said to be dust, "His foundation is in the dust; but the hail will sweep away their refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow their hiding-places," what they build on that they enjoy; and thus dust is their meat; and if they do not absolutely declare that all their hopes are laid on what they do, they conclude their good works will either help forward their salvation, or are grand evidences of it; whereas, nothing that the brightest can do, externally, is any evidence of his new birth, for any man destitute of divine grace can do the same. He may hear, read, speak well, relieve the poor, and be found in every external ordinance; so says Isai. xlviii. and Ezekiel xxiii. And should this be read by any, who has been building on such evidences, I pray God that the scales may drop from their eyes, that they may see their danger, and be brought, as poor sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ for all they want.

The performances of persons who are destitute of the grace of God, are called the works of the law; whereas it is not so properly, for they are ignorant of the law; nor does the law call for any such works; therefore they are but the works of the flesh, and those who feed on them are eating dust, whether they are in a profession or not. Hence God threatens his enemies, that he will send them the "poison of serpents of the dust." Deut. xxii. And when he takes a sinner in hand, he is said to 66 scrape her dust from her." Ezek. xxvi. then he kindly invites, " Come let us reason together, though thy sins be as scarlet they shall be as wool,&c." and I will surely purge away the dross, and take away thy tin. Isai. i.— This is the work of God, and this must be done if ever we see the face of God with joy; we must be stripped of all supposed goodness, and emptied of self before we can be filled with the Saviour. When a poor sinner comes into a profession, he is full of legality, and being full of sin and darkness, he generally flies to those kind of preachers who will set him to work; and these commonly argue with such poor sinners, "Why, as you have done so much against God, it is now high time you did something for God." This sounds well in the ears of such, and to work they go, to try to please God; and if the preacher does not immediately send them to the law, they are generally sent to some tradition of the elders; they must become teachers in Sunday Schools; they must form a Society and visit the sick; they must attend upon prayer meetings and other religious societies. Here those who have no spiritual life can rest ; upon these husks they can feed; but where there is real hungering and thirsting after the bread of life, the mind cannot be fed with such things; not but that they are praiseworthy in themselves, but they should not be carried on by souls in such a state, their place is to wait at the door of mercy; to be in spiritual labour to get the bread of life, and having found it, then to observe their call in providence to visit others.

But many are at this work all their days, and will be found with no other title or qualification for glory but this. When death comes, then they will, perhaps, have to reflect with pleasure on the use they have been to others. But this will be a miserable foundation; and if they do not expect salvation upon this ground, yet they must confess they have looked upon these things as fruits and evidences; but eternity will convince them they are not the fruits of the Spirit. Hypocrites and Pharisees can feed here, but a quickened soul cannot; this every truly converted character must acknowledge. Those hypocritical professors not only feed on these externals, but on the failings, sins, and falls, either real or supposed, of God's people, every fall they hear of is as marrow and fatness in them: these they sweetly enjoy, quite forgetting that they cannot be said to fall themselves, for as they never stood either by faith or love, they cannot fall; they have but few temptations, and those only what a worldly man has, and not what is peculiar to God's elect. Hence the apostle says, "Let him that THINKETH he standeth"-he only thinks so, yet he may fall from his profession altogether; and as he exulted in the supposed falls of the saints, God may cast him down from his excellency. I have often observed this myself, and the sacred scriptures strikingly set it forth -"The net they spread for others, the pit they have digged they have been taken in." So God has always testified, sooner or later, as it is written, "He that rolleth a stone it shall turn upon him, and he that diggeth a pit he shall fall therein. He that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby." Eccles. x. 8-15. The food of the serpent is said to be lies," Ye have eaten lies." Hosea

x. 13. This is that kind of food which suits their vitiated taste. The same prophet declares, "They eat up the sin of my people; they set their hearts on their iniquity, for they shall eat and not have enough." Hosea iv. 8-10. The private injury done to others is called "bread eaten in secret places-and such eaters are like Pharaoh's lean kine, none the better for all they have devoured. They are said to eat up the flesh of God's people, Psa. xxvii. 2. and their lying words, back-biting, whisperings, envies, hatred, and gossiping and evil speaking, their running from house to house with tales against others, their secret and outward triumph in all they can get against others, demonstrates a serpentine disposition, feeding on dust. Such food is suited to the relish of depraved nature, which loveth gilding and varnish, to hide a base metal. Who under the garb of sanctity can murder while they smile! The text concludes, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord." This was renewed in the New Testament, Nothing shall by any means hurt you." And, in fact, nothing can eventually hurt the church; sin cannot, as it is atoned for-the guilt of it is gone-the love of it is removed as the love of Jesus comes into the mind; and the power and dominion of it is

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removed by Almighty grace," the stronger than the strong man armed." The law cannot, because it is well satisfied with the obedience of the adorable Surety. Satan cannot: Frighten he may, but cannot touch them to their injury, for his very temptations make us hate him the more. Our own inbred corruptions cannot hurt us; the more trying they are to us, the more we loath them and abhor ourselves, as vile in God's sight. The world cannot, as it is overcome for us, and the faith God has given will overcome it in us. Pharisees, hypocrites, and impostors, with their damnable errors cannot, though they may cause us much trouble. Yet this will furnish us with much matter for prayer and fear: these things will drive us nearer to God. Nor can poverty, pain, reproach, or sorrow do it, for these show us this is not our rest, it is polluted; and all these work together for good, as sure as we are called according to his purpose. These can neither hurt nor destroy one bud of hope, or faith, or desire, or affection, either to God or his truth. Nor destroy the soul, God loves it too well, and Jesus has paid too great a price to permit it to be lost. Besides, it is the temple of the Holy and Eternal Spirit; Who then can destroy it?

The church is called God's holy mountain-typified by Mount Sion, firmly settled in the eternal love, and everlasting purposes of grace. Conspicuous and useful in the world; they are called a holy people; the Lord Jesus Christ is their holiness before God, "Ye are complete in him, who of God is made unto us sanctification."

Secondly, All their holiness is received from him, as the high priest of their profession; anointed and taught by him as a prophet; they obey his commands as a king; this constitutes them holy, as their faith embraces the atonement and righteousness of Christ; the Holy Spirit's gracious inhabitation leads them to love and delight in God, his ways, his truth, his people, and his ordinances; having grace given to walk in wisdom to them that are without-this is real holiness, and this is the work of God; this proves our union to the Saviour, and this is our meetness for glory, "And such honour have all the saints.

But he who seeks to live

A godly life in Christ,
And unto Christ will give

The praise from first to last,

Is surely doom'd to worldly shame,
And born to bear a wicked name.

Tho' friendly in his will,

And meek his answers are,
Some persecution still

Attends him every where:

Faith in the cross brings high disdain,
And usage coarse from carnal men.

Westminster.

Oh let the cross's scorn

Be welcome to my heart,
And patiently be borne,

Though bringing daily smart ;
Nor let me turn my head aside,

Through dastard fears or fretful pride.

Yea let me count that pain,
Which Jesus' cross will bring,
As most substantial gain,

A present from the King.

But let the King smile on my face,
When for his name I meet disgrace.

·000

W.

THE DECREE AND COUNSEL OF GOD.

(Concluded from page 100.)

Of those three things which are propounded, as concuring to the perfection of God's counsel, namely, a scope, conceived of the mind and intention of will, the third remains to be considered, which is called good pleasure. The good pleasure of God is an act of Divine will most freely and effectually determining of all things. Good pleasure in the scripture doth most usually set forth the good will of God, whereby he willeth, and determineth a saving good unto his; yet because all the counsel of God is well pleasing to him, it is rightly used by divines to explain every counsel of God, even according to the scriptures. This will is truly free because whatsoever it willeth, it willeth not by the necessity of nature, but by counsel; it is most free, or chiefly and absolutely free depending upon no other; but the freedom of the will of men and angels by reason of that dependence which it hath of God, is less free, partaking of another. Freedom in those operations which are outward, is not only concomitant, as it is in inward operations, but also it is antecedent by way of a principle; because that which God willeth to work outwardly, he willeth not out of necessity of nature, but of precedent choice; for there is not a necessary connexion between the Divine nature, and those acts. This will is effectual; because whatsoever it willeth he effecteth in its time; neither is there any thing that is not done, if he willeth it to be done, Psalm cxv. 3, and cxxxv. 6. Jehovah doth whatever he pleaseth, hence the will of God is the first cause of all things, Rev. iv. 11. By thy will they are and were created, but the will of God as it willeth to work outwardly, doth presuppose the goodness of the object, but by willing doth make the object. James i. 8. Because he would he begat us. Rom. ix. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will. Therefore there is no cause properly so called, to be given of God's will. Hence it is rightly said that God doth will one thing to exist for another; but not that, that one thing is a proper Vol. IV.-No. IV.

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