-faith, feel true love, or yield acceptable obedi ence? It is impossible. That which is dead, cannot put forth acts which are peculiar only to life. We must therefore be quickened, before wwe can exercise either the one or the other of these graces: something must first be engendered or begotten in us, from whence faith and every other true grace must flow. Hence faith is the gift of God, in as much as it proceeds from something given unto, and within us. All the faith, love and obedience, that proceeds from mere natural principles, from the old man, however strong, great, or abundant they may be, and whatever astonishing revolutions, they may make in one's outward deportment, comes entirely short of acceptance before God. The man is really, inwardly and truly, no better after it all: for whatsoever proceeds from the creaturely part of man, is of no worth in God's sight: he accepts it not-The corrupt tree may bring forth much fruit, and quite fair fruit to look upon, but it cannot bring forth good fruit. So it is in this case. Men without any new principles formed within them, may do much, and do that which outwardly appears good and right, but they cannot do what God accepts. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, saith the Apostle.

A true principle, therefore, must be formed within us, before any thing truly good can be acted out. We may believe, love and obey, in our own natures,(or from what is within us,) but it is nothing worth, they are dead works in point of acceptance with God, being perform

8

ed when dead to an inward principle of divine. life. Thus the apostle, in his epistle to the Hebrew Christians, speaking of the time when they set out in their own natures, or from what was within them, before an implantation of true grace took place, calls all the things then done dead works. What most people at first do in order to find acceptance before God, are but dead works, since they are works performed without any inward principle of divine life, but wholly proceed from the old man, which is corrupt in all its parts, and in all its actings, according to the deceitful lusts. Many we are assured, shall say unto Christ in the last day, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and done many wonderful works? To whom Christ will declare he never knew them. These people now, without any manner of doubt, had faith in Christ, (Simon Magus had faith in Christ) but it was not faith from an inward principle of divine life every person may know; for whosoever believeth from this principle, agreeably to Christ's own words, shall be saved; and as these are not saved, neither were ever acceptable unto Christ, it follows of course, that they did not believe from this inward principle of divine life, without which, it may be affirmed, none will be saved.

It is necessary that we should look well into these things, if we would not lose our soulsIndeed, as has before been stated, Christ must be formed in us, to believe, love and obey, or

else it will be a gone case with us in the day of eternity. For people may extol Christ, follow Christ, and believing their sins are forgiven, may be full of joy and comfort, &c. and after all be lost, being all done, acted and felt, in their own spirits, without any inward principle of divine life. It is manifest, therefore, that one may believe in Christ, show great respect to Christ, and be filled with joy, and comfort, and peace, and after all have nothing which God accepts. False notions of religion have almost destroyed true religion out of the earth; and it may be asserted as a truth, that all those who make religion, any thing short of a holy principle within, bringing forth actions from a pure fountain and with pure motives, are not only deceiving themselves, but deceiving others alse.

hewing what are distinguishing signs of a truly renewed and gracious state.

I would here observe in the words of presient Edwards, in his treatise on religious affecons, that "No such signs are to be expected,as hall be sufficient to enable those certainly to iscern their good estate, who are very low in race, or are fallen into a dead, and unchrisian frame. It is not agreeable to God's deign, (as has been already observed,) that such hould know their good estate, nor is it desirale that they should; but, on the contrary, it is very way best that they should not; and we have reason to bless God, that he has made no rovision in his word that such should certainly know the state that they are in, any other way than by first coming out of the ill frame and way they are in.

"Indeed it is not properly through the defect of the signs given in the word of God, that every saint living, whether strong or weak, and those who are in a low frame as well as others, cannot certainly know their good estate by them. For the rules contained in the scriptures, are in themselves certain and infallible, and every saint has, or has had those things in

"First. A defect in the object, or the qualification to be viewed and examined. I do not mean an essential defect; but a defect in degree: grace being very small, cannot be clearly and certainly discerned and distinguished. Things that are very small, we cannot clearly discern their form, or distinguish them one from another; though, as they are in themselves, their form may be very different. There is doubtless a great difference between the body of man, and the bodies of other animals, in the first conception in the womb: but yet if we should view the different embryos, it might not be possible for us to discern the difference, by reason of the imperfect state of the obeject; but as it comes to greater perfection, the difference becomes very plain. The difference between creatures of very contrary qualities, is not so plainly to be seen while they are very young, even after they are actually brought forth, as in their more perfect state. The difference between doves and ravens, or doves and vultures, when they first come out of the egg, is not so evident; but as they grow to their perfection, it is very great and manifest. Secondly. Another defect attending the grace of those I am speaking of, is its being mingled with so much corruption, which clouds and hides it, and makes it impossible for it certainly to be known. Though different things, that are before us, may have in themselves many marks thoroughly distinguishing them one from another; yet, if we see them only in a