1. Suppofes life. A dead man cannot walk, nor even stand upon his feet. Men in a state of nature are dead in trefpaffes and fins. Whoever lives in pleafure, in finful lufts and pleasures, are dead while they live. There must be a principle of life implanted in them; the Spirit of life from Chrift must enter into them; breath from the Almighty must come into them, as in the dry bones in Ezekiel's vision, ere they will ftand upon their feet, walk in Chrift and in his ways, believe in him, or obey him truly.

This fuppofes ftrength as well as life. There may be life where there is no ftrength to walk; but there can be no ftrength where there is no life. Men in a state of unregeneracy, as they are deftitute of life, they are without ftrength?. In this condition are God's elect, whilst unregenerate, and fo they were when Christ died for them: Nor can they do any thing without him, though all things through him ftrengthening of them. In him are both their righteousness and strength; to him they look for both; and as they receive the one, so they do the other from him, whereby they are enabled to walk in him, and in his ways; and such only are capable thereof: Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whofe heart are the ways of them.

3. This requires wisdom and guidance as well as strength. It is faid of the wicked, that there is no judgment in their goings: they are like children that have no difcretion; cannot conduct themselves; they are without a true guide, rule and direction; they walk after the flesh, the dictates of carnal reason: and, indeed the way of man, even of a good man, is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps; the Spirit of God is his guide and director; by him his Steps are ordered; he holds him by his hand; he teaches him to go, and guides bim with his counsel.

4. Walking denotes a progreffion, a going on, and forwards. It is not tak ing a step or two that can properly be called walking. There are fome perfons who take but, as it were, a step or two in religion; in the way of God: they are no fooner in, but they out again; this cannot be faid to be walking in the way; nor are fuch who have put their band to the plough, and look back, fit for the kingdom of God'. But true walkers in Chrift are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe, continue to believe, go on believing in Christ, walking in him, and in his truths and ordinances, to the faving of the foul; that is, until they receive the end of their faith, even the falvation of their fouls".

IV. The last thing propofed, is to confider the advantages which arise to perfons who walk in the way directed to; and which may be looked upon as so many encouragements thereunto. And,

1. A

I. A man that walks in this way may be fure he is right; he has a fure way to walk in, a fure guide that goes before him, and directs him, and a fure word of prophecy, to which he does well to take heed. And if at any time doubts concerning the way arife, he has nothing more to do, than to look up to the way-marks; to confult the scriptures, which are ready at hand, and to hearken to the voice behind him, when he is about to turn to the right hand or the left. As it is, on the one hand, very uncomfortable to travellers, when they know. not whether they are in the right road or no; fo on the other hand, it makes them go on more chearfully, and their journey more eafy and pleasant, when they are fatisfied they are in the right way.

2. Such are well provided for that walk in the way the word directs unto their bread is given them, and their waters are fure unto them. Though they pass through the valley of Baca, the valley of weeping, yet they find a well that supplies them with every thing neceffary. Chrift is a fun to warm, refresh, and comfort them, and a shield to protect them from all their enemies; he gives them grace, every needful supply of it by the way, and will, at last, give them glory; and in the mean while, withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly in this way ".

3. Such may expect to be strengthened yet more and more; to go from Strength to strength, from one degree of it to another; fince God has promised that the righteous fhall hold on his way; and be that bath clean bands fhall be Stronger and stronger; and, that they that wait upon the Lord fhall renew their Strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they fhall walk and not faint *; yea, the way of the Lord itself is ftrength unto the upright. What greater encouragement can there be to walk on in this way; and against those doubts and fears which are apt to poffefs the minds of poor weary travellers?

4. Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Christ himself, as the way, is pleasant to walk in, and so are all the leffer paths of doctrine and duty; none of his commandments are grievous, his yoke is easy, and his burden light; his tabernacles are amiable; a day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. When he sheds abroad his love, how chearfully do believers run the way of his commandments? When he puts his Spirit within them, to enable them to walk in his ftatutes, with what pleasure do they observe them? And when he lifts up the light of his countenance, and affords his gracious presence, and fills them with joy unspeakable and full of glory; this produces an inward, fettled, and perfect peace.

5. The prefence of God and Chrift may be looked for by fuch, fince it is faid, Thou meeteft him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; thofe that remember VOL. I.

3 I

thee

Pfalm lxxxiv. (, 11. z Prov. ii. 17.

* Job xvii. 9. Ifaiah xl. 31.

y Prov. x. 29.

thee in thy ways". Where is God to be met with? Or, can it be expected that God fhould meet with as but in Chrift the way? And where is the presence of Chrift to be enjoyed, as in his house, his ordinances; and in those ways his word directs unto?

6. The Lord has promised to give walking places to fuch perfons: Thus faith the Lord of bofts, If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my bouse, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by; meaning either among the angels or faints, and that both in this world, and in that which is to come; for they have fellowship with both, in either ftate: and the same shall also walk with Christ in white, in the robe of his righteoufnefs, and in the raiment of immortality; for they are worthy, not through their own, but the worthiness of Chrift. In a word, as many as walk in this way, and according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Ifrael of God.

I have now finished what I propofed, in confidering this paffage of scripture; which our deceased friend, in her life-time, defired might be the fubject of her funeral difcourfe, and whofe character might now be expected from me. She was, I understand, averfe to encomiums on fuch occafions; and, for my own part, I never had any great inclination to fuch fervice, and may be very well now excufed, fince the deceafed was an entire ftranger to me; and had I been never fo well acquainted with her, it would be needlefs to give her character among you; who fo well knew her manner of life and converfation, how fhe behaved as a wife, a parent, friend, and neighbour; and thofe of you who had the happiness of a chriftian converfation with her, knew what an experience she had of the grace of God; what were her faith in Chrift, love to him, and zeal for his cause and intereft, his honour and glory.

Imperfections and infirmities belong to human nature; there is not a juft man er woman that lives, and does good, and finneth not. If any thing of this kind has fallen under your observation, it ought to be buried in total filence, and in everlasting oblivion: and the ufes you are to make of it, for yourselves, are humility, care, and caution. But, on the other hand, whatsoever things are true, whatfoever things are boneft, whatfoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things, and do them; and the God of peace fhall be with you".

a Ifai. Ixiv. 5. Phil. iv. 8, 9.

Zech. Hi. 7.

• Rev. iii. 4.

d Gal. vi. 16.

SERMON

Occafioned by the Death of Mrs ANN BRINE, late Wife of the Reverend Mr JOHN BRINE. Preached August 11, 1745.

ROMANS VIII. 33, 34.

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth: he Who is be that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather, that is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh interceffion for us.

THE HE preceding chapter contains the believer's complaint of indwelling fin, and expreffes the nature, prevalence and ill effects of it, and his grief of mind on that account; and this chapter declares his triumph of faith in a view of deliverance from it, and from all condemnation by it, through the blood, righteousness and facrifice of Chrift: which triumph is founded upon things the moft folid and fubftantial, delivered in the text and context; fuch as relate to the grace of the Father in predeftination, in the miffion of his Son in the likeness of finful flesh, in not fparing him, but delivering him up for us all; in the effectual vocation, juftification, and glorification of his chofen ones; and which relate to the grace of Chrift, in his affumption of human nature, in fulfilling the law both in its precept and penalty, in his fufferings and death, in his refurrection, feffion at God's right hand, and interceffion for his people; and which relate to the grace of the bleffed Spirit, in quickening and renewing carnal minds, in leading men out of themselves to Chrift; in witneffing to their fpirits that they are the children of God, and in helping their infirmities, and making interceffion for them according to the will of God; and particularly this triumph of faith is expreffed in the fulleft and strongest manner in the words before us, who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? &c.

The words are put by way of interrogation, who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? or accufe them? or call them to an account? or enter an action against them in open court? It is a challenge, a bidding defiance to all and every one to do it; fince it is God that juftifieth, that is, his elect: he acquits and clears them from all charges exhibited against them; and therefore

whatever are laid against them are of no avail, and can never iffue in their condemnation; who is he that condemneth the elect of God? that will censure or pass sentence upon them? and if any fhould, what will it fignify, feeing it is Christ that died for their fins, and rofe again for their juftification, and is at the right band of God, as their advocate, and ever lives to make interceffion for them. Though these things are put by way of queftion, they may be reduced to abfolute propofitions: the sense of them is, that "there are none that can lay any thing to "the charge of God's elect to any purpose, but what will eafily be set aside; "nor can any juftly bring them under a sentence of condemnation, and much "lefs execute fuch a sentence on them." The whole may be comprised in the two following propofitions :

I. That no charge fhall be brought againft, nor any condemnation brought upon, the elect of God.

II. That the Father's justification of them, the Son's dying for them, his refurrection from the dead, feffion at the right hand of God, and interceffion on their account, are a fufficient and full fecurity to them from all charges and condemnation whatever.

I. That no charge of any avail shall, or can be laid against, or any fentence of condemnation executed upon the elect of God. These are without fpot and fault before the throne of God; they are unblameable and unreproveable in his fight, and there is no condemnation to them. For the further explanation of this doctrine, I shall,

First, Shew who the elect of God are.

Secondly, In what sense no charge and condemnation can be upon them.

First, Who are the elect of God. These are a felect number of men, who are the objects of God's love, whom he has chofen in Chrift, unto eternal life and falvation before the foundation of the world, of his own fovereign good will and pleasure, by certain ways of his own appointing, fo that they are peculiarly his. It will be proper to take this account into feverat parts, and briefly explain them.

1. The elect of God are a felett number of men, of Adam's pofterity; for elect angels are not here meant : they are a chofen generation, a royal priesthood, a boly nation, a peculiar people; not whole nations, churches, bodies, and communities of men, but particular perfons; they are fuch who are separated and set apart from the rest of mankind, and are alone, and are not reckoned among the nations: as they are redeemed and called, fo they are chofen out of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues; and though, considered by themselves, they are a great num

ber,