son whom he receiveth." These are the conditions proposed in God's last Will and Testament, upon which all true believers are justified, pardoned, and accepted.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. It appears from what has been said concerning the character and justification of believers, that they are still in a state of probation. Though in consequence of their justification, their probationary state is materially altered, yet it is by no means terminated. Before they believed, "they were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." But since they believed, "they are made nigh by the blood of Christ, and are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” Before they became believers, they were upon trial, whether they would repent and believe the gospel; but after they have repented and believed, they are still upon trial, whether they will continue to exercise faith, repentance, and new obedience. Though they have the promise of divine aid and assistance to persevere in well doing, which renders their final salvation certain; yet this certainty does not put a period to their state of trial. It was certain before they believed, that they should believe; but that certainty did not put an end to their probationary state. So, since they have believed, the certainty of their persevering in faith, and love, and every holy affection, does not put an end to their probationary state. The reason is, their salvation is still suspended upon conditions; and these very conditions constitute a state of probation. Their state of trial is precisely the same, as if it were not certain, that they will finally perform the conditions upon

which their salvation is suspended. Christ himself was in a state of trial, while he was about his Father's business here on earth. His Father appointed him a work to perform, and promised him a glorious reward, upon condition of his finishing the work, which he had given him to do. He also promised to hold his hand and support him through all his labors and sufferings; so that it was infallibly certain that he should finish his work and receive his promised reward. But the certainty of his fidelity and obedience unto death, did not put him out of a state of probation. The case is exactly the same in regard to believers. Though they are justified, and have received the spirit of promise, which renders their salvation absolutely certain; yet they are still in a probationary state, because their salvation is suspended upon their fulfilling the conditions of their final and complete pardon. And the more certain it is, that God will hold them in his hand, guard them from danger, and assist them in duty; the greater is their obligation, as well as encouragement, to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, until they finish their course, and receive the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls.

2. If God justifies believers upon the terms which have been mentioned; then it is easy to reconcile his conduct towards them in this life, with his perfect rectitude. He rebukes, and chastens, and scourges every son whom he receiveth. David declares, that "many are the afflictions of the righteous;" and this declaration we find verified every day and every where. Though these afflictions are fatherly chastisements, and designed to promote the spiritual benefit of believers, yet they are real punishments for sin. But how can God consistently punish them in this life, any more than in the next, if he fully and uncondi

tionally forgives all their sins, at the time of their justification? When a prince completely pardons a rebellious subject, who has been fairly tried and condemned, he can never afterwards legally or justly punish him for his rebellion, which he has fully and finally forgiven. But if he only partially and conditionally forgives him, as Solomon did Shimia; he may punish him either less or more, according as his clem. ency and wisdom shall direct. All mankind are naturally rebels against God; but when they repent and believe the gospel, he does, by his last Will and Testament, partially and conditionally forgive their numerous acts of rebellion and disobedience, with a proviso, that he will chastise them for their past, present, and future sins, as often and as severely, as his glory, or their spiritual good may require. And according to this view of the doctrine of justification, there is no difficulty in reconciling God's fatherly chastisements of believers, with his covenant faithfulness. When he visits their iniquities with a rod in this life, he treats them not only as they deserve, but as he has expressly declared that he will treat them, in the very Instru ment, by which they are justified. But if we should suppose with the Antinomians, that God does, at or before the time of men's becoming believers, fully and finally forgive all their past, present, and future sins, we could not avoid the absurd consequence which they draw from it, that believers after they are once completely justified, can do nothing either to promote, or to hinder their final salvation; which opens the door to perfect licentiousness. Or if we should suppose with the Arminians, that there is a first and second Justification of believers, we could not avoid the absurd consequence which they draw from it, that believers may finally fall away after their first justifi

cation and eventually perish; which is contrary to the whole tenor of scripture, and to the whole design of the gospel. Hence we are irresistibly led to conclude, that the only scriptural and consistent doctrine of justification is that, which we have endeavored to explain, and which is evidently contained in God's last Will and Testament. This entirely harmonizes with the character and conduct of God, with all other doctrines of the gospel, and with the duty, the peace, and the safety of true believers.

3. It appears from the representation which has been given of justification in this discourse, that there is a propriety and consistency in believer's praying every day for the pardon of all their sins, whether committed before, or after they were justified. As none of their past or present sins have been fully and unconditionally forgiven; so God may chastise them for the iniquities of their youth, as well as for those committed in any after period of life. Job considered his sore afflictions as fatherly chastisements for the iniqui. ties of his youth. He said to God under his correcting hand, "Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth." As God had a right to chastise Job for his sins, so he had a right to chastise him, at what time, by what means, and in what measure, he saw best. It properly belongs to God, to determine when he will chastise believers for their past offences. He may delay to chastise them either a shorter or longer time after they have offended; so that they are continually liable to be chastised for some of their past transgressions. This renders it proper and necessary, that they should ask God every day, to forgive all their sins, and never treat them according to the magnitude and multitude of their offences. We find, that believers under the

Old Testament prayed for the forgiveness of their sins, through the whole course of their lives. This appears from the prayers of David and of the people of God, recorded in the book of Psalms. The daily duty of christians to pray for forgiveness, is still more evident from that form of prayer, which Christ taught his disciples. "After this manner pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." It appears from this petition, in connexion with the preceding one, that it is as much the duty of believers to pray for forgiveness every day, as to pray every day for their daily bread. They certainly commit new sins every day, in addition to all their past transgressions, and for all these offences they deserve to be chastised. They have reason to fear, therefore, that God will sooner or later chastise them, unless they humbly and fervently pray for his pardoning mercy every day. Their partial and conditional forgiveness at the time of their justification, does not supersede the duty and propriety of praying for the forgiveness of all their sins, so long as they remain in their present imperfect and probationary state. It is only on the supposition, that the justification of believers consists in partial and conditional forgiveness that we can see the duty and propriety of their praying for pardoning mercy as long as they live in this world. But if none of their sins are fully and unconditionally forgiven, at the time of their justification, then it is easy to see the duty, propriety, and consistency of their praying continually for the pardon of all their sins, without distinction or exception, in order to escape both temporary and eternal punishment.