A> 
 
 P' ^^a^ 
 
 Sec 
 
 Mt; 
 
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 h 
 
 
Grace Defended^ 
 
 I N A 
 
 Modeft Plea 
 
 F O R A N 
 
 Important Truth:, 
 
 Namely, 
 
 That the Offer of Salvation made to Sinners in 
 the Gofpel, comprifes in it an Offer of the Grace 
 given in Regeneration. 
 
 AND 
 
 Shewing the Confiftency of this Truth with the Free and 
 Soverei»9n Grace of G O D, in the whole Work of Man's 
 Salvation. 
 
 In Which 
 
 The Dodlrine of Original Sin and Humane Impotence, 
 the ObjetSl and Extent of Redemption, the Nature of 
 Regeneration, the Difference between Common and 
 Special Grace, the Nature of juftifying Faith, and other 
 Important Points, are confidered and cleared. 
 
 t^l t^ t^ '.^ :.tf>5 «^*^^ t^T-^t^ •-^. v^. t^. c^'-tf^ '■^.•'^ !.<^. t-^ t^. t^Tt^^ (^i t^. v^ ',^5 
 
 By Experience D/Iayhew, 
 
 Ifai. Ivii. 14. Caji ye up^ cafl ye up^ prepare the IVay^ take up the 
 
 JlnmUing Block out of the IVay of my People. 
 Pfal. Ixxxv. 10. Mercy and Truth are met together^ kc. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 Printed by B. Green, and Company, for D. Henchman, in 
 Cornhik i 7 44. 
 
SEP 5 1941 
 
 ^ 
 

 THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 
 RUTH is a very precious Jewel : Ta- 
 ken in general it is fo 5 but that which is 
 emphatically called tbe 'Trulhy is fo more 
 efpecially : I mean that which is revealed 
 to a linful and perifliing World, with Re- 
 
 fped to a Way of Salvation by a Redeemer ; and which 
 
 is indeed no other than the Gofpel. 
 
 That was therefore good Advice of the wife Man, 
 Buy tbe Truth, and Jell it not : And that was a very excel- 
 lent Saying of the great Apoftle, We can do 7iothi7ig 
 agaijiji the 'Truth, but for the Truth, 
 
 Indeed there are many who are apt to make fuch a 
 Profeflion, who cannot do it on fo good Grounds as 
 the holy Apoftle did. But I remember a Saying of a 
 very worthy Divine ^ to thisPurpofe, " That when fo- 
 " ber Perfons offer to prove by the Word of God what 
 " they fay and maintain, we ought, in Honour to the 
 
 Mr. John Robinfon, 
 
 A 
 
 " divine 
 
n 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 ^* divine Oracles, to fhewfo much Regard to them, as 
 " to examine into the Truth of what they fo offer to 
 i^fconiii'm," 
 
 However uncertain we may be with Refpe(!l to ma- 
 ny Things, which we have a Call to take under Con- 
 fideration ; yet I think we may be very fure of this, 
 that the beft and wifeft of Men, in their prefent 
 lapfed State, know but in Part^ and prophefy hut in Part ; 
 and fo had need cany themfelves very humbly in all their 
 Eflays for the Iveftigation and Declaration of theTruth ; 
 and that the Truth being fuch an invaluable Treafure, 
 as is above expreffed, it ought not on any flighty 
 Grounds to be parted with, and fuffered to be lojfl:. We 
 are therefore forhetimes called to contend earneffly for the 
 Faith once delivered to theSaints ; and to be willing rather 
 to fuffer Reproaches, and other Evils, than that the Caufe 
 of Truth fhould futfer thro' our Negledl. That is, in a 
 good Senfe, a Truth concerning all Chriftians, but e- 
 fpecially the Minifers of Christ, who are Jet for 
 the Defence of the Gofpel^ and made Stewards of the 
 MyJieriesofGody viz. For this End was I boim^ and for 
 'this Caiife came I into the Woi'ld^ that I JJooidd bear Wit- 
 Tiejs to the Truth, 
 
 As for the following Effay, whatever Cenfure.I may 
 fall under on the Account of it, I think it has not been 
 yaMy undertaken, or engaged in; it being the Refult 
 of many Years ferious Enquiry after the Truth ; and I 
 have in it endeavoured, in my poor Manner^ to imitate 
 the noble Bereans^ who received the Word with all Pea- 
 dijiefs of 'Mind, and fear ched the Scriptures daily ^ whether 
 thofe Things which fhey heard preached were fd: " ' 
 
PR E F A C E. si 
 
 I have been from my Youth naturally inclined to en- 
 deavour to underftand what I believe ; and why I be- 
 lieve this or that Propofition to be true : And yet I very 
 readily acknowledge, That when any Propofition is 
 evidently delivered in the Scriptures of Truth, I ought 
 for that Reafon to believe it to be true, tho' I cannot 
 fully comprehend the fame, and am not able to anfwer 
 all Objedlions that can be made againft it : But 
 then I muft be fure that it is indeed delivered in the 
 
 divine Oracles, in which Cafe every Tho' t JJmdd be 
 
 jcaptivated to the Obedience (?/ ' Ch r i s t . 
 
 In the little Reading for which I have had Leifure and 
 Opportunity, I have been chiefly converfant in the Wri- 
 tings of Cahinijls ; yet I confefs I have endeavoured not 
 to be wholly ignorant of the Principles of thofe who Qva- 
 hv^CQ or incYmc to tliQ j4rmh2m?i Hypotbefis ; and have 
 always preferred the Former as much the beft of the 
 Two : So that I cannot juftly be looked upon as en- 
 deavouring to overthrow the Firft, and eftablilh the O- 
 ther. This is what I do not at all intend ; but what I 
 endeavour is, to remove fome Things out of the. Way, 
 commonly 2iffci'tcd hy Calvlmjis, which I think maybe 
 difmifled from their Hypothefis, being no Ways ne- 
 ceflary in order to the Support of the principal Articles 
 in that Scheme ; but on the contrary, render it the 
 more difficult to be received and defended. And what 
 I to this End advance, I humbly fubmit to the Cenfurc 
 of the Learned and Judicious, 
 
 What is principally infifted on in this EfTay, is, That 
 the Offer of Salvation made to Siiiner^ in the Gojpel^ 
 does comprife in it an Offer ^ or conditional Fromife, of 
 the Grace given in Regeneration, I believe there is as 
 
 really 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 yeally a conditional Offer of this made to fmful Men, in 
 the Gofpel of the Son of GoD,as there is of Pardon of 
 Sin, Juftification, ©r. In this I think I differ from 
 moft that are in the cahinian Scheme : And I confefs I 
 was for many Years otherwife minded -, but while I en- 
 deavoured to defend what I then believed^ the Objec- 
 tions that offered themfelves to my Mind againft what 
 I had admitted as true, prevailed on me firil to doubt 
 of it, and by Degrees to receive the Dodtrine I now en- 
 deavour to defend : And if I make good what I affert, 
 I think I do not therein diminifli, but exalt God's Grace. 
 
 I for feveral Years endeavoured in a more private 
 Way to get Satisfad:ion in thefe Points, wherein I was 
 fallen into a Way of thinking fomewhat different from 
 many others, before I entertained any Tho'ts of pub- 
 liihlng my Sentiments. I frequently difcourfed with, 
 and fometimes wrote to learned Divines, concerning 
 the Matters here difcourfed of; and had, I think, no 
 Matter of Convid:ion that I v/as under any Miftakes j 
 much lefs, that I had advanced any dangerous Errors. 
 And I cannot deny but that fome pious and learned 
 Divines have fpoken fomewhat favourably of my Hy- 
 •pothefis ', and have expreffed their Willingnefs that I 
 ihould, by the Prefs, Jhew my Opinion. 
 
 I have in this Ellay, endeavoured not to provoke or 
 offend any Perfon whatfoever ; and now profefs, that I 
 greatly refpe(ft and honour thofe, whofe Sentiments dif- 
 fer from fome of mine, difcovered in this Difcourfe : 
 And I have therefore chofen rather to argue on die 
 ' Things confidered, than meddle with the Perfons from 
 whofe Opinions I diffent. 
 
 And 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 And after all that I have faid for the Support of my 
 own Hypothefis, ( in the Explanation of whicli I have 
 endeavoured to be very free and open ) I tliink I ain 
 fully refolved ferioufly to v^eigh every Thing tliat fljall 
 be offered for my Conviftion, according to the befl: of 
 my Skill and Judgment ; and I hope if I am in an Er- 
 ror, my Fault is not unpardonable. 
 
 I alfo hope, that if I am wrong in any of my Senti- 
 ments, I have taken fuch Care to iecure the fundamen- 
 tal Articles in the Do6trine of Grace^ that Men's Souls 
 will not be endangered by any Thing advanced in this 
 Attempt to fet fome Things in a clearer Light tlian 
 they feem to me to be fet m, in fuch Books as I have 
 had Opportunity to read ; but it may be thro' my own 
 Ignorance underftand not. 
 
 I have not in this Eflay had any Defign againft the 
 Dodirine of Original Sin^ God's etenml Decrees and 
 Providence^ the Difference betwixt common and fpecial 
 Grace ^ and the Sovereignty of God in the Affair of 
 Man's Salvation. For according to my Hypothefis, as 
 well as that I oppofe, that is a great Truth maintained 
 by tlie Apoftle, Rom. ix. It is not of him that willeth^ 
 mor of him that runneth^ but of God that fo ewe th Mer- 
 cy . Thefe Things I not only allow, but occafio- 
 
 nally endeavour to defend ; tho' this not being my 
 principal Defign, I have not much enlarged on them : 
 But my main Defign is tlut above expreffed. 
 
 That what I have attempted \n this Treatifc, may 
 not appear to be uielefs to iiich as may pleafc to read it, I 
 have endeavoured to render it prad:lcal, by fome ufefiil 
 Inferences from the Truths aflerted in it. 
 
 . . Tho' 
 
vi PR E F ACE, 
 
 Tho' thisEflay be more efpecially fubmitted to the 
 Judgment and Cenfure of the Learned^ yet I aim at 
 the Good of all Mankind in it ; and I have written it^ 
 and do confent to it's Publication, that I might y^r'u^ 
 my own Generation by the Will of God, If he approve 
 my Attempt, he can eafily give Succefs to it ; if other- 
 wife, I fubmit it to him, and fay, .ne Will of the Lord. 
 be do?ie, 
 
 I have unto the Body of the Treatife herewith emit- 
 ted, prefixed the Contents of the general Parts and 
 Chapters contained in it -, of which I requeft my Reader 
 to take a view, before he reads the Book itfelf, whereof 
 he has therein the Sum. I defire my Reader alfo to 
 read what I have written, in the Order in which it is 
 penned, left otherwife he ihould miftake my Meaning 
 in fome Things, which in this Difcourfe I have advan- 
 ced ; and therein prejudice both himfelf and me, wlio 
 fincerely defire to ferve him, and glorify the God of 
 all Grace. 
 
 E. Mayhew. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 ^^i^ PON the Offbr of Salvation made to 
 P^<^ff| Sinners in the Goipel. 
 
 Page I 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Concerning thofe Sinners, and the State they are in^ to 
 ^Lvho?n the Offer of Salvation is Juppofed to be made. 
 Here the Dodtrine oi Original S^in is confidered. P. i. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Concerning that Salvation, lahich Sinners arc j'uppofed to 
 have offered to the?n intbe.Gojpet. P. 27. 
 
 [>] 
 
 C II A P. 
 
2 The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Shelving "what is imported in Salvation's being offered. 
 Here the Nature of C^W/V/W is conlidered. P. 33. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Froving that there is iiideed an Offer, or conditional 
 Promife of Salvation, made to Sinners in the GofpeL 
 Here the Obje^ and Extent of Christ'^ Death is 
 confidered. P. 40. 
 
 PART IL 
 
 Shewing that the Offer of Salvation 7nade to 
 Simiers in the Go/pel^ comprifeth in it an 
 Offe?' of the Grace given in Regenera- 
 tion. P- 53• 
 c H A p. I. 
 
 Concernirig the Grace of Regeneration, /j^r^y^/V/^ ^t? 
 conditionally offered to Sinners. P. 53, 
 
 C H A P. II. 
 
 Shewing that the Grace ^Regeneration is fiich an emi^ 
 nent Part of Marl's Salvation, that Salvation cannot 
 be offered to Si?iners without an Offer (j/'that. P. 58. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Concerning the Nature ofthatYdiih a?id Repentance, &c. 
 to which the Promife ^/' Life <^;2(/ Salvation, is in this 
 Difcourfe Juppofed to be ?nade. Here the Difference 
 ht\.W\xico7nmondx\^fpecialGraceh cowii^^vtdi, P. 61. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
The CONTENTS. 3 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Shewing that God in offering Jesus Christ mth alt 
 his Benefits^ to Jinfiil Men, miiji needs offer them tk' 
 Grace given in Regeneration. P. 67 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 T^bat fieither the Grace of Regeneration, 7ior any Ad: 
 f owing from it, or i?i which it is implied, is the Con- 
 dition on which Salvation is offered : And confequent- 
 ly, the fame ??mji be comprehe?ided in the Salvation 
 offered to Sinners, P. 7 1 , 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 T^he Offer of Salvation 7nade to Sin?iers in the Gofpel, is 
 an Offer of bringing them into a State of Salvation .* 
 And confeqnently, mufi comprife in it an Offer of re- 
 generating Grace. P. 86. 
 
 C H A P. VII. 
 
 T^hetr being an infeperahle Connexion between all fpiri- 
 tual Bleffngs, or ever hilling Mercies, hence whenever 
 ajiy one of thefe is offered to Si?mers,z\\ the reft are in- 
 tended : And confeqiiently, the Grace of Regenera- 
 tion. ■ " ^ P. 87. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 l^hat thofe exceeding great and precious Promifes by 
 which we may bePartakers of the divine Nature, are 
 conditional Pro7nifes of tlie Grace of Regeneration. 
 Here thof^: Promifes commonly iaid to be abjolute, 
 are confidered. ' P. 89. 
 
 [ b 2 ] C II A P. 
 
4 The CONTENTS. 
 
 C H A P. IX. 
 
 That the conditional Fromijes made in Scripture, That 
 
 fiicb as feek Gor, and his fpecial Favour, JJ. all find 
 
 riiiB, do contain or imply in them an OJfer of the 
 
 Grace y^ "Regeneration. P. 97. 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 That the conditional Fromijes of the Holy Spirit, 
 which we have in the Oracles ofGo'D, do comprife or 
 imply in them Ofers /?/' converting Grace. P- 99• 
 
 C H A P. XI. 
 
 l!hat the Offers niaJe to Sinners of the Water of Life, in 
 the Gofpelj are Ofers of the faving Graces of the 
 Spirit. P. 104. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Thofe cojiditional Offers ij/' fpiritual Wifdom, which are 
 7nade to Sinners in the Word of Got>, are Offers of a 
 Principle 5/" laving Grace or Holinefs. P. 1 07. 
 
 C H A P. XIII. 
 
 That the conditional Fromifes of fpecial Mercy, 7nade to 
 fuch as come to Jesus Christ, do contain or iitiply in 
 them a Promife of regenerating Grace. P. 117. 
 
 C H A P. XIV. 
 
 That there are conditional Fromifes made in the Gofpcl^ 
 to fuch as perfevere and overcome, which contain in 
 them Offers of the Grace ^"^'Regeneration. P. 120. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
The CONTENTS. 5 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 'I^je Confideratlon, That Sinners do therefore psrlili be- 
 caiife they receive not the Love of the Truth that 
 
 . they may be laved, applied as a?i Argument that they 
 
 have an Offer oi a Principle of true Holinefs made 
 
 to them. P. 131. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Shewing that the Dodlrlne pleaded for in this Part of 
 piy FJjayy.is very CQnfi\\.Qnt with that of Mens utter 
 Inability, while //2 //State of Nature, to perform any 
 truly holy. A6lionsi£;ii?^(?tfwr, .P. 135, 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 T^kat Grace is not given according to Works, is no Ways 
 ijiconfifent with the Hypothefis hy me defended. P. 1 42 . 
 
 C H A P. XVIII. 
 T'hat the beft Adions f the Unregenerate are net pro- 
 perly called Sins ; nor are they uncapable of beingCon- 
 ditions f the Covenant of Grace. P. ia8. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 The Dodlrine pleaded for, no Ways inconfftent with that 
 of Pra:;deftination, and the fovereign Freedom of the 
 Grace of God in the Salvation cf kis^lcdt. P. 153. 
 
 C H A P. XX. 
 
 That Perfons who have long refiPced and quenched tlie 
 Holy Spirit, and fo ^pvowokcdi him to depart ^r^;;/ 
 them, may at lajl feek earneitly for Mercy, and not 
 obtain it, 710 Argument againjl what I plead for. 
 Here of tlie unnardonable Sin. P. 16^. 
 
 C H A P. 
 
6 The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. XXL 
 
 Wherein the Power of Man, with Relatioyi to the Con- 
 dition 071 which Salvation is offered to him in the Gof- 
 pel, is further confidered, P. 170, 
 
 PART III. 
 
 "That the Doftrine ^naintained m the two for- 
 mer Parts of this EJfay^ is a Truth of 
 very great Importance, and 7nany Ways 
 ufefuL P. 177. 
 
 CHAP. L 
 
 The First Use of the Truth afjerted, that it gives 
 Light to many Texts of Scripture, which cannot be 
 well underfiood without it, P. 178. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 The Second Use of the Truth maintai7ied^ that it re^t- 
 ders the Offers of Salvation 7nade to Siimers in the 
 Gojpely very plain and intelligible. P. 182. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The Third Use of the Do6lrine i7tffted on, that it 
 gives US a very pleafant and endearing View a7id Prof- 
 peft of the imparallePdlaOwc of God, in fi7idi7ig ont^ 
 providi7tg a7id revealing fuch a Way of Salvation, as 
 that made k7iown in the Gofyd, P. 186. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
The CONTENTS. 7 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Fourth Use of the Truth injijied on, the En- 
 couragement give?i to awakened Sinners, to feek ear- 
 nefily to Gqt> for his fpecial Mercy. P. 189. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 The Fifth Use of the Truth maintained^ that it takes 
 
 from all thofe who refufe the great Salvation offered in 
 
 the Gofpel, every Plea in Excule for themfelves. P. 1 9 2 . 
 
 C H A P. VI. 
 
 The S-txTH Use of the Truth pleaded for ^ that being 
 allowed, it does^ without any Difadvantage to the cal- 
 vinian Scheme, remove out of the Way the greatefi 
 Difficulty that attends it \ and renders it more eafy 
 /^ ^^ received ^;^^ defended. P. 194, 
 
 CHAP. VJI. 
 
 The Seventh Use of the Dodrine pleaded for ^ an 
 Exhortation, it^/zZ^ Diredions, to fiich as are yet in a 
 State of Nature, to comply with the Terms on which 
 ?>?\w2ii\on is offered to them in the GofpeL P. 199. 
 
 fcVV* ^AT'j J^^ <Af'.» vVv^ c^TU 
 
 fcV\rf •-*ffV> '-''vV* »/V\j JV't 
 
 vv^ vtaj t/'aFV* •.^>* 
 
 CyDGYDGYD 
 
 t/v\t t/(T^ Jfr* 
 
 CTYDGYb 
 
A(k>ertifement. 
 
 u 
 
 WHEREAS, in Part I. Chap. I. Page 12. 
 of this Elfay, I have profeffed my Affeiit to what 
 is aiTerted by the Ajfemhly of Droi?ies at IVe/iminfler, m 
 their ShorftT Cafechif?n, viz. That '' The Covenant 
 " being made v^ith Adam, not only for himfelf, but 
 " for his Pofterity, all Mankind proceeding from him 
 *' by ordinary Generation, fmned in him, and fell v/ith 
 " him, in his firft Tranfgreliion ; " I have, on a Re- 
 view of the Sheets printed off before the Vv^riting of 
 this Adfcertijement, chofen to exprefs my Senfe rather in 
 the Words here following, than thofe of the Affembly 
 referred to, viz, " That the Covenant being made v/ith 
 " Ada-m, not for himfelf only, as an individual Perfon, 
 '' but for the w^hole human Species then in him, the 
 " Confequence hereof was, that all Mankind procee- 
 " ding from him by ordinary Generation, finned in 
 '' him, and fell with him, in his firft Tranfgrefiion. 
 
 This being my tme and only Senfe in the Place re- 
 ferred to, I defire that all other PaiTages in the Book, of 
 the like Import, may be underftood v/ith this Expla- 
 nation. 
 
 ^####### ^##^#### 
 
^s^g}s^yss:^!S^m^^^^m 
 
 Grace Defended. 
 
 PART L 
 
 The firft Part of that Defence of the Grace 
 of God which, in this ElGTay, I am attempt- 
 ingj is to fhew, #^ 
 
 Tha^ Sinners have^ in the Gofpel^ an Offer of 
 Salvation made to them. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Concerning thofe Sinner s^ and the State they 
 are in^ to whom the Offers of Salvatio?i are 
 here fuppofed to be made. 
 
 H A T we may underftand what we fay,and whereof 
 we affirm, in this firft Part of my Difcourfe, we 
 muft in the firft Place confider, 
 
 Who the Sinners are, and in what Condition, 
 to whom Salvation is fuppofed to be offered in the 
 Gofpel. 
 
 To this then I fay in general, That the Sinners here intended, arc 
 fuch as all Mankind fallen in Adam^ by Nature, are ; or as confider'd 
 in that Eftate, into which the Fall has brought them, I do not here 
 
^ Grace defended. Chap. \. 
 
 fay, Tliart the Offer of Salvation is made to all that are in this Eftate % 
 but that all unto whom the Offer of Salvation is fuppofcd to be made, 
 are of this Number ; and fuch an Eftate as this they all, by their Fall" 
 and Apoftacy from God, have been plunged into. 
 
 Nov/, tliitt this is a \ ery miferable and wretched Eftate, is by all 
 Calvhiifis i^cknow.ledged j and in this I, fully agree with them ; and 
 Ihall endeavour, as briefly as I can, to flicvv wherein the Adifery of 
 this Eftate does confift. And to this End, I fhall laere take -a fliort 
 View of the VVretchednefs of that Eftate, into which Mankind liave, 
 h)' their Apoftacy, brought themfelves. 
 
 To this End, the ft rft Thing I fholi obferve, is. That the Sin of 
 our firft Parents in eating the forbidden Fruit, was exceeding great 
 a-nd, heinous. It was a &in againft an exprcfs and pofitive Comma.nj 
 of God, immediately and plainlv given to them by God himfelf, to 
 which thfjy were, on their Peril, required to yield Obedience, Gen, 
 1. 17. So that it was a Sin againft Light and Knowledge, and a 
 very prefumptuous Sin. It was alfo a Sin againft the moft endear- 
 ing Difcoveries of the Goodnefs ofGodtothem. God had newly 
 created them in his own 7772^^^ and Likenefs^ Gix\. i. 26, 27. and in 
 his Favour, with Dominion over the Works of his Hai,i^ j and had 
 plainly enough, for them to underftand, promifed Life to them on 
 Condition of their Obedience to him ; tho' this Fromifc was only 
 implied in the contrary Threatning, Gen, 2, 17, They wanted not 
 Power to keep this Comm.andment ; but might have continued in 
 their Obedience to it, if they had watched and piayed, that they 
 might not have fallen iiito Jhnptat'wi ; and endeavoured to withftami 
 the [fame : This, I think, none will deny. They had .no- Need to 
 cat of the Fruit forbidden them, having Plenty enough beftdes, no 
 other Trees in that rich and plentiful Garden being denied to them. 
 They had no Need, nor Warrant, to feek after a better Condition, at 
 prefent, than that they were in. They had, no doubt, before they 
 had fmned, enjoyed happy Communion v^ith God, and one with ano- 
 ther. They had no Warrant to hold a Parly Vv'ith the Serpent en- 
 deavouring to entice them from their Obedience and Allegiance to 
 their- Creator and fovereign Lord ; much lefs to believe him in what 
 ii0iaid, in diredl Oppofition to that God that cannot Lie ; and fol- 
 low his Condu6l, in direct Oppofition to the divine Command, 
 
 It was enough for them that God had created them in his own 
 Image, in Refpt-6l of Knowledge, Rightepufnefs and Holinefs. They 
 fhould not have afpired to have been more like God in Knowledge,- 
 ^aa he n>ad$ thgin, or rather to be equal to him, as in Gen, 2. 5, 6. 
 
 Noi 
 
Chap- I. Grace defended. 3 
 
 Nor flioiikl they have taken Part with the Devil to this End. Thus 
 iieinoiis was their TranfgrefHon \ and much more mi^ht |iere be faid. 
 This is that Sin q{ Adam^ which is, by Cahini/is^ fuppofed to be iin- 
 puted to his Pollerity, which I, at prefcnt, take for granted, but may 
 confider hereafter. 
 
 What I fhall here next mention, fhall be fome of the immediate , 
 and neceflaryEftec^s,orConfequents of this now-mentioned hcinousSin : 
 I mean fuch Confequents as followM naturally from the Crime com- 
 mitted, without any Confideration of the T'/;r^^/«/w^ denounced, in 
 Cafe of Difohedience : That fliall anon be confidered. Now this 
 could not but produce extraordinary Shame and Horror, unlefsGod had 
 (which was not thcCafe) given uptlns^Tenders to a mofi: unaccountable 
 Stupidity. I fuppbfe God had a Defign to make the Promifebf the 
 Seed that was to break the Serpent's Head, Gen. 3. 15. very wclcomb 
 •to tliem. . ' " 
 
 We may accordingly fee what Shame and Confufion of. Face 
 feized on them. Gen. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. And the Eyes of them both wer^ 
 opened^ and they knevj that they were naked ; and they fevjed Fig-Leavej 
 'together^ and made themfelves Aprons. And they heard the Voke of ilif 
 Lord God., walking in the Garden^ in the Cool of the Day \ A'i Adani 
 and his Wife hid themfelves from the Fre fence of the Lord God., among th^ 
 Trees of the Garden. And God called unto Adam, and faid unto him^, 
 TFhere art thou P And he faid., I heard thy Voice in the Garden : And I 
 vjas afraid ; hecanfe I was naked., and I hid my felf. Nor did theShame 
 or Confufion which thefe Offenders were thus in, .arife wholly, (Tf 
 principally) from tlie Threatning that had been denounced ; but very 
 much, (efpecially their Shame) from a Senfe of the moft vile Wick:- 
 ednefs whereof they had been guilty. This feems evident from the 
 QuelHon God put to Adam., ver. 11. And he faid ^ Who told thee that 
 thou ivaji naked ? Hafl ihou eaten of the Tree ^ ivhereof L commanded thee 
 that thoufhouldjl not cat. •. ■ , 
 
 So heinous was this Offence, which was by thefe conimitted, that 
 they could not but be in great Horror on the Account of.it 3 tho' 
 they had tho't nothing of the Evil threatned againft tiiem. Nor 
 could they have had any great Reafon to hope for a Pardon, tho' they 
 had never been threatned ; and tho' they could not have known what 
 Punifhment God would have laid oii them : And yet I acknowledge, 
 there v/ould not have been Ground for utter Defpair. 
 
 I fhall therefore now come to confider their Guilt, as this fignifiqs 
 an Obligation lying on thcrn to bear the Punilhmeut due to them by 
 \ ■ ' B 2 Virtue 
 
4 Grace defended. { chap. l 
 
 Virtue of that San£lion of the Law, In the Day thou eatefl thereof^ 
 thou Jhalt furely die. Guilt, I think, may be taken, either for a Per- 
 fon's being truly chargeable with fome Sin or Crime ; and this the 
 Perfons were, of whom I here fpeak, of which before : Or it may 
 be taken for that Obligation, by which the Offender is bound to fufFer 
 the Penalty due to him for his Offence ; and this is that which I am 
 here to confider in the Cafe before me. What was intended by the 
 Death threatned, I am not yet come to take an Account of; but the 
 Nature of the Obligation, and the Confequences thence arifing, is 
 what, at prefent, I am upon : And this is exprefs'd in fuch ftrong 
 Terms in the Text mentioned, that the Offenders, I think, had no 
 Grounds given them to hope that the Sentence might be reverfed. 
 I mean, they had not, before the Seed of the JVcman was promifed. Gen, 
 3. 15. No wonder then that the Offenders were in fuch a Plight as 
 they were. Gen, 3. 11. 
 
 The Covenant of Works was doubtlefs given to be a {landing Rule, 
 according to which God was refolved to deal with Mankind ; and by 
 which he obliged himfelf to give them Life, in Cafe of conftant and 
 perfe6l Obedience to him, and afTured them that they (hould die in 
 Cafe of the leaft Failure or Difobedience, as by comparing Gen, 2. 
 17. with Gal. 3. 10, 12. and James 2. 10. does appear. And God 
 was pleafed to try Man's Obedience in one fmgle Liftance, before 
 they had committed any other Offence againft him. Now on this 
 Trial, they molt vilely forfook their Allegiance to him, and wickedly 
 rebell'd againfl him : Which, having done, for any Thing that did 
 appear, there was nothing to be expe£led, but the Execution of the 
 threatned Sentence on them. They were for the prefent bound over, 
 as the fallen Angels were, with whom they had joined againft God, 
 unto the Judgment of the great Day \ and had no Reafon to expe6t any 
 Thing better than what, in the Threatning, God had denounced 
 againft them. 
 
 The Day of their Probation was now ended, and the Covenant 
 broken betwixt them and the great God, and no Repentance or Obe- 
 dience was by that Covenant now requir'd of them : Nor had they 
 any other Relation to it, than that of capital Offenders, doom'd to 
 prefent Death by it : Nor was there yet any Way of Efcape propos'd 
 to them ; nor, as far as did appear, any Room for God to treat with 
 them, or they with him, on any Terms of Reconciliation v/hatfoever. 
 
 This was the State in which Mankind now were, and they doubt- 
 lefs were fenfible how Matters (food betwixt God and them ; and 
 they had Reafon to be filled with Dread and Amazement, as it feems 
 
 they 
 
Part I. 
 Chap. I. 
 
 Grace defended. 
 
 they were. Nor had they any Room or Hearts to beg for a Pardon. 
 What a terrible Condition was this ? They were, in Refpeft of the 
 Sentence pronounc'd againft them, as dead Men, as foon as ever they 
 had fmned. 
 
 But the Mifery of thefe Tranfgreflbrs will further appear, if we 
 confider what that Death was, which, by the Sanation of the Law, 
 they were thus bound over unto. And this I (hall now proceed to 
 fhew ; only I ftiall here firft obferve, that the Death threatned againft 
 thefe TranfgrefFors did not, properly fpeaking, conlift at all in the 
 Obligation they were under to fufter it. For tho' fuch as are under 
 a Sentence of Death, are fometimes fpoken of as dead Men, as was 
 before obferved ; yet there is a Difference between Men's being under 
 a Sentence of Death, and their actually dying ; or betwixt a Judg- 
 ment pafled on them, and the Execution of it : However, a Sentence 
 of Death is very terrible. 
 
 And now I may, without any further Delay, fhew what Death 
 thefe Malefactors were by the Law of God fentenced unto. I fay 
 then, thefe were, by the Threatning annexed to the Law of God, 
 Sentenced to undergo a threefoldDeath, which I fhall fpeak fomething 
 concerning in the Order now to be exprefled. And, 
 
 I. Thejirji Kind of Death intended in the Threatning, undoubt- 
 edly was that which we commonly call Death fpiritual. 
 
 That Mankind are by Nature fpiritually dead, the Scriptures 
 abundantly teftify : And for the clearing up of what I here affert,! (hall 
 fhew (i.) Wherein this Death does confift. (z.) That this came 
 on our firft Parents as a Punifhment of their Sin, in eating the for- 
 bidden Fruit. 
 
 (i.) Let us confider wherein this Death confifteth. Now to this 
 I fay, that this Death confifteth in the Lofs of the Lnage of God, 
 which Man was created in, Gen. i. 26, 27. or that Rectitude or 
 Integrity, of which he was the Subje<5l, when he was in that Eftate 
 wherein he was created. Eccl. 7. 2g. God made Man upright. 
 This did not confift in the Eflence of Man's Soul ; for if it had, he 
 could not have loft it : But it confifted in that habitual Conformity 
 of the Soul to the holy Nature and Will of God, which was con- 
 created with it, and was the Bond of its Union with God, while 
 Man enjoy'd it ; for he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit with him, 
 I Cgr.h, I -J, This was Man's Life, while he was in a State of 
 
 Lmocency i 
 
Grace defended^ CIiap. 1, 
 
 Innocjeilcy ; and is fo again, when he is renewed in Knoivledge and 
 Righteoufnefs afur the Image of him that created him^ Col. 3. 10. Men 
 deiHtute of it are faid to be alienated from the Life of God^ Eph. 4. 
 18. To be without this is Death, Rom. 8. 6. lliis Principle of 
 Life is in Scripture call'd the divine Nature^ 2 Pet. i. 4. The Seed of 
 Gsd^ I John 3. 9. Thafe who have it not, h^vc not eternal Life 
 abiding in ihern, ver. 15. but on the contrary, are dead in Sins^ and i it 
 the Uncircumcifion of the Flejh^ Col. %. 13. When fuch are faid to be 
 dead ; and when their Deprivation of fuch a divine Principle is called 
 Death ; thefe Expreffions are, I acknowledge, metaphorical ; and the 
 Metaphor is taken from the Likenefs which there is, in fomeRefpe6ls, 
 betwixt a proper Death :and this. Men, in this Eftate, being as 
 uncapable of performing arty A6lionsthat are truly fpiritual and holy, 
 as Men naturally dead arc of performing the At^^lons' to which natural 
 Life, is required, Rom, 8.' 6, 7, 8. For to he carnally viinded is Death'. 
 But to be fpiritually minded is Life and Peace t, becmtfe the cctrnal Mind 
 is Enmity <^g^'^^fi ^°^^ '• ^^'^' ^^ ^^ '^^^ fid)jeSf to the Laiu of Gcd^ neither 
 indeed cm be. So then they that are in' the- Flejh ccihno^t plea fe God. 
 I Cor. .2. 14. But the natural -Man riceiveth not the Things of -ilk 
 Spirit of God, for they are FooUJhnefs imto him : Neither ran he knoxv 
 them^ hecaufe they ar^ fpiritually -difcerned. This Death 'does not, pro^ 
 ^erly fpeaking, coniili: either in Men's doing that which they ftiould 
 not, or in omitting or neglefting that v/hich they (hould do i,but in 
 their Want of fiich a Priiiciple as is necefiary to their doiing ■ that 
 which is, in a ftri6l Senfe, holy and good^; and in a right Mannei" 
 avoiding to do the contrary, /. e. from a Hatred of it, and a Love to 
 that which is good. This, I think, is too plaih to need any Illuftra- 
 tion. Thus briefly of this Kind of Death. 
 
 (2.) I am to fhew, That this came on our frjl Parents, as a 
 Panilhment of their Sin, and that it belong'd to the Death threatned. 
 I fay hwr firfl Parents ; for as vet I confider not how their Pofterity 
 became in this Senfc dead. 'Jliat Adayn and his IFifevJcrc thus dead, 
 immediately after they had committed their firft and great Offence, I 
 think td be an evident Truth. If they had remained liabitaally holy 
 after they had committed their firft Sin, thdy would ' certainly havQ 
 carried themfelvcs far otherwife than they did. They would not have 
 attempted to hide thcmfelves from God, as they endeavoured to do^ 
 Gen. 3. 8. In which they difcovered much Atheifm, and very wron^ 
 Thoughts of God, from whofe Prefence it is impoflible to hide, 
 fer, 23. 24. Pfal. 39. 8,— 12.) inftead of lamenting and confefling 
 their heinous Offence, and juftifying God 5 -as' by the Law of the^ 
 
 Creation, 
 
Chap. I. Grace drfended. ^ 
 
 Creation, (but not as5a Covenant of Woi^)-' tftey vp'efe dbllged to do. 
 They moft wickedly endeavoured to juftify -themfc^lVei, -andf* caft ' the 
 Blame of their Fall on the God that made them, ver. 12, 13. .So 
 fhat by this Carriage of their't;, they gaveOccafion for fuch a Reflection 
 on them as that in Job 31. 33. If I cavcred-my Tranfgrejjion as 
 Adam, hy h'ld'mg mine Iniquity in my Bofom. Docs it not now appear^ 
 that thefe had, immediately after their Val), a very corrupt Nature ill 
 them? And indeed, if by Adam's firft Offence all- Mankind were 
 made in this Senfe Sinners, as 'in Rom. 5. ^2, and ver. 19. how 'carl 
 it be thought poflihle that he ihould himfclf efcape becorhing fupb iA 
 OwQ^ when he had committed that heinous TranfgreiHon ? ." ' * '.*1^ 
 
 But we rriuft a little confid^r iik3w -this came to be tHe'-GDnrequerrcffe 
 of our firft Parents com4Tii¥ting their firft and'great Gffen'c^. r'Afii 
 here. I will fhfew,- firji negatively, from whence this did not arifc" j 
 iiiid Jecondiy pofitively^ what was the Caiife bf it. 
 
 • I. Negatively, I fay, Thi's did/jior-i^vf Wholly rtor priMc'ij^all^ 
 from the natural Influence' of that ^in; ' \\n-rfeh iney haH riewTy ccfn- 
 mitted. Tho' finfut Actions naturally- jVrodtice and inx:re?ife an illi- 
 clination or Difpofition to fin yet more"; and ff tbey^tK^'ofen repeated'^ 
 they -beget a ftrong Habit, inclining the TrsEnfgrefTbri to go on'ftili 
 in their wicked Cou;rfes, as in Jer. 13. 23. Yet the Sin of thefe 
 Perfons could not alone utterly eradicate all' pious Difpofitions out of 
 their Souls. Sinful Ac-tions divcrfe Times repeated would fc^^ree of 
 itfelf have done this ; much Icfs could one finglb' A61 of DifofejediencQ 
 have had 'fuch an Influence, if there had been nothing 'elfe in thii 
 Cale ; but Jda??i might, and it is very ^ probable he would, this not- 
 withftanding, have bitterly bewail'd his Fall, and earneftly begg'd the 
 Pardon of it ; and perhaps have oBtainM' it, 'artd then had grown 
 more watchful and circumfpecSl in his after Converfation, as" is: oftert 
 the Cafe of good Men now : But i-t was far from being thus wid\ 
 him : Sin haxj imlnediately Dominion over him, and reigned . m'hifiij 
 Wherefore, ' ■ :>/ ,■■ . - • \ 
 
 .2. TheReafon hereof was th!S,God having threatned hcdiould furc- 
 ly die in thcDay he finned ; and being greatly provoked at liim for thf- 
 horrible,. Wickednefs be had committed^ (of which berore)"^id 'impie" 
 diately begin to execute the Sentence on bim, which he vvis now 
 fallen under: And this he did in the firft Place, by utte;-ly.'t2kfng 
 his holy Spirit from him ; the Confequence of ' whidi was, that he 
 inmediatelv,.and without anv pofitive A6tof God, infufiiig any-finful 
 • -'i Difpofitions 
 
8 Grace defended. \ ch^p. J; 
 
 Difpofitlons into him, became a moft vile Mifcrcant j a Child of the 
 Devil, full of all Wickednefs. 
 
 If we confider thefe Things following, it will appear that it muft 
 needs have been fo. (i.) God had obliged himfelf by his Word 
 immediately to flay him, if he finned againft him, with this only Re- 
 ferve in his own Breaft, unlefs a Mediator fhould interpofe to offer 
 Satisfaction for his Offence, and reprieve him from prefent Deftruc- 
 tion. We know certainly by the Event, that there was this Excep- 
 tion ; and the Apoftle fhews plainly, in Rom. 3. 25, 26. that God 
 could not in Jultice have fpared him, in any other Way, The 
 Threatning was abfolute, and exprefs'd in the ftrongeft Terms ; and 
 was to be immediately executed. To imagine it only fhew'd what 
 the Crime defervcd, feems to me to be moft vain. (2.) Man being 
 in fuch a State of Condemnation, it would not confift with either the 
 effential, or redloral Holinefs of God, to hold any fuch Communion 
 with him, as he does, and will hold, with fuch as are his Friends and 
 Favourites. He was a Traitor againft the King of Heaven, and by 
 Law condemned to Death for his Crime. How can we now imagine, 
 that God might, while he was under this Sentence, deal with him as 
 with a Friend and dear Child, with whom he was at Peace, when yet 
 he was under his Wrath. (3.) Yet it muft have been thus, if Adam 
 after his falling under a Sentence of Death, had remained a holy Man 
 ftill, being ftill endowed with God's Image, tho' but in fuch a Mea- 
 fure, as the leaft of Saints now are. If Ada?n.^ after his Fall, had had 
 but a Spark of true Holinefs remaining in his Soul, he muft ftill have 
 had holy Communion with the bleflcd God ; and God with him : 
 That muft have ftill been the Language of his Soul, in Pfal. 73. 25. 
 Whom have I in Heaven hut thee f And there is none upon Earth that I 
 defire beftdes thee : And of God, with Refpe6l to him, it might have 
 been truly faid, as in Pdxl. 147. 11. The Lord iaketb Pleafure in them 
 that fear him. This cannot be denied to hold true with Refpedl to 
 all fuch as truly fear God. Now it was impoflible that Adam ftiould 
 have enjoyed fuch Favours, while under a Sentence of Damnation, 
 It followeth (4.) That our firft Parents being fallen under a Sentence 
 of Death, could no longer enjoy thofe Influences of the Spirit of God, 
 by which their habitual Holinefs might be preferved ; or, in other 
 Words, they could not have remained Te?nples of the Holy Ghoji ; but 
 muft needs have been utterly and immediately deferted by him. 
 That muft and did now befall him, which David fo earneftly depre- 
 cated, in Pfal. 51. II. Caji ?ne not away from thy Pre fence'. And take 
 not thy holy Spirit from m.e. And being thus fgrfaken, they were indeed 
 
 no 
 
Part 
 
 Chap, 
 
 S; } Grace defended. 
 
 no better than the fallen Angels, wrth whom they had joined In their 
 Rebellion againft the holy God. Being thus wholly dead in Sin, 
 fpiritually dead, they were in this Refped Vellels of Wrath fitted for 
 Deftru(5lion. 
 
 I defire it may be here remembred, and laid up in our Minds, to 
 be recolleded and improv'd. That the fpiritual Death, of which I 
 have been fpeajcing, did not precede, or go before, that Sentence of 
 Death, Gen, 2. 17. but belong'd to the Death there threatned, as the 
 Wages of Sin, even of Jchmi's adual TranfgrefTion, in eating the for- 
 bidden Fruit ; becaufe from hence it followeth, thut this Sentence of 
 Death muft be taken ofFfrom the Sinner, before fpiritual Life can be 
 again reftored to him. 
 
 Before I pafs to the next Head, I fhall here briefly obferve, that 
 as this fpiritual Death did not properly confift in Adam\ firfl Tranf- 
 grefTion, but was a Fruit of it ; fo neither does it properly confift in 
 thofe acftual Tranfgreflions which Sinners in a State of Nature do 
 commit ; but is the Fountain from which they flow, Matth, 15. 
 19. and Luke 6. 43, 45, 46. 
 
 Let it be here alfo obferved, that the Dominion which Man's fpi- 
 ritual Enemies had over him after his Fall, tho' comprlfed or implied 
 in theDeath threatned to be executed on him ; yet was it not properly 
 Part of that fpiritual Death, of which I have been now fpeaking : 
 But Man's firft Sin, and the fpiritual Dtath that followed thereon, 
 was what has given the Enemies of Men's Souls, fuch an Advantage 
 as they have over all thofe who are dead in Sin. Of the great Power 
 of thefe Enemies over fuch as are dead in Sim and Trefpajfes^vi^ have 
 an Account, Efh. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26. and elfewhere. 
 
 2. The fecond Kind of Death mentioned, as threatned a^alnfl: our 
 firfl Parents, in Cafe they eat the forbidden P'ruit, was Death teiiipo- 
 rol\ By which I underfland Death, properly fo Ccilled, vi%, the Sepa- 
 ration of Soul and Body one from the other ; of which Death we have 
 a Defcrlptlon in EccL 12. 7. That this Kind of Death was intended 
 in the Threatning, we have Reafon to think ; for (i.) This is Death, 
 in the moft proper and literal Senfe of the Word, and fo is moff jufHy 
 fuppofed to be here meant ; there being no good Reafon to be civen 
 to the contrary. (2.) This Kind of Death is cxprefiy mentionl^d in 
 the Judgment God pafTed on Adam after he had finned. Gen. 3. 19. 
 (3.) Adam did, and his OfF-fprIng do, generally die this Kind cf 
 Death. (4.) Tho' all Men, without Exception, do not thus die, 
 thtf does not prove, that Adam was not threatned with this Kind of 
 
 C Death: 
 
I o Grace defended. \ ch^p. \ 
 
 Death ; becaufe their elcaping it may be fuppofed to be owing to the 
 Interpofition of a Mediator. I could give other Reafons for this, if 
 
 It were needful. 
 
 For the fame Reafon that fome Men die not at all, Adam did not 
 die as foon as he had finned, viz. the Interpofition of a Mediator, to 
 ofFer Satisfadion for Sin, and reprieve him from prefent Death, and 
 this in order to his eternal Salvation. 
 
 I know many think otherwife, not underftanding the Threatning, 
 Gen. 2. 17. as I do, but holding the Meaning to be, That Adam 
 fhould, as foon as he had finned, become mortal, grow fickly and in- 
 firm, and {hould at laft give up the Ghoft ; and I grant, that, as 
 Things have been fince ordered, with Relation to finful Men, this 
 Expofition feems to agree well with the Event. But we ought to 
 diftinguifh betwixt the real Intention and Defign of God, the Law- 
 giver, and the true Meaning of his Law. The Queftion here is not, 
 What God really intended to do, in Cafe Adam finn'd ? But, What 
 muft be done in Cafe the Threatning fhould be executed according 
 to the true Meaning of it ? And confequently, what Adam was to 
 expeft if he eat the forbidden Fruit ? 
 
 Now there is no Qiieftion to mc, but that the Meaning of the 
 Threatning was. That our firft Parents fhould immediately die a 
 .proper Death, in Cafe they finned ; only God did not fo threaten 
 this, as not to leave Room to have the Execution delay'd, in Cafe of 
 the Interpofition of a Mediator ; yea, and to have it finally remitted, 
 in Cafe full Satisfa£lion fhould be given for the Offence. This has 
 been made evident in the Event : But for all this, the true Meaning 
 of the Law might be. That Adam fliould die in the Day he finned, 
 with the Exception only now exprefTed. 
 
 And it is certain, that this is the mofl proper and literal Senfe of the 
 Threatning, in the Place referred to, and fo what v/e ought not to 
 recede from, unlefs by fome urgent Neceflity we are compell'd to 
 it ; which I hope I fiiall make it appear, that we are not, when I 
 come to fpeak of the Imputation of Ada?n^s firfl Sin to his Poflerity ; 
 and fhew how they partake of the Guilt, and become liable to the 
 Punifhment of that great Offence ; which Doctrine, I fuppofe, the 
 Hypothefis I here proceed on, is no Ways inimical unto ; but that 
 it does, on the contrary, greatly favour it. I therefore now proceed 
 to iliew, 
 
 ?. Whjit 
 
Chap, i! } Gracc defended. i r 
 
 3. What the third Death was, which Adam was threatned with, 
 in Cafe of Difobedience : And to this I fay. That eternal Punifh- 
 ment in another Life and World was doubtlefs intended in the Threat- 
 ning : For which \ give the following Reafons. 
 
 1. Since Life eternal was by Promife engaged to him, in Cafe of 
 Obedience, fuch a Promife being implied in theThreatning denounced; 
 fo that Adam was to have enjoy 'd pofitiv^e Happinefs, and that for- 
 ever, on the mentionedCondition ; it feemeth not reafonable to think, 
 that an eternal Punillimeiit of Pain and Grief was not intefided in 
 the threatned Death : For thus the Evil threatned had not, in its Na- 
 ture and Duration, been commenfurate with the Good promifed. 
 That, in the Threatning of Death, a Promiie of Life was implied, 
 will not, I fuppofe, be denied : And this Life muft needs have been 
 the fame, or a better than that which Ada?7i then enjoy'd In the 
 Garden of Eden^ which none can deny to have been a Life of pofitive 
 Happinefs. Had Ada?n continued in his Obedience, he would have 
 been greatly deceived, if he had ever been deprived of that Happinefs, 
 and not had a greater given to him. 
 
 2. A Suppofition of AdairC^ not being in a miferable State, after 
 this Life, having hnned, and being deprived of all Happinefs, necef- 
 farily implieth the Mortality of his Soul. For unto what End fhould 
 he be continued in Being, if he were to be neither happy nor mife- 
 rable ? And how inconfiftent is this with the Nature of a rational 
 Being, capable of Happinefs, and defirous of it ? For fuch an one to 
 be without it, muft needs be a Torment to him. Therefore, to deny 
 that Adam muft have been miferable after this Life, is, in effedl, to 
 deny, that his Soul fnould have furvived, when his Body fliould have 
 returned to the Duft ; as in Gen, 3. 19. and EccL 12. 7. Now, if 
 Adam's Soul was mortal, why not -other Men's too ? Contrary to 
 Matih. 10. 28. and Luke 16. 22. 
 
 o- 3. The Scriptures, by oppofing that Death, which is the Wages of 
 Sin, to Life eternal, do fufficiently intimate to us, that that Death 
 is eternal ; fo in Rom. 6. 22. The Wages of ^ in is Death \ hut the 
 Gift of God is eternal Life. Now, can there be any Realon to quef- 
 tion, whether Adam was to die fuch a Death ? Was not the Death 
 'threatned againft him, the Wages of a moft vile Tranfgreflion ? The 
 Death which he was to die, was doubtlefs the fame which thofe are 
 freed from, who believe in Jefus Chrift, John 3. 16. The Seed of 
 the Woman, Gm, 3. 16. was doubtlefs promifed to fave Adam and 
 
 C 2 others 
 
1 2 Grace defended. \ c^^^ {; 
 
 others from this Death, call'd the Wrath to come^ i Thef. i. lo. 
 Jefus zvhich deliver eth us from the JVrath to come. The fame is called 
 the fecond Death., Rev. 20. 6. Should not Jdam have died this Death 
 as well as others, if he had' not been redeemed by Jefus Chrift ? Is 
 not this Death included in that which entred- into the World by 
 Adanis firft Offence ; Rom. 5. 12. And if fo, was not he himfelf 
 liable to it ? No doubt it was the fame with that everlafting Punifh- 
 ment vvhich the damned are fent into, Matth. 25. 46. Th'efe Jhall go 
 away into everlajUng Punijhment ; hut the Righteous into Life eternal. 
 
 Having now confidered the woful EiFefts and Confequents of our 
 firft Parents firft and great Tranfgreflion, as thefe related to them- 
 felves, perfonally confidered ; I fhall now proceed to confider them, 
 as they related to their Children or OfF-fpring. And here, I take it 
 for granted, (and do my felf believe, as in the (horter Catechifm of 
 the AiTembly of Divines at Wefiminfier.,) That, '^ the Covenant 
 *' being made with Adam., not for himfelf only, but for his Pofterity, 
 *' all Mankind proceeding from him, by ordinary Generation, fm- 
 *' ned in him, and fell with him, in his firft Tranfgreflion." 
 
 Now here I might have concluded the firft Chapter, in this firft 
 Part of my EfTay ; (my Defign in it not being to prove thofe Things 
 wherein I and others with whom I therein have to do, are agreed) 
 but becaufe of the great Importance of the Do£l:rine afferted, in Re- 
 fpe(5l of the Influence, Men's different Apprehenfions about it will 
 neceflarily have on their Principles, concerning fevcral other Points 
 of Religion, I fhall cntleavour to give my Readers fuch an Explana- 
 tion of this great Truth, as I apprehend to be moft agreeable to the 
 Oracles of God, and, as I think, will have a Tendency to remove 
 fbme of the Prejudices, which the Minds of many are apt to fiU'd 
 with againft it -, but will endeavour to fay Nothing but what will be 
 co-incident with it. 
 
 And in the firft Place, I fuppofe the Covenant, in thefe Words 
 referred to, is that of Works, made with Man, while he was in a State 
 of Innocency ; and that this is the fame that God made with our 
 firft Parents, Gen. 2. 17. wherein he forbid them to eat of the Tree 
 of Knowledge of Good and Evil ^ on pain of Death : In which Threat- 
 jiing of Death, there was a Promife of Life, in Cafe of Obedience, 
 plainly implied. God was pleafed in this Precept or Prohibition to 
 try Allan's Obedience to him, as in a particular Inftance ; and in his 
 Tranfgreflion of this, that was verified, Jam. 2. lO- Whofoever fljall 
 hep the whole Laiv^ and yet offend in one Point ^ he is guilty of all. 
 
 Adam^ 
 
ch aI. l } Grace defended, 1 3 
 
 Adam, i. e, Man, with whom this Covenaat is faid to have been 
 made, was not Adn?n only, as that Name is fometimes ftri£lly taken 
 for the Perfon of theiirft Man, but ^ovMam, or Man, taken col- 
 leftiv^cly, /. e. the wliole Species of Mankind, Male and Female, as 
 in Gen. i. 28. Job 28. 28. Eve therefore rightly underftood her- 
 felf to be included in it. Gen. 3. 2, 3. Thus, tho' Jdatn was per- 
 fonally fpoken to, yet it really did include his Pofterity alfo ; and 
 there was the more Reafon tj-^at it (hould do (o^ becaufe the whole 
 Species of Mankind did then exift in the two Perfons, with whom at 
 Hrft it was more immediately made. The Perfons of their OfF-fpring 
 did not then, indeed, perfonally fubfift, but the whole human Na- 
 ture, and all that was efTential to it, did ; and fo all thofe that were 
 by God's Command and Benedi6lion to be propagated in the Way 
 of natural Generation, by or fr©m our firft Parents. They have 
 Nothing in them but what eflentially belong'd to thefe. They are 
 only Adam multiplied, according to God's Ordinance, above men- 
 tioned. And Adam^s Children being of the fame Nature and Make 
 as he was, would undoubtedly have done as he did, if they had been 
 put on the fame Trial. 
 
 But I do not fay, that Adam^s Off-fpring being in this Senfe in 
 him was that which conftituted him their legal Head and Reprefen- 
 tative. It was their being comprehended in theCovenant that did this ; 
 and that they were fo appears by their being made Sinners by Adani's 
 one Offence, Rom. 5. 12, — 19. If they hzd not been intended in 
 the Threatning, as well as our firft Parents themfelves, the fame 
 Death had not come on them for the fame Offence, as it plainly 
 appears it did ; tho' it was the more congruous that they fhould be 
 comprehended in the Covenant becaufe they were Adam's Pofterity, 
 and he their natural Head ; yet that they are afFe6led, as they are, 
 by his Sin and Fall, does immediately arife and flow from their being 
 comprehended in the Covenant, as they moft certainly were. 
 
 It appears from what has been now faid, Th2Lt Adam's Pofterity were 
 in him in a two-fold Refpedl. (i.) They were in him in a natural 
 S?nfe, as Branches are naturally in their Root or Stock, before they 
 grow out of it. (2.) They were in him in a relative and moral 
 Senfe, as he was their appointed Head and Reprefentative : And I 
 acknowledge, that without being in him in this latter Senfe, they 
 could not have finned in him and fallen with him in his firft Tranf- 
 grefHon". And this is the Reafon why Children now are not charge- 
 able with the Sins of their immediateParents. God has not appointed 
 their immediate Parents to be their moral Head or Reprefentative. 
 
 The 
 
14 ' Grace defended^ \ chap. l 
 
 The Covenant being thus made with Adam for his Pofterity as 
 well as himfelf, he virtually reprefented them, before they adlually 
 fubfiiled ; fo that his Carriage, before they had, in this Senfe, any 
 Being, would affe6l their Perfons as foon as they ihoiild cxift. And 
 fmcehe reprefented none, but what were in the Way of natural Ge- 
 neration to defcend from him, none could partake with him in his 
 Guilt, and the Death threatned, 'till in this Way they had a Being : 
 And coi)fequently, if it had fo fallen outjthat none had ever been bro't 
 into, the World, in the Way mentioned^ then none fhould ever have 
 fufFered any Pain or Torment, in Cafe of his eating of the forbidden 
 Tree ; becaufe fuch Suffering fuppofeth the Exiftence of the Perfons 
 fufFering : And the fame will hold with Refpedt to the Reward of 
 his Obedience, had he not fmned : His Pofterity having the Advan- 
 tage of it, did neceffarily fuppofc, that, in order to it, they muft firft 
 .exift,. .... 
 
 . .. '■■"'// ^ ^ :K^:- V ^ 
 
 Now Things (landing thus, betwixt the blefled God and Mankind, 
 before Adairi''s> Fall j and Adam having then Power to have continued 
 in that State of Integrity, wherein he was created ; and being liable 
 withal to fall from it, by eating the forbidden Fruit, io^ that, ac- 
 cording to the Nature of fecond Caufes, either of thel'e might come 
 to pafs, and one or the other of them v/ould certainly do fo : We 
 xnay briefly conlider the Effects or Confequents of.each of tliefe fup- 
 pofed Events ; but muff here confider thefe with Relation to that Co- 
 venant whichMan was then in, without anyRelation to theCovenant of 
 Grace made with Man after his Sin and Fall; and thus we fhalLfee 
 how Things muft have been, in either of thefe Cafes, had -no Media- 
 tor been provided. 
 
 And here firft let us fuppofe, that Adam had ftood and ifot eaten 
 of the forbidden Tree. When I here make this Suppofition, by 
 Adam''s continuing in h;s Obedience, I mean his having done fo during 
 that Time which God had allotted for the Trial of his Obedience to 
 that pofitive Ordinance of his ; on Adarn s Oh(QVV7\.t\Qr\ of which, his 
 own and his OfF-fpring's Happinefs did depend : But how long a 
 Time this was to have been, I cannot determine. God did not, in 
 the Covenant made with Adam^ limit any certain Tme for this, but 
 -kept his Mind to himfelf: Only we know, that in Cafe of Sin, the 
 Time was' out as foon as it fhould be committed. But how long 
 Man muft have continued in his Obedience, before he fhould, on 
 the Terms of that Covenant, have had a Title to Life, I cannot fay : 
 But I think it is very probable, that if Adam had not fallen before he 
 
 had 
 
Chap. I. ] Gvacc defended. 15 
 
 had any Iffue, God would not have permitted his falling into that Sin 
 afterwards. For, on this Suppofition, it feems, that fome of his 
 OfF-fprino; would have been born in a State of Sin and others not, 
 (fhould he have had any after his Fall) which, I think, would not 
 agree with the great End which God ainied at in this whole Affair, 
 of which we have an Account, Rom. 3. 19. and moft plainly in Rom, 
 II. 32. God hath concluded them all in Unbeliefs that he 'might have 
 Mercy on all. • ' 
 
 And to me it is not at all improbable, that if our'firft Parents 'had 
 endured that firft Shock, by which they fell into Sin, God would 
 have confirmed them in a State of Innocency, and not have fuffercd 
 another AfTault to be made on them. 1 know of no Reafon to con- 
 clude, that he would not have done thus • and that,on this Suppofition, 
 Ada?n and his OfF-fpring would have been happy for ever. 
 
 It is here fuppofed that if our firft Parents had not fmncd, they 
 would have had a Pofterity in the World. That Command and Be- 
 nediction of God given to them. Gen. i. 28. will not admit of the 
 leaft Doubt of this : And that,- on this Suppofition, Adam'% Pollerity 
 (hould none of them ever have {qqvl Death, I think unqueftlonable. 
 Nor do I imagine, that they would all have lived in this little World 
 forever ; but fuppofe it more than likely, that after they had for a 
 Time ferifd their Generation by the Will of Gcd., they would have been 
 tranflated into the heavenly WorW, as Enrch and Elijah * were, 
 and as the Saints that fhall be alive on theEarth, at the fecond Coming 
 of our Lord +, will be. 
 
 Thus far have I confidered how it would have fared with Ada7ii's 
 OfF-fpring, on Suppofition of his keeping the firfh Covenant ; I fhall 
 now confider what the Effects and Ccnfequents of his breaking that 
 •Covenant mufl have been, according to the Tenor of it"; and "if .a 
 Mediator had not interpofed to .offer a Price of Redemption for tWe 
 Offenders : Of which more afterwards. And to this I muft fay, that 
 I am fully of Opinion, that in this Cafe the TranfgrcfTors mull have 
 been immediately (lain. Judgment mufl have been fpeedily executed 
 on them, there being no Reafon or Room for delayino- it. 
 
 I am fenfible, that in this I differ from many wife and learned Men, 
 whofe Opinion is, that the Threatning denounced Gen, 2. 17. did not 
 intend that the Offenders fliould immediately fuffer a temporal or 
 proper Death j but that they fhould immediately become frail and 
 
 * Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 11. 5. 2 Kings 2. 11. + 2 Thef. 4. 17. 
 
 mortai 3 
 
1 6 Grace defended. ^^nL, \ 
 
 mortal ; and fhould in the Time appointed by God, give up the 
 Ghoft. But, premifing all due Regards to thofe from whom I differ 
 in this, I fhall fay fomething to each of thefe Hypothefes, that we may 
 the better judge which of them is moft agreeable to the Scriptures and 
 the Difcoveries we have of the Mind of God in them. 
 
 And firft, with Refped to what I hold, I have thefe Things to 
 fay. 
 
 1. That what I plead for feems much better to agree with the 
 plain Senfe of theThreatning, than that which I diflike. TheThreat- 
 ning is very exprefs and pofitive on my Side, and the Terms ufed 
 very flrong and emphatical. In the Day thou eateji thou Jhalt furely 
 die, ovyjhall die the Death. Now I have already fhewed, that a tem- 
 poral or proper Death is intended in the Words, as well as a Death 
 fpiritual and eternal. And all the Kinds of Death intended were, 
 without Exception, by the Words of the Threatning, to be inflifted 
 on the very Day in which the Crim-e was committed. Nor have we 
 any Liberty or Licence given us to leave, or recede from, the plain 
 and literal Senfe of God's Word, unlefs by fome urgent Neceffity 
 ■we are compell'd to it. This was the ordinary Senfe in which the 
 Word Death was ufed, when Mofes wrote the Hiftory of Man's 
 Creation and Fall, and no doubt long before that Time. Nor is 
 there any Reafon to doubt but that Mofes would ufe a Word to ex- 
 prefs the Thing intended in the Threatning, in the fame Senfe that 
 God did therein ufe it. 
 
 2. By AdatrC^ Carriage after he had tranfgreiTed it feems that he ex- 
 pe(Sled prefent Death. When Adam and Eve had fmned, they were 
 afraid, and hid themfelves among the Trees of the Garden, Gen. 3, 
 ver..8, and 10. They a6led like Perfons that expe6led to be flain 
 as foon as they fhould be taken ; and no doubt they did fo. And it 
 is not to be queftioned, but that they underftood the Meaning of the 
 Threatning. 
 
 3. That God did not immediately execute thefe Malefadors, is no 
 Argument at all,that theSandion of theLaw did not intend it,any more 
 than that the Law againft High Treafon does not intend that a Perfon 
 committing that Crime, fhall be put to Death for it ; becaufe the 
 King is pleafed to reprieve and pardon him. We may well diftin- 
 guifh between the Meaning of the Law and the Intention of the 
 Prince, whofe Law it is. The proper Senfe and Meaning of that 
 Law, Gen, 2. 17. might be, That our firll Parents fhould die a 
 
 proper 
 
Chap, l ] Gracs defended. 1 7 
 
 proper Death, on the very Day they finned ; and yet upon the In- 
 terpofition of a Mediator to offer SatisfacStion for their Crime, in or- 
 der to their being reconciled to God, they might be reprieved from 
 the prefent Stroke of Death, and might, inftead thereof, have Con- 
 ditions of Peace propofed to them. Thus God might be gracious, 
 and fay, Deliver them from gohig dozun into the Pit ; I have found a 
 Ranfom^ as in Job 33. 24. and this I beHeve was the Cafe. It 
 greatly favours this, that God would pafs no Sentence on our firft 
 jfarents, after they had fmned, 'till he had firft promifed a Saviour, 
 lihe Seed of the JVonian that was to break the Serpent's Head ; as ap- 
 pears Gen. 3. 15,-19. Had it not been for this, thefe Tranfgreflbrs 
 muft have had quite another Sentence pafled on them, viz. a Sentence 
 of prefent Death and eternal Damnation. 
 
 . Sdtne have obje£ted againfl what I here plead for. That, on this 
 Hypothefis, the World had at once been deprived of all its humane 
 Inhabitants, tho' it was made for the Ufe of Mankind : And I readily 
 acknowledge this to be true, and know of no Abfurdity implied in it; 
 for if it had been fo^ God could eafily have provided others to fill up 
 the Room of thofe Wretches, who, for fmning againft him, had been 
 deftroy'd. " God (faith Dr. Tiuijfe * ) could have deffroycd Jdam 
 " after his Sin, and made another Author of Generation of A'lan- 
 " kind. " But he never intended it fhould come to this. He knew 
 how to fave the OfFenders from that prefent Delfru(Slion v/hich they 
 deferv'd ; and to fufrer them, in the Way which he had before pre- 
 fcribed to them., to replenifh the Earth with Inhabitants, tho' this was 
 not the Intention of the Threatning before mentioned, in Cafe Jdam 
 had fmned before he had any IfTue ; and fo could not have been done 
 if a Way to fatisfy the Law had not been found out. 
 
 The Suppofition which I have endeavoured to defend, being allow'd 
 to be a Truth, as I think it ought to be, it will from thence follow^ 
 That if our firft Parents committed their firft and great TranfgrefHoii 
 before they had any Children, as they certainly did, then no Poflerity 
 of theirs could, according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Works, 
 fuffer any Pain or Torment, on the Account of their firft Offence, 
 in eating the forbidden Fruit. The Reafon of this is obvious, viz, 
 becaufe they could not have any. If they had none before they finned, 
 befure they could have none afterwards, being to die on that very 
 Day, — ^I fay, this follows, according to the Tenor of the Covenant of 
 
 * Riches of God's Love to Vejpls of Mercy ^ Part 26^ Pao-e 19^. 
 D Woik^, 
 
1 8 Vrace defended \ J;;^; \ 
 
 Works, and fuppofing the Threat ning annexed "fco that Covenant had 
 been executed on the Peifons of the TranfgrefTors, according to the 
 genuine Senfe and Meaning of it. For othcrwife they might have, 
 yea, actually had, a numerous liliie, and thefc all bro't into the 
 World in a State of Sin and Death, as I (hall by and by fhew ; and 
 by what Means this came to pafs, with the Advantages of allowing 
 that this was brought about in the Way liere intended. 
 
 But, before I come to this I fnall obferve, that tho' Adayn could 
 not, on this Suppofition inlifted on, have had an Off-fpring to fufFet 
 pofitive Pain and Torment on the Account of his iirft Sin ; yet he 
 might, by tra-nfgreffing the Covenant he was then under, hinder an 
 Oft-fpring, which he fliould totherwife have had, from enjoying very 
 great and good Things, which, had he not linned, they might and 
 fliould have eftjoyed. Our firfi Parents were by Nature, capable of 
 propagating their Kind, and had not only God's Allowance, but 
 Command and Benedidion to that End, Gen. i. 28. and if they had 
 continued in their Obedience to God, they would moft certainly have 
 had a large Off-fpring in tlire World, all of which would have been 
 brought into it in a very hapi^y Eftate, as I have before fhewed. 
 Now, by their Sin, they at once hindred both the Being and Happi- 
 nefs of all thcfe.^ confider'd with Relation to the Covenant of Work?. 
 And thus thefe were great Loofers by Adarti^ Fall, (if I may fpeak 
 of Not-Beings, as is ufual, in fuch Language as we fpeak of Things 
 that do exift) They were Loofers, I fay, by being hinder'd from co- 
 ming into the World, and that in fo happy a Condition, as they muft 
 and would have come into it in, if the Sin of Adam had not prevented 
 k. And tho' they could not have complained of this Wrong, if they 
 had never been ; yet fmce they are bro't into the World by Means 
 of the Mediation of the Son of God, they can fee and complain of 
 the Injury done them by tlieir firft Parents, in hindring tliem from 
 being born in a State of Innocency and Happinefs. 
 
 By what has been faid it appears, That Adam's Pofterity were, 
 according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Works, much afFecSted 
 one Way or other by his Carriage or Behaviour while he was in a 
 State of Probation. If he had not fnined, he would have had an OiF- 
 fpring who would have been exceeding happy : But by Tinning a- 
 gainlt God, he excluded them (as well as himfelf) from that Happi* 
 ncfs, which otherwife they muit and fliould have enjoy'd. He pre- 
 vented them from living a happy Life in this World, and from be- 
 b% Heirs of everlafling Glory in the World to come. Our firft 
 
 Parent 
 
Chap, i, ] Groce defended. 1 9 
 
 Parents did, by their firft and great Offence, virtually cut off all 
 their Off-fpring before they were born. As thefe virtually finned in 
 them when they finned, fo they had virtually died in th<^ni (a proper 
 Death I mean) if they had died ; tho' the Th^eatnino; of the Cove- 
 nant of Works had been executed only on the Fcrlon^s of thofe who 
 a«5tually tranfgreffed, 
 
 ^ Having now briefly confider'd my ownHypothefis,with theEffcds or 
 Confequents of it ; I fhall proceed a liittle to examine that which fbnds 
 in Oppofition to it, vl'z.. That our firft Parents were not, accordino- 
 to the Ten.or of the Covenant of Works, to be immediately put to 
 Death, in Cafe they finned j but were, according to the Nature of 
 that Covenant to be permitted to live fome Time in the World (tho' 
 a very fraU and troablefome Life) and^ to propagate a numerous Iffuc 
 offmful Cieatureslike themfelves, atid thefe all to be brousht into 
 the World in a State of Sin, being full of all Enmitv and Wicked- 
 nefs, mere incarnate Devils ; and being with thofe evil Spirits joined 
 in their Rebellion againft the King of Heaven j being alfo v/ith them 
 jn utter Defpair of any Mercy from God, bound in Chains of Darknefs 
 to the Judgment of the guat t>ay; and yet going on to propagate 
 their Kind, great Numbers ftill dyino; to make Room for more fuch 
 Wretches as themfelves, 'till the whole Number o'i Adam\ finful OfF- 
 fpring fhould be filled up, and then all of this Race, not one excep- 
 ted, our firfi Parents with all their Pofterity, at the final Judcr- 
 ment fent away into everlafting Torment with the De^'il and his 
 Angels, as in Matth, 25. 46. But obferve, that this funpofeth that 
 there had been no Redeemer provided ; and that God had dealt with 
 Man according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Works, 
 
 r ,^^Je^^t ^e here confider'd, that on this Suppofition, this dread- 
 ful Deftruaion ofall thePofterity oi Adain muft have been wholly 
 owjngtothat one Offence of his, in eating the forbidden Fruit ; 
 which yet thefe Sufferers could no Ways have poffibly prevented, or 
 have faved themfelves from the Guilt of, for thev, in their own Pcr- 
 fons, neither did nor could give their Confent to the Terms of the 
 Covenant made with their great Progenitor ; nor could they hinder 
 Ills iinmng as he did, or any of the woful Confequences of his fo do- 
 ing j fo.that the whole wouM have been, as to them, unavoidable. 
 
 I fuppofe it will not be denied, that this jiiuft have been the Cafe 
 ofall ^^«;«'sPofterity, on the Suppofition which I call in queftiou. 
 Now. tins IS to. many a very grea.t Stumbling-block, or Matter ot 
 
 D 2 Offence | 
 
20 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part L 
 Chap. L 
 
 Offence ; and tho' what is by Cahinifs offered In Defence of it de- 
 ferves ferious Confideration, yet I am inclin'd to think, that the 
 Imputation of Adam's firft Offence to his Off-fpring may be better 
 defended on the Hypothefis which I have advanced, than on that 
 .which I am not well fatisfied with : And therefore I have chofen that 
 which I endeavour to defend -, and will effay a little more fully: to 
 clear it up. 
 
 I take it for granted, That the Covenant of Works was, in the 
 Nature of it, a very gracious Covenant, a Covenant in which the 
 Goodnefs of God was very greatly difcovered ; and fo a Covenant the 
 Juftice whereof might be vindicated againfl all Objedlions that might 
 poffibly be made agalnft it, tho' God had infifted on the Terms of it, 
 without abating one Jot or Tittle of its Demands, or admitting a 
 Sponfor to make Satisfaction on Behalf of the Offenders againft it i 
 and therefore that Courfe in which this may be beft done, and the 
 Honour of God's Juftice and Goodnefs moft clearly and eafily vindi- 
 cated, I think to be the moft eligible. Care being Itill taken that this 
 be not attempted in any Way inconfiftent with any other divine 
 Truth whatfoever. Now this I hope, the Way I have taken is 
 fuited to ; and that I may further fliew that it is fo, I will rriention 
 fomc of the happy Cjnfcqucnces following on what I plead for. 
 
 But before I do this, I think it needful to fliew, what does not 
 follow from it, at leaft that one Thing does not, which perhaps fome 
 may fufpciSl does, I mean that it does not follow, on the Suppofition 
 for which I plead. That Ada7n\ firft and great Offence is not imputed 
 to his Pofterity. Could I think that fuch a Confequence would fol- 
 low on it, I fliould not eafdy admit it. 
 
 Tho' it be maintained to be a Truth, that according to the Tenor 
 of the Covenant which God made with Adam^ Gen. 2. 17. his Off- 
 fpring (if he fhould have any) were to fuffer Death, as well as himfeif 
 and his Wife, in Cafe of his fmning In eating the forbidden Fruit':; 
 yet this notwithftanding it might be a Truth, that, according to the 
 Tenor of that Covenant, our firft Parents were to be put to Death, 
 on that very Day in which they fmned, tho' that fhould fall out,, as 
 it did, while they had no Iffue. It is certain by the Event, th?it our 
 iirft Parents were liable to fm before they had any Children : And I 
 think it alfo evident, that God did not any Ways oblige hnnfelf by 
 his Word, to give them a Pofterity, in Cafe they fmned before they 
 had Iffue : Nay, on the contrary, I tliink it evident from what has 
 
 been 
 
cw. L } Grace defended. 21 
 
 been faid before, that they were to die on the very Day in which 
 they fhould eat of the forbidden Tree. Now if this be granted, it 
 will not follow from it tliat if a Way were found out to redeem thefe 
 Offenders from prefcnt Death and Damnation, fo that they might live 
 and have an Off-fpring in the World, that then the Children pro- 
 ceeding from them, after they were become guilty, and their Natures 
 depraved by Sin, fhould riot be involved in the fame Sin and Dcathj 
 whic'i they themfelvcs were involv^ed in. This, I fay, will by no 
 Means follow, on the Suppofition mentioned. If they proceed frcm 
 Adam., in the Way of ordinary Generation, they mull ftill, accor- 
 ding to the Tenor of the Covenant made with him for himfelf and 
 Off-fpring, (if any he fhould have) be brought into the World in a 
 State of Sin and Death, the Condition he was in after his P'all. 
 
 Having now fhew'd what'doesnot follow on the Hypothecs pleaded 
 for, I (hall proceed to fhew what does follow from it. 
 
 And, ;^;^'-^ 
 
 I. It plainly followeth from what I would have granted,' Thri 
 none had ever fuffered any Pain or Torment, for Man's flrft and 
 great TranfgrefHon, had the Threatning denounced in the Covenant 
 of Works, been, in it's utmoft Rigour, executed on the Breakers 
 of it, but only thofe who perfonally finn'd in eating the forbidden 
 Truit. This Confequence is moft evident j becaufe, if that Sentence 
 of Death had been executed on Adam and Eve^ according to the true 
 Senfe and A4eaning of it, on the Day wherein they fmned, there could 
 not have been any others to bear the Punifhment with them, ther(3 
 being none to fuffer befides themfelves : For thefe fmning before 
 they had any Iffue, muff needs, according to the Tenor of the Co- 
 venant they were under, have died without any Iffue as before. I 
 know God the great Law-giver, did not intend it fhould be thus ; 
 the Event fhews the contrary: But this, for ought any thing I Can 
 ye^fee, was themeaning of the Threatning .in the Covenant ; fo that 
 the Tranfgreffors of it, couIJ juftly expect no other, on their breaking 
 of it ; and I fuppofe they did not, tho' God found out a Way to fpare 
 them. It is therefore, I fuppofe, a Miftake, tho' many have fallen 
 into it, That if there had been no Mediator provided, to undertake 
 the Work of -Man's Redemption, there would have been many Mil- 
 lions of People, befides .'/(f/^rwi and Eve., who only perfonally tranf- 
 greffed the firft Covenant, who muft have fuffered the Vengeance of 
 eternal Fire, for their Sin, in eating the forbidden Fruit : They could 
 have had no Pofterity to have fuffered, if no Mediator had been pro- 
 vided. Therefore, 
 
22 Grace defended. \ ^^^^^ \ 
 
 Therefore, ,.rfi irrft .-i.:;.] IjjlI .■:«5:'i 
 
 2. It plainly followeth, on the Hypothefis inlifted on, Th^t all the- 
 Pofterity of the firll Adam are obliged to our great Mediator for their 
 very Being in the World. Had not a Mediator interpofed, and ob- 
 tained a Reprieve for our firft Parents, they muft have been pu^ tQ 
 Death on the very Day in which they finned ; and then none of their 
 OfF-fpring could ever have had a Being. They might, and doubtlefs 
 would, have Ind a numerous and happy liTue, had they not finn'd ; 
 but by finning againft God while yet they were without any, they 
 forfeited the Blefling of Pofterity, yea forfeited their own Lives, and 
 muft have died Child-lefs, if the Son of God had not undertaken to 
 be a Redeemer, born of a Woman, and made a Sacrifice for them ; 
 and then we, who are now their Off-fprting, Ihoiild never have fee^ 
 the Light, but fhould have been, as it were, cut off before we had 
 anv perfonal Subfiftence, tho'- virtually we did cxift in thefe Per- 
 fons, in whom the whole humane Nature was then comprifed : So 
 that if they had been immediately cut off, we had virtually been cut 
 off in them, as virtually we llnncd in them, while perfonally we did 
 not exift. It is therefore manifeft, on the Suppofition infifted on, 
 that we are all beholden to Jefus Cbrift, as Mediator betwixt Go4 
 and Man, for our very Being and Subfiftence on the Earth. Had it 
 not been for hisUndcrtaking to be a Saviour, w? fhould never have been, 
 
 3. It further followeth, on the Hypothefis here infifted on. That 
 our firft Parents, and all their Pofterity, did, by Means of the Inter- 
 pofition of a Mediator to redeem and fiive them, immediately become 
 Subjects of his mediatorial Kingdom. Mankind had, 'till then, been 
 held faft under a Covenant of Works, to be dealt with according to 
 the Tenor of that Covenant ; but now the Son of God, (having been 
 appointed a Mediator from Eternity) was promifed to be a Saviour, 
 in Gen. 3. 15. and fo the Decree was declar'd, as in FfaL 2. 7, 
 and his Undertaking this glorious Work reveal'd ; and began to have 
 its properEfficacy, he being the Lamb wir:t\i2\\y Jlaln from the Fcundqjion 
 of the IVorld. Not that Mankind were hereby immediately difcharg'd 
 from theGuilt of Sin, and entitled to eternal Life ; for they remained 
 ftill fubjecl to thePenalty threatned in the brokenCovenant of Works^ 
 ^tiU fomething might be farther done for them, purfuant to the menti- 
 oned Undertaking of the Redeemer. But what I intend, is, that they 
 immediately became rightful SubjecSls of that Kingdom which the 
 Son of God had, as Mediator, comrnitted to him.^ and which he was 
 afterwajds to deliver up to his Father, as in 16V. 15. 24. It was by 
 paying the Pric^ of Man's Redemption, that our Lord obtained fuch 
 
 ... a 
 
Chap, l ] "Croc^ defended. 23 
 
 a Right to rule and govern all thofe, by his Laws and Ordinances, 
 who are the Objeas of his Purchafe : And all the Laws given to 
 Mankind fince the Fall, are properly the Laws of the Mediator, by 
 him given to them, the Price of whofe Redemption he undertook to 
 pay, and in due Time did fo, according to his Covenant with his Fa- 
 ther : And according to thefe Laws of his, he adually governs tlie 
 World, blefling and rewarding the Obedient, and punifhing the Dif- 
 obedient, as is in the holy Scriptures abundantly declaredr As for 
 the Covenant of Works, that berno- once broken, Mankind flood in 
 no other Relation to it than this, that they mufl underco the Punlfli- 
 ^ent threatned in it, unkfs in fome Way confiftent with the Tenor 
 of it, they might obtain a Difcharge therefrom. God never after 
 the Fall of Adajn^ propos'd the Covenant of Works to fmful Men 
 ^s a Way in whkh> they n^ight obtain "eternal Life ; tho' he has fome- 
 'trmts given thein a ^R-eiprefentatron or the Nature and Tenor t>f that 
 Covenant, that he might convince them how impoffible it Is to ob- 
 tam Happmefs by Obedience to It, as In Gal 3. 10,-12. Yet 
 iincere Obedience to the morai Latv is required in the new Covenant 
 ■and IS, accordmg to the Nature anfi. Tenor of it, necefTary to Man^s 
 Happiness : Rev, 0.2, 14. ; : : ■ ' 
 
 i^. It t^lbWeth, oh 'the Hypothcfi. for which I plead, Tliat all 
 .m?ns Off-fprmg are bro^t into the World in a falvable Condition. 
 In fuch a Condition, Lmean, as that, in a Way confiftent with di- 
 vine Mice, and the Tenor of the firfi Covenant, they may be cter- 
 mally fai-^d. Nor do I mtend this in fach a Senfe onlv, as wherein 
 the fame may be verified concerning firtful Mankind, before (if I may 
 ^fpeak) a Ranfom wasTourtd f6r t^lem. becaufe it was in the 
 
 ^?u .? ^""i ^^""^ f"^^ ^"^ P'^''^^^ ^ ^^^y ^^->^ ^^eir Salvation ; 
 which, ifhe could not have done, no Sinner could ever have been 
 faved. 
 
 But I here intei>d to fpeak of a nearer Capacitv of 'Salvation, on %o 
 Account of a Price already paid or promifdd to be paid, for their Re- 
 demption For by the fameMeans that our greatxMediator procured 2 
 Reprieve for fallenMankmd,that they might not, on their finning againft 
 God, beimmedmtelydeftroyM, he alfo made V/av for their eternal 
 Salvation ^ .. by paying a full Price for their Red'emption, a Price 
 every Way fufficient to anfwer the Demands of the Law/Vnd to 
 Satisfy God for the Injury done to him : And whereas' the Price ^ m.^ 
 -BOt immediately paid down when Man firft finned ^r.d broke Cove- 
 nant With God ; the Security g'vsn for the Pavmeiit o^ thl." Price, 
 
 \vas 
 
Grace defended. { 
 
 Part 1. 
 Chap. I, 
 
 was fuchas the^blelTed God vJ^as as well fatisfied with, as if the fame 
 had been immediately and actually paid. There was no Occafion to 
 leek any farther for a Raufom or Atonement for the Sin of Man- 
 'kind. Any Man might now be faved, without any other or further 
 Price of Redemption 5 and there was now a Foundation laid for a 
 Treaty of Peace betwixt God and finful Men s and fuch Terms.might 
 now be propqs'd to them, as they complying with, might be juftifiod 
 arid faved, without doing any Injury to. God's Juflicc, as the Apoft]e 
 fully declaretH in Rom. 3. 25, 26. Thus much Dr. TzuiJJeyy z.n^ 
 many of our Englifh Divines of great Note, and not fufpeded as in- 
 dined X.6 Armimanifjii^ have granted and maintained, as I can fhew 
 if Occafion call for it. And lefs than this cannot reafonably be allow'd 
 to be intended in fuch Texts of Scripture, wherein the Extent^fOf 
 •Chrift's Death, with P,ektion to the >ObJe£t of it, is afferted ;'/as in 
 
 -^a^/.^.5: i^^i^. yy.^^j ^rj^dj o-:r;/;,oo jiblrn orfjfiriJ ,in:iiov 
 
 5. It followeth from the Premifes, That all ^^/^w's Pofterity are 
 'brought into the "World in a .far, better Eftate, than that of Not- 
 Being. Tho' I agree not with them who think that a State of en/d- 
 lefs Torment is better than that of having no Being at all ; yet I prefer 
 ,a State.ofSalyability from.a State of Sin and Death, which fuch as 
 'may be faved are at prefent fuppofed to be under, to that of Not- 
 Being. Suppofing I am not yet palTed from Death to Life, and that 
 I am not certain that I ever fhall \ yet fmce there is a Way foun^ 
 out, in v/hich I may be faved, /. <?, not only delivered from Sin 
 and Death, but alfo obtain an exceeding and eternalWeight of Glory^, 
 I fhould be loth to change my ^ prefent State for that of having no 
 Being at all. And Perfons capable of propagating their Kind, or of 
 'being Inftruments of bringing Children into the World, may very 
 reafonably defirc to multiply thtir Kind, tho' they are perfuaded that 
 all that proceed from them, in the Way of ordinary Generation, will 
 come into the World in a 3tate of Guilt and Corruption ; nor do I 
 •^f<^'^ tliat God does any Wrqng, in bringing -y/^^w's Pofterity into the 
 World, tho' they do^ind.rnuft come into it (if at all) in a State of 
 Guilt and Pollution, as has been exprefled, fmce it is better for them 
 to be, tho* in fuch a Condition, than to have no Being : Which will 
 yet more fully appear by the Sequel of this Effay. We may there- 
 fore,without any Inconvenience,allov/ untOy//-;w/«/^«i that which feme 
 *^6f them affirm, vi-z.. That it will not ftand with the Juftice of God, 
 ''|6" briiia IVIarikiocJ iatp.tlie ^Vorld in a worfe State than that of Not- 
 
Part 
 
 Chap 
 
 . J; J Grace defended. 25 
 
 Being. I know of no Advantage that any of the Enemies of the 
 Grace of God can make of fuch a ConcefTion as this is* 
 
 But it may be here objected, That to be a dinner fcc7ns to he a worfe 
 Efate than that of having no Behig. We had better have no Being at 
 ally than to he in a State of Sin and Enmity againjf Gcdy fuch as all 
 Mankind are by Nature in^ or as they come into the hVorld^ if the Dccfrine 
 of original Sin he a true DoHrinc. 
 
 I anfwer, That thus to fay is to beg the great Thing in queflion. 
 It feems that a wife and holy God has thought otherwife. If he, in 
 his infinite Wifdom, had not feen it better that all Mankind fliould, by 
 his Permiffion, fall into a State of Sin and Death than not, why has he 
 permitted them to fall into that Eftate ? And if it had not been better 
 for us to exijly tho' in a State of Sin and Mifcry, rather than 7iot to 
 come into Being at all, why did he give to fallen Adam a Pojlerity P 
 when he might very confidently with the Covenant and with Jurfice 
 have inftantly cut him off before he had any IfTue ; and when, if 
 Jdam had an Off-fpring, they muft needs be involved with him in Siri 
 and Mifery. 
 
 But when I fay, that fuch an Eftate is to be preferred to that ot 
 Not-Being, I fpeak of what is belt for Mankind, the Subje6ls here 
 difcoursM of. Nor do I here confider a State of Sin abflractly, 
 without taking into the Confideration of Man's Eftate, the Means 
 and Advantages afi^orded unto Sinners, in cider to their getting out 
 of it, and getting into a Condition infinitely to be defired. 
 
 If it be here further obje<5led, That it feems yiot conftfteni with the 
 Jufice and Holinefs of God^ to pimijh A^^nx's Pojhrity with Sin, for 
 that Sin which he committed ; 
 
 I anfwer. That if Adam's Sin be juftly imputed to his Pofterity, fo 
 that they juftly bear the Punifhment of it, which I now take for 
 granted, I fee no Reafon v/hy tbey may not be punifhed in this Way, 
 as confidently with the Juftice and Holincfs of God, as if the Sin, 
 for which they are fuppofed to be fo punifhed, were committed by 
 them in their own Perlons ; as in the Cafe of Adam and Eve them- 
 fclves, and many others that might be named. 
 
 If it fhould be here faid. That the Sin of a public k Perfon, cr moral 
 Head and Reprefentative, cannot be fo imputed to the Per fins reprefented 
 hy him y as to become their'' s^ in the fame Jlri6i Senfe as it would be^ if 
 they in Perfin had committed it , . 
 
 E I 
 
2,6 Grace defended. \ J^^,. \ 
 
 I grant this to be true ; and as we muft not fay, That our Sins 
 imputed to Chrift, were his, by Means of that Imputation, in the 
 fame Senfe in which they were our's, who committed them : So nei- 
 ther is Jda?n's Sin imputed to us,by that Imputation made our's, in the 
 
 fame Senfe in which it was his. -Yet that Sin and Fault of his was 
 
 fo our's, that we jufily bear the Punifhment of it, being for it hable 
 to the fame Death as he himfelf was. 
 
 If it fliould here be further faid. That Perfom who have never aHw 
 oily filmed a gainji God, (if any fuch adult Perfom there might be) could 7iot 
 have the fame Confcioufnefs of Sin, as thofe, who in their own Perfons, 
 
 have a^ually finned \ fo niether of that Guilt andCorruption which they 
 
 are fallen under, without any perfonal Fault of their oivn ; 
 
 To this I anfwer, That tlx)' this be allowed to be a Truth, fmcC 
 the Evils we bear, by means of the Sins or Faults of others who re- 
 prefentus, may befall us without our perfonal Confent given, in any 
 Way whatfoever, to the Crimes committed by them, which feemeth 
 to hold alfo in the Cafe under Confideration ; yet it may be here truly 
 fiiid,(i) ThatthisMifcry unto which we are fubje6t byMeans ofy/itf;72's 
 Sin, has juftly befallen us, on the Account of our own Sin, tho' our's 
 only by Imputation, according to a juft and holy Covenant, which 
 God made with our moral Head and Reprcfentatlve. (2) Tho' 
 Sin, by which the mifcrable State we are in has been bro't on us, 
 was not committed by our own Perfons ; yet was it committed by 
 Perfons fubfifting in our Nature, and (o is, in fome Sort, the Sia of 
 all Mankind, in the Way of ordinary Generation proceeding from 
 Adam, their natural, a^ well as moral and political Head. And 
 therefore, (3) We have no Reafon to think or imagine, that had we, 
 in our own Perfons, been put on the fame Trial as our commonHead, 
 in our Room and Stead, was, we fliould have done any better for our 
 fclves than he has done for us. (4) Tho' we cannot lament and 
 bewail that as a Crime which we have committed in our ov/n Per- 
 fons, v.'hich we have not fo committed ; yet we may lament the Sin 
 committed in our Nature, by our moral Head and Reprefentative. 
 (5) We may alfo lament and bewail the fad Eftate we are in, tho' 
 by our own perfonal Fault we have not brought our felves into it. 
 Tho' we brought not our felves into tliis Condition by any perfonal 
 Offence of ours ; yet it is a very miferable Condition which we are 
 juftly plunged into ; and as fuch, may be juftly bewailed by us ; and 
 on the Account of which, we have Reafon to loath our felves. See 
 Pfal. 51.5. and Ezek, 16. 2, 3, 4. . , 
 
 It 
 
Part I 
 
 Chap, li ] Gracc defended. 27 
 
 It appears by what has been already faid, that the Pofterlty of y/^rw^ 
 come into the World under the Guilt of his firft Tranfgrcrfion ; and 
 with Natures depraved, by Reafon of original Corruption convcy'd 
 to them in the Way of ordinary Generation ; and yet that their Con- 
 dition is not worfe than that of Not-Being, they being broueht into 
 the World by the Interpofition of a Mediator, and fo in a^alvable 
 State ; {q that they have no Wrong done them, by their being bro't 
 into the World in fuch a Condition as they are. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 n. 
 
 Concerning that Salvation which Siiiiiers ara 
 fuppofed to have offered to the^n in the 
 Go/pel. 
 
 vtJ'C&\|H& -tS® AviNG in the foregoing Chapter confidcrM the Slate 
 '^'M^^M^'^M^% of Sin and Mifery, which Sinners arc in, to whom 
 *^qS^ H M^% ^^^ ^^^^ of Salvation is fuppofed to be made in the 
 "^j£j,^'f5r-^,-£j,x Gofpel ; we (hall now tlie more eafdy conceive 
 xf'-^tvMls^ ^^^^'^'" ^''^^ Salvation docs confift, which thefe are 
 *-^'*l^vVW'*V^ fuppoied to have an Ofter of; to declare which is 
 the Bufmefs of this Chapter. 
 And to this I fay in general, That this Salvation does confift in 
 Man's Deliverance from that Eftate of Sin and Death, which I have 
 already defcribed, together with his Enjoyment of thofe good Things, 
 of which they only are made Partakers, who are delivered from the 
 forementioned Evils ; and who are made happy in the Enjoyment of 
 God for ever. Man's Salvation does, indeed, moft properly confift 
 in his Deliverance from all thofe Evils, which his Sin and Apofbcy 
 from God has brought upon him ; but it does alfo, by a Synecdoche ^ 
 contain and comprife in it all thofe good Things which they, and only 
 they, have beftowed on them, who fliall be crown'd with endieis 
 Happinefs in the Kingdom of Glory. It is call'd eternal Salvation^ 
 Heb. 5. 9. and Salvation with eternal Glory ^ 2 Tim. 2. lo. and very 
 frequently ^/^w/ i-//>, as in John 3. 15, 16. 
 
 E 2 This 
 
28 Grace defended. { 
 
 Part L 
 Chap. II. 
 
 This Salvation comprifcth or includeth in it Teveral Things, fome 
 of the principal of which may be here briefly namM and confidered. 
 As, 
 
 I, This Salvation comprifeth in it, Man's Deliverance from the 
 Guilt of all his Sins, and his being made righteous by the perfedl 
 Righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed to him. Indeed this feems not, in 
 fo f!:r:61: and proper a Senfe, to belong to Man's Salvation, as the 
 other Things hereafter named. Stridly and properly fpeaking, a 
 Man is rather by this entitled to Salvation, than actually faved. As 
 Sin was not the Death threatned in the firft Covenant, but the me- 
 ritorious or procuring Caufe of it, Man thereby lofmg or falling fhort 
 of that perfe6t Righteoufnefs, on which his Title to Life did depend ; 
 fo when a Man is made perfeftly righteous, by having the Righteouf- 
 nefs of Chrift imputed to him, this is not properly the Life it felf 
 promifed to thofe that believe, but that by which they have a Right 
 and Title to that Life \ for of that none are ever made Partakers, 
 without firft having a perfe(5l Righteoufnefs, by which they come to 
 have a Right and Title to it. Hence it was that Paul v/as fo felici- 
 tous that he might be found in Chrift, having on his Righteoufnefs, 
 Vh'il. 3. 8, 9. even the fame Righteoufnefs that is fiid to be z^';//^ ^^w/ 
 upon them that believe, Rom. 3. 22. and which is faid to be imputed 
 ivithout iVorksy Rom. 4. 6. It may moreover be here obferved, that 
 the Imputation of Righteoufnefs to us does not make nny real Change 
 \n our Condition, bat a relative Change only. As when a condemn'd 
 Malefactor is pardon'd, fo that the Law has nothing to lay to his 
 Charge, this does not of it felf fet him free from his Prifon and Chains, 
 but only makes Way for it. He remains ftiU in Hold, and bears the 
 Burthen of his aftlicSled State, it may be, in a filthy Dungeon, 'till 
 fomething farther be done for him, i. e. 'till he have a Goal-Delivery. 
 
 This notwithftanding, the Guilt of Sin being the Ground of all 
 the Mifery that follows on it, it may, on that Account, be looked 
 on as a great Part of their Mifery that lie under it, being that by 
 which they are bound over to eternal Deftrudtion, and excluded from 
 eternal Happinefs. Now on this Account, Men's Deliverance from 
 the Guilt of Sin may be reckoned as belonging to that Salvation, 
 which is in the Gofpel oftered to them ; and therefore the Scriptures 
 both of the old and new Teftament, do abound with conditional Pro- 
 mifes of Remiftion of Sin, in which a Promife of eternal Life and 
 Salvation is always implied ; becaufe eternal Life always follows For- 
 givenefs and Juftification in God's Sight. See JSfs 10. 43. Pfal. 
 32. I, 2, Ro?n, 4. 6, 7, 8. Chrift's faving his People from their Sirvs, 
 doubtlefi comprehendeth his delivering them from the Guilt of them. 
 
 2. The 
 
cha^. il } Grace defended. 29 
 
 1. The Salvation offered in the Gofpel compiifeth alfo in it, 
 Men's Deliverance from the Power and Dominion ot" Sin in them. 
 And in Nothing that can be thought of, does the Salvation of Sinners 
 more properly and eminently conlift, than in this. All Men are, by 
 Nature, Servants of Sin, wholly under the Dominion of it. Every 
 Imaginat'iGn of the Thoughts of then- Hearts bjing only evil continually y 
 Gen. 6. 5. Their Hearts are evil from their Youth. What Ser- 
 vants and Slaves of Sin, A4en in their natural Eftate, are, the Scrip- 
 tures largely exprefs, PfaL 14. 1,-4. PfaL 36. 1,-4. Ro?7i. 3. 
 9,— 18. and elfewhere, as we have fcen, in Part, in the foregoing 
 Chapter ; as alfo how this comes to pafs. 
 
 . But, now Men's Deliverance from this Servitude and Slavery mufl 
 needs be one great Part of that Salvation, which Jefus Chrlft came 
 to work for them, when he came into the World to fave his People 
 from their Sins, as in Alatih. i. 21, Of Men's Deliverance out of 
 this Eftate the Apoftle treats largely, Ro?n. Chap. 6. efpecially from 
 Vcrfe 16 to the 22d, of which Difcoiirfe we have the Sum and Con- 
 clufion in the laft Verfe referred to, viz. bciug n:zv mode free froin Sin^ 
 and become Servants to God, ye have your Fruit unto Holinefs, and in the 
 .End everlajiing Life, With which Words does well agree what wc 
 have in Eph. 2. 1,2. Touhathhs quickncd, ivho ivere dead in Tref- 
 paffes and Sins. Now, it is in the great Work of Regeneration that 
 Men are thus faved from the Power and Dominion of Sin : Nothing 
 fhort of this will effectually accomplifli it. For this that Text is 
 plain and full. Tit. 3. 5. Not by IVcrks cf Right eoufnefs ivhich we have 
 doJie, but according to his Mercy hath he faved us, by the IFajhing of Re- 
 generation, and the Renewing of the Holy Ghojh When Pcrfons are 
 faid to be faved by the Wajhing of Regeneration, this means, that their 
 Salvation does formally confift in this : Not that this is the Condition 
 required ; for that it is not, but one great Part of that Salvation 
 which is conditionally offered tons, I Ihall hereafter fhew. Indeed 
 our Salvation does not more, or more properly, confift in anyThIng, 
 ' than in Regeneration ; call'd in Scripture, our being created anew in 
 Chrijl Jcfus unto good JVorks, Eph. 2. 10. and curb-ing delivered from 
 ih^ Power of Darknefs, and tranfated into the Kingdom of God's dear 
 Son, Col. I. 13. alfo our being, hy iZhn^, redec?ncdfro?n all hiquity^ 
 and purified unto himfelf a peculiar People, zealous cfGood TVorks, T\t. 
 2. 14. This is indeed the Qiiickning offuchas are dead, dead in 
 Sin and in the Uncircmncifion of their Flcjh j as in thcfe Texts of Scrip- 
 ture docs appear, E%ck, 37. 14. Eph, 2. I. CrA. 2, 13. Thus all 
 true Saints t^xq faved and called luith a holy Calling, kc. i Tim. i. 9. 
 And herein God manifclts the exceeding Grtatncli> of his Povi^er to- 
 wards 
 
30 Grace defended: \ chap.il 
 
 wards them that believe, according to the fVorklng of his mighty P/rwer 
 which wrought in Chrijl when he rat fed him from the dead. When 
 this is done for Sinners, they are therein faved. 
 
 3. The Salvation under Confideration comprifeth in it, Men's 
 Deliverance from the Power, Rule and Government of their fpiritual 
 Enemies. When Mankind iirft finned againft God, they caft off 
 their Allegiance to their rightful Sovereign, and fubjedl:ed themfelves 
 to the Government of the Devil, and became his Slaves and VaiTals, 
 who defigning their utter and eternal Ruin, by his Enticements, pre- 
 vails againft them, Geyi, Chap. 3. and took them capt?oe at his 
 Will, and frill rules over all fuch as are not delivered out of his Snare. 
 Now this Prince of Devils does, by his Legions of evil Angels, that 
 attend on him, as the Prince of the Power of the Air, ftill work in the 
 Children of Dif obedience, tempting and over-coming all fuch as belong 
 to the Kingdotn of Darknefs 5 and finally deftroys all fuch as are net 
 delivered out of his Hands. 
 
 Now in Men's Deliverance out of the Hands of this Enemy, (or 
 
 rather, all thefe Enemies) does their Salvation very much confift. 
 
 And this their Deliverance was moft exprefly foretold, yea ingaged, 
 
 in that Promife given immediately after Man's Eall, Gen. 3. 15. 
 
 That the Seed of the IP man Jhould break the Serpent's Head : By his 
 
 doing of which, the Seed of the Meffiah were to be fet at Liber t^, 
 
 when that glorious Promife fhould be fulfilled, m Ifai. 53. 10, 11, 
 
 12. and Ifai. 49, 24, 25. which Prophecies were accomplifhed by 
 
 Jefus Chrift, hi the Days of his Flefh ; and the Praife of God was, 
 
 on that Account, celebrated at his Appearance in our Nature, by 
 
 Zecharias, in his Song, Lu.ke Ch^ip. i. Vcrfe 67,— 74. who being 
 
 filled with the Holy Glioft, prophefied and faid, Blefjcd he the Lord 
 
 God of Ifrael,/^r he hath vifited and redeemed his People, and hath raifcd 
 
 up an Horn of Salvaticn for us, in the Houfe of his Servant David ; as 
 
 he f pake by the Mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been fince the World 
 
 began ; that we Jhould be favcd from our Enemies, and from the Hand of 
 
 all that hate us. To perform the Mercy promifed to our Fathers, and to 
 
 remember his holy Covenant : The Oath xuhich he fiuare to our Father 
 
 Abraham, that he ivi II grant us, that zve being delivered cut of the Hands 
 
 ^f all our Enemies, might ferve him zvithout Fear, &c. The Price of 
 
 this Redemption was paid by our Redeemer, when he pour'd out his 
 
 Soul unto Death, and was number'd with the TranfgreflTors, ^'c. as 
 
 the Prophet Ifaiah fycdks, in Ifai. Chap. 53. before quoted. And 
 
 Sinners arc actually freed from the Dominion of the Enemies of their 
 
 Souls, 
 
Chap, il } Grace defended. 3 1 
 
 Souls, when being made Partakers of the Graces of God's Spirit, 
 they are made ftrong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might ; 
 enabled to wreftle with, and overcome, the Rulers of the Dark- 
 nefs of this World, as is expreiicd at large in Efh, 6. 10. and 
 onwards to Vcrfe 18. 
 
 4. The Salvation offered to Sinners in the Gofpel, docs alfo com- 
 prife in it, their Pcrfeverance in true Faith ajid Holinefs unto the 
 End of their Lives. Pcrfeverance in true Faith and Holinefs, is not 
 the Condition on which eternal Salvation is offered ; as if our Salva- 
 tion was fufpended on our Pcrfeverance : But on the contrary, it is 
 contained and engaged in the Promife of Salvation made to every true 
 Believer. Every true Believer, or regenerate Saint, has already eternal 
 Life ^and /ha II not co?ne into Condemnation^ but is paffed fromDeath to Life^ 
 ]o\\,^.'i\.Rom.%.\. Such an one has already performed theCondition, 
 on which Salvation is promifed to him : Therefore hisPerfevcrance un- 
 to the End belongs to his Salvation, and is fecured to him in the Pro- 
 mife.— And how fhould the fame Thing belong both to the Salvation 
 promifed, and the Condition of the Promife ? -— I hope in this, 1 
 Ihall meet with noOppofition from Calvinifts : And wkh Arminiam my 
 dire£t Delign is not to difputc. And I affirm. That there is no Text 
 of Scripture, wherein eternal Salvation is conditionally promifed, but 
 what promifcth Pcrfeverance to the End, without which Men neither 
 are, nor can be, eternally faved. But befides this, there be many other 
 more exprefs Promifes made to the Faithful, (at leaft plainly implied 
 in the I'exts intended) of Peifeverance to the End. Among many 
 fuch they who pleafc may fee Jer. 31. -^8, 39, 40. //^/. 40. 28, — 
 31. alfo Chap. 41. 10, 13, 14. and Chap. 49. 14,' 15, 16. alfo 
 Chap. 54. 6,--io. Pfal. 125. i, 2. 
 
 5. The Salvation of fmful Men does, in Part, confiff in their com- 
 pleat Deliverance from Sin and all Temptations to Sin, in the Mo- 
 ment of their Death. Notw^ithftanding Men's Deliverance from the 
 reigning Power of Sin and Satan, in their Regeneration and Prefetva- 
 tion from the deftru(ftivc Influences of thefe Enemies, in their Pcrfe- 
 verance, tliey are not wholly freed from indvv-eiling Sin, and Tempta- 
 tions to Sin during this L\u\ \Vh\\c they are here in a militant Stat^, 
 Sin and Satan are fuffcrcd to moled and annoy them, and fometimes, 
 in particular Confli^s, to prevail againft them, and put them to the 
 worfe. The Condition of God'F Children, with Refpc^ hereunto, 
 is fully and clearly exprefs'd by the Apoftle, in Rc;^. Chnp. 7. Vcr. 
 -1-4. -and onwards to the End, and GaJ. 5. i;. But at the Moment 
 
 of 
 
3i Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part I. 
 
 Chap. II. 
 
 of the Death of the true Children of God, they are perfeftly freed 
 from any further Moleftations fronij or by thefe Enemies, being made 
 then perfeiSlly holy and removed out of their Reach. They are then 
 taker, from the Evil that is here, and enter into Peace, dying in the 
 Lord, and rejiing in their Beds, each One walking in his Uprightnefs, Ifai. 
 57. I, 2. They rej} from their Labours, and their Works folhiu them^ 
 Rev. 14. 13. their Spirits then being made perfedl, in Refpe6l of 
 their ]:ree<lom froin Sin. They are prepared for, and convey'd to, 
 the Society and Communion of the Saints in Light, Heh. 12. 22, 23. 
 
 6. The Salvation offered in the Gofpel comprehendeth in it, Man's 
 Deliverance from his laft Enemy, which is Death, i Cor. 15. 26. 
 Death is certainly an Enemy to Mankind. Humane Nature ihrinks 
 at it : It is called the King of Terrors, Job 18. 14. It is the Wages 
 of Sin, Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 3. 19. tho' our Saviour hath taken away 
 the Sting of Death, which is Sin, i Cor. 15. 55, 56. 
 
 But at the RefurrecSlion of the Juft, this Enemy fhall be removed, 
 when the dead Bodies of God's Saints fhall be raifed, and this Cor- 
 ruption JJmll put on Incorrupiion, ay^d this Mortal f})all put on hnmortality^ 
 as in I Cor. 15. 54, 55. and when our vile Bodies Jhall he changed, 
 and faJJjioried like to the glorious Body of Chrijl, Phil. 3. 2i. 
 
 7. Man's Salvation, now under Confideration, does comprehend 
 and include in it, his being put in Pofleilion of that Glory and Happi- 
 nefs which the Saints fhall enjoy in the heavenly World for ever, when 
 the great Judge of the World fhall fay to the Sheep on his rightHand, 
 as In Matth. 25. 34. Come ye hleffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom 
 prepared for you from the Foundation of the World . . 
 
 It is to be feared that fome, when they talk of Salvation, intend 
 only this Part of it lafl mentioned, without duly confidering the other 
 foregoing, and with Refpe6l to this, pre-requifite Parts of Man's 
 Salvation, efpecially Man's Salvation from Sin. But what God has 
 joined together, we fhould not feparate in our Minds. The feven 
 Things mentioned all belong to that Salvation which is offered in the 
 Gofpel. God gives none of them to any one to whom he gives them 
 not all. 
 
 ##€^€'#'t^€^€'€'C^€*€*^€*€*€<>€<^€^#€<^^^#€>#€^€^€^# 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Part I. i 
 Chap. III. J 
 
 Grace defended. 33 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Shewing what is imported iii Salvation s 
 
 ing offered. 
 
 be- 
 
 Hi 
 
 ^'^"^t^^ AviNG confidered what is intended by that Salvation 
 which, I fay, is offered to Sinners in the Gofpel ; it 
 is neceflary that I now proceed to confider what is 
 intended by an Offer of it. 
 
 Now to this 1 fay, in general, That by Salvation's 
 being offered unto Sinners, I intend its being condi- 
 tionally promiled to tliem. I take an Offer of a 
 Thing, to be the fame, in EffecSt, as a conditional Promife of it made 
 to the Perfon unto whom it is faid to be offered. 
 
 In an Offer ^ or conditional Prcmife^ made to any Perfon, there is 
 fomething propos'd to be done by him unto whom the Offer is made ; 
 and fome Advantage, either explicitly or implicity, promifed to him 
 on his doing what is propofed. I fay, propofed^ bccaufe the Thing may 
 not be required oih'im as his Duty, but propos'd only as the Term or 
 Condition, on which he may have the Advantage offered to him. 
 
 But, in the Offer of Salvation made to Sinners in the Gofpel, the 
 Thing propos'd to be done by fmful Men is propofed as a Duty^ which 
 they are under indifpenfible Obligations to perform ; becaufe the 
 Thing is required by God of them ; and therefore neceffary, becaufe 
 they cannot be faved without it. 
 
 That which is required of fmful Men, in order to their Salvation, 
 may, for ought I can yet fee, be very fitly called the Cofidition on 
 which Salvation is offered to them. I readily acknowledge, that there 
 are feveral Sorts of Conditions^ differing very confiderably one from 
 another ; of which DifFereixrcs I fhall have Occafion hereafter to fay 
 fomething : For it is very neceffary that we rightly underftand what 
 Kind of Condition that is, on which Salvation is fiid to be offered ; 
 but doubtlefs we may allow, that the Thing required may be called a 
 Condition, and fo I intend to call it in this Difcourfe ; and I hope it 
 will, in the Iffue, appear, that no hurtful Confequences will attend 
 its being fo accounted and called. 
 
 F In 
 
34 Grace defended. | [^fp.„;; 
 
 In this which I call the Condition on which Salvation is offered, I 
 .roniprelicnd and include every Thing that is required of Man, as 
 iadifpenfibly necefTary in order to his Salvation, fo that God will not 
 fave him without his doing it ; and unto his doing of which a Pro- 
 mife of Salvation is annex'd. To be furc, if there be anyThing which 
 if aMan will not doGod will not fave him, that Thing muft be under- 
 ^flobd a'S comprifcd in tl>cConditionof Man'sSaJvation ; a-nd unto whom- 
 foevcr a Promifc of Salvation is made in God's holy Word, the Thing 
 being to be done in order to our Salvation, that Thing is comprifed in 
 the Condition required. — - It matters not whether all fo required be 
 ccvnfidercd as one Condition, or as many, their Conditionality in this 
 Affair being (lill affirmed : But if we fpeak of this as one Condition ; 
 as I ufually do, then what is more particularly comprifed therein, 
 ought to be diftinclly confidered and declared, by what Name foever 
 fuch Things are called, as Faith ^ Repentance ^ Obedience^ fi^^i^g the 
 Lord^ calling on him^ coming to Clnijl^ Sec. And it doubtlefs com- 
 prehends all thefe Things in it, as 1 ftiall hereafter Ihew, removing 
 iuth Obje(R:ions as are apt to be made againft it. 
 
 And whereas all Mankind may be divided into two Sorts, or 
 People of two different Conditions, viz, fuch as are in a regene- 
 rate and juftified Elbte, and fuch as are not, but in a State of Na- 
 ture, under the Wrath and Curfe of God ; and fo liable to eternal 
 Damnation : it will certainly be neceffary to confider which of thefe 
 two Eftates Sinners muft be fuppofed to be in, when they perform 
 the Condition, en which God offers to faVe them : And this feems to 
 me to be an eafy Queflion, but fince many have, in this, a different 
 Way of Thinking from me, this is to be particularly difcuffed in the 
 fccond Part of this Effay, altlio' it feems well nigh put out of Quef- 
 tion, in the fccond Chapter of this. 
 
 That what is required of firtful Men in order to their Juftification 
 and Salvation, is well called by the Name of Faith, 1 very freely 
 acknowledge ; and that it is very frequently fo called in Scripture is 
 to me evident : But that it is alfo called by many other Names I fhali 
 fhew, with the Reafon of this Variety — . But whereas fome miflike 
 • the calling of that Faithy bv which we are in Scripture faid to be ju- 
 ftified, by the Name of a Condition ; this may be here a little confi- 
 dered. Some obje(5l againft this Word on the Account of the Ambi- 
 guity of it, there being Conditions of different Sorts or Kinds, fome of 
 which will not, as they think, agree to the Nature and Ufe of that 
 Faith by v»'hich we are faid to be juftiiied. But this perhaps may as 
 
 well 
 
chap.iiI: } Grace defended. 3$ 
 
 well be abjedleJ agalnft the Word Injlrjiment^ ufed by fome Inftead 
 of it. And fome think that this Word afcribes more to Faith, in the 
 AfFair of our Juftificatio.n, than docs indeed belong to it ; or at leaft, 
 that it does not well exprefs the true Ufe and Influence of Faith, in 
 the Juftification of a Sinner before God. Some therefore exprefs the 
 Influence of Faith in this Aftair by the Word Jnjlrument^ and fome- 
 times call it an injirumsutal Caiije. But the ufe of this Word or 
 txpreflion is alfo tho*t by feveral, to have its Inconveniences ; with 
 whom I alfo concur. 
 
 A learned and judicious Divine obfervlng thefe DifHculties, as he 
 
 conceives thjem to be, has thus exprefs'd himfelf in this Matter. " I 
 
 " humbly conceive, faith he, we have been ready to look too far to 
 
 <' find out what that Influence of Faith in our Juftification is, or 
 
 " what is that Dependance of this EflFet^t on Faith, fignified by- this 
 
 «' Exprefl!Ion of being yw/?y/7<'^ by Faith^ over-looking that which is 
 
 <' moffc obvioufly pointed forth in the Exprcflion, viz. that the Cafe 
 
 " being as it is, (there being a Mediator that has purchafed Juftifi- 
 
 '* cation) Faith in this Mediator is that which renders it a jneet and 
 
 *' fuitable Thing in the Sight of God, that he rather than others 
 
 «< iKould have this purchafed Benefit affigned to him,'* viz. he that 
 
 believeth in the Mediator. Now I willingly agree with this worthy 
 
 Author, that that Faith by which the Ungodly are fald to be juftified, 
 
 is the moft 7ncet a.nd fuitable Thing that could have been required of 
 
 them to that End ; and this was doubtlefs the Reafon why God made 
 
 choice of it to the Place and Office to which he afligned it, rather 
 
 than any other Thing whatfoever ; yet I think, with Submifiion to 
 
 thofe of better Judgment, That this is no Ways inconfiftent with its 
 
 being called the Condition of Men's Juftification : And it feems to 
 
 me very evident, that its being fo meet and fuitable a Qiialification, 
 
 as is exprefs'd, is not that by vidiich a firm and fure Connexion is 
 
 ertabliihed betwixt a Sinner's believing and his being juftified. The 
 
 Reafon why all tliat believe are infallibly juftified and faved, is not 
 
 becaufe the Sinner that believeth in Chrift is fo meetly and fuitably 
 
 qualified to receive the Benefit of Juftification ; but this rather, that 
 
 by the Promife of God there is infallible Afturance given, that whofo- 
 
 ever believeth fhall be juftified and' faved, as in John 3. 15, 16. Mark 
 
 16. 16. Jcls 10. 43. Were it not for this, Sinners could not be fure 
 
 that they ihould be faved on Sup>|^ofition of their believing, were it 
 
 poftihle, that they fhould believe, having no fiich Promife. So that 
 
 after all, it is the Conditiofiality of Faith in the Covenant of Grace, 
 
 that gives it the Advai^tage of being any Ways mftrunK-ntal in .our 
 
 F 2 Juftification. 
 
36 Grace defended. \ chaI.iil 
 
 Juftification %. Thus it is by Faith^ that thro^ Grace the Fromife ma^ 
 be Jure to all the Seedy as in Rom, 4. 16. Heh. 6. 17, 18. 
 
 What that Faith is, unto which a Promife of Juftification is an- 
 nexed, is a Matter of great Importance, and ought diHgently to be 
 enquired into ; and I purpofe, with God's Help, to confider this 
 important Point, before I finifh this Eflay : But this is not what, in 
 this Place, I defign. At prefent I only fay, it is the fame that is re- 
 quired in the Texts of Scripture laft quoted, and in other Places, 
 fliewing what Men muft do to be faved, as in A^s 2. 37, 38. and 
 16. 30, 31. What is here incumbent on me, is, to ftate and clear 
 up the true Notion of an Offer of Salvation made to Sinners in the 
 Gofpel J and unto this End fomething further remains to be faid. 
 
 1. Then, the Condition upon which Salvation is offered to Sinners 
 is fomething required of them, that fo they may be faved j fomething 
 to be done by them unto whom the Offer of Salvation is fuppofed to 
 be made. The Condition required is not meerly this, that if fuch 
 or fuch a Thing come to pals, then God will fave us ; but if we 
 comply with his Will in doing what is required of us, then God will 
 beftow his Salvation on us. It is, I .fay, fomething to be done by 
 us, not by God himfelf, or any one elfe befides our felves ; and this 
 too fomething wherein we yield Obedience to the Call of God in 
 the Gofpel i fomething con-tained in a proper Anfwer to this impor- 
 tant Enquiry, " What fhall I do to be faved ". The Difference 
 betwixt the Covenant of WorkSj and that of Grace, lies not in this, 
 that the Covenant of Works required our doing fomething that fo we 
 might live, but the Covenant of Grace nothing at all. What the 
 Covenant of Grace requireth to this End, is fometlmes called the 
 Obedience of Chriji^ Rom. 16. 26. and obeying the Gofpel. It is fome- 
 thing wherein we perform our Duty to God as well as fecure the Sal- 
 vation of our own Souls. 
 
 2. The Condition, to this End required, is not only fuch, that we 
 fhall not be faved if we perform it not ; but that we fhall be faved if 
 we perform the Thing required. We are not only threatned with 
 Death and Damnation, in Cafe we do it not ; but have a Promife of 
 Life and Salvation, if \vq perform it. There are fome Things which 
 if thofc that enjoy the Gofpel will not do, they fhall be damned ; 
 as to inftancc in two or three. If they wiU;not hear or read tlie Word 
 
 X See JVillard of J nfi if cation^ on FhiL 3. 9. 
 
 . :. Of 
 
Part 1. 
 Chap.III. 
 
 } . Grace defended. 3 7 
 
 of God, meditate on It, endeavour to underftand it, nor at all Regard 
 what is required of them in it ; fuch, I fay, as will not do thefeThings 
 (hall certainly be damned ; but Perfons may do fuch Things as thefc, 
 and yet never be faved. God has not promired,that all that, after any 
 Manner, do fuch Things, (hall obtain eternal Life. But the Con- 
 dition on which Salvation is ofFered, is fuch as whofoever complies 
 with it (hall certainly be faved. 
 
 3. The Condition on which Salvation Is ofFered in the Gofpel, 
 muft needs be fuch as may be, and is, performed by all that obtain 
 eternal Life, before they do obtain it. Men cannot, in the Way of a 
 Covenant, obtain a good Thing conditionally promifed to them in it, 
 ^till they have performed the Condition on which that Thing is pro- 
 mifed. But when I fay here, Ufore^ this muft not be underftood, as 
 before, in Time, but in Refpe6t of the Order of Nature, or accor- 
 ding to the Reafon or Dependance of Things one on another : For 
 otherwife, as foon as the Condition required is by any Sinner per- 
 formed,God without anyDelay begins to fave him ; yea, puts him into 
 a State of Salvation, fee John 5. 24. But God will not fo much as , 
 begin to beftow eternal Life on any Man, 'till he has performed the 
 Condition on which the fanie is ofFered to him. 
 
 4. We ought here carefully to diflinguifh between an antecedent 
 Condition, and fuch as is only concomitant. By an [antecedent Con- 
 dition, I underftand fuch an one as is defcribed in the lafl: Head, /. ?. 
 one required in order to our having a good Thing conditionally pro- 
 mifed : But by a concomitant Condition, I intend fuch a one as does 
 infeparably accompany a good Thing conditionally promifed, but is 
 not, in order of Nature, before it. Thus, true Holinefs infeparably 
 accompanies the Juitification of a Sinner ; becaufc God regenerates 
 every one whom he juftifies, and that in the very Moment in which 
 he juftifies him. But true Holinefs is not an antecedent Condition 
 of Man's Juftification, not being required in order to it, tho' it b,e 
 infeparably joined with it, and is a Qualification belonging to every 
 juftified Perfon. Hence, tho' God promifes Salvation to all holy Per- 
 fons, yet Holinefs is not the Condition on which Salvation is promi- 
 fed ; nor is any Acl fo, which floweth from a Principle of true Holi- 
 .nefs, and-fo belongeth to our San6tification ; as I fliall hereafter ihew. 
 
 5. We ought carefully to diftinguifti betwixt the ASts materially 
 confjdered, in which the Condition of the new Covenant does confift, 
 and the Rectitude of the fame Acts, and tlie Manner in which they 
 
 muft 
 
58 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part T. 
 Chap. III. 
 
 muft be performed. In this Chapter I only confider what A<Sls are 
 required : What is required in Order to their Reditude will be coi>- 
 fiJer'd in the fecond Part of this Eflay. 
 
 6. Again, we muft diftinguifh betwixt what is required in the 
 Condition under Confideration, with Relation to the general and fpe- 
 cial Nature of it, /. e. in what Adts it confifts, and how thefe muft 
 be performed ; and what is required with Refpeft to the Prolonga- 
 tion or Continuance of what is required : For a Man may begin, and 
 for a Time do what, as a Condition, is required of him, in order X.0 
 his having a Benefit which is conditionally promifed to him ; and yet 
 by his Failure fall flaort of the Good, which, in this Way, he is a 
 Candidate for. Thus our firft Parents either did or might have, for 
 a Time, continued their Obedience to the Law of Works ; and yet, 
 for want of Continuar.ee therein, they fell fhort of Life andHappinefs, 
 and fo ruined themfelvcs and all their Pofterity. 
 
 And thus I will alfo fhew, that the Cafe may be, with Refped 
 to Perfons that are in a State of Probation, in order to their obtain- 
 ing the faving Benefits of the new Covenant : And yet, I am far 
 from holding a PoiTibility of falling from Grace, in the Senfe in which 
 Arminiam and others plead for it, vi%. that regenerate and juftified 
 Perfons may fall away, and finally perifh. Yet it is true, that Per- 
 fojis may be engaged in fucb a Courfe that they ftiould certainly be 
 faved, did not their Apoftacy prevent it, as I fhall hereafter make evi- 
 dent from ^z^y^, 18. 24. Maith,^\, 13. and olher Places. 
 
 7. It is neceiTary that I here further obferve, that the Condition 
 of the Covenant required, in order to the Salvation of fmful A4en, 
 differs greatly from that which was required in theCovenant of Works, 
 in order to Men's obtaining Life. 
 
 If I mention thr-ee remarkable Differences betwixt thefe it will be 
 fufficient. 
 
 I. They differ in Refpe<5l of the Nature of the Thing required : 
 For in the Covenant of Works, the Condition required was perfe«5l 
 Obedience, without any Failure, as to the Matter or Adanner of its 
 Performance, as appears GaL 3. 10. But in the Covenant of Grace, 
 .the Condition required is Faith, Repentance, a feeking to God for 
 Mercy, a coming to Chrift for Life, Isc, as will hereafter be more 
 fully declared. 
 
 \\ -1, Thefe Conditions differ greatly in Refpe£l of the immediafcc 
 End. of their being required : For, according to the End of that re- 
 quired 
 
chap.iil } Grace defended. 39 
 
 quired in the Covenant of Works, it was to be the very Righteouf- 
 nefs, in the Performance of which. Men were to ftand righteous be- 
 fore God, and obtain a Title to eternal Life : But that required in 
 the netu Covmarit is not, according to the Tenor of it, to be our 
 juftifying Righteoufnefs, or that by which we fhould have a Right 
 unto eternal Life, but is required of Sinners in order to their having 
 an Intereft in the perfeft Righteoufnefs of Another, for their Juftifi- 
 cation in God's Sight ; even the Righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift, which 
 \s unto and upon all the?n that helieve^ Rom. 3. 22. Such therefore as 
 believe are in Scripture faid to believe unto Righteoufnefs ^ i. c. unto 
 the obtaining of it ^ their Faith not being the Righteoufnefs it felf, that 
 in which their juftifying Righteoufnefs does confift. Read and compare 
 Rom. 10. 10. with Rs7n. 4. 5, and ver. 22. The Particle tranflated 
 in., in the two Texts laft referred to, being the fame which is tranfla- 
 ted /^, in Rom. 10. 10. P'aith therefore, which is unto Righteouf- 
 nefs, is only fo far accepted of God, as that by it we obtain an Latere!!: 
 in the Righteoufnefs of Chrift. 
 
 3. And from the Differences already mentioned, it followeth 
 thirdly^ That the Condition req^iired in the Covenant of Grace is, in 
 a Senfe, a gracious Condition, in which that required in the Covenant 
 of Works was not. That required in the Covenant of Grace is fuch 
 as may be performed by Sinners. That of the Covenant of Works was 
 not fo ; but compatible only to the State of Alankind, zvhile in Innc 
 cency. That of the Covenant of Grace is required that fo v^e may 
 become righteous ; but that of the Covenant of Works was required 
 that fo Men might remain righteous, as they then acSlually were. In 
 a Word, that now required is the Condition of a mofi: gracious and 
 merciful Covenant. That of the Covenant of Works was fuch as 
 that Men, in the Performance of it, might obtain Life by their ov/n 
 perfect Obedience. 
 
 Thus it appears, that the Conditon of the Covenant of Grace is of 
 another Kind than that of the Covenant of Work?. But it does 
 not by any Means appear, that what is in the Covenant of Grace re- 
 quired of Men, in order to their Salvation, is no Condition at all j 
 nor ought that to be granted. 
 
 C H A ?. 
 
40 Grace defended. | 
 
 Part I. 
 Chap.IV. 
 
 i)ir,75Jff-oT 
 
 the Pro- 
 now, in the 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 Shewing^ That there is anOffer or coiidit tonal 
 Promife of Salvation made to Si72ners in 
 the G of pel. 
 
 6i(36SG5f:CDt?#AviNG hitherto endeavoured to explain 
 'M'. r?»' j^^ •& portion under Confideration ; I come n< 
 W^^^^W fourth and laft Place, to fay fomething for the Con- 
 '^§^'^i| ^ H^'^S^ firmation of the Truth afferted, -j/z. that it is in- 
 oM^^I'-^^^Sj' deed a Truth, that God does offer Salvation to 
 '&&&i%>^ ^^"^"^ ^^" ^" ^^ Gofpel J or that he does condi- 
 •^ •»• -is- -.-J- i;*- tionally promife to beftow eternal Life on them. 
 
 But before I enter on the Proof of this moft comfortable Affertion, 
 it is very neceffary that one Thing, very evidently fuppofed and im- 
 plied in it, be a little explained and cleared up, without the doing of 
 which the main Affertion here maintained cannot be very advantage- 
 oufly and clearly fupported. 
 
 Now that which I here intend is this, That Mankind have, fmce 
 their Fall into a State of Sin and Death, had fo much done for them, 
 in order to their Recovery out of that miferable Eftate, as thereby to 
 be put into a State of Salvability : For otherwife there would be no 
 Room for an Offer of Salvation to be made to them. Now Man- 
 Jcind, fmce their Apoftacy, may be conceived to be in a falvable 
 Condition in two Refpe6ls, or on a two-fold Account, (i) In Re- 
 fpe<a: of the Sufficiency of God to find out and provide a Way for 
 their Salvation, whatever feeming Difficulties, in Refped of the 
 Threatning denounced againft Sinners, and of his own Truth and 
 Juftiee, feemed to lie againft it ; yet this notwithftanding, I fay, the 
 Wifdom, Goodnefs, and Power of God was fuch, that it was, in that 
 Refpedl, poffible for him to find out and provide a Way, in which 
 fuch Sinners as Mankind were, might be eternally flived. But this is 
 npt what I principally here intend. Wherefore, (2) Mankind may 
 be faid to be in a falvable State, in Refpedt of a Price already paid, 
 or undertaken to be paid, for their Redemption. I lay, either paid 
 or imderKiken to be paid, becaufe this was the fame Thing in Refpe<£l 
 
 of 
 
chap.iv'. } Grace defended. 41 
 
 of the Efficacy of the Atonement I intend. It W2S as available, in 
 RefpecSt of all the faving Ends of it, before it was adually paid, as it 
 was aTrervvards ; and on this Account our Saviour is call'd the La?nb 
 flaw from the Foundation of the IFor Id. It is in RefpciSt of this Price 
 of Redemption, that I here affirm Mankind to be in a falvable Eftate. 
 They are fo now, in Refped: of a Price already paid for them, in 
 order to their eternal Happinefs. And this I fuppofe to be a Truth, 
 with Refpedt to all Mankind without Exception : So that tho' there 
 are many who never will be faved, yet the Reafon of this is not, 
 becaufe there is not a fufficient Price paid for their Redemption, nor 
 bccaufe this is not a Remedy applicable to them, according to the 
 Tenor of the new Covenant, but for other Reafons hereafter to be 
 mentioned. 
 
 This State of Salvability, which Mankind are by me fuppofed to 
 be in, has its Rife and Foundation, as I have faid, in the Price of 
 Redemption paid for them, by their grant Saviour ; and that this was 
 of fufficient Value to fave the whole World I here take for granted. 
 That it was a Price laid down for all, without Exception ; and, 
 according to the Tenor of the new Covenant, applicable to any one, 
 and to every one of the fmful Children of Men, I fuppofe to be a 
 Truth clearly revealed in the Word of God ; and that the Reafon 
 why it is not fo generally belie\'ed (o to be, is not becaufj it is not 
 fufficiently aflerted in Scripture, but becaufe many have, without 
 fufficient Grounds, fuppofed that a Belief of this cannot be reconciled 
 to fome other Articles of Faith, which they think clearly and fully 
 revealed : But this I fhall have Occafion hereafter to confider. 
 
 At prefent I will (hew, what is in Scripture affirmed, with P^efpeft 
 to the Extent of Chrift's Death, with Relation to the End and Ob- 
 ject of it. And here, not to infifi: on what is faid about his mediato- 
 rial Righteoufnefs, in Ronu Chap. 5. betwixt the 12th and the 19th 
 Verfcs, where his Pvighteoufnefs is oppofed to the Sin of the firft 
 Adajti^ as a fufficient Remedy againft the Mifchlefs and Miferies 
 brought on Mankind by it ; I fhall only recite fome of thofe PafTagcs 
 of Scripture, wherein the Univerlality of Chrift's Death, as it refpcds 
 the Perfons for whom he died^ feems to be plainly and fully afTerted. 
 Thus we are told, that God fo loved the Worlds that he gave hh only 
 begotten Scn^ that luhofoever believeth in him,f})ould not fHrifJ?^ hit have 
 everlafling Life., John 3. 16. That he is the Propitiation for cur Sins : 
 And not for our"* s only., but for the Sins of the whole IVorld^ i John 2. 2, 
 T\a\.he tajled Death for every Man^ Heb. 2.9. TXr^xKhe gave himfclf 
 
 O a 
 
42 Grace /kfemiech \ 
 
 Part L 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 a Ranjcmfor ally i Tim. '2. 6." That he died for all^ 2 Cor. ^. ij., 
 15. And that he is the Saviour of all Men ^ efpecially ofthofcthat believe. 
 1 Tim. 4. 10. 
 
 That the moft obvious Senfe of thefe Texts of Scripture, is, That 
 Jc fas Chrift died for all Men Vv'ithout Exception, I think very evi- 
 clcnt. Nor is it at our Liberty to recede from this, without feme 
 urgent NecelBty compelling us to it, which I fuppofe can never be 
 fhown ; but inilcad thereof, I will fhew a NeceiTity of taking of iheni 
 ^n,jthe full Latitude in which they are exprefs'd. I do not therefore 
 "vy^on^er, that there have been a great many eminent Divines, in the 
 'Englifij Nation, who have been far, from being Ar?nimam^ that have 
 plainly and fully aiTertcd Chrift's dying for all, as I could eafily ma- 
 iiifelf, did I rely on humane Authorities, as I do not. 
 
 Yet r fliall mention one Inftance of this, not {o much on the Ac- 
 co)jnt of the Authority of the Man (tho' I know of no Man whofe 
 Autljoiity would go farther in this Cafe) as becaufe I think he fairly 
 Hates wherein the DiJSerencc lies betwixt himfelf and fome others, 
 ^.nd particularly betv/ixt what he held and' I now hold, and confe- 
 quently wherein the' Crifis of this Coiltrovcrly does, in my Appre- 
 henfion, lie. 
 
 ' ./The Perfon I intend is the -learned Dr. fTzviffe : And the Book- from 
 Wnich -I lirall take foilie, Pailages,. is entitled. The Riches df God's 
 'Lcyetoihef^lJelsofMcrcyy he. Part i. Page 5. " We are often 
 <"« dem.anded,y«///j he^ whether every one that heareth the Gofpel be 
 *' not bound to believe that Chrlft djcd for him ? Now I fiw this 
 *' Phrafe, Chrijl died fir me^ includes many Things, as the Benefits 
 *' which arife unto me by the Death of Chrift, may be conceived to 
 " be many. But let thefe Benefits be diftinguifhed, and we fliall 
 '' readily anfwer to the Queftion made, and that perhaps differently, 
 >' as namely, affirmatively to fome, negatively to others; as thus, 
 " Do you fpcak of Chrift's dying for me, that is, for the Pardon of 
 ^' my Sins, and for the Salvation of my Soul, I anfwer affirmatively 
 <' and fay, I am bound to believe that Chrilt died for the procuring 
 "^' of thefe Benefits unto me, in fuch Manner as God hath ordained ; 
 " to wit, not abfolutely but conditionally, to wit, in Cafe I do be- 
 " lieve and repent. For God hath not otherwife ordained, that I 
 " fhould reap the Benefits of Pardon and Salvation, by virtue oi* 
 \< Chrift's Death and Paffion, unlefs I believe in him and repent '' 
 
 In 
 i 
 
chaI.w. \ Grace defended, 4^- 
 
 In aitother Phc-e, this learned Au'dior* afTcrting thc.Dcatli of Chfiif; 
 in. the iatne L^ititiide; arni'^ Extetit^ AiklV, (Page ,154)' " 'Tp die'. f(^r' 
 " us, or for all, is to die for our, Benefit, or for the Benefit' of alf: 
 " Now the fc Benefits are of a different Nature, whereof fomc arc 
 '< bcitowed upon Man only conditionally (tho/ for Chrifl's Sake) 
 *•« and they afe the Pardon of Sin and the Salvation of the Soul, and 
 '' thefe Cjod dotli confer only upon the Condition of Faitli and Re-' 
 " pentance. Now I ant ready to profefs and that, I fuppofe, as out 
 " of the Mouth of all our Divines, That every one who hears the 
 '' Gofpel, (without Diftin£tion between Ele(5l and Reprobate) is 
 '' bound to believe that Chrifl died for him, fo far as to procure 
 " both the Pardon of his Sins and the Salvation of his Soul, in Cafe 
 " he believes and repents. " In another Place he faith. That as. 
 " Peter could not have been faved, unlefs he had believed and re- 
 " pented ; {o Judas might have been {lived, if he had done fo. " 
 And the Do6lor referring to that Text, John 3. 16. faith on it. 
 That " it gives a f-iir Light of Expofition to thofe Places whereQirift 
 " is faid to have died for the Sins of the World, yea, of the v;holc 
 " World, to wit, in this Manner, That whofocver belieyeth in him," 
 " fhould not perifh, but have everlaftins; Life. ", '• "■'-'-"' 
 
 i- ' O , ' • " ' f : ' f T; ».■>>• 
 
 Thus far I have Dr. Tzvijfe (u\\y Wi&x lix^in'^^dXA ^(^Qxt^ viz 
 That Chrilt died for all Men, fo far forth as to purchafe Life and 
 Salvation for them, in Cafe they believe in him, and repent of theii-' 
 Sins. He did this for the whole World, and hot for the Elecft only":- 
 So there is no Man but what may be fwed on the Terms" ;Qf;tlie[ 
 new Covenant, even Judas was^npt excepted or excli;ded.''7'V ' . ,,"^'■ 
 But here I muft add a Word, left this fhould'Be mifLincrerflooct.' 
 The Meaning of this Aflcrtion is not, that it is a Truth, that Jefus" 
 Chrift died for all Men, if it fhall eventually come to pafs that all. 
 Men believe in him, but that otherv^ife this AlTertion is falfe. It is' 
 ev^n now a Truth, that Chrift died for all Men, or otherwjle that he'^ 
 did not die for all Men. l>iis cahhot: be rnade' either truc.or'ialfe, 
 by Men's future Carriages. The Meaning therefore' of the. AfTertion 
 maintained, is, that Jefus Chrift has really fo'died for all Men, as to 
 purchafe this Advantage for them, that they iliall be laved, if they 
 will believe and repent. 
 
 It is not fuppofed in what is here maintained, tiiat Jefus Chrift died, 
 equally, or in the fame Serife", for .all ^.lankindj-'Elea and Non-Efecl;..^ 
 The ])ifterence here is wide, and may, I thinlc, be heft conceived of,' 
 by adue Confideration of the Relation of Chrift's IDcath to- thc.tw*^ 
 Covenants, to which it has -a Reference : I mian that of Redemption 
 
 G 2 betwixt 
 
44 Grace defended. \ chap.iv! 
 
 betwixt the glorious Pcifonsoftbe holy Trinity, and that of Grace 
 (as it is commonly called) which God has been pleafed to propofe to 
 Mankind fmce the Fall. 
 
 If we confider the Death of Chrifl, with Relation to the Covenant 
 of Redemption, or Terms agreed on betwixt the Son of God on the 
 one Part, (as I conceive) and the Father and the holy Spirit, on the 
 other, tho' the Father be more exprefly mentioned in Scripture, as 
 concerned in this Covenant, than the holy Spirit : If, I fa}', we conii- 
 der the Death of Chrifl, with Relation to this Covenant, the Son of 
 God did, by his Death and mediatorial Righteoufnefs, obtain for the 
 Ele6lofGod, or all thofe whom in Scripture the Father is faid to 
 have given him, a perfedt and compleat Salvation in all the Parts and 
 Branches of it, the principal of which are enumerated in Rom, 8. 29. 
 viz. Effe6lual Callings 'Jujlificatwi and GlorificaUon : For in the Co- 
 venant here intended, Sinners thcmfelves are not a Party ; and there- 
 fore the Conditions to be performed lie not on them, but on the Me- 
 diator, who undertook for them, and fulfilled the Terms required of 
 him, in order to the Salvation of thofe who were ordained to Life. 
 None of thefe, therefore, ever mifcarry, as might be plainly (hewed 
 from Scripture, were it my prefent Bufinefs. Such as pleafe may 
 read and compare Ija'i. 53. 10, 11, 12. John 6. 38, 39, 40. Rom. 
 9. 29. A£ls 23. 48. John^, 37. and Chap. 10. 27, 28, 29. Hence 
 the Adis of Chrift's Mediation are fpoken of, as having a peculiar 
 Reference to thefe, in many Places of Scripture, as in John I'j. ver. 
 6, 8, and 19, 20. and Chap. 10. 15. But fuch Places are not to 
 be underftood as if Chrift died for the ElecSl only ; for befides his ab- 
 folutely mentioning the Salvation of all thefe, he was, according to 
 the Covenant of Redemption which he entred into, to bring the Relt 
 into a State of Salvability, that fo God might be juft in jultifying any 
 of them on the Terms of another Covenant, (that of Grace I intend) 
 •which was to be propofed to Sinners themfelves, is plainly appears, 
 in Rom. 3. 25, 26. with which that well agreeth, Heb. 9. 22. And 
 upon Chrift's doing this are grounded all the Offers of fpecial Mercy 
 made to Sinners in the Covenant of Grace, fuch as are implied in 
 John 3. 16. Acls 10. 43. Mark 16. 15, 16. and A^s 16. 30, 31. 
 And tho' Chrift has by his Obedience and Death, purchafed the 
 Whole of the Salvation of all thb Ele6t, fo that the fame is juftly 
 due to him ; yet they cannot come to the Enjoyment of this Salva- 
 tion, *till they come up to the Terms of the Gofpel, wherein it is 
 conditionally offered to them. How God deals with thofe unto 
 •whom Gofpel Terms are not offered, I am not here confidering : 
 But this I will venture to fay, that I conceive them to be in a falvable 
 
 State, 
 
chIp.iv. \ Grace defended. 45 
 
 State, fo that if they are not favcJ, It is not bccaufe Juflice will not 
 allow of it. And I doubt not but that Jefus Chrlft was to bring 
 the whole World into fuch a State as this, and not tiie Ele£t only. 
 And now let us coniiJer the Death of Chrifl:, as it has a Relatiiiii 
 to the Covenant of Grace, propofcd to Sinners themfelvcs. Now 
 as Chriit's Death relates to this Covenant, no Man can plead a Right 
 to the Benefits procured by it, 'till he believes in him that died for 
 him ; nor can he be put in Pofleflion of the fpecial Benefits offered 
 in this Covenant, except he performs the Conditions of it. In this 
 Refpecl Peter and Judas, Eleft and Non-Eled^, are on a Level. He 
 that believeth fhall be faved ; he that believeth not fliall be damned. 
 As the mediatorial Righteoufnefs of Chrill is fufHcient for the Salva- 
 tion of the whole World, fo it is, according to the Tenor of the nev/ 
 Covenant, a Remedy applicable to any Perfon, on the Terms therein 
 pro.'ofed ; fo that it is not contrary to the Juflice of God, effectually 
 to call, juftify, and glorify any Perfon whatfoever. If this is not done 
 for all, it is not becaufe there is not a fufficient Remedy provided, but 
 for fuch other Reafons as are o-iven in God's Word. 
 
 D 
 
 But now let us confider the Doctor's Antithefis, in the Place abovo 
 quoted, Page 5. " If, faith he, the Qucflion be made. Whether 
 " I am bound to believe that Chrifl died for me, to procure Faith 
 " and Repentance for me, I do not fay, that I am bound, or that 
 *' every Man is bound to believe this. " And a little below he fdth, 
 '■' I fee a Reafon manifefling that Chrifl merited not this for all, no 
 " not for all, and every one that hears the Gofpel. For if he had, 
 '' ih'jn he had merited it for them abfolutely, or conditionally, not 
 " abfolutely, for then all, and every one fliould believe de fa5l0y 
 " which is untrue ; for the Apoflle faith, (2 Thef. 3.) Fides mn ejl 
 ^^^omnium\ nor conditionally, for what Condition, 1 pray, can be 
 " dcvifed, upon the Performance whereof, God, for Chrifl's Sake, 
 " fhould give us Faith and Repentance. " To this Demand I fhall 
 hereafter anfv.'er. 
 
 'Fhus, according to Dr. Tivijfe, tho' the Pardon of Men's Sins and 
 tlie Salvation of their Souls were conditionally purchafed for them by 
 Jefus Chrill, viz. on the Condition of Faith and Repentance, and 
 this for all, without Exception ; yet thefe Conditions were, by Jefus 
 Chrifl, purchafed only for the EkcSl, and are not offered unto Sinners, 
 on anv Condition whatfoever. 
 
 The litter Part of what he held I fhall h^^eafter confider. T\\:X 
 Chrifl died to obtain Salvation for all Men, on the Terms of the new 
 Govenantj I now take for granted, at lealr fuppc>fe it to be a Truth : 
 
 And 
 
46 Grace defended. j chap.iv.* 
 
 And all thofe for whom Chrlft thus died, I hold to be in a falvable 
 Eftate i otiiervvirc, how are they beholden to Chrift for thus. dying, for 
 them t 
 
 And I would fain be plainly ihewed liow the Gofpcl can be preached 
 to any Sinner for whom Chrift thus died not i Or on what Foundation 
 any Sinner can have Salvation offered to liim, for whom it hath never 
 been io much as conditionally obtained by Jefus Chrift, in the Senfe 
 allowed by Dr. Twijfe^ as above ? May a Sini-icr be faved withtnit 
 having any Price of Redemption paid for him, in Cafe he believes ? 
 Or does this ft ill remain to be done for him, if he fhould believe in 
 Chrift: ? Or may Salvation be fitly offered to him for whom Chrift 
 died not, on Condition of his believing, tho' it could not be given 
 to him fhould he believe ? Seeing God knows that it is r^ot in his 
 Power to believe, having no Objecl fet before him, on which his 
 Faith may be fixed, or any Eye to look to him, if there were, as is 
 required in Ifai. 45. 22. I may very ferioullv fay, I know of no 
 Kindnefs that can be fliown in fuch an Offer, /. e.\n Offer of Sal- 
 vation made to Sinners that are not in a falvable State. 
 
 But Chrift having died for ail Men, to purchafc Salvation for them, 
 on the Terms exprefled in a moft gracious Covenant, well ardercd m 
 all Things and Jure ^ there is then a Foundation laid for a Treaty of 
 Peace and Reconciliation with finful Men, on the Account of a Price 
 of Redemption paid by Jefus Chrift, as in Rom. 3. 24, 25, 26. 
 where the A'poftle having aftirmed, that all have finned and come fioorV 
 cf the Glory of God ^ he adds, that ive are juflified freely by his Grace ^ 
 ihrd' the Rede?npiion that is in Jefus Chriji : U' horn God hath fet forth 
 to be a Propitiation thro' Faith in his Bloody to declare his Righteoufnefi 
 for the Remiffion of Sins that arepajl^ thro* the Forbearance of God ;'^t& 
 declare, I fay, at this Time, his Righteoufnefs, that God might be jiijh 
 ^ndthe fujliferofkimtioat belieueth in Jefus. In which Words v/e 
 are affurecl, That'Tt would not have ftood with the Juftice of God. 
 to have juftified a Sinner, tho' a Believer, had not Chrift been fet 
 forth, as in the 'Words exprefled. And it will no more confift with 
 the Juftice of God to offer Salvation to a Sinner for whom Chrift 
 died not, than a6lually to fave him without Chrift's dying for him. 
 And Saivatioh might have been as well offtjir.ed to the whole World, 
 if Chrift liad not died' at all, as to any one Sinner for whom he died 
 not. 
 
 h 
 
chap.iv? } Grace defended. 47 
 
 How there has been a Foundation laid for the Salvation of fmful 
 Men, or Way made for it, {(^ that it may be done without any In- 
 jury to the Jufticc of God, or any other of his Attributes, yea, with 
 great Honour to them all, has been new fufficiently declared. And 
 the Reafon why the Gofpel is not preached, and Salvation ciFered to 
 all Mankind, is not becaufe all are not In a falvable State, or bccaufe 
 there Is not a Foundation laid in the Mediation of Chrift f( r tlie Sal- 
 vation of any Perfon or People In the World : So that there is no Sin- 
 ner that has not committed the unpardonable Sin, who may not be 
 invited to believe in the Son of God, and promifcd, that fo doing, 
 he fhall be faved. 
 
 But before I prove, that Salvation Is offered to Sinners In the Gof- 
 pel, there are three Things neceffary to be obferved to clear up, my 
 Way to what Is dcfigned- and they arc thefc here following. 
 
 I. The Promlfcs of Salvation made \\\ the Word of God, to fuch 
 as are already in a regenerate and juftificd State, are nor conditional, 
 but abfolute. God docs not In his Word {ivj to any regenerate and 
 juftlfied Perfon, that If he {hall or will believe and repent, he dial 1 
 be juflified and faved. There is no Reafon or Occafion for God 
 fo to lay to thofc who have already believed and are pafTed from 
 Death to Life, and fo are fecured from ever coming into Condem- 
 nation, as In J,ohn 5. 24. Ro7n. 8. i. But they are poor unregene- 
 rate, unjuftified Sinners that have, In tlie Gofpel, a conditional Oi?er 
 of Salvation made to them. Thefe are there told, that tho' they are 
 at prefent In a'State of Sm and Death, yet if they will believe in the 
 Sen of Gody they fiall have Life through his Na?ne^ as in John 10, 31. 
 but that otherv/ife, they flvall die in their Sins, John 8. 24. 
 
 Indeed there is another Senfe, in u'hich it may be, and is, In 
 Scripture, IJiid to Perfons already in a State of Salvation, it being yet 
 unknown to themfelves arid others that they are fo, viz; '' fuppbiiiVg; 
 *' ye are now true Believers, and In a regenerate State, ye fhali be 
 " certainly faved for ever : As ye be already in a State of Salvation, 
 " fo God will certainly fave you for the future, perfecting in you 
 «« all that does concern you. " He that has begun a good JVcrk in 
 you will perfeSf it to ih.^ Day ofChrift^ as In PhiL 1.6. i Pet. i. 3, 
 4, 5^ Hereto agreeth that of our Saviom, John 11. 26. (as v/ell as 
 John 5. 24, before mentioned) lie that livclb and helieveth in me ft: all 
 v.lver die. ' The Faith Intended In fuch Places of Scripture as thefe, 
 is not a Condition on v.'hich Salvation Is ofl^'ered, which they already 
 have, but the Qi^ialification by which Perfons may be known to be 
 !!\ a j-iRificd State ; and this Kind of Faith is infufed in our Regene- 
 
48 Grace defended. \ chIp.iv! 
 
 ration, as fhall be hereafter fhown. Of this Kind of Faith that Text 
 is to be underftood, Johi 5. 24. The fame Kind of Faith is alfo 
 intended, i Jolm i. i. 
 
 2. I muft here alfo obferve. That whenever any fpiritual Benefit 
 or good Thing is conditionally promifed in Scripture, which is never 
 beftowed on any but fuch as are eternally faved, under the Name of 
 that good Thing, the whole of Man's Salvation is always compre- 
 hended or comprifed. Salvation is a complex Subje6l including feve- 
 ral Things in it, all which are firmly connetSled or knit together, 
 {q as never to be feparated in any Perfon that is faved. As thofe 
 who are not faved have none of them, fo thofe that are faved have 
 them all : Therefore all of them are fpoken of as Things accompanying 
 ^ahation^ Heb. 6. 9. Hence it comes to pafs, that if but one or two 
 of thefe Things are mentioned, in any Promife of God, they are all 
 necefTarily intended and comprifed under the Name of that Thing, 
 or thofe Things that are exprefly named, as much as if they were all 
 enumerated. There is no Occafion of particularly naming of them 
 ail, becaufe they forever all go together, and he that fhall have one of 
 them fhall as certainly have all the reft. We are not therefore to 
 think, that Salvation is conditionally promifiid in the Texts only 
 wherein it is particularly named: A Promife of Pardon of Sin, of 
 Juftification, of the holy Spirit, of fpiritual Wifdom, refpedively, is 
 as truly a Promife of Salvation, as that, Whofoever helieveth fnall he 
 faved. So v.'hen Salvation is in that Word promifed, all Things which 
 that Term comprehends, as above, are therein promifed. 
 
 3. I muft here further obferve. That on whatfoever Condition any 
 fpiritual Benefit comprifed in Man's Salvation^is promifed, under that 
 Termor Condition, the whole Condition of Man's Salvation, or every 
 Thing required as aCondition of it, is necelTarily comprifed or implied. 
 TheReafon of this is very plain. If aPerfon be required to do oneThing, 
 unto which feveral others are infeparably connecSled, in Refpe6t of the 
 Nature of them, and thcirRclation andDepcndance one on another, all 
 thofeThings muft needs be virtually required under theName of that one. 
 Hence whenever God, in Scripture, requires either Faith, Repen- 
 tance, Obedience, Prayer, or Fear, ^V. he requires every one of 
 thefe. A A4an cannot do any one of thefe Things without doing 
 them all \ therefore God, in requiring any one of them, does vii-- 
 tuallv require them all ; and if he annex a Promife to the Performance 
 of this, that, or the other of them, that Promife has a Relation to 
 them all, and they are all virtually or implicitly comprifed in the 
 
 Condition 
 
chap.iv: \ ^rac^ defended. 49 
 
 Condition of it. Thus if Salvation be conditionally promifed to Be- 
 lieving, it is therein conditionally promifed to Repentance alfo ; be- 
 caufelihefe Things are infeparable in the Nature of them, fo that ono 
 of them cannot be without the other ; and the like may be faid con- 
 cerning calling on God, feeking his Face, fearing his Name, Iffc, 
 We therefore find in Scripture, that Promifes of fpiritual Blcflinf^s, 
 or, in a Word, of Salvation, in which all fuch Blcffings are compre- 
 hended, are made promifcuoufly to fuch Anions or Duties as I have 
 juft now named ; but by no Means to any of them exclufively of thiC 
 reO, but to this or that in which all the reft are implied, as bcino- in- 
 feparable from it. 
 
 And it is the more neccflary thus to conceive, bccaufe the Thino-s 
 by God required of Man, are of fuch a mixt Nature, and (if I may 
 fo fpeak) fo blended together, that they cannot be 'ivWy defcribcd or 
 conceived of, without taking into the Idea of them, rcfpectivelv, fc mc- 
 thing belonging to the reft. As to inftancc, we have a Promife that 
 he that bclicveth fhall be faved, Mark 16. 16. But how can we con- 
 ceive of this p'aith or Believing, as wholly excluding Repentance, Obe- 
 dience, and Prayer, bV. from the Idea of it f And how csn we de- 
 fine Repentance, without comprifing P'aith, Obedience and Prayer 
 in it r Is not Faith exercifed in Repentance and Prayer ? And does 
 not Faith give Life and Vigour to it ? We cannot call on hitn, on ivIkiu 
 %ve do not believe^ Rom. 10. 14. Nor is that vvlorthy the Name of 
 Prayer that has no Faith in it, or is not a Prayer of Faith, Jam. 5. 
 15. And of P^ep^ntancc the fame may be faid. All our Duties muft 
 be mixed with Faith, or they will be unacceptable to God, Heb. 4. 2. 
 and II. 6. If we go about nicely to difiinguifh thefe Things we 
 neither edify our feivcs nor others ; nay, we do thereby but perplex 
 the true Servants of God. When we fpeak of Believers, Penitents, 
 fuch as call on the Name of the Lord, the Righteous, &c. the {?.n\-- 
 Perfons are, by thefe Terms, intended. And it is fo alfo when tlie 
 Holy Ghoft fpeaks of fuch. 
 
 Thefe Things being obferved, and duly coiitidercJ, I need not fav 
 much to prove. That Salvation is offered or conditionally promifed 
 unto Sinners in the Gofpel. I'he moft that now ren^ains needful to 
 this End, is, to quote and recite fome of the many Texts of Scriotivre 
 .wherein it is obvious that they have in the Gofnel fucli OfR^■r£ of 
 Salvation made to them ; and in what Things the Condition of the 
 new Covenant does confiff. 
 
 Of the Texts 1 here intend, fome only need to be inierted : th^ 
 reft I fh.dl onlv refer to, that fuch as pleafe may read them. Thofe 
 
 H whicii 
 
5Q Grace defended. { Shap.iv: 
 
 which I ftiall recite are thefe which here follow, ^/z. Mark 16. 15, 
 16. Go ye into all the TVorld^ and preach the Go/pel to every Creature, 
 He that believeth ard is baptized JImll he favcd j but he that belteveth not 
 Jhallbe damned. A6ts 2. 37, 38. Now when they heard this^ they were 
 pricked in their Hearty and J aid unto Peter, and to the Reft of the Jpofles, 
 Men and Brethren^ What Jhall we do ? Then Peter faid unto theiri^ 
 Repent^ and he baptized every one of you in the Name of Jefus Chrifi for 
 the Remijfion of Sins^ and ye Jhall receive the Gift of the Hcly Ghoff. 
 Heb, 5. 9. And being made perfe£l^ he became the Author of eternal Sal- 
 Tjaiion to all them that obey him. Rev. 22. 14. Bleffed are they that do 
 his Co?nmandments^ that they may have Right to the Tree of Life^ and 
 enter in thro' the Gates into the City, Rom. 10. 13. IVhofcever Jhall 
 call on the Na?ne of the Lord Jlmll be faved, Amos 5. 4. Thus faith 
 the Lord unto the Houfe of l(r?iQ\^ Seek ye me^ and ye Jhall live. Pro v. 
 8. 17. They that feek 7ne early Jhall find me, Matth. 7. 7, 8. Luke 
 II. 9, 10. 4/k^ and it JJjall be given youy Jeek^ and ye Jhall find ^ knocks 
 mid it Jhall he opened unto you. For every one that ajketh^ receiveth, and 
 he that feehth^findeth^ and to him that knocketh^ it Jhallbe opened. Luke 
 II. 13. If ye then^ being evil^ know how to give good Gifts to your 
 Children : How much more Jhall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit 
 to them that ajk him, Prov. I. 23. Turn ye at my Reproof : Behold, 
 
 1 will poidr out my Spirit unto you ^ I will make kncivn my Words unto you. 
 Prov, 2. 3, 4, 5. If thott crieji after Knowledge, and lifteji up thy 
 Voice for Vnderflanding \ if thou feekefl her as Silver, and fear ch eft for 
 her as for hid Treafures, then fioalt thou underjtand the Fear of the Lord, 
 <ind find the Knowledge of God, Hof. 6.3. Then Jhall we know, if zve 
 folloiv on to know the Lord : His going forth is prepared as the Morning ; 
 and he Jhall come upon us as the Rain ; as the latter and former Rain upon 
 the Earth. Gal. 6. 9. And let us not be weary in well doing : For in 
 due Seafon we Jhall reap, if we faint not. 
 
 Texts of Scripture like thefe that have been now mentioned are 
 thefe which here follow. Acts 10. 43. Rom. 10. 9, 10. John 20.3ir 
 JSls 6. 30, 31. John 8. 24. A^s 3. 19. Luke 13. 3. Ifai. 55. 7. 
 Ezek, 18. 27, 28, and ver. 30. Prov, 28. 13. James 4. 8. Rom, 
 2. 7, and ver. 10, ASls 10. 34, 35. Prov» 8. 17. IJai. 45. 19. 
 
 2 Chron, 28. 19. John 4. ic. compar'd with ver. 14. and Chap. 7. 
 37' 3^5 39- 7^''- 29. 13. Pfdl 103. 17, 18. Matth. 11. 28, 
 John 6. 37. • ■ ■ 
 
 I.fhall, unto the Scripture Teftimonies, add two Reafons to prove. 
 That Salvation is conditionally ©ffered unto Sinners in the Gofpel ; 
 
 and 
 
chap.iv! } Grace defended. ^ \ 
 
 and fo I (hall conclude this Chapter, and this firll: Part of my Eflay. 
 Now my Reafons are thefe. 
 
 1. If God does not offer, or conditionally promifc Salvation unto 
 Sinners in the Gofpel of his Son, then he does not fave them in the 
 Way of a Covenant, which, I think, according to Scripture, he evi- 
 dently docs ; and alfo according to the Judgment of the Generality of 
 orthodox Divines. That Sinners are faved in the Way of a Cove- 
 nant, I think, the Word of God does plainly enough hold forth. 'J'his 
 in Scripture is call'd the new Covenant ; and generally, by Prote/JantSy 
 the Covenant of Grace : Of it we read frequently in the Oracles of 
 God ; unto fome of which Places I fhall content my felf here to refer 
 my Reader, partly becaufe it would take much Time to tranfcribe 
 them ; and partly becaufe I hope there arc not many who queflion what 
 I aflcrt. This was the Covenant made with Abraham and his Seed, 
 Gen. 17. 7. And that in which David profefleth, is all his Salvation 
 and all his Deftre^ 2 Sam. 23. 5. It is a Covenant made with Sin- 
 ners in a wretched State of Sin and Mifery, Ezek. 16. 8. A better 
 Covenant than the old Covenant was ; and a Covenant in which fpi- 
 ritual BlefTmgs are given, Jcr. 31. 33. Heh. 8. 10,-13. ^^^ '^^ 
 which everlaiting Mercies are conditionally promifed to the Keepers 
 of it, Pfal. 103. 17, 18. Pfal 25. 10. and A£Js 2. 38, 39. How 
 then can it be denied, That Salvation is conditionally promifed in the 
 Gofpel ? I exped, that if I meet with Oppofition in this Particular, 
 I fhall have many that will l^and in my Defence ; and I am fure I can 
 produce a great Number to vouch for me, among Divines who have 
 been in good Credit in the Church of God ; tho' I know Antinomians 
 deny what I here maintain, 
 
 2. If Salvation be not promifed conditionally unto Sinners, then 
 they have no Ground of Ailurance, that on the Performance of the 
 Duties which God requireth of them, in order to their Salvation, they 
 fhall certainly be faved. I fuppofe it neither can, nor will be denied, 
 that God requires fome Things of finful Men, to be done by them, 
 with an Eye and View to their eternal Salvation : But is it likely to 
 be true, or comfortable to be believed, that God has not promifed us 
 eternal Life, in Cafe we do what is required ( f us, in order to our 
 obtaining it ? We are not yet come to confider, how far It is in the 
 Power of finful Men to perform what is incumbent on them in order 
 to their Salvation. That will be the Bufmefs of tlie fecond Part of 
 my Book. But the Qiieftion here is, Whether God docs not, in 
 
 H 2 the 
 
52 Grace defended \ 
 
 Part I. 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 Gofpel, conditionally offer to fave Sinners ? And I fay, {{ he does 
 not, tlica Sinners ha\^e no AiTurance given them of it, whatever they 
 do, in order to their obtaining eternal Life : And if fo, I ccnfefs they 
 have not ib good Encouragement to endeavour to comply with their 
 Duty, as I have ever tho't they had, and, as I tliink, that Text much 
 favours their having, Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith ^ that it 
 7night he by Grace ; to the End the Pro?nife ?night he fur e to all the Secd^ 
 not to that only which is of the Law, but to that alfo zvhich is cf the Faith 
 cy Abraham, who is the Father of us all. 
 
 PART 
 
Part II 
 Chap. 
 
 j; } Grace defended. ^ 3 
 
 
 PART 1 1. 
 
 I come now to the fecond Part of my Ellay ; 
 
 and that which I principally deiigned in it, 
 
 Namely, 
 That the Offer of Salvatio?t made to Sinners 
 
 tit the Gofpel^ comprifeth in it ait Offer of 
 
 the Grace given in Regeiteration. 
 Now I fhall endeavour the Explanation and 
 
 Confirmation of this Truth, in feveral 
 
 Chapters hereafter following. 
 
 ^C^ '^C^ ^.^' <^35' *^^ '^S' -36= egg' '^D-" ^e? ^iS- %^ <^SP ^aS' ^ff* '=2S- ^!? ^&' ^^ ' <i^ ^dS' '^^ ^ii^ 
 
 CHAP, I. 
 
 Concerning the Grace of Regeneration^ here 
 faid to he conditioitally offered tinto Si?iners. 
 
 ^^^^^)^^^(^h Inch I fijppofe the Grace of Regeneration to 
 ^^h^$X^:^^^ be comprifed in that Sah'ation, which is offered to 
 fj(§i^'^%^^%^fQ^ Sinners in the Gofpel ; it v/ill be necefTary for me 
 ^-^G?"^^ ^'^nSS ^^ ^•'^^ v^n:it I mean by that which 1 io call : 
 ^Slllil^ And 1 fuppofe that by a juft Account of it, it will 
 0@)!^M^(§fc appear to be a very eminent Part of tliat great Sal- 
 ^sif^^-c^^ssr^^-c:^ vation which Chrift has purchafed, and which God 
 beftows on all thofe whom he eternally favcs. 
 
 Now I fhall not here attempt to give a full Account of the great 
 Work of Regeneration, but only to obfcrve and aliert fome Tl 
 
 iini!:s 
 
54 Grace defended. \ chap. \ 
 
 concerning it, the Obfsrvation of which will, I think, be to my pre- 
 fent PurpDfe ; and they are fuch as here follow. 
 
 I. In Regeneration there is a real Change wrought in the Soul of 
 a Sinner, (i) That in Regeneration there is a Change wrought, I 
 fuppofe will not be denied. (2) This Change is a real Change. I 
 fo call it in this Place, not in Oppofitlon to the mere Shew and Ap- 
 pearance of one, but to diftinguifh it from a CViange relative. In 
 the Juftification of a Sinner, he pafleth under a relative Change, i'/z. 
 a Change from a State of Guilt, to a State of Peace and P'avour with 
 God : But in Regeneration, a Sinner has a real Change wrought in 
 and upon his Perfon : He is made in himfelf really better than he was 
 before. (3) The immediate Subjedl of this Change is the Soul of the 
 Sinner, in whom it is wrought ; tho' the fame does alfo affc6l his 
 Body, yet I think the immediate Subject of it is the Soul. In it ht 
 has a new Heart given to him, E'z.ek. 36. 26. 
 
 C. The Change intended refpeifis the Sinner's moralState andCondi- 
 tion. It is not a Change in the ElTence of his Soul, and Faculties olf 
 it ; but it refpecfts its moral Qualities. The Soul of the Man is elTen- 
 tlally the fame in every Condition. He has not really another Soul 
 given to him, when he is regenerated ; but his SolI is m^de, in a 
 moral Scnfe, better than it was ; being made holy, whereas it was 
 utterly deftitute of any true Holinefs 3 (in altri6l and proper Scnfe fo 
 called,) and very full of Sin. 
 
 3. In the Change intended. Sinners are delivered from the reigning 
 Power and Dominion of Sin. Tho* they may flill have, yea, they 
 really have, a great deal of Sin and Corruption remaining in them, 
 as the Apoflle fhews at large in Rom. Chap. 7. and more briefly in 
 Gal. 5. 1 7. yet they are no longer under the reigning Power and Do- 
 minion of their Corruptions, as the fame Apoflle aflerts at large in the 
 6th Chapter of Romans.^ as any one may fee, that v/Ill pleafe to read 
 it; efpecially Vcrfcs 2, 6, 7, 14, 18, and 22. which i need not 
 tranfcribe. 
 
 4. There is in the Change which I fpeak of, a Principle of fpirltual 
 Life and Holinefs infufed into, or implanted in, the Soul. As Sin is 
 mortified in it, fo it is quickned and made capable of ferving God 'n\ 
 Newnefs of Life. Indeed it is by that Change which is v/rought in it 
 that both thefe are effected, 
 
 But 
 
Part II. 
 Chap 
 
 {; I Grace defended. ^^ 
 
 But here I fhall more particularly obferve, ( i ) That in this Change 
 the Soul that was dead in Sin, is quickned : And fo we are plainly 
 informed in Eph. 2. i. And ym hath he quickned^ who were dead in 
 TrefpaJJes and Sins. And in Col. 2. 13. And you being dead in your 
 Sins, and in the Uncirciojicijion of your Flefl), hath he quickned together 
 with him, (2) Sinners are thus quickned by having a Principle of 
 fpiritual Life put into them, or implanted in them, Ezck, 37. 5,6. 
 This Principle of fpiritual Life, or true Holinefs, put into the Souls of 
 Men in their Regeneration, is in Scripture called by fevcral Names, 
 as anew Heart and a new Spirit^ Ezek» 36. 26. T^he Spirit zvhich lujl- 
 eth againji the Flejh, Gal. 5. 17. The neiu Man, Eph. 4. 24. The 
 SeedofGcd, i John 3. 9. The divine Nature^ 2 Pet. i. 4. Eternal 
 Ji^ife, I John 3. 15. All that have th;s divine and heavenly Princi- 
 ple in them, have already eternal Life, and are pafpd from Death to 
 Life, John 5. 24. (3) Thii Principle is that by which fuchashave 
 it, are inclined and difpofed to live unto God, or to live holy and 
 godly Lives. Let it be here obferved, that Regeneration does rot 
 confift in any one or more good Act or Actions, but in God's quali- 
 fying and difpofmg the Soul to perform therr. This is evident in 
 Eph. 2. 10. We are his JVorkmanJkip, created in Chri/i fefus unto gccd 
 IVcrks, which God hath before ordained, that lue JJmdd walk in them. 
 See, for the fame Purpofe, Ezek. 36. 26, 27. compared with Luke 
 6. 43, 44, 45. The Tree muft be good iDefore the Fruit can be To. 
 
 The Change under Confideration is wrought by the Power cf tl.e 
 Holy Spirit, the Soul being wholly paflive in it. Here we may ob- 
 ferve feveral Things, as (i) That the Holy Spirit is the great Agent, 
 who worketh tliis Change : Therefore fuch as arc faid to be born 
 again, are faid to be born of the Spirit, John 3. 5, 6. Our Regene- 
 ration is our Sanguification, and this is the San<Slification of the Spir't, 
 2 Thef 2. 130 I Pet. I. 2. This Work is not afcribed to the Spi- 
 rit, to exclude the Father and Son, but becaufe it belongs to the 
 Application of Redemption, which, according to the Oeconomy of 
 the divine Perfons, is efpecially afcribed to the Holy Spirit. The 
 Regenerate are frequently fi\id to be horn of God', but then he works 
 tliis Change by his Spirit. (2) The mighty Power of the Holy Gholl 
 is put forth in working this Change : By Nothing fhort hereof can 
 this Work be cfFedled. It is, according to the Language of the 
 Scripture, Creation- Work, Pfal. 51. 10. Eph. 2. 10. and Chap. 
 4. 24. And being fo, the Power of God is put forth in it, even 
 the xeceeding Grcatncfs of his Povjcr to us-ward that believe, according to 
 the Working of hh mighty Poivcr \ which iLrougfrt in Ckrifl, when he 
 
 raifed 
 
56 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part IL 
 Chap. L 
 
 ra'ifcd hhn fmn the Dead, Eph. i. 19, 20. (3) And from hence it 
 follovvetb, that the Soul paffing under this great Change, is wholly 
 paiTivc therein. The Soul lends r.o Hand t^owards the Working th=s 
 Change in it. Alas \ What can that do ? It it had as much Power 
 as ever it had, it could do Nothing in fuch a difficult Work as 
 tills. To God only this is pofTible. " This therefore is a Work every 
 where afcribed to the mighty God. There is no Intimation in Scrip- 
 ture of the Sinner's doing any Thing towards it himfelf; but the 
 contrary is plainly afTerted, as in John i. 13. where it is faid of fuch 
 as were born of the Spirit, that they were born net of Bloody nor of the 
 IVillofthc FleJJ?, nor of the mil of Man, but of God, It followeth 
 (4) That this Change is not wrought by moral Suafion, but by the 
 immediate Energy of the Holy Ghoff. By moral Suafion, I intend, 
 the Word of God, cither read or heard, or any moral Motives or 
 Perfuafions whatfoever. And when I fay this Change is wrought by 
 the immediate Influence of the Holy Ghoft ; I mean, that he ufeth no 
 Inftrurnent at all in the Working of it ; and that it is a fuper-natural 
 Change. When it is faid by fome to be ^ phyfical Change, I fuppofe 
 they \.\(c that Word to fignify that it is not wrought by moral Suafion, 
 ns I alfo affirm. And that indeed it is not, is from hence evident, 
 that the Soul is paffive in it, as I fnewed under the laft Head. For 
 it is utterly impoffible, that the Soul fhould be wholly paffive in any 
 Change wrought in or upon it, by moral Suafion ; becaufe the Na- 
 ture of moral Suafion is to move and excite to Acfion, in a moral or 
 rational Way, in which a Suppofition of Paffivenefs is a Contradidlion. 
 When Sinners are Hiid to be begotten by the (Ford cf Truth, Jam. 1.18. 
 their aoiive Converfion is intended, not that Change, in which the Soul 
 IS pajjlve, betwixt which Divines are wont to diftinguifh ; and betwixt 
 tliefc there is a plain Diftin6i:ion made in Scripture, as has been before 
 obferved. Sec Ezek. 36. 26, 27. Eph. 2. 10. Jer. 31. 18, 19, 
 before quoted. 
 
 It followeth from the Premifes, That Regeneration Is an inftan- 
 taneous Change. The Work of Sanftification Is indeed a gradual 
 Work, as plainly appears in 2 Cor. 3. 18. but the Work of Rege- 
 neration is not fo. This is evident from this Reafon, vix. that Re- 
 gen.eration is the very Beginning of the Work of Sandiification. 
 Wjien God v/oiks the Change called Regeneration, he then begins 
 to fandify that Soul that Is the Subject!: of it. Of his Beginning of 
 which Work we read, Phil. 1.6. He that has begun a gcod Work in 
 you, ivill perform it witil the Day cf Jefus Chrij}. Now the Beginning 
 oi any Work cannot be gradual, but muft needs be inllantaneous. 
 
 Therefore 
 
Chap, "l } Gracc defettdcd. 57 
 
 Therefore every Man in the World is, at prefent, either in a rege- 
 nerate or in an unregenerate State. There is no fuch Condition as 
 wherein a Perfon is in neither of thefe, but betwixt both. As, in 
 the natural Birth, a Perfon is as fully born the firft Day he comes 
 into the World, as when he comes to be of full Stature ; fo it is in 
 the fpiritual Birth alfo. Thofe in whom God has wrought a faving 
 Change, are as truly converted and born again, as ever they will 
 be, tho' they may after this grow in Grace, and grow up to the Mea- 
 fure of the Stature of perfea Men in Chriji Jefus, 
 
 Laftly, I obferve here. That the Change wrought in Regeneration 
 is a permanent Change. It is never loft or fallen from. He that 
 begins this good Work perfeds it to the Day of Chrift, Phil i. 6. 
 before mentioned. The Seed of God remains in all that have it* 
 I John 3. 9. not but that it might be loft, had not God promifed 
 that it fhall not, Jer. 32. 40. and elfewhere. The Image of God 
 with which Man was before his P'all endowed, might be loft, becaufe 
 God had not promifed that it fhould not, yea, becaufe God had threat- 
 ned, that if he fmned it fhould ; for fo much was intended in that 
 Threatning, Gen, 2. 17. as I have formerly fhewed. But now the 
 Cafe is far other wife. God has, in the new Covenant, promifed 
 never to take his Holy Spirit from his true Saints and Servants, who 
 have experienced the great Work of Regeneration. His Seed fhall 
 remain in them. They have eternal Life abiding in them ; and they 
 (hall never be deprived of it, John 11. 26, 
 
 p\ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 ? 
 
 i^^y^^^-A 
 
5 8 Or ace defended. \ 
 
 Part II. 
 Chap. II. 
 
 C H A P. IT. 
 
 That the Grace of Regeneratt07t which has 
 bee?i defcrihed^ is fuch a?t emine?it Part of 
 Ma7t s Salvation^ that Salvation cannot 
 be offered to Sinners^ without an Offer of 
 it. 
 
 O make good what I here maintain, I will (i) fhew, 
 that the Grace of Regeneration is a very eminent Part 
 of Man's Salvation. (2) That it being fo, Salvation 
 cannot be offered to Sinners without an Offer of it. 
 
 The former of thefe is io manifefl from what has 
 been already faid, that there is fcarce any Occafion to 
 add any Thing here, for the Confirmation of it. In the firft Part of 
 this Effay, Chap. II. Page 30. I have fhewed, that Man's Salvation 
 does very eminently conhft in his Deliverance from the Power and 
 Dominion of Sin ; and in the firft Chapter of this fecond Part, that 
 this is done in Man's Re2;eneration, wherein he is fet free from the 
 reigning Power and Dominion of his own depraved Nature, which, 
 as he comes into the World, he is a Servant and Slave unto. 1 ha\e 
 therein alfo fhewed, that in this great Work, Man is endowed with 
 a Principle of fpiritual Life, yea, with Life eternal ; fo that he has 
 eVerlafting Life as foon as he is born again, as in 'John 5. 24. Now 
 wherein can Man's Salvation more eminently confift, than in his ha- 
 ving fuch Things as thefe done for him ? And add hereunto what I 
 have already made good, v'l'z. That all this is wholly done for finful 
 Men by the bleffed God himfelf, they doing Nothing in it or to it 
 themfelvcs, but being wholly paffive therein. This ferves further to 
 clear up the Point, that this belongs to the great Salvation, of which 
 God is the Author, and which none can work but he. 
 
 And how well does this agree with what we have in Scripture, 
 with Relation to the Salvation of God, wrought by Jefus Chrift, who 
 Game into this lower World /o y^i'f /;/i People from their Shts^ as in 
 Matth. r. 2r. i Tun. i. 15. And this was not to fave them from 
 the Guilt of Sin onlv, but from the Defilement and Dominion of Sin 
 
 alfo. 
 
Chap. h. } Grace defended. ^9 
 
 alfo. He accorxjingly gave himfelf forys, that he might redeem m from 
 all Iniquity^ and purify to himfelf a peculiar People zealous of good JVorks^ 
 Tit. 2. 14. And this is accomplifhed for finrul Men when they arc, 
 according to his Mercy ^ faved by the IVafiAhg of Regeneration^ a?id the 
 Renewing of the Hily Ghojl, as in Tit. 3. 15. By whi^h Words it 
 appears, that their Regeneration is their Salvation : And this vi^as what 
 was by the Prophet £z^>^/V/ foretold ^ in Eze|c. 36. 25. I will fprinkle 
 clean Water upon you, and you Jhall be clean : From all your Filthinefs, 
 and from all your Idols will I cleanfe you. And the next Words (hew 
 how this was to be done, Ver. 26. J new Heart alfo will I give you y 
 and a neiu Spirit will I put within you^ Sic. 
 
 In this, as has formerly been faid, Man's Salvation does more 
 properly confift, than in his Deliverance from the Guilt of Sin by 
 Chrift's Blood, which yet is no lefs a Fruit of his Death, than that. 
 By that, Way is made for Man's Happinefs : By this we are, in Part, 
 actually delivered from the Dominion and Slavery of Sin : By that 
 we have a Right given us unto eternal Life : By this wc are put in 
 a(3:u il PoiTeffion of it, fo as never to be deprived of it. See Jo/m 
 II. 26. and Chap. 4. 14. 
 
 Thus we fee that Man's §^lvation does eminently confifl: in his 
 Resceneration. 
 
 I now proceed to fliew. That fmce it is, as has been faid. Salva- 
 tion cannot be offered unto finful Men, without an Offer of regene- 
 rating Grace. A Suppoiition of oiFering Salvation to Sinners, with- 
 out offering to them that in which Salvation docs eminently confifl, 
 carries or implies in it a plain Contradiction. Salvation is In Scripture 
 called eternal Life, John ^. 15^ 16. and frequently elfe where. Now 
 there is no other eternal Life mentioned in Scripture, as by God 
 given to fmful Men, but that fplritual Life which is given in Rege- 
 neration. It is the fame, I doubt not, that is intended by our Sa- 
 viour, in John 17. 3. This is Life eternal, that they may know thee ^ 
 the only true God, and fefus Chriji whojn thou hafl fent. The Know- 
 ledge of God and Chrift, in this Place inteadtd, is undoubtedly 
 ;given in Regener^ion, and this is faid to be eternal Life, not as bein^ 
 the Condition on which eternal Life is offered, but bccaufe eterniii 
 Life does formally and eminently confilt in it. It is the great Happi- 
 nefs of all that have it : And they are already in a bleffed State that 
 are the Subjeds of it. So v/as Peter, Matth. 16. 27. Bleffed art thou 
 Simon Bar-jona : For Flejh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but 
 my Father ivhiJ) is in Heaven. Such as foknow God and Chrift may 
 fay, as in l John 5. 2 0. JVe know that the Son of Gcd is come, and 
 
 I 2 hath 
 
6o Grace defended. {chIp.il 
 
 hath given us an Vnderjlanding^ that wejhould know him that is true : And 
 we are in him that is true^ even in his Son Jefus Chriji, This is the 
 true God and eternal Life. Perfons thus qualified in their Regene- 
 ration, are already pofTefTed of the fame Kind of Life, which all the 
 Saints (hall live in Heaven for ever. For Grace here and Glory 
 hereafter differ only gradually., nor fpecifically., not in Kind but in 
 Degrees ; and Grace in all its Degrees is called Glory. 
 
 The Impoffibility of offering Salvation to finfulMen, without offer- 
 ing the Grace of Regeneration to them, may be thus made further 
 evident : God cannot be truly faid to offer Salvation to Sinners with- 
 out offering to them whatfoever is neceffary on his Part, in order 
 to their Salvation. God may offer Salvation to Sinners without 
 offerino- to them what is neceffary on their Part, in order to their 
 Salvation, fuch as is the Condition required of them in order to it : 
 But an Offer of Salvation, without an Offer of what is abfolutely 
 neceffary to it, on the Part of him, by whom the Offer is fuppofed 
 to be made, feemeth utterly impoflible. There may be indeed the 
 Shew of fuch an Offer, but really there can be none. Such a 
 feemino- Offer cannot be fmcere. If a Phyfician in whofe Power 
 alone it is to heal a fick Man, fhould tell him he would beftow a 
 plentiful Eftate upon him, provided he would do fomething, which 
 a Man in Health only can do, and not withal offer to reflore him to 
 Health ; would any one fay, that that Phyfician was fincere and kind, 
 in that feeming Offer ? Or would he not rather be guilty of mocking 
 and tantalizing him therein. I do not charge the bleffed God with 
 dealino- thus with fmful Men, but am fhewing that he does not. A 
 better Account may be given of his Dealings with them than this is, 
 as b^' the Help of God, I hope to make evident in the Sequel of this 
 Difcourfe. 
 
 CHAP* 
 
Chap. III. I Grac 6 defended. 61 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Concerning the Nature of that Faith and 
 Repentance^ 8cc. to which the Promife of 
 eternal Life is^ in this Difcourfe^ fuppofed 
 to he made. 
 
 y^^^c^^ T has been already faid, That the Condition on which 
 F(jR«^^^^ Salvation is promifed to Sinners in the Gofpel, does 
 ^P include or comprife in it Faith, Repentance, Obedience, 
 ^^pw Seeking of God, and in a Word, every Thing, what- 
 ^SSX^W^aGS ever it be, that is fo required of them, to whom the 
 Gofpel is preached, that God will not fave them with- 
 out it. But this is too general an Account of the Nature of the 
 Condition of the new Covenant, or of the Condition required of Sin- 
 ners, in order to their Salvation \ which is the Reafon of what is 
 here propofed to Confideration. 
 
 For whereas Faith, Repentance, Obedience, l^c. or by whatever 
 other Names thefe Ac^s are called, are of two Sorts or Kinds, accor- 
 ding to the different States Perfons are in, wz. either a State of Na- 
 ture, I mean that Condition that all Mankind are in, while unrege- 
 nerate, or not born of the Spirit : Or a regenerate and juftified 
 Eftate, fuch as they are in, who are born of God and become new 
 Creatures. Whereas, I fay, fuch Ads as in Scripture, go by the 
 Names of Faith, Repentance, ^c, do fpecifically differ, according to 
 the different State of the Perfons, by whom they are performed ; it 
 muft needs be neceffary to enquire, which of thefe two Kinds of 
 Ads they are, which are required of Sinners in order to their 
 Salvation ; and to do this is the Bufmefs of this Chapter. 
 
 Now, whereas I maintain in this Effay, That the Grace of Rege- 
 neration is comprifed in the Salvation conditionally offered in the G^of- 
 pel, it will evidently follow on this Suppofition, That the Faith and 
 Repentance required in the Covenant of Grace, as the Condition on 
 which Salvation is offered to us, cannot be of that Kind which is exer- 
 cifed by none but regenerate and juflified Perfons ; for fo, Sinners 
 ihould be in a State 9f Salvation before thev perform the Condition 
 ... required 
 
6i Grace defended. { chap.iil 
 
 required of them, in order to their being fayed ; contrary to Reafon 
 and to Scripture alfo ; for it is by Faith that we are juftified, Rom, 3. 
 28. and 5. I. And the Wrath of God abideth on Sinners till they 
 believe, 'John 3. 36. I therefore conclud'e, That whatever it be, and 
 bv what Names foever call'd, that is required of Sinners in order to 
 their being faved, is what they m.uft perforBi before theyareiiiil 
 State of Salvation, and {q while they are in an unregencrate and un- 
 ju^ificd State .: Which is no more than to fay, before God faves them. 
 And when awakened Sinners afk, whafthey {hall do to be faved ? as 
 in A5i$ 2, 37. and 16. 30. this is plainly fuppofed in their Inquiry ; 
 and they are confirmed in this by the Anfwer given to. tbejT), being 
 fuitable to the Meaning of their Qiieftion. 
 
 In order therefore to my fupporting the Hypothefis I have under* 
 taken to defend, it will be necefiary that I do two Things, viz. (l) 
 Prove it to be impofTible, that the Condition required of us ihould 
 ponfijft in iiny Aci or Acts to be performed by us, being already born 
 again, and by virtue of tjiat Grace which in our Regeneration we re- 
 ceive. (2) That it is very poflible, that the Condition to this End 
 required of fmful Men, ftiouid be performed by them, before they 
 are born of the Spirit ; and that, by virtue of fuch Aids and Influences 
 as God may afford them by his Word and Spirit, without bellowing 
 the Grace of Regeneration on them ; and before they receive this 
 Grace : And both thefe Things I (hall have Occafion to endeavour to 
 confirm in the Profecution of the Work, in which I am now engaged. 
 But my prefent Defign in this Chapter, is briefly to conndcr the 
 Nature of thofe Acts, which, I fay, are comprifed in the Condition 
 on v/hich God offers to fave Sinners ; and wherein they differ from 
 thofe, which, tho' much better, are not, yea, cannot be, required to 
 that End. 
 
 Now here I will firji fhew, what the fundamental Ground and 
 Reafonofthe Difference that is between , them, is; And then, y^- 
 condly^ wherein the Difference does appear, fo far as i am able to 
 difcern and difcover it. 
 
 I. As to the Reafon and Ground of the Difference betwixt the 
 A6I3 nov/ to be compared, the Difficulty feems not to be very 
 gre?.t 3 it being evident, that the Realon thereof is this, that the 
 A6ls of fuch as are in a regenerate and juftified EUate, do, or may, 
 flow from an inward Principle of true Holinefs ; or from a Principle 
 of fpiritual Life, which, in their new Birth, they have been endowed 
 
 v/ithal^ 
 
cTZ.ni ] Grace defended, 63 
 
 withal, called in Scripture, as has been declared, the new Man, the 
 fieiu Creature, a new Heart, a ?iew Spirit, tlie Seed of God, the divifie 
 Nature, &c. This Principle, being a fpiritual and holy Thing, deno- 
 minates the Perfons fpiritual and holy, who arc the Subjects of it ; 
 and fuch as they are, their Actions are, or may be alfo, like the Prin- 
 ciple from which they proceed. On the other Fland, fuch as are in 
 a State of Nature, and fo dcftitute of any fuch heavenly and divine 
 Principle, as has been now mentioned ; and fo not fpiritual, but car- 
 nal, do not, cannot, perform any fuch fpiritual and holy Adlions, as 
 fuch as are regenerate can do : For A6lIons cannot be better than the 
 Principle which they proceed or fpring from. Wc are accordingly 
 told, that that ivhicb is born of the Spirit is Spirit, and that which is born 
 of the Flejh is FUJh, John 3. 6. And with this agrees that in Rom. 
 8. 8. They that are in the Flejh cannot pleafe God: And that alfo 
 I Cor. 2. 14, 15. The natural Adan receiveth not the Things of the 
 Spirit of God : For they are Fooliftmcfs unto hint', neither can- he kmw 
 ihem, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned. But he that is fpiritual 
 judgeth all Things, Sic. 
 
 Agreeably hereunto the State of Mankind, with Relation to their 
 Adions good and bad, feems to be fully and plainly fet forth by our 
 Saviour, Luke 6. 43, 44,. 45. For a good Tree bringeth not forth cor r 
 rupt Fruit : Neither doth a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit. For 
 every Tree is knoivn by his oivn Fruit : Fer of Thorns Men do not gather 
 Figs, not cf a Brajnble-Bujh gather they Grapes, A good Adan, out of the 
 good Treafure of his Heart, bringeth forth that which is good ; a?:d an 
 evil Man, out of the evil Treafure of his Heart, bringeth forth that which 
 is evil: For of the Abundance of the Fie art the Mouth fpeaketh.^^ 'SYo. 
 may doubtlefs, from theScriptures that have been mentioned, cpnclude 
 it to be a Truth, That, in a proper and (Iriifl Scnfe, no A6lions are 
 holy and good, but what are performed by good or godly Perfons, 
 fuch as ^XQ born of God, or born of the Spirit \ and which flow from 
 an Inward Principle of fpiritual Life, or true Holinefs. 
 
 Yet on the other Hand it may be truly affirmed, that feme A£tions 
 which may be, and arc, performed by Perfons in an unrcgcnerate 
 State, which have fomething of Goodnefe in them ; (tho' ofaninfc- 
 riour Kind) and are (o far acceptable to God, by whom Acftions ar£ 
 Weighed, I Sam. 2. 3. and who perfedlly knows what of Good or 
 Evil there is in any of them, and values them accordingly, approving 
 them fo far as they arc good, and abhorring them fo far loith ^s they 
 are evil. But of this more hereafter : At prcfent my Bufmefs is to 
 fhew, that there' is a real Difference betwixt tlic good Adlions of the 
 
 Regenerate, 
 
64 Grace defended, \ chap.iil 
 
 Regenerate, and the beft that can be performed by unregenerate Per- 
 fons ; and wherein that Difference lieth* 
 Wherefore, 
 I fhall here, fecondly^ mention three Things, wherein I think the 
 good A6lions of the Regenerate greatly differ, and that fpecifically, 
 from any that can be performed by unregenerate Perfon?. 
 
 ■ "il^And/r/?, the Knowledge which the Regenerate have of God 
 and fpiritual Things is exper'unental^ and their other A6lrons proceed- 
 ing from fuch Knowledge, fuitable to it ; but not fo the Unrege- 
 nerate. 
 
 I will here confider, firji^ that Knoivledge which the Regenerate 
 have of God and Things fpiritual ^ and then their other Adions pro- 
 ceeding therefrom. 
 
 1. I fay, the Knowledge of the Regenerate Is experimental; 
 which the Knowledge of the Unregenerate is not. Now to clear up 
 this, we may obferve (i) That the Eled of God have not, in their 
 Converfioji, any other obje£i:ive Revelation of God, than the Non- 
 Ele£t, who are never favingly converted. The external Revelation 
 of divine Obje£ls and Truths, which we have in the holy Scriptures, 
 is a fulficient Ground for the Belief and afTured Knowledge of them ; 
 fo that thofe who do not believe and know them, as they ought to do, 
 cannot plead, that they have not fufficient Evidence of the Truth and 
 Reality of them. If they could truly fo plead, this would be a good 
 Reafon for their not believing them, which they evidently cannot have, 
 (I fpeak of thofe who enjoy the Gofpel) as appears in Luke 16. 27, 
 — -31. Nay, I fuppofe it cannot be proved, that when the Eledl be- 
 lieve, with a Kind of Faith peculiar to them^ they have any other 
 objeiftive Revelation of divine Truths, and Evidence to ground their 
 Faith on, than thofe have who never fo believe. 
 
 2. Perfons enjoying fuch obje6live Revelation and Evidence of di- 
 vine and fpiritual Things, need Nothing more of that Kind, in order 
 to believing and knowing them in a gracious and holy Manner, than 
 is afforded to thofe who never fo believe. What is further neceffary 
 in order thereunto, is done for them in Regeneration or paffive Con- 
 verfion ; (of which before) and in the Afliftance they have in exer- 
 cifing the Grace they have fo received ; unto all which no new ob- 
 jediive Revelation is required. This, I fay, is done by God's giving 
 unto Men an Heart to know h'un, Jer. 24. 7. and by his opening their 
 Eyesy to behold wondrcus Things out of his Lawy Pfal. 119. 18. And 
 
 this 
 
CHAP.m. } G^<^(:^ defended. 65 
 
 this God does by working a fubje£live Change ; that is, he rcdifics 
 the Organ, and reftores the depraved Faculty. He does it not by- 
 fending new Light, in other objc6live Revelations, which the Subje6ts 
 of fuch a Change had not before : For it is plainly fuppofed in the 
 Places but now quoted, that Perfons, for whom this is done, have, 
 before the doing it for them, a fufficient objective Revelation of the 
 Things which they are required to believe and know. 
 
 3. The Knowledge of fpiritual Things, in this Way obtained, is 
 experimental ., and fuch as none but the Regenerate have or can have. 
 All the Knowledge which the Unregenerate havT, or can have, of 
 divine and fpiritual Things, called the ^^^p Things of God.^ 2 Cor. 2. 
 10, is quite of another Kind, vi%. only by a natural AfTent on Tefti- 
 mony unto the Truth of the Things believed. And their Afllirance 
 of fuch Things, in this Way, can arife no higher than their Know- 
 ledge of him that teftifies will lay a Foundation for, and the Reafons 
 which they do, or may fee of the Credibility of the Things teftified, 
 will be fufficient to produce ; which fometimes may be a confiderable 
 Meafure of Certainty : Yet this is valtly different from, and no Ways 
 comparable to, that experimental Knov/ledge which the Regenerate 
 do attain. 
 
 The Difference betwixt the two Kinds of Knov^'lcdge I am fpeak- 
 ing of, is, I fay, very great and plain, as the Difference is great be- 
 twixt what we know by Report only, and what we know experi- 
 mentally, by Seeing, Feeling, Tafting, i^c. See i John i . i . A 
 fick Perfon, whofe Appetite is vitiated, and who has loft his Relifli 
 of Meat and Drink ; tho' he can believe fuch as commend this and 
 the other Sort of either, becaufe he reckons them credible 3 yet cannot 
 have the fame AfTurance of the Goodnefs of the Things he has often 
 heard praifed, as he has, who being in Health can, and does, expe- 
 rience the Sweetnefs of the Things he feeds on, and by which he is 
 ftrengthned and nourifhed, and fo certainly knov.'s the Benefit of. 
 
 Thus Sin is a Difeafe, which has deprived Mankind of theirAppetite 
 and Relifh of fpiritual Things ; therefore the carnal Mind is Ermiily 
 again/} God, Rom. 8. 7. with which we may compare, i Cor. 2. 14. 
 but lately mentioned. But in Regeneration, this woful Diftemper 
 of Men's Souls is, in a good Meafure, cured ; {o that they find and 
 experience the Certainty and Excellency of fpiritual Objcdls ; and 
 can converfe with them with Pleafure and Delight, as the Scripture? 
 plentifully fhew. Such as pleafe may read and compare, Jcl^ 42. 
 5, (?. PfaL 34. 8. I Pet. 2. 2, 3. Pfal. 119. 97, Cant. 2. i. i Joh, 
 1.3. K Fro:n 
 
66^ Grace defended. } chIp.iil 
 
 From this, experimental Knowledge called Wifdom^ ^^^ fpiritual 
 VndirJ^anding^ Col. 1.9. there always proceed fuch Adions as are 
 fuitable thereunto, and as become thofe that are fpiritually wife, fuch 
 as are the genuine Fruits and proper Effects of the Knowledge of the 
 Holy^ mention'd Prci;. i. 7. Pfal. ill, 10. Job 2%. 28. dXio Prov, 
 2. IO5 II, 12. 
 
 2. Another Thing wherein, I think, the good Actions of the 
 Regenerate differ from the befl: that can be performed by any unre- 
 generate Perfons, is this, that they are performed out of fuch a 
 Love to God, as has his infinite Perfections for the formal Reafon 
 and Ground of it. Here I fhall obferve, (i) That unregenerate 
 Perfons may perform Adions that are materially good, tho' they 
 have no Love to God at all ; yea, tho' they have no Regard to him. 
 It is not to be doubted, but that unregenerate Sinners may believe 
 there is a God ; and have a Fear and Dread of him, as well as Devils, 
 Jam. 2. 19. And out of fuch a Fear of him they may yield Obe- 
 dience to his Commands, tho' they love him not. (2) Unregenerate 
 Perfons may have fome Kind of Love to God, which may put them 
 on doing many Things which he requires them to do. There be 
 fome unregenerate Perfons that have a very confiderable Refpedl and 
 Veneration for the great God that made them, and continually pre- 
 ferves them. They therefore love not to hear his Name blafphemed ; 
 and the Kindnefs they may apprehend they have received from him, 
 . qiay influence them to do many Things, which they may think good 
 in themfelves, and pleafmg in his Sight ; and they may apprehend 
 that God is (o gracious as to reward them well for the good Works 
 which they perform. There may be in the Unregenerate, a Kind of 
 natural Love to God, anfwerable to the Apprehenfions they have of 
 fome Goodnefs in him, as well as fuch a Love to their Neighbours ; 
 even common Grace may go thus far. (3) But no unregenerate 
 Perfon ever loved and obeyed God, on the Account of the admirable 
 Perfections of his Nature ; fo that his Perfuafion of his infinite Good- 
 nefs, arifing from his own experimental Acquaintance with him, was 
 the formal Reafon of this his Love to him, and Defire to do that which 
 would pleafe him ; fo that they would do the fame, tho' they them- 
 felves had no Benefit by it. I fuppofe. That he that cannot do thus, 
 is ftill in a State of Nature, and does not know and love God in a gra- 
 cious Manner : And has not, in the Senfe of the Scripture, tajied that 
 the Lord is gracious, i Pet. 2, 3. Pfal, 34. 8. 
 
 3- I 
 
ch7p.iv.' } Grace defended. 6j 
 
 3. I think the Regenerate only can perform good AcSlions, with an 
 Aim and Defign to glorify God, as the ultimate^'End of them. There 
 is, as I think, no Doubt to be made, but that t]:e Unregenerate may, 
 and fometimes do, aim at God'sGlory, in fome of thcirAcbion?. Such 
 may be perfuadcd, That to glorify God here, is the only Way to 
 obtain eternal Life hereafter j and this may put them upon endeavour- 
 ing to glorify God's Name. But none but a gracious Soul can aim 
 at God's Glory, as the ultimate End of what he does ; and tho' he 
 fhould fee no Advantage to himfelf by it. But I think every truly 
 holy Soul would do this. However, God does not require us to aim 
 at his Glory, without any Eye or View to our own Advantage : Thefc 
 are Things, by God himfelf, fo joined together, that we ought not to 
 go about to feperate them. 
 
 So much may fuffice to have faid in this Place, concerning the 
 Difference of the gracious and holy Actions of thofe who are already 
 pafled from Death to Life, and thofe Actions in which, I fuppofe, the 
 Condition, on which Salvation is offered unto Sinners, does confif]-. 
 This will neceflarily be furthsr fpoken to hereafter. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 That GOD, in offeri?ig JesusChrist, with 
 all his Benefits^ tojinful Men^ ^mifi needs 
 offer them the Grace of Regeneration. 
 
 l^^^-'f'aof'G^'t'a^^'^ Jefus Chrift, with all his Benefits, made to Sinners, 
 
 <g'":f:'^^^-;t;."^ is, I think, in the Miniflry of the Word of God, 
 
 y^^ y W'^ very frequently afierted, by orthodox Preachers of 
 
 c^sf oof^qfc^ the Gofpel : How agreable to Truth, I fhall in this 
 
 WcM^fM^^ Chapter confider : And whether, if this be true, \t 
 ^^/^T^/^-^rWi.^ will not from thence follow, Th.at Sinners have in 
 the Gofpel, an OfFer of the Grace of Regeneration made to them ; 
 which is the Point I am endeavouring to maintain. 
 
 Now in order to the clearing up of this Truth, I fhall (j) {hzw^ 
 That there is, in the Gofpel, an OfFcr of Jefus Chrift himfelf to Sin- 
 ners. (2) That, having an Offer of Jefus Chrift himfelf, they have, 
 with him, an OfFer of all his Benefits. (3) That, bavin? an Offer of 
 ''/ K 2 ^ " all 
 
68 Grace defended. \ ch1p.iv.' 
 
 all his Benefits, they muft needs have an Oiter of the Grace of Re- 
 generation. To thefe Things I will fpeak feverally. 
 
 I. I fay Sinners have in the Gofpel an Offer of Jefus Chrift himfelf 
 made to them. 
 
 This I fhall take for granted, it being, as I fuppofe, generally ac- 
 knowledged by all that own that Sinners have Salvation conditionally 
 offered to them. Injohn i. ii, 12. we have a plain Proof of this 
 Truth. 
 
 But it may be proper here to obferve, That when it is faid, that 
 Sinners have in the Gofpel an Offer of Jefus Chriff-, we muft not 
 underftand merely his Perfon, God- Man ; but his Perfon confidered 
 as cloathed with his OfHce of Mediator betwixt God and Mankind ; 
 and every Way qualified and enclined to execute that Office ; yea, as 
 having undertaken it on the Behalf of all that will receive him, or 
 come up to the Terms on which he is offered to them : Thefe Names, 
 Jefus Chrijf^ are plainly expreffive of the Office he bears, and his be- 
 ing anointed, or fet apart to the Execution of it ; the Name Jefus 
 fignifying a Saviour^ and that of Chriji and MeJJiah^ his being anointed 
 or fet apart to his Office : And whenever we fpeak of Jefus Chrift, 
 as being offered unto Sinners, we fhould not think his Perfon only 
 to be underftood, but his Perfon cloathed with the Office of a Savi- 
 our, as in Matth. i. 21. l^bou /halt call his Name Jesus ; for he 
 jhall fave his People from their Sim, Now this Office of a Saviour 
 includes in it thofe of Prieft, Prophet, and King. 
 
 Nor is Jefus Chrift, who is offered unto Sinners, to be confidered 
 meerly as cloathed with the Office of a Mediator, but as perfeiStly 
 qualified for the Execution of it, or Accomplifhment of the Work he 
 has undertaken to perform, viz. the bringing many Sons unto Glory ^ 
 Heb. 2. 10. To this End he zuas inade perfe£l through Sufferings, 
 as is faid in the fame Verfe ; not only as hereby he became a Pat- 
 tern of Patience to his fuffering Saints, but more efpecially as by 
 this he laid the Foundation of all that ftill remained neceffary, in order 
 to their being bro't into a State of perfccSl Happinefs and Glory. 
 Unto this that well agreeth, i Pet. 3. 18. For Chrijl alfo once fuf- 
 fered for Sins, the Jufl for the Unjufi : that h£ might bring us to Gcd, 
 being put to Death in the Fief), but quickened by the Spirit. To the 
 fame Purpofe it is faid of him, Heb. 5. 9. That being made per fe£f , 
 he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him. 
 The Price of Man's Redemption being once paid, their great Saviour 
 might comfortably go on and accomplUh all that was further neceffary 
 
 in 
 
chap.iv. } Grace defended. 69 
 
 in order to their Happinefs, in their efFedual Calling, Juftification, 
 and Regeneration, 6'f. 
 
 When Jcfus Chrift is fpoken of, as offered to Sinners, we muft alfo 
 confider him as filled with all that Good which is treafured up in him, 
 to be communicated to all thofe whom he eternally faves. For it 
 hath plea fed the Father^ that in hi?ti all Fulnefs fioould divcll^ Col. i . 19. 
 And in hi?n are hid all the Treafwes of IVifdom ami Knowledge ^ Chap. 2. 
 30. And we are told, in John i. 14. That he w^sfull of Grace and 
 Truth. And in verfe 16. fuch as have an Intereft in him are bro't 
 in faying. Of his Fulnefs have all we received^ and Grace for Grace, 
 Jefus Chrift is indeed that i^?^/«/^/«of fpiritual Good, of which we read, 
 Zech. 13. I. In him therefore all our Springs are^ Pfal. 87. 7. 
 He is a full Repofitory of all thofe good Things that needy Souls can 
 defire, and look out after 3 and unto all, to whom he is Offered, he 
 is offered full as he is. 
 
 2. Together with, and in Jefus Chrift, Sinners liave an Offer of 
 all his Benefits. This is indeed a plain Confequencc of what is above 
 faid, vi%. That Sinners have an Offer of Chrill with all his P^ulnefs. 
 But for the further clearing of this Point, we muft here confider, 
 (i) What we may here underftand by Chrift's Benefits. (2) How 
 it appears that thefe are all offered unto Sinners in and with him. 
 
 (i) Let us here confider what we are to undcrftand by Chrift's 
 Benefits. Now unto this, in a Word, I fay, That by thefe Benefits, 
 I underftand, all thofe fpecial and everlafting Mercies, which God 
 beftows on all, and only thofe, whom he eternally faves ; and which 
 are called Things that accompany Salvation^ Heb. 6. 9. What thefe 
 Things are, I have more particularly fhown. Part I. and Chap. II. of 
 thisEffay, where it appears. Page 30. That Man's Salvation contains 
 in it, as an eminent Part of it, his Deliverance from the rei^nino- 
 Power and Dominion of Sin, in and by his Regeneration. Such as 
 pleafe may fee what is there faid, but much rather what the Scripture 
 fays, Matth. i. 21. Tit. 2. 14. and Chap. 3. 5. 
 
 (2) I muft (hew that, all thefe Benefits, not any one of them ex- 
 cepted, are in the Gofpel offered unto Sinners in and with Jefus Chrift. 
 They cannot be either offered or given in any other Way, than that 
 now exprefs'd. I mean. That, according to the Way which God lias 
 ftated in the Gofpel, they cannot. The natural Order and Reafon of 
 Things will not admit that they ftiould, For, 
 
 Fir/, 
 
70 Grace defended. \ J^^ 
 
 T II. 
 
 AP.IV. 
 
 Firji^ Thefe Things being all repofited in Chrift, as has been 
 fhewn, there can, I fuppofe, be no Way (hewed, how any Perfon can 
 be a Partaker of any of them, without being made Partaker of Jefus 
 Chrift, in whom they are all treafured up. Thofe therefore that 
 have an Interell in any of them, are faid in Scripture to have the fame 
 in him. And it would be prepofterous in any Perfon to defire, or la- 
 bour to obtain, any of them, in any other Way, than by getting an 
 Intereft in Jefus Chrift himfelf. Thofe that have an Intereft in any 
 one of thofe Things, are therefore in Scripture faid to have them in 
 him. In him they have tlieir Rlghteoufnefs, and Strength, and their 
 Life, Ifa'i. 45. 24, 25. I John 5. 11. Gal. 2. 20. 
 
 Secondly^ Union with Chrift is therefore neceflary in order to Per- 
 fons being Partakers of any of thefe Benefits. Never did any one 
 Soul partake of any of them, without being firft united to Chrift. 
 They are all conveyed from him as the Head of his Church, which is 
 his Body, unto the Members of it -, or as from a Vine to it's Bran- 
 ches. For this the Scriptures are full and plain, as may be feen, 
 CoL I. 18, 19. and Chap. 2. 19. John i. 16. Eph. i. 22, 
 23. See alfo John 15. i, 6. 
 
 But there being feveral Senfes in which Perfons may be faid to be 
 united to Jefus Chrift, I fhall have Occafion in my next Chapter 
 diftin(!lly to confider them, and fhew, in what Senfe Perfons muft be 
 united to Jefus Chrift, before they can partake of any of his fpecial 
 Benefits. At Prefent it is fufficient to my Purpofe that the Scriptures 
 are plain and full. That Union with, or to, him is neceflary to that 
 End ; and that he muft become our's in Order to our partaking of 
 any of his fpecial Favours : Even as a Woman muft marry a Man, in 
 order to her having fuch an Intereft in his Eftate, as Wives have in 
 the Eftate of their Hufband.s. And thus much may fuftice for my 
 fourth Chapter. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Part II 
 Chap 
 
 v; } Grace defended. 71 
 
 C H A p. V. 
 
 That neither the Grace of Regeneration, nor 
 any A81 flowing from ity or by which it is 
 implied^ is the Condition on which Salva- 
 tion is offered to Sinners^ and confequently 
 the fame muft be comprehended i7i the Sal- 
 vation offered to them. 
 
 7r^^r^^i^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ in the forcgc?ir)g Chapter endeavoured io 
 '^^m^^<h<^^^Y■k prove. That Sinners have in the Gofpe), an Offer of 
 ^|21f cSS:.!'^ Jefus Chrifland all his Benefits made to them ; and 
 plj^cSSaJSl^ confequently, of Regeneration, which is one of the 
 9^^^SS|f| principal of them : I am apprehenfive there is one 
 foS^fSlfoia) Exception that will be apt to be made againft the Ar- 
 gument there infifted on, viz. That Regeneration itfelf, ( or which 
 is inEffedt the fame Thing, an A6t of Faith flowing from it, or im- 
 plying it ) is the Condition on which the Offer of Salvation is made ; 
 and confequently cannot be comprifed in the Salvation offered ; be- 
 caufe one and the fame Thing cannot be both the Condition on which 
 Salvation is offered, and the Benefit itfelf to be obtained on that Con- 
 dition ; I intend, in this Chapter, not only to (how the Faultinefs of 
 fuch an Objection ; but alfo to make fome Advantage of the Confe- 
 quence made ufeofinit, for the Support of the Hypothefis which it 
 is defigned to overthrow. 
 
 I then readily acknowledge. That the fame Thing cannot be both 
 the Condition on which Salvation is offered, and either a Part or the 
 Whole of the Salvation offered on it. If therefore it can be proved. 
 That either Regeneration itfelf, or any A6l flowing from it or implyed 
 in it, is required of Sinners, as the Condition on which Salvation is 
 offered to them, it will plainly follow, that it can be no Part of the 
 
 Sdivationj on that Condition offered. But then, on the other 
 
 Hand, 
 
72 Grace defended. \ ch^'^p. "" 
 
 Hand, if it Is or may be fufficlently proved, that Regeneration is a 
 Part, and an eminent and principal Part too, of the Salvation offer- 
 ed in the Gofpel, it will as firmly follow, that it cannot be the Con- 
 dition on which God ofFers that Salvation. If therefore I have proved, 
 as I think I have, That Regeneration is compr.ifed in the Salvation of- 
 fered to Sinners ; or if I can ftill, as I intend, make good this.Afler- 
 tion, then it v/ill appear not to be comprifed or implied in the Con- 
 dition. However, if I have not yet proved this in the Way exprefTed, 
 I hope I fhall fufficiently evince it in what remains to be fpoken in this 
 Chapter. 
 
 To go on therefore, there are now two Things before me to be 
 made good, v'l'z. (i) That neither the Grace of Regeneration, nor 
 any A&: flowing from it, can be the Condition on which Salvation is 
 offered to Sinners. (2) That from hence this Conclufion followeth. 
 That the Grace given in Regeneration mufl needs be comprifed in the 
 
 Salvation offered : And thefe Things I fhall endeavour feverally 
 
 to illuftrate and confirm. 
 
 I . I will endeavour to fhew that neither the Grace of Regeneration, 
 nor any A61 flowing from it, and fo involved and implied in it, can be 
 the Condition on which Salvation is offered, as above. 
 
 (i) I fay, the Grace of Regeneration itfelf, cannot be the Conditi- 
 on on which God offers Salvation to fmful Men. For Firjl^ The 
 Condition on which Salvation is offered to Sinners, is fomething re- 
 quired of them to be done by them, which the Grace of Regeneration 
 is not. The Condition required of Sinners is fomething which they 
 are diredled to do, in Anfwer to fuch Enquiries of awakened Souls as 
 thefe, IVhat/hallive do? Afts 2. 37. and. What Jhall I do to he 
 faved? A(^s 16. 30. It is fomething called in Scripture Believing^ 
 Repenting^ Obeying^ Seeking the Lord^ Calling on his Name, &c. as I 
 have formerly fhewed. But theGrace of Regeneration is no a6l at all, 
 either of God, or of the Sinner, tho' it be God's Gift. It is an infufed 
 Habit or Principle, by which they that have it are difpofed to a6t as 
 they fhould do, not their adling. For it is called in Scripture, a new 
 Heart, a new Spirit, the Jieiu Creature, the Seed of God, the Image of 
 God, the divine Nature, &c. none of which Words or Names fignify 
 Anions, but a Principle of Grace or Holinefs wrought in Men's Souls 
 by the Holy Spirit, creating them anew in Chrijl fefus unto good IVorks^ 
 that they fhould walk in them, Eph. 2. lO. and Ezek. 36. 26, 27. 
 Secondly, The Grace of Regeneration cannot be the Condition on 
 
 which 
 
Chap, v! } Gracc defended. 73 
 
 which Salvation is offered to Sinners, becaufe they cannot have it be- 
 fore they are in a State of Salvation ; which to its being a Condition 
 on which Salvation is offered, is neceffarily required. But this will 
 by and by be made further evident. 
 
 (2) No A(St flowing from the Grace of Regeneration, or imply- 
 ing it, can be the Condition on which Salvation is offered. No fuch 
 A&, I mean, as any Perfon performs by the Help of that Grace, 
 which, in his Regeneration, he receives. And to make good what I 
 here affert, I will (hew, (i) That if that could be which is here de- 
 nied, then a Sinner might be vitally united to Jefus Chrifl:, while he 
 has no Covenant-Intereft in him. And (2) Then alfo might a Sinner 
 be horn of Gcd^ and born of the Spirit^ before he is juftified by the Im- 
 putation of the Righteoufnefs of Chrifl to him : Neither of which can 
 be true, or may by any Means be admitted. 
 
 I. I fay,, if any Ad, or Adts, flowing from the Grace of Regere- 
 ration, or implying it, were the Condition on which Salvation is 
 offered, then it would follow, that a Perfon may be vitally united 
 to Chrift before he has any Covenant-Intereft in him and his Benefits j 
 which mufl be denied. I fuppofe there are fcarce any of our Divines 
 that will deny this Confequence, becaufe the Conclulion or Inference 
 is, what they generally hold and maintain : For they think an A61 of 
 Faith, flowing from a Principle of Grace given in Regeneration, is 
 required in order to our Salvation ; nor do they at all doubt, but 
 that all in whom a Principle of Grace is wrought, are vitally united 
 unto Chrift, and that before they have any Covcnant-Interefl in him : 
 For they fuppofe it to be impofTible, that any Perfon fhould have a 
 Covenant-Intereft in Jefus Chrift that has not believed in him, and 
 this with that Kind of Faith which is given in Regeneration ; and 
 which can be only exerted by a regenerate Soul. It is not therefore 
 fuppofed, that there is any Abfurdity in the Inference I draw from the 
 Propofition I oppofe. What, therefore, is here incumbent on me is 
 to fhow, that it is impoflible that any Perfon fhould be vitally united 
 to Jefus Chrift, before he has a Covenant-Intereft in him ; and con- 
 fequently fuch a Right to his Benefits alfo. 
 
 I will therefore here endeavour to make it manifeft, that this :S 
 impofTible. And to this End I will briefly fhew (i) What I take to 
 be imported in a vital Union to Jefus Chrift. (2) What I intend 
 by a Covenant-Intereft in him. And then I will (hew (3) How un- 
 
 L rcafonable 
 
74 Grace defended, } cha*." 
 
 reafonable it is to imagine, Thai a Perfon that has not fuch an In- 
 tercft in Cbrift and his Benefits, may yet be vitally united to him. 
 
 1. And/r/?, I will here fhew, what I fuppofe to be imported in 
 that vital Union with Jefus Chrift, whereof I here fpeak. 
 
 Now to this I fay, ( i ) 7'hat this imports that the great Work of 
 Regeneration is really wrought in fuch a Soul ; or that he is born of 
 God, born of the Spirit ; that God has given him a new Heart, and 
 a new Spirit ; reftorcd his Image in him, which he had loft by the 
 P'all ; endowed him with a Principle of fpiritual Life ; planted the 
 Seed of Grace in his Soul ; made him Partaker of the divine Nature. 
 All this muft needs be implied in a vital Union with Jefus Chrift : 
 For it is by the Soul's Conformity to the Image of the Soft of God, or 
 by his having Chrift formed in him, that this hisUnion with him is bro't" 
 about or effected. We are therefore told, that he thai h joined to the 
 Lord is one Spirit, i Cor. 6. 17. (2) Such as thefe are actually be- 
 come the Temples of the Holy Ghoft, having the Spirit of God, 
 Father and Son, dwelling in them, as in i Cor. 6. 15, 16, 17^ and 
 vcr. 19. And God dwells and walks in them, 2 Cor. 6. 16. So 
 that they are become an Habitation of God thro' the Spirit, Eph. 2. 
 22. and Chrift lives in them. Gal. 2. 20. (3) Such as thefe have 
 already eternal Life ; and fhall not come into Condemnation, but 
 are already paffed from Death to Life, and have eternal Life abiding 
 in them, fo that they fliall never die. See John 5. 24. i John 3. 
 14, 15. and Chap. 5. 12. alfo John 11. 25, 26. (4) Such as thefe 
 God has already began to glorify, as plainly appears, 2 Cor. 3. 18. 
 The Spirit of God and of Gbry refieth on them. 
 
 2. I muft next fliew, what I intend by a Covenant-Intereft in 
 Jefus Chrift and his Benefits : And here, in general, I fay, I hereby 
 intend a juft Right and Title to them, by the Promifes of God in the 
 new Covenant ; and that unto iVIen's having fuch a Right, their 
 Performance of the Condition on which Jefus Chrift and his Benefits 
 are offered, or conditionally promifed, is abfolutely neceflary. 
 
 . Now, with Refpecl to this Intereft in, or Right to, Chrift and his 
 Benefits, I think it necefiTary to fay feveral Things. 
 
 I. And /ryf, this fuppofeth, that there are, in the Gofpel, condi- 
 tional Ofters and Promifes made of thefe Things unto finful Men, 
 plainly importing, that they fhall become theirs on the Performance 
 of the Condition or Conditions to that End required of them. But 
 on this I need not enlarge, having before fpoken fully to it. 
 
 2. That 
 
Chap. V. } Gracc (kfenckd. 7^; 
 
 2. That thefe Conditions muft be performed before a Right can 
 be had to the Things conditionally promifed. The very Notion of a 
 conditional Offer or Promife does plainly imply fo much. 
 
 3. I acknowledge, that, according to my Hypothefis, a Sinner 
 mult-, in order to his having fuch a Right, perform the now intended 
 Condition, before lie has the great Work of Regeneration wrought in 
 him ; and confequcntly, Strength given to him in his Regeneration 
 is not required in order to it : Yet I believe, that, in order to this, a 
 Sinner needs the Help and Influences of God, by his Word and Spirit, 
 
 4. Sinners can have no Right to any of the Benefits purchafed by 
 Jefus Chrift for them, and laid up in him, 'till they have a Right to^ 
 and Intereft in himfelf, as has been already fhewed. 
 
 5. Union with Jefus Chrift is alfo abfolutely necefTary, in order to 
 our partaking of his fpecial Benefits. They are all communicated by, 
 and derived from him, as he is Head of his Church, Col. j. 18, 19. 
 and Chap. 2. 19. Eph, i. 22, 23. alfo John 15. from the Beginning 
 to Verfe 6. 
 
 6. The Grace of Regeneration cannot be received from Chrifl^ by 
 his People, as their vital Head^ or as being in fuch a vital Union with 
 him as I lately defcribed. This is moft obvious, becaufe no Perfon is 
 fo united to him, 'till he is regenerate or born again ; It being by the 
 Beflowment of the Grace of Regeneration on any Soul, that fuch an 
 Union with Chrift is brought about or efFedled. It is by putting his 
 holy Spirit into fome of the Children of Men, that Jefus Chrift unites 
 them to himfelf; and thus all that ^ve joined to the Lord are ons Spirit 
 with him : And hence it appears, that they receive not the Grace of 
 Regeneration from him, as being, in this Senfe their Head ; but to 
 the End he may be fo, and they his Members. 
 
 It is therefore by a fcederal Union with Jefus Chrift^ that his Peo- 
 ple are made Partakers of regenerating Grace. That Union with 
 him is to this End necefTary, I have already fhewed. All his Benefits 
 are communicated to his People, as from a Head to its Members^^ 
 and without fome Union with him, none of his flwing Benefits can 
 be received by them. But it is evident, that in order to their receiving 
 the Grace of Regeneration, they can have no other than a relative 
 Union to him ; and this can be no other than a fcsderal Union with 
 him : AnJ this, I fay, they may and muft have, before they can par- 
 take of regenerating Grace. 
 
 What I have here faid I fhali endeavour to make good by the fol- 
 iov/ing Confiderations. 
 
 L 2 I. There 
 
76 Grace defended. \ ^^^^ "; 
 
 I. There is a covenant as well as a vital Union betwixt Jefus Q rift 
 and his People. That there is a vital Union betwixt him and them, 
 is generally acknowledged among us. This I have fpoken of before 
 in Page 34. That there is alfo a Covenant-Union betwixt our Savi- 
 our and his People, I fuppofe to be likewife acknowledged ; and this 
 is that of which I here fpeak, and the Nature whereof I would explain. 
 
 I. Here then, in the firft Place, I muft obferve. That there is a 
 Covenant-Union betwixt God and fome of the Children of Men, 
 immediately arifmg, or refulting, from a mutual Agreement or Sti- 
 pulation betwixt him and them, which does not of it felf entitle thofe 
 who are taken into it, to any ofthefaving Benefits of the Coveiant 
 entred into. This will be manifeft if the Nature of the Covenant 
 intended (I mean the Covenant of Grace) be a little confidered j and 
 who the Parties are that are engaged in it. 
 
 And, in general, I here fay, that the Covenant by which this 
 Union is brought about, being conditional, the Union intended can- 
 not be efFe<5led, 'till the Condition be performed. The Covenant I 
 here intend is the new Covenant, or the Covenant of Grace ; and 
 this is a conditional Covenant, as I have fufficiently proved in the firft 
 Part of this EfTay. In this Jefus Chrift and all his Benefits are con- 
 ditionally promifed to finful Men. TheCondition therein required of 
 Sinners, is that they lay hold on the Covenant, or fubmit to the Terms 
 of it, and then perform what is required in it, in order to their en- 
 joying the Good of it. What that is which is required, has already 
 been fufficiently declared. By doing this. Sinners obtain a Right to 
 Jefus Chrift, with all his Benefits offbred to them ; and fo have fuch 
 a Relation to him as they never had before. And in this Relation, 
 whereof I now fpcak, their covenant Union with him, which 1 here 
 intend, does confift. 
 
 But I fliall endeavour to clear up this more fully by a brief Obfer- 
 vation offeveral Things here following, as (i) That there is a cove- 
 nant Relation betwixt God and his People, which does immediately 
 arife and refult from their taking hold of the Covenant, or fubmitting 
 to the Terms of it. Tho' God does, in the Gofpel, offer to enter 
 into Covenant with Sinners, this Covenant is not a6tually made be- 
 twixt him and them, 'till there be a Confent of both Parties to the 
 Terms of it. This is done on the Part of Sinners invited to come 
 into it, when they take hold of God's Covenant : In doing of which they 
 are faid to join themfelues to the Lord to ferve hi?!!, Ifai. 56. 3, 4, 5. 
 sad jer, 50. 5. When this is done there is a mutual covenant En- 
 gagement 
 
cha^.v. } Grace defended. 77 
 
 gagernent betwixt him and them, as in Dcut. 26. 17, 18. In the 
 Language of the new Tclhment, this is done by a proteircd Sub- 
 je6tion to the Gofpel, and our being baptized in (or into) the Name 
 of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy GhofV, 2 Cor. 9. 13. 
 and Maith. 28. 19. Now, tho' hereby there is a covenant Relation 
 and Union brought about or efFcded betwixt (}od and the Sinners 
 thus taking hold of the Covenant, as is exprefTed in the Places quoted ; 
 yet this is not that Union with Jcfus Chrift, which I principally here 
 intend: For Perfons may be thus joined to the Lord, and yet never 
 be faved, as appears, John 15. i,— 6. and Ro77i. 9. 3, 4. and fever J 
 other Places. Wherefore (2) There is yet a nearer covenant Re- 
 lation, or foederal Union betwixt Chrift and his People, than that 
 which has been now mentioned, which is come into when Men come 
 up to the Terms, or perform the Condition, on which Chrift and his 
 Benefits are, in the Gofpel, offered to them. For whereas^ 'till this 
 is done, God's covenant People are but in a State of Probation, m 
 order to their obtaining the everlafting Mercies offered to them in 
 the new Covenant, on a Condition yet depending, not being fulfilled ; 
 they having now performed that Condition, have a real and juft Right 
 to all that Good, of which before they had no more than a condltioiial 
 Promife made to them. 
 
 Having thus declared what I intend, both by that vital and cove- 
 nant Union, which is betwixt Chrift and thofe belonging to him, I 
 Ihall proceed, 
 
 3. To fhew how unreafonable a Thing it is for any to imagine it 
 pofTible, that a Perfon who has no fuch covenant Intereft in, or Rela- 
 tion to, Jefus Chrift, as that but now defcribed, may yet be vitally 
 united to him, in the Manner before Exprefl'ed, (Page 74.) A Per- 
 fon vitally united to Jefus Chrift, is made an adual Partaker of him, 
 and Chrift has taken Pofleftion of his Soul, to dwell and walk in 
 for ever : They who are thus joined to the Lord are one Spirit with 
 him, I Cor, 6. 17. and fo in fuch a Union as that mentioned by 
 Jefus Chrift himfelf, in John 17. 21, 22, 23. That they may he one^ 
 
 as thou.. Father., an in 7ne and I in thee., that they may he one in us : 
 
 and the G lory which thou gaveji ?ne^ I have given thefn : that they may 
 be one^ even as we are one. I in the?n, and thou in me., that they ?nay be 
 made pcrfe^ in one. And fuch a Union as that alfo by him intended. 
 Rev. 3. 20. Behold I Ji and at the Door and knock., if any Man hear jny 
 Voice., and open the Door, I will come in to hi?n, and will fup with him., 
 
 and he with me. Is it pofTible that they fhould enjoy Chrift, in 
 
 fuch an Union with him ? For my part, lam otherwifc pcrfuade^. 
 
 If 
 
7 8 Grace defended. \ ch7p. v! 
 
 If Sinners may be thus made Partakers of Chrift, before they have 
 any covenant Intereft in him, or Right to his Benefits, What Occa- 
 fion is tliere of a conditional Offer of him to be made to them in the 
 Gofpcl ? And how unaccountable is it, that any do affirm. That 
 Sinners muft be vitally united to Jefus Chrift, before they can have 
 a covenant Right to him ; yea, before they can perform the Condi- 
 tion on which he is offered in the Gofpel ? I cannot think that fuch 
 an Union with Chrift, in order to our having a covenant Intereft in 
 him and his Benefits, is neceffary ; but on the contrary. That our 
 having a covenant Intereft in him is neceffary, in order to our having 
 fuch a vital Union with him : And that Sinners, who are eternally 
 faved, do not perform the Condition on which Chrift is offered, 
 after they are thus united to him, but in order to their being fo. 
 Chrift ftands and knocks at the Sinner's Door, and the Sinner opens 
 to him before he comes in to him, as appears by the Text lately 
 mentioned. Rev. 3. 20. If it be faid, that no Man can polTibly 
 open his Heart to Chriit, by any AffiftaRces he can receive from him, 
 imtil Chrift be vitally united to him ; as this is to beg the Thing in 
 Quefticn, fo it feems to contradi6t the Text, which fuppofeth the 
 Sinner to open to Chrift knocking at the Door of his Heart, before 
 he enters, and takes up his Abode in it. Chrift -can knock loud 
 enough to ftir up the Sinner to open to him, before he actually enters 
 and takes Poffeifion of his Soul. 
 
 There is one Thing more here neceffary to be faid, before I pro- 
 ceed to another Argument ; i^/z. That tho* a covenant Union to, or 
 ■with Jefus Chrift, be only neceffary, in order to a Sinner's partaking 
 of the Grace of Regeneration, or indeed poffible to be had 5 yet that 
 Grace being once received, all future Supplies of more of the fame 
 Kind flow from him to his Members, as vitally united to him, and 
 living Members of that myftical Body, whereof he is the living Head. 
 Hence it is that many Texts of Scripture, which fpeak of thofe In- 
 fluences and Supplies of Grace, which Chrift's Members receive from 
 him, do plainly fuppofe and imply their being in a State of vital Union 
 
 with him, 'dsjohn i. 16. and Chap. 15. v. i, 6. But fuch Union 
 
 cannot be nsceflary to the firjl Grace, but that is neceffary to /V, as 
 being imm-diately effected by it. 
 
 I now proceed to a fecond Argument, to prove. That no A(St or 
 A£ts flowing from the Grace of Regeneration, or implied in it, 
 can be the Condition on whioli Salvation is offered. And the Argu- 
 jnent which I fhall now make ufc of is this^ That if tliis might be, 
 
 then 
 
£hap. v. } Grace defended. 79 
 
 then may Sinners be made Partakers of the Grace of Regeneration, 
 hefore they are juftified by the Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Jefus 
 Chrift to them, which it is impoffible they fhould be. Note here, 
 that, by before^ as formerly, I intend before^ in order of Nature, and 
 not in refpe6l of Time. I acknowledge that in this Senfe, thcfe Mer- 
 cies are granted together, and at once j but if we refpea the natural 
 Order of their being given, Juftification or Abfolution from the Guilt 
 of Sin, goes before the other. 
 
 Before I proceed to make this good, I will, for preventing Miftakes, 
 take Notice of a neceflary Diftinaion, with Refpea to Man's Jufti- 
 fication before God, or by him. That which I intend is this, That 
 by our Juftification we may underftand, either our Juftification by 
 the Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift to us, or our beins; ac- 
 counted and dechrid righteous, on the Account of our Intereft in 
 that Righteoufnefs, after the Imputation thereof. As thefe are Things 
 evidently diftinguiihable, in refpea of the Nature and Order of them ; 
 fo they are no lefs plainly diftinguiflied in the holy Word of God. 
 Juftification, in Scripture, fometimes fignifies the making of a Man 
 righteous, by the Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift to 
 him, or by the Gift of that Righteoufnefs conferred on him, as in 
 Rom, 5. 17. And this agrees well with the Meaning of the Word ; 
 for, as to glorify fignifies to make glorious, fo to juftifv fignifies to 
 make juft or righteous ; and this is" in Scripture ufed for a Sinner's 
 being made juft or righteous, by the Imputation of the Righteoufnefs 
 of Chrift to him, Rom. 4. 5, 6. But to him that workcth 7vA^ hut 
 believeth on hhn that jujfifieth the Ungodly^ his Faith is auntcd to him for 
 Righteoufnefs : Even as David alfo defcribcth theBlefl^ednefs of theMan 
 unto whom God imputeth Righteoufnefs without Works. Thus 
 fuch as are unjuft and ungodly before, and until they are juftified, are 
 by their Juftification made righteous, by a Righteoufnefs imputed to 
 them, the Righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift being unto and upon 
 them, as in Rom. 3. 22. 
 
 But then, Juftification is fometimes in Scripture taken for the de- 
 claring and pronouncing one righteous , who really is fo, before fuch 
 a Sentence is pronounced : And in this Senfe, to j'uftify, is a forenfick 
 Word or Term, taken from Courts of Juftice, and is in that Senfe 
 commonly ufcd among Men. In this Senfe of the Word, Men never 
 Ihould, and God never does juftify any, but thofc who are juft before 
 fuch Juftification. For he that jujiifieth the TVickcd^ and he that con- 
 demneth the JuJ}., even they both are an Mcmir.ation to the Lord., Prov. 
 17. 15. Taking Juftification in this Senfe, a Man muft be iuft and 
 
 holy 
 
So Grace defended. \ chap.v.' 
 
 holy too, before God will juftify him. And there is no Doubt to me, 
 but that when the Apoftle Jatnes affirms, That a Man is juftified by 
 Works, he ufeth the Word in thisSenfe : For thus God juftifieth none 
 but fiich as have both an imputed and an inherent Righteoufnefs. 
 But in the lirft Senfe mentioned, which is that in which I ufe the 
 Word in this Difcourfe, a Man has no true Righteoufnefs at all before 
 God juftifieth him, by the Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift 
 to him : And thus, for God to juftify the Ungodly, is a Word or 
 Term peculiar to the Gofpel ; and is never ufed in any Courts of 
 Juftice among Men, that I know of. 
 
 This being the Senfe in which I ufe the Word, as I intimated, what 
 I here affirm is. That a Sinner is not, cannot be regenerated by the 
 Spirit of God, or born of the Spirit, before he is juftified; and con- 
 fequently no A61 flowing from the Grace of Regeneration, or im- 
 ply ins; it, can be the Condition on which Salvation is offered, or given : 
 And I will endeavour to make good both the Antecedent and Confe- 
 quence, or Inference from it. 
 
 I . I fay. That no Sinner is, or can be regenerated by the Spirit of 
 God, before he is juftified by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed to 
 him ; or that Juftification is, in Order of Nature, before Regenera- 
 tion, and not after it. 
 
 To make this good, I will fhew, that it will not confift with that 
 perpetual or ftanding Rule of Righteoufnefs, which God entred into 
 with Mankind in Adam, while in Innocence, to regenerate finful 
 Men by his holy Spirit, while they are in an unjuftified Eftate : And 
 this I fhall endeavour to clear up in feveral Obfervations, which here 
 follow. 
 
 ( I ) The Covenant of Works which God entred into with Man- 
 kind while in Innocency, was dcfigned to be a ftanding Rule of rela- 
 tiv^e Juftice, betwixt himfelf and them, according to which he would 
 deal with them for ever. This has been well obferved and aflerted 
 by the learned and very judicious Mr. Samuel Willard, in his 
 Expofition of the AfTemblies Catechifm, (Page 150.) Hence all 
 God's Tranfadions with Mankind have hitherto been, and ever will 
 be ordered according to that ftanding Rule. If therefore, there could 
 not h?.ve been a Way found out wherein the Juftice of God, and the 
 Honour of his Law might have been vindicated, yea, every Tittle of 
 that Law fulfilled, as in Matih. 5. 17, 18. no Flefh could have been 
 fiivcd. With this agreeth what we have in Rjom. 3. 26, and -y. 31. alfo 
 Chop, 8. t'. 4. 2. According 
 
Shap.?;| Grace defended. Si 
 
 2. According to the Tenor of this now mentioned Covenant, a 
 perfe(5l Righteoufnefs was required in order to Man's having Life and 
 Happinefs ; and Death was thrcatned for the leaft OfFence againft it, 
 as appears in Gen. 2. 17. and Gal. 2' 10, iz. ' ''/'*;• ' • '^' 
 
 3. By finning againft God, Man forfeited and loft thatLifc, which, 
 in a Way of Obedience, he might have obtained, and became fubjeft 
 to Death : In which Death not only Ma?n and Eve themfelves, but 
 all their Pofterity were involved, Rom, 5. 12. and Chap. 3. 23. Gal. 
 3. 10. Rom. 6. 23. 
 
 , 4. The Death which by Sin Mankind brought upon themfelves, 
 included in it, as one fpecial Part or Branch of it, the Lofs of God's 
 Image, and the Corruption and Depravation of Man's Nature, which 
 we call habitual Corruption., or original Sin. This, I fuppofc, I have 
 fulficiently proved in Part I. Chap. I. of this Eflay. Here let it be 
 remarked, (i) That the Sin by which Mankind loft their Right or 
 Title to Life, or rather, by which they fell fliort of a Right to it, 
 was their eating the forbidden Fruit. By this Sm the Covenant of 
 Works was wholly broken, and the Life promifed, utterly loft, and 
 the Death threatned, fully merited. (2), Man's loofmg and being 
 deprived of God's Image, the before mentioned Depravation of his 
 Nature, was no Part of this Sin, but a penal EffecSl and Confequent 
 of it, as I have ftiewed in the former Part of this Eflay. Indeed this 
 Corruption of Man'^ Nature, after his Fall, does very much confift 
 in it, as well as in his adlual Tranfgreflions ; and the fame may be 
 faid concerning the Devils. But what I fay here is, that the Depra- 
 vation or Corruption .of iMan's Nature was not the Sin by which he 
 brake the Covenant =of Works, but a Puniftiment of it. 
 
 Indeed Man, after his Fall, went on finning againft the moral 
 Law, confidered as a Rule of Righteoufnefs ; but the Covenant of 
 Works, as a Covenant, he could not more eftecflually break than he 
 had already done. Nor did God after Man's PVd, require Obedience 
 of him, as the Condition of that Covenant which he had already bro-* 
 ken, and the Good whereof he had already forfeited, but treatecf 
 with him wholly on the Foot, and according to the Terms, of a new 
 Covenant, which he had begun to reveal and make known to him. 
 Gen. 3. 15. For had it not been for this, there would have been no 
 Room left for any Treaty with Sinners, in order to their Obedience 
 and Happinefs. All that could have remained would have been the 
 full Execution of that Sentence of Death on Mankind, which they 
 
 M had 
 
S 2; Qrace defended.) \ ^^7,. ?; 
 
 had already begun to feel tlie Effe^ls of. Fleafe to compare ^hat I 
 have now faid, with Part I. Chap, I. Page 22, 23. 
 
 5. If a Man may be rnadp Partaker of a Principle of fpiritual Life, 
 one Moment in Time, or Reafon, before he has an Intereft in Jefus 
 Chrift and his meritorious Righteoufncfs, I fee no Rcafon why he may 
 not have this Life for ever, and that in its full Perfe6lion, without 
 ever having any Intereft in Jefus Chrift and his Righteoufnefs at all. 
 li we may begin to enjoy fuch a Life, without firft liaving any Inte- 
 reft in Chrift, why may we not enjoy the fame Life forever, without 
 having any Intereft in him ? And then, what great Need have we of 
 liim, who is th-e Head of the Body^ the Church : tVhe is tb^ BeginmHg^ 
 the Firjl-horn from the Deady that in all Things he might have the Pr^- 
 e?nifW2ce, Col. i, 18. 
 
 Having now, as I think, fufficlently fhewn the ImpofTibllity of any 
 Perfon's being regenerated by theSpirit ofGod, *till he is firft (in order 
 of Nature) juftified by Chrift's Righteoufnefs imputed to him ; I muft 
 How proceed to make good the Confequence which I drew from that 
 Aflertion, viz. That no A6t flowing from the Grace given in Re- 
 generation, or implying it, can be the Condition on which Salvation 
 is off'ered : And tliis is (o evident a Conclufion, from tlie Propofition 
 from whence I infer it, i- that it is fcarce poffible to be made more 
 evident, by any Thing that can be faid to make it manifeft. Is it 
 not obvious to common Senfe and Reafon, that the Performance of 
 the Condition, on which any Benefit is offered, muft go, at leaft, in 
 order of Nature, before the obtaining fuch a Benefit ? If then Juftifica- 
 tion be^ in order of Nature, before Regeneration, how Hiould any 
 A£t flowing from the Grace given in Regeneration, or implying it, 
 be the Condition on which Juftification and Salvation are offered to 
 Sinners ? 
 
 But when I have thus argued, I have been fometimes told. That 
 Juftification and Regeneration are both together in Time, and that 
 my Diftinciion of one of thefe being, in order of Nature, before the 
 other, is too nice and critical. To which I anfwer. That there are 
 Hundreds of other Cafes, wherein learned Men do not think fuch a 
 Diftin(Stion too nice ; as when Sinners are told, that they muft come 
 to, and believe in Jefus Chrift, before they may expe6t to be juftified ; 
 when yet, thofe that tell them fo do believe and teach, that a Sinner 
 no fooner lays hold on Chrift by Faith, than he is freely juftified. 
 And io the very Cafe, on v/hich I am here difcourfing, the learned 
 
 Dr. 
 
£hap.v':} Grace defended, 83 
 
 Dr. Owen, difputing with Mr. Baxter, fays, " Abfolution in 
 '« Heaven^ (as I call it) is before our a^ual believing in order of 7/w^, 
 ^' I have no where faid, but only in order of Nature-, and that Mr. 
 " Baxter hath not difproved. " By believing here, the Dodor 
 undcrftands, that Kind of Faith, of which none but the Regenerate 
 are the Subje(Sls. To the fame Purpofe, he fays afterwards, «' I 
 *' profefs that we are abfolved, pardoned s^nA jujltfiedi, for Ghrift's Sake, 
 " and therefore Chrift is reckoned to us ^ ox made Righteoufnefs to 7^;, 
 «' in order of Nature, antecedently to all thofe Things which for his 
 " Sake we do receive, and are made Partakers ^/with and by him, 
 *' &c. " Thefe Quotations maybe found in Dr. Ov/en's An- 
 fwer to Mr. Baxter, annexed to his Anfwer to Biddle, Page 27, 
 and 43. Whereunto agreeth what is faid by the excellent Mr. 
 Burroughs, in his Book of Gofpel RemifTion, Page 25. *' God 
 *' pardons a Sinner, not becaufe he is changed, but that he may be 
 " changed. " He frequently aflerts the fame Thing in that Book 
 of his, alledging for what lie affirms, Rom. /^. 5. CoL 2. 1.2. Jer^ 31, 
 
 It is indeed a Truth, that if by Man's Salvatiort we'biliy urid'er-* 
 ftand his Happinefs in his Communion with God, cither in this Life, 
 or in that which is to come ; his Regeneration muft then be confi- 
 dered as a Condition of, or Pre-requifite unto, his Salvation, not as a 
 covenant Condition, but as a Thing phyfically neeeflary in order to 
 his Happinefs, as being that without which he can neither knovf 
 Things fpiritual, nor take any real Delight and Pleafure in them. 
 See I Cor. 2. 14, 15. and Job 27. 10. IViil he Delight himfelf in the 
 Ahnighty P Heaven it fclf could not give Satisfaction to an unregenc- 
 rate and unholy Soul. As fuch cannot with Pleafure converfe with 
 God and Things fpiritual here, fo- neither could they in Heaven, 
 could they get thither. 
 
 Men's Salvation does not therefore confift only in the fctting fuch 
 Objedbs before him, as are very delightful to true Saints, but alfo in 
 preparing them to receive and entertain them with fuch Pleafure and 
 Dehght, as fuch Obje£l3 fhould be received and entertained witli, 
 and will be by the Godly. Pfal. 17.15. As for me ^ I ivill behold thy 
 Face in Righteoufnefs : I Jhall be fatisfied when I aimke with thy Llk^^ 
 mfs. Pfal. 36. 8, 9. They Jhall be abundantly fatisfied ibith the Fatnefs 
 of thy Houfe, And thou /halt make them drink of the River of thy Plea- 
 fure : For in thee is the Fountain of Life : And in ihy Light fmll we fe& 
 Light, Hence we read of Perfon's being 7nade meet for the Inheritance 
 cf the Saints in Light, Col. i. 12. and of Fefeb cf Mei'cy prepared 
 unto Chry. Rom. 9-23' This great Work ts begun m Men's Rege- 
 
 M 2 neration. 
 
84 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part IL 
 Chap. V. 
 
 deration, John 3. 3. and carried on in their San6lification, wherein 
 they arc changed more and more from Glory to Glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. 
 and is coniprifed in their Sandification, as above. 
 
 There is one Exception, unto which what has been aflerted in 
 this Chapter, may by fome be tho't liable, vi%. That if what I here- 
 in aflert were true, it would from thence follow, that our effedual 
 Calling follows our Juftification, contrary to Rom, 8. 30. where, ac- 
 cording to the Apoftle, it goeth before it. But I deny the Confc- 
 quence. It will follow, indeed, from what I maintain, that the effi- 
 cacious Grace of God, by which the Work of Regeneration is wro't 
 in our Souls, is not in order before our Juftification. If it were a 
 Truth, that Man's effeaual Calling does confift in that A61 of God's 
 Power on their Souls, by which they are regenerated, or created anew 
 in Chrlft Jefus unto g'bod JVorksy then indeed, it would follow, that our 
 being efFecStually called would, according to me, follow our Juftifica- 
 tion. But I fee no Reafon to grant, that our efFedhial Calling confifts 
 in that efficacious Grace which I have now mentioned. I take ef- 
 fectual Calling to confift in that Work of God, by his Word and 
 Spirit, whereby Sinners are perfwaded and enabled to comply with 
 the Terms of the new Covenant ; and to accept of Jefus Chrift and 
 all his Benefits, freely offered to them in the Gofpel ; among which 
 Benefits our Regeneration is one of the chief. Our Regeneration by 
 the powerful Operation of God's holy Spirit ^ ought to be looked upon 
 as an eminent Part of that Salvation, which, in our efFedlual Calling, 
 we are perfwaded and enabled to go to God in Chrift for, and fo is, 
 in order of Nature, before our going to Jefus Chrift, as we arc re- 
 quired ; and before our Juftification alfo, as in Rom. 8. 30. But 
 this our Regeneration by the efHcacious Grace of God, I take not to 
 be io. 
 
 But if ( may fome fay ) our Regeneration be not comprifed in our 
 effectual Calling, in the Text lately mentioned, where then fhall our 
 Regeneration be found in that golden Chain, in which the Method 
 of Man's Salvation is by the Apoftle exprefTed ? What Link in that 
 Chain may we underftand to intend the glorious Work of our Regene- 
 ration ? Or is not this Work taken Notice of in it? To this I an - 
 fvyer. That it is by no Means to be allowed, that this was therein for- 
 gotten, or omitted by the infpired Apoftle. Nor do I think with 
 Barclay.^ a learned and noted ^aker^ that this is intended by our 
 being jufiified. He abfurdly takes our Juftification and San6tification 
 to be the fame Thing ; But I freely acknowledge that I do not at all 
 
 doubt; 
 
Chap.": } Grace defended. 85 
 
 doubt but that our Regeneration, and the progreflive Work of our 
 SancSlificatlon, are comprifed in our being glorified. Nor is this an 
 Opinion peculiar to me, as I can fhevv if there be Occafion for it. 
 
 It is a great Truth in Divinity, That when God rcgcncrateth any 
 Perfon, he therein begins to glorify him ; and in carrying on the 
 Work of his Grace in regenerate Saints, he glorifieth them more and 
 more. To this that well agrecth, 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open 
 Face^ beholding as in a Glafs the Glory of the Lord^ are changed into the 
 fa?ne hnage^ from Glory to Glory ^ even as by the Spirit of the Lord, 
 Every regenerate Soul hath eternal L-ife, /. e. he already hath it, and 
 is pajfcdfrom Death unto Life 3 and he hath it abiding in him., as in fohn 
 5. 24. and I John 3, 14, 15. Such have the j^ery fame Life in them 
 which all glorified Saints Ihall live in Heaven for ever : For, as Di- 
 vines confefs and maintain, Grace is Glory begun, and Glory is Grace 
 made perfe6l. God has already given unto fuch the Earnejl of their 
 Inheritance^ which is the fame in Kind with what they fhall hereafter 
 receive in full. Herewith agreeth that, Eph. i. 1 1. In whom vje have 
 obtained an Inheritance, being predeftinated according to the Purpofe of him 
 who worketh all Things after the Counfel of his own IVill. That alfo in 
 Verfe 13, 14. In whom ye alfo trujted after that ye heard the JVord 
 of Truth, the Gofpcl of your Salvation : In luhom alfo after ye believed, ye 
 wer£ fealed with that holy Spirit of Promife, which is the Earnejl of our 
 Inheritance, until the Redemption of the purchafed Pojfcjfion, unto the 
 Praife of his Glory. God has already called fuch unto his eternal Glory, 
 I Pet. 5. 10. And the Spirit of God and of Glory rejleth on them, 
 I P^t. 4. 4. 
 
 I would here further obferve with Refpecft to our effectual Calling, 
 that the good EfFe6ls thereby wrought on us, tho' not of the fame 
 Kind with thofe wrought in our Regeneration, yet they are the fame 
 with that Faith and Repentance which, according to my HypothcTis, 
 is the Condition of the new Covenant. And I alfo fiippofe, that 
 Men's Perfeverance in the Exercife of fuch Faith and Repentance, 
 • till they obtain the Benefits o^ Juftification and Regeneration, is com- 
 prifed in their effectual Calling. None are efFeiliially called without 
 being perfuaded and enabled to hold out and go on to feek the Lord 
 'till he hath Mercy on them, and grants his faving Benefits to them. 
 
 *■&/* •w* ^/t* 'W'* •'jy* vs/* w* •^JV♦ »uv j!<ii ) •Na^* "A"* '\js/' "i^'* 'uv "VJi/* "^Sl" •^a" '^■2/* 
 
 ./ C H A P. 
 
86 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Chap. VI, 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 l^he Offer of Salvation made to Sinners in the 
 Gofpely is an Offer of bringing them into 
 a State of Salvation ; and confequently 
 mufl comprife in it an Offer of regenera- 
 ting Grace. 
 
 l^l^mi^lli^ ^^^^^ "P ^^'^ Argument I need only fay a few 
 $>i<?<srbfSi23d)i^9i<? Things very briefly. 
 
 I. JtJy a btate or balvation I underltand fuch an 
 Eftate as that fpoken of by our Saviour, John 5. 24. 
 
 rS!2j 
 
 '^^l" Verily^ verily^ I fay unto you^ He that heareth tny IVord^ 
 
 «f«)dti)«fi5'^^ and believeth on him that fent me^ hath everlafiing Life, 
 and Jh all not come into Condemnation ; hut is paj/edfrc?n 
 Death unto Life. Such an Eftate as this is alfo defcribed by the A- 
 poftlc, Rom. 8. I. There is therefore no Condefnvaiion to them that are 
 in Chrift Jefus, zvho zualk not after the Flejh^ but after the Spirit. And 
 Verfc 35. and o^x^d^idiS^JV ho JJjall feparate usfrctn iheLove of Chriji^hc, 
 
 2, To put Men into fuch an Eftate as this, is v/holly the Work of 
 the blefled God. It is, I fay, the Work of God the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghoft. (Matth. 28. 19. i John 5. 7.) God only performs 
 this Work, and he only can promife to perform it. Never did any 
 Man put himfelf into fuch a State. Whatever may be required of 
 Sinners in order hereunto, yet to put them into fuch a State is wholly 
 God's Work : Men tliemfelves have no Hand in it. God only faves 
 all that are faved, Ifai, 43. 11. If Men are faid to fave themfehei, 
 we muft only underftand by it, their doing fomething required of them 
 in order to God's faving them. 
 
 3. When God offers to favT Sinners, he therein offers to bring, or 
 put them, into fuch a State of Salvation as that but now defcribed. 
 When God offers to five Sinners, he therein offers to do all that for 
 them, in which tlieir Salvation confifts, i. e. all that he actually does 
 
 .. y for 
 
CHAp/vii. f Grace defended. 87 
 
 for them when he faves them. All this, I fay, God offers to do for 
 us, when he offers to fave us ; and to be Aire, out of this we muft 
 not, we may not, leave his beginning to fave us, and bringing us into 
 a State of Salvation. It is impoffible for God to fave Sinners, with- 
 out doing this for them, /. e, without tranflating them out of a State 
 of Death, into a State of Life. 
 
 4. God, in thus bringing Sinners into a State of Salvation, docs 
 work in them the great Work of Regeneration, gives them a new 
 Hearty and a new Spirit^ creates them aneiv in Chr:/i Jefus^ unto good 
 Works . Therefore in offering to fave them, he offers to do this for 
 them, that is, he conditionally promifeth that he will do it s which 
 is the Point I am <lefending. 
 
 bnn -morl) CHAP. VII. 
 
 'There being an infeparable Connexion betwixt 
 all fpiritual BleJfmgSy or everlajliiig Mer- 
 cies^ whenever any of thefe are^ byGOY)^ 
 offered to Si^tners^ all the rejl are intended^ 
 and confeqiientlyy the Grace of Regenera- 
 tion, 
 
 J^ F one Perfan makes an Offer to another of any good 
 
 'J'M^^^rMfM^ Tilling) which has many other o;ood Thln2:s iniepe- 
 :g. '-'^' ^t^'^^ ^^"ly jomed with or unto it, the Perfon to whom 
 # \ ^S^^ the Offer is made may well think, that he has an 
 ^^###^ Offer of all thofe good Things made to him, tho' 
 ^^^^1^^ tliey are not all enumerated in ths Offer. No Man 
 ' " would, in fuch a Cafe, imagine that he had anly 
 that one good Thing offered to him, or fo n-iany only as v/ere expredy 
 mentioned, but would juftly conclude tint all thofe other Goods which 
 he was furc were firmly bound up in the fame Bundle with them, fj 
 as never to be fepcrated from them, were as really intended in the 
 Offer, as thofe exprefly named. Thus, if God offers any of his fpe- 
 xrial faving Mercies to fmful Men, he offers e^^ery oiie of tliero ; be- 
 
 caufe 
 
88 Grace defended. \ S^^. vi?' 
 
 caufe he never gives any one of them to any Perfon unto whom he 
 does net give them all. 
 
 That the fpeclal A^ercles or fpiritual Bleilings which Jefus Chrift 
 pLirchafed for his People, are fo infeparably joined together, both in 
 the Nature of the Thing, and by the Appointment of God, as never 
 to be feparated one from another, is moft evident. God never did, 
 nor never will beftow any one of them on any Soul, on whom he does 
 not, at the fame Time, beftow them all. All that enjoy any of them 
 may fay, as in Eph. i. 3. Blejfed he the God and Father of our Lord 
 fefus ChriJIy who hath hleffed us with all fpiritual BleJJings in heavenly 
 Places (or Things) in Chriji. They are all of them Things that ac- 
 company Salvation ., yea, efTcntially belong thereto, as in Eph. 4. 9. 
 Therefore to whom God gives any of them, he gives them all ; and 
 to whom he offers to give any one or more of them, he ofFers to 
 give them all. 
 
 Sometimes God, in a Promife mentions one of them, fometim^cs 
 another, but he always intends every one of them ; and fom.etimes 
 he makes Ufe of Words which naturally comprife every one of them-; 
 as when God offers Salvation to Sinners, Mark 16. 15, 16. this Sal- 
 vation comprifeth all fpiritual Bleffings in it : So when God offers to 
 have Mercy on fmful Men, Ifai. 55. 9. this Mercy comprifeth not 
 only Pardon of Sin, there exprelly mentioned, but all other fpiritual 
 Bleffmgs, Grace and Glory and every good Thing needful, PfaL 
 84.11. 
 
 That theOffer of Forgivenefs of Sins, or of Juftifkatlon, does in- 
 clude in it an Offer of all other fpiritual Bleffings, is moft manifeft. 
 In the Juftification of a Sinner, the meritorious Righteoufnefs of Jefus 
 Chrift is imputed or given to him : He therein recciveth the Gift of 
 Righteoufnefs., Rom. 5. 17. He receiveth Righteoufnefs from the 
 God of his Salvation, Pfal. 24. 5. Now, whoever has an Intereft 
 in the perfe(3: Righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift, has therein and thereby 
 an Intereft in, or Right unto, all thofe good Things which, by that 
 Righteoufnefs, -he purchafed for Sinners : And never had any Sinner 
 any one of thefe Benefits in any otlier Way, than by firft having an 
 Intereft in the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, by whom they were all pur- 
 chafed for thofe that believe in him. Nor had ever any Sinner an 
 Intereft in this Righteoufnefs in any other Way, than that of obtain- 
 ing an Intereft in Jefus Chrift himfelf, in whom it is, and in and 
 with whom it is beftowed, on all thofe who, by Faith, receive him ; 
 and all fuch i?iay fiiy, as in Ifai. 45. 24. In the Lord have I Righteouf- 
 nefs 
 
Chap viiL f Gvacc defended. S9 
 
 nefs and 'Strength^ Sec. Yea, unto all fuch Chri/} k made IPljdoru^ 
 Righteoufnefs^y SanSiification^ andRedcrnption^ i Cor. i . 30. Thofe that 
 have him have a Righteoufnefs, and all Things obtained thereby with 
 him. When God gives his own Son to them, he alfo zvith hi^n freely 
 gives ibe?n all Things^ Rom. 8. 32. He then gives them an Intcrcft 
 in his Righteoufnefs, and in all thofe everlafting Mercies purchafed 
 thereby. 
 
 And as it is a Truth, that if God offers a juflifving Righteoufnefs 
 to Sinners, he, in fo doing, offers them all thofe JBenefits that were 
 purchafed by that Righteoufnefs ; fo it is no Icfs true, that if God 
 offers unto Sinners any of thefe Benefits that were obtained by Chrift's 
 Sufferings and Obedience, he therein offers them an Intereft in that 
 Rightcoyfnefs, by which the fame were purchafed for thofe that be- 
 lieve in him. He offers not thefe without the Righteoufnefs that pro- 
 cured them y nor that Righteoufnefs without the Benefits procured 
 by it. 
 
 Thus it appeareth, That whenever God offereth any of his fpcclal 
 Mercies or fpiritual Bleffings unto fin ful Men, he offereth all of them : 
 And it followeth from hence, that he muff needs offer the Grace ot'! 
 Regeneration together with the reft ; nor is this excepted as implied 
 in the Condition on which the reft are oftered, as has been before fufH- 
 ciently manifefted in Chap. V. 
 
 CHAP. VIIL 
 
 That thofe exceedtjtg great and precious Pro- 
 mifes^ by which we 7?2ay be Partakers of the 
 divine Nature^ are co?iditio?ial Pro?nifes of 
 the Grace of Regeneration. 
 
 ^^]f^^^ H E Promifes which I here intend are thofe mentioned 
 ^•^^g by the Apoftle P^-^^r, in his fecond Epiftle, Chap. r. 
 ^fe^ ^^ Verfe 4. Wkerehy ore given unto us exceeding great a?id 
 W^^'^^ /'^^i"/i7«^ Pro?mfes^ that by thefe you might be Far takers of 
 ^I^^^^C^diyK the divine Nature., having efcapcd the Ccrrupticn that is in 
 the World thro* Ltijf, Defigaina; to give Inftanccs of fcveral con- 
 
 N ditional 
 
po Grace defended. \ chap.vul 
 
 ditional Proinlfes in fome of the folbwing Chapters ; I intend in this^ , 
 to endeavour to fliew, from the Teftimony now alledged, that we 
 may expe6l to find fuch Promifes in the Oracles of God, and have no 
 Reafon to think it ftrange, if feveral fuch be named and infifted on, 
 for the Confirmation of the Hypothecs which I am defending. 
 
 Theyfr/? Thing I fhall obferve in the Teftimony read, is, that the 
 Prc?nifes mentio«ed therein are faid to be exceeding great and precious. 
 And fuch may Promifes be faid to be, in feveral Refpe£ts, as (i) In 
 Kefpedl: of the Matter of them, or of the Nature of the Things en- 
 oragcd in them. If the Tilings promifed are great and precious, this 
 puts a Value and Excellency upon the Promifes wherein they are en- 
 gaged. (2) The infallible Truth and Certainty of them is another 
 Thing that greatly commends them, as precious and worthy to be 
 prized, being fuch as may be fafely depended on. 
 
 I obferve fecondly\ that the Promifes are faid to be given by the 
 fame divine Power, by which, in Verfe 3. all Things pertaining both to 
 Life and Godliriefs are alfo faid to be given to us : For unto this, the 
 Word ivhercby^ in the Beginning of the fourth Verfe, feems evidently 
 to refer. And this is faid to be done by God and our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, juft before in Verfe fecond. By all Things pertaining to Lif& 
 andGcdlinefs^ in Verfe third, I do not underftand Life and Godli- 
 nefs it felf, but all Things requifite to it, unto which thefe m.entioned 
 Promifes belong ; and fo thefe Words are like thofe in Ifiii. 5. 4, 
 What could I have clme inore to my Vineyard than I have done in it, 
 
 I obferve thirdly y that thefe Pre-requiiites to Life and Godlinefs, 
 are faid to be given us through the Kmivledge of him that hath called us 
 io Glory and Vertue : And this Him is Jefus Chrift, before mentioned ; 
 and it is by revealing and making him known that Sinners have all 
 Things pertaining io Life and Godlinefs afforded to them. Nor is there 
 Occafion of underftanding their being called to Glary and Virtue^ of 
 that which commonly underftood by effe^ual Callings i. e. faving 
 Converfion ; for all that enjoy the Grace of thcGofpel, as in 2 Cor, 
 6. I . are called to Glory and Virtue. And by what follows in Verfe 
 4, tliofe here fpoken to, (at leaft fDme of them) were not yet Par* 
 takers of the divine Nature. And tho' this Epiftle was infcribed to 
 fuch as had chtained like precious Faith with the Apoftle Peter., and 
 Qther true Saints, as appears in Verfe i . yet there is no Occaiion to 
 fuppofe, that all that are fpoken to in it, had obtained /Z?^ Faith of 
 Gcd's Els^ 5 becaufe that Kind of Faith which fome of the Non- 
 
 JElc6t 
 
cnllym.] Grace defended. 91 
 
 ElccSl aud Unrcgcnerate are the Subjc-tSts of, may be alio called exceed- 
 v!g prechtis, in Refpc6l of the Obje^l of it, the glorious Truth unto 
 which it aflcntcth : And all that have received the Gofpel, by giving 
 Credit to it, may be laid to }?avc obtained like pj'ecious Faith in Rcfpe(?t 
 of its Obje6l, with thofc who have obtained Faith of a much better 
 Kind, in Refpc6l of the Rectitude of its A(^s ; of which laft Kind, 
 no doubt many of thofe here fpokcn to by the Apoflle, had alfo ob- 
 tained. 
 
 That thofe fpoken to are faid to have obtained the Faith mentioned 
 ihro^ the Right eoufmfs of God., ami cur Saviour J efus Chriji., is a great 
 Truth, whether the taith intended be of one of the Kinds mentioned, 
 or the other ; for common Grace, as well as that which is faving, is an 
 Effea of the Merits of Chrift's Righteoufnefs. But if his Faithfulnefs 
 in fulfilling his Promifes may be intended by the Righteoufnefs here 
 fpoken of Verfe i . as fome fuppofe, this would feem to favour the 
 Hypothefis for which I plead. 
 
 That the Apoftle, in V^erfe 2d, wifheth Peace fro7n God the Father 
 to thofe unto whom he writeth, is far from neceflarily fuppofmg 
 them to be already in a regenerate State. 
 
 • I obferve h'^rc fourthly, that the great -£"77^/ for v/hich thcfe precious 
 Promifes are faid to be given to thofe that have them., is, that by them 
 they 77iight he Partakers of the divine Nature. By which divine Na- 
 ture., our Divines generally underftand the fame Thing which is by 
 mc called the Grace of Regeneration. And I may here well obferve, 
 that this being the End for which thefe Promifes are given to thofe 
 unto whom the Apoftle here fpeaks, it from hence evidently appears, 
 that they are not by the A.poftle all fuppofed to be in a regenerate 
 State, notwithftanding any Thing faid in the iirft Verfe : That the 
 ■Perfons thus fpoken to, flill need the Grace of Regeneration is plain, 
 and feems evidently fuppofed in the Expreffion's : So that all die Cjj^icf- 
 tion is, in what Senfe Sinners that are ftill unconverted may, by the 
 mentioned precious Promifes, be made Partakers of the divine Na- 
 ture here fpoken of ? 
 
 I further obferve fifthly., that the Time when thofe here fpoken to 
 may by the mentioned Promifes be made Partakers of the divine Na- 
 ture intended, is v/hen they have efcaped the Corruption thai is in the 
 IVorld thro' Lufl : For thus the Words run, Having efcaped., kc. 
 Which efcaping the Corruption that is in the World, is not efFecled 
 •by Regeneration, but by a Work, in the Nature of it, preparatory to 
 it J and of which Perfons not favingly converted may be the Subjc6ls, 
 -^ ■ N 2 aj 
 
9 2 Grace defended. \ J^^ ^ \^i 
 
 as evidently appears in Chap. 2. Verfe 20, 21, 22. of the flime 
 Epiftle i where fuch as had ^/:rt/>f^/ the PoUutiom of the Worlds thro' 
 the Kjiowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrij}^ are yet mentioned 
 as finally mifcarrying. Now I am not here difcourfing with fuch 
 as hold, that true Saints may fall from Grace. In the Words there- 
 fore under Confideration, it is plainly intimated, that God will not 
 ordinarily, at leaft, make Perfons Partakers of the divine Nature 'till 
 they have nril reformed their Lives, in fuch a Manner and Degree ss 
 Perfons may before they are born again. And this is plainly inti- 
 mated to us m other l^exts of Scripture, as in Prov. i. 22, 23. and 
 I Cor, 6. 9. as I (hall afterwards more fully fhew. Men have no 
 Reafon to expect, that God will pour out his Spirit upon them, to. 
 their faving Converfion, that will not repent and reform their Lives, 
 in fuch a Manner as by the Help of common Grace they may. This, 
 I fay, is nece/Tary in order to Men's being 7nade Partakers of the ]di' 
 'Vine Nature. 
 
 Now I know of but two Ways in which it can, with any Shew of 
 Truth, be fuppofed, that the precious Promifes mentioned can ferve 
 unto this End. One of thefe, is, that they are Inflruments in the 
 Hand of God for the working this great Change, call'd Regenera- 
 tion ; and {^ of cotnmunicating unto Sinners the divine Nature fpoken 
 of. The other Senfe is, that God makes Sinners Partakers of this 
 gracious Principle, in Purfuance of precious Promifes, wherein he 
 has conditionally engaged fo to do. The former of thefe Ways fome 
 take and I miflike. The latter of them is that to which I adhere, 
 and for which I plead. I fuppofe, that thofe who are for the firfl, 
 may think there is Danger in admitting, that the divine Nature is 
 given in Confequence of any conditional Promifes made of it. I think 
 there is none. I will firft briefly fhew why I agree not with thofe 
 who expound thefe Words in the firjl of thefe Ways , and then fhew 
 why I am for the latter. 
 
 And in the Z";^ Place, I will give fome Reafons why I think thefe 
 Promifes are not here confidered as the Means or Inflruments by 
 which the Grace of Regeneration is wrought in Men's Souls. And 
 (i) I fuppofe, that if the Defign of the Holy Ghod h.id here been to 
 declare what the inftrumental Caufes of Mail's Convv-rfion are, he 
 would not have mentioned the Promifes of God only, but would 
 have afcribed this to the Word of God in general, as he does in other 
 Places, where it appears that this is his Defign, as in Pfal. 19. 7, S, 
 J^?;/?. JO. 143— -17. and y^/7?. i. 18. The Spirit of God in men,-- 
 
 tionin^ 
 
JrAP.vm. } Grace defended. 93 
 
 tioning Promifes only, gives us great Reafon to think, tliat wlnt ha 
 afcribcs to them, is romething proper to them, and not to the whole 
 Word of God, which is inftrumental in Aden's Converfion, but ta 
 the Promifes only, as giving a Right to the (jood fpoken of in the 
 Place und^ Confideration. (2) There is nothing either in the Text 
 or Context, to oblige us to think, that that which I now argue againft, 
 muil: neceflarily be intended in the Place ; but on the contrary, that 
 which I plead for fcems to be the mofl natural and obvious Scnfe of 
 the Words, as 1 (hall prefently fhew, (3) That the Inllrumcntality 
 of the Promifes unto iXIen's Converfion, or to their being 7ncuU Far- 
 takers of the divine Nature, is not intended in the Words, I make evi- 
 dent by this Reafon : The Promifes neither are, nor can be, inftru- 
 mental in the Senfe here in Queftion, in making any Perfons Par^ 
 takers cf the divine Nature. The Words muft not be undciftood in a 
 Scnfe in which thev neither arc nor can be true. 
 
 laKCr 
 
 But now. That no Man can by the Promifes. be made a Pan 
 cf the divine Nature, in the Senfe 1 oppofe, I thus make manifeft. 
 Men's h'Smg made Partakers cf the divine Nature, is the fame Thing 
 which, by Calvinifs, is otherwife called pajfve Converfion \ or Conver- 
 fion taken in that Senfe as Divines underlrand it, when they lay tlic 
 Soul is pajjive in it ; and affirm it to be wro't by an immediate Acl of 
 tlie holy Ghoft creating us anezv in Chriji Jefus to gocd IP'orks, as in 
 Pfal. 50. 10. Eph. 2. 10. and Chap. i. 19, 20. In Converfion 
 thus taken, the Sinner does nothing, but God all, Jer. ^r. 18, ig. 
 
 Turn thou ?ne, and I fall be turned . After I was turned, I repented. 
 
 In the Converfion of a Sinner, taken in this Scnfe, there is a Principle 
 of Grace, or a divine Nature, put into the Soul, in the doing of which 
 the Sinner himfelf has no Hand. He has a nevj Heart given to him, 
 and a neiv Spirit put within him, by God. He does not this for iiimfelf, 
 Ezek. 36. 26. nor is it poffible that any Promifes can be the Inftru- 
 ments of working fuch a Change in Men's Souk. I'hc Change now 
 under Confideration is not wro't by a moral Injlrwrunt, but by 2iphy- 
 fical Caufe, or a fupernaiural Power ; not by tJioral Suafion, but by the 
 mighty Power cfGcd. When Mankind firfc fmncd againft God, they 
 loft all the Power they had to perform any Actions truly hob,' : Now 
 when Sinners are made Partakers cf the divine Nature, this Power is 
 reftored again in and unto tiicm ; which the V/ord read and preached 
 is no Way competent to be an Inffrument of j neither the Precepts, 
 Promifes, nor Threatnings of it can "cIo this \ nor can all of them to- 
 gether work fuch a Change, any more than an Argument or S)lIogifin 
 .cin remove a Mountain, AH that tiie Word can do,, it cLoes in 3 
 
94 Grace defended^ \ chap.viii: 
 
 moral Way, by Inftru6lions, Convictions, and Perfuafions. It does 
 not give any Power to the Soul that it had not before, but excites and 
 ftirs Perfons up to make a good Improvement of the Powers they have. 
 
 'Tho' that Text, Jam. i. i8. Of his own TVill begat he us by the 
 JFord of Truth ^ feems to look another Way ; yet we muft know, 
 that Regeneration, or the new Birth, may be taken more largely, as 
 it comprifeth Men's active Converiion in it, or as intending their 
 paflive Converfion only. In the former Senfe, Converfion is afcribcd 
 to the Word of God read and preached ; but in the latter Senfe it is 
 not, neither indeed can be. The Miniftry of the Word does ordi- 
 narily accompany Converfion, but never works the Change : It does 
 much in the Work preparatory to it, and in exciting to the Adts and 
 Exercife of Grace, when once given ; but it does notliing towards the 
 infufing of the Principle. The preaching of the Word is not that 
 by which we are created anew unto good Works : It is another Kind 
 of Word that does this, even fuch a Kind of Power as that. Gen. i. 
 3. God f aid ^ Let there he Light y and there luas Lights as appears by 
 comparhig that Place with 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who hath commanded the 
 Light to Jlmie out of Darknefs^ hath finned into our Hearts^ to give us the 
 Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God y in the Face of Jefus Chrijf. 
 This God docs by giving the divine Nature to us, as in the Text under \ 
 Confideration. Thus I have fhewn why I think the divine Nature is 
 not communicated by the Promifes, as inftrumental efficient Caufes 
 ofit. 
 
 I fhall nov/ proceed to (hew pofitively, why I conceive, that by 
 thefe Promifes wc are made Partakers of the divine Nature , as it is pur- 
 fuant to them, th.-it God cprrununicates the fame unto us ; or as it is 
 hy them we have a Right to it : And to confirm this, I fay, (i) This 
 feems to be the mofl natural and genuine Senfe of the Expreflions 
 ufed in the Text here infiftcd on. When Perfons arc faid to be made 
 P^r/^i«rjof any Mercy, by Promife, who would once imagine, that 
 this meant, that the Promife intended was the efficient Caufe in the 
 Communication^ or Conveyance of the Good faid to be given by it ? 
 And not rather, that it was by Promife as that gave a Right to it. 
 See Gal. 3. 18. If the Inheritance be of the Latu^ it is 7Jo more of Pro- 
 mife \ but God gave it to Abraham by Promife. (2) Another Reafon 
 of this is, becaufe it is certain, that there are a great many fucb ex- 
 ceeding great and precious Pro?nifes 2iv en, (or the End here intended, 
 viz. That, by Virtue of them, the Perfons to whom they are given, 
 mi^ht be Partakers of the divine Nature 3 the fame being conditionally 
 
 offered 
 
?HVp.vm: } Grace defended, 95 
 
 offered in them. If no fuch conditional Promlfes could be found in 
 Scripture, as thefe I fpeak of, it would not then be cafy to declare 
 what Promifes arc intended in the Place under Confidcration, fuppo- 
 fino- their Inftrumcntality to Converfion were what is therein defigned. 
 But if there arc many conditional Promifes of Regeneration found in 
 Scripture, then we have good Reafon to fuppofe, that the Way in 
 which Sinners are by thefe made Partakers of the divine Nature, is by 
 entitling them to it, on their Fulfilment of the Condition on which it is 
 offered. 
 
 Now, That there are many fuch Promifes, I will fhcv/ in the 
 Sequel of this Difcourfc, by inftancing in divers of them ; and fo (hall 
 here fuppofe this to be a Trufli. 
 
 But I fuppofe it will by fomebe here faid. That tho' it be denied, 
 that there are any fuch conditional Promifes as I plead for ; yet inaf- 
 much as there are abfolute Promifes of the Grace of Regeneration, (by 
 fome called the firft Grace) thefe may be the Promifes intended in the 
 Text infifted on j and in Confequence of which the Grace of a nev/ 
 Heart may be given, without Men's Performance of any Condition, 
 by which they may be entitled to the Good of thefe Promifes : And 
 Ezek* II. 19, 20. and Chap. 36. 26. are commonly inftanced in, 
 as containing fuch Promifes. Unto this, feveral Things may be faid, 
 as, 
 
 Flrf}, It may be doubted whether thefe called abfolute Promifes^ 
 are indeed any Promifes at all. Some learned Men fecm to think they 
 are not ; but rather Prophecies of the Mercies mentioned in them. 
 I think Mr. Baxter was of this Opinion. It feems eflential to a 
 Promife of good Things, that the Perfon or Perfons, to whom it is 
 made, be fome Way or other defcribed or indigitated in it. Now, 
 thefe, here called Promifes, do not this. No one Perfon can truly 
 affirm, that thefe Promifes are made to him. If they be Promifesyz^^^^^ 
 might have laid as good a Claim to them as Peter. If God converts a 
 Sinner, he does not therein fulfil any fuch Promife to him : If he does, 
 then was he obliged by Promife to do it 5 which, how can any make 
 manifeft. If God fhould not convert and fave any Sinner in the 
 World, none could fay, that God has not kept his Word with him : 
 Unlefs, with me, conditional Promifes of converting Grace be ac- 
 knowledged. If there be any Thing at all of the Nature of a Pro- 
 mife, in fuch Declarations of God's Intention to convert and fave fome 
 of the Ciiildren of Men, all Mankind have an equal Right to it, by 
 Virtue of what is therein engaged, tho' God may, in his fecret Pur- 
 pofe, intend the Good prgmifed to certain definitive Perfons, and not 
 to any other, Secondly^ 
 
96 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Chap. VIIL 
 
 • Secondly^ If thcfe are allowed to be properly Promires ; yet feme 
 think they are not Promifes properly made to any of the finful Chil- 
 dren of Men, but to Jefus Chrift himfelf, in the Covenant of Re- 
 demption, agreed on betwixt his Father and him ; of which we have 
 an Account in the holy Scriptures, Pfal^ 39. 3. Ifal. 53. 10, 11, 
 12. and clfewhere. Of this Judgment was our very judicious and 
 learned Mr. Willard, as appears in liis Treatife of that Cove- 
 nant, Page 118. Thus thefe Promifes are not made to Sinners at all, 
 no\' gk'Pi to u$^ as in the Text under Confideration, 
 
 Thirdly^ If thefe be allowed to be Promifes, and to be made to 
 the finful Children of Men, I defire to know how it appears, that there 
 is no Condition required of them in order to their being Partakers of 
 
 the Good promifed. The Contrary feems plainly to appear, With 
 
 Refpccl to that in E-zck. 36. 26. For tho' a Condition be not §x- 
 preiled in the fame Verfe or Sentence ; yet there feems to be one 
 plai-nly required, a little after, in Verfe 37. Tct for this will I he en- 
 quired cf by ihe Houfe of\{xd,t\ io do it for them. By which Words, 
 I think, all other Promifes of the like Nature may be explained. 
 God does, therein, as good as tell thofe, unto v/hom fuch Promifes 
 are made, that they may not cxpedl this Mercy without feeking to 
 him for it ; and doubtlefs thofe that expect it in any other Way will 
 find thcmfelves miftaken. What tho' God does not always exprefs 
 the Condition of a Promife, in every Place where the Promife it felf, 
 and the Good promifed, is cxprefied ; yet if, in other Places, the 
 Condition be exprelTed, as well as the Good he promifeth, this is 
 fufficient to let us know, that the Promife is every where to be under- 
 stood as made on that Condition ; at leaft, that Men may not expedl 
 the Good of fuch Promifes, without the Performance of the Condition 
 required in order to it. And I fliall ftill have Occafion to fhew, that 
 there are many Places of Scripture where Promifes of the fame Mercy 
 are conditionally propofed to Sinners. 
 
 And fuppofc I fhould find, in the Bible, fcveral Places where 
 Pardon of Sin is promifed, without exprefly naming the ConditicH 
 on w]]lch that Promife is made, might I from thence infer, that it is 
 a Benefit that is not conditionally offered t If this would do, we may 
 find fuch Places, as .in Ifai, 43. 22. fer, 31. 34. and Chap. 33. 8. 
 fo in Micah 7. 18. May we infer from hence, that Pardon of Sin 
 is not conditionally offered ? Surely I think not. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap ix'. } Gva^c defended. 97 
 
 C H A p. I X. 
 
 That the conditional Promifes^ made in Scrips 
 ture^ that fuch asfeek God and his fpecial 
 Favour^ Jhalljind hi?n^ do contain or imply 
 in them^ an Offer of the Grace of Rege- 
 neration, 
 
 HIIII^IS Shall, for the clearing up of what Is here affert- 
 ^Sl§li?i# ed, endeavour to fhew, (i) That there are In Scrip- 
 §%^ I &■§% ^''^^^ conditional Promifes made, that fuch as fcek 
 2flS^¥J'^2S G^^/andhisy^^aW Favour, fhall find him and that, 
 lISlllSlS (^).X^"' '^'^'" ^tox^^its contain and imply in them, 
 ^^^^^'c^^(^^^^w an Offer of the Grace of Regeneration. 
 
 To make good the firft of thefe, I (liall (i) inftance in feveral 
 fuch Promifes as I here intend. (2) Make fomc Obfervations on 
 them. 
 
 I. The Promifes I here intend are fuch as thefe which follow, 
 I Chron. 28. c^.— If thou feek him, he will be found of thee. 2 Chron. 
 15. 2. - — The Lord h with you while ye he ivlih him; If ye feek 
 him, he will be found of you -, Ifye forfake him, he will for fake you. 
 Prov. 8. 17. Thofe that fcek ?ne early Jlmll find 7m. Jer. 29. 13. Ta 
 Jhallfeek me, ardfind?7ie, whenyejhall fear ch for me with all your Heatt. 
 Amos 5. 4. rhm faith the Lord unto the Houfe of Ihsid, Seek ye me 
 andyejhall live. Matth. 7. 7,-11. Afk,andlt jhall be given to yow. 
 Seek, and ye Jhall find : Knock, and It fi)all be opened unto you. For every 
 one that afk^eth, recelveth : And he that feeketh, findeth : And to hhn that 
 kmcketh. It fi)all he ope7ied. Or what Man Is there of you, ivhom^ If 
 his Son afii Bread, will give him a Stone ? Or If he ask a Flfij, zvill give 
 him a Serpent ? Ifye then, being evil, knovj how to give good Gifts to 
 your Children, how much more lulll your Father which Is in Heaven, give 
 good Things to them that ask hbn. We have the fame Words, \n 
 cffea, Liiks II. 9j— JJ- With thefe Texts agree th Ifai. 45. iq. 
 
 O I fciid 
 
98, Grace defended \ 
 
 Part- II; 
 Chap. IX: 
 
 I faidmt unto the Hcufe ofl^zoh^ Seek ye me in vain, Alfo Ifai. 55. 
 t^ S-eek ye the Lord while he may be found— , ■^ 
 
 2. I mall make fome Obfervations on the Promifes. And here. 
 Ifay, 
 
 (i) Tho' the Words, in fome of the Places mentioned, are not 
 cxprefs'd In the Form of Promifes ; yet Promifes are plainly fuppofed 
 or implie-d in. them ; as In that Ifai. 45* 19. and "55. 6, - " -. y'""- 
 ~ ■{^) The fe Promifes are ^^;?^///(j;?^/. A Condition is plainly expreft 
 i\i moft of them, and implied in them, all : And the Condition reqiiired 
 hyfcckirig God : And is otherwife called, ofking^ knocking^ Sec. ■ ; 
 '.(3) Such conditional Promifes are made to unregenerate Perfons, 
 to encourage tliem to feek the Lord for his fpecial Mercies or fpirjtual 
 BleiSngs." I do not fay, they are not made to the Regenerate alfo, 
 to encourage them to feek for more Grace ; but I think the firft and 
 principal Defign of them, is, to encourage fuch as are in a State of 
 Sin and Death, to feck to God for his faying Mercies ; fach as Pardon 
 <)f Sin, a new Heart, and a nev/ Spirit. This is, at leaft, one Delign 
 of them. 
 
 - (4) Thofe Promifes quoted out of the old Teftament, as well as 
 thofe out of the New, are Promifes of fpiritual Bleffings or everlafting 
 Mercies, and ought not to be underftood of temporal BleiTings only, 
 fee Pfal. 103. 17, 18. 
 
 is) ■ Wl^c" unregenerate Perfons are called upon and encouraged to 
 ieek God, with a Promife that they fhall find him, and obtain Mercy 
 from him, the feeking intended does not comprife the exercifmg ot 
 true Grace and Holinefs in it : It is impoflible it fhould do this : Be- 
 ciufe this is that, which they being without, afe encouraged, to feek 
 after. ' God does not fay unto an unregenerate Soul, " Seek to me 
 *' for the Grace of Regeneration, in the Exercife of that fame Grace, 
 *'^ and then I will beftow it upon thee." It is a Difhonour to God fo 
 to expound fuch Promifes. Therefore tho* it be true, as in the laft 
 foregoing Particular, that it is not any Kind of feeking that will .'m- 
 fwer this End, but a feeking after a due and fuitable Manner, i. e.., 
 feeking with Faith, in Hope, under an humble Senfe of UnworthineH-, 
 ivith great Earneftnefs and Perfeverance, &c. yet this Grace to ba 
 cxercifed in feeking the Grace of a new Heart and a new Spirit, can- 
 hot be fuch Faith, Hope and Humility, is'c. as is peculiar to fuch as 
 are ah'eady born of God, and become new Creatures j but fuch as 
 Hiay be called ccmmon Grace ; inafmuch as fuch may have it, as are 
 tioi ^ct pafjed fro?)! Death to Life ; or as have not eternal Life ^bidi>ig 
 tntkefn^^'i.'wijdm 5. 24. compared with i John z^. \/^^[i^, -Thh 
 
S,^;:?:}} Grace JefefKk^. ^9^ 
 
 feems to be fo evident, that I wonder that all ]\tcn do not yield to \\.\ 
 as I know of fome that do. 
 
 Having now confidered the Nature of the Promifcs alledgcd in this 
 Chapter, for the Confirmation of my Hypothefis, I fhall proceed to 
 {hew, Secondly^ That an Offer of the Grace of Regeneration is im-? 
 plied in them. I have proved that they contain and comprifj condi- 
 tional Promifes of our finding God, and obtaining his fpecial Favour ^ 
 and I muft confcfs I am extremely miftaken, if this d6es not include 
 'and imply in it our obtaining the regenerating and faving Influence^ 
 of his holy Spirit. ]])oes not our obtaining Mercy at God*s Hands, 
 as well imply in it his changing our Hearts, and endowing us with hl$ 
 holy Spirit, or making us Partakers of the divine Nature, as l^iis par- 
 doning our Sins, and juftifying of us ? Finding God, furely fignifies'^ 
 ■finding Favour in his Sight j and this certainly implies in it, our re-J 
 'ceiving from him all thofe fpiritual Blcffings which he beftows on all 
 thofe to whom he extends his fpecial Favour. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 That thofe conditional Promifes of the Holy 
 Spirit^ which we have in the Oracles of 
 God^ include and imply in them Offers of 
 co?iverti?tg Grace. 
 
 HE PVomiies wlilch I here intend are fuch as thcfe 
 following. Prov. I. 23. Turn you at ?ny Re^ 
 proof : Behold^ I will pour out my Spirit uni9 youi 
 I will make known my IVords unto you. Luke 11.13^ 
 Ifye^ being evil, know how to give good Gifts unto yoiif 
 Children, how much more fhall your heavenly Father 
 -^•^ give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him, A(^s 2: 
 .38. Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the Name ofyefus Chriji^ 
 for the Remijfion of Sinsy and ye Jhall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghoji^ 
 
 ' That thefe are Promifes, and that they are conditional, feems too 
 
 Lcvident to .be denied. A Precejit with, a Promife aline-xed to en- 
 
 .. , O 2 courajrc 
 
lOo Grace defended. { chap. x. 
 
 courage the Performance of the Duty required, muft, I think, be 
 looked upon as a conditional Promife. Such are thefe in each of the 
 Places mentioned, as by the bare reading of them appears. 
 
 That thefe Promifes are made to unregenerate Perfons cannot, I 
 think, be reafonably denied. That in Prov, i. 23. is made to fuch 
 Perfons as are defcribed in Verfe 22, who are there thus called on, 
 How long^ yefimple Ones^ will ye love Simplicity f And the S corners de- 
 light in /corning. And it follows in Verfe 23. Turn ye^ biz. In Luke 
 II. 13. the Perfons fpoken to are dire£led how they may obtain the 
 Gift of God's Spirit, which fuppofeth that they are, or may be, 
 without it ; and thofe who are fo, may, I think, well take the 
 Words as fpoken to tliem, or concerning them. The Words in 
 J^s 2. 38. were fpoken to very heinous Sinners, who were then 
 clofely dealt with, for having a Hand in the crucifying the Lord Je- 
 lus, and who htmgpricked in the Hearty under a deep Senfe of their Sin 
 and Guilt, alkcd that Qiieftion in Verfe 37. What Jhall we do ? 
 And the Anfwcr given them did not import that they were in a State 
 of Grace, but the contrary. They were, many of tliem at leaft, in 
 an unconverted State. 
 
 Thefe Things being briefly obferved, I fhall more diftin£lly con- 
 fid er two Things, viz. (i) What the Benefit is, here conditionally 
 promifcd to thefe. (2) On what Condition it is promifed, 
 
 I . Let us confider what the Benefit is which, in the Places under 
 Confideration, is conditionally promifed to fuch Sinners as thefe : 
 And, that we may judge arightpf this, we fhall confider how the fi\me 
 is defcribed in each of the mentioned Places. 
 
 I (hall begin with that in Prov. i. 23. And here the Good pro- 
 mifed is thus defcribed ; I will pour out fny Spirit unto you. Whether 
 by God's Spirit here, we are to underltand the Perfon of the Holy 
 Ghoft, or thofc Gifts and Graces of which he is the Author and Be- 
 ftower, need not be earneltly difputed. If the former, then the Spirit 
 is here fpoken of as poured on Men to work his fliving Graces in 
 them, which is as much as 1 defire. If the fecoady that is what I plead 
 for in this ElTay. If both, this ftill comes fully up to my Purpofe, 
 7;/z. .That the Grace of Regeneration is conditionally offered or pro- 
 mifed to Sinners in the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 In which of thefe Ways foever this Promife is underflood, faving 
 Illumination and Inftru<5lion is certainly intended in the Promife 
 
 made. 
 
Part II 
 
 Chap 
 
 x; } Grace defended. loi 
 
 made, when God tells thofe that he fpcaks to, that he will make 
 known his Words to them. This will be evident by comparing thefc 
 Words with others like them : Such as we may find in Prov. 2. 5. 
 and PfaL 119. 18, 19. John 17. 6, 7, 8. Tlic pouring out of 
 God's Spirit to fmful Men, certainly intends faving Illumination and 
 Converfion. 
 
 In that Place, Luke 11. 13. the Thing promifed, is the Gift of the 
 Holy Spirit to thofe that perform the Condition to that End required 
 of them. Now by this Holy Spirit we muft underftand, either the 
 Perfon of the Holy Ghoft, whom God fends into the Hearts of his 
 chofen Ones, to regenerate, fandify and influence them, and dwell 
 in them, as his Temple for ever, of which the Scriptures fpeak plen- 
 tifully ; or that Principle of faving Grace and HoUnefs, which he 
 works in, or beftows upon, fmful Men in their Regeneration ; which 
 is alfo called by the Name of the Spirit of God, Gal. 5. 17. and Ezek. 
 36. 26. and elfewhere : Either of thefe will ferve my Turn. 
 
 In J^s 2. 38. the Good conditionally promifed to the Sinners 
 there fpoken to, is the Remijion of Sin, and the Gift of the Holy 
 Ghoji \ In the laft of which the Grace of Regeneration is certainly 
 implied, as well as in the other Promifes which I have already fpoken 
 to. Thefe are Things which God has, in the Promife, joined toge- 
 ther ; and no Man ought to go about to feparate them. What is 
 intended by Salvation, Mark 16. 16. and in this Chap. Verfe 22. is 
 here called Remijfion of Sin, is the fame with that Believing, which is 
 required in the but now mentioned Text in Mark. As for that 
 extraordinary EfFufion of the Holy Ghoft, fpoken of in the former 
 Part of this Chapter, there are many who repent and arc baptized, 
 who yet never obtain it. But the Spirit in its faving Operations, 
 all who repent, and obtain Remiflion of Sins do receive. And thefc 
 Benefits true Penitents are made Partakers of in the order in udiich 
 they are here mentioned, as I have already abundantly proved ; fir/l 
 Pardon of Sin, and then the Grace of Regeneration immediately 
 thereon. 
 
 2. We muft confider what the Condition is on which this Bsncf 
 
 fit is, or rather thefe Benefits are offered. 
 
 And, 
 
 (i) In Prov. I. 23. the Duty or Condition required is Turning at 
 
 God's Reproof, by which we may not undeiftand fuch a Turning from 
 
 Sin unto God as does pre-fuppofe the Gift of the Holy Spirit, in his 
 
 regenerating 
 
io|, [Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part IL 
 Chap. X. 
 
 regenerating Infiucnces ; for the Gift of the Holy Spirit, underftood 
 inthisSenfe, evidently fblloweth the Turning here intended, as ap- 
 pears in the Text \ fo that the Turning here required, is an hdi on 
 which the mentioned Benefit is promifed. 
 
 We mud know, therefore, that there \% a Turning .at GodU Re^ 
 prcof, which is preparatory to Regeneration, and, in Order of Na- 
 ture, before God's pouring out his Spirit unto us^ and making known 
 his Words unto us^ in that fpecial Senfe, in which thefe Words are 
 here ufed ; and unto which the Influences of the Holy Spirit, with 
 v/hich fome Sinners are favoured before they are favingly converted, 
 are fufficient. It is evident in Scripture, that Sinners enjoying the 
 Miniftry of God's Word, (here, as I think, called his Reproofs) 
 accompanied with the Strivings of his Spirit, may have a Work of 
 Converfion wrought in them, of a lower Kind than that which we 
 call by the Name of Regeneration ; and yet fuch as to denominate 
 them Believers, Penitents, Saints and Righteous; infomuch that fome 
 who were never regenerated by the Spirit of God, are in Scripture 
 faid to have efcaped the Pollutions of the World ^ thro' the Knowledge of 
 the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. If what I have here faid be called 
 in Queftion, as I think it will not, I hope I fhall be able, if I live, 
 to make it good : At prefent I fhall content my felf to refer my Rea- 
 der to fome of the Texts by which this Truth is fuificiently confirm- 
 ed : Such as Maith. 13. 20, 21. Luke^,!-}^, Maith. 12. 41. 
 and Chap. n. 21. E%ek. 18. 24,26. ^Pet. 2. 20, 2i. I may 
 add, that Sinners not yet favingly converted may be fo far turned as 
 to cry earneflly to God for converting Grace, as in Jer, 31. 18. and 
 Trov, 2. 3, 4. 
 
 Thus much being faid, it is eafy to conceive how Pcrfons not )'ft\. 
 endowed with the Holy Spirit, in the Senfe that the Regenerate are, 
 may yet be fuch as afk him, or pray to God to beltow him on them, 
 as in Luke ir. 13. TheCondition there required in order to Perfon's 
 having God's Spirit poured out to them. 
 
 In the other Text mentioned, ASis 2. 38. the Condition required, 
 is, repenting and being baptized in the Name of Jefus Chrifi. By the 
 former of thefe we muft underfland fuch a Kind of Repentance as I 
 have already defcribed in the laft Paragraph, viz. a Kind of Repen- 
 tance going before, and being, in the Nature of it, preparatory to 
 Regeneration ; becaufe, according to the Text, Men's having Re- 
 miffion of Sin and the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, follows after it. -In- 
 deed when Sinners, being pricked in their Hearts, cry out, PP^hett 
 
 Jhali 
 
chaT.x! J' Grace defended. 163- 
 
 Jhallwedo, as in Verfe 37. and,' TFhat /hall I do to he favcd^ ?.s in 
 Acls 16. 30. their Enquiry is not only after Pardon, but after a new- 
 Heart and a new Spirit alfo. Sucli are therefore fitly here told how 
 they may obtain the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, as well as the Pardon of 
 their Sins. Note, that by Repentance, here, the fame Thing is in- 
 tended as is meant by Believing, Mark 16. 16. 
 
 •. What is implied in Men's being baptized in the Name cf Jefus 
 Ghrijl ; and how this is required as a Condition of their receiving the 
 Gift of the Holy Ghoft:, muft be here briefly conlidered ; for it fcems 
 plainly to be {o required in the Words under Confideration. 
 
 I then conceive that Baptifm here, is not to be confidcred as a 
 mere Wafhing with Water, in the Name of Jcfus Chriil, nor indeed 
 ever (hould be fo, but as a Seal and Token of the new Covenant, 
 as Circumcifion, according to the Nature of the Inftitution, al^p 
 wSsp.GetJt tji 1I4 Rom. 4. II. So that to be circumcifed of old 
 was, and to be baptized now is, the fame Thing in otiier Words, as 
 to be taken vifibly into Covenant with Gdd. Refpciling Circum- 
 cifion it is plain that he that was circumcifed was thereby iDOund and 
 obliged to fhe Obfervance of "the whole Law, GW. 5. 3* Wherei 
 by the Law, I do not underftand the Covenant of Works, but the 
 Covenant of Grace, according to that Difpeniation of it which, un- 
 der the old Teftament, was to be obferved ; for according to that 
 Law the Jiws were governed, and not according to the Tenor of the 
 Covenant of Works ; if they had,, they could not have been faved. 
 It is alfo evident, that he that is baptized In, or into, the Name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, is thereby bro't 
 under an Obligation to perform all the Duties required in the Gcfpel, 
 or under the new Teftament. And, by the Way, Infants are as 
 capable of being brought under fuch covenant Obligations now under 
 the Gofpel, as thev were under the Law. And as for the Adult, 
 when they are baptized, they are bound by their own AcSl and Deed, 
 to perform all the Duties required in the nev/ Teftament. And 
 hence it feemeth to follow, that to be baptized in the Name of Jefus 
 Chrift, or in the Name of all the Pcrfons in the Floly Trinity, is the 
 fame Thing as to be initiated into the new covenant State, and had 
 under a foederar Obligation to perform all the Duties of It. 
 
 Now this being dur^f-conrii-lered, we may the more eafily under- 
 fland why, and in what Senfe Baptifm is required, as a Cundition of 
 the new Covenant, or our Wiili!ign(^fs to take upon us an Obligation 
 t-0 the Dutl|s of it, or- to- take thr Yoke of Jcfus Chrift upon as : 
 ; -.V And 
 
104 Grace defended. \ chap.xl 
 
 And he that refufeth to be baptized, does in EfFedl therein fay, That 
 he will not have the Man^ Jefus Chrift, to reign over him^ as in Luke 
 ig. 14. Such therefore, as refufe to be baptized, are faid to refift the 
 Counfel of God ogainft ihcmfehes^ Luke 7. 30. 'Tis therefore no 
 Wonder, that this is required as ordinarily neceflary to Salvation, as 
 in Mark 16. 16. and as neceflary to our obtaining Remiflion of Sin, 
 and the Gift of the holy Ghoft, here in A^s z. 38. 
 
 Here, by the Way, I cannot forbear obferving, how greatly ^they 
 are miftaken, who think that Baptifm is, according to Chrifl's Infti- 
 tution, to follow after Regeneration and the Remiflion of Sins, when 
 in truth it is to be received or fubmitted to, in order to our obtaining 
 thefe Mercies, as in the Text I am confidering. Tho' the fame 
 Kind of Faith and Repentance be necefl^ary in order to it, as I have 
 Ihev/ed ; yet not that which is peculiar to the Regenerate. 
 
 C H A P. X L 
 
 That the Offers made to Sinners^ of the Wa- 
 ter of Life^ in the Gofpel^ are Offers of 
 the Javing Graces of the holy Spirit. 
 
 ^^^^f%^^ HAT there are in the holy Scriptures moft graci- 
 ^€*€**^€>C^^ ous Offers of the Water of Life, is very certain, 
 ^^-^t^^^^ Such an Offer is that in Ifai. 55. i. Ho! everyone 
 ^f '* t*t^^ thatthWpth, come ye to the Waters.-— Such alfo is 
 illtlll ^^^^^" John 7. 37. Jefus Jiood and cried, faying. If 
 ^XXX.^'^'^^ ^«V Man thirjf, let him come to me and drink. Such 
 J»%V^^^^.*^.fi an Offer there alfo is in Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit 
 and the Bride fay. Come. And let him that is athirjl come : And whofo- 
 cver willy let him take the Water of Life freely. Such an Offer is alfo 
 implied in John 4. 10. Jefus faid unto her. If thou kneweji the Gift cf 
 Gcdy and zvho it is that faith to thee. Give me to drink ; thou mouldefl 
 have afked him, and he would have given thee living Water, 
 
 Now, all that is here neceflary to my prefent Purpofe, is to fhew, 
 that an Offer of the Waaler of Life, or of this living Water, does cer- 
 tainly contain or imply in it, an Ofl:er of the Grace of Regeneration. 
 And to make this evident, I fhrill ( i ) endeavour to prove, that the 
 
 Grace 
 
Part II. 
 Chap.XI. 
 
 J Grace defended. 105;'^ 
 
 Grace of Regeneration, or a Principle of faving Grace and Holinef'?, 
 is the very Thing intended by the Water of Life, in Scripture : But 
 if that may not be admitted, then (2) it miift be implied and com- 
 prehended in that which othcrwife is intended by it. 
 
 Firji^ I will endeavour to fhev/, that by the IVciter of L'lfc^ the 
 Grace of Regeneration is in Scripture intended : And this I will en- 
 deavour to make evident, by comparing fome of the Pl;\ces of Scrip- 
 ture that fpeak of it. In ^ohn 4. 10. our Lord having fpoken of this 
 Water, in fuch Language as plainly implieth an OfFer of it, and his 
 Readinels to give it to fuch as afk it of him, lie after fome further 
 Difcourfe with the Woman of Sainaria^ gives her this further Ac- 
 count of the Advantages which fuch have by it, as receive it of him. 
 Verfe 14. JVhofocver dr'mkith of the Water that I fljall give h'lm^ Jhall 
 never thirfl : But the JVater that I JJmU give him^pallbein hirn'a Well 
 of Water fprlng'ing up to everlafiing Life. In which XVords of our 
 Lord he plainly intimates, that this Water is fomething, which the 
 Perfons partaking of it, have within them, as a living Pri^ici'ple of Life 
 and Motion ; by which Principle of Life, what can'we fo well under*-' 
 Itand as that divine Nature given to Men in their Regeneration'?' 
 Of which we read £2;^/^. ,37. 14. Eph. 2, 2, 2 Pet. 2. ^. Or, If 
 not this, the Spirit himfelf, who is the Author, Beftower and Prr - 
 ferver of this divine Principle ? Which of thefe is to me equal, and 
 comes to the fame Thing. - : I'l " 
 
 Again, our Saviour, in John 7. 37. having invited thirty vSinners 
 to come to him, and drink, (of the \Vater of lafe, no doubt) he adds 
 in Verfe 38. He that believeth on me^ as the Scripture hath fa id, out of 
 his Belfy fia/l foiu Rivers of living Water \ By which Water, that we 
 might underftand what he intended, the Evangelifi: immediately fub- 
 joins. thefe Words, in Verfe 39. This he fpake of the Spirit^ ivhicb 
 they that believe m him Jhould receive. Now, what can this pofTibly 
 intend, if by -it be not meant either tlie Perfon of the Holy Spirit, or 
 that divine Principle which he is the Author of, in Men's Souls, as 
 before. 
 
 The Belly, out of which thefe Waters are faid to flow, may be 
 underftood to mean the inward Parts, or Heart, as by comparing 
 foh 15. 35.,witli PfaL. ^i. 6. does appear.: And what we may un- 
 (lerftand by this Vv^aters flowing from thence, we may gather from 
 Luke 6. 45. J good Man out of the good Treafure-cfhis- Heart ylfitig- 
 eth forth that which is good ', with which agreefh that in Pfal. 40. 8. 
 / delight to do thy Will^ God : Ti^a, thy Lcvj is within 7m Heart. 
 
 P . ' The 
 
io6 Grace defended. { chaI.xi! 
 
 The Scripture of the old Tcftamcnt, to which thefe Words of our 
 Saviour, may, I think, be fuppofed to refer, may be fuch as we have 
 in Ifa'i. 44. 3, 4, 5. and Chap. 49. 10. and 58. 11. the laft of 
 whichTexts Ifhall only here tranfcribe,as agreeing well with this Place 
 and that before mentioned, John 4. 14. ne Lord Jlmll guide thee 
 continually^ and fail sfy thy Soul in Droughty and make fat thy Bones'. 
 And thou /halt be like a watered Garden^ and like a Spring cf JVatcr^ 
 zvhofe IVaters fail not. 
 
 There is one Exception to which, what I here plead for, may 
 feem liable, vIt:. That the Evangelift fays, that our Lord here fpake 
 of the Spirit, which they that believe on him fliould receive : For 
 the Holy Gholl was not yet given, becaufe Jefus was not yet glori- 
 fied : By which it feems as if our Lord here intended thofe extraor- 
 dinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit given at Fentecoji^ after his Afcenfion, 
 Acis 2. beginning, according to that Prophecy in Joel 2. 28, 29. 
 
 Now to this I anfwer. That tho* there be no Doubt but that our 
 Lord had a Refpecl to the mentioned extraordinary Gifts ; yet to 
 reftrain his Meaning to thefe only, without taking into what he in- 
 tended, the giving of the Holy Ghoft, for the Converfion of great 
 Numbers of Souls about that Time, is, I think, altogether without 
 Warrant. I know of no Expofitors that {o reftrain the Senfe of 
 that Prophecy in focl^ to thofe extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit men- 
 tioned, or to any other in the Days of Chriit and his Apoftles, or at 
 any other Time afterwards, as not to include thofe that are common 
 to all Believers : And our Saviour warrants our expounding it in this 
 Manner, by fpeaking of his giving the Spirit, as the Privilege of 
 Believers in general, without any Exception, in the Place difcourfed 
 on, and elfewhere, as in Roin. 8. 9. and ASs 2. 38, 39. 
 
 If it be faid, that none can believe in Chrift, 'till the Spirit of Gpd 
 in his faving Influences be given to them ; And therefore, the Grace 
 
 fiven in Men's firft Converfion cannot be given to them by Promife ; 
 fliall, befides what has been already faid to this> hereafter take thi^ 
 Obje<Slion under Confideration. 
 
 If what I have now faid be not thought fufficient to prove the 
 Water of Life oftered to Sinjiers^ to be the fame Thing with the 
 Holy Spirit given in Regeneration, as I think it is, then L here fur- 
 ther £ay. 
 
 Secondly 'i That fuppofing Jeius Chrift himfelf, as fome think, hk 
 intended by that admirable Water, the Gift of t"his Water will fup- 
 pof^ and imply> the Gift of the Grace of Regeneration , and io an 
 . ; \ Offer 
 
ct AP. xn'. } Grace defended. 107 
 
 Offer of Jefus Chrift will imply an Offer of that. As Jefus Chrift is 
 fometimes called the Bread cf Life \ fo if it be allowed that he is here 
 called the Water of Life alfo, an Offer of the (jrace of Regenera- 
 tion will be ftill implied in an Offer of Him. Tliofe who come unto 
 him are fa'd to come as to a living Fountain^ r Pet. 2. 4. And he 
 may be undcrflood to be intended by that Fountain opened^ Zach. 13. 
 I. if it then be fuppofed, that Jefus Chrift himfclfis the VVater of 
 Life here intended, the offering of this Water to Sinners, is an ofter- 
 ing of him to them. But then Jefus Chrifl thus offered unto fmful 
 Men, is offered with all his Fulnefs to them, even all that Fulnefs 
 of which we read Col. i. 18, 19. and ^ohn i. 14, 16. and if fo, 
 then to be fure not without his Spirit and Grace in and with him *, 
 which is the Point for which I, in this Effay, am obliged earneffly to 
 contend. 
 
 C H A P. X I L 
 
 Thofe conditional Offers of fpiFitual Wifdo^n 
 made to Sinners in the TVord of Gody are 
 Offers of a Principle of faving Grace or 
 Holinefs. 
 
 ^^^^i:%^*Sf^^ Purfuance of what I defign in this Chapter, I 
 T^i^^l^'^ "^"^ flicw, that there are fuch Promifes as I here 
 *' ^ ' ?^ fpeakof; and then prove, that thefc Promifes cou- 
 
 \^ tain or imply in them a conditional Offer of 
 
 ^ Principle of faving Grace or Holinefs. And I fliall 
 ^^, S endeavour to make this good in both the Parts of 
 %V^^'^'^^^^\*^*<^ it, with Refpe61: to two Promifes, or rather one 
 and the fame, expreffed in tv/o Texts of Scripture ^ one of wliich 
 we have in the tld Tejfamenty the other in tlie mw. 
 
 ' I fliall begin with that In the old Teftament, which we have in 
 Prtrj. 2. beginning. That We may at once fee it with the Condition 
 on which it is made, with a Reafon given for the certain Fulfilment 
 Qi it; I fliall tranfcribe the Words from the fiifl to ±z iix'Ji V'crfc, 
 
 ^ See Part n. Chap, iv^ 
 
 P 2 .^Tj 
 
io8 Grace defended. | chIp. xn. 
 
 My Son, if thou wilt receive my Words, and hide my Commandments with 
 thee ; fo that thou incline thine Ear imto TVifdom^ and apply thine Heart 
 to UmLrJlanding : Tea, if thou crieft after Knowledge, ard Vtfteft up thy 
 Voice fr IJnderfianding : If thou feekeft her as Silvtfr, and fear chef i for 
 her, as for hid Treafures: Then fait thou underjland the Fear of the 
 Lord ; and find the Knowledge of God, For the Lord giveth Wifdom ; 
 Out of his Mouth Cometh Kmivledge and Underflanding, 
 
 It cannot be denied that thefe Words run in. the P'orm of a con- 
 ditional Promife : My Son, if thou wilt do thus and thus, then fhalt 
 thou, ^c. And in order to our rightly underftanding the Text, 
 we mud confider, (i) to whom this Promife is made, (2) on what 
 Conditions, (3) what is the Good promifed, (4) the Reafon given 
 for the Confirmation of the Truth of th^ Promife. 
 
 T. Let us confider to whom this Promife is made. And herfe I 
 fhall only infift on one Thing, viz. That this Prcmife is undoubtedly 
 inade WPerfons in an unregenerate State, as well as unto fuch as are 
 regenerate or born again. It is evident that it is the Scope and De- 
 fign of the Place, to dire£l Perfons how they may get true Wifdom, 
 that which is of the beft Kind : And indeed this is the Scope of the 
 ■whole Book of Pr<w^r/^^, as appears Chap. i. Verfe 2,— -7. Now, 
 to imagine, that fuch Dire6lions are, by the wife Man, and by God 
 himfelf fpeaking by him, given only to thofc who are already truly 
 and fpiritually wife, is what there is not the leaft Colour for. I deny 
 not that the truly wife are here directed how they may get more 
 Wifdom of the fame Kind ; but I affirm, that this cannot be the 
 only, or indeed the principal. Intendment of the Place: But fuch as 
 are ftill deftitute of the Wifdom intended, are here direfted how they 
 may obtain it ; and are encouraged to fcek after it. Nor is that 
 Compellation, My Son, any Way inconfiftent with what I here fay, 
 if we confider how it is frequently ufed in this Book, and elfewhere 
 m Scripture. 
 
 2. We may confider on what Condition this Promife is mad-e. 
 And there are here feveral Things required of the Perfons to whom 
 it is conditionally propos'd. ■ And here, before I inftance in the Things 
 required, I muft obferve in general with Refpe6l to them, that none 
 of them have, nor in Reafon can have, any Thing in them' that does 
 imply, that the Perfons to perform them muft, in order to it, be en- 
 dov/ed with true fpiritual Wifdom, fuch as they are dire6led and en- 
 couraged to feek after -, of that they are fuch as cannot be performed 
 
 ^till 
 
chIp. xS: } Grace defended. 1 09 
 
 'till the fame Kind of Wifdom be firft obtained. The Reafon of 
 this is. obvious. Every Thing here required, is required of fuch as 
 have not the Kind of Wifdom intended, and this in order to their 
 getting of it. Now, what can be more abfurd than to imagine, tliat 
 the wife and infpircd ^chmon did, in the Name of God, advife Perfons 
 deftitute of a certain Sort or Kind of Wifdom, to labour to obtain 
 the fame, by performing certain Conditions, to the Performing of 
 which their firlt having the fame Kind of Wifdom was abfolutely 
 necefTary ? This would be no lefs unreafonable, than to advife a blind 
 Man to make Ufe of good Eye-fight in fearching after Medicines to 
 cure him of his Blindnefs. The Thing therefore required of unrege- 
 nerate Perfons, in order to their obtaining the Wifdom here intended, 
 cannot be fuch as cannot be done 'till they are firft endowed with that 
 Kind of Wifdom which they are called upon to fcek for : Nor will 
 they appear to be fuch on a due Confidcration of them. I will con- 
 fider them feverally. 
 
 The firft Thing required is the receiving of the Words of him 
 who fpeaketh them. If thou wilt receive my JFords^ i. e. the Words 
 of Solomon^ or any other true Minifler's fpeaking in God's Name : 
 Or if we fay the Word of God himfelf, it is the fame Thing. This 
 docs not necellarily intend a receiving the Word ofGodTn fuch a 
 Manner as none but the regenerate receive it. It may be fuch a 
 receiving of it as that intended, Matih, 13. 20, 21. Nay, I fay, 
 it muft be fuch a receiving the Word as this ; for this receiving it, 
 as it refpe(3:s many of thofe who are fpokcn to, is only in ord^r to 
 their obtaining faving Wifdom, they being ftill without it. 
 
 The next Thing required as the Condition of fuch Perfons ob- 
 taining true Wifdom, is their hAding God's Commandments ivith them ; 
 and this may be done by Perfons not yet regenerate, as by fome 
 awakened Sinner made fenfible of his Sin and Guilt, and defirous to 
 know v/hat he fhall do to be faved. Is it not poiTible for fuch an 
 one to hear the Word of God with fome Concern of Soul : Yea, to 
 buy a Bible, and keep it by him, for his Inftru61:ion in the Way of 
 Life ; and frequently meditate on what he reads, and mark fuch 
 Places in it as he thinks beft fuits his Cafe, committing others to Me- 
 mory, with a IMign not to forget them, but obfervc and prafticc 
 them ? Or may wc tell any one that does {0^ \X\?x lie is in a regene- 
 rate State \ 
 
 The 
 
no Grace defended. \ chap^xii". 
 
 The next Thing required of fuch is, that they incllru their Ears to 
 IVifdom, and apply their Hearts to Underjiand'mg^ i. e. give themfelves 
 to the Study of them, with fome Affection and Deliglit. So Mr. 
 Pool on the Place. But then, I fay, this Affedion and Dehght re- 
 quired, in order to their getting fpiritual Wifdom, muft be fuch as 
 that mentioned in Matth. 13. 20. becaufe the Perfons here fpoken 
 to, as thofe there mentioned, have no Root of faving Grace in them, 
 as Was before declared. To apply the Heart to TVifdom^ may be as 
 well underftood of the Application of the Mind and Soul to the Study 
 and Purfuit of it, as to the a61:ual Acquifition, or Exercife of it. 
 
 It is further required, in order to fuch Perfons obtaining of Wifdom, 
 that they cry after Knoivledge^ and Uft up their Voice for Vnderfianding : 
 That is, that they pray earneiily to God for it, as in fajn. i. 5. Now 
 is it not po0ible for any unregencrate Pcrfon thus to do ? If it be not, 
 many others befidcs my felf^ are miftaken with Refpe6l to Ephrai?7i^ 
 when he prays. Turn thou me ^ and I Jhall he turned^ Jer. 31. 18. We 
 frequently exhort and prefs unregenerate Sinners to pray for the Grace 
 of Regeneration^ and confequently for fpiritual Wifdom, which con- 
 fifts in the Fear of the Lord, Job 28. 28. Now I would know whe- 
 ther we ought withal to tell them, that it is impoiTiblc that they fhould 
 do thus '*ill after tl^ey have the Wifdom which, being without, we 
 advife them to feek after. That it is not in their Pov/er to change 
 their own Hearts, I readily acknowledge \ but that they are unable 
 with God's AlTiftancc to Pray to him to do this for them, and this with 
 great Earneftnefs, I fee no Reafon at prefent to grant. • 
 
 Another Duty or Condition required of unregenerate Sinners, in 
 order to their getting this fpiritual Wifdom, is their feeking it as 
 Silver, and fear chlng for it as for hid Treafiires : By which I think we 
 may well underftand, their induftrioufly attending all proper Means 
 in order to their obtaining of it. Now I would know whether it be 
 impoffible for any unregenerate Pcrfon, under the deepeft Convi(B:ion 
 of Sin, Righteoufnefs, and Judgment, that fuch are capable of, to do 
 this ? Is it abfolutely impoffible for People, 'till after they are favingly 
 converted, and become wife to Salvation, and fo pafTed from Death to 
 Life, to Jlrive to enter in at the fr ait Gtite, (as they are exhorted to do, 
 Luke 13. 24.) or to prefs into (or towards) the Kingchm of God ^ (as in 
 Luke 16. 16.) 'till after they are a<5lually /// it ? And do not Men 
 begin to ivork out their own Salvatiin^ 'till after they are in a State of 
 Salvation, and have adlually obtained eternal Life ? I cannot think 
 otir doing thus is the Work only of one Moment : but includes in it 
 
chaI.xii; } Grace defended. 1 1 1 
 
 our luafching at IVifdorrii Gatcs^ ami waiting at the Pofis of her Doors^ 
 (Prov. 8. 34.) in order to our being m^de wife to Salvation, and not 
 only after we are fo : And it may be compared with the poor Cripples 
 waitixig at the Pool oi Beihefda^ John 5. 2, 3. Can we tnicly affirm, 
 that unregenerate Sinners neither can, nor ever do, thus wait on God 
 in the Ufe of Means for the converting Influences of his Spirit ? Or 
 for the Beftowment of true fpiritual Wifdom on them ? Yea, let me 
 afk whether there have never been any unconverted Sinners tliat 
 would rather have parted with all the Subftance of their Houfes, than 
 failoftrae Convcrfion, and fo of eternal Happincfs ? Yea, I would 
 yet farther enquire, v/hether it is impoffible for any unconverted Sin- 
 ner to do otherwife than that young Man did, who would not part 
 with his outward Eftatc, tho' his Soul lay at Stake? Matth. 19. 22. 
 For my part, I doubt not but that an unregenerate Sinner may refiit 
 unto Blood fighting againft Sin. Compare //rZ'. 4. 12. with i Cc7\ 
 1 3. 3, Men's doing all that I have fpoken of, will not prove them tb 
 be already wife to Salvation : And yet I do hot believe that any that: 
 perfevere in fuch a Courfc as this, fhall fail of the Grace of God, and 
 finally periih. 
 
 Now this brings me to-^ie Promife made in the Place under Con- 
 fideration, to thofe that perform the Conditions thus required ; And 
 this we have in Verfe 5. Then floalt thou imderjland the Fear of the 
 Lord ; and find the Knowledge of God. The Promife is very cxprcf^? 
 and peremptory j and I believe there are fcarce any but what believe, 
 that all who obtain the Good here promifed, are made wife to Sal- 
 vation ; not only brought nigh to the Kingdom of God, but ad^ually 
 into it. Tliofe who think that fuch Seekers are fo, who are defcribed 
 in the foregoing Verfes, will doubtlefs acknowledge, that they muft 
 needs be fo, unto whom the Promife made in Verfe 5 is fulfilled. 
 Whe Words of the Promife here made, do certainly fignify tlie favino; 
 Illumination and Inftrudlion of thofe happy Souls that partake of the 
 Good exprefled in it. Noi>e can doubt of this that will be at tl>e 
 Trouble to compare this Promife with what we have in Pfal. 25. 14. 
 
 and 51. 6. and 19. 18, 19. i John 2. 27. John 17. 8. Bro^i. 3. 
 
 13, and Chap. 2. 10, 11. Such as are wife to Salvation know the 
 
 V/ifdom here intended to he th?.t mentioned Job 28. 28. and Pfal. 
 
 III. 10. 
 
 We have in the Place under Confideration a Reafon given to con- 
 fir m to us the Truth of the Promife made, Verfe 6. For the Lord 
 
 -^jvstb IVtfdom ; Out ofhh Mmh (om^tf? KuQivl^dge and Undtrjlandingy 
 . ■ i. e. 
 
Hi Grace defended { chap.xil 
 
 i. e. he that thus promifeth to beftow fpiritual Wirdom on fueh as 
 come up to the Terms on which it is offered, is the Lord Jehovah, 
 who is the only and all-fufEcient Giver of thatWifdom, by whichMcn 
 are made vj'ife to Salvation ; he being the Father of Lights^ from whom 
 every good and per fe^ Gift comcth dozvn, Jam. i. 17. Therefore wc 
 may afluredly depend on him for the Good thus promifed, if we 
 take the Courfe which he dirc6leth us to for the obtaining of it. 
 
 I may now proceed to the other Teftimony I intended, for the 
 Confirmation of what I have afferted ; and that is in the new Tefta- 
 ment, Jam. i. 5. If any of you lack IVifdo^n, let him ofk it of God, 
 that giveth to all Alen liberally, and uphraidcth not, and it Jl)all he given 
 to hinu 
 
 This Text is very much like that laft produced and vindicated ; 
 and therefore I fhall need fay the lefs upon it. The firft Thing that 
 I fhall fay on it is, that tlie Thing promifed in it is Wtfdom ; and this 
 Joubtlefs the fame Kind of Wifdom as that defcribed by the fame 
 Apoftle, Chap. 3. Verfe 17. The JVifdom that is from above, is firji 
 fiire^ then peaceable,' gentle, and eafy to he entreated, full of Mercy, and 
 good Fruits, without Partiality and without Hypccrify, By which Wif- 
 dom the Apoftle doubtlefs intendcth that which is truly fpiritual and 
 faving ; and this not only Wifdom neccffary in fome particular Cafe, 
 as when Perfons are under Affli(5lion and Tribulation, as in the fore- 
 going Verfcs, but alfo in every other Cafe 3 fuch as is intended Jcb 
 
 28. 28. and Prov. 2. 10. 
 
 The Perfons to whom this Promife is made are any that lack Wif- 
 dom, as in the Text, If any of you lack JFifdom — . For tho' this 
 Epiftle was more immediately written to thofe mentioned in the In- 
 fcription of it, Chap. i. Verfe i. yet it was no Doubt intended for 
 the Inftruclion and fpiritu?! Good of all that read it ? For thus the 
 Spirit of God fpeaking in the Scripture, is to be underftood, Rom. 2. 
 
 29. Mark 13.37. And who is there that lacketh this Kind of Wifdom 
 more than thofe do, that have none of it; which is the Cafe of all 
 unregeneratePerfons. But if it (hould be here fi\id,that by fuch as lack 
 ■this Wifdom, v/e may underftand fuch as are fenfible of their Need of 
 it ; to this I anfwer. That tho' I cannot believe that the Direction 
 here is given only to fuch, inafmuch as it may encourage thofe that 
 are not yet duly fenfible how much they need it, to endeavour to 
 become fo ; yet fuppofmg this to be true, there is no Reafon to quef- 
 tion, but that Perfons ftill in an unregenerate State may be fenfible that 
 thay need fpiritual \Vifdom. Thofg that a/e fenfible that they need 
 
 '■ Happinef?, 
 
Cha'^.xil } Grace defended. 113 
 
 Happinefs : And I believe it is poiTible, that an unregenerate 
 Perfon may be convinced that it is impoiTible that he fliould be 
 made truly happy and blcfTed, without being made fpiritually wife. 
 I know that natural Men are apt to place their Happinefs in fenfual 
 Objc6ls ; but is it not polTible for them to be convinced of their Error 
 and Miftake in this, 'till after they are favingly converted ? I incline 
 to tell People who iwc convinced of this, that it belongs to the Work 
 ordinarily required as preparatory to Converfion, rather than as an 
 eflential Ingredient in it : For how fhould any fincerely turn to God, 
 'till firft convinced of the Vanity cf the Creature ? If an awaken'd 
 Sinner tells me, he is convinced that Nothing in any Creature, or in 
 all of them together, can make him truly happy, I cannot^ on this 
 Account, tho' I believe him, afiure him that he is in a jEQilverted' 
 State. 
 
 The next Thing to be confidered is, theConditlon required in order 
 to the obtaining the Wifdom intended ; and this is, that they afk it 
 of God ^ vjho giveth liberally^ and uphraideth not. Here obferve, (i) 
 That fuch as need tliis Wifdom are required to afk for it. (2) They 
 are required, in afking it, to apply to a right Obje£l, wz. God. 
 (3) Here is fomething to encourage them to do fo, viz. He giveth 
 liberally^ and upbraideth ?iot. 
 
 (i) If Sinners need fpiritiial Wifdom^ they muft afk for it. The 
 Way of obtaining it is not to acquire it by hard Study, but by Prayer, 
 There is a Sort of Wifdom that may be acquired by Study and Me- 
 ditation, as other acquired Gifts and Qualifications are ; but this is 
 not of that Kind, nor obtained in that Way, (tho' necefTary in the 
 Work preparatory to it) but by fervent Prayer, called in Scripture 
 ajking^feekirig^ knocking^ Matth. 7. 7, 8. Luke 11. 9, 10. 
 
 (2) Thofe that defire this Wifdom mufl feek it of a right Obje(5l, 
 who is able and willing to beflow it, viz. God. So in the l>xt. 
 Let him ajk it of God. The moft learned Men in the World* cannot 
 give this Wifdom, by the beft Inftru6tions they can afford : Onlv 
 God can do this, as we faw before. Prov. 2. 6. The Lord giveth 
 Wifdo?n : Out of his Mouth co?neth Knowledge and Underjlanding, And 
 this Knowledge cometh out of God's Mouth, not only by Means of 
 the Scriptures which he has given by the Infpiration of his Spirit j but 
 as the Light did which he gave in the Creation of the World, Gen, 
 I. 3. with which v/e may compare, 2 C^^r. 2.6. And I may add, 
 
 Q. . that 
 
114 Graoe defended. \ 
 
 Part II. 
 Chap.XIL 
 
 that when we afk this Wifdom, we muft afk it in the Kanie of Jefus 
 Ghrift, as we muft all other Merci^. 
 
 (3) Here is Ground of Encouragement thus to afk this Wifdom of 
 God, VIZ. He giveth liberally^ and upbraideth not: He giveth to all 
 that afk for it as they ought to do. He giveth not as Pferfons of nar- 
 row Souls are wont to give their Gifts ; nor does he twit and upbraid 
 thofe who in their Straits feek his Favours : And this, if there had 
 been no more faid, gives great Encouragement to afk fpiritual Wif- 
 dom of him. 
 
 But as if this was not enough, there is in the Words a pofitive Pro- 
 mife, that thofe who alk it in the Manner required, fhall obtain it r 
 It Jhall be given Imn ; exadly anfwering to what we had before in' 
 Prov. 2. 5. Then /halt thou under/land the Fear of the Lord 3 and find 
 the Knowkdge of God. 
 
 Biit I expeft that, agalnft what I plead for the Support of my Hy- 
 pothefis from this Text, what follows in the two next Verfes will be 
 objected, viz. But let him ojk in Faith., nothing wavering : For he that 
 waver eth is like a Wave of the Sea^ driven with the Wind., and iojfed. 
 For let not that Man think that he Jhall receive any Thing of the Lord. 
 
 If thefe Words be obje6led againft what I hold and plead for, I 
 fuppofe the Strength of the Objection (if it have any) depends on this, 
 that fuch a Kind of Faith as that defcribed Verfc 6. is required to 
 fuch a fuccefsful afking of Wifdom as that fpoken of in Verfe 5. is 
 what an unregenerate Sinner cannot poflibly be the Subjeft of, but 
 fuch only as are already in a regenerate Statej and fo truly and fpiri- 
 tually wife ; and that the Wifdom promifed to be given to fuch 
 afkers of it as are intended in the Place, muft be more oi the fame 
 Kind that they are endowed with. 
 
 Now in Anfwer to this feveral Things may be faid, 
 I. I readily grant, that the Afking intended in Verfe 5. muft be an 
 Afkin* in Faith : Otherwife it is not fuch as the Promifti is there made 
 to. And indeed it is, I think, impoflible, that 2lny Prayer at all fhould 
 be made to God, without fome Kind of Faith in him. Prayer is 2L 
 coming to God for the Favours we need, and defire him to grant to 
 us. But we are afTured in Heb. 11. 6. that, he that cometh to God 
 muft believe that he is., and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently 
 feek him. So that there can be no fuch Thi^ig as coming to God 
 without believing in him. To the fame Efie^ is it demanded in 
 
 Rom, 
 
Chap, xil } Qracc defended. 115 
 
 Rom. 10. 14. How Jhall they call on him, imvhom they have not be- 
 lieved P As Men cannot, in a gracious and holy Manner, come to or 
 call upon God, without that Kind of Faith which is peculiar to Per- 
 fons in a juftified and regenerate State ; fo they cannot, in any Man- 
 ner, draw near to God, and call on his Nam-e, without fome Kind 
 of Faith '3 at leaft fuch as unrcgenerate Perfons may be the Subjects 
 of. 
 
 2.. I affirm, that it is poffible for unrcgenerate Perfons to believe in 
 God, and in his Son Jefus Chrift. Many fuch have believed. Many 
 unrcgenerate Perfons have believed there is a God, Jam. 2. 19. 
 And many unrcgenerate Perfons have had Faith in Jefus Chrift, as is 
 evident in John 2, 23, 24. and Chap. 12. 42, 43. J(^s 8. 13. 
 Matth. 13. 20, 21. Luke 8. 13. That Text therefore, i John 5. i. 
 Whofoever helieveth that Jefus is the Chriji^ is horv of God, muft be 
 underftood of a Kind of Faith or Believing peculiar to God's Elc£i:, 
 already in a regenerate State. The fame may be faid concerning 
 P^/^r's Faith, Matth, 16. 16, 17. and their's alfo in A^s 13. 48. 
 Otherwife I know of no Pro.pofition in our holy Religion but what 
 may be believed or afTented unto by Perfons in an unrcgenerate State. 
 Unrcgenerate Perfons have the fame objecStive Revelation of divine 
 Truths, and the fame rational Evidence to ground their Perfualion 
 of them upon, as the Regenerate have ; and this Evidence is fufiicient 
 to demand their AfTent, and to command it, did they not wilfully 
 refufe to attend to it. If this were not fo, unrcgenerate Perfons tliat 
 do not aflent to divine Truths might juilify their not believing : For 
 no Man is bound to believe that, of which he has not, or cannot have, 
 fufficient Evidence. For, 
 
 3. Unrcgenerate Perfons are able to underdand the Evidence o;fvett 
 or offered to them, to fatisfy them of the Truth of thofe Tilings 
 which they are required to believe j (o that if they believe them not, 
 'tis becaufe they fhun the Light, and will not confider as they may 
 and ought to do, thofe P-^vidences which God favours them witli ; 
 having an Enmity in their Hearts againft the Truths and Objects re- 
 vealed. 
 
 4. All unrcgenerate Sinners do not thus obrtinately fhut their Eyes 
 againft the Light. They are by common Grace prevailed with to 
 make a better Improvement of the Advantages they enjoy, than others 
 ^0, Nor is the Sin of thofe that refufe Inflrud^on, in this Way ofFe- 
 
 Q.2 red 
 
1 1 6 Grace defended. \ J^^^ xil 
 
 red to them, unavoidable, fo that they cannot come to the Knowledge 
 of the Truth, but muft neceflarily remain Infidels or Unbelievers. 
 
 5. The Perfuafion vi'hich fome unregenerate Sinners do, in this 
 Way, attain, is fo firm and ftrong, that it has a great Influence on 
 their Lives. They receive the Word with Joy, and do many Things 
 that are required of them. Such a Perfuafion as thefe have, or may 
 have, of the Truth, is fufficient to produce Repentance in Sackcloth and 
 AJhes ; infomuch that fuch are fometimes faid to have efcaped the Pol- 
 lutions that are in the Worlds thro* the Knowledge of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jefus Chrifi^ 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21. and to have been enlightned ^^nd to 
 have tajledthe heavenly Gift ^a,nd to have been madePartakers of the Holy 
 Ghojl^ and to have tajled the good Word of God, and the Powers of the 
 World to come^ Heb. 6. 4, 5. 
 
 Such an Aflurance of divine Truths as Perfons not favingly eon- 
 verted may, in this Way attain, is fufficient to render them utterly 
 inexcufable if they engage not in the Pra6lice of religious Duties, fuch 
 as Praying to God in publick, private and fecret ; and Waiting on 
 him in all the other Ways of his own Appointment, for his faving 
 and everlafting Mercies, and in particular for that fpiritual Wifdom 
 here under Confideration : So that fuch Perfons need not be at fuch 
 Uncertainties, with Refpeft to the Truth of God's Word, as not to 
 afk thefe Mercies in Faith ; efpecially if they are taught, as I think 
 they fhould be, that God has firmly promifed thefe fpiritual Bleffings 
 to thofe that, in a right Manner, afk them of him. They may then 
 ajk them in Faith without zuavering, like a Wave of the Sea, that is 
 driven with the Windy and toffed, as in the Text objected : Or like 
 double-minded Men who are nnflahle in all their Ways^ Verfe 8. But on 
 the contrary, they may with fome Steadfaftnefs and Conftancy, watch 
 at Wifdo?n^s Gates , &c. Prov. 8. 34. and not grow weary in well- 
 doings nor draw back to Perdition , as fome do. See E-zek, 33. 13. 
 Heb. 10. 38. Matth. 24. 12, 13. 
 
 I might have here fhown the Difference betwixt this Kind of Faith, 
 and that peculiar to the Regenerate ; but for this I fhall refer my 
 Reader to Chap. III. of this fecond Part of my Effay : And I (hall 
 hereafter have Occafion to fay fomethiBg further to it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
chap..xiii; } Grace defended. 117 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 That the co?tditional Promifes of fpecial Mercy 
 inade to fuch as come to Jesus Christ, do 
 contain and hnply m them a Promife of 
 renge?ierating Grace. 
 
 *J^^^:^1trZ'^ H E PromifQS which I here intend are fuch as thefe 
 *^t-#^^#C^#^^ following, viz. Matth. 11. 28. Cotne unto me all 
 vtH^ •c^ ^* V C*^ ye that labour^ and are heavy laden^ and I will give you 
 y**f*f "^t*!'^ ^^- M" 6. 35. Amljefusfaid unio them, I am 
 %!^Xf^%% ^^'' B^'^^ ^f Life : He that co7neth to me fho.ll never 
 3fS^Sl 2; P^^Sf Hunger j and he that believcth on me JJ:all nevcrThirJi. 
 ^^^^^J»^V^^ So again in Verfe 37. All that the Father givelh me, 
 Jhall come to me ; and him that comeih to ?ne, I will in no zuife caft out. 
 Such a Promife is alfo fuppofed and implied in John 5. 40. Te will 
 7Jot come to me^that ye might haveLife. In thefePlacesJefusChrift freely 
 i'lvites all fmful Men, to whom the Gofpcl is preached, to come to 
 him for Life aiTd Happinefs, promifmg that if they do, they fhall ob- 
 tain what they come to him for. 
 
 Now, this being allowed, as I think it cannot be denied, I fhall 
 here briefly confider (i) What the Promifes are which Sinners fhould 
 go to Jefus Chrifl for. (2) How they fhould go to Chrift for thefe 
 Benefits. (3) The Security given them, that fo doing, they fhall 
 obtain them. 
 
 I. Let us confider what thofe Benefits are which Sinner? are in- 
 vited to go to Jefus Chrift for. Now to this I fay in general, that 
 there i^ no Reafon to doubt but that they arc invited to go to Chrifl 
 for all fpiritual Bleflings, or for all thofe everlafling Mercies which 
 he freely beftows on all thofe whom he eternally favcs ; all that Ful- 
 nefs which he has in himfclf, and which is by his People derived from 
 ■him, as in Col. i. 19. John i. 14, 16. That Pardon of Sin, or 
 Juftification and Adoption are among thofe BlefTmgs, which Sinners 
 are invited to go to Chrifl: for, is not, I think, at all queflion*d a- 
 
 mono; 
 
1 1 8 Grace defended, \ ct,AP.xiii! 
 
 mong us ; and fo alfo the Happinefs enjoy'd by true Saints in their 
 Communion with God here in this Life, and in that which is to come. 
 
 All the Qiieftion here is, whether unregenerate Sinners who enjoy 
 fuch Invitations by the Gofpel, as thofe above exprefled, are not there- 
 in invited to go to Jefus Chrift alfo for that Principle of fpiritual Life 
 which is given in Regeneration ? And this I am perfuaded they are ; 
 and can hardly think that any orthodox Divine will deny it. Is not 
 every unregenerate Sinner who enjoys the Gofpel, bound to pray as 
 David ^\A in Pfal. 51. ig. Create in me a clean Hearty O God, and 
 renew a right Spirit within me. Indeed, we have no Reafon to doubt 
 o{ David's being in a regenerate State, when he thus prayed : But it 
 being after his great Sin and Fall, as appears by the Title of the Pfalm, 
 and is further confirmed by the Contents of it, he may be juftly fup- 
 pofed to have been under a Cloud, with refpedl to his fpiritual State, 
 and to have wanted that Senfe of God's Love, which formerly he en- 
 joyed. Several of his ExpreiTions in the Pfalm lead us to think fo j it 
 is therefore no Wonder if he now called the Sincerity of his Heart, 
 and the Truth of his Converfion, in Queftion, and fo prayed for anew 
 Heart, as if he had never before had fuch an Heart given to him : But 
 he could not defire this but only on Suppofition that he had not already 
 what he was concerned that he might not fail of. And thus any 
 Saint that knows not that he is already in a regenerate State, may pray 
 that he may be born again. And thofe that are indeed deftitute of 
 true Grace fliould pray for it as Ephraim did, Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou 
 me,, and I Jhall he turned \ And that is to go to Chrift, and to God in 
 and by him, for it. We are told, in A5:s5. 31. That he is exalted to 
 he a Prijice and a Saviour ; to grant Repcntajjce and RemiJJion of Sins ; 
 no Doubt the Grace of true Repentance, as well as the A6ts and Ex- 
 ercifes of it : And this fliews us that Sinners Ihould go to him for this 
 Grace, as unto one that has the Words of eternal Life, John 6. 68. 
 The wicked Jews refuiing to do this, was no Doubt one great Part of 
 the Crime with which our Lord charged them, John 5. 40. Te will 
 not come unto me that ye mJght have Life. Or, fhall we fuppofe they 
 \tee only to go to Chrift for Pardon, and not for the Grace of Rege- 
 neration, which he alfo merited for his People, and which they can 
 have no other Way than thro' him, who is that Plead of Influence, by 
 which his whole Body is animated and nouriftied, ; and who Ijfving 
 Life in himfelf quickneth whom he will^ Col. i. 18,19. and John i. 16. 
 and Chap. 5. 26, 27. Thus, I think it is fufficiently evident, that 
 unregenerate Pcrfons ought to go to Jefus Chrift for fpiritual Life, or 
 for the Grace of Regeneration, 
 
 2. I 
 
chap.xiil } Grace defended. 119 
 
 2. I am to fhew how Sinners arc to go to him for this Grace. 
 And here I will venture to fay negatively^ They are not required to go 
 to him for it in theExercife of the fame Kind of Grace. Is it pofTible 
 for any rational Men to think, that God requiring unregenerate Sin- 
 ners to go to Jefus Chrift for a Principle of fpiritual Life, which they 
 are yet without, would require them to come to him for it, in the Ex- 
 ercife of that very fame Kind of Grace which he requires them to feck 
 after, and beg for ? This is too abfurd to be believed. 
 
 What then, are the Unregenerate in feeking to Jefus Chrifl for the 
 Grace of Regeneration, required to come to him in Faith, or without 
 any ? Surely they are not required to come to Chrift without Faith : 
 That would be a ftrange Way of coming, if any at all. How fhould 
 they come to their Saviour without having any Faith in him ? It is 
 impoffible. Heh. ii. 6. Rom. lo. 14. How fliould Perfons call on 
 Jefus Chrift, as in Mat. 8. 25. Lord^ fave us^ we perijh ; or as in 
 Verfe 2. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canfl make me clean, if they do not 
 believe him able to do thefe Things for them ? And the Reafon is tJie 
 fame if we go to him for a new Heart, or to give us fpiritual Life. 
 
 But how fhould Perfons go to Chrift in Faith^ for fuch a Mercy, 
 who are not yet born again ? 
 
 I anfwer. That the Myjiery is ibis, that Perfons may have Faith in 
 Chrift, tho' they are not yet born of the Spirit, as in John 3. 16, or 
 have not yet been made Partakers &fthe divine Nature, as in 2 Pet. i. 
 4. I have proved this in Chap. XII. to which I here refer my Rea- 
 der. And I am not yet convinced, that it is impoftible for a Sinner 
 not yet born of God, and that has no other Faith than a Perfon in that 
 Eftate may have, to go to Chrift for regenerating Grace, or for a 
 new Heart ; but I am thoro'ly convinced, that no Sinner is required 
 to go to Chrift for the Grace of Regeneration, in the Exercife of the 
 fame Kind of Grace. 
 
 3. We may now confider the Security given to all that come to 
 Chrift, in the Manner intended, that they fhall obtain the Benefits 
 conditionally promifed to them ; and fo with the reft, the Grace of 
 Regeneration : And the Promife for this is as full and exprefs in the 
 Places quoted, as can be defired. Such Jhall never Hunger nor thirjl^ 
 John 6. 35. Chrift will by no Means cajl thetn out, Veffe 37. They 
 ih2i\\ find Re/l to their Souls, Matth. 11. 28. Which Prornifes can 
 never be made good to fuch as go to Jefus Chrift for his cverlafting 
 Mercies offered to tliem in the Gofpel, unlefs the Grace of Regenera- 
 tion 
 
120 Grace defended. { Si^.xrfe 
 
 tion be beftowed on them, that being one of thofe for which they are 
 invited to go to him, as I have already fhewed. 'And, as if a Promife 
 without an Oath had not been fufficient, both have been ( for the 
 better Satisfaction of fuch as by Reafon of Infirmity need it) given to 
 them, Heh. 6. 17, 18. The Promife and Oath of God here men- 
 tioned, does not only afford Matter of Confolation to fuch as have 
 already y?t'<^y^r Refuge^ to lay hold en the Hope fet before them ; but alfo 
 great Encouragement to others to do fo, who have not yet done it. 
 Nor ought Sinners to ftay till they are born of the Spirit, before they 
 begin thus to do ; tho' they fhould continue coming to Chrill after 
 they are born of God, as appears in i Pet. 2. 2, 3, 4. Thofe 
 ■who intend never to go to God in Chrift for his faving Adercies, will 
 be in great Danger of going forever without them. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 ^hat there are conditt07tal Promifes made in 
 the Gofpely to fuch as persevere and over- 
 come, which contain in them Offers of the 
 Grace <?/ Regeneration. 
 
 ^5jVV^V^ I N the prefent Argument, join together the two 
 ^§r^^iM^ Sorts of Promifes mentioned, becaufe of their near 
 0?^^.^^!^ Relation one fb the other ; the End of Perfeverance 
 J'".!^ I ^#^^^ being our overcoming the Evils we have to meet 
 ^•jSpsfeo^e^ with, in the Way that leadeth to eternal Life. 
 S!^^5SW^ However, I fhall firfl: confider thofe Promifes of 
 gtfCAr£ic^'^Ts\Ar5 Salvation, which sra made to fuch as perfevere : 
 And here I fKallyTr/? fhew that there are feveral fuch Promifes : And 
 \k\^v\^ fccordly^ make it evident that thefe contain an Offer of regene- 
 rating Grace in them. 
 
 F/r/?, I will Infknce in feveral fuch Promifes : And fuch an one is 
 that, which we have, in Matth. 10. 22. and Chap. 24. 13. He 
 that endureth to the End/hall be faved. If the Circumftances of the 
 Places wherein this Promife is found, be duly confidered, none can 
 reafonably doubt that the Salvation intended in it is that which is eter- 
 
 nali 
 
chap.xiv! } Grace defended. 121 
 
 nal ; el fe where in Scripture called eternal Life : And that the Condi- 
 tion on which this Salvation is offered, is Perfeverance, is, I think, 
 undeniable. ' It is called, in the Words under Confideration, Endu- 
 ring to the End., the direct contrary to that Enduring and Believing 
 only for a while, which Apoftatcs are chargeable with, as appears in 
 Matth. 13.21. Mark .^, 17. and Luke S. 13. Such a Promife is 
 that alfj in Hof. 6. 4. Such a Promife is alfo in Hof. 6. 3. Then 
 Jhall we know, if lue follow on to hiow the Lord : His going forth is pre- 
 pared as the Morning ; arid he fiall come unto us as the Rain ; as the lat- 
 ter and fnner Rain unto the Earth. To follow on to knozu the Lord, is 
 to perfevere in our Endeavours to get that faving Acquaintance with 
 him, fpoken of Job 22. 21. And his coming unto fuch as the Rain, 
 doubtlefs importeth the plentiful Effufion of the Holy Spirit on them, 
 in his converting and faving Influences, as in PrcFv. i. 23. and Ifai, 
 44- 34» 35- Another fuch Promife w^e have in Gal. 6. 9. Let us 
 not be weary in Well-doing, for in due Time we fnall reap, if ive faint not, 
 WhichPromifCjI fuppofcjto be given to fuch as have begun to feek the 
 Lord, whether they are in a regenerate State or not. With thefe 
 Texts we may compare what we have in Heb. ic. 23. and Verfe 
 35,-39. which I may hereafter have Occafion to confider. Alfo 
 that in E%ek. 18. 24, 26. Some there are that fail and fall fhort 
 of eternal Life and Happinefs, by Means of their Apoftacy from God, 
 and theirDuty 3 but thefe are not fuch as have been rccrenerated by the 
 Holy Spirit, but fuch as have been in the Way to obtain this Mercv. 
 
 Secondly, I Ihall now proceed to (hew that fuch Promifes as thefe 
 contain in them an Offer of the Grace given in Regeneration. And 
 to -make this good, the firft Thing I (hall fay is, \\\it they are not 
 made to fuch as are already in a State of Grace and Salvation, /. e, 
 to fuch as are in a regenerate and juftified State, and fo Aiedidy pajfed 
 from Death to Life, as in Jchn 5, 24. and i John 3. 14. God does 
 not tell fuch as thefe, that if they do not/7// /;-r;72 Grace, and again 
 become fuch as the unrcgenerate are, they (hall be faved ; as if their 
 future Salvation were (till fufpendcd on this Condition, that they re- 
 main true Believers all the Days of their Lives. Such as thefe have 
 already performed the Conditions on which Salvalion is offered to 
 Sinners, and have begun to partake of that Salvation, which God be- 
 ftows on all who comply with the Terms of the new Covenant ; and 
 all that remains neceffary for the perfecting of it is by the Promife 
 and Oath of Godfecured to them. They may depend upon his per- 
 fcding all that concerns them, even their Perfeverance in Faith and 
 Hohncfs to the End is fully fecured to them, Jcr. 32. 4c. i Pet. r. 
 
 ^ 3j 4, 5- 
 
1 2Z Grace defended. \ chaJ.xiv.' 
 
 3, 4, 5. The Promife of Salvation which they have already a Right 
 unto, includes in it a Promife of their Perfeverance, in Faith and 
 Holinefs, even unto Death. Their Perfeverance therefore, rather 
 dependeth on their Salvation, than their Salvation on their Perfeve- 
 rance : How then can their eterhal Salvation be fufpended on this 
 Condition, if they pcrfevere. I wonder any Calvinijl fhould thus ex- 
 pound the mentionedPromifes fo Very inconfiftently witli thePrinciples 
 profefTed by them, and, as I fhall (hew, with the plain Senfe of the 
 Places wherein fuch Promifes are found. It is too late to tell Men 
 they fhall be faved on this or that Condition, after their Salvation is 
 fully fecured, with all Things neceJTarily implied in it. 
 
 The third Thing which I have to fay refpecSting the Promifes under 
 Confideration, is, that they fuppofe the Perfons to whom they are 
 made, to be already io far forth qualified Subjedts to partake of the 
 Good promifed, that Nothing is wanting in order to it, but their 
 Continuance or Perfeverance in the Way of Duty, in which they are 
 at prefent walking : For Perfeverance is all that is now demanded of 
 them, in order to their being Partakers of the Benefits conditionally 
 promifed to them. Unto fuch therefore /^^/ belongs, Heb. 10. 36, 
 Te have need of Patlencey that after ye have done the Will of God^ ye 
 might receive the Promife. Unto thofe alfo that is fpoken Gal. 6. 9. 
 Let us not be weary in Well-doings Sic. Not that fuch Perfons have 
 already a Right to the faving Mercies of the new Covenant ; but be- 
 caufe in due Time they fhall have an Intereft in them, if they go on 
 in the Way they are In, and do not grow weary and give out. Com- 
 pare with the Text laft mentioned, that in Luke 18. i, 7. The 
 Perfons therefore, unto whom fuch Promifes are made, are (tho' not 
 in a regenerate State) fuch as are ^riving to enter in at thejlrait Gate, 
 Luke 13.24. Or pr effing to enter into the Kingdom of God, (or to- 
 wards it) Luke 16. 16. being fuch convinced and awakened Sinners 
 as have begun to luork out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling, 
 Phil. 2. 12. and confequently are fuch as believe the Word of God, 
 both Law and Gofpel, tho' not w^ith that Kind of Faith as is infufed 
 into Men's Souls, in their Regeneration. And tho' they are not 
 favingly converted, in the Senfe in which that Expreffion is generally 
 ufed ; yet they have a Repentance like that intended in Matth. 11. 
 21. and are fuch as have efcapcd the Pollutions that are in the World, 
 thro' the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chriff, 2 Pet. 2. 20. 
 And are alfo in a fFay of Well-doing, luatching at WifdwC% Gates^ and 
 ivaiting at ike Pojls of kgr Doors ^ Pro v. 8, 34. 
 
 Thu? 
 
chaIxiv. ] Grace defended. 1 23 
 
 Thus the Perfons intended are fuppofcd to be ferious and diligent 
 Seekers of God, in the Name of Jefus Chrift, for his fpccial and fa- 
 ving Mercies, tho' not in a regenejate and jufliftcd Edate. And 
 Perfons qualified as now exprefled, are, I fay, qualified to he Parta- 
 kers of the faving Benefits offered in the new Covenant ; fo that 'tis 
 no Ways inconfiltcnt with the Truth, Juftice and Holinefs of God, 
 to beftow thefe faving and eternal Mercies on them : Yet he has not 
 bound himfdf by any Promife, that he will immediately fave a Sinner 
 fo qualified ; but is pleafed to require Sinners under fuch Preparations 
 to wait on him during his Plcafure, for the Beftowment of the fame 
 upon them : Only he has, (as I think) for their Encouragement, en- 
 gaged that they (hall in due Time reap thefe Fruits of his fpecial Fa- 
 vour if they faint not. 
 
 And now, that Perfons may be thus qualified to be Partakers of 
 God's everlafting Mercies, and yet not immediately have the fame 
 bellowed on them, but be obliged to wait God's Time, under fuch 
 Preparations, and this under Pain of falling finally fhort of the Mercies 
 which they feek, in Cafe they perfevere not, I (hall endeavour a little 
 further to clear up. 
 
 This would indeed be impoiTible, if that Kind of Faith, by Divines 
 called Fides infufa^ were the Condition of the new Covenant \ be- 
 caufe fuch Faith neceflarily fuppofeth all that have it to be in a State 
 of Salvation, as I have already (hewed. But that Kind of Faith and 
 Repentance, which I look upon as the Condition of the Covenant of 
 Grace, is evidently, in the Nature of it, fuch as Perfons may have 
 before they are in a State of Salvation ; and therefore it may be a 
 Truth, (and indeed it evidently is {k>>) that Perfeverance is required 
 of fuch as v/ould be Partakers of God's faving Mercies, in order to 
 their obtaining them ; and not only that for a Moment they are qua- 
 lified, as has been exprefTed. 
 
 This will be further manifeft-, if we confider, that we may well 
 diflinguifh betwixt a Condition on which a Benefit is offered, confi- 
 dered materially, or in Refpe£l of the A61 or A6ts wherein it confift- 
 eth ; and confidered with RefpecSl to the Prolongation or Continuance 
 of the Thing required: If we confider the Nature of the Things re- 
 quired, Perfons may, in that Refped, have all that is demanded of 
 them, and yet not have a Right to theBenefits conditionally promifed ; 
 becaufe they have not continued the (^jalifications demanded, fo long 
 as is required of them, in order to their having a Right. 
 
 R 2 Thus 
 
1 24 Grace defended. \ chaIxiv! 
 
 Thus in the firft Covenant made with Man, he might for a Time 
 continue in that Obedience which was required of him, and yet have 
 no Right to the Life conditionally promifed ; becauie he had not 
 flood in Innocency the whole Term of that State of Probation which 
 was by God defigned for his Trial. And I know no Reafon why it 
 may not be fo under the new Covenant alfo ; nay, it feems certainly 
 to be fo, inafmuch as God docs not only require fuch Qualifications 
 as are mentioned in the Covenant, but alfo Perfeverance in the Per- 
 formance of what is required ; that is, God requires that we keep 
 Covenant with him, in order to his faving us ; and this not by one 
 tranfient Kdi only, but by our conftant Obedience to his Command- 
 ments, 'till we obtain his offered Mercies, as mPfal. 25. 10. and 
 103. 17, 18. 
 
 That the Senfe which I have given of the Promifes under Confide- 
 ration, is very agreeable with the Scope of the Places wherein we 
 find them, will (I think) appear if we confider them in Conne6lion 
 with the Context, to which they refpecSlively belong. In that Matth. 
 10. 22. thofe Chriftians to whom the Promife intended has a Re- 
 ference, are fuppofcd to be liable to violent PerfecUtions, under which 
 they would be in great Danger of falling away, as ftony-ground 
 Hearers are many of them fuppofcd to do, in Matth. 13. 20, 21. 
 and in the other Evangelifts. They are therefore encouraged with a 
 Promife of Salvation, in Cafe they fhould perfevere, which they v/ould 
 not have been in Danger of not doing, if they had been pajfed from 
 Death to Life^ in the Senfe intended in John 5. 24. Thofe in Matth, 
 24. 13. are fpoken to as liable to grievous Temptations, by Reafon of 
 that abounding of Iniquity there foretold, which Ihould occafion the 
 Love of 77iany to ivax coldy as in Verfe 12. and fo are encouraged to 
 take Heed of Apoftacy, from the Confideration of that gracious Pro- 
 mife made to fuch as perfevere ; viz. that if they fhould endure to 
 the End., they fhould be faved ; they believing only y^r a while ^ as 
 in Luke 8. 13. I may here add, that when fome, in the mentioned 
 Place, Matth. 1 3, have Salvation promifed to them, in Cafe they 
 fhould not fall away, as others would do ; the Antithcfis cxprefTed in 
 the Words plainly fhew, that the fame Kind of Faith or Religion is 
 intended in both Cafes : So that of the fame Sprt of Believers fome 
 might fall away, and perifb, and others perfevere, and be faved : 
 And if thofe who are fuppofcd to fall away, fliould not do fo, but 
 fliould continue to believe, they fhould be faved alfo. 
 
 The like may be faid with Refpecl to that Text, Heb. 10. 36, 38, 
 
 39. Te have Need of Patience 3 that after ye have done the JVill of Gcd, 
 
 ye 
 
Chap. XIV. } Grucc defended. 125 
 
 j/^ may receive the Promife. Now the JuJ} Jhall live by Faith : But if 
 any Man (or, as it is in the Original, 1 am toKl, if he) draw hack., my 
 Soul Jhall' have no Pleafure i?i hi??i. But wc are not of than that draw 
 hack unto Perdition., but of them that believe to the faving of the Soul, I 
 believe it can never be proved that the Faith intended in Verfe 38. 
 is that which is peculiar to the Regenerate ; but the contrary feems 
 evident. I grant that, according to the Text, the Paith intended 
 is of the fame Kind with that by which the Jult do li\T, that is, it is 
 of the fame Kind of Faith with that which is required as the Conditi- 
 on of the Covenant of Grace : And what Kind of Faith that is, I have 
 fufficiently fhewed, and proved it cannot be that given in Regenera- 
 tion. Moreover, when it is faid, Th\\L the JuJi^Jhall live by Faith, 
 and it thereupon follqweth. If any Man draw back., &c. it feemcth 
 evident, .that the fame Kind of Faith is by fome fallen from, which 
 others 'perfevere in the Exercife of, to the faving of their So^jls. 
 Therefore, when it is faid. The Jiijl Jhall live by Faith., the Meaning 
 is. That he (hall do fo, in Cafe he perfevere in Believing, and con- 
 tinueth a juft and righteous Man, in the Senfe in which he is at pre- 
 fent fuch an one ; which many not doing, God's Soul has no fuch 
 Pleafure in them, as he has in thofe who fo do. And tho' fuch as are 
 the Subjeds of the Faith intended, are called Jujl., this may not intend 
 that they are fo in the ftri(Steft Senfe of that Word, any more than 
 that the Term Righteous, muft be fo taken, in (what I think to be) a 
 parallel Place, in Ezek. 18. 24, 2.6. But if the Righteous turncih 
 away from his Righteoufnefs, and commit Iniquity, and doth according to 
 the Abominations that the wicked Man doth, Jim II he live P Jll his Righ- 
 teoufnej^s that he hath done, Jhall not he mentioned ; in his Trefpafs that he 
 hath trefpajpd, and in his Sin that he hath fmned, in them fjall he die. 
 When a righteous Mantumeth away from his Righteoufnefs, and co?nmit- 
 teth Iniquity, and dieth in them, for his Iniquity that he hath done Jhall he 
 die. In which Words it is to me fo evident, that by a righteous Man, 
 a regenerate Saint cannot be intended, that I think I need not fpend 
 Time in making the fame manifeft, nor am I alone in this Tho't ; fuch 
 aonebeingfpoken of as falling fhort of Life and Happinefs, by turn- 
 ing away from that Righteoufnefs winch he once had, when otherwife 
 he might and fliould have lived. Compare thjs Place with E'z.ek. 3. 
 20. and 33. 18. The Righteous intended in thefe Places are, 1 
 fuppofe, fuch as are mentioned in 2 Pet, 2. 20, 21. and there faid to 
 have efcaped the Pollutions of the JVorld, thro'' the Knowledge of the Lord 
 and Saviour Jefus Chrijl, and to have known the IVay of Right eoufnej), 
 but to turn again from the holy Commandmeyit , That fucli righteous 
 Perfons as thefe Ihall be faved, if they perfevere in fuch P^aith and O- 
 
 bedience 
 
1 26 Grace defended. \ chap.xiv. 
 
 bedience as they have attained to, is what I here endeavour to main- 
 tain : Not that any can be faved vi^ithout Regeneration ; for Man's 
 Regeneration is his Salvation, Tit. 3. 5. But my Meaning is, that 
 foch as fo believe and obey, fhall obtain both Juftification and Regene- 
 tion, if they perfevere in fo doing : Otherwife, fuch as perfcvcre 
 fliould not be faved, according to the mentioned Promifes. 
 
 I fhall now proceed to confider the fecond Sort of Promifes inten- 
 ded to be infiited on in this Argument, v'i%. Thofe wherein fpecial 
 Mercies are engaged to fuch as overco7ne ; and in vvhich I fuppofe the 
 Grace of Regeneration to be conditionally promifed. I fhall at pre- 
 fent only infift on two Places, in which, I fuppofe, we have fuch Pro- 
 mifes. The firft of thefe is in Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcomethy 
 will I give to eat of the hidden Manna., and will give hi??i a white Stone ^ 
 and in this Stone a new Name written^ zvhich no Man knoiueth^ faving he 
 that rcceiveth it. The fecond Place I intend, is in Rev. 3. 12. Him 
 ihat over Cometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God ; and he 
 jhallgono 7nore out. And I ivill write upon him the Name of my God^ 
 and the Name of the City of mv God^ which is the new ferufale^n, which 
 Cometh down out of Heaven from my God \ and I will write upon hi?n rny 
 new Name. With Refpedl to thcfe Places we may confider, (i) The 
 Subjects unto whom thefe Promifes are made. (2) The Promifes 
 made unto thefe Subjects, and that by Jefus Chrift himfelf, whofe 
 Words thefe are. 
 
 I. Then, the Subjects unto whom thefe Promifes are made are fuch 
 as overcome. For to him that overcometh., &c. which Words being 
 fpoken indi finitely., muft be underftood of all that overcome, whoever 
 they be. But the Obje6ls over whom the Vi61:ory intended is fup- 
 pofed to be obtained, is not here exprefled, but muft be underftood 
 from what is faid in Scripture, with RefpeiSl: to that Warfare, wherein 
 Chriftians are engaged againft the Fkjh^ the IVorld, and the Devil ^ as 
 
 in I Tim. 6, 12. £ph. 6. 10, 17. Jam. 4. 7. i Pet. 2. 11. and 
 
 many other Places. From whence we may gather, that the Vidlory 
 intended, is over all the Enemies of our Souls. Thefe are the Things 
 which we muft overcome, if we would have the Benefits promifed in 
 tlie Words before «s. 
 
 But we muft confider when or how thefe Things may be faid to be 
 overcome. Now, here it is very necefTary that we obferve, that there 
 are two Periods, in which, or remarkable Degrees of Victory, witli 
 Refpedl whereunto, Profeflbrs of Religion may be faid to overcome 
 
 their 
 
cha^.xiv. } Grace defended. 127 
 
 their fpiritual Enemies, or to gain the VicStory over them. One of 
 thefe is when they are firft favingly united unT:o Jefus Chrift, and fo 
 intitled thro' his Merits, to the everlafting Mercies offered in the Gof- 
 pel. The other is when they are adually pofTcfied of all the Good 
 which Jefus Chrirt has purchafed for them ; and which God hath from 
 Eternity purpofed to bcftow ; and arc alfo perfedtly freed from all the 
 Evils which their Sin and Fall had brought on them. Now of thefe 
 two remarkable Seafons and Degrees of the Chriftian's Vi6lory, it will 
 be to my prefent Purpofe to (liy fomething, efpecially of the firfl of 
 them J becaufe they ought here to be carefully diftinguifhed. 
 
 F'lrji then, Profeflbrs of Reli:iion may befaid to overcome Sin, the 
 World, and the Devil, even all the Enemies of Souls, when by Faith 
 they obtain an Interell in Jefus Chrift, and fo are united to him, and 
 thro' Grace entitled to all the fure and everlafting Mercies of the new 
 Covenant, off"ered to fmful Men in the Gofpel. Whenever any of 
 the fmful Children of Men are thus interefted in Jefus Chrift, their 
 Sins are all pardoned, and their Perfons juftified, by the Righteoufnefs 
 of Chrift imputed to them. They are reconciled unto God, adopted 
 into the Number of his Children, being regenerated by his Spirit, and 
 fo made new Creatures ; And their future Happinefs is as fully fecured 
 to them, whether they know it or not, as if they were actually in the 
 Pofleftion of the Glory of the World to come : So that now their 
 State is that expreffed, John 5. 24. Verily^ verily^ I fay unto yoii^ he 
 that heareth my JVord^ and believeth on him that fent me^ hath everlajfing 
 Life\ and foall not co?7ie into Condemnation^ but is pajfed frcm Death to 
 Life. And Rom. 8. i, 2. There is therefore 7ww no Condemnation to 
 them that are in Chriff Jefus ^ who walk not after the FleJJo^ but after the 
 Spirit, For the Law of the Spirit in Chrift Jefus ^ hath made me free 
 from the Lavj of Sin and Death. With thefe Places do many others a- 
 gree, fome of which I ftiall only here refer to, as Rom. 8. 32,-39. 
 Rom. 6. 14. ijchn 3. 9. John 3. 29. i John 5. 28. Pfal. 
 32. 12. Rom. 4, 7, 8. John 10. 27, 29. i Pet. i. 3,-5. 
 
 When eternal Happinefs is thus fecured to any of the Children of 
 Men, they maybe well faid to have overcome ; (tho' they arc not 
 paft having any new Aflault made on them by their fpiritual Enemies, 
 and fuftering greatly by them) (o that it may be faid to everv true 
 Saint, as in i John 2. 13. le have overcome the wicked one. There- 
 fore holy Paul, being juftified by Faith in Chrift, could fay, as in 
 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I have fought the good Fight., IhavefinifhedmyCourfey 
 I have kept the faith. Henceforth th^n is laid up for me a Crown of 
 
 RightKufnff^ 
 
128 Grace defended. { chIp.xiv: 
 
 Righteoufncfs, zvhich the Lord the righteous Judge Jljall give me at that 
 Day; and not to me only ^ but unto all them alfo that love his Appearing, 
 Note here, that thefe Words of the Apoftle, / have kept the Faith, 
 cannot mean that he had perfevered to the End of his Life ; but that 
 he had done fo, till he had fecured his future and eternal Happinefs, as 
 in the fore-mentioned John 5. 24. And fuch a Vi6lory has every 
 godly Man obtained over the Enemies of his Soul, tho' many fuch are 
 not, as Paul, aflured of this. 
 
 But there is yet. Secondly, a further Victory to be fought and ob- 
 tained by Chriltians, over their fpiritual Enemies, and all Things that 
 hinder their compleat Happinefs, even over all the Evils that trouble 
 and moleft them : For vs^hich Victory they muft vi^ait patiently, 'till 
 their fpiritual Warfare be fully accomplifhed, which it vi^ill not be 
 while they live in this World : Nay, their laft Enemy will not be de- 
 ftroyed, 'till their Refurredion from the Dead, i Cor. 15. 26. Now 
 the Chriftian's Progrefs towards this compleat Vi<Sl:ory is but gradual 
 after the firft Victory mentioned is obtained, and will be perfedl when 
 the good Day arrives, wherein they fhall behold God's Face in Righ- 
 teoufnefs, and all their Tears fhall be wiped away. 
 
 If it be now inquired which of thefe Victories thus defcribed, is 
 that intended and refered to in the Places under Confideration, as 
 that which qualifies the Subjedls that obtain it, for the Benefits pro- 
 mifed to fuch as overcome ; unto this I anfwcr. That the firft of thefe 
 two Victories defcribed muft needs be that intended in the Places 
 tere difcourfcd on ; becaufe the Promifes in them made to fuch as 
 are Victorious, are of Things belonging, according to the Tenor of 
 the new Covenant, to fuch as overcome, in the firft Senfe explained. 
 
 This will be evident if we confider what the Benefits are, here 
 promifed to vicloriousChriftians. And in the firft of thefe Places men- 
 tioned, {viz. Rev. 2. 1 J.) theThings by ourSaviour promifed to be given 
 to fuch, are thefe, viz. (i) He will ^ive fuch an one to eat of the 
 hidden Manna, (2) He will give him a white Stone. (3) In that 
 Stone, a new Name ivritten, which no Man knoweth, faving him that 
 receiveth it. 
 
 In the other Place infifted on. Rev. 3. 12. the Things promifed to 
 the Vi6lorious are thefe following, viz. Firft, / will, ^^itb our Sa- 
 viour, make bi?n a Pillar in the Temple of my God ; and he Jhall go no 
 more out. Secondly, / z^///,faith hc,zvrite upon him theName ofmyGcd, 
 oud the Name of the City of my God, which is the new Jerufale?n, which 
 Cometh down o^t of Heaven from my God ; And 1 will write upon him my 
 new Name, <^ 1 Now 
 
chIp.xiv. } Grace defended, 1 29 
 
 Now can it be imngined by any one who duly confiders what Is 
 intended in thefe Promifes, that the Subjects unto whom they are 
 made, are fuch as have obtained a full Victory over all their fpiritual 
 Enemies, To as no more to be dillurbed by them ? Nay, is it not 
 evident, that the Benefits in thefe Promifes engaged, are adually 
 given and granted to all fach as are victorious in the firfi Senfe ex- 
 plained ? Tho' it be true, that they are ft ill in a nf)ilitant State, 
 fighting under the Banner of Jefus Chrift, the Captain of their Salva.- 
 tion, yet their fin?.l Victory is fully fecured. Is it not evident that 
 Jefus Chrift is the hidden Manna intended in the mentioned Rev. 2. 
 17 ? And is it not equally clear, that all true Believers do nov/ feed on 
 
 that Bread of Life ? as our Saviour fheweth in 'John 6. 48, 58. 
 
 Is it not evident that the white Stone promifed, is given to every rege^ 
 nerate and juftified Soul ? Is not every true Saint favoured with this 
 precious Gift ? Is not the white Stonehere intended, the fame Thing 
 that is elfewhere called a new and clean Heart,, the Seed of God, the di- 
 vine Nature,, the hmage ofGcd,, &c. ? And is not this an infallible 
 Sign and Token of the Juftification of the Perfon it is given to ? Even 
 as the Vv'hite Stones which were of old given in Courts of Juilice, to 
 fuch as were cleared or judged innocent, were given as a Sign of their 
 Juftification. " They, faith Parein on this Place, come neareft the 
 *' literal Meanings who think that Chrift in this refpedteth the Manner 
 '* of Judgment, where there were two Sorts of Stones caft into a 
 *« Bafon ; by the TV hit e the Innocent v/ere abfolved j by the Black 
 " the Guilty were condemned. " So that, according to Parcus^ 
 the giving of a white Stone figniiied that the Perfon was juftified to 
 whom it was given, tho' he has not yet obtained a perfect Victory 
 over Sin and Satan. • It is alfp trwe that a ?f£'w iV^Aw written in the 
 white Stone here mentioned, is given in and with it, and by every 
 true Believer received. This is that Name which God has promifed 
 to fuch as keep his Sabbaths,, and choofe the "Things that pleafe hitn,, and 
 take hold of his Covenant,, Ifai. 56. 4, 5. Even imto thc?n, Hiith he, 
 zvlll I give in mine Hmfe,, and ivithin?ny f Vails,, a Place and a Name bet- 
 ter than . that of Sms and Daughters. I will give the?n an everlafiing 
 Name that Jhall not be. cut off. The fame Name is intended in i John 
 3. I. Behold,, what Manner of Love the Father hath bejl owed upon us^ 
 that we fljGuldhe called the Sons of God. Nor is this a Name only, 
 but both the Name and what is fignjiied by it, as by the next Words 
 appeareth. Belovsd, now are we the Sons of God,, Sic. wit-h which 
 compare 2 Cor. 6. 17, -18. I will be^ a Father untQ ym',, and ye Jhall 
 he ?ny Sons and Daughters,, faith the Lord (ilmighty. This is a Privi- 
 lege belonging to every true Saint. 
 
 S The 
 
I30 Gnhc (fcfankJ. M^^I.xS: 
 
 The fame may be f.ud with Rcipcii:^ to the Privileges or Benefits 
 promlil:d ill the other Place mentioned. Rev. 3. 12. Every fuch an 
 gnc is ;.T».ar a Pillar in the TimpU cfGcJy that jl^all go no more cut^ &c. 
 
 But tor the further clearing up of thi.s Point, it muft be here obfer- 
 vcd. That we mult: carctully dillinguiih betwixt the Vi^^lorv Men 
 may be laid to obtain over Sin and Satan, in they ^Vav of their own 
 Puty, while they are called to tlrive agaiiUl them, in a Courfe of 
 \Vdl-doing, and that which tlicy obtain by what God himfelf does 
 for them, when they have fo tar overcome, thro* his Grace aflli^ing 
 them, as to have done what is requirevi on their Part^ in order to God's 
 doing for them what is neceilarv on his^ for the perfe«5ting of that 
 Vi<Sory, which is dciired and endeavoured alter. 
 
 Now, Alan may Ixr faid, oii his Part, to overcome and be vi*5tori- 
 ous, when he has thro' Grace (o far [>revailed, as to have come up to 
 the Ferms of the Covenant, wherein everlaiHng Mercies are pfFered 
 and conditionally promilcd to him : And vet his Vit^lory cannot be 
 faid to becompleated, ( taking in God*s Part of the Work ) till God 
 has alfo performed the Promife made to Man, on Condition of his 
 doing what on his Part is required. Thus diltinguiihing, we may 
 truly affirm, that Man mull fiiil overcome lb far as is required of him, 
 before he mav expccl that God will perfect his Victory, by doing 
 what he hath conditionally promifed. 
 
 And thus it may be atHrmed, tliata Sinner muft himfelf firft over- 
 coiiie, before God \\'\\\ giv^ him to cat of the hidden Alaima ', give hitn 
 a white Stcne^ a-iib a new 2^ame lorttten in it j mah hijn a Pillar in 
 ih£ Temple of God y that fimll go no more out ; write on him the Name cf 
 Gotl, Sec. All which denote God's granting his faving and fpe- 
 clal Mercies to him, as I have ilievved above ; but all fuch Mercies 
 are given in the Way of a Covenant, the Condition of which miUt 
 be complied widi, before a Sinner can, in that W^ay, obtain 
 them : Nor does our coming up to the Terras of the Covenant 
 fuppofe or imply our having any fuch Mercv before we fo do, I 
 intend fuch Mercies as Regeneration and Juftiiication are. And yet 
 I ihall not doubt to affirm that no Sinner ever complied with the 
 TvTms of tl'.e new Covenant, without having the diilinguilliing Grace 
 of God magnified towards him i and this I hope I fhail make mani- 
 tci\ before I have done. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. XV. { Gvacc defended. 131 
 
 C II A p. X \ . 
 
 TAat Sinners do therefore perijh^ becaufe they 
 receive not the hove of the Truth^ that 
 they ?nay be faved^ an Argument that they 
 have an Offer of true Holinefs 7nade to 
 them. 
 
 {^.•tvtv-ti;--:^':^.:^. Ground the Argument propofed in the Title 
 ■^-''^^S*^'^^ '^ '^'^ ^^''^ Chapter, on the Text aiiuiied to in it, isiz, 
 '^'^^^^? ^ ^^^-^' ^' ^^* ^*'^^^ ^^ Apv»ftie fpeaking of them 
 '?'^^ ^S:^ ih^i p^rijhy under the antichriil:ian Apoitacy, de- 
 lares that the)- therefore perifli, becaufe they re^ 
 
 'jf^f'ii <^^'^'^ '^^^ ^'^^ ^^-'^ ^/'//y^ Triithy that they might he fa- 
 ^'iV'-v^'-V'.V^-* 'V ^.^^. Now I fhail endeavour to f^lew how thefe 
 Words fen'e to my Purpofe, by confidcring ( i ) What we may un- 
 derf^and by their perijhingy who f.iil of th^ italvation mentioned in 
 the Text. And (2) The Reafon given of their perifhing as they do. 
 (3) The Inference that I draw from hence, v/z. That thi,- fbews, 
 that they have an Offer of a Principle of true Grace or Holiness 
 made to them. 
 
 I. Then, I v.'ill confiJer v.'hat !:> meant by i\i\:\r perifhhigy v/ho 
 recie^ not the Love of the Truth ^ that they might be faved. Now this 
 may be the better underftood, if we conrKier what that Salvation vs^ 
 which is oppofed thereunto : For there ii no Doubt but that the 
 Perdition of thofe that perifli, and the Solvation of thofe tiiat perifii 
 not, but have everlailing Life, are fa naturally oppofed one tx) the 
 other, as to inffruct ijs in tiie Nature of each of them, if we compare 
 them together. 
 
 Now hy Saivaiicn we are not here to underftand thatHappinefs only, 
 which thofe that fhall attain to it, fhail enjoy in the Vv'orkl tD come ; 
 but it does comprife in it alfo the preparing {u.ch.P^ejjeh 9 f Mercy for 
 the Enjoyment cf that G/i/-^ v/hich is intended for them: An4 thus 
 thi: Sdvation does include in it, Men'i being y2<ivi///;/« tba'r Siujy as 
 
 S 2 ia 
 
132 Grace defended. \ chIp.xv 
 
 mMatth. i. 21. u e. not only the Pardon of them, but alfo their 
 Regeneration and SancSlification. E'z.ek. 36. 25, 26. But I need 
 not here enlarge on this Particular, having at large confidered what is 
 meant by the Salvation of Sinners, in Part I. Chap. II. to which 
 HJace I refer my Reader. 
 
 But now, if we underftand this offuch perifliing of Sinners as is 
 fitly oppofed to the Salvation of thofe that believe, we fhall find it to 
 comprehend much more in it, than the Pain and Torment endured 
 by the Wicked in amther IVorld^ vi%. Their being fuftered to remain 
 under the Guilt and Power of Sin, in This 3 and fo to pine away in 
 their Iniquities^ and die in their Sins^ without Repentance, and without 
 a Pardon, in a State of Condemnation, and having the Wrath of God 
 abiding on them ; the Cafe of all fuch as fall fliort of the Salvation of 
 God ; as is in the holy Scriptures abundantly declared. I fhall only 
 refer to fome of the Places declaring fo much. Thofe v»^ho pleafe, 
 may read and compare fuch as thefe, j&zti. 33, 10. Ifai, 22. 14. 
 yohn 8. 21, 24. and Chap. 3. 36. The Unregenerate and Un- 
 juftified are dead in Sin : And to remain in that State is to perifh, as 
 well as to be punifhed for Sin in the Life to come. 
 
 2. I proceed to confider the Reafon why fuch periPoy as do {o. 
 Now this is fully and plainly exprefled in the Place under Confidera- 
 tion : And they therefore perifli hecaufe they receive not the Lffve cf V?e 
 *T)'uthy that they may be faved. Now, to clear up this, we may con- 
 fider, (i) What is here intended by the T'n^/Z'*. (2) What is meant 
 by the Love of it. (3) What we may underfland by Perfons receiving 
 this Love. (4) That Sinners might te faved If they would do this. 
 (5) That they perifh Z'^t<»7^y^ they refufc thus to do. 
 
 , ' I . Let us frji confider what is here meant by the Truth. Now, 
 tho' the Word Truth, has many Acceptations in Scripture 3 yet there* 
 is no Doubt but that by the Word Truth v/e may here underftand ail 
 the divine Truth which God has revealed and made known unto Man, 
 in order to his Duty and Happinefs, both by his Works and by his 
 Word ; efpecially in the Gofpel of his Son Jefus Chrifi: : This great 
 Truth comprchcndeth in it, all thofe excellent and glorious Truths, 
 which are ncceflary for Mankind to underftand and . believe, in order 
 to their Well-being ; efpecially thofe that r?late to the Way of Man's 
 Redemption by Jefus Chrift, and Regeneration by the holy Spirit. 
 This Colledion of facred Truths, is emphatically called the Truths in 
 
 2 Thef. 2. 13. God hath from the Begi7ming chofen you to Salva- 
 
 iion^ 
 
chIp. XV. \ Grace defended. 133 
 
 tion^ thro' SanSfificatlon of the Spirit, and BeHefofthe Truth. Thus 
 the fame is a Ifo called, in Gal. 3. i. 2 Tim. 2. 25. i Pci. i. 2. 
 and 2 Thef. 2. i. with many other Places which I need not tran- 
 fcribe. 
 
 2. The next Thing we have to confider, is, what we may under- 
 ftand by the Love of the Truth. Now, to this I fay, That this Love 
 is fuch an Approbation and Acquiefcence of the Heart in it, as is 
 fuitable to die Nature and Excellency of the Things fuppofed to be 
 loved. This fuppofeth an Aflent of the Underftanding to it, as being 
 what it is ; and in that Refpc6t good, whith no Falihood' is; Bat a 
 Soul that loves the Truth here intended, does not flay here, but ap- 
 proves of it, and takes Satisfaction in it, as it is divine, proceeding 
 from God, and being worthy of him : And in RefpeCl: of the Things 
 rcvoaled by it, exceeding excellent ; and necelTary to be known by 
 the Children of Mea : And on thefe Accounts he takes Pleafure in it. 
 
 A Soul thus loving the Truth, favourcth the Things of God, as 
 truly excellent and glorious. He can fay from the Bottom of his 
 Heart, as in 2 Kings 20. 19. Goed is the Word of the Lord -, and as 
 in Rom. 7. 22. I delight i?i the Law of the Lord after the inward Man \ 
 and as in Pfal. 119. 140. Thy Law is very pure \ therefore thy Ser- 
 vant loveth it. The Precepts, Promifes, and Threatnings of God's 
 Wordare all efteemed by him, as in Pfal. 119. 128. I ejleem all thy 
 Precepts concerning all Things to he right ; and I hate every falfe TVay. 
 A Lover of the Truth is a good and holy Man. He that has the Love 
 of the Truth in his Heart, has the Love and Fear of God alfo in it. 
 In a Word, fudi an One has a Principle of true Holinefs in- his Souf. 
 He has the Seed of Gcd in him, as in i John 3. 9. He has been 
 made Partaker of the divine Nature , as in 2 Pet. 2. 4. 
 
 3. The third Thing to be confidered, is, what it is to receive the 
 Love defcribed ; and fo what it is not to receive- it. Now, to this I 
 fay, That this muft needs be dene by fome A61 or Acts of the Per- 
 fon faid to do it ; which are required, in order to his having of it, 
 and which it isMan'sDuty to perform. It cannot intend only his being 
 made Partaker of it, without doing any Thing in order to it. This 
 /does from hence appear to be a Truth, That Men's not receiving the 
 Love of the Truth, is in the Text fpokcn of as the Sin and Crime for 
 which fuch Offenders eternally perifh. Now, if fomething were not 
 required of Sinners, in order to their being made Partakers of it, it 
 could not be charged on them as their Crime, tho' it might be their 
 great Misfortune (if I may be allowed to ufc that V/urd) that they par- 
 take 
 
134 Grace defended^y \ 
 
 Chap. XV 
 
 take not of it. God's notbeftowing the Love of the Truth on any 
 Sinner, would not be the Sinner's Fault, if nothing were required of 
 him in order thereto. When not receiving the Love of the Truth, is 
 fpoken of as the Sin and Crime ofthofe who have it not, this plainly 
 implies, that fuch as have this Love, have it in the Way of a Gift from 
 another, even fromGod himfelf,unto which their A61 of receiving or ac- 
 cepting it is neceflary. It is not faid that Sinners pcrifh for not lov- 
 ing the Truth 3 but for not receiving^ that Love : By which we are 
 taught, that it is the Gift of God ; inafmuch as it is to be received 
 from him ; and that Sinners have a conditional Offer of it made to 
 them 5 as will by and by more fully appear. 
 
 4. The fourth Thing in Order, is, to fliew that Sinners imght ht 
 faved^ if they would receive the Love fpoken of. By the Text we are 
 afTured, that thofe who perilh, do fo, becaufe they receive not this 
 Love, that they might be faved. In which Words it is plainly inti- 
 mated, that they might and (hould be faved, did not their Re fufal of 
 the Love of the Truth, hinder it : And it accordingly followeth in 
 Verfe u, 12. That for thisCaufe God fends (orcLQjirong Delufion^that 
 ihey Jhould believe a Lie : That they all might be damned^ zuho believed not 
 the Truth y but had Pleafure in Unrighieoufnefs. In thefe Words, what 
 is C2\\qA perijhingy and oppofdd to Men's being faved, is fignified their 
 being given up to fuch Unbelief and Hardnefs of Heart, as will end iii 
 their eternal Torment. 
 
 5. And fifthly^ it followeth, (as is above fuppofed) that the Reafon 
 why Men perifli, under the Gofpel, is becaufe they receive not the 
 Love of the Truth. If they would accept of that precious Gift, they 
 fhould not pcrijhy but have everlafting Life. Nothing can be more 
 evident than this, in the Place under Confideration. The main Scope 
 and Defign of the Place is to affert this Truth : Which Truth having 
 now cleared up, I fhall 
 
 3. Proceed, to clear up the Confequence which I draw from the 
 Premifes : Namely, That it from hence followeth, that a Principle 
 of true Grace or Holinefs is offered to Sinners in the Gofpel. 
 
 It is evident that fuch a Principle of Holinefs is plainly Implied in 
 the Love of the Truth ^ of v/hich I have been fpeaking : And it is alfo 
 manifcft, that Men's not receiving (/. e. refufmg, or not accepting) 
 of this divine Principle, plainly fuppofeth their having, in the Gofpel, 
 an Offer of it made to them. ; for how is it poiTible, that Perfons 
 flioulJ be guilty of a heinous Sin^ in not receiving from the Hand of 
 
 Another, 
 
ct.7p.xv!:} Grace defended. 135 
 
 Another, a Benefit which they never had any Offer of ? And how 
 fhould theif Refufal of fuch a Mercy be the Caufe of their eternal 
 Ruin ? If he who alone had the Difpofal of it, never declared his 
 Willingnefs to confer the iamc upon them, on any Terms whatfo- 
 ever ; or never propofed any Condition on which the fame might 
 be obtained ; or never faid to Pcrfons deftitutc of it, as in Rev. 3. 18. 
 / ceunfel thee to buy of me Gold tried in the Flre^ that thou mayjl be rich ; 
 and white Raiment^ that thou mayfl be cloathedy and that the Shame of 
 thy Nakednefs do not appear ; and anoii^t thine Eyes with Eye-Salve., that 
 thou mayfi fee. Which Gold., &c. here fpoken of, certainly compri- 
 feth a Principle of true Holinefs in it ; and albeit it cannot be pro- 
 perly purchafed by any Sinner, yet it may, on fome Terms or other, 
 be attained : And lefs than this, I think, cannot be implied in the 
 Words. 
 
 Now, if I am afked what the Terms are, on which this IneftimabJc 
 Benefit may be acquired, I need here only fay, that they are the 
 fame which I have, in this Eflay, more than once declared to be the 
 Condition of the new Covenant, or Covenant of Grace ; more ef|>e- 
 cially this is done in this fecond Part, Chap. III. whereunto, for the 
 avoiding of Prolixity, I (hall here only refer my Reader. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 The DoBrine pleaded for ^ in this Part of my 
 EJfay^ very conftfie?7t with that of Men s 
 utter Inability y while in a State of Na- 
 ture^ to perforin a7iy truly holy AEiion 
 whatfoever. 
 
 W^'^W^^Soi Y Defign in the' following Chapters of this fecond 
 ^0%&%oSgM ^'^'^ ^^ "^>' ^"^>'' ^''' ^^ anfwer fevcral Objeaions 
 ^^'•'••a^. :@:g^ which are p.pt to be made againft the Truth, which 
 ^MW^^^t^i I have thus far by Scripture and Reafon endeavoured 
 '^^^}-¥^^%^^l to confirm ; and I fliall not willingly omit fuch as 
 S^a|:|fe»g I think have moil Appearance of Weight in them. 
 ^r^^^Jhr^-^l^ In this prefent Chapter I fhall confider that which, 
 'with fome Appearance of Reafon, rtiay be objected from the Accounts 
 
 we 
 
136 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Chap.XVI. 
 
 we have in Scripture, of the Corruption of Man's Nature fince the 
 Fall ; and his Impotence thence ariling, with Refpe6t to Things fpi- 
 ritual, and truly holy, from whence his Inability, by Nature, to com- 
 ply with the Terms of the new Covenant, is, with a very confidera- 
 ble Shew of Reafon andPiety, by manyjendeavoured to bemanifefted ; 
 whether with any good Succcfs, and real Strength, with Refpe£t to 
 my Hypothefis, I fhall now endeavour to weigh in the Ballance of 
 the Sanctuary. 
 
 But let us a little confider what may be truly faid, with kefpe£b 
 to Man's Impotence while he is in a State of Nature : And here, I 
 readily acknowledge, that while he is in that State, he has no Power 
 to perform any AiSlion whatfoever, in a gracious and holy Manner. 
 I confbntly affirm, that unto the Performance of an A6lion as is ex- 
 preffed, it is abfoiutely neceflary that the Perfon performing it, be 
 firft endowed with a Principle of true Grace and Holinefs, from which 
 fuch an Action may fpring or flow. The Tree muft be good, be- 
 fore the Fruit can be fo, Luke 6. 43, 44, 45. 
 
 Men in a natural or unregenerate State, may, indeed, perform 
 Adions that are materially good, or in Refpe6l of the general Nature 
 and Kind of them, and fo fuch A6lions as God has commanded them 
 to perform ; but they cannot perform them in fuch a Manner, as 
 will denominate them, in a ftri6l Senfe, good and holy. 
 
 And it muft alfo be acknowledged, that Mankind arc, by Reafon of 
 the Corruption of theirNature, fo bent and inclined to do that which is 
 evil, and fo dijlndimd :ii\A backward to do well, that it is not eafy 
 for them to do thofe Things that are materially good, and to forbear 
 the contrary to them ; tho' this be not wholly above theix Power ; 
 for they frequently, while in a State of Nature, do the Goed and ab- 
 itain from the Bad. I think that in thefe Things I agree with the 
 Generality of thofe who are Pious and Orthodox. 
 
 And from what I have now faid, I infer, th^t the DiiFerence be- 
 twixt me and thofe who miflike my Hypothefis, does not lie in this, 
 that I exalt the Power of Men in their natural State, more than they 
 do; but in this rather, that I exalt the Grace of God more : For 
 whereas they affirm, that the Faith and. Repentance which God re- 
 quires as the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, is fuch as none can 
 exercife 'till they are become good and holy Perf^ns, being born of 
 the Spirit, and- become new Creatures ; I on the contrary ende^ivour 
 to rilaiutain, that "the Faith and Repentance, by God required as the 
 ^CbiVd'itjOn of the 'new Covenant, is pf a lower. Kind than thpfc who 
 •■••■'---'*'' -1'^ •'• • ■ - . ' ^ oppole 
 
 u If 
 
chapxvI: } Grace defended. 137 
 
 oppofe me will allow of ; and fuppofe It to be fuch as Men, by di- 
 vine Affiftance, can perform, before they are favingly renewed by the 
 Spirit, and fo become true Saints, as all that are horti ofGod^XQ^ and 
 fo in CkriJ}^ znd pajpd fro?n Death to Life., as in 2 Cor. 5. 17. and 
 John 5. 24. docs appear. I really think that God, in the Covenant 
 of Grace, does not infift on fuch Terms, as my Oppofcrs imagine, 
 and which can never be complied with by any Sinner, while he is in 
 his miferable and undone Eitatc \ but then only, when he has got into 
 a State of Safety, and has already obtained eternal Life. 
 
 Thofe therefore who would convince me of a Miftake in this Affair, 
 fhould anfvvcr my Arguments, by which I endeavour to prove. That 
 <« neltiier Regeneration, nor any Adl:ion implied in it, can be the 
 " Condition on which Solvation is offered to Sinners in the Gofpel. " 
 Part II. Chap. V. And tlieyfnould alfofnew, if they can, that fuch 
 Faith and Repentance, as I held to be the Cciidition of the new Cove- 
 nant, neither is, nor can be fo, by a Confutation of what I have faid. 
 Part II. Chap. III. and elfewhere. 
 
 But it maybe here faid. That by my own Confefficn, Sinners are 
 required to ccme to Jefus Chrifl for Life., on Pain of eternal Damnati- 
 on ; which Coming muft needs be included in the Condition of the 
 new Covenant, and is fo, as appears in John 6. 35, 37. Matth. 11. 
 28. And yet the Coming intended, cannot be in the Pov/er of any 
 Perfon, while in a State of Nature ; for our Saviour himfelf tells us, 
 in the faid 6th Chapter of 7c/;«, Verfe 44. That w Man can come to 
 hifUf except the Father zvhich hathfent him, draiv him : And in Verfe 6c. 
 lie fays. No Alan can come unto tne^ except it zvere given him of my 
 Father. 
 
 Now, to this Objedion, I anfv/er, (i) By acknov/ledging that 
 Coming to Jefus Chrifl: for Life, belongs to the Condition of the new 
 Covenant, or rather, is the Condition intended, or Thing required, in 
 order to the Salvation of finful Men, (2) By affiiminf^ that Perfons 
 in an unregenerate State, may have Power to come to Chrift for eter- 
 nal Life. The laft of thefe only needs to be confidcrcd : And the 
 Queftion here is not whether any Man can ccme to Jefus Chrift, ex- 
 cept the Father draw him and incline his Heart to come ; wliich muft 
 be denied ; but what that Drawing is, which is intended in ihe Words 
 under Confideration ; and whether none but thofe that do come to 
 Chrifl, have the Drawing intended. 
 
 T Thofe 
 
138 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Chap.XVI. 
 
 Thofe who oppofe my Hypothefis, fuppofe that that divine Draw- 
 ing which our Saviour fpcaks of, confifts in that powerful Influence of 
 God on the Souls of Men, whereby there is a faving Change wrought 
 in them, in RefpecSl: whereof they are faid to be horn of the Spirit ; 
 and confequently that fuch as have not fuch a Change wro't in them, 
 have no Power to come to Chrift. But at prefcnt 1 fee no Reafon to 
 believe, that the Drawing intended by our Lord, means the efficacious, 
 and indeed, irrefiftable Influence of the holy Spirit, in the great Work 
 of Regeneration. I will offer fome Reafons why I think this not to be 
 intended in the Places quoted. 
 
 And the firfl: Reafon which I fliall name is, Becaufe when Sinners 
 are invited to come to Chrift for Life, one Thing intended in the Life 
 which they are to go to Chrifl: for, is the Grace of Regeneration, 
 or that Principle of fpiritual Life which we loft by the P'all, and which 
 in the Work of Regeneration is reftored : Or is it not true that Sin- 
 ners are called to go to Chrift for this, which is one of the principal 
 Benefits which he purchafed for his People, yea even for the very firft 
 Beginnings of this fpiritual Life ? I hope none will dare to deny this. 
 
 Now, if Sinners are invited to go to Chrift for this Principle of 
 Ivife, or Grace, how can it be poflibly imagined that their firft having 
 it is necefTary in order to their doing it ? For muft they firft have the 
 Life they fhould go to Chrift for, before it is poflible for theryi to go to 
 him for it ? I cannot yet underftand this ! 
 
 My fecond Reafon is this : The Exprefllon ufed in the Words un- 
 derConfideration, feems not well to agree with the Work intended, if 
 by Draiuing^ the Work of Regeneration be meant. The Work of 
 Regeneration is wro't by the immediate Operation of the Spirit ; and 
 it is, according to the Language of Scripture, 7i creating IVork^ Pfal, 
 51. 10. CoL 3. 10. And it is compared to that mighty A61 of 
 God's Power, by which Jefus Chrift was raifed from the Dead, Eph, 
 J. ig, 20. It is alfo called the giving a new Heart and a nezu Spirit, 
 Ezek. II. 19, and 36. 26. Now this Work feems not to be well 
 exprefTcd by the Word Drawings which fuits better to Perfons being 
 perfuaded in a moral Way, than their having a fupernatural Work 
 wro't in them by infinite Power. I confefs the Word Drawings may 
 be ufed in a phyfical Senfe, but then I think it is not \vith Application 
 to moral or rational Agents, as fuch, as in the Cafe under Confidera- 
 tion, which concerns Men's being drawn to their Duty, in aWay, no 
 Doubt, agrcable to their Natures. To draw a free Agent into A6l;on, 
 is, in a rational Way, to excite him to it j and it is fuch Drawing that 
 
 Men 
 
^H^P-xvL f Grace defended. 139 
 
 Men need in order to their coming to JcTus for liis faving Benefits, 
 whether it be before their Res^eneration, or after it : And when they 
 are efFecftually drawn in this Way, it is ghen to them to come to Chrifty 
 as in one of th: Places quoted, viz, John 6. 65. 
 
 I fhall here add, thirdly^ That this Word Draw., and other Words 
 like it, are ufed in Scripture, in the iiime Senfe I plead for, /. e. to 
 perfuade-Perfons to what is their Duty and Intereft, in a moral or ra- 
 tional ^Vay : Yea, whether this Courfe have Succefs or not, Perfons 
 may be faid to be drawn, led, or perfuaded, Iff^. See Hofea u. 4. 
 / drevj thcni with Ccrdi of a Man., iv'ith Bands of Love., and I was to 
 them as they that take off the Yoke on their Jaws., and I laid Meat unto 
 them. Rom. 2. 4. ^he Goodnefs of God leadeth thee unto Repentance, 
 2 Cor. 4. ir. Knowing the Terror of the Lordy we perfwade Mm, 
 A6ts 26. 28. Almoji thou perfwadej} 7ne to he a Chriftian. Agrippa 
 was perfuaded, tho' not prevailed with. Perfons may be thus drawn 
 and perfuaded to go to Chrill:, who yet never go to him. When our 
 Saviour laid, in John 12. 32. And /, ivhen fam lifted up,, will draw 
 all Men unto me^ did not mean, I believe, that he would draw all Men 
 effectually of whom he fpake. Some he intended fo to draw as to 
 kave them inexcufable. See John 15. 22. If I had not come and fpo- 
 ksn unto them^ they had not had Sin : But noiv thc\ have no Cloak for their 
 Sin^ 
 
 Tho' it be granted that no Alan can come to the Son., except the Father 
 draw him : Yet I do not acknowledge, that no Man has Power to 
 come to the Son ^.except he be drawn effe6lually, fo as a6lually to coma 
 to him J much lefs, except he be drawn irrefdbbly, fo that he cannot 
 but come to him : This is mere than to fay that a Man cannot come 
 to the Son, except the Father draw him. Tho' without drawing. 
 Men cannot come ; yet many are drawn who never come. Sec 
 Matth. 23. 37. O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, rte/^^^X77/^y? ^/;^Pr5^/,./j^ 
 and Jhnejl them that are fent unto thee \ how often would I have gathered 
 thy Children together^ even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under h^i 
 Wings ; and ye would not. 
 
 It mny, perhaps, be objcCled againft what I have here faid. That 
 fuch a Drawing of Perfcns as 1 have been defcribing, can give no 
 Power to come to Chrift. Drawing in a Way of mciral Suafion does 
 not give thePerfons drawn anyPower'which they had not before 5 tlio' 
 ic m?A' excite la the Kxercife'of Powers they before had. 
 
 T 2 1 o 
 
140 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part II. 
 Chap. XVI. 
 
 To this Obje(Slion I anfwer, That Perfons may be faid to be un- 
 able to do this, that, or the other Thing, either in a more proper 
 Senfe, when they have no Power latent in them, capable of being fo 
 excited and ftirred up by proper Means and Motives, fuitable for the 
 awakening and exciting fuch a Power, as InflrucStions, Exhortations, 
 Promifes and Threatnings, isc. or lefs properly, for fuch an utter 
 Indifpofition to Things propofed to be done, as renders a Perfon 
 actually uncapable of doing them, without fome Means ufed with 
 him, for removing the Indifpofition unto which he is fuhjedl. Now 
 I fuppofe Men's Inability to eome to Chrift, is of the Kind or Sort 
 firft named. It confifts in the Averfion of their Wills to the Duty 
 propofed to them, and arifes from feveral Caufes, fuch as inherent 
 Corruption, Ignorance, Temptations from without of feveral Sorts, 
 a contra 6led Habit by a long Courfe of evil Doings ^ of which laft fee 
 'Jer. 2. 24. and Chap. 13. 23. 
 
 If Men's Inability to do well be of the latter Sort mentioned, 
 Inft:ru6lions, Exhortations, Reproofs, ISc. are not in the leaft fuited 
 to help and flrengthen them. Arguments will give no Power of the 
 Kind needed by the Perfon that has none ; and it is wholly in vain to 
 make ufe of any to that End. But if a Perfon's Weaknefs and Ina- 
 bility to do well, be of the other Kind mentioned, then Inftrudtions, 
 Exhortations, and convincing Arguments, are a proper Remedy a- 
 gainft fuch Weaknefs, and may greatly flrengthen the Subjcdls of it. 
 Means of this Kind, commonly called 7mral Suafion^ can be of no o- 
 ther Ufe than this : Nor are the fame defigned by God, for the Pro- 
 duction of fuper-natural Effe6ls, as the immediate End of them : 
 They only enable Men to exercife the Powers they have, but give 
 none to fuch as are wholly without Strength. 
 
 The Draivhig by the Father, without which no Man can come to 
 the Son, I take to be of this Kind, as above. I do not think that by 
 Drawings our Lord intends the great Work of Regeneration, for the 
 Reafons which I have given : And this Kind of Drawing Sinners have 
 who never yet come to the Son, in thofe Strivings of the Spirit of 
 God with them, v/hich they often refill: and quench, of which here- 
 after, in Chap. XIX. 
 
 But if the Expofition I have givenbf the Texts objeCted be refu- 
 fed, and the Senfe of them which I oppofe be ftill contended for, let 
 us ferioufly confider the Confcquenccs vvhich will follow it. 
 
 The 
 
chap.xvl } Grace defended. 141 
 
 The Defign then, with which thefe Texts are urged. Is, to fhew 
 that no Man has Power of any Kind, to come to Jefus Chrift for evcr- 
 lalling Life, but thofe only, who, being unto that End firft born of the 
 Spirit, do actually go to him, and are eternally faved : So that all 
 others, being wholly without Power to come to the only Saviour of 
 Sinners, do unavoidably continue in that Unbelief, againfl: which e- 
 ternal Damnation is denounced, Mark ib. 16. They cannot come 
 to Chrilt that they may have Life, and this Camict, is not only becaufc 
 they will not ; but they have no fuch Power latent in them, which 
 being excited and (Hrred up, they might go to Chrift for the eternal 
 Salvation of their Souls. The Impoflibilicv, tJierefore, that they are 
 under of going' to Jefus Chrift for Salvation, is phyfcal, as to the 
 Kind of it, and net moral only ; for they muft have a Work of nev/ 
 Creation wrought in them, before this pnyfical Impotence can be re- 
 moved : Nor arc they (uppofed to have any Offer of this Benefit 
 made to them, on any Condition whatfoever. 
 
 Now the plain Confcquence of what is thus maintained feems to 
 be this. That all that perifh under the Gofpel, do perllh unavoidably, 
 any Means or Advantages they enjoy notwithftanding. They have 
 no Advantage in their Hands, by the Improvement of which they 
 may make fure of the Salvation of their Souls : This is not promifed 
 to them, on any Condition within the Compafs of their Power ; nor 
 is any Strength, by which they may clofe with Chrift, ever conferred 
 on them. 
 
 Now, if the Cafe be really fuch as has been now exprefled, I 
 would fain know what Kindnefs (if any at all) is (hewed to thofe that 
 fail of Salvation: Or will it be fald. That in the Pvcvelation of a 
 Way of Salvation by Jefus Chrift, there Is no real Favour ihown to 
 any but thofe who fhall eventually be favcd ? May we then tell thofe 
 to whom we preach the Gofpel, that unlefs they obtain eicrnal Life, 
 God has ihown them no real Kindnefs, in all that v/hich has been 
 done, of which we have an Account in the Gofpel ? Can we think 
 that the maintaining of this would be to the Honour of divine Grace ? 
 For mv Part, I cannot think that all that feeming Love which God 
 iranifefts to Mankind, in fending his Son to redeem a finful World, 
 and fetting up a Treaty of Peace among all thofe to whom the Gofpel 
 is preached, is no Kindnefs to fuch as are not eventually faved. Such 
 an Opinion as this feems not to agree with fifch Texts as thefe which 
 follow, viz. John 3. 16. i John 2. 2. and Chap. 4. 19. fo Luh 2. 
 10, 11. 2 Cn\ 5, 185 TO, 20, and mviny other Places. 
 
 Ner 
 
142 Grace defended. \ CHrp.xvn. 
 
 Nor can I, I confefs, fee how any fhould be obliged to be thank- 
 ful to God for his Goodnefs In fending his Son to redeem us, and 
 his Gofpel to perfuade us to be reconciled unto him, if he hath fhewed 
 no reiil Kindnefs in it. Neither can I underftand how Men's Con- 
 fciences fhould upbraid them for not doing what they are under a 
 phyfical ImpofTibility of performing, tho' they are bound to confefs 
 that they are judly deprived of that Power to do well, with which, 
 in their moral Head and Reprefentatlve, they were endowed. 
 
 As yet I cannot fee how any Difhonour can be done to the Name 
 and Grace of God, by our believing and aflerting, that thofe who 
 perifli under the Gofpel, do not fall fhort of eternal Life, becaufe 
 they cannot, but becaufe they will not, come to JefusCljrift for it. 
 On the contrary, I think it is much to the Honour of God and his 
 Grace, that we believe and confefs, that he does in the Way of the 
 new Covenant, put Sinners, to whom the Grace of that Covenant 
 is offered, on a fecond Trial, wherein they ftand Probationers for e- 
 ternal BlefTednefs, on Terms poflible for them, to perform. But I 
 lliall confider what may be objecTted againft this. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 T^hat Grace is not given according to TVorh^ 
 is no Ways inco?iJtJie?tt with the Hypothejis 
 by me defended. 
 
 §%^%§^f^$W§ Om E may think that if, as 1 aflert. Sinners have In 
 ^|)^i'^M^>>l'^^^ the Gofpel an Offer of the Grace given In Regcne- 
 321^ S ^^"^S ration, made to them. It will from hence follow, 
 SiSt;^^clS ^"^^ Grace is given according to Works ; which is an 
 ^f ^'2>i<5c>l6-|uP Error condemned in the Church of God, in all Ages j. 
 «2ig^^^c2^^S"^5' and very contrary to the Holy bcriptures, as m 2 lim. 
 I. 9. i'it, 3. 5. and Rom. 11. 6. I fhall therefore 
 confider, whether on this Account there can be any juft Objcftion 
 raifed againft the Pofition I endeavour to defend. And to this End, 
 I fhdl confider, (i) What may be intended by Grace in the 
 Objedion. (2) What may be meant by its not being given accor- 
 ding to Works. (3) Whether, thcfe TJ^iIngs being rightly under- 
 
 iiood, 
 
chIp-xv": } Grace defended. 143 
 
 flood, the Propofition oppofed to my Hypothefis, dges really make 
 any Thing againft it. 
 
 I. Let us confider what we may here underhand by Grace. Now 
 by Grace here, the Grace of God is doubtlefs to be underftood : 
 And by God's Grace, his undefcrved Favour is moft properly meant, 
 in which Senfe it being taken, it cannot be obtained by any according 
 to Works : To affirm this would be a plain Contradidion both to 
 itfelf, and to the Aportle Paul., Rom. 4. 4. To hhn that wGrkeih is the 
 Reward not reckoned of Grace ^ but cf Debt. AHb Rom. 11. 6. If by 
 Grace^ then it is no more of IVorks : Othcrwife Grace is no more Grace, 
 But if it be of IVorks^ then it is no ?nore Grace : Other-wife Work is no 
 more JVork. By that Grace which is in Scripture, and by the Church 
 of God in all Ages, denied to be given according to Works, I under- 
 ftand the free and undeferved Favour of God, with all thofe Benefits 
 which flow from it to his People. Moft properly the Grace of God 
 fignifies the undeferved Favour of God to thofe whom he has fet his 
 Love upon ; and hence, by a Met-onuny of the Caufe for the Effect, 
 the Word Grace is ufed for thofe Benefits which God cf his freeGrace 
 beftows on the Children of Men ; efpecially on thofe whom he eter- 
 nally Hives. And taken in this Senfe, Grace fignifies Juftification and 
 Adoption ; and alfo that Principle of Grace which is given in our 
 Regeneration, and all thofe holy A6tions which by his adjutant Grace 
 proceed from it. 
 
 Now, tho' Grace may be taken- in any or all of thefe Senfes, in 
 the Queition under Confideration ; yet my prefent Defign leads me 
 to confider it as it intends that Principle of Holinefs which God be- 
 ftows on Sinners in their Regeneration ; this being that which I fay 
 is conditionally offered in the Gofpel, and which many deny fo to be. 
 
 2. Let us confider what is intended by this Propofition, That 
 Grace is not given according to Works. And unto this I anfwer, 
 that there are two Things, either or both of which may be intended 
 thereby, (i) That God does not bellow his Grace on the Children 
 of Men, in the V/ay, or on the Terms, of the Covenant of Works, 
 wherein perfedt and perpetual ObedieiiCe to the Law of God was 
 the Condition whereon Life and Happinefs were promifed to Man- 
 kind. God does not now offer or befiov/ his Grace on fuch Terms 
 as thefe. That Covenant has long fince been broken by all Mankind ; 
 and all that Good which was conditionally promifed in it, utterlv and 
 for ev^er forfeited and loff. Such as will nov/ adhere to this Cove- 
 - nantp can expect no Good at God's Hands, nothing \d^ than the 
 
 Wrath 
 
144 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Chap. XVII. 
 
 Wrath and Curfe denounced therein againft the Breakers of it. Gal, 
 2. 10. Or, (2) That Grace is not given according to Works, 
 may intend, that it is not given as a juft Reward of, or for, good 
 Works performed, tho' they are not fuppofed to come up to the 
 Terms of the firft Covenant. Perfons may think that, for the Ser- 
 vices they perform to God, they deferve v^ell at liis Hand ; fo that it 
 is hut a juft and equal Thing that he /hould fave them, tho* they are 
 guilty of many Failings. They may think they carry themfelves 
 fo v/ell, that God will deal hardly by them, if he grants not his fpecial 
 Favour to them, and think they well deferve it. IVherefore have we 
 fafied^ fay they, and ihou feefi it ?iot ? IVherefore have we affliSfed cur 
 fehes^ and thou takeji no Knowledge ? lilu. 58. 3. Obferve how well 
 the Pharifee thought of his Performances, Luke 18. 10, 11. Perfons 
 that go about to eftabliih their own Righteoufnefs, and obtain God's 
 Favour and Grace on the Account of it, do not always fuppofe that 
 they come fully up to the Terms of the Covenant of Works. They 
 have too much Light to think fo. But, however, they think very 
 much to commend themfelves to God, by their good Performances ; 
 and on them they truft for Acceptance with him, and for all the Grace 
 they hope to receive from him. This fecms evidently to be the Cafe 
 of thofe fpoken of by the great Apoftle of the Gentiles^ Rom. 9. 31, 
 32. But Ifrael which followed after the Law of Righteoufnefs hath not 
 attained to the Law of Righteoufnefs. Wherefore P Becaufe they fought 
 it^ not by Faith ^ hut as it were by the IFcrks of the Law. They did not, 
 indeed, expeft to be juftified, and find Favour with God, by the 
 Works of the Law, or by fully complying with the Tenor of the 
 Law of Works ; yet they depended on their own good Works, for 
 the Benefits they needed, and fo they fought thofe Benefits, as it were, 
 by the Deeds of the Law. Compare with this, that in Chap. 10. 3. 
 Men oftner mifcarry in thisWay, than by thinking that they can come 
 fully up to the Terms of the firft Covenant. They think to com- 
 mend themfelves to God by their own Righteoufnefs, tho' they do 
 not think that they can do all that the Covenant of Works required. 
 But the Apoftle fhevi's the Vanity of fuch Hopes, m the mentioned 
 Gal. 3. 10. compared with Verfe 12. and elfewhere. If Grace 
 were given in the Way fuch as thefe feek it, it would be given ac- 
 cording to Works. But I acknowledge, that God does not beftow 
 his Grace upon Sinners in this Way. He grants it not to them on 
 Account of any Goodnefs in them, nor for the Sake of any Works of 
 Righteoufnefs performed by them, as plainly appears in 2 Tim. i. 9. 
 Who hath favedus^ and called us with an holy Calling, not according to 
 our JVorks^ bnt according to his eivn Purpofe and Grace which was given 
 
 m 
 
?HAP.xv!!: { <^race defended. 1 45 
 
 ui in Chrijl Jefuh ^^fore the World began. So again in Tit. 3. 5. Not 
 by Works of Right eoufnefs whieh we have done^ but according to his Mercy 
 he faved us^ by the Wajhing of Regeneration , and Renewing of the Holy 
 GhoJJ, 
 
 3. Let us confider whether the obje6lcd Propofition being under»- 
 ftood as now explained, any Thing can be inferred from it againft 
 the Hypothefis by me defended. And to this I fiy, I think it will 
 appear there cannot, if we confider what here followeth. 
 
 As, FirJ}^ That Grace is, on my Hypothecs, given according to 
 Promife, or in the Way of a conditional Covenant, is not equivalent 
 to its being given according to Works, in the Senfe explained. 
 Things may neverthelefs be freely given, for being given in the Way 
 of a conditional Covenant. Indeed it is not fo, if the Condition re- 
 quired be a valuable Confideration, fuch as deferves a Reward, or 
 fome Tcftimony of Gratitude, on the Account of Things required to 
 be done ; but very frequently this is not the Cafe, nor is fo in the 
 Cafe under Confideration, as I ftiall prefently fhow. 
 
 However, If God's beftowing his Benefits on Men, in the Way of 
 a Covenant, wherein fomething is required to be done by them, in 
 order to their obtaining of them ; and unto the doing whereof a 
 Promife is annexed, would infer or imply their obtaining them by 
 their own good Works or Merits, it would from hence follow. That 
 Pardon of Sin and eternal Bleflcdnefs are Benefits given according to 
 Works ; for thefe Benefits are certainly obtained in a covenant Way. 
 The Scriptures are plain as to this ; and none, that I know of, befides 
 Antinomians deny it. I fhall only refer to fome of the Texts in which 
 this is manifeft : I need not tranfcribe them, ^^q Mark 16. 15,16. 
 ASls 2. 37, 38, 39. and Chap. 10. 43. and 16. 30, 31. Pfal. 
 103. 17, \%. ^ 
 
 Tho' our Divines many of them deny, that the Grace of Rege- 
 neration, or of a new Heart, is given in the Way of a conditional 
 Covenant ; yet 1 fuppofe there are fcarce any of them but what own 
 Juftification, Adoption, and eternal Glory to be thus given : But 
 now, if, becaufe I hold that God gives his Holy Spirit, and the faving 
 Graces thereof, in the Way of a conditional Promife, it be thence in- 
 ferred, that, according to my Hypothefis, it is given according to 
 Works, or according to Men's Merits, I would know if it would not 
 as well follow from the fame Premifcs, with Relation to the other 
 mentioned Benefits, that they alfo are given according to Works, or 
 the Merits of thofe on whom they are beflowed : But as this does not 
 follow from the mentioned Premifes, fo neither does the other. 
 
 U S^i'ondly^ 
 
146 Grace defended, \ chIp.xvJJ; 
 
 Secondly^ The Grace of Regeneration cannot, on my Principles, be 
 giv^ according to Works ; becaufe, on my Hypotliefis, no Man can 
 perform any good Works, properly and ftridly fo called, ''till after he 
 is regenerate or born again. That Grace may be given according to 
 Works, twoThings feem neceflarily required, viz. (i) That theWorks 
 are really gaod and holy, with Regard to which the Grace intended 
 is fuppofed to be given : For it is not likely that God fhould give his 
 Grace as a Reward for Works not truly good and holy. (2) That 
 the Works intended be done before the Grace is beftowed, which is 
 fuppofed to be given as a Reward of them : For th^ Thing for which 
 a Reward is given mufl needs be prior to that which Is given as a 
 Reward of it. But I, as well as thofe with whom I difpute, am fully 
 of Opinion, that no Man can perform any good Adlion, (meaning 
 by good what is in a proper and ftricSl: Senfe fo,) 'till after he is born 
 of the Spirit^ or created anew unto good U^orksy as in Col. 3. 10. with 
 which compare Ezek. 36. 26, 27. and Luke 6. 43, 44, 45. How 
 then fhould the Grace of Regeneration be given, on my Principles, 
 according to Men's good Works or Merits ? 
 
 If we duly confider what, according to my Principles, is really re- 
 quired of SinnerSjin order to their obtaining theGrace of Regeneration, 
 it will plainly appear, that Grace is not given to them according to 
 Works. The Condition on which, according to my Opinion, Grace 
 is offered to them, does neither confift in the perfedl Obedience which 
 the Covenant of Works required, nor yet in fuch Holinefs as the Gof- 
 pel requireth of regenerate Saints : If it required the laft of thefe no 
 Perfan could ever be regenerated or born again. 
 
 But what the Gofpel requires of unregenerate Sinners, to the men- 
 tioned End, comprifes in it fuch Things as thefe, viz. (i) That 
 they acknowledge their Sinfulnefs, both by Nature and Practice, and 
 that they defervc eternal Damnation, (a) That they acknowledge 
 the Guilt of their many and mighty Sins, and that without the Par- 
 don of them they never can be faved. (3) That they are fenfible 
 of the Corruption of their Natures, and their Need of regenerating 
 Grace. (4) That they believe the good Tidings of that Salvation by 
 Jefus Chrift, which is revealed in the Gofpel, and do not defpair of 
 God's Mercy. (5) That they feek earneflly to God for the Pardon 
 of their Sins, and the regenerating Influences of his Spirit, ferioufly 
 waiting on him in the Ufc of thofe Means which he has directed to, 
 in order to their obtaining thefe Mercies. (6) That they carefully 
 avoid all thofe ftnful Courfes which tend to provoke him to deny his 
 Holy Spirit, or with-hgld the fame from them. (7) That they per- 
 
 fevere 
 
Part II. 
 Chap. XVJI. 
 
 I Grace defended. 147 
 
 fevere in the Way of their Duty, that has now been exprefTed. (8) 
 That they confefs, that in all this they are unprofitable Servants, and 
 inftead of doing more than their Duty, they fall infinitely fhort of it, 
 and fo are not worthy of the leaft of God's Mercies, much lefs of Par- 
 don of Sin, and the faving Graces of God's Spirit here, and eternal 
 Glory hereafter. (9) That they earncftly plead with God the Pro- 
 mifes of his Mercy, made to fuch as feek him for it \ fuch a3 we have 
 in Matth, 7. 7,— H' ^rov, i. 22, 23, Luke ii. 9,-13. Prmj, 2. 
 
 If in this Way Sinners feek and obtain the faving Graces of God's 
 holySpirit,they will findnoOccafion of boarting that they obtained them 
 by Works of Righteoufnefs which they have done, or by the Defert 
 of their own good Works, and fo have merited eternal Life at the 
 Hand of God. There is not the leaft Appearance of any fuch Thing 
 in the Method propofed, of Sinners feeking Mercy of the Lord ; 
 they having Nothing to recommend them to him, or to plead with 
 him, but their own Poverty and Mifery, and the Riches of his Grace 
 and Mercy, and moft gracious Covenant : All which is nothing like 
 trufting in, and pleading, their own Righteoufnefs. Our fuppofing 
 that to our obtaining the Grace of God, our begging God's Alercy, 
 pleading the Merits of his Son, and his Truth and Faithfulnefs to his 
 Covenant, is not, I think, to hold, that Grace is given according to 
 Works, but well confifteth with that Eph. 2. 9. and Rom. 3. 27. 
 Where is Boajling then P It is excludid* By what Law ? Of JP'orks ? 
 Nay : But by the Law of Faith. 
 
 u 2 
 
 CHAP, 
 
148 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part II, 
 
 Chap.XVIII. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 7hat the bejl AEitons of the XJnregenerate are 
 not properly called Sins^ nor uncap able of 
 being Conditions of the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 ^Sq6%M9'MpM9 H a V^ E owned and aflerted in the foregoing Chap- 
 'Mr '^ '^ M A^\ ter. That Perfons in an unreg-enerate State, cannot 
 '^'.Vf^ ^'§/ pertorm any Actions that are, in altrictbenle, holj^ 
 i^ and as fuch, well-pleafing in God's Sight ; but I 
 &M<3^^^£& think they carry this too far, who affirm the beft 
 
 rc^-. .<:pv. vwv_ .i^.y^^^ Adions ofthe Unregenerate to be properly dono- 
 
 •a- -a- .«• ■^' -a- niinated Sins, and an Abomination in God's Sight, 
 and accurfed ; yea, that ccmmon Grace is Sin and Luji. I chufe not to 
 name the Perfons who exprefs themfelves after this Manner, but can 
 do it, if it be neceflary for my own Juftification. 
 
 I confefs, if what is to this EfFed: faid by many, be true, it will 
 follov/, that nothing that can be done by any Perfon that is not horn of 
 the Spirit^ can be the Condition of the new Covenant, and as fuch, 
 entitle the Doer of it to eternal Life. I fhall therefore endeavour to 
 make it appear, that that which is aflerted, as above, is not to be ad- 
 mitted as a Truth, however worthy the Names of the Perfons are who 
 have fpoken to this Purpofe. And to this End I fhall make fome Ob- 
 fervations relating to the Matter under Confideration ; which being 
 put together, will, I think, fufficiently clear up the Point in Debate. 
 
 And Firjiy Even thofe Actions that are efteemcd materially evil, 
 as being exprefly forbidden by the Law of God, and may on that Ac- 
 count be oppofed unto fuch Adlions as are faid to be materially good ; 
 even fuch A6lions as thefe, I fay, have fomething that is good in them. 
 It is generally acknowledged that thefe Actions, confidered in the 
 phyfical Entity of them, are good Things ; and that they are only 
 evil, confidered in refpe6l of the Relation they bear to the divine Law, 
 which they are a Tranfgreflion of ; fo that tho' fuch A6lions cannot 
 be performed without theCommi/Iion of Sin in the doing of them,being 
 ■fo forbidden ; yet there is a Difl:in61:ion to be made betwixt the 
 Adions themfelves, confidered only as A^lions, or m refpe6l of the 
 
 Subftance 
 
CHAP.xvm. } Grace defended. 149 
 
 Subftance of them, and confidered with Rcfpedl to the Obliquity of 
 the fame Actions, as they have a Relation to the Law of God, where- 
 in they are forbidden to tlie Perfons who fin in doing them. Such 
 Actions therefore, feem more properly called finfid^ than Sin in the 
 Abftra£l ; becaufe the former diftinguifheth betwixt the A61 itfelf, 
 and the VitioUty of it, whereas the latter does not. 
 
 Secondly^ There is a greatDifFerence betwixt fuch forbidden A6lions 
 and fuch as arc not forbidden, but may either lawfully be done or let 
 alone : And it feems not very proper to call thofe A6lions Sins, which 
 God has no where forbidden. It is readily granted, that Perfons may 
 fin greatly in thePerformance of fuch, viz. either in theManner how, or 
 End for which they do them ; hut not in doing theThing doncby thefm. 
 When therefore it is fa id. That the Ploughing cf the Wicked is Sin ; this 
 muft not be underftood as if their fo doing was Sin in theAbftraft ; but 
 the Meaning is. That the Wicked fm in tbeir Ploughing, /. e. that 
 their is Sin cleaving to this Action of their's, tho' it be in itfelf no Sin : 
 And thus I acknov/ledge, that there is Sin cleaving to the beft AcSlions 
 of the beft Men^ Eccle. 7. 20. But more abundantly to the Adlions 
 of the Unregenerate. 
 
 Thirdly There is a ftill greater Difference between the forbidden 
 A£^ions of the Unregenerate, and thofe which they do, being com- 
 manded to perform them. For Inftance : God forbids them to take 
 his Name in vain, but requires them to call on him. Their doing 
 the firfl: of thefe is no doubt a great Sin : But is their calling on him d. 
 Sin too ? Or is their doing it their Sin ? I tliink not. It may indeed 
 be truly faid, that they fm in not doing it as they ought. But this 
 may be truly faid-of the A6i;ions of the Regenerate alfo, tho' the Un- 
 regenerate fail much more in this Refpe6l. I think there is a great 
 Difference betwixt faying, all the Prayers of the Unregenerate have 
 Sin in them, and faying they are all of them Sin. 
 
 Fourthly^ There is a great deal of Difference between fuch Actions 
 as have fome pofitive Wickednefs committed in the Performance of 
 them, and fuch as are only negatively faulty, inafmuch as they want 
 fome good Qi,ialifications which they have not : As fuppofe one Man 
 performs a materially good A(5lion, out of fome wicked and malicious 
 End, as out of Hatred to God or his Neighbour ; but Another per- 
 forms the fame Action, or another like ifc, not out of anv fuch wicked 
 Defign, but yet without any true Love to God and his Neighbour : 
 Are thefe both alike properly calkd Sins ? Or arc they both wicke'd 
 
 Anions? 
 
1 5 o Grace defended. \ c^Vp.xvm. 
 
 Adlions ? One of them feenis to be fo, indeed, being done for a 
 wicked End ; but what of Wickednefs is there in the other, the' it 
 would have been much better had there been fome other Kind of 
 Goodncfs in it, which it had not ? The Perfon that does it is, indeed, 
 to blame ; but this is becaufe he omitted fomething which fhould have 
 been done ; not becaufe what he did had any Evil in it. The Di- 
 ftindion I have infifted on, feems evidently, countenanced by that 
 Text, Prov, 2r. 27. according to that Tranllation of the Words, 
 which I chufe, and Mr. Pool feems belt to approve, viz. The Sa- 
 cr'if.ce of iheJVicked is anAbomimtion^htQ^iU^Q he bringeih it with a wicked 
 Mind, Thus the latter Part of the Verfe, gives the Reafon of what 
 is affirmed in the fii ft Part of it ; for according to this Reading of the 
 Words, they are accounted Wicked, who bring their Offerings with 
 wicked Minds and Intentions ; and the Reafon of God's abliorring 
 them is, their being offered in fuch a Manner, or for fuch Ends, 
 Nor is there any Reafon to think that by the Wicked in this Place 
 and others like it, all unregenerate Perfons are intended ; but fuch 
 as are meant in Pp/.^o. 16. not thofe that are q.2\\qA Right esm in 
 E%ek, 18. 24, 26. and feveral other Places, tho' Unregenera'te. 
 
 Fifthly^ Many of the Aclions of the Unregenerate are not only 
 good, as above, but are performed from good Principles and for good 
 Ends. When an unregenerate Perfon feeds the Hungary, and 
 clothes the Naked, out of natural Compaffion which he has towards 
 them, it muff be acknowledged that this is a good Principle. It is 
 not indeed true Grace or Holinefs, neither is it from a corrupt and 
 wicked Principle, or from Siri that dwelleth in him. It is really from 
 Grace, /. e. the Grace of Nature, or fome Remainder of the natural 
 Image of God, left in Man after his Fall, which is good, tho* it is 
 not Goodnefs of the beft Kind. It is no Part of the Image of God loft 
 by the Fall, and reftored in our Regeneration, nor does our Regene- 
 ration eradicate, but fandlify it. So unregenerate Perfons perform 
 fome A6lions for good Ends ; as when they labour with their Hands 
 that they may get their Bread honeftly, and not Ileal from and rob 
 Others to get it. So when an unregenerate Perfon reads the Word 
 of God, hears it preached, and meditates on it, and calls on the Lord, 
 to the End that he may efcape Damnation, and obtain the great Sal- 
 vation offered ia the Gofpel ; thefe are good Ends, fuch as God re- 
 quireth him to aim at in the Performance of fuch Duties. If a Man 
 labours to obtain his own Happinefs, this, indeed, is not the higheft 
 End of all, which is the Glory of God, i Cor. 10. 31. And even 
 this an unregcnei?ate Perfon may aim at in what he does, tho* not ul- 
 timately. 
 
chaI.xviil { Grace defended. 151 
 
 timately, as what he chiefly Intends. Nor ought regenerate Perfons 
 to ceafe to aim at the Salvation of their own Souls, in what they do, 
 after they can aim at a higher End than this. 
 
 Sixthly, Many of the materially good A(51ions which unregenerate 
 Perfons perform, are the EfFe<Sts of the Grace of God, in and upon 
 them ; and therefore, I think, not Sins. I cannot think that Anions 
 which Men perform by the Help and Influence of the Word and 
 Spirit of God, are well called Sins. God may be truly faid to be 
 the Author of fuch A<5lions : It is he, of his Grace, who iiirs up and 
 ejicites poor fmful Creatures to perform the A61:ions I fpeak of. He 
 enables and excites thein to hear, read, meditate, and pray, ^c. and 
 he is the Author of fuch Faith as they have, who believe fometimes 
 only for a while, as mLnke^,!-^, Or may it not be granted, thzit fuch 
 Faith^ Repentance, &c. as the beft, of which unregenerate Perfons 
 are fometimes thcSubJ€6ls,areEiFccls of theGrace ofGod, wrought by- 
 God's Word and Spirit in their Souls, and frequently called common 
 Grace f And are they, this notwithflanding, all Sin, and an Abomi- 
 nation in God's Sight, and, as fome fay, contrary to faving Grace ? 
 I conftantly maintain, that there is a fpecifical DiflFercnce betwixt 
 common Grace, and that which is fpecial ; but I fee no Reafon to 
 oppofe them one to the other, as Contraries are oppofed. Whether 
 by common Grace we intend thofe gracious Influences of God's holy 
 Spirit, with which the Unregenerate are fometimes favoured, or the 
 good EfFe£ls produced in them by thefe gracious Operations, I am 
 hot, for my Part, willing to allow them to be Sin. 
 
 Seventhly^ I think what is ikid by that learned Man, Dr. Owen, in 
 \\is Perfeverance of the Sabits, Chap. I. Se(9:. 17. much favours what 
 I have in this Chapter afferted. " Of thofe who are faid to believe 
 '' and to be holy really^ and in the Truth of the Thing it felf j there 
 " are two Sorts. Firji, Such as having received fundry common 
 " Gifts and Graces o/the Spirit,^as llhmination of the Mind, Char.ge 
 ^' of Affedions, and thence Americlment of Life, with Sorrow of 
 <' the Worlds legal Repentance, temporary iv?/?/;, and the like, v«?hich 
 *« are all true and real in their Kind, do thereby become VefTcls in the 
 " great Houfe of God, being changed as to their Ufe, tho* not in 
 .<' their Nature, continuing Stone and Wood ftill, tho' hewed and 
 «« turned into the Serviceablenefs of Veflels, and on that Account are 
 *« frequently termed Saints and Believers. On fuch as thefe there is 
 " a lower (and in fome a fubordinate) Work of the Spirit, efFecSlually 
 «« produci/ig {in and on all the P^aculties of their Souls) fomewhat that 
 
152 Grace defended. \ chIp.xviil 
 
 '* is /rz/t-, ^^^^/, and i(/^«/ in itfelf, anfwering in fomc Likenefs and 
 <* Suitabknefs of Operation unto the great Work of Regeneration .^ 
 << which faileth not. There is in them Lights Love., Joy, Faith, 
 <« Zeal, Obedience, &c. all true in their Kind, which make many of 
 «' them in whom they are, do worthily in their Generation, howbcit 
 *' they attain not to the Faith of God's Eleft, neither doth Chrift live 
 *' in them, nor is the Life which they lead, by the Faith of the Son 
 " of God : As fhall hereafter be fully declared." 
 
 I now appeal to fuch as are jadicious,whether the beftAiSlions of the 
 Unregenerate are properly their Sins : If they be not, then we cannot 
 from a falfe Propofition prove, that none of them can be, by the Con- 
 ftitution of God, appointed to be Conditions of the new Covenant. 
 
 I think it plainly appears, from what has been above faid. That the 
 belt Actions of the Unregenerate, have not more of moral Evil than 
 of moral Goodnefs in them j I therefore do not believe any Conclu- 
 fion that can be drawn from a Suppofition hereof. 
 
 Eighthly, If the beft Actions of the Unregenerate be truly and pro- 
 perly Sins, I fee no Reafon at prefent, but that it were better that 
 they were let alone, than done. If it be faid, that tho' the doing of 
 them be Sin, yet it is a greater Sin to omit them ; I anfwer, that if 
 they are properly Sins, I know not of any Rule Men have, of two 
 Sins to chufe the leaft : I believe that neither the one nor the other 
 ought to be chofen, but that both ought to be abhorred. Indeed, of 
 two Things where one is lefs good than the other, if both cannot be 
 done, the beft ought to be made choice of j but where both the 
 Things in Queftion are properly Sins, this is not the Cafe. 
 
 But I believe that if the beft Actions (if I may fo fpeak) of the Un- 
 regenerate were really Sins, all the Regenerate would be obliged to 
 repent of all they did before theirRegeneration,& in order to it, as their 
 Reading, Hearing, Meditating, Praying for converting Grace, Giving 
 Alms, ^'c. I confefs they ought to repent that they perfoimed thefe 
 Things in no better a Manner than they did ; but not that they did 
 them at all, tho' they did them not in fuch a Manner as the Regene- 
 rate only can perform A6tions that are good in Refpe6t of the Matter, 
 or general Nature of ihcm. 
 
 t<M 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. XIX. ] Gracc defended. 1^3 
 
 CHAP. XI X. 
 
 The DoEirine I plead for ^ no ways inco77fiJle7tt 
 with that of Predefi7tatio?7^ and the fove- 
 reign Freedom of the Grace of God in the 
 Salvation of his EleB. 
 
 Il^^g^g^l FREELY acknowledge that It is Implied In the 
 |^(^^^^^p E)o6b-inc I plead for, That Sinners who perifn un- 
 ¥^^^J^^^^ <^cr the Gofpel, do not perifli for want of Power 
 ^^P ^ ^P^ ^ comply with the Terms of the new Covenant : 
 
 -rrace is 
 
 iLich, that thofe who are not faved, have no Power to perform it ; but 
 bccaufe they will not do fo, John 5. 40. And ye tvill not come to me that 
 ye might have Life. And Matth. 23. 37. O Jerufalem, Jerufalcm, then 
 that killeft the Prophets^ and Jlonejt them which are fent unto thee^ hoiu 
 often would I have gathered thy Children together^ even as a Hen (rather eih 
 her. Chickens under her Wings ^ and ye would not ! Indeed I cannot fee 
 how the new Covenant coidd be fitly called the Covenant of Grace, 
 if the Condition of it were fo very difficult, that all that fall fhort of 
 the Good of it, might truly plead, That it never was in their Power 
 to comply with the Terms on which Salvation is offered to them in 
 it : But that under all the feeming Advantages of the Gofpel which 
 they have enjoyed, their eternal Damnation has been, as to any Thino- 
 they could do, utterly unavoidable. Indeed I cannot think this to be 
 the Truth of Man's Cafe, while he enjoys the Grace of God pranted 
 to him, in and with the Gofpel, as in 2 Cor. 6. i. 
 
 Now, whether the Do(5lrine of Prcdrjlinaticn^ and of the free and 
 fovcreign Grace of God, manifefted in the Converfion and eternal 
 Salvation of Sinners, be at all inconfiftent with the Opinion I enter- 
 tain, is what, in this Chapter, is to be conndered. 
 
 It is then, or may be here faid, that if a fmful Man hath fuch a 
 Power as is here fuppofed, it will from hence follow. That hh Salva- 
 tion cannot depend on God's fovereign Grace : For if Grace and 
 
 W Salvation 
 
154 Grace defended. \ Jhap.xix. 
 
 Salvation be offered and promifed, on a Condition which Man has 
 PoWer to perform, or not to perform, then it is in his own Power to 
 determine this Point, whether he fhall be faved, or not ; and fo his 
 Salvation cannot depend on divine Sovereignty, but on hijown free 
 Will, which is contrary to the Do6lrnie of orthodox Proteftants, who 
 conftantly maintain the Sovereignty of God with Relation to Man's 
 Saivatidn \ which is alfo agreeable to that of the Apoftle Paul^ Rem, 
 9. II. and onwards, where he fheweth at large, that God hath Mercy 
 and Gompaffmi en whom h'e will ; and he eoneladeth from it in Verfe 
 19. that it is not of him that willeth^ nor of him that runneth ^ but of God 
 that Jheweth Alercy. 
 
 Now, this Obje£tion hath great Appearance of Strength in it ; and 
 I know of Nothing that feems to make more againft the Dodrine I 
 plead for, than this docs : I fhall therefore endeavour to give it a juft- 
 and impartial Consideration , in the Particulars which here follow. 
 
 1. As I have formerly fald, fo I fay now, that I am fully perfuad- 
 cd of the Truth of the Do6lrine of God's Decrees of Ek£fion and 
 Reprobation^ as the fame is revealed in Scripture ; and for the Sub- 
 ftance, as it is explained in our ConfeJJions of Faith and Catechifms^ 
 and by our orthodox Divines, fuch as Dr. TwissE, Dr. Owen, 
 Mr. Norton, Dr. Mather, Mr. Willard, ^c. I hold 
 God's Decree to be abfolute, eternal and unchangeable ; and that he 
 has chofen a definite Number of Perfons to Salvation, whofe Names 
 are all written in the Book of Life, pafling by and not chuling the. 
 Refl^ as they are called Rom. 11. 7. and that all, and only thofe that 
 are fo chofen fliall be eternally faved. 
 
 2. I am perfuaded, that in chufmg a Number of Mankihd to Sal- 
 vation, and in pafling by the Reft, God a(5led in a Way of abfolutd 
 Sovereignty, doing therein according to his own good Will and Plea- 
 ilire, not being moved by any Caufes or Motives out of hirhfelf, as 
 by any Excellency in One more than in Another, or hy any Faith 
 or good Works forefeeri, or by any Wickednefs forefeen in them that 
 are not chofen. 
 
 3. I have no Doubt but that God a(Sts as an abfolute Sovereign, 
 in the Execution of his Decrees, as well as \n willing the Events de- 
 creed by him, doing as he will in the Armies of Heaven^ and among the 
 Inhabitants of the Earth, Dan. 4. 35. 
 
 4. I am accordingly well fatisfied, that the future and eternal State 
 of Mankind, whether of Weal or Woe, dependeth on the Sove- 
 reignty of (rod, who hath Mercy on %\jhom he it'///, aB is above declared 
 from Ram. Chap. 9. 
 
 But 
 
chVp-xdc. ] Grace defended. 155 
 
 Biit the gnat .^uefiionhcre is, Whether all this being granted and 
 rea-'ived fod' Truth, the Jntl-rcnce or Confequencc drawn from it in 
 the C>b].t£lLon, that tlien it cannot be in tl^c Power of thofe to whom 
 Grace and 'Salvation is offered ia the Gofpel, either to accept the fame, 
 on the Condition on which it is offore'1, or not to accept it, refuhng fo 
 to do, when the Confequewcc dej^ending on their doing or not doing 
 it, ia, according to thQ Teooir of the r^ew Covenant, either their Sai- 
 vsition or Damnation? As in Mark 16, 15, 16. This, I fay, is 
 wliat I conceive to be the great ^ejtion here, and I am content that 
 a due R-cfolution of this fiiould decide the main Q^ieftion, which in 
 this Difcourfe, I have under Confideration. 
 
 Now the turning Point here is. Whether the Liberty of reafo- 
 nabie Creatures, in their Adions, will not confift with the Decree 
 and governing Providence of God, in ordering all Events according 
 to his own Pleafure ? Or in the Language of Scripture, in JVo^'k'ir.g 
 all Tbhigi after the Counfel cf his own JVill ? Eph. i. 11. For if 
 God's decreeing future Events, does not take away the Liberty of 
 fubordinate Agents, concerned in the Execution of his Purpofes, or 
 their Power of doing or not doing what is done by them, why may 
 not he that believes and is faved be fuppofed at the fame Time to 
 have had Power, his Eledion notwithffanding, not to have believed : 
 And on the other Hand, he that does not believe, and fo perifheth, 
 to have or to have had Power to believe, tho' he did not, and tho' 
 this v/ere according to God's Decree. The Decree does not take 
 away this Power, or rather is not inconfiftent with it. However 
 this may feem a Paradox to many ; a Creature may have Power to 
 perform an Action which God has decreed he ftiall not do. This 
 will appear if the Manner of his decreeing what free Agents fhall do 
 or not do, be duly confidered and underftcod. 
 
 A little to clear up this Point, I fhall (i) Shew the pernicious 
 Confeq\jences that will follow upon denying it. (2) Produce fome 
 Authorities for it. (3) Eflay briefly to ihevv the fame to he in Rea- 
 fon poflible. 
 
 Now for the Firf}^ If God's decreeing that his rcafonableCreaturcs 
 fhall do, or not do, this or that A6lion, be inconfiftent with a Power 
 or Liberty in them to do the contrary, then it will follow, either that 
 he has not decreed all their A61:ions, and docs not by his Providence 
 order and bring about all thofe Things v/hich are done by them : Ov 
 otherwife, they having no Liberty refpe(5fing thofe Things or Events 
 which God has decreed (hall exifl, or come to pafs by their Means, 
 
 W 2 they 
 
156 Grace defended, { chIp.xix.* 
 
 they are under an inevitable NecefTity of doing whatever AcStions are 
 done by them, and have no more Liberty than a Clock or Watch has, 
 that is moved by the Weights and Springs tliat are the irrefiftable 
 Caufe of its Motion : And io Hobbsy who aflerted the Neceflity of all 
 Things, was in the Right. The Confequence of the firft Suppofi- 
 tion is, That God does not govern the World, but in fome of the 
 moft important Concernments of it ; lets Tilings run at Random, 
 according to the Pleafure of fickle and unfteady Agents, contrary to 
 Eph. I. I r. and many otherTexts of Scripture that might be alledged, 
 Jjut otherwife, according to the other Hypothefis, Creatures having no 
 Power to govern their own Wills and Actions, are moft certainly in- 
 capable of being govern'd in a moral Way, by Laws vv^ith Sanations 
 annexed to them, /. e. Rewards promifed in Cafe of Obedience, and 
 Punifhments threatned in Cafe of Difobedience : For why fhould a 
 Creature be rewarded with Good, or puniihed with Evil, if he has no 
 more Liberty with Refped: to what he does, than a Stone has not to 
 fall, when it is tofled up into the Air ? If the Cafe be fo, how fhould 
 Men's Confciences accufe them, either for doing what they do, or 
 omitting vi'hat they do not, which is one great Part of the Punifhment 
 of their Sins. TheConfcquences of both thefe Suppofitions are intole- 
 rable ; therefore neither of the Hypothefes are to be allowed. 
 
 Wherefore, 
 Secondly y Learned Men avouch, that God's Decrees refpecSlIng 
 future Events, are confiftent with the Liberty of free Agents, with 
 Rel uion to what they do in efFc6fing them. Thus that learned and 
 judicious Ajft?nhly of Divines at IVeJiminfer^ affirm, in their Confeffion^ 
 Chap. 3. Sect. i. That " tho' God from all Eternity did, by the 
 " moft wife and holy Counfel of his own Will, freely and unchange- 
 " ably ordain w^hatfoever comes to pafs ; yet fo (fay they) as thereby 
 *■'• neither is God the Author of Sin, nor is Violence oftered to the 
 " Will of the Creature, nor is the Liberty or Contingency of fecond 
 <« Caufes taken away, but rather eftablifhed. " To this EfFe6l alfo 
 Dr. TwissE, in his Trcatife of Reprobation^ in Anfwer to Hord and 
 Mafon^ Part 2. Page 63. fays. That " whereas we fee fome Things 
 " come to pafs neceflarily, fome contingently ; fo God hath ordained 
 <' that all Things ihall come to pafs ; but neceflary Things, necefia- 
 '' rily, contingent Things, contingently, that is avoidably, and with 
 *' a Poftibility of not coming to pafs : For every Univerfity Scholar 
 " knows this to be the Notion of Contingency. " Thus alfo? our 
 Mr. Norton, in his Orthodox Evangeli/},^ Page 76. fays, '< Man 
 '' acls as freely as if there, were no Decree, yet as infallibly as if there 
 
 <' were 
 
Sap.xix: } ; Grace defended. i 5 7 
 
 << were no Liberty. Liberty is the Effe6l of the Decree 3 fo far is 
 " the Decree from being a Prtjudice to Liberty. " ■ ^ 
 
 But why {hould I quote any other fuch Pi)f]agcs ? All that arc ac- 
 quainted with the Writings oi CalviniJJs know that in this Point they 
 are generally agreed ; fo that 1 am not firigular with Refpec^ to this 
 Article. '•■''; ■'^*^'i • 
 
 . I '' .■ ■ '■ ' ■ ' ' ' 
 
 But bccaiife I arri^ not willing to content my fclf witli telling my 
 Reader, that there are great Abfurdities that follow the Denial of this, 
 and that there are many that affirm it, and think they are bound fo to 
 do, how difficult foever it be to conceive of the Modus thereof ; for 
 this Reafjn, I fav, I (hall not content ftiv fclf to ' reft here, without 
 endeavouring to fay Ibmething briefly, for the clearing up of this Point, 
 and fhewing the PolTibiiity of the Thing afferted. And here 1 fay, 
 
 1. That it feems evident, that it is impoffible tliat any Thing fnould 
 come to pafs, God in no Senfe willing it. This, I think, follows as 
 an undeniable Confequence from this Truth, That his Knowledge: 
 and Power are infinite, which I take for granted. As I cannot fee 
 how it is poffible that any Thing fliould come to pafs, without the 
 Knowledge of him, whofe Underftanding is infinite, and unlimited, 
 fo I can no more conceive how any Thing can come to pafs without 
 the Will of him whofe Power is infinite, he knowing it at the Time 
 Avhen it was done, or about to be done : For fuppofe it was not- 
 done or brought to pafs by his own Efficiency, either immediate, or 
 thro' the Inftrumentality of fome other Agents ; yet at leaft he could 
 have hindred it by his mighty Power, which he would mofi: certainly 
 have done, had he not willed its coming to paf::, at leaft by his per- 
 inijjive Will. Now the Will of God "that this or that Thing fhall 
 come to pafs, is what I underftand by the Decree. 
 
 2. Sappofe it be granted, that God decrees fome Things by 2. per- 
 m'ljfive Decree only ; and his Providence with Refpe61: to this Accom- 
 phftiment be correfpondent with fuch a Decree as that is ; yet it muft 
 be here obferved, t\\2it Per rnijfton in God mufl not be looked b'pon as 
 merely the not hindring an Event of wliich wc may have an Idea in 
 our Minds ; for God does Nothing to hinder the Being of Millions of 
 Worlds, which neither now exift, or ever fhall : But iww abfurd" 
 would it be t© fay, on this Account, he permits their Being. Per- 
 iniffion in God therefore intends his not hindring Things froni coming 
 to p'.fs, which he knov/s will come to pafs, unlefs he" hinders them.; 
 And thus divine PerniifTion jlippofcth God's doing more tov/ards tliis 
 
 or 
 
158 Grace defended. { chYp. xix. 
 
 or that Thipg's coining to pafs, than barely permitting it in the Man- 
 ner now expreffed. 
 
 For, 3. He muft at leaft be fuch a Caufe of it, as Avithout which 
 fuch a Thing could not come to pafs, inafmuch as it never could have 
 come to pafs, had he not done feveral Things that were abfolutely 
 neceflary in order thereunto ; as bis making theAgents a6hng,and giv- 
 ing themPower to a(5l,and exhibiting tlie Objects about which the A6t 
 is converfant, and providentially ordering the Occafions leading to it, 
 and giving that Aid to the Agents, without which they could not do 
 what is done by them : For in him we Uve^ move wid have cir Beirg^ 
 A(Els 17. 28. Now all this fu^-^poTeth that God hath from Eternity 
 decreed thus to do : For whatever God does in Time, he decreed to 
 do from Eternity ; and this is much more th^n barely not hindring 4 
 free Agent from doing this or that A(St. 
 
 4. From God's permitting free Agents thus to a<3:, the Things in 
 this Way brought to pafs, will as certainly have a Being as if God 
 decreed to bring them about by a pofitive Ad of his Power. For if 
 he'himfelf does, or decrees to do all that is neceiTary in order to their 
 Futurition, giving his Creatures all the Power and Aid that is necefia- 
 ry thereunto, adminifbing alfo the Occafions leading to fuch Actions 
 or Events, when he knows that his Creatures being put into fuch a 
 State, and then left to their own free Will, will ailliredly a<St after fuch 
 a Manner ; he does by Confequence will or decree fuch Actions or 
 Events, as they, not he, are the immediate Efncients and formal 
 Caufes of. I fay, he that wills to do that on which he certainly knows 
 luch an Event will follow, does by Confequence will that Event, tho' 
 he himfelf neither does the Thing, nor is properly the Caufe of ano- 
 thers doing it ; and tho* the Agent by whom fuch an Adion is done, 
 or fuch an EfFed produced, be at perfedLiberty whether he will do (o 
 or not. In this Cafe the Event will affuredly happen, or theEffed be 
 produced, as if the Agent ading had no Liberty ; becaufeGod has de^ 
 termined to do, and actually does, that which he knows will be an 
 Pccafion (not Caufe) of that Agent's fo ading. 
 
 The certain Futurition of any Events thus neceflarily, or rather 
 certainly, confequent on God's permiflive Decree, relating to them, 
 does not at all infer a Want of Power or Liberty in the Agents imme- 
 diately concerned in them, of not ading as they do. If God decrees 
 to do that, on which he knows fuch an Event will follow, that is. 
 That his Creature having Power (o to ad, will of its own Accord do 
 
ghap.xiJ: } Grace defended. 159 
 
 io., the Confequence of this is not, that his Creature has not Power to 
 do otherwife. I think this is as plain as any Thing can be. How 
 ihould God's Decree to fufFer a free Agent to adl after fuch a Manner, 
 infer that Agent's not having Power to forbear fo ading ? 
 
 If it be here faid, that it is not polTible that even God himfcif ihould 
 know what a free Agent will do in a Cafe wherein he is fuppofed to 
 have Power to do a Thing or not to do it ; I anfwer, fir ft., By aflc- 
 ing him that fays fo, How he knows this ? Does he find any fuch 
 Thing aflerted in the holy Scriptures ? Or will he fay. That a Sup- 
 pofition of God's knowing v/hat a {^itQ Agent will do, implies a Con- 
 tradicSlion, and {o cannot be true. If this be what is intended, I de- 
 clare my felf very far from feeing it to be evident. If a Creature 
 may be fuppofed to have Power to do that which he does not ; or oa 
 the other Hand, not to do that which he does ; How does it appear 
 that God, whofe Underftanding is infinite, cannot know whether he 
 will do the Thing or not do it ? To fuppofe, that God may know 
 both that fuch a Creature will do fuch an Adion, and that he will not 
 do it, would indeed be a plain ContradicSlioii : The Reafon is, becaufe 
 both thefe cannot be true : But to fuppofe that God may know that 
 fuch a Creature will do fuch an Adion, tho' that Creatufe have 
 Power not to do it, when it is a Truth that he will do it, even then 
 when God is fuppofed to know it, has not, I think, any Appearance 
 of a Contradiction in it. 
 
 It was always a Truth., even from Eternity, that Creatures by 
 whom fuch and fuch Adlions are done in Time, would fo ^lO them. 
 If it be true' a Minute before a Creature performs an A6^ion, that he 
 will perform it > the fame Was true an Hour before that, and a Year 
 before that, and fo from Eternity : Or did this at any Time begin to 
 hz2LTruth? Now, how Can any Man affirm, that there may be a 
 Truth which God may be, nay, muft needs be ignorant of? Let it 
 alfo be confidered, that ifGod cannot fcr-eknow (uch Contingencies, 
 then he cannot know of them one Hour before they come to pafs. 
 but thus to difpute is to argue againit plain Fafl: : For it is certain that 
 God hath both fore-known and revealed many fuch Things long be- 
 fore their Accornplifhment ; as that o^ Cyrus his fending the Jews back 
 to their own Land ; and thztoi Judas' s betraying his Lord and Maf- 
 ter, b'f. Or had not thefe Agents Power to forbear doing thefe 
 AiSiions ? i canfhew that Dr.TvvlssE, who was no Arminian^ affirms 
 this with Refpe6l to Judas, and fays the flime with Refpedt to Men's 
 fmful Actions in general i yet he truly acknowledgeth that Men can- 
 not 
 
1 6 a Grace defended. " \ [ ^hIp. xix! 
 
 not.exercife Grace in their doing good Actions, or in their forbearing 
 evil ones, till God beH-ovvs his Grace upon them. 
 
 I'think it appears plainly enough, by what has been faid in feveral of 
 the laft foregoing Paragraphs, That the Sovereignty of God in decree- 
 ing future Events, and bringing them to pafs in the Way of his Provi- 
 dence, is no Ways inconfiftent with the Liberty of his Creatures. 
 
 ,And this I think well agrceth with" the A[fcmhly cf Divines^ in their 
 Confejfton of Faith ^ Chap. 5. Se(Sl:. 2. " Altho' in Relation to the 
 " Fore-kiiowledge and Decree of God, the firft Caufe, all Things 
 «« com.e to pafs immutably, and infallibly; yet by the fameProvi- 
 '^ dencehe ordereth them to fall out according to the Nature of fe-. 
 " cond Caufes, either neceflarily, freely or contingently. " Now 
 this undoubtedly holds true with Refpe6l to God's Decree and Pro- 
 vidence relating to Man's eternal State, as well as with, any other 
 Thing whatfoever. 
 
 '"'I crave Leave in this Place to make a fhort Digreilion from v/hat is 
 the properDefign andBufmefs of thisEilay, which is not to defend thofe 
 cahinian Doctrines which I acknov>'ledge, but to elfablifli my own Hy- 
 pothecs, in thofe Articles, wherein I differ from moft that are in that 
 Scheme* 
 
 But having in Page 154. acknowledged the Truth of theDotSlrine of 
 Reprchation^^s well as that oiEle^ion ; and being fenfiblehow very ten- 
 der many ferious Souls are, withRefpecl to the firft mentioned of thefe 
 twoArticles ; I fhall attempt in a very few Words, to take off the feem- 
 incr Harfhnefs of theDodlrine v.'hich I have now named. But let thofe 
 who own theDodlrine of Eledlon, as it is afferted in Eph, 1.4. 5. 
 andVerfeii. Rom. 8. 30. A6ls 13. 48. and many other Places: 
 Let fuch, I fay, as believe this DotSlrine, confider how this can be 
 true, and the other mentioned be falfe. How can we fuppofe it. to. be 
 a Truth, that God chufeth fome of Mankind to eternal Life, and yet 
 not leave the Reft unchofen ? How can he be faid to chufe any, if he 
 makes no Difference, but takes all ? Now, if we acknowledge that 
 God chufeth fome of Mankind from among the Reft, to be the Ob- 
 je6ls of his fpecial Favour, as in the Texts above quoted, this with 
 what is plainly implied in it, and evidently held forth from it, contains 
 tlie Subftance of what they hold, if 1 do not mifunderftand them who 
 maintain the DotSlrine of which I am now fpeaking : And I deftre 
 fuch as are willing to fubmit to the Authority of God's holy Word, to 
 conlider v/hether as much as this is not plainly held forth in fuch Texts 
 of Scripture as thefe, wz. ^ude ver. 4. Rom. 11. 7, 8. and Chap. 
 9 . 21, 22. Many fuch I'exts might be eafily named , 
 
 And 
 
c.M. xix. } Grace defended. 1 6 1 
 
 And let it be confidered that if God docs, or ever will, inflidl eter- 
 nal Torment on any of the Children of Men, he miift be fuppofed al- 
 ways to have intended to do fo ; for we cannot fuppofe that God ever 
 did any Thing but what he firft purpofed or intended to do ; nor can 
 we reafonably think, that God ever purpofed or intended to do any 
 Thing, which he did not before purpofe. Or can we think that any 
 new Reafons can offer thcmfelvesto God, which before he knew not 
 of, to move bim to purpofe or decree Things which he never before in- 
 tended to do, or intended Ihould be done ? I hope none have fo mean 
 Tho'ts of God, as fuch an Imagination would imply ! I fuppofe it 
 undeniable, that whatever God docs in Time, he hath purpofell to do 
 from Eternity. 
 
 For the fame Reafon that God docs any Thing in Time, that Is 
 done by him, he always purpofed to do it. If the'refore, God inflict- 
 ing Pain or Torment on any of the Children of Men, he inflideth the 
 fame for their Sins ; then he eternally purpofmg to inflict Pain or 
 Torment on them, and always purpofed to do this for their Sins, or 
 as a Juft Punifhment of them. 
 
 But if any think it will from hence follow, that Men's Sins are the 
 Caufe of God's Decree to punifh them, they are herein grofly mifta- 
 ken : Sin is the Caufe of Man's fuflfering, and the Thing for which 
 God intends he lliall fufFer ; yet the fame cannot be the Caufe 
 of God's Ail in decreeing : The Reafon of which is evident, vi-z, Be- 
 caufe the Decree of God, being an eternal and Immunent Ad of his, 
 cannot be an Effecfl of any Thing out of himfelf ; and moft evidently 
 it cannot be an Effcftofany Thing that is temporal, as Sin is : For 
 how fhould a Thing that had no Being till very lately, be the Caufe of 
 a Thing that had a Being from Eternity. Of God's Adtions of this 
 •Kind, the Perfe6lions of his own Nature, fuch as his ov/n perfect 
 Knowledge, Wildom, Juftice, Holinefs, v/hich belong to his eternal 
 Power and God-head, can only be tlie Caufe, not the temporary 
 Actions of his Creatures. 
 
 What God may juftly do In Time, he may juftly decree to do 
 from Eternity. If God does nothing in the Execution of his Decrees, 
 which is unjuftj he does no Injuftice in decreeing : Or can we Ima- 
 gine that God does unjuftly in decreeing to do juftly ? This would be 
 Itrange ! Indeed God's eternal J)ecree does not of itfelfany Ways af- 
 feiSl any ofhis Creatures. His Decree does not of itfelf either give 
 them a Being, or work any EfTecls on them. This is only done by 
 his Efficiency and Providence. If therefore, in and by thefe, he does 
 
 X his 
 
1 6 2 Grace defended. \ ch ap. xixl 
 
 his Creatures no Wrong, he never does them any at all. If God deals 
 fairly by his Creatures in all his Works, or providential Difpenfations 
 towards them, they can have no Reafoji to complain of him as if hU 
 Waywas. not equal. When therefore God juftifies himfelf againft all 
 the hard Thoughts and wicked Cavils of fmful Men, the Courfe he 
 takes is to (hew the Juftice and Equity of all his AcSlions towards them., 
 ^nd is not wont to difpute with them concerning his eternal Decrees. 
 
 See thefe following Texts and others like them, E-zek, i8. 25, 29, 
 
 Xam. Z* 33,— -36. Job z^. ii, i2, 23, 24. 
 
 Tho' it be true, that God does nothing but what he firft decrees to 
 do, and this even from Eternity ; and as true that God. decrees to do 
 nothing but what he does, and that in the v^ery fame Manner in which 
 he decreed to do it ; yet no Inftances can be given of God's doing any 
 Thing that is unjuft or unequal in the Execution of his Decrees. He 
 manages all Things in fuch a Manner, that Man has not the lea ft 
 Reafon to complain of him. That is moft true concerning him, in 
 X)eut. 32. 4. He is the Rocky his Work is perfe£f : For oil his Wms 
 are Judgment : A God of Truth and without Iniquity y juji and right 
 is he*. . 
 
 As God neither will, nor ever defigned to torment Men in another 
 Life, fave for their Sins, whereby they well deferve the fame ; fo he 
 never is, nor intended to be, the Caufe of thofe Sins for which he re- 
 folved to punifh thofe who he ever knew would deferve it. If God 
 'fhould himfelf caufe Men to commit Sin, it would not ftand with his 
 Juftice to punifti them for it. But no Man can prove, that God 
 was ever the Author of any Sin. To affirm he ever was, is to blaf- 
 pheme his holy Name. If any have let fall Expreflions implying 
 that God is the Author of Sin, they have certainly erred therein : And 
 they who accufe Men with this (as I think, is frequent) when they are 
 .not guilty of it,, are guilty of grievoufly wronging them.. 
 
 They who affirm. That God has from Eternity decreed to permit 
 thofe Sins to be committed, which he certainly knew would be com- 
 mitted, if he prevented them not, and that he accordingly does per- 
 mit them, do not hereby make him the Author of Sin. God's fuffer* 
 ing his Creatures to Sin, when it is in his Power to hinder them, is not 
 tobe the Author of Sin. Nor is God in Juftice obliged to exert his 
 Power in hindring Perfons from fmning, tho' he knows they will Sin 
 ^if he does not, an4 that their Sinning will bring Ruin on them. . ; 
 
chapx": } Gra^e defended. 165 
 
 But if God fhould lay any of the Children of Men under an abfd-^ 
 lute and fatal Neceffity of finning againft him, and then pimijh them for 
 the Sins they commit, (which I fuppofe he never docs) this would be 
 what I cannot fee the Equity of : But that Men do, by their own Vo- 
 luntary Rebellion, bring fuch a NeceJJity on themfelves, I deny riot ;' 
 and then they may juftly fufFer for the Sins they commit, or rather for 
 their Crime in bringing themfelves into fuch a bad Condition. 
 
 God does not, by his eternal Decree^ that he Will punifli thefe or 
 thofe Perfons in another Life and World, nor in the Execution of this 
 Decree of his, lay fuch Perfons under a Neceffity of finning againft. 
 him ; tho' in this his Permifnon of Sin is implied his willing the Be- 
 ing of Sin by his PermifBon : But this permifHve Will of G°od muft' 
 not be underftood of his Will, as he is Lawgiver^ by which he wilW 
 what fliould be done, and what fhould not ; but of his Will concern- 
 ing Events^ by which he wills what Things fhall come to pafs, and 
 what fhall not, either by his efFe(5live Providence, or at leafl by liis 
 fufi'ering them to be done. 
 
 mm 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 XX. 
 
 That Perfons who have long rejijled and 
 quenched the Holy Spirit^ and fo provoked 
 him to depart from them^ may at lafl feek 
 earnejlly for Mercy ^ and not obtain it\ no 
 Argument againfl what I plead for. 
 
 %%^^^%^ HAT Sinners are often e-uiltv of refiftino- and' 
 
 /^ quenching the Holy Spirit of God, and this for a 
 
 ^ long Time, is here taken for granted ; and it is a 
 
 ^^ ^'"^^h unto which what was fpoken by the holy 
 
 ^ Martyr Stephen^m Ms 7. 5i'-. i^ a very clear Tefii-^ 
 
 ■*fj v* •^*<^/"-'«r«r"» •^^<^'-> /• 5i'' «s a very ciear 1 eiti- 
 
 ^^^*^^T.%.k\, *^°">' ' ^^ pff-necked and uncircumcifed in Heart\ 
 %^^m^^^^:^ ,^,l Ears, ye do always rejiji the Holy Ghoji : Js* 
 your Fathers did, fo do ye. Tliat in Ifai. 63. 10. is to the fame Pur- 
 pofc i ht they hav€ reklkd and vexed his Holy Spirit^ &c. Alfo that 
 
 X 2, in 
 
 
1 64 Grace defended, \ CHA^p.xi: 
 
 in I Thef. 5. 17. fetich not the Spirit^ Implies In It the Truth here 
 taken for granted ; and there are a great Number of other Texts in 
 which the fame Truth is implied. 
 
 Now, in all fuch Texts as thefe, the Striving of the Holy Spirit 
 with Sinners is evidently fuppofed, even the fame that is exprefly 
 mentioned, Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit Jhall not always Jlrive with Man, 
 Sinners could not refift the Holy Spirit, if he did not ftrive with them, 
 or were not engaged in fome Defign or Work wherein they might 
 be fuppofcd to oppofe or refift him. 
 
 Now^, this Operation or Striving of the Spirit, in which Sinners zdi 
 in Oppofition to him, cannot be juftly conceived to be a Striving in 
 the proper and literal Senfe of the Word, which implies, a Perfon's 
 doing all that is in his Power to accomplifli a Work, wherein he is 
 engaged ; for this is utterly inconfiftent with the infinite Power of the 
 Holy Ghofl, who is One of the three Perfons in the God-head : This 
 muft, therefore, be attributed to the Spirit of God, after the Manner 
 of Men, as Things sre in Scripture frequently attributed to God. 
 Thus, becaufe the Spirit of God does thofe Things which have a na- 
 tural Tendency towards their Converfion and eternal Salvation, he is 
 faid to ftrive with them to that End, tho* he does not all that is in his 
 Power ; which, were he a Man or fome other created Agent, he 
 might be fuppofed to do, if he were reiifted, and did not accomplifh 
 what he attempted. 
 
 I muft alfo obfervc, that the immediate End of this Operation of 
 the Spirit, wherein he is fuppofed to be refifted, and many Times 
 eftedlually, fo that he accomplifheth not what he attempteth, cannot 
 be the Regeneration of the Perfons he is (aid to ftrive with ; for ' this 
 being a Work, to which the infinite Power of God is required, like 
 that by which he wrought in Chrift when he raifed him from the 
 Dead, fuch a Power mult needs be exerted, vi4ienever this Work is 
 attempted ; and then there can be no Refiftance given to the Holy 
 Spirit therein. The Holy Spirit never fails of accompllfhing this^ 
 when he fets about it : As the Soul is wholly pajjive in it, fo it can 
 make nO Refiftance againit it. When the Spirit works in this Way, 
 none can hinder. 
 
 The Work, therefore, of the Holy6pirit which Sinners are fuppofed 
 to refift and to prevent, is a Work of quite a different Nature from 
 Jthat but now mentioned : A Work in which the Spirit of God a6ls 
 in a morale not in "^phyfical Way (if 1 may ufe thefe Terms) I mean 
 he works \i\ the Way of 7noral Suafwi^ by offering Matter of Con- 
 
 vidion 
 
Jh'aI. xx. ? Grace defended. 165 
 
 vi<£lion and Awakening to thofe he is faid to ftrivc with. He fcta 
 proper Arguments and Motives before them, and inculcates the fame 
 upon their Mind and Confciencc, to perfiiade and excite them to apply 
 themfelves to the Things wherein their everlafting Peace and \Vcltare 
 is concerned. He ufeth Means to remove their Prejudices againft the 
 Things which he perfuades them to, and to ftir them up to improve 
 the Powers which they have latent in them, but feem as if they had 
 not, and will never exert, unlefs they be in this Way aflifted. This, 
 I fay, is the Way of the Spirit's Working, when he ftiives with Sin- 
 ners in order to their Ciood. And thus heftrives with them in a 
 Way, unto the Succefs of which their own Concurrence and Activity 
 are required \ which to the AtSt oi Regeneration it is not \ tho' in tiie 
 Work preparatory to this it is. 
 
 Now, in the Spirit's Striving here intended, I do not fuppofe what 
 he does by the written and preached Word, only to be included ; but 
 doubt not that he alfo ftrives with Sinners by inftrudlive and convin- 
 cing Providences, and fometimes by the Miniftrv of his holy Angels, 
 and immediate Suggeftions ; by all which Means, Things are bro*t 
 to the Minds of finful Men, which tend to in{l:ru6l and excite them 
 to their Duty : But dill this is driving with them in a moral Way ; 
 not by attempting to create new Powers in them, which they are 
 without. And if the Striving of the Holy Spirit be in the W^iy now 
 exprefled, it is eafy to corTceivc how he may be refufed by fuiful Men, 
 and his J^efign and Work fruiirated \ becaufe Perfualions, properly 
 fuch, fuppofe a Power in the Subjects perfuadcd, either to do or not 
 do the Things they are perfuaded to : For to what End is a Perfon 
 perfuaded to do that which he is fuppofed, either to have no Power to 
 perform, or no Power to let alone ; unlefs the Perfuafions ufcd arc 
 fuppofed to give him Power to do the Thing required ? And then he 
 is enabled to do it in a moral (not a phyfical) Way, which I willino-ly 
 allow, /. e. he is excited and made willing to do that which he had 
 Power before (in a phyfical Senfe) to perform ; biit never would have 
 performed (and in the Senfe explained could not) without fuch Per- 
 fuafions. Thus have I fhewed what that Striving of the Spirit- of God 
 is, which Sinners are here fuppofed to refill: and quench. 
 
 I fhall proceed to confidcr how finful Men ?v/;// and quench the 
 Spirit, in thefe Operations. And here 1 fliall bricBy .name fome of 
 the principal Ways in which this is done. And, 
 
 (i) Sinners refift and quench the Spirit when they will not hearken 
 and attend to what he fays to them. All that God iiu's to finful Men 
 
 in 
 
1 66 Grace defended^ { caIf-xx: 
 
 in his written and preached Word, by the ? Voice of his Providence, 
 and by the Miniftry of his Angels ; by all which they are put in Re- 
 membrance of their many Sins, and the Duties required of them 5 
 all thefe, I fay, are the Voice of the Holy Spirit to: them, unto whom 
 the Application of Redernption m^ft^ipecially belongs. .Now, when 
 Sinners refufe to hear and confider what the Holy Spirit does in thefe 
 Ways fay to them, this is evidently to refift and .quench him. By 
 thus refufing to hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit, Sinners refufe to 
 receive Influences and Convictions, the giving of which is the fpecial 
 End of the Spirit's being Cent intq Uie World to them, as appears irt 
 ]5^^« 16. and 30. /J f'v :^-^^':'!; 1': ■ 
 
 (2) Sinners refift the Spirit of God in their Refufal of the OfFers of 
 his Mercy made to them, thro' a Redeemer, by negle^ing the great 
 Salvation offered, to them, as in Heb. 2, 3. The Application of that 
 Redemption which has been purchafcd for fmful Men, does efpecially 
 belong to the Holy Spirit, as, his Work ; and to this End he labours 
 with Sinners to prepare and qualify them to be Partakers of it, and 
 make them willing to go to Jefus Chrift for the Benefits offered to 
 them : He calls, invites and perfuades them to do fo. Now, when 
 they refufe to obey thefe Calls, they in this, in a very efpecial Man- 
 lier, refifl and quench the Holy Spirit of God. This efpecially was 
 the' Sin with which th^ Jews were charged. John 5. 40. Te ivill 
 not come to me ^ that ye might have Life. The-like^we have in A^atth^ 
 20. 3y. The fame Sin. is called a doing Defpiie to the Spirit of Grace i 
 Becaufe the Tendency of the Influences of the .Holy Spirit, in the 
 Work of common Grace, is to bring Sinners to an Acceptance of 
 the Saviour, and Salvation offered to them, k which Work of his, 
 they wickedly refift him. See i/^-Z'. 10. 29. , 
 ' Sinners may efpecially be looked upon .as' Refifterspf' the Holy 
 Spirit, in this Work of his, when they fall away after he has wrought 
 a very confidcrable. Change on them, has adually done a great deal 
 for them, in order to their being made Partakers of the fpecial Mer- 
 cies offered to them in the new Covenant, and fo brought them very 
 nigh to the Kingdom of God., as that Scribe was, Mark 12. 34. This 
 I take to be the very Cafe fuppofed in Ezek* 18. 24, 26. and Heb, 
 6. 4, 5, 6. and 2 Pet. 2. 20. and in Heb. 10. 38, 39. which Places 
 I only here refer my Reader to. i J 
 
 But moft of all do Sinners refift and quench the Spirit of God, 
 when the Oppofition which they give to him and his Work, is with 
 
 an 
 
Part IL 
 
 Chap 
 
 XX. } Grace defendec^. i6f 
 
 an Intent to reproach and diftionour him, and the gracious Defiora 
 wherein he is engaged. This feems to be the Crime (or the great 
 Aggravation of the Crime) of tlic Scribes and PhariTees, when they 
 faid, Doth not this Felloiv^ (meaning our Lord) caft out Devils. hy 
 'Qcdzthnh the Prince of Devils 1^ Matth. i2. 24. And {o' m A4ark 
 3. 22. it is faid, The Scribe luhich ca?ne down from Jerulalem faid^ 
 He hath Beelzebub, and by the Prince of the Devils caflcth he out De- 
 vils. And the Blafphemy, for which they are fpokenofiis in Dan- 
 ger of eternal Damnation, is thus defcribetl in Verfe 30. Bjccaufe^ 
 faidthey\^ he halh an unclean Spirit » ' '-■ - • ' - •■■^ ■ 
 
 (3) Sinners refift the Holy Spirit by obflinately rebelh'ng againft 
 him, and refufing to do what he requires of them. Of Sinners thus 
 refifting the Spirit of God we have an Account in fuch Texts of 
 Scripture as Ifai. 63. 10. But they rebelled^ and vexed his Holy Spirit : 
 Therefore he was turned to be their Enemy ^ and fought agaijijl them* 
 Jer. 2. 25. and Chap. 44. 16. As for the Word thou haji fpoken unto 
 us in the Name of the Lord^ we will not hearken unto thee. 
 
 Efpecially when Perfons {in againft Light and Knowledge, they 
 are guilty of refifting and quenching the Spirit of God. When if 
 notwithftanding Men are by the Holy Spirit convinced, that fuch 
 and fuch A6lions are evil and provoking in God's Sight, yet they will 
 do them, in this they greatly fm againft the Holy Ghoft. O^ this 
 Kind of Sin our Saviour fpeaketh, John 15. 22. If I had not come 
 and fpohn unto them\ they had not had Sin : But now they have 710 Cloak 
 for their Sins. 
 
 And now that the Spirit of God dpti .foitietimes utterly withdraw 
 from Perfons who have loiig refiffed tvn^ ifi ' the Inftances above ex^ 
 preffed, is what'I atn here next to iheV; and the fame is moft mani- 
 feftly held forth in Geri. 6. 3. ' Jnd the Lord faid, My Spirit Jhall not 
 always Jlrive ivith Man, for that he alfo is Fief. Which Words are 
 
 3> 
 
 ilt 
 
 for the Unjujl, (that he ?nighfbrin^us\to'Gcd)'Jbeing put to Death in thg 
 Flejhy but quickned by the . Spirit, : By "which alfo he 'went and, preached 
 unto the Spirits in Prifon ; which fomeiime were dif obedient, when once 
 the Long-fuffering of God waited in the Days ^yNoah, %vhile the Ark zvas 
 a preparing, whirein few, that is eight. Souls were faved by JVater, 
 "Thus the Spirit of God departed from 5"^/^, \ Sam. 16. 14. And 
 'thus David prayed, that the holy Spirit of God jnight not be taken 
 
 from 
 
i6S Gface defended. \ J^"/,. xi; 
 
 from hfm, when probably he tho't himrelf unconverted : Pfal. 51. 1 1. 
 As for GoJ's true Saints, he hath promifcd that he will never take his 
 holy Spirit from them. Ifa, 59. ;io, 21. Jcr. 32. 38, 39, 40. 
 
 There are other Texts of Scripture, wherein the final Withdraw- 
 ing of the Spirit of God from fome, who long refill and rebel againft 
 him, is very evidently implied : Such as that, Pfal. 81.11,12. But my 
 People would not hearken to myVoice : Jnd Ifrael would none of me. So I 
 gave them up unto their own Hearts Lii/ls : Jnd they walked in their oiun 
 Counfels. With this Place compare thefe following, i Chron. 28. 9. 
 2 Chron» 15. 2. Exek, 24. 13. Rev* 22. 11. When God 
 wholly and forever gives up any Sinners to their own Heart's Lufts, 
 refolving that he will let them follow the Devices and Counfels of their 
 own wicked Hearts, his thus taking his Spirit forever from them, is 
 ^lerein moft evidently implied : And what the dreadful Confequences 
 of this are, comes next in order to be confidered. 
 
 Now, when God deals thus with any of the rebellious Children of 
 Men, they are undone, and that forever: It is then impoiTible to re- 
 new them again to Repentance^ as in Heb. 6. 6. When the Spirit of 
 God has utterly forfaken them, there then remains no more Sacrifice 
 for their Sim ; they having trodden under Foot the Blood of the Son of 
 God, ^nd ihcTe'm done Defpite io the Spirit of Grace, as in Heb. 10. 
 
 26, 29* This is 3. Sin unto Death, which we are required to pray 
 
 for the Pardon of. It is impoflible that the Sin of fuch Perfons fhould 
 ever be pardoned : And atprefent I fee no Reafon but that it may be 
 the fame Si?i again/} the holy Ghoj}, that is fpoken of in Matth. 12. 
 ?ind Adark. 3. I fuppofe the Sin in thofe Places intended, to confift 
 no lefs in the Enmity of Men's, Hearts againft the holy Spirit, and the 
 Work he is engaged in, and the Refiftance they give to him in it, than 
 in the Words they utter againft him : And I am far from agreeing 
 with a certain Author, who thinks the Sin intended in thefe Places 
 cannot be committed without Men's pronouncing thofe blafphemous 
 Words here fpoken of. Perhaps ftjch malicious Speeches are rather 
 to be looked upon as a plaiii Indication of the Perfons guilty of the 
 horrendous Crime, by our Saviour pronounced unpardonable, than as 
 that, in which the intended Sin does either wholly or principally con- 
 fift. And if this be the Truth of the Cafe, I fuppofe none can be 
 known by others to have committed the mentioned Sin, except fuch 
 Blafphcmers as our Saviour defcribes : And I believe that Sinners can- 
 not ordinarily in this Life know that they have finned unpar don ably. 
 
 In 
 
chap.xx! } Grace defended. 169 
 
 In this, I think, I well agree with the Learned Mr. How, in his Rc^ 
 cleaner's Teais^ which Book I have not now hy me. 
 
 Indeed none have committed that Sin whicli is unpardonable, but 
 tliofe from whom the Spirit has finally withdrawn himfelf, or is about 
 fo to do ; and it is certain, that all fuch aie guilty oFan unpardonable 
 Sin : And the Rcafon why it is impofliblc fuch Sinners fhould ever 
 obtain a Pardon, is, becaufe the Spirit of God has utterly forfakeii 
 them, and will never return to them again ; and on this Account it is 
 impoiiible they fliould ever be renezued again to Repentance^ as in Hebk 
 6. 6. In which Claufe it is implied, that they once had a Repentance 
 which they have loll, and fallen from, but not of the fame Kind wliich 
 the Regenerate only have ; for thofe who have that never fail away, 
 as thofe do fpoken of in the Place referred to, Heh. 6. 6. Nor can 
 Perfons be fuch Apoftates in whom com.mon Grace, which implies 
 Repentance of a lower Kind than that of the Regenerate, has never 
 been wrought. But the Spirit does not bring all with v/hom he 
 jftrives unto this Length, which is the fame wnth that defcribcd, 2 Pet, 
 2. 20. without attaining unto v/hich Perfons may provoke the Spirit 
 of God to leave them : But I think that ordinarily fuch cannot know 
 that the Spirit of God will no more ilrive with them. 
 
 I fliall have finifhed this Chapter, when I have faid. That its 
 being a Truth, that the Spirit of God having been long reufl:- 
 ed by wicked Men, may at laft thus leave them (as is in many- 
 Scriptures implied) fo that hereupon their DeitrutSlion is un- 
 avoidable, can be no Evidence that before this they could not 
 comply with the Terms of the new Covenant. If now they are given 
 up to their own Heart'sLufts, fo that they cannot do this, it followeth 
 not that they could never have done it. If now the 'Things of their 
 Peace are hidden from their Eye^^ it does not thence appear, that they 
 always were fo ; nay, the contrary is plainly implied in the Words 
 alluded to. If now God will not hear their Cries to him for Mercy, 
 as in Prov. i. 24. it followeth not, that he never would have heard 
 them, if they would have called on him : The contrary is plainly 
 implied in the Place quoted. If Sinners will not feck the Lord%vhile hg 
 may be founds and call upon him zvhile he is near ; no Wonder if he will 
 not hear their Cries, when the Day of his Patience is at an End. Nor 
 can Sinners feek the Lord after their Day of Grace is ended, as they 
 might have done, while he was driving with them by his Word and 
 Spirit. They now, indeed, cry for Deliverance when they feel the 
 Terrors of the Almighty feizing on their Souls, as in Prov, i. 26, 27-. 
 
 Y which. 
 
1 70 Grace defended. \ ^^7,. xxl 
 
 which Cries arc nothing like the Prayers of Sinners, tho' unregene- 
 rate while under fenfibie Ejicourageimnts from the Invitations of the 
 Gofpel, and while God lays to them, as in 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now is the 
 accepted Time ; now is the Day of Salvation. After the Door of God's 
 Mercy is (hut (tho' here in this World) Sinner's Cries for Deliverance 
 from the Torments which they may fufFer, are of the fame Kind with 
 thofe of the Wicked after this Life is at an End, Luke 13. 25, 26. 
 and Maith. 25. lo, 11. 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 Wherein the Power of Man^ with Relation to 
 the Co7tdition on which Salvation is offered 
 to him in the Go/pel^ is further confideredi 
 
 i%iSL^(Mi%M^ H O' myTho'ts withRefpea to thePoint here propo- 
 :'^* % 'ML'Mk ®' ^^^ ^^ further Confideration, have, I hope, been in 
 ®S^S^^%-^ fome tolerable Meafure manifefted, fo that I tho't 
 ?§9%| T f§^^^3 not to have added any Thing further; yet that I 
 sSc;^^^0& may not fail of being underftood, with Refpeft to 
 fiofeicDtsoS this important Article, I (hall endeavour more fully 
 -a- ■^' •«• -cs- 'i^' jQ explain and confirm what I hold. 
 
 I think I have fufficiently proved in Part II. Chap. V. of this EfTay, 
 that neither the Grace of Regeneration, nor any Ad implying it, can 
 be the Condition on which Salvation is offered in the Gofpel ; and 
 coniequently if Salvation be conditionally offered, as I have fhewed it 
 is. Part I. Chap. IV. the Condition required is not performed by 
 Virtue of any Power received in our Regeneration, that, in Order of 
 Nature, following our Faith and Juftification. It is therefore here 
 fuppofed, that th^ Power by which any Sinner believeth unto Rightecuf 
 nefs^ as in Rotn. 10. 10. be that Power what it will, and however the 
 Sinner comes by it, is fuch a Power as the Sinner may, and muft have 
 before he is bom again y or born of the Spirit* 
 
 Nor is there any Doubt here, whether this Power is given to Man 
 by God, from whom every good and perfe^ Gift comethdown^ Jam. i, 
 
 i7« 
 
chap.x'xi: } Grace defended. 171 
 
 17. tho' it may be very reafonably enquired in what Way and Man- 
 ner God gives this Power, and whether he gives it only to fuch aji 
 when they have it ufe it well, and fo adually comply with the Terms 
 on which Salvation is offered to them. 
 
 That Sinners may have Power to do that which is never a6lually 
 done by them, I know not of any that will deny, with whom I am 
 any Ways likely to be concerned. I fhall therefore take it for gran- 
 ted. That it 13 pofEble for Perfons to do fome Things which it is in 
 their Power to avoid ; and alfo not to do fome Things which they 
 have the Power to perform. 
 
 The Qiisftion therefore here is only refpecling the Power of per- 
 forming the Condition on which Salvation is offered to Sinners ; and 
 this Inquiry can only here relate to thofe Sinners that never accept of 
 Salvation on the Terms of the newCovenant ; for as for fuch^s do ac- 
 cept of it, they certainly have a Power fome Way or other to do {0. 
 
 I fliall then here enquire, whether fuch as will not, and (c) do not, 
 come to Jcfus Chrift for Life, in the iVlanncr required of them in or- 
 der to their being faved, do fail of doing this for want of a Power ne- 
 cefliiry to that End. And let it be remembred that I here fpeak of 
 fuch only as enjoy the Means of Salvation, the Grace of God fpokcn 
 ofin2C'<?r. 6. i. And the Queftion here is not, whether Sinners 
 can believe to the faving of their Souls ^ without Aid and Affiflance from 
 God ; but whether they might not do fo, having fuch Means and 
 Helps as many have, who yet never comply with the Terms of the 
 Gofpel, and fo perifn for ever. 
 
 Nor do I by that Aid and Afliflance which I fuppofe necefTary in 
 this Cafe, intend fuch only as confift in external Means ; as the Word 
 of God written and preached, the Sacraments of Baptifm and the 
 Lord's Supper, inftru6tive and awakening Providences, •b'r. But be- 
 fides thefe I fuppofe there is neceffary unto a Sinner's doing what is 
 required of him in the Gofpel, the Aids and Influences of God's holy 
 Spirit to move and excite him to the Things required of him, by bring- 
 ing his Duty to his Remembrance, and his Obligations to perform it ; 
 alfo by putting him in Mind of his Sins and the Calls given him in the 
 Word of God to repent of them, and turn from them, and lay hold 
 on the great Saviour provided for him, ^'l\ 
 
 Y 2 Thcfe 
 
172 Grace defended. { chap.xxl 
 
 -Thefe Motions and Influences of the holy Spirit, have all of them a 
 Relation to the Things required of Man in the holy Scriptures, and 
 not to Things which are not therein prefcribed ; and are intended by 
 the ^/^r/u/w^g-i cy^GW'i »S'/)//7V, of which we read, G^w. 6. 3. and which 
 the Wicked refift (ASis 7. 31.J and quench, (i TheJ. 5. 19.J and 
 whom they are (aid in fo doing to vex and grievey Ifai. 63. 10. Eph, 
 4. 30. 
 
 In thefe Alotions and Influences of the holy Spirit which I here 
 fpeak of, I confefs I conceive he adls in a moral, rather than a phyfical 
 IManner, v'i%. by inftrucling, reproving, exhorting, and perfuading, 
 &c. and hot by creating any new Powers in Men's Souls ; but by 
 doing v/hat is neceflary on his. Part in order to his moving and excit- 
 ing Men to the Performance of their Duty ; and (o rendring them 
 the more inexcufable if they engage not in it. 
 
 Hov/ever thefe Motions of the Spirit being fuch as Perfons may en- 
 joy, and yet never be f<wingly converted, they are quite of a different 
 Nature from thofe Operations of the Spirit of God, by which the great 
 Work of Regeneration is effefted, nor are they defigned to the ''fame 
 End as thefe laft mentioned are ; but to excite Sinners to the Duties 
 that are preparatory to a Work of faving Grace on their Souls, a 
 Work like that ivhich was wrought hi ChriJ}, tvhen God ra'ifed hhn from 
 the Dead ^ (Eph. i. 20.) and by which we are faid to be av«/^i tfWd'z^ 
 hi Chr'ij} fefus unto good Works y Eph. 2. 10. 
 
 . Now the great Qrieftion here Is, Whether when Sinners are under 
 fuch a Work of God's Spirit, with the external Means afforded to 
 fuch as enjoy the Gofpel, and yet do not come to Chrlft for Life , 
 whether, I fay, thefe remain, being under fuch Advantages, without 
 any Power to believe to the faving of their Souls ? 
 
 ■ Now if this be affirmed by any, I confefs I cannot agree with them | 
 in their Sentiments. * 
 
 • But for preventing Millakes In this important Article, I fhall here 
 didinguidi of Impotency, which Is two-fold ; and each of thefe Kinds 
 does fuppofe there may be a Power oppofite to it. The Kinds of 
 Impotency I here intend are by fome, if I miftake not, called natural 
 ^nd moral. I fiiall fpeak of thefe two Kinds of Impotence according 
 to the Notion I mv fclf have of them. 
 
 And 
 
Chap. xxi. \ Gracc dcfcnded. 1 73 
 
 And firfi^ By what I call a natural Impotence, I intend fuch an In- 
 ability to do a Thing, as renders the Thing utterly impoflible to be 
 done by a Perfon without having a new Power or Powers given to 
 hiin. Thus it is properly faid of a blind Man, that he cannot fee ; 
 and of a deaf Man, that he cannot hear : And thus I acknowledge 
 that it may be truly faid of a Perfon in a State of Nature ; not being 
 born of theSpirit,that he cannot perform anyA£i:ions that are truly fpiri- 
 tualor holy. This is as impoffible as it is {ox 2.Thorn-Buflj to bear/'/^j, 
 or for a Bramhle-BuJI) to bear GrnpeSy Luke 6. 44. Nothing lefs than 
 changing the Nature of a Tree wiW render it capable of this. And 
 thus he that is utterly deflitute of faving Grace, cannot bring forth 
 any Fruits of Holincfs, till he is fwingly renewed and made a new 
 Creature, £/)^. 2. 10. No Arguments, Motives, or Perfuafions can 
 give Power to a Man in this Senfe unable to do a Thing, to per- 
 form it. 
 
 But then, fecondly^ There is another Kind of Impotency, which 
 ■arifes only from Error in Men's Judgments, and Obltinacy in their 
 Wills ; and this does in fome Sort difable Perfons from doing fome 
 Things which otherwife they might do, were their Prejudices removed. 
 However it may not be unfitly faid of Perfons under fuch Difadvanta- 
 ges, that they cannot for the prefent do this or that Thing, which they 
 have an Averfion to, when yet fuch Perfons want not a natural Power 
 to perform what they are faid to be unable to do. Thus when a Man 
 is perfuaded that his doing this or that which he is urged to, will prove 
 hurtful and injurious to him, it may be faid, that at prefent he cannot 
 do it, 7. e, he cannot find in his Heart a Willingnefs to engage iii 
 doing that which he thinks will rather hurt him than do him good : 
 Or if he thinks he might obtain fome Benefit by doing the Thing, 
 yet thinks the Advantages he might reap by it will not countervail the 
 Difficulties he muft undergo in that Self-denial which is requifite in 
 order to it, he cannot bring himfelftoa Willingnefs to do it. 
 
 - Perfons are in Scripture in this Senfe fometimes fpoken of as unabis 
 to do this, that or the other Thing, which yet really they want not a 
 natural Power to perform. Thus it is faid o^yofepJ/s Brethren, that 
 ibey hated him fo^ that they could not fpeak peaceably of him ^ (Gen. 3 7. 4.) 
 Such Impotence as this is plainly fpoken of by our Saviour, and the 
 Nature of it unfolded in Luke 11. 5, 6, 7, 8. He faid unto ihe?ny 
 Which of you fall have a Friend^ andfoallgo unto him at Aiidnight^ and 
 jhall fay unto him^ Friend^ Lend me three Leaves -^ for a Friend of -mine 
 is come to me-^ and I have nothing to fet before him : And hefro?n within 
 
 fall 
 
174 Grace defended. \ Ehap.xxl 
 
 jhall anfwer, and fay. Trouble me not ; the Door is mw Jhut, and my 
 Children are with me in Bed \ I cannot rife to give thee. I fay unto 
 you, tho' he will not rife to give him hecaufe he is his Friend ; yet becaufe 
 cf his Importunity he will rife, and give him as many as he needeth. 
 Note here, I cannot rife to give thee, in the latter End of Verfe 7, is 
 nothing more than, he zvillnot, Verfe 8. And this which he would 
 not, he is by and by fuppofed to do. The fame Kind of Impotency 
 is pleaded in Excufe for not going to the great Gofpel-Fealt, Luke 
 14.20. I have married a IFife, and therefor^ I cannot come. And our 
 Saviour himfclf acknowledges this Sort of Impotency in fome Men 
 with Refped to their believing in him^ John 5. 44. How can ye be- 
 lieve vjhich receive Honour one of another, and feek not the Honour that 
 Cometh from God only F This Kind of Impotency is not an abfolute and 
 utter Inability to do the Thing which Men are fometimes faid to be 
 unable to do. This is often made evident by Perfons a^ually doing 
 what they have alledged themfelves to have no Power for. Their 
 could not, being indeed no more than this, that they would not, and not 
 their being utterly unable to do the Thins; intenJed. This is a Sort 
 cf Cannot which may be cured by good Iiiflruaions and Arguments 
 which yet properly give no new Power ; and Men may help them- 
 felves againft this Sort of Inability by reafoning themfelves out of their 
 Prejudices againft the Things, which they and otjjers may imagine they 
 have no Power to do ; fothat they may fee it was not Want of 
 Power, but Want of a Will, that hindred them from doino- as thev 
 ihould. "= ^ 
 
 In the Senfe now explained I acknowledge, that fome cannot come 
 to Chrift for Life, and never will, except the Father draw them, as 
 in John 6. 44. But then our Lord himfelf Ihews wherein this Ina- 
 bility confids. John 5. 40. Te ivill not co?ne to ?ne, that ye ?night have 
 Life ', and Matth. 23. 37. How often woidd I have gathered thy Chil- 
 dren together, even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, and 
 ye ivould not. It would, in my Opinion, be very improper to charge 
 Men's not coming to Chrift merely on their wilful Rebellion, if a real 
 Inability were the Caufe of it. 
 
 If it be here faid to be true of all that do not come to Chrift for 
 Life, that, in a ftrid and proper ^tx\{Q, they have no Power fo to do, 
 I muft crave Leave to difient from this, 'till I can fee otherwife than 
 at prefent I can do. 
 
 And 
 
chap.xx!: } Grace defended. 1 75 
 
 And I fhall only here infift a little more fully on one Argument 
 againft what I here oppofe. I dclire to know what Kindnefs it is to 
 an\ Sinner, that he has an Offer of Salvation made to him intheGofpel, 
 ifhehaveno Power given to him to accept of that Offer. What 
 Kindnefs is it to a Perfon that he has 7'idings of a Saviour, and is pro- 
 mifed that he ihall be faved by him, on this Condition that he be- 
 lieveth on him, when, this notwithftanding, God never did nor ever 
 will give him any Power to believe ? Efpecially fuppofing that if he 
 does not believe, he lliall be punifhed with a much forer Punifliment 
 than he fliould have been, if he had never had an Offer of eternal Life 
 ma le to him j which will be the Cafe of fuch as enjoy tiie Gofpel, 
 and yet do not believe, Matth. 10. 15. I confefs I think that God 
 is much more merciful unto fuch as never have any Offer of Life, 
 than he is to thofe who have an Offer on fuch Terms. 
 
 And yet is it not a Truth, that all who enjoy the Gofpel of Chrlfl, 
 feverally confidered, are bound to blefs God that he has fent his Son 
 into the World to redeem them, and fent his Gofpel to invite them 
 to believe in him, that fo they may have eternal Life thro' him ? If 
 it be faid, that no Man unto whom the Offer of Salivation is made 
 does know any Thing to the contrary but that he is one of God's 
 Ele6l, and fo fliall fooner or later be enabled to believe on the Son of 
 God, and obtain Life thro' his Name ; I anfwer, that if he knew he 
 was fo, he would be bound to praife God for fuch an invaluable 
 Mercy ; but fmce he does not know whether he is one of thefe or 
 not, he does not know whether he have any Caufe to give Thanks 
 to God for the Offer of Salvation or no ; and God does not re- 
 quire us to give him Praife for fuppofed Favours, which we neither 
 do nor can know we have received : Nay rather, to do this would 
 be to mock him. And it feems as if it would be to mock us, if he 
 fhould make a great Shew of Kindnefs to us when he really ftiews us 
 no Favour, as indeed, according to the Principle oppofed, I affirm, 
 he fhews none to thofe unto whom he gives no Power to accept of 
 the Mercy which he feems gracioufiy to offer to them. But God 
 forbid, that I fhould have any fuch hard Thoughts of him, as to think 
 that he offers Salvation to Sinners, and threatens them with a double 
 Damnation in Cafe they perform not the Condition on which that 
 Offer is made ; and yet neither gives nor offers them any Power by 
 which they may perform the Condition of that (to all Appearance) 
 mod: gracious Offer. 
 
 If it be here demanded, what Mercy it is in God to make an Offer 
 gf eternal Life to fuch Sinners as he certainlv knows will never accept 
 
 Of 
 
176 Grace defended. \ chIp. xxl 
 
 of it ; but will, notwithftanding fuch an OfFer, peiifh forever : To 
 this I anfwer, that the Kindncfs of God in the Offers which he makes 
 of his evcrlafling Mercies, muft he judged of according to the Nature 
 of the Condition on which he offers them, and not according to the 
 Events following fuch Offers, and his Knowledge of thofe Events. 
 What if Sinners never accept the Benefits offered, and God knew they 
 would not when he offered his Favours to them -, (as it is impoffible 
 that he fhould not know what they would do) yet fuppofmg the Offers 
 to be made upon reafonable Terms, fuch as ^Sinners may comply with 
 if their own wilful Obftinacy does not hinder them, his Kindnefs in 
 fuch Offers is manifeft. If this be not granted it will follow, that 
 God fhews no Kindncfs in the Offers of Salvation which he makes to 
 any others befides thofe that are eventually faved. But who dares 
 thus to affirm : And I can hardly think any Man will affirm, that it 
 is a Kindnefs in God to offer Salvation to any Sinner without ever 
 giving him Power to accept of it. 
 
 But fome feem to fear that the Dodrine I plead for, is not calcu- 
 lated to hide Pride from Man^ and keep him humble. Unto which I 
 fay, (i) That I do not think that any DccSlrine is well adapted to 
 make and keep Men humble which is contrary to Truth, which I 
 fuppofe the Doctrine I oppofe to be. (2) I would afk which of thefe 
 two Doctrines has the greateft Tendency to make and keep Men 
 humble, vit.. Firft^ this. That if any Sinner that has the Offer of 
 Salvation made to him does continue in hisUnbelief, and fo perifhetb, 
 the Reafon of this is, becaufe the Condition on which God offered 
 to fave him was wholly above hisPower, and fuch as he could not pof- 
 fibly comply with : Or, Secondly^ this, that if any Sinner fails of that 
 Salvation which he has an Offer of in the Gofpel, the Reafon is not, 
 becaufe he is utterly unable to accept of it on Gofpel Terms ; but be- 
 caufe his Obftinacy is fuch that he will not, unlefs God out of his 
 diflinguifhing Grace does more for him than he ever does for any Sin- 
 jier that continues in his Unbelief, and fo perifheth. This laft is 
 ■what I maintain : the former is what I oppofe. What I affirm tends 
 both to humble and encourage Sinners 5 what I oppofe tends greatly 
 to difcourage them, rather than to humble them. 
 
 PART 
 
Part III. 7 
 Chap. I. J 
 
 Grace defended. 177 
 
 PART III. 
 
 ^^i^ COME now to the third and laft Part of 
 ^2 i^ my Elliiy, which is to Aew, 
 ^^j3^^8 That the Dodrine maintained in the two 
 ^ffif-R^^ former Parts of it, is a Truth of very great 
 Importance, and many Ways ufeful. 
 
 If now it be demanded of me (as by fome it has 
 been) what the Advantages are of infifting fo much on 
 the Hypothefis I endeavour to defend ; and what will 
 be gained by it, if the Truth of it were granted to me j 
 I unto this anfwer, Much every Way, 
 
 I prefume there is no Truth that is aflerted in Scrip- 
 ture, and which can be well defended by the Oracles 
 of God,but what may have very profitablelnferences or 
 Conclufions drawn from it : And much more may this 
 be aflerted concerning a Truth fo abundantly affirmed in 
 the Gofpel of our Salvation, and interwoven with all 
 the Parts of it, as that is which I fuppofe I have now 
 fufficiently defended. 
 
 I fhall, therefore, now proceed to inftance in fome 
 of the Advantages we gain by admitting of it ; and to 
 fhew what ufeful Inferences it yields to us ^ and this I 
 
 Chapters. 
 
 will endeavour in the following 
 
 CHAP. 
 
178 Grace defended \ J^^; "5; 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The First Use of the Truth ajjerted^ is^ 
 That it gives Light to many Texts of 
 Scripture^ which ca?tnot he well underjlood 
 without it. 
 
 To inftance inf fome of them. 
 
 I. ^^'®'^®'iU'®® HERE are feveral Texts of Scripture, in which 
 
 €-€^€>€^€«€^^ It is plainly affirmed. That J ejus Chrijl died for 
 %'%^^'%^%^ all. Heb. 2. q. Tliat by the Grace of Gcd hj 
 -3#V T ##C^ y^^^j^ ia/le Death for every Man. I John 2. 2. 
 tfitlff ^^'^^ the Propiiiation for our Sins : And not for 
 
 ^'^^^"^'^^^'^^ with which that well agreeth, Ifai. 53. 6. All 
 we like Sheep have gone ajlray : JVe have turned every one to his own Way^ 
 and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all. We have alfo the 
 fame Thing, In efFe(^, afferted by our Saviour himfelf, John 3. 16. 
 God fo loved the JVorld^ that he gave his only begotten Son^ that whofoever 
 helicvcth on him/houhhiot perijh^ but have everlajling Life. I know that 
 many of our Divines endeavour to give fuch an Expofitlon of thefe 
 Places and others like them, as to reconcile them to their own Opi- 
 nion of Chrift's dying for the Ele£l only : But my Defign is not to 
 confidcr the "Weight and Strength of what they fay to this Purpofc. 
 Plowever, I know that all they can do or fay, does not fatisfy me 
 and many others. And feveral who were no Artninians have endea- 
 voured to maintain this as a facred Truth, That Jefus Chrili: died for 
 the whole World of Mankind ; who yet have maintained the Ne- 
 ceffity of fpccial Grace, in order to the Convcrfion and Salvation of 
 the Elc6l of God : And with thefe I agree, fuppofmg they mean, 
 (i) Th:.t none will ever favingly believe in Chrift, and fo obtain eter- 
 nal Life, for whom God does no more than he does for thofe tlxat 
 never fo believe. (2) That without an A61 of his fpeclal Grace, and 
 of his mighty Power, fuch as none but the EleiSl have experience of, 
 none arc, or ever can be, regenerated or born again ; But if thofe who 
 
 go 
 
?ATLT III. 
 
 Chap 
 
 \ I Grace defended. 1 79 
 
 go this Way deny that any bcfidcs the Elect ha^'e that Grace given 
 them, by the Help whereof they may comply with, or perform, the 
 Condition on which Salvation is offered to them, not being without a 
 Power by which they may do it, I can by no Means agree with them. 
 By Grace I here intend fuch as is meant, and to be underllood in 
 2 Cor, 6. I. and Ifa'u 5. 4. 
 
 To what End can we fuppofe Jefus Chrift flioiild lay down his^ 
 Life to purch'.ife Salvation for any, {o far fortli that they might be 
 faved on fome Condition propofed to them in the Gofpcl, (as he has 
 indeed done, 'John t^. 16. i John a., g^ 10.) without a Suppofition 
 of their having Pow^r given them to perform that Condition ? What 
 Advantage has any Sinner by this, that he may be faved, if he believe 
 and repent, or perform fuch or fuch a Condition, when he neither 
 is, nor ever will be, enabled to perform it ? P'or fuch muft as cer- 
 tainly and unavoidably periih, as they fhould have done if Chrift 
 had not died for them. I therefore fuppofe their Principles to bo 
 altogether inconfilfent, who hold, that Chrift died for all, and yet 
 deny that God gives Pov^-er to any befides the Ele61:, to perform the 
 Condition on which Salvation is offered to all, unto whom the Gofpel 
 is pre:;ched. And I would here aflc any One who thinks he can 
 vindicate this Principle of Dr. Twisse in particular, " That Chr'i/i 
 '' died for ally i. e. to pur chafe Salvation for them on this Condition y 
 '' that they believe and rep er.ty " who yet hold, as I fuppofe he did. 
 That the Faith and Repentance to this End required of Sinners is of 
 that Kind which is given in Regeneration ; and which no Man can 
 have 'till he is born ao;ain ; (becaufc none but the P^egencrate can be- 
 lieve and repent), hov/ thcfe Things can conliil one wi'ch tlie other ? 
 
 But now, on the Hypothcfis v/hich I have endeavoured to defend, 
 Chrift not only obtained this Advantage for Sinners, that they mi f:,ht 
 be faved on the Condition of the gofpel Covenant, but alfo obtained 
 that Grace for them, by which they (hould he enabled to perfc»rm that 
 Condition. But then the Condition required, according to my Prin- 
 ciples, is not this, that they iavingly change their own Hearts, and be- 
 come regenerate Saints ; but that they, in a fuitable Manner, feek 
 to God to do this for them ; and yet in fuch a Manner, as with his 
 Help they may, before ihey are new Creatures. 
 
 And thus I account for what is affirmed in thofe Texts of Scripture, 
 where Jefus Chrift is i^iid to have died for all Men^ without denying 
 what is plainly afferted in them : And I am glad that on my Principles 
 I am not obliged to depart from the literal Senfc of fuch Texts. 
 
 Z 2 Aeain 
 
i8o Grace defended, V^^l^\ 
 
 Again 2. There are in feveral Texts of Scripture, fo far as I can 
 fee, as ^d^n conditional Promifes o{ converting Grace,, as can in Words 
 well be exprefled ; fome of which Places I hav^e already confidered 
 and vindicated in this Difcourfe ; zs Prov. i. 22, 23. and Chap. 2. 
 3, 4, 5. Jam. I. 5. Luke 11. 13. and others. But fuch as are 
 fixed, in this Principle, That God has not promifed to give his holy- 
 Spirit to any Perfon, on Condition of his doing any Thing that is 
 poffible for a Sinner to do, before he is actually converted, and endow- 
 ed with the Grace of Regeneration, feeni to me to be at a great Lofs 
 how to account for what is faid in feveral fuch Promifes. Thus when 
 God promifes to give true fpiritual Wifdom to thofe that cry after it,, 
 lifting up their Voices for it. fee king it as Silver^ and fearching for it as 
 for hid Treafure, SLS m Prov. 2. 2, 3, 4, 5. before mentioned; the 
 Meaning of this Place is commonly faid to be, that God will give 
 more fpiritual "Wifdom to fuch as are already fpiritually wife, which 
 fuch Seekers are already fuppofed to be. Now this Place thus ex- 
 plained, is not allowed to be a Diredlion to fuch as are yet deftitute 
 of faving Grace or Holinefs, ( the Wifdom intended in it ) what 
 Courfe they fhould take, in order to their obtaining it ; ( which yet 
 is the plain Defign of the Words from Verfe i . to the 6th. ) but only 
 to fliew fuch as are already fpiritually wife, how they may become 
 yet wifer* 
 
 For my Part I dare not fo expound this Place, and feveral others 
 like it ; and I believe none elfe would, were it not for a pras-conceived 
 Opinion, that a Principle of faving Grace is not on any Condition 
 offered and promifed to Sinners : Which Opinion I know no folid 
 Ground for. Whereas on the other Hand, on the Principle by me 
 received, all fuch Places may be taken and underftood according to 
 the plain and literal Senfe of them j and we need not be put to any 
 Difficulty to account for the Meaning of them : And I can afTure my 
 Reader, I have met with pious and learned Men, who have declared 
 to me, what Difficulty they have been put to about the Meaning of 
 fuch Places ; and who have declared their Satisfadion in the fame 
 Account of them that has nov/ been given, 
 
 I fhall inftance in one other Sort of Texts, which, I think, cannot 
 be underftood without allowing my Hypothefis to be true : I mean 
 fuch Texts as require Perfezjerance, as a neceffary Condition of Man*s 
 Salvation, or fuch fpecial Mercies as imply Salvation in them, to fuch 
 as pcrfevere, Matth. 10. 22. and Chap. 24. 13. He that endureth to 
 the Endy f)allhe favd. We have the fame in Effect, Luke 13. 13. 
 The fame Thing is impli;'d in Hofea 6. 3. GaL 6. 9. apd I doubt 
 
 not 
 
Part III. 
 
 Chap 
 
 !; } Grace defended. 1 8 1 
 
 not alfo in i/^^. lO. 25, 30. I cannot think that the Meaning 
 
 of thefe, and fiich like Texts, is this, Thatiffuch as are Believers^ 
 in the ftrideft Senfe of this Word, /. e, fuch as are born of God, and 
 become new Creatures^ do not fall from their Faith, and become Un-. 
 believers, and again Unregencrate, then they fnall inherit eternal Life. 
 Such as thefe have fufficient Aflurance given, that they are in no 
 Danger of fuch an Apoftacy, as appears in 'John 5. 24. Rom, 8. i. 
 Jer. 32. 38, 39, 40. John 10. 27, 28, 29. i Pet. i. 2,-5. 
 and in many other Places, as thofe with whom I difpute do acknow- 
 ledge. G7/z;/;7//?j maintain that juftlfying Faith, by which the Eledl 
 of God receive Jefus Chrift and all his faving Benefits, is but one 
 A(5t ; that a Sinner does no fooner begin to believe with Faith of that 
 Kind, than he is perfe6lly juftified and firmly entitled to all the ever- 
 lafling Mercies which are offered in the new Covenant ; and that in 
 this Covenant, even his Perfeverance, and his being made perfect in 
 Holinefs, is firmly promifed, fo that there is no PofTibility that any 
 fuch fhould fall away and eternally perifh. 
 
 Now, how incongruous would it be to tell Perfons in fuch a State 
 as this, that they fliall be faved, if they do not fall from Grace, re- 
 lapfmg again into that Eflate, which they were in before they were 
 born of the Spirit ! I think nothing could be more abfurd. I there- 
 fore conclude, that the mentioned Texts can have no fuch Meaning. 
 They cannot be intended as Cautions to regenerate Perfons, againfl a 
 total and final Apoftacy, they having already fully complied with the 
 Terms, on which the whole of their Salvation is fccurcd to them, in 
 the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 But now, on my Hypcthefis, there may be a fair Account ' given of 
 all fuch Texts as thefe mentioned : For, according to that, I freely 
 acknowledge a Perfon may have the fame Kind of P^iith which is the 
 Condition of the new Covenant, and yet be fiill in an unregencrate 
 and unjuflified State j becaufe the Covenant 1 fpeak of does not only 
 comprife in it the Condition of it, Men's beginning to a6l fuch a 
 Kind of Faith : So that believing for a Moment fnould be fufficient to 
 entitle the Sinner to the fame Mercies of that Covenant : This, ac- 
 cording to the Tenor of the new Covenant, will not anfwer the End : 
 But the Condition of it includes this alfo in it, that the Sinner that 
 would be faved in the Way it prefcribeth, mufl perfevere and go on 
 to believe, during the whole of that Term of Time which God, ac- 
 cording to his good Will and Pleafure, has alotted for his Probation, 
 in order to his fecuring his eternal Happinefs ; which how long it 
 may be, God dges not ordinarily reveal to thofe unco whom hz grants 
 
1 82 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part III. 
 Ch a p . II. 
 
 it, but keeps it in his own Power ; yet will he be mindfLil of his Co- 
 venant, and take Care to fulfill that Word of his, on which he has 
 p-iven us Rcafon to depend. Gal. 6. 9. Let us not he weary in well- 
 doing ; for in due Seafon we Jhall reop^ ifzve faint not. With which 
 Words many other Texts very well agree, fuch as thofe laft mentioned, 
 Q,n^ Luke 18. Beginning. And then God fulfills fuch Promifcs unto 
 thofe who w^it for his Salvation, when he pardoneth their Sins, and 
 poureth cu- his holy Spirit on them, as in JSis 2. 39. Prov. i. 23. 
 Luke II. 13. 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 The Second Use ^^/^ the Truth maintained^ 
 That it 7^enders the Offers of Salvation 
 made to Si?iners in the Go/pel^ very plain 
 a72d intelligible, 
 
 •^J5g T is very necefTary that the Gofpel, and the Offers 
 3fc^ of it made to finful Men, fliould be very plain, 
 ?^ and eaiily underftood. Mankind in their lapfed 
 %'^>X State, unto whom the Offers of Salvation by a Re- 
 ^^4 deemer are here fuppofed to be made, are in a 
 r,^^ State of Darknefs. That is their Character, Eph. 
 
 
 s;'^"- 
 
 '^^ 
 
 S^j<!^K(Si;^^aS 4. 18. Having their Vyiderfwnding darkned^ being 
 alienated from the Life of Gcd^ thro'' the Ignorance that is in them^ becaufe 
 of the Blindnefs of their Heart. They are not only exceeding back- 
 ward to believe, but are alfo dull of underftanding the Things that 
 belong to their eternal Peace and Welfare, however clearly they are 
 propoied to them : How then fiiould they underhand them, if they 
 are not clearly and intelligibly propofed ? And it feems to me, that 
 the common Way of Preaching the Gofpel, is fomewhat defedive in 
 this PvefpecSl: : The Way is not made fo plain as it fhould be. Now 
 I hope that if the Do6trine I plead for be admitted as true, the Way 
 of Salvation by a Redeemer v/iii be made much the plainer. 
 
 There are two great Difficulties that the apoftate Children of Men 
 labour under s one of them is that State of Guilt, in which they, are, 
 
 ill 
 
chap."U Grace defended. 183 
 
 in RefpecSt of which they are all, without Exception .CZ/A/r^^ ofJVrnthy 
 Eph. 2. 3. Gal. 3. 10. The other is that Corruption of their Na- 
 ture, unto which, by the Fall, they have been made fuhjcit ; and 
 which in the Way of Propagation, has been conveyed from Parent to 
 Child, even to all defcending from Adam., in the Way of niitural Ge- 
 neration, from Age to Age, ever fmce the Beginning of the World : 
 For Adam^i our moral Head and Reprefentative, having finned againit 
 God in eating the forbidden Fruit, God was fo provoked with hini 
 that he took his Fff)ly Spirit from him, and deprived him of his Iniage^ 
 as was declared in Part I. Chap. I. And all liis Pofterity ever fince, 
 beirig liable to the penal Confequences of his Apoftacy, have been 
 brought into the World in the like miferable State, with Natures de- 
 praved as his was. Hence fuch Texts as thefc, Pfal. 51. 5. & 58. 3. 
 alfo Ifa'i, 48. 8. Ro?n, 5. 12. and Verfe 19. Now while this Cor- 
 ruption remains. Men are uncapable of Happinefs by a Sight of God, 
 and Communion with him, as the Scriptures abundantly declare, 
 John 3. 3. and Verfe 5. with which Places that well agreeth, i Cor, 
 2. 9, 10. and Verfe 14, 15. and Matth. 5. 8. Nor can fuch unclean 
 Perfons enter into the Kingdom of Glory, Rev. 21. 27. 
 
 Now, that the Gofpel may afford fuiHcient Relief to Sinners wifh 
 Relation to both thefe i3ifFicuities v/bich they are under, it fecirs 
 needful it fhould afford a Remedy in Refpe6l of both ; ""d I fuppofe 
 it does fo, by offering Deliverance from one, as well as the other of 
 them, without which it is impoiTible fuch miferable Sinners fliould be 
 made happy. 
 
 Let us now confidcr, whether this be really done in the common 
 Way of Preaching the Goipel ; and whether it be not done in the 
 Way which, according to my Principles, it ought to be. 
 
 Firji then, according to the common and allowed Way of Preach- 
 ing the Gofpel, there is only fuppofed to be an Offer of Pardon Q»r y. 
 Juftification made to Sinners, with fuch other Benefits as are fuppo- 
 fed to follow thereon ; fuch as Peace with God, Adoption, Growth 
 in Grace, Perfeverance in it, and eternal Glory in the heavenly 
 World : IBut there is no Offer fuppofed to be made to Sinners, of 
 Regeneration, or a nev/ Heart and a new Spirit, or of the refforing 
 God's Image to them ; which is a Mercy tliey as much need as the 
 others mentioned. It is fuppofed that God decs not, on any Terms, 
 offer to do this for them : Nay, it is earnefliy difputcd that he does 
 not. They are, indee.d, told that God may do this for them, and 
 that ther^ are Rcafgns for them to hope for this \ but ccndiiional 
 
 Proinife 
 
1 84 Grace defended. \ ^^.7,. n.' 
 
 Promife they have none, on which they may ground fuch Hope : Nor 
 can they do any Thing, but fm and provoke God, 'till this be firft 
 done for them ; and fo, I think, nothing that has any Tendency to 
 prevail with God to grant them this Mercy. 
 
 And whereas fuch Sinners are frequently faid to have an Offer of 
 Salvation made to them, this Salvation muft ftill be underftood to 
 comprife no more in it, than the Benefits mentioned in the laft Para- 
 graph. To be fure it is not fuppofed to imply the Grace of Rege- 
 neration in it ; which I take to be one of the molt eminent Parts of 
 the Salvation of fmful Men. 
 
 Let us a little confider how Juftificatlon, Adoption, ^V. may be 
 faid to be offered on the Hypothefis I oppofe, where there is no C)ffer 
 fuppofed to be made of the Grace of Regeneration. According to 
 the Scheme oppofed by me, the Offer of Forgivenefs, ^c. made to 
 Sinners in the Gofpel, is made on Condition that Sinners believe on 
 the Son of God ^ but the Faith in this Cafe required is fuppofed to 
 be an A61: of a regenerate Soul, and cannot be exercifed by any Per- 
 fon 'till he is firft born of the Spirit^ and become a new Creature ; which 
 Grace the Sinner is not fet in any certain Way to obtain : So that 
 there is fuppofed to be an Offer of Salvation on a Condition which 
 the Sinner is under a phyfical Impoffibility of performing, 'till he be 
 created anew, and this none can do for him, but God ; and he does 
 not on any Terms offer to do it, if the Do6lrine I oppofe be true. 
 Such an Offer (if any fuch there were) I confefs, feems not to me to 
 have any Kindnefs In it. If a rich Man fhould offer a fick Man to 
 give him a fair and large Eftate, on a Condition which none but a 
 Man in Health can perform ; and which the rich Man being a Phy- 
 fician, could only reftore to him, but v/ould not put him in a Way to 
 recover, would the fick Man in this Cafe think himfelf much obliged 
 to him for fuch an Offer, efpeclally if he never did the Thing for him ? 
 I think he could not have much Reafon for it. Yea, I think that 
 tho' there would be the Shew of an Offer, yet really there would be 
 none. 
 
 If it be here faid, that Sinners are required to endeavour to believe 
 in Jefus Chrift, and they do not know but that God may help them 
 fo to do ; I defire to know how an unregenerate Man may endea- 
 vour to believe in fuch a Manner, as he is affured he is under a phy- 
 fical Impoflibility of doing. I have no Idea of a Way to try to do 
 that which I have no Power to do any Thing towards, and a Thing 
 
 in 
 
Chap, "l } ^^^^^^ defended. 1 85 
 
 in my prefent State utterly impoflible for me to do. An unregenerate 
 Man may pray to God to give him Grace to believe ; and to da fo 
 is his prefent Duty ; and I believe in his Power : But I would be in- 
 formed how an unregenerate Pcrfon fhould try to do that which he 
 is fare he cannot ? When our Saviour commanded the Man with the 
 withered Hand, to flretch it forth, Matth. 12. 13. he did not com- 
 mand him to do fomething which he had no Power to do. The 
 Meaning of the Command was, that he fhould attempt to do it, /. e. 
 by moving his Arm, or Parts contiguous to his Hand that was withe- 
 red, which no Doubt the Man had a Power of doing ; and if he had 
 failed in his Attempt, he had not therein been difobedient to ChrifPs 
 Command. But I fuppofe the Command implied a Promife of ne- 
 cefTary Aid, if Obedience to it were regularly endeavoured. 
 
 Thus, I think it evident, that the Gofpel being underflood accor- 
 ding to the Suppofition I am diflatisfied with, is far from being plain 
 and intelligible. 
 
 But, Secondly y let us confider on the other Hand, whether on my 
 Hypothefis, the Offers of the Gofpel are not more plain and eafy to 
 be underftood ; and fo better accommodated to the State of a finful 
 World, to whom they are fuppofed to be made. 
 
 According as I explain the Gofpel of the Grace of God, the Sal- 
 vation offered in it comprifes all that is neceffary on God's Part, in 
 order to the everlafling Happinefc of thofe, to whom the Grace of 
 God is offered. God is willing to give Grace and Glory ; and no good 
 Thing will he withold from them who humbly feek him for his Salva- 
 tion. The Salvation he offers comprifes in it, not only the free Par- 
 don of all our Sins, and the Juftification of our Perfons in his Sight, 
 thro* that moft perfe6t and everlaUing Righteoufnefs, which Chrift 
 has already brought in, as in Dan. 9. 24. a Righteoufnefs ready at 
 Hand, to be imputed to all thofe that believe in him who is the Au- 
 thor of it; and is a6lually imputed to all that ever have believed in 
 him in the Manner which the Gofpel requireth ; and fhall be alfo 
 imputed to as many as (hall hereafter believe in him, Rom. 4. 23, 24. 
 The Salvation offered does, I fay, not only comprife in it the Jufti- 
 fication of them that believe, by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed 
 *to them ; but alfo as a Confequence of fuch Imputation^ the Reno- 
 vation of their Natures by the fpecial Grace of God, reftoring the 
 Imaf^e of God, which by Reafon of Sin we had loft ; and which could 
 never be reftored, were not Sinners firft abfolved from their Guilt, as 
 I have abundantly proved. In order to their receiving fuch Benefits 
 there i§ fomething required of them, Namely^ That they believe, re- 
 
 A a pent. 
 
iS6 Grace defended. \ J^^; /J; 
 
 -pent, aii(i feek the Lord, l^c, which may not be underftood of fuch 
 Actions, for Kind, as follow our Juftification and Regeneration, but 
 fuch as, in Order of Nature, go before the fame, as I have farmerly 
 ihewed. And thus the Gofpel is plain and intelligible, and the Grace 
 of God fliining forth in it, very marvellous, God in it not requiring 
 the Exercife of that Grace, which he does not give, but which Sin- 
 ners do receive from him \ and which he requires them not to receive In 
 vohiy 2 Cor. 6. I. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The Third Use of the DoSirine injijled on^ 
 That it gives us a very pleafant and en- 
 dearing View and Profpeti of the tmparal- 
 lePd Love of God^ in finding out^ provi- 
 ding and revealing fuch a TV ay of Salva- 
 tion as that 7nade known in the GofpeL 
 
 ^^D^^&fiGdS^sSG H A V E proved. That there is a conditional OiFer 
 •S "^^' ^%jS*'Mn of Salvation made to Sinners in the Gofpel ; that 
 
 ^•^l^o^-^;' the Grace given in Regeneration, is comprifed in 
 ^^§? the Salvation offered ; that, confequently, that 
 ^oM? Grace cannot be contained or implied in the Con- 
 spGD&ofeS^oMG ^itionofthe new Covenant, or in the Terms on 
 .6^- o) •<;&••«• •»• ^hich God offers to fave Sinners ; that, therefore, 
 thefe Terms are fuch, that Men need not be regenerated or born a- 
 gain, in order to their complying with them ; but may, through the 
 Grace of God granted to fuch as are ftill in an unregenerate State, be 
 complied with ; and that Sinners cannot, while they enjoy the Grace 
 of God granted to them in and with the Gofpel, truly plead their ut- 
 ter Inability to comply with the moft gracious Terms of the new 
 Covenant. 
 
 And from thefe Things which I now take for granted, it plainly 
 follows, that God does in the Gofpel put Sinners, to whom the Offer 
 of it is made, on ^ new ^Ti^ feconcl Trials on Terms in their Nature 
 poffible to be performed by them, in order to tl>eir eternal Happinefs ; 
 
 io 
 
Chap, l!!.' \ ^racc defended. 1 87 
 
 fo that if they again mi fcarry, it is bccaufe they %vill\, and ' not bc- 
 caufe they have no Power to come to Jcfus Chi lit, our glorious Re- 
 deemer, for eternal Life and Salvation. 
 
 Now, what unparalkl'd Love is this to fclf-dcftroying Sinners, to 
 whom God may truly fay, as in Hofea 13. 9. O/; Ifracl, ihouhajt 
 dejiroyed thy felf ', but in fne is thine Help. This Love of God is very 
 much celebrated in the holy Scriptures. Give me Leave to recite a 
 few of the Pailages wherein it is {o. John 3. 16. For Gcd fo hvcri 
 the JVorld^ that he gave his only begotten Son, that zvhofoever beUcveth in 
 him, fould not perijh, but have everlajiing Life, i John 4. q, 10. /m 
 this tvas 7nanifejled the Love of God towards us, becaufc that God fe.nt his 
 cnly begotten Son into the IVorld, that we might live thro* him. Herein 
 is Lovey fiot that we loved God, but that he loved us, aud fent his Son to 
 be the Propitiation for our Sins. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. God— hath re- 
 conciled us to himfelfby Jcfus Chrijl, and hath given to us the Minijlry of 
 Reconciliation ; to ivit, that God was in Chrijl reconciling the World 
 unto Imnfelf, not imputing their Trefpaffes unto them ; and hath comynitted 
 ivito us the Word of Reconciliation. Noiv then we are Amhajfadors for 
 Chrijl, as tho" God did befeech you by us : We prav you in Chrifi's Steady 
 be ye reconciled unto God. Matth. 23. 37. O Jerufalem, Jerufiilem, 
 thou that killejl the Prophets, andjlonejl them which arc fent unto thee, 
 hoiv sften would I have gathered thy Children together, even as a Hen 
 gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not I Rom. 24. 
 Or defpifejl thou the Riches of his Goadnefs, and Forbearance, and Long- 
 fuffering ; not knoiving that the Gocdnefs of Gcd l:adeth thee to F^epentancc. 
 Hofea 1 1. 4. I drew them zvith Cords of a Man, zvith Bands of Love ; 
 and I was to them as they that take off the Yoke on their f aw s \ and I 
 laid Meat before the?n. 
 
 I am not afhamed to fay, ( if I were I fliould be afhamed of tha 
 Gofpcl of Chrifi-, contrary to i^i^w. i. 16. ) that the Love of God 
 thus manifefted towards Sinners, has not a Relation to the EletSl: only, 
 ( tho' principally unto them ) but extends it felf to the whole World, 
 as in the mentioned John 3. 16. and in i John 2. 2. Mark 16. 
 15, 16. and 2 Cor. 5. 19. as I will, if I am put upon it, and God 
 gives me Liberty, more fully flicw. 
 
 They are greatly mirtaken who thiiik that th.e Goodnefs and Kind- 
 nefs of God towards Mankind appearing, is only to be difcovered and 
 judged of, by what does in the Event befall them, and not at all by 
 the Nature and Tendency of what he does for them. If God affords 
 HPto Sinners fuch Means and Aids as, according to the Nature of 
 
 A a 2 Things, 
 
1 88 Grace defended. { chap. hl 
 
 Things, • are fufficient to put them in a Way to obtain eternal Life, 
 they ufing proper Endeavours to that End : He therein difplays his 
 Kindnefs and Good-will towards them, what ever the I/Tue be with 
 Refpe6l to them. Nor will God's fore-knowing that thefe or thofe 
 will negle6l or mifimprove the Means and Advantages with which he 
 favours them, alter the Nature of the Thing, and make them no Be- 
 nefits, which otherwife would have been fuch ; if it would do fo, it 
 would be impoflible that any fhould receive real Benefit who finally 
 perifti ; for it is impoiTible that God ihould not know how ihcy will 
 improve, or rather mifimprove them : And if God might not juftly 
 punifli Sinners, either for not doing what they fhould, or doing what 
 they fhould not, becaufe he fore-knew what they wojjld do, and what 
 they would not, it would follow, that he could never juftly punifn any 
 for Sin, becaufe he could not be ignorant of what Men would do or 
 omit, before fuch Things were done or omitted. v 
 
 Now fince we muft judge of the Goodnefs of God to Mankind, 
 by the Nature and Tendency of what he does, and not only by what 
 eventually befalls them, we muft acknowledge the great Goodnefs of 
 God unto Sinners, even to thofe of them that fhall at lafr perifh ; e- 
 fpecially this may be afHrmed on the Hypothecs I defend : And there 
 is no Doubt but that God intends to gain unto himfelf a large Re- 
 venue of Glory, on the Account of what he does for them, who fhall 
 eternally perifh for their Sins, as well as for thofe whom he will eter- 
 nally fave : And in the mean Time, thofe who never will attain eter- 
 nal Life, are bound to give Thanks and Praife to God, for putting 
 them in a Way in which they may attain it, if the Fault be not their 
 own. 
 
 And it is a great Sin in God's own People, if tliey do not confefs 
 to his Glory, that he deals very kindly by thofe, v/ho, thro' their Own 
 Fault and Negligence, fail of the Grace of God, and fall fnort of 
 eternal Life. The Obftinacy and Unbelief of Sinners who defpife 
 his Goodnefs, and tread under Foot theBloo^of his dear Son, whom 
 he fent to fave them, ought not to make us think meanly of wi:at he 
 does for them \ but we fhould admire and magnify his Grace on the 
 Account of it. And I confefs I cannot but wonder that, many who 
 treat of the Kindnefs andCompaflionof God towards perifhingSinners, 
 refl:rain all their Difcourfe about it, to what he has done for the Ele6t, 
 as if others were no Ways concerned in it 3 which the Scriptures feem 
 not to do, as appears in the Texts laft above quoted, and in many 
 others befide them, as in Ifai. 53. 6. All we. like Sheep have gone ajlray : 
 We have turmd every one U his own Way^ and th$ Lard hath laid on him. 
 
 the 
 
IZl. Iv. } Grace defended. 1 89 
 
 the Iniquity of us all. Hof. 13. 9. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lcrd is 77Qt 
 fack concerning his Promife (as fc?ne Men count Slackncfs) but is lon^- 
 fuffering to us-ivard^ not zvilling that any fjould pcriJJ)^ but that all ft)ould 
 come to Repentance, Can any pollibly think thnt thefe Plnccs and others 
 hke them, may be undcrftood only of the ElecSl ? and that particular- 
 ly in Ezek. 18. 31. CaJ} aivay from you all your Tranfgrcfj'^cm zvhereby 
 ye have tranfgrefed., and make you a new Heart., and a new Spirit : For 
 tvhy will ye die^ O Houfe c/^llVael. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Fourth Use of the Truth i?'ifijled o?ty 
 viz. The Encourage^nent give?i to co?ivi?t- 
 ced and awakeited Sinners ^ to feek earnejily 
 to Gov> for his fpecial Grace and Mercy. 
 
 liliHililli F it be a Truth, as I think it evidently appears to 
 
 -;^§I^'i^^'^'^^S^" ^^' ^^'^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^" ^^^ ^^^-y Word, made many 
 <^A^/^^>Su;^ conditional Promifes to the Unregenerate, of be- 
 iS^§^ I '^p^ itowing his fpecial and eternal Mercies ( the 
 
 ^'fe:<'-''3?^-^^^ Grace of Reo;eneration not excepted ) on all fuch 
 
 'i:\s^yi'%'^PM%':^ -'s do, in the VVay by him appointed, ferioufly 
 ^SlliHilil ^"^ diligently fbek to him fbr them ; what great 
 Encouragement is there herein to fuch convinced 
 and awakened Sinners, to comply v;ith the Method propofed in the 
 Gofpel, in order to their obtaining thefe Mercies ? There be many of 
 the fmful Ciiildren of Men too infenfibieof their miferable State by. 
 Nature ; and thefe had need have the Terrors of the Lord fet before 
 them, left they fliould remain infenfible, and fo never look out for a- 
 Remedy, but pcrifh in their Sins : But the Cafe is not (o with all : 
 There are fome who have been bro't to a Sight of the woful State 
 they are in by Nature ; and thofe need all the Encouragement to feck 
 to God for Mercy, that can, according to the Tenor of the new 
 Covenant, be given them. 
 
 I fuppofe it will not be denied, that Sinners in an unregenerate 
 State, are f.^metim-.s greatly awakened, and in f^:>me Sgrt humbled, 
 
 under 
 
1 90 Grace defended. \ 
 
 Part III. 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 under a deep Senfe of their wretched State by Nature. The Spirit 
 of God Tent to convince the World of Sin, Righteoufnefs, and Judo;- 
 ment, does fo fet home the Terrors of the broken Covenant of Works 
 upon their Souls, that they fee themfelves in fuch Danger of Damna- 
 tion, that they are put upon enquiring, what they JJ)all do to he faved^ as 
 in J(^s 2. 37. and Ciiap. 16. 30. And nov/ they defire to flee 
 from the Wrath to come ; and it may be are convinced that they cannot 
 be faved by any Righteoufnefs of their own ; being fenfible that in 
 their prcfent State of Sin and Death, they cannot perform any Anions 
 truly holy ; and that, if they could, they fiiould not thereby deferve any 
 Favour at the Hand of God ; and that they are therefore wretched, 
 m'ifcrable, poor, blind, and naked : And now they would be glad to fee^ 
 a Door of Hope opened to them : And hereupon having had the Gof- 
 pel preached to them, they begin to conceive that there is fome Hopes 
 for them, and fome Encouragement given them, and upon this they 
 begin to cry to God for Mercy. Rut all this nothv/ithftanding, they 
 are in a State of Nature ftiil, and have not yet attained the Faith of 
 Gcd^s EleSi, and the Remiilion of their Sins : Or may we ver»ture to 
 tell them the Biiierfiefs of Death is pajl ivith them, being ■Axt?.^^ paffed 
 from Death to Life, and that there is no Condemnation for theyn, as being 
 in Chriji Jcfiis ? John 5. 24. and Rom. 8. i. If we fhould tell them 
 {o, they would be Fools if they believed us, without any better Evi- 
 dence of a State of Grace, than any Thing that is above exprefied. 
 However, it will be acknowledged, that thefe ought to be encoura- 
 ged to feek to God in the Way of Duty and Well-doing, for his. 
 cverlafting Mercies, and in particular for the regenerating Influences 
 of his holy Spirit. 
 
 And here the ^.eflion is. What Encouragement may thefe have 
 from the Word of God, to feek to him for the mentioned Favours ? 
 Nov7 fome mud: on their Principles fay to them, " God calls you to 
 " feek to him for his faving Grace, but has not, indeed, promifed 
 '' that he will grant you the Defires of your Souls herein ; but it may 
 *' be he will do {o ; for he is very gracious and merciful, and does 
 *« beflow his Grace on many that feek to him for it ; and you do not 
 "^ know but he may do fj for you, as well as for others : Tho' it 
 '• m. ay be a Truth, that after all your Strivings and Seeking, you 
 *' may fail of the Grace of God, and perifh for ever: But there is 
 '' Room for you to hope, that God will beftow his Grace upon youj 
 <' if you diligently feek him for it, and perfevere in fo doing-: But 
 «' however you canncK: befure of this, there being no Promifc of it in 
 «« the Word of God.' 
 
 But 
 
Part III. 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 \ Grace defended. 191 
 
 But on the Hypothefis I advance, we may fay to fuch awakened 
 Sinners as are before mentioned, who alfo have begun to feek the 
 Lord ; " Go on, poor Souls, cry to God Day and Night, and ceafe 
 " not: Work out yrjiir otvn Salvation^ \\x\<\ do \l ivith Ft\ir and T'rc??!- 
 *' bling^ left thro' your own Negligence you fail of the Grace of God, 
 *< and perifli for ever. Confider how ready Gcd\s to work in you both 
 <' to IV ill and to do a-c cor ding to hk own good Will and Fleafure. You 
 *' need not doubt of his Mercy to you, if you perfcvere in fecking 
 " him. He has not [aid to the Seed cf Jdcoh, (who prayed earneftly 
 <' and prevailed, Gen. Chap. 36. ) feek ye my Face in vain. ,J There^ 
 *' fore never doubt ; foryejhallin due Time reap^ if ye faint not. * 
 *' S eek^ and ye f jail find i knocks and it fiall be opened unto you., &c. f 
 " God will certainly ^/y^ ^zV holy Spirit to them that afk him. || Then 
 '' fJmll ye know., ifyefoltoiv on to know the Lord : His going forth is pre- 
 <' pared as the Adorning ; he foall come upon us as the Rain^ as the former 
 *' and latter Rain up 071 the Earth. § If thou criejl after Knozuledge^ 
 *' and lift eji up thy Voice for Under ft ancling ; if thou feekeji her asSilver^ 
 *« and fear ch eft for her as for hid Treafure \ then fjalt thou underjiand 
 < ' the Fear of the Lord j and find the Knowledge of God. 4. 
 
 Thus may we treat awakened Sinners on my Principles. Now, 
 is there not a great Advantage in having a Foundation in the Word 
 of God, thus to treat thofe that defire Encouragement to feek God's 
 Face ? Has not a poor Sinner on this Hypothefis, greater Encourage- 
 ment to feek the Lord, than on their's, who only hold, that there ar^ 
 Grounds of Hope that God will convert and fave thofe who earneftly 
 feek him for his converting Grace ; but deny that he has promifed 
 that he v;ill do fo ? Surely this is an Advantage that ought not to be 
 lightly efteemed. 
 
 I Ifai. 45. 19. * Gal. 6. 9. t iMatth. 7. 7, 8. |1 Luke 
 II. 13. § Hofea 6. 3. 4. Prov. 23. 5. 
 
 x:h.ap. 
 
192 Grace defended. \ c^lp. v^; 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 The Fifth Use. The Truth maintained 171 
 this EJfaj/y takes from all thofe who refufe 
 the great Salvation offered in the Go/pel ^ 
 any Room to excufe themfelves. 
 
 &iSQ0<i0Sx^^^ HAT Sinners who negle6l their Duty, and the 
 Mh^d^k'^k'-^rh gi'-^t Salvation ofFered to them in the Gofpe], are 
 •%S^^^^§<'W ^'^^y ^^^ ^^ endeavour to excufe ihe-mf elves in the 
 ^&'>^ J fe^^S?^' Negleft whereof they are guilty, is too evident to 
 S^f.^C^^-S^ need Time and Pains to be fpent in the Proof of it. 
 ^Ms-Sg'^^mG^^SS^ -^'^^ Satisfadion as to this, we need only turn to the 
 .^^•^.^.%-o. ".<»•'■.*• Parable of the great Supper, Luke \\. i8,---23. 
 And fo far as my Obfervation reacheth, there is Nothing by Sin- 
 ners more frequently pleaded as an Excufe for their wicked Negk(5t 
 of the Salvation ofFered, and Duties required of them; than their utter 
 Inability to comply with the Terms of the Gofpel, and perform the 
 Conditions of the new Covenant. They plead, that it is not in their 
 Power to believe and repent, and to call upon God in a Manner 
 acceptable to him : They fay, that fuch as are ftill in an unregenerate 
 State are wicked Perfons, and if they fhould attempt it, all that they 
 could do, would be an Abomination to the Lord, and would but 
 provoke him. And indeed I know not very well how to anfwer 
 llich Objc6lions, on the Hypothecs I oppofe j for if all that it is 
 pofiible for the Unregenerate to do, is, as we are taught, truly and 
 properly Sin ; and we do but provoke and offend the moft High God 
 in the beft of cur Actions, while we are in that State, it is not eafy, 
 if pofTible, for fuch Sinners to fee that their Attempts to feek the 
 Tord, will be like to turn to their Advantage. 
 
 But now, if the Cafe be otherwife than is by many fuppofed, and 
 even as I have maintained it to be, namely, That the Condition on 
 which Salvation is offered to Sinners, does not confift in any A61 or 
 A6ls, to be performed by them after they ?i.XQ born of the Spirit^ and 
 become ngw Creatures ; but in fuch a Kind of Faith, Repentance, and 
 
 Seeking 
 
Part III. 
 Chap. V. 
 
 } Grace defended. 193 
 
 Seeking of God, as convinced and awakened Sinners, tho' unregenc- 
 rate, are capable of, during the Day of their Vifitation, while God is 
 ftriving with them by his Word and Spirit ; then the feeming Strength 
 of the Objedion vanifheth away, and there does not appear to be any 
 Force in it at all. 
 
 For according to my Hypothefis, thofe who go about to excufe 
 their Unbelief and Impenitency, from a pretended utter Inability to 
 do the Things required of them, ought to be told plainly, that this 
 Plea of their's is utterly falfe, and that they fpeak falfly in fiying, that 
 God in this requires of them what they arc not able to perform. If 
 it be faid, that they cannot do it without Help from God, I anfwer, 
 that God does not require them to do it without Help from him : He 
 actually affords them the Aids neceflary in order to their beginning to 
 do what he requires ; and is ready to afford them more Help, if they 
 need and defire it. I doubt not but fo much is intended in Jam. 4, 
 8, 9, 10. Draw nigh unto God, and he will clraiv nigh unto you : Ckanfi 
 your Hands, ye Sinners, and purify your Hearts, ye Double-minded, Be 
 affiiolcd, and mourn, and weep : Let your Laughter he turned into Mourn- 
 ing, and your Joy into Heavinefs. Humble your f elves in the Sight cfihe 
 Lord, and he/hall lift you up. 
 
 Ye unregenerateSinners, if ye fay ye cannot do th's, by the Help of 
 that Grace which God either gives or offers you, ye belie the Lord, as 
 the Phrafe is, y^r. 5. 12. Our Lord upbraided the unbelieving Jews 
 that they would not co7ne to him, that they jnight have Life, John 5. 40. 
 They could, I acknowledge, have truly iaid, that they could not do 
 this unlefs God drew them ; but they could not truly fay, that God 
 drew them not, He drew them with the Cords of a Man, and vAth the 
 Bands of his Love, as in Hof. 10. 4. The Gocdnefs of God leadeth 
 even thofe unto Repentance, who after the Hardnefs and hnpeniiency of 
 their Hearts, treafure up un}o themf elves IVrath a gain ft the Day ofJVrath^ 
 and Revelation of the righteous fudgmcnt of Gcd, Rom. 2. 4, 5. A 
 Man cannot, I confefs, become a new Creature, imlefs God creates 
 him anew, giving a new Heart to him : But they fpeak falfly who fay 
 they cannot feek to God for the Mercy, 'till he has tirft granted the 
 fame to them. Corazln and Bethfaida, as well as Tyre and Sidon, 
 might have repented in Dujl and AJhes, tho' God had not firft given 
 them new Hearts. Maith, 11. 21,22. Nineveh (\\<l(o^ fonah 3. 
 5. 6. 
 
 B b CHAP. 
 
 i 
 
Part IIL 
 VI. 
 
 194 Grace defended. { chap 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The Sixth Use. The Truth pleaded for be- 
 ing allowed^ does^ without any Difadvan- 
 tage to the calvinian Scheme^ re7nove out of 
 the Way the greatefi Difficulty that atte?^- 
 deth it ; and re72ders it the more eafy to be 
 received and defended. 
 
 «|6^*it^4^^*|e-:^ N the Hypothefis pleaded for In this Difcourfe, I 
 'l'^.^^?^5^4* conceive fome Grounds to hope for a better Ac- 
 
 of fome of the Points in Contro- 
 ixt thofe who are commonly called 
 and fuch as arc called Arminmu : At 
 hope that if my Hypothefis might be ad- 
 T^^^^^^^i; mitted, the Way would be thereby paved for the 
 "^ «.* «. *-■ contending Parties to come to a better Under- 
 flanding of fome ( at leallone ) ofthemoft important Artides contro- 
 verted betwixt them ; and this without the leaft Damage to the Sub- 
 ftance of that Hypothefis which Calvmjls endeavour to fupport, 
 againft thofe who are for the Arininian Scheme, in which we think 
 fome of the Dodlrines of Grace are not well alTerted. 
 
 Many of thofe by whom fevcral of the Anmnian Doctrines feem t(i 
 be fomething favoured, appear to me tobcPerfons ofgreatSerioufnefs ; 
 and I cannot think that the Oppofition which they fometimes make 
 againft fome Things in the Scheme by Calvinijls pleaded for, arlfeth 
 from an Enmity in their Hearts againft the Grace of God ; but ra- 
 ther, left while Men maintain the Sovereignty of God, in the Affair 
 of Man's Salvation, in the Manner that m2iny Calvinijii do, they fhould 
 thereby refledl: fome Difhonour on the Attributes of his Juftice and 
 Holincfs, the doing of which they feem to dread. However, I be- 
 lieve it will be fafeft for us to be as charitable as may be, in our Opini- 
 on of fuch Perfons ; and that we take Care not to make the Differ- 
 ence more and greater than we need. 
 
 New, 
 
 
chap.vl ] Grace defended. 195 
 
 Now, fuppofe the Hypothefis which I have advanced and plcadcil 
 for, be a Truth, I hope our owning and allowing of it wou'd, as 1 have 
 faid, render feveral other Things contained In the Scheme maintained 
 by the Orthodox, the more ^■x{'j to be admitted by fuch as at prefent 
 fecm to be afraid to own and embrace them. And that I may make 
 what I here fay the more probable, I will give fome Inftances, in which 
 I apprehend Things might prove as I hope and defirc they may. 
 
 The jirj} of thefe Is the Cafe of Original Sin. Calvinijis generally 
 maintain, that the Guilt oi Ada?n^s fir It and great Tranfgrefiion, has 
 fallen on all his Polterlty j and that they are all thereby become na- 
 turally Children cf JFraib, and Heirs of Death. They hold alfo, that 
 on the Apoftacy of our firfl Parents from God, they loft his Image, 
 in wliich they were created ; and their Natures were fo dtpravcd, 
 that they v/erc thereby rend red uncapable of performing any Adions 
 truly gracious and holy, and as fuch acceptable to the Lord ; and \o 
 were uncapable of Communion with him, and the Enjoyment of him, 
 without the Pardon of Sin and renewing Grace. They alfo maintain 
 that in this deplorable State all the Off-fpring of the firft Jdam are 
 involved. 
 
 And hereupon they further aiFn'm, that beforcMen's Regeneration, 
 they are utterly uncapable to accept the Terms, or perform the Con- 
 ditions, required of Sinners in the Gofpcl, in Order to their Salvation; 
 becaufe they fuppofe the Gofpel in this Cafe rcquircth fonieihing, the 
 doing whereof fuppofcth Men firft born again, and become new Crea- 
 tures ; which, they fay, few ever attain to : Nor have Sinners any 
 Offer of this Grace made to them. Now, if it be thus, thinks the 
 Perfon inclining to Arfnmianifm ; (and who is there but by Nature is 
 not inclined to Error ? ) if this be the Dcclrine of original Sin, and 
 the Confequences following on it, I cannot, I v*'ill not receive it, 'till 
 I can fee fuch Evidences for it, as will compel me to yield my AiTent 
 thereunto. And now fcarce any Evidence will convince fuch Pcrfons 
 that a Dcdlrine is true, that is (o hard to be digcfted. 
 
 But now let fuch Diflnfers from the cahinian DoSlrines be told, 
 that the Doclrine of original Sin is indeed a great Truth ; and that 
 the fame may be defended, being duly ftated and underftood ; but 
 that it is true alfo, that God had a Defign of glorifying his Grace and 
 Mercy, in the Redemption of Mankind when fallen into a State of 
 Sin ; and that for this End, God fent his Son into the World (o to 
 4ie for iiii Men, that they might be favcd oii the Terms of a new 
 
 B b 2 Covenant 
 
1 9^5 Grace defended. \ chaI. vl 
 
 Covenant, which Terms are not fuch as they are not able to comply 
 with, by the Help of God's Grace afforded to them, nor fuch that 
 they mult be favingly converted or born again, before, and in order 
 to, their Performance of them j but fuch as thro' God's Help, by bis 
 Word and Spirit, they may come up to in their prefent State j and 
 fo obtain Deliverance from Sin and Death, if it be not their own Fault 
 in refufmg the Mercies offered to th^m. If thefe Truths are owned 
 and allowed, I think many People would not be fo averfe to the Doc- 
 trine of original Sin as they now feem to be : For thus theGofpel pro- 
 pofeth a Remedy againft it, to every Perfon afflided with the Senfe 
 of it, inafmuch as it tells every Sinner how he may come to have his 
 Nature renewed, and the Image of God reftored in him ; and that 
 the Condition unto this End required of him, is not fuch as a Perfon 
 in a State of Nature cannot by God's Help perform. 
 
 Secondly^ Another Point which I here intend is that of Converfwn 
 or Regeneration : In this I think Caivirnjis and Ar?7unians differ greatly. 
 Calvinijfs (at leafl many of them) hold, that true faving Ccnverfton^ 
 which they alfo call Regeneration., is a great Change v/rought in the 
 Soul of a Sinner by the Spirit of God, whereby he has a new Biafs 
 or Difpofition given him. By this, according to them, the loft Image 
 of God is reftored to a Sinner : Of carnal he is hereby m3.de fpiritua I y 
 having a new Heart given to him., and a new Spirit put within hirn, as 
 in Ezek. 36. 26. And this they think is an injiantaneous Change ; 
 and that the Soul Is pajjive in it, having no Hand in the working of 
 it ; but that it is wholly a Work of God by his Holy Spirit, creating 
 Men anew in Chriji "Jefus unto good Works ^ as in Eph. 2. 10. Pfal. 51. 
 10. John 1' 8. and Chap. i. 13. Eph. 2. 19, 20. and many other 
 Places. 
 
 Add hereunto, that, according to Calvinijls^ Sinners can do no 
 Actions that are fpiritually good, or truly holy, 'till this Change be 
 iirft wrought in them ; and confequently, it is> impoflible, (as they 
 think) that any Sinner fhould perform the Condition on which Sal- 
 vation Is offered to him, 'till he is firft converted and bG7'n of the Spirit, 
 as is above expreffed. And they further think, (fome of them at leaft) 
 that God has no where offered or promifed in his Word, on any 
 Condition whatfoevcr, that he will work fuch a Change in any Sin- 
 ner's Soul : And yet if any Sinner does not believe with fuch a Kind 
 of Faith as can only be cxercifed by one already fo converted, he 
 Ihall be more feverely punifhed, than if he had never Jiad any Offer 
 of Salvation made to him. ~ 
 
 Now 
 
Chap. vi'. } Gvacc defended. 197 
 
 Now thofe who are inclined to Arminianlfm think this Do^Strinc is 
 fo harfh they cannot endure it : Nor does it feem to them any Way 
 agreeable to the infinite Goodncfs and Mercy of God, made known 
 and revealed in the Gofpel. And then fuch feck to find fome Flaws 
 in the Doctrine mentioned ; and what moft readily offers itfelfto 
 their Mind is, that thofe who thus hold are miftakcn with Refpccf!: to 
 the Nature of Converfion ; and that Converfion or Regeneration is 
 no fuch Thing, as they imagine it to be. 
 
 The Nature of Man (think they) is not {o corrupted, as to need 
 fuch a mighty Work of the Spirit of God, in order to the changing 
 of it. The Miniftry of the Word, they think, and thofe Motions 
 and Convictions of God's Spirit, which he affords to Sinners under 
 the Gofpel, are fuilicient to work all the Change in them that is ne- 
 ccffary in order to their eternal Happinefs : And what is talked of 
 more than this, is a mere Fi6tion of fome Men's Brains, and has no 
 Foundation in the Word of God, on which it can be built. 
 
 But unto fuch as thefe I fay, according to my Hvpothefis, there is 
 indeed a great Miftake relating to the Matter under Confideration ; 
 but it does not lye, as they imagine, in the Doftrine of Regeneration 
 by Calvin'ifls maintained. Sinners need by Converfion or Regene- 
 ration, fuch a Change as they hold neceffary. The Depravation of 
 their Natures by original Sin^ renders fuch a Change indifpenfibly 
 needful, as our Saviour himfclfteacheth, J:bn 3. 3,- -8. and as is 
 in many other Places of Scripture manifefted. 
 
 But the Mijtake lies In this, that it is not truly fuppofed and main- 
 tained, that the Condition required of Sinners in the Gofpel, in order 
 to their Salvation, is, that they believe and repent with a Kind of 
 Faith and Repentance, of which no Sinner can be the Subject, Vv'ho 
 is not firfl born ofGod^ and fo a new Creature ; and confequently in a 
 State of Salvation, before ever he exercifeth fuch Faith and Repen- 
 tance : When indeed, God's giving us that Grace whereof fuch 
 Faith and Repentance is the Fruit and Exerclfe, is his faving us ; not 
 that whereby we are enabled and difpofed to perform the Condition 
 required of us. No: The Condition required of us, is, that we, 
 wretched.^ and miferable^ and poor, and hlindy and 72aked as we are, ap- 
 ply our felves to Jefus Chrift, for Gold tried in the Fire, ( true Grace ) 
 that zve rr,ay le rich ; for zvhite R<iimcnt, ( his perfect RIghteoufnefs) 
 that zve may he ckathed, and that the Sha?ne of cur Nakednefs do not ap- 
 pear ; and for Eye-Salve, to anoint cur Eyes, that we may fee. Wc 
 muft not ftay 'till we are renewed and fandtified by the Spirit of God, 
 
 ■" bcfbre 
 
1 9 8 Grace defended. \ S^^p. "i. 
 
 before we do this ; but out of a Senfe of our Miiery, make Hafte to 
 Chrift to do it for us : And awakened Sinners may, by the Help of 
 that Grace of Gcd^ which they fhould not receive in vain^ do thus. 
 Tho' their Hearts arc not yet changed by the Grace of Regeneration ; 
 yet they may go to him for that Grace. When G<')d requires this of 
 us, he requires not what is above our Power, and impoffible for us, 
 being furniflied with that mentioned Grace of his, 2 Cor. 6. i. Tho' 
 we cannot regenerate our felves, yet it is not true, that we cannot ap- 
 ply our felves to Chrifl- to work this great Change in us by his Spirit. 
 And he invites and requires us thus to do ; and has promifed, that if 
 we do, he will not cafl us outj John 6. 37. 
 
 Let this Do(Slrine be owned and preached among us, to awakened 
 Sinners, tho' unfandlfied, that we may thereby encourage them to 
 lay hold on God's Mercy ; and it is polTible Arminians may then 
 think, that they have far lefs to cavil againft in our Dc6trine of Rege- 
 7ieratio?7, than they fhould have if this were denied. I am in Hopes, 
 that if this Truth were duly acknov/ledged, fuch as are difpofed to 
 Jrmi7iianifm among us, would be more inclined to receive our Doc- 
 trine, in fuch Articles of it as are indeed effential to it. 
 
 Thirdly., There is one Point more, which is very efTential to the 
 Scheme which I have endeavoured to explain and confirm ; whicli be- 
 ing allowed, and clearly afTerted among us, would have a great Ten- 
 dency to gain over to us fuch as lean towards Ar?niniamf7n ; and make 
 them more favourably inclined towards our Dodrine : And this is. 
 That God does not cither hy his Decree, or the Execution cfit, lay a Ne- 
 cejfty on any of his Creatures to fin againfi hi?n. This is one ot the 
 Things, about which the Arminians contend very earneflly with Cal^ 
 vifiijlsy v^ith Relation to our Dodlrine : And tho' much of what they 
 lay on this Head, is, if I miftake not, very unjuft ; yet on the other 
 Hand, I am of Opinion that {omQ Calvin l/ls have faid Things with 
 Refpedt to God's Decree, which have given too much Occafion of 
 Offence to thofe who differ in Judgment from them. If it were 
 granted on our Part, (i) That God does neither in his Decree, nor 
 in the Execution of it, take away the Liberty of free Agents, fuch as 
 Men and Angels are. (2) That when it is faid, that God zuills or 
 decrees the Anions of fmful Men, this muff not be underftcod of an 
 €ffc5iive Decree, hw.t permijfive only : The Nature of divine PermiiTion 
 being rightly underftood. (3) That by that efficiency of God, 
 whereby he executeth his Decree, he does not by any Action of his, 
 lay his Creatures under a Neceffity of doing Adions wherein they fin 
 againfi him ; The Concourfe of the firft Caufe with the fecond, does 
 
 not 
 
chap.vii'. } Grace defended. 199 
 
 not infer this. If thefe Things were well nficrtcd and explained, it 
 would, I think, tend much to quiet the Minds of fuch as are apt to 
 be {tumbled at the Dodrine of Calvbnjh about them. 
 
 Wtiat I have briefly faid of fuch a Tendency, in this Eflay, is not 
 only dcfigned as a Teftimony to the Truth j but as what I hope, if 
 allowed to be agreeable thereunto, might in fome Meafure ferve to 
 quiet the tumultuating Thoughts of thofe who have entertained fuch 
 an Opinion of the Doctrine of God's Decree and Providence, as does 
 not become the infinite PerfecStions of his Nature ; and who are dif- 
 pleafed at fuch as maintain the Truth in thefe Points. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 The Seventh Use of the DoBrine pleaded 
 
 for. An Exhortation^ with DireSiionSy 
 
 to fuch as are yet i?i a State of Nature^ to 
 
 comply with the Terms on which Salvation 
 
 is offered to them i7i the GofpeL 
 
 '^Hi^'^iii^li^ O encourage Sinners to endeavour that which they 
 
 tofeofG^^ci^s ^^^ "^^ exhorted to, has been the principal End aC 
 % "'"*' -E'^ which I have aimed in the dodlrinal Part of this 
 ./ ':iM.^?^ -^^ • ^"^ ^" ^^^^^ hereunto, 1 think I have 
 ^^S^^i'^^S^^ plainly fhewed, that even the Grace ofRegenera- 
 ^SM^^^^Pl?^ tion it felf is comprifed in the Salvation offered ; 
 /^ '^' and confequently not Included nor implied in the 
 Condition on which the Offer is made, nor neceffary in order to a 
 Compliance with it ; fo that for Want of it. Sinners fhould have no 
 Pov/er to comply with the Terms of the new Covenant. 
 
 It therefore now only remains incumbent on me, that I endeavour 
 to perfuade fuch as are ftill in a State of Nature, unregenerate and 
 unjuftified, to endeavour to comply with the Terms on'which God 
 offers to fave them, /. e. to juftify and regenerate them, bV. i, 
 
 If God offers fuch a Salvation to Sinners in a conditional Covenant, 
 as I have well proved he docs, they have no Reafon to exped it in 
 
 any 
 
 
200 Grace defended. { chap.vil 
 
 any other Way, than in that in which it is thus offered to .them. It 
 muft needs, therefore, he a Matter of vaft Importance, that thofe, 
 unto whom this OfFer is made, do comply with the Terms or Con- 
 ditions on which Salvation is thus offered to them. 
 
 That there are in the World many fuch as this Exhortation is di- 
 rctSled to, is too evident. There are Multitudes whofe irreligious and 
 unholy Lives fhew them to be of this Number. And befides this. 
 Men may have gone far in the Profeffion of Religion, and in the 
 Practice of the external Duties of it ; and yet have not hitherto ful- 
 filled the Conditions of the new Covenant, nor obtained a Right and 
 Title to the Benefits of it ; and if they fhall never do this, they will 
 be exceeding miferable, and that for ever. 
 
 But the Mifery of fuch both in Refpeft of Lofs and Senfe, is not 
 what I intend here to enlarge upon, this being very well done by 
 many others. 
 
 What I here intend, is to offer fome Things by Way of Exhorta- 
 tion and I3ire(ftion to thofe unto whom this Part of my Difcourfe is 
 dire<5led. Unto fuch I then fay what here follows. 
 
 DIRECTION I. 
 
 Confider well what a miferable State you are In before, and until, 
 you have complied with the Terms of the new Covenant. An un- 
 juftified and an unregenerate State, is a very miferable State indeed. 
 Such, whatever outv/ard Privileges they may enjoy, are ftill in a State 
 of Condemnation ; and the Wrath of God abideth on them^ John 3. 
 18. and Verfe 36. Such arc alfo undmdified and unholy ; and fo 
 uncapable of the Enjoyment of God, and fuch Communion with him 
 as true Saints may enjoy, either in this Life or that to come ; and 
 are liable to the Torments of the Damned, to be fuffered in Hell to 
 all Eternity. If you are ftill in a State of Nature, this is your Cafe ; 
 and it is neceffary that you fhould be fenfible of it ; for if you will 
 not apply your felves in good Earneft to work out your own Salva- 
 tion, nor endeavour to perform the Condition of the new Covenant, 
 nor indeed fo much as enquire 'what you Jhall do to be faved^ as they did 
 JSisi^-T^j, and he in Acis' 16, 30. you muff miferably perifh for 
 ever. 
 
 Such therefore as are ftill in an unregenerate State, fhould meditate 
 Terror, as in Ifai. 33. 18. They fhould confider the Juftice and 
 Holinefs of God, tl^e Striftnefs of his Law, his perfeft Knowledge of 
 all that Men do, the Judgment to come, the Punifhment that will 
 hz infliftcd on all fuch as die in their Sins 3 and that this will be the 
 
 woful 
 
CHrp.vii.' } Grace defended. aoi 
 
 woful Cafe of all that comply not with the Terms of the new Co- 
 venant. By fuch Confideratians they fhould endeavour to get a deep 
 Senfc of their miferable State by Nature : f'or while Men Hiy they are 
 rich ^ and increajed in Goods ^ and have need of Nothings and knoiv not 
 that they arz wretched^ and miferable^ and poor ^ and blind ^ and raked ^ as 
 in Rev. 3. 17. they will never follow the Advice given them in the 
 next Words, Verfe 1 8. / counfel thee to buy of me Gold tried in the 
 Firey that thou ?nay/l be rich ; and white Rai?nciity that thou ?nayj} be 
 clothed, and that the Shame of thy Nakednefs do not appear ; and anoint 
 thine Ey^s with Eye-Salve ^ that thou mayfi fee : For they that are whole ^ 
 need not the Phyfician., but they that are ftck^ Matth. 9. 12. 
 
 piRECTiON II. Confider well, and rightly underftand,what it is that 
 God requires of you, in order to yourSalvation. Take heed left you be 
 miftaken in the Terms of the new Covenant. If you are miftaken in 
 this, the Miftake may be fatal to you. There are here two Ways in 
 which Perfons may be miftaken to their ownHurt. As ( i ) by thinking 
 the Terms fo low, that Perfons may attain to, and perform what 
 they think is required, and yet never be faved : As when Perfons 
 think an external Reformation will anfwer the End, without any 
 Heart-Reformation ; and fo have no Regard to the inner Man^ but 
 content themfelves with fuch an Amendment of their Lives, that Men 
 cannot accufe them ; but take no Care to do what is required in Jer. 
 4. 14. O Jerufalem, wajh thine Heart from Wickednefs^ that thou may ft 
 he faved : How longft>all thy vainTh oughts lodge zvithin thee ! AndEzek, 
 18. 31. —Make you a new Hearty and a neiv Spirit ; for why will ye 
 die, O HoufeofKrdd ! Joel 2. 13. Rent your Hearts, and not your 
 Garments j a/id turn to the Lord thy God—. Obferve that here is 
 Heart- Humiliation and Reformation required ; yet I do not think 
 that Sinners in thefe and fuch like Texts, are required to regenerate 
 themfelves ; which never any Sinner did or will do. There is a Re- 
 formation of the Heart which is a Work very much ftiort of, and in- 
 feriour to, the great Work of Regeneration, which God only can 
 work. Sinners may very much reform and amend their own Hearts, 
 as well as then' external Actions. Such as pleafe may for this fee the 
 Supplement to Mr. Pool's Englilh Notes, on the mentioned EzeL 
 18. 31. There is fuch a Thing as a moral as well as a gracious Sin- 
 cerity ; and the former of thefe God requires Sinners, by the Help of 
 his common Grace, to work upon their own Hearts, but not the 
 latter : This he referves to himfelf as his own Prerogative, as appears 
 in Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26. Wherefore (2) Perfons may alio 
 wrong themfelves greatly, by fuppofing that to be required of them 
 which is not, ^ If Sinners fuppofe, that God requires of them, as the 
 
 C c Condition 
 
202 Grace defended. \ chap.vii. 
 
 Condition of his Covenant, that which no Sinner ever did, or can 
 do ; no, not by Grace received from God himfclf, it is no w^onder if 
 they are difcouraged, and never attempt this. 
 
 And here I v/ill mention two Things which I fuppofe God never 
 required of any Sinner, in order to his Solvation. As (i) God never 
 required any Sinner to regenerate himfclf. I do not underfland that 
 God requires Men themfelves to work that great Change which is 
 wrought in J\4en's Regeneration ; or fo much as to have any Hand 
 in it. CalvimJJsy I think, generally own, that in this the Soul is 
 wholly pajjtve ; and I cannot but underftand the Scripture to fpeak of 
 it as fuch a Work, in Ezek, ii. 19. and 36. 26. before mentioned ; 
 alfo Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou me^ and I Jhall he turned \ and this is 
 fpoken of as the EfFe6l of the mighty Power of God, in the Texts be- 
 fore quoted. This therefore is a Work which I cannot think God 
 requires Sinners themfelves to perform. (2) I do not think that 
 God requires Sinners to exercife faving Grace ^ while they have it not. 
 One of my Reafons, is, becaufe this is phyfically impoffible ; as im- 
 pofTible as it is for a Man void of natural Life, to adl and move him- 
 felf. Another Reafon of this may be, that it feems to imply a plain 
 Contradiction, as much as it is for a Perfon to fee while he is blind. 
 If God gives a Man Grace, he can exercife it, but he cannot be 
 enabled to exercife Grace while he has it not : Neither does God 
 require this of any Man living. Man's prefent Duty, while unre- 
 generate, is not to exercife that Kind of Grace which he is without ; 
 but to wait on God in the Ufe of Means for the obtaining of it 3 
 attending the Ordinances inftituted by him for that End, and per- 
 forming the Duties unto that End demanded of him, as hearing and 
 reading his Word, meditating on it, and calling on him for his Blef- 
 fing on the Means of Grace, and praying earneftly to him for the Par- 
 don of his Sins, for Chrift's Sake, and to give him his Holy Spirit in 
 the converting and faving Influences of it, t5V. Now thefe areDuties 
 which Perfons by the Help of common Grace may perform. 
 
 Direction III. Confider well, and underftand, how very difficult 
 theConditions required are to be performed. Tho' I fuppofe thefe Con- 
 ditions may be complied with, by theHelp of commonGrace,byPerfons 
 not yet born of theSpirit ; becaufe if thefeConditions are compHed with 
 by any, it muft be in order to their Regeneration ; and fo before, 
 not after, that Work is wrought in them. Tho' therefore I afiirm, 
 that thefe Conditions are not fuch as the Unregenerate cannot, by 
 the Help of common Grace, perform ; yet I by no Means fay, that 
 the Conditions required in order to their Salvation, and confequently 
 in order to their Regeneration, are fuch as may by them be eafily 
 
 complied 
 
ch A^ . vii! } Grace defended. 203 
 
 complied with, while they are in a State of Nature. Even thofe 
 Duties which unregcnerate Perfons can, by the H.-lp of common 
 Grace, psrform, and muft perform, if they would be favcd, are very 
 contrary to Flefh and Blood, and difficult to be performed by them. 
 That Corruption which they have in them, greatly difmclines them 
 to the Performance of them. They do not find their Hearts well in- 
 clined to read the Word of God, hear it preached, and meditate on 
 it ; and to examine themfclves, and pray earneftly to God for the 
 convincing and converting Influences of his Holy Spirit, diff. Tho' 
 Men may poUibly do thefe Things by fuch Help as the Unregcnerate 
 m,:y receive ; yet this is to them hard Work : There is a hard 
 Striving required to it, and great Self-Denial in it. Even in fuch 
 Actions of the Unregcnerate, there is a Wrejll'ing with Flejh and Bloody 
 ?.\\^ againji Principalities^ and Powers ^ and againjl the Rulers of the 
 Darknefs of this World ^ and againjl fpiritual Wickednefs in high P laces ^ 
 !''.ph. 6. 12. Which Words I think may be underftood not of the 
 Regenerate only, but of the Unregenerate alfo, when awakened, and 
 excited to begin to work out their own Salvation ; and to begin to 
 prefs into (or towards) the Kingdom of God ^ Luke i6. 16. and iojlrive 
 to enter in at the fir ait Gate^ Luke 1 3. 24. The Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven muft be taken by Violence by fuch as would enjoy it ; and this 
 Violence muft be ufed in order to Men's obtaining ; not after they 
 have it, Matth. 11. 12. Striving to enter mto it^ is in order to En- 
 trance ; not after Perfons are in it. Thejlrait Gate and the narrow 
 Way muH be found, entred into, and v/alked in, before we enter in- 
 to Life, and in order to it ; and not only after we have obtained it. 
 Nor does the Difficulty of this confift in the Work of Pvegeneration 
 it felf, which Men themfelves have no Hand in, it being Vvdiolly per- 
 formed by God for them ; but in the Duties that are preparatory 
 to it. 
 
 It is dangerous for Perfons in an unregenerate State, to think the 
 Duties and Conditions eafy, which are required of them in order to 
 their Salvation ; for this tends to make them flighty and carclefs about 
 them, and to occafion their delaying to perform them. 
 
 Direction IV. You muft confefs,and be very fenfible, that there 
 is nothing of Merit in anyThing required of you, or that can be done by 
 you, in order to your Salvation. It is moft evident, that the Conditions 
 required in a Covenant of Grace, can hav^ Nothing of Merit in them. 
 Even the Condition of the Covenant of Works had Nothing of Merit 
 in it, much lefs can the Condition of the Covenant of Grace have 
 any Merit in that. Indeed, if Grace were given accordir.g to Works, 
 that would, according to th? L:inguage of the Scriptures, and good 
 
 C c 2 Divines, 
 
204 Grace defended. X^QnL.xli 
 
 Divines, be according to Merit ; and then it would not be of Grace^ 
 but of Deht^ as in Rom. ii. 6. But muft this be the Cafe, if any 
 Conditions are required in the Covenant of Grace ? Will it then fol- 
 low, that his Sah'ation is of Debt^ and not of Grace ? This cannot 
 be allowed, and has been fufEciently difproved in Part I. Chap. III. 
 and Part II. Chap. XVII. A Thing may be not at all the lefs of 
 Gracey becaufe it is given in the Way of a Covenant, on feme Con- 
 dition to be performed by him that fliall receive it. When Sinners 
 arc required to feek the Lord for his Grace and Mercy, thro' the 
 Merits of his dear Son, who has obeyed the Law, and fuffercd the 
 Penalty of it for them, there is not the leaft Room for them to imagine 
 they can by this merit any Thing at his Hands. Repentance for Sins 
 committed, believing in a Redeemer for Righteoufnefs and Life, and 
 begging Pardon, have no Appearance of Merit in them. Let not 
 unconverted Sinners think they merit any Thing at God's Hands, 
 when they do this. I am fure they have noReafon for it. Let them, 
 on the contrary, plead Vvith God the Riches and Freedom of his 
 Grace, and the Merits of his Son, when they are feeking to him for 
 his fpiritual Bleilings and everlafling Mercies, and that will be the 
 Way to obtain them. 
 
 Direction V. Take heed you do not, by living in the Practice of 
 any knownSinjprovokeGod to deny or withold hisfpecialand everlafling 
 Mercies from you. Sinners have noReafon to expe6l thatGod will par- 
 don their Iniquities, and fandlify their Hearts by his Holy Spirit, fo 
 long as they indulge themfelves in any known Sin, cither of Omiflion 
 or Commiliion. Pr??// was indeed very fuddenly converted: He was 
 going on in an evil Way, JSls Chap. 9. But he himfelf declares, he 
 obtained A'fcrcy hecaufe he did it igmrantly^ i Tim. i. 13. Nor was 
 his faving Converfion ( I am perfuaded ) {o very fudden that there was 
 no preparatory Work going before it, tho' but of fhort Continuance. 
 That Out-cry of his, when trembling and aftonidiied he faid, Lord^ 
 vjhativilt thou have me to do ? was, I fuppofe, of the fame Kind with 
 their's, yf6?j 2. 37. and his Chap. 16. 30. Compare thofc Scriptures 
 and fee how much the PaiTages arc alike. I think it is very probable 
 he was then born both of Water and of the Spirit, when Ananias bap- 
 tized him,, faying to him, as in A61s 9. 17. Brother ^2M\y the Lordy 
 ( even fefus that appeared unto thee in the JVay as thou cameji J hath fent 
 ine^ that thou ??iighte/} receive thy Sights and be filled with the holy Gho/I. 
 After which Words, it follovv'eth, V^erfe 18. And iimnediaiely there fell 
 from his Eyes ^as it had becnScales ; and he reccivedSight forthivith.mid arofe 
 andvjas baptized. Men muft firft turn atGod sReproof^Q.{oxt they may 
 expe(Sl that h% will pour rut his Si)irit unto ihcm^ and ?nake knovjn his 
 
 Words 
 
chIp.vil } Grace defended. 205 
 
 I V or ds unto th 8711^2.% \\\ Prov. r. 23. If we have exceeding great and 
 precious Promifes^ by which we may he Partakers of the divine Nature , we 
 may not expedl to receive thIsBenefit, till we have/";-/? efcaped the Cor- 
 ruption that is in the World thro' Lufty 2 Pet. i. 4. I'hey are miftaken 
 who think, God's ordinary Way is firft to regenerate Men, and by 
 that Means to refor?n their vicious Lives. God's Way is the Reverfe 
 of this : He firlt humbles and reforms Sinners, and then pours out his 
 Spirit on them, and favingly converts them. They muft not live in 
 fuch abominable Practices, as are mentioned in i Cor. 6. 9. if they 
 defign to fee or get into the Kingdom of God, by obtaining true and 
 faving Grace, as in Mark 12. 34. 
 
 Direction VI. Delay not your Repentance till it be too late : 
 I mean, 'till it is too late for you to repent, or 'till your Seafon for it 
 be paft and gone. Now there are two Cafes in which this may befall 
 you, vi-z. (i) Death may overtake you v/hile you delay it, and then 
 you have lofl your Opportunity for it for ever ! Oh ! take heed of 
 this. Remember that awful Word in Prov. 27. i. Boaji not thy felf 
 of To-morrow ; for thou knozvejl not what a Day may bring forth. And 
 forget not that of the Apoftle, James 4. 14. Te know not what JJmll be 
 on the Morroiu : For what is your Life ? It is even a Vapour that ap- 
 pear eth for a little Time^ and then vanijheth azvay. Tremble at the 
 Tho't of that in Prov. 29. l. He that being often reproved^ hardieth his 
 Neck^ Jhall fuddenly be dejlroyed^i and that luithout Remedy. Think fe- 
 rioufly what Multitudes there are now roaring in Hell, becaufe they 
 wickedly delayed their Repentance, till Death overtook them ; and 
 that after Death there is no Seafon for Repentance unto Life. Be 
 perfuaded to do as i)«z;/^did, Pfal. 119. 59, 60. I tho't on ?m Ways 
 and turned my Feet into thy TeJii?nonies. I ?nade HaJIe^ and delayed not 
 to keep thy Commandfnents. (2) The holy Spirit may be finally' taken 
 from you, if you continue long to refift him, and quench his Motion?, 
 by anobftinate delaying of your P.epentance ; and then you are un- 
 done for ever. It will therefore be your Duty and Intcrefl;, ferioufly 
 to confider fuch Texts of Scripture as hold forth the Danger of his ut- 
 terly forfaking you, left he forever leave you. To this End, ponder 
 and lay to Heart, what we have in Gen. 6. 3. Ady Spirit fjall not 
 always flrive zvith Man, Pfal. 81. li, 12. My People vjoidd not 
 hearken to my Voice ^ and\{KZ^\ would none of ?nc. So I gave ihe?n , up to 
 their own Heart's Lvjls ; and they ivalked in their own Counfeh. Ezek. 
 24. 13. Becaufe I have purged thee ^ and thou wajl not purged ^ thou fait 
 not he purged any m^re^ 'till Ihav: caufdmy Fury to reji upon thee. 
 
 Direction 
 
zo6 Grace defended \ c^lp.vJS; 
 
 Direction VII. Perfevere In well doing, when you have be- 
 gun well ; and take heed of Apoftacy. Some begin v/tll, but fall 
 away and lofe all they have done. This is the fadCafe fuppofed inHeb. 
 6. 4, 5, 6. and in 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21, 22. alfo in Ezek. 18. 24, 26. 
 And I doubt not alfo in i/^^. 10. 38, 39. Nor is this a Suppofition 
 of what never falls out : There be many to whom it may be tr.tly f.;id, 
 as in GaL 5. 4. Te are fallen from Grace : And this not only on Ac- 
 count of fundamental Errors in Do6lrine, which thev embrace ^ bu<t 
 alfo in Refpedl: of abominable Pra dices into which they fall, and in 
 which they continue, as in the mentioned Tlxc, 2 Fet. 2. 20. Not 
 that regenerate and juftified Perfons ever do thus, or are liable to it ; 
 for thefe are all kept by the Power of God^ ihro'' Faith unto Salvation, 
 *1 Pet. I. 5. They are become Pillars in the Te7nple of God, and Jhall 
 go no more out. Rev. 3. 12. I cannot believe, that the Suppofitions of 
 Apoftacy which we havx in Scripture, relate to the Regenerate, who 
 ■are exprefly fecured againft it ; but to thofe, on whom a Work of 
 common Grace only has been wro't, and fo are liable to fall av.'ay : 
 And fuch had need beware, left heing led away hy the Error of the 
 Wicked, they fall from their own Stedfafnefs, 2 Pet. 3. 17 At leaft, I 
 think that this may be accommodated to the Condition of the Unre- 
 generate, under a Work preparatory to Regeneration, and muft be 
 fo, if a total Apoftacy be intended. It is certain that many ProfefTors 
 of Religion have totally fallen away, after great Convidlions and Re- 
 formation. Nor is the Promife of Salvation made to any Meafure of 
 fuch Grace as th'e Unregenerate have ; but to fuch as perfevere in that 
 Way of well-doing, which fome who a're not favingly converted, are 
 engaged in, as I think I have fufficiently fnewed, Part II. Chap. XIV. 
 To fuch I fay, as in Heb. 10. 35, 36. Cajl not away therefore your 
 Confidence, which hath great Recc?npence of Reward. For ye have need of 
 Patience, that after ye have done the Will of God, ye might receive the 
 Promife* 
 
 Direction VIII. Rely on the free and fovereign Grace of 
 God, to make you willing to attend the Duties required of you, in or- 
 der to your Salvation. Acknowledge alfo, that your doing fo depends 
 abfolutelv on his Good-will and Pleafure. Tho' God has promifed 
 that he will favc you, if you perform what is to that End required of 
 you ; yet he has made no Promife to you, that you fiiall perform the 
 Condition on which Salvation is offered to you. Whether he will 
 cffedually incline your Hearts to this, is abfolutely at his Liberty. It 
 is not confiftent v/iththe Nature of a conditional Promife, that he that 
 propofeth it fhould engage himfelf to the Perfon unto whom it is 
 made, for both the Condition required, and the Promife made on that 
 
 Condition, 
 
chaI.vii'. } Grace defended. 20 
 
 Condition. To fuppofe, that in the conditional Promife of the Gof- 
 pel, God promifeth Sinners both thefe, is a plain Contradiction. Tho* 
 I caxinot tell you, that if you fail or fall fhort of the Grace of God, the 
 Rcafon is, becaufe you have no Power to comply with the Terms of 
 the new Covenant ; yet lean tell you, that your doing this depends 
 abfolutely on God's free and fovereign Grace ; who, if ever you are 
 faved, muft work in you both to will and to doy according to Ins own good 
 JVill and Plea fur e. Here that' is applicable, Rom. 9. 16. So then it 
 is not of ::im that willeth, nor of him that runneth^ hut of God that few eth 
 Mercy. Perfons may have Power to comply with the Terms of the 
 new Covenant, and yet never do it. There is a great deal more to 
 be done for a Sinner in order to his Salvation, than the bare giving him 
 fucli a Power ; even an efFedlual Perfuafion to do the Things required 
 of him; which tho' he has Power to perform, yet he never v/ould 
 WiLhout fuch Perfuafion. Let therefore every unregenerate Sinner 
 hurabiy and freely confefs, that after all that God has hitherto done for 
 him, he (hall miferably perifh, and that for ever, if he does not, in his 
 infiniteMercy,effe6lually perfuade him to do v/hat is incumbent on him 
 in order to his eternal Happinefs. And I do mod freely & heartily ack- 
 nowledge, that a Soul that is bro't to this, is in the moft likely Way to 
 obtain fuving Grace and Mercy ; and fuch an one feems not to be far 
 from the Kingdom of God. Iffome believe and are (lived, when o- 
 thers negkcl the Salvation offered to them, and eternally perifh, a 
 foverci^i;n God muff have the Glory of making the Difference : Thof^ 
 who believe and are faved, would have done no more than thofe who 
 remain Unbelievers and are damned, if God did no more for them. 
 And we may to this Cafe apply thofe Words of our glorious Lord, 
 with very little Variation, Matth. 11. 25, 26. / tha?i.k thee., O Fa- 
 ther, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou hoj} hid thefe Things f rem 
 the I Fife and Prudent, and hajl revealed thetn unto Babes, Even fo. Fa- 
 ther, for fo it feetned good in thy Sight. It muft be fo, and it is beft it 
 fhould be fo : It is for our liiterefl to acknowledge it, and that our 
 Heartsfhould acquiefce in it, and to it fay, Amek. 
 
 Direction IX. While. you feektoGod for hisSalvation, rely on hi.s 
 Mercy, h on theMeritsofhisdearSon ; and plead with him hisPromifcs 
 of faving all fuch as diligently feek him. They are not only the Re2;e- 
 nerate andjuftified that may do this : Thofe who have not yet fecured the 
 Salvation of their ownSouls,are bound fo to do ; and it is not impofUble 
 tliat they fhould. They cannot indeed do this in that gracious and 
 holy Manner, that Perfons already in a State of Grace can ; but that 
 they cannot do it at all, is not to be allowed. The Unregenerate 
 may have a Hope and Trull in God, anfwerajbie to that Perfuafion of 
 
 his 
 
2p8 Grace defended. \ ^cnUli 
 
 his.Power and Mercy, which by Means of the glorious Gofpel, they 
 have attained to. If this were, not fo, how fhould they wait on God 
 in the Ufe of Means, for the Salvation of their Souls ? which many 
 unregenerate Perfons do. Such may alfo plead with God the con- 
 ditional Promifes of his Covenant, made to fuch as diligently feek him.: 
 
 Such as we have in Af^///;. 7. 7, n. Luke 11. 9, 13. Prov. 
 
 .23, 4, 5. And unto awakened unregenerate Souls, I fay. Do not 
 think it impo/Tible to do this, by the Help of God's Grace, before 
 you are born of the Spirit, or favingly converted, and while .your Day 
 of Gr;ice lafteth, and God is by his Word and Spirit ftriving with you. 
 Let the Promifes God has made encourage you to do fo : For he has 
 not faid to the Seed of ]?iQoh^ ( of which many are unconverted) feek 
 ye me in vain : Therefore /^^i the Lord while hetnay be found— -lh\. 55. 
 6. Let nothing difcourage you from endeavouring to do fo : And 
 while you are thus drawing nigh unto God, he zvill draw nigh unto you, 
 James 4. 8. Truft in God, and he v^^ill not fail you. Pf^i. 34- ^• 
 Otajie and fee that the Lord is good: Blejfed is the Man that putteth his 
 Truft in him. 
 
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