■■-■■■■■ ■ ■ .a[.-^•^ -^^' ' '«--1>.-i.. ■'. ■ y. W^t /3_ j LIBRARY OF THE Theo logical Seminar PRINCETON, N. J. y, Case, Division ! S/ielf, Seciu.-. Book, Nps_ sec V. 2- '^/^ C^cu^jC^ C^^^^^^^^-^^ *s >^ 4 /CA^ DEFENSE OF SOME Important Dodrines O F T H E GOSPEL, In Twenty Six SERMONS. Moft of which were Preached in LIME-STREET. By feveral Ministers. VOL. II. LONDON: Printed for A.Ward, at the King's- Arms, and J. Oswald, at the Rofe and Crown, in Little- ^I'T^h "1'^ ^- ?,^ ^ ''' ^' '''^ ^^"^ ""d Crown, in the^Poultry. Mdccxxxji. 1?&M T S SECOND VOLUME. VI. » mUE doarine of Chrift's 1^ fuiferings open'd ; in three fermons on Rom. viii. 32. He fpared not his own Son, but de- liver'd him up for us all page i By Mr. BRADBUBt. A » The iv The Contents. The firft fermon page 5 The fecond fermon ^9 The third fermon 55 VII. A plain fcriptural account of a fin- ner's juftification before God ; in four fermons on Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift, even we have believed in Chrift, that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law ; for by the works of the law, fhall no flefh be jufti- fied 87 By Mr. Bragge^ The firft fermon 89 The fecond fermon 1 1 9 The third fermon 1 45 The fourth fermon 177 VIII. The Contents.' VIII. The dodrine of efficacious grace af- ferted and vindicated; in two fermons on Philip, ii. 15. It is God who works in you, both to will and to do^ of his good pleafure page 209 By Mr. Wilson. The fir ft fermon an T he fecond fermon 2^5 IX. The doftrineof perfeverance in grace ftated and defended ; in two fer- mons on Philip, i. 6. Being confident of this very things that he which has begun a good work in you, will perform it, till the day of Chrift a 69 By Mr. Hall. The vi The Contents. The firft fermon page ay i The lecond fermon 3 1 ? X. The dodrine of the reiurredion ftated and defended ; in two fermons on Acts xxvi. 8. Why (hould it be thought a thing incredible with you^ that God (hould raife the dead ? 369 By Mr. Gill. The firft fermon 371 The fecond fermon 4.15 XL A vindication of the evangelical dodrine of man's falvation by the free grace of God^ from the charge of promoting licentioufnefs ; in a fermon on Rom. The Contents. vii Rom. V, 20, 31. vi. i, a* Where fin abounded, grace much more abounded; that as fin has reign'd to death, fo grace might reign, through righteoufiiefs, to eternal life. Wiiat fhall we fay then? {hall we continue in fin, that grace may abound ? God forbid : How ftiall we who are dead in fin live any longer in it? page 485 By Mr. Taylor. XIL A humble and impartial enquiry into the caufes of the decay of pradical religion ; or into the true grounds of the declenfions^ as to the life and power of god- linefs, vifible in fuch as profefs it in the prefent day ; in a fer- oon on I Rev. viii The Contents. Rev. lii. i, a, 5. To the angel of the church at Sardis write, Thefe things fays he who has the feven Spirits of God, and the feven ftars ; I know thy works, that thou haft a name that thou liveft and art dead: Be watchful, andftrengthen the things which remain and are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfeft before God : Remember therefore how thou haft received and heard, and hold faft and repent : If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou ftialt not know what hour I will come upon thee page 567 By the Same, S E R^ THE DOCTRINE O F CHRIST'S Sufferings OPENED. IN THREE SERMONS. By Thomas Bradbury, Minifter of the Gofpel. Vol. II. B SERMON I Rom. viiL 32. He Spared not his own Son^ but delivered him up for us all. H E S E words bear a full proportion to the defign for which I have taken them 'y that is, they Ihew us the fuiferings of Chrift, in their reality y thoivgreaU neCsy and their imputation. That Mef- ^^'^^ j«' *^- fiah the Prince is come, that he was cut offy but not for himfelf, that he fufFer'd, the juji for the unjufly to bring i Pet. lii. ii. us to God y he finifh'd tranfgreffion, made an end of fin ^ he put it away, by Heb. ix, 26. the OjfFering of himfelf ^ he inade recon- B. Z. ^iliatioA 4 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. ciliation for iniquity, and brought in an everlafting righteoufnefs. As the dodtrine of the crofs is the glory of our religion, 'tis the foundation of all our hope : The apoftle brings it in with a connexion 3 for, faith he in the former verfe, if God be for us^ who can be againji iis ? The confequent is infeparable, the argument invincible, and therefore his care is to let it be feen that the antecedent is true ; to which purpofe he offers the text in evidence : He that /pared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all^ how fhall he not with him freely give us all things ? He had before obferved that all things ycr. z8, fhall work together for our good, and now that all things fliall hQ given in as our pro- perty. According to what he fays in a- 1 Cor. iii. zz. nother place, ^11 things are yours y whe- ther Faul or Apollos^ or Cephas^ life or death, things prefent, or things to come, all is yours. The promife takes a large compafsj as to the matter of our enjoy-, ment, it reaches to all things ; as to the way of it, it is given freely -, he does it li- James 1. 5. t^erally, and upbraideth not ; fo that we are not flraitned in God, either as to the work of his hand, or the defign of his heart. As he is a fun and a fhield, as he Pfal. Ixxxiv. gives grace and glory, fo he with-holds no. good thing frpmtthofe that walk uprightly, Aa4 II Of Chnfi^s Sufferings. ^ And we may be aflured of what he will do by what he has done. If there is any thing that he would have grudged, or held back, it muft have been the ve- ry mercy that he has beftowed already : But 'tis doing as much as can be, to give us his own Son ; and as it is impoffi- ble any future grant fliould go higher, we may look upon what is pafl as a pledge of what is to come. The dodlrine of the text is, that God fpared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all ; and the application we are allowed to make of it is as great and happy, as the truth ic felf j dear and certain that he will with him freely give us all things. 'Tis the former of thefe that I would now confider j and cannot think upon any better way of doing it for expedi- tion and plainnefs, than by making the parts of the text to be the plan of the fermon. You find the apoftle is fpeaking of the moft high God, that he is for us : As David fays, T^he Lord is on myfde^ I pfaj. cxviii. ^^ will not fear what man can do unto me; 'tis the argument thatChrift himfelf has ufed, The Lord God will help me, there- fore I fhall not be confounded; he /Vifai. i, 8^9; neartheit juftifies me; who is he that will condemn me : And thus the apoftle B 3 coa- f. OfChrift's Sufferings. doncludes, that it fignifies very little who is againft us, feeing God is for us. Now this he proves, from what he has done already. 1. He appointed his own Son to be the Tf uftee, the Security, the price and af- furance of our falvation. 2. This he did to that extremity, as not to /pare him from any torments that human nature was able to endure. 3. To all thefe fuiFerings there was a divine order -, he delivered him up. 4. This wzsjor us all, in our room and ftead ; he was punifh'd, that we might have a way to efcape ; and there- fore he might fay to divine juftice as he did to thofe that apprehended him, If joKnxviii. 8. ye feek me, let thofe go their way. Thefe are the plain and eafy contents of the words, and they amount to this propofition, that " All the troubles that Chrift endured " were, by a divine appointment, in the " room of his people/* The blow which they deferved fell upon him : It v/as thus ordained, 'twas thus re- jfaj liii; i, ceiv'd. He was wounded for our tranf grefion ; he was bruifed for our ini- quities ; the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and by his ftripes we are healed. What manner of love is tbis^ to give us fo great a Perfon^ as God^s Of Cbrifi^s Sufferings. 'j God's own Son ? to do it mfo dear a way^ as not to fpare him ; and that with fo kind a vieWy that it fhould not only be to us, but for us : Thefe are things that deferve to be taken apart. I. I begin with the dignity of the gift, the thing, the Perfon that God beftow'd, and that was his own Son. He is fo called, 51. Byway of diftindlion from others. ^2. By way of eminency in himfelf. I. It is a diftinguijhtng title -, you will find the name fcatter'd abroad, as the whole family, both in heaven and in earth, are called after him. (i.) By creation we are all the chil- dren of God : He has made us, and notPfal. c. 5. we our felves ; we are the work of his hands, and the flieep of his pafture. There is one God our Father, of whom i Cor. viii. 5. are all things, and we of him : This isAasxvii. 28« the dodtrine of nature ; the apoftle fpeaks of it with an approbation at Athens y as one of your own poets have faid. We are his offspring, (2.) Angels poiTefs the name with a dignity above us, as they had an exi- ftence before us i for when he laid out the partition between the earth and wa- B 4 ter. ^ ' Of CbriJFs Sufferings] ter, when he fet a compafs upon the face of the deep, the morning ftars fang Job xxxviii. 7. together, and M tbefons of God {houitd for joy. (3.) Hehasfometimesdropt thename upon magiftrafes , principalities, and Pfal. Ixxxii. 6. powers : I have faid ye ^rc gods^ and all of you children of the mofi high-y but very Dan. iv. 17. <^ften we find, among the bafefi of meriy thofe whom he fetsover the kingdoms of the earth, where it cannot fignify any thing that is either great or good. (4.) He gave the title to the Jews^ and did it by way of diftindlion : Thus he direfts Mofes to tell Pharaoh 5 Ifrael is myfon^ and my firft-born ; let my foii go that he may ferve me : Thus he up- braids them, when they proved a foolifh people, and unwife, and very ill requi- Dcut.xxxii. 6. ted the Lord, who was their Father that had bought them ; that is, he had made and eftablifhed them. 'Tis in thefe terms he proclaims their return j I am jer. xxxi. 9. a Father to Ifrael ^ and Ephraim is fny firft'born : Nor was this a new thing in the earth 3, for before the flood he was pleafed, in that very way, to feparate one part of the world from the other : Gtn, vi. 2. As we are told, l^he fons of God, the race that called upon the name of the Lord, faw the daughters of men, by which they defied their fepar at ion, (5-) He Of Chrifl^s Sufferings. 9 (5.) He has children by fanElification^ to them he gives power or authority to becodie the Jons of God 5 being born not Jolmi. li, 13. of blood, nor of the will of the flefh, nor of the will of man, but of God, Thefe are renewed in the image of him^ who created them : He is a Witnefs to the work of which he is the Author 5 that they are children and heirs of God. Rom. viii. 16^ With this principle he tries them, and^^- by that he owns them, faying, Touch no unclean thing, and I will be a Father z Cor. vi. 17, to you, and ye fhall be my fons and ^^• daughters, faith the Lord God Al- mighty. (6.) He beftows the title upon them by way of adoption. In the place where it was faidro them, ye are not my people, Hof I x: there they fhall be called the children of ?^om. ix. 15, the livi?ig God. We are predeftinated to^^^^ j the adoption of fons by Jefus Chrifl: ; andaoa^. viii.' 15. the Spirit oj adoption in our hearts, is to make us cry Abba^ Father. (7.) With this name they are carried w^LO heaven : He brings many fons to^^^*"- ^^- glory. Upon this head, Chrill and theJ^*^'^ x* 3c. Father are one; they both fpeak the' fame language. 'Tis proclaimed upon the faints arrival there, he that over- comes thail inlierit all things ; and I will be a God to him, and he Ihall be my Jon : Thus he Ipeaks of the whole P'-cv. xxi. 7, z num. lo Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. Heb. ii. 13. number; Behold, here am I, and ty children whom God has given me. With this variety is the name diffufed and diftributed quite through the bible, but there is never any danger of mif- applying it ; for the term, His own Son^ is plainly diftinguifhed from every one of them ; That belongs to none but Chrift: He has, indeed, a name above every name-, and though the word may be given about at large, yet there is a fenfe in it peculiar to him ; he has it all James i. 18. to himfelf. Of his own will he begat us John i. 18. by the word of truth, and yet he is the only begotten of the Father ; though he brings many fins to glory, yet, as we are told in the parable, he has only one Sony and his well beloved. 2. When God calls him his own Son, it is by way of eminence. This was the Father's decree, this was our Lord's de- Pfal. ii. 7. claration, that he faid unto him, T'hou art my Son : And the apoftle looks upoa it as a title that reaches above every Hcb.i. 5. creature ; for to which of the angels faid he at any time. Thou art my Son ; this day have I begotten thee? It fignifies that in him^ that it never did, and ne- ver can do, in any other > and you may take it to be comprehenfive of thefe four things. I, Equa- Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. n 1. Equality of nature. 2. Perpetuity of delight. ,3. Unity bf counfel. 4. Communion of glory. I. The term, his own Son, can im- port no lefs than an equality in nature. It does fo every where : All nations of men are of one blood, Adam begat a fon Afts xvii. 2^. in his own image^ and his own likenefs, cen. v. 5. altogether fuch a one as himfelf. Na- ture is the fame in a child, as it is in the fulnefs of ftature ; the meafure of a perfedl man in a beggar and a prince, in a fool and a philofopher, in ficknefs or in health. 'Tis for this reafon that Chrift is fo often call'd the Son of man-y he feems to ufe it with pleafure and fre- quency, that we may underftand by it, that he was really, as we are, made of aG^i iV. 4. woman^ and in all things like unto hisneo.'ii.i^^n. brethren 5 forafmuch as the children are partakers of flefh and blood, he himfelf like wife took part of the fame. And if being call'd xhe Son of man, does prove the hu?nan nature, the Son of God muft of neceffity fignify in him the divine. The derivation of a fon from a fathet, makes a precedence and dependance according to the train that God has laid before us^ but ftill it leaves the J 1 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. the nature the fame in both : But as all derivation is to be thrown out when we fpeak of God, fo the title belongs to Ql. i. 17. none but hiniy who is before all things, and by whom all things conjtjt : Nor has Chrift a claim to it, but upon the fame perfedions with the Father ; that he is Rev. 1. 8. Alpha and Omega^ the firfl and the laft, the beginning and the end ; and there- fore though he is a Son, yet the name lfai,ix. 6.' whereby he fhall be called, is the mighty God, the everlafting Father. The words are ufed in promifcuous language, as meaning the fame thing : We know t John V. 20. that the Son of God is come, and has given us an underftanding that we may know him that is true, and are in him that is true, even in his Son Jefus Chrift; this is the true God, and eternal life. The Jews would never have been of- fended, had he taken the title with thofe limitations, that feveral in our day have put upon it : But they fought to kill him, becaufe he faid that God was his •^ ^ ^' ' Father, making himfelf equal with God. TIclU^ ^^iov i'Myt Tor 0ao?, he faid that God was his own Father ; and he fays not one word to Ihew them that they had miftaken him : He leaves them pof- fefs*d of their notion, as a very right one, that the Son of God was equal with God : They knew his words impor-ed thus Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. i:> thus much, / and my Father are ^;7^;joKnx. 50, upon which they aver, for a good work 5J> r* s^* we flone thee not, but for blafphemy, becaufe that thou being a man, makeji thy/elf God, though he never faid any more than that he was the Son of God ; and, as a proof of that, he appeals to the works of his Father, They are fo call'd, not merely becaufe the Father had given him them to do, but as they were works which none, befide the Fa- ther could do, fuch as required an al- mighty arm -, the Father that is in me he does the works ; and I do them, that ye may believe that / am in the Father^ and the Father in me. 2. This citle. His own Son, fignifies a perpetuity of love : Thus he fpeaks i Cor. \. ^4, in the name of wifdom, (as being the wifdom of God, and the power of God) The Lord poflefTed me in the beginning Prov. viii*. ai, of his way, before his works of old; l^Sa ^45 ^<^- was fet up from everlafting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was ; then was I by hirii, as one brought up with him, daily his delight, ani:?- rejoicing always before him. He fpeaks very often con- cerning an unity of nature, and yet v/ith a plain diftindtion of perfons. He is call'd the only begotten, who lies in the bojom of the Father, Thisjohni. i8. y/as the witnefs given to him s he had it 14. Of Cbrifi'^s Sufferings. at his haptifm in a voice fronl heaven j Matt. iii. 17. This is //^j' bcloved Son^ in whom I am well pleased : 'Tv/as repeated in the holy z Pet. i. i8. mounts when the voice came again from the excellent glory; as if when the Fa- ther bare witnefs of him, it would be in no other language than he had ufed be- fore, "This is my beloved Son^ in whom I am pleafed. This he knew quite thro' the courfe John viii. 2 9.of life : He that fent me is with me; the Father has not left me alone, becaufe .1 do always the things that plea fe bim; and therefore though there are many Matt. xli. iS.thoufands beloved of God, his eleft, in whom hisfsul delighteth^ yet not as He is : So that when we are faid to be ac- Epli. i. 6. cepted, it is in him, as the beloved: He I Pet. ii. 4. alone is the chofen ofGod^ and precious ; we are tranflated into the kingdom of Col. i. 1 3. this dear Son, Thefe charadlers are included in the title, and ought to be remembred. When we come to confider that he gave him up for us all > not a fervant, but a Son ^ not a rebel, a fon that caufeth ihame, but one who was daily his delight ; the Heb. i. s. brightnefs of his glory, the exj^refs image of his own fubfiftence. 3. It fignifies an unity of counfeL Rom. xi. 3^. Now, as none has underftodd the mind ifaLsi. 15. of the Lord, there is none with whom he Of Chrijl^s Sufferings. 1 5 he tookeounfel ; he put no truft in hisjobxi. 18. faints, and charged his angels with folly; fo how great a name is that by which the child born to us is caird Wonder- ifai. ix. 5- Lamb, is in heaven, and his fervants fhall ferve him. And as they upon ijiount Sion have their Father's name iri their Of Chrifi's SuffetingSo t J their foreheads, there is as much faid of the Son, that they fhall fee his face, and his name fhall be in their foreheads. This is he wiiom God has given for us, The Lord of glory, 'Tis brought in James ii. f. as a noble aggravation of v^hat he en- duredj that then he was in the form of?h:± il. 6. God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God) he made himfelf of no reputation, and being found in faihion as a man, took on him the form of a fervant, and became obedient to deaths even the death of the crofs. Thefe are things that I believe to be included within the glorious title of God's own Son, and we ought to keep them in remembrance, on purpofe to fee the greatnefs of the love that gave him for us, and fay with the apoftle. Thanks be to God for his unfpeakable gift, z Cor. ii 15. II. We readof this wonderful Perfonji that God did not f pare him, which figni- fies the greatnefs, the extremity of his troubles. The phrafe is full and llrong, and carries in it a vaft meaning; he fub- mitted to the utmoft anguifh and bit- ternefs. You will underftand the word, as you do when it is ufed in a cafe that is oppofite, I will fpare them in the dayMal. iil. xr, daat I make up my jewels, as a man /pares his ownfon that ferves tiim. God's Vol. il. C ' fparing l8 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. fparing his people then, when he is put- ting them among his jewels, when they are ftrung together in the glories of a common falvation, means every thing that can enter into their happinefs. We may all know and feel the fenfe of the comparifon, that though a father's love to a fon that ferves him, is called no more xh^in fparing him^ yet who does not fee what a length it reaches ? That it comprehends a fulnefs of delight, a recompence of reward^ a conjBdence, a fatisfadlion, an open heart and trea- fure. Well, in proportion to fuch an af- fedtion as you believe to be contained in a man's fparing his own fon, and God's fparing his people, when they go to heaven, are we to take thefe words in this other application, that he /pared not his own Son, /. e. he neither hid him from the punifhment, nor excufed him any particular fhare in it -, he made not the leaft abatement of what was oXv- ing to the guilt of thofe that he fuffer'd l^€v. SIX. 1 5. for 5 He trod the wine-prefs of the fierce- nefs and wrath of almighty God, This you may apply to, 1. His continual meannefs. 2. His pains and bodily fufferings, 3. The horror of darknefs that came upon his foul. ' 4. The Of ChrijTs Sufferings. 1 5 4. The weight of the law that he was fubjed: to, 5. The fcandal of his death. , 6. The particular energy that the Fa- ther himfelf gave to all chefe troubles. There was no abatement in any of them 3 he drank the laft dregs of the cup ; not a drop was left or fpilt upon the ground, (i.) You fee that God did not fparc him from the perpetual jneannefs of his life. As foon as he was made of a wo- man, he made himfelf of 7io reputation ; Gal. iV. 4, he came empty into the world, though Phil. ii. 7. in him dwelt all the fuhiefs of the God- ^°^* "* ^• head bodily : He was to come of the race of their kings, and was raifed up Luke i. 69. as an horn of falvation in the houfe of his fervant Davids but this mufl be at a time when the tabernacle of David was A^fl^ xv. kJ. fallen-, as if God had caft off and ab- ^f -j^""'^"' hor'd, and been wrorh with his anoint- ^ ' ^ ' ed : He had made void the covenant of his fervant, and profaned his crown \ he had made his glory to ceafe, and caft his throne to the ground. Bethlehem, theMicahv. i. place of his birth was become little^^^^-'^^- n. among the princes of Judah ; and fo crouded with the noble branches of the family, that when (lie brought forth her firft-born Child, fhe laid him in ^ Luke ii. 7, ?na?7ger^ becaufe there was no room for him in the inn. G 2 What 2o Of ChrijPs Sufferings. Luke ii. 9. What a glory was it that open'd the tidings to the fhepherds, when they themfelves were within a circle of light from heaven ; here is a wall of fire round about them, and no wonder when the great glory was come in the midft of them ? To hear the angels preaching the everlafling gofpel, telling them ty- dings of great joy, that to them was born that day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. Every word founded the magnificence of this great thing that came to pafs ; and in the fame breath to be told, that in- flead of feeing the Lord of glory, the Prince of the kings of the earth, they Ihould fee a Cbi/d wrapt in fwadling clothes^ and lying in a manger \ this made the narration the moft unequal and dif- proportion'd that ever was in the world, in his youth, after he had aftonifh'd Luke ii. 475 the doclors at Jerujdlem, he goes down, ^^' and \N2i%jiibje5l to \\is parents at Naza- reth y as if he was determined to quench the light of IfraeL And as his fame increafed, fo did his Pfai. ixix. lo.reproach ', as he complains in prophecy, reproach has broken my heart, I am full of heavinefs \ upon which they hid Ifai. liii. 3- their faces from him, they defpisd and Chap, iv^ 1. efteem'd him not. Though he was the branch of the Lord, beautiful and glo- nous^ Of Chrifi^s Sufferingu Ct l rious, yet he came as a root out of the dry ground : All they who were look- ing for him faw no comelinefs in him ; he was defpifed and rejeBed of meriy a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief. He who was to have the government l^^i, vi 7. upon his fhoulders, had not where /^Lukefx. 5. lay his head-, though he was rich, yet for our fakes he became poor : He liv'd ^ Cor. viii. 9. upon the voluntary contribution of his hearers ; they miniftred to him of their Luke viii. 3. fubftance. Though the great men from the eaft brought- him prefents, gold, Matt. ii. n. frankincenfe and myrrhe, as the firft- fruits of a glorious empire, yet the King of kings is a Servant of rulers ; and the ifai. xiix. 7. defire of all nations is one whom his^^s-"- i- own nation abhors : Though the kings Pfai. ixxii. ^. of Sheia and Seia would offer gife, yet he cannot pay his tribute-money till he Matt. xvii. 17, fends for it out of a fifh's mouth. (2.) You may refer this to his iodily^C&l^W, 2. pains and fufferings. He who was fair- i^ai. Hi. 14. er than the fons of men, has his W- fage marred more than any man, and his form more than the fons of men :Rev. i. 16. He whofe countenance is now as theifai. 1. 6. fun, when it fhines in all its ftrength, hid not his face ixovajhame andfpitting \ Rev. xx. n. and though the time will come that from his countenance the heaven and the C 3 earth 2 2 Of ChrijTs Sufferhig^. John iv. 6. earth ihall flee away, yet they cover d his face and fmote him. He knew the meaning of hunger and thirft, of cruel mockings, yea, more- over, of bonds and imprifonments : He was fcourg'd as a malefadlor, had a crown of thorns platted upon his head : l^fal. xxii. 16 Greedy dogs came againft him, they pierced his hands and his feet : His bo?ies\^'tvc all out of joint, his heart like wax melted in the midft of his bowels : They gave him gall for his meat^ and in his thirft they gave him vinegar to Heb. X. "5. drink : A body feems to be prepared for him, that he might bear our iins in his I Pet. ii. 2 4 own body on the tree ; fo that we fee Pfa . xxxviii. him rack'd and tore ; no foundnefs in 3- his flefh, becaufe of God's anger. This I Jo^ "V- • jg j^g ^.|^^^ came by water and bloody for they pierced his fide, and forthwith John xix. 34- there came out blood and water. (3.) He had a horror of great darknefs upon Ki^Joul', which fhews it to be no fupernatural Spirit, but of the very fame nature with ours, capable d?/ grief, and appointed to it. This he defires his' Matt. xxvi. dil'ciples to obferve and attend -, His 5^' foul was exceeding for ro'wjid^ c\tn. unto^ death, and therefore he orders them to watch. Grief in them was able to cheat it felf, it funk them to Jleep ; but it kept him av/ake, and his fweat was I like Of ChriJTs Sufferhigs. a j like great drops of blood falling to the Luke xxii.^-f, earth. (4.) That which prefs'd him fo much was the weight of the /aw. He was Gal. iv. 4. rnade under the law, and as it is faidchap. iii. ic. that fuch people are under the curfe, it was the curfe that we are redeemed from ; for no man could, by any means, redeem this our elder brother^ or pay Pfal. xlix. 7. unto God a ranlbm for him > no, he paid himfelf as a ranfom for us. The 1 Tim. ii. 6. righteoufnefs of the law fpeaks in this wife, that the man who does thefe thingsRom. x. 5. fhall live in them ; he did thefe things with perfed:ion and purity, and yet ne- verthelefs the law that was ordained to life^ was to him a fentence of death ^ for though obedience and punifliment were divided, fo that no perfon could have both, yet in him they are united: Here Eccl. viii. is a righteous fervant, to whom it hap- ^4- pens, according to thp work of the wic- ked; for upon him was laid the iniquity ifai. liii. 6. of us all. (5.) The fcandal of his death, God had faid to the Jews^ Curfed is every Deut. xxl 25. one that is hanged on a tree : The i?c-Gai.iii. ^3. mam had no fuch tradition, and there- fore he could never have fufFer'd but in this due time, that the fceptre was de- Rom. v. 6. parted h'om J udab. The Romans would ^^"- *^^^- 1^* B 4 never 3^^ Of Chrifi^s Sufferings* never have found him guilty of fuch a crime ; the Jews would never have in-^ flicled fuch a puni{hment, but he is to be delivered to the Ge?2tl!es, Pilate had a mind to be clear of it, and therefore throws it all out of his own hands ; Johnxvlii. si^Take ye him, and judge him according l^' to your law. The yews therefore fa id unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, that the faying of J ejus might be fulfilled^ f^^lfy^^^S "^^^^ death he fjould die. He told them Chap. xix. 4. plainly, after thi^ Take ye him, and crucify him i 1 foui.i no fault in him ; upon which they reply, We have a law, and by that lavv^ he ought to die, becaufe he made himfeij the Son of God. Blafphemy is his fin, which none but the Jews would have call'd fo : Cruci- fixion is his puniiliment, which none but the Romans would have made fo ; and therefore it is thus ordered, that the. ffal. ii. I. Heathen fhall rage at the fame time that the people imagined a vain thing ; and, that he might in every fenfe of the word be a curfe for us^ he is to have it not only from the moral law, but from the ceremonial. They took Aas V. 30. him, and hanged him on a tree 5 and Heb.xiii. 2 therefore it is faid, when he endured the crofs, htdefpifedtl^efiame: (6.) That Of Chriff^s Sufferings. 25 (6.) That which is principally to be minded, is the particular energy that the Father gave to all thefe troubles ; even this was the doing of the Lord. ^fai. liii. 4. The Jews took him to be ftricken, Jmitfen of God, and afflided. They ar- gued, as David foretold they would, let us perfecute and take him, becaufe God has forfaken him -, all the varieties of trouble that feiz'd him were under a divine appointment. He who fettles the bounds of our habitation, provided none for him -, he chaften'd him, and gave him over to death. The Lord Godifai. 1. 4, ^, waken'd and open'd his ear, morning by^- morning, that he might give his back to the fm iters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. He begs of the Father, like one who had learned obedience by the thing that Hcb. v. 8. he fuff'erd, all things are poffible to thee, let this cup pafs from me; and, if Mact. xxvi. it may not pafs from me, except I drink ^^* it, thy will be done : Well, it was his will, the cup which the Father had gi- ven him to drink. There was nothing that look'd like fparing a Son that ferves him. The law was in his heart, and we may fay it went to his heart ; he felt it there, which made his heart faint within him. Though 26 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. ^ph. V. 1. Though he was offered as a facrifice of a fweec fmelling favour, yet who would have thought, that when he pleads and groans, and cries and argues under his Pfal. xxii. 4i. burden, My God, my God, why haft Matto xxvii. ^^pu forfaken me ? Why art thou fo far 46. from the voice of my roaring ? This was fo evident, that they infult Mark XV, 36 him upon it ; Let us fee, fay they, whe- ther Elias will come to take him down. Matt. xv4i. 6,Elias met him in the mount of transli- Luke ix. 51. guration, and there fpake of his deceafe at Jcrufalem^ but he could do nothing to prevent it. He foretold, on mount ^Tabor, what happened on mount CaU 'vary -, and it was ftill more daring to fay. Let God deliver him^ if he will have him 3 for he faid, I am the Son of God. Upon the whole, you fee the truth and propriety ofthofe aftonifhing words, Ifai. liif, 10. that it pleafed the Father to bruife himy and put him to grief I will not fay it was threatened, but it was de- lign'd, when God proclaim'd, Awake^ Zech. xiii. 7. ^ fwordy againft the man that is my fellow; fmite the fhepherd. There could never be a greater occafion to plead, as the prophet does; O thou Jer. xlvii. 6, f^ord of the Lord, how long will if " be eer thou be quiet f Put up thy felf into Of Chrifi'^s Sufferings. into the fcabbard, reft and be ftill. But the ahfwer was ready, How can it be quiet, when the Lord has given it fuch a charge^ and has fo appointed it ? For as he fpared him not, it was he who delivered him up. S E R. S E R M O N II. Rom. viiL 32. He /pared not his own Son, hut delivered him wp for us all. H E apoftle takes care to let us know, that there was a divine appointment of all the for rows and grief with which our Lord became acquainted. He gave himfelf for our fins ^ that he mightcal. f. 4. deliver us from this prefent evil world, according to the will of God^ and our Father. That fecond caufes had their (hare and their guilt, is true : The envy of the priefts. Matt, xxvH, the rage of the Heathen, the jealoufy of ^^y the 50 Of ChriJTs Sufferings. Pfal.il. i^ ^^^ rulers, the fuperflition of the rab- Aftsiii. 17. ble, the influence of 5^^^;/, the avarice johnxiii. ^Voi Judas ', thefe are placed as an over- ruling providence ordained or permitted them. But ftill there was a fupreme guiding caufe, that quickened the move- ment, and turned the v^heels. What he did, was holy, juft, and good. The malignity of the feveral creatures obey'd his will, without pollu- ting it : To them it was a fcene of wic- kednefs, the luft of the flefh, and of the mind; malice, pride, and envy, were fo many Jhares of the devil^ by which he led them captive, and in that view the crucifying of the Lord oj glory ^ was the greateit impiety that ever hu- man nature run into : But take it as a model, laid by an all-comprehending Pfal. cxlvii. 5.rnind, an underjianding that is infinite^ and we may fay, here was a train of the beft means ^ in order to accompli fh the greateft end. Never did the divine goodnefs appear in a nobler delign 5 never did the divine wifdom fhine out in a better method ; never was anything more becoming him, Meb. ii. to. of whom are all things, and by whom are all things, than in bringing many fons to glory, to make the Captain of their falvation perfeft, through his fuf ferings. The Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. ii The fcripture has taken a great deal of care to keep this in view, quite through the ftory of Jefus Chrift, and him crucified ; that nothing happened to him, but in purfuance of a counfel and purpofe, that was moved and agreed to before the world began ; and there- fore it is fpoke of in my text, as the do- ing of the Lord. Had we been told of the priejis^ who drew up the charge, and ftirr'd up the people, that they fpared him not ; had this been faid of thofe that reviled him, that cut him with thorns, or nails, or fpears, we could eafily have underftood it : Had the apoftle told us, that he was delivered up, by his countrymen, to Pilate, and by him back again to them, Ads iii. 15. the phrafe would have flood without any myftery: But when we read of his being humbled and grieved, negleded and wounded, and all this faid of the Father y that thus ufed his own Son, that he did not fpare him, that he deliver d him up, it is a thing that man's wifdom can neither give nor take -, and there- fore the Holy Spirit has been very abun- dant to carry this quite through the Bible, as you will fee by a long train of particulars. I. It was agreed on in the counfel' be- tween the Father and Son. 2. It p Of ChriJTs Sufferings. 2. It was foretold in the very dawn- ing of the love and kindnefs that ap- peared towards men. 3. It was defigned in the whole frame of devotion, which God appointed a- mong his people. 4. To this I may add, that thefe fhadows were difcharged and abolifhed, as loon as ever the thing lignified was accomplifh'd. 5. 'Tis what the prophets in their feveral ages gave a lineal witnefs to. 6. 'Tis a thing of which Chrift him- felf was apprized, and to which he con- ' fented. 7. 'Tis what the human nature was prepared and difpofed for. 8. This he ftav'd off, till the time appointed for it came, to fhew that it was always in his power to prevent it. 9. Then he went out to meet it, and received it not only with fubmiffion, but obedience. 10. There is to be an eternal memo- rial of it in heaven ; which fliews, that the defign was laid in the place where it is to be ad^nired, I have thrown thefe things into the order and iituation that the word of God has given them ; and I doubt not they will let us fee that we ought to look a great deal higher than to the powers Of ChrijTs Sufferings 6 | j f)Owers of darknefs in the fufFerlngs of Chrift : That it was not merely the pufh of envy, the produce of malice, treachery, deceit, and murder : But it is to be confider'd as his own obedience to deathj even the death of the crofs. It was alfo the Father's appointnient, what lie demanded in law, and what he de- lighted in, as God only wife, who is befled for ever : According to the apo- ftle's diftin(5tion, when he argues with the Jews y Him^ being delivered By tbeA6is ii. zj, determinate counfel and foreknowledge of God^ ye have taken^ and by wicked hands have crucified and fain. Firfi, he obferves their aSlion in the whole gradation ; they took him, and crucified him^ and flew him. Secondly^ they did it by wicked hands^ and wicked hearts : He could never afford them any better name than betrayers andmurderersi chap, vii. $». and yet. Thirdly^ the Perfon thus us'd. Was delivered, ik^or@^y given out^ fur- tendered, and appointed to the felf-fame lot. Fourthly^ this Was by the fore^ knowledge of God ^i he could tell thatfo it would be : Nay, Fifthly^ it is by his determinate counfel^ CaAn ci^<7ixm^ what he had framed and fix'd, and brought into a certain fphere, that it fliould fnofi furely come to pafsi Vol, IL 0 h W^ 54 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. I. We may fay, with the fcriptures of truth, that the fufFerings of Chrift were agreed on between the Father and the Son. Indeed, this is the fecret of I Cor. ii. Pa the Lor dy and among his invijible things ; **^' nor could we ever have known them, had they not been reveal'd to us by his Spirit, as now they are. We are exprefsly told, that Chrift, as Zech. vi. u, a Branchy fhould grow up out of his place ; and this we know to be out of Ifai. Hi. 2. a dry ground', and though he was to Johnii. 19. ^«//^ the temple of the Lordy yet the temple of his body is to be deftroy'd, in order to it. He (hould, indeed, bear the glory y but before that he muft bear Jfai. lili. 4, our griefs, and carry our forrows ; and, though he fhould y?/^ upon his throne y he is there as a Prieji, as one who has fomewhat to offer ; and all this fcheme of humiliation and trouble flows from the counfel of peace that was between them b©th. Jfcr. lo* 'Twas the pleafure of the Lord that profper'd in his hand; not only what the Lord pleafed to appoint, but the very thing in which his foul delighted \ the darling projed;, the favourite article, the chiej of the ways of God, which he Pfal cxxxviii magnified above all his name. There 2, * ^ was a model of glory laid, that would both out-ftiine the creation, and out- I laft Of ChriJTs Sufferings^ ^ ^ aft it : 'Twill hold when the firft hea- Rev. xxi. r. ven and the firft earth are pafs'd away. When he has rubb'd out all the figures of Deity, that are engraven upon xh6 univerfe, he referves a memorial that fhall endure for ever, and that is in the redemption that he has purchafed. Here are a people to be faved who were fold ; and therefore, to make his love triumphant, they are bought with a i Coi. vi. 15^, price : The Perfon who pays it is the Son of God 'y the thing that he lays down for it is his precious blood. To this i Pe:. i. iqj he was verily fore-ordained before the ^°* foundation of the world, though not manifeft till thefe laft times. This does not only fignify that the happinefs we have in him, was then contriv'd, but the means of bringing it about were then appointed, and that was the pre- cious blood of the Son of God, as of a Lamb without blemifh and without fpot ; fo that it may be faid of all his troubles, they are the birth of an eter- nal purpofe, the decree brought forth. The difciples knew how to confidef the defign of God^i and the malignity of mehj without any jumble or confu- fion : They work together, and yet are greatly diftind: ^ things are. call'd by their proper names. Here's the rage A 8. J/jio;i of a man he took on him the form of a fervant^ preparing him a body^ was boreing his ear, he had it on pur- Heb.v. 7. pofe to learn obedience by the things that he fuffer'd. Pfal. ex. 7. David alfo fpeaks of his drinking of the brook in the way. Our poeti- cal tranflator makes no more of it, than that he fhould floop to mean refrefh- ments ; which is, I think, a mean ex- poiition, and carries but a mean re- frefhment in it to the faith of God's people : 'Tis plainly a local phrafe j and relates to the forrows in which he pal- fed over the brook Kidron ; the place that had been fo bitter to Davidy when a Sam. XV. zj. he fled from Abfalom^ and fhould be fo to Chrift, when he was falling into the hands oijudas^ Efaia Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. ^f Efaias did not only fee his glory, but John xli. ir. his fufferingSy and fpaeke of them 5 that in his humiliation he was taken away jifa. liii. 9,4^ he was opprefs'd and afflifted, brought ^' *^' 7, s- as a lamb to the flaughter 5 and as a iheep before the fliearers is dumb, he opened not his mouth : He was taken from prifon and judgment s cut off out of the land of the living : For the tranf- grejjions of my people was he Jlricken ; my righteous fervant (hall juftify many j FOR he fhall bear their iniquities -y he poured out his foul to death; he bare the Jins of many, and made interceffion for the tranfgrejfors. Daniel tells us plainly, that the M^pan.ix. z6* fah fhall be cut oiF, but not for him- felf; that in the midft of the week he fhall die. Zechariah fpeaks of the^ech. xiii.r. fword drawn againll one who is God's fellow ; the fame thing that the apo- Phii. ii. 6, 7, file fays ; that being in the form of God, he became obedient to death. He is exprefs upon this head, that they zech. xii. 10. fhall look on him whom they have pierced. And what fhall I more fay ? the time would fail me, to fpeak of all thofe who have been preachers of the righteoufnefs that is by faith. It was in accomplifhment of this defign that one of the foldiers run a fpear intojohnxix. h- his fide, and forthwith there came out blood and watef^ 6, 'Tis 48 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. 6. 'Tis the thing that Chrift bimfeif was apprized of, and confented to. Heb. X. 7j 8, £,0, I comc^ faith he, in the volume of ^^ '°* the book it is written of me : The apo- ftle has a great remark upon the con- nexion of thefe words ; That above^ when he had faid, Sacrifice and burnt- offering for firi, thou wouldfl: not ; then faid hCy Lo, I come to do thy will, O God 'y he takes away the firft that he may eftablifh the fecond, /. e, the firft appointnient of facrifice and burnt of- fering, that he may eftablifh the fecond, his own defignation to the flaughter j and by this will we are fanftified, through the offering of the body ofJefuSy once for all : As if this was the main will of God, the thing that he infifted on, and to which our bleffed Saviour paid his homage at laft j when he faid, not my will but thine be done. He became in- carnate that he might become obedient, as will appear from the next head. 7. The human nature of Chrift was prepar'd and difpos'd for thefe fuff^er- ings : His whole life was caft into fuch a mould of providence, that from the ifai. liii. a.' beginning to the end, he was to be de- fpifed and rejefted of men. As David knew, that of the fruit of his loyns, God Aasu.30. would raife up Chrift to fit on his throne, fowe fhould think the fpn of jD^- *vid Of Chrifi's Sufferings. ij.p md would array himfelf with glory and majefty, and caft abroad his eyes upon every one that is prpud, and abafe him ; but inftead of that, he feems to have no relation to DavicTs throne, but rather to all his afflictions ; a reproach to his ac- P^a^* cxxxH. (juaintance, and a Ihaking of the head *' to all the people. He converfed with places where they gave him no refpeft ; he chofe to live as a prophet, without honour^ in his own Luke iV, 24; country. He came from Nazareth, out John i. 46. of which no good thing Vas ever fuppo- fed to come. He lived in Galilee^ out of Chap. vii. 52. which there arofe no prophet : Both his town and his country were of no repute. He afks water to drink of a Samaritan]ohn iv. 9, woman, which any Jew befides himfelf would have thought a difhonour. He was fo hungry, as to feek fruit on a fig- tree upon the road, and to go empty away ; as if he had laid out for fliame and grief, and determined, quite thro' Phil. H. 7. his life, to make himfelf of no repu- tation. He had our nature in all the tender fenfations : Reproach had broken hisP^al* l^cix. zo« heart, by the contradidlion of finners againft himfelf : He was forrowful and^^^- x"» 5» fore vexed ; his body was too weak to bear the crofs ; he falls under it, faint- ing in the day of adverfity, to Ihow that Vol. II. E his JO OfChrifi's Suffemgs] _ !iis ilrength was fmall. He had nature in all its feeling ; every power that was able to receive a torment, all the capa- cities of mifery. Crucifixion might deaden the other two by degrees j the more they fpent, the lefs they felt: But he died, as it were, in full life 5 and the moment he gave out a loud voice^ he gave up his Spirit too j fo that, Ifai. Ini. 41 it is evident, he was made to be ftricken, fmitten of God, and afflided : Not a foftening article in all the cafe, but the very dregs of wrath. There was no forrow like to his forrow. 8. He ftav'd off his troubles till the appointed time came. Though I do not give you this as a full argument, yet you will eafily fee it opens the way to it: He had it always in his power to con- troul or efcape the whole wrath of man. luke iv. i9« When they took him to the brow of the hill, on which the city was built, with a defign to throw him down headlong, though he was upon the brink of ruin, he comes quietly away. When the John vii. 45} officers went to take him, he tied their .4^« hands with what he faid s and they who were to be rulers of his Perfon, wer« captives to his fpeeches. When his ene- mies had work'd themfelves and the people into a common rage, he did by tbatjlorm as he did by others i he faid, PeaQe^ Of ChrijTs Sufferings. ^ r Peace^ beJiilK ^^id it ceafedin a moment. When great multitudes went out to take him, no man laid hands on him, be-johavlii. 20 caufe his hour was not yet come. The amount of thefe examples is what he tells us; That no man can take -Hap. x. is away my life from me ; I have power to lay it down, and power to take it again. And to this you may add, his affurance of help from above, if ever he defired it : But he gives it as the reafon of his being fo rcfign'd, becaufe it was to a divine appointment. Thus he argues with Peter 5 Thinkefl thou that I cannot pray to the Father, and he fhall prefently give me more than twelve legions of angels ? But how then fliall the fcriptures be fulfilled, that thu% it muji be? 9. Thefe fufFerings are what he went out to meet : He thought it his duty to do fo. When he fpeaks of his being betray'd, forfaken, condemned, and cru- cified ; fays he, that the world may kndw I love the Father; As the Fatberjoha xW. 51. gave me comniandmeiit^ fo I do y a rife, and let us go hence : 'Tis under this controul that he prays and cries; Fa- ther, let this hour pafs from me ; never- thelefs, for this caufe came I to /y6/i chap. xli. 17. hour-y that is, " There is nothing in ij this hour which I fo dread, but what 51 Of Chrifi'^s Sufferings. *^ ought to be there. 'Tis the enemies " hour and the power of darknefs, a *^ day of darknefs and gloominefs, of " clouds and thick darknefs/' The fun fhrunk in, as if nature it felf would do nothing to hinder the whole power of darknejs. Yet in all this he only went as it was written of him s nor was there any thing that could be furprizing to him, either unfeen or unchofen. He fub- rnitted to it all. His laft adlion was to bow the head^ that he might dip in the poilure of a willing Servant. lo. There is to be an eternal memo- rial of thefe things in heaven, which fhews the defign was laid mi\iQ pi ace ^ where it fhall be ever admired. The offence of the crofs is ceafed to them above : They are no more afhamed of it, than they are enemies to it, but weave it into all their praifes. When 9.ev. i. Si 60 theyfpeak of J ejus y as the faithful Wit- nefs, the Prince of the kings of the earth, you may fay. Holy and reverend is his name ; but they don't forget that he is the firji begotten Jrcm the dead ; and from that title there gulhes out an adoration ; to him that lov'd us, and wa(}jed usjrom our Jins in his own bloody be glory and dominion for ever. Thus the happy throng that are about him, from every part of the grand circles give Of ChriJTs Sufferings, t :$ give in their praifes ; Thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by Rev. v. 9. thy bloody out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation : Nay^ the angels themfelves, thofe morning- ftars, ling at our redemption, as they did at our creation; Worthy is theYQt.u, u. Lamb that wasjlain^ to receive honour, power, ftrength, falvation, glory, and bleffing. S E R- S E R M O N in. Rom* viii- 3 2. He Spared not his own Son^ hut delivered htm up for^ us alii H E laft thing to be confi- der'd in thefe words, is the great end upon which our Saviour became obedient ^^al, ii. ^ to deathy even the death of the crofs, and that by the appointment of the Father. Why did not God fpare his own Son, but de- liver him up ? What delign had he in a fcheme fo full of wonder, and fo full of horror ? What means the heat of this great anger ? Now the text I am upon E ^ ~ abwnda 5 6 Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. abounds with light as well as comfort j it was FOR us ALL. There is no cloud upon the fentence : 'Tis not to be numbered among the I Pet. ill. i6. things that are hard to be underftood; and therefore why fhould any endeavour to pervert the words of peace and truth, which contain in 'em fo much of a good Luke ii. 14. will towards men ? becaufe there is nothing got by it. To deny the fatif- fadlion that Chrift has made, is a rob- bery upon God, and a murder to his Siom.v. 2. people: 'Tis deftroying the grace where- in we ftand. That I am a finner, is fo true, that there is no pretence to doubt it ; that by this, God is angry is a matter be- yond all difpute j that without his fa- vour I can have no hope of efcaping the wrath to come, is very certain : Now it is not to be fuppofed that he will be gracious to me with any injury to him- felf ; but if I am faved, as it will be to the glory of his mercy, fo there muft be no dishonour upon any other attri- bute : Therefore fome way or other he I John i. 9. muft be faithful and juft to forgive us Ifai. xliL 21. our fins : He will be well pleafed for bis righteoufnefs fake ; he will magnify the laWy and make it honourable : It is not Rom.ul 25. enough that there is the forbearance of God in the remifiion of fins that are pafti Of Cbrifi^s Sufferings. ^j J)aftj but be declares his righteoufnefs -^ he declares, I fay, at this time^ ^ tzS vvv )c of, if they were not revealed from ano- ther. Secondly^ 'Tis no lefs amazing, when we read of his own Son, that inftead of being told on earth what is always kzn in heaven, that he lies in the bofom of the Father, it fhould be faid, He did not fpare him. The account given us of a Son, is no other than what agrees to an enemy, a rebel, a fon that caufeth ihame : That he who is the Prince of ^^sili. 15; life in nature, jQiould be fubjeft to death by providence. O the depth of the riches ^^^^ ^i. 3 3, of God! How unfearchable arehisjudg- ments ! Thirdly^ 'Tis ftill farther out of our depth, that one hated by his nation, envied by his rivals, deferted by his friends, betrayed by men, and infulted by devils, fhould have this whole cala- mity devolved upon him by a divine ap^ f ointment ; that the Father of mercies, inftead of protedting him from the wickednefs of the age, ihould deliver him up to it. Here are counfels and de- crees, predictions and figures, orders and refolutions, that thus it muft be : 'Tis not poffible that the cup fhould pafs from him, but the will of the Lord (hall be done : And as we are encom- paffed on every fide with his marvellous works. 64. Of Chrifl's Sufferings. works, the lafl: is of a piece with all the reft ; that is. Fourthly, That this fliould be for us. His fufferings are confider'd as ours, in order to which our guilt is regarded as if 2 Coi. V. 21. it was his : He made him to be Jin for us who knew no fin, that we might be the right eoufnefs of God in him. If mea ob- je6l againft this part of the dodtrine, they had as good do it againft all the other. And, indeed, there are two things that may be obferved in the whole fcheme of revelation. ly?. That quite through the projedl- ed way, there is a pure and perpetual tribute of glory to God: He does it all that he alone may have the praife. For this reafon, the Son is the Perfon, his death is the price, a divine decree is the eftabliftiment, and a divine imputation the effed. We have no ftiare in finding the furety, or bearing the burden, or fixing the appointment, or giving the i Cor. XV. i8. pardon. God is all and in all : And as he did it in no other view than of his own glory, fo it ftiall have no other event. He did it by himfelf j he did it for him- Eph. i. d. felf. We are to the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. 2dl)\ Of Chrift^s Sufferings. 6 J 2dly. There is nothirig can be more oppofite to the nature of man. His firft iniquity was a falling off from God, and his prefent corruption is only that apo- ftacy continued ; a Hiding back by a per- petual back-fliding. They wduld be ^^Gcnaii. 5. ' gods^ and nothing can be more againfl the grain, than to tell them, that if ever they are laved, it muft be as creatures ; for which reafon you fee all the powers of nature in an uproar, not only a- gainft the law of God, but againfl his gofpel. The apoftle has ranged the principles of infidelity in order: They begin with an oppofition to the Perfon who corrieS to fave us ; they trample under foot the Son of God 'y denying his Deity when Heb. x, t9* they dare, and concealing it when they dare not; fometimes makingitafalfhood, fometimes a figure, and fometimes an impertinence: And as they are in the way of rebelling, they goon to count the blood of the covenant an unholy^ or com- moil thing ; as if it was not enough to take away his Deity, unlefs, at the fam^ time, they profaned his facrifice : And^ laftly, that the notion may run into practice, T^hey do defpife to the Spirit of grace. In what I have already confider*d, the text gives us plain matter of fact. Vol. II. F i. That 66 Of Chrifi's Suffemgs. 1. That he who eame to fave us is the Sojt of God) that is, one equal to tiie Father in nature : But, to wave all that, and give a little fcope to our ar- gument, he was certainly equal in holi- ittt.if. 22. nefs: He did no fin, neither was guile Heb.vii. i6, in his mouth : He was harmlefs in his aftions^ undefiled in his Perfon ^ and 2. That he had all the miferies that were ever endured, by fhame and trou- ble ; a terror of foul, and a torment of body, and that without any allay ; as if ffal. Ixxv. 8. he muft wring out the very dregs of wrath, and have the laft drop of the cup of trembling : There was no for- row like to his forrow. Very often in Hab.iii. a. judgment God remembers mercy 5 but PfkUxxvii. 9.here he h'diA forgotten to be gracious ^ and to his own Son had fliut up his tender mercies : He was fo far from fparing him from his agonies, that he did not fpare him i?i them > his mercy was clean gone. 3. This was not a fhort and fudden thing ; he does not ufe him as we fliould have expedted he would have done, Ter.xxxi. 20. ^o a dear Son, a pleafant Child, in fpeaking againji him for a moment ; but he is deliver d up in a decree that was flow, and big and pain'd to bring forth. Now Of Chrifi's Sufferings o 6y Now if the beft perfon is to have the worft lot, and that by a righteous ap- -- pointment, what was it for ? The que- ftion brings us into a narrow compafs ; we are enclosed ; here is a wall on either Numb, xxiii fide, there is no turning to the right ^'^• hand, or to the left. We cannot fay- any thing againft the fa^, and there- fore what can we fay about the caufe ? If the anfwer of the apoflle will not be taken, I don't fee but we muft go with- out one. If it is not for iis ally it is im- poffible to fay what it is for. Let us therefore oblige thofe whofe notions make them enemies to the crofs of Chrift, and fuppofe there was no falva- tion of a chofen people to be obtain'd this way. Let our imaginations do as the dove did, when it flew out of Noal/sCQUs viii. 9. ark, rove, and foar, and wander about, and try if there is any reft for the fole of the foot, belides what the Holy Spi- rit has given us. I. Will any fay that God pu- hiflies in a?2 arl?itrary wa)\ that heLam. iii. n« afflidts willingly, and grieves the chil- dren of men ? That when thefe miferies came rolling upon Chrift, he had no re- gard to fm at all ? That he will deftroy Job ix. 2^ . the perfed: and the wicked, and laughs at the trial of the innocent? This, I hope, we fliall not dare to do, nor they F 2 with ^8 Of Chrip Sufferings, With whom we dijffer, becaufe it is a$ contrary to their error, as it is to th6 truth it felf. They give out themfelves to be the advocates of the divine mercy, and put this compliment upon their fcheme, that it proclaims the Lord to be gracious. Well, if fo, he can take no pleaflire in the mifery of his creatures. This is faying worfe of the gofpel, than we JAt 7* can fay of death and damnation : They in hell do know that the vengeance of eternal fire is for the punifhment of fin ; and that any one fhould endure what they do for nothing at all, that this A Cor. V. 21. fhould be the lot of him, who knew nO Jin, is as much againft the honour of his goodnefs, as it is of his juftice : For, 2. There will be no pretence that he has any iniquity of his own that made him liable to it. The prophet tells us, t>aft. ix. ie. that when the Mefiiah is cut off, it is 7iot for hi7nfelf', and I am perfwaded this is a point that no body will difpute with him. The Jews had really more excufe for thefnjelves, than we can have iov providence -, if you do not compre- hend in the death of Chrift the fin of |»hnxviii. 30. his people. They fay to Pilate, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have deliver'd him to thee ; Thus they z thought. Of Chrifiys Sufferings. ^9 thought, thus they believed ; throMgno-Aasiii. 17. ranee they did it: But fuch a word as this could never come from the mouth of divine juflice. God knew his inno- cence, it was impoffible for him to mi- ftake it; and therefore though he is made an offering for fin, it cannot be for his own. He declared hiqi to be a righteous Servant^ even when he ap-^^*^- ^"»' ^'' pqinted him to bear our iniquities. 3. Was it needful that he fliould be thus ufed to teach him obedience by the Heb. v. 7. things that he fuffer'd ? Many of the chap. xi. 37- faints are deftitute, afflifted, and tor- mented ; and God throws them into that lot, for the trial and the luftre of their graces, that they may appear true^ and may grow perfe^. Thus when we hear of the patience oi Joby we fee ^^^ James v. it. end of the Lor4. That good man want- ed to be made better ; and, upo|i the whole, the Lord was niery pitiful^ (ind of tender mercy. He clofed up the dif- ppnfation with a credit to himfelf, and with an improvement to his fervant. Till the end of his troubles, he had onlyJo^^Hi, j,d. heard of God, by the hearing of the ear; but then his eye faw him, upon which he abhor 'd himfelf, and repente4 ii^ duft and afhes. But was there any thing of this pity and tender mercy in the death of Chrifl ? ^ " ^ F 3 Di4 ^o Of Chrifi'^s Sufferings. Did the Lord turn again his captivity ? Did he fave him fro??i death ? No, he not only left him to his enemies hands, but left him i7z them 5 he then forfook him. And, Was there any occafion for Chrift to' Jearn more of God, to fee him bet- ter than he had done ? No fure- ly. The Meffiah was not cut off ei- ther for the punifliment of his fin, or the improvement of his graces ; and therefore his being thus delivered, was ifai. liii. 8. for US all ', as God fays, For the tranf- gre[jion oj 7ny people was he Jiricken, There are two things that I would ob- ferve here. I. The fubftitution of his Perfon^ he was given up for us, to iufFer what we iliould. .2. The extent of his defign, that It Gal. vi. le. l^jor us ALL J the " houfliold of faith, Eph. 111. 15. ^j^^ whole family in earth and heaven. I. The words are as plain as any ex- pofition can make them ; he gave him up for us all. There is no eaftern figure, or outlandiih.form of fpeech 5 no pecu- liarities or idioms, of which we are to, fetch the fenfe fi-om afar. We may un- derftand the phrafe without any vain Job XV. z. knowledge, or filling our belly with the eaft-wind. That he died is certain, that it vvTiS 7iot for himfelf is evident : To deny Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. ji deny that former, is to lie againfl all hiftory -, to affirm the latter, is to blaf- pheme againft all goodnefs. And there- fore it is Jor US', that is, for thofe who are John vi. ir-. his, whom the Father had given him, his children, his charge. It was either for mrfim, that he bore the punifhment that was due to us, or only for our exa?7iplt\ that we might aft as he did. They who are againft the former, intrench thern- felves within the latter : I (hall there- fore give up my thoughts to thefe two things. Firji^ Shew you the force and wic^ kedneis of one interpretation. And, ISeco?7dl)\ The neceffity, clearnefs, and comfort of the other. I. Let us fee how far we are able to go with this expofition, that the death of Chrift wsisfor our example $nly -, that we may be taught of him to be fo pa- tient to men, fo refigned to God, fo loofe from this world, and fo preffing to another. That we are to learn of him, is true, and imitate his behaviour -, who when he was reviled, reviled not again j i Pet. n, if^ and when he fufter'd, threatened not, but committed himfelf to him that judgeth righteoufly. The queflion is not, whether this is apart of his defign in dying, but whether it is all ? Does " F 4 i^ 75 Of Chriftys Sufferings] it include the whole counfel of God in that article ? I conceive not -, becaufe, (i.) If no more was meant by it, there was no occafion that the Son of God Ihould have been the pattern, or fo great an extremity of death the copy : A lower perfon, and more abated agonies, would have fufficiently anfwer*d the end ; had he never came into the world at all, we ihould have been encompafs'd about Heb.xii. I. with a cloud of witneffes. My bre- james v. lo. thren, we might have taken the prophets, who have fpoken to us in the name of the Lord, for an example of fuffering affli<3ion, and of patience. God has given us thefe leflbns in abundance: The fcripture is crowded with the trials of that faith, by which the elders have Pcb, xi. i. obtained a good report, and they that follow them may have a fair copy : So that to what purpofe was all this wafte ! Why ihould God do a thing that might have been fpared, without any damage or fcantincfs to the Bible ? (2.) I cannot think that he was an example in thefufferi?igs t hem/elves^ what'- ever he is in his behaviour under them. I am fure to call him fo, is the moft dreadful dodrine that ever was preached to his poor afflicted followers. That ^hey may be ufed as he was is ti^ue, and that Of CbriJTs Sufferings. j^ that they ought to aft as he did, in ma- ny cafes, I own, but not in all of them. There are feveral important articles in his trouble, that never can be in ours, and we may fay with comfort, they n^-^ xtvjhallbe. As, [i.] The neceffity of a fubmiffion to the wrath of man. He, indeed, could have delivered himfelf from the unrigh- teous fentence, and he did not do it ; but I deny that this is our duty. If I can refift an unlawful execution, I ought: If I had the ftrength oi S am/on ^ I am bound to ufe it againft the oppref- fion of the enemy. Chrift is the only inftance of paffive obedience that ever was, or ever fhould be. He who made them fall backwards by a word, couldJohnxviii. 6. have done the fame with the arm of his Eower, the right hand that is full of lajefty : But thus it mull be that the fcriptures might be fulfilled. The only reafon why the people of God did not wreft themfelves outof the jaws of death, was becaufe they could not ; fo that, in this particular, he is no example, nor has he obliged us to be the fervant ofi^^x, xlix. 7. rulers, [2.] His bearing the wrath of God, is an article of dying peculiar to him- felf: He is no example this way ; it jan never be faid of any martyr, tha: hQ 74 Q/" Chrifi'^s Sufferings. Gal.iii. i?. he became a curfe. God does not apply to any of them what the fentence pf the peut.xxi. as.law has faid of him, Curfed is the man that is hanged on a tree. 'Tis not guilt that made them die s there is no load of iniquity upon theniy as there , was upon hifn ', they fatisfy no law ; they do not obtain by this execution any pardon for t:hemfelves, much lefs for others j and therefore, [3.] The horror that lay upon his human foul at that time, is a thing in which he was fo far from being our Example^ that he is our Deliverer, They fhall none of them go out of the world Watt, xxvii. as he did, complaining that God had 4^ forfaken ^them : They are ufually fuU of joy with the light of his counte- nance. And, by the way, this may give me an occafion to confider another end which the Sociniam affign to the death of Chrift, that it was in teftimony to his caufe and do^^^rine. To which I anfwer. If you confider this abftrafted from his refurredlion, it is no difhonour to fay, that there is fcarce a martyr from whofe death we may not fee more rea- lity in the Chriilian religion, than the world could do from that of Chrift; for if you look upon things only by the out- Of ChrijPs Sufferings. ne outward appearance ; his crofs was e- nough to ftumble all mankind. Well might they call it, T'he offence of theory v. n. crofs. To fee a perfon go out qf the world difclaim'd by men, difown'd by God, is amazing. Had he gone off, as others do, in a chariot of fire, not loving their lives to 2 Kings ii. u, the death; had he cried out, as S/^-^^^-^"- "• phefz diiA^ I fee the heavens opened^ andAasvii. 56. the glory of God, and Jefus fitting at the right hand of God, it might have ftiird the enemy and the avenger : ButP^al. viii. % to hear him crying out after a departed God, muft rather affright thofe about him ; excepting in that one infl:ance of his giving up the ghoflwith a full voice, by which he appeared to be the Prince and Proprietor of life. God forbid we fhould die as he did, either in darknefs or in defolation ; angels ftanding off, the Father withdrawing himfelf ; under every torment upon his body, and every anguifh upon his foul. [4.] Such an expofition as this quite defeats the whole end of the apoftle's argument in my text. He brings it in by way of fupport to what he had faid. If God be for us^ who can be agai?2ji us? that is, nothing can hurt us, though all the world lliould be againfh us: Now" how does this appear ? becaufe having given 7$ Of Cbrifi's Sufferings: given up his own Son for us ally how Jh all he not with him freely give us c^(l things ? If Chriflt was only our example in dy- ing, I am fo far from concluding that God will give me all things^ that I fhould rather fear he would give me no^ thiyig \ for if he ufes me as he ufed him in a dying hour, I fhall have no comfort or evidence that he is for me^ and j:he Cafe here mentioned, would rather be my horror than my hope. I fhall never pray with regard to the manner of our Numb, xxili. Lord's fufFerings ; Let me die the death '®* of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his. I never defire to tread the Rev. xix. 1 5. wine-prefs of the wrath of God ^ v\,o^ ifai. ixiii. 5. 'tis our privilege that Chrift did that alone^ and that of the people there vvas none with him s and of his people, there fliall be none after him, I therefore conclude, that we are, Phil. ili. 10, indeed, to know the fellowjhtp of his fufferifigSy and be conformable to his Gal.ii. 10. death, and thus to be crucified with Chrifiy to be buried with him in bap- Col ii. 12. tifm unto death ; but yet when he v^as given up for us, it muft be to another purpofe 5 that is, 2. That he became a Subftitute^ m our room or ftead. The iirft covenant Gen. ii. i5, iaid. In the day thou eateft thereof^ *7- thou Of Chrifi^s Suffer ingsl j^ thou flialt furely die : And accordingly Gen. iii. i^ there is an angel with a faming fwordy drawn out againft Adam in perfon, if he dared to return. But in the new co- venant this /word is awakened againft Zech. xiii. 7. another ; not the flock, but the Shep- herd ; not the man who was God's ene- iliy, but the Man that was his Fellow^ his Equal, and with whom he took the fweeteft counfel. The chaftifement of cur peace was upon hi?ny and by hisJiripesifAu Vni f. we are healed. (i.) This is the plain and eafy, the unforced and natural fenfe of the words : If they mean not this, they mean no- thing. To darken a vilible text, is talking in words without knowledge : job xxxviii. s, He that ftands for me, flands in my place ', he that afts for me, ads in my llead : He is what I fhould have been ; he does what I fhould have done : He that is given or appointed for me, is but where I fhould be. To force a com- mon fentence,is perfecution ; 'tis drawing the gold of the fand:uary unto little threads and wires, and ufing a text as Said did a difciple, compelling it tOAasxni. n, blafpheme. (2.) The dodrine of Chrifl's fatisfa- ftion is no fingle, fcatter'd, independent article, but agrees to the whole ftream of the bible : We have not this truth as ^S Of Chrifs Sufferings. S/r' ^Tr ^'°P °^ ^ bucket, but as the Jound of many -waters: I will juft read them to you, though in the whole difcourfe there has been a perpetual di- ftribution of fcnptures upon the argu- ment. ° ^ 'Tis this that we have the Bible for : ^ ... -^^ 7,' ^^^^^ heart of all revelation ; for Gen.>n. ,5. ^s falvation was the only thing that God had to tell us, fo the bruifing of him who IS the feed of the woman, was ... themly -way. This is the righteoufnefs Rc. „,. -.of God that n^itneffed by L'wW the prophets. Ever fmce he made a path for the juft ; this is the light that Jhone upon it, till it came to a per- lecl day. ^ _ Whatever I have faid upon this fub- ledt, has been with many quotations from the word of God : I wUi j^ere fore only give you fome, that I do not remember to have mentioned already and that without any enlargement upon them; by which it muft appear, that he who denies this dodtrine, will have work enough upon his hands j he is to iight It out with all the Bible : Though they pretend to make a fingle text or two pafs for no more than water fpilt upon , the ground; yet what will they do in Jcr.xu. 5. thefwel]ingof>r^««.? ey ao m Let Of Chriji's Sufferings. -7^ Let any one judge what the death of Chrift Was for, who does but confider what Efaias fays; Surely ^ he has bornUzi Xnl 4. our griefsy and carried ourforrows. All'^tu 6, we like Jheep had gone ajiray^ but the Lord laid on him the iniquity of^ us all. It pleafed the Lord to brutfe him, and^^^- ^^* put him to grief y and make his foul an offering for fin. By his knowledge fhall^er. it. my righteous Servant juftify many, for he Jhall bear their iniquities. He pour-Ver. iz. ed out his foul to death, he was num- bered with tranfgreflbrs ; he bare the fin of many, and made intercefjion for tranf greffors. Thus Efaias fpake of him, and thus he fpake of himfelf-. The Son of man^v^arkx. 4^ came to give his life a ranfom for many. His apoflles are witnefTes of thefe things. God has commended his love towards Rom. v. a. Us, in that whilft we were yet fmners, Chrijl died for us: When we were without ftrength, Chriji died for the un- godly. God fending his Son in the like- chap. viii. 5, nefs of fmful flefh, by a facrifice forfin, condemned fin in the flefh, that the righteoufnefs of the law may be fulfilled in us. Chrift has redeemed us from the Gal. iii. 13: Gurfe of the law, being made a curfe for US. Chrift has loved us, and given hi??!- Eph. v. 2. felffor us. There is one Mediator be- i Tim. ii. 6, tween God and man, the Man Chrift z Jeius, 8o OfCbrip Suffering^. Jefus, who gave himfelf a ranfom for Heb. ix. iz. alL By his own blood he entered int6 the holy place, having obtained eternal yen 14. redemption for us. The blood of Chrift, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered iPet.ii. 24. himfelf without Jpot to God, fhall purge your confcience. His own felf bare our fins, in his own body on the tree. Chap, ili, i2,by whofe flripes we are healed. He once fuffered for our fins, the Jufi for the unjuft, that he might bring us to I John 17. 10. God. God has loved us^ and fent his Son to be a Propitiation for our fins : But the time would fail me to give you all of them. To this I may add, the whole courfe of the difpenfation that we are under. 'Tis the voice of every ordinance. We are baptized with the baptifm of repen- tance/i?r the remiffon of fins j that isj as many of us as are baptized into Chrift, Rom. vi. %, 2S^ baptized into his death. We hereby Chap iv. -5. declare our belief, that he -^z.^ deliver' d for our offences, and rofe again for our juftification. What is preaching the gofpel but preaching the crofs of Chrift ? 'Tis not only to tell a melancholy ilory, but to John iii. 14. Uft Up the Son oj man, as the ferpent Numb. xxi. 9- was lifted up in the wildernefs, and fay, John i. 29, Behold the Lamb oj God, who taketh a-^ way the fins of the world,- The Of ChriJFs Sufferings. § t The Lord's Supper, in both its parts, is a frequent memorial of the doftrine; as often as we do it, 'tis in remembrance i Cor. xi. 44, of him. The bread fJiews his body that was broken for us, the cup is the New Teftament in his blood -y and therefore laying afide the imputation of his righ- teoufnefs, is a fpunge to the whole infti- tution, and leaves us in all our worfhip to be walking in a vain {hew. Nor do I ever exped to fee the Bible defended in the hands of thofe by whom it is thus defeated, 'Tis in vain to fet out Jefus, unlefs it be as a PropitiationKom. iii. zji for our fns through faith in his blood 3 without this our preaching is in vain, and your faith in vain. To fay that he did not bear our fins, is to make thecal, v, 4, crofs of Chrift of none effeft, (3.) This alone can anfwer the cries of an awaken'd confcience. Where- Mi^^ajj^,}^ ^ with {hall I come before the Lord, and bow my ielf before the mo{l high God ? Not with thoufands of rams, bat with the precious blood of Chriji, as of that j pgt. i. ipj one Lamb, who is without blemi{h and without fpot : Not with ten thoufand rivers of oil, but in and through him, whofe name is as ointment poured forth ^q^^^^ I. ^^ arid who offered himfelf as a facrifice of^^y^^ y^ ^^ a fweet fmelling favour 'y and it may be Vqu IL G faid , 8 a OfChrifs Sufferings. ^ jthn xii. 3. faid of heaven it felf, that the whoie houfe is filled with the odour of the ointment. This fpeaks peace for us, and fpeaks peace to us. 'Tis the blood of Chrift that Jprinkks the mercy-feat above, and the conference here below, that it may ferve the living and true God. 'Tis not duties that will do it ; for when a perfon is made to abhor him- felf, which is always the cafe in a tho- row convid:ion, he will fee there is no Jobxiv. ^. bringing a clean thing out of an un- Ifai. Ixiv. 6, clean -, that if our felves are an unclean things our righteoufnefs is as flfhy rags. To fay that the dodlrine of juftifica- tion by Chrift is an enemy to holinefs, is one fallLood ; and to fay that the oppofite opinion does promote it, I am afraid, is another, if we may judge of the cafe by mens lives. But this we know to be true, that in all the floatings, heavings, and toflings of an uneafy confcience, the blood of Chrift is our only hope, our only anchor, fure and ftedfaft. (4.) The providence of God made this doftrine to be the glory of our re^ formation, 'Twas in a gradual oppofi- tion to the righteoufnefs of Chrift that Popery Of Chrtfi's Sufferings. § :^ Popery began to live ; and in the noble revival of the truth it began to die. When they fet up juftification by works, their monks and mafles, their penances and pilgrimages, their fafls and foppe- ries, their confeffions and abfolutions, their croffes and cringes, their tyranny and trumpery were the generation of vipers that iffued from this womb : And therefore when God poured out a Spirit of reformation upon the land, 'twas not only in fcowering the churches of Ima- gery, and rumbling among their idols, but the ax was laid to the root of the tree; Chrift alone was exalted in thatlfai. ii. i/, day, and the wicked one confumed a- way by the brightnefs of his coming • 2. TheiT. ii. 8, then Were our priejis cloathed with righ- Pfal. cxxxiL teoufnefs^ and all the faints jhouted for^^' And \vhen this dodlrlne is denied, the Proteftant caufe is a going. There Is the fubftance of Popery > fuch people i have got thejiump of D agon ^ they want only the palms of his hands to be fet on again. Go into Poland,^ as the y^ws were or- der'd to Shi lohy o:t\d fee what an angry Jef' God has done thfere for the iniquity of his people. Sbcinia?iifm made a' gap for' Fopei'y: Th^it Racovi an vanities were G 2 the vn, l^i 8f Of Chrifl'^s Stifferings. the Roman vehicle. Where-ever the righteoufnefs of Chrift goes out, the man of fin comes in. The Avians, who denied his Deity, prepared the way for Mahomet ; and they who denied his fa- tisfadlion, made room for Antichrifl. Thus, as they went a whoring from their God, they fell to the mother of harlots and abominations. 2. As he was delivered up for us, fo remember it was for us all. Not the whole human race, as has been thorow- ly argued in this Ledlure ; but the word is to be taken in the fame compafs that our Saviour gives it, when he fays to John xvii. ip. the Father, All mine sltc thine, and all fbine are mine. The meaning is, that, (i.) The greateft believer will need it. The chiefeft of all the apoftles defires to Phil. iri. 9. be found in biniy havi?2g on the righteouf- nefs that is of God by faith. And, (2.) The meaneft fhall have it. He lfai.xl. II. gathers the lambs in his arms. From Rev, i. 5. hence he has his praifes above ; To him that loved us, and wajhed us from our fi7is in his own blood, be glory and domi- nion. When we come to fee the King in his beauty, and behold the land that is afar off, we fhall find, indeed, the fword upon his thigh > but, however. Rev. xix. \i, his garment is dipt in blood. 'Tis the dodtrine Of Chrifi^s Sufferings. 85 doftrine we now admire, and we fhall hear it rung through the palace of the King. There will be a confluence of perfons and praifes from the whole compafs of time, and the whole circle of nature ; all of them together pour- ing in their eternal melody in thofe words. Thou art worthy^ for thou waft Jlain^ and haft redeemed us to God by thy bloody out of every kindred and tongue^ and people and nathn- G3 A PLAIN SCRIPTURAL ACCOUNT O F A Sinner's Justification Before GOD. IN FOUR S E R M 9 N S. By ROBERT BRJGGE, Minifter of the Gofpel. B 4 SERMON I. Gal. ii. i6. Knowing that a man is not ju/iified hy the works of the law, but by the faith of Jejus Chrift, even we have believed inJefusChrift ; that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrifly and not by the works oj the law ; for by the works of the lawjhall no flefh be jujlified. ^f.HESE words are like an ala- Wf* bafterbox of precious ointment, '^J which, if rightly opened, and applied, will, under the in- fluences of the Spirit, fill every believer's foul with the perfume thereof. In them the 90 Of Jufiification. *' the Spirit of truth, as he is Chrift's glorl- fier, both lifts up a ftandard againft errors of all forts, in the dodlrine of a finner's juftification before God ; and holds out a lamp of gofpel light, to dired: awakened fouls into the true way of gofpel juftifica- tion: For they tell us how the apoftles and primitive faints were all of them juftified, and that negatively ; " Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law/' All taught of God in primitive times learned this great leflfon, that man, in his low and loft eftate, is not juftified by the works of the law : What the law is, and what the works are, of which the apoftle here fpeaks, is placed in the cleareft light, by the twenty firft verfe of the following chapter^ " For if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law ' ;" which plainly intimates, that no fuch law was. given in the apoftle's days j and may we not be aflTured, that no fuch law has been given fince ? So that thefe words bar a fmner's being juftified before God, by the works of any law whatever, whether old or new, moral or ceremonial, perfedl or remedial. Then follows another leflbn, which all who were in Chrift's fchool learn'd, in ^ Gal. iii. 2,1, thofe Of Jufitfication. thofe early days ; without which the for- mer would but have driven awakened Tin- ners to defpair, " but by the faith of Jefus Chrift," that is, which has Chrift for its objecftj as is evident from what follows ; " Even we have believed in Jefus Chrift." Awakened finners, in that day, were not left to fink under their load of guilt at mount Sinai, but were diredled to mount Zion, and brought to Chrift, as he is re- vealed thereon 3 for fo it follows, *' Even we have believed in Jefus Chrift, that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law:'* Then is added a farther confirmation of the fore,- going afitrtion 3 " For by the works of the. law fhall no flefh be juftified." In fpeaking therefore to this great fcrip- ture, fo expreflive of the faith and ad:- ings of primitive faints, I fliall obferve the following eafy method. I. Ifhall ftiew what it is for a guilty fin- ner to be juftified before God, the Judge of all. II. I fhall enquire whence it is that any of Adam's fallen pofterity are juftified. III. I ftiall fliew how it is that finners are juftified. I Vw I ihall endeavour to guard you againft errors of all forts, relating to a fin- ner'sjuftification before God. 9? Of Jufiification. I. I {hall fhew what it is for a finner to be juftified before God ; where I fhall briefly afTign the difference between gofpel juftification, and gofpel fanftification ; the blending of which together is a Popifh error, very pernicious, and of fatal confe- quence, as it militates againfl the Prote^ ftant dodlrine of imputed righteoufnefs, and cafls a very dark veil on fome of the brighteft parts of the apoftle Paul's epi- ftles ; and, which is worftof all, tends to eclipfe the glory of Chrift, as he is the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one that believes ; who is firft made righ- teoufnefs, and fo fandlification to us : "Of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made to us wifdom, righteoufnefs, and fanftification, and redemption'';'* which order of God relates to the application of falvation, and ought not to be inverted, nor broke in upon, by fuch as preach the gofpel. Gofpel juftification is a change of ftate and condition in the eye of the law, and of the law-giver ; whereas gofpel fanftifica- tion is a blefled conformity of heart, and life to the law, or will of the law-giver. The firft is a relative change, from being guilty to be righteous ; the other is a real ^ I Cor. i, 30. change, Of Jujlification. 03 change, from being filthy to be holy : Ey the one we are made near to God ^ by the other we are made like to him, B7 being juftified, of aliens we are made children ; by being fandiified, the enmity of the heart is flain, and the finner made not only a faithful loyal fubjed:, but a loving dutiful child. This may be fet in the cleareft light by the following fimile : Our chil- dren, the day they are born, are as much our children as they are ever af- ter i but they are many years growing up inta a ftate of manhood , their likenefs to us, as it refpe. ^ Rota. x. 4. Vol, IL H impu« 8 Of Jufitfication. imputed 5 by which he not only fuljfilt- ed the law, but magnified it, fo as tcr« make it infinitely honourable, as well aB repaired the breaches thereof : This righ- teoufiiefs was wrought out for us, long before we had a being, but it is not to, nor upon us, in the fenfe of the fcripture, till we believe. To talk as fome have done, and ftill do, that the efFedls of this righteoufnefs are imputed, is to fpeak very improperly, aswellasunfcripturallyj thefe are imparted, but it is the righteoufnefs it felf that is imputed : How elfe could it be faid, as it is in fcripture, that believers are made the righteoufnefs of God, in Chrift ; and that in Chrift we have all righteoufnefs for our juftification ? The laft of which is the language of the Old Teftament, as the firft is of the New. In the ruin brought upon us by the firft Adam, not only the difmal fruits and ef- fects of his fall are imparted, but the guilt of his firft fin is imputed ^ he being our federal head, by the fame divine appoint- ment that he was our common parent ; as is evident, beyond all contradidion, from that great text * 5 " Therefore as by the cfi^ence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation j even fo, by the righteoufnefs of One, the free gift came ^ Rom. V. 18. upon Of Juflification. 09 upon all men to juftification of life ; for as by one man's difobedience many were made finners, fo by the obedience of One {hall many be made righteous." Let the apoftle Paul, who was once a Pharifee, determine whether Chrift's righteoufnefs be not imputed, as well as its purchafed grace imparted j " That I may be found in him, not having my own righteoufnefs, which is of the law; hut that which is through the faith of Chrift, even the righ- teoufnefs which is of God by faith ^." Thus much may fuffice for the firft gene- ral head. II. I {hall very briefly fhew whence is it that any of Adam's fallen po{lerity are ju{lified. Had our fir{l: parents continued {ledfa{l in God's covenant, their ju{lifica- tion would have been owing to a righ- teoufnefs of their own, wrought out by their own care and indu{lry; but our jufti- fication, who are finners, and as fuch are fallen infinitely fhort of the glory of God, mufl be owing to another fpring ; even the free, abounding, fuperabounding grace of God. Adam's juftification would have been according to the dues of creation ; whereas our juftification is every way con- fider'd above the dues thereof; being ^ Phil. iii. 9. H z wholly too Of Jujlification. wholly of grace, and not of works. Thu, and no other, is the account which the fcriptures give of it ; " Being juftified free- ly by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus*:" In which words are joined what the Arians and Arminians fay can never meet ; even a being freely jufti- fied by grace, and a full price laid down to obtain it : But the feeming contra^ didtion vanifhes, by confidering, that the price was neither fought, nor brought by us ; but is only and wholly the provifion and gift of grace; which gift is fo con- trived, as to manifeft the grace of God to the uttermoft : It is that grace may fhine forth the brighter, and not be eclipfed, that this way of juflifieation was pitched upon 3 for Chrift the Redeemer was, throughout the whole of his furetyfliip, un- dertakings, and performances, to the praife of the glory of the Father's grace. Never did grace fo triumph, as in the provifion and gift of Chrill. Every ftep the Re- deemer took in this great work, was mofl expreflive, as of the love of his heart, fo of the grace of the Father's ; which here- by is fo fully and gloriouily manifefted, as to be faid to reign, through Chrift's rlghteoufnefs, to eternal life. " More*- over, the law entered, that the offence Rom. iii. 24. mighs Of ^ujlification. \o\ might abound ; but where fin abounded, grace did much more abound ; that as fin has reigned to death, fo grace might reign, through righteoufiiefs, to eternal life, by Jefus Chrift our Lord "' 3 '' of the reign of which there ihall be no end : Our fhoutings will be grace, grace, not only when we firfi: come to heaven, but ever after ; which will be enlarged rather than ftraiten'd, and ftrengthen'd rather than grow low and weak, throughout the end- lefs ages of eternity. As they about the throne refl: not, fo they ceafe not thus to give glory; of which reign, how fmall is the portion which the moft knowing among us at prefent know? We write and preach, and think and talk, but like fo many chil- dren about it 3 which is the apoftle's own comparifon, though he had been wrapt up into the third heaven. As no words could exprefs to the queen of Sheba the glory of Solomon's kingdom, fo lefs able are words ^o exprefs the glory of the reign of grace ; the fuperaboundings of which will fill an eternity, as a fpring tide doth our rivers, and employ all heads, hearts, and tongues about the throne ; when our likenefs to our glorified Head, the Lord Jefus Chrift, fhall be compleat. Thus t^uch may fuffice for the fecond enquiry. f Rom. V. 20. H I III. I I0 5 Of Jufiification. III. T fhall {hew how it is that finners are juftified. The light of nature may l^now fomething relating to the juftifica- tion of a man, in a ftate of innocency, on the foot of a covenant of works -, but it knows nothing how it is that finners are juftified on the foot of a covenant of grace; this is fuch a fecret, as was hid from men, and from angels : To the Bible alone we owe the difcovery of this rich mine of gofpel treafure ; in digging into which, 1 fhall obferve the following method. 1. I fhall fhew, out of fcripture, what part in this weighty affair is afligned to God the Father. 2. I fhall fhew what part is afligned to the Lord Jefus Chrift. 3. I fhall fliew what part is afligned to the ever-bleffed Spirit. 4. I fhall fhew what is the ufe of faith, in a finner's juftification ; where I fhall anfwer a threefold enquiry. (i.) Whether faith be only a manife- ftation. (2.) Whether the believer may, in any fenfe, be faid to be juftified before faith. (3.) How it is that elect infants, dying in infancy, are juftified. r. I fhall evince the fure connexion which there is between faith and actual juftification. ^ I 6. I Of Juftification, 102 6. I fhall aflign to good works thcJr proper place, in this weighty affair. 7. I fhall fhew of what ufe the law, the written word, and the court of confcience are therein. I. I fhall fliew what part in this great affair God the Father rakes to himfelf, according to the fcriptures. He there fpeaks of himfelf as being Judge of all ; and of confequence he muft have a prin- cipal hand therein. Accordingly we read, that it is God who juftifies; " Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's eledt ? It is God that juflifies " :'* To whom all who believe in Jefus come to bejuflified; <^ and to God the Judge of all °." He who paffed fentence upon finning Adam, with all he reprefented, as a federal head, and fhould ever fpring from him, as a com- mon parent, of whofe holy and perfeft law all fin is the tranfgreffion -, He it is that juflifies, or no flefli could be truly, or to anyfaving purpofe, juflified. That this great and folemn tranf- adlion may appear to be the pleafure of the Lord, being effefted not only with a falvo to his truth and holinefs, but in a way moil expreffive of all the divine per- fedions, whereby the Father may get to himfelf, in point of manifeftation, a glo- " Rom.Yiii. 55. ^ Heb. xii. 13. H 4. rious 30^ Of Jufiification. rious name for ever, the wonderful plat- form of a fmner's juftification, with all that leads to it, or is contained in it, or is confequeatial upon it, is fpoke of, in fcripture, as his contrivance, and there reprefented not only as the birth, but as the mafler-piece of his adorable wifdom j V Wherein he hath abounded towards us, in all wifdom and prudence : So that the fmner'sjuftifying righteoufnefs, is the pro- vifion and gift of his love and graces and he who brought in or wrought out this righteoufnefs, the Lord Jefus Chrift, is his righteous Servant: " Thou art my fervant, O Ifrael, in whom I will be glorified ^y' faith the Father to Chrift. The Lord Je- fus Chrift finiftied tranfgreffion, and made an end of fin, and reconciliation for ini- quity, and brought in everlafting righ- teoufnefs, under a double character j the one fubordinate to the other; as God's righteous fervant, and by God s appoint- ment, his peoples righteous Surety -, who came into this world, as fent by the Fa- ther, and fet about this great work, as one compleatly fitted for it, and fully autho- rifed to accomplifh it by the Father. Of both thefe yo,u read at large in the fi;;ty fiift chapter of Ifaiah; " The Spi- ^h of the Lord God is upon me, becaufs Of Jujlification. Iqh the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings S" &c. " Chrift glorified not himfelf to be made an High Prieft 5 but he that faid unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ^" Neither did he adt in his own name in the difcharge of that office i " I am come in my Fa- therms name, and ye receive me not ; '* whofe Father was always with him, as Man and Mediator. He both affifted and accepted him, throughout the whole of his obedience, whether adlive or paflive, and was with him in his private life, as well as in his publick fliewing to Ifrael : He was not alone in the cradle, nor in his reputed father's houfe, any more than at Jerufalem, or in the temple ; who was raifed from the dead by the glory of the Father, whereby he was adlually and pub- lickly juftified, not barely from the falfe accufations of his enemies, but as his peo- ples Surety and great Reprefentative, from all thofe iins he had undertook to fatisfy for. He told his difciples, that the Spirit fhould convince the world of righteoufnefs, beeaufe he went to the Father j for had he not fulfilled all righteoufnefs, inftead of being received up into glory, he had been fent back to finifli the work which ^he Father gave him to do. I ifaj.lvi, ly I Heb, y, 5. lo6 Of Juflification. The Father's part, therefore, in this weighty affair, is to provide for his people a juftifying righteoufnefs, in all refpedbs, perfed: and compleat, fuch as his law, the great ftandard of all rightequfnefs, re- quires : And as ro provide it for them, fo to impute it to tl;iem, which is done by him, as Judge of all, not audibly by a voice from heaven, but by a more fure word of prophecy, as out of the mouth of two matchiefs witneffes, the Old and the New Teftament. God's written word as really anfv^ers to the records of heaven, as the counterpart doth to the original deed *, for as the law i6 a pcrfed; copy of God's will, fo the gofpel is as perfedt a copy of God's heart: Saints and Tinners may depend up- on it, that what the word of God now fays they are, Chrift, as Judge, will de- clare them to be. We are not one thing in the eye of the word, and another thing in the eye of Chrift ; who will own and honour his written word, as all along, fo at laft. As certainly as that declares Chnft's righteoufnefs to be upon us who believe, it is fo, according to eternal purpofes, to all thofe ends of love and grace, for which it was contrived and provided by the Fa- ther. None, fave God, the Judge of all, could make Chrift to be lin for us ; and none, fave God, the Judge of all, can make any of Of JufUficatim. ion of us the righteoufnefs of God in him ; Both which are afcribed to him ; '' All things are of God ; who has reconciled us to himfelf by Jefus Chrift, and has given to us the miniftry of reconciliation ; to wit, that God was in Chrift, reconciling the world to himfelf, not imputing their trefpaifes to them ; for he has made him to be fin for us, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him^j" which bleifed exchange muft be the wonder of angels, and will be for ever the wonder of all the faints. The proviiion, revelation, and imputa- tion of this righteoufnefs, is wholly and folely of grace, in the fuperaboundings thereof; therefore is it once and again called the gift of righteoufnefs, which is its New Teftament name; fuch a gift as has an abundance of grace going along with it, " Much more they who receive an abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteoufnefs, fhall reign in life by one Jefus Chrift '." To conceive of God, as ofajuftGod, and not as a Saviour, bor- ders upon defpair ; and to conceive of him as of a Saviour, and not as a juft God, borders upon prefumption ; but to con- ceive of him, as being a juft God, and a Saviour, is to form right and becoming ^ a Cor. V. 1 8, ^ Rom. v. 17. thoughts lo8 Of Jufiification. thoughts of him, fuch as both Teflaments furnifh us with : For thus God fpeaks of himfelf ; " There is no God elfe befide me, a juft God, and a Saviour ^J' And therefore thus fhould we think of him; his being a juft God fhould but the more endear him, as he is the provider of righ- teoufnefs ; and his being a Saviour, fhould but the more encourage us to plead this righteoufnefs with, and before him, as Judge of all. In a word, as the whole of our falvation, by the Lord Jefus Chrift, is of grace, (''By grace are ye faveds") fo is this main branch thereof, a fmner's ju- fiification before God. I {hall conclude this difcourfe by endea- vouring to. return an anfwer to the followr ing enquiry ; which contains the gre^teft difficulty that can be raifed againft the head of doctrine I am upon j which liea at the bottom of every finner s heart, in objedling againft the being of a God, and the truth of the gofpel in general, as well as this of a finner's juftification before God in particular. The objection is this : Why was fin fuffered to enter this world, which hath hurl'd fuch confufipn quite round the o;lobe ; to finifh which, in a way of fatif- faction, coft God fo dear, as the blood of his own and only begotten Son r To whiclx '< Ifai, xl/. 7^u Of Juflification. lt>g lanfWer; " God made man upright, biit they have fought out many inventions "^ :'^ The iirft fin was, to be fure, the genuine birth of free will. Now to afk, why God made man a free agent, and fuffer'd him to a li* I 3 there- 1 1 8 Of Juftlfication. therefore, who are among God's juftified ones, join in giving thanks with thofe of whom the apoflle fpeaks; " All things are for your fakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thankfgivings of jnany, redound to the glory of God'." In fo high and comprehenfive a fenfe does praife wait for God in Zion ; whofe inha- bitants are encouraged to praife God, by being told, as from the mouth of God, " Whofo offers praife, glorifies me/- They therefore whom God juftifies, fhould not, upon every flight occafion, or new trou- ble, hang their harps upon the willows, but rather look up, to have thera new tu- pedj by a frefh anointing. « iCor. iv. 1$. S E R- SERMON II. Gal ii. i6- Knowing that a man is not jujiified hy the works of the law, but hy the faith of Jejus Chrifi, even we have believed inJefusChrift. ; that we might be juflified hy the faith of Chrifl^ and not by the works oj the law ; for by the works of the law Jhall no flefh bejufiified. T is a fweet word, and full of encouragement to us Prote- ftants, to fuffer for the truth, as well as to defend it ; " Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens fliall I 4 vanifli I20 of Jujlification. vanifh away like fmoke, and the earth fhall wax old, like a garment; and they that dwell therein fhall die in like manner; but my falvation fhall be for ever, and my righteoufnefs fhall not be abolifhed V Let the batteries raifed by hell, and by Rome, againft the Proteflant dodtrine of a finner's juftification before God, be never fo many, and be never fo artfully planted, and boldly difcharged, they fhall not be able finally to prevail againft it. He, who waved his right of being in heaven as foon as he was incarnate, and, in that fenfe, left heaven to fulfil all righteoufnefs, will not fuffer fuch a jewel to be ftole out of his mediatorial crown, as is his furetyfhip righteoufnefs. 2. I fhall proceed to fhew what part is, in fcripture, affigned unto the Lord Jefus Chrift, in the bufinefs of a finner's juftifi- cation before God ; where I beg leave to premife, for the preventing of miftakes, which fome are ready to run into, and for the clearing of feveral texts of fcripture, which the Arians are very fond of, that in many places of fcripture, efpecially in the New Teftament, where Chrift fpeaks of himfelf, and is fpoke of; it is fpoke of him either as Son of man, or as fuftaining the charafter, and difcharging the office of a Mediator. Thus is that fcripture to be un- » Ifai. li. 6. I derftood. Of Jujlification. derftood, in which Chrift tells his difciples, that the Father is greater than he -, and that other, with many more, where Chrift affures us, that the Son can do nothing of himfelf j and thus I fhall all along confider him. This leffens not the neceffity, nor the truth of Ghrift's being truly God, as well as man, but prefuppofes it -, for as in nature a human body, fuppofe it had life and mo- tion, without a human foul, would be fit for no poft of fervice, neither in church, nor in ftate ; fo Chrift's human nature a- lone, though the firft creature, and the nobleft of all creatures, without his divine, would no ways be fit to fuftain the cha- radter, nor to difcharge the office of Me- diator. If we fuppofe a chryftal globe to be never fo large and clear, would it, of it felf, have in it any light or heat; but if we could fuppofe it filled with the body of the fun, how would it glow andfhine ? He, in whom dwells all the fulnefs of the God- head bodily, which is affirmed in fcripture of the Lord Jefus Chrift ; for it is faid, " In him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily^;" muft out-ftiine in glo- ry, and out-do in ufefulnefs, all mere crea- tures, though there were never fo many worlds of them, and be infinitely fit and (capable to be Head of the church, and Sa- ^ Col. ii. 9, viour I2i 12 5 Of Jufiification. viour of the body: Nothing can be too difficult for him to effed:, nor too great for him to accompllfh 5 be it to fini(h tranf- greffion, in a way of fatisfadtion, or to bring in everlafting righteoufnefs. Let us conceive, if we can, of any more fit to quicken the dead in fins, and to raife the dead in nature j to govern the world, and to judge it ; to bring off more than con- querors and fafe to glory, fuch as belong to the whole eledtion of the Father's grace, or to make all things new, than he is, in whom dwells all the fulnefs of the God- head bodily. This being premifed,Chrift's part in the bufmefs of a finner's juftifica- tion before God, according to the fcrip- ture, is to bring in a juftifying righteouf- nefs for the whole eledion of the Father's grace. He, as the Surety of a better cove- nant, was called of God, and freely un- dertook to pay his people's debts, both that of fatisfadion to the law, as a broken co- venant, and that of fervice to the law, as a covenant of works. He was accordingly ' made of a woman, and made under the law; " When the fulnefs of time was come, God fent forth his Son, made of a w^oman, made under the law "" ;" that is, under its preceptive part, as a covenant, as well as its penalty, as a broken cove- ^ Gal. iv^ 4, nant ; Of Juftification. i 2 3 nant; its preceptive part, as a covenant, being its principal part; to enforce which, all penalties, even among men, are added to their laws : As a covenant, the firft Adam tranfgreffed it ; and therefore it be- came Chrift, the fecond Adam, thus to fulfil it. God's perfeft law was, to be fure, in the utmoft perfection thereof, wrote on Chrift's heart and nature, and fo expreffed throughout the whole of his life: " Thy law is within my hearth" He did more and better work for God, that is, work of greater worth and confequence in the fhort ipace of thirty odd years, than the firft Adam would, or could have done> had he continued ftedfaft in God's cove- nant to this day. Chrift was fulfilling all righteoufnefs, whilft lying in the cradle j which, doubtlefs, was part of his humilia- tion : of whom, whilft an infant, it may be faid, that the firft Adam, at the head of this lower creation, was but as his me- nial fervant, being the figure of him, who was to come, " who is the figure of him that was to come ^" Chrift, the fe- cond Adam, was fulfilling all righteouf- nefs, throughout the whole of his private life ; for this alfo was part of his humilia- tion. Suppofe the natural fun fliould be took out of the heavens, and be fo leflen'd * Pfal. xl. 8. ! Rom, v. 14. and I54» Of Juflification. auddarken'd, as to be hid for a time in one of the caverns of this earth, to bring about any of his adorable purpofes, who made it ; would not this furprize and fill with wonder all the inhabitants of the globe ? I may fafely fay, that the obfcure and private life of Chrift, the Son of righ- teoufnefs, was fuller of w^onder. He went on fulfilling all righteoufnefs, aftive, as well as paffive, at Jerufalem, and every where elfe j till he bowed on the crofs his high and holy head, faying, ^' It is finifli- ed." Chrift's furetyfhip righteoufnefs may well be called, for it really is, a robe of fupercreation righteoufnefs, being, in all refpedls, beyond and above the dues of creation -, which no creature, neither men nor angels, could fo much as ever have thought of, and much lefs have expected at his hand, who was their Creator, how liberal foever in other refpefts he had been towards them. This robe lay hid in the uppermoft and moft fecret rcceffes of God's ward-robe, or rather heart, being wholly of fupercreation grace : Though Adam had, in a fenfe, the rnoon under his feet, he could not thus challenge a being cloath'd with the fun, which was not then rifen in his horizon ; though the firft Adam's world was made by Chrift, and he was Chrift's figure, yet he knew it not. This excel- lent and excelling piece of knowledge was referv'd ^ 0/^ Jujlification* \^t? referv'd for gofpel times; which fo enobles the difpenfation we are under, that it is called the kingdom of God, and of heaven. Chrift's furetyihip righteoufnefs may be alfo called, for it really is, a robe of fuper- angelick righteoufnefs ; which as far ex- cels and out-fhines the righteoufnefs of all the eledl angels, as the fhine of the fun, in its meridian ftrength, does that of the new moon ; for would it not be blafphemy to call theirs, as Chrift's is called, the righteoufnefs of God ? or to fay that they are made the righteoufnefs of God, in their own, as we are faid to be made in Chrift's righteoufnefs ? God no where calls their righteoufnefs, as he does Chrift's, my righ- teoufnefs; " I bring near my righteoufnefs V Chrift's furetyfliip righteoufnefs may be alfo called, for it really is, a fuperparadifi- cal righteoufnefs. Had our firft parents continued ftedfaft in God's covenant, their robe of juflifying righteoufnefs had been compleat; but not of like worth with this, the merit, as well as the atoning virtue of which is infinite. What is the richeft livery of a lackey, if compared with the royal robes of a king ? Nothing done by the figure of him that was to come, can be compared with what was done by Chrift, f Ifai. xlvi. 1 5, the 11 6 Of Jufiification. the fubftance, whofe furetyfliip righ« teoufhefs has in it to an overflowing, all the endearing, recommending properties,^ which that of a Saviour can have, to re* commend it to finners. As, (i.) It is a fin-finifhing righteoufnefs; fo it is called in the Old Teftament 5 *' To finifh tranfgreffion ^ 5" and it is abundantly declared fo to be in the New^. To finifh the fins but of one, even the leaft of finners in a way of fatisfadlion, would have rendered bankrupt and beggar'd the arch-angel, not to fay all the angels in heaven ; whereaJv Chrift, as Surety of a better teftament, has, in a way moft expreffive of all the divine perfedtions, finifhed the numberlefs fins of the many thoufands of God's eledt; who were chofe not only with Chrift, as an elder brother, but in him as an Head* The fcripture fays, God has chofen us in him ^'' not to prevent our fall ; for that would have obviated his other character of being our Saviour ; for " he is Head of the church, and Saviour of the body ' -y' but to deliver us out of the pit; by bringing us off more than conquerors, and fixing us in glory beyond all danger, or fo much as a pojGBbility of lofing the manfions alotted 8 Dan. ix. 24. ^ Ephef. i. 4. * Chap, h 25. I u§ Of Juftificatton. i^n us in his Father's houfe, where we are to be for ever with the Lord ; " So fhall we be ever with the Lord ^." (2.) Being a fin-finifhing, it muft of confequence be a juflice-fatisfying righte- oufnefs : For all the demands of God's vindidlivejufHce upon us, and the whole of its controverfy with us, are founded on fin ; this would have no more a contro- verfy with the eleft, among the children of men, were they not fmners, than it has with the eled: angels. I might have added ; it is not barely a juftice-fatisfying, but ajuftice-declaringrighteoufnefsj " To declare his righteoufnefs, that he might bejuft 'r The flames of hell, or all the penal fufferings of men, and of devils in the bottomlefs pit, are not fo full a decla- ration of God's vindidtive juftice, as were the furetylliip fuff^erings of Chrift, the Lamb flain -, the awaking of God's fword againft the man that was his fellow, is a nonfuch inftance of God's vindictive ju- ftice. (3.) It is a law anfwering, or rather magnifying righteoufnefs. Thus it is fpoke of by the prophet: " The Lord is well pleafed for his righteoufnefs fake -, he will magnify the law, and make it honourable"".'* ^ I Theff. iv, 17. ^ Rom. iiu z6. «> Ifai. Sin il8 Of Jufiificatton, Sin being the tranfgreffion of the lav^r^ pours the utmoft contempt, both upon it, and upon God, the Law-giver ; and was it as powerful, as it is exceeding iinful, it would for ever cancel the one, and de- throne the others the iinner's v^ifh would be every linner's attempt, that there might be no God. Now the law on which our iirfl parents, in eating the forbidden fruit, pour'd fuch contempt, and on which like contempt is poured by all their numerous offspring, in their feveral generations; Chrift, as the Fulfillef of all righteoufnefs, not only fulfilled, to every jot or tittle, but by fo doing, becaufe of the dignity of his Perfon, fo magnified it, as it could have been no other way, that we can con- ceive of, magnified. This righteoufnefs therefore of his, though it is manifefted without the law, from mount Zion, and not from mount Sinai ; yet it is witnefTed to by the law, as well as by the prophets 3 « Now the righteoufnefs of God, without the law, is manifefted; being witnefTed to by the law, and by the prophets "." From all which it follows, that, (4.) Chrift's furetyfhip righteoufnefs is not only a God-appeafing, but a God- delighting righteoufnefs : For is not the whole of our falvation, obtained thereby, HI Rom, iii. zi, exprefs- Of Jufiification. raa Cjcprefly caird the pleafure of the Lord: ^^ the pleafure of the Lord fhall profper in his hand. *" " Never was the Father better pleafed, for never was he rhore glorified, by any righteoufnefs, than he was by Chrifl's ; who was rais'd from the dead, as God's righteous fervant ; and his peoples righteous furety; not by a fingle attribute, fuch as the power of God, or by the good- nefs, and tender mercy of our God 3 but by the glory of the Father. " Chrifl: was raifed up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, p '* this is a full proof that he Was an offering, and a facrifice to God for a f\yeet fmelling favour. Thus we fee, what part is allotted in fcripture to the Lord Jefus Chrift, in the bufinefs of a finner's juflification before God. His province was to finifli tranf- greffion in a way not of bribery, nor of compolition, but moft expreffive of the glory of all the divine perfections; that is, in a way of real and full fatisfadllon ; and fo to make an end of fin, as in the time and feafon thereof, to put an ever- lafting end to finning ; for as the chofen people Ihall forrow no more, fo they (hall liti no more for eVer, when in glory ; and fuch reconciliation for iniquity, that the once offended majefty of heaven may not ^ Ifa. liii. to, f Rom. vi 4* you IL K only 120 Of Jujlificatlm. only fettle his abode with, and among th^ ehofen people, as being his reft ; not de^ jfiring to be any further glorified than he is in them, and by them; and will be io: for ever 5 but may rejoice over them, vs^ith finging. " The Lord thy God in the midft^ of thee is mighty $ he vv^ill fave, he will- rejoice over thee with joy; he will reft in his love, he will joy over thee with ling- ing : ** '* And to bring in for them fuch aa everlafting righteoufnefs, as will outlaft the lafting hills,^ and the canopy of hea- ven it felf ; in which the faints will out- fhine angels, and be brought to be next to the throne ; the merit of which is given forth in the bleffings of grace here ; and in thofe of glory hereafter ; and can na more be leffen'd, than Chrift's mediatory fiilnefs can be exhaufted : from which the gofpel receives its name, being call'd the niiniftration of righteoufnefs, " much more doth the miniftration of righteoufnefs exceed in glory; "" " and in which all who believe come up with an everlafting acceptance^, with and before God the judge of all. '• ehrift, as the Lord our righteouf- nefs, fills both teftaments with his glo- ry ; for thus confider'd he is the fum of the old teftament promifes, and prophecies^ and the fubftance of old teftament sypes^ ? Zeph, uu I7» ® a, Cor. iii, 9, and Of yufli^cation. I t I and jfigures ; and thus confider'd he is the treafure hid in the field of the new. Paul's heart and life were not fuller of his pharifaic performances, before cover- iion, than they were of Chrift, as the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one that believes after converfion : His lip and pen, tho' once the lip and pen of a blafphemer, founded the trumpet of the gofpel louder and fweeter, and with greater fuccefs than any before, or fince his day. This was a fuller confirmation of the truth of the doftrines of the gofpel, and of this of im- puted righteoufnefs, thanitwou'dbe, ihould the Mufti turn chrittian ; or the Pope be- come a proteftant ; and fo both preachers of this righteoufnefs, which Chrift wears as head of the church, and furety of the better covenant, upon the throne ; as well as all the faints fhine in it about the throne. 3. My next undertaking is to fay fome- thing concerning the work of the ever bleffed Spirit in this great and weighty ' affair; a finner's juftification before God. His office according to the fcriptures, is to apply purchafed falvation; andofcon- fequence, to bring near this righteoufnefs. " I bring near my righteoufnefs, ' '* faith God, fpeaking of this robe, and gift of righ-. teoufnefsi which he doth not only doiftri^,. ^ Ifa. xlvi. 15. K 2 nally 1^1 Of yufiificatioH. n^lly by his word; but internally, anti powerfully by his own Spirit: who is no more a created being, or the fpirit of a creature, than the power of God is a cre- ated power, or the power of a creature. Thus in all probability it was brought near to our firft parents: We can hardly think that fo great a preacher as God, Ihould beat the air, and ipeak only to the ear, with- out fpeaking to the heart of the firft Adam 3 who was to hand down the gofpel to, and to teach his children the fear of the Lord- He alfo brought it near to two of Adam's fons> to Abel, and to Seth; and to how many more of his children we know not: He alfo brought it near to the Antediluvian fathers; particularly to Noahj who was a preacher thereof. God by his Spirit call'd Abraham out of a land of graven images > and gave him by an eye of faith to fee at fuch a diftance of time Chrift's day, as he was the finifl:ier of fin, and fulfiUer of all righteoufnefs: By the fame fearcher of the deep things of God it was brought near to Mofes ; and to all the chofen people under the old teftament; and to thofe unlikely inftruments, the firft founders of the gof- pel difpenfation under the new;- who, tho* illiterate filhermen, were fo taught of God to fpread the net of the gofpel; that one of them caught, that is converted, three ihoufand fouls at once. Who, fave the Spirit Of Jujlification. \ 3 2 Spirit of life and power could of a perfe-* curing blafpheming Pharifee, make fuch an unwearied zealous preacher of Chriil's righteoufoefs, as the apoftle Paul was^ this righteoufnefs is brought near, do6tri- nally, to all who hear the gofpel -, or have the bible ; but powerfully, and favingly, only to fuch as believe. Now if any are fo curious as to enquire, why fuch a righteoufnefs has not all along been carried both dod:rinaUy, and faving- ly to all mankind : I anfwer ; to every in« dividual foul for whom it was defign*d by the Father, and was wrought out by the Son, it hath all along, and fhall to the end of time, be favingly reveal'd : And as for others, they have all along, in every place, where the gofpel hath been preached, poured th^ utmoft contempt upon it: So that to fend it dodlrinally, where God has not a chofen people, is to expofe it. Now how few foever God*s chofen people were before the flood, and were all along under the old teftament; and Hill are under the aewj under latter day glory, they will appear to be man3r, as the drops of dew; and as the fand upon the fea ihore; efpe- cially if the thoufand years of Satan's bind- ing, and of the churches refreilimenc men- tioned in the revelations, be a thoufand, of prophetical years ; during which long Ipace of time^ elect finners ihall fly as. a K 3 cloud. 54- Of Juftification. cloud, and flock unto Chrift as doves to. their windows. To be fure, the numbers of God's eledt, when all of them fhall be brought fafe to happinefs, will be fuch as fhall be moft for the manifeftation of the glory of each divine perfon, and of all the divine perfections 3 a congregation too great for any man to number ; even " ten thoufand times ten thoufand, which is ten thoufand millions ; and thoufands of thou- fands; * " that is millions without number. In comparifon with whom they in hell are drop'd, and no mention is made of them, where we read of the winding up of difpenfations 5 " every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are in the fea, and all that are in them, heard I, faying ; bleffing, and honour, and glory, and pow- er be unto him that iitteth upon the throne, and to the lamb for ever, and ever. " " So extenfive, and fo glorious will the reign of grace be in fuperabounding, where fin in fuch a numberlefs number of inftances hath abounded: For if the per- fons pardoned cannot be numbred; much lefs can their fins be fo, that are forgiven them. To dlftinguifli aright between the let- ter of both teftaments, and the Spirit of ^ Rev. V. IT. " Rev. V. 13. 2 power^ Of yufiification, 1 j 5 |)Ower, which accompanies the preaching of the gofpel, as it is reveard in both te- flaments, and makes it become efFeclual, is of the utmofl confequence: For the* the letter of the gofpel is fuited to us, as we arc rational creatures 5 yet fuch is the tlindnefs of the finners mind, thro* fin, and the hardnefs of his heart, that inftead of giving life, it kills: Whereas the pro- tnifed Spirit, who is a Spirit of light, life, ,and power, fuits us, as we are dead in fins, and without flrength. The Apoftle thus diftinguifhes, and fo {bould we. " Who alfo hath made us able minifters of the 3iew teftament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the :Spirit giveth life. "^^ By the letter of the word, God is drawing us with the cords of a man, which is his own phrafe. " I drew them with cords of a man. "" " To which cords I would refer all gofpel calls, and invitations, exhortations, and dehorta- tionsi and thofe moft folem proteftations, that he delights not in the death of fin- iiers. " Say to them, as I live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: Turn you, turn you froin your evil ways; for why will ygu die, O houfe of Ifrael ? \'* and "^ z Cor. iii. 6. ^ Hofea xi. 4. K 4 of 1 3 6 Of Jujltfication. of the moft condefcending of entreaties ; *' As though God did befeech you by us, we pray you, in Chrift ftead, be ye recon-;- ciled to God ^ :" And thofe ftrong argu- ings ; " Wherefore do you fpend money for that which is not bread ? and your la-:- bour for that which fatisfies not ? Hearken diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your foul delight it felf in fatnefs V As in fcripture there is the lan- guage of creation-due, fuch as that to Cain, " If thou doft well, (halt thou not be ac- cepted^?" fo there is the language of the law, as a rule of walk; which is the very firft confideration of the moral law, which was wrote as a rule of duty on the hearts and confciences of our firft parents, be- fore God enter'd into, covenant with them,, of which the apoftle fpeaks ; *' Who fhew the work of the law, writ upon their hearts V' There is alfo the language of the law, as a covenant of works ; which is, do this, and live ; " Or, the man that does thofe things fliall live in them ^" There is alfo the language of the law, as a bro- ken covenant, which includes the thun- ders of Sinai, and tells us what fin is, and what it deferves, and is, according to the righteous judgment of God, due to linners * z Cor. V. 20. ^ Ifai. Iv. 3, ^ Gen. iv. 7. « Rom. ii. 15. ^ Chap, x, 5. z for Of purification. 1 3 ^ for their fins i how he might have ap- pointed all to wrath, inftead of appointing any to obtain falvation by Jefus Chrift. Under this head is included the language due ;o free will, though fallen, of which the law takes no notice, to make any abate- ments. The greateft part of fcripture lan- guage is that of Sinai, which is adapted to Ihew to finners both their want of Chrift, and his worth, This takes in the dodtri- nal part of fcripture, with all its calls and invitations, its motives and encouragements, with all its abfolute promifess fuch as that great word of promife, which has all al<3ng been, and fhall, to the end of time, be made good to the whole eledtion of the Father's grace ; " I will be to them a God, and they fhall be to me a people V The full birth of which fruitful promife is referved till the dawn of latter day glory 5 when the fulnefs of the Gentiles fhall come in, and all Ifrael be faved : At prefent, we fee but the firft fruits of eled:- ing love ; the full vintage will not be till the glory of the Lord, as it fhines forth in the face, and in the gofpel of the Lord Jefus Chrifl, fhall be fo revealed, that all flefh fhall fee it together. In the mean while, we, who preach the gofpel, are to publifh it in general terms, leaving it to i Hebo viii, re' the i^S Of jufiificatm. tte Spirit, to make fpecial applicatioii thereof to the chofen people. Thus Ghrift preached it J " God fo loved the world^ that he gave his orily begotten Son, that whofoever believes on him ihould not pC:* rifli, but have everlafting life ^:" And fo fhotild we, of whofe fuccefs in fo doing tve read ; " The elediion has obtained it s :'^ And of their acceptance 5 *^ For we are to God a fweet favour of Chrift, in them that are faved, and in them that perifh V We may fafely conclude, that as the numbers of the eled: are fuch as fhall, in the end, be found to be moil for the manifeftation K)f his glory, who chofe them, fo is every circumftance relating to them ; fuch as the time of their birth into this world, as Well a$ the time of their being born again, and brought fafe to glory. The ufual way of the Spirit, in bringing near Chrift's righteoufnefs to the hearts and confciences of God's elecS, is to ere<3; fuch a tribunal in the court of conlcience, as all the bufinefs and pleafures of life can- ftot hufh nor bribe ; before which the moft bold and daring of firiners, how carelefs aAd fecure foever they may for many y<^ars have been, are fecretly cited, and tannot help making their appearance > ^■Jchn iii. it. .^ Rom, 21. 7, " i Cor, where Of Jujltfication. i 2q where their pad lives and adions are called over, and their very hearts and natures looked into 5 and they are tried not only by the letter, but by the fpirituality of the law, and found to be rebels in heart and life, and, as fuch, to be worthy of death, not only temporal, but eternal. Thus they, who once dreamed of nothing but eafe and Impunity, become felf-con- demned, and continue terrified, and in di- ftrefs, till they are led by the word and Spirit to Chrift, as the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one who believes ; in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenefs of fin, according to the riches of the Father's grace ; by afting faith in whom, though it be but a faith of reliance; the ftorms raifed in their con- fciences, by a fight and fenfe of fin, are ftilled, and they are made thankful, as well as eafy, and fo fitted to run in the ways of God's commands. They, by the fame Spirit that teaches them to lay afide the temper of the Pharifee, and not t6 work for life, either by way of merit or atonement, are enabled to work from life, and confequently to do more and better work for God, than all the children of men do befides : So that God's handful of corn, on the top of the mountains, is made to {hake like Lebanon ; and they pf the city, that is, of Zion, are brought to i^o Q/ Jujltficatm, to flourifh, like the grafs upon the earth. Thus God^ who was with Chrift \x\ bringing in this righteoufners, teaches, by his word and Spirit, all the chofen people fubmiffion to it j who thankfully receive it, and, from the heart, reft upon and pleadL it, as their fole juftifying righteoufnefs with and before God, the Judge of all : By being made light in the Lord, they are brought to fee both their want, and the worth of this righteoufnefs ; and, by be- ing made a willing people, they are brought to caft anchor upon it. As the apoftle did, fo do they, from the day of their con- verlion, defire to be found in Chrift, not having their own righteoufnefs, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Jefus Chrift ; even the righteouf- nefs which is of God by faith. I fliall conclude this difcourfe, by put- ting God's juftified ones uponadling a kind becoming part towards all mankind, that is, pleading the promife of the Spirit for all flefti. This, in a way of eminency, is called the promife of the Father under the New Teftament ; " But wait for the pro- mife of the Father, fays Chrift ^ ; " as the promife of the Meffiah was the promife of the Father, under the Old : And as Old i A^s i. 4. Tefta- Of Jujlification* \A\ Teftament faints pleaded day and night the one, fo fhould New Teftament faints be as inftant and conftant in pleading the other ; for it is by making good this word of promife, that the man of fin is to h6 deftroy'd ; " Whom the Lord fhall deftroy by the Spirit of his mouth, and by the brightness of his coming ^/' The fulnefs of the Gentiles is to be brought in, and all Ifrael is to be faved. They who are made the righteoufnefs of God in their ju- ftification, and, in that fenfe, are cloath'd with the fun, Ihould endeavour to be of as publick ufe and fervice, in a fpiritual fenfe, as the fun is in a natural 5 whofe light and influences are not reftrained to any place, nor part of the globe, but reach and en- l lighten, at due feafons, as well as warm and cherifli the whole earth. Thus Ihould the prayers of New Teftament faints, for the pourings forth of the Spirit, as he is Chrift's glorifier, reach the Pagan parts of the world, that they may be brought to caft their idols to the moles, and to the bats : They fhould alfo reach the Maho- metan parts of the world, that they may no longer be impofed upon by that falfe and filthy prophet Mahomet, but be brought thankfully to exchange the Alcoran for the Bible ; Thus fhould they reach the Anti-^ chriftian 1^1 t)f JuJIification. chriftian parts of the world, that feventy millions of fouls, which Papifts are com- puted to be, may no longer carry the mark of the beaft in their foreheads, but be brought to hate the whore, and make her defolate : They ftiould alfo reach God*s ancient people the Jews, who, concerning the gofpel, are enemies, for our fakes, becaufe that was, by the exprefs command of God, preached to the Gentiles ; but, as touching the eledtion, they are beloved, for the Father's fake ; or as they once were a chofen people, and fhall as certainly be called, as they are for a time rejefted, whofe call will be like life from the dead. Thus for believers to ply the throne, and to plead the promife of the Spirit, is to be- come publick bleffings to mankind, greater bleffings than moil imagine. A faint thus plying the throne, in a cottage, may be, and is, of greater confequence than many a prince on the throne. To encourage New Teftament faints thus to plead this great promife, Chrift fpoke thofe fweet words; " If ye then, be- ing evil, know how to give good gifts to your children ; how much more fhall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that alk him ^ ? " Was it as natural for man to defire to be ufeful, as it is to \ Matt. vii. ir<, be Of Jujiificatton. I^j |)e famous in his generation, we who be- lieve fhould give the God and Father of Chrift no reft, till the Spirit, from on Jiigh, is poured forth upon all flefh. Be- lieving parents cannot pray to greater, nor to better purpofe, for thofe dear parts of ;hemfelves, their children, than to beg for them the Spirit^ as he is Chrift's glorifier ^ nor believing children for their refpedl- ^d parents. Thus fhould all the faints^j pray for all in authority, and all godly magiftrates, pray for all they rule : Thi|$ i^ould alt gafpel minifters beg him, for the churches committed to their care; and church members beg him for their paftors : Thus fhould godly relations and friends b?g him for one another -, even mafters for tiieir fervants, and fervants for their ma- ilers. Such prayers put up in faith, would not return to us empty, but foon bring down fuch a blefTmg upon us, and oursj, as would turn our declining autumn, in a fph'itual fenfe, into a promifing fpring. Would any gladly know the principal caufe of thofe many grey hairs, in a fpiri- tual fenfe, which, in town and country, are upon perfons profefling godlinefs, upon families and churches; I ftiould return this Ihort anfwer : The promife of the Spirit is not pleaded, as it ought to be, by us of the New Teftament ; neither do we defire and expeft him, under his New Teftament cha- i 4^ Of Jufiification. charader, which is that of Chrlft's glorU iier ; " He ftiall glorify me/' fays Chrift. Chrift's glorifier, being our Teacher, Sanftifier, and Comforter, fhould en-^ courage all the followers of the Lamb to wait and to watch for him, more than they who watch for the morning ; and to look up as duly as the morning light ap- pears, for a frefh anointing, to enable them, becomingly, like God's pardoned and juftified ones, to perform the duties, to bear the burdens, and to refill the temp- tations of every day. This is the way to be filled with his comforts, and with his fruits; fuchaslove, joy, peace, long-fuf- fering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, faith, meek- nefs, temperance, with which the trees of righteoufnefs, the planting of the Lord (hould abound, that he may be glorified* S E R- SERMON III. Gal. ii. id. Knowing that a man is not jujiified hy the works of the law, but by the faith of Jejus Chrift, even we have believed inJefusChrifl ; that we might be juftijied by the faith of Chrijl, and not by the works oj the law ; for by the works of the lawjhall no flefh be juftijied. H E gofpel is deferVedly called the glorious gofpel of the blef- fed God } " According to the glorious gofpel of the bleffed God, which is committed to my truft "." I^or, according to it, fuch as believe are » I Tim.!. II. * Vot. Ih L made *.6 Of J'uftification. madie partakers of a divine nature, in their regereration, are made the righteoufnefs of God, in their juftification, and bear the inage of the heavenly Adam, as to their landtification ; they are one fpirit with the Lord whilft on earth, and are to be for ever with him above in heaven. Thefe are fome of the principal parts of that great falvation, which is brought to light in the gofpel : Whence it is plain, that Adam, at the head of a covenant of works, with this world under his feet, was no more than the morning ftar ; the fhine of which is very inconfiderable, if compared with Chrift, the fun of righte- oufnefs. The firft Adam, bright as he might be, in his firft rifmg, foon fet in difmal darknefs, which has covered the earth ever fmce s whereas Chrift, the fe- cond Adam, is fo rifen in the firft promife^ as never to fet, but has filled both Tefta- ments with his glory ; and thus he rifes, never to fet in the hearts of all the faints, whom he will bring oflf more than con- querors above in glory. Now as, of all the organs of the body, the eye is beft fuiied to take in the beauty of this lower world 5 fo is faith, of all the graces of the Spirit, beft fuited to take in the glory of Chrift. This leads me to the fourth thing I propofed. 4. 1 Of yuflification. 1^7 4. I fhall fay fomething concerning the ufe of faith in the bufinefs of a linner's ]u- ftification before God. That we are jufti- fied by faith, is incdnteftibly a fcripture phrafe ; it is twice ufed in the words of my text, and very often elfe where ; efpe- cially in the New Teftament, where we are told, that " Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteouf- nefs^;" that is, to the obtaining of righ- teoufnefs, as the prepolition, giV, directs us to interpret it ; and that *' it fhall be thus imputed to all who believe''." The con- clufion drawn by the apoftle, in that fhort, but excellent difcourfe, concerning a fin- ner's juflification before God, in the third chapter of his epiftle to the Romans, is very remarkable ; " Therefore we con- clude, that a man is juflified by faith, without the deeds of the law ^ 5" which fcripture phrafe is not only repeated, but doubled, in the next verfe, fave one ; " Seeing it is one God, who fhall juflify the circumcifion by faith, and the uncir- cumcifion through faith ^ ;" and is lifted up like a flandard in the beginning of the next chapter; '' Therefore being juflifiett by faith, we have peace with God, thro* our Lord Jefus Chrifl ^; who is faid to be ^ Rom. iv. 5. ^ Ver. 24, ^ Chap, iii, 28, ' Ver. 30. f Chap. v. i. L z " the 1 48 Of JuJUfication. " the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one that believes ^ /* whofe righte- oufnefs, though it v^as wrought out, and is laid up with Chrifl for us, before we be- lieve, is no where fpoke of in fcripture, as being to and upon us, till fuch time as we believe; '' But now the righteoufnefs of God, without the law, is manifefted^ being witneiTed by the law and the pro- phets y even the righteoufnefs of God, which is by faith of Jefus Chrift, to all, and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference^.'* It is not here faid, that the comfort flowing from this righte- oufnefs is within fuch as believe, which fometimes is, and at other times is not, but that the righteoufnefs it felf is upon them. Thus often is this phrafe ufed by the apoflle, in his epiftle to the Romans. It is alfo as often ufed by him, in his epiftle to the erring Galatians, twice, as has been obferved in the words of my text, and oftner in the following chapter j " Even as Abraham believed God, and it was ac- counted to him for righteoufnefs ' : " " And the fcripture forefeeing that God would juftify the Heathen thro' faith ^ -,' which is as good as repeated : "So then they who be of faith, that is, who are juflii&ed « Rom. X. 4. ^ Chap, iii. zu zz, » Gal. iii. 6. ^ Ver. 8. by Of Jufiification. i/j.^ by faith, are bleffed with faithful Abra- ham^:'* As is that other phrafe ; " But that no man is juftified by the law, in the fight of God, is evident ; for the juft by faith fhall live ""." He goes on to tell us, in the fame chapter, that " the fcripture has concluded all under fin, that the pro- mife, by faith of Jefus Chrift, might be given to them that believe " ;" and that *^ the law was our fchoolmafter, to bring us to Chrift, that we might be juftified by faith °/' He unbofoms himfelf, and lays open the defires of his own heart, in this weighty afl?air, in his epiftle to the Philip- pians y " And be found in him, not ha- ving mine own righteoufnefs, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith p." In which place he not only defires to have the peace and comfort which flow from this righteoufnefs, but the righteoufnefs it felf, which is by faith ; fo that to be juftified by faith is a fcripture phrafe. But we no where read of being juftified for our faith, nor of our being juftified before faith ; neither of thefe are fcripture phrafes 3 they who fhould ufe them, would teach in words never ufed by Chrift, and his apoftles, in teaching do- ^ Gal. iii. 9. "^ Ver. 11. " Ver. 22. Jf Ver. 14. P Phil, iii, 9, L 3 dtrines I 50 Of Jujlificatton. drines which muft be exprefs*d in new v/ordSj and not in thofe wholefome words of our Lord Jefus Chrill, which fill both Teftaments. How empty, even of fenfe, would my text be, was its language thus changed ? Knowing that a man is not juflified by the works of the law, but be- fore the faith of Jefus Chrift ; we have be- lieved in Jefus Chrift, that we might be juftified before we believe. And how empty of the gofpel fhould we read them. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but for the faith of Jefus Chrift ; even we have believed in Chrift, that we might be juftified for our faith in Chrift ? It is, doubtlefs, fafeft, as in walk and worftiip, fo in words and phrcifes, to keep clofe to the rule of fcrip- ture, and in the things of God, to fpeak as do the oracles of God 5 which ho Arian or Arminian ever did, nor can do. All new Ichemes call for a new bible, and er- rors of all forts coin new words andphrafes. What the heart is in the body, which is firft formed, and firft moves, that is faith in the new creation ; it is firft formed, as it were, or at leaft is firft aftuated, and drawn forth tov/ards Chrift, as he is God's falvation. Regeneration therefore is, for the comfort of babes in Chrift, defcribed by the loweft aft of faith unfeigned ; ^^ Whofoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrift, Of Jufttfication. 1 5 i -Chrift, is born of God '^ j" which new birth, fmall as it may appear at the firft to be, though but like the dawn of the morn, is the kingdom of God within us. The ufe and office of faith, in the bufi- nefs of a linner*s juflification before God, is not to piece out the glorious robe of Chrifl's furetyftiip imputed righteoufnefs ; but faith of the operation of God points out the perfons for whom this righteouf- nefs is defigned by the Father, and was wrought out by the Son ; which may be faid of a work of grace in general, and belongs to faith in common with other graces. Faith therefore has a farther of- fice, or is of farther ufe in our juftifica- tion y for it is as the eye of the new crea- ture, by the realizing ads of which the foul takes in the fuitablenefs and worth of the wedding garment -, which appears to be rather a rag, or a cobweb, than a robe, to the moft knowing of the children of men, till faith is wrought. It is alfo the new creatures hand, by which it receives and puts on this garment of falvation, fo perfumed with love, the folds of which are fo full of grace and truth ; " the gift of righteoufnefs, as it is called % muft have an hand to receive it ; and " the Tobe of righteoufnefs, which is the name ^ John V. I, *■ Rom. v. 17. L 4 given 15^ Of Jufiification. given it '', muft^ be put on, and wore be^ fore God : They who, under a fenfe of fin, are fummoned by the court of con-- fcience to appear before God, as a Judge, muft have fopiething to plead with, and before his rnajefty : Now as Chrift's righ- teoufnefs is our alone effet^lual plea for pardon and acceptance, fo faith is as the lip of the new creature, by which this righteoufnefs is with all humility urged and pleaded : To do which we are en- couraged by fcripture declarations, calls, and commands, as well as by examples, and are heard, tho' it is done by us, as with ftammering, as well as with trembling lips. Faith is alfo as the ear of the new creature, by which the awaken'd,quicken'd foul liftens to the Lord Jefus Chrift, call- ing upon the very chief of iinners to forfake their fins, and all refuges of lies, and hiding places of falfliood, and to look to him as the only finiflier of fin, and fulfiller of righteoufnefs, for all righte- oufnefs to bring them into, and to con- tinue them in a pardoned, juftified, re- ponciled, adopted Itat^ for ever : It is alfo as the knee of the new creature, by which it bows before Chrift, as the Lord our righteoufnefs, and fubmits, though not without fome relu(5lance, efpeciajly ^t \ Ifai. Ixi, 10. times. Of Jujlification. 1 1 ;> times, to this way of a fmner's juftification before God : It is alfo as the tongue of the new creature, which fhouts grace, grace, as to the whole of our falvation, fo to this branch of a finner's juftification, and fings the praifes as of its provider, fo of him that brought in our juftifying righteouf- riefs : It is alfo as the foot of the new crea- ture, by which it walks with, and fol- lows after Chrift, as the Lord its righte- oufnefs, and by fo doing adorns the gof- pel, as well as evidences it felf to be faith unfeigned. So that the office of faith is to receive from, and not to bring to Chrift, unlefs it be wants and weaknefs, ill and hell-defer- vings, fins without number, and obliga- tions to punifhment without end. Of all the graces of the Spirit, faith is the moft emptying, and accordingly goes empty, poor, and indigent to Chrift : Other graces bring fomething, as it were, along with them ; whereas faith brings nothing to Chrift but a naked back. As in nature the hand and the mouth are both of them adapted to receive, the one a gift, the other food; fo is faith adapted to look to, to receive, and to clofe with the Lord Jefus Chrift ; and, having received him, to realize all thofe fcripture motives, by which we are perfwaded to abide with him, and to follow him : So that faith in the bufi^ J 5 4- ^/ Jufiification. bufinefs of juftification before God is not to be confider'd as a working, but as a re- ceiving grace, though it is both, and fows in tears of godly forrow, and works by love 5 but its firft and great bufinefs is with the perfon andrighteoufnefsof Chrift, par- ticularly to receive the atonement. To conclude this head. Faith may be faid tojuftify us, in a like fenfe, that the eye is faid to be the light of the body, or the hand to feed and cloath us. Thus Efau is faid to live by his bow, by which he got what he lived upon : It is by faith, which is the fubftance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feen, that we realize all that is faid in both Tefta- ments concerning Chrift, and his righte- oufnefs. And as in nature the eye direfts the hand, fo here the realizing adls of faith diredl its receiving acts; not but both are under the influences of the Spirit, and the direftion of the word ; by which faith is both taught and encouraged to go tq God in Chrift's name, as the finifher of fin, and fulfiller of all righteoufnefs, and to plead his righteoufnefs to all thofe blef- fed ends, for which it was provided by the Father, wrought out by the Son, and is revealed by the Spirit ; by doing which heartily and conftantly, faith takes in the comfort, and is thereby ftirred up to give God the glory of fuch provifion of righ- teoufnefs. Of Jufilfication. \tc teoufnefs. It is alfo made careful his riches, and our own poverty ; his fulnefs, and our own emptinefs ; his ftrength, and our own weaknefs, in the light thereof 5: In this the infinite worth of Chrift, and the true value of grace, and ufe of faith, and of every thing elfe, is faithfully fet down ; according to which, " all who believe are juftified, from all things from which there was no being juftified by the law of Mofes "." ^ A^s xiii. $9# m^ § E R- S E R M O N IV. Gal. ii. id. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, hut by the faith of Jejus Chrift, even we have believed inJefusChrifl ; that we might be juftijied by the faith of Chrijiy and not by the works oj the law ; for by the works of the lawjhall no fiefh bejuftified, . Y far the greateft of all fublu- nary tranfadions, with an eye to which the foundations of the <^| firft Adam's world were laidg was, as we learn from fcripture, the ap- pearing of Chrift, the fecond Adam, to Vol, II, N take 178 Of Jufltficatmu take away fin ; his incarnation is fpoke of in both Teftaments, as the foundation and chief corner ftone of God*s world of na- ture, as well as of his kingdom of grace and of glory. In the Old Teftament, " I have put my words in thy mouth, and co- vered thee in the fhadow of my hand, faid God to the Mediator, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth; and fay to Zion, Thou art my people "^i'* that is, do it with the greateft certainty, fo as to receive from all a full revenue of glory. In the New Teftament we are told, that " all things were created for Chrift ^ s** and that by him all things confift ^" As man was created the mouth of this lower creation, in point of praife, and ia point of fervice, as the hand thereof; for what would this world have fignified, had no man been form'd to adore, and fervc him that made it ? So our Immanuel is as the hand in point of fervice ; therefore he is called, " the man of God's right hand ^ j" and in point of praife he is as the mouth of the whole univerfe. By him God re- ceives, and will receive for ever, fuch a revenue of glory, as could no other way have been paid to him. Mere creatures, * Ifai. li. 16. k Colofl; i, 16 f Vcr. 17. whe- Of Jufiification. ijij whether they are men or angels, being mutable by nature, may praife God, and ferve him one day, and be ftruck dumb to praife, and grow lame to his fervice the next, as in the cafe of the non-ele(fl an- gels, and of our firft parents ; whereas our Immanuel is the fame yefterday, to day, and for ever, and, as fuch, is a fit bafis to fupport the whole univerfe. Is it beneath the wifdom of a king to order his pa- lace to be built on a quick fand, or his crown and fceptre to be made of glafs ? and will God entruft reeds and rufhes^ that is, mere creatures, with the manife- ftation of his glory ? Firm and flrong, as the pillars of heaven, and of this earth may be; they owe all their ftability and ftrength to Chrift, and fo do eled: men^ and angels theirs , in anfwering the ends^ the one of their creation, the other of their redemption ; to the fame Jefus, who is faid " to bear up the pillars of the earth %" and " to uphold all things by the v/ord of his power ^;" which includes heaven as well as earth ; and is called, by God, " his righteous Servant, in whom he will be glorified ^" That Chrift fhould be able, in the fhort fpace of thirty odd years, to finiih tranfgreffion, and to make an end of fin, and reconciliation for inic[uity, and to ! Pfal. Ixxv, 3. ^ Heb. i. 3, « Ifai. xlix. ?. N a bring l8o Of Juftification. bring in everlafting righteoufnefs, is a like wonder, with God's creating fuch a world as this is, in the fpace of fix days. How will it aftonilh and delight us, when we come to glory, to think, that the Lord of heaven and earth {hould be the Lord our righteoufnefs ? That he, who there fits on the Father's throne, fhould, to bring about our juftification and falvation, confent to hang in this lower world on a tree ? Be- tween whofc righteoufnefs, its being upon us for our aftual juftification and faith of the operation of God, there is, for the comfort of all who believe, a clofe con- nexion, which is my next head of dif- courfe. 5. I ftiall evince the fure connexion there is between faith and aftual juftification. There is an eternal connexion in God's purpofes and decrees, who has faidi " My counfel fliall ftand, and I will do all my pleafure." Men and devils may fooner invert the beautiful order of nature, and extinguifti fun, moon, and ftars, than dif- annul what the purpofe of God has thus connedted : There is alfo an eternal con- nexion by way of covenant, it being thus agreed in the counfel of peace between the Father and the Son : There is alfo a pur- chafed connexion, obtained and feal'd, as it were, by the blood of Chrift : There is an openly declared connexion publifhed in Of Jujlificatton. 1 8 r in the book of God, and by the minifters of the gofpel, to all the world : There is a promifed connexion confirm'd by oath ; for the oath of God, as it is recorded in his word, reaches and confirms every truth contained therein, whereby all gofpel im- munities, privileges, and bleflings, are a- bundantly fecured to fuch as believe. It is alfo an experienced connexion ; all, in all ages and places, that ever believed, whether faints of the Old, or of the New Teftament, have, without one exception, been juftified ; and fo are all who nowbelieve juftified, let their lot be call where it will ; babes, as well as fathers in Chrift ; and fo fhall all who, in after ages, to the very end of time, ihall be brought to believe : For that great text looks forward as well as backward j " By him all who believe are juftified, from all things \" Should fuch of us as believe, be declared juftified, by an audible voice from heaven, or by an angel fent from thence, it would not be fo fatisfying, nor fo eftablifliing, as the united teftimony of Mofes, and of all the prophets ; of Chrift, and of all his apoftles, as it ftands recorded in both Te- ftaments. We may fafely fay, that the earth may fooner fink under our feet, and the heavens over our heads vaniih, than a ^ hdi% xiii. 39. N 3 true i85 Of Juftification. true believer be condemned ; which con^ nexion is thus fettled and fecured, that we tnight have ftrong confolation, who arc fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope fet before us in the gofpel. This connexion I lake to be part of the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, Vv^hich makes every true believer '* free from the law of fm and death '." 6. My next province is, to affigii to good works their proper ufe in this weigh- ty affair, according to the fcriptures, which are moft exprefs, in excluding the beft of works performed by the beft of faints, from being either in whole, or in part, our juftifying righteoufnefs before God. Thus Abraham's works, though very ex- cellent in themfelves, are carefully exclu^ ded 3 '' What fhall we fay then, that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flefh, has found? for if Abraham was ju- ftified by works, he has whereof to glory ; but he was not fojuftified before God ^/' That this is the fenfe and meaning of this verfe, is plain from the next ; ^' For what fays the fcripture, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteouf- nefs K'' His readinefs to offer his fon, by way of facrifice, at God's command, was ^ high inftance of obedience 5 but this was r Rpm. viii. 2. ^ Chap. iv. 2. ^ Ver. ^. liOt Of Jufiificatm. 1 8 ^ not counted to him for righteoufnefs^ as to be fure it would have been, and fet as in the front of Abraham's good works, had they been either in whole, or in part, his juftifying righteoufnefs before God. David's refolution to make mention of God's righteoufnefs, and of that only, muft be ; exclufive of all thofe works of righteouf- " .. ' nefs, which might be called his own. Thus the apoftle's defire to be found in Chrift, not having his own righteoufnefs, excludes not only fome, but all thofe works of righteoufnefs he had wrought, or fliould maintain, to the very end of life ; though he was a tree of righteoufnefs, more and more loaded therewith. His faying, not of works, left any man fhould boaft, bars them from being part of our juftifying righteoufnefs before God 3 and fo does that other text, " Now to him that works not, but believes on him that juftifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righte- oufnefs •"/' But we need go no further than my text for the full proof of this : It was, in primitive times, a known truth, which none difputed, that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift. We may fafely conclude therefore, as the apoftle does, that « we are juftified by faith, without "> Rom. iv. $. N 4 the 1 E^- Of Jufiification. the deeds of the law ; for by the law is th^ {knowledge of fin "." The dagger that gives the wound, may as foon cure it, as the law juftify any: Such as thus feek to jbe juftified, are fo far from attaining their end, that they are docftrinally " fallen frora grace °," and do as much as in them lies to make the death of Ciirifl: vain and in- effectual p. Good works, how fpiritual and heavenly foever they may bie, are not a valuable confideration laid down by us, for the robe of Chrifl's righteouihefs j which can no more be purchafed by us, than the power of giving the Holy Ghofl could by Simon the forcerer. Such a pur- chafe would aggrandize thi^ faint to thp depreciating of the Saviour, whpfe righte- oufnefs is called a gift, but not once a fale, in fcripture ; neither are good works our warrant to look to Chrifl for righteoufnefs, to jufiification and life. To bar this, we are told, as has been obferved, how it is, that, as to our felves, we are confider'd by God, when he juflifies any j; not as faints^ but as finners : '' But to him that works not, but believes on him that juflifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righte- oufnefs," Our warrant to receive Chrift, as the Lord our righteoufnefs, is not hu- pan, but divine ; the call and promife of ^, Rgm. iii. 20. * Gal. v. 4. p Chap, ii, 11. I the Of Jufiificatim. 1 8 5 the gofpel, and not any worth or worth i- nefs in us ; " Not by works of righteouf- nefs, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us/* But though the beft of works are no part of our juftifying righteoufnefs before God, all good works evidence our being among the number of God's juftified ones. This they do, as they fpeak our faith to be unfeigned; a faith of the right kind, which works by love: They alfo do iv-as they fpeak our union to Chrift to be real, that we are truly one fpirit with the Lord j fo that good works evidence our juftification, as good fruit evidences the goodnefs of the tree 5 and as ftreams that are fweet, fpeak the fweetpefs of the fountain. 7. I Ihall next confider, whether the law is of any ufe in the bufinefs of a fm- ner's juftification before God, and Ihew of what ufe it is. The moral law is the great ftandard of all righteoufnefs : Had not Chrift's furetyfhip righteoufnefs come up, in every point, to this perfeit rule, nei- ther he himfelf, as Mediator, nor any of his, could have been juftified; the curfe of which law, as a broken covenant, reaches fmners of all ranks and degrees, whilft ly- ing out from Chrift : It is therefore of no fmall ufe, in the hand of the Spirit, to awaken thofe of God's eled:, where the gofpel comes 3 by which they are not only ftruck 1 86 Of Juflificatim. ftruck dumb and filenced, as to all pleas, by way of excufe, but dead, as to all hopes of eftabliftiing a juftifying righteoufnefs of their own. Thus the apoftle Paul, who, whilft a dead pharifee was alive in his own conceit, without the law ; when that came - in its fpirituality and extent, fin fo revived, as to the fenfe of it, that he died ; and the commandment, which was originally or- dain'd to life, and was fo given to our firft parents, he found to be to death ; for in- flead of juftifying, by it is the knowledge of fin, and confequently it muft of neceffity condemn the finner : This holds true of all laws, if tranfgrefs'd j but more efpecially of the moral. The law, in the Spirit's hand, ihews to awakened finners both their mifery and their impotency ; what it is they owe, by way of fatisfaftion, as well as by way of fervice, and how unable they are to pay ; that they are brands, but cannot pluck themfelves out of the burning. It alfo •witnefTes to the perfedlion and worth of Chrift's furetyfliip righteoufnefs, and di- refts all cloath'd therewith how they ought to walk and pleafe God. I fhall now obferve of whatufc the writ- ten word is in this weighty affair, of which the law and light of nature knew nothing before the fall, the whole thereof being matter of pure revelation} " If thou doft well. Of Juflijication. 1 8^ well, flialt thou not be accepted^ ?" Is the language of creation-due; but our be- ing juftified by faith, and accepted to eter- nal life, in the beloved, is all of grace, and the peculiar language of the gofpel. Both Teftaments are full of the glory of Chrift, as the Lord our righteoufnefs, and of en- couragement to feek to him for all righ- teoufnefs, to bring us into, and to continue us in a pardoned, juftified, reconciled, adopted ftate for ever : Both Teftaments alfo teftify, that " in the Lord fliall all the believing feed of Ifrael be juftified, and ftiall glory ' ;" v^hofe faith, in oppofition to the Popifli notion of believing as the church believes, is defcribed by know^- ledge ; " By his know^ledge ftiall my righ- teous Servant juftify many ^ -/' of which we have a more full and particular account in the New Teftament, efpecially in the epiftle to the Romans, where this righte- oufnefs is called a gift -, and is, in fo many words, faid " to be to all, and upon all them" that believe, and that without diffe- rence; as really to all juftifying intents and purpofes upon Abraham's believing feed, as upon Abraham the father of the faith- ful, as really upon New Teftament faints, as upon thofe of the Old ; as really upon us, at this diftance of time, as upon pri- *) Gen. iv. 7. ^ Ifai. xl/. 24. ^ Cl^ap xliii. n. mitive J 88 Of Juflificatim. mitive faints, and the apoftles themfelves > as really upon babes, as upon fathers in Chriil. Were Mofes, and all the pro- phets, upon earth ; was Paul, with all the apoftles, here \ and fliould the true belie- ver alk them their thoughts concerning his ftate, they would unanimoufly declare him a juftified perfon : One freed from all condemnation on the one hand, and enti- tled to heaven on the other. God's writ- ten word is full of the excelling worth of this righteoufnefs, and of the gracious de- figns of God in providing it : How and to what ends it is upon us who believe, and with what certainty and fuccefs. There we have the Father's teftimony concern- ing his Son, as the Lord our righteoufnefs^ and his command to us to hear him ; whofe calls and counfels direft to Chrift, as the end of the law for righteoufnefs, and whofe charge is to go no where elfe. In the word, we are taught the one and only way of a fanner's juftification before God 5 and, by the fame word, we are direded and encouraged to get into it, and to abide therein. Here the purpofes of God are put into promifes, that faith may go to a throne of grace, and plead them. Grace in the heart and purpofe of God, is like gold in the mine ; but grace in the pro- mife, be it thofe promifes which relate to our juftification, or any other gofpel pri- vilege, Of "Nullification. iS vilege, are like gold in the mint ; they are ours to trafSck with, in a fpiritual fenfe. 1 {hall next confider the ufe of con- fcience, in this momentous affair. In this court, the law keeps its regifter, as it re- lates to duty, and to fin ; and the juftice of God an account of the numbers, and aggravating circumftances of every finner*s fins, how great finners they are in the eye of the law, and what is due to them, ac- cording to the righteous judgment of God, for their fins. Here God's tefl:imony con- cerning his Son is received, when this court is purged and renewed -, and our be- lieving with the heart is noted or fet down. All the witnefles to a believer's juftificat ion are heard in this court, and all objecflions againft it are here canvas'd and anfwer'd. In this court, the world, the flefli, and the devil, lodge their accufations againft the believer, drawn from the ftrength of his corruptions, and from the weaknefs of his faith ^ and here it is that they are removed: So that this court, which once was full of bribes, and falfe reports, as well as with falfe witneflTes, being renewed by the Spi- rit of Chrift, and fprinkled with his blood, is, lefs or more, fiU'd with peace and with joy in believing. This matchlefs robe of righteoufnefs has in the folds thereof peace with God i and all cloathed there- with 190 Of Jufiificatton. with may and fliould rejoice in the hope of his glory i They fhould alfo glory in tribulation, and call the world's frowns theirs, as well as its fmiles ; adverlity, as well as profperityj and death it felf, as well as life. This they are enabled, in fome good meafure, to do ; when he, who fearches the deep things of God, is pleafed to fhine in upon their graces, and to fhed abroad the love of God, in the provifion and gift of this righteoufnefs in their hearts, and to witnefs with their fpi- rits that therein they are made the righte- oufnefs of God; who, as he is Chrift's glorifier, never fets his feal to a blank for the world, the flefh, and the devil, to fill up at pleafure, as fome libertines would perfuade themfelves and others ; but firft renews and works faith, and fo witnefles to his own work : In the light of whofe witneffing prefence, the robe of Chrifl's righteoufnefs appears to be moft glorious^ and all cloathed therewith to be moft fafe and happy ; by which their doubts are an- fwer'd, and all their fears are fcatter'd, and they go on their way rejoicing ; inftead of finning, they are brought to obey, with an high hand of filial love and reverence ; and find, by bleffed experience, that the joy of the Lord is their ftrength, to bear, as well as to do his will. As the leaft mote makes the eye water, fo the leaft Of Juftification. l ^ | leaft fin makes the confcience, that is fprinkled with the blood of Chrift, fmite ; other confciences may be fcrupulous, but thefe only are truly tender. IV. My laft work fhall be to guard againft errors of all forts, in the bufi- nefs of a finner's juftification before God, The law, as a covenant of works was our firft hulband ; to it, as fuch, we were all efpoufed, in the firft. Adam ; the lan- guage of which is. Do this, and live. Now, though the law is weak, through the flefli, and cannot poflibly juftify any, but is ftrong to condemn ; yet fuch is the pride of every natural man's heart, that he had much rather, with the carnal Jews, go to Sinai, than to Zion, for a juftifying righteoufnefs ; and, with the Papifts, be at any coft and pains to eftablifli a juftify- ing righteoufnefs of his own, than to fub- mit to Chrift*s. I fliall begin with the error of the Jews, particularly of the proud conceited Phari- fees, in the bufinefs of juftification before God. Of this we have the beft account, both from the pen and from the practice of the apoftle Paul, whilft a Pharifee, from his pen : " What fhall we fay then ? that the Gentiles, who followed not after righ- teoufnefs, have attained to righteoufnefs, even ^2 Of Jufitficatim. even the righteoufnefs which is of faith f But Ifrael, who followed after the law of righteoufnefs, has not attained to the law of righteoufnefs: Wherefore? becaufe they fought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law V They were for a Sinai covenant and righteoufnefs, and not for that of mount Sion. Though they were a generation of vipers, and whited fepulchres, efpecially the Pharifees; yet they were for eftablifhinga juftifying righ- teoufnefs of their own, as is evident, be- yond all contradidlion ; " For they being ignorant of God's righteoufnefs, and going about to eftablifli their own righteoufnefs, have not fubmitted themfelves to the righ- teoufnefs of God ^*' We have alfo a full account of this from the apoftle's pradtice, whilft a Pharifee, of which he gives a very particular account, in his third chapter to the Philippians: He has told us what pains he took, and how great a proficient he was, in the fchool of the law, as a cove- nant; " Touching the righteoufnefs which is of the law blamelefs "." This is lafl mentioned, becaufe he verily thought, whilft he was a blind Pharifee, that it added weight and worth to all thofe external pri- vileges he there enumerated : But upon his being made light in the Lord, he fpoke in a 5 Rom, ly, $0, J Chap. x. 3[» « Phil. iii. 6. ! quit© Of Jujlificatton. j ^ ^ quite difFerent language ; " That I may be found in him, not having my own righ- teoufnefs, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chriftj the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith ^^Z' From Chrift's parable of the Pharifee and of the publican, it appears that the righ- teoufnefs which the former trufted to, and pleaded before God^ was a comparative righteoufnefs ; " God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are ""/' I fhall next confider the error which in- fected the churches of Galatia, in the buii- nefs of juftification before God) which was this : They joined together mount Sinai and mount Zion, and blended the two difpenfations ; that of the law, and that of the gofpel, and put the veil of Mofes over the face, or gofpel of Jefus Chrift, in the bufinefs of juftification before God. This is the leaft that can be faid of their mi- ftake ; though it is plain, from the two following textSj that they took wider and worfe fteps, in joining the works, both of the moral and of the ceremonial law with the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Lord our righte- oufnefs, who is the end of both for righte- oufnefs, to every one that believes : The one is 5 " If righteoufnefs comes by the law, then Chrift is dead in vain ^J* An "^ PhiU iii. 9. ;^ Luke i. 8. ^ Gal. ii. i£. Vol. II. O awful l^^ Of Jujlzfication. awful word, which (hould put all upoil their guard, as to the important doftrine of a finner's juftification before God ; an error in which is of fuch fatal tendency ; the other is, " Whofoever of you are jufti- fied by the law, you are fallen from grace ^ ;" that is, dodlrinally. It is obfervable with what fliarpnefs he, who, at other times^ was gentle among the faints, " even as a nurfe cheriihes her children %'* reproved the erring Galatians, whofe error he calls, " a perverting the gofpel of Chrift V* I fhall next confider that of the Pela- gians. The error of Pelagius was his ex- alting the free will of the creature above the free grace of God, in all the articles of falvation,and confequently in this of juftifi- cation : He laid afide the doftrine of Chrift's imputed, for that of our own inherent righteoufnefs 3 that free will might have of its own, wherein to truft, whereof to glory, and wherewith to come before God. Thus unmindful was he, and fo are all his follov/ers, of v/hat Chrift has told us ; " As the branch cannot bear fruit of it felf, except it abides in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in me ; for without me you can do nothing '.** Thefe pervert the order of grace, as much as the order ^ Gal. V. 4. ^ I Their, iio 7. ^ Gal. i. 7. ^ John XV. 4, 5* 2 ©f Of Juftification. i ^ 5 of nature would be perverted, fhould any fay, that the branch bears the root, and that without the root the branch might bloflbm, and bring forth fruit. That great text, fo expreffive of the grace and order of the gofpel, is a full confutation of Pela- gianifms " By grace are you faved through faith, and that not of your felves : It is the gift of God ; not of works, left any man fhould boaft ; for we are his workmanfhip, created in Chrift Jefus to good works, which God has before ordained^ that we fhould walk in them V To be fure, Pelagius was one of the greateft patrons of free will, and as bitter an enemy to free grace,^ as the church ever was troubled with 5 his leven has fpread it felf far and near, and is like fo to do more and more, under latter day darknefs. In the fame path Arius before trod, with this dreadful addition, his affirming Chrift to be no more than a creature, though he made him to be the firft and chief of mere creatures : Thus he robb'd Chrift, at once, of the divinity of his Perfon, and of his crown, as Mediator : According to whom, the great end of all he either did or fuifer'd, was partly to confirm his dodrine and miffion, and partly to fet his people an example j but he utterly denied his being, . *^ Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10. O 2 in 9 6 Of Jujl'tflcation. in a true and proper fenfe, the Lord our righteoufnefs, or the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that believes : And fo did Socinus, with this farther ad- dition, that he made Chrift to be a crea- ture of a late date, who had no exiftence, fave in type and promife^ before the ful- nefsoftime. Thus wilfully did he fhut his eyes againft that great chapter, the firft of John, which alone is a full confutation of his foul-ruining error ; where Chrift is not reprefented as beginning with time^ but as exifting before all time : It is not, in the beginning did the word begin to be ; " But in the beginning was the word, and the word Was with God, eternal, as being God ; for fo it follows, and the word was God. The fame was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. He was in the world, and the world was made by him V The Ar- minians alfo are for being juftified by free will righteoufnefs, and not from free grace : The glorious gift of righteoufnefs, which has fo much grace in it, and accompany- ing of it, is by them defpifed j and a rag of their own, a forry web, which God has faid fhall never become a garment, is pre- ferr'd. They ihamefully wreft and darken '^ John i. I, s, 3, lo, all Of Jujlification. 1 97 all thofe texts, which fhlne in both Tefta- ments, like ftars of the firfl magnitude; and proclaim, as on the houfe top, that Chrift is the Lord our righteoufnefs, in the bufinefs of juftification before God. Such would do well to confider the hi- jftory of free will, as it is recorded in the hiftorical part of fcripture. The greateft trial of free will, was the trial God made of it, in Lucifer, the fon of the morning, and in all the non-eled: among the angels; who, under his condud:, kept not their firfl: eftate, but foon left their firfl: habitation ; and, of bright and fliining angels, are be- come infernal devils : Next to which was the trial God made of free will, in our firfl: parents -, from whom nothing was with-held, which became a bountiful Crea- tor to befl:ow on fo noble a creature as man ; but how foon did man, left to the cqndud: of his own free will, lofe all, and become bankrupt ? Now if free will made no earnings of a covenant of works, got no- thing by it in a ftate of innocency, but lofl: all ; is it likely to recover all, on the foot of a covenant of works, in a ftate of fin and apoftacy ? We may here confider, how man's will has been tried fince the fall, and found to be no ways fit to be trufted. Was it not tried before the flood, when length of life, and ftrength of conftitution, furniflied O 3 man- io8 Of Jufiification. mankind with the greateft opportunities, to improve all the talents free will, as it is called, was intrufted with? But, inftead of retrieving what it had loft, or of grow- ing better, mankind grew worfe andworfe , " And God faw that the wickednefs of man was great in the earth -, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, w^as only evil continually ^." Free will fo rebel'd, and was fo provoking, as to bring down a deluge of water, in thofe early days, on mankind ; as it will, in the end, bring a deluge of fire, even the general conflagration. It is very obfervable, and very humbling to confider, how free will, inftead of acting the grateful, dutiful, obe- dient part, when Ifrael was fo remarkably deliver'd out of Egypt, and led by fuch an high arm of power, through the red fea ; murmur'd againft God^ called his power in queftion ; talk'd of ftoning Mofes, and of returning back into Egypt ; made a calf in Horeb, juft before the burning mount, and to it afcribed all the praife of Ifraers deliverance. How did free will behave in Chrift's day, and in Chrift's family ? In Chrift's day, in the perfons of the Scribes and Pharifees, the priefts and rulers ; who, inftead of receiving the Mefiiah with hearts enlarged in his praife, poured on him the ^ Gen» vi. 5, utmoft Of Juftification, jqq utmoft contempt ; and though they won- der'd at the miracles wrought by him, yet " they defpifed his perfon and charafter, and fo they perifhed. And as free will adxd a ftrange and mod unaccountable part, in Chrift's day, fo it afted the bafeft part in Chrift's family, in the perfon of Judas ; who, though he eat of his bread, faw all the miracles which were wrought by Chrift, and heard the gracious words which pro- ceeded out of his mouth, lifted up his heel againfl him, fold him for thirty pieces of filver, and betrayed him with a kifs. This put the traytor upon being his own execu- tioner ', prepared the halter he deferved, put it about his neck, and fo difpatched him. In a word, all the fins that were ever acted on earth, are the birth of free will. I fhall next confider the Papifls, who, the better to eftabliili a juftifying righte- oufnefs of their own, blend juilification and fancftification together, and make a change of ftate to be one and the fame thing with a change of nature : As if a traytor's becoming a loyal fubjedi;, and his being pardoned, were one and the fame ; whereas fad: and experience prove them to be divers. They alfo deftroy the onenefs and compleatnefs of Chrift's fatisfadion, making a dreadful mixture in the laver of the fanduary of their worthlefs tears with O 4 Chriil's tlioo Of Jufiification. Chrift's moft precious blood -, to which they add their unfcriptural penances, pil- grimages, vows, and abftinences, which they efteem and preach up to be at leaft attoning, if not meritorious. Thus they place, in the room of Chrifl's furetyfhip righteoufnefs, a righteoufnefs of their own, made up of fuperftition, and will-worfhip; the worfliipping of faints and angels -, the refpe6l they pay to the crofs, and co all manner of relicks ; their vefpers and pater noflers ; their works of fuper-errogation ; and the merits and interceffion of their many faints, with the virgin at the head of them. They tell us roundly, and with- out mincing the matter, that Chrift has merited, that we may m>erit; fo that Chrifl: and his righteoufnefs are but as the Heps leading to the throne, on which car- nal felf is by them exalted ; or as the fcaf- folds which they make ufe of in building Babel 3 by which, forry as they are, they hope to mount the higheft heaven. Thus doth Antichrill interfere with Chrift in all his offices, that of a prieft, as well as that of a king, and of a prophet. I fnail next confider the miftake of the Neonomians, who turn the gofpel into a new remedial law, and make faith, re- pentance, and fincere obedience, to be the linner'sjuftifying righteoufnefs before God. *Ihat God'b favcd * nss are brought to re-^ pent. Of Jujllficatton. pent, and believe, and obey, is readily owned ; but as it is for the fake of Chrift^ and of his righteoufnefs, that it is given to any to repent, to believe, and to obey ; fo thefe things can no more be their jufti- fying righteoufnefs before God, than Chrift can be divided againft himfelf. So long as Chrift is the Lord our righteoufnefs, and is revealed in the gofpel, as the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one that believes, nothing that is ours can fhare with him therein : Will he, who is tp judge us, fuffer himfelf to be thus fup- planted by us ? Shall we receive, at the hand of Chrift, a heart to repent, and believe, and obey, and then make a Chrift: of it ? The grace that gave Chrift for us, and gives Chrift to us, cannot be fo mi- ftaken, as to teach any to eftablifh a jufti- fying righteoufnefs of their own. I fliall next conlider the error of the Quakers; who ignorantly, to fay no worfe of them, make a Chrift of the light of na- ture, and a gofpel of the law of nature ; whofe juftifying righteoufnefs is made up of moral duties ; fuch as are taught not by the word of God, but by the light within. Thus they miftake the light of the moon for that of the fun, as if the moon could make the day, or ripen the harveft. The light and law of nature have their ufe, of which Cornelius is the top inftancethat we meet 20T 7Q7 Of Jujlification. meet with in fcripture ; and yet toCome*- lius this meffage is fent : " Send men to Joppa, and eall for Simon, whofe firname is Peter ; who {hall tell thee words, where- by thou and all thy houfe fhall be faved §/^ One would have thought that Cornelius, whofe prayer was heard, and whofe alms were had in remembrance in the fight of God, had been in a pardoned, juftified, reconciled itate -, efpecially upon that fay- ing of Peter's : " Of a truth, I perceive that God is no refpedter of perfons ; but, in every nation, he that fears him, and works righteoufnefs, is accepted of him." And yet the meffage the apoftle Peter was fent to him about, was to tell him words whereby be and his houfe fhould be faved. From which we may fafely gather, that how commendable foever morality and na- tural religion arc in themfelves, and how much foever God may approve of them, as beyond all doubt he does, they cannot fup- ply the place of Chrift: If they could, Chrift might have been fpared, and a Plato, or a Seneca, have fupplied the room of a Peter, or an apoftle Paul. I (hall, in the laft place, mention the error of the Antinomians -, where I (hall fhew who and what the true Antinomians are 5 for all are not io who are fo nick- s A(^s xi. 13, 14. named Of Jufiification. ao^ named by the enemy : The apoftle Paul was fo called in his day, and fo was Chrift ; and thus are many of Chrift's faithful mi- nifters called in our dark day, for preach- ing no other dodlrine than that contained in m)' text. True Antinomians are either fpeculative or practical : Speculative are fuch as endeavour to perfvvade themfelves, and others, that fin can do them no harm ; that it fliall not deflroy nor damn the true believer, we readily own; but of the hurt it does them, they have lefs or more the experience, whenever they fall into fin j as David had, under the Old Teftament, and the apoftle Peter had, under the New. They likewife fay, that God fees no fin in his people ; none for which to condemn them, we readily grant; but that he fees fin in the beft of them, to purge it out by his word, and by his rod, is what we af- firm. They fay farther, that believers are not to pray for the forgivenefs of their daily fins ; not diftinguifhing between that which is virtual, in the purpofe of God, and in the purchafe of Chrift, and that which is ad:ual, according to the word. It is not to be forgiven in purpofe, or in purchafe, that the believer prays ; but to have purpofed and purchafed forgivenefs, adlually applied to him, according to the word. Their worft notion is, that belie- vers are not under the law, as a rule of duty ao4: Of Juftificationn duty to Ghrift ; but may live as they lift, fin not being able to hurt them. I would hope that of thefe there are very few, if any, among Proteftant Diffenters. Such would do well to remember, fo as to copy after theapoftle Paul ; who '' bewailed fin in its remains ^ ;** and deiired to have it further mortified ' j and was under the law to Chrift ^. Praftical Antinomians are thofe the apoflle fpeaks of; " For many walk, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are enemies to the crofs of Chrift ; whofe end is deftrud:ion, whofe god is their belly, and whofe glory is in their fhame, who mind earthly things \''. Thefe, it is to be fear'd, are many, and that their numbers are daily encreafing : They gather not honey and fweetnefs, with the bee, but, with the fpider, poifon from this flower of paradife, the dodlrine of a finner's juftification before God. The Application. All the application I fhall make is, to, put you upon the enquiry how near this righteoufnefs has been brought to you. To the ear of all here prefent it has been brought, times without number, that is, in '^ Rom. vif. 24. ^ Phil, iii, lo. _ ^ i Cor. ix. 2ic ^ Phil. iii. 18, the Of Jufiification. 205 the found of it, and into the head and memory in the notion of it : But has it been brought into your hearts in the love and liking of it? Do you, from and with the heart, begin to like, and choofe, and prefer this way of a iiiiner's juftification before God ? His being made the righte- oufnefs of God in Chrift, and fo freed in that righteoufnefs from all condemnation on the one hand, and his being entitled to eternal glory on the other : Of which ic may be fafely faid, for it may be abun- dantly proved from fcripture^ that of all poffible ways of a fmner's juftification, this excels in glory ; otherwife it could not be faid, that therein God has abounded to- wards us in all wifdom and prudence; " Wherein he has abounded towards us in all wifdom and prudence ■" ;" which holds true as of the whole, fo of every part of the falvation v/e have in and by the Lord Jefus Chrift. Has this righteoufnefs been brought into your confciences, in the peace and com- fort of it ? Your fpirits, it may be, are eafy ; but how came they fo to be ? If ne- ver difturbed and diftreffed for fin, it is a fad fign that their eafe is from carnal fe- curity, and not from Chrift. Or if the eafe be fuch as they at Rome are full of, f Eph, i. 18. who ho6 Of Jufiification. who think, by their good works, both to attone and merit, it is fo far from being Chrift's peace, that it is Antichriftian. But if it is founded onChrift's righteoufnefs, received by faith, as your alone juftifying righteoufnefs j if your hearts have been with Chrift, as the Lord your righteouf- nefs, the gofpel in both Teftaments de- clares, that you are at peace with God, as being juftified by faith. Do you evidence, that you have thus been with Jefus, both by your worfliip and by your walk ? Is the one fpiritual, and the other circumfpedl? Go aftray you may like loft fheep ; but wallow in the mire of fin you cannot, like fwine. The fame grace that has changed your ftate, has renewed your hearts ; fo that you are really dead to fin, but alive to God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. There is not a doftrine in the gofpel but it may be abufed ; but a work of grace on the heart cannot ; that is like a running fpring, which breaks through all oppofition, and works out all filth. THE '^iifS^td's ...^.m^ THE DOCTRINE O F EFFICACIOUS GRACE Asserted and Vindicated : I N T w o SERMONS. Br SAMUEL WILSON, Minifter of the Gofpel. "^^,1P SERMON I. Philip, il 13. It is God who worketh in youl both to will and to do, of Sb] own good pleajure. N the beginning of this chap- ter, the apoftle recoiri mends to the faints, at Philippi, mutual forbearance , affe^ (flion, humility, and conde- fcenfion, as the great orna- ment of the Chriftian character. To this end, he reminds them of their common fellowfhip of the Spirit^ and their joint relation to, and intereft in, the bleffed Jefus; who, as he obferves, in the days of his flefh, exemplified thefe graces, in a very diftinguifhing manner : So entirely was his heart fet upon advancing his Fa- VoL. n: P ther's aid vrf^cacims'Wme. therms honour, -^nd fo prevailing the^ffe- ftibn Which he oore to his people, that, " though he was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet he made himfelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likenefs of men ; and, being found in falhion as a man, humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs." Now, fays the apoflle, you profefs to be the difciples of this Jefus, you call him Lord; keep in view then his temper and condudl, and copy after him : " Let the fame mind be in you that was in him 5" and fo much the rather give diligence herein, as I, who, when prefent with you, was ferviceable^ as an healer of your breaches, and an helper of your faith and joy, am now providen- tially removed from among you : " Where- fore, my beloved J as ye have always obeyed, not as in my prefence only, but now much more in my abfence, work out your own falvation with fear and trembling." God is calling you to duty, diligence, and cir- cumfpeftion -, give no occalion for the re- {)roach, that your zeal declined upon my eaving you -, but remember what is before you, a crown of immortal glory, and run with patience and conftancy the race that is appointed you ; and, in your way to the prize, let there be no other contention, but Of Bff-cacious Grace. a 1 1 but who Ihall fooneft reach the goal, and lirft lay hold of eternal life. And left they fhould, confcious of their own fpiri- tual impotence, be difcouraged, he addsjy " For it is God that worketh in you, &c/*, Your work, indeed, is greatj your difficul- ties many J but if God is with you, he will give you a will, and furnifh you with power, to perform what is acceptable to him. Perhaps it will be faid, that the w^ords under coniideration, relate to faints already renewed in the fpirit of their mind, and fo cannot, with propriety, be produced as an argument for the neceiiity of a divine agency, in the converfion of a iinner. To this it might be anfwer'd, that it is no unufual thing, in theological enquiries, to borrow a paflage of fcripture, as an illu- ftration, where it is not infifted on as a di- rect proof; but, in the inftance before us, admitting it primarily may belong to be- lievers, the confequence will be this, that either the finner has more will to, and power for, that which is good, than the faint, or the fame God, who works in the one, mull alfo in the other, both to will and to do of his good pleafure. If a good man, who knows fo much of his duty^ vvho has been fo long accuftomed to the difcharge of it, and fo often tailed the fweets of communion with God, whilft P z engaged "211 Of Efficacious Grace. engaged in his fervice ; if in the midft of all his advantages, experience, and hope, he cannot of himfelf will or perform any thing that is fpiritually good ^ much lefs the finner, whofe heart is carnal, who is a Have to his lufts, and under the tyran- ny of the God of this world. The word ivi^yc2v^ which we tranflate worketh, is expreffive of power, yea, of mighty power j it fuppofes a difficulty in the performance, and per fedlion orfuperior ftrength in the agent. It is not barely our fetting our hand to a work, but the doing of it throroughlyj or to purpofe. Accord- ingly, when the arm of the Lord is revealed, the finner is born again, by the exceeding greatnefs of that power, whereby he fubdues all things to himfelf : There is an energy on God's part, and a change on ours. This working of the Almighty is farther defcribed to us as internal : He worketh in us, and that both to will, as well as to do. Minifters preach to, but God worketh in us. The beft of means, applied with the utmoft fkill, will not of themfelves foften the hard, or cleanfe the impure heart: God only has accefs to the fpirits of men, fo as to iecure this defirable event, and he can do it on whom and when he pleafes : for he worketh in iis, of his own good pleafure^ a phrafe which has in it the ideas of fovereignty, and of kindnefs. God 2 gives Of Efficacious, Grace. ai^ gives his grace at pleafure, to whom, and \n what degree, he thinks fit, dividing to every man as he will : And as this grace is his own image, and leads on to the glo- rious enjoyment of himfelf, it mull needs be a favour of ineftimable value. The words being explained, give us an occafion to obferve. That when a finner is born again, there is a change wrought in his foul, by the mighty power of God. By this change, I do not underlland an alteration of profeflion or character bare- ly; for, astheapoftle tells us, circumci- jQon avails no more than uncircumcifion, where the new creature is wanting. The change which we intend is real, not no- minal, a change of the fubjeft, not of the name only. A man may profeiTedly re- nounce idolatry, fubmit to baptifm, as a badge of Chriftianity, and attend the wor- fliip. of God, in the affemblies of the faint % call himfelf, and be deemed by others, a believer j. and yet be a ftranger to the change we are treating of* Again, we di- ftinguifli the grace of God in the renewing of a finner, from reafon, or the improve- ments of it, when its dictates are fuppofed to be duly attended to. Reafon belongs to us^s men, and is common to our nature, as.raifed above the beafts that perifh : But this is not fufiicient to make us wife unto P 3 i^.lva- 114. Of Efficacious Grace. falvation. Where is the perfon of whom it may be faid, that, after a courfe of fin and impiety, he brought himfelf, by bare reafoning, to forfake the evil of his way, to love the Lord his God with all his heart, to believe on the Lord Jefus, to worfhip God in the Spirit, and to perfe- vere in thefe things unto the end ? Expe- rience tells us, that fin and Satan fo entu'e- ly pofi^efs the finner's heart, that there muft be fomething more than the care and im- provement of our reafon to make room for Chrifl: and holinefs. Nor farther, do we mean, by this change, that which is merely therefult of prefenting certain truths to iht underflianding, in a ftrong and engagiifg light ; fo that whereas formerly they were either not at all, or very little, attended to by us, now we are brought, with proper application, to refleft and meditate on them, and fo are, by deduftions frora them, engaged in the choice of virtue, and the hatred of vice. This, indeed, we allow to follow upon this change, as a fruit of it 3 but till the foul is Ipiritually enlighten'd, we fuppofe it to be incapable of judging aright of fpiritual truths, or of forming praftical conclufions from them. In contradiftinftion to thefe accounts of regeneration, we aflTert, that it is the ini- planting of a principle of fpiritual life, or the forming of the divine image in the foul^ Of Efficacious Grace. o> 1 5 foul, in which the foul it felf, as to the; fubftance of it, remains the fame, but the qualities of it are altered; ; the underftand- ing, from being darken'd, becomes light in the Lord ; the will, which before was rebellious againft God, is now brought in- to fubjedlion to him ; and the affections, which before were wholly carnal, and de- termined on fenfual objefts, are now pu- rified and refined, and fixed on heavenly things. In a word, the change is real and univerfal, the power which effects it is di- vine, the fruits many and difcernible, and the great efficient Jehovah the Spirit. A particular account of the exad: way in which the Spirit accompliflies this great work, is not to he expelled, after our jLord has told us, that as " the wind bloweth where it lilteth, and we hear the found thereof, but cannot tell whence ic cometh, and whither it goeth, fo is every qne that is born of the Spirit ^ :" fo that we are to attend only to the proof of the fad 5 That what the fcripture calls the new creature, or a principle of grace, is fprm'd or wrought in the foul by the power of God, in a way of efficacious grace. I choofe to call it the new creature, as di- ftinguifhing between regeneration and con- verlioji, the one being previous to, though a John ill. 8. P 4 necef- 3l6 Of Efficacious Grace. neceffarily connected with the other. In regeneration, we are paffive, and receive irom God ; in converfion, we are adlive, and turn to him 5 we repent, believe, and obey : but this fuppofes we have been his workmaniliip, and, by his power, have been renewed in the fpirit of our mind. Here I fhall, in fome meafure, purfue the very fame method which a late cele- brated writer ^^ on the other fide of the queilion, admits to be juft, and which he therefore keeps in view, in all his reafon- ing on the lubjed: 3 and fo begin, 1 With thofe arguments which may be taken from the fcripture account of the work it felf, which is reprefented to us in fuch terms, as lead us neceffarily to conclude, that the foul is paffive in it, and that it is brought about by the arm of the Almighty. Thus, i. The apo- ftle tells us, " If any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature V* And again, " Neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor un- circumcifion, but a new creature ^ : " And fowearefaid to be God's workmanfhip, created ; and yet more exprefsly, the new man is faid to be created after God in righteoufnefs, and true holinefs \ I don't find it difputed whether thefe paffages re- '^ Dr. Whitby, f z Cor. V. i7» ^ Galvi. 15. * Eph. iv. 24. fer Of Efficacious Grace. 2I7 fer to the fubjeft before us 5 and if they do, it muft be allowed, that either the metaphor is ill chofen, and wrongly ap- plied, or it muft be expreffive of the fame power in the new birth, with that which was exerted in creation, or the making of fomething out of nothing. To ^ this it is objeifted, that the term. Create, does not always fuppofe the perfons or things faid to be created, to be wholly paffive, or the power to be fo great as we pretend ; for God is faid to create and form the church of the Jews ^ ; which muft be underftood of their ftipulating with God, as well as of his engagements to them ', in which their covenanting with him they were active. To this we anfwer, it is certain, whether the phrafe is to be underftood in a natural or political fenfe, it ftands connedted with two other in- ftances of God's goodnefs, (viz. redeeming them, and calling them by their name) in which they had no concern, but what was purely paffive : And, if we confider how often God upbraids that people with their breach of covenant, it will not fo well agree with the defign of the place, which is evidently their encouragement, that this eircumftance fhould be introduced, which muft neceflarily affedl them with fliame and fear. I cannot but think there was T ^ See Dr. Whitby, P^g, 272. « Ifai. xliii. i. fo 3i8 Of Efflcadous Grace, fo much fovereignty in God*s clioofing Abraham, and fo much power in his rai- fmg his family, from fo fmall a beginning, to be fo great a people, as might abun- dantly juftify the prophet in the ufe of the terms Create and Form, without having any regard to their promifary or covenant engagements. It is farther objefted \ againft this ar- gument, that God is faid to create that which he brings into a new and better ftate : Thus David prays ; " Create in me a clean heart * ;" and God is faid to create new heavens, and a new earth, and to create Jerufalem a rejoicing ^. As to the cafe of David, it is plain, his fall had fa far convinced him of the plague of his own heart, that he defpairs of healing it him- felf, and therefore cries to God, " Create in me a clean heart/* It might be a doubt with him, very probably, after fo dread- ful a back-fliding, whether he had ever been truly converted ; and if fo much power, as would juftify the expreffion, was neceffary for his recovery, we may eafily conclude what is needful for the re- newing of a linner, wholly dead in tref^ pafTes and fins. As for the other paiTage mentioned, what difficulty fo ever may ^ Dr. Whitby, Pag. 272. ^ Pfal. li, lo. ^ Ifai. attend Iv. 17, 19 cachus Grace. a i OfEf attend fettling the exa<^ meaning of it, the following expreffions, in the chapter, abun- dantly warrant the ufe of the metaphor ; for, according to the prophet, '^ there is then to be no more an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, for the child fhall die an hundred years old ; the wolf and the lamb are to feed together, and the Hon to eat ftraw like a bullock ;" events altogether fuper- natural and miraculous. As to the Greek fathers fpeaking of the new creature as a change for the better only, if it fhould be allowed that this is their fen ti men t, I do not fee how it affects the argument -y for the queftion is not whether the change is for the better, but what power is neccffary to it, and to whom it is to be refer 'd, to God or the creature. 2. Another fcripture reprefentation of re-^ generation, is that of our being quickened by the great God, when dead in fins ^ : And what the power is, whereby we are quickened, the apofl:le tells us •" ; '^ that ye may know what is the exceeding greatnefs df his pov/er to us ward, who believe, ac- cording to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Chrift, when he raifed him from the dead :" Whatever may be the fadt the apofi;le has in view, ^ Eph.il, T, 5. ™ Chap. I 18, 19. the / 0 20 Of Efficacious Grace. thi terms are as ftrong and expreflive, as language will admit. Great pains are ta- ken, by our opponents ", in expounding this place of the refurreftion of the body, in the laft day, v/hich they allQw to be a work of almighty power j but it is im- poffible to prove this to be the meaning of it, becaufe there is not a word of the re- fur re dion of the faints in the text. The natural meaning of the place is evidently this : The apoftle prays that God would enlighten them into that myftery of mercy, the work of faith in their fouls, begun and carried on by the fame power, which raifed his Son from the dead ; and whereas he fpeaks of thofe who did believe, it is to acquaint them, that faith, m. the exercife and increafe, is from the divine power, as well as in the firfl principle. How far this power is confiftent with fcripture exhortations and perfwafions, will be confider'd in its place. 3. We are fa id, in fcripture,. to be born from above, to be born of God, and not of blood, nor of the will of the flefh, nor of the will of man, but of God. In rege- neration, the agency is removed from the creature, and afcribed to the great Creator. To this it is objedled % that we are faid to be begotten by the word of the living " Dr, Whitby, Fag. i74. ^^ Dr. WIiii;by, ibid. God, Of Efficacious Grace. i*ii God, and that faith comes by hearing; and the apoftle tells the Corinthians, he begot them by his gofpel ; which muft> fay our opponents, be underftoodin a way of moral fuafion, and not in that fuper- natural, all-powerful way we contend for. To this we reply, that though faith comes by hearing, yet it is not of our felves; it is the gift of God. Minifters preach, and whilft they preach, and with their preach- ing, God works, and fo it is that men are turn'd unto him 3 otherwife even a Paul may plant, and an ApoUos water, but there will be no encreafe; for, as the apoftle obferves, they are only minifters, by whom we believe; "neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the encreafe :*' So that we con- clude the metaphors, which the fcripture makes ufe of, in reprefenting the renew- ing of a finner, carry in them plain no- tices of a divine interpofure, and that in a \Tay of infinite and almighty power. And to underftand them otherwife, is to charge the Holy Spirit with what is allowed to be a blemifh in all writers, the ufing of words without meaning, or of figures wide- ly diftant from, and difproportionate to the fubjed. II. If we confider the fcripture account of the finner before this change palTes up- on m Of Efficacious Grace. oil bim> it will fefv^ as a farther proof of the neceffity of efficacious grace, in our being born »gain. i. Wearefaidto be dead in trefpaJTes and fins p 5 that is, by reafon of fm, to be altogether inipotent to that which is good. As the organs of the body at death ceafe to perform their lufoal fundlions, fo the un- renewed finner is without God, and with- out Ghrift, in the world s he is loil to his duty, and eftranged from every thing that is fpiritually good. To this it is objedled^, that common conviftions, efpecially where they are ftrong, prove that the finner, even before converfion, is not void of all fenfe, as a dead body is.; fo that the argument^ ac- cording to us, if it proves any thing, proves, fay they, too much. To this we anfwer, that all convidlions are origui ]y from God, and the finner, under the gr^i rA fear of punifhment, may have no ap.r^ henfion of the excellency of his diuy, ni^r any fpiritual deiire after communion vvir..,. God : Witnefs Judas, who, though he had an hell in his confcience, was utterly a ftranger to the grace of God. It is farther objeded, that the places cited concern only the Gentile worlds held under the government of Satan, but have ^E£)h. ii. I. ,Gol, ii. 15. ^ Dr. Whitby, Pa^. 276, no 0/£#, Gn cactous Kirace. iio relation to the profelytes of jaftice, much lefs to the Jew, and leaft of al! to the bap- tized Chriftian. To this it is fufficient to reply, that the apoftle was quite of ano- ther mind, or he would not have faid " a- mong whom we all had ojjir converfation in times paft ;" and, in another epiftle, where he is profefledly confidering the dif- ference between Jew and Gentile, he fays ; "What then, are we better than they ? no, in no wife J for we have before proved, both Jew and Gentile, that they are all under fin ^ ;" and therefore he trfes that phrafe to the church of Corinth,- after an enumeration of the greateft iinncrs, *'fuch were fome of you V And he piitshimfelf into the number, in what he fays to Titus; *^ For we our felvfes alfo were fometime foolifh, difobedient, deceived, ferving di- vers lufts/' Now it will eafily be granted, that the apoftle, before his converfion, was reftrained from groffer fins; none fup- pofe that he run into all cxcefs of riot, but had efcaped the pollutions, which were in the world through luft ; and if that is al- lowed, it will be difficult to aflign a Tea- fon why he Ihould thug put himfelf into the number of the chief of fmners, if there had not been fomething common to them !" Rom. iii, 9. ^ i Cor. vi. 1 1. 2 all; aa^ 124. Of Efficacious 'Grace. all \ I mean, an impotence to good, and a propenfity to evil. 2. A farther account, which the fcrip- ture gives us, of our condition before con- verfion, is, that our underftanding is dar- kened ; that we are alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, becaufe of the blindnefs of our hearts * ; yea, we are faid to be darknefs ^ : And the apoftle tells us ; " The natural man re- ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifhnefs unto him s neither can he know them, becaufe they are fpi- ritually difcerned "^ 5'' fo that if we are made wife to falvation, God, who com- manded light to fhine out of darknefs, muft, in the fame way, and by the fame power, enlighten our underftandings, to give us the knowledge of his glory, as it (hines in the Perfon of his Son "". Till this is the cafe, the gofpel, tho' in it felf the wifdom of God, will be accounted fooliihnefs ^ As to what is objeded, that thefe paf- fages only defcribe the cafe of the wilfully blind, who love darknefs rather than light, we anfwer, they are evidently delivered in too general terms to admit of fuch an in- terpretation j yea, we are exprefsly told, " there is none righteous, no, not one -,*' ^ Eph. iv. iS. V Ver. S. ^ i Cor. ii. 14. ^ i Cor. iv. 6, ^ i Cor. i. a 5, 24. « There Of Efficacious Grace. 125 ^^ There is none that underftands; there is none that feeks after God ^/' 3. Another argument may be taken from our Lord's words ; " No man can come unto me, except the Father, who hath fent me, draw him V' By coming to Chrift, we underftand receiving him, or believing in him: By the Father's drawing, his work of power upon the heart of a finner, when he is brought to Chrift. Now without this, fays our Lord, no man cari come unto me; not the wife and prudent^ the learned or ingenious, any more than the ignorant and illiterate, the obftinate and rebellious : The cvtnt is alike impofli- ble to them all ; no man can come, ex- cept the Father draw him. To this it is objected ^, that, if this is the cafe, there is nothing praife- worthy in our faith, or blame- worthy in our unbelief; -fince when God draws, there is no refifting ; and where he is not pleafed to do it, we cannot move, in a fpiritual fenfe. Tc) this weanfwer : It is as true, that, before con- verfion, we will not, as that we cannot come to Chrift : Though we may hot bd condemned for a mere impoffibility of be- lieving, yet we may very juftly, for ftrength- ning our felves in our prejudices againft * Rom. iii. lo, ii. * John vi. 44. ^ Dr.Whitbyj, Fag. 280. Vol, II. Q^ Ghrift^ aa6 Of Efficacious Grace. Cbrifl, and the way of falvation by him. That the fcripture exprefsly tells us, faith is not of our felves, it is the gift of God j and yet we are required to believe. Nor do I fee any fuch contradixftion iu fome mens being judicially, as a puniihment for their fins, fliut up in unbelief, and their con- demiiation for loving darkneis, rather than Again', it is ohjedled, that this drawing of the Father is to he underftood only or principally of God's perfwading, and pre- vailing upon us to come to Chrift, by the confideration of t;he miracles., or mighty wojks, which were done by him, aa aa eyidence of bis being the Mefliah, and by the promife of eternal life upon our co- ming. To this we anfwer, that fuppafing (thiQUgh we can by no means allow it) this were the. genuine fenfe of the place, w^ might urge it, as an argument in the cafe ^before us ; for if wa cannot, but as taught of; God, confider the nature and evidence of Chriil's miracles^ which are barely fadts, luppofed to be done by him, in coniftrma- tipa of his miffion, much lefs can we, without a divine intsrpo/ure, renounce our dgrling corruptions, quit our moft beloved Uiiquities, and heartily embrace Jefus, as our Saviour and our King. In fhort, the « Dr. Whitby, Pag. i8o, i8r.- I tree Of Efficacious Graces 127 tree muft firft be made good, before it caa produce any good fruit ; for the carnal mind, whilft it continues fo, is not fub- jedt to the law of God, neither indeed can it be ^ III. Our next general head of argument is taken from God's challenging this work as his own, fpeaking of it as performed by him, and in fuch terms, as manifeftly ex- tlude the creatures agency: Thus we read; " The Lord thy God will circumcife thine heart, and the heart of thy feed -, to love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy foul '." This is thus ex- plained by the prophet Ezekiel ; " I will give them one heart, and I will put a new Spirit within you, and I will take the flony heart out of their flefh, and give them an heart of flefh, that they may walk in my ftatutes V* A like promife we have in thefe words; '' Then v/ill I fprinkle clean water upon you, and you fhall be, clean. From all your idols will I cleanfe you; a new heart alfo will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the ftony heart out of your flefh, and I will give you an heart of flefh ; and I will put my fpirit within you, and caufe you to walk m my ftatutes ^." And io the '^ Rom. viii. 7. ^ Deuc-. xxx. 6. ^ Ezek, xi. 19,2.0. - Chap, xxxvi. x6j z,^, i8. 0^2 pro- 8 Of Efficacious Grace. prophet Jeremiah, giving an account of the new covenant, does it in thefe terms 5 " This Ihall be the covenant that I will make with the houfe of Ifrael 5 after thofe days, faith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and I will be their God, and they (hall be my people ^ :" And more fully in the following words 5 " I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever '." Now, can it be thought that, by all thefe expreffions, God intends no more than that he will affift and fuc- ceed our endeavours to renew and convert our felves ? Is this the meaning of his put- ting his Spirit within us ? Of his taking the ftone out of the heart, and giving an heart of flefh ? Why does he promife fo often, I will do this for you, if the work were di- vided between him and us ? So that, ac-^ cording to the language of the Old Tefta- ment, we are to expert renewing grace from God, as his own proper work. To this it is objected ^5 that the palTages mentioned out of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, refer to the Jews in the end of the world, and therefore are wrongly produced in the queftion before us. To this we anfwer y that if that be the cafe, it proves however ^ Jer. xxxi. 33. * Chapo xxxii, sS* ^' Dr. Whitby, Pag. 2i,i. theli' Of Efficacious Grace. their converfion will be of God. Befides, thefe protnifes contain bleffings, which are infeparable from falvation, and what every faint is in the experience of. The apoflle, in his epiftle to the He- brews \ quotes them, and applies them to Chrift, as the furety of this covenant, and fo ufes this as an argument of the fuperior excellency of the gofpel, above the Jewifli difpenfation, that the covenant is better, eftablifhed upon better promifes; which would have been foreign to his defign, if it relates only to the recovery of the Jews, in the end of the world. In the New Teftament we read, that God opened the heart of Lydia "" ; that faith is not of our felves, it is his gift " : He gives it to fome to believe; hemufldraw, or there will be no coming to Chrifl °. Paul preaches and prays, but God open'd Ly- dia's heart ; he muft prepare the heart for the feed, and caufe the feed to take root, and to bring forth fruit to his glory : And therefore the apoflle diftinguifhes between the gofpel, and the power that renders ic fuccefsful ; *^ Our gofpel came to you, not in word only, but alfo in power ^J' Life and immortality are, indeed, brought to light by the gofpel; but God only can ^ Hcb. viii, 8, 5^c "" Ads xvi. [.> " Eph.ii. S. f John vi. 44. P I Their, i. 5. 0^3 make ^ 3 o Of Efjicadous Grace. make it unto us a favour of life unto life \ and this he does, when he makes it his power unto falvation. But to proceed, IV. Another argument for the efficacy of the grace of God in regeneration, may be taken from this confideration : That fuppofmg infants are polluted and defiled, in confequence of wliat we call original fm, as many of thefe as die before the ndtual exercife of reafon, muft either be renewed by the immediate hand of God, or be excluded from falvation ; fmce our Lord has told us, " Except a man be born ^gain, he cannot fee the kingdom of God '^ ;" nor will it be difputed, that without ha- bitual holinefs, at leaft, no man can fee the Lord. As for infants, we take it for granted, in the prefent argument, that they are conceived in fin, and fnapenin iniquity ; that that which is born of the flefh, is fiefh ; that they are, by reafon of the dif- obedience of the firft man, finners, and fo unworthy of and unmeet for the heavenly glory, and muft be exxludedfrom it, uniefs wafti'd in the blood of Jefus, and fandified by the Holy Spirit. To fuppofe them all, or indeed any of them, to perifti, is to be cruelly wife above what is written -, and to imagine they are fo holy, as to need no ^ John iii. 3= cleanfingj Of Efficacims Grace. 121 cleanfing, or that any thing defiled can en- ttr into heaven, is direftly flying in the face of fcripture : fo that though we are not told politively what is their portion, yet we may fafely determine that they are made meet, if in heaven, for that inheritance, which is incorruptible and undefiied. And, if this is the cafe, We cannot fuppofe they contribute any thing to it themfelves ; it muft be from the abundant mercy and powerful grace of a compaffionate God. Now, can it be thought that perfotis growii to years of maturity, who have for a great while accuftomed themfelves to do evil, and whofe vicious habits are hereby con- firmed and enlarged, will be more ealily wrought upon ? It is true, they have fome degrees of reafon and cdnfcience ^ but as thefe are in the fervice of fin, the byafs will be ever to evil, till it is altered by the grace of God. If it fhould be faid, fecret things belong to God ; and, as he has not exprefsly told us what will be the final ftate of infants, no argument can be fairly drawn from premifes, which are in them- felves uncertain : We anfwer, no more is intended by it, than what will be eafily granted by thofe who allow the doArifia of original fin ; and where this is denied, we agree it is of no force. We might now produce fome eminent inftances of the grace of God, in the re- 0^4 newing Of Efficacious Grace. newing of finners, as they ftand recorded, in fcripture 5 from which we may con-i elude, that in their cafe, however, the happy change was from God, and the im- mediate effed: of his almighty power. Thus, in the ftory of Zacheus, it does not appear that our Lord faid any more to him than this : " Make hafte and come down, to day I muil abide at thine houfe ^'* Yet prefently a change was wrought in his foul, and the fruits of it appeared in an in- genuous confeffion of his former iniquities, and, in an humble refolution to purfue the contrary paths of juftice and mercy. Ncvv what can this, fo great and fudden an aheraiion, be attributed to, but the powerful influence which the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifl had upon his mind ? V7e cannot fuppofe there was an opportu- nity for a great deal of difcourfe or reafon- ing with him ; but if there was, we may eafily judge how far words alone are fuffi- cient to engage a rigorous oppreflbr in ad:s of righteoufnefs and mercy -, fo that, from the effefts, we mayjudgeof the caufe, and conclude, that fo great a change could not have been made at once upon fuch an heart, but by the fame power, whereby God is able to fubdue all things to himfelf Ano- ther inflance, which might be mentioned, ^^ Luke xix, is Of Efficacious Grace, 333 Is that of Saul, who was not profelyted to Chriftianiry under a fermon, or at a reli- gious conference ^, but when his mind was under the flrongeft and moft fettled preju- dice againfl it y when his zeal in perfecu- ting the church v/as highten'd into a kind of fury or madnefs -, under thefe unpromi- ling circumftances, he is made to hear the voice of the Son of God^ and live ; and, in the humble language of a difciple, to fay ; '^ Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? " inftead of going on, as he had de- figned, in making havock of the church. We might add the cafe of the thief on the crofs, who either went to heaven without holinefs, or he received it immediately from that Jefus, who fa id to him; '« This day thou ihalt be with me in paradife */' If it is faid thefe are extraordinary cafes; we anfwer, whatever difference there may be in the circumllances of finners, the power is the fame in the renewing of them all ; for the enmity which is in every finner's heart againfl: Chrifl: and holinefs, can only be removed by an acl of omnipotence. ?" Ads ix. ' Luke xxiii. 5 9, &c. s E R. SERMON II. Philip, ii. 13. Jt is God who ixjorketh in you, both to will and to do, of his own good ■pleajure. H E doftrine which we endea- voured to ftate and eftablifh, in the preceding difcourfe, wastothisefFeit: That when a linner is born again, there is a mighty change wrought in his foul, by the eflkacious working of the Holy Ghoft. His being quicken d, and made fpiritually alive, is the effea ot God's power, which works in hun, as, well to will, as to do, of his own good pleafurc. This we attempted to prov-e, from the fcripture reprefentations oi the work it felf, in which it is- called, a new OfEffi Gract cactous Kjrace. new creation, a refurredlion, and a being born again ; terms expreffive of pow- er; in the exertion of which, the Al- mighty is, and cannot but be alone, and the creature manifeftly paffive. Again, we obferved, from the faid infallible ora- cles, that the ftate of man, before this change paffes upon him, is fuch, as will by no means admit of the fuppoiition of an ability to renew himfelf j fince he is de- fcribed as dead in trefpaffes and fins, ha- ving his underftanding darkened, being alie- nated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in him, becaufe of the blindnefs of his heart ; inafmuch as he is faid to be darknefs it felf ; and it is affirm'd of him, that he receives not the things of the Spirit of God, but accounts them foolifhnefs. On thefe accounts, our Lord might well fay, " that no man can come unto me, except the Father, who hath fent me, draw him/* Farther, we ob- ferved, that God challenges this work as his own, and fpeaks of it in the Old and New Teftament, as brought about by his power -, and the promifes which he has made, concerning it, conclude him to be equal to the work, as well as gra- cious to his chofen; and are as entirely fi- lent, as to the agenc}'', as they exclude and fet afide the merit, of the creature. Moreover^ we hinted that this muft be the. cafe Gf Efficacious Grace. ^^^ tafe with infants dying before the exercife of reafon, fuppofing them to be under the pollution of original fin, unlefs we exclude them all from falvation. If they are rege- nerated, it cannot be in a way of moral fuafion, but of internal and almighty effi- cacy. We proceed now to another confidera- tion, to prove the neceflity of efficacious grace, in the renewing of a finner ; and that may be taken, V. From the difficulty of the work, as it confifts in conquering the ilrongeft pre- judices, mortifying the moft corrupt ha- bits, and in the implanting of a principle of grace and hoi inefs, to which the finner is entirely averfe ; and, in oppofition to which, Satan, who maintains the throne in his heartj ufes his utmoft endeavours. There is a greater difl:ance betwixt the terms, fin and holinefs, corruption and grace, than between thofe of fomething and no- thing. In creation, fomething is form'd out of nothing 5 but in regeneration, (as one fl:rongly expreflTes it) hell is changed into heaven. In creation, there is no affi- ftance, but then there is no oppofition; but regeneration is like the ftemming of a rapid ftream, and turning it into a contrary courfe ', in which as there is nothing to help, fo there is every thing to hinder. 2 The 5^8 Of Efficacious Grace. The finner is not barely deftitute of thd divine image, and without flrength for the performance of what is good ; but " every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, is evil continually^:" He is fo far from the fear of the Lord, and any concern about communion with him, that the language of his heart unto God is, " Depart from me, I defire not the know- ledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty that I fhould ferve him ? and what profit fhould I have if I pray unto him ° ?" And, whilft he isv^ilfully purfuing a courfe of re- bellion, and ftrengthening and enlarginghis virions habits, we may well alk, with the prophet, " Can the Ethiopian change his^ ikin, or the leopard his fpots ? then, and aot till then, may the linner, who has been accuftomed todo evil, learn to do well '"Z* Can any created finite power, at once, in a moment, change the fiercenefs of a de- vouring lion into the meeknefs of a lamb ? If this calls for omnipotence, how much more, to reduce the ftout-hearted finner, who is far from righteoufnefs, to the obe- dience of faith, and a delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man. Go and try the experiment, treat with the rebel, who, for a courfe of years, has had plea- fure in unrighteoufnefs, whofe heart is in * Gen. vi. 5. ^ Job xxi. 14* ^ J«r. xiii. 23. league OfBffi Gu cactous ixrace, league with Satan, and ftrongly attached to fia ; ufe the moft moving and perfwa- five arguments to convince him of the folly of his way : See whether he will be brought, by all your reafoning, to quit his darling lufts, and walk in the ways of tht Lord ; no, after all your advice, though mingled with tears, he loves his idols, and after them will he go. Satan has fuch an lEiterefl in the hearts of the children of dlifobedience; he leads them captive to that degree, that none but the Almighty can difpoffefs him, and break the chain ; and therefore, when the apoftle is fpeaking of this mercy, he ufes a word ftrongly ex- preffive of power ; " Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darknefs, i^^vj&rroy hath fnatch'd us out of the power or hand of the devil, and tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son ^" An excellent and moft judicious divine * has a paffage pertinent to our purpofe, in his difcourfe on regeneration : " The new birth, fays he, is a change of nature ; of a nature, where there was as little of fpiri- tual good, as there was of being in nothing before the creation. It is a change of a '^ Col. i, tiy 1 ^ f Mis. Ch»mock, Voir n. p^ 208I ftonc ?9 3-4.0 Of Efficacious Grace. ftone into flefh, of a heart, that, like a ftone, hath hardnefs and fettlednefs of lin- ful parts, a ftrong refiftance againft any inftrument, an incorporation of fin and lull with its very nature -, where the heart and fin, felf and fin, are cordially one and the fame. None can change fuch a nature but the God of all grace. No man can change the nature of the meaneft creature in .the world : Now, to fee a lump of vice become the model of virtue ; he that drank in ini- quity like water, to thirfl: after righteouf- nefs, to crucify his darling flefh, to be weary of the poifon he loved, for the pu- rity he hated, fpeaks a fupernatural grace, tranfcendently attradlive, and powerfully operative." So that, as he fomewhere elfe obferves, " We have no reafon to wonder that creation is only afcribed to the hand of God, when, in regeneration, his arm is fuppofed to be revealed." But to proceed, VI. Ifweconfider the different fuccefs of the gofpel, as difpenfed by feveral per- fons, or by the fame perfon, at different times 5 it will be evident, that there mufl: be the power of God attending it, or it will not be fuccefsful to falvation, or prove a favour of life unto life. Peter's hearers, and thofe to whom Stephen minifl:er'd, ap- pear to be equally ignorant of, and alike prC" Of Efficacious Gracf. ^^t prejudiced againft the gofpel ; the apoflles deliver themfelves with the fame plain- nefs and faithfulnefs, upon the fubjecft o( the guilt contradled, by ihedding the in- nocent blood of the Son of God : Three thoufand are converted, baptized, and added to the church, from a iingle fermon^ deli- vered by Peter -, whereas Stephen's hearers blafpheme and ftone him. Paul again finds hearts and houfes open to him^ in one city, and is obliged to efcape for his life in another. Now how can this be accounted for, but upon the apoftle's principle, " Neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that wa- tereth, but God that gives the increafe ?'' Kay, how common is it for the fame per- fon, who has, perhaps, for years, fat un- moved under the miniftry of a learned, faithful, and affed:ionate preacher, at length in the day of God's power, under means far lefs likely to anfwer the end, to be awa- kened, convinced, and renewed? And are there not many inftances of perfons, of the fame family, education and advantages, attending the fame means, and one is ta- ken, and he perhaps the moft profane or obftinate, and the refi left to a bare out- lide profeffion, or an hypocritical forma- lity ? Why {hould the fame gofpel, in one hand, thus run and be glorified, and, in another, no lefs valuable, be a favour of Vol. II. R death ^4-^ Of Efficacious Grace. death unto death ? Why (hould the fame preacher, at one time, fee of the travel of his foul to his fatisfacStion ; at another time have occafion to complain. Who has belie- ved our report ? If the weapons of our warfare were mighty in themfelves, why not equally, and at all times, fuccefsful ? But the event makes it evident, they are only io through God ; and when his power is put forth, he can eafily, and he only can, bring down every high thought and imagination, and reduce the ftubborn hearts of rebellious fmners to a fubjediion to him- felf. VII. Another argument for the efficiency of the grace of God in regeneration, may be taken from the confideration of the concern which God has in the whole world. If we refledt on the various parts of the creation, we fhall find that, in the vegeta- ble, animal, rational, and intellectual world, all firll or natural principles are derived from God ^ and the adual exercife of thofe principles, whatever concurrent cireum- fiances may attend, is conftantly under his providential influence : And is this the cafe in univerfal nature ? And can we fuppofe that in regeneration, one of the nobleft works of God, he is left out, as having little or no concern ? How ftrange, how unaccountable, would this be ? a Our OfEffi -^ffir/irinj/^ QyClCe. cacious M Our natural philofophers readily allow, that every thing that is neceflary for the growth and improvement of vegetables, is from Gods that he, as the great Author of nature, has given it to the feed, to re- ceive the fatning influence of the earthy the moifture of the raiii, and the enliven- ing genial rays bf the fun: Nor will they difpute the fun it felf had never been what it now is, the great fountain of light and heat, to the univerfe, but by the will and power of the Creator. They will tell you, the rain defcends at his appointment, and that he orders and determines its ex- tent and ufefulnefs -, that there is an equal^ difplay of his power, wifdom, and good- nefs, in the growth of the grafs, in the flourifhing of plants, and the increafe of corn : All is from him, and under the im- mediate influence of hisprovidence. More- over, in the animal world. Or among the beafts of the field, the fowls of the air, or the fifli in the fea, they will allow a prin- ciple of life and motion is from God, and the aftual exercife of it in a dependanee upon him. What we call fometimes in- ftindl, or nature in them, is confefTedlv notof themfelves, but from him, who hath appointed their fituation in the order of creatures, and furniflied them with all their powers, fenfations, and appetites : Whence they are directed to coiled: their proper R z food, 24.4- Of Efficacious Grace. food, and rejedt v/hat would be hurt- ful or deftrud:ive to them. And none but an atheiftic fceptic will deny but that, in the rational world, we have our fouls, with all their capacities of reafon- ing, reflexion, judgment, and memory from God -, that he made us, by his pow- er, and continues us by his providence, wifer than the beafts of the field, and of more underflanding than the fowls of the air : And who will not allow that the angels, creatures of the higheft order, have all their intelleftual powers from God ? Now, ihall we admit that every creature hath its being from, and lives, and moves^ and afts in a dependanceupon the glorious Creator j and fuppofe that the faint re- ceives a principle of grace from himfelf, and continues a believer, by the ftrength of his own reafoning, and the vigour and conflancy of his own refolution ? Is ic from God that I am a reafonable think- ing creature ? and from my felf that I am a Chriftian, holy and fpiritual ? Am I not fufhcient for the leaft adion in common life, but as upheld by his power, and un- der the influence of his providence ? And will it be faid, 1 can renew my felf, and cleave to the Lord, with full purpofe of heart, by my own ftrength ? What is this but to allow a dependance in the lefs, and to deny it in the greater ? What Adam pof- Of Efficacious Grace. 04.5 poffeffed in paradife, as to the perfecllon of his nature, the felicity he enjoy 'd, and his power to ferve, worfliip, and adore his Creator, he had confelTedly from him who made him, after his own image. Now, if the firft imprefs of the divine likenefs on his foul, was the produce of God's wifdom and power; certainly the reftoring that image, when loft or im- paired, can be no lefs the work of the Al- mighty. If the care and Ikill of an artifi- cer is requifite to the firft making of a machine, or any curious piece of work ; it muft be equally necefTary to therepair of it, when its principal fprings are broke, and every thing out of order. But we go on, VIII. To confider the grofs abfurdities which manifeftly attend the denying the efficacy of the grace of God in regenera- tion 5 as, I. This would be to furniili Chriftians with an eafy and ready anfwer to that que- ftion of the apoftle ; " Who made thee to differ from another ? What haft thou, that thou didft not receive ? Now, if thou didft receive it, why doft thou glory, as if thou hadil not received it ^ :" Such a one might boldly reply, upon the fcheme of Gur opponents, my own reflection and judg- ^- I Cor. iv. 7. R 3 ment; t24-6 Of Efficacious Grace. inept; my reafon and choice made me to diiFer : The means were, indeed, the fame, what I enjoy'd in common with o- thers; but the fuccefs was the efFed: of my own care, diligence, and attention, whilft they mifs'd of it through their own heed- lefsnefs and carnality. It is objected to this s, that the apoftle is here fpeaking of gifts only, and of fuch as were miracu- loully and immediately infufed, without human induftry, and confer'd on the pri- mitiveChriflians, without any co-operation of their own faculties: So that as this kind of miniftration of the Spirit has, for a great while, ccafed in the church, an ar- gument cai;inot fairly be drawn from it, in our enquiries about the mere flanding and ordinary difpenfations of it. To this we an- fvyer, that, admitting the apoftle is fpeak- ing of gifts, renewing grace is undoubted- ly one of thofe gifts, and not the leafl: va~ luable of them, which came down from the Father of lights ; for when we are born again, it is not of the will of the flefh, nor of the will of man, but of God ; and we are no more to afcribe to our own agency the difference between us and others in the gift of grace, than the apoftles, or primitive Chriftians, could in the miracur- Iqus endowments which were beflowed up- s Dr, Whiiby, Pag. 296, OB Of Efficacious Grace. o,\i on them. Moreover, is it not evident that the difference between a finner and a faint is a great deal more, both in the nature and confequence of it, than between a per-r ion pofTefTed of gifts, and one who is defli- tute of them ? Gifts are ufefal to others, but grace prepares for heaven ; gifts may obtain and enlarge a reputation among men, but grace only difpofes for an inti- macy with God here, and the enjoyment of him hereafter. Is it God who makes the difference in the one, and man in the other ? The apoftle determines how it was in his own cafcj " And laft of all, fays he, fpeaking of our Lord Jefus Chrift, he was ictn of me, as one born out of due time ; for I am the leaft of the apoftles, and am not meet to he called an apoftle, becaufe I perfecuted the church of God ; but, by the grace of God, I am what I am V The alteration is marvelous, the change furprizing, from an enemy to a friend, from a perfecuter to a preacher ; but I afcribe it not to my felf, but to the grace of God ; and this grace, which was beftowed upon me, was not in vain : So far from it, that under its influence " I la- boured more abundantly than they all /' and io fi^arful was he, leaft God fhould ^ \ Cor. XV. 8, 9, 10. R 4 np.t S^i-S Of Efficacious Grace. not have all the glory, that he adds, " Yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me." 2. Another abfurdity which attends the denying of the grace of God in regenera- tion, is its contradifting and oppofing the general defign of God in falvation, which is, that no flefli fhould glory in his fight, but that he who glorieth, fliould glory in the Lord, That dodkine which gives the creature room to boaft, that his own arm, either in the whole or in part, brought him falvation, cannot be of God. If our will is to give the turning point, and the bal- lance is placed in our own hands j and, after all the provifion which God hath made, and the pains he is fuppofed to be at, the creature is himfelf to determine the mat- ter by his own choice or refufal; to be fure, the honour ought to go with the agency. And of this our opponents feem to be fo fenfible, that fome of them allow that it is of preventing grace that we will and choofe what is good, and refufe what is evil ', of affifting grace, that we are ena- bled to perform that will, and perfift in that choice ; and of mercy, when we have done all, that we are accepted 3 a way of exprefilng themfelves, not a little contra- dictory to their fcheme, and which, at other times, they are far from being fond of* Of Efficacious Grace. '^jlq of. It is objefted '\ that glorying, or boafting, in fome inftances, is not unlaw- ful: That the apoftle was found in the practice himfelf, and declares, with a good deal of vehemency, that " it were better he fhould die, than any man make void his glorying;" and that elfe where he fpeaks of rejoicing or boafting in the teftimony of a good confcience. To this we anfwer ; it muft be proved, before the objeclion will be of any force, that the apoftle is fpeaking in tnofe places of the grace of God in regeneration; whereas, in the one, he is fpeaking of the high opinion he had of the gofpel, inoppofition to the contempt it met with from an ungodly world 3 and in the other, of the fruits, not of the prin- ciple of grace, which fruits he afcribes to a divine influence, when he fays, " Not by flefhly wifdom, but by the grace of God," he and the reft of the faints had their con- verfation in the world : And where is the inconfiftency of this with that general di- reftion ; " Let not the wife man glory in his wifdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might : Let not the rich man glory in his riches , but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he underftandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercifes loving kindnefs, judgment, and * Dr. Whitby, Pag. 299* Tigh^ ^50 Of Efficacious Grace. righteoufnefs in the earth; for in thefc things I delight, faith the Lord ^/' 3. Another abfurdity arifing froni the fuppofition of the creature's agency, in his own regeneration, is, that it would then be uncertain whether any would be re- newed at all, very poflible that none might, and, all circumftances confider'd, anfolute- ly impoffible that any fhould. S.ippofe the beft external evidence were produced, and the mofl weighty arguments m ide ufe of, if the iifue depends upon the will of man, and that will be as liable to refufe as to choofe, the event muft needs be uncer- tain, till the creature has determined ; nor could it be certainly known, were this the cafe, whether any one would determine right : But, if the fcripture account of man, before converfion, may be depended upon, if he is dead in trefpaffes, darknefs, and enmity againft God ; his will, being averfe to good, and prone to evil, would neceflarily determine in favour of fin, and in a rejed:ion of holinefs. One would have thought, that when the apoflle Paul came to Athens, the feat of learning, the wife men of that place would have pa-: tiently heard what he had to offer, and duly weighed and confider*d the nature and importance of his dodrine, and that at ^ Jer. is. 23, 24, leaft Of Efficacious Grace. 2 leafl the major part of them would have em- braced the gofpel evidence, which attended it. But, inftead of this, we find that he met with more fuccefs in Corinth, a city remarkably diffolute and wicked, thanJie did among the learned philofophers of Athens 5 and, upon his attempt to reclaim the Athenians from their grofs fuperftition and idolatry, they mocked and derided him, as a bafe fellow, and rejecfled thq doctrine of falvation, as foolilh and irra- tional So true is it what our Lord faid,, that " thefe things are hid from the wife and prudent, and revealed unto babes 3 nei- ther can flefh or blood reveal them to us, but our Father who is in heaven." We fhall now enquire whether the grace of God, in the renewing of a finner, may be fruftrated, or fet afide, by the oppoli- tion of the creature. And here we are to remember it is God's work, and therefore muft be perfeft, fince l>e can and will do all his pleafure. To fay that he cannot, though he would, change the fmner's heart, by an immediate adl of his own power, is to challenge his omnipotence : So that the queftion is not whether God can do this, or no ? but whether it is worthy of him, and how far it is really the cafe ? And this may be determined, I. From the inviolable and infeparable connection of the feycral parts of that gol- den 5 5 Of Efficacious Grace. den chain mentioned by the apoftle ; " For whom he did foreknow, he alfo didpredefti- nate robe conformed to the image of his Son. Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them be alfo called , and whom he called, them he alfojuftified ; and whom he juflified, them he alfo glorified ' -," that is, as many as are ordained unto eternal life, either are, or fliall be called and fand:ified by the grace of God, as their meetnefs for it, and bejuftified by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, as their title to it, as well as, at length, be glorified in the enjoyment of it : accord- ingly we are exprefsly faid to be chofen un- to holinefs"'. Now, if the purpofe of God, in eledion, is fappofed to ftand, then thofe whom he thus loved, with an everlafting love, fliall be elTed:ually drawn by the cords of it, agreeably to what our Lord fays; " All that the Father giveth me, fhall come unto me ; and him that cometh, I will in no wife caft out." 2. This may be farther argued, from the purchafe which our Lord, by the merit of his obedience and death, has made of his people, with refped: to their prefent fafety, and future felicity. The fcripture reprefents him not only as redeeming them from wrath, when he died for their of- fences, but as purchafing them to himfclf, \ Rom. viii. ip? 30. ^ Eph, i. 4, Of Efficacious Grace. 05^ f.s having a fulnefs of grace for their fupply in this world, and as having obtained a glorious inheritance for them in the other. Accordingly, in the profped: of his ap- proaching death, he prays, iirft, that ** they might be fanftified through the truth, and be kept from the evil one ;" and then adds, " Father, I will that they alfo whom thou haft given me be with me where I am, that they may behold the glory which thou haft given me "." Grace and glory are, indeed, bleffings altogether unmerited by the faint j but they are due to his fure- ty, upon an engagement on the Father's part in the counfel of peace to the Son, that if he would make his foul an offering for fin, he fhould have a feed to ferve him, and fee of the travel of his foul to his fatif- faftion. Now our Lord Jefus Chrift ha- ving done his part, to the abundant fatif- fadtion of the Father, which was declared in his refurred:ion and feffion at his right hand ; it would be unfaithful in the Father, and contrary to mutual ftipulations, if any for whom he died ftiould fall fliort of eter- nal life. And this muft be the cafe^ if any of thefe are fuppofed fully and finally to refift the grace of God. But, 3. We may confider God's chofen peo- ple, as committed to Chrift, as his charge " John xvii. 17, 24. and ^54 Of Efficacious Grace. and truft, for which he is accountable to the Father ; and accordingly he fpeaks of that part of them who were as yet un- called, as his other flieep, whom he muft bring in, and who fhould hear his voice *". Other (heep I have, that is, I have their names in the book of life, their perfons within the view of mine omnifcience ; thefe I mull bring in y there is a neceffity kid upon mes not on their part, but as I would approve my felf faithful to him, who appointed me. It would be greatly inglorious to the Mediator, fhould he, when giving up his accounts to the Father, fay, here are fome only of the children whom thou haft given me 5 or, fome of thefe, af- ter all the pains I have been at, are yet unrenewed, and fo unfit for eternal life. Befides, 4. If the foul is paffive in the implant- ing the principle of grace, as we have en- deavoured to prove, then there can be no refiftance in regeneration, whatever oppo- fition may be made by the foul to common convidtions before regeneration : or what conflidts foever between flefti and fpirit af- terwards ; yet we may, with the apoftle^ be confident, that where the work is be- gun, it {hall be carried on ; where the arm of the Lord is reveal'd, the fuccefs will be ° John X. 16, ahfwer- OfEffi Gi cactous Kirace. atifwerable : fo that we conclude that God, in the renewing of a finner, works fo as none can ict; otherwife he might be dif- appointed of his purpofe, fail in his pro- mife to his Son, or be overcome by the creature, in the exertion of the exceeding greatnefs of his power ; either of which are unworthy of him, who is a God of truth, and whofe arm is almighty. Having thus eftabliflied the docftrine propofed, we fhall now attend to fome of the principal objedlions whicli are advanced againft it 5 fuch as, I. It is faid, by the opponents p of effi- cacious grace, that God hath given fuffi- cient grace to all men, upon the due im- provement of which they may be faved, if it is not their own faulc j and to affert the contrary, fay they, is to wrong the foun- tain of goodnefs, aiid to reprefent him as a cruel, fevere, ar.J harfli being, and fo to make him the objed: of our dread and hatred, rather than of our love and reve~ rence : i^nd if all men have fufficienc grace, what neceffuy for this mighty power of God, in the converfion of a finner ? And, to prove this, they quote thefe words: " What could have been done more to my vmeyard, that I have not P Dn Whitby, Pag. 234. done 55 ^5^ Of Efficacious Grace. done in ic ; wherefore, when I look'd it fhould bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes '^ ? '* To this we anfwer, (i.) If it can be proved that God ori- ginally furnifh'd man with fufficient know- ledge of, and ability for the difcharge of his duty, and that man, by his chofen re- bellion, forfeited this, in common with all other mercies, and expofed himfelf to the deferved vengeance of God ; then there can be no more unrighteoufnefs in God to deny the creature, thus fallen, what they call fufficient grace, than to referve fallen angels in chains, under darknefs, to the coming of the great day. There would be fome appearance of reafon in the ob- jection, if man was now to be confider'd as innocent, and in the uprightnefs in which God originally made him -, but the fcripture concludes him under guilt j a ve- ry material circumftance, which the ob- jeftion takes no manner of notice of. (2.) If by fufficient grace is intended that which is abfolutely fo in it felf, with- out the induftry and care of the creature, or fome fuperadded aids from heaven, we deny that there is fuch grace^iven to all men ; for if there was, the effedt mull be the fame in all, and fo none could mifcarry. If it is faid, the fuccefs depends on the Will Of Efficacious Grace. will of the creilture, then this grace is fo far infufEcient in it felf, and the phrafe im- proper : If on a divine interpofure, the ob- jecftion comes to nothing ; fince it is then agreed, with us, that let the fuppofed grace l3e never fo fufficient, the event is de- termined by a divine agency. Befides, is it not evident, from the Spirit's ftriving with the ungodly world, in Noah's time, for a hundred years together, without fuc- cefs, and from the conduct of the Jews, who, for fo many ages, enjoy'd the mini- ftry of the prophets, and at length of the Son of God himfelf, that common con- victions, attended with the beft of exter- nal advantages, are infufficient to efFedt the great work of regeneration ? But, (3.) As to the place quoted from thQ prophet Ifaiah, in which God isreprefented, as alking what could he have done more that was not done ? We are not to fuppofe that he fpeaks as having exerted himfelf^ ad ultimum fui poffe, or as if he could noc have given grace ; for, to be fure, he, who made the vine, could make it as fruit- ful as he pleafed. The phrafe is evidently more humano, in which the Almighty ftoops to expoftulate with the creature, for the abufe of his mercies, and upbraids him with his ingratitude j but is far from giving the leaft countenance to his pride, in a falfe opinion of his own fufficiency. Vol. II. S We 257 358 0/ Efficacious Grace. We might add, as a farther proof, that what the objeftion calls fufficient grace, is not given to all 5 that the very means of grace are denied to many. The gofpel revelation is entirely unknown to a great part of the world now, as it was to the greateft part of it, under the Jewifh difpen- fation ; and the declaration is exprefs, that there is falvation in no other but our Lord Jefus Chrift, nor any other name given, under heaven, whereby we can be faved : That faith comes by hearing, and hear- ing by the word of God ; fo that we may afk, with the apoftle, " How fhall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard ?" Such, undoubtedly, have not the fufficient grace which our opponents contend for j and I need only add, with refped: to others, who are favoured with the gofpel, why do faints, after conver- fion, beg fo earneftly of God, that he would enlighten, affift, fupport, and fan- dtify them, if the means which they en- joyed were fufficient in themfelves for this purpofe, or might be rendered fo, by their own care and induftry ? If we may judge of their fentiments by their petitions, they apprehended grace from God, as Weil as, and together with, the means, to be abfo- lutely neceffary to their fpiritual improve- ment, and proficiency in holinefs. But, a. It Of Efficacious Grace^ a ^9 2. It is farther objected •*, that if God has not given fufficient grace to all, why- does he judge or condemn any for the want of it ? To this we anfwer, with the apo^ ftle Paul, there will be two rules, by which the Judge will proceed in the great day ; " As many as have finned without the law, (hall alfo perifli without the law ; and as many as have finned in the law, fhall be judged by the law ^." I am far from believing that God will condemn the Heathen, who never heard of Chrift, for not believing in him, but conclude that^ they will be judged by that law, which is writ upon their hearts, which either ex- cufes, or accufes, according to the good or evil of their adiions. And as for thofe who live under the found of the gofpel, and finally perifli in unbelief, they will not, I humbly conceive, be condemned fo much for their fpiritual impotence, as for their hardening their hearts, and pofitive- ly {hutting their ears againft Chrift : And, if this is the cafe, is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance ? God forbid. But, 3. It is objedted % that God commands us to make our felves new hearts ; that he fays, *' Turn ye, turn ye ; why will ye die ?" that we are exhorted to cleanfe our ' Dr. Whitby, Pag. 143. ^ Rom. ii, iz, ^ Dr. Whitby, Pag.ijy, S 2 own a6o Of Efficacious Grace. own hearts, and the like. Now, fay they, if this is imprafticable by the creature, how does this reflect upon the wifdom and goodnefs of the Law-giver ? Upon his wifdom, in requiring that of us, which he knows is only in his own power to be- llow ', and upon his goodnefs, in deriding and mocking his creatures with their mi- fery ? What {hould we think of a prince, who (liould command his fubjed:s, on pain of his difpleafure, to meafure out the ocean, or number the fands on the fea fhore ? Or fhould he require of them any thing elfe equally impoflible, how unworthy would this be of him, and how injurious to them ? And fhall we impute this to him, who is infinite goodnefs, and immenfe wifdom ? God forbid. To this we an- fwer, (i.) That if a command on God's part neceilarily infers a full power on our part to comply with it, or fulfil it, then we mull be fuppofed to have the fame power to ferve him, as the faints in glory have : And, in this refpeft, the difference between a ftate of imperfeftion and abfolute per- fection, would be loft; for God requires we (hould love him with all our hearts, and with all our fouls 5 and the law ad- mits of no abatement, but rigoroufly re- quires perfeftion, and threatens eternal death to him who continues not in all things a writ- Of Efficacious Grace. a6i written therein to do them : So that if this were a fair way of reafoning, we muft conclude, that becaufe God commands we fhould be holy, as he is holy, walk as Chrift walk'd, therefore we might, by our own power, cleanfe our felves from every degree of filthinefs, both of flefh and fpirir, and perfect holinefs in his fear. But, (2.) The moft that can be judged of commands and exhortations, in fcripture, is this : They are reprefentations of our duty, not of our ftrength 5 declarative of God's authority, and right of dominion, and not of our power or ability. A com- mand refpedls us as creatures, whether upright or fallen ; it is equally obligatory on us; God hath the fame claim to wor{hip from us, and the fame dominion over us, fince, as before the fall. To which we add, (3.) The defign of God, in rhefe com- mands, is to acquaint us with the neceffity and importance of thofe things which he requires ; particularly in the inftances re- fer'd to, " that without holinefs we can- not fee his face ; that except a man have a new heart, he cannot enter into the king- dom of heaven :'* And fo they are intended, upon a coriviftion of our weaknefs and in- fufficiency, to lead us to him, who hath not only required them of us, but hath S 3 pro- Oj Efficacious Grace. promifed to beftow them upon us ; fo that the awaken'd finner, comparing the com- mand and the promife together, in the one, he is led to contemplate the majefty, authority, and holinefs of God ; in the other, his grace and faithfulnefs ; the one is the rule of his duty ; the other, the ground of his faith. From th^ one, he learns what he ought to be, and do, whilft he is led on, and encouraged by the other, to pray for that grace which is fufficient for him. The fame may be faid with refpedt to the expoftulations which we meet with in fcripture : They are defigned to work up- on the minds of thofe to whom they are addrefs'd, and are made ufe of by the Spi- rit of God in convincing of fin ; and is there any impropriety in charging it upon a rebellious ungrateful generation, that whereas the ox knows his owner, and the afs his matter's crib, they, by a neg- lect of duty to their daily Benefactor, dif- cover more ftupidityand difingenuity, than the very beafts, who peri{h ? May not the only wife God make ufe of the moft mo- ving and affeding language, in upbraiding his reafonable creatures with a contempt of his goodnefs, without fuppofing the iinner to be felf-fufficient, and to ftand in no need of his affiftance ? 4. It Of Efficacious Grace. 0^2 4. It is farther objeaed, that whereas we fay the linner is paffive in regeneration, this is to deftroy the freedom of the will, to fubvert human liberty, and to reduce the reafonable creature to a mere machine, and fo to take away the merit of virtue, by making it neceifary, and not the refult of choice* To this we anfwer ; we are to diflinguifh between the nature of the will, and the qualities of it : The foul is the fame, in all its faculties, after regenera- tion, as it was before, but the qualities of it are altered. The grace of God changes the corrupt, without invading the created nature of the will. Man's will, before the fall, was holy, as well as free, and fo ne- cefTarily under a rational biafs to every thing that was confonant to the divine mind, and which was made known to him as fuch : But the will of man, as fallen, is impair'd, not fo much in its nature, or efTence, as in its tendency ; it is now moll unhappily turn'd off from fpiritual to car- nal and fenfual objedls ; the will is the fame in it felf, or in its nature, now, as . it was then -, but the biafs is very diffe- rent: So that if we would judge aright of the freedom of man's will, we muft con- fider the objefts about which it is fuppofed to be converfant. If the worfhip, fervice, or love of God, are taken into the queflion, we affert, thefe were originally the choien S 4 objedli 064. Of Efficacious Grace. obje<9:s of the delight of the innocent crea- ture, but are now the matters of his aver- fion, whilft he continues in a ftate of un- regeneracy : And, when he is renew'd, and every high thought and imagination is reduced to a fubjedion to Chrift, we never meet with a complaint from him of vio- lence offered to his will, of being forced and compel'd to the choice of holinefs. True, he is fenfible of the hand of God upon his foul, he feels, acknowledges, and adores the arm of the Lord in his conver- fion ; but he is fo far from thinking it any hardfhip, that he rejoices abundantly in the mercy : And whereas, now his foul is thirfting after God, and his delight is in the law of the Lord, he is fenfible this wonderful change, in his cafe, was effedled by his power, who works in his people both to will and to do, of his own good pleafure -, he is far from defiring fuch a liberty, as would leave him as liable to apo- ftatize and mifcarry, as to perfevere and be faved : No, he rather longs to be in hea- ven, among the fpirits of juft men made perfed:, under a glorious neceffity (if that may be deem'd fo, which is the matter of their conftant choice and delight) of fer- ving God, without wearinefs or interrup- tion : If he might exprefs the utmoft of his ambition, it is to be with Jefus, in a world where to fin or offend is impoffible. We Of Efficacious Grace. Wc may obferve, that at the fame time we affert that God works immediately in implanting the principle of grace, we al- low, that the renewed fmner is a proper fubjed: of moral fuafion ; and that God deals with him, in promoting a work of grace in his heart, in an argumentative way, and enables him to compare and judge of things which are propofed to him, as pro- per to be purfued or avoided, and to choofe, or refufe, as they appear defirable, or the contrary; though we conclude, in all this, the faint gladly efteems God's word as his only rule, and his Spirit as his only guide. As to what is faid concerning virtue, and the rewards which are fuppofed to be due to it, I apprehend, man, in his beft eftate, is vanity 5 his obedience, in its utmofl fpi- rituality and perfedlion, is a debt which he owes to his great Creator ; nor can he be profitable unto God, fo as to enter a claim, or challenge a reward from the Al- mighty: So that as we utterly difclaim the docftrine of merit on the creatures part, we need not enquire how far the grace of God, in the renewing of a finner, deftroys this idol, which the pride of man is fo willing to fet up and worfhip. 5. It is obje(5ted, if God works In us both to will and to do, and without his fpecial grace we can do nothing, then we may een fit ftill, and do nothing, only wait care- f266 Of Efficacious Grace. carelefsly till he fliall excite us to, or afiift us in our duty 5 and fo this dodlrine, fay they, deftroys all diligence and induilry, and renders the finners endeavours, how lincere and ferious foever, foolifh and un- neceffary. To this we anfwer, that the great God may certainly fix upon what order he pleafes, in his conferring of favours, and bellowing undeferved bleffings. Now the order he has fettled is this; that though he gives all freely, and not for our fakes, yet he will be fought to, and enquired of, by us, for thofe fpiritual mercies, which we want at his hand : The diredlion is, afk, feek, and knock ; the encouragement lies in the promife, ye fhall receive, ye Ihall find, and it fhall be open'd unto you. They who feek me early, fays God, fhall find me 5 and fuch as wait on him, fhall renew their flrength j fo that it is in a way of duty that we are to expedt his prefence. God is not, indeed, tied up to means, he may be found of them who feek him not ; but he has obliged us to a conflant and di- ligent attendance upon them : And I would afk. Is not his promife of meeting and blefTmg us, of his being in the midfl of us, to afiift and comfort us, a more ra- tional and powerful motive to a clofe adherence to our duty, than a falfe ima- gination of a power, which we are not really pofTefTed of, and fo mufl necefTarily 2 dif- Of Efficacious GraccY ag^ difappoint us in all our ungrounded ex- pedations from it ? Thus we have gone through the princi- pal objedlions advanced againft the doftrine of efficacious grace, and conclude, upon the v^hole, that we have fcripture and ex- perience on our fide, whilft we affert that regeneration is not of the will of the flefh, nor of the will of man, but of God. What remains, but a ferious enquiry, whether we have tailed that the Lord is gracious ? how far we have been quicken'd by the mighty power of God, who were dead in trefpaffes and fins ? Without the new birth there is no entering into heaven, our Lord has exprefsly afliired us: What can we then fay of God's gracious dealings with us ? has he put his Spirit within us, writ his law in our hearts, taken the ftone out of our .hearts, and given us hearts of flefh? Have we been made to loath and ab- hor our felves ; to prize, above every thing, the perfon, righteoufnefs, and ful- nefs of Chrift ? Have we fled for refuge to him, as ready to perifh; and do we find a Spirit of ;^race and fupplication pour'd out upon us ? Do we thiril after communion v/ith, and aim at a refemblance of Jefus ? Is this, or fuch-like, the genuine expe- rience of ou^** fouls ? then let us call upon them, and all' that is within us, to blefs his name, whofe \workmanfliip we are : Let him 9 68 Of Efficacious Grace. him have all the glory ; and let it be our great concern, as well as prayer, to God continually, that we may, in all things, walk worthy of this holy vocation, adorn- ing the doftrine of God our Saviour, till we get fafe to that world, where Father, Son, and Spirit, will be all in all, as the everlafting fource of pure and perfedl hap- pinefs ; and where, as the great Jehovah, one God over all, they will, to endlefs ages, inhabit the praifes of thofe who fhall ftaad before the throne, perfectly cleanfed from all filthinefs, both of flefh and fpirit, and whofe robes fhall be wafh*d and made white in the blood of the Lamb. THE THE DOCTRINE O F Perseverance in Grace Stated and Defended: IN TWO SERMONS. By THOMAS HALL; Minifter of the Gofpel. SERMON I. ^M^^mS^i^f. PhiliPc i. 6. Being confident of this very things that he which hath begun a good work inyoUy will per- form it until the Day ofjefus Chrift. ^^^HATEVER be the immu- nities and privileges a people at prefent enjoy, it is a vaft addition to have a good fe- curity for the lafting poC- feffion of them. Glorious things, indeed, are fpoken of Zion, the city of God : The inhabitants thereof are, of all people upon earth, the moft happy ; their peculiar privileges are all ipiritual, andj on that account, tranfcendencly great and ^7^ Of Terfcverance in Grace. f and excellent. As they are elefted of God, they are the objedts of his diftinguifhing and everlafting love ; being redeemed and cloathed with the righteoufnefs of Chrift, they are blefs'd with the forgivenefs of their fins ; being called eifedtually by the Spirit of God, they are made partakers of a divine nature, and delivered from the bond of iniquity; by being adopted and renewed, they become the children of God, are fitted for communion with their hea- venly Father, admitted into his gracious prefence, and actually conftituted the heirs of glory. But that, which adds to all, is an aflfurance, that they who have once had an accefs into this grace, fhall perpetually ftand therein. Without an affurance of this, the holy pleafure excited in the mind by the glo- rious truths of the gofpel, infifl:ed upon in the preceding fermons, would foon lan- guifliand die. It would certainly damp the joys of a believer, who knows the treachery of his own heart, and is con- vinced of the power and craft of his hellifli foes, if, after all he hears of thefe invalu- able grants, he muft be told they may every one be revoked, and, through a poffi- bility of falling from grace, the perfons, who have been fo highly favoured, may fall mto difgrace, be abandoned, and luf- fer'd to perifti at laft. That OfTerfeVerMCe in Grace. drr j That all fears of this kind may be prer- vented, he, who cannot lye^ has declared^ in his word, that " the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord, who are fought outj fhall be a city not forfaken ^ ;" that " the place of their defence fhall be the muni- tion of rocks ; their bread fliall be given them, and their waters fhall be fure*":" That " God will creatd upon every dwel- iing-place of mount Zion, and upon her affemblies a cloud ^ and fmoke by day, and thefhining of a flaming fire by nighty for upon*- ^11 the glory fhall be a defence ^'* From thefe, and many other declarations of heaven, the apoflle might well be con- fident that he^ who had begun a good work in the Philippians, Would perform it until the day of Jefus ChrifL The important article of the faints efla- bliiihment and perfeverance in grace, being allotted to my confideration in this Lefture, I have turn'd you to this verfe ; becaufe it will foon appear, from a jufh explication of the words, that this doctrine is really founded upon divine authority. To guide us into the meaning of the text, and to direct us in its application, it will be proper to take notice of thefe four things. > lil: Ixii. It, * CKap. xSTxiu. .1^ * Chep, Vol. Ih T i. The ^74 Of Terfeverance in Grace. 1. The work it felf, which is here fpo- ken of. 2. The perfedlion that was to crown it. 3. The apoftle's confidence with refpedt to that perfedlion. 4. The common concern and intereft of the faints in the whole matter. (i.) I fhall confider the work it felf, which was begun in the Philippians. This is termed a good work, by which wc are to underfland the work of grace, or the internal, fupernatural, and efFeftual work of the Spirit of God upon their fouls, whereby they were made partakers of his heavenly grace ; in confequence whereof, they were renew'd, fandtified, or made holy, and thus became new creatures. That this work was begun in them, may eafily be collefted from feveral paf-* fages in this epiftle ; particularly from the feventh verfe of this chapter, where the apoftle fays, they " were partakers of his grace;" i.e. of the like grace with himfelf: And this is agreeable to his de- claration in the twenty ninth verfe, that unto them it was given, as well as to him, «« both to believe on Chrift, and to fujfFer for his fake." Farther, when he prays, in the ninth verfe, that " their love might abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment^" it is fuppofed that I they Of Ter fever ance in Grace. ^755 they were already favoured with fomq knowledge and fome judgment in fpiritual things, and that their knowledge did not reft in mere fpeculatioHa but it warm'd the heart, and kindled an holy flame within ; yea, that as their knowledge was not a dead notion, fo neither was their love a blind afFedtion ; but its motions and adt- ings were under the guidance of an en- lightened mind 5 and, upon the whole of what the apoflle had obttrved, while among them, and heard of them, when abfent. He concluded that they were the feals of his apoftleihip and miniftry, and, as fuch, he calls them ^^ his joy and crown V Hence it appears that the good work of grace was begun in them. And flnce no other work whatever, ia which they were efpecially concerned, ei- ther had, or was intended to have, the like abiding duration with the work of grace; and fince nothing fliort of this could have given the like fuperlative occafion for that abundant thankfulnefs and joy, which, ia the preceding verfe^ he declares he had, upon every remembrance of them, and their fellowfliip in the gofpel, we muft therefore conclude that the work of true grace, and not the preaching of the gofpel ; was that good work which the text refer*d <* Chap. iv. I. T z to: ^n& OfTetfevefance in Qrack to: And thus I fhail conftantly underftarici it. Let us next cohfidef, (2.) The peifeaion with which this work was to be crown'd. 'fhis is exprefs'd by its being performed!' tintil the day of Jefus Chrift. By the day of Chrifl, is here meant the day of his' fecond appearance, when he (hall come to judge the quick and the dead. This inter- pretation agrees with the phrafe ufed by the apoftle, in his firfl: epiftle to the Thef- falonians"; where He prays, that " they might be preferv'd blarhelefs unto the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift/' The cjtpreffion in the text running in fuch terms, it muft imply a compleat protedlion thro' all the temptations and dangers, not of^ Hfe only, but of death it felf ; and the faints may warrantably expedl a final per- feverance in grace, till they are brought fafe to glory. By the force of the word in the original, the perfedion of the work is likewife fig- itified. The Greek verb ^, which we ren- der " perform,*' might well be tranflated *' fihifhi'' and when the laft conflid with death i^'over, then fliall the faints be immediately made perfeft in holinefs, and be preferv'd blamelefs till the day of Jefus Chrift. Noif i^' it a determinate period, with an exclu- Hon Of Terfeverance in Grace. ^j/j fion of fucceeding duration, that is here intended i but the meaning is, that the good work fhall JDe finifh'd, and, being jfinifh'd, it fhall remain for ever perfed -, for, in the day of judgment, the hints fhall be openly acknowledged, ai>d pro- nounced bleffed ; yea, by fome folemn aftion, they fhall then be publickly con- firmed in a flate of perfed: purity ai)d epd- lefs blifs. I fhall therefore confld^er, (3.) The apoftle's confidence, with r^-^ fped: to this perfeftion. In his expreffion, *^ Being confident of this very thing," we may take notice there are two pronouns ^ ; the emphafis where- of is well obferved in our tranfl^tioii, the words being rendered, " this vpry thing/' The phrafe, as it flands here, points put three things. [i.] The certainty of the faints final perfeverance in grace. This privilege is here fpoken of as a matter, the accom- plifhment whereof may be depended upon. The expreffion will not admit of the leaft doubt or fufpicion ; for it does nqt leave the cafe to refl upon a probability, though of the highefl degree, but it carries it to the greatefl certainty. It is as though he had faid, if I can be confident of any thing, I caa be qqnfident of this, th^t whei^e Qq4 T 3 haa 078 Of Terfeverance in Grace. has begun the good work, he will perform it until the day of Chrift. The grounds upon which his affurance was built, Ihall be confider'd hereafter -, I fhall go on to obferve that this phrafe points out, [2.] The importance of this privilege. The diftindnefs, earneftnefs, and fervor, with which the apoftle mentions it, are plain indications that it is a matter of im- portance. Our attention would not have been quicken'd by this remarkable intro-- dudtion, had not what follows carried in it an anfwerable weight and moment. And there is good reafon for the utmoft ftrefs to be laid upon the faints perfeve- rance in grace ; for of all the privileges which belong to a believer's ftate, there is not a greater or one more valuable. It is fo important and neceflary, that without it all the bleffings which could be included in the fellowihip of the gofpel, would quickly lofe their glory j yea, and become as things of naught, in regard of the com- fort and compleat falvation of the foul. We may likewife take notice that the phrafe points out, [3.] The importance of the belief of this dodrine, as well as the moment of the dodtrine it felf. This we may infer, from ics connection with the third and fourth yerfes^ where we read of the apoftle's ihank- OfTerfeverance in Grace. nj^ thankfulnefs to God upon every remem- brance of the Philippians, and of his ma- king requeft for them with joy. Now his confidence, that the good work would be performed to the day of Chriifl, ftands as one reafon, both of his thankfulnefs and of his joy. Hence we may learn, that unlefs he had been confident of this very thing, he could not have prefented his requeft and prayer for them with the joy that here he did ; nor could there have been that life and chearfulnefs in his praife, that are here exprefs'd: So that his confidence in this matter, or, in other terms, his firm belief of the dodtrine of the faints final perfeve- rance, had a fpecial influence not only up- on his comfort and joy, but likewife upon the praife and worfhip of God. And the more dire6t, or the greater the influence which the belief of any dodlrihe has upon thefe things, the greater is the importance of fuch a belief, as muft be allowed by all, that have any due regard to either. Having fliewn the juftnefs of thefe re- marks, I fliall proceed to the laft thing propofed for the opening the words ; and that is, to confider, (4.) The common concern and interefl of the faints in the whole affair ; or thei: common part or lot in the ftate fuppofed, T 4 and 3 8o Of Terfeverance in Graced and In the privilege alTerted in the ttxt. Under this head, we may obfeirve two things. ^ [i.] That all the faints have the fame good work begun in them, which was be- gun in the believers of the apoftle's day. This will be evident, if we briefly take a comparative view of the fpiritual and gra- cious attainments of thofe believers, with the near and juft refemblance of the cor- refponding graces which are wrought in all the faints ; e. g. Were the believers of old renewed in the fpirit of their mind, and blefs'd with the knowledge of the Re- deemer ? fo are all the faints. Were the principles of the doftrine of Chrift in them the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith towards God ? fo they ^re in all his people. Did the Lord open, their hearts to believe unto righteoufnefs ? this is done for every child of God. Did their faith work by love? Did it purify the heart, raife their affedions, and fee them on things above? Did it give them viftory over the world, and difpofe them to follow Chrift, at all hazards ? The fame effedts do univerfally attend the faith of all that are truly fanftified. And we may warrantably declare, that the root of the matter is in all them with whom thef^ fruits are found, that they have the faith, wfeich is the fruit of the Spirit^ the faith which Of Ter fever ance in Grace. ^gj which Is of the operation of God. And, upon this foundation, we need not be afraid to aflert, that they are partakers, with the Philippians, of the grace of God, as, upon the like foundation, the apoftle acknow- ledges concerning them, that they were partakers of the fame grace with hini. Again, we may obferve, [2.] That the apoftle had no fpecial ground for his confidence in the cafe of the Philippians, beyond what he had with refpedl to all believers. If an attempt ihouldbe made to fet afide this remark, one of thefe two things muft be advanced, viz. either that the apoftle's confidence was grounded on fome particular revelation from God, promifing the fafety of the Philippians, in which other faints had no concern, like that which had a Angular re- gard to the fafety of Paul's mariners ; or elfe it mufl be pretended, that his confi- dence arofe from fome teftimony' given 6i the truth of their graces, which teftimoriy was peculiar to them, and not given of the graces of others. But neither of thefe fup- pofitions will fuit with the language, which immediately follows in the next verfe'j where the apoftle fays, *' Even as 'it is meet for me to think this of you all." By this paffage we are let into the apoftle's method of reafoning in the cafe^ and the force ^8i Of Terfeverance in Grace. force of his argument may be fhewn after this manner. He firft lays it down as a fcripture prin- ciple, or point of divine revelation, that where God has begun the good work, he will carry it on to the day of Chrill. He then hitroduces his good opinion of the Philippians, with the grounds and reafons of it, declaring he accounted them parta- kers of the grace of God, and efteemed them to be perfons in whom the good work was begun ^ and, from hence, the conclulion was eafy and natural, that as God had begun the good work in them, he would furely perform it to the day of Chrift ; for it fhall certainly be thus car- ried on in all upon whom it is once begun. Beza obferves, that the word, in the original, fhould here be taken to iignify not his affedtion to them, but his judg- ment concerning them, and the ftate they were in §. And, in our tranflation, it is thus rendered : Now, fince the tree is known by its fruit, he could not but judge from the fruits they brought forth, fome ♦f which are hefe fpecified, that they really were what they profeffed to be : * Obfervandum eft to (p£^v&lv hoc in loco dici non de »nimi afFedu fed de mentis judicio. Vide Bezam in loc. And, 0/ Terfeverance in Grace. aS? And, fince he had no diforder, or irregu- larity, to charge upon any in that church, that was inconfiflent with a llate of grace, it was but proper and meet for him to think this, or to entertain this good opi- nion of them all, i. e. to efteem them all as gracious perfons. And if, in truth, they were all partakers of the grace of God, he was then confident and fure they ihould all be preferved unto the coming of Chrift ; for this fhall undoubtedly be the privilege of all that are truly fandliiied. Thus we fee that the apoftle*s confidence, exprefs'd in the text, was not built on any fpecial revelation, or peculiar teftimony, in which none, befides the Philippians, had any concern ; but upon the new cove- ■ nant, with its fettlements and promifes, as they are publilh'd in the everlafting gofpel, the benefits whereof are common to the faints in all ages ; and upon fuch evidences of the Philippians intereft in that covenant, as will univerfelly prove an intereft therein, with refpedt to all in whom the like cha- rafterifticks are found. As the text, therefore, was fuited to encourage the Philippians, in an holy, humble, and joyful expectation of their being preferved until the day of Chrift ; fo it is equally adapted to promote the like expectation and hope in all true believers, to the end of time. T© 84 Of Terfeverance in Qrace. To fum up the whole: Ouraflerting, frotj> thispaflage, the dodtrine of the faints perfe- verance in grace, is fufficientlyjuftiiied, by a careful attention to the apoftle's method of feafoningj for hereby it is manifeft that this was not ^ privilege peculiar to the Philippians, or that there was nothing par- ticular in their cafe to be the ground of his confidence concerning their fafety. But his arguing upon this principle, in the manner we have fhewn, proves that he took this to be the doftrine of the fcrip- tures, applicable to the cafe of all, in whom the good work is begun: And, fince He was under the immediate diredlion of the Spirit of God, in his reafoning, the ufe that is here made of this point, gives it a frefh confirmation ; and the ftrefs he lays upon it, ought to be efteemed as an infalli- ble teftimony, that this dodtrine is of a di- vine original. Thus I have giyen a large expofition of the text, to let you fee that, in its mofi eafy, natural, and neceffary conflrudlionj it lies clear, as a fure foundation of the doctrinal obfervarion, which I ihall now raife from it, viz. that Dod:. The good work of grace fhall be invincibly carried ©n to perifeftion in all the faints. OfTcrfeverance in Grace. 285 1 am aware that my method in opening the Wbrds has taken up a pretty deal of your time, but fome of it may now be re- deemed ; for I need not give any farther defcription of the work of grace, nor add any thing more to fliew that this work is truly begun in all the faints, or that there is the fame reafon for us to conclude that the good work fhal I be, carried on Jin all believers, as there was for the apoftle's' ex- pedlation, that it fliould be performed in the Philippians. What I have hinted al- ready^ in the explication of the text, is, I think, as much as my prefent bufinefs re- quires me to fay upon thefe heads. Atad thus my work is. contrad:ed, and will lie chiefly in thefe three things. L I fhall endeavour to ftate the point. II. I fhall produce fome arguments for the proof of this docftrine. IIL I fhall make fome reply to the principal objedlions that are urged againft it 5 and conclude with fome directions and prad:ical improvement. I. I fhall endeavour to ftate the point diflinftly and fully. This is neceflary, for the better clearing of this docftrine. What I defign here; fhall be reduced to three general remarks : I fhall not confine my felf to a bare na- ming a 86 Of Terfeverance in Grace. ming the heads, but enlarge upon each of them ; and hereby I would hope things may be fo diftinguifhed and fettled, as fuffi- ciently to guard againft feveral of the ob- jedlions brought by thofe who oppofe this dodrine. And if I fhould be enabled to do this with fome degree of exadtnefs and care, I apprehend, it would very much fa- cilitate my work in the remaining part of the defign. For the clearer the diftindion fhall be made to appear, and the ftrongef the proof fhall be of what is now to be laid down, with the more juftice and freedom, I may venture to recur to thefe remarks, as occalion fhall hereafter require ; efpecially when I come to difcharge this dodtrine of the feeming difficulties with which fome would endeavour unjuftly to load it. I fhall therefore obferve, 1. That the eflablifhment or perfeve- rance which the fcriptures aflert, refpedts the work of true grace, and that only. 2. It refpedts the flate of believers, but not their frames ; or it refpedls the prin- ciple of grace, but not its prefent exer- cife. 3. That all means neceffary for the efla- blifhment of this good work, are under the diredlion of God -, and all obflacles which would threaten a difappointment, are fub- jea to his controul. I. The 0/ Ter fever ance in Grace. ig? I. Theeftabliflimentand perfection which is here aflerted, refpedts the work of true grace, and that only. There are works of another kind, and of a different nature, whi(i:h may decay and come to nothing ; hm the failure of thefe can never affedt the truth of our do- drine : And the reafon is plain, becaufe, though thefe do generally, more or lefs, attend the work of grace, yet true grace does not always accompany them. I fhall inftance particularly in two things. (i.) In the gifts of the Spirit. By the gifts of the Spirit, I here mean his com- mon operations upon the minds and af- fedtions of perfons who hear the gofpel ; which operations, how ftrong or powerful foever they be, do yet never bring the reci- pient, or fubjedl thereof, into a truly gra- cious or holy ftate. That there is really a diftinftion to be made between the com- mon gifts and faving graces of the Spirit ; or that many of the gifts of the Spirit may be confer*d feparately from his graces, may be eafily fhewn, from feveral places of fcripture; particularly from that ^ where our Lord fpeaks of fome who were endued with the gift of prophefy, with the faith of miracles, and the power of cafting out devils, but were never blefs'd with that * Matt, vii. ii, grace. o88 Of 'Perfeverancc in Grace. grace, which is the fruit of fpecial love j which efFeftually turns the heart from ini- quity, and whoie exercife ever meets with our Saviour's approbation : They had gifts fufficient for the healing the bodily difeafes of others, but wanted the grace that was neceffary for the curing the fpiritual mala- dies of their own fouls. This diftindtion may be farther fupport- ed, from the apoftle's argument ^ ; where lie fuppofes that men might have the higheft meafures of the gifts of the Spirit, and yet be nothing in point of true grace : They might have fuch gifts, as to be capa- ble of underftanding all myfteries, and all knowledge : They might have fuch faith, as to be able to remove mountains, and a zeal that would incline them to make the moft liberal diftributions among the poor, and to die, at laft, as martyrs in the caufe of religion, and yet be deftitute of that charity and love to Chrifl, and his people, which is one of the efTential properties of true grace. And as this diftindlion is fuppofed, iii this argument, fo it is confirmed by ano- ther pafTage ^ ; where the apoftle plainly {hews, that there was, in fadt, a dillribu- tion of gifts, wholly feparate from a work of grace upon the hearts of thofe that re- ^ I Cor. xlii. 1—4. ? i Cor. xi. 13. a ceived Of Terfeverance in Grdc'e. 7 Si ceived them : And this to fuch a degree, that men who were inwardly full of all wickednefs, were yet in a capacity of im- pofing upon churches, upon the faints and people of God themfelves; yea, by reafon of the abundant furniture they had, as to the gifts of the Spirit, they could pafs for the apoftles of Chrift. And if fuch an horrid deceit could be prad:iied, in that pure and enlightened age, no marvel that, in thefe times of degene- racy and darknefs, many can transform them-^ felves fo far, as to have a narne to live, though they are dead. But the apoflle tells us *", that their end ihall be according to their works. As their works are hypo- critical and deceitful, fo th^ir end fhall be deftrudtion. > ; Whatever gifts are receiv'd without grace, they will fail. Their nature is riot abiding, neither has God enrgaged for theif conti- nuance : And as thefe gifts will fajl, fo the works, which were wrought in the exercife thereof, will fail likewife. And, generally fpeaking, by one trying difpen- faticn oi another, the Lord turns fuch pro* feffors as theie upfide dov^n ; and fhews, that while they faid they were Jews, call'd themfeives his people, and were accounted fo by others, ftill all their profeffion was,a '" iCor. xi, 15. Vol. II. U lye, JO Of Terfeverance in Grace, lye, during its whole fpace, they held the truth in unrighteoufnefs. They were al- ways hypocrites, and no wonder that at laft they proved apoftates. Such profeflbrs as thefe our times have brought forth in great abundance. Many, too many, have there been, who, through the brightnefs of their gifts, and the fplen- dor of their converfation, have appeared as ftars of the firft magnitude ; but a little lime has difcover'd them to be no more than falling meteors. However, fuch dreadful inftances as thefe, frequently as they happen, fliould never be objefted againfl the truth of our doctrine, which never engages for the continuance of the gifts, or of the common operations of the Spirit, but only maintains the final eftablifhment of true grace. As another work that may fail, I fhall inftance, (2.) In the outward and vilible ftate of particular churches. By this, I mean that outward fellowfhip which profeflbrs have one with another, in all the ordinances of the gofpel, with the external privileges and advantages belonging thereunto, appointed and ordain'd of God, for the mutual edifi- cation of his people. This may properly be term'd a work of God, not only as it is ftamp'd with his authority, but as every thing which relates to the ftate it felf, to- gether with m happy and flourifhing con- dition. Of ^erfeverance in Grace. a^i dition, depends upon his providence and care. And this is a good work, ever erected with a gracious defign. But here obferve, that when the great end for which a church ftate was founded, in any particular place, is anfwer'd in the converfion and falvation of thofe whofe fpiritual and eternal advantage was to be promoted thereby, it may then be fuffer'd to fall into decay 5 yea, by degrees, as the number of the godly decreafes, and in pro- portion as they who, through grace, were enabled to be faithful, are taken away, others, of the like gracious fpirit and tem- per, not riling up in their room, the glory of that ftate will certainly decline ; and many, who were never effedkually called, creeping in unawares, the church, at length;^ having loft its upright members, becomes deftitute of its firft love, and leaves its firft works. Thus, inftead of truth, fprings up error in dodlrinej and, in this fenfe, there \^ill be a notorious falling from grace, that is, from the doctrines of grace ; and, in confequence of this, all purity in wor- ftiip is gradually deftroy'd, by increafing corruption, till, at length, loofe and li^ centious practices wholly exterminate that holinefs andftridtnefs in converfation, which formerly prevailed. Hereby God is provoked ; and, when his teftimpnie?, admonitions, and warnings, U 2 have 09^ Of Terfeverance in Grace. have been neglected, flighted, and defpifed, he comes and removes their candleftick out of his place. Thus a work that v^as begun in mercy, to Ibme, is finally ruin'd in judg- ment to others. But yet, if the cafe be rightly confider'd, no argument can juftly be taken from hence, v^ith which to oppofe the dodlrine of the faints perfeverance ; for he that holdeth the feven ftars in his right hand, will never fufFer the fhadow of death to ftretch it felf over the regions, where his people dwell, till provifion is made for their fafety. The righteous therefore fhall either be taken away from the evil to come, and be lodged in the filent grave ; or, by fome unexpeded turn in provi- dence, they fhall be brought nearer the line, where the gofpel fhines with greater ftrength and beauty ; or if, after all, any true believer be ftill left behind, he fhall be preferv'd by the fpecial care of heaven, though he fhould be as a mourning dove, hid in the " clefts of the rock, in the fc- cret places of the flairs:'* So that however the gifts of the Spirit, or the vifible flate of particular churches may ceafe, yet the work of true grace, with which alone our doctrine is concerned, that fhall never fail. The next remark is, 2. That the continuance, or eflablifh- menc in grace, which the fcriptures aiTerr, refpedts OfTerfevcrance in Grace, 095 refpecSts the flate of believers, but not their frames ; or it refped:s the principle of grace, but not its prefent exercife. It is true, a perfection in grace is de- fign*d hereafter : The faints fliali then be as the wings of a dove, cover'd with filver, and her feathers with yellow gold : Their actings fliall then be conftantly pure and holy, free from all finful mixture and al- loy ; no blemiih fhall fpoil the glory, no defedl fliall mar the beautyof their heaven- ly worfliip. But, while they are in this world, they lie among the pots ; and, as the word of God does not promife, fo nei- ther does it fo much as allow the expecta- tion of a total efcape from all defilements here. Nay, their own hearts are a con- flan t feat of war, for they have two con- tending powers within : They have a law in their members, warring againfl the law of their minds, and they are fometimes brought into captivity to the law of fin, which is in their members. They are too often foil'd in particular conflicts, and fin too frequently gains a temporary afcendant over grace. Hence arife the daily mifcar- riages which flain the character of the brighteft faints. Hence fpring the more grofs enormities and open tranfgreffions of fome believers, by reafon whereof their profefEon is flur'd, their peace broken, their confcience wounded, the paths of U 3 reli' $Q^ OfT^rfeverance in Grace, religion are reproached, and a ftumbling<. block thrown in the way of others. Under the remembrance and {tnfc of thefe things, fome go mourning all their days. Thus Chrift, the Leader or his people^ and the Captain of their falvation, does fometimes fufFer the enemy to take an ad- vantage, that he may have the opportu- nity of difplaying his glory, in recovering it again at his own pleafure, to the greater confufion and overthrow of his and his peoples adyerfaries. But flill, in the midft of all the changes, to which the pre^ fent condition of the faints is liable, there are two things belonging to their ftate, which fhall never fail. (i.) The faints relation to God, that piall never ceafe. The peculiar relation they fland In to God, is that of children to a Father; and fuch are the glories of this relation, that it is founded upon the new covenant, and the Mediator's perfeft atonement. From thence refults the fecurity of their (landing in this grace, as well as their iirft accefs into it ; for though their iniquities, which are daily repeated, highly deferve that this relation fhould be diffolved, yet this judgment fhall be continually prevented, through the ato- ning virtue of the Redeemer's blood. Thus HiUch is intimated, w^hen the apoflle fhews, ihat God's refolution to take his people in- to OfTcrfeverunce in Grace. ^95 to a new and peculiar relation tO' himfelf, is executed through the exercife of his par- doning mercy " ; for this being fettled as the <:onftant method of his difpenfing the grace of adoption, it teaches us thatjulli-. fication and adoption are both founded in the blood of Chrift, and infeparably con- neded one with the other. And, lince thefe bleffings are infeparable, it fol- lows, that the fame promifes which af- fureusthat the juflification of the faints fhall be compleat and perpetual, do like- wife afTure us, that their adoption fhall be uninterrupted and eternal. And when God fays, " I will be merciful to their un* righteoufnefs, and their fins and iniquities will I remember nomore";'* it is con- ftrudtively the fame as if he had faid, I will always be their God, and they fhall always be my people; i. e. the relation fliall con- tinue, they fhall be my fons and my daugh- ters, and that for ever. It mufl be allowed, indeed, that the children of God, by their frowardnefs and remiffnefs in their walk, may provoke him to deny them the light of nis counte- nance, he may hide his face for a time. Or he may frown and make them fenfible of his fatherly dilpleafure, yet the relation fliali never be extind:. God may challizc " Heb. viii. lo, 12. ** Ver. 12. U 4 and ?9^ Of Terfeverance in Grace. and correcft his children ; his compaflion and love will engage him to do fo, but he will never difcard, cr call them out of his family. The paffage we meet with in our Saviour's conference with the Jews, if ta- ken as a ftanding maxim, is a fufficient proof of this. " The Son abideth ever." The antithefis in the verfe direcfts us in the explication, and fhev/s that the words are applicable to the cafe before us, as well as to the purpofe for which our Lord produ- ced them p. The fervant abideth not in the houfe for ever ; no, upon any great offence, or for repeated mifdemeanors, he is difmifs'd, turn'd out of doors, and the relation dijfTolv'd ; but there is one fort of treatment for fervants, and another for children. Wife and tender parents will wait long, and try all methods, to gain upon their children, and win them over unto that fubjedlion and obedience, \yhich is their duty : And will not the Lord, who is infinite in his grace and love, exercife the greatefl forbearance with his children? Since it is in his power, may it not be ex- pected that he will melt them down, turn them from their evil ways, and effeclually draw them with his love ? Does not his promife to heal their back-flidings fuppofe fhat he will take away their iniqi^ky; ' John viii, 35. through Of Ter fever ance in Grace. 097 tlirough the blood of the covenant, and receive them gracioufly •* ? Does not his promife of putting his laws into their mind, and of writing them in their hearts % engage that he will make them to know wifdom in the hidden part, and teach them to walk humbly with their God ? And is not their adoption conftantly accompanied with regeneration, that, by virtue of their new nature, they may be fitted for holy walking? Befides, the defign of their adoption is, that it fhould be to the praife of the glory of his grace ^ ; which it can- not be, unlefs it be perpetual. It can ne- ver be pretended therefore, without a flat contradiftion to fcripture, that any who have been once adopted into the number of the children of God, may afterward fall, fo as to become the children of the devil. (2.) The vital principle of grace in the faints fhall never fail. This principle, which is infufed at the in- ftant of their regeneration, fhall continue and abide in them for ever. The fpiritual life is, in fome refpeds, like the natural, both are liable to many indifpofitions, ficknefl'es, and faintings : And as in a fwooning fit, for a time, all natural fenfe and motion may be gone, and yet the life remain, fo the •» Hof. xiv. 2, 4. "^ Htb. viii. ro. ^ EpK ope- 298 OfTerfeverance in Grace. operations of grace may be interrupted^ and, through the violence of temptation, theftrength of corruption, or fome fpiritual decay, the actings of grace may befufpend- ed, yet the principle of fpiritual life does ftill Continue. Under all the witherings of true believers, the feed of God remains in them, and his anointing dops ftill abide, ©therwife the promife would fail * ; in which it is engaged that the root of the righteous fhall not be moved. Their bloom may be fometimes blighted, or their fruit blown off, and their branches may be tofs*d with tempefts -, but their root fhall not be mov'd 5 no, not through any means, not upon any occalion, nor by any adverfary whatever 5 and this becaufe it is the Lord, who fays, " I will keep it; I will water it every moment "." And, from the authority of fuch declarations of the word, we may venture politively to affert, that none who have had the princi- ple of grace did ever lofe it. Peter's faith, though it fail'd as to its exercife, did yet continue as to its principle, which imme- diately revived, through the affiftance that came with his Saviour's look. It would be wholly inconfiftent with the fuccefs and prevalency of the Redeemer's interceffion, to imagine that the apoftle's grace was to- ^ Prov. xii. 3, " Ifai, xxvii. 3, tally OfTerfeverance in Grace. 9^^ tally loft, after his Lord had pray'd that his faith fliould not fail j and Chrift's in- terceffion, which is ftill carried on in hea- ven, is a firm fecurity for the prefervation of the fpiritual life of all believers. For wife and holy ends, indeed, he may fufFer' them to fall, to the breaking of their bones, that they may learn to be humble and watchful ; but the vital principle of grace fhall never be extinguiflied; for their life, in the fountain and original of it, is hid with Chrift in God "^j where it is kept fafe, out of the reach of the venomous darts of all its deadly enemies. This leads us to the laft remark, which is, 3. That all means neceffary for the ac- complifliing this good work, are under the dired:ion of God, and all poffiblc interve- ning events, which would threaten a dif- appointment, are fubjed; to his controul. The means neceffary for the perfe as appears from their epiftles, pray for the eftablifhment of the faints -, it fol- . low's, that their eftablifliment is a thing agreeable to the divine counfel. And fince thefe petitions fland clear of thofe e^^preC- lions of fubmiffion, which attended their prayers, when events were t6 them un- certain, the holy fervour and confidence, with which they are prefented, afford a good proof that the apofl:Ies knew what they pray'd for herein to be really agree- able to the purpofe of God, and confe- quently that God had declared and pro- mifed this blefling in the covenant of grace. As to the pretence, that fuch an afili- rance of the faints efl:abliinment would have rendered their prayers needlefs, or that it would have been impertinent in X a them 508 Of Terfeverance in Grace, them to have pray'd for that which Gdo had promifed and allured them he would give ', this can no more afFed the prayers of the apoftles, than it would affed the prayer of David, who was a more proper judge of the fitnefs of a requeft to be of- fered to God, than any among us can pre- tend to be ; and yet we find he pleaded for the very thing which God had affured him fliould come to pafs : " Now, O Lord God, the word which thou haft fpo- ken concerning thy fervant, and concern- ing his houfe, eftabliih it for ever, and do as thou haft laid \" In his example then we have an in- ftance to prove that the faints affurance of God's intention to confer a blefling upon them,did not make them think their prayers were needlefs, and would be impertinent ; and that this affurance, inftead of making them remifs and negligent in their duty, as fome have fuggefted, will be one of the moft powerful means of giving vigour and life to their fupplications. This is alfo evident from that expreflion of David, where he fays ; " For thou, O Lord of hofts, Godof Ifrael, haft revealed to thy fervant, faying, I will build thee an houfe, therefore hath thy fervant found in his ^ 2 Sam. vii. 2 J. heart Of Terfeverance in Grace. 309 heart to pray this prayer unto thee'T and fo he goes on in the following verfes, ftill pointing to the promife upon which his hope was raifed, as the fpecial reafon and motive, by which his importunity in prayer was quickened. And fince the way of the Lord with his fervants is one, in teaching them to regu- late their prayers by his declarations of mercy, why may we not conclude, that the infpired prayers of the apoftles were founded on a divine revelation and promife, as well as thefe prayers of David, we may be fure at leaft that no impropriety in pre- fenting requefts upon fuch a founda- tion, can ever be any juft objection a- gainft it. And fliould this be admitted, yet it will not follow, as fome would fuggeft, that then, from the faints prayers for daily proteftion and prefervation from fin, it might be infer'd that God had promifed them an abfolute fecprity from all tranf- greffion. This is not a parallel cafe , for there is a vaft difference between the infpired prayers of the apoftles, and the weak fup« plications of thofe who have received the gifcs and graces of the Spirit, in a much ^ i Sam. vii. 27* X 3 lower 210 Of Terfcverance in Grace. lower degree, and who, at beft, fliare ia his affiftance, in a very imperfedt mea- fure, even fuch as leaves them fubjeft to many failures in their prayers, as well as in any other part of their con- dua. We may alfo obferve, that the daily petitions of the faints for proteftion from fin, are grounded upon general promifes and declarations in the word, that ^^ fin fhall not have dominion over them "^ ;'* that " the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation^;" and that "God, who is faithful, will not fufFer them to be tempted above that they are able, but will, with the temptation, alfo make a way to eiiape, that they may be able to bear it ^." And all thefe prayers of the faints, put up in faith and hope, fhall be anfwer'd, either in kind, or in value; ei- ther they fhall have, in particular inflances, the protection they afk, and be pre- ferved from committing the tranfgreflionj againfl which they pray, or the fin fhall be pardon'd through the Redeemer's blood, and they recovered from it with greater advantage, their flrength being renewed, and their experience oi his grace eri- larged. ^ Rom„ vi. 140 y i Per, ii. 9^ * i Cor. But OfTerJeverance in Grace. 5 1 1 But if a final perfeverance Ihould not be granted, then all their prayers woul4 be loft y and not theirs only, but the prayers of the infpired writers on their behalf; for, fhould they mifs of this fa- vour, no after-bleffing could be found to countervail the lofs, which, by a final apoftacy, they muft fuftain. But this fhall never be the cafe of any of the faints, for the way of the Lord, which has been kindnefs and mercy in promifing falva- tion, fhall likewife be faithfulnefs and truth ^ in the performance of it. ^ Pfai. XXV, 10,' X 4 S E R-. SERMON II. Philip, i. 6. Being confident of this very thing, that he 'which hath begun a good work in you, will per- form it until the Day ofjefm Chrift, FTER I had explained the words of the text, in the former difcourfe, I raised this dodlrinal obfervation, viz. that. Dod:. The good work of grace fliall be invincibly carried on to perfedion in all the faints. 3 14- OfTerfeverance in Grace. I then ftated the point, and gave a ge- neral proof of it, by ohferving how fre- quently this dodrine is mentioned in fcrip- ture, I iliall proceed now to conlider fome particular arguments to fupport it. The chief I {hall infifl: upon iliall be drawn from the following heads. 1. The immutability of the purpofe and prcmife of God. 2. The Redeemer's care over his people, with his peculiar relation unto, and union with them. 3. The conftant abode and inhabitation of the Holy Ghoft in the fouls of belier vers. I. I {hall confider the immutability of the purpofe and promife of God, as one argument for the proof of this dodtrine. The harmonious agreement which there is between thefe tv/o, makes it needlefs here to fpeak to them apart 5 for as the promife is a declaration of the counfel of God, fo a declaration of his counfel in this matter is equivalent to a promife. And if, for brevity fake, I {liould, under this head, wave the diftindtion, and confider them together -, or if I fliould promifcuoufly call one by the name of the other, it will nor, I think, in the lea{l affecft the argument. That I m^ay ftill contracfl the more, I jfhall prefume upon fome things which lie as the foundation of our reafoning ; but OfTerfc^verance in Grace. ^je but flhall be careful herein nat to^ exceed what, I apprehend, would be allowed by thofe of the contrary fcheme. The things then which I take for granted are thefe^ namely, that the declarations of grace, made in the word of God, are to be the only rule of our faith, and the juft and adaequate foundation of our hope, in all matters that refped the welfare of the faints in time, and to eternity. Further, I prefume, it will be allowed that there are many promifes in the word of God which relate to the faints perfeverance in grace, and that thefe promifes fhall be made good, according to the meaning and defign of him that gave them. As to the prefent argument therefore, theproof of out; dodirine depends upon a right interpreta- tion, and du^ application of the promifes ; and this fhews it to be my proper bufinefs, under this head, to make out thefe two propofitions. (i.) That final perfeverance is promifed in the word of God. (2.) That the promifes wherein this is contained, are applicable to all believers. (i.) Final perfeverance is promifed in the word of God. If we look into the promifes, we (liall quickly find, that, among other articles of fpiritual bleflings, this privilege of the faints perfeverance is one, really compre- hended 3l6 Of Terfeverance in Grace. hended and afcertained. For an inftance hereof I ihall name that text where the apoftle declares, that " the Lord hathfaid, I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee V That we may interpret thefe words in a confiftence with their context, and with other parts of divine revelation, as well as with the fpecial defign for which they are quoted and ufed by the apoftle, it will be proper to obferve, in fome inftances, what is not included in them, and thca declare more diredtly what their meaning muft be. We may be confident, thefe words could never mean, that, through the prefence of God with his people, they (hould have an exemption from all ftraights and difficul- ties in the world, or from inward temp- tations, any mere than outward; nor that they fhould be abfolutely preferved from finning, any more than from being tempted to fin. Such a conftrudion is peremptorily forbidden, by feveral exprcf- iions in the context, which fhews, that, among thofe who had an intereft in the promife, fome " were in bonds, and did fuifer adverfity," while others, who enjoy 'd an outward profperity, were tempted to *' covetoufnefs in their converfation ; *' and it would be a weaknefs to imagine, * Heb. xiii. J. 2 that3 Of Terfeverance in Grace. ^i^ that, in the midft of thefe many tempta- tions, they did wholly efcape all inward defilement. The words therefore could never be intended to engage for a prefent exemption from fuch evils as thefe. Their meaning then muft be, that the faints fhould never be wholly defer ted, nor utterly abandoned by the Lord. His pro- mife " never to forfake them," muft be fuppofed to fignify, that he would be ever with them as their covenant-God and Fa- ther, through his Son j that he would ever appear, in his own way, on their behalf, and exert himfelf in his all-fufficiency, ac- cording to his infinite wifdom, power, and love, to fupport and comfort them in their afHidtions, to relieve them under their temptations, or to revive and reftore them after they had fallen. It means, that tho' they might not always have him in their fight, yet he would be ever with them, by his gracious and his holy prefence, to prevent their total apoftacy, and to fecure their final perfeverance in grace, till they are brought fafe to glory. And this explication is entirely agree- able to many other paflTages in fcripture j particularly to thofe words of the apoftle, where he exprefsly aflerts, " That the Lord fhall ftablifh his people, and keep them from evil V And again, to what ? iTheff. iii. 5. he 3l8 Of Terfeverancc in Grace. he fays in another place, where, after He prays for the Theffalonians, that " their whole fpirit, foul, and body, be preferved blamelefs unto the coming of Chrift," he prefently adds, " Faithful is he that call- eth yoU) who alfo will do it "^i" And this infallible declaration being immediately fubjoin'd, the apoftle's petition is thereby advanced, beyond all contradiction, into the full fignificancy of an heavenly promife. Thus you fee a final perfeverance in grace is fully comprehended and afcer- tained in the promife and purpofe of God; and it is needlefs here to produce any far- ther proof of this kind ; only, before I quit this head, I am obliged to obferve, as to the pafTages laft quoted from the epiftles to the Theffalonians, that though they come up fully to our prefent purpofe, yet they will not bear fuch a conftrudtion as would make them prove too much. This, indeed, has been the pretence of fome, who tell us, that either they muft promife an abfolute freedom from all evil in this prefent ftate, or they cannot be taken ab-^ folutely to promife an efcape from any evil at all. Thus fome, by ftretching the ineaning of thefe texts too far, have at- tempted to weaken their force, that they might not Hand in fuch a fit condition for ^ I Their. V. 23, 24. Of Terfeverance in Grace. 5 1 ^ ihe defence of our dodlrine, as their juft explication would fairly leave them. But the guard with which the words are fur- founded in their refpedtive contexts, is abundantly fufficient to over-rule the ex- travagance of fuch a wild conftrudlion ; and our argument remains, after all, in its full ftrength, to anfwer the purpofe for which it is produced : For, in one of the places, the apoftle defires the prayers of the Theffalonians for his own de- liverance from outward troubles ; and, in the other he prefentS his prayers for them, that they may be wholly fandli- fied. Thefe paiTages are a good clew ta lead us into the true meaning of thefe promifes, and do unanfwerably determine their fenfe to be this, viz. That though the Lord may fuffer his children to be in trouble, as the apoftle himfelf then w^as ; or though he may leave them to fall into fin, as will be frequently the cafe, while they are fandlified but in part, yet he will infallibly keep them fafe from all fuch evils, as would prevent their progrefs to a final perfeftion in holinefs, or bar their appearing at laft without blame before him in love. I come now to the fecond propo- fition advanced, which is that, (2.) Thefe promifes are applicable to all believers. This ^7o Of Terfeverance in Grace. This will be evident, if we confider that every true believer anfwers the charadlers by which the word defcribes the perfons to whom thefe promifes do belong, and for whofe falvation the promifes do en- gage. For inflance : Are they defcribed by their trufting in God, as where the Pfalmift fays, '' They that truft in the Lord fliall be as mount Sion, which can- not be removed, but abideth for ever ^ V* This part of the charafter is ever found with true believers : It is an eflential pro- perty of faith to be trufting in the Lord. Faith teaches, diredts, and, fo far as it prevails, it enables the foul of a believer to truft God in the way of his covenant. He trufts God with all his concerns, whether relating to foul or body : He trufts in hira for all the bleffings and benefits v/hich he has promifed to give, through his Son, that his people may be fafe, eafy, and com- fortable here, as well as happy, bleffed, and glorious hereafter : And where there is no trufting in God, there is no faith. Again, are the heirs of the promife de- fcribed by their humility, as where it is faid, the Lord " giveth grace unto the humble^?" As to this, there can be no more certain evidence of true humility, than a man's quilting his own righteouf- ^ Pfal. cxxv. I. f James iv« 6. nefs^ Of Ter fever ance in Grace. ^'3ii nefs, his renouncing all confidence in the flefh, and truly fubmitting himfelf to be faved entirely and only by the righceouf- nefs of Chriil, and the firength of his Re- deemer. Nor can there be a more mani- feft proof of true humility, than, a belie- ver's deliberate, refolved, and chearful rc- fignation of himfelf to the command, con- dud:, and difpofal of his heavenly Lord and Matter. Once more are the heirs of the promife defcribed by their affection and love to Ghrift 'y as where the apoftle fays, " Grace be w^ith all them that love our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity V What clearer proof can there be of an hearty affedion to the dear Redeemer, than a perfon's facrificing his moil beloved luft and corruption, and his fuffering the lofs of thole things, which are deareft to the flefh, that he may win Chrifl, and be found faithful in his adhe- rence to him ? And are not all thefe things wrought by the Spirit in the heart of every believer ? Do they not, in fad:, enter the charader of all the faints? We may therefore juft- ly infer, that the faints are all interefted in the promifes which engage for a final per- feverance,andconfequently they fhall be as mount Sion, which cannot be removed. ^ Eph. Yi« 2,4. Vol. II. ' Y And, ^77 Oj T^rfcverance in Grace. And, fince this muft be underftood of a continuance in a ftate of grace, we may learn, from hence, that all the cautions and threatnings, all the commands and exhortations in fcripture, which have any reference to perfons continuing in the faith, or their holding the beginning of their confidence ftedfaft to the end, fhould never be fo interpreted, as to claifh with thefe, and the like clear and full decla- rations of the word. But this is apparent- ly done, when thofe cautions and exhor- tations are pretended to be fo many preg- nant evidences, that a true believer may fall from a ftate of grace j or when they are reckoned plain indications, that God hath made no abfolute decree, or promife, that he fhall not do fo s. However, it may be an happy means of preferving us from the bad influence of fuch a miftaken interpretation, if we care- fully obferve how much the fcriptures abound with promifes of this kind, as I have fhewn in my former difcourfe, under the general proof of the point. But, for the further confirmation of the argument, which has now been infifted upon, I fhall here add a few remarks concerning the promifes of falvation made to believers. 8 Dt* Whitby's Difcourfe, Pag. 417. I [I.] The. OfTcrfevcrcmce in Grace. ^aj [i.] The falvation- which is promifed muil be meant of an eternal falvation. Accordingly when Chrift fays, " He that bclieveth in me, fhall never die '^ ^'^ and ^' he that betieveth, (hall be faved ^ s" the meaning is, fuch fhall be blefs'd with eter- nal life, with eternal falvation. , [2.] Thefe promifes are made to belie- vers as fuch. They refpecS not theftrength or the high degree of faith, but the truth of it 5 and are therefore applicable to per- fons upon their firft entrance into a ftate of grace. The denomination of the perfons to whom they belong, is founded on that change of ftate, and on thofe vital aftings of the nev/ creature, which are common to all who are born again. He that has been quicken'd and enabled to perform tliofe elTential adings of faith, which re- late to the receiving Chrift, as the Lord his righteoufnefs and ftrength, is truly a believer, and, in this fenfe, as much a believer, as he who has had a farther growth in grace ; and confequently they that are weak in faith, have the fame in- tereft in the promife, as they that are ftrong, [;^.} Thefe promifes comprehendan infepa- rabie connexion between true faith and eter- nal falvation. This muft be granted j or the '' John xi> z6. ' ' Mark xvi. i6, Y 2 abfo- 524- Of Ter fever ance in Grace. abfolute truth of the propofition, in which the promife is contained, muft be denied. If the poffibility of a believer's miffing of falvation muft be allow'd, the abfolutenefs of the truth of the promife will be de- ftroy'd; for it might then be faid, He that believeth may not be faved. And were it certain that any believers would, in fact, fall from grace, andperilh at laft, it might be indifferently affirmed, with equal truth, fome believers ihall be faved, and fome fhall not. The conftrudion that might then be put upon the proclamation of grace, andgrant of falvation made to believers in the promife, would amount to little more than this: He that believeth may be faved. The matter would thus reft upon probabi- lity only; and what does fo, may never come to pafs. Thus, according to the fcheme which pleads for a poffibility of falling from grace, the falvation of belie- vers is reduced to an uncertainty at leaft. But this is what the ftyle of feveral of the promifeswill by no means admit of ; which run thus : " He that believeth fliall not come into condemnation ^ :'* *' He fhall not be confounded ^ :" " He fhall not be afhamed *"." No fuch interpretation of the promifes as that fcheme requires, can fuit with the language of fcripture in this affair, ^ John V. 24, ^ I Pec. ii. <5, J^ Rom, ix, J 3. I or Of Ter fever ance in Grace. ^'^^ or fiipport the certainty of thole glorious declarations, which tell us, that they who believe are *' paffed from death unto life " ;" that *' he that hath the Son hath life ° ;" yea, <' he that believeth on the Son, hath everlafting life ^ ;" " and thefe things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life ^^Z' It follows, that, [4.] Thefe promifes of falvation muft be underftood to give an aflurance of the be- liever's final perfeverance. Juft as when God promifed Abraham % that his feed iliould inherit the land of Ca- naan, he did thereby engage to give A- braham a feed, to raife up his pofterity, and protecSl them through all furrounding dangers, till they were put into the poflef- fion of the promifed land. In like man- ner, by God's promifing falvation to be- lievers, he engages for every thing necefla- ry to its being obtained ; and a final per- feverance in grace, being, as all allow, in- difpenfablyneceffary thereunto, hispromife of falvation muft be conftrued to carry in it an inviolable engagement for that in particular. Let thefe confiderations be duly weighed, and it will appear to be wrong in any to " John V. 24, ? I John v. li. P John iii. 56. ■^ I John V. 13. *■ Gen. xvii. 8. Y 3 make 306 Of Terfeverame in Grace. make the believers, continuing in faith, fuch a condition of his falvation, as fhall render this a matter of fufpenfe, or his falling from grace, a thing that is poffible. The folemn engagements of the Lordhim- felf being an infallible fecurity for the one, and an immoveable guard againft the o- ther. Hence it appears that believers have good reafon to remain unfhaken in their holy confidence 5 that when God has once put his covenant-fear into the hearts of any, fuch fliall not be fuffer'd to de- part from him ^ ; no, but he who has infufed the principle of grace, will pre- ferve it, caufe it to fpring, and make it thrive ; for he has promifed *' to be as the dew unto Ifrael: He fliall grow as the lilly, and caft forth his root as Lebanon ^'* Nor fliould we fuffer thefe, or the like promifes to be wrelled out of our hands, nor our fouls to be deprived of the comfort of them, though it fliould be fuggefted that thofe words did refpedl a national bleffing ; lince their particular and fpecial applica- tion to the cafe of every believer is war- ranted by our Lord himfelf, where he fays, " For whofoever hath, to him fliall be given, and he (hall have more abundance ""." 'As likewife by the profefs'd declaration of ? Jefo sxxii. 40. ^ Hof. xiv. 5. ^ Matt, xiii i^. the Of Tcr fever ancc in Grace ^ -yzj the defiga of his coming, which was not only that his people " might have life, but that they might have it more abun- dantly ""." And, through a becoming faith in the immutability and certainty of thefe and many other promifes and declarations of the word, we may be aflured that no true believer ever did, or ever fliall, fill from a flate of grace s but, in what happy foul foever the good work is once begun, it fhall be carried on and compleated. As a farther proof of this, let us proceed to another head of argument, propofed to be infifted upon ; namely, 2. The Redeemer's care over his people, together with his peculiar relation unto, and union with them. I fliall confider this head diftindlly un- der two branches j and ihall take notice, (i.) Of Chrift's care over his people. Several of the titles given to the Media- tor, are fuch as denote a charge or truft committed to him ; as where he is term'd " God's Servant '^ ;" *' the Meffenger of the covenant >';" " the Apoftle and High Prieft of our profeffion ^," &c. When our Lord was upon earth, he conftantly ac- knowledged that he a6ted, as Mediator, by commifTion from his Father 5 that he "^ John X. 10. ^ Ifa^xllf, i. y Mai. iii. j, ^ Heb. iii. I. Y 4 *^ came gl8 Of Terfeverance in Grace. " came down from heaven, not to do his own will, but the will of him that fent him V Now the purport of his eommiC- fion is fum'd up by himfelf, when he fays, " This is the Father's will, which hath fent me -, that of all which he hath given me, I fhould lofe nothing, but fhould raife it up again at the laft day V That his people might have the comfort of know- ing that their falvation was included in his charge, when he repeats the declaration in the next verfe ; he varies his terms, fay- ing, *' This is the will of him that fent mc, that every one which feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaft- ing life'^'* i.e. may certainly have it. This was the defign of the trull committed to hirn. But for this, even for the whole of it, did he engage, when he faid, " I will raife hini up at the laft day ^." And his pofitive engagement j for that event muft imply an engagement for his peoples final perfeverance in grace ; this being of fuch abfolute necefficy, that without it they could not be raifed to life everlafting. Now we may ftrongly argue, from our Saviour's faithfulnefs, that as he will ne- ver fufFer any to pluck his people out of ^ John vi. l8. ' Ver. jj, ^ Ver. ^o. ^ y^^^ his Of Terfiverance in Grace. 209 his hand, fo neither will he fuffer them to fall out of it, through any folly or mad- nefs of their own. He has exprefsly faid, concerning his fheep, " I give unto them eternal life, and they fhall never perifh 5 neither ihall any pluck them out of my hand V' After this, (hould it ever hap-- pen that any of his flock did perifh, it would equally flur the glory of his word, whether their deftrudlion was effected by an open enemy, or by fomething in them- felves. Befides, it was their pronenefs to wander from God ; that was one fpecial reafon of the Father's appointing, and c^' Chrifl's undertaking the office of a Shep- ^ herd to watch over them. And if, after all his fpecial and his folemn engagements for their fafety, they fhould any of them perifh at laft, then the honour of his office and the glory of his faithfulnefs mulT: fall to the ground. But this we are ilire can never be. This text then does flrongly conclude for the dodlrine of the faints perfeverance : And this will appear more fully fill], if we obferve that the words mufl be under- flood to refped the fafety of Chrift's fheep, in their paffage through this wildernefs ^ for it would by no means fuit with the perfeftion and glory of heaven to apply the « Johnx. a 8. decla- 2 go Of Tcrfevcrancc in Grace, declaration in the latter part of the verfe, " Neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand," to the faints in that ftate, as fome would have it. Since no unclean thing can fo much as enter into the New Jerufalem, we may be confident no daring adverfary can ever appear there to make fo bold an attempt. This {hews that all pro- priety of interpretation would be loft, lliould Chrift's promife to blaft all attempts for his peoples ruin be underftood to re- late to thofe upper regions, in which no fuch attempts can poffibly be made. We may farther obferve, that though, in the beginning of the verfe, Chrift fpeaks of his giving his flieep eternal life ; yet even this expreffion will be of no fervice to determine, as the fame perfons would have it, that the fecurity there pro- mifed muft be defer'd till the faints fhall come to the uninterrupted felicity of the world above. For this paffage may be un- derftood of Chrift's effedually calling his people into a ftate of grace, and of his bring- ing them into the real enjoyment of com- munion with God ; and thus of his giving them the beginning of eternal life, even in this world. Such an explication would be very agreeable to matters of fad:, and confonant to other places, where it is faid, '•^ He that believeth on the Son, hath ever- lafting life;" and then all pretence for un- derftanding Of Verfeverance in Grace. ^^j derftanding the fafety promifed in the text, to relate principally to the heavenly ftate, would be wholly precluded. But granting the phrafe fliould here be underftood of the future bleffednefs, it will then fhew us what fhall certainly be the refult and iffue of our Saviour's prefent care over his flock, but will ftill be far from fuggefting that his (heep muft firft be received into glory, before they fliall fhare in his pro- tecflion. Thus you fee, that notwithflanding all the endeavours of fome to bear down the teftimony of this fcripture, yet, upon a fair conftrucSion, and due conlideration of it, we might venture the proof of our dodtrine to reft upon its fingle evidence. (2.) I fliall next take notice of Chrift*s relation to the faints, and his union with them. Each of thefe particulars would bear a diftinft confideration ; but, fmce the blef- fings themfelves are infeparable, I {hall blend them together under this head, and briefly fhew in what light thefe things are fet in the word of God, and what de- ductions pertinent to our prefent fubjecS may be drawn from them. There are many images made ufe of in fcripture, by which the nearnefs of this relation, and the ftriftnefs of this union, are reprefented. The places in which they are 33^ 0/ Terfeverance in Grace. are contained, are abundantly known : Such, for inftance, as thefe, where it is faid, for the comfort and encouragement of the church, that " her Maker is her Hufband ^;" *f her Saviour is her Head s." And this not in a political fenfe, merely as a prince is the head of his fubjefts, but in allufion to the natural fenfe of thp word. Accordingly believers are exprefsly termed the " members of Chrift's body, of his flefli, and of his bones V* Again, he is .faid to be " the vine, they the branches '." From fuch pafTages and comparifons as thefe, I apprehend, we may juftly infer that there cannot be a ftridler union be- tween any two things in the w^orld, than there is between Chrift and his people. Farther, that this union refpecls every par- ticular believer. And in confequence here- of he has fuch a communion with Chrift, as will infallibly fecure his ftanding in grace. AH the faints having communion with Chrift in his death, their iniquities, by which the prefence of God, and the renewed fupplies and fuccours of his grace are forfeited, fliall be pardoned. He be- ing wounded for their tranfgreffions, and the chaftifement of their peace being laid upon him, by his ftripes they are and (hall '" If2i. liv. 5. s Eph. V. 23. ^ Ver. 30. ^ Joha xv. 5. ■ be Of Terfeverance in Grace. 33 ^ be healed. Thro' the virtue of his death then, all the bleffings of the covenant are properly conftituted and confirmed to be the lure mercies of David. Again, having communion v^ith him in his life, he, who is their Head of righteoufnefs, is alfo their Head of vital influence, from whom ftrength is derived, according to his effe- ctual working in every part of his myftical body ; and this communication fhall be according to the meafijire that is befl fuited to anfwer every defign intended by their prefent eflablifhment and final falvation. Nothing fhort of the believer's expecta- tion, and afifured hope of this falvation at laft, can be a proper return for fome of Chrift's laft breathings j when he faid to his difciples, for the encouragement and comfort of all his people, " Becaufe I live, ye (hall live alfo ^." Which words are a juft foundation, whereupon to build an aflfurance that believers can no more fall from their relation to Chrift, and that ftate of grace into which he has called them, than Chrift himfelf can be pluck'd out of his throne, or fall from his glory. Some, indeed, would infinuate, that though his people fhall never perifh, thro* any defed: on his part, for he will be faith- ful to them while they abide faithful to ^ Johq xiv, 19, him ; 3 5 4: Q/^ Terfeverance in Grace. him; yet believers, being not natural, but myflical members, may therefore cut off themfelves, and fo perifh. But to this, aad aJl fuggeftions of the like kind, I think, a juil and full reply may be given from the truths we have now advanced j for Chrift's headfhip is not an empty title ; nor are his relations mere infignificant names, but thefe are eminently filPd up with that divine affecflion, tendernefs, and compaffion, which infinitely tranfcends the higheft degree of love and pity that can be found with the neareft and dea reft relations in the world. We may therefore conclude, that a woman, yea, that the moft tender and affectionate among women, may fooner forget her fucking child, and, through want of compaiSon to the fruit of her body, negleft either the food or medicines neceffary for its nourifhment and preferva- tion, than Chrift can forget or forfake any of his members '. There can be no room to doubt but he will be ever mindful of them, to uphold and eftablifh them, *' for- giving all their iniquities, and healing all their difeafes '"." Were we to confider Chrift as a Shep- herd only, we might, from thence, infer the perpetual fecurity, and eternal fafety, of all his people; for fhould his fheep fall [ Ifai.xlix. 15. ^ Pfal.ciii. 3. as Of Ter fever ance in Grace. 535 as the prey of wolves, or as the fpoil of robbers, or fhould they peri{h through a fpreading fcab, or their own wanderings, the damage and lofs would be ftill the fame. We may be confident therefore not a fheep of his fhall perifh by one of thefe means, more than by another. Bur, when we confider the nearnefs of believers to Chrift, as they are his myfti- cal body, and thus the beloved parts of himfelf, we have then the ftrongefl: aflu- rance poffible that they (hall ever be pre- ferved ; for what man, in his right mind, did ever yet hate his own flefh, or fuffer the meaneft part of himfelf to mortify and perifh, when it was in his power to pre- vent it ? We may be fure then Chrift will never fuffer any of the faints to fall finally or totally, while their union with him does remain. And that this friall continue ever, IS plain, from the refemblance which it bears to the eternal union becv/een his Fa- ther and himfelf; which refemblance is fuppofed and refer'd • to by Chrift, when, praying for his people, he fays, '' That they all may be one, as thou. Father, art in me, and I thee;" and again, " that they may be one, even as we are one ; I in them, and thou in me ".'' And this refemblance lies particularly in the perpe- " John xvii. zi, 2i. tual 3^6 OfTerfiverance in Grace » tual and endlefs duration of the union. This everlafting union between Chrift and his people, ftands then as a firm and con- ftant fupport of the invincible perfeverance of all the faints. There is one argument more, which re- mains to be confider'd j and that is taken from, 3. The inhabitation and confiant refi- dence of the Spirit of God in the fouls of believers. That the Spirit of God is given to every believer, may be proved from thofe words oftheapoftle, " If any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his ^" All true difciples of Chrift partake not only of the gifts, but of the graces of the Spirit. This is evident, in that he quickens them ^ ; they are born of the Spirit ^, and led by the Spirit \ and do fhare in thofe graces of faith, love, meeknefs, &c. which are the fruits of the Spirit '"." I need not ftay to infiftupon this, nor to ihew that where he does conftantly refide in any, thefe fliall be enabled to endure to the end. All this, I prefume, will be allowed. That which my argument does more immediately oblige me to prove, is the conftan.cy of his abode in the hearts of his ® Rom. viii. 9. p John vi. 63. '^ Chap. iii. 5' *' Rom. viii. 14. f Gal, v. i2. people. Of Tcrfeverance in Grace. 337 people. And for this, I think, we have a ftrong proof in our Saviour's requeft^ which is equivalent to a promife; " 1 will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever ; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, becaufe it feeth him not, neither knoweth him 5 but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and iTiall be in you ^" That the be^ nefit of this requeft belongs to all the faints, appears from hence, becaufe the difcrimi- nating mark here applied to the difciples^ did not diftinguifh them from other true believerSj but only from the men of the world. I may add, the very mark by which they are defcribed is found upon every true believer, diftinguifhing him from the world, as really as it did the difciples themfelves 5 for all believers have a faving knowledge of the Spirit> and aa experimental acquaintance with him in his gracious dealings, and fandtifying opera- tions. We may therefore be aflured he dwells in them, and abides with them for ever. But, in oppofition to this^ we are told^ that they who have been the temple of God, by virtue of his Spirit's dwelling in them, may fo corrupt this temple, as to ^ John xiv. i<5, 17, Vol. IL Z b^ 33^ Of Terfeverance in Grace. be deftroy'd ; that they may provoke the Spirit wholly to depart to their utter ruin : For the proof of this, thefe words of the apoftle are quoted ; " If any man defile the temple of God, him (hall God de- To fet this matter in a true light, we are to remember that the temple of God, even in its metaphorical fenfe, when applied to the faints, falls under a twofold confide- ration. Sometimes it is to be underftood of the faints colledlively; at other times, it is meant of them as diftributively confi- der'd. In the former fenfe, by the temple of God is meant a gofpel church j in the latter, a particular believer. Now, in the place that is quoted, the apoftle fpeaks of the faints coUedlively, as builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit j this we may learn from his own expreffions, where he fays, " Know yenotthat yeare the temple of God;" again, which " temple ye are "^ j" where, it is plain, he fpeaks of them colledlively, be- caufe the word " temple," in the lingular number, is joined with a pronoun perfonal in the plural. This muft be allowed then, that by the temple, is there meant a church ofChrift. Next let us fee what is meant by defi- ling this temple of God. To this purpofe, V I Cor.iii. 17. ![ Ver. i(5, 17. we Of Ter fever ance in Grace » ^2d we muft obferve what the apoflle had been treating of in the preceding verfes. From the tenth to the fixteenth verfe, he fhews the different event of the miniftry of different perfons ; particularly in the fifteenth verfe, he fignilies the unhappy confequence of the labours of fome, w^ho, tho' they v^ere right in the foundation, yec were very wrong in the fuperflrudture. After this, he immied lately proceeds to fhew the certain deftrudtion of men of corrupt minds, who have no regard, ei- ther that their preaching, or that their own fouls, might be built upon Chrifl, the fure foundation. And then de- clares, that if any man defile, or, as it is in the margin, if he corrupt, the temple, that is, the church of God, either by fuchi error in dodtrine, fuch fuperflition or in- novations in worfhip, or by any fuch vile pra6:ices, as deface the beauty of the church, or threaten the deflrudion and overthrow of the church-fiate it felf, fuch a one would God deflroy. This I take to be a fair ej^plication of the text, which, at once, fets afideall that has been advanced from ir, in oppofition to the argument that we are upon : For no colourable objection can be raifed from it, againfl the Spirit's conttant and perpetual feiidence in the fouls of his people, but upon a fuppofidon, that the perfoa \vho dehlcs' Z 2 the 34-0 Of Terfevcrame in Grace, the temple of God, is a true believer, and thus himfelf a temple of the Holy Ghoft ; whereas no fuppofition of this kind is con- tained in the apoftle's reprefentation of the cafe. On the contrary, he intimates, that the man who is fuppofed to defile the tem- ple, is in fuch a flate of ignorance and darknefs, and fuch a ftranger to any expe- rimental acquaintance with Chrift, the foundation, as can never be allowed con- cerning any true believer; nay further, that he is guilty of that felf-deceit, of that craftinefs and carnal policy, and of thofe vain thoughts which are altogether incon- fiftent with the Spirit's dwelling in him ^. So that this text, when rightly opened, gives not the Icaft countenance to the no- tion, " Tliat they who have been the temple of God by virtue of his Spirit's dwelling in them, may fo corrupt them- felves, as to be deftroy'd." As to any farther pretended plea for the Spirit's total departure, taken from the de- filements which they may poffibly contract, who are, indeed, his temple ; I think, a fufficient reply might be given, from what we have already proved out of the facred writings under the laft head, concerning the abiding union between Chrill and his people. But I fliall add, that if all the ^ 1 Cor. iii. iS, 19. rebel- OfTerfeverance in Grace. 54. rebellions committed by them, while they were in their natural ftate, could not hin- der the Spirit's approach, nor exclude them from the benefit of his entrance at their regeneration, then fure no mifcar- riage, committed after their effectual call- ing, fliall caufe him wholly to depart, and leave them, his continuance being fecured through the redemption of Chrift and his interceffion ; *' For if when we were ene- mies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being recon- ciled we (hall he faved by his life ^ This point then of the Spirit's conftant refidence in the hearts of his people, flands firm, againfl all oppofition, and, in con- fequence thereof, the dodlrine of the faints final perfeverance remains unfhaken ; for how lliall the Spirit abide, as the Paraclete, Advocate, or Comforter of his people, unlefs he continues to be their Sandifier ? And fince hisconftant refidence is promifed under all thofe charaders, we may be confident his people can never fall frorn grace. Thus I have gone through all the argu- ments propofed for the defence of this do- (flrine, though not all that might have been brought ; for I thought it better to give what I have produced, a full confide«f >' Rom. V. 10. Z 3 ration ^/^2 Of Terfcverance in Grace. ration, than by mentioning more, to have prevented my fetting thefe in fo clear and ftrong a light, as I v^as firmly perfwaded their matter would bear. And I would hope, thac the great truths which I have thus collected from fcripture, concerning the immutability of the purpofe and promife of God, concerning the Redeemer's care over his people, v./ith his peculiar relation unto and union v/ith them, and concern- ing the conflant abode and inhabitation of the Spirit in the fouls of believers, will be of fufficient weight to fettle the judgment, and eftablifli the faith of the faints in this important article. And I would humbly truft, that, through the blefling of God, they may be the happy means of promoting the comfort and joy of believers, though they fliould fail of fuccefs, as to the con- vidlion of thofe who are otherwife minded, which yet is what I heartily wifli, and (liall earneflly pray for. But, that this may be effeded, there re- mains a further expedient now to be ufed: And thus I pafs on to the laft general head; under which, III. I iliall make a reply to theprincipal objections, which, fome apprehend, for- bid their aifent to the dodrine of the faints perfeverance, as it has been here Hated and ^flerted. A; I Of Terfeverance in Grace. 34.^ At my entrance upon this part of my work I muft obferve that our doftrine be- ing founded upon the mofi: exprefsand full declarations of fcripture, I fhall not think my felf obliged to take much notice of any objedions tlMt are not grounded upon fome paffage in tl^e word of God, and thus feem in the judgment of the objeftor to be coun- tenanced by divine authority. Accordingly I fhall wave a niceconfiderationof the me- taphylical and abftrufe reafonings of thofe who are for preffing this and other points of divine Revelation, with the difficulties which in their fentiments attend the recon- ciling the predetermination and abfolute decree of God with the liberty of man as a free agent. Befides, this controverfy, as I apprehend, more properly belongs to ano- ther topick, and is ufually handled by thofe that treat of the decrees and foreknowledge of God. It cannot therefore juflly demand to be particularly confider'd here. As to all objedions then of this kind, which would iniinuate, that to ground the infallibility of the faints perfeverance in grace upon the divine decree, is to give up the freedom of man's will, I fhall only an- fwer in general, that tho' the counfel and purpofe of God, refpedling the falvationof his people, be peremptory and abfolute, and fhall be infallibly accomplifhed, as 'tis de- Z 4 clared 544- OJ Terfeverance in Grace. clared in the promife ; yet the decree of God doth not offer any violence to the will of man, nor take away the liberty or con- tingency of fecond caufes. For it is fuffi- cient unto human liberty, that a man ads without conftraint, and out of choice. And is it not thus with the faints as to their perfeverance in grace? Is not the new na- ture in them an overflowing fpring of holy defires? Don't they adl freely in the exer- cife of every grace, whether of faith or re- pentance, of hope or love ? Is not the frame which difpofes their fouls for thefe fpiritual aftings, the happy temper which they choofe ? Is it not what they daily pray for ? When obtain'd, is not the expe- rience of it moft delightful ? And don't they efteem it as matter of the greateft thankfulnefs ? Wherein then can there be any infringernent of the liberty of the will, or any force to be complain'd of? And as to the moft difficult parts of their holy walk, even thofe which require the fevereft adls of felf-denial, fuch as the mortification of fin, and the trying duties of humility, patience, and the forgivenefs of enemies, don't they enter upon thefe with the moft mature deliberation, and with the firmeft refokition ? Are not all performed with chearfulnefs ? Or is it not their grief and burden, that they cannot engage herein with the utmoft vigour of foul. OfTerfeverance in Grace. ^^5 foul, and the greateft readinefs ? How is there any neceffity then impofed upon them? Or what conftraint are they under ? None fure, unlefs it be that of love to a Sa- viour, and defire to be conformed to his image. Or that of gratitude to their hea- venly Father, with an holy breathing after the enjoyment of his prefence, both here and hereafter. And is itlofing their liber- ty to be under the powerful influence of fuch a bleffed conftraint as this, if it muft be caird a conftraint. As the liberty of the will is entirely preferv'd in the things we have now mentioned, fo there are no farther inftances belonging to the faints perfeverance in grace, that can be produ- ced, by which it is more likely the deftru- dlion or lofs of their freedom could be pro- ved. Upon the whole then, it may as well be faid, that there is no liberty in the pure adlings of the faints or angels in heaven, who love, and cannot but love, admire and adore our Saviour, and our God, as to fay that the holy adings of believers upon earth are not free and voluntary. We con- clude therefore, that tho* the decree which appoints the believers falvation, includes thefe things as means neceflary thereunto ; and that tho' this decree being effedual, independent, and immutable, does eftablifti fuch a certainty of the event, with refped: botl^ g2j.6 Of Terfeverance in Grace. both to the means and the end, as renders it impoffible that either fhould fail j yet the faints freedom in adling is not deftroy'd thereby. No, no more than the liberty of human adlion in eating or drinking is de- flroy'd by the decree which fixes the num- ber of a man's days *, which appoints the neceffary means of his fupport, and which efFedually fecures the ufe thereof, till the determined period of his life approaches ; or, in the language of Job, till he fhall accomplifh as an hireling his day ^ I Ihall now confider the objections taken from fcripture. But I don't think it ne- ceffary for me to fpeak diflindly to every portion of fcripture, from which objefti- ons have been raifed: I ihall feled: a few of thofe which are generally fuppofed to be of the greateft moment ; and in my remarks upon thefe I fhall endeavour to hint fuch things as mayferve forananfwerto the like objections when taken from any other. And here let me remind you, that I think it but iufl to make fuch an application of the di- ftincftions we have fettled, when the point was flared, as the courfe of our reafoning '' If any fhall quedion whether God has determined the bounds of the life of man, chcy may find this matter clearly difcufTed, and the truth of the affirmative well eflablifhed and abundantly confirmed from fcripture, in Mr. Ridgley'j Body of Divinity. Vol.1, pag, 25 6— 260. * job xiv. 5, 6. fhall Of Terfeverance in Grace. :^/^j fhall now require, without adding any thing farther for their confirmation. I fhall now propofe the objedtions which are to be confider'd, and fliall fum them up under thefe three heads. 1. Some are taken from the inftances of apoftacy recorded in fcripture. 2. Other objedlions are taken from the threatnings of the word, in cafe of apofta- 3. Others again are taken from the com- mands and exhortations, from the cautions and directions which frequently occur in the infpir'd writings. I. I fhall confider the ohjeclions taken from the inftances of apoflacy, recorded in fcripture. AH objeftions of this kind do conftantly proceed from a miftake in one of thefe two things. (i.) In taking a partial backfliding for a total apoftacy. (2.) Or elfe in taking a falling from the doctrines of the gofpel, and a profefTion of religion, fot a falling from a ftate of grace. (i.) In feme of thefe objedlions a partial backfliding is miftaken for a total apoftacy. This is the cafe when many of the precious faints of the Lord, who were the excellent of the earth, are thruft into the dead lift of total apoftates. The three that are com- monly pointed out upon this occafion are David, 34-8 Of Terfeverance in Grace. David, Solomon and Peter. As to Peter, we have already proved that his Faith did not totally fail, for he who was always heard had pray'd it ihould not ^ As to David likewife, we have fufficient reafon to believe that his grace did not fail totally, and that the Spirit of God did ne- ver wholly depart from him; ifweob- ferve that upon his recovery from his back- fliding, when he was in his moft penitenti- al frame, and muft be fuppofed to have had the moft juft fenfe of his condition, even then, tho' he pleaded that God would "re- ftore unto him the joy of his falvation *' '^i for this he had loft, yet we never read of his praying that God would reftore unto him his Spirit, a plain intimation, that his prefence ^nd refidence was never totally loft. David knew indeed that he had in- curred the forfeiture, and therefore he pleads, " take not thine holy Spirit from me"''. But his very language in this peti-r tion, fuppofes that the Spirit did ftill con- tinue with him. And here I would ob- ferve by the way, that fince the Spirit was not taken from David under all the provo- i cations which attended the falls there con- fefs'd and lamented, we have no reafon to imagine that he is taken from any other \ix Luke xxii, 3:. ^ Pfal, li. u. ^ Ver. il. 2 whaf^ Of Tcrfcvcrance in Grace. ^i^ Whofe heart he has once dwelt as a Spirit of grace and regeneration. Finally, as to the inftance of Solomon, iho* the account we have of him be but ihort, yet there are fome paflages in his llory, which make his cafe look more like a partial backfliding, than a total apof- tacy. For how itrongly foever this be expreft, ftill by its being faid, " his heart " was not perfect with the Lord his God, '^ as was the heart of David his father,^" and that he " went not fully after the " Lord, as did David ; ^" it feems as if the fcriptures intended that his decleniion fhould be underftood of an abatement of his former zeal, and not of a total apofla- cy. This is confirmed by what we meet with in another place, where the people that fet their hearts to feek the Lord God of Ifrael, and thus ftrengthned the king- dom of Judah, are faid to have walked in the way of David and Solomon. ^ " Where- by 'tis at leaft intimated, that as to the general courfe of Solomon's walk, his v^ray was the fame with that of David: And fince the way of both is there mentioned with a mark of divine approbation, and that after their death, we may conclude, that they both began and ended well, and that notwithflaading their grofs backfli- * i Kings xi. 4. f Ver. 6. ^ 2, Qhr, xi. 17. dings- 35^ Of 7 erf ever once in Grace. dingsj yet they were neither of them guil- ty either of a final or total apoftacy. (2,) Thisobjeftion drawn from the various inftances of apoftacy, is fometimes found- ed upon a miftake in another thing, viz. The taking a falling from the doftrines of the gofpel, and a profeffibn of religion, for a falling from a ftate of grace. That there have been inftances of apof- tacy with refped: to the dodtrines of the gofpel, is a fad truth abundantly confirm- ed by the teftimony of former and latter times. Thus fome of the Galatians after they had received the knowledge of the way of falvation by the righteoufnefs of Chrift alone, turned back to their old notions. And feeking again to be juf- tified by the law, they are faid to have " fallen from grace, ^ " /. e. from the doftrine of grace. Thus we read of others,- who concern- ing the truth have erred, of whom wa? Hymeneus and Philetus, who by their in- fluence and example, overthrew the faith of fome. ' So that none ever pretend to deny but a doctrinal faith may be and fre- quently is overthrown. But this is very far from proving that the faith of true believers, which is the operation of ^ Gal. V. 4. * z Tim. ii. iS. I God> Of Terfeverance in Grace. 351 God, and which worketh by love, can ever be eradicated. Nay, tho' it is allowed that fome men, when they have fallen from the doftrines of the gofpel, and changed their opinion, did likewife defert the apoflles, and even abandon the ways of God; yet fuch inllances as thefe, how numerous foever, can't give the leaft llrength to the objeftion. Becaufe 'tis declared by an infpir'd apo- ftle, they were not of u?, tho' they went out from us ^. Here's a plain intimation that the perfons who went out from the Church, were really different from true believers: And wherein did the difference lie, not fo much in any thing that was external, as in the internal frame and dif- pofition of their minds, or the inward ftate and relation of their fouls towards God. They were of the fociety and vi- fible fellowfhip of the faints, of the fame profeflion with them, they ihared in many of the like gifts of the Spirit, and engag'd in the fame worfhip with them. But ftill they wanted the gracious anointing from the holy one, ^ which true believers had received, and which did abide in them that received it. ^ I Joh. ii. 19. _^ Ver. ao. But 35^ Q/^ ^^Tfeverancc in Grace. But a late writer, to prove that true be* lievers themfelves may fall from grace^ has quoted the paffage which follows the apoftles charge to Timothy, holding faith and a good confcience, which fome having put away, concerning faith have made fhipvvrack"\ In his arguing upon the place, he tells us, that to put away a good confcience, belongs to them alone who once had it. But the proper fignificatidn of the ori- ginal word " intimates no fuch thing, but rather that they always refused itl As appears from the ufe of the verb in feveral other places. Particularly, where the Jews are faid to put away the gofpel, which they never received; but oppos'd with contradicftion and blafphemy °. The fame word is ufed concerning the Ifrae- lites) who put away Mofes, or thruft him from them J and would not obey p. In like manner^ when God in his gofpel had fet before thefe apoftates the way of ob- taining a good confcience, they refufed to hearken, and thus might properly be faid to put away a good confcience, tho' they never had it; becaufe they refused to ac- cept that righteoufnefs and grace which only could have produced it, "* I Tim. i. 19. ^ d'TreoffdfJLZvot* ° Ads xiii, 46. %'7reiS'T\ 3 otV<^ '^ Xe/r/aj't^, hnoif aot/ov ^* jy to )K^(ri, k] Xa.hJ^sL(i)v t*^' «j/ Tetrs -zkA. ^ioKoylci^; ^ A^t^hoy'ia,^ ifxet'jiv iu irauii uv. & Paula pod, (pmt 3 Ah/^htc^©- iv ^uovvij-ot^ k^ Avti- Laeic. ill Vic. Dcmocr. * So JuQja. Martyr, ad Graccos, Cohort, p, 15, 16. motion ; 58a Of the RefurreSlimi motion; of Tityus, having vukb^^^^Iat ways feeding on his liver; and of TiMTOl'. To ■}% elC>i\nTOVy r) u? aJ^I- xcf) flw/T« sr/i' cfc^iiAiiTof'j ri ai dvd^iov' y^TAKtv^ to a.J'i' ycL 'WA% 0JJTOV* cthh oTi u a'cTe^ ctJ^iK&iTVz 7M 'i^cod-iv )y ^ a) TOK «(?■/:' 6te/v/^ii^V«^''i 'Tr^gS'ti^oV » rg j^l cdvoriTeti q)Ccyid-»7i7zfy-* eih\\ «<^4 To (Tfc- d ecJ^iKtid-ncriJOJ.* k ^aV ««^' c/^tivo (pcun rU civ, ui dPA^tovi^yov nrui 05», To S'kIkxj^Iv avatTxtcu aSfxa i^ cvvAyAyiiV* »i y^ to %^es^ «>c dvd^iovy 7«t* ^7^ ^^at^- Toy 'TTOiTlCrcU ffU^AA yy TTA^WTQV' 'TTOKV [AAhhOVi 70 X,^tiTlop nK elvA^tovy oxgf' '6^v di(p^A^TQV ^ d^A^h, Atheiiagoras 4eRefumaione MorU p. 49, 50. Edic. Paris. C c 3 to jao Of the RefurreSion. to fome others ; if to any others, they muft be either rational and intelligent, or irra-. tional and inanimate creatures ; not ra- tional and intelligent ones, as the angels, who will receive no hurt to their nature hereby, or fufFer any damage pr reproach on the a.ccount of it j yea, by the refur- redlion, the faints will be made yer more agreeable to them; for they will be tj^'^T^- Ac<, " like or equal unto the angels, b*^ Irig the children of the refurreftion/' Nor will it be injurious to irrational and inani- x^ate creatures j for thefe either will be, or they will not be; if they are not, there can be no injury done to that which is not; if they Ihould then exift, no injuftice will be done to them ; for if now no injuftice is done them, tho' they are fubjeded to men, ^mploy'd in their fervice, and made ufe of to fupport their nature, then furely it caii be no damage to them, that men (hould be raifed immortal and incorruptible, andi ib ftand in no need of them, and they be delivered from that bondage and fervitude, in which now they are; and, had they tongues to fpeak, they would not accuf^ the Author of the refurre^lion of injuftice, becaufe they are placed below men, and are not partakers of the refurredlion with them; the righteous God not allotting the fame end to both, their natures being not alike. Moreover^ as there is not in them anj Of the KejuneBion. 391 any fenfe of juftice, there can be no com- plaint of injuftice. Nor will there be any injury done to them that are raifed, either to their fouls or bodies ^ their bodies will be immortal and incorruptible, and their fouls will be more capable than now of exercifing their feveral powers and facul- ties : If any injury is done, it muft be ei- ther to the righteous or the wicked ; not to the righteous, for " they that have done good, {hall come forth to the refur- recftion of life %" and, having their fouls and bodies re-united, fhall enjoy an endlefs eternity of blifs and happinefs y nor will any injuftice be done to the wicked, tho* they ihall come forth to the refurredtion of damnation, becaufe they will then receive the juft recompence of reward for the deeds done by them in the body : Which leads niQ to obferve^ That as confidering the omnipotence and omnifci'ence of God, the refurfeftion of the dead may be, which alfo is no ways contrary to his goodnefs ; fQ the juftice of God makes it neceflary that it (hould be. God is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works 5 he is the Judge of all the earth, who will do right s and it is but juft with him that thofe bodies, which Chrift has purchafed with his blood, and the • John V. 19. C Q 4 Spirit 0^9 Of the Refurre&im. Spirit has fanftified by his grace, and which have fufFered for his names fake, fhould be raifed again, that they, together with their fouls, may enjoy that glory which is purchafed for them, and which they are made meet to be partakers of; even as it is a righteous thing with God, to render tri- bulation to them that trouble them ; and fo confequently it is no ad: of injuftice in God to raife the bodies, both of the righ- teous and the wicked, that they may re- ceive the things done in the body, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. Thefe things being confider'd, it may be concluded, that the refurredtion of the dead is not inconfiflent with the perfeftions of God, and fo not incredible. To thefe conliderations I add, 2dly. The feveral inftances of per- fons who have been raifed from the dead, recorded in fcripture -, fuch as the child of the widow of Zarephath, which came to life upon Elijah's prayer; and the child of the Shunamite, upon Elifha's ; as alfo the man that was caft into Elifha's fepulchre, who revived and flood upon his feet, up- on touching the prophet's bonesj mention- ed in the OldTeftament: Likewifejairus's daughter, the widow's fon of Nain and Lazarus, who were raifed by Chrift -, and not to forget to mention the faints, who came out of their graves^ after our Lord's refur ■ Of the ReJuneBion. 592 refurredion : And alfo Dorcas, who was raifed by Peter ; as was Eutychus by the apoftle Paul; which inftances are recorded in the New Teftament. My argument upon thefe inftances is this 5 that what has been, may bej and, if thefe inftances of particular refurredlions are to be credited, then the dodrine of the refurredtion of all the dead is not to be accounted incredi- ble. And, 3dly. It may not be improper if I fliould juft mention fome typical and figurative refurredlions. The fcriptures give us an account of Jonah's lying three days and three nights in the whale's belly ; and his deliverance from thence, was a type of the death, burial, and refurredtion of Chrift, Thefaving of Ifaac from being facrificed, was like a refurredtion from the dead 5 and, indeed, " from thence Abra^ ham received him in a figure ^** The re- demption of the people of Ifrael out of the Babylonifh captivity, was a metaphorical refurredtion, and is fignified by the revi- ving of dry bpnes y which was done by lay- ing finews, and bringing flefli upon them, covering them with fkin, and putting breath into them. The budding and blof- foming of Aaron's dry rod, is thought, by fome, to be a figure of the refurredtion of I? H^b. xi. 19. . the ^94- Of the RefuYTeilim. the dead. However, be that as it will, this may be obferved, that if God could deliver Jonah out of the whale's belly, fave Ifaac from being facrinced^ when fo near ir, make dry bones to live and ftand upon their feet^ and caufe a dry rod to bud, bloflbm, and bring forth alrnonds ; then why fhould it be thought a thing incredible with any, that God Ihould raife the dead ? But, Secondly, I now proceed tofhew, that the refurreftion of the dead is not only credi- ble, but certain j and this I ihall do, part- ly from fcripture teftimonies, and partly from other fcripture doftrines. ift. From fcripture teftimonies, which fhall be taken both out of the Old and New Teftament. I (hall begin with producing teftimonies out of the former : And, I. With the words of God tcMofes; " I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abra- ham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob ^" I choofe to mention this fcrip- ture, and to begin with it, becaufe with this our Lord confronted the Sadducees, who denied the refurredlion of the dead, and put them to filence ; infomuch^ that, after that, no man durft afk any queftion at all 3 the account of which you have iii Matt. xxii. 23. and fome following verfes i^ f Exod. iii, 6% and 0/ the RefurreSlian. 5^5 and itftands thus. TheSadducees came to • him with an inftance of a woman, who had had feven hufbands, who were brethren ; and their queftion upon it is, whofe wife ihe fhould be in the refurreftion ? To which Chrift replies, having obferved to them their ignorance of the fcriptures, and the power of God, that " in the refur- redlion they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels of God in heaven ; and then adds, ** But as touch- ing the refurreftion of the dead, have ye not read that which was fpoken unto you by God, faying, I am the God of Abra- ham, the God of Ifaac, and the God pf Jacob y God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." But now here lies a difficulty, how this appears to be a proof of the refurredlion of the dead. Some have thought, that our Lord's deiign is to prove the immortalicy of the foul, which the Sadducees denied, as well as the refurre- ftion of the dead ; for they that deny the former, deny the latter j and fome of the fame arguments which prove the one, prove the other. Menafleh ben Ifrael, a learned Jew ^ of the laft century, produces this fame paffage of fcripture, to prove the immortality of the foul, and argues from it much in the fanie manner as Chrift does. f Dc Refurre^ion^ Mortuorum, L» !• c. lo. (. 6. 2 But 3 9 ^ Q/^ ^^^ Refurre^ion. But it IS certain, that our Lord produced this teftimony asa proof of therefurreftion. In one of the evangelifts, it is faid, " As touching the refurreftion of the dead, have ye not read that which was fpoken ^ ?'* &c. And in another, " Now that the dead are raifed, even Mofes fhewed at the bufh, when he called the Lord V' &c- Let it be obferved then, that it is not faid, I was, or I will be, but I am the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob 5 which is ex- preffive not only of a covenant which had been made, but of one that abides and con- tinues, which muft be either the covenant of grace made with them in Chrift, of which they had fome glorious difcoveries and manifeftations, or fome particular cor venant refpedling them and their pofterity. As for the covenant of grace, this refpedt- ed not their fouls only, but their bodies alfo, even their whole perfons ; therefore, as their fouls now live with God in the enjoyment of the promifed good, it is ne- ceffary that their bodies fliould be raifed from the dead, that, with their fouls, they may enjoy the everlafting bleffing of glory andhappinefsi otherwife, hov/ would God's covenant be an everlafting one, order*d in all things, and fure ? The learned f Mutt. xxii. 31, f Luke xx. 37. , Mr, Of the RefuYY^Bion. 597 Mr. Mede ^ thinks, that Chriil has refped to the covenant which God made with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in which he promifed that he would give the land of Canaan to them, and to their pofterity ; not to their pofterity only, but to them alfo ^ therefore he obferves, that it was neceffary that they fhould be raifed from the dead, that they, in their own perfons, might enjoy the promifed land. It muft be acknowledged, that this is a Way of ar- guing the Jews v^ere ufed to, which may be the rieafon of the Scribes being fo well pleafed with it 5 and therefore faid, " Ma- iler, thou haft well faid V* Such kind of arguments as thefe, to prove the refurredlioix of the dead, are now extant in their Tal- mud K For inftance : " R. Simai faid. From whence is the refurredlion of the dead to be proved out of the law ? from Exod. vi. 4. where it is faid. And I have alfo eftablifhed my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan ; it is not faid to you, but to them/' But, not to infift any longer on this proof, I proceed, « See his Works, L, 4. Ep. 43. p. 98/, 98a. ^ Luke XX. ^9. rrmn ja.cD^nan ry^nrb r^JQ 'naii^ ^i^Q'^D n * vt^^n xzrh ^^^ noi^j 15^ cdd^ jj/jd v"i« ns .•T^inn JQ a^nan WnVSl Xalmud, Ban. HieroOl. iacer e)i» opera, Tom. 11. p. 59. col. i. Eji:. Paris. Vol. II. Dd thins 401 Of the Refurre(^ion. thing could be a plainer proof of this do- ctrine : for, fays he, " no one finceChriil fpeaks fo plainly of the refurreftion, as this man did before Chrift/' 3. Another teftimony I fhall produce for the proof of this dodtrine, (hall be Ifai. xxvi. 19. '' Thy dead men fhall live, to- gether with my dead body, fhall they arife ; awake, and fing ye that dwell in the dufl ; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth fhall caft forth her dead." In ver. 14. the prophet fays, " They are dead, they fhall not live 3 they are deceafed, they fhall not rife;" the meaning of which words is, either that thofe tyrants, who formerly had dominion over the people of Ifrael, were dead, and fhould not live any more in this world, or rife again, to ty- rannife over them ) or that many of the people were dead, or fhould die by the fword, famine, &c. and not live again ; which the prophet mentions, by way of complaint, and as the effedt of unbelief, to which thefe words are an anfwer. The perfon fpeaking is the Meffiah, to whom the charadlers given, in ver. 4, 12, 13. be- long; who affures the prophet, that tho' his men or people were dead, yet they fhould live again, that they Ihould be raifed ao-ain, either at the time of his refurredtion, or by virtue of it. The words are lite- rally true of Chrilt's refurreclion, and of ours Of the RefurreBion, ^02 burs by him p, who, as he was to be born, and die, and rife again, in order to be the Saviour of his people, fo many of them were to rife along with him 5 there- fore he fays, " With my dead body {hall they arife ;'* which was fulnlled at the time of Chrift's refurrecftion % when *« the graves were opened, and many bodies of the faints, which flept, arofe, and came out of the graves after his refurred:ion/' Though thefe words may be render'd ei- ther thus, '' As my dead body ftiall they arife,'* i. e. in the fame way and manner^ Chrift's refurreclion is the exemplar of ours, our vile bodies ihall be fafliioned like unto his ; he is " rif^n from the dead % and become the firfl: fruits of them thatflept^" tty^y ais fure as my dead body fhall they arife." Chrift's refurredtion is the pledge of ours, becaufe he lives, we fliall live alfo ^ : "If we believe that Jefus died, and Tofe again, even fo them alfo, which fleep in jefus, will God bring with him/' The expreffions here made ufe of confirm this fenfe of the words, " Awake, and fing ye that dwell in the duft 3 for thy dew is as the dew of herbs." To dwell in the duft, is expreflive of the ftate of the dead; and a P See my book of che prophecies of the Old Teflamcnr, &c. liicraily fulfilled in Jefus, p. 185. ^ Mate, xxvii. 51, 55. ^ i Cor. xr, io. ^ John iiv. 19. I Their, iv. 14. D d a refur- 404. Of the ReJurreBton, refurredlion from thence is aptly fignified by an awaking, fince death is fo frequently, in the facred writings, compared ta fleep \ The power of God in raifing the dead, is fitly exprefs'd by the dew ; for as through the virtue and influence of the dew, the grafs and herbs of the field fpring up and grow ; fo, through the wonderful power of God, " our bones, to ufe the prophet's phrafe ^, {hall flourifh like an herb," in the refurredlion morn ; and it is eafy to obferve a likenefs between the laft claufe of thisverfe, " And the earth fhall caft forth her dead;*' and thofe expreflions by which the refurredtion is defcribed, in Rev. XX. 13. " And the fea gave up the dead which were in it 3 and death and hell, or the grave, delivered up the dead, which were in them." The Jews "^ refer this prophecy to the refurredtion of the dead. But, 4. To add no more teftimonies of this kind, I ftiall conclude the evidence of this dodlrine out of the Old Tefl:ament, from the famous prophecy in Dan. xii. 2. " And many of them that fleep in the dufl: of the * See Job vii. ii. and xvii. 16. and xx. Ii, and xx. \6, Dan. xii. i. 7 Ifai. Ixvi. 14. ^ Talmud Sanhedrim, fol. 90. s. MenafTeh ben Ifrael de RefurreClione, L. i. c t. §, 2. Kimchi &Aben Ezra in loc. Zohar in Gen. fo). 68. 4. & jg. 3. & 100. 3. & in Exod. fol. II. 3. & 61. 4. & 2>Z, 5. Ed.Swltzbac. each Of the RefurreJIion. 405 earth iliall awake ; fome to cverlafting life, and fome to fhame and everlafting contempt." Thefe words are generally underftood of the refurredlion of the dead, as well by Jewifh ^ as Chriftian interpre- ters. Porphyry y, the acute Heathen, and fworn enemy of Chriftianity, would have thefe words defign the return of fome of the people of the Jews, to their own cities and habitations, after Antiochus's generals were cut off, who before fkulked about in holes and corners, and in which fenfe of the text he is followed by Grotius. But furely this deliverance, or the return of this peo- ple, was not in any of them to fhame and contempt, efpecially to everlafting fhame and contempt ; nor was it to everlafling life in any of them, feeing they are all fmce dead. Nor is it true, that the do 700,. 967, .968,- 97$. E c 4 Ano- 4^4- Of the RefurrecHion. Another fcripture, which may feem to countenance this notion % that the wicked ihall not rife from the dead, is Ifai. xxvi. 14. " They are dead, they fhall not live ; they are deceafed, they {hall not rife/* But thefe words, as I have obferved ia niy former difcoorfe, are either to be un- derftood of the people of Ifrael, and are expreflive of the prophet's complaint of their prefentftate, that they were dead, and of his diflruft of their future refurre(ftion, to which he has an anfwer return 'd in ver. 19. " Thy dead men fhall live, together with my dead body fliall they arife ;" or they are to be underftood of thofe wicked lords, who had formerly had the dominion over thefe people, but were now dead, and fhould not live again on this earth, or rife again to tyrannife over them 5 and, if we confider the words iil either (cnk, they cannot fupport an argument againft there- furredion of the wicked. The words of the prophet Daniel'', ^' And many of them who fleep in the duft of the earth fhall awake ; fome to ever- lafting life, and feme to fhame and ever- lafting contempt," though they are a plain and iull proof of the refurreftion of the ^ ViJ. Jarchium & Aben E2ram in If. xxvi. 14, ipo 8c Bichiiim apud Euxcor!» in Jud* Synag. c. 3. p. Ji. V Cliap? xii, 2, wicked, Of the Refurre^im. 4.2 5 wicked, as well as of the righteous, yet ^ are made ufe of by fome Jewifh writers^ ^ againft it. It is obferved, that the pro- phet does not fay that all of them, but many of them that fleep in the duft of the earth {hall awake ; yea, it is faid, that thefe many defign only a few, and thefe the righteous, among the children of Ifrael, In anfwer to which, let it be obferved, that the word " many" may be under- ftood univerfally of all that fleep in the duft of the earth ; in which fenfe the word is ufed in Pfal. xcvii. i. " The Lord reign- eth, let the earth rejoice^ let the multi- tude of ifles be glad thereof* In the He- brew text it is, let many illes, i. e. let all the ifles be glad thereof; or it may be confider'd in a comparative fenfe, thus : they that fleep in the duft of the earth, and fliall awake, are many in comparifon of thofe few who will be alive and remain, when the dead are to be raifed; for there will be fome, though but a few, when compared with others, who fliall not die, but be changed ; or rather the words may be taken diltributively after this manner : Of them that fleep in the duft of the earth, many fliall awake to everlafting life, and "^ Vid. Pccock. not. Mifc. in Port. Mofis, c. 6. p. t8o, &c« Saadiah Gaon & Aben Ezra in Dan. xii. z. Kimchi in If. xxvi. 19. many ^l6 Of the Refurre^ion. niany t© everlafting ihame and contempt y which is juft fuch a divifion of them, who are to be raifed from the dead, as is given by our Lord, when he fays y, " All that are in their graves fhali hear his voice, and ihall come forth ; they that have done good, unto the refurredtion of life, and they that have done evil unto the re- furreftion of damnation." Many can ne- ver defign a few only, as it muft, if only the Ifraelites, who were the feweft of all people, and the righteous among them, are the fubjed:s of the refurredtion j yea, if the righteous of all nations fhould be only raifed, they are but a few in compa- rifon of others. Befides, the prophet fays, that fome fhall awake to everlafting fhame, which cannot be faid of the righteous, but muft defign the wicked ; therefore this prophecy is fo far from being an ar- gument againft it, that it furniflies us with a very confiderable one for the refur- redtion of the wicked. There are fome other palTages of fcrip- ture, befides thefe, which are made ufe of by another ^ fett of men againft this truth ; as Eccl. vii. lO. "A good name is better than precious ointment, and the^day of death than the day of ones birth/' Now, :..^" Jphn V, 28, ip, ^ Vid. Maccov. Theolog, Polem. c. 13. Quaeft. 3. p. 189. fay Of the RefurreBion. 4.17 fay they, if the wicked rife again, the day of their death muft be worfe than the day of their birth. To which it may be anfwer'd, that the wife man 15 not fpeaking of the wicked or reprobate, of whom it may be faid, in fome fenfe, that it would have been better if they had never been born, or had died immediately, rather than have lived to aggravate their con- demnation by repeated iniquities, and with whom it certainly will be much worfe after death, than now it \%. The words refpedl the righteous, who are blef- fed in their death 5 for they die in the Lord, and reft from their labours, are free from fm and forrow of every kind, and are with Chrjft, which is far better than to come into and be in this troublefome world, Likewife the words of the apoftle Paul, in I Their, iv. 16. '' And the dead in Chrift (hall rife firft,'* are urged againft the re- furrcftion of the wicked ; from whence it is oblerved, that thofe who rife again^ are fuch who are dead in Chrift, and that thefe only are believers, and therefore the wicked tivAl not rife. To which it may be replied, that the apoftle is, indeed, fpeaking 01 the refurredtion of the faints, and TiOt of uie wicked, though not to the exclufioa of their relurredtion. It is cer* tain, thai th-r/ are only believers who are dead in Chrift y but then it is neither here, nor 4?8 Of the Refurrec^ton.^ nor elfewhere faid, that only believers, or that only fuch who die in Chrift, fliall rife ; yea, befides, the apoftle fays, that the dead in Chrift {hall rife firft, which fuppofes that the wicked fhall rife after- wards ; for it would be an impropriety to fay, that the dead in Chrift fhall rife firft, if thofe who are not dead in Chrift do not rife afterwards, a firft- refurredtion fuppofes a fecond. I fhall now proceed to confider the arguments and objedions formed a- gainft the refurredlion of the wicked ; taken, 2. From reafon. It is faid, that God is very merciful % and therefore if he will not eternally fave the wricked, yet it is not reafonable to fuppofe that he will raife them from the dead, merely to torment them. It will be fufficient that they do not enjoy the happinefs of the faints in heaven. To which I anfwer ; it is true that God is very merciful, yet he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy ^ though mercy is natural and effential to him, yet the bleffed fruits and effedts of it, as en- joyed by his creatures, are limited by, and dependant upon his fovereign will and pleafure, there are fome of his creatures, of whom it is faid ^ " He that ;nade them ' Vid. Maccov. ib. Quaeff, t, p. 1 8?. "ai. xxvii. II. ♦* m will Of the Refur region. ^.^o will not h^ivetnef^cy on them; and he that formed them will fhew them no favour." Befides, it ought to be obferved, that God is a righteous God, as well as merciful, and that one perfection of his is not to be fet againft another, though he is merciful, and delights in mercy, yet he is alfo the Judge of all the earth, who will do right. I have before proved, that it is neceffary, from the juftice of God, that the bodies of the wicked fhould be raifed, not mere- ly to be tormented, but that God may glorify his righteoufnefs in their juilpu- nifhment. It is alfo argued % that Chrift is the meritorious caufe of the refurredtion, and therefore the wicked, or reprobate, fliall not rife again, becaufe " Chrift has merited nothing for them." To which I reply, the refurreftion may be diftinguiflied, as it is by Chrift, into a refurreclion of life, and a refurrecSion of damnation -, that Chrift is the meritorious caufe of the former, but not of the latter. Chrift is not only the exemplar, but the efficient and meritorious caufe of the faints refurreftion ; he is the firft fruits of them that flept ; every one rifes in his own order ; Chrift the firft fruits, afterwards they that are Chrift's at his coming. They that are Chrift 's, rife * yid» Maccoy. i^. by 430 Of the RefurreBioni by virtue of their union to him, and thro' the power of his refurredlion ; not fo the wicked, they (hall, indeed, be raifed by Ghrift, but not by virtue of his death and refurreftion, or thro' any merit of his, but by his almighty power 5 their refurreftion will not be the efFedt of his merit, as Me- diator, but of his divine power, as Lord of the dead and living. It is further urged '^j that the wicked die an eternal death, and therefore do not rife from the dead ; for, fay they, it im- plies a contradidlion to fay that they die an eternal death, and yet are raifed from the dead. To which it may be anfwer'd, that there is a twofold death, a temporal and an eternal one. Temporal death is a reparation of the foul from the body, and is what may be called the firft death. Eternal death is a feparation of body and foul from God, and a caflino; of both into hell, which is what the fcripture calls the fecond death : Now this fecond or eternal death, is confiftent with the refurrecflion of the body; nay, the refurredlion of the body is requifite unto it. If it ihouid be faid % as it is, that corporal death is the punifliment of fin, that puniihment is noc taken away in the wicked, and therefore ^ Vid. Maccov. Anti-Socin. L. 5. c. 3 §, z-, p. 158. ! Vid, Maccov. Thcolog. Polem Quaeft. 5. p. 187. I corporal Of the RefumMion. ^ 2 1 corporal death perpetually coritiiiues, and confequently there is no refurreifllon of the wicked from the dead. I anfwer, it is true that corporal death is one part of the punifliment of fin, was at firft threatened to it by God, and is infliifted on the wicked, as the juft wages of it. It is true alfo, that the punifhment of fin is perpetual, and is not removed, or taken away from the wicked; nor is it by the refurre omnium gentium, lex na- turae pucanda eft. Ciceron. Tufcul. Qiiaeft. L. i. '" Sed uc Deos elTe nacura opinamur, qualefque fint ra- tione cognofcimus : fie permanere animos arbitramur confen- fu nationum omnium ; qua in fede raaneant, quales que line ratione difcendum eil. ib. F f 3 mains 4.38 Of the RefurreSion. mains after death, and is immortal. This, in general, may be true, and deferves no- tice, and is no inconfiderable proof of the foul's immortality ^ but it mull be owned, that there are many exceptions to it : Some, even of the philofophers, denied it, and others, who gave into it^ fpoke very doubt- fully and confufedly of it, and deliver*d their fentiments about it, to ufe the words of Minutius Felix", Corrupta &dimidiata fide, with a corrupt and divided faith, as though they did but half believe it. The immortality of the foul, is, no doubt, difcoverable by the light of nature, and was originally the belief of men j but as this light became dim by fin, and as men departed from the true religion, and went farther off from the profeffors of it, fo they became vainer in their imaginations, and their foolifh heart was darkened, and loft not only the knowledge of this, but many other truths. Thales the Milefian is ° faid to be the firft who taught it ; tlpio' others fay p, that Pherecydes the Scyrian was the iirft who afferted it. Some afcribe it to ijie Chaldeans '^ and Indian Magi, and others ' to the Egyptians, as the firft au-_ ichorsofit, who, perhaps, received it from " Oaav. p. 37. • Vid. Diog. Laert. L. i, in vita Thalts. P Cicero, in Tufc. Quaell.L. J. ^ Paufanias in ^^ci^enici^•, p. z;?. Ed. Hanov, ^ Herodoc. L. 2. c, 123. p. 135. Ed. Gronov. the Of the RefurrciHion. 4^9 the pofterity of x^braham the Chaldean, who dwelt among them. However, it is certain, that there is in man a natural de- fire after immortality, which is not in any but immortal creatures ; as it is alfo natu- ral to him to be religious, hence fome have chofe rather to define man a religious than a rational animal: All nations profefsfome religion, and keep up fome kind of reli- gious worfhip J the moft blind and igno- rant, barbarous and favage, are not with- out it. Now to what purpofe is their re- ligion ? and why do they worfhip a Deity, if there is no future ftate ? If the foul re-^ mains not after death, but at death perifhes with the body, they need not be folicitous about the worfhip of God, and the per- formance of religious exercifes, but fay, " Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we fhall die 3" nor be diligent in the exercife of virtue, or be concerned at the commif- fion of fin. But, on the other hand, it is evident that there is a confcioufnefs of fin in men, or there is in men a " confcience bearing witnefs, and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing, one another." Theie are dreadful horrors, terrors, and flings of confcience, which wicked men are, at times, atreaded vvich -, they are feized v/ith luch dread and trem- bling, with fuch pannick fears, they can- not get rid of. U thefe, as fome fay, were F f 4 the 44-0 0/ the RefurreiHion. the efFefts of education, it is flrange that they fhould be fo general and exr.^nfive as they are, and more ftrange that none have been able to fhake them off entirely ; and ftranger ftill, that thofe who have run the greateft lengths in Infidelity and Atheifm, Ihould not be able to free themfelves front them, Hobbs, that bold advocate for In- fidelity, who endeavoured tc harden him- felf, and others, in the difbelief of a fu- ture ftate, would be very nneafy, if, at any time, he was alone in the dark. Thefe things not only fhew that there is a di- vine being, to whom men are accountable for their aftions, but that there is a future ftate after death, in which men ihall live, either in happinefs, or in mifery. And, indeed, this is neceffary from the juftice of God, who is the Judge of all the earth, and will do right, in regarding the good, and punifhing the wicked : It is eafy to ob- ferve, that, in this life, good men are affli(fted, and the wicked profper -, there are innumerable inflances of this kind; the veracity, juftice, and faithfulnefs of God are not fo manifeflly feen in beftowing fa- vours and bleffings upon good men, ac- cording to his promifes, and in punifhing wicked men according to his threatnings 5 it feems reafonable then to fuppofe that the fouls of men are immortal, that their bodies fhallbc raifed from the dead, and that there will Of the KefurreBlon. 44.1 will be a future ftate, in which good men fliall be happy, and wicked men miferable. 3. The fouls immortality may be pro- vedfrom the fcriptures, which exprefsly declare that the body may be killed, the foul cannot ^ -, and that when " the duft fhall return to the earth, as it was, the Spirit fhall return to God that gave it." It may be concluded, from all thofe fcrip- tures', which fpeak of an everlafting cove- nant, which God has made with his peo- ple, *' for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living," and from all the pro- mifes of everlafting life, which he has made unto them; as alfo from the account it gives "" of the eager defires of the faints after future happinefs, and of their afTu- ranee of enjoying it upon their difTolution, as well as from their particular commen- dations of their fouls "^j or fpirits, into the hands of God at death, recorded in thefe writings. And, to add no more, we may be fully fatisfied, by the facred oracles % that the fouls of men, im^mediately upon the diifolution of their bodies, enter upon a ftate either of happinefs or mifery ; all which proves the permanency of the foul after death, its feparate exiftence, its fu- ^ Matt X. 18. Eccl. xii. 7. * Ifai. Iv. J. Mate. xxii. 32. John vi. 40, 47. ^ Phil. i. 23. 2 Cor. v. 6, 8. ^ Pfal. xlix. 1$. Ads vii. 59. Luke xxiii. 46. * Luke xvi. Z2, 25. Rev. vi. ^. iPet, iii. 19. turc ^^7 Of the RefurrecHion. ture ftate or condition, either of pleafure or pain. From the v^hole it follows, chat if the foul dies not, it cannot be faid to be raifed from the dead, or be the fubje7r\i '\'Vxh tots J^wt^ ^ho- 74rii Kct7ci,' i Cor. xv, 4^^. ^ Ver. 50. and Of the RefurrecHon. 4.57 and mortality ; for flefh and blood, nei- ther as finful, nor as mortal, fhall enjoy the heavenly ftate ; therefore, in order to that, " this corruptible muft put on in- corruption, and this mortal muft put on immortality." If it {hould be a new aerial, celeftial, or fpiritual body, different in fubftance from what the body now is, which (hall be united to the foul, it would not be a refurreftion, but a creation ; be- fides, it is not confiftent with the juftice of God, that new bodies fhould be created, and which having never finned, as thofc muft be fuppofed to be, which are of God's immediate creation, be united to thie fouls of the wicked, and be everlafting- ly puniflied with them. Nor can they be faid to be truly human bodies, which are wijthout flefli, blood and bones; nor can they be faid to be properly men who are incor- poreal ; and, indeed, the fame perfons that have finned, cannot be faid to be puniflied, nor the fame perfons, who are redeemed, be glorified, unlefo the fame body be raifed; which I ftiall, 3dly. Endeavour to prove. Job fully expreifes ^ his faith in this dodrine, when he fays, " Though after my fkin worms deftroy this body, yet in my flefii fiiall I fee God : whom I fhall fee for my felf, ^ Job xix. 26, 27. and 45 8 Of the RefurreJiion. and mine eyes fhall behold, and not ano- ther, though my reins be confumed within me/' He believed that the fame body, which fhould be deftroy'd by worms, Ihould be raifed again, in which he fhould fee God, and behold him with the felf- fame eyes of his body he then had, and not with the eyes of another, or of a ftranger ; and this he firmly believed, though his body would be deftroy'd by worms, and his reins be confumed within him. The apoftle Paul ^ ftrongly afTerts this truth, when he fays, " This mortal, this, and not another, pointing to his own mortal body, muft put on immortality, and this corruptible muft put on incorruption : So when this corruption fhall have put on in- corruption, and this mortal fhall have put on immortality, then fhall be brought to pafs the faying which is written. Death is fwallowed up in victory;" which would not be true, if another, and not the fame body, was raifed from the dead. Again, in another place, he fays % thatChrift will " change our vile body, that it may be fafhioned like unto his glorious body ;" but if the fame body is not raifed, it will not be our vile body, but another, which will be changed, and fafhioned lixke to Chrift's ^ I Ccr. XV. 5 3, 54. ^ Phi], iii. 21. body. Of the RejurreBion. 459 body. For the farther confirmation of this truth, let the following things be ob- ferved. 1. The fignification of the word Re- furredtion ^ This properly fignifies a railing up of that which is fallen, the fame body, which fell by death, is raifed by the power of God ; this is the proper fenfe of the word, and the juft meaning of it in this article, nor can it have any other ; for if the fame body is not raifed, which fell, but another is given, it will not be a re- furreftion, but a creation. 2. The refurredlion of the body is ex- prefled by fuch figurative and metaphorical phrafes, which manifeftly fhew that it will be the fame body which will be raifed that dies ^ as when it is expreffed by the quickening of feed, which is fown in the earth, and by an awaking out of ileep. Now as it is the fame feed that is fown in the earth, and dies, that fprings up, and (hews it felf in ftalk, blade, and ear ; the fame, I fay, as to nature and fubftance 3 for wheat produces wheat, and not any other grain, though wixh fome additional beauty, ^ Sic & refurreftionis vocabulum non aliam rem vindicar, quam quae cecidit. Surgere enim potcft dici & quod omnino not! cecidir, quod ftnhper retro jacuic. Refurgert auteiu non €il, nifi ejus quod cecidit. Tertull. adv. Marcicn. L. 5. c. 9. p. $92. Vid. Id. de Refurredione carnis, c. iS. p. 291 Ed.Ri^alr. ver- ,6o Of the Refurre^ion. verdure, and greennefs; it lofes nothing that it had, though it grows up with that it had not before ; fo the fame body that dies, is quickened and raifed, though with additional glories and excellencies ; the ve- ry fame it that " is fown in corruption, is raifed inincorruptionj" the fame it that " is fov/n indifhonour, is raifed in glory i** the fame it that " is fown in weaknefs, is raifed in power;'* and the fame it that f* is fown a natural body, is raifed a fpiri- tual body ;" or elfe there is no meaning in the apoftle's words. Likewife as death is compared to a fleep, fo the refurredlion is expreifed by an awaking out of it. Now as it is the fame body that fleeps that is awaked out of it, fo it is the fame body that falls aileep by death, that will be awaked in the refurreftion. 3. The places from whence the dead will be raifed, and which will be fum- moned to deliver them up, and out of which they will come, deferve our notice'. Our Lord fays% " All that are in the graves {hall hear his voice, and fhall come forth." Every one that reads thofe words, will eafily conceive that the meaning of pur Lord is, that the fame bodies which are in the graves fhair come forth out of them. If other bodies fhould be produced '" John V. 28, 29. by Of the Refurredlion. ^6 1 by God from other matter, and united to fouls, they cannot, with truth, be fa id to come forth from the graves ; none but the fame bodies, which are there laid, can be fuppofed to come forth from thence at the refurrecfkion. It is a very trifling objedion to this dodlrine, made by a late writer ^, that the word " Bodies" is not ufed in the text. What of men is laid in the graves but their bodies ? And what can be expell- ed to come forth from thence but their bodies ? And what but the fame bodies ? It is a very filly queftion that is put by the fame writer ^, when he afks, " Would a well meaning fearcher of the fcriptures be apt to think, that if the thing here intend- ed by our Saviour, were to teach and pro- pofe it as an article of faith, necelTary to to be believed by every one, that the very fame bodies of the dead fhould be raifed j would not, I fay, any one be apt to think, that if our Saviour meant fo, the words fliould rather have been TrnvTzt Tzt a-J^u^irt d c^ roi't; /LtvY]jLidoi^y i. e. all the bodies that are in the graves, rather than all v/ho are in the graves ; which muft denote perfons, and not precifely bodies?" To which I reply, that fuppofmg it our Lord's defign, as I verily believe it was, to exprefs this ar- ^ Lock's Eflay on Hiinjan Underftandin", Vol. I. p. ?i< Ed. Sixth. « lb. tide ^6 a Of the Refurreclion. tide of our faith, that the fame bodies of the dead fliall be raifed, there was no need that the word " Bodies" fhould be ex- prefTed ; it was enough to fay, that all that are in the graves fliall come forth ; and every well meaning fearcher of the fcrip- tures will be eafily induced to think, that our Lord deiigns that the fame bodies of men that are laid in the graves ihall come forth ; nor is any thing more ufual, in common fpeech, than to denominate men fometimes from one part, and fometimes from another ; as when we fay, they are mortal, or wife, or foolifh. Again, we are told, in the facred writings, that " the fca gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them." Now if the grave and fea, at the awful fummons, {hall deliver up the dead, which are in them, they muft deli- ver the very fame which are laid in them j - for what elfe can fuch expreflions defign ? 4. The fubjedl of the refurredlion is the body, and that fuch as it is in this life, vile and mortal. Chrift will " change our vile body, and fafhion it like unto his glo- rious body I " and " he that raifed up Chrift from the dead, fhall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit, that dweiieth in you." Thefe bodies muft be the fame we carry about with us now; for what elfe can be called vile and mortal ? Surely, not bodies Of the Refurre(Hioyi. zj^^ bodies a new created, which are faid to be fpiritual and celeftial, and which never finned, and fo not fubjedt to mortality. This alfo deftroys an obfervation of a wri- ter ^ of great note, that the word a^jo^^-m^ bodies, is not ufed through the New Te- ftament, v/hen mention is made of the re- furreftion of the dead; his words are thefe : " He who reads with attention this dif- courfe of St. Paul's, (meaning i Cor. xv.) where he difcourfes of the refurred:ion, will fee, that he plainly diflinguiilies be- tween the dead that fhall be raifed, and the bodies of the dead j for it is, vi-^tpj)^ TmvT^c, Gi, are the nominative cafes to iyd-- ^vmi^^oooinm^wovTzti^ i-yi^^movrou, all along, and not ad^^g^'m, bodies ; which one may, with reafon, think, would fome where or other, beexpreffed, ifall this had been to propofe it as an article of faith, that the very fame bodies fhall be raifed. The fame manner of fpeaking the Spirit of God obferves, all through the New Teftament, where it is faid, Raife the dead, quicken or make alive the dead, the refurred:ion of the dead." Now, not to take notice of the dead bodies of the faints, who were raifed after the refurred:ion of Chrift, of whom it is faid ', " And many bodies of the faints which flept arofe." The obfer- •^ Lock, ib. * Matt, xxvii. 5i. I vation ij.64. Of the Refuneclion. vation will appear to be wrong, if we confider the pailages now mentioned, where Chrift is laid ■' to change, to a'2y\^ tyi; tw- 'TnivJoi'joc r/uf^v^ our vile body, or the body of our humility, which belongs to, and is expreflive of the refurredlion of the dead, and where God is faid to quicken tk ^vyit^ aoifjiQLT^ vjuctv, your mortal bodies : Befides, in the difcourfe of the apoftle Paul, con- cerning the refurredlion, in i Cor. xv. a queftion is afked, ** How are the dead railed ? ' and irci-jo ao!)fj^Tiy with what bo- by do they come ? And an anfwer is given, " It is fown a natural body, and it is raifed, Go^^ irviD^TiKOVy a fpiritual body/* Be- fides, how can the apoftle plainly diftin- guifh, as this author fays he does in this difcourfe, between the dead that ihall be raifed, and the bodies of the dead, if the bodies of the dead all along are riot men- tioned. 5. The inftances of refurrections that are already paft, prove that it will be the fame body which will be raifed at the ge- neral refurreftion. The faints which arofe at the refur reft ion of Chrift, rofe with the fame bodies which were laid in the graves -, for it is faid, that " the graves were open'd, and many bodies of the faints which llept arofe." Our Lord Jefus Chrift arofe from ^ Phil. iii. 21. Rom, viii. if. * I Cor. xv, J ^5 44. I the Of the Refurredion. 465 the dead with the fame body which hung upon the crofs, and was laid in the grave, as is evident, from the print cf the nails in his hands and feet ; nor was it an aerial or fpiritual body, as to its fubftance ; for it confifted of flefh and bones, which a fpirit does not, and might be felt and handled. Now Chrift's refurrecSion was an exemplar of the faints^ their bodies feall be changed and fafliioned like unto his glorious body. Enoch and Elijah were tranllated into hea- ven in the very fame bodies they had when here on earth; and thofe which will be alive at Chrift's fecond coming, will be changed, and caught up, in the very fanie bodies in which they will be found, to meet the Lord in the air, and fo {hall be for ever with him. Now it is not reafona- ble to fuppofe, that our Lord, who par- took of the fame flefh and blood with the children of God, £hould be raifed and glo- rified in the fame body, and not they in their fame bodies, for whofe fake he aflu- med his; or that fome of the faints {hould have the fame bodies they had whilft here, and others not. 6. If the fame body is not raifed, how will theend of the refurreftionbeanfwer'd, which is the glorifying of God's grace in the falva- tion of his people, and of his juftice in the damnation of the wicked ? Hence the one is faid to come forth to the refurredion of Vol. IL H h life^ 4-66 Of the Eefurre^ion. life, and the other to the refurreftion of damnation : How (hall every one receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad, if the fame bodies are not raifed, who have done good or evil ? Where would be thejuftice of God, if other bodies, and not thofe which Chrifl has purchafed with his blood, the Spirit has fandlified by his grace, aftd which have fuffer'd for the name of Chrift, fhould be glorified , as alfo if other bodies, and not thofe which have finned againft God, blafphemed the name of Chrift, and have perfecuted his faints^ {hould fufFer eternal vengeance, and be punifhed with everlafting deftruftion from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power ? Where would be the veracity of God, either in his promifes or threat- nings, if the good things he has promifed, are not beftowed upon the fame perfons to whom he has promifed them, and if the puniflimenthehas threatened, is notinflidted on the fame perfons to whom he has threa- ten'd it ? for how they can be the fame perfons, without having the fame bodies, I don't underftand. Befides, what a dif- appointment will it be to the faints, who are waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of their body, from all weak- nefs and corruption, if not that, but ano- ther body, fliali be given them, and be I united Of the RefurreiBion. ^67 united to their fouls, and be glorified with them ? , In fine, if the doftririe of the refurre- flfcion of the dead, which the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament hold forth, does not intend the refurrecftion of the fame body; it is no other, nor better, than a tranfmigration of fouls into other bodies, which was the old Pythagorean notion. Ic is a low and mean quibble, that a man has not the fame body at one time as at another, becaufe he may be taller, or bigger, fatter or leaner, at one time than at another. 'Tis true, that the body has not always the fame fleeting particles, which are continually changing and alter- ing, but it has always the fame conftituent parts ', fo that a man may be always faid to have the fame body, and to be the fame man : It is the fame body that is born that dies, and the fame that dies that (hall rife again. The feveral alterations and changes it undergoes, with refpeft to tallnefs or largenefs, fatnefs or leannefs,.does not de- ftroy the identity of the body. If this quibble would hold good in theological controverfies, and in philofophicaldifputes, it might alfo in political affairs; and fo one that owes another a fum of money, and has given his note or bond for it, after a term of time, may deny that he pv/es the other any thing, or that he ever bor- H h 2 row'd i ij.68 Of the RejurreBion. row'd any thing of him, and that that is his hand writing, fince he has not the fame body he had before. A murderer, ta- ken up fome years after the murder is com- mitted, may plead he is not the fame man, and that it was not done with the fame hands he has now, and therefore, injuftice, ought not to fuffer. And the fame may be obferved in ten thoufand other inftances, whereby confufion muft be introduced into commonwealths, and juftice and order e- verted in governments. This obferva- tion may be fufficient to ftop the mouths of fuch impertinent cavillers, who are rea- dy to afk fuch queftions as thefe : Whe- ther the body, at the refurredtion, will have all the individual particles of matter it ever had ? or whether it will be raifed, as when it was at fuch an age, or in fuch a plight ? or as it was emaciated by diftem- pers, of as laid in the grave ? It is enough that it will have the conftituent parts it ever had, which is fufficient to fupport the identity of it. I ihall now proceed, IV. To confider the particular concern which God the Father, Son, and Spirit, have in this ftupendous work. 'Tis a work chat a creature is unequal to, and uncapa- blc of. It is always afcribed to God ; it is God that raifes and quickens the dead. If it jvas ever rcfcr'd to a creature, it might be Of the RefurreSiion. 469 be well judged incredible -, but it need not be thought incredible that God iliould raifc the dead. Now as all God's works, ad ex- tra, are common to all the three Perfons, and this being fuch an one, they are all three concerned in it. And, I. God the Father is concerned herein. The refurredion of Chrift is frequently at- tributed to him, and fo is the refurreftion of the faints, and are fomecimes mention'd together; the former as the pledge and carneft of the latter, as faith the apoftle "", " And God hath both raifed up the Lord, and will alfo raifeupusby his own power;" that is, God the Father has raifed up the Lord Jefus, and we may be aiTured that he will alfo raife up us, fince as he is able to raife the one, he is able to raife the other, and that by his own abfoluce, original and underived power ; which afTurance of faith, in the dodrine of the refurredion, the apoftle expreffes in another place ", in ftronger terms, " We having the fame Spi- rit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I fpoken^ we alfo believe, and therefore fpeak, know- ing that he which raifed up the Lord Jefus, fhall raife up us alfo by Jefus, and fliall prefent us with you ;" where alfo the re- furredion of the faints is afcribed to God ^ iCor. vi. 14. " iCor. iv. 14. H h 3 the /j^'^o Of the RefurrecIiOih the Fatherj who is manifeftly diftinguifh*d from the Lord Jefus, whom he raifed up, and by whom he will raife up the faints ; not that Chrift is the Father's inftrument, or medium of operation, by which he will raife the dead ; for, 2. Chrift, as God, being equal with the Father, is a coefficient caufe of the refur- redion ; " As the Father raifeth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will °/' He is the refurredion and the life, i. e. the Au- thor of the refurredtion unto life j he is the Prince of life, has the keys of hell and death in his hands, and can open the grave at his pleafure, and call forth the dead; at whofe all-powerful and commanding voice, all that are in the graves fliall come forth ', which will be a further proof both of his omnipotence and omnifcience ; this will ihew that he is the Almighty, fince he can " change our vile body, that it may be fafhioned like unto his glorious body, ac- cording to the working, whereby he is able even to fubdue all things to himfelf ;" and that he knows all things, and is that living ¥/ord, before whom every creature is made manifeft, and all things are naked and opened -, for if he was not omnifcient, he could not know where every particle ^ John V. '22. of Of the RefuneBion. /^"ji of matter is lodged, and, if he was not omnipotent, he could not colled: them, range them in their proper places, and unite them together. That he is equal to this work, we may conclude, from the re- furreftion of his own body ; he had power to lay down his life, and take it up again ; he raifed up the temple of his body, after it had been deftroy'd three days, and fo was " declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holinefs, by the refurreftion from the dead." As he is the Mediator, he is the meritorious and procuring caufe of the refurredlion j there is an influential virtue in his refurredtion, not only on the juftification and' regenera- tion of his people, but alfo upon their re- furredlion from the dead. He is " the firft fruits of them that flept," the pledge and earneft of the faints refurredlion ; they are in a fenfe rifen with him, and fhall certainly be raifed by him, by virtue of their union to him, as their rifen Lord. As man his refurreclion is the pattern and exemplar of the faints, their bodies fhall be fafliioned like to his; as his body was raifed incorruptible and immortal, power- ful and glorious, fo fliall theirs, in fuph manner, as never to die more, or fee corruption, or be attended with diflempers and death. H h 4 3. God 47^ Of the Refurrediion. 3. God the Holy Ghofl: has a joint and equal concern with the Father and the Son in this amazing work. The refurredion of Chrift is theadl of all the three Perfons : The Father glorified his Son by raifing him from the dead -, he ^« raifed him from the dead, and gave him glory." Chrift of himfelf took up the life, which he had laid down 5 and though he was " put to death in the flefli/* yet «' was quickened by the Spirit ^'* fo the refurreftion of the faints from the dead, will be the ad: of all the three Perfons, not only of the Father and the Son, but alfo of the Spirit p ; for *' if the Spirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the dead, dwell in you, he that raifed up Chrift from the dead, fhall alfo quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that d wel leth in you/' The bodies, as well as the fouls of the faints, are united to Chrift, by virtue of which union the Spirit of Chrift dwells in them ; not in their fouls only, but in their bodies ^ alfo, " What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the HolyGhoft, which is in you :" Now as the union be- tween Chrift and his people is not dilTolved by death, fo neither does the Spirit of God lorfake the dead bodies of the faints, or jiegled to take care of them ; the duft of the faints is under his peculiar care and guar- ? Rom. viii, ii. '^ i Cor, vi, 19. dianfhip Of the RefuYYcBion. /^j^ dianfhip, and, at the laft day, the Spirit of life from God, fhall enter into them, and they fhall live and ftand upon their feet. Thus all the three divine Perfons, Father, Son, and Spirit, will be concerned in the refurredtion of thejuft. The means by which God will do this great work, and the time when he will do it, the fcriptures are not altogether filent about. As to the means, we are told % that " all that are in the graves fhall hear his (i. e. Chrilt's) voice, and fhall come forth r that " the Lord himfelf fhall de- fcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of an arch-angel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Chrifl fhall rife;" and that the " trumpet fhall found ', and the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible;'* but whether by the voice of Chrifl and the arch-angel, the fhour, and the trumpet of God, we are to underfland fo many feverai diflinft things, or one and the fame thino, is not eafy to determine. The voice of the arch-angel, who (hM defcend wiih Chrift, may be called the voice of Chriit, becaufe formed at his command, the fame '' John V. 28, 19. I ThefTiv. 16. I Cor. xv. ^i ^ The Jews have a notion thac a crumpet fliall be blown at the time of the refurredion, as was at the giving oF tht law, which fhall c^uicken the dead. Vid. Targ. )an, in Exod. XX. 18. & Mechilta in Kettoreth liaflaniinim in ib & Abarbinel, Mafhmiah Jefhuah, fol. 11.4. mav ^y4- 0/ '^^^^ RefurreSlion. may be lignified by the trumpet of God, which fhall be founded, and that may be fignified by the ihout which ^nali be made, either by the arch-angel alone, or by all the angels with him, and this fhout no other ^ than fome violent claps of thunder, which are the voice of Godj like thofe which were heard when God defcended on mount Sinai, and gave the law from thence, which, perhaps, were formed by the mini- ftry of angels : And this the apoftle Peter ^ may defign, when he fays, " The heavens Ihall pafs away v/ith a great noife, and the elements Avail melt with fervent heat j" or, by the voice of Chrift, may be meant an audible and articulate voice of his, fo powerful, as to reach all that are in their graves ; fuch as that was which was heard at the grave of Lazarus, where " he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth j" or as that which Saul heard from heaven, faying, " Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me;" or as John heard, which he fays, " was as the voice of many waters ;" or, perhaps, the voice of Chrifl: may defign the power of Chrift, which fliall be exerted ^ See Lightfoot, Vol. I. p. (5 So. who rightly obferves, from Talmud Sanhed. fol. 97. i. that it is faid, that there v/ill be voices and thunders a little before the coming of the Meillah, which the GlolTe upon the place interprets of the voices of the Son of David. See aifo Megillah, fol. 17. 2» ^ i Per. iii. JO. upon^ Of the Refurre&ton. 4.^5 upon, and (hall be felt and perceived by all that are in their graves, when tlie arch- angel fhall found the laft trumpet, attend- ed with the fhout of all the reft of the an- gelick hoft. As for the time when the dead fhall be raifed, it cannot be exaftly fixed, nor does it become us curioufly to enquire into it : f* It is not for us to know the times and the feafons, which the Father hath put in his own power "^Z' As no man knows the day and hour of judgment, [o no man knows the day when the dead will be raifed. In general, it is faid "", that it will be in the laft day, and at the coming of Chrift, at which time the dead in Chrift {hall rife firft ; that is, they fhall rife before the wicke^d ^, which will be the firft refurre- ftion : Not that the martyrs fhall rife be- fore the reft of the righteous, but all the righteous fhall rife at Chrift's coming ; but whether their rifing will be fucceffive, or be at once, in a moment, is not very material. The change that, will be made ^ Ads i. 7. '^ John vi. 39,40,44, 5^. and xi. 24. 1 Cor. XV. 27. y The Jews are of opinion, that the ri^hrcous fhall rife firft, efptcially chofe vyho die and are buried in the land of Canaan. Vid. Talmud Jeruf. Trad. Celaim in En Yaacob, fol. 4. 2 & Glo.T in ib. Berefti. Rabba, P.iral'h. 96. fol 83. 4. Eii. AmAtlod. Zohar. in Gen. fol. <58.4. &: H^. i. (!i:ioo. 3, on 4.76 Of the Refurre6lion. on the living, will be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye; but it is not fo mani- feft, that the refurredlion of the dead wiU be fo quick and fudden, but rather that it will be fucceflive; fince itisfaid % " Every man in his own order" fhall be railed; which may be underflood either of order of time, fo that they that died firft, ihall be firft raifed; or of dignity, fo that thofe who have been the moft eminent for gifts, grace, ufefulnefs, &c. (hall be firft called forth out of their graves, which, perhaps, may be the differing glory that will be upon the faints at the refurrecflion ; of which the apoftle fpeaks, faying % " There is one glory of the fun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the ftars ; for one ftar differeth from another ftar in glory, fo alfo is the refurredtion of the dead." There are many curious and needlefs que- ftions which are afked concerning the refur- red:ion,andthe ftate of thofe who are raifed; as, whether abortions, or untimely births, ihall be raifed? at what age, and in what fta- ture the dead fliall rife? whether with their prefent deformities or not ? whether there will be any diftindlion of fexes ? and whe- ther perfons fhall know one another ? But ^ I Cor. XV. 13. ^ Ver. 40, 41. thefe Of the RefurretHion. ^nj thefe I (hall not give my felf the trouble to aniwer, but pafs on to that which will be more ufeful -, which is, V. And laftly, To fhew the importance and ufe of this doftrine. I ft. I fhall confider the importance of it. It is a fundamental article of the Chri- ftian faith ; it is called ^ the foundation of God, which ftands fure ; though fome deny it, and others endeavour to fap it, but none can dcftroy it: It is reckoned among ' the firft principles of the dodrines of Chrift, and is joined with eternal judg- ment, which it precedes, and in order to which it is abfolutely requifite. The re- furredtion of Chrift ftands and falls with it ; for " if there be no refurreftion of the dead, then is Chrift not rifen ; and if Chrift be not rifen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is alfo vain ^." The whole gofpel is connefted with it j if there is no truth in this, there is none in that. As the dodrine of the refurreftion receives confirmation from the dodrines of perfonal eledlion, the gift of the perfons of the eledt to Chrift, the covenant of grace, re- demption by Chrift, union with him, and ^ 2 Tim. ii. ly. ^ Htb, vi. ij i. : *^ i Cor. xv, 23, M- the ^.yS 0/ the E.efurre but herein they dilcover their great igno- rance of the defign of God, in the C:iri- ftian fcheme of falvation, which was not barely to debafe man, and to exaie Chrift, but to advance hoiinefs. The great apoftle of the Gentiles, in the words which have been chofe to fpeak from, decla- as it encourages HoUneff. ^5 1 declared, that when fin had brought men under the defert of eternal deftrudion, and fo had abounded and reigned to death, grace much more abounded, to bring about the falvation of men, and fo reigned to eternal life ; .but that it only reigned in a way of righteoufnefs, becaufe God would not difhoncur his perfections ; and that therefore it? could reign to life no other way than by Chrift, who could, by his aftivc and paflive obedience, fatisfy the offended juftice of God, and procure eter- nal life for finners. He was fenfible that when he had afferted, that the grace of God was glorified, in the falvation of them who had tranfgreffed, fome perverfe crea- tures might plead, that the more men fin, the more the grace of God is glorified in their falvation, and might hence infer, that they may abound in fin, that more glory may be brought to the grace of God: He therefore put the quefl:ion, whether men might continue in fin, that grace might abound ? which he anfwer'd in the negative, in a way that fhew'd his utmofl: abhorrence of the vile fuggeftion ; and, to fupport his anfwer, he added a very fi:rong argument, in the form of a queftion, to let us know, that it was morally impoflible, that if we are dead to fin, we can continue in the wilful commiflionof iniquity. This accomplifti'd minifter of Chrifl:, at the fame 49^ 0/ ihe ^oJlrine of Grace^ jfkme time that he advanced the grace of God, took care to guard his doftrine againft pernicious confequence, which vain and ignorant pretenders might draw from it: He, when he exalted grace, recom- mended holinefs, as neceffary : He afted like a wife mafter builder, who does not beftow a great meafure of garniture on the front of the ftrudlure, which he rears, and leaves the other parts entirely without or- nament, but takes care that the whole edi- fice be well proportioned and compared together, and that all the parts of it be fet off in the beft manner. . It has been common at all times, and never more than in our day, for the opinionated fons of flefli to rail at the dodrine of falva- tion by grace, and to charge it with encou- raging licentioufnefs ; therefore, to vindi- cate this glorious doftrine againft fo vile and diabolical a calumny, cannot be un- feafonable or improper : And it may, very eafily, be made to appear, that there is not the leaft foundation for fuch an unrighte- ous accufation, I. I fliall {hew what we underftand by the fcripture do<3:rine of man's falvation by the free grace of God, and fhall give a fliort fummary of thofe evangelical points^ which we take into our notion of it ; in doing of whichj I fhall evince, in the ge- I neralj as it ^m our ages Holme fsn ^ay neral, that it does not encourage lieen- tioufnefs. In the oracle? of truth, the falvation of men is attributed to the free and the abun- dant grace of God. The apoftle Paul has declared, that the defign of God in faving finners, was to difplay the riches qi his grace, in the following remarkable paflage; " God, who is rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in fins, has quicken'd us i— that he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindnefs towards us through Chrift ; for by grace ar^ you faved, through faith, and that not of your felves, it is the gift of God> not by works, left any one fliould boaft \" It is not by the works of the law, but by free mercy, that we are faved 5 for we are told, that " the kindnefs and love of God our Saviour ap-» pear'd in that, not by works of righteout- nefs, which we had don^, but according to his mercy he faved us "/' It is, to the comfort of all that are weary, and heavy laden with the burden of fin, declared, that " the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is through one, even Jefus Chrift, has abounded to many ; and that they v/ho receive abundance of grace, and the gift of righteoufnefs, fhall reign in life f E^h. ii. ^, ^, 7, 8, 9. *» Tir. ili. 4, 5. by 494 Of the T>o6lrinc of Grace ^ by one, even Jefus Chrift V' All faving bleffings are conveyed to us in and through Chrift, becaufe he purchafed them for us, by the infinite merit of his obedience and death ; yet falvation is afcribed to rich, free, and abundant grace, becaufe it was by grace that we were appointed to falva- tion, and it was love which provided a Redeemer for us, who might fatisfy infinite juftice for us, when we were guilty, might reconcile us, when we were enemies, and might fave us, when we were lofl ; that fo grace might reign, through righteouf- nefs, in our recovery from ruin. Salvation, taken in the general, is afcri- ^ ^ bed to the grace of God, in the facred vo- lumes ; and farther, all the principal parts of it, fuch as eledlion, juftification, rege- neration, and effeftual calling, and the coniummating our happinefs, are decla- red to be from grace. If we confider the heirs of falvation, as chofe by God, and predeftinated to eternal glory, it is from his fovereign grace ; it is exprefsly fa id, " God has chofe us in Chrift, before the foundation of the world j having pre- deftinated us to the adoption of children, through Jefus Chrift, tohimfelf, according to the fovereiga pleafure of his will, to tke praife of the glory of his grace V If ^ Rom. V. 15, 17. ^ Eph. i. 4, 5, 6, we as in encourages Holinefs, 4^5 wc regard thofe who are redeem'd from wrath, as having their fins forgiven, and being juftified, it muft be granted, that it is becaufe of the adlive and paffive obe- dience of Chrift, imputed to them, and is the rev/ard of his merit ; but if we bear in mind that it was grace which provided. % righteoufnefs of infinite value, and which imputes it to us, we cannot wonder to find it declared in fcripture, that " in Chrift we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenefs of fins, according to the riches of God's grace; that " we are ju- ftified freely by grace, through the redemp- tion purchafed by Chrift, and, being fo, are made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life ^*' If we view fuch as are de- livered from the power of indwelling fin, as born again, as turned from darknefs to light, and as effedlually called, we muft, if we believe the authority of God*s word, own, that they are indebted for their re- generation, their converfion, and their ho- ly vocation to free and efficacious grace, and fovereign diftinguifhing mercy. The fcriptures of truth have told us, that it is ** God the Father, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begot us again to a lively hope, and to an inheritance incor- ruptible, undefiled, and never fading;" that ( f Eph. V. 7. Rom. iii. 14. Ti:. in, 7. it 496 Of the !Do(Hrme af Grace ^ It is "according to his mercy that he faves us, by the wafhing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit ;'* that " it is through the tender mercies of our God, that the day fpring from on high has vi- fited us, to give light to them that lit in jjarknefs, and in the fhadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace ; that it is God " who has faved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to works, but according to his own purpofe and grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus, before the foundation of the world, but is lince made manifeft, by the appear- ing of Chrift in the flefh V If we let ouf thoughts go on to the confummating of the defign of God and Chrift, in perfedl bleiTednefs being confer'd on thofe who are juftified and fand:ified, we muft ftili confefs, that they are indebted for the crowns of glory, which they will wear, in the country of light, to abundant mercy and rich grace j for we are affured ^, that grace muft reign through righteoufnefs to eternal life; and that this, let it be ever fo great a bleffing, is the free gift of God : So that whether we confider our falvation as it was decreed by God before time, as it was purchafed by Chrift, in the fulnefs of ^ I Pet. i. 5. Tit. iii, 5, Luke i. -fi, 79. i Tim, i. 9, lo, * Rom.v. ii. vi* 25, time. as it encourages Holinefs. 497 time, as it is beguri in the day of God*s power, or as it is compleated when we leave the body, we muft own, that it is all of grace, and is the gift of grace. As God, in faving finners, defigned to glorify his free grace, and to make his un- deferved goodnefs appear in its full beauty, fo one great end he had in view was, to promote holinefs. All the feveral parts of falvation are mentioned in fcripture, as what fhould ftir us up to abound in holi- nefs and good works : If we are ^ eleded by God, it is that we may be holy and blamelefs before him in love ; and if we reap the benefits of electing love, it is through fanftification of the Spirit to obe- dience : If Chrift » gave himfelf for us, it was that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us to himfelf a pecu- liar people, zealous of good works : If we ^ are ranfom'd, not with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Chrift, it is, that we may be delivered from a vain converfation, and may pafs the time of our fojourning here below in fear : If we are bought * with a price, it is that we may look upon our felves to be no longer our own, but may be fenfible of the obli- \ gallons we are under to glorify God in our ' '' Eph.i. 4, 5. 1 Their, ii. l^. t P^t. i. j, ' Til ii. ij. *^ I Pec. i. 17, 18, 19. ^ I Cor. vi. 10. Vol. n. K k bodies 498 0/ *^^ J)oBrtne of Grace ^ bodies and fplrits, which are his : If wc are "^ new formed by God, it is for himfelf, / that we may fliew forth his praife : If we ' are made " partakers of a fpiritual voca- tion, it is, that as he, who has called us, is ! holy, we may be holy in all manner of converfation : If we receive the earneft ° of a kingdom that cannot be fliook, we muft ferve God acceptably, and with holy fear: If we are ^ brought to fee God in the light of glory, it is not without following after holinefs : If we enter "^ within the gates of the heavenly city, ^nd eat of the tree of life, we muft be fuch as do God's com- mandments, and do not give way to im- purity, or love or make a lie. We find the fcripture is far from fup- pofing, that man's being indebted to free grace for all the parts of his falv^tion, is any encouragement to ao encouragement is given to negligence or impurity, by their being afcribed to the free grace of God. It cannot be denied, but that the glo- rious dodtrine of free grace hias been abufed, by men of wicked principles, and vile pradlices. Some, before the apoftles; had finifh'd their vv^arfare here on earth, endea-- vour'd to turn the grace of God into \^an- tonnefs, w^ho are moft feTefely condemned by Peter, in his fecond^ eprftle, and', by J'ude, in his epiftle, both which were wrote on the la^ne occafion : The for met of thefe ^ has the following expreffu ms ; *^ The Lord knows how to referve the un- juft to the day of judgment, to bepunifh'd, chiefly them that walk after the flefh , in the luft of uncleannefs : They fliall pcxifh m their own corruption, and fliall receive the reward of unrighteoiifncfs : 1 'hey count it pleafure to riot in the day time; hav ing eyes full of the a( kil terefs, and wh ich cannot ceafe from fin : To them the mift ofdarknefs is referved for ever 5 for when they fpeak great fwelling- words of vanity, they allure, through the: lufts of the flefh, thofe who for a while ef(;aped from them who lived in errors whi l/l they promife them liberty, they themlelves are the fer- ^iPet. ii, 9, 10, li, 13, If, 17, 18, 19. vants 508 Of the ^oSlrine of Grace^ vants of fin." The other * infpired writer has given us the reafon of his inditing his epiftle, in the following words : " It was needful for me to write to you, and to exhort you, to contend earneftly for the faith once delivered to the faints ; for there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before ordain'd to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lafcivioufnefs/* Before the good apo- ftles had feal'd the truth with their blood, the "^ Gnoftics and Nicolaitans had crept in among Chriftians, before they were aware, who were ungodly pretenders, that were forward to talk of the free grace of God, in great fwelling words of vanity j but abufed it, by making it a handle for loofe pra<5lices ; for they held, that fornication and adultery were things lawful, and that it was no fin to equivocate, or to conform occafionally to the Heathen ceremonies, and they praftifed all manner of abomina- ble wickednefs. Thefe had their impiety * Jude 5, 4. _ ^ Nicolaicae — indifcrete vivunt — pleniiTime autem per Jo- hannis apocalyplin manifeCtantur qui lint, nullam differen- ciam Q^e doceuces in mocohando ik Idolothyton cdere. Ire- naeus. Lib. L c. z6, p. 105. Ed. Mafiuet. If any one is defirous to have a full account of the abomi- nable impieties and horrible lewdnefs, which the Gnoftics and Nicolaitans run intc», and praftifed, he may meet with it in Epiphanius, Haer. 2.5 & z^. from as it encourages Holinejs. cqq from Simon Magus "^j the father of almoft all herefies. This impoftor, who pretended he ^ Simon Samaritanus Magus ille— docuit femet ipfum effe qui inter Judaeos quidem quafi filius apparuerit, in Sa- maria autem quafi pater defcenderic, in reliquis vero genti- bus quafi Spiritus Sandus adventaveric. Effe autem fe fub- limlflimam virtucem, hoc eft, eum, qui fit fuper omnia Pater, & fuftinere vocari qwodcunque eum vocant homines. Simon autem Samaritanus ex quodiverfae haerefes fubftiteiunt habuic hujufmodi feftae majeriam. Hie Helenam quandam ipfe a Tyro civicatc Phocnices quaefiuariam cum redemifTet, fecum circumducebatj dicens, banc eile primam mentis ejus concep- tionem, matrem omnium, per quam initio mente concepit angelos facere & archangelos. Hanc enim Ennoiam exfilien- tem ex eo cognofcentem quae vult pater ejus, degredi ad in- ferioraj & generare angelos & poteftates a quibus & mun- dum hunc faftum dixit.— —Prophetas autem a mundi fabrica- toribus angelis infpiratos dixifle prophetias : quapropter nee ulterius curarint illos hi, qui in eum & in HeJenam ejus fpem habent, & uc liberos agere quae velint : fecundum enim ip- fius gratiam falvari homines, fed non fecundum operas juflas. Nee enim eife naturaliter operationes jullas, fed ex acciden- ti i qucmadmodum pofuerunt qui mundum fecerunt angeli, per hujufmodi praecepta in fervitutem deducentcs homines. Quapropter & folvi mundum, & Hberari eos, qui funt ejus, ab imperio eorum qui mundum fecerunt, repromific. Igitur horum myftici facerdotes libidinofe quidem vivunt, magias autem perficiunt, quemadmodum potelt unus quifque ipforum, Exorcifmis & incantationibus utuntur. Amatoria quoque & agogima, & qui dicuntur paredri & oniropompi & quaecun- que funt alia perierga apud eos fludiofe exeicentur. Ire- naeus, Lib. I. c. 23. p. 99, 100. The reader may fee a larger account of Simon*s blafphe- mies and impieties in Epiphanius, (Haeref. 21.) I fhallonly add part of Theodorit's account, becaufe it is taken from Irenaeus, whofe original text is loft. \^viv70 'TTctVToS'A'Traufy I^sotikol tji'A y^ ayeoyiy^di yLiy^ctvcifjSpoi^ n^ t<4 a a Act o(7ct 7' yonTL-ia.? iS'ia, eoi ^^et iJLiTi'ovTi^ ixv^itcid' Theodorir. Haerecic. fab. Lib. I. c. 2. Opp. Vol. IV. p. 192, 19^ Edit. Par. This account of Simon, given us by Irenaeus and Theo- dorit, is, of all, the molt authentick, and nothing can bet- ter illuflrate the apoftles Peter and Judf, between as in encourages Holiness, 5 1 1 between the things commanded in the Old Teftamenr, and the matters there prohi- bited : Thus, by promifmg men liberty, he made them the fervants of iin ; for his followers run into all manner of impurity. We fee, that the abufing the dodlrine of grace, was one of the abominations of the firft heretick that infefted the church, af- ter the appearance of our Saviour in the flefh ; his corrupt tenets, as to this, were embraced by all the feveral fed:s, which took the proud, vain-glorious title of Gnoftics, or enlightened perfons, men of deep knowledge, and which prevailed very much in the fecond century. This wic- ked abufe of a moft holy doftrine, is what was not confined to thofe early ages ; the churches of Chrift have been often pefter'd with a generation of vipers, who are for turning the grace of God into wantonnefs. When the devil has not been able to run down this comfortable dodlrine, by open oppofition, he has employed his "" miffiona- * Such were John Macthias, the pretended prophec, and baker of Haerlem ; John Bokelftn, a taylor of Leyden ; KnippsrdoUing, Kippenbrochen, Tuifcofchurier, Chrcchcin- gcn, and the reft of the Enthufiafis, who made the diftur- bance ac Munfler, a little after the reformation. Such were thofe who called themfelves. The Family of Love ; and fuch were (bme, who, in our country, a few years ago, went under the name of Philadeiphians, who are now, ia a manner, come to nothiug. ries 51^ Of the 7)o6lrine of Grace ^ ries to difgrace it, by drawing odious con- fequences from it. Some impure perfons can talk much of free grace ; nay, they may affedl to be more zealous for the love of God in eleftion, than many who have felt the blefled effefts of it, and may fcarce be able to bear to hear of any other truth: Thefe, tho* they may fpeak great fwelling words, about free, rich, fovereign grace, yet they have no part or portion in it, but are in the gall of bitternefs, and under the bond of iniquity, as well as Simoti, the firft founder of their impiety. They are really enemies to Chrift, and they wound him in the houfe of his friends ; and, unlefs they are brought to repentance, and to the acknowledgment of the truth, their con- demnation will be more fevere than that of Ignorant creatures, who knew none of the truths of the gofpel. There have been fome who, by their life and converfation, have Ihew'd, that they were far from being enemies to holi- nefs, who have amufed themfelves with fancies about God's loving and delighting in his eled:, while they were in a ftate of nature, of his feeing no fm in his people, and of good works not being neceilary to falvation, and who have been forward to condemn preffing men to duty, as legal preaching, and to fpeak of exhorting to repen- as it encourages Holinefs. 5 1 5 repentance, mortification, and felf-denial, as low and mean ftufF. Far be it from us to charge fome who* have gone into this way of thinking and talking, with turn- ing the grace of God into wantonnefs ; however, as we can ftate the dodlrine we vindicate from the charge of Antinomianifm, foas to keep it entirely clear of attributing too much to the will of men, without ad- mitting thefe pofitions, which have great difficulties attending them, we certainly are at liberty to do it : And as we would not take into our notion of it what we think eafy to be perverted, we defire not to have the opinions of others, which are not embraced by the generality of the pleaders for free grace, attributed to us. If we allow the fcripture to be given by divine infpiration, we muft own, matters are exprefs'd there in the jufteft way ; and we fhall find it fafe to fpeak according to it, if we are not guilty of the intolerable folly, which moft erring men run into, of fetting one imperfedl lentence in oppofi- tion to the whole tenor of divine revela- tion, or the analogy of faith. As to the cafe before us, we have a noble account given us, by the apoftle Paul, of the ten- dency of the dodlrine of grace, to promote piety, honeily, and temperance, in the VaL. 11. h 1 foU 514. Of the ^oBrine of Grace ^ following words y, which are worthy of the Holy Spirit, who dictated them to him : " The grace of God, which brings falva- tion, has appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, we live foberly, righteoully, and pioufly in this prefent world; expeding the blelTed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jefus Chrift ; who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might purify to himfelf a peculiar people, zealous for good works/* This is an excellent account of the true doftrine, which the minifters of the gofpel are to preach ; and therefore it is no wonder, that the infpired inftrudler added, to this declaration, the following charge to Titus, his own fon, after the common faith: " Thefe things fpeak, ex- hort, and rebuke with all authority , let no man defpife thee/' We are to fhew men their duty, to reprove them for their fins, and to exhort them to follow after holi- nefs ; that they may adorn the gofpel of God, and we muft not be daunted, if we are called legal preachers, and retailers of duties : We are like wife to ftand up for the freenefs, the riches, and the abundance of divine grace, and muft not be intimi- y Tit. ii. II— 14. dated, as it encourages Holinefs. 515 dated, in defending that doftrine which attributes mens falvation to the mercy of God, and the purchafe of Chrift, by the fenfeiefs clamour raifed againft us by a ge- neration of formal Pharifees, as if we pro- moted licentioufnefs. If men would think coolly, and argue rationally, there would be little need of any thing more than fairly ftating the do- ftrine of grace, in order to vindicate it from the charge of Antinomianifm, or to fhew that it has no tendency to promote licentioufnefs : But as men, while they are in a ftate of unregeneracy, are fwell'd with fpiritual pride, and puff'd up with high and vain conceits of their own per- formances, they cannot bear the thoughts of being wholly indebted to free grace for their falvacion, and therefore they hate the docftrine, becaufe it fuppofes them not to be fo con fider able in the eyes of God, as they imagine they fhould be, and fo ftains the pride of their glory: And as they hate it, it is no wonder that they oppofe and malign it, and fet it off in the mofl odious colours, as if it did not include the ne- ceffity of thac holinefs of heart and life, which they are not really and fincerely affedted to ; though, to ferve a turn, and to throw a milt before the eyes of the unwary, they would feem noify advocates for it. No charge can be really more un- L 1 2 juft. 5 1 6 Cf the T)o6{rine of Grace^ juft, than what furious Legalifts bring a- gainft the evangelical dodtrine of free grace, which will, in fome meafure, ap- f)ear, if the following particulars are care- ully weighed. I. The dodrine of free and abfolute eledtion no ways weakens the obligations we lie under to follow after holinefs, be- caufe it is aver'd, by all who know any thing of the fcripture account of this glo- rious and comfortable dodlrine, that tho' eleftion * is free and fovereign, abfolute and unconditional, though men are not elefted to happinefs, becaufe God fore- faw they would be holy, yet ^ he chofe them to holinefs. Eleftion does not dif- folve the obligation men lie under to God, as creatures : As they are form'd by him out of nothing, as they are fupported by his providential care, and are fupplied by his bounty, and as in his hand are all their ways, they, by the law of creation, are obliged to love him, to obey his will, and, in all their natural, moral, and religious adtions, to aim at the advancement of his glory, as their chief and ultimate end. A perfon muft have a head very oddly turn'd, that can bring himfelf, on calm reflexion, * See efpecially the learned Mr. Ridgley's Body ofDi'^ vinity, Vol.1, p. 1^6, col. i.— 440. col. i. * Sec the fame ui#ful Work, p. 227. col. 2— -2} I. col. 2. to as it encouraoes Hcflinefs. ^IJ to think, that all thefe obligations, which lie upon a man, as he is a creature, are either canceled or weakened, by God*s ha- ving had thoughts of peace towards him, before the foundation of the world : It is ftrange arguing, that God*s kind intentions to him loofe the bands of duty, or break the relation wherein he Hands to his Ma- ker and Law-giver, as his fubjed:. Nay, if we could fuppofe that a man, in a ftatc of nature, could get any pofitive proof that he is the elect of God, which by the way is impoffible ; yet could it be fo, this would be fo far from flriking out his debt of obedience, that it would add to it a debt of love and gratitude. Surely, no one can fay, that if a man could have the fureft evidence of his being eledledby God, he has liberty to return to him hatred for love, and contempt for kindnefs. Cer- tainly, an all-wife being cannot be thought to throw away favours on men, which would be the cafe, if they were more at liberty to caft contempt on his law, and to repeat afts of rebellion againft him, by reafon of his having pre-ordained their happinefs. Ifweconfult the oracles of truth, we fhall find, that the purpofe of God, in eleding perfons, and in predeflinating them to life, was, that they might be holy, and there will be no need to multiply paflages, LI 3 tend- 5 1 8 Of the T^oBrine of Grace^ tending to prove this, if we carefully con- fider the following noble rapture, which the apoftle Paul, infpired with holy joy, utter'd, in the beginning of his epiftle to the faints at Ephefus ^ : " Bleffed be God, the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who has bleifed us with all fpiiitual bleffings, in heavenly things, in Chrift, according as he has chofe us in him, before the foun- dation of the world, that we fhould be holy and without blame before him in. love, having predeftinated us to the adop- tion of children by Jefus Chrift to himfelf, according to the good pleafure of his will, to the praife of the glory of his grace j by which he has made us accepted in the be- loved, in whom we have redemption thro' his blood, and the forgivenefs of fms, — in whom alfo we have obtain'd an inheri- tance, being predeftinated, according to the purpofe of him, who works all things according to the counfel of his will, that we fhould be to the praife of his glory, who have trufted in Chrift/' Nothing can be more exprefs than this admirable paf- fage, to prove the abfolute freenefs of ele- <5tipn and predeftination ; it is exprefsly af- ferted, that we are chofe by God in Chrift, and predeftinated to the adoption of chil- dren, according to the good pleafure of ^ Eph. i. 3 — 7, II, I a. his as it encourages Holmefs. c I ^ his will i nay, his fovereign pleafure ; for it is according to the counfel of him that works all things, or certainly and infalli- bly brings all things about, after the pur- pofe of his will : We are chofe in Chrift, and are preordained to the privilege of a change of ftate by adoption, which is me- rited and purchafed for us by Chrifl : Now the end of God, in choofing us, and pre- deftinating us to the grace of adoption, was, that we might be holy and without blame before him in love, and that we might be to the praife and the glory of his grace : The end of God's choofing us was, that we might be holy , and does his acS in elefting us, give us a liberty to fruftate, as far as in us lies, the end of his choice ? Certainly every one, who would fhew him- felf to be the eled: of God, ought to com- ply with the end, which he had in view, in choofing him to honour, glory, and immortality. What God has joined toge- ther, let not vain man pretend to feparate ; and, indeed, it will never be feparated, by thofe who are really, the fubjefts of eledling love ; ocherwife we muft allow, that God has purpofed fomething in vain, which is a thought too (hocking and blaf- phemous to be admitted, concerning a be- ing of infinite wifdom and power. Our obligation to holinefs is not weakened, but ftrengthen'd, by confidering, that thofe L 1 4 whom 520 Of the T)oBrine of Grace^ whom God, out of his fovereign pleafure, chofe and ordain'd to life, he alfo defiga'd {hould be holy. Accordingly it is matter of faft, that the generality of fuch as have embraced the dodlrine of abfolute eledlion, have been mofl: exemplary in their vi^alk, being fenfible that they ought to comply v^ith the end of God, as well as enjoy the privileges he has laid out for them ; where- as too many of thpfe, who would be for tying God's choice to their forefeen faith and good works, as conditions moving him thereto, take care, by their want of faith, and negledt of good works, to iJiew, that they either are not of the number of God's eledl, or have not yet felt the bleffed effects of it. A frothy temper of mind, with refpedl to things facred, and an unwary converfation, have too commonly been the fcandalous badges of fuch, as muft needs have it that they are chofe by God, for forefeen faith and holinefs, and have been the moft eager to prate againft the true fcripture dod:rine of abfolute eledtion, with lying and malicious words, by reprefent- ing it as calculated to promote loofenefs of life. It muft, indeed, be own'd, that fome profane finners have abufed this dodtrine, and have broke in upon the connexion that there is between the initial parts, and the fure marks of falvation in this life, and as it encourages Holinefs. ^^ j and the completion of it in the life of glory : But, whatever unruly finners may imagine, the end will never be beftowed, where the means, appointed to bring about that end, nay, which are the beginning of what is to be brought to an end, are en- tirely thrown afide. Therefore it is mere rant for a hair-brain'd finner to fay, If I am eleffled to falvation, I fhall be fa- ved, let me live as I lift ; if I am a chofen veffel, fin fhall not hinder my happinefs : This is nothing but rumbling talk ; it is no better fenfe than if a man fhould fay. If I am elefted, I (hall be faved, though I fhould never be brought into a ftate of falvation ; or, 1 fhall be faved, without falvation -, only in this laft way of fpeak- ing, the nonfenfe is fo apparent, that it flrikes even upon the moft dull apprehen- fion. Suppofmg a man was to break a limb, and fhould refufe to have it fet, and was gravely to argue, that his times are in God*s hand, and that if it is determined, he fhall live without being lame, it fhall certainly be fo v/ith him, though he ufes no means ; or fuppoling a man was to be ready to famifh for hunger, and was burnt up with thirft, if he fhould fay, that if he is to live ftrong, and in healthy he aiTured- ly will, whether he takes fuftenance or no ; fuppofing luch cafes, fhould we not reckon perfons, who thus chatter, to be direftly ^7 7 Of the T>oc^rine of Grace ^ direftly mad, or to be mere ideots ? Cer- tainly we fhould, when yet they fpeak on- ly with reference to the comfort of this life. Surely then it is worfe than mad, becaufe the matter is of vaftly greater im- portance, than the eafe of this natural life, for any to pretend, that as eternal life is the gift of eledling love, it can be obtained without the ufe of the means v/hich God has determined fhould be ufed, and with- out the grace he actually works, in all that he faves. Without holinefs, there is no proof of election, therefore abfolute ele- dlion does not leflen our regards to holinefs. If perfons fay they are eled:ed, let them prove they are partakers of the bleffings which reiult from the grace of elecftion by a holy life ; for all that are chofe by God to falvation, are fand:ified by the Holy Spirit. Whoever draws this abfurd con- fequence, that if he is eledted, he fhall be faved, though he does as he will, gives the greateft ground to fufpedt that he never experienced the love of Godj and if he belongs to the election of grace, when he is actually gather'd in, he will have very different thoughts, and will be filled with fhame and humiliation, for having done any thing to difgrace fuch a holy docftrine. If we will not prefumptuoufly deny what is laid down in the oracles of truth, we muft be as flrenuous to maintain, that God I chofe m it encourages Holinef^. 525 chofe his people to holinefs, as we fliould be to ftand up for the notion of election being only from his fovereign grace ; and then, as we fhall not make the purpofe of the unchangeable God depend on the mu- table will of frail men, fo we (hall never weaken the obligations we are under to be holy, by maintaining abfolute eleftion. We are, in compliance to God's end, to pradtife holinefs 3 and fo we have a farther obliga- tion added, to that which lies upon us as creatures, to do whatever is by any means niade known to us, to be the will of our Maker and kind Preferver. The far greater number of thofe who have declared their faith, with relation to the great doctrine of particular and abfolute eledlion, have fuffi- ciently guarded againft all abufe of it ; yet it has always been vilified by fuch as do not care to be wholly indebted to God for fal- vation 5 nothing can be more unrighteous than their charge againft us ; and their injuftice is the more highly aggravated, becaufe they either know, or might know, that it is entirely groundlefs. Whether they are fo wicked, as knowingly and ma- licioufly to mifieprefent our tenets, or whether they are fo foolifh as to ipeak evil of our principles, without underftand- ing them, is hard to determine. 2. ' The dodlrine of free juftification, by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, imputed and re- 5^4. Of the TfoBrtne of Grace^ received by faith, does not tend to pro- mote licentioufnefs ; becaufe all who look to him as a prieft, dying for fin, and truft in his merit for acceptance with God, re- ceive him in all his offices, and fo obey him as a prophet, and fubmit to him as a king. Sinners can never appeafe the anger of God, by what they can perform ; becaufe all their duties are what they owe to God, ^s they are his creatures ; and fo the being found in them, is no more than paying a juft debt, and cannot attone for the omif- fion of what they are obliged to do. It was great goodnefs in God, when finners could not anfwer for themfelves, to ap- point a Saviour to undertake for them, who, by fulfilling the precept of the law, and fuffering the penalty which it infiid:- ed, in cafe of difobedience, could attone for fin, or make propitiation for guilt, fa- tisfy juflice, appeafe the divine anger, mag- nify the law, and make it honourable, and bring in an everlafling righteoufnefs, of infinite value ; which might not only free from condemnation, but might give a right and title to the glory of heaven: And it is rich grace in God, to impute the righteoufnefs of a Redeemer to us, that we may fland before him without fhame and blufliing. There can nothing be jufl- ly deduced from this, that can weaken the obli- as it encourages Holinejs. t^^^ obligations men are under, to obey the law ; certainly they are not exempted from obferving it, as a rule of life, becaufe they are delivered from the curfe of it, as a bro- ken covenant of w^orks. Juftification in the fight of God, is for the fake of Chrift's adlive and paffive obe- dience, imputed to a finner, and received by faith ; w^hich is not from himfelf, but is the gift of God, and is beftovs^'d upon him, and w^rought in his heart, whenever the merit of the Redeemer is applied to him. Faith, which is created in the foul of every one, who is brought to live in Chrift, and to be under him, as a head of righteoufnefs, as it is made ufe of, by the holy Spirit, in juftification, is wholly and only employed, in looking to Chrift as a prieft, dying for fin, and in trufting in the merit of his facrifice, and which he offer'd up : It looks to Chrift as fatisfying juftice, anfwering the demands of the law, as a covenant of works, and fufFering death : It regards him as the only prieft, deputed and appointed by God, to fave finners, and as the only one who can carry away fin, and can appeafe God, by bearing the weight of infinite wrath ; it refpedis Chrift as an in- finite perfon, one of almighty power, to go through what he undertook, and of boundlefs merit, to procure everlafting happinefs , it beholds him in his bloody death, 5^6 Of the T)oSlrine of Grace ^ death, and in his exquifite fufFerings, as en-- during the utmoft ihamc, and the moft acute pain, in his body, and as fufFering inexpr^ffible torments in his foul ; it jflies to him for refuge, from the tempeft of di- vine indignation j it receives him as the only Saviour , and it refts and relies upon him, for the free and full forgivenefs of fin, for deliverance from condemnation, for juftification before God, and acceptance in his fight, and for a right and title to the favour of the Moft High, and to eternal life. This is the work of faith, as it is employed in juftification ; but the enemies of this dodlrine know well enough, that they who are advocates for the infinite me- rit of Chrift, being the fole caufe of a fin- ner's deliverance from mifery, and his be- ing found by God, in peace, maintain, that though faith, as it is ufed in juftifica- tion, is only employed in looking to, and trufting in Chrift as a prieft, dying for fin ; yet, with different views, it receives Chrift in his other offices ; it receives him as a prophet ', for it affents to the truth of all the glorious doctrines which he has re- vealed ; and it relies on him for fpiritu- al illumination, to know more of God's will, about the duties which are to be performed by all who profefs him ; it likewife receives him as a king ; for it fub- mits to his authority, and obeys his com- mands. as in encourages Holinefs. zij mands, ic follows him as he is the Cap- tain of falvation, and it choofes him as a Sovereign, to rule in the heart, to fubdue luft, and to rout the armies of indwelling corruption. Faith relies on Chrift as a Prieft, for juftification and acceptance with God 5 but though this is one prime part of its work, yet this does not take in the whole notion of that grace ; it depends upon Chrift as the great Prophet, who can make wife to falvation, and can lead his people into the knowledge of all truth, and can imprefs their hearts with a lively be- lief of what he is pleafed to difcover ; and it trufts in him, as an exalted Saviour and a King, for ftrength, to be ftedfart in the beliefofthe great truths reveard in fcripture, and to be zealous in the defence of them, for power to pradlife holinefs, to proceed in the paths of piety, to renew repentance, and to engage in the great duties of mortifica- tion and felf-denial, and for might, to ftruggle againft indwelling fin, to overcome the alluring temptations and the evils of the world, and to maintain a continued conflidt againft the powers of darknefs. Though faith, as made ufe of in juftifica- tion, does not do all this, yet this is the faith which is wrought in the hearts of all who are juftiiied freely by grace, through the redemption purchafed by Chrift; and will any be fo hardy, or fo foolifh, as to fay, 5^8 Of the ^OiBrine of Grace ^ fayj that this promotes licentioufnefs ? Far otherwife ; it brings a man to fubmit to Chrift's inftitutions, and to rely on hini for aid to perform them better than he can by his own power. It was the defign of Chrift to take away the curfe of the law, as it is a broken co- venant of works, by becoming a curfe for us, and by bearing, in our ftead, all that punifliment which the law denounced a- gainft us ; but it never was his purpofe to abrogate the law, as it is a rule of life ; rather to bring us to be more conformable to it, as it is a tranfcript of the liolinefs of God. Seeing the cafe is thus, we may take up the words '^ of the apoftle Paul^ and may fay after him; " Do we then make void the law through faitu ? God forbid ; we rather eftablifh the law." Though we afcribe juftificacion to the righteoufnefs of Chrift, yet we leave to the law all the honour that belongs to it, as a rule of life : We own ^, that " we are not without law to God, but chat we are under the law to Chrift/' When we truft in Chrift as a Surety, we look upon our felves as under the iiigheft obligation to obey him as our Sovereign ; ar.d when he reigns over us a King, he gives us ftrength for obedience, and fends us to the ^ Rom, iii. $r. ^ i Co;", ix, 21. law, 05 it encourages Holinejs. 50^ law, as the rule of our converfation. We ftaf t at the thought of faying, as fome do, that the law is of no ufe to believers, for it is of ufe, as a rule ; and we dare not fay, with others, that the moral law is repeal'd, and that God has placed the gofpel in its roonij as a new remedial law of grace, re- quiring faith, repentance, and lincere obe- dience, in the room of perfedt righteouf- nefs ; we cannot be pleafed with fuch hi- deous and blemiiliing fidlions concerning God, as reprefent him as abrogating a law that was perfeft, and framing another in- fteadofit, th^t admits of imperfecft, tho' lincere obedience, as a coriditioii of juftifi- cation. Far, very far, be fuch thoughts from us, which reproach the faithfulnefs, hdlinefs, and wifdom of God: One tni he had in faving us by Chrift was, to mag- nify his law, and make it honourable ; and if we are of thofe who are faved by Chrift, we fhall defire to comply with God, in this, as well as in all his other deiigns. If any have been fo lilly as to attenlpt to advance faith, by difparaging good works, they are to anfwer for their profanenefs and folly: The gofpel account of faith gives no encouragement for any to do fo. The feripture fuppofes, that good works are as neceffary to juftify and fhew the fincerity of our faith before men, as faith in the righteoufnefsof Chrift is necelfdry, in our Vol, IL M m ' jufti- 5 5 o Of the T)0^Ytne of Grace^ juftification before God. Hence the apo- ftle James faid, " Faith without works is dead, being alone j a man may fay, thou haft faith, and I have works ; fhew me thy faith without thy works, and I will (hew thee my faith by my works : Thou believeft that there is one God, thou doft well, the devils believe and tremble ; but wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead ^" If a man omits to perform thofe duties, which he owes to God and his neighbour, under the pretence of being juftified by faith alone, he fhews, that he has no more than a very imperfect notion of faith in Chrift, and that what he does know of it, he perverts from its true defign ; unlefs a man evidences the fince- rity of his faith by his works, all his faith is no more than that traditional hiftorical faith, which is in the devils -, and all the great things he fays of it, are no more, as to himfelf, than mere founds, and a bare aoife. Though we are not juftified by the works of the law, we muft fliew the fin- cerity of our truft in the merit of that fa- crifice, which Chrift offered up for us, as the great High Prieft of our profeffion, by our fubmitting to his righteous fcepter, as our King, and by our taking the law for the rule of our lives and aftions. If fo, ^ James ii* 17— io. I the as it encourages HoUnefs. 5 3 1 thedodfine ofjuftification, by the Impu- ted righteoufnefs of Chrift, without works, does not fuppofe good works needlefs; feeing they are abfolutely neceffary, as evi- dences, though not as conditions of jufti- fication. 3. The evangelical docftrines of belie- vers being renewed by the efficacious power and grace of the Holy Spirit, of their be- ing kept by Chrift from falling, and ena- bled by him to perfevere to the end, and' of their being favoured fometimes with the afTurance of the love of God, do not lead to licentioufnefs ; becaufe, in the ve- ry nature of the things, it is fuppofed that they are new created to holinefs, that they are enabled, by ftrength received by Chrift, to go on in the paths of godlinefs, and that without holinefs they cannot fee the Lord, \ either by the light of faith here, for their comfort, or in the light of glory hereafter for their exceeding joy. If we will believe Chrift, the true and faithful Witnefs, finners maft be born again before they can be admitted into the prefence of God, in the world of peace and reft : He thus pofitively declared to Nicodemus ^ 5 " 1 folemnly aiTure thee, except a man is born again, he cannot fee the kingdomof God; except a man is born ^ John ill. 5, 5. M m 2 Qf 5 ja Of the ^oBrtne of Grace^ of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Regeneration is a real change, wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit, in all the faculties of the foul, from fin to holinefs, from praitifing according to the didtates of corrupt na- ture, to aft out of a principle of faith and love to God, and from gratifying the will of the fle(h, to purfue after the advance- ment of God's glory. It may be faid to differ « from converlion j the new birth is a fpiritual 8 I do not know any writer who has better fiated this matter, than that great and judicious divine, Mr. Charnock : Him I have chole to follow, taking a liberty to ufe fbme of hi» expreifions. His own words I (hall here give, (See his Works, Vol. II. p. 70, 71, 72. firft Edition. Regeneration differs from converfion : Regeneration is 2 Ijpiritual change, converfion is a fpiritual motion : In rege- neration there is a power confer'd ; converfion is the exer- cife of this power : In regeneration there is given us a prin- ciple to turn, converiion is our adual turning ; that is, the principle whereby we arc brought out of a ftate of nature, into a ftate of grace and converfion, the aftual fixing on God, as the terminus ad cjucm : one gives pofle agerc ; and ihc other, aftu agere. I. Converfion is related to regeneration, as the effeft to the caufe: Life precedes motion, and is thecaufe of motion. In the covenant, the new heart, the new fpirit, a^d God*s putting his Spirit into them, is ditiingui(hed from their walk- ing in his flatutcs, (Ezek. xxxvi. 27.) from the firft ftep we take in the way of God, and is fee down as the caufe of our motion ; *' I will caufe you to walk in my ftatutes/* In renewing us, God gives us a power ; in converting us, he excites that power. Men are naturally dead, and have a ftone upon them ; regeneration is a rolling away the ftone from the heart, and a raifing to newnefs of life ; and then converfion is as natural to a regenerate man, as motion is to a living body : A principle of aftivicy will produce aftion. z. In {IS it encourages Holme fs. 535 fpiritual change ; in it there is a power to adt fpiritually confer'd, and a principle to turn from fin infufed : Converfion is a fpiritual motion, it is the exercife of, or putting into adl the power received, and it is our aftual turning. Converfion is the eff'ed: of the Spirit's new creation work, for life precedes motion, and is the caufe of it. AH men, by nature, lie buried in the grave of fin 5 when they are regenera- ted, the ftone is rolled away from the graves mouth, and they are by the al- mighty, and confequently irrefiftible, power of a. In regeneration, man is wholly paflive ; in converfion, he is adive : As a child, in its firft formation in the womb, contributes nothing to the firft infufion of life, but after ic has life, it is adive, and its motion natural. The firft revK ving of us is wholly the ad of God, without any concurrence of the creature ; but after we are revived, we adively and voluntarily live in his fight : " He will revive ui, he will raife us up, and then we fhall live in his fight ;" then we {hall walk before him, and then '' we (hall follow on to know the Lord," (Hof. vi. i.) Regeneration is the motion of God in the creature; converfion is the motion of the creature to Cod, by virtue of that firft principle : From this principle, all the ads of believing, repenting, mortifying, quickening, ipring : In all thefe, a man is adive ; in the other, he is utterly paflive i all thefe are the ads of the will, by theafllftinggrace of God, after the infufion of the firft grace : Converfion is a giving our felves to the Lord ; giving our own felves to the Lord, is a voluntary ad, but the power whereby we are enabled thus to give our {^Ivtz, is wholly and purely, in every part of it, from the Lord hirafelf. A renewed man is faid to be led by the Spirit, (Rom. viii. 14.) not drag'dj not forced : The putting a bias and aptitude in the will, is the w^ork of the Spirit quickening ic ; but the moving the will to God, by the ftrengch of this bias, is vo- M m 3 luntary. 554- 0/ the ^oBrtne of Grace y of the Spirit raifed to newnefs of life j and when they are made alive, converfion is as natural to them, as motion is to a living body. In regeneration, man is entirely paflive ', in converfion, he is made adlive. The day of the new birth, is the time of the Spirit's power being exerted on men, to make them willing to turn from fm to bolinefs; and therefore, though, in con- verfion, the renewed foul i aftive, yet this is not from its natural power, but from a fupernatural power put forth in it, and upon it : This power of afting is not g. hintary, and the ad of the creature.-^— The day of regene- ration is folely the day of God's power, wherein he makes jnen willing to turn to him, (Pfal. ex. ^.) So thac though, |n adual converfion, the creature is aftive, it is not frorn the power of man, though it is from a power in man ; not growing up from the impotent root of nature, but fettled l)iere by the Spirit of God, Regeneration differs from fandification ; habitual fandifi- cation, indeed, is the fame thing with this new creature, as habitual itditude was the fpiritual life of Adam i but adual landification, and the gradual progrefs of it, grows from this principle as a root. Faith purifies the heart, (Ails xv. 9. ** ptirifyirig their hearts by faith,") and is the caufc of this gradual fandification ; but faith is part of this new creature, and that which is a parr, cannot be the caufe of tlie whole, for then it would be the caufe of it felf. We are not rege- nerated by faith, though we are fanftified t>y faith ; but we are new creattd by the Spirit of God, infufing faith into us. Faith produces the ads of grace, but not the habit of grace, becaufe it is of it felf a part of this habit ; for all grnces are but one in the habit or new creature ; chariry^ and likewife every othtr grace, is but the bubbling up of a pure heart, and a good confcience. Regeneration feems to be the life of thisgradual fandification, the health and Jivelinefs of the fooU plant as it encourages Holinefs. 535 plant in nature*s garden, neither does it fpring from the impotent root of thq car- nkl will, but it is planted in the foul by the Spirit's hand, and is fettled in the will, by him whofe office it is, to renew the eleft of God. Regeneration likewife differs from fancflification -, not, indeed, from it, as it may be faid to be habitual, but as it may be ftiled adual fandtification ; for that confider'd as gradually progreffive, grows from the new birth, as its root. If we duly weigh this account of the work of grace in the foul of man, we fliall fee no reafon to think that man is left at liberty to fulfil the will of the fleflh, be- caufe he is new form'd by the irrefiftible power of the Holy Spirit. He muft be laid to be paffive in the new birth, but what does this great change pafs upon him for ? That he may be adlive, and fhew that he is raifed from a death in fin, by his living a life of holinefs. It would be very irrational, and what would be hifs'd at, if any were to fuggeft, that a child's not contributing to his living, but being wholly indebted to God's creating power for it, is a let to his performing the fun- ctions of natural life; and it is full as ri- diculous to fay, that a finner's doing no- thing towards new forming himfelf, but owing his new birth to the Holy Spirit's efficience, is an impediment to his putting M m 4 forth 5 ^6 Of the ^oBrlm of Grace^ forth the fubfequent adts of the fpiritugl ^ life. If any fhould be fo weak as to fay, that being new created and regenerated by the Spirit's efficacious operations, being turn'd by bis almighty power from darknefs to light, and from fm to holinefs, and, being fandified by him, has a tendency to check perfonsin making a progrefs in the Chri- ftian courfe, it muft be own'd to be a mere folly to go about to argue with, and an- fwer fuch a perfon. If any rnake this do- fflrine a handle to be lazy and indolent, ip the performance of what is good, it is a fign that they pretend to what they know nothing of. Our fpirltual life is from the quickening power of the Holy Ghoft, and is not from our own wills j but then we fhould confider, that we are not raifed from a death in fin, that we rnay remair^ unadtive, and we are not made alive to rightepufnefs, that we may indulge idle- nefs: The Spirit enlightens our minds, re- news our wills, and purifies our affedlions; not that we may be llothful and negligent, but that we may be fervent in fpirit, ler- ving the Lord. The apoflle Paul's advice was this '' : " I befeech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you prefent your bodies a living iacrifice, hcly, acceptable to God, and be no,t conformed to this ^ Rom. xii. I, i, y, lo, 1 1. world, 16. he as it encourages Holme fs, 5^^ he ^ faid to his difciples ; " You cannot bear fruit, unlefs you abide in me : I am the vine, you are the branches ; he that abides in me, and I in him, the fame brings forth much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.*' We can do nothing which is good, unlefs we derive ftrength from Chrift, by virtue of our union with him; hut it vyould be odd, if it was to follow, that we muft do nothing, becaufe we arc in Chrift, and are upheld and nourifhed by him. We muft wait on Chrift, or truft in him for perfevering vigour, and, if we ex- peft aid from him, we muft be in a watch- ful pofture j then it will be with us, ac- cording to what is promifed to fuch as rely on Chrift, in Ifaiah's ^ prophecy j " The youths ftiall faint, and be weary, and the vigorous young men ftiall utterly fail : But fuch as wait upon the Lord ihall renew their ftrength > they ftiall mount up with the wings of eagles, they ftiall run and not be weary, they ftiall walk and not faint." Such as depend on their own fti'ength, ftiall foon faint, and tire, and die, if they are left to themfelves ; but fuch as wait upon Chrift, fuch as rely upon his power, will renew their ftrength : When they do this, it is not that they may lie down, and jEfeep by the way, but that they may be ^ John XV. 4j 5, ^ Ifai. xl, 30, 31. ad;iv« 54-0 Of the 7)o(3rme of Grace ^ aftive and induftrious in duty, that they may mount up towards heaven, with a towering fprightly motion 5 fuch as is that of the lively eagle, when fcorning the ground, fhe foars aloft j that they may run in the paths of duty, which are truly the paths of honour, without being weary, or being obliged to drop, for want of fpi- fits ; and that they may refrefh themfelves with continued walks within the facred in- clofures of pure religion, where are the moft refined pleafures, without being faint, or being forced to fit down tired, without a profped of being able to recruit their vigour. If we are once ingrafted into Chrift, we (hall go on in his fi:rength, in- the way of holinefs, and we fhall be kept by his power, fo that we fhall never to- tally or finally fall from grace ; of this he himfelf afliired us, when he faid "\ " My fheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eter- nal life, and they fhall never perifh, nei- ther fhall any man pluck them out of my hand/' This does not excufe us from keep- ing up a conflant watch againfl the mo- tions of indwelling corruption, and the temptations of the infernal powers ; for if we lay afide our guard, we may fall into fin, and fo provoke our beloved and our "* John X. 27j i8. friend. US it encourages Holinejs. 541 friend, to withdraw himfeif and be gone, and then our feet will ftumble on the dark mountains of defponding thoughts, and di- ftrufting fears. The fure encouragement we have to hope that we (hall be kept by the power of Chrift, through faith, to complete falvation, is far from giving a li- cenfetocareleflhefs and indolence; we may, indeed, wickedly make it a handle for thefe, but then, if we belong to God, we expofe our felves to the fmart of his fa- therly rebukes. Truft in Chrift^s power, is a grace of an adive nature, and, if we go on in his ftrength, it muft be in a way of holinefs 5 therefore a lively faith, inftead of making us lazy, will put us up- on " being ftedfaft, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and the more, becaufe we know that our la- bour of love fhall never be in vain in the Lord. If they who truft in Chrift for righte- oufnefs and life, are favoured by the Holy Spirit with an affurance of their having a fhare in the love of the Redeemer, this has a tendency to make them more fervent and active in true obedience, and fo does not promote licentioufnefs. Affurance of fal- vation is a deep fenfe and a lively tafte of the divine iove, join'd with a firm perfua- " 1 Cor, xv% fealing of the Spirit, makes us more holy : It cannot be thought, that he who is infi- nitely pure, will, or can encourage loofe- nefs y where he takes up his abode, there muft be much faith and love, humility and fear, felf-denial and uprightnefs, holinefs and purity, circumfped:ion and watchful- nefs. Such therefore as boaft of affurance^ and yet can take their fwing in fin, are only vain and impudent pretenders. Aflu- rance fets the Chrillians graces in a clear light, and checques every thing contrary. 10 God ', and as it is the earned of heaven, it will make all who are blefs'd with it more heavenly, and confequently more holy. When it is thus with believers, fer- vour and vehemence, zeal and courage, Ipve and patience, will fill their breafts, and, infpired with heavenly vigour, they will pafs on from ftrength to ftrength, till they fet their feet on the eternal hills, where they fhall know faintnefs and weari- nefs no more. The fcripture has fufficiently guarded us againft abufing the gofpel doftrine of afliirance. The apoftle Paul has fhew'd us, what improvement we ought to make of aflurance of God's love, in "■ the following paflTages: " Knowing the feafon, that now it is high time for us to wake our of fleep ; for now is our falvation nearer, than when ^ Rjom, xiii. ^j, 14. E^h, iv. xp— Jx. i Cor. xv. 58. we 54-4- Of the Do^rine of Grace ^ we believed: The night is far fpent, the day is at hand 3 let us therefore caft off the works of darknefs, and let us put on the armour of light J let us walk decently as in the day, not in revels and caroufals, not in fleep and wantonnefs, not in ftrife and envying ; but put you on the Lord Jefus Chrifl, and make no carnal provifion for lufts: Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but what is good, to edify profitably, that it may minifter grace to the hearers; and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are fealed to the day of redemption; let all bitternefs and wrath, and anger and clamour, and evil fpeaking, with all malice, be thrufl from you ; and be you gentle one to another, render hearted, and ready to do ads of kindnefs, as God in Chrift has been gra- cious to you. Be ftedfaft, immoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, feeing you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." The great apoftle John, when he had fpoke of the hope and affurance which believers have, that when they come to be for ever with the Lord, they fhall poffefs joys ineffably great, and pleafures, which, in this ftate of imperfedtion, they cannot fully know, infer'd, that they fhould purify themfelves, as Chrift is pure, or that they fhould ftrive to be as like their glorified *Head, as is I poffible^ (C5 it encourages HoUnefs. 5^5 poflible, before they put off the body of im and death : His ^ words are, " Beloved, now are we the fons of Codj and ic does not yet appear what we fhall be; but we know, that when he fhall appear, we ihall be like hirti, for we fhall fee him as he is ; and every man that has this hope in him, purifies himfelf, even as he is pure." We muft judge of the tendency Of aflurance of God's love by what the apoftles of our Lord have faid concerning it, who had large degrees of it; they declared, that it is a motive to holinefs : If any then prate about their aflurance, who are prefump- cuous finners, we muft look upon them to be either frontlefs liars, or elfe wild 'giddy-headed creatures, who take the freaks of enthufiafm to be the Holy Spi- rit's motions. 4. Eternal bleflTednefs, or the heavenly glory, is the gift of grace, and the reward of Chrift's death, and is not owing to our good works, either in the whole, or in part ; but this does not tend to promote licentiDufnefs, becaufe without holinefs we can never ' fee the Lord, or have a meetnefs and fitnefs for heaven, ^ I John ill. 2, \» *■ The reader may fee mbft of the toiiicSj which ate briefly mentioned under this headj largely indfted on, by the ekcellent Mr, Charnock, on the Neceflicy of Regenera- tion, p. 36-»-^44. in the fecond volume of hig works. You Ih Na thft 54-6 0/ the 7)oSrine of Grace ^ The fcripture has required us to follow after holinefs, and has pofitively declared, that without it we can never fee the Lord. The apoftle Paul's injunftion "" is this: " Follow holinefs, without which none can fee the Lord." Indeed, all wicked men will fee God in one fenfe ; but how will it be ? They will fee him in the glit- tering armour of his juftice, in the power of his anger, in the confuming fire of his indignation, exalted on a terrible judg- ment-feat, to pafs fentence upon them, cloathed with thunder, and wielding a fword of vengeance, to cut them in pieces: This will be a fad fight of him. All un- holy perfons {hall fee God, but not fo as to enjoy any good by him; a cloud of thick darknefs, never to be removed, fhall for ever interpofe between them, and all that is pleafing and delightful in God, and they ihall fee nothing of him, but what will be matter of the greateft terror to them. Without holinefs, no one can have a well grounded hope of heaven. Heaven is the inheritance of all believers, not by a natural right in themfelves, but by God's free gift, through Chrift; but though it is a free gift through Chrift, yet none can conclude he has a title to it without holi- ^ Heb. xiii. 14. nefs ; as it encourages HoUnefs. CAn iiefs ; or fay, it is his, before he has fome- thing wrought in him to prove it fo. A man muft have fome ground for his faith, elfe it is prefumption ; and he muft have fome reafon for his hope, otherwife it is ridiculous, and a mere delufion. There is no taking of heaven by force for finners. In one fenfe ^\ indeed, there is a taking hea- ven by violence; holy fouls, fiird with zeal and ardour, and enflamed with earneft delires, take heaven by force ; but it is by weapons of God's providing ; they win their way, but it is by Chrift*s aid ; and they do marvellous things, but it is by the Holy Spirit's help ; and they reap the fpoils of the viiSory, whi^h the Redeemer has obtained for them. Unholy men can ne- ver fcale the battlements of heaven, for they have no ftrength of their own to do it; and not only the frowning cherub, with the flaming fword, guards the avenues to it, but an angry God ftands as their ir- reconcileable enemy, to keep them out. Holinefs is the indelible character which Chrift fets upon all that are his ; without this, we may have a delufive irrational hope of heaven, but it will greatly injure us, and can never help us. A falfe hope in a fin- ncr renders all admonitions unfuccefsful, and, till his vain confidence is fhook, he ^ Matt. xi. 12, Nn 2 will 5^8 Cf the 7)oS{rin€ of Grace^ will not believe he needs converfion. An ill-grounded hope is the great engine of the devil to deftroy fouls, and it is worfe than no expectation ; for they will, of all men, be mod miferable, who expedl to be faved, and yet, when their breath has left their bodies, find themfelves dattin'd. When the wicked amufc themfelves with vain expedations, thearrow of death flrikes them to the heart, and makes an end of them, before it is fear'd, and their hope is difappointed by the king of terrors. They who are Grangers to holinefs, have but few thoughts about their eternal flate,and feldom confider what will become of them when they die -, and, if they are forced to hear of their mortaluy, they pleafe themfelves with flight apprehenfions of God, as a being of all mercy: But, alas! when tlieir fouls go out of their bodies, the devil, who is the harbinger of mifery, will drag them to the feats of darknefs, where they will be prifoners without hope for ever. What will it profit men, if they fancy they fhall go to heaven, if they wake, after they have fiept tlie fleep of death, lying in the bowels of hell, with fights of woe before their eyes, and inexpreffible horror in their minds? None fliould fay they hope for heaven, if they are not holy, for with- out holinefs, they caa have no proof ot their title to it. Except m it encourages HoUnefs. 54.9 Except we are made holy, we have no meetnefs for the inheritance which is un- defiled and incorruptible, We (hM never be admitted to fet one foot within the pure realms above, if we are not adorned with real fan<5tity. The righteoufnefs of Chrift is the cloathing which covers our defedrs, and the garments of holinefs, which are put upon all who are juflified, are the array which beautifies and adorns them: When this attire is put on here, a bleffed glorious immortality is the raiment laid up for us, in the wardrobe of heaven. Death it felf, as it is a fimple difunion of the foul from the body, is not extremely terrible to fome confiderate believers -, they fee no,thing in this world to court their ftay, or to monopoHze and chain their affed:ions, and they behold nothing in death, as it is merely the pulling down, and (battering their old houfe, to dejed: and fill them with terror: To go out of the body, is no infuperable difficulty to them, but all their concern is, left, vvhen their fouls are ilripp'd of their clayie cover- ing, they ihould be found uncloathed ; this, at times, finks their fpirits, and a- wakes their fears. The language of a piou-s foul is this : I am not unwilling to leave this life, and to be abfent from the body ; but I am not without concern, left, when I am uncloathed, my trembling foul fliould N n 3 be 5 5^ Of the ^oBrtne of Grace ^ be found naked, and without a covering. We muft be cloathed with the fpotlefs robe of Chrift's righteoufnefs, and we muft be adorned with the grace of fanftification, otherwife we can never enter into the holy place, not made with hands : The oil oF gladnefs will not be pour'd into our fouls, unlefs our hearts are firft feafoned' with grace; and our fpirits muft be purified from all finful imperfedlions, before we can inherit the glory of that blefled coun- try, v/here there will be no place for what is imperfedl and in part. Without holinefs, none can do the work of heaven, or perform the duties required there. One part of the work of heaven, is to behold the glorious face of Gqd, and to ftand continually before him. What are the morning ftars, and the fpirits of juft men made perfedl, doing in heaven ? Are they not taken up in viewing the per- fections and excellencies of God, and in admiring his attributes ; fuch as his wif- dom, power, truth, goodnefs, and efpe- cially his love to finners ? But what could unholy perfons do there? They will not give God now any entertainment in their thoughts, and, as they have no intelleftual eyes to behold his glory, fo they are not fit to come into his prefence; they are nei- ther acquitted from their guilt, nor cleanfed from their pollution -, how then can they ftand as it encourages Holinejs. 551 ftand before the pure unfpotted Majefty of God, who cannot look upon fin without the higheft indignation, and the fevereft hatred ? Praife is a principal work to be performed in the happy world above ; this is what the faints offer to him that fits up- on the throne, and to the Lamb, who re- deemed finners by his blood, with the higheft ftrains of holy rapture: It will be their conftant work to fall down before the throne, and to fing the praifes of the divine Perfons, with the moft raifed and pure affections ; and it will be the fullnefs of their joy to found forth hallelujahs for ever. Now men void of holinefs have no inclination to praife the Moft High: Can they rejoice that God reigns, and has a dominion, of which there is no end, when they are only fet upon re- bellion againft him ? Can they ftiout for joy, that he has a kingdom that cannot be fhook, and that he is exalted above all things, when they are inclined ftab- bornly to fpurn at his authority ? Can they compafs his royal feat with fongs of melody, when they would, if they were able, thruft him from his throne ? Can they follow him with cheerful accla- mations, when they are for fetting their mouths againft him ? Can they extol liis honour, when they delight to reproach his facred name ? It would be againft all fenfe N n 4 and 5 5 5 Of the ^oBrtYie of Grace^ and reafon to fay, that without holinels any could compafs the throne of God, in heaven, with anthems of praife. The put- ting forth of perfeft love, and unconfined afredions to God, is a work of heaven: Tiie apoftle Paul has "" told us thus 5 " Love never fails, as to other things ; whether they are prophefies^^ they fliall fail, or tongues, they fliall ceafe, or knowledge, it fhall vanilh away ; for we know in parr, and we prophefy in part, but as foon as what is perfed: fhall come, what is in part fhall be done away." Prophefies, or gifts of explaining fcripture, fhall fail, tongues, or an ability of expreffing the inward con- ceptions of the mind, in different lan- guages, fhall ceafe, and the knowledge of fpiritual things, which we gather up from tedious methods of reafoning, and by framing in our minds fuch apprehenfions of divine truths, as holdup fome analogy to fenfible objects, fliall vanifh and pais laway, and give place to what is clear, eafy, certain, and void of all miftakes ; but love to God never fails, it will con- tinue for ever. What is this love, in its perfedtion, but the gratitude of heavenly fpirits to God, their benefadlor, who is fu- perlatively excellent, predominantly fweer, infinitely bleffed, and fupremely amiable in f I Cor. xniy 8, p, ic^ him- as it encourages Holinefs. 555 himfelf ? This love of fouls to Cod 111 heaven, is without all weaknefs, mixtures, damps, and pull-backs -, it twifts and binds them to God, all the felfiflmefs of their wills is loft, and they are entirely refigned to his will. Now is not this incompatible with an unholy difpofition ? Can they be united to God, who hate him, and refufe fubjeclion to his laws all the time they are here ? Can they clafp about him, as the chiefeft good hereafter, who prefer the very duft of the earth before him in this life ? Certainly no : None can adl any grace, in its perfed:ion, in heaven, which he has not, in its root and principle, on earth : Every grace will be perfeded in heaven, but no new grace is begun there. Can carnal finners have ardent love to God, and cleave to him, when their affedlions are fet a- gainft him ? Can they find a predominant delight in him, when their hatred againft him is blown up to the higheft pitch : Can they have pleafure in his holinefs, when their fouls are full of burning lufts ? We muft not fo far deny our reafon, as to fay, that men can both love and hate God, both obey and oppofe him, both find fwcet- nefs in him, and invidioully rife up againft him, both take delight in his holinefs, and feel pleafure in fin. If men have no fatisfa