them? Does it lead them to repentance? It should do fo: But they defpife the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-fuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance". Yea, as the apostle Peter says, and we have lived to fee it verified, There shall come in the last days fcoffers, walking after their own lufts, and faying, Where is the promise of his coming? for fince the bers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation". Which is as if they should say; we see no likelihood of the coming of the Judge, nor of the awful judgment, or dreadful doom that fhall befal ungodly perfons, which have been talked of; this is all dream and enthusiasm; and therefore we will take our own pleasure, and walk after our own lufts. Thus, because fentence against an evil work is not executed fpeedily, therefore the heart of the fons of men is fully fet in them to do evil. Now muft it be faid that God is not merciful, patient, long-fuffering and forbearing, or that he ought not to be so, because finners make fuch an ill improvement of these things? How are the common mercies of life, and the most kind instances of divine providence abused, by the worst of men! Yea, even Jesburun himself, when he waxed fat, he kicked, then be forfook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his falvation". But must we deny the providences of God, and reject the inftances of his goodnefs, because of the ill use that is made of them, through the wretched depravity of human nature? Nor should we discard the doctrine of grace on such an account: At this rate, the best of things, the plainest facts, and clearest truths, must be denied and rejected.

Once more: It will be owned, that there have always been fome bad men inthe best of societies. There was a Judas among Chrift's difciples; there has always been chaff upon his floor, and will until the winnowing time comes; and tares among the wheat, wolves in fheeps clothing, and foolish virgins among the wife, until the bridegroom appears. But then the faults and blemishes of fome are not to be imputed to the whole body, nor these to principles held and profeffed. If this must be admitted the measure and rule of judgment, no church or congregation, no fociety or fett of men whatever, have been, or can be free from the vileft imputations. But are the generality of those who are called Calvinifts, or Antinomians, men of bad characters? Or are there more immoral persons among them, than on the other fide of the question? Let them look at home, we are ready to compare notes and numbers with them; we are obliged in defence of ourselves, fince our principles are charged, to use fome fort of boafting, and fay, in like manner as Samuel did; Here we are, witnefs against us, before the Lord, and before his anointed: Whofe ox or ass have we taken? Whom have we defrauded, or oppreffed? This is worthy of notice, that the doctrine of grace never had a run among rakes and debauchees ;

whereas it is well known the oppofite to it has been, and is embraced by fuch. Strange! if the doctrines of free grace are of fuch a malignant nature and influence, have such a tendency to licentiousness, and give fo much encouragement to fin, as is faid, that fuch perfons should not greedily catch at them and embrace them, at least make trial of them; when it is plain they are ready to give into all the abfurd and wretched schemes of Infidelity and Atheism, in order to keep their lufts; but, instead of this, none shew a greater hatred to them: And indeed, these are as forward as any to be our accufers; though the charge comes with an ill grace from fuch who are abandoned to the worst of crimes, and are avowed enemies to holiness of life. One thing more I would obferve, and that is, That when any who have embraced and profeffed the doctrine of grace fall into any open and scandalous fin, there is immediately a great clamour and uproar about it; whereas when it is the cafe, as it frequently is, on the oppofite fide, little or no notice is taken of it. What should be the reafon of this? Because the cafe is common on one fide, and comparatively rare, and but feldom heard of on the other: So that the noise that is made, and the notice that is taken, do but indeed make to our credit and reputation in general. But fuppofing the inftances of immorality were more than they are, and. whenever they happen, are matter of lamentation; yet,

IV. I aver, that the doctrine of grace itself is pure and innocent, and not to be charged with the faults and blemishes of any of the profeffors of it; nor does it give any encouragement to fin, but is all the reverfe: And this will be made to appear, by confidering the feveral particular doctrines contained in it. As,. 1. The doctrine of God's everlafting and unchangeable love to his elect, in every state and condition and circumstance of life into which they come. This is no ways contrary to the purity and holiness of the divine nature; for though. he loves the perfons of his people, and delights in them as confidered in Christ,. he takes no delight in their fins; fin is the abominable thing he hates; he is of purer eyes than to behold it with approbation and delight; he is not a God that bath pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with him: nor does he encourage them in fin; or connive at it, but rebukes and chastises them for it in a fatherly way; though at the fame time he does not take away his loving-kindness from them; for he takes pleasure in their persons, though he bears a difplicency to their fins; nor does this doctrine in the leaft lead men to fin, but on the contrary, moft strongly engages to the love of God, and a chearful obedience to him his love to them indeed does not arife from their love to him, it being prior to theirs; but then they love him because he first loved them; and this love in them to him, conftrains them to a willing obedience; when their hearts

a John iv. 19.

are

are enlarged with it, then do they run with alacrity the ways of his commandments; when this loving-kindness of God in choofing them in Chrift, redeeming them by his blood, and calling them by his grace is before their eyes, and they have a fense of it upon their hearts, they walk in his truth; in the truth of his gofpel, and have their conversations as become it. This love, according as it is shed abroad in their hearts, cafts out fear, and influences them to ferve the Lord without fear, in righteousness and holiness all the days of their lives. What can lay a man under a greater obligation to love the Lord, fear and obey him, than this confideration, that he loved him when he had no love in his heart to him, nay was an enemy to him; and that his thoughts were concerned about his everlasting falvation, when he had no thoughts of God, nor any for himself? Such a confideration as this, muft work much more powerfully upon him, as it must upon any ingenuous mind, than fuch a one as this; that the Lord began to love him and continued to do so, because he loved him and was obedient to him; and would continue to do fo as long, and no longer. That is the pureft obedience that is influenced by love; it is the obedience of a child, and not of a slave; and must be the most acceptable unto God; nay, there is no other service that is acceptable to him, but what fprings from love influenced by his own.

2. The doctrine of the eternal, perfonal election of fome of mankind unto everlasting falvation. Good works indeed are not the causes of God's act of election; For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; it was faid unto her, The elder fball ferve the younger; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Efau bave I hated: Nothing that is temporal can be the cause of that which is eternal; nor the will of man, nor any thing done by it, be the cause of the will of God; but yet good works are what God bas fore-ordained, that his chosen people should walk in them. Holiness is a means that is fixed in election, and an end that is fecured by it; all those who from the beginning, from everlasting, are chofen unto falvation by Christ, are chofen to it through fan&tification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth'; all that are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, are fo through fanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and fprinkling of the blood of Jesus: which fanctification is as infallibly fecured, as falvation itfelf; for though men are not chofen because they were, yet they are, that they should be holy; and in confequence of electing grace become fo through the fanctifying influences of the Spirit of God. Election is the fource and fpring of all true and real holiness: There would not have been fuch a thing

as holiness in the world, fince the fall of Adam, had it not been for electing grace; except the Lord had left a feed, and referved a remnant for himself, according to the election of grace, the world had been as Sodom and as Gomorrah: And io it is, where there are no inftances of this grace. Strange then, that this innocent doctrine, fo friendly to holinefs and good works, fhould be thought to open a door to licentioufnefs! Befides, holiness of heart and life is an evidence of election; the internal grace of fanctification is an evidence, being a fruit of it to the person himself: Knowing, brethren, says the apoftle, your election of God; for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. External holiness, or that which appears in the outward converfation, is the evidence of election to others. Hence that advice is given. to the faints, to give diligence to make their calling and election fure'; that is, by good works, as in fome copies it is read, and as the fenfe requires; fince both calling and election are to be made fure by fome third thing. Not that they can be made furer in themfelves, or to the believer, than they are; but a more fure and certain evidence may be given of them to others. Nor does any thing, nor can any thing more powerfully engage men to holiness and good works, and to honour and glorify God that way, than the confideration of this; that they are a chofen generation, a royal friesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that they fhould fhew forth the praises of him who bath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light*.

3. The doctrine of the abfoluteness and unconditionality of the covenant of grace, is far from being a licentious one. It is true indeed, that the good works of men do not put them into this covenant, nor their evil works, their tranfgreffions and fins, turn them out of it, who are in it; yet this does not suppose that God overlooks and connives at the fins of his people; fince it is exprefsly faid, and it is a part of this covenant, If his children forfake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my ftatutes, and keep not my commandments, then will I vifit their tranfgreffion with the rod, and their iniquity with ftripes: Nevertheless, my loving-kindne/s will I not utterly take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness to fail; my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips'. Befides, nothing more fully provides both for internal and external holiness, than the covenant of grace; and that by the most abfolute and unconditional promises: It provides for internal holiness, by fuch promises as thefe; I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the ftony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an beart of flesh". And in another place, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts". It provides for external holiness, and that in the moft VOL. I.

b 1 Theff. i. 4, 5.

— Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26.

C

effectual

effectual manner; fince God in it promifes, faying, I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my ftatutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them°. Nor is there any thing under the influence of divine grace that fo powerfully operates upon, and ftirs up the defires of the faints, their care, diligence, and industry, to discharge their duty, than the abfolute and unconditional promises of grace; fuch as these : As God bath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord God Almighty. Wherefore, fays the apostle, having these promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and fpirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Add to all this, that God in the covenant of grace provides in an abfolute and unconditional way for the faints final perfeverance in faith and holiness; faying, I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from mea.

4. The doctrine of particular redemption by Chrift, is free from any imputation of libertinifm. It is indeed a redemption from the bondage, curse, and condemnation of the law; but does not exempt from obedience to it, as it is in the hands of Chrift; for faints are ftill under the law to Chrift; nor do any more delight in the law of God after the inward man, or more chearfully ferve it with their mind, than those who are most fenfible, that they are become dead unto it, and delivered from it by the body of Chrift. Redemption is a deliverance from fin, from all fin, original and actual; and that not only from the guilt of fin, and the punishment due unto it; but in confequence of redeeming grace, the redeemed ones are delivered from the dominion and governing power of fin, and at last from the being of it. Chrift faves his people from their fins; he does not indulge them in them; the deliverer that comes out of Zion, turns away ungodlinefs from Jacob. Strange! that a redemption from a vain conversation should ever be an encouragement to one; or that a perfon's being ranfomed out of the hands of Satan, and taken as a prey out of the hands of the mighty, fhould be an argument with him to give up himself to him and his fervice; or can be thought to have any tendency to engage him in a state of bondage to him, to be led as a captive by him at his will. Befides, the great end of Chrift's giving himfelf for any of the sons of men, is, that he might redeem them from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Nor does any thing lay fuch an obligation upon men to glorify God with their body and spirit, than the confideration of this, that they are not their own, but are bought with a price', even with the precious blood of Chrift; nor can any thing like the love of Chrift, the redeeming love of Chrift, constrain men to obedience, to live not unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again".