on men, deal much in contradiction; fometimes reprefenting it as poffible for all men to repent; and in cafe of failure, affigning that as the reafon why they muft fuffer for ever. At other times, they give a very different account, declaring that as CHRIST died not for all, all men cannot repent. And indeed if grace be not given to all for the bufinefs of repentance, it is impoffible to be done. And then with what propriety can it be required of them, and with what justice can they be condemned for not doing it? Another inftance of the fame kind, is cautioning believers against departing from the truth; and repeatedly affuring them, that believers must persevere. And when facts evince the poffibility of forfaking GOD, then it is affirmed that it cannot be for ever. But if the Lord fuffer them to forfake him once, why not finally? Surely there is as much reafon for the one as the other. By fin men forfake GOD; and which, while the confcience retains any fenfe, is fucceeded with guilt. But fin perfifted in weakens moral fenfe: So proportionably as fin increases, confcience decreafes: And when fin is finished, it brings forth moral death: Which is evidently all that is neceffary as a qualification for hell. And, if appearances afford any proof, it cannot be denied, that many go thus far. But if they cannot go to hell, why is a preparation for it permitted? Surely it ftands more with GoD's honour to preferve them from fin than hell, if they must be preferved from either, by an irrefiftable power. But as they are not fo preferved from fin; neither will they be fo preferved from hell, if they be prepared for it; because the one conffts with, and the other is contrary to his will. Sin is contrary to GOD's will, yet he permits it to be; and what he permits M once, once, he may fuffer for ever. But punishment for fm confifts with his will, inafmuch as it is right to punish for that which difpleafes him. They then who guard believers againft falling, do right; but when they affirm that they cannot fall, contradict themfelves: Or if they may fall into fin, but not into hell, they oppofe the juftice and threatenings of GOD. The truth is, if man cannot fall, he need not be guarded against it: But if he can, and yet not fuffer for it, then cautions and care are not neceffary, and contradictious to infallible final perfeverance. 34. The fupporters of this opinion afcribe to GoD a like double dealing, by making his fecret and revealed will, in many cafes, contrary to each other. But if his declaration and intention differ, his word is indeterminable and dubious, and gives an uncertain, fenflefs, and falfe found. His word is, that he wills not the death of a finner, and would have all men to be faved." Predeftination reports, "that he decreed before the world began, that moft men "fhould be damned." Doubtlefs because he willed it fo to be. Either then GOD would have all men to be faved, or not; if he would not, he contradicts his own words: But he cannot lie: As fuch, they who oppose his fecret will to his revealed, give him the lie. Again, he fays, "If ye keep my commandments, ye fhall abide in my love;" which infers the contrary, viz. that if not kept, his love will not continue. This is "Once in his revealed will. But Predeftinarians fay, "his love, and always in it." This is his fecret will. The one oppofes the other; and both cannot be true. The first is a revealed truth; the other but a falfe conjecture. Thus Predeftination fets GOD againft his word, word, and introduces a fyftem of the moft irreconcileable things, that ever held a place in human heads. Moreover, if my own obfervation rightly informs me, it is of a warm difpofition, a lover of difpute, and ready at all times to propagate itself, if it blinds the eyes and hardens the hearts of thofe who are beginning to fee and feel for themfelves. It has ftopped many in their chriftian courfe, and turned them to vain jangling. In a word, I have seen so many of its dreadful effects, that I could fooner believe the Lord to be the author of no religion, than of Fredeftination. 35. I conclude with obferving, that of the things which have been spoken, this is the fum: Adam was made upright; but falling, involved himself and all his pofterity in fin and mifery. And as GoD required, fo JESUS CHRIST undertook to give fatisfaction for that and for all other offences; offering one facrifice for all. In confequence of which, he lives to intercede for, and vouchfafes to all men, a measure of grace; which, if rightly ufed, would iffue in an entire change of heart and life, and render them inftruments of their Maker's praife, and the good of their fellow mortals. As fuch, Atheists, Deifts, Socinians, Arians, Papifts, Antinomians, Predeftinarians, and all others, who in doctrine deviate from CHRIST, as the one only, perfect, and in fome fenfe, univerfal Saviour of men, are enemies to him, themselves, and others. And all who attain not to holinefs of heart and life here, and to glory everlafting hereafter, either neglect, or mifufe the falvation purchafed for them. Romans, Chap. v. Ver. 1, 2. Therefore being juftified by faith, we have peace with GOD, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST: By whom alfo we have accefs through faith into this grace wherein we ftand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of GoD. 00000000 T 00000000 HIS Epiftle being addreffed to the Romans, who, prior to which had received the Gofpel, it contains many things with which they were already acquainted, and in which its author wifhed them to be established. In the former part of it, he has fufficiently proved, that though a finner's juftification cannot be by the works of the law, law, whether moral or ceremonial, yet it may be by faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST. And having refuted the one, and established the other doctrine, he briefly recapitulates in the first part of the text, the fubftance of the preceding part of the epiftle, touching the nature, caufe, method, and immediate fruit of juftification; and fubjoins in the fecond part of it, an exhibition of the bleffed confequences of that doctrine, in being admitted to a state of grace and a title to glory: Which, as it was a reason of rejoicing, so a motive to induce them to make fuitable returns for fo great benefits; as alfo, to excite them to purfue the things above, that grace iffuing in glory, actual poffeffion might realize thofe things, which defcriptions and hopes of cannot do. In the text we have the following things: 1. The being juftified. II. Its effect, peace with GOD. 11t. Faith, by which we are juftified. IV. A further con fequent of faith; admittance into, and continuance in the grace of GoD, and rejoicing in hope of his glory. Of thefe in order: And 1. First of Juftification. In tresting of which, f fhall firft offer fome explication of its nature; and fecondly, point out the neceflity of it. 1. Now the word Smarow, to fufiify, has an active fenfe, and fignifies to acquit; and when pronounced in - a judicial way, when a judge juftifies or acquits others in judgment, it denominates them Amaires, Freftified; and poffeffeth them by a legal right of all the Eleffings contained in, and ertides them to every privilege connected with a ftate of fuftification. M. 3 |