by John Brine
(London: John Ward, 1752)
CONSIDERED
IN A SERMON PREACH’D ON LORD’S DAY,
DEC. 22, 1751, TO THE CHURCH
ASSEMBLING IN
CRISPIN-STREET, SPITAL-FIELDS,
WHEREOF THE Late
Revd. Mr. WILLIAM BENTLEY was PASTOR
Published at their own Request
Printed by DAN.
NOTTAGE, for JOHN WARD,
at the King’s Arms, in
Cornhill, against the Royal-Exchange: And Sold by
GEORGE
KEITH,
at Mercers’ Chapel, Cheapside; and by JOHN
EYNON, at a
Print-Shop, on the North Side of the
Royal-Exchange, LONDON
1752 [Price
Six-Pence.
Assembling in Crispin-Street
Beloved Brethren in our
common Lord,
YOUR Desire
of this Publication is an Evidence that you approve of the
Doctrine delivered in the
Discourse. As I am persuaded, upon the most
serious and deliberate
Enquiry, which I have been able to make, that
nothing is advanced, but
what strictly agrees with Scripture, and, as to the
Substance of it, hath been
the common Faith of Christians, I was willing to
comply with your Request;
not with the least Expectation, that the
Principles pleaded for, or
my Manner of Treating on them, will meet with a
favourable Reception from
any considerable Number of Professors. My
Acquaintance with the prevailing
Sentiments and polite Taste of the
present Age will not permit
me to hope for either. But, if the Perusal of
what you candidly heard,
when delivered from the Pulpit, may be of any
Service to establish you in
the important Truths, which are the Subject: of
this Sermon, that, with me,
will much over-balance the highest Contempt,
3
which the Adversaries of
those glorious Truths may be pleased to cast
upon it:
For, if I am not absolutely
a Stranger to myself, (which I would not be) I
am desirous to assert and
defend Evangelical Principles, and confirm the
Faith of the Saints
therein. My Persuasion that you with for Success in
every such Attempt
emboldens me to acquaint you, that I have prepared an
Answer to a Pamphlet on the
Subject of Atonement, wherein the
Fundamental Doctrine of the Satisfaction of Christ is entirely
explained
away. That Piece had not
lien so long, as it has, without Notice taken of it,
if I had not entertained
Hopes, that some Person, better qualified for such a
Service, would have
undertook it. There are some Remarks upon it just
now published: But, as the
Author of that Performance is very far from
answering my Wishes on that
momentous Doctrine, I shall not suppress
what I have drawn up in
Answer to it: And, probably, I may acquaint the
Reader with some of my
Reasons for my Conduct in Relation to this
Matter. You have my Condolence
in your present Situation; and I shall
rejoice in an Opportunity
to congratulate you on the happy Occasion, of a
Supply with a Pastor every
Way qualified to build you up on your mast
holy Faith.
I am Yours to serve in the
Gospel of Christ,
J.B.
2 TIMOTHY 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy
Calling, not
according to our own Works; but according to his
own Purpose
and Grace, which was given us in Christ before the
World began.
THE Zeal of
the Apostle Paul for the Propagation of the Gospel, and his
indefatigable Endeavours to
spread the Interest of Christ drew upon him
the keen Resentment of
such, who were Adversaries to both. In
Consequence of which, he
was exposed to Penury, Reproach, and violent
Persecution. But what he
suffered, for the Sake of the Gospel, did not
make him, in the least
Degree, ashamed of it: Because he knew, that it is
the Power of God unto
Salvation to every one who believes: And,
that
therein is revealed the
Righteousness of God, from Faith to Faith.
He
exhorts Timothy to
shew the same Resolution and Fortitude, in the
Discharge of that important
Service whereunto he was called in the Church
4
of God. Be not thou,
therefore, ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord, nor
of me his Prisoner, but
be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel
according to the Power
of God. And, In the Text, he
proposes to his
Consideration various
important Truths, in order to enforce
the
Exhortation, and animate
him in his ministerial Work.
First. Two Acts of God towards, or upon us, are expressed: Who
hath saved us and called
us, etc.
Secondly. A negative Assertion, in Respect to those Acts: Not
according to our Works.
Thirdly. A positive Assertion: But according to his own Purpose
and Grace, which was given
us in Christ before the World began.
First. Two Acts of
God towards, or upon us, are expressed, in the Text.
I. Who hath saved us. This
leads us to consider our State. To enquire what
Salvation includes in it.
And to shew, that Salvation is effected: Or that
those Things are
accomplished, which Salvation comprises, as it is here to
be understood.
1st. Our State is wretched and deplorable. We have destroyed
ourselves, and
are obnoxious unto the
greatest Misery: We are wretched, and poor, and
miserable, and blind,
and naked.
(1.) We are chargeable with original Guilt. By one Man, Sin
entered into
the World, and Death by
Sin: Death passed upon all Men, for
that all
have sinned, or, in whom all have sinned (Romans 5:12). By one
Man’s Disobedience, many were made Sinners (Romans
5:19). Adam,
from whom we descend, was
constituted our Representative; his Act of
Transgression, therefore,
was not his Act, as a private, but a public Person:
And we sinned in him,
and fell with him, in his Apostacy. In Consequence
of which,
(2.) We derive a corrupt Nature from him. That which is born
of the Flesh,
is Flesh: And that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit (John
3:6). It is
not difficult to understand
what is meant by Flesh; for, as it stands opposed
to that which is born of
the Spirit, it must mean corrupt and evil
Dispositions of Mind. And,
consequently, every natural Descendant of
Adam, in his Conception and Birth, becomes the Subject of
depraved
Habits. David confesses
his early Depravation: Behold, I was shapen in
5
Iniquity, and in Sin did
my Mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5). This
Confession respects not the
Sin of his Parent, but his own: Besides, it is as
ridiculous to say, that David’s Mother sinned in
Conception, as to affirm,
that she sinned in
digesting her Food, the former being natural and
involuntary, as well and as
much as the latter.
(3.) We have contracted much Guilt. We were naturally under the
Dominion of Sin: Servants
to it, and it bore the Sway in us. Our Omissions
of Duty have been many, and
we performed no Branch of it, in that holy
Manner which the Law
requires; in numerous Instances, have acted directly
contrary to the Command of
God. All have sinned and come short of his
Glory: We have all had our Conversation in Times past, in the
Lust of our
Flesh, fulfilling the
Desires of the Flesh, and of the Mind; and
were by
Nature Children of
Wrath, even as others (Ephesians 2:3). For
we
ourselves also, were
sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
divers Lusts and
Pleasures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful, and hating
one another (Titus 3:3). The Eruptions of Lust have been more and
greater in some, than in
others; but all have acted a criminal Part, and not
been subject to the Law,
the Rule of Action. So that every Man is far, very
far, from being innocent in
his Behaviour.
(4.) We are condemned by the Law. Cursed is very one, who
continueth
not in all Things
written in the Book of the Law to do them (Galatians
3:10). Every Deviation from
the Rule of our Duty, and the improper
Performance of it, subjects
us unto the Law’s Curse; and, therefore, as our
Offences are innumerable,
we must needs be in a very deplorable
Condition, in Consequence
of our multiplied Transgressions. So many as
are our Sins, are the
Curses due unto us on Account of them.
(5.) We are obnoxious to Divine Vengeance. There is no Exemption
in this
Case. For, what Things
soever the Law saith, it saith to them that are
under it, that every
Mouth may be stopped, and all the World may become
guilty before God (Romans 3:19). If any Man pleads his Innocence, he
necessarily rejects Christ,
as a Saviour, and renounces that Salvation,
which the Gospel reveals
through his Blood and Righteousness, and openly
declares that his Condition
is such, as makes it unnecessary for him to
crave the Exercise of
pardoning Mercy in his Favour. All Men are worthy
of Death, of eternal Death,
which is the Wages of sin, as the Gift of God is
eternal Life. These Hints are sufficient, if we have a Capacity of
spiritual
6
Discernment, to convince us
of our wretched and miserable State and
Condition in some Measure.
This is the sad State of us
all: I and each of you are naturally in this
perishing Condition.
2nd. Salvation, as it is here to be understood, implies the
following
Particulars.
(1.) Non-Imputation of Sin. This necessarily enters into, and is
a
considerable Branch of
Salvation, for no Deliverance from deferred Penalty
can be without it. God
was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself,
not imputing their
Trespasses unto them (2 Corinthians 5:19).
Redemption supposes the
Pardon of Sin: In whom we have Redemption
through his Blood, even
the Forgiveness of Sins (Ephesians 1:7).
The
Imputation of Sin is
followed with Condemnation, and the Infliction of
Punishment, and,
consequently, Salvation implies a Discharge from Guilt.
(2.) Redemption from the Curse of the Law. This is a Consequence
of the
former. For, as the
Imputation of Guilt is necessarily attended with, or
brings us under an
Obnoxiousness to the Law’s Curse: So the Remission of
our Sins supposes a Right
unto Freedom from Condemnation. There is no
Condemnation to them who
are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). It
cannot, with any Propriety,
be said that we are saved, if we have no Right
to Freedom from those
Menaces, whereunto our Crimes justly exposed our
Persons.
(3.) Deliverance from Divine Wrath, or Security from suffering
the
vindictive Displeasure of
God. Our Misery is an Obnoxiousness to
suffering his terrible
Anger and Vengeance, and, therefore our Salvation
must imply an actual Right
unto Deliverance from his fiery Indignation,
which would devour us.
(4.) A Right to Life and Blessedness. If we are left without a
Title to
Happiness, our Salvation is
incomplete: For, that not only is Deliverance
from Evil, or the Suffering
of Punishment; but it is the Fruition of Good,
and, therefore, a Right to
eternal Life is no less included in the Idea of
Salvation, than a Right
unto an Exemption from suffering Punishment is
therein contained. That,
being justified by his Grace, we might be made
Heirs, according to the
Hope of eternal Life (Titus 3:7).
7
3rd. G od hath saved us; or our Salvation, as it is inclusive of
these Things,
is effected already.
(1.) Sin is expiated. According to ancient Promise and Prophecy,
Christ hath
finished Transgression,
and made an End of Sin (Daniel 9:24) in
its
Guilt: He hath removed
our Transgressions from us, as far as the East is
from the West (<19A312>Psalm 103:12). And those contrary Points will sooner
meet, than the Persons of
God’s People and their Sins will meet in
Judgment, to their
Condemnation. Once in the End of the World hath he
appeared to put away
Sin, by the Sacrifice of himself (<580926>Hebrews 9:26):
When the Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, there shall be none, and
the Sins of Judah, and they shall not be found, for I will pardon
them
whom I reserve (Jeremiah 50:20).
(2.) Redemption from the Law’s Curse is obtained fully and
effectually.
Christ hath redeemed us
from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse
for us (Galatians 3:13). The penal Death of our Saviour, procured
for
us a Right unto a Freedom from
Condemnation; if not, we shall never have
such a Right, but must for
ever lie under the dreadful Malediction of the
Covenant of Works, and
perish under that Curse.
(3.) Exemption from suffering Punishment. Right unto this is the
certain and
immediate Effect of his
Sufferings and Death. If it is not, then, if ever, we
have such a Right, that
must: be the Fruit and Effect of something else, and
not of his penal Death:
What that can be, let us be informed. Until we are,
we shall conclude with the
Apostle: Much more then being justified by his
Blood, we shall be saved
from Wrath through him (Romans 5:9). If
the
Death of Christ, in a
proper Sense, is the meritorious Cause of our Pardon,
Right to Impunity must be
the certain and immediate Consequence of it.
(4.) Right to Life is also what exists. Christ hath brought in
an everlasting
Righteousness for us, which
is the Foundation of our Claim to future
Blessedness: That, being
justified by his Grace, we might be made Heirs,
according to the Hope of
eternal Life. As our Breach of the Law
subjected
us to Death, so our
Saviour’s Obeying it for us, as our Surety, gives us a
proper Title and Claim to
Life and Happiness, without the Intervention of
any Thing, which can be
named.
8
Before I proceed farther, I
beg Leave to observe,
[1.] Salvation precedes, and is the Foundation of Calling. We
are saved in
order to, or that we may be
called. Our Vocation is among those Things,
which were promised to
Christ, in our Behalf, when he undertook to effect
the Work of our Redemption:
When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering
for Sin, be shall see
his Seed (Isaiah 53:10); i.e.
he shall see them
regenerated, sanctified,
and made meet for Heaven, and in the Possession
of it. As this was
promised, upon his stipulating to offer himself a Sacrifice
for our Sins: His
Performance of that Engagement, procured for us a Right
to Grace and Glory. Hence
it is evident, that our Vocation follows upon
the Impetration of our
Salvation by his Death and Sacrifice.
[2.] It is certainly false, that what Christ obtained for us,
was an Offer of
Pardon and Salvation: Or a
Declaration and Promise from God, that he
would pardon and save us,
upon our performing such, or the other
Conditions. The Vertue,
Efficacy, and Merit of the Redeemer’s Blood and
Righteousness are not
dependent on any Thing in us; they result entirely
from the Nature of his
Sufferings, Obedience, and the Dignity of his
Person, and, therefore, of
themselves, without the Performance of any
Conditions by us, are
available to procure for us what Benefits were
promised to us by the
Divine Father, upon his Undertaking, as our Surety,
to obey the Law and suffer
its Curse: And, consequently, it is false, that
Christ obtained for us only
a Proposal, or verbal Grant of Salvation; and
we are not left to acquire
for ourselves a Right to Pardon, Peace, and
eternal Blessedness, which
many affirm we are.
[3.] God is the Origin, as Christ is the meritorious Cause of
Salvation. It is
of him, that we are in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom,
righteousness,
Sanctification, and Redemption (1
Corinthians 1:30).
The Father drew the Plan of
our Salvation. It springs from his infinite
Love, and all the Branches
of it were fixed and settled, in his infinitely wise
and eternal Counsels. But
more of this, by and by.
II. Hath called us with an holy Calling
1st. This Call is internal and effectual. It is not to be
understood of an
Invitation, or external
Call, given to us in the Gospel to repent and reform,
as many, in our Times,
interpret it. This Vocation is an internal Work upon
us. And it is the same as
the Apostle expresses in these Words: Being
confident of this very
Thing, that be which hath begun a good Work in you
9
(Philippians 1:6). It is
begetting us again. Quickening of us when dead
in Trespasses and Sins. And it is creating us in Christ Jesus unto good
Works. Therefore, something is produced in us, except there may
be a
Regeneration without any
Thing being generated. Unless Quickenings may
be, without a Communication
of Life. And, unless a creating Act may take
Place, when nothing is
produced, or brought into Being; neither of which
can reasonably be supposed.
It is effectual: Thy People shall be willing in
the Day of thy Power (Psalm 110:3). Every Man that hath heard, and
hath learned of the
Father, cometh unto Christ (John 6:45).
None
remain unwilling, when
Divine Power is exerted to make willing. And no
Man refuses to come to
Christ, or believe in him, who receives gracious
Instruction from, and is
drawn by the Father.
2nd. It is a holy Calling. It may be fitly so represented; for,
(1.) It is an Implantation of a holy Principle in the Mind, but
not an
Expulsion of Sin. The
Subjects of this Vocation are the Workmanship of
God created in Christ
Jesus unto good Works. The Author and End
of this
Work evince the Holiness of
its Nature. And it is a Meetness for Heaven,
and, therefore, it must be
good, pure, and holy. But it is not an Expulsion
of Sin. It deprives Sin of
its Dominion, but leaves it its Being in the Heart.
If any Man seriously
thinks, that he hath nothing of Sin in him, it is a sad
Evidence, that he is destitute of Holiness, and hath in him nothing
but Sin.
If we say that we have
no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in
us (1 John 1:8). This may be of Use to guide us, as a Rule, in
the
Examination and Trial of
our Hearts. For, on one Hand, when we search
for Evidences of Grace in
ourselves, we are not to expect to find a
Freedom from the Being and
Actings of Sin in us, and, therefore, we
should not conclude, that
we have no Grace, because we have Sin: Which
some are sometimes tempted
to think of themselves, on Account of their
Imperfection: And, on the
other Hand, we must not imagine, that we are
regenerate Persons, without
we have some Evidence of Holiness in us; for,
though the Being of
Corruption consists with the Truth of Grace in the
Heart, that can evidence to
none his Regeneration. As an excellent Divine
observes, The Being of
Cockle in a Field is no Proof that Wheat is there:
So Corruption cannot
evidence to us the Being of Grace in our Souls. We
may have the Lust of the
Saints, and have none of their Graces. We may
possess their Deformities,
and be wholly destitute of their Beauties. This
brings me to observe,
10
(2.) All the Actings of our Minds, according to this Principle,
are holy and
spiritual. The regenerate
Part of a Believer delights in the Law of God, and
serves it. And, therefore, we may know from what Principle the
Acts of
our Minds spring, by a
proper Consideration of their Nature: Whether they
arise from the Flesh, or
from the Spirit. All vain Imaginations: All
irregular Thoughts: All disorderly and inordinate Desires:
All evil
Tendencies in our
Affections, take their Rise from the Flesh in us. And
every pure, spiritual Act,
springs from the heavenly Principle in our Souls.
The Want of a due Attention
unto this hath sometimes been the Occasion
of great Perplexities
and distressing Fears, to truly humble and holy
Persons. And let us
carefully remember this, that whatever we think of
ourselves, and what Opinion
soever others may have of us; we are no
farther holy, than this spiritual Principle is exercised in
our Minds, upon
Objects of a spiritual
Nature, to which it is congruous. This, it may be, will
furnish many of us with
just Cause of great Humiliation, and convince us,
that we have sad Reason
to cry out; Oh, our Leanness, our Leanness, the
treacherous Dealers have
dealt treacherously!
Secondly. Neither Salvation,
nor Calling, is according to our Works.
Grace and Works are set in
Opposition, whenever the Causality of our
Salvation is treated of.
They cannot be, therefore, Con-causes of it, If it is
of Grace, then it is no
more of Works, otherwise Grace is no more Grace:
If it be of Works, then
it is no more of Grace, otherwise Work is no more
Work. It is not of Works, lest any Man should boast.
(Romans 11:6,
Ephesians 2:9).
Men have always endeavoured
to establish the Doctrine of Salvation, by
Works, at least, in Part;
and on this Subject they have expressed
themselves variously, but
much the same Thing is meant. It ought to be
observed that Language is
entirely arbitrary, and, therefore, variable, and
may be changed according to
the Inclination of Writers. But Principles are
eternal Things, whether
true or false. That which was once a Truth will for
ever remain such, and that
which once was false can never become true.
But a Change in the Mode of
Language, whereby Doctrines are expressed,
sometimes is taken for an
Advancement of new Thoughts, or the Striking
out of new Light, upon
Subjects, natural, and, supernatural. Whereas no
new Ideas are brought
forth, and presented to View; they are no other than
old Thoughts put into a new
Dress, which makes not the least Alteration in
their Nature; they are
still the very same they always were, whether true or
false. And, therefore, it
is an Evidence of Weakness and Vanity in those
11
Men, who seem willing to
have it thought, that they make new and farther
Discoveries, when they
convey only old Notions, put into a later and more
fashionable Garb, according
to the Fancy and Humour of the Age, wherein
they happen to live. Thus
it hath fallen out on the Subject under our
present Consideration:
Sometimes it hath been said, that Works are a
proper Condition of
Salvation, on which it is suspended: Or it is by sincere
Obedience, in Opposition to
feigned: Or there is a Congruity and Fitness,
in Repentance and
Obedience, to entitle us to the saving Benefits of Christ:
Or, as the modish Authors
of our Times speak, real, i.e. personal Holiness,
or personal Worth, renders
us fit Objects of pardoning Mercy, and of the
Complacency or moral
Approbation of God, which, they say, it was
absolutely impossible that
the Obedience and Sacrifice of Christ could do.
Now it is easy to observe,
that the same Thing is contended for, in these
various Forms of Speech, viz.
that Salvation and Happiness are the proper
Fruits of our Repentance
and Obedience, and not Effects obtained for us
by the Righteousness and
Sacrifice of Christ. For, it seems, the whole
Efficacy of his Obedience
and Sacrifice, in the Business of Remission and
Acceptation with God, is
wholly dependent on, and in Pursuance of a
Divine Decree, that so it
shall; it results from our good Dispositions and
worthy Actions. This is
a Renunciation of the whole Gospel. We are told,
that the Grace of God
confers, and the Death of Christ procured for us,
antecedent Blessings, and that this is the grand Point, which the Apostle
Paul, with so much Reasoning, proves, particularly, in his Epistle
to the
Romans. Well, what are these antecedent Blessings? Are they
Pardon,
Peace, Reconciliation,
Acceptance with God, Regeneration, Sanctification,
and a Right to future
Blessedness? No. What are they then? They are
nothing more than God’s
telling us, that he will pardon and save us, if we
render ourselves, by a
suitable Temper and becoming Behaviour, the fit
Objects of his moral
Approbation. The Divine Declaration, that God will
save us, if we fit
ourselves for Salvation, is said to be owing to the
Sacrifice of Christ; but
our Right to Salvation results from that Fitness in
us, and not from his
Sacrifice. And, God’s acquainting us, that he will save
us, upon that Fitness being
found in us, is an Act of Favour, and is to be
ascribed to his Grace; but
our Title to Salvation arises from that Fitness in
us to be pardoned and
saved. Men may dispute, while they please; but the
Truth is, it is Salvation
itself that is the Thing intended by the Apostle, and
not a Declaration, that God
will pardon and fare us: And he designs good
Works, call them what you
will, when he excludes them as a Cause of
12
Salvation. If, therefore,
any Works save us, they must not be good, but
sinful Works.
I. Neither is according to the Desert of our Works . It ought to be
observed, that, by Works,
Obedience is intended, or Actions which are
materially good. For,
surely, no Man can be so stupid as to imagine, that a
direct Violation of the Law
merits the Divine Regard, and entitles the
Offender to Benefits: And,
therefore, Works must mean Duties performed,
and not Sins committed,
Now, Salvation is not according to the Desert of
that Obedience, which Men
endeavour to yield to the Law of God. For,
though Duty is good,
materially considered, yet it hath the Nature of Sin in
it, by Reason of the
Vitiosity of the Person who performs it. And so he
demerits Punishment, even
in Duty, not as he attends to Duty; but as he
performs it not, in that
holy Manner which the Law requires him to do it.
And if the best Actions of
Men render them worthy of Censure, because of
the wrong Manner of their
Performance, it is senseless to imagine, that
they merit the Favour of
God, or thereby qualify themselves for the
Reception of Benefits from
him. How then can it be thought, that
Salvation, or Vocation, is
according to the Desert of our Works?
II. Neither is according to the Nature of our Works Such as we are in our
natural Dispositions, such
are all our Actions, as to their Kind. I do not
mean, in Respect to the
Matter of our Actions: Or that they are materially
sinful. But what I intend
is, that whatever we do, is, in its Kind, or as it is
acted by us, congruous to
the governing Disposition of our Souls. So that,
in doing what is materially
good, we are evil, and all our Actions have the
Nature of Sin in them. Such
as the Spring of Action is, such must the
Action be, evil, if that is
evil, though not materially, yet as proceeding from
a corrupted Principle and
Fountain. No Action that is properly good, can
be performed by a Person,
who is destitute of good Principles, any more
than sweet Streams can flow
from a bitter Fountain, which is impossible.
The carnal Mind is
Enmity against God, it is not subject to his Law,
neither, indeed, can be (Romans 8:7). And, without Faith it is
impossible to please God
(Hebrews 11:6). It must be concluded,
therefore, that Salvation
is not according to the Desert, or Nature of our
Works. And this leads me to
observe two Things, with Respect to our
Vocation.
III. It is an Act of pure Grace or free Love. For, prior to this Work upon
us, we are not the Subjects
of any good Dispositions, nor are capable of
13
performing Service, in an
acceptable Manner. And, consequently, our
Vocation is the mere Effect
of the Grace and Mercy of God. Not by Works
of Righteousness, which
we have done, but of his Mercy hath he saved us
by the Washing of
Regeneration, and the Renewing of the Holy Ghost
(Titus 3:5). But God who
is rich in Mercy, for his great Love
wherewith he loved us,
even when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins,
quickened us together
with Christ (Ephesians 2:4, 5, 6). Blessed
be the
God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant Mercy
hath begotten us again
to a lively Hope, by the Resurrection of Christ
from the Dead (1 Peter 1:3).
IV. Grace specifically differs from the best Thing that is in a
natural Man.
An unregenerate Person may
be humble, modest, affable in his Temper and
Behaviour; he may maintain
strict Probity and Honour, attend unto
religious Duties, and have
what is lovely and amiable, as the young Man of
whom we read in the Gospel,
concerning whom it is said, that our Lord
loved him, i.e. approved of his virtuous and just
Behaviour. But Grace is of
a nobler Nature, than the
most excellent Thing that is found in an
unregenerate Person.
Regeneration is not a Work upon Dispositions which
are in us previous unto
itself, but at as the Implantation of Principles in us,
which are entirely new.
And, therefore, it is represented, as giving us a new
Heart, and a new Spirit within us. This it is which
distinguishes us from
Persons unregenerate, and
makes us truly excellent. Hence the Saints are
said to be the excellent
in the Earth, in whom is all Christ’s Delight. The
Fruits of the Spirit are in
none, before they are born of the Spirit. Grace is
not the Excitation or
drawing forth of natural Principles into Act, by
Influences and Impulses
from God; but it is a new Nature created in the
Soul. For which Reason it
is said: If any Man be in Christ, he is a new
Creature; old Things are passed away, and all Things are become
new
(<470517>2 Corinthians 5:17). So that, there is no Congruity between
Grace and
those Principles, which are
in us before its Production. Nor is it
communicated to us, because
of any Fitness in us for it, or because we are
disposed to receive it, or
act agreeably unto it. Faith, Hope, Love, Fear,
Humility, Meekness, and all
other gracious Principles, differ specifically
from all that is in us,
while we are in an unregenerate State. Nor is it
possible, by any Operation
whatever, to cause an unregenerate Mind to
believe, hope, love God, or
reverence and adore him, and yield a holy
spiritual Obedience unto
him. The Mention which some make of a Divine
Influence, in Regeneration,
means no more, than stirring up natural
14
Principles unto holy Acts;
which is far from Truth, and is absurd, for
Enmity cannot be made to
love; that involves a Contradiction. But, by the
Allowance of a Divine
Influence to excite corrupt Nature unto gracious
Acts, many are imposed
upon, and persuaded to think, that it is ancient
Truth which is meant; but
it is entirely a Mistake, which might be easily
discerned, if too many
among us were not foolishly credulous, and
disposed to entertain a
favourable Opinion of some Sort of Men, who
court their Esteem. I am
sure it is high Time for us to be upon our Guard,
if we design to retain the
Truth of the Gospel. For no small Number make
sad Improvement, of those
Modes of speaking on Evangelical Doctrines,
which are now much come
into Fashion.
But I go on to consider,
Thirdly. The positive
Assertion in the Text: God hath
saved us, and called
us with an holy Calling,
according to his own Purpose and Grace, which
was given us in Christ,
before the World began.
I. Purpose intends the Decree of God, which is called, the Counsel of his
Will (Ephesians 1:11); because of the Wisdom which is displayed
therein, and because it is
his good Pleasure, or the pure Result of his
sovereign Will; he formed
the Plan and Model of our Salvation, in his
infinite and eternal Mind,
and fixed upon all the adorable Methods,
whereby it was
accomplished. He willed not to impute Sin to us: God was
in Christ reconciling
the World unto himself, not imputing their
Trespasses to them. His Intention was, that Christ should come under the
Law, obey it, and bring in
for us an everlasting Righteousness. He decreed,
that our blessed Lord
Should bear our Sins, and become an atoning
Sacrifice for them, that we
might go unpunished, or escape that dreadful
Wrath and Vengeance,
whereunto we were obnoxious: And his Law and
Justice sustain no Loss by
our Pardon and Impunity. Again, he formed a
Design and Resolution to
communicate Holiness unto us, or to regenerate
and sanctify us, and make
us meet for the Fruition of himself.
II. This is his own Purpose, properly his; for it is the Effect
of his own
Love without any
external Motive and Inducement. And it is
his own
Contrivance, peculiar to
himself. He only could determine in what Way it
became him to recover us
from Ruin, and bring us to Glory. So wonderful
is the Method of our Pardon
and Salvation, that the Nature of it evinces it
to be the Contrivance, not
of finite, but infinite Wisdom. Whether Holiness,
Righteousness, and Justice,
or Kindness, Grace, and Mercy, are more
15
illustriously displayed
therein, we are not able to say, but must eternally
adore the infinitely wise
Provision, which is made in the Scheme of our
Salvation, for the
astonishing Discovery and Exercise of each, ill entire
Harmony and Agreement:
Mercy and Truth meet together: Righteousness
and Peace kiss each other,
in the Affair of our Redemption.
(1.) Salvation is according to this Purpose. The Father, in
Pursuance of his
own Decree and Christ’s Undertaking,
said our Iniquities upon him: And
made him to be Sin for us.
Agreeably to his everlasting Counsels, when the
Fulness of Time was
come, he sent forth his Son made of a Woman, made
under the Law, to redeem
us that were under the Law, that we might
receive the Adoption of
Sons (Galatians 4:4, 5). Our Saviour’s
being
made a Curse for us, to
redeem us from Condemnation, was according to
this gracious Purpose. And
the Expiation of our Guilt, by his Susception of
it, and Atoning for it, was
the Accomplishment of the Decree of the Father,
who eternally resolved upon
our Remission. The whole Order of Salvation,
in all its Branches, and in
Relation unto all its Subjects, is according to that
Plan, which was formed in
the Divine Mind. For it is of the Father that we
are in Christ Jesus, and he
makes him unto us, Wisdom, Righteousness,
Sanctification, and
Redemption. Hence all that our Saviour did and
suffered, was the
Fulfillment of the Father’s Will, and the Discharge of that
Work, which he gave him to
do: I came down from Heaven, not to do mine
own Will, but the Will
of him that sent me. I bare finished
the Work, which
thou gavest me to do.
Our Salvation, therefore,
or our Right to Pardon, Freedom from
Condemnation, and Title to
Life, arising from the Obedience, and
Sufferings, and Death of
our blessed Lord, is according to the wise, the
gracious, and sovereign
Will and Counsel of the Father. And, herein be
abounded towards us, in
all Wisdom and Prudence.
(2.) Vocation is according to this Purpose of God. The Subjects
of it are
the Objects of his eternal
Choice unto Salvation. God hath from the
Beginning chosen you to
Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit,
and the Belief of the
Truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Calling,
therefore, is
the Accomplishment of God’s
gracious Decree concerning us. And hence,
we are said to be called
according to his Purpose: We know that all Things
work together for Good
to them who love God, to them who are the called
according to his Purpose. Since it was the Determination of God to
regenerate, sanctify, and
make us meet for Heaven, or to call us unto his
16
eternal Glory: Calling doubtless is effectual. For God did not purpose
to
work that in us, which he
could not effect; nor could he design to produce
Holiness in us by his
powerful Influence upon us, if he knew our Nature
and Make to be unfit, or
improper, to be operated upon by his infinite
Power. And, consequently,
this Vocation is effectual. God intended what
he knew himself able to
produce: He purposed to convey to us what he
knew we were capable of
receiving, though not of acquiring, even with
Helps and Assistances
afforded to us. Capable we are of being wrought
upon, by infinite Power;
but capable we are not of being helped to see,
because we are destitute of
a visive Power; capable we are not of being
assisted to act, because we
have not Life, a Principle of Action. Capable
we are not of being enabled
to love God and Holiness, because we are
Enmity against God, and all
real Holiness. But we are capable of receiving,
by Infusion, Light, Life,
and a Principle of Love, though we are Darkness,
are in a State of Death,
and are Enmity itself against God. It was the
Purpose of God to give us
new Hearts and new Spirits, as his Promise
evinces; and, when a new
Heart and a new Spirit is given, we are capable
of being assisted to act in
a holy spiritual Manner, but not before: Any
more than a Man can be
assisted to see, without a visive Power, or be
enabled to act without
Life, or a Principle of Action, or than Enmity can be
assisted to love. As the
Purpose of God took Place, in our Redemption: So
it shall be accomplished,
in Vocation, in all its Objects. And this Work
must be effectual in every
one, who is the Subject of it.
III. Salvation and Vocation are according to "Grace",
which was given
us in Christ before the
World began.
1st. It is necessary here to enquire what is intended by Grace.
(1.) That sometimes means the Goodness, free Love, and Kindness
of God.
Thus in these Words: By
Grace are ye saved (Ephesians 2:5). The
sovereign and unmerited
Favour of God, is the Origin of our Salvation.
That is the Fountain of all
the Branches of our Recovery and Happiness.
Election to Salvation was
not of Works, but of Grace. The Constitution of
Christ to be our Head,
Mediator, and Saviour was an Act of free Favour.
The Gift of Christ to us,
and for us, was an amazing Instance of rich and
glorious Grace. God so
loved the World, that he gave his only begotten
Son (John 3:16). It was an illustrious Act of Grace in God to
deliver
him up to Suffering and
Death for us. God commended his Love towards
us, in that, while we
were yet Sinners, Christ died for us (Romans
8:7).
17
Our Redemption, or the
Forgiveness of our Sins, is according to the
Riches of the Father’s Grace, as the meritorious Cause is Christ’s
Blood:
Our Justification is a
gratuitous Act: That being justified by his Grace
(Titus 3:7). In a Word, all
the Parts of our Salvation spring from the
Fountain of God’s good
Pleasure, or his rich Mercy and Kindness. Pardon,
Peace, Acceptation, Freedom
from Condemnation, and our Right to eternal
Life are all derived from
the everlasting Love and Grace of God. Our
Vocation is the Fruit and
Effect thereof: I have loved thee with an
everlasting Love,
therefore, with loving Kindness have I drawn thee. And
abundant Mercy is
manifested in begetting us again unto a lively Hope. The
rich Mercy and great Love
of God are gloriously discovered, or shine
forth, in quickening us,
when we are dead in Trespasses and Sins. Our
Nature and Conduct are a
full and irrefragable Proof of this important
Truth. We are Enmity
against God, and have not the least Degree of a
friendly Disposition
towards him, nor any Desire of an Acquaintance with
him, or of enjoying him,
the Origin of Blessedness. To suggest, that Men
naturally have any such
Desire, or can have, is the ready Way to flatter
them into Hell, I am bold to say it, though I am sensible, that it is
absolutely contrary, to the
fashionable Divinity of our Times. I use this
Plainness and Freedom in
Speaking, because I am more and more
convinced, by various
melancholy Things, which daily occur, that this is a
Season, wherein, in an
especial Manner, we ought to be open and explicit,
in asserting Truth, if ever
there was such a Season, since the Christian
Name was known in the
World. It is evident, that Salvation and Vocation
are according to the free
and unmerited Love of God. But I humbly
apprehend, that is not
designed here; my Reason for it is: This Grace was
given us, which is a Mode
of speaking, that is not properly used of the
Love of God, itself. His
Love was fixed upon us in Christ before the World
began; but it seems to me
not agreeable, strictly speaking, to say of Divine
Favour, itself, that it was
given us. And, therefore, I rather think, that by
Grace here we are to
understand,
(2.) The Effects of Divine Love, which may be called Grace,
because they
spring from it. And, those
Effects, are all spiritual, and eternal Blessings:
Or Grace and Glory, which
we receive from God in this World, and shall
enjoy in the next. The
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ blessed us
with all spiritual
Blessings, in heavenly Places, in Christ.
There is no
spiritual Blessing, which
is not included in this Act of the Divine Father. It
comprehends all and every
one, Adoption, Pardon, Peace, Acceptation,
18
Grace for our
Sanctification, and Preservation in this State, and everlasting
Blessedness, in the
immediate Presence of God, hereafter.
2nd. This Grace, or these spiritual Blessings, were given us
in Christ. This
supposes that Relation, or
Union, which subsisted between Christ and us,
when this Act of the Father
was put forth. He was our Head and
Representative, and we were
included in him, and represented by him. And,
therefore, what was given
to him for us, as standing in the Capacity of a
Representative Head, with
the strictest Propriety, may be said to be given
to us in him. And this Act
of the Father was a real Grant, Promise, and
Donation of Grace, in that
comprehensive Sense, which is above explained.
3rd. This Grant, or Donation of all spiritual Blessings, was before
the World
began: That is to say, in Eternity, or before the Commencement
of Time.
For this Phrase is used to express
the everlasting Date of that to which it is
applied: In Hope of
eternal Life, which God, that cannot lye, promised
before the World began. And the same Idea is expressed by another
Phrase, which is much like
to this, viz. before the Foundation of the World:
God blessed us with all
spiritual Blessings in heavenly Places, in Christ:
According as he hath
chosen us in him before the Foundation of the
World (Ephesians 1:4). The Act of blessing us with all spiritual
Blessings, is, therefore,
of the same Date with our Election, which is
eternal. Our Non-Existence
is no Objection at all to this Conferring of a
Right upon us to there
Blessings, any more than it is to our Election. For, if
they who are not, may be
chosen, they who do not at present exist, may
have a Right conferred upon
them unto Benefits, in one who represents
them. If any shall say,
this is a Collation of Right upon nothing, since they
were not: I would say, God
chose nothing, since they did not exist, who
are supposed to be the
Objects of the Divine Choice. Our Reception of
Divine Blessings
necessarily supposes our personal Existence; but the
Conferring of a Right upon
us to those Blessings, no more requires, or
supposes, our present
Existence, than the Divine Election of our Persons to
eternal Salvation requires,
or supposes, our present Existence. I confess,
that I have been somewhat
surprized, to hear some very intelligent Persons
object, in this Manner,
unto what is now pleaded for, and am persuaded,
that, if they thoroughly
examined, into the Nature, Force, and
Consequence of Objections
of this Sort, they would be convinced, that
they are by no Means to be
admitted. If our Faith in heavenly Mysteries is
to be directed by, and
accommodated unto, Rules, which pass for Learning
among Men; I am satisfied,
that it must be very incomplete, and in many
19
other Particulars much
corrupted, as well as in this Instance we have now
before us.
In order to set this
Doctrine in as clear a Point of Light as I can, I would
propose to Consideration
the following Things:
(1.) Christ was constituted a Head to us, in Eternity, by the
Divine Father,
with his own Consent. I
suppose it will be granted, that the Covenant of
Grace and Peace, wherein
the Business of our Salvation was settled,
provided for, and secured,
was entered into, in Eternity, by the Father, and
Jesus Christ, our Mediator
and Surety. That Covenant was not made or
entered into with him in a private
but public Capacity; or, therein he was
appointed to be, and, in
the Repute of the Father, he then was, the Head
and Representative of all
the chosen People of God. And, consequently,
the Covenant of Grace not
only had Relation unto, or concerned them, and
respected their final
Happiness; but it was made with them in him, as their
Representative in that
Transaction. I have always much approved of what
the Assembly of Divines say
on this Subject, viz. That the Covenant of
Grace was made with
Christ, as a Head, and with all the Elect, in him, as
his Seed. Our Saviour was set up from everlasting, from the
Beginning, or
ever the Earth was (Proverbs 8:23): Which respects the Father’s
Designation and Appointment
of him to be our Mediator and Head, unto
which he consented, and
became invested with that Office, tho’ his human
Nature did not then
subsist, wherein he was, in the Time agreed on
between the Father and
himself, to do and suffer for us, all that which, in
this Covenant he stipulated
to do and suffer, in order to our Security, in
Subordination to the Glory
of all the Divine Perfections. Upon this
Designation of the Father,
and his own undertaking to be our Mediator and
Head, he became such in the
Divine Repute, and represented us,
notwithstanding his human
Nature then subsisted not, and tho’ we were
not then personally
existent. The Promises, therefore, which the Father
made to him in this
Covenant, that had Respect to us, or which express the
Privileges and Blessings,
which are to be received and enjoyed by us, are to
be considered as made to us
in him, as our Representative. If Christ was
then constituted a Head, it
must be concluded, that he then had Members,
who were considered in him,
or who were his Body, and in Union with
him; for he was not a Head
without Members. And it must be observed,
that both the Natures of
Christ are included in this his Relation to us as a
Head: And, as the present
Subsistence of his human Nature was not
necessary unto his becoming
a Head to the Church of the First-born,
20
whose Names are written
in Heaven, so our personal Existence was
not
necessary unto our becoming
his Members. The certain future Subsistence
of his human Nature was a
sufficient Foundation for his Headship to us;
and the certain future
Existence of our Persons, was a sufficient Ground,
for our becoming Members of
him. If this Reasoning is not allowed of, for
my Part, I am not able to
discern how it was possible, that our Saviour
should be a Head unto the
Church of God, before the Time of his
Incarnation. But, surely,
it is not to be imagined, that the Church was
without a Head, until
Christ became incarnate. This is a farther Proof, that
heavenly Mysteries are not
to be limited by, nor accommodated unto, those
Rules which are called Learning
among Men; and may justly convince us
that those Rules, of what
Use soever they may be in other Things, in divine
Truths, are, not only
useless, but pernicious: Which is a proper Reason for
an utter Rejection of them
in Evangelical Doctrines, let some Persons say
what they please in their
Favour. If we will form our Notions of the
sublime Mysteries of Christianity,
by Rules of Art, or human Science,
which are allowed to be of
Service in reasoning upon natural Truths, I am
sure, our Conceptions
concerning super natural Truths must be, not only
exceedingly imperfect, but
also, in various Instances, certainly false: The
Reason of which is evident;
those Mysteries are Truths which Eye hath not
seen, nor Ear heard,
neither have entered into the Heart of Man (<460209>1
Corinthians 2:9); i.e.
they are Doctrines absolutely unknown to the human
Mind, and are not
inseparable from, nor have any Connexion with, such
Truths, as Men, by the
utmost Stretch of Reasoning, can acquire the
Knowledge of. All
Objections, therefore, unto God’s eternal Acts of
Favour towards us in
Christ, our Head, which proceed upon, or arise from
this Axiom, That
nothing can be predicated of a Non-ens, or what is not, or
hath not present Being, are
fond, and not of the least Weight.
(2.) The Father promised and gave, or made a Grant of, all those
Favours
and Blessings unto us in
Christ, which are comprised in our full Salvation.
The Covenant of Grace
contains in it every saving Benefit: And, therefore,
David says concerning that Covenant, This is all my Salvation,
and all my
Desire (2 Samuel 12:5). There is one grand Promise of the
Gospel,
which is comprehensive of
every Thing that is conducive unto, and wherein
our final Felicity
consists, viz. the Promise of eternal Life. This Promise
was made in Eternity: In
Hope of eternal Life, which God, that cannot lye,
promised before the
World began (Titus 1:2). Pardon of Sin,
and all
that is therein included —
the Acceptation of our Persons — Grace for our
21
Regeneration,
Sanctification, and Preservation in this World — and that
Glory which we shall
possess in the next, were promised by the Father to
Christ, our Head, from
everlasting, or before the World began, and unto us
in him, as our
Representative, in those federal Transactions which pass’d
between the Divine Father
and himself, as Landing in the Capacity of
Mediator. What he did and
suffered, in order to our Salvation, in his
mediatorial Capacity, was
in the Fulness of Time; but his Investiture with
the mediatorial Office was
before the Commencement of Time: And
whatever spiritual
Blessings we now receive by Faith, and all that
Blessedness which we shall
partake of in the future State, were given us, in
Christ, in this everlasting
Covenant.
(3.) Right to Grace and Glory, or unto all spiritual Blessings,
arose from
this Divine Grant and
Promise of them to us in Christ, our Head. As by a
Deed of Conveyance a Child
unborn may become Heir unto an Estate, or
as Right to an Inheritance
arises to one not yet born by Virtue of a Deed of
Conveyance, so Right to
Pardon, Peace, Freedom from Condemnation,
Acceptation with God, and
unto Grace and eternal Glory, arises from the
Divine Promise and Grant of
those Blessings to us in Christ, our Head, in
the everlasting Covenant.
And this Grant was made to Christ on
Conditions required to be
performed by him, and which he stipulated to
fulfil. His Performance of
these Conditions, therefore, confirms our Right
unto those Blessings, and
ascertains our Reception of them. They are free
Gifts to us; but on the
Part of our Saviour they are Debt, or he hath
procured them for us by
doing and suffering the Will of the Fathers; on
Condition of which this
Grant of them was made to him, as our Surety and
Head. Hence he makes a
Demand of Glory in Behalf of his People: Father,
I WILL, that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am,
that they may behold my
Glory, which thou hast given me (John
17:24). This Right is not
known to us, is not actionable or pleadable by
us, until we receive Grace
from God to make as meet for Heaven; but the
foederal Transactions of
the Father and Christ inverted us with a Right to
all spiritual Blessings,
tho’ we knew it not, nor could plead it.
IV. Salvation and Vocation are according to Grace, which was
given us in Christ
"before the World began".
1st. Salvation is according to that Grace. The Bestowment of
spiritual
Blessings upon us in Christ
did not prevent our Apostacy, and Ruin, in
Consequence thereof. Adam
was the Head and Representative of the Elect
22
as well as of the
Non-elect, and they are equally chargeable with his
Offence: They, no left than
the Rest, derive a corrupt Nature from him, and
nothing differ from them in
the natural Dispositions of their Minds; they are
Children of Wrath by
Nature, even as others; and their Deportment is of
the same rebellious Nature
against God, as is the Behaviour of the Nonelect;
and, therefore, they come
under a legal Charge of Sin, are under the
Sentence of the Law’s
Curse, and are obnoxious unto, and worthy of,
eternal Death:
Consequently, the Grant of spiritual Blessings unto them in
Christ, as their spiritual,
foederal Head, did not prevent their Ruin and
Misery by Sin; but it was a
gracious and effectual Provision for their
Recovery out of that
miserable Condition, whereinto they are involved by
Guilt, original, and that
which they themselves contract. The Nature,
Terms, or Articles, and
Promises of the Covenant of Grace most evidently
suppose our Misery, as we
are included in, and are Transgressors of, the
Covenant of Works: And it
is no Contradiction to affirm, that, according to
the latter, we are lost,
undone, and miserable, and that, according to the
former, we are safe,
secure, and saved; because with our natural Head we
are included in the
Covenant of Works, and in our spiritual Head we are
included in the Covenant of
Grace, and both at the same Time. This cannot
be denied, without denying
that the Church was related unto Christ, as a
Head, when the Covenant of
Grace was made with him; which is, perhaps,
what some may be inclined
to deny; but they cannot do it, without
destroying the proper
Foundation of the Imputation of Sin to Christ, and of
the Imputation of his
Righteousness unto the Church of God. Our
Salvation is according unto
the gracious Promises made unto Christ, our
Head, in this Covenant. Agreeably
to the mutual Transactions of the Father
and our Redeemer in the
Covenant of Grace, he assumed our Nature into
Union with himself, came
under the Obligation of the Covenant of Works,
obeyed that Law for us, and
so brought in an everlasting Righteousness.
The Father imputed our
Guilt to him; he took it upon himself, or consented
to bear it, and endured
that Punishment, which, according to the
Constitution of the Law,
was due to us, as Transgressors of it. Thus he
bare our Guilt, and bare it
away from us, and out of the Sight of God, as a
Judge. Redemption,
therefore, or the Remission of Sin, Peace, and
Reconciliation, are
according unto that Grace, which was promised, given,
and granted to us, in
Christ, in the everlasting Covenant; so also is the
Justification of our
Persons through the Righteousness of Christ, the
Mediator of that Covenant.
And, agreeably unto what was stipulated
between the Father and the
Son from everlasting, our Persons, while in a
23
State of Unregeneracy, are
preserved from many Dangers, which would be
of fatal Consequence to us,
and we are recovered from, or out of, it may
be, some very threatening
Sicknesses and Disorders; and so we are, in the
Dispensations of
Providence, preserved until the Time appointed for our
partaking of the Grace and
Blessings of that Covenant, wherein is the
Whole of our Salvation, and
all our Desire, as spiritual Persons. Hence we
may learn, that none, who
are included in the Covenant of Grace, are taken
out of the World, before
they receive Grace from God to prepare them for
the Fruition of himself,
nor can die in a State of Unregeneracy. And,
therefore, it is a vain
Objection, which some have made to the Doctrine of
our Right to Salvation and
Happiness by Virtue of a Divine Grant in the
everlasting Covenant, that,
if we die unregenerate, we could not be
admitted to Heaven; for the
Objection supposes what is not supposable,
nor can be; because, as
this Grant intitles us to eternal Life, so it gives us a
Right unto, and ensures our
partaking of, Grace and Holiness, as a
Meetness for the Enjoyment
of it. The Promise of eternal Life, which was
made by God, who cannot
lye, before the World began, as it gave us an
unalienable Right unto that
State of complete Happiness, so it secured to
us a Participation of that
Purity and Holiness, which are necessary, as a
Preparative for the
Possession of that future Blessedness, and fully proves
the great Impropriety and
Impertinence of this Objection to our Right unto
Salvation and everlasting
Life, prior to Faith in Christ. Sanctification is
necessary to, and must
precede, the Enjoyment of heavenly Bliss: For
without Holiness no Man
shall see the Lord. But Right to eternal
Life as
previous unto our
Sanctification, and secures it.
2nd. Vocation is according unto Grace, which was given us in
Christ,
before the World began.
(1.) Those only are the Subjects of this Divine Work, to whom
Grace was
given in the everlasting
Covenant: And, who those Persons are, it is easy to
determine: They are the
Elect, No more nor other than they are called to
God’s eternal Glory.
Election to Salvation is the Ground and Foundation
of Regeneration and
Sanctification. This gracious Decree is the Fountain of
all that Purity and
Holiness, which Men receive as a Meetness for Heaven:
God hath from the Beginning
chosen you to Salvation, thro’ Sanctification
of the Spirit. Love to God
is the Fruit and Effect of Divine Love to us. We
love him, because he first
loved us. Heavenly Attraction springs from an
Interest in the Favour of God:
I have loved thee with an everlasting Love;
therefore, with loving
Kindness have I drawn thee. Vocation is
the
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Execution of the Decree of
Election; and, therefore, they are parallel, and
exactly of the same Extent.
Some suppose, that the Influence of the Spirit
of God upon Men, in order
to Salvation, is of wider Compass than Election
is: That Influence,
therefore, and those Effects, whatever they be, which it
produces, cannot evidence
to any their Election of God: And,
consequently, none can
possibly know, that their Names are written in
Heaven, or that they are
chosen to Salvation, let their Convictions,
Repentance, Trust, and
Obedience be what they may: Which is a sufficient
Proof of the Falshood of
this Supposition; for it is not consistent with the
Will of God, which is that
the Heirs of Promise should have a proper
Foundation for strong
Consolation. If any of those who embrace this
Opinion have such
Consolation, I am sure, their Experience is not founded
upon, but contradicts,
their Principles. Besides, this Opinion supposes, that
Men who have no
supernatural Principle in them, may be assisted to act
spiritually, which is
impossible. That which opposes Grace, cannot be
excited unto Act of
Holiness, by any Impulse whatever.
(2.) Calling is the Communication of that Grace unto us, which
was given
us in Christ, before the
World began. It was the Pleasure of the
Father that
all Fulness should dwell
in Christ: That, of his Fulness, we
might receive,
and Grace for Grace (Colossians 1:19). The Donation of Grace to us,
in Christ our Head,
inverted us with a Right unto a Participation of it. And
Regeneration is the
Bestowment or actual Conveyance of that to us, which
he received and had in
keeping for us, as the Mediator of the Covenant of
Grace. Vocation, therefore,
is according to that Grace, unto which we had
a previous Right, by
Virtue of a divine Grant and Promise, in the
everlasting Covenant. (John
1:16.)
(3.) That Grace, which was given us in Christ, is very
comprehensive. For,
it includes those spiritual
Blessings which we receive now, and shall enjoy
hereafter. Grace bears the
Name of Glory: But we all with open Face,
beholding in as a Glass
the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the same
Image, from Glory to
Glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), i.e.
from one Degree
of Grace to another. And
Glory is called Grace: And hope to the End, for
the Grace that is to be
brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ
(1 Peter 3:12). It is so
called, because it springs from the free Grace of
God. Grace is the same in Kind
with Glory, and is the Beginning of
everlasting Life: He
that Believeth hath everlasting Life, not only in Title,
but also in the Seed and
Beginning of it. So much Grace, therefore, as you
have in your Hearts, so
much you have of Heaven. And, if you are now
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Partakers of Grace, you
shall enjoy future Bliss: For the Father hath given
Power to Christ over all
Flesh, that he might give eternal Life to as many
as he hath given him (John 17:3).
Please direct your comments to Mike Krall.