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hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved,) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us, through Jesus Christ. For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that (salvation is) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no man, (nor Gentile nor Jew,) can boast. For we, (Christians converted from heathenism,) are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.

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108. It is on account of this general love that Christians are honoured with the title of beloved. Rom. i. 7, To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called Saints. ix. 25, I will call her, (the Gentile church,) beloved, which was not beloved. Col. iii. 12, Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, &c. 109. Rom. iii. 23, 24, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. v. 2. 1 Cor. i. 4, I thank my God for the

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grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. Eph. i. 6, 7, To the praise of the glory of his grace, whereby he has mude us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Col. i. 6. 2 Thes. i. 12. 2 Tim. i. 9, Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Jesus Christ before the world began. Tit. ii. 11. Heb. xii. 15. Hence grace and the grace of God, is sometimes put for the whole gospel, and all its blessings, as Acts xiii. 43, Paul and Barnabas persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 2 Cor. vi. 1. 1 Pet. v. 12, Testify that this is the true grace of God in which we stand. 1 Cor. i. 4. Rom. v. 2. 2 Cor. vi. 1. Tit. ii. 11. Jude 4. Rom. xii, 1, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies, &c. xv. 9, And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

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3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope, &c.

110. In these texts, and others of the same kind, it is evident that the love, grace, and mercy of God hath respect, not to particular persons in the Christian church, but to the whole body or whole societies; and therefore are to be understood of that general love, grace, and mercy, whereby the whole body of Christians is separated unto God, to be his peculiar people, favoured with extraordinary blessings. And it is with regard to this sentiment and mode of speech, that the Gentiles, who before lay out of the church, and had not obtained mercy, are said now to have obtained mercy. Rom. xi. 50.

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111. Hence also we may conclude that all the privileges and blessings of the Gospel, even the whole of our redemption and salvation, are the effect of God's pure, free, original love and grace, to which he was inclined of his own motion, without any other motive besides his own goodness, in mere kindness and good will to a sinful, perishing world. These are the things that are FREELY given to us of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12.

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§ VIII. All the grace of the Gospel is dispensed to us by, in, or through Christ Jesus.

112. Nevertheless, all the fore-mentioned love, grace, and mercy, is dispensed, or conveyed to us in, by, or through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord. To quote all the places to this purpose, would be to transcribe a

Ira μn TIS XavXNOAras, lest any man should boast. So we render it; as if the Gospel salvation were appointed to be not of Works, to prevent our boasting; which supposes, we might have boasted, had not God taken this method to preclude it. Whereas, in truth, we had nothing to boast of. Neither Jew nor Gentile could pretend to any prior righteousness, which might make them worthy to be taken into the house and kingdom of God under his Son; therefore the Apostle's meaning is, “We are not saved from heathenism, and translated into the church and kingdom of Christ, for any prior goodness, obedience, or righteousness we had performed. For which reason, no man can boast, as if he had merited the blessing, &e." This is the Apostle's sense; and the place should have been translated, so that no man can boast: For wa signifies so that. See Rom. iii. 19. 1 Cor. vii. 29. 2 Cor. i. 17. vii. 9. Gal. v. 17. Heb. ii. 17. vi. 18. Mark iv. 12.

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All the Blessings of the Gospel are by and through Christ Jesus.

great part of the New Testament. But it may suffice, at present, to review the texts under the numbers 107 and 109. From which texts it is evident, that the grace, or favour of God is given unto us BY Jesus Christ: that he has shewn the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness to us, THROUGH Jesus Christ: that he has sent his Son into the world that we might live THROUGH him; to be the propitiation, (or mercy seat,) for our sins: that he died for us that we who were afar off are made nigh BY his blood: that God has made us accepted in the Beloved, (in his beloved Son,) IN whom we have redemption THROUGH his blood, the forgiveness of sins: that we are his workmanship created IN Christ Jesus: that before the world began, the purpose and grace of God, relating to our calling and salvation, was given us IN Christ Jesus: before the foundation of the world God chose us IN Christ, Eph. i. 4. We have peace with God THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ, BY whom also we have access into this grace wherein we stand, Rom. v. 1,2. God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is IN his Son, 1 John v.

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Nothing is clearer from the whole current of Scripture, than that all the mercy and love of God, and all the blessings of the Gospel, from first to last, from the original purpose and grace of God, to our final salvation in the possession of eternal life, is IN, BY, or THROUGH Christ; and particularly BY HIS BLOOD, by the redemption which is in him, as he is the propitiation, or atonement, for the sins of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. This can bear no dispute among Christians. The only difference that can be must relate to the manner, how these blessings are conveyed to us in, by, or through CHRIST. Doubtless they are conveyed through his hands, as he is the minister, or agent, appointed of God to put us in possession of them. But his blood, death, cross, could be no ministring cause of blessings assigned to his blood, &c. before we were put in possession of them— See Rom. v. 6, 8, 10, 19. Eph. ii. 13, 16. Col. i. 20, 21, 22. Nor truly can his blood be possibly considered as a ministring or instrumental cause in any sense at all; for it is not an agent, but an object, and therefore, though it may be a moving cause, or a reason for bestowing blessings, yet it can be no active, or instrumental cause, in conferring them. His blood and death is indeed to us an assurance of pardon : but it is evidently something more; for it is also considered as an offering and sacrifice to God, highly pleasing to him, to put away our sin, and to obtain eternal redemption, Heb. ix. 12, 14, 26. Eph. v. 2.

113. But why should God choose to communicate his grace in this mediate way, by the interposition, obedience, and agency, of his Son, who again employs subordinate agents and instruments under him? I answer; for the display of the glory of his nature and perfections. The sovereign Disposer of all things may communicate his blessings by what means, and in any way, he thinks fit. But whatever He effects by the interposition of means, and a train of intermediate causes, He could produce by his own immediate power. He wants not clouds to distil rain; nor rain nor human industry to make the earth fruitful; nor the fruitfulness of the earth to supply food; nor food to sustain our life. He could do this by his own immediate power; but He chooses to manifest hist providence, power, wisdom, and goodness, in a variety of ways and dispositions, and yet his power and goodness are not only as much concerned and exercised in this way, as if he produced the end without the intervention of means; but even much more, because his power, wisdom, and goodness, are as much exerted and illustrated in every single intermediate step, as if he had done the thing at once, without any intermediate step at all. There is as much power and wisdom exercised in producing rain, or in making the earth fruitful, or in adapting food to the nourishment of our bodies; I say there is as much power in any one of these steps, as there would be in nourishing our bodies by one immediate act without those intermediate means. Therefore, in this method of procedure, the displays of the Divine providence and perfections are multiplied and beautifully diversified, to arrest our attention, exercise our contemplation, and excite our admiration and thankfulness; for thus we see God, in a surprising variety of instances. Nor, indeed, can we turn our eyes to any part of the visible creation, but we see His power, wisdom, and goodness in perpetual exercise, every where. In like manner, in the moral world, he chooses to work by means, the mediation of the Son, the influences of his Spirit, the teachings of his word, the endeavours of Apostles and ministers; not to supply any defects of his power, wisdom, or goodness; but to multiply the instances of them; to shew himself to us in a various display of his glorious dispensations; to exercise the moral powers and virtues of all the subordinate agents employed in carrying on

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his great designs, and to set before our thoughts the most engaging subjects of meditation, and the most powerful motives of action. And this method, in the moral world, is still more necessary; because, without the attention of our minds, the end proposed, our sanctification, cannot be obtained.*

114. But how is it agreeable to the infinite distance there is between the Most High God, and creatures so low and imperfect, who are of no consideration when compared to the immensity of his nature, that he should so greatly concern himself about our redemption? Answer-He who is all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, attends to all the minutest affairs, in the whole Universe, without the least confusion or difficulty. And, if it was not below his infinite greatness to make mankind, it cannot be so to take care of them, when created. For kind, he can produce no beings more excellent than the rational and intelligent; consequently, those must be most worthy of his regard. And when they are corrupted, as thereby the end of their being is frustrated, it must be as agreeable to his greatness to endeavour, (when he sees fit,) their reformation, or to restore them to the true ends for which they were created, as it was originally to create them.

115. And as for mankind's being a mean and inconsiderable part of the creation, it may not be so easy to demonstrate, as we may imagine. The sin that is, or hath been, in the world, will not do it: for then the beings, which we know stand in a much higher, and, perhaps, in a very high rank of natural perfection, will be proved to be as mean and inconsiderable as ourselves; seeing they in great numbers have sinned. Neither will our natural weakness and imperfection prove, that we are a mean and inconsiderable part of God's creation for the Son of God, when cloathed in our flesh, and encompassed with all our infirmities and temptations, lost nothing of the real excellency and worth he possessed, when in a state of glory with the Father, before the world was. Still he was the beloved Son of God, in whom he was well pleased. Besides, since God may bestow honours and privileges, as he pleases; who will tell me, what pre-eminence, in the purpose of God, this world may possibly have, above any other part of the Universe? Or what relation it bears to the rest of the creation? We know that even angels have been ministering spirits to some part, at least, of mankind. Who will determine, how far the scheme of redemption may exceed any scheme of Divine wisdom, in other parts of the Universe ? Or how far it may affect the improvement and happiness of other beings, in the remotest regions. Eph. iii. 10, To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Pet. i. 12, Which things that are reported by them that have preached the Gospel, the angels desire to look into. It is therefore the sense of Revelation, that the heavenly principalities and powers study the wisdom and grace of redemption; and even increase their stock of wisdom from the displays of the Divine love in the Gospel. Who can say how much our virtue is, more or less, severely proved, than in other worlds? Or, how far our virtue may excel that of other beings, who are not subjected to our long and heavy trials; may not a virtue, firm and steady under our present clogs, inconveniences, discouragements, persecutions, trials, and temptations, possibly surpass the virtue of the highest angel, whose state is not attended with such embarrassments? Do ye know how far such, as shall have honourably passed through the trials of this life, shall hereafter be dispersed through the creation? How much their capacities will be enlarged? How highly they shall be exalted? What power and trusts will be put into their hands? How far their influence shall extend, and how much they shall contribute to the good order and happiness of the Universe? Possibly, the faithful soul, when disengaged from our present incumbrances, may blaze out into a degree of excellency equal to the highest honours, the most important and extensive services. Our Lord has made us kings and priests unto God and the Father, and we shall sit together in heavenly places, and reign with him. To him that overcomes the trials of this present state, he will give to sit with him in his throne. True, many from among mankind shall perish among the vile and

* But it certainly was not merely to display the various operations of Divine Providence, and to multiply the displays of the Divine perfections, that God required the sacrifice and death of his Son: as he was a sacrifice for sin, and the true notion of sacrifice, is redeeming the life of a guilty creature, by the death of one that is innocent, therefore Christ died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 1 Pet. iii. 18. Consequently the justice and righteousness of God required this sacrifice and justice must have required it ; else such a sacrifice could not have taken place: for had not justice required it, no attribute of God could, without injustice, have demanded it. A. C.

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worthless, for ever: and so shall many of the angels. These considerations may satisfy us; that possibly mankind are not so despicable as to be below the interposition of the Son of God. Rather the surprising condescensions and sufferings of a being so glorious, should be an argument that the scheme of redemption is of the utmost importance; and that, in the estimate of God, who alone confers dignity, we are creatures of very great consequence. Lastly, God by Christ created the world; and if it was not below his dignity to create, it is much less below his dignity to redeem the world; which, of the two, is the more honourable.

116. It is further to be observed; that the whole scheme of the Gospel in Christ, and as it stands in relation to his blood, or obedience unto death, was formed in the council of God, before the calling of Abraham, and even before the beginning of the world. Acts xv. 18, Known unto God are all his works, (the dispensations which he intended to advance,) from the beginning of the world. Eph. i. 4, According as he hath chosen us în hìm, (Christ,) before the foundation of the world: (po naraboys normov) 2 Tim. i. 9, Who hath saved us and called us—according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. 1 Pet. i. 20, Who, (Christ,) verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, (#49 xarabskýs notyov,) but was manifest in these last times for you, (Gentiles.) Hence it appears, that the whole plan of the Divine mercy in the Gospel, in relation to the method of communicating it, and the person, through whose obedience it was tó be dispensed, and by whose ministry it was to be executed, was formed, in the mind and purpose of God, before this earth was created. God, by his perfect and unerring knowledge, fore-knew the future state of mankind; and so, before-appointed the means, which he judged proper for their recovery: which fore-knowledge is fully confirmed by the promise to Abraham, and very copiously by the repeated predictions of the prophets, in relation to our Lord's work, and particularly to his death, with the end and design of it.

117. Again; it is to be noted, that all the fore-mentioned MERCY and LOVE, privileges and blessings, are granted and confirmed to the Christian church, under the sanction of a covenant; which is a grant or donation of blessings confirmed by a proper authority. The Gospel covenant is established by the promise and oath of God, and ratified by the blood of Christ, as a pledge and assurance, that it is a reality, and will certainly be made good. Matt. xxvi. 28, This is my blood in the New TESTAMENT, or COVENANT. Luke xxii. 26, This cup is the New Testament, (covenant,) in my blood. 2 Cor. iii. 6, Made us able ministers of the New Testament, (covenant.) Heb. vii. 22, Jesus made a surety of a better Testament. Heb. viii. 6, He is the mediator of a better covenant, established upon better promises-viii. 8. ix. 15. xii. 24. xiii. 20.-Here observe, 1. Jesus is the surely, (Eyvos,) sponsor, and mediator, (MeriTs,) of the New Covenant, as he is the great agent appointed of God to negotiate, transact, secure, and execute all the blessings which are conferred by this covenant. Obs. 2. That as the covenant is a donation or grant of blessing, hence it is, that the promise, or promiser, is sometimes put for the covenant; as, Gal. iii. 17, The covenant that was confirmed before, to Abraham, of God in Christ, the law, which was 430 years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect: for if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise; and so ver. 19: again ver. 21, Is the law then against the promises of God. Ver. 22-Obs. 3. That the Gospel covenant was included in that made with Abraham, Gen. xvii. 1, &c. xxii. 16, 17, 18. As appears from Gal. iii. 17, and from Heb. vi. 13, When God made the promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, &c. Ver. 17, He confirmed, (eμesirevay, he mediator'd,) it by an OATH; that by two immutable things, the promise and oath of God, we (Christians,) might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us.

118. But what should carefully and specially be observed is this, that the Gospel-constitution is a scheme, and the most perfect and effectual scheme, for restoring true religion, and for promoting virtue and happiness, that the world has ever yet seen. Upon faith in Christ, men of all nations were admitted into the church, family, kingdom, and covenant of God by baptism; were all numbered among the justified, regenerate or horn again, sanctified, saved, chosen, called, saints, and beloved; were all of the flock, church, house, vine and vineyard of God; and were entitled to the ordinances and privileges of the church; had exceeding great and precious promises given unto them, especially that of entering into the rest of Heaven. And in all these blessings and

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honours we are certainly very happy, as they are the things which are freely given to us of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12. But because these things are freely given, without respect to any obedience or righteousness, of ours, prior to the donation of them; is our obedience and personal righteousness, therefore, unnecessary? Or are we, on account of benefits already received, secure of the favour and blessing of God, in a future world, and for ever? By no means.

117. To explain this important point more clearly, I shall proceed as before, and shew that these privileges and blessings, given in general to the Christian church, are ANTECEDENT blessings; given indeed freely, without any respect to the prior obedience of the Gentile world, before they were taken into the church; but intended to be motives to the most upright obedience for the future, after they were joined to the family and kingdom of God. Which effect, if they produce, then our election, and calling, our redemption, adoption, &c. are made good: upon which account I shall call them CONSEQUENT blessings; because they are secured to us, and made ours for ever, only in consequence of our obedience. But on the other hand, if the antecedent blessings do not produce obedience to the will of God; if we, his chosen people and children, do not obey the laws and rules of the Gospel, then we, as well as any other wicked persons, may expect tribulation and wrath; then we forfeit all our privileges, and all our honours and relations to God; all the favour and promises given freely to us are of no avail; we receive the grace of God in vain, and everlasting death will certainly be our wretched portion. 118. That this is the great end of the dispensation of God's grace to the Christian church—namely, to engage us to duty and obedience; and, that it is a scheme for promoting virtue and true religion, is clear from every part of the New Testament, and requires a large and particular proof: not because the thing in itself is dif ficult or intricate; but because it is of great importance to the right understanding of the Gospel, and the Apostolic writings; and serves to explain several points which stand in close relation to it. As particularly; that all the fore-mentioned privileges belong to all professed Christians, even to those that shall perish eternally. For

1. If the Apostles affirm them of all Christians, to whom they write :

2. If they declare some of those Christians, who were favoured with those privileges, to be wicked, or sup pose they might be wicked:

3. If they declare those privileges are conferred by mere grace, without regard to prior works of righteousness: 4. If they plainly intimate, those privileges are conferred in order to produce true holiness:

5. If they exhort all to use them to that purpose, as they will answer it to God at the last day:

6. If they declare they shall perish, if they do not improve them to the purifying their hearts, and the right ordering of their conversation; then it must be true that these privileges belong to all Christians, and are intended to induce them to a holy life. And the truth of all those six particulars will sufficiently appear, if we attend to the Gospels and Epistles.

§ IX. Conclusions from the preceding Discourse.

119. Though, in the foregoing collection, I have faithfully and impartially endeavoured to give the true sense of every text; yet possibly, in some few, that are doubtful, I may have erred. But there are so many indisputably plain and full to the purpose, as will, I am persuaded, sufficiently justify the following conclusions :

120. I. That the Gospel is a scheme for restoring true religion, and for promoting virtue and happiness. 121. II. That election, adoption, vocation, salvation, justification, sanctification, regeneration, and the other blessings, honours and privileges, which come under the head of aNTECEDENT blessings, do, in a sense, belong, at present, to all Christians, even those who, for their wickedness, may perish eternally.

122. III. That those antecedent blessings, as they are offered and assigned to the whole body of Christians, do not import an absolute final state of favour and happiness; but are to be considered as displays, instances, and