that confolation which nothing but the unadulterated truth could give; and, instead of promoting holiness, the reverfe has been awfully manifeft. It therefore behoves every lover of facred truth, to let it stand on its own bafis, and not to tamper with it. To leave all its credit and all its fuccefs in the world, to its own intrinfic worth---to that authority with which it is clothed, and to the management of that fovereign. Being who ordained it for his own glory.

But howeverthe doctrine of reigning grace may be defpifed by the felffufficient, it will ever be revered by the poor in fpirit. For, by it they are informed. of an honourable way of efcape from the wrath to come, which they know they have justly deferved. To the fenfible finner, therefore, it muft always be a joyful found. And though such persons as are ignorant of its nature, tendency, and defign, are always ready to imagine that it has an unfriendly afpect upon morality and good works, when preached in its glorious freenefs; yet we may boldly affirm, that it is the grand inftrument ordained by a holy God, for informing the ignorant, comforting the difconfolate, and refcuing the profligate from that worst of vaffallage, the fervitude of fin, and fubjection to Satan. Such is the benign tendency of the glorious gofpel! Such is its friendly and fanctifying influence on the hearts of men!

It will indeed be acknowledged, that this doctrine may be held in licentioufnefs by thofe that profefs it. But then it will be as confidently maintained, that whoever holds it in unrighteousness, never received the love of that facred truth, or experienced the power of it. For, to have a bare conviction of divine truth in the mind, and to experience its power on the heart, are very different things. The former

may

may produce an outward profeffion; the latter will elevate the affections, turn the corrupt bias of the will, and influence the whole conduct. With the fteadieft perfuafion, therefore, of the holy nature and tendency of the doctrine of divine grace, as it is in itself, and as it operates on the minds and manners of all those who know it in truth; I proceed to give, not a full display (that is infinitely too high for mortals) but fome brief hints concerning that grace which reigns; and of the way in which it is manifefted, fo as to demonftrate its power, glory, and majefty, in the falvation of finners. This I fhall do by endeavouring to illuftrate that important and charming paffage, recorded in Romans the fifth and twenty-firft; EVEN SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN, THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS, UNTO ETERNAL LIFE, BY JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. And while the author, confcious of his own infufficiency, looks up to the Spirit of wisdom for divine illumination, that he may write with all the precifion and fanctity of truth, in opening the noble fubject of the enfuing Treatife; he would intreat the reader to perufe, with candour and impartiality, the contents of the following pages.

CHAP. I.

Concerning the Signification of the Term, Grace.

THA

HAT we may proceed with greater clearness and certainty in our following enquiries, it is neceffary to confider what is implied inthe term, Grace. The primary and principal sense of the word, is free favour unmerited kindness. In this acceptation it is most frequently used in the infpired volume; and thus it is to be understood in the words of the Holy Ghoft under confideration. Grace, in the writings of Paul, ftands in direct oppofition to works and worthinefs-all works and worthinefs of every kind, and of every degree. This appears from the following paffages. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt :-Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace. For by grace are ye faved-not of works, left any man should boaft. Who bath faved us not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace*.

As the word mercy, in its primary fignification, has relation to fome, creature, either actually in a fuffering ftate, or obnoxious to it; fo grace, in its proper and ftrict fenfe, always prefuppofes unworthiness in its object. Hence, whenever any thing valuable is communicated by the bleffed Godto any of Adam's apoftate offspring, the communication of it cannot be of grace, any further than the perfon on whom it

*Rom. iv. 4, 16. Ephef. ii. 8, 9. 2 Tim. i, 9.

is

is conferred is confidered as unworthy. For, fo far as any degree of worth appears, the province of grace ceafes, and that of equity takes place. Grace and worthiness, therefore, cannot be connected in the . fame act, and for the fame end. The one must neceffarily give place to the other, according to that remarkable text; If by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwife grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwife work is no more work*. From the apostle's reasoning it is evident, that whatever is of works, is not of grace at all; and, that whatever is of grace, is not of works in any degree. In the apostle's view of things, works and grace are effentially oppofite, and equally irreconcilable as light and darkness. Befides, when Paul reprefents the capital bleffings of falvation as flowing from divine grace, we are led to confider the persons on whom they are bestowed, not only as having no claim to those benefits, but as deferving quite the reverfe-as having incurred a tremendous curfe, and as juftly expofed to eternal ruin.

That grace, therefore, about which we treat, may be thus defined; It is the eternal and abfolutely free favour of God, manifefted in the vouchfafement of Spiritual and eternal bleffings to the guilty and the unworthy. What those bleffings are, we fhall endea vour to fhow in the fubfequent pages. Meanwhile be it obferved, that, according to this definition, the grace of God is eternal. Agreeable to the import of thofe reviving words; Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting lovet. It is divinely free, and infinitely rich. Entirely detached from every fuppofition of human worth, and operating independantly of all

Rom. xi. 6. ‡ Jer. xxxi. 3.

con

conditions performed by man; it rises superior to hu man guilt, and fuperabounds over human unworthinefs. Such is the eternal origin, fuch the glorious bafis, of our falvation! Hence it proceeds and is carried on to perfection. Grace fhines through the whole. For, as an elegant writer obferves, it is not like a fringe of gold, bordering the garment; 'not like an embroidery of gold, decorating the rode; but like the mercy-feat of the ancient tabernacle, 'which was gold-pure gold-all gold throughout.' Yes, reader, this is the inexhauftible fource of all thofe inestimable bleffings which the Lord beftows on his unworthy creatures, in this, or in a future world. It is this which, in all that he does, or ever will do for finners, he intends to render everlastingly glorious in their eyes, and in the eyes of all holy intelligences. The indelible motto, infcribed by the hand of Jehovah on all the bleflings of the unchangeable covenant, is; To THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY

OF HIS GRACE.

Hence we may learn, That if grace in its own nature, and as it is exercised in our falvation, be directly oppofite to all works and worthiness; then fuch perfons are awfully deceived, who feek to join them together in the fame work and for the fame end. However high their pretences may be to holinefs, it is plain from the word of God, and may in fome degree appear from the nature of the thing, that they take an effectual way to ruin their fouls for ever; except that very grace prevent, of which they have fuch falfe and corrupt ideas. For divine grace difdains to be affifted in the performance of that work which peculiarly belongs to itself, by the poor, imperfect performances of men. Attempts to complete what grace begins, betray our pride and offend

the