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418 Every Chriftian's Interest in Ant. Bleffings clear and certain. CH. XII. Hope," John iii. 3; Hoping perfectly," for the Grace that is to be brought unto us at the Revelation of Jefus Chrift," I Pet. i. 13; " Giving earneft Heed to the Things we have heard," Heb. ii. 1; "Having, [holding,] the Son," or Chrift, 1 John v. 12. By thefe, and fuch like Phrafes, the Apoftles exprefs our being throughly perfuaded of, and duly affected with, the Bleffings included in our Election, Vocation, Juftification, &c. Oí, their being firmly established in our Hearts as Principles of Obedience, to fecure our Perfeverance and final Happincis; through the mighty working of God's Power, to purify our Hearts, and to guard us through all our fpiritual Dangers and Conflicts; which Power will always afluredly attend every one, who "holds Faith, Grace, and Hope," 1 Pet. i. 5. Here note; that the primary Object of Faith is not in ourfelves, but in God. Not our own Obedience or Goodness, but the free Grace of God is the primary Object of Faith. But the Fruit of Faith must be in ourselves. The Grace or free Gift of God is the Foundation of Faith; and Faith is the Foundation of the whole Life of a true Chriftian. 2 Pet. i. 5, 6, クォー "giving all Diligence, add to your Faith, Virtue;" &c. Jude 20.

"building up yourselves on your moft holy Faith," &c. See $284. 266. V. Further; the Intereft of every profeffed Chriftian in all the antecedent Bleffings, (Election, Juftification, Adoption, Regeneration, the Promises of the Covenant, the Ordinances of Worship, and the Gift of eternal Life, &c.) must be clear of all Doubt and Uncertainty. The Apoftles, with one Confent, affign thofe Bleffings to all profefled Chriftians, without Exception; never raifing any Scruple or Difficulty about any Chriftian's Intereft in them, or Right to them: No, not in the Cafe of finning a Sin; except the Sin of Apoftacy, or total Renouncing the Christian Faith; which is fignified by being destroyed, Rom. xiv. 15, 20; "Swallowed up, or devoured of Satan," 2 Cor. ii. 7, 1 Pet. v. 8; "Turned afide after Satan; cafting of the first Faith," 1 Tim. v. 12, 15; "Falling away," Heb. vi. 6; "Sinning wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth; treading under Foot the Son of God," Heb. x. 26, 29; "Turning from the Holy Commandment," 2 Pet. ii. 21; "Selling our Birthright," Heb. xii. 16. Thefe Texts are to be underftood of a total Renouncing the Chriftian Faith, or of final Impenitency. In which Cafe, a Perfon is fuppofed to be entirely deprived of every Gospel Bleffing, and fubjected to the Wrath of God. But any other Sin leaveth a Man in Poffeffion of his Chriftian Privileges, even all thofe Bieffings, which I call antecedent, fo far, that they may be urged upon him as a Reason and Motive to Repentance and Reformation. For the Apoftles do urge thofe Privileges, as a Motive to Repentance upon Chriftians who had finned.

267. Again: These antecedent Bleffings, Election, Calling, Juftifcation, Regeneration, Adoption, &c. are the Things which are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12. They are the Donation of pure Grace, of perfect Love. Eternal Life is a free Gift, promifed to us in the Gospel, fealed and confirmed by the Blood of Chrift. He that has freely given us a rational Being, of a Rank fuperior to any in this World, has, of his Divine Munificence, added a new Gift, in pursuance of this firft Inftance of his Bounty; and the latter is juft as free as the former. The first Creation is of Grace, and the new Creation in Chrift Jefus, or

CH. XII. Every Chriftian's Interest in Ant. Blessings clear and certain. 419 the new State of Life under the Gofpel, is alfo of mere Grace. Therefore, every profeffed Chriftian's Title to them muft be clear and full, free from Fear and Doubt; as the Apoftle argues, 1 John iv. 17, 18. "There is no Fear in Love; but [God's] perfect Love cafts out [our] Fear: Because Fear has Torment, [contrary to the Spirit and Defign of the Gofpel:] he, therefore, that fears, is not made perfect in Love," that is, has not a juft Senfe of the Love of God. And to caft out your Fear, remember, (Ver. 19.) " that we love him; because he first loved us." His Love firft begun with us, made the first Motion towards us, and is freely extended to us; and therefore, we love him, or are encouraged and obliged to love him, without any Fear or Doubt concerning his Love to us. Again;

268. These antecedent Bleffings are the firft Principles of the Chriftian Religion: But the first Principles of Religion must be free from all Doubt or Scruple; otherwife the Religion, which is built upon them, muft fink, as having no Foundation. The Principles of Natural Religion, that I am endowed with a rational Nature, that there is a God, in whom I live, move and have my Being, and to whom I am accountable for my Actions, are perfectly evident, otherwife the Obligations of Natural Religion would be neceffarily doubtful and uncertain. In like Manner; the first Principles of the Chriftian Religion must be free from all Perplexity; otherwife its Obligations must be doubtful and perplexed. If it be doubtful, whether ever Chrift came into the World to redeem it, the whole Gofpel is doubtful; and it is the fame Thing, if it be doubtful who are redeemed by him; for if he has redeemed we know not who, 'tis nearly the fame Thing, with regard to our Improvement of Redemption, as if he had redeemed no body at all.

269. Faith is the first Act of the Chriftian Life, to which every Chriftian is obliged; and therefore, it must have a fure and certain Object to work upon: But, if the Love of God in our Election, Calling, Adoption, Juftification, Redemption, &c. be in itself uncertain to any Perfons in the Chriftian Church, then Faith has no fure nor certain Object to work upon, with refpect to fome Chriftians, and confequently, fome Chriftians are not obliged to believe; which is falfe.

270. Further; the Apoftles make our Election, Calling, Adoption, &c. Motives to Obedience and Holinefs. And therefore, these (our Election, Calling, Adoption, &c.) must have an Existence antecedent to our Obedience; otherwife, they can be no Motive to it. And if only an uncertain, unknown Number of Chriftians be elected to eternal Life, no fingle Perfon can certainly know that he is of that Number; and fo, Election can be no Motive to Obedience to any one Person in the Chriftian Church. To confine Election, Adoption, &c. to fome few, is unchurching the greatest Part of the Church, and robbing them of Common Motives and Comforts.

271. Our Election, Adoption, and other antecedent Bleffings, are not of Works: Confequently, we are not to work for them, but upon them. They are not the Effect of our good Works; but our good Works are the Effect of them. They are not founded upon our Holiness; but our Holiness is founded upon them. We do not procure them by our Obe

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Privileges and Duty exprest in the Present Tense. CH. XII. dience; for they are the Gift of free Grace; but they are Motives and Reafons exciting, and encouraging our Obedience. Therefore, our Election is not proved by our Sanctification, or real Hclinefs. Our real Holiness proves, that our Election is made fure; but our Election itself is proved by the free Grace of God, and our Chriftian Profeflion.

272. From all this it follows; that we, as well as the Chriftians of the first Times, may claim, and appropriate to ourselves, all the forementioned antecedent Bleffings, without any Doubt or Scruple. In Confidence of Hope, and full Affurance of Faith, we may boldly fay, the Lord is my Helper, and come with Boldnefs to the Throne of Grace. Our Life, even eternal Life, is fure to every one of us in the Promise of God, and the Hands of our Lord Jefus Chrift. And the Business of every Chriftian is not to perplex himself with Doubts, and Fears, and gloomy Apprehenfions; but to rejoice in the Lord, and to do the Duties of his Place chearfully and faithfully, in the affured Hope of eternal Life, through Jefus Chrift; to him be everlafting Glory and Praife. Amen.

273. VI. From the preceding Collection of Texts we may gather; That fome of the Expreffions, whereby the antecedent Bleffings are figni fied, fuch as elect, justify, fanctify, &c. may be ufed in a double Sente; namely, either as they are applied to all Chriftians in general, in relation to their being tranflated into the Kingdom of God, and made his peculiar People, enjoying the Privileges of the Gofpel: Or as they fignify the Effects of thofe Privileges; namely, either that excellent Dilpofition and Character, which they are intended to produce, or that final State of Happiness, which is the Reward of it. It would be too tedious to examine, in this View, all the Expreffions, or Phrases, whereby antecedent Bleffings are fignified. The Student in ScriptureKnowledge may eafily pafs a Judgment upon them by thefe Rules. Where-ever any Bleffing is affigned to all Chriftians, without Exception; wherever it is faid, not to be of Works; where-ever Chriftians are exhorted to make a due Improvement of it, and threatened with the Lofs of God's Bleffing, and of eternal Life, if they do not, there the Expreffions, which fignify that Bleffing, are to be understood in a general Senfe, as denoting a Gofpel Privilege, Profeffion, or Obligation. And in this general Sente, "faved, elect, chofen, justified, fanctified," are fometimes ufed; and " Calling, Called, Election," are, I think, always ufed, in the New Teftament. But when any Bleffing connotes real Holinefs, as actually exifting in the Subject, then it may be under ftood in the fpecial and eminent Senfe; and always muft be understood in this Sente, when it implies the actual Poffeffion of eternal Life. And in this Senfe faved, elect, chofen, juftify, fanctify, born of God," are fometimes ufed. Mat. xx. 16, " Many are called, but few are chofen," [who make a worthy Ufe of their Calling]. Mat. xxiv. 31, “ He shall fend his Angels, with a great Sound of a Trumpet, and they fhall gather toge ther his Elect." xii. 36, 37, " In the Day of Judgment,by the Words thou shalt be juftified, and by thy Words thou shalt be condemned." Thef. v. 24," The God of Peace fanctify you wholly," &c. 1 John ii. 29, "Every one that doth Righteoufnefs is born of him." iv. 7, "Every one that loveth, is born of God," in the eminent Sense.

274. Here

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274. Here it fhould be carefully obferved; That 'tis very common, in the facred Writings, to exprefs, not only our Chriftian Privileges, but also the Duty, to which they oblige, in the Prefent, or Preterperfect Tense; or, to speak of that as done, which only ought to be done, and which, in Fact, may poffibly never be done. Mal. i. 6, "A Son honours [ought to honour] his Father." Mat. v. 13, " Ye are [ought be] the Salt of the Earth: But if the Salt have loft his Savour," &c. Rom. ii. 4, "The Goodness of God leads [ought to lead] thee to Repentance," vi. 2, 11. viii. 9. Col. iii. 3. 1 Pet. i. 6, " Wherein ye [ought] greatly [to] rejoice." 2 Cor. iii. 18, " We all with open Face, [enjoying the Means of] beholding as in a Glafs the Glory of the Lord, are [ought to be, enjoy the Means of being] changed into the fame Image, from Glory to Glory." 1 Cor. v. 7, "Purge out the old Leaven, that ye may be a new Lump, as ye are [obliged by the Chriftian Profeffion to be] unleavened." Heb. xiii. 14, "We feek [we ought to feek, or according to our Profeffion we feek] a City to come." I John ii. 12—15. iii. 9. v. 4, 18. And in other Places. [246 Note, 206 Note].

275. But my chief Intention is to establish a double Juftification, or Salvation; for which we have the cleareft fcriptural Evidence. However, at present it fhall fuffice to obferve; That there is a Juftification and Salvation by Faith alone, without the Deeds of Law, or any Works of Righteousness, Rom. iii. 28. Ephef. ii. 8, 9, 10. And there is another Juftification, or Salvation, which is not without Works, but is the Iffue of a holy and obedient Life. James ii. 24, " By Works a Man is justified, and not by Faith only." Mat. xii. 36, 37, "In the Day of Judgment, by thy Words thou shalt be juftified." Mark xiii. 13, " He that fhall endure unto the End, the fame fhall be faved." Phil. ii. 12, "Work out your own [or one anothers] Salvation with Fear and Trembling." Heb. v. 9, "Chrift is become the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him." And the whole New Teftament bears Witness, that only they who live foberly, righteously, and godly in this present World fhall be faved and juftified in the Day of our Lord. Now this Difference of being juftified without Works, and being juftified by Works, is fo effential, and irreconcileable, that it neceflarily conftitutes two Sorts of Juftification, or Salvation.

276. I. The first or fundamental Juftification. This has Relation to the Heathen State of us Gentile-Chriftians; and confifts in the Remiffion of Sins, and in our being admitted, upon our Faith, into the Kingdom and Covenant of God; when, with regard to our Gentile State, we were obnoxious to Wrath, and deferving of Condemnation. This is of free Grace, without Works. For how wicked foever any Heathen had been, or now has been, upon Profeffion or Faith in Chrift, his former Wickednefs neither was, nor is, any Bar to his Admittance into the Kingdom of God, nor to an Interest in its Privileges and Blefings. Nay, further; our prefent common Salvation, or Juftification, is fo of Grace, and reaches fo far, that in Cafe any profeffed Chriftian has lived difagreeably to the Rules of the Gospel; yet upon his Repentance and Return to God, his Intereft in the divine Grace, and the Pardon of Sin, ftands good; notwithstanding his former evil Life. This I call the first Juftification, or Salvation, by which we are invested in all the prefent Privileges of the Gofpel; and in refer

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ence to which we are faid in Scripture to be "elected, adopted, saved, justified, washed, sanctified, born again, born of God," &c.

277. Concerning this first Juftification, or Salvation, I may briefly observe, (1.) That it was confirmed to the first Converts, and in them, as the first Fruits, to us, by the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit, which were poured out upon them. (2.) That we receive this perpetual Benefit from it, that we, who are defcended from Chriftian Parents, are born in a justified State, born holy [126, 127], born Members of the Family and Congregation of God, intitled to all the Bleffings, and Privileges of it, according to the original Grant of the Covenant, Gen. xvii. 7. (3.) 'Tis this first Juftification, and the Bleffings included in it, that is, (not conferred upon us, but) fealed and confirmed to us in Baptism, as what we have a Right to, in Virtue of the forefaid Covenant. See the Note upon Rom. vi. 3. (4.) Upon Account of this first Juftification, we are faid to be, in the Prefent Tense, what we are defigned to be, or what our Principles have a proper Tendency to make us; as, " ye are washed, ye are fanctified," &c. [274.] (5) 'Tis with regard to this first Juftification, that we are faid to be reconciled, or changed to God, in reference to our Heathen State [117] (6). 'Tis by Virtue of this firft Juftification, that we enjoy the Benefit of Repentance, and the Forgiveness of Sin, after we are taken into the Church and Covenant of God. And therefore the Forgivenefs of Sins, to those who are in the Church and Covenant of God, comes under the fame Rules with the first Justification, (for it is the fame Justification continued, or repeated,) and is of Grace, not of Works, as it neceffarily muft. See Rom. iv. 6-8. Luke xviii. 9—14. Or, in other Words, 'tis in Virtue of the firft Juftification, that our prefent Life is a Day of Grace, the Grace of our first Juftification, or the Benefit of Repentance and Pardon, being continued throughout our whole present Life, and giving us the Opportunity and Means of obtaining eternal Life. (7.) From all this it appears, that this first Juftification doth not terminate in itself, but is in order to another: which we may call.

278. (II.) Final Juftification, or Salvation. This relates to, and fuppofes, our Chriftian State; and confiits in our being actually qualified for, and being put into Poffeffion of, eternal Life, after we have duely improved our first Juftification, or our Christian Privileges, by patient Continuance in Well-doing, to the End, under all Trials and Temptations.

279. VII. A careful Attention to the preceding Collection of Texts will give us a clear and diftinct Notion; what thofe Works are, which St. Paul excludes from Juftification; and what that Juftification is from which they are excluded. By Works, excluded from Juftification, or Salvation, he doth not mean only ceremonial Works, or ritual Obfervations of the Mofaic Conftitution: For he exprefsly excludes Works of Righteousness, or righteous Works, Tit. iii. 5, “Not by Works of Righteou faefs which we have done, but according to his Mercy he faved us." Now this fets afide, not only ceremonial Works, but all Acts of Obedience properly moral.-Again; by Works, or Works of Law, excluded from Juftification, the Apoltle doth not always

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