THE words the doctor has chosen as the ground of his discourse now under considera­tion, are those of our Saviour, ‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate,’ ^(a) This text has been differently understood. Some suppose that by the strait gate is meant the entrance upon an holy life, or getting into the narrow way which leads to e­ternal life; which is the same that is commonly called conversion, or the new birth. And by striving to enter in at this gate, they understand the exercises and endeavours of the unregenerate, which are antecedent to their conversion. But, few or none who understand the text thus, suppose there is any certain connection between the striv­ing here exhorted to, and saving conversion, or that there is any promise made to this striving.

Others suppose that by the strait gate our Savi­our means, in general, the entrance into heaven or eternal life.^(b) And then by striving to enter in at this gate, is meant, a keeping the command­ments [Page 2] of God, or the holy exercises of true saints, by which they walk in the way to heaven; fight the fight of faith, and so lay hold on eternal life. And in support of this last interpretation, and as an evidence that striving in the text, does not mean the unholy exercises and endeavours of those whose hearts are wholly under the dominion of sin; but the holy exercises and strivings of the godly, it may be observed, that the word in the original, trans­lated strive when used in other places in the new testament, as it is often, always denotes the exer­cises and labor of true christians in their way to heaven. And no good reason perhaps can be gi­ven, why it should not be understood in the same sense here. When St. Paul says to Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eter­nal life," he speaks to an eminently good man; and therefore it must be understood as an exhorta­tion resolutely to persevere in a christian course. But the word in the original here translated fight is the same used by the evangelist in the text un­der consideration.^(c) The same words St. Paul uses concerning himself, to denote the christi­an course he had gone through. "I have sought the good fight." And he makes use of the same word, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, with reference to the exercises of true christians, by which they go in the way to heaven. "And e­very one that striveth for the mastery, is temper­rate in all things: Now they do it to obtain a cor­ruptible crown, but we an incorruptible." And he denotes his own exercises as a servant of Christ [Page 3] by the same word. "Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his workings which he work­eth in me mightily."

It may be noted here, that the word in the o­riginal in all these places, was most commonly used by the Greeks to denote the exercises and labor of those, who were candidates for the prize set up in the Olympic games: for instance, the vigorous exertion of those who ran a race, in order to obtain the prize set up for him who should out-run. And as these games in which they ran for the prize, &c. were a fit emblem of the exercises of the chri­stian life, it is frequently represented by them: and hence the word used for those exercises, is applied to the christiah, to signify the exercises and labor by which he strives for eternal life. And the chri­stian course is called a race or agony, in allusion to the same thing.^(d) According to this, to strive to enter in at the strait gate of eternal life, or to a­gonize in order hereunto, is to agonize the good a­gony, so as to lay hold on eternal life; to run the christian race, the way of true holiness, which is set before us: And is the same which Christ exhorts to, when he says, "Enter ve in at the strait gate."^(e) But let it be observed that the question now in dis­pute does not turn upon the interpretation of this text; for let it be understood in either of the senses above-mentioned, it makes nothing for the doctor's promises to the doings of the unregenerate. On­ly let it be remembered, that if by the strait gate is meant the gate of eternal life, as the doctor un­derstands [Page 4] it, striving to enter in, must intend, a walking in the narrow way of holiness; and then it stands directly against him. This leads me to consider the doctor's interpretation.

By the strait gate, the doctor understands the gate of heaven, or "the gate of eternal lite and happiness."^(f) But contrary to most, if not all others, who suppose this to be the meaning of the strait gate, and in direct contradiction to himself, as will be seen presently, he understlands striving to enter in at this gate, to mean the endeavours and doings of the unregenerate, who are wholly without all true holiness. To these unholy exer­cises and doings of the unregenerate, he insists, the promises of regenerating grace and salvation are made; and by these, he supposes, however absurd­ly, they go in the way to heaven, and enter in thro' the gates into that holy city.

The doctor indeed supposes, that the words may be considered as a precept given "both to those who are, and who are not already in a regenerate state."^(g) If so, then they are a command which enjoins both the unholy endeavours of the wicked, and the godly exercises of the true christian. The doctor's argument for this is in the following words. ‘For be they. in that happy estate or not, still they ought to use their utmost diligence to ob­tain the salvation revealed in the gospel; or, which is the same thing, to enter in at the strait gate.’ It is true that all ought to enter in at the strait gate (taking the gate in the doctor's sense of it) and in order to this, they ought to be real chri­stians [Page 5] and to live an holy life. And in this view, the command to enter in at this gate is en­joined upon all, whether regenerate or not; as all are under indispensible obligations to strive in this manner, in the exercise of true holiness. If the precept to strive to enter in at the strait gate, enjoins on christians earnestly to seek eternal life in the way of true holiness, or in keeping the com­mandments of God; then it enjoins the same on wicked men, and points out the very same way for them to obtain eternal life in, as for true saints, and not another and quite different one; as it must do, if it only requires of them those doings which have nothing of the nature of true holiness, and are therefore different in nature and kind from what the true christian is directed to; they having no more likeness, relation and connection, than god­liness and ungodliness. If, on the other hand, when wicked men are commanded to enter in at the strait gate of eternal life, no more is intended than what they may do, and yet be unholy in heart and life; then no more is intended by the same command to the regenerate; for doubtless the command requires the same thing of one as of ano­ther: and if so, they may enter into eternal life without any true holiness; for the command to enter in, surely requires all that is necessary in or­der to enter in. But none, I trust, will assert that the unholy and unclean can, while such, enter in through the gates into the heavenly city.

The doctor repeatedly says, there is but one way of life and salvation; and challenges any one, who shall say there are two, or more, to point them out, and shew the difference there is betwixt them; [Page 6] and yet that both are true and right, the ways of God's revealing.^(b) It seems the doctor himself is the man, who has found out two ways to life and salvation, viz. the way of the unholy and un­clean, and the way of true virtue and holiness, in which they go who turn their feet unto God's te­stimonies. But what's most remarkable is, that he insists upon it, that these two different ways are point­ed out and enjoined by one and the same com­mand. And now we must wait on him to shew the difference, and tell what the command enjoins on one, which it does not on the other.

BUT if We attend to the doctor's description of striving to enter in at the strait gate; we shall find that it is not only inconsistent with its intending only the endeavours of the unregenerate (which it must, if the words were to his purpose) but is al­so not consistent with their being at all intended or included in this striving; it being, according to him, only applicable to the exercises and doings of real christians. When the doctor was giving this description, he seems to have in a measure forgot the point he chiefly contends for, and gives such an account of striving, &c. as is by no means com­patible to the unregenerate; and so really inconsis­tent with what he was about to prove. The read­er must judge of the justice of this remark, when he has attended to what follows.

To strive to enter in at the stralt gate, is, accord­ing to the doctor, to go in the narrow way which leadeth to life; and is opposed to the broad way leading to destruction. For he says, ‘If we are not in the narrow way, we are of consequence [Page 7] travelling towards the wide gate of destruc­tion.’ ⁽ⁱ⁾ But this narrow way is undoubted­ly the way of holiness, if any such way is spoken of in holy scripture; the way of God's commands, in distinction from all the crooked ways of sinners, the way of the upright, who keep the command­ments of God, and so enter in through the gates into life.

As all men are in scripture comprehended in two opposite characters, between which there is no medium, viz. the good and the evil, the righte­ous and the ungodly; the children of God, and the children of the devil, &c. so there are but two different and opposite ways spoken of in which they are going, viz, "the way of the righteous, and the way of the ungodly:"^(k) The broad way which leadeth to destruction, and the narrow way which leadeth to life; or to the gate through which the righteous enter into life. This latter is often spoken of in scripture. It is called "the way e­verlasting"^(l) "The way of life."^(m) "The way of wisdom."⁽ⁿ⁾ The way of righteousness," or holiness.^(o) "The way of good men."^(p) "The path of the just."^(q) "The way of God's saints."^(r) The way of the undefiled, who walk in the law of the Lord.^(ſ) The way of God's commandments.^(t) The way of holiness, in which, not the unclean, but the redeemed only are found.^(u) Now, can any one who attends to the scriptural account of this matter, think that the narrow way which Christ speaks of as leading [Page 8] to life, is not the way of true holiness; but the way in which the unregenerate, the unholy and ungodly walk!

Again, he speaks of striving, &c. as "the way of truth, righteousness and life."^(x) This surely is not the way of the ungodly, but of the righteous, or those who love and practice the truth.

Moreover, he says, ‘Unless we strive, in ge­neral, in the manner we ought to do, allowing for involuntary mistakes, we are not in the way that leadeth unto life.’ ^(y) The doctor himself will not deny, I trust, that all under the gospel ought to be true christians, and live a holy iife, and in this manner to seek the salvation of their souls; consequently if persons strive as they ought to do, they strive in this manner. Therefore any striving short of this, falls short of what is com­manded; so is not connected with, or the way to, eternal life. In this one sentence the doctor has shut all wicked or unregenerate men out of the way which leadeth to life; and represented striving to enter in at the strait gate to be what they never attain to.

He also speaks of striving, as that by which per­sons overcome the world, the flesh and the devil, principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places.^(z) But he who does this, is sure­ly a true christian, a regenerate, holy person, if such an one is any where spoken of in the bible. The true followers of Christ, or real christians are very often characterized, and distinguished from all others, by this, that they overcome. And St. [Page 9] John expressly says, that none overcome the world, but they who are born of God.^(a) St. Paul speaks of it as the great work of the christian to stand hit ground against principalities and powers, &c. and directs to put on the whole armour of God as neces­sary in order to this: which, none who read the description he gives of it, can think is ever com­plied with by the unregenerate.^(b)

Further, the doctor says, ‘A dependance up­on Christ, as mediator between God and man, is implied in the very notion of striving to obtain salvation thro' him.’ And that it comprehends a ‘relying, not on any supposed merit in what we do, but on the mercy of God in Christ, for ac­ceptance with him.’ ^(c) Now, this is the ve­ry thing by which God's people, or true saints are in scripture distinguished from all others, as that in which true godliness consists: and by it is evident­ly meant that FAITH, saving, precious, holy faith of God's elect, which is peculiar to good men, and by which the just do live. They who hope in the mercy of God, and trust in him are repeatedly spo­ken of as the blessed people of God to whom all divine promises are made.^(d) St. Paul speaks of trusting in Christ as that which was peculiar io true saints, and the same with saving faith.^(e)

The doctor also speaks of his strivers as "those who take Jesus Christ for their guide, and hearti­ly desire to know the truth as it is in him.^(f) He speaks of this as necessary in order to be secure from fatal error. This therefore implies a receiving the [Page 10] love of the truth: for they who do not so, are li­able to be given up to strong delusion, according to St. Paul's account of the matter.^(g) But to receive the love of the truth, is to love the truth: And what is this but to love God and holiness? Which is the same with exercising holiness. To take Je­sus Christ for our guide, is to submit to him and trust in him in his character of a teacher or prophet; which supposes a heart friendly to Christ, and is really an hearty embracing the gospel. For he who heartily submits to, and trusts in, Christ, or cor­dially acknowledges him in any part of his true character, is really reconciled to the whole of it: And this is the same thing with being reconciled to God thro' Jesus Christ, or embracing the gos­pel. But this surely is not the character of the un­regenerate.

Another passage of the doctor's is in the follow­ing words. ‘Our Saviour, who certainly knew every thing relating to this affair, enjoins us to strive; or, if the word may be allowed, to a­gonize, that we may enter into life: plainly im­porting that the business of religion is at once of such vast importance, and attended with such difficulties, as to call for the most anxious con­cern, the most fixed resolutions, and unwearied endeavours. And there are divers metaphors used in scripture, relative to this matter, which naturally suggest the same thing to us: Particu­larly those of wrestling, running, and fighting; which express efforts of strength and activity, joined with wariness and circumspection. These [Page 11] are all applied to the exercises, duties and employ­ments of THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.’ ^(h) What could he have said more to the purpose, if he had undertaken to prove that sriving to enter in at the strait gate intends not the doings of the unregene­rate, but the exercises and work of the real chri­stian? He has, at least, strongly asserted this here, however inconsistent with his main design. If the doctor had been as sensible of this, as perhaps he ought, he could have proceeded no further; as he must have seen the impropriety of applying that striving, &c. to the doings of the unregenerate, which, according to his own account of the mat­ter, denotes the character and exercises of those only who are born of God.

He appears indeed not wholly unthoughtful of this matter: for upon a review of his description of striving to enter in at the strait gate, he has these words, ‘If it should be asked, whether any unre­generate sinner can be supposed to strive in the manner represented above? I answer, YES; at least in general. There is very little, if any thing in this account of striving, &c. which would neces­sarily suppose a person to be already born of the Spirit of God.’ ⁽ⁱ⁾ And again he says, ‘Possi­bly one or two expression used in that description, are in strictness applicable to the regenerate only; tho' I am not at present sensible of ANY SUCH’ ^(k) It seems to be a pity, as well as somewhat strange, that he was not sensible, that not only one or two expressions, but a considerable number, are applica­ble only to the endeavours of the regenerate; and [Page 12] that his whole description, taken together, is pro­perly applicable to none but such: For this would most probably have undeceived him with respect to this whole affair. For, I trust, it will appear in the sequel, that the doctor has thro' his whole performance exalted the unregenerate and their doings too high; and in order to support what he contends for, has represented them as having those exercises which indeed they never have, but are peculiar to the regenerate: and that most of his arguments take all their seeming strength and plau­sibleness from this.

But what if "very little," and but ‘one or two expressions used in that description, are in strictness applicable to the regenerate only?’ This is certainly a little too much; and renders him so far inconsistent with himself; which no man chooses to be, if he can help it. For he has de­clared that not to strive in the manner he has de­scribed, is fatal, and connected with a being for ever excluded the kingdom of heaven. By which he has at one stroke cut off all connection of the do­ings of the unregenerate with salvation, and landed them in despair. Which connection he nevertheless thinks he has proved to a demonstration! His words are these. ‘I was in the next place to shew you the fatal consequences of not striving to enter in at the strait gate: Or, in other words, of not us­ing your endeavours to obtain eternal life, in the manner represented above.’ ^(l) If the fatal con­sequences which he goes on to mention, will cer­tainly follow on their not striving IN THE MAN­NER [Page 13] REPRESENTED ABOVE; and if any thing comes into the description of that striving, which no unregenerate persons attain to, but is peculiar to the regenerate; then the unregenerate do not strive, or use their endeavours to obtain eternal life, in that manner: and consequently do nothing which will prevent these fatal consequences com­ing on them; and therefore nothing which has a­ny certain connection with eternal life, but rather with everlasting destruction. So that if the doctor has, after all this, proved that, any of the endeavours of the unregenerate are connected with eternal life, he has done it contrary to his own express asser­tion, if but very little that is peculiar to the rege­nerate comes into the manner of the endeavours to obtain salvation which he has described. But if very much which comes into his account of striv­ing to enter in at the strait gate, necessarily suppos­es a person to be born of the spirit of God, which, I trust, appears beyond contradiction, this makes, his inconsistence with himself still more glaring.

However, tho' the doctor's text, as he under­stands it, seems to be rather against him; and his own description of striving, &c. is inconsistent with his whole scheme: and is, the whole taken together, in direct contradiction to the point he endeavours by fourteen arguments to prove: yet, if he has, after all this, rightly stated, and unde­niably proved it, we must yield it to him, howe­ver inconsistent he is with himself.

I therefore now proceed to enquire into this matter.

THE doctor states the question in dispute three different times, in different words: But it may be queried, Whether he has stated it properly, or in any degree right, in either of his attempts? He first puts it in the following words, ‘Whether there are in the word of God, any gracious pro­mises, invitations, or declarations, respecting un­regenerate sinners, to whom the gospel is preach­ed, from whence it may be clearly inferred, that if they strive IN THE MANNER THEY MAY AND OUGHT TO DO, to attain to holiness and eternal life, God will certainly afford them all the influences of his spirit and grace, which are necessary to that end: so that their endeavours shall not be in vain, but succeeded by him, and ren­der'd effectual to their salvation?’ "This," the doctor says, ‘it is humbly conceived, is a fair, just and plain state of the important question pro­posed.’ ^(m) Doubtless he thought so. But, what does he mean by unregenerate sinners striving in the manner they may and ought to do? They ought to strive as true saints do; in a holy manner. This the doctor himself acknowledges; for he says, [Page 15] ‘That all who hear the gospel, are required, not only to believe it, but to repent of their sins, and to become the true disciples of Jesus Christ’ ⁽ⁿ⁾ If they are required to repent, &c. then they may and ought to repent, and become true disciples of Christ; and therefore may and ought to strive in the exercise of true repentance, and as real christians. And if so, then the question, as the doctor has put it, comes to this: Whether, if unregenerate sinners become true penitents and real christians, and as such, in the exercise of true faith and holiness, strive to obtain the salvation of their souls, they are hereby intitled to a divine promise of success?

The question therefore, as the doctor has stated it, is not disputed by those whom he means to op­pose. For they all allow, that if unregenerate sin­ners, strive as they may and ought to do, they shall certainly obtain salvation. But at the same time they may and ought to strive in a right manner, i. e. as real penitents and true christians: and the doctor is so happy as to agree with them in this too. Where is the dispute then? We can have none with him on this question; for we hold the affir­mative as fully as he can. And now, Whether this is a "fair, just and plain state of the important question proposed," let the impartial judge. The doctor knew, or ought to have known, that they whom he meant to oppose, hold that no unregene­rate sinner strives for salvation as he may and ought to do: and if he had believed the contrary, he ought not to take it for granted, in stating the ques­tion to be disputed: for this, instead of putting [Page 16] the question in a fair, just and plain light is real­ty begging the question. But as he does not himself believe that unregenerate sinners ever strive thus, but has affirmed they do not, this his state of the question, is not only, not fair, or just, but some what surprizing.

The question really is, whether unregenerate sinners while they do nothing but what is consist­ent with a state of unregeneracy, i. e. reigning wick­edness of heart, do ever so strive for salvation, as tnat by their thus striving, they are intitled to those gracious promises, whereby God is engaged to bestow eternal life upon them?

BUT let us see if the doctor has succeeded bet­ter in his second attempt. This is in the following words. ‘Whether the gracious declarations and promises of God in his word, are such as will in any measure admit of the supposition, that unregenerate sinners, to whom the gospel is preached, may desire, strive, and earnestly en­deavour, in the use of proper means, to obtain the salvation revealed therein, seeking to God for his Grace and assistance; and yet possibly fall short of eternal life, and perish in their sins, by reason that God withholds his spirit and grace from them?’ He thinks, "the question thus stated, comes precisely to the same thing as in the former way." Perhaps it does. But if so, then the matter is not mended; and the question is still far from being rightly stated, as has been shewn. All the difficulty in this state of the question lies in the word DESIRE. If he uses this word in the sense in which it is commonly used, we shall [Page 17] all agree with him and allow, that the gracious de­clarations and promises of God in his word, are such as will not admit of the supposition, that they who desire the salvation revealed in the gospel, can possibly fall short of eternal life. This therefore is not the question in dispute. The promises of the gospel are beyond question made to all who heartily desire the things promised. But then we assert that no unregenerate person does really and heartily desire these things. But of this more here­after.

The dodtor goes on to say, ‘It may be reduc­ed to another form, and still narrower compass thus, viz. Whether unregenerate sinners, under the dispensation of the gospel, have any day of grace and salvation afforded them; in such a sense, that they shall certainly obtain eternal life, provided they heartily desire it, and strive to that end.’ Still we are all agreed, none, I trust will deny this.

He says, ‘He has expressed the true point in question, in these several ways, not meerly for the sake of having it understood; but partly, because he supposed, that the bare stating it thus, would go a considerable ways towards a proper resolution of it, with those who are tolerably ac­quainted with the general tenor of the holy scrip­ture; unless their minds are unhappily prepos­sessed in favor of some unscriptural scheme of systematical divinity.’ If he has indeed express­ed the true point in question, it appears to be easi­ly resolved, from what has been observed: For no body seems to have any dispute with him. But that he should imagine this to be the true point in [Page 18] question; and that what he here fixes upon as the condition of the promises of the gospel, is ever come up to by unregenerate sinners, must, I think, be owing to his not being tolerably acquainted with the general tenor of holy scripture: unless perhaps his mind is unhappily prepossessed in favor of some unscriptural scheme of UNsystematical di­vinity. But this will be more particularly consider­ed by and by.

Thus it appears that the whole matter in dispute is in the doctor's way of stating the question over­looked, or rather taken for granted; for if unregene­rate sinners ever actually do what he supposes they must do in order to have an interest in the promises, without question promises of salvation as made to their doings. But that unregenerate men ever do thus, lies on the doctor to prove, which he has not so much as attempted any where; but as he has taken it for granted in stating the question, he has done so thro' his whole performance, and from beginning to end, intirely mis-stated the matter, and really begged the whole question in dispute.

I will now take leave to give what appears to me to be a fair, just and plain state of this impor­tant question before us.

QUEST. Are there any gracious promises of salva­tion to the exercises and doings of unregenerate sin­ners, who do not strive for salvation as they ought to do; who have no true and hearty desires of the sal­vation offered in the gospel; but are so far from it, that they are under the reigning power of enmity a­gainst God and the Saviour, and do with their whole heart oppose the way of salvation opened in the [Page 19] gospel; and continually reject the salvation it self, and obstinately refuse to have any part therein, notwithstanding it is freely offered to their choice and acceptance? The bare stating the question thus, I suppose, will go a considerable ways to­wards a proper resolution of it, even with all. The doctor himself, I presume, will fully and chearfully espouse the negative of this question, thus stated. But then he may perhaps complain, that the true point in question is not expressed, or at least is not fairly stated; because the exercises and doings of unregenerate sinners are not justly repre­sented; and that is taken for granted in this state of the case, which he shall dispute, and really is the only thing in question. But would not such a complaint be really against himself, while the same objection lies against his own state of the question? I say, the doctor has raised the unregenerate man too high, and represented him as doing mote than e­ver he does. On the other hand he says, I sink him too low, and represent all his exercises and doings in much too bad a light. Who does not see that I have as good a right to take for granted what I assert of the doings of the unregenerate man, as he has, what he has asserted? All must see, I think, by this time, that in order to understand and settle the question before us, it must be first deter­mined, what can be justly predicated of the doings of unregenerate sinners: and that a just resolution of this will put an end to the dispute. If it can be proved that the doctor's unregenerate sinner is a creature only of his own fancy; a kind of mon­ster; an enemy to God, dressed up in the attire of a saint, a contradiction almost in terms: then all he [Page 20] has said, and attempted to prove of such an one, is really nothing to the purpose. Here then we must join issue, and leave it to the world to judge, who, is on the right side of the question.

THE doctor often speaks of sinners desiring salvation. With relation to this, he uses the word DESIRE above thirty times in this argu­ment. He calls it a sincere desire, a real and a hearty desire. This is a word of great importance with him. According to him, they who do not heartily and earnestly desire salvation, do not strive for it so as to obtain, and so are not in the way to it.^(o) And on the other hand, he often speaks of this desire of salvation, as that which will not, can­not fail of success: as if it was the only necessary condition on the sinner's part, to which all the promises in the gospel are made. And most of his arguments derive all their force and strength from this word. 'Tis proper therefore in the first place [Page 21] particularly to attend to this, and enter into the true meaning of it; otherwise we may dispute al­together in the dark.

Since the doctor makes so much of this word, and speaks so often of an hearty desire of salvation, and builds so much upon it; it might have been expected that he would have given such a plain de­finition of this phrase, and so explained the matter, that none could be left at a loss about his meaning. But this he has not done; we must therefore find out his meaning as well as we can, by considering the various passages in which he uses these words, together with what they are connected. It is plain at first view, that he means to speak of the desires of unregenerate persons; but the question is, whe­ther he means only those desires of salvation, which are indeed compatible to an unregenerate man; or something which is never found with such, how­ever he may suppose it; but is peculiar to the re­generate?

By desiring salvation, or eternal life, he evident­ly means the same with choosing it, in the same sense in which the people of Israel were exhort­ed to choose life. ^(p) The doctor speaking of that passage observes, that life was set before them "for their choice" and then has the following words, ‘And if so, the obtaining it depended on their choice, or was connected therewith. And doubt­less, it is not less truly and properly set before sinners now, under the gospel dispensation, than it was before the Israelits in the time of Moses. From whence we may conclude, that if we re­ally [Page 22] desire, and strive to enter into life, we shall not fall short of it.’ ^(q) And in another pas­sage he represents this real desire of salvation as be­ing the same with accepting of it, and coming to Christ for it, or at least as implying this.^(r) Hav­ing observed that "the scriptures speak plainly and directly of sinners neglecting the opportunity allowed them for obtaining life, as the real cause, of their death or destruction," he proceeds to il­lustrate this by various passages of scripture, such as, "how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. O Jerusalem—how often would I have gathered thy children—and ye would not, &c." And then says, ‘These, with innumerable other passages of scripture, most clearly and strongly express this sentiment; That the true and only reason why sinners perish, is,—that they neglect the great salvation offered to them; and will not come to Jesus Christ for life. But neither of these things can be truly and proper­ly said of those persons, who are awakened to such a sense of their sins, as really to desire the salvation revealed, and to strive in order there­to.’ From these, and other passages of the same import, I think it plainly appears, that by a real desire of salvation, he means a hearty choice of life, a true acceptance of salvation, and coming to Christ for life, or a taking and accepting of the good things freely offered in the gospel. He has therefore set himself an easy task, while he under­takes to prove, that they who thus desire salvation, [Page 23] and strive in the exercise of these desires, shall certainly obtain; for all the promises of the gospel are constantly made to such, without all question; and instead of fourteen arguments, which the doc­tor has produced to prove this, one might easily as­sign as many score, perhaps as strong, and as much to the purpose. But that the unregenerate ever did, or ever will, thus desire, choose, and accept of this salvation, and come to Christ for it, is de­nied by those whom the doctor means to oppose: And what is more, is in the strongest and most ex­press terms denied by our Saviour himself. He says, "No man can come unto me, except the fa­ther which hath sent me, draw him.—Every man, therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Fa­ther, cometh unto me."^(ſ)

The doctor says, "that neither of these things" i. e. a neglect of the great salvation, a refusal to come to Christ for life, &c. "can be truly and properly said of those persons, who are awakened to such a sense of their sins, as really to desire the salvation revealed, and to strive in order thereto: even tho' they are not (WHICH IS VERY SUPPOS­ABLE) already in a regenerate state."^(t) This is very supposable we see; for the doctor has abun­dantly supposed it, thro' the whole course of his ar­gument, and built all upon this supposition, as has been observed. But it is presumed he will not be able to prove, what has been with him so very sup­posable, as Jesus Christ, who doubtless well under­stood this matter, has not only supposed, but ex­pressly asserted, directly the contrary, in the words just quoted.

[Page 24]THE doctor allows that unregenerate persons are not true believers or real christian; and are with­out all real holiness.^(u) Consequently they do not love, choose or desire holiness: but this is the object of their greatest and peculiar aversion. Therefore the salvation offered in the gospel, which is in a peculiar sense an holy salvation and consists summa­rily in true holiness, they are so far from desiring, that nothing else is hated and rejected by them, with such constancy, and so much with their whole heart, as this. And this is the only thing that keeps them from an interest in this salvation; as who ever is willing to take it as 'tis offered, has it: and it is certainly bestowed on every one who desires and chooses it, so asks for it; which is the same with coming to Christ for life.

UNREGENERATE sinners may, while they conti­nue such, in some sense desire salvation. They may desire deliverance from natural evil, between which and salvation there is no medium: and they may desire safety and happiness, under a conviction of conscience, that it is to be had in no other way but by sharing in the salvation which is by Jesus Christ. Such a desire as this every person under the gospel has, in some degree, who has any belief of the truth of divine revelation: And these desires are strong, and influence the conduct of men, in proportion to their attention to these things, and their apprehention and sense of the importance of them to themselves. But this is consistent with their hating the true cha­racter of the only Saviour, and the salvation which [Page 25] he offers freely for their acceptance; and their continuing to reject it with their whole hearts. It is but to delude sinners, to represent to them, that their concern and desires of this kind, are the least evidence that their hearts are a whit the nearer a true submission to Christ, or a real acceptance of sal­vation as offered by him; or that there is the less opposition to the gospel in their hearts. If the doc­tor, by his DESIRES of salvation, means such de­sires as these, which most men under the gospel have in a greater or less degree, and had explained him­self, most of his arguments would appear in their true weakness, to every one at first view. But these are not truely and properly desires of the sal­vation offered in the gospel, according to the most common and natural meaning of the word: because that salvation is not properly the object of these de­sires, but something else; yea, salvation as it is of­fered is not desired, but rejected. If any parti­cular gift or priviledge is offered to a person, and nothing required as the condition of his having it, but his hearty acceptance of it; he cannot be said to desire it according to the sense in which the word is generally used, if the gift offered is in itself un­desirable to him, or if, all things considered, he is not willing to have it, and refuses to take it; how­ever exercised he may be about the matter, and whatever pains he may take with relation to it.

The salvation revealed in the gospel, is offered freely to the acceptance of all; the proclamation is, "Whosoever will, let him come and take it." And they who dislike and reject this salvation, and the Saviour himself by whom it is offered, and are, on the whole, all things considered, unwilling to [Page 26] be saved by him, cannot be properly said to desire this salvation; but it may truly be said that they do not desire to be saved by Christ. The words of I­saiah are very applicable to such; and of such he doubtless speaks, when he says, "When we shall see him (i. e. the Messiah) there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and reject­ed of men.^(x) Despising and rejecting any object, is surely inconsistent with, and in direct opposition to desiring it. Therefore there is not one instance in scripture of any person's being spoken of as de­siring salvation, who was not heartily willing to accept of it as it is offered; but such are represent­ed as not desiring it. If therefore the doctor uses this word in a sense directly contrary to that in which it is used in holy scripture, and in common speech; and so in a very strange and improper sense, it might reasonably have been expected that he would give notice of it, and so explain himself, as to prevent mistake and delusion in this matter, in which mistakes are so easily and so often made, e­specially by the inattentive and unwary. But as it is evident from what has been taken notice of al­ready, that he, at least some times, means some­thing else by his desires of salvation, I proceed to observe,

Men may most properly be said really and hear­tily to desire salvation, when the salvation itself is the object of their desires, the good things in which it consists being what they are pleased with, and choose for their own sake; and this implies an hearty approbation of the character of the Saviour, [Page 27] and the way of salvation by him. They who have such a desire of salvation as this do truely choose life, and may properly be said to accept of salvati­on; to receive Jesus Christ and come to him for life, or believe on his name. The doctor seems to mean such kind of desires as these, by the de­sires of salvation he speaks so much of, as has been shewn. It is quoted, as has been before observ­ed, that to such desires as these the promises of the gospel are made; therefore they who thus desire salvation shall not fail of it. But such desires as these are holy desires; and therefore are found no where but in a regenerate heart. The love of ho­liness is it self an exercise of holiness: but an hear­ty desire of holiness for its own sake, implies and is indeed itself, an exercise of love to holiness. Now to desire salvation for its own sake, because 'tis what it is, is to desire holiness for its own sake: for holiness comes into the very essence of this sal­vation. And that approbation of the character of the Saviour, which is implied in true desires of salvation by him, also implies love to him, and consequently is an exercise of love to holiness: for holiness is an essential, and the most important part of the character of the Saviour, without which he could not be the Saviour of sinners.

The salvation which the gospel reveals, the way in which it is bestowed, and the Saviour himself, are if I may so speak, so cloathed with holiness, and such a bright expression of it, which is the pe­culiar excellency and glory of the gospel, that the unholy are set at the greatest distance from these things; and men never will desire and choose them untill they have a heart friendly to holiness, which is [Page 28] the new heart given in regeneration. If the unre­generate have an heart to desire and choose the sal­vation offered in the gospel, in the sense now ex­plained, it will be difficult to shew what need they stand in of regeneration in order to be saved, or to tell what regeneration consists in. For if men have an heart to desire and choose holiness for holiness sake, and so to delight in it, as they must, in or­der to desire and choose the salvation offered in the gospel, and come to Christ, they have no need of a new heart in order to be holy, and happy in God and the Saviour: this same principle from whence such desires flow being perfected, they will be per­fectly united to the Saviour, and compleatly deliver­ed from sin and misery, and in full possession of sal­vation. The need men stand in therefore of being regenerated, or of having a new heart given them, is a demonstration that the unregenerate have no such desires.

And this is agreeable to the whole current of scripture representation, as might be easily shewn, was there need of it. The scripture ranks all man­kind in two classes. Those that love God and his ways, who know and choose the things that are excellent; and those the language of whose hearts to God is, "depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways;" who are enemies to the just God and Saviour, and neglect and refuse the salvation offered. Of these, some may be more concerned about themselves than others, and so have more exercises, and take more pains to escape eternal misery; but still their hearts are as opposite to reconciliation with God, and to the salvation offered as ever; they have still an heart of stone, [Page 29] a stubborn rebellious heart, and are dead in tespas­ses and sins, untill they have a new heart given them, and they are quickened by regeneration.

If the doctor will shew from scripture, that there are some persons who are neither dead in tres­passes and sins, nor alive to God; who are neither enemies to God and the Saviour, nor his friends and reconciled to him: or if he will tell what need they stand in of regeneration, who have these hearty desires of salvation, which are inconsistent with a hard heart, a neglecting the great salvation offered them, and a refusing to come to Christ for life, and will plainly shew what such a regenera­tion consists in, he will doubtless greatly oblige the christian world. But till this is done, we must take leave to conclude, that the desires of the un­regenerate he speaks of, and the regeneration of those who first have these desires, are a figment of his own.

WHAT the doctor, undertakes to support is, that the endeavours and striving of the un­regenerate hare a promise of succesfs; and so are [Page 30] certainly connected with salvation. This he attempts to prove by fourteen arguments. It appears at first view they are not wanting in number: the weight and strength of them is now to be inquired into. At least nine of these fourteen have all their strength in the words DESIRE of salvation, or words to the like purpose; in which the unregenerate sinner is supposed to have such a desire of salvation which implies a real choice of it as it is offered; and a har­ty acceptance of it, and coming to Christ for it. Now as this supposition is intirely groundless and contrary to the truth, as has been shewn in the last section, all those arguments, which are built wholly upon it, are demolished and fall of course. But that this may clearly appear, we will briefly consider each of them.

ARG. 1st ‘Mankind being considered in scrip­ture as in a state of sin and death, it is declared that Jesus Christ came into the world to save them: to save sinners; to seck and to save that which was lost.’ ^(y) The doctor, proceeds, to illustrate this by several passages of scripture, and then adds, ‘Now, from such declarations of holy scripture, we may fairly infer that all those to whom the gospel is preached, have therein an offer of salvation made to them. And if it re­ally makes an offer, or points out a method of salvation to all; can it be supposed, that any sinner WHO IS WILLING AND DESIR­OUS, and strives, to obtain the salvation thus revealed, should yet be rejected of God and finally perish? Certainly it cannot.’ ^(z) The [Page 31] whole of this is granted. But what does it prove? that salvation is offered to the acceptance of all: and therefore whoever is so "desirous" to obtain the salvation thus revealed as to "be willing," to have it, and heartily accept of it, shall not be rejected. No­thing can be more certain [...] But what is this to an unregenerate sinner who will not come to Christ for life, and continues to make light of, and reject, the salvation offered to him?

ARG. 2d. ‘God hath declared in the most solemn manner that he hath no pleasure in the death of sinners.^(a) Yea, it is declared, that God will have all men to be saved. Now if what these declarations most obviously and strongly import, be true: surely all who REALLY DESIRE and strive to obtain eternal life, will certainly obtain it. For if God himself hath no pleasure in their death, but the contrary; and if they themselves desire life and endeavour to obtain it, what should hinder their salvation? Can the devil be suppos­ed to hinder it on these suppositions? He can­not, unless, he is stronger, not only than man, but than God himself.’ ^(b) Very strongly expressed: And very true; But what is all this to the case in hand? to the unregenerate who are so far from desiring life, that they choose and love death rather than life;^(c) and are the children of disobedience, in whom the devil powerfully work­eth:^(d) yea, the children of the devil, whose lusts they will do,^(e) being voluntarily in his kingdom and under his power?

[Page 32]ARG. 3d. ‘According to the representation of scripture, God affords to sinners a space for repen­tance, a day of grace and salvation: or a season for making their peace with him; during which time, he is said to be near, so that he may be found by them that seek him. Yea, God is repre­sented as longsuffering towards them, being un­willing that they should perish.’ Having men­tioned a unmber of texts to this purpose, he says. ‘Now, is it consistent with these repeated decla­rations, to suppose that sinners during the time of their visitation, may REALLY DESIRE and strive to enter in at the strait gate; and yet fall short of salvation?’ ^(f) All true yet, if really desiring and striving imply a hearty acceptance of offered mercy: But nothing to the purpose. The unregenerate sinner, whose heart is as hard as a stone, who refuses to repent, and embrace the gospel, is left out of these question, and may perish notwithstanding all these declarations. The following words, upon this argument are perhaps worthy a transcription. ‘If God is longsuffering, not willing that any of those sinners, to whom the gospel is preached, should perish, but that all should come to re­pentance; certainly he puts them all into a ca­pacity for attaining salvation.’ If he means, they may be saved if they will; or that nothing can pre­vent their salvation but the want of their good will in the case, as 'tis presumed he does, his argument is acknowledged to be just: But he goes en to say, ‘To suppose that any are left in such a state, that they cannot avoid perishing, tho' they desire it: [Page 33] or in such a state as renders repentance impossible for them; manifestly supposes, that God wills them to perish, that he would not have them come to repentance; nor really allows them a space for it in any proper sense: and so is directly contrary to the doctrine of scripture.’ All may be saved who truly desire it, and repentance is im­possible to none who are willing to repent. But if the unregenerate, do always refuse to repent, there being no difficulty in the way of their repentance and salvation, but the obstinacy of their own will, what is all this to the doctors purpose? In this passage the doctor fully shews that by desiring sal­vation, he intends the sinners good will in the case; and supposes that the unregenerate may be so well disposed towards repentance and salvation as that if they perish, it must be owing, not to any deficien­cy in their hearts but to some fatal difficulty which God has laid in their way which it is impossible their good will should remove. He adds,—‘But let the unbiassed judge.’ And so say I.—let them judge, whether the doctor had any reason to make such a representation as this: or whether it is any thing to the purpose.

ARG. 4th. ‘It is further to be remarked, that during this space given for repentance, or that day of salvation, which the scriptures so plainly assert: sinners are earnestly admonished, ex­horted and commanded, to seek God, to be re­conciled to him, and to work out their salvati­on.’ ^(g) And having produced a number of passages to this purpose, he draws the consequence in [Page 34] the following words. ‘These exhortations and commands, are directed more especially to sin­ners; to the wicked; to simple ones, scorn­ers and fools; to such as were not yet reconciled, to God. And can any unprejudiced man think it consistent with them, to suppose, that sinners may be awakened to such a sense of their misery in being in a state of alienation from God, as to desire to be reconciled to him, and really strive to obtain a part in the salvation thus revealed; and yet fail of it! Judge for yourselves’—We will—And therefore conclude, that these exhorta­tions and commands being given to the wicked, scorners, and fools, &c. who are the same with the unregenerate, is no argument that they require nothing but what such may comply with, and yet remain wicked, scorners, and fools; but they are required to leave off scorning; to forsake the fool­ish, &c. That they who do this, and so truely desire to be reconciled to God i.e. are in any degree reconciled to God at heart, shall not fail of salvati­on. But simple ones, scorners, and fools, or the unregenerate, never do this, while they remain such. And now what is become of the doctors arguments?—Let the reader judge for himself.

ARG. 5th. ‘Conformably hereto, life and death, blessing and cursing, are said to be set before sinners, in the word of God, and they are admonished to choose life.^(h)—But with what truth or propriety could life and death be said to be set before sinners, if tho' they desired life, and heartily endeavoured to obtain it, they might [Page 35] yet fail thereof?’ ⁽ⁱ⁾ Life is undoubtedly set before sinners for their choice. If therefore they comply with the offer and exhortation, and choose life, they will certainly have it. But what is this to the sinner, who does, not choose, but obstinate­ly refuses the life offered to him? this is true of every unregenerate person, as has been shewn.

ARG. 6th. ‘The scripture speaks of some sin­ners as wholly left, and forsaken of God, in this world; given up to their own hearts lufts, to incurable blindness, to strong delusion, &c. that they might be damned. Now if there is any such thing as such like passges of scripture seem to assert; and as they are usually under­stood; it will even from hence follow, that the persons thus given up of God, were, antecedent­ly hereto, in a salvable state; that they had in some measure the restraints and strivings of God's spirit; that they were really put into a capacity for obtaining salvation, HAD THEY DESIR­EDIT; and that their not doing so, was the reason of their being thus forsaken.’ ^(k)

It is sufficient to observe upon all this, that there is no advance made by this argument, it being the same with the foregoing, only in a little differ­ent words. All that the doctor attempts to prove here is, that if the sinner under the gospel is not saved, but is given up to ruin, it is because he does not desire and choose salvation when offered to him, but neglects and refuses it. But how does this help the unregenerate, who always do this?

[Page 36]ARG. 7th. ‘The scriptures speak plainly and directly of sinners neglecting the opportunity allowed them for obtaining life, as the real cause of their death or destruction.’ Hence he inferrs in allusion to the scriptures he here quotes, ‘That the true and only reason why sinners pe­rish, is, that they do not regard the hand of God, stretched out to save them; that they grieve him by their obduracy in sin; that they neglect the great salvation offered to them; and will not come to Jesus Christ for life.’ But ‘neither of these things can be truely and proper­ly said of those persons, who are awakened to such a sense of their sins, as really to desire the sal­vation revealed; and to strive in order thereto; even tho' they are not (which is very suppose­able) already in a regenerate state. And therefore all such persons, unless they cease to desire and strive thus, shall be saved.’ ['Tis well he has thought of his perseverance to the end of life once, which he had hitherto in every argument entirely forgot or rather implicitly denyed as necessary in order to be interested in the promises. But he goes on] ‘Not to be sure, without being born of God: but they shall be renewed in the spirit of their minds; and consequently enter into life.’ ^(l) What has been said upon this passage in the last section, is sufficient to convince any at­tentive impartial person, I trust, that what the doctor here takes to be "very supposeable," is plainly contary to scripture and all reason: and therefore the argument being built upon a most [Page 37] evidently false hypothesis, as are all the other, is much too weak to bear its own weight.

I SHALL at present pass over the next five argu­ments, leaving them to be more particularly consi­dered by and by; and now attend to the two last as they seem to be exactly of the same stamp with those already mentioned; and therefore most pro­perly put with them.

ARG. 13th. ‘It is very generally allowed, that all those in general, who hear the gospel; are invited and required, not only to believe it, but to repent of their sins, and to become the true disciples of Jesus Christ. It is moreover universally acknowledged, that the gospel pro­mises eternal life to all who do thus, or to all real christians: And it is represented as a won­derful manifestation of the goodness of God to men, that he should, in this way, promise salvation to them. Now, if these conceptions and representations are just, as they unquestion­ably are; it may from hence be clearly inferred, that there is grace accompanying the dipensation of the gospel, sufficient to render it effectual to the salvation of those, who hear it, PROVID­ED THEY ARE REALLY DESIROUS OF, and endeavour after it.’ All very true. But what if they are not really desirous of it; but oppose and reject it? And if this is true of all the unregenerate, the argument comes to no­thing.

ARG. 14th. ‘It is very generally allowed, that [Page 38] those who, having had the gospel preached unto them, do not actually comply with the method of salvation revealed therein, and so finally ob­tain eternal life, will have an aggravated con­demnation at the last day. This is agreeable to the representations of scripture in many places. But what reason? What justice, would there be in this, if these sinful and unhappy men were never really put into a capacity for obtaining this salvation? or never had it made possible to them, tho' they desired and endeavoured to be­come partakers of it?’

I answer, No reason, or justice at all. But what is this to his purpose? All sinners under the gospel are "really put into a capacity for obtain­ing salvation:" and that whether they desire and accept of this salvation or not; it being freely of­fered to their choice and acceptance. In this sense it is made possible to all; and their constant­ly neglecting and refusing to desire and endeavour to become partakers of it, does not alter the case with respect to this, If therefore they miss of this salvation, because they do not desire it, but ne­glect and refuse it, which is true of all unregene­rate men; then this is very consistent with their falling under "an aggravated condemnation," because they "do not actually comply with the method of salvation revealed."

NINE of the doctors fourteen arguments have now been considered. And as they are all built upon one hypothesis, which has no truth in it, the falsehood of that being detected, they appear to be perfectly weak and inconclusive.

[Page 39]Indeed, these nine arguments are really but one. As they are all built on one hypothesis, so the pre­dicate in each is much one and the same, as the at­tentive reader may easily see by looking over them. The number therefore adds nothing to the weight. They may be easily reduced to one; and that, to nothing. Or if he had pleased he might have add­ed an hundred, yea as many as there are promises in the bible, as weighty and as much to the pur­pose as any of these.

"But let the the unbyassed judged."

THE doctor's eighth, tenth, and eleventh argu­ments are so nearly one; or at least run so much into one and the same thing, that they may be con­sidered together. These are stated in the follow­ing words, ‘Sinners have a promise of the spi­rit of wisdom, or of spiritual wisdom, with which eternal life is connecled, if they hearken to God's reproof, and diligently seek it. Turn you at my reproof: behold I will pour out mv spi­rit unto you: I will make known my words un­to [Page 40] to you. ^(m) Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, and waiting at the posts of my doors’.⁽ⁿ⁾ And ‘Our Saviour pro­nounces a blessing on those that hunger and thirst after righteousness; adding, that they shall be filled.’ ^(o) And ‘To this promise of our Lord, another may be subjoined, which is also found in his sermon on the mount. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, &c.’ ^(p)

The doctor attempts to prove that the conditi­on to which these promises of spiritual, saving blessings are made, intends the exercises and doings of the unregenerate. His arguments for this are now carefully to be enquired into.

He having observed, that ‘it will perhaps be said, that none but a regenerate man, can be supposed to turn at God's, or wisdom's reproof, or to wait at the posts of her doors, in the sense here intended,’ goes on to say, ‘But this were an arbitrary assertion: one for which there is not the least colour or foundation. For the per­sons here addressed, are spoken to under the character of simple ones, scorners, and fools; who certainly need wisdom the most of any. And the promise is apparently made for the encou­ragement of such, to turn at her reproof, and to watch daily at her gates; that they might find her, and thereby find life. This was there­fore to be done by them, antecedently to their obtaining spiritual wisdom; not in the actual exercise of it.’ ^(q)

[Page 41]The persons here addressed are indeed "simple ones, scorners and fools, who certainly need wis­dom the most of any." But does it hence follow, that they are not called upon and required to o­bey and be wise; but to do something while they remain scorners and fools, or antecedent to their obtaining wisdom? I think not: But directly the contrary: viz. that they are required to em­brace wisdom, or be wise; to cease from scorning, and become obedient: to forsake the foolish, and live. I trust the doctor will not deny that turning at wisdom's reproof implies thus much. And if so, it cannot mean any thing to be done by them while they continue fools and scorners, or consist­ent with their continuing such. It appears to me an odd way of arguing, to say, that seeing they are addressed in the character of simple ones, scorn­ers, and fools, therefore they are called upon to act according to this character; that is, like simple ones, scorners, and fools. But thus argues the doctor.

And this is not the only instance of the doctor's arguing at this rate. In order to prove that the asking, seeking, and knocking our Saviour speaks of, intends the desires, prayers and endeavours of the unregenerate, he says, "The words were spoken by him to the promiscuous multitude of his profess­ed followers; and there is no reason to suppose that all these were in a regenerate state."^(r) This is as if a doctor of divinity should gravely under­take to prove that the moral law, contained in the ten commands requires nothing but what unholy, [Page 42] wicked men do, while such; because it was pub­lished to a promiscuous multitude, many, if not most, of whom were such. The doctor allows, that ‘all those in general who hear the gospel, are invited and required to repent of their sins, and to become the true disciples of Jesus Christ.’ ^(ſ) He represents those who will not allow this, to be "men of a disordered mind, hardly fit to be reasoned with." If the doctor will not rank himself among these, he must allow that our Saviour, when he preached the gospel on the mount, did invite and require all his hearers to repent and become his true disciples, and as such, with a peni­tent, humble, christian temper of mind, to ask, seek and knock; however far he knew most of them then to be from such a temper. But this is to give up the argument under consideration, as fit to be used only by "men of a disordered mind, hardly fit to be reasoned with." But to return,

The doctor goes on to argue, that if the pro­mise of wisdom in the texts quoted, is not "made to the turning, waiting and watching of an unre­generate man," then it amounts to no more than this; that upon their first becoming wise, they shall then have wisdom given them. But such a pro­mise, he thinks, not "agreeable to the wisdom of God."^(t)

This, with his words just now quoted relating to these scriptures, leads to the following remarks.

1. It does not appear that there is any promise of wisdom in these texts, of which they have no degree, who hearken and turn at wisdom's reproof. [Page 43] The thing required here is wisdom. They are exhorted to act directly contrary to what scorners and fools do, which surely is to act wisely. "Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, &c." Hearing instruction is here spoken of as the same with being wise, or as that in which wisdom consists; and not as something which a fool must do, as such, or while he continues a fool, and antecedent to his exercising any wisdom. Therefore such are pronounced blessed who hear­ken to wisdom, watching daily at her gates, &c. which is itself an exercise of wisdom, We have the same exhortation in a little different words, in the context.^(u) "O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart." None can suppose that what is required here, is something to be done by the simple and fools, "an­tecedently to their obtaining wisdom;" but they are called upon to be wise.

The same is evident with respect to the other passage referred to by the doctor, "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scor­ners delight in their scorning, and fools hate know­ledge? Turn you at my reproof." Here 'tis sup­posed that they must cease from loving simplicity, and no longer delight in scorning, and hate know­ledge, in order to turn at wisdom's reproof; or rather, that this is implied in the turning required. Therefore turning is an exercise of wisdom and o­bedience, in opposition to folly and stubborness. How the doctor could imagine that, here, and in [Page 44] the words before considered, wisdom is promised, upon doing something in which no wisdom is im­plied, I am at a loss.

It is indeed here promised, that upon their turn­ing, wisdom will make known her words unto them. But this only intends that they shall be taken into the school of wisdom, in consequence of their be­ing so wise as to embrace her; and shall be train­ed up by her, as the children of wisdom, to great­er degrees of knowledge and understanding. For "the Lord layeth up sound wisdom for the righ­teous."^(x) "To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."^(y)

This leads to another remark,

2. It is contrary to reason and common sense; Yea, a plain contradiction, to suppose that any person does hearken to the reproofs and instruction of wisdom, and obey her dictates, while a fool, and antecedent to his having and exercising any wisdom. To hearken to wisdom, and turn at her reproof, is surely itself wise, or an instance and exercise of wis­dom. If the dictates of wisdom itself are wise; then it is not folly, but wisdom, to hearken to them. If this is not wisdom, it will be difficult to shew what is wisdom, or that there is any such thing in the universe.

The doctor concludes this argument by saying, ‘I may venture to appeal to any wise man, whe­ther such a promise would be agreeable to the wisdom of God.’ ^(z) I will venture my charac­ter [Page 45] for wisdom, with the public, and with the doctor himself, so far as to say, that whatever promise is made to hearkening to wisdom, and turning at her repoof, is a promise made to a wise act or the exercise of wisdom; and that such a promise may be agreeable to the wisdom of God. And I hope the doctor will, for time to come, be so wise, and so much of a divine and philosopher, as not to assert, or even think the contrary.

I COME now to consider the doctors arguments to prove that hungering and thirsting after righte­ousness, intends the exercises of the unregenerate. He says, ‘there is not the least ground to doubt but that convinced, awakened sinners, may and do often, thus hunger and thirst after righteous­ness.’ ^(a)

I answer, Hungering and thirsting supposes and implies, yea consists in a relish of, and appetite to, the things hungered and thirsted after. So far therefore as sinners are without any real, true ap­petite to holiness or righteousness, and have no re­lish and love for it, But an aversion to it; just so far there is ground to doubt, whether they hunger and thirst after it: Yea, there is ground of assu­rance that they do not. But the unregenerate have no such appetite; for their unregeneracy consists in the want of it, and the perfect prevalence and do­minion of and inclination and appetite directly con­trary hereto. Therefore, whatever else they may hunger and thirst after, they do not hunger and thirst after righteousness.

[Page 46]Besides, if these words of our Saviour are consi­dered in their connection, it will appear unreason­able to apply them to the unregencrate. Hunger­ing and thirsting after righteousness, is spoken of as an abiding, constant exercise, and points out a character, as much as any of the rest of these bea­titudes; such as the poor in spirit, the merciful, the pure in heart, &c. The doctor I conclude, will not suppose that the other exercises or characters mentioned here, intend the transient acts of the unregenerate; but the abiding exercises and cha­racter of true christians, which are peculiar and es­sential to them as such. And there is no reason why this one expression should be singled out, as belonging to the unregencrate only; and not to those, whose temper and exercises Christ is cha­racterizing thro' this whole passage.

But against this the doctor argues in the follow­ing words, ‘If any should say that the regene­rate only, or such as have already attained unto righteousness, can be supposed to hunger and thirst after righteousness; this were altogether as contrary to reason and good sense, as to say, that a man must eat a good meal, in order to be hungry in a literal sense; and that he must drink an hearty draught, in order to be a-thirst.’

The mis-representation and absurdity contained in these words must appear, I think, to all who I will calmly attend to the matter. Regeneration; does not consist in any exercise of the mind, or any enjoyment: but by being regenerated a foun­dation is laid in the mind for holy exercises, for hungering and thirsting after rightcouness, and eating and drinkirg in a spiritual sense, In rege­neration [Page 47] is given what may be called an appetite to holiness or a right taste and disposition. And the exercises of this new taste or appetite, in which the mind hungers and thirsts, eats and drinks, and en­joys spiritual objects, follow regeneration, and are the effect of it. The regenerate therefore have not "attained unto righteousness," or active holiness, neither have they eat and drank so as to be satis­fied, until the appetite given in regeneration is ex­ercised in hungering and thirsting after holiness: which appetite, thus exercised, is always gratifi­ed in the enjoyment of the object towards which is exercised. And thus the promise of Christ is always fulfilled: For men never are filled or sa­tisfied, but in the exercise of holiness; that is, in loving and delighting in divine things, or in hun­gering and thirsting after righteousness. But in this way, they never fail of being satisfied or filled. The doctor therefore wholly mis-represents the matter. If he had put the case properly, and ac­cording to truth, it would stand thus. "If any should say, that the regenerate only can be sup­posed to hunger and thirst after righteousness; this were altogether as contrary to reason and good sense, as to say, that a man must" have a stomach prepar­ed, or an appetite to relish food and drink, in order to his hungering after, or desiring, them. But that this is perfectly agreeable to reason and good sense, I trust, will not be disputed by any one, who has the least degree of either. And it may be there­fore added, that to suppose that the unregenerate do ever hunger and thirst after righteousness, as the hungry man desires food, or the thirsty, drink, is altogether as contrary to all reason and good sense, [Page 48] as to say, that a man wholly destitute of any ap­petite to food and drink, or with a perfect antipa­thy against them, is hungery and thirsty in a literal sense, and earnestly longs for them.

The doctor goes on to say, ‘This benediction and promise, more especially respect unregene­rate, heavy laden sinners: as do also such gra­cious invitations and promises as these—Ho, e­very one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters—Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good.—^(b) Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst. ^(c) I am the bread of life, he that cometheth unto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst. ^(d) If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink—This he spake of the spirit, which they that believe on him should re­ceive. ^(e)—Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’ ^(f)

Concerning these passages of scripture it may be observed, 1. That if the invitations and promises contained in them are made to unregenerate sinners, and wholly respect their exercises and doings while such; then the unregenerate, while such, come to the waters of life, and do actually drink of this water: yea, they come to Christ and believe on him. For the invitation is to this, and to this on­ly the promise is made. Of this any one may be certain, by carefully reading the quoted passages o­ver. It seems the doctor supposes the unregenerate do all this, by his thus quoting these words, as o­therwise they are not to his purpose. When he [Page 49] shall prove this, we will acknowledge he has gain­ed his point: but till then, we must be confident that none come to Christ, unless they are drawn by the regenerating influences of God's spirit; and that they who believe on him are born of God: and that men's unwillingness, or opposition of heart to coming to Christ, to coming and taking the wa­ter of life, is the only ground of the necessity of their being born again, in order to see the king­dom of God. If therefore these passages are pa­rallel to that under consideration, which I am rea­dy to allow, then hungering and thirsting after righteousness is the same with coming to Christ, and believing on him; therefore is peculiar to the regenerate. This leads me to observe,

2dly, That the hungering and thirsting menti­oned in these passages, does not intend, at least in all of them, a hungering and thirsting after righ­teousness: but something else. When Christ says, "He that cometh unto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst;" he does not mean a hungering and thirsting after righteousness. He makes no promise here to this hungering and thirsting, which he does to hunger­ing and thirsting after righteousness; but the pro­mise is made to coming to him, and believing on him; and he expressly distinguishes the hungering and thirsting he here speaks of from believeing, &c. and represents it as inconsistent with it. He that believeth on him shall not hunger and thirst: the one is not, cannot be, where the other is. More­over, our Saviour here asserts that they who come to him, &c. shall never have any more of that hunger and thirst he here speaks of. But will any [Page 50] christian believe, that no real saint ever hungers and thirsts after righteousness? Have they not a relish and thirst for the waters of life? Surely, they have strong desires after, and their souls thirst for, God, even the living God: And as new born babes they desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby. By hunger­ing and thirsting then, Christ here means, a being in a miserable, destitute state; or unsatisfied desires, uneasiness and want, without any thing to afford relief; which is sometimes, if not often, meant by hungering and thirsting in scripture. He here promises that they who come to him and drink the water of life, shall never hunger and thirst a­gain in this sense: shall no more be in that desti­tute, miserable state, in which they were before; which may well be represented by a person famish­ing with hunger and thirst, without any thing to relieve and satisfy him.

Let us now hear the doctor's argument from these words. ‘How unreasonable? how unscrip­tural, says he, were it to suppose, that by those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, our Lord intends only the regenerate: or such as have already eaten and drank of that spiritual bread and water, which he giveth? Especially, when he declareth above, that such persons shall neither hunger nor thirst again!’

As all the strength of the argument in these words lies in the supposition, that when our Lord says, he that cometh to him, &c. shall neither hunger nor thirst again, he means hungering and thirsting after righteousness, what has been just ob­served, serves to shew how groundless and absurd [Page 51] it is. If the doctor's argument is good, it proves that by those who hunger and thirst after righte­ousness, our Lord intends only the unregenerate; and that the regenerate never do thus hunger and thirst; so have no true desires after God and holi­ness. Yea, it proves, according to the doctor's sense of the words, that the regenerate do not de­sire salvation. By hungering and thirsting after righteousness, is meant, "Strong and ardent de­sires to attain the righteousness, and so the salva­tion revealed in the gospel," as the doctor explains it. Therefore, according to him, the regenerate never hunger nor thirst after righteousness, nor ear­nestly desire salvation; this being peculiar to the unregenerate. According to this, neither David, nor Paul, nor any of the worthies we have on sa­cred record, were regenerate; for they hungered and thirsted after righteousness; they had strong and ardent desires after righteousness and salvation.

If these things are duely considered, it will, I be­lieve, appear, that this argument of the doctor's, takes all its seeming strength only from a gingle of words, by jumbling several texts together, which have not the same meaning; and which, if they were taken in the doctor's sense of them, would be inconsistent with each other; with the rest of the bible; with common sense, and even with the doctor himself.

And now the reader is to judge, whether in this view of the case, the doctor had any real ground for the following words. "Can any man read this, and yet suppose, that hungering and thirsting after righteousness, in the sense of our Saviour, is always subsequent, never prior, to coming to him, [Page 52] or to regeneration? If he can, however good his heart may be, no one has much reason to envy him his head."

Why does the doctor express himself so guard­edly? "ALWAYS subsequent, NEVER prior to regeneration. If his argument above is good, and the scriptures referred to any thing to the purpose; it follows, as has been shewn, that hungering and thirsting after righteousness, or a desire of salvation is never subsequent, but always prior to regenerati­on: And if this is not true, the argument comes to nothing. If any man may think hungering and thirsting is ever consequent, and not always pri­or to regeneration; he may, as consistently with all the doctor has said, think this is always subse­quent, never prior to regeneration. But if the doctor had truely and fully expressed the genuine consequence of his premises, he would have quite spoiled his argument; and it would have appear­ed, at first view, that he had proved too much for himself, or any body else.

It appears by the last sentence quoted, that I have sufficiently endangered my head to the doctor—However good the doctor's may be in the main, most readers, I imagine, will take leave to think it was not perfectly right in this instance, at least. And I will persume to say in my turn: Can any man read this, and yet think the doctor's argu­ment strong and consistent? If he can, no one, I am sure, has any reason to envy him his head.

THE doctors argument, to prove that when our Saviour promises good things, to them that ask for them, he means the asking of the unregenerate, shall be next considered. He having observed, [Page 53] that, "the good things promised, are such as are comprehended in the gift of the Spirit," goes on to say, ‘The promise of which, in consequence of asking, seeking and knocking, is so far from supposing that the persons who do so, are already regenerate, or that the Spirit is given them prior to their asking; that it rather, implies the direct contrary: viz. that they had not the spi­rit in the sense here intended. For if they are supposed, at the time of their asking, to have the Spirit of God dwelling in them, to abide with them for ever, as all the sons of God by rege­neration have, what becomes of the promise? What are they to have in consequence of ask­ing? Is it only the continuance of the Spirit, or larger measures of it? But these are, I think, never called, giving the spirit, in the language of scripture: which means the original bestowment of it [or him] on such as were destitute of it; in consequence of which, they are said to be born of the Spirit, or of God.’ As a man is but once born of God, or of the spirit, so the Spi­rit is, properly speaking, "never given more than once: For being once given, he is to be in, and abide with believers for ever."^(o)

If the following things are attended to, it will be easily seen how little weight there is in this ar­gument.

1. The regeneration is produced by the Spirit of God: yet in affecting this change, he is not gi­ven, properly speaking, to abide in them for ever, as a promised, abiding principle of holiness: but [Page 54] the holy spirit is thus given, after regeneration, in consequence of faith in Jesus Christ, to which the gift of the Spirit is often and always promised. The spirit of God in regenerating men, operates not as a promised gift or agent; but regeneration is effected as an unpromised favor. There are no promises to any particular persons, of the gift of the Spirit, in this sense, to produce this change in them, in which they are wholly passive: nor are there any promises in the bible to regeneration it­self, or to the regenerate, antecedent to any exer­cise of holiness, but only to those exercises, which are the fruit and consequence of regeneration. This remark is sufficient to shew the doctor's mistake, in supposing that the spirit of God is given in regene­ration, as the spirit of promise, to abide with them for ever; on which mistake the whole force of his argument rests. But this will be more fully con­firmed by what follows.

2. Tho' the spirit of God is in a sense given in regeneration, as it is an effect produced by the spi­rit; yet he is not herein given as he is to the be­liever, as a promised, abiding principle of holiness. In this latter sense, in which sense alone he is pro­mised, he is given to those who believe, or those who ask him, which are really one and the same thing, as will be more fully considered by and by. Christ promises the spirit to those who come to him, or believe on him. "Jesus stood and cri­ed, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow ri­vers of living water. This spoke he of the Spirit, [Page 55] which they that believe on him should receive."^(g) Now I trust the doctor will not deny that men must be regenerated, or born of God, antecedent to their believing on Christ, or in order to this: If he should, the apostle John will confute him; for he says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God."^(h) If they who believe on Christ are already born of God; then when Christ promises the Spirit to them who believe on him, he means something by the gift of the Spirit which is not given in regeneration, and something more, even that he should be in them for ever as an abiding principle of spiritual life or holiness. Exactly parallel to this, are the words spoken by the same person, long before, "Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you."⁽ⁱ⁾ To turn at wisdom's reproof, is the same with coming to Christ, or believing on him; and in consequence of this, the spirit is promised to be poured out upon them, as our Saviour promises the Spirit to those who come to him, by the same me­taphor, water. We may not hence infer that persons are to turn to Christ without the Spirit, or antecedent to regeneration; but that being re­generated by the unpromised influence of the di­vine Spirit, they turn at wisdom's reproof, come to Christ, and believe on him, and so ask him for all good things; to which the Spirit is promsed, to be in them for ever. We hence see how great­ly mistaken the doctor was in supposing in the pas­sage above quoted, that when the scripture speaks of giving the Spirit, it always means, "the origi­nal [Page 56] bestowment of him, in consequence of which men are said to be born of the Spirit of God." For our Saviour speaks of giving the Spirit to them who believe on him; but believing on him is in consequence of the original bestowment of the Spirit in regeneration: for such, St. John says, are already born of God. Therefore, after men have received the Spirit, so far as is necessary in order to their being born of God, they must believe on Christ, or come to him, and ask him, in order to receive the Spirit in the sense in which he is pro­mised by Christ.

Exactly agreeable to this are the words of St. Paul. "That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith^(k)" "In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise."^(l) Here he speaks of the gift of the Spirit as promised to men, in which he doubtless has reference to the promise of Christ now un­der consideration, among others. And this, he says, they received through faith, and after they bad believed: therefore after they were regenerate. Faith then is the condition of this promise, and not any doings of the unregenerate. Again he says, "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts."^(m) He here speaks of the gift or bestowment of the Spirit in consequence of their being the sons of God: and he had just told how they became the sons or children of God: viz. that they were "all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus"⁽ⁿ⁾ And it is worthy of remark here, that the promise [Page 57] which Christ makes of the spirit to his disciples, to abide with them forever, to which the doctor alludes, is made to those who were already regene­rate; and he expressly says, the world, that is, the unregenerate, cannot receive the Spirit in the sense in which he is here promised.^(o) He therefore does not mean what the doctor calls "the original bestowment" of the Spirit. If the doctor had well attended to all this, the paragraph of his, now un­der consideration, would most probably never have seen the light.

3. Tho' the spirit operates in a sense and degree in regeneration; yet as he does not regenerate men as being given as an abiding principle of life, but this change is produced as an unpromised favor, which neither unites them to Christ, nor gives them an interest to any promise in the bible, there appears great propriety in promising the Spirit as an abiding principle of eternal life, which compre­hends all good things, to those exercises or acts by which the regenerate actively unite themselves to Christ, and come to him, trust in him, and ask in his name for this great benefit. And our being directed to believe on Christ in order to this, and ask for the Spirit in this sense, with a promise that he shall be given, is no argument, that in order to thus believing and asking, we must not first be born of God, therefore the doctor's argument is, wholly without foundation. The doctor himself allows that persons must have the influences of the Spirit of God in order to strive, or ask for the Spi­rit so as to be intitled to the promise.^(p) There­fore [Page 58] they have the Spirit in some sense when they ask, and in order to their asking: and therefore, according to him, the promise of the Spirit to them who ask does not imply that persons must not have the Spirit in order to ask. If therefore there is any reason in what he says, which indeed there is not, it is as much against himself, as any body else.

4. It is acknowledged that the Spirit is given but once as he is promised by our Saviour. He is giv­en to believers never to be taken away: but this gift of the Spirit men never receive in regenerati­on, as has been shewn; but in consequence of that faith, that coming to Christ, and asking him, for which regeneration lays the only foundation. And as this gift is promised to believing and asking; so it can be received in no other way. And never is given but in consequence of asking.

5. As this gift is first received in a way of believ­ing and asking, so it is continued, and the Spirit abides in believers by the exercise of faith, or their continuing to ask for the Spirit in a persevering way. Therefore men are not only to ask for the Spirit in order to their first receiving this gift; but are to continue to ask, in order to the Spirit's a­biding in them, and perfecting the work he has begun. This direction and promise of our Savi­our is therefore applicable to true christians at all times.

The doctor does not expressly deny this; but the whole of what he says is inconsistent with it. If believers having the Spirit dwelling in them, with a promise that he shall abide with them for e­ver, renders it absurd for them any more to ask [Page 59] for this favor, which comprises all good things: then certainly they must ask no more, where once they are born of God, and have received the Spi­rit. And if, true christians are never to ask for the Spirit, because he is in them, and they have the promise that he shall abide with them for ever; then they are never more to ask for any good thing, as all these are comprized in the gift of the Spirit. Does the doctor mean to represent prayer as incon­sistent and absurd in the true christian, who is born of the Spirit of God? It certainly is so, if there is any reason or propriety in what he says.

If, as the Doctor justly observes, all spiritual blessings and good things are comprehended in the gift of the Spirit: and therefore asking for the spi­rit is the same with asking for spiritual blessings, or good things in general. And if when the Spirit is once given, as he is to all the regenerate, there is no reason or propriety in asking for the Spirit; up­on which position the doctor's argument is whol­ly grounded: then they who are regenerate have no spiritual good thing to ask for; consequently prayer is no part of their duty: This belongs only to the unregenerate. How contrary to this is the scripture account of the matter! This teaches true christians to pray without ceasing: to pray always with all prayer. And this, although they already have the Spirit, and pray by the Spirit. There we find such words as these. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit it­self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered."^(q) "Praying always with all [Page 60] prayer and supplication in the Spirit."^(r) "Pray­ing in the Holy Ghost."^(ſ)

6. On the whole, it appears, that turning at wisdom's reproof, coming to Christ, or believing on him, a willingness to take of the water of life, and asking good things of God, are all one and the same thing, or at least imply each other; and therefore the promise of the Spirit, which is the sum of all good, is made to this. But in order to men's coming up to this condition of the promise, they must, according to scripture, first be born of the Spirit of God. In order really and heartily to ask for good things there must be a real and hear­ty willingness to have them, or a desire of them considered as what they are; and indeed, asking is nothing but a proper exercise and expression of such willingness and desire. But this is the same with coming to Christ, receiving him, or believing on him: In order to which men must be regenerat­ed, as has been before shewn. They who with their whole hearts reject all the good things the gospel offers, surely do not in any true sense ask for them. But this is true of all unregenerate men.

WE now come to the ninth argument which the doctor has produced in favor of his hypo­thesis. This is in the following words. ‘In Eze­kiel [chap. 36.] God declares his purpose to do many things for the people of Israel: and, a­mong the rest, to give them a new heart, and a new Spirit. But he adds afterwards. I will be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. Which unquestionably relates in part to the new heart and new spirit, spoken of before. Upon which we may briefly remark, That e­ternal life, or salvation, is connected in scripture with the having a new heart: That such an heart is the gift of God: That he gives such an heart, not prior to, but in consequence of, be­ing enquired of, or sought to, for it. And con­sequently, that the enquiring of God, here in­tended, is the act, not of the regenerate, but the unregenerate; who are awakened to desire, and seck after it.’

If this passage of scripture is duely attended to, it will appear, I doubt not, that it affords no foun­dation for what the doctor attempts to argue from it.

[Page 62]There are two things promised by God in this chapter, which he would do in behalf of the peo­ple of Israel, now under his correction for their sins; both of which depended, not on them, but on God's sovereign determination to do it, not for their sakes, but for his own holy name's sake. This is repeatedly declared in this very passage.^(t) God is thro' this whole passage represented, not as wait­ing for them to do something, in order to his be­stowing good things promised to them on this con­dition; but declares what shall be, in which he himself is the first mover, and which he will ac­complish in and for them, independent of them.

1. One thing promised is, that he would bring them from the state of captivity and affliction in which they now were in Babylon, and re-settle them in the land of Canaan, in a state of prospe­rity, and there greatly increase and multiply them.

2. The other thing which God here promises is, that in order to prepare them for this delive­rance, and prosperity, that it might be for their good, and the glory of his name, he would take away the hard, obstinate, impenitent, prayerless heart which they now appeared to have, and give them a new, penitent, obedient, praying heart. They had now no heart to repent and humble them­selves and seek the Lord; but were stiff-necked, hard-hearted and most rebellious.^(u) Instead of humbling themselves under God's corrections, they were disposed to justify themselves; and complain­ed that they were injured: and that God's ways towards them were not just and equal.^(x) God [Page 63] here promises that he will take away this hard re­bellious heart, and give them "an heart of flesh;" a penitent heart; a heart to humble themselves, to loath and abhor themselves for their iniquities and abominations:^(y) a heart to know their de­pendence on him, and seek him for that delive­rance he had promised to grant. When God says, "I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." the meaning is, that they should be brought to seek him in a sense of their dependence upon him for that deliverance and enlargement which he had promised, which is mentioned in the words immediately preceding and following these. And this seeking God is so far from being the condition of their obtaining a hum­ble, penitent, obedient heart, that such an heart is necessary in order to this, and is implied in it. A heart to seek God was a new heart, an heart en­tirely different from, and opposite to, the temper and disposition they then had; and therefore is the very thing promised, when God says, "I will give them an heart of flesh."

This restoration of the people of Israel and re­turn to their own land, after they had been long captivated and oppressed by their enemies, is ma­ny times spoken of; and the temper and exercises of mind which they should be brought to in order to this, is often mentioned in scripture, and repre­sented by the following expressions. "If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they have tres­passed against me, and that also they have walked [Page 64] contrary unto me. If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept the punish­ment of their iniquity: then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, &c."^(z) "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.—If thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice," &c. ^(a) "And it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee,—and thou shalt call them to mind among the nations whether the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul: that then the Lord thy God, will turn thy captivity, &c. ^(b) "And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart,—to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, &c. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, &c."^(c) "Yet if they shall bethink themselves, in the land whether they shall be carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee, in the land of them that carried them captives, saying we have sinned;—and so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul,—and pray unto thee, towards their land:—then hear thou their prayer and their supplication, &c. ^(d) "For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land.—And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart."^(e) "Then [Page 65] shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray un­to me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord, and I will turn away your captivi­ty, &c."^(g) Behold, I will bring them from the north country, &c. They shall come with weep­ing, and with supplications will I lead them."^(h) "And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations, whether they shall be carried captives:—and they shall loath themselves for the e­vils which they have committed in all their abo­minations. And they shall know that I am the Lord."⁽ⁱ⁾ "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new Spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, &c."^(k) "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Then shall ye remember your own ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall hath yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be asham­ed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them, I will increase them with men like a flock, &c."^(l)

[Page 66]From these passages, thus put together and com­pared, and duely considered with the context, I think the following things will be evident beyond dispute.

1. That to have their uncircumcised heart humbled, and circumcised to love the Lord, a heart to know the Lord, and a new heart, is the same thing: and that this implies, or is the only foun­dation of, repentance and turning to the Lord, o­beying his voice, doing his commandments, and walk­ing in his statutes with their whole heart: Which also implies, and is really the same with confessing their iniquity, loathing themselves for their iniqui­ties and abominations; seeking the Lord, and search­ing for him with all the heart and with all the soul; praying and making supplications to him, and en­quiring of him to do these things for them, i. e. to deliver and save them. The temper and exercis­es of heart denoted in these several passages and by these different expressions, are, as to substance, one and the same: at least any one of these things here mentioned does imply all the rest; so that where that is found, there the other are as con­nected with, and implied in it. These scriptures cannot be reconciled, or even understood, on any other supposition. The heart with which they were to make supplication to God, enquire of him and seek him for what they wanted, was not an uncircumcised, stupid, ignorant, hard, impenitent, rebellious, proud heart; but an heart of flesh, a penitent, humble, obedient heart; a heart to con­fess and forsake their sins, and loath themselves for them.

[Page 67]All these predictions and promises were exam­plified and fulfilled in Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, and all the pious Jews who were returned from the Babylonish captivity. They had a new heart; a heart directly opposite to the prevailing temper and disposition of their fathers, who went into captivity. They enquired of God, sought him with their whole heart, for the salvation they needed; and returned with weeping and supplications, with re­pentance and confession of their sins, and the sins of their fathers.^(m) And it may be of use here to observe, that Nehemiah represents the condition of their finding mercy, not to be a seeking God with a hard, impenitent heart, but a penitent, o­bedient one, which is the same with a desire to fear God's name. "Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandest thy servant Mo­ses, saying, if ye transgress, I will scatter you a­broad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them, &c." O Lord, I beseech thee, let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of—thy servants, who desire to fear thy name."⁽ⁿ⁾

And as this temporal salvation was promised to seeking God with their whole hearts, and enquir­ing of him to do it for them; so that eternal sal­vation, of which this was an emblem, is promis­ed to this same condition. "The humble shall see this and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God."^(o) "Let all those that seek thee, re­joice, and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, let God be magnified."^(p) [Page 68] "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with their whole heart."^(q) "Seek, and ye shall find."^(r) "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."^(ſ) But who are they who seek God with their whole hearts?—Not the proud, impenitent, disobedient and heard hearted; but the humble; they who love the salvation of God, they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord; who have clean hands and a pure heart.^(t) The Psalmist, says "the wicked, thro' the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God."^(u) And St. Paul tells us in a quotation from the psalmist, that there is no man in his natural, un­renewed state, that seeketh after God. ^(x) And who call upon the name of the Lord? Not the blind, rebellious and unbelieving as all the unregenerate are: for how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed?"^(y)

2. It is also evident, that this condition of their deliverance and salvation, the whole of it taken to­gether, is itself promised by God, as what he would work in them. God himself promises not only to deliver them out of captivity; but to cir­cumcise their hearts, to give them an heart of flesh, by which they should become a humble penitent people, and turn to him, and seek him with all their heart, as a proper preparative for the out­ward deliverance he had promised. When God says, in the text under consideration, "I will yet [Page 69] for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them," it is to be considered as a promise that he will bring them to this, by giving them a hum­ble, praying heart, which they were far from then; which therefore must be a new heart. God pro­mises that he will bring them to seek him with their whole hearts, which is expressed thus in words before cited, "they shall come with weep­ing, and with supplications will I lead them." But they could not be brought to this, while their hearts were uncircumcised, and hearts of stone; but in order to this, God must circumcise their hearts to love him, and give them an heart of flesh; and it was impossible to accomplsh it any other. way. So far is this seeking God from being ante­cedent to a new heart, and required, as what must take place in order to it.

What do they mean who flatter sinners that they may sincerely and heartily, or with their whole hearts seek a new heart, as the condition of ob­taining it, and that to which a new heart is pro­mised? Are not all the exercises of an impeni­tent, rebellious heart, impenitent, rebellious ex­ercises? and does not the old heart perfectly hate and oppose a new heart? Does not the flesh lust a­gainst the spirit? and are not these contrary the one to the other? What sinceriry and heartiness then is there in asking for a new heart with a heart so perfectly opposite to the thing asked for? The doctor says, "It were highly absurd to suppose, that a man must have a new heart, in order to his enquiring of, or seeking God, in such a manner, as to obtain such an heart of him."^(z) It may be [Page 70] replied, Not more absurd, than to suppose, that a person under the dominion of an hard, im­penitent, rebellious heart, does, with such an heart, even with all his heart, desire a humble, broken heart, and truely and sincerely seek for it. For this is as absurd as to suppose that sin and obstina­cy itself is reconciled to holiness, and subjection to God's law. There is no such thing supposed in the bible; nor will common sense admit of it, however commonly it has been supposed; and tho' the doctor has done it, not only in the argu­ment under consideration, but through all his per­formance.

On the whole, does it not appear beyond con­tradiction, from this view of the case, that enquir­ing of God, in the text under consideration, is the same with what is called by Jeremiah, when speak­ing of the same thing, seeking God, and searching for him with their WHOLE HEARTS; and that this is seeking God with a new heart. If so, the doc­tor has wholly perverted this passage.—I have been the more particular on this text, because it is so strangely mis-understood, not only by the doctor, but by many others.

THE doctor takes his twelfth argument from the following words of the apostle Peter. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be made partakers of the divine nature, hav­ing escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."^(a)

[Page 71]By the "things pertaining to life and godliness," the doctor understands, the external priviledges of the gospel, among which he reckons "the great and precious promises." The end of which, he says, is, our being made "partakers of the divine na­ture," which is the same with a new heart. And "escaping the corruptions that are in the world thro' lusts." he takes to be the same with striving to enter in at the strait gate. And he finally observes," that this divine nature or new heart, is given in a way of promise, or in the fulfilment of the promis­es." Hence he infers that there are promises of a new heart to the unregenerate, who strive to enter in at the strait gate.

If by "all things partaining to life and godli­ness" are meant the gifts, qualifications and peculiar advantages bestowed by the divine power, even that mighty power, which is exercised towards them who believe,^(b) bestowed, I say, on true christians, to whom the apostle is speaking, who have obtained precious faith, thro' or in the righte­ousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.^(c) If by, "exceeding great and precious promises" are meant the promises of all good things, made to God's people, but more especially of the heavenly inheritance. And by "partaking of the divine nature is meant this perfect purity and holiness for which all true christians are candidates; for which they are longing, and to which they shall all be fi­nally brought. And by "escaping the corrupti­on that is in the world through lust, is meant cru­cifying the flesh with the affections and lusts, puri­fying [Page 72] ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and Spi­rit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,^(d) and pu­rifying ourselves as Christ is pure,"^(e) being encou­raged and animated hereto by the great and precious promises made to the people and servants of God, thus to "press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"^(f) "not being slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises,"^(g) I say, if these several phrases are thus understood, the true sense of the whole passage will be found in the fol­lowing paraphrase.

‘I Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ write this e­pistle to all true believers. My beloved brethren, as you have entered upon the christian life, so I earnestly wish you may make great progress, and that all divine gifts and graces may be multiplied and abound, in and by an increase in the know­ledge of God and the Saviour. This it is most proper for me to wish for you, and I am especi­ally encouraged to do it, since by the exceeding greatness of God's power, which has been exer­cised towards every one that believeth, you have been raised from the dead and quickened by the partaking of spiritual life and true holiness, in the knowledge of him who has hereby effectual­ly called and furnished you to press on to the per­fect holiness and glory of his eternal kingdom.’

‘And has also given you exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be encouraged and animated to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, cleansing yourselves from [Page 73] all filthiness of flesh and spirit, in the denial of all ungodliness and every worldly lust.’

Very parallel to these words are those of St. Paul. "Having therefore these promises, dearly belov­ed, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."^(h) And several other passages, which might be mentioned.

The most natural and easy sense of these words, and the most agreeable to parallel passages of scrip­tue, being given, there appears to be no foundation in them for the argument the doctor attempts to find in them: It is therefore needless particularly to shew how groundless and forced is the meaning which he puts upon them.

THE doctor's arguments have been now, I trust, fairly and fully considered. And it must be left to those who interest themselves in this question to judge, whether he has in any measure proved, that there are any promises in the bible of regenerating grace or salvation, to the doings of the unregene­rate. The doctor is very sanguine in the matter, and concludes that he has produced, ‘not only satisfactory and conclusive evidence of it; but a full blaze of it, so as to take away even the pos­sibility of doubt, from any person of a tolerable comprehension of mind, who seriously attends to it;—unless he is under the influence of some very unhappy, tho' he does not say, criminal prejudice.’ ⁽ⁱ⁾ On which side the evidence lies, where the prejudice is, and how far criminal, let [Page 74] the unprejudiced judge. That all may be under the better advantage to do this, the following sec­tions are added.

WHILE we have been attending to the doctor's state of the question, and his argu­ments to support the tenet he espouses, some things have been said which, it is hoped, will help to set this matter in a true light. However, it may not be improper here to collect the whole of this kind, so as to give a plain short view of the case.

Man is not only by sin plunged into a state of in­finite guilt; from which he cannot be delivered, consistent with the law and moral government he is under, unless he is interested in, or united to, the Mediator: but he has also by his apostacy lost the moral image of God, or all true holiness; and con­sequently is wholly corrupt, and under the domi­nion of appetites and inclinations directly contrary to God and his law.^(k) This is the carnal mind [Page 75] which the scripture says, "is enmity against God; For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."^(l) This corruption or viciousness of heart being so great and universal, the sinner will not repent, or have any right exercises towards God and his law, untill his heart is in some degree renewed and set right. In this state the gospel finds man; in which pardon and salvation, through a mediator are freely offered to his acceptance; and all are invited to come to Christ, believe on him and trust in him, for al! they want; being assured, that on this condition, Christ, with all his bene­fits, shall be theirs.

But as the way in which this salvation is given, is in a peculiar manner adapted to do honor to the [Page 76] law which the sinner has broken, and vindicate the divine character, to which he is a perfect enemy: and as the Saviour himself, in all he has done in the character of a Mediator, has above all others condemned sin, and manifested his love of righte­ousness and hatred of iniquity: and as the salvation itself which he gives, consists summarily in deliver­ance from sin, and the exercise and enjoyment of true holiness, the sinner is in a peculiar manner an enemy to the gospel; to the Mediator, viewed in his true character; to the way in which he saves sinners; and to the salvation itself. And he al­ways continues so while an enemy to holiness, and an impenitent: or until his heart is changed, and he comes to a new temper and disposition. This change of the corrupt heart is in scripture spoken of as the work of the Spirit of God, in which sin­ners are said to be born of the Spirit, to have the stony heart taken away and an heart of flesh, or a new heart given; to be quickened, or made alive from the dead; created in Christ Jesus unto good works, &c. It is also called the washing; of rege­neration and the renewing of the the Holy Ghost.

As men do in their natural state with their whole hearts reject the good things offered in the gospel: and their doing so, is wholly owing to an inexcutable wickedness of heart, God is not obliged, in reason or justice, to remove this voluntary wicked inexcu­sable opposition and bring them to a willing com­pliance with his proposals: Neither has he oblig­ed himself to do this for any, by promises to any thing which they shall do, as the condition of it. Therefore whenever, and in whatever instance, God takes away the heart of stone, and gives a [Page 77] new heart, he acts as being unobliged, or sove­reignly, and bestows an unpromised favor; and so "has mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will be hardeneth" i. e. leaves under the dominion of a hard, stony heart. But when God gives a new heart in regeneration, a foundation is laid in the mind for a discerning of the truths, of the gospel in their real beauty and excellency, (to which the unregenerate heart, or the mind under the dominion of lust is wholly blind) and for those right exercises, in which faith or christian holiness consists. And all the promises of the gospel are made to these exercises of the mind, in which the mind discerns divine truth in some measure as it is, and heartily embraces the gospel, &c. And the first exercise of this kind, intitles the person to all divine promises; to pardon of sin, and eternal life, and to all those divine influences, by which he shall persevere in faith and holiness, untill he shall be perfectly delivered from all sin, and awake com­pleat in God's likeness.

There must therefore be a distinction kept up be­tween regeneration, which is the work of God in giving a new heart, and in which men are perfect­ly passive; and active conversion in which men, being regenerated, turn from sin to God, in the exercise of repentance towards God, and faith to­ward our Lord Jesus Christ; and in consequence of which they are pardoned and received to favor, and a title to eternal life; and have the gift of the Spirit to dwell with them for ever, as an abiding principle of life and holiness. All this, with eve­ry benefit which men receive by Christ, is pro­mised to those who believe, or heartily embrace [Page 78] gospel, and not to regeneration: for to this, con­sidered as antecedent to all action, and only as tho foundation of right exercise, no promise is made. Neither are those influences by which men are re­generated in this sense, meant by giving, or re­ceiving the Spirit, as the Spirit of promise, by which believers, and they only, are sealed to the day of redemption: but men receive the Spirit, in this sense, as a spirit of adaption, by which all God's children are led, by faith, or a hearty re­ceiving Christ with all his benefits.^(m) They who will not make and understand this distinction, must think and talk in some measure unintelligibly on this point.

This change therefore, called regeneration, by which a new heart is given; as the foundation of all true discerning of the things of God's moral kingdom, and of all right exercises of heart; this change, I say, "wrought by the Spirit of God immediately and instantaneously, and altogether imperceptibly to the person who is the subject of it; it being impossible that he should know what God has done for him, but by a conciousness of his own views and exercises, which are the fruit and consequence of the divine operation. These views and exercises of the regenerate, in which they turn from sin to God, or embrace the gospel, are often in scripture spoken of as included in that change which is called a being born again, &c. as all the change which is perceptible, and in which man is active consists in this. And this is sometimes cal­led by divines active conversion, to distinguish it [Page 79] from regeneration, or that change in which men are passive.

Men being washed by regeneration, and renew­ed by the Holy Ghost; the hard rebellious heart being subdued in a degree, and a new and oppo­site biass, which is by our Saviour called an honest and good heart, being given, the light and truth of God's word, enters into the mind, and it discerns the things of the Spirit of God in their reality, beauty, wisdom, glory: and in this view and sense of divine truths, the heart approves of the divine character, comes to Christ for life, or believes on him, and sincerely and heartily asks for the Spirit, or that living water which Christ gives, and which comprehends all good things. And to this huger­ing and thirsting after righteousness, coming to Christ, believing on him and trasting in him; to this asking, knocking, seeking, divine promis­es are made, even to the first and lowest degree of this kind of exercise. To such the Spirit is given as a fountain; "a well of living water, springing up into everlasting life."⁽ⁿ⁾ And by this actively cleaving to Jesus Christ, in a view of his true cha­racter as Mediator and Saviour, and uniting them­selves to him, a proper foundation is laid for their being looked upon and treated, as being in him, and in a sense one with him; so that on his ac­count, out of respect to his merit and worthiness, they are pardoned and received to favor; they be­come the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and heirs of eternal life. And as they have thus received Christ Jesus the Lord, so they walk in [Page 80] him; the life they live is by faith on the Son of God; and consists in cleaving to Christ in all pro­per ways; in coming to him, living upon him, asking and receiving all good things from him, as a free gift to the infinitely unworthy.

THE unregenerate Sinner may be in a sort con­vinced in his judgment and conscience that he has by his sin exposed himself to eternal destruction; that he can be delivered from this evil, and obtain salvation only by Jesus Christ, by coming to him and believing on him; and that in order to this he must have a new heart given him by God, &c. And he may have such a sense of his danger and misery, and of the awful consequence of sin, as to fill his mind with great uneasiness and distress. This may, while it continues, deaden him-to all carnal gratifications, and make him afraid to in­dulge himself to any overt acts of known sin; and lead him to make deliverance from future misery his great concern, and earnestly to seek this in the use of all means; being all attention to the great concerns of his soul, and a future world. But all this does not alter the reigning temper and disposi­tion of the heart. There may be yet no more true hatred of sin than before, and a reigning en­mity against the divine character, and law, and a­gainst the gospel; and the heart may therefore be as far from repentance, and acceptance of offered sal­vation by Jesus Christ as ever, and really reject and abhor the good things offered in the gospel: and so be far from truly desiring and asking for them, And this is certainly the case with every unregene­rate person, whatever concern and exercises he may [Page 81] have about the salvation of his soul; and whatever he may pretend and think of himself. If he thinks better of himself, as thousands do, it is all delusi­on: And they who go about to strengthen and confirm men in such delusion, are strengthening the cause of the prince of darkness, instead of pro­moting the interest of Christ, and the salvation of sinners.

I shall therefore think myself doing God ser­vice, and that which tends to promote the good of mankind, while I attempt to prove, that there are no promises of regenerating grace or salvation, made to these exercises and doings of the unregenerate in the holy scripture. This is the design of the following section.

THAT the doctor's arguments to support the affirmative of the question before us, are by no means satisfactory and conclusive, I have en­deavoured to shew. I shall now attempt to prove [Page 82] the negative, by suggesting as briefly as I can, some. of the most obvious arguments which have occurr­ed to my mind.

I. ARG. THAT there are no promises of regene­rating grace made to the exercises and doings of the unregenerate, may be argued from many par­ticular passages in holy scripture.

In scripture men are required to repent and be­lieve, and turn to God on. pain of eternal damna­tion, and are declared to be in a state of condem­nation untill they do so. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."^(o) "He that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not be­lieved in the name of the only begotten Son of God."^(p) "He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."^(q) "He that believeth not shall be damn­ed."^(r) If he that believeth not shall be damned, is now under condemnation, and has the wrath of God abiding on him, surely he has not at the same time, even while he does not believe, a promise of God's favor and eternal life: for to be condemn­ed, and under God's wrath, and to be interested in the promises of God's favor and eternal life at the same time, is a contradiction, and absolutely impossible. But if the promises of the gospel are made to the doings of unregenerate sinners, then I they have a title to God's favor, and eternal salva­tion, antecedent to faith, or while they are unbe­lievers; and therefore while they are condemned, and under the doom of eternal damnation. They [Page 83] are therefore at the same time, interested in all the divine promises, under God's favor and smiles, and accepted of him to a title to life; and yet un­der all the curses written in God's book, in a state of condemnation, and under the wrath of God. We cannot avoid this glaring absurdity and contra­diction, without concluding that there are no pro­mises of saving mercy made to sinners, upon any condition short of faith in Jesus Christ; and there­fore may be sure there are no such promises.^(ſ)

AGAIN the first 13 verses in the viii, chap, of the Epistle to the Romans seem not consistent with [Page 84] the notion that there are promises of salvation to the unregenerate. It is there said that "to be carnally minded is death."^(t) And that they who "live after the flesh, shall die."^(u) And they are represented as in a state of condemnation.^(x) And here all are represented as carnally minded, and being in the flesh, and walking after the flesh, who have not the Spirit of Christ, and do not walk af­ter the Spirit.^(y) But unregenerate persons have not the Spirit of Christ, and do not walk in the Spirit: therefore they are those who are in the flesh, and walk after the flesh.

All unregenerate pesons then are, according to this, in a state of condemnation and death, and are in the way to eternal destruction. But this cannot be true if any, while in an unregenerate state, have a title to life, or are interested in the promises of salvation. For he who has a title to life, or is doing that to which the promises of salvati­on are made, is not in the way to death; but in that which leadeth to life; neither is there any con­demnation to him. They who assert that there are promises of God's favor and eternal life, to the exercises and doings of unregenerate men, point out a way for them to walk in, while they are in the flesh, and walk after the flesh, which, [Page 85] they say, is the way to life; and by walking in which, they shall not die, but live: But St. Paul says, it is the way to death, and by walking in it, they shall die: none being free from condemnati­on, and in the way to life, but they who have the Spirit of God dwelling in them; do live after the the Spirit, do through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body; are in the spirit, and led by the Spi­rit; and so are the sons of God. Therefore these men do not agree with, but directly contradict, St. Paul, or rather the Holy Ghost speaking by him.

St. Paul here divides men into two classes and no more: one are the sons of God, who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, who walk after the Spirit and are led by the Spirit, and through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body. These are free from condemnation and death, and in the sure way to life. In the opposite class are compre­hended all others: who being in the flesh, and walking after the flesh, are in a state of condem­nation, and in the way which leadeth to eternal destruction. This is exactly agreeable to our Sa­viour's representation, when he speaks of but two ways in which men are going, viz the broad way which leadeth to destruction, and the narrow way which leadeth to life. The former is the way of the ungodly, the unholy, the unregenerate, who walk after the flesh, are under the dominion of a carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. The latter is the way of good men, the way of righteousness, the way of holiness, in which the redeemed, and none but such, do walk, &c.^(a)

[Page 86]MOREOVER, it is observable, that when the a­postles went forth to preach the gospel, they never directed men, who applied to them to know what they should do to be saved, to any endeavours and doings short of true repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ, as what would save them: but expressly told them that they must repent and believe on Christ in order to this.^(b) And St. Paul speaks of his preaching as consisting summarily in inculcat­ing "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."^(c)

Now, we cannot account for this, on supposi­tion the endeavours and doings of men, which are short of repentance and faith, are the condition of salvation, having the promise of it made to them. For were this the case, they must have directed them to these endeavours and doings, as what they must do in order to be saved, and by doing which they should certainly obtain the salvation they en­quired after. And this must have been the drift and sum of their preaching, and not repentance and faith: such as indeed has been the preaching of many since that time. We may therefore be sure the apostles did not believe there were any promis­es made to doings short of repentance and faith in Christ, but that these were the lowest condition of salvation. This leads me to the

II. ARG. TO suppose that there are promises of salvation made to the doings of unregenerate persons, is to make these doings the condition of salvation; and not faith or repentance; or indeed [Page 87] any thing else which the scripture represents as such.

That to which the promises of life and salvation are made, so that he who has it, or attains to it, has a sure title to salvation, is certainly the condi­tion of salvation; but the exercises and doings of the unregenerate, are this condition, if promises of sal­vation are made to them. Yea, according to this, the doings of the unregenerate are the condition, and only condition of justification. For they who have a title to God's favor and eternal life, are no longer in a state of condemnation, as has been shown; to have a title to God's special, eternal love and favor, and be heir of eternal life, certain­ly implies every thing that is contained in justifica­tion. If then men are not forgiven till they re­pent of their sins; are justified by faith; and therefore not untill they believe, and heartily em­brace the gospel: In short, if one tittle of the new Testament is true, there are no promises of salva­tion made to the doings of the unregenerate.^(d)

III. ARG. THAT there are no promises of sal­vation made to the exercises and doings of the un­regenerate, will be evident if it be considered, that such do with their whole hearts oppose the way of salvation by Christ, and reject the salvation offered [Page 88] by him. That this is true of all the unregenerate has been shewn;^(e) so that there is no need of dwell­ing long upon it here. It has been observed that in this men's unregeneracy consists so that to suppose them to be in any degree friendly to the gospel at heart, is to suppose them to be regenerate: or at least that they stand in no need of regeneration, in order to salvation. To suppose the unregenerate are not at heart enemies to the way of salvation by Christ, and that any of the exercises of their hearts about this salvation, are not consistent with enmity against, and opposition to it, is to take away all distinction be­tween the regenerate and the unregenerate: To be sure, it takes away that by which alone they are distinguished in scripture. If any are at a loss a­bout this, let them read their bibles over, with a special view to this point: and then let them tell, what is meant by the unregenerate; what unrege­neracy consists in; and what regeneration is, on supposition the unregenerate do not with their whole hearts reject Jesus Christ and oppose the way of salvation by him, as being enemies to God and the Saviour. If they are not willing to be at this pains, let them turn to the viii. chap, to the Ro­mans, the passage just now under consideration. There it is said "the carnal mind is enmity a­gainst God;—is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." That by the carnal mind is meant the unregenerate heart, in distinction from those who are spiritually minded, have the Spirit of Christ, and walk after the spirit; who love God, and are his children, has been just now proved. [Page 89] And I know not how any one can doubt of this, who will carefully read that chapter. But if the carnal, unregenerate heart, is full of enmity against God and his law, it is equally an enemy to Jesus Christ and the gospel: For the divine character and the holy law of God, are more fully vindicat­ed and honored, and are set in a clearer view, by Jesus Christ in the gospel, than otherwise they could be; and are so interwoven through the whole gos­pel scheme, that it cannot be understood and approv­ed of, any further than God's law, and his character therein expressed, are seen and loved: and there­fore every degree of enmity against God and his law, is, to the same degree, and in a peculiar man­ner, enmity against Christ and the gospel.

Now that exercises of enmity against Christ, and opposition to the gospel, and the salvation therein revealed and offered; or those which are consistent with this, are made the condition of a title to and interest in this salvation; so as that all the promises of the gospel are made to such ex­ercises and acts, I presume none will believe. This seems to be so self-evident, that it is needless to go about to prove it. Nothing therefore seems necessary to decide the point we are upon, but to keep in view the true state of the case, and attend to the real character of the unregenerate, and the nature and quality of all their actions.

It is therefore observable, that men, in arguing that there are promises to the doings of the unre­generate, do always overlook the true character of such, and of their exercises; yea suppose them to be in a degree friendly to Christ, and the salvation by him. In order to prove that there are promis­es [Page 90] to the unregenerate, they dress them up in the character which belongs, only to the regenerate; so that by stripping them of this disguise, the boast­ed arguments vanish into nothing but weakness and absurdity; and the truth arises into view, and becomes clear beyond dispute.^(f)

IV. ARG. If salvation is offered to all who heartily desire it, really choose and accept of it, and so truely ask for it: it is offered on terms low enough: as low as any can reasonably desire; yea, on the lowest conceivable or even possible terms. But no unregenerate person comes up to these terms. Therefore salvation is not offered or promised to any doings of the unregenerate.

If a free gift is offered and promised to any one that desires it, and is willing to take it, it cannot be offered on lower or easier terms. If any should say, 'Yes, it may be offered or promised to a per­son, whether he will have it or no: so that he shall have it, even contrary to his will and choice.' I answer, this is not to offer it on lower and easier terms. It is not to offer it on any terms; neither is it properly any offer or promise at all: it is only a declaration of what shall be; which is, all things considered, contrary to the will and inclination of the person. But indeed there can be no such de­claration properly and truly made. A person while unwilling to accept of, and have any gift and en­joyment 9 and while he rejects it with his whole heart, is not capable of receiving it, or of cordial­ly entertaining the offer of it; and therefore is not a subject capable of such an offer, with a promise [Page 91] that it shall be his, even while he undervalues, despises, and refuses to receive it. If it is offered with a promise that it shall be his, as soon as he is heartily willing to accept of it, and upon this con­dition only; it is offered on the lowest terms that ever any offer was, or can be made. Now, it is granted that the gospel offers salvation to all who will accept of it, or are truely willing to have it. But as no unregenerate person is thus willing to ac­cept of salvation, no such one ever did, or ever will come up to these lowest possible terms, on which salvation is offered and promised.^(g) It would be highly absurd and ridiculous to offer that to any one, which is the object of his peculi­ar aversion and hatred, under the notion of its be­ing his by something he is to do as the condition of it, while he continues thus averse to it: And therefore no such offer was ever seriously and real­ly made. We may therefore be certain God has never done this: but that the lowest terms on which salvation is offered and promised, imply a real choice of this salvation, or a hearty acceptance of it.^(h)

IF it should here be said, that tho' unregenerate sinners are not willing to accept of salvation which is freely offered; and that this is both their sin and calamity: yet God may offer them regenerat­ing grace; and promise to bring them to a willing­ness [Page 92] to accept of salvation, by giving them a new heart, upon terms which they, while unregene­rate, may come up to; and so regeneration, and consequently the whole of salvation, may be con­nected with this condition, which really is some­thing short of a hearty acceptance of salvation: for this is one thing promised to be given, and is im­plied in regeneration.

I answer. If we suppose the grace of regeneration or a new heart, which implies a heart to accept of and trust in Christ for salvation, to be offered and promised to the unregenerate, on some condition which they are to come up to and perform, while unregenerate; yet still this is an offer of that to which their hearts are as much averse, as to salva­tion itself: they are as far from accepting of such an offer, as they are from accepting of salvation, and reject and despise it as much. The grace of rege­neration, or a new heart, is as contrary to the unre­generate heart, as salvation or holiness itself: the unregenerate do oppose and reject this with their whole hearts; for 'tis supposed their hearts are now in direct opposition to the new heart offered; o­therwise they would stand in no need of a new heart. If therefore God offers and promises to give them a new heart, on any condition, which consists in their exercise and doings, he makes this offer and promise to exercises and doings which imply, or are consistent with, a real op­position to, and rejection of, the thing offered and promised. The unregenerate heart hates and op­poses a new heart, just as much as it does the divine character and law, or Jesus Christ and the gospel; and therefore is no more willing to receive [Page 93] the former than the latter, but rejects it with per­fect abhorence. Therefore there is nothing which the unregenerate may be supposed to do, in order to obtain a new heart, which is not itself an act of opposition, or consistent with the most perfect op­position to that which he is supposed to be seek­ing. For instance: If we should suppose that God offers and promises to give the unregenerate, a new heart, on condition they will ask him for such a favour: this must mean an asking without any true desire of the thing asked for; yea an ask­ing which is consistent with an opposing and re­jecting the favor offered; and therefore really no asking at all for a new heart, but for something else. For so far as the new heart is opposite to the heart of the unregenerate, just so far does the unregene­rate heart oppose and hate the new heart, and re­ject the offer of it; and that constantly, and in all its exercises which have any relation to, and respect the new heart, which is the thing offered.

Thus it appears that there is the same difficulty and absurdity in supposing, that a new heart is of­fered and promised to the doings of the unregene­rate, by which they would become willing to ac­cept of Christ and salvation; as there is in sup­posing, that eternal life is offered on some condi­tion lower than a real willingness to accept of it.

In a word, if we will not go beyond reason and plain common sense in this matter, we shall con­clude, that whatever offer of any favor or free gift God makes to men, he offers it to their free acceptance, and promises that on this condi­tion it shall be their's: and consequently that they can have no title to it, on any condition short of a [Page 94] hearty acceptance of it: And that an offer made to a lower or easier condition, cannot be reasona­bly desired, or even supposed. Therefore God in the gospel makes no offers and promises of salvati­on, or of any thing connected with it, to the ex­ercises and doings of the unregenerate.

V. ARG. FOR God to offer and promise salva­tion to those who with their whole hearts hate and reject Jesus Christ in his character of Mediator, would be altogether unbecoming: and really in­consistent with the gospel, and overthrow it. The gospel opens a way of salvation for sinners through a Mediator; in which they are pardoned, and received to favor, and a title to everlasting life, purely out of respect to his merits and worthiness; so on his account and in his name. And in this way alone can God pardon the sinner, receive him to fa­vour, and bestow eternal life on him, consistent with his honor and in a way becoming his charac­ter, as supreme lawgiver and judge. But to pardon the sinner and receive him to favor, and promisie eternal life to him, while he remains an enemy to this Mediator, and opposes and rejects him in this charcter, would be to act directly contrary to this plan; and really to dishonor the mediator, and set him aside.

Therefore in the gospel sinners are represented as being saved (i. e. brought into a state of pardon and acceptance with God, and to a title to eternal life) by the blood of Christ; or by his merit and worthiness being imputed to them, or reckoned to their account. Accordingly it is by virtue of their union to him, or being in him, that they are deli­vered [Page 95] from condemnation, justified, &c. In this way God may be just, may act a wise and honorable part, so as in no degree to injure his own character as moral governor; even while he justifies, par­dons and promises salvation to, him who, though infinitely unworthy and ill-deserving in himself, believeth in Jesus the Mediator: i. e. who, in a view of his true character, heartily approves and accepts of him, so as actively to unite himself to him, and be in him.⁽ⁱ⁾ He being thus in Christ, a proper foundation is laid for his being in­terested in the Mediator's merits and worthiness; so that he is received to favor and a title to eternal life purely out of respect to Him. Therefore all the promises of God to sinners are said to be IN HIM, unto the glory of God. ^(k) They would not all be in Him, if sinners were interested in them while they continued to hate and reject him, so were out of him: consequently would not be to the glory of God; as this would be directly contray to the plan of pardoning and receiving sinners to a title to life in and by a Mediator.^(l)

[Page 96]I HAVE now produced some of the principal ar­guments which occurred to me, to prove that there are no promises of salvation made to the doings, of the unregenerate. I am far from concluding that [Page 97] these are the strongest and best, that might be thought of; or that they are set in the most strik­ing and convincing light possible. Whether they are conclusive or not, let the attentive impartial reader judge.

Note: OBJ. I.IT is said that the doctrine contended for in the preceeding section, is greatly to to the dishonor of God's goodness and even inconsis­tent with it.

Dr. Mayhew insists upon it, that such a notion is inconsistent with the appearance of any good­ness of God to sinners, in the offers made to them [Page 98] in the gospel: yea, that it is not consistent with justice.^(m) And agreeable to this, he looks on what he has done, in proving that there are pro­mises to the doings of the unregenetate, as "a clear and full vindication, both of the justice and goodness of God."⁽ⁿ⁾

ANS. This objection seems to have its foundati­on in a supposition for which there is no ground, and is indeed directly contrary to the truth of the case; viz. that if salvation is not offered and pro­mised to the exercises and endeavours of unre­generate men, then it is offered to them on terms impracticable, though they are never so well dis­posed, and have a good will in the case; and so are not, at all to blame for not coming up to the terms proposed; there being some difficulty in the case which is insurmountable, however good and great their inclination and desire may be to do it. As the objectors seem to view the case, it may be represented by the following comparison. A cer­tain lord, as he was visiting one of his plantations, saw a large building on fire: and when he came to it, he. found a number of his servants confined in it. He knowing their situation, calls to them, tells them the dreadful case they are in, and earnestly calls upon them to arise and come to the door with a promise that upon their so doing, he will unlock it, and deliver them. At the same time, both he and they know, that they are fastned down with chains which they have been trying with all Itheir might to deliver themselves from; but find it impossible. They cry to him for help, [Page 99] and do their utmost, but all in vain: he stands by, and sees them perish in the devouring flames! Dr. Mayhew, represents the state much in this light in many passages in his sermons, as well as in the following words. "Is there any real kind­ness, mercy or goodness, in offering salvation to guilty creatures, and inviting them to accept it, on such terms as are to them impracticable, tho' they desire it and strive to this end?—Impractica­ble, I mean, with all the helps and advantages that God affords, or will afford to them, though they seek them in the best manner their circum­stances will admit of? I must confess, I cannot see any goodness herein."^(o)

I am as ready to confess, as the doctor that were the case as is here supposed, there would be no goodness, or propriety in the offers of the gospel. But in truth it is, as it were, infinitely otherwise. There is no difficulty in the sinner's complying with the offers of the gospel, but what lies in his want of an inclination and true desire to accept the salvation offered; and a strong and obstinate incli­nation to the contrary. The case really is, as if the above mentioned lord should find his servants in the house consuming by fire, confined by nothing but their own inclination and lust, all engaged in gaming and drinking. He opens the door and calls upon them to escape for their lives, and promises them that if they are willing to come to him, and engage in his service, they shall be safe and happy. But they have such a dislike to his person and ser­vice, and are to attached to their gaming, &c. that [Page 100] they absolutely refuse to comply with the proposal. They had rather run the venture of perishing in the flames: and continue there under the repeated admonitions and calls of their kind lord, untill in­evitable destruction comes upon them.

If it should be said, 'That tho' this similitude may fitly represent the case of sinners, who pay no regard to the gospel, but run with greediness in a course of sin; yet the case of convinced sinners, who are concerned about themselves, and earnest­ly seeking deliverance, is different.' It may be observed, that there is no material difference, so as any way to affect the case under consideration. The sinner, however exercised and concerned he is about himself, and whatever pains he takes to better his case, and obtain deliverance; if still he does not actually accept of salvation; does re­fuse so to do from the fixed opposition of his heart, to the salvation offered: which opposition of heart is of the same nature and kind, with that of the secure sinner, and is really as voluntary, and eve­ry way as inexcusable; and indeed is more appar­ent, and exercises itself in a stronger manner, than that of the secure sinner; as the former actually re­sists more light, and conviction of conscience than the latter.

Suppose two criminals, under confinement and sentence of death, for some treasonable practices against their prince. The prince offers to pardon and restore them to his favor, if they will heartily repent, ask his pardon, and submit to his govern­ment and laws, as excellent and good. One of them pays no regard to the proposal; but, uncon­cerned about what he has done, and what is com­ing [Page 101] upon him, follows his cups, and does not so much as seriously attend to the sad case he is in. The other thinks of the death that is before him with horror, and can neither eat nor sleep in peace: but, on the whole, cannot find in his heart to com­ply with the offer. The more he thinks of it, the more his heart rises against his prince. He cannot be willing to ask his pardon, nor does he desire to live under his government and laws. He tries e­very way he can think of to escape death, short of complying with these terms. He sends petitions every day and hour to his prince: hoping to gain his favor upon some other conditions. But the longer he tries, the more he is convinced that he must perish, unless he heartily complies with the proposals made him, and the more clearly he sees and feels the opposition of his heart thereto. Now which of these traitors is, on the whole, the greatest criminal in the sight of the prince? Does the latter do any thing that tends to recommend him to the prince? And if after all he dies, in con­sequence of his refusing to accept of the offered pardon and deliverance, is it any imputation on the goodness of the prince? or does it appear to be the less goodness in him, because the traitor re­fused to take the advantage of it? Let common sense decide the question. And by this, the ques­tion before us will be decided.

The terms on which God offers pardon and sal­vation to, sinners, are not "to them impracticable tho' they desire it." They are no more imprac­ticable, and in no other sense, than are the terms on which pardon and safety are offered by the prince to the traitor, in the instance mentioned. [Page 102] If sinners perish under the gospel, 'tis thro' their own obstinate, continued, voluntary refusal to ac­cept of, or truly desire and ask for offered salvati­on. And shall this refusal of offered mercy; this direct and continued abuse of God's goodness, ren­der it no goodness, and so change the nature of it, as to turn it into cruelty? This is impossible!

If God puts men under advantages to be holy and happy; gives them all proper means and sets before them all proper motives: and they fail of holiness and happiness by a neglect and abuse of these advantages, means and motives. God's goodness is still most perfect, and 'tis not owing to any deficiency in this, that they are not holy and happy.^(p) Wisdom itself represents the matter in this light. "Because I have called, and ye re­fused.—Ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, &c.—For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel; they despised all my re­proof. [Page 103] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, &c."

THE doctor seems to think he has done much to set the wonderful goodness and mercy of God in a clear and stricking light, by proving that there are promises to the unregenerate. He therefore makes the following, which he calls an important inference. ‘We see from hence the wonderful goodness and mercy of God; in as much as he has given us the strongest assurance of pardon and eternal life, on such terms as, by his of­fered grace we may all comply with, if we de­sire to do it.’ ^(q) With the doctor's good leave I will say, that the goodness and mercy of God ap­pears equally wonderful, on supposition there are no promises made to the doings of the uneregenerate. For even on this supposition, "he has given us the strongest assurances of pardon and eternal life, on such terms as we may comply with if we re­ally desire it. I have therefore as good a right to this inference from my doctrine, as the doctor has from his. Yea I presume to say, a much better. In this sentence the doctor supposes that the terms on which pardon and salvation are offered are so difficult, that a real desire to comply with them, does not get over the difficulty: but there is yet need of God's "offered grace," to assist and help over that which is otherways insuperable, by the best desire, and the utmost good will in the matter. Whereas, according to the doctrine he opposes, a real desire to comply, is the compliance [Page 104] itself; and is the condition on which pardon and salvation are offered; there being no difficulty in coming up to the terms, but what there is in hav­ing a real desire and hearty good will, or a being truely willing to accept of pardon and salvation. He who comes to this, has no need of any "of­fered grace" to help him to comply with the terms of salvation, as the doctor supposes; but has al­ready complied, and has pardon and salvation in­sured to him. If the doctor's scheme then, shews the "wonderful goodness and mercy of God," that which he opposes does so, much more abun­dantly.

But what does the doctor mean by his "offered grace," to help those to comply with the terms of salvation, who "really desire to do it?" If there is a real desire to comply, the heart is really gained, and there is a real compliance of heart or will, and what more there is required as the condition of pardon and salvation, in which the heart or will has no concern; and so is not the compliance of the heart, but of something else; in order to which compliance we stand in need of God's "offered grace," even when the heart has really complied; I say, what this is; and how God's "offered grace" helps to it, the doctor has not told, and I am not able to conceive. Untill the doctor shall explain this matter, I shall conclude, that there is no "offered grace" to enable men to comply with the terms of salvation, whose hearts do already re­ally comply, and yet can't comply, untill by this "offered grace" they come up to a compliance in which the heart is not concerned, it being some­thing more than, and different from a hearty com­pliance. [Page 105] I believe, that no compliance with the terms of salvation is required but an hearty com­pliance; and if men are by God's grace assisted to such a compliance, they have all the assistance they [...] the case, in order to obtain pardon; and therefore that God does not offer any other assst­ance, in order to a compliance.

But let us attend a minute longer to this extraor­dinary passage of the doctor's. He says, The won­derful goodness and mercy of God appears, "in as much as he has given us the strongest assurances of pardon and eternal life, on such terms as, by his offered grace, we may all comply with, IF WE REALLY DESIRE TO DO IT." But what if we don't really desire to do it? Will this in the least fully the goodness of God in making the offer on such low terms? The doctor supposes, in his ve­ry putting the case, it will not. What then if none of mankind will really desire to comply; or in o­ther words, really and heartily comply with the terms on which pardon and salvation are offered, untill they are regenerated, and have a new heart given them?—Is not the goodness of God to be vindicated, and does it not appear to be wonder­ful, in offering pardon and eternal life to every one who is heartily willing and desirous to have them, however far mankind may be from a heart to comply with this condition?

Dr. Mayhew himself, is as clear and full in this, as any one can be: as appears not only from pas­sages already quoted,^(r) but the following words of his, in the sermons under consideration. ‘He [Page 106] [God] has provided and revealed a way of Sal­vation, for sinful, guilty and lost creatures, thro' the mediation, the sufferings and death of his own dear son; and saith, Whosoever will, let him come, &c, God exerciseth patience and forbearance towards his sinful creatures; there­by giving them time and opportunity for repen­tance, and working out their salvation. Now, if you should neglect this method of deliverance, from condemnation, and think everlasting life not worth your striving after; you will not only remain under the guilt of your other sins, but will be justly chargeable also with despising thy goodness of God: even the riches of his goodness, forbearance and long-suffering.’ ^(ſ)

If the language of the gospel to sinners is, Who­soever WILL, let him come, &c. "And all are in­vited and perswaded, in the most gracious and pa­thetic terms to accept of eternal life," and sinners refusal to comply with these offers, and slighting them, is a "despising the goodness of God, even the riches of his goodness" exercised and manifest­ed herein; then unregencrate sinners have these of­fers, and God is herein good to them: and their refusal to comply, is a despising the riches of his goodness. Is it not sftrange, that the doctor should express himself so clearly and fully on this head, from time to time, and so perfectly agreeable to the doctrine he opposes, and yet so confuse and bewilder himself, and his readers, as in the pas­sage just now considered, and in many others? Or, are we the only persons confused and be wildered? "Let the unbiassed judge."

[Page 107]OBJ. II. It is objected, that if there are no pro­mises of success to the endeavours and doings of the unregenerate, in seeking the salvation of their souls;^(t) then there is little or no encou­ragement to sinners to take pains in this matter; in attending on the means of grace: but it tends greatly to discourage, and lead them to neglect all means and endeavours for their own salvation, if not to indulge themselves in all manner of licenti­ousness and known sin.

Dr. Mayhew indeed allows, that upon supposi­tion there is no certain connection between the en­deavours and strivings of the unregenerate, and sal­vation; yet they are obliged in all reason to strive, and do their best. He observes that men will think it worth while to take the utmost pains in the concerns of a worldly nature, when there is an uncertainty with respect to the success of their en­deavours: but that, the reason and motive to strive [Page 108] for salvation are unspeakably greater, though there be an equal uncertainty of obtaining.^(u) How­ever, he insists upon it, that if unregenerate per­sons are told that there is no connection between any of their endeavorurs, and obtaining eternal life, this has a direct and manifest tendency to dis­hearten them and damp their endeavours: and must needs prove a great discouragement to them.^(x)

ANS. WHETHER there is any just ground for this objection, the reader must judge, when he has attended to the following particulars.

I. IT does not appear from fact and expe­rience, that what is supposed and asserted in the objection, is true; but the contrary. There can be no instances produced of persons who have been engaged in a diligent attendance on the means of grace and salvation; and have been discouraged and left off from this consideration, that there was no certain connection between what they did, and their salvation. Persons who appear to be in any good degree in earnest in this matter, are not wont to be discouraged in the least by this doc­trine. They who profess to neglect the concerns of their souls because there is no promise to the pains they should take, would not be persuaded to be in earnest, by all the promises that can be imagined; and this appears not to be the true reason of their sitting still, or going on in a way of allowed sin.

[Page 109]And if it be inquired, Who are generally the most in earnest in the use of means? It will doubt­less be found, that they are those who believe there are no promises made to the doings of the unregenerate: while they who imbrace the con­trary notion, are generally in a great degree care­less and negligent; either wholly putting off the concerns of their eternal interest for the present, or contenting themselves with that which is very consistent with great slothfulness in religion, the prevalence of a worldly spirit, and a greedy pursuit of the things of time and sense. To be sure, it does not appear that a belief that the endeavours of the unregenerate are connected with salvation has any such influence on persons to excite and en­courage them earnestly to attend on the means of grace and salvation, as that they who believe this to be true, evidently distinguish themselves from others in their endeavours. And where this doc­trine is preached up most strenuously and constant­ly, it does not appear to have any sensible effect, to rouse and engage sinners to zeal and earnest­ness it this matter. Such congregations don't ap­pear to be more engaged and painful in the things of religion than others, where the contrary doc­trine is preached. But if there is any visible dif­ference in this respect, it is directly the reverse of this. And wherever there have been the most remarkable visible instances of sinners being awak­ened to a suitable concern about their souls, and a great and constant engagedness in attending on means, it has been under the preaching, which is in the whole tenor of it inconsistent with the no­tion, of there being promises made to the doings of [Page 110] unregenerate sinners: and all their concern and earnest endeavours have taken place, and continue, under a firm belief of the contrary doctrine.

Now, if it appears from fact and experience, that the doctrine which asserts that there are no promises to the doings of the unregenerate, is not matter of discouragement to any in constantly and earnestly attending on means; and that the opposite doctrine does not influence, to stir men up and put them forward in taking pains in this matter; but rather has a contrary influence: have we not rea­son to conclude, that the objection is groundless, however well supported by good reason, the ob­jector may think it to be?

It appears from fact, that sinners under the gos­pel more commonly neglect the proper means of grace and salvation, live in securiy and sloth, and so finally miscary, from presumption, than from de­spair; or for want of greater encouragement and hope. And when they do despair, so as in any degree to discourage them, and prevent their engaged, re­solute, painful endeavours, this is never grounded on their supposing that there are no promises to their doings; but upon some delusion. What se­cure sinners under the gospel who are neglecting the means of salvation, want, in order to their be­ing engaged in this matter, is to have their fears excited, and not their hope. Their hope is ge­nerally high enough, and too high in all reason; and is therefore presumption. They stand in need of having their fears excited, by a sight of the dangerous and awful state they are in. And when they have any degree of a just sense of this, they will still have all the hope that is consistent with [Page 111] a just fear and concern about themselves; even on supposition there are no promises made to their endeavours. They therefore who make this ob­jection, seem not only to have overlooked matter of fact, but not to attend to human nature, in its natural operations in a state of unregeneracy: and therefore attempt to argue, not only against all ex­perience: but in in direct opposition to reason and the nature of things.

But I proceed to observe,

2dly. THE doctrine that the doings of the unre­generate are connected with salvation, as it is preached up by those who hold it, is so far from containing in it more encouragement to them than the opposite doctrine, that it tends greatly to dis­courage sinners, who are in any good measure ac­quainted with themselves, and even to throw them into despair.

According to this doctrine, a sinner must dis­tinguish himself from others by his doings, as the proper and only ground of his obtaining mercy. And in order to this, his exercises and endeavonrs must be in some sense obedience to God, so in some degree good and acceptable, or at least not wholly unpleasing to God: so that by this he shall become a more suitable object of mercy, and recom­mended himself to God's favor. And in order to this, the sinner must really, heartily and ear­nestly desire salvation, even the salvation which the gospel offers; and must strive for it with the utmost earnestness, without intermission; must [Page 112] begin in season;^(y) and persevere in it to the end of life.^(z) And he who does not do all this, is so far from being in the way to salvation, that he will certainly be lost: and therefore can have no reasonable hope of mercy.

[Page 113]Now, it is easy to shew, that such a represen­tation of the case, tends to discourage the sinner who has any degree of just views of himself, and to land him in despair. The sinner who is brought to any true sight of himself, and belief and sense of eternal things, finds he has an exceeding hard heart, a stony heart; as this is never removed till men are regenerated. He finds that he is in no measure affected with the things, of God and re­ligion, [Page 114] as it is reasonable he should be: and takes pains and strives in no degree answerable to the import­ance of the matter. He will therefore naturally look upon himself, not to be an earnest striver for salva­tion; but rather a stupid, hardened creature, who though he finds himself more concerned about his soul than some others appear to be; and constantly attends on the means of grace, yet cannot view him­self as having begun to strive in earnest; and will therefore naturally be afraid, it is too late for him. And in this case, calling upon him earnestly and perseveringly to strive for salvation as the only con­dition on which he may hope to be saved, will tend to drive him to despair; for the more con­cerned he is, the more deficiencies he sees in his endeavours, and the less they appear to him; so that he will naturally conclude, he never shall be One of those strivers. He also finds that he has no real true desires of the salvation which is offered in the gospel; but is wholly without all good de­sires and inclinations, or any thing which should be acceptable or pleasing to God; and that there is no foundation in him for this, until his heart is changed. He will therefore despair of ever attain­ing to this in an unregenerate state: and conse­quently, if he is made to believe that none can ob­tain a new heart but those who have these good desires &c. he will of course despair of ever ob­taining it. In a word, he sees that he never has, and never shall do any good thing, by which he should distinguish himself from others, but natural­ly looks upon himself one of the greatest sinners; as his own sins are more in his view, and more attend­ed to by him than those of others. He therefore [Page 115] despairs of thus distinguishing himself from others; of doing or obtaining any thing which should re­commend him to God's favour, by becoming bet­ter or less sinful than others. So the doctrine that teaches him, he must thus distinguish him­self or perish, will be so far from comforting and encouraging him, that it tends only to discourage him: it will be like singing songs to a heavy heart; and if believed, will certainly deprive him of all hope. The only doctrine that can give support and hope to such a sinner, and encourage him to attend on means is, that God has mercy on whom he will have mercy; and therefore waits not to have sinners distinguish, and recommend themselves to him as more suita­ble objects of his mercy than others, before he will grant them mercy: but in shewing mercy acts as being infinitely above all obligations to any, and as having no regard to worthiness, or less unworthi­ness, as what recommends one to his favor, rather then another. This being the case, the greatest sinner; he who looks on himself the farthest from righteousness of any, and himself to be the most guilty and unworthy, may hope in the use of means: and this is his only support.

If a person is but in a small degree concerned a­bout his own salvation, and is in no measure con­vinced how sinful and depraved his heart is; and how entirely destitute of all good; he may be flat­tered and encouraged, under the notion of doing something by which he shall distinguish himself, so as to become a more suitable object of mercy than others, and which shall intitle him to God's favor. But to what is he encouaged?—Why, to think more highly of himself and his doings than [Page 116] there is any reason for; and to go on in a dull lazy way; while he flatters himself he is sufficiently in earnest, and is doing something very great and good. This is to flatter him to his own ruin; to keep him easy and secure in a great degree, or to quash any beginning of genuine conviction [...] con­cern, and promote that pride and self confidence which is inconsistent with the sinners attending on means with any good degree of solicitude and ear­nestness; and must be slain, in order to his com­ing to good.

IF these things are so; I think, it will follow.

3dly. THAT though there are no promises made to the endeavours and doings of the unrege­nerate; yet sinners have all proper encouragement to a diligent use of means. Yea all that the nature of the case will admit of.

If the doctrine, that there are promises to the doings of the unregenerate, does not in fact, or ac­cording to the reason of things, tend to encourage and excite sinners to a proper and diligent use of means; but really has directly the contrary ten­dency: then the opposite doctrine affords all pro­per and possible encouragement thereto, and is the only plan on which sinners may be addressed, con­sidering their state and disposition, so as to excite them earnestlly to use means with all proper de­grees of encouragement and hope: and so as shall tend to answer the proper end of means.

But what is said in the next section may serve further to clear up and confirm this.

IT may still remain a doubt with some, whether there is really any ground of encouragement for men, especially the unregenerate, to use means to obtain salvation: Or, If there be any, what it is. And as this is an important point, and a care­ful attention to it may serve to throw some further light upon this subject, and yet more fully ob­viate the objection last considered, the reader is in­vited to an attentive and candid perusal of what may be said in answer to the following questions.

QUEST. I. WHAT are the means of grace and salvation; and what it meant by using these means?

QUEST. II. WHY are means to be used, and what end does this answer? And what motive and encouragement is there to this?

QUEST. III. WHAT obligations are men under to use means?

[Page 118]QUEST. I. What are the means of grace and salvation; and what is meant by using these means?

ANS. THE means of grace and salvation may be considered as including every thing which is a­dapted and tends to communicate light and truth, respecting the things of a moral nature, to the mind of man; or to lead his mind to attend to truth, and to excite those ideas which are necessa­ry or proper, in order to right exercises.

The grand medium of grace and salvation, and strictly speaking, the sole medium, is TRUTH. It is in the view of this that the mind exercises it­self properly, and has true enjoyment. This is the food and life of the mind: Was there no truth, there could be no virtue, or real happiness. As sin and misery consist summarily in the darkness of the mind, and its alienation from, and opposition to light and truth; so all true holiness, and proper mental enjoyment, consists in those exercises which are implied and involved in a proper view and sense of truth; the truth, I mean, which relates to God's moral government and kingdom.

But then, all those things, those institutions and exercises, which tend to instruct mankind in the knowledge of truth; to excite the attention; to convey truth to the mind, and hold it up in its view: all these, I say, are in a more remote sense the means of grace and salvation. Such are all those things, those circumstances and events in the natural and moral world, which are adapted to in­struct mankind. Such, in a special manner is di­vine revelation; and all those institutions and ap­pointments therein, to be attended on by men. [Page 119] Such are reading the bible, public and private in­structions, religious conversation, serious medita­tion on divine things, &c. and particularly PRAY­ER, which is the most solemn way of meditating on divine truth, as it is done as in the presence of of God, and in a solemn address to him, and has a special and peculiar tendency to awaken, instruct and affect the mind.

USING these means intends two things, viz.

I. Taking methods with men to set truth be­fore them and instruct them, and awaken their at­tention. Thus God is using means with men in his providence, which is every way calculated to give instruction to a sinful world. But more e­specially by giving the revelation which is contain­ed in the bible; and ordering it to be published and preached to the world. And according to di­vine institution, men are using means with others for their salvation, by public and private instruc­tions, &c.

2. Persons themselves attending on these means. This is supposed in the use of means, just men­tioned: for if there were none to attend on means, there would be no such thing as using means with any, for their instruction. For the end of instruction cannot be answered, where there is no attention to the instruction given: so no pains tak­en to get instruction. He who cannot have the attention of those, with whom he attemps to use means, fails of answering the proper end of means entirely: and what he does is as much in vain, as to any benefit to the persons with whom he is con­cerned, as if they were stocks or stones. So that [Page 120] God's using means with men for their instruction and salvation, and directing men to use means with others, supposes the propriety and impor­tance of attending on these means. There would have been no wisdom or propriety in making a re­velation, if there were none to attend to it, and use all proper means to understand it, and get the instruction there given. To what purpose would it be to preach a sermon, or write a book in order to instruct men, if none were to hear or read? And what reason and propriety would there be in it? The propriety and reasonableness of taking any pains or method to instruct men, or using any means with them to this end, supposes it proper and reasonable, that they should give all that at­tention, and take all those pains, which are neces­sary in order to be under the best advance to get the instruction given. Now this is the sum of what is meant by being in the use of means.^(a) To use or attend the means of grace, is to make use of all the means of instruction in the things that relate to God's moral kingdom; to go into that conduct and practice, and do all those things, which tend to lead us into the knowledge of the truths, of di­vine revelation, and to keep up the attention of [Page 121] the mind to them: and carefully to avoid what­soever has a contrary tendency.

QUEST. II. WHY are means to be used, and what end does this answer? Or of what advantage is it to use means? What motive and incourage­ment is there to this?

It has has been observed that the end of using or attending on the means of grace is instructusing or ther to lead the mind to the knowledge of that truth which it was before ignorant of, or to renew the attention to truth already known, and fix the mind upon it. The question now is, What end this instruction answers; Of what advantage is it to have the truth set before the mind; and to have the attention of the mind fixed upon it?

ANS. THE benefit, advantage and importance of this to men, is just as great as that of an external, divine revalation. For divine revelation is of ser­vice to men no further than it is attended to and understood. The world is as well without it, as with it, if no instruction is given; but this in­struction comes only by attending to the things revealed, in the use of means. If therefore the revelation which God has made in the bible, is a­dapted to be of any benefit to mankind, with re­spect to their eternal salvation; it is of equal be­nefit to mankind to attend to this revelation, in the diligent use of all proper means; that hereby they may get and retain the instruction given therein: for without this it will certainly be in vain to them. A revelation not understood, is of no more advantage than no-revelation at all. There­fore [Page 122] means are to be used in order to obtain the knowledge of the truths contained in the bible, and to fix and impress them on the mind.

In order to the salvation of men, it is absolute­ly necessary that they should have the ideas and knowledge of those things which relate to this sal­vation, and in which it consists. He who has no idea in his mind of any thing, is not capable of a­ny exercise of heart, or of any mental enjoyment. No man is capable of any exercise about that of which he has no idea or knowledge. It is im­possible that a man should repent, and believe the gospel, so long as he has no knowledge of those truths, in the view of which, repentance and faith are exercised. Therefore if repentance and faith in Christ are necessary in order to salvation, a know­ledge of those things contained in divine revelation, without which there can be no such exercise, is e­qually necessary. But this knowledge can be ob­tained only in the use of means.

There are but two possible ways in which the knowledge of the truths, which are necessary to be known in order to salvation, can be obtained, viz. by immediate revelation, or inspiration; or by an external mediate one, or by means The latter is the way which God has taken to set these truths before the mind. Therefore the knowledge of them is not to be obtained in any way but in the use of means.^(b)

[Page 123]In proportion therefore as men feel the impor­tance and worth of salvation, will they be engaged in the diligent attendance on the means of grace, as necessary in order thereto, and so the only way in which they may hope to obtain it.

It is to be observed that I am now speaking of that knowledge which the mind is capable of, in­dependent of any degree of right taste or dispositi­on of the heart, or which the mind may have with­out discerning and relishing the beauty of divine things: And is what is commonly meant by spe­culative or doctrinal knowledge. This knowledge is to be obtained only in the use of means, and is necessary in order to repentance, or any right ex­ercise or heart: tho' no degree of it does imply, or is certainly connected with, any truely virtuous or holy exercise.

The unregenerate are certainly capable of great degrees of this knowledge, which may much im­press and affect their minds.^(c) They may have a clear view and affecting sense (which is indeed, strictly speaking, something more than mere spe­culation) of the truths of Christianity, and parti­cularly [Page 124] of their own state as sinners. They are ca­pable of every thing of this kind, but what de­pends upon, consists in, or results from a sight and discerning of the true beauty or moral excel­lency of divine things. This is indeed a kind of knowledge which is peculiar to the regenerate; the foundation of which is laid in their having a, new heart. The former is necessary in order to the latter, as it is supposed and implied in it: For there can be no discerning of the beauty of those objects, of which the mind has no specula­tive idea.

IF it should be asked, What good all this instruc­tion and knowledge will do the unregenerate, who are under the dominion of a hard and impenitent heart, and will continue so untill a new heart is gi­ven in regeneration? If this knowledge will be of no service to them, and really do them no good, and they are yet as far from salvation as ever; then there is no encouragement for them to attend on the means of grace, in order to obtain it, and keep up a view and sense of the truths of chri­stianity in their minds.

I answer, it is certain the unregenerate do not exercise any true virtue in their attendance on the means of grace, however engaged and diligent they are, and whatever pains they, take in this matter. And there is no connection between the instruction or knowledge they obtain hereby, and holiness. Yea, the impenitent sinner, who continues obstinately to reject and oppose the salvation offered in the gospel, does in some respects, yea, on the whole, become, not less, but more vicious and guilty in God's sight, [Page 125] the more instruction and knowledge he gets in at­tendance on the means of grace. The more clear­ly he sees his own wretched case as a sinner, and the dreadful consequence of dying in his sins; and the clearer conviction he has of his need of a Savi­our, and of the truths of the gospel in general; the greater is the crime of his impenitence, and con­tinuing to reject the salvation offered in the gospel. The awakened, convinced sinner, who has taken a great deal of pains in the use of means, and has hereby got a great degree of instruction and know­ledge, and yet continues impenitent, is in this re­spect much more guilty and vile, and a greater cri­minal in God's sight, than if he had never attain­ed to this conviction and knowledge: For now he is guilty of the abuse of, and opposition to, all this light and knowledge, which he could not be, while he had it not. Yea, his impenitence, and and all his sins are so aggravated by the light and conviction he obtains, that whatever particular ways of known sin he has forsaken, and how ma­ny soever external duties he attends upon; yet, on the whole, he is undoubtedly a greater sinner, than he was when he lived in security and the ne­glect of the means of grace. So that the impeni­tent, unregenerate sinner does not grow better, but rather grows worse, by all the instruction and knowledge he gets in the use of means. And a­wakened, convinced sinners, with whom most means are used, and who are most attentive to the concerns of their souls, and most in earnest in the use of means, are commonly, if not always, really more guilty and odious in God's sight than they who are secure and at ease in their sins.

[Page 126]Their greater sinfulness does not indeed consist in their concern about themselves, in a sense of the sad, dangerous state they are in, and in their ear­nestly desiring deliverance and safety; or in the pains they take in order hereto; but in their con­tinuing to hate God and his law, and to oppose and reject the Saviour, even under all their concern, exercises and endeavours, and with all the light and conviction they have.

Our Saviour represents the light which men have, as that which does in a peculiar manner, and above every thing else, aggravate the sin and condemnation of those who rebel against it. He says, "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness ra­ther than light."^(d) And he says of these to whom he preached; who continued to hate and reject both him and the father, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin."^(e) i. e. their sin would have been little or nothing, compared with what it is now. And he speaks of the inhabitants of those cities where most of his mighty works were done, to whom he most frequently preached, and who attended most on his ministry, and yet continued impenitent, as much more guilty, and liable to a more awful condemnation, than if they had never enjoyed these advantages, nor had this light and instruction.^(f)

None will deny, I trust, that a living under the gospel, and enjoying the means of grace, is the oc­casion of aggravating the sin and condemnation of those who persevere in their opposition to Jesus [Page 127] Christ. The gospel proves to them a "savor of death unto death." Consequently the more light and conviction men have, the more their attention is awakened to the things of the gospel, and the more means they attend upon, and are used with them, while they continue obstinately to oppose light and truth, and reject the offers of the gos­pel; the more guilty and vile, and the greater cri­minals are they in God's sight.

If these things are so, then the sin [...] who con­tinue impenitent under the greatest convictions of conscience, and the most concern about their souls and salvation, and are consequently taking the most pains, and using unwearied endeavours, are usually the greatest sinners, really more vici­ous, more guilty and vile than they were, when in a state of security, and lived in a great measure in the neglect of the means of grace. And if they live and die impenitent, their condemnation will be more intolerable, than if they had never had that conviction and knowledge which by their atten­tion to the gospel they have obtained. So that the good the sinner gets, by a constant attendance on the means of grace, while he continues im­penitent, is not a becoming in any degree virtuous or holy hereby; or on the whole, less vicious and criminal in God's sight.

However, there is yet a reason why the sinner should diligently attend all means of instruction and knowledge, and sufficient encouragement here­to. For,

I. WITHOUT this instruction and knowledge, which is to be obtained by those only who are [Page 128] using the proper means of it, the sinner cannot be saved, as has been shewn. This knowledge being absolutely necessary in order to salvation, he who is without it, has a fatal barr in the way of his salvation: And so far as this is obtained; this barr or impediment is removed out of the way; and so he is in a more likely way to be saved than those who are in security and ignorance. For surely he who has obtained one thing which is ne­cessary in order to salvation, is in a more likely way to be saved than he who has not obtained it, nor is in the way of it, all other circumstances be­ing equal, however uncertain it may be that ei­ther shall be saved. In order to salvation several things are necessary. He cannot be saved who does not believe; and he cannot believe who has not heard, and attended to the report of the gospel; so has no right speculative notions about the ob­jects of faith; and he cannot hear and understand, who has not the advantage of divine revelation^(g) Now he who enjoys divine revelation, and attends to it with the utmost concern and diligence; so is in the way to get right speculative notions of the objects of faiths and obtain all that is implied in hearing, is more likely to be saved, than he who either does not live under the gospel, or if he does, never attends to it, and uses no proper means to understand it. I say, the former is more likely to be saved, than the latter, because he has more of those things which are necessary in order to this, than the latter. If hearing, which is the same with a diligent attendance on the means of grace, [Page 129] is necessary in order to faith and salvation; then they who are concerned about the salvation of their souls, will be proportionably concerned and en­gaged to hear, and get instruction, as the only way in which they may hope to be saved.

It may be also farther observed,

2dly, As that instruction and knowledge which is to be had only by hearing, in a diligent and ear­nest attendance on the means of grace, is necessary in order to the exercise of repentance and faith, and so in order to salvation; so the way in which this knowledge is to be obtained, is the only way in which sinners may hope for a new heart, or to obtain regenerating grace.

As he who has no doctrinal acquaintance with the truths contained in God's word, is not in a ca­pacity to exercise any christian grace or virtue, whatever foundation there might be for this in the renovation of his mind by regeneration, no one has reason to expect that his heart will be thus renewed by the spirit of God, while he is in this case. God can doubtless as easily change the heart of the most ignorant, deluded, Mahometan, or heathen, yea the most blind, stupid Hottentot in the world, as that of the most awakened, enlight­ened sinner under the gospel. But if he should do so by the regenerating influences of his Spirit, there could be no right and proper exercises of christian virtue and holiness; because such an one is without any right speculative knowledge of those truths, in the view of which alone christian holiness is ex­ercised. And giving a new heart, or a right taste and temper of mind, would not remove this dark­ness. [Page 130] This only prepares the mind to discern and relish the beauty and sweetness of divine things, when set before it in the use of means; but does not give any new speculative ideas or knowledge. Therefore we have no reason to think God ever does so.

And as the case is in a great degree the same with those under the gospel, who have never attended, to it in earnest, they have no reason to expect to become new creatures by God's regenerating in­fluences, so long as they are in this situation. But in order to this, they must first be made to attend to the gospel with that concern and earnestness which is necessary in order to their learning the character of the just God and Saviour, and understand their own state and circumstances as sinners, in a man­ner in which no careless neglecters of the means of grace ever do: for untill they come to this, grace or the new creature could have no opportunity to exert itself properly, or according to its nature; but must lie dormant and inactive, so answer no good end: therefore not to be expected before, or in any other way. For God does not give life be­fore there is any provision for the support of it, or any materials by which it may subsist, and exert itself according to its own proper nature. Truth may be said to be the food on which the new crea­ture lives, and is absolutely necessary to the least motion of life, or exercise of holiness in the heart. Therefore the mind that has no speculative view and conviction of those truths, in the sight and sense of which especially christian holiness is exer­cised; but embraces the contrary errors [...] is in total ignorance of them, is not furnished or pro­vided [Page 131] for the exercise and support of the divine life: And none have any reason to expect it will be implanted, or a new heart given, while the man is in such a state.

When God created man, he did not first form him while the earth was in its chaotic state, when it was without form, and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep: he did not create him with all his bodily senses and appetites, before there were any objects towards wnich they might exercise themselves in a manner proper to man's nature, and so as to support and promote ani­mal life, and afford proper enjoyment and hap­piness. He did not form an eye before there was any light, or objects to be beheld: He did not produce animal life, dependant on food for its con­stant support and exercise, and an appetite for that food, before any materials were made, to become proper food, suited to the appetite, and to sup­port and nourish life. He did not form man be­fore he had provided any place for his subsisting and exercising himself in a manner proper and suited to his nature. No: He first ceated an external world, a proper dwelling place for man, furnished with materials suited to the senses; appetites and life of such a creature; that there might be a foundation and opportunity for proper exercises and enjoy­ments, as soon as he should be created. And we he­sitate not to say, that this was agreeable to wisdom; and that the contrary would not be so.

So in the new creation, God will not form the new creature where there is no proper provision, where there are no materials for the life and sup­port of the new man, so no opportunity to act, [Page 132] and to act in a manner proper and suitable to his na­ture. But proper materials for this new life must first be provided. The mind must be properly stored with speculative ideas of divine things, and the judgment convinced of the truth; in order to which the man must be all attention to these things in a sense of their high importance to him, as his whole, his eternal interest turns upon them. When things are thus prepared a new heart may be given with propriety and wisdom, as the new creature will now nave opportunity to act in a way answerable to its nature, and so to the glory of God.

Christ would not raise Lazarus to lite so long as the stone lay on the cave. It was proper the stone which would hinder his coming forth, were he a­live, should be first taken a way. In this case to neglect to take away the sftone would have been an effectual bar in the way of his resurrection; and the most likely method that could be taken to have him raised from the dead was to take it a­way. Ignorance of, and inattention to the truths of divine revealation, may be compared to this stone. The only likely way for the sinner to be­come the subject of a spiritual resurrection, is to have this taken away, by becoming all attention to the things contained in God's word. And the more instruction the sinner has, the more fully and clearly he is convinced of those truths which do most nearly concern him; and the more con­stantly and earnestly he attends to divine truth by hearing, reading, meditation, prayer, &c. and the more his mind is impressed and affected with it, as the minds of the unregenerate may be; the more hope there is in his case; the more likely it [Page 133] is that he shall become a new creature, and be­lieve to the saving of his soul.

This view of the matter serves to shew what is the advantage of knowledge to the unregenerate sinner, even the knowledge which no openly vi­cious, or careless sinner ever obtains; and the rea­snableness and importance of using means with such by constant public and private instruction, &c. and of their earnestly attending on all proper means of instruction; and consequently the motive and encouragement there is to this. Moreover,

3dly, FACT and experince serve to strengthen the foregoing observations and reasoning, and shew the advantage there is in attending on the means of grace, and hold forth the proper encouragement thereto. For it appears from experience that this is the most, the only likely way to obtain regene­rating grace and salvation. None, I suppose, will dispute whether more have been converted and saved of those who have attended on the means of grace, than of those who have not, in proportion to their numbers. All will grant that many were saved who attended on the preaching of John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles; many more, ac­cording to the number of those who attended, than of those who did not enjoy or attend these means. Our Saviour indeed says that publican's and har­lots went into the kingdom of God before, or ra­ther than the chief priests and elders of the Jews. But this is so far from being an objection against what has been just observed, that it serves to con­firm it. For publicans and harlots attended much more on Christ's preaching, and much better un­derstood [Page 134] the things relating to the kingdom of God than they. The former attended so constant­ly, and were so much in his company, that it was made an objection against him, and he was oblig­ed often to vindicate his conduct with respect to them.

It therefore appears from fact and experience that they are in the most likely way to be saved, who attend on the means of grace And when the matter is attended to, the reason of this may easily be seen, as has been shewn above. We therefore now see what advantage there is in at­tendance on means, and what is the proper motive aid encouragement thereto. When any one at­tends to his eternal interest, and feels the infinite importance of it to him, and at the same time sees the undone, wretched state he is in as a sinner, he will with all his might pursue that method which appears most likely to obtain deliverance from the evil he fears, and promote this interest. Let the only way be pointed out to him in which he may have hope, and he will want no farther motive and encouragement to attend to it with resolution and earnestness. This will prove, in all such cases, a sufficient motive and encouragement, and will ne­ver fail effectually to influence the person who is sensible his all lies at stake, and enters into the in­finite importance of the matter to him. If there­fore any sit still in the neglect of the means of grace, it is not owing to any deficiency in the encourage­ment to attend upon them; but to stupidity with regard to their own case, and their eternal interest. And if this encouragement is not effectual, no ima­ginable, or even possible, encouragement would be so.

[Page 135]IF any should say, that promises to the sinner's endeavours and persevering attendance on means, would raise the encouragement much higher: for then there would be no discouragement, but an absfolute certainty of succeeding in ihis way; the following particulars may perhaps serve to discover their mistake.

I. If there were such promises made, the sfin­ner would be so far from being absolutely certain of salvation in a way of attendance on means, that the probability, in his view, and his encourage­ment would not be at all increased hereby. And that for two reasons.

1. The sinner could never come to any certain­ty that he had fulfiled the condition to which the promise is made, or that he is in a likely way to fulfil it. 1. Because he could never be certain that he had come up to that precise degree of earnest striving and diligent attendance on means, to which the promise is made.^(h) If there are any promises made to the doings of the unregenerate, they are made not to any certain kind of exercises and en­deavours, so that the lowest degree of this kind of seeking intitles to the promise, but to a certain degree of this kind, which is not, neither can be precisely pointed out, and distinguished from some lower degree, to which the promise is not made, so that the sinner can ever be certain that he has attained [Page 136] to that degree. And however near he comes to it, if he, after all, finally falls short in the least de­gree, he is as far from salvation, in this way, as if he had done nothing. This therefore would tend to perplex, rather than incourage the sinner. Yea, the sinner who has the clearest view of the viciousness of his own heart, and the greatest sense of the reallity and importance of eternal things, will be farthest from imagining that he has attain­ed to that degree of earnestness of endeavour to which the promise is made: and will be most ready to conclude against himself, as being a stu­pid, indolent, sottish wretch, and despair of ever obtaining salvation in this way. But,

2dly. If the sinner could be certain that he has attained to that degree of earnestness of endea­vour which will intitle him to the promise, if he perseveres in it: yet he can have no certainty of persevering, so no certainty of salvation. As his perseverance depends wholly on himself, his own will and resolution, and so he has nothing to rely upon but himself for it, 'tis the most uncertain thing in the world that he shall persevere. He can have confidence in nothing, in this case, but his own deceitful heart which is indeed only the confidence and presumption of a fool: for "he that trusteth in his own heart is a tool."⁽ⁱ⁾ If he is sufficiently in earnest and painful in his endea­vours for some time; yet if after all that, he is in any degree remiss and negligent one day, or but one hour, all is lost, and he has got all to begin again; for he has failed of perseverance. And [Page 137] how does he know that it is not now eternally too late! So that his salvation, on this footing, is the most uncertain, precarious thing in the world: or rather may most reasonably be despaired of. He who knows his own heart, so far as he who is un­der proper, geneuine convictions does, can take no encouragement from this quarter. This is suit­ed only to flatter and bolster up the unreasonably self confident and fool-hardy. Therefore,

2. Such promises, were there any, would only tend to encourage men in a self confidence, which is as opposite to the whole tenor of divine revela­tion, and the peculiar genius and glory of the gos­pel, as darkness is to light; so that the more the sinner has of it, the farther he is from Christ, and the more blind to the way of salvation by him. The preaching up such promises therefore, will tend to fix persons in their self confidence and de­lusion, who have no good degree of genuine con­viction of their sinful, miserable state, and to fast­en them down in ease and security; so to pervert the benefit of the means of grace and frustrate the great end and design of them, which is to give light and instruction to the sinner. But to those who are in any measure convinced of their true state; so know how little depandence there is on themselves, how vile and fottish their hearts are, this doctrine will give no encouragement: but will have directly the contrary influence on them, if they can be made to believe it, as has been before shewn.

QUEST. III. WHAT obligations are men under to use means?

[Page 138]ANS. THEY seem to be under the same obliga­tions to this, as they are to repent and believe the gospel. If God commands all men every where to repent, then he requires of them all that is impli­ed in, or is necessary in order to, repentance. He therefore requires of them to understand those truths which are necessary to be known in order to repentance: consequently requires all that attenti­on to the things contained in divine revelation, which is necessary in order to understand those truths, a right speculative knowledge of which is implied in repentance. But this implies a diligent use of the means of grace, as has been shewn. A neglect of any of those things, which are im­plied in, or necessary in order to repentance, is a neglect of, and opposition to, the command to repent; so a counteracting and violating our obliga­tions to repent. But he is guilty of this, who ne­glects the means of grace. It has been shewn that there is a certain degree of speculative knowledge necessary in order to exercise repentance, which they never have who live in the neglect of all means of grace. Therefore the command to repent, is a command to attend all those means necessary in or­der to attain that knowledge. If men are under a­ny obligation to attend to the command to repent and be converted, or to obey this command, they are under obligation to all that, which is implied in this, or necessary on their parts in order to it: therefore are under obligation to hear and attend to the truths contained in God's word, with the ut­most concern and diligence.

The preaching the gospel therefore, which is the same with a testifying to all men repentance [Page 139] toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ; is a call unto all to hearken and attend, as this is implied in repentance and faith. But to hearken and attend, implies the whole that is in­tended by the use of means. Therefore if any preacher of the gospel doubts whether he has any warrant to call upon and exhort sinners to attend the means of grace; he appears not well to under­stand what he is about: for he is really doing this, while he is calling upon and exhorting them to re­pent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. For how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?^(k)

And it may be here observed, that this is the scriptural way of calling upon men to attend means, viz. to call on them to repent and believe the gos­pel. And they who so far attend to this call as to feel the infinite importance to themselves that they should comply with it, will of course, and of their own accord go into a diligent use of means. Many public teachers therefore seem to make a great mis­take here. Instead of calling upon all to repent and believe the gospel, as the only condition of God's favor and eternal life, the most they do, with relation to unregenerate sinners, is to exhort and urge them to these doings which are short of [Page 140] repentance. They teach them to use means in such a manner, as rather tends to defeat the pro­per end of means, and so as that they become a means of blinding their eyes, rather then of in­truction; it tends to lead them to rest in means, and make a Saviour of them; to quiet and heal them short of repentance, and a saving application to Jesus Christ.

OBJ. Whatever obligations sinners are under to attend the means of grace: yet if they attend, they still sin in all they do, while they continne impenitent, yea they are constantly growing worse and more guilty, the more pains they take, and as light and conviction increase. What obligati­ons do they then fulfil? And is not this sufficient matter of discouragement?

Ans. I. They do not properly fulfil their obli­gations, if they stop short of true repentance, or real holiness; for nothing short of this is true obe­dience to God's law. Nevertheless, a neglect of the means is an instance of the violation of the obligation they are under, which they are not guil­ty of who do attend with concern and engaged­ness, however guilty and vile they may be in other respects; which guilt and vileness may be greatly aggravated by their attendance on means. If a man forbear to kill his neighbour, certainly he does not violate the obligations he is under not to kill, as he does who takes away his neighbour's life, how­ever far he may be from any true love to his neigh­bour, or obedience to any of God's commands; and though he may, on the whole, be more guil­ty than the murtherer.

[Page 141]If a father calls after, and commands his two sons, who are running from him, with a design to quit his family and government, as what they per­fectly hate, immediately to return back, and sub­mit themselves to his authority: If they ought to obey their father's command, then they are un­der obligation to stop and attend to what he has to say; for this is implied in what he requires, and ncessary in order to it. Therefore if one turn a­bout and attend to what his father has to say to him, while the other stops his ears, and runs on till he is out of hearing, the former does not vio­late the obligation to stop and hearken, which the latter does, though if he continues to hate his fa­ther, and refuses to return and submit to his govern­ment, he cannot be said to obey his father's com­mand; and may, by the light and conviction laid before him by his father, in consequence of his flopping and attending, be more guilty in refusing to submit to him than the other who has been out of hearing.

And if any by-stander, who sees them running; oft, should tell them to stop and hear what their father says, he would herein act a friendly part both to them and their father, and perfectly coincide with his command to them to return and submit themselves to him. Indeed, if he should inculcate this upon them so as to leave their father's com­mand to return, &c. out of view, dwelling on this as if it was the only thing that they had to do: Or as what would on the whole recommend them to their father, and interest them in his fa­vour; or render them less displeasing to him, tho', after all, they persisted in their refusal to return [Page 142] and submit to him. I say, if he should treat the matter so, it would be so far from vindicating the father's authority, and coinciding with his com­mand, that he might justly look upon it at taking part with his rebellious sons, setting up against him, and flattering them to their own ruin.

Ans. II. However sinful and abominable in God's fight the impenitent are in all they do, even in attendance on the means of grace, their sinful­ness does not consist meerly in this; it does not consist in their concern about their eternal interest: in their dread of misery, and desire to escape it, and obtain happiness, nor in their using means in order to this, in reading, hearing praying, &c. but in their impenitency, in the opposition of their hearts to holiness, and the only way of salva­tion; and in those things which are the attendants and consequence of this, or in the want of their opposites, with which all their exercises are attend­ed, and therefore very criminal. But this can be no reason why they should neglect the proper means of salvation. If "the plowing of the wicked is sin," shall they therefore not-plow? Shall they not desire food for themselves and their families, and take the most likely method to obtain it?—Their sin does not consist meerly in their plowing, so that it would be a less sin not to plow, than to do it; but in the wrong views and exercises of mind with which they plow, and in the want of right ones.

And if by attending, praying, reading, hear­ing, &c. the impenitent sinner grows more crimi­nal and vile, as his light and conviction increases this is not properly owing to use of means; but to [Page 143] to the rooted viciousness of the heart. The at­tendance on means is indeed the occasion of it, as by this, greater light and conviction takes place in the mind: and the wickedness of the heart takes occasion by this light to exert itself with a high­er hand, and more obstinately.

Ans. III. The sinner's growing no better, but re­ally worse, more guilty and vile, the more light he has and the greater advantages he enjoys, while he continues impenitent, is really no matter of discouragement from attending means in order to get light and instruction, &c. For in the gospel there is no more encouragement given to a less sin­ner than to a greater; that he shall find mercy ra­ther than the other, while both continue impeni­tent, and opposers of the way of salvation therein revealed. No one sinner has any reason to hope that he shall be saved rather than an other, because he has not been, or is not now, so great a sinner as others, while he is impenitent, and at heart an enemy to the gospel. Never did a sinner find acceptance with God, on account of the compari­tive smallness of his sins, or his reformations, which were short of an hearty compliance with the gos­pel. We indeed read of one who took his encour­agement that God would accept and favor him, from his imagining himself not so criminal and vile as others. But what was the conseqnence? He was rejected: While one who took his encourage­ment to hope for God's mercy quite from another quarter, and which was consistent with his view­ing himself as the chief of sinners, found favor.^(k) [Page 144] The gospel offers salvation to the greatest sinners: they are as welcome as any other; they are as ac­ceptable to God, and he is as ready to bestow sal­vation upon them, as if their sins were not so ma­ny and great, if they will heartily embrace offered mercy, submit to, and trust in a Mediator. In this respect there is as much encouragement to the most guilty and vile, as to any whatsoever.

And as to obtaining a new heart by regenerating grace, they who are the chief of sinners, have as much encouragement to hope for this, in the use of means, as they whose sins are less aggravated, and not so many or great. It does not appear from scripture, that God chooses out the least sinners to be the objects of this mercy; or that he withholds it from any meerly because they are so guilty and hateful in his sight: or that he waits till men who have been great sinners are so reformed as to be­come, all things considered, less vile and guilty. And there is not any thing in the bible that should lead us to think, that God bestows his regenerat­ing grace on the least sinners more commonly than on those who are greater: But we find much there to teach us, that if he ever does this, it is not be­ cause they are less sinners than others; but for some other reason.

If sinners were to take their only encourage­ment to hope for salvation in the use of means, from their being less sinners than others, or not so bad as they once were, this would tend to take all encouragement from those who are under genuine convictions, and have any true view of their own sinfulness, and leave them in absolute despair. For all such, as they have a more clear and full sight [Page 145] of their own sins than they can have of others, ara naturally led to view themselves as the greatest sin­ners. And as by attendance on means, they get more and more acquainted with their own hearts, their own sinfulness increases in their view, they are so far from looking on themselves as less sin­ners than they were, that they naturally view themselves in a contrary light

The only proper way [...] sinner, who is under any great degree of genuine conviction of sin, and concern about his eternal in­terest, to attend on means with hope, is not to preach up promises to his doings, and lead him to expect hereby to become less sinful; but to teach him the true end and design of means. He will then know that the great wickedness of his heart, exercised in all he does, and his appearing to him­self to grow worse rather than better, which is commonly the chief ground of discouragement to such, is really no reason why he should neglect means; but rather an encouragement constantly to attend. For this sight and conviction of his own sinfulness, which is necessary in order to sal­vation, is kept up in his mind and encreased, on­ly by attending on means. In this view his own experience serves to shew the advantage of using means, and is matter of encouragement and hope.