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YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

CONSIDERATIONS

ON THE

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Christian Covenant;

WITH A VIEW TO SOME

IMPORTANT CONTROVERSIES.

BY
JOSEPH HOLDEN POTT, A.M,^
ARCHDEACON QF ST. ALBAK's.

THE SECOND EDITIpN; WITH COEBECTIONS AND ADDITIONS,

Honicion:
PRINTED .FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTONj
62, ST. PAUL'S church-yard;
By Bye and Law, St. John's Square, Clerkeawell.
1805.

DEDICATION.

TO THE
Rev. ROBERT GRAY, D. D.
fREBENDARY OF CHICHESTER, &C,
THE reluctance with which I set
my name to any thing which carries the
appearance of controversy, is compen
sated by the pleasure which I feel in
joining it with yours in this place ; and
in subscribing myself, with the truest
sense ofthe value of that well tried regard
"which has so long subsisted between us,
Your faithful
and affectionate Friend,

J. H. POTT.

CONSIDERATIONS, &c.

The design ofthe following observations
being founded in the general Conditions
of the Christian Covenant, it will be ne
cessary to collect them into one view, as
they are delivered in the first tenders and
proposals of the GospeL They meet us
in the words of exhortation which were
spoken by the immediate Forerunner of
our Lord ; in the declarations of our Lord
himself; and in the testimonies of his
Apostles. The holy Baptist preached Repentance,
for none can be disciples of the Christian
School but such as will forsake their sins.
Our Lord when entering on his ministry
preached Repentance and Faith, saying,
" the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom
A 3 " of

" of God is at hand ; repent ye, and
" believe the Gospel." The sameTeachers
instruct us how to build upon these
foundations: accordingly the Baptist says
" bring forth therefore fruits meet for
" Repentance :" for no one can continue
Christ's disciple but such as will keep the
precepts of their Master. Our Lord to
the same effect declares, that " every
" Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit,
" is hewn down, and cast into the fire :"
and in that solemn charge and commission
which he gave to his Apostles, he says, " go
" ye therefore and teach all nations ; bap-
" tizing them in the name of the Father,
" and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ;
" teaching them to observe all things
" whatsoever I have commanded you."
St. Paul unites the several parts of the
Condition, and declares at once the order
and the substance of it, when he relates
to King Agrippa that his preaching " both
" to the Jews and Gentiles was that they
" should repent, and turn to God, and
" do Avorks meet for repentance." So
clearly

clearly are the terms ofthe New Covenant
stated to us by the mouths of its chief
Witnesses. The baptismal vow, the par
ticulars of which are repeated when the
Christian Covenant is renewed at the table
of the Lord, presents the same terms, and
sets forth the same general obligations.
The same Conditions may readily be
found in the Parables by which our Lord
so frequently illustrated his precepts and
discourses. They appear distinctly in the
Parable af the Talents, in which a suitable
improvement is required in proportion to
the means and opportunities of different
persons ; and the sentence turns upon the
main points of a diligent and proper use
of that which is received, or an indolent
misapplication of the benefits bestowed.
In places almost numberless, do our Lord
and his Apostles deliver the same truth,
prescribing the several Conditions of the
Christian Covenant with a constant de
claration that if any shall be found want
ing in such parts of their duty, their pleas
A 4 of

8
of Faith, and their boast of covenanted
privileges, will fall short. " If ye know
" these things, happy are ye if ye do
" them ;" is our Lord's word. Again the
Conditions of the Christian Covenant may
be found as readily in the descriptions
which are given of the final distributions
of the great day of account ; where the
proportionable recorapence of the service
of each man in ihe obvious sense of a
real reckoning, founded on a work of trial,
is manifestly set forth. From such grounds
and documents of the Holy Scripture it
must be gathered that the several parts
and offices of Christian duty, to what
Grace soever they belong, will have their
estimate, and will find their reward in a
due proportion, according to their cove
nanted privilege in Christ Jesus.
A right Consideration of the general
Conditions imphed in these passages of
Scripture will go far fo decide the con
troversies unhappily arising upon diverse
points which stand apart from the funda
mental

9
mental Articles of the Christian Faiths
We shall at least acquire a clear under
standing of the topics which are disputed
by bringing them to this test which the
Conditions of the Christian Covenant will
supply. Having stated these preliminaries, let
us first apply the test which we have
adopted to a leading branch of Christian
doctrine, and consider how far the main
taining the Conditions will affect the ques
tion of our Justification by Faith only.
Our Justification is most truly said
to be by Faith, in any of the following
senses :
First, as the term Justification by Faith
implies the whole method of Justification
under a Covenant of Grace, in which the •
Merits of Another form the true ground,
and only valuable cause, of our acceptance
before God. In this first sense, which
distinguishes the Covenant of Grace from that

10
that of Avorks of every kind, to be justified
" through Grace, by Faith," is the same
as " to be justified freely, by the Grace
" of God, through the redemption that
" is in Christ Jesus." Thus what in one
place of Scripture is called " the righte-
" ousness of Faith," in another is said to
be " a righteousness by the Faith, or
" Gospel of Christ Jesus, as it was mani-
" fested without the Law, being witnessed
" by the Law and the Prophets."
The next sense in which we are truly
said to be justified by Faith, is that
in which Faith appears as the leading
Principle of Conduct. This is the Faith
of which St. Paul discourses in those emi
nent examples which he brings from
former ages ; and this Faith became more
explicit with respect to the Redeemer's
Person, and the Gospel dispensation, after
the Messiah's advent ; the promises which
were seen before afar off, being then dis
tinctly understood, and the grounds of
them being set forth as the substance of
the Christian Creed. The

11
The third sense in which Faith may
be said to stand alone, is that in which
Faith hath a peculiar office in the work
of Justification ; " which office," as our
Homily observes, " no other Christian
" Grace can so properly be said to have."
A few words will noAv serve to shew
that the terms of the Christian Covenant
as stated in our first engagement and
baptismal voav, and as consisting of Re
pentance, Faith, and Obedience, are per
fectly compatible with each of these
methods of explaining the Scripture doc
trine of Justification by Faith.
First, if we regard that doctrine as
stating the ground of our salvation, and
as restraining it entirely to Christ's^ only
sufferings and merits, as the proper caus^
of our Redemption, which is the view
taken of the subject by St. Paul in his
epistle to the Romans, — then the general
Conditions of the Christian Covenant will
be perfectly consistent with this statement. Thus

12
Thus the benefit of Pardon, Grace, and
Glory, will arise as the purchased bles
sings procured for us by the blood and
merits of one only Saviour, though the
grant of those gifts be suspended on Con
ditions, which are calculated to our best
improvement, and graciously adapted to
a state of trial . or probation consistent
with our present circumstances and capa
city. It will still remain indubitably clear
that those unspeakable advantages are
procured for us by the Saviour's merits, that
they are bestowed only for his sake, and
purchased at a price to which Ave con
tribute nothing ; though the same gifts be
coupled Avith such terms as are inseparable
from the nature of a state of trial, and
from the moral character of man. If Ave
Avill only keep in mind the purpose and
mtent to which the Redeemer's sufferings
and merits have their full avail, and com
pare that Avith the end for which the
Christian's service under the general Con
ditions of the Gospel is required, we shall
not fail to find a clear, easy, and obvious
solution

13
solution of the difficulties which have
been raised upon this subject ; and it will
be sufficient barely to state this diffe
rence, in order to shew that the Conditions
of the Christian Covena,nt are perfectly
compatible with the sole sufficiency ofthe
merits of Christ Jesus in the work of Justi
fication here considered. Thus then it is
one thing to be the only valuable Cause
Jjy which salvation is procured, and it is
another thing to be the Condition upon
which that gift is graciously bestowed.
From the former of these, that is from the
meritorious Cause, Ave exclude not only
our own works of every kind, but Re
pentance and Faith also. Under the
latter, that, is under the Condition, Ave
find Repentance, Faith, and Obedience,
to be constantly required.
The distinction here proposed is not a
nice or subtle thing. The simplest Man
may understand the difference between
the Cause, and the Condition of his hope.
By that obvious discrimination he will be

14
be able to solve a question which has
exercised the pains of many, and to re
concile with ease the supposed discordance
between the words of revealed truth in
the mouths of tAVO of its distinguished
Witnesses. Thus when St. Paul in his
epistle to the Romans treats of the merito
rious ground or reason of our Justification
for Christ's only sake, he speaks in different
terms from his FelloAV-Avitness, who treats
in his general epistle, of the Conditions of
the Christian Covenant. The very scope
of the two discourses, and the persons to
Avhom they were addressed, point directly
to this obvious distinction. St. Paul aims
his reasoning at the Jews, and therefore
he lays open the foundation of a new and
better Covenant than that in which they
trusted. St. James addresses Christian
Converts who admitted the true ground
of salvation, but wanted to get rid of the
Conditions ofthe Gospel; contending that
Faith might serve without works of pro
bation. Accordingly he does not in that
place set forth the meritorious Cause of
our

15
our salvation, nor has he one tvord in
that discourse directing our attention that
way, which is the true reason why he
speaks so differently from St. Paul. He
confines his remarks to that which was
called in question, the Conditions of the
Gospel. He does not, as some would
have him, profess to shew, that there is
one mode of Justification before God, and
another before men, concerning which
distinction there is not a syllable in his
discourse ; nor does he intimate, as Some
also suppose, that good works will follow
Faith by inevitable consequence. He sup
poses rather from the very case of those
whom he reproves, that men might believe,
and stop short in their belief. He there
fore proves that Obedience must be ad
ded to Faith, upon the same grounds of
Choice and Trial, wijth the same volun
tary prosecution of the terms of our en
gagement, and in order to the same end.
But let us pass on to the second sense
in which Faith is taken for the leading
Principle,

16
Principle, aiid chief Grace of the Christian
life, and is therefore said to justify. Here
also the threefold Condition is not less
consistent with this mode of speaking;
for thouoh Faith when considered as the
leading Principle of Christianity be so
prevailing and so eminent as to give its
OAvn name, and to impart its character to
the Avhole service of the Christian, yet it
is a Faith which must produce Obedience
tOAvard God, not by a physical and ne
cessary influence, but by a moral Ope
ration which leaves room for the proper
exercise of trial, and involves the general
Conditions of the Gospel Covenant.
With regard also to the third sense in
which a special office is ascribed to Faith,
which does not belong so properly to any
other of the Christian Graces ; neither
does this view of the matter exclude the
general Conditions of the Covenant : the
distinction being clear betAveen Faith con-
isidered as the means for accepting what
is freely given, and Faith as it ranks to
gether

17
gether with Repentance and Obedience
as a joint requisite in those terms upon
which the great objects of the Christian
hope are tendered and suspended.
By Avhat has been offered upon this
head of doctrine which relates to our jus
tification and acceptance before God, it
is manifest that they Avho maintain the
threefold Condition of the Christian Co
venant, do not put their own perform
ances, either in the whole or in part, in
the place of their Redeemer's merits ; nor
do they in the least detract from the
full sense of Justification by Faith only,
as opposed to that Avhole mode of Justifi
cation which is proper to a Covenant of
Works. The misconception here alluded
to is frequently encouraged by neglecting
to mark what has been distinctly pointed
out, the difference of intent betAveen that
which is wrought by our Redeemer, in
order to procure acceptance. for us by its
own worth; and that which is required
of the believer in compliance only with
B the

18
the terms upon which such benefit is
bestowed. ? The first is the only meri
torious cause of our salvation ; the
second is truly and properly the Con
dition. Let us pass on to apply the same
test to another main point of Christian
doctrine, and to examine hoAV consist
ent the Conditions of the Covenant are
with those suffrages of Scripture Avhich
declare so frequently that the Grace of
God is freely given ; and here it may be
•tvell to look first to the doctrine of Elec
tion, which involves the same important
question. When the Israelites are spoken of in
Scripture as a Chosen Seed, they are
spoken of collectively as a Nation, called
before Others to high and precious pri
vileges without any claim, or merit On
their OAvn part, God designing by the
very method of their Call to remind them
that neither they nor any Other People
deserved

19
deserved this Grace at his hand, but that
all were equally descendants from a sinful
Sire, involved in the participation of his
corrupted nature, and subject to the sen
tence of his guilt. It was not therefore
to mark an arbitrary purpose that God so
frequently put the Israelites in mind that
they were called of his mere Will. The
obvious purport of that intimation was,
that the true reason of the whole redemp
tion of mankind by one only Saviour,
should appear through all the dispensa
tions of the Lord ; and the perpetual
lesson to be gathered from such declara
tions was that which enjoined humility
amidst the choicest privileges, and admo
nished men to couple lowliness of mind
Avith the most eminent distinctions.
The reasons also for this method of
God's Providence may be further traced
in the very Order of those dispensations.
Thus it was needful in the course and
process of that great design, that one
People should be separated before Others,
B 2 upon

20
upon many important accounts. The
Avhole Avork of redemption was to be
Avrought by gradual measures ; and ac
cording to that Avise and stupendous
scheme which hath been laid and accom
plished for that end, it could only be
effected by such orderly and successive
steps. Thus a Chosen People Avere to
become the great examples of the favour
and peculiar purposes of Providence to
surrounding nations, and were to yield a
public lesson to mankind. The Redeemer
was also to be ushered in by many a pre
vious notice, and announced by many a
circumstance conspiring to awaken ex
pectation, and to keep men in attendance
on the Word of God. Thus also the
chain of Evidence, in many a t_ype and
many a Prophecy Avhich Avere to be ful
filled in due season, v/as to be laid, and
much time Avas needful to prepare in one
chosen spot, and among a peculiar People,
distinguished by many plain characters
of divine Protection, the firm foundations
upon which a reasonable Faith was to be
built

21
built in after ages, when the Call Avas to
become more general. True it is that
great stress is laid in many a line of Scrip
ture upon the free grant of this prime
favour to the House of Israel. For the
same cause, and in order to point out
more distinctly that their privileges did
not follow the claim of merit on the part
of any among men, or the order of nature
in their families, God frequently preferred
the Younger to the Elder, and declared
his purpose before the birth of those who
were to be the depositaries of his- favour,
and the accepted Servants of his house
hold. Both these circumstances were
nianifested in the choice of Jacob, who
was preferred to Esau, the Younger fo
the Elder, and that when neither were
yet born : but it is clear according to this
vieAV, of what nature the privilege was
which Avas extended both to Israel, and
his descendants, as a body. It Avas iiot
the privilege of personal sanctification ; it
was not an absolute Election or determi
nation to eternal life. The tender of
B 3 eternal

23
eternal life is always suspended on Con
ditions ; and most certainly the grant of
it did not reach to all those Avho Avere
comprehended in one choice as an elected
people, since many of that number lived
and died in open trespass. Evident it is
then, that the Call extended no further
than to the privilege of God's Church,
and to the right of Communion in his
household, under his peculiar Covenant.
These indeed were privileges ofthe highest
nature, tending directly, if duly cherished,
to advance the spiritual hope, and ever
lasting happiness of those who Avere in
vested with them ; but the final blessing
did not follow by inevitable consequence ;
it was tendered on Conditions, of which
the Israelites were perpetually reminded,
They were told repeatedly that if they
neglected those terms, they should reap
no benefit from their Calling. The dis
tinction then is most plain and obvious
between a Call to the privileges of a
Chosen People, with all the advantages
of God's Covenant; and an absolute
Election

23
Election to eternal life. From confound
ing these things all the difficulties in this
question have been occasioned ; and by
putting the latter proposition for the
former, has arisen that scheme which ex
cludes entirely the Conditions of the Co
venant of life.
Yet nothing surely can be more clear
than the broad line of distinction betAveen
the calling of an whole nation, beginning
in the election of their Sire, to privileges
which would sever them from other na
tions, which Call to outAvard fellowship
might lead to everlasting blessings on the
due performance of Conditions, — and the
designation to eternal life Avithout Con
ditions. The same interpretation Avill
apply to the Elect under the Gospel dis
pensation. The Body of Believers is fre
quently so called ; though they are ex
horted to use all diligence to make their
calling and election sure. Or if Ave re
strain the term Elect to those Avho are
also called holy, pure, beloved of God,
B 4 it

24
it may be spoken of such as shall be saved
according to God's CA^erlasting purpose,
but it Avill not folloAV that such expressions
are used with reference to any absolute de
cree, and AA'ithout regard to the right use
of the privileges of Communion Avith
which they have been invested.
Let us but keep in mind this just and
manifest distinction, and all that is said
concerning election both Avith regard to
Jew or Gentile, as relating to the privi
leges of a communion in the Church of
God, Avill be found to be both easy and
consistent ; Avhereas if we apply such
things to the grant of everlasting life, no-
thins can be more intricate or irrecon-
cileable than what is said of men and na
tions, Avho are sometimes called altogether
holy Avhen they Avere personally much
otherwise, and are styled elect, Avhen
they Avere in frequent opposition to the
Will of God. Pursue this clew, and it
is easy to understand all that is said con
cerning God's love to Jacob, and his
hatred

25 ^
hatred toward' Esau ; and of the prefer
rence Avhich was thus shewn, not accord
ing to the order of nature, but against
it ; nor with respect to what either had
done, but before their births, and ac
cording to the mere Will of God : the
choice of one People before Others being
grounded on the Avisest reasons in the
order of God's gracious dispensations.
All that is said also with relation to the
Jewish or the Christian dispensation, con
cerning different vessels made to more or
less honorable uses according to the Pot-
ter's pleasure, will admit of an easy con
struction ; nor shall we be suffered for a
moment to imagine that God makes some
to be mete vehicles of his Avrath, (though
he is said to bear with such men for a sea
son when they pervert their own ways,)
and Others for his everlasting favour and
acceptance, without respect to their con
duct, or to the use they make of their
several means and opportunities for im
provement. Admitting this interpreta tion,

26
tion, the Conditions of every Covenant
come in with h true and proper meaning,
according to Avhich each man has his
term of trial and his reasonable service,
without respect of person in the great
day of account.
Thus again the whole question resolves
itself into that point whether there be
Conditions properly so called, under every
dispensation ; for if there be, the Calling
and Election cannot signify an absolute
determination of certain men to ever
lasting life ; but it may signify the ad
vancement of some before Others, for wise
reasons, to the privileges of a nearer in
tercourse with God; to a better know
ledge of his Will, and to the use and ad
vantages of his peculiar Covenant.
With respect now to the dispensations
of divine Grace under this Election which
has been considered, we have to examine
further whether the freedom of the grant
be in any Avise diminished by maintaining the

27
the Conditions ; so that this test is here
again to be applied to another main
branch of Christian doctrine. The ordi
nary rule and method of divine Grace
are so clearly pointed out, that it will be
no less easy once more to discover the
place which is left for the Conditions of
the Christian Covenant.
If we take up the view in the volume
of the former Testament, we find the
Most High expostulating frequently with
all his people ; declaring that he had left
nothing undone that could be done for
their benefit consistently with their cha
racters as reasonable Creatures, and with
that uniform Condition of a state of trial
which is never cancelled under any dis
pensation of his Grace ; so that men must
add guilt to guilt in resisting all fit methods
for recovery, before they shall be cast off.
Tothe passionate address of Moses "for-
^' give their sin : and if not, blot me I pray
^' thee out of thy book which thou hast
" written,"

28
" written," God vouchsafed to return that
calmreply, " Avhosoever hath sinned against
" me, him will I blot out of my book."
Where he shews distinctly for Avhat cause
he rejecteth men, and upon what grounds
his judgements will proceed. To the
same effect is that declaration Avhich was
made to Eli, " Avherefore the Lord God
" of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy
" house and the house of thy Father
*' should Avalk before me for ever ; but
" now the Lord saith, be it far from me ;
" for them that honour me I will honour,
" and they that despise me shall be
*' lightly esteemed." To the same pur
port runs the Word of David to his Son,
*' and thou Solomon, my Son, know thou
" the God of thy Father, and serve him
" with a perfect heart and Avith a willing
" mind. If thou seek him, he will be
" found of thee ; but if thou forsake him,
" he will cast thee off for ever."
" What could have been done more to
" my vineyard that I have not done in
" it,"

29
" it," is the challenge by Avhich God
vouchsafed to justify his sentences of
wrath against a thankless and rebellious
people. He asks further, " Avherefore
*' when I looked that it should bring
" forth grapes, brought it forth wild
" grapes ?" If that whole expostulation
by the Prophet do not speak Avif h suffi
cient plainness to the points in question,
we may turn to the suffrage which St.
Paul quotes where he shcAvs that there is
no difference betAveen the Jew and the
Greek, " for the same Lord over all, is
*' rich unto all that call upon him."
Adding that " Faith cometh by hearing,
" and hearing by the Word of God:" he
refers then to those words of Isaiah,
" I am sought of them that asked not
*' for me. I am found of them that
*' sought me not. I said behold me, be-
*' hold me, unto a nation that was not
" called by my name"— and then re
proving Israel he adds, " I have spread
" out my hands all the day long unto a
*' rebellious people, which Avalkelh in a
• " way

so
" way that was not good after their own
" thoughts." Thus the Avord of Trial is
expressly said to pass from One to the
Other, and the blame rests where the ruin
also Avill abide, Avith those only Avho re
sist the overtures of mercy, and despise
the lessons of instruction.
To the same effect runs the solemn ex
postulation by the Prophet Jeremiah,
" thus saith the Lord, what iniquity have
" your Fathers found in me, that they
" are gone far from me, and have walked
*' after vanity, and are become vain ?"
And by the same Prophet we have those
Avords, " O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be
" made clean : when shall it once be .''"
Tlius also runs the message by Isaiah,
" Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the
" Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord thy
" God which teacheth thee to profit,
" which leadeth thee by the way that
" thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst
" hearkened to my commandments, then
" had

31
" had thy peace been as a river, and thy
." righteousness as the waves of the Sea."
In all Avhich places the remonstrance was
with those who had broken the Condi
tions of their Covenant, and Avere cast off
upon that account.
Under the New Testament the Condi
tions meet us in the very first sound of
the Gospel. " Ask and ye shall have :
" seek and ye shall find : knock and it
" shall be opened unto you." Improve
and put to use the talent which you re
ceive, and more Avill be given : neglect it,
and it shall be taken quite away, and
given to others. Thus also the seed is
said to be sown, and received ; but to
prosper differently in the subsequent pe
riods of the day of trial. With Some it is
choaked by the cares and temptations of
this world, through want of vigilance and
Avantof resolution. With Others it abounds
in seasonable fruits, through diligence and
careful husbandry. Thus also our blessed
Lojd expostulates Avith Israel just as the
Prophets

32
Prophets had done. " O Jerusalem, Je*
" rusalem, thou that killest the Prophets,
" and stonest them that are sent unto
" thee, hoAv often Avould I have gathered
" thy Children together, even as a hen
" gathereth her chickens under her wings;
" and ye Avould not." How does our
Lord aggravate the guilt of those who
refused to listen to his word : representing
it to be the guilt of obstinate and thank
less men, who so far from having any plea
of necessity to lessen or account for their
deliberate opposition to the truth, are
distinctly said to have exceeded the worst
sinners of old time in their offence, be
cause they resisted every evidence Avhich
was set forth for their conviction, and
Avould not receive him that was sent to
heal them.
The Apostles in their testimonies de
clare that " God our Saviour will have
" all men to be saved, and to come to
" the knoAvledge ofthe truth :" that "the
" Lord is not slack concerning his pro-
" mise.

S3
*' mise, as some men count slackness, but
" is long suffering to us-ward, not Avilling
" that any should perish, but that all
" should come to repentance." Upon
which account Christ is said to be " the
" propitiation for our sins, and not for
*' ours only, but also for the sins of the
" Avhole Avorld." And '* God so loved the
" world that he gave his only begotten Son,
" that whosoever believeth in him should
" not perish, but have everlasting life :"
and that this is the primary and direct
intention of our blessed Saviour's coming
is further manifested in what follows :
" for God sent not his Son into the world
" to condemn the world, but that the
*' world through him might be saved."
Accordingly when the terms of this sal
vation are declared, and the Candidate
received into the state of Grace, the con
stant charge is to take heed to the Con
ditions ; to " give all diligence to make
*' our calling and election sure ; to work
*' out our salvation with fear and trem-
*' bling ; and whilst we think Ave stand,
c " to

34
" to take heed lest we fall :" even as St.
Paul also expressed his care " lest Avhen he
•' had preached to others, he might be a
" Cast-aAvay." Thus did our Lord remind
,his folloAvers', " if ye continue in my
" Word, ye are my disciples indeed."
Thus also Ave are exhorted " not to quench
" the Spirit," " not to grieve, nor to re-
" sist him," " nor to receive the Grace of
" God in vain." Such are the perpetual
topics Avhich meet us in the -Holy Scrip
tures ; all plainly significant of the Con
ditions which accompany the grant of
Grace. Without doubt there are many single
texts and passages of Scripture, Avhich if
viewed apart, and construed strictly by
our idioms, and in the sense which such
expressions bear with us, may seem to
speak of an arbitrary Avork of Grace, and
of rejection Avithout respect to terms or
conditions, or to any course of trial and
probation. There is no stronger passage of
this nature than that which occurs in the
Gospel

35
Gospel of St. John : " but though he had
' done so many miracles before them, yet
' they believed not on him ; that the
' saying of Esaias might be fulfilled,
' which he spake. Lord who hath beheved
¦' our report, and to whom hath the arm
' of the Lord been revealed ? Therefore
' they could not beheve, because that
' Esaias said again, he hath blinded their
' eyes, and hardened their heart, that
they should not see with their eyes, nor
' understand with their heart, and be
' converted, and I should heal them."
But first we must remark, that our Lord
before he cites these words, had en
couraged and exhorted them to receive
the truth and to believe ; addressing them
in terms which must imply that they were
under no judicial blindness, or necessary
incapacity to hinder their belief. Thus
he had just said to them " while ye have
" light, beheve in the light, that ye may
" be the Children of hght." The merciful
Redeemer would never mock the misery
of men utterly incapable of profiting with
c 2 the

56
the light, by such persuasions. The pas
sage hoAvever above cited is given in St.
Matthew's Gospel in a manner which re
moves the difficulty ; and thus the Scrip
ture itself, as in all other cases, becomes
the best Interpreter. The words run thus
in St. Matthew, " and in them is fulfilled
"the prophecy of Esaias, Avhich saith, by
" hearing ye shall hear, and shall not
" understand, and seeing ye shall see, and
" shall not perceive : for this people's
" heart is Avaxed gross, and their ears are
" dull of hearing, and their eyes they
" have closed ; lest at any time they
" should see with their eyes, and hear
*' Avith their ears, and should understand
" Avith their heart, and should be con-
" verted, and I should heal them :" where
their blindness is ascribed entirely to their
Avilful inattentions and perverseness, St.
Paul applies the same passage to the Jcavs,
but not until after he had exhorted and
persuaded them ; and some believed, and
some believed not. The passage then, as
it stands in Isaiah, carries the same mean ing

37
ing Avith diverse other sentences of Scrip
ture where, according to a peculiar form
of speech, God is said to do that Avhich
cometh to pass even by the use of means
which are calculated for another purpose,
but which are wilfully perverted from thein
end by human folly. Such idioms are
common in the sacred language, and cer
tainly do not couA'^ey the same meaning
which the same expressions would carry
in our use of such phrases.
Another text may be considered here,
which, Avhen singly taken, may seem to
favour their opinion who admit of no
Conditions in the Covenant of Grace.
Our Lord says, " this is the Father s will
" which hath sent me, that of all which
" he hath given me I should lose nothing,
" but should raise it up again at the last
*' day;" but observe Avhat folloAvs and
you Avill find what place is left for the
Condition, and that our Lord's promised
care is for those that keep it ; " and this
»' is the Will of him that sent me, that
g 3 " every

38'
" every one Avhich seeth the Son and be-
" lieveth on him, may have everlasting
" life, and I Avill raise him up at the last
" day." Such general expressions of pro
mise to Believers must not be made to
contradict the knoAvn Conditions of the
Gospel, unless we Avill cast off those many
passages Avhere such terms and alterna
tives are expressly mentioned.
Again it is said by our Lord, " no man
" can come to me except the Father
^' which hath sent me draAv him ; and I
" Avill raise himaup at the last day:"
words which undoubtedly imply the Avork
of Grace in every One that believeth,
but that they do not exclude the Condi
tion, we may easily collect from that
Avhich follows, " every man therefore that
" hath heard and learned of the Father,
" cometh unto me:" but hearing and
learning in the scripture sense ahvays
imply some measures of compliance in
Avhich the exercise of duty and discretion
under the Condition has its place. Thus also

39
also the " being taught of God," Avhilst
it shews the origin of divine Truth, and
the efficacy of divine Grace supplied in
every needful measure, does not exclude
the ordinary terms of attention and com
pliance to Avhich men are called, and ac
cording to which they have their season
of probation, and must answer for their
conduct. The question after all will be
reduced to this, Avhether it be easier to
reconcile such passages as those just cited,
by this obvious and natural construction,
that such testimonies do certainly denote
an efficacious work of Grace in Believers,
but that they constantly imply the vo
luntary performance according to man's
best ability, of the Gospel tefms — or
Avhether on the other hand Ave can utterly
explain away all that relates to such terms
in the numerous passages of Scripture
which occur to that effect, so as to piit a
sense upon them quite contrary to their
most obvious meaning, in order to make
room for a Avork of Grace entirely uncon
ditional. Which of these methods of in-
c 4 terpretation

40
terpretation shall be thought most con
sistent with the tenor of God's Word,
must be left to the judgement of consi
derate persons according to the page of
Scripture ; for there lies the appeal.
Let it here be noted however, that what
hath been said concerning these points is
not to be construed as deciding what the
methods of God's dealing are in every
case, but to state the ordinary terms and
Conditions of his Covenant as they are
generally set forth in Scripture. All other
measures of his Grace rest in his OAvn
hand, and most rash and presuming would
be that tongue Avhich should venture to
restrain their dispensations. It is far
better with the Apostle to content our
selves with some short note of admiration
Avhere the riches of divine Grace in any
special tender or enlargement of it shall be
manifested, rather than to pry into those
counsels. It is indeed a fearful task to
wade far in questions of this nature.
Some such curious topics of research and
disputation have been manifestly brought into

41
into the Church of Christ from the nice
and intricatedebates of thosewho wrangled
in the schools of Metaphysics, rather
than from Gospel revelations. We may
trace such busy questions to the fruitless
speculations concerning Fate and Pre
science, necessary or contingent conse
quences or events, with other topics of
like nature with which men in every age
have tired themselves to no end, but
Avhich are never treated or discussed in
Scripture, and can only be forced upon de
tached and solitary passages of those sacred
writings by persons wedded to such kinds
of speculation. Concerning which barren
and vexatious questions, it may be truly
said, that none ever benefitted by them in
the least ; none could ever render them
intelligible to Others, or persuade men
that they had found the right clew for
treading through those mazes.
W^e may noAv in the last place apply the
test which has been exhibited in the fore
going instances to the doctrine of Assu
rance^

42
ranee, as it forms another point of diffe
rence in these controversies.
We may remark, first, that if no more
were meant by Assurance than the Witness
of the Conscience not condemning those
who examine themselves by that rule, and
by the plain word of Christ's precepts
followed with sincere endeavours, such
confidence will leave ample room for the
Conditions of the Christian Covenant;
and the judgement will be framed at all
times Avith respect to them. The notion
of infallible assurance Avill indeed exclude
them, and if such confidence be further
grounded, as it often hath been upon mere
sensations, and Avhat is called particular
experience, an imaginary standard in re
ligion Avill be substituted for that to which
the Scriptures constantly refer us. When
the Apostle calls us to review that general
testimony of our Faith and sincerity upon
Avhich our confidence may safely rest, he
refers us to those prime Conditions of the
Gospel Covenant which in every period of

43
of the Christian life, and in every stage
of its proficiency, must form the grounds
of self-examination. Thus the same
Apostle who says at one time " examine
" yourselv^es whether ye be in the faith ;"
says likewise " let every man prove his
" OAvn work." It will readily appear that
this rule of Judgement will always be
familiar, obvious, unequivocal, and uni
versal ; whilst other marks and characters
of a spiritual growth which have been
substituted for it have been often found
to be unsafe, partial, and precarious. The
existence of sincere repentance in those
Avho are Candidates for eternal life must
be witnessed by a change of mind and
life, more especially when men have lived
in vicious habits, in ignorance, error, or
neglect; and in every case it must be
Avitnessed by a real hatred of the ways of
sin ; by an humble frame of mind ; and
by a due sense of our OAvn unworthiness.
The integrity of our Faith must be tried
by the Word of Scripture, as that forms
the standard of the Christian Creed. The
reality

44
reality of our purpose to obey the pre
cepts of our Lord must be witnessed first
in solemn stipulation, and it must be Avit
nessed in due time in all suitable deport
ment. If we prove the mind, and try the
conduct, according to these main requisites
in the Christian Character, it can never be
very difficult to knoAv whether Ave decline
all sinful ways ; whether Ave heartily em
brace the great articles of the Christian
Creed ; and whether we strive duly to ful
fil the lessons of Christ's holy law,' Avith
humble sorrow for our failures, and with
true endeavours for improvement. The
Conscience may readily be searched ac
cording to these heads of self-examination,
and when the estimate is so framed, all
that variety which exists in the temper of
men, which distinguishes and diversifies
their cast of character, Avhich determines
the respective measures of their zeal, or
the peculiarities of their dispositions, will
not prevent any One of the number from
forming a sufficient judgement concerning
his own state and proficiency, or from
exhibiting

45
exhibiting the proofs of them to others . The
standard of Repentance, Faith, and Chris
tian duty, is as clear in the main particu
lars, as the surest rules and testimonies of
the Gospel, and as the plainest witness of
the Conscience; according to which St.
John saith, " Beloved, if our heart con-
•' demn us not, then have we confidence
*' toward God." Yet that Ave may not
lay any undue stress upon this (and much
less upon any fanciful ground of Assurance)
we should remember what St. Paul says
also, " with me it is a very small thing
" that I should be judged of you, or of
*' man's judgement ; yea I judge not mine
*' own self, for I know nothing by myself,
" yet am I not hereby justified, but he
*' that judge th me is the Lord : therefore
** judge nothing before the time until the
" Lord come, who both will bring to light
" the hidden things of darkness, and will
" make manifest the counsels ofthe heart ;
" and then shall every man have praise
" of God." If this wise and excellent
advice had been pursued, many an high
conceit

46
conceit Avould have been spared, and
many a false test dismissed from the seats
of private judgement.
We shall perhaps be still more con
vinced of the truth of what has been ad
vanced if we examine for a moment by
Avhat success the.attempts of those have
been attended who have endeavoured to
set up-other rules of Judgement in mat
ters of religion. Many have professed to
draAv the proofs and tokens of their spi
ritual state from the sources of sensation,
and have tried to substitute what they
term Experience, by which they mean
their peculiar feelings and experimental
sense, for those rules of self-examination
which the Scriptures have laid down with
reference to the main Conditions of the
Gospel state. But hoAV dubious and un
certain must be those tokens of the spi
ritual groAvth which are derived only from
the workings and impressions of the mind,
and drawn from particular perceptions.
HoAV unfit must such proofs be to form the

47
the general marks and indications of re
ligious progress and proficiency. Hoav
vast a scope will they leave to imaginary
apprehensions. How many false pre
sumptions may be grounded on them ;
and how incapable are they of demon
strating to Others that which they are
supposed to prove. Can any thing be
more various than what different persons
may require in evidence,- Avhen particular
perceptions are made the tests of the
work and influences of divine Grace ? If
such are the proofs to be demanded, one
man may lay the stress upon the joy
which he finds in believing; and may
allow no person to be safe who does not
possess this glad testimony in his heart.
Another may place the whole witness of
his hope in tribulation and anxiety of
Spirit; refusing to admit any to that pri
vilege who displays a cheerful counte
nance, or enjoys a contented frame of
mind. Such conclusions as these have
been often drawn, and have been pressed
with the most imperious earnestness upon the

48
the consciences of men. But it is easy
to conceive the consequences which will
foUoAV from establishing so vague and fan
ciful a standard in a matter so important*
The best among men have at times com
plained of an heaviness of spirit which
their most earnest efforts have hardly ena
bled them to shake off. This has been the
thorn which some have felt in every age,
even amidst the truest endeavours to pur
sue the ways of Grace and Truth, of duty
and religion, and amidst the largest evi
dence of a regular and holy life. Hoav
distressful and injurious will it be to such
persons, if they shall be told to look for
the tokens of their spiritual hope in a
lofty confidence; in sJDiritual Joy; in
numberless sensations Avhich others, not
more sincere, may feel, but which do not
fall to their share. This snare has en
tangled many. Numbers have gone sor
rowing through life, beset with fears, and
troubled Avith uneasy doubts, because
they could not boast of those perceptions
which Avere never demanded from the first
Converts

49
Converts to the Faith at their admission,
to the state of Grace, and upon which the
subsequent examination of the heart Avas
never intended to be placed. On the
other hand, many have abounded in a
lofty confidence, accompanied Avith two
great mixtures of presumption, when hu
mility would have been much more be
coming in their case. Again there are
those who, as was before observed, call for
tribulation as a test of Grace. They are
ready to reprove a comfortable hope and
a sober prosecution of the ways of duty,
as a reprobate security. They will tell
those whose lives and habits keep an uni
form and even course, that their religious
services are but empty forms, and that
the cheerfulness of their views, and the
calmness of their temper, are plain tokens
of the want of spiritual influences in their
hearts, and fearful marks that they have
no part or portion in the state of Grace.
Thus when men attempt to draw the
evidences of religious dispositions and
D proficiency

50
proficiency from things Avhicli have no
common standard in the Word of God,
the effect of such mistaken rules of Judges
ment Avill be terrible to some, and of no
benefit to Others : it will tend to fill some
with doubts and apprehensions by wliich
their improvement in the Avays of duty
will be much retarded ; and it will beget
in Others an overweening confidence by
which they will become blind to their
principal defects.
In addition to the doubtfulness and
danger which renders such tests unfit for
the ends for which they are employed, we
have further to remark their insufficiency
with respect to that demonstration Avhich
we owe to Others. Such proofs with
respect to Others must- rest upon bare
assertion, for God only can judge of the
reality of such pretensions.
Let it not be thought that what is here
said, amounts to a denial of those inti
mate perceptions of the force and efficacy ot

51
of divine Grace which rank among the
genuine fruits of Faith and Holiness.
Nor is it denied that the Apostle speaks
distinctly of Experience ; but observe
well what he means by it. He puts Ex
perience after Patience, he makes it to
be the result of trial, and the Child of
humble Perseverance, not the blossom or
the first fruit of Conversion : " tribula-
*' tion" saith he, " worketh Patience ;"
he does not say it is the test of Grace,
" and Patience Experience, and Experi-
" ence Hope, and Hope maketh not
" ashamed, because the love of God is
*' shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
" Spirit which is given to us." Doubt
less they who taste how good and gra
cious the Lord is, Avill have a secret sense
that it is the Lord's cup which is enlarged
to them. A proper apprehension of the
power and value of those things which
concern the soul will attach itself to the
spiritual life in faithful Persons, but not
always in the same manner ; not always
with the same effects. When the com-
D 2 manding

53
manding influences of religious Truths
and the quickening succours of divine
Grace have been felt in that restraint
Avhich they will put upon undue excesses
in the inclinations or the habits of sincere
Believers ; when the consolation of a spi
ritual hope amidst adversity shall once be
found ; Avhen the power of Faith in raising
the Avhole mind to the noblest objects
shall have been tried, the force of every
argument Avill seem to be contained in
those intimate persuasions : but the evi
dences of revealed truth will still form the
solid ground of Faith ; and the main
Conditions ofthe Christian Covenant will
continue still to be the rule of duty, of
self-examination, and of well placed con
fidence. Having touched these heads of differ
ence, it is not necessary to assume the
truth on either side, in order to perceive
that to Avhich-ever part men may inchne,
the great foundations of the Christian
Faith will not be the subject of dispute
between

53
between them. In order to establish that
conclusion, little more One Avould imagine
would be necessary than to state the
grounds of faith and doctrine, and the
rules of good life, concerning which there
is no difference. It should be the chief
satisfaction of both parties engaged in
these disputes to reflect that although
there must be a considerable error on one
side or the other, where the several opi
nions which have been stated are main
tained, yet that the same Faith in all its
fundamental Articles is held by both;
the same Sacraments administered; the
same Communion kept by many ; the
same duties required and practised though
under different notions. Thus it is agreed
that salvation is the free gift of God for
Christ's sake ; free to us who do not pay
the price, but richly purchased by the
blood and merits of Christ Jesus. It is
agreed too that Repentance, Faith, and
Obedience are necessary in some sense or
other to entitle any man to an interest in
the Redeemer's intercession. It is con-
D 3 fessed,

54
fessed also with humble thankfulness on
both sides that the influences of divine
Grace, preventive, and assistant, are need
ful in all parts of our conversion and pro
ficiency. If then the same Creed, the
same religious practice, the same felloAV-
ship, the same Faith, Hope, and Charity,
do not constitute sufficient grounds of
concord, it Avill be difficult to know where
Ave are to seek them.
With respect noAV to the Conditions of
the Christian Covenant which have been
the test employed in this discourse, it
must be left to considerate persons to de
termine which is the most natural and
convenient sense of the solemn invitations
which appear in all parts of the Gospel ;
Avhether they are addressed to men who
really are in some sort free to listen and
obey, and capable of some compliance
with the terms apparently proposed ; or
whether all this is no more than a certain
way of publishing the Gospel without im
plying any such alternatives, the whole work

55
•work of Grace being absolutely Avrought
upon Some, in exclusion to all Others ;
Faith being the first gift, upon which Jus
tification follows, and from thenceforth
every other Grace of Christianity; all
succeeding by inevitable consequence.
It must also be determined further
when men are urged by argument and
evidence, and by every rational induce
ment to believe, whether after all the
Conversion is produced under divine
Grace in the Avay of rational conviction
or persuasion, by moral motives operating
upon moral agents ; or whether it can
only follow from resistless impulses, the
argument and evidence being no niore
than a sort of mode of doing what is
done. It must be decided also Avhether
it be fit to suppose that our Lord and his
Apostles in their earnest exhortations to
men to striA'e to groAv in grace, were only
calling upon them to add to Faith Avhat
they knew must follow from it; or that
they cautioned them against failures iu
D 4 the^r

56
their duty, only to remind them that these
defects Avould not happen to the final ex
clusion of any Avhose Faith should once
serve to justify them. If the pages of the
Gospel can be read with this perpetual
comment and construction, the prime and
most obvious purport pf its declarations
may then indeed be made to give way to
a favourite system. Yet why should it
seem strange that God should still deal
Avith his Creatures as Avith those who have
a measure of duty to fulfill, and are ca
pable, hoAvever fallen, of some degrees of
trial ? Why should it be thought in con
sistent Avith the free grant of divine Grace,
or with the influences of the Holy Spirit,
thaf God should require our own endea
vours in order to our OAvn advantage : nay
that he should quicken those endeavours,
and yet require us to strain every nerve
that Ave may find our happiness in serving
him ? Why should we think that it re
dounds more to the glory of God and the
freedom of his Grace, to move men by
resistless impulses, rather than to enable them

57
them to serve him even after their revolt
and ruin, by the grant of pardon, and by
the succours of the Holy Spirit ; by re
moving all impediments, and by supplying
all defects.? Why should we think that
God is not glorified in his Creatures when
under gracious dispensations they yield
unto him the best tribute they can offer;
as Avell as by the mere display of his
Bounty ? The faculties and talents of his
reasonable servants are his gifts ; and his
Bounty is the Spring and Source of every
benefit ; yet is he the Rewarder of those
only that will seek him, that the improve
ment may be wrought in the duteous ap
plication of the talents which are first
received from him.
These remarks may now be closed with
a passage from the works of the venerable
Bishop Hall, whose name and writings
are dear to men of all judgments or per
suasions in the Christian world - " the way
" not to presume upon salvation, is an
" humble modesty ; to content ourselves " AviLh

53
" with the clearly revealed Will of our
•' Maker, not prying into his counsels,
" but attending his commands. It is a
•* grave word Avherein the vulgar trans-
" lation expresses that place of Solomon,
*' Scrutator Majestatis opprimetur a
*' gloria. He that searcheth into majesty
" shall be overwhelmed with glory.
*' Among those sixteen places of the Bible
" which in the Hebrew are marked Avith
" a special note of regard, that is one,
" The secret things belong unto the Lord
" our God, but those things which are
" revealed belong unto us, and to our
** Children for ever, that we may do all
" the words of this law :" wherein our
" main care must be not to sever in our
" conceit the end from the means, and
" withal to take the means along with us
" in our way to the end. It is for the
" heavenly Angels to climb down the
" ladder from heaven to earth ; it is for
" us only to climb up from earth to
" heaven. Bold men ! what do Ave begin
*' at God's eternal decree of our Election, " and

59
" and then descend to the effects of it in
" our effectual calling, in our lively and
" stedfast Faith, in our sad and serious
" Repentance, in our holy and unblame-
" able Obedience, in our infallible per-
" severance. This course is saucily pre-
" posterous. What have we to do to be
" rifling the hidden counsels of the Most
" High: let us look to our own ways.
" We haA'e his word for this, that if we
*' do truly believe, repent, obey, per-
" severe, we shall be saved : that if we
" heartily desire and effectually endea-
" vour, in the careful use of his appointed
" means to attain unto these saving dis-^
" positions of the Soul, we shall not fail
*' of the desired success. What need we
" to look further than conscionably and
" cheerfully to do what we are enjoined,
*' and faithfully and comfortably to ex-
*' peet what he hath promised *."
* Bishop Hall's Remedy of Profaneness^ Sect, xviii.
¥ol. HL P. 89. The

60
The suffrage of this Avise and good man
here recited might be urged with triumph
against those who maintain that very
order, that inevitable series and connec
tion in the Avork of Grace, which he ap
pears to censure as preposterous and
bold : but candour requires a different
use and conftruction of this passage, than
that which the first sound may suggest :
nor is it the authority of names that
should decide these questions. Admitting
then that this excellent person did not
mean to declare against the Order so de
scribed, but only to reprove men for
beginning at the top instead of the bot
tom of the scale, admitting this Avhich is
all that can be said to break the force of
this strong testimony, still the passage
shews most clearly what that worthy
Prelate judged to be the fittest topics to
be pressed, considered, and applied by
men in their ordinary teaching and pro
ficiency. That the same moderate and
justly valued Guide could not quite digest
the strict notions of that scheme to Avhich his

61
his name may perhaps be challenged,
Avill appear sufficiently both from the
turn of that expostulation which has been
produced, and from what follows soon,
after in the same discourse. " Neither,"
saith he, " doth God only admit, but he.
" invites, but he entreats, but he impor-
" tunes men to be saved. What could
" he do more, unless he Avould offer vio-
" lence to the Avill, Avhich Avere no other
" than to destroy the best piece of his
" own workmanship. It is the Avay of
" his decree and proceedings to dispose
" of all things sAveetly, neither is it more
" against our nature than his to force his
" own ends : and when he sees that fair
" means Avill not prevail to win us from
" death, he is pleased feelingly to be-
¦' moan it as his own loss : " Why Avill
" ye die, O house of Israel * .?" It is easy
to perceive with which of the foregoing
* Bishop Hall's Remedy of Profaneness, Sect. xx.
Vol. HI, P. 91. views

62
vicATs of the matters in debate these sen
timents agree best.
Suffice it noAV to remark, that if an apo
logy be requisite for having departed in
these pages from the salutary rules Avhich
the pious Prelate lays down in the pas
sage above cited, it must be colledted
from the necessity of meeting those asser
tions in which the Sum of Christianity is
placed in nice opinions which stand apart
from the main Articles of the Christian
Creed, and from the common rules of
Christian duty.
What course can they pursue who dis
like the themes of controversy, and parti
cularly disapprove them in the exercise
of public teaching, where they serve to
engender strife, and to divide men's
minds ? What course can they take who
love and esteem every zealous Servant of
the Lord for his work's sake, and are
ready to bear with such as differ from
them, to rejoice in all the good they do,
and

and to concur with them in the joint la^
hours of the same ministry, but are un
willing to be cast out from all part and
lot in the matter for the sake only of such,
differences ? Must they sit still whea
many an effort is made to withdraAv the
hearts of those committed to their pastoral
care, and to depreciate their instructions ?
Must they silently permit themselves to
be held out to the world as men who are
either ignorant of Gospel truths, or averse
from all sound doctrine.
Are they the doctrines of the Reforma
tion which are called in question ? By no
<means. The same differences which exist
among us, exist in that Church Avhose errors
have been cast out so happily from our
Communion, The Dominican and Fran
ciscan, and more recently the Jansenist
and Jesuit, haA^e the same variance between
themselves which we have. It is the old
dust of the Schools Avhich still makes the
cloud in which the scuffle is prolonged.
It would perhaps abate the zeal of some for

64
for such venturous speculations, if they
would consider from Avhat sources they
have been chiefly draAvn, and how little
benefit is likely now to follow from re
viving those intricate and endless subtle
ties, and confounding them with the ne
cessary grounds of Christian Faith.
Suffice it now to add, that what has
been here said has been advanced Avith a
great wish to abstain from personal re
flections ; Avith a true regard and entire
respect for many excellent persons who
differ from the sentiments here chiefly
favoured ; with an utter abhorrence of all
persecuting measures, and let it be added
of all persecuting censures, which are of
the same brood, and bear a near resem
blance to the parent-stock. It is not here
intended to solicit any to forsake their
Opinion in the points discussed. Many
worthy persons have so combined their
whole conception of Christianity with
those views of it to which they are atr
tached, and to Avhich they attribute also
their

65
their proficiency in spiritual attainments,
that it would be shocking, and might be
dangerous to them to be persuaded to re
nounce the particulars of that scheme to
which their hearts are wedded. A neces
sary defence must therefore be distin
guished from a captious disputation : and
above all it is needful to remember if such
debates must be prolonged, that the duties
of mutual goodwill, and of forbearance
from exaggerated and unwarranted re
proofs, bind alike upon all : the precepts
which inculcate them throughout the
sacred Scriptures stand also entirely clear
of these disputable topics ; and that zeal
is of questionable character which prompts
men to overlook them. Thus leaving the
arduous attempt for uniting contending
parties in one judgment, an easier task
may be attempted. A course may be
pursued which runs so near the path of
perfect concord, that it may lead to some
terms of agreement in the end ; and a
portion of the benefit Avhich Avould folloAv
E from

66
from an union in one path, may spring
from a nearer prospect of ways which are
never so far distant as to prevent their
meeting at one point,

NOTES

67

NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page 8, Line 20. "A right consideration qf
" the general Conditions implied in these pas-
" sages of Scripture will go far to decide the
" controversies unhappily arising upon diverse
" points which stand apart from the fundamental
" Articles ofthe Christian Faith." In institut
ing this enquiry Ave have no unfavourable omen
in the outset, for it is not grounded upon any
odious charge. The learned Witsius, who takes
a distinguished part in these controversies, does
not deny the consequence which attaches to the
scheme Avhich he defends as excluding the Con
ditions. " Divines," saith he, " explain them-
" selves differently as to the Conditions of the
" Covenant of Grace ; M'e for our part agree
" with those Avho think that the Covenant of
" Grace, to speak accurately, has no conditions
" properly so called*." Nothing can be more
* Wit^'us opthe Corenants, Book 3. Ch. i. P. 372.
E 2 just

68
just than this confession on his part, for the con
clusion it contains is inevitable on the principles
Avhich he espouses. He says again with a larger
explanation of his meaning, " Many Avere in-
" duced to call Faith and a new Life the Con-
" ditions of the Covenant, Avhereas to speak
" accurately, and according to the nature ofthe
" Covenant, they are on the part of God the
" execution of previous promises, and the
" earnest of future happiness ; and on the part
" of man, the performance of those duties whicli
' ' cannot but precede the consummate perfection
" of a Soul delighting in God*." It would be
easy to shew that the whole scheme of which
this learned Person was an eminent and much
respected Patron, is contained in this one sen
tence : and that Avhich ever way men shall make
up their minds upon the scriptural evidence re
lating to these matters, they must either close
with the sentiments of Witsius here cited, or
join in opinion with those Avho maintain the
Conditions, properly so called, of the Christian
Covenant, Whoever compares those Avords of Witsius with
the scheme as it is drawn out more at leno-th in
* Witsius on the Covenants, Book 3. Ch. 1. P. 372.
Bishop

69
Bishop Hall, beginning at God's eternal decree,
and descending to the effects of it, even to sure
and infallible perseverance, will see how neces
sary it is, according to that system, to drop all
mention of Conditions, the admission of which,
as Witsius clearly saw, could not consist with it.
To save this, we often hear of the Christian
service being wrought out of Gratitude, or in
any Avay but as the performance of a requisite
Condition. Now it is true that the motive of
Gratitude binds most forcibly upon us, but the
question is whether the duty, whatever be the
motive, be required as a Condition.
P. 9. 1. 13. " Our Justification is most truly
" said to be by Faith, frst as the term Justifi,-
" cation by Faith implies the whole method qf
" our justification under the Covenant of Grace "
as it is distinguished from and opposed to th^
Covenant of Avorks, whether they be legal, moral,
or evangelical, none of Avhich can be so fulfilled
by us as to establish any meritorious title to
salvation. That this was the point upon which the Re
formers fixed, and that it contains the sound and
substantial truth which cannot be too vigilantly
E 3 guarded,

70
guarded, our free Justification for Christ's only
sake, or our Justification by faith as describing
in one word our interest in Christ Jesus, may be
collected from the testimonies of those Avho were
engaged in the work of reformation ; and of
those also who in later times have been thought
to adhere most closely to their sentiments. Thus
Melancthon in his epistles, after shewing why he
preferred the word " gratis" as applicable to
Justification and as used by St. Paul, rather than
the AVords, &o\k fide, goes on to say, " sicut
" an tea plerumque usus sum particuli, gratis,
" quas minus habet ambiguitatis, et a Paulo
" usurpatur, sed de particula, sola, perpetua
" est Adversariorum cavillatio, fidem non esse
" solam. Quod verissimum est de ea prassertim
" fide de qua loquuntur Ecclesiee nostras, cum
" Evangelii propriam vocem, repetunt fide justi-
" ficamur. Vitandas igitur ambiguitatis causS
" dico me hie non litigare de particula, sola."
Preferring as he intimates before, the word,
gratis. The next epistle of the same Reformer, with
the addition to it by Luther, is more full to the
point. It bears the title of " de modo coram
" Deo Justificandi." He first rejects the doc
trine

71
trine of Justification as it is held in the romish
Church by inherent righteousness wrought in us
by the Holy Spirit, and following upon Faith ;
'' rejice oculos ab ipsi renoVatione, ad promissi-
' ' onem et Christum ; et sentias quod propter
" Christum Justi, hoc est accepti coram Deo
" simus, et pacem conscientiee inveniamus, et
" non propter illam renovationem ; nam haec
" ipsa novitas non solum sufficit." He adds,
" crede mihi, mi Amice, magna et obscura con-
" troversia est de Justiti^ fidei, quam ita recta
" intelliges si totum removeris oculos a: lege, et
" imaginatione Augustiui de impletione legis, et
" defixeris animum prorsus in gratuitam pro-
" mission em, ut sentias quod propter promissi-
" onem, sen propter Christum Justi, hoc est
" accepti sumus, et pacem invenimus. Hxc
" sententia est vera, et illustrat gloriam Christi,
*' et mirifice erigit conscientias. Fides enim
" justificat non quia est novum opus Spiritus
" Sancti, sed quia apprehendit Christum, propter
" quem sumus accepti:" Avhich is the sense of
our Homily concerning the peculiar office of
Faith; and of our article Avhich speaks so dis
tinctly of the meritorious Cause of our Justifi
cation by Faith, and not for our own works and
E 4 deservings :

72
«lescrvings : the general Condition not being
touched in that place.
To that Epistle of Melancthon, there follows
•A confirmation of it by Luther. " Sequitur ap-
*' pendix D. M. Lutheri ad banc Philippi
" Epistolam." " Et ego soleo, mi Amice, ut
*' hanc rem melius Capiam sic imaginari quasi
" nulla est in corde meo qualitas quae Fides vel
" Charitas vocetur, sed in locum ipsorum pono
" ip'sum Christum. — Ut sic me liberem et expe-
" diam ab intuitu legis et operum." Where it
is plain he treats entirely of the meritorious
Cause removing both Faith and Charity, Avhich
he names as qualifying requisites, from that sole
ground of Justification.
In a third Epistle, Melancthon says, " Nam
" hie re differunt fides et csetera bona opera,
" quod fides apprehendit promissionem et ac-
" cipit non ut meritum : castera vero opera Deo
'' aliquid offerunt :" and he adds, " Partibus
" sua3 proprietates tribuendas sunt." He com
plains then of an Adversary in the reformed
Church, who would not admit Avhat he taught^^
that to be justified by Grace or freely for
Christ's sake and his only merits, was the same as

73

•as to be justified hy Faith. '* Dicit falso uo8
" docere has propositiones sequipoUentes esse,
" sola Gratii justificamur, et sold fide justifi-
" camur: aliter igitur intelligit Gratiam quam

" nos*."

To these testimonies which answer so exactly
to our Article and Homily, may now be added
some passages from a valuable modern Writer
of our own Church, the truly pious Mr. Burkit,
who in his very useful commentary, when he
explains St. Paul's Epistles, maintains exactly
the same sense which stands first in the pre
ceding papers to which -this note refers. What
he says in that part of his Commentary contains
all that is essential on this point ; but when he
comes to comment on the epistle of St. James,
he takes another ground entirely, in order to
(reconcile the two Apostles, though his former
explanations of St. Paul's words, had they been
pursued, Avould have led him directly to the true
solution of that seeming difficulty.
Upon Rom. iv. 3. " Now to him that Avorketh
" is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of
• Epistolarum I>. Philippi Melaucthonis, a Joanne Manlio
collecta, p. 79, &c. Basil,' 1565. " debt."

74
" debt." " Observe," says the Commentator
" the Apostle's argument to prove that Abra
" ham Avas justified by Faith and not by M'orks:
" had he works of perfect holiness, then in strict
" Justice a reward might have been expected
" by him as a due debt, and not given him in
" the Avay of Grace and favour ; for to him that
" worketh, that is with a design and intent to
" obtain Justification, is the reAvard reckoned
" not of Grace but of debt, he having per*
" formed all that was required in order to his
" being righteous before God. But to him that
" worketJi not, that is, Avho worketh not to the
" end and intent before mentioned, namely, to
" procure Justification by Avorking,' but seeks
" that in the way of believing, his Faith is
" counted to him for righteousness." All Avhich
is very just and accurate. Then folloAvs his
comment on the Avords " to him that worketh
' ' not but believeth ;" upon which he very rightly
says, " we must not understand this absolutely,
" for he that believeth, worketh, but secundum
" quid, after a sort he is said not to work>
" because he Avorketh not Avith a design to stand
" righteous before God :" and he follows the
same clew again as happily : "He worketh not
" in a law-sense, to the ends and intentions of
" the

75
** the first Covenant, to make up a righteousness
^' to coyer himself by his OAVn working." No
thing can be more true than these remarks, or
more exactly descriptive of the whole scope and
design of St. Paul's discourse. Yet all this is
perfectly compatible with the Conditions, Avhich
he might have gone on to sheAV were the things
required by St. James, though required to a dif
ferent intent ; but alas he turns from this easy
and obvious distinction, to those subtleties
which were invented to defend a scheme which
will not admit of Conditions, without breaking
one link in that chain, where all is made to fol
low by inevitable consequence ; " or where," as
Witsius says, who well saw the ruin of that^
scheme if Conditions Avere admitted, " Faith
" and a new life follow as the execution of pre-
" vious promises on the part of God, and on
" the part of man as the performance of thosa
" duties which cannot but precede the consum-
" mate perfection of a Soul delighting in God,"
But before we pass to his remarks upon St
James, let us once more hear his observations on
St. Paul in another place; Rom. iv. l6. "There-
V fore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace."
Upon which the Commentator says most plainly and

76
and most truly, *' the Apostle here assigns a
" double cause why the wisdom of God has ap-
" pointed Justification and Salvation to be ob-
" tained in the way of Faith ; namely, that it
" mio-ht be of free and undeserved Grace and
" Favour; for to be justified by Faith and by
" Grace are all one with the Apostle." Yet this
clew also is deserted in the comment on St.
James. Upon James ii. 20. " But wilt thou know, O
*' vain man, that Faith Avithout works is dead ;"
the Commentator, after shewing very truly that
a justifying Faith must be a AVorking Faith as
Abraham's was, and that a barren Faith is dead,
at last, Avithout the least dependance upon his
preceding observations on St. Paul, where he
gives the true solution of the matter, takes up
the old distinctions, and says, " Observe the
*' inference Avhich St. James draws from this
" instance of Abraham's Faith ; ye see then
" how that by works a man is justified, and not
" by Faith only : by Faith only, he means Faith
" that is alone solitary, by itself, without
" Avorks." Upon which subtle, but needless
and inadequate distinction, it is obvious to re-
niark that St. James does not merely say that a
man

77
"man is not justified by Faith which has not
works attending upon it, and which is therefore
solitary ; but he says plainly and positively,
" ye see then how that by Avorks a man is jus-
" fied." There is not a Avord of that forced
disrinction that Faith only justifies, and yet not
that Faith which is solitary. What the Apostle
says, he says of works, declaring that by them a
man is justified, as they also form part of the
Condition, for that is the subject of discourse
with him. So little shade of difference is there
between the two Apostles. They treat of two
things belonging indeed to the same work j no
wonder then that what the One excludes the
Other admits*. The Commentator then puts
this question : " But doth not St. James by
" affirming that by works a man is justified,
'' contradict St. Paul, Avho says by the deeds of
" the Law no flesh shall be justified in God's
" sight ?" His answer is, " not at all ; because
" they do not speak ad idem." True ; and had
he explained this difference from his former ob-
servaUons, shewing that the works of the Be
liever were not wrought to the same intent, that
* Mr. Veysey has explained this excellently well in his
Visitation Sermon, preached 1799- is

78
is to justify by their own worth, but Avere re
quired only as Conditions, his Avhole Commen
tary Avould have been just, easy, and consistent :
he might have shcAvn Avhat St. Paul saith, when
he speaks of such Conditions, " that not thte
" hearers of the Law are just before God, but
" the doersof the Law shall be justified :" but he
turns to another nice distinction, and says,
" St. Paul speaks of Justification before God,
" St. James of Justification before man. St,
" Paul speaks of the Justification of our person :
" St. James of the Justification of our Faith."
After this he strays still further from the mark,
and having admitted that St. James urged the
necessity of good works, because " he spake
" to those who affirmed, that if they believed,
" no matter how they lived." Yet he adds,
only, that " St. James urges the necessity of
" good Avorks as Evidences." Now good works
certainly are the evidences of Faith, but if no
more be meant by that phrase than that they are
the signs or tokens which accompany Faith, so
that it be not solitary ; or that they testify to
men and not to God ; or that they have no joint
avail with Faith in the same work of probation ;
then it Avill be hard indeed to understand how
such things can be said by St. James to justify, Avhen

79

wiien. they do but witness something else which
only justifies. Harder still will it be to shew why
the fruits and effects of Faith should have less
weight than Faith itself, considered as parts
of the same reasonable service : but most hard
of all, though most frequently pretended, will
it be to shew that the Merits of the One suffi
cient Saviour are either advanced or depressed,
by maintaining the Christian service to be a
requisite Condition, or by reducing it to a
mere sign. That this last is the interpretation
preferred in the Commentary on St. James, ap
pears from the concluding words : " the sum
" of the matter is this, what God hath joined,
" none must divide : and what God hath di-
" vided, none must join. He has separated
" Faith and AVorks in the business of Justifica-
** tion • ^^'^ ^^ hath joined them in the lives of
" justified persons ;" in the Conditions of the
Gospel he might have said, because the Apostle
is not asserting merely that they who believe
will bring forth good works : he says they are
required to do so : and that their Faith will not
avail without them. He is not speaking of signs
and tokens in justified persons, but is enforcing
the Conditions Avhich are required in order to
salvation. The former sense however, which de
prives

80
prives the Christian service of its due weight as a
part of Condition, is preferred in this part of the
Commentary; for it is added, " St. Paul assures
" us that works have not a co-efficiency in Jus-
" tifieation itself: but St. James assures us that
" they may and ought to have a co-existency in
" them that are justified :" thus we return to
fides sola non solitaria, and the services of Faith
being merely co-existent with it, are made to
have no joint avail ; they are but concomitant
productions, which form no part of the Condi
tion. The passages here cited from the writings
of Melancthon, and from the Author of the
Commentary, have been adduced merely to shew
that the main and essential point of doctrine is
equally maintained by Both ; and stands equally
clear of those notions Avhich Melancthon plainly
declines as obscure and ambiguous, and which
in our own much respected Author are not at all
connected AA^th his former just and solid expla
nations, nor Avith the main tenor of his useful
Commentary. The reflection to be raised on
this head will apply to every other point of
Christian doctrine. Every such article may be
truly and substantially affirmed, and yet kept
entirely clear of those peculiarities which may or
may not be combined with them, and about
which

81
Avhich the whole difference between contending
parties exists.
But as that dictinction made by Mr. Burkit
has been most followed, that God " hath sepa-
" rated Faith and Avorks in the business of
*' Justification, and hath joined them in the
" lives of justified persons," the judgment of a
learned person who took an accurate view ofthe
whole subject, in a former- age, may be stated
in this point. Having discussed and refuted the
several notions of those on the one hand, who
sought to distinguish between the law ceremo
nial and the moral law, supposing that St. Paul
only excluded the former : and that of those too
who distinguished to the same intent, between
works of nature and Avorks of grace. Having
also on the , other hand rejected their conceit
who' distinguish between " Justus factus and
" Justus declaratus, that is of Justification be-
*' fore God and Justification in the eyes of men,"
he adds, *' that AA^ay therefore Avhich is most ge-
" neral, and hath been thought the best, perad-
" venture because the subtlest is to distinguish
" between the act qf justifying, and the subject
" or the person to be justified : St. James, as is
" supposed, requiring only the presence of the
F " works

83
works in the subject, Avhich St. Paul removes
only from the act — this may have a pro
mising look, but Avill not satisfy neither: but is
out too, and that on both sides : for St. Paul
clearly removes the works he speaks of from
the person justified, as well as from the act that
doth justify : non operanti, to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him qui justi
ficat impium, that justifieth the ungodly ; and
St. James requires the AVorks he speaks of no
less than Faith, unto the act, as well as in the
subject." His words are express, "exoperibus,
*- by works a man is justified, and not by Faith
only. Why, but hoAV then shall they be
reconciled ? Surely no way so well as by look
ing unto their different intents, from whence
it will appear that St. Paul removes works,
all works, from being the things that do
justify, and St. James requires them only as
conditions and qualifidations upon which avc
are justified.'" — A discourse of Eccles xii. 13.
by Dr. Walter Raleigh, Dean of Wells, and
Chaplain in Ordinary to King Charles the First,
P. 72, &c.

P. 10. 1. 12. The nest sense in zvhich we are
truly said to bejusfified by Faith, is that in which Faith

83
Faith appears as the leading Principle of Con
duct. Faith being frst pledged, and the effects
of Faith following by a natural and moral,
though not by a necessary consequence, and
availing from thenceforth to the same end.
Coincident with this sense, or at least not widely
differing from it, is their opinion who think that
by Faith alone we are frst put in a state of
salvation, but that Repentance and Obedience
become from thenceforth, together with Faith,
the perpetual Condition upon which the fnal
benefit is to be expected. The notion of Avhat
is sometimes called a double Justification here
alluded to,' is less simple and more liable to
misconception, than that of the very learned
and accurate Dr. Waterland. He shews that
Repentance and Obedience are so far joint parts
ofthe Condition together with Faith at our first
access to the state of Grace, that they must be
taken to exist in purpose and intention, and are
therefore pledged at Baptism, though time and
opportunity must be given for the subsequent
performance : Faith still retaining its peculiar
office in all periods of the Christian life. Indeed
that excellent and judicious Writer very truly
observes, that the whole question about what
serves in such respects to Justification in the
r 2 the

8i
first stage of Conversion, and what follows in
the subsequent periods of proficiency, is entirely
needless to those who are baptized in Infancy ;
upon whom all parts of the Christian Obligation
bind together from the first hours of reason and
discretion. The notion of a first and subse
quent Justification, the first by Faith alone, the
other by Faith fulfilled in answerable service, as
explained at large by Veneer on the Articles of
our Church, and countenanced by no less names
than those of Hammond, Barrow, Whitby, and
of late by several eminent Writers, is liable
perhaps to misconstruction, as it may seem to
imply different grounds of Justification in the
two cases. Upon this head, the late learned
and much respected Professor, Dr. Randolph,
speaks with caution and wisdom. He mentions
the distinction, and says " I shall not now en-
" quire into the propriety of this distinction :
" but it may be very useful to consider men as
** appearing before the throne of Grace at dif-
" ferent periods." Sermon 9, p. ^4-9. Vol. 2.
By which judicious observation he frees that
notion from the objection of supposing two kinds
of Justification, but retains all that is useful
and defensible in that distinction. In a word,
it is one thing to be entered into a state of sal
vation

85
yation iipon Conditions Avhich can only be ful
filled in part at that moment, and which must
be pledged in promise and engagement as to
what remains ; and it is another thing actually
to continue in the due performance of those
terms. If nothing more be intended by the
notion of a double justification than this, it
is free from all objection : but then the grand
distinction Avill still be implied between the Con
ditions of the Covenant, and the procuring
cause of Justification as restrained to the Re
deemer's merits, Avhich is the true and proper
meaning of Justification by Faith, as that term
is opposed to justification under any law of
works. The difference will remain also with
regard to that peculiar office which Faith only
has, in receiving what is freely given for Christ's
sake. These several senses of Justification by
Faith stand entirely clear of the consideration
under which Faith appears, together with Re
pentance, and Obedience, as joint Conditions
of the Gospel Covenant. It is therefore much
more accurate to say Avith Dr. Waterland, that,
Avith respect to the Conditions, each must be ful
filled in every period of the Christian life so far
as time and opportunity permit. They are no
less qualifications as far as they can exist in the
F 3 first,

86
first, than in the final Justification; the, meri
torious ground and valuable Cause being still and
evermore distinct. But if we speak of a double
Justification, the one for Faith only, the other
for Faith and Obedience, it may seem to Some
that Ave make different grounds of Justification
in the two cases, which is not true. Add to
Avhich that this statement of a double Justifi
cation is so far defective that it does not specify,
though it certainly implie.s, the grand and
peculiar sense in which we are justified by Faith,
or in other words by Grace, and for Christ's
only sake. The account given of this matter
by the learned Dr. Waterland is entirely free
from these defects and ambiguities; He lays
down the true and only valuable reason for
Avhich Ave are justified before God ; namely the
Redeemer's merits ; and he ascribes to Faith its
proper office, vindicating that point against some
misconceptions of the celebrated Bp. Bull ; and
he then states with respect to the conditional
qualifications, that all and every part of them are
required so far as they can be had ; and where
time and opportunity are wanting they are
pledged in purpose and intention. Thus does
this excellent Divine furnish the clearest and
compleatest Vindication of the whole substance of

87
of that prime doctrine of the Gospel which it is
the glory of the Reformation to have rescued
from the false and dangerous notions of the
romish Church, according to whose Creed, as
delivered in the Trent council, the inherent
righteousness of the Christian Convert -is put
for sonje part at least of the meritorious cause
of our acceptance before God. We may speak
then of a double Justification, if no more be
meant than the Justification of the same man at
diffferent periods and under different stages of
proficiency ; and this notion can only be ob
jected to as useless by those Avho hold that once
justified and always justified, are necessary parts
of the same work : but Ave must speak also of
what really exists in the Apostolic writings, a
double view of what relates to Justification, the
one Avhere the meritorious Cause and only valu
able reason are displayed, as in some places of
St. Pauls epistles, the other Avhere the Con
ditions are particularly set forth as in the epistle
of St. James, and in many places also of St.
Paul's Avritings. These several particulars have
been shewn to be perfectly compatible; tfie
whole difficulty on this subject having arisen
from the want of close, clear, and obvious dis
tinctions between the Cause and the Conditions,
F 4 and

88
and between the difference^of intent in the Re
deemer's work of Suffering and Service, and the
Believer's humble and sincere compliance with
the terms of his engagement.
The Reader, it is hoped, Avill pardon some pro
lixity and repetition on this important subject.
It is in vain to write of these things unless we
can establish clear and precise ideas, the want
of which has encouraged so much angry and
useless disputation. This defect of accuracy
and discrimination appears in many shght but
very positive assertions, which are often made
upon these subjects. Thus it is sometimes said
that the term Justification signifies no more than
simple pardon. It is most true that it bears the
sense of pardon : but what sort of pardon ?
Certainly not bare forgiveness which begins and
terminates on the person ofthe Offender, with
out respect to any Other. There are better
reasons surely for the use Avhich is made by the
sacred Writers of a forensic word. There are
other, most important considerations, never to
be put out of sight, when we say that the Justi
fication of a Sinner is his pardon. We must re
gard the ground or reason upon which that
pardon passes, the Satisfaction made for Sin, and

89
and the acceptance of the contrite Sinner for
Christ's only sake; we must regard the whole
work of Atonement which brought the Only
Begotten and Eternal Son from heaven, and
produced the sorrows of the Cross; we must
regard the Sacrifice of propitiation so fulfilled,
and the purchased benefit of our salvation
through the Blood and Merits, the prevaihng
Mediation, and perpetual Intercession of Christ
Jesus. These are no light matters, on the
Ground of which God declares himself to be
Just whilst he is merciful, and when he justifies
the Sinner who no otherwise could endure his
presence, and is utterly unable to procure his
own discharge by his own strength.
Thus also when Writers declare against the
mistaken and exploded sense of the imputation
of Christ's Righteousness, they will do great
wrong to their subject, and expose Others to a
dangerous ignorance, if they do not at the same
time press and explain the true sense in which
Christ is according to his pecuhar title, "Our
" Righteousness:" the Redeemer's only per
fect Righteousness being put, by a very common
mode of speech in Scripture, for the effect which
is thereby produced with fespect to us : or in
other

90
other Avords, what would seem to be the actual
imputation or transfer of Christ's Only Righte-
JDUsness, being put metonymically for the title
Avhich Ave have to the precious benefits which
result therefrom. The same remarks may be
made also concerning the imputation of our
Sins to Him, who condescended to be " made
" in the likeness of sinful flesh:" which impu
tation is true in the same sen.se ; though not in
the sense wherein it hath been sometimes
alledged : in other words it is true that Christ
was made Sin for us by becoming the Offering
for Sin, by standing in the Sinner's place, and
by suffering in his stead. It is extremely ra,sh
and inconsiderate to furnish partial and im
perfect views of such points for the sake of
refuting the misconceptions of Opponents ; since
it is at least of as much consequence to establish
truth, as to expose error. Such partial views of
the oeconomy of our Salvation, do not exist in
the Avritings of the sound and approved Divines
of our Church ; and however they may differ in
remoter points, and in the matters here before
debated, they never for a moment decline from
the fundamental truths and doctrines of the
Gospel.
P. IU

91
P. 11. L. 1, " The third sense in which
" Faith may be said to be put alone, is that in
" which Faith hath a peculiar office in the zoork
" of JustificQ.tion."
This sense is of considerable importance, and
is disrinctly maintained in the Homily of our
Church, to which her Arricle refers. The
Homily speaking of this office of Faith, saith
that "by it we embrace the promises of God's
" Mercy and of the remission of Sins, Avhich
" thing none other of our virtues properly doth,
" therefore the Scripture useth to say that
" Faith without works doth justify." This sense
has found much opposition from many eminent
Divines. The learned and accurate Dr. Water-
land, has however very clearly pointed out their
misconception of it, and has vindicated it in the
excellent treatise which is printed together with
his Sermons. The Editor of those volumes has
also furnished some very useful observations on
the subject in his preface. The same thing is
maintained also by the acute and ingenious Mr,
Stebbing in his tracts. Bishop Bull's objections
are only made to Faith as an influential cause,
and overlooking the sense intended by Melanc
thon; and our Homily Avhich corresponds almost
verbatim

92
verbatim Avith what is said by that Reformer, he
argues against the special office so attributed to
Faith, as Dr. Waterland well shews. If rightly
taken, that notion is most true, and very neces
sary to be retained in the doctrine of Justification.
What can be more just or more intelligible, than
to say that a believing heart is the fit depositary
of a gracious promise, and that Faith is the pecu
liar means for receiving it ; the general Condi
tions of the Gospel, in Avhich Faith also has a
leading part, being perfectly compatible with
this special office. Accordingly Ave find this
sense adopted in the same judicious discourse
before referred to of Dr, Randolph. He sums
up the doctrine of Justification in words which
give a short, simple, but complete and satisfac
tory statement of the whole matter. " There
" are," saith he, " several things which concur
" to our Justification : first, the mercy of
" God, who through his own free Goodness
" sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins :
" secondly, the merits of Christ, who by his
" death made an atonement for us; thirdly,
" our Faith, whereby we lay hold of and plead
" the Grace of God in the manner prescribed
" by him : lastly, our own good Avorks, which
" though they have no merit nor proper effi
ciency

93
ciency in the work of our Justification, that
being the act of God alone, yet are they a ne
cessary Condition required by God to entitle
us to his mercy and to the benefits of the
Christian Covenant." He adds afterwards,
the doctrine here laid down, as it is most
plainly taught in Scripture, so is it the same
which our Church teaches in her Homilies :
these things, say our Homilies, must go, to
gether, upon God's part his great Mercy and
Grace ; upon Christ's part the satisfaction of
God's Justice or the price of our redemption,
by the offering of his Body and shedding of
his Blood ; and upon our part true and lively
Faith in the Merits of Christ Jesus ; and yet
that Faith doth not shut out Repentance,
Hope, Love, Dread, and the Fear of God in
every man that is justified, but it shutteth
them out from the office of justifying*,"
Thus the clothing the naked, though under the
influences of divine Grace, and the motives of
Faith, and in part of the Condition, is not so
properly the receiving a promise, or the re
nouncing our own righteousness, and the trust
* See Sermon IX, of that judicious Divine and perspi
cuous writer Dr. Randolph, Archdeacon of Oxford, and
Margaret Professor of Divinity in that University. in

94?
in that of our Redeemer ; to all which ends
Faith hath a peculiar fitness, and accordingly a
special office, which is of so high importance
that it gives, as the Homily declares, a compre
hensive name and character to the whole method
of our Justification.
P. 13. 1. 20. ^^ The distinction here proposed
" is not a nice or a subtle thing. The simplest
'* man cannot surely be ut a loss to understand
" the dfference between the cause, and the Con-
" dition of his Hope."
The grand error of the romish Church con
sists in not observing this distinction : for though
they very rightly ascribe remission of Sins past
to Christ's death alone, as one part of Justifi
cation ; yet they most erroneously suppose that
their own righteousness wrought in Faith avails
by its OAvn worth for the other part. Thus they
confound Justification and Sanctification ; and
they make that discharge of Christian duty
Avhich concurs to the latter, to avail by its own
Avorth as the meritorious cause in part of their
Justification. This is the true difference, and a
vast one it is, between their doctrine in the Trent
decrees, and that of all Protestants: though Avhat

95
Avhat is proper to their notion is sometimes most
unjustly ascribed to others who deny and abhor
it. The Romanist may attempt to soften the
proud claim of merit by deriving the power to
merit from the influences of divine Grace, but tho
difference in doctrine will remain between those
who put but one meritorious cause of Justifica
tion, and one only valuable price of the whole
recompence of glory, restraining both to Christ
alone, and those Avho contend for an avaihng
poAver in man's righteousness to justify in part,
and to establish a proper claim or title by its own
worth to the recompence of gloiy. They who
shall ascribe the smallest particle of this latter
error to the Teachers of our Church, Avill do them
great Avrong. Nothing like it appears in any of
the writings of our approved Divines, whatever
part they take in these controversies. Nothing
like it can be forced upon the sentiments of
those Avho maintain the general Conditions of
the Christian Covenant : they constantly declare,
that the best performance of the Gospel terms,
though required as the condition of their hope,
is never free from blemish, never adequate to the
reward of that inheritance which belongs of
right to one sufficient Saviour, and can be Ours
only by' adoption. The

96
The distinction so necessary to be made be
tween the Cause and the Condition of our ac
ceptance before God, will also enable us to
understand another main point in Theology —
why man was not restored to his first integrity
in this life by the Gospel succours. The reason
is implied in what has all along been said, and
must never be forgotten, that another method of
Justification, that is, for Christ's only merits, is
provided, one consequence of which is, that
fallen man is fixed in his humihty, and must
look for ever to his Saviour as the sole ground
of his hope. Thus, though the standard of
Obedience be not loAvered, but extend still to
every point of duty, and admit of no wilful un-
repented Sin, yet is the Christian's service capable
of a merciful allowance and of the privileges of
Repentance j he derives this advantage from his
interest in Christ Jesus, whilst the best discharge-
of the Behever's service is but the Condition,
not the Cause of his Salvation. They Avho count
it for the cause in part, as the Romish Church
does, are obliged to add one error to another, and
to maintain that it may be perfect, no taint of
Sin, according to their doctrine, remaining after
baptism ; and as if that were too little, they
hold that this righteousness in Some may so far
exceed

97
exceed the line of bounden duty as to provide
a fund of merits applicable to the good of
Others : a notion which may well create amaze
ment in those who take their opinions from the
Scripture. P. 13. 1. 24. " By that obvious discrimination
" (between the Cause and the Condition) he will
" be able to solve a question which has exercised
" the pains of many, and to reconcile with ease
" the supposed discordance between the words qf
" revealed truth in the mouths of two of its
" distinguished TVitnesses."
So much has been said already of the old
distinctions of fides sola non solitaria, and of
Justification before God by Faith alone, and
before men by good works, that it is only neces
sary to notice here another solution of the diffi
culty which hath been attempted, in order to sup
port the scheme of necessary and inevitable con
nection between Faith and good works, by which
the Conditions are excluded. Since then nothing
is more certain than that of those who profess
Faith, some do not produce the fruits of obe
dience, a distinction is set up concerning Faith
itself : and that Faith which does not produce
G good

98
good works is denied to be true Faith. One
would imagine then that these are but verbal
differences between the contending parties. Yet
the difference is considerable, and is the more
important since it is connected Avith an entire
system, from Avhich, as an able Writer has of
late observed, no one link can be struck off,
without the ruin of the whole. On the one side
then, it is supposed that Faith may really exist
and be true Faith, such as in its own tendency
ought to produce good works, and will produce
them, so long as he that harbours it continues
stedfast in his principles, and true to his engage
ments, but that this Faith has its trial, and may
fail ; since according to our Lord's AVOrds, many
believe gladly few a season, but in time of temp
tation fall away. To avoid this, Others make
many kinds of Faith ; that Avhich enabled men
to work miracles, historical Faith, saving Faith,
&c. and they answer the difficulty of men ap
parently departing from the faith, by distinguish
ing the Faith of such men from justifying Faith,
to which they attribute the certain and infallible
production of good works, or if they be inter.^-
rupted for a reason by partial failures, yet they
ascribe to it the certainty of final perseverance :
Concerning those distinctions the Reader may
consult

99
consult Mr. Rotheram's excellent Treatise on
Faith, where they are fully considered and en
tirely overthrown. What St. James says of the
Faith with which evil Spirits " believe and
" tremble," has been brought to support the
distinctions which are made betAveen the several
kinds of Faith, by Avhich the whole subject is in
volved in obscurity. But the instance is im
properly alledged ; for all Faith that is propor
tioned to its object is true Faith as far as it goes,
and may be saving Faith if it be followed by
an answerable conduct. The reason why this
cannot be the case Avith unclean Spirits is, that
they appear to be fixed in a state of unalterable
malice : and St. James so far from speaking of
their Faith as not being true Faith, declares
that it is, for otherwise his instance were im
pertinent, but argues its insufficiency from the
total want of suitable effects.
But there has been another mode attempted
for reconciling the Apostles. It has been said
Avhen St. James speaks concerning Faith as be
ing dead Avithout works, his meaning is, that
there is no Faith at all where there are no good
works. According to this solution of the matter
St. James is made to set forth Avith great em-
c 2 phasis,

100
phasis, and with a long induction of particulars,
this self-evident and needless proposition, that
where there is no Faith there will be no fruits of
Faith. This reduces the Apostle's spirited re
monstrance to so flat a sense, that the force and
application of the argument is Avholly lost : for
instead of objecting to some Avho trusted in a
Faith which produced no suitable effects, the
Apostle is made to object to those who only pre
tended to have Faith, but indeed had none. As
if no more were intended than that where Faith
does not exist, it cannot save.
It is objected further, that they who main
tain the Conditions in all periods of the Chris
tian life, put the Effect for the Cause : that is,
they put Holiness, which Avith some is the certain
consequence of Justification, for the Causd,
This charge is entirely misapplied. It is equally
erroneous to put Faith or Holiness for the Cause
of Justification : no such virtue is to be ascribed
to Faith alone, or, to Faith, Repentance, and
Obedience jointly taken. In a AVord, God is
the sole efficient Cause of Justification; the
Merits of his only-begotten the procuring cause ;
-Faith the Means ; and Repentance, Faith, and
Obedience, the Conditions. But to consider the
objecdon

101
objection yet more cbsely, it is said that Holi
ness must not be thought to precede but to fol
low Justification. Very true. But is this over
thrown by the vows of Baptism, and the answer
of a good conscience engaging with sincere in
tention to keep the Conditions of the Gospel ?
If so, then they who join Repentance Avith Faith
in all periods of the Christian life, make the
same mistake : unless it can be shewn that the
disposition of the mind which renounces sin and
undertakes to forsake it for the time to come, is
a different thing from an humble and unfeigned
resolution to keep the Conditions .of the Gospel.
Is there then, it may be asked, no difference
between Justification and Sanctification ? Most
certainly there is ; and we preserve that dis
tinction ; and shew in what measures and degrees
the latter follows the former : for Sanctification
is a gradual AVork, Avhich remains to be made
good in all parts of the Christian course under
the quickening influences of divine Grace which
precedes all, which prompts, guides, directs, and
in those who are not Avanting to themselves, will
perfect all. If they Avho apply the terms Cause
and Effect to Faith and Holiness mean no more
than that Faith is the Cause or Principle of holy
life under the influence and operation of divine
Q 3 Grace,

102
Grace, then it is agreed with them that Faith
operates as a Cause, but as a qualifying and a
moral, not as a necessary Cause ; and there lies the
true difference in this whole debate. They who
speak of Faith as a necessary Cause ; must deny
the Conditions ofthe Christian Covenant. But
upon' no other account is the necessary con
nection between Faith and Works, or Justifi
cation and subsequent Holiness, so earnestly
maintained except for the saving of a scheme
Avhich cannot stand without that notion : Avhereas
the doctrine of Justification for Christ's only
sake, by Faith, upon the terms and Conditions
of the Gospel, rests upon its own foundations
Avithout reference to those Opinions. In a word,
if no more be intended than that Christian Avorks
cannot be done but upon Christian Principles ;
it is true; but if it be meant that either Faith
or Justification are the necessary Causes of good
works, or that the disposition to obey and the
habit of obedience do not concur with Faith to
the same end, but are mere concomitants and
signs of Faith, this is directly contrary to the
doctrine of St. James, and to the proper notion
of the Conditions of the Christian Covenant as
delivered in all parts of the Gospel. That sup
posed connection Ayhich is contended for between Faith

103
Faith and Works is much favoured by a mis
conception of the Metaphor of the Tree which
produces answerable fruits. This figure is signi
ficant and proper if it be rightly limited. But
a similitude between things which correspond in
some respects, but in some essential properties
are entirely unlike, must never be carried
through, since in that case what might serve
for illustration, Avill lead to false conclusions.
In the figure of the Tree the essential difference
consists in the disparity between a production
merely physical, and that which is produced in
moral subjects. To the One no voluntary choice
or reasonable agency can possibly concur ; to
the Other both must be concurring : and this
manifest distinction Avell observed will prevent
the misapplication of this favourite illustratiou.
It is very true that a Tree Avili produce according
to its kind by a merely physical result, if no im
pediment take place. Faith also will produce
its own effects if no moral hindrance shall pre
vail : but the obvious difference between merely
natural results and those Avhich are of a moral
nature must be constantly remembered. Extend
the comparison to those parts Avhich are unlike
jn the several subjects, and you confound their
G 4 natures.

104<
natures, and the consequences will be most gross
and erroneous.
The case of the Penitent Thief is also some
times strangely misapplied, to shew that men
are saved by Faith Avithout any other conditional
probation. The answer to that misconception
is most obvious : that God accepts what is pos
sible in time and place, accompanied with such
dispositions as are known to him, without re
quiring those parts of a Condition which are
not possible in such circumstances. If another
method of reply were needful, it might easily be
shewn that the conduct of the happy Penitent
was in all points suitable to his belief.
P. 34, I. 22. " All that is said also concerning
" different vessels, some made to more or less
" honourable uses, according to the Potter's
' ' pleasure, will admit of an easy construction ;
" nor shall we be suffered for a moment to
" imagine that God makes some to be mere
" vehicles of his wrath, though he be said to
" bear with such men for a season, when they
" pervert their own ways, and others for his
" everlasting favour and acceptance, without
" respect to their mvn conduct, or to the use
they

105
" they make of the several means and oppertu-
" nities for the improvement."
St. Paul, in speaking of vessels made to ho
nour or dishonour, shews hoAV the change may
be from one to the other ; and expressly leaves
room for the Condirions in this matter. " If
" a man," saith he, " shall purge himself from
" these (works of iniquity) he shall be a vessel
" unto honour, sanctified and meet for the
" Master's use, and prepared unto every good
" Avork." The case of Pharaoh is often brought
into this question, yet though he be said to be
raised up, and endured aAvhile, and in some
sense hardened, yet nothing is more clear than
that the same Scriptures speak as positively of
his hardening his own heart, and that the final
hardening did not take place, as a judicial in
fliction, until after many trials, in Avhich God
was pleased to bear with him when his own heart
turned against the Lord. He who Avill consult
Bp. Patrick's Commentary on the several places
alluded to, and compare what he says upon them,
will receive full satisfaction on this head.
Nor less worthy of attention are the remarks
of Mr. Buikitt, in his Commentary on these sub
jects.

106
jlscts. In discoursing upon Rom. ix. 22, be says;,
" as if the Apostle had said, Avhat though God
" doth not presently punish the obstinate and
" unbeUeving Jews according to their deserts,
" but beareth Avith them, and exercises for-
" bearance toward them, and they go on by
" their continual rebelliou to make themselves
" fit objects of his wrath ; but he is pleased still
" with great gentleness and patience to bear
" Avith them, as he did Avith Pharaoh ; and if
" after all they be more hardened, as he Avas
"by God's forbearance — Avhat shew of injustice
" I pray is it if he punish them at last Avith
" greater severity as God did him ? If he swallow
" up their nation, destroy their Temple, ruin
" their City? What injustice is it to destroy
" those Avho by making themselves objects of
" God's Avrath are fittetl for destruction?" — .
" Here note," adds this Author, " that the
" vessels of wrath fitted for destruction are such
" as the Apostle saith God endured with much
" long suffering, and therefore they were not
" made vessels of wrath by God, but by them-
" selves, after they had filled up the measures
" of their sins, and thereby fitted themselves as
" vessels for destruction. God endured them
" with much long suffering, though Judgement
" at last took hold upon them to the uttermost." Hov*'

107
How different is this hardening of the Obstinate
by judicial desertion after trial, and after in
corrigible misuse on their part of the means of
Grace, together with the opportunities of Re
pentance, from the passing by certain persons
according to an everlasting decree, and leaving
them to the corruption of their own hearts,
Avhen Others are elected : where such pre-
terition, though softened in the sound, is no
less tlian certain, unconditional, inevitable, re
probation, P. 26, 1. 13. " The ordinary rules and methods
" of divine Grace are so clearly pointed out,
" that it zoill be no less easy to discover the place
" which is left for the Conditions of the Chris-
*' tian Cffvenatit."
If it be objected that the grant of Grace may
be defeated if it be Conditional, and that God
may thereby fall short of his purpose, through
the fault of man : The answer is most obvious,
that God is not mocked, nor is his purpose
frustrated, for it never was his design, as he
frequently declares, to compel men to heaven
in a way which would destroy the whole ground
of what is so emphatically called " their reason- " able

108
" able service." God is not mocked; for his
purpose will be fulfilled upon the Avicked and
incorrigible in their just punishment, as well as
upon the Penitent and Dutiful in their salvation.
Very excellent are the words of Mr. Burkitt,
where he points out the place of the Condition
in the work of Grace. Upon Rom. viii. 13.
discoursing upon mortifying the deeds of the
body, he says, " Observe the agents in this
" work; and they are tAvo: 1. The more prin-
" cipal Agent is the Holy Spirit : 2. The less
" principal is the Christian himself, "if ye
" through the Spirit." " We can do nothing
" Avithout him ; he will do nothing without us.
" Learn hence that in mortifying Sin, the Spirit's
" assistance, and our own endeavours must
" concur. Mortification indeed is not the Avork
" of nature, yet man must be an agent in it,
" not in his own, but in God's strength. We
" have brought Sin, that rebel, into our own
" Souls, and Ave must use our endeavours to
" cast it out. True, it cannot be done alone
" by ourselves, but it never will be done with-
" out ourselves."

The fear of heing tedious having produced a
compression of the subject of the preceding pages,

109
pages, a few remarks may be admitted here in
order to fix the main points beyond the reach of
misconception. And first concerning the Avord Condition —
they who suspect a lurking plea of merit under
this expression, do not distinguish between the
Condition which accompanies a grant, and the
service by which a recompence is earned. They
who conceive too that in speaking of Conditions
with reference to a Covenant, we speak only as
if something were to be given for something
done, mistate the case entirely. They omit the
whole ground upon which the promise of the
Covenant is established : they advance the Con
dition to a place from which it is utterly ex
cluded, and ascribe to, the performance of it an.
influence which no Protestant Divine allows.
The testimonies which follow, and which Avere
withheld before for the sake of brevity, will make
it evident how preceding writers have used the
AVord Condition, and explained the proper notion
of it
Mr. Richard Baxter published in the year
1655, a volume entitled, " Richard Baxter's
" Confession of his Faith; especially concern- " ing

110
" ing the interest of Repentance and sincere
" Obedience to Christ in our Justification and
" Salvation: written for the satisfaction of the
" Misinformed, the conviction of Calumnia-
" tors, and the explication and vindication of
" some Aveighty truths."
In this book, Avhich is alluded to in the con
clusion of these papers, he produces an hundred
testimonies of noted Protestant Writers, besides
other documents from Synods and Confessions
concurring in his opinion concerning the Condi
tions ofthe Christian Covenant. He says, "the
" very nature of the thing, as well as plain Scrip-
*' ture, proclaimeth to us this great truth, Avhich
" once more I entreat all men that read this well
" to consider of — that as it Avas not the Sinner
" himself, nor any servant or delegate of his,
" but Christ the Mediator upon God's mission
" and his voluntary sponsion, who bore the
<' penalty and made satisfaction to God ; so
" it was meet that the fruits of this satisfacdon
" should not be delivered by God immediately
" to the Sinner, but Sinners and all into the
"hands of the Redeemer; that all they shall
" receive might come to them through his
" hands, and, come from him, as it was pur-
" chased

Ill
" chased by him ; and that as dearly as God
" loved mankind, he did more dearly love his
*' own righteousness and glory, and therefore
" did all this more principally for it, than for us :
*' and therefore in his way of conveyance, would
*' do all on terms most becoming his honour:
" and being still to continue the government of
" the world, he thought meet to make the same
" Person Governor and Benefactor, King and
" Saviour; that so he might reign with saving,
" and save with reigning, and give out his
" mercies, not by mere absolute gifts, but by
" laws and grants Conditional, which might
" hold men to duty : that^o as there is a blessed
" conjunction of Benefactor and Rector, Sa-
" viour and King in the Head, there might be
" also an answerable conjunction in the mem-
" hers of love and loy^-lty, thankfulness and
" obedience." P. 290, &P,
To those Avho call for the definition of the
word Condition, Mr. Baxter says " hear our
" Teacher: " Blessed are they that do his com-
*' mandments, that they may have a right to
" the tree of life, and may enter in by the gate,.
f into the City:" to Avhich he adds, " the
^' Condition is promissionis vel testamenti Con-
"ditio,

112
" ditio, the Condition of God's grant, or
" Christ's testament." P, 312,
Again Mr. Baxter says, " another com-
" mon assertion is that James by works means
" a Avorking Faith, Avhen he saith Ave are justified
" by works and not by Faith only. Thus Mr.
" Pemble, and the most of our Divines. I
" believe this as well as they, that James
" speaks of AVorks as effects of Faith, quahfying
" or proving it fit to justify, but yet I believe
" verily that by works he means works indeed,
" having mentioned them no less than twelve
" times in fourteen verses. But suppose the
" meaning be that a working Faith justifies, and
" not a Faith that will not Avork ; if they place
" no reason of its justifying in this modifica-
" tion that it be AVorking, the scope of St. James's
" discourse confuteth them, and the reasons
" that he brings for it are made void and vain.
" It never Avas in his mind to take pains to prove
" the necessity of such a qualification of Faith as
" is no means, no not so much as a Condition
" to the end in question, but a mere concomi-
" tant. — But if they mean that Faiths working
" nature, is any means or Condition of its
" justifying, they say as much as I. For ex
ample

113
" ample a matt is promised his freedom if he pay
" an hundred pounds current money: that it
" be money is the substance of the Condition,
" but that it be current is a modification Of it,
" and part ofthe Condirion, and without it he
" shall no more be freed than if he had paid none
" at all. So if God say, he that believeth with
" a working Faith shall be justified ; that it be
" a working Faith is as necessary a part of the
" Condition, as that it be Faith j and it is but
" Conditionality that I assert."
Then follow the testimonies of Divines of
all Communions, from Avhich a few selections
may here be introduced. This Citation from
Bp. Davenant is thus prefaced : Davenant (that
" Light of Dort, Cambridge, England) ex-
" presseth himself concerning the interest of
*' works in Justification in the same phrase and
" sense, as far as I can understand him, as
*' I do." He cites him very much at length,
and in the Citation are these remarkable words :
" Conclus. ,5, Bona quEsdam opera sunt ne-
" cessaria ad Justificationem, ut Conditiones
" concurrentes vel praecursoriee licet non sunt
" necessaria ut causae efficientes aut meritoriag :"
translated thus by Mr. Baxter, " Some good
H " works

114
" Avorks are necessary to Justification as Con-
" ditions concurrent or foregoing, though they
" be not necessary as efficient or meritorious
" causes.'* And again " Conclus. 6. Bona
" opera sunt necessaria ad Justificationis statum
" retinendum et conservandum ; non ut causas
" qusB per se efficiant aut mereantur hanc con-
" servationem sed ut media, seu Conditiones
" sinequibus Deus non vult Justificationis gra-
" tiam in hominibus conservare." Translated
thus by Mr. Baxter: " Good works are neces-
" sary to the retaining and conserving the
" state of Justification, not as causes which of
" themselves effect or merit this conservation,
" but as means or Conditions Avithout Avhich
" God will not conserve the Grace of Justift-
" cation in men." P. 321.
What he cites from Vossius, Thes. .de bon.
oper. mer. p. 79- Thes. 10, is no less clear.
" QuEeritur an nierces opeiibus promittatur ut
" fidei signis? Nos et nimium dicere putamus
" qui earn operibus promitti censent ut causse
" meritoriae ; nee satis dicere judicamus, qui
" tantummodo ut signis fidei promissionem fac-
" tam arbitrantur. SiquidemmultasuntScripturtB
" loca quib us planum fiat opera nostra iu salutis
" negoti©

115
'' * negotio spectari ut causam sine quS, non^ sivd
" ut Conditionem prsecedaneam quae prasmium
" vitae seturnae individuo secum nexu trahat."
Thus rendered by Mr. Baxter, " It is ques-
" tioned whether thei reward be promised to Avorks
" as to signs of Faith ? We judge that they say
" too much that judge it promised to Avorks
" as to a meritorious cause; and we judge
*' that they say not enough, who suppose the
" promise made to them only as signs of Faith :
" for there are many places of Scripture in
" Avhich it is plain that our works are looked
" upon in the business of salvation as a causa
" sine qui non, or as a prtecedaneous Condition^
" which inseparably bringeth with it the reward
" Of eternal life^"
The passage from Camero, p. 365, operum
foi. Genev. runs thus : " Obj. Si multte Condi-^-
" tiones requiruntur in Justificandis, non justi-
" ficamur ex meri Gratia Resp. Distinguo Con-
" ditiones : si multas Conditiones requirantur
" in Justificandis, quce habeant proportionem
" cum Justitia Dei, Concedo. Sed si Condi-
" tiones quae requiruntur in justificandis nullam
" habeant proportionem cum justitia Dei, nego
" inde effici Justificationem non esse ex meri
" Gratii. Nam non excluduntur Conditiones
H 2 " oinnes.

116
' omnes, sed ea; quas possent habere rationem
' Meriti." Thus rendered by Mr. Baxter,
' Obj. If many Conditions are required in them
' that are to be justified, we are not justified
' of mere Grace. Answ. I distinguish of Con-
' ditions, and if many Conditions are required
' in them to be justified, Avhich bear propor-
' tion with the Justice of God, I grant it. But
' if the Conditions required in them to bejusti-
' fied have no proportion with the Justice of
' God, 1 deny that it thence follows that Justi-
' fication is not of mere Grace ; for all Con-
' ditions are not excluded, but those Avhich
' might have the reason of Merit."
The citations from Mr. Gataker's works is thus
given : " Pardon of Sin and Salvation are pro-
" pounded and preached on Condition of Faith,
" Repentance, and newness of life, which are the
" Conditions of the Gospel. That which is so
" propounded as that being performed, Life and
" Salvation may undoubtedly be attained, and
" without Avhich it cannot be had, may Avell be
" termed a Condition. But such are the things
" before mentioned. They may therefore justly
" be termed Conditions:" to which is added
from the same author ; "To your demand, is this
" free

117
free Grace? I shall crave leave to return a
counter demand. Suppose a King be content
at the suit either of the parties themselves or
some friend of theirs, to grant his gracious par
don to a company of notorious rebels that had
risen against him., set up some base desperate
rogue in his room, done him all the despight
and mischief they were able to do, and being
condemned, &e. upon condition that they
acknowledge their offence, and their sorrow
for it with purpose and promise of living loy
ally for the time to come, whether you would
deem this to be free Grace or no ? Were he
not a most ungrateful Avretch that having his
pardon on such terms granted and signed
him, should in regard of those C'onditions
deny it to be free Grace ? And whether they
do not blaspheme God's free Grace that deny
it to be free Grace, if it be propounded on
terms of belief, repentance and amendment
of life ? Sir, Avhatever you say of us, take
heed how you tell Christ that he doth noe
freely save you, if he Avill not save you unless
you believe," &c. He goes on, " such exact
working as might fully answer the Justice of
God, was to life required in the one Covenants
Avhereas that Avhich comes far short of it, is,
H 3 "in

118
^' in and for Christ, unto life accepted in the
" other: and again, if the Gospel propound
" and promise pardon of Sin and Salvation
" without Conditions at all required on our part,
" and all such Conditions and qualifications of
" Belief, Repentance, and ncAv Obedience, de-
" stroy freeness of Grace, then neither Christ
*' nor John Baptist, nor the Apostles preached
" Gospel or free Grace : for they thus preached
" and propounded pardon of sin and salvation
" upon such terms, from first to last."
To the same purpose, Dr. Thomas Taylor — •
f We are mere patients in the causes of Blessed-
^' ness, but in respect ofthe Conditions we are
" not so, for as we said of Faith Ave may also
^' say of good works ; Godenablethto them, but
f' man worketh them, and walketh in the Avay
" of them to Blessedness. Not that our Avorks
^' are Causes, but Conditions, without Avhich
" Blessedness is not attained." — See Matt,
XXV. 35.
Thus also Musculus : "On what Conditions-
f are Sins pardoned? In Christ as our onlyPro-
5' pitiator, Mediator, and Reconciler is the re-
" mission of Sin offered us by the word of the
" Gospel

119
" Gospel and the gift of Grace and Mercy of
" God is accepted by Faith. Yet are there cer-
" tain Conditions without Avhich this Grace is
" not attained, or being attained is not retained."
Mr. Baxter sums up this, by observing " the
" like may be said of Luther, Melancthon,
" and all the Princes and Divines that joined
" in the first famous Confession of the Pro-
V testants (the Augustane) which asserteth
" losing of the Spirit and Grace : and all those
" Churches and Divines who still own that
" Confession and Doctrine. , AH these Avhilst
" they maintain that Justification is lost by dis-
" obedience and gross Sin, must needs hold that
" Obedience is a Condition of not losing Justir'
" fication. So that there are many nations of
" Protestants join in this one testimony. As
" also do all ours ofthe contrary opinion, while
" they confess that if we should lose our holiness
" and true Obedience we should lose ourJustifi-
" cation." He concludes concerning those that
Avill not allow such things to be Conditions
making them to be mere signs, and calling it
Popery or Judaism to say otherwise, " Unhappy
" is the Soul that reduceth this doctrine into
" practice, and Avhose affecrions and conversa-
I" tions are regulated thereby." The mischiefs
H 4 Avhich

120
which are deprecated in this last sentence by
Mr. Baxter seem to haye been regarded in the
same light by a Divine of the next age, Avho
$ays, " it may be proper to take notice that it
*' has for several years been the opinion of some,
*' who yet set up for the only Gospel Preachers,
" and who for the generality are raw and illiT
" terate men, to deny that Christ is to be offered
" to Sinners" (or that there is any proper
tender of salvation generally made to them)
*' they stand np they say for the Operation-
*' Doctrine, in opposition to the Offer-Doctrine,
*' and are against all application being made tp
" the Consciences of Sinners." — An Address to
Young Students in Divinity, by Abraham Tay
lor, D.D. P. 14. 1739.
Excellent too are the Avords of Mr. Thorn-
dike on this whole subject : " The change of a
^' man's mind, saith he, infers the change of all
" his life ; but the change of his life must ob-
" tain the effect pf those prpmises the right
" whereof he is invested Avith upon the change
" of his mind ; on the same precious conside-
** ration of Chris ts merits." — Thorndike's Epil. Upon

121
Upon the Avhole view Avhich has been taken it
is obvious to remark, the inconsisterlcy and
heedless difficulty which accompanies the at
tempt of retaining one branch of that pecufiar
scheme of doctrine AVhich begins with abso
lute decrees, whilst the leading propositions in
it are rejected. They who adhere to that whole
scheme, are forced to maintain that connexion
in the order of redemption which makes the
Christian's holiness the necessary fruit of Faith,
and which leaves no place for the alternatives of
choice and the proper trial of the heart, with
which the certainty of final perseverance could
not consist. But they who reject the prime and
leading points in this system, they Avho grant
that there is a proper freedom of the Avill Under
the influences of Divine Grace, in embracing or
fulfilling what the Gospel tenders and enjoins,
cannot possibly defend the necessary connection
betAveen Faith and Works. Certain it is also
that they Avho retain parts of that scheme which
they renounce in part, suffer much embarrass
ment thereby ; since they tye themselves to some
of the greatest difficulties of that system Avithout
being further interested in its support. The
same remark might be applied to one more par
ticular, which appears to be the only remaining point,

122
point, after the peculiar notions Avhich relate
to Faith, in which the scheme before alluded to,
is partially retained by many. If some peculiar
exaggerations of the grand doctrine of the ruin
and corruption of the human nature by the Fall
were carefully examined, the same result which
has been gathered in these papers would come
out, and it would appear that all that is true, and
sound, and Scriptural, iu this branch of divine
truth also, has been constantly maintained in
our Church, and is still held by its Members ;
but is not at all concerned in those exaggerations
which belong entirely to another scheme ; and
like those notions concerning Faith whicfi h^ve
here been considered, are equally incompatible
with the test which has been thus far applied--
the general Conditions of the Christian Cp-r
yeuant,

CONCLUSION.

123

CONCLUSION
It Avill noAV suffice once more to declare, that
it is the purpose of the foregoing pages, to set
forth Avith entire sincerity the grand doctrines of
the Fall and ruin of man's nature ; of the One
sufficient sacrifice for Sin ; of the needful influ
ences and eflicacy of diA'ine Grace, in CA'ery
period of the Christian life ; of Justification by
Faith, by Faith alone, as that term generally
taken describes the AvhoIe method of acceptance
for Christ's only sake, distinguishing the Co
venant of Grace from that of Works ; or as that
term more narrowly restrained respects the Faith
of Individuals as a special instrument in receiv
ing what is freely given ; or as that term de
scribes the leading Principle of the Christian
Service *. But it has been the author's purpose
also to shew that in all respects these doctrines
include and imply the general Conditions of the
Gospel, Avhich are constantly required from those
f Upon which view of the matter, see two excellent
Piscourses of Bp. Sherlock. Serm. XIV. in 2 Parts. to

124
to whom the free gift of Salvation is proposed,
becoming thus the real Ground of their pro
bation. It has further been a main design of these
pages to shew that such distinctive doctrines,
with every fundamental Article of Faith and
practice with relation to our access to the Fa
ther, through the Son, and by the Holy Ghost,
and Avith regard to every necessary rule of ho-
finess, stand apart from some particulars of tenet
and opinion Avhich, Avhether true or false, may
be interwoven with them, or detached from
them ; as indeed they have been by very many
both before and since the Reformation. A real
bond of union therefore subsists still, though
too often industriously overlooked between those
who contend together ; and on that solid ground
there should subsist a mutual friendship, and a
strict forbearance from all misplaced and injuri
ous censures. Let men on either side consider
what would be the consequence if they could
succeed in forcing their Opinions on the public
Standard. The result must be what every good
man ought to deprecate, and what the public
wisdom of our Church has carefully precluded,
needless, and yet inevitable separation. The

125
The same diversity of sentiment with respect
to those peculiar tenets, subsists among others
of our Countrymen, who agree too in the main
doctrines and essential truths before enumerated,
but unhappily are not united in Communion
Avith us. The celebrated Mr. Baxter was among
the first who opposed some notions concerning
Faith, which were much favoured in his day, and
were most in vogue among his own friends.
With a generous contempt of every private bias,
and with the full range of that uncommon talent
for nice investigation which distinguished him,
he trod all the mazes of this argument, and an
swered every angry reclamation, some frorn the
distant shores of America, which were poured
upon him at that time. Upon which, this obser
vation may be grounded, Avhich is of more im
portance than the name of any man to any sys
tem ; that numbers of the most distinguished
persons in all divisions of the Christian World,
since these controversies were first broached in
the Western Church, have differed in their sen
timents concerning these opinions, and yet held
the same Faith in all fundamental points, used
the same Creeds, and followed the same rules of
duty. They Avho at this day are most eager on
both sides against such as differ from them on
these

126
these heads, can, ¦With indifference to these points
of opinion, pay just marks of respect to many
of those excellent persons, long since called
to their reward. Surely the same candid ac
ceptation of the Christian labours of persons
now differing in those particulars, is no less due
on both parts : unless it can be right to speak
peace only to the Mighty Dead, whilst Ave per^
petuate hostilities with the living.

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