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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33361	A discourse of the saving grace of God by ... David Clarkson ...	Clarkson, David, 1622-1686.	1688 (1688)	Wing C4573; ESTC R12535	66,518	170

endeavour'd it His clear and comprehensive Mind his excellent Learning his reasoning argumentative Skill his solid most discerning Judgment his indefatigable Industry his large Knowledge and great Moderation in the matters of our unhappy Ecclesiastical differences his calm dispassionate Temper his pleasant and most amiable Conversation did carry so great a lustre with them as that notwithstanding his most beloved Retiredness they could not in his Circumstances but make him be much known and much esteem'd and lov'd by all that had the happiness to know him and make the loss of him be much lamented But he was by the things that made his continuance so desirable in this World the fitter for a better and more suitable World. He liv'd here as one that was more a-kin to that other World than this and who had no other business here but to help in making this better From such an hand one may reasonably expect a Treatise very highly valuable upon such a Subject Which I do with so great confidence that thô I have not as yet wanting Opportunity throughly perus'd it I make no doubt to invite such to the reading of it as apprehend the value of the Grace of God and their own Salvation earnestly desiring that as their Satisfaction herein may be in its completion alike early so it may be equally great with that which is with much assurance expected by One very desirous any way to promote the common Salvation John Howe THE CONTENTS OF THE Ensuing DISCOURSE THat Salvation is wholly and only from Grace proved Pag. 1 2. Grace free in respect of 1. Constraint 2. Merit 3. Motive p. 3 4. That Salvation is by Grace demonstrated from God from Man p. 5 6. 1. From Man in several particulars 7 8 c. 2. From God demonstrated in several particulars p. 17 c. Use Those condemned who will have us saved by Free-will and not by Free-Grace 27. The Doctrine of Free-will displayed in four particulars 1. What Grace the Patrons of Free-will do own and count sufficient 2. What they ascribe to Free-will 3. What is the Tendency of their Principles 4. What they Object against the Doctrine of Free-Grace p. 28. 1. What Grace by them is counted sufficient p. 28 c. 2. What they ascribe to Free-will p. 33. 3. The Import and dangerous Tendency of the Doctrine of Free-will in twenty particulars p. 39 40 c. 4. Objections against the Doctrine of Grace answered and Prejudices removed p. 112. Some Practical Inferences from the Doctrine of Free-Grace p. 147. Books written and published by the Author of this ensuing Treatise and sold by Tho. Farkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side near Mercers-Chappel NO Evidence for Diocesan Churches nor any Bishops without the Choice or Consent of the People in the Primitive Times Or an Answer to the Allegations out of Antiquity for such Churches and against Popular Elections of Bishops In a late Volume Intituled The unreasonableness of Separation Shewing that they do not serve the Design for which they are produced Diocesan Churches not yet discovered in the Primitive Times Or a Defence of the Answer to Dr. Stillingfleets Allegations out of Antiquity for such Churches Against the Exceptions offered in the Preface to a late Treatise called A Vindication of the Primitive Church A DISCOURSE OF Free-Grace EPHES. II. 8. By Grace ye are saved THE Apostle the great Asserter of Free-Grace in the 20th Verse compares the Church to a Temple And it is his design in this Epistle to shew the Influence Grace hath to the raising of this Building He undertakes to prove that the whole Structure of Salvation is to be attributed alone to Grace The Foundation was laid from Eternity by Grace in Election Chap. 1. 4 5. The polishing and disposing of each particular Stone in the Building by Justification and Sanctification were all acts of Grace Chap. 1. 7. 2. 5. 4. 13 14. And it is Grace that lays on the Top-stone in Glory Chap. 2. 6. So that we may honour this Temple with the same Acclamations which they used to theirs Zach. 4. 7. and cry Grace grace unto it The summ of the whole Discourse is propounded in the Text By Grace ye are saved We will not divide what God from Eternity has joined together Grace and Salvation But from them intirely taken offer you this Observation Salvation is wholly and only to be attributed to Grace We need go no further for divine Testimony to this Truth than these two Chapters Election Chap. 1. 4 5. Redemption ver 7. Vocation ver 16. Justification Chap. 2. ver 3 4. Sanctification ver 5. Glorification ver 6. What he speaks of the whole here he affirms of every part thereof in those places The whole and all the parcels are of Grace For Explication By Salvation understand both the Decree of God by which the Elect were ordained to Salvation and the Execution of that Decree begun here and consummated in glory That we may know what Grace means take notice of three words used promiscuously in Scripture which yet admit of some distinction the knowledge whereof will lead us to the distinct knowledge of this term These are Love Mercy Grace To Love is velle bonum to will the Happiness of the Object loved It is not in God such an affection as in us though in effect it proves affectus unionis and brings God and his People together Mercy does velle bonum miseris So it adds a Limitation to the Object which Love leaves indefinite It is for those that are miserable Grace does velle bonum liberè So this limits not the Object as the former but qualifies the Act. It acts freely So that Mercy is Love to those that are miserable Grace is Love in him that is unobliged Unobliged I say either by Necessity Merit or Motive Grace then in God is nothing but free Love. 1. Free in respect of Constraint when there is no necessity he should fix his Love upon this Object at all or upon this rather than another This is spontaneum 2. Free in respect of Merit when there is nothing in the Object that deserves Love either absolutely or comparatively this is gratuitum 3. Free in respect of Motive when there is nothing in the Object to move this Affection to pitch upon it at all or upon it rather than another This is liberum tho' it express it not fully In all these respects the Grace of God in bestowing Salvation upon any of the Sons of men is free Love. 1. There 's no Necessity God should save men He is a most free Agent whose liberty is inconsistent with every degree of Necessity ab extra It was in his choice either to have created no man or to have condemned all men or to have saved those who are now condemned 2. There is nothing in Man that can merit Salvation for there is no good thing in him that he can call his own

due ●o us but Punishment and so cannot oblige the Lord to perform the Promises to justifie pardon or save us For that which obliges the Lord to execute the Threatning cannot oblige him to fulfill his Promise How then is the Lord obliged How come the Promises to be accomplished Why not upon the account of our defective Performances but for Christs sake and so through Grace Christ has satisfied for the sins of his People for the sinful defects of their Performances Upon his account they are pardoned and accepted and so for his sake they are rewarded and the Promises performed Thus as 2 Cor. 1. 20. all the Promises are performed with unvariable Faithfulness he engages the Faithfulness of God to fulfill all the Promises when as our Performances considered in themselves do oblige him and would rather engage him against it 5. Vncertain Conditions When it is uncertain whether the Condition will be performed or no. Such Conditions have place amongst Men and Men only such as suspend the Affair in eventum incertum and leave it at uncertainty as to the Event it is uncertain whether the Condition will be performed or not and so uncertain whether the Promise will be performed The Reason why Man proposes such Conditions is his Weakness and Imperfection for want of Power or Foresight He has not the Wills of others in his Power cannot make them comply with his Will and so cannot tell what they will do So that it is also for want of certain Foreknowledge or Foresight when we will not bestow a Favour on another but upon Terms If we were certain that the Terms would be observed we would promise Absolutely if we were certain the Condition would not be observed we would not promise at all but because we are uncertain therefore we promise Conditionally Now the Ground of these Conditions being Weakness they must in no wise be ascribed unto God. It derogates from his infinite Wisdom and infallible Foreknowledge it derogates from his Power and Providence over mans Will and human Affairs it derogates from the Efficacy of his Grace as tho this could not determin mans Will or prevail with it certainly and infallibly to comply with his Proposals but must leave it indifferent and in suspense and so at uncertainty whether it will comply or not comply with what he propounds For VSE 1. Acknowledge this Grace How By getting high Apprehensions of it and entertaining frequent Thoughts about it Say How precious are thy Thoughts to me O God! how great is the summ of them Let the Meditation hereof be sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-combe 2. Let this beget suitable Affections Love Joy Admiration Delight both in the Fountain and Streams of Free-Grace 3. Let it be a Motive to all Holiness and Obedience Let the Grace of God the Love of Christ constrain you to an Obsequiousness to him and Affectionateness to one another If God so loved us how ought we love one another 4. Let it strengthen our Faith in Afflictions and Temptations from the Power of Sin and sense of unworthiness 5. Hold it forth to others Take all Occasions to magnifie it oppose every Practice and Opinion that obscures the Lustre of it Use it as a Touch-stone to discover what Persons are most holy what Tenents are most true even those which most illustrate Free Grace 6. By glorying in the Lord using it to make us and keep us humble We had nothing to merit nothing to move for Salvation what we are or have we are by and have from this Grace Let no man boast Rom. 9. If you have any laudable amiable Accomplishments give the glory to God. For Motives 1. Consider how thankfull Gods ancient People were for Temporal Salvation what sweet Strains of gratefull Hearts appear in those Songs of Praises which we find Recorded usually after any Deliverance And have we not much more reason to be thankfull for Eternal Salvation 2. Consider what a comprehensive Blessing Salvation is and take an Estimate thereof by comparing it with the Temporal Deliverances of the Israelites Those proceeded from a Common ordinary Love these from a Peculiar distinguishing Affection Their Deliverances were effected not without the Hazard of of their Persons our Salvation is Effected only by the Blood of Christ The Issue of theirs was not much more than Civil Tranquility sitting under their Vines and Figg-trees the Issue of ours is Grace Glory Joy and those things that Eye has not seen nor Ear heard nor have entred into the Heart of Man to conceive 3. This is the End of all God does in the World even to Glorifie himself as Rom. 9. in showing the Exceeding Riches of his Grace in his Kindness towards us through Jesus Christ Now we have no other way to Glorifie him but by an active affectionate Acknowledgment of his Grace 4. This is the Employment of gloryfied Spirits in Heaven to Praise Admire and Adore this Grace This is the Subject of those Seraphick Praises The thoughts of this stupendious Love transports Angels and Men into an eternal Rapture This is the way to be in Heaven upon Earth to anticipate Glory to enter into our Masters Joy before we come at it Nay this is the way by which our Masters Joy enters into us Never are our Souls filled with such Ravishing Pleasures as when we are taken up with such heavenly Employment Never do we rise higher above the World than when these Thoughts wing our Souls Nay sometimes they will steal into Heaven as the Israelites Spyes into Canaan and bring from thence into our Souls Grapes and Figgs and Pomgranates some taste of what we shall fully enjoy in the Land of Promise Salvation is a comprehensive Blessing it includes the Eternal Love of God that is its Foundation Which Eternal Love broke forht in time into such high Expressions as to send his Son to live miserably and dye shamefully for us and interest us in all the Merits of his Death This was the Purchase of Salvation and it is the Conclusion as thô unwilling those whom he loves so well should be at such a distance from him takes us to Himself to see his Glory to Bathe our selves in that Stream of Bliss in those Rivers of Pleasure that are at his Right Hand This is the Accomplishment of Salvation sure this deserves to be Acknowledged FINIS Books written and published by Mr. John Howe Minister of the Gospel and sold by Tho. Parkhust at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chappel 1 THe Blessedness of the Righteous opened And further Recommended from the Consideration of the Vanity of this Mortal Life In two Treatises on Psal 17. 15. and Psal 89. 47. 2. Of Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the Immoderate Desire of fore knowing things to come 3. The Redeemers Tears wept over Lost Souls A Treatise on Luke 19. 41 42. with an Appendix wherein somewhat is discoursed concerning the Blasphemy against the holy Ghost and how God is said to will the Salvation of them that perish 4. Of Charity in reference to other mens Sins