sinful and vain and no Saving Benefit is dispenced to any of us by this Rule 2. The Gospel includes the Moral Preceptive part of the first Law with some additional Precepts which suppose our Apostate state as Faith in an atoneing Saviour and Repentance for Sin These could not be enjoyned as Duties on innocent Man by a Rule of Happiness and Misery nor could they be necessary to his Right to Life because they would suppose him a Sinner The Gospel is taken in a large sence when I say it includes all the Moral Precepts but yet the Gospel doth so and they are the Commands of Christ as Redeemer to whom all Judgment is committed as well as the Law of the Creator 3. The Gospel hath another Sanction to the Preceptive part of the Law than the Covenant of Works had Though nothing be abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty yet Blessings are promised to lower degrees of Duty and a continuance in a state of Deuth with a barr to the Blessing are not threatned against every degree of Sin as the Covenant of Works did Can any doubt this to be the Grace of the Gospel-Promise Doth it promise Life to all Men however vile and impenitent they be Or doth it threaten Damnation or a Continuance of it on any true penitent believing godly Man because he is imperfect This Change of the Sanction supposeth the Death of Christ and his honouring the Law by his perfect Obedience wherein God hath provided for his own Glory while he promiseth Life by Forgiveness to imperfect Man and yet he insists on some degree of Obedience to which of his mere Grace he enableth us This the Covenant of Redemption secures to the Elect tho' the Grant therein is pleadable only by Christ as the stipulating Party for us and our personal Claim depends on the Gospel-Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator 4. This Gospel-Sanction determines as certain a Rule of Happiness and Misery as the Law of Works did though it be not the same For while it promiseth Pardon to all believing repenting Sinners and declares a barr to pardon to the impenitent Rejecters of Christ and Gospel-Grace it fixeth true Repentance and Faith unfeigned to be the Terms of Pardon So when it promiseth Heaven to the sincerely holy persevering Believer it fixeth sincere Holiness and perseverance in Faith as the Terms of possessing Heaven Hence the Use of Faith Holiness c. to these Benefits is not from their Conformity to the Precept but their Conformity to the Rule of the Promise Our applying Christ's Righteousness and relying on it would no more Justifie us than our sincere Holiness would Save us were it not for this Gospel-Promise That God will Justifie for Christ's sake all such as believe 5. Hence by Gospel-Grace there is a great difference between perfect Faith and utter Unbelief between sincere Holiness and formal Profaneness or Wickedness True Love to God and prevailing Enmity imperfect spiritual Duties and rebellious Neglects c. By the Law of Works nothing was Holiness but what was perfectly so c. But read the Bible if thou doubtest whether there is not a true Faith Holiness Love c. which be short of Perfection 6. God in the dispensing of Gospel-promised Blessings doth judicially determine a Conformity to this Rule of the Promise When he forgives he judicially declareth a Man hath true Faith when he admits into Heaven he judicially declares a Man sincerely Holy and Persevering As upon a view of his Guests he cast out him that had not on the Wedding-Garment viz. True-uniting Faith so he judicially determined That they who were not cast out but admitted to share in the Marriage Feast viz. made Partakers of Union with Christ and the Benefits thereof had True Faith and not a mere Profession As by keeping out the foolish Virgins for not having Oyl in their Lamps viz. the Spirit of Grace and persevering Holiness so by admitting the wise Virgins he judicially declared they had a Spirit of Grace and persevering Holiness Can any think that Forgiving Adopting Glorifying or the conveyance of every other promised Benefit given on God's Terms are not judicial Acts of God as Rector If so doth he dispence these blindly and promiseuously without any regard to our being Believers c. or no Or whether our Faith be true or no Any one would blush to affirm it With respect to what 's above declared the Gospel is called a Law of Faith a Law of Liberty c. and it especially insists on that sincerity of Grace and Holiness which the Rule of the Promise makes necessary in its Description of the Person whom it makes Partaker of its included Benefit And the main of our Ministry consisteth in pressing Men to answer the Rule of the Gospel-Promises and disswading Men from those things which the Gospel threatens shall hinder their Interest in all or any of its Benefits with an Aggravation of their Misery if they be final Rejecters of its Grace We call Men to be reconeiled to God upon which we know God will be at peace with them These things will help thy Conceptions still remembring that the Merits of Christ are the cause of this Gospel-Ordination His Righteousness imputed is the cause for which we are justified and saved when we do answer the Gospel-Rule And I exclude not this Righteousness when I affirm That the Righteousness of God Phil. 3. 9. principally intends the Gospel-Holiness of a Person justified by Christ's Righteousness both which by Faith in Christ all his Members shall be perfect in The Grace of God is hereby stated as free as is consistent with his Government and Judicial Rectoral Distribution of Rewards and Punishments and none need the Riches of Grace more than I. Reader Note That in this Book I still speak of the Adult and not Infants When I say The Difference is not I state my own Concessions and mean not that the Doctor is in all these of my mind Thou must expect to take up my full sence by a view of several Chapters and not only one because sundry Chapters referr to the same Points more or less And forget not That though the Doctor oft in his Book speaks to Men as Believers yet every thing is true of the Elect viz. They have as much a Title to all Saving Blessings only they do not know it This was his Judgment I have carefully avoided any Reflexion on Reverend Dr. Crisp whom I believe a holy Man and abstained exposing many things according to the Advantage offered if by any means this Book may become useful to such as most need it That the Father of Lights would lead us into all Truth and Love is the Prayer of thy Servant in the Gospel London May 4. 1692. D. Williams ERRATA PAge 3. Line 7. add 365. p. 5. l. 8. for ew r. we p. 8. l. 15. for 289. r. 274. p. 10. l. 17. r. Propogation p. 28. l. 4 for Chaist r. Christ p. 38.
the Prophets even Isaiah himself yea Christ and his Apostles were all Legal Preachers The Law in this sence is that which Converts Comforts Healeth Saveth c Whatever is spoken in Praise of the Word of the Truth of the Commandments of God and Christ are spoken of the Law in this sence And it is the same with the Gospel as I have proved chap. 20. And they are Enemies to Christ and Souls that disdain to be such Legal Preachers 2. But there is a Legal Preaching which is opposed to the Gospel and this indeed is a Crime the word being used as a Reproach this must be intended if Men understand what they speak of And to that this Chapter refers TRUTH Legal Preaching is to Preach the Law as a Covenant of Innocency or Works or to Preach the Mosaick or Jewish-Covenant of Peculiarity But it is not Legal Preaching to require and persuade to Faith Holiness or Duties by Promises and Threatnings according to the Grace of the Gospel and direct Men to fear and hope accordingly ERROUR Legal Preaching is to call People to act any Grace or do any Duty as a required Means of Salvation or inward Peace or to threaten them with Death or any Affliction to cause Fear if they commit the grossest Sins and backsside and fall away or to promise them any Blessing upon their Obedience to the Commandments of Christ or urge the Threatnings to persuade Sinners to believe and repent Proved that this is Doctor Crisp's Opinion P. 616. If Persons are not united to Christ and do not partake of Justification before they do believe c. then mark what will follow That there will be bringing to life again the Covenant of Works c. Obj. How doth this follow I Answer Thus you must of necessity press upon your selves these Terms or such like I must do that I may have Life in Christ I must believe there is no Life till I do believe Now if their be Believing first then there is Doing before Living P. 561 562. This likewise batters to the ground that way of urging Men to holiness which some hold forth That if Men do not these and these good Works and leave these and these Sins then they must come under the wrath of God c. The Love of God constrains the Faithful and not the Fear of Wrath a sense of being delivered from it not a fear of Wrath to come P. 559 560. Obj. Some will say The Preaching of the Terrours of the Law and the Wrath of God and Damnation and Hell-fire unto Men is a safer way to take Men off from Sin than to preach Gracc and Forgiveness before-hand c. A. I say If we preach Wrath and Damnation we must either make them believe they lyc under the Wrath and that Wrath shall come or we must make them believe that though there be Wrath yet it shall not fall upon them Now if we tell them of Wrath and Damnation and say they are secure from them and they belong not to them to what purpose do we tell them of Wrath we had as good hold our tongues c. And he shews how it 's bringing back the Covenant of Works to tell them that God will be angry with them if they commit Sin or do not such and such Duties Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not Whether it is Legal Preaching to preach Duties or Holiness as if Men must perfectly believe and obey or they shall unavoidably perish 2. Nor That it 's Legal Preaching to denounce Wrath and Hell as Miseries from which there is no relief by Christ in the way of the Gospel 3. Nor That it is Legal Preaching to press Men to Faith Repentance and other Duties as if they were to be performed in their own strength without the Grace of Christ and Influences of the Spirit 4. Nor That it is Legal Preaching to promise Salvation to any Action if the Performer thereof be Unregenerate Unbelieving and Impenitent 5. Nor That it is too much Legal Preaching to be always pressing the Duties of the Law of Nature but to neglect Preaching Faith in Christ and Repentance Regeneration c. and so to neglect to make the Person Offices Sufferings and Intercession of Christ as also our Relation to him and Dependance on him as Mediatour with other Gospel-Mysteries known to their Hearers 6. Nor That it 's Legal Preaching to preach that our Faith Holiness or Good Works stand in the same place now as Perfect Obedience did under the Law viz. To render the Reward to be of Debt or be the Meritorious Righteousness for which we are Justified 7. Or That it is Legal to preach that our best Obedience doth not deserve Wrath by the Law as a Rule of Misery and Happiness Or That it doth not need Forgiveness or is any Supplement of Christ's Righteousness yea or to neglect to call Men to renounce all in themselves as any Atonement for Sin or Cause of Pardon and to look to Christ as the only Propitiation Purchaser of all our Blessings and Cause of the Acceptance of our Persons and Performances 8. Nor That it is Legal Preaching to omit to urge Men to Obedience by Gospel Motives as what Christ Suffered the Love of God in him the Benefits afforded by him the Helps he vouchsafes the Relations he admits us to and the like 9. Nor That it is Legal to shew Men their Misery and Sinfulness and not to inform them of the Gospel-way of Salvation 10. Nor That it is too Legal to neglect to improve holy Souls to an ingenuous Obedience from Love to God as well as a holy Fear 11. Nor that it is Legal to encourage such Fear as imports a Life of Torment destructive to our Hopes and Joy Or as if every Miscarriage should over-turn Assurance though the dominion of Sin be not justly suspected 12. Nor that it is Legal Preaching to assert Judaism or the Mosaic Pedagogie viz. to press Circumcision Sacrifices a Covenant of Peculiarity Jewish Priesthood Sabbath or an Abuse of the Law in Opposition to Christ our Saviour who is the End of all Types c. All these I affirm These indeed make up that Preaching of the Law which is opposed to Christ to Grace and to the Gospel The real Difference 1. Whether it 's Legal Preaching to require People to Repent and Believe that their Iniquities may be forgiven for Christ's sake This I deny and the Doctor affirms against the scope of the Gospel as I have proved chap. 8. 10 12 20 c. 2. Whether it be Legal Preaching to press Holiness and Gospel Obedience as necessary to the Salvation of a Justified Person This the Doctor affirms and I deny upon Reasons given chap. 8. 13. 17. 3. Whether it be Legal to threaten such Penalties as are short of Damnation against such Offences as are consistent with Sincerity and yet avoidable by serious care and diligence This the Doctor affirms and I deny for which see
6. 16. Are all these things consistent with Pardon before Repentance Can I be subject to perish and pardoned at once Can God command Repentanee under a Promise of Pardon and yet suppose I must be pardoned before Is the turning of the Heart from the power of Satan to God urged and directed to this end that I may receive forgiveness and none follow my turning but all be before it 3. There 's no Saving Faith that includes not this purpose in it Can I fiducially consent to Christ and not intend to leave my wickedness Dr. Owen well proves That Justifying Faith cannot be without a purpose of heart to obey God in all things Treat of Justif. p. 40. And adds Neither is it possible that there should be any exercise of this Faith but where the Mind is prepared disposed and determined unto universal Obedience See the Assemblies and Elders Account of Saving Faith ch 9. 4. Without this Purpose we do not accept of Christ as the Way to God It would be strange that the great Term of Life should terminate in Christ who is the Means without any respect to God who is the End Whereas Christ is able to save such as come to God by him Heb. 7. 25. and others he will not save Act. 20. 21. God was not thus over-looked when Paul testified Repentance towards God and Faith towards Christ. And indeed without this purpose the Soul never answers God's Call and so must be Pardoned before effectually Called 5. We cannot receive Christ as King without this Repentance of Heart To receive him as King is to renounce all Usurpers and resolve Obedience to his Will And we must receive him as King or Lord or it is not the Christ we so receive Col. 2. 6. As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord. God gives him a Leader and Commander Isa. 55. 4. And so must we take him or never hope for Forgiveness by him 6. Without this purpose of Heart no Man accepts of Christ for Sanctification The Assembly and Elders at the Savoy tell us Conf. chap. 14. a. 2. That Saving Faith accepts of Christ for Sanctification I am sure God gives Christ to bless you in turning every one of you from his iniquities Act. 3. 26. And can that Soul believe to Forgiveness that thus receives him not Or can any one thus receive him who intends not to turn from Sin to Holiness 7. A resolved purpose to continue in Sin and Rebellion against God is Damning let Men pretend what they please I hope I need not prove but one of these Purposes must have place in every Heart when it is dealing with Christ about Salvation And I think I have proved That a Resolution to continue Rebels will bar any Man from a possessing of Christ. See chap. 10. 8. It 's not to be allowed that it should not be necessary to renounce our Sins with our Hearts in order to Pardon when it is necessary to renounce our own Merits or Righteousness Is the one opposite to Christ and is not the other so Will one make us backward to accept of Christ and will not the other do the same Is the one inconsistent with a true Approbation of a Saviour The other is no less For Christ is to save from the Power of Sin as well as the Guilt and he that submits not to him with a desire of both duely accepts him for neither I might further evidence this from the necessary fitness of Repentance for Pardon It is very unsuitable to the Nature and Government of God to pardon a Sinner that resolves to rebel and not to return This seems too low a Provision for his Honour c. Nay it would render our Faith a meer selfish thing and all our Compliance to be a meer concern for our own Impunity whiles Sin is still resolved and God's Dominion rejected and Christ's Design of restoring the Image of God slighted and opposed It were easie to shew that Repentance and Faith are so near to and inclusive of each other that one is put for the other and the Call to one is a Call to each The Judgment of others The Assemb Confes. ch 16. a. 3. say Although Repentance be not to be rested in as any Satisfaction for Sin or any Cause of the Pardon thereof which is the act of God's Free Grace in Christ yet it is of such necessity to all Sinners that none may expect Pardon without it You see though they justly exclude the Merit and Causality of Repentance yet they affirm and by many Texts prove the Necessity of it to Pardon and forbid any Expectation of Pardon without it And in their Directory of the Visitation of the Sick they advise a seasonable propounding of Christ and his Merits for a Door of Hope but it is to none but to every penitent Believer The Elders at the Savoy tell us ch 15. a. 5. There is no Sin so great that shall bring Damnation on them who truly repent which makes the constant Preaching of Repentance necessary Dr. Owen tells us That before the first Act of Justifying Faith there be Convictions Shame Fear Sorrow and other afflictive Passions and hereon a Resolution doth ensue utterly to abstain from Sin with sincere Endeavours to that purpose c. Treat of Justif. p. 299. he tells us That without this in the order of the Gospel an Interest in it i. e. Christ's Righteousness is not to be attained c. And again Justifying Faith includeth in its Nature the entire Principle of Evangelical Repentance so that it is utterly impossible that a Man should be a true Believer and not at the same instant of time be truly Penitent And therefore are they so frequently joyned in Scripture as one simultaneous Duty Yea the Call of the Gospel unto Repentance is a Call to Faith acting it self by Repentance c. And then tells us The First Act of Faith respecting the Grace of God in Christ is not conceived in order of time to precede its actings in Self-displicency Godly Sorrow and Universal Conversion from Sin to God See p. 300 301. These things Dr. Owen asserts though he ascribes no Causality of Pardon to Repentance Which will offend none who deny any Grace in Man to be a Cause of Forgiveness among whom I own my self See Mr. Anthony Burgess's Reasons for the Necessity of Repentance to Forgiveness True Doct. of Justif. lib. 1. p 157. Thus I have done with this Debate which lies I hope more in words than some unthinking Men imagine And the generality of Divines affirm as I do CHAP. XIII Of the Necessity and Benefit of Holiness Obedience and good Works with Perseverance therein REader Note that whatever is spoken in this Chapter of any Act of Grace except penitent believing refers not to the Forgiveness of Sin or the Sinner's Admission into a justified State The Benefits I here treat of are the not Forfeiture of Pardon the Possession of Heaven and some other particular Blessings
shall proceed to the Proof of the Truth which is comprehended under these Heads 1. Sinners have much to do in order to Salvation There be few Leaves in the Bible but argue this It 's the Scope of all the Revelations of God to Men since the Fall It 's true we have nothing to do in a way of Atonement or Purchace but it is as true we have much to do in order to our Participation of what Christ hath purchased We must repent that our Sins may be blotted out Act 3. 19. We must believe that we may be saved c. Our Lord is express if you know these things happy are you if you do them Joh. 13. 17. All Gospel-discoveries are made known for the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 26. And Christ will take Vengeance on all them who obey not the Gospel neither Christ nor Gospel will secure them 2 Thes. 1. 8. The Revelations of God to Men are not a bare Description of Duty and Benefits but an Injunction of Duty in a Connexion with Benefits Rom. 10. 9. If thou confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with thy Heart thou shalt be saved 2. I could shew there 's no one saving Benefit granted to a Sinner but on supposition of his Doing See much of this Chap. 8. 10 11 12. and Ch. 21 22. Christ never intended the Application of his Merits for our Privileges without ordering them as Motives to Duty on our Part. 3. The Influences of the Spirit of God and God's Institutions have no Causality in our Salvation if Men have nothing to do in order to be saved It 's plain that Salvation is ascribed to the Spirit and also to the Means of Grace Neither of them are the Atonement or Price of Salvation therefore they must save as they operate on the Soul in order to its Actings Rom. 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 21. And this must be as it answers the way appointed for our Participation of Life 4. On what account is it said that we believe to the saving of our Souls Heb. 10. 39. and Repentance to Salvation is the Expression of the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 7. 10. What Sence can be affixed to these and the like Phrases as they are opposed to their Contraries as destructive if Men do nothing towards their Salvation See Jam. 2. 14. Can Faith save him Yea and I may ask 5. What meaneth the Holy Ghost when he saith In so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4. 16. Sure the Argument is not strong if it be true we can do nothing for Salvation 6. The Destruction of Sinners under the Gospel is still laid on not Doing they are condemned by the Law but they remain condemned and their Ruine is fixed and so they are twice dead for want of doing somewhat Ye will not come to me that you might have Life Joh. 5. 40. How oft is the Ruine of Souls laid on not Turning not Repenting c. 7. If Men have nothing to do for Salvation then Christ hath no Rule to judge them who lived under the Gospel I hope none will say the judicial Sentence will pass on Men as elected or not elected Doth it agree to the Proceedings of that Tribunal at that Day to say Thou shalt be damned because thou wert not elected Is this the Account the Scripture gives Doth it not proceed on the Difference in Mens Carriage and Tempers See the Parable of the Talents They who improved their Talents were saved he that hid it in a Napkin was therefore damned Mat. 25. 21 24 28. Consider any Description of the last Day and you 'll find God saves and damns with a Respect to Mens Neglects and Compliance with his Gospel 8. I could easily demonstrate that if Men have nothing to do in order to Salvation the Ministery of Christ and his Apostles the Ministery most apt and most blessed to Souls to this very day is all a Vanity and Falshood they are cold Pleadings with Sinners that are not backed with Life and Death Remove saving Benefits and undoing Dangers from being Arguments to Compliance with the Will of Christ and any Man may read the Success of such a Ministery and to use these Arguments to persuade Men to repent and believe if we have nothing to do for Heaven is a manifest Falshood and Trifling It 's awful to consider how inconsistent some Mens Application is with their Doctrine though it 's well their Uses to the Unconverted have so much Truth in them 2. True Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works and Perseverance are the Way to Heaven and so necessary to the Salvation of a Believer that without them he cannot be saved and continuing in them he shall be saved This might be evidenced by many Reasons 1. It is not saving Faith which is not operative to these Effects It ceaseth to be true whenever it wholly fails of purifying the Heart and working by Love Many affirm That all Graces are seminally in Faith as in their Principle Such must grant that as Faith justifies us at first in receiving and relying on Christ so it continues to justifie us by continuing those Acts and exerting it self in those other Operations which are essential to its Nature And thus some expound Jam. 2. 20 24. 2. Obedience good Works and Perseverance preserve us from those contrary Evils which do subject Men to Condemnation I keep my Body under least by any Means when I have preached to others I my self be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9. 27. I shall add to this in some following Heads 3. The Gospel-Constitution doth by its Promises and Threatnings make Persevering Holiness Obedience or Good Works the necessary way to Heaven These are not only a Natural but a Moral meetness for Heaven That this Point may be clear I shall 1. Shew that the Gospel-Constitution contains Promises and Threatnings which affect all of us as a Rule of Happiness and Misery it 's so to the Elect yea Believers as well as others 2. That by this Constitution Persevering Holiness Sincere Obedience or Good Works are necessary to Salvation 1. The Gospel-Constitution contains Promises and Threatnings which affect all of us as a Rule of Happiness and Misery By these God governs Men and Mens Hopes or Fears should be directed by these as their Rule Dr. Crisp not observing this hath run into those Mistakes which open a door to all Licentiousness though he intended it not His whole Scheme implies That Christ doth not distribute Blessings or Punishments by any Rule that referrs to the Actings of Men. I have proved the contrary chap. 8 c. For if the Covenant of Grace be Conditional and Faith and Repentance are Necessary to Forgiveness c. the Substance of this must be granted But I add a few Reasons more 1. Most of the Promises and Threatnings in the Bible that referr to the State of Souls are Evangelical Promises and Threats They are not the Sanction of the
Impenitent as the Penitent 2. VVhat I have stated as Truth doth acknowledge and exalt this Free Grace of God I have affirmed and would admit the fullest Expressions to testifie that in these is the Free Grace of God in Truth Of mere Grace he elected some certain Sinners to Life upon no moving fore-seen Condition but yet to obtain it through Sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Of mere Love to Sinners no way deserving it he gave his Son to die for them who also undertook to bring all the Elect to Salvation in the way appointed between the Father and him He without any thing in Man to deserve it gave his Gospel and thereby offereth in the virtue of his Son's Blood Pardon and Eternal Life to every one that will repent and truly believe and no penitent persevering Believer shall miss of Life by a failure of this Promise He freely and of mere Grace bestows Faith and Repentance yea gives his Spirit to create these and any other good VVork in worthless vile Sinners And though he will not forgive any that finally refuse to believe and repent nor save any ungodly barren apostate Man yet Pardon and Life are his free-Gift and no Grace or Duty merits them they being no more than the required Conditions or Means of our partaking them as the Gifts of God through Christ and so hereby he honours his own Government and no way indulgeth the boastings of Men. 3. The Opinions of Dr. Crisp as they differ from these Truths do not exalt the Free Grace of God His Notions may seem more to represent an unlimited Grace as blind and so more suitable to wicked foolish Men But it is not agreeable to the holy Nature nor just or wise Government or the revealed Will of God but greatly reflects on God's Grace beyond what I will mention Is it the honour of God's Grace that all the Graces of the Spirit should be needless to promised Benefits when he promiseth those Benefits to them Is it the Grace of an holy God not to esteem a Man filthy by the greatest Abominations and yet abhorr his own Image in his Saints as Dung Is it the Free Grace of God to account an Elect Person in the heighth of his VVickedness as pure and as lovely as a Saint in Glory and yet with-hold his Spirit from him many years Is it the Grace of God to leave his Precepts without any Sanction when he removed the Curse of the Law Never to express any displeasure when most provoked yea when he doth correct To have no regard to Good or Evil in Men in his judicial Distributions To leave Men so Imperfect in a VVorld of Temptations and State of Tryal free from all fear of Caution and to have nothing in them to influence their Perseverance and Holiness except a Principle of Gratitude though their Love be weak Can it be the Grace of God that his Subjects must have no Eye to his Rewards or Threats fear none of his Displeasure when they offend be confident of the Pardon of the worst Offences before they confess a Fault never fear a Rebuke for or Hurt in or by any Sin yea condemn any trouble on that account though he blame the contrary and his Spirit causeth these Relentings Is it the Free Grace of our God which renders him a Respecter of Persons in his judicial Acts as the Ruler and Judge of the VVorld because he bestows Grace as an Act of Sovereignty It cannot be his Free Grace who hath so wisely contrived the Kingdom of his Grace that he prevents Idleness and Neglect in Men as well as Boasting that he makes the Sinner speechless for being his own Undoer by wilfully refusing Christ as well as he secures the acknowledgment of his Free Mercy by all that are saved Can that Grace be his which nullifies all his Threats weakens the Authority of all his Commands turns all his Pleadings with Men into empty VVords nay direct Fallacies Is it the Grace of God that overturns the stated Order wherein Grace exerts it self becoming all the Perfections of God God's Grace first calls and therein unites us to Christ first quickens then dignifies first gives Faith then Forgives c. But by the Doctor 's Opinion this Order is inâ—erted all Privileges are applied to the Sinner before Grace hath made any Change on the Sinner It 's not the Grace of God which â—ets up his Decree in Opposition to his revealed VVill Acquits whom he declares Condemned Enervates the Ministry Seareth the Conscience Encourageth Spiritual Sloth Discourageth Obedience Reproacheth Godâ—iness gives Advantage to the Tempter Destroys the Rule of Judgment and Opposeth the general and plain scope of the Scripture the Experience of Saints and the Nature of Man as Rational as well as his Relation to God as a Subject in the way to an Eternal State It cannot be God's Free Grace which renders Men as safe for Eternity if they never heard the Gospel as by hearing of it for if they be united to Christ and pardoned in the Womb they need the Gospel only for Assurance but not for Title to change their Apprehensions but not their State How many more and some grosser Objections might be offered against that being the Free Grace of God which Dr. Crisp and his Followers speak of as Free Grace I desire to live adoring the Riches of that Grace that freely elected to Grace and Glory in Christ as the great Means of accomplishing this Purpose so many apostate Sinners that freely offers Life to the worst Enemies on Gospel-Terms with so much help as leaves the Blood of the Impenitent on their own Heads that freely bestows the Spirit to work the Dead and Ungodly to an Obedience to the Terms of the Gospel that freely gives by the Promise for Christ's sake Pardon to the penitent Believer and such amazing Dignity to such as he enableth to persevere in Faith and Holiness as the Rule of the Promise doth require This Grace I adore and own the best to merit nothing to forfeit all yea to deserve Hell by the Law of Works And I do renounce all that Saints have or do as any Atonement for Sin or Purchasing Price of the least Benefit much less of Salvation But yet I disown any Free Grace to be the Free Grace of God which overturns his Benefits from being Motives to Duty denies the total neglect of Duties with their contrary Evils from being a Barr to our Interest in those Benefits which by the Gospel he promiseth to those Duties and requires those Duties in order to this Rectoral Distribution of Blessings it being wisely provided for in the Dispensation of this Grace that he may Rule and Judge us according to his Relation to us and according to our rational Nature in a state of Tryal for a future Condition READER There are other Mistakes of Doctor Crisp's which I might instance as his Notion of the Nature of our