Goodwill Towards Men, Part 2 · Section 9
Ezek. 36.26.
A new Heart also will I give you, &c.
Sect. 9.
PROP. IX. God hath Promised to some that Grace, whereby they shall perform the Condition of the Covenant.
THat which some, not only School-men, but other sound Divines of our own, call the First Grace, who have taught me to call it so sometimes, meaning thereby the first Inward-Special-Discriminating Grace. Though I see the Term is not allowed by others. As a Learned man noteth, There is before it, 1. The first Universal Grace, which gave the world a Saviour. 2. The Fundamental Grace of Impetration by Christ. 3. The Grace of the New Covenant, or Testament made. 4. Common applying Grace, Preaching, &c. with Divine concurse. 5. Inward common Grace, an effect of the former, (of which see Suffrage Britan. de 3. & 4. Art. de anteced. ad conv. Sect. 2. p. 100.) which I do not deny.
But see Jer. 31.33. Heb. 8.10. Ezek 36.…6, 27. Concerning which Scriptures, it is true, there hath been much Dispute.
1. Some would have Jer. 31.33, (which is cited Heb. 8.10.) to be the only proper Gospel-Covenant, or New Covenant. And so make this a special Note of difference betwixt the Covenant of Works, Marrow of Mod. div. p. 118. & 119.and the New Covenant, that In the second Covenant God is on both sides.
In the Covenant of Grace not any Condition to be performed on mans part. No, there is no more for him to do, but only to know and believe, that Christ hath done all for him.
This is downright Antinomianism: And observe, he plainly contradicts himself: First, saying, [In the Covenant of Grace there is no condition to be performed on mans part.] And then presently unsaying it again, [No, there is no more for him to do, but only to Know and Believe, that Christ hath done all for him.] Where he seemeth to grant Faith to be required of man, only he giveth an unsound Description of it.
But does not Gods taking away the stony heart, and giving a new heart, imply his giving Faith and Repentance? And his causing some to walk in his Statutes, imply his enabling them to yield sincere Obedience? And what Laws are meant, which the Lord doth promise to write in the Heart? Are they not the same Laws, which were written in Tables of Stone? And to what end doth God promise to do this for some, but that he might be their God, and they be his People? Thereby shewing what is required of those, who would have him for their God, and would be his People. Certainly, there is no Condition required of us in the Covenant of Grace, which is not here implied; where this is also Expressed, that God himself hath undertaken for some, to vouchsafe that Grace to them, whereby they shall certainly perform the said Conditions.
As Dr. Preston, of the New Covenant, p. 389. speaking of Repentance, he saith, It is part of the Covenant both on Gods part, and on ours. The condition required of us in the Covenant, is Doing of this, the Action. But the Ability whereby we perform that which is required, is part of the Covenant on Gods part.
Therefore if any ask,
Quest. Whether these Scriptures do not contain the substance of the Covenant of Grace?
Answ. Yea, as Gen. 2.17. containeth the Covenant of Works, where some part of it is expressed, and the rest included and implied. Or as Isa. 58.6, 7. containeth a true Fast, that is, understanding what was taken for granted. Or as Faith is defined in John 8.24. and 11.27. where it is set forth as an Assent to this Proposition, [that Jesus is the Christ, he that should come, &c.] Supposing what was taken for granted, and expressing what was then most questioned.
The truth is, the Jews were a self-confident people generally; confident of their own Ability to keep the Law (not understanding the extent of the Law) as they were confident of their own Righteousness, if they kept the Letter of the Law. They were not come to see, and say, as Isa. 45.24. Surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. If they were but Righteous according to the Letter of the Law, they thought that enough. They generally rested in outward circumcision. They thought it enough to offer the Ritual Sacrifices, not regarding to offer unto God that more pleasing Spiritual Sacrifice of an humble, broken, obedient heart. And thus they brake the Covenant, which yet they gloried in. Therefore the Lord declares, that the days should come, when there should be a clearer Discovery of the Nature, true intent and meaning of his Covenant, that he was not a Jew, who was one outwardly, nor was that Circumcision, which was outward in the Flesh, &c. (as Rom. 2.28, 29.) And shews here that there should be more abundant Grace given out, where they should perform what the Lord required in his Covenant, that as they had the Law written in Tables of Stone before, so they should have it written in their Hearts. And this is called a New Covenant here, as the Command to Love one another is called a New Commandment, though it was given of old; being now more Illustriously set forth and commended to us, by the Instance of Christs Love to us. So had the Lord promised before of old to Circumcise their Hearts, Deut. 30.6. which is the same in sence with this promise of Writing his Law in their hearts: But though it was promised of old, yet it is here spoken of, as a New Covenant; because it was to be Communicated to more, and in a larger Measure under the Gospel. As it might well seem New, the like being never seen before.
But is it not fairly Implyed here, that they that would have God for their God indeed, must have new Hearts, must be new Creatures, must walk in his Statutes, must lead new Lives? which because none would attain to of themselves, and yet God will have a people in the world, therefore he undertakes to prepare them for himself, and to work that in them, which else-where he plainly requireth of them. And therefore we must conclude, it is a Wresting of these Scriptures, for any hence to Argue, that the Covenant of Grace is absolute, which evidently supposes Conditions. And by the like Reasoning one may conclude, that Justification, and Remission of sins is promised absolutely, from Isa. 43.25. I, even I am he, that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Here Pardon of sin is promised, and no condition expressed; yet they are very greatly mistaken, who have hereupon ranked this among absolute Promises. 'Tis a most free and gracious promise, yet not an absolute promise. There is a condition always understood, which other Scriptures clearly express. Surely, we may not exclude Christs satisfaction, and say that God pardoneth sinners without any respect at all had to that, because there is not any mention of it here; neither may we exclude Faith, Repentance from being Conditions of Pardon, because not expressed here.
I hope these things considered it will appear, that Jer. 31.33. Heb. 8.10. will not prove the Covenant of Grace absolute.
2. Some, yea and those men of singular worth and eminency, will not allow this of God's giving a new heart, &c. to be so much as a promise; because quoad nos without any determinate object: none can claim by it, or plead interest in it till such time as it be fulfilled. Yet methinks it is sufficient, that it is a signification, or declaration of Gods purpose to bestow such grace upon the Elect, that his truth and faithfullness are engaged to bestow it on them, though the Lord only knoweth who they are.
When the Lord promised unto Abraham, to be his God, and the God of his seed, was not here a promise to the seed of Abraham, when yet God had the determining of the object? The Lord had set down which of his seed they were, that should have him for their God. As Abraham had other sons besides Isaac; yet God restrained the promise to his seed by Isaac, Rom. 9.7. As afterwards it was restrained to the posterity of Jacob, was not Esau Iacobs brother? And yet that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, it was said; [Iacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated,] Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. So when God promised, Gen. 13.15. to give the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham, yet still he had the determining of it, unto which of his seed he would give it. They were of Abrahams seed whose carcases fell in the wilderness.
Again, when God promised unto David, that he would set up his seed after him, 2 Sam. 7.12. shall we say, this was no promise to his seed, because the individual person was not directly determined, because it was not said expressely whether the eldest, or the youngest, or which of his sons it was, that should succeed David in the throne?
Again, though the elect unregenerate cannot lay claim to the promise under consideration, as intended in it, any more than others; yet certainly Jesus Christ may claim for them. As, if a friend hath promised to settle an estate upon your child, though the child may not be in a capacity to plead the promise, yet you can plead it for him.
Again, when that which some call the first grace, is given unto any one according to that word [I will write my Law in their hearts] may we not then claim an interest in the same, for continuance in grace and perseverance? And should we not look upon it as a promise now? And if it be acknowledged a promise, when it is fulfilled, it seems something strange, it should not be so before. Promises are promises before they are made good and accomplished, And not because they are accomplished.
Methinks this is plain, that [I will write my Laws in their hearts] is more than a bare declaration of Gods work, what his work is about the conditions of the Covenant of grace, what God can do. I say more than a declaration, that without his Grace those conditions cannot be performed. Is it not clearly a revelation of his gracious purpose, and pleasure, signifying not onelyonly what he alone can do, but more directly what he will do for some [I will] doth more directly refer to the purpose, than to the power of God. Now though as this is a discovery of Gods purpose, so far it agrees with a prophecy or prediction; yet as it is a discovery of Gods purpose of working grace, of bestowing good upon some of his Creatures; in this respect it is more than simply a prediction, it hath the nature of a promise.
3. Some are troubled to know whither to reduce the promise of this first, special, inward, discriminating grace.
Here methinks it were very strange, should we wholly exclude such promises from having any relation to, or connexion with the Covenant of Grace, which do so clearly evidence it to be a Covenant of Grace indeed. What a wonderfull expression of his grace is this, that God engageth to work the conditions in his people! He did never undertake thus for man under the Covenant of Works.
Now First, Supposing that Covenant betwixt God the Father and his Son Christ, God-man, or Mediatour; and it is clearly reducible to that Covenant. Many Divines suppose (and I shall not oppose) a foederal transaction betwixt the Father and the Son, called the Covenant of Redemption, wherein God the Father is conceived to have given a certain number of Elect ones to Christ the Son, to be brought on infallibly to grace here, and glory hereafter; upon condition, and in consideration, that he would redeem and satisfie for them: on the other hand, Christ is supposed to accept of these terms, being willing to make his Soul an offering for sin, that he might see his seed and bring many sons to glory. According to this hypothesis, the promise of the first grace should refer to Gods engagement and promise to his Son Christ. And though it be an absolute promise in respect of these, in whom the first grace is wrought; (no condition being required in the Elect unregenerate, to interest them in it) yet in respect of Christ it was conditional; he being to give himself a ransome for them, and so to purchase grace and glory for them.
2ly. Others distinguish betwixt an absolute Covenant, and the conditional Covenant. The absolute Covenant they make to be this in Jer. 31. Heb. 8. of which we are now speaking. The conditional Covenant, the proper Gospel-Covenant, [Believe and thou shalt be saved] But though we may grant it an absolute promise, it cannot be a Covenant if absolute.
3. Of Attrib. the second part. p. 86.Dr. Preston distinguisheth betwixt a single Covenant and a double Covenant. A single Covenant, such as God makes with visible Church-members, viz. If you will believe, repent, walk in my wayes, you shall be saved: where if men break the condition, God is free, he is bound no further. But then there is a double Covenant, into which the Elect are taken, which is to this effect, If you will believe, and repent, you shall be saved; and that this my Covenant may not be made void, and of none affect to you, I will give you an heart to repent, &c.
And this he holdeth is the everlasting Covenant that cannot be broken, which hath sure mercies for all those who are included in it.
But Mr. Rutherford would rather have it called the Covenant by a Metonymie [This is the Covenant that I will make] that is, these are choise effects, fruits and blessings of the Covenant, which I shall by my effectual and mighty Grace work in them. Rutherf. of the Covenant, p. 347. Again,
4. Mr. Rutherford distinguisheth (but more darkly) of the Covenant, considering it, in abstracto, vel in concreto. 1. In the Abstract, as holding forth the way of saving sinners, that is, if they believe: Containing only the will of precept. 2. In the concrete, as the Lord carries on the Covenant commensurably to his decree of Election. So the Lord promiseth to the Elect, not onelyonly forgiveness and life, provided they believe; but also a new heart and grace to believe. Thus including his will of purpose. And the same Writer again distinguisheth, and sayes, Rutherf. of the Covenant, p. 340.343.the Covenant may be taken two wayes, either 1. As declared, according to the approving will of God: Or 2. as fulfilled, according to Gods Decree of Election, and will of purpose. Thus I have given others thoughts of it: or,
5. Why may we not say that the promise of working grace in some, belongeth to the Covenant of Grace, considered as a Testament, rather than as a Covenant? Amas. Coron. p. 296. So Burroughs Gospel-worship p. 270.Tota dispositio (foederis scil.) testamentariam habet rationem, &c.
Here all is promised, not only pardon, and Salvation upon Repenting, Believing, but the Condition, an Heart to repent, and heart to believe, and perseverance in the same is likewise promised. Though considered formally as a Covenant, it speaks only on this wise: If you Believe, Repent, ye shall be saved; yet as a Testament, it hath this further to say. And as for such as are given to Christ of the Father, you shall have his Grace and Spirit, to turn your hearts against your sins, and incline then towards the Lord Jesus.
6. Add, that these absolute promises are a proper means to bring men within the Bond of the Covenant, and lead men a good step towards the obtaining of what the Covenant of Grace promiseth. Here is set forth the spiritual Excellency of the Blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace, and the way how they may be attained and come by. What is here promised absolutely, would make way for all that good and happiness, which is promised upon such conditions. As they that look not after this Grace promised, they that care not though they miss and fall short of this; care not to frustrate to themselves the Covenant of Grace, to all its saving intents and purposes. Miss of this Grace, and you miss of all subsequent Benefits and Blessings, which depend on it.
4. The last thing I shall speak to, concerning these Promises, is, what use may be made thereof, though no Unregenerate person can possibly say that he is there intended. Now to the Question.
Quest. What use can Unregenerate men make of these Promises, who know not that they are intended in them?
Answ. I shall premise two or three things, and then shew of what use they are,
1. The promise of a new Heart, &c. is an absolute promise. I have told you so again and again, and will now spend a little time to clear it. When God promiseth to give a new heart, he promiseth this absolutely. This must either be promised absolutely, or not at all. Gratia prima, quae preveniens, item{que} operans dici solet, omnimoda est gratuita.— Omnes actus, & dispositiones nostras praevenit & anteit,— ut pote quae ex Deo tantum, non etiam ex nobis pendet. Alting. Elenet. p. 800. Or else we must hold with the Semi-Pelagians, Initium â nobis, incrementum â Deo, If there be no true spiritual good in a man, till the Lord works it, how can we possibly imagine any condition required to his giving this Grace, except we would have Gods own Act, the condition of his further Actings. Non de nostrae voluntatis potestate, sed de sua praedestinatione promisit, promisit enim quod Ipse facturus fuerat, non quod Homines. Quia etsi faciunt homines bona quae pertinent ad colendum Deum, ipse facit ut illi faciant quae praecepit, non illi faciunt ut ipse faciat quod promisit. Aug. de praedest. Apud Bedam ad Rom. 4. f. 20. H.
Certainly, here the preparation of the heart is of the Lord. The heart of stone would never prepare it self for Mollifying Grace. They that would make the promise conditionall thus, I will take away the stony heart, if you do not put a Bar, would make just nothing of it. As if God should say, I'le take away the stony heart, if you do not put a stony heart in my way; I'le do it, when it is done to my hands. The work shall be properly yours; yet I will have the praise. Do not they wrong our gracious God, who would put such a sence on his gracious Promise, as if he promised no more, than to take away the heart of stone, and give a new heart, if we put no Bar; Alas, it is plain, he must give a new heart, before we shall cease putting the Bar of astony, and rebellious heart in his way.
And what sence is this, I le write my Law in your heart, if you have it in your heart to keep my Law? If you have a will to obey, I'le give you a will to obey. I'le Circumcise your heart to love me, if you put not the Bar of an Uncircumcised heart in my way. That is as if Divine Grace only made such willing, as it first found not unwilling.
As our Divines, who were present at the Synod of Dort, Promissiones Dei aliae sunt de fine, aliae de mediis ad finem; promissiones de fine, v. 9. de salute sunt conditionatae [crede, & salvaberis] Esto fidelis ad mortem (seu persevera) & dabo tibi coronam vitae.] Cum autem nemo par sit conditionibus praestandis, Deus quo{que} promissiones fecit liberrimas & absolutas de dandis ipsis conditionibus; quas ipse in nobis efficit, ut per ipsas, tanquam per media, possimus ad finem pertingere. Deut. 30.6. That is, The promises of God are some of them concerning the end, Suffrag. Britan. de 5. Art. thes. heterodox. 1. pag. 222.223.some concerning the means (necessary in order) to the end. Promises of the end, as of salvation are conditional. Believe and thou shalt be saved. Be thou faithful unto death (or persevere) and I will give thee a crown of life. But when none is able to perform the condition, God also hath made most free and absolute promises of giving the conditions themselves, which he worketh in us, that by them, as by the means, we might attain to the end, Deut. 30.6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, &c.
Object. But none have ground to hope that God should work Grace in them, who will not attend on the means of Grace, and will not seek and sue to him for Grace. Then are not these Conditions?
Answ. I confess, attendance on the Word and Prayer, &c. are necessary, which Natural men must be called unto: Being 1. Part of the Creatures Duty. Some of that Homage all men owe to God. 2. The ordinary way and method, wherein God works upon the souls of his Elect. And upon the former account, to neglect the means appears to be a Contempt of God: As upon the latter it apppears to be a tempting of him.
And yet that these are not conditions of Gods bestowing the first Grace is very evident, For, 1. If this was Conditio cum quâ, God should never deny his Grace to them that attend on the Outward means, use Prayer, &c. 2. If it was Conditio sine quâ non, he should never vouchsafe Converting Grace to any, who do not wait on the means. Now both these are false. Sometimes God is found even of them that seek him not. Though this must be be acknowledged the ordinary Method and way, wherein Gods Grace is bestowed; that they that come to the Means, &c. are not so far from the Kingdom of God, as others, who are Despisers of the Word, and neglect Prayer, &c. Yet sometimes the Lord goes out of his ordinary way, as we see in the Apostle Pauls conversion. The Lord met with him, when he was Runing away from him, or rather running furiously upon him.
2. God having absolutely promised this Grace, it shall certainly be conferred on all those, who are intended in the Promise. Otherwise God should change his mind, or his word should fail. There is no saying here, that men may put a Bar. If God should fail of performing what he hath absolutely promised; then where were his Power, or Truth, or Immutability?
And therefore I cannot but wonder, that any should deny the special Grace of God determining mans will in Conversion. Mark the consequence of it. If when the Lord hath done all, which concerneth him to do, to convert a sinner, it still depends upon the sinners free will to determine the business, Quod hic convertatur, ille non, est ex libertate voluntatis. Jo. Arnold.whether to turn to God, or not; and it may be, that two Persons have equal prevenient Grace, and the one turns to God, and the other does not, will it not follow, that God promiseth to do more, than he can perform? Which I hope they would dread to say, and abhor as blasphemous.
And yet I can see no way in the world to avoid the Consequence, admitting their Doctrine. Positis omnibus operationibus gratiae, Vid. Suffrag. Britan. de 3. & 4. Art. Thes. Heterodox. 3. p. 139.quibus Deus in conversione nostrâ uti posset, manet tamen conversio ita in nostrâ potestate liberâ, ut possimus non converti, hoc est nos met ipsos convertere, aut non convertere. Joan. Arnold. apud pelt. har.
Were it thus indeed, that when God hath done all be can to convert a sinner; hath done as much for me, or thee, this way, as ever he doeth, or can do for any; yet he must ask our leave to make his Grace Efficacious and Converting, and if we please, all he can do this way, shall be to no purpose, the work shall not be done; I dread to say what would follow hereupon. How could he either promise, or predict this concerning any, that they should turn to him?
This way which many are so taken with, most certainly leadeth to one of these strange conclusions. Either, 1. That men may have a new heart given them, and Gods Law written there, and yet not turn to God, or be in a state of Grace; Or, 2. That notwithstanding God hath promised concerning some that he would give them a new heart, and put his Law in their inward parts; yet it might so fall out and happen, that not one in the world should ever have this new heart given, or the Law of God Ingraven in him.
And whereas they will not allow the new heart promised to the Elect, as a Fruit of Electing love, but rather make it a ground of Election, make Election to depend on it; how Inconsistant is their Method with Gods Method, with the Scripture-Method? John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me. John 10.26. Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my Voice and follow me.
Observe hence, The sheep of Christ are they, that are given him of the Father. And they that are given him of the Father are his sheep. These are Reciprocal terms. Again, all that are the sheep of Christ, that are given to Christ, shall come to him, shall believe in him. Again, these only do come to him, none but these come on to Faith in him. Again, men are not given to Christ, or his sheep by coming to him, or because they believe in him: But because they are his sheep, given to him of the Father, therefore they shall come, therefore they shall hear his Voice, and follow him. Neque oves dicuntur, quam Deus previdit credituros, nam & haec oratio nimium dilata esset, vos non creditis, quia Deus non previdit vos credituros, nam contra, Deus praevidit non credituros, quia non sunt credituri.
3. Therefore the Elect are the Persons directly and fully intended in this promise of Gods giving a new heart, and it is sure to be fulfilled and made good to them.
4. Yet they can no more lay claim to this promise, as made for them, than others may do, while they are Unregenerate. And the reason is plain, because while they are Ʋnregenerate, they cannot know that they are of the number of Gods Elect.
These things premised, I shall briefly declare the use of these absolute promises, in these following Conclusions.
1. They are of use to all alike for Conviction. As implying mans Insufficiency to perform his duty here of himself, in regard of his moral, inseperable indisposedness, and aversness thereunto. No natural man can amend his own heart, or make it new. Was the Law in our hand, there had been no need for God to promise, that he would give a new heart.
2. These promises are of like use to all for direction. As shewing, whither, and to whom we must go for Grace, when sensible of our desperate corrupt estate hy Nature. Our only way is to repair to the God of all grace. As Ephraim did, Jer. 31.18. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. Tanta est ejus miscricordia, ut sit primus in Conversione, & adjutorio nostro, juxta illud. Thren. 5.21. Est tamen ultimus in desertione, &c. Tena in Heb. p. 640. b.
3. They are of like use to all for general Encouragement. They hold forth the same general Encouragement to others, as to the Elect unregenerate, They are so proposed, that as none are expressed, none are expressably excluded. As no unregenerate person can positively conclude, that the Lord hath this Grace in store for Him, intended for Him in particular; so none have ground utterly to despaire, unless they were sure, it could not be.
The promise of giving, or working Grace is so contrived and proposed, that it leaveth men without excuse, who do not seriously, and in good earnest seek to God for it,
There is no laying the blame on Gods Decree, that the Lord never intended to give you Grace, and therefore it would have been but in vain, for you to have applied your selves to him. Certainly, here is enough to stop your mouths.
1. That God hath Commanded you to use the means for the obtaining of Grace. As one observes: Gods bare Command is a sufficient encouragement to him that obeyeth it, to hope, that it shall not be in vain. Especially when God denieth no man the grace to believe, but those that by abuse of former helps do (sensu Evangelico) deserve that denial.
2. That God hath promised to give his saving, sanctifying Grace to some. This is some more encouragement to seek special and saving Grace in the use and improvement of Common, Preparatory Grace.
God has promised absolutely to bestow his Grace on some; and you were never told the contrary, but that he might have this Blessing in store for you. And therefore it is manifest, if you look not out, if you cry not to God for it, you will be most justly condemned for your gross negligence and carelessness, yea, for a plain contempt of his Grace, in not putting forth your selves to the utmost of your power, to obtain it.
As you are Creatures, it is your duty to attend to the Will of God revealed, and to carry it sutably thereunto. And here, in the case before us, should we not take notice of the least gracious Hints, he gives us, and improve them to the furthest?
This is plain, men are not put to a stand in worldly matters, they will not demur upon it, whether they shall Labour in their Callings, or no; because they know not, whether God hath Decreed to Bless and prosper them. Why then do any frame such an Objection against themselves, to take them off from looking out for saving Grace, which is of inconceivably greater concernment to us to look after, than any thing in the world besides.
And, as an able Pen expresseth it: Though God have not flatly engaged himself to Unbelievers, Mr. Baxt. Direct. for getting peace. p. 62.so as to give them a certainty of hearing their Prayers, and giving them true Grace, on the improvement of their Naturals; yet he hath not only appointed this and other means to get Grace, but also given them half promises, or strong probabilities of speeding.— For as he appointeth not any vain means to man, so no man can name that man, who did improve his Naturals to the utmost, and sought God in Prayer so far as a Natural man may do, who yet missed of Grace, and was rejected. This is the true mean (says he) between Pelagianism, and Antinomianism in this point.
And any of you, that begin to feel sin a burden, and are sadly perplexed in spirit, seeing your selves born down with the strength and prevalency of your Corruptions, and Temptations together; yet be not utterly discouraged. Consider what Grace the Lord hath promised, he would vouchsafe to some, without any thing in them foregoing, as a condition, or meet qualification. And is there not ground of hope concerning thee, if now thou hast a heart to look out after his Grace?
Certainly, there are many exceeding hot in their pursuit after worldly things, and yet lose their Labour quite, have their designs frustrated, and miss of their expectations. But can you tell of any one Soul, that hath sincerely, and in good earnest sought for Grace, and yet been disappointed? Many seek it remissy, and heartlesly, and miss of it; but the more diligent and earnest we are here, the more ground to hope, we shall obtain it.
Now to close this Discourse. You have heard of our Misery by the Breach of the Covenant of works; of our Insufficiency of our selves to perform the condition of the Covenant of Grace, from whence alone is our remedy: Now let your want, and need of Grace, engage you to a serious and diligent attendance on the means of Grace, and quicken you in good earnest to apply your selves to the Throne of Grace for it.
Object. But if the promise of working the first Grace be absolute, Friendly Debate. p. 45.it's more than needs, nay, than is good: For we ought to have no respect to these things, but to the Freeness of the Promise.
Answ. This which I call you to, is no more than needeth, in other respects; though it is not any thing an Unregenerate man can do, that will give him a Title to the Promise, neither is there any Merit of Congruity in this. Yet it is the Duty of men Unregenerate, which they are all tied and bound to, though God is not tied and bound to them upon it, so much as by promise. But there is more hopes of your Conversion, if you are in the way, wherein God is oft pleased to meet with sinners, and to bring them home to himself. More hopes, He will be found of those that seek, than of those that do not seek him. Though God worketh Grace, without any Merit in, or any Condition required of, the Creature; yet not without means. Therefore they that use the means, are nearer to the obtaining of Grace, than those that neglect the means.