that which is infinitely the most honourable? It is allowed, the apostle insists upon it, that the primitive Christians should be sensible that the glory of their gifts belonged to God, and that they made not themselves to differ. But how small a mat. ter is this, if they make themselves to differ in that, which the apostle says is so much more excellent than all gifts? How inuch more careful has God shown himself, that men should not be more proud of their virtue, than of any other gift ? see Deut. ix. 4. Luke xviii. 9. and innumerable other places. And the apostle plainly teaches us to ascribe to God the glory, not only of our redemption, but of our wisdom, righteousness and sanctification ; 1 Cor. i. 29, 30, 31. Again, the apostle plainly directs, that all that glory in their virtue, should glory in the Lord, 2 Cor. x. 17. It is glorying in virtue and virtuous deeds he is there speaking of; and it is plain, that the apostle uses the expression of glorying in the Lord, in such a sense, as to imply ascribing the glory of our virtue to God. The doctrine of men's being the determining causes of their own virtue, teaches them not to do so much as even the proud Pharisee did, who thanked God for making him to differ from other men in virtue, Luke xvii. Sce Gen, xli. 15, 16; Job xi. 12 ; Dan. ii. 25.

§ 5. The Arminian doctrine, and the doctrine of our new philosophers, concerning the habits of virtue being only by custom, discipline, and gradual culture, joined with the other doctrine, that the obtaining of these habits in those that have time for it is in every man's power, according to their doctrine of the freedom of will, tends exceedingly to cherish presumption in sinners, while in health and vigour, and tends to their utter despair, in sensible approaches of death by sickness or

§ 6. The questions relating to efficacious grace, controverted between us and the Arminians, are two: 1. Whether the grace of God, in giving us saving virtue, be determining and decisive. 2. Whether saving virtue be decisively given by a supernatural and sovereign operation of the spirit of God: or, whether it be only by such a divine influence or assistance, as is im. parted in the course of common providence, either according to established laws of nature, or established laws of God's upiversal providence towards mankind : i.e. either, 1. Assistance which is given in all natural actions, wherein men do merely exercise and improve the principles and laws of nature, and come to such aitainments as are connected with such exercises by the mere laws of nature. For there is an assistance in all such natural actions ; because it is by a divine influence that the laws of nature are upheld ; and a constant concurrence of divine power is necessary in order to our living, moving, or having a being. This we may call a natural assistance.Or.

old age.

2. That assistance which, though it be something besides the upholding of the laws of nature, (which take place in all affairs of life,) is yet, by a divine universal constitution in this particular affair of religion, so connected with those voluntary exercises which result from this mere natural assistance, that by this constitution it indiscriminately extends to all mankind, and is certainly connected with such exercises and improvements as those just mentioned, by a certain established known rule, as much as any of the laws of nature. This kind of assistance, though many Arminians call it a supernatural assistance, differs little or nothing from that natural assistance that is established by a law of nature. The law so established, is

, only a particular law of nature; as some of the laws of nature are more general others more particular: But this establishment, which they suppose to be by divine promise, differs nothing at all from many other particular laws of nature, except only in this circumstance of the established constitutions being revealed in the word of God, while others are left to be discovered only by experience.

The Calvinists suppose otherwise; they suppose that divine influence and operation, by which saving virtue is obtained, is entirely different from, and above common assistance, or that which is given in a course of ordinary providence, according to universally established laws of nature. They suppose a principle of saving virtue is immediately imparted and implanted by that operation, which is sovereign and efficacious in this respect, that its effect proceeds not from any established laws of nature. I mention this as an entirely different question from the other, viz. Whether the grace of God, by which we obtain saving virtue, is determining or decisive. For that it may be, if it be given wholly in a course of nature, or by such an operation as is limited and regulated perfectly according to established invariable laws. For none will dispute that many things are brought to pass by God in this manner, that are decisively ordered by him, and are brought to pass by his determining providence.

§ 7. The controversy, as it relates to efficacious grace in this sense, includes in it these four questions.

1. Whether saving virtue differs from common virtue, or such virtue as those have that are not in a state of salvation, in nature and kind, or only in degree and circumstances ?

2. Whether a holy disposition of heart, as an internal governing principle of life and practice, be immediately implanted or infused in the soul, or only be contracted by repeated acts, and obtained by human culture and improvement?

3. Whether conversion, or the change of a person from being a vicious or wicked man, to a truly virtuous character, be in stantaneous or gradual ?

that which is infinitely the most honourable ca which men the apostle insists upon it, that the primitiv arbitrary, or, be sensible that the glory of their gifts b

its effects, limits that they made not themselves to differ. stealed in his word, ter is this, if they make themselves to apostle says is so much more excel' exceeding greatness of inuch more careful has God show

working of his mighty not be more proud of their virtur the word signifies. Deut. ix. 4. Luke xviii, 9. and ir the apostle plainly teaches us

growth in grace, and to only of our redemption, but sanctification; 1 Cor. i. 29 directs, that all that glor Lord, 2 Cor. x. 17. It is he is there speaking the expression of gl imply ascribing the of men's being th teaches them not did, who thanke men in virtue, Dan. ii. 25.

65. The A philosophers custom, disa doctrine, 1 time for it of the fre tion in s utter de

power

vinted working of his power, * le sere dem applied to conversion, vind gives to me by the

effectual working ne made a minister, according to the

likewise to growth in grace, Eph. iv. 10. *P AUT Increase th with the increase of God, by the

in the measure of every part.” And to the *** & in colory at the last day, Philip. ii. 21. - He will o pomet, wherebr be is able to subdue all things to

I was natural for the apostle to put them in mind wil strengthen their faith in his power to raise them at the

***t part of God man: tested in their conversion, as he sprostite sare in the cocticoa!100 of his discourse, explains his ME and puts the matter of his intending to include the

of God manifested in their conversion, out of all doubt: who were dead in these and sins;" and every word that fol

lows to the end of seard chapter, confirms the same thing. § 6.

9. Some preteod test in this expression, (Col. ï. 13.) tronch the file cft 108 of God, there is no respect 10 God's operation as De epicient cause of faith ; but only to the operatica of God cat rased Christ, as the object of faith, which belpres tsal poud and operation as it was manifested in raising and is believed to be sufficient to raise

Es up alok Be Easte means the operation of God works were e ne sais - In whom ye are circumcised in grieg feis an ass by verse ll, which introduces these bodrosessene bese or the circumcision of Christ." with the chose sale without hands, in putting off the TS 22. nica: Rusis, in scripture, always denotes G-312 puer. 232re the course of nature, and shwe ora s T when he speaks of heaven, ler. l. *IS" 2n deuse not made with hands;"

old age

betwe
of G
sive.
nati
it b
pai
to
ve

in vogue, that God has pros sincere endeavours in praying s to obtain it; and so, that it is etermines the matter, whether we

but that the matter is left with us, sincerity of our endeavours. fusion in all talk of this kind, for want xplained what is meant by sincerity of ough men's deceiving themselves by using neaning. I think the scripture knows of but erity in religion, and that is a truly pious or

The Bible suggests no notion of any other sort edience, or any other sincerity of endeavours, or

whatsoever in religion, than doing from love to true love to our duty. As to those who endeavour e pains, (let them do ever so much,) but yet do nothing

or from any true love to, or delight in God, or free inition to virtue, but wholly for by-ends, and from sinister 1 mercenary views, as being driven and forced against their clination, or induced by regard to things foreign ; I say, respecting such as these, I find nothing in scripture that should lead us to call them honest and sincere in their endeavours. I doubt not but that the scripture promises supernatural, truly divine and saving blessings, to such a sincerity of endeavour as arises from true love to our duty. But then, as I apprehend, this is only to promise more saving grace to him that seeks it in the exercise of saving grace, agreeable to that repeated saying of our Saviour, “ 10 him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." Persons, in seeking grace with sincerity, ask in faith ; they seek these blessings in the exercise of a saving faith. And, I suppose, promises are made to no sincerity, but what implies this.

§ 11. On the supposition that the promises of saving grace are made to some other sincerity of endeavour than that which implies true saving piety of heart, they must be made to an undetermined condition, and so be in effect no promises at all. If there be any thing else worthy to be called sincerity, in endeavouring after holiness, but a free, pious inclination, or true regard and love to holiness, nothing better can be mentioned than this, viz. endeavours after holiness, from a real willingness of heart to put forth those endeavours for the agent's own sake, for such ends as prudence and self-love would propose ; such as, his own eternal interest, salvation from everlasting misery, &c. But the thing that truly in this case denominates the en. deavour sincere, is the reality of the will or disposition of heart to endeavour, and not the goodness of the will or disposition. Now, if this be the sincerity of endeavour which is meant, when men talk of its being the condition of peremptory and decisive

a

4. Whether the divine assistance or influence, by which men obtain true and saving virtue, be sovereign and arbitrary, or, whether God, in giving this assistance and its effects, limits himself to certain exact and stated rules revealed in his word, and established by his promises ?

§ 8. Eph. i. 19, 20. “ What is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, according to the working of his mighty power,” or the effectual working, as the word signifies. These words, according to the effectual working of his power, we shall find applied to conversion, to growth in grace, and to raising us up at last. You have them applied to conversion, Eph. iii

. 7. “ Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me, by the effectual working of his power.” So likewise to growth in grace, Eph. iv. 10. - The whole body increaseth with the increase of God, by the effectual working in the measure of every part." And to the resurrection to glory at the last day, Philip. iii. 21. “He will change our vile bodies, according to the effectual working of his mighty power, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.” It was natural for the apostle to put them in mind of the power of God manifested in their conversion, as he would strengthen their faith in his power to raise them at the last day, and glorify them to eternity. Besides, what the apostle says in the continuation of his discourse, explains his meaning, and puts the matter of his intending to include the power of God manifested in their conversion, out of all doubt: as, in the very next sentence," and you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" and every word that fol. lows to the end of the second chapter, confirms the same thing.

§ 9. Some pretend, that in this expression, (Col. ii. 13.) through the faith of the operation of God, there is no respect to God's operation as the efficient cause of faith ; but only to the operation of God that raised Christ, as the object of faith, which believes that power and operation as it was manifested in raising Christ, and which is believed to be sufficient to raise us up also.

But that the apostle means the operation of God in giving faith, appears by verse 11, which introduces these words, where the apostle says, “In whom ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.” This phrase, made without hands, in scripture, always denotes God's immediate power, above the course of nature, and above second causes. Thus, when he speaks of heaven, 2 Cor. v. 1. he calls it “ an house not made with hands;" and in Heb. ix. 11. the human nature of Christ, which was framed by so wonderful and supernatural a power of the Holy Ghost, is said to be a "tabernacle made without hands."