Sermon

that whatever puts a Man into a state
of Juftification and Pardon: puts a
Man into a state of Salvation; and if X.
this be true, it neceffarily follows, that
the Conditions of our Juftification and
Salvation are the fame: and if afsent
to the Truth of the Gofpel, and trust
in Christ as our only Saviour, be the
only Conditions of our Juftification,
then they are the only Conditions of
our Salvation; and Repentance and
Obedience are not Conditions of
our Salvation: but if they be Condi-
tions of our Salvation, then they are
of our Juftification. And I will be bold
to fay, that this hath as much of de-
monftration in it, as any thing in Di-
vinity is capable of; and I wonder
extremely how any Man, that confi-
ders the Nature of the Gofpel-Cove-
nant, can imagine that we fhould be
made partakers of any Bleffing or Be-
nefit promised in the Covenant, with-
out performing the whole Condition of
the Covenant.

And now if any Man ask, Cui bono? To what end is all this? Suppofe it be true, to what purpose is it to awaken differences, and ftir up controverfies about

T

about these matters? In order to thefe Volume two Ends, which I take to be very con

XII.

fiderable.

1. That we may be able to answer the Papifts, who charge us with Solifidianifm; as if we were of this opinion, That if a Man do but truft in Chrift, that is, be but confidently perfwaded that he will fave him, and pardon him, this is fufficient; and confequently, he that is thus perfwaded, need not take any farther care of his Salvation, but may live as he lift. And I do not fee how this can be avoided; efpecially if this be true, which our Divines univerfally affert, That whatever puts a Man into a juftified ftate, puts him into a ftate of Salvation; I fay, I do not fee how this Charge can be avoided, unless we own Holiness and Obedience to be Conditions of our Juftification, as well as Truft in Chrift. I know no other middle way between Popery and Antinomianifm. But,

2. Which is more confiderable, Without this we can give no fatisfactory and reafonable account of our Re

ligion

X!

ligion to a Heathen. Suppofe a Hea-M then should fay thus, Your Religion Sermon gives a very good account of the corruption and finfulness of Mankind, and hath provided a very probable Remedy for the expiation of it, by the death of the Son of God: but this feems to me very unreasonable, and to contradict the most natural notions that we have of God's Justice and Holiness, that he fhould pardon men, as you fay he does, tho' they do not repent of their fins, nor are refolved to leave them, nay, tho' they be refolved to go on in a wicked course.__Did ever any wife Prince pardon a Traitor upon these terms? But whoever fays that repentance, and a fincere purpofe and Refolution of Obedience, are not the Condition of our pardon, fays that God will pardon men without Repentance, tho' they are not at all forry for what they have done, nor refolved to change their course for that is a Condition without which a thing cannot be; and if Repentance be not a Condition of pardon, a Man may be pardoned without it. And if this be true, Chriftianity is the most lewd and T 2 fenfe

fenfelefs Doctrine in the World. For Volume what can be a greater encouragement XII. to fin than this, to tell men that they may be pardoned without Repentance? That is, tho' they live in fin, and continue fo to do. Paganism never taught any fuch thing. Nay, they may add farther, That this which you teach as the Doctrine of your Religion, feems exprefly contrary to your own Books, which you fay contain your Religion. Does not the Bible fay, that he that confeffeth and forSaketh his fin, fhall find mercy? And doth not this plainly imply, that Repentance is a Condition of pardon? Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Doth it not fay, that if you forgive not men their trefpaffes, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you? Can any words more plainly exprefs a condition than thefe do? How fhould we be able to defend our Religion against fuch an affault, unless we difclaim this Charge, and tell them plainly, and without a diftinction, That

our

our Religion teacheth that Repentance and Refolution of Holinefs and Sermon Obedience are Conditions of our Par- X, don and Justification? I would to God men would confult the honour of Christianity, and when they hold any opinion, they would confider not the intereft of a Party, but the univerfal Concernment of Chriftian Religion. If we had to deal with fubtile Heathens, as the primitive Fathers of the Church had, we fhould fee a neceffity of laying afide fuch unreasonable opinions. I would fain have any Man fhew any one clear paffage out of any of the ancient Fathers and Writers concerning Chriftian Religion, which fays, That Truft in Chrift for Salvation is the only Condition of our Juftification, and that Repentance and Obedience are not; or that explains Juftification by Faith alone, in this fenfe. I know it is ufually faid, the ancient Fathers and Chriftians were ignorant of the Doctrine of Justification in a great meafure, and knew very little of the Mystery of the Gofpel. I know not what they mean by Mystery: but I am fure they defined Chriftian Religion better, and gave a T 3

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