"life?"

66

66

66

"Being now justified by his blood,

they will be saved from wrath through him?' and that "they have now received the atone"ment" or reconciliation? (xalaλλay':) that they rejoice in the hope of the glory of God?" that they glory in God through Christ?" "that the preaching of the cross is to them the power of "God?" 2 that they are "called with a holy calling, "according to the purpose and grace of God ?” If these things may be said of all who have 'the 'means of salvation,' how shall we distinguish between those who have profited by those means, and those who still neglect or pervert them? Was there indeed nothing different in the case of Paul and Timothy, from that of the unbelieving Jews? or in that of the Christians at Rome, from that of their persecutors; who yet had the means for 'salvation?'

Before the deluge came, all those who saw or heard of the ark had the means of deliverance :' but, when Noah entered into the ark with his family, "God shut him in," and he shut others out. All to whom the gospel is sent have 'the means of salvation;' but, when any "believe in "their hearts unto righteousness, and make con❝fession with their mouth unto salvation," they enter, not merely the outward church, but "the "church of the first-born, whose names are written "in heaven." Noah, while shut up in the ark, had perils, hardships, and privations; and, except his faith was very strong, alarms also: yet he was safe, being secured by the sure promise, and the omni

1 Rom. v.

3-11.

1 Cor. i. 18.

potence of God.

He was not actually and completely saved; but he was "kept by the power of "God through faith unto salvation." He was "saved in hope;" and we, if true believers, are the same: τῇ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν.! Hope anticipates the promised salvation, and gives us in a measure a present enjoyment of it.

They who believe have "passed from death unto "life:"2 but numbers who have the same means of salvation put the word preached from them, "and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting "life."3 Is there no sense in which the former are saved, and the latter not? It must surely strike any impartial man as extraordinary, that so many passages of scripture relating to this subject are put in the present or the past tenses, when in the judgment of our opponents the future would have been much more suitable.4-" He that hath "the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son "of God hath not life." "These things have I "written unto you, that ye may know that ye "have eternal life." 5

The whole of our salvation is " by grace," and by grace alone. "Grace and truth came by Jesus "Christ." In infinite mercy and grace, the only wise God formed the glorious design of ruined man's salvation. Grace promised the Saviour to our first parents when fallen; Grace fulfilled that promise; Grace delivered up the Saviour a willing sacrifice for our sins; Grace accepted that sacrifice in our behalf, and released the Surety by his

Rom. viii. 24. 2 John v. 24. 1 John iii. 14. 9 Acts xiii. 46. * John iii. 36. v. 24. vi. 54. x. 28. 1 John iii. 14.

resurrection, and exalted him, as our Advocate and Mediator, to the right hand of God. Grace sent us "the word of salvation," and the means of salvation; and thus the Lord beseeches us "not "to receive his grace in vain," "but to be recon"ciled to God." Grace "quickens the dead in "sin." "We are justified freely by his grace." Grace sanctifies and purifies the soul; and "the "free gift (rò xdpropa) of God is eternal life through "Jesus Christ." Thus," as sin reigned unto

66

death, so grace reigns unto eternal life, through "Jesus Christ our Lord." Grace lays the foundation, carries on the work, and perfects it; and, when" the head-stone shall be brought forth, it "shall be with shoutings, Grace, Grace, unto it." 1

In which of these particulars may our merits, or our efforts, be admitted as competitors with divine grace? Shall we name repentance? "God hath "exalted his Son Jesus to be a Prince and a Sa"viour, to give repentance unto Israel."2 "Then "hath God also to the gentiles granted (dwxev) re66 pentance unto life."3 "I will pour out upon "them the Spirit of grace and of supplications, "and they shall look on me whom they have pierced and mourn."4-Shall we mention faith? "He helped them greatly, who had believed "through grace." 5 The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, with faith and love, which "is in Christ Jesus."6 By the grace of God, I am what I am." By grace are ye saved, "through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is

66

Zech. iv. 7. Zech. xii. 10. 7.1 Cor. xv. 10.

די

"the gift of God:" either faith, or the whole and every part of their salvation. They be called by God's Spirit, working in due season; they through grace obey the calling; they be justified freely; they be made the sons of God by adop'tion; they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.'1

Our repentance, faith, love, diligence in working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, are a part of the divine plan: they are our bounden duty; and in ordinary cases we cannot be saved without them. Thus, when the apostle had expressly in the name of God promised the company which sailed with him, that they should be preserved; he afterwards also said of the mariners,

Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be "saved."2 It was the purpose of God to save them, but in this way; he took care that the mariners should not frustrate it; and he used the declaration of his apostle as the means of doing this. Thus being "created in Christ unto good "works" secures our repentance, faith, diligence, and every thing accompanying salvation.

"A state of possible salvation,' 'a salvable con'dition.' 3

How is it that Christian divines cannot express their meaning, even on subjects of most common occurrence, without devising unscriptural terms? or the ministers of our church, without devising

3

1 Art. xvii.

' Mr. Daubeny, Ref. 179.

2

Acts xxvii. 24-26, 31, 32.

6

terms not found in any of our authorized writings? Is there any human being, while alive on earth, (if we except such as have committed the unpardonable sin,) who is not in a state of possible 'salvation?" Is there any one, who has access to the Bible or any part of it, that is not in a salv'able condition?' We have no objection to the apostolical exhortation, "Be ye stedfast unmove"able always abounding in the work of the Lord." Some of us scarcely ever preach without introducing it but it is not lest men should fall from ' a state of possible salvation;' but "as knowing "that our labour is not in vain in the Lord."1

· of

""In whom (namely in Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel your salvation in whom also, after that ye 'believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." The order to be here noticed is this;

first, the hearing of the word; secondly, belief produced by that hearing; thirdly, the commu'nication of the Spirit in consequence of that be'lief.' 2

Was there no communication of the Spirit to these persons in order to believing? Did they all without grace obey the calling?' Grotius zealously maintained this opinion, and here even his admirer Bishop Bull saw reason to differ from him. These things (I may remark by the way,) 'throw light on the observation, which so wonderfully pleased the learned Grotius, that he 'seized the opportunity of collecting it from al'most every passage: namely, that the Holy