obedience to God. And as for them who through pride and ignorance think it is so; we have no concern with them. For to whom these are only the work of fancy, the Gospel is a fable.

Sixthly, We can never state this matter aright, without. a clear apprehension of the introduction of grace by Jesus Christ, into the whole of our relation to God, with its respect to all parts of our obedience. There was no such thing in the first constitution of that relation and obedience by the law of ou creation. We were made in a state of immediate relation to God: and no more was required to the consummation of that state than what was given us in our Creation to fit as for rewardable obedience. There was nothing in religion originally of that which the gospel celebrates under the name of the grace, kindness and love of God, whence our favourable relation to God now proceeds; nothing of the interposition of a Mediator to work out and be our righteousness before God, which is now the life of religion, the substance of the gospel, and the centre of all the truths revealed in it. The introduction of these things is that which makes our religion a mystery, and so unsuited to the principles of natural reason that men are unwilling to receive it.

Hence upon the first open proposal of this mystery, it was Jooked on as mere folly by the wise and rational men of this world. I Cor. i. Neither was the faith of it ever received by any one, without an act of the Holy Ghost upon the mind in its renovation. Reason unaided and acting upon its own native principles, is repugnant to the whole introduction of Grace by Christ into our relation to God.* An endeavour therefore to reduce the doctrine of the grace of God in Christ, to the inclinations and reason of men, is to debase and corrupt it, and so make way for its rejection.-Yet as men naturally neither understand nor like it, every attempt to accom*modate it to their icason is, very generally, acceptable. For

* Rom. viii. 7.

the things which men say to this end, without any exercise of faith and rayer, without any supernatural lamination are intelligible to the common sense of mankind, But as a declar ation of the mysteries of the gospel can be received into the mind only by the effectual working of the Spirit of God;* it is Jooked on as perplexed and unintelligible: and even the minds of many who find they cannot contradict it, are yet not delighted with it.

I here are two parts or branches of this repugnancy to the mystery of the wisdom and grace of God in Christ and the foundation of its whole Oeconomy, in the distint operations of the persons of the Holy Trinity.

First, That which would reduce the whole of it to the private reason of men. This is the design of the Socinians; Hence,

J. The doctrine of the Trinity itself is denied, impugned, yea derided by them, solely on this account. They plead that it is incomprehensible by reason; and therefore reject it as absurd and indefensible. But unless you will grant them that what is above their reason, is therefore contradictory to true reason; that what is infinite and eternal is perfectly comprehensible by us; that what cannot be in things finite can ot be in things infinite with other such irrational imaginations; all the arguments of these pretended men of reasou, become Jike chaff which the wind blows away. Upon this ground they must as they do, deny the distinct operations of any serson in the Godhead in the dispensation of the mystery of grace. For if there are no such distinct persons there can be no distinct operations. Now as upon a denial of these things no one article of faith can be rightly understood, nor any one duty of obedience to God be performed in an acceptable manner, so in particular we grant that the doctine of Justification by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ can not stand.

Eph. i. 17, 18, 19.

2. On the same ground the incarnation of the Son of God is rejected as an absurd opin'on. Now it is to no purpose to dispute with men so persuaded about Justification. Yea we will feely acknowledge that all things we believe about it are no better than old wives tales, if the incarnation of the Son of God be so also. For I can as well understand how he who is a more man, can exercise a spiritual rule in and over the hearts, consciences, and thoughts of men, in every part of the world; as how the righteousness of one should be esteemed the righteousness of all that believe, if that one be no more than a man, if he be not the Son of God incarnate.

Whilst the minds of men are so prepossessed, nay, unless they firmly assent to these fundamental truths; it is impossible to convince them of the truth and necessity of that Justification of a sinner which is revealed in the gospel. Allow the Lord Christ to be no other person than what they believe him to be, and I will grant that there can be no other way of justification than what they declare: though I cannot believe that any sinner will be justified thereby.

Secondly, The second branch of this repugnance springs from the want of a comprehensive knowledge of the harmony of the several parts of the mystery of grace. This knowledge is taught only by the Holy Ghost. For our understanding of the wisdom of God in a mystery, is neither an art nor a science, either purely speculative or more practical; but a spiritual wisdom. And this spiritual wisdom is such as apprehends things, not only in the notion of them; but chiefly in their power, reality, and efficacy. And therefore although it may be that very few attain a clear and distinct conception of this harmony; yet all true believers are enabled to act suitably to a comprehension of it; being directed by the Spirit, according to the promise that "they shall be all taught of God."

Such an harmony as that intended there is in the whole mystery of God: for it is the production of divine wisdom; and it is no impeachment of the truth of it that it is not dis

Bernable by human reason. A full comprehension of it cannot be acquired by any man in the world. Only in the contemplation of faith, we may arrive to such an understanding admiration of it, as shall enable us to give glory to God, and to make use of all the parts of it in our practice.

There is an universal harmony in all the works of creation; but in the mystery of God and bis grace, the harmony and suitableness of one thing to another, with their tendency to the same end, is incomparably more excellent and glorious. God made all things at first in wisdom; but the new creation of all things by Jesus Christ is ascribed peculiarly to the riches, stores, and treasures of that infinite wisdom. Yet it can be spiritually discerned only by those who are taught of God: the harmony of the works of nature is not fully discoverable by the wisest of men; much less can the harmony of the mystery of God, which is supernatural, be comprehended by any without that wisdom which cometh from above. Three things therefore are evident herein.

1. In the mystery of God, all the blessed properties of the divine nature are glorified, our duty in all instances directed and engaged, our Salvation in the way of obedience secured, and Christ as the end of all exalted. Therefore we are not only to consider the several parts of spiritual truth; but also their relation, consistency, and mutual tendency to one common end.

2. That to a due comprehension of this harmony it is necessary that we he taught of God, without which we can never be wise in the kno vledge of the mystery of his grace.

3. All those who are taught of God to know his will, have an experience in themselves and their own practical obedience, of the consistency of all parts of the mystery of God's grace and truth in Christ, their spiritual harmony and cogent tendency to the same end.

On the contrary, from ignorance of this divine harmony, men imagine an inconsistency between the most important parts of the mystery of the gospel. Thus the Socinians can

see no consistency between the grace or love of God, and the satisfaction of Christ; between the satisfaction of Christ and the necessity of holiness; nor between efficacious grace in the conversion of sinners, and the exercise of the faculties of their minds in a way of duty. But there is no instance more to this purpose than that now under consideration. Free justification through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, is decried as inconsistent with a necessity of personal holiness and obedience, and because this pretence is most insisted on it shall be briefly considered.

Let it then be observed that in pleading for this doctrine, we do it as a principal part of the introduction of grace into our whole relation to God. Hence we grant:

1. That it is unsuited to the principles of unenlightened and unsanctified reason. And this we conceive to be the principal cause of all the oppositions that are made to it, and of all the corruptions of it which prevail in the church. And,

2. That the necessary relation of justification by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, and the necessity of our personal obedience will not be clearly understood nor duly improved, but by the exercise of the wisdom of faith. True faith hath that spiritual light in it, as that it is able to receive it and to conduct the soul to obedience by it. But reserving the particular consideration hereof to its proper place, I say in general:

1. That this relation is evident to that spiritual wisdom which enables us doctrinally and practically to comprehend the harmony of the mystery of God,

2. That it is made evident by the scripture, which plainly asserts both justification through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, and the necessity of our personal obedience. And,

3. That it is fully evident in the gracious conduct which the minds of them that believe are under, even that of the Spirit of Truth and Grace, and the inclinations of that new principle of the divine life by which they are actuated. For