his own will begat he us by the wORD OF TRUTH, James i. 18.-The rudiments of the firft were an undigefted mafs. "The earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep" Gen. i. 2. In like manner, all things lie in bafe confufion in the foul, when it is to be adorned by the new creation, and depraved lufts are violently agitated every where, without any order. Those things which fhould poffefs the upper place, are depreffed to the loweft. There is alfo a furprifing emptiness of every thing that is good, Rom. vii. 18. Neither are all things only furrounded with the grofs darknefs of ignorance, but the whole foul is nothing but darkness itfelf, Eph. v. 8. When God was pleased to adorn the world he had created, he began with the production of light, and he takes the fame method in this other creation. "God who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, hath fhined in our hearts, &c. 2. Cor. iv. 6. † 4thly. The cafe of infants is thrown in, as an unfurmountable objection to this doctrine; yea it is faid that, "Upon this plan there is as much ground for the regeneration and falvation of infants, as there is for that of devils!!" That all infants are faved, is a pleafing fact founded in the word of truth; for Chrift fays Of fuch (that is moftly of fuch) is the kingdom of heaven," even that innumerable multitude made righteous by the obedience of the divine furety, Rev. vii. 9. Infants have done no evil, and yet die by the imputation of the first Adam's tranfgreffion they have done no good and yet are entitled to eternal life through the obedience of the fecond Adam, and fo enter in upon the very fame footing as Paul, and all others that are faved. But it is a hard matter for us to fubmit to that doctrine which teaches us to receive the kingdom of God as a little child. Yet whoever think that their believing, or any activity in themfelves whatever, is taken + See Wit's Occon. B. 4. chap. 6. p. 49–50. taken into confideration in their juftification to eternal life, are without doubt ignorant of the true grace of God. Without admitting the falvation of infants it cannot be fhown, how Chrift has bruifed the ferpent's head-destroyed the works of the devil --and abolished death. It is plain infants are among the number mentioned, Rev. xx. 12--15. But they not having done evil, can have no fin charged upon them againft either the law of nature, the written law, or the gofpel, fo cannot be judged and condemned out of thefe books. We muft either fay therefore, that there is a Purgatory for them, or, according to fome modern refiners of popery, a middle ftate, the notion of which is without the fhadow of a foundation in fcripture, and is abfolute nonfense; or admit, that they are written in the Lamb's book of life. See Deut. i. 39. And if a person is paffive in receiving the truth, then why may we not fay that the efficacy of the divine Spirit can and does implant the truth in the foul of an infant: which we can have as clear conceptions of as that which is fo generally admitted, viz. that a falfehood, firft inftilled into our federal-head, dwells in them, and corrupts their fouls. 5thly. It has been thought that the good and honeft heart mentioned Mat. xiii. 8. Luke viii. 15. is an argument in favor of grace in the heart previous to the truth being implanted. To this it has been obferved, that the fcope of the parable is to reprefent the different effects of the word. But this has been cavilled at though never yet fufficiently refuted. Some however have thought that the good and honeft heart has reference to thofe who like Simeon, Cornelius, &c. were waiting for the kingdom of God: who had believed in the Saviour to come, and fo were juftified by his righteoufnefs as Abraham was; and who when they heard the word, teftifying that the Chrift was actually come, readily received it. From the whole, if grace can be in the heart, previous to the word of Chrift G entering entering there, then the gospel is not the power of God unto falvation; neither is there any effential need of Chrift, especially not of his word. For whoever is regenerated fhall enter into the kingdom of heaven, becaufe fuch being born of God, are heirs of the promise of eternal life; and can this be, without understanding and knowing the true character of God, or believing in the name of Chrift, or even hearing of his name? Though the implanting of this principle in the heart, is ascribed to the Spirit of God; it is plain that he has nothing to do in the affair for it is his office to teftify of Jefus, and to apply the things which speak of him. He works, not by energy alone, but by the almighty perfuafive force of truth; and by instruction leads thofe whom he teaches, to speak of Chrift and to rejoice in him. But the fpirit that implants this previous principle, leads perfons to boaft but too commonly of themselves: he cannot therefore be the Spirit of God; nor is it the true grace of God which he implants; and it must follow, that the various fyftems of doctrinal and experimental religion, that are founded upon this principle are effentially diffe. rent, in their nature and neceffary tendency, from the. gofpel of the grace of God. Their neceffary tendency therefore must be to mislead, perplex and entangle; if not to delude and deftroy the fouls, who are founding their hope of eternal life upon them. Having faid fo much in oppofition to the diftinct, previous principle of grace in the heart generally pleaded for, and but too commonly made the foundation of a profeffor's hope, as it is moft obviously the fource of various errors, more especially in experimental religion; I fhall do little more in this Section, than briefly fhow wherein the true principle of grace confifts confirm the fentiment by the word of God -and then fhow the harmony of this view of the.. principle of grace, with every other part of the revelation of the true grace of God. The The true principle of grace in the foul is the GOSPEL in its true import, implanted there by the Spirit of God, which is properly a divine instinct, a living and abiding principle. It counterbalances the corrupt principle which refides in the Soul; and powerfully and effectually inclines it, to defire the fincere milk of the word to live upon the fulness of the Lord Jefus Chrift-to exercife.every becom-ing affection towards him, as he is revealed in the word—and influences to a conduct agreeable to the gofpel. This is that new heart and right fpirit promifed in the new covenant, and the fcriptures exprefsly prove that the truth in the love of it, dwelling in the heart, is the only grace of God that his Spirit implants, Heb. x. 16. f. li. 4. John xii. 49, 50. Rom. iii. 27. ch. viii. 2. Is it inquired how we are made partakers of the DIVINE NATURE, that is, of the communicable attributes of God, his wifdom, happiness, love and holiness? Peter informs us that it is through the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promifes; that by these you might be made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Peter i. 3, 4. Is it asked, how do we become the children of God? The reply is, " Being born again, not with corruptible feed, but incorruptible, by the WORD OF GOD which LIVETH AND ABIDETH FOR EVER, even the word which by the gofpel is preached unto you." Jam. i. 18. I Peter i. 23. The word is the SEED, the fupernatural, vital, unchanging, incorruptible principle of divine life. Spiritual life is only in Chrift, and is communicated from him by knowledge to his, people. God hath given us eternal life and this life is IN HIS SON. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God, bath not life, 1 John v. 11, 12. however much he may amufe himself with a notion of a principle of grace dwelling in his heart. Thefe fimple declarations of fcripture confirm the doctrine under confideration, G 2 beyond beyond all modeft contradiction. This is life eternal to know the only true God and Jefus Chrift; and if any modern refiner fhould object to thefe, a thoufand paffages that feem to make against it, and thereby urge the old infinuation "Yea hath God faid, &c. the fcriptures being one perfect harmonious fyftem of incorruptible truth, clear of the leaft contradiction in any of its parts, we fhould take the plain evidence of thefe divine witneffes as abfolutely decifive, and impute any quibble that forms a feeming contradiction, to the blindnefs of man, who naturally oppofes his own wifdom to the revelation of God. We may here take notice, how fuitable the divine word, in the hand of the Spirit is, to perform every operation by which this principle is denominated. Is it called grace in the heart? The gofpel is filed The word of grace. Is it termed The truth in us? The gospel is The word of truth. Is it called life? The feriptures are the words of life. Is it conceived of as a principle of faith? The gospel record is The word of faith, &c. When this divine principle is implanted in the foul; the true knowledge of God is given. That is, a true knowledge of God in Chrift, where juftice and mercy in perfection, unite, fhine and harmonize. This is the true grace of God. This the foul believes with all his heart. His ftanding is fixed upon it; and it begets every answerable affection there. Hence the true golpel, being the proper principle of grace, begets in the foul faith, hope, love, &c. and is the geruine fource of all true expérience. This view of things preferves the glorious fyftem of grace, in its beautiful fymmetry, its grand and uniform connection. mary view thereof. If we conceive of grace dwelling in the eternal purpofe, it is nothing more than Jehovah's fovereign defign, of fhowing favor to the people of his choice, through the Son of his love. If we take the term for the manifeftation of his Let us take a fum great |