in Contriving Man's Redemption. Alfaults o(wbat is terri ble to fenfe? But the renewed Chriftian bath no reafon to be af- r<...A/1 frighted with difquieting Fears, that any finful T emptation may come, which, notwith- ~- fhnding his Watchfulnefs, may overcome him irrecoverably. For, . r. Temptations are External, and have no power over our Spirits but what we gtve them. A voluntary refiftance fecures the Vill:ory to us. And the Apoftle tells us, 1 Joh. 4 , 4· Greater is he that i.s in Believers, than he that il in the VJ!orld. Gdd is fhonger, not only in himfelf, but as working in us, by the vigorous afliftance of his Grace to confirm us, than the Devil aflifted with all the delights and terrors of the World; and taking advantange of that remaining concupifcence which is not intire1y extingui01ed, is, ro corrupt and deftroy us. . a. All T emptations in their degrees and continuance, are ordered by God's Providence. He iSJhe Prelident of the Combat: none enters into the Lifts but by his Call : in all Ages the Promife fhall be ·verified, God wi/J net jitjfer hit People to be tempted above lvhat they are abl~, 1 Cor. 10. · 1 3· TheJ jhaU come off more than Conquerors, t~rough ChriJ! . ~e~e~a~~dt~f~;ti~0~hr~fii~~~, ~~~h~ ~idAfr~Ina~b~~;~~;i~;,) t~~r~Ja~;:v:~ffi~rt0;:~=i~: ~j{~~}tE:.s ed. This is vi lible in the glorious Hfue of the Martyrs, Who loved not their lives unto the aiwr(1u t~t. Death : For 1dam, w~en no P~rfo!l th;eatned.him, nay a9ainfl: the prohibition _of God, t,J0 ~;Js: r;;; abufing his Ltberty, dtd not abtde m hts Happtpefs, when t\vas mort eafie for htm to a· in Para_dtfo ~~~ts~in.An~u~~~tf:~6~s~~~:~n~~fr:~~~~ it~l;:a~i~~a~~~~~n~le~:;;i!;r:;:;;e!~~~fcrh 2~;~:;!~£: he tbould forfe it.by his D!fobedience, and the MartJrs believed only t~e futJtre Glory ::i~~~ut,:r':. they were to recetve. Thts proceeded only from.God who was fo merctful, as to make ribus & trro· them faichfui. Briefly. Unlefs there were a Power above the Divine, the Eletl are feCu~ ribM fois, t·in· red fromftnal Apojltljie. Our Saviour tells ?S, tha~ his F~ther i.t gre~ter than all, and catur m11.rulus. 11one h able to pluc~ them o11t of hh Hand. HIS lnvanable WJII and Almighty Power prevents their perifbing. Indeed if it were only by the ftrengthofNatural Reafon,orcourage, that we are to overcome Temptations, fome might be fo violent as to make the fhonge~ to faint and fall away: But if the Divine Power be the Principle that fuppons us, it, wUI make the weakefr vill:orious. For the Grace of God makes us frrong, and is not niade weak by us. · " .. . ' From hence we may fully difcover the Advantage we have by the Gofpel, above the' Terms of the natural Covenant. Refroring Mercy bath better'd our Condition: We hav~ lofr the Integrity of the jir{l, and got the Perfe/J:ion of theftcond Adam: Our Salvation is put into a ftronger andfafer Hand. !give, faith our Redeemer, Job. I Q. unto m1Sheep eurnal Life, and they fba/J neve~ perifh, neitherjba/J any pluci{.'fbent out of my Hand. That is an inviolable SanCtuary, from whence no Believer can be taken. Chrifl: is our Friend, not only to the Altar, but now in the Throne: Our Reconcil,iation is aftribed to his Death, our Converfation to his Life, Rom. 5· 10. He that was created ih a !late of Nature could fin and die, but He that is born ofGod can't jin unto Death : r Joh. 3··9· ."!:he new Birth is unto Eternal Life. In fbort, As the Mercy of God is glorified in the whole Work of our Salvation, fo efpecially in the lirft and !aft Grace it confers upon' us. · In Vocatioa that prevents us, and Perfeverence that crowns us : According to the double change made in our ftate, tranOating us from Darknefs to Light, and from the imperfell: Light of Grace, to the full Light of Glory. . I have more particularly difcours'd of this Advantage by the New Covenant, in regard of the glory of God, and the Comfort of true Chrifrians is fo much concern'd in it. For if grace and free-will are put in joint Commiffion, [o that the efficacy of it depends on the mutability of the Will, which may receive or rejefr it'; the Confequence is vlfible, that (which is impious to fuppofe) the Son of God might have died in vain. For that · whi ch is not effetl:ua.l without a contingent condition, mufl: needs be as uncertain as the condition on which it depends. So that although the Wifdom of God fo admirably form'd the Defign of am Salvation, and there is fuch a connexion in his Counfels, yet all may be defeated by the mutability of Man's defires. And the mort fincere Chriftians would be always terrified •~ith perpi:xing Jea loufies; that notwithftanding their mort fenous Refoluuons to contmue m thm Duty, yet one day they may perifb by their Apojlacy. But the Gofpel affures us, that God will not reverfe his own Eternal Decrees, !fa. 53- I I. A.nd that the Redeemer foa/J fee the travel ofhis Soul, and be fatiified: And tbat Behevers are 4#pt by the Power ofGod through Ft~ith 1mto Salvation. 3· .There is ~n excellent manifetlarion of Divine Love, in the glorious Reward that is prom1fed to Believers, which far exceeds the Primitive Felicity ofMan. Adamwas under the Covenant of Nature, that promifed a Reward fuitable to his Obed\ence and .S>ate, The manner of declaring that Covenant washatural. · ·., ..... Y 2 1. Eternal,
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