Brown - BS2685 B86 1695

. 7tlfb f,óation is by faith. CH AP. z I againfl the 0rfakers. But this man difcovereth himfelf more plainly after- ward pig. z , whereafter mentioning fomea&sof nmen, which cannot be called axis of fuper natural grace , he tels us , if men Will but go thus far ( a; they can ) out of a real- defire to he happy , d should make no queflion , but that the Spirit of God should yeeld there his affiflance to carry them quite through ,\inthe work of converfion. Betide that connexion , whereof he maketh no que- ilion though the orthodox have hithertill denied it , writtin.g againfiFela- gianc, /efztite; & Arminian;, we may obferve this , here , That nature can carry the work ofconverfion quite through, having only the afl"iftance of the Spirit of God; and what difference is there then betwixt Nature & Begun Grace : for begun Grace needeth the affiftance of the Spirit of God , to work Salvation quite thorow; and Nature needeth no more? where are then the Infufed Habites ? Is Regeneration only brought about by afliliance? Need they , who are dead no more but Aflifiance ? If this Author help us to clearncfs in the do&rine of the Gofpel , it mutt be the Gofpel , that only Pelagianr , tefuiter, Arminians & `ushers owne r but not the Gofpel of the Grace of God revealed to us , in the Word ; which telleth us of fomething more requiute unto the Converfiion of a (inner , & to the bringing of him to Beleeve & Repent, than the Cooperation of God's affifiance (as he fpeaketh pag, 25. ) & mans endeavours. He tels us pag. 26. that there is a promife of divine a j/äfiance to Man , of ng his endeavour; in doing what be may cif can do toward; the performing the condition of the Covenant : But he showeth us not where that promife is to be found : and pag. 17. he talks of an implicit promife; and this he very wonderfully inferreth from the Gofpel , that was preached to Abraham : for thus he fpeaketh , for God in promifing hleffednefs to the Nations through Abrahams feed , therein promifed all that war abfolutly necej(J'ary for him to vouchfafe to make them ble jed , "without which they could not be ble fed. And if fo , then he therein implicitly promifed toafJïft the endeavours of men to perform the condition of the promife, without the afjîflance of whofe grace, they cannot ravingly heleeve repent d5 obey. Whence it would feem (i) that all men , are comprehended within this promife ; and (z) That no more is promifedin reference to the Elea, than to the Reprobat. (3) That the promife of faith & Repentance, is but a promife of AtAffiftance. (4) And this promife of Aiíìftance , is not to aflifi Grace , but to afïift Nature. (5) That the promife of Faith & Repentance was but an implicite promife, This is a fufücient ta- fie of this Authors Pelagian- Gofpel. q., We proceed. This work of the Spirit upon the foul , whereby the man is brought to a cfoling with , and to a refting upon Chri(t, is ordinarily wrought by the word: for faith cometh by hearing, & hearing by the word of God Rom. to: 17. The Lord hath eftablished that great Ordinance of Preaching, for this end; and for this end, he bleffeth it unto his chofen ones , we meane not this exclufivly, as it the word could no other way he- bleffed; for he bleffeth , as he feerh; good, for this end, the Readingof, & Meditation on the word alto; though the grand & fpecial mean be the Preaching.; as we fee Act, 2: 37, 41. & 8: 26-3o. & 2.6: IS. The Lord, it is true, may fend wakenings by his judgment..& by other like Occalions; & may

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