to the E P H E S I A N S. Grace, it is oppofed to all that Duenefs, which in a way of Juflice becomes God S~ to reward the Creature with, under the Covenant ofWorks. In Rom. 4· 4· you ~";-y...:_. fi1all find, that Grace is oppofed to oq>El'-"~-""' to a Debt, or a Due; the ApofHc, . fpeaking of the Juflification ofa Sinner, oppofeth to tt the Jufltficatwn by Works, To him thot workfth ( v. 4·) ii the Reward ?JOt rec/;.pned of Grace, b~:t of Debt. I rake it, that there by Debt, is not meant, as if the Creature under the Covenant ofWorks could oblige God; or,that God was a Debtor,flrialy taken,to the Creac tu re: For that of the Apoflle is certain, in Rom. I I. 35· Who hath frft given to him, and it foaU be recompenfed unto him again l But yet this we may fay, That there was a duenefs, and a meemefs, between God as the Creator, .and the Crea– ture: That if the Creature were holy, (as it was meet God fhould create him, if he made him reafonable,) and if he continued in that Holinefs, it was meet, it was according to the Law of Nature between t_he Cre~tor and the Creature, he lbould live, and be efleemed nghteous. and be m Gods favour, and hlVe hts Ap– probation in fo doing ; and likewife, that God fhould make a Promi(e, that h~ lhould do fo. It was meet, that God, feeing a Holinefs in Adant, and feeing him to continue in that Holinefs, fPould approve him, and juflify him, as a Creatnre that was holy, and continued holy, as a Creature under that Covenant. But the Grace which the Gofpel fpeaks of, and by which we are faved, is a Grace oppo~ fed to this Duenefs, that is b.etween the Creator and the Creature, limply fo con– fidered. Therefore now God, that he might make way for this Grace, which was in the Purpofes of his Heart, and to by the Creature low in it felf, ·and td manifefl the Riches and Greatnefs of his Grace and Love, downs with Adam's State, he fuffers that to be ruined : Ad•m forfeited that Bond which was be– tween his Creator and him, and it is a Forfeiture that cannot be reflored again, no, not by God himfelf, to a finful Creature, as the 11ate of Innocency cannot. Now then, when God had diffolved that Duenefs, that Debt, (as I may call it,) that Obligation, which according to the Law of Nature, in a way of Meetnefs and Comelinefs, it was fit for God as a Creator, to deal with a Creature, there is now room for Grace; for now he is not only free as he is a Sovereign, but he i• free as a Judg, in refpeCl: that he is free as to that his cllvn Law,which (thoSove– reign ofthe World) he had condefcended umo,by reafon oftherelation of being a Creator.He is not only free in refpeCl: ofPrerogative,as a King is over his Subjects, and is therefore faid to be gracious; but he is gracious now as a King unto Tra– tors.In Rom-3- when he comes to fpeak ofbeing juflified freely by his Grace,which he cloth v. 24. bow cloth he make way for it? He tells us before, that all Men were become guilty beforeGod ; fo v. r9· That every ~uthmay be flopped, .faitH he, anchtllthe World may becomeguilty before God : All had their<Necks upon th~ Block. Now, faith he, if ever thefe be faved and juflified, it muf1 be by Grate : So you have it after that Dilcourfe, at the 24th Verfe, Being j~tjlijied freely by hi$ Grace, through the Redemption that ii in Chrijl]efm, when we were thus obnoxi– ous, and Were all become guilty before Go<i. Grace bath a further freedom therefore. Thirdly; The Freenefs of this Grace lies .in this, That God's Refolutions of Love are firm, and is fo free and noble, that"nothing fball divert him ; Grace al– ways bath a Generoufnefs accompanying it : That as God is the King of all the World, and will be gracious to whom he will be gracious; fo he relolveth for ever to be fo, and nothing_fhall hinder him from being fo. There fhall be nei– ther lfi nor BtttJ ! lfm;. 'People forfah._e my LawJ ; what then ? I will not I akf my Mercy away fr•m them for all that, he faith in Pfal. 89. 33· And faith Tatd, iri I Tim. I. I 3· B11t I obtained Mercy for all t!JRt, tho 1 war injuriolli, and a cPerfe– CIItor, &c. And then, Fourthly; It is free in this, becaufe he cafls it UI?On what Perfons he will: Therein is Freedom of Grace alfo, whereas there was no difference, as the Apoflle faith, Rom. 3· 22. Bui aU have finned, and come foort of the Glory of God) then comes in, Being jujlijied freely by hi! Grace. He ha1h here a freedom now; in refpeCl: of Perfons, to this or that Perfon, and not to others. Therefore . a~ain, in Rom. II. 5· they are faia to be a Remnant accnrding to the Eledion of G,,ace ; that whereas all were in a like condition, this free takmg of a Remnant, this chufing of thefe; and not others; is out of Grace, it is thetefote called, die FletJion of Grace. And
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