300 The Nature and Influence of the Vol. I. admit him, and is ever teady to affift thofe whocomply with his Bleffed Motions, and do vigoroully put forth their own Endeavours. And then the Promife ofEternal Life, that anfwers all the Difficulties 'of our Obedience, and fets us above any thing that the World can threaten us withal; for our Conftancy to God, and his Truth. A Wife Man will be content to fuf- fer any thing, or to quit any thing, uponTerms of far greater Advantage : And what greater Confideration can be offered to encourage our Conftancy and Obe- dience, than an Eternity of Happinefs ? So that the Apoale had reafon to call these exceeding great and valuable Pramifes ; fo valuable, that ifany one of them had been wanting, our Redemption and Recovery had either been abfolutely impoffible, or extreamly difficult. I proceed to the III. Thing I propounded, which was to confider the Teneur of thefe Promi- fes; that is, whether God have made them abfolutely to us, without requiring, any thing to be done on our Part, or upon certain Terms and Conditions to be performed by us. ThatGod may (if he pleafe) make an Abfolute Promife ofany Blefhng or Benefit to us, there is no doubt; and that God's Grace does prevent many, and is before-hand with them, is as little to be doubted, the Spirit of God goes along with the Gofpel, moving and inclining Men to yield Obedience to it, many times before any Inclination and Difpofìtion thereto on their Parts. tut as to this Promife of God'sGrace and Holy Spirit, the great Qieftion is not about the frft Motion of it, but theContinuanceof this Aflìftance, and the en creafe of it ; and this, I think may fafely beaffirmed, is promifed only Conditio- nally, as alto the Pardon of Sin, and Eternal Life. And concerning each of thefe, the Matter may quicklybe decided, by plain Texts of Scripture. Concerning the Promife of the Grace and Afliftance of God's Holy Spirit, the Scripture takes notice of two Conditions. Firfi, that we beg it earneftly of God : And this our Saviour expreffethby asking, feeking, and knocking, which lignifies the Importunity of our Requefts ; Our Heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit to them that thus ask it. And then Secondly, That we improve and make ufe of the Grace which God affords us ; To him that bath, (hall be given, and from him that bath not, (hall be taken away even that which hefeems to have. That is (as ap- pears plainly from the Scope of the Parable) to him that ufeth that Grace, and thofe Advantages which God affords him, more Ihall be given; but from him that makes noufe of them, and therefore is as if he had them not, fhall be taken away that which he but feems to have, becaufe he makes no ufeof it. Concerning the Pardon of Sins; the Scripture plainly fufpends that upon the general Condition of Repentance, and the Change of our Lives ; Repent, that your Sins may be forgiven you : And upon the Condition of our forgiving others; Ifye forgive Men theirTrefpafes, then willyour Heavenly Father alfa forgive you ; but ifyou forgive not Men their frefpajs, neither willyour Father forgive your Trefpas, Pays our Saviour, Mat. 6. 14, 15. And then the Promifeof Eternal Life, is every where in Scripture fufpended upon the Conditionof Faith and Repentance, and Perfeverance in well doing. He that believes (lays our Saviour, (Ballbe faved, which indeed implies thewhole Condition of the Gofpel. He that believes, that is, he that effectually agents to the Doctrine of Chrift, and is fo perfuaded of the Truth of it, as to live accor- ding to it, fhallbe faved. But if Obedience were not included in the Scripture Notion ofFaith, yet the Scripture elfewhere exprefly makes it the Condition of our Eternal Salvation, Heb. 5. 9. Chrift is there Paid to be the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him.; thereby implying that none (hall be faved by Christ, but thofe that obey the Gofpel, Heb. 12. 14. Follow Holinefs, without which no Man (hallfee the Lord, Rom. 2. 7, 8, 9. To them who by patient continu- ance in well doing feekfor Glory, and Honour, and Immortality, God will give Eternal Life ; but to thentthát are contentious, andobey not the Truth; that is, the Gofpel, but obey 2lnrighteoufnefs, Indignation andWrath, Tribulation and Anguish upon every SoulofMan that doth Evil. I cannot well imagine what can reafonably be anfwered to fuck plainTexts; but I will tell you what is commonly anfwer'd ; namely, That God gives the Condition
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