Serm. LIV. in order to J-u/tificat;on and Salvation. 3$ i Theother extreamOpinion is, that none are thus wrought Upon, becaufe it would be a violence and injury to Man's Natural Liberty ; but thatfifficient grace is offered toall, one time or other, who live under the Gofpel, which they may comply withor refill, and confequently if they be not brought to Repentance, their impenitencyand ruin is the effect of their own choice, and God is freefrom the blood of all Men. But this Opinion, tho' infinitely more reafónable than the other, feems not to have any neceffary Foundation either in Scripture or Reafon. There areCome inftances in Scripture of the Converfion of Men after a very via. lent, if not an irrefiflible manner, which feems to be attributed to a particular pre- deflination of God ; as that of St. Paul, who fays of himfelf, Gal. i. 15. that he wasfeparated front his Mother's Womb to that work to which he was called ; and the manner of his Converfion was answerable to fuch a predeflination ; and there is nothing in Reafon againft this, lince it is no injury to any Man to be made good and happy againft his will. The two middleOpinions ate thefe. Firfi, That irreffiible Grace is afforded to all the Elea, and fullicient Grace to all others who live under the Gofpel (for of thofe only we fpeak, the Cafe of,others being peculiar, and belonging to the extraordinaryMercy of God) but then they fay, that none of thofe to whom this fufficient Grace is afforded (hall effectually comply withit and be faxed. This Opinion feems more moderate, and bath this advantage in it, that it acquits the jufticeof God in the Condemnation of thofe, who having fufficient Graceafforded to them, did yet notwithftanding continue impenitent ; but yet it hath two great inconveniencies in it. First, That this Suppofition is to nopurpofe, as to any real effeEt for the Sal- vationofMen, becaufe not one perfon more isfaxed, notwithftanding this Vni- verfalfxicient Grace, which they fay is afforded to all ; for they take it for gran- ted it is never effeelual, and then it feems very unreafonable to fuppofe, that a Means*dent to its End fhould Vniverfally prove ineffei ual; nay, on the con- trary, it is next to a Demonftration againft the fufficíency ofa Means if perpetually and in all infiances it fails of its End. This would tempt any Man to think, that furely there is Come defect in it, of fomething that hinders the efficacy of it ; if being perpetuallyandgenerally afforded, it doth perpetually and univerfally mifcarry, without fomuch as one inflanceamong fo many millions to the contrary. So that this Opinion feems rather to be contriv'd for a- colour and fhelter againft forte abfurdity, whichMenknow not how to avoid otherwife," than to ferve anygood purpofe, or tobe embraced for the truth and probability of it. The othermiddle Opinion is, That fomeare -Converted in an irrefflible man- ner, when God pleafeth, and whom he defigns to be extraordinary examples, and Inftruments for thegood of others, and that fufficient Grace is afforded to others, which is effellual to the Salvation of many, aid rejeúed by a great ma- ny. And this avoids all the inconveniency of the other Opinion., and is evi- dently molt agreeable both to the tenour of Scripture and to the heft notions whichMen have concerning the Attributes and Perfe&ions of God, and gives greateft encouragement to the endeavours of Men. It agrees very well with the folemn declarations of Scripture, that God is not wanting on his part, to afford Men fufficient Means to bring them to Repentance 5 that he deflres not the death of a Sinner, but rather that he fhould turn from his wickednefs and live ; That he would have all Men to be faved, and to come to the /inowledge of the truth ; That he would not that any [hamlet perifh, but that all fhould come to Re- pentance ; That Mens deflru7ion is of themfelves. And this makes all the Ex- hortations and Motivesof Scripture to Repentance tobe of force force and figni- ficancy, and givesencouragement to the Refolutions andEndeavours of Men to become better. This clearly acquits the Juftice of God in the Condemnationof impenitent Sinners, and fixeth the Reafon of their ruin upon their own choice. This perfe&ly reconciles the operation and affrftance of God's Grace in our Converfion and Regeneration, in our San&i&cation and Perfeverance in a good Courfe, with the concurrence of our own Endeavours, and makes thofe plain Texts of Scripture have force fenfe and fignificancy in them ; Work artsyour own
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