502 Vol. I. SErRMON LXIX. The Poffibility and Neceffity of Gofpel-Obedience, and its confiftence with free Grace. H E S. 5. 9. The Second And being made perfecrl, he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto Sermon on this Text. all them that obey him. Fi OR. the Explicationof thefe Words, I propos'd to confider thefe Five Things. Ili, How, and by what Means Chrift is the Author of our Salvation. adly, What Obedience the Gofpel requires as a Condition, and is pleafed to ac- cept as a Qualification, in thofe who hope for eternal Salvation. idly, ThePoffibility of our performing this Condition, by that Graceand Aff(L- ance which is offer'd, and ready to be afforded to us by the: Gofpel. 4thly, The Neceffty of this Obedience, in order to Eternal Life and Happinefs. 5thly, The Confnency of this Method and Means of our Salvation with the Law of Faith, and the free Grace and Mercy of God declared in the Gofpel. I have handled the Two firft of thefe, and now proceed to the Third Thing I propofed to confider, viz. The poffbility ofour performing this Condition, by that Grace and AffRance which is offer'd and ready to be afforded to us by the Gofpel. For if Chrift be the Author of eternal Salvation only to thofe who obey him; then thofe who live in difobedience to the Gofpel, are in a Rate of Dam- nation. Belt there cannot be the guilt of Difobedience, where Obedience is impof- fible; noManbeing guilty, or juftly liable toPunifhment, for the not doing of that, which it was no ways poflible for him to do. Therefore the Covenant of the Go- fpel, into which God is entred with Mankind, doth neceffarily fuppofe the poffibi- lity of performing the Condition of it; otherwife it leaves them in as bad a Con- dition as they were in before, becaufe it only offers new Bleffings and Benefits tous, but lets us never the nearer theobtaining of them, if fo be the Condition upon which th y are granted be altogether impoffble to us; nay, it renders our hate many de.,-cs worfe, if our not performing the Condition of fuch gracious Offers bring us uoc',r new and greater guilt. If it be raid, that flame few Perlons have great Benefit by it, becaufe they by an efpeciai and effe&ual Grace (hall be enabled to perform the Conditions of this Co- ven r; is not this a mighty Rraitning to the Grace and Mercy of the Gofpel, to c mi;r,e it within fo narrow a compafs, as Rill to leave the greaten part of Mankind in a worfe Condition, than if Salvation had never been offer'd to them? As it cer- tainly does, if (as this Do&rivedoes neceffarily fuppofe) the Guilt and Punifhment of Men (hall be greatly increafed and heightned by their Contempt óf, and Difobe- dience to the Gofpel; when at the fame time it is acknowledged, that it was not pofìble for thofe Men to obey it; for want of that fpecial and effettual Grace, which is neceffry to enable them thereto. I do not love to handle there Points contenti- onfly, but this in my Apprehenfion does as much derogate from the Amplitude and Riches of God's Grace in the Gofpel, as any thing that can eafily be laid. And therefore, for the right (lating and clearingof this Matter, I fball endeavour tomake-out there Three Things. z. That
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