SECTION I. Si All the blessings of the gospel, both the means and the ,end, are represented in a way of free or absolute donation by the apostle 'Paul frequently. So Eph. ii. 8, 9. By grace ye are saved throughfaith, and that not of'yourselves, it. is the gift of God, not of works, for we are Ids workmanship. In other places of scripture, the gospel is represented in a conditional way, as Mark xvi. 15, 16. Preach the gospel to every creature. Ile that believeth shall be saved: Mat. xi. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and Iwill give you rest. John vii. 37. If anyman thirst, let him come unto me and drink. 1 John i. 9. Ifwe confess our sins, he is faithful and jicst to forgive us our sins:These are properly called conditional propositions in a logical rational, view of the relations of.things. And it may be observed, that those very parts of oursalva- tion, which in one scripture are commandedas duties, in another are promised as blessings. So faith and repentance are duties required. Mark i. 15. Repent and believe the gospel: They are blessings bestowed. Phil. i. 29. To you it isgiven to believe ; Acts v. 3. God bath exaltedhim - -to give repentance: And it is easy to bring instances of the like nature, concerning several other parts of our salvation. Now according to the distinctions I have laid down, the foregoing blessings whichare as means, may be esteemed conditions with regard to others, which are as the end ofthem : So justification and adoption, as well as faith and repentance, and perseverance, all which are as means, may be called' conditions in regard of glorificationwhich is the last end. In that golden chain of salvatibn, Rom. viii. 30. Calling, justification, and glorification are three great links. Whom he .called, them he also justified: And whom tie justified, them he alsoglorified. But all agree if we are not calledwe shall not be justified : If we are notjustified, we shall not be glorified: Thus every blessing of salvation that, in the necessary order of nature follows another, may be said to be suspended on that other, as a condition without which it shall not be bestowed. Again, those blessings that are representedas our duties, . and are to be wrought in us, may be said to be conditions with- regard to consequent blessings that are only conferred upon us : For the word condition, in its most common sense, does byno means imply that it must be performed by ourown power, nor does it include any thing of a valuable consideration or merit in it. And therefore in this sense, faith may be called a condition ofjustification, because faith and justification are connected toge- ther in scripture, and faith is represented as a foregoing blessing,, and as a duty ; justification isa consequent blessing, and a privi- lege which is suspended upon it. Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that VOL_ III. Fi
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