úbó Roar AND RECOVERY, &C. II. Since God has made so glorious a provision for the re- covery of mankind, he will not leave it to mere chance and un- certainty, whether any person shall repent and accept of this offered salvation or no ; lest, through the universal depravation and wretched obstinacy of men, his own gracious counsels for our salvation should be frustrated, and the important labours and sufferings of his Son be sustained to no saving purpose, and rendered almost useless to the world. III. There is no way, which I can conceive of, how God should secure or ascertain the salvation of any in general, or make it sure even to his own foreknowledge, unless it be some . way or other ascertained, which particular persons shall ac- cept of this grace and salvation. Observe, I do not here go so far as to say, the salvation of those particular persons should be made necessary by any such absolute decree, or such irresistible influences as some have asserted ; but it must some way or other be made certain to the foreknowledge of God, that such particular persons' shall be saved ; for if it be left at utter uncertainty as to every individual, how can it pos- sibly be known that any individuals at all shall be finally par- takers of it ? IV. God will magnify his grace in the salvation of all those who are saved in such a manner, that every one shall acknow- ledge his own salvation perfectly owing to the divine mercy ; and that none shall have any cause or occasion to glory in himself, 'but shall confess to the glory of divine grace, that it is grace that is the supremeand the chief cause that has madehim to differfrona others. Without this there could not be a holy harmony and eon. cert among all the saved number, in their songs of praise to God and their Savour : Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy grace be all the glory: Nor indeed could any tolerable interpre- tation be given to many scriptures, which humble the pride of man, by ascribing all to God. V. How muchsoever the blessed God may design to mani- fest and magnifyhis free and sovereign grace towards sinful men, yet in every step of his procedure he will maintain such an inva- riable regard to his equity, as Governor of the world, that he will never exercise his grace in such a manner as to take away the necessary regards and honours dueto his governing justice. Thegreat God has given man an understanding mind to distin- guish between good and evil, and a freedom of will to chose one or the other, and ordained him to be always, and in all cir- cumstanees, a proper subject of his moral government. And he has determined and resolved in righteousness to manifest him- self at last as a Judge, and render to every one according to their works ; Rom. ii. 6. Add therefore he will maintain this righteous design of his government, to make the eternal rewards and
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