no more grace; otherwise work is no more work; But that doctrine which gives the creature fo much room to boaft, and put in for fo great a fhare in the honour of his own falvation, cannot be of God; for he will not have any thing of his glory given to another. And nothing can be more contrary to the defign of the gofpel, which is to ftain the pride of all flesh, to take away all occafions of glorying from the creature,and to fecure to divine grace its full honours. The prophet fhews the glory and tendency of the gospel ftate, when he says, as in Ifa. 2. 17. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men fhall be made low, and the Lord alone fhall be exalted in that day.

The exaltation of FREE GRACE is evidently what the glorious God aims at in the contrivance of fallen man's redemption. To this the whole frame is admirably ficted, from the first corner ftone, to the bringing forth the top ftone thereof. I Cor. 1. 29, 30, 31. That no flesh fhou'd glory in his prefence. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteoufness, and fanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let bim glory in the Lord. Eph. 2. 7, 8, 9. That in the ages to come he might fhew the exceeding riebes of his grace, in his kindness towards us, through

through Chrift Fefus. For by grace are ye faved, through faith; and that not of your selves : it is the gift of God: Not of works, least any man Should boast.

And fo we proced to the

V. general head, which is, To fhew the importance of this doctrine, and the place it holds in the fcheme of chriftianity; by which you will be help'd to judge whether it is a doctrine that had better be fupprefs'd than publifh'd in the church. But here I must be content with hinting at things, without enlargment, or I shall much exceed my limits.

To be fure; The gofpel can't be fully preach'd if this article is dropt; for it is evidently a great part of the fubject matter of the facred pages.

We can't rightly conceive of the attributes of God, if we are unacquainted with this doctrine. It is in this decree of election, that several of the glories and excellencies of the divine nature, appear in their brightest and strongest light. As to the Jovereignty of the great God, his abfolute fupremacy over all creatures, and right to difpofe of them for his own glory; this is left out of the notion men frame of God, and he quite loofes the glory of this

high

high prerogative, when this truth is not understood and acknowledg'd And as to the divine goodness, mercy and grace, nothing difplays thefe fo much, as the everlafting purpose of God to deliver so many of the children of dam, from the mifery they had involv'd themfelves in, and the punishment they had deferv'd. To deliver fome, and not all, renders the divine goodnels towards the fubjects of this deliverance, more perfpicuous and glorious. The falvation of men wou'd not fo fully appear to be from free mercy and grace, if no difference was made between perfons. To this purpose the apoftle fpeaks, Rom. 11. 23. That he might make known the riches of his glory on the veffels of mercy, whom he had afore prepared unto glory: His making choice of fome, while he pafles by others, commends his favour to them, renders it more glorious in their eyes, conftrains their admiration now, and will raife their highest notes of praife hereafter. The eternal melody they will make, is that, Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the feals thereof for thou waft flain, and haft redeem'd us to God by thy blood OUT OF every tongue, and kindred, and nation.

Many of the peculiar, high and noble, inftructive and comfortable doctrinesof the

gofpel

gospel are concern'd in this, and connected with it. What will become of that covenant of redemption between the father and the fon from the days of eternity, of which we read in the 89th Pfalm; 53d ch. of Isaiah; 10th and 17th ch of John, and other places; if a diftinguifh'd number were not given to Chrift, as his charge, and as his reward? The fatisfaction of Chrift is rendred a very loose uncertain and unfafe thing, if there are not a certain number for whom it was made and accepted; and the value of it is leflen'd exceedingly, if it did not purchase faith, repentance, and holinefs, for them on whom they are bestowed That free will which ftands in competition with, and oppofition to the grace of God in our falvation, can never without this be thrown to the ground as it ought to be. The doctrine of efficatious grace which does fo much honour to the Holy Spirit; and the doctrine of the faints perfeverance in grace, which is fo comfortable to them; depend very much on this doctrine of election. This is the foundation of all thofe great and precious promises contain'd in the new covenant; the groundwork of our redemption; the rise and fpring of all thofe fpiritual bleffings we are made the partakers of, to which the faints fhou'd look back in their joyful praifes, and without

without the confideration of which, they cannot comprehend what is the height and depth, the length and breadth of the love of God in Chrift It is therefore taken into that thanksgiving of the apoftle, Eph. 1. 2, 4. Bleed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Christ, who hath blefed us with all spiritual bleffings in heavenly things, ACCORDING AS HE

HAS CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

In a word; As this doctrine is a spring of confolation to believers, fo 'tis a moft powerful argument to holiness & obedience; and this not only that they mayn't be without the tokens of election, but out of gratitude, and by way of acknowledgment to God for his diftinguishing and eternal love to them. Accordingly it is matter of obfervation, that thofe who have embrac'd this doctrine, have been among the moft exemplary, cautious, diligent and fruitful chriftians. But this has almoft enter'd me into the

VIth and laft thing propof'd, namely, The improvement of the fubject to the ends of ferious religion, and practical godliness. For had I taken it to be only an abftruse fpeculation, and not a doctrine according to godliness. I had fpar'd my felf the pains of thefe difcourfes.

The