repenting, in order to efcape the evil due to them for their fin; for no evil ever remains due to them for their fin.

Again, on Dr. H's ground, fhould finners become perfectly holy, they would be entitled to heaven and happiness, on the covenant of works. They have already fuffered the pains of hell in an awful dégree,' and fuffered all they deferve; of course, have atoned for their fins, as faft as they have committed them. Therefore, should they become perfectly holy, they would ftand on the fame footing as though they had never finned. A fubject that has injured his prince, at the fame time, by fine, imprifoninent, or fome other way, has made amends, as the law demands; provided he now becomes an obedient fubject, he can claim of his prince, by the rules of juftice, the protection of his intereft and perfonal happinefs, in the fame manner as though he had done nothing amifs. So, if finners make amends, by their own fufferings, for their violations of God's law, as Dr. H. argues they do, they must then, whenever they become perfectly holy, be completely restored to divine favour, by their own merit. Their fins, as thefe are all atoned for by their own meritorious fufferings, must be entirely forgotten. And as they are now perfectly obedient, they must be entitled to the fame perfonal reward, as if they now began to exift in a state of perfect obedience.

Furthermore, fuppofe finners turn from fin, and become holy only in part, as is indeed the cafe; ftill, if we admit Dr. H's arguments, they are then juftified by works, and not by grace. Suppofe the imperfect believer to have two degrees of fin, and three degrees of holinefs; as his fuffering, his hell,' Dr. H. tells of, fatisfies for his two degrees of fin, his three degrees of holinefs must be meritorious in point of law, in the fame fort as if he were wholly free from fin, and wholly free from fuffering. And this will hold as to any proportion of fin and holiness.

The hell, the Doctor has introduced into this world; the mifery of men, which is always as the degree of wickedness that governs them; makes it impoffible they fhould, in any cafe whatever, be fubjects of divine grace. He has introduced this hell, making of it terminate in this world, to rid himfelf of the awful threatenings of an endless hell, in the world to come. In fo do. ing, he has declared the grace of God to be totally useless. He cannot now plead, that it is an act of grace, for God to pour out his fpirit on finners, and turn them from fin to holiness. On his plan, it would be no more an act of grace for God to create holy hearts in finful men, than it was to create Adam holy, in the beginning. It was an act of goodness for God to create Adam ho

ly,

ly, at firft; but not an act of grace. It was an act of goodnels for him to uphold elect angels, while others fell; but not an act of grace. Grace implies favour or good beftowed on fuch as deferve nothing but evil; and, unless the perfon receiving good flands condemned by the law, it cannot be an act of grace. Sinners, granting their fufferings to be anfwerable to their fins, are every moment placed on as good footing, in point of law, as if they every moment began their exiftance anew. Yea, in Dr. H's fcheme, the fufferings of finners, in this world, evidently answer in lieu of perfect holinefs; placing them on the fame foundation of works, or making them even with juftice, as though they had hitherto lived in perfect holinefs. In this cafe, therefore, fhould God create finners anew, after his own holy image, and by this deliver them from the great evil of fin; although it might be esteemed as an act of eminent goodness in him, yet it would not be reckoned an act of grace. It could no more be reckoned an act of grace, than for God to remove fome natural evil, where there is no criminality, and where juftice has no demand. I the beginning, there was an act of divine goodness, removing the great evil of natural darkness, or bringing natural light into extence; which has ever fince occafioned happiness to millions of holy beings. And God prevented everlasting evil taking place on the elect angels, when he was under no more obligation to do it, than he was to uphold fuch as fell. This eminent act of goodnefs was done without a mediator, and without the leaft manifeftation of grace. If God can prevent evil without the leaft manifeftation of grace, he can also recover from evil, without the leaft manifeftation of grace; provided neither law nor justice stand in the way. In Dr. H's fenfe, the fufferings of finners fulfil the whole law; and the perfect obedience of holy angels can do no more. Hence, finners merit a recovery from fin, on his plan, and all the evils of it, as much as elect angels merited that act of divine goodness, by which they were upheld; and divine grace is difplayed in one cafe no more than in the other.

Where then are the Doctor's high encomiums on the grace of God? All grace-infinite grace, as it refpects finners: Sovreign grace in their regeneration, converfion, the gift of repentance, faith, holiness, confolation, perfeverance, eternal glory: All grace, free grace, fovereign grace, unfearchable riches of grace, from God to man.'*-Many other like expreffions, the Doctor ufes; pretending, that, in his fcheme, free grace and mere mercy abound to finners, more than could be poffible in any other way.'t But when finners fuffer damnation to the uttermoft;

ittermoft; when they fuffer hell itself, the fame as devils do; and when every finner has fuffered all the mifery he has hitherto deferved, this grace, it feems, is only a found without fubftance.

The difciples of Dr. H, and all that deny future punishment, are now welcome to come forward and make their choice: one or the other of the following things they must choose. Either firft, that the curfe of the law is wholly done away; or fecondly, that it is partly in force, or only in force as it relates to this life; or thirdly, that the fufferings of men in this life have no reference to the divine law, but are the infeparable connections and confequences of fin-fin, in its own nature, or according to the nature of things, being neceffarily connected with mifery. As to the

1. Suppose the curfe of the law be wholly done away, and of course no curfe threatened in the gofpel, we are then brought back again on the fame ground: all the threatenings to men, in the bible, are but an empty found. With equal propriety another famous divine may rifé up and affert, that all the bleffings promifed in the bible, to the righteous, are words without meaning. Befide, if the curfe of the law be wholly done with, and no evit to finners threatened in the facred volume, then God punishes finners, in this world certainly, without law or gofpel, without rule. He may, therefore, do the fame in the next world. Hence, we have no fecurity on this ground.

2. Suppofe the curfe of the law be in force, only as it relates to this life, then again the threatenings which look forward to eternity, are but an empty found. This renders useless a confiderable part of the facred writings. And, as well may one rife up and plead, that all the bleffings that look forward to eternity are without meaning. But if the curfe of the law remains in force as to the present, and repealed as to the future life; then how do 'the law and the gofpel, being diametrically oppofite to each 'other, run fide by fide in eternity, in the fame manner as they do in time?' Then what becomes of that grand argument, on which the Doctor would build his whole scheme?

3. If the fufferings of men in this life have no reference to the divine law, but are infeperably connected with fin-fin, according to the nature of things, neceffarily connected with mifery; then all threatenings, whether they relate to time or eternity, are at an end. Dr. H. directs civil rulers to enact good and whole'fome laws, in favour of all virtue, and good conduct; and in terrible oppofition to all wickednefs. The reafon for this is, he fays, hardened finners are not at all reftrained by the threat'enings of eternal damnation.-Prefent, vifible punishments strike ⚫ them

P. 294.

ly, at firft; but not an act of grace. It was an act of goodness for him to uphold elect angels, while others fell; but not an act of grace. Grace implies favour or good beftowed on fuch as deferve nothing but evil; and, unlefs the perfon receiving good flands condemned by the law, it cannot be an act of grace. Sinners, granting their fufferings to be anfwerable to their fins, are every moment placed on as good footing, in point of law, as if they every moment began their exiftance anew. Yea, in Dr. H's fcheme, the fufferings of finners, in this world, evidently answer in lieu of perfect holiness; placing them on the fame foundation of works, or making them even with justice, as though they had hitherto lived in perfect holinefs. In this cafe, therefore, fhould God create finners anew, after his own holy image, and by this deliver them from the great evil of fin; although it might be esteemed as an act of eminent goodness in him, yet it would not be reckoned an act of grace. It could no more be reckoned an act of grace, than for God to remove fome natural evil, where there is no criminality, and where juftice has no demand. In the beginning, there was an act of divine goodness, removing the great evil of natural darkness, or bringing natural light into extence; which has ever fince occafioned happiness to millions of holy beings. And God prevented everlasting evil taking place on the elect angels, when he was under no more obligation to do it, than he was to uphold fuch as fell. This eminent act of goodness was done without a mediator, and without the leaft manifeftation of grace. If God can prevent evil without the leaft manifeftation of grace, he can also recover from evil, without the leaft manifeftation of grace; provided neither law nor justice stand in the way. In Dr. H's fenfe, the fufferings of finners fulfil the whole law; and the perfect obedience of holy angels can do no more. Hence, finners merit a recovery from fin, on his plan, and all the evils of it, as much as elect angels merited that act of divine goodnefs, by which they were upheld; and divine grace is difplayed in one cafe no more than in the other.

Where then are the Doctor's high encomiums on the grace of God? All grace-infinite grace, as it refpects finners: Sovreign grace in their regeneration, converfion, the gift of repentance, faith, holiness, confolation, perfeverance, eternal glory : All grace, free grace, fovereign grace, unfearchable riches of grace, from God to man.'*-Many other like expreffions, the Doctor ufes; pretending, that, in his fcheme, free grace and mere mercy abound to finners, more than could be poffible in any other way.'t But when finners fuffer damnation to the uttermoft;

attermoft; when they fuffer hell itself, the fame as devils do; and when every finner has fuffered all the mifery he has hitherto deferved, this grace, it feems, is only a found without substance.

The difciples of Dr. H, and all that deny future punishment, are now welcome to come forward and make their choice: one or the other of the following things they must choose. Either firft, that the curfe of the law is wholly done away; or fecondly, that it is partly in force, or only in force as it relates to this life; or thirdly, that the fufferings of men in this life have no reference to the divine law, but are the infeparable connections and confequences of fin-fin, in its own nature, or according to the nature of things, being neceffarily connected with mifery. As to the

1. Suppofe the curfe of the law be wholly done away, and of course no curfe threatened in the gofpel, we are then brought back again on the fame ground: all the threatenings to men, in the bible, are but an empty found.-With equal propriety another famous divine may rifé up and affert, that all the bleffings promifed in the bible, to the righteous, are words without meaning. Befide, if the curfe of the law be wholly done with, and no evit to finners threatened in the facred volume, then God punifhes finners, in this world certainly, without law or gofpel, without rule. He may, therefore, do the fame in the next world. Hence, we have no fecurity on this ground.

2. Suppofe the curfe of the law be in force, only as it relates to this life, then again the threatenings which look forward to eternity, are but an empty found. This renders useless a confiderable part of the facred writings. And, as well may one rife up and plead, that all the bleffings that look forward to eternity are without meaning. But if the curfe of the law remains in force as to the present, and repealed as to the future life; then how do the law and the gofpel, being diametrically oppofite to each ' other, run fide by fide in eternity, in the fame manner as they do in time?' Then what becomes of that grand argument, on which the Doctor would build his whole scheme?

3. If the fufferings of men in this life have no reference to the divine law, but are infeperably connected with fin-fin, according to the nature of things, neceffarily connected with mifery; then all threatenings, whether they relate to time or eternity, are at an end. Dr. H. directs civil rulers to enact good and whole'fome laws, in favour of all virtue, and good conduct; and in 'terrible oppofition to all wickednefs." The reafon for this is, he fays, hardened finners are not at all restrained by the threat'enings of eternal damnation.-Prefent, vifible punishments ftrike

» P. 294

6
⚫ them