(2.) In that economy and dispensation of the grace of the new covenant, breaking forth in these latter days, where- by all external distinction of places and persons,' people and nations being removed, Jesus Christ taketh all* nations to be his inheritance, dispensing to all men the grace of the gospel, bringing salvation, as seemeth best to him; Tit. ii. 11, 12. For being lifted up, he drew all unto him, having redeemed us with his blood, * out of every kindred and tongue, people and nation ;' Apoc. v. 9. And on these two grounds it is that the gospel hath in itself a right and fitness to be preached to all, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
These things being premised, I come to the proof of the assertion.
Deut. vii. 7, 8. Moses is very careful in sundry places to get this to take an impression upon their spirits, that it was mere free grace that exalted them into that condition and dignity wherein they stood, by their approach unto God, in the enjoyment of his ordinances ; in this most clearly ren- dering the cause of God's love in choosing them, mentioned ver. 7. to be only his love, ver. 8. his love towards them is the cause of his love; his free love eternally determining, his free love actually conferring, those distinguishing mercies upon them : it was not for their righteousness, ' for they were a stifFnecked people ;' Deut. vi. 6.
Matt. xi. 25, 26. Our Saviour laying both these things together, the hiding of the mysteries of salvation from some, and revealing them to others, renders the same reason and supreme cause of both, of which no account can be ren- dered, only the good pleasure of God : ' I thank thee. Fa- ther.' And if any will proceed higher, and say. Where is
' Rom. ix. 13. s Ejjhcs. iii. M, ij. j'Mat, xxviii. 19.
UNCHANGEABLE, FREE MEUCY. 25
the justice of this, that men equally obnoxious, should be thus unequally accepted? We say with Paul, * That he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. And who art thou, O man, that disputeth against God ?' ' Si tu es homo, et ego homo, audiamus dicentem, O homo, Tu quis?'' To send a pardon to some that are condemned, suffering the rest to suffer, hath no in- justice. If this will not satisfy, let us say with the same Apostle, o j3a0oc, Rom. xi. 33. * O the depth,' &c.
Yea, so far is it from truth, that God should dispense, and grant his word and means of grace by any other rule, or upon any other motive, than his own will and good plea- sure," that we find in Scripture the direct contrary to what we would suppose ; even mercy shewed to the more unwor- thy, and the more worthy passed by ; reckoning worthiness and unworthiness by less or greater sin, with less or more endeavours. Christ preaches to Chorazin and Bethsaida which would not repent, and at the same time denies the word to Tyre and Sidon, which would have gotten on sack- cloth and ashes, when the other continued delicate despisers ; Matt. xi. 21. Ezekiel is sent to them that would not hear him, passing by them that would have hearkened, chap. iii. 5. which is most clear, Rom. ix. 30, 31. 'The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteous- ness, even the righteousness of faith ; but Israel, which fol- lowed after the law of righteousness, have not attained to it.' If, in the dispensation of the gospel, the Lord had had any respect to the desert of people, Corinth, that famous place of sinning, had not so soon enjoyed it, the people whereof, for worship, were led away with dumb idols, 2 Cor. xii. 2. and for their lives, you have them drawn to the life, 1 Cor. vi. 9 — 11. * Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners,' koL ravTu riveg j/rf, which is to be repeated, airo rov kolvov, ' some of you were fornica- tors, some idolaters, but ye are sanctified.' Seem not these
' August. *■ Si hoc voluntalum raeritis voluerinius ascribere, ut nialos neglexisse gratia bonos elegisse videatur, resistet vobis iDnumerabilium causa populorum, quibus per tot secula, coelestis doctrine annuntiatio non corruscavit, nee nieiiores fuissc eoruni posteros possuiuus dlcere, quibus scrlptuni est. Gentium pojuilus (jui scdcbat in lencbris, lucciu vidit niagnani. Prosp. dc voc. Gen, lib. 1. cap.l.i.
26 A VISION OF
to the eye of flesh goodly qualifications for the gospel of Jesus Christ? Had these men been dealt withal according as they had disposed themselves, not fitter fuel for hell could the justice of God require: but yet ye see, to these the gospel comes, with the first * a light shines to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.'
If God send or grant the gospel, which is the means of grace, upon any other ground, but his mere good pleasure, then it must be an act of remunerative justice.^ Now there is no such justice in God towards the creature, but what is founded upon some preceding covenant, or with promise of God to the creature, which is the only foundation of all re- lation between God and man ; but only those that attend creation and sovereignty. Now what promise do you find made to, or covenant with, a people as yet without the gospel : I mean conditional promises, inferring any good to be bestowed on any required performance on their part? Free, absolute promises there are innumerable, that light should shine to them that were in darkness ; and those be called God's people which were not his people ; but such as depend on any condition on their part to be fulfilled, we find none. God bargains" not with the creature about the gospel, knowing how unable he is to be merchant for such pearls. If a man had all that goodness which may be found in man, without Jesus Christ, they would not in the least measure procure a discovery of him.