*7. Thirdly, There is no necessity of being so wonderfully learned and knowing here. ’Tis neither necessary, as enjoined by God, nor as a means to any considerable end. We can be good and we can be happy without it. And lest any advantages in our after-state should be alledged, this makes it more unnecessary than any consideration besides. For though we are never so unlearned now, yet if we know enough to do our duty, we shall in a short time arrive at such a degree of knowledge as is requisite to our supreme perfection, to which our present learning cannot add, and which our present ignorance will not diminish. Perhaps not immediately upon our discharge from the body, though even then there must be a vast enlargement of our understanding; but doubtless, when we are admitted to the vision of God, we shall then commence instantaneously wise and learned, and be fully possest of the tree of knowledge, as well as of the tree of life. For then that glass, through which we now see darkly, shall be laid aside, and the field of truth shall be clearly displayed before us. And though even then there shall be degrees of knowledge, yet the variety of this dispensation shall not proceed by the degree of our knowledge in this life, but by another measure. For,
8. Fourthly, Though there is no necessity of our being so learned and knowing, yet there is of our being good and virtuous. This is necessary, both, as commanded by God, and as a means of our final perfection. And besides, ’tis necessary now, there being no other opportunity for it. If we don’t know here, we may know hereafter, and infallibly shall, if we are but good here. But if we are not good here, we shall neither be good, happy, nor knowing hereafter. The _main_ opportunity for knowledge is _after_ life; the _only_ opportunity of being good is now: and if we take care to improve this, we are secure of the other; but if this is neglected, all is lost. This therefore is indispensably necessary; and ’tis the only thing that is so: and ’tis necessary now; necessary not only to our happiness in general, but also to our intellectual happiness in particular. For,
9. Lastly, Thus stands the case between God and man. Man was made in a state of innocence and perfection, in perfect favour and communion with God, his true good, and in a capacity so to continue. From this excellent state he wilfully fell, and by his fall so disabled himself, that he could not by his own strength repent, and so provoked God, that though he could have repented, yet he could not have been pardoned, without satisfaction made to the divine justice. This satisfaction man was not able to make, nor any other creature for him. Whereupon God in great mercy ordained a mediator, his own Son, God and man, between himself and his lapsed creature; who by the sacrifice of himself should effect two things, answerable to the double necessity of man: first, make repentance available, which otherwise would not have been so; and, secondly, merit grace for him, that he might be able to repent. And this is what is meant by the restoration or redemption of man, which thus far is universal and unconditional.
10. But still, notwithstanding all that this Mediator hath done for him, man is only so far _restored_, as to be put into a pardonable reconcileable state: he is yet only in a capacity or possibility of pardon and reconciliation, which is then, and then only, reduced to act, when he truly believes, _i. e._ with such a faith as is productive of all inward and outward holiness; _with_ which he may, _without_ which he cannot be saved, notwithstanding Christ hath died to save him. For the design of his death was not to make holiness _unnecessary_, but to make it _available_: not to procure a privilege of being saved _without_ it, but that we might be saved _with_ it. If this qualification be wanting, we shall be so far from being any thing advantaged from the redemption purchased by our Mediator, that we shall be accountable for it, to the great aggravation both of our guilt and misery. It therefore highly concerns man to improve with all diligence this great and only opportunity, of adorning his mind with all Christian perfections; since _with_ these, he may be happy, in all his capacities, and _without_ them, he shall not only fall into a state of unutterable misery, but be also accountable for the possibility he had of escaping it, for perversely neglecting so great salvation, so glorious an opportunity of being saved.