2 ESSAY in Rom. x. ro. much unlike, With the Heart II Man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth Confeffion is made unto Salvation. Here Juftification is attributed to Faith, and Salvation to the outward Profeffion of Chriftianity, including all the proper Effects and Evidences of Faith in a holy Life. And tho' Salvation in many Places of Scripture is put for Juftification, becaufe Juftification is Salvation begun, yet when they are more accurately diftinguished, the one is attributed to Faith, the other to Works, or to Faith and Works together. Now, whatever other Sorts of Juftification may be mentioned in Scripture, yet this fuAification of a Sinner through Faith requires fuch a Righteousness as muft fecure us from all the Charges and Penalties of all the Guilt of nefs nefs in ourselves, and as fuch have a Righte- ESSAY oufnefs, or a Right to Life beftowed on us, or are juftified of mere Grace. And tho' here and there, for wife Purpofes, an Expreffion may be dropt occafionally in Scripture, that may favour another Way of fpeaking, yet in the Defcriptions of the Gospel, the Way of a Sinner's Juftifcation in the Sight of God at his Converfion, is never put upon fulfilling of the Gospelduties, as the Matter of his Juftifying Righteoufnefs; and therefore the Gospel is not a proper Law: And whatsoever Forms of Speech fome Perfons may fancy agreeable to the Nature and Reafon of Things, yet this which I have defcribed is the most common Way wherein the Penmen of Scripture reprefent thofe Things, when they feem to aim at an accurate and diftinct Defcription of the Law and Gofpel: Now Scripture is our fureft Rule of fpeaking in Matters of pure Revelation. ei To fum up all in fhort: The Word Law is taken in various Senfes in the Bible: In fome Places it means inward Principles of Action, as the Law of Kindness, the Law of Sin; fometimes it fignifies only Directions and Rules of Life, as Prov. xiii. 14. the Law of the Wife, i. e. Rule of Wisdom. In other Places it includes all the Orders and Injunctions that relate to one Subject; as the Law of the Nazarite, Numb. vi. 13. the Laro of 22 COR the F4 t II. 1 a ESSAY the Burnt Offering, Lev. vi. 9a Sometimes II. 'tis taken in fo large a Latitude as to take in all Doctrines, Counfels and Advices, Commands, Promises Threatnings, including Prophecies, Hiftories and Examples alfoedfo the Laro frequently fignifies all the five Books of Mojesus Anduin thefe Senfes the Gospel in its largeft Signification has feveral Laws bel longing to it, and itself may be called a Lare. The Scripture indulges a fparing Ufe of it in fuch a Senfe. But the Word Law in its most proper and ftrict Senfe fignifies a Conftitution where Duties are required, which if neglected, fubject the Offender to a Penalty, and if performed, they are his Justifying Righteoufnefs; and in this Senfe Scripture doth not at all favour the Application of this Name to the Gospel: For it is abundantly evident, that the Words Law and Gospel taken in their most proper and limited Senses, are conftantly diftinguished from each other, and fet in direct Oppofition in the New Teftament, draf Thus have I thrown into fome Order thofe few, plain, reconciling Thoughts between the contending Parties of Chriftians, and am already almoft in Pain to think that I fhall a little difpleafe all Parties, because all thefe Thoughts will hardly fquare and adjust themselves exactly to any of the popular and fettled Schemes of Orthodoxy; or at leaft, they will never agree with the Extremes on on either chand Yets if they appear to be ESSAY drawn merely from the Scripture, and to II. fpeak the Language of the Holy Writers, then this Difcourfe will approve itfelf to those who maintain the most facred Regard to the Bible; bands thofe Schemes fhould be a little moulded and ebent, to adjust them to the Language of Scripture, even when it ufes different Forms of Speech. But I fhall not enter farther into this Controverfy, because my Defign is to foften the argry Tempers of Men, that they may not rage against each other when they ufe different Forms of speak ing, as the Scripture itfelf does, and make an Apology for both Sides, while they agree in the Things that are moft fubftantial and néceffary.nous reci as faded rs- E C T. IV. tort us Reconciling Sentiments. - Now that I may proceed in this reconciling Work, I fhall follow this Method. 1901. Reprefent the different apprehenfions and different Language of Men in Preaching the Gospel. II. Mention fome of the Caufes or Occafions of thefe different Apprehenfions. III. Give a Hint or two of the Conveniencies and Inconveniencies of each of thefe Ways to sta2 bolig, ber of Preaching age 19var ilog IV. Shew I ESSAY IV. Shew the Safety and Sufficiency of II. each, with regard to Salvation. V. Conclude with a Word or two of Requeft or bumble Advice. First, let me reprefent the various Apprehenfions of Men in those Matters: But here I would be understood to defcribe only the moderate Men among those who are called Calvinists, and thofe that are named New-Methodists; as for the High-Flyers, or extreme and rigid Party-Men of either Side, I leave them out in my prefent Account, while I mention the little Differences among the Men of Moderation, among whom I reckon far the greatest part of the Proteftant Diffenters in England, to be at this time, and I hope I am not mistaken in this Opinion. Some when they read or pronounce the Words Law or Gospel, take them generally in their loofeft and largeft Senfe, and fo they unite their Names, and make them confiftent together; others are ready to take thofe Words in their limited and proper Senfe, and then they divide them into very diftinct Things, and will not allow their Names fo promifcuous a Ufe. Some Ministers love to explain the Gospel in a more legal way, and defcribe it as a conditional Covenom that requires Agreements and Reftipulations from Men; they infift much on vowing and refolving to fub |