form of sound words, and particularly with what is there taught concerning the covenant of grace being made with Christ as the second Adam representing all the elect as his seed. This, however, is not the proper meaning of the word condition, when we speak of the condition of a covenant or promise. For, as a judicious writer on moral philosophy observes, " Although the "acceptance of a promise be necessary to render the "obligation of a promise complete; yet it is not what "usually comes under the name of a condition; for a "condition is something in the promise itself upon "which, even after the promise has been accepted, the "performance of it is suspended. Hence it appears, "that the same notion is not affixed to this word by "civilians in treating of contracts and promises, as by "metaphysical writers in speaking of what they call a "conditio sine qua non, that is, something without "which some other thing cannot take place*." Hence it appears, that when faith is said to be the condition of the covenant of grace, the assertion suggests the notion not of one of the promised blessings of that covenant, but rather of something which is the proper ground of our title or claim to these blessings; just as man's perfect obedience was, according to the covenant of works, to have been the proper ground of his claim to eternal life. Arminians and Neonomians, by this use of the word condition, have subverted the gospel of Christ. On the other hand, though we allow, that we receive justification and other blessings promised in the gospel by means of faith, we maintain, that faith itself, considered as a work of the law, is excluded as well as all our other works, from being, in any proper sense, a federal cause or

• Vide Observations Gersch. dorf de officio hominis et civís.

condition of the gospel

Carmichael in opus Puffet

promiset, Rom. iii. 20. iv. 4, 16. xi. 6. and we hold the gospel-promise, (which is a promise of faith as well as of pardon or any other blessing,) as that promise is exhibited to sinners in the word, to be free and unconditional. Nor is it less so, that sinners cannot be actual partakers of Christ and his benefits therein exhibited, unless it be received by faith; since the most free and unconditional gift cannot be possessed or enjoyed without being accepted. The freest gift or promise may be rejected. Many scripture-examples shew, that faith may be necessary as the means of obtaining the benefit of an absolute promise. It cannot be shewn, that Abraham would have obtained his Isaac, that

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"Some worthy divines," says Mr. Ralph Erskine, “ make "faith the condition of the covenant of grace; but their sound explication of what they mean shews, that they dare not make "it the proper condition. If any that pretend to soundness do so, they but expose their darkness and discover their mistake "concerning the covenant of grace, which is a free promise in Christ Jesus; wherein faith itself and all the blessings that "attend it, are freely and absolutely promised. Indeed conditions on our part, properly so called, would destroy the nature of "the gospel, and turn the free covenant of grace into a condi"tional covenant of works. It would destroy the peace of the દ poor humbled sinner, to think that there is such and such a "condition to be fulfilled by him, before he meddle with the "promise. Then he stands back, he dares not believe, because "he supposes he wants this and that condition and qualification. This legal dream hardens his heart against the gospel, "and fosters his unbelief to the dishonor of God and to his own ruin. But if he could see the promise free and absolute, " and that there is no condition in this covenant but Christ's ❝obedience unto death, which is performed to God's satisfac"tion: then a door is opened to him to plead for all upon this "ground, saying, give me faith, repentance, all grace for "Christ's sake. If faith itself were a condition, the grand ob'jection is Oh! but I cannot believe. Why, if faith were not "absolutely promised, there would be no relief in that strait. "the gospel could not be a joyful sound to sinners that are "humbled to see their want of faith. Though the use of “means be required both of sinners and saints, and though we "be under a command and obligation to faith, repentance, and

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Gideon would have saved Israel from the oppression of the Midianites, or that David would have been raised to the throne of Israel, otherwise than by faith in the promise; and yet the promise made to each of these persons was free and unconditional. Since, then, the gospel-promise is so absolutely free, and since a person by the direct act of faith believes this promise as addressed to him, saying, God hath spoken and he will make it good, it follows, that there must be, in that act a real trust in the word of God, implying an assurance of salvation, previous to the person's reflexion upon his own exercise in believing. The Lord says, I will remember thy sins no more, I will give thee a new heart: Supposing that a person is brought to depend

"all other duties and graces; yet the, covenant of grace is a "free absolute and unconditional promise. There is indeed a "condition of order and connection between one promised "blessing and another, they being like so many links of a chain. "Hence in the dispensation of the gospel many promises are "expressed in a conditional way. But there is not a condi. "tional promise in the Bible, but what is reductively abso"lute. The promise, in Malachi iv. 2. of the Sun of righteousness arising with healing under his wings, is said to be a condi"tional promise; as being to them that fear his name.

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But I

will tell you, there is no conditional form put upon any pro"mise in the Bible, to keep back a soul from applying and ta"king hold of that promise; but rather to draw it to embrace "the promise in the way of taking Christ for the condition, or "running to an absolute promise, where that condition is pro"mised. For instance, are you apprehensive, that you are "destitute of that fear of God? Do not on that account stand

back; but rather come forward to embrace the promise just "now mentioned in the way of looking to another promise "where the fear of the Lord is absolutely promised, Jerem. “ xxxii. 40. I will put my fear into your hearts, that you shall not depart from me. Thus you are to do with all the promises "that seem to run in a conditional form. Run to the absolute "promise, where the condition itself is promised: run to Christ “himself in whom all fulness is, and in whom all the promises "are yea and amen: having him, you will have the condition "of all the promises." See some sermons, entitled, The Pregnant Promise.

on these promises as directed to him through Christ, he must, in the very act of dependence and according to the measure of it, be persuaded that God will give him pardon and a new heart. It is therefore a dangerous error to assert, "That it is presumption for a person "to be assured of his pardon, otherwise than as being "conscious of his faith and sincerity." Hereby we are forbidden to have any dependence on the gospelpromise, till we know that we have attained the conditions of it; and that promise is made as properly conditional as the promise of the covenant of works,

In the second place, the gospel is such a free grant of Jesus Christ to sinners of mankind, as makes it their immediate duty, upon the hearing of the word, to take him to themselves as their own Saviour, and to trust in him for their deliverance both from sin and wrath: We take this grant to be the import of the whole gospel, as it is preached to sinners. The following are some of the passages, in which that grant is formally expressed. The first we take notice of is in John vi. 32. where Christ, speaking to such as appear, from the 25, 41 and 42 verses, to have been unbelievers, and making a comparison between himself and the manna, which fell about the tents of Israel in the wilderness, says, My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. As the simple raining of the manna about the camp of Israel is called a giving of it, in verse 31. before it was tasted or fed upon; so "the very revelation or offer of Christ," says the judicious Calvin upon this place," is called a giving of him, before he be received and believed on." Mr. Bellamy, in his remark upon this text, neither denies, that Christ is there speaking to people who were still persisting in their unbelief, nor that the faith, which is answerable to this blessed grant, must include appro

priation. Thus he leaves the argument of his opponents from this passage untouched. He even expresses their doctrine, when he declares, " that all mankind (6 are as welcome to receive Christ, as the whole congregation were to take the manna and eat." For surely the right which the Israelites had to the manna, was a right to take every one for himself, as soon as it was presented to his view; not looking for his warrant to intermeddle with it to something within himself, to his feelings or good dispositions, but only to the Divine grant and the present exhibition of the manna about his tent. Had Mr. Bellamy adhered to this way of thinking and speaking about the warrant of faith in the gospel-offer, he would never have employed his pen on this subject against Mr. Marshal or Mr. Hervey.

Another passage wherein this grant is plainly expressed is that which we have in 1 John v. 11. And this is the record or testimony, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son. That they who are bound to believe this testimony of God concerning his Son, are not only such as know themselves to be true believers or among the elect; but all men to whom the word of the gospel comes, is evident from the preceding verse, which represents the great sin of unbelief, the damning sin of gospel-hearers, as lying in their not believing this testimony. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the testimony which God gave of his Son. And this is his testimony, that he hath given to us eternal life.

"True," says Mr. Bellamy ; "but this life is in his «Son. Therefore, he that is united to Christ, hath "eternal life: For he that hath the Son, hath life.. "But those who are out of Christ have no interest in For he that hath not the Son hath not life.”

him.