A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Heaven needed not to have been so needlessly prodigal and lavishing, as to have sent the Lord Jesus Christ into the World to lead a miserable Life, and die a cursed Death, had it been possible for Man to have bought off his own guilt, and to have quitted Scores with God by a lower price than what Christ himself could do, or suffer. And so much for the Resolution of the first Question: God's pardoning Grace though it be purchased in respect of Christ, yet is it absolutely free in respect of any merit of ours.

Heaven needed not to have been so needlesly prodigal and lavishing, as to have sent the Lord Jesus Christ into the World to lead a miserable Life, and die a cursed Death, had it been possible for Man to have bought off his own guilt, and to have quitted Scores with God by a lower price than what Christ himself could do, or suffer. And so much for the Resolution of the first Question: God's pardoning Grace though it be purchased in respect of Christ, yet is it absolutely free in respect of any merit of ours.

The Second Question is, Whether the Grace of God be so free as to require no Conditions on our part. Of gifts, some ⟨p. 18⟩are bestowed absolutely without any terms of Agreement. And some are Conditional upon the performance of such Stipulations and Conditions, without which they shall not be bestowed; of which sort is this Grace of God.

¹I Answer, First, The Sanctifying and Regenerating Grace of God, whereby the great Change is wrought upon our Hearts, in our first Conversion and turning unto God, is given absolutely, and depends not upon the performance of any Conditions. Indeed we are commanded to make use of means for the getting true and saving Grace wrought in us; but these means are not Conditions for the obtaining of that Grace: For the Nature of Conditions are such, that the benefits which depend upon them are never bestowed, but where the Conditions are first performed. And therefore we call Faith and Repentance Conditions of Eternal Life, because eternal Life is never conferred upon any who did not first believe and repent. But now certain it is, God hath converted some without the use of ordinary means, as St. Paul, and the Thief on the Cross.