Neither can it be said, that all mankind have received a subjective power to believe and receive Christ holden forth in the Gospel to us, Printed to be read and heard in the book of Creation, called the objective Gospel, 1as Adam had power to fulfil the first Covenant, for Adam had the Image of God concreated in his soul by which he was able to fulfil the Law, then must they give us a Scripture to prove that all Adams sons are converted, and restored to the Image of God, born over again, for by no other power but by a new heart, and the actings of God, can men believe the Gospel objective, or come to Christ, and do good works Evangelical by which they are justified, and if it be a remote power that may grow,2 it is not the like power which Adam had to keep the Law.3 2. This ⟨p. 124⟩power is either natural, or supernatural: Natural it cannot be, for then flesh and blood might believe, and the wisdom of the flesh might be subject to the Law of God, which the Scripture denies, Mat. 16.16, 17. Rom. 8.7. 2. There should be no need that Christ die, except only to satisfy for our breach of the Law, not to purchase new grace to us by his merits, and such a power should be no grace of Christ. If it be a supernatural grace merited by Christ, then have Pagans, and all the Heathen that supernatural inherent grace to believe in the Son of God, and yet the object thereof, the Gospel is not revealed to them, which is an incongruous dispensation not warranted by the Scripture, that the Lord should give a supernatural power, to believe they know not what. 2. A supernatural power to believe is saving grace, and a power to love Christ, and can saving grace be in Pagans or in any, and they know not of it? 3. Yea sins of Pagans, for which they are condemned, must be the Gospel-sins, for they cannot be Law-sins, for if all mankind be under the Covenant of grace, there can none at all be under the Law: For there can be none under the Covenant of Works, and also under the Covenant of Grace, for they are contrary dispensations, and contrary ways of salvation. He who is under the Law is not under Grace, and he who is under Grace, is married to Christ, as to another Husband, Rom. 7.4. and not under the Law.
Neither can it be said, that all mankind have received a subjective power to beleeve and receive Christ holden forth in the Gospel to us, Printed to be read and heard in the book of Creation, called the objective Gospel, 1as Adam had power to fulfill the first Covenant, for Adam had the Image of God concreated in his soul by which he was able to fulfill the Law, then must they give us a Scripture to prove that all Adams sons are converted, and restored to the Image of God, born over again, for by no other power but by a new heart, and the actings of God, can men beleeve the Gospel objective, or come to Christ, and do good works Evangelicall by which they are justified, and if it be a remote power that may grow,2 it is not the like power which Adam had to keep the Law.3 2. This ⟨p. 124⟩power is either naturall, or supernaturall: Naturall it cannot be, for then flesh and blood might beleeve, and the wisedom of the flesh might be subject to the Law of God, which the Scripture denies, Mat. 16.16, 17. Rom. 8.7. 2. There should be no need that Christ die, except only to satisfie for our breach of the Law, not to purchase new grace to us by his merits, and such a power should be no grace of Christ. If it be a supernaturall grace merited by Christ, then have Pagans, and all the Heathen that supernaturall inherent grace to beleeve in the Son of God, and yet the object thereof, the Gospel is not revealed to them, which is an incongruous dispensation not warranted by the Scripture, that the Lord should give a supernaturall power, to beleeve they know not what. 2. A supernaturall power to beleeve is saving grace, and a power to love Christ, and can saving grace be in Pagans or in any, and they know not of it? 3. Yea sins of Pagans, for which they are condemned, must be the Gospel-sins, for they cannot be Law-sins, for if all mankind be under the Covenant of grace, there can none at all be under the Law: For there can be none under the Covenant of Works, and also under the Covenant of Grace, for they are contrair dispensations, and contrair wayes of salvation. He who is under the Law is not under Grace, and he who is under Grace, is married to Christ, as to another Husband, Rom. 7.4. and not under the Law.
- 1If such a power of believing be given to all. 1. All must be renewed by grace.If such a power of beleeving be given to all. 1. All must be renewed by grace.
- 2Job. 6.44, 45.
- 32 CHRIST died in vain
