Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

1. Not Faith, because Faith is such a condition, as requires only an empty hand to receive a gift freely given. Now doth that hinder the freeness of the gift, to say, you must take it? Why, this is requisite to the freest gift that can be given. If a man would give something to a Beggar, if he would not reach out his hand and take it, let him go without it, its a free gift still; so that the condition of Faith is such a condition as requires nothing, but an empty hand, to receive Christ.

1. Not Faith, because Faith is such a condition, as requires only an empty hand to receive a gift freely given. Now doth that hinder the freeness of the gift, to say, you must take it? Why, this is requisite to the freest gift that can be given. If a man would give something to a Begger, if he would not reach out his hand and take it, let him go without it, its a free gift still; so that the condition of Faith is such a condition as requires nothing, but an empty hand, to receive Christ.

2. Obedience hinders it not. I am required, may some say, to be a new man, a new Creature, to lead a new life: I must alter my course: And is not this a great clog and burden? And do you account this free? When I must crucify lusts, mortify Passions, &c. Is this free, when a man must renounce his own Will? Yes; It is as free, as free may be; as a I showed you the last time. The very touching, and accepting of Christ implies an abnegation of former sinfulness, and a going off from other courses that are contrary to him. If the King give a pardon to a notorious Rebel for Treason, so that now he must live obedient as a Subject, the King need not in regard of himself to have given the pardon; if he give it, it takes not from its freeness, that he must live like a Subject afterwards; the very acceptance of the pardon implies it.

2. Obedience hinders it not. I am required, may some say, to be a new man, a new Creature, to lead a new life: I must alter my course: And is not this a great clog and burthen? And do you account this free? When I must crucifie lusts, mortifie Passions, &c. Is this free, when a man must renounce his own Will? Yes; It is as free, as free may be; as a I shewed you the last time. The very touching, and accepting of Christ implies an abnegation of former sinfulness, and a going off from other courses that are contrary to him. If the King give a pardon to a notorious Rebel for Treason, so that now he must live obedient as a Subject, the King need not in regard of himself to have given the pardon; if he give it, it takes not from its freeness, that he must live like a Subject afterwards; the very acceptance of the pardon implies it.