N01056:143
Free-grace, maintained & improved. Or, The general offer of the Gospel, managed with considerations…
Free-grace, maintained & improved. Or, The general offer of the Gospel, managed with considerations of the great things done by special grace, in the election and redemption and vocation of those who embrace that offer. And the illustrious doctrines of divine predestination and humane impotency, rescued from the abuses, which they too frequently meet withal; and rendered (as they are) highly useful to the designs of practical piety. : In two brief discourses; published at the desire of some, who have been greatly apprehensive of growing occasions for such treatises.
Boston: printed by B. Green, 1706
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That our Address in our coming may not miscarry, there are Two Qualifications of it, that are to be Endeavoured.
First. We may not Separate the Blessings of our Saviour, for which we come unto Him. God has Joined them; God will not own the Man that ⟨p. 51⟩Parts them. We must be for a whole CHRIST, and for Every Article of the Salvation which a CHRIST has to confer upon us. We must be for a CHRIST, that will give us Repentance as well as Remission of Sins; and for being Sanctified as well as Justified. We read, Col. 1.19. In Him there does all Fullness dwell. And we must come for All, if we would not be put off with None. A Genuine Faith has many Errands upon which it comes to the Lord JESUS CHRIST. It is not a Genuine Faith, which does Neglect any of them, Despise any of them. It is not enough, to come unto the Lord JESUS CHRIST, only that we may be brought into His Righteousness▪ we must also Ponder on all the Maladies of our Souls, and Specify them All, and Mention them All, and Long for the Relief of them All; very Particularly. Lord, my Mind is Ignorant; Oh, Do thou Enlighten it. My Heart is Depraved; Oh, Do thou Rectify it. I have a Slothful Soul; Oh, Do thou make me Lively. I have a Barren Soul; Oh, Do thou make me Fruitful. I have a Soul inordinately set upon the World; Oh! Do thou make me Heavenly. It is Proud; Extinguish, and Nullify the Pride in my Soul. There is great Impurity in my Soul; Do thou Purify me, and make me Meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. God will hear this Cry of the Humble!
First. We may not Separate the Blessings of our Saviour, for which we come unto Him. God has Joyn'd them; God will not own the Man that ⟨p. 51⟩Parts them. We must be for a whole CHRIST, and for Every Article of the Salvation which a CHRIST has to confer upon us. We must be for a CHRIST, that will give us Repentance as well as Remission of Sins; and for being Sanctified as well as Justified. We read,