itJMiaaaeLiMwiiii iiiiiryiiiiiiii
ZION* s landmarks.
this phrase,'Hf)r any other,
vey the idea intended by it
grace is
to con-
: and as
bbstowed without unman
merit, it perfectly embraces the idea
of its being free om God’s part. It
is therefore as inoonsistcnt to* say
“free grace,’’as it would be to' say
free liberty, or a bound bondman.—
Hut the idea- intended by some men,
is, universal'grace, grax^O possible,
and, grace'Offered to all mankind.—■
Whether it be universal, possible,, or
offered to ab men, one question will
determine, namely: Is it offered to
any ? We answer, it is never offered;
but always bestowed. For love can
not exist without an object. Love
cannot be offered: If it falls short of
its object, it is not love. If the
love of God exists in'Deity, it ex
tends already to its object, [the sin
ner,] and cannot be offered; but will
be bestowed and made known soon
er or later. If it does not exist in
the Trinity, it cannot be offered to
men; for to offer a thing
,not exist, is a paradox.
In its greater latitude it embraces,
God’s love eternal,—His foreknow
ledge distinguishing-^llis purpose
unalterable,—His election particular,
—His predestination well pleasing,
—His covenant' triune,—Christ’s
obedience righteous,—His death
atoning,—^to us, His wisdom divine,
—His righteousness godly,—‘His
sanctification holy,-—Ills redemption
complete',-—'His call irresistible, by
His power sweet subduing,—Ilis for
giveness of all sin,—His justifieatio-n
from all guilt,—His faithfulness
never failing,—-His adoption father^
Iv,—His uloriilcation of all bis
chosen.
fered, would be no grace;
that ■ d-oes
Grace of-
since that
cannot-be grace, which does not ex
tend in its sensible effects to the ob
ject of it. Hence, if grace be not
offered, it is not possible, but cer-
tain; and if not possiSle, it cannot
be universal; unless all mankind
universally, and every individual in
particular, be the objects of it. For
do we find in the Scripture a single
instance of “grace offered,” “free
grace,” nor any clause that conveys
the idea.
rescuing
Mercy is an act of love,
be sinner from deserved
pimisbment. This also is subject to
the same restrictions with grace :—
never offered; but, in all cases, sov
ereignly and divinely bestowed; since
that cannot be mercy, which is not
experienced.
Grace can under no circumstan
ces, be deserved, for our own sakes;
for favor merited, is justice rendered.
If tve have any concern in the terras
of it, whether it be our obedience, or
our for it, this becomes the
price of favor, and the favor itself a
debt. Proof: “Fow to him that
worketh is the reward not reckoned
of grace, but of debt.'’ Horn. iv. 4.
lYhether law-works, or works of the
gospel,—of tongue, bands, or mind;
the reward is of debt. It is grace
bestowed, that brings us to feel the
need of grace. It is mercy bestowed,
that leads us to ask for mercy. The
guilt and condemnation felt under
conviction, are the offspring of the
gracious leadings of the spirit of
grace.
[From tile Primitive Paptist, tSiHJ
Inthe lust chapter of Mattlievf and
18th verse, we find this saying, “All
power is given unto me, in heaven
and in earth.” This is the language
of Jesus Christ after his resurreetion,
when he appeared’ with his disciples
in Gallilee, the place where be had
appointed that they should see him.
Verse 7, “x\nd when they saw him
they worshiped him, but seme doubt
ed.” (Verse 17.) In this power
that is given he farther tells his dis
ciples to teach whatsoever he had
commanded them, and that he'wfeild
be with them to the end of the world.
Here observe, they were to teach
nothing but what he bad commanded
them. Indeed, I think it would be
a very fruitless err-ind, without the
power of Christ going Avith the indi
vidual, when it is evident he has all
poAver. For the vei-y elect, in them
selves considered, are no better dis
posed to the Avork than those that
never shall be Avrougbt upon ; but are
darkness in their minds, enemies,
dead in sin, and by nature children
of Avratli even as others ; their state,
therefore, could never be cnanged or
bettered Avere not this diA'ine poAver
in it. Altliougb Ephraim
a dear son and a pleasant child.
Surely not in consequence of his be
ing more likely to seek for mercy or
yield than any other ; no, but because
he is a. dear son, the Lord intended
to heal him, and the first effect of tlm
healing Avas Ephraim’s applying him
self to God, “ Turn thou me and I
shall be turned.” (Jer. 31:28.) ■
He could then say be aa’us chastised,
as a' bullock unaccustomed to the
yoke, and acknoAvledge the Lord as
bis God. All this is nothing but the
effect of the love of God being shed
abroad in the heart', (liom. 5:5,) writ
ten not Avith ink, but by tire spirit
and power of God. This power,
which is giA'en to Christ, Avill not ad
mit of the- least dependence upon
creature power to make it successful,
“il neAV heart, also, aaTU I give you,
and cause you-to Avalk in my statutes,
ye shall be my people and I Avill bo
ycur God.” (Eae. 3G:2G.) These
terms arc positive, and sIioay the al-
mightiness of power, as in Jeremiah
2-i:7, “They shall return unto me
Avith their Avhole hearts.”
All Avliich goes fully to establish bis
179
that it is all of God, and that bis
Avord AvilS ascom.plish the thing
Avliereto- he"ssnds' it.
This AVord alone- can cleanse a soul
from sin, and bring to the marvellous
light-of gospel truth. “Hoav ye are
clean, through the AVord I have spo-
ken'unto you” (John 16:3.) You
see ho-w it Avas that they were clean,
through the AVord, and that spoken
unto them, by the same poAver and
authority, that spake to the unclean
devil, and he came out of the man
and hurt him not. Allimugh they
that stood by wergN-amazed at the
word. (Luke 4-:35.) YvTio arc to
be the happy participants of this
Avord and poAver? Let Paul ansAver :
(Acts 13:2G.) “Men and brethren,
children of the stock of Abraham,
and Avhosoever among you that
fearcth God, to you is the word of
this salvation sent.” Here arc the
very characters pointed oat, and
Avithout this AVord abiding in an in-
diA'idual, no matter Avhat ho is called,
he is nothing more than sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal, and shall
become AA'ind. (Jer. 6:13.) “And
noAver and shoAV that his AVord Avill , , , ,, , ■ ^ ^
^ ^ . -1 1, 4.-. „i 11 the prophets shall become Avmd, and
not return unto Imn void; but it shall i ^ . ,, -ir ,
accomplish that Avbicb I please, and
engaged
IS
it shall prosper in the thing Avhereto
I sent it. (Isa. 55:11.) Many proofs
to the same fact might be adduced,
but certainly no man will have the
presumption to say the Avord of God
Avill not accomplish that Avliicli lie
doth please. Witness the mighty
efficacy of this word in John, 11th
chapter 44tb verso, “ And he that
Avas dead came forth, bound band and
foot, Avitli grave clothes.” It did not
return void in this case. The centu
rion appears to be Avell apprised of
this when he says, “Speak the Avord
and my servant shall be healed.”
(Mat. 8:8.) We find that this poAA'er
is further manifested, by giving bis
folloAvers an understanding, that they
therefore my bowels are troubled for
him, I will have mercy on kirn, saitli
the Lord. (Jer. 31:20.)
By comparing this AA’ith Ilosea,
5:13, you aaHI be able to discover that
moral endeavors^ hoAA'ever poAverful,
will never bring a sinner to a knoAv-
ledge of the truth AA'itbout the Spirit’s
aid. Though Ephraim saw his sick
ness, he did not apply unto the Lord,
but sent to King Jareb, “yet could
lie not heal you nor cure you of your
ATOund.”
Why would God have mercy on
such a hardened individiml as this ?
can
5:20.) When Christ came to Caper
naum, a city of Galilee, and taught
on the Sabbath day, they Avere as
tonished at his doct’rine, for his Avord
Avas Avith poAver. (Luke 4:32.)—
This appears to be the only reason
Avhy they Avere so astonished at his
doctrine, was in consequence of the
power of his Avord. And it astonishes
men until this day, though the poAver
is not in man, “But Ave have this
treasure in earthen vessels,” (Avhat
for ?) “that the excellency of the
poAver may be of God and not of us.”
(2 Cor. ±;7.) As poAA’'er is here again
brought to vieAV, it still goes to prove
the AVOrd is not in them.” Y’^es, the;
shall become wind; AA'ore it not so,
Avhat would become of tue p-oOb
feeble child of God, when dwelling
among false teachers, and false pro-
pliots that prophecy out of their own
hearts, and foiloAV their own spirit,
and have seen nothing. (Ezek. 13.)
But this is not the Avay the first epis
tle of John begins, “That Avhich Ave
have seen and heard declare wo unto
you.” TToav notice Ezekiel again,
you will find the characters called
propihets, that soo vanity and divine
lies, even seducing the people of God.
One built a Avail, and lo, others
daubed it Vvdth untempered mortar.
But blessed bo God, he suffers not
his people to be overcome. Christ
said in
know him that is tru7. (1 John died for them, and has
r t WliAn ribi’ist to Ca-nor- AYOrd Avhicll shall not
-urzi unto
him void, that “I give unto them
eternal life, and tlioy shall never
perish.” (-John 10.) Who is he
that can say one of them Avili porisb,
to Avhom eternal life is given ? If you
do, you give Christ the lie.— Wm.
JI.
MitcJidl.
Better is a dry morsel, and quiet
ness therewith, than a house full
of sacrilices with strife.
A Avise servant shall haA'c rule
over a son that canseth shame, and
shall have part of the inheritanco*
among the hretfu’en.
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