Meekness, Temperance. Where these are therefore, there we may conclude the Spirit of God is alfo ; and where the reverse of these are, we may infer the Predominancy of another Spirit. But are thefe Graces and Virtues peculiar to Chriftians, the Infidel Moralift will fay. May not a Man love God and his Neighbour, be peaceable, meek, and temperate, though he has not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghoft; or though he utterly disclaims all Pretenfion to his Affiftances?

Now in the first Place, with regard to the Cafe of involuntary Unbelief, a Man can act only agreeably to the Dictates and Impulfes of his natural Reason, which is however itself the Gift, or common Grace of God. This disposes him to the

Practice of moral Virtues. The Practice of moral Virtues has fomething in it intrinfically, though not meritoriously laudable; or else, as we have before obferved, Virtue and Vice are in effect one and the fame Thing. He is fenfible therefore of the Deficiency of his Obedience, and reposes his Confidence in the Divine Mercy for the Forgiveness of all his Failings and Imperfections. This Confidence is ftrictly speaking an Act of Faith; and though he is ignorant of the Medium through which Divine Mercy is conveyed, viz. the Merits of Jefus Chrift, yet we may furely in Charity prefume that fuch involuntary Ignorance shall not ex

clude

clude him from the Benefit of those Merits.But on this Subject we shall enlarge by and by.— In the next Place, with regard to fuch as disclaim all Pretenfion to the Holy Spirit, &c. we must have recourse to the fame Diftinction, that though Actions may be materially or intrinfically good, they cannot be acceptably or meritoriously fo, forafmuch as they fpring not of Faith in Jefu Chrift, as our Church Article expreffes it; or rather, in the present Cafe, forafmuch as they are done in Oppofition to, and in Contempt of it. What Intereft any Man can have in rejecting the mediatorial System of Salvation, I own, I cannot conceive; or what Advantage a fober Infidel may have over a debauched one, it is not material to Chriftians to enquire; but this we know, where there is not an actual, nor can poffibly be a virtual Interest in the Merits of Christ, there can be no inherent Right or Claim to Salvation; especially, if, by the way, we recollect that in the Case before us many Actions must probably be refolved into undue Principles, as Pride, &c. and afcribed to mere accidental Causes, as Temper, Conftitution, &c.In the mean while, neither the Ignorance, nor the Presumption, nor the Infatuation of others will prevent pious Chriftians from imputing known Effects to their true and proper Caufe.

The

The Reality therefore of the Impulses and Impreffions of the Holy Spirit being, 'tis hoped, fufficiently afcertained, the Conclufions deducible from it are too obvious to be infifted upon. It will be enough to intimate that this Doctrine, at the fame time that it prescribes to us Humility, may infpire us with Confidence. For while we are ready to fink under the Senfe of the Weakness of Nature in our fpiritual Warfare, we may triumph in the Aid and Protection of auxiliary Grace. In a word, the true Chriftian, when surrounded with Temptations, and beset with Difficulties, has the fame Support and Encouragement which the Apoftle of the Gentiles had under his Afflictions. He may advance the fame comfortable Paradox, and declare that when he is weak, then is he ftrong.

W

SECT. V.

E have obferved already that the Nature of Divine Grace has been as much contested among Chriftians, as the Reality of it has been denied by Infidels. It is great pity this Dispute, in which all Men are fo nearly interested, is not adjusted to general Satisfaction: I have the Pleasure at least of entering into it with a laudable Intention, viz. that of magnifying the Glory and Goodness of God, through the Merits of his Son Jefus Chrift, and of adminiftering, as far as may

be,

be, Comfort and Encouragement to the whole Race of Mankind. For which Purpose we will endeavour to evince the Universality of the Impulfes and Impreffions of the Holy Spirit, and, in consequence thereof, the Abfurdity of the Doctrine of abfolute Predeftination to Life or Death eternal.

Now, I apprehend, the Way to the present Inquiry will be naturally paved by a few preliminary Confiderations.-In the firft Place then, that all Men, as Creatures, bear the fame Relation to God the Creator is an inconteftable Truth; all Men therefore, as fuch, seem to be equally Objects of Divine Care, Goodness, Wisdom, and Justice; it appears indeed that they are fo from the common Gifts, Privileges, and Properties of human Nature; for though some of these accidentally differ, they are all effentially the fame; it is the fame Kind, though not Degree of Understanding that judges for itself in all Men; it is the fame Will that chooses; and they are the fame Paffions and Affections which are the Springs and Motives of all Actions. The natural Defire of Happiness is equally strong in all Men; and it is abfurd to fuppofe a Defire without an Object, or without an Object attainable.-Again, all Men are, as fuch, equally interested in the Fate of their first Parent; the Fall of Adam was in it's Effect the Fall of his whole Pofterity; if therefore all Men, as fuch, are involved

involved in the fad Confequences of the firft Fall, all Men, as fuch, must be entitled to the Benefit of Redemption from it; or elfe infinite Wisdom, Justice, and Mercy has contrived a Means of Reparation utterly difproportioned to the Lofs fuftained. Further, the first Sin of the first Man was his wilful Disobedience to the pofitive Command, and known Will of God. Sin then, in the primary Notion of it, is a voluntary Tranfgreffion of the Divine Law. The Measure therefore of every Man's Obedience must be the Knowledge of his Duty, and his Obedience according to that Knowledge must be his perfonal Title to Happiness.And lastly, as it appears from hence that Man is a Free-agent, fo confequently there can be nothing done by Man, as fuch, but what is strictly and properly his own Act and Deed; he is neither good nor bad by Divine Appointment; and if neither good nor bad, fo confequently neither happy, nor miserable.—In a word, as it does by no means appear from the plain, fimple Account of Scripture, that Adam fell in confequence of an absolute, unavoidable Decree for that Purpose, so is there as little Ground to gather from thence, that his Fall should, in virtue of a like Decree, be attended with contrary Effects to his Pofterity. Though therefore the Dispensations of Divine Providence in favour of Man have been actually indeed local, or perfonal; yet, it may be prefumed, they

are