mined either one Way or the other. Alfo the Dependance of those who looked for Redemption in Jerufalem, and waited for the Confolation of Ifrael, (Luke ii. 25. & 38.) and the Confidence of the Disciples of Jefus, who forfook all and followed Him, that they might enjoy the Benefits of his future Kingdom, were built on a fandy Foundation.

11. The Man Chrift Jefus, before he had finished his Course of Obedience, and while in the midst of Temptations and Trials, was abundant in pofitively predicting his own future Glory in his Kingdom, and the Enlargement of his Church, the Salvation of the Gentiles through Him, &c. and in Promises of Bleffings he would beftow on his true Difciples in his future Kingdom; on which Promises he required the full Dependance of his Difciples. Job. xiv. But the Disciples would have had no Ground for fuch Dependance, if Christ had been liable to fail in his Work: And Chrift Himself would have been guilty of Prefumption, in fo abounding in peremptory Promifes of great Things, which depended on a mere Contingence; viz. the Determinations of his free Will, confifting in a Freedom ad utrumque, to either Sin or Holinefs, ftanding in Indifference, and incident, in Thousands of future Inftances, to go either one Way or the other.

Thus it is evident, that it was impoffible that the Acts of the Will of the human Soul of Chrift fhould be otherwife than holy, and conformed to the Will of the Father; or, in other Words, they were neceffarily fo conformed.

I have been the longer in the Proof of this Matter, it being a Thing denied by fome of the greatest

greatest Arminians, by Epifcopius in particular; and because I look upon it as a Point clearly and abfolutely determining the Controversy between Calvinifts and Arminians, concerning the Neceffity of such a Freedom of Will as is infifted on by the latter, in order to moral Agency, Virtue, Command or Prohibition, Promife or Threatening, Reward or Punishment, Praise or Dispraise, Merit or Demerit. I now therefore proceed,

II. To confider whether CHRIST, in his holy Behaviour on Earth, was not thus a moral Agent, subject to Commands, Promifes, &c.

Dr. Whitby very often speaks of what he calls a Freedom ad utrumlibet, without Neceffity, as requifite to Law and Commands; and fpeaks of Neceffity as entirely inconfiftent with Injunctions and Prohibitions. But yet we read of Chrift's being the Subject of the Commands of his Father, Job. x. 18. and xv. 10. And Chrift tells us, that every Thing that He said, or did, was in Compliance with Commandments he had received of the Father; Joh. xii. 49, 50. & xiv. 31. And we often read of Chrift's Obedience to his Father's Commands, Rom. v. 19. Phil. ii. 8. Heb. v. 8.

The foremention'd Writer reprefents Promifes offered as Motives to Perfons to do their Duty, or a being moved and induced by Promises, as utterly inconfiftent with a State wherein Perfons have not a Liberty ad utrumlibet, but are neceffarily determined to one. See particularly, p. 298. & 311. But the Thing which this Writer afferts, is demonftrably false, if the Chriftian Religion be true. If there be any Truth in Christianity or the holy Scriptures, the Man Chrift Jefus had his Will infallibly, unalterably and unfruftrably determined

to

to Good, and that alone; but yet, he had Promifes of glorious Rewards made to Him, on Condition of his perfevering in, and perfecting the Work which God had appointed Him; Ifa. liii. 10, 11, 12. Pfal. ii. & cx. Ifai. xlix. 7, 8, 9.-In Luke xxii. 28, 29. Chrift fays to his Difciples, Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations; and I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father bath appointed unto me. The Word moft properly fignifies to appoint by Covenant, or Promife. The plain Meaning of Chrift's Words is this; "As you have partook of my Temptations and "Trials, and have been steadfast, and have over

• come; I promise to make you Partakers of my "Reward, and to give you a Kingdom; as the "Father has promifed me a Kingdom for con"tinuing steadfaft, and overcoming in thofe Trials." And the Words are well explained by thofe in Rev. iii. 21. To him that overcometh, will I grant to fit with me in my Throne; even as I alfo overcame, and am fet down with my Father in his Throne. And Chrift had not only Promises of glorious Success and Rewards made to his Obedience and Sufferings, but the Scriptures plainly represent Him as ufing thefe Promifes for Motives and Inducements to obey and fuffer; and particularly that Promife of a Kingdom which the Father had appointed Him, or fitting with the Father on his Throne as in Heb. xii. 1, 2. Let us lay afide every Weight, and the Sin which doth easily befet us, and let us run with Patience the Race that is fet before us, looking unto Jefus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith; who for the foy that was fet before Him, endured the Cross, defpifing the Shame, and is fet down at the right Hand of the Throne of God.

And how ftrange would it be to hear any Chrif tian affert, that the holy and excellent Temper

and

and Behaviour of Jefus Chrift, and that Obedience which he performed under fuch great Trials, was not virtuous or Praife-worthy; because his Will was not free ad utrumque, to either Holiness or Sin, but was unalterably determin'd to one; that upon this Account, there is no Virtue at all, in all Chrift's Humility, Meeknefs, Patience, Charity, Forgiveness of Enemies, Contempt of the World, Heavenly-mindedness, Submiffion to the Will of God, perfect Obedience to his Commands, (tho' He was obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Crofs) his great Compaffion to the Afflicted, his unparallel'd Love to Mankind, his Faithfulness to God and Man, under fuch great Trials; his praying for his Enemies, even when nailing Him to the Cross; That Virtue, when applied to these Things, is but an empty Name; That there was no Merit in any of these Things; that is, that Christ was worthy of Nothing at all on the Account of them, worthy of no Reward, no Praise, no Honour or Refpect from God or Man; because his Will was not indifferent, and free either to these Things, or the Contrary; but under fuch a strong Inclination or Bias to the Things that were excellent, as made it impoffible that he should chuse the contrary; That upon this Account (to ufe Dr. Whitby's Language) it would be fenfibly unreasonable that the human Nature fhould be rewarded for any of these Things.

According to this Doctrine, That Creature who is evidently set forth in Scripture as the First-born of every Creature, as having in all Things the Preeminence, and as the highest of all Creatures in Virtue, Honour, and Worthiness of Esteem, Praise and Glory, on the Account of his Virtue, is lefs worthy of Reward or Praife, than the very leaft of Saints; yea, no more worthy than a Clock or

mere

mere Machine, that is purely paffive, and moved by natural Neceffity.

If we judge by fcriptural Representations of Things, we have Reafon to fuppofe, that Christ took on him our Nature, and dwelt with us in this World, in a fuffering State, not only to fatisfy for our Sins; but that He, being in our Nature and Circumstances, and under our Trials, might be our moft fit and proper Example, Leader and Captain, in the Exercife of glorious and victorious Virtue, and might be a vifible Inftance of the glorious End and Reward of it; That we might fee in Him the Beauty, Amiablenefs, and true Honour and Glory, and exceeding Benefit of that Virtue, which it is proper for us human Beings to practise; and might thereby learn, and be animated, to feek the like Glory and Honour, and to obtain the like glorious Reward. See Heb. ii. 9-14, with v. 8, 9. and xii. 1, 2, 3. Joh. xv. 10, Rom. viii. 17. 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12. 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20, 21. and iv. 13. But if there was Nothing of any Virtue or Merit, or Worthiness of any Reward, Glory, Praise or Commendation at all, in all that He did, because it was all neceffary, and He could not help it; then how is here any Thing fo proper to animate and incite us, free Creatures, by patient Continuance in well-doing, to feek for Honour, Glory, and Immortality?

God fpeaks of Himself as peculiarly well-pleafed with the Righteoufnefs of this Servant of his. Ifai. xlii. 21. The Lord is well pleafed for his Righteousness fake. The Sacrifices of old are fpoken of as a fweet Savour to God, but the Obedience of Christ as far more acceptable than they. Pfal. xl. 6, 7. Sacrifice and Offering Thou didst not defire: Mine Ear haft thou opened [as thy Servant perР forming