THE
COVENANT
OF
LIFE OPENED Or,
A TREATISE Of the
COVENANT
OF
GRACE,
Containing something of The nature of the Covenant of Works, The Soveraignty of
GOD, The extent of the death of CHRIST, The nature & properties of the
Covenant of Grace:
And especially of
The Covenant of Suretyship or
Redemption between the LORD and the Son JESUS CHRIST,
Infants right to JESUS CHRIST,
and the Seal of Baptisme:
With some Practicall Questions
and Observations.
BY SAMUEL RUTHERFORD, Professor
of Divinitie in the
ZECH 6. 12. And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts, saying,
Behold the Man whose Name is the BRANCH, and he shall grow out of his place,
and He shall build the
13. Even He shall build the
Printed by Andro Anderson, for Robert
Brown, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Sign of the Sun, ANNO 1655.
CHRISTIAN READER,
Many have written, to the
edifying of the Godly, of this excellent Subject: Its not much I can do in
this, but have added some thoughts to what is said, intending a more Practicall
way of the last points in another Treatise, to nit, of the application of
Covenant-Promises, and of the influences of the Spirit under the Covenant of
Grace, of which, especially of the latter of these two, few have practically
written: And it is of much concernment, to make out the Union of our Duty and
the breathings of the LORD, and what can be done under deadnesse, to either
fetch the wind, or to be put in a spirituall condition, that the soul may ly
fair for the receiving of the influences of GOD. I desire in this to speak for
Truth, not either for or against persons of whom I am silent, concealing the
names of any Contradicent, judging Truth so much the more desirable, when it
may possibly he had with peace, and as little blowing or stirring of the fire
of contradiction as can be, What is here said in a may of Disputing, the
Moderate Reader, who is not taken with that way, may passe by and read what is
practicall. The Author hath been (lest Truth should suffer by him) a little darkned,
as report bears, with the name, I know not what, of a Protester, as one who
hath deserted the Government and Discipline of the Church of GOD in SCOTLAND; But my
humble thoughts are the same they were before: though I can adde nothing to the
Truth. I look on these men the world so names Protesters, Schismaticks,
Separatists, as sinfull men who stand in
need of a Saviour, and as such as desire to fear GOD and love His Name, and
would gladly have our practise and walk come a little more near to the Rule of
the Gospel, and that our Land might mourn for all the abominations committed
therein, which I desire to be spoken without any reflection upon any of the
Godly in the Land, who, in that point, are of another Judgement. It is my
desire to the LORD, that he would let us hear experiencedly the reality of
that: Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one
saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants
sake, that I may not destroy them all. The
LORD JESUS be with your Spirit.
Yours in the Lord Jesus,
S. R.
Contents of the I. PART.
CHAP. I. and II.
The four particulars of the Treatise. pag.1.
Propositions touching ADAMS state. p. 1,2.
ADAM was predestinate to life eternall in Christ, and
how. pag. 2,
CHAP. III.
What is the intent and sense of the
threatning, Gen.
2. 17. and Gen. 3. 20. Dust thou art,
&c. p. 3,4,5.
Threatnings of the Law reveal what the Law-giver may jure
inflict, by justice and Law deserving, not what shall come to passe. p. 4.
Except it be both a threatning and a Prophesie. p. 5.
What is carnall security. ibid.
What Adam was
to believe in that threatning: p.
5,6.
How the promises and the threatnings differ in this. p. 7.
How Law threatnings to the Elect are Evangelick. p. 8.
CHAP. IV.
The Elect before Conversion bear no part of
the Law-curse, nor is the Law-curse devided between them and Christ. p. 10,11.
Faith is too near to be made a cause of satisfaction for
sin by all who hold that Christ gave a satisfactory ransome for all and every
one of mankind. p. 11.
Accepting or not accepting satisfaction is before saith,
and so believing or not believing can be no ground of the sufficiencie of the
price payed for the Reprobate, or of the laying of the sins of all upon Christ.
p. 11,12,13.
God may accept the satisfaction of Christ without any
condition required on our part. p.
13.
CHAP. V.
God intended a Law-dispensation,
but for a time.
2. Adam how he was ordained for a Law
life. 3. How predestinate to Glory,
how not. 4. That the heathens have no
more universall grace then Divels. 5.
No ground for such grace. p . 13,14,15.
CHAP. VI.
It was condisccension in the Lord to enter in
Covenant with man. 2. Temptations in fearing we are not chosen,
discovered. 3. Beings and not-beings
are debtors to God. 4. Self denyall
required in sinlesse nature, as in sinfull. 5. Man considered three wayes.
How saith layes hold upon conditionall promises, and
temptations of unbelief thereabout. p
16,17.
Of the Covenant of nature. p. 18,19,20.
CHAP. VII.
Its not written in the heart of man by nature,
that God should promise life Eternall to man, upon condition of obedience. 2. The debt of justice cannot ty God. 3. God punisheth not sin, by necessitie of nature, 4. Nor defends he his own declarative Glory by
necessitie of nature. 5. Nothing can
be given to God All sufficient. 6. No
meriting of the creature. 7. We are
to have humble thoughts of free Grace. 8. Low thoughts of our selves. 9.
Promises make no strict justice between the Lord and us. p. 20,21.
God falls in no sort from his naturall dominion, though
he impose not penal Laws upon the reasonable creature. p. 25,26.
God loves his essentiall Glory by necessity of nature,
but not his declarative Glory, by any such necessity p. 28,29,30.
In every Covenant there is some out goings of Grace. p. 35.
The passage 1 Chron.29. 11,12, cleared, and why none can
give to God. p. 37,38.
Our vain boasting of self,
my, and such proud pronoumes. p.
39,40.
How excellent to obey. p. 45.
Sanctified reason is not soft. p. 45,46.
How near are wee to justification by Works, and to be
sick of love for proud (
CHAP. VIII.
What place death hath in the Covenant. 2. What
Reprobates and the damned are to do. p. 47,48.
What Adam was
to do in the Intervall between the fall and the publishing of the Gospel. p. 48.
How the Lord is
What life is promised in the Covenant of Works. p. 47,48.
Wilfulnesse of unbelief, Some doubts are to be left to
GOD only to solve. p 48,49.
How the Lord is the God of Adam. p. 49.
No promise of influences is made to Adam. p. 49.
CHAP. IX.
What life is promised in the Covenant of
Works. p. 49,50
Whether or no did Adam and all the Reprobates in him lose all right to the creatures. p.
50,51.
A threefold right. 1. Naturall. 2. Providentiall. 3.
Spirituall. What right Reprobates and unbelievers have to the living, eating &c. p. 53,54.
What way God is ours. p.
55,56.
A furniture of Grace, and a want of Christ. p 56.
CHAP. X.
The Arminians ground that God was in a maner compelled to
appoint the New Covenant. p. 56,57.
The naturall antecedent love of God a dream. p 57.
CHAP. XI.
The threefold Covenant of some considered. p. 57,58.
And of the Arminians, p.
64. considered, and rejected. The Law as propounded to Israel was the very
Covenant of Grace, p. 60,61,62. and
the Covenant
in the Old one with that of the New Covenant, but
differenced in some accidents. p. 63,
64.
CHAP. XII.
Self-searching to know under what Covenant We are, a
spirituall condition, and why? p
65,66.
The threatnings under the New Testament more spirituall. p 67,68.
What it is to be under the Law. ibid.
The combate between the flesh and the Spirit, and the
combate in naturall men differenced. p 68.
Compelled convictions argue a Law Spirit. ibid.
Its easier to be sound in the saith, then to be Godly. p. 69.
Of the legall terrors. ibid.
Of literall and legall convictions and these of the
Gospel. p. 70.
Marks of such as are under the Law. p. 70,71.
A sweetnesse in the hardest command, because holy. ib.
An heaven in duties. p.
71.
A new nature stands for a command. ibid.
CHAP. XIII.
Covenanting externall, visible, professed,
conditionall, and Covenanting internall, invisible, reall, absolute, and how
they differ. p.
72,73,74.
Infants are within the Covenant. p. 73,74,75,76.
And to be baptized, and invested with Covenant
priviledges. p 76,77,78,79.
Its false that none are in Covenant under the New Testament
but converts. ib.
The Covenant made with Abraham and us, the same. p.
80,81.
Nor is that Covenant a civill Covenant. p. 81,82.
The New Testament Kingdome is spirituall, though there be
seals in it and externall worship. p.
82,83.
Of federall holinesse. ibid.
Its not the Physicall but the Morall root that is the
first subject of the Covenant conditionall, and externall. p 84,85.
The formall ground of right to Baptisme. p 85,86.
The places Acts 8.37. Mark 16. 16. opened, and are nothing
for, but much against Anabaptists. p
85,86.
The text, Acts 2.
39. opened, is strong for Infant baptisme. p.
86,87.
A conditionall Covenant is properly a Covenant, though it
be not ever a fulfilled Covenant. p
90,91.
No means are proved, by Law, or Gospel, to save infants
by the opposers of infant Baptisme. p
91,92.
Two diverse considerations of the Covenant, one in abstracts as a simple way
of saving sinners, and so all in the
The new heart is only commanded to some, and to others it
is both commanded and promised. p 95.
CHAP. XIV.
The place Gen. 17.
opened. p. 95.
Circumcision and Baptisme compared. p 95,96,97.
What blessings and priviledges must infants want, if they
be without the Covenant. p 98,99,100.
The place Mark 10,15,16.
Luke 18. Math. 19. Of such is the
Kingdome of heaven, opened p.
100,101,102.
What blessing Christ bestowed upon the infants, whom hee
took in his armes. p. 102,103,104.
A Covenanted seed is promised to be added to the Church
of the Jews. 104,105
Considerable differences between external and internal
Covenanting. 107,108
The place Rom. 1
1,6. If the root be holy, so are the
branches. 110,111.
By the holy Root cannot be meant the predestinate to
Glory only. 113,114.
But visible professors, fathers and children. p. 115,116.
The children are in Covenant not by birth, but by such a
birth. p. 116,117.
Covenant holinesse is not the compleat and adequat cause
of reall ingrafting in Christ. p.
116,117,118
CHAP. XV.
Other considerable differences between
externall and internall Covenanting. p. 118,119.
There is no universall Grace Subjective or
objective given to all, Rom. 10. 18. Psal. 19. 3. p. 119,120,121,122,123,124.
Nor power of believing given to all. p. 124,125,126.
CHAP. XVI.
The judgement of men esteeming such visible Covenanters
to be reall converts before they can be admitted, makes all
The invisible Church is the full subject of the promises
of speciall note, &c. p. 131,132
Hypocrites have no warrand to challenge the seals from
any command of God, as M. Thom. Hooker
saveth. p. 132.
CHAP. XVII.
Who are Hypocrites. p.
133,134
What Hypocrisie is. p.
135
Parties in the Covenant of Grace as acted upon in heart. p. 137 The Word and the Spirit. p. 138
Of God speaking himself. ib. Prophesies that now are differ from Scripture Prophesies, and
how. p. 139
Revelations made to the Godly, when they are in much
nearnesse to GOD p. 140, 141
Marks of a spirituall disposition. p. 142, 143, 144, 145.
To do a duty as a duty, and not as delightfull is a
spirituall disposition. p. 144
Not as successefull, but as a duty. p. 145
CHAP. XVIII.
The nature, characters, properties of the new
heart and the new spirit of Covenanters. p. 145, 146.
The heart the man. p.
146
The good heart. ib.
How rare a pecce the heart is. p. 147
Of the raigning evils of the heart. ib. Why we are more shamed of lying then of pride. p. 149
The concurrence of the Word to the act of infusion of a
new heart a mysterie. p. 149, 150
The Atheisme and impossible lies of the heart. p. 150, 151
The signes of the new heart. p. 151, 152
CHAP XIX.
The place of Evangelick Works in the Covenant.
2. Possession of glory and right to glory
different. 3. A twofold right to
glory. 4. We are not justified by
Works. 5. The place of declarative
justification by
The faith that James
speaks of is not true saith, p 160
The acts of saving faith, p. 161, 162
James must speak of two sorts of faiths, p. 162, 163
The Arminian Argument to prove that James speaks of declared justification, answered, p. 165, 166
How faith [foreign] only justifies, p 170, 171
The Socinian and Arminian faith, and Papists formed faith
includes new obedience and repentance, p
172, 173
Contrari to the Scripture which differenceth between
faith and new obedience, p. 174, 175,
176
Right to life eternall and possession of life eternal
differ in their nature and causes, p. 176,
177
The necessity of Works, p. 177, 178
Possession of life and right to life differ, p 178, 179, 180
And contrare objections removed, ib.
CHAP. XX.
Whether or not suffered Christ for any sin
against the Gospel only, such as finall unbeleef, which is conceived to be the
only sin against the Gospel. That Christ died not for all without exception.
The unwarrantablenesse of that Doctrine, how the Law commands justifying faith,
and repentance, how not, p. 181, 182, &c.
Sins against the Gospel are also sins against the Law, p. 188, 189
CHAP XXI.
Whether the Lord
Mediator as Mediator command the
same good Works in the Covenant of Grace which are commanded in the Covenant of
Works, p. 192, 193
Christ layes one way Evangelick commands upon the Elect, and
another way upon the Reprobate, p. 194
How the Reprobate are still under the Covenant of Works, how not, p. 194
CHAP. XXII.
No promise of perseverance to Adam, p. 194, 195
Nor any promise to him of influences of Grace, p. 195, 196
4. Classes of obediences considerably compared among
themselves. p. 196, 197, 198 Christs
obedience most perfect, most of his own.
p. 196
Most undue or least of debt coming from God man, & so
most meritorious, p. 197
Angels obedience. 2. Of their own, but not so as Christs
of his own, and so lesse meritorious, p. 198
3. The obedience of Adam
more of his own, then that of Angels, yet lesse obedience, ibid.
4. Gospel-obedience hath least of the nature of
obedience, p . 198, 199
CHAP. XXIII.
The Law of Works required not simplie doing, but doing to
the end, p. 200, 208
CHAP. XXIV.
Whether faith as true, or faith as continuing
to the end, be the condition of the Covenant of Grace, p. 201, 202.
Faith which endures to the end, but not quatenus as it indures to the end is the
condition of the Covenant of Grace. p 201, 202
Faith in the first lively acts saves and justifies, p
202, 203
CHAP. XXV.
Whether is Christs righteousnesse imputed and made ours,
because we believe and apprehend it ours, or do we believe, because it is ours,
because we believe, p. 206, 207
Faith presupposeth three unions. 1. Naturall. 2. Legall.
3. Federal, and maketh a fourth, p. 208, 209
There be four or five sundry Adversaries against whom the
holy Ghost in Scripture contends in the point of justification, p. 210, 211
The dominion of the Law. p. 211, 212
What is meant by the oldnesse
of the letter. p. 213
How we are freed therefrom, ib.
A threefold bondage of the Law, ib.
Of the dignitie of the Gospel above the Law, p. 213, 214
CHAP. XXVI.
Of the perpetuity of the Covenant of Grace,
and the considerable differences between it and the Covenant of Works. p. 214, 215, 216, 217.
How it continues with these that are asleep in the Lord, Mat. 22. Exod. 3. 6. p. 216
Of the graciousnesse thereof. p. 216, 217
CHAP. XXVII.
Of Law-fear and Gospel-fear, p. 217, 218.
Of the Law-fear of falling away, and the Gospel faith of
persevering, p. 218, 219
Why feelings of sin seldome wants unbelief, and should
have the saith of a payed ransome, p. 221, 222
CHAP. XXVIII.
Christ died not to blot out all sense of sin,
but rather to quicken a godly sense thereof, p. 221, 222, 223
Contents of the II. Part.
CHAP. I.
Christs roome in both Covenants, p. 225
Of Christs active and passive obedience, how they concur
as one satisfaction, p. 229, 230
CHAP. II.
WHerein stands our right to Christ, and the
satisfaction made for us by Christ? 2. Faith is not the
cause of our right. 3. Christs
incarnation and dying are not favours merited by Christ. 4. How Adams sinne and Christs righteousnesse are ours, p. 230, 238.
CHAP. III.
How Christ suffered for us in our room and
place. 2. He died not for all and every one. 4. How many wayes Christ may be said to die in
our stead. 4. The Lords so dying for
all makes not all saveable in Christ, nor the Gospel preachable to all Nations.
5. Christ died in the stead of the
elect, p. 236, 237, 238, 239.
Though we did not substitute him in our place, p. 249,
250
The differences between Christs dying and the punishment
due to the Elect, p. 250, 251, 252
The legall oneness between Christ and us, p. 253
To die [foreign] & [foreign] for us, is to die in our
stead, in all eminent languages, p. 253
Christ died not for sins and in the stead of sins, as he
died for sinners, p. 256
CHAP. IV.
How we are in Christ dying, and crucified in
him. 2. A twofold crucifying of us with Christ. 3. A discourse of mortification. 4. The actings of the mortified. 5. That we are to be mortified in our
affections, p. 257, 258, 259.
Though we die personally yet we died in Christ legally,
p. 259
We are not to desire a Law-wakening, p. 259, 260
What mortification is, p. 261
The influence of Christs death on mortification, p. 262
Four sorts of actings in mortification, p. 265, 266
We must be mortified to all sort of created things, p.
268, 269, 270, 271
Forbidden desires. p. 270, 271
CHAP. V.
The Covenant of Suretyship or of Redemption
between God and the Mediator Christ. 2. Christ is not a
meer witnesse, but the Author of the Covenant. 3. The Socinian way of Works
cannot quiet the conscience. 4. Christ
is upon both sides of the Covenant. 5.
Justice mediates not. 6. Reasons of
the entrance of sin.
CHAP. VI.
That there is a Covenant of Suretyship between JEHOVAH and the Son, is proven by 11.
Arguments. p. 290, 291, 292.
Christ calling to the Lord his God proves this. 291, 292
(2) Christ is a Servant, Messenger, Shepherd, not by
nature, but free compact and agreement. p. 292
(3. Ar.) Christ offered his service freely. p. 293
(4. Arg.) There is giving and taking between God and
Christ. p. 293, 294
(5. Arg.) Christ received the seals whither he needed
seals, or not. p. 295, 296
(6) Christ with the Father dispensed with the Law. p. 296
(7. Arg) Rich promises that speak a Covenant made to Christ. p. 296
8. Ar. The Prophesies of Christ and the promises of, and
to him. p. 298
9. Ar. Ask of me,
Ps. 2. 10.
And, O how low a wager, and how high a designe. p. 300
11.
CHAP. VII.
The Covenant of Redemption is explained in
three eternal acts. 1. Designation of one. 2. Decree and destination. 3. Delectation in the work. p. 302, 303.
The attributes of God declared herein. p. 304, 305
The Fathers eternall delighting in the Son. 309, 307
The strength of Gods love to man. p. 306, 307, 308
CHAP. VIII.
The differences between the Covenant of
Suretyship made with Christ, and the Covenant of Reconciliation made with
sinners. 2. The conjunction of the Covenants. 3. How the promises are made to the Seed. The
place, Gal. 3.16. opened. 4. Christ suffered and acted ever as a publike
head, p. 308, 309, 310.
CHAP. IX.
The 13. Argument from
the necessity of Gods call. 2. Of
Typicall sprinkling of the blood of the Covenant, and of the Testament. The
place, Heb. 13.20. opened. Of the
place, Heb. 7. 22. the act of
Suretyship, the assurance of our state, p. 316, 317, 318.
How the promises are made to Christ, p. 317
The peculiar nature of Christs Testament as such a
Testament, p 318, 319
Of the Suretyship of Christ, p. 323, 324
Punishment suffered by the Surety can remove punishment
from the guilty man but cannot remove formally the inherent guilt, and how this
was done by Christ. p. 323, 324
Christs undertaking for all. p 326, 327
Of the place, Prov.
8, 22, 23, 24, &c. p. 306, 307, 308, 327
Arminius yeelds a Covenant between the Father and the Son,
p. 327, 328
And how, for Jehovah
cannot promise a seed to Christ as a
reward of his work by their way, having no Soveraigne power over the will, p.
328, 329, 330
Of such as are his seed. Of the Covenant of the Lord with
David, p. 836, 837
Ps. 89. opened, ibid.
p. 338. 339. Mic. 5.2. p 339
CHAP. X.
Christ procures the Gospel to be Preached to
Reprobates, but undertakes not for them. A necessary distinction of the
Covenant as Preached according to the approving will of God, and as acted upon
the heart according to the decree of God. The place, Jer. 31, Heb. 8. This is my
Covenant, opened, p. 339, 340, 341,
342.
The distinction of the approving wil of God, & of his
wil of pleasure, p. 342, 343
Antinomians confound the efficient cause of the obedience and the objective cause on the rule of the Word, p. 345, 346
The purpose and scope of the Holy Ghost is not, Heb. 8. and Jer. 31. to speak or treat of the Covenant of Grace as Preached in
the letter, but as acted upon the heart, that so Christ may be advanced as a more spirituall and effectuall, teacher
and Priest, the Moses, Aaron, &c.
p. 346, 347, 348
Which two are confounded by Antinomians.
CHAP. XI.
Of the promises made to Christ in the Covenant
of Mediation, p.
349, 350.
A
twofold justification of Christ, p.
349
Christ had a promise of influences, Adam had none at all, p. 350, 351
Our
mistake touching comforts and duties, p. 351
Christs satisfaction p. 351, 352.
We
may flee to the Covenant, because of Christ,
p. 352, 353
Rods
are booked to the Covenant of Works, Deut.
28. and in the Covenant of Grace to both the Covenanters, Psal. 89.30,31. &c. p. 353
CHAP. XII.
The condition and properties of
the Covenant of Redemption. p. 355, 356.
No
such condition is required of Christ, as of Adam.
p. 356
The
paying of the price of blood and dying is the formall condition of the Covenant
of Redemption upon the part of Christ.
p 356, 357
The
holy qualifications of Christ in the
Covenant of Suretyship, p. 357, 358
These
qualifications how to be followed by us, p. 354
Christs Grace of headship what force it
may have upon us, p. 360, 361
The
properties of the Covenant of Suretyship. 1. Freedom. 2. Graciousnesse. 3. Eternitie,
p. 361, 362, 363
The
exposition of that place, 1 Cor.
15.28. p. 363, 364
Christ even after that universall
judgement, a mediatorie Head, King and Lord. p. 366, 367, 368
Errata.
Pag.2.lin.19.read Immortality. p.15.l.19.r. no-beings. p.17.l.29.r. no-beings. p.21.l.1,2.r. God therefore. p.22.l.31.r. God it. p.28 l.26.r. Isa 42. p 39.l.10.r. abiding Life p. 24 .l.24.r [foreign] p.51.l.27 r. is in the substance. p 53.l.2.r. no grinding of. p.55.l.16.r. floor. p.70.l.2.r. literally. p.92.l.10,11.r. decreed.
p.96.l.5.r. ground. p.103.l.13.r. as symbolick. p.104 l.36.r that the. p.134.l.14.r. but cannot. p 136.l.21.r. here. p.40.l.13.r. seated no discursive.
p.141.l.33.r. gnawing. p.160.l.26.r. Menochius. p.166.l.26. in mar. r. spectasset. p.168.l.17.r. it is not
only. p.169.l.29.r. held.
p.186.l.33.r. Gal. 14.p.195.l.1.r.
thereof. p.201.l.20.r. partaker.
p.206.l.11.r have it so. p.218.l.29.r
steep for sharp p.2 .l.11.r. not only not
quarrell. p.239.l.15.r. depends not
upon p 249 l.1.r. Arminius.
p.251.l. 9 r. acceptation.
p.269.l.26.r. arts. p. .l.3.r. who are not dead to opinions.
p.282.l.14. gave thee. p.299.l.29.r. in
his hand. p.309.l.36 dele Joh. 8.
p.314.l.24 r. are. p.316.l.10.r. be that said. p.333.l.18.r. agrees to be. p.334.l.15.r. and will have.
1
THE COVENANT OF LIFE OPENED.
CHAP. I.
What is to be spoken of the
COVENANT of LIFE, shall be reduced to these Heads.
1. The nature and differences of
the Covenant of Works, and that of Grace.
2. The Mediator of the Covenant
of Life.
3. The application of Covenant-Promises.
4. Of Covenant-Influences of
Grace under the Gospel.
Of the latter, especially of the
last, not much hath been spoken by any in a practicall way.
CHAP. II.
Propositions touching
The Apostle, 1 Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the earth, earthie, the second man is the Lord
from Heaven, speaking of the two eminently publick persons, the noble heads
of great Families; makes the condition of the first Adam to be animal and earthy, & that of the second Adam to be spiritual and Heavenly. And
without doubt, to be born of the house and seed of the second Adam, John 1. 12, 13. must darken the
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glory of the first birth, so as there is no great ground
to boast of the skin and empty lustre of Nobility and good blood; Although when
the creature called (I) and (self) do
creep in to lodge in a poor feeble piece of clay, that clay so lustred must be
some God.
2. The flower and choisest of Adam his Paradise-state, is an earthly
condition, as is evidenced by his eating, Gen.
2. 9,16. sleeping, 21, his being placed in a Garden, to dresse it, 8,16,17, his
marriage, 23, 24. his Lordship over birds, beasts, fishes, Gen. 1. 28. But in the second Adam,
besides all these, we are gifted with a life of more worth then many acres of
Vineyards. They declare therefore that there is much of the first Adam in them, little of the second; Who
would conquesse again the many lands, that our first father Adam sold, and joyn house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no
place, and disinherit all others, as if they were bastard heirs, and
themselves the only righteous heirs of Adam,
that they may be placed alone in the
midst of the earth. Isa. 5. 8. And the more spiritual any be, the more are
they above the nothing world.
3. Mortality may be called supernaturall
to the earthie part of Adam, since it
is not naturally due to a body of earth, to claim, life for ever. Though
immortality be due to whole Adam
consisting of soul and body and endued with the image of God. For the soul
cannot die.
4. But if we speak of such a
life, to wit, of a heavenly communion with God, as Adam was a comprehensor or one who is supposed now to have runne
well, and won the Gold, and the Crown, such a life was due to Adam, not by nature, but by promise.
5. Adam in his first state was not predestinate to a law glory, and to
influences of God to carry him on to persevere: Nor could he blesse God, that
he was Chosen before the foundation of
the world to be Law- holy, as Eph. 1. 3. What? Was not then Adam predestinated to life eternall,
through Jesus Christ? He was: But not as a publick person representing all his
sons, but as another single person, as Abraham,
or Jacob: for Gospel predestination
is not of the nature, but of this or that person: Therefore were we not
predestinat to life eternall in him, but in Christ,
Rom. 8. 29, 30.
6. Therefore Adam fell from the state of Law-life both totally and
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finally, but not from the state of Gospel election to
glory. For the Lord had in the Law-dispensation a love designe, to set up a Theatre
and stage of free grace; And that the way of works should be a time
dispensation, like a summer-house to be demolished again: As if the Lord had an
aime that works and nature should be a transient, but no standing Court for
righteousnesse: Hence it is now the reliques of an old standing Court, and the
Law, is a day of assyse, for condemning of malefactors, who will acknowledge no
Tribunall of grace, but only of works: And it is a just Court to terrifie
robbers, to awe borderers and loose men, but to beleevers it is now a Court for
a far other end.
CHAP. III.
What is the intent and sense
of the threatning,
Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eats, thou
shalt die. And Gen. 3. 20. Dust thou
art, &c .
WE must distinguish between the
intent of the threatener and the intent and sense of the threatening.
Law-threatnings may be well
exponed, by the execution of them, upon persons, against, whom they are
denounced: As, 1 King. 11. 30.
compared with 1 King. 12. 15, 16. Ten
Tribes are taken from Davids house
according to the World of the Lord Because therefore the threatning of
death was executed upon Christ, 1 Pet. 3. 18. Gal. 3. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. then must the threatning, Gen. 2. 17. Deut. 27. 26. have been intended against the Man Christ, and because beleevers die, as
all do, Heb. 9. 27. the threatning
must have been intended against them also, for that they sinned in Adam, and because it is out of question that the
reprobate die the first and second death, the threatning must also have been
intended against them. And therefore, in the intent of the threatner, the
threatning was mixed, partly Legall, partly Evangelick; According to the
respective persons, that the Lord had in his eye: He had therefore in his heart
both Law and Gospel. It is therefore to no purpose to aske what king of death,
and whether purely legall, which the Lord threatned to Adam: For the Question
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supposeth that the Covenant of Works was to stand, and
that the Lord was to deny a Saviour to fallen man. But we may say what death
the Lord actually inflicts, that death he intended to inflict, nor did the Lord decree to inflict, a meerly legall
death personall first and second, upon Adam
and all his race.
Obj. Adam was to believe he should certainly die; For so
was the threatning, Gen. 2. 17. if he
should sin, or then we must say, that Adam
was to beleeve he should not actually die, the latter cannot be said, for then
he was to believe the contradicent of the Lords
true threatning, which was the lie of the Serpent, Gen. 3. Ans. He was to
beleeve neither of the twain according to the event, for there are two sort of
threatnings, some pure and only threatnings, which reveal to us, what God may, in Law, do, but not what he
hath decreed and intended, actu secundo
& quoad eventum, to do, and bring to passe; These threatnings contain
some condition, either expressed in other Scripture, or then reserved in the
mind of the Lord. 1. Because the Lord
so threatned Adam, as he remained
free and absolute either to inflict the punishment, or to provide an Evangelick
remedy, even as Solomon, 1 King. 2. 37. saith to Shimei (in the day thou passest over the
brook, Kidron, thou shalt surely die) that is, thou shalt be guilty of
death, reus mortis: Yet it cannot be
denyed, but Solomon reserved his own
Kingly power, either to pardon Shimei,
or to soften, or change the sentence. 2. The words of the Law do reveal, what
the Magistrate may do, jure, and what the guilty deserves by
the Law, but do not reveal the intention and absolute decree of the Law-giver, and what punishment actually,
& quoad eventum shall be
inflicted upon the guilty, and what shall come to pass as a thing decreed of
the Lord: So, Gen. 9. 6. the Murtuerer shall die by the Sword of the Magistrate, and Exod. 22. 18, 19, 20. the Witch, the man that lyes with a beast, he
that sacrifices to a strange god, shall die the death jure, morito, and by Law-deserving, but it followeth not, but such
as commit these abominations, do live, as is clear in the Kings of Assyria, Chaldaa, and many of Israel, who were not put to death, but
lived quoad eventum, though contrary
to the Word of God. 3. The expresse Precepts of the Decalogue, Thou shalt have no other gods before, me, &c. Thou
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shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not steal,
&c. do shew what in Law we ought not to do, but not what actually shall
come to passe: For there be not a few who do actually, &c quoad eventum, worship strange gods, kill, and steal. But
there are other threatnings which are both threatnings, and also Prophesies,
and these reveal both the Law and the fact, and what the Law-giver may, jure, and, in Law, inflict, and what
shall actually come to passe upon the transgressours, if they continue in
impenitency, Rom. 2. 1. 2, 3, Rom. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10.
Obj. Then in all threatnings and promises we are not to believe, that
though we sin, we shall actually & quoad eventum die, and though we obey and beleeve, wee are not to beleeve that GOD
shall fulfill his promise, and that our salvation shall come to passe, only we
are to believe jure, that we deserve to die, and that we shall have eternall
life, jure promissionis, but not
actually and according to the event. Answ. Something is to be said of the
threatnings, then of the promises: As touching the sense, we are to beleeve. In
the threatnings conditionall as (yet fourty
days and Nineveh shall be destroyed) and (in that day thou eats thon shalt surely die, in thy person and all
thine the first and second death) we are not to believe the event, nor is
it carnall security, not to beleeve such an event, we are only to have a godly
fear and to tremble, at the dreadfull deserving of such threatnings legall, as
alway are to be exponed and beleeved by all within the Visible Church, with an Evangelick exception of
repentance. If therefore Adam did
beleeve that he and all his should in their own persons actually suffer the
first and second death, and that irrecoverably, he had no warrand, for any such
belief, and the like may be said of Nineveh.
For when the Lord said, in the day that
thou eats thou shalt die, the first and second death, thou and all thy
children personally: His meaning was, except I provide an Evangelick remedy and
a Saviour. Godly fear trembles more at the darkning of the glory of the Lord in
a broken Law, then at the event of inflicted wrath, were it even Hells fire.
Obj. Adam was to beleeve no such exception. Answ. True. Because it was
not revealed, nor was he to beleeve the contrary that he should irrecoverably
and eternally perish, because that
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was not revealed: But the threatning of the Law doth not
deny the Evangelick remedy, as it neither doth affirme it.
Obj. Then was Adam to believe, it
was true which the Serpent said, ye shall not surely die, & quoad
eventum, but ye shall be as Gods living
and knowing good and evill.
Ans. Neither doth that follow, for in
the meaning of the liar, it was not true, that they should not die, either by
deserving (for Satan brangles the equity and righteousness of the Law and
threatning) or actually and in the event, for both were false and neither
revealed, and faith is not to go beyond what is revealed of God. And Sathan
disputed against both the equity of the threatning, as if it had been unjust,
in Law, and against the event, as a fiction and a thing that should not come to
passe in the event, which indeed did not come to passe; but not according to
the Serpents lying and false principles.
Obj. Was then Adam to despair and
to beleeve nothing of a Saviour. Ans. He was not obliged to despaire, but
to rely, by vertue of the first Commandement of the Decalogue, upon God infinitly
powerfull, mercifull, gracious, and wise to save, for that was revealed and
written in his heart, and that is far from despairing: But in the intervall
between the fall and the Lords publishing the blessed Gospel, and news of the
seed to come, he was so to trust in God for possible deliverance in generall
(as the Law of Nature requireth) but he was to beleeve nothing of unrevealed
particulars, far lesse of the mystery of the Gospel, which was kept secret, since the world began, Rom. 16. 25. Obj. Then may also the damned in Hell, who are
not loosed from their obligation to the Law of Nature, and the first Command,
be obliged to rely on an infinite and Almighty God, for their deliverance, for
they are not obliged to despair, nor is there an obligation to any sin.
Ans. There is not the like reason, for though the damned be
not loosed from the Law of Nature, but are to rely upon God in his whole
al-sufficiency, yet with exception of his revealed Justice and Truth: Now he
hes expresly revealed, that their worm
never dieth, and their fire never goeth out. And to believe that, is not to
despaire. Obj. What are then such
Heathens to beleeve as
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touching that
threatning, who never heard of the Gospel? Ans.
They are under the Law of Nature, and to beleeve that sin deserves wrath,
according to the infinitnesse of the Majesty, against whom it is committed, and
to obey the Law of Nature, and read the Book of the Creation carefully: But and
if the news and rumor of a Saviour come to their ears, their sin cannot but be
Evangelick, in not pursuing the reality and truth of such a soveraign remedy.
Yet it is not to be thought, that though the Gospel be come to all Nations Rom. 16. 26. that that is to be meant.
1. Of every Generation of all Nations. Or, 2. of the individuall persons,
either young, or come to age, of every Nation under Heaven, experience and Scripture speaketh against both.
Obj. But is not the Covenant of grace contrary to the Law and Covenant of
Works? Answ. A diversity there is, but contrary wills in the holy Lord
cannot be asserted. Yea the Gospel may be proven out of the Law, and from first
Commandement of the Decalogue, if any act of the Lords free will and infinite
wisedome shall be added to prove the Assumption. So,
If the first Command teach that
God is infinitely wise, mercifull, gracious, just, and able to save, then, if
so it please him, he shall save;
But the first Command teacheth
the former: And the Gospel revealing the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. 3. 8. expresly saith so much. Ergo.
As to the promises, they contain
not only the jus, equity and
goodnesse of the thing promised, but also that the Lord shall actually perform,
yea and intends to perform, what he hath promised upon condition that we
perform the required condition. And in this the promises differ not a little
from these threatnings, that are only threatnings, of what God may do in Law,
but not from these threatnings which are both threatnings and also Propheticall
predictions of what shall come to passe, therefore must we here difference
betwixt threatnings, and such and such threatnings.
The promises are considered as
they are Preached and anunciated to all within the Visible Church, and as they
are made in the intention of God with the Elect and Sons of the promise: The
same way the threatnings admit of a two-fold consideration. The
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promises to the Elect as intended of God, reveal that
both the Lord minds to give the blessing promised, and the condition that is
grace to perform the condition, and so they are promises Evangelick both in the
matter, and in the intention of the Lord; But as proponed to the reprobate, who
are alwayes from their birth to their death under a Covenant of Works, really
as touching the LORDS holy Decree, they are materially Evangelick promises, but
formally and in the Lords intention legall, as every dispensation to them is
legall, forasmuch as the Lord hath decreed to deny the grace, by which they may
or can fulfill the condition of the promise, which is proper to the Law, as it
is peculiar to the Gospel, that the Lord both gives the mercy promised and also
the grace to fulfill the condition of the promise.
The threatnings to beleevers,
especially such as are legall ( if you
beleevers fall away. ye shall eternally perish) are to beleevers, though materially
legall, peremptorie, and admit no exception, yet they are formally and in the
Lords intention directed to them upon an Evangelick intention, nor do they say
that the Lord intends and decrees that they shall eternally perish, for he hath
predestinate them to the contrary, to wit, to grace and glory, Ephes. 1. 4. Nor that he wills that they
should beleeve either their eternall damnation, or their finall and totall
falling away, which inevitably leads thereunto. For they, knowing that they are
in Christ, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Rom. 8. 16,17. and freed from
condemnation,
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in God, revealed in the Mediator; and that if they
continue in a way of opposing Christ, they not only deserve by Law (which
Law-deserving also beleevers are to apprehend) to be broken, but actually and quoad eventum shall eternally perish.
Believers are to believe the Decree of God to save them, though they hear the
threatnings, for its revealed. But the Reprobate are to beleeve only the sense
and Law-deserving and event of the threatning, if they repent not, but are to
beleeve no decree to save them.
CHAP. IV.
The Elect non-converted are not under
Law-wrath. 2. Faith is no cause of satisfaction. 3. Christ can not have satisfied for the sins
of the Reprobate.
WHETHER the Elect unconverted be
under wrath is a doubt to many. It is true, they
are servants of sin, Rom. 6. 17. Blind, and under the power of Satan as Reprobats are, Acts 26.18. By nature children of wrath, even as
others, Eph. 2.3. Ans. Their sins
committed before their Conversion, are according to the Covenant of Works, such
as deserve everlasting condemnation, and they are jure and in relation to that Covenant, heirs of wrath, as well as others. 2. But we must distinguish
between a state of election and everlasting, though unseen love, that they are
under, as touching their persons: and a state of a sinfull way that they are
born in, and walk in as others do, untill they be converted. As to the former
state, it is true which is said, Ier. 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love.
See also,
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saith, Iohn 5.
4. The beleever hath passed from death,
as it is a curse, and shall never come to
judgement and condemnation, he cannot mean that they have half passed from
the curse, and half not. 2. Beleevers are delivered, in Christ, from the victory, sting, power of sin, curse of the Law,
and every curse, that is in affliction, and from condemnation not in part only,
but in whole: Else their triumph were but in part, contrair to, 1 Cor. 15. 54, 55, 56. Hos. 13. 14. Isa. 25. 8. Nor should they be washen from all their sins and the
spots thereof in his blood, if they might wash themselves from any spot, by
bearing a part of the Law-curse in themselves, contrair to Can. 4. 7. Jer. 50. 20. Joh. 1.28. 1 Joh. 1.8. Rom. 8.1.3.
What ever Christ was made for the redeemed ones, that he was made fully for
them, in part, and in whole, for he is their perfect Saviour. But Gal. 3.13. He is made a curse for us, and able to save to the outmost all that
come to him. Heb. 7. 25. Therefore the half or a part of satisfactory
vengeance, cannot be upon us, and the other half on Christ, for this is to make men and Martyrs joint satisfiers of
justice with Christ, by their own blood and sufferings, to prevent the scaddings
of purgatory; For though we teach against Antinomians,
that the Godly are punished for sins according to Justice, yet that is
Evangelick, not law justice, for they bear not one dram weight of satisfactory
wrath and curse jointly with Christ, Antinomians
say that sin, root and branch is taken away in Justification, so that there is
no sin nor punishment for sin in the justified man. 4. The beleevers are
blessed through Jesus Christ, Gal, 3.
10,13. Psal. 32. 1,2.
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near the opinion of these, who make faith a cause of
satisfaction for sin, as they must teach, who hold that Christ payed a ransome
on the crosse, for the sins of all and every one. For that which added, maketh
satisfaction to be counted and formally reckoned as satisfaction, in order to
the expiation of the mans sins, so that by no justice he can suffer for them,
and which being removed, maketh the payed satisfaction and ransome, though
never taken back again by the payer, no more a satisfaction for that man, not
for Devils: Is too near to the nature and to being a part of the satisfaction.
If one pay a summe that fully exhausts the debt of such a broken man, upon
condition the broken man say Amen to
the paying thereof, otherwise it shall be as not payed, he must take up the
summe again, if the broken man refuse to say Amen to it, for if he take it not
up again, but it be payed and fully satisfie for, and exhaust the debt, the
mans debt is payed, and the Creditor in justice cannot exact one farthing from
the broken man. Now nothing given to the Justice of God by way of satisfaction
for the sins of unbeleevers, was every repeated or taken back again by Christ.
Nay but, say they, the ransome was not payed at all for Judas, but only, upon condition that he beleeve: but he never
beleeved, and therefore it was never payed for Judas. Answ. This is that
we say, that Christ gave no reall ransome at all, for the sins of Judas. by way of satisfaction. But they
say that there is as well a ransome payed for all the sins of Judas (sin all unbeleef excepted) to
free him, in justice from eternall stroaks, as for all the sins of Peter to free him, only it is not
accepted of by the Creditor, because Judas,
by faith, assented not unto the bargain: But assenting or not assenting,
accepting, or not accepting, that are posterior to the payment, are nothing up
or down to the compleatnesse and perfection of the satisfaction made for the
exhausting of Justice, for Justice receives not two satisfactions or ransomes
for Judas, one upon the Crosse from Christ, another in Hell, from Judas, yea and it must follow, that
reall payment was made to Justice for all the sins of Judas, upon the Crosse, and that he suffers for none of them, in
Hell, but for only finall unbeleef, which is no sin against the Covenant of
Works and the Justice thereof, but only and formally against the Covenant of
Grace, so that as yet satisfying of
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Divine Justice for sins, must be halfed and parted
between Christ, and Iudas, which the Scripture teaches not.
Also the Father either accepts the ransome of Christ, because it is
intrinsecally, and of it self sufficiently satisfactory: or because Iudas does beleeve it is so; The latter
cannot be said, for beleeving adds nothing to the intrinsecall sufficiency of
the satisfaction, as not believing diminishes nothing from the sufficiency
thereof; Yea and so the Fathers formall reason of accepting of the satisfaction
of Christ, must be terminated upon our poor act of believing, whereas the
formal ground of the acceptation thereof is the intrinsecall excellency and
worth of the Sacrifice, being an offering
of a sweet smelling savour to God, Eph. 5.2. And because he offered the
ransome of the blood of God-man, of the Prince of life, Act. 20.28. 1 Cor. 2.8.
and offered himself to God, Eph. 5.25.26. Heb. 9.14. Mat. 20.28. 1 Tim. 2.6. Rev. 1.5. nor is there any sufficiency in his death from the worth
of beleeving. And the reason why he accepts it for Peter, not for another, is the election of grace.
It is true the blood is a price
refuseable, but it is this way refuseable, because the Lord might have followed
a Law-way with Adam, and all his
sons, and have denyed to give his Son a Ransome for us, but it is not
refuseable, because of any insufficiency in the Ransome. Now faith is to
satisfaction as the approximation of, and the laying on of dry fewell to the
fire, which is only a condition of burning, but the fire is the formall cause
of burning. Yea if we speak properly faith is not so much as a condition
without the which offended Justice is not satisfied, nor is it a condition, by
any Scripture of the world, without the which God laid not our iniquities on
Christ, for whether we beleeve or not, God
laid our iniquities upon him, and made him sin for us, Isa. 53.6. 2 Cor. 5.21. Therefore, by necessity of
Justice, he must accept that Ransome intrinsecally so sufficient, which did
restore more glory to God, then the sins of all, for whom Christ died, took
from him. Nor is it imaginable to say that any act of obedience or beleeving,
can perfect the satisfaction of Christ, and make it sufficient, yea, or
causatively make it ours. For God, by no necessity of Justice, but of his own
free pleasure, requireth faith as a condition of our actuall reconciliation;
for beside, that he might have
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required any other act of obedience, as love, he might
have accepted the Ransome without inquiring any act of obedience, on our part,
as the Lord bestowed as calme Sea and deliverance from shipwrack, upon the
Idolatrous Sea-men, upon the very act of casting Ionah in the Sea, without the intervention of any saving faith on
their part; As a gracious Prince may send a pardon to free a condemned
Malefactor from death, and may command that it be valid in Law for him, without
the mans knowledge, and far more without his acceptance thereof, upon his
knees, especially since by a speciall paction between the Father and the Son,
he restored abundantly more Glory to God by suffering for all, for whom, he
died, then they took from God by their sins, and that restitution was made to
Justice without the interveening of any act of the creatures obedience. But the
truth is, it is much to be doubted whether they, who hold such a satisfaction
to be given of God, for the sins of all, Elect and Reprobate, but so as it
shall not be valid in Law, nor effectuall of quiet Justice, but they must all
suffer eternall vengeance, and perform personall satisfaction, in Hell, to
Justice, except there interveen an act of obedience of the creature, to make it
effectuall, do really and sincerely acknowledge, against Socinians, a reall satisfaction and compensation made to offended
Justice by Christ: For how is it reall, and not rather scenicall and formall,
which may and should be null and in vain, if the creature make it not reall, by
beleeving. And especially, if God out of his grace which is absolutely free,
work in us the condition of beleeving. Can God give his Son as a Ransome for
us, upon condition that we beleeve, if he himself absolutely work the condition
in us? They will not admit this.
CHAP. V.
God intended a
Law-dispensation but for a time. 2. Adam, how he
was ordained for a Law-life. 3. How
predestinated to Glory in Christ, how not. 4. That the Heathens have no more Universall Grace then Devils. 5. No ground for such grace.
IT is apparent that God intended
not a Law-dispensation in
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after the fall, but of his procreating of children, of
the Patriarchs, of Adams dying and of
his actings before the fall, the place of Paradice beings scarce well known,
which sayes the Lord had a farther design to lay a side the transient
Law-dispensation and to set up Christ.
2. The Lord, of purpose, gave a positive Law, forbidding eating of such a Tree,
added a threatning thereunto particularly, suffered the Serpent to tempt, and
forsaw what frail nature would do, that he might deal with man, in a
dispensation of free grace.
Obj. Did not God ordain that Adam should
have life and righteousnesse, if he
should continue in obedience. Ans. That was a decree conditionall of
things, (the man that does these things
shall live) and showes the equitie and holinesse of the Law, but it was not
a decree of persons, by which God
predestinated Adam to a Law-glory, as
the end, and to Law-obedience as the effectuall means leading to that end.
Q. Was not Adam chosen? Ans. Adam, according to the Lords designe, finaliter & objective was created in
the state of predestination to glory, and grace in Christ as touching his
person, but according to his inherent condition, he was created in a legall
dispensation, which was a gracious inlet to Christ; And according to his
Law-state as he represented all mankinde, he was Created as a lubrick and frail
Coppie of weak nature.
Many who are such as are not
chosen are Created an live under a Covenant of Works, having onely some
concomitant favours of the Gospel, as the Preaching thereof. 2. Common grace,
inward warnings. 3. Protections of providence and forbearance, in regard they are
mixed with the Elect. The heathen cannot be said to have any inward calling to
Grace and Glory, because there be some remanents of the Image of God left in
them, which no more can be called universall Grace, then the same sparkles that
are left in Devils can be called Gospel Grace, for they believe, There is one God and confesse the Son of
God, Jam. 2. 19. Luk. 4. 34. Mark. 1. 24. Only if this be called Grace,
that the nature of man is so capable of Gospel mercy, and the nature of the
fallen Angels morallie not so. 2. The offer is made to them of Christ, not so
to Devils, we shall not contend: Reason may seeme to say that all
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should have a share of Gospel-Grace, but it may be
replyed to reason, why should if seeme to be a part of the goodnesse and bounty
of God to will and desire all and
every one to be saved, and not to institute such a dispensation, as all and
every one should actuallie be saved?
2. How should that stand. (he hath mercy on whom he will) if free will of the creature
absolutely dispose of Salvation and damnation? 3. How is it that the Calling,
Adoption, and the offer of mercy is restricted to few, and was confined to the
Jews only of old? But we are more ready to call the Lord to a reckoning, for
his dispensation of Grace to others, then to use our own, as becomes, us. 2. We
cannot judge aright of God and of his
goodnes, except he be God our very way. 3. It is a matter of no small
difficultie to make right use of the Lords freedome of Grace, and for clay
humblie to adore Sovereigntie, and not to stumble at the highnesse of his
wayes, who, in these points, hath wayes and thoughts above ours, as the heavens are above the earth, Isa. 55.
CHAP. VI.
It was condescension in the
Lord to enter in Covenant with man. 2. Temptations in
fearing we are not chosen, discovered. 3. Beings and not beings are debtors to God. 4. Self denyall required in sinlesse nature, as in sinfull, 5. Man considered three wayes.
Whither was God under an
obligation, to make a Covenant with man?
Hardly can any maintain the
dominion and Soveraigntie of God, and also assert an obligation, on the Lords
part, of working upon the creature: The Lord is debtor to neither person nor
things. He as Lord commands, but it is condescension that he commands
Covenant-wayes, with promise of a reward to the obeyer. The Leviathan in strength is far above Job, he cannot command him. Job 14. 4. Will he make Berith a
Covenant with thee, wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? That is, the
Leviathan will not engadge as a
servant to obey Iob as his master. A
Covenant speaks
16
something of giving, and taking, work, and reward, and
mutuall engagements, betwixt parties, though there be something in the Covenant
between God and man, that is, not in the Covenants, of men. The rationall
creatures owe suitable, that is, rationall obedience to the Creator, but God is under no obligation to give life,
especially so excellent a life as a communion with God, in glory, yet he does
it. What a God must he be, who will come downe and put himself in a lovely and
gaining capacitie to be a Covenanting debtour to our feeble obedience, whereas
he ows nothing, and to make heaven and glory so sure to us, that the heavens
should sooner break and melt, like snow before the Sun, then his promise can
fail.
Obj. True, but faith is fixed upon the new Covenant-promise, if I believe.
Ans. Yea, but faith here is to believe, that the condition it self is
promised, as well as the reward.
Obj. The condition of a new heart and
of faith is promised, but not to all, not to me, but to some few chosen only. Ans. There be here a number of errors.
1. Unbelief foments proud merite, that we are to believe as much of God promised, as there is conceived, to
be worth in self, and in me to
fulfill the condition; But true, faith, contrare to self-unworthinesse, relyes
upon the Truth of God, the
excellencie of Christ, and the absolutenesse of the promise. 2. Sathan like a
Sophist drawes the dispute to the weakest conclusion from the strongest, to
wit, from the promise of God, that is
surer then heaven to the state, against which there is a greater number of
Topick Arguments, then there can be against the promise of God. As 1. What am I? 2. Am I chosen or not? So Sathan to
Christ, if thou be the Son of God,
command these stones to be made bread, in point of beleeving its better
that faith expatiate in viewing God, Christ, the Ransome of the blood of
God-Man, the depth of free grace, then upon self, and the state: in point of
repenting and humble down-casting, we would read self, and our own estate. 3.
Its Satan and the unbeleeving heart that would have our faiths greatnesse
rising from selfs holinesse, and goodnesse. Whereas the greatest faith that
Christ finds, Mat. 8. 10. looks away
from self. v. 8. I am not worthy—and dwells much upon the Omnipotency of
Christ in commanding diseases,
17
as a Centurian his Souldiers. 4. When unbelief quarrels
the Lord as untrue and weak, who faints
and wearies, and one that is not the Creator
of the ends of the earth, it alledges only and pretends self-guiltinesse to
justifie unbelief: Yet Isa. 40. 28.
though God be reproached as weak, we seem to resolve all in this; our own
unworthinesse, but we cannot get our faith stately enough; and the truth is
here, we quarrell with God and his decrees, under pretence of this, what if he
have not chosen me? and I have no right to Covenant-mercies, except I take a
Law-way to earne them, by fulfilling the condition. 5. When we beleeve a
conditionall promise (if I beleeve, I am
saved) faith relyes not fiducially upon the (if I beleeve) or upon the condition, Its a weak pillar to a sinner
to stay his unquiet heart upon, to wit, his own beleeving, but faith rests upon
the connexion (if thou beleeve thou shalt
be saved) and it stayes upon the connexion, as made sure by the Lord, who
of grace gives the condition of beleeving, and of grace the reward conditioned,
so that faith binds all the weight upon God only, even in conditionall Gospel
promises. 1. Man is to be considered as a creature. 2. As such a creature, to
wit, endued with reason and the Image of God, in either considerations,
especially in the former all that are created, are obliged to do and suffer the
will of God though they never sinned. Its not enough to say, that Sun, Moon,
Trees, Herbs, Vines, Earth, Beasts, Birds, and Fishes, cannot suffer the ill of
punishment, which is relative to the break of a Law, for the whole Creation is
subject to vanity for our sins, Rom. 8.
20, 21. The Servant is smitten and sickened, for the Masters sake, and God may
take from them what he gave them, their lives without sense of pain and
dollour, for all beings, yea defects and privations are debters to the glory
declarative of God, Prov. 16. 4. Rom. 11. 36. yea and no beings are
under this debt. God can serve himself of nothing, yea, that there are not
created, Locusts, Caterpillars, more numerous, then that all the fruits of the
earth can be food to them, Preach the Glory of the Lords goodnesse to man, and
what are never to be, no lesse then all things, that have futurition, or shall
come to passe either absolutely or conditionally, are under the positive decree
of God, else we should not owe thanks to the Lord for many
18
evils that never fall out, that the Lord turns away
violent death, violence of men, and wilde beasts, and many possible mischiefs,
contrair to Deut. 28. 11, 12. Lev. 26. 6. Psal. 34. 20. Psal. 91.
5,6,7,8. And all these beings or no
beings owe themselves to God to hold forth the glory of goodnesse,
wisedome, mercy, justice, &c.
suppone there had never been sin: Far more now, who wants matter of meditation,
or can write a book of all the pains, aikings, convulsions, pests, diseases
that the Lord decreed to hold off? so that every bone, joynt, lith, hair,
member, should write a Psalm Book of praises, Psal. 35. 10. All my bones
shall say, Lord, Who is like unto thee? Nor can any man write his debts of
this kind. But we are little affected with the negatives of mercies, except we
read them upon others, and little then also; Self-pain Preacheth little to us,
far more, the borrowed experience of fallen Angels,
of Sodom, of the old world, &c. leaves small impression upon
stony spirits. 2. Complain not, that you have not that share of grace, another
hath, if ye (you think) had it, you would be as usefull to glorifie God, as they,
but ye know not your self; swell not against him, that thou haft no grace, O
vessell of wrath, thou owes that bit clay, and all thy wants to glorifie his
Justice. 3. My sicknesse, my pain, my bands owe themselves to God, and are
debtors to his glory, I, and every one of men should say, O that my pain might
praise him, and my hell, and flamings of everlasting fire, might be an
everlasting Psalm of the Glory of his Justice; That my sorrow could sing the
Glory of so High a Lord: But we love rather that he wanted his praise, so we
wanted our pain. 3. God hath made a sort of naturall Covenant with night and
day. Jer. 31. 35. For all are his servants, Psal, 119. 91. that they should be
faithfull to their own naturall ends to act for him, Ier. 5. 22. Ier. 31. 37. Psal. 104. 1,2,3,4. and they are more
faithfull to their ends then men. Isa. 1.
3. Ier. 8.7. The oxe and the asse
being more knowing to their owner, and the swallow and the cran being more
discerning of their times, then men are. 2. They so keep their line, that there
is more self-deniall in their actings, then in mans way: as if fire were not
fire, and nature in it denied, the fire devours not the three Children, Dan. 3. 27,28 The Sun stands still, the
Moons moves not, Iosh. 10. 12,13. The
hungry
19
Lions eat not Daniel,
ch. 6.22. When the Lord gives a counter-command to them, and that is a
clause in the Covenant, that the Lord entered with them, that they act or no
act, as he shall be pleased to speak to them, John 2.10. Isa. 50.2. Mat. 8.16. It is a most humbling
Theame, that an asse is more in denying nature, and the cran and the fire, then
man, yea then a renued man in some cases. 4. But if man be considered, as such
a man, endued with the Image of God, and withall the Covenant be considered as such
a Covenant, as is expressed in the Ten-Commandements, in which one of seven is
a Sabbath to the Lord, it will be found that many positives Morall are in the
Covenant of Works, that are not in naturall Covenants.
5. So man must come under a
three-fold consideration.
1. As a creature.
2. As a reasonable creature.
3. As such a creature reasonable,
endued with the image of God.
In the first consideration, man
comes under the Covenant naturall, common to all creatures; So is Peters body carried above in the water as
iron swims.
2. As a reasonable creature, he
owes himself to God, to obey so far as the Law written in the heart carries
him, to love God, trust in him, fear him. But this can hardly bear the name of
a Covenant, except it be so called; in a large sense, nor is there any promise
of life, as a reward of the work of obedience here.
3. But man being considered as
indued with the Image of God, so the Holy God made with him a Covenant of
life, with Commandements, though positive and Morall, yet not deduced from the
Law of Nature, in the strictest sense, as to observe such a Sabbath, the
seventh from the Creation, the not eating of the forbidden tree, and with a
promise of such a life. And therefore though Divines, as our solid and eminent Rollock, call it a Covenant naturall, as
it is contradistinguished from the supernaturall Covenant of Grace, and there
is good reason so to call it; Yet when it is considered in the positives
thereof, it is from the free
20
will of God, and though it be connaturall to man, created
according to the Image of God, yet the Covenant came so from the Lords wisedom
and free-will, as he might have casten it in a new and far other-frame: And it
cannot be denyed, though it be most suitable to mans intire nature to love God,
yet to love him so and so, by obeying the command of not eating the fruit of
the Tree of Knowledge, and some other Commands, is not so connaturall, but God
might have commanded the contrair, without any thing done contrair to mans
nature. Yet from this it followes, no more that these are two Covenants, then
that there be two Covenants of Grace, Because faith in God, and the Morall Law
in an Evangelick way are therein commanded, and also some duties touching the
seals by a positive Law are therein contained.
CHAP. VII.
Its not written in the heart
of man by nature, that GOD should promise life eternall to man, upon condition
of obedience. 2. And that the debt of Justice can not tye
GOD. 3. GOD punisheth not sin, by
necessity of nature. 4. Nor defends
he his own declarative Glory by that necessity. 5. Nothing can be given to GOD Alsufficient. 6. No meriting of the creature. 7.
We should have humble thoughts of free-Grace. 8. How low thoughts of our selves. 9. Promises make no strict justice between GOD and us.
Sure, it is not repugnant to the
yet innocent and intire nature of man, to know, that God may reward all such as
seek and serve him, but that he must reward obedience either in the generall,
or so and so, is neither written in mans heart, nor hath it any truth: For it were
nothing against justice, or bounty, or any attribute of God, not to reward his
creature, which is obliged to serve him, and though there be a sort of
quietnesse of conscience, which is the naturall result of obedience in Adam, and of all men, yet it cannot
inferre, that there is an intrinsecall connexion, ex naturârei,
21
between our obedience and a reward to be given of God.
Therefore, nor will it be a good inference, because there is disquietnesse in
the conscience, after sin, and that it is naturall to a sinner to apprehend a
revenging power pursuing sin committed, that therefore it is naturall and
essentiall to the Lord, to pursue sin with punishment in generall. For a
naturall conscience may, and does know, that God doth freely create the world, and that he might not have
created it, that he doth good freely to his creatures, and that he is not a
debtor to his creatures; Will it follow by any Logick, that God creates the world by any naturall
obligation? And because by force of a naturall conscience, all know that God is good and bountifull to his
creatures, in giving, and doing good to them, we cannot therefore infer that
actuall beneficence is so essentiall to the infinite Majesty, as he should not
be God, if he did not extend that goodnesse to them. Common sense will say no
more followeth, but goodnesse and bounty intrinsecall are essentiall to God,
and these attributes are essentiall to him, and were from eternity in him, and
are his good and bountifull nature; Though not either man, Angel, or any thing
else had been created, to which he doth actually extend his goodnesse. Ergo, this actuall extension of
goodnesse is not essentiall to God, so neither is the actuall punishing of sin
essentiall to God, but free, though Adam
apprehended God would punish his eating of the forbidden tree; Yet if he
apprehended that he should not be God, if he did not punish it, his
apprehension was erroneous. And this only followes that there is an
intrinsecall and internall Justice in God, naturall and essentiall in God, but
so that the out-goings of his Justice, the egressions are most free, and that
is said by some without all reason, because the
apprehensions we have naturally of God that he punisheth sin, Universales
apprehensions, nequaquam sunt corum qua Deo vel adesse vel abesse possunt pro
liberrimâ voluntate. Universall apprehensions, therefore they are not
apprehensions of such things as may be, or not be in God, according to his free
pleasure, if the apprehensions of Gods doing good to Angels, to men, to all his
creatures freely, be in all by nature, and cannot be rooted out, and be
universall, then these apprehensions cannot be of such things as are in God,
according to his most free will, and may be in the Almighty or not be in him.
22
But the conclusion hath neither
reason nor sense; for there are universall apprehensions in all men, and they
canot be rooted out, that God does good to Angels, men, and creatures freely: Ergo, by this Logick the doing of good
freely to Angels, men, and creatures is not a thing that is in God according to
his free-will, and may be in the Almighty or not in him. Then the so doing must
be in God essentially. 2. Then must God not be God, if he do not good freely to
them. 3. Then must God not be God, except he create men, Angels, and creatures.
4. But since he is God everlasting, he must from everlasting have created men,
Angels, and the creatures, and from everlasting he must punish sin; Life may be
considered. 1. As life. 2. As such an excellent life, to wit, a communion with
God.
In the former consideration, life
is either considered as the end, or secondly as a free reward. In the former
respect. To live an intellectuall life in obeying God, was to Adam so created a connaturall end, as to
burn, is to fire, and to give light, to the Sunne. And God may put the respect
of a reward upon any obedientiall end. But that Adam should have such an eminent life, for the reward of his
obedience as a communion with God, which is farre above his obedience, is the
free donation of God: nor is there any necessary connexion between Adams perfect obedience, and so high and
eminent a life, nor can this Covenant, as touching such a promise, be written
in his heart. God then never loved to make any Covenant, yea even that of
Works, without some acts and out-goings of grace, and the hyre was grace, how
is he not to be served, who loves to hyre and allure us to be happy?
Arminius saith,
the reward of keeping the Covenant of Works, cannot be spirituall, nor can the
punishment be spirituall, because you teach (saith he) that the obedience is
naturall. Ans. It followeth not, for
the reward is spirituall, yea and supernaturall from the free promise of God: It was, that God should recompence our naturall obedience, coming from
connaturall principles, with so eminent a Crowne as communion with God Creator, in a life of glory. And
this came from no innate proportion between a naturall work and supernaturall
reward; Otherwise we must say, first that there is such an intrinsecall
connexion ex natuârei between
23
Adams work and so high wages, as that glorious communion was,
as the Lord could not but in justice, so have rewarded his obedience, except he
would be unjust, but there is nothing in the creature, that can conclude,
limite, or determine, his will and wisdome, who is infinite. 2. It had been
nothing against justice, if the Lord had followed
3. If God, of justice, give Adam
life, Adam might compell God to pay, what he oweth him, else he
should be unjust: But the creature can lay no necessitie on the Creator, either
to work without himself, nor can he cause him to will. 4. The proper work of
merite (saith great Bradwardine) and
of him that works must go before the wages, in time, or in order of nature. And
if the worker receive its operation, and working for wadge from God first, and by his vertue and help
continue in operation and working, he cannot condignely merit at the hand of God, but is rather more in Gods debt,
after his working, then before his working, because he bountifullie receives
more good from God, then before,
especially, because he gives nothing proper of his own to God, but gives to God his
own good; But no man first acts for God
for God is the first actor and mover
in every action, and motion. As that saith, Who
gave first to the Lord, and it shall be recompensed him?
5. If this was yesterday just,
that life eternall is due to Adam for
his work before God made it just and
due, then from Eternitie and before any decree of God it was just and due; Certainlie, God,
24
upon the same reason, was debtour, to make such a
Covenant, that was just, before he made it just. And this is no Covenant of God, for God, not making the justice of the Covenant, and the just connexion
between work and wadge, he cannot be the Author of the Covenant: But neither is
Adam the Author of the justice, nor
of the just Covenant: Upon the same ground, it was then an everlasting justice
without and before God from
Eternitie. Non datur justum prius primo
justo.
6. If God did more for Adam,
then he can recompence God for it, as
the Father hath done to the Son, then he could not merit at the hand of God: But God did more to Adam in
giving to him being, faculties, mind, will, affections, power, habites, his
blessed Image, then Adam can never be
in a condition, in which he can recompence God,
or give him more annuall and usurie, in his acting of obedience, then the stock
was he received in proportion. As the Son can never give the Father, in
recompence, so much or the captive ransomed from death, can never give to his
ransome payer, who bought him so much, as the one and the other shall no more
be under an obligation, and debt of love and service to father and ransomer,
then to a stranger that they never knew: Nor could Adam thus be freed of God,
so as he should be owing nothing to him. If any say, God may freely forgive all this obligation and debt: To which Bradwardine Answers well: 1. The
forgiving of the debt, when the debtor hath nothing to pay is a greater debt
taken on. 2. God (saith he) may
forgive so in regard of actuall obligation, that he is not oblidged ad aliquid faciendum sub pœna peccati,
to do any thing under the pain or punishment of sin, as the hireling is
obleiged to work, when he hath made a Covenant to work, and so we are not
oblidged to do, as much as we can for
God. But in regard of habituall obligation, God cannot forgive the debt, that the reasonable creature owes to God for so he might dispence with this,
that the reasonable creature owe no obedience to God, suppose he should command it, which is impossible.
They seeme therefore, with eyes
of flesh, to look upon God, who say
that God by necessitie of justice
must punish sin, yea that the most High cannot be God, except he punish sin, and that he should
25
not be God, if
all his Lawes imposed upon men, were only promissorie and void of all
threatnings.
What? could not God have said, eat not of the tree of knowledge, for if
ye eat not, your obedience shall be
rewarded with life eternall, and no more? might he not have laid aside all
threatning? What Scripture or reason teacheth to say, that God, if he create a reasonable creature, and under a morall
dependencie, which it hath and must have of God,
then must God, by necessitie of nature, punish the sinner, yea so as, if he
punish not, he should not be God, nor
just, but must fall from his naturall dominion, except he make penall laws, and
so he should not be God, except he
say to Adam (if thou eat thou shalt die)
or (shalt be punished for eating) but
this is not proven by one word, except this, the reasonable creature is not, nor cannot be subject to God Creator,
except god punish the sinner; But that is denyed: Adam should have had a Morall dependance upon God, and God should have been God,
and essentially just, if sin had never come into the World, and if God have kept Adam under a Morall Law, as he did the Elect Angels, who never felt or knew the fruit of a Morall Law broken and
transgressed. And God, if he imposed
any penall Law upon the Elect Angels
as penall (which shall be an hard work to prove) yet had a naturall dominion
over the Elect Angels, and suppose no
Law, but only a rewarding and remunerative Law, had been over their heads,
should God be no God, in that case?
and if any deny, that God hath a perfect dominion over that Elect Angels, he is not worthy to be refuted.
2. Shew me, in all the Old or New Testament, any penall Law of active obedience
as penall, imposed upon the man Christ, or where is it written, If the Man Christ sin, he shall eternally
die? I tremble at such expressions: Is the Lord therefore not the Lord, and
hath the Lord fallen from his naturall dominion over his Son, the Man Christ?
Or (3) will any man deny, but the Lord might justly have laid upon all men and
upon the Elect Angels a Law only remunerative, not penall at all, a Law only
with the promise of a reward, and void of all threatning of death, first or
second, or any other punishment, and yet he should have been the Lord, and had
a naturall dominion over Angels, the Man Christ, and all mankind?
26
(3) Suppose the Lord had never
imposed the Law penall forbidding the sin against the Holy Ghost, upon the
Elect beleevers, nor any other penall Law, but by the vertue of the most
sufficient ransome of the Blood of God payed for man, he had made them now
after the fall, as the confirmed Angels, and holy as the Man Christ, and
brought them so to glory, should he not have been God in that case, and should he have lost his naturall dominion
over men in that case? 4. The dominion of God over men is not only in one
particular, of penall Laws, it is in remunerative Laws also, in giving
predeterminating influences to obey and persevere in obedience, in not leading into temptation, in
hyring and alluring us to serve God, in terrifying men with examples of the
Lords Judgements on others, he spared not
the Angels, &c. 2 Pet. 2.4. Jud. 6. and therefore, to say, that God
falls from his naturall dominion over man, and leaves off to be God, except he
impose penall Laws upon men, is first an errour in Logick, à negatione speciei ad negationem generis, nulla est consequentia:
If God have not a dominion over man, in one particular of penall Laws, he falls
from his whole dominion naturall, in other things: It is an undue inference. 2.
It cannot be but too darring to tye the blessed
God-head, and his essentiall dominion over man, to only making of penall
Laws: it smells of Scripturelesse boldnesse with the most High, and limits the Holy One, that he cannot be God, except
he be God in our way: And saith, he hath no way to preserve his glory, but by
creating a Hell: And therefore let that stand as an unproven position, since it
hath no probation; The reason that is given is as weak as the weak conclusion;
Though water may bear up water, yet it cannot support the earth. For 1. it
saith, if man be created a reasonable creature under a Law, he may sin, intercidi potuit obedientiâ, and he may
be created under a Law, with perfect morall dependence upon God Creator, as the Elect Angels and the
Man Christ, and yet never sin, and yet God falls not from his dominion, and
leaves not off to be God. (2.) This lookes somewhat the Arminian way, that man cannot be under the subjection of, properly
so called, Morall obedience, except his will be indifferent as Adams was, to stand or fall, to run to
Heaven or Hell, which indeed saith, that the most perfect obedience of Christ,
27
who was obedient to
the death, Phil. 2.8. and delighted to do the will of God, Psal. 40.8. John 4.34. is no proper obedience, that
is, perfect obedience is not proper obedience. And that obedience of Elect
Angels the samplar of our obedience, Mat.
6.10. Isa. 6.2,3. Psal. 103.20. is not proper obedience.
3. Whereas it is said, if man sin, his morall dependency cannot stand, except
God punish him, but so not only God shall not be God, nor have dominion over
man, except he impose a penall Law upon man, but he shall not be God except he
actually punish man, or his surety Christ. But the same pen saith that the out-goings of justice are free, that
is to say, it is free to God to punish sin; and yet he falls from his naturall
dominion over man, and leaves off to be God, if he punish not sin. But we do
deny that God falls from his naturall dominion over man, though he never impose
a penall Law upon him, and never punish, and desire that this may be proven,
nor is it imaginable, how God by
necessity of nature, must punish sin; And yet, in the way, measure, and degree
of punishment, and in the time when, he can use moderation. Which is as
good as to say, the fire must, by necessity of nature, burn, the Sun cast
light; But the fire hath free will to burn when it pleaseth, and at this time,
and not at this time; and the Sun must shine, by necessity of nature, but it is
free to shine at ten hours of the day, and not at twelve, and it may shine as
bright as the Sun, or as dimme as the Moon. Or God the Father loves himself,
but it is free to him to love himself to day, not to morrow, and to love
himself so much, not so much. And so he may say, God is so mercifull and just to day, as he may be no merciful, no
just, to morrow; and God is infinitly
mercifull and just, and yet he is lesse mercifull and more mercifull
essentially according to his good pleasure, which are speaking contradictions.
Yea this is that which misjudging Suarez
saith, that the creature may do a reall injurie to God, and take away from God
jus Dei ad gloriam, his right to glory, but the truth is, the creature by
sin darkeneth or overcloudeth his declarative glory, but can take away no
essentiall glory, nor any reall right or reall good from God, so Elihu, Job 39. 6. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against
him? If thy transgressions be multiplied, what dost thou to him? To take
his declarative glory from God,
28
is no lose to him, no more then it is lose to the Sun,
that ye hinder it to shine upon the wall, when yet ye take no light from the
Sun, for it shines upon an interposed body. Job
35. 8. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man
as thou art, and thy righteousnesse may profite the Son of man. It is needfull
(say some) that God preserve his own glory safe, but if sin be without
infliction of punishment, it is impossible that he can defend his own glory.
Ergo, of necessity he must punish sin. The proposition is out of controversie,
for all confesse that God most preserve his own glory, but by necessity, of
nature he must do so, quoniam scipsum non potest non amare. Because he cannot
but love himself, and he hath said, my glory will I not give to another.
To this is
answered, the glory internall, eternall, and essentiall to God, the Lord must
defend and love as he loves himself, by necessity of nature; and if any say
that the egressions and out-goings of God
to defend and love his own essentiall Glory, and his own holy Nature, so as he
may use moderation in the degrees and time of these, and he may love himself
and his own essentiall glory, more or lesse, and touching the time, he may
delay to love himself, and he may love himself and his own essentiall glory to
morrow, not to day, As the Author sayes, the out-goings of revenging justice
are moderated in punishing; he speaks wonders and things unworthy of God. The
place, Isa. 42. speaks not of this
glory, for no idol, no creature, can more take away from the Almighty this essentiall glory of God, nor his blessed
Nature can cease to be, but there is a glory
declarative of pardoning mercie, as well, as of revenging justice; It must
be a carnall conception and a new dream, that God by necessity of nature, loves himself as cloathed with
revenging justice, or as just, and his own glory of revenging justice, but that
God loves himself as mercifull and ready to forgive, or his own glory of
pardoning mercie freely, and by no necessity of nature: Which the Author must
say, for the place, Isa. 45. should
otherwise bear this sense, my glory of
revenging justice only, I will not give to Idol gods and creatures. But the
place of Isa. ch. 42.8. should not
conclude, but they might ascribe the glory of salvation and mercifull
deliverances and victories over Judah,
the Temple, the Sanctuary to their idol gods, the contrair where of is intended
29
by the Prophet; But if the Lord, by necessity of nature,
love his declarative glory, as he loves
himself, then he must love glory of one attribute, as well as of another,
and so as his Nature, not freedome or soveraignty puts him to it, to defend the
glory of justice, when man sins; Yea so as he cannot be God and essentially
just, except he vindicat his glory of justice; Yea so he must love the glory of
saving and pardoning mercy, as himself, for the one glory is no lesse
essentiall to God (if it be
essentiall at all) then the other. And by this means, God, by necessity of nature, to preserve safe the glory of saving
mercie, must send his Son, and by the like necessity, by which he loves
himself, he must redeem man; Now the Lord does not love himself, of free grace,
for he every way, for the infinite excellency of his Nature is love-worthy, and
there is no interveening of freedome, of free grace, or soveraignty in the
Lords loving of himself and his own essentiall glory. There is a declarative
glory, which is not essentiall to God,
of which the Scripture, Prov. 16. 4. The Lord made all things for himself, that
is, for his glory, to be declared. Eph. 1.6. He hath chosen us to the praise of the glory of his grace, V. 11. In
Christ we have obtained an inheritance. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory.
30
of God is not
transferred to Idol gods and creatures; The Scriptures cry the contrare. When
ever Idolatrie is committed, Isa. 40.
and 41. Isa. 46.
31
his own Glory, defend his own Glory, then, by necessitie
of nature he must defend the Glory of all his Attributes, of Holinesse,
Graciousnesse, Greatnesse, Omnipotencie, Eternitie, Infinite knowledge, &c. that the Glory of not one of
these be taken from him by sin: And because the Lord maketh, and worketh all, that he doth without himself, in the
creature, for his own Glory. Prov. 16.
4. Rev. 4. 11. Rom. 11. 36. in all that he doth, he must by necessitie of nature
love his own Glory, quoniam seipsum non
potest non amare, because he loves himself. Ergo, by this ground the Lord doth nothing freely without himself,
and so the Lord makes not the rain to fall, the tree to bud, the sea to ebbe,
the wind to blow, the fowls to flee, the fishes to swim, for the declaration of
the Glory of his goodnesse, or his power, or his mercy, his holinesse, with any
freedome, but all these he must do for Glory to himself by necessitie of
nature, which Glory he loves as himself, for his Glory in all the doth without,
the loveth by necessitie of nature, as he loves himself saith the Author. And
therefore as he cannot preserve the Glory of his Justice, but by punishing sin,
and that by necessitie of nature, so he cannot preserve the Glory of the rest
of all his Attributes (which Glory also he loves as himself) but by doing all
without himself in like maner by necessitie of nature, which utterly destroyes
the libertie and freedome of God in
all his works of Providence and Creation, and so God shall be a naturall agent in all his works without himself, not
a free agent in Creating and Redeeming. 4. The Scripture sayes, he works all things according to the
counsell of his will, for his Glory, and therefore he intends not his own
declarative Glory as he loves himself: For by necessitie of nature he loves
himself, and cannot but love himself. But he might, if so it had pleased him,
never have intended to shew forth his own Glory, and does not show it forth by
necessitie of nature as he loves himself. Yea he might never have created the
world, never have acted without himself: For have he was sufficient within
himself and stood in need of no declarative Glory: Gen. 17. 1. Acts 17. 25.
5. Yea if by necessitie of Justice, God
cannot but punish sin, especially this justice shall
32
no other, should die for sin: for all these. Thou shalt destroy all the workers of
iniquitie. Thou art of purer eyes then that thou can behold iniquitie, and
the like, are expressions of a pure legall proceeding in the Lord, against such
as are out of Christ, under the Law, not under the Gospel, to wit, the workers of iniquity whom the Lord in
justice shall punish in their person, not in their surety. And if there be such
a connexion objective ex naturârei,
between sin and punishment, it must be between punishment and the very person
and none other, but the same that sinned: For among men this is justice. Noxa sequitur caput, so that by
necessitie of nature, God shall not
be God, nor essentially just, if he
punish not eternally Adam and all
mankinde in their own persons, and so by necessitie of justice, he cannot
punish Christ; And it cannot be denyed but there is a dispensation of free
Grace, and that it is no act of Justice but of Grace, that God make Christ sin, i.e. a sacrifice for sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. And that the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all, Isa. 53.
6. and made him our surety. Nor let any
man object, how could God make Christ a propitiation for sin to declare his
righteousnesse? Or how could such justice, by that action be debarred? since
justice did not exact such an action: If without violation of justice it might
have been omitted, if God should have been infinitely just from Eternitie, if
he had done no such thing? Shall a Prince get himself glory in the name of
justice, by doing that which, by his absolute Soveraignety, he may leave undone
without hurt of justice. It is Answered, this is to measure God by mortall men: Shall an earthly
father freely for no reall good to himself beget hundreds of children, when he
needs not, and yet he foresees the largest number of them shall perish
eternally, and the eldest must die and be made a curse, to save the rest. The
Lord punished Christ for us to declare the glory of his Justice in punishing
sin in his own Son, who was the sinner by imputation, for out of the depth of
infinite wisedome, the Lord freely imposes a law upon his creatures: He might
have imposed no such law under such a punishment. By no necessity of nature did
the Lord threaten death, for the eating the fruit of that tree, prove, that God
should not have been God except the had threatned death for the eating of that
fruit, and except he had punished
33
that eating with death, either to be inflicted upon the
eater or his surety. Quid heres?
Prove that by the Word of God, it is
sin to eat, when God forbids; but the
Lords soul hates sin. True, but does the Lords soul hate sin naturally, as he
loves himself and by necessity of his essentiall justice as contradistinguished
from his immutabilitie, and his truth and faithfulnesse, according to which
attributes, he decreed and said, that the
soul that sins shall die, and (he
that eats shall die) and he cannot change, nor alter, what he hath decreed,
and cannot but be true in his threatnings. But the Question is, whether (laying
aside the respect of Gods unchangeablenesse and truth) there be such a
connexion internall, between eating and dying, or between eating forbidden of
God, and punishment, as God cannot be equally and essentially just, nor can he
be God, except he punish forbidden eating; for sure eating of that fruit, is
not of its nature, sin, but it is sin, from the only forbidding will of God, for the Lord had been no lesse essentially
just, had he commanded Adam to eat of
the Tree of Knowledge. Ergo, it is
punished from the forbidding will of God,
for say that to be punishable or to be punished be essentiall to sin, if eating
of such fruit be sin from the forbidding will of God, the essence thereof must be from the same forbidding will,
then must it follow that God hates
not all sin, by necessity of nature; And that he hates such eating only
conditionally, if he forbid it; but he from his meer free will, did forbid it.
So the Question shall not be, whether God
in justice, punished Christ, and made him a propitiation to declare his
justice, but what the relative justice ad
extra is, by which God punisheth sin, and whether God should leave off to
be God (hallowed be his high Name) if he should not make first penall Laws to
threaten all sin with punishment. 2. Whether he should not be God, if he should
not punish all sin, even the eating of the forbidden tree. 3. What can be said
that is more weak and watrie, to enervat the glory of free Grace, then to
confound the Glory of Gods Justice in giving Christ to die for sinners, and
this glory as manifested and declared. For sure the manifestation of that glory
is a work of free Grace, and most free, if God do any thing freely, he must freely,
and by no necessity of Justice, Mercy, Omnipotency, Patience, Grace, &c.
manifest the glory of all
34
these to men Angels, and these attributes and the
internall splendor, beauty, or (to speak so) the fundamentall glory of all the
attributes of God is essentiall to God, and his very Nature. And they deny the
Lord, who teach that any attributes or such glory are in God freely or
contingently (if I durst so speak) for then might we say, these may go and
come, ebbe and flow, in the Lord, and he should be God, though Mercy,
Omnipotency, Gloriousnesse, Graciousnesse, were now and then wanting in him, as
he punishes not alway, and yet he is eternally just, he saves not alwayes, and
yet he is eternally mighty to save, and
abundant in compassions, but as to the manifestation of Power, Mercy,
Justice, that is freely in God: He sent his Son, and gave his Son to death for
us, out of love, John 3. 16. But it
is against common sense, to infer, Ergo,
God sent his Son, by necessity of love, and mercy, and free Grace. So that he
should not have been infinitly loving, mercifull, gracious, if he had never
sent him. And it is as poor Logick to say, because of grace and free-love he
sent his Son, and so might not have sent him, as to say he loved where there
was no need, & it is in vain to shew
the glory of Justice (saith the Author) when
God can take away sin, out of free pleasure, and why should he expose his Son
to shame, death, and a curse, whereas he might have taken away sin freely,
because it is his pleasure? This is the very things that Socinians say, there is no need of
blood, and satisfaction by blood, if God out of his absolute Soveraignty can
take sin away without blood, and so there was no need of reall satisfaction;
This is against the Holy Ghost, and we may hear it. All the Scriptures cryes
that out of free grace the Lord sent his Son, and delivered him to death; By the grace of God He tasted death for
every man, Heb. 2.9. Shall we infer there was then no necessity that he
should die? It is safest to say the only wise God decreed that sin should be.
2. That the glory of his Justice should appear in taking away sin, not in our
way, but in the way of God, to wit, in a way of justice, of mercy, of free
grace, in incomparable love, of mighty power; and in all these so acts the Lord
as he should not leave off to be the Lord, but acts most freely, though he had
not taken that course. But far be it from the godly not to adore him in this,
as the admirable way beyond the thoughts of men and Angels.
35
It were safest to draw holy
practises by way of use from this. In all pactions between the Lord and man,
even in a Law-Conant there is some out-breakings of Grace. Its true, there was
no Gospel-Grace, that is a fruit of Christs merite in this Covenant. But yet if
grace be taken for undeserved goodnesse: There are these respects of grace. 1.
That God might have given to Adam something inferiour to the glorious
Image of God, that consists in true righteousnesse, knowledge of God, and holinesse, Gen 1.26. Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10. It was a rich enough stock,
this holy Image to be so badly guided. And who looks spiritually to their
receipts? Its either too much of grace and holinesse that another hath, and too
little that I have, so arises virtuall sighing and grudging at the dispensation.
Or 2. a swelling that it is so much, as if it were not receiving. I am holier then thou, Isa. 65. 5. a
miskenning of him that makes me to differ, 1 Cor. 4.7. A blecking of others, Luk.
18.11. A secret quarrelling at God as
too strick and hard in his reckoning, Mat.
25.24. And what pride is this, because I am a meer patient under gifted
holinesse, to usurpe it as mine own? As if a horse should kick and fling,
because he wears a borrowed sadle of silk for a day.
2. Being and dominion over the
creatures is of undeserved goodnesse. Who looks to a borrowed body and a
borrowed soul, yea and to self, and
to that which is called I, as to a
thing that is freely gifted? So that though thou be in an high opinion of self,
self is self, and what it is, from God.
And when thou rides, whence is it that I am the rider, and the wearied horse
the carrier, but from God? 3. The
Covenant of Works it self, that God
out of Soveraignty does not command, is undeserved condescending; that God bargains for hire, do this and live, whereas he may bide a
Soveraign Law-giver and charge and command us, is overcoming goodnesse. Law is
honeyed with love, and hire, it is mercy that for our penny of obedience, so
rich a wadge as communion with God is
given. 4. The influences to acts of obedience, come under a twofold
consideration. 1. As congruous and suitable concurrences of God to Adams acts of obedience: And so they were free gifts to Adam not promised, as we shall hear in
the New Covenant. 2. As such influences by which the standing Elect Angels (who
36
were under this Covenant as well as Adam) were differenced from the Angels that fell, and were
confirmed that they should not fall, in this latter respect. Absolute
Soveraignty shines in Adams fall, so
if a Sparrow cannot stir its wing without God, Mat. 10.29. nor a hair fall from our head, ver. 30. far lesse could Adam
fall, and all his, without a singular providence; And farre lesse could Adam go on and act without influences
from God. And if strong Adam and
upright, created in holinesse, could not then stand his alone; Shall our clay
legs now under the fall bear us up? What Godly trembling is required in us? 5.
The gift of Prophesie, Gen. 2.23.
seems to be freely given, besides the Image of God, and Adams knowledge, Gen.
1.19. of every living creature, according to their nature may be proven, but it
appears to be naturall, and he is a lamentable example to us of abusing the
Image of God, and good gifts; But no habite without the continued actings of
God can keep us in a course of obedience: There is no ground to make habits of
grace our confidence. 3. There can be no giving and taking between the creature
and the Creator. Elihu pleads well for
him, Job 35.7. If thou be righteous
what gives thou to him? Or what receiveth he of thy hand, v.1. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man, as thou art,
and thy righteousnesse may profite the Son of man. Job 22.2. Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that
is wise may be profitable to himself? Is it pleasure to the Almighty that thou
are righteous? Or is it a gain to him that thou makest thy Wayes perfect? So
Eliphaz. And David, Psal. 16.2. My goodnesse extendeth not to thee. Acts
17.25: Neither is the Lord worshipped with mens hands, nor with their spirits: as if he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to
all life & breath and all things. What then is the glory of the
creatures obedience to him? It is some shining of the excellency of God upon
man and Angels, from the works of God, and our obedience to him. But suppose
there were no creature to pay the rent of this glory to him, is the Lord a
loser therefore? Hath he need of our songs of glory? Or that creatures should
be Heraulds of his praise? Or needs he the workmanship or structure of Heaven,
Sun and Moon to be a Printed Book to spell and sound his glory? If he need not
the Book (as he needeth nothing created. Who sayeth I am the Lord Al-sufficient)
37
he needs not one letter, nor any sense of the Contents of
the Chapters of that Book. There is a secret carnall notion of God in us, when
we act and suffer for God, that brings a false peace, and some calmes of mind, we have pleased him once, and beside
that peace, a scumme and a froath smoakes up unsensible in the heart, we are
profitable to God, it would be the
worse with him, if he wanted our prayers and service: but had the Lord any
missing of Heaven and of Angels and Men, in these infinite and innumerable ages
of duration, that went before any created being? When he was upon these
infinite and self-delighting thoughts, solacing himself in that infinite
substantial fairenesse and love his Son Christ, Prov. 8.89.30. (2.) You can give nothing to God Creator of all, but it must be either an uncreated God-head,
but he who perfectly possesseth himself, will not thank you for that, or your
gift most be a created thing: But how wide is his universall dominion? can you
give to one that, of which he was absolute Lord before? all the Roses are his,
all the Vineyards, all the Mountains, he is the owner of the South and the
North, of the East and the West, and infinite millions of possible Worlds,
beyond what Angels and all Angels can number, for eternitie of ages, are in the
bosome of his vaste Omnipotencie; He can create them if hee will.
And what ye give to another, it
was out of his dominion, but all things are in his dominion, for who spoiled
him of what he had? David blessed the
Lord, when the people gave for the
38
and infinitenesse of God.
Giving is an adding to him, to whom we give. But nothing can be added to him, for thine is the greatnesse, the power, and
the majestie. 3. Nothing can be given to him who is universall and full
Lord and Possessour of heaven and earth, and all things therein, for all that is in the heaven &c. are thine. 4. Nothing can be given to
him, who is so Lord, that he is exalted as Head, Prince and King, above all
created Kings, and their dominions over their own. 5. But all the goods of the
Subjects are the Princes, or the Commonwealths. The Jurists distinguish as the
Schoolman Theod. Smising, Tom. 1. de Deo, tractat. 3. disp. 4.9.5. fig. 65. a
two-fold jus, jus altum & jus bassum:
The Prince and Commonwealth, have a sort of eminent right to the goods of the
Subjects, to dispose of them for the publick good, as they may demolish a
castle belonging to a private man in the frontiers of the enemies land, because
it hurts the country, and may be better made use of by enemies against them for
the countrey; And they may compell him to sell it, but this hinders not, but
every Subject hath a dominion and right to his own goods, to use them at his
pleasure, which the Prince cannot do. Ahab
the King hath no right nor dominion over the vineyard of Naboth to compell him to sell it or give it against his will to his
Prince; For the earthly Prince, may the man himself, the just Proprietor before
men cannot bear that, so as it may be said of God, vers. 12. both riches
and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all: For God created the being of gold and of
every thing, that we can give to God,
which no earthly Prince can do.
6. Nothing can be given to him, in whose hand is power and might, and to
make great and to give strength: For 1. Riches and things we give are of him.
2. Power, might and strength to give, either Physicall, to bear a burden to his
house: Or, 2. Morall, a willing mind and heart to give is in his hand: Or, 3. A mixt power, the being of the act of giving is
his. v. 7. Of thine own we give thee. Can we give to any that which is his own
already? Can ye give to a Crowned King over such a Kingdom his own Crown? Can
ye give to the righteous owner of his own land, his own Garden, and his own
vineyard, in gift? but every being created is the Lords.
39
8. Saith David, v.15. We are strangers
before thee, and sojourners as all our fathers were: And that saith, the Lord is the only Heritor, and we but
Tennents at will, and strangers both fathers and sons, though for five hundreth
or a thousand years fathers and sons have lineally and in heritage before men
possessed such lands: yet before thee
(saith he) we and our fathers have but Tennentright, and are strangers from thee. And what can a meer stranger to life and
being give to the just Heritor and Lord
of life and being?
9. And our dayes (saith David) on
the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding life, and being is a
shadow of being, and God is the only
first excellent being: and suppose we should give life and being to and for
him, it is but a borrowed shadow that we give him; And we are not lords of our
own being, we have not absolute right over our selves to give our selves to
him. If Doeg will not give himself to
God, and act for God, Psal. 51.2. God shall take thee away and pluck thee out
of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Job
27.21. the east wind of God carrieth him
away, and as a storm hurleth him out of his place. Ye shall bestow life and
being worse then upon God. God shall
make morter of thee, O fool! who makes a god of borrowed I, great I and poor Nothing-self: Nay if there be a Pronoun
in thee O let it be this: Oh if my
separation from Christ and the blotting of my name out of the Book of Life, and
my heaven might be a foot-stool to heighten the glory, the high glory of the
Lord in the salvation of many. 2. This Pronoun self and mine is a proud
usurper against God. Was he not an
Atheist or a churle, and his name folly,
who said, 1 Sam. 25.11. and breathed
out so many my's? Shall I take my bread and my waters, and my flesh which I
killed for my shearers, and give it
to men whom I know not whence they be? And he was as madde a fool who thus
speaks, Isa. 10.13. By the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent: & I removed
the bounds of the people —14. And
my hand hath found as a nest the riches
of the people, and as one gathereth eggs that are left, so have I gathered all
the earth, and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or
peeped. This is the fool-axe boasting against him that heweth with it. And
another fool said: Make an agreement with
me by a present, and
40
come out to me, Isa. 36.16. And this mad-nothing is above God, chap. 37.10. Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee. The Tyrant of Egypt, the great Dragon that lyeth in the
midst of the river said, My river is
mine own, and I have made it for my self,
Ezek. 29.3. God made the Sea and all
the Rivers. There be three Pronouns in the mouth of another proud Monarch, Dan. 4.30. And the King spake and said, Is not this great Babylon that I have
built for the house of the Kingdom, by the might of my power and the honour of my Majesty?
So soon as there falls from the great
Lord of being a chip or shadow of created being, especially where being is
rationall and under a Law, there follows and results (the Lord withdrawing) a
proud supposed I and a vain conceit
of self, and a dream of God-head
comes in with borrowed being; And therefore created sinlesse self is to be
denyed. Adam denyed not himself and
thought in his sick imagination he should be like God knowing good and evill, Gen. 3. Christ the more excellent Adam
pleased not that noble self, Rom.
15.3. [foreign] He denyed himself as man, as a gracious meer man, to be God or
more then a man. And this self deniall is in elect Angels, who blush and are sinlesly ashamed of self, and cover their
faces with wings before shining Infinitnesse of Glory, and proclaim him thrice Holy, holy, holy, Isa. 6.2,3. And who
knowes not we owne grace as our own? my prayers
my faith, my holiness, my tears, as if
grace had a relish from self, not from God:
but Paul, 1 Cor. 15.10. Not I, but the grace of God (not my
grace in me) that was with me,
[foreign]
4. But is there no paction
between GOD and the creature? Surely we must say that the covenant between GOD
and Adam is of another nature, yea
and promises also, then these that are between man and man; for there is proper
giving and taking betwixt the creature. 2. The proper covenants between man and
man require that both parties be free and independent one of another, there may
interveen a jus, a right and a debt
upon the promissor to him to whom the promise is made. Omne promissum ex ore fidelicadit in debitum. Jurists say there is
no proper binding Covenants between the father and the son, the lord and the
servant; for the son and the servant are not lords of themselves nor sui juris.
41
The father by no paction can
remove the foundation of the debt of nature that the son oweth to the father:
for impossible it is, but if such a man be son to such a man, but he owe to his
father as to an instrument, quod sit
& vivat, being and living, and the son can not satisfie by paying the
father for that summe, and the father can not cancell the band nor give him an
acquittance. Far lesse can any recompence the Lord for life and being. The
fallen Angels and damned in hell and all wicked men are in the Lords Compt-book
everlasting debters to him for being. But God
who is more then a Father (to whom men are but painted fathers) may thus farre
loose the bond, as he may command the son to sacrifice the father, as well as
once he commanded the father Abraham
to offer up his son to God. But God cannot resigne his right that he
hath over the creature to a creature, because he cannot leave off to be
Creator, and so cannot lay aside or make over Creator-right, jus Creator is, to any. 2. Say that a
creature had a jus or right over the
Creator, it is either an uncreated right or a created right, so to pursue God by Law, as to cause him do him
justice; it cannot be an uncreated right; for that were near to blasphemie: For
no created head can bear the royall Crown of the King of Ages. If it be a
created right, this created right must be under the dominion of him who is
universall Lord of all: then may the Lord make use of it at his pleasure; then
may not the man make use of it at his pleasure: for an absolute dominion of one
and the same thing cannot be in the hands of two absolute Lords, who may have
contradictory desires concerning the same thing: such as the holy Lord and
sinfull men often are. Let us correct the bold pleadings and the daring charges
that our vain hearts put upon the Lord:
Why dost thou strive against him (saith Elihu,
Job 33.13.) for he gives not account of
any of his matters? Men dare say, when they are under the vengeance of
ordinary sufferings, The wayes of the
Lord are not equal, Ezek. 33.10. If
our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how shall
we then live? But upon whom should sins and transgressions and the
punishment thereof be, if not upon the carcases of the Authors? Will ye raise
letters to summond him? Where is the judge? Where is the Tribunall? But he
promised so and so; But this is not the Question of strict justice:
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that saith something against the veracity and
faithfulnesse of God, but nothing
against the justice. But neither doth a promise as a promise raise a plea of
unjustice against the holy and glorious Lord, suppose he should not fulfill his
promise. For 1. A paction by promise creats no equality of justice between
thing and thing, between wage and work: otherwise he that is called to the Vineyard,
and labours from the third hour, hath a just plea, for he should have more
wages then a penny, which he gets who labours but one hour. But the Lord makes not the equality or
proportion between much labouring for many hours, and the quantity and degree
of the wage his rule. But the Lord pleads the free Covenant for his standing
rule. Mat. 20.13. Friend, I do thee no worng: didst thou not
agree with me for a penny? And vers.
15. Is it not lawfull for me to do what I
will with mine own? Hence read our sickly queroulus nature. 1. Naturally we
argue from much working, and would conclude God,
much running, long sweating, and pains in keeping the Covenant of Works should
binde God, except he be unjust, to give me as many ounces and pound weights of
Glory everlasting, as I have fasted moments, and told over prayers upon beads,
and uttered sighs: Wherefore have we
fasted and thou seest not? We work and keep the Covenant of Works, but God payes us not our wage. Though it be
a doubt to me, if the Covenant of Works had stooden, and Adam and all his had fulfilled it perfectly; if the Lord should
weigh in an even ballance, by ounce weights, our poor labour, and great reward
of Glory, for had he entered such a market, the losse had been ours; we could
not have obtained life eternall that way, for our stock of time working should
have dryed up. The vertue of justice stands in the equality of that which is
given and received. Now there is a two-fold equality, one rei ad rem between thing and thing, ane Arithmetick justice, so
many ounces of naturall actings, and the same number of ounces of grace and
glory: This commutative justice is not in God, as the soundest and learned'st
School-men teach. There is another justice of proportion duarum rerum ad duas alias res, of two things proportionally
answering to two things, distributive justice is this, and it keeps a
Geometricall proportion, Augustine
with Scripture saith, God is become our
debter
43
not by receiving
any thing from us,
but by promising what he pleaseth.
2. It follows from the Parable,
that Gods bargaining with us depends not upon the equality between thing and
thing, the work and the wage; But upon his own free pleasure of disposing of
his own: And it is the froathinesse of our nature to judge the penny of Glory,
that we get by labouring to be our own, whereas after the promise, and after we
have fulfilled the condition, it is not ours, but Gods, and he calls it his
own, and it is to be disposed on by the Lords free-grace. Friend, may not I do
with mine own, what I please? Mat.
20.15. 2. No promise as a promise can give us a proper right, by way of strict
justice, to plead with God. 1. A promise of grace is a free promise, and no man
can say, because God promises the new
heart to most undeserving men, that are of a stony heart, and doe profane his
holy name, amongst the Gentiles, that therefore it is just by condignitie of
the thing, that a new heart should be given to them, that are foolish, disobedient, and serving diverse
lusts. The farrest that hard faced Jesuits go in this, is to tell us of the
poor penny of the merit of congruity, for the right weight of the summe and
thousands of saving grace which Papists have refused as ashamed thereof.
3. If a promise as a promise
should make an equalitie between one thing and another, and so lay a band of
strict commutative justice upon God, then should every promise do the like, quod convenit [foreign] convenit [foreign],
but that cannot be said: For then if God should promise glory of ten thousand
millions of degrees above the glory that Angels and men now injoy, for speaking
one good word, that should be a free promise, but that promise should not make
an equality between so hudge and rich a reward of glory, and so hungry and poor
a work as the speaking of a good word, so as God should fail of justice, if he
should deny a reward so great, for so small a work: For the denying thereof
should be against the veracitie and faithfulnesse of God, if he should not
fulfill his promise, but he should not fail against strict justice either in
not rewarding the work with a condigne reward, or in not giving to the man that
spake the good word his own. For there is no just equality between work and
wage here. Nor can ever so feckless
44
a work, or all the works of men and Angels, make the
glory of life everlasting our own. For glory remains ever the proper gift of God, and under his dominion.
4. A promise is, by order of time
or nature, latter and posterior to the good thing promised, as words of truth
are latter to things, and things have the same valor and worth, before and
after the promise, yea if one promise to give for a plot of ground, a summe of
money of value, five hundred times above the worth of that plot of ground, that
promise can not make the unequall and unjust price to be a just and equall
price. Even so the promise of God to
give eternall life to the obedience of Adam
can make no equality of strict justice between the reward and the wage; For the
reward promised for the wages is equall and just before the promise and ex naturâ rei; and so must lay bands on
the Lord, so as he cannot do contrair unto it, which is against all reason.
And who gave first to the Lord, and
it shall be recompensed to him, and he that gave first to him, man or Angel, must give his own (or then it is
no giving) which he received not from God,
either created being, or gift, or work (for any uncreated gift none can give to
him) as is said. 2. What is given is amongst the all things that are of him,
as the efficient, and to him, as the
last end, and through him, as the
conserver of all, and so can be no gift to him, Rom 11.36.
And what God of free goodnesse, decrees to do, that he may decree not to do;
and things falling under his decree, are not necessary, he cannot decree that
man should be a reasonable creature, for it involves a contradiction to be a
man, and not to be a reasonable creature. But no shadow of contradiction there
is for the Lord to forbid to eat; and to forbid to eat under a punishment: And
the not created world (it being from eternity nothing and a non ens) could not
have any jus or right to plead that God would stand to what he decreed, and
give being and create a world, for if the Lord should not give being to it,
and-create what he had decreed from eternity to create, he should fail against
his own unchangeable Nature, but should do no unjustice to an uncreated world,
except we say God should be unjust,
if he had not created the world: For being of justice is due to the world, and God refuses
45
to pay the debt of being to the uncreated world, which is
non-sense. And upon the same ground, if he should annihilat the world or take
away life from living things, he should be unjust; It is safer therefore to say
that God oweth the creature nothing, but we are his debtors, for service and
praises, while we have any being.
4. Use. If God, of his free will, so placed Adam to reward his obedience: We think hard to serve God for wages,
and to be placed in a condition of obedience. Evah, and we with her, sucking the same milk, thirst after such
lawlesse Independency to be from ( Gen.
3.5,6.) under God; Whereas Adam and Angel -courtiers that have wings to obey, and the Noble and High
Heir who learned obedience through the
things he suffered were in this condition, and Christ a King in the shape
of a Servant was obedient to death, to
the death of the Crosse, Phil. 2. Hence, to weary of submitting to God,
speaks much unnaturall pride, yea will not be under God. 2. There is little of Christ in such, for it was life to
Christ and meat and drink, Psal.
40.8. Heb. 10.8. John 4.34. Act. 10.38. to
obey, and it is the Angels life, Jsa. 6.2,3. Psal. 103.20. Rev. 4.8.
and they are neer him, who both at once serve and Raigne, Rev. 22.3,5. much delight to obey, speak much of God in the heart. Tyre not of your
Master; examine more, untowardnesse to pray, to confer, to give, &c. if it be not a cause of deadness
and be not a way of backsliding.
5. Use. If creatures keep their
Covenant-naturall with God, shal not
the oxe, the cran, Isa. 1.3. Jer. 8.7. the asse, 2 Pet. 2. 16. who never had a design of
rebellion, depon against us in Judgement? Ah! what an unnaturall policie, the
first evill wit of him that sinned from the beginning, John 8.44. and whom we follow at the heels, it is to please our own
wit, in Covenant breaking. Such as are sick of love for their own wylie
time-serving custome; If all naturall men in their death bed damne not this
folly, aske them and they shall speak.
6. Use. If God Covenant with us for hyre, when his absolutenesse may bear him
to command, how sinfully soft are our spirits, and weak is reason, that is
broken with a straw, when an apple conquers Evahs
eye and heart? Talents of Silver, and a wedge of
46
Gold Achan, and
Gehazi; A drink of water, if not at
hand, in time of thirst, make the people murmure against God; the more sanctified, defecat and spirituall reason be, the
farther it is above that which cursheth Balaam
and Judas; The first heavens motion,
the primum mobile, which draws all
the rest, must be the most excellent, and the moving power must be most
spirituall; its neither heavinesse which is in stones or clay, nor lightnesse
in the aire and fire, but a more heavenly force, which throws about that body,
so the motions of sanctified reason which is sweyed and driven by no Argument,
but from eternity, communion with God,
a Kingdom above time, must be most spirituall. The dogge is moved with a bone,
the oxe with hay.
7. If no law and poor obedience
of ours can buy a communion with God,
let us examine the peace that flowes from obedience; Its purer and more solid
peace, that flowes from Justification, and more immediatly removes the warre
between God and us, Rom. 5. 1. and comes by a purer and
nearer emanation from God and from
the ransome of Redemption that is in Christ, then that which flowes from
created acts of inherent holinesse. (2.) Our first
47
Lord, or Father and Husband, so the word) to the righteousness of God. When (I) (self) or nature meets with working,
yea with grace often, there followes some loftinesse, except it be humbled and
mortified (I) which can weep and say.
Lord what am I?
CHAP. VIII.
What place death hath in the Covenant. 2. What such as Cain and
Judas are to do in their desperate state.
3. And why the LORD is no where called
the GOD of Adam.
Q.
What room hath death in the Covenant?
A.
Death hath room in the broken Covenant of Works, as the Pursevant and Sergeant
of revenging justice. Hence deaths reign. [I
must die whether I will or not] Unwillingnesse to die and bondage through fear of death is the
Law-sting in death, from which Christ hath delivered us, Heb. 2. 15. Original sin and death came and entred the world by the
Covenant of Works. The Covenant of Grace made not death, but found it in the
world, Christ made of an old enemy death a new servant: its now the Kings
ferry-boat to carry the children over the water. Its a sutable condition to a spirituall
state to die being sent for, not legally summon'd, and to die, because I desire
to be dissolved. Ph. 1. 23. not
because I must. And better it is to summon our selves then to be summoned.
Though we love heaven too much as a place of pleasure, rather then a place of
holinesse, yet most men would wish a better causey to it then to sleep through
the cold grave or a dark hole in the earth.
Q. What room hath life in the Covenant? Ans. The Administration of the
Law-Covenant is first habituall holinesse of works, and then a crown. The
Administration of grace is first faith and a title to Christ our life and hope of glory, and then habituall
holinesse, begun here and perfected hereafter. The Gospel-life is both a reward
and a duty of praising and loving eternally in place of all the ten Commands,
yea of Law and Gospel. The Law-life
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(for ought that is revealed) is a reward to be purchased
by our legall obedience.
Q. If Adam in the intervall
betwixt his fall and the publishing of the blessed Seed, was not to despaire,
but to rely upon God as mighty to save; What should such as Judas or Cain do?
A. The
conscience of Cain and of despairers,
being no authentick Bible nor Judge, which can carry the controversie between
them and God, so long as they are in the way, or are viators, the Gospel treaty
betwixt them and Christ yet standing and not broken off upon the part of
Christ, they are to cherrish and hold up the Treaty, and (as it were) to force
speech out of Christ, and to pursue the news of an offered salvation. 2. There
is no Spirit of God that suggests to them despaire, and bids them write
themselves in the black roll of Reprobates, for though they beleeve hell, as
the Devils haply beleeve there is a God,
yet they blow the coals of that hellish furnace, and kindle a fire before
night. 3. They being under the Law of Nature, are to rely on infinite mercy
able to save. Their witty darknesse of unbeleef faith they beleeve, but they
hate mercy in the generall toward others, as to themselves. 2. For a doubting
child of God, because the light of
evidence (which to them, in that case is dimme) comes nearer to the naturall
light of reason, then to spirituall light, therefore, faith must be set on work
to act as faith, and faith acts most strongly when reason is weakest. Naturall
causes work more strongly under opposition, the fire burns most vehemently in
winter frost, and the internall heat of the body is most mighty for concoction,
when the coldness of the air is most piercing without, faith sees God most piercingly at midnight in Job, when rottennesse and deadness
speaks the contrair, Job 19. I know surely (so the word, Exod. 8.1. Psal. 31.8. that my Redeemer
lives. Isa. 50.10. He that walks in
darknesse, and hath no light (of evidence) let him trust on the Name of the Lord, and let him stay himself upon
his God, Rom. 4.19,20. (2.) There is a peece of unseen wilfulnesse in
unbeleef, and two refusalls in it, as we see in Thomas, Joh. 20.25. as there is a masse of sanctified will required
in sincere faith, Rom. 10.9,10. Mark. 9.24. and so resistance must be
made to that blind impulsion of will in unbeleef, by which we please our selves
in doubling our doubting.
49
(3.) Should the commanding of
killing the Son, Gen. 22.2. seem to
contradict the whole Gospel of the promised Seed, Gen. 25. 4. yet knowing both to come from God, Abraham did well to leave the supposed contradiction to be solved
by God, and beleeve both as we are to beleeve food, in no food, and in famine.
Q. Where was there a word that God was Adams God? Ans. Not directly. For 1. that Covenant was like Letter of the
King raised to such a day, and the date being expired, the Letter cease to be
in force. 2. Adam was to winne and
purchase (as it were) God to be his God. by consumate obedience. God never said that he would be Adams God by giving him influences to
obey, and to obey to the end, all influences granted to Adam, to will and to do, were granted to him. 1. By God Creator, not by the grace of a
Redeemer, as in the Covenant of Grace, to walk, Ezek. 36.27. to love. Deut.
30.6. to persevere, Jer. 32.39,40. 2.
These influences were free gifts, but not promised. 3. They seem to be ordinis naturalis, naturall, though they
did bow and previously inclince the will, but not so in the New Testament, for
the whole Covenant is called by the promise of the giving of a new heart, Heb. 8.10. Isa 54.9.13. Jer. 31.
31,32,33. Ezek. 11. 19,20. Hos. 2. 18,19. And therefore better it
is that God be Lord of my heart, and it be his, then that I be lord of it, and
my heart be mine own heart, the lesse of our heart be upon our heart, the more
upon God, the better. Ah! we cannot
skill to guide a heart. 3. The threatning of death to Adam, if he should sin, Gen.
2.17. may infer a Covenant of life, and that God should be Adams God,
if he should obey.
CHAP. IX.
What life is promised in the Covenant of Works. 2. Whether all we, especially the Reprobate, by the fall, lost all right
to the creatures. 3. How the Lord is
our God.
Q.
WHat is meaned by life promised in the Covenant of Works! A. 1. Not a life in Christ and the fruit of the merit of blood, as
our life is in the New Covenant, Joh.
10.11.
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Joh. 3.16. For Adam was not Mediator of reconciliation here, he was a sort of
publick Law-head in whom he was to stand or fall, if any please to call him so
a Mediator [foreign] but it is a Law-life happily a communion in glory. 2. But
the life the lived, and the creatures for his service seems not to belong to
this life, for the creatures were given to Adam,
he not working for them. Yet I should not oppose, if any say that earthly
blessings were given to Adam, as a
reward of an actuall obedience, as they are given to such as keep the Law, Deut. 28. But sure our gain in Christ of
such a life, bought by so noble a Ransome as the Blood of God-man, is not
little. Its rawnesse and greennesse of wit, to value it so low as we do.
Children see not what a hireing and taking apple Heaven is.
Q. Whether or no did Adam and
all the Reprobats in his loyns, by
sin, losse right to the creatures?
A.
There is a three-fold right.
1. Naturall.
2. Providentiall.
3. Spirituall.
A naturall right may be conceived
two wayes. 1. Absolutely, so
creature, and man not created, can have no jus
or claime to being or life, the Creators
free gift is our best Charter to life and being. 2. This right may be
conceived, conditionally, as if God create the Sun, a power to give
light is congruous, and debita naturae
Solis suteable to the nature of the Sun, nor can the creature plead for
this, as debt: but if the Lord give being, to injoy this being can not be sin,
because there is no law and command to nothing to receive or not to received
being and life from the Creator: And
where there is no Law, there is no transgression. And therefore to have
being and life cannot be in it self a sin.
2. Providentiall right is but a
continuating of life and being, untill the same power that gave it, shall
remove it, by way of punishment; For God
as Creator, of his Soveraignty, gives
being and life, and the comfortable use of the creatures; but as a Judge
ordinarily for sin he removes it, though he, I deny not, out of his
Soveraignty, may, and possibly doth, annihilate the meat that the
51
Angels in assumed bodies, and which the Man Christ, after
the Resurrection, did eat.
3. The spirituall right is that
new supernaturall Title, which the Elect beleevers have, in order to a
supernaturall end, and all these being made theirs, to promove their salvation,
1. Cor. 3.21. All things are yours. Rev. 21.7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, by Covenant-right, for
he adds, And I will be his God, and he
shall be my Son, Psal. 37 10. A drink of cold water, by this Charter, is
better then a Kings Crown, and hath refreshed some more then all the choise
wine the earth yeelds. The love of the Giver is better then wine, Cant. 1.2. and here the Charter is, by many
thousands, more precious then the Land. For nature common to all is over-gilded
with free-Grace. And the naturall life and being, and the materiall heavens we
shall injoy, are blessed in another manner to the glorified, then these they
now injoy, 1. Cor. 15. 40,41,42,43,
&c. 2. Pet. 3.13. Rev. 21.1. Isa. 65.17. and they shall be above the heavens that are, when the
mysticall body shall be perfected, yea, and the dust into which the bodies of
the Saints are resolved, keep a spirituall Covenant relation to God in Christ:
As Exod. 3.6. Mat. 22.32. Joh. 6.39. Rom. 8.21,22,23. for no joint or part of
the body, but it must share of Covenant glory. We look little to any thing but
to have and injoy the dead lump and body of Gold, dead lands without Christ. See Hos. 2.18.22. Ezek. 34.25.27. Ezek.
36.29. Lev. 26.6. Psal. 37.9,11, 29. 1 Tim. 4.8. Heb. 13.5,6. Math.
6.25,26. Psal. 34.10. O fair
inheritance. 4. As to the second (which is the main controversie) to injoy life
and being, is the substance of the act, no sin. Men contraveen a Law to be so
and so born, to wit, in sin, for its forbidden by a Law: But to be born and
live, is no sin, but by order of nature, before Originall sin. Nor is it
forbidden more to man to be born and live, then its forbidden to beasts, nor to
eat, sleep, wake, then to them: So neither is it commanded by a Law to die, but
it is commanded and commended to die well, to fall asleep in Christ, 1 Thes. 4.14.16. to be faithfull to the
death, Acts 7.60. Rev. 2.10. Rev 14.13. (2.) The Elect who are born heirs of wrath, as others, Eph 2.3. And all the Reprobate
should kill themselves, or be killed, from the birth, if to live and eat were
sin,
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in it self. But only the Lord of life and death, and his Minister, the Magistrate hath power to take away life and being, no man can be
his own burrio. But if it were sin in it self to live, they ought to expire and
restore an usurped life, which they possesse, malâ side, to the owner the Lord, as a theef is oblidged to restore
stollen goods (3) The dominion of Reprobats over the creatures, is a part of
the good Image of God, Gen. 1.26,27.
and they breath, live, ride, sail, and are no more then the Elect to lay these
aside, then they are to lay aside the naturall knowledge of God, by which they are to glorifie God as God, Rom. 1.19,20,21. Rom.
2.14,15. Act. 14 16,17. Now the
Reprobates have not utterly lost the Image of God, as to know there is a God,
to honour their parents, to hurt no man.
4. This opinion looks the rather
like a fancie, that it is a temptation in weak ones, under a sad desertion, Sathan riding upon their Melancholie (a
complexion not sanctified, usefull to Sathan, and if sanctified, a seat of
mortification and humble walking) for they judge it sin to eat, and drink, and
sleep, they having no right thereunto, but so they have no right to live, and
are oblidged to kill themselves, and upon the same ground, it was sin to Adam to speak, to answer God, to breath,
to hear the news of the blessed seed, which all are acts of life, and so acts
of sin, and upon the same ground, that they cannot perform these without sin,
they should not pray, for in praying, they cannot but take the Name of God in vain. For we are not to abstaine from a
duty, because of the sinfulnesse, which adheres to the duty, by reason of our
corruption, for in Christ the sinfulnesse is pardoned, and the duty accepted.
5. It necessarily must follow, if
it be sin to eat, because the nonconverted have no right spirituall in Christ,
to bread, the converted may spoil by their grounds, all the non-converted, of
their goods, houses, gold, gardens, vineyards, lands, and upon the same ground,
for the crime of non-regeneration, they must also deprive them of their lives,
and kill them; For they have alike right, that is, no right (these men being
Judges) to either life or goods. And so, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, must be meant of the converted
neighbour: but with fire and sword all other neighbours may be killed and
spoiled, and so there should
53
be no stealing, no oppressing, no crushing of the widow,
the stranger, the fatherlesse, the weaker; not grind the faces of the poor,
though their Redeemer be strong,
contrair to the Scripture, Prov.
23.11. Jer. 50.33,34. Psal. 94.5,6,7,8. Psal. 14.4. Exo.
22.26,27. Isa. 3.12,13,14,15. Mic. 2.3. and so it were lawfull to take
Crowns, Kingdomes, inheritances, lands, dignitie, and honour, from all the
unregenerate Princes, powers, and rulers on earth, to cut off with the sword
all the heathen Nations who as yet know not Christ, and it were lawfull for the
regenerate sons and brethren to kill and spoil Father, Mother, Brethren,
Sisters, Kings, Potentates, Countrey-men, strangers, Orphans, exiled, captives,
prisoners, sick, weak, imprisoned, all infants that are by nature the heirs of
wrath, upon this ground, the converted
ones judge all non-converts to be void of all due right to life, or goods,
and so in these men, the societies, Churches of Christ must cease.
Obj. These who injoy that of which
they deserve to be deprived, have no due right to that of which they deserve to
be deprived, but are usurpers, and so sin. But all the non-regenerated are
such, or, they who use that to which they
have no right, do sin in the act of using it.
Ans. 1. They who injoy that of which they deserve to be deprived, they sin,
and have no due right to use it; Is
not universally true. They who injoy that which they may and ought by their own
private power, restore, such as ill conquished goods. They sin in using that,
true, Prov. 3.27. Exod. 22.26,27. Luke 19. 8. Its a sin to withhold the rayment though laid in pawnd,
which should cover the poor mans skin in the night, and they have no right to
injoy that.
But they who injoy that, what ever it be, of
which by sin, they deserve to be deprived, they have no due right to that,
it is denyed: For if it be life, being, eating, sleeping, and such things, as
only can be taken away, by a judiciall power, and by God the Lord of life and
death, and cannot be taken away by themselves, (for it is lawfull for no man to
punish himself and take away his own life) nor by any other, except for capital
crimes, they have due providentiall right to keep and injoy all such things
untill the same power that gave them remove them, nor do they sin in using
54
them. And it is most dangerous to say, that Devils and
the damned in Hell who dishonour the Majesty of God by their living and being, and so by sin, deserve to be
annihilated and deprived of their being, do sin, in that they live and are not
annihilated, and that all the Elect before their conversion, sin in that they
injoy being and life. A judge sentenceth a man to die for killing his father
within 24. houres, but by invincible providence he is rescued out of the hand
of the Magistrate, and lives diverse years after, the sentenced man sins not
before God nor against the law of the
land, in that he lives, nor can be called an usurper and unjust, malæ sidei, possessour of his life: For
the sentence was not that he should take away his life with his own hand, but
that it should be taken away by the judiciall hand and executioner of the
Magistrate. Nor is this Providentiall
right, a right of meer permission but of positive donation and free-gift,
for then we might by the same reason, say that Reprobate men have of meer
permission to keep and injoy the knowledge of these, that God is: Superiours, Parents are to be honoured: the whole is more
then the part; Yea they have the same naturall and providentiall right by
nature that other sinners have to the one as to the other. 2. These who injoy that, of which they deserve
to be deprived, they sin in the act of using; as touching the substance of
the act of living, being, eating, drinking: That is most false. These who injoy that, of which they deserve
to be deprived, they, in modo, in
the way, maner, and end of living,
eating, &c. do sin: It is true: and such have and spirituall and
supernaturall right in Christ (which they ought to have, if they be in the
Visible Church and hearers of the Gospel) to life, being and the creatures, and
they sin in not believing, Rom. 14.
not eating for the Glory of God, 1 Cor.
10. 31. Naturall men care not if they have and injoy things so they have them:
They have being, so have earth, stones, &c. they live, so doe trees and
hearbs, they have health, so have beasts and birds, they swallow up many years,
so do Ravens, and Harts and other beasts, a long lump, many thousand yairds and
miles of life are sought, diu sunt, non
diu vivunt. But who lives for God,
who sleeps, who wakes, who eats for God
and his Glory? and they who make themselves their last end, Idolatrously put
self in the roome of God, who only
55
is the last end of all,
Q. What way is God ours?
A. BY
Covenant, Ezek. 34. 24. Genes. 17. 7. Jere. 32. 38. Zech. 13.9.
But he is not ours as if we had some gifted right and dominion over him, as we
have over the creatures. 2. Nor is he ours as we are his, the clay hath no
soveraignty over the Potter. Nor 3. is God
simply as God ours, but God as it were coming down in Christ to us Covenant-wayes as God incarnate, to make out his
goodnesse, grace, mercy to and for us. 4. Its true God incarnate, Christ, is principally Gods, 1 Cor. 3. 21. not ours. He is all for God, he is Immanuel, our Immanuel in order to save us, and so is
more ours then the God of Angels.
2. God is the fluier of the Saints desire, more to them then all
heaven in the length and breadth thereof, and all the inhabitants thereof, Psal. 73.25. Isa. 63.16. more then all the Angels and Saints, 1 Thes. 4.16. (2.) There is no hell to Christ but afar off God. Psal. 22.1. Math. 27.45. no heaven but the glory he had with the father, John 17.5. (3.) There is
nothing more like a spiritual disposition then when the Spouse, Cant. 3. hath soul-love to Christ: I sought him whom my soul loved. (2.)
She hath an ardent desire after him, I
sought him but I found him not. 3. There could not be such diligent search
after she found him, if there had not been strong faith. 4. And her conference
with the watchman, Saw ye him whom my
soul loveth? saith, She enjoyed Ordinances and means, yet there may be
(which is to be observed) a furniture of grace and a want of Christ, I went a little further, I found him whom my
soul loveth, Cant. 5. There is 1. a waking heart. 2. A discerning of the Beloved,
and a telling over again of his words, Open
to me, my sister, &c. 3. A stirring of Christs hand upon the key-hole
of the heart. 4. A moving of the bowels for him. 5. A seeking of him and a
praying, but no finding nor answer. 6. A love-sicknesse for him, and yet a
missing of himself, I sought him but I
found him not. So compare Cant.
1.1,4. with
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Cant. 2.3,4. with v. 6,8. and other places, it will be clear a Godhead can only quiet
the spirit, and that its a question whether we know the field where the Pearle
is, and the Rubies, Saphirs, precious stones that are hid here, which do in
worth exceed the capapacity of Angels and Saints.
Therefore should his glory be the
last end and stirrer of us in all our actings, and grace the only efficient in
all, and so much of God (if he be ours by Covenant) as our wayes, intentions
may smell of him. But there is much of the creature, of self, of gain, of empty
glory, in our spirituall actings. God weights nor down the creature nor heaven
and union with Christ: as Exod.
32.32.
CHAP. X.
Q.
WHat are the false grounds of the Lords making the Covenant of Grace?
A.
There are two bastard grounds devised by Arminians.
1. Because the Covenant of Works cannot oblidge both to active and passive
obedience, but to one of them only (say they) and the Covenant of Works was so
rigid, that God could not follow it
out, and cast infants in hell for a sin which is theirs, only by imputation,
and was pardoned to the first man that committed it. Therefore he was
necessitated to make a Covenant of Grace with all mankind, none excepted. But
the Covenant of Works is broken, and can now be a way of Justification and
salvation to none, but yet it oblidges all. And sin cannot make us lawlesse,
for the spirituall Law is of an eternall obligation. 2. They that never heard of
Christ, perish by the Law, and not by the Covenant of Grace of
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which they never heard, and the Gospel is written in the
heart of none. 3. The first Covenant was holy and spirituall, and God should unjustly threaten death upon
infants, if they be not guilty of eternall condemnation, as Arminius, disp. pub. 7. th. 16.3. and the Scripture saith,
infants are guilty of this sin, Eph.
2.3.
CHAP. XI.
The three-fold Covenant considered. 2. The Law pressed
upon
THere be who hold that there be
three Covenants. 1. A Covenant of Nature,
whereby God as Creator required
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perfect obedience from Adam in Paradice, with promise of life, and threatning of death.
2. The Covenant of Grace, whereby he promises life and
forgivenesse in Christs Blood to believers.
3. A subservient Covenant, made 1. With
The differences between the
subservient Covenant, and that of Grace.
1. In the subservient, God only approves righteousnesse and
condemnes sin in that of Grace he pardons and renues. Ans. Acts. 15. 11. We beleeve
through the Grace of the Lord Jesus, we shall be saved even as they under that
Covenant. Acts 10. 43. To him gave
all the Prophets witnesse, that through his Name, whosoever beleeveth in him,
shall receive remission of sins. Abraham and David were justified, in that
sin was not imputed to them, not by works, Rom. 4.1,2,3,—6,7,8,9,
&c. Gen. 15.6. Psal. 32. 1.2.5. I said I will confesse my transgression, and thou forgavest the
iniquity of my sin. Isa. 43 25. I,
even I am he that blots out
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thy transgressions
for my own sake,
and I will not remember thy sins. So David was a man according to the heart
of God, so Asa, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, Samuel, Baruch, Gedeon, Daniel, the
Prophets, under that subservient Covenant (except they be under a fourth
Covenant) were renued, justified, saved by faith, Heb. 11. as under a Covenant of Grace.
2. The former was, do and live, this was, believe and live, Ans. Doing and living
was but a shuting them up under the Law, that they might flee to Christ in whom
they beleeved; else the fathers must be saved and justified by works contrair
to Rom. 2.
3. In antiquity, the former came
in as added 430, years after the promise of grace, Gal. 3. 17.
Ans.
True, but he speaks of the Covenant in Sinai, according to the strict Law part,
which could not save, and so its different. But that proves nor two Covenants.
4. In the former is compulsion
and the Spirit of bondage, in this heart inclining freedom and the Spirit of
Adoption. Ans. Yet the differences
are accidentall, there was a legall awing of the hearts, as if they had been
Servants, yet Hens and Sons they were, Gal.
4.1,2. The whole Book of the Proverbs spake to the Godly as to Adopted Son.
They were beleevers, Heb. 11.
5. In the former man is dead, in
this man is humbled for sinne? Answ.
Legally dead, except they would flee to Christ, and legally condemned, but
there, was true humiliation for sins under that Covenant, As David, Josiah, Hezekiah, and all
beleevers then, as now, were pardoned and justified.
6. In the former there are
commands, not strength, but here there be promises and grace given? Ans. The full abundance of grace and of
a new heart, was reserved untill now. And the Law could not make perfect nor
give pardon, in the blood of beasts; as touching that legall dispensation: But
both grace, the Spirit,
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pardon, righteousnesse and life were received and
beleeved; by looking on Christ to come.
7. In the former,
But the truth is, the Law as
pressed upon
1. The Law as the Law or as a
Covenant of Works is made with perfect men who need no mercy; But this Covenant
is made with sinners, with an expresse preface of mercy: I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
&c. It is made with stiff necked
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heard their
groaning, and remembred his Covenant with Abraham and
Isaak and Jacob. So the Lord expones
it in his appearing to Moses. Exod.
3.6. Jer. 31.32. Not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers, in the
day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the
3. This Covenant hath the promise
of a circumcised heart, Deut. 30.6.
and of the word of faith that is near in
the mouth, and of the righteousnesse of faith clearly differenced from the
righteousnesse of the Law by doing. For so
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4. The Covenant of Works taught nothing of the way of
expiation of sin by blood typifying the Ransome of blood that Christ was to pay
for our sins, as this Covenant, all along had sacrifices and blood to confirm
it. Exod. 24.8. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said,
behold this is the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you, concerning
all these words. Now the words were the ten Commandements. See Heb. 9. v. 18,19,20,21,22,23,24. (5.) This Covenant is made with
(7.) The Lord minds to lay aside
the Law as inconsistent with the Covenant of Grace, Gal. 3.18. If the inheritance
be by the Law, then it is not by promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise; For to live by this
Covenant, is a life of promises, all
being here promised, both faith the condition, and perseverance therein, and a
new heart, righteousnesse, pardon, and life. A man that hath his estate in
papers and in good words that are transient things, may seem a poor man, but to
live by promises here is the rich life of the heirs of hope, this is strong
consolation under deadness, absence, faith working under-ground in the dark, Gal. 3.21. If there had been a Law which could have given life, verily
righteousnesse should have been by the Law.
Though he commanded them to do
the Law, it was not that they should live thereby, and though he commanded us
the same, it is another command, as it were, it is not so much now that we obey
from the Authority of God Law-giver
under pain of damnation (though that be not laid aside, but urged in a Gospel
intention upon heirs) as from the love of God,
Grace giver; as also there is an intrinsecall amænitie in Christ drawing, and
obedience now becomes connaturall, free, delightfull. Let these consider, to
whom the yoak of obedience is a torment and a man-mill.
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8. The Passeover and
Circumcision, Gen. 17.7. all along
were seals of the Covenant, as Baptism one with Circumcision in substance,
Its true that first Covenant had Moses for its mediator, but as he was a
Type of Christ, so Christ yesterday and the day was the reall Mediator, but
vailed. The New Covenant hath better promises, Heb. 8.6. Heb. 7.22. its
a better Covenant, Heb. 7.22. hath a
better reall, not a Typicall suretie, a better Priest who offered himself
through the eternall Spirit, Heb.
9.14. a better Sacrifice, because of the plainenesse, Iohn 16.29. 2 Cor. 3. 18.
because the reall promises are made out to us, because of a larger measure of
Grace, 2 Cor. 3.1,2,3,4. And the
first Covenant is faultie, Heb. 8.7.
not because there was no Salvation by it, the contrare is Heb. 11. but that is comparatively spoken: because the blood of
beasts therein could not take away sins, Heb.
10.1,2,3,4. because forgivenesse of sins is promised darkly in the first
Covenant, but plainly in the other, because Grace is promised sparingly in the
former, but here abundantly, the Law being written in the heart, John 7.39. Esa. 54.13.
And it is true, Gal. 4.22,23,24,25. &c. they seeme to be made contrare Covenants: But Paul speaks, Gal. 3. of the Law as relative to that people, and so it pressed
them to Christ, and keeps them as young Heires under nonage. 2. He speaks of
the Law absolutely, as contradistinguished from the Gospel, Gal. 4.21. so it is a Covenant of Works
begetting children to bondage: 2. Who come short of righteousnesse and the
inheritance, and shall not be
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saved. 3. Who are casten out of the Kingdome of Grace. 4.
Who persecute the Godly the Sons of promise, so is the Law as it was in Adams dayes, and is now to all the
Reprobate; so the Godly are not under the Law and the Covenant of Works. The
Covenant urged upon Believers is to prove them, when they stand afar off and
tremble, Exod. 20.20. Fear not (saith Moses) God is come to prove
you (not to damne you) and therefore Calvine
solidely observeth that Paul, 2 Cor. 3. speaks with lesse respect of the
Law then the Prophets do, for their cause, who out of a vain affectation of the
Law-Ceremonies, gave too much to the Law and darkned the Gospel, and sayeth the
one was 1. Literall. 2. Written in stone. 3. A Sermon of death and wrath. 4. To
be done away and lesse glorious, whereas the Gospel is Spirituall. 2. Written on
the heart. 3. The Ministrie of life. 4. And glorious: and praises put upon the
Law, agree not to it of its own nature, but as it was used by the Lord to prove
them, Exod. 29.20. and chase them to
Christ.
The Arminians also (especially Episopius)
make three Covenants. 1. One with Abraham,
in which he requires sincere worship and putting away strange gods: Beside 2.
Faith and Universall obedience, and promised
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$ell fed, then with men, contrare to Psal. 73.25. Isa. 57.1,2,3.
Psal. 37.37. and it must build some
Chalmer in hell, where the fathers were before Christ, a dreame unknown to
Scripture. The third Covenant makes the Covenant of Grace a Covenant of Works,
and holds out life and pardon, upon condition that freewill repent and believe
and stand on its own feet, for there is neither faith, nor a new heart nor
repentance promised contrare to Deut.
30.6. Ezek. 11.19,20. Ezek. 36.26,27. Isa. 59.19,20,21. Isa.
44.1,2,3,4,5. Zech. 12.10.
CHAP. XII.
1. All are to try under what Covenant they are. 2. Threatnings under the New Testament are more
spirituall 3. Desertions under both
are compared. 4. Considerable
differences of such as are under the Covenant of Works, and such as are under
the Covenant of Grace. 5. Of legall
terrors. 6. Of convictions compelled,
free, legall, &c.
Quest. 1. WHether should not all try under what Covenant they are.
Answ.
Self-searching is a reflect act upon the state (and such acts are more
spirituall, then direct acts) and therefore it should be the work of all, to
try, under what reign they are, whether of the first or second Adam. And where as Angels cover their
faces and their feet with wings. Isa.
6. before God and are full of eyes, as without, so also within Rev. 4.8. We may hence learn, such come
nearest to the nature of these pure and heavenly Spirits, who have eyes within
to see what they are, and their blacknesse of face and feet, when they compare
themselves either with the Holy God, or his Holy Law. 2. The Carnall man is a
beast, Psal 49.20. and beasts have no
reflect acts upon their own beastly state. 3. The more of a spirituall life is
in any the more stirring in communing with their own heart, the Law makes, the
more of life that is in the worme when tramped on, the more stirring it makes,
deadnesse and stupiditie in not being versed and well read and skilled in our
selves and our own heart, argues little of the
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Spirit, and estrangement to a spirituall Covenant, nor
can any lay hold on the Covenant of Grace in a night dream.
Quest. Whether are there rarer threatnings of Temporall evils under the New
Covenant, then under the Old?
Answ.
It cannot be denyed, except the threatnings of the Sword, Famine Pestilence on
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23. 29,30. is more intollerable under the Gospel. (4.)
There is a more numerous company of these who
have not loved their lives to the death, and the Martyres that suffered
more exquisite torments for Christ, under the persecuting Emperours and reigne of Antichrist, then ever before; the
constraining love of Christ, which is stronger then death or hell hath so
swallowed up all temporarie sufferings, the Spirit hath such influence on the
flesh. (5.) When the world seeks wisdome,
1 Cor. 1. and Rabbies of the Jews and learning and artes abound all the world
over, as the profound Philosophers of the Gentiles, the wonders of nature
prove, yet not many wise are called,
1 Cor. 3.21,26,27. and unlettered and
ignorant, are, in number, for Godly spirituall knowledge, farre beyond the
Godly learned; and make that true, Esa.
11.9. The earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, and Isa. 30. 26. And the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the
light of the Sun shall be as the light of seven dayes, so hath the Lord
darkned carnall learning, though of it self the good gift of God, with the
shining of spirituall wisedome in the fools of the world, for so are they
judged, 1 Cor. 1.27.
Q. 3. What are the speciall differences of one under the Covenant of Works,
and of one under the Covenant of Grace? Answ.
1. The dominion and kingly power of sin, to condemn and judge to eternall
wrath, and also to command against all shaddow of reason such crying sins, 1 Cor. 6.9,10.
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and willingly commit and deliver themselves (the word
spoken of Christs willingnesse to offer himself for us, Eph. 5.25. and to God the Judge, 1 Pet. 2.23.) to commit filthinesse [foreign] in aboundance, with greedinesse, Esa. 9.19. when the renued part
enters not a spirituall protestation on the contrare, see
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naturall conscience, as heat from fire, light from the
Sun: Compelled convictions speak a Law state.
2. It is easier to be sound and
Orthodox, then to be Godly, Sathan in a manner soundly believes there is one
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3. A man under a Law work may
give a legall and dead assent to both the truth and goodnesse of the promises
liberally conceived, as temporaries doe, and Simon Magus wonders, but Saul,
Acts 9. the Jaylor trembles, Acts 16. but that is in regard of the
conviction not of the mind only, but of the conviction of affection and the
yeelding to what shall I do? But Fœlix trimbleth, but only in regard of
literall conviction on the mind, but neither he nor Magus comes to what shall I
doe? they differ as the burning light of a fire, which both casts light and
with it shining heat also, and the light that precious stones cast in the
night, which is both little and hath no heat. Fyrie and piercing convictions
are good, there is a dead conviction of the letter that doth not profite.
4. There is a strong
Law-conviction that vengeance followeth the scaddings of Sodomie, and the
killing of parents, because naturall instinct kindles and fires the soul with
Law-apprehensions, when the minde hath engraven snarpnesse to discerne
undenyable principles, but the conscience is more dull in apprehending that
spirituall vengeance followeth such spirituall sins as unbelief, because untill
there be some supernaturall revelation, we are dead to the Gospel truths, and
Gospel sins, but when a common Grace hightens the soul to a supernaturall
assent that Christ is a Teacher sent of
God, Joh. 7.28. Joh. 3.2. the
conviction is more strong: But because it is more supernaturall, and instead of
kindly affection of love which it wants, it is mixed with hatred and anger and
so degeners into fierie indignation against the Holy Ghost, as Joh. 15. 24. compared with Math. 12. 15, 26.31. cleareth. 5.
Conviction which is no more but conviction, is no godly principle, nor makes
any heart change, yea it goes dangerously on to wonder and a despise, except it send down coals of fire to the
affections. 6. He who is under the Covenant of Grace findes a threefold
sweetnesse in obedience. 1. An inbred sweetnesse in the commands 2. In the
strength by which he acts. 3. An inbred sweetnesse in a communion with God. No
man is any other way under the Law, then under a yoak, what is only written
seems the oldnesse of the letter, Rom.
7. and is dead of it self, and layes on a burden, but gives no back to bear. He
that is under Grace findes sweetnesse of delight in a positive Law though the
thing commanded be as hard to
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flesh and blood as to be crucified, Joh. 10.18. yet it obtains a sweetnesse of holinesse from Gods
will, Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O God, (even
to be made a curse and crucified) Thy Law
is within my heart, and he would but fulfill
all righteousnesse, even that which seems to be the outside of the Gospel,
to be sprinkled with water, Math.
3.15. and this Christ would doe as under the Covenant of Grace.
2. The stirrings and breathings
of the Spirit makes the work sweet, hearing brings burning of heart, Luke 24.32. willing gladnesse, Acts 2.41. and some sweetnesse of
stirred bowells comes from the Lords putting in his hand through the Key hole
of the door of the heart, Cant. 5.4.
where as to an naturall man under the Law, to lift up a Prayer is to carie a
milstone on his back, every syllabe of a word is a stone weight which he cannot
bear. 3. Were there no more in praying, but a communion with God, how sweet is
it? when Christ prayeth, the fashion of
his countenance is changed, Luke 9.29. There is a heaven in the bosome of
Prayer, though there were never a granting of the sute, sure there is a sin in
making heaven a hire, and in making duty a relative thing, a horse for a
journey, a ship for a voyage to fetch home gold, where as there is heaven in
praising God before the Throne, such as is both work and wages, and so in
spirituall duties here.
7. Suppose there were no letter
of a command, because there is suteablenesse between the Law ingraven in the
heart, and the spirituall matter commanded, a childe of Grace under Grace sets
to out duties, so that (in a maner) there is no need to say to David, Get thee to Jerusalem and to the
house of God, for he sayeth, Psal.
122.1. I was glad when they said, let us
go to the house of the Lord. As there needs no command that the Father love
the child, nor is there need to exhort the Sea to ebbe and flow, or the Sun to
shine: nor are many arguments usefull to presse the mother to give suck to the
child, nature stands for a Law here, the strength of the ingraven Law in the
heart, over powreth the letter. So the new nature, the indwelling anointing, as
a new instinct putteth the $$$$ of Grace to act. But here we are to beware,
that we separate not the Word and the Spirit, the Father of Spirits loves to
work with his own tools, and sow with his own seed the Word of
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God, these three agree in one 1. The Spirit acting. 2.
The habit of Grace acted upon by the Spirit, who blows away the ashes, and 3.
The word of exhortation: nor doe we extoll dead letters and livelesse formes,
as Libertines say, for we take in
with the letter the quickning sense and convincing meaning of the Word, and in
considerable that the Spirit drawes sweetly after him, the nature, faculties of
will, minde and affections, and they need no other allurement but the Word, the
Spirit, and the new nature: But when they barbarouslie slew their children and
made them passe through the fire, they must put out of their ears and hearts
the crying and howling of the murthered Babies, with the noise of the beatting
of drums; nature serves the Divell often weeping, and Sathan deadenes nature,
Grace so mortifies as the consent of delegation goes alone, Psal. 1.2. Psal. 119. 72. 97.
CHAP. XIII.
There are two sorts of Covenanting, on externall, professed, visible,
conditionall, another internall, reall, absolute and the differences betwixt
them. 2. Infants Externally in Covenant under the New
Testament 3. Some Questions touching
infants.
Persons are two wayes in Covenant
with God, externally by Visible profession, and conditionally, not in reference
to the Covenant, but to the thing promised in Covenant, which none obtains, but
such as fulfill the condition of the Covenant: For consent of parties, promise
and restipulation whether expresse, by word of mouth, Deut. 5. 27. We will hear and
do, Josh. 24. 24. And the people said
unto Joshua, the Lord our God will we
serve and his voice will we obey. Or yet tacit and implicit by
profession. I will be thy God, and the
God of thy feed, makes parties in Covenant. The keeping or breaking of the
Covenant, must then be extrinsecall to ones being confederate with God. And 2.
Infants born of Covenanted Parents are in Covenant with God, because they are
born of such Parents, as are in Covenant with God, Gen. 17. 7. I will be a God
to thy seed after thee.
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(2.) The Covenant choise on Gods
part is extended to the seed, Deut. 4.37. And because he loved thy Fathers, therefore he choise their seed after
them. Deut. 10. 15. Only the Lord had
a delight in thy Fathers, to love them, (and) he choise their seed after them, (even you (Fathers and Children) above all people, (as it is) this day.
And the Covenant choise of seed is extended to the seed in the New Testament. Act. 2. 39. For to you, and to your children is the promise made. He speaks in
the very tearms and words of the Covenant, Gen.
17.7. [foreign], every one of you be baptized, he faith not every one of you,
old and young, Parents and Children, repent. For that command of Repentance is
given only personally to them who moved the Question, What shall we do, Men and Brethren? 37. For we are under great
wrath, and crucified the Lord of Glory. The Answer is, you aged, Repent. 39. True. But ah, we prayed, his blood be upon us and our Children. He
Answers to that, every one of you be
baptized. Why, that must be every one of you who are comanded to repent?
No. It must be every one of you to whom the promise is made, but the promise is
made [foreign]. Observe the very two Pronouns that are, Gen. 17.7. Deu. 4.37. Deut. 10.15. to thee and thy seed. To you and your seed, and children. Now the
Answer had been most impertinent, if he had mentioned their children, except in
order to their Baptism, and their being in Covenant. For 1. their Children
crucified not the Lord Jesus; Nay by Anabaptists grounds, their Children not
being visibly in Covenant with their Parents, and not capable of actuall
hearing the Word, of actuall mourning for, and repenting of their sins, as Zech. 12.10. Mat. 3.8,9,10. they were not concerned either in the evill of their
Parents, who crucified the Lord of Glory, nor in the good of their Repentance
more then stones. So that (every one of
you be baptized, for the promise is to you and to your Children) should be
impertinent, and also false; for Covenant promises are no more made to
Children, then to stones, say the opposites of Infant Baptism. Yea also, as the
Lord in the Old Testament, calls Israel his
people. My people old and young. Saul
shall be Captain of my people. David shall feed my people, old and young,
and shall punish with the sword the murthering of Infants. 2. Because he choise
(with a Covenant choise) the
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Jews and their seed, Deut.
4.37. Deut. 10.15. Gen. 17.7. then he must be the God of
their seed. But he choiseth with a Covenant choise, and calling all the
Nations, Isa. 2.2,3. All the kindreds
of the earth under the New Testament, Psal.
22.27. All Egypt and Assyria under the New Testament. Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hand, Isa.
19.29. All the Kingdomes of the World are
the Lords, and his Sons, and he reigns in them, by his Word and Gospel, as
the seventh Angel soundeth, Revel.
11.15. All the Gentiles are his, Isa.
60.1,2,3,4. Mal. 1.11. All the ends
of the earth, and the heathen, Psal.
2. 8,9. Psal. 72, 7,8,9,10. Now if
they be not his by visible and externally professed Covenant, they must be the
Lords Kingdoms only, because some in these Kingdomes. 1. Are come to age. 2.
Professe the truth. 3. Given a signification that they are converted and
chosen, and so baptized. But so infants and all the rest of these Kingdomes who
fixedly, in a Church, hear the Word, professe they are followers, and by so
doing are witnesses against themselves that they have chosen the Lord to be their God, and have consented
to the Covenant, as Joshua saith, Josh, 24.22. must be under the New
Testament cut off from the Covevant, and a place must be shown where God hath now under the New Testament,
broken the staves of beauty and bands, and hath laid this curse upon all the
Infants of Egypt, Assyria, of all the Kingdomes of the earth, that the Lord is
now no God to them, and feeds them no more, and therefore that which dies, let it die, and that which is cut off, let it be cut
off, as it is, Zech. 11.9. And
the like must be said of all that are come to age, and not baptized, or as good
as not baptized. And Covenant promises are not to the Children of Beleevers,
contrair to Acts 2.39. nor to the
aged, untill they be converted visibly and Baptized; This then hath never yet
been fulfilled, that the Gentiles and Heathen are become to Lords people. Sure,
it is (2.) and was a mercy for the seed to be in Covenant, Exod. 20.6. I am the Lord
shewing mercies unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my Commandements.
Psal. 89. 28. My mercy will I keep with
David and his seed. What mercy? My Covenant shall stand fast with him.
Hence they are called the sure mercies of
David. Isa. 55. The Lord following
the seed of the Godly
75
with real mercies (so that it cannot be called the favour
of a ceremony and instituted or positive priviledge belonging only to the Jews)
as that his seed is blessed, Psal.
37.26. Psal. 112. 2. This mercy must
be taken away either in mercie or in wrath: but that a real mercy of a blessing
should be taken away in mercy, except a spirituall mercy of saving grace in
Christ were given in place thereof, cannot be said, far lesse hath it any truth
that a real mercy can be removed in wrath from Infants in Jesus Christ, in whom
the Nations are blessed. And we see, Deut.
28. the blessing of an observed Covenant, and the curses of a broken Covenant
are extended to the fruit of the body to the sons and the daughters, v. 4 18.32. Job 21. 19. Job 29. 14. Job 18.15,16,17. And that this is not a
New Testament dispensation, who can say? And that outward positive favours are
bestowed on Infants, is clear. (1.) That Christ laid his hands on them and
blessed them, making them a fixed copy of the indwellers of his Kingdom. (2)
The promises of the Covenant are made to them, Act. 2. 39. (3.) They are clean and holy by Covenant holinesse, 1 Cor. 7.14. which cannot be meant of
being born of the marriage-bed. For Paul,
Rom. 11. 16. saith the same, of the Jews, root and branches, Fathers and
Children: And no man dreamed that Paul,
Rom. 11. intends to prove that the Jews shall be insert in again, because
they are free of bastardie Father and sons. Now Infants understand no more any
of these to be blessed by the laying on of the hands of Christ, and to be such
as have title to the promises, Acts
2. 39. and to be Covenant-wise holy, 1 Cor.
7. then they understand Baptism. (4.) The same Covenant made with Abraham is made with the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 6. 16. I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. Which is Prophesied of the Gentiles under
the New Testament, Ezek
11.17,18,19,20. Ezek 34.23,24,25. Jer. 31,31,32,33,34,35,36. Jer. 32.36,37,38,39,40. Zech. 13.9. Hos. 1.10,11. 1 1 Pet.
2.9,10. And it is made to the Gentiles with an eke of a new heart, and a larger
extent of the Covenant under the New Test, for which cause it is called a better Covenant, hath better promises, Heb. 7.22. Heb. 8 6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Now that were a
strange eke and excellency of the New Testament Covenant above the Old, to
forfeir, without farther processe, all Infants under the New Testament
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of all Covenant-right, which was due to them of old under
the Covenant which the Lord calls faultie:
Egypt shall be my people, except their 1. Infants. 2. And except their
aged, and their non-Saints. (5.) Infants in the former Covenant had right by
birth to the means of salvation, to be taught and Catechised in the Law of the
Lord, because born of Covenanting Parents within the Visible Church, and so had
title to Covenant calling, and GODS Covenant choising, Mat. 22.4. as is clear, Gen.
18. 19. I know Abraham will command his
Children and his houshold after him, and they shall keep they way of the Lord,
Exod.20.10. Deut.6,6,7. And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy Children,
Exod. 12.26,27. Ps. 78.4,5,6. Now
if Infants be without the Covenant as the Infants of Pagans, then they have no
more Covenant-right to the hearing of the Gospel, and a treatie with Christ,
and Covenant, then Pagans have. Its not enough to say their Father owe that
much naturall compassion to their souls, as to teach them, it being a Parents
duty; Yea, but what warrand hath a Father as a Father to make offer of a
Covenant of Grace in the Name of GOD to one Pagan more then to another, since
all are equally without the Covenant, if there be a Covenant-call warranted to
them, where is the Fathers command to propone and ingadge the Covenanters
consent, if the Children by Pagans? but as they have a right by birth to the
call, they being born where the call foundeth, they must have some visible
right to the Covenant it self, more then other Pagans. Its but of small weight
to say that, Rom. 9. Paul expoundeth that in the New
Testament, I will be thy God, and the God
of thy seed, only of the spirituall seed, such as Jacob, who was predestinated to Glory, not of those that are
carnally descended of Abraham,
otherwise it should follow, that these that are in the Covenant, might believe
that they should be saved, though void of Faith and Repentance. Answ. The purpose of the Apostle, Rom. 9. is to Answer a sad Objection: if
the Jews be cast off, and rejected of God, as Paul, by his extreame desire to have them saved, insinuates, then the Word of God takes no effect, and his
calling and choising of them for his people, takes no effect, v. 6. He Answers, it is not failed,
though the body of Israel be rejected. For there are two kinds of Israelits,
some only carnall and born
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according to the flesh: Others sons of promise, and chosen of God. Now the word of promise takes
effect in the latter sort, to wit, in the chosen, and in the sons of promise,
for they are not cast off of God, and
so the Word of God takes effect, v.
6. (2.) But the truth is, if there be none Covenanted with God, but the chosen
under the New Testament, then there is no such thing as an externall and
visible Covenanting with God, under
the New Testament, then must all the Nations. Isa. 2. 1, 2. Kingdomes of the World, Rev. 11.15. all
78
where the word is Preached to children, who are to be
taught, Gen. 18.19. Deut. 6. 7. Exod. 12. 26, 27. Psal.
78. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 2 Tim. 3.
15. and the Lord reckons it among the favours, that hee bestowes not on every Nation, but onely on his owne
Covenanted Ifrad, that the Word of
the Gospel to gather them and their Children, Math. 23. 37. 2 Tim. 3.
15. Psal. 78. 1,2,3,4,5. and his
Statutes and his Judgments are declared and Preached to them, Psal. 147. 19, 20. Deut. 5. 1,2,3,4. 5.6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. Psal. 81. 4. and that the Oracles of God, and the promises are
committed to them,
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give signification by confession, that they are not onely
visible but also invisible and chosen confederates, and they should have said
all children are now by Christ excluded as prophane Gentiles and heathen from
the Covenant of Grace, because there can be none (say Anabaptists) but reall
Believers under the New Testament in Covenant with God.
Yea but the New Testament offers
Christ a Covenant, in the preached promises, alike to fathers and sons. Math. 4. 16. The people (fathers and sons) that
sate in darknesse saw great light, &c. Math. 19. 43. Therefore I say
unto you, the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation
bringing forth the froots thereof. And is it not a punishment to be
deprived of the Kingdome? If the Kingdome of God come where the Preached
Covenant is, Math. 3. 2. Math. 12. 28. and the Bridegroome among
them, and so cause of joy, Math. 9.15.
and the Golden Candlesticks be there and the Son of God walking in the midst of
the Golden Candlesticks, Rev. 1. 20. c.
2. 1. sure this is much to children. If it be said, it is very nothing, for
children understand nothing of this. What then is meant by the Prophecie of the
incoming of the Gentiles, Psal. 87.
3, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O
city of
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people, and
Q. And may we not say, that the same Covenant of Grace, we are under, is
the same in nature and substance with that Covenant made with Abraham? Ans.
The same Christ was their Mediator, as ours, Heb. 13. 8. their Rock and our Rock, Christ. 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Ioh.
8. 56.
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(2.) We are justified as Abraham, and David. Rom, 4.1,2,3,4,5. Gen.
15.6. Ps. 32.1,2.
3. They were saved by Grace, the
Gentiles as well as they, Acts 15.11.
by faith, Acts 10.43. Heb. 11. 1,2,3,4. 13.&c.
4. There is no more reason to
say, it was a civill Covenant made with Abraham,
because it distinguished Abrahams seed
from other Nations, and an earthly Covenant, because Canaan was promised to them, not to us, then to say there be two
Covenants of Works, one made to Adam,
with a promise of an earthly Paradice,
and another Covenant of Works to the Jews,
with an earthly Canaan; And a third
to these who in the Gospel time are under a Covenant of Works. Yea upon the
same account, the Covenant of Grace made, Psal
89. 2 Sam. 7. with David, having a Throne promised to him,
should be yet another Covenant different from the other two; And since a
Covenant here is a way of obtaining salvation up in condition of obedience, John Baptist should be under another
Covenant of Grace, then the Apostles:
For to their faith is promised the working of miracles, Mark 16. 16, 17, 18. But John
wrought no miracles, and many thousands of beleevers work no miracles, and they
must be under a third Covenant: For though
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the
Name of Jesus and the Blood of the Covenant: Contrair to Acts 4.12. 1 Joh. 1.8. Rev. 1.5. (3.) they shall be saved
without the
Q 3. Are they not saved all of them? Is not this enough? But because the
Ans.
If his Kingdom be not spirituall, because his wisedom hath appointed externall
signes, then no promise (which is but good words) shall be made to Children,
contrair to Acts 2. 39. for they can
do them no good untill they beleeve. 2. Then should there be no Preaching of
the Gospel to all Nations, as Mat.
28.20. for impossible it is that all Nations can be profited by the Gospel. 3.
The doubt suppones that it is legall servilitie and Jewish to be under the
Gospel Preached and the dispensation of signes and seals, even to the aged,
such as are Baptism, the Supper, rebukes, censures. 4. To be a visible member,
and visibly is Covenant, and to be baptized, except all be sound beleevers,
must be Jewish. Now certain, it is a new Testament Ordinance that Ministers
Preach and baptize all nations, though the greatest part beleeve not.
Q. 4. Is faith sanctifie as faith, then an unbeleeving whore might be
sanctified by a beleeving fornicator: For
faith will do its formall work in every subject?
Answ. Paul
never meant that faith doth sanctifie in every subject, but in subjecto capaci. Faith sanctifieth not
incest and sin, they are not capable to be separated to a holy use: If fire as
fire burn, then might all the water in the Ocean be dryed up with the least
sparkle of fire. If prayer as prayer obtain all things, shall it obtain that
the sacrificing of your son to God,
shall be accepted of him as holy and lawfull worship? Mr. Baxter saith excellently upon this subject. A thing must be first lawfull, before it be sanctified; God sanctifieth
not sin in, or to any. See the Argument 1 Cor. 7. learnedly and solidely vindicated by him, so as the dispute
is at an end now.
Q. 5. What holiness is it that is called federal, or Covenant holiness which
is in Infants?
Ans.
It is not so much personall holinesse (though it may so
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be called, because the person is a Church member,
separated from the world to God) as
holinesse of the seed, Society, Family, or Nation, which is derived from father
to son, as if the father be a free man of such a City, that priviledge is so
personall, as it is by the Law hereditarie freedome derived from father to son,
if the father have jus ad media salutis
right to the means of salvation, so hath the son. Hence this was first
domestical, God made the Covenant
with Abraham and his family: I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed,
Gen. 17. it was extended to him, not as a father only, but as to the head
of the family; the children of Servants born in Abrahams family were to be circumcised and to be instructed as
having right to the means of salvation. Gen.
17.12. He that is eight dayes old shall
be circumcised among you, every man-child in your Generations (so it is
Generation-holinesse) he that is born in
the house, or bought with money of any stranger, that is not of thy seed.
So God showes clearly that in Abraham he chosed the Nation and the
house, Gen. 18 19. I know Abraham, that he will command his children (that is too narrow a Church
Visible) and his houshold after him, that
they shall keep the way of the Lord. 2. Afterward he choosed the Nation to
be a peculiar people holy to himself,
Deut. 7.6,7. but not with another new distinct Covenant, but in the same
Covenant. 8. But because the Lord loved
you, and would keep the oath that he had sworn to your fathers, to wit, to Abraham. Deut. 10.15. He chose their seed after them, even you,
above all people, not above all houses. Amos
3.2. You only have I known of all the
families of the earth. So the
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Acts 10.33.47. Three thousand at
once, Acts 2. 39,40,41. The Jayler
and his house, Acts 16.33. servants
and friends. The houshold of Stephanas,
1 Cor. 1.16. was Baptized. And this
3. is holden forth as the Church, as the
houshold of Narcissus which are in the Lord, Rom. 16.11. Aquila and Priscilla, and all the Church at
their house. v. 5. The Church at the
house of Philemon, Phil. v.3. which teacheth that the Covenant holinesse is
of societies and house under the New Testament as in Abrahams house, and as Abrahams
house was Circumcised, so are whole houses under the New Testament Baptized. 4.
Paul aptly calls it the holinesse of
the lump, or Nation, and the first fruits, root-holinesse, the holinesse of the
root and the branches. Of the Olive Tree and the branches, Rom. 11. 16,17. (5.) The speciall intent of God in sending the word of the Covenant must evidence this; he
sends not the Gospel unto, and for the cause of one man, to bring him in, but
to gather a Church and his elect ones, by a visibly and audibly Preached
Covenant to a society, to a City; to Samaria.
Acts 8. To the Gentiles, Acts 13.
To all Nations, Mat. 28. 19,20. that
they and their children may have right to salvation and to the means thereof,
and to the Covenant, and therefore we are not curiously to inquire whether the
faith of the father be real or not, if the Gospel be come to the Nation, to the
House, to the Society. The Lord in one Abraham,
in one Cornelius, in one Jayler, (whom he effectually converts as
far as we can gather from the Scriptures) choises the race, house, society,
nation, and gives them a Covenant-holinesse, the mans being born where the call
of God is, does the turn, as much as
the faith of the Parent. For by the root is not necessarily meant the Physicall
root the father. For Abraham was not
the Physicall root and father, nor Cornelius
of all the servants and friends in the house. But if a friend be in the house,
or society, and professe the Gospel, he and his obtain right to Baptism and the
means of salvation. But as touching real holinesse, it is not derived from a
beleeving father, to make the son a beleever, Scripture and experience say the
contrair. Nor 2. is internall and effectuall confederacie with God, that, by which one is a son of
promise,
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chosen: A chosen father may have a reprobate son. 2.
Election to life is not of nations or houses or societies, but of single
persons. It is not said, before the
nation had done good or evill, I chosed this nation all and whole, not this,
but I loved this man, not this man.
Q. What is the formall reason and ground that any hath right to Baptism?
Ans.
If we speak of a passive right, if the Eunuch
beleeve, Act. 8. and if such have
received the Spirit, Acts 10. they
may receive baptism, The Eunuch moves
not the Question whether Philip
should sin in baptizing him or not. The Eunuch
was troubled to make sure his own, not Philips
Conversion. They who bring that Argument, [foreign] Acts 8. and that, Mark
16. to prove that only such should be baptized, who beleeve actually and are
come to age: They prove that the Church sinneth, if they baptize any, but such
as are predestinated to life and really beleeve. For the faith that Philip asked for, was reall, with all the heart, not as the faith of Simon Magus: And the faith, Mark 16.15. is real saving faith, that
brings salvation; he that beleeves is
saved. 2. It can not be visible faith only, for that is in Simon Magus, he doth visibly so beleeve
and is baptized. Yet upon that faith he was not saved, being in the gall of bitternesse (3.) He that beleeves not, is damned. The
meaning must be, he that beleeves not savingly is damned: Or then he that
beleeves not visibly, as Magus, and Judas, is damned, but this is most
false, for Peter beleeves not as Judas, and yet he is not damned: Or then
the meaning must be, he that beleeveth both really, savingly, and also
professedly and visibly, is saved. And that is true, but it conclude that none
are to be baptized, but both real and visible believers. 4. If it be true that
none are to be baptized but Covenanted ones, as Acts 2.39. And if none be Covenanted ones under the New Testament,
but real beleevers and such as are predestinated to life, as our Anabaptists
teach from Rom. 9. then must the
Church without warrant of the Word baptize Magus,
Demas, Judas. (5.) Then must also all Judea; all the Generations of vipers
baptized have been both real and visible beleevers, for they were all baptized,
Mat. 3.3,4. Mark. 1.5. Luke 1.7.21.
Let Independents consider this, and what D.
Fuilk, and Mr. Cartwright,
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Paræus, Calvin,
Beza; and our
Divines speak on these places against the auricular confession of all the huge
multitude. (6.) It is a wonder that any man should dream that the Eunuch made a
case of conscience, Acts 8. whether it was lawfull to Philip to baptize, and not whether he himself did beleeve and could
worthily receive the seal, Act. 8.
36. here is water (saith he) [foreign] (7.) So none can warrantably baptize any
but persons dying in faith, and its not certain these have the faith that is, Acts 8.37. Mar. 16.16. But for the formall warrand of such as baptize: neither
are the aged as the aged, nor Infants as Infants to be baptized; for so all the
aged and all Infants even of Pagans are to be baptized. Nor 2. are all in
Covenant, to be baptized: For such as are only really and invisibly in
Covenant, and do make no profession of Christ at all, are not warrantably by
the Church to be baptized. Only these whether old or young that are tali modo visibili federati, such as
professedly and visibly in Covenant, and called, Acts 2. 39. are warrantably baptized. Hence they must be so in
Covenant, as they be called by the word of the Covenant, for they cannot be
baptized against their will, Luke
7.29.30.
Q. What warrand is there, Act. 2.39. for Infant Baptisme?
Ans. I
shall not contend for the actuall baptizing of them at that instant. But every one of you be baptized [foreign]
father and sons. Why? the promise is to
you and to your children, break the Text into an hundred pieces, and blood
it as men please, the Genuine Thesis which cannot be neglected, is, These to whom the promise of the Covenant
does belong, these should be baptized, [foreign] But the promise of the
Covenant is to you and to your children. Ergo, you and your children should
be baptized. The assumption is the expresse words of Peter and the Proposition is Peters.
Every one of you be baptized, [foreign] for to you is the promise of the
Covenant. Calvin, Bullinger, Brentius, Gualther clear it. 2. Who they are,
who are in the nearest capacity to be baptized, he explaines, when he showeth,
that the Covenant promise is made to
these who are far off, to the Gentiles,
whom the Lord shall call, then all
that are under the call and offer of Christ in the Preached Gospel, as Prov. 9. 1,2,3,4. Math. 22
87
bid them come to
the wedding, Luke
14. 16, 17, 18. &c. are
externally in Covenant, and such to whom the Covenant is made, and should be
baptized, its presumed they give some professed consent to the call and do not
right down deny to come, else they should be baptized against their will. 3. Calvine showes Acts 2. 39. that the Anabaptists
in his time, said, the promise was made
to Believers only, but the Text saith, it
is made to you and to your children, to infants, to the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant
made with the fathers, Acts 3.25. Now what ground doc Anabaptists give that all infants believe, or that some believe,
since to them, their children were as Pagans
without Christ, without the Covenant? if to the
children when they come to age and shall believe? but what need to adde,
and to your believing Children? for
these are not children but men of age, their fathers and they both being
believers. Now Peter sets down two
ranks, the aged who heard the word with
gladnesse, and were pricked in the
heart, v. 37.41. and the children,
and to both the promise is made, and what ground is their to exclude sucking
children? for the word, Acts 2. 39.
is Math. 2.18. 1 Cor. 7.14. where sure the word is taken for sucking children of
whose actuall faith the Scripture speaks not. 2. The promise is to you and to your children, can have no other sense
then, the promise and word of the Covenant is preached to you and to your
children in you, and this is to be externally in Covenant, both under the Old
and New Testament. If it have another sense it must be this, the Lord hath internally Covenanted with you
the 3000, who have heard the word and with your children, and you are the
spirituall seed, and sons of promise, predestinate to life eternall: as
88
is made in the preached Gospel to you. Then it cannot be
denyed, but the promise is to all the
Reprobate in the Visible Church whether they believe or not, for Christ is
preached and promises of the Covenant are preached to Simon Magus, to judas and
all the Hypocrites who stumble at the
Word, to all the Pharisees, as is
clear, Math. 13. 20,21,22,23. Acts 13. 44,45. Acts 18. 5,6. Math.
21.43, 1 Pet. 2.7,8. (3.) The
promise, I will be your God, and ye shall
be my people, must be one way expounded in the Old Testament, to wit, you are externally only in Covenant with
God. But in the New Testament, it must have this meaning, I wil be your God, 2 Cor. 6.16. that is, you are all predestinate to life,
and the sons, by promise, and the spirituall seed, to whom I say, I will be
your God: But so it may well be said, there were no internall Covenanters
in the Old Testament, and there be none but only internall Covenanters in the
New Testament, so that when the Lord sayeth, Rev. 11.15. The Kingdomes of
the earth are mine, and my sons. He must say, the Kingdomes,
89
to the Gentiles by all the Prophets was a ceremony
removed now in Christ. Yea 3. externall Covenanting, and adopting, and choising
of
90
so. For the four pence ought not, by this Covenant, to be
given to him, except he work twelve hours: but he cannot, without palpable
falshood, say, I have broken no Covenant, in not working twelve hours: For though
I consented to the Covenant, and began to work an hour, yet the promise was to
be simply, but to me as working twelve hours; but there is neither face nor
faith in this Answer: For the fulfilling of the Covenant is only to give four
pence to John, if he work twelve
hours; But the promise and Covenant was made to him, and he hath foully broken,
Yea a conditionall Covenant agreed unto and accepted, is a Covenant, if we
shall distinguish between a Covenant, in its essence and nature, and a Covenant
broken or fulfilled, a Covenant or threatning, is a Covenant and threatning
oblidging Adam, if it shall be agreed
unto, by silence, as Adam accepted
the threatning, Gen. 2. 17. by
silence, and Professours within the Visible Church, by their professing of the
Doctrine of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace, their receiving of the seals and
professed hearing of the Word, are under the Covenant of Grace, and engadge
themselves to obey commands, promises, threatnings, and therefore promises are
as properly made to them. Acts 2.39.
as commands, and threatnings, exhortations, invitations, and Gospel requests
are made to them. But tho the Anabaptists
ignorantly confound the promise, and
the thing promised; the Covenant, and benefits Covenanted. The promise is to you, and so are the commands, & threatnings,
whether ye beleeve or not, the command is to you, and layes an obligation on
you, whether ye obey or obey not, and the threatnings are to you, whether ye
transgress, or transgresse not. It is true, indeed, the promise, that is, the
blessing promised, righteousnesse and eternall life is not given to you, untill
ye first beleeve. Object. Is not the
promise made the same way to the aged as to the children, and the same thing
required of both: The promise is to you
and to your children. But the promise is made to the aged only, if they
actually beleeve. Ergo, the promise
is made to the children only, if they actually beleeve, and so not to Infants.
Answ. Neither proposition nor assumption can bear weight. For the
proposition, when God saith, I will be thy God O Abraham, and the God of thy seed. Is it needfull
91
that God
require the same conditions, that is actuall beleeving, that he may save Father
Abraham, and also actuall beleeving
from hearing the word of the Covenant Preached from all Infants born of Abraham and dying in Infancy, or then
all these Infants so dying must be eternally damned? Nay. We beleeve many
Infants (we reserve to the Holy and Glorious Lord his liberty of election and
reprobation, Rom. 9.11,12.) among the
Jews were saved by the Covenant of Grace, though they died Infants. And this we
condemn in Anabaptists, that they
show no revealed way of God of saving
Infants of beleeving Parents dying in Infancy, more then of saving Pagans and
their Infants, for to them both are alike without the Covenant of Grace and
without Christ; and therefore beleeving Parents have no word of faith or of the
Gospel to pray for the salvation of their Children dying in Infancie, for such
prayers have neither warrant in the Covenant of Works, nor in the Covenant of
Grace, by their way. And yet that we are to pray, is to be gathered from Gen. 19.18. 2 Sam, 12.16. Job 1.5. Mark 10.16. Psal. 28.9. and if we pray for their salvation, they must be saved
by either Law or Gospel. Its not enough, to say that we may pray for savages
that never heard of the Gospel, nor of the Covenant of Grace, that they may be
saved. For seeing there is no name under
Heaven by which men may be saved, but by the Name of Jesus, Acts 4.12. Joh. 14.6. There is no other warrand of
praying for such, then that God would
send them the Gospel; and since Christ prayed for Infants and blessed them,
which is a praying for them, Gen.
48.15,16. Deut. 33.1.6,7,8. &c. Eph. 1.2. Gal. 1.3. 1 Cor. 1.3. 1 Tim. 1.2. 2 Tim. 1.3. See Mar. 10.16.
he must own them as blessed in Christ in whom all the Nations of the earth are
blessed, and so Covenanted with God in Christ.
2. It is false that the promise
is made only to the aged, upon condition of actuall beleeving. 1. It is made to
their children expresly in the Text, and for the way of their beleeving, we
leave it to the Lord. Nor is it true, that
the promise is made to the aged, upon condition of beleeving. The promise
is made to them absolutely, whether they beleeve or not. But the blessing of
the promise and Covenant of Grace is given and bestowed only conditionally,
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if they beleeve. The promise is absolutely made: its
called conditionall from the thing conditionally given.
Obj.
But is not this an approven distinction, that persons are within the Covenant,
either externally, professedly, visibly,
or internally, really, or according
to the intention of God? Ergo, such
as are externally within the Covenant, are not really & indeed within the
Covenant of Grace.
Ans.
The Adverbe (really) relates to the
reall fruit of the fulfilled Covenant, and so such as are only externally
within the Covenant, are not really within the Covenant, for God never
directed, nor intended to bestow the blessing Covenanted, nor grace to perform
the condition of the Covenant upon them? But they are really Covenanted and engadged by their consented profession to
fulfill the Covenant. And as the Commands and threatnings of the Covenant of
Grace lay on a reall obligation, upon such as are only externally in Covenant,
either to obey or suffer, so the promise of the Covenant imposes an ingagement
and obligation upon such to beleeve the promise, but some times, we say the
promises of the Covenant of Grace are not really
made to the Reprobate within the Visible Church, because God intends and
decrees to, and for them, neither the blessing promised, nor the saving grace
to fulfill the condition or to beleeve. And therefore these words are
figurative, Heb. 8.10. This is the Covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel, I will write my Law in their minds, &c. that is,
this is the speciall and principall Covenanted blessing, I will give them a new
heart: which must not be called a simple prediction, though a prediction it is,
but it is also a real promise made absolutely to the elect, which the Lord
fulfills in them: And this is called the Covenant. Because 1. they are no
better then non-Covenanters upon whom the Lord bestowes not this part and
blessing of the Covenant. 2. The truth is, the promise of a new heart is not made
to the Visible Church, which is only Visible: but to the Elect and Invisible
Church. And if Anabaptists shall expone these words, Acts 2.39. The promise of a
new heart is made to you and to your children , upon condition that you and
your children beleeve, which they cannot do untill first they have a new
heart, its as good as Peter had said,
God promiseth to you
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and to your
children grace to beleeve, and a new heart to obey him, upon condition that you
first beleeve.
And that is, Gods promise to you to
beleeve upon condition that ye beleeve, which is ridiculous, and therefore
we cannot say that this promise of a new heart is made to all that are
commanded to beleeve and repent and be baptized. For Elect and Reprobate and
all are under these commands, if they be members of the Visible Church: But the
promise of a new heart is not made to all within the Visible Church.
Quest. How then? Must the promise of a new heart be here excluded? And shall nothing be meant in the Word, but
a promise of forgivenesse and life is made to you and your Children.
Ans. I
should judge it hard, to say, that were the only promise here made, the promise of a new heart is made to you
all, therefore repent and be baptized. The Antecedent is not true. 2.
Therefore because Peter speaks unto,
and of a mixed multitude, Fathers, Children, Elect and Reprobate, who must
first understand, the promise of life and forgivenesse is made to you. Ergo, all come to age, repent
and be baptized. And because the promise is made to your children, therefore
let them be baptized. And 3. the promise of new heart is not to be excluded,
because there were in the company to whom, and of whom the Apostle Peter speaks, many Elect, in whom the
old Prophesie, Jer. 31. Ezek. 11. was to be fulfilled; For he saith,
The promise is made to as many as the
Lord shall call; to the Gentiles, it were a sense too narrow, to exclude
that promise, and therefore, as the great promise, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed (which chiefly is meant,
Acts 2.39.) requires not the same
condition in fathers and infants, nor the same condition in fathers, wives, hewers of wood, officers and
Commanders, litle ones, and such as were not born, Deu. 29. with whom the Covenant is made. For the same faith in
fathers and in infants, and faith working in the same duties cannot be required
of husbands, wives, Magistrates, and hewers of wood) so neither is the promise
made the same way to fathers, children, Jews
near hand, and Gentiles farre off,
to Elect and Reprobate.
Q. How can the promise of the Covenant, to write the Law in
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the heart, be made
absolutely, and not to the Reprobate, but to the Elect only? For the Elect are
only these to whom that promise is made, and yet the Reprobate are really in
the Covenant of Grace and the promise is made to them, as hath been said.
Answ.
It is no inconvenient that the Reprobate in the Visible Church, be so under the
Covenant of Grace, as some promises are made to them, and some mercies promised
to them conditionally, and some reserved speciall promises of a new heart, and of perseverance
belong not to them. For all the promises belong not the same way, to the
parties visibly and externally, and to the parties internally and personally in
Covenant with God. So the Lord promiseth life and forgivenesse shall be given
to these who are externally in the Covenant, providing they beleeve, but the
Lord promiseth not a new heart and grace to beleeve, to these that are only
externally in Covenant. And yet he promiseth both to the Elect.
Hence the Covenant must be
considered two ways, in abstracto and
formally, in the letter as a simple way of saving sinners, so they believe, so
all within the Visible Church are in the Covenant of Grace, and so it contains
only the will of precept. 2. In the concret, as the Lord caries on the
Covenant in such and such a way, commensurably with the decrees of Election and
Reprobation; As the Lord not only promises, but acts and ingraves the Law in
the heart, commensurably with his decree of Election, so the Elect only are under
the Covenant of Grace. The word tells of no condition or work, or act to be
performed by any, which if he do he shall have a new heart: and therefore the
promise of the ingraven Law in the heart,
is not a simple promise made to the Covenanters as Covenanters, for so it
should be a promise to all visible Covenanters (for visible Covenanters are
essentially Covenanters) but it is both a promise and a prediction, yea a reall
execution or an efficacious way of fulfilling the decree of Election to such
and such chosen, and specially loved of God Covenanters.
2. A new heart hath a twofold
consideration, one as a duety commanded.
2. As a blessing promised, as to the
former, Ezech. 18.31. make you a new heart and a new spirit,
Jer. 4.4. Circumcise your heart to the
Lord, take away the foreskin of your
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heart, ye men of
Q. Who are they, who are to believe God shall give them a new heart Ans.
No man is positively to believe it while God work it in him, for no man is to
believe that he is predestinated to Glorie, while he first have the effects
thereof in him, the hid Manna, the white
Stone, the new Name. But no man is to despare or to create fatall inferences
that he is Reprobate, since God begins kindly with him with a Gospel call.
CHAP. XIIII.
Considerations of the Arguments from Gen. 17. Mark 10. 15, 16. Luke
18. Math. 19. Rom. 11. for Infant
Baptisme.
IF God be the God of Abraham and of his seed, Gen. 17. therefore every male child
shall be entered in the Covenant, by the
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initiall seal of Circumcision, and so women also who eat
the Passeover, which the uncircumcised might not do: and Peter was sent to the Circumcision, that is, to all the Jews men
and women, and so the women is some way in the men, and they might be
circumcised in them upon the same gound, because the same promise is made to
fathers and to children, must infants be baptized, Acts 2.39. 1. This is the Lords own Argument, Gen. 17.7. there were multitudes of differences between
Circumcision and Baptisme as we grant, but in the substance nature and
Theologicall essence, and in the formall effects they are the same. We grant
that Christ revealed in Types, Sacrifices, to come, darkly offered may differ
from Christ as clearly offered Preached without these already abolished
shaddows and who is now come. Yet he is the same Saviour to them who believed
in him then and now, Act. 10.43. Act. 15. 11. And we 2. argue not simply
from the letter of the Covenant. I am
your God. Ergo, be baptized, for one might reply. I am your God. Ergo, offer such beasts to me, it shall not follow, But I am your God, and the God of your
seed offering to you the same Christ and righteousnesse that was offered to Abraham in the same Covenant: Ergo, all of you be baptized who are
under the same Covenant. For,
1. Circumcision of the flesh was
a seal of the Circumcision of the heart promised in the Covenant of Grace, Deut. 30.6. and of the cutting of the
foreskin thereof, Jer. 4.4. Jer. 9.26. Ezech. 36,26,27. and baptisme is the same, Col. 2.11,12. Tit. 3.5.
2. Circumcision is a seal of the
righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4.11.
so is baptisme, as 1 Pet. 3.21. Rom. 4.24.
3. Circumcision is a seal of the
Covenant, and by a metonymic called the
Covenant of God in the flesh, Gen. 17.7,13. so is baptisme a solemn
installing of all Samaria, Acts 8. in
the Christian Covenant, and so Acts
2. 39.
4. Circumcision is a solemne way
of instituting any in the Church of Israel,
so we are by one Spirit baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 12,13.
1. The command of Circumcising is
as large as Covenanting, but that is with Abraham
the father, and his seed, Acts 2.39.
make the command of being Baptized, [foreign]
every one of you be Baptized,
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as large as the promise of the Christian Covenant, and
call: For the promise is to you and to
your children, and to as many as the Lord shall call.
2. The command supposes that all
the Circumcised, the males of eight dayes old understand not the promise of the
Covenant, the nature, use, signification, and end of the seal, and the command
to be baptized, supposeth that the children to whom the Covenant promise is
made do not understand the same as touching baptisme and the Covenant promise, Acts 2.39.
3. If the positive command be
generall that all these in Covenant should be marked with the initiatorie seal
of the Covenant: As Gen. 17. 7,8. I am thy God, and the God of thy seed:
Therefore old and young be Circumcised, then there was no other command in particular,
to baptize old or young, but the institution of Baptism in place of
Circumcision needfull. As touching the application of it to persons, old or
young, except the ground of externall Covenanting stand as warranting to
administrate the seal to all, so Covenanted; Yea, and if there be a positive
command and warrand in the New Testament to tender the Seal of Baptism to none
but to the aged, that can give an account of their faith, and do actually
beleeve; then should there be an expresse command in the New Testament
concerning Baptism as concerning the Lords Supper, that every one before they
be Baptized, try and examine themselves whether they savingly beleeve or not,
before they be Baptized, otherwise they receive their own damnation, as in the
Lords Supper, for self judging and self examination, if actuall beleeving and
being internally in Covenant, as these in whose heart and inward part the Law
of Grace must be ingraven, be the necessary condition required in all these to
whom the Church can warrantably tender Baptism as the seal of the Covenant: And
we require a positive command in the New Testament, see that ye Baptize none
though they professe they be in Covenant, except such as can try and examine
whether they savingly beleeve or not: and here Anabaptists must flee to the consequences of the Word and reasons
drawn from the Covenant of Grace, as well as we, and an express command they
cannot flee unto, nor is it in Old or New Testament: It should not move us,
that Infants understand neither command
98
nor seal, nor Covenant, for the Argument is against the
Holy Ghost, and they are oblidged to answer it; for Infants are as ignorant of
the promises the speciall mysteries of the Gospel, as of Precepts of the
Gospel. And yet the promises of the Covenant of Grace are expresly to Infants
of the New Testaments Acts 2. 39.
promise, [foreign], The Gospel promise made to Abraham, Gal. 3. 16. The Gospel and promise of righteousnesse of
the Spirit of Life, Gal.
3.17,18,22,29. 23.28. Gal. 6.2. Rom. 4.13.16.20. Rom. 9.8. 1 Tim. 4.8. Heb. 4.1. Heb. 6.12.15. Heb.8.6. Heb. 9. 14. 1 John 5.1. is made [foreign] to
your children of the New Testament, to your Infants, if they beleeve (say they) 1. Can Infants actually beleeve? 2. Is
not the promise so made to Turks, if they beleeve?
But it were an easier way to
Anabaptists to say, infants under the New Testament are externally in Covenant,
where as Parents beleeve, and members of the Church are followed with Covenant
mercy, only because they understand not, and the administration is more
spirituall under the New Testament, and faith more urged, God requires not the
dipping of Infants in Rivers (a ceremony
more onerous, more, truely, in women with child, virgins, diseased persons, in
winter, in cold countreys, against the word, the second Command, the third, the
fourth, the sixth, the seventh, then that it needs to be refuted) it being only
a ceremony which they may well want. But now Infants of beleevers are casten
out, for no fault, of the Covenant of Grace.
(2.) From Covenant mercy to the thousand Generation. Contrair to Gen. 17.7. Exod. 20. 5.
(3.) From Covenant-prayers and
Church-prayers: Contrair to 1 Sam.
12. Ps. 28.9. Ps. 67. 1,2. Ps. 103 4,5.
(4.) From the blessing of the
Lords Covenant-presence, who dwels in the Nation, in the Kingdom, Ps. 135.21. Ps. 132. 13,14. Rev.
11.15. Isa. 19.25. Isa. 2. 1,2,3. 2 Cor. 6.16. I will dwell in
them, and walk in them, and be their God, and they shall be my people. 18. And I will be a father to you, and ye shall
be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty. Though this be
spoken to all the Covenanted people of God, yet are Infants casten out of the
bosome of a Covenant Father and God?
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(5.) Infants are debarred from
Covenant-calling and gathering in under the wings of Christ: Contrair to Matth. 28. 19,20. Matth. 23.37. Psal.
147.19.20. and excluded from Gods Covenant-choise: Contrair to Deut. 7.6,7,8,9.
13,14. Deut. 10.15. and left being
heirs of wrath, a prey to Satan.
(6.) They are Excommunicated from
Covenant-blessings earthly, and the Tabernacle-protection promised in the Old
and New Testament: Contrair to Deut.
28.4. Lev. 26.6,7.8,9. Psal. 37.18.22.25.26. Psal. 92.10. Psal. 112. 1,2,3. Ezech.
34.24,25,26. Ezech. 36.29.35,36,37. Ezech. 8.7,8. And in the New Testament. Matth. 6.27,28.33. 1 Tim. 4 8. Heb. 13. 5,6. which were nothing if our Heavenly Father provide
bread, protection, safety, dwelling in the land, and our houses, to the
fathers, but the children had no charter but to beggery, to the sword, to be
devoured by wilde beasts and the diseases of Egypt: And the Infants have
nothing from the Covenant but what Infants of Amaleck, and Babylon, 1 Sam. 15. 1,2. Ps. 137.5. and of Sodom
have, Gen. 19.
(7.) They are members of Satan,
of the Kingdom of the Prince of darkness, not members of Christs Body, since
there be but two Kings, two Gods, Satan, 2 Cor.
4.4. Eph. 2 1,2. Eph. 6.12. Matth. 12.29.
and Christ the King and Head of his body. And it is known that Infants within
the Visible Church, suffer incursions of Devils, dreadfull diseases, death; and
being without the Covenant, as Pagans; these evils must either be acts of
revenging justice, and preparatorie to the judgement of eternall fire, or
blessed in Christ: But if the former, they are damned, if the latter, what blessing
is there without Christ?
(8.) Being without the Covenant.
1. Infants cannot be chosen and predestinate in Christ to salvation, as Eph. 1.4. Rom. 9.11. nor given to Christ to be saved Covenant-wayes, as John 17.2. John 6.39. nor loved from eternity, nor in time, as Arminians
teach, and so must be carried in Christ to Heaven or Hell, or rather to a mid
place, without God or providence, or decrees, or fore-knowledge, or counsel of
God. 2. They being without the Gospel-Covenant, cannot be redeemed by Jesus
Christ his Blood, but some other way: Contrair to Acts 4.12. 3. If Infants be born without sin, as Anabaptists teach,
they die, and go either to Heaven,
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and so Christ took not on him their nature, and is not
their Saviour: or they go to everlasting torment, and yet never sinned, which
is repugnant to Divine Justice: Or to some third place of which the Scripture
speaks not. And yet the word saith, Rev.
20. 12. that the dead small and great
shall stand before God, and shall be judged. And the Scripture saith
Infants are capable of punishment, and of being cut off, and the Parents
punished in them, and they bear Covenant-wrath in their Parents: As is clear in
the seed of Jeroboam, of Achab, of others, Ezod. 20. 5. Gen. 17.14.
4. Neither remission of sins, Justification, nor life eternall, nor Sonship,
nor Adoption in Christs suffering death, and in the Blood of the everlasting
Covenant, can belong to Infants if they be without the Covenant.
9. Nor can children be capable of
being blessed of Christ, or of his laying
on of hands. As Mark 10. if they
be not under the N. Test. capable of Covenant grace: And it is to be minded,
that Covenanting Parents, Luke 18.
1. Such as came to him to be
cured of their diseases, and beleeved him to be the Messiah, the Son of David,
as the blind call him, Mat. 20. and
the woman of Canaan, Mat. 15. Luk 18.15. [foreign] brought to him little Children, as Mat. 8.16. Mat. 9. 2. Luk. 4.40. they brought the sick.
2. The children were not
diseased, nor possessed: And the Parents being desirous they might be blessed,
as the event proved, it is clear they were not children of heathen, but members
of the Visible Church.
3. [foreign] Of such is the Kingdom of God,
Luk. 18.16. we cannot think that his meaning is of such as such, is the
Kingdome of God, as if all Infants of Jew and Heathen, belonged as subjects to
the Visible Church, for then the Infants of all Heathen should be Covenanted
members of the Visible Church, and yet their Parents are without the Visible
Church, and when they grow to age, they should without any scandall be
Excommunicate, which were monstruous, nor can the Invisible Kingdom of God be of such, as if all Infants,
because Infants were saved. Nor,
4. Can the taking of them be a
meer Embleme that such were blessed, for so, beside that Doves and Lambs, for
meeknesse are
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capable of being taken in the armes of Christ and
blessed, Christ bids them, in all times coming, be suffered to come, and not
forbidden, v. 16. which saith he
desired the whole spece of Infants of the
5. He could not mean, that only
Infants predestinate to glory, should be suffered to come: For the saith
indifferently [foreign] suffer little
children to come: Now he should then have given marks to discern
predestinate children and suffer them. (2.) And receive them only as Disciples, in my Name, Mar. 6.36,37.
(3.) He should have laid his hands upon some Infants, as predestinate to glory,
and forbidden others to come. And the Parents should have known what children
are predestinate to life, and should come, and what not.
6. The Text evidences that the
Disciples had a prejudice and a carnall one, at infants, thinking, they
understood nothing of Christ and of the
7. Nor was it extraordinary, when
Christ said suffer little children to
come, but he would have the spece instated members of such a Kingdom. Ergo. some of the kind must be saved and
examples must be verified (saith Mr. Cobbet
judiciously) in some particulars.
8. Of such is the Kingdome of God, of such in Covenant relation is the
Kingdome of God, of such subjects. For if Christs reason be, of such for
humilitie, meeknesse, want of malice, and invy, as 1 Pet. 2. 1,2,3. Math. 18. Psal. 131. 1, 2. is the Kingdome of God: he must mean by the Kingdome of God, the
Kingdome of Glory and the triumphing Church, this sense is refused by Anabaptists. 2. The Infants of Pagans
and of all men, by nature, within and without the Church are as well marked
resemblances of converts, as they. And we must say that Christ would have taken
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in his arms, and blessed all the Pagan Infants, and when
they grow to age they should be for no fault, but for age only. Excommunicate
from the blessing, for Pagan Infants as well resemble humility and
harmlessenesse (if only the personall qualifications of converts, and heart
converts, not the Covenant and Church holinesse of visible Professours, be here
meant) as Infants within the
9. There was no other designe and
purpose in Christ, in that emphatick expression, forbid them not to come [foreign] Math. 19.14. [foreign] Luke 18. 16. to me
their Saviour, as well as the Saviour of the aged, but to hold forth the common
interest of the whole spece of infants ([foreign])
within the Visible Church, their Covenant interest in Christ, for there is no
imaginable reason, but the conceit of want of understanding (the prejudice of Anabaptists only) why the Disciples
should have aimed to debar them or any poor sinners from accesse to the Saviour
of sinners.
10. Christ took them in his armes, layed his hands on them, blessed them. Now
this was a personall reall favour bestowed upon infants, had infants been meer
symbolick and doctrinall resemblances
of the humilitie of reall converts, and the young ones as much without the
Covenant as Pagans, and as uncapable of Covenant grace and Covenant seals,
because void of actuall faith now under the new Gospel administration, as
horses or beasts, let the opposites of their Baptisme show what sort of
blessing it was, that Christ bestowed upon them, if it be not: 1. Of more value
then Jacobs blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, or at least as reall, and certain, Christ the Lord from
heaven must as Soveraigne, who had power to curse the fig tree and it withered,
by his Soveraigne power have blessed, in them, the whole race of infants in the
Visible Church, and declared them Covenanted Church members under the New
Testament in this eminent act of blessing the children and in commanding that
all such might have free accesse to him as King, since the young ones were
Subjects of the Kingdome of God, as
well as the aged, and expressely forbids, that in time to come, they be
hindered to come to him, Mark 10.14. Luk. 18.16. Math. 19.14. and three Evangelists are three sufficient witnesses.
(2.) Christ the Lord is the Supreme and Soveraigne Lord of blessing and
cursing:
103
for in him all the
Nations of the earth, and with them, young ones a considerable part of the
Covenanted Nations, must be blessed,
(3.) If Isaac blessed Jacob, and he must be blessed, Gen. 27. 29. 33. and Jacob blessed the twelve Tribes, Gen. 49. 28. and Moses
the man of God blessed
104
have bestowed upon them the blessing of the Covenant of
Grace, Gal. 3.14. Heb. 6.14. let it be the blessing of
remission and life, or reall right to the Kingdome of God, its a blessing of
the Covenant. 6. The faith of the parents that brought them is holden forth, Math. 19. 13. Then were little children brought unto him, that he might lay his hands
on them and pray: then had they faith in Christ, that his praying and
blessing should be availeable to infants, its a conjecture that they came with
a may be, or as Mr. Cobbet well
sayeth, a faith grounded upon a possibilitie of Election separated from the
Covenant, that is secret, and the Covenant revealed, and so this, not election
abstracted from that, can be the ground of faith, Deut. 29. 29. and when Christ saith, Math. 18. 4,10. that little ones Angels behold the face of his
Father, and the Holy Ghost saith, Heb.
1.13. that Angels are Minstring Spirits, [foreign]. For these that shall by heritage or lot injoy salvation. Its clear
infants have their share of salvation, and by Covenant it must be. As also the
blessed seed is promised to Adam
before he have a child, and to his seed: To Seth,
Japhet, Isaac, Jacob, Abraham, when Cainan,
Cham, Ishmael, Esau, Abrahams Idolatrous house, to David, when his brethren are refused, and to these as heads of
Generations, when contrare Generations, and the houses of Cainan, Cham, Ishmael, are rejected: Hence the house of Israel, the seed of Israel, the seed of Jacob, and there
shall be added to the Gentiles, Isa.
49. who shall bring in to the Church their
sons and their daughters upon their shoulders, 22. Isa. 54.1. Sing O barren—for moe are the children of the desolate
then of the maried wife saith the Lord, Isa. 60.4. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see, all they gather themselves
about, they shall come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy sons
shall be nourished at thy side. Israel marying and Israel according to the flesh is the holy seed, Neh. 7.61. Neh.
9.2. the holy seed have mingled with the
heathen. 1 Chron. 16.13. O ye seed of
Israel his servants, ye children of Jacob whom he hath chosen, be mindfull of
his Covenant. And this holinesse by externall Covenanting is extended to
the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 7.14. But now are your children holy; and its
holinesse the Jews to be called in, Rom.
11.16. If the first fruit be holy, the
lump is also holy:
105
and if the root be holy, so are also the
branches. So it is prophecied, Isa.
61.9. Their seed shall be known among the
Gentiles, and their off-spring among the people: All that see them shall
acknowledge them, that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed. 6. But ye
shall be named the Priests of the Lord, (holy by Covenant as was Aarons house, because in Covenant
visibly with God) men shall call you the
Ministers of our God: Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles; and in their
glory shall ye boast your selves. Isa. 62.2. Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord hath
named. v. 12. And they shall call
them the holy people, the Redeemed of the Lord: And thou shalt be called,
Sought out. A City not forsaken. Isa. 65.22. As the dayes of a tree, are the dayes of my people: and mine Elect
(by called) shall long injoy the work of
their hands. Sure he Prophesies of a visibly Covenanted people under the
New Testament: For he adds, v. 23. They
shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth in trouble: for they are the seed of
the blessed of the Lord, and their off-spring with them. Now to any Godly
Reader, there is here. 1. a Prophesie to be fulfilled of the Gentiles brought
in, as is clear, Isai. 61. 1,2,3,4.
Christ, Luke 4. applyes that Text to
himself. And 9. Their seed shall be known
among the Gentiles. Isa. 62.2. The
Gentiles shall see thy Righteousnesse. And for Chapter 65. 1,2,3,4. Paul expounds it of the in-coming of the
Gentiles, Rom. 9.24.26.
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seed of the blessed
of the Lord, and their off-spring with them. Jer. 23.22. As the Host of Heaven cannot be numbred, neither the sand of the sea
measured, so will I multiply the seed of David, What seed? The visible
seed: And the Levits that Minister unto
me, will I multiply: He alludes to the promise made to Abraham, of multiplying his seed, Gen. 13.15. Gen. 15.5. Gen. 2.17. And this promise made to Abraham (saith Calvin) belongs to them all, and he would have them not to doubt of
the restitution of the people to their own Land. Now the people and Levits, and
house of David were never so
multiplied in the Jews, after the deliverance from
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1 King. 11. 2. Ezra 9.2,12. Nehem. 13.23. Judg.
3.6,7. Judg. 42. 3. Except there be
some middle between a cursed and a blessed seed, a seed in the Church, and in
Covenant, and the seed of the Serpent, of Heathen, without the Covenant. 2. A
middle between the Kingdom of darknesse, of Satan, and the
Answ.
They are become the Kingdoms of the Lord,
not only because they are truely converted, but because they are the chosen of
God in the Office house of Christ, and Christ reigns over them by the Scepter
of his Word whom he is to convert. And external Covenanting with God is of it
self free Grace and a singular favour bestowed of God, Psal. 147.19,20. Deut.
5.1,2. Mat. 21.42,43. Luke 14.16.21.
2. It is free Grace that God will
have hypocrites and real infidels to beget children to him that are internally
in Covenant with him; and fills up the number of the Elect by Reprobate Parents
who are instrumentall to the in-coming in the world, and into the Visible
Church, of many Heirs of Glory: and in so doing there is a Church right
communicated from Reprobate Parents to their Children, that are Heirs of Glory.
3. Externall Covenanting goes
before internall Covenanting, as the means before the end, and the cause before
the effect: for
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faith comes by hearing of a sent Preacher,
109
after them. See the same order, Ezech. 11. 19, 20. though the words ly
not in that order there and here. And Heb.
8. 10. 5. God is not then a God to any, because they have a clean heart, and
the Law ingraven therein, for then they should be in Covenant, before they be
in Covenant; And so this is true (because
he is our God in truth and righteousnesse, therefore we beleeve) but this
is not true (because we beleeve,
therefore he is our God) except we argue from the effect to the cause.
But to return: Calvine on Matth. 19.14. We hence gather that
the grace of Christ is extended to Infant age, for whole mankind had perished.
Beza, Infants are also comprehended in the
free Covenant. Pareus, its unlawfull to debarre these from baptism and the
Church, whom Christ bids come to him, &c.
Obj. But Christ commands not they be
baptized. Answ. Nor doth Christ in this place command the Parents to bring them up in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord: Nor speak the Evangelists of any Parentall duty; shall we from
that conclude, it was not Christs mind that the Parents take care of the fourth
& fifth Command? Pareus saith, it
was neither time nor place. Mat.
28.19. he bids baptize all. 3. He who prayed for them, blessed them, laid his
hands upon them, invited them to bring Infants to him (of all which Infants
were as uncapable, as of the use and ends of Baptism and of actuall confession
of sin and of beleeving) judged they ought be Baptized. 4. Its never to be
found where any are Baptized, but the Head of the Family is Baptized: And when
we read that houses were Baptized, 1 Cor.
1.16. Acts 16.33. There is no more
ground to say Infants are not Baptized, then to say when the Lord saith to Abraham, Gen. 12.2. I will blesse thee, and make thy name great. And 22.17. in blessing I will blesse thee. And when
the Lord saith, Isai. 19.25. blessed by Ægypt my people; he should
mean, he would blesse Abraham, not
his seed, and that he minds to blesse the aged of Ægypt, and of Assyria,
but not their seed and infants, because they understand not what a blessing of
God means; and yet the fruit of the womb and the seed are said to be blessed, Psal. 37.26. Deut. 7.13. and God so intreated to blesse
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not be that God would blesse the young Infants and
Children in
The Jews, Rom. 11.16. are holy root and
branch first fruit and lump, fathers and children, and the Jews shall he
brought in again. Why? The Generation to come in is holy, for the Covenant made with their fathers. Well say Anabaptists, but notwithstanding of the
federall holinesse you talk of,
Ans. But
these to come in, and to be re-ingrafted are holy, intentionally, in the decree of God, because of their beloved
fathers, and when God shall call them, the same Covenant made with Abraham gives them right; and these
branches not in being, and the unborn Generation are only intentionally holy by this federall holinesse, and they shall be
actually holy, when they shall be born, but it followeth not, but the present
Generation not broken off through unbeleef, as Paul and others called by the name of election, Rom. 11.7. have right, because of their
fathers. For God hath not cast off his
people, whom he hath fore-known. For I
am an Israelite (saith Paul, v.
1,2.) of the seed of Abraham, and
there are thousands of Jews now hid, as in Elias
his time, who bowed not their knee to
Baal; but the body of them, the great bulk is fallen away and cut off.
Hence the Jews are holy federally,
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and not holy, beloved of the fathers federally, and not
beloved federally, holy and keep Church-right to Baptism, and Ordinances, in
regard of the sounder and invisible part: And not holy federally nor having any
Church right to Baptism, in regard of the wilfully broken off body, that
crucified Christ and stand to their fathers bloody deed, these have no more
Church-part nor portion to Ordinances, then Simon
Magus, Acts 8. notwithstanding of their carnall discent from Abraham.
And when God made the Covenant
with Abraham, Gen. 17. and renewed
the same, Deut. 29. he made it with
these who were not there standing, v.
14,15. not with you only, &c, but
virtually, radically with us Gentiles, who were not then born, as touching the
substantialls, for Priest-hood, Law-service, Types, Sacrifices, Circumcision,
yea Baptism, the Lords Supper, Pastors, Teachers, Elders to rule, Deacons, were
all accidents, to the substance of the Covenant, to wit, to beleeve in Christ
and to obtain righteousnesse and life by Christ: As the same way to the same
City hath other hedges, way-marks, bridges, this year which it had not 500.
years agoe. And look as a father that knowes he shall beget so many hundreth
sons who shall all be Kings, and have the same royall inheritance, writeth a
Charter intituling them all, before they be born to the same inheritance: They
have all virtuall and radicall right, ere they be born, with the first heir;
And when they are born, he makes not another Covenant with them. So Deut. 29.14,15. he sayeth not, He shall
make another Covenant with these when they shall be born: but I make a Covenant with you, and with these
that are not here, not born. Hence by way of excellency he calleth it the Covenant, the Covenant of the Lord,
Jer. 22.9. Deut. 4.23. Josh 23.11. My
Covenant, saith the Lord, Gen. 17.7, 9,10. Exod. 19.5. Psal. 50.16. His Covenant, Psal. 105.8. He remembred his Covenant for ever,
Psal. 111. 5. He will remember his
Covenant for ever, 5.9. His Covenant
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, 2 King. 13. 23. When Hazael King of
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oath $$$ Jacob, 1 Chron. 16. 16,17. Psal. 105.9.
Jer. 11.5. Dan. 9. Luke 1.73. Heb. 6. 15,17. and to the fathers, the ever lasting Covenant, Gen. 9.16.
Gen. 17. 9,13. which relates to Adam
also, Levit. 24.8. 2 Sam. 23.5. made unto David, 1 Chro. 16.17. Psal. 105.10. Isa. 61. 8. Heb.
13.20. which cannot be, if there be so many Covenants, as some speak of: the new Covenant, and the better Covenant, Heb. 8. 8,13. Heb
12. 20. Jer. 3. 81. Heb. 7.22. which newnesse and excellency is all expounded
of the Mediator now God, the Word made Flesh, Heb. 7.c.8.c.9.
And we would remember that
Hence by diverse Arguments he
proves that the Jewes shall be brought in again to Christ 1. From four ends of
the Jews fall v. 11. (2.) To provoke
them to come in, v. 11. (3.) That
some may be saved. 4. For the riches of the worlds salvation. Whence the
magnifying of Pauls Ministry, v. 13, 14. 2. Arg. From the great fruit; If their fall be the riches of the
world, their incoming again must be the resurrection from the grave of the
buried unbeleeving world, v. 15.
3. Arg. They must be brought in. These who are holy separated
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from the world for the Covenant-call of God, must be
brought in again: But so is Israel. The Assumption he proves by parts. 1. The
masse and root of Israel is holy, the Fathers
were the Covenanted visible stock, line, root, as all the Old Testment sayeth:
then the posterity, the first fruits, the branches partly born, partly to be
born, must be holy Covenant-wayes: The tree, root and branches are holy and of
the same nature; Therefore the branches have right to Christ, to the Covenant, to Baptisme and the seals. Hence Anabaptists, without all reason, say
that he speaks not of federall and externall holinesse, but of reall, internall
and true holinesse, only of the invisible body predestinated to life: for
though invisible holinesse cannot be excluded, except we exclude the holinesse
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were without doubt a part of
the root: yet he must be taken to speak of that holinesse of the Covenant and
Church, as made visible and of the visible collective body of the Jews, not of
only reall and invisible holinesse. 1. Because this was true in the dayes of Elias, If the root be holy the branches
are holy; And it is a New Testament-Truth of perpeall verity, If the Fathers be
holy so must the Sons. The Fathers have Church-right to Circumcision, to
Baptism, to the Passeover, and to the Lords Supper, so have the Children: but
it is most false of the invisible mysticall body and root only, and of reall
and internall holinesse; For neither in Old or New Testament is it true, If the
Fathers be predestinated to life, justified and sanctified and saved, so must
the Children be. Ishmael, Esau, Absalom,
and all the world of Hypocrites called from their prophanenesse Sodom and Gomorah, Isai. 1. 10. uncircumcised
in heart, as Egypt, Moab and Ammon. Jerem. 9.26. as the Philistines, Amos 9.7. Then should that
(2.) Distinction of Jewes in the heart,
and inward, and of Jews in the flesh, Rom. 2. 28. and of the children of the flesh, that are not of the spiritual seed, and of
the children of the promise, Rom.
9.7.8. and of the persecuting children of the bond woman not justified by
faith, and of the children of the promise, Gal.
4.23,24. &c. fall to the ground. Yea 3. If by the root and the lump be
understood only Believers and chosen to life the whole Israel, which is as the sand of the sea, should be saved, whereas
the Word of God saith, a remnant only
shall be
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saved, [foreign] LXX. Tecla. A part taken out shal be saved, Rom.
9.27. Isai. 10. 22,23. Hos. 1.10. 4. By the branches
must be meant all the visible body of the Jews, old and young. Now if Anabaptists give us a Visible Church of
the Jewes of all reall believers, even the branches and Infants, (which shall
hardly! be proven by the Scripture) these infants at least being visible
Believers may lawfully be baptized, being both internally and visible, and
externally in Covenant. For this Scripture is expresly expounded by them of
reall and inherent holinesse, and so Infants must be reall Believers and in
Covenant. Ergo they must be baptized:
What can be replied is not imaginable: but they have not actuall faith, and
possibly that is not known to the Church. But this Scripture saith that the branches and root both are holy. 2. It
shall be new Divinity, that none are to be baptized but such as are under the
actuall exercise of their faith, a thing that cannot be discerned by the Church, in these that are come to age.
5. Here shall also be this new Divinity, that predestination to life and glory
must be propagated and derived from the lump to the first fruits, from the root
and parents to the branches and children.
5. Its against the whole current
of the Text, that Paul spake
abstractly of the only invisible body really sanctified, and not of the visible
body. For 1. The body invisible is an elect seed that cannot fall away; But the
body that here he speaks of are such, of which a part are hardned and blinded,
and under the spirit of slumber, and a part elect and chosen. 7. The election have obtained, the rest are
hardned, and of such a body, compared with the body in the time of Elias, of which multitudes fell away, slew the Prophets, digged down the Altars,
and a good number were beleevers, that bowed not their knee to Baal, and so is the body now, saith, Paul, 1,2,3,4,5. [foreign], which is a
mixt body. 3. He speaks of the body that is fallen and stumbled, v. 11. and these whom he preaches unto,
to provoke them to a holy emulation, to come in to Christ, by the incoming of
the Gentiles, v. 13, 14. which is
sure a visible body, and which shall be ingraffed in again, v. 23. which includes a visible body of
diverse generations. 4. Yea he must speak of a Nationall election and externall
calling, as Deut. 7. 7,8,9. Deut. 10.15. Psal. 132.13. Isai. 41.
2. Not
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of a personall election of some certain persons who fell,
were blinded, rejected fully and totally in their persons, and received in and
ingraffed as sound believers again: for the Scripture speaks of no such boating
in and out, but of a huge numerous body of which some fell, some stand and
includes diverse generations. 5. The collective visible body of Jews and
Gentiles are such as Paul preacheth
unto, v. 13,14. such as are ingraffed
in in the room of the Jews, and
ingraffed into the Olive of the
visible Body, and partake of the fatnesse
Of Ordinances, Baptism,
Covenant-comforts, promises. Now if any say that this proves not that
Infants are ingraffed, then must they say that Infants of the Jews before Christ partaked of no fatnesse of the
Covenant, Circumcision, Blessings, Presence, Protection. 2. That they were not
broken off with their fathers, and so that they now stand. 3. That the Infants
of the Jews are not holy branches, as the root is holy, as v. 16. and that none but the fathers, shall be ingraffed in, and
only 4. The aged and the baptized actuall believers of the Gentiles are the
ingraffed ones, not their Infants, they are all Heathen and Pagans, as well as the casten off Jewes.
5. That the Jewes ingraffing in again shall be to their great hurt, so as God
was long agoe their God, but shall no more in time coming be their God, then of
the Pagans and the lately cut off fathers: Nor can the Adversaries say that
Jewish Infants were broken off through
unbelief, because they are capable neither of belief nor of unbelief to
them. Then they remain in the Olive tree, members of the Church as before, and God must be still their God, when the fathers are cut off, vers. 17. And again, when the fathers
shall be reingraffed and they made Christians, the Infants shall be out of
Christ, and have no more Covenant right or Church-right to Baptisme, then the
Infants of Egyptians and Philistines had to Circumcision.
Obj. Shall not, by this means, all the Infants of all the Gentiles be
ingrafted in, and baptized?
Answ.
The Text warrants us to say it only of the Children of the ingrafted and called
Gentiles, that they have right to baptism.
Obj. This Text is spoken of these that have hereditary Covenant-right, from
their naturall Father Abraham. We
Gentiles
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have not that
naturall relation to
Abraham, nor are we his naturall sons,
nor branches?
Answ.
Its false, that the Jews by birth as
birth, had hereditary right to Church-priviledges, they had right by such a
birth from Abraham taken in out of
free-love to Covenant fellowship with God, and his children are naturall, that
is, kindlie. 2. First branches and sprigs, before us Gentiles, to beleeving Abraham, but we beleeving are made Abrahams by proportion, and are
secondary and so wild branches. 2. Abraham
is not the Physicall, but a Morall root. For the Covenant was made with Abraham, not as a beleeving Father, but
as a beleeving Head of Children, of Servants, and strangers under him, as the
Covenant is laid as an Heavenly depositum,
upon Zacheus, in relation not to his
children only, but to his house, Luke
19. For when he is made a sonne of Abraham,
salvation, that is, the Covenant of Life comes to him and to his house: and so
to Cornelius, Acts, 10. and to the
Jayler, Acts 16. and to their houses,
and the same way I distinguish seeds.
Q. How
can the Jews that are come in, be federaly holy for their fathers? Since now it
is about fifteen hundreth years since their fathers were broken off from Church
and Covenant: May not all the world Jews and Gentiles be federally holy
branches, by the same reason, because the Covenant was made with, and Preached
unto Adam a beleeving root and father
in Paradice? So it would appear once in the Covenant of Grace, and all the seed
to the coming of CHRIST, are federally holy, as well as they. Answ. This is as great a difficultie to
the Adversaries (and insuperable) as to us, for the Jews unborn by their way,
are no more holy in their branches and off-spring then Turks and Indians, and
their children, untill they grow to age and actually beleeve, and so are the
Infants of Americans, and such as
worship the Sun, or Satan, that way holy. And so the branches of the Jews have
no holiness from the root, nor are they beloved
for the fathers, as vers. 28. 2.
All the Jews leave not off to be members of the Invisible Church; For Paul saith Rom. 11. 25. blindnesse in
part is happened to Israel [foreign] to a part of Israel: For howbeit, the
visible masse and body of the Jews rejected Christ and wrath be come upon them
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to the out most, 1 Thes. 2.16. yet that is not said universally of all the Jews, 14
[foreign]. Yea Paul wrote to the Jews
the Epistle to the Hebrews. James to the
twelve Tribes scattered abroad, Jam. 1.1. and Peter, 1 Pet. 1.1. and John to the Jews: I judge, not in a
visible body, and these are not broken off the Olive, and do, though not in a
Visible Church way, derive Covenant right to the branches that shall be
ingrafted in. But many Nations descended of Adam
have universally rejected Christ, and know not the Name of Christ the blessed
seed.
Q. May we not say that the root is Christ as mysticall Head, from whom we
partake of the sappe of grace and life and fatnesse.
Answ.
The intent of Paul is to prove that
the Jews cut off, because of their unbeleef, shall be ingrafted in again, in
the Lords own time, because, of the holinesse of the Covenant, that was in the
root, and in the first fruits Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. It is true,
their Covenant-holiness is not the adequat cause, why they shall be ingrafted
in really into Christ, for so all the carnall children, who had this relative
holinesse must be really ingrafted in Christ, but it is with the Lords free
love, both the cause of their personall, and of their Church ingrafting, and
the continued deriving of that relative holinesse being a continued free favour
in its kind, is the Lords love in the same kind to root and branches, otherwise
it should not bear truth, which, is said, v.
28. which expones this, ver. 28. that they are beloved for the fathers,
not as if they were predestinate to life, because Abraham was so chosen, but because of the Fathers Covenant
holinesse, which was holinesse from Christ not as root and head, through
influence of saving grace, but as a politick head which yet is, what we say.
For because Christ is holy as root, head and Redeemer, the Jews once his Church
Visible and to be so again, the branches are not really holy by faith, because
all of them were not in Christ: But if all Jews and Gentiles, and also Infants
who are Jews and Gentiles and parts of the body be baptized into the visible
body, so are Infants. See more of this in Mr. Cotton, Mr. Black, Mr. Cobbet, Mr. Rich. Baxter, who have closed the dispute learnedly.
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CHAP. XV.
The differences of externall and internall Covenanting. 2. No Universall
HEnce, the clear differences
betwixt the externall visible and Nationall Covenanting of the people of old,
when they were brought out of the
1. This under the New Testament
is a new Covenant, and all the old shadows are abolished: The former is the
old.
2. This is with the house of Israel and Judah chosen
persons, and so personall with single men. You shall not give a Nation,
Kingdom, or Land, with which the Covenant internally is so made, as if all and
every one, without exceptions, must know
the Lord savingly (what may be the converted Jews case, whether the whole
body of them, all the every one shall be visible, real, and personall
Covenanters, as the place, Rom.
11.26. seems to say, I cannot determine) and all and every one be saved: for
then must all the visible house of Israel be saved, and not the chosen only.
3. The visible externall Covenant
was broken, Jer. 31.32. The other
personall and internall is never broken.
4. The promise of a new heart is
really fulfilled, in all the persons and single branches of the house of Judah, so that all and every one are
taught of God, none excepted, Jer. 31.33.34. Isa. 54.13. Joh. 6.45.
not so in the visible externall Covenant, if it be but externall: not any is
taught of God, but all are taught of men.
5. The reall personall Covenant
is everlasting, like that Covenant with the Moon and Stars; 2. The night and
the day; 3. Of the motion of the Sea, Jer.
31.35,36,37. There is perseverance absolutely promised, Jer. 32.40. I will make an
ever lasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do
them good. Its sure in Gods part, for he changeth not. Nay, but we change
and turn away from God, he obviats that: I
will put my
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fear in their
hearts, that they shall not depart from me. So Isai.
54.10. Isa. 59.21. but all such as
Nationally, visibly only, and in profession only, are in Covenant, may fall
away.
6. Jer. 31.38. Behold the dayes
come saith the Lord, that the City shall be built to the Lord, &c.
There is promise of spirituall right in Christ made to the blessings of this
life, to these that are personall Covenanters; As Jer. 32.41. Ezek. 11.
17,18,19. Ezek. 36.
26,27,28,29,30,33. Ezek. 37.
24,25,26. Ezek. 34. 23,24,25,26,27.
which promise, though not repeated in the New Testament, when the Prophesies of
the Covenant are cited, Heb. 8.8. Heb. 10. 16,17. but of purpose omitted,
because the promise of temporal blessings, is not so expresse now; Yet in other
places of the New Testamant, it is clear that we have bread by
Covenant-promise, Matth. 19.29. 1 Tim. 4.8. Heb. 13,5,6. 1 Pet. 3.
10,11,12. which promise is made not to these only that are in Covenant
externally, &c. These six
differences are clear, Jer. 31.33,
&c. so that it is evident that all and every one of the Visible Church are
not really and personally confederates, so that though the Lord say to both: I will be their God, and they shall be my
people, yet not one and the same way.
Hence there is no ground at all,
nor truth in what Arminians say, that
the Covenant of Grace is made with all the every one of mankind, as was the
Covenant of Works. For this must be true, that in Paradice, the Covenant of
Grace was made with Adam, and all his
seed: But a Covenant so universall ought to be proclaimed to all the
Covenanters, but thus was not: For the Lord published and made it to Abraham and his seed, and the Lord
choised Israel above all the people
on earth, Deut. 5. 1,2,3. Deut. 7.6. Deut. 10.15. and shewed his judgements and statutes to them &
not to other Nations: And therefore there can be no subjejective revealing of
Christ, by universall grace, given to Heathen and all others, and by an
objective revealing of Christ in the works of Creation, the heaven and earth,
night and day, as some teach, citing the Ps.
19. 1,2.
For so 1. God choised Americans, Indians, and all the wild
Savages to be his people, as well as he choised the Jews: and if the sound of the Gospel went out to the ends of
the earth, that is, to
120
all and every one, as they expound, Psal. 19. 3,4.
121
cannot deny but faith
comes by hearing of some other Preacher
then a Gospel-Preacher or one that is sent; for Paul, Rom. 1. 16,17,18,19. and David,
Psal. 19. 1,2,3.—v. 7,8,9. distinguish the two Books.
There is not such an Objection
dreamed as Amyrald imagines of
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Spanhemius.
If it be well said that the sound of the heavens is gone to the end of the
world, that may be said truly of the Preaching of the Gospel. Junius to that sense. But 1. the place
saith not that God called with a will, to save the Gentiles: The Scripture
saith, he winked at them, and called them
not, Acts 14.16. But now God
commandeth all men every where to repent, Acts 17.30. and he revealed not
his Testimonies to them. Now was not the same Gospel-book in the Pages of the
works of Creation, as legible to the Gentiles before, as after the coming of
Christ in the flesh? Nor can the Gospel which never came to the ears of many Indians and millions of people, it being
to them a non ens, and an un heard of
Doctrine, explain the book of Creation; as the thing that shadows out Christ,
as the New Testament clears the Types of the Old: Nor doth the Scripture any
where tell us, what work of Creation or Providence, expresseth Christs dying for our sins, rising for our
righteousnesse: Nor doth the Scripture tell us of an Embleme, in nature, of
God Incarnate, of the Man Christ in glory pleading at the right hand of God for
us; And no doubt, the Lords naturall desires of saving all, calling and
inviting all to Repentance, of Christs dying for all, his naturall willingnesse
that all and every one should obey, do not ebbe and waxe and decrease, as the
Sea and Moon do, and therefore his taking such a course with all the Gentiles,
that no word of the Covenant comes to their ears, so that then at that time, they were without Christ,
being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenant
of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, Eph. 2.12. And in time past were no people (in
Covenant) and had not obtained mercy,
1 Pet. 2.9,10. and were far off, Acts
2. 39. must evince, that the sense of the Gospel was not written in Sunne and
Moon; and the book of Creation is not the Gospel; and therefore he hath been
shewing that the Gentiles were not in Covenant before the Incarnation, and
since no word of the Gospel comes to millions now, they are yet not in
Covenant. And this is a Gospel-truth now, that stands after the Incarnation, as
before, Rom. 9.18. He hath therefore
mercy upon whom he will, and hardens whom he will. And he said it in the
Old Testament, Exod. 33.19. and
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repeateth it to us, Rom.
9.15. I will have mercy upon whom I will
have mercy, and I will have compassion upon whom I will have compassion.
And if any may say that he hath the like antecedent naturall good-will, to save
eternally all these whom he calleth and moveth finally to obey, and the
greatest part of mankind whom he so moveth and calleth as he knoweth they shall
never obey, whereas he can move all finally to obey, without straining their
naturall liberty: He speaks things that cannot consist with both the wisedom
and liberty of God.
And if amongst these to whom the
word of the Covenant comes, some are externally only, and never saved, Matth. 22. 14. Rom. 9.6,7. Others internally personally and really in Covenant and
saved; why but some may be neither wayes in Covenant, if they never heard the
word of the Covenant, and if the Heathen and Americans were under the Covenant of Grace Preached to them in that
sound, that goes to the end of the world. Why, but Moab, Ammon, and Assyrians,
Philistines, Chaldeans, Persians, are the Israel of God, his chosen
people, his Sion, and must not
the principall promise of the Covenant be made to them? and are we not to
beleeve that God will write his Law in the hearts of Cain, Pharaoh, Saul, Doeg, Ahab, Judas, Magus, and of Moabites, Ammonites, Ægyptians, and of
all and every one of mankinde, if they be in Covenant with him? Contrair to Psa. 147. 19,20. Hos. 8.12. Exo. 20.1.
Neither can it be said, that all
mankind have received a subjective
power to beleeve and receive Christ holden forth in the Gospel to us, Printed
to be read and heard in the book of Creation, called the objective Gospel, as Adam
had power to fulfill the first Covenant, for Adam had the Image of God concreated in his soul by which he was
able to fulfill the Law, then must they give us a Scripture to prove that all Adams sons are converted, and restored
to the Image of God, born over again, for by no other power but by a new heart,
and the actings of God, can men beleeve the Gospel objective, or come to
Christ, and do good works Evangelicall by which they are justified, and if it
be a remote power that may grow, it is not the like power which Adam had to keep the Law. 2. This
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power is either naturall, or supernaturall: Naturall it
cannot be, for then flesh and blood might beleeve, and the wisedom of the flesh
might be subject to the Law of God, which the Scripture denies, Mat. 16.16,17. Rom. 8.7. 2. There should be no need that Christ die, except only
to satisfie for our breach of the Law, not to purchase new grace to us by his
merits, and such a power should be no grace of Christ. If it be a supernaturall
grace merited by Christ, then have Pagans, and all the Heathen that
supernaturall inherent grace to beleeve in the Son of God, and yet the object
thereof, the Gospel is not revealed to them, which is an incongruous
dispensation not warranted by the Scripture, that the Lord should give a
supernaturall power, to beleeve they know not what. 2. A supernaturall power to
beleeve is saving grace, and a power to love Christ, and can saving grace be in
Pagans or in any, and they know not of it? 3. Yea sins of Pagans, for which
they are condemned, must be the Gospel-sins, for they cannot be Law-sins, for
if all mankind be under the Covenant of grace, there can none at all be under
the Law: For there can be none under the Covenant of Works, and also under the
Covenant of Grace, for they are contrair dispensations, and contrair wayes of
salvation. He who is under the Law is not under Grace, and he who is under
Grace, is married to Christ, as to another Husband, Rom. 7.4. and not under the Law.
3. Saving grace is not in vain,
but effectuall, 1 Corinth. 15. 10. 1 Tim. 1.14. And wee are saved by the
Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts
15.11. and no greater mercy can be wished to any, then the grace of our Lord
Jesus, Rom. 16.20. 2 Cor. 13.14. Rev. 22.21. by which we are called, justified and glorified. If it
be said that this grace is not that effectuall saving grace, bestowed upon the
Elect, but a generall remote gracious power, by which we may acquire the saving
grace proper to the Elect. But so 1. that grace saving proper to the Elect by
this means is in the power of all Pagans, and all must be gifted with a power
to purchase that grace proper to the Elect: That must be strange conquishing,
we must all be made our own efficacious Redeemers, and Christ is a Saviour by
merit, not by efficacy; For if this saving grace be infused, it is
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either infused, we doing nothing
to which they cannot stand: Or then it is acquired, and so we make the generall
grace saving and proper to the Elect, which everteth the nature of saving
grace, and makes it the purchase of works. And they must say that Christ hath merited a generall
ineffectuall power to some, and that he dyed to merit a speciall saving grace
to others. Let us have a warrant for this, that Christ both died equally to save all, and yet with two contrary
intentions, to purchase a power of believing which should be effectuall to some
to save them, and ineffectuall to others. If it be said that Christ dyed to merite the same generall
power to all, but some make it ineffectuall, some not; This saith thus. 1. That
Christs death might have it's fruit and effect, though all perish. 2. That
Christ dyed to merite a far off, lubrick and possible venture of heaven, such
as was the case of the first Adam. 3.
Christ dyed not to purchase a new heart more to one then to another, whereas 1 Pet. 1. 18,19. the blood the Lord shed
is to Redeem us from our vain
conversation, in a naturall state as well as to save us from the wrath to
come; Then must Christ have died to
buy Pagans from Paganism and Idolatry: and that either absolutely, and then why
should multitudes so die in their sins? If conditionally, what can be the
condition going before conversion, to wit, that we should be delivered from our
vain conversation, so we be willing, before our conversion, to be delivered
from our vain conversation. And shall not the Question recur concerning that
condition? In a word they will have Christs death to buy Heaven, but not to buy
faith, without which Heaven is impossible. Yea he no more bought to men a grace
sweetly and strongly inclining the will to believe, then he bought such a grace
to the damned devils. He purposed to give to all Pagans a power by which they should be made fit to perform all that
the Gospel requires, and be fit to be made partakers
of the inheritance of the Saints,
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well, and that all by sufficient grace (saith Corvinus) are disposed to conversion,
but that sufficiency is not habituall grace, but actuall assistance conveying
the Preached Word, which is to bring all to free-wills power, rejecting all
infused power, and to make an influence of grace, which is in the power of free
will to use or not to use, and to stand in two. 1. In a measure of heavenly Doctrine. 2. In the stirring upon the heart; Whence 1. Grace habituall so is
denyed; then the will needeth no healing. 2. Grace universall is limited to the
Word Preached, then it is not universall; For Pagans hear not the Word Preached. 3. There is no other help given
to free will in every act, but 1. Information by the Word, that was the grace
of Pelagius. 2. Some influence of God
in every act: But that addes not new strength to the will. Shortly they say, Any man may know, understand and believe the Gospel,
if the object be sufficiently proposed and revealed. And so the naturall
man can no more know and receive the things of the Gospel, then he can
understand the Metaphysicks, the Acromaticks of Aristotle: for these he cannot receive, but judgeth them folly; And
so we are the same way blind, dead, stony-hearted to believe the Gospel, as we
are to know and believe the mysteries of Aristotles
Philosophy.
Lastly, this power of believing
and coming to Christ cannot be in all men, since the Scripture saith of all men
(even these within the Visible Church not excepted) that untill the light of
the Gospel savingly enlighten them, they
sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death, Isa. 9. 1. Math. 4.15,16. And
[foreign] No man can come to Christ
without the Fathers drawing, and God teaching the heart, Joh. 6.44,45. The naturall man, [foreign], cannot understand the things of God, but
judges them foolishnesse, 1 Cor.
2.14. His wisedome cannot be subject to
the Law of God.
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being out of Christ, and can do nothing, Joh. 15.3.4. It shall be clear to any,
that the Holy Ghost denyeth any such power, as they affirm. It reckons not much
to tell that Jesuites, as Martmez de
Ripul, Swarez, Alphonsus Curiel, Duvallius, Lod. Molma, Did. Ruiz, Vasquez,
Bellarmine, Phili. Samachæus, Sorbonicus, Gulie. Estius, Dominica, Toletus
Cardinalis, Pirerius, Salmeron, teach that, without saving grace, men may,
and can first know morall truths, shining vertues, as heathens, be free of sin,
as touching these vertues in their due circumstances. 2. Keep the Commandements
and Law of Nature. 3. Dispose themselves for, and obtain the grace of
Conversion by their own industrie. 4. Be victorious over this or that weighty
temptation singly taken. 5. That there is no intrinsecall hurt of free-will,
that it is wounded a little, because of the darknesse of the mind, and langour
of nature, but not dead to actions supernaturall. 6. That we may love God as
the Author of nature, and Creator sincerelie; And Arminians teach that we may without the Spirit of God know all
truth, quantum sufficit ad salutem,
sufficiently to salvation, and so may will, love, and beleeve without the
infused supernaturall habit or grace, so their Apologie.
And the Socinian Catechism, c. 6.
pag. 212. and Socinus himself, Prælect.
Theol. Cap. 4. Fol. 15,16. Et de officio hominis Christi: Cap. 5. Smalcius on Joh. 1. Hom. 3. Give to
us man-whole, sound, sinlesse, as he came from the first Adam. 2. That man can do all that Cod commands him with little help
of God. 3. Its an errour (saith Smalcius)
that a man hath no strength in spirituall things, there is no need of the
inward gift of the Spirit of God to beleeve (saith the Raccovian Catechism) for we read not that such a gift in Scripture
is bestowed upon any but upon beleevers:
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such as are born of Adam
(saith Socinus) are all born in the
same condition, and nothing is taken from such a man, which he naturally hath
or was to have. Ostorodius Justi. Relig.
Christ. cap. 21. Prædicatio sola
Euangelis potest hominem absq, internâ Spiritus illuminatione, & operatione
à peccatis convertere. The only Preaching of the Gospel without the inward
illumination by the Holy Spirit, and his working is able to convert a man from
sin. All which is Printed and taught, and many other abominable errours to us.
To this Objection against universall
grace (as I judge unanswerable) Corvinus
Answers, that all the places of Scripture brought to prove mans inability to
beleeve in Christ, and to worship him, conclude well that a man hath not
strength of himself without Christ and his grace; but this is but to cloud the
truth, and to mock the reader, for if all and every man (even the Infants of
Pagans) be in Covenant through Christ, and be made able by a gifted grace
common to all, within, and without the Church, by which they are able by
degrees to do all that the Gospel requires, what avails it to discourage them,
and to tell, they are not masters of a good thought, without grace; for they
are no lesse masters of good thoughts and good words, and of good actions then Adam was; for they are not hearers of
the Gospel by nature, but as gifted with universall grace, they are hearers,
and before their conversion, and before they receive the Spirit of
Regeneration, can please God, and
prepare themselves for Regeneration: Yea there is no animal and naturall Pagan de facto existing in the world (by their
way) who cannot receive the things of God, and cannot come to Christ, except he be drawn, for all
Pagans and others are drawn, and by this it might have been said, Adam as wanting supernaturall grace, and
as a naturall man (for the Image of God was supernaturall grace to Adam, as Arminius and Corvinus
teach) so, was not able to think a good thought, as 2 Cor. 3.5. nor able to receive
the things of God, as the naturall man, 1 Cor. 2.14. and Adam so
was also dead in trespasses and sins, and must come to Christ the same way to
wit, drawn by the grace super-added to nature, as we fallen sinners do.
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CHAP. XVI.
Cases from the former Doctrine.
1. The differences betwixt such as are externally, visibly, and conditionally,
and such as are internally and personally in Covenant with God. 2. Gods esteem,
not mens, make Nations Visible Churches. 3 The first and prime subject of
speciall Church-priviledge. 4. Gods command to receive seals, no warrand to
all members to challenge them.
Q. 1.
IF multitudes and people externally Covenanted with God, though not internally,
whom the Lord calls his people and chosen by him, Deut. 7.6. Deut. 10.15.
be the rightly constitute and
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Visible Churches, except men also esteem and judge them
not only externally, but really and internally justified and effectually
called. 2. These we are to judge in Covenant visibly, whom the Lord so calls,
and to these the seals do belong Ecclesiastically, though we see not signes of
their inward conversion; Except we say that our judgement is surer then the
Lords; But the Lord calls Nations,
the Gentiles so, and so must Paul and Church members judge all the
Kingdomes, and all the Gentiles reall converts; Else the seals are not due to
them. 3. If we must judge them all really redeemed and sanctified, who are fed
by Pastors, as Mr. Hooker teacheth
from Acts 20.28. seed the stock, then are we to esteem all the fathers who were baptized unto Moses in the Cloud, and
in the Sea, and did eat the same spirituall meat, and did all drink of the same
spirituall Rock Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 1,2,3,4. to be really redeemed, reall
beleevers, and the whole world to be really redeemed, and yet the world is not
the Church, yet they were Idolaters, murmurers, visibly known to be such; And John 'Baptist was oblidged to esteem the
multitudes, all
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Mat. 3. 5,6. and
were baptized, saith Mark 1.5.)
what motives I say, led and induced them to join? For they joined but for a
season, Joh. 5.35. Matth. 21.32. and what rule of the word
there is to regulate us in judging of these motives? 3. What outward marks the
word gives of outward regeneration, and consequently of predestination to
glory, justification, Effectuall Calling, made visible, which we must see in
others, before Pastours can feed them as Pastours, for the word is in all the
like a perfect rule.
Quest.
2. What is the first principall and only proper subject of the promises of
speciall note, in the Mediator, of
the promise of a new heart, of the styles, properties and priviledges of speciall
note; That is, to be called the body of CHRIST, the Anointed ones, and such as
shall never fall away, Jer. 32.
39,40. Jer. 31. 35,36. Answ. Only the invisible and Mysticall
body of Christ for a promise of a new heart, of the Law ingraven in the inward
parts, of the anointing, Jer. 31.33. Isa. 54.13. Heb. 8.10. of perseverance, Jer.
31. 35,36. Isa. 54.10. Isa. 59. 20,21. Jer. 32. 39,40. Joh. 10.
27,28,29. are promises of speciall note
in the Mediator; And if any say that the Visible Church as such, as visible,
whereof Simon Magus is a member, is
the first principall subject of these promises or of priviledges of speciall note in the Mediator, they must join (it
may be mistakenly) with Arminians.
Mr. Thomas Hooker did not so
ingenuously as need were, refute this Thesis of mine, as he ought to have done,
but framed an other of his own, and refuted it, to wit, which is not owned by
me. The
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of God is a good warrand to the Church and Ministers to
conferre the seals to Ishmael, Simon
Magus, Judas, though no Word of God warrand us judicially to sentence them
to be regenerate, before the Ministers can confer the seals, as Mr. Hooker and his teach, but that the
command of God is a good right and
warrand to Esau, and Simon Magus, to require and to challenge the
seals is not written in the Scripture, with the good leave of that pious
man, no more nor usurpers have warrand to challenge that to which they have no
right, or a robber hath warrand to require the purse of an innocent traveller.
Can the sorcerer Magus say, there can be no better right then I have to
challenge Baptism and the Lords Supper? Why? I have the command of God. Nay but an answer is soon returned to
the witch: The Church of Samaria hath
Gods warrand to confer the seals, so long as the witches skill fails him not to
act fairly the part of the painted professour, but the conditionall command of an
externally Preached Covenant, is not the best right, nay, no right at all for
him to challenge the seals, except he come beleeving and discerning the Lords
Body, and mourning for sin, and fulfill the condition: Indeed if the Lord had
commanded Magus and all the visible
members, with an absolute command, Come
and receive the seals whether ye professe, know Christ, or beleeve and repent,
or not; that command should warrand all to challenge, but I trust Mr. Hooker will not stand to such a command.
And therefore distinguish betwixt jus
activum, ane active right in the
Church to confer the seals, and jus
passivum, a passive right in Magus to challenge: The latter requires
that Magus have right as a beleever,
and in foro Dei, both to the seal and
interest in Christ, by the grant of Adversaries; Else he hath no right, no
command of God to challenge the seals. And therefore we must distinguish
betwixt the Covenant of Grace, qua factum
& initum, & qua annunciatum, the Covenant, I say, as made with
some, and yet Preached to all. And whereas Mr. Hooker saith, 38,39.pag. that
he cannot see how the will of purpose, and the will of revealed command, do not
contain apparent contradictions. This Godly man hated Arminians, when he saw them in daylight. I cannot now insist to
answer him and Papists and Arminians who object the very same
thing. It is clear they differ much,
133
but they are not contradicent, more then the decree of
God, and the morall obligation of men are contrair. Hypocrites and such, are
only visible members and no more, and have no true and internall right and
interest in the seals according to the inward grace signified or the promises
of a new heart, which are absolute and made to the Elect and beleevers, who are
the only principall prime and proper subject
of such promises of speciall note in the Mediator.
Quest.
3. What be these principall reall Covenanters to whom onely, the new heart is
absolutely promised, and how are they known.
CHAP. XVI.
1. Of the hypocrisie, of formall Covenanters. 2. Selfdeceit. 3. The new
Spirit. 4. Revelations and
Prophecies. 5. Markes of a Spirituall
disposition.
Answ.
THis toucheth the differences of the old and stony heart in such as are
externally only in Covenant with God, and are Hypocrites: And the new and soft
heart of such as are internall, reall, and absolute Covenanters: Hence these
propositions.
1. An Hypocrite is he who in the
stage represents a King, when he is none, a begger, an old man, a husband, when
he is really no such thing, Luke
20.20. They sent out spies, faining
themselves to be just men: To the Hebrews they are [foreign] faciales, facemen, men of the face and
vizard and [foreign] colorati, dyed
men, rid men, dipped, baptized, from the root [foreign] to dye, dip, wash,
baptize, Jer. 12.9. mine heritage is to me as an speckled bird,
or a pyed bird, and hath casten off my simple liverie, and so is a bird of
many sundrie colours: The Hypocrite is dyed and watered with a hew and colour
of godlinesse. Coneph noteth
hypocrisie, Isa. 32. 6. from
[foreign] simulavit, fraudulenter egit.
The noune [foreign] Chald. [foreign]
a dissembler, an Hypocrite, who is sometimes just, sometimes wicked, the root
by a Metaphore is to pollute,
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and defile, Psal.
106. the land was defiled with bloods: Hence the Hypocrite is all things, and
all men, and nothing, and no man but himself.
Hypocrisie is considered in it
self, and so it is opposed to sincerity. Or in relation to these graces and
duties which it fenzies, and so it is opposed to all the true vertues which it
lyingly and feinzedly represents, as painting is opposed to realitie in nature,
being a counterfeiting of nature, and it is opposed to things that are painted,
so a living man, and a growing rose, things obvious to the eyes of sense are
most easily painted as colours lineaments, as a mans body, but things that fall
under the understanding only, as the soul, and under the sense of smelling and
touching, are hardly pictured. Ye may paint the man, the roses, the colour,
figure, and the fires red flaming, but he cannot paint the soul, the smell of
the rose, or the heat of the fire: It is hard to counterfite spirituall graces,
as love of Christ, sincere believing intending of the Glory of God, Its hard to
get a coat, or put painture on spirituall graces, and the more ye counterfite
the Spirit, the more Divell-like is the forgerie, for he changeth himself into an Angel of light. There is some use for
painted men, for they serve for ornament, but there is no use for faith but
resting upon Christ, nor for love,
but to cleave to God, and please him
and our neighbour: In all duties we counterfite but the outward bulk of graces
and actions, and would seeme to do what we do not: If the colour of graces and
godlinesse be desireable, it self is more desireable, but to imitate only the
externalls of the Covenant of Grace to keep a roome in the Church, is to put a
lie and mock upon the Lord, and to reproach him with dimnesse of sight: And
such as hate Christ and the Godly in
their heart, and first cloath them with the coat of hypocrites, lyers,
Samaritanes, seditious men, they much more hate Godlinesse, he that would have
the picture of the man stobbed or hanged, would much more have the living man
in person stobbed or hanged.
Hypocrisie is a resembling of a
morall good for vaine glory: In not hypocrisie to suppresse tears in Prayer,
least the man seeme to seek himself, nor for a father to seeme to be angry at
his childe or servant when he is not angry, nor to put on deafnesse at
reproaches,
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Psal. 38. 12. They speak mischievous things, 13. But I as a deaf man heard not: It was prudencie, not hypocrisie in Saul to hold his peace and misken when
the sons of Beliall despised him, it
being the beginning of his reigne, 1 Sam.
10. 27. Nor is it hypocrisie in a Magistrate or Joseph to put on an other person to his brethren, though if the
ground be unbelief, it is not lawfull for David
to feinzie himself mad: Nor for Ammon
to counterfite sicknesse, or to put a lie upon providence: And yet it is not
hypocrisie for Solomon to seeme to
divide in two the living childe with a sword, or for the men of Israel to flie before the men of Ai. A lawfull end and a right end and
motive, contributes goodnesse to actions that are not intrinsecally evill.
There is a naturall hypocrisie in
all, every man in both sides of the Sun is a lyar, he that said he would wish
that he might dwell in the land beyond the dawning of the morning, where they
are all sincere, wished to dwell where there are no men; for whereever men are,
there are hypocrites and hypocrisie. There is an acquired hypocrisie in all,
lesse or more, and an habit thereof in not a few.
According to mens wayes so are
men white and painted Hypocrites; Herod
professeth to worship Christ and mindes to kill him, Math. 2. And Absolom
covers treason and rebellion against his father and prince, with the whitenesse
of a vow at Hebron, what better is
the whoore and what more devoute to say, Prov.
7. 14. I have peace offerings with me, to
day have I payed my vowes? under the vail of zeal (they think it) service
to God to kill the Apostles, Joh. 16.
But the worst of Hypocrites is he
who makes himself a Hypocrite, not before God onely, and before men, but
whitens and paints himself before himself, and deceives himself, 1 Joh. 1. 8. It is strange a man hath such
a power over himself, as to perswade himself that he hath no sin, not only in
point of faith, as such as deny any originall sinne in themselves or others; as
many seducers now do, Socinians,
Arminians, diverse Anabaptists,
and such as say, the Law may be fulfilled by Grace, we are justified by Works:
It is possible to be free of sin in this life and to be perfite, so as they
cannot sin: But also practically a mans heart may deceive
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his heart, and may perswade himself that he is Godly and
Religious, Jam. 1. 26. and that his wayes are right, Prov. 14. 12. and
may say within his heart, and so think not only, I am holier then thou, and yet not be so much as ceremonially holy,
but remaine in the graves and eat swines
flesh, Isa. 65. 45. but I say I am
rich (and which is above admiration) I
have need of nothing, Rev. 3. 17. that I have no need of forgivenesse, of
saving Grace, of the Redeemer Christ, of Salvation. And this is so much the
more dangerous, that the prejudice and blindnesse of self-love, doth more strongly
perswade self-godlinesse then any godlinesse of the world, and begets a more
strongly radicated and fixed habite of believing self-godlinesse, then
Ministers the godliest of them, and Professors, and Angels, and the Lord
immediatly speaking (so long as the revelation is literall) Numb. 22.12,24,28. and Christ Preaching
in his Person, Math. 8. 9, 14. Math. 21.43,44,45. Luke 16.13,14. Ioh.
10.24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31. and the Apostles, Acts 24.25,26. Acts
26.2,3,4 5 6, &c. 24. can be able
to root out, for they can fence and ward off, and can let out blowes at all
that ye can say, and cary this habite of a false opinion of self-holinesse to
Eternitie with them, and stand to what conceited lamps they hear on earth, did
glister withall; and plead against the Lord in his face, that the sentence of
condemnation is unjust, Matth. 25.
44. and that they deserve for their profession to be admitted in to the
Bride-groomes chamber, Math. 7. 22. Matth. 25. 11. Luke 13. 25. and all such fairded Professors, are externally only
in Covenant with God. And therefore these are sad marks, when first ye hid your
lusts and nourish them, and feed upon the East wind of some created last end,
and have not God for your last end, Luke
12. 19. Psal. 49.11. Psal. 4. 6. Ier. 22. 17. 2. When ye know not that ye are poor, miserable, blind, naked, Rev. 3. 17. Math. 9. 11, 12,13. Luke
15. 2. Luke 19. 7. and ye were never
in Christs hospitall, and are whole and need no Physick. 3. Ye loath Christ but
knows it not, Luke 7. 44. 45. ye love
Christ as a supposed Prophet, and loath him as a Redeemer. One may deadly hate
Christ, and not know it. 4. Ye cannot compare the two states together, the
state of nature and the state of Grace, as 1 Tim. 1. 13. ye idolize your own choise, to bear down Achabs Idolatrie,
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but choose not the will of God to oppose. Ieroboams Idolatrie. 5. Ye want Christ,
and ye were not born with Christ in the heart. 2. Yea ye are eternally lost
without him, and know neither the one nor the other.
Quest.
4. Whether or not are beleevers the parties of the Covenant of Grace. Ans. These are parties to whom the
Covenant-promise is made, not these who already have the benefit promised in
the Covenant, but beleevers must have a new heart, and consequently faith
already, therefore they cannot be parties with whom the Covenant is made. As
because the Image of God is not promised to Adam
in the Covenant of Works, but presupposed to be in him by order of nature,
before God make with him the Covenant of Works, else he could not be able to keep
that Covenant, which we cannot say, for God created him right and holy, Gen. 1.26,27. Eccles. 7. 29. Eph. 4.
24. Col. 3. 10. Therefore Adam in his pure naturalls, as not yet
indued with the Image of God, cannot be the partie with whom the Covenant of Works
is made, for then the Image of God must either be a reward, which Adam by his pure naturalls and strength
thereof must purchase by working, which the Scripture and nature of the
Covenant cannot admit, or then the Image of God must be promised of Adam in the Covenant of Works, which is
no lesse absurd. And if faith be promised in the Gospel, the Covenant of Grace
must be made with some Israel and Judah as predestinated to life eternall and
yet wanting a new heart: For God cannot Covenant-ways promise a new heart to
such as have it, but to such as have a stony heart and beleeve not, Ezek. 36. 26. Deut. 30.6. Ezek. 11.19.
nor can he promise faith to such as have faith this way.
Quest.
5. Who are these that have the new heart, and so are personally and really
within the Covenant of grace. Ans.
Because the new spirit is given, when the new heart is given, Ezek. 36.27. Ezek. 18.31. Make you a new
heart and a new spirit, and many in our times boast of the spirit, it shall
be fit to speak of the new spirit, and who are spirituall.
Hence these Questions of the new
spirit.
Quest.
1. What is the seed of the new spirit?
Ans.
The word of the Gospel, therefore before Adam
could
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have the Gospel-spirit, the Lord must reveal the Doctrine
of the Gospel, the seed of the woman must
tread down the head of the serpent, Gen.3. So the word and the spirit are
promised together, Isa. 59.21. Isa. 30.21 Thy teachers shall not be removed, and thine ears shall hear (this
is the inward teaching) a voice behind
thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it. Isa. 51.16,17. Mat. 28. 20. Go teach, that is the word: Loe
I am with you to the end of the world, that is the Spirit to make it
effectuall, by my Spirit, Joh.
14.16,17.
Object. But Adam when he heard first
the Doctrine of the blessed seed, could not try the Doctrine or speaker, by any
new Doctrine.
Ans.
The first Doctrine can be tryed by no other rule, because it was the first rule
it self, nor can these principalls written in the heart naturally (That God is) (God is just, holy) &c. be tryed by any other truths,
because they are first truths; As the sense of seeing cannot try whether the
Sun be the Sun by the light of some other Sun, that is before this Sun, which
is more lightsome. For there is not another Sun before this, the Gospel it self
hath God shining in it, to these who are enlightened, as Adam was, a Rubbie doth speak that is a Rubbie.
Obj. How then should Adam know
what God spake to him and not to another, are we not to try all spirits that
speak?
Ans.
There is a word immediatly spoken by the Prophets, and Apostles, that is to be
tryed, partly by the first Preaching the Lord
made in Paradise, partly by the
effects, that it converteth the soul, Psal.
19.7. and smells of that same Majesty, and the divine power of another life,
which is in the first Sermon, Gen. 3.
15. this is Verbum Dei immediatum.
But when God himself speaks in his own person to Adam, to Abraham, Gen.
22. to Moses, Isaiah, the Apostles, that is Verbum Dei immediatissimum, the fountain-word; neither word nor
speaker is to be tryed. The Patriarchs and Prophets are never bidden try the visions of God, for when God speaks them
himself, he makes it evident that it is he, and only he who speaks, and we read
not of any in this deceived, Angels or men cannot counterfeit God.
Obj.
There have, after the Canon of the Scripture is closed,
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been some men, who have Prophesied facts to come, that
fell out as they foretold, just as Isaiah,
Elias, and other Prophets, then something is to be beleeved, that is not
written, and such may have the Spirit, and yet no word of Scripture goes along
with it.
Ans.
1. Such men may have (I confesse) a Propheticall spirit, but first, they were
eminently holy and sound in the faith, and taught that the
2. What these men of God
foretold, is a particular fact concerning a man, what death he should die, or a
Nation, or a particular, such a man shall be eternally saved, but no dogma fidei, nor any truth that lays
bands on the Catholick Church to believe that to the end of the world, as all
Scripturall truths do, and a doubt it is, if we are to beleeve these, in the
individuall circumstances of fact, sub
periculo peccati, upon hazard of sinning against God, we may, I judge,
without sin suspend belief, and yeeld charity to the speaker.
3. If any object, the Prophets
did foretell particular facts concerning the death of Ahab, the birth of Josiah,
which concerned particular persons: I, but they so were the maters of fact (as
the crucifying of Christ was a mater
of fact) as also they did by the intent of the Holy Ghost contain Historicall,
Morall and dogmatically divine Instructions, so that the whole Catholick Church
must believe them, with certainty of divine faith, they being written and
spoken for our Instruction, and they sin who believe not.
Quest.
2. What are we to judge of these truths revealed to Professors, when they are
in much nearnesse to God, and the Lord is pleased to shine upon them in
some fulness of manifestation of himself to their souls, especially in
particular facts? Answ. There is a
wide difference betwixt revelations, which speak what is lawfull or unlawfull,
agreeable unto or repugnant to the Word; And what is good in jure, and what in facto,
shall come to passe or not come to passe, what ever is given to revelations of
the former sort, is taken from the Scripture, whose peculiar perfection it is
to show
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what is good and just, what not; Therefore to say that
revelations now do guide us in disobeying higher Powers or killing men, &c. is a wronging of the Word,
especially of the first, second and sixth Commands. As to the other, God may
and doth lead his owne, especially when they are near glory, under fewest
prejudices touching time and eternity, to speak what shall be, but it is not
our rule. It's an Argument of nought, Such
a thing was mightily born in upon my spirit as lawfull and as certainly to come
to passe, when I was most near to GOD in a full manifestation of himself:
therefore such a way is right, or such a way shall come to passe; For not
to say 1. that this is a wronging of the perfection of Scripture, and 2. That
there is a bastard Logick in the affections where God and nature hath seated
discursive power; And we often prophesie, because we love, not because we see
the visions of God. 3. Peter might, the same way, reason, I saw the glory of heaven at the transfiguration,
and the Peers of the higher house, Moses and Elias, and this was then
mightily born in upon my spirit, It is good for us to be here, let us build
three Tabernacles; therefore this is true, It is good for us to be here:
But the Conclusion is a dream; who should preach the Gospel as witnesses and
suffer for it, and write Canonick Scripture, if these Disciples should be for
ever there? And if they should be separated from the whole glorified body, and
make up a Church eternally glorified in that Mount, of only six persons: And
the word saith, Peter being drunk
with glory, Mark 9. 6. [foreign] knew not what he said, and the Disciples
were sleeping, not prophecying, Luke
9. 32. which saith they were in heaven, but cloathed with bodies of sin, and
not led by Scripture-light (as that good Prophecie of Peter was contrair to the Gospel of suffering and dying, that Christ prophesied was abiding himself,
and all his, Math. 16. 21, 22.) we
should reel and sin: for there may be no connexion between the present
nearnesse to God and the thing suggested in the spirit; and they cohere by
accident. So one in prayer is near God in respect of sweetnesse of accesse, and
yet the individuall favour which ye pray for conditionally, never granted; Ye
may be saved, and God more glorified
in the sufficiency of his grace, without granting it to you, as is clear 2 Cor. 12. 9. Sorrow and desire can
suggest such an
141
answer to the fasting of
2. The spirituall man judgeth all
things, but by the word. In one particular, Samuel,
in another, Tertullian, dottes upon Montanus, some of the prime fathers,
otherwise Godly, are blacked with Platoes
purgatory, and some of them with invocation of Saints, yet speaking to them
doubtingly [foreign],say; the spirit may be, where some particular errours are,
but if the judgement be rotten and unsound in the matters of God, rottennesse
in the one side of the Apple creeps through the whole, and so doth corruption
from the minde sink down to the heart. A godly heretick I cannot know.
3. Any bone or hurt member in
walking, actually pains and breedeth aiking, if there be a piercing and a
graving conviction, in a Christian motion, that untowardnesse and opposition
from the flesh, pains the spirit and new man, and hinders the stirrings of the
Spirit, it saith the Spirit is there, as water cast upon fire speaketh there is
fire, Rom. 7.15,16,23,24. It were
good to try the untowardnesse
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to spirituall duties, and severall kinds of delight,
whether it be borrowed delight from the literall facilitie of the gift, from
gaine and glory, adhereing to the office and calling, or from the inbred
sweetnesse in honouring God, crooking and pain in walking is a token of
life-walking.
4. Its a spirituall disposition
in the Church, Cant. 2. in a
particular soul, to know and be able to give an exact account of all the
motions, goings and comings of Christ, where he lyeth as a bundle of myrrhe all the night, even betwixt the breasts,Cant. 1.
13. when the King brings you into his
house of new wine, Cant. 1.4. Cant. 2.4. when he speaks, Cant. 2.8,10.--My beloved spake and said to me, arise, my
love, my fair one, and come away, when he knocks, know ye his knock, to
tell over again his words, open to me my
sister, &c. where he is. Cant. 2. 8. Behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills,
where he is in his dispensation to his
5. Godly missing of Christ must
be a gracious disposition, Cant. 5.6.
I opened to my beloved, but my beloved
had withdrawn himself,
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Cant. 3.1. I sought him but I found him not, vers.2. I sought him but I found him not. Such as are pleased with a bare
literall missing and are not also in a holy manner anxious and are not
6. Restlesse in rising and going through the City, in
the streets and the broad wayes, seeking and asking, saw ye him whom my soul loveth? Cant. 3.1,2,3. are not so
spirituall, as is required. Cant. 5.6. My
beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone, my soul failed when he spake,
remembring his speeches, when he knocked. v.
2. There may be some too longsome securitie under sad falls, when he is not
soon missed, 2 Sam. 11. 1,2,3. Psal. 26.15. Yea a spirituall soul
having regard to all the Commandements misseth the spirits acting in all the
wayes in eating, Pro. 3.6. Act. 27.35.1 Cor. 10.31. Job 1.5.
7. Frequent convictions (which
are the connaturall actings of the Spirit) Joh.
16.9. and of the most spirituall sins, as of unbeleef, and Gospel ignorance, Joh. 16.9. prove a spirituall state: as
flaming prove fire to be fire. Unbeleef is more contrair to the Spirit, then
carnall sins being most contrary to the flower and bloomings of the Spirit in
his sweetest operations, and most against the Mediator-love of Christ.
For as by the fall, Christ hath a new
Office to redeem us, Matth. 1.21. I Tim. 1.15. Luke 19.10. Isa. 61.1,2. Isa. 44.6,9. So the Spirit hath a new
Office, which he should not have had, if man had not sinned, to apply the blood
of sprinkling as a sort of Mediatory intercession, to dippe us in the fountain
of his blood. John 16. 14. He shall receive of mine, and shew it unto
you. Joh. 14.16. to be the Comforter,
Joh. 14.16. the Leader, Joh.
16.13. the Witnesse, Joh. 15.26. Rom. 8.15,16. The Spirit in his Office
cannot step one foot with the unbeleever. Hence much tendernesse and smiting of
heart where the Spirit, Sam. 24.5.
is. Yea conscience to weep as one over his mothers grave, for his enemies, Ps.35.13,14. and strict doubling of
faith in greatest deeps: In which Christ proves himself to be more then a believing
man, Mat. 26.39. Luk. 22.42,44. for no man that is only man can both drink hell
& believe heaven at once. 8. In duties there be these. 1. The end. 2. The
delight in them. 3. The successe. As to the first, the lesse of the creature
and self, and the more of God in the second,
so much the more denyed and spirituall is the doer, when purely
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for God [foreign] we do, 1 Cor. 10.13.
2. For delight, it is a
spirituall disposition, to go about the duty as duty, ut bonum honestum, and not upon this formall account because it
delighteth us; Except the delight be in the Law of the Lord, night and day, as
it glorifieth him. 2. It's spiritualnesse, when abstractedly from private
consolation we go about the duty for God, and can rest upon suffering and
burning quick as it is duty, though the sufferer should be deserted all the
while; We often feed our selves with the bonum
secundum, the pleasantnesse in the duty, which is our sin, except the
sweetnesse of the holinesse of the duty be our delight, and the beauty of
pleasing God allure us, but feeling being away, we find how hard it is, to
delight our selves in the Lord. 3. We do duties too often, for the success not
for the duty: We pray, the Lord hears not, we wearie
145
we rebnke men, they care not, and we wearie; Sucesse and
not duty, self-delight and not the honouring of God, which should be all our
delight, take us up. I pray and weep for my enemies (Ah! if it could be done)
saith David, they are worse, Psal. 35. 13. but my prayer returned to my bosome, that is, the sweet peace of
God, which is the fruit of the duty of praying came to my soul, and cheered me.
We consider not that the promise of peace, and consolation is made to the duty
it self, Psal. 119.165. Psal. 19.11. Prov. 3.21,22,23,24,25. not to successe of the duty, and wee
consider not that we are to be quieted in the duty, and to be armed with
patience, against the temptation of the duty. Often it in-rages Pharisees
against CHRIST and the Apostles, yet the Spirit bids them Preach. Therefore
whether successe in praying, and the suggar of delight in duties hire us, or
not; We are to know that though Abrahams
offering of Isaac to God had neither
in it the one nor the other, nor our Saviours offering himself to God, for the
sinnes of the world; If reason weigh the one and the other, yet because both
were performed upon the motive of the love of God commanding, both was most
spirituall obedience, especially, because the duty is both work and wage, and
the more of the Word of God is in the obedience; I mean not the letter only,
but the word including the love. 2. The authority of the Commander. 3. The beauty
apprehended to be, and the peace in obedience; the more spirituall is the
obedience: The letter only may show you duty, your obligation, and the penaltie
of disobeying, and all these three in a literall way, and yet upon that
account, the obedience is not spirituall, but Gospel-love added to the
Laws-letter makes spirituall obedience.
CHAP. XVIII.
The new heart of Covenanters, the Nature, Characters, Properties
thereof, hitherto of the new Spirit.
Quest.
6. WHen are we to judge, that we have a
new heart? And when do we know that it is not the old heart?
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Ans. 1
Propos. As Physically, so also Morally, the heart is the man, the good heart,
the good man, the evill heart, the evill man, and God weights men by the
weight, not of the tongue, of the hands, of the outward man, but by the weight
of the heart: Asa his heart was
perfect, 2 Chron. 15.17. the heart of
Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 17.3. was perefect. And Psal.
78. 37. their heart was not right: the froward heart is the froward man, Pro. 3.32. For there is a man speaking
within a man, and a heart within a heart acting, as if it were a man made up of
soul and body. Thou hast said in thy
heart, I will ascend up to Heaven, so the King of Babylon, Isa. 14.13. So the heart acts Heaven or
Hell within the man, Psal. 14.1. Luk. 12.19. they have a heart [foreign] busied in the Colledge, studying and
reading covetousnesse, 2 Pet. 2. 14.
2. Propos. When the Lord tryes the man, he tryes the heart and the
reins, Prov. 15.11. Hell and the heart both are naked before
him. Prov. 17.3. Theodoret. God acteth
the noon-day-Sun meridionaliter in
every heart: The man himself is without, and God within, Jer. 17.9. Man searcheth not his own heart and reins, for there be
plottings and inclinations to evill in the heart, which the heart knows not, 2 King. 8.12,13. Peter hath a better heart then all men in the books of his own
heart, Matth. 26.33. but its not so
indeed.
3. Propos. The washen heart that lodges not vain thoughts, Jer. 4.14. purged from dead works, by the blood of Christ (above all the blood
of bullocks and goats) Heb. 9.14.
purified by faith, Act. 15.14. is the
good heart. It is a better heart according to the heart of God, 1 King. 15. 5. that turneth not aside, 1 Sam. 13.14. of Gods seeking out and
finding, then the first heart created of God, Eph. 4.24.
4. Propos. The excellent acts of God, in a manner (with glory to his
Highnesse) to mind his first work, to create a better heart then the first
which he created, saith, that there is great need of a good heart, Psal. 51.10. of a new heart, Ezek. 36.26. Its beyond
147
all admiration, to create so rare a peece as the Sun out
of nothing, and a beautifull Lillie out of mire and dirt, out of common clay to
bring forth Saphirs, Carbuncles, and in liew of a stony heart (for grace is not
educed out of the potencie of any created thing) to create a new heart, which
God loveth to dwell in, rather then in heaven, the high and holy place, Isai. 57.15. which so ravisheth the
heart of Christ, Cant. 4.7,9. and is
of more price with God, then gold, or any corruptible thing, even a meek and quiet spirit, 1 Ptt. 3.3,4. is the rarest peece of the
works of God.
Its an excellent act of God to
keep the vessell in a spirituall season, as David
prayes, 1 Chron. 29.18. To make roome
for Christ dwelling by faith, and for love to comprehend love, Eph. 3.17,18. and who puts such a thing
in the heart, Ezra 7.27. when a
sparkle of fire from flint falls on water or green timber, there is no fireing
from thence. But when actuall influences fall upon an heavenly habit, as the
Lord can cast in a coal, or a lump and flood of love, Cant. 2.5,6. Luk. 24.32. Cant. 6.12. there are most heavenly
actings of the soul.
3. He bows and inclines the heart
to the Lords testimonies, and to cleave to him without declining, Jer. 32.39,40. Ps. 119.39. Cant. 1.4. Ps. 141.4.
4. We are to beware of 1. the
reigning evils of the heart, of a rotten and unsound heart, 1 Tim. 6.5. Psal. 119.82. 2. Of an unsavoury stinking heart, that smells of
hell and the second death, of all sort of unrighteousnesse and malice, like a
green opened grave, Psal. 5.9. 3. Of
an uncured heart, that never came through the hands of the Physician (Prov. 14.13. A sound heart is the life of the flesh.) Of an unsound, unsavoury
and a rotten heart, Eph. 4.29.
compared with vers. 23. from whence
issue rotten words, borrowed from rotten and worm-eaten trees which speak an uncured
heart.
5. We are to look to deadnesse of
heart in all the branches of it. As (1.) fullennesse and dumpish sadnesse, in
refusing comforts, and being full of unbeleeving heavinesse, in David, Psal. 69. 20. Psal. 42.11.
whereas we are alwayes to rejoice, Psal.
119.52. Phil. $.4. (2.) Fainting at
the greatnesse of the affliction, Isa.
20.3. ch. 14.1. whence comes
withering of heart, Psal. 102.4. Psal.
148
27.13. (3.) An overwhelmed and unbeleeving sowning heart,
Psal. 61.2. Psal. 142.3. Psal.
143.3,4. (4.) Deadnesse in going about the service of God, Psal. 119.37. Quicken me in
thy way, of this else where. (5.) Narrownesse to take in God, opposed to an
inlarged and wide heart, Psal. 119.
32. Psal. 81.10. and straitening of
heart, when the soul is so hampered, that he cannot speak, Psal. 77.4. unbeleef clipps the wings of the Spirit, and layes on
fetters, which may come from the wicked company, and may be laid on by our
selves, Psal. 39.1,2. (6) There is an
Atheist heart to hate the existence of God, of Christ, of a Gospel,
7. There is an evill heart of unbeleef to depart from the Living God, Heb.
3.12.
8. A heart that deviseth,
ploweth, or delveth wicked imaginations, Prov.
6.18. As Prov. 3.29. Plow not evill against thy neighbour.
Hos.10 13. You have plowed iniquity,
Such plots are forged against the people of God, Matth. 27.1. Nah. 1.11.
9. A proud heart (1.) resisted of
God. (2.) Farrest from the lowly and meek heart of Christ, Matth. 11.29. Phil.
2.5,6,7. (3.) Most near to Satans heart, 1 Tim.
3.6.
Q. Why
are we more ashamed of an unclean lustfull heart, then of a proud heart? Ans. A proud heart is deeper
guiltinesse, and nearer to Satans nature; And pride and unbeleef are sins more
reproachfull to God, and incroach more upon his Throne, but there is more flesh
in us then Spirit, and we think that there is more of a beast in uncleannesse.
Quest.
But we are more ashamed of lying, falshood, and stealing, then of pride? Ans. There's more of being ashamed
before men, it being a carnall sort of passion, then of being ashamed before
God, and falshood and lying to men are fleshly evils against common honesty,
but pride is a more Angel-sin, or a more God like sin, a spirituall sin, and
pride is a sort of heart-heresie, by which we judge but blindly, we have reason
to ascend and climb aloft to
149
Gods roome, Gen.
3.5,6. Isai. 14. 13. because of
knowledge, parts, power.
10. There is deceitfulnesse and
self-deceiving in the heart, Isa.
44.20. the idolater feeds on ashes, a
deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say,
is there not a lie in my right hand, Obadiah 3. The heart is the greatest
liar on earth, to say and gain-say.
11. There is a wicked
fearfulnesse in the heart to do evill, Jude
12. feeding themselves without fear,
3 Sam. 1. 14. was thou not affraid
(saith David to the Amalekite) to put out thine hand to destroy the Lords Anointed? Its a godly
fear to tremble alwayes, at feasting, speaking, hearing, sleeping, company, Prov. 28.14. 1 Pet.1. 17. Phil. 2.13. Job. 1.5. And in all there ly snares
within, and without the house.
12. There is a wicked flintinesse
of heart, we shall have peace, though
we both hear cursing and walk loosly, Deut.
29.19. we are fallen, but Ephraims
stout heart (2.) will rise whether God will, or not, Isa. 9.9. And (3.) the King of
13. There is a wicked hardening
of the heart, when men make the Lord his word and mighty works the contrair
party, Exod. 5.1,2,3. Exod. 7. 10,13,16,20,23. Exod. 8.5,6,7,15,17,18,19. Isai. 6. 9, 10. Zech. 7. 8, 9, 11, 12. Ezek.
2. 3, 4. Ezek. 3.7,8. Mat. 13.13,14,15. Act. 13.44,45,46. and oppose God in his word and works.
14. There is a sinfull dulnesse
upon the heart, by which men are as weaned children, line upon line, line upon line, can do them no good, Isai. 29. 9, 10, 11. Here it is to be
observed that we cannot Preach Omnipotency, nor perswade a world to be created,
nor a new heart to be infused, nor can we Preach to a Wolf to become a meek
Lamb, nor threaten the Sun to rise at midnight, we but
150
speak words about the new birth, the husband-man but
breaks the earth with his plough, but God makes the corn to grow, and he only,
not that the word is not the instrument of conversion of souls,
15. There is a froward heart, Pro. 17.20. that perverteth and is
crafty [foreign] to pervert.
16. A wicked heart, Pro.26.23. set
on evil, Eccl. 8. 11.17. foolishnesse
is bound to the heart, Pro.22.15. a dissembling heart, when seven
abominations are in it, Pro. 26.25.
(1.) We take not heed to the imaginations, and are not grieved for the
constitution of the heart, for actuall sins make originall sin to swell, as two
floods running into one maketh a
151
ye people in whose
heart is my Law.
Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O
God, thy Law is within my heart. Its true there is a new delight in the
heart, but not a delight of the new heart, Isa.
58.2. Joh. 5.35. for a delight in the
Gospel as a good thing, not as a good Gospel, a delighting in Christ as a
Prophet that feeds them, not in Christ as a Redeemer,Joh. 6.26. that saves them, is not a new heart.
2. The new heart is a heart
universall, wholly for God as God, there is an inteernesse in it, when the
whole spirit and soul and body is kept
blamelesse, 1 Thess. 5.23.1 Pet. 1.18.[foreign] in holy conversations and godlinesses, 2 Pet. 3. 11. Half a globe, though exquisitely plained, or half a
cart wheell, is not a globe nor a cart wheell. Externall things may be devided,
one may be an hearing Professor, and a drunken Professor, and a praising, a
singing Professor in publick, and not a praying nor a believing Professor in
private, spirituall duties, cannot be devided: half a faith, half a love, is
not faith, no love, saving grace is an essence that consists in indivisibili, and cannot be parted.
3. A new heart is a fixed and
established heart by Grace, it's a new state, not a new transient flash, a new
heart, Deut. 5. 27. All that the Lord our God will speak unto
thee, we will hear, but the Lord saith, verse
19. O! that there were such a heart in
them, but it is not in them.
4. 1 Sam. 10. 9. God gave Saul an
other heart, then a changed heart is not a new heart, a new spirit or a new
gift in Jehu is not a new heart; It's
not newnesse that makes the heart new, but Gods new ingraving, Jer. 31.33.
5. A heart keeped with all
keeping is a new heart, Prov. 4.23.
both the words note exact diligence in keeping as watchmen and sheepherds with
all keeping, at all times, Psal. 119.
119. some pull their hearts to pray and hear, but not while the sabbath, or
under a storme of conscience: and the heart is a word in some company, not at
other times and in other company.
6. The heart is new, where the
affections are all faith (as it were) and all sanctified, reason and zeal is a
lump of angry reason, and fear a masse of shining reverence; and love only soul
sicknesse and pure adherence to God,
the instinct of faith wholly on God,
as the last and only end. (2.) The heart is new when the
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affections are equivocally, or at least, at the second
hand set upon the creature, but as nothing can be seen, but what either is
colour, or affected with colour, so nothing is fixedly sought after, but God,
he onely feared and served, Mat. 4.
10. Deut. 10. 20. only desired, Psal. 73. 25. only loved, Deut. 10. 12. Cant. 3.2,3. the soul sick of love for only only Christ, Cant. 2. 5. Cant. 5. 8. he only trusted in, Jer.
17.5,7. Psal. 62. 5. (1.) Nothing is
all good and all desirable but God, and God in Christ, Mat. 19. 17. Cant. 5. 16.
the shadow of the Sun in the fountain is not the reall Sun: the stirrings of
the pulse of the affections towards the shadowed good of the creature, should
be lent, and like the beating of the pulse of a dying man, with a godly
contradiction, loving and not loving, joying and not joying, 1 Cor. 7. 29,30. mourning and not
mourning.
CHAP. XIX.
1. The place of Evangelick works in the New Covenant. 2. Possession of glory and right to glory
considerably different. 3. A twofold
right to life. 4. We are not
justified by Works. 5. The place of
declarative justification by Works, Jam. 2. discussed. 6. Faith and Works
different. 7. Possession of life and
right to life cleared. 8. Faith and
finall believing both commanded in the Law, finall unbelief not the sin
forbidden in the Gospel onely. 9. How
life is promised to works Evangelick.
It's a grave and weighty Question
to rid marches between the two Covenants in their conditions, the one requiring
the obedience of Works, the other Faith: It's not to be said that for fifeteen
hundred years no man did doubt of the necessitie of good Works, Paul propones the objections of the Antinomians, Shall we sin and continue in
sin, that Grace may abound?
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O! what pronnesse in us to suck
out of the doctrine of free Grace poyson, how kindly to desire there were no
Law against treason, because the Prince pardons; All sin is virtually Atheisme,
to wish the existence of a Law, and so of a just holy and unchangeable God were
not, and we can hardly believe this. And 2. what rising of heart and carnall
reason is there against the first acts of providence, why, and what necessity
was there to make a Law to forbid the eating of an Aple, God foreseeing that
thence should come the ruine and endlesse damnation of all. It had been good
God had never created such a Tree. 2. That the eating thereof had never been
forbidden. 3. That it had never had such a name, as the the tree of knowledge, for it deceived Evah. 4. That God had not given free-will to Adam. 5. That he had given him confirming grace in the first moment
of Creation. But,
Observe 1. Satan started first
the dispute concerning the equity of the Law, and that we are Disciples of and
apprentises to Satan, when we tosse
and rackot arguments in our carnall heart-Logick against the holy Law of God, Gen. 3. 2. and make the heart a
ferrie boat to cary messengers and divellish thoughts hither and yonder, in
questioning the goodnesse of the Law, and the acts of providence, and therefore
it is speaking Grace, to close with the sweetnesse not only of the Law written
in the heart, and these inbred principles of honesty and truth, to hurt none, to obey God, (for Satan
raised not the first dispute about these) but with all the judgements and
testimonies of God, as David, Psal.
119.127,128. vers. 86. All thy commandements are faithfull, 1
Sam. 12. 7. Stand still that I may reason
with you of all the righteous acts of the Lord. Its a mind like Christs
that hath an heart-prejudice at no one command, by an other, and is sweetly
friended with all that God commands, Math.
3. 15. It becomes us to fulfill all
rightenesse, and O! how sweet to have no heart quarrell, but a sweet
stouping of soul unto, and an adoring of God in all providences, and acts or
decrees he hath concluded or done in time or from Eternitie. These draw deep in
the decree of Reprobation, God had an hatefull designe against me. 2. The
Gospel is an untrue and fabulous dispensation. What a spirit is Galænus who reproacheth Moses because he teacheth not that God works ever and by necessity
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of nature, what is
most good for the creature. And that Prince who said, that if he had been Counsellour to God in
the time of the Creation, many things should have been created ordinatrius & melius, in a better order
and state, then they were. Let the man be remembred who called the Gospel a
fable, and the spirits who reproach the Scripture as inkie wisedom. 1. A bare
dead forme bare flesh, &c. and weak ones under desertion, who feed upon
reports and lying news from Satan, God hated me before time, and carries on a
design of eternall ruine to me, therefore I have no right to hear, to pray, to
eat, to sleep. 2. Yet the necessity of good works is asserted by Luther, the Augustine Confess. and Apol.
Arti. 20. doc$nt nostri, &c.
Evangelick works are necessarie, not to merite, but by the will and
commandement of God: Calvin calleth
them inferiour causes of the possession of our salvation. The dispute began
upon occasion of the book called Interim
Anno--M. I$LXVIII. and in Colloquie
at Altenburge, Malanthone and the
Divines of Wittenberge assented to
the necessitie of good works, but the followers of Flaccius Illyricus dissented: The Authors of the book of Concord
condemne these of Flaccius their way,
and deny a necessity of efficiency in works to deserve salvation, but yeeld a necessity of their presence, that the
work of salvation be not hindered.
3. These distinctions are
necessary. 1. There is a jus and right to Gospel life eternall. And
2. there is actuall possession of life
eternall.
2. There is a twofold jus, One
by the purchase of merit, and the payed ransome of blood; There is a right
secundary by promise, every promise giveth a right in a manner: but its
unproper.
3. There is promise of life formally federall. 2. There is a promise of life consequenter federall.
4. There is an order of things, one going before the other as the
Antecedent and the Consequent, and in order of cause and effect.
5. Law-obedience doth much differ from Gospel-obedience, as Law-commands
from Gospel-commands.
6. GOD sent his Sonne to justifie persons, but not to justifie works, not
to make inherent obedience perfect or our righteousnesse before God.
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Asser.
1. If the new Covenant be considered strictly and formally in its essence, he
that beleeveth whether his faith be weake or strong is justified and saved, Joh, 3.18,36. Joh. 5.24. Act. 15.9,10,11.
Hence Mr. Sibs excellently, Know that
in the Covenant of Grace God requires the truth of Grace, not any certain
measure, and a spark of fire is aswell fire as the whole element thereof, we
must look to Grace in the sparkle as well as the whole flame, all have not the
like strong, yet the like precious faith, whereby they lay hold and put on the
perfect righteousnesse of Christ, a weak hand may receive a rich Jewell, a few
grapes will shew that the plant is a vine not a thorne: There is a roome in
heaven for thee who judges thy self; for the number of lambes, and babes weak
in the faith in this Kingdome, do far exceed the number of the strong and aged
in Christ; for the Scripture names the whole flock, little ones, babes, his sheep, they are not a flock of fathers and
strong ones.
Asser.
2. There is a right to life by promise, he that beleeves shall be saved. Promissio facit jus, & creat debitum:
Godlinesse hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come; And
because a promise as a promise cannot create an equality betwixt the work and
the wages, as is proven, this is an unproper right, and not proper debt, and
takes not away the nature of a free gift: This is no consequence at all, the
performing of the condition of the Covenant of Works doth justifie Adam by Law-works, so as he is no
sinner, hath fulfilled the Law, hath right to life eternall; Ergo, to beleeve to the end, and fulfill
to the end, and fulfill the condition of the Covenant of Grace doth justifie
the beleever, by Evangelick works, make him no sinner, but a perfect fulfiller
of the Covenant of Grace, and one who hath due right by working to life
eternall. Certainly then, 1. doing Evangelick gives us as good right to
eternall life, without the price and ransome of blood, as doing legall gives to
the same life. 2. When we sin and fall in atrocious offences, Adulteries,
Paricide, Robbing,
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we have as good right to justification by works, and life
eternall by Evangelick works, suppose he be a robber all his life, as was the
repenting theef, as Adam, suppose he
had perfectly fulfilled the Law. Now though believing be the condition of the
Covenant of Grace, it is of a farre other nature then perfect doing, to the
end, and constant fulfilling of the whole Law, in thought, word, and deed with all the heart, and the soul and mind, and
all the strength. For there is no sin here, and so no place for punishing
justice, or wrath, none can so believe, but he sins and so deserves everlasting
wrath. If it be said, that by the Covenant of Works he doeth deserve it, but
not by the Covenant of Grace, for Christ hath merited to him life eternall. Ans. 1. We speak now of the right that a
Believer hath by Evangelick works to justification and life, as
contradistinguished from the merits of Christ, this opinion saith that a man is
justified by Evangelick doing, because God hath made the like promise, and the
like jus and right by promise, to
doing Evangelick, that he made to Law-doing, if Christs merits be added to
qualifie Evangelick works, to adde to them the worth that they have, then
Christs merits must give life eternall by way of merit, or a vertue of meriting
condignly to our Evangelick doing, as Papists say, and so Christ hath made us
saviours and redeemers of our selves, and this is a right to life ex condig no more then Adams most perfite Law-obedience had. 2.
The Covenant of Grace commanding faith, doeth by this opinion command all that
the Law of Works doeth, but in an Evangelick way, that they be done sincerely: Ergo, it must forbid all sin which the
Law forbids; But the Law forbids not only unbelief, finall unbelief, but all
the works of the flesh: Also Christ must come [foreign] to louse and dissolve
the Law, which he denyes, Math. 5.
for if the Covenant of Grace condemne nothing but finall unbelief, Christ in
this Covenant must dissolve the Law; but Christ sayeth, he that breaks or teacheth men to break these is the least of
the Kingdome of God.
But there is an other jus and right to life eternall, by which Christ dying hath satisfied the
Law, expiated our sins, restored as much and more glory to God by passive
obedience, by his sufferings, as we had taken glory from God by our evill
doing, and so merited to us life eternall. If any say abusing that place, Rev. 22.
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14. that we obtain this [foreign] and right to the Tree
of Life, and to Christ our life and everlasting glory (which is our only right,
the only Charter of blood) by keeping the Commandements Evangelically; he must
say that we first may keep the Commandements Evangelically before we have right
to life, to Christ, and so before we beleeve. 2. That we merit Christs right or
merite by doing, and that by Evangelick works, we buy right to Christ and
Christs merits, and so Christ hath not merited to us a jus and right and title to life everlasting by dying, and grace and
a gracious right to do his Commandements by his death, but that we, by doing
his Commandements, do earne and sweat for a right to Heaven, which is to say,
that we by doing, merite and deserve the price of Redemption, and that we
merite Christ to our selves, by doing, whereas it is he and he alone, that hath
merited to us Grace and Glory, and all title to Heaven. Not to say that a
Charter of life from such a noble Superiour as Christ by the purchase of blood,
and of such blood, the blood of God, Act.
20.28. is some better then to have eternall liveliehood and free-hold from our
duty and lubrick best works, which are polluted with sin, and by which, though
we were Evangelically conscious to our
selves of nothing, yet should we not be therefore justified, 1 Cor. 4.4. for the righteousnesse in
which is Davids blessednesse before
Christ, and Abrahams before the Law,
and ours under the Gospel, is in forgiving
of iniquity, covering of sin, not imputing of sin, Rom. 4.1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
But in all the Scripture our sins are never said to be pardoned and not imputed
to us, by our own most Evangelick doing, for we are justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, Rom. 3.24. not by the Redemption that is in us, and are washen from our sins in his Blood, Eph. 1.7.
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and also in order
to the end, to justifie us before God, and to save us. And if so, all in Christ may
say, we have no sin, contrary to
And if James be to prove that we are justified by works, and yet mean, that both faith and works concur as causes,
though faith more principally, how can Paul
deny that we are justified by works, If Peter
and John jointly work a miracle and
heal the creeple man, suppose the influence of Iohn in the miracle be more, yet it is not to be denyed, that Peter wrought the miracle. Nor doth the
Scripture say that we are more principally justified by faith, and lesse
principally justified by works, but the places alledged for salvation by works
(if works have a causative influence) specially Matth. 25. speaks more for the preheminence of works. Nor doth the
Scripture insinuate any thing of the first and second Justification, or of
growing in Justification, in having our sins not imputed to us to our very day
of death; and the Question must be,
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circumcision, or not,
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collaterall causes in our Justification before God, as
the Papists contend; but the faith which James
excludes from Justification, is no faith at all. But only (1.) fair words to
the hungry and naked, and giving them supply for no necessity either of hunger
or nakednesse, and which cannot save,
and so is no faith, and so can have no saving influence with works to justifie
and save, but such is the faith which James
excludes v. 14, v. 15. the faith of Paul,
saves,
2. It is to be observed that James maketh mention of two sorts of faiths, ch. 2. which the Adversarie confounds. 1. All alongs, v. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. he gives vive characters of a dead painted faith,
which is in [foreign] in the vaine
empty boaster, ver. 20. 2. He showes
us of a lively faith of Abraham,
which wrought with his Works, now it is a lewd error to make Abrahams faith, and the faith of
believing Rahab of the same nature
with the faith of the vain empty Hypocrite, who's faith is nothing but fair
words, and with the faith of Divels. So the Papists, Lorinus, Estius, Stapleton, Mavochius, Bellarmine make it an
Hypocriticall and dead faith, and lively faith as Abrahams was, a vitall receiving of Christ and a believing the
Lord, so as believing is counted
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for
righteousnesse, to differ not in nature and essence from the faith of the
Devils, whereas in the faith of sound Believers there is a Godly submitting and
leading captive of the understanding to the obedience of Christ, because it is
the Lord that speaks, and so a receiving of the Word as the Word of God, 2 Cor. 10.5. 1 Thes. 2. 13. Math. 22.
32. which is not in the faith of Divels. (3.) There is in it a receiving of Christ, Joh. 1. 11. a fiduciall resting of
the heart upon God in Christ. And the word [foreign] is to conside, to betake
himself to a lurking place, where one may be safe from a storme, Psal. 2. 12. Psal. 11. 1. Psal. 31. 2.
Deut. 32. 37. Psal. 118 9. Judg. 9.15. come and trust under my shaddow. And
this is contradistinguished from the Divels and Hypocrites who cannot seek
their lodging nor a hiding place against wrath in the Lord.
2. It is to lean and rest the
body, 2 Sam. 1. 6. Saul leaned upon his spear, and by a
Metaphore it is to cast the burden upon the Lord, Isa. 50.10. Psal. 55. 22.
hence the word that notes a staffe, 2 Sam.
22. 18. Isa. 3. the Lord hath broken the stay and the staffe of
bread, Isa. 30.1. and this is to be done often, when there is no present
duty to be done, nor any work required of us, but only a fiduciall relying upon
the Lord alone, as at the Red Sea Moses
and the people were to leane upon JEHOVAH only, not to act, which cannot be
said of the faith of Divels and Hypocrites. (3.) It is to look with delight and
confidence, Isa. 17. 7. as oppressed
servants, Psal. 123. 1, 2. (4) There
is a word that notes to be silent, not to speak, not to move, Josh. 10. 12, 13. the Sun was silent, it moved not: It notes a Godly submission that
the soul dar not speak against God, Psal.
37. 7. rest in the Lord: LXX. subditus esto Domino, Psal. 62.6. whence
faith teacheth us to submit and hold our peace and lay the mouth in the dust,
as a spirit dantoned of God, Lev. 10.
3. Joh. 1. 21. Lam. 3. 28. Ezek. 16. 63.
which is far from Hypocrites. (5.) To believe is to cleave to God, from a root
that signifies to adhere as things glewed together with pick or glew, Psal. 63. 9. Josh. 23.8.
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Deut. 11. 22. so we become one Spirit
with the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. (6.) It is a
word of near adherence [foreign] to lean firmly upon any with hope of
securitie, 2 King. 18.5. hast thou leaned upon this reed? Hos.
10.13. Psal. 13. 6. Psal. 31. 7. Deut. 12. 10. Thou shalt
dwell safely, confidently, it places the soul under the Rock of
Omnipotencie. (7) It is to roll thy self upon God, and is borrowed from heavy
bodies, losh. 10. 18. Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave,
Genes. 29. 3. Psal. 22. 9. he trusted in the Lord, rolling himself on
the Lord. Prov. 16. 3. commit thy
works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Cart-wright
sayeth it is a Metaphore from men who, being oppressed with a burden, transfer
it off themselves upon one who is mightier and stronger: it is excellent when
the heart rolles all its cares upon the Lord, and disburdens it self upon him.
(8.) There is a word that noteth to leane, to stay or stablish, to strengthen, Isa. 48. 2. 2 Chron. 32. 8. the people
rested themselves upon the word of Ezekiah, Cant. 2. 5. stay me with flagons, Psal. 71. 6. I have leaned upon thee from the womb,
and it notes to draw near, Ezek. 24.
2. so it is to strengthen and make strong the heart that is trembling and
shaking if it be not stayed upon God. And shall all these excellencies of
faith, be in the faith of Divels and Hypocrites? and therefore it is most
absurd to make the faith of Abraham
all one in nature with the faith of Divels and Hypocrites, and to make the
difference only in having Works, and no Works, as if there were the same heart
leaning, soul rolling, and cleaving to the Lord by faith in Abraham, and in Hypocrites and Divels
who tremble.
3. The Scripture, Abraham believed and it was counted to him
for righteousnesse: Is not Gen.
22. when he did justifie himself by the work of sacrificing Isaac: But it is Gen. 15.6. when the son of promise Isaac, a type of Christ is promised to him: at which time there was
no work at all required of Abraham,
but only believing the promise, for what should Abraham act or do to further the fulfilling of that promise, for he
believed that Gospel promise in the mean time, with a faith lively, and having
with it as a concomitant a resolution to walk before God and be perfect, but
then the Text shall say, Gen. 15. 6. Abraham resolved to be fruitfull
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in good works, when he heard the promise, and that
resolution of good works was counted to him for righteousnesse which is most
violent.
4. Who so are justified causally
and in the sight of God by Workes, as
James saith, to him workes are counted as the formall cause, for so James from Scripture, ver. 23. Abraham, [foreign], believed God and it was counted to him for
righteousnesse. Which sayeth, by that faith he was declared or by that he
was justified, which was imputed to him for righteousnesse. But his beleeving
or his faith living and working like the body quickened with the Spirit, was
counted to him for righteousnesse. Now except it be yeelded that James speaks of two faiths, one dead and
empty, ascribed to the hypocrite, ver.
14, 15, 16. another lively and working, ascribed to Abraham, ver. 23. and except this be denied, that Abraham was justified, ver. 23. not by that same faith; It must
follow that Abrahams empty beleeving,
ver. 23. was that which was counted to him for righteousnesse, Gen.
15. 6. but James cannot be so
understood, but when he saith, the Scripture
Gen. 15.6. was fulfilled; for his
faith in beleeving the promised seed, Gen.
15. he shows that Abraham was
justified by faith without works, as Paul,
Rom.4. and when he saith he was justified by works in offering his son, as Gen. 22. he saith he was not declared
just, or not justified by the empty and idle faith of the hypocrites; but by a
faith that did prove it self to be lively. So that James proveth that we are not justified by a dead faith that
neither hath, nor can have good works. As his Adversaries said, and Paul proves,
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Abraham was
justified by works, when he offered his son, vers. 22. he cannot infer, vers. 22. thou sees that his faith wrought with his
works: What faith? He had spoken of works, vers. 21. not one word of Abrahams
faith, yet he saith, because Abraham
was justified, that is declared to be really, before God, to his own conscience
and others justified, his faith did work in a lively way as reall in and by his
works, and you see that Abrahams
faith, Gen. 15.6. was perfected by works, Gen. 22. when he offered his son. Now it was not
perfected as touching the nature of it, and the act of justifying, for Paul, Rom. 4. cites Gen. 15. 6.to prove that Abraham
was justified by that faith in beleeving the promise of the blessed seed, some
25 years, as others reckon 30. years before he sacrificed Isaac, Gen 22. so that it must follow that Abraham was not justified by works, nor his faith perfect in its
lively operations untill he offered his son Isaac:
when the contrair of this, the Scripture tells us, for by faith he left his
Countrey, C. 12. By faith beleeving
the promise he was justified, Rom. 4.
many years before: Therefore these words, seest
thou his faith, must mean that his faith came out to view by his works.
But there be learned and godly
Protestants who grant that James must
speak of Justification reall and before God, and not of declared Justification
before men only? Answ. Its true, and
easie to name them. But these are subordinate: James speaks not of a faith only declared, nor of a justification
onely declared to the world: But of a declared Justification that is reall
before God. 2. That is declared to the man himself, and to the world. And that James speaks of a Justification before
God, the Text saith: Because he saith, ver.
14. What can that faith profite?
Which is empty, he must mean, what can it profite before God, to save and
justifie? As the word, 1 Cor. 13.3. if I have not love [foreign], it profits me
nothing before God. 2. Can that faith
(it is not well translated leaving out the particle in the new Translation, can
faith save him?) save him? Then he
must speak also of reall faith, and so reall salvation and so of justification
before God. 3. The examples of the Justification of Abraham, of Rahab, which
were reall, must say something to the same purpose. 2. That he speaks of reall
Justification to the mans own conscience as
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well as to the world if clear in the Text also. For James speaks to the conscience and
privitie of the man who saith that he is justified, and hath faith, vers. 18. [foreign] 19. [foreign], thou hast faith, thou beleeves, the
Devils also beleeve, he would have the hypocrite to discusse his own
conscience, and solidely to know, whether his Faith and Justification be reall
or not; And James wakens all visible
professours in this Epistle (as Iohn
also doth) to try his Religion whether it be true and solide, or vain: by Chap. 1. being a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only, 23, 24. by visiting the fatherlesse. vers. 27. by
loving and respecting the poor that are Godly, as well as the rich,
And therefore the Arminians and others do but lose their
labour, who say Iames doeth not speak
here of Justification declared to the world, because the world cannot judge
infallibly whether our works by which we are declared to be justified, are
sincere or not. For 1. we say that Iames
doth speak of Justification declared to the world, for he speaks of real
Justification before God but as declared, not to the world only, but to the
conscience also of the doer. 2. Because the world can not infallibly judge of
our Justification and works, therefore they cannot judge at all. Its a loose
consequence: For we may declare our selves to our own conscience and to others
by our good works, that we are before God justified. Otherwise because men
cannot see our good works, nor the principles
from which they proceed, whether from saving faith or not, nor the ends for which they are, whether
for the glory of God, or not, men should not glorifie our heavenly Father: Contrair
to Matth. 5.16. nor should the
Gentiles glorify God in the day of visitation: As 1 Pet. 2. 12. because they cannot infallibly know whether they be
good works or not and done in faith and for God: Nor is Abraham declared to be justified because of a secret
heart-intention to offer his son to God in the court of men (but in the court
of his own conscience he may) yet his journeying to
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the place where he was to sacrifice his son, his building
an Altar, his laying on wood, his binding his son and stretching out his hand
to kill him, may well declare him to be a justified man to the world and to
men. Trelcatius, the Professours of
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for this way to teach) but finall unbeleef, he no more
needs forgivenesse of sins and the blood of sprinkling, nor pardoning grace,
then the Elect Angels, or Adam in the
state of innocency, and to that, Prov.
20.9. as to that, Eccles. 7. 20. 1 Ioh. 1. Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? The
man Evangelically justified can say, I
have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sinne. 4. No needs such a man
pray, forgive me my sins, as I forgive,
&c. for he is justified from all Law-sins, who is inherently holy and
Evangelically just: And so the Gospel is a new Law which does not forbid all
sins that the Law forbids, and the man is not under sinne, though he sinne
against the love of Christ. According to that, if ye love me keep my Commandements, Joh.14.15. so he once, ere he
die, beleeve. For the Law (say the Authors) forbids not unbeleef, nor any
Evangelick unthankfulness against the Law of a ransome-payer, which yet, I
judge the Law of Nature and Nations condemnes: The Covenant of Grace forbids no
sin, but finall unbeleef, and the beleever can not be guilty of that except he
fall away.
5. And it may justly be asked,
whether the beleever Evangelically justified, who needs no grace of pardon of
Redemption from sin in order to the Covenant of Grace, needs the grace of
renovation to keep him to beleeve, for he needs no pardon for the weaknesse of
his finall beleeving, for the smallest weak faith is a fulfilling of the
Covenant of Grace. To these adde, if James
mean by [foreign], faith alone, v.
24. by which he sayes we are not justified, [foreign], no other then the dead
faith, ver. 20. and the faith which
cannot save, the faith of fair words to the hungry and naked, when the vain man
gives him nothing necessary for his body, 16. the faith without works, 17. the
faith that cannot be shown to men, 18. such a faith as devils, 19. and vain
hypocrites boast of, 20. then sure the conclusion is for us, and agreeable to
the scope of Iames, v. 24. [foreign],
ye see then a man is justified before
men and to himself, and so really declared before God,
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justified
and saved by works as the fruits of
saving faith, [foreign], and not by faith
only which is dead and without works. For 1. he cannot exclude saving and
lively faith: For that beleeving God is counted to Abraham for righteousnesse, saith Iames, ver.23. for then the conclusion should contradict the
premisses, and he should say, Abraham
was justified by sound and lively beleeving. Ergo, we are not justified by only sound and lively beleeving. 2.
The Adversaries, Socinians, and Arminians, who by this Text, say we are
justified by works, know no Gospel-faith, by which we are justified, but faith
including essentially new obedience, the crucifying of the old man, the walking
in the Spirit, and repentance; as
else where I cite. Therefore when Iames
saith we are not justified by faith only, he must mean a naked dead assent: as
in the former verses; We are not justified; and that is it which we say: Iames denies not but sayes that Abraham beleeved, Gen. 15.
6. (It is only beleeving but
lively and not dead, not a naked assent, which was counted to him for
righteousnesse) and Gen. 15.
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way and Arminians
also, that we are not justified by faith only, which is a true and generall
assent to the Word of God, for they teach that in the first Justification, we
are justified by faith only without works, as Paul proves, but in the second Justification when a man of just is
made more just (say they) he is justified by works; as saith Iames, c. 2. Now by this they are forced
to say, Iames speaks not of the first
Justification, but of the second, but beside that the Scripture knows not two
Justifications, Iames must deny that
the unconverted hypocrites, and Rahab
the harlot were justified by only faith, as Paul
saith, and it were most incongruous to teach unconverted ones who never knew
the first Justification, how they were not justified in the second
Justification. And if James be
speaking of the nature and causes of the same Justification before God only,
with Paul and not of the effects
thereof, it were false that James
saith (with reverence to the holy Lord) that we are not justified by faith
[foreign] without works, for Paul
sayes it, and proves it strongly from the Scripture, and never insinuates that
we are justified in a second Justification by works. And sure he should not
have denyed all the Jews, all the Gentiles, all the world, Rom. 3 9,19,29,30. David
a man according to Gods heart, and
much in communion with God, when he penned the 32. Psalm, and Abraham a
beleever and effectually called, Gen.
12. and justified, when he, Gen.
15.6. beleeved the promise of the seed,
Yea when James saith we are not justified [foreign] only, he must mean sidem solitariam, a faith solitary which
hath no works conveying it, as man sees not with eyes that are solitary and
plucked out of the heart, and separated from hearing, smelling, and the senses,
though faith, if true and properly so called (as they say this is) must
justifie as the eye sees only [foreign], and the eare onely, not the eye,
hears, now this faith hath a causative influence in Justification as well as works
(if it be proper and true faith, as they say it is, as the body without the
spirit hath the nature of a body) and so James
had no more ground for him to say, ye see
then that we are not justified by faith only, then to say, ye see then that we are not justified by
works only. For works separated from faith
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are no lesse dead works & cannot justifie, 1 Cor. 13.1,2,3,4,5. Then faith separated
from works, & really pulled from them, as in an hypocrite,is a true faith.
Obj.When James saith that a man is justified by works, not by faith only, he maketh
faith and works concomitant in that procurement of justification, and in that
kind of causality, for he saith not, as he is commonly interpreted (not by
faith which is alone) but by faith only [foreign]. Ans. He is not more
commonly, nor soundly and truely interpreted, he is not justified by faith which is alone, fide solitariâ, by
dead faith. For solâ side justific amur.
Faith hath the only vertue of justifying as an instrument, and so is the
Adverbe [foreign] Solùm taken, Matth. 5. 47. If ye salute your brethren [foreign] only, what do ye more then
Publicans? Where [foreign] notes duties only naturall excluding these which
only converts in a spirituall way can do, Matth.
8.8. Only say the word, [foreign] it
clearly saith that a mandat of Omnipotency only in CHRIST could heal the sick
servant; but yet that Omnipotency is not really separated from justice,
wisedom, mercy, Matth. 9. 21.
[foreign] If I only touch him, I shall be
whole. But the act of touching was conjoined with the act of hearing: who hath touched me? Yet the act of
hearing had no causative influence in the drawing vertue out of Christ, but
only the act of touching did extract the vertue, as Christ saith, Luk. 8. 50. Mar. 5.36. Fear not, [foreign],
only beleeve, saith Christ to the Ruler; can it be said, but this excludes
works as touching the apprehending of the power and mercy of Christ in raising
the dead Damosel. And yet that beleeving was not solitary, but conjoined with
love, reverence, submission, 35. So Luk.
8.50. Mat. 21.19. And Act. 3. 16. The faith that is by Christ hath given this creeple perfect soundnesse.
Heb. 11.30. By faith the walls of
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as they teach, citing Rev.
22.14. and more merit, ex pacto
Euangelico, life eternall: and so our works and merits must be joint causes
with the blood of Christ, and the Martyrs blood and Christs blood must have
paralel and collateral influence with Christs blood to buy right to the Tree of
Life; Yea and Paul already justified,
even in the progresse of that which is called his Evangelick Justification, Phil. 3. would be in another condition,
9. That I may be found in him not having
mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law, but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith. And why
should Arminians and Socinians deny it to be Pauls own. For
1. it is inherent righteousnesse. 2. It is not infused as Papists say, but
acquired as they teach. 3. It came (say they) from Pauls own free-will indifferent to will or nill.
But how is the Scripture
fulfilled in Abrahams beleeving, Iam. 2. 23.
Ans.
The Apostle spake often of faith [foreign] and beleeving, v. 14. twice, v. 17.
once, v. 18. thrice, v. 19. twice, v. 20. once, v. 22.
twise, that is nine times, thereof Emphatically, v. 23. by way of excellency the Scripture
was then fulfilled, Abraham [foreign], beleeved,
and it was counted to him for righteousnesse, as its written, Gen. 15. 6.
before God and man and to his own conscience, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar. That was reall,
visible and conspicuous believing and righteousnesse, to deny himself so far
for God: For James is much for
Religion made known to a mans self and to men, and hath far other Adversaries
in the other extremity then Paul had,
even the old Gnosticks, who, in
opposition to the Jews and Pharisees, laid aside the Law, doing of the Law, Jam. 1. 22, 23. all works, c. 2. 14. all conscience of bridling the tongue, c. 13. 1, 2. of peaceable and mortified living, c. 4. c. 5. and thought if godlinesse to
hear the word in the Assemblies, ch. 2. 1, 2, 3. without love to the
Brethren, and to keep in their head a room, empty faith, and professed fair,
and gave good words, but no garments to the naked, v. 14, 15. And James had
good cause to treat of a visible and declared faith, but yet not meerly
declared, but which was reall and can save, 14. and of justification such, as
that of Abraham and Rachab, as was sensible
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and reall and not in a bare profession: For Iames speaks of a profiting and saving
faith, Iam. 2. 14. What doth it profite, &c. Can faith save him? Another devise is
here alledged, of a formed faith animated with charity and that justifies (say Papists) and an unformed faith void of
charity, and that, say they, doth not justifie: And the same way, but in other
expressions, Arminians and Socinians teach, that to believe and do
good works, and to repent and walk in all the Commandements of Jesus Christ, is to believe, or compleat
formed and Evangelick faith. But we distinguish them as the Scripture. Its
true, Rom. 4.9. faith is said to be imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse,
and so v. 3. v. 5. but it is not meant of the act or work of believing, that was
counted for Abrahams formall
righteousnesse, there should so no room be left to the satisfaction of Christ,
reckoned to be ours: if all the righteousnesse of God, Rom. 10. 3. 1 Corin. 5.
21. Phili. 3. 9. should be turned
over in an act of believing, mixt with much doubting and in our sinfull
obedience; And the Socinians have
more reason for them to say, there is no necessity of any reall satisfaction of
blood payed for us, then the Arminians
and Papists: For if our
righteousnesse and inherent obedience may be of grace esteemed formall
righteousnesse before God, by a free
Evangelick paction and an act of Gods free-will: the Lord might have esteemed the eating of an aple, or any act of
obedience, our formall righteousnesse; and so Christ dyed in vain, to become our righteousnesse, where an act of
a sinfull man, or a deed of the Law, even the Law of faith is sufficient. What
needs the shedding of the blood of God? Frustrà
fit per plura, quod æquè benè potest fieri per pauciora. There's no need of
reall satisfaction.
2. Faith imputed doth well bear
the sense of the object that faith layes hold on, as our righteousnesse, Rom.
3.21. Now the
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righteousnsse of
God without the Law is manifested. What righteousnesse of God? ver. 22. Even the righteousness of God through faith
of Jesus Christ unto all. Now if the righteousnesse of God is manifested
without one Law, to wit, of works, why not without another Law, of faith and of
inherent Gospel-righteousnesse? And what need that Christ should die, if the
act of beleeving should be that precious righteousnesse of God, and that
according to the Law of faith? This by the way. As hope is put for the object
hoped for? As
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had been dead could no more have justified and saved him,
then the hypocrites dead faith can save and justifie him, as James saith, 2.14,15,16, &c. So could not these worthies
recorded, Heb. 11. have casten down the walls of Jericho, subdued
Kingdomes, stopped the mouths of Lions by faith, if that faith had been as
dead in its nature, as the faith of the vain Gnostick and Hypocrite,
who saith to the brother or sister naked, depart
in peace, be thou warmed and filled, and yet gives him not these things that
are needfull to the body, Jam. 2.15,16. And this we must say, except we
admit that the fancied faith of the Hypocrite can remove mountains, nor is it
place to dispute whether Reprobates as Judas
have saving faith in working miracles, it is sure their faith of miracles
cannot be a Hypocriticall faith such as is, Iames
2. 14, 15, 16. (3.) The Scripture differenceth between faith and love, and
faith and repentance. As 1. we are not once said to be justified by faith, but
are never said to be justified by love, repentance, almes deeds. Its easie with
an active ingine to labour to prove how faith includes love: And so doth hope
and love include many other works and gifts of the Spirit, but the Holy Ghost
distinguisheth them. As (2.) by faith as from a saving principle, Abraham sojourned in the Land, by faith Noah builded an Ark, Iacob blessed the sons of Ioseph, Moses would not be called the
Son of Pharaohs daughter, yet to build
an Ark is not to beleeve in God; we pray in faith, hear in faith, yet these are
not the same.
(3.) Mar. 1. 15. Repent and
beleeve, Act. 20. 21. Testifying
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus, Heb. 6. 1. Not laying the foundation of repentance from
dead works, and faith toward God, 1 Tim. 1.5. Love and a good conscience and faith unfained, Phil. 5. Love and faith, 1 Thes. 1. 3. We thank God, remembring your work of faith,
and labour of love, Heb. 6. 10. Labour
of love. 11. The full assurance of
hope. 12. Faith and patience. We
beleeve in Christ: but do we repent in Christ? 4. Faith is a leaning on God, Isa. 10.20. Isa. 26. 3. Isa. 50. 10.
love is not so. Faith is a coming to God by way of affiance, Ioh. 5. 40. Matth. 11. 28. Ioh. 6.
37. a receiving of Christ, Ioh. 1.
11. an eating of his flesh, and drinking
of his blood, Ioh. 6. 54, 55, 56.
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not any of these can be said of love, of repentance, of
new obedience.
(4.) If to beleeve in Christ as
Lord and Law-giver be formally (for effectively and practically we may with
that Learned and Pious D. Prestoun
say it is) a consenting to Christs Dominion and Government over us to obey him
(though to consent at the Corronation and to swear an oath of loyaltie to a
King be widely different from obeying his Laws)
as unbeleef is a rebellion against his Government, Luk. 19. 17. then well may Adam,
in the Covenant of Works, be said to be justified and saved by faith; for if to
beleeve in God Redeemer, be to give
our selves to obey him as Lord Redeemer,
and if this surrendering be the obedience of works by which we are justified
and saved and perfectly righteous before God, upon the same reason to beleeve
in God Law-giver and Creator in the Covenant of Works, and for Adam to surrender himself Covenant wayes,
by a legall faith shall be the Law obedience of works by which Adam is justified and saved, and so he
is saved by Law-faith, as we are by Gospel-faith.
And this is to be remembred, that
for one to give himself to Christ as his
Lord to be governed and commanded, and to be willing to obey him is neither
formally faith (though it may be conjoined with beleeving) nor obedience, but
an intention or purpose to obey. And 1. shall we then be justified by works,
that is, by a purpose and intention to work? 2. There are in us May resolutions and purposes like May blossomes, that wither before
Harvest, as some are willing but not obedient, Isa. 1.19. One saith he will go work in his fathers Vineyard, it
may be he purposes to work, but yet he works not, Mat. 21.30. nor is a practicall purpose of heart to obey either
obedience or faith formally.
5. If to be justified by faith in
Christ as not only Jesus who saves, but as Lord who commands, then we are
justified by love, for we are to love him not as Jesus only, but also as Lord,
1 Cor. 16. 22. Eph. 6.24. especially since all the works of the Law come under the
command of love, Matth. 22. 3. 7. Luk. 7. 27. Deu. 6.5. Rom. 13.8.
(6.) All these, thy faith hath saved thee, Matth. 9. Luk. 7. only beleeve, must be of this truth, thy good works hath saved thee
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only do good works. And it is strange that Paul saith, Eph. 2. 8. By grace ye are
saved through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God. 9.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Nor could Paul make an opposition
between grace and works (as in Rom.
11.6.) if the grace of beleeving and good works were one in the New Testament,
for so we should be saved by works, and not by works. And Paul by an [foreign], takes that away. Yea but we are saved, that
is, justified and delivered from obligation to wrath by the works of
free-grace. He answers, nay, but neither are we saved or justified by these
works of grace as by means or causes. For we are first saved and justified
before we can do good works, for good works are the fruits of free-grace, since
v. 10. we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus (and so justified
and saved in Christ Jesus) to good works,
that we should walk in them. Yea and Paul
undenyably removeth this doubt, 1 Cor.
4.4. I know nothing by my self (that
is, by his grace I am free of such sinnes as bring condemnation, and so he must
abound in works of grace) [foreign], yet thereby (and notwithstanding of all my
inherent holinesse by works of grace) I
am not justified. (7.) There should be no ground of gloriation and boasting
more then this, by the Socinian and Arminian way, if we should be justified
by works which come from free-will not determined by any grace either habituall
or actuall which is merited by the death of Christ, but do proceed from pure
free-will which separateth the beleever from the non-beleever: Then might we
glory and boast that we are not in the debt of Christ or of his grace for that
which is our formall righteousnesse before GOD, and so no flesh can say they are
justified by grace, but that we are justified by nature the same way that Adam should have been justified without
being beholden to CHRIST or to his death.
Asser.
3. There are not properly the same causes of the possession of Life Eternall,
and of the righteousnesse of Life Eternall: The ransome of Christs blood is
only the cause of the right. For jus
or right to Life Eternall is a legall and a morall thing, ens morale, and hath a morall cause, as a man hath right to such a
City being the Lord and owner thereof by birth, or money, or
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conquesse, or by gift or grant of a Prince or of the
Citizens themselves, but possession and injoying the houses and rents of the
City is a Physicall thing, ens Physicum,
and hath a Physicall cause, as eating, drinking, lodging, sleeping, wearing of
cloaths to defend the body from the cold. So the legall right a man hath to the
bread and lodging he hath in an Innes, but the Physicall causes, are hunger,
appetite, bodily necessities so require and his pleasure to make use of such
necessities. Hence the eating, drinking, may be Physically good, and the right,
jus legale, very bad, he may have no
right to the bread, when he comes to it only by spoil and rapine. So the legall
right, jus legale to life eternall is
the ransome of blood that Christ payed, our Goel,
our friend and kinsman, to make the inheritance ours; but that great (I may
say) almost Apostolick light, Mr. John
Calvin saith good works, are, as it were, the inferiour causes of the
possession of life. So simple possession is one thing, and quo jure aut titulo,but by what Law-right he possesseth, is another
thing.
But 1. Good works are necessary, necessitate præcepti, by the command of
God and promise, 1 Thes. 4.4. 1 Cor. 6.20. Eph. 2.10. Matth. 28.20.
and where it is said, 1 Tim. 4.8. Godlinesse is profitable to all things,
having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
[foreign] the promise is opposed to the Law. And that is a strong Argument, Gal. 3. 18. [foreign] If the inheritance be of the Law, it is no
more of promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise, Covenant-promise: What is that to the Galatians and to us Gentiles? Much every way. For three notable points are therein. 1.
The heavenly inheritance promised to the seed, to Christ and his, ver. 16. not a poor earthly
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same is made to the believing Galatians, the Gentiles
and their seed, else Paul saith
nothing for the Doctrine of Justification by faith to the Gentiles, contrair to
the purpose of the Apostle. 3. There
is an inheritance by Covenant-promise a promise of eternall life made not to
works as the price that buyes the right: for, sure, then Christ must have dyed in vain. 3. Works are not necessary simply, necessitate medii: for then we must
exclude all Infants; But the necessity of a Precept inferreth a necessity of
means ordinary to all capable of a Command, that they do good, and sow to the Spirit, that they may reap of the
Spirit life everlasting, Gal. 6. 8. (3.) They are necessary for the glory
of God, Math. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 2. 12. (4.) They are necessary by the law of gratitude, which
is common both to the Covenant of Works and of Grace, as we are debters to God
for being, so to God-incarnate as
ransoned ones for everlasting life, 1 Cor.
6. 20. Luke 1.75. 1 Pet. 1. 18. and eternall well-being.
But such as will have our works
the formall cause of our justification, they put them in the chair of Christs merite, and they must be
meritorious as Adams legall obedience
should have been: yea, but not, but by
and of gracious estimation, God so esteeming them, say they. True: but, as
is proven, neither was
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and saving they now have. Yea,
and since Christ hath redeemed us from
our vain conversation, 1 Pet.1.18. by his blood: Why but, as he hath
redeemed us from hell, and purchased salvation to us, by giving us grace by our
own good works after conversion to redeem and justifie and save our selves, so
he hath redeemed us from our vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 18. by giving us grace to do such works, before we be
redeemed from our vain conversation, and before we be converted, as we may
merite our conversion and Redemption from our vain conversation? If it be said,
he absolutely and without any condition that is required, on our part, by his
blood redeems all, whom he hath given his Son Christ to die for, from their
vain conversation. 1. All mankinde without exception (for by their way he hath
died for them all) must be redeemed from their vain conversation and converted:
Nothing can be more false. 2. The Gospel to no purpose, and the Gospel-Commands
shall in vain crave obedience, or so much as the duty of hearing the Gospel,
from such as are not yet redeemed from their vain conversation, or not yet
converted: For that Redemption is promised to them absolutely, without any
condition required of them, saith this way.
Obj. If works have a causative influence on the possession of glory, as
working on wages, and fighting on victory, then must they have influence on
just possession also: For possession, except it be just, is no possession, but
usurpation.
Answ.
Possession is essentially the enjoying of any thing pleasant, gainfull, yea or
honest, whether the title be just or unjust. The Title is accidentall to the
Possession.
Obj. 2. He that possesseth the Crown, possesseth the Diamonds and pretious
stones and the worth of the Crown; Therefore he that possesseth life,
possesseth the right and title to it.
Answ.
True: but hence it followeth not but possession and right to what we possesse
do differ in their nature. Nor do we properly possess the right of possession:
for the right or title is modus rei, non
res, the maner of and the due or the undue way of the possession thereof.
Obj. 3. Is not possession of eternall life from Christ, as well as the title or
right to the Crown from Him?
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Ans.
True, both are from Christ, but not
the same way. Possession of the Crowne is the enjoying thereof, and is from
free grace, and we, as willing and sanctified agents, make use thereof: But Christ alone bought with his blood the
title and right to it. And when he gave his life for the rightfull and due
possession of glory to us, we did contribute nothing either request or help to
procure the title, and the grace to enter in to the possession by faith is the
fruits also of free grace. Nor can it be denyed but our good works, by which we
enter into possession of the Crown, are also the fruit of Christs death: but yet not so as there is any meritorious or
federall power of deserving the possession communicate to our works; Only they
are made by Christs death the oblidged way to the possession of life.
Obj. 4. How then is there a promise of the life to come made to Godlinesse, 1
Tim. 4. 8?
Answ.
That promise is neither a promise of the Covenant of Works, for by the deeds of the Law no flesh can be
saved: Nor is it a federall promise of the Covenant of Grace, strictly so
called, except any would say that it is called a promise especially for faith,
which is speciall Godlinesse, and the acknowledging
of the truth, which is according to godlinesse, Tit. 1. 1. and so a
promise made to the Godly in so
far as he is in Christ by faith, and in Christ is the promise of life, 2 Tim. 1.1. Nor 3. is the promise of a
title and right, which is made to Christ
our Ransone payer, made to our Godlinesse, as if it did buy our right to life
eternall, or were the price thereof. 4. Life is promised to Believers who work,
not because they work: And 5. the Lord in these only showeth the order of
bringing men to glory, not the causes of the right and title to glory, except
we say the mowing of the first quarter of the Meadow is the cause of the mowing
of the second, because it makes way to the mowing of the second, and the mowing
of the second quarter is a cause of the mowing of the third, and so forth,
untill all be mown. As, because God
gives grace to work, to run, to use means, therefore he giveth, of free grace,
the crown of life in the possession thereof.
Obj. Adams Law-obedience should only have so, and by this way been the cause or
way to the possession?
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Ans.
Not so, if Adam had perfected his
obedience, he should have claimed life by right of sinlesse, federall merit, ex pacto,without suiting of it by any
title of grace merited by CHRIST, not so we. Its true beleevers are called
[foreign], worthy, Rev. 3. but that
is legally in Christ the Head, not that the meritorious worth of Christ goeth
out of himself and renders our works intrinsecally meritorious.
CHAP. XX.
Whether or not suffered Christ for any sin against the Gospel only,
such as unbeleef finall, which is conceived to be the only sin against the
Gospel. That Christ died not for all without exception. The unwarrantablenesse
of that Doctrine, how the Law commands justifying faith and repentance, how
not.
IT may appear that Christ
suffered not for any sin which is onely against the Gospel, such as finall
unbeleef: If any sins be considered in
any other respect as against the Gospel only, then Christ was not to suffer for
any such sin so considered, for where no death is threatened, none is
explicitely due, and where it is not so due to the sinner, nor should have been
execute upon him, there it could not have been due to Christ nor executed upon
him, For the Gospel threateneth not death to any sin, but finall unbeleef and
rebellion (and for that Christ never died) therefore Christ died not for any
sin as against the Gospel, nor suffered that which is no where threatened.
But this is most doubtsome and cannot well stand. Its true that Christ suffered not
for finall unbeleef, it being the proper sin of some reprobates, to wit, of
such as hear the Gospel, Joh.
8,21,24. 2 Thes. 1.7,8. But it seems
against all Scripture that Christ should die for these, for whose sins he dies
not: And so that 1. Christ should half and part the sins of the Reprobate, and
the Scripture, I judge shall not admit that Christ
bare in his own body, on the tree, some sins of the Reprobate, to wit, all
their sins against the Law, absolutely,
or conditionally, and he that bears
not either absolutely, or conditionally their other sins against
the Gospel,
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to wit, their finall unbeleef and rebellion, for Christ
was wounded and bruised for the transgressions and iniquities of these for whom
he died; He must then have been wounded for some of their transgressions, and
not wounded for other of their transgressions. And so the sins of the
Reprobates, are divided between Christs satisfaction upon the Crosse, and their
own satisfaction in Hell: But he suffered (one may say) conditionally only for the Reprobates sins against the Law upon the
Crosse, if they beleeve, not otherwise? Ans.
The same reall satisfaction conditionally that he performed on the Crosse, for
the Elect, the same (say the Authors) he performed for the Reprobate, conditionally, if either beleeve, but
because the one beleeves, it is accepted for payment for them, and the other
beleeves not, it is not accepted for them.
2. As there is a satisfaction
performed for some sins, not for all, not for finall unbeleef, that sin then
must be in the same case with the sin of the fallen Angels, there is no sacrifice for it, nor is Christs death
applicable by divine ordination to purge men from finall unbeleef more then to
purge Devils from any sins they commit. 3. The same incorruptible price of the
blood of the Lamb that is given to ransome all from wrath, Matth. 20.28. 1 Tim. 2.6.
conditionally, is given to buy all,
for whom Christ died, from their vain
conversation, also, 1 Pet. 1.18.
that is to merite faith to them conditionally.
Shew us the condition of the one more then the other. If a condition cannot be
shown, Christ must have payed the price of blood upon the Crosse, for some upon
intention, for others upon another unlike intention. 4. If Christ died for all,
not because they did will and beleeve, but that they might will and beleeve;
and if Jesus suffered without the Camp,
that he might sanctifie the people by his own blood, Heb. 13.12. Heb.
10.10. That he might wash them from their
sins, and make them Kings and Priests to God, Rev. 1.5,6. That they might offer up themselves holy
living sacrifices to him, Rom. 12.1. upon a great designe of love, to cleanse them with the washing of water by
the Word, and present them a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, Eph.
5.26,27. If he gave himself for them,
that they should live to righteousnesse, being dead to sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. That they might be delivered from the
present evill world, Gal. 1.4. If
Christ gave himself
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for these, for whom he dyed, that he might redeem them from all iniquity, and might purifie them to
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Then did he
die to redeem all men from iniquity, even from finall unbelief the great iniquitie, and from the vain conversation of finall unbelief,
and that they might be dead to sins,
especially the sin of finall unbelief: Except it be said that Christ gave a
price to buy faith to all Reprobate and Elect, and to redeem them from finall
unbelief, if all would be willing. But to commit to their free-will the
efficacie of Redemption, which Prosper
saith, maketh the will of God valide and
effectuall, and unvalide and weak, according as the will of man: which Davenantius, Bishop of Salisburie (if that opus postbumum have been written by him in his riper years, and
revised by himself) justly censures as the boyl of Pelagian Doctrine, which Faustus
Rhegiensis did covertly teach: The
Lord (saith he) redeems such as are
willing, being a rewarder of their good or evill wils. Now hardly can these
eschew this Pelagianisme who teach,
that the death of Christ is an universall salve applicable, by the decree of
God, to save all and every one of mankinde, Christian and Pagan, so they
actually believe: For it cannot be said, that Christ hath died to make all mankinde saveable, upon condition of
actuall faith to receive Christ
preached: for so Infants, to whom Christ
preached is in no tollerable sense applicable, that way, by any ordination of
God, if they actually believe, shal be no parts of the world, & they must
be excluded from Baptism. And it cannot be said that this argument shal
militate against us; for we do not defend such a conditionall applicabilitie of
Christ upon condition of faith actual in preached Christ even to infants in the
Visible Church, yet we teach they are in Covenant with God, and so God hath his
decree of election to Glory and Redemption in Christ, among infants as among
aged professours. 2. There is a providentiall, and to many thousands of Pagans,
who never heard, nor could hear of Christ, an invincible impediment, and so
Christ is not applicable by Gods decree to them, upon condition of actuall
beleeving,
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seems to me physically impossible, that there is such a
thing as the Indians worship Satan
under such a name and in such rites, if I never heard of the Indians, or of their God, or their
worship: So neither can they worship Christ in a Gospel-way, who never heard of
him. Its impossible to beleeve a non ens,
Christ offered in the Gospel is very nothing and so not applicable to thousands
by any decree of God. 3. This is not written in Scripture. God hath decreed
that Christ be Preached and life be offered actually to all and every one of
all and every Nation under Heaven, and this opinion saith that Christ died and
satisfied offended Justice for the sins of all and every one of all and every
Nation under heaven, except for finall unbeleef. The Antecedent is clear by
Scripture and experience. God fulfills his decrees irresistibly: But he never
sent the Preached Gospel to as many as these Authors say he died for. Nor can
they themselves teach any such thing: Nor is this true, God hath decreed that Christ in the Preached Gospel and salvation may
be offered to all and every one, old and young, of all and every Nation, in all
Generations, upon condition of actuall beleeving. And yet for all these,
without exception, Christ died, say they. For not to say, God never decreed
that such may be offered to infants of Pagans, for whom they say Christ died.
To make a thing that physically is possible, the object of a decree of God, we
must say that God hath decreed to give the gift of tongues to all Professours
and Pastours to speak to all and every Nation in their own Language, and to
make an offer of Christ: For there be many Nations, who never heard of Christ,
and understand not writing or any of the commonest Latine and Greek, and there
is not any such decree revealed in the word, and we can not but know such gifts
of Tongues are not bestowed on men, and without this it is physically
impossible to communicate the Gospel. It shall not help to say that Christians
should travell to all Countreys and learn their Tongues, that so they may
communicate the Gospel; and it is their sin they do not so. And therefore God
hath decreed that the Gospel may be offered and Christ applicable. Ans. 1. What shall become of the aged,
and of multitudes, for whom Christ died, who must die in Paganism, before
Christians can be so mixed and learn the Tongues of all Nations
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under Heaven? 2. Did ever the Apostles to whom the Lord
gave the gift of the tongues, go to this Nation and not to this, but by the
call of the Spirit, to
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every one cannot be conditionall, in so far as the
condition is referred to dying, to wit, if they believe; for so believing must
go before dying, either really, which is manifestly false: for multitudes for
whom Christ dyed had neither being
nor believing, when he dyed for them; Or in the prescience of God, and that
destroyes their principles: for so Christ
cannot have died for all and every one, foreseeing that all and every one would
believe: for he never foresaw that the Reprobate should believe. Then must the
condition of dying or Redeeming, or of paying the ransone of His blood (these
being all one) be referred to Gods accepting of Christs death for so many or for all, if they should believe. And
the same way the Argument is as formerly: For God accepteth the payed ransome for all and every one, if they all
really believe, or if they all and every one be foreseen of God to believe before the Lords
accepting of them. Both are false, as is evident, and so they say in the issue
what we say, and contradict themselves, to wit, that believers, and only
believers, are these for whom Christ
died. We before said, the promises are conditionally to all within the Visible
Church, but so as the condition relates only to the benefite promised, we shall
have remission and life, if we believe, but not otherwise: But now the
Covenant-promise, which is accepted of, and assented unto by Professors, in
their very profession in themselves or their parents, is absolutely made to all
within the Visible Church, and they are Covenant-wayes ingadged and say, and
professe they are the Lords people, and they take him, and no other, for their
God, whether they obey and believe, or no: for a people, not right in heart,
may bind themselves in Covenant with God, Deut.
29. 10,11,12,13,14. compared with 21,22,23. Deut.
31.27. Josh. 24.22. compared with Judg. 2.12,13. So God absolutely intends
to save all for whom Christ dies, and
by his death intends to give a price to redeem them from hell and from
unbelief, or their vain conversation,
1 Pet. 1.18. from all iniquitie, Tit. 2.14. from
this present evill world, Gal. 1.14. Ergo,
from finall unbeleef the greatest iniquity of a present evill world. But here
the case widely varies, upon no condition, that we can read in holy Scripture,
gave Christ a price, a ransome of blood to redeem men from unbeleef and from
all iniquitie, this price must be
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absolutely given, and grace purchased to all whose sins
Christ did bear in the Crosse that they may beleeve, that they may be
sanctified, Heb. 13.12. 1 Pet. 2.24. 2. Sinnes of Thomas, refusing to beleeve the
resurrection of Christ, and of Peter
denying the Lord before men, and the Gospel-sinnes of beleevers, after they are
justified, and are inlightened, must be sins against the Covenant of Grace, as
well as against the Law. And the denying of Christ
before men hath a sad threatning of everlasting death, Matth. 10.32. Mar. 8.38.
annexed to it, if they repent not. And shall these within the
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committed against the Gospel, but they are also sinnes
against the Law: because God
incarnate and Immanuel is God, and leaves not off to be God consubstantiall with the Father,
because he assumes the nature of man. Then as the first Command oblidgeth Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, when God shall reveal that Command, and Moses and the people are by that first Command to believe their
deliverance out of Egypt, and so if
the first Command oblidge us to believe and obey all Commands and Promises and
Threatnings of God, revealed and to be
revealed, because the Lord is God, then must Christ God Redeemer and Immanuel
be beleeved by this Command, and so finall unbelief and finall despising of
Christ God Redeemer is as directly against the first Command (and so not a sin
only threatned and forbidden in the Gospel) as simple unbelief and simple
despising of Christ God Redeemer; For the believing & final believing, and
unbelief and unbelief, continuing to the end, differ in the accident of
duration, not in nature and essence, As a Rose that grows for a moneth only,
and a Rose of the same nature that groweth and flourisheth for three moneths.
Otherwise Christ could not have pronounced Peter
blessed, [foreign], Mat. 16.17. in the present, for believing in the present:
for he should not have been blessed to the end: as Solon said of his blessed man, And this cannot but subvert our
faith, crush the peace, hope, consolation of weak Believers, to whom
undoubtedly the promise of perseverance is absolutely made, Jer. 31. 31,35. Jer. 32. 39,40. Isai. 54.
10. Isai. 59. 20,21. Joh. 4.14. Joh. 10. 27,28.
2. If there be as formall a
transgression of the first Command in finall unbelief, as in unbelief simply
considered, and in the other sins of Judas
and other Apostates. Why but as Christ bare in his body the sins of unbelief
and satisfied for them, he must so also bear the sins of finall rebellion and
unbelief? And shall we believe that Christ payed a satisfactory ransone of
blood upon the crosse for the yesterdayes unbelief of Judas, and not for the dayes unbelief?
If it be said, No man can break
the Gospel Covenant, for it is an everlasting Covenant. Ans. Its an everlasting Covenant, but yet all who sin against the
commanding love and authority of our Immanuel,
especially they so professing to be his, do truly break the Covenant: but they
so break it, as it leaves not off to be the
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Covenant of life both to the breakers, if they repent and
beleeve, and to others: for so is the nature of this Covenant, and so it is
everlasting, but the Covenant of Works if once broken, ceases to be a Covenant
of life for ever, because the nature of it is, to admit of no repentance at
all. Obj. Does not the Law command the
sinner offending God to mourn and be humbled, and confesse? Ans. It doth.
But it injoines not repentance as a way of life, with a promise of life to the
repenter, as the Law or as a Covenant of Works commands to its native and
proper Covenanters obedience and every single act of obedience as a way to
obtain the reward of a Law-life, nor does the Law as a Covenant of Works
command justifying faith and reliance upon God
Redeemer, or Immanuel: but rather
as the Law of Nature, or as the Law of thankfulnesse to a Ransoning and
Redeeming God, the Law does this. Though in a speciall Covenant way the Gospel
command faith in Christ.
Obj.
But finall unbeleef as against God
Redeemer and so considered is the only breach of the Covenant of Grace: He that beleeves not is condemned, as
the man that rejects the only remedie of sin.
Ans.
The only breach of the Covenant of Grace, is too narrow to be the adequat cause
of damnation, for many Pagans who never heard of Christ and are under no
Covenant, but that of Works, are condemned not for not beleeving in him of whom they never heard, Rom. 10.14. nor for
breach of the Covenant of Grace, but for breach of the Covenant of Works. 2.
Unbelief may be called the nearest cause of damnation to such as perish within
the
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suffer satisfactory punishment for these same sins done
against the Law: And as strange that Christ should die for any, and not die for
their sinnes, since the Scripture useth the word of dying for sinnes, Rom. 4.25
delivered from our sinnes, Christ is a
propitiation for our sinnes, and (the same way) not for ours only, but for the sinnes of the whole world; he died
for sinners, Heb. 2.17. that he might make reconciliation for the
sinnes of the people: that is, for the sinfull people, or sinners, Heb. 9.28. so Christ was once offered to bear the sinnes of many: That is to
bear the sins of the sinfull many that he died for, Heb. 10.12. But this man
after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, sat down on the right hand of God:
that is, after he had offered a sacrifice for sinners. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Christ once
suffered for sin, that is, for sinners, 1 Cor. 15.3. I delivered unto
you how Christ died for our sinnes, that is, for the persons of us sinners.
1 Joh. 3.5. He was manifested to take away our sinnes. 1 Joh. 4.10. Herein is love--that he sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sinnes. Rev. 1.5.
To him that loved us, and washed us from
our sinnes--be glory. Gal. 1. 4. He gave himself for our sinnes. Now it
must not be asserted, but proven that in all these places where he is said to
be a propitiation for the sins of the
world; and hath taken away our sinnes speaking (as these Authors say) of
the whole visible Church, and not of the elect onlie that Christ hath died and
by his death hath taken away some sinnes, and hath suffered for some sinnes,
and not for all sinnes, not for the finall unbeleef of sinners, if it be said,
that we cannot teach that Christ suffered for finall unbeleef, we grant it: But
then we say that Christ suffered not for finall unbeleevers and for the other
sins of finall unbeleevers, since suffering for sins and for persons that are
sinners, to bring them to God, 1 Pet.
3. 18. are conjoined. And God was in
Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto
them, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Therefore there must be a pardoned and a justified
world, and so truely blessed world, as Paul and David teach, Psal. 32.
1,2.
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to all the world; as is clear, Tit. 3.3,4,5. Eph.
2.1,2,3,4,5. We seek a warrand of Gods not imputing to this loved world their
trespasses against the Law, and of his imputing to the same world the
trespasses of rebellion and finall unbelief: And how Christs blood, shed for
persons, both reconciles them to God,
and leaves them in wrath, imputes not their trespasses to them, and makes them
blessed, as David sayes, Ps. 32. 1. and imputes their finall
unbelief to them, and leaves them under a curse: Nor shall it help the mater to
say that finall unbelief may be considered as both against the Law, and as only
forbidden in the Gospel. And in the former respect Christ hath suffered for it, not in the latter. For if the
[foreign], the contrariety between finall unbelief and the first Command, as it
is a rebellion against God manifested in the flesh, be satisfied for by Christ on the crosse; How can it condemn
the person, as sure it doth? Joh.
3.18,36. Joh. 8.21,24. It cannot be
said that Christ died for finall unbeleef, so we beleeve.
2. What speciall [foreign] and
repugnancie to the Law of God is
there in finall unbelief, that is not a repugnancie to the Covenant of Works
and Grace both? And what repugnancie to the Covenant of Grace which is not also
contrair to the Law? This I grant (which I desire the Reader carefully to
observe) the Law and the Covenant of Grace do not one and the same way command
faith, and forbid unbelief. I speak now of the Covenant of Works and of the
Covenant of Grace as they are two Covenants specifically and formally
different.
For 1. the Law as the Law
commands 1. Faith in the superlative degree, as it doth all acts of obedience,
and so doth it Gospel repentance. Because the Law commands all obedience most
exact and perfect, and condemnes faith in the positive degree, though sincere
and lively, as sinfully deficient. The Gospel doth only require sincere faith,
and condemneth not for the want of the degrees of faith most perfect, though
the Law of thankfulnesse to the Ransome-payer (which Law is common to both
Covenants) require that we believe in the highest degree, because Christ hath expressed to us the greatest
love, Joh. 3.16. Joh. 15. 13.
2. The Law as the Law requires faith
not finall only, but faith Immanuel
for ever, and that we be born with the Image of God
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that we beleeve at all times, under the pain of
damnation. But, the Covenant of Grace, because it admits of repentance, and
holds forth the meeknesse, forbearance, and longanimitie of Christ, is
satisfied with faith at any time, or what hour of the day they shall be brought
in.
3. The Law requires faith, with
the promise of Law-life: The Covenant of Grace requires faith, promises grace
to beleeve, with promise of a Gospel-life.
4. The Law requires not faith in Christ with sinners Covenantways as a
work to be legally rewarded, for it finding all sinners, and all by nature,
Covenant-breakers, cannot indent with them that have broken the Covenant, to
promise life to them by tennor of the Covenant, which now ceaseth to be a
Covenant of life, and cannot but condemn, and is now rendered impossible to
justifie and save, by reason of the
weaknesse of the flesh, Rom. 8.3. All the reprobate then are this way under
the Covenant of Works, that they are (as it were) possible Covenanters lyable
to suffer the vengeance of a broken Covenant, but not formally active
Covenanters as Adam was. But if
Christ suffer for finall unbeleef, as it is against the Law as the Law, how is
it charged upon reprobates as a sin against the Gospel only? Since no wrong
done to God Redeemer can be any thing
but a sin against God, and a breach of the first Command. I deny not but finall
unbeleef hath an aggravation that it is the nearest barre and iron gate between
the sinner and the only Saviour of sinners, but yet the putting of such a barre
is a sin against the Law. Neither can it be said that only finall unbeleef is
the only meritorious cause of damnation to such as hear the Gospel. For beside
final unbelief there is also a contrariety betwixt the murthers, Sodomies, &c. of professours and the Law for
which they suffer in hell eternally, Rev.
21.8.c.18.7.
Quest.
Whether doth the Lord Mediator as Mediator, command the same good works in the
Covenant of Grace which are commanded in the Covenant of Works?
CHAP. XXI.
Ans.
According to the matter of the thing commanded, quoad rem mandatam, he commands the same, and charges
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upon all and every one the morall duty even as Mediator,
for he cannot loose the least of these Commandments, but simply they are not
the same, quoad modum mandandi. It
shall not be needfull to dispute whether they be commands differing in nature:
For not only doth the Mediator command obedience upon his interposed Authority
as Law-giver and Creator, but also as Lord
Redeemer upon the motive of Gospel constraining love. In which notion he
calls love the keeping of his Commandements (if they love him, Joh. 14.) the new Commandement of love.
Q. 2.
Doth the Lord Mediator, in the Covenant
of Grace, command the same good works to all, the same way?
Ans.
CHRIST speaks to reprobats in the
Visible Church, even when the matter of the command is Evangelick, as to non
confederates of grace in a Law way, and in a Law intention. For he cannot bid
them obey upon any other ground then legislative authority, not upon the ground
of Redemption-love bestowed on them, or that he died out of love to save all
and every one: For we disclaim that ground; or because he died out of a
speciall design to save them as his chosen ones. For there is no ground for
that untill we beleeve. But they are to obey upon the ground of
Redemption-love, so they first beleeve and fiducially rely upon Christ the
Saviour of all. But he commands Law-obedience to his chosen even as Mediator. (1.) Upon a Gospel intention
to chase them to Christ, Gal. 3.23.
(2.) When they are come to hedge them in, with Law-threatning to adhere, in a
Godly sear, more closely to Christ. But the Lord commands no beleever to
believe hell in the event to be their reward, but to beleeve perseverance and
life, but hell in the deserving. Hence that, 1 Tim. 1.9. The Law [foreign],
is not made for the righteous (to condemn them: as if God thereby opened up
to them their doom) but for the lawlesse,
&c. to let them be damned and see their damnation.
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CHAP. XXII.
The differences in the promise of the Covenants.
Quest.
WHat is the speciall difference of the promise of the two Covenants?
Ans.
It is known that only life eternall is promised in the Law, if a right to the
things of this life was promised to Adam,
it is like he behoved to compleat his course of obedience, and merit a right
legall to the herbs and fruit of the earth, beside the right he had by gift of
Creation, ex dono Creatoris, non jure
operum.
But 2. There was no promise made
to Adam of perseverance, and so no
promise made to him of influences to work in Adam to will and to do; so the influences by which he obeyed was, purum donum Creatoris, a meer gift of
the Creator, not a gift of either the grace of Christ, or a promised grace, though in a large sense, it may be
called a grace, or donum gratis datum:
For God gave that influence upon no
obligation. Now that it was not a grace promised is evident by
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the contrair where of they hold, if it be promised
conditionally, the question shall recur, what shall be the condition, and
another condition then the willingnesse of the will to persevere cannot be
given, and so the argument shall rise against it self, and the issue must be, God give to Adam actuall perseverance, if he should be willing to persevere,
that is, he gives to Adam
perseverance, if he give him perseverance; for willingnesse to persevere is
perseverance, or a very large part thereof.
3. But persevering grace and so
influence of grace to persevere is promised in the Covenant of Grace, Jer. 31.35. that they shall continue in
Covenant, more sure then the night and
the day. Jer. 32.40. I will put my
fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. The meaning
cannot be, I will give them a power never to depart from me, if they will: For
so nothing is more promised in Christ
to the second
4. That these influences were
purchased by Christs death is clear,
because they are the nearest causes of our actuall believing and coming to Christ, of faith and perseverance that
are given freely, and repentance and faith are given of Christ, Acts. 5.31. Zech. 12.10. 2 Tim. 2.25. Phil. 1.29. Ephes. 2.
1,2,3. Ezek. 36.26,27. Eph. 1. 17,18,19,20. John 6. 44,45.
5. So obedience to the Covenant
of Works was
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(2.) And came from his concreated
self (the Image of God that was his own) by a common influence, and neither was
the Image of God, nor the influences
of God acts of free grace, or the
purchase of grace properly so called.
(2.) Adam had a Law-claim to the Crown without sin, if he had continued
in obedience, and did merite ex pacto
life eternall, our new Covenant obedience in habituall and actuall performance
is so a duty, that it is also promised and a benefite merited to us by the
death of Christ, whereas Adams obedience was purum officium, non officium promissum, as our Gospel-obedience is.
6. Hence in obedience distinguish
two. 1. The nature of obe-ence. 2. The worth and excellencie of obedience. The
more the obedience be from our selves, the more it partakes of the nature of
obedience. Hence four kinds of obedience are to be considered. 1. Christs
obedience was the most legall obedience, and also the most perfect, for he
obeyed most of his own, of any, from his own will purely, Joh. 10.18. Mat.
26.39,42,44. His own blood, Hebr.
9.14. Rev. 1.5. My blood, saith he, Matth.
26.28. He gave his life a ransome, Matth.
20.28. He gave himself a ransome, 1
Tim. 2.6. By himself he purged our sins,
Heb. 1.3. Gave himself for his Church,
Eph. 5.25. Offered himself, Heb.
9.14. And therefore the satisfaction that he made was properly his own. Its
true the life, flesh and blood which he offered to God, as common to the three Persons, was equally the life, flesh,
blood of God by way of Creation and efficiency: For God as God created His Man-hood, and gave him a
body, but that Man-hood, in abstracto,
was not the offering, but all these, in
concreto, and the self, including
the value and the dignitie, was not the Fathers,
not the Spirits, but most properly
his own, and the Sons only by way of personall termination and subsistence.
1. There are contradictory tearms affirmed of this holy self the Son, and of
the Spirit and the Father. The Son was God
incarnate. 2. The son offered himself, his own life, his own blood to God for our sins. Neither the Father nor the Spirit at all is God
incarnate, neither Father nor Spirit offered his own life, his own
blood to God; Neither the Father nor
the Spirit hath (to speak so) a personall or terminative dominion
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over the flesh and blood of Christ. 2. Christ was in no
sort oblidged to empty himself, and cannot be under a jus or obligation to the Creator
or the creature. Of free love and his own will he became Mediator God Man, and being created man, and having said (here am I to do thy will) having
stricken hands with God as Surety of the Covenant, none more oblidged, being
holy and true; And therefore though Christ-Man
was most strictly tyed to give the Father
obedience, yet he was not oblidged to give him such and such obedience, so
noble, so excellent, from a personall Union: for Christ God cannot properly come under any obligation. Hence the obedience
of Christ is most meritorious, because maxime
indebita, in regard of the God head
most undebtfull, and yet obedience most debtfull in regard of the Man Christ. 3. Most from his own will
personally considered, the affection, love, the bended will, highest delight to
obey, lay personally near to the heart and holy will of Christ God: With desire have I desired to eat this
Passeover. He went foremost in the journey to
2. The Elect Angels next to Christ
gave obedience in their Law course, but not so properly of their own as Christ, for some
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discriminating and strengthning grace they had from Christ Mediator their head, Col. 2.10. that they should not fall,
and something from the Election of Grace, which do not necessarily agree to the
Covenant of Works, which they performed without sin, and the more extrinsecall
help from grace, the lesse merit, so farre is grace from being, as Jesuites say, the essentiall requisite
of merit, that the work is lesse ours, and so the lesse meritorious, that it
hath grace. Let not any say then Christs
obedience that came from the fulnesse of the Spirit without measure [foreign],
must so be lesse meritorious, which is absurd, for the reason why grace in
Angels, and men who are meer creatures diminishes the nature of merit, is,
because grace is not their own, nor their proper due, but supernaturall or
preternaturall, and so hurts the nature of the merit, but to the meriting
person Christ-God Man nothing is
supernaturall, nothing extrinsecall, nothing not his own: Grace is his own as
it were by a sort of personall dominion, not to say that the Man Christ as man did not merit, yet as man
he was born sinless and with the full Image of God.
3. Adam gave more faintly obedience, more indeed of his own, but it
was lesse obedience, and lesse will in it, then the obedience of Angels, and
had he continued, his obedience had been proper obedience; but this is to be
observed, none did ever, actu secundo,
and by the only help of simple nature attain Justification and Salvation by the
simple Covenant of Works, but men and evill Angels fell under both, though that
was a possible Covenant and holy and spirituall, yet God set it up to be an
inlet to pure Justice in the reprobate Angels, and so to free grace in elect
men.
4. The obedience of faith, or
Gospel-obedience, in the fourth place, hath lesse of the nature of obedience,
then that of Adam, or of the Elect
Angels, or that of Christs. Its true
we are called obedient Children, and
they are called the Commandements of Christ,
and Christ hath taken the Morall Law and made use of it in an Evangelick way,
yet we are more (as it were) patients, in obeying Gospel Commands, not that we
are meer patients, as Libertines
teach, for grace makes us willing, but we have both supernaturall habits and
influences of grace furnished to us from the Grace of Christ, who hath merited
both to us, and so in Gospel-obedience
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we offer more of the Lords own, and lesse of our own,
because he both commands, and gives us grace to obey. And so to the elect
beleever the Law is turned in Gospel, he by his Grace fulfilling (as it were) the righteousnesse of the Law in us by
begun new obedience,
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and life eternall, but his beleeving is not reckoned to
him [forxeign], of Law-debt, but of love and Grace debt: See
CHAP. XXIII.
Q. What
sort of doing the Law requireth?
The Scripture is clear, that
consumate, and continued in doing to the end is required by the Law. Paul interpreting Moses, Deut. 26.27. Gal.
3. 10. Cursed be every one, [foreign] who
continueth not in all that are written in the Law to do them. Deut. 26.27. Cursed is be who shall not confirm. It
is a word they use in inacting of Laws, when we say, Be it statuted and ordained: the word in Piel is three times in th$ Book of $sther, to ordain by a Law: Which clearly saith that
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the Covenant of Works was a work of justice and such a
time God set to Adam, so as to the
end he was to run it out, but how long he was a viator or traveller in his course of obedience no man knows
CHAP. XXIII.
Whether faith as lively and true, or faith as continuing to the end,
be the condition of the Covenant of Grace?
These, who in all points, as in
this, make this new Covenant a Covenant of Works, contend that faith as
enduring to the end, must be the condition of the new Covenant. 1. Because the
promise of the reward. 2. The reward is given to him that endures to the end.
And this faith (say they) is the adequat and compleat condition of the Covenant
of Grace as full and consumate obedience to the end in degrees and parts.
2. But faith as lively and
sincere is the condition of the Covenant, the nature and essence of this faith
is to continue to the end, but continuance to the end is an accidentall
condition of this onely essentiall condition of the Covenant, faith quæ, which endures to the end, but not quâ aut quatenus, as it endures to the
end is that which saves us and justifies us as the condition of the Covenant.
1. Faith as lively units us to Christ
and justifies whether it be come to the full perfection or not. Otherwise 1. no
man should be ingrafted in Christ as branches in the Vine Tree, no man
partakers of the Divine nature, no man quickened, but he that dies in finall
beleeving: Whereas, Joh. 5.24. he
that beleeveth before his finall continuance to the end, [foreign], hath passed from death to life and shall
never come to condemnation. And in this is the difference of the condition
of the Covenant of Works, that Adam
had no right to life by one or two the most sincere acts and highest in
measure, except he continue, [foreign] (as the Law saith, Deut. 26.27. Gal. 3.10.)
to the end, otherwise at the first act of
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obedience perfect in degrees and parts, God behoved by Covenant (except the Lord
should break the first Covenant himself, before man sin, which is blasphemous)
to have given him confirming grace and the reward of life; but the condition of
the Covenant of Grace is that, He that
beleeves, Joh. 3.36. [foreign], is
not condemned, yea is freed from all condemnation,
2. Faith, before it come to seed
and full harvest brings solid peace and comfort and saveth: So Christ to the blind man, Luke 18.42. thy faith [foreign], hath saved thee, not a bare miraculous faith,
but that which apprehends remission of sinnes, as he speaks to the woman who
did wash his feet with tears, Luke 7.
50. and to the paralytick man, Mat.
9.2. seeing their faith, be of good
cheer, go in peace, thy sins are forgiven. If they be but forgiven
conditionally, so they beleeve to the end, whereas they may fall away. 1. What
comfort and good cheer? 2. What peace being justified by faith,
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Joh. 10. 27,28. Joh. 4.14. 1 Pet. 1.
3,4,5. Joh. 11. 26,27. As we believe
life eternall, and that purchased by the merite of Christs death, the one as
well as the other, then faith as finall cannot be the condition; And who can
think that God commands faith in God Immanuel in the Covenant of Works?
But faith in God Immanuel to the end is not commanded in the Covenant of Works,
but only in the Covenant of Grace. 4. Faith justifies and saves as sincere, be
it great or small: but if it justifie not and save not, but as it endures to
the end, then no man is compleatly justified and saved and united to Christ,
untill he die.
Since faith (as all other graces
in a child of God) is imperfect and
still growing, 2 Pet. 3.18. and we
are to pray, Lord increase our faith,
none shall be justified and saved, but he that hath the greatest faith, if
faith only, which endures to the end, be the condition of the Covenant, and
such a faith as groweth and indures to the end: For take one who for twenty
years believeth, the first two years he being united to Christ, hath right to Christ,
Joh. 15. 1,2,3,4,5. Joh. 17.21,22. Joh. 14.16. Joh. 16. 7,8,13. Joh. 4.14. Joh.
7.37,38,39. he shall not be judged, not
condemned, hath passed from death to life, shall never die, Joh. 3.36. 1
Joh. 5.11,12. Joh. 4.24. Joh. 11. 25,26. then should he die the end of the first
year of his believing, by the Scripture, he must be saved, else he must be
damned, who yet died in true faith and yet never fell away, which were strange:
But by this opinion either the remnant sound believing should be no condition
of justification and salvation, because the man is justified and saved without
it, and the faith of one or two years gave him right to Christ and saved him? Ergo the remnant faith is not a
condition of the Covenant, but a persevering by grace promised and a
persevering in that faith, as also by their way who make persevering faith the
only condition of the Covenant of Grace. 1. Faith and works are confounded:
whereas to be saved by faith is to be saved before, and to be justified before
we can do good works, and the jus or title
to righteousnesse and salvation, coming only from the price and Redemption that
is in Jesus Christ, is not more or
lesse, and growes not more then the worth of the ransone of the blood called
the blood of God, Acts 20.28. does
grow, and it is to be justified by grace and by
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faith, and then works come in as the fruit of our
justification and salvation, Eph. 2. Ye are not saved by works, lest any man
should boast, in a righteousnesse of his own, coming from no merite of Christ, which buyeth determinating
grace, and indeclinably leads and bows the will; Otherwise we may boast, that
is, glory in the Lord, who worketh all
our works for us, Psal. 34.2. Isa. 41.16. Isa. 26. 12. The salvation and
righteousnesse is the gift of God. What then shall be the room of works? He
answers No room at all as causes of justification and salvation, by an
excellent antanaclasis, as learned Trochrig:
for he answers, We are his workmanship
created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them. Then by grace we have the full right to righteousnesse
and salvation by the ransome of blood, which is Christs, Papists and Arminians
dare not bring in Evangelick works or faith as an Evangelick work here, though
they be too bold. 2. Being once made the creation of God in Christ, and having
obtained right by the blood of Christ to salvation, we walk by his grace in
good works as leading us to the possession of the purchased inheritance. 3. The
Authors of this stand for the Apostasie of the Saints, and they cannot eschew
it who make this finall faith that takes in in its essence good works as the
soul of it or charity (as Papists
say) as the form of it, the only condition of the Covenant.
Quest.
But is not life eternall given and promised only to faith which continues to
the end? Ans. Faith is considered two
wayes. In its nature. 2. In its duration and existence. As to the former,
saving faith is of that nature that it is apt to endure, it hath a sort of
immortality, so the promise in titulo
& jure, is made to that faith only which is of that nature that it must
endure to the end, and the promise of life and remission is not made to a
saving faith under the accident of enduring to the end, or for the years,
suppon thirty or fourty years, or eight hundred years, or above that Adam or the Patriarchs lived in the
state of beleeving, for a faith of some hours only shall save the repenting
thief as well as a faith of many years. And 2. life eternall in the possession
is promised and given only to the faith that continues to the end, not because
of the duration because a longer enduring faith hath merit,
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but that is by accident, in regard of the right to life
and because God hath commanded persevering in faith, life is given only in
possession to such a faith as endures, but we cannot say that the accidentall
endurance and existence of faith for so many years doth save and justifie, as
the living so many years makes a Child an heir to a great estate, for his being
born the eldest son, makes him his fathers heir.
CHAP. XXIV.
What faith is required in the Gospel.
THere is a legall faith, a duty
commanded, the object of which is twofold, 1. Truths relating to the mind
revealed and to be revealed. So Adam
had a habit or habituall power to beleeve the Law and the Gospel upon
supposition, it should be revealed. As a whole man beleeves skill in his
Physitian to prevent diseases ere they come, and to remove them, when come. Its
folly to say Adam stood in need,
before he fell, of a supernaturall power to beleeve Evangelick truths, if he
beleeved God to be true, he had such
a power as to beleeve all was true, that God should reveal. 2. Adam had a faith of dependencie, to rely
upon God in all possible evils
feared.
2. The promise of life is not
made to Law-faith more then to Law-love, or Law-fear, or Law-desire, more then
to any other, but the promise is made to Evangelick-faith that layes hold on
CHRIST as our righteousnesse. But for obeying the Commands Adam was to live, Gal.
3.13. [foreign] in them, by doing them, Ezek.
20.11. As Lavater, there is no absurditie
if it be said men shall live, that is merit by free paction, life eternall: but
then (saith Calvine) if a man keep the Law, he needs not the
Grace of Christ. Obj. If faith be imputed, as it layes hold on Christs Righteousnesse, it must be the
meritorious cause of Justification and by its inherent dignitie, for there is
nothing more essentiall to faith, then to lay hold on Christs Righteousnesse. Ans. If faith were imputed as
righteousnesse according to the act of laying
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hold on Christ, it were true, but the act of faith is not imputed, but that
which faith layes hold on, it being an instrument, to wit, the Righteousnesse
of Christ, it is not an act of
beleeving saith a Jesuit. And though
they say the works Evangelick are from the habit of grace, so was Adam a patient, when God concreated his Image, and habituall
righteousnesse in him. But Arminians
and Jesuits do not say, nor darre
not, that predeterminating Grace is from Christs
merites, therefore yet the sinner may more boast then Adam, and say I have justified my self by the acts of free-will
which is indifferent and from under all the bowing and determining or swaying
of the Grace of Christ, for the free-will should have so whether Christ had
died or not died.
CHAP. XXV.
Q.
WHether is Christs Righteousnesse imputed and made ours, because we believe and
apprehend it ours; or do we believe, because it is ours first before we
believe?
Ans.
There is a twofold imputation, one legall, another which for Doctrines cause we
call application or reall (though the legall imputation be also reall; but not
to us as the former) the Lords act of
laying the iniquity of us all upon Christ, Isa. 53.6. and the Lords making him sin for us, that is a sacrifice for
sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. evinces necessarily
the truth of this, the former imputation. For 2 Cor. 5.21. God was in Christ
reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.
If it be expounded of actuall reconciliation of persons, it may say something,
for the other imputation, but the other imputation is clear, Rom. 4.3. Abraham beleeved God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse,
v. 7. Blessed is the man whose iniquities
are forgiven and whose sins are covered, v. 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin, v. 9. Faith
(that is, that which faith beleeved, as hope is put for the thing hoped for,
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be reputed righteous, and it suits better with the Text.
And as to the former imputation, God
could not in justice would Christ for our transgressions, nor bruise him for
our iniquities, nor could the Lord break him, nor deliver him to the death for us all, except God had both made him
the sinner, that is, imputed and reckoned him the sinner in Law (for
intrinsecally and inherently he was not the sinner, but holy, harmlesse, &c.) and laid our debts upon him, Isa. 53.6. and except he had been
willing to have been counted the sinner, and had said (thou hast given me a body, here am I, to do thy will, Psal. 40.7.
Heb. 10. 6,7.) this reckoning of Christ to be the sinner is not only in the
eternall decree, but also a laying of our iniquities upon him in time, Isa. 53.6. or a dealing with him in Law
in punishing him as the sinner. And 2. by using the humane nature as an
instrument of our Redemption on the Crosse. Antinomians
take this imputing of our sins to Christ, and reckoning Christ to be the
sinner, to be the justifying of the sinner, which is a grosse mistake; for so
without beleeving all that Christ died for should be justified upon the Crosse.
But the Scripture is so far from ascribing Justification to any but to a beleever,
that it saith Abrahams faith was
imputed to him for righteousnesse. Now the faith of multitudes for whom Christ
died when he suffered on the Crosse, is a very nothing: Many are not born, and
a nothing or a non ens cannot be
counted for righteousnesse.
It is to be observed that payment
made by the surety absolveth the debter, so as the Law, except it be the
generall Law of gratitude, requireth no act of love, of faith, of service from
the debter, nor doth the Law of suretyship in its essence and nature require
that the Creditor, & sub eo titulo
should pay the homage of faith, indeed when the Creditor is both the Creditor
and the offended party, and also the supream Law-giver GOD, he may require of
the captives the obedience of faith. So would justice, which saith, we should
hurt none, give to every man his own, presse, that the debter repay to the
surety, so far as he is able to make up his losses, but to pay to obedience of
faith as a part of the ransome due to offended Justice, is no Gospel-Law, nor
any part thereof, nor can it bear truth, except we deny the reall satisfaction
made by Christ, which both Papists do
weaken when they mix the merit of faith therewith, and Socinians deny.
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4. The satisfaction performed
upon the Crosse for sinners, though it be for a certain particular number,
determined of God, & quoad numerum
numerantem, & quoad numerum numeratum, both as touching the number, so
many, not all and every one, and such persons, by head, name, birth, &c. Yet it is not the justifying of
me, or John, or Paul, for I, nor no man can know that Christs satisfaction stands
for you or me, by name and person, while first I or you beleeve, because it is
the hid Decree of God. 2. Nor is this legall imputation beleevable, nor is it
revealed, as it is terminated to single persons, to me or to you, untill by
faith we apprehend it.
5. But the imputation of
application is that in which our justification standeth.
And the faith by which as by an
instrument we are justified, presupposeth three union, and maketh a fourth
union.
It presupposeth an union,
1. Naturall.
2. Legall.
3. Federall.
1. Naturall, that Christ and we
are not only both mankind, for CHRIST and Pharaoh,
Judas the traitour and all the sons or perdition are one, specie & naturâ true men, but one in
brotherhood. He assuming the nature of man with a speciall eye to Abraham, Heb. 2.16. that is, to the
elect and beleevers, for with them he is bone of their bone, and is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb. 2.11,12. Ps. 22.22.
2. It presuppones a Legall union
between Christ and them, that God made the debter and the Surety one in Law,
and the summe one in so far as he laid our debts on Christ, Isa. 53.6.2 Cor. 5.21.
3. It presuppones an union
Federall, God making Christ our Surety, and he was willing to
be our Surety, and to assume not only our nature in a personall union, but also
our state, condition, and made our cause his cause, our sins his sins, not to
defend them, nor to say A men to them, as if we might commit them again, but to
suffer the punishment due to them. And our faith makes a fourth union betwixt
Christ and us, whether naturall, as between head and members, the branches and
the Vine Tree, or mysticall as that of the spouse and beloved wife, or
artificiall, or mixed between
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the impe and the tree. Or 4 Legall, between the Surety
and the Debter, the Advocate and the Client, or rather an union above all, is
hard to determine, for these are but all comparisons, and this Christ prayes
for, Joh. 17. 23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be
made perfect in one.
6. Now to the Question, as the
Law condemns not a man, but him who is first a sinner, and an heir of wrath by
nature in the first Adam, for the Law
is essentially just: So God justifies
not a man, but the man who, by order of nature, is first by faith in CHRIST, Rom. 5.18. Therefore as by the offence of one (judgement) came upon all men unto
condemnation, even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all
men (in Christ, as the other were in the first Adam) unto the justification of
life: and so we must say, that all, ere they be justified, and before God impute faith to them, that is,
Christs believed righteousnesse to be theirs, must have faith and so believe,
and so be one with Christ. And this
imputed righteousnesse is ours, because we believe, and not untill we first
believe, and the other imputation goes before faith: So the faith of Gods
speciall mercy is two wayes so called. 1. As it leaneth upon and apprehendeth God in Christ, for the obtaining of mercy and remission of sins, and
imputed righteousnesse: So faith goes before justification, and we believe that
our sins may be pardoned, and that our sins may not be imputed, and that we may
be justified and freed from condemnation: so by the act of believing,
righteounesse is imputed to us. And thus justification and remission, i.e. relaxing of our persons from a
state of eternall condemnation, as is meant, Rom. 8.1. are not the object of faith, but the effect and fruit of
faith. 2. The faith of speciall mercy to me is considered as it apprehendeth
and believeth, or rather feelingly knoweth speciall mercy, imputation of
Christs righteousnesse now given to me, and as Christ hath payed a ransome for
me, and satisfied justice for me, and so imputed righteousnesse and
justification are the object of faith; Or rather the object of the sense of
faith, which is most carefully to be observed. To answer Bellarmines unsolide Argument, we either believe remission of sins
part, or to come, &c. But
remission is liberation from punishment eternall or temporall, but
justification is freedome from the fundamentall
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guilt-deserving punishment, and remission is a consequent
thereof.
Q.
Whether or not, is Justification taken one and the same way in the Old and New
Testament?
Ans.
The Apostle is clear, Rom. 4. where
he proves both Jews and Gentiles are justified as Abraham and David. But 2.
Justification by Grace hath not in iisdem
apicibus in the same points, the same adversaries. 1. Moses and the Prophets
contend most with Ceremoniall hypocrits, who sought righteousnesse much in
Ceremonies, Washings, Sacrifices, New Moons, and also their own inherent
godlinesse, Deut. 5. Deut. 7. Deut. 10. Deut. 11. Isai. 1. 10,11,12. &c. Mic. 6.6,7,8. Psal.
50. 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18. Ps.
4. 2,3,4,5. 1 Sam. 15. 22,23. Isa. 66. 1,2,3,4,5. Jer. 7. 1,2,3.--21,22,23.
2. Paul had other Adversaries, Rom.
ch. 3. ch. 4. ch. 5. ch. 9. ch. 10. especially
Antinomians, who drew the Doctrine of
free Justification by Grace to licencious loosnesse, then we may sinne, if so
and so, we be justified (said they) then
is the Law of none effict, Rom. 6.1. But his chief Adversaries, on the
other extream, were men that stood much for Justification by the works of the
Morall Law: And Paul, Rom. 3. proves
that all, Jews, Gentiles, David, Abraham,
could be justified neither by works of Nature nor of Grace, and casts down the Jews righteousnesse by Law-doing, Rom. 9. Rom. 10.
3. There were a third Classe of
Adversaries to free Justification, Galatians,
seduced and false Apostles, who
contended for Justificatication by Circumcision and the necessity of keeping
the Ceremonial Law, if they would be saved, Act.
15. 1,2,3,4, &c. Gal. 2. Gal. 3. Gal. 4. Gal. 5. ch. 6. Who mixed the Gospel and Moses his Law, and Paul proves, Gal. 3. that
we are not justified by the works of the Morall Law, for that Law, Deut. 26.27. involves all that omit the
least duty of the Law, Gal. 3.
10,11,12,13. under a curse, and Christ
was made a curse for us. And Paul
proves in the generall, we are justified by neither the works of the Morall,
nor of the Ceremoniall Law.
4. James had to do with another gang of loose livers, the Gnosticks, who contended for
justification by a bare nominall faith without love or good works. And James proves that we are justified
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before men and to our selves by faith working by love,
and not by a dead faith.
5. John contends much for reall and speaking marks of justification
and conversion, against dead Professours void of love to the Brethren.
Q. 3.
What is the dominion of the Law over a sinner?
A. It
is the legall power to condemn all such as are under the Law, as a Covenant of
Works; as marriage is dissolved, if either of the parties be dead: So Rom. 7.4. Ye are dead to the Law through the body of Christ, and it is not
every commanding power that Paul,
Rom. 7. denies to the Law, but a Lordly dominion, such as Lords of life and
death have and exercises, [foreign], and
we are dead to the Law through the body of Christ, which mortification or
dying is not understood subjective,
as if it were in us, but legally and objectively
in Christ, because Christ in his body on
the tree did bear our sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. and was made a curse for us, in our place, Gal. 3.13. For Christ (saith Ambrose,
clearing the place) giving his body as a saviour, overcame death and condemned
sin: Hence these two words, Rom. 7.4.
Wherefore ye also my brethren, are become
dead to the Law, Gal. 2.19, For I
through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God; As the
death to the Law is legall, I am no more under Law-condemnation then a dead
man, so the living to God is a Law-living to God on a Law-absolution (as the absolved malefactor cleared of a
capitall crime which might have cost him his head, liveth, and so is set free)
so there is another most emphatick word which insinuats that Christ is dead to the Law, as Paul was, for after Paul saith Gal. 2.19. I through the Law am dead to the Law, he
adds, v. 20. I am crucified with Christ
legally, that is, as Christ was
crucified for sin by the sentence of the Law, so I am crucified with him. Rom. 6.8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we beleeve that we shall also live with
him, which is not only to be expounded of mortification and inherent
newnesse of life, but also of legall dying with Christ: For Christ died
no death but legall death, there is no inherent mortification or slaying of a
body of sin in him as in us, though from his death there also flow an merited
and inherent personall mortification in us, for it is added, v. 9. knowing that Christ being raised
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from death dieth no
more, death hath no more dominion over him, then Christ,
by Law, cannot die twice, so Christ being once crucified, the Law and death,
which had once dominion over him, hath now no more dominion over him. Then,
first, as Christ died a Law-death and was under death, because under the Law,
so are we legally in him freed from the Laws dominion, and death following
thereupon. 2. As Christ defies the Laws dominion and death, so do we. 3. As
Christ cannot twise satisfie the Law by dying (for then the first had not been
sufficient) so neither can we ever be under Law-death and Law-condemnation, for
we was once in Christ legally condemned and crucified in our Surety and so
cannot suffer in our persons legall condemnation and legall death. 4. As Christ
is dead to the dominion of the Law and death having, once died and come out
from under both, so are we dead and come legally out in him, which answereth
the severall tentations we can be under in Christ. Obj. But then may we not sin, because wee are freed from the
dominion of the Law and death? as Rom.
6. he had said, ye are not under the Law,
but under Grace, v. 15. What then? Shall
we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid, ver.
16,17. He answers from an absurd, then we that are ransomed by Christ, should
not be our ransome-payers servants, but the servants of sin. Now except the
meaning had been we are not under the Law, that is, the Laws dominion and the
Laws condemning power, there had been no place for such an Objection; nay, nor
any shadow; but the true Objection is, we are not under the Law to be thereby
condemned and eternally punished, therefore what is the hazard of sin? We may
sinne at will, there is no fear of hell. Paul
answers not from that evill of servile fear that followeth sin, but from the
woefull ingratitude to our ransome-payer. O then we should not be under Christ
and the directing light and rule of our Lord
Ransomer, if we sin at will, but still servants and slaves to sin and so
not redeemed, by which we gather that there is two things in the Law. 1. The
condemning power of it. 2. The directive commanding power: As to the former,
Christ by being condemned and suffering a cursed death for us, took that wholly
away. We are not then under the Law as condemning, yea neither as saying and
justifying, for then should
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we be married to the Law and under conjugall power as
wife and husband living together, which Paul
refutes, Rom. 2. 1,2,3,8. (2.) There
is a directive commanding power that CHRIST takes in hand, and commands us to
obey our Lord Ransomer, and we should sin against his love, if we should live
loosly, because we are freed from condemnation. Hence also there is a twofold
dominion of sin, one legal to condemn us eternally, another (as it were)
physicall to keep us under the superlative power of lusts, if Christ had not
died, we had been under both.
Q. 4.
What is meant by the oldnesse of the
letter in which we are not to serve? Rom. 7.
A. He
means the idle, fruitlesse, and bare knowledge of the Law in externall
Discipline, that reigns in an unrenewed man, by which he remaining in nature
under the Law, foments an opinion pharisaicall (for he points at the false and
literall glosses of the Law given by Pharisees and refuted by Christ, Mat. 5.) Of merit, externall worship,
ceremonies without any inward heart-renovation, to which is opposed the newnesse of the spirit, or true new
Evangelick obedience and holinesse wrought by the Spirit.
Object.
Is not the letter of the Law a bondage, since we are freed in heaven from the
letter and from awing threatening?
Ans.
To serve God is liberty, not bondage, Psal.
119.45. Rev. 22.3. compared with ver. 5. serving of God and raigning suit
well together. See Luk. 1.74,75. Joh. 8.34,35,36. Rom. 6.16,17. but there is a threefold bondage of the letter. 1. Accidentall, in regard of our
corruption, the service is wearisome to unrenued nature: This we are saved from
in CHRIST, not fully in this life, but it comes not from the Law which is
spirituall. 2. A bondage to the dominion
of the condemning Law. 3. There is a
bulke of Ordinances, hearing, reading, praying, meditating, repenting,
receiving of the seals, we are freed from the one in this, and shal be freed
from the other in the life to come.
Q. What
is the dignity of the Gospel above the Law?
A. By
the hearing of faith, that is, of the Gospel we receive the Spirit, Gal. 3. though the Law in the letter be
also spirituall and lively and seek of us the lost Image of GOD by way of
commanding, yet there is no promise of the Spirit, made in the Law
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neither gifts nor grace, and both are given by the
Preaching of the Gospel.
2. No miracles are wrought by the
Law to confirm the Doctrine of the Law, for it is not new, nor is the gift of
miracles given as a reward of Law-obedience, miracles in genere causæ finalis, are wrought to avenge Pharaoh and the Ægyptians
Law-obedience; but the miracles are wrought by the Name of Jesus, Act. 4. and for the confirming of the
Gospel, and for the good of the Church. See Gal.
3.1,2,3.
CHAP. XXVI.
Of the property of the Covenant of Grace, the perpetuity thereof.
Quest.
WHerein stands the eternity of the Covenant of Grace? And what other properties
there be of the Covenant?
Ans.
The Law and Covenant of Works is a rule of everlasting righteousnesse, and so
may be called an everlasting righteousnesse, containing precepts of the Law of
nature intrinsecally good, such as to know love, fear, trust in him as the only
true God: and in this sense it is an eternall Covenant.
But 1. it is not eternall in the
positives of the second, and fourth, and fifth Commands, the way of worship,
the means, as Ceremonies, Sabbath, Magistracie, and such like, which are not to
continue in the life to come, and so neither faith nor hope in God through
Christ, 1 Cor. 13.13. Rom. 8.24,25. 2 Cor. 5.7. nor a Temple, nor Ordinances, nor the Kingdom of Christ
as now dispenced, are to be the binding rule for eternity to such as are
confederats of the Covenant of Grace, Rev.
21,22,23. 1 Cor. 15.24. though more
of the smell and remnants of the Covenant of Grace, of the Lamb, of praises to
him who was slain, Rev. 5.9,11,14. be
in the life to come, then of the Law Covenant, in regard of our standing in a
state of glory for evermore by the Mediator, to keep the nature in an eternall
union, for evermore, by the Lord Christ
his being cloathed with our nature, glorified for ever, Rev. 3.21. Rev. 5.
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Rev. 7. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. Ch. 22. And in that we shall be ever with Christ God-Man, Luk. 23.42. Joh. 17.24. 2 Cor. 5.8. Phil. 1.23,17. in an eternall state of
glory, though not in regard of an advocation and intercession for fallen
sinners. As 1 Joh. 2.1,2. or of
praying that our faith fail not, when winnowed, as Luk. 22.31,32. In a word
there is a mediation of the triumphing reign for the standing of the glorified
nature, and a mediation for the reconciling of, and interceeding for of
sinners. The latter must cease when the kingdom is given up by the Sonne to the
Father, 1 Cor. 15.24. The former is
eternall and shall never cease.
2. The Law as a possible and
standing way of justifying and saving sinners is not eternall, but is now
ceased to all flesh, the Man Christ
only excepted, but the Covenant of Grace stands as the only way under heaven,
by which sinners may be saved, and after the Covenant of Grace there is no
dispensation, which Libertines and Familists call more spirituall without
Ordinances and a way as they speak of all
spirit, of pure spirit.
3. The Covenant of Grace is
eternall, in regard in it there is promised actuall grace, and continuall
influences of grace from the Head Christ,
the High Priest, to keep the confederats in obedience and in perseverence to
the end. And no such influences either for the habit of grace or for the
continuated acts thereof, are promised in the Covenant of Works, in regard Adam a man, and poor men in him do
undertake to obey. Whereas Christ-Man kinds and undertakes as head Covenanter
and Surety for all the under confederats, and for sinners in the Covenant of
Grace. Which difference is much to be observed, between the Covenant of Works
and the Covenant of Grace: And for that cause the Covenant of Works is, 1. more
independent, and requires more of mans strength and less grace then the other.
2. It stands more by precepts,
lesse by promises, having only one promise of a reward and hyre to the obeyer,
and consists all of precepts, the other though it want not precepts,
especially, it is his command that we believe in the Son of God, yet stands most by promises, and
this Covenant gets the name of a promise or the promise, Acts 2.39. Rom. 8.9.
compared with Acts 3.25. Gen. 12.3.
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3. The Covenanted Works hath more
of hyre, more of man of nature, of earning and working, and more of mans
Covenant where he binds for himself, and the other partie for himself, without
the mutuall help of any of the confederate parties.
4. The Covenant of Grace is,
thus, also eternall, in that the buried and dead parties Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still in the Covenant of
Grace, and there remains a Covenant union between Christ and their rotten flesh
sleeping in the dust, which is not an union by faith, or by any actings
obedientiall of dead men, as is most evident, if we compare our Saviours words,
Matth. 22.32. with the Lord speaking
out of the Bush to Moses, Exod. 3.6.
and God is not the God of the dead, but
of the living, nor is the rising of the body promised in the Covenant of
Works, nor is there a standing Law Covenant between the Lord and dead Abraham requiring the condition of faith
from buried men. Onely there is a warrand to say that the Covenant is
everlasting, because it goes beyond time, and stands with the dead in Christ, Matth. 22. 32. (2.) Because two great
promises of the Covenant, the rising of the body and life everlasting, are
fulfilled after time is ended, Joh.
6. 38,39. 1 Thess. 4. 14, 16,17. and
adde to this the publick owning and confessing of the Saints before the Father
and the holy Angels; which is publick remission and declared justification
before the world of Elect Men and Angels, Luke
12.8. Matth. 10.31. (3.) Because
after all these, to walk among them as their God and dwell among them, Rev.
7.15,16,17. when they are cloathed in
white Robs, and are before the throne serving him night and day, and that
the Lord should be their God, Rev.
21.7. after they have overcome all temptations, is fulfilled eternally in
heaven. Now for God to walk among a people and be their God is to be a Covenanting God
to them, as is evident from 2 Cor.
6.16. Lev. 26.11,12. Jer. 32.38. Zech. 13.6.
2. The second and principle
propertie of the Covenant is the graciousnesse and freedome thereof, therefore
is it made with sinners, without hire or price, and every article and tith of
it is Grace, 1. The whole Gospel is the word of Grace, Acts. 20.32. Col. 1.6.
the Bargaine a paction of Grace, and the new
Covenant, Heb. 8.8. for Grace is a new thing, and nature an old thing, the
condition
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of the Covenant, to beleeve is a gift of grace, Phil. 5.29. the mercies bestowed and
promised are all of free grace, for we
are Justified by his grace, Rom. 3.24. freely,
and are saved and called with a holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to his own purpose and grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. For by grace (saith Paul)
are ye saved through faith, and that not
of your selves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. and the new creation is
framed in us of grace. But God who is
rich in mercy, for his great love where with he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, Eph. 2.4,5. and the
new heart promised, Ezek. 36.26. is
given upon this account, v. 32. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the
Lord, be it known unto you, be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes, O
house of Israel. We have remission of sins freely of his grace, Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenesse of sins,
according to the riches of his grace, Col. 1.14. Perseverence is promised
of free grace, Jer. 31.35. Jer. 32.39,40. Isa. 54.10. as life eternall is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Rom. 6.23. and every influence of grace is of free grace, Phil. 1.13. Joh. 15.5.
and CHRIST the Surety of the Covenant, of free-grace and love, is given, Joh. 3.16. to taste of death for every man, Heb. 2.9.
CHAP. XXVII.
Of cases of Law-fear, and Gospel-faith: How a child a God fears
Law-threatnings.
FRom these properties flow
diverse cases touching the stability of the Saints, their perseverance, their
temptations, their standing in grace.
1. If they cannot fall away, who
are thus seated in the Covenant, is not free will left to much loosnesse of
security? Answ. Not at all: For a
principle of Godly fear is fixed in the heart, and so in free will, never to
depart from God, Jer. 32.39,40. And
where this Godly aw is, the heart is in a Godly trembling and fear, and darre
not be loose, wanton, and secure to fear nothing, but fears
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alway, Prov.
28.14. and fears and trembles at the Lord
and his, goodnesse, Hos. 3.5. A Godly heart trembles more for, fear of
grace and the debt of grace, then of justice and wrath; and fears sin more, as
it is against the bands of grace, and against Christ, and Gospel-love who can
save, then as it is against Law the Law-giver, and him who eternally destroyes.
And so the aw of heaven hath a stronger impression then the terrour and aw of
hell.
Quest.
2. How can the fear of falling away, and the faith of perseverance absolutely
promised and absolutely given, consist together?
Ans.
The Law-fear of falling away, and the Gospel faith of persevering are not
consistent. The fear legall of the least sinne is a fear of hell and of
eternall wrath to be irrecoverably inflicted, but because the person is under
grace, the beleever cannot fear this fear, except the Law-fear be letten out
against him as a temptation, but it is not his oblidged duty so to fear.
2. The Law-fear upon a beleever
is conditionall, and not absolute, as he fears hell and falling away, jure, as his deserving, if God should enter in judgement with him,
and if he were not in CHRIST: But he is oblidged to a Gospel faith which layes
hold on Christ, righteousnesse, and deliverance from condemnation, and if Christ and interest in him be hid from
him, and nothing on but Law-fear, that is a triall, not a duty of Law-fear. But
there is a Godly Law-fear, or a Gospel-Law-fear, which is a Godly horrour
conditionall for that which is never to be inflicted, but yet according to
deserving may be inflicted, and this is the terrour of the Lord, which breedeth
Gospel perswasion, 2 Cor. 5.11. and
so may well stand with Gospel-faith and assurance of deliverance from falling
away and of being stablished and confirmed to the end. As a child in the
fathers arm threatened to be cast over a sharp Rock in the Sea, may have
horrour and fear, and cry out for fear, and yet beleeve so his fathers
compassion as he will not throw him in the Sea, because the threatning is
ordained not to be exercised, but that the child may so much the more thrust
his arms about his fathers neck.
Quest.
3. What is the best victory over temptations from such fears?
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Ans.
As in all temptations, so here, overcoming is attended with precious promises,
which are to be read, Rev. c. 2. 7.
17. 26,27,28. c. 3.5.12.21. Rev. 21.
For 1. Feavers of the Law that
have no kindly cools, and relenting by the promises of the Gospel, tend not to
the strengthning of the life of God,
but only when they leave a standing self loathing, and loving of Christ.
2. It argues the strength of
faith, after many, yea six foyles to stand; as the Army that is broken six
times, yet rallies and draws up again, is often at the seventh time victorious.
3. Such as stand against a strong
and mighty tentation, being pressed out
of measure, above strength, as Paul was, 2 Cor. 1.8,9. in so much
(saith he) that we despaired even of
life. But wee had the sentence of death in our selves, do prevail to the
being taught of God, not to trust in our
selves, but in God who quickens the dead: For here there comes reall
strength from fighting: As he who, by strength of nature, lives and convalesceth
after a running boatch and strong pestilence, goes through pest-houses and is
never infected again. So the worthies by faith who overcame strong temptations,
Heb. 11. to the end, keep the fields
and prevail till death.
4. Godly fear of self-weaknesse
and trembling at sin which may darken the feelings of received mercies and
sweet influences addeth strength. Something of that is here, 2 Cor. 12. 10. when I am weak, then am I strong.
5. A fixed peace in assurance of
deliverance from condemnation, and quietnesse in beleeving pardon and
righteousnesse in Christ, ought
alwayes to be, as touching the state of Justification: for the questioning of
this in a beleever, if Antinomians
will yeeld to truth, is contrair to faith, and no warrantable assurance. But 2.
a fixed peace in David, immediately
after blood shed and adultery, before beleeving of the remission of these
particular sins be, in the Lords order, renewed, is security, and not Godly
peace. Psal. 32.3. While I keept silence, my bones waxed old,
through my roaring all the day. 5. I
acknowledged--and thou forgavest the
iniquity of my sin. Psal. 51. 1.2,3. &c.
prove this. But it may be said, doth not this holy feeling of, and trouble for
220
the particular hainous guiltinesse, brangle the fixed
peace and the persons faith and confidence that he is in a state of
justification? Ans. Not at all: for
the outcries of the child of God, Rom.
7.24. under, not a finger, or an arm, or a leg, but a body of sinne: O wretched man, who shall deliver me from
the body of this death? are good, and much feeling of pain argues much
life. And such as in this regard say, I
thank, God, I was plagued and pained, but now nothing ails me, I have peace, I
am rich, I have need of nothing, Revel. 3.17. I am all whole, must be in a dangerous case. Indeed the complaining
of want of justification and of the righteousnesse of God in a believer, and a
raising of the foundation, as Psal.
31.22. Jonah 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight: are both
false and bastard-feelings, and hastie unbelief: for this is a reflection upon,
and a reproaching of the Office of the Healer of sinners. This is contrair to
faith, and the former is a complaining of the body of sin that can hardly be
sclandered; so a complaining, of self, and the feeling of inherent corruption
weakens not, but strengthens faith. And complaining thus, and triumphing in a
believed justification, do well consort in Paul.
Rom. 7.24. O wretched man, &c. v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord: and Rom. 8.1. Then every feeling of sin is not contrair to faith, as
Mr. Town and other Antinomians teach, some godly tender
feeling foments faith.
Q. 6.
How cometh it to passe that seldome feeling of sin wanteth unbeleef?
Ans.
Our looking, in a Legall, not in an Evangelick way, upon sin, doth occasion
unbelief: for looking to the sicknesse of the sinner is but abused, when this
use is made of it, that the question which Christ
hath aboundantly answered; Ah he hath not, who satisfied and payed my ransome,
justified me also by the Redemption that is in him: but the strong body of sin
which leads me captive, Rom. 7.23.
doth also lead, rather mislead me to doubt whether the ransome was sufficiently
payed, and I sufficiently and freely, by his grace and the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, justified, as Rom. 3.24. And because the sinner feels
the stirring and too vigorous acting of a body of sin, which is his own work,
he removes the foundation stones laid by Christ,
and questions the well done work of Christ,
and thrusts in his sickle into Christs harvest:
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which is upon the mater to say, Ah my sanctification is
nought or small: Therefore Christs satisfaction is weak, so the man, laying the
burden upon the wrong back, will take and pull off the burden that Christ in his own body did bear on the tree, as 1 Pet. 2.24. and wrestle under his own body of sin himself, and he
thinks he will do the business better himself then Christ. This is that which Antinomians
imput to us groundlesly, but it is our sinfull weaknesse so to be troubled at
the indwelling of a body of sin, as we doubt of and call in question the work
of Justification and the satisfaction of Christ. But there is good cause why
the sinner quarrel with himself and complain of a body of sin, and yet not only
quarrell with Christ, but exalt Christ, and by faith close with the
absolutenesse of his gifted satisfaction and righteousnesse. And this is as
easie by the Grace of God, as we see the more that a gracious soul abases
himself, as one carnall and sold under
sin, Rom. 7.14. as one in whom there dwells
no good, as touching the flesh, v.
18. in whom sin dwells, v. 20. as one
brought into captivity to the Law of sin,
and a wretched man, 24. so much the
more doth he exalt Christ the only deliverer, Rom. 7.25. Rom. 8.1,
23,33,34,35. and why should not our blacknesse commend Christs beauty, our
deadness exalt his life, our sinfull wretchednesse his glorious office in
saving, and our emptinesse and drynesse his fulnesse of the anointing who is
all fulnesse?
CHAP. XXVIII.
Christ died not to blot out the sense of sin, but rather to quicken a
Godly sense thereof.
The more of Christ and his
sufferings be apprehended, the more Godly sense of sin, so far is Christs death
from bloting out all sense of sin: For if sense
of sin be all one with a simple reflecting knowledge, that we once sinned,
then the Godly in this life from grace, not from the stirring of the Law, do
both know and acknowledge what they were. 1 Tim.
1.13. I thank, Christ Jesus our Lord,
&c. I was before a blasphemer, and a
persecuter, and injurious: but I obtained mercy. Tit. 3.3. We our selves were
222
also sometimes
foolish, disobedient,
&c. Yea the glorified cannot before the Throne sing the glory of the Lamb
slain and the price of Redemption payed, Rev.
5.12. to redeem them from sin, but there must be even in glory, this sense of their debt, though without
heart-break or sorrow. Then it cannot be a Doctrine of the Gospel that paying
of our debt, and the ransome, doth score out of a gracious memory the counts of
a payed debt: The more I know what Christ hath done, the more I should kisse
and imbrace the gracious surety, and these kisses of Glory, and that song, worthy is the Lamp, &c. say that
grace and the faith of the price payed do inlarge rather the holy memory and
sense of sin, then obliterate it. Hence the translated out of sense of grace,
cast back their eye to the pit, the drudgerie of bondage they were once in, Eph. 2.3,4,5. Tit. 3.3,4,5. 1 Tim.
1.13,14. with loving and praising the riches of grace. And must it not be good
to read old counts and weep for joy, and cast and dart up praises to him who is
at the right hand of the Father, and sorrow for old debts, and love much him
who freely pardons?
2. If sense of sin be taken for
the unbelieving feeling of, and judging my self cast out of his sight and condemned,
whereas yet I am in Christ, and it is God
who justifies me, who is he shall condemn Rom. 8. 33,34. We shall agree
with Antinomians, this is indeed the
hastie sense of unbeleef, Psal.
31.22. Jon. 2.4. Hence let them be
rebuked who say not that Christ in
the Gospel, hath taken away this sense of sin. Yea many redeemed of the Lord,
are weary and laden, but they render themselves weary, and then sinfully
complain that Christ will not ease them. In which unconverted ones in the
dead-throw are more to be justified then they, the one being under a reall
burden, and the spirit of the Law acting upon them, the other act the Law at
their own hand, and will receive the
spirit of bondage to fear again, whether it be reason or not. He is the
less to be pittied, who casts himself with his own hand in prison.
3. There is a Gospel-sense of
in-dwelling of sin bringing forth the mourning of the dove, and tears that are
so innocent as they wrong not Christ, or his work of redeeming and justifying:
Of this, Rom. 7.24. Christ, sure, takes
not this away. Beleevers
223
lodge a body of sin in them, as sighing patients and as
captives half against their will, at least their renewed will, does contradict
this guest, Rom. 7. 14,15,16,17,18,
&c. 23,24. It is sinfull doctrine to say that CHRIST takes away this sense
of sin. For 1. this is the very true tendernesse and gracious smitings of heart
under any guiltinesse: As 1 Sam.
24.5. 2 Sam. 24.10. Davids heart smote him after he had cut
off the lap of Sauls garment, and
numbred the people. 1 Joh. 3.20. Job. 27.6. And in some it is the
naturall conscience accusing and challenging after sin is committed; now CHRIST
came not to extirpate conscience, nor the power of feeling and discerning the
obligation to wrath, that the conscience apprehendeth after sin is committed,
nor the legall evill deserving of sin, nor the contrariety between it and the
Law. 2. Christ by his death gives repentance and mourning for sin, Acts 5.31. Eze. 32. 10,11. (3.) Christ commends this, Jer. 31.18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning
himself. 2 King. 22.19. Because thine
heart was tender--and thou hast weept
before me, I have also heard thee, saith the Lord. Luk. 7.44. She hath washed my feet with tears. (4.)
If Christ by his death should remove this, hee should bring on, by his death, a
heart passed feeling, and burnt with a hot iron, which is condemned, Eph. 4.19. 1 Tim. 4.2. (5.) It speaks a gracelesse rockinesse of heart to sin,
and not care for it, Act. 18.17,18. Pro. 30.20.
Far lesse would the Lord have us
to dream that a Christian is annihilated and melted into God, where they leave
off to know, will, desire, feel, act, or do any thing but God is all and all in this life, and that, to the eye of faith,
though not to the eye of reason, all sense of sin is destroyed; this is a
destroying and overturning of all, of Law, Gospel, of all humble walking with
God, and removes all necessity of fearing, hoping, believing, praying, hearing,
and changes as over into blocks.
224 (Blank)
225
PART II.
Of the Mediatour of the Covenant.
CHAP. I.
Q.
WHat room or place hath Christ the Mediator in the Covenants?
A. He
hath place in the Covenant of Works as a satisfier for us. 2. As a doer and an
obedient fulfiller thereof in all points. And he is Mediator and Surety of
the Covenant of Grace.
2. The first Adam marres all, the second ADAM who makes all things new, mends
all. The first Adam was a publick
sort of stirresman, to whom was committed the standing and falling of all
mankind, and in reference to man, the standing of Heaven, Earth, and Creatures
in their perfection, and he spoiled all, put all things a-reeling. The second
ADAM received in his arms the whole Creation that was a-falling, for in him all things [foreign] stand fast,
Col. 1.17. And he bears up all by his
mighty word, Heb. 1.3. He satisfied for our sins, and for our breach of the
Covenant of Works.
2. He is a full doer and
fulfiller of the Covenant of Works most perfectly, by doing 1 Joh. 3.7. He who does righteousnesse is righteous: As he who suffers for the
broken Law, fulfills the Law. Rom. 6.7. He
that is dead, [foreign] is freed, justified
from sin, in the obligation of it to punishment. So Paul, vers. 8. If wee be dead
with Christ, we beleeve that we shall live with him. This dying is to
beleeve that he died for us, at least it excludes not that. And if we keep the
Law, we are not oblidged to suffer: for the Law does not oblidge man in
absolute sense, both to perfect doing
226
and to perfect suffering copulatively, but to one of
them. But if we be (legally) dead with Christ, (as his death so
excellent doth exhaust sins punishment and is a perfect satisfaction therefore)
we are free or justified from sin, not to suffer or satisfie by suffering for
it, as Rom. 8.3. For what the Law could
not do, so that it was weak (by accident, not of it self) through the flesh, God sending his own Son
in the liknesse of sinfull flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.
[foreign] the righteousnesse of the Law, the passive righteousnesse in
suffering for the breach of the Law, might
be fulfilled in us, 2 Cor. 5.2. And Isai. 53.5. But he was wounded for our transgressions, &c.--6. The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us
all. But though some suffer, as the reprobate do, and suffer in this life
the beginning of satisfactory judgement, yet are they not loosed from active
obedience to the Law as the Law, though they cannot, having once sinned, be
under the Law as a Covenant of Justification and life: nor is any flesh under
that Covenant now.
Q.
What place hath Christs righteousnesse here?
Ans. Pareus
with some others distinguish between the Righteousnesse
of Christs, person, which contains his essentiall Righteousnesse, as God,
the habituall and actuall conformity of the Man Christ, and the perfect
holinesse of the Man Christ. Such a High
Priest became us, as is holy, harmlesse, &c. Heb. 7.26. And, The righteousnesse of his merit, in the
satisfaction of his suffering, the satisfaction is the formall cause of our
Justification which is counted ours: this latter righteousnesse is acquired,
the former is essentiall.
Now the active obedience of Christ falls under a twofold
consideration. 1. As the Man Christs perfect conformity to the Law of God, so as man he was oblidged to do and
suffer all that he did and suffered, even to lay down his life for man. But had
he been only man his righteousnesse had neither been by condignity meritorious,
nor yet satisfactory for us. But 2. The whole course of Christs obedience from
his birth to the grave, by doing and suffering, is to be considered as the
doing and suffering of so excellent a person, his being born, his praying,
preaching, dying, coming from a Person
God-Man. Now the Law required not praying, preaching of
227
God-man, the blood of God, or the dying of him who was
God-Man. And so all these being both so
excellent, and then so undue,
have respect of satisfaction to God.
2. The active obedience of Christ & all that Christ did and suffered were
performed by him in his state of humiliation: In which he was poor, [foreign],
2 Cor. 8.9. for us, so also by the same ground a weeping man, hungry, thirsty,
weary for us, made lower then the Angels
by the suffering of death, Heb. 2.9. Humbled
by partaking of flesh and blood, because of the children, Heb. 2.14.
Emptied himself for us, Ph. 2. This was, as Pareus
well saith, perpetua quædam passio &
pæna peccatorum nostrorum, fuit tota vita Christi: All these have a respect
of punishment and suffering. For since Christ was both a viator and a comprehensor,
and such a holy sinlesse person, he ought to have had the actuall possession of
the Crown of Glory from the womb, and so should have been free of weeping,
hunger, thirst, wearinesse, groaning, sighing, sadnesse, persecution,
reproaches, &c. all which adhered
to all his active holinesse, and therefore in that his actions were
satisfactory passions. For satisfaction is defined a voluntary restoring of the
equivalent, and as good in the place of what is taken away, and the good
restored must be, 1. Undue. 2. The proper
good of the restorer, which agrees to the active and passive obedience of
Christ.
Obj. Then Christs very weeping, and praying, being the weeping and praying
of God-Man, might have been a perfect satisfaction for our sins; for Christ was
God-Man in all his holy actions in the state of humiliation, as in his being
crncified, and in his suffering?
Ans.
This doth not follow: Because the punishment of the breach of the Law, and not
that only, but such a speciall punishment, by dying the first and second death,
according to the threatening of the Law, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die: was required in
the Law, and except the threatening of the Law be fulfilled, the Law is not
fulfilled: And Paul, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
the Law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed be every one that
hangeth on a tree. Now Christs suffering the death of crosse the cursed
death is that which makes him under the Law.
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Ergo,
there is a Law-righteousnesse in suffering death. So Gal. 4.4. God sent forth his
Son made of a woman, made under the Law. For what end? 5. To redeem them that were under the Law, that
we might receive the Adoption of sons. How are we redeemed from under the
Law? By blood, purchasing to us Justification. Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace, through the redemption that is in
Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins past: And
redemption from the curse of the Law, and remission is ever ascribed to the
blood of Christ dying, Rom. 3.24,25. Ye are bought with a price, [foreign]
called a ransome of Christs blood, [foreign], Matth. 20.28. 1 Tim. 2.6.
Eph. 1.1.7. In whom we have redemption in his blood, the forgivenesse of sins.
Col. 1.14. In whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgivenesse of sins. Rom. 5.9. Being justified by his blood. 1 Pet.
1.18. Being redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb unspotted and undefided. 1 Joh. 1.8. The blood of Jesus Christ purgeth us from all sin. Rev. 5.9. And they sang a new song (to wit, the
four Beasts and the four and twenty Elders)-- for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. 1
Pet. 1.18. By his stripes (which he
suffered in his death, Isa. 5.3.) we are healed. Rev. 1.5. To him that hath loved us, and washen us
from our sins in his blood. For though all Christs actions of God-man from
the worth of the infinite person be meritorious, yet are they refuseable, yea a
satisfaction by Covenant, which was the death of God-Man must be also. 2. The
word also never speaks of Christs dying for all, but it mentions Justification
in his blood, Ro. 3.24,25. Rom. 5.9. Yea the Scripture adds another
end of Christs death, to wit,
forgivenesse, Col. 1.14. Eph. 1.7. intercession at the right hand
of GOD. 1 Joh. 2.1. that we may
receive the Adoption of sons, Gal.
4.5. To make us Kings and Priests to God Rev.
1.16. dying to sin, living to him, 1 Pet.
2.24. That he
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might bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. The glorifying of
God in our bodies, 1 Cor. 6.19,20.
Redeeming us from our vain conversation, 1 Pet.
1.18. From this present evil world, Gal.
1.4. Sanctifying the people, Heb.
13.12. Heb. 10. 8, 9,10. All which the Lord must intend in Christs death to
Pagans, old and young, to all and every one of mankind to whom the Gospel could
not come. And what authority have men to devise a redemption generall,
universall, from hell, and not from sin? 2. For life eternall and not for the
giving of the Spirit, and for redemption from a vain conversation, and for
sanctifying of the people also? 3. A redemption in Christs blood, but no
forgivenesse of sins in his blood, not any non-imputation of sin, nor
reconciliation of the world, 2 Cor.
5.15;18? 4. A dying of the Just for the
unjust, but not to bring them to God;
a redeeming of them, but not a redeeming
of them out of every Kindred and Tongue, and People and Nation (for these
People, Nations, and Tongues, were redeemed by this way, as well as they) and a
washing of them in his blood, but no making of them Kings and Priests to God, a
dying-for all, but no living to him:
contrair to 1 Pet. 1.18. Rev. 5.9. Rev. 1.5.5,6. 2 Cor.
5.15? 5. Christs blood did something
(and it is not any thing) to make all saveable, to pacifie Justice, satisfie the
Law, to merite Heaven; but did nothing to soften the heart, mortifie and
sanctifie the will, mind, affections, to remove unbeleef, to renew the mind.
But it is sure the Lord had not intended to commit heaven and hell any more to
a sanctified will, but mutable and lubrick in Adam but to commit all to Christ,
to a better Covenant, better promises, to a way of free grace not of nature:
Yet these men commit the salvation and damnation of all and every one, to an
unsanctified, corrupt, rebellious will, Gen.
6.5. Gen. 8.21. 1 Cor. 2.14 Joh. 6.44. Joh 14 4. Psal. 51.5. Jer. 17.9,10, &c.(except they say, Pagans and all mankind are
regenerated, sanctified, justified) yea to a worse Covenant then that Covenant
of Works, to an universall Covenant of Grace. That 1. never came to their ears.
2. By which they are in a worse condition then Adam was, who had the Image of God in his soul, and a full power to
stand, and a clearly revealed Covenant: But all mankind for whom Christ is supposed to die, are born
heirs of wrath, but they are
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born
in more miserie in the bondage of sin, of a blind heart, of a corrupt will,
their chains heavier, their furnace hoter in hell, helps fewer. And yet the
absolutenesse of Soveraignty under the freedom of the Grace of Christ, by this way of Universalists, shines no more now, nay
not so much now as in Adams state,
for more is laid upon free-will, and lesse help to heal the will, then was in
the Covenant of Works. And if all die in Adam,
and the Second Adam die for all, he
must die to loose the works of Satan in all; Now if a weaker course be taken to
destroy Sathans Kingdom now then in Adams
state, and all be laid upon a weaker will, Sathan
is stronger now then before: And if Christ
do not purchase by his death grace to bow indeclinably the will of all these
for whom he dyed, to cause them live to him, die to sin, to make them Kings and
Priests to God, &c. but leave
their will in a more weak and wicked condition then it was under in the first
Covenant, Sathan is in this stronger then the second ADAM. No more of this
here.
It is a question, the Threatning
standing, Gen. 2.17. how the active
righteousnesse of Christ can be a
cause meriting to us life, and satisfying the Law, when there is no suffering
for the breach of the Law which expresly required death in the sinner: Not to
say, that it seems too near to make Christs dying needlesse, if his active
holinesse do the businesse; Nay we cannot so teach.
CHAP. II.
Where in stands our right to Christ and the satisfaction made for us
by Christ? 2. Faith is not the cause of our right. 3. Christs incarnation and dying are not
favours merited by Christ. 4. How
Adams sin and Christs righteousnesse are ours.
Our right to CHRIST must be
considered more accurately then ordinarily it is. Whether it floweth from 1.
the merite of Christ: Or 2. from the
grace of predestination: Or 3. faith in Christ.
1. Conclusion. Grace is either objectivè,
out of us as the free love of God having mercy on whom he will; Or subjectivè merited by Christ to us and
bestowed upon us.
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As touching our right to God as
incarnate. 2. As dying for us. 3. As his satisfaction is made ours, are of
diverse considerations. For if God
out of free love sent his Son in the world, Joh.
3.16. and if he, out of free-grace that separateth the race of man from Angels,
took upon him the nature of man, to wit, of Abraham,
and not the nature of Angels, Heb. 2.16. Then sure by the merits of Christs
death it cannot come that God came in the flesh to save sinners. For the effect
cannot but come from the cause; but the cause flowes not from the effect, nor
is the effect, to wit, Christs Incarnation and his dying, the cause of that
love and free-grace of God which moved God to send his Son in the flesh, but
posterior unto, and latter then that love: for because he loved us, he sent his
Son in the flesh to die for us.
2. This cannot then be true (Christ by his dying for the Elect, merited
and deserved, that God should be made Man for us) for this should be true
also (by the blood of Christ, and by the redemption
that is in Christ, God sent his Son in the flesh, and the Son took on him our
nature, by the blood of the Covenant) nor can this be true (Christ merited by his death, that he should
die for us) for so it should be true, that Christ by his blood shed his
blood for us: Where as because he loved his Church freely, he gave himself for
her. Eph. 5.25. Who loved me and gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. Hence 1. though
grace be the cause of grace, as because he of grace ordained us to glory,
therefore of grace he calls, and because of free-grace he calls, of free-grace
he carries on his work, and gives of grace, perseverance and glory. Yet there
is a fountain-grace of election to glory, which hath no cause nor merit, not
the merit of Christ for its cause; but is the cause of causes and of Christs
merits. As one fire may produce another but the element of fire was not
produced by another element of fire, but by God in creation. And one Vine Tree
brings forth another, but the first Vine Tree was created by the Lord only.
2. Conclus. Nor have we (to speak acurately) right to Christs
satisfaction nor to his righteousnesse by faith. 1. Because the Lords
free-grace in laying our sins on Christ, Isa.
53.6. and his making him sin for us, 2 Cor.
5.21. does rather give the right to his Satisfaction. God would have Christ to
stand for so many chosen of
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God upon the Crosse, and for no other. 1 Cor. 1.30. Ye are of him through Jesus Christ, who is made [foreign] of God, to
us, wisedom, and righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption. Nor is
there any act of faith interveening by which Christ became our surety and
ransone-payer upon the Crosse, and not the surety of others.
2. It is ordinary to our Divines to say, by faith we do apply Christ and his righteousnesse: but if we
speak properly, application is possession and a putting on of Christ and his righteousnesse. Now title
or Law-right to an inheritance, and possession of it, are different natures,
and have different causes: but faith gives not law-right to Christ and his
righteousnesse not so much as instrumentally. My receiving with my hand gold,
my eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ by faith, Joh. 6.53,54, &c. doth presuppone some right to that gold: but no man can say
that receiving of gold, and eating of bread and putting on of garments, gives a
man right to gold, bread or garments. He that possesseth an inheritance hath
some right to the inheritance by birth, buying, purchase or gift: the
possession in its nature and causes may be unjust, yet it is possession. Nor
can it be shown what causative influence, even instrumentall faith, hath in our
Law-right to Christs satisfaction and righteousnesse, except it were a
meritorious cause of our right by way of instrument, which can hardly be said.
3. We may ask how Christ so died for the Reprobate, as his
death is a remedie applicable to them by the ordination of God, so as they shall have life eternall, if they believe. For 1.
there is either a jus and a Law-right
to pardon and life eternall merited by Christs death to the Reprobate, or no
such thing is merited. If neither be procured by Christs merite, the Patrons of
this way shall say there is no serious offer made to them: yea there is a jus, a title to life eternall and
remission, which all the reprobate may challenge,
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even a right to remission and life eternall, so they
beleeve. Well then, it is the same right conditional to life and pardon which
is purchased to the Elect: yea this must be purchased whether they believe or
not. Then there is no more in the kind of the Law-right to Redemption and life
eternall and remission of sins purchased to Peter,
then to Judas or Cain; And therefore hath Christ
bestowed as much tender love in dying for the Reprobate as in dying for his
friends. And Christ saith there is no
greater love then this, Joh. 15.13.
As for the efficacious intention of applying of Christs death to Peter,
when as God had no such intention of
applying it to Judas, that is an act
of eternall predestination, not a fruit of Christs death, and as for the grace
of beleeving, it was purchased to all, Reprobate and Elect, only the Lord
applyes not his death, and bestowes not the grace of beleeving upon the
Reprobate, but for right to faith, to remission, to perseverance, to life
eternall, this right must be purchased, but faith it self is never bestowed
upon them. But there is a ransome of blood given for faith, and purchased by
CHRISTS merit: But CHRIST is never called the Head of all men, Elect and
Reprobate, but the Head of the Body the Church,
Eph.1.22. Col. 1.18. And whereas the Head hath merited faith to the Reprobate,
and that absolutely (for a condition is not possible) he should bestow it
absolutely, else there is no seriousnesse in the command of beleeving. And
since faith is no meritorious cause of right to remission and life eternall,
nor a cause in part, or in whole, of our compleat and actuall reconciliation,
it may well be said, that they all are compleatly reconciled, pardoned,
justified, washen in Christs blood, when nothing is wanting, that compleats the
nature of remission and justification, for faith is only a condition applying,
not a cause buying, nor satisfying for us, and no cause giving in part, or in
whole, any new right.
3. Conclus. Should we, by faith, have right to the promise of a new
heart, by beleeving, we should have a new heart before we have a new heart, for
none can beleeve savingly any promise, and so neither can he beleeve that
promise that God shall give a new
heart, untill the habit of faith, which is a speciall part of the new heart, be
infused: For actuall saith must flow from habituall
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faith. Therefore right to that promise must be absolutely
purchased by the death of Christ to the elect before they beleeve.
Quest.
How is it that not only, penally, but intrinsecally and formally we sinned in Adam, and are inherenter sinners in him, but we are righteous in Christ only imputativè;, and why should not Christ
be named formally the sinner, since he is made by imputation the sinner? As Adams sin is ours by imputation, and we
formally and inherently are sinners in Adam?
Ans.
How we sinned in Adam is a point of
greater difficulty: For this first sin the tottering and reeling of the
specifick common nature in Adam is
ours, not because he is our father [foreign] by nature (though that be a ground
of the imputation also) but because he is such a father by Covenant, and Law,
the Law and Covenant of Works being laid in pawnd in his hand. There be three
parts of Originall sin: A partaking of the first sin of Adam, we all sinned in him, Rom.
5.12,14,15. (2.) The want of the Image of God, called the Glory of God, Rom. 3.23. (3.) Concupiscence and a
bentnesse of nature to sin, Rom.
7.7,14,17,18,23,24. As to the first, Adams
sin is ours really and truely, not so much because it is ours, as because it is
imputed to be ours by God, who so
contrived the Law of Works, as it should be made with Adam, not as a single father, but with Adam as a publick person representing all man, and having our
common nature as a father both by nature and Law, which came from the meer
free-will of God.
1. Who might so have contrived
the first Covenant of Works, that sin should only have been Adams own sin, not the sin of his
posterity. For by no necessity of nature, which is antecedent to the free
decree of God, are all mankind legally
in Adams loins, though naturally they be.
(2.) But children are as
naturally in their nearest fathers loines, as we are all in the loines of Adam, and all men are equally of that
same specifick nature with their nearest Parents, as with their first Parents:
Yet the sins of the nearest Parents, by no necessity, are alwayes charged upon
the children, but now all have sinned in Adam,
Rom. 5.12,18.
(3.) Where a sin is inherently
and personally, there is no need of imputation, which is a free Act of God, had
Christ been inherently
235
and personally the sinner, God needed not make him, or
impute our sins to him: as Isai.
53.6, 2 Cor. 5.21. and if we had been
intrinsecally sinners in Adam, his
sin had been ours as intrinsecally as it was Adams; and as Adam was
not the first who sinned by imputation, but personally and intrinsecally, so
neither should Adams sin have been
our sin by imputation, but intrinsecally and personally, now the Scripture
saith, Rom. 5.19. By one mans disobedience, many were made
sinners, [foreign] then they were not intrinsecally sinners, before they
were made, that is, before they were reputed sinners in Adam, or before Adams sin
was imputed to them: as we are not intrinsecally righteous in Christ, before we
be justified, and made or reputed righteous in Christ: When therefore our Divines say, wee are as guilty of eating
the forbidden fruit, as if our hands were there and our teeth, and we did eat
in him, the speech cannot be taken physically
personally (for we were not then born) but morally and legally: but
our nature was legally there. But when the Elect does sin, Christ is not said
to have been in our loines legally, but he was made sin, he was punished so as
if he had been the sinner; though there was in Christ no formall guiltinesse,
no reatus culpæ, but reatus pænæ.
But we are deprived of the Image
of God, and inclined to all sin, not by imputation, as the young Lion and the
young Serpent have not the bloody and the stinging nature of the old Lion and
the old Serpent by imputation, but by naturall and intrinsecall inherencie: Now
our holie, harmlesse, and undesiled High Priest hath no sin in him by
inherencie.
3. A legall satisfaction and
paying of a summe, yea more then the debter was owing, can never take away a
morally inherent guiltinesse, nor inherently justifie and make innocent the
sinner and make him one, who hath never borrowed the money and wasted it, or
one who hath never sinned in Adam,
and who hath never sinned in his own person: Yea the Law of Works standing, as
it is most spiritual and holy; It is 1: impossible that he who hath once broken
the Law, though he be made inherently most holy, and perfectly sanctified, can
be made righteous, which requires
236
there shall never be one the least sin committed, and
what is done cannot be undone.
2. The suffering of another, as
of the Man Christ, may well stand for what we should have suffered, but cannot
remove the inherent blot of sin, and remove fundamental guiltinesse. The paying
a thousand Crowns for him who borrowed five hundreth Crowns and spent them on
harlotry and drunkennesse, may free the debter from being in Law, lyable to pay
the five hundreth Crowns, but can never free him from being an unjust borrower,
and a profuse waster.
3. The two Covenants of Works and
a Grace standing, its impossible that the active obedience of Christ can make
us actively and inherently righteous, or restore to us our lost innocency.
CHAP. III.
How Christ suffered for us in our roome and place. 2. He died not for
all and every one. 3. How many wayes Christ is said to die in our stead. 4. The
Lords so dying for all makes not all saveable, nor the Gospel Preachable to all
Nations. 5. Christ died in the stead of the Elect.
The Lord Jesus hath a roome in each
Covenant, of Works, and of Grace: In the Covenant of Works as a sufferer for
the breach of it. Its said by Learned Davenantius,
one is said truely and properly to die for another, who dies to procure his
good, though the other by his own fault, get no good of his dying for him.
But there is not such a Question as this, whether one may truely and properly
die for another, but whether Christ
in the sense of the Holy Ghost died verè & propriè, truely and properly,
the just for the unjust, to procure
good to the unjust, and yet these unjust may eternally perish and reap no good
by Christs dying, through their
unbeleef? 2. Will it not follow that Christ 1. died truely
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and properly for all, and yet, non obstante morte Christi, notwithstanding of the Lords dying, all
the world may eternally perish, as say Arminians
and Socinians. 3. It shall follow
that the immediate, yet the compleat effect of Christs death is not actuall,
but possible saving of all. And Christ
hath verè & propriè, truelie and
properly died for them. Nor 4. is it enough to say that Christ had a speciall
intention in dying for the Elect to give them faith, but he had no such
intention in dying for the Reprobate. But hence it follows that Christ as properly and truely died for
the Reprobate as for the Elect, as touching the nature and intention of his
dying; and that he offered as sufficient a ransome for the one as for the
other, and that is a meer possible ransome, but as concerning the intention to
apply effectually, or no effectuall intention to apply the death, there's the
difference. But 1. we aske for Scripture, where it is said CHRIST dying as
dying for the world, had these two contrair intentions. The Scripture saith, Christ died to gather his scattered children, Joh. 11.5. to bring to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. these for
whom he died, that they might have life,
Joh.10.11. live to God, 2 Cor.5.15. die to sin, 1 Pet.2.24. be redeemed from their vain conversation,
1 Pet.1.18. be delivered from this
present evill world, Gal.1.4. Here is our effectuall intention; where is
there a place for his dying with no effectuall intention to bring any to God?
and yet he dyed for all good and evill, to make salvation possible, say they.
It is not enough to coyn two intentions in Christ-God-Man
dying, and give us Scripture for one of them only, and bid us take the other on
trust. 2. Nor is it enough to say all these places speak of Christs effectuall
dying for his Elect only. For 1. it is not truely nor properly said that Christ
effectually died for the Elect only, for he effectually died for no man by this
way, because he died only to make salvation possible to all, so as they might
perish for ever, notwithstanding of his dying for them: So the efficacy of
dying is in Christs intention, and application. Now efficacy of intention and
efficacy of application are both extrinsecall to his laying down his life. 2.
The place, 2 Cor. 5.15. cannot be
expounded by them of only the effect: For it speaks (as they expone it) of Christ dying for all that were dead, as v. 14. and these they say are Elect and Reprobate.
238
3. Nothing is said, whether Christ on the Crosse did
sustain the person of all for whom he died, Elect and Reprobate, and whether he
sustained two persons (for he was cut
off, but not for himself, Dan. 9.26.) one for the Reprobate, another for
the Elect. And whether he finished the
transgression, and made an end of sins, as Daniel saith, 9.24. that is, of all sins and transgressions, finall
unbeleef and all others: For except he did that, hee cannot finish the transgression, make an end of sins, make
reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousnesse to
these for whom he died; Except either he bring in half a righteousnesse, or at
least imperfect, and never make an end of some sins and transgressions, because men will not have it so, and set
bounds to the infinit sufficiency of Christ:
Or because he puts an end of sin, and brings in everlasting righteousnesse conditionally, and is gracious and
mercifull as men will, and decrees to show mercy, not upon $ rebellion, or upon
unbeleef, which separateth a Reprobate from and Elect, if so it seems good to
men, and if man shad have mercy on whom
he will, and harden whom he will, or, which is all one, if man shall have
mercy upon himself, because he will, or harden himself, because he will harden
himself. Yet may it be disputable to some, whether grace by which one is
effectually drawn to Christ, rather
then another, be the grace of predestination continuated and so before Christs
death, or a fruit of Christs death and so after. But it may well be said that
every created saving grace is a fruit of Christs death, and that we receive the
habit of saving grace out of his fulnesse, and the saving habit infused
separateth an Elect from a Reprobate: For it is peculiar to Beleevers and the
Elect to be gifted with one heart,
Ezek. 11.19. and a new heart in the
habit, Ezek. 36.26. and with the spirit of grace and supplication to
beleeve and mourn, Zech. 12.10. and
the Spirit and blessing that is powred on the thirsty ground, and the seed, Isai. 44.3. And so must we say, that the
same habit as actuated by the Lords Spirit, and as it makes one to beleeve, and
drives him effectually to the Son, actually and efficaciously, and drives not
another, is a fruit of Christs death, but this way must glory be a fruit of the
death of Christ, but not habituall saving grace. 2. The death of Christ for all
is as common a means of salvation as
239
the
Preaching of the Gospel: And both must be made effectuall by efficacious grace,
which is not the fruit of the merit of Christ,
by this way, and since grace to actually apply the death of Christ, is not
given to Pagans and millions for whom
Christ died, as these Authors teach, how unsufficient must the death of our
Lord be? For it leaves faith as impossible to the reprobates as if he had never
died for them, for neither habituall nor actuall faith is purchased to them by
this death: Only the Pelagian
application is left to them, which they should have had, suppose Christ had never died for them.
2. It is to be considered, how
many wayes CHRIST may be said to give himself [foreign] a ransome for us, or in
our place.
1. Christ hath sufficiently died
for all in their room to redeem them. For, pro
[foreign], for men, noteth ever the decree and intention of Christ dying for men; but the
sufficiency and worth and intrensecal dignity of Christs death, depends not upon the decree & intention of God
for the worth of the death and the blood of him who is God, Act. 20.28. 1 Cor. 2.8. and the Lord of Glory is infinite, because of the
infinitnesse of the person, before and without the decree of God. 2. Nor is it
true that Christs dying for all and every one (which is a dream) makes
salvation possible to all, so that the Covenant is Preachable to all upon
condition of beleeving, Act. 10.43.
To him (Jesus Anointed who went about doing good and so was man, v. 38) to him (who was slain in our nature, not for all and every man, v. 39. to him) whom God raised up the
third day, v. 40. To him gave all the Prophets witnesse
(as it is, v. 43.) that through his Name, who ever beleeves in
him shal have remission of sins.
2. And this would be considered
(whoso beleeves in Christ are
justified and saved) how it is universall? It is most true thus: There is a
sure connexion between faith and life eternall, and the connexion is decreed of
God; or the concatenation of the end and the means, or of the means and the
end, faith and salvation. And it is true: whether all beleeve or none at all
beleeve, and whether all or none at all be saved, as is this (whosoever shall keep the Law perfectly,
shall be justified and saved by the works of the Law) But 1. it makes
neither faith nor salvation possible to Pagans and
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Reprobates, nor perfect obedience in doing the Law nor
Justification or salvation by the works of the law possible to any living man.
But the Question is, whether the connexion of the former be made true by the
decree and revealed will of God
promising life to the beleever, by no means, but only by this, because Christ
died for all and every one. And so this should have been false (if all Pagans
and Reprobate and Elect beleeve they shall be saved) if Christ had died only
for the Elect. This must be proven either by Scripture, or by some solid reason
from Scripture; for it saith this, Reprobats can not have life by beleeving in Christ crucified for them: except it be
true that Christ was crucified for them, but none can be saved by beleeving
that Christ died for them, except they also beleeve that Christ rose from the
dead, and ascended and interceeds in Heaven for them. Then one might infer this
could not be true, but false (if Reprobats beleeve they shall be saved) except
Christ have died, risen again, ascended, and interceeds for all Reprobate and
Elect. For true and saving faith the only condition of salvation, must lay hold
on the Resurrection, Ascension, and Intercession of Christ, as well is on his
dying for all. The reason why it cannot be true that Reprobats shall be saved,
if they believe, except Christ have died for them, is (by this way) they cannot
beleeve that Christ hath died for
their sins, except it be true that he died for their sins: Yea, I answer, they
cannot beleeve that Christ rose again
for their righteousnesse, except it be true that Christ also rose for the
righteousnesse of the Reprobats; this latter they cannot say.
It is said by Christs dying for
all, God hath now a conditionall will of saving all and every one, Elect and
Reprobate, if they shall beleeve, which conditionall will was not in God,
before Christs dying for all. Yea without Christs dying for all, salvation upon
condition of beleeving had been impossible. But not to say that it is unworthy
of the Holy Lord, that new wills and new decrees should arise in him, upon any
thing that falls out in time, such as the crucifying of the Lord Jesus. Such
Doctrine we condemn in Vorstius, and
in Arminians, as is well observed by
D. Twisse, such a decree as this,
that God should say (I decree, will, and in, tend remission and
life purchased by the death of Christ, to all Pagans
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that never hear the
Gospel, to all Reprobats, so they shall beleeve in Christ: And yet I never decree they
shall beleeve nor have grace to beleeve) saith no more then there is a
connexion between faith as the condition, and remission and life eternall as
the thing promised; as when God had
decreed that Jerusalem should be
burnt, and deny grace to obey; Yet saith Jeremiah
from the Lord, Jer. 38.17. If thou wilt assuredly go forth to the King
of Babylons Princes, then thy soul shall live, and this City shal not be burnt
with fire, and thou shall live and thine house. And the Lord says to Cain, Gen. 4.7. If thou dost well (and shall savingly beleeve as Abel) thou shalt be accepted. Then was that connexion decreed of God, it containing a most just condition
of life, and a condition to which Zedekiah
and Cain were oblidged, but that the
death of Christ made the Lord to intend and decree conditionally and in any
tearms either acceptation to life or remission to Cain, as the end, and well doing as the means, or intended to
purchase the grace either of the one or the other, is not warranted by
Scripture, for both the one and the other, are the fruits of the merits of
Christ; Show 1. how God can will and
decree such a thing to the Reprobate: for its as if a father would say, I
purpose to sell such a plot of ground to my son, so he pay me an hundreth
Crowns, When 1. the son, by no possiblity, hath, or can have the hundreth
Crowns, but only from his father. 2. When the father of his free pleasure hath
decreed never to give him the hundreth Crowns or the plot of ground. 2. Show
how faith is made possible by Christs
death, when it is not purchased to the reprobate by Christs death, it is not
surely made physically possible by Christs
death, if it be said that it is made possible morally, rationally, and objectively
to them, because there cannot be an offer of life made to Reprobates and to
all, upon condition of faith, except Christ
have died for the Reprobate, that is denyed, and never proven: If one should come (say they) to the Antipods or to such as never heard of Christ, and Preach the Gospel, he should
not, before he Preach, look for any new establishing of the conditionall
Covenant (who ever beleeves in Christ shall be justified and saved) but should
take it as granted, it was made with them before; therefore by Christs death
the Gospel of it self is Preachable and may be Preached to all Nations,
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quovis seculo, in
any age, as it was to Job. Ans.
If any come to the Antipods and any
Nation that never heard of Christ, having the gift of Tongues, and Preach to
such, or by his own industrie acquire the gift of such Tongues, and by the
strong hand of providence Preach the conditionall Covenant, these Providences
should be a command, and the setting up of a shining torch there should prove
these people (as to the elect among them) in Gods minde were a Covenanted
people no lesse then the Church of Samaria.
And there were no need to expect a new establishing of the conditionall
Gospel-Covenant: But how is that proven to be from this, because God sent his
Son to die for all and every one of these Antipods,
and made the Gospel-Covenant with all and every one of them before: the Authors
shall be ebbe of Scripture here. And if these Antipods should, all and every one, refuse the Gospel and kill the
Preacher, and never one either receive the Gospel, or propagate to any that may
receive it; Then such an Apostolick mission is not in Scripture, and the
lawfulnesse of that mans call to me is to be questioned: and I should judge,
his own Spirit, not God sent him. Nor
is this true, that the Gospel is and was
Preachable, and of it self, may be preached to any age. Job lived before
the giving of the Law, and Melchisedeck,
and they had the call of God to Preach to them to whom they Preached. 2. It
shall be denied that Jonah had
sinned, if he had not preached to Nineveh,
except God had expresly commanded him to preach to Nineveh, otherwise it had been the sin of Godly Prophets who lived
with him in the time of Joash King of
Judah, 2 King. 14.25. and they had
been guilty, as Jonah, in not
Preaching to Nineveh. Yea all the
Ministers and Apostles, and Prophets had sinned in not Prophecying to the Phylistins, Syrians, Persians, Bythinia,
Samaria; whereas the Apostles, Matth.
10.5. Act. 16.6. were forbidden to
Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, to
Asia: and it were strange to say Ezekiel sinned in not preaching to a
people of an unknown Language, whereas the Lord expresly says he sent him not
unto them, Ezek. 3.5,6. and that, Rom. 10.15. How shall they Preach, except they be sent? is meant of the
Apostles, and of all lawfull Pastors. And there may be running and no sending
of God to Nations, Jer. 23.21. and Psal. 147.19,20. when he denies, he declared his judgements and his statutes to any Nation, by sent
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Prophets, as he did to Jacob, if the Gospel then was of it self Preachable to all Nations,
Prophets unsent might have Preached these same judgements to other Nations,
that were Preached to Jacob, though
not sent of God. But that place, Psal.
147. and diverse others would say he choised only Israel as his Covenanted people: As Deut. 7.7,8,9. Deut.
10.12,13,14,15. Exod. 20.1,2. Psal. 78.5,6. Amos 3.1.2. Deut. 27.1,2.
to them only he revealed the Covenant of Grace, then was it not a Covenant of
its own nature that might at any age, be Preached to all Nations. But what is
then revealed in these decrees? (if the
Reprobate beleeve, they shall be saved) Ans. Not Gods intention
conditionall or absolute to save them, or to give them faith or grace merited
by Christs death, to beleeve, for
then some good will and love of election, the Lord should bear toward the
election of such, and should desire all the Reprobate to be saved, so they
would believe, and yet by this way, no more is there grace purchased to them,
by Christ, to beleeve, then there is grace purchased to them to performe
obedience to the Law: Now the Authors
will not say that by Christs dying
for all, there is a conditionall will in Christ, or in the Father, to give life
to all who perfectly keep the Law: for this conditionall will or means and end,
was in God before, and suppone Christ
had never died for sinners. 2. This would say that the Reprobate were to
beleeve that Christ died to save
them, having purchased life to them, and to believe that he died not to save
them all for whom he died, because they are not to believe he died to purchase
faith by his death, or grace to beleeve, without which salvation is impossible:
it cannot be said that God absolutely
intended to save them, whether they beleeve or not, even while as there is such
a decree in God, because he hath
decreed both the end and the means, to wit, having ordained for them salvation,
and having ordained for them faith; nor is there any such decree in God, toward
any but the Elect only, therefore this conditionall decree (if all and every
one beleeve, all and every one shall be saved) can infer no love of God through Christ to the persons of all and every one to have them saved, more
then this can infer a love of saving all and every one, to be in God or to have
been in the Lord, before the fall of Angels,
and men (if all and every one of
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Angels and men shall perfectly, without
sin to the end, keep the Law, then all Angels, all men Elect and Reprobate
shall be saved eternally.) Now no man sound in judgement, can say this
conditionall can infer that God had a
good will to save some Angels, not to save others: More then this (if all and
every man beleeve in Christ they shall be saved) can infer that God hath a good-will to save Reprobate
men, and not fallen Angels. In a word, no simple conditionall propositions can
infer the desire or good will of God to the persons of men or to have the
things done, except God effectually work the condition: As this (if all fulfill the Law perfectly, men and
Angels, and all men shall be saved by the Law) cannot infer that God hath a good will to the persons of
all Angels and all men to justifie and save them all, without exception, by the
works of the Law; the contrair whereof he decreed. For this connex proposition
may stand true with the salvation of all Angels, of all men, of no Angels, or
no men, according as the Lord shall be pleased of his good pleasure and free
grace to work, or not to work the condition of moving the will of Angels and
men to keep the Law. And therefore these connexions nibil ponunt absoluti, they place nothing absolutely to persons,
but only to things, to wit, 1. that it is the duetie and obligation of all
Angels and men to perform absolute obedience to the Law, as they would be
justified and saved by the Law, and its the duty of all men in the Visible
Church to beleeve in Christ. if they would be justified and saved in Christ. 2.
That there is a wise connexion between means and end, obedience legall and
life, faith and life, according to the approving will of God, and yet neither means nor end may ever come to passe or fall
out, and neither means nor end may ever be decreed of God to fall out: Yea God may decree absolutely that none of the
extreams shall exist as God decrees (if
Zedekiah shall yeeld to the King of
Babylon, Jerusalem shall not be burnt) and yet according to his decree or
will of purpose the Lord hath decreed that the yeelding of Zedekiah, and the safety of the idolatrous Citie should not come to
passe, but the contrair. So God
decrees, if Judas repent and beleeve,
he shall be saved according to the will of precept, and yet according to the
Lords will of purpose, neither did the Lord decree or intend the repenting and
saving beleeving
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of Judas nor was grace to beleeve and
repent purchased by the death of Christ
to Judas (by these Authors) though
they boast of the amplitude of Christs death, nor did the Lord by that will of
purpose ever decree or intend the salvation of Judas.
Therefore, 3. this, that the death of Christ is of its own
nature preachable to all Nations, in every age, is not true: For the phrase
is neither in Scripture, in Old or New Testament, nor is the thing it self in
Scripture: For the meaning is, either GOD may send Apostles in any age to all
the Nations of the world, to Preach: If that be, by his extraordinary power, he
may save all the damned, that way. That Preachablenesse is not the object of
our faith: Nor is that Preachablenesse a fruit of Christs dying for all. If it
be meant that God by his ordinary
power may send Apostles in any age to all Nations: How is that to be said?
Except we say God hath decreed in his will of purpose to send Preachers to all;
That cannot be, except his decree be disappointed. Or 3. If it be his command and revealed will that the Gospel be
Preached to all Nations, every age, they grievously sin, who Preach not the
Gospel to the Brasilians and Antipods, whether they can speak in
their Language or not. And if the Doctrine of the Covenant of its own nature
may so be Preached to all Nations, without exception, in every difference of
time, then must all the Nations of the earth, in all differences of time, be in
a capacity to be a Covenanted people of God, the Church of Christ, the Vineyard
of the Lord, his inheritance, the Spouse of Christ, his Body, his Called, and
Chosen flock. For to have the Doctrine of the Covenant fixedly Preached to a
Nation, and Christ offered to them, is to be the planted Vineyard of the Lord,
for to Preach to Macedonia, fixedly,
they willingly hearing, is indeed the Lords entering in Covenant with Macedonia, and his choising them to be
his confederate people, and the Lords planting a Vineyard, and building a
Wine-presse in it, and setting up a Ministry therein; and therefore the Lord
was not in Covenant with them before. Indeed to Preach the Word simply to
scoffers who reject it, and that occasionally in the passing, so as there is no
sort of accepting of the Covenant nor any fixed Ministry there, is not a renewing
of the Covenant with them, nor does it presuppose a Covenant before made with
them. 2. It
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is against the wisdome of God, that 1. there should be
such a band of love the greatest love that ever was, Joh. 15.13. lying upon all mankind, Brasilians, Americans, binding them to thankfull Gospel-obedience
that Christ died for them, yet this obligation of the greatest love is neither
written in their heart, as the Law of nature, nor is it ever revealed to them
that they are under so much love by Covenant. 2. How can the Lord say I choosed
you, O Israel, among all the people of the earth, and entred in Covenant with
you and your seed only. For 1. there is no need of a new establishing of the
conditionall Gospel-Covenant, for it was established with Israel, and with all
the world before he choosed or called them. 2. He cannot be said to enter in
Covenant with them only. For all the world ever was thus Covenanted with God.
3. All the world must be an invisible Covenanted Church, and the fit matter to
be a Church. For the Evangel may be Preached est de se annunciabile, not to stones and to rocks, but to all
Nations, quovis seculo. 4. Since the
Preaching of the Gospel to some Nations, and not to others, is an act of the
Soveraign pleasure, yea and of the free grace of God to such as this Sun-light
graciously doth visit, by this way, the sinfull neglect of such as refuse to
Preach shall be the cause of the perishing of the elect, a dream.
2. CHRIST may be said to die for
us, as if we had substituted him in our place, in so rigid a sense, as if he
had been made our surety to fulfill both the preceptive and active, and also
the satisfying and suffering part of the Law in our room. This may please Antinomians, but a doubt it is, if it
stand with the truth: For then what ever we, yea all mortall men be (for Christ died for them all, as many teach)
most wicked, yet Christs active and
surety and cautionary righteousnesse should be ours, and though we should never
beleeve, yet Christ who fulfilled the Law and preceptive as well as the
threatning part, must have beleeved for all that he died for, and what need we
then in our persons either beleeve or repent? Its true, we need not perform any
active obedience, as a part of active fulfilling of that Covenant of Works,
which either must have all, or no obedience. If it be said that alio titulo, upon another account of
thankfulnesse to our ransom payer we owe active obedience: Yet all that CHRIST
died for,
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both actively and passively must be perfectly righteous
and justified, having payed the most perfect active and passive obedience that
the Law required, though we never beleeve, and Christ must have payed the
active part of justifying faith for us. And why, but we should be formally
justified in him without faith also? As also, God, not we, laid our sins upon
Christ, Isai. 53.6. 2 Cor. 5.21. and therefore we did
commissionate and substitute Christ to die in our room.
Socinus, Crellius, the Raccovian
Catechism, Arminius, contend that Christ died for all finaliter, for to procure good and salvation to all, so they
beleeve, and yet through their own fault, they may haply never be saved: not
that he satisfied for us, but died for example as a Martyr (say Socinians) as Paul suffered for the Church, so as we, beleeving in Christ as in
the only chief Martyr and witnesse, who as the only Author declared the Gospel,
not as a sufferer and ransom-payer who redeemed us from the Law, are saved. And
as Arminians, he died for our good,
not that he died in our room and stead, so as the sins of the Elect were
actually taken off them and translated upon Christ, so as wee are actually
freed from the punishment of sin, as if we had substitute a Saviour our selves,
and payed our debt our selves to God; and so according to the rigour of
justice, we might crave by the Law of buying and selling deliverance from
punishment, and life eternall from God. But this way they will not have Christ
to die in the place and room of any, but only for their good, so as they may
die eternally themselves for whom Christ
died. Hence 1. It follows that Christ died for them but gave no ransome of
blood for them for whom he died. 2. Arminians
will not have the sins and punishment satisfactory to justice (for of such
punishment we speak) actually upon Christ,
and translated off the sinner and laid
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upon Christ and beleevers actually freed from
satisfactory punishment: So that both beleevers and Christ must actually bear the satisfactory punishment. Which indeed
makes beleevers half redeemers with Christ: against which we disputed before.
3. Arminians denies that we payed our debts to God, in Christ paying
them for us. So that the broken man cannot be said to have satisfied the debt
in, and through the surety who satisfied for him, which in all Law is unjust.
And since Arminians denies that we
payed to justice a ransome for sin, because our Surety Christ payed for us, he
must deny that Christ was wounded for our
transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, or that the chastisement of our peace was upon him:
Contrair to Isai. 53.5. because we
made him not our Mediatour and Surety, but God made him Mediatour, and laid our
iniquities upon him, Isai. 53.6. But
it is accidentall in Law that the debter substitute the surety, or request him
to take the place of surety upon him. But he is a reall and a most legall
surety who not requested, of free grace becomes surety and pays the very same
summe in specte, in kind, that the
debter ought to pay; this reason does prove he is both a surety and a gracious
surety. As a Kings son who comes in and layes down his head for a malefactor,
truely and really dyeth and layeth down his life in the room and place of that
malefactor, though there was no Covenant nor paction between him and the Kings
son, though neither the malefactor, nor any friend in his name did request the
Prince to become surety and die for him. Reuben
offers his two sons to Jacob as
pawnds to be slain, if he should not bring home Benjamin safe to the father: And had Jacob accepted of the offer, Reubens
two sons who knew not of the bargain, had been sureties for Benjamin, Gen. 42.37. and Judah might have been Law-surety for Benjamin to Jacob, though Benjamin
requested him not to take any such place. The Lord the Creditour and Christ the
Cautioner did strike hands together: Christ put himself in our room, as an
hostage, pledge and surety to die for us, and payed the first and second death,
the summe that we was owing, according to a paction between the Lord and
Christ, and we requested not Christ
to be surety, only by beleeving, we thank him, and subscribe and say Amen to
what is done. But in Law we payed, in regard the same
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nature that suffered was ours, and accepted as ours. But Arminians clearly refuse that Christ shall be an hostage and surety
for us, because the offended party of his own furnished not one that died for
him; and so he strikes at the root of a reall sacrifice that is satisfactory to
God, because one and the same cannot
be both satisfied, and, de suo, of
his own, furnish a satisfying surety. For so as his own, Socinus saith, one cannot be both a satisfier and a person
satisfied, and this is no satisfaction at all, saith Socinus. (4.) Out beleeving cannot effectuate this, that Christ hath actually born the
satisfactory punishment due to us. Arminius saith that Christ hath not, actu ipso, actually born that
punishment: he must say he hath born it only potentially, potentiâ. Then its like when we beleeve, he bears that punishment
compleatly, but he cannot die nor suffer, but once; only he must mean that
Christ did actually bear our sins, but the satisfactory punishment is not
accepted as suffered in our name. But our beleeving hindereth not, but he hath in genere causæ moralis & meritoriæ,
really as a meriting cause deserved that God
in justice cannot exact from us that same satisfactory punishment that Christ
hath suffered for our sins, & its impossible that our faith can adde any
meritorious power to Christs death: & therefore though not in our selves
and physically, yet really, morally, legally in Christ, deliverance
from satisfactory punishment is due to us, we being in Christ legally, and life eternall is due to us, being in Christ
according to the rigour of justice, and injuria
irrogata Christo sponsori foret, wrong should be done to Christ, and
commutative justice, by which, ex
condigno, by condignitie, he hath bought freedom from hell, and right to
heaven, to these he died for, if we should suffer eternall wrath, in our
persons, whether we beleeve or beleeve not; for beleeving is no part of the
meriting cause of the satisfying ransome. Yea Christ by right of buying and
selling, and we in Christ our surety may claime freedom from the second death,
and right to everlasting life, so as God should fail against commutative
justice against Christ, and break (with reverence and humble submission to his
Glorious Majesty be it spoken) Covenant to Christ,
and he should buy with a price more then enough, his seed, and not get his
wages, if these he died for, die the second death, and come short of glory
eternall, if the Lord say to Christ, I promise
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to thee a seed, that they shall be delivered from the
second death, and have life eternall, providing thou shalt give me a price
abundantly sufficient to buy these, to wit, the life and blood of God-Man, and offer thy self a sacrifice
upon the Crosse to offended Justice. If CHRIST shall do this and pay the
ransome, and Christ get no wages, no
saved seed, but they perish through the want of faith only: either must faith
be a part of the ransome, which none can say, or then the Lord shall not keep
Covenant to Christ. (5.) When Arminius saith that the Lord can, nullo jure, by no Law, nor Justice crave of us faith and conversion to God, if
we have payed our debts, by rigour of justice exactly to God in Christ who
legally in our stead and place payed for us, he supposes plainly that God
requires faith and obedience of us as a part of recompence made to offended
Justice. And Arminius faith, that Christs righteousnesse is ours, not as
performed by him, but as imputed to us by faith: So that faith comes in as
a collaterall price payed for us or part of the price, the very act and work of
beleeving being counted ours, and our righteousnesse before God: Yea but God by
no necessity of hurt Justice craves faith and repentance from us.
That CHRIST died not for our good
only, but in our stead is proven, 1. Because Christ in some other more legall way died for us then for Angels,
for he died for their good, that he might be made the Head of Angels, Col. 2.10. Phil. 2.7,8,9,10,11. Rom.
10.9,11. and he died for the good of the whole Creation that he might make all
things new, and restore the creatures to their perfection, which by the sin of
man they had lost, Rom.
8.20,21,22,23. Acts 3.21. Rev. 21.5. but he died not as suffering
punishment due to the Angels, and the work of Creation in their stead, as wounded for their transgressions, as
he died for our transgressions, Isa.
53. For the transgressions of us all,
Elect and Reprobate as, they say, exponing that all, Isa. 53.6. of all
and every one of mankind, were upon him.
2. We deny not, but there be
considerable differences between Christs
dying, and the punishment of the Elect which they were to suffer. As,
1. Ours should have been
eternall, because we could never
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out-satisfie. But the sufferings of Christ, because of the dignity of his person God-Man, were perfectly satisfactory in a short time.
2. He could not suffer the same
pain in number, that we should have suffered, for one and the same accident
cannot be in different subjects, nor is the surety to pay the very same summe numero, that the debter borrowed.
3. The Lord could not but have
punished the Elect with hating & aversion of mind, they being intrinsecally
and inherently sinners. He punished Christ, who was not inherently, but only by
imputation the sinner, with no hatred at all, but with anger and desire of
shewing and exercising revenging justice, but still loving him dearly, as his
only Son. But upon this account, Christ
must stand in our room, and because of the five-fold onenesse and Law-identity
and samenesse. For,
1. Though physically the surety
and the debter be two different men, yet in Law they are one and the same
person, and one and the same legall party, and the same object of justice.
Whoso pursues in Law the surety, does, also pursue the debter.
2. The debt and summe is one, not
two debts, nor two ransoms, nor two punishments, nor two lives to losse, but
one.
3. It is one and the same
solution and satisfaction, there can not in Law justice, come another
reckoning, dying, and payment making after the surety hath payed.
4. There is one and the same
acceptation upon the creditor his part, if he accept of satisfaction in the
payment made by the surety, he cannot but legally accept of the debter, and
cannot pursue him in Law, but must look upon him as no debter. To justifie him
is another thing: It being a fornisecall transient declaration of his
righteousnesse who beleeves. I speak here of an acception of satisfaction to
hurt justice revenging sin, not of an acceptation of obedience.
5. Its one and the same legall
effect, Christ justified in the
Spirit, and risen again, 1 Tim 3.16.
and we in him as in the meritorious cause are legally justified. Hence he who
suffered the same satisfactory punishment, for the same sinnes committed by us,
which in Law we ought to have suffered eternally.
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2. He suffered and died for us in
our stead and place, especially when the Creditor counts these sufferings, as
if we had suffered: So Paul, 2 Cor.
5.14. If one be dead for all, then were
all dead. And the Messiah was cut
off and died not for himself, Dan.
9.26. He did no violence, neither was
guile found in his mouth, Isa. 53.9. Joh. 8.46. Heb. 7.26. But he was wounded for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and
with his stripes we are healed, Isa. 53.5. 1 Pet. 2.23,24,25. He was delivered for our offences, The Lord
laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was cut out of the land of the living,
for the transgression of my people was he plagued, Isa. 53.8. He bare on his body our sins on the tree.
3. He who being made under the
Law, payed that Law-debt of satisfaction, which the Elect in their persons
should have payed, and thereby freed them from the Law-debt of satisfaction: He
sustained the person of the Elect in his suffering. But Christ being made under the Law, payed that Law-debt of
satisfaction, which the Elect in their persons should have payed. The
proposition is out of doubt, none denies the Minor, but that we should have
died eternally in our persons, if Christ had not died for us.
4. He who of purpose took on him
our nature, the nature and seed of Abraham,
and the legall condition of a surety to suffer for us, he stood in our person
and room in suffering for us. But Christ took on him our nature, which is
common to beleeving Jews, and to such also who are casten off of God, Rom. 9.2,4. but not as common to them,
but as the seed of Abraham, Heb.
2.16.
And 5. Gal. 3.10. For as many as are
of the works of the Law, are under the curse, for it is written, cursed is every one who continueth not in all things
which are written in the book of the Law to do them. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Law, being
made a curse for us--not to reconcile all and every one to himself, or to
obtain a potentiall and far off power of salvation. But, ver. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. Not
that we might beleeve or not beleeve, if we would, that is not the blessing of Abraham, Act. 11.18. Act. 15.8,9. Act. 5.31. Ph. 1.29. and for his great
love he died for us, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.
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6. And it is thus confirmed,
Christ in dying is not looked on as a man; Nor 2. simply as a single man dying;
Nor 3. as a publick Martyr or witnesse that, all or none at all, if they so
will, may get good of him, but by speciall paction, if he shall lay down his
life, and work his work, and suffer for our sins, that which we should have
suffered, he shall, receive his wages and see his seed.
7. As also none who dies as a
surety or pays as a surety, but he bears the person of such as he pays for, who
ever gives a ransome for another by way of payment, and whosoever as a Priest
offers a sacrifice for another, he represents the person offended for whom he
offers, so does the Advocate act the person of the Client, the intercessour his
person for whom he interceeds.
8. The phrase to die for another
as a ransoner signifies to die in the stead and person of another. Demosthenes, orat. [foreign] in liew of Ktesiphon. For Archias, for Marcellus,
he pleads, it is in Law as if Archias,
as if Marcellus, or as if the parties
for which Cicero, and Demostenes do plead, were in persons
pleading themselves. Its true, Isocrates
hath [foreign] for in honum, for the
favour and good of any: And (for)
[foreign] notes also to do or die for the good and profit of others, Col. 1.24. Irejoice in my sufferings for you, that I may sill up the remnant of
the sufferings of Christ for his body. But if it cannot be denied, but for Christ to die for his body is somewhat
more then for Paul or any Martyr to die for the body, then sure Christs
dying for his Church (as the more doth include the lesse) notes Christs dying
for the good of his Church, and somewhat more then for the Churches profit: any
may see Stephanus his Thesaurus.
[foreign] (For) is often the same with [foreign], Paul, Rom. 9. I would wish to
be separated from Christ, for my brethren; that was not that they might be
saved or not, it were contrair to his prayer. 2 Cor. 5.15. If Christ died for all, then all were dead. The bread is my flesh which
I will give for the life of the world. The good shepheard gives his life for
his sheep. I lay down my life for my sheep. Greater love then this hath no man,
that a man should give
254
his life for his
friends. It is expedient that one die for the people, Joh. 11. Christ hath died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. in their stead. For the just, ver. 7. [foreign] for noteth most frequently vice, loco, in the place and stead: As
also, [foreign] 2 Sam. 18.33. would God I had died for thee, Absalom.
The LXX. the Syriack version, and the Chalde paraphrase, in thy stead, I would I had died, and thou remained alive. Gen.
22.13. A sacrifice for Isaac, in
stead of Isaac, Gen. 44.33. I shall remain pledge (faith Reuben) for the lad, [foreign] in paund for the lad. Num. 3.12. I have taken the
Levites for all the first born, in stead of the first born. So LXX.
[foreign].
2. When a ransome is given for
another in point of justice, Mar. 10.45.
Christ gives his life a ransome for many, Matth. 20. 28. He came to give his (dear precious) life a ransome in stead of many, 1 Tim.
2.6. [foreign] a counter ransome for all.
Matth. 5.38. Eye for eye, tooth for
tooth. Exod. 21.24.23. Thou shalt
give life for life. Give that peece of money for thee and me, Mat. 17. Isa
43.4. I will give men for thee, and
people for thy life.
3. It is used thus, when a man is
given in place of another, Pro. 11.8. The
righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
Job 34.24. and he makes others to stand
in their place, Heb. as before, Psal. 45.16. in stead of fathers shall be sons. Job 16.4. Oh! if your soul were in my souls stead.
4. It is when the son comes in
the room and stead of the father, or one kills another, which is a sad
exchanging of one person for another, and though the following King does not
act in the person, or by the nãe & authority of him who went before, yet
there is one person changed, and another raigns in his place and room. 1 Chron.
14.1. Abijah sleept, and Asa his son
raigned in his stead.
LXX. [foreign]. Mar. 10.
[foreign]. Mat. 20.28. [foreign]. LXX. [foreign] 23. dabis [foreign] LXX. [foreign]. Dabis.
[foreign] LXX. [foreign]. Prov. 11.8.
LXX. [foreign]. Job 24.14. Heb as before.
Ps. 45.16. LXX. [foreign]. Job 16.4. LXX. [foreign] Mat. 2.22. [foreign]) LXX.
[foreign] 1 King. 3.7. Thou hast made thy
servant to raign in the room of David my
father. LXX. [foreign]. 2 Kin. 11.43. Rehoboam
raigned in his stead, [foreign], Chal. Paraphrastes,
255
pro
eo. 31. Abijah raigned in his stead,
[foreign]. 2 Kin. 1.17. Joram raigned in
his stead, LXX. [foreign]. 1 Kin. 15.28. Baasha slew him and raigned, [foreign]. 2 Kin. 8.15. He slew him, and Hazael raigned, [foreign]. 2 Kin. 15.10. Shallum slew him, and raigned in his stead,
[foreign]. ver. 14. Manahem slew him, and
raigned, [foreign]. ver. 30. Hoshea
smote him, and raigned, [foreign]. So Esth.
2.4. Eccl. 4.15. 2 Sam. 17.25. Gen. 30.2. 1 King. 16.10. Zimri raigned, [foreign] Ezek. 16.32.
Joseph heard that Archelaus did
raign in the room of Herod his
father, Mat. 2.22. Tremellius,
and Trostius both turn it, loco Herodis, Mat. 5.38. eye for eye: Its the same word [foreign]
Mat. 17.27. give it for me and thee.
The same word, Luk. 11.11. If his son
aske a fish, for a fish in stead of a fish. Tremellius and Trostius, in place of a fish, loco
piscis, he will not give him a serpent.
Rom. 12.17. neither render evill for
evill: So the same in both languages is, 1 Thes. 5.15. [foreign], and 1 Pet. 3.19. and 1 Cor. 11.16. Her hair is given
her in stead of a covering. The same word in the Syriack is, 1 Pet. 3.18. The Lord Christ died, the just for the
unjust: in stead of the unjust, Christ is, Gal. 3.13. made a curse for us, in our stead. Matth. 20.28. Syriack, that he might give his life a redemption for many, [foreign] vice
multorum. And the same is, Mar.
10.45. and Rom. 5.6. in due time Christ died for the wicked,
[foreign]. Syriack [foreign] pro, vel vice improborum. 8. While we was sinners Christ died for us.
[foreign] in our place, 2 Cor. 5.15. If
one died in place of all men, all were dead. Mark 14.24. This is my blood of the New Testament which
is shed [foreign] for many, loco multorum, Luk. 22.20. This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed in place of
you. Joh. 10.11. The good shepheard
layes down his life for his sheep, in place of his sheep: The same word,
Joh. 11.50. Know ye not that it is
expedient that one man die in the place of the people, & that the whole
people perish not. Then the intrinsecall end of Christs dying consisteth
not with the perishing of these for whom he died: for he died that the whole
256
people should not perish. 1 Tim. 2.6. Who gave himself a
redemption for every man. Tit. 2.14. Who
gave his soul in stead of us. Heb. 2.9. Who
tasted death in the place of every man. 1 Pet. 2.21. Christ died in stead of us, 1 Pet. 4.1. Rom. 9.3. I pray that I were separated from Christ in
stead of my brethren. The same word so constantly used can hardly signifie,
for the good and profit either of
things or persons: As Luk. 11.11.
will the father give the son a serpent in stead of a fish, for the good and
profit of a fish? 2. Thes. 5.15. See that
none of you render evill for evill, i.e. evil for the good and profite of
evill? a wild sense, and it is wilder in the case of persons, when it is said,
the son raigns, [foreign] so often by the Seventy Translators, in stead of his
father, that must be for the good and profit of the dead father. But nothing
can be wilder, then to say Jehu
killed Ahabs seed, and Zimri slew his Master Elah, Hoshea slew the King, and he raigned in his stead (as the Seventy
say not once) that is, he raigned for the good and profit of the King whom he
slew, and so slaying of Kings, and rooting out the race and posterity of Kings,
shall be their good and profit.
Socinus,
and the Catechism of Raccovia, saith if to die for sinners be as much as to die
in the place and stead of sinners, then to die for sinnes must be to die in the
place and stead of sinnes. Ans. These and the like argue much the vanity of
Socinus, if this be retorted, as
justly it may. Then as Christs dying for sinners, is for the good, profite,
saving, beleeving, and confirming of the faith, establishing the comfort of
sinners, then by the like Christs dying for sins, must be to save sins from
hell, to bring sins to God, that sins should not live to themselves, and to
establish the faith, the consolation of sins; whereas Christ died not for sins
as for sinners, that he might save sins, but to dissolve the works of the
devill, to take away sin, 1 Joh. 3.9.
Joh. 1.29. Christ died one way for
sins and another way for sinners: The Physitian one way cures the disease that
it may be rooted out, and be no more, and another way the diseased person, that
he may live and be in health.
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CHAP. IV.
How we are in Christ dying, and crucified in him. 2. A twofold crucifying of us with Christ. 3. A discourse of mortification. 4. The actings of the mortified. 5. That we are to be mortified in our affections to every thing that is
not God, &c.
IT is objected, that we was not born, nor had we any being
when Christ died, then we died not in Christ, nor could we rise, ascend to
heaven, nor sit in heavenly places with him? Ans. But 1. in Physicall actions there is required the
reall existence of the worker. Not so in legall actions, for as we had no
being, who now beleeve, when Christ died, so our sins had no being: How then
could our sins, that were not, deserve punishment? Yet I desire to beleeve that
Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.24. his own self bare our sins in his own body
on the tree. And that he was wounded
for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, who now live, Isai. 53.5. and they cannot deny this,
who teach that CHRIST died for the sins of the world, none excepted. And the
child in the womb, when the father is absolved from treason is really and in
Law restored to his fathers inheritance: And the sucking child may be Crowned a
King, and take possession of a Kingdom, and take the oath of loyalty of the
subjection in the person of another, though Physically
he neither do, not know what is done, but sleep in the armes of the nurse. So
we legally in CHRIST satisfied, our nature in Christ was crucified, and we,
though not born, did satisfie and suffer satisfactory punishment in Christ. Heb. 1.3. Having by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high. Heb. 9.28. So Christ
was once offered to bear the sins of many. And in him we were (legally) crucified, and dead to the Law:
As Gal. 2.19. so as Christ once being
dead and crucified, the head and members, whole Mysticall Christ is dead to the
Law, and Christ can die no more, for
he cannot satisfie and pay the debt twise: And so are we in him dead to hell,
to wrath, to Law-vengeance. Sathan raises a discussed plea against
258
the conscience, thou
art a sinner, and under the curse of the Law. There is no answer to that,
but by beleeving I was with Christ,
crucified, and am dead to the Law and died to death first and second. For Christ suffered mysticall, Christ legally satisfied and so did I in
him (I speak not now of personall suffering with, or for Christ) and therefore
that is a plea of Sathans forging, and taken away. And unjust summonds may be
answered by non-compearance; and by the appeal of faith to Christ who having payed the debt sits Judge upon his own debts,
which he himself payed, and therefore cannot suffer these for whom he died to
suffer for his proper debt, which once he payed. The husband cannot endure the
wife to be imprisoned for the debts which he made his own and fully satisfied.
Obj. 2. All men must die and return to dust, and so must sinners, as the Law
requires, therefore Christ died not for thee?
Ans. Socinus, and Crellius
object the same, which Sathan doth.
For
that death in the hew and collour of Law-wrath is holden before a beleever now
and then under doubting as a temptation. For we suffer not death such as Christ
suffered, to wit, for sin, watered and affected with the curse of the Law; nor
must we measure death from body or bulk of departing, but from the salt, and
worst of death, which is the curse, and that being removed, we never die, Joh. 11.26. Joh. 5.24. no more look upon death in the Law, for there it raigns,
but in Christ, and in him death is
dead and removed; the formall demeriting power is removed, when the Law is
satisfied: And a beleever being dead to the Law is dead to the curse and to the
worst of death, as Christ is dead to it now.
Obj.3. But the conscience of the beleever, suppose there were no devill,
challenges him of sin, and therefore that he is under a curse?
Ans.
The conscience may be the factor and deputie of Sathan in that also, for it is
the deposing of Christ from his Office of Mediator
259
in satisfying and answering by his death all the demands
of the Law, there is none but Christ, when the Law demands blood and the
torments of the second death, can plead any thing on the contrair. Rom. 3.19. We know that what things soever the Law
speaks, it speaks to these that are under the Law: but the Law speaks not
then to a beleever, for he is under grace, and so is not in tearms of treating
or parleying with the Law. Christ was crucified and the beleever is legally crucified with Christ, buried
and risen again with Christ. 1. Then the Law is not his judge, it spake to
Christ and condemned him and put him to death, when he was under the Law, and
condemned you in him, now you say, Christ is not condemned and crucified, when
ye enter in a new treatie with the Law to receive a new sentence from it, and
thus ye undoe what Christ hath perfectly done. 2. To hearken to conscience
componing and making another paction with the Law then Christ hath made, is to
take the plea that Christ hath embarked in, off his hand; ye are to stand still
and be silent, and beleeve that Christs dying, and your dying in him, is a
closing of a satisfactory bargain with the Law. Christ condemned sin in the flesh, by taking on his flesh the curse
due to us for sin, & for sin, that is, for sins cause, that it might be
taken away, he sent his Son to die,
Rom. 8.3. and judge and condemn sin. 3. This is to mistate a question well
debated and discussed by Christ; for he being the end and perfection of the Law, hath silenced, and satisfied the
Law, and to what use can it serve to make a new plea and a bastard controversie
with a satisfied party, or to hearken to conscience which craves in the name of
mistaken Law well payed debts, and this is but Sathan abusing the Law, and feigning
Letters of Caption in the name of the Law, to trouble the quieted conscience of
a beleever. But its safest to say, I stand to what Christ hath done and
suffered to fulfill the Law, and I believe I was crucified in him, judged, and
condemned legally in Christ: and what can you seek more of an ill-doer? He is
condemned, crucified, hanged on a tree, and so is justice quieted. Some raise
the devill and a storm in the soul and cannot calm it again: It is not good to
provoke, irritate, and waken a sleeping dogge. There is quietnesse and peace of
beleeving what Christ hath done as well done, and comfortably to rest on his
deed by faith. Hence a case
260
of some, who, because they are under deadnesse and
security, desire a wakening of conscience, and Sathan hath taught some to
commit some hainous guiltinesse, that they may fall in the hand of justice, and
so be wakened, and Sathan gives them their fill of it. Hence, we had rather
take a Law-way which is not Gods way, as ly under deadnesse; there may be a legall
looking upon deadnesse, whereas it is a Gospel-sin that we should be humbled
for, and in which we should not please our selves; but no man freed from the
Law and brought out of prison, should be willing or desirous to return to the
dungeon again. We should let God
guide us under a feaver, and not be our own Physitians, but be quiet at Christs
part, if he be pleased to cure by contrairs, and to quicken me by deadening me,
or to make a soul humble by smiting with a spirit of pride: its good, we are to
submit.
Obj. How could we be in Christ as in our surety (for saith Arminius) we did not give nor appoint Christ to be our Cautioner or Surety?
Ans.
Its evill arguing of Arminius or Sathan, who would make the union either
naturall or legall betwixt us and Christ, weak, far off, generall, and such as
is betwixt Christ and Pagans, and all the world: But this reason is nought, for
we sinners were not born and very nothing, when God made the first Adam our father and head in Law as in
nature, nor had we any hand or action in substituting the first Adam in his place, and yet we sinned in Adam, and his sin is ours, by divine
imputation. But can any deny but Christ on the Crosse did act the cause of many
beleevers not born? This is peculiar to this dispensation, that the creditor,
not the debter, appoint both the Law-head, and the Evangelick Surety. The
Surety had from us a Cautionary, sponsorie, and deputed nature, but no
subscribed commission from us, it was in the heart of the Creditor by grace
efficacious to obtain our consent, and to make a sort of legall marriage
assuming our nature before we either knew our husband, or gave consent to the
marriage-Covenant. As the Advocat speaks in the person of the Client absent and
sleeping, and when the Client hears and sees how his cause is promoved, he both
assents unto, and renders thanks and praises to the Advocat: and so the absent
and far off Client not knowing
261
any thing does act in the Advocat. And how many answers
doth our Advocat in Heaven make for sinners on earth in his pleadings, of which
we know not in particular any thing? Nor doth Christ speak or plead for
beleevers as a privat man, nor appear in his Name as it were, but in our
person.
Neither is there a faining of a
person here, or a borrowed and fained redemption, there be these five here. 1.
A Redeemer Christ. 2. Persons
redeemed, sinners. 3. A Lord from
whom we are redeemed, the Lord Jehovah,
not simply, as God, he is the partie from whom we are redeemed, but God as the
offended Law-giver, who had us lyable to eternall punishment. 4. There was a price, the life and blood of God, which though not profitable to God (for that is extrinsecall to
satisfaction reall) yet an aboundant compensation to justice for declarative
glory taken from God which is the
nature of reall satisfaction. 5. There is here a God just, true, holy,
unchangeable, to whom the price is payed. Nor does Christ sustain the person of the enemy Satan from whom we are
redeemed, for he is but the lictor
who then had no right to detain us, we are redeemed from evils of sin and
punishment: Nor doth Christ in suffering sustain the person of God. Hence, from
our being crucified with Christ crucified, something is to be said in a
practicall way of our mortification; for mortification flows originally from
Christs death, we being crucified in him and with him, Gal. 2.20
Q. What is mortification?
A. It
is a deadning of the whole powers and inclinations of the foul in their
bentnesse and operations, in order to things forbidden by the Law of God, or in
things indifferent and commanded. Hence, not the affections only, but the
understanding and mind must be deadned. And therefore this is no mortification
untill sin originall be subdued in its damnation by Christs death, and in its
dominion by the Spirit of Sanctification. A tree is not withered while standing
on its root, bulk and branches are green and flourishing: Its much to know the
withdrawing of sap and life from the root and the vitall parts of old Adam. The ebbing of a River is not the
drying up of it; the new birth only is mortification.
Q. 2. Since mortification comes only from Christs death, what is the
influence of Christs death herein?
262
Ans.
The influence is reall, ad modum cause
physicæ, the merit of blood hath bought
us from our vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. Christ dying doth merit by blood the Spirit, and infused grace,
which deadens the whole life of sin. Evangelick Arguments from ten heavens,
from ten Gospels working morally and in a swasory way, cannot more work
mortification then touching can make a reall change on a dead corps; we was
legally dead and crucified in Christ, and with Christ, when he died, many not
being born then: But in the infusing of the life of God, Christ applyes the
reall principle of mortification. Now the redemption from a vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. from the present evil world, Gal. 1.4. is as reall and proper a
bargain, except we follow Socinus, as
redemption from the wrath to come. 2. Christs
death hath an influence morall and swasorie to work mortification: As 1 Pet.
1.16. Be holy. 17. Passe the time of your sojourning in fear.
For ye are bought with his blood from
your vain conversation. And 1 Pet. 5.1,2. Christ hath suffered in the flesh, therefore be mortified to your
lusts, and serve them not, as the Gentiles do: So Col. 3.1.5. But the action morall of the Gospel doth not work upon
the naturall man: for like works upon the like; carnall reason upon a carnall
spirit; and spirituall Arguments upon a renewed man; as an Argument from a
painted feather works upon a child, more then an Argument from an inheritance,
which no doubt will work upon a man come to age, and yet neither the one nor
the other works upon a renewed mind to remove him off Christ his rock. Hence it is, 3. that Acts of Omnipotency are used
as Morall Arguments: also, God works in
you to will and to do, therefore work out your salvation. And choosing,
redeeming, calling, justifying, quickening, converting, are brought in as
causes in Scripture, both reall and morall; but they work morally on reason,
where there is an impression of faith and principle of life. The Gospel works
on an unrenewed man to perswade him almost to be a Christian: Ye may perswade a
youth to a course, and get his word, consent, and write; but because reason is
green and young, he falls off it again, but a man of judgement shall stand to
it: yet if he be not renewed, reason is also green and raw before a spirituall
temptation.
263
Quest. What are the actings of a
mortified man?
Ans.
No actings. 2. Slow actings and lent. 3. Actings indifferent. 4. Closing with
contrair providences, reproaches, work not on mortification to fire the man.
Psal. 35.12. They speak mischievous
things. 13. But I as a deaf man,
heard not. David feared to be the reproach of the foolish: Such a case, though
from God, would raise a cry in a
child of this world. Psal. 39.9. I was
dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou did it. A mortified man is dead
to the voice of men-singers and
women-singers, and musicall instruments of all sorts, Eccles. 2.8. and houses, gardens, vineyards, orchards, great
possessions, cattell, treasures, gold, silver, are all as musick to a dead man:
and repenting Solomon now mortified,
looks on them as a wise man upon experienced vanitie and vexation of spirit. Will he sing and dance at a shadow?
Except a mad man, none will do that. 2. If any thing, without a child of God, work upon him, they move him not
much: Psal. 131.2. Surely I have behaved
and quieted my self, as a child that is weaned of his mother, my soul is even
as a weaned child. Acts 20.24. None
of these things move me: I make not much reckoning of bands. Peter, 1 Pet. 4.12. will have the saints not to think burning quick, strange, graces
motions are quiet, slow, modest, there is not much fire in the spirit of a
weaned child: A mortified soul is as a sea that hath no winds, nor low ebbings,
nor high spring tides. Grace stirres leasurely and lentely toward all things,
except to God: were there ten
Paradices offered to it, it cryes not, a dying mans pulse beats weakly. Grace
shouts at nothing, wonders at, and admires nothing; weeps slowly, laughs
slowly, sings weakly, eats slowly, drinks not wantonly, feasts, and yet
trembles and fears, whether it be the outward or the inward man. David sayes it well, Ps. 62.2. He only is my Rock--I shall not greatly be moved. The beleever sings, and yet he is not
wanton; and weeps, and yet is not sad; dies, and yet lives; is servent in the
cause of God, and yet stayed and
composed in spirit. 3. The actings of mortification are indifferent, not
fixedly bent upon any thing but God,
no not upon the Ark and spirituall comforts. Weeping David, 2 Sam. 16.25. saith to Zadok.
carry back the Arb of God into the City (better I want my comfort, then the
Ark be
264
taken) if I shall
find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again and shew me both it
and his habitation. 26. But if he say, I have no delight in thee, here am I,
let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. O how sweet, when for God, Moses can lay down his personall
satisfaction in a share of life eternall. What if he tramp upon my eternall
Crown, I should lay it down at his feet; and is not this mortification? Should
he hide his face, for eternity, from me, and I never see him in his
manifestations, so his glory shine in my everlasting sad desertion; there is
required an indifferency to all created things without; no peremptory and
absolute fixednesse of the affection to any good, God excepted, is good: the
contrair of this is an ingadging of the heart more then is right to any thing, give me children, or then I die, there
should be a contented living without children if God so will: love the
creature, as if ye loved not, the Lord would have us hungring for the creature,
and yet not eagerly desiring, and thirsting, and yet have a lent and well
ordered appetite to drink: love the child, but let the heart cleave leasurely
to the child. Plowing, and no heart-labouring, buying and selling, and no
heart-ingadging to the bargain is best here. 1 Cor. 7. They that have wives should be as if they had none. 30. And they that weep, as though they wept not;
and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as
though they possessed not. In the acting of affections toward the things of
this life, as father, mother, husband, wife, children, houses, gain, beauty,
honour, and new bought farme, there would be a godly distance of the heart from
the thing ye do: Loving, and no loving; rejoicing, and no rejoicing; weeping,
and no weeping; speaks most mortification. We cannot do here, except sinfully
we over-doe, and the out-goings of the heart to the creature must be fierie,
which is childish, whereas mortification is a gracious well composed grave
temper of the aged in Christ. There is a fire-edge and a fervour or feaver of
affections even to spirituall objects that are created at the first conversion,
for mortification does not so soon begin as the new heart. As for God, love as one that loves, desire and
desire, and when he hides himself, weep as if you weeped, so the weeping be
terminated upon God, not upon his
dispensations, to quarrell at, and censure
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his wayes, but let the out-goings of the heart to God,
and to Christ loved and longed for, be with fire, and full strength, Cant. 3.1,2,3,4. Cant. 2.5. Ps. 42.1,2,3. Ps. 84.1,2. Joh. 20.13. Luk. 7.38. Rev. 1.17. 4. Its mortification to have
a heart closing with all providences. Phil. 1.21. To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain: To live is good, to
die is good, because the Lord so wills, the Lords giving is to Job praising, and the Lords taking away
is to Job praising. Phil. 4.12. I know both how to be abased, and how to
abound: every where, and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to
be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. If I die, it is good; if I
live, it is good; if I be full, and rich, it is good; if I be hungry, and poor,
it is good; if David be on the
Throne, it is good, and he sings Psalms; if he be chased barefooted, and ashes
on his head, by the ascent of Mount Olivet, it is good; he also praises and
sings Psalms, 2 Sam. 15.30. Ps. 3.1,2,3. If he be at home in his
house, it is good, he praises, Ps.
30. Ps. 101. If he be banished in the
wildernesse, and chased from the house of God,
its good, he praises, Psal. 42. Psal. 63. Psal. 84. Nothing falls wrong to a mortified soul. The people cry
Hosanna, Christ bids them rejoice, their
King comes, Zech. 9.9. The wicked spits on his face, and plucks off the
hair, that is good, Isa. 50.6. I gave them face and back to be doing
their will. Heat to a gracious spirit is good, cold is good, joy is good,
sorrow is good, health is good, sicknesse is good: Ezekiah gets a victory, the Assyrians
are slain, that is good. Isaiah
prophecies that all that are in his house, and his treasures shall be spoiled,
and his children carried captive, good is
the word of the Lord: Is spoil and captivity and the sword good? Yea Ezekiah closes with it, Isai. 39.8. Grace wonders at nothing,
laughs at nothing, weeps at nothing but faintly, rejoices at nothing wantonly;
closes with all, sayes Amen to all: for Christ was crucified for me, and I am
crucified in, and with him.
Q. 3.
What are the speces or sorts of mortifications, that we may know the true
mortification?
A. 1.
Its hard to give the division of them logically: There is 1. a naturall
mortification, there is no fire in the affections of sucking infants to Crowns,
Kingdomes, to treasures of Gold and Silver,
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that is not mortification, but virtually there is as much
fire in a flint stone, though formally it be cold, as may burn twenty Cities.
Concupiscence driven away from the aged. Eccles.
12. the hearth-stone is cold, and there is in it such a deadnesse to lusts, not
because of deadnesse of sin Originall, it lives, as the souls of the old men
live, but because the tools are broken, the animal and vitall spirits are
weakened, the man loves the journey, but the horse is crooked and laid by:
there is nothing of Christs death, here.
2. There is a compelled
mortification, sicknesse and withered arms and legs, and strong fetters in the
prison, poverty and want, care for bread, and the armed man poverty that hath a
sharp sword, necessity blunts the
affections in their second acts, the man hath no mind of whooring: And many
drink water, who through Christ
crucifying, are not mortified to wine and strong drink. 1. There is often in
this, an ignorance of CHRIST crucified, and no faith. 2. A reluctance to divine
dispensation, and no gracious submission to God, which is in one crucified to
the world.
3. There is a Philosophick
mortification to the creatures which are seen by the light of nature to be very
nothing and most unsatisfactory to the naturall man: but there is no
supernaturall deadness in the heart wrought by the death of Christ. Archimedis, and other great
spirits, sick of love to know the nature, motion, and influence of the starres,
and pained with a speculative disease of books, and to know much, do contemn
and despise honour, gain, pleasure, the three idols, of ambitious, of covetous
and voluptuous men; but there is no deadnesse, no bluntning of the operations
of the soul toward the idol world, flowing from the beleeved in crucified Lord
of Glory, except you say that Plato,
and Aristotle, and such, were
crucified with Christ: Learning works
not mortification.
4. There is a religious or a
madly superstitious mortification. The
Monks (saith Luther) dreamed that the world was crucified unto
them, and they unto the world, when they entered unto their Monasteries, but by
this means Christ is crucified, not the world: Yea the world is delivered from
crucifying, and is the more quickened by that opinion of trust they had in
their own holinesse
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and righteousnesse.
Col. 2.23. In
will-worship, in humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the
satisfying of the flesh. There is much vain and counterfeit mortification; and Papists have as good warrand to
sacrifice their lives to God, and to
offer a bloodie sacrifice unto God, under the New Testament, as to shed their
own blood in whipping and scourging, and such bloody worship, bath the grouud
of mortification that Baals Priests
had to launce themselves with knives to the effusion of blood. And the same may
be said of pilgrimages, of voluntary poverty, in which (as Luther said) the world and all their lusts are quickened.
5. Not unlike to this is the
Pharisees mortification, in which they are not crucified with CHRIST, but alive
and vigorously strong to self-righteousnesse, to merits, to dead works.
6. There is a civill or morall
mortification which hath diverse branches. As 1. Seneca teacheth that nature is satisfied with water for drink, and
a turfe for a house, yet he was a covetous man himself. And shall Horatius Cocles be a mortified man,
because the defended the Romans
against the three Curiatii alone?
Though the bloody Gallant killed his own sister? And was the state mortified
who pardoned him that bloody fact, for his gallant service? And Decius father and son who suffered so
much for their Countrey, and loved it more then their own blood? And must Africanus Major, and Cato, who suffered for the liberty of
the publick, and Diogenes, who lived
on herbs, be mortified men to the world? But what avails it to be dead to the
bulk of a bit body of clay, and yet be alive to vain glory? 2. There is an
occasionall deadnesse rising from the sight of a father, a brother, a friend
dead, not from the death of Christ.
An unbeleever dies with this word, I
would not live for all the world, and, we
are like water spilt on the ground. The house is burnt, all spoiled,
treasures, and the stock, by land and sea-robbers, are plucked away; and riches
have wings. Hence, mortification transient for a time: but lusts fallen in a
sown, are not dead, they rise again and live. 3. There is another transient
mortification, as D. Preston
observes, when the conscience is affrighted with Judgement, and some
fire-flaught of restraining grace is up. 4. A good calm nature naturally either
dull and stupid, or some clement and meek disposition, and free of
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the fire that often follows the complexion, and hampered
in with teachers, parents, company, education, learning, seems a mortified
nature. But that is true mortification, that flowes from faith in a humbled
crucified Saviour, and it is not to beleeve that Christ was mortified in our room and place, as Saltmarsh and Antinomians
would say. Faith in Christ crucified
is our mortification causatively, in
radice, not formally.
Q. 4.
To what things must we be crucified?
Answ. Gal.
6.14. To all things created, to the world; wee condemn and despise and hate the
world, and the world does value us nothing.
1. There is a deadnesse to self which was in Christ our samplar of
mortification, Ro. 15.1. Let us not
please our selves, but bear the infirmities of others. 3. For even Christ pleased not himself, Self
loved and adored, and mortification do not consist, too much life in
apprehension, and admiring self,
argues deadnesse of deadnesse and of mortification. Was not Christ a noble self? Yet for the Lord, and his ransoned
ones, Christ got above noble excellent self.
It is true, there is a renewed spirituall self,
a new I in the Saints, [foreign],
Rom. 7.17. Now it is no more I that do
it, but sin that dwels in me. Gal. 2.20. It is not I that lives, but Christ lives in me. Mortification sets
us above new [foreign] renewed self,
and regenerated and crucified I; it
being a created excellency that we are not to adore.
2. Mortification requires a
deadnes to the will, as in Christ, not my
will, but thy will be done: Much life in the will to created things, speaks
little or no mortification. Christ
excelled in this, Joh. 5.30. I seek not mine own will, but the will of
him that sent me. Or what court, and power, and life hath our will? And how
soon the will is broken and dead, then is the man broken, dead and crucified
with Christ. Much will, much life of sin: See Joh. 5.40. Ye will not come.
Luk. 19.14. We will not have this man to
raign over us. See Mark 6.25. Mat. 1.19. Mark 15.15. Act. 24.27. Act. 25.9. Luk. 10.29. Rev. 22.17.
All will, argues of mortification.
3. There is required deadnesse to
our life, which was eminently in Christ,
Mat. 20.28. 1 Tim. 2.6. Joh. 10.11. So Paul, Act 20.24.
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Ye speak of bonds and affliction,
But none of thase things move me, neither
count I my life dear to my self, so that I may finish my course with joy.
To be mortified to life, is to hate the life, Luk. 14.26. for Christ. And Revel.
12. they overcame: mortification was their victory. v. 11. They overcame, for
they loved not their lives unto death: Love of life is the life of sin when
its not loved in God.
4. We must be dead to wisedome,
and to all the gifts of the mind, for the wisedome of the world is foolrie, and
God hath befooled it, when it comes
in competition with the wisedom of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 1.18,19. except we be dead to it, we cannot glory in the Lord.
27,28,29. Compared with v. 31.
2. There must be a deadnesse to
learning, to books, and bookvanity, Eccles.
12.12. There is no end of making many
books, and much study is a wearinesse of the flesh. Eccles. 1.17. And I gave my heart of know wisedome, and to
know madnesse and folly: I perceived that this also is a vexation of spirit.
18. For in much wisedom is much grief,
and he that increaseth knowledge
increaseth sorrow. Paul spake more with Tongues then they all, 1 Cor. 14.18. but he was dead to that
gift, he had rather have brought them nearer to Christ. 1 Cor. 4.10. We are fools, and hardly we can away
with that; but we are fools for Christs
sake, and for the interest of Christ and the Gospel, let us so be counted.
Its nearnesse to Christ that maks us for him to be willing that what is most
eminent in us be trampled upon, even shining wisedome, sciences, acts,
eloquence, knowledge which pusseth up.
Yea there is (3.) required a deadnesse of the knowledge of Gospel-mysteries, 1 Cor. 13.2. Paul was not rude in knowledge, but he was dead to that, and would
not glory in that. And (4.) they are not crucified with Christ, not dead to
opinions and sides, and to lead factions: I
am of Paul, I am of Apollo, was
no honour to Paul in his own esteem,
1 Cor. 1. What? was Paul crucified for
you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? Who excells in learning, who
admires
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not his own, the birth of his own mind? If it were but to
hold there be ten new worlds in the Moon, and millions of worlds in the other
side of this world? My brethren, be not
many masters. Ah! we are not dead to the Chair, the Pulpit, every one loves
to be counted and called Rabbi. The
blessed Man Christ confesses that he knows neither the day nor the hour of the
Son of Mans coming; yet there are who darre define the time of his coming, and
the day. The mind is a proud and haughty thing, and we are not dead to it; the
mind is not mortified to the mind, 1 Cor.
8.1,2.
5. We are not dead to Mammon: O who is like Christ and refuses to be a rich King, Joh. 6? Paul, 2 Cor. 8.9. For ye know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake
he became poor: He had a greater mind then that he could live to riches. Paul, Acts 20.33. saith not I have
sought neither silver nor gold, as the Godly judge, Whose ox have I taken, 1 Sam. 12.3. but I have coveted no mans silver or gold, or apparrel: The life of
lust to riches is in the trusting in it. Job 31.24. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, thou art my
confidence; Or, 25. have rejoiced
because my wealth was great. Its true, a beggar and an extream poor man
that cannot have bread, is not troubled nor much tempted to seek a Kingdom and
the millions and tunnes of gold that many rich ones have; but yet there are
speculative desires and rolling waves and floods of wishes in the heart for
these: and because hunger and want of bread is his door enemy lying between him
and the hope of great riches, the man is neither mortified to the love of bread
nor to the millions of gold that the heart is sick after. And as there be
diverse kinds and speces of pests, and they are not all of one kind, yet all
contrair to the blood and the heat of life: So are there sundry kinds of
unmortified lusts about riches according to the sicknesse of the desire.
Obj. But is not the desire of food and raiment naturall, how then is it faulty?
Ans.
The desire simply is naturall, and the Ants and the Conies do desire. But the
desire 1. beyond measure. 2. With a sinfull doubting that they shall not have
it, which reproacheth Omnipotency. 3. A desire wider then that of Ants and
Conies, of
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that which is more nor sufficient, which would destroy
and not feed but over-feed, is the faulty desire; as sicknesse desires drink
more then sufficient, not for health, but to feed the disease, it is the desire
of the disease rather then of the man diseased; and the forbidden desire is the
sin.
Obj. 2. May not a child of God desire more then enough, how then is he
mortified?
Ans.
If the desire of more then enough come from the habit of covetousnesse, the man
is not mortified to Mammon: all
sinfull habits in the child of God are broken, and lessened, and chased in to
inclinations, or to the habit of Originall corruption slackened and by grace
subdued; but in every child of God there is sin dwelling and the flesh, Heb. 12.1. Rom. 7.17,18. 1 Joh.
1.8,10. Jam. 4.5. Gal. 5.17. and the old man, which is put
off by degrees, Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.5.10. which is a habit of
corruption not in full vigor, but sickening, decaying, and a dying daily, but
even a grown child of God from this broken and sick habit may, temptation
invading, and the Lord withdrawing his influence of grace, may break out into
grosse acts of covetousnesse, adultery, murther, as is clear in David, Lot, Peter, Asa, and that saith
that mortification is compleat in none. And there is too oft a sort of sinfull
resurrection of the habit of sin and the flesh, so that David seems not to be David,
but an adulterer, a murtherer: As we see it is the same River that swells over
its banks, that it was before, but the overflowing is from without, from the
clouds and from excessive rain, the river also hath a receptive capacity in it
self to exceed its banks and channel: So hath a child of God from strong
temptation from without, and broken corruption from within, a more then his own
ordinary quantity and swelling over his channel; To teach us that our
mortification is a work not of day, but of our whole life. Neither would the
wise Agur pray against riches, Prov. 30. if temptations contrair to
mortification did not follow them.
6. There is a necessity of
deadnesse to honour, and to learn the noble and excellent arte of
self-contempt, that the Spirit shall teach us that spirituall lesson to be
willingly tramped on, and the face spitted on, and the hair plucked off the
cheeks, as our Blessed Lord went out and in the way met with spitting and
shame,
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Isai. 50.6. Mat. 26.67. Mat. 27.26. O
great word! Phil. 4.12. [foreign], I
have learned to be abased. 1 Cor. 4.12. Being
reviled we blesse, being persecuted we suffer, being defamed we intreat, we are
made as the filth of the world, and are as the off, scouring of all things unto
this day. [foreign], the sweepings of the house. Erasmus, the filth wiped off any thing. Valla, the filth that sticks to the shoes. The Syriack hath a word that noteth the dung of the belly. As the
condemned man tumbled into the sea as a sacrifice to Neptune from a steep place was called peripsema. So Budæus
thinks Paul alludes to heathen
expiations. And when they reproached me, David,
Psal. 38.13. But I was as a deaf man that
heareth not, as a dumb man that opened not his mouth. The sense
anddiscerning of heat and cold, of railings, and applauses, would be dead: That
is mortification, when the sense of hearing is dead to sounds, to musick, and
to pleasant songs, these are not delightfull to a crucified or hanged man, when
the life is out: Nor can all the sweet smells, flowers, roses, precious
ointments, affect the smelling of a crucified man, nor all the fair and
magnifick pallaces, meadows, gardens, rivers, mountains, hangings, painted
pictures, work upon the sight or eyes of a crucified man. When the heart is
ravished with honour, as the man who said the glory of Themistocles hindered him to sleep in the night, as litle mortified
as Themistocles who said sleep was
taken from him, and he was raised out of his bed in the night by reason of the
brave trophie and renown of the victory of Miltiades,
that renowned man of Athens, who, as
is known, with a 10000. Greeks, put
to flight 60000. Persians. And Alexander the Great, his heart must have
been waking at the sound of honour, who, when a messenger came running to him
full of joy, said what should thou tell me, but that Homer is living again? for he thirsted for nothing so much as
honour: And how soft and very nothing is the spirit that is broken with riches
or honour and pleasure? And often men
judge themselves mortified, because they are dead, it may be to riches, but
alive to ambition and desire of honour. As Nebuchadnezzar spared no charges
for his gods, his pleasure, but he was alive to honour, Dan. 4.30. Is not this great
Babylon, that I have built for the house of the Kingdom, by the might of my
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power, and the
honour of my majesty?
Sathan doth often change Post-horses,
and can seemingly deaden men to riches, when they are not mortified, and yet
the heart is strongly vigorous to honour. When it was told Zeno that his ship, which he did trade withall, was broken: Well done, Fortune, (saith he) thou compells us to go within our cloak;
he meaned, To live upon the glory of vertue and learning, when riches are spent
and gone, was well done. But mortification, in the habite and root, is like the
works of nature. The Sun equally enlightens the whole Air from the East to the
West: Life comes in equally upon the whole Embryo
and birth. Saving mortification goes through the whole soul. Christ merited by
his death deadnesse to honour as well as to riches; Though in the actuall
subduing of lusts D. Preston does
well observe that there is not that labour required in subduing and mortifying
all sins. For love of sin being the dominion, life and castle of sin, the more
love to the heart-idol and to the right eye, the harder it is to be mortified.
Some sins cleave to us as our hair and nails, as a custome of some sinfull
words, these are sooner mortified; and yet if mortification be not in the
heart, these take life again, as hairs and nails cutted and shaven grow again.
The trees in Winter are not dead: but there be master-devils and strongly
rooted heart-darlings pride, covetousnesse, to which we are mortified, with a
huge greater deal of pains and wrestling, for they are to men as the eye and
the right hand.
7. We are not soon dead to
injuries. Our blessed Coppie in this excels: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And Steven, Act. 7.60. Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Colos. 3.13. Forgiving one another. Yea, but he
wronged me, and injuries have a strong impulsion upon our spirits. I cannot
forget it. If any man have a quarrell at
any (saith he) let it falls even as
Christ forgave you, so do ye also. Shall not Socrates witnesse against us, who answered his friends, willing him
to accuse before the Judge a vain youth who did smite him with his foot, If an
Asse lift his heels against me, shall I lift my heels against the Asse? and the
youth was so convinced that he hanged himself. And he said nothing to a
multitude of reproaches easten upon him in the Theater, but, I am vexed with words in the Theater as
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in a great banquet. But naturall reason mortifies
men to injuries, as cold water allayes and for a time softens the pain of the
childs burnt finger, but the pain is the greater when the water is removed; Or
as want of money mortifies a man to drunkennesse, he drinks not excessively,
not because the heart will not dare to sin, but because he cannot. The Word
backed with influences from the death of Christ strongly mortifies to all sins.
8. And the soul is not easily
deadned to an office or place of a Prince, a Ruler, a Master, a Prophet, a
Teacher. Abishai, 2 Sam. 16.9. Why should this dead dog curse my lord the
King? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. David standeth
not much upon cursing the lord the King.
He is so mortified to that stile as he forgets it, and, v. 10. he saith, Let him
curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. He saith not, the
Lord hath bidden him ourse the lord King
David. Answers thou the high Priest so? Its a great word. Christ was the Messiah, that is a great office of King,
Priest and Prophet: but he was willing to forget his office, by way of taking
much on him, that he might fulfill his office by way of suffering. As Rulers
and such as are in place must so far be dead to their office and place, as they
must be willing to bear in their bosome
the reproaches of all the mighty people, and to have their footsteps, even as
Rulers, reproached, Psal. 89. v. 50,51. Places and office too often have an
influence and strong enough on our unmortified hearts. But there are some
providentiall sufferings that befall Rulers, as Rulers, against which they
should be hardned, knowing that the Lord suffers in them.
9. It should be our work to be
deadned to pleasure. I have married a
wife, and therefore, [foreign], I can
not come. This is the most lively lust. There is a mortified eye, Job 31.1. I have made a covenant with mine eye, why then should I look on a maid?
Mortified eye looks call for mortified heart-looks. Its an old sin, Gen. 3.6. And when the woman saw the tree that it was good for food, and that it
was pleasant to the eyes,--she did eat.
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Mortified Joseph
saw sin ingraven on pleasure, Gen.
39.9. How then can I do this great
wickednesse, and sin against God?
10. There must be a deadned heart
to all the three, to the world, 1 Joh.
2.15. Love not the world, nor the things
of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, Jam. 4.4.
There is some life between the friends of the world and the world, and James doubteth not to call that enimity with God, and the three great
Idols of the world, gain, glory and pleasure, cannot make any happy, which
Heathens, Plutarch, Cicero, Seneca
saw: and therefore they pressed a contempt of the world. For strength is the
glory of the Elephant or the Bull rather then of man, and plucked away by age
and time; And beauty is no lesse uncertain, being made up of quantity and
colour, and the Rose and the Lilly hath more of it then man. Riches have wings,
and tender not the owner happy: Nobility is a borrowed good, and the Parents
glory not ours: And honour is the opinion and esteem of men, and we yet cannot
be dead to nothings, to shadows, to emptinesse and to vanity:
and fair buildings are well ordered dead stones.
11. They are not rightly
mortified who are not deadned to creature-comforts, to father and mother, for
they forsake, and the mother may forget the fruit of her own womb, but the Lord
cannot forget his own, Psal. 27.10. Isa. 49.15. My friends, Job 19.19. 2. All
my friends, 3. All my inward (and
dearest) friends, 4. Abhorre me. Forsaking is hard, but
abhorring is most sad. Yea even in the Cause of God Paul is put to this, 2 Tim.
4.16. At my first answer no man stood
with me, but all men forsook me. 2. So must the Church be dead to forraign forces, Hos. 14.3. Ashur shall not
save us, we will not ride upon horses, and the people must be dead and sit
still from help from Egypt, Isai.
30.7. For the Egyptians shall help in
vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cryed concerning this, Your strength
is to sit still. Sitting still is a ceasing from relying upon the Chariots
and strength of Egypt, as being dead
to them: For thus saith the Lord, the
holy One of Israel, in returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietnesse and
in
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confidence shall be
your strength: and ye would not. And 4. his people must cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be
accounted of? Isai. 2.22. and be dead to multitude: for, Psal. 33.16. No King is saved by an host, a mighty man is not delivered by much
strength. 17. An horse is a vain
thing for safety. The help of the creature substitute in the room of God,
having the lustre of blue and purple, or cloathed in scarlet, riding upon
horses. Young men of desire, Ezek.
23.23. doe easily dazle our eyes, and when we are not renewed in the spirit of
our mind, unsanctified hearts are weak in apprehending, and more weak in
discerning of things. 5. So must there be a deadning of the husband to the
wife, Job. 19.17. to servants, Job. 15.16. to sons, 2 Sam. 16. v. 11. of the mother to the daughter, of the daughter in law to the
mother in law, Mic. 7.6. to
blood-friends.
12. All the godly and zealous
Prophets said Amen to the word of the
Lord, even Christ with sighs and tears, to the extream desolation and ruine of Jerusalem, Luk. 19.41. Math. 23.37,38. and Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, &c. to the plowing of
Zion as a field, to the sword, captivity, to the laying wast of the land
without inhabitants, Isa. 5.9. Isa. 6.10,11,12. Jer. 9.1,2,3,4. Jer.
16.1,2,3. &c. Mic. 3.12. Hos. 4.3. Hos. 5.6,9, &c. There must be a deadning to our Country and
Mother-Church, that the glory of justice may shine; yea to our fathers grave,
our own bed, our own fireside.
13. The Lord will have Isaiah and the godly dead to Lawes and
Government, to vision and prophecying, when Judge
and Prophet shall be taken away, Isa. 3. 2. and children shall be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them,
v.4. and the vineyard broken, and the hedge spoiled. And he will have the
godly dead to King and Priest and Law, 2 Chron.
15.3. Now for a long season Israel had
been without the true GOD, and without a teaching Priest, and without law.
Hos. 3.4. Hos. 10.3. And now shall they
say, We have no King, because we feared not the Lord: what shall then a King do
to us? Hence we must be mortified to every thing created which the Lord may
take from us.
14. And upon this account there
is required a deadning of our hearts to shipping and trading with diverse
mighty Nations, as we
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see in the case of Tyre,
Ezek. 27. of Babylon, Rev.
18.11,12,13. Jer. 51. so are we to be
mortified to fair houses, Isa. 5.8.
stately cities, Isa. 14. to all the Cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up: to all the Oaks of
Bashan, to all the high mountains, to every high tower, to every fenced wall,
to all the ships of Tarshish, to all the fenced cities: for the day of the
Lord may be upon these, Esai. 2. to
all fair Rivers, to Oxen, Horses, Chariots, fair acres of land, to Vineyards,
to Olive trees, Ezek. 29.4,5. Isa. 50.2. Exo. 7.19. Deut.
28.31,40,41,51. to seed time and harvest, Deut.
28.38. Hag. 1.6. to corn, wine, oyl,
to cattell, increase of kine and flocks of sheep, Deut. 28.51, Amos 4.9. to
Wine-trees, to Fig-trees, to seasonable rains, grasse and fruitfull fields, Joel. 1.4,5,7,10. Jer. 14.3,4,5,6. to peace, safe down-lying and safe rising. Lev. 26.36. for in all the hand of the
Lords anger is stretched out.
15. The Lord would have us dead
to valiant and to mighty men, to Captains, Isa.
3.1,3,4. Yea he makes true, Ps. 76.5,
The stout-hearted are spoiled, they have
sleept their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands. 6.
At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and the horse are cast into
a dead sleep: And therefore he will have us dead to courage in warre. Who
brings on faintnesse and terrour upon the spirit, when the sound of a shaking
leaf shall chase men, Levit. 26.36.
And when the Lord sends a trembling of
heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind, Deut. 38.65?
16. We are called to be dead to
honourable birth, blood, and noble Families, when Princes are filled with contempt,
and these that were cloathed in scarlet, imbrace the dung-hill, Lam. 5.12. Isa. 40.23,20.
17. And we must be dead to the
vigorousnesse of youth, when we read Eccl.
12.1,2,3. &c. And Barzillai his
complaint, 2 Sam. 19.35. Can I taste what I eat? Can I hear any more
the voice of singing men and singing women? And why but this should make us
dead to sports, pastime, dicing, gaming, dancing, feasting, chambering,
wantonnesse, to all plenty and fulnesse, when God can remove the appetite, and
give bread, or remove bread, and give the appetite. So as the Lord leaves that
doom on you,
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Lev. 26.26. And
when I have broken the staffe of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one
oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight, and ye shall eat
and not be satisfied. So is Solomon
dead to laughter, Eccles. 2.2. I said of laughter it is mad.
18. There is required a deadnesse
to Ordinances, the Tabernacle is not God: David
may be banished from it. The Temple is a Type of Christ, yet it is burnt with
fire, and the Sanctuary prophaned: And the Lord required a sort of lentnesse or
leasurlinesse of motion of the heart toward these, and will have his people in
their exile resting upon this, Ezek. 11.16. Therefore
say, thus saith the Lord God, although I have cast them far off from the
heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countreys, yet will I be
to them as a little Sanctuary in the countreys where they shall come. And
they who remained still at Jerusalem reproached their poor captivated brethren,
as hated of God, and gloried in themselves as Citizens and Inhabitants of
Jerusalem, saying, v. 15. to the
exiled brethren, Get you far from the
Lord, unto us is this Land given in possession. They were not mortified in
looking upon the Holy Land and City, but vainly gloried in it. And therefore
there are two things in Ordinances. 1. God that fills the Ordinances. 2. The
externall bulke of them. Mortification to God and his presence in Ordinances,
is not that we here require, for the affections cannot be vigorous enough in
following God. There may be a limiting and binding of God to means, to the
Temple, Sanctuary, hearing, Seals, and a fleshly heat and livelinesse to means,
and bare and naked Ordinances; and in both these there is so far required a
deadnesse, as there would be an holy submission to all these, when the Lord
deprives us of Ordinances, and a retiring in to the fountain, to the Lord
himself, that he may be all in all. So some cannot sleep except the Bible be
under the head in the night: Some tye their faith and comfort so to one man, if
he be not their Pastor nothing is right. But so much of CHRIST, or the
substance of Gospel-promises must be neglected, as means and instruments, and
Ordinances are Idolized: In a word, mortification calls for livelinesse of
affection to God in Christ, and a holy deadnesse to all things that are not
God.
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19. There is necessary here a
deadnesse to works, for there be these defects in them. 1. They cannot save, Eph. 2. (2.) They were not crucified for
you, let them not have the place and Chair of Christ. 3. They cannot quiet the
conscience, because they cannot justifie. Paul
Preached from Jerusalem to Illyricum, laboured more aboundantly
then they all, was unrebukeable, was conscious to himself of nothing, yet was
he as dead to these as to very nothing, 1 Cor.
4.4. and to losse and dung, Phil.
3.8. Hence must we be dead to the idol of Godlinesse, for its not God.
20. And dead to Godly men, in
poynt of confidence, we must not know the
Man Christ after the flesh, 2 Cor.5.16. nor any meer man, to cry man up as
God, (every man is a liar) is
contrair to Gospel-mortification.
21. It were good to pray much,
and to be dead to prayer: One of the main causes why we cry and pray much and
are not heard, Psal. 22.2. Psal. 69.1,2,3, is, because that which
is proper to God the hearer of prayer, to wit, confidence and hope, we give to
prayer which is not God. We pray to our own prayers and to our own wrestling
often, rather then to God: and we beleeve praying does the businesse and works
the charm, as if prayer were Omnipotency it self.
22. Nor are we dead to faith and
hope, but we beleeve in faith and in beleeving, and we hope in our own hoping
in God. But was faith crucified for you?
How many fetch peace, pardon and righteousnesse, not from Christ, but from their act of beleeving? Hence a cale, whether some
may not fervently pray and beleeve strongly, and yet be disappointed in the
particular they pray for and beleeve they shall have? Certain it may be,
especially when we are dead to Omnipotency and alive to praying and beleeving;
and lay more weight on faith in God then on God, and on praying to God then on
God himself. What Antinomians say
unjustly we give to works, to wit, our peace with God, they and many unduely give to faith, not to Christ.
23. We fail in being more alive
to comforts then to God the comforter: the infant may at once both suck the
breasts, and also sleep. And is one flower more to be smelled then the whole
Garden? And shall feelings and raptures, and manifestations of God
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in his out-goings be courted and over-courted by us
beyond the God of all comforts? There is need that the heart be deadened to
sense, for feeling and sense is fiery and idolatrous; and were sense more
mortified at the out-goings of faith, hope, love, it were good, for our faith
should be the more lively and vigorous to lay, hold on God. Q. Is it not lawfull to be taken and
feelingly delighted with the influences of God? Ans. Sure, feeling of it, self is not faulty, the fierinesse and
excessive fervour of feeling is faulty, especially when terminated upon created
actings of love, faith, joy, desire, hope, and not upon influences as coming
from the free Grace of God, otherwise, we are but sick and pained of love of
our own gracious actings, because they are our own; and this is the sicknesse
of selfishnesse. Ah! a Godhead, a Godhead is not known.
23. Nor must we be, in a too
lively way, taken with our own stock, nor trust in the habit of grace or the
new heart: for grace in us is a created rose that spreads fair and broad and
smels well, but it is not God nor Christ, that
we may learn not to trust in our selves, [foreign], 2 Cor. 1.9. But why but
we may trust in our renued selves now furnished with a stock and infused
habits, the excellent blossoms and blooms of heaven? Nay, not in our selves thus fitted, but
in God who raises the dead: for its not possible both to trust in renewed
self and in God: And Paul never meant that any that
professeth CHRIST, is to lean upon sinfull self or upon lost and condemned
self. And sure it is as selfy to be alive to infused habits, as to misken
Christ, and think, being once a convert, we can fend ourselves all the rest of
the way to heaven without Christ, we need not Christ for a Guide or a Tutor, its
within us may save us. And nothing can be more contrair to a living the noble
and sure life of continuall dependencie by faith on the given Leader of the
people, Jesus Christ, then to trust
on habits of grace, they are not Christ.
25. Ah! who is that mortified as
to be dead to the created sweetnesse of joy, and the right hand pleasures of
God, and the formall beatitude of glory, and alive to the only pure objective
happinesse of glory? And yet that is mortification, to love and be sick and
thirsty for heaven, not for the pleasures of the Garden, and the
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Streets of Gold, and the Tree of Life, and the River of
Water of life, but for only only God, the heaven of heavens: And therefore we
cannot be alive to pure and the only abstracted and unmixed Godhead, except we
be thus dead to heaven.
26. There is a deadnesse to the
letter of the promise: The promise
(saith M. Ambrose) is but the Casket, and Christ the Jewell in it, the promise is but the field, Christ is
the Pearle bid in it. Christ removed, the promise is no promise, or but
saplesse signes.
27. We must also be dead to the
rayes, out-shinings and manifestations of God
to the soul here, and must transchange God
in all presence and all love embracements, and no more: but be dead to the
house of wine, to the lifted up banner of love, to love-kisses of Christ, to
the love-banquets, and to the felt lying, as the beloved, all the night between
the breasts: for these nearest communions are not God himself. There is required a godly hardnesse for receiving sparkles
of hell and some draughts of sore trying wrath, and the hell of his most wise
and righteous frownings, and necessary absence and night of hiding himself.
28. And should not the Church be
dead to providences of fair weather, and Court, or the blessing of a godly King
David, Ezekiah, and mortified to
miraculous deliverances, dividing of the red sea, defeat of enemies, to
confirmation of the truth by Martyrdome and sufferings to blood? He who is dead
to himself and his body and ease, and hardned against contradictions of
sinners, against torment of body, cold, imprisonment, sicknesse, death, and can
in patience submit to all providences, is crucified with Christ, if God give or
withdraw, he is dead to both.
28. All who are dead with Christ,
are dead to all dead worship, saplesse ceremonies, and formall worship, Col. 2.20. Gal. 4.9. and are lively in the serving of God, and fervant in spirit, serving the Lord: And
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh, Phil.
3.3. Rom. 12.
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CHAP. V.
Of the Covenant of Redemption between God and the Mediator Christ. 2. Christ is not a bare witnesse to confirm the Covenant, but the Author
of the Covenant. 3. The Socinian way
of works cannot quiet the conscience. 4. Christ is upon both sides of the Covenant. 5. Justice mediats not. 6. Reasons
of the entrance of sin.
ISai. 49. 8. I will preserve thee (saith the Lord
to Christ) and give thee for a Covenant of the people.
Hence, the 1. Question: How is
Christ said to be given as a Covenant of the people?
Ans.
As Isai. 49 6. he saith, I have given thee for a light to the
Gentiles, that thou may est be my salvatiou unto the end of the earth: that
is, as Act. 13.46,47. I have thee, O
Christ, to be the Preached Light, and Guide of the Gentiles, and the Preached
Saviour, declared and proclaimed by the Preaching of Paul, Barnabas, and the Apostles,
and Pastors. So I will give thee for
the Covenant, that is, the Preached surety and Mediator of the Covenant, Heb. 7.22. Heb. 8.6. When the first Covenant was broken, he makes with us an everlasting Covenant, even the sure
mercies of David, Isai. 55.3. 2.
I will give thee as the only one who is the subject of the Gospel and Covenant
of Grace: For to Preach Christ and to Preach the Gospel and New Covenant are
all one. 3. I have given thee to be the confirmer of the promises, they are all
yea, and Amen, in thee, 2 Cor. 1.20. Gal. 3.16. And 4. by thy death thou
confirmes the Covenant, and seals it with thy blood, Heb. 9.15,16,17,22,23,24. Heb.
13.20.
Q. But
Socinus denies that Christ is the
purchaser or the obtainer by his blood (as it were) of the New Covenant, for he
did not by his death procure or merit pardon to us, he is only the surety or
Mediator of the Covenant. And Crellius
and he say, the cause why the confirming of the Covenant is ascribed to the
death of Christ, is because as by a slain beast and divided into two parts,
Covenants of old were established, so by the death of Christ the Covenant of
Grace was solemnly confirmed and sealed?
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Ans. Christ
is so the Surety as Mediator, as he is also the Author of this Covenant, as God, Exod. 3.6. It was he who said, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 1 Cor. 10.9. Let us not tempt
Christ, as some of them tempted him, and were destroyed of the Serpents.
And this is he who led them, and brought
them out of Ægypt, Numb. 21.6,7. whom
they tempted in the wildernesse, 5,6,7. And he ascribes to himself the
Covenant, Heb.8.9. Not according to the
Covenant that I made with their fathers, &c. And it is clear, that the
pardon of sin promised in the Covenant, Jer.
31. Heb. 8. is never ascribed to the
blood of Martyrs, but every where to Christs blood, Eph. 1.7. Col. 1.14. Rom. 3.25. Rev. 1.5. 1 Joh. 1.8. Heb. 9.14.14,15,22. Heb. 10.16,17,18.
2. That he is the Surety also of
the Covenant, is expresly said, Heb.
7.22. and the Mediator thereof, Heb. 8. Nor can it be said that the death of
the Testator does properly give faith and authority to the Testament, for the
authority and justice of the just or unjust will of the Testator, addeth unto,
or diminisheth from the authority of the Testament; for the Testators will is
the principal efficient cause of the Testament, the death of the man is only a
necessary condition, by which the right of the Testator to these goods is
transferred from him (who now being dead, needs them not) in to friends, to
whom they are left in Legacie; and so death is but an antecedent condition of
the right to the goods. 3.Christs dying to bear witnesse to his own Gospel is
only the secondary end of his death, in so far as secondarily remission of sins
is made known to us after the principall end of his death, to wit,
reconciliation, remission, pardon, redemption, and life is purchased to us by
way of merit: And sure the truth of pardon and redemption is hugely more
confirmed and sealed by the whole company of the Martyrs, and made known to the
sons of men, then by the death of one single man, Maries Son: Nor does the Scripture ever commend Christs love to us
in sealing the Gospel with his blood as the only way to life, or making this
the most strong Argument to move us
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to beleeve in God,
and obey Christ, because Christ died
for sinners, and rose again to make the Gospel true like, and worthy to be
beleeved, as the Martyres do: but love shined in this, that in dying we have
redemption and forgivenesse and life in his blood; And since Godly and sound
beleeving Martyrs died for this end, especially to glorifie God, and seal the truth, Joh. 21.19. Rev. 2.13. Mat. 10.32. Luk. 12.8. Mar. 8.38. Luk. 9. 26. 2 Tim. 2.12. Rev. 12.11. we must have most properly forgivenesse of sins in the
blood of Steven, and Antipas, and the rest of the Martyres. And miracles do aboundantly
seal the truth of the Gospel; And so doth the holinesse of profession, Joh. 20.32. Mar. 16.20. Joh.5.35,36. Matth. 5.16. but never are we redeemed,
justified, saved by Christs and the Apostles miracles and holy life, for any
thing we read in Scripture; but we have life by Christs blood as by a ransome,
a price to buy us.
Q.
Hence, 1.case: May not the conscience be quiet by the way of Socinus, which lays aside a ransome
given to Justice?
Ans.
The experience of the Godly man wakened in conscience saith to this, when he is chastened with pain in his bed, and
the multitude of his bones with strong pain, and the mans soul drawes near to the grave, and his life unto the destroyers, and the man stands in need of an Interpreter, one among a thousand to shew
unto man his righteousnesse, Job 33.19,20,21,22,23. Then God is gracious to him, and saith, deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found him a ransome:
He is not quiet while God say, my Prophet, deliver him from hell and the pit,
which he so much fears, for my offended Justice hath found a ransome in Christ,
and I am pacified with him. Yea, and the conscience must be purged from dead works, by his blood who offered himself without
spot to God through the eternall Spirit, Heb. 9.14. Yea, and there is no remission of sins without sheding of blood, v.
22. Not of Buls or Goats, for the
blood of beasts leaves still conscience
of sin, Heb. 10.1,3. Then it must be the blood of Christ, v. 5.10. who
was crucified and made a curse for us, Gal. 3.10. such a curse as we must
have eternally, according to Divine Justice, suffered. Yea, if works done by
the exemplary grace of a Martyr, such
a holy man as Christ, who was never
wounded for our transgressions, nor
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bruised for our
iniquities, then
Christ died in vain, and there was no
ransome of blood given for our sins, only God of free-will made an innocent man
a curse, and would have him crucified neither for his own sin, nor for ours;
well then, may good works without the blood of sinner or surety, take away sin:
And the conscience sprinkled with good works may will calm a guilty conscience,
yea, and according to the measure of good works is the measure of assurance of
peace with God. Now we see the most tender David,
Job, Hezekiah, Heman, who walked most with God, have not alway most
assurance of peace and righteousnesse with God, but most dreadfull doubtings of
conscience, according as by faith they apprehend the ransome of full
satisfaction, or were dazled and darkened in their apprehension; yea sure,
without the ransome of blood, of free-will, all receive a dry and unbloody
pardon by doing the Commandements of Jesus
Christ. The Socinian faith which
looks to an exemplary Martyr whom God of no justice, but in vain, and for no
cause, delivered to death, but of meer free pleasure, whereas there might be,
and is forgivenesse without shedding of blood: contrair to Heb. 9.22. Rom. 3.24.25,
&c. even good works done in imitation of Christ.
Q. 2.
Another case is here: Is Christ on
our side of the Covenant, and on the Lords side? This would seem no satisfying
of justice. Ans. It is true the case
would seem no quieting of conscience. If 1. Christ-God
were not the same offended God, who out of soveraignty of free grace doth
condescend to make a Covenant of grace, and so is upon Gods side. 2. If Christ
were not a Person different from offended God,
as the Godhead is common to all the three, so in a voluntary and admirable
dispensation and Oeconomie the Kings Son, a Person different from the Father,
taketh upon him our nature; And 3. having mans nature which offended, and so
being fit therein to satisfie wrath, and fit therein to merit, to sanctifie the people with his own blood,
might well be upon our side: and there's no scenick, no seeming, but a most
reall satisfaction here, in that there is a most full and reall compensation
made to offended justice, and our faith laying hold on this, the conscience is
quieted. As I sinned in the first Adam
legally, so I satisfied in the second Adam.
Obj. But justice saith, The same
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person that sinned, the same must suffer and satisfie,
and no other.
Ans.
Justice saith so, but that part of justice by the graciousnesse and
mercifulnesse of the Just God is, and may be dispensed withall: So as Justice
as Justice seeks payment, the Creditor as the Creditor seeks recompence and
restitution: But by whom, Justice determines not, whether payment and
satisfaction be made by the same very person who offended, or by a fit surety
in the person and place of the offender, as it determines not whether as much
or far more be restored then was taken away, so there be a compact and
voluntary agreement between the satisfier and the satisfied. Hence, Justice
being 1. offended, is not (to speak so) the interposing and the mediating
attribute of God; but Soveraignty of Free-grace and mercy interposeth. 2.
Justice may seek payment from the only offending partie, and from no other,
from Adam and his posterity only; but
Justice doth not indispensably, and by necessity of nature exact payment from
the only offender and from no other. 3. The conscience of the beleever may with
sweetnesse of admiration and peace rest upon satisfied justice, and adore
interposing grace, and be quickened from looking unto, and loving interposing
grace, to obey and take on the labour of Gospel love to run the wayes of his
Commandements. 4. It is not an act of Law, nor of Justice, to give, or find out
a satisfier, but an act of love, grace, and infinite wisedom.
Q. 3.
A third case is, how can the beleever look upon life eternall as a gift, if it
be sold at so condign a price as Christs blood?
Ans.
It is not fit to speak of this mysterie, but with holy reverence, life eternall
is bought to us, and we are said to be bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6.19. 1 Pet. 1.18. 1 Tim. 2.6. Matth. 20.28. Now it is unworthy of
Christ, that the fruit of his death should be only grace, not glory, and such a
grace as is lubrick, uncertain, renders us indifferent, but much weaker to
beleeve or not believe, that is, as Socinians
say, to earne and win the wager of Glory by a new Gospel-working, which is our
righteousnesse, and merit to glory: For sure Pagans are more sinfully weak in
the Second ADAM who died for them, as Socinus
will, then mankind were in the first Adam.
The Scripture saith that Christ gave himself for his Church, that he might
present her a glorious Church, Eph.5.
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25. 27. 1 Thes. 5.9. For
God hath not appointed us for wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus
Christ. 10. Who died for us. 2
Tim. 2.10. Therefore I endure all things
for the elects sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ
Jesus with eternall glory. Jude 21. Looking
for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life. Rev. 5.9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood,
&c. Act. 20.28. Feed the Church of
God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his
blood. 11. In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance. We are not afraid to call eternall life a fruit of
Christs death, that is, of the merit of his death: See Joh. 10.10,11.28. Joh.
3.14,15,16.
Q. 4.
A fourth case: Many stumble, some in that God permitted sin to enter, which he
might have hindered, knowing he should be thereby under a necessity either to
torment men in hell, or torment on earth his most innocent Son Christ?
Ans. Socinians, Arminians, yea Pagans,
and all enemies to Christian Religion, are burdened with the same seeming
reason: For if God, or their gods may hinder wickednesse, and yet do not hinder
it, they bring themselves, or the true God, that they must be necessitated to
torment the sinners.
2. There be reasons unanswerable,
why if we yeeld (and it is a shame to deny) that God is able to hinder sin to
enter in the world, or that he is not infinitly wise, and so that he hath not
most weighty reasons why he suffers sin to be: As 1. if sin come freely in the
world without the will of God, either the Lords dominion over sin must be none
at all; or the creatures dominion of free-will must be dependent upon the
dominion of grace and Soveraignty. 2. The out-goings of free-grace must
eternally be hid, if sin had never been. As there had been no field for the
expressions and blossoms of eternall flourishing revenging justice: As also,
the creatures times are short, and could not reach the eminent degree of
manifesting the glory of free-grace and pardoning mercy, but the Lord aimed at
this. And 1. the relation of a Saviour and a sinner, of the Physician and the
sick must be known; Now a Physician hath not relation actuall to all sick, all
the world over, but only to his own patients, his own sick ones, who by
Covenant, feeling their
288
danger, have laid the weight of life and death, of
righteousnesse, of salvation over upon that one only Saviour, and live, dyet,
apply salves, medicine, only by the direction of this Physician, and do receive
medicine and recepts from no other.
2. Infinite wisedom made choise,
beside other infinite possible wayes, of this only way of redeeming: and here
glorious Soveraignty shines, he wailles out, Judas, Magus, Pharaoh, to be fire-wood and coal to the River of
fire and brimstone, and made so many sinfull peeces of sick, brittle clay,
overgilded with the habit of grace, of free righteousnesse, of glory, to be the
eternall harpers and proclaimers of the glory of his grace; whereas he might
have made these stones, and worms, for he created Angels and worms, and all out
of the Mother Nothing, by his good
pleasure. And it must be a wonder of unsearchable Soveraignty, that should not
for eternity have been concealed, such a number of Angels and men whom he set
up in the heaven of heavens as heirs of glory, to be everlasting Heraulds and
Trumpeters to sound out experienced grace and mercy, might have been, if so it
had pleased him, lumps of everlasting vengeance in the eternall lack, and all
that are condemned, and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire, both devils and
men are chips and peeces of beings
hewen out of the same rock (if so we may speak) of that huge and vast Nothing, and might have been up before
the Throne filling the Chairs and rooms of the now heirs of glory, thou
beleever, might have been in the seat of Iudas,
scorched in his furnace in hell, and Iudas
might have had thy Throne and thy Crown up with him eternally who sits on the
Throne, and with the Lamb.
3. He might have keeped all the
sons of men, and all the Angels, in a sinlesse condition, to be courteours to
proclaim the glory of Law-goodnesse, and of the never broken Covenant of Works,
but then there should never have been such a thing known to the generations to come, as that Ark of glory, that huge and boundlesse all fulnesse of the indwelling Godhead in the Man Christ. Sure, had
there been none sick, such a suffering Physician to heal us had never been,
none lost would have said there is no Saviour, none dead in sin, would say,
there is no need of such a Lord and Prince of life by whose swelling wounds we are healed, Isa.53.
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4. Nor was it fit that this
should never be known to Angels and
men, that the Lord honours so many redeemed sinners with a grant and licence to
love so high, so precious a Redeemer, and as it were to marre and black his fairnesse
and desirable excellency with our feeble and sinfully weak love, he being so
far above our love or faith or praises.
5. The Gospel-wonders should not
be an eternally sealed book to men and Angels, as, Revel. 12. 1. that wonder in heaven, A woman cloathed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon
her head a crown of twelve Stars, should be known. And what was shewed to John was to be shown to the Churches, Rev. 21. 10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a
great and high mountain, and shewed me that great City, the holy Hierusalem
descending out of heaven from God. 11. Having
the glory of God. I mean here the wonders of grace, mercy, declared
justice: as that the most High should empty Himself and the Godhead be united
to clay: that there should be such a high Bridegroom, so low and sinfull a
Spouse: that death should conquer death: that Nothings of clay should sing their debts, eternally cast down their
crowns, being made of sinners glorified Kings, and not be ashamed to cast down their crowns before him that sits on the throne.
Nor should the gifts and graces of God
be hidden, Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son,--how should
he not with him, [foreign], give us all things, begrace to us all? How
should he not make heaven and earth free grace to us, and all a masse of grace
to us? Eph. 1. 6. [foreign], He hath begraced us all over in Christ.
1 Tim. 1.13. But I obtained mercy, as
dipped in a sea of mercy. Luk. 1.28. Hail
Virgine, [foreign], filled with free grace. Let us forgive one another,
Col. 3. 13. as Christ begraced pardon to
us, [foreign]. That we might know, 1 Cor. 2. 12. [foreign], the things that are freely given us. And
what a debt must that be, the forgiving of ten thousand talents, more then to
forgive millions and tuns of gold?
Hence the Question, whether
Law-innocency and never sinning, or Gospel-repentance and rising again in Christ, be most excellent? It is
answered, 1. Simply to us: It is better and morally more excellent never to
fall, never to be sick, then to rise in Christ
and
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he healed by such a Physician. But sinning and falling
being considered in relation to a more universall good, there is more
excellency in Gospel-rising then in Law-standing: As, 1. There is more feeling
deeper sense in the woman which did wash
Christs feet with her tears, and wipe
them with the hair of her head, then in some who never so fell. And Christ may hold forth something of this,
Luk. 15. 7. Likewise I say unto you (saith Christ) there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more then
over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. True it is our
Saviours scope is not to compare repentance and Law-innocency together, or to
show that the Pharisees needed no
repentance, as if they were not in a lost condition: but to show what joy was
in heaven with the Lord the father of the forlorn son, and in the Angels, at
the home coming of repenting sinners. And is not a Jewell of ten thousand
millions of more worth then a Diamond that is not worth the eighth part of that
summe? Adams innocency and never
sinning should have been by the common influences of Law-love, and the same may
be said of Angel-innocency. But Gospel-repentance is the gift procured at a
dearer rate, Christ was exalted a Prince to give repentance, Acts 5. 31. Neither should there be
sense and such loving sense of free grace in the forlorn son, had he never sled
away from his father, and never been so received with a welcome of grace which
he beleeved, before he felt it.
CHAP. VI.
Q.11. Whether there be any such thing as a Covenant of Suretyship or
Redemption between JEHOVAH and the
Son of GOD? That there is such a
Covenant, is proven by 11. Arguments.
NO doubt, Christ God-Man is in Covenant with God, being a person designed from eternity, with his own consent,
and in time yeelding thereunto, and yet he stands not in that Covenant-relation
that we stand in: as we shall hear.
1.Arg. What Argument does prove that there is a people in Covenant
with God, who call the Lord their God,
as Zech. 13.9.
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Jer. 32.38. Isai, 25.9. the same shall prove Christ to be in Covenant with God:
As who can say, he is my God, he must
be in Covenant with God. As Jer.
31.33. I will be their God, and they
shall be my people, Ezek. 11.20. Ezek. 34.24, 25, 30. Now this is clearly
said of Christ, Psal. 89.26. He shall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my
God, and the Rock of my salvation: The Son, the only begotten of the Father
saith, thou art my God, Heb. 1.5. And
again, I will be to him a Father, and he
shall be to me a Son. It is expounded of Christ, but was first spoken of Solomon, the Type, 1 Sam. 7.14. My mercy, that is, my Covenant mercy to the Son of David and his seed, shall stand sure as the dayes of heaven, Psal.
89.28,29,34,35,36. 1 Chron. 22.10 He
shall build a house for my Name, he shall be my Son, and I will be his father.
Then follows the Covenant-promise: And I
will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever; which is
expounded, Psal. 89.28,29. &c. of
Christ, a Covenanted King as long as
the Sun and the Moon indures, 34,35,36. and cannot agree to David, whose Kingdom is now gone. As
also, Christ flees to this Covenant
in his extream suffering, my God, my God,
why hast thou for, saken me? Psal. 22.1. Mat. 27.46. So Psal. 40. it is Christ who saith, v. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God. And it is a Covenant
compellation, my God, and spoken by
him, v. 6. Mine ears thou hast opened, who removes all sacrifices, and offers
himself a sacrifice, Heb. 10. 5. A body
thou hast prepared me. So also, Ps. 45.7. Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse: Therefore God, thy
God (a Covenant word) hath anointed
thee with the oyl of gladnesse, above thy fellows. See glorified Christ
glorying in this. Rev. 3.12. Him that
overcometh will I make a pillar in the house of my God, and he shall go no more
out: and I will write upon him the Name of my God (which is) New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of
heaven from my God: Four times he calls him his God. The Lord speaks in his
Type, Psal. 118.28. he who comes in
the Name of the Lord, and is made the head of the corner: Thou art my God, and I will praise thee, thou art my God, I will exalt
thee. Christ is a noble example in this teaching us to ride at this anchor
of hope, thou art my God by Covenant, Mic.
5.4. Christ shall feed in the Name of the Lord his God, Isa.
55.4.
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2. Arg. Is taken from the Lords way of calling of Christ to his Office of Mediator:
So, he who is the Lords chosen, called, and sent servant, is either ingadged in
the service, by necessity of nature, so that God cannot choose, but he must
choose and call him, and he must, by the same necessity of nature, be chosen
and called to that service, or he is the Lords chosen and called servant by
free agreement and consent of the Lord who calls, and of the partie called,
which is a Covenant between Master and Servant, the Lord and the sent
Ambassadour who is sent, the Lord, the Messenger who comes with such news. Now
of Christ it is said, Isai. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights.
And of meer grace and free-love, both God sent him, and he came, Joh. 3.16. 1 Tim. 1. 15. for by no necessity of nature was Christ sent to preach glad
tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, Isai. 61.1. to say to the
prisoners go forth, Isai. 49.9. For Isai. 42.6. I the Lord have called thee (saith he) in righteousnesse--7. To open
the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit
in darknesse out of the prison-house. Nor can we say, that any thing, but
the good will of the Lord did conclude or determine him to send: 1. To save
men, not Angels, Heb. 2. 16. 2. Some
men, not others; Joh. 15.13,14. 3. So
ill deserving men, as lost ones, Luk.
19. 10. sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. Rom.
5.6.8. (3.) When the Lord speaks of
the Covenant of grace, Ezek. 37.23.
he addes a word of this Covenant, I will
cleanse them, so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24. And David my servant (the son of David Christ, for David was dead) shall be King
over them, and they all shall have one Sheepherd. Ezek. 34.23. I will set up one Sheepherd over them, and
he shall feed them, even my servant David, he shall feed them, and he shall be their Sheepherd. 24. I the Lord will be their God. And Zecha. 13. JEHOVAH ownes Christ as this
Sheepherd, as one of his hireing. v. 7. Awake,
O sword, against my Sheepherd. Mal. 3. 1. The Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in, behold he shall
come, saith the Lord of Hosts. Hence, this David is the Servant, Sheepherd, and Messenger of the Lord, either
by nature, which cannot be said, for the Man Christ is by Nature his servant,
but
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Christ-Mediatour,
God-Man, is not
so his servant, or he is so by free consent, on the Lords part, who hires and
sends him, and on Christs part, who graciously condescended to be hired, and
undertook for us; which all along must be understood of no servile reward.
3. Arg. Christs voluntary yeelding to the work, proves this, if Christ- God- Man willing to empty
himself and take on him our nature, did offer his service to God, saying, Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou didst not
desire, Psal. 40.6. Heb. 10.5. a body
thou hast prepared me. 7. Then said
I, loe I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will.
And if Christ-God-Man did willingly
lay down his life of his own goodnesse, and no
man could take his life from him, against his will, Joh. 10,11,18. Joh.
18.5.8. Joh. 14.31. Luk. 9.51. Then is Christs free consent
to be our surety and Redeemer, to seek and to save us, clear, Matth. 20.28. Luk. 19.10. And if it pleased
the Lord to bruise him, Isa. 53.10. and of love to give him to the death
for us, Joh. 3.16. Rom. 8.3.32. Matth. 21.37. then the Lords consent that he should be our Surety,
Saviour, and Redeemer, is no lesse evident. Now a mutuall agreement between
JEHOVAH and the Son for one and the same undertaking is a compact and Covenant,
to have us saved.
4. Argument is, from the agreed upon giving and taking between the
Father and the Son, where there is a free giving of some to the Son to be
ransoned, and keeped, upon the Fathers part, and a most free closing of the Son
to own and answer for the given, and to lose none, but to raise them up at the
last Day, There certainly is a Covenant gone before, as Jacobs reckoning with Laban,
Gen. 31.39. That which was torn of
beasts, I brought not unto thee: I bare the losse of it; of my hand didst thou
require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 40. (Thus) I was, in the day the drought
consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
This evidently speaks a Covenant upon Labans
part, delivering his flock of Jacob,
as to a servant and sheepherd, saying, I
contract with thee, I deliver my flock to thee, answer for them: make an account
to me of dead and living. And on Jacobs
part, a taking burden Covenant wayes to take care of
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them; and a Covenant-yeelding, require thou at my hand old and young, weak and strong of the flock: I
bind my self to keep them. So Christ hath delivered and given to him of the
Father, so many by head and name, Joh. 17.2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give
eternall life to as many, [foreign] as thou hast given him. 12. Those that thou gavest me, [foreign], I have
kept, and none of them are lost. Joh. 6.37. All that the Father hath given me, shall come unto me, [foreign], and
the comer to me, I will in no wise cast out. 39. And this is the Fathers (Covenant-) will that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on
him, may have everlasting life, at
the last day. And what speaketh stronger consolation, then the Father gave
me to the Son Christ to be saved, and the Son undertook for me, hath given a
written band under his hand to keep me? O what happinesse! that I am not mine
own keeper, but that Christ hath given it under his hand, and the Father and
the Son have Covenant-wise closed and stricken hands, the one having given, and
the other received me a-keeping. 2. My soul enter thou not into their secrets
who lay all peace, comfort, assurance of salvation upon their own Socinian faith, that is, their
indifferent relying upon the Saviour
Jesus and their own holiness, watchfulnesse, obedience, love to God. Sure,
the comfort, joy, peace, assurance subjective
that they have in their conscience, can be no stronger then the objective and fundamental certitude of
standing, persevering, overcoming, slowing from free-will, which is woefully
free and indifferent to persevere and
stand, or not to persevere, not to stand, but to fall away. Its a stronger
consolation (and the strongest should be the Christians choise) that is founded
upon the Fathers giving, and the Sons receiving of sinners; and the faith of
salvation to me which relies and leans upon Christs undertaking for me, that I
shall not be lost, nor casten out, then upon my undertaking for my self.
The fifth Argument is from
Christs receiving the Seals, Who so receives in his body the Seals of the
Covenant of Grace, Circumcision, and Baptism, and yet needs no putting off of
the body of the sins of the flesh, by
Circumcision, and needs no forgivenesse
of sin,
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no regeneration, no burying with Christ in Baptism, as Col. 2, 11, 12. Rom. 6.3,4,5. and eats the Passeover, and needs not that the Lamb
of God take away his sins, as Joh.
1.29. since he is holy, and without sin, he must be under the Covenant, and God
must be his God, in some other Covenant then sinners are, for these seals are
proper to a Covenanted people, strangers and Pagans might not receive them, but
these in Covenant only, Gen. 17.7. Exod. 12.48. Matth. 28.20. Col.
2.11,12. and Christ must have
received Seals for other uses and ends, then sinners received them, to wit, to
testifie that he was the God of both Jews
and Gentiles, and that he was the
undertaker for us, in a Covenant of suretyship for us, to perfect a higher
command then any mortall man was under, to wit, to lay down his life for
sinners, Joh. 10.18. and beside that,
for our cause he was made under the Law,
to fulfill all righteousness, and so was Circumcised, Luk. 2.21. Baptized, Matth.
3.13,16,17. did eat the Passeover with the Disciples, Mat. 26.18 19,20. Mar.
14.18. Luk. 22.13,14. he, in coming
under that state in which he must, because a man, fulfill the Law, and be under
even Gospel commands so far as they were suteable to his holy Nature,
testifieth in obeying all commands even of the Morall Law (and as the Son of God he was under no such obligation)
that he was under a speciall ingagement, and compact to God, for the work of
Redemption. And we are taught to feel what imbred delight and sweetnesse of
peace is in duties; when Christ Covenants with God to come under the Law, and
under the hardest of commands, to lay down his life for sinners, because it was
a Law and command by Covenant, that hath most of obedience which hath most of a
Law.
Q. Was
Christ such an one, as needed seals to his speciall Covenant with the Father?
Ans.
He needed no seals at all to strengthen his faith of dependency, for there was
no sinfull weaknesse in his faith, yet he was capable of growing, Luk. 2.52: For the Law requires not the
like physicall intention and bendednesse of acts of obedience from the young,
as from the aged. 2. In that the receiving of the seals proves Christ to be
Surety of the Covenant of Grace, it makes good, that he was under the other
Covenant, and to perform the obedience due to the speciall command of dying, as
to a command of Covenant.
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6. Argument, is from the Lords libertie: If God might in justice have
prosecuted the Covenant of Works, and Adam
and his might justly have suffered eternall death for sin (for the Law is holy
and just, and the threatning Gen.
2.17. just) except the Lord had of grace made another Covenant, then must the
Lord send, or not send a Saviour to suffer, and be a suffering Redeemer and
Surety as pleased him, or not pleased him; and if Christ may refuse to undertake, or willingly agree, as pleased him,
and Christ being God consubstantiall with the Father, might have stood to the
Law-way of works: For who, or what could have hindered him to follow a course
of justice against all men? then if both agreed to dispense with that Law-way
to save man; Here is Covenant-condiscension between JEHOVAH and the Son, of
quieting Law, and pitching on a milde Gospel-way.
7. Argument, from the promises made to Christ: He to whom the promises
are made, as to the seed, so as in him they
are yea, and Amen, and he who is eminently the chief heir of the promises,
as ingaged to make good the promises on the Lords part, to give forgivenesse, Jer. 31.34, Heb. 8.12. perseverance, Jer.
32.39,40. Isa. 54.10. Isa. 59.21. peace, Ezek. 34.25. Lev.
26.6. 11,12. yea, and a new heart, Jer.
31.33. Ezek. 11.19. Heb. 8.10. life eternall, Joh. 10.28. and to make good the promises upon our
part, by fulfilling the condition, and giving habituall grace, Jer. 31. 33. Ezek. 36.26. and actuall influences, Jer. 31.34. to know the Lord, Ier.
32.39,40. Ezek 36.27. to, and with
him, God must strike a Covenant of
suretyship, that he shall have the anointing in its fulnesse, above his
fellows, without measure, to make good all these promises as Mediatour; for it is not simply grace
and life that the Lord bestows upon his people, but grace out of the
store-house of the Mediatour God-Man.
Now this must be given to Christ by promise, Gal. 3.16. Now to Abraham and his seed
were the promises made, he saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one,
and to thy seed, which is Christ: He cannot well mean mysticall Christ,
that is, Christ and all his, for they are indeed many and numerous, as Isai. 2.1,2. Isai. 60.1,2,3,4,5,6. Psal.
22.27. compared with Rev. 5.11. Rev. 7.9. for the promises are made to Christ-God-Man eminently, not formally:
For 2 Cor. 1.20. All the
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promises of God in
him are yea, and in him Amen. For the promise is made to us for Christ, and through his grace, then the promise is made first to
him, and more eminently, and to us for him: Propter
quod unumquoda tale, id ipsum magis tale. 2. The promises are fulfilled and
made good, not because we fulfill the condition, but for Christ, in whom, and by whose merit, both the grace promised, and
the grace habituall and actuall to perform the condition, be it faith,
repentance, humility, &c. is
freely given to us. 3. Christ is he
who makes the Covenant and all the promises, Act. 7.32. Who said to Moses,
I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham--34. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Ægypt,
and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them: And now
come, I will send thee unto Ægypt. And v.
35. Moses is made a Ruler and a deliverer
by the hands of the Angel that appeared to him in the bush. This is Christ, the Angel, 38. of the Covenant,
Mal. 3.1. Whom they tempted, 1 Cor.
10.9. Of whom the Lord said, Exod.
23.21. Beware of him, and obey his voice,
and provoke him not: for he will not pardon your transgressions for my Name is
upon him. And this Angel faith, I am the God of Abraham, the Omniscient
God that sees the afflictions of his people. 3. Hears their prayers. 4. Delivers
them out of Ægypt, Exod. 20.1,2. and
so the Author of the Covenant, and of all the promises. It is much for weak
beleevers that God stands ingadged in
Christ by Covenant with him to give us to beleeve, and to beleeve to the end.
Hath the Lord given himself Surety for the standing of a tottering beleever? Is
there not ground to beleeve that Christ shall make good his undertaking? Also,
if all the promises be made to Christ who is the author of the Covenant, and
upon condition that Christ do his part, and lay down his life; then sure Christ is under a Covenant, to injoy his
reward, when he hath done his work? And to have a beleeving seed is Christs reward, heaven and earth can
make no surer binding for faith and salvation.
8. As the former Argument is from
the promise made unto Christ, and fulfilled to him, so this is from the
Predictions, Prophecies and Promises of him, as he, of whom such glorious
promises were foretold, and may claim the thing promised, by faith, he
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hath some word of promise for suiting these things: which
is a Covenant, if he shall do what is required of him, and fulfill the
Commandement, Joh. 10.18.
But such Prophecies and Promises
there be of CHRIST, Isa. 22.22. The key
of the house of David will I lay upon
his shoulder: so he shall open and none shall shut, and he shall shut and none
shall open. 23. And I will fasten him
as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious Throne to his fathers
house. 24. And they shall hang upon
him all the glory of his fathers house, the off-spring and the issue, all
vessels of small quantity: from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of
flagons. Zech. 3.8. For behold, I
will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. Zech. 6.12. Speak unto Joshua, saying,
Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying, Behold the man whose Name is the
BRANCH, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the Temple of
the Lord: 13. Even he shall build the
Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon
his Throne, Mic. 5.4. And he shall
stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the Majesty of the Name of the
Lord his God, and they shall abide: For now shall he be great unto the ends of
the earth. 5. And this man shall be
the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land. So Psal. 72.7. In his dayes shall the righteous flourish, &c. Hence, as Christ
prayed in faith, Joh. 17.5. to be
glorified with the glory he had with the Father before the world was, because
he finished the work, though he was not yet crucified, but he had a mind fixed
to suffer: So may Christ pray in
faith to Govern right, and to bear the glory, and to feed in the strength of
the Lord, and to have a conquished people, since he was to fulfill all the work
that was laid upon him: And this supposes a Covenant.
Hence, Arg. 9. from the suite he bids his Son aske, which he will grant,
Psal. 2.8. Aske of me and I will give
thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy
possession Psal. 89.26. He shall cry
unto me, thou art my Father, my God and the Rock of my salvation. 27. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher
then the Kings of the earth. 28. My
mercy will I keep for him for ever, &c. If God say to us, call upon me
in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee: This argues a Covenant that God
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shall hear, if we pray; Then it sayes, if Christ the Mediatour shall pray, he shall be heard
and prospered with successe in his work.
10. Argument from the work of Christ, and the wages, which a Covenant
calls for: Christ complains, Isa.
49.4. Then I said, I have laboured in
vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: there's work. Shall
he have nothing for his work? He adds, Yet
surely my judgement is with the Lord, and my work with my God. v.6. He
receives an answer of a full reward for his work. And he said, it is a light thing, that thou shouldest be my servant, to
raise up the Tribes of Jacob, and to
restore the preserved of Israel: I
will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou may st be my
salvation unto the end of the earth. Which words are cited true of Christ, by Luke, Act. 13.47. when Christ
is Preached to the Gentiles: And as one who laboured for us, so he craves his
wages, though the Jews pay him unworthily. Zech. 11.12. Then I said, if ye think good, give (me) my price, and if not, forbear; pay me, or pay me not: Yet the Lord
payed him. Phil. 2.7. He made himself of
no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,--and became obedient to
the death, the death of the crosse. Here is work: followeth his wages, call
it merit, or what else, its a reward and the end of his suffering, which Christ
both desired and intended, as the fruit of his labours. v. 9. [foreign], Therefore God highly exalted him, and gave
him a Name above every name. Act. 5.21. Him
hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and Saviour. Isa.
53.10. When he shall make his soul an
offering for sin (which was work hard enough) he shall see his seed (which was his souls desired wages) he shall prolong his days, the pleasure of
the Lord shall prosper in hand: 11. He
shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. 12. Therefore will I divide him (a portion) with
the great, and he shall divide the spoyl with the strong: that is an ample
reward. Follows his work, because he hath
powred out his soul unto death, and he was numbred with the transgressours, and
bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressours. Hence,
his care to finish the work of him that sent him, and to do his will, Joh. 4.34. Joh. 17.4. Joh. 8.29. and
as the Father
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loved, so he rewarded the obedience of his Son, not by
necessity of nature, but by a voluntary compact, but he loves his obedience, Joh. 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I
might take it again. Joh. 15.10. If
ye keep my Commandements, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my
Fathers Commandements, and abide in his love. Nor can it be denied but a
redeemed and saved people was much in the heart of Christ, and much in his desire
and intention. Joh. 10.10. I am come,
that they may have life, and have it more aboundantly. And if, to finish
the work, especially of saving lost man, was his meat and drink, Joh. 4.34. and he prayed for the
ransoned ones, Joh. 17. to sanctifie them: 17. That they might he where he is, 24.
There must be always in the heart of Christ a design of love, in that he made
redeemed ones his end, his work, his souls satisfaction, Isa. 53.11. And O how worthlesse were we! that the desire of God should be toward us: How far below
the price that love put on us? Was man a Crown and wager for God, for God, for
such a God to run for, to work for, and to win? Was there not a more fixed seat
in Angels, then in clay, for so high a love as the Love of God? Is there room
in so low a peece of created Nothing,
for so high, and deep, so broad and long a design, so high an aime, as nothing
could be the last and the least result of transcendent love, but great Immanuell, God with us? Reason might
say, a lesse price may buy poor man, a lower design may compasse sinners. But
love said no lesse could do it: and this love is not capable of a mistake, in
buying, infinite love cannot erro in designes of free-love.
11. Argument is from the Oath of God: Christ is made a High Priest, another
way then other Priests: Heb. 7.21. For
those Priests were made without an oath: but this with an oath, by him that
said to him, the Lord hath sworn and will not repent, thou art a Priest for
ever, after the order of Melchizedec, Psal.
110.4. No man enters to an office by an oath to be faithfull, or to be for ever
in such an administration, but he enters also to the office by Covenant. And
this oath is sworn by the Lord JEHOVAH, to Christ: The Lord hath sworn,--thou art a Priest. Its a more excellent Priesthood
which is confirmed by an oath, then that of
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Aaron, which is confirmed by no oath.
Psal. 89.35. Once have I sworn by my
Holinesse, that I will not lie unto David, (the Messiah my Anointed, the son of David.)
36. His seed shall endure for ever.
Act. 2.30. Therefore being a Prophet, and
knowing that God with an oath had sworn to him, that of the fruit of his loins
according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit upon his Throne.
31. He seeing this before spake of the
Resurrection. Psal. 132.11. The Lord
hath sworn in truth unto David, he
will not turn from it, of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy Throne.
12. If thy children shall keep my
Covenant, and my Testimony that I shall teach them, their children also shal
sit upon thy Throne for evermore.
They shall sit so and so by
Covenant blessed in Christ. And so
the stability and certainty of the decree and oath is not to make the children
of David secure, but watchfull in
their duty: But this is not a condition without the which the Messiah should not reign, but without
this he should not reign to their comfort and everlasting good. But otherwise
the truth of the Lords Covenant-faithfulnesse depends not upon mens unbeleef, Rom. 3.3. and for the certainty of this
promise and oath which made good Christ his reign which shall not cease, see 2 Sam. 7.12. 1 King. 8.25. 2 Chron.
6.16. Luk. 1.69. Gen. 21.17,18. Hence there is no Covenant made with Christ that the Covenant of Works made
with Adam should stand for ever. 2.
No oath in that Covenant. 3. No promise or oath to give perseverance, and the
Spirit and influences of grace for that effect. And the oath of God, that Christ shall be King of my will to reign over the heart, to give
repentance as a Prince, Acts 5.31.
and that God hath sworn him to be an eternall Priest who offered himself a
sacrifice to deliver me from the present evill world, Gal. 1.4. to ransome me from my vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 18. to bring me to God, 1 Pet. 1.18. that I should, being dead to
sin, live to righteousnesse, 1 Pet.
2.24. Eph. 5.25,26,27. Heb. 13.11,12. Rev. 1.5,6. is somewhat more comfortable them the doctrine of Papists, Arminians, who say that any
tempted Saint may be a justified Saint to day, and an Apostate, a limme of
Satan and a child of perdition to morrow, as Judas was: as if Christ
were not a sworn Advocate in the nick and hour of temptation to help,
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in the act of winnowing: and had not made promises of
actuall grace to actuall temptations when they come, Luk. 22.31. 1 Joh. 2.1. Math. 10.19. And if Christ be sworn a
King, Advocate, an high Priest, to overcome the rockinesse and flinty and stony
rebellion of will, providing that will shall first yeeld and not play the King
against Christ: for any thing I see,
the Covenant of grace is looser (the corruption of the Covenanter being ten
times stronger to evil then the will of Adam
was) then the Covenant of Works, and the Gospel an infinitely more plain path
to a more fiery hell then the Law. And it speaks much of free grace, that the
everlasting salvation of the Elect is in such a castle as the oath of the
Omnipotent and infinitely faithfull Lord.
Lastly, the Argument is the more
considerable that every Priesthood, even that of Levi, is imposed by Covenant, Mal.
2. 5. My Covenant was with him of life
and peace.
CHAP. VII.
The Covenant of Redemption is explained in three eternall acts. 1. Designation, decree of ordination, and delectation in the work. 2. Mercy and peace, truth and righteousnes are
agreed in this Covenant. 3. The
designed sending of the Spirit cannot be a Covenant as this was. 4. The twelfth Argument. 5. The thoughts of eternall love.
THe Covenant of Redemption is two
wayes considered. 1. As transacted in time between Jehovah and Christ, in
his actuall discharge of his office of king, Priest and Prophet. 2. As it is an
eternall transaction and compact between Jehovah
and the second Person the Son of God,
who gave personall consent that he should be the Undertaker, and no other. And
these three acts are considerable in the Persons in this latter consideration:
1. Designation of one.
2. Decree and destination.
3. Delectation in the work.
As to the first: There must have
been a Person, either the Father,
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or the Son, or the Spirit. 1. By God, from eternity set
apart, separated, and designed: And 2. This person must have given an actuall
consent from eternity to the designation: Now the person designed was the Son
only, this lot eternally (to speak so) fell upon only him who was, [foreign] the Lamb fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1.20.
And because Christ-God equall with
the Father, does not begin to consent and agree to the designation in time, nor
can Christ-God will any thing in
time, which he did not will, and consent unto, from eternity; therefore he was
present with the Father, and consented unto the designation, and closed the
bargain from eternity: upon which account, Christ had the glory of a designed
Saviour with the Father, before the world was, and prayes that he may, God-Man, be glorified, as touching the
manifestation of that glory to Angels and men, with the glory that he had with the Father before the world
was, Joh. 17.5. and here is an eternally closed Covenant between JEHOVAH
and the Son, with the consent of parties. And who sees not our debt of love,
for a foresight and providence of pure grace? Behold a designed Physician
before we be sick, and Christ with his own consent, writing himself the
repairer of the breaches before the house fall, and the healer and binder up
before the bones be broken.
2. Christ is chosen and
predestinate the head, the first born of the house, and of the many brethren,
and sayes Amen to the choise, and we are chosen in him, as our head, and he was
fore-ordained the Mediator, and the Lamb
before the foundation of the world was laid, to be slain for our sin.
Hence, 2. offended Justice by the breach of the Covenant of Works in all the
three Persons pleads that man should die, and that pleading is most, just, and
the Law cannot be broken nor repealed. The
soul that sins must die, Ezech.18. the threatning, Gen. 2. 17. must be fulfilled. 2. Mercy pleads (not having a Throne
higher then justice, as Arminius
saith) that so many chosen ones may find mercy, and peace calls for
reconciliation to sinners.
3. Infinite wisedome also requires that justice and righteousnesse (under the
name of mercy we comprehend free and rich grace) may meet, and peace and
righteousnesse may kisse each other, Psa.
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85.11. Hence all these Attributes of glory must come
forth, that a Throne may be set up and a Psalm may be sung, Rev. 5. 12. and the thousands of thousands may cry, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to
receive power, and riches, and wisedome, and strength, and honour, and glory,
and blessing. 13. And every creature
which is in heaven (saith John) and on the earth, and under the earth, and
such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing,
honour, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto
the Lamb for ev r and ever. Hence 1. there is no conflict between mercy and
justice (as Arminius saith) nor any
naturall desire in God to have all Angels and men saved, which is hindered by
justice, Job sayeth truely, c. 23. v. 13. He is of one (minde)
and who can turn him? (from this end which he intends, as if he could not
compasse it to another end) and what his
soul desires (in saving or destroying) even
that he doth. 14. For he performeth
the thing that is decreed for me (and all creatures, and his decrees are
most free, Eph. 1.11.) and many such things, or many the like
things are with him. Therefore it pleased his most free, soveraign and
absolute Counsell to bring forth to Angels and men, to heaven and earth, to sea
and to all creatures, the glory of justice, truth, mercy, peace, grace, power,
wisdom, Rev. 5.13. and in Christ the
decreed and appointed Mediator, the Lamb fore ordained, as Peter, 1 Pet. 1.20. to be slain, and who agreed to the decree, and
in an eternall compact took the burden upon him, to fulfill that of Psal. 85.10. Mercy and Truth are met together, Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed
each other. 11. Truth shall spring
out of the earth, and Righteousnesse shall look down from Heaven. So that
in this transaction, the Father and the Son and Spirit, let out to men for
their salvation the glory of all th se Attributes.
Obj. Did not the Holy Ghost also from eternity, say Amen, and agree to be sent by the Father and the Son, to lead the Saints in
all truth, to sanctifie, to comfort them? And did not the Father and the Son
from eternity decree to send the Spirit? And did not the Spirit also consent to
the decree before the world was? And so shall there be also a Covenant between
the Father and the Son sending the Spirit, Joh. 14.26. Joh.16.13,14,15. and the Spirit who is sent?
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Ans.
Every mutuall agreement between the blessed Persons concerning their actions
without, cannot be called a Covenant, nor need we contend about names. What if
we say that there is some Oeconomicall and dispensatory agreement of sending
and being sent, yea-even in the Works of Creation, Redemption and
Sanctification, though two things stand in the way to hinder us to call such an
agreement with the name of a voluntary compact or Covenant? 1. It seems
naturall and not voluntary, that there is such an admirable order of working as
the Father creates by the Son, as by his eternall wisedome, but yet a person, a
suppositum, different from the Father, and by the Spirit, as his mighty power:
a third Person. 2. The Son is decreed with his own consent to be the Person, to
empty himself, to be in time cloathed with our nature, and to put on the state
and legall condition of a Covenant-Obeyer of God to the death, the death of the crosse, and is made a little
lower then the Angels: and this may
well be called a Covenant-transaction, and a course of Covenant-obedience in
the Mediator, which condition the Holy Ghost comes not under. And what should
man say when the votes of the Three carries it, that our iniquities should be
laid on the Son, Isa. 53.6. and the
Son should be sent, Gal. 4.4. and he
from eternity should step out. Lord, send
me, here am I to do thy will. Joh. 3.13. No man (no person) [foreign], hath
ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man
which is in heaven. These votes of love fell not upon Angels, but upon man.
And how should it break my rockinesse that Christ
spake for me, undertook for me, took all my diseases upon him, before I was,
and before my disease had being? We reckon it great favour, Such a man pleaded
kindly and boldly for you in your absence, when you was not to speak for your
self. As its love to provide a rich inheritance for the child not born, and to
fight for the sleeping child that he may not be killed: when we had neither
being, action nor vote in Christs undertaking. Obj. Such as are chosen in Christ, such are foreseen beleevers, when they are chosen. Ans. Justly
learned and pious M. Bayn denies
that: for God choised the noble
royall Family, Christ the Head, and
all the Branches in Him. Love, eternall love begins at the head, descends to
the off-spring: But
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not because they are in Christ by faith and actually are foreseen believers, for that is
all one. We were in Christ as the
tree is in the seed, as all the Rose trees and the Vine trees are in the first
Rose tree and the first Vine tree, created of God, virtually. For because God
choosed us, therefore shall we be in Christ by faith: yea and he choosed us and
ordained us to be in Christ by faith, when He gave us to the Son to be keeped
by him.
The third considerable act here,
is an act of delectation, and the place is observable, Prov. 8. 22. The Lord, Chanani
possessed me: Its not Bara, created
me: Its not [foreign], as the LXX, have it, but as Aquila, [foreign], in the beginning of his way: as Cartwright, before he had created any
thing. 23. I was set up from everlasting.
Tremellius, inuncta fui, I was anointed. Aben Ezra, Electa fui, I was chosen.
The vulgar Latine, I was ordained, from
the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth: when there were no
fountains abounding with waters. 25. Before
the mountains were setled: before the hills was I brought forth, &c. In
all which the authority of Christ (saith
Cartwright) is proven from his
eternity, antiquity, immortality, &c.
and all this time He was with God, as
is fully, v. 30. cleared: Then I was by him, as one brought up with
him. Chald. Para. I was nourished up as a maid at his side.
He will not want his Son out of his eye: I
was daily his delight, rejoicing alwayes before him. The Hebr. [foreign] die, die, from day to day. Rabbi Solomon,
annor um myriades, myriads of years. The Father and the Son, from
eternity, delighted one in another; and were solacing themselves in the works
without themselves: and the ratio formatis
(as it were) that which took up the love, delight and thoughts of God, when as yet there was no world, no
mountains, no depths, &c. is Christ as Redeemer delighting himself
with the sons of men, 31. I was with
him,--rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth: Heb. Sporting or playing with the sons of men:
both because of all his works, as Ambrose
saith, he most longed for man, and made
heaven and rested not, and made the earth and rested not, and made the Sunne,
Moon and Stars, and rested not there: and made man, and then rested, as having
found the choisest peece of work he so much delighted
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in. So the Father
and the Son were taken, and (as it
were) love, saith Bernard, triumphed over God, and they
solated their heart in that great design of love, and from eternity passed over
that long and sweet age of myriads of ages, in the pleasant and delighting
thoughts of that boundlesse and bottomlesse Ocean of love, to wit, God is to be made sick and to die a love
for the sons of men. Love being above
and (in a maner) not stronger then the grave only, and then death and hell, but
some way (with reverence to his holinesse) mightier then the most High, and
brought God down to sick clay: that you may (saith Bernard) see, if you take
heed, joy sadened, faith feared, salvation suffering, life dying, strength
weakned: and this wisdome was hid up and kept secret since the world began, Rom. 16.25. Hidden wisedome (in the heart of the Lord from eternity) which God
ordained before the world, unto our glory, 1 Corinth. 2.7. the like where
of the eye hath not seen, nor the ear
heard, nor hath entered in to the heart of man, v.9. to conceive: So that this mystery of the Covenant between Jehovah and the Son of God was (as it were little enough to busie the thoughts of
the infinite understanding of of the highest Lord, God Father, Son and Spirit: as containing the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. 3.8. Say there were
millions and ten thousand millions of Globs of new whole earths of all gold
mines perfect and purest gold, yet should they not all come near to the borders
of this riches: and these all were in before there was a Creation, and he lets
out of this fulnesse to us, and we are sinfully poor beside Christs gold mines,
and dry beside the rivers of wine and milk: and dead, a thousand times, being
under the flowings and outlettings of life and of such a life.
Hence, the 12. Argument: If Christ the Son was designed, and fore-ordained with the Father, the
Spirit, and his own consent to be the person should pay the ransome of
satisfaction, and to be satisfied in his soul with the getting and injoying of
the bought, and well payed for and ransoned, yea the over-ransoned sons of men,
who ravished love and heart of Father and Son, before the mountains were
brought, Prov. 8.22,23, &c.
30,31. forth, and when as yet there were no depths, then was that bargain of
love closed and subscribed before witnesses from eternity. For could
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the heart of Christ
be cold and indifferent to undergoe suretyship for the sons of men: Who warmed
and kindled a fire of Redeemers; love in his heart from everlasting? Or was his
consent to the Covenant, but as late and young as since Adam fell, or Abraham was
called to leave his countrey and his fathers house, Gen. 3, Gen. 12? Ah! its
an older love then so: A yesterdayes love, time-mercy, a grace of the age with
the world could not have saved me. Nor were our Charters and Writtes of
Gospel-grace, first drawn up in Paradice: Nay, but copies and doubles of them
only were given to Adam in Paradice.
The love of God is no younger then God, and was never younger to sinners; and
woe to us, if grace and mercy to redeemed ones should wax old and weaker
through age, and at length die and turn in everlasting hatred. I desire to hold
me fast by that, Jer. 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love.
He meets (as Calvin well observes)
with a blasphemous temptation of Sathan, that the people had in their mouth:
Ho, the Lord appeared to me of old;
but that is a love from one year to another, and its out of date now: the
Covenant-love to Abraham is dead and
away, and the Lord is changed? No, I have
loved thee, not for a year, or a summer: The Covenant-love is older then
thy poor short time-love. Obj. But I may
leave off to love God; and he loves me no longer then I love him? Ans.
Where is then everlasting love? and because he loves us we shall not leave off
to love him. Night and overclouding of the Sun, is not a perishing of the Sun
out of the world; his love quickens my fainting love.
CHAP. VIII.
The differences between the Covenant of Suretyship or Redemption made
with Christ, & the Covenant of Reconciliation and of Grace made with
sinners. 2. The conjunction of the Covenants. 3. How the promises are made to the Seed, that
is, to Christ, the meaning of the place, Gal. 3.16.4. Christ acted and suffered alway as a publick head.
IT is not the same Covenant that
is made with Christ and that which is
made with sinners. 1. They differ in the subject or the,
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parties contracting. In this of suretyship, the Parties
are Jehovah God as common to all the
three on the one part: and on the other the only Son of God the second Person undertaking the work of Redemption. In the
Covenant of Reconciliation the Parties are God
the Father, Son, and Spirit, out of free love pittying us and
lost sinners who had broken the Covenant of Works. 2. Hence the Covenant of
Suretyship is the cause of the stability and firmnesse of the Covenant of
Grace. Its true, Psal. 89.19. David is meant, when he sayes, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I
have exalted one chosen out of the people. 20. I have found David my servant. For the grace of election made David mighty in the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord
came upon him, and made him mighty to execute his office; But this is so to be
understood (saith Mollerus and
others) of David, as it is also to be
referred to Christ, upon whom the
strength of our salvation is laid, and the strength laid Covenant-wayes upon Christ is the cause why David and his seed stand sure in an
everlasting Covenant of reconciliation. Though the Covenants of Suretyship and
of Reconciliation differ, yet must they not be separated: but faith principally
must be fixed upon the most binding Covenant-relation between JEHOVAH and the
Son of GOD. Eye Christ alwayes in the
Covenant, else its but the sheath or scabbard of a Covenant, and a letter to
us.
3. There be two parts (as it
were) of the Covenant of Redemption. 1. A Covenant of Designation. 2. Of
actuall Redemption. The former is eternall; for the Lord does not begin in time
to designe Covenant-wayes the Son to
be the Consenter to be our Surety: nor doth the Son in time begin to consent.
But the Covenant-consent in, 1. Designing of one Person the Son, and no other. Of 2. Decreeing and
fore-ordaining of Him. 3. Of mutuall delighting in love and in eternall
thoughts in the sons of men to be redeemed, 1 Pet. 1. 20. Prov. 30. 31.
Was closed and concluded in an ended bargain from everlasting: for the Parties
were coexistent and together, and rejoicing in one another: and in the common
work, to borrow that expression, thinking long till the day of marrying of God and man, and untill Immanuels day should dawn, Joh. 8. Abraham rejoiced to see my day. But as touching the other part, the
Man Christ, untill he should be Man
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and have a mans will,
he could not in two wills close with
the Covenant of actuall Redemption.
But the Covenant of
Reconciliation is no more eternall, then the creation, which is eternall in the
Decree of God, as are all things that
fall out in time. But this Covenant was made in Paradice, though it was decreed
from everlasting, yet it had no being as a Covenant, nor could have any, so
long as the Covenant of Works did stand. But it came in due time, the physick
and the Physician Christ the blessed
seed, not few hours after Adam was
fallen, came to his sick bed, or rather to his death bed: Blessed be his love
who redeemed us in our low condition, for Adam
had no faith to receive, nor hope of a Redeemer. Christ came, not sought for, not sent for, not so much as desired
by us: For how could we desire a thing impossible, to our knowledge? Or could
we thirst for a ransome of the blood of God
unknown to Angels or Men? This is preveening grace indeed.
4. They differ in the subject,
matter: The Covenant of Redemption is, 1. who shall be the surety of Redemption
to undertake for man? Here am I, saith
the Son, thy fellow, Zech. 13.7. 2. What shall be his work? What shall be
his wage? He shal Play down his life, that shall be his work: he shall be
obedient to-his Father to the death, even the death of the crosse. And his wage
shall be, He shall see his seed, and God
shall give him a name above every name. But no such work is laid on us, nor
such a reward to be expected by us in the Covenant of Reconciliation. Only here
life and forgivenesse is promised to us upon condition of beleeving in Christ: and fit it is that Christ be alone, none under such a
Commandement as He, Joh. 10.18.
5. The Covenant of Redemption
hath different commands, 2. Promises: 3. And conditions from the Covenant of
Reconciliation. The Commands of the Covenant of Suretyship are of two sorts: 1.
Some common. 2. Some proper and peculiar. The former is, that Christ fulfill all righteousnesse,
Matth. 3.15. obey the whole Law, being
made under the Law. Now the command of being under the Law, is two wayes
considered. 1. As laid upon the Son of
God, so it is no command, but a voluntary desire: And so his consenting to
take on our nature is a consenting to
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empty himself, and to be under the Law, but no act of
obedience, because he was under no commanding obligation to take on him our
nature. But 2. as it is laid upon him now God-Man, and the Word made flesh, he
is under a necessity to give perfect obedience, Heb. 10.5. Therefore coming
into the world: The Son being to enter into the world, and to take on our
nature, speaketh to the Father, thus: Sacrifice
and offerings thou desirest not, as expiations to take away sin, for they
cannot expiate sin; A body thou hast
framed to me, which is the only one sacrifice of the true Lamb of God which
taketh away sin, Joh. 1.29. and that
once for all: And there are not any sacrifices ever to come after, Heb. 9.26,28. And perfect obedience with
all the heart was tendered by Christ from a holy nature, he being full of the Holy Ghost from his Mothers womb, so as
none could accuse him of sin, Heb.
4.15. Heb. 7.26. Joh. 8.46. and this obedience had influence in Christs obedience. To the 2. to wit, to that proper and peculiar
command of suretyship that never man was under, but only Christ. Joh. 10.18. This Commandement (to lay down my life
for sinners) received I (and I only) from my Father. Psal. 40.6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not
desire, mine ears thou hast opened,--8. I
delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy Law is within my heart. Now thus
we are not either wayes under the commands of the Covenant of Grace: Who in
heaven and earth but Christ, could have come under baile and an act of
suretyship for us?
2. There were promises of an
higher nature made to Christ in his Covenant, then are made to us in our
Covenant of reconciliation, to wit, dominion
from sea to sea: A Throne at the right hand of God is not made to Angels, Heb.
1.8,13. nor to us; nor is there remission and pardon promised to him, as to us,
of this hereafter.
3. The condition of justifying
faith, laying hold on him who justifies the ungodly, is required of us in our
Covenant: There is no such condition required of Christ in his Covenant of suretyship. The faith of Christ is the
faith of dependency, but not as a condition of the Covenant of suretyship, but
in another account.
Q. But
is it not hard, that Christ is in one Covenant, and beleevers in another? Its
not hard, when the Lord Christs
Covenant
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and our Covenant cannot be separated, and when Christs
room in the Covenant of Redemption is to be the designed person Covenanting,
who undertakes for us, as the surety, witnesse, and Angel or Messenger of the
New Covenant, who makes sure our Writs, makes valid and strong our Charters,
Rights, and Evidences of our Inheritance.
Q. How
is it that the promises are made to Christ,
as to the seed; Gal. 3.16?
Ans.
Our Divines, Beza, Piscator, Deodati,
the English Divines in their Annotations, expound the Seed Christ, of Christ Mystical, as the Church the body, 1 Cor. 12.12. is called Christ. Judicious Pareus saith, that the Apostle
expounds the Seed, not collectivelie of many, and of all the
posterity of Abraham, but individuallie of one Christ, from whom flowes to the
beleevers, not so much the corporall blessing, as the spirituall, that is,
righteousnesse and eternall life: And so saith he, the Apostle saith, that this blessing or the inheritance is given to Abraham and believers, not by the Law,
that is by no merit in Abraham, but
by the promise, and by faith in Christ.
Among Papists, Liranus; the promises
are made to the seed, scilicet, Christo,
in quo impletœ sunt & non in alio, ideo dicitur semini in singulari numero,
that is, to Christ in whom the promises are fulfilled, and in none other;
therefore it is said to the seed in the singular number. So also, Cajetan: Semini autem ejus, tanquam &
cui promissa sunt, & in quo adimplenda erant promissa. Corn. à lapide: If the word seed, semen,
were taken collectively, the promise
could not stand; for its sure all the Jews were not blessed in the seed. Yea
many of them (saith Calvin) were a curse. Estius saith, the word seed, is a collective name, and notteth
many; and hath not in the Hebrew the Plurall Number. Augustine (saith he) will have all Christians following the faith
of Abraham to be here noted, for they
are that seed to which the promise is made, whereas Christ is properly he in whom the promise is to be fulfilled, and
in whom all are one by faith, and all are reduced to the Singular Number.
There is no reason to expound the
Seed Christ, of Mysticall Christ and of his Seed. 1. Because the Seed is he in whom the Nations are blessed, both Jews and Gentiles, v. 14.
And the
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Seed made a curse
for us, v. 13. But this seed is only Christ,
not mysticall Christ, head and
members: for neither are we blessed in Christ
mysticall, nor was Christ mysticall
the Church made a curse for us: Nor did the Church mysticall pay a price of
satisfaction to offended justice for us, v.
19. The word seed seems to have the
same signification, v. 16. and v. 19. Consider then, v. 19. Wherefore then serveth the Law? It was added because of transgressions,
untill the seed come, to whom the promise was made. Now the seed coming is Christ coming in the flesh to take on our nature. If the seed were
taken for Christ mysticall, the Apostle must say, The Law was added because of transgression, untill the seed should
come: that is, untill Christ
mysticall, his Church should come in the flesh, which is non-sense. 3. Whether
the promise be of Canaan, and of life
eternall thereby holden forth; Or of Christ
to come of Abraham, in whom all flesh
shall be blessed; or of righteousnesse by faith, not by the works of the Law;
Or of all these coming under the name of the inheritance, the promise is made to many in number like the Stars:
For the Lamb and the hundreth fourty and four thousands standing with him on
Mount Zion, and the thousands of thousands which none can number, Rev. 7.9. are many, and may well be
called seeds; And though they be all
one in Christ, yet the Apostle must speak too ambiguously, when he said, The
promise of righteousnesse and life is made to the seed, that is, to Christ head and members: for the promise is so
made to Christ, especially of life, pardon, righteousnesse, as the blessings
promised are fulfilled & given through, & for Christ as the only
meritorious cause, as all grant: which way the promises are in no sense made to
believers, who cannot come in as joint satisfiers with Christ. & as joint meritorious procurers with Christ of the
blessings promised to us. 4. The promise is made to the seed coming in the flesh, and assuming our nature in a personal
union, v. 19. as is, by confession of
all, expounded. Now this restricts the promise to God incarnate, and must exclude the members. 5. It runs most
connaturally to the Text, and comfortably to us, if neither Christ, Gal. 3. 16. be understood as a private
man, the Sonne of Mary: nor yet as Christ mysticall, as 1 Cor. 12.12. But as Christ, a publike
person, and Head and Lord-Mediator. 1. He represents all the
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Elect: and so the word seed is taken individually. He takes all the promises and the
weight of the whole Covenant of Grace and Covenant, promises off the Lords hand
as the second Adam representing all
the Family and House: Behold I and the
children that God hath given me. As the weight of the Covenant of Works,
and of the promises thereof, was upon the first Adam, as he should manage these promises, so should it fare, ill or
well, with all his seed. And so as Christ
having the Gospel and Covenant-promises committed to him, so should it be with
us: and this Tutor cannot miscarry, and so shall it be well with the Pupils and
Minors.
Were it no more but that, Joh. 14.19. Because I live, ye shall live also. ye shall live by promise, the
free promise of life eternall: its no small vantage.
2. The promises are laid down in Christ as in a publike Lord-keeper. Christ is that excellent
Ark in which are the Tables of the Covenant, and the Book of the Law and
Covenant, Deut. 31. 26. 1 King. 8.9. and as the first subject of
the promises he keepeth them. Yea and Christ is the fountain and originall
cause of all the promises: for he merited by his blood, remission,
righteousnesse, perseverance, eternall life, all grace, which the Lord makes
ours by free promise. 2. In Christ they are made and published to us: so they
are dear mercies to Christ: they stand Christ at a dear rate: they are ours
freely for no price or hire. 3. Hence nothing hinders, but the promises as made
to Christ the first Heir and Son of promise: for Christ is the chief and
principall thing promised, and other things that are freely given us (by
promise) are given to us, [foreign], with Christ, or after that he hath given
us Christ: and assignies, and younger brethren come in under the first Heir.
Our blood-relation to the Family stands by Christ, interest to promises comes
all this way. The Lords method is, Get first Christ, then all the promises are
yours: for they follow him. And Christ well manages Covenant-promises, as they
most tend to the good of his own.
And this is specially to be
considered that Christ, from the womb to the grave, does act and suffer nothing
but as a publike person. For us he was born, Isai. 9.6. For unto us a
Child is born, unto us a Son is given, Luke 2. 11. Rejoice (saith the Angel) for
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unto you (not to us Angels, nay neither for himself) unto you is born a Saviour. 2. Why? For whose sake came he this
journey to the earth? Luke saith it
was no private business of his own, c. 19.10. He came to seek and to save that which was lost, and to save (saith
Paul) sinners, I Tim. 1.15.
3. Why died he? He was made a curse, [foreign], for us,
Gal 3.13. Sin for us, 2Corin. 5.21. Died for his sheep, John 10. 11. for his friends, Joh. 15.13. was made poor for our sake, 2Cor. 8. 9. is our forerunner who is entred into heaven,
[foreign], for us, Heb. 6.20. We have
a great high Priest,--touched with our infirmities, Heb. 4.14,15. Who hath entered into the heavens to appear
in the presence of God for us, [foreign]. Christs publike Spirit, who
breathed not for himself, lived not for himself, died not for himself, nor
ascended to heaven for himself, nor enjoyes he heaven for himself, should show
us the necessity we have of Christ. The Physician is needfull to the sick, the
ransone to the captive, bread to him that famisheth: but Christ is more
necessary to the sinner. We know not how many are in Christs debt: for heaven,
Angels, Sun and Moon, seas and fountains, men and all things subsist by him, Col. 1.17. Heb. 1.3. Yet most of men judge fire and water more needfull then
Christ: and think, they no more need Christ or Covenant-interest in him, then
the cart needs the third wheel, or the great Ocean a drop of dew: nor is it
every necessity of Christ that we presse. There is a necessity of a Physician
to a whole Pharisee: as a dead man stands in need of life; But it is a literall
necessity by which the whole (saith Christ, Matth.
9.) needs not the Physician: but it is the sick, paining necessity, such as
this, I die a hundreth times, if I get
not CHRIST. This takes away sleep in the night, and brings a fixed aim to
sell all and buy Him.
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CHAP. IX.
The
13. Argument, from the necessity of Gods
call. 2. Of Typicall sprinkling of
the blood of the Covenant, and of the Testament: The place, Heb. 13. 20. the blood of the everlasting Covenant
opened. Of the place, Heb. 7.22. the
act of suretyship, the assurance of our state.
AN Argument 13. is taken from the
necessity of this Covenant of Redemption. 1. From the call of God: Christ took not on him to be a
Priest, nor did he glorify himself to be
made an High Priest, but that he said unto him, Heb. 5. Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten
thee: That is, I have ordained thee to have the honourable calling of the
High Priest. The Apostle also, Heb.
1. applyeth this in part to the eternall generation of the Son: And Act. 13.33. the Apostle applyes this to Christs rising from the dead, because in
these two latter, manifestly appears the God Head of the Son, in that he is
true High Priest, who, by offering himself hath taken away our sins, which only
God can do. In the other, Rom. 1.4. He is declared to be the Son of God with power,--by the resurrection
from the dead. He who took not upon him to be High Priest while God called him, and neither took upon
him to be King, while God called him,
and said, Psal. 2.6. I have Anointed him
my King, upon my holy Hill of Zion, and willingly consented to the call of God; to be King and Priest. He must be
made Priest and King by Covenant between him and God: for Priests and Kings were called by Covenant, Mal. 2. v. 5. 2 King. 11.17. 2 Sam. 5.3.
2. It is necessarie that the
promises that are our Writs and Charters of Heaven be in a surer hand then in
our own, to wit, in the keeping of Christ:
For this is an absolute promise made to us, Ezek.
36.26. A new heart also will I give you,
and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart
out of your flesh. This promise is not formally made to Christ, yet it is a speciall Covenant-promise,
Jer. 31. Ezek. 11. Heb. 8. for
there is no stony heart in Christ,
yet the promise is laid down in him, and made
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to him, eminenter;
for by the merit of his blood (for he sanctified the people with his own blood,
Heb. 13.12.) he sprinkles many
Nations, Isai. 52.15. Some say, as Calvin, Luther, Musculus, by the
Preached Gospel: But it is clear, he alludeth to the Law of sprinkling, Exod.
24.8. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the
blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you, concerning all these
words. Now of that blood it is said, Exod. 24.6. And Moses took half of the
blood (of the oxen that the young men of the children of Israel offered, v. 5.) and put it in basons, and
half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 1. The half of the blood was
divided betwixt the altar and the people, to note (say the English Divines) the mutuall
stipulation of God (of Christ God the true Altar) to his people, and his people to him, who were atoned and made one by
the blood of Christ, v. 7. (2.) Moses
took the book of the Covenant, and red it in the audience of the people:
Not the Book of the Covenant of the ten Commandements: for Moses had not as yet brought the two Tables of Stone containing the
ten Commandements, down from the mountain. Then it was the Book of the
Judiciall Lawes and Promises, Heb.
9.19. For when Moses had spoken every
Precept to all the people according to the Law: he took the blood of calves and
of goats, with water (lest the blood should thicken and congeal, not being
mixt with water: notting also some other mysteries, 1 Joh. 5.6,8.) and scarlet,
wool and hysop, and sprinkled both the Book and all the people. Its true
there is no mention of wool and hysop and scarlet, Exod. 24. but the Author to the Hebrews adds nothing of his own to Moses: for there's a ground for these, Num. 19.6. and Moses
speaks not of the sprinkling of the Book, but the Book lying upon the sprinkled
Altar was also sprinkled with blood; for saith the Holy Ghost, Heb. 9. 22. Almost all things are by the Law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood there is no forgivenesse of sins. There was no
guiltinesse in the Book, but these written Lawes and Ceremonies were the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against
us, which was contrary to us: which Christ by his bloody death behoved to blot
out, take out of the way, and nail to His Crosse, Colos. 2.14.
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But another Question riseth, Exod. 24.6. What needed the sprinkling
of the people with one half of the blood, and the sprinkling of the Altar, that
is Christ the Mediator, with the
other; For, 1. Neither the work of dying to redeem man can be divided between Christ and the people: nor needed
Christ, our true Altar, forgivenesse of sins. Ans. The typicall sprinkling of the people is expounded, Heb. 9.14. the purging of the conscience
from dead works to serve the living God,
& to obey the Gospel, 1 Pet. 1.3.
But the sprinkling of the Altar Christ with the blood, is a far other thing: So
the Holy Ghost, Heb. 9. He who is constitute the Mediator of a
Testament, his death must interveen to ratify and make valide, in Law, the
Testament. v. 16,17. That the friends
of the Testator may have right to the goods that are bequeathed to them in the
Testament.
But Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament, v. 15. Ergo, &c. Now we are to know that Christs dying is considered;
1. As a paying of ransone for captives, by which, in Law and by way of merite,
the ranson of the blood of God
exceedeth the worth of the bought captives, or the crime committed by the
captives; and so Christs death
meriteth to his friends ransoned righteousnesse, life, pardon.
2. His dying is considered as a
Testament of a dying friend. Now the living friends, by vertue of a Testament
as a Testament, have not jus and
right by buying and selling to the goods tested. The essence and nature of a
Testament is saved, whether the goods that are bequeathed in legacy be the free
gift of the Testator, not bought with a price by him, or goods of the father of
the friend, to which the friend being a German brother hath as good right or
the same right, by birth, that the Testator hath. How ever: the comparison
holds in this. Christ 1. hath
bequeathed to believers these goods. 2. The Testament is no Testament, nor
valide in Law, except the Testator be dead. No man can sue by Law tested goods,
if the Testator himself be living; Nor can we have right to a new heart,
forgivenesse, perseverance, eternall life, to grace and glory, except Christ our Testator had died. But
because the Tested goods are more then goods left to us in Testament; they are
left to us by such a Testament as is both a Testament and a death
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perfectly meritorious (this is superadded to the nature
of a Testament and beyond all Testaments) yea a death which is a price to
ransone us from the wrath to come; Therefore Christ so dying in our stead, of
justice meriteth that the friends should have these goods, though they belong
by meer grace and free promise, to the friends. Now this is a most clear
ground: Christ hath a well purchased right by giving a condign price for the
goods and blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace to us: This right he hath
by paying a price, laying down his life for us. This buying is not by necessity
of nature, of justice, but by a voluntary, free and uncompelled agreement and
Covenant, Joh. 10. 18. Isai. 53. 6. No man can exact upon him, Psal. 89.22. (2.) If the Old Testament
was confirmed by the blood of beasts, then must the New Testament be confirmed
by the blood of Christ prefigured in these. But the Old Testament was so
confirmed, Heb. 9. v. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Ergo, now neither Testament nor Covenant
was confirmed by blood simply, but by the blood of a living creature slain.
3. Hence the making of a Covenant
was by cutting a calf or a beast in
twain, and passing between the parts thereof, Jer. 34.18. and so they
entered into a curse, Nehem. 10.29. devoted themselves to destruction,
wishing they might be cut in twain (which is a strange kinde of death, Math. 24.51.) if they should break the
Covenant. Hence the Phrase of striking a Covenant. So the Romans slew a sow: So the Romans
and Albani made a Covenant, as Livius. A Herauld or Officer at Arms
slew the beast and prayed a curse on the people of Rome, that they might be the same way stricken, if they should
break the Covenant. Its like they had it from the Jewes. So Christ died to ratifie and confirm the Covenant, Exod. 24.6. This is the blood of the Covenant. Now the Covenant hath no blood.
This blood of slain beasts (for it is a figurative speech) is a signe
confirming the Covenant that believers shall have remission of sins in that
blood of Christ which is shaddowed forth by the blood of these beasts. So
Christ the great Shepheard of the flock, Heb.
13.20. is said to be brought from the dead, [foreign], by the blood of the
everlasting Covenant. Junius, the
Article is understood: Or as the Hebrew Phrase, [foreign] is put for [foreign],
as Calvin and Piscator. The question may be, How did
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God bring Christ again from the death by the blood of the everlasting
Covenant, had the blood of Christ any
influence to bring himself back from the dead? Or did he, by dying, merit his
own resurrection?
Ans.
Some read the word thus, and shun the Question, The God of peace who brought again from the dead the great sheep-herd
of the sheep: Understanding, [foreign], being the great sheep-herd or
feeder, by the blood of the everlasting Covenant. So Beza, who maks these words, [foreign], to be referred to [foreign]
So as Christs right to be Pastor is
in, and by his blood and suffering. And the words, [foreign], so is not to be
constructed with the particle, [foreign]: But Beza confesseth, that he changed the situation of the words. But if
Christ be made a Pastor and feeder of
the sheep by the blood of the eternall Covenant: then is he called to be a
Pastor by Covenant. And what influence hath his death in his Pastorall Office?
Is it by way of merit? Or did Christ merit to himself? Hardly, if not
curiously, can we say that, though I nothing doubt but Christ gave perfect obedience as man to the Covenant of Works, and
he did merit as man,jure operum, life
eternall, the way that Adam should
have merited life eternal, so he had never fallen. But the words naturally bear
this sense, as Deodati expounds them,
that Christ is risen by vertue of his death: As it is well said, the just
surety hath right and Law to come out of prison, by paying the summe, and
neither Justice nor Creditor can keep him in prison: solutus ære est solutus carcere. Christ having satisfied our debt,
and payed the ransome of his blood to the death, and being dead, and under the
dominion of death by justice, is freed from either remaining in death, or dying
any more; he is now justified, not in his person, for Christ in person was habitually righteous, and from the womb, Luk. 1.35. [foreign], That holy thing Jesus was sinlesse, and
so never condemned, but justified in his cause and in his condition by Law for
us, and so appeareth, [foreign], the
second time without sin unto salvation; the second time without sin, hath
relation to the first time, without sin,
that is, he shall appear the second time no lesse without sin, and so justified
in regard of his condition in Law, then he was, when he was conceived by the
Holy Ghost, and so that
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eminently holy thing born of the Virgin Mary, Luk. 1. 35.
that is, as justified as if he had never been made sin, and never had been
under the Law-burden of our sins, as Isai.
53.6. And 1 Tim. 3.16. [foreign], He was justified in the Spirit, declared
to be just, and the innocent Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead, Rom. 1.4. so that in the Spirit, is, in
the eternall Spirit, Heb. 9.14. the
Godhead: For he came from under that act and band of Cautionrie and Suretyship
without sin, that is, acquit from sin, which he was made, and was laid
upon him, 2Cor. 5.21. Isai. 53.6.
4. We know, Heb. 7.22. Jesus, [foreign], He
was made the Surety of a better Covenant, as the LXX. ever translate it,of a better Testament.
Now here is a judiciall and a
Law-act of suretyship put upon Christ. 1. He was made Surety, then he was not
Surety be nature, but so made by a free transaction and Covenant. For in
Christs coming under that act, when he was made Surety, there be two things: 1.
His eternall condiscending to take on him our nature, and to empty himself and
be a servant. 2. His agreeing and plighting of his faith and truth to take on
our condition in Law, that God should
lay upon him the iniquity of us all, Isa.
53.6. and that God should make him who knew no sin, to be sin for us,
[foreign], in our Law, place and room, 2 Cor.
5.21. not against his Fathers will, nor yet without his own free consent. That
is against all reason: For that which God
made Christ, that he was not by nature, but that God willingly made him, and that he was willingly and by free
Covenant made. But God gave him a
body, Heb. 7.5. and God made him sin, [foreign], 2 Cor. 5.11. So a Surety is one that
promises to satisfie for another, and comes from a Verbe which signifies to
promise by striking of hands, Prov.
22.26. Be not thou among them that strike
hands, or, of them that are surety
for debts. The Seventy, give not thy
self, [foreign], as a Surety. Aries
Montan. Inter percutientes side jubendo. The Verbe in the Hebrew is from a
root that signifies to mix together: as the owle-light, when light and
darknesse after the Sun-set are mixed together. And by a Metaphor it notes
suretyship and mixture of persons, as M. Legh:
when one is tyed for
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another, and mixed with him in his place. As Christ put himself in the bond and writ
of blood that we were in: We were in the Law-writ, Deut. 27.26. under a curse, and Christ shifted the beleevers out,
and was made a curse by his own consent for us, Gal. 3.10. and was written and acted in the Law-book the sinner,
and answered all the demands of Law and Justice, and put in our names in the
Gospel writ: And that from everlasting, God
was in Christ, [foreign], reconciling the world (of the elect) not imputing their sins unto them, 2
Cor. 5.19. And in time we beleeving, are written blessed and righteous in him, Gal. 3. 13, 14. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And what could more be done by Christ, who substitute himself by Covenant in our place, and put us
in his place? Nor is this Suretyship just in debts only, but also what ever Socinus, Crellius, and others say on the
contrair, in Capitall punishments. For M.Thomas
Goodwine, pag.51. Eucritus did
([foreign]) willingly become a surety for Euephenus.
Yea, and in hostages and pledges in war, Plutarch
saith, that the Thessalians slew two
hundreth and fifty hostages. The Romans
(saith Livie) did the like to three
hundreth of the Volsti, and cast the Taratines over rocks, de saxo Tarpeio: and these were humane
people. The children of Tyrants were killed with the Tyrants, by some Cities of
Greece, as Cicero, and Halicarnaseus
say. Curtius saith, that the Macedonians put to death such as were
near of blood to traitors: Marcellinus
saith so much also of the Persians.
The just Lord punishing the sins of the fathers
upon the children, to the third and fourth generation, teacheth, that
conjunction of blood (such as was between Christ our Kinsman, [foreign] Job 19.25. and us) may well make it most
just, that Christ be punished for us, the Surety for the sinner, though the
sinner be under the hand of the Judge: for he is unable to satisfie Justice,
and mercy saith that there is no essentiall reason in Law-justice why the same
head which sinned and no other should suffer. But grace may interveen, so that
though God need no surety, yet tender
mercy, or God decreeing to show
mercy, in some good sense, needs such a Surety as Christ.
Neither is it much that justice
saith that the Surety ought to have satisfaction made to him and restitution by
the broken debter,
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because justice gives his due to every man. For 1. if the
surety be more then a man, and have absolute soveraignty over what he expends,
as Christ hath over his own life, to
lay it down, and take it up again, Joh.
10.18. As of free grace he payed for us, so of free grace he pleads not in Law
that the broken man pay him back, and make restitution of his losses: and this
saith demonstratively that God doth
neither punish, nor show mercy, by necessity of justice. 2. When the surety
hath a band of relief, and as it were, a back-band, that his soul shall not be
left in grave, Psal. 16.10. but that he shall be victorious and more, he
may give out, and look for nothing in again.
And the necessity of a surety to say, remove the scaffold, the guilty
man shall not die, pleads, that if the Lord shall be merciful to sinners, as he decreed, then
must Christ transact so with God, as the everlasting out-goings of
mercy, may be with the free consent (as it were) of truth, and righteousnesse.
But it may be said, if Christs
dying for sinners remove as a satisfactory punishment, the guilt and obligation
to eternall wrath, what way is the reall, and as it were, the physicall
inherency and essence of sin removed? Ans.
The obligation to wrath is removed only in a legal way by suffering of
punishment due to sin, which Christ
hath done; But the essence reall of sin is only removed, as every other
contrair is removed, by the expelling of sin out of its subject, and by
introducing the contrair form, to wit, inherent righteousnesse, and the perfect
habit of Sanctification and holiness. Now for this, Christs dying and suffering wrath due to us, suppose Christ should die a thousand thousand
times for us, his dying cannot as a satisfying cause, or as a punishment remove
this. For 1. a punishment suffered by our Surety can but exhaust and remove the
punishment due to the sinner for whom the suretyship is undertaken. But 2. Christs dying cannot as a punishment
remove
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sin as sin, and as contrair to the holy Law, and make us
defiled wretches and servants of sin holy, as the paying of ten thousand Crowns
for a forlorn waster, cannot make him to be no waster, and a man that hath
obeyed the Law; only it makes that in Law the payment cannot be charged upon
him. 3. Christs transacting with God as our Surety is not only then meerly to
remove eternall punishment, but to purchase by the merit of his death the
healing and sanctifying of our nature, Heb. 10.10. By the which will we are sanctified by the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. Then our Sanctification is procured to us by the
will of God, not simply as his
commanding will: for then should all and every one whom the Lord commands to be
holy, 1 Pet. 1. 16. be sanctified,
which we see is not done: but by the will of the Father, commanding Christ to die, Joh. 10.18. Joh. 14.31.
and the will of Christ offering himself once for a sacrifice for sin, is the
will which sanctifies us. So Pareus
well saith, it is the will with its correlate, for in the willing passive
obedience of Christ are we sanctified
really by the merit of his death, though this be wrought by degrees. 2. Since
the Father consents and wills that Christ
die, and the Son willingly offers himself a sacrifie, the number (as judicious
and Godly M. Dickson hath well
observed on the place) and these all,
for whom Christ offered himself, were
condescended upon betwixt the Father and the Mediatour. God knew those whom he
gave to the Son, to be ransoned: and Christ knew those whom he bought. And
the necessity of this Covenant appears in this, that the comfort cannot be solide,
if a child of God never have any assurance of his being gifted of the Father to
the Son in particular. For two things are clear here. 1. That the Lord knows
who are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. and that,
if God gave some to the Son, as Joh. 17. then the Son received them in a
certain number. And if Christ bought them by Covenant, he must know how many:
As one who buyes a flock, but he knows the quality and number of the flock. 2.
The knowledge sometime shall be this distinct, that I was by name among them, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
And as the offering of every Priest is by way of Covenant and promise, so, if a
sacrifice, in the faith of the great sacrifice, be offered to God, then will God accept it (here is a Covenant) so is the Body of Christ,
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offered by the Covenanting will, Heb. 10.10. And any doubt that may, or doth arise concerning your
self by name: 1. It may as well be moved, in some respect, against the whole
number, and no wise man will say that the bargain betwixt the Father and the
son was so blind, as the number was not agreed upon. For since all the bought
are sinners, and so inclined to sinfull doubting of the bargain, that, which as
a doubt is moved by one, may be moved by all severally, and all severally
denying themselves to be the men for whom Christ
bargained: By this sinfull questioning of the transaction, none at all were
agreed upon.
2. Every doubting of Gods love to
me once justified, and who have once fled to Christ for refuge, is grounded upon sin and unworthinesse; now none
were given by the Father to the Son from eternity upon respect of either faith,
or unbeleef, or holinesse, or bad deserving: Its true, it is not known to me
but by beleeving, that I was given Covenant, wayes to the Son. But the Question
is, if sin be any ground why one justified should cashier himself out of the
number of the gifted ones to Christ, and committed to the Mediatour. Its true,
it should be mourned for as a thing that doth not a litle hinder Sanctification
in its progresse, but should not brangle Justification, nor the faith of our
interest in Christ. 4. The necessity of this Covenant appears, in that
salvation is taken off free-will, and the slippery yea, and no, of free-will
in the Covenant of Works, and laid upon one that is mighty, upon David, to govern Israel as their King;
but Psal. 89.19. upon Christ (as
excellently M. Dickson) in all respects more eminently then
David, a stronger help, mighty to save,
appointed of the Father in all cases,--he is one of our kind, taken out of the
people, acquainted with our
condition, &c. The lesse of the creatures will, and the more of Gods
will, if gracious, as here, be in a Covenant, the better: Because the more
grace and stability, even the sure
mercies of David, that is, of Christ, Is.
55.3. Eze. 34.23. Eze. 37.24. must be here.
5. The well-head of salvation
(for meer free-will and good pleasure in God,
instituted this dispensation) must be here: And most eminent freedome of grace
made the bargain; so that the Magna
Charta, the great Charter of the Gospel, I will have
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mercy on whom I
will have mercy,
is here eminently, for mercy and free-love began at the head man. For the Covenant of Grace (as notably M.
Dickson) is consolidated in Christ our head, and he hath the first right as man to say unto the Father, that which
is here said, as Intercessour and Mediatour for the Elect; he shall cry unto
mes thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. As a father
binds for his heirs and children: A King subscribes articles of peace and seals
them for the land and subjects: The Ambassadour for the Prince and State that
sent him, makes answer. So Christacts in the Covenant of Redemption for his
Heirs, seed, subjects, people; and if the comparison might be made, Gospel-free
grace, as Covenant-mercy is more in the Covenant of Redemption, then in the
Covenant of Reconciliation, for principally they are here as waters in the
fountain. Hence, in this Covenant, is fountain-love, fountain-grace, all the
satisfaction that the Lord craves of sinners, begins at this spring, the old
and eternall design of love in the heart of God
toward his Son, his everlasting delight, the bosome darling and beloved of the
Father, is the designed Prince upon whose shoulder is the Government: Here was
mutuall love-delight acted by the Father and Son, Prov. 8.31. My delights were with the sons of men,
even before the fountains of waters were created, v. 24. O what everlasting out-goings and issuings of eternall love
came from the heart of the Father and the Son in their eternall
Covenant-delights towards the sons of
men; here was the eternall marriage of the Lamb the Kings eternall Son, and
of the not as yet created Bride first written and sealed by the King and his
Son, and our not knowing of this, and Gods delighting in us, when we little
knew or dreamed of his eternall love, highnesse, his grace. Should the heart of
God be taken, and (to speak so) be sick of love for so many Nothings, whom he was to make heirs? Far
more being reconciled and justified we need not fear we shall be saved.
Here in this Covenant were first
drawen the lineaments and draughts of the free and gracious interest of Jesus Christ to the sons of men: And who
should not wonder here at the purest fountain-grace that is in Jesus Christ, which did set on work
eternall wise-dome to frame such an eternall peace of God Covenanting with the
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Son of God, and
love eternall hiring love eternall with the reward (to speak so) of the certain
hope of enjoying a soul satisfying seed, and a numerous off-spring of Redeemed
ones, if love should die and triumph over justice, which was done by love.
6. There is here much of the
eternall interest of JEHOVAH to the Son, and of the essentiall love of God to his only begotten Son, Prov. 8.24. When there was no depths, I was brought forth.--30. Then I was by him as one brought up with
him, and I was daily his delight, rejoycing alwayes before him. And then
may that have been verified, Jer.
30.21. And their noble One shall be of
themselves, and their Governour shall proceed from the midst of them, and I
will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this
that engadged his heart to approach rents me, saith the Lord? The love
eternall here in JEHOVAH loves and wonders that Christ his Son layes bands upon his own heart to take upon him the
Office of Redeemer and Priest: and the Lords saying, Who is this is a note of love and wonder, as Psal. 24. 8. 10. Isa. 63.
1. Cant. 6. 10. and that his heart
closes with the Covenant-designe.
Obj. But Arminius himself also teacheth, that there was a Covenant betwixt
the Lord and Christ. God required of Christ our Priest, that he would lay
down his life for sin, give his flesh for the life of the world,--and he
promised, if he should so do, he should see his seed, and be an eternall high
Priest after the order of Melchisedeck,
and by the exercise of his Priestly Office, he should be exalted to a royall
dignity. Christ our Priest closed
with the condition, and said, Behold,
here am come do thy will, &c. And Socinians,
who hold him to be a divine Man only, will agree that Christ was under an obedientiall Covenant to God. Ans. Arminians and
others may yeeld to a Covenant between the Father and the Son, but it is a far
other; thing then such as we hold: for Christ did close with the condition of
laying down his life for sinners.
But when Christ hath ended his
work, and payed the price of Redemption, laid down his life for Pharaoh, Cain, for Ægyptians, Syrians, Persians, Chaldeans, and all in whom ever was
the breath of life; yet cannot the Lord promise to Christ that he shall
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have any seed, or one redeemed one, nor can the Lord
either promise or pay wages to Christ:
For a promise, if sincere, is of things that are in our power to do, even among
men. Can a King promise that to morrow he shall cause the wind for seventy
dayes to come, blow out of the North-West? Its not in his power. Now Arminians, Socinians, and all of that
Family teach, that God hath no
forceable antecedent dominion to bow and determine the free-will of any one
man: The Lord then no more can promise, nor give the reward of a seed to
Christ, for his work of laying down his life for man, then he can ingage that
the Serpent (with reverence to our blessed Lord) shall see his seed. For when
Christ hath wrought the same work, payed the same very ransone (as these Sophists teach) for millions that
perish, through their own freewill, eternally: What seed hath he of them? Where
is his wage? Were not all and every one of mankind promised in the Arminian Covenant, to be the gifted seed
of Christ, upon condition that they should repent and beleeve? But Arminians deny that God doth promise
faith, or that he is so Lord and Master of the freewill of any, as
indeclineably and unsuperably he can make good his promise, and cause them
beleeve and persevere therein to the end, and that is it by which they are his
seed. Its but said in vain that God
promises they shall be Christs gifted seed, providing they be willing to
beleeve: that is but to say, the Lord promises all shall be his seed, providing
they shall be his seed: For willing beleeving makes them his seed. 2. By this
also the Lord promises what is in mens power to perform, and it might fall out
that all and every one should do the like that multitudes do, who perish eternally,
and so shall Christ do his work, and enjoy no seed at all.
But the Covenant of suretyship
which we teach, makes not the truth of God to depend upon our faith, or our
unbeleef; Yea the Lord promises that Christ without all fail, shall
undeclineably see his seed, yea, and shall be the restorer of the Tribes of Jacob, and a light to the Gentiles, and
the salvation of God to the ends of the earth, Isa. 49.6. Isa. 54. He shall
be King and Lord of the Iles, Isa.
42.6,7. Isa. 60.9. Psal. 2.8,9. A Prince
and a sheepherd over his people, Ezek. 34. Ezek. 37.24,25. Psal. 89.25. not
upon condition they be willing, over whom he is set, but to meet with
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the temptation. Ah! my iron and rockie will shall still
resist the Lord; and he shall be King of the Nations, if the Nations shall
determine their own will to submit to him, and vote that he be Crowned King:
Nay, but the Covenant-promise saith, he shall be King of thy will. This is a
part of his raign, Psal. 110.2. The Lord
shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine
enemies. 3. Thy people shall be
willing in the day of thy power, Deut. 30 6. Ezek. 11.19,20. Ezek.
36.26,27. Jer. 31.31,32,33,34,35. Jer. 32.39,40. Neither can there be
confidence and faith in God through
the sure mercies of David, nor peace,
nor solide consolation, nor warrand to pray for the Lords gracious bowing of
the will to be his seed, except it be beleeved, Covenanted, that God shall be
the God of his people, and their King, not over the element of the sea only to
rule it, and over the mountains, and the stones, and rocks, but also over the
particular wills, and the willing and nilling, choosing of good, and refusing
of evill in the men of the Iles: And
how could the Son pray, Father, give the
inheritance of the Heathen to me, according to promise? Ask of me, and I will
give thee, &c. Psal. 2. If the Father could answer nothing, but what Arminians and Socinians say he answers, as also, the beleever out of the fleshes
weaknesse must dictat this return of prayer. Son, with good will, I grant the Heathen, and the ends of the
earth to thee in heritage and possession, so they be willing to submit to thee:
But, what if they refuse to obey either me or thee? I did never Covenant with
thee, Son, to do more then I can, try thy strength, and force their freewill,
if thou can; if they be willing, well, and good it is, there is a bargain: My
approving and commanding will is that they be thy seed, and thy willing people;
but my decree is not to Lord it over their will, that is a fundamentall act of
Government, that all my subjects have liberty of conscience, to will or nill,
as they please. Nay, but the Covenant of Suretyship includes the sure mercies of David, and the Lord
gives band, word, and writ, and seal of blood, and the Oath of God to the Son, Psal. 110.4. Heb. 7.21. for the will. Isa. 53.4. Behold I have given him for a witnesse of the people, a leader and
commander to the people. But what if they will neither lead nor drive? Yea
the Lord promises
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they shall not need to be driven, they shall be willing,
and run. 5. Behold thou shalt call a
Nation that thou knowest not, and Nations that knew not thee, shall run unto
thee, because of the Lord thy God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he hath
glorified thee. And a strong reason of this is given, the Gentiles run; Whence comes this
forwardnesse of the Gentiles who knew not God? Because (saith Isaiah) of Jebovah thy God (of Christ Mediatour) in Covenant with thee,
Psal. 22.1. Joh. 20.20. because of thy God the Holy One of Israel:
the running (saith Calvin) notteth
the efficacy of the calling, and they run to Christ, because of Jehovah, and the mighty power of God in the Man-Christ. [foreign] Noteth because (saith Piscator.)
And another reason, because he hath
glorified thee, O Christ, he hath declared
thee to be the Son of God by thy rising from the dead, ascension to heaven,
given thee a Name above all names, Rom.
1.4. Phil. 2.7,8,9,10. So Musculus, Piscator, Marlorat, Gualther,
Diodati: So the running of the Gentiles to Christ is the glorifying of Christ,
and a part of the reward; its Christs
glory that he hath a seed that runs after him. Then: And M. Dickson upon these words, Ps. 2. Aske of me, after Christs resurrection and declaration of his formerly
overclouded Godhead, he should continue in the Office of his Mediation and
Intercession, and by vertue of his payed ransone of Redemption call for the
inlargement of his purchased Redemption among the Gentiles, for this is the
Fathers compact with the Son, saying, aske of me, and I will give thee, the
Heathen; so that both by free Covenant, and by merit, Christ challengeth a
seed: and it were unjustice in the Lord (with reverence and glory to his
Holines) to deny to Christ that for which he hath given a condign ransone and
price: But he hath payed a condign Covenant-ransone of his own precious self,
and offered blood for his seed. Hence 1. though a weak beleever cannot by merit
suit a bowed will and a circumcised heart
from the Lord: Yet 1. may he suit it by the band of the Covenant of
Redemption between Jehovah and the
Son: and a Redeemed one may say, it was an Article of the Covenant of
Redemption, that my stony heart should be taken away, and a heart of flesh
given to me, and faith hath influence to be supported that God articled
Covenant-ways such a
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wretch as I am, to Christ: and look, as the book of life,
called, the Lambs Book of Life,
contains so many by name, head, and in all their individuall properties, Jacob, Paul, &c. that are written
and inrolled for glory, so are all (and I by name) in a Covenant-relation given
of the Father to the Son, Joh.
17.3,9,11. Joh. 6.39. and that is
surer then heaven or the fixed ordinances of nature, Jer. 31.35,36. Psal.
89.37,38. Happy such as can ride at this anchor: Though I mean not that the
decree of election and the roll of the Mediatour to me, or the gracious
Surety-Covenant between Jehovah and
the Son, as relating to me by name,
must be the nearest object of faith, or that alwayes a beleever doth read this
roll; but his faith often is, and ought, and may be supported thereby.
2. Christ may suit, by vertue of both the Surety Covenant and by the
justice of God, his condign merite to, me, a fixed will to run the way of his
Commandements. Christs appearing with
blood, Heb. 9. and his prayer as high
Priest, Joh. 17. prove that, in
Christs Bill for us, there is justice, the merite of blood, and that his
Advocation is, 1 John. 2.1. grounded
upon justice, and he stands there as Jesus
Christ, [foreign], the righteous without sin now imputed, not now made sin, nor made a curse, but by order of strict justice justified and
righteous, and the act of Suretyship taken off, and as the hand-writing against
us is cancelled upon the Crosse, Col.
2. So the hand-writing of oblidged punishment due to Christ as our Surety is
removed, and he now justified in the Spirit, without sin, Heb. 9.28. Such a one as cannot die, Rom. 6.9. Rev. 1.18. and cannot die a death satisfactory for sin, because as
beleevers cannot die the second death, Christ having died for them, neither can
Christ suffer the second death again, or be twice a curse, for once he died for all. But our faith is
so supported not a little in this, I darre not put merit or justice in my suits
to God, but I beleeve it is, and must be in Christs bill, and that bill is for
me: mercy, and only mercy is in the sinners bill, but the justice of a condign
ransoner is in Christs suits, and so faith looks to Christ: As 1. having the
first Covenant-right to heaven, as the great Lord receiver of the promises. And
then we have a second right in him, 2. Faith looks to Christ as having more
right to us, because he hath the right of justice, then we have to our selves;
for its free-graces
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title which we have to our selves, for we gave no ransone
for our selves, and we gave no ransone for eternall life: and therefore all the
doubtings and acts of unbeleef in order to the Surety of the Covenant, do
resolve upon some apprehended breach between the Father and the Son, that
either the one or the other, or both have failed to each other, and have broken
the Articles of the Covenant, which is a reproaching of both the Father and the
Son: So that nothing is more necessary then to beleeve firmly the
Covenant-faithfulnesse of God. 3. What strong bands of beleeving and holy
living have we from this Surety Covenant? When 1. goodwill and freegrace is
become the ingadger of the faithfulnesse of Gods as he is true God, and with a
Covenant-tye to keep sure our salvation, as he will be true to his Son, and so
to himself and to his own Holy Nature, that we shall be saved, yea, and not
that only, but by Office, as King and High Priest, he hath laid bands upon
himself, and made it the duty of his Office to save us: So that any good man
thinks his office of a King, and a Prophet, or a Priest, lays bands upon him to
acquit himself faithfully in the charge; So that Christs sworn Office of High
Priest lays bands upon him to compassionate as a feeling head, all his own, and
to be touched with their infirmities: then must unbeleef in these particulars
say, we judge that Christ will not do his duty in his Office, and that he shall
break his faith of Suretyship, and fail under his band of Suretyship. How
needfull then must the firm perswafion of compleat qualifications and fulnesse
of anointing of Christ for the compleat discharge of his duty he? O! beleeve
him to be the faithfull High Priest, who expiats and heals you in all the
measure, kinds, degrees, circumstances of time, place, of the particular
transgressions you are guilty of, Psal. 103.3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases.
And if a man judge himself ingaged to go about such duties as his surety and
ransone-payer in his name hath promised, far more are we to walk as the
redeemed of the Lord, since there was an eternall Covenant-undertaking between Jehovah and the Son of God, that we should fulfill the undertaking. And sure it is,
Law-faith or beleeving of Law-threatnings cannot have such influence upon our
spirits to cause us obey the Law, as the motives of a concluded act of
suretyship
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and closed compact between the Father and the Son, that
we shall obey him: And indeed it is a meditation that morally and spiritually
should obtain from us that we be holy as he is holy, and strongly melt the rocky
heart. When we remembred that JEHOVAH, as a designed Surety, gave band for the
heart of a sinner from eternity, and enters himself Cautioner for our
rebellious will, it should put us to beleeve so much, and morally lay bands on
our will.
Q. How are we to conceive of the act of Suretyship?
A. Jehovah
from eternity decrees that the Son be the designed person who shall take on our
nature, and lay down his life for sinners: The Lord promises he shall have a
redeemed seed for a reward.
In this offer Jehovah ingadges that we shall be
Christs seed, and so shall be, by the immortall seed, born again, and shall
beleeve and be gifted to Christ as saved; here Jehovah undertakes that we shall beleeve.
2. Christ agrees to the designed person: It is written of me, and so decreed of God from eternity, I delight
to do thy will, I shall lay down my life for these given to me: And here
the other party; Jesus Christ coming
by his own consent to die, does also undertake, 1. In dying to ransone us from
hell, and merit life to us, and make us his purchase. So 2. he being a Saviour
by merit, he by his death purchaseth the Spirit, and meriteth the new heart,
and so undertakes for us: in this regard, both parties undertake for us. And
the Spirit being the same very God
with the Father and the Son, also is by his own consent designed
comforter and actor in his way by the anointing without measure, that he puts
on the Man Christ, and the grace given to his members: But the only formall
parties in the compact are the Lord
Jehovah and the Son party
consenting before time, and his Manhood in time becoming one who imbraces the
Covenant of Suretyship, and calls the Lord his God, Ps. 22.1. Joh. 20.17. Rev. 3.12. Isa. 55.5.
Hence, if we imploy faith, and
hold out to the Lord the undertaking for us in the Covenant, there is an answer
framed to all our temptations from our own frailty: As Adam and the Angels fell,
and how can we stand? But God said never of them, as
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Psal. 89.19. I have laid strength upon one that is mighty: and Christ was no
designed undertaker for Adam, nor was
Adam to beleeve such a thing.
Therefore it is fit to observe, that not only the Head Christ and the body changes names, as the body is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. and Christ called David, Isai. 53.3. Ezek. 34. Ezek.
37.14. David my servant shall be King
over them, So also many things in one Psalm are spoken of David, both in an Historicall and
Typicall truth, as Psal. 22. But
there are some things, Psal. 16. so
spoken of David, that they are true
only Typically of Christ, and spoken Prophetically, as David saith, Ps. 16.10. Thou will not leave my soul in grave,
neither will suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. And the Apostle Peter denies that this can be exponed of
David, for Acts 2.26,27,28,29,30. and Paul,
Acts 13.34,35. And as concerning that God
raised him from the dead, now no more to return to corruption: he said on this
wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another place, thou shalt not suffer thine
Holy One to see corruption. 35. But
David after he had served his own
Generation, by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers,
and saw corruption. And it is not to be doubted that the Prophecie, Psal. 22. They divided my garments, they pierced my hands and my feet, is
only a Prophecie of Christs being crucified: Nor was ever David crucified. To say in another case David was crucified, will not help: for it might be said in another
case David saw no corruption, for all
beleevers are delivered from the dominion, curse, and sting of death. Hence, it
may well be said, that same Psal. 89.
must prove both the Covenant of Suretyship, and the Covenant of Grace: v.3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen, I
have sworn unto David my servant; thy seed will I establish for ever, and build
up thy Throne to all Generations. Though it be called Davids Throne here, Luk.
1.32. Yet we may freely speak of Davids
Throne as of Davids body, both saw
corruption: there is an end of Davids
Throne temporall. But sure the Scripture calls it the Throne of Christ, Heb.
1.8. But unto the Son he saith, thy
Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Luk. 1.33. And he shall raign over the house of Jacob, and of his Kingdom there shal be no end. Dan. 7.14. And there was given him
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Dominion, and
Glory, and a Kingdome, that all Nations and Languages should serve him: His
Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away, and his Kingdom
that which shall not be destroyed. Isai. 9.7. Of the
increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end: upon the Throne of
David and upon his Kingdome to order it,
and to establish it with judgement and with justice, from henceforth, even for
ever.
Obj.
But this Covenant is made to, and with David,
that Solomon, and one of Davids line, shall sit upon Davids Throne, untill the Messiah, the true beloved shall be born,
2 Sam. 7.12,13.
Ans.
Its true, and although these of Davids
line sinned, yet by vertue of this Covenant, for Davids sake, God gave a
Throne temporall to him, 1 King.
11.32,34. 2 King. 8.19. 2 King. 19.34. But it is as true that this
also, to wit, Christs everlasting Throne is here meant: I will build up thy Throne to all generations, for Davids Throne is not builded to all
generations, nor can it be said of Davids
Throne, which is said of this Throne, Heb. 1.8. But unto the Son, he saith, thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever.
Therefore this oath and promise is made to Christ as well as to David: except we say that an everlasting
Throne is more properly the Throne of David,
then the Throne of Christ.
2. 19. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out
of the people. 18. I have found
David my servant. Most grave Divines
(and it may be they gathered it from v.
38,39. &c. think that the Psalm was composed upon the occasion of the ten
Tribes division from Davids house, as
composed by Ethan, 1 King. 4.31.
Others, that Ethan lived in the
captivity of Babylon after Davids death: But the calamity seems
greater then the division of the ten Tribes. Philo refers it to the time of Jehoiakim.
Ambrose maketh the mighty to be Christ:
So Eusebius and Hieronimus expound the whole Psalm. And our Divines say that the
verity must be in Christ, for the
help and deliverance of the new afflicted and captive people (for the like of this
publick desolation, as v. 38,39,40,
&c. never befell David after he
was King) can not be laid on a dead man: And though he were now alive, the help
of Davids fallen glory, v. 42,43,44, &c. must be the Messiah. Hence, the Covenant must be
with him Whose
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Throne is built for
ever, and shall not fall, v. 3,4. and upon whom as upon a mighty one is laid the help of his
fallen Church: This is not David only
(though he be not excluded) but Christ principally.
3. With him the Covenant must be
made, in his way, as with Surety, Head, and Redeemer: upon whom the enemy shall not exact; whose enemies shall be plagued, v.
22,23. and, whose enemies shall be made
his foot-stool, Ps. 110.1,2. and that is Christ, as well as David.
4. With him must the Covenant of
Redemption be made in his way; of whom God
saith, v. 25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
The Chalde Paraphrase expounds his
hand to be his power and command, which is to Euphrates: as is promised, Exod.
23.31. Num. 34.3. but fulfilled in 'David and Solomon, 1 King. 4.8. Solomon
raigned from the sea of Sodom the red
sea, to the Mediterran sea, and west,
and from Euphrates, to the utmost of Canaan, North and South: but specially
in Christ, who hath all Nations, Gentiles
and Jews. for his own, Psal. 2.8,9. Psal. 22.27. Psal.
72.8,9,10,11. Isai. 2.1,2. Rev. 11.15. Christ Jesus, not David,
Zech. 9.10. shall speak peace to the
Heathen, and his Dominion shall be even from sea to sea, and from the river,
even to the ends of the earth. The Angel
and Creator of Angels, who set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot
upon the earth, Rev. 10.2. is this
great Conquerour.
5. With him this Covenant must
stand, of whom the Lord, v. 26.
saith, He shall cry unto me, Thou art my
Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. 27. I also will make him my firstborn, higher then the Kings of the earth.
Now this cannot well agree to David,
at least, most coldly (as Calvine
saith) should the Apostle reason and conclude that Christ were above the Angels when he citeth this place, Heb. 1.4,5. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this
day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shal be
to me a Son. In the literall sense, it is meant of Solomon, 2 Sam. 7.14. 1 Chron. 22.10. and is meant here of David. Athanasius proves him hence to be
God, the first begotten of many Brethren. Cyprian,
Cyrillus, Augustine, Hieronimus,
contend against the
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Jews, that this is necessary to be understood of Christ,
not of Solomon, not of David, who cannot bear the Name of the Lords firstborn, but must be so named as
the Type of him who is the firstborn of
every creature, &c. Col. 1.15.
6. So my mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant shall
stand fast with him. 29. His seed
also will I make to endure for ever, and his Throne as the days of Heaven.
If the Covenant be made with him who hath an eternall seed, then sure,
principally with Christ: Without whom
(saith Calvine, who otherwise much
loves to follow the letter of the word) this Prophecie hath no effect, for
eternity is only in Christ, not in David.
Ver. 30. If his children forsake my Law, &c. a pre-occupation, if an
eternall seed be promised to Christ,
then although Christ and his Children
sin, no matter, the hazard is not great? He Answers, the danger is not to be
despised; I will visite the sins, of Solomon and others, 2 Sam. 7.14. with the rod of men: 15. But
my mercy (of the Covenant of Redemption, and of Reconciliation) I will not take from him, as I took it from
Saul. This is not spoken of Christ, for he cannot sin, but of Christs seed, his
spirituall seed, and the businesse is so contrived, as the seed of Christ and
his children shall not sin unpunished: but yet there is a difference between
the sins of the reprobate Saul, and
such like, and of the spirituall seed of Christ. So he takes his mercy,
Covenantmercy (but offered conditionally) utterly away from reprobats when they
sin, but takes not away Covenant-mercy from the seed of Christ: And the reason
is, from the nature of the Covenant, v. 34. My
Covenant I will not break, &c. If then the elect and chosen of Christ
should fall away, God should break
and alter his Covenant: but impossible is the latter. Hence, 1. the questioning
of the stability of our state, being once internally in Covenant with God, is a
reproaching of God, and to make him a liar. v. 35. Once have I sworn (saith he) by
my Holinesse, that I will not lie unto David. Though (1.) we seem to
reproach our selves in questioning our state, being once in Christ, yet the truth is, the plea is
against God, and his Truth and Holinesse. (2.) Its easier, to beleeve generall
truths, then to beleeve particular truths, in which our selves and our own
actings are interesled: So spirituall
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and wilie a snare is unbelief, that when we think we are
unbelievly fearing our own treachery, we are indeed charging treacherie, and
falshood upon the Holy Lord. (3.) In our sinfull plea's with our own state, Ah! I am casten out of his sight, Psal.
31.22. Jona. 2.4. we are overturning the whole Gospel and Covenant of
Suretyship and Reconciliation, and we say, God lied to David, and to his Son Christ:
contrair to that, Psal. 89.35. Once have I sworn by my Holinesse, I will
not lie unto David. 36. His seed,
shall endure for ever, for the Lord once justified thee. (4.) We shall find
our selves so selfie in contraverting with God in the matter, of fact touching
our selves: am I in Christ? Or, am I an Apostate and fallen from Christ?
That we are more taken up with a hellish fretting for our falling in a state of
condemnation, then we, are grieved for the injurie of unbeleef in traducing the
Holy Lord. with a lie. There is a
taste here of Judas his fierie
unbelief, for he complains more, Mat. 27.4. I
have sinned, in betraying the innocent blood, then that God is dishonoured,
and Christs love offended: The grief is more for the interest of I, of self, that is entered in the borders of hell, then that his glory
who commands beleeving is overclouded. It were good in such a case to go about
two things: 1. Be lesse moved that self
is under these apprehensions, lost and cast away, then that the spotlesse glory
of the Lord suffers: What matter of me, and of self, in comparison of the dishonour done to God? What though I and millions like me, were tormented, if God were not offended. Now God, 1. who hath bought me. 2. Who hath
accepted a ransone for me. 3. Hath justified me. 4. Hath witnessed all these,
is contradicted in all these: and yet we complain only, Ah I am fallen!
2. Leave the Question concerning
your self, whether ye be cast, away or no, when you cannot come to a peaceable
and quiet close, about it, and dwell upon the duty of fiduciall relying on Gods
generall Covenant to Davids Son, Christ his ingadging with him, and
Christ his gracious accepting of the condition.
(5.) God sware to the Son of David for the seed, that is, for the
whole race, and gave them all to Christ, and gave you among them; and Christ
closed with the condition, though ye cannot come to application. Its good to
feed the soul upon the solatious
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thoughts, I cannot
apply, but Christ whose egressions, outgoings, have been from the
old, from everlasting, Mic. 5.2. did apply: For Christs everlasting
outgoings are not only his eternall generation from the Father, but the
decrees, the sweet eternall flowings, emanations, and issuings of Christs holy
thoughts of me, of all the individualls, by name, of the seed given and
received by Christ, his eternall acts
of soul delighting thoughts of every redeemed son of man, Prov. 8.30,31. Rom. 9.11.
Eph. 1.4. 1 Pet. 1,2. the eternall acts of love, and love-thoughts to Jacob, David, Peter, Mary, &c. his
acts of designing you (if ever you beleeved, and can rub and blow up
experiences under ashes, Rom. 5.4. Ps. 77.6.) and the thousands that stand
before the Throne, from eternity, his actings of eternall love, appointing and
setting Chairs, Throns, Mansions, and dwelling places for this man, and this
man, are so many applications of Christ to you: Feed and feast upon these, by
beleeving the ancient Covenant, and you cannot but come to quietnesse of peace
in your apprehended estate.
CHAP. X.
Christ procures the Gospel to be Preached to Reprobats, but
undertakes not for them. A necessary distinction of the Covenant as Preached
according to the approving will of God, and as acted upon the heart, according
to the decree of God: and the differences of the members. The place, Jer. 31. Heb. 8. This is my Covenant, opened.
A Question it is, whether Christ
undertakes in the bargain with JEHOVAH, for all visibly in Covenant, for as is
said before, these in the Visible Church and their children that are baptized, Magus, Demas, and others are in Covenant
thus, Act. 2.39. Ans. Christ undertakes in his bargain, only for the elect, and
undertakes that the Gospel shall be Preached to them; but because many
hypocrites are mixed with the Gentiles, and Christ is given a light to the
Gentiles, Preached to a visible multitude, as is foretold, Isa. 49.6. Isa. 55.4,5.
fulfilled, Act. 13.46,47. Rom. 15.8,9,10,11,12, &c. Therefore
he procures to many hypocrites, for
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whom, and for whose Redemption, he undertakes not, that
the Covenant shall be Preached by concomitancy, because they are mixed with the
elect, not as an undertaker for them, but for Church Discipline, Christian
Societies, and to render such unexcusable. Hence a necessary distinction of the
Covenant of Grace.
The New Covenant must be
considered,
1. As Preached according to the approving and commanding will of God.
2. As it is internally and effectually fulfilled in the elect according to
the decree and the Lords will of purpose.
There must of necessity,
differences be holden forth between these two. For, Antinomians, and legall Justitiaries miserably erre in both extremities:
The former will have no New Covenant in the days of the Gospel, but that which
is made with the elect: The latter will have no New Covenant but such as is
made with the whole race of mankind, Pagans not excepted: So Socinians, Arminians, Papists.
1. They differ in the parties
contracters: The parties contracters in the Covenant Preached, are God, and all within the Visible Church,
whether Elect or Reprobate, and their seed, they professing the Gospel, Mat. 28.19,20. Act. 2.39,40. Act. 3.25. Ye are the children of the Prophets, and of
the Covenant which God made to our fathers, &c. and they were not all
the chosen of God: This is against the Anabaptists
also, and against these who will have the Gospel-Covenant to be made with all
the world. But its a rich mercy that Professours are dwelling in the work-house
of the Grace of God, within the Visible Church, they are at the pool-side, near
the fountain, and dwell in Immanuels
land where dwels Iehovah in his
beauty, and where are the Golden Candlesticks, and where there run Rivers of
Wine and Milk, such are Exspectants of Grace and Glory, to such the Marriage
Table is covered, eat if they will.
But the parties contracters of
the Covenant in the latter respect are, Jer.
31. Heb. 8. only, the house of Judah, the taught of God,
the people in whose heart the Law is
ingraven; for as God teacheth not
all Nations his statues, nor sends the Gospel to them, Ps. 147.19,20. Act. 16.
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So neither is the promise of a
new heart made to all within the Visible Chuch.
2. A great difference there is in
regard of the Covenant of Suretyship or Mediation, that Christ undertakes not for such as are only visible Covenanters, and
shall never believe: As he prayes not for such, as High Priest, so he dies not
for them, nor came as a designed Covenanting Saviour from eternity under an act
of Cautionry for them. How then cometh the Gospel to them? Ans. It comes to them, 1. Not from Christ as their Surety, since he Prays not for any Mediation of his
own toward them: But 2. for the Elects sake; so Paul, Act. 13.26. Men and
brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and who among you feareth God, to
you, [foreign], is the word of salvation, to you and for your cause, that
ye may be saved, is the Gospel, sent.
2 Corin. 4.15. For all things, our
suffering, our dying, are, [foreign], for
your sake. 2 Tim. 2.10. Therefore I
indure all things, [foreign], for the Elects, sake, that they may also obtain
the salvation which is in Jesus Christ, with eternall glory. Hence there is
no salvation but that which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord, the Author and
Cause, [foreign], and meriting Procurer of eternall salvation, Hebr. 5.9. Now, though salvation be
offered, yet the salvation that is in
Christ Jesus, and merited by the ransone and price of his blood, can be
decreed and intended in the Preached Gospel to none but to the elect, except
they say that Christ did undertake to
lay down his life, and to save, by his death and blood by Covenant-ingadgment,
all the Reprobate within the visible Church, for whom he refuses to pray, John 17.
But Christ undertook from the eternity for the fulfilling of the
Covenant of Grace, and bestowing salvation upon them for whom he is Surety: for
it is he who makes the new Covenant, Jer.
31.31,32,33,34. Heb. 8.10,11.
3. There is a twofold
consideration of Gods will: One is
called his approving, commanding, and
forbidding will, when God reveals to us what is our obligation and duty,
and what is morally
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good, and to be done, because he commands it, and what is
morally evill, and to be eschewed, because he forbids it. Now whether this good
or evill shall come to passe, or never come to passe, it is all one, as to the
nature of the approving will of God, for though the repenting of Cain, and saving faith of the traitour Judas never came to passe, yet it is the
duty of the one and the other to repent and beleeve, and the Lord commands and
approves their obedience as good, though he never decreed by his good pleasure,
that the obedience of Cain and Judas should come to passe. But his will
of pleasure, his discerning will of pleasure, his discerning will, or his
counsell, purpose, or decree, is his pleasure, and appointment of things, not
as good and evill, or as agreeable unto, or repugnant, and contrair to an equal
and just command of God, but of things as they come to passe, or shall never
come to passe. Hence, in a premissive decree, God appointed the crucifying of the Lord of Life, the not breaking
of a bone of Christ, but he did never
will the crucifying of his Son, but forbids and hates it as execrable murther;
as touching his approving will: in a word, his commanding will is of things
lawfull or unlawfull, what we who are under a Law, ought to do, or not to do.
His will of pleasure is of things
fixed and resolved upon, what he purposes, good or evill, shall come to passe,
or not come to passe: And by the way we may make good use of the foul sinnes
that fall out; for holy and clean is that hand
and counsell of the Lord, Act.
2.27,28. which determined what Herod
and Pilate should do: Yet did the
Jews with wicked hands slay and
crucifie him, Act. 2.23. And O what
beauty of wisedom and mercy do they see here, who make that foul work of the
slayers of Christ the subject matter
of a fair Psalm? Rev. 5.12. The
thousands before the Throne, sing, worthy
is the Lamb that was slain: But were they worthy slew him? was it a worthy
fact in the murtherers of the Lord of
Glory? No: but grudge not at the beauty of his work, who over rules all;
but adore and praise. Let us not wrestle with his holy dispensation, and say,
Ah! What an untoward Government of the world is it, that God should suffer Angels
and Men to sin, and overturn the
whole fabrick of Heaven and earth by sin? Nay, he hath by their fall brought in
a more glorious order, when he that sitteth
upon the Throne, saith, Behold
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I make all things
new, Rev. 21.5.
and its said, 2 Pet. 3.13. Neverthelesse
we, according to his promise, look for new Heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwels righteousnesse. Peter and
the Disciples were to pray that they should not enter into temptation, Mat. 26 41. and were oblidged not to be
offended and scattered by the sufferings of the Lord; but they were not to
blame and grudgingly to judge that holy decree Prophecied by Zechariah, and revealed to themselves, Zech. 13.7. Mat. 26.31. I will smite the
Sheepherd, and the Sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. His part
is clean and holy, even when he throwes the wicked in hell; and they are
oblidged to sing the Psalm of the glory of his spotlesse Justice, and that
eternally, as these who are before the Throne are to hold up, for all ages, the
new song of the glory of his mercy and free-grace.
This ground being laid down, the
Holy Ghost speaks of the New Covenant two wayes in Scripture.
1. According to the approving will of God, as it stands, of
promises, precepts, threatnings; and showes both what God doth by promises, and what we are oblidged to do in point of
duty, Act. 2.39. The promise is to you
and to your children. Act. 3.25. Ye
are the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made without
fathers. 2 Cor. 6.17. Wherefore come
out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,--And I will be a Father to you, &c.
This is the whole New Covenant, holding out our duty, ordaining those that
professe, to be baptized, received members of the Visible Church, the body to
the be edified as a visibly Covenanted people: This excludes not, but includes
the Lords taking in members to the invisible and mysticall body: which is to be
observed against Anabaptists and Antinomians.
The Lord speaks often of the
Covenant of Grace not so much as Preached, quâ
fœdus annuniciatum (though it so also must be Preached) but as fulfilled by
God, and acted in an effectuall
powerfull way, upon the hearts of the elect only, and that according to
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the Lords decree of election, and will of pleasure: So speaks the Lord of the Covenant, Jer. 31.31,32,33. Jer. 32.37,38,39. Ezek.
11.16,17,18,19,20. Ezek. 36.25,26,27,
&c. Isa. 59.20,21. in a pure
Evangelick way, and in these places the Lord speaks of the Covenant, not so
much as it contains our duty, as principally it holds forth his Gospel promise,
what he shall effectually do according to his decree and will of pleasure
over-ruling our corrupt will: which Papists,
Arminians, and Socinians utterly
mistake, and will have it to be spoken of the Covenant as Preached according to
the Lords approving and commanding will, whereas there is not one word of a
command in these places, and therefore they say that these places speak nothing
for the efficacy and mighty power of God
in converting sinners. 2. The Anabaptists
from these places say none are to be baptized, but such as are so in Covenant,
and as have these promises fulfilled in them, in whom the Lord hath wrought a new heart, and a new spirit; and that
there is no externall Covenanting under the New Testament. But then the whole Gentiles, Isai. 55.4,5. Isai. 11.10.
Isai. 60.1,2,3. &c. all Nations,
Isai. 2.1,2. all flesh, Isai. 40.5.
Psal. 65.2. all the Kindreds of the
earth, Psal. 22.26,27. the Kingdoms
of the world, Rev. 11.15. should be all chosen to life, taught of God, such as have the Law of God ingraven in their inward parts, as Jer. 31,33. Ezek. 36.26. which is most false. Now there are undenyable
Prophecies that the Gentiles from the
rising of the Sun, to the going down thereof, Mal. 1.11. shall be, under
the New Testament, the people of God
by Covenant, Isa.
19.18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25. Then must the generality and mixed multitude of the
Gentiles be some other way in Covenant, then these of whom the Prophets speak, Isa. 59.20,21. Isa. 55.10. Jer. 31.31. Ezek. 11.19. Ezek. 36.26.
3. The Antinomians do also owne no Covenant of grace, but this wherein the
new heart is given, and the condition is both promised and given. And D. Crispe saith, All other Covenants of God besides this, run upon a stipulation, and
the promises run upon conditions altogether upon both sides.--The New Covenant is without any conditions
whatsoever upon mans part: Man is tyed to no condition that he must perform,
that if he do not perform, the Covenant is made void by him.
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Ans.
Man is under a condition of beleeving, and tyed to beleeve, so as the wrath of God abides upon him, he shall
not see life, nor be justified, if he beleeve not, Joh. 3.18.36. Rom.
10.6,7,8,9. (2.) Man is tyed to no
condition which he must perform, say which, he can perform without the
grace of God. For have he grace, or have he no grace (the Holy Lord (O if we
could plead for him and his High Soveraignty) is debter to no man) he is so
oblidged to beleeve as he sins against the Preached Covenant and forefaults his
salvation, if he beleeve not, and so breaks the Covenant, but devils or men
cannot make it void, he may make it
of no effect to himself he being an heir of damnation, but being a chosen
vessel God shall work him to beleeve, and the makes it not void to himslef. If
it be said, that the New Covenant is
without any conditions whatsoever, upon mans part: It says too much for the
beleevers being under no debt, no obligation of conscience to beleeve, or to
any duty, but as the Spirit their only Law leads them: And if the Spirit breath
not upon them to forbear adultery, paricide, sodomie, or to beleeve, pray,
praise, hear, mourn for sin, as Peter,
and David, they sin not, for sin is a
transgression of the Law. And when the Spirit breaths not, acts not, there is
no Law: and this is most vilde. Where observe, that 1. Antinomians and Familists
confound the efficient cause of our obedience, which is the Spirit of Grace,
and the objective cause, which is the
holy rule of the command, promise, or threatning. For though the Spirit be
absent, and not given at all to men in the state of nature, yet do they sin
committing of Sodomie, and in not praying, for they are oblidged not to sin,
and commanded in the first Command to pray to a revealed God. I know Adam was not oblidged before he sinned
to pray to Jesus Christ Mediator, as Steven, Act. 7. prayed to him. The
Spirit, by grace does help us to obey the command and the Law, but the Spirit
is not the Law, nor rule of our obedience.
2. Not only will they have the
Spirit to be all the beleevers Law and word, and the letter of the command to
lay on no obligation, but the Spirit as actually breathing and giving actuall
influences must be the Law: For though the naturall conscience or habituall
light say that the man should not commit this wickednesse,
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nor omit this duty, seeing present necessity of one
starving for want, of one drowning in a water crying for my help, is a call of God to perform the duty. And if the
Spirit give inward warning that I should do the duty, yet if the Spirit
actually breath not and contribute not his actuall influence, the man hath no
warrand of any command or Law to act without his rule, since the Spirit acts not
at all: and cannot so be guilty in the committing of the most vile abomination;
for where no Law is, no sin is.
M. Crispe pag. 160. brings this Argument, The Covenant is everlasting: if the Covenant stand upon any conditions
to be performed by man, it cannot be an everlasting Covenant, except man were
so confirmed in righteousnesse that he should never fail in that which is his
part, but he daily fails, & so daily breaks the Covenant?
Ans.
To the first act of beleeving, which is a performing of the condition of the
Covenant, there is no other condition required then that, Ezek. 36.26. I will put in you a heart of flesh. 27. I will put my Spirit in you, and cause you
walk in my statutes. Zech. 12.10. I
will powre upon the house of David, the
Spirit of grace and supplication, and they shall look upon me whom they have
pierced, that is, they shall beleeve in me: That is a strong confirmation,
to wit, a promise that he will work the condition in us. And so is that, Joh. 6.37. All that the Father gives unto me, shal come unto me (that is,
beleeve in me) and him that cometh, I
will in no wise cast out. 2. It is to question the perseverance of the
Saints to say, that God shall not
confirm them into the day of the Lord, as he promiseth, 1 Cor. 1.8. Phil. 1.6. 1 Pet. 1.4.5. (3.) Our daily doubtings of
unbeleef will not prove that we so break the Covenant, as our fails and daily
slips of unbeleef should render the Covenant void, and null, so as it should
leave off to be an everlasting Covenant, for such failings are indeed sins
against the love of the Redeemer and Surety of the Covenant, for his love
should constrain us to beleeve at all times, and to hope to the end. Nor does
the eternity of the Covenant depend upon our beleeving, but upon his grace who
gives us to beleeve: but its otherwayes in the Covenant of Works.
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D. Crispe, pag. 162. in Jer. 31. Ezek. 36. Heb. 8. and other passages
where the Tenor of the Covenant is contained, there is no word of a tie,
pag. 163,164. there is not one word that
God saith to man, thou must do this. But God takes all upon himself, and saith
he will do this: Yea, if faith were the condition of the Covenant, the fault of
the broken Covenant should be his who works, not faith in us.
Ans.
Here is the mistake of many who imagine that, Jer. 31. Ezek. 36. Heb. 8. the Holy Ghost setteth down the whole intire summe and tenor of the new
Covenant, which he doth not. For 1. he speaketh nothing of the whole parties of
the Preached Covenant, which is all within the Visible Church: these he speaks
of here, are only beleevers in whom he works a new heart. 2. He speaks nothing
of Covenant commandements, nothing of Covenant duties directly. 3. Nothing of
the condition required of us. 2. He speaks not of the Covenant under the
reduplication as Preached, or as a treatie offered to elect and reprobate, as Math. 21.31,32. Luk. 1.72. Act. 2.39. and
as every where holden out as a visible Covenant made with Abraham and his seed in both Old and New Testament, according to
the approving will of God.
But he speaks only of the
fulfilling of some speciall promises of the Covenant, heart teaching, and the
efficacy of the Covenant. 2. Only upon the elect who shall persevere to the
end, Jer. 31.35. Jer. 32.40. Isa.
59.20,21. (3.) Only according to the Lords decree and will of pleasure, not
what we ought to do, but what the Lord by his powerfull grace will do in us. As
1. I will ingrave my Law in their heart.
2. I will be their God. 3. They shall be my people, to wit,
effectually as gifted with a new heart, and such as shall never be casten off,
but shall persevere to the end, v.
35,36,37. Jer. 32.40. otherwise by
externall calling all the carnall and stiffe hearted Jews were his people in
Covenant, Isai. 1.3. Isa. 5.25. Ps. 81.8. Ps. 50.7. Deut. 7.7. as is in every page almost of
the Old Testament. (4.) They shall be
taught of God, 31,34. (5.) I will forgive their iniquitie, v. 34. (6.) I will give them perseverance, and never
cast them off, v. 35,36,37. so that the covenant is a metonymie. This is my Covenant that I will make with
them: that is, these are effects, fruits, and
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blessings of the Covenant which I shall by my effectuall
and mighty grace work in them.
4. The Apostle to the Hebrews
hath no purpose to expone the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham, that Covenant (saith he) they break: Yea it is contrair to the scope of the Apostle to set
down the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace. He purposes in the Epistle to the Hebrews to exalt Christ above the Angels, Ch. 1. above Moses, ch. 3. above all the Priests, the
High Priest, and above all the
Sacrifices, Bullocks, Lambs, Goats, &c.
he through the eternall Spirit, once offered himself to God. And ch. 8. he proves Christ to be a more
excellent High Priest, a Minister of a more excellent Tabernacle, and a more excellent
Ministry, Because he is Mediator of a
better Covenant: he is a days-man who layes his hands upon both parties at
variance, both upon God and man, to
bring them together: See Job 9.32,33.
that is, a Mediatour of a Covenant; So that here he saith, Christ is ingadged
to the Father in a more spirituall and heavenly Covenant. None could ingrave
the Law of God in the heart but Christ: one might say, was not the Law
ingraven in the heart of some, and their sins pardoned? Were not Moses, Aaron, and many of the people of God, sanctified, pardoned, and justified
according to that Covenant? Ans. They
were justified and sanctified, but not by the letter of the Covenant of Grace,
nor by sacrifices, shadows, conditionall promises, threattens, but by Christ, I the Lord Redeemer will write my Law in their heart,
&c. It is then contrair to the Apostles scope, Heb. 8. to enter the discourse of the Doctrine of the literall
Law-Covenant, or the conditionall Covenant of Grace, it strongly concludes his
point, to speak but of the half (though the choisest half) of the Covenant, as
fulfilled in the elect, and that exalts Christ
and his Ministry, that he hath a Ministry upon the heart. Now it is a shame to
lay the blame of our not beleeving on Christ,
be it a condition of the Covenant, or be it none: Christ works all our works in us, and by this reason it must be his
fault (hallowed by his Name) that we sin at all, because he works not in us
contrair acts of obedience. But to whom is the Soveraign Lord debter? And
therefore this Antinomian way must be
refused.
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CHAP. XI.
Of the promises made to Christ in the Covenant of Mediation, not to
Christ God, but to Christ God and Man the Mediator, and these of twelve sorts.
TO Christ-God promises of reward cannot be made, nor can Christ-God suffer, but they are made to
the person God-Man, for the
incouraging of the Man Christ, and he
incourages himself therewith, Isa.
50.7,8. Christ-Man lived the life of
faith by depending upon God for the
joy set before him, and therefore did run, Heb.
12. our life should be sweeter, should we fetch all our comforts and actings
from his influences by the faith of daily dependency. Faith here promises to it
self good, Isa. 26.12. Is. 30.31. Ps. 11.18.10,11. Ps.
16.9,10,11.
If the kinds of promises made to
Christ be asked for: Then 1. no such promise as remission of sin can be made to
him, but a twofold Justification must be promised to him, A Law Justification, this do and live: For the promise was
made to the first Adam, so wit, that
he should be justified and live, if he give consumate, and perfect obedience to
the Law; now this Christ did in all things. 2. There is a Justification of
Christ from the hand of suretyship, he having compleatly satisfied for our
debts, this was due to him, and promised, 1 Tim.
3.16, Justified in the Spirit. Rom.
1.4. Declared to be the Son of God, by
the resurrection from the dead: That was judiciall declaration. Acts 2.24. Having loosed the pains of death, [foreign],
as King by authority and judicially looses a prisoner from his fetters, having
no more to say against him. Psa. 105.20. The
King sent and loosed him. Isa. 50.8. He
is near that justifies me, who is he that contends with me (in judgement?)
Rom. 6.9. Knowing that Christ being
raised from the dead, dieth no more, death shall no more have Lordship or
Lordly dominion over him [foreign]. So the word, Luk. 22.25. The Kings of the
Gentiles bear dominion over them, Rom. 14.9. Death had some Kingly dominion
in Justice and by Law over him: But Christ by Law of satisfactory payment, who
was also the mighty Son of God,
wrought himself out of the grips and fetters of death: So
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in Christ death hath lost Law-dominion over the beleever.
It is against Justice and the just Covenant between Jehovah and Christ, that
we should be for ever among the worms and not at length be loosed from the
sting and victory of the grace: O death, thou shalt, thou must let the captives
go free, 1 Cor. 15.55. Hos. 13. the prison must be a free Jayle, when iron gates and fetters are
broken. We have in Christ a good cause, the cause and action of Law is win and
carried on our favours.
2. There is a promise of heavenly influences made to Christ, Isa. 50.4. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the
learned. 5. The Lord hath opened mine
ear, and I was not rebellious. Some great Divines say, Christ had no sleepy nor closed ear: he must there speak of Isaiah. But so there was no sinfull
drynesse in Christ; Was He not
therefore anointed? Isa. 42.1. I will put my Spirit upon him. Then all
influences are promised also, Isa.
11.2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him:--3. And shall make him of
quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shal not judge after the
sight of his eyes, &c. 2. Christ
was assured he could not sin, and so of influences to duties, Joh. 5.30. Joh. 8.26,27,38,50,55. Joh.
10.38. though he wanted influences at a time, as touching consolation and the
felt fruition of God, being forsaken
for a time, Psal. 22.1 Luk. 22.44. Math. 27.45. But Adam, as
he was not to beleeve perseverance, nor yet sinfully to fear falling: so
neither was he to beleeve influences to all acts of obedience, they not being
promised to him. Yet was not Adam to
beleeve his own reprobation; for it was neither true nor a revealed truth. Then
the only nearest way against deadnesse and drynesse, is to have recourse to the
fountain and fulnesse of life that is in Christ.
Literall quickning of our selves, miskenning Christ, out of whose fulnesse we receive, produceth but literall
fardinesse. 3. The speciall and cardinall promise (I will be his God, Psal. 80.26. and
be shall cry to me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.)
is bound up with Christ in the
Covenant of Suretyship, and is the key and corner stone of the frame and
building of the covenant of Grace, Joh.
20.17. Go to my Brethren, (faith Christ to Magdalen) and say unto them,
I ascend unto my Father and to your Father, and to my God and
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your God. Its comfortable talking that Christ saith to us, I and you Beleevers
are the Children of the same Father, and have one Covenant-relation to one God: though, as is said, Christ bear the relation of a
Surety-Covenant to God, and we of a
Covenant of Mediation; and notwithstanding of the differences, yet it may be
said that Christ and Beleevers are in
one writ, and one letter of acquittance dischargeth both from condemnation, Christ from condemnation of punishment,
us from condemnation of inherent guiltinesse and punishment. Blessed we to be
unite to him every way, and to joine our Amen
and consent to the Covenant: yea, and in regard of profession, we should
subscribe and write our names to it, Isa.
44.1,2,3. Our maimed and broken and half consent proclaims an overly and cold
Covenanting. Its true, parties are but
once married, once Covenanting by oath is as good as twenty: but frequent and
multiplied acts of marriage-love adde a great deal of firmnesse and of strength
to the Marriage band, they are confirmations of our first subscription. Renewed
acts of faith to take Christ for Jesus
and Redeemer, and renewed acts of love, do more and more ingadge the heart to Christ as Lord and King. Little
conversing with Christ deadens
marriage-love. Rare visits and thin bring on worn out acquaintance. We are apt
to complain he visits us seldome: that is because we have not the childish hire
of consolation and feeling, we refuse to work, and yet we should look at
comfort for the duty, and not on the duty for the comfort, when its a duty to
our Father; And who looks upon the comfort both as a comfort and a duty? 1 Thes. 4.18. Comfort one another with these words: and so must they comfort
themselves. Comfort is mainly for beleeving, Colos. 2.2. Heb. 6.18.
and there is a feast and a fill of joy in beleeving, Rom. 15.13. We seek but a comfort and a joy of chearing and
solacing our selves, and that is all.
4. There is promised to Christ a seed, Isa. 53.10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he
shall see his seed. Heb. 2.13. Behold I
and the children that God hath given me. Jacob by Covenant served for Rachel: Christ also served, suffered and
died of love for his Spouse, Eph.
5.25,26. Isa. 53. he shall be
satisfied. A Redeemed seed was his end, and we endure hard labour for a desired
end, and we are sick till we get the great end we aim at.
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Its true the honour of God was the speciall end, Joh. 12.28.0.17.1. Yet it was heart
satisfaction to Christ to have all
his off-spring and children with him, Joh.
17.24. How should Christ not be our
end? See if ye do all, and suffer all, to fetch this shoar, Phil. 3.8,9. Examine comparative ends,
by ends, self ends. Its impossible a man can be ignorant of his last and main
end, so strong an impulsion it hath upon his heart.
5. There's not onely a feed, but
a rich conquest, the heathen promised, and the ends of the earth, Psal. 2.8,9. Dominion from son to son, Zech. 9.10. Psal. 72.8. Dan. 7.14.
and both this and the former satisfies Christ.
There is not a sight so desirable to the eye of Christ, as to see all his Redeemed ones conquering and last in the
fields, and fairly landed on the shoar, passed Gun-shot and reach of all
temptations. We satisfy our unbeleeving hearts too much; Ah! who can stand,
temptations are so strong. But as JE HOVAH fully satisfies Christs soul, his
hope, his aim and intended end in all the Articles of the Covenant of
Redemption: so fear not, JEHOVAH cannot break off the Treaty with his Son, nor
oan Christ be left unsatisfied.
6. The Lord promises help to Christ
against his enemies, Psal. 89.21. With him my hand shall be established, mine
arm also shall strengthen him. There be many against Christ, but he hath a divine furniture of strength. Hence
protection is promised to him in the discharge of his Office, Isai. 49.2. In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft:
in his quiver hath he hid me. The outlettings and manifestations of
strength and furniture that is in the head redounds to a seasonable supplie of
all his afflicted ones, that they shall not be overwhelmed.
7. Victory is promised to Christ over all his enemies: The Lord will not leave his soul in grave,
Psal. 16.10. Therefore (saith the
Lord speaking Covenant-wayes, Isai.
53.12.) will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the
spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death. He shall
triumph over principalities and powers, Col.
2.15. Luk. 11.22. and shall make all
his enemies his footstool, and subdue them, so that he shall fill the pits with the dead bodies, Psal.
110.1,6. and plague all his enemies, Gen.
12.3. Psal. 89.23. I will beat down his foes
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before his face,
and plague them that hate him. It supports not a little our faith, that when we tremble
before temptations from Satan and the mighty of the world, the Lord hath written & Covenanted to Christ all his and our enemies
destruction. Our turning away our eye from the Covenant is the cause why we
succumb; Christ, under his forest
assault with hell and hels pursevants and officers, devils, and the felt anger
of a forsaking God, dowbles his grips
on the Covenant, my God, my God,
Psal. 22.1. Mat. 27. O my Father,
Mat. 26. Psal. 89.26. He shall cry to me,
my Father, my God. A Covenant is (as it were) more then a promise, being a
solemn promise in condiscension of mercy: So the Church, Psal. 89.38,39. and Jer.
14.21. and the afflicted people, Isa.
63.16. and Dan.c. 9.4,5,6. Ezra 9.6.10.15. Hezekiah in a day of rebuke, Isa. 37.16,20, the
slain Church, Psal. 79.9. Psal. 80.1. flee to this shoar in their
stormes, and the Lord professes he will be broken, intreated, and holden by his
Covenant, Lev. 26.41,42.
8. There is a promise of glory,
of a Name above all names made to Christ
for his sufferings, Psal. 16.9,10,11.
Isa. 53.12. Act. 5.31. and to such as suffer with him, and overcome, Luk. 22.29,30. Rev. 3.21. Rev. 2.10. As
also, he shall bear all the glory of his Fathers house, Isa. 22. Zech. 7.13.
9. The Lord promiseth
forbearing-mercy to the children of Christ,
if they sin, he will correct them in measure, and in a Fatherly way give them
repentance, but not remove the Covenant-mercy. So hath the Lord Covenanted and
articled in the writ with his Son, a rod to children, to difference them from
bastards, Heb. 12. And he that hath his fire in Zion, and his
furnace in Jerusalem, writes this up as a Covenant-mercy, that he will not
suffer them to perish with the world.
Hence, the rods of the wicked stand booked in the Covenant of Works among the
curses of the book of the Law, Lev.
26. Deut. 28,15,16,17, &c. our
rods are Covenanted mercies in the compact between the Lord and Christ, and
written in the Gospel-book of the Covenant of Grace.
10. All the promises of the
Gospel, are first (as it were) promised to Christ; the Gospel is put over in
his hand. Jesus is the Angel, Rev. 10.1 choathed with a Cloud, and a Rain-bow on his head. v.2. And hath in his hand a little book open;
the Testament,
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and the book of all promises to dispense them to such as
the Father hath given to him, to give his Spirit to his own, to interceed and
advocate for them, to ratifie and seal them with his blood.
11. There is promised to him an
head-ship, and power of judgment, over man and Angels, with an oath, that to
him all knees shall bow, Rom. 14.11. Isa. 45.23. Phil. 2.10. and that he shall adde his seal to Gospel-hell and
vengeance inflicted upon the despisers of the Gospel, Luk. 19.14. Mat. 26.64.
The threatnings against Gospel unbeleef are put in the hands of Christ, not as Redeemer and Surety, but
as a refused Surety and King, whom unbelievers will not have to raign over
them.
12. Adam brake the whole frame of heaven and earth: and to the Second
ADAM the whole broken and marred lump of the Creation is promised, that he may
be the repairer of the waste places. Isa. 49.8. I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, to
establish the earth, to cause to inherite the deselat heritages. Ps. 72.16.
Under the raign of the Messiah, There
shal be an handfull of corn upon the top of the mountains, the fruit thereof
shall shake like Lebanon. Jer. 31.12. Therefore
shall they come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together for the
goodnesse of the Lord (Christ) for
wheat, and for wine, and for oyl, and for the young of the flock, and of the
herd.
1. The Lord made all things at the beginning very good, Gen. 1.31. Heaven, Earth, Sun, Moon,
Beasts, Birds, &c. being all made
servants to man, were in a manner fellow-Covenanters in their kind with man in
the Covenant of Works: As a King covenants with a great Family, his servants
and dependers have the benefite of the Kings Covenant-peace, all obeyed Adam without jarring: but when Adam sinned, war between the Lord, and
between the Master and the Servants is denounced, the earth is cursed for his sake, Genes.3.17,18. and
Lions and wild Beasts rise against him like loose borderers. But in the
Covenant of Grace, Hos. 2.18,19,20.
the beasts of the field, the fowls of the heaven, the Sun which shall not smite
by day, nor the Moon by night, Ps.
121.6. are by the Surety of the Covenant brought in a new league: yea the stones
of the field, Job. 5.23. are
compartners of the peace,
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and Christ the
King takes off the forefaultry upon all, and looses the arrestment of vanity
that by sin was laid upon the Creation, which was made sick like a woman
travelling in birth, Rom. 8.20,21,22.
Hence are they blessed in Christ to
the Saints, Deut. 28.4,5. Levit. 26.4,5,6. and the Angels come in under their Head Christ, Col. 2.10. and serve the new
restored heirs, Heb. 1.13. for their
Heads sake.
2. God hath appointed Christ
the Heir of all things, and Heb. 1.2.
hath given a Charter to Christ and
put in bread, garments, houses and all to the Believer in Christ the first Heir: his great evidence is, 1 Cor. 3.21. All things are yours.
3. He makes all things new, Rev. 21.5. This Christ mends the broken gold ring which was broken by the first
unattentive and rash Heir Adam; So
that now Heavens, Earth, Mountains, Isai.
49.13. sea, trees, fields, Psal.
96.11,12,13. are commanded to sing a Gospel-Psalm of joy, because Christ the
new King and Restorer of all is come to the Throne: yea let the floods clap their hands, Psal. 98.9. and he purposes to
purge with fire the great Pest-house infected with sin and under bondage of
corruption, Rom. 8.21. 2 Pet. 3.10,11. that he may set up the new
world in Gospel-beauty, the new heavens and the new earth, 2 Pet. 3.13. Isai. 65.17. Isai. 66.22.
Rev. 21.1. Oh what a life to have a
cottage and a little yard of herbs in that new World, and how base to be but
Citizens of this World!
CHAP. XII.
The condition and Properties of the Covenant of Redemption.
Q.
WHat need is there of any condition to be performed by Christ, or of any Covenant? Ans.
The same Question may be of the need of an oath to Christ, Psal. 110. The Lord
hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a Priest, &c. 2. The same
necessity, in regard of infinite wisedome that our Redeemer should be obedient
to the death of the Crosse, Phil.
2.8. and be under the Law, Gal. 4.4.
and keep his Fathers Commandements, and abide in his love, Joh. 15.10. requires also a Covenant of obedience upon the part of
Christ Man; for all men being born under
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the Law and Covenant of Works, Christ-Man also must be
under the same. And then Christ the
Mediator was to give obedience to a particular Commandement of laying down his
life for sinners, and this required an ingadgement by way of Covenant, and so a
condition of obedience to perform what this peculiar Law of Suretyship required
of him, to wit, to lay down his life.
3. Its not a condition of
indifferency which is required of Christ, such as is required of Adam, in which there is a hazard of
failing and coming short of the reward. Adams
Covenant had both threatnings and promises, and so hath our Covenant of
Reconciliation, though in another way: see Psal.
89.30,31,32. But the Covenant of Suretyship hath promises most large that are
made to Christ: but no threatnings
are laid before the Man Christ that are to be read in the Scripture. There was
no hazard nor possibility, in regard of the Personall Union, that Christ could sin: yea, in regard that
Christ from the womb was both a Traveller, a Viator and an enjoyer and Comprehensor,
and had the Spirit above measure from his birth, as Man he had gifted to him
the confirming grace which is now given to the Elect Angels in their Head
Christ; And therefore there was somewhat like a condition necessary, and as the
members enter to glory through obedience, so also the Covenanted Head, Luk. 24.26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter in to his
glory?
Q. 2.
What was the speciall condition of the Covenant of Suretyship?
Ans.
The Covenant being a bargain of buying a people to God, then the payed price and ransone must be the duely formall
condition. As for obedience to the Morall Law, it was the condition of the
Covenant of Works, to which the Man Christ,
as Man, was oblidged, that he might have right to Law-justification and life
eternall, jure & merito fœderali
operum, by the Law and federall merite (I mean merite by paction and
faithfull Law-promise, not of condignitie) of the Covenant of Works, that he
might be saved.
But this Law-holinesse had
influence in that most solemn act of obedience in offering himself a sacrifice
to death for our sins. And the Law-holinesse of the Man Christ did not exclude supernaturall grace as the Law holinesse of Adam: for it was the perfect
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conformity of Christs nature, his soul, understanding,
will, affections, and all his actions internall and externall with the holy Law
of God.
Hence the heart and inclinations
of Christ stood ever right and
stright to the Law. He exercised no affection in pur is naturalibus, his anger came not out in pure naturall
anger and no more, but it came out in acts of zeal; Nor his joy in pure
naturall joy, though sinlesse, but in joy of the Holy Ghost. And in the whole
Man Christ was a perfect masse, and,
as it were, a compleat body of all gracious qualifications.
Isai.
11. He received the Spirit of knowledge and was ignorant of nothing he ought to
know: Disputed with the Doctors being of twelve years old: The world knew not
his School or Teacher. Hence his wisedome and practicall understanding of the
Law of God and practicall
conclusions, He had the Spirit of
connsel, as the greatest of Statesmen for Government, Isa. 52.13. Behold my Servant
shall deal prudently. And so, when we are in perplexities and know not what
to do, he can lead the blind in a way they know not, Isai. 11.1,2. He hath the Spirit of might and courage, an
undantoned Spirit, yet conjoined with counsell, no fool hardinesse, but the
resolute ventoriousnesse of faith, Isai.
42.4. He shall not fail nor be
discouraged: Heb. broken, till he
have set judgement in the earth. Our softnesse of unbeleef, at the blowing
of a feather or stirring of a leaf, brings on falling of Spirit and swooning.
He hath the boldnesse of faith to beleeve victory before the battell, Isa. 50.9. Lo they all shall wax old as a garment, the moth shall eat them up.
He hath hope from the womb, Psal.
22.9. Thou art he that took me out of the
womb, thou didst make me hope when I was on my mothers breasts. And for the joy set before him, he endured the
crosse and despised the shame, Heb. 12.2.
And the Spirit of the fear of the
Lord made him quick in understanding, that is, the high and reverent
apprehensions of God made him quick
to smell or sent (so the word imports) the snares and temptations in the work
of Redemption plotted by men and devils. So excelled he in righteousnesse,
which as a gindle went about his lomes, both in judging, and in discharging the
trust out upon him by the Lord who laid the key of David and the Government
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upon his shoulder: his obedience to his Father, and
continuing in his love, Joh. 15.10.
and thirsting to do the will of the Father, Joh.
4,34. His zeal to his Fathers house should be a fair coppie for us to follow.
He was meeknesse it self, Isa. 53.7.
1 Pet. 2.23,24. much in praying,
beleeving, rejoicing in spirit, Luk.
6.12. Psal. 16.9,10,11. tender to the
weak of the flock, Isa. 40.11. He shall feed his flock like a sheepherd, he
shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosome and he shal
gently lead these that are with young. Isa. 42.2. He shall not cry, nor lift up (a shout) nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3. Abruised reed shall
he not break, and the smoaking flax shall he not quench.
He was most compassionate to
sinners, inviting them to come, Mat.
11.28,29. crying and shouting with a loud voice to the thirsty, Joh. 7.37. journeyed from heaven to seek
and to save the lost, Luk. 19.10 came
to serve them with his heart blood, Mat.
20.28. his bowels were turned with compassion to perishing fouls that wanted
the feeding Pastors, Mat. 9.36. He sighed deeply in his Spirit, at the
perverse unbeleef of his deadly enemies the Pharisees, Mar. 8.12. wept and shed tears at the foreseen destruction of Jerusalem, Mat. 23.37. Luk. 19.41,42.
and yet that City slew him. Loved as the tender Physician, to be much in
company with sick sinners, Mat.
9.11,12. Luk. 15.1,2,3. Luk. 19.1,2,3,9,10. O what rejoicing!
when he layes the lost sheep on his shoulder, Luk. 15.5. When, v. 20.
he sees the home-coming sinner, he ran, fell on his neck, and had compassion
upon him, and kissed him, and made a feast, and sang and danced for joy. There
is no humility like his, to wash the feet of his servants: there is no patience
like his, who, when he was reviled,
reviled not again: when he suffered,
he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, 1
Pet. 2.23. As a lamb dumb before the
shearer, Isa. 53. How gaining of souls was he, who preached in the Temple,
in the Synagogues, in the Villages, in the Ship, at the Sea side, at every
Table he came to, at every Feast, at every confluence of people, at every way
side, and stood still and talked with a woman, and wanted his dinner upon that
occasion? And thought he dined well when he gained to the Lord the soul
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of a woman, and of them of Samaria, who hated him and refused to lodge him? How faithfull and
free in rebuking the Pharisees and Rulers, and in declaring the truth of the
Gospel, that he was the Son of God, though they attempted to stone him for his
free Teaching? None mortified to honour as he that refused to be a King, Joh. 6.15. and was willing to be worse
lodged then birds and foxes, Mat.
8.20. and being rich, for our cause became poor, 2 Cor. 8.9. and endured the crosse, despised the shame, suffered the
contradiction of sinners, Heb. 12.
and did run and fainted not: And was he not a patern of love, who laid down his
life for his friends, Joh. 15.10.
even when we were enemies, Rom. 5.10?
He pleased not himself, Rom. 15.3.
honoured his Father, Joh. 8. sought
not his own glory, v. 49.50. and
saith true, Joh. 5.30. I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Joh.
8.29. I do alwayes these things that please
him. He faithfully expounded the Law, Mat.
5. refuted heresies, Mat. 22.
glorified God with his miracles, he was subject to his Parents, Luk. 2.51. payed tribute to the Prince
himself, Mat. 17.27. and taught
others to obey law-full Governours, Mat.
22.21. would not usurpe the place of a Judge, Luk. 12. v. 13,14. and
witnessed a good confession before Pontius
Pilate, 1 Tim. 6.13. and was for
that cause born, and for that end came he
into the world, that he might bear witnesse unto the truth, Joh. 18.37. none
so self-denied, he pleased not himself, sought not his own glory, nor his own
ease, nor his own ease, nor his own will, but submitted to the will of God.
In all which, we are 1. to look
upon Christ who went about doing
good, Act. 10 as one who 1. was Covenant-wise
designed of God and anointed with the
Holy Ghost and power to do what he did, and to be what he was, for our good:
and its much for the establishing of our faith, that Christ was all this for
our salvations sake, by counsell and Covenant. These gracious qualifications Christ-God undertook to have for our
good: and they were not given to Christ
as personall and proper for himself, but as head; for we may here distinguish
the grace of the person and the grace of head-ship, though they must not be
divided. But as the light and heat of the Sun is not (if we may so speak)
private or personall for the Sun it self, but for the earth, and all that live
and grow out
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of the earth that need the influences of the Sun and have
eyes to injoy the light thereof. The water of the fountain is not for that hole
or cave of the earth from whence the fountain doth issue, but it is very often
to run in streams to be a river for the use of the whole land. All these
excellencies and graces are in Christ,
not as his (to speak so) personall induements, but as the publick treasure,
that we may receive of his fulnesse. We should think it a strange exorbitancy
in nature, if all the trees, flowers, herbs on earth should refuse to receive
influences and growing from the Sun, and deny to be oblidged to the Sun for
light and heat: and our unwillingnesse to receive from Christ the publick grace
that is made his by Covenant, when a publick consignation by compact is made
for our good, proclaims our unbeleef and our wicked estrangement from Christ, as if we had said, let Christ be gracious for Christ, only I shall not be his debter.
Nor is it from the naturall connexion between head and members, or because
simply Christ is man as we are,
though the humanity be ground thereof, nor is it because Christ simply is anointed with the fulnesse of the Spirit, for he
is head of the body, and Lord, Generall, Captain of his people, not by nature
only, nor because of grace simply, but by Covenant-purchase. Rom. 14.9. [foreign], For this end Christ both died, and rose,
and revived, that he might be Lord both
of the dead and living. There's a Covenant between the Father and the Son
that Christ should die, not simply,
but for, and in the name of the heirs of glory, such as are designed friends (for
his dying is a relative and a legall binding and buying by Covenant of so many
certain persons) and upon this he is made Head and Prince, and exalted to give
of his fulnesse, to give repentance and forgivenesse of sins to the house of
Israel, Act. 5.30,31. Ah! how do we
love to be beholden to nature? to self? for Heathen and Pagan vertues by
education, and morall exercise, which is but wild corn? and we see not how
unwilling we are to trade with Christ, or to buy from him fine gold, yet it was
given to him without measure, as to the universall fountain and head, for all
his. 2. All these are in Christ, that he should be a living coppie which we
must follow: And he is a more lively example then the Gospel it self, for
Christ is the acted Gospel. And if ye look on Christ, loving, beleeving,
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hoping, praying, there comes more life and warmnesse from
his actions, then from the word: when we consider that as God would have the humane nature a chariot to convey to us the
fulnesse of merite by satisfaction, so must it be the mean of carrying to us
the fulnesse of grace by sanctification, and then, when God Covenants with the Man Christ, that love, faith, hope,
meeknesse, humility and grace shall live, speak and act in Christ out to us, we
are more strongly convinced to follow the footsteps of so blessed a guide.
Christ is a living glasse in which we see the beauty of grace. As also his
meeknesse and humility is the meeknesse and humility of God, and all these graces have a seat and lodging in our Immanuel God with us, they have a
drawing and an alluring desirablenes from the Person the Lord Jehovah our King, the
mighty God, the Father of ages, in whom they reside.
The properties of the Covenant of
Suretyship are, 1. Freedom. 2. Graciousnesse. 3. Eternity.
As to the first: Nothing could
compell, nothing could hire Christ For eternity to ingadgo his Name in such a
band, since he well knew what it should cost him, how dear it should stand him,
and saw what indignity, shame, pain, curse, and all these conditions before
him. And what could move the father, since he might have followed the
Law-course of Works?
2. The first draughts of
free-grace and the Lords unsearchable riches appears in the sure mercies of David, in an everlasting
Covenant, Isa. 55.3. and Ps. 89.1. I will sing the mercies of the Lord.--2. For I have said, mercy shal be built up for ever:--Why? v.3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen, I
have sworn unto David my servant. 4. Thy
seed will I establish for ever, &c. The giving of the Covenant. 2. The design
of a Redeemer. 3. The sending. 4. Anointing. 5. The consenting of Christ. 6.
His coming. 7. Dying, are all acts of grace. God was no debter to the Man Christ, or to any of his kindred and
blood-friends, more then he was to David
and his seed, but God would act grace
in Christ, and make him a samplar and the first coppie of free-grace to all his
brethren, that they might share with him therein. But though he made Christ
also a coppie of his Justice, Rom. 3.29. and
spared not his Son, Rom. 8.32. yet, Mal.
3.17. the Lord deals not so with us: And
they shall be
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mine, saith the
Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my Jewels, and I will spare them as a
man spareth his own son, that serveth him. And of Christ it is said, Ps. 72.13. He shall spare the
poor and needy. And, O what riches of grace and mercy, and plenteous
Redemption hath he manifested to us? and therefore the more grace he shews to
us, the more freely and sonly should we serve him, with lesse hirednesse and
servile disposition: If we could love God and Christ with a heart abstracted
from heavens hire, at least the pleasure of it (for pleasure maks not any
conform to God, but holinesse doth) and the heart not legally fearing the
burning torment of hell it were good: for since Christ hath freed us from the
Law-wrath, he takes it not well that we darre approach too near to the mount
burning with fire; nor does Christ
allow our affections of fear and sorrow, & sadnes to act upon feared
everlasting wrath, (we being justified by faith) any other way, then in a
Gospel-consideration, being casten down for our Law deserving, but so as we
highly value our ranson-payer, and serve him with godly fear, [foreign] which
word, Heb. 12.28. must note a
difference between the fear and trembling and terrour upon devils, for the
torment of hell, Mat. 8.29. Jam. 2.19. and the [foreign], the godly
fear of believers, Heb. 12.28. which
is also given to Christ, Heb. 5.7. in
whom there was no fear of hell torment, and therefore the fear of him that can
cast both soul and body in hell (though it be another word, Mat. 10.28.) which Christ commands, cannot be a servile fear legall, for hell such as
is in devils and men, but a godly fear, such as is consistent with the faith of
deliverance from the wrath to come: for Christ,
Mat. 10.28. commands that fear, fear (saith he) to deny Christ before men: Why? fear him who can cast soul and body in
hell. And immediatly, v. 31. Fear not therefore: the same word that
is, v. 28. then he must forbid a fear
opposite to servile fear, and which stands with the faith of sons who are to
beleeve the care of a father, which is more toward his children then toward
sparrows, v. 29.30. And that the word
notteth a godly fear, which is, Heb.
12. beside other Greek Authors: See Heb.
5.7. see Luk 2.25. Act. 2.5. Act. 8.2. Act. 23.10. and
Heb. 11.7. Noah moved with fear, [foreign], built an ark: sure the fear of everlasting torment in hell, moved
not Noah to build the ark, for by
faith which is saving, he builded it, v.
7.
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3.
Eternity is a speciall property of the Covenant of suretyship: For 1. the
parties are eternall; Jehovah the Lord and the Son of God never began to agree upon the designation of the
Redeemer for that work, it was a bargain closed from everlasting: Only the
question is, when the Son shal render the Kingdom to the Father, 1 Cor. 15. whether or not the Covenant
shal then cease. For 1. Christ shal then end his work of Redemption, and shal
fully and finally have purchased what his soul desires, and shall have received
his wages, and injoy with his conquished bride an eternal sabbath. 2. He shall
interceed no more for sinners, for the sinning of his redeemed ones shall have
an end.
2. The Son (saith Camero) shall leave off to raign, quod attinet ad regnandi actum,
according to the act of raigning, but as touching the Kingdom it self, there
shall be no end of the Kingdome.
But it may appear as there was a
time when it was said of Christ,
Phil. 2.7. [foreign], He emptied himself,
and took on him the form of a servant. So there is a time opposite to that,
v. 9. Therefore God hath highly exalted him: which is not fulfilled in
his resurrection, ascension, and sitting only at the right hand of God, but when all power, friends, and
unfriends, and the Man Christ shal be subject to the Lord, yea even the Son,
not as God, for Christ-God is equall with the Father, not as man, for so in the
days of his flesh as man, he ever was, and is, and shall be subject to God, but the Son shall be subject, as touching the Office of a formall
Mediatour. 2. Another distinction is here needfull, as Augustine and Ambrose: he
shall render the Kingdom to the Father, not that he shall leave off to raign,
but that he then shal declare that he raigns not of himself, but that he hath
his power of raigning from the Father, and he shall professe this before men
and Angels) and so shall glorifie the Father. Its not to be rejected that Hilarius, lib. 1. de Trinit. 11. August.
lib. 1. de Trinit.c. 8. he shall
render the elect back to God, as now
saved, and present to the Father his ransoned ones now perfected, so Eph. 5.27. 3. Taking the word of raigning, for this, to excell in
eminency of power above all, so Christ shall raign eternally, but taking the word of raigning as it notes the exercise of royall authority, so and so by
gathering a Church, by the Preached word, sighting against enemies, and
overcoming them, to make them his
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foot-stool, until which time he raignes, Ps. 110. And so it may be, and is said
by some, he raigns, not after the day of the universall Judgement: but these
are but the second acts of a King, and the not exercising of these acts proves
not but Christ is a King, actu primo, and essentially, for the
exercise of such and such acts are often extrinsecall to the office. But the
question shall remain whether he be not for ever and ever a Mediatory King, and
does retain his headship over the Church; so as the Angel say, Luk. 1.33. He shall raign, [foreign], and of his Kingdom there shall be no end.
And as Dan. 7.14. Cameron, and others say, the meaning of
that, that his Kingdom shall have no end:
is only, it shall not be destroyed by externall violence, as worldly Monarchies
that are made away, and others rise in their place, but that Kingdom (say they)
may well be called eternall, though the King leave off to raign, when he leaves
off to raign through no weakenesse and want of power, but because he needs not
raign, there being no need of laws, because the subjects are perfected, and
there are no enemies to be subdued, and the King hath obtained that eternall
end, a glorified people, for which he was fighting.
But yet this seems not to
satisfie, 1. Circumeision, and the ceremonies, and the Priest head, Exo. 40.15. lev. 16.29. that in the seventh month, shall be a statute, [foreign], forever
Lev. 6.18. All the males of the sons of
Aaron shall cat the remainder of the
meat-offering, it shall be a statute for ever in your generations: so Lev.
17.7. Lev. 7.34,36. Lev. 23.14. Num. 23.11.23. yet those Ordinances can hardly
be called eternall, as the Kingdom of Christ
is: And yet they cease when the body is come, and they are not destroyed as
humane inventions, the hay and the stubble that are builded upon the foundation
Christ.
2. These reasons prove that Christ shall not exercise such and such
acts of royaltie upon such and such enemies, for they shall be no enemies: Yet
we say not, as Camero, that such a
Prince leaves off to raign even as Mediatour.
Chirsts rendering of the Kingdome dispensatory or Oeconomick to the Father
may well be a rendering of an account of his subjects, and a presenting of them
to God perfected, Eph. 5.26.27. without spot and wrinkle:
Christ having brought them out of danger, so as they need not Word, Sacraments,
for a
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Temple. And so, 1 Cor.
15.24. He shal put down all rule, all
power, and authority, all Magistracy and Government that now is in either
Church or State: and so saith pareus, the
Son shal be subject to the Father, having subdued all the rebels, as his
Fathers Deputie, he shall return to his Father the Kingdom now reduced to
subjection and made peaccable, and lay down his Mediatorie Commission, and so
be subject to the Father, having ended the deputed and delegated charge. And it
is sure, the Son as Mediatour is sent, and is a Servant, an Angel, or Messenger
of the Covenant, Mal. 3. and the
laying down of his written Commission is a sort of subjection, and God doth not now actually raign in such
a Mediatory way as in the days of Christs
flesh; he did raign in Christ, but
now after the last Judgement, God is all
in all, that is, not because he is not now all in all, and is not the Lord
of lords, and King of kings, but because it, doth not so appear to be, many now
rise against him and contradict him, and persecuting his Mysticall body, do
persecute Christ. 2. He shal be all in all by change of the
Oeconomick Government, then the Father, Son, and Spirit, shal immediatly
glorifie the Church, Rev. 21.22. And I saw no Temple therein, for the Lord
God Almighty and the Lamb is their Temple. 23. And the City had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in
it, for the glory of God did inlighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
But that Christ shall leave off to be Mediatory King after the last
Judgement, I deny. For there is a twofold Mediation, one, of uniting sinners to God, and mediating between God and them. This
shall cease, and all the royall acts thereof, but these, with reverence, are
but second operations and acts of royaltie. There is another Mediation substantiall, by which our
natures glorified, stand in a substantiall union with God for ever: for to what
end shall Christ stand glorified in
our nature in heaven, but to be the substantiall mid-man between God and us, glorified for ever? If any
say that Christ-God-Man after that
day is no Mediatiour of reconciliation because there shall be no sin then: Its
true: Nay, but even now in the intervall between his ascension and second
appearing to Judge the world, he acts
not as Mediatour of reconciliation to expiate our sins, and to satisfie for
them, for only he did upon the crosse by dying for us, so mediate. And we will
not say he is acting
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the part of a Priest formally by sacrificing for us in
heaven, as Socinians teach: for he
can offer no expiatory sacrifice for us in heaven, for he died but once, &
that was on the earth only. Obj. But
now he Advocats for sinners, 1 Joh.
2.1. therefore as now in heaven glorified, he is a Mediatour for sinners. Ans. True, he is a Mediatour and
Intercessour now, applicatione, non
expiatione, by applying his blood, but not by shedding of it: And he is an Advocat, but called, [foreign], Jesus
the Righteous, and an Advocat as just and righteous, supposeth a right and just
cause, and that sufficient satisfaction and payment is given to God for the
sins of these for whom Christ interceeds;
the Advocation of Christ is not to plead that beleevers may sin, or their sins
may be excused as no sins: But his intercession is to plead, 1. that for his
blood we may stand as accepted of God, and freed from condemnation. 2. That the
Spirit procured by the death of Christ, may be given to us, that we may repent
and beleeve. But again, after the last Judgement Christ stands as Mediatour,
not to apply his death, nor to interceed for sinners, when there shall be no
sinners, but Christ eternally shall
appear for us as a paund of a perfect satisfaction once given, and as a pledge
and hostage of peace, and Christs
appearing for us for ever is an allusion to the Ambassadours sent by forrain
Princes, who standing in Court before the Prince they are sent unto, are
speaking tokens that the confederacie of peace stands, and that no acts of
hostilitie can be done by either of the States, and because God is eternally
and not by fits just, as if he were now angry at sin, and then satisfied and
pacified when the satisfaction is gone, therefore the Lord Christ stands in that Body and Nature in which he once
suffered, before God, for the acquiescing of Justice for ever in the once payed
ransone. As also, Christ remains the substantiall and naturall Head (though
nature be now glorified) of the Mysticall glorified body for ever, and of these
members under the Covenant of Redemption eternally, though all be done and
performed in regard of the purchased redemption: yet we then glorified, once
brake the Law; and therefore cannot even then stand in our Law-righteousnesse,
but must stand in our Lord Jesus Christs
Righteousnesse, which garment shall never cast the collour nor lustre.
2. That love to redeemed ones,
and the soul satisfaction of
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Christ in his seed is eternall, looking back to the
bargain he hath once made as Mediatour,
he cannot leave off to be satisfied in soul with what he hath done, for that
were a retracting of his love, and a repenting of his royall and Princely
tendernesse, that as King, he once did bear to his conquered subjects whom he
hath made his own for ever.
3. The soul of God must be
eternally well pleased with his Son eternally God-Man, and he stands resting in his love, Zeph. 3.17. and delighting for ever in all his Sons actings and
transactions in the work of Redemption, if therefore God have once given to him, God-Man,
the Throne of David to raign over the
house of Jacob, he must make empty
that Throne, if he shall leave off to raign. And the Angel, Luk. 1. speaks of his birth and
conception. 31. Thou shalt bring forth a
son, and he shall be great, and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of
his Father David, and he shall raign
over the house of Jacob for ever:
And he speaks of the eternity of Davids
Throne over Jacobs house, so that as
he shall be a man (and he shall never lay down our nature) so shall he be a
King upon Davids Throne for ever and
ever.
4. To triumph eternally over
enemies, the devils, Malignant opposers of his raign, sin, and hell is an act
of a Mediatory King; when head and members do both triumph, no lesse then it is
a part of his royall Mediatory power to crush them all, and make them his
foot-stool, Psal. 110. But Christ and the Armies of heaven, when
the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb shall come, shall ride upon white horses, and
triumph over enemies for ever, Rev.
19.7,13,14,15. and the eternall living of Christ in our nature with all his, is
a triumphing over the grave, and death, 1 Cor.
15. and who can prescribe a period and an end of that triumph?
5. The River of Water of Life
shewed to John, Rev. 22. proceeds out
of the Throne of God and of the Lamb; then hath the slain Lamb a Throne for
ever. v. 3. And there shall be no
more curse there: the Law of Works as threatning a curse, shall no more be
there, Gal. 3.10,11,13,14. Deut. 27.26. but the Gospel blessing
shall be there, and the Throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be in it. v.5. And
they shall raign for ever and ever.
6. If the glorified sit with the
Lamb on a Throne, as he is set down
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with his Father upon his Throne, as is promised, Luk. 22.29,30. Rev. 3.21. If Christs Throne be removed, the Throne of the
glorified cannot stand: And all alongs where the state of the triumphing Church
is discribed, the Lord Jesus keeps the name of the Lamb, in reference to the Mediatory
sacrifice of the Lamb of God slain
for the sins of the world, Joh. 1.29.
as, Rev. 5. The Beasts and the Elders stand round about the Throne,--saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,
to receive power and riches and wisedome, &c. Rev. 7.15. Therefore are they before the Throne, and
serve him night and day in his Temple, and he that sitteth on the Throne shall
dwell among them.--They shall hunger
no more, nor thirst any more.--17. For
the Lamb that is in the midst of them shall lead them unto the living fountains
of waters. Though this be expounded of the Church Militant, Isa. 49.10 yet it hath not its perfect
accomplishment, but of the Church before the Throne: for all tears are wipt
from that Church only. And whereas it is said, that Christ acts not as
Mediatour in heaven, its true, he acts not as now be acteth for sinners; but
even then the Lamb, v. 17. is the midst of them, and leads them, when they
need neither Temple, nor Sun-light, beside that, the Lord God Almighty is their Temple, Rev. 21. The Lamb is their Temple, v.22. And the Lamb is their light, v. 23. Now
what sort of leading, and what influences of worship and light comes from the
Lamb is another question. And it weighs much with me, that its impossible that
the precious Ark, God Man, and the
union personall can be dissolved.
7. Christ saith, I will be a God
to the overcomer, and he shall inherit all things, Rev. 21. And if he be
the God of Abraham, being dead, in regard of the soul that lives, far more
shall he be a God in an eternall Covenant
with Abraham, in soul and body
glorified, though the acts of Christs raigning, and the actings of his
Covenanted people must be suteable to a glorified state. Come Lord Jesus.
FINIS.