a compleat pardon till the day of Judgement They are now as fully and perfectly justified and pardoned as they were condemned It was by a Law against them that they were under condemnation and so it is by a Law grant viz. the New Covenant that they are justified and have the remission of sin Some call it a sentential Justification there will be a repetition of its Sentence so as they will be judicially acquitted before all the World in the great day In what Court or by what Judge are any so pardoned here If the Bar or Tribunal of this Judgement be a mans own Conscience that can hardly pass Sentence without discerning and knowing it self within the New Covenant and pleading that against the accusation of Satan whereas a Soul may have the righteousness of Jesus Christ and justifying Faith before he knoweth it or be able to discern it and therefore Justification and Pardon may be before any judicial act of Conscience Object If Believers be not actually under the obligation to punishment which is guilt then asking the removal of it or praying for daily pardon of sin is unnecessary Yea if they be not obliged they cannot be disobliged and so not pardoned therefore it seemeth that the Curse of the Law must be in force against them for some space before the new Pardon cometh Answ I. Believers in their daily pardons are declared to be discharged from the very obligation and Curse of the Law it self but not from a personal obligation to it There is an obligation to punishment residing in the Law but it doth not actually pass upon the persons of Believers one moment It must be remembred that present pardon is not a judicial act but it is a Sentence of a Law of Grace which declareth all under it to be discharged from the penalty of another Law Observe when a violated Law hath already passed Sentence upon an offender an act of pardon coming afterward in force to him there it dissolveth or taketh off an obligation to punishment which is already passed upon the person and this is the case of the Elect at first conversion But where an Act or Law of Pardon is in force to any persons and reacheth to offences yet to come or not yet committed there the obligation to the penalty never passeth one moment upon the persons and yet they have as much forgiven even the whole penalty of the Law as the other and more Grace in it For it preventeth the passing of the Sentence upon them Now this is the case Believers are alwaies under the New Covenant which is a Divine Act of Pardon this Law is in force to them before their Commission of new acts of sin and declareth their discharge from the penalty of the Law of Works that the instant wherein the sins are committed they are remitted thereby The commanding Law is not repealed for then they were no offences but yet the Curse of it resteth not upon their persons one moment 1 Joh. 2. 2 3. If any one sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins 1. Pardon 's afforded to sinners are from Jesus Christ as an offering Priest making satisfaction for sin but if one of those who have fellowship with God if Believers sin their succour and relief is also by the standing Advocateship of Jesus Christ Now an Advocate or Atturney pleadeth a Law in force whereby his Client is discharged so Jesus Christ pleadeth Believers being already under the New Testament whereby they have a right unto indempnity that though the Cursing Law remaineth in force still to unbelievers yet this new Act of Grace granteth a pardon to the Saints for all transgressions committed against it 2. It is yet unquestionably the duty of Believers to be daily praying for pardoning mercy Those who are taught to cry unto God Our Father Luk. 11. 2. yet are to say ver 4. Forgive us our sins Those then which have the Spirit of Adoption yet are to be praying daily for the pardon of Sin There is reatus simplex as well as reatus redundans in personam though Believers are not to confess themselves to be personally i. e. in their persons to be under the obligation or Curse of the Law there is cause for highest thankful acknowledgement of Grace in their freedom from that yet there is room for the deepest acknowledgement of their own sin and guiltiness in deserving of it and here is enough for their humiliation though the person by Grace is acquitted or pardoned yet there is a dueness of such a penalty to such an offence according to the Divine Law and this may be owned even under the clearest evidences of pardon for that doth not remove the desert of sin but freeth from what is deserved thereby Yea there is a great deal of work for Faith in Prayer upon this account Believers are to pray for the continuation of the Pardon which they do already injoy and for the remission of those sins which shall hereafter be committed by them The New Covenant containeth in it a Promise of future pardons and therefore Faith may act upon the Lord in it and that although they know they shall be forgiven The Promise-assurance of a mercy doth not exempt us from praying for it Jesus Christ had assurance that he should be glorified and yet he prayeth Joh. 17. 5. Father glorifie thou me he knew that he should be kept and yet he prayeth for it ver 11. David had an absolute Promise of establishing his House and Kingdom for ever 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. 16. and yet he the rather prayeth for it and upon that ground even the Promise of it So we may ask future Pardons though we certainly know we shall have them Also we are to ask clearer manifestations of our interest in pardoning mercy But further Believers in praying for pardon of Sin are 1. To ask a fresh application of the blood of Jesus Christ in the promise of pardon he is said to be to that very end a propitiation through Faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. not only is a manifestation of pardon to be sought after but Faith is to be exercised in an application of the blood of Jesus Christ as that which hath purchased and procured the pardon that is to be eyed as the price of Redemption as that which ratifieth the New Testament for the remission of sins Mat. 26. 28. it is that blood which cleanseth those that have fellowship with God from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 3 7 9. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins It must be by a Word or Promise that the faithfulness of God is ingaged this way and it is the work of Faith to own that and the Grace of God that shineth forth therein Act. 10. 43. whosoever believeth on him shall receive the remission of sins The Lords giving it is in order of nature first but to be followed
that I am he ye shall die in your Sins Thus the Apostle speaking not meerly of the false opinion of the Jewes concerning the meritoriousness of their good works or their external services being perfect obedience to the Law unto Life I say he not insisting upon these errours but having mentioned the very righteousness of the Law Rom. 10. 5. in opposition to that he saith ver 6 9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be Saved It is then a believing in him as already come and having all righteousness subjected in him yea as dead and risen that is called for When they were doting upon works of the Law as performed by themselves to take them off from this he telleth them that all this legal doing for Life must be found in Christ alone and as it followeth for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness that is as a means unto righteousness It is not his own working that will be his righteousness nor his saith it self only that is a means for the applying that righteousness which is subjected in Christ alone So that the Apostles aim is not to call them off from a legal doing by natural power and ability and instead thereof to put them upon Evangelical believing and doing as the condition giving right to Life but his design is to put them upon looking wholly out of themselves and all their own doing whether by nature or grace unto Jesus Christ alone for righteousness unto Life If a man should set about any Gospel service upon a legal ground he would be culpable as the Judaizing Professouâ—s were It is such a doing as giveth a little unto Life by performing the condition of it that is rejected in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians as dangerous Evangelical services are required on other accounts and to be performed to testifie conformity to the Will of God and these may evidence Life in the way to it but Faith it self though necessary yet doth receive a title from Jesus Christ doth not give one Joh. 1. 12. That Axiom he that believeth shall be Saved is not expressive of the tenour of the New Covenant we claim Salvation not in the right of any act of ours not upon the Rent of Faith as men hold Tenements by the payment of a Penny a Rose or such like no such thing here all is paid to the utmost Farthing by our Surety and we hold and claim upon the obedience of Jesus Christ alone Rom. 5. 18 19 21. 2. The New Covenant representeth the Lord as dealing with his people universally in a way of Promise and so is better than the Old which representeth him as treating them in a way of threatning The New consisteth all of Promises Heb. 8. ver 8 c. as if the heart of God were so full of Love and running over therewith that he could express nothing else but what he would be to and do for his people The Father having received full satisfaction to all demands in the Old Covenant by the mediation of his Son now he maketh it his business to give the fullest assurance by a constellation of Promises in the New that he will fulfill to a tittle whatsoever on his part resteth for performance Believers are wholly freed from the Curse there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. Heb. 12. 18. They are under a ministration of righteousness 2 Cor. 3. ver 9. But the Old Covenant represented God as a consuming fire denouncing Curses and threatnings against the Children of Israel who were his own people for with them was the Sinai Covenant made and not with unbelievers of the Gentiles there were indeed some Promises sparingly scattered up and down in it but they run conditionally and Israel failed of coming up to the condition that if they had not been priviledged with the Covenant with Abraham to run unto for relief what might they think would become of them By Divine appointment there were some to stand upon mount Ebal to Curse as well as others upon mount Gerazim to bless Deut. 27. 13 c. There are about twelve curses which they were injoyned to declare their assent unto all the people shall say Amen yea the last was a general one ver 26. If they continued not in all things they were liable to it Gal. 3. 10. which sheweth that although a temporal Curse was not excluded yet an Eternal was also some way intended on which account it is called a ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 7. It was otherwise with them in reference to that Curse than it is with Christians under the New Israel by that voluntary act the Old Covenant passed Sentence upon themselves yea the Curse of the Law was not then actually undergone by Jesus Christ it was not then satisfied and so might be presented before them as their obligation or bond uncancelled to their great affrightment But Jesus Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. Now all is discharged for us and so the New is a better Covenant 3. The New Covenant consisteth of absolute Promises and therefore is better than the Old Sinai Covenant which did run upon conditional Promises yea had works as its condition In the times of the Old Testament the price of our Redemption was not paid by Jesus Christ and therefore Life was then held forth upon the condition of obedience the Lord said Do and Live Lev. 18. 5. Rom 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. Yea as that which under the New seemeth to be conditionally mentioned in one place is absolutely promised in another so on the contrary what seemeth to some to be absolutely propounded in the Old in one part of it yet is conditionally promised in another Exod. 29. 45 46. I will dwell among the Children of Israel and be their God Indeed this is not properly absolute but as the foregoing Verses shew upon what Aaron a Type of Jesus Christ should do however the very same is clogged with a condition Levit. 26. 3 11 12 13 14 15. The promise of circumcising their heart and the heart of their Seed to love the Lord Deut. 30. 6. runneth upon condition If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God and keep his Commandments c. ver 9. But the New Covenant consisteth altogether of absolute Promises Heb. 8. ver 10 11 12 13. I will and ye shall When the condition of any Covenant is performed it becometh as absolute as if there had never been any annexed to it Now Jesus Christ is mentioned as our great High-Priest and Mediatour and that as having finished the work of Satisfaction ver 1 2 6. and the condition contained in the Old being exactly and compleatly fulfilled by him it naturally or necessarily must turn into an absolute form as in the New because upon his performance nothing more
pardon will be as early as the actuality of the sin and hence he speaketh as if all were actually forgiven already 3. Believers are alwaies under Justification unto life and therefore cannot at any time be actually under the obligation of the Law unto Eternal death It is nothing less than a sentence of death and condemnation a dreadful Curse that the Law denounceth against sinners Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all c. So that if Believers were one day or moment laid under the obligation of the Law by new acts of sin then so long they must be unjustified again there must be an intermission of their Justification For condemnation is opposed to and utterly inconsistent with present Justification Rom. 5. 16 18. Rom. 8. 33 34. Whereas it is expresly said Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus There is not a bare suspension of the Curse but they are differenced in respect of their state from others which are out of Christ after union with him yea after the fullest pardon yet every sin deserveth condemnation pardon doth not remove the desert of sin but the legal obligation which is to condemnation that is taken off vers 33 34. Joh. 5. 24. He that believeth hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation By daily pardons there is a continuation of a persons Justification and some Faith he hath but although the new acts of Faith may not alwaies be put forth the same moment that he sinneth yet he is secured from condemnation even at first believing or passing from Death to Life The same might be evinced from the declared freedom from the Law and in Curse Rom. 6. 14. Gal. 3. 10 13. At many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse this strongly implieth that others viz. Believers are not under the Curse so ver 13. And though materially the afflâ—ctions of the Elect before conversion be the same with others under the Curse yet the least Atome of that doth not formally light upon them For Jesus Christ underwent the whole of it on their behalf They were sententially by the Law under the Curse before believing but not executively then much less after being united to Jesus Christ 4. Believers are continually under the New Covenant and therefore the very instant wherein their sins are committed they are remitted or the persons are disobliged from the Law Curse and so actually pardoned For unto this there is requisite only interest in the satisfaction of Jesus Christ which they have in union with him and the Lords declaring their discharge thereupon and this is by the New Testament which was established by his blood for the remission of sins Matth. 26. 28. All pardoning mercy is treasured up there this is the very act of Pardon Believers are alwaies within the New Covenant and therefore have an actual right to the pardon of all sins not only past and present but also to come they have it beforehand in the Promise though not actually in possession they have a ground of claiming after pardons may urge the faithfulness of God in his promise for the affording of them also the instant wherein their sin is committed the New Testament declareth it remitted for that is a standing pardon ever speaking on this wise to all under it your sins and iniquities will I remember no more Jer. 31. 31 34. Heb 8. 12. so as they cannot be under the Laws obligation to punishment any more Believers are under the Promise of a New Heart and writing the Law there which assureth that they shall further repent believe c. Yet such spiritual frames may not immediately be afforded seeing these are gradually attained by a real change but remission of sin is a relative change made in an instant by the Promise upon all under it when they want it And here let it be observed that pardon or forgiveness of sin is a Divine grant by the Law of Grace the New Covenant that is his act of Oblivion Heb. 8. 12. Heb. 10. 16 17. Rom. 11. 27. On which account we read of the Law of Works and the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. and this latter in reference to Justification and remission of sin As present condemnation is by a Law even by the Divine Law of Works that passeth Sentence upon sinners the seed of the first Adam who are under it the very instant of their sining whether they be aware of it or not So answerably present Justification and remission of sin is by the Law of Grace the New Covenant that passeth a Sentence upon all the seed of Jesus Christ the second Adam who are under it the very instant of their sinning when often at the very time they do not discern it And as among men oâ—â— may have his offences pardoned by an Act of Oblivion which he is under though no accusation be drawn up against him to put his case upon tryal before a Judge that may come afterward thus it is not by a judicial Act by an Act of God as a Judge but as a Law-giver that he giveth present Justification and Pardons they are the Sentence of his Law the New Testament which Believers are alwaies under accusations from Satan or their own Consciences may come afterward and a tryal before the Judge in the great day The not understanding this hath run into many mistakes some asserting Justification to be from Eternity whereas they might easily understand that the Elect may yea must be under a Sentence of the Law of Works without the least execution of the Curse upon them by the Lord as a Judge till by coming under the Sentence of another Law even the New Testament they be discharged from it Others talk of pleading to a charge and upon a plea being discharged as their Justification whereas that is only the Sentence of one Law declaring a discharge from the Sentence or Curse of another Law upon their interest in the righteousness of Jesus Christ by union with him The Lord is not dealing as a Judge there often the Lord is mentioning Judgement as a future thing Paul reasoned of Judgement to come Act. 24. 25. Matth. 11. 22 24. and 12. 36. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Joh. 12. 47 48. The Word will judge you at the last day The present work of Jesus Christ is not to judge the World but to save it Now he cometh in a dispensation full of Grace with intreaties and beseechings that he may win over Souls to a subjection unto the Law of Faith which is a ministration of righteousness and Life exceedingly glorious 2 Cor. 3. But he will deal in another way when he cometh forth as a Judge then he will come cloathed with terrour and we must all appear before his judgement Seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. When the times of refreshing shall come then will their sins be blotted out Act. 3. 19. Not as if they wanted
free him from the obligation of it It promised nothing to a sinner it would imply a contradiction that it should promise Life to him still upon perfect unsinning obedience when he was already a sinner under the threatning of Death Yea if immediately after Adams sinning satisfaction had been made and he pardoned yet he had been but in statu quo prius in his former state If the Covenant of Works had been in force again is at the first he must afterward have yielded perfect obedience else no promise of Life and therefore there is no incongruity in saying that man sinning the Law required satisfaction for sin and yet also required righteousness unto Life much more in our case for there is another Covenant viz. of Grace made with Jesus Christ the second Adam wherein he hath undertaken by suffering to make satisfaction for our sin without which we could never have been freed from the threatned death there was no other way to it the Lord might have refused a substitute and therefore might without any shew of injustice put in what terms he pleased for our restoration unto Life If freedom from threatned death were obtained still the Lord might have annihilated us we had no promise of Eternal Life that in the Covenant of Works being null and void upon the transgression of the first Adam Behold therefore the Lord agreeth to stand to the first terms the second Adam undertaking to do what the first should have done to fulfill the same righteousness the Lord doth thereupon promise Life again Thus the Law is drawn into the Covenant of Grace and requireth the same perfect righteousness as before to be fulfilled not by our selves for Life but by Jesus Christ the second Adam as the aforementioned Scriptures do witness which assert not only suffering but also the righteousness of that one Jesus Christ to be necessary unto Justification and Life as Rom. 5. 18 19 c. and hence the Sinai Covenant which he fulfilled did run in the first form of Do and Live The ground of this mistake is a false supposition viz. that no more is needful unto Life but satisfaction for our sin and disobedience as if Life would naturally follow upon that which is to say either that we have Life without any righteousness whereas there is no Promise of it to Adam or to any since that run that way or else that we have it by a righteousness of our own working out Christ satisfying for our sins and defects therein and this is to affirm that we have life still by the Covenant of Works and in the way thereof which to affirm is very anti-evangelical and unscriptural For there are many Testimonies that unto the pardon of sin there is needful a New Covenant Heb. 8. 12. and that Life is by that and the righteousness required to it wrought out not by our selves but by another for us even Jesus Christ And thus the death of Jesus Christ was needful to our freedom from death although we obeyed in him or he obeyed in our stead to merit for us Eternal Life which is promised thereupon not now by the Old Covenant of Works but by the New Covenant of Grace And thus although Christ fulfilled the Law for us so as it is imputed to us and we made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Yet it doth not follow that we should be freed altogether from the obligation of the Law unto obedience For the righteousness of Jesus Christ his obeying and fulfilling of the Law for us was as the condition of Life or that upon which the Lord hath promised Justification unto Life but we may be and are obliged to obedience not for that but for other ends not in the least for our Justification and title to Life but as a part of our Sanctification and we sin in not obeying that we may glorifie God by those fruits of our being Spiritually alive Christs obedience was for one end ours is for another as his sufferings were for one end our afflictions for another and neither of them unnecessary 2. No actual interest in the promises of the New and better Covenant before union with Jesus Christ and Faith Even the Elect of God so long as unconverted and without Christ are without promises as I have manifested Ephes 2. 12. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 22. they were not from Eternity the Seed of Abraham ver 29. he had no Seed so early If the sinner himself had satisfied then it had been no pardon for he is not-pardoned that payeth his whole debt himself but Jesus Christ interposed he underwent the Curse and the New Covenant or Free Promise is Gods grant or act of Pardon Heb. 8. 11. and 10. ver 16 17. This is my Covenant Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Remission of sin then is a glorious fruit and benefit of the New Covenant not only manifested but conferred thereby God justifieth Rom. 8. 33. and this is his pardoning act Not Faith it self or any Grace within us is that which giveth the pardon Faith only receiveth the Remission of sins Act. 10. 43. and the Divine gift of it is by an immutable thing even by the Promise of the New Covenant And hence if any Object That Jesus Christ as a Surety had the obligation of the Elect transferred upon him and made full satisfaction to the Law for them and so disabled it for holding them obliged because they cannot eventually be damned It is Answered As our obligation and condemnation was by the Covenant of Works so our declared freedom from its obligation and our Justification must be by the New Covenant that is the way laid out for the giving of it forth And though our sin was transferred upon him and an Act passed which rendred it certain that we should be justified yea and sanctified too in due season yet not so as that we were immediately disobliged but in the way laid out by Divine appointment for that end The Covenant of Works being violated though satisfaction must be given to that yet that contained no Promise of Life to a sinner upon anothers undergoing the very penalty threatned therein and therefore was so far from giving ipso facto deliverance that it would have availed nothing towards it without a New Covenant because payment by a Surety was a refusable satisfaction the Lord without any appearance of injustice might have said the Soul that hath sinned it shall die Therefore the Sentence of the Law lyeth against us till by the Covenant of Grace we be discharged from it in the way and time therein appointed which is at union with the Lord Jesus 3. None are actually and personally the Seed of Jesus Christ as the second Adam before union with him and Faith therefore none are actually and personally justified till then They are only his Seed such as he redeemed that he doth justifie Isa 53. 10 11. Rom. 3. 24 25. The two Adams
seed upon earthly comforts but Christians live by Faith by what is laid up in Divine Promises by these things they live they know not how to subsist in any state or condition without a Promise they would count themselves dead creatures without that whatever earthly enjoyments they had in possession Neither will a Promise alone satisfie without Jesus Christ in it Christ liveth in me he is the very Life of their lives without him nothing but spiritual swoonings faintings dyings and all from the want and failings of Faith That fetcheth in all influences from Jesus Christ for the supporting and hath the great hand and stroak in all the actings of spiritual Life all spiritual motions are managed thereby Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God And therefore Sanctification is but a secondary or after evidence That is not discernable till first there be a discerning Faith which speaketh Justification If Faith be inevident all other Graces will be so also Faith may be shewed unto others by Works Jam. 2. 18. A man may be Declaratively justified by Works but if a man doubteth of his Faith he will as well doubt of his Works whether they be from a Gospel root or not For no Love of the right stamp and so no due obedience but what is the fruit and issue of Faith in the Lord Jesus For that worketh by Love Gal. 5. 6. As first acts of Faith do not consist in believing that our sins are pardoned but in a receiving Jesus Christ and his righteousness as the way to pardon Joh. 1. 12. So if Christians kept up in acts of Faith by outgoings of heart to him in the way of the Promise for all that is wanted there would be not only sweet flowings of Love and Evangelical obedience issuing thence but also they would be filled with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. I have often thought if Christians did give more attendance to such direct acts of Faith and spent less time in questioning their conditions or giving way to doubtings about them they would find their interest in the Covenant cleared up yea and consolation also coming in as by the by 3. By Faith Souls are venturing upon the Free Grace and faithfulness of God in his Covenant in the greatest distresses with good success The New Covenant is made up all of Promises and the Gospel is called the Word of Faith because it is the Work of Faith to draw out what is vesseled up there Heb. 10. 38. Now the Just shall live by Faith Not only as to Justification but as to expectation of mercy promised Many would be acting Faith in the concluding interest in Christ and Eternal Life but they should be acting it by a cordial owning of Evangelical principles Yea Christians should lead their whole Life in looking to the Love and Faithfulness of God in his Promise for all their relief and succour in any condition they come into here yea even for Eternal Mercy Heb. 6. 18. They are pursued by spiritual enemies corruptions and Temptations and are in great danger but by hope which floweth from Faith and can act no higher than Faith doth they go yea run for refuge to the hope to the heavenly glory that is set before them so as they lie as at Anchour in such stormy daies and here are two immutable things the Promise and the Oath of God that by these they might have strong consolation By Faith they realize the very things contained in the Promise or Covenant and so their interest in it is experimentally witnessed to them They can say at such a time when we were in Soul distress so as all the means in the World could contribute nothing towards inward ease quietment and consolation then we being inabled by Grace to bear the weight of our Souls and our conditions upon the Faithfulness of God in his Covenant or Free Promise we found relief and refreshment It was not meerly our own fancy and imagination but we were delivered out of our distresses by Faith we were inabled to draw out of the Promise the Milk of consolation which it was beyond the power of all creatures to afford us and thus they find that the Covenant or Promise is their own 4. By Faith in the Free Promise there is a standing Conquerours in Jesus Christ over all spiritual enemies it is a great matter of the Covenant that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents bead Gen. 3. 15. And therefore there is through Grace a vanquishing all the enemies of Salvation Sin and Satan through the blessed Seed the Lord Jesus The Promises are accomplished within the Soul but the way is Ephes 6. 16. Above all take the Shield of Faith That not only is best for descrying Satan in all his Stratagems but for the withstanding of him also Joh. 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith When the Soul hath Combates or Spiritual Conflicts and reason is foiled cannot bear up then Faith appeareth as Victorious not in its own strength but in the strength of Christ and his conquest which it maketh use of in these encounters And thus conquering acts of Faith as before venturing relieving and discovering acts are useful for witnessing interest in the Covenant I might shew that Faith hath other acts as acts of assurance drawing up conclusions he hath loved me and given himself for me Gal. 2. 20. But I have said enough to shew that it giveth a knowledge of being within the New Covenant CHAP. XIII Of the Use of Absolute Promises THe Question will now be What Use is there of absolute better Promises When or in what cases are they to be made use of Answ 1. They are of Use for the manifestation of the riches of Divine Grace and Love to sinners if there may be some Grace in promising great blessings upon a very small condition certainly there must be more Grace and Love in promising the same absolutely without any condition This maketh to the magnifying of the Lord in his owning Israel above all people that he loved because he would love Deut. 7. 6 7 8. not because they were greater or more lovely than others or had any beauty or comliness in them but for his own sake as is often intimated Absolute Promises are high expressions of Divine Love as Heb. 8. 10 11 12. They proclaim rich mercy and great Love Eph. 2. 4 5. That the Lord should break through all unworthiness and undeservings this may work into the greatest self-emptiness and self-abasement The Lord peremptorily promised the establishing of Davids throne for ever 2 Sam. 7. 13 16. and this Grace melts his heart into a deep sense of his own nothingness ver 18 19. Who am I O Lord God what is my house c. Thou hast spoken also of thy Servants house for a great while to come and is this the manner of man O Lord God So that absolute Promises of Divine
Covenant of Grace because so few are enumerated where it is mentioned as with us Gen. 12. 17. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. But seeing all are made and fulfilled in Christ hence they must all flow as living streams from that Fountain The Covenant of grace with Jesus Christ that is the great Charter that we hold all our priviledges by and all the promises do some way or other appertain to that Some Promises are Constitutive of the Covenant as those between the Father and the Son concerning a Seed others are executive or referring to the execution and application of it Isa 53 10 11. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Some are principal and concerning the end eternal life Heb. 8. Heb. 9. 15. Gal. 3. 8 9 18. Others less principal concerning the means internal the Spirit and faith or external as ordinances Not only Spiritual but even promises of temporal blessings as of succour and relief in particular cases and conditions in outward straits and distresses yet these belong to the Covenant of grace Psal 105. 39 40 41. He spread a cloud for a covering here is protection a fire to give light by night that intimateth direction he brought quails and satisfied them with the bread of heaven here is gracious provision he opened the rock and the waters gushed out this speaketh miraculous refreshment and consolation And whence was all this care over them vers 42. For he remembred his holy Covenant and Abraham his Servant All these then were to be deemed Covenant mercies Where had the Lord particularly promised any such extraordinary relieves unto Abraham or his Seed O he witnessed himself to be their God and promised the land of Canaan and that implyeth all mercy and means necessary for them in the pursuance of the Call to it So that all protections preservations provisions all for the sustaining upholding and succouring of the people of God yea even their lowest mercies have a tincture of Covenant-love to put quickness into them So returns of prayer in a day of outward affliction are in remembrance of his Covenant Psal 106. 44. 45. 2 King 13. 22 23. Yea observe in some places where the Covenant is mentioned there are promises added and so belong to it which in other repetitions of it are left out As Jer. 32. 38 39 40. One-ness of heart and way and his fear in their hearts are promised in the Covenant yet are omitted in the recital thereof Jer. 31. 31 to 35. And the Word Covenant is omitted and yet many promises thereof are mentioned Ezek. 36. 25 to the end as appeareth by the identity of some with those expresly in it else-where So that we are not to confine the Covenant of grace to those mentioned in the new Covenant all the promises to us are some way comprised in it Corol. 2. Hence there is infallible certainty in and grounded consolation issuing from the Covenant of grace seeing it is made joyntly with Jesus Christ and us All the promises are his right as well as ours and so can never fail Is Jesus Christ the Seed of the woman who hath assurance of being victorious over the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. So are Believers yea they are of the Seed of Abraham and David interested in the same promises Gal. 3. 19 21. If any thing be a Condition of the Covenant of grace it must be so of the promises to Jesus Christ as well as of those to us that taking in all and being joyntly with both and principally with him and with us but in him as his Seed and so faith cannot be it for the promises were not made to Jesus Christ upon Condition of our believing but upon what he himself should do and suffer rather therein he hath a promise assurance that we shall believe Isa 5â— 10. he shall see his Seed It would highly derogate from the honour of the Lord Jesus to say that the efficacy and effect of all his undertaking had dependance upon any act of ours as that of believing It is by the efficiency of the Word of the new Testament that faith is given Rom. 10. 14 15 16 17. Act. 13. 47 48. Yea the gift of faith is promised in that of writing his Law in their hearts Heb. 8. â—0 and therefore by its Obligation for it is a contradiction to speak of a promise without Obligation for performance unto the persons to whom it is made and what matter is it whether it be upon an Obligation to the Sinners themselves or to another to Jesus Christ their Feofee in trust for them it is by the new Covenant which is made to them and that of grace is joyntly with Christ and them Believers are not only the objects for 〈◊〉 concerning whom he promiseth to Jesus Christ that he will do them good as bruit oâ— inanimate Creatures are improperly said to be in Covenant with him but the Subjectâ— to whom he promiseth special blessings iâ— Christ so as the promises are directed to and may be claimed by them Jesus Christ had an interest therein they are his right as we as theirs and this is no damage but 〈◊〉 advantage as giving assurance that they wiâ—â— be made good to a Tittle Jer. 33. 20 21 If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night then may all so my Covenant be broken with David my servant Long before the prophesying oâ— Jeremiah David had been in the dust and yet the Covenant with him holdeth still and it being made with Jesus Christ who is our David hence the order of nature the entercourse and revolutions of night and daâ— might as readily fail as any promises madâ— to him be disanulled or go unaccomplished yea he will sue them out for us when by reason of inward cloudings and darkness even about an interest in them we cannot lay any claim unto them our selves He should be a loser if they should not be fulfilled he should lose his right as well as we ours Christ and we having a joynt interest therein Had Christ assurance of being Victorious over the Serpent we also have assurance of standing Conquerours over him in Christ by the same promise and that under the same notion of the Seed of the woman So that this is a bottom of everlasting consolation that Jesus Christ and we are within one and the same Covenant CHAP. III. Of Christ as the sum of the Covenant THe Covenant of grace running primarily to Jesus Christ and to us in him so as he not only maketh it with but even is the Covenant of the people Isa 42. 6. It will be necessary to inquire What interest Jesus Christ hath or how and in what place and Office he standeth in reference to the Covenant 1. Jesus Christ is the very foundation which Evangelical Covenant is built upon as he is our life Coloss 3. 3. 1 John 5. 20. the cause of it So he is the Covenant i. e. the very basis of it as 1 Cor. 3. 11. For other
Of the date of Covenant mercies IF it be inquired when the Covenant of grace was made between God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son it must be answered it was from eternity it was an eternal Covenant indeed the actual giving him for a Covenant was not till his incarnation it is mentioned as a future thing he was promised before but given then Whence Isa 42. 1 2 3. c. is applied to him when he had taken our nature Matt. 12. 17 18. c. Also the first revelation of it was Gen. 3. 15. In the promise of his becoming the Seed of the woman to bruise the Serpents head That argueth a fore-agreement or consent to grapple with the Serpent but doth not give the first date to the Covenant So as the first declaration of the Covenant of grace was there but the Constitution or making of it was before all time even from eternity this appeareth for 1. There were mutual operations or actings of the will of God the Father and Son from eternity concerning the restoration of lapsed man which amount to a Covenant For what more is requisite thereunto it is revealed that such a Compact was between them Isa 53. 10 11 12. Isa 42. 1 to 8. God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Ephes 1. 11. Therefore so great a transaction was not without it and the Will of God is Eternal for he doth not begin to Will or Nill that which he did not before According to their distinct personality the Will of the Father was that the Son should in fulness of time take our nature do and suffer all necessary to the restitution and recovery of the Elect the Will of the Son ecchoed back and answered to that of the Father accepting the Office and this distinct acting or new habitude as Dr. O. calleth it of Will in the Father and Son toward each other is beyond a bare decree that the thing should be and so it is an Eternal Covenant 2. The designation of Jesus Christ to and his undertaking of the Mediatorial Office which amount to a Covenant or agreement was before all time For Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him i. e. in Christ And when Before the foundation of the World He is though not the Cause yet the Medium or means for the execution of election that did not run upon an uncertain means and therefore there was an agreement concerning it from Eternity Yea as to his Mediatorial imployment he is said to prae-exist all creatures Prov. 8. 23. I was set up or anointed i. e. to be King Priest and Prophet from everlasting or eveâ— the Earth was vers 24 to 31. 3. Many did believe Heb. 11. and so Salvation was obtained in the times of the Old Testament by Jesus Christ through a Covenant of Grace To say that they were saved by vertue of a meer decree were to assert that their salvation was obtained one way ours another and would render the Covenant superfluous vain and needless if some went saved without it and it is against Rev. 13. 8. which saith he was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world their partaking of the frâ—â—its and benefits of his death before it actually was could be no other way but upon assurance that Jesus Christ would in due time take our nature and suffer death this assurance could arise from nothing but a Covenant wherein Jesus Christ promised to do it and the Father trusted the Son for a due performance of it This Covenant theâ— was before his incarnation and so must be made with him personally considered or as the second person in the Trinity and consequently from Eternity for no acts between them as God but are eternal The Father and the Son as so do not begin to act towards each other what they did not before there was therefore an eternal Covenant 4. There were some reciprocal or federal actions of the Fathers giving Souls and the Sons receiving of them antecedaneous to Faith Joh. 17. 2 6 12. That he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him This deed of gift is for the same end that the Covenant of grace serveth to viz. that they might enjoy eternal Life Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me i. e. shall believe vers 35. this free giving is first and believing after and therefore seemeth to be Eternal This donation is an act of the Divine Will granting of persons to Jesus Christ that they might be ransomed or redeemed right to receive and take them is relative to it and therefore I think differeth from Election For the reason of that standeth not in such a grant but in a distinct act of the same will viz. in Divine love with separation severing some to salvation with a refusing of others This giving then is a sederal act from all Eternity 5. Some federal matters are declared to be from Eternity Tit. 1. 2. In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised When before the world began And we are saved and called not only according to his purpose but grace which was given us in Christ 2 Tim. 1. 9. But when before the world began All promises of eternal Life and all such grace belong to the Covenant of Grace and these were then made or given not to us in our own persons for we had no existence so early but in Jesus Christ As it would sound harsh to interpret the word promised thus decreed to promise so it were as absurd to render either Text from the beginning of the world the word being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ante before not since I ask is it to be rendred so as to Election or Jesus Christ Ephes 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 20 if not let us owne this truth that in the Covenant of Grace Eternal Life was promised and grace given in Jesus Christ from all Eternity CHAP. V. General Inferences from the whole Corol. 1. HEnce we may behold infinite condescention that the eternal God will deal or treat with us in a familiar Covenant way What an honour is this by his prerogative and Soveraignty he could have commanded all duty from us without promising any thing to us but behold the Lord hath put himself under everlasting engagements to his people that upon the account of his faithfulness they may expect through Christ all mercy needful in all estates and conditions When they are under great sufferings as Israel of old this Covenant may be of incouraging use Exod. 2. 23 24. God remembred his Covenant and bad respect to them When under temptation to think that Divine wrath and displeasure will go out against them it is of succouring use Isa 54. 9 10. As readily might the waters of Noah return and as easily might the Mountains depart as the Covenant of his peace be removed When under pressing wants it is of relieving use â— Chron. 6. 42. Remember the mercies of
is to be demanded of him but all must certainly be accomplished unto us The Apostle in the Text is purposely putting a difference between these and seeing the Old Covenant was unquestionably conditional and the New here in opposition to it or distinction from it is as undoubtedly absolute must it not needs be concluded that herein standeth much of the excellency of the New above the Old It was Prophesied of Jesus Christ Dan. 9. ver 27. He shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week A great end of his coming and death was the confirmation of the New Covenant on the behalf of the many which he stood for so as now it is turned into a Testament as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which generally it is expressed by doth evidence Gal. 3. 15 16 17. Though it be but a mans Testament yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto The Free Promise was confirmed by Oath before and by way of Testimony since but especially confirmed by the death of Jesus Christ by his performing the condition of it and therefore it can admit of no addition or alteration Heb. 9. 16 17. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead c. It beareth the name of a Testament as in relation to his death so in such a proper sense as it hath the Laws of a Testament attending it on which account he mentioneth a necessity of the testators death and its being in force thereupon Indeed a man may put some conditions into his last Will I do not argue thus it is a Testament and therefore absolute but therefore unalterable and so being delivered in an absolute form I will and ye shall hence it must abide in it even in its accomplishment and whereas some argue for conditions from the nature of a Covenant against that it is asserted to be a last Will or Testament which may bequeath Legacies without any condition There is a vast difference between the way of Jesus Christ his acting in the Work of his mediation before and since his Incarnation and the latter is much more glorious than the former Before he might plead Father thou hast promised me upon my obedience hereafter to be performed that those Souls which I have undertaken for should enjoy such blessings there was a mutual trust between them and so he might plead it in point of faithfulness but now he hath actually performed the condition of the Covenant and may plead it in point of Justice Christ being actually exhibited as a propitiation upon that God is said Rom. 3. 25 26. to declare at this time his righteousness c. in opposition to the time of the Old Testament he saith at this time that is at the time of the New Testament wherein the Blood of Jesus Christ is truly shed now God declareth his righteousness in the justifying him that believeth in Jesus it is an act of Grace to those who attain the remission of Sin but an act of righteousness to Jesus Christ he may plead Father I have made satisfaction to the full for the sin of these Souls now declare thy righteousness in pardoning of them it is that which I have purchased for them I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17. 4. I have paid the full price of their Redemption now let them have what I have procured for them thus he appeareth in Heaven in our nature not as a meer Intercessor but as an Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1. to plead that in Law in right we are to be discharged and this putteth a great excellency upon the New Covenant that it is in it self and to Jesus Christ thus absolute And note if some priviledges of the Covenant were dispenced out properly in a conditional way as suppose Justification were afforded upon Faith as a condition or temporal mercies upon obedience yet this would be far from proving any thing to be the condition of the Promise or of the Covenant it self Indeed even Faith is a particular blessing of it and therefore cannot be the condition of the whole Covenant for what shall be the condition of Faith And there is no such special Covenant now extant as the Old was for temporal mercies they are indefinitely promised and Soveraign Grace is the determining rule of dispencing out these to the Saints when they are wanted for time and measure as it is most for the glory of God and their good Matth. 6. 32 33. Nothing performed by us then is conditio foederis the condition of the Covenant it self Jesus Christ hath performed all required that way But whether any thing be conditio foederatorum cometh now to be considered Object Is the New Covenant absolute to us or conditional Are there not conditional promises therein to us as there were in the Old unto Israel Can we expect any mercy but upon our performing some condition that it is promised to Answ 1. If condition be taken improperly for that which is only a connex action or medium fruitionis a necessary duty way or means in order to the injoyment of promised mercies in this sense I acknowledge there are some promises belonging to the New Covenant which are conditional and thus are many Scriptures to be taken which are urged this way That this might not be a meer strife of words I could wish men would state the Question thus Whether some Evangelical duties be required of and graces wrought by Jesus Christ in all the persons that are actually interested in the New Covenant I should Answer yea For in the very Covenant it self it is promised that he will write his Laws in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. and that implyeth Faith Repentance and every gracious frame and those that have the Lord for their God are his people If the accusation be that there is a want of interest in Jesus Christ they need not plead that they have fulfilled the condition of the Covenant but that the Covenant it self in some promise of it which uses to be distinct from its condition hath its accomplishment upon them therein And those that are altogether without those precious Graces are strangers to the Covenant Ephes 2. 12. they cannot lay claim to the blessings of it It is our duty earnestly to be seeking after what is promised and one blessing may be sought as a means to another as the Spirit as a means to Faith and Faith as a means to obedience Gal. 5. 6. Believing is a great Duty in connexion with and a means of Salvation he that believeth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 36. Ephes 2. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 5 9. There is an order in giving sorth these blessings to us and that by Divine appointment so as the neglecting to seek them therein is highly displeasing unto God This is our priviledge that Divine promises are so conjoyned and twisted together for
with mens receiving it through Faith Gods act of pardon disobliging Believers the instant of their sinning is to be answered with a renewed act of Faith applying this to themselves setting their Seal to what God hath done yea renewed acts of Repentance also are to follow Under the Old Covenant it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins Heb. 10. 4. but the New Testament is better for therein through the blessed Mediatour believers obtain real remission Heb. 9. 15. 2. To ask impunity or immunity and freedom from the execution of the Curse and from other tokens of Divine displeasure if they know they shall have it yet they are to ask it as I before evidenced Though Believers know that God is a Father and that the Eternal Curse will never seize upon them yet they are to pray for a freedom from it and the rather be incouraged and provoked to it because the Lord hath promised it Although by the New Covenant Justification is continued yet by gross acts of sin the Lord may be provoked so as many sweet effects of their being justified may be suspended David who was in a state of Grace when he had notoriously sinned before renewed acts of Faith and Repentance before confessing his sin his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long Psal 32. 3 4. Day and Night the band of God was heavy upon him By this it is evident that although at the instant of sinning Believers are declared really disobliged from the Eternal Curse of the Law yet they may not be sensibly freed from that nor from temporal evils till afterward They are exempted from vindictive Justice in order to the making satisfaction for sin but not from paternal corrective dispensations to the humbling for and deterring from sin Psal 51. 2 7. Wash me throughly from my sin c. Purge me with Hyssop c. He was deeply sensible of his pollution defilement and uncleanness by reason of iniquity maketh confession and seeketh the removal of it Ver. 4. That he might justifie God whom he had greatly dishonoured and give glory to him by acknowledging his righteousness in all his judgements he cryeth out Ver. 9. Hide thy face from my sins they were not only ever before him but seemed to be so before the Lord also as if he were alwaies looking on them though he had not lost his Salvation yet he wanted much of the joy of it ver 11 12. Nathan told him God had pardoned him his sin 2 Sam. 12. 13 14. only some tokens of Divine displeasure must be expected and I think he Penned this Penitentlal Psalm after for the title sheweth that this confession was directed to the chief Musician it was for the use of the Temple he had confessed privately before to Nathan now he doth it more publickly after he had told him of pardon and also of judgements ver 4. So that after Souls are really disobliged and have pardon it self yet they may want the sense of it till there be a fresh application of the blood of Jesus Christ by the Spirit to them so as they may cry out for it as he ver 9. Blot out all my iniquities There may be inward cloudings and darkness sin and guilt may lie heavy upon the Conscience there may be throbbing there and a dreadful sense of it which may be enough to deterr from sin He will visit transgressions with a Rod though his loving kindness he will not utterly take from them Psal 89. 32 33. And who is willing to see the frowning face of God a tender Father and to have such smart rebukes not only by outward corporal afflictions but by the withdrawing the light of his countenance which is better than Life The Old Covenant did not purge the Conscience but the New is a better Testament for having mentioned the remission of sins afforded thereby Heb. 10. 16 17. he addeth let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience so Heb. 9. 15. In the way of a fresh exercise of Faith they may have freedom not only from other fatherly corrections but from those accusations of an evil Conscience which are the usual fruits of hainous sins till renewed acts of Faith and Repentance 5. The New Covenant raiseth a choice Spirit of filial Love and so is better than the Old which leaveth under a Spirit of servile fear the New being made up all of Promises must needs have a tendency to raise into the sweetest Spirit Rom. 8. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There is an excellency in the Evangelical Spirit then above the other I understand that Text of different states of the Church or People of God seeing in the former and following Chapters he evidently speaketh of Believers freedom from the Law by the Lord Jesus and the particle again doth intimate that once they were under that fearing Spirit viz. under the Old Mosaick dispensation but now in the times of the New Testament were freed from it Some by the Spirit of bondage understand operations of the Spirit in fear and terrour in order to conversion I cannot find that he is treating of that and it is more suitable to understand it of the state under the Old Testament and the rather because it is brought in as a proof of their Sonship as the particle for doth intimate it was therefore no desirable frame to be sought after but a misery to be under it and a mercy to be freed from it The Old Covenant carried with it more of the Spirit of a Servant as the word signifieth and although serving the Lord chiefly or only for reward savoureth of a legal Spirit and is one difference between the Spirit of a Servant and the Spirit of a Son yet here another difference is aimed at for it is said ye have not received it again to fear The Sinai Covenant put them on to duty by dreadful threatnings presented Curses before them and that not actually undergone for them by Jesus Christ as Arguments or inforcements thereunto which terrifieth and filleth with such fear as is found in Servants by the severe threatning of their Masters Israel was filled with fear and astonishment at the first promulgation of the Law And whewhether this was the proper effect of the Sinai Law to work into servile fear and bondage so as to make that duty then which now is not so and whether it were the approved effect of it in that day or not yet it intimateth that through the frailty of sinful man this would certainly be the issue of it and was even unavoidable hearing the Law from the mouth of an all-powerful God as a consuming fire and there was not enough in those conditional promises to free from this servile fear and so it left them under
are parallel'd Rom. 5. 6. to the end The day that the first Adam sinned the Law passed a Sentence of Death upon all his Seed ver 12. virtually they all sinned and died there but not actually till they exist or have a being and as none are the Seed of the first Adam actually under his sin and condemnation till they be naturally born of him into the world of sinners so none are the Seed of Jesus Christ the second Adam actually under his righteousness to Justification of Life till they be spiritually born of him into the World of Saints ver 16 18 19. Joh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 16. the one Seed Christ to whom the Promise is made is not exclusive of infant Seed as to Ordinances but of an adult Seed which fought Justification and Eternal Life by the Works of the Law thus the one seed is that of Faith ver 26. For ye are the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Indeed Representatively we were not only justified but also sanctified and glorified at the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ Ephes 2. 5 6. He hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Not that we were the principal actors by him and he meerly our delegate For then we were Self Redeemers Self-Saviours it were more properly our act than his Jesus Christ so represented us as he was the principal actor and owner of all still the Redeeming act was his not ours Gal. 3. 13. Revel 5. 9. Gal. 4. 5. Rom 3. 24 25. the righteousness his Rom. 5. 18 19 21. It is his subjectively he is the Sâ—bject of it objectively ours we the Objects yea he so represented us as all was federally ours in him it was agreed that afterward we should have it all was for us in the Covenant but we are not actually his Seed one moment of time before Faith Rom. 5. 1. To say therefore that we are justified not in our persons but to our persons in Christ is to grant what is desired For men cannot be actually justified but in their own Persons and that cannot be till they actually exist and have personality and seeing after their Nativity their persons are unjustified they cannot at the same time be said to be justified Indeed the persons were determined Jesus Christ had full assurance that he should not die at uncertainties Isa 53. 11. But that doth not argue the immediateness of their Justification that is in the appointed season We must therefore carefully distinguish between Justification it self in the abstract consisting in remission of sins and righteousness prepared and our being justified as Mr. Norton saith Orthod Evang. p. 314. Or distinguish between Justification actually procured and it actually applyed the former is before Faith the latter not so As to the former see Rom. 5. 8 9 10. Our being reconciled was at the death of his Son not at the time of our Conversion Justification in this sense is the Object of Faith and may be before the act thus Heb. 1. 3. When he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high so Heb. 2. 17. Remission of sin then purging and reconciliation it self were compleat at the death of Jesus Christ then prepared for us but not conferred upon us till union with Jesus Christ and Faith 4. All are in a state of condemnation till union with Jesus Christ by Faith and so have no actual Justification till then for these are opposite Rom. 8. 33 34. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth The same persons then cannot at the same time be both justified and condemned for he proveth immunity from condemnation by their being justified and they are persons in Christ Jesus that only have this immunity ver 1. None out of Christ actually injoy it and no union with him one moment of time before regeneration and Faith for if any man be in Christ be in a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. All unbelievers are condemned already Joh. 3. 18. The wrath of God abideth on them ver 36. Are Children of wrath Ephes 2 3. Even Elect vessels before Faith are here said to be in that state under a Sentence of wrath and condemnation not only naturally de jure quoad meritum as to desent for so are all the sinful actings of Saints deserve wrath whereas here such wrath is intended as differenced their state in time past from what it was since they believed it was inconsistent with present Justification unto Life Though Jesus Christ alone made satisfaction to justice for their sin and was made a Curse for them so as not the least Atome of the Curse formally that is of vindictive wrath shall fall upon them in execution yet not only materially they are under it but the Laws Sentence of condemnation is against them and they are obnoxious to many tokens of wrath not only in their bodies in many sicknesses infirmities and painful diseases but in their Souls by ignorance darkness with many other sinful dispositions and inclinations and in their whole man by subjection and thraldom to Satan Col. 1. 13. Act. 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26. and deprivation of fellowship and communion with God and liability to the terrour of such a state and all these not in the least to make satisfaction but for other ends as that Grace may be the more admired in Salvation out of such a miserable state Ephes 2. 11 12. to humble them c. If it be Objected That our obligation being transferred upon Jesus Christ and he having born our sin and Curse justice and equity requireth that the Elect should upon his death be ipso facto actually discharged their debt being paid it cannot afterward be charged upon principal or Surety It may be Answered More is to be considered in this case than a meer debt for here the person was firstly and principally under the obligation as Dr. O. observeth satisfaction by a Surety being accepted the father might put in what terms he pleased without any shew of injustice and so there is no necessity that the discharge be ipso facto upon his death Also a debt may be charged upon the principal debtor till he obtaineth an actual interest in the satisfaction of the Surety till then though no further satisfaction will ever be exacted from Jesus Christ or the Elect yet the Laws obligation unto wrath may lie against them for other ends as to quicken them to seek deliverance out of that deplorable condition they are in The want of an immediate freedom is not from the defectiveness of the satisfaction made by Jesus Christ but from a present incapacity in those who are to be the subjects of the freedom as a full ransom may be paid for Slaves yet by reason of the distance an after-day may be set for their release So the Elect whilst unborn are uncapable of
are to the Lord as being duties commanded by him though they be not properly conditions upon which Covenant mercy is promised to us Will any say that nothing is acceptable unless it be performed under the notion of a condition upon which the Lord hath obliged himself to give our mercy Thus many Scriptures that seem to run in a Conditional form are to be understood as Coloss 1. 21 22 23. Rom. 2. 7. they declare his approbation of faith hope obedience c. 3. They are of exciting and incouraging use to the duty of seeking in an absolute promise those gracious qualifications which the other promises are annexed to the seemingly conditional expressions are not intended as discouragements but as powerful provoqations and incouragements to that duty or seeking that grace conjoyned with the promise Whatsoever mercy is mentioned any where either with or as a condition is absolutely promised in the New Covenant Heb. 8. particularly the remission of sin is promised there yet it is said Matth. 6. 14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you c. Not as if divine pardons were suspended till we have forgiven others that so long any were unpardoned and so condemned who before were justified This were to make divine acts have dependence on our actings and so to subject as one saith the Creator to the creature Our forgiving others is not properly a condition as if a performance of ours did ingage the Lord or lay him under an obligation to forgive us or as if we had right and might lay claim to Divine remission upon such an act of ours but it is expressed in a Conditional form as a pressing argument and a quickning spurr to so necessary a duty as the forgiving others although the Lord hath absolute intentions to pardon us and to cause us to forgive others Thus many other Scriptures are to be understood as Matth. 18. 31. Mark 11. 26. Luk. 6. 37. thus repenting and blotting out of sins are conjoyned Act. 3. 19. As a Father who is absolutely determined and resolved to afford some great favor to his son yet may speak of it to him with an if that he may lay an aw upon him towards some duty which yet is not in the least the condition of his affording it 4. They are of directive use unto the right way and means of seeking the mercies promised the eternal decrees of God are not conditional but absolute and unalterable yet are not exclusive of all means in order to their execution in time So Divine promises which are absolute without any condition properly so called yet are not fulfilled without any means It is a gross mistake to think that if there be no condition to be performed by us then we need not take any care or trouble our selves about the matters For we must know there are Divine commands putting upon the use of means in order to the execution of absolute promises and those that are called conditional promises are of this use to declare in what way and by what means those great favours shall be derived to us and men neglecting to seek mercy in the way of Divine appointment may miss of it not because they have failed of performing a condition but have neglected a duty and by sinning provoked God to â—â—t short Jam. 1. 6 7. Psal 78. 21 22. The promises of first grace are generally granted to be absolute for if they did run upon any condition that must be performed before union with Jesus Christ yea that must be seen in the soul before it had a ground to meddle with the promise and so it should be ascertained of salvation whilst it is in a state of nature If faith were supposed the condition that then must be prae existent in the soul and discerned also before it had a ground to believe in the promise that it were the condition of whereas faith is a grace and is the fruit of a promise as well as any other graces Indeed the promises of first grace though absolute yet seem to be as conditionally propounded as any Prov. 2. 3 4 5. Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 16. herein is holden forth the way and means to the obtainment of salvation for it is propounded and offered indefinitely to all elect and not elect not particularly promised to any but as it turneth into an absolute form to those persons described as the subjects of it Thus the Lord giveth forth a cluster of absolute promises Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 c. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean a new heart also will I give you c. and yet vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them This inquiring is not mentioned properly as a condition for all was before unalterably determined but as the way and means to the fruition of what was absolutely promised and thus as a means to promised mercies we may not only believe but exercise our selves in other duties ordinances and appointments of the Lord Jesus as pray that we may be pardoned justisied saved that the Lord would give us a new heart and put his spirit within us c. though not as conditions giving right to salvation for no act of ours layeth the Lord under an obligation by promise to afford these to us All is from meer grace and good pleasure But yet as a man may have purchased physick that would cure a disease which he laboureth under he may have payed for it and so performed the condition and hath right to it yet if he doth not make use of it he may be uncared so believers have a right to all even to those that are called conditional promises they being in Covenant all are theirs 2 Pet. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 20. yet if they do not make use of these they may come short of mercies promised not because they fail of a condition but because they use not the means to the fruition thereof like men that have a civil and absolute right to great estates and yet are without the comfort thereof because they make not use of them 5. They are of some evidencing use who the persons are that are interested in the promises though other promises are primary yet these are secondary evidences when those gracious qualifications can be discerned they are useful for the confirmation of our interest in eternal mercies They give a description of the persons and are so far distinguishing as when they are seen we may measure our estates and conditions by them Thus many scriptures speak of those qualifications not as conditions giving right but as declarative evidences of a title to Covenant blessings even to salvation So Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life Not that their keeping of them did give a right and title unto
Job 22. 3. 35. 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him Rom. 11. 35. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again Credendum est firmiter dari nihil ab hominibus per modum indebiti vel accipi à Deo per modum lucri Tract Sacr. Or else 2. They merit ex pacto by some contract or Covenant that though the works be inconsiderable in value to the reward yet the Lord hath promised such a reward to them thus only and no otherwise could the obedience of Adam in a state of innocency be meritorious for he did owe all as duty to God even by right of creation he might have required all without ingaging himself to give any reward and finite services could not merit in worth and value an infinite reward but the Lord promised it to his perfect unsinning works No otherwise did any among the Romans or Galatians expect justification or eternal life in a way of works but only falsly imagining that the Lord had made a promise of salvation unto these Thus a reward may be of merit and of debt and yet of grace in some sense though not of special Gospel grace for all good promised or given by the Lord to his creature is of grace seeing God oweth nothing to any Thus the making of a promise to Adam in a state of innocency for the rewarding of his works was of grace yet the promise being made if he had continued in that state the reward would have been of debt and therefore upon the same ground if the reward were now promised to us upon evangelical obedience then that were as truly meritorious though the condition were more favourable and life as really of debt as it would have been to Adam upon his sinless obedience for only the promise must have made it so there and the same is found here The Text in hand must refer either to the works of the Law which cannot properly merit because due even by the Law of Nature or else to those performed by Abraham after believing and then he concludes that if the reward were of these it were reckoned of debt neither of these could render it so but only by a Divine promise assuring such a reward upon the performing such works as the condition thereof and therefore seeing he concludeth it not of debt hence no obedience of our own can be such a condition of the New Covenant It is difficult to understand how the reward can be a debt legally and in justice due and yet not God a debtor when it is only his compact or Covenant that it becometh debt if that may be our due which another possesseth though he be not bound to us yet where it becometh due only by promise as in the case in hand and that upon an act of ours as the supposed condition it seemeth that the promiser is a debtor though considered antecedently to his promise he was free and in Rom. 4. 4. not only is God denied to be a debtor but the reward is denied to be a debt therefore there is no promise of it upon such a condition as our works which would make it of debt in opposition to that it is said to be of grace that is of Gospel Grace It 's true there are Divine Promises of the reward upon Christs works but they are not made immediately to us either upon our believing or obeying but mediately and at the second hand so as the ground of our claim is not our performing any Gospel condition upon which it is promised for then it were as really of debt as Adams but all the Promises are immediately made to Jesus Christ upon his righteousness and meritorious obedience on which account all become debt to him and thus God is not a debtor to us but to himself to his own goodness and faithfulness and to his Son and not our works but faith is the means unto our being counted righteous in his righteousness which only merited our eternal reward 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promises in him are yea and in him Amen c. We cannot claim any one promise in our own name upon performing any Gospel condition our selves though by the help of grace for then though it were never so small it were of debt to us but our only claim is in him in the right of our elder brother Jesus Christ and thus it is of debt to him but only of grace to us Saith Augustin in Psal 83. Debitorem Dominus ipse fecit se non accipiendo sed promittendo we can plead for nothing promised but upon the account of Divine faithfulness whereas if any act of ours though never so small were the condition of any promise then being performed we might plead for what is promised in a way of Justice whose formal reason Aquinas teacheth is ut sit ad alterum justice consisteth in giving to another what is his due viz. by contract promise or otherwise If Divine Promises pass into a debt it is to none but himself saith Dr. Arrowsmith in his Tract Sacr. Ipsi etiam Deo competit duplex debitum condecentiae unum fidelitatis alterum And a little after out of August Deus sibi debitor est ut agat condecenter prout congruit bonitati suae uâ—i seipsum negare non potest ita non debet aliquid se indignum facere And a little after out of Davenant Cum Deus dat vitam aeternam Petro aut Paulo Divina voluntas non solvit debitum creaturae sed sibi ipsi See more ibid. pag. 335. It either saith or obedience were a condition then there were a suspending acts of God upon some acting of the Creature which saith Dr. O. of Persev P. 53. cannot be without subjecting eternity to time the first cause to the second the Creator to the Creature yea then by our performing of it the Lord were laid under an obligation to afford mercy promised even life and salvation to us and we might claim these upon our own act In short therefore we may have the recompence of reward in our eye as an incouragement unto duty 1 Cor. 15 last Heb. 11. 26. 12. 2. Yea we may exercise faith as a means to the fruition of life and salvation and yield evangelical obedience that we may shew forth the praises or may honour him that hath called us by such choice fruits and effects thereof and as evidences of interest therein Thus we may in the strength of Christ strive to enter in at the strait gate conflict with and overcome spiritual enemies and work out salvation 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Rev. 2. 7 11 17 26. Phil. 2. 12. We may pray read hear believe repent as ways or means to the obtainnent thereof seeking the right thereunto only in Jesus Christ But we may not believe or obey as a condition for then upon the performance thereof we have right and title to the promised blessings even to eternal
salvation some act of ours then should give the â—iâ—le to life and we might claim it upon our own act but such doing for life is disclaimed and condemned in the Gospel whatever the act be Rom. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 8 9. Tim. 1. 9. Faith it self doth but receive a right doth not give one It is not upon any act of ours that the Lord is ingaged to make good his promise and that we lay claim to it If a Malefactor had not petitioned to the Prince he had died though no promise of life was made to him upon it and so his petitioning was only a way or means to his being spared had it been a condition thereof then the Prince had been unfaithful yea unjust if he had not granted it In the most absolute grants or where there is no condition making an estate liable to forfeiture by the non-performance yet there may be parties and stipulation It is the excellency and glory of the New Covenant that it runneth upon absolute promises it doth not leave at uncertainties no liability to a forfeiture of its special priviledges and this with the admirable treeness of it afford matter of great incouragement and everlasting consolation to all under it See more for this in the last question concernig the use of those called conditional Promises The New Covenant bringeth in a real plenary and perfect remission of sins and so is better than the Old which left short oâ— it Some sins had no sacrifice provided for them in the Old and were not forgiven so as they might injoy temporal blessings promised Some must be cut off as they that did ought presumptuously were to be cut off from among the people Numb 15. 28 30. yet believers in that day might be forgiven those very sins and injoy eternal salvation through the free promise in Jesus Christ and Act. 13. 38 39. By him i. e. by Jesus Christ those that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses The typical remission did not reach to all sins as Christs doth except to that against the holy Spirit Matth. 12. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 7. The great design of the Epistle to the Hebrews is to shew the excellency of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice above the Levitical and how much better the New Covenant is than the Old in the point of the remission of sin There was imperfection in the legal sacrifices the forgiveness there was only so far as temporal judgements were averted and temporal mercies afforded they could not really take away sin did not purge the Conscience or make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 1 2 3 4. but in opposition hereunto it is the glory of Jesus Christ vers 12 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified i. e. the people of God those in Covenant This he cleareth from the New Covenant vers 15 to 19. which saith their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Saith Calvin from this we gather that sins are now pardoned in another manner than they were in old time but this diversity consiseth neither in the word nor in faith but in the ransom of the remission thus he In the old there was a repetition and iteration of their sacrifices the typical pardon of new sins was stayed and suspended till they had offered new sacrifices and there was a yearly remembrance of their old sins vers 3. but in opposition to that it is the perfection of the New Covenant that as there will be no more offering for sin so there will be a remembrance of the sins of believers no more that is they will not any more come one moment under the curse or obligation of the Law to eternal punishment for them the declared discharge from this which is that wherein â—he pardon of sin doth properly consist as it is Gods act is not suspended till the putting forth new acts of saith or repentance although these ought to follow but is afforded to the believer the very moment of his sinning whether he then taketh notice of it or not I confess there is difficulty here on either hand for if believers be under the Laws curse and obligation by new sins then they are unjustified as often as they sin which may not be admitted and if they be not under it then it seemeth they are not daily pardoned seeing pardon consisteth in a declared discharge from that obligation this will be answered in a following objection It is actual pardon that is here inquired after for it will be granted that at our first justification all sins past present and to come are virtually pardoned That the actual remission pardon or forgiveness of their sins who are in Covenant and already justified is the very instant wherein the sins are committed so as believers remain not one moment under the obligation of the Law to eternal punishment or the immediateness of pardon may appear thus 1. Believers have always an actual interest in Jesus Christ his righteousness and the satisfaction made by him and therefore are not one moment so unpardoned after the commission of new sins Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins It is a glorious mysterie of the Gospel that sin is removed upon a full satisfaction and yet in a way of forgiveness It was in a way of redemption to Jesus Christ and yet in a way of pardon and free grace to us it cost Christ dear even his precious blood it cost us nothing The Elect whilst unconverted are not interested in that redemption in their own persons and so are unpardoned but we believers not only shall have it hereafter but have it already and therein the remission of sins they cannot one minute be without that for there is an inseparable connexion between these they that have the one have the other also Christ is theirs in whom they have redemption there will never be an interruption of believers union with him and Christ being theirs his satisfaction is theirs which answereth and dischargeth the obligation of the Law and so they are always in a state of freedom from that Jesus Christ being theirs they are always interested in his righteousness and the Law cannot actually oblige or curse any that are interested it its righteousness but only those that want it righteousness and pardon are in such connexion that the Apostle argueth from one to the other Rom. 4. 6 7 8. He proveth the blessedness of men in imputed righteousness from Davids saying vers 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven therefore unless believers could be disrobed of that righteousness and for some space lose that blessedness they cannot be the smallest season unpardoned If souls were actually under the Law guilt of any sin one moment they were then not perfectly righteous for these are inconsistent to be compleatly righteous and yet to be under the Law guilt