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 Col. 1.14 Mat. 26.28 Rev. 1.5 and sufferings not by our Evangelick doings and if such a case could stand the Martyrs sure might well be justified by their own blood and since no pardoning washâ—ng Law-satisfying vertue can be in faith works or our Evangelick deservings they can not justifie us nor keep and occupy the Chair of Christ. And the fault were the lesse if our works were onely called the way to the kingdom not the cause of raigning but they are called perfect both in their nature and conforme to the rule 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 Scripture Jam. 3.2 1 King 8.46 Eccles. 7.20 Prov. 20.9 Jam. 2.10 Yea though he that is guilty in one offends in all yet in the sight of God all flesh shall be justified this way Psal. 143.2 Nor can it be said that such works are perfectly conform to the Gospel because the doers beleeving in the lowest degree fulfills the condition of the Gospel But where it is said that the Gospel commands only faith in the lowest degree Then the Centurions faith the faith of the woman of Canaan and the greatest faith shall not be required in the Law For the condition of the Covenant of Grace cannot say they be required in the Covenant of Works and it is not required in the Gospel under the pain of sinning against the Covenant of Grace and of damnation for then all who have not faith in the highest degree should be damned and violate and break the Covenant of Grace contrary to the whole Gospel which saith that these who have weak faith are justified and saved and so the greatest faith shall be will-worship and a work of supererogation And because this way saith that all and every one of mankind are under the Covenant of Grace then 1. there shall be none living under the Law 2. no Law but only to beleeve in CHRIST shall lay an obligation on any Jews Christians under pain of wrath 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 John 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 Rom. 4. whether Abraham was justified by works done before circumcision or not Rom. 4. when as faith was not reckoned to Abraham when he was in uncircumcision and the blessednesse of righteousnesse by faith cometh both upon circumcision and uncircumcision vers 9. and he had faith and righteousnesse and was in Christ and regenerated when he was justified Though some taught Justification by the works of the ceremoniall Law yet Paul Gal. 3.10 states the Question of works agreeable to the Morall Law that are absolutely perfect and must be done by Grace And Paul might justly in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians have excepted himself David Abraham and all the regenerate for they are justified by giving almes to the poor Mat. 25. as was Rachab by receiving and lodging the spyes The English Divines say How could the Scripture conclude from Abrahams being justified by works whence he offered his Son Isaac unlesse by works here we understand a working faith the Apostle must mean the same by works vers 21. that he meaneth by faith 23. for he cannot say vers 23. the Scripture was fulfilled in Abrahams being justified in the work of offering his son v. 21. which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Except it must be meant that the work of offering his son Isaac was counted to him for righteousnesse Now the letter of the Text expresly vers 23. saith that beleeving God was counted to Abraham for righteousnesse then the work of offering his Son must either be the beleeving declared by offering his son and faith working by that act of offering or if they be two sundry things he must then say this in effect Abraham was justified by the work of sacrificing vers 2â— causatively before God Ergo the Scripture is fulfilled vers 23. and Abraham is justified by beleeving causatively before God vers 23. which we cannot ascribe to the Apostle according to their minde who make faith and works the two collaterall and joint causes of Justification before God as if one would say Peter wrought the miracle Ergo the Scripture is fulfilled that Iohn wrought the miracle So Abraham was justified by works vers 21. Ergo Abraham was justified by faith 23. 2. The faith which Iames debarres from Justification must be the faith Iam. 2. by which Paul strongly proves Rom. 3. c. 4. we are justified without works If faith and works concurre as 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
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 faith must flow from habituall 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 culpae but reatus paenae 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 undefiled 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 〈◊〉 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 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 of 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
'le heal him Prov. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to delve to plow inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that worketh either on iron of timber Why we are more ashamed of uncleannes and falshood theÌ„ of pride Characters of sinfull stoninesâ—e of heart against God Of the morall concurrence â—f the word to the act of infusion of a new heart Job 9.20 Pro 28.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be made narrow to be pressed in body or minde to afflict to vex Gen. 32.7 straitening was on Iacob by a Metalepsis it is to frame by pressing or keeping straight as Potters frame a vessel Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jotsâ—r a potter Eze. 11.13 The 〈◊〉 and unreasonable imaginations of the heart and the atheism thereof A heart delighted with God is the work-house of CHRIST A whole and enteer heart Half a sincere faith is no faith A fixed heart D. Prâ—â—â—on Some new heart or new spirit is an old heart Cant. 3 3. Cant. 5.7 A wel keeped heart is a new heart New affections what they are The necessitie of Works by the Law of faith an old question in the Church Our mistakes of Works of Grace of VVord of God of the works of God It s grace to close with all sorts of commaÌ„ds Galaenus de usupartuum Alphonsus decimus rex Castellae Melius ordinatiusque singula conderentur Pamphlet printed an 1647. p. 31. Luther Gal. 5. In libello de votis Monasti Chemn Loc. Com. de bonis oper cap. 1. qu 3. pag. 21 22. Confess August Apol art 20. Docent nostri quod necesse sit bona opera facere non ut confidamus per ea gratiam merâ—ri sed propter voluntatem Deâ— lib. 6. Concor p. 666. Some necessarie distinctions touching the necessity of Evangelick works Faith thogh weak justifieth Bruised Reed pag. 107 108. The right faith gives to life it justifieth not as Law-obedience The fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant of grace cannoâ— justifie as the fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant of Works shuld have justified The right of redempâ—ion is not ours by Evangelick doing as the place Rev. 22.14 mistaken is exponed by some By Christ dying we obtaine right to life and to Christ not by works Via ad regnum non causa regnaâ—â—i There cannot be a perfection in our faith and Evangelick works in order to the Gospel more then to the Law to justifie us If faith works concur jointly as causes of our justification neither can James deny truely that we are justified by faith nor Paul that we are justified by works English Divines Annot. on Jam. 2. Believing and faith Jam. c. 2. v. 21 23. must be believing and working faith The faith which Jam. excludes from justification is not the faith that Paul speaks of Rom. 3. Gal. 3. but a bastard faith only See Cartwright see D. Fuilk against the Jesuites of Rhems Jam. 2. Stapleton de sola fide justificante l. 8. c. 9. haec autem fides siue charitate mortua est Jam. 2. seu ficta hypocritica 1 Tim. 1. quantum ad perfectae justitiae vitam veritatem non autem quantum ad sâ—ipsâ—m sibique propriam virtutem c. Lorin Commen in Jac. 2.26 Sicut enim corpus non fit comparatio cum homine mortuo 〈◊〉 cum corpore nam homo mortuus non potest proprie vocari homo sed corpus mortuum est propricâ—â—tâ—pus Quo etiam pacto fides siue operibus est vere fides litet mortua Nec saâ—is placet 〈◊〉 addit Cajâ—tan in Comment fidem sine operibus mortuam quoniam opera sunt concomitantia 〈◊〉 Estius Com non comparat Apostolus fidem mortuam cum homine mortuo sed â—um corpore mortâ—â— sicut ergo corpus mortuum est vere proprie corpus ita fides mortua vere proprie fides est Expressions of a lively faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inniti herere recumbere est corporis 2 King 5.18 7.2 The Lord answered upon whose hand the King leaned Gen. 1â— 4 leane down under the tree 2 Chro. 14.11 〈◊〉 cryed to the Lord help us help us for we 〈◊〉 upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspexit cum delectationes cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est inniti recumbere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silere tacere Ezek. 27.17 Ps 131.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Kal. 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 amore 〈…〉 bitumine â—njunctis Shimler in Lexico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Firmiter initi unde sumitur pro securum esse â—o quod conâ—fidentiam sequatur securitas oppoâ—nitur dubitationi Est inaliquo spes omnes sic reâ—ponere ut secure quiesâ—at animus adversus omnia pericula res arduâ—s suscipere audeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A summo ad imum deâ—olvit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innixus conjunctus vicinus fuit confirmavit staâ—ilivit Saving faith noteth farre other lively acts then can be in the faith of hypocrites James speaks of reall justification before God but under the notion as declared and manifested to men to the conscience of the so justified Remonsteâ— Apol. c. 10· fol. 13 col 2. Jacobum de justificationis declaratione non loqui docent verbâ— ipsa Quis enim adeo vâ— cors est qui cum Apostolo contendere voluerit an homo declaretur justus ex fide fides enim quatenus fiducia est distincta ab operibus pietatis non est nisi in cordâ— homâ—â—is Theologia enim eorum non patitur credere hoc verum esse nam ne de operibus ipsis constare potest an sint bona opera non enim possunt esse bona nisi ex fide fiâ—â—t ex fide enim fieri non modo non potest alteri declarari sed ne illi ipsi id constare potest qui ea facit Quia reprobus illa eadem opera praestare potest Trelcatius senior de Justifica 1. Class Arg. 373. Paulus per quod homines credentes justificantur coram DEO docet Jâ—cobus quo modo justificari cognoscantur 2. Paulus fide verâ solum nos justificaris Jacobus quanam sit vera illa fides ab effectis probat 3. Paulus huic verae fidei tribuit justificationem sine operibus ut causis justificationis Jâ—cobus fidei fictae detrahit hanc vim contra veram probat ab effectis veris 4. Paulus negat bona opera praecedere justificandum Jacobus dicit ea justificatum sequi 5. Paulus à causis justificationis ad effecta discendit quibus detrahit coram Deo vim justificandi ut in solidum id tribuat Dei gratiae Christi merito Calvin Instituti li. 111. c. 17. n. 11. Iucidunt in duplicem Paragolismum Alterum in justificationis alterum in fidei vocabulo Tu credis inquit quod Deus est sane si nihil en istâ fide continetur nisi ut credatur Deum esse jam nihil mirum est si non justificet nec vero dum
THE COVENANT OF LIFE OPENED Or A TREATISE of the COVENANT OF GRACE Containing something of And especially 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 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 RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinitie in the University of S. Andrews 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 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 c. EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Broun 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 It s 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 wit 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 ouâ— 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 â—ay 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 be had with peace and as little blowing or stirring of the fire of contradiction as can be What is here said in a way 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 experienced by 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 faith 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 condiscension in the Lord to enter in Covenant with man 2. Temptâ—tions 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 faith layes hold upon conditionall promises and temptations of unbelief thereabout p 16 17. Oâ— the Covenant of nature p. 18 19 20. CHAP. VII It s 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 I. p. 46 47. 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 Adams God p. 49. What life is
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 Rom. 8.1 are to beleeve the contraire of the former to wit life eternall John 4.24 1 Thes. 5.9 John 3.16 and the contraire of the latter to wit the promise of perseverance made to them Jer. 32.39 40. Isa. 59.21 John 10.27 28. John 17.20 21. 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Mat. 16.16 17 19. Therefore these threatnings are not to be beleeved by the regenerate as certainly to come to passe in their persons but only as Law-motives to presse them to work out their salvation in fear and trembling and to cleave so much the closser to Christ as the condition of such as are under the Law is apprehended to be dreadfull But reprobats and unbeleevers are not to beleeve that God decrees and intends to them the thing promised and grace to perform the condition but only to beleeve their obligation to fiduciall relying upon and Gospel-faith 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 it s 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 Rom. 9.12 13. Eph. 1.4 so that God never hates their persons 3. The punishment of their sins and the wrath they are under is two wayes considered 1. Materially in the bulke and so they are under Law-stroaks and Law-wrath that is Law-punishment as others are Eph. 2.3 and so the other places are to be taken 2. The wrath is to be considered formally and so it is denyed that the punishment of the non-converted elect because of their sinfull way is any part of the Law-vengeance or curse which Christ did bear for their other sins committed by them after conversion 1. Because when Christ 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. Rom. 4.6 Psal. 2.12 Psal. 119.1 Their afflictions and death blessed precious in the eyes of the Lord not qualified with any Law-curse Job 5.17 Psal. 94.12 Mat. 5.6 Luk. 6.22 1 Pet. 1.6 1 Pet. 4.13 Psal. 21.3 4 5 6. Psal. 34.17 18 19. Rev. 14.13 Psal. 116.15 Psal. 72.14 Psal. 37.37 and they are asleep in Christ die in the Lord 1 Thes. 4.14 16. Nor can Antinomians and Socinians say this is under the New-Testament for dying Jacob saith Gen. 49.18 Lord I have waited for thy salvation Isa. 57.1 2. When the righteous man is taken away he shall enter into peace the Lord is the God of Abraham Isaak and Jacob when their bodies are rotten Exod. 3.6 Mat. 22.32 5. This comes too 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 works of offering Isaac receiving the spies fighting the Lords battels suffering persecution of Saul For Iames if he say any thing for this cause that good works are the formall cause of our righteousnesse our merits and in the very place of the satisfaction of the blood shed by Christ we shall so be formall causes not of the declaratory act of justifying for that may be thought to be the Lord our Justifiers act yet of our own Justification and so should we fight and run for the Crowne of inherent righteousnesse of works as well as for the Crown of Life And what Scripture is there for that 3. A man shall be as just and sinlesse as he may say I have no sin I am just And in order to the Covenant of Grace which forbids no sin as some for this way do 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. Noâ— 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith alone v. 24. by which he sayes we are not justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye see then a man is justified before men and to himself and so really declared before God justified and saved by works as the fruits of saving faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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. Rom. 4. he was thereby justified and therefore Paul and Iames are well reconciled And the faith here excluded must be a dead faith not a lively faith and a true faith as the body without the soul is a true body and hath the nature of a true body though it be no living body So say they the faith that Iames excludes is a true faith when as it is evident it is no more true faith then the faith of Devils and Hypocrites 3. It is false by the Papists 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Rom. 4. to be justified by works in their second or their Evangelick Justification Yea when James saith we are not justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only he must mean fidem 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the eâ—re 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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 fide justificamur Faith hath the only vertue of justifying as an instrument and so is the Adverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solùm taken Matth. 5.47 If ye salute your brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only what do ye more then Publicans Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes duties only naturall excluding these which only converts in a spirituall way can do Matth. 8 8. Only say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Jericho fell It were strange to say by Peter's and John's good works and holinesse the creeple man was made whole and by good works the walls of Jericho fell and yet there were good works love mercifulnesse courage in the Priests who compassed the walls of Iericho and in Peter and Iohn Adde to these that by good works we must more and more justifie and pardon our own sins and must more and more buy a right to the Tree of Life as they teach citing Rev. 22.14 and more merit ex pacto Euangelico life eternall and so our works and merites 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeved and it was counted to him for righteousnesse as it s written Gen. â—5 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 it 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 senâ—sible 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 Iesus Christ is to believe or compleat formed and Evangelick faith But we distinguish them as the Scripture It s 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
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 It s 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 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 Col. 1.5 Rom. 8.24 was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse though Gomarus give another exposition to wit that by faith or the act of beleeving we obtain this to be reputed righteous and it suits better with the Text. And as to the former imputation God could not in justice wound 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 the obedience of faith as a part of the ransome due to offended Justice is no Gospel-Law nor any part thereof nor can it bea◠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 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
34.15 16. 1 King 11.2 Ezra 9.2 12. Nehem. 13.23 Judg. 3.6 7. Judg. 4.2 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 Kingdom of God of his dear Son Contrair to Eph. 2.2 3 4. Acts 26.18 Col. 1.13 14. 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Eph. 5.8 which is unknown to Scripture Yea the Covenant is made to Christ and his seed Gal. 3.16 and the same blessings of Abraham comes on us Gentiles Gal. 3.13 14. But he and all his seed were blessed and in grace by the externall call of the Covenant Ezek. 16.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Deut. 7 7 8. Rom. 10.25 I will call them my people that were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved And this externall calling is of Grace and so Grace no merit as well as predestination to life is grace or for grace For whosoever are called not because Elect but because freely loved of such a God and without merit called Father and Son they are in a state of graceâ— But so are all within the Visible Church If any object by Christs comming all the Nations old and young are not become the Nations of the Lord and of his Christ but only true Believers even by our Doctrine 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 faith comes by hearing of a sent Preacher Rom. 10.14 and the Preaching of the Gospel is a saving means of begeting a new heart and of a new spirit Hence 1. All must be first externally in Covenant before they can be internally and really in Covenant 2. God is a God simply to some and no more but a God to them in regard of outward Church priviledges as the Word Seals Protection Peace Hedge of Discipline his planting and watering by a Ministry But he is to speak so more then a God to others Hos. 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercy Now the Lord is joyned to back-sliding Israel in an externall marriage Covenant But Jer. 3.14 not in righteousnesse in loving kindnesse and mercy in reference to the rotten party In regard of which he saith v. 2. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife neither am I her husband Zech. 8.7 Thus saith the Lord I will save my people from the East Countrey and from the West Countrey 8. And I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and in righteousnesse Then he is not to all a God in truth and righteousnesse fulfilling the first and substantiall promise of ingraving the Law in the heart not that he keeps not Covenant even to external confederatâ— to wit the conditionall Covenant for if they should beleeve they should be saved but he promised not a new heart and faith to them 3. Because he is a God externall to the Elect and that of free Grace therefore he is a God in truth and righteousnesse to ingrave his Law in their heart But externall confederation is not the adequate cause for then he should give a new heart to all with whom he externally Covenants but the adequate cause is confederation external tali modo out of his discriminating love and free grace he is a God to some 4. He is a God to his Elect that he may ingrave his Law in their heart and inward parts so that the promising to be a God tali modo is the cause and the ingraving of a new heart is the effect Jer. 31.33 Jer. 32.38 And they shall be my people and I will be their God That is the cause 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children 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 â—â—barre these from baptism and the Church whom Christ â—â—ds 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. It s 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 be Aegypt my people he should mean he would blesse Abraham
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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Iesus 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 eâ—s 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 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 quâ— jure aut titulo but by what Law-right he possesseth is another thing But 1. Good works are necessary necessitate praecepti 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise is opposed to the Law And that is a strong Argument Gal. 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Mâ—ch every way For three notable points are therein 1. The heavenly inheritance promised to the seed to Christ and his ver 16. not a pâ—or earthly Canaan as Sociniâ—ns and Papists say were promised to Abraham and his seed except they say that an earthly Canaan was promised to Christ. 2. That Covenant-promise of an heavenly inheritance made to Abraham the 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 Adams obedience meritorious but by Gods estimation Yea and Calvine gives a power of meriting ex pacto to our works But our works of grace are dyed and washen in Christs blood and justified that they may justifie us But the Scripture speaks nothing of justifying of works or not imputing sin to our works Antinomians dream of a freeing of both the person and works of a justified man from Law-obligation and that is a way indeed to justifie works of murther
4.5 Matth. 12.36 37. they are everlastingly punished And if Christ have suffered on the Crosse for all the sinnes of the Reprobate how are they judged and condemned for these sins as the Scripture saith And what Scripture saith they are condemned for the guilt of only unbelief or that Pagans are condemned for Gospel-unbelief where as Sodom Gomorrah Mat. 10.15 the men of Niniveh Mat. 12.41 Tyrus and Sidon Mat. 11.21 and such as have sinned without the Law Rom. 2.12 13 14 15. are freed of Gospel-guiltinesse and condemned for sinnes against the Law and yet this same way saith that there is a Gospel-Covenant made with all even thousands of Pagans who never heard of a Gospel never ingadged themselves by any profession to take the Lord for their God in Christ yet Christ bare their sins on the Tree and made his blood applicable to them by a Gospel-Covenant if they shall beleeve Whence they must all break the Covenant of Grace of which many of them never heard and be condemned for no sins but the last act of Sodomy gluttony parricide for the Gospel threatteneth not death to any sin but to finall unbelief say they There are not any sinnes 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 firâ—â— 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 iâ—â—bsolutely 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 fiâ—st 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. It s 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 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 〈◊〉 within the Visible Church as the wilfull refusing of medicine which only and infallibly would heal the sick man of such a disease is the cause of his death but is the Morall cause For the disease it self is the Physicall cause or the materiall cause of the mans death And without doubt uncleannesse covetousnesse sorcerie lying idolatrie c. and many the like sinnes beside unbeleef are 1 Cor. 6.9 Eph. 5.5 6. Rev. 21.8 Rev. 22.15 Jud. 6.7 8. 2 Pet. 2.17.10 11 12 13 2 Thes. 2.9 10. 1 Pet. 4.3 4. 2 Pet. 2.2 3 4 5. the causes of the damnation of many visible professours where as this way saith Christ did satisfie upon the Crosse for all thâ—se sins and the damned of visible professours suffer in hell only for finall unbeleef And it seems unjust that both Christ and they should suffer satisfactory punishment for these same sins done against the Law And as strange that Châ—â—st 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 pâ—opitiation 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
and not two 1 Joh. 5.11 And this is the witnesse that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath given us life eternall and this is in the Son 12. He that hath the Son hath life He that beleeveth hath the Son dwelling in his heart by faith Eph. 3.17 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Rom. 5.1 3. What glory in tribulation Rom. 5. have they more then Judas the son of perdition What Covenant of life and of peace are we in What difference between our Religion and the Religion of Cicero Seneca and of all Pagans if Christ furnish not to us solid unshaken help and consolation And what a trembling hope have they that they be and are to fear they shall be in the condition of Apostate Angels to morrw What saith then Christ Mat. 9.22 Mark 5.34 Mark 10.52 Luk. 8.58 Luk. 5.20 24. Mark 5.34 Mark 9.24 yea and much more saith the Holy Ghost of our case even of everlasting consolation 2 Thessal 2.16 strong consolation Hebr. 6.18 all comfort 2 Cor. 1.4 lively hope 1 Pet. 1.4 Heb. 6.18 19. then Heathens can say Nay otherwise not so much for they promise not so much 3. Our lively faith is to believe our perseverance in lively faith as promised to us Jer. 32.39 40. Isai. 54.10 Isai. 59.20 21. 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 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 hold 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 but that is
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. 12.10 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 Christan 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 us over into blocks 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 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 freed 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 likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 obediēce 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 no◠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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 quaedam passio paena 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
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 speciè 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 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. Our 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 potentià 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 causae moralis meritoriae 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 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 Arminiâ—s saith 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 a 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 â—e 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 2â— 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 â—s 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 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 forinsecall 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. It s 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 merâ—torious 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 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. 9.3 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 Iesus 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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 It s true Isocrates hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in bonum for the favour and good of any And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes also to do or die for the good and profit of others Col. 1.24 I rejoice in my sufferings for you that I may fill 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
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 dies 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 CHAP. IV. Now we are iâ— 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 haâ— 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. 2.24 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 subjects in the person of another though physically he neither do nor 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 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 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
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 foedus ennunciatum 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 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 sâ—eak Isa. 5â— 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 in tyed to no condition that he must perform that if he do not perform the Covenant is made void by him 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 〈◊〉 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 itâ— 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 he makes it not void to himself If it be said that the New Covenant is without any conditions whatsoever upon mans pure 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 â—ilde Where observe that â— 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 in 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 out obedience 2. Not only will they have the Spiritâ— 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 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 powrâ— 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
vita eterna in fideles difluit The promise Gal. 3.16 is not made to Christ mysticall The Seed Christ Gal. 3.16 is neither meant of Christ as a private person nor of CHRIST Mysticall but of Christ as a publick person and Head the second Adam Christ always to be looked on as a publick person The right necessâ—â—ie we are in to buy Christ. He who took not on him to be Priest and King but upon the call of God must be made Priest and King by Covenant The sprinkling of the Altar with bloud The sprinkling of the Book with bloud How the Covenant iâ— a Testament We have right to the goods bequeathed to us in a Testament not simply as a Testament but as such a Testament in which the death of the Testator in the meritorious cause of the goods tested The Testament is confirmed by blood of some living creature slain Livius li. 1. Populus inquit Flecialis Romanus prior non deficiet Si prior defecit publâ—co consilio malo dolo Tu illo die Jupiâ—er populum Romanum sic ferito ut ego hunc porcum feriam tanteque magis ferito quanto magis potes pollesque Id uhi dixit pâ—rcum siâ—ice saâ—oque percussit Beza in Amitaque ut hoc planius fieret non dubitavi verborum collocationem mutare Christ justified in his cause coms out of the prison of the grave by paying of the ransome of blood Heb. 9.28 Christ is not a surety by nature but is made a surety by a Covenant-consent of Johovah and by his own consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Christ was made a surety in a Capitall crime to die for us is suitable to the Law of nations M Thomas Goodwine Support of faith from Ch. Resur â— 111. How mercy calleth by a sort of need for a surety Justice suits not that the debter repay to the surety any thing in some cases See Andre Essenius in Triumpho Crucis de satisfact Chriâ—sti l. 2. Sect. 3. c. 1. pag. 468 469 500. Socin de Serva l. 3. c. 3. Vlpianus L. S. quis reum D. cust exhib reorum Vale. Maximus de Dionysior Siculo tametsi debita tot sacrilegiiâ— supplicia non exolvit dedecore tamen filli poenas rependit quas vivus effugerat Punishment suffered by a Surety can remove punishment from the guiltyman but cannot remove formally the inherent guilt and make him formally and physically and inherently innocent except the punishment of the Surety so excellent procure by way of merite the expelling of sin and the incoming of inherent holinesse in its room as Heb. 10 10. What will of GOD Heb. 10.10 sanctifieth us Mr. David Dickson Exposit. of the Epistle to the Hebrews cap. 10. v. 10. Solid comfort in knowing these number of these gifted to the Son I am one of them Sin is no cause why a justified one should doubt of his justification M. D. Dickson Psa. 89.19 Much of the Lord his gracious will is in the Covenant of suretyship M. D Dickson Ps. 89. v. 26. Christ the first heir of the promises undertaks for all his More grace if we may compare in the Redeemers Covenant then in ours Fountain-grace and fountain-mercy in this Covenant Gods essential love to the Son in this Covenant Jac. Armi. orat de Sacerdotio Chrsti pag. 16 17. Postulavit Deus ut animam suam poneret hostiam pro peccato c. The Covenant between the Lord and the Sonne that Arminius teacheth is not the true Covenant of redemption The Lord cannot promise by the Arminian way that Christ shall have a seed because the Lord by their way hath no dominion over the free will of any man The Lord King of the will The Son cannot pray for the heathen to be his inheritance by the Arminian Covenant betwixâ— Christ and the Father M. D. Dickson on Psal. 2. Christ both by free Covenant and by merit of condignity and justice may challenge a seed they are both promised to him and he gave a due price for them There is mercy in the bill of our suits merite and justice in the bill of the suits of Christ for us Christ was delivered from the act of suretyship Christ hath the first right of us by justice and more right then we have of our selves Our doubtings being once justified reflect upon the Covenant of Suretyship Christ hath laid bands by office upon himself to compassionate us It s needful to beleeve the sufficiencie of Christ to save The believed Covenant hath more influence on us then the Law-faith can have The eternall undertakings of Jehovah of Christ for us This Covenant answers our tentations In one Psalm some things spoken onely prophetically of Christ other things historically and typically both of David others That which is caled Davids thron is Christs throne The Covenant Ps. 89 must in the maine heâ—ds agree to JESUS CHRIST Athanas. Serm. 4. contra Arianos Cyprian l. 2. c. 1. Cyrillus Hierosolymit Catech. 7. 12. August de civit de l. 17. c. 9. Hieronim in Isa. 53. Calv. Com. in locum Vndâ— sequitur non posse constare vaticimi hujus effectum donec ad Christum ventum fuerit in quo solo demum reperietur vera Aeternitas The justified mans question of his state reâ—ecteth upon God his truth How selfie we are in the unbeleeving challenging of our Justification When ye cannot apply its good to feed the thoughts upoÌ„ Christs applyâ—ng himself the Covenant to you and to other single persons Christ undertaks that the Gospel shal be preached to the elect for themselves and to the reprobat only as mixed with the elect for other ends The necessary distinction of the Covenant as preached to many and as acted upon the heart of the few chosen God and all within the visible Church who hear the word of the Gospel are the parties contracters in the Covenant Preached but God the elâ—ct only are contracters of the Covenant as acted upon the heart The Gospel comes from Chrâ—st as undertaker for the elect for their sake The distinction of Gods will of approbation what is good or evill in poynt of our duty whether it come to passe or not and of his will of pleasure what the Lord hath decreed shall come to passe or not come to passe whether good or evill is of speciall consideration in this point We are to adore the Lord in regard of the beauty of his work even when the foulest works fall out We are to pray against the event of the decree of God in some cases and yet to submit unto the decree it self and to adore the Holy Lord therein The Lord speaks of the Covenant Jer. 31.31 32. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. Ezek. ch 36. Isai. 59. according to his decree and what he works in our heart and not according to his will of command and what we ought of duety to do The mistake of Socinians and Arminians touching the places Jer. 31.