not believe you that any are Priviledged from death as the wages of sin who dye This is the part of the penalty which the sentence passed on the offendor himself for all the promised satisfaction by a Redeemer Nor did the Redeemer satisfie to that end to prevent our death or to cause that it should not be the wages of sin but to deliver us from under the power of it Where you say that this way of God with unbelievers is voluntary not necessitated I Reply So it may be nevertheless because it was meant in the threatning It is dangerous to imagine that God is ever the less free or more necessitated so as that his actions should be less voluntary because of his determinations He doth as voluntarily do what he hath predetermined to do and foretold he will do as if he had done neither God changeth not and therefore he is as voluntary in the execution as he was in the determination §. 59. Of the Law as made to Christ Mr. Bl. CHap. 6. p. 25. And though Mr. Baxter doubts whether it be any part of Gods Legislative Will as it referrs to Christ but only as it belongs to us as a Prophesie what God would do in the advancing of Christ and his Kingdom and so of us Append p. 39. Yet me thinks it is plain seeing Christ acknowledges a command from his Father in laying down his life Joh. 10.18 and the Apostle speaking of the work saith He was obedient in it c. §. 59. R. B. ONe that had not read what I write would think by your Answer that I had made a doubt whether there be any Law made to Christ at all or not Whereas I spake only of that called the Covenant between the Father and the Son made from Eternity or the promises expressed by the Prophets as to Christ in his meer Divine nature not yet incarnate For I conceive that Christ before the incarnation may not be said to be a subject and that God is not properly said to command himself or covenant with himself or make promises by Prophets to himself But I deny not but that Christ as man was under a Law yea and a Law peculiar to himself whereto no other creature is subject even the Law of Mediation which deserves in the body of Theologie a peculiar place and the handling of it as distinct from all the Laws made with us men is of special use and if well done would do much to remove the stumbling blocks which the Antinomians fall upon §. 60. Whether the Sacraments seal the conditional Promise absolutely or the conclusion conditionally when only one of the Premises is of Divine Revelation And whether this conclusion be de fide I am Justified and shall be saved Mr. Bl. p. 38. BVt that which I may not pass is somewhat of concernment both to my self and the present cause in hand c. §. 60. R. B. I Need not transcribe these words being of another and not spoke to me But I will pass my conjecture to his questions 1. I conjecture that the Querist by Evading meant Owning and Justifying the fact and so evading the blame 2. To the second I conjecture the Querist had been lately conversant in Mr. Blakes book and so it was in his memorie and whether he knew what those whom you mention do hold I cannot tell 3. To the third If by Sacramental sealing you mean Conditional sealing I conjecture his conceit might be this that as the Promise may be conditionally tendred to Infidels Murderers or any other so might the Seal if it were but Conditional as the Promise As we may say to the worst If thou wil◠believe thou shalt be saved so might we conditionally seal salvation to him But I take this to be a great mistake §. 61. Mr. Bl. p. 40. MR Baxter who is put to it to stoop too low in the answer of such trifles in his answer to this now in hand hath taken much pains to finde out the way of the Sacraments sealing and in the result he and I shall not be found much to differ yet seeing providence made me the occasion of starting the question I shall take leave to take some view of what is said Mr. Baxter saith It is in vain to enquire whether the Sacraments do seal Absolutely or Conditionally till you first know what is that they do seal and in order to the finding this out he layes down the way that a Christian doth gather the assurance of his Justification and Salvation which is thus He that believeth is Justified and shall be saved but I believe therefore I am Justified and shall be saved I confess if I had been put upon a discovery of that which is sealed in the Sacraments this Syllogism I think would scarce have come into my thoughts seeing the Seal is Gods as Mr. Baxter observes I should have rather looked for one from him then to have supposed a believer to have been upon the frame of one §. 61. R. B. THis dispute is so confused and so much about words that I would not have meddled with it let men have made what use of yours they pleased but only for some matters of greater moment that fall in upon the by in your handling it I think your meaning and mine is the same 1. I not only said as you express that the Seal is Gods but gave my Reasons to prove a mutual Sealing as well as a mutual Covenanting 2. What reason have you why I might not illustrate the matter by this Syllogism as well as another 3. If you will have a Syllogism of Gods making why did you not tell us when or where you found it and let us see as well as you whence you had it that we may know God made it God doth not nectere Syllogismos for himself nor actu immanente if he do it it is only for us per actum transeuntem and then it may be found in his word But more of that anon 4. I should think though for illustration I judged it not unuseful that it is of no necessitie for you or me to talk of any Syllogism at all in the enquiry after the sealed proposition If it be but one proposition we may express it alone If more we may distinctly express them rather then that shall breed any difference I care not whether my Syllogism be mentioned any more Let us see what yours is §. 62. Mr. Bl. ANd such a one I should have looked to have gathered up from the Institution and thus I conceive framed He to whom I give Christ to him I give Justification and Salvation But here I give thee Christ therefore to thee I give Justification and Salvation §. 63. R. B. 1. WHat mean you by gathering it Do you mean that you will read it there ready formed If so shew us the Chapter and Verse But that must not be expected for you say anon that it is something not written that is sealed
read a Remonstrant that would say that the work is so ours as that it is only the power that is vouchsafed us by God I conclude therefore that you have not confuted my answer 1. In that you have not disproved the absolute Promise of the first special Grace 2. You have not disproved God to be the Author of our Faith so as that it is his work 3. If you had yet Believing which is our work is not the same thing with giving Faith or moving us to believe which I say is Gods Work §. 56. Of the Life Promised and Death threatned to Adam in the first Law Mr. Bl. I Finde no material difference in the Conditions on Gods part in these Covenants Life is promised in both in Case of Covenant-keeping and Death is threatned in both in case of Covenant-breaking Some indeed have endeavored to finde a great difference in the Life Promised in the Covenant of Works and the Life that is promised in the Covenant of Grace as also in the Death that is threatned in the one and in the other and thereupon move many and indeed inextricable difficulties What Life man should have enjoyed in case Adam had not fallen and what Death man should have dyed in case Christ had not been promised From which two endlessly more by way of Consectary maybe drawn by those that want neither wit nor leisure to debate them In which the best way of satisfaction and avoidance of such puzzeling mazes is to enquire what Scripture means by Life which is the good in the Covenant promised and what by Death which is the evil threattned Now for the first Life contains all whatsoever conduces to true Happiness to make man blessed in Soul and body All good that Christ purchases and Heaven enjoyes is comprised under it in Gospel expressions c. On the contrary under death is comprised all that is injurious to man or mankinde that tends to his misery in Soul and body The damnation of Hell being called death the uttermost of evils being the separation of Soul and body from God Joh. 8.51 1 Joh. 3.14 Sin which leads to it and is the cause of it is called death in like manner Eph. 2.1 And the separation of Soul from the body being called Death sickness plagues are so called in like manner Exod. 10.17 Now happiness being promised to man in Covenant only indefinitely under that notion of Life without limit to this or that way of happiness in this or that place God is still at liberty so that he make man happy where or however to continue happiness to him and is not tyed up in his engagement either for earth or heaven And therefore though learned Camero in his Tract de triplici faedere Thes 9. make this difference between the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace In the Covenant of Works which he calls nature Life was promised and a most blessed Life but an animal life in Paradise in the Covenant of Grace a life in Heaven and Spiritual And Mr. Baxter in his Aphor. of Justification p. 5. saith That this Life promised was only the continuance of that state that Adam was then in in Paradise is the opinion of most Divines Yet with submission to better Judgements I see not grounds for it seeing Scripture no way determines the way and kinde c. And indeed there are strong probabilities Heaven being set out by the name of Paradise in Christs speech to the theif on the Cross and in Pauls vision c. §. 56. R. B. 1. YOur opinion in this point is moderate and I think sound I have nothing therefore to say to you but about our different expressions and therefore excuse me if I be short for I love not that work I think your judgement and mine are the same 2. Only remember that it is Mr. Blake also that hath these words pag. 74. The Conditions on mans part in the Covenant of Works were for mans preservation in statu quo in that condition in which he was created to hold him in Communion with God which was his happiness he expected not to be bettered by his obedience either respective to happiness no more is promised then in present he had nor yet in his Qualifications respective to his conformitie to God in Righteousness and true holiness What improvement he might have made of the Habit infused by the exercise of obedience I shall not determine but no change in Qualifications was looked after or given in Promise so far Mr. Blake If the Reader cannot reconcile Mr. Blake and me let him reconcile Mr. Blake with himself and the work is done 3. But I confess that upon more serious consideration of several passages in the New Testament naming and describing the work of Redemption I am ready to think it far more probable that Adam was not created in Patria but in Via not in the highest perfection which he should expect but in the way to it But whether God would have given it him in the same place that he was in or in some other called Heaven upon a remove I take as Mr. Bl. doth to be unrevealed and undetermined in the Promise So that I could finde in my heart to fall a confuting the same opinion in Mr. Blake expressed in these last words which he confuteth in me but that his former save me the labor 4. I confess also that I spoke rashly in saying that it was the opinion of most Divines seeing it so hard a matter to know which way most go in the point I also confess that the judgement of Camero Mr. Ball Mr. Gataker c. swayed much with me but the silence of the text in Gen. much more but I had not so well weighed several Texts in the New Testament as I ought which describing Redemption give some more light into the point The same I say concerning the qualitie of the Death threatned 5. I agree to Mr. Blakes first conclusion that the thing is indeterminate or at lest hard for us to know but I cannot reconcile his premises with that conclusion much less with this his latter speech p. 74. For if as he saies the Life promised was all whatsoever conduces to true happiness to make men blessed in soul and body by conducing to I suppose he meant constituting of then either the Caelestial Degree of Grace and Glory conduces not to that happiness and then not to ours who have no greater natural capacitie or else I see not how it can be said that this greater blessedness was not Promised Doubtless Adam had not in present possession so great a measure of holiness so confirmed a state of Holiness or Glory nor so great and full a fruition of God as Christ hath given us a sure hope of in the Gospel And therefore though he say God is at liberty for the place and way yet that is nothing to the kinde and measure 6. Observe that the words of mine which Mr. Bl.
opposeth are but that Divines are of that judgement §. 57. Mr. Bl. ANd what I have said of the Life promised I say of Death threatned c. My Learned friend Mr. Baxter enquiring into this Death that was here threatened saith that the same Damnation that followed the breach of the second Covenant it could not be Aph. p. 15. When I suppose it rather should be said that in substance and kinde it can be no other Infidels that were never under any other Covenant c. §. 57. R. B. 1. WHat also I have answered to the former may suffice to this for the main 2. One would think that you intended directly to contradict me but whether you do so indeed I cannot well tell I know nor what you mean by substance and kinde Pain and Loss have no substance but a subject I never doubted but that it is the Loss of the same God and Blessedness formally considered but I am yet very uncertain whether the Blessedness promised by Christ be not far greater in Degree then that to Adam and consequently whether the Poena Damni threatned in the Gospel be not far greater Also I know as to the mediate Blessings Relative they are not the same To be deprived by Unbelief of Remission Reconciliation Adoption the everlasting praising of him that Redeemed us by his blood c. these are true punishments on unbelievers that reject the mercies offered to them but these were none of Adams punishments That was a Negation only to him that is a Privation to them I profess also that I ever took the pain of Sense to be of the same nature which was due to Adams Soul and which is due to unbelievers Only I then did and still do doubt whether any Scripture speak of the everlasting Torments of Adams body or whether it were not only his Soul that should eternally suffer his body being turned to dust and so suffering the penaltie of loss Nay whether the New Testament do not make Resurrection the proper fruit of Christs death and Resurrection But of this I am not fully resolved my self much less will I contend for it But I must needs say that I took not a gradual difference in punishments to be inconsiderable Nay I know that moral specifications are grounded in natural gradual differences And Rewards and Punishments being moral things formally they may and oft must be said to differ specie and not to be the same when naturally they differ but in degree Yea whether in naturals themselves we may not sometimes finde a specification in meer degrees is not so clear as rashly to be denyed There is but a gradual difference between the smallest prick with a pin and to be thrust throow with daggers in 20 places yet I will not say that it is the same punishment §. 58. Mr. Bl. NEither can I assent to that speech To say that Adam should have gon quick to Hell if Christ had not been promised or sin pardoned is to contradict the Scriptures that make death temporal the wages of Sin It were I confess to presume above Scripture but I cannot see it a contradiction of Scripture A burning Feaver Consumption Leprosie Pestilence c. are in Scripture made the wages of sin Yet many go to hell through those diseases c. §. 58. R. B. I Willingly leave every man to his own judgement in this But I think it most probable that the sâ—paration of Soul and body was particularly intended in the threatning Thou shalt dye the death Reas 1. Because this is it that is in prima significatione called Death and the miseries of Life but Tropically much more this or that particular miserie which answers your objection about sicknesses 2. This is it that Christ was necessarily to suffer for us and if it had not been necessary for man to dye thus by the Commination of that Law then it would not thence have been necessary for Christ to dye this Death For it was not the following sentence which you call Leges post laâ—as which Christ came to satisfie or bear but the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 be being made a curse for us Phil. 2.8 Col. 1.22 Heb. 9.15 by means of death he was to Redeem the transgressors of thâ— first Law without Blood there is no Remission The death of the creatures in sacrificings signified the necessity of this Death of Christ I have met with none but Mr. John Goodwin that saith Christs readyness or willingness to have dyed might have served the turn though the Jews had not put him to death Col. 1.20.14 Eph. 1.7 Rom. 3.25 It s true the Apostle speaking of the necessitie of Blood in Heb. hath reference to the Constitutions of Moses Law but then it must be confessed that that Law did in its Curse much explicate the former and direct us to see what was threatned and what must by the Messiah be suffered for us Heb. 2.14 Christ was to destroy by death him that had the power of death that is the Devil but it seems that the Law gave him his power at the Will and Sentence of the Iudge for execution 1 Cor. 15.26.54 Death is the last enemy to be overcome O Death where is thy sling O Grave where is thy victory This is no doubt the death now in question It is the evils befallen mankinde in execution of the violated Law that are called enemies Though we dye it seems there was a necessitie of Christs dying to loose the bonds of our Death and procure us a Resurrection Rom. 5.17 As by one mans offence death reigned by one c. That one man must dye for the people Câ—iaphus prophesied Joh. 18.14 3. The sentence useth to contain what is threatned in the Law and though part may be remitted yet the other part is the same threatned But Gods Sentence on Adam contained the penaltie of a temporal Death Though he mentioned not the Eternal because he would provide a remedy yet the temporal as one part meant in the threatning he laid on man himself Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return This is not as you imagine Lex post lata but sententia Judicis Legis violaâ—ae comminationem exequentis When it is said 1 Cor. 15.22 in Adam all dye it is in Adams finning all became guilty of it and in Adam then sentenced all were adjudged to it Which is intimated also Rom. 5.12 Sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed on all men for that all have sinned So that the sentence expressing this Death particularly and Christ bearing it necessarily and adde moreover all mankinde for the generality bearing it certainly and also Death signifying primarily the separation of Soul and Body it seems to me most probable that this Death was in special meant in the threatning But you say He takes the same way where his Justice hath satisfaction those that are priviledged from death as the wages of sin thus Dye Reply I do