not answer the demands of the Law there is a necessity of the righteousness of Christ which is legal righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 and indeed Faith could not have been the condition of salvation had it not interested us in the righteousness of the Law the covenant of Works and covenant of Grace also must be fulfilled or we cannot be saved Christ fulfilled the covenant of works for us and gives us Faith in his righteousness whereby we fulfil the covenant of Grace 5. Whereas it is added to stengthen the Objection that Faith under the Gospel comes in the room of works under the Law and therefore as works under the Law were to be the matter of justification so is Faith under the Gospel I Answer Faith does not under the Gospel properly come in the room of works for works are necessary under the Gospel unto Justification works are the purchasing cause of life only God has found out another way of performing those works than the Law speaks of namely by a Surety but yet perfect Obedience is as necessary as at first for our Justification the Gospel does not justifie us in any way of contradiction to the Law works now are the legal condition of Justification but Faith is the evangelical condition of Justification and every Believer does fulfil both those conditions one in his Surety the other in his own person Faith is the condition of the covenant of Grace and Faith interests us in the righteousness of Chrst whereby the covenant of works is also fulfilled and when the Apostle does oppose Faith and the works of the Law he does not oppose Faith to the works of the Law as performed by Christ for they work together for our Justification but he opposes it to our works that our works in obedience to the Law can never justifie us works under the Law were the purchasing cause of Justification and so they are still works under the Law were the condition of Justification and they only but now they are the legal condition and Faith is the evangelical condition Faith is all the condition required to be performed by us in our own persons Objection 2. God has made many promises of forgiveness of sins unto Obedience and so also of Salvation whereby it seems that it is not safe relying upon Christs righteousness but upon our own there be many promises of forgiveness Isai 1.16 17 18. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings c. come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool Mat. 6.14 for if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you 1 John 3.9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Isai 55.7 let the wicked forsake his way and the righteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So there are many promises of Salvation made unto Obedience Rom. 8.13 if ye by the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and to like purpose eternal life in spoken of as the reward of Obedience Hebr. 11.1 26. He had respect to the recompence of reward Col. 3.24 knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Answer To the first part of the Objection from promises of forgiveness made to Obedience I Answer 1. That forgiveness is not alwayes taken in Scrpture for the act of Justification whereby God does take off the sentence of eternal condemnation but many times it is taken for Gods overlooking sin so as not to bring that temporal calamity that he might have done so when God removes a temporal judgment he is said to forgive their sins Mich. 7.18 so when he forbears to destroy a people that have deserved it and only brings some less judgments on them he is said to forgive them Psal 99.8 Thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance on their inventions Psal 78.38 He forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Numb 14.20 21 22 23. And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word c. but they shall not see the Land that I sware unto their Fathers and sometimes he bestows this pardon upon them whom he does not deliver from the sentence of condemnation and sometimes he denies this unto them whom he does deliver from a sentence of condemnation Moses's sin shall not be so forgiven but that he must dye in the Wilderness for his trespass at the waters of Meribah Eli shall not be so forgiven but that sore judgment shall come upon his Family the preventing or removing of temporal calamities whether in ward or outward is called forgiveness and this is the very thing is intended by forgiveness sometimes when God makes promises of forgiveness unto obedience and reformation the meaning is that God will prosper them and bless and not pursue them with Judgments and calamities this is evident because sometimes God promises forgiveness to a Nation in a way of obedience it is promised as a National blessing so in that Isai 1.16 17 18. therefore it does not intend deliverance from eternal condemnation for God does not promise that as a publick blessing depending upon publick reformation 2. Sometimes when God promises forgiveness unto Obedience the meaning is that if the soul do return unto God by a true work of conversion he shall be justified when men are converted they are brought into a state of acceptance with God God is reconciled unto them so that place is to be understood Isai 55.7 let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him Act 3.19 repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out and the reason why God promises forgiveness upon conversion is because Faith which is the condition of the covenant is included in conversion converted persons have Faith in Christ Jesus 3. Sometimes when forgiveness is promised unto particular acts of Obedience the meaning is that those acts of obedience are a sign that a man is in a justified condition so that is to be understood Mat. 6.14 for if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you and that 1 John 1.9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins these things are not the condition of forgiveness much less the meritorious cause of forgiveness but they are a sign that a man is such an one to whom the promise of forgiveness does belong so any one upright act of obedience is a sign that a mans sins are forgiven and shall be forgiven in the day of Judgment because they are things that do accompany Faith in Christ though they have
Massachusetts Historical Society FROM THE BEQUEST OF GEORGE EDWARD ELLIS Seventh President of the Society Received September 1◠1895. THE Safety of Appearing at the DAY OF Judgement In the Righteousness of Christ Opened and Applied By Solomon Stoddard Pastor to the Church of North-Hampton in New-England Phil. 3.8 9 Yea doubtless and I do count all things but less for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that 〈…〉 To the Church of Christ in North-Hampton A Main part of the Work which the Lord Jesus has committed to me at present is to be doing service to your Souls and the Souls of your Children to be directing quickening and encouraging of you in the way unto eternal life which work requires the utmost care and diligence not only in respect of the necessity that you stand in of that blessedness which is the design and tendency thereof but also in respect of that difficulty that you will unavoidably meet withal in your pursuit of that blessedness however many men that know not their own hearts and are utterly unexperienced in the way of life may fancy it to be a matter of ease to go to heaven as if there were but a step between them and heaven and upon that account are bold to cast off all care about it at present yet such as have tried it and are walking in that way can upon plentiful experience witness to what Christ has taught us That strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life every thing in corrupt nature is opposite to it and upon this account he requires Ministers to use their utmost industry in their work Luk. 14.23 Compel them to come in I have travelled in this work among you for many years and I may say without ostentation that I have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful I have made it my business to gain Souls to Christ and build them up in Faith and holiness principally insisting upon such things as have reached the heart of Religion and I reckon it one of the choicest mercies of the Lord towards me that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain I have great cause to bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and bless his Name that he has made me an instrument of bringing many among you into saving acquaintance with himself and I count it worth the while to spend the residue of my dayes in promoting the welfare of your Souls It is in pursuance of this design that this small Treatise is published not that my care is confined to your selves I owe a regard to the prosperity of other places the scope of this Discourse is to clear up the way of Salvation by Christ I meddle not with those false Doctrines that have been invented by men in opposition to this truth the Lord hath been pleased to keep these Churches sound in the Faith and does not yet lay a necessity upon his Ministers here to spend their time in the confutation of such erronions Opinions but I have made it my work to establish your hearts in this Truth to satisfie your Consciences from the Scripture in the safety of your reliance upon Christ vindicating the same from those secret workings of unbelief that are wont to rise up in the hearts of men that you and others may grow up unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding and the acknowledgment of the misteries of God even of the Father and of Christ That you may be armed against those temptations wherewith your Faith is wont to be assaulted and learn to live in all conditions upon the righteousness of Christ If the Lord please to bless this Discourse together with other endeavours of his Servants in the Countrey both in Preaching and Writing to be a means to bring many Souls to an hearty closing with Jesus Christ that will be the great security of the Countrey against that degeneracy that is begun and against those superstitious practises that are entertained in other professing places the life of Religion takes beginning in the spiritual knowledg of Christ and is maintained by the same as long as we are built upon this Rock the Gates of Hell will not prevail against us The Lord who has watched over you in the time of dayes when you lay open to the fury of the Heathen and that has given special tokens of his Presence with you in his Ordinances both in the dayes of your former Pastor and also in late times continue to own and bless you and enrich you with all the Graces of his Spirit and give you Faith to sit under the shadow of Christ with great delight Which is the Prayer of Him who is Your Servant for Jesus sake Solomon Stoddard The Safety of Appearing in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Difficulty of Believing this Truth THere is such Light remaining in the Conscience of fallen Man as has made him inquisitive after a way of acceptance with God and though several particular persons do not ordinarily concern themselves about it yet in all Nations and Ages there have been those that have made it matter of solemn search the abundant evidence that men have of the being purity justice and greatness of God in conjunction with the testimony of their own hearts concerning their guilt has made them restless till they can come at some satisfaction in this point men have been studious in many other points from a thirst after knowledg and to gratifie their curiosity but in this enquiry they have been much influenced by the cryes and disquietness of their own burdened Consciences the fearful apprehensions of Gods anger have spurred them on to discover a way of reconciliation they have not been able so to stupifie their hearts with worldly occasions and carnal delights as to let fall the consideration of this but have been compelled from their own terrors to make that enquiry as they Mich. 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord c. Many men who have busied themselves in this enquiry have not been advantaged to attain a right resolution thereof the Heathen Nations had lost the knowledg of the way of Salvation something in Religion was handed down to them by tradition and something particularly that had a reference unto Jesus Christ especially Sacrifices but the knowledg of the respect they had to him was quite worn out among them and the light of nature is utterly deficient in this particular that light is sufficient to discover to us that God is provoked with us that knowledg flows from our understanding of the nature of God and the experience which we have of our own sinfulness but the way of reconciliation does exceed the
the heart is darkening that light which God has put in and though it cant utterly extinguish it yet it raises many mists that do obscure it Paul himself that seems to be second to none in the knowledg of Christ intimates that he was sensible of a great want here in that expression that he may know him the power of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 There are these frames of heart that the people of God are subject unto that do plainly demonstrate that there is but little Faith concerning this Doctrine the first is a slighty frame concerning it as if it were not a matter of much moment whether it were true or no sometimes when Saints are meditating of it or hearing of it and the invitations of grace there is a senseless and regardless frame as if it were not worthy observation Discourses of that kind are not relished but become light food whereas if it were received by a lively Faith it would be affecting being a thing of greatest concernment the Doctrine of the Gospel when entertained by Faith is as a cordial to the Soul it is meat and drink to it Cant. 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight this Doctrine is full of sweetness and comfort 1 Pet. 1.9 16. Acts 1.34 the more assurance men have of the truth of it the more comforting power it has on the heart The second is a self righteous frame for as this spirit reigns in many natural men so it prevails much in Saints there is a great aptitude to be comforting of themselves in the hopes of acceptance with God from their own graces and duties not only as an evidence but as that which does ingratiate them with God hence they are more ready to trust in God when under the sence of gracious frames and their holy carriages then at other times whereas were they under the lively apprehensions of the certainty of this way of Salvation by Christs righteousness they would see there were no need of these things to commend them to God and were there not secret jealousies about the sufficiency of Christs righteousness for them they would not be so ready to catch at any appearance of somewhat in themselves to commend them to God such carriages are to be layed to the charge of an unbelieving heart The third is a discouraged frame Christians are many times much over-born with this frame their spirits are sunk within them lest they be not upright for fear they never had a thorow work of regeneration there are many more immediate occasions of this sometimes because they have not a distinct knowledg of the several steps of the spirit of God under the work sometimes because they see so little sanctification sometimes because they imagine that God does not deal with them as with such as are truly converted he dont answer their prayers comfort their Souls meet them in Ordinances as he does others but the very foundation and root of their discouragement is their doubtings of the truth of the Gospel for we may observe that men under discouragement are still harping upon the greatness of their provocations and their unworthy carriages they run in a legal strain they are still insisting on the multitude and aggravations of their sins had men but a spirit of Faith prevailing in them these would be humbling things but not discouraging men would not so harp on this thing but would see enough in Christ to quiet their hearts Psal 71.16 45 Isai 24. and accordingly it is observable that when a Saint is under greatest discouragements if God does but open his eyes to see indeed this way of Salvation by Christ he will no longer stand insisting upon his fears but with comfort and joy roll himself on Christ the inward discoveries of the Gospel make his temptations vanish yea he does not only rejoyce in Christ but can sometimes discern that sincerity which he was so doubtful of before indeed the doubting of the Gospel does not only make the hearts of men fail when they are fearful of their sincerity but it has often also a considerable influence into those doubtings about sincerity and hinder men from seeing those evidences that are discernable of their uprightness by all which it does appear that it is a matter of solemn care that sinners be convinced and assured of the truth of this Doctrine that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ and that Saints also be further convinced that they may grow up to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God even of the Father and of Christ as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.2 which is the design of this present Treatise CHAP. II. TWo Things Promised 1. THe possibility of Salvation of Sinners it is not beyond Gods Mercy nor contrary to his Justice 2. What is intended by the Righteousness of Christ To make the way to the Subject proposed more plain I shall premise two things First That there is a possibility of the Salvation of Sinners for a sinner when his Conscience is awakened lies open to that temptation among others that it is impossible for such an one as he to be saved and these fears arise upon a double account the first is he fears it is beyond the mercy of God to pardon him his sins are so great that they have turned away the heart of God from him that God cannot find in his heart to pity and pardon such a sinner as he is man is very prone to limit the mercy of God and entertain low and dishonourable thoughts of his grace especially when under a sense of his anger but such an imagination as this is altogether groundless what his merciful purposes are towards this or that particular man is beyond us to determine till he makes it known but no man has cause to question the sufficiency of Gods mercy in order to his pardon and salvation there is an infinite Ocean of mercy in his heart sufficient for all sinners To clear up this I shall shew first wherein the merciful nature of God does consist and then shew you the greatness of it For the first The merciful nature of God is a divine perfection whereby he can find in his heart to shew mercy if he pleases a merciful nature in man is a bent and inclination of heart unto the exercises of mercy the heart of man is biassed set and bent that way but we must not conceive this of God the merciful purposes of God were the free actings of his own will God was an absolute free Agent either to bestow mercy or deny it as he pleased if he had naturally an inclination to shew mercy he could not have forborn to shew mercy without going contrary to the inclination of his own heart the exercise of mercy does not flow necessarily from the merciful nature of God but he exercises grace freely from His Sovereign Wiâ—l and Pleasure there is nothing in Gods
provoked him is a great manifestation of love had we never angred him nor given him any occasion against us much more had we done much for him it would not have been so strange to see him laying out himself to the utmost for our salvation but to see him in such a wonderful way working about the salvation of those that had greatly offended him and given cause of trouble with whom he was grievously incensed must make us to say hence is unparalled love those for whom God has done this have been great Offenders This appears by these three things 1. They are guilty of innumerable transgressions the sins of the Elect are beyond their account they are more than the hairs of their heads Psal 40.12 sin is flowing from them as water from a sountain their lives are filled with sin besides the sin they commited in Adam there is the sin of their nature which is a standing provocation which by its remaining in the soul brings new guilt every minute besides what it does by the influence that it has into actual transgressions while they continue in their natural condition all their moral actions are sins besides those actions which for the matter of them are sinful which are many the rest are sinful for the manner and after conversion there is sin in all their actions there is abundance of iniquity that every elect vessel that grows up to years is guilty of 2. That every sin is a great wrong unto God sin is an horrible injury unto God sin is rebellious against God sinning is the casting off of the yoke of God sinning is an insurrection of the soul against God Luke 10.14 in sin there is also great contempt cast upon God sin is a villifying and slighting of God men expose the name of God to scorn by sinning against him Rom. 2.23 sin is also enmity against him in all obedience there is love in all disobedience there is hatred Sinners strike at God when they sin John 15.24 God is greatly wronged by all sin and the sins of the people of God have many of them particular aggravations that do greatly increase the offence 3. That every man is the proper cause of his own sir and the guilt of it does properly belong to him the carnal reason of man is casting in many objections from the decree of God from the withdrawing of divine assistance and from the corruption of nature but the Scripture does allow none of those objections but fastens the guilt of sin upon him that does transgress the Law and hlames men for their iniquities and men lay not weight on these cavils so as to excuse others that are injurious unto them and there is this reason for it because men act voluntarily in their transgressions they are not forced to sin but choose it 3. It was great love for God to give his Son to dye for our salvation when he might justly have damned us when it was a righteous thing for him to have ruined us when he had us in his hands and might have cast us off for ever his proceedings would not have been unjust he had done us no wrong there had been no cruelty in it if he had thrown us into hell he would not any ways have trespassed upon any rule of righteousness but onely have done that which was sair and equal no imputations of injustice could have been cast on him he had no ways blemished his name non stained his glory his proceedings must have been justified and he would by our ruine have gained glory to his justice in this time to take care of our salvation speaks more free love if God could not fairly have done any other without staining his own name there would not have been any such evidence of love but the glory of his justice would have remained entire to him if we had perished he sent his Son to dye for our salvation when he might with honour have cast us off when there was no tye upon him to do any such thing but he mightfairly have damned us This is evident 1. From the proceedings of God God is a righteous God it is impossible that he should vary one hairs breadth from the rule of righteousness The Judge of all the world will do right gen 18.25 and his proceedings are such as do justifie the casting off of sinful man the constitution of the law does give in evidence of it if the law had been unjust it had been an unrighteous thing to make it as well as execute it and indeed God has not onely made it but executed it he has executed it upon the angels that sinned he has cast them down to hell 1 Pet. 2.2 4. and he does execute it upon multitudes of men in all ages multitudes perish according to this law yea he has executed the law upon his Son Christ Jesus Christ has bore the curse for us gal 3.13 and had it not been just God would not have inflicted it had it not been just Christ would not have subjected himself unto it 2. From the acknowledgment and testimony of conseience though there be abundance of cavils in the heart of man against this yet when they come to be throughly inlightned they witness to the justice of this proceeding many mens consciences have been silenced from objecting any thing against this many have been so convinced after all their arguings that they have been speechless as he Mat. 12.12 they have fallen down at Gods foot and yielded themselves to be justly miserable that whatever become of them they had nothing to accuse God of Psal 51.4 all men must first or last own this and yield themselves guilty Rom. 3.19 3. From the nature of Sin sin is an injury unto God the spirit of sin is to destroy God Psal 14.1 and besides this when men sin they break that Law which has threatnings of ruine annexed unto it and run upon the point of the sword and east themselves into the jaws of death Ezek. 33 11. 4. It was great love for God to give his Son to dye for our Salvation in this respect that he did it nor having received nor ever expecting to receive satisfaction for the mercy our salvation is principally from the grace of God but that has been paid for but the sending of Christ to die for sinners is meerly from the grace of God and has never been paid for nor ever will Justification Adoption Sanctification and eternal glory have been purchased but the sending of Christ into the world to die was never purchased God never received any recompence for this mercy he never had any satisfaction for this mercy 1 Job 4.10 He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins the method and order of working about our salvation is this 1. Free and gracious Election which is the first cause of Redemption and Salvation and an effect of neither of them 2. Redemption which is the effect of Election and
cause of Salvation 3. Salvation both in the beginnings of it here in holiness and spiritual comfort and in the perfection of it hereafter which is the effect both of Election and Redemption so that that though Salvation be payed for yet Gods sending of his Son to dye for us was a meer fruit of electing grace and never payed for And there are two Reasons of this 1 This was too great a mercy to be payed for our Salvation was an exceeding great mercy but not too great to be purchased but this was a Mediator could not be purchased this mercy was not too great to be given but it was too great to be purchased we might more easily have purchased our Redemption than our Redeemer neither did Christ purchase this mercy for us Christ did not buy his own Office what price could be laid down to satisfie God for such an unspeakable gift 2. This mercy might be bestowed upon us without being purchased God had so bound himself by his Law that man could not be saved without satisfuction that mercy must be purchased but God had not so bound himself by his Law but that it was free for him to send his Son to dye without receiving any satisfaction for this mercy God had tied his own hands so that sinners could not be saved without satisfaction a his faithfulness bound him to stand upon that but God was at liberty to send a Mediator if he pleased his own gracious nature was such that he could do it without any purchase and he had not restrained himself by his word 5. It was great love for God to send his Son to dye for mans salvation when he would have been no looser if man had not been saved if the case had been so circumstanced that God would have suffered much loss if men had failed of salvation there had then been a kind of necessity laid upon God to have sent his Son to dye in order to it but God bestow'd this mercy upon us when it would have been no less unto him if we had perished This may be cleared up by these Considerations 1. This mercy of giving Christ to dye for us was the first thing wherein God laved out himself for our salvation when a person has layed out himself much and been at great expence for the accomplishing of a design t is a disappointment to fail of it and his expence is thereby many times lost but God had not been before this at any expence for mans salvation this was the first thing wherein God layed out himself for our salvation with respect to us who live in these latter dayes the death of Christ was actually before any other endeavours for our salvation and with respect to those Elect that lived before the coming of Christ his death was vertually before any other expence for their salvation Rev 3.8 2. If God had not sent his Son to dye yet he needed not to have lost the glory of his laying out of his wisdom power and goodness in mans Creation what he had expended that way would not have been lost but he would have recovered his glory in mans ruine Prov. 16.4 3 God could have found other wayes to have glorified his grace though God was under no necessity of having any declarative glory neither does he glorifie himself ad ultimum virium to the utmost of his power yet it does please him to glorifie his Attributes and he might have honoured his mercy in the salvation of fallen Angels they were capable of Salvation and it would have been a wonderful exalting of Gods grace to have saved them 2. The next thing to be observed is the force of the Apostles consequence he argues from Gods love in sending Christ to dye for us the certain salvation of those that are reconciled by his death and there is no scruple to be made of their salvation though they have many enemies that seek their ruine though they have much sin remaining in them and have been many ways failing of walking up to that exactness which God requires all those that Christ died for and are first or last instructed in his death shall be saved by him 1. If God had so great love as to send his Son to bear such great sufferings to purchase our salvation then he will not fail to do what ever else is necessary for our salvation he will not stick to do what is else to be done for the compleating of our salvation he that has done the greater will do the less if love overcame the difficulty that was in the way of our redemption it will also overcome whatever difficulty is in the way of the application of redemption it is unreasonable to think that God should have love enough to send his Son to do that which can't be done without pain and sorrow and death and not have love enough to do that which he can do with the speaking of a word the great difficulty in the way of our salvation was the purchasing of it there was wrath to be born a curse to be endured but love broke through that difficulty the rest that remains is easie to God the mortification of sin the quickening of grace the repelling of temptation and giving the actual possession of glory may be effected by God without any difficulty and therefore he won't stick at that Rom. 9.32 If God spared not his emn Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things it is true that God does but by little and little carry on in us the work of sanctification but the reason of that is not that it is any wayes difficult unto him but because that suits the design that is upon his heart neither is it from any unwillingness to help us but because his design is to carry on the work of sanctification so that we shall have continually need of justification we find it difficult to do our part in orâ—er to our salvation but it is not difficult to God to do his part God carries on the work without difficulty yet so that we shall find difficulty as a Parent with ease helps the child to go yet so that the Child finds difficulty to go it is no burden to God to uphold Grace he that upholds the frame of nature with the word of his power can easily uphold grace what ever stands as an impediment in the way of our salvation may be removed by God without any trouble God puts forth thousands of acts of omnipotency to effect things that are less upon his heart than the salvation of those that he has redeemed and it is no pain nor weariness unto God to be daily carrying on the work of our salvation the opposition that is made to it is nothing to omnipotency Isai 40.28 The Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary 2. If God had such love to us as to send his Son to dye for
manifest at that time that it is his testimony and hereby this differs from the delusions of Satan as the Prophets knew it to be the Lord that revealed things unto them so Saints at the time knew it to be the Spirit of God that witnessed to them they do not need any other help at that time to know it to be the voice of God they do not need a candle to see the Sun though soon after they may have doubts Thus I have cleared up the assumption of the Argument it remains that somewhat be added to evidence the proposition that it must needs be safe appearing in that righteousness upon the account of which God does bestow the beginnings of salvation here And I may evidence that from these two Principles The first Principle is That righteousness which does purchase any part of the good of the covenant does purchase the whole good of the covenant by the righteousness of Christ believers stand already possessed of some part of the good of the covenant and that righteousness that brought them into the possession of that will in due time bring them into the possession of what remains for that which purchases any part of the good of the covenant must needs purchase the whole the condition upon which all the good of the covenant depends was one so that the good of the covenant must be wholy purchased or wholly forfeited it could not be in part purchased in part forfeited the condition of the covenant of works was perfect righteousness if that were performed all the good of the covenant was purchased if that were not performed all the good of the covenant was forfeited an imperfect righteousness would not purchase any one good thing mentioned in the covenant one sin was sufficient to break the whole covenant and expose unto death one sin would make a course of righteousness for many years utterly ineffectual unto the purchase of any good and lay the sinner open unto the curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 Rom. 6.23 whatever was done towards the performance of the condition of the covenant signified nothing except the full was performed that God required so the condition of the covenant of the Mediator was perfect obedience to the law of the Mediator viz. perfect obedience to the commands of the law and perfect bearing of the curse 't is true that the active and passive obedience of Christ have a distinct respect one of them to the possession of good the other to the removal of evil the one is meritorious the other satisfactory one procures the blessings promised the other delivers from the evils threatned but yet Christ being made under such a covenant the success of one depended upon the other and they are joyntly together the purchasing cause of our salvation and one of them would have had no efficacy at all towards our salvation if not accompanied with the other so that this principle stands firm that that righteousness that does not procure all the good of the covenant procures none that righteousness can purchase no good for us that is not sufficient for our compleat salvation that cannot purchase the beginnings of salvation that does not justifie us seeing therefore on the account of Christs righteousness we have already the beginnings of salvation that righteousness is suffieient for our Justification and Salvation The Second Principle is That God in giving the beginnings of salvation in a way of believing in Christs righteousness for salvation does own that to be the way of salvation God does in this way give such mercies as are evidences of his favour and such as do accompany salvation he subdues sin quickens the heart in holiness reveals his loving kindness c. And herein God does plainly testifie that this is the way to salvation and that the righteousness of Christ was the procuring cause of salvation if the righteousness of Christ were not sufficient for our salvation God would be angry with us for believing in Christs righteousness we might expect frowns and judgments in this way but Gods giving the beginnings of salvation in this way does eminently own it to be the way of life when did God in such a way own men in a way of depending upon their own righteousness or external priviledges they have some common mercies but none of the beginnings of salvation but the beginings of salvation being bestowed in this way are an evident sign of divine approbation of it God bore witness to the Apostles preaching this doctrine by many wonderful signs Heb. 2.4 and he bears witness to those that by saith receive this doctrine by wonderful gracious effects in them he gives the earnest of heavenly glory which evidently shews the efficacy of this righteousness which they trust in to accomplish their salvation Eph. 1 13 14. in whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory CHAP. VII The ninth Argument From the Sacraments of the New-Testament Two Objections against this Doctrine Answered Argument IX IT is safe appearing before God in that righteousness the efficacy whereof unto salvation we are taught in the Sacraments of the New-Testament But in the Sacraments of the New-Testament we are taught the efficacy of Christs righteousness unto salvation God in these Sacraments is by sensible signs teaching of us this truth so that in the Sacraments there is a divine testimony to this doctrine 1. We are taught the efficacy of Christs righteousness unto salvation by the ordinance of Baptism as 't is said of circumcision that it was a seal of the righteousness of Faith so is baptism the washing of water signifies our washing in the blood of Christ as the legal washings had a respect unto the cleansing away of sin by Christs blood so has our baptismal washing this ordinance practised first by John and afterwards appointed by Christ to be a perpetual ordinance in the gospel church is appointed on this design to strengthen our Faith in this Doctrine 1. This appears because by baptism is held forth our fellowship with Christ in his sufferings that is signified thereby that we have an interest in the vertue of his sufferings that his sufferings are made over unto us that we do participate in the good and benefit of them Rom. 6 3. so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death there was sealed up unto us the vertue and efficacy of his death therefore verse 4. we are said to be buried with him by baptism into death the like expression you have Col. 2.12 we are thereby partakers of his sufferings as if we our selves had suffered and if this be held forth then our justification and reconciliation is held forth for that is procured by the sufferings of Christ Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. 2. Baptism is
degree we read sometime in Scripture of an Assurance 1 Thess 1.5 of a full Assurance Heb. 9.22 of all riches of the full assurance of understanding Col. 2.2 this assurance in the first closing with Christ what ever degree it is in does not remove the habit and principle of doubting though it does mortifie it in part that it never recovers its strength again yet there will be frequent returnings of this spirit of doubting it will attend a Saint less or more as long as he lives and many times in the first closing with Christ the assurance is not in such a degree but that there will be actual doubting the workings of a spirit of fear are not wholly removed some doubtings and misgivings of heart are consistent with assurance a man may see that it must needs be so that it can't be otherwise and yet immediately have recoylings of spirit but the assurance of the soul so far prevails over all his doubtings that he can venture himself in the arms of Jesus Christ 3. The soul is assured at this time by the Spirit of God that the Gospel is true and the messages of salvation certain The comforter shall convince of righteousness Joh. 16.10 the Spirit works a principle of faith and draws it into act sanctifies the reason and understanding and discovers the glorious excellency of God whereby the heart is assured indeed this assurance cannot arise from any other cause natural reason will not assure men of this for the reason of man is miserably corrupted and cannot see such spiritual things 1 Cor. 2.14 the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Indeed natural reason from Scripture principles may strongly argue the truth of this way of salvation against the Papist and other Hereticks but natural reason can't satisfie men about those scripture principles yea though natural reason be enlightned by a common work of the Spirit so as to be greatly affected with the Gospel for a time yet it cannot assure a man of the truth of it neither is it possible for Satan to work any such assurance in men men are sometimes afraid whether the discovery they have had were not the delusions of the Devil but though the Devil may comfort false hearts and fill them with joy yet he cannot assure men of the truth of the Gospel for he can only raise those principles that are in men and not put a new principle of faith in them whereby it is that the truth of the Gospel is discerned neither can the Devil give a discovery to the soul of the glorious nature of God or excellency of Christ so as that the heart should trust him love him c. Satan can make no such discoveries to a natural man as a natural mind is uncapable of receiving so that this assurance is the peculiar work of the Spirit From this particular we may conclude the Faith of two sorts of persons to be false on this account that they never have been assured of the truth of the Gospel 1. Such as are perswaded of the truth of the Gospel only from tradition the bottonie of many mens perswasions is the profession and judgment of such men among whom they live this is the doctrine that they have been bred up in the principle that their Parents have taught them they abhor to have any thoughts to the contrary because they have been Educated in this way upon the same ground that a Mahometan and Papist is tenacious of the religion of his Country and as the Heathen were wont to stick to the religion of their Forefathers Jer. 2.11 14. Mic. 5. upon this account many receive the Gospel and this may be a great advantage to men because they are brought under means and are kept from prejudices against the Gospel and so tradition cannot be true faith men cannot be assured of the Gospel upon this foundation this can only be the bottom of a strong opinion and conjecture not of Assurance 2. There is also another sort whose Faith does appear from hence to be unsound namely such who believed that God meant them in the calls of the Gospel because they found some good affections in themselves if their heart had been dead and unsavoury they could not have thought that God called them but the foundation of their believing that they were invited was they found some goodness in themselves but certainly this was built upon conjecture and an opinion of their own and therefore they could not be assured of it they had no assurance that they were called though they might have a strong confidence yet they could not be assured from thence that they were invited 2. In the first closure of the soul with Christ the Soul comes to him meerly upon the incouragement of the call of God in the Gospel God invites sinners in the Gospel to come to Christ and many ways urgeth them so to do and from thence the soul takes its encouragement There were many other things that encouraged them before to wait upon God for converting grace as the power of God Gods converting of others his strivings with him by his Spirit but the thing that is his encouragement to come to Christ is the call of the Gospel he sees his warrant in the call of the Gospel the call of the Gospel is the foundation of his faith that is the reason of his faith that God calls him in his Word The call of God does contain in it sufficient encouragement to believe for therein God shews his readiness to save sinners therein he shews that there is a way of salvation prepared for them therein he binds his faithfulness to them and lays bonds upon himself to save them if they come to Christ and this is the encouragement to them to believe Acts 13 48. they glorified the Word of the Lord and as many for it may be read such as were ordained to eternal life believed For the right understanding of this Consider 1. 1. It is indifferent with this first closing with Christ whether the soul takes notice of the call to believe as Gods call or Christs call some souls in their first closing take notice that Christ calls them others that God calls them and it is no material thing which of these ways it be if either the soul hear God or hear Christ calling him the answer to that call is true faith for there is sufficient warrant for us to come either from the voice of God or the voice of Christ this is an abundant demonstration of it that the call of the Gospel is sometimes propounded to us in Scripture as the call of God Jer. 3.22 Gal. 3.15 2 Tim. 1.9 and sometimes it is propounded unto us as the call of Christ Rev 3.18.20 there is this difference between them that Christ calls us by an authority derived from God God does derive his
a cloud of Witnesses that have gone before you in other ages and many at this day that betake themselves unto Christ for refuge others that have been trying all conclusions and turning every stone have at last seen a necessity to come unto Christ others have been satisfied with the encouragements that God has given and have taken sanctuary in Christ men of judgment and prudence not subject to be led by fancies and delusions more than other men have let go all carnal confidences and fled to this hope set before them and this they have done nor once or twice in any hurry of temptation but they live in this way I live by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 their coming unto Christ is no rash inconsiderate act but after they have had the consideration of it many years have weighed it and pondred it looked on all sides and considered all that can be said they don't see cause to repent but continue to believe it is no unadvised act they understand what they do 2 Tim. 1.12 and the longer they live the more established in a way of believing Gods dispensations towards them since their coming unto Christ are not such as do discourage them but they are more encouraged still to commit themselves unto Christ why don't you come also unto Christ methinks you should be ashamed to be listning unto carnal reasonings and giving way to the pride of your hearts when others have overcome them methinks it should stir up a spirit of fear to see others getting into the way of salvation and you left behind to be a prey to Devils think what your sins have been what inward workings have been in your bea rt and you must say you have as much need of Christ as other men think what the call of God is how free and full the invitation is and you must say you have as much encouragement to come to Christ as other men and others that love their souls as well as you do yours have ventured them in the hands of Jesus Christ and do you not think that it will be hard to you to see others stand at the right-hand of Christ another day and your selves rejected 2. You must never expect inward peace and quietness unless you come unto Christ you complain now in the bitterness of your souls what a sorrowful life you lead you find little comfort in any thing you are so terrified with a guilty conscience that it eats out the comfort of your life a dreadful sound is in his ears Job 15.21 you are under such apprehensions of the anger of God that you know not how to bear it when you hear or read the threatnings of Judgment you are terrified that that will be your portion when you see instances of judgment you are afraid that God will do so with you leave you to such and such sins bring such and such calamities upon you your heart is meditating terror affrighted with the thoughts of damnation Sermons terrifie you providences terrifie you your heart is always loaded the way to have inward peace and quietness is to come to Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ but until you come to Christ you must never expect to be better you may have a pleasing dream it may be for a while and your wound may be skinned over but you must not expect to have any true peace so long as you stand at a distance from Christ what peace can men expect while their sins are not pardoned what peace can men enjoy as long as God is angry you must expect no other but to spend your days in vanity and your years in trouble if you give not entertainment unto Christ through fear of death they were all their life-time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.15 the venom of sin will be burning in your bowels until you look unto the brazen serpent and what madness is it for men needlesly to live a tormented life are you not weary of this condition have you a mind to live in sorrow longer don't you care to be delivered from your fears thou wilt never have peace without coming unto Christ you have tried a great while in vain and it will be in vain still but if you will give entertainment unto him his blood will heal the conscience scatter fears and refresh your hearts The sting of death is sin and strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God that giveth victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. If you do no not come to Christ you will lose all the pains that you have taken in religion you had need be careful that you lose not the things that you have wrought the labour that you have taken in religion is all lost with respect unto some expectations of yours therefrom as to the mortifying of sin thereby the getting of the good-will of God the purchasing of pardon c. and if you do come to Christ you must see it to be lost in this respect Phil. 3.7 those things which were gain to me those have I counted loss for Christ but yet in some respect the pains you have taken may be of advantage unto you in as much as you are nearer to salvation than before you began to seek after God you have been travelling in the way towards heaven some men are nearer the Kingdom of God a great deal than others Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God you have been taking a great deal of pains have withstood temptations have got much knowledge have broken off your sinful practices come to understand somewhat of the plague of your own hearts you are got over many bars that lay in the way of your salvation you have escaped many rocks upon which some souls have split in pieces are in a fairer way to get to heaven than you were sometime since and it would be sad to perish upon the borders of Cannan after sore travel in the wilderness to sink at the mouth of the harbour after you have rid out many Storms to lose all your care and labour and sorrows after all to go down to hell among those that never took any pains for salvation and this you will certainly do if you do not come to Christ though you are past the streight of reformation yet if you don't enter and go through the gate of humiliation and faith if you do not cast away your carnal confidences you will not enter into life when the Galatians were carried away with opinions of their own righteousness Paul says to them have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain gal 3.4 all your labour will be in vain and your souls will be lost if you come not to Christ 4. You will exceedingly bewail it hereafter if you do not accept of Christ you will rue it in another world you stand upon frivolous objections neglect to come unto
sort of men another to limit it and confine it to them it may be applied particularly to young ones yet that does not exclude the Antient to poor ones yet that does not exclude the wealthy to afflicted ones and that does not exclude men that are in prosperity unto the Jews but that does not exclude the Gentiles Rev. 22.22 Whoever will let him come and take the water of life freely Objection 8. I have not a work of Humiliation I am not brought wholly out of my self therefore I am not called Answer 1. Persons that are not humbled are called to come to Christ their next work indeed is not to come to Christ but to come out of themselves and so come to Christ to forsake all other confidences and build on Christ to throw away other hopes and flee to this hope that is set before them to throw away their crutches and lean upon Christ self-righteous persons are invited Rev. 3.17 18. they that said they were rich are invited to come to Christ for gold tried in the fire 2. If persons are so far humbled as to be willing to take Christ on his own terms that is enough there needs no humiliation before faith but upon this account that persons may be so shiftless that they may be willing to take Christ as a free gift of God men need so much that they may not make lies their refuge but may be prepared to take the free offer of the Gospel so much as is necessary in order to a dependance on Christ and free-grace is needful and no more Objection 9. How can the Righteousness of Christ make God love one I have no righteousness of my own to draw the heart of God to me and I don't see how the righteousness of Christ can procure the love of God for me Answer 1. The use of the righteousness of Christ is to answer the demands of the Law for you the Law laid an objection in the way of your salvation which must be removed before you could be saved the Law would not admit of your salvation without a compleat righteousness and the righteousness of Christ does remove this objection this is as much as the Law does demand as the condition of life the righteousness of Christ makes you an heir of blessedness according to the law this removes the guilt of sin this supplies your want of worthiness so that hereby fair way is made for your salvation without any injustice Rom. 3.26 there needs nothing more to make your salvation free from any legal exceptions 2. There is no need that the righteousness of Christ should procure the love of God for you men are troubling of themselves in vain when they are seeking a cause of Gods love out of himself Gods love is the first cause of mans salvation and has no dependance upon any thing it is impossible that any thing out of God should move God to love you and there is sufficiency of grace in God to love you tho' there be no external cause to move him God loves men freely Hos 14.4 he can have mercy upon you because he will the love that God has to the angels of heaven is not built upon their righteousness but is the foundation of their righteousness because they were elect angels therefore they continued holy angels and the love of God to Abraham and all his Saints does not depend upon their righteousness nor upon the Righteousness of Christ indeed the love of God was the reason why Christ was sent to work out righteonsness for us Joh. 4.10 he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Objection 10 I have not the inward call of the Gospel how can it be said then that God calls me I have indeed an external call but God does not inwardly call me and I wait for that Answer It is the outward call of the Gospel that gives men their warrant to believe it is the written Word of God that bears us out in it and you must not expect any other warrant but that you must not expect any new revelations to warrant your coming to Christ 2 Pet. 1.19 we have also a more sure word of Prophesie the inward call is nothing else but the opening of the ear to hear the outward call the inward call is only that illumination of the mind wherby we see God calling of us in his word the assuring us of the truth of the Gospel the call of God in his Word is that that gives men their encouragement to come to Christ the Word of God is the ground of faith Psal 91.4 his Truth shall be thy shield and buckler the design of the inward call is only to clear up the outward call and satisfie the heart in that the outward call evidences mens safety in coming there is Gods testimony and that is an evidence beyond exception 1 Joh. 5.9 Gods call in his Word makes it your duty to believe but that it would not do if it did not give you a sufficient warrant to believe the inward call helps us to read and understand our warrant but it is the outward call that gives warrant to believe the outward call is the foundation of saith Acts 13.48 they glorified the Word of the Lord and believed God speaks his heart in the outward call men slight it and say it is but an outward call but the outward call is no delusion God speaks uprightly in the outward call there you may see the heart of God how ready he is to bestow salvation upon sinners and the outward call binds Gods faithfulness the outward call lays such a tye upon God as makes the condition of believers very safe Heb. 10.25 let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is fatthful that promised Objection 11. I have an unwilling spirit to come to Christ and therefore I am not called for the call is only to them that will Rev 22.17 whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Answer 1. When God says whoever will he does not limit the call to them that will the offer is general and therefore is made unto them that will not as well as unto them that will men that are unwilling ought to come mens duty does not depend upon their willingness to do it God commands those that are unwilling the generality of the Jews were not willing to come to Christ yet God required them to come Joh. 9.29 this is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent God makes conditional promises unto such and will punish such men for their not coming unto Christ it will be a poor excuse at the last day for men to say they were not willing out of their own mouth God will conde mn them 2 When God says whosoever will he does not require any antecedent willingness before their coming the meaning is not that men must first find themselves willing and so come
Have no dependance upon signs it is a great fault of the people of God that when they are called to believe they are waiting for signs sometimes God gives his people signs and sometimes he denies signs unto them when God gives signs it is a duty to take notice of them when he gives them we must improve them for the strengthening of Faith it was a sin in Ahaz to refuse a sign Isai 7.12 God many times considers the weakness of his people and gives them signs which are a strengthening unto hope Rom. 5.4 and it is lawful to desire signs out of a sensibleness of the unbelief of our own hearts under the sence of that that we are easily outbid with temptation that our unbelieving hearts are ready to take advantage from the want of such evidences we may desire signs but it is not lawful to desire them from unbelief unbelief is never good nor any natural effect of it we have no reason to lie waiting for signs when we have the Word of God to incourage us to believe Mat. 16.4 God has sometimes sharply shewed his anger when his people have neglected the promise waiting for signs he has brought sharp affliction upon them Luk. 1.11 20. indeed sometimes God has granted the desires of his people when they have been unbelieving and have desired signs but he does not therein shew his approbation of those desires he condescends because of the infirmities of his people so he did to Gideon but Gideons heart smote him for what he did Judg. 6.39 so Christ condescended to Thomas but withal reproved him Job 20.29 therefore never wait for signs have no dependance upon them Consider 1. When God denies signs there is a sufficient foundation for Faith God never leaves his people without a sufficient ground for Faith it is no sign that a man is not in favour with God that God takes away signs and there is a firm bottom for Faith when signs are withdrawn such as have no light may trust in the Name of the Lord Isai 50.10 Gods call is a sufficient warrant to believe 2. God many times withdraws signes to draw forth the more glorious acts of Faith when men have got signs they are very ready to live upon them and lay more weight upon them than on the stability of the Word of God and God takes away those crutches that men may learn to go without them men are brought into such a condition that they may have nothing else to rely upon but the Word of God 2 Cor. 1.9 3. God takes great delight in the acts of Faith at such a time when signs fail acts of Faith at such a time put a great deal of honour upon God and God does greatly approve of such a Faith God don't reckon men bold and presumptuous for believing at such a time God loves to see men with the shield of Faith defending themselves from all temptations this is a Faith very commendable in the sight of God and God will eminently reward his people for believing on him at such a time a man cannot please God better than by exercising Faith under such circumstances under this consideration Abraham's Faith is commended that against hope he believed in hope Rom. 4.18 and Jesus Christ commends the Faith of the Woman of Canaan when under great temptation yet she would rely upon him Matth. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Direction 4. Beware of frowardness and discontent frowardness is one great cause of discouragement and unbelief men get into a discontented frame and then they don't know how to believe their spirits are disordered by the dispensations of God unto them because God brings great and long afflictions upon them don't hear their prayers don't give them those inward comforts that he does unto others and when their spirits are distempered with discontent they are greatly disadvantaged to receive the encouragement that God offers unto them discontent is an enemy unto faith therefore beware of a discontented spirit when you are under any rebukes of Providence look to your spirits and labour against the first stirrings of a froward spirit the workings of frowardness does prove a temptation to unbelief and so do the workings of any other corruption as the sinfulness thereof does fright a man from believing but this is not all a froward spirit leads a man into unbelief it is a principle and cause of unbelief And that these two ways 1. Frowardness blinds the minds of men frowardness bereaves men of their understandings passion draws a vail before the eyes God presents before men several encouragements to believe but those things don t sink into mens hearts when discontented a man in a discontented frame is out of frame to consider the weight of those things that God sets before him discontentedness makes him rashly and inconsiderately to reject encouragements when God is encouraging him he don't hearken and regard it Ex. 6.9 they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage frowardness does prejudice men against believing when a man is in such a frame he construes all Gods difpensations to be from want of love he thinks if God had any love for him he would never have dealt so with him if God had had a kindness for him he would have done this for him and prevented this or that evil but he takes it as a sign that God don't regard him when froward he puts the worst sense upon every thing and represents Gods dispensations to himself as flowing from want of love he is ready to say as she how canst thou say I love thee Judg. 15.15 yea frowardness makes a man justifie his unbelief it so blinds him as it did Jonah that he thinks he does well vindicates himself as if he had cause for what he did 2. Frowardness makes men love to cavil against the encouragements that God sets before them a man in a froward frame studies objections and indulges himself in a way of cavelling there is a great deal of wilfulness in their unbelief a froward heart humours himself in his raising of objections men take a pride in cavelling and turning of the calls of God when the heart is discontented there is a great deal of a sturdy spirit working in their unbelief if I had called and he had answered yet would I not believe that he did hearken unto my voice for he breaketh me with a tempest Job 9.16 17. Direction 5. Set hefore your selves the examples of other Saints there is a cloud of witnesses gone before you men that under all sorts of difficulties and temptations have been exercising Faith remember how Abraham believed the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness how Job carried himself when he says tho' he slay me yet I will trust in him how David says why art thou cast down O my Soul hope in God how Jonah recovers himself yet will I look again