it up every drop leaving nothing behind for his Redeemed but large draughts of Love and Salvation in the Sacramental Cup of his own Institution saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood 1 Cor. 11.25 Math. 26.8 for the remission of sins This do ye in remembrance of me Thus my B. look upon Christ as a Mediator in which capacity only he Covenanted with the Father for the Salvation of man-kind and there was not so much as a shadow of any receding from or repenting of what he had undertaken 3. As for the Elect whose Salvation lay at stake there was no doubt to be made of their free consent to the Contract For though they were not originally consulted à parte antè yet as soon as in their several ages and successions they come to be acquainted with the compact between the Father and the Son and begin to understand how deeply they are concerned in it they do not only give in their own affirmative vote but falling down on their faces they break out into joyful acclamations Rom. 7.24 and sing We thank God for Jesus Christ our Lord and again Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1. Cor. 15 57. 4. Lastly The whole Astipulation between the Father and the Son was solemnly Transacted in open Court in the presence of a publick Notary the Holy Ghost Who being a third Person in the Glorious Trinity of the same divine essence and of equal power and glory makes up a third legal Witness with the Father So the King writes Teste Meipso 1 Jo. 5.7 and the Son They being after the manner of Kings their own Witnesses also For there be three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Behold what can be desired more to make commutations of parties in publick contracts authentique in Courts of Justice than Consent of all parties the Allowance of the Judg and Publique Record And if this self-same commutation of Pennance must be allowed of by those who are for justification by way of satisfaction only Bellar. de justific li. 2. ca. 7. Sec. 4. Stapleâ—on c. Their own argument will serve to prove the necessity of imputation of Christs active obedience to the Law for justification because Nothing say they can satisfie for sin which is an infinite wrong to God but that only which is infinite in value By the same reason Nothing can give us right and title to Eternal Life which is an infinite reward but that which is of infinite worth why should it seem incongruous in this other branch of justification sc by imputed Righteousness Surely God would have the Active as well as the Passive obedience as near the same required by the Law as might be that he might dispence with as little of the Law as was possible It only admits one Objection more and that is Object This Doctrine seemeth to reduce the Law again into Office and to put the crown of Justification upon the head of works against the universal suffrage of the holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament To which I reply Answ This doctrine neither destroys the Law with the Antinomian nor establisheth it as a Covenant of works with the Papists But As the great Office of the Lord Jesus Christ was to reconcile all things Colos 1.20 whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Ex. gr God's Justice and God's Mercy God and Man Jew and Gentile Man and Himself So herein hath our blessed Lord and Mediator magnified his infinite Wisdome and Power in reconciling the Law and the Gospel in this great mystery of Justification wherein the material cause of our Justification is still the Righteousness of the Law so that the Law hath no cause to complain Christ hath done it any wrong And the other Causes are supplied by the Gospel Ex. gr The efficient cause Christ his fulfilling the Law Rom. 10.4 The formal Cause God's Imputation Rom. 10.4 The Instrumental Cause so our Divines phrase it Faith And the moving Final Cause the exaltation of free Grace Rom. 1.20 Accordingly we find the Righteousness of Justification to take its various denominations that is to say In respect of the Material Cause it is called the Righteousness of the Law In respect of the Efficient Cause the Righteousness of Christ Rom. 5.17 1 Cor. 1.30 In respect of the Formal Cause the Righteousness of God the imputing it Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 In respect of the Instrumental Cause the Righteousness of Faith Phil. 3.9 And in respect of the moving and Final Cause we are said to be justified freely by Grace Rom. 3.24 Tit. 3.7 In a word The Law as it was a Covenant of works required exact and perfect obedience in mens proper persons this was legal Justification In the New Covenant God is contented to accept this Righteousness in the hand of a Surety this is Evangelical Justification Thus hath our blessed Lord reconciled The Law also The and also The Gospel also I have done with the Second Accompt I come now to a Third Accompt The Necessity of a Sinner 3d. Accompt The necessity of a Sinner The state and condition of a Sinner doth necessarily require a Righteousness should be imputed to him for his Justification and that to a two-fold End 1. The Setling of solid Peace in his Conscience 2. The Securing of his Appearance in the day of Judgment 1. A positive Righteousness is necessary for the setling of solid Peace in the Conscience of the Sinner The Peace and Comfort of a poor sensible Sinner can never stand firm and stable but upon the basis of a positive Righteousness This is one of the great Arguments whereby the great Apostle in his Christian Caâ—chism so some of the Fathers were wont to call the Epistle to the Romans doth invincibly prove Justification by Faith chap. 5.1 The argument lyeth thus That way of Justification which tends most effectually to settle Peace in the Conscience of a poor Convinced Sinner that must needs be God's way of Justification But Justification by Faith is the most effectual medium to this end Ergo. The first Proposition is founded upon that blessed Truth which the Holy Ghost witnesseth Heb. 6.18 19. the willingness of God that the Heirs of Promise may have strong Consolation the result thereof is this that what-ever medium is aptest to beget strong Confidence and Assurance in their hearts God is graciously pleased to make use of it for their abundant satisfaction The second Proposition namely that Justification by Faith in the sense before explained is the aptest medium to establish solid peace in the bosom of a poor sensible Sinâ—â—r may appear by comparing Works and Faith together Send a poor Sinner to his own Righteousness which is of the Law sc his own good works Holmess Fasting Prayer or the best Service that ever he did for
Conjunctions in nature are nothing else but so many figures and shadows It is as real as the Believer himself as real as Christ himself Christ and the Believer are not more really one in themselves than they are in and with one another * 1 Cor. 6.16 spiritually Yea our Lord carryeth us one step higher It is an Union as real as that essential Union between the Father and the Son John 17.21 As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us as i. e. as truly as verily though not substantially It notes I say the reality of the Union though not the kind and manner of it Third Property Thirdly This Vnion is an operative Vnion Third Property operative Gal. 2.20 Colos 3.4 Christ is in the Believer as the soul is in the body a principle of life and operation I Live saith the Apostle but as if he had said too much he recals what he had said yet not I but Christ liveth in me q. d. It is not so much I that live as Christ in me Christ is my life it is he that animates me he that acts me it is he that doth all his work in me and my works for me It is he that believes in me that desireth in me whatsoever is good and spiritual it is he that repents in me and loveth in me and prayeth in me My meaning is not to gratifie the Antinomians for though the Acts be efficiently from Christ yet formally they are wholly ours Christ is the next Efficient Cause but not the next Formal Cause though he be the immediate cause in respect of the vertue and power by which we act yet he is only a mediate Cause in respect of the Order of acting and therefore properly the act only denominates us and not him Though the act be mine the strength is his I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me I am but the instrument only which his hand manageth it is his Finger that toucheth me his skill that makes the Musick It is such an Union as from whence the Believer by Faith draws life and vertue from Jesus Christ to all spiritual and saving intents and purposes The influence of his Death for the mortifying of his Corruptions they that are Christ's by vertue of this blessed Union have Crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts sc Gal. 6.14 by vertue derived from his Cross The power of his Resurrection for the quickening and strengthening of them to all the Acts and Operations of Grace Phil. 3.10 yea whereby all the Offices of the holy Life become sweet facile and complacential those duties and imployments which unto the Vnregenerate man are hard 1 Jo. 5.4 and grievous and even so many impossibles by Faith improving its Union with Christ are made light easie and Connatural even as the operations of another nature All this the Apostle would have us to understand when he saith his Commandements are not grievous * There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words more is understood than exprest A Fourth Property is like unto this Fourth Property enniching and that is 4. This Union is a Soul-enriching Union By vertue of this blessed Union the Saints are invested into all the unsearchable Riches of Jesus Christ as by vertue of the Marriage-knot the Wife is enstated into all the Reveneues and Priviledges of her Husband 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Observe Christians In Christ Jesus ther 's the Union and thence flowes Communion and Fellowship with him in all his priviledges Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Here you have the very Epitome and summa totalis of the Gospel Christ in four words the whole Christ in four words the benefit and fruit of all his Offices suitable and sufficient to supply all the defects and indigences of the Creature For behold here is Wisdom for our Folly Righteousness for our guilt Sanctification for our impure natures and Redemption for our every way lost and undone condition wisdome to make us wise to salvation there is the fruit of his prophetical Office they shall all know me Jerem. 31.34 Righteousness for our justification Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end or complement of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth * Finis impletionis or if you will rather fints intentionis The scope of the Law He to whom the Law leads and directs us for justification Gal. 3 24. It equally answers my designe there is the fruit of his Priestly Office Sanctification to begin holiness where it is wanting and to encrease it where it is begun Christ is a Fountain of holiness as well as a Fountain of happiness there is the fruit of his Kingly Office he sets up his Kingdome in the Soul Rom. 14.17 Redemption fully and finally to deliver us from the powr of darkness from wrath to come from all the remainders of sin and misery and to translate us into the Kingdome of Grace and Glory there is the joynt-fruit of all his Offices Behold Christians This is the rich and precious fruit which grows upon the Offices of Jesus Christ and all made ours by means of this glorious Vnion First in Christ then follows Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Yea one step higher yet By vertue of this Union with Christ Believers are made Believers are not only made partakers of the fruits of Christ's Offices but are invested into the very Offices themselves Was he anointed to be a King so are they he hath made us Kings c. Rev. 1.6 Kings was Christ anointed to be a Prophet Believers also partake of the same unction 1 Jo. Prophets 2.20 Ye have an unction of the holy one and ye know all things Was Christ anointed to be a Priest so are they Priests ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Here are two Offices twisted together Royal ther 's their Kingly Office Priesthood ther 's their Sacerdotal a Kingdome of Priests Exod. 19.6 1 Pet. 2.5 as Moses phraseth it Priests as they stand in relation to God to offer up spiritual Sacrifice to God acceptable by Jesus Christ and Kings in respect of men to rule over others and themselves too This is much and yet this is not all By vertue of this Union Believers share with Christ in all his communicable titles and dignities Is he a Son Gal. 4 5. so are they Christ the Son of God by Nature they the Sons of God by Adoption Was Christ the Heir of all things Heb. 1.3 Believers are Heirs also in him and with him If Children Rom. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-Heirs with Jesus Christ though they are not joynt-Purchasers by their good works as the Papist would make them yet they are joynt-Heirs by grace as God
the wicked 2.73 Of great comfort to the godly 2.75 Judgment-day whether the Saints that are then alive must die literally or analogically only 2.65 Why concealed 2.68 Whether Christ will sit upon a visible throne 2.70 Christ will appear in the same humane nature which he assumed of the Virgin and why 2.71 Christ will appear personally for three reasons 1 The judgment must be personal 2.70 2 A recompence to his abasement 2.71 3 To perfect his mediatory office 2.72 Justification the Saints shall be fully and finally justified at the last day which consists 1 In their publick absolution 2.133 2 In the Judge his pronouncing them perfectly righteous 2.138 God justifieth a sinner in that way wherein he may justifie himself 2.141 It is not by any intrinsick merit in faith but extrinsick object that faith layeth hold on 2.148 It is variously denominated according to its causes 2.153 Legal and evangelical what it is 2.154 Law and Gospel reconciled in the mystery of justification 2.153 K Kindness all kindnesses done to Christ or his members will be owned at the day of judgment 2.129 Knowledge whether the Saints shall know one another with a distinguishing knowledge in heaven affirm 3.8 Knowledge of one another in heaven a great motive to converse one with another on earth 3.11 Whether the knowledge of our elect relations in heaven do not infer a distinct knowledge of our relations in hell and whether that may not be terrible Neg. 3.13 How many wayes we shall have knowledge of God set forth by several steps 3.31 L Law pardon is not the qualification that the Law requireth but perfection 2.139 That which God at first wrote in mans heart and afterwards in two tables of stone was a law of a most holy and absolute perfection 2.143 The law the image of Gods nature and will 2.143 It was given to be 1 A rule and pattern of an holy life 2.144 2 A condition of eternal life ibid. It is of perpetual necessity 2.144 It is not to be dispenced withall 2.144 Christ did not bring in another law but another medium to fulfil the former 2.144 Christ as Mediator was born under the law 2.145 Christ his fulfilling the law was performed in and by the humane nature 2.149 Law and Gospel reconciled in the great mystery of justification 2.153 Likeness we shall be like God in 1 Our understanding 3.78 2 Our will 3.80 3 Our affections 3.80 4 Our memories 5 the whole image 1 The soul 3.81 2 the body 3.82 Loss fear of loosing of heaven would make it worse than hell 3.96 Love of God a great assurance of the eternity of heaven 3.94 A superlative love to Christ an evidence of heaven 3.120 M Marriage of the Lamb consummated at the last day and the solemnity of it 2.162 Marriage its happiness consists in suitableness 3.67 Maityrdom like Elijah 's Charriot 3.139 Means God not tyed to them 3.48 Memory the Saints shall be like God in their memories 3.80 Of the Saints shall be like the ark of the covenant 3.80 Mercy the mercy of God an assurance of heavens eternity 3.92 Ministers must preach nothing but what is warranted by the word 2.67 They may preach with success and yet be cast out 2.171 They must see that the comforts they administer be Gods comforts 3.154 Miscarriage of the image of God in Adam not of improvidence but ordination 3.80 Mistake no mistake of one anothers condition in heaven 3.7 Mixture of Saints and sinners will be here 2.116 Mortification exercise the duties of it 3 130 Motives to assurance 3.111 Mourners are to open their ears and hearts to words of comfort 3.156 Mystery divers mysteries mentioned namely 1 Of the Trinity 2 Of the Incarnation 3 Of Election and Reprobation 4 Of the Creation of the World 5 Of the Resurrection 6 Of all the Arcana Naturae 3.51 We must not pry too much into them 3.55 N Nature the fulfilling of the Law was performed in and by the humane nature 2.149 Negatives cannot fill a dying man with comfort 3.160 O Omnipotence all things are alike to it 2.100 It supports the Saints under their happiness as well as the wicked under their misery 3.90 92 It is omnipotence in God that he cannot sin 3 90 Ordinances a dangerous notion of being above them 3.48 In what sense it is good to live above them ibid. Not to rest in or contented with them 3.49 P Pardon pardon of sin is the privative part of justification 2.133 How sins past present and to come are pardoned in conversion and how not 2.134 Sin fully pardoned at death ibid. It makes sin as if it had never been 2.135 It is not sufficient to capacitate the Saints for glory 2.139 It looks backward Righteousness forward 2.142 It is not the qualification which the Law requireth but perfection 2 139 If God should only pardon and not justifie it would seem to reflect upon 1 Gods Wisdom 2 142 2 Gods â—ll-sufficiency ibid. 3 Gods Veracity and Justice ibid. It maketh not a man righteous 2.148 No pardon at the Judgment-seat 2.169 Perseverance stands not in the nature of grace 1.39 It stands not in the liberty or rectitude of the will though regenerate 1.39 It stands upon 1 Divine compact 140 2 Vnion with Christ ibid. Pleasure sensitive pleasures have only their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 108 Praâ—se Saints shall be praised for their graces at the last day though wrought in them c. 2.132 Prayer get the faithful to pray for thee and pray for thy self 3.131 Words of prayer are to be joyned with words of comfort 3.165 Presence the Saints shall ever be in the presence of Christ 3.2 Precepts in one place are promises in another 3.112 Pride there is much of pride in refusing comfort 3.157 Promises ought to be studied 3.163 Learn to which of Christs Offices each promise relateth 3.164 Promises in one place are precepts in another 3.112 Refer them to their distinct heads 3.163 They then bring comfort when they are applied by the Spirit 3.164 Propriety to enjoy heaven and to know I do enjoy it is the happiness of happiness 3.71 Punishment shall not be mitigated at the judgment 2.170 Purchase and election are both perfected by the sanctification of the Spirit 2.123 R Recompence Christ his speaking honourably of the Saints in the last day will abundantly recompence the reproaches they have here 2.133 Reconciliation God is first in reconciliation though sinners first in the transgression 2.169 Redeemer he undertook two great works for the redeemed 1. One to make satisfaction for sin 2. The other to yield absolute conformity to the Law of God 2.140 Regeneration Conformity of the Saints to Christ in the Resurrection hath its beginning in it 2.101 111 Relations ours not alone in their death 1.9 When dead they are not lost but sowen 1.19 Though they cease in heaven yet the remembrance of them ceaseth not 3.12 Remembrance the book of Gods remembrance and book of conscience