to love them saith Moses and he chose their seed after them Deut. 10. 15. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Ezek. 16. 6. See Ezek. 36. 32. Luk. 1. 54 55 72 78. This Covenant was made in Christ in and through whom we are reconciled unto God for since God and man were separated by sinne no Covenant can passe betwixt them no reconciliation can be expected no pardon obtained but in and through a mediatour Sinnes were never remitted unto any man no man was ever adopted into the place and condition of a sonne by grace and adoption but in him alone who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Jesus Christ true God and true man Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. The fall of our first parents was occasion of this Covenant for Actus nostrae liberationis divinam bonitatem causam habet Sed aliter actus exactio nimirum paenae per modum satisfactionis caâ—sam eam habet quae ad paenam exegendam irritat id autemest peccatum God suffered him to slip that he might manifest the riches of his mercy in mans recovery Mercy freeing man from misery possible might have taken place before transgression and have discovered it selfe in the preventing of sinne and so of misery but it seemed good unto Almighty God to suffer misery to enter upon man through sinne that he might make knowne the infinite riches of his mercy in succouring and lifting him up being fallen and plunged into a state remedilesse and desperate for ought he knew Besides we may conceive that Almighty God upon just grounds disdaining that such a base creature falne by pride should thus upon advantage of the mutability of his reasonable creature ruinate the whole frame of the Creation and trample the glory of his name under foot and withall looking upon the Chaos which sinne had brought and would further make if some speedy remedy was not provided did out of his infinite and boundlesse love to man though in the transgression and just and dreadfull indignation against Sathan give forth this gratious and free Covenant The forme of this Covenant stands in gratious and free promises of all good to be repaired restored augmented and a restipulation of such duties as will stand with free grace and mercy For the Covenant of Grace doth not exclude all conditions but such as will not stand with grace The Covenant which was made of free love when we lay wallowing in our blood and which calls for nothing at our hands but what comes from and shall be rewarded of meere grace is a Covenant of grace though it be conditionall So the pardon of sinne is given of grace and not for workes though pardon be granted only to the penitent and faith on our part a lively unfained and working faith be required to receive the promise The parties covenanting are two and so are the parts of the Covenant the one in respect of God the other in respect of man A Covenant there is betwixt God and man but no mutuall obligation of debt for such mutuall obligation is founded in some equality but there is no equality between the Creator and the creature much lesse betwixt the Lord most high and man a sinner If man had never offended God almighty who gave him his being and perfection could not have been indepted unto him but as he was pleased to recompence the good of obedience in the creature that never deserved punishment much lesse can God be indepted to the creature that hath offended who can neither endure his presence nor beare the weight of his wrath nor satisfie Justice nor deliver his soule from the thraldome of sinne The obligation of man to God is of double right and debt but it is of rich grace and abundant love that God doth bind himselfe unto man God doth promise in this Covenant to be God and Father by right of redemption and Christ to be Saviour of them that beleeve in God by him and in faith do yeild sincere uniforme willing upright and constant obedience unto his Commandements Jer. 31. 31 32 33 Deut. 31. 6. Ezek. 36. 25 26. Gen. 15. 1 4 5. Jer. 32. 40. 33. 9. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Isa 54. 7. Hos 2. 19. The stipulation required is that we take God to be our God that is that we repent of our iniquities believe the promises of mercy and embrace them with the whole heart and yeeld love feare reverence worship and obedience unto him according to the prescript rule of his word Repentance is called for in this Covenant as it setteth forth the subject capable of Salvation by faith but is it selfe only an acknowledgement of sinne no healing of our wound or cause of our acquittance The feeling of Luke 13. 5. Act. 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Ezek. 18. 27â— paine and sicknesse causeth a man to desire and seeke remedy but it is no remedy it selfe Hunger and thirst make a man to desire and seeke for food but a man is not fed by being hungry By repentance we know our selves we feele our sicknesse we hunger and thirst after grace but the hand which we stretch forth to receive it is faith alone without which repentance is nothing but darknesse and despaire Repentance is the condition of faith and the qualification of a person capable of Salvation but faith alone is the cause of Justification and Salvation on our part required It is a penitent and petitioning faith wherby we receive the promises of mercy but we are not justified partly by prayer partly by repentance and partly by faith but by that faith which stirreth up godly sorrow for sinne and enforceth us to pray for pardon and Salvation Faith is a necessary and lively instrument of Justification which is amongst the number of true causes not being a cause without which the thing is not done but a cause wherby it is done The cause without which a thing is not done is only present in the action and doth nothing therein But as the eye is an active instrument for seeing and the care for hearing so is faith also for justifying If it be demanded whose instrument it is It is the instrument of the Soule wrought therin by the Holy Ghost and is the free gift of God In the Covenant of workes workes were required as the cause of life and happinesse but in the Covenant of grace though repentance be necessary and must accompanie faith yet not repentance but faith only is the cause of life The cause not efficient as workes should have been if man had stood in the former Covenant but instrumentall only for it is impossible that Christ the death and blood of Christ and our faith should be together the efficient or procuring causes of Justification or Salvation When the Apostle Rom. 3. â—â— 22 28 30. Gal. 2. 16. 17. Rom. 4. 2 3. writeth that man
is not justified by workes or through workes by the Law or through the Law opposing faith and workes in the matter of Iustification but not in respect of their presence faith I say and works not faith and merits which could never be without doubt he excludes the efficiency and force of the Law and workes in justifying But the particles By and of doe not in the same sense take Iustification from the Law and workes in which they give it to faith For faith only doth behould and receive the promises of life and mercy but the Law and works respect the Commandements not the promises of meere grace When therfore Iustification and life is said to be by faith it is manifestly signified that faith receiving the promise doth receive righteousnesse and life freely promised Obedience to all Deut. 7. 1â— 10. 12. Ier. 7. 23. Lev. 19. 17 18. Luk. 10. 27 Mar. 12 30. Gods Commandements is covenanted not as the cause of life but as the qualification and effect of faith and as the way to life Faith that embraceth life is obedientiall and fruitfull in all good workes but in one sort faith is the cause of obedience and good workes and in another of Iustification and life eternall These it seeketh in the promises of the Covenant those it worketh and produceth as the cause doth the effect Faith was the efficient cause of that pretious oblation in Abell of reverence and preparing Heb. 11 4 7 c. the Arke in Noah of obedience in Abraham but it was the instrument only of their justification For it doth not justifie as it produceth good workes but as it receiveth Christ though it cannot receive Christ unlesse it brings forth good workes A disposition to good workes is necessary to justification being the qualification of an active and lively faith Good works of all sorts are necessary to our continuance in the state of justification and so to our finall absolution if God give opportunity but they are not the cause of but only a precedent qualification or condition to finall forgivenesse and eternall blisse If then when we speake of the conditions of the Covenant of grace by Condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as precedent concomitant or subsequent to justification repentance faith and obedience are all conditions but if by Condition we understand what is required on our part as the cause of the good promised though only instrumentall faith or beliefe in the promises of free mercy is the only Condition Faith and workes are opposed in the matter of Justification and Salvation in the Covenant not that they cannot stand together in the same subject for they be inseperably united but because they cannot concurre or meete together in one the same Court to the Iustification or Absolution of Man For in the Court of Iustice according to the first Covenant either being just he is acquitted or unjust he is condemned But in the Court of Mercy if thou receive the promise of pardon which is done by a lively faith thou art acquitted and set free and accepted as just and righteous but if thou believe not thou art sent over to the Court of Justice Obedience is two-fold perfect in measure and degree this is so farre required that if it be not performed we must acknowledge our sinne in comming short And this God is pleased to exact at our hands that we might walke in humility before him strive after perfection and freely acknowledge his rich grace and mercy in accepting and rewarding the best service we can tender unto his Highnesse when in the Court of Iustice it deserveth to be rejected 2. Sincere uniforme and constant though imperfect in measure and degree and this is so necessary that without it there is no Salvation to be expected The Covenant of Grace calleth for perfection accepteth sincerity God in mercy pardoning the imperfections of our best performances If perfection was rigidly exacted no flesh could be saved if not at all commanded imperfection should not be sin nor perfection to be laboured after The faith that is lively to imbrace mercy is ever conjoyned with an unfained purpose to walke in all well pleasing and the sincere performance of all holy obedience as opportunity is offered doth ever attend that faith whereby we continually lay hold upon the promises once embraced Actuall good workes of all sorts though not perfect in degree are necessary to the continuance of actuall justification because faith can no longer lay faithfull claime to the promises of life then it doth vertually or actually leade us forward in the way to Heaven For if we say we have fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another 1 Joh. 1. 6 7. This walking in the light as he is in the light is that qualification wherby we become immediatly capable of Christs righteousnes or actuall participants of his propitiation which is the sole immediate cause of our justification taken for remission of sinnes or actuall approbation with God The truth of which Doctrine St John likewise ratifies in tearmes equivalent in the words presently following And the blood of 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Christ cleanseth us walking in the light as God is in the light from all sinne But of these things more largely in the severall degrees how this Covenant hath been revealed In this Covenant man doth promise to repent of his sinnes and repenting to cleave unto the promise of mercy made in Iesus Christ and in saith to yeeld willing cheerefull and continuall obedience In contracts amongst men one may aske more and the other bid lesse and yet they may strike agreement But it is altogether bootlesse for men to thinke of entring into Covenant with God if they be noâ— resolved to obey in all things The practise of all Gods people who ever made Covenant with his Highnesse doth expressely speake thus much when they solemnly entred into or renewed their Covenant for thus they promise Whatsoever the Lord saith that will we doe Exod 24. 3 7. The people said unto Joshua The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Josh 24. 23. And they entred into Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers with all their he art and with all thâ—eâ—r souâ—e That whosoever would not seâ—ke the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. And the King stood by the pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walke after the Lord and to keepe his Commandements and his Testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soule to performe the words of this Covenant that were written in this booke and all the people stood to the Covenant 2 Chron. 34. 31. 2 Kings 23. 3. They entred into a Curse and into
a restipulation 6. The end viz. the blessednesse of man and the glory of God manifested in his wisdome bounty and goodnesse 7. As Adam in the state of Innocency was made able to fulfill the Covenant made with him so is the Covenant of Grace written in the hearts of them that be heires of the Promise in Christ They differ 1. In the speciall consideration of the Authour cause and foundation of the Covenants God gave his Law to Adam as bountifull and gratious to his creature intire and perfect but in strict justice requiring obedience promising a reward and denouncing punishment But the Covenant of Grace he made as a loving Father in Jesus Christ of his meere Grace promising to receive them into favour that sincerely and unfainedly turne unto him The Creation of man and integrity of humane nature is the Foundation of the former Covenant but the Redemption of man by Christ is the Foundation of the Covenant of Grace 2. In the forme of Sanction In the Covenant of Nature there is no Mediatour but the Covenant of Grace is made in Christ in whom God hath made us accepted The Covenant of Nature was not promised before it was promulgated but the Covenant of Grace was first promised and long after promulgated and established or ratified in the bloud of his Sonne 3. In the speciall matter of the Covenants and that both in respect of the Promise and stipulation For the Covenant of Nature promised life but not righteousnesse but in the Covenant of Grace God promiseth to tread Satan under the feet and to write his Law in the hearts of them that be heires of Salvation That Covenant promiseth life to them that perfectly obey but not remission or forgivenesse of any even the least iniquity But this promiseth forgivenesse of sinnes and life eternall to the penitent sinner believing in Christ and embracing the free promise of mercy In that life eternall is promised as the reward of justice in this life and glory as the reward of free and rich grace and mercy To him that worketh the wages is of debt but to him that beleeves the reward is of Grace In that God as a Creatour doth exact his right of man pure but in this as a loving Father he doth offer himselfe to the sinner smitten with the conscience of his sinne In that life eternall and most blessed is promised but only animal to be enjoyed in Paradise or continuance in that good estate wherein he was set at first of the rich bounty of God but in the other translation out of ignominy and death into eternall happinesse and glory in Heaven In the Covenant of Nature perfect obedience is exacted so that if there be but the least failing in any jot or title and that but once a man can never be justified thereby nor can the breach be made up by any repentance But in the Covenant of Grace obedience is required repentance admitted and sincerity accepted If a man sinne and goe astray if he returne unfainedly he shall be received into favour In the Covenant of Nature obedience and workes were commanded as the cause of life and justification in the Covenant of Grace Faith is required as the instrumentall cause of Remission and Salvation obedience as the qualification of the party justified and the way leading to everlasting blessednesse The object of obedience in the Covenant of Nature was God in the Covenant of Grace God in Christ 4. They differ in the speciall consideration of the Subject The first Covenant was given to man pure perfect intire and sound able to do what God required But the Covenant following was made with man a sinner miserable and by nature the child of wrath And so that was a Covenant of friendship this of firme Reconciliation 5. In the speciall and peculiar respect of the end For the former Covenant was made for the praise of Gods wisdome goodnesse bounty and justice But the Covenant of Grace was made to declare and set forth the riches of Gods grace and mercy In it the wisdome goodnesse power and justice of God is more illustrious then in the former and the mercy long-suffering and rich grace of God is greatly magnified which did not appeare or shine forth at all in the former 6. And in their Effects and Properties For not the Covenant of Nature but of Grace doth exclude boasting By the Covenant of Nature Adam was not advanced above the condition of an honourable Servant In the Covenant of Grace man by nature the child of wrath is made the child of God by grace and adoption The Covenant of nature was neither the last nor everlasting but being first made way for a better and being broken was antiquated or disanulled to our singular comfort but the Covenant of Grace shall continue firme and immoveable for evermore The second thing to be gathered is That the Fathers before Christ ever since the fall of Adam and Christians in the times of the Gospell did live under the same Covenant for substance but not for manner of administration which is most cleare by evident Heb. 13. 8. Rev. 13. 8. Act. 4. 12. and 15. 11. Gal. 3. 29. Rom. 3. 30. Eph. 2. 12. Gen. 15. 1 and 17. 1 7. Lev. 26. 12. Exod. 3. 6. Matth. 22. 32. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 11. 6 7 8. Rom. 4. 12. Heb. 11. â— 19 23. testimonies of holy Scripture and by the very forme of the Covenant which was one before and after the comming of Christ The same God that calleth us called them to the hope of eternall life they were endued with the same spirit and lived by the same faith Their Sacraments for substance in signification agree with ours and they expected an Inheritance everlasting and undefiled Religion for substance was ever one and unchangeable and such as were truly religious walked in the same way and waited for the same heavenly Inheritance and everlasting crowne of glory The Church before Christ may be considered as an heire or as an Infant according to the substance of the Covenant or according to the manner of administration In the first respect the Church is under the Covenant or Promise and her people are called a free and willing people an heire of heavenly and spirituall blessings In the latter respect she is under the Covenant in respect of the different administration and her people are called a servile people in comparison an heire under Tutors and Governors not differing from a servant CHAP. IIII. Of the Covenant of Promise THe Covenant of Grace is either promised or promulgated Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 12. 1. and 15. 1. and established Promised to the Fathers first to Adam and afterwards to the Patriarchs and lastly to the people of Israel and that before their comming into the Land of Canaan and after Gal. 4. 4 1 Pet. 1. 20. Act. 3. 25. Gal. 3. 16. 1â— Eph. 2. 12. their returne from the Babylonish captivity Promulgated after the
by faith without the works of the Law But that they might not seeme directly to crosse the Apostle they say we are not justified by the works of the Law that is exact and every way perfect whereunto wages is due by debt but by works of grace graciously esteemed for righteousnesse when in the rigour of the Law it is not exact and perfect righteousnesse But first we reade that God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation Rom. 3. 24 25. by faith in his bloud that by the faith of Jesus we might receive remission of sinnes but we find not that he hath ordained Christ to be a propitation through works that by works we should be saved And if God have not taught any such manner of Justification it is not for us to receive it We reade of two waies of Justification by faith and works but of a third manner by faith and works both as joynt causes or con-causes we find nothing in Scripture Secondly By the doctrine of faith we are bound to acknowledge and confesse that Christ Jesus by his eternall Priest-hood is not only the sole meritorious cause of all grace or righteousnesse inherent requisite to finall absolution but these presupposed in the party to be absolved he is likewise the sole immediate cause of finall absolution or justification Without observation in some measure to all the Commandments of God we cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven but we enter not for the obedience we have performed To what use then doth our inherent righteousnesse or observance of Gods commandements serve us If it hath been sincere and â—â—fained though imperfect yet the faith that brought it forth will make a sincere and faithfull plea for mercy in the day of tryall in which he that hath been an hearer only and no doer of the Law or hath done in part what God would have done but not sincerely nor faithfully shall not be heard Our imperfect obedience then is not the immediate cause of our absolution but the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ By the immediate and next cause we understand such a cause as is necessarily accompanied by the effect and without whose participation the effect never doth nor can be-fall any such a cause as whosoever is partaker of is by participation of it forth-with absolved such a cause as who so can probably hope to be partaker of he may upon the same degrees of probability hope for finall absolution such a cause as who so doubts or feares least he shall never be partaker of in this life must upon the same termes doubt or despaire of his absolution or salvation But if workes be accounted for the exact righteousnesse of the Law unto us not the obedience of Christ received by faith but the works of holinesse in us are the absolute cause of remission of sins and acceptance unto life And what else doe the words sound as they be interpreted but that as exact obedience to the Law should have been the matter or cause of Justification from justice so sincere obedience by the estimation of grace is the matter of Justification by grace They will say I know faith and workes are onely the condition without which remission cannot be obtained but faith is not a bare condition without which the thing cannot be for that is no cause at all but an instrumentall cause and workes if they be any cause of Justification instrumentall they cannot be but the matter whereupon and for which we are justified or accounted righteous Workes doe not embrace Christ but if causes of Justification they must challenge to themselves and therefore how faith and workes should be conjoyned as con-causes in Justification it is impossible to conceive seeing the one that is faith attributes all In eo qâ—od solvimus est aliquâ—â—atio meriti to the free-grace of God the other that is workes challenge to themselves the one will aspire no higher but to be the instrumentall cause of free remission the other can sit no lower but to be the matter of Justification if any cause at all For if works be accounted to us in the roome or place of exact obedience in free Justification doe they not supply the place are they not advanced to the dignity of works compleate and perfect in Justification from justice 3. If faith with workes be accepted for righteousnesse to Justification then faith justifieth not as it imbraceth the promises of mercy and by it we partake in the merits of Christs death and obedience but as it doth give assent to the truth of the Gospell and adhere and sticke to the Commandements for in that sense it is an act or exercise commanded in the Gospell and not only as it doth receive Christ and the promise of forgivenesse But in Scripture every where faith in Christ in the Lord Jesus or the Gal. 3. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 24. bloud of Christ is said to justifie not faith in other promises threatnings or Commandements 4. How can it be proved that in the matter of Justification the Apostle doth oppose faith to workes exactly perfect and compleat only and not to the workes of grace done according to the prescription of the Law as it was given to the Jewes to be a rule how people in Covenant ought to walke To him that worketh Rom. 4. 4 saith he the wages is of debt but he that worketh is not only perfectly just but he that is mercenarie that is to him that worketh for his reward as if the reward should be given him for his worke For thus the Apostle argues When wages is given to an hireling or mercenary it is of debt But Justification or life is not given of debt but of grace Therefore it is not given to him that worketh or to the mercenary Properly God oweth nothing to him that fulfilleth the Law either exactly or sincerely when they doe nothing but their duty and there is no proportion betwixt God and them but because they seeke righteousnesse and life by workes if God should retribute to them a reward he should be thought to doe it as it were of debt The Law was given to be a rule of direction to them that be in Covenant and workes of the Law are workes done according to that prescription which the Apostle here excludes from being any cause of Justification though he that walkes according to this Law being not an hearer but a doer of the Law is blessed in his deed But of this more at large in the next Chapter 5. Consider the opposition which the Apostle makes betwixt his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law and the righteousnesse Phil. 3. 9. which is of God by faith I count all things saith he but as dâ—ng that I might winne Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith If then the righteousnesse of
impressions in the heart and frame of the Creature which is apparent in the Covenant so often mentioned with the unreasonable creature and this was the manner of covenanting with our first parents in the state of Innocency but is moâ—t observable in the restored reasonable creature when God shall put his Lawes into their hearts and write them in their inward parts Jer. 31. 33. and the more perfect the creature growes the more reall shall the impression be But yet in all ages of the Church past and so to the end of the world God hath ever and ever will make expressions outward of this his Covenant with mankinde The Covenant is one thing the name of the Covenant another For the Covenant includes the whole reason of the Covenant with the circumstances but the name sometimes is attributed to some circumstances So the Covenant may be said to be the same and not the same that which is the same in substance varieth in manner and circumstances Deut. 5. 2 3. and 29. 1. and 4 31. Nor is it a thing unusuall in Scripture that this should be affirmed of one and denyed of another which is more illustrious in one then in another though it be common to both as Matth. 15. 24. Interpreters of Scripture give this rule when it seemes to deny the very essence of the thing it doth deny only some circumstance or respect Mark 9. 37. He that receiveth me doth not receive me which negation properly respects the degrees Joh. 5. 45. There is one that accuseth you even Moses that is Moses primarily and especially Gen. 45. 8. God sent me hither when God and his See Jer. 23. 7. Isai 43. 18. brethren had done it but in a divers manner CHAP. II. Of the Covenant God made with man in the state of Innocencie IT hath pleased God to deale with the reasonable creature by way of Promise and restipulation that is by way of Covenant In which God himselfe is one partie covenanting and promising and the whole reasonable creature the other restipulating and obeying The thing holden out by God is eternall life with all immediate blessings the condition on the part of the reasonable creature is free ready and willing obedience whether from nature or grace The causes why God made choice to deale with the reasonable creature in this manner are principally three First that the creature might know what to expect from the Creator into what state soever cast Secondly that the same creature might alwayes recognize and acknowledge what to retribute Thirdly Such manner of dealing suites best with the nature of the reasonable creature and his subordination to the Almighty But passing by what might be spoken of the Covenant with reasonable creatures both men and Angels we will only consider what Covenant God hath made with mankind because the knowledge thereof doth in speciall manner concerne us and in the unfolding thereof the Scripture is most plentifull We reade not the word Covenant betwixt God and man ever since the Creation both in Innocency and under the fall but we have in Scripture what may amount to as much As in Innocency God provided and proposed to Adam eternall happinesse in the present injoyments and cals for perfect obedience which appeares from Gods threatning Gen. 2. 17. For if man must die if he disobeyed it implies strongly that Gods Covenant was with him for life if he obeyed And after the fall it is most evident God was pleased to hold this course with man in all ages and conditions but with some alterations as seemed best in his infinite wisedome and best fitted the present condition of the creature In this manner hath God afforded both the prime and secondary good unto man under Covenants and seales that he might have the greater assurance so long as he walked in obedience and herein God was pleased to condescend to mans weaknesse and for the confirmation of his faith to adde Seales to his Covenants in all times to bind the bargaine The Covenant in generall may be described a mutuall compact or agreement betwixt God and man whereby God promiseth all good things specially eternall happinesse unto man upon just equall and favourable conditions and man doth promise to walk before God in all acceptable free and willing obedience expecting all good from God and happinesse in God according to his Promise for the praise and glory of his great Name The Author of the Covenant is God not God and man for God doth enter into Covenant with man not as his equall but as his Soveraigne and man is bound to accept of the conditions offered by the Lord. There can be no such equality of power and authority betwixt God and the creature as that he should indent with the most High but he must accept what the Lord is well-pleased to offer and command The Covenant is of God and that of his free grace and love for although in some Covenant the good covenanted be promised in justice and given in justice for our workes yet it was of grace that God was pleased to bind himselfe to his creature and above the desert of the creature and though the reward be of justice it is also of favour For after perfect obedience performed according to the will of God it had been no injustice in God as he made the creature of nothing so to have brought him unto nothing it was then of grace that he was pleased to make that promise and of the same grace his happinesse should have been continued The partees covenanting are God and man for God promiseth unto man upon condition and man promiseth unto God what he requireth In respect of Gods promise the Covenant is called his but in respect of the conditions it may be called mans God promiseth freely to recompence Zech. 9. 11. In the bloud of thy Covenant Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 68. the good of obedience which is already due and might be exacted without promise of reward man promiseth to pay that debt of duty which he oweth unto the Lord in respect of the manifold relations wherein he stands obliged unto him The forme of the Covenant stands in a Promise and restipulation wherein the Lord though he might have required the whole To will and to nill the same things is the sure bond of all amity and friendship Now because the communion betwixt God and us is of infinite disparitie therefore his will is a Law to us and our obedience is true love to him debt of obedience without promise of reward in respect of the good things already bestowed upon the creature yet to the end that man might yeeld cheerfull and free obedience he first bound himselfe to reward the obedience of man before he bound man unto him in obedience The Subject of this Covenant in generall is man not differenced by speciall respects for as the Law was given so the Gospell is revealed to man Man in this or that speciall
fulnesse of time came And hence the Covenant of Grace is distributed into the Covenant of Promise or the New Covenant so called by way of excellency For the Foundation and Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace is our Lord Jesus Christ but either to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead or as already Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. incarnate crucified and truly raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven For there was never sin forgiven but in him alone who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore although before the Incarnation Christ was only God he was our Mediatour yet not simply as God but as the divine person who should take our flesh and in it should finish all the Mysterie of our Redemption and therefore he is called the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world and the Fathers by his grace were saved even as we In the acts of Mediation three things may be considered Reconciliation by which we are accepted of God Patronage by which we have accesse unto the Father Doctrine whereby God hath made himselfe knowne unto men by a Mediatour This third act might be done before he assumed our flesh and indeed was done but the two first did require his comming in the flesh although the fruit of them was communicated to the Fathers under the Old Testament by force of the divine Promise and certainty of the thing to come with God If it be objected that the cause is before the effect and therefore the incarnation and death of Christ must goe before the communication of the fruit and benefit thereof unto the Fathers The answer is That in naturall causes the Proposition holds true but in morall causes the effect may be before the cause and so the fruit and vertue of Christs death was communicated to the Fathers before his Incarnation But although the Sonne of God before he was manifested in the flesh was our Mediatour with God to whom future things are present because he should be and therfore for his sake sinnes were remitted men did teach and learne by his Spirit the Church was governed by him yet the manner and reason of that Mediation was proposed more obscurely the force and efficacy of it was lesse and did redound to fewâ—r The Covenant of Promise then was that Covenant which God made with Adam the Fathers and all Israel in Jesus Christ to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead And it may be described the Covenant wherby God of his meere grace and mercy in Jesus Christ to be exhibited in the fulnesse of time did promise forgivenesse of sinnes spirituall adoption and eternall life unto man in himselfe considered a most wretched and miserable sinner if he should embrace and accept this mercy promised and walke before God in sincere obedience God the Father of his meere and free grace and mercy looking upon man in Jesus Deut. 9. 5. Gal. 3. 18. Luk. 1. 54 55. Christ in whom he is reconciled is the Author and cause of this Covenant He hath hâ—lpen his servant Israel in remembance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Thus saith the Lord God of Israel your Fathers dwelt on Josh 24 â— the other side of the floud in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nahor and they served other gods And I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac The condition required in this contract is the obedience of faith Remission of sinnes gratious adoption in Christ and the Inheritance of eternall life is promised to beleevers and eternall condemnation peremptorily threatned against unbeleevers Christ whom God hath exhibited in the Gospell as he was promised to the Fathers in the Scriptures of the Prophets is the object of this Covenant The end thereof is the praise of the glorious grace and mercy of God in Christ to come In this Covenant there is a mutuall compact betwixt God and man God in mercy promising and man in duty binding himself unto the Lord. It was made with man a sinner and reacheth to the faithfull and their seed as God hath promised to accept the children of beleeving parents upon due and religious tender of them made unto his Highnesse according as he hath prescribed but saving effectually it was made with them only who beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly be the heires of salvation and walke in the steps of our Father Abraham This Covenant doth beget children to liberty doth administer the righteousnesse of faith and the inheritance by faith hope peace of conscience life in Christ and spirituall joy is the effect thereof Internally the Spirit doth seale up the truth of this Covenant in 2 Cor. 4 13. Rom. â— 4 5. Gal. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 3. 14. Gen 22. 16. Luk. 1. 73. the hearts of the faithfull For when the adoption and the inheritance pertained to the Fathers under the Covenant of promise the spirit of adoption and earnest of the inheritance pertained unto them likewise Externally it was delivered and confirmed by word and oath and sealed by the Sacraments For substance also this Covenant was everlasting and unchangeable The New Testament did not abolish the former but the former was fulfilled by the latter And in all these things it doth Psal 105. 10. agree with the new Covenant which here only are but briefly named because the confirmation of them must be sought in the Chapters following And if the Covenant of Promise and the New Covenant doe thus agree in substance then it must necessarily follow That there Eph. 2. 18 19 20. and 4. 4 5. is but one Church of the Elect the same Communion of Saints one Faith one Salvation and one way of obtaining the same viz. by Faith in Christ Secondly that the Word of God was no lesse incorruptible seed Rom. 11. 17. to the Fathers and the Israelites then to us That the Fathers did eat the true flesh of Christ by faith as well as we in the times of 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. the Gospell That they and we are partakers of the same Spirit and that the Sacraments of the Jewes did signifie and seale to them the same promises of eternall life which our Sacraments doe to us The Sacraments of the Old Testament were not types of our Sacraments as sometimes they are called by Divines but they typified the same things that ours doe For as the Covenants under which they and we lived were one for substance so are the Sacraments one in their common nature and signification Thirdly that the faithfull before Christ were saved by the free mercy of God in Christ did know God and Christ had the Heb. 11. 9. Psal 105. 15. Isai 51. 6. spirituall promise of life eternall and were
snatchers by and by all that have judgement understand men of wicked life But when it is said that the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and that Matth. 11. 12. the violent catch it away it is easie to know that this violence and catching falleth not into the lot of the wicked Likewise the word profane soundeth in all mens eares some foule and damnable thing but when it is said the Priests profane the Sabbath and Matth. 12. 5. are guiltlesse all know that it is no word of reproach But to reture to the matter to impute is either to acknowledge that which is truly in one to be his indeed and to attribute it to him or else to attribute that to one which indeed is not his In generall it is to transcribe or transferre and put over the cause of any thing to any one So Vlpian in lege 1. parag Item quaeritur de separat Sibi imputent quo minus idoncum fide jussorem acceperint id est ascribant tribuant Item apud jurisconsult Imputare significat acceptum seu expensum ferre ut imputare sibi debet qui credulus fuit Legum 1. § doluâ—â—ff â—o per quem factum To impute then is to ascribe a matter good or evill or the cause thereof to any one which he hath or hath not The imputation of an evill is two-fold just and due when the evill imputed or the cause thereof is in the subject to which it is imputed so sin is imputed to him that hath committed it and folly to him that hath not spoken that which is right Job 42. 8. and the debt is imputed to him that undertooke to make payment or give satisfaction Unjust or undeserved when the evill or cause thereof is not in the subject as when a fault is imputed to an innocent and punishment inflicted upon him that neither offended in his own person nor undertooke to be surety for the offendor 1 Sam. 1. 16. Gen. 38. 15. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 1. The imputation of a good thing is done three wayes by right grace and injustice because law justice and right is opposed to injustice and grace But here it must be noted that its one thing to say a man is reputed just another to say this or that thing is imputed for righteousnesse a man is reputed just but not imputed just reputation is spoken of the concrete imputation of the abstract imputation is the cause reputation the effect Imputation by debt or right is when that which is inherent in the subject or due to it is imputed as wages counted of debt to him that worketh But many things due cannot be said to be imputed unlesse the word imputation be taken improperly for giving or acknowledgement as we should improperly be said to impute glory to God for to give or acknowledge Imputation by injustice is when righteousnesse of quality or fact is imputed to an unjust man and he is acquitted contrary to law Imputation by grace when righteousnesse is imputed to them that be unjust in themselves and the guilty is acquitted not of debt but of grace yet not against justice but upon just and equall considerations Righteousnesse also is put either for some one individuall righteous act done after a manner pleasing and acceptable unto God which is called the righteousnesse of the fact or it is put for universall righteousnesse which is either the matter of justification or at least the thing required on our part to justification and is called the righteousnesse of the person which latter is here to be understood as is more at large to be shewed hereafter Now from all that hath been spoken it followeth 1. That perfect and strict righteousnesse of quality or work inherent is and ought to be imputed of justice to the subject in whom it is but by gracious estimation it cannot be imputed in the place or roome of righteousnesse inherent for what is accounted by grace that either is not in the subject or it is not really that in the roome and steed whereof it is accounted 2. Works of righteousnesse done in faith after a manner pleasing and acceptable unto God are of grace imputed to the doer for just and righteous actions the imperfections that cleave unto them being freely pardoned Not that works are able to beare the exact triall of the Law or can stand as the matter of justification before the Lord but that God in Christ is pleased to accept of our works as good and pleasant our persons being accepted in his beloved and the weaknesse of our works covered by his intercession Thus Phinehas his executing of judgement was imputed to him for righteousnesse Psal 106. 31. Deue. 6. 25. And thus we reade This shall be our righteousnesse before the Lord our God if we take heed to keepe all those Commandements Thou shalt restore him the pledge when the Sunne Deut. 24. 13. goeth downe that he may sleepe in his raiment and blesse thee and it shall be righteousnesse unto thee before the Lord thy God 3. Faith or beliefe may truly be imputed for or unto righteousnesse as it is the sole working instrument and relative action required on our part in the Covenant of grace unto free justification For by faith alone in Christ through the meere grace and mercy of God we obtaine full pardon and remission of all our sins and so our works come to be acceptable in Gods sight 4. The righteousnesse of one being of grace accepted for or imputed to another is righteousnesse imputative but this stands not in a bare opinion or naked estimation without reality or truth but in a reall donation and communicating of righteousnesse unto him that is esteemed just True it is righteousnesse imputative is not inherent in them unto whom it is imputed as in the subject but it is made theirs by right of donation 5. It may also be noted that the word Imputation hath reference to some other thing and commonly commeth in betwixt two things the one the thing which is imputed the other that Tertul. advers Gent. Cap. 30 Ita nomen â—mendationi imputatur Sen. ad Mart. Magno autori suo imputata Tacit. 1. Hist Otho Imp. Quis mihi plurimum imputet whereunto it is imputed so that imputation hath relation unto both And to make this manifest we may consider these three phrases The first is The obedience of Christ is imputed unto justification conformable to that saying of the Apostle By the obedience of one man many are made righteous The second phrase is Faith is imputed unto righteousnesse The third is Righteousnesse is imputed unto life The equivalent whereof we have Rom. 4. 11. 5. 17 18. In the first phrase imputation is betwixt Christs obedience as the thing which is imputed and justification as the end whereunto it is imputed and it hath reference In the second phrase imputation commeth in betwixt faith as the thing which is imputed and righteounesse as the
thing whereunto it is imputed In the last phrase imputation commeth in betwixt righteousnesse it selfe as the thing imputed and life as the end whereunto it is imputed This passage whereof we now speake is diversly interpreted by Orthodox Divines but all aiming at the same truth and meeting in the maine being rather severall expressions of the same truth then different interpretations The first is That faith is imputed unto righteousnesse that the obedience of Christ apprehended by faith may be righteousnesse unto the apprehender For faith and beleeving ever implieth the possession of Christ and his obedience in our hearts and the imputation of faith unto righteousnesse is the thing that makes Christ possessed by faith to be our righteousnesse Christs obedience is righteousnesse in it selfe so that it is neither our faith nor Gods imputation of our faith that makes his obedience to be righteousnesse but imputation of faith to us as ours maketh the obedience of Christ possessed by faith being righteousnesse in it selfe to be our righteousnesse For as the making of that whereby we obtaine possession to be ours maketh the thing possessed also to be ours so that imputation of faith which is a gift supernaturall and not within our power maketh Christs obedience to be that unto us which it is in itselfe though it were never imputed unto us And to confirme this exposition that of the Apostle is alleadged With the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10 10. unto righteousnesse and with the mouth he confesseth unto salvation In which sentence the Greeke word which is rendred unto cannot be rendred for without darkning if not perverting the true sence and meaning of that place For we are said to believe with the heart unto righteousnesse in the same sence and meaning wherein we are said to confesse with the mouth unto salvation Neither is there any reason why faith should be said to be imputed unto righteousnesse in any other sence as concerning the word unto then we are said to believe unto righteousnesse but in all reason the Greeke word which we render unto must in both these phrases be taken in one and the same sence that is as we believe with the heart to this end that we might by faith as the only apt and meete instrument and only covenient and effectuall meane to apprehend and possesse attaine to the possession of the righteousnesse of God in Christ even so the Lord our God imputeth faith to us as our own to this end that the righteousnesse which we possesse by it may make us righteous before him or be righteousnesse unto us in his sight The second exposition is that faith is graciously imputed reckoned or esteemed for righteousnesse or in the place or steed of righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to none but beleevers For those sinners onely are justified before God who we speake of them that live till they come to yeares of discretion by a sound and saving faith doe lay hold of and rely Quae semper tacentur nunquam affirmantur Quae affirmantur dum reliqua tacentur sola affirmantur upon Jesus Christ as he is set forth of God to be a propitiation Hence it is that the Covenant of Grace in steed of the righteousnesse of the Law required to legall Justification which is wanting in us by reason of our sins exacteth no other thing inherent in us as a cause of Justification or condition in respect whereof we are justified but faith alone And thus in a fit sence it may be said that faith is of grace accounted in steed of legall righteousnesse not that it is the meritorious or materiall cause of our Justification as legall righteousnesse should have been if Justification had been by the Law nor that it is accepted for the perfect righteousnesse of the Law but because it is the sole instrumentall or conditionall cause required on our part to Justification in respect whereof we are acquitted from our sins For in the Covenant of workes perfect obedience is required at our hands to Justification but in the Reputare sive imputare adjustitiam idem est quod in justitiae loco numerare Covenant of Grace nothing but faith on our parts is called for and that not as the forme or matter of Justification but the instrument only whereby we receive remission of sins and are partakers of the merits of Christ The third Exposition is that when faith is imputed for righteousnesse it is not to be understood materially as though the dignity worth and perfection of faith made us just but relatively and in respect of the object that is to us beleeving righteousnesse sc of Christ is freely imputed and by faith we receive righteousnesse and remission of sins freely given of God And therefore to say faith justifieth and faith is imputed for righteousnesse are phrases equivalent For faith justifieth not by it's merit or dignity but as an instrument and correlatively that is the merit of Christ apprehended and received by faith justifieth not faith whereby it is apprehended and received unlesse it be by an improper speech wherein the act of the object by reason of the neare and strict connexion betwixt them is given to the instrument And with this exposition for substance of matter agreeth theirs that make an Hypallage in these words faith is imputed unto or for righteousnesse as if the sence was this righteousnesse is imputed unto faith or the faithfull are partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ The thing questioned in these expositions is whether the words must be taken tropically or properly but the matter and substance of doctrine contained in them is one and the same For herein they all agree that Abraham did beleeve the whole truth of God revealed but his beleefe which was accepted for or unto righteousnesse did respect the promised seed Abraham beleeved the power of God to performe whatsoever he promised he beleeved whatsoever God plainly promised and he beleeved what God promised though farre off as the giving of the Land of Canaan but the principall thing promised was that in his seed all Nations of the earth should be blessed and belief in this promise was accepted for righteousnes All earthly promises made to Abraham proceeded from the meer love and favor of God towards him and many of them were types and figures of spirituall so that in beleeving them he must needs beleeve the promise of blessing in his seed which is Christ Abraham could beleeve no promise but he must beleeve that God is the rewarder of them that diligently seeke him but he cannot beleeve in God as the rewarder of them that seek him unlesse he have an eye to the promised seed The righteousnesse here mentioned is not the singular righteousnesse of this or that act whereby a man is said to doe justly or righteously which is called the righteousnesse of fact but universall righteousnesse or the righteousnesse of Justification whereby a man is freely acquitted
from all his sins and accepted of God as righteous unto life which is called righteousnesse of the person Faith is not imputed for righteousnesse in respect of the worth or dignity of faith either in habit or act but in respect of it's office whereunto it is ordained in the Covenant of Grace as it doth imbrace Christ and thereby we are made partakers of the merits of his free and willing and perfect obedience to the command of Grace Faith is accounted for righteousnesse in regard of the object and is a cause of that Justification which is of grace A cause I say not a bare condition without which the thing cannot be buâ— a cause not meritorious or materiall but instrumentall only receiving Christ promised and offered in the word of grace For Rom. 3 22. Phil. 3. 9. howsoever our righteousnesse be called the righteousnesse of the faith of Jesus or by the faith of Jesus faith it selfe is never called our righteousnesse We reade that Christ is made unto us of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 19. Rom. 10. 4. righteousnesse that by one mans obedience many are made righteous that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth that the believer is justified by him and by faith in him obtaineth remission of sins We find also by conference Aâ— God did predestinate Christ of grace to this honour of being God in fellowship of person and of being the Prince of out salvation So God in the Covenant he did make with him and the commandment he gave him of laying downe his life did strike it and fulfill it of grace not requiring any thing of his Son more then duties of freeobedience which should of grace have acceptance c. Bain Col. 1. 19. of Scriptures that to be justified by faith and to be justified by Christ is in substance all one And what can be the sence of those places but this that Christ is the meritorious and materiall cause so to speake of our Justification faith the condition and instrument whereby we receive Christ made of God our righteousnesse The Apostle making comparison betwixt the first and second Adam sheweth that as sin commeth from Adam alone unto us all as he in whom we have all sinned So from Jesus Christ alone commeth righteousnesse to all that are in him as from him that hath satisfied the justice of God and performed gratefull obedience at the commandment of grace for them all In which comparison faith never hath the place of our righteousnesse but answers in our participation of righteousnesse in Christ to that which is the ground of our being partakers in the sin of Adam For as we were one with Adam and in respect of orignall and nature were in him and one with him and so by being in him and one with him did all in him and with him transgresse the commandment of God even so in respect of faith whereby onely we are united unto Christ and spiritually made one with him and ingrafted into him we all in him did satisfie the justice of God or are made partakers of the fruit and benefit of his satisfaction Thus our union with Christ and meanes thereof is alwaies to be distinguished from our communion with him in the participation of his righteousnesse as the fruit thereof Like as our being in Adam and one with him is to be distinguished from the fruit thereof which is communion with him in the participation of his transgression If faith be only the hand whereby we put on Christ both as a justifier and sanctifier then it is not the garment of righteousnesse wherewith we are cloathed But it is only the hand whereby we put on Christ as a garment Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 13. 13 14. Faith justifieth as it imbraceth the righteousnesse of God But Christ only is the righteousnesse of God allowed and ordained of God to be our righteousnesse In the third to the Romans and elsewhere oft we meet with this phrase We are justified by faith Now in the fifth Chapter of that Epistle vers 17. it is said that we shall raigne in life through Jesus Christ and verse 19. that by his obedience we shall be made righteous What in the first place is called Justification and Salvation by faith that in the other is called making righteous and raigning in life through Christ and him believed on And so we reade that of faith and by faith and through faith we are justified but we never reade for faith we Rom. 3. 30. 5. 1. are justified Act. 3. 16. First Peter saith His name hath made this man sound through faith in his name And then the faith which is by him hath given to him this disposition of body Is it not plain here that â—aith hath healed him is as much as his name or Christ believed on hath healed him the one phrase expounding the other Christ brought in everlasting righteousnesse into the world Dan. 9. 24. But faith was in the world before the comming of Christ in the flesh Heb. 11. 2. And the Spirit of God in Scripture evidently distinguisheth betwixt faith and Christ apprehended by faith saying The Fathers who believed received not the promise that is Christ the matter of the promise and consequently of righteousnesse Faith they had received but the promise they had not received because Christ in whom their blessednesse was promised was not exhibited in their daies For all bâ— it by faith they apprehended Christ â—â—â—cified to come and the righteousnesse which he was to bring unto the world at his comming yet that righteousnesse in the substance and matter of it was never brought into the world So that the very designing of a precise time for the bringing in of our righteousnesse into the world declareth that that righteousnesse materiall is to be distinguished from faith which was in the world in all ages before it was brought in For faith was in the world and did apprehend righteousnesse which was to be brought into the world long before it came as well as now long after that righteousnesse performed it can lay hold upon it to justification For the faith of Gods children before the day of Christ and the faith of Gods children now after the day of Christ did never nor yet doth apprehend any other righteousnesse but that which in that day was brought into the world For it is as easie to faith to apprehend righteousnesse to come as it is to lay hold on righteousnesse past or by-gone like as our faith apprehendeth many things yet to come as our glorification Vorstius and his followers expound this Text in this sence Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 4. 5. Faith that is repentance conversion and new obedience is accounted for righteousnesse that is in the place or stead of legall righteousnesse or exact obedience though it be not so indeed And so they freely confesse Justification by works which the Apostle saith is
of Adam by the Law of nature written in his heart Confidence in God through Christ or the Messiah was required of the Israelites by the Law published upon the Mount Adam was to performe obedience to the Lord immediately without a Mediatour being himselfe pure and innocent But the Israelites being in themselves sinnerâ— â—ould not in their own names performe service pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord. Adam knew he was beloved of the Lord so long as he continued in obedience but had no warrant to wait upon his mercy when he had broken the Covenant of works But to the Israelites God bound himselfe in Covenant upon Mount Sinai promising to be their God and take them for his people notwithstanding they were sinners in themselves which could not be without forgivenesse and this Covenant they might and did renew by repentance after transgression The Law is not to be confounded with the Gospell but the sacred and inviolable knot of the one with the other is to be maintained unlesse we shall make God contrary to himselfe The Law doth not so directly and expressely teach faith in When Paul saith Faith came by the Gospell it is to be understood of the manner of propounding vvithout the invvrappings of types that the Doctrine vvas â— taught plainly vvithout types and figures Rom. 8. 3. Christ but require obedience yet doth it leade us to Christ and more obscurely command faith in him The Gospell doth more fully reveale Christ and the grace of God in him commanding faith by name but it doth also urge presse and exact obedience Thus sweetly doe the Law and Gospell consent together But here it is to be noted that faith is commanded in the Law which exacteth every thing that is good but it is given to us not by the Law but of the holy Ghost The distinction of the Law and Gospell as they are opposed one to another is cleare and evident but as the Law was given to the Jewes it is not opposite but subordinate to the Gospell The Law in it selfe considered exacted perfection of works as the cause of life but when that was impossible to man by reason of the infirmity of his flesh it pleased the Lord to make knowne to his people by the ministery of Moses that the Law was given not to detaine men in confidence of their own works but to leade them unto Christ Whatsoever the Law teacheth whatsoever it promiseth whatsoever it commandeth alwayes it hath Christ for the scope thereof For though the Law of righteousnesse promise a reward to the keepers thereof yet after it hath shut up all men under sinne it doth substitute another righteousnesse in Christ which is received by faith not purchased by the merit of works And therefore the Apostle doth reprehend the Jewes as perverters of the true sense and meaning Rom. 10. 4 5 6 c. of the Law when they sought to be justified by their works and sheweth that Moses taught them to look for Salvation in the Messiah and seek for that righteousnesse which is by faith Whereby it is manifest that the Law was given 〈◊〉 be a manuduction unto Christ in whom we have Redemption from all things from which by the Law of Moses we could not be justified and a rule to the faithfull according to which they must frame their conversation For what word was that which Moses saith was neere even in their hearts but the Law which the Lord gave upon Mount Sinai and promised to write in the hearts of his people under the Covenant of Grace And from this ground it is not hard to answer what is further objected against this truth as If faith be commanded in the Law then being justified by faith we are justified by the works of the Law For faith is not a work of the Law nakedly and absolutely considered as it exacteth perfect obedience of man in his own person but of the Law as it was given to the Jewes to direct them unto Christ who is the soule and life of the Law And though it be commanded in the Law as it is in the Gospel or new Covenant yet it justifieth not as a part of Regeneration or an act of obedience and work of Grace by it worth or dignity but in respect of that office whereunto it is assigned of God and as it receiveth the promises of mercy It is a sâ—phisticall forme of reasoning to say Faith is commanded in the Gospell therefore if we be justified by faith we are justified by the works of grace The arguments are like and both faultie For justification by faith in Christ is opposed to justification by the works of the Law because he only is justified before God by the Law whose acts being examined by the Law are found just and righteous according to that which the Law requireth but he is justified by faith who being in himself ungodly believeth in Christ for salvation So that according to the Apostles meaning wheresoever faith be commanded he is justified by faith without the works of the Law who is acquitted from sin by the meer and rich grace of God in Jesus Christ received by faith And to seek justification by works is to rest upon our works for salvation as they that answer in all things to that righteousnesse personall which the Law requireth Justification by faith and justification by workes are opposite and so is faith and workes but faith is not opposed to one act commanded whereby the promise is received for then it should be contrary to it selfe but to works whereby the Law is fulfilled in our owne persons to workes I say not to one work because no one worke can justifie but all are necessary If it be said the Apostle doth every where oppose the Law and the Gospel or the old and new Testament The answer is from the same ground that in the Scriptures of the new Testament the Law as well Ceremoniall as Morall is opposed to faith or the Gospel and yet the Ceremonies of the Law did prefigure Christ as all men acknowledge Therefore the Apostle doth not perpetually and absolutely oppose the Law and the Covenant of grace for he teacheth expresly that faith establisheth Rom. 3. 31. the Law For he understood the force and sentence of the Law to consist in faith but because the Jews addicted to the latter of the Law did pretermit the force and life of it Paul proves the Law so taken and separated from faith to be the cause not of life but of death as that which did not only want Christ who is the soul of the Law but is opposite to him And therefore Paul doth this because the Jews faith being let passe did seek righteousnesse in the dead works of the Law and did oppose the Law to the Gospel and Christ who was the end and scope of the Law This will be more plain if we shall examin the particular passages of Scripture wherein this matter is handled
unto Israel And seeing repentance Act. 5. 31. Act. â—1 18. is not to desperation but to life and Salvation it cannot be without all respect of Christ in whom only we have deliverance from the condemnation and dominion of sin Repentance is the effect of Christs death and intercession As he hath purchased pardon of sin for us so repentance also otherwise we should be Isai 53. 5. partakers of some saving grace or blessing which Christ did not purchase for us The Spirit of God is not undeservedly called the Spirit of Christ as Mediatour convincing the Conscience of sin and unrighteousnesse and discovering unto the heart the grace of the Gospell The Word of the Kingdome or Covenant is the instrument of repentance as that which discovereth sin and holdeth forth hope of pardon and intreateth perswadeth and encourageth the weary and burdened to draw nigh to God by Jesus Christ FINIS A Table directing to some principall things in the foregoing Discourse A ABraham how the father of the faithfull page 50. who meant by Abrahams seed ibid. and p. 51 Adam whether to be translated into heaven if he had stood p. 10 Though he had been rewarded in justice yet not of merit ib. A double obedience required of Adam viz. naturall and symbolicall p. 10 why God forbade Adam the eating of the tree of knowledge ibid. whether Adams perfection in Innocency were naturall or supernaturall p. 11. Gods Covenant with Adam a Covenant of friendship not of reconciliation ib. Adam how he could be secure seeing his condition was mutable p. 13. Adam in Innocency whether he had power to believe p. 44 Adoption the Jewes partakers of it yet had it tempered with servitude p. 35 Acceptilation whether Christ satisfied not Gods justice fully but by divine Acceptilation only seeing he suffered but for a time 291 Affiance the ground of particular affiance is some word or promise made to a man not yet believing p. 229 Agony of Christ without any sinfull distemper 282. the effects of it 283 284. Betwixt his desires in his agony a diversity but no contrariety ib. All in Scripture sometime signifies neither all precisely nor the most part 208 B BEcause what it signifieth p. 57 The phrase from the beginning or the beginning what it imports p. 42 Believe whether every man be bound to believe that Christ died for him in particular p. 222 223. c. He that goeth on in an evil way is not immediately called to believe in Christ 223. Things that are true as promised it is not necessary that they be unless we believe 225. That man cannot believe is not through impotency of weakness but impotency of wilfulnesse 226. Belief that Christ died for all men cannot be the ground of justifying faith 228. what signe God gives of his willingnesse to have men believe when he gives them not power 245 Believers and Christs sheep how they differ 255 Bellarmine confuted who saith the faith whereby Abraham was justified was justice p. 72 But not ever an exceptive but oft an adversative 302 C CAnaan how said to be an everlasting possession p. 55 Caphar what it signifieth 279 Carnall Christians their priviledge 55 Carnall reasonings to be avoided in divinity 249 Cause an immediate or next cause what p. 70. A morall cause though not present in act yet if supposed future may have effects p. 31 Circumcision why with bloud and why ordained seeing both sexes not capable of it p. 90. what it was a seal of ibid. Circumcision not unprofitable to those that were not partakers of the spirituall blessings 91 Christ more darkly revealed in the Covenant of promise and why p. 32. Christ Mediator and Testatour both 203. for whom he died and rose again whether for all and every man with a purpose to save or for all in respect of the sufficiency of the price not efficiency 204 205 206 c. No man hindred from comming to him by any cause efficient or deficient out of himself 244. Both natures concurre in him necessarily as a formall beginning in the works of Mediation 269. How he is inferiour to the Father 271. our sins layd upon him 276 277. and he substituted for the sins of the faithfull 279. Satisfaction made by him and that reall and not by acceptilation ib. and 280 281. How the Church is said to have Christ 287. His appearing before his Father for us what it imports 296. How he is King 306. In Christs person a threefold fulnesse 317. How Christ was Mediatour before his Incarnation p. 27. Christ the common store-house in which every thing is first placed that is to be imparted to believers p. 38 Church members the Covenant externally made with every one parents and their children p. 24. 29 Church of the elect only one p. 30. sometimes the bounds of it narrower sometimes larger 203. In the latter dayes it is probable the bounds of it will be larger then heretofore ib. Commandment Gods Commandments shew whatour duty is not what God will work in every man 134 Conditions of two sorts 133 Conversion though not a bare morall perswasion yet not effected without perswasion 328. Conversion of a sinner called conviction and why 333. what is that effectuall help whereby a man comes to God 335. wherein stands the efficacie of grace effectuall to conversion 336. whether God a cause of mans non-conversion 344 Covenant severall derivations of the originall word p. 1. Covenant of salt what p. 2. Acceptions of the word Covenant p. 3 4. The essence of the Covenant wherein it consisteth 4. Covenant and law how differ ib. There may be a Covenant without verball expressions p. 5. yet there have been alwayes expressions in the Covenant with the reasonable creature ibid. The Covenant is one thing and the name of the Covenant is another p. 5. Causes why God is pleased to deal with the reasonable creature in a Covenant way p. 6. A Covenant with man in Innocency though the word Covenant not to be found p. 6. The Covenant betwixt God and man in generall described p. 7. The Authour of the Covenant God not God and man ib. The Covenant is of grace even where reward is promised of justice ib. p. 9. The subject of the Covenant is man and how 8. Covenant of works and grace no where in Scripture totidem syllabis 9. Covenant of God with man not one but manifold and sundry wayes whereby they are distinguished 8. Of the Covenant with man in Innocency p. 9. Covenant of works whether still on foot in the posterity of Adam in respect of temporall good things p. 13. Covenant of grace what 14. Impossible to be under the Covenant of works and grace at once 15. Covenant of grace divers in administrations one in substance 23. Covenant of nature and grace how they agree and differ ib. Covenant of grace to be considered as promised and as established p. 27. Covenant of promise what 28. Covenant of promise and the new
is man intire and perfect made after the Image of God in Righteousnesse and true holinesse furnished not only with a reasonable soule and faculties beseeming but with divine qualities breathed from the whole Trinity infused into the whole man lifting up every faculty and power above his first frame and inabling and fitting him to obey the will of God intirely willingly exactly for matter and measure Whether this was naturall or supernaturall unto the first man is a question needlesse to be disputed in this place and peradventure if the termes be rightly understood will be no great controversie Only this must be acknowledged that this was Adams excellencie above all the creatures and that in the fallen creature this quality is supernaturall Unto this mutuall Covenant God added a seale to assure the protoplast of his performance and persisting in Covenant with him and further to strengthen his obedience with the obedience of his posterity which upon his breach with God was made void This Covenant of works made with Adam should have been the same unto his whole posterity if he had continued as in all after Covenants of God they are made with Head and Root reaching unto all the branches and members issuing from them Rom. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 22 47. The proportion holding in Abraham to Christ till the Covenant be rejected in after commers But this Covenant was so made with Adam the root of all mankind that if transgressed his whole posterity should be liable to the curse temporall and eternall which entred upon his fall This Covenant was a Covenant of friendship not of reconciliation being once broken it could not be repaired it promised no mercy or pardon admitted no repentance accepted no obedience but what was perfect and compleat If Adam had a thought after his breach that he might have healed the matter it was but vaine presumption and least he should rely upon a vaine confidence in eating of the tree of life God drove him out of the Garden But this Covenant was not peremptory not the last nor unchangeable Woe to all the posterity of Adam if God should deale with them according to the sentence here denounced When man had plunged himselfe into misery it pleased the Lord to reveale his abundant Grace in the Covenant of Grace of which hereafter The end of this Covenant is the demonstration of Gods wisedome bounty goodnesse and justice both rewarding and punishing and it made way for the manifestation of his rich grace and abundant free mercy brought to light in the second Covenant Three questions may be moved here not unprofitable nor impertinent 1. Why in the Covenant of nature as it is called Quest. 1 God doth not expressely require Faith but Obedience and Love And the answer is That only by consequent Faith is required and not expressely in this Covenant because there was not the least probable cause or suspition why man should doubt of Gods love for sinne had not as yet entred into the world but in the Covenant of Grace it was contrary for that is made with a conscience terrified with sinne which could be raised up by none other meanes but by the free Promise of mercy and Faith imbracing the Word of Promise freely and faithfully tendered and to be received by faith only Againe in this Covenant is considered what in exact justice man doth owe unto God but he oweth justice and Sanctity but in the Covenant of Grace what God reconciled to man in his Sonne would offer and that is bountifully offered 2. How that Faith which presupposeth exact justice in the Quest. 2 Covenant of Nature differs from that Faith which is required in the Covenant of Grace Answ Faith which the exact righteousnesse of man in the Covenant of Nature doth presuppose agreeth with faith which is required in the Covenant of Grace in this that both are of God both is a perswasion concerning the love of God both begetteâ—h in man mutuall love of God because if faith abounds love abounds languishing it languisheth and being extinct it is extinguished But they differ first in the Foundation For Faith which the Righteousnesse of nature presupposeth leaneth on the title of intire nature and therefore after the fall of Adam it hath no place for although God love the creatures in themselves yet he hates them corrupted with sinne No man therefore can perswade himselfe that he is beloved of God in the title of a creature for all have sinned nor love God as he ought But the Faith of which there is mention in the Covenant of Grace doth leane upon the Promise made in Christ Secondly when both are of God yes that faith which exact righteousnesse presupposeth is of God as they speake in Schooles per modum naturae But the Faith required in the Covenant of Grace is of God but per modum gratiae supernaturalis Thirdly the righteousnesse which the faith of nature begetteth was changeable because the faith whence it did flow did depend upon a changeable Principle of nature But the Sanctity which the Faith of the Covenant of Grace begetteth is eternall and unchangeable because it comes from an eternall and unchangeable beginning the Spirit of Grace But if the Faith and Holinesse of Adam was changeable how Object could he be secure or free from distracting feares the answer is the mind of Adam which was wholly fixed and set in the admiration and sense of Gods goodnesse could not admit of such thoughts such cogitations could not creep into it 3. Whether the Covenant of works stand on foot in the posterity Quest. 3 of Adam though not in respect of life and happinesse yet in respect of the things of this life To this some answer affirmatively because many of them from some remainders of the forementioned abilities did many good things for the good of bodies politicke wherein they lived Rom. 2. 13 14 15 16. which God retributes with good things in this life to some more to some lesse but to all some And it cannot be denied but some remainders of Gods Image or notions of good and evill are to be found amongst the Heathen and that these things in them who lived without the pale of the Church have been increased by culture of nature under Discipline by Arts and Exercises and might receive improvement by vicinity to the Church from which they might learne some things to enrich them in this trade And that God hath bestowed many and great blessings upon them pertaining to this life But it may be questioned whether these things come from the compact of workes or be gifts of bounty and Gods righteous administration for a time respiting the sentence denounced against man for breach of Covenant and vouchsafing unto him some temporall good things for the use and benefit of humane Society Yea it may be worthy consideration Whether these things be not granted unto them in Jesus Christ according to the Covenant of Grace which was made upon the very
God then made knowne to men And if we take the Land of Canaan properly and literally it was not the everlasting Inheritance of Israell absolute but relative not for ever but for a long time prescribed of God even untill the time of Reformation But if we looke to the thing signified it is an everlasting inheritance to the spirituall seed These promises were freely made of grace and of meere grace the blessings promised were conferred upon the seed Fot Abraham Josh 24. 2. himselfe was an Idolater when it pleased God to call him out of Vr of the Chaldees and to make these rich promises unto him And as Abrahams calling was of grace so are all the promises made unto him when he was first called The wages is due unto him Rom. 4. 4. that worketh upon desert but the inheritance was given to Abraham by promise Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. And if faith be reckoned to Abraham for righteousnesse he hath not to glory before God We reade indeed the Lord said unto Rom. 4. 2. Abraham for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held Gen. 22. 16 17 thy Sonne thine only Sonne That in blessing I will blesse thee c. But the same promise God had formerly made to Abraham and faith in these promises was the cause of his obedience therfore his obedience was not the cause why God gave the promise An occasion or antecedent it might be of the renewing of the promise at this time but it was no cause of the promise it selfe nor of the accomplishment For that whitout which and before which the promise was could not be a cause of the promise or the good promised Besides the basis and foundation of this promise is Christ whose incarnation could not be merited by Abrahams obedience The particle because is a note of order and consequence shewing to whom the promise did pertaine not of the cause why it was made or the good promised should be performed If it be said the good promised to Abraham is called a reward Gen. 15. 1 2. The answer is the word reward sometimes doth import nothing but an absolute and free gift of God though no action went before to which recompence was due as Gen. 30. 18. Leah saith God hath given me my reward because I have given my handmaid to my husband Psal 127. 4. Children are the Inheritance of the Genbrard in Psal 126. Lord and the fruite of the wombe is his reward There is a reward of a debt such as is due to the workeman for his labour upon desert and a reward of grace such as God giveth to them who labour in well-doing according to promise A reward is given to the worker of free grace but not for his worke as the procuring or deserving cause There is a relation of order and consequence betwixt the worke and the reward that the one goeth before and the other followeth but not a proportion of equiparancie price Aliâ— est compeâ—satio quâ— prâ—â—no redditur aliud Alia qua propter unum redditur aliud Psal 18. 20. or degrees that the one should match or purchase the other A recompence is given to obedience as comfort and solace to them that suffer for well-doing but it is not given for their obedience as wages to the labourer or lands and possessions for the price paid in hand Reward is sometimes called retribution but in Scripture not only the reward of good or evill but simply good or evill done is thereby signified though nothing went before to deserve or procure it Thou hast shewed this day how thou hast dealt Gen. 50. 15. 1 Sam. 24. 18. well with me If I have rewarded evill unto him that was at peace with me The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me He hath Psal 7. â—â— Psal 1â— 6. Psal 103. 10. 116. 7. Psal 114. 17. 142. 7. Isa 3. 9. 2 Sam. 16. 36. Psal 103. 2. Judg. 9. 16. Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod vulgò redditur retribuere non semper significat parpari referre seu idem reponâ—re nimirum beneficium pro beneficio injuriam pro injuria sed etiam priorem conâ—erre in aliquem vel bonum hoc est benefacere c. Kinch ad vers 4 c. 3. Joâ—l Mius in Psal 13. 6. not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities Deale bountifully with thy servant And if a benefit freely vouchsafed be called a retribution the retribution promised and of grace conferred upon the workers of righteousnesse doth not inferre dignity or worth in the work rewarded For when God doth performe his promise of meere grace he is said to retribute not that he oweth any thing to any man or that he can receive any that hath the reason of a benefit but because he doth good unto them according as of his rich grace he was pleased to promise And if God be said to render or repay a reward thence it will not follow that good works can merit ought at the hands of God for the word is of farre larger signification and imports no more sometimes but to restore to one that which was his own before as Matth. 22. 21. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars Luk. 9. 42. It is said of the child that our Saviour healed he restored him to his father Luk. 4. 20. He gave againe the booke to the Minister Sometimes it is to give without respect to merit or desert as Matth. 27. 58. Pilate commanded the body to be given unto him Acts 4. 33. With great power the Apostles gave testimony of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ Numb 3. 3. 36. 2. 2 Chron. 6. 23. where the Hebrew hath nothing but give the Septuagint translate it render or repay Moreover it signifieth to repay according to vow or promise as is to be seen in many places of Scripture Deut. 23. 21. Psal 22. 26. Psal 50. 14. 116. 12 17. Hos 14. 2. Joh. 2. 10. Nah. 1. 15. That a company of miscreant wretches should be beloved saved and a Sonne shine reason cannot reach it religion doth not desire it nature doth not require it justiâ—e doth not exact it only love hath done it In brief there is a retribution of justice strictly taken which is according to desert Jud. 1. 7. Jer. 32. 18. Exod. 22. 5 6. and there is a retribution of grace and bounty which is of favour according to promise as Ruth 2. 12. Prov. 13. 21. and 25. 22. not to adde that he that first doth good or evill is said to retribute Psal 137. 8. Psal 35. 12. So that if God be said to render or retribute according to our righteousnesse it is not in respect of the worthinesse of our deeds as if they deserved it but of his free promise and rich mercy whereby he hath bound himself to accept of our sincere obedience
and blessing and cursing Take command without blessing or cursing and it is no more Law with Moses take simplâ— denuâ—ciation of blessing and curse from command and then it is threatning and promise but no Law This abstract of the Law here considered from the rest of Moses his Oâ—conomy is pure Law flashing wrath upon the fallen creature and therefore called a fiery Law or fire of Law Deut. 33. 3. And for speciall cause expressed in generall by the Apostle Gal. 3. The Law that is thus abstracted was added because of transgression For first in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses men had forgotten what was sinne and had obliterated the very Law of nature Therefore God sets out the lively Image of it by Moses in this draught and abstract to which end all the commands saving two are propounded in the negative that so men by the Church might know the nature of sinne againe Rom. 3. 19. Secondly God propounds the Law with curse eternall to work death and to shew Gods eternall displeasure against sin Rom. 4. 15. which was usefull not only to the world and wicked in generall but specially to the stiff-necked and refractory Nation to be as a rod to scourge all their rebellions and backslidings The Law thus laced with blessings and cursings eternall abstracted from the rest of his frame makes Moses now to begin to breath blessings and no lesse then Gospel This comming from a pacified God as Exod. 33. 6 7 8. may be looked on by the fallen creature with comfort and from this consideration it is that we affirme this Covenant made with the body of Israel to be a Covenant of Grace for it is one and therefore never by Moses called Covenants Again It cannot be denied that so farre as it concerned the spirituall Iâ—raelite whom God especially eyed and for their sakes infolded the carnall in the compact it was a Covenant Thus farre for confirmation of that distinction But these distinctions seeme not to remove the doubt Not the first because it cannot be conceived how the old Covenant should as a condition of the Covenant exact perfect obedience deserving life as necessary to Salvation and yet promise pardon to the repentant believer for these two are contrary the one to the other Not the second because the Covenant that God made with the Jewes is but one and how should we conceive the Law in one and the same Covenant to be propounded as a rigid draught of prime nature and with moderation also as the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace likewise when the Covenant is but one and the conditions the same Besides where the Apostles doe oppose the Law and Gospel or the old and new Testament not only the Morall Law as it was given upon Mount Sinai but the whole Jewiâ—h Pedagogie or Law of Moses is understood as it is manifest in sundry passages Other things to be observed in that explication I will not insiâ—t upon at this present because they will come to be touched hereafter as we passe along The Law was never given or made positive without the Gospel neither is the Gospel now without the Law although the old Testament be usually called the Law and the new the Gospel because the Law is predominant in the one and the Gospel in the other Exod. 19. 4 5. Some Divines hold the old Testament even the Law as it was given upon Mount Sinai to be the Covenant of Grace for substance though propounded in a manner fitting to the state of that people time and condition of the Church It was so delivered as it might serve to discover sin drive the Jews to deny themselves and â—lie to the mercy of God revealed in Jesus but it was given to be a rule of life to a people in Covenant directing them how to walk before God in holinesse and righteousnesse that they might inherit the promises of grace and mercy This I take to be the truth and it may be confirmed by many and strong reasons out of the word of God As first by the contract of that spirituall marriage a little before the promulgation of the Law described in these words Yee have seene what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto myselfe Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And yee shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel whereunto the Prophet Jer. 11. 2 3 4. Jeremiah hath reference saying Heare ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say thou unto them thus saith the Lord Deut. 4. 13. 1 King 8. 21. 2 King 23. 2. Booke of the Covenant Ex. God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt from the iron fornace saying obey my voice and doe them according to all which 24. 7. Deut. 4. 23. 5. 2. 9. 9. Jer. 3. 16. Hos 8. 1. Jer. 7. 23. 2 Chro. 6. 11. Ex. 34. 27 28. Eph. 2. 1 2. Rom. 5. 10 I command you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God And this without doubt is to be understood of the Decalogue as it was given upon Mount Sinai seeing Moses himselfe doth in expresse words testifie it God himselfe saith he declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to performe even ten words and he wrote them upon two tables of stone In these passages observe that the Law is called a Covenant as it is often els-where the Covenant of the Lord. What Covenant but of grace and mercy even that wherein God promiseth to be their God and take them to be his people if they obey his commandments For since the fall of Adam the Covenant which the Lord hath entered into with his people was ever free and gracious For when all men are sinners by nature dead in trespasses and enemies to God how can a Covenant betwixt God and man be stricken without forgivenesse of former transgressions If in the state of innocency perfect obedience should have been rewarded with life from justice now that man is fallen by transgression Chald. Paraph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Exod. 19. 5. Onkelos Reges sacerdotes multitudo regum sacerdâ—tum Regiae potestatis est praevalere apud DeuÌ„ res illas ab illo auâ—erre quaruÌ„ nulla pridem facultas suit D SimoÌ„ log c. 10. Basil 1527. R Salâ—m R. Abrah R. David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox Segulah
grace and love of God is the sole cause of what the Lord hath promised in this new Covenant and doth give according to promise And though the old and new Covenant be of the same nature and from the same fountaine yet the new Covenant is preferred above the old as farre as Sunne-light before Torch light in this that God who makes the Covenant hath more fully manifested the riches of his grace and superaboundant love in Jesus Christ the brightnesse of his glory and engraven forme of his person to the federates of the new Testament In the old Covenant the Lord had made it knowne that he was mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse But in the new Covenant he doth most familiarly reveale himself to be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus and in him the Father of the faithfull which most sweet and pleasant name doth breathe out unspeakable love and tendernesse Again though the ancient federates had some knowledge of Gods Attributes as an introduction to the Covenant of Grace yet they never knew that transcendency of Gods love which is brought to light in the new mentioned in these and such like passages of Scripture Behold what manner of love the Father hath 1 Joh. â— 1. bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sonnes of God God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever Joh. 3. 16. beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He spared Rom. 8. 3â— not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth For there is one God 1 Tim. â— 4 5. and one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Jesus They that seek to stretch this speech of the Apostle to the furthest doe yet confesse it is spoken of the times of the Gospell and that appeareth evidently by the reason of the Apostle confirming that saying that God will that all men be saved from this that God is the God of all men by Covenant and Christ the Mediatour of all men in Covenant and by the Gospell the Word of truth the saving truth of God was brought unto all in Covenant Besides in the old Testament the Doctrine of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God head was more obscurely taught but in the new Testament we are clearely and most comfortably assured that the Father Son and holy Ghost do sweetly conspire to perfect the Salvation of the Faithfull and confirme unto them the promises of the Covenant There be three that beare record in 1 Joh. 5. 7. Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Matth. â—8 19. Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost If in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand why should a Christian question or doubt of the promises of mercy made in the Covenant assured unto him by the Father Sonne and holy Ghost God the Father promiseth that in his only begotten Sonne he will be a mercifull Father to all Believers that he will give him to them for a Redeemer accept his satisfaction for them give them his Spirit and bestow upon them righteousnesse and salvation The Sonne doth promise that he will be Redeemer of the faithfull by doctrine merit and efficacy that he will deliver them from the power of Satan bring them into perpetuall favour with God wash them from all the filthinesse of their sins and be unto them as he is made of the Father Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The holy Ghost doth promise that being redeemed by the bloud of Christ by the presence of his grace he will cleanse them from all inherent sinne and repaire the Image of God in them leade them into all truth and holinesse inable them to cry Abba Father seale them for the Lords and abide with them by his grace and comfort as an earnest of the inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession This Covenant was stricken with all Nations or the world in opposition to the Jewish Nation for now the promise made Gal. 3. 8. to Abraham was fulfilled In thee shall all Nations of the earth be blessed now the prophecies touching the calling of the Gentiles Isai 44. 6 and bringing them to the Sheep-fold of Christ were accomplished now the Apostles were sent forth to preach the Gospell to Matth. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 13. Rom. 1. 16. Col. 1. 6 23. Act 10. 45. every creature and God gave such a blessing unto the Word that by their preaching a great part of the habitable world was converted unto the faith Now upon the Gentiles was powred out also the gift of the holy Ghost Christ having broken down the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile and abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Eph. 2. 14 15. law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace The Covenant of promise was first made with Adam and his posterity not with him as the common parent of all mankind and so with every man that should come of his loines howsoever in all generations but with Adam as a beleever and his posterity untill by wilfull departure from the faith they should discovenant themselves and those that did proceed from them In like manner it was made with the Patriarchs with Noah and his posterity then with Abraham and his family afterwards with one selected Nation but under the Gospell all Nations are brought into the bond of the Covenant All nations I say but not every one in every nation nor every nation in all periods of that time For many nations have lived we know for a long time in infidelity without the Gospell without God in the world aliens from the Common-wealth of Isâ—ael and strangers from the Covenant of Grace And we find the Apostles to make a manifest 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. difference betwixt the people of God and unbelievers so that all in their dayes were not admitted into Covenant though the Gospell was preached unto them For they that be in Covenant are in phrase of Scripture the people of God that is such with whom God hath contracted Covenant and who in like manner have sworne unto the words of the Covenant God stipulating and they accepting the condition God as an absolute Soveraigne hath right and authority over all men but in a certaine and peculiar reason they are called his people who receive his Commandement and acknowledge him to be their Lord and Saviour And these be of two sorts for God doth make his Covenant with some externally calling them by his Word and sealing them by his Sacraments and they by profession of faith
Temporaries Math. 13. 21. And then concludes to take away the shew of repugnancy which seemes to be betwixt this and the former places We must hold that Christ in act and very deed is the redeemer of the faithfull as long as they be such although in power yea and in will he be the Saviour of the whole world To let passe other things which pertaine not to this question it is plaine the Apostle speakes of them for whom Christ died in act event or application in which sence they confesse he died not for all men but the faithfull only as such And as these false teachers were called into the Covenant accepted the condition beleeved in Christ for a time rejoyced in him and brought forth some fruite so we confesse they were bought by the blood of Christ because all these were fruits of Christs death whereof they were made partakers As in the Parable the Lord is said to remit to his servant a thousand Talents when he desired him sc inchoately or upon condition which Math. 18. 25. was not confirmed because he did not forgive his fellow servant so the false Prophets are bought by the blood of Christ sc in a sort as they beleeved in Christ but not sincerely and unfainedly We Heb. 6. 5 6 7. reade of some Apostates that they had been enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift and been partakers of the holy Spirit who afterwards did revolt from the faith To these men their sinnes were remitted in a sort in this world and in a sort they were bought by the blood of Christ but inchoately only and as they tasted the word of life Had they eaten the word of life that is had they soundly and truly beleeved in Christ they had received perfect and consummate remission of sinnes both in this world 2 Pet. 2. 22. Vt generalis vox acquirere pro emere Act. 7. 16. cum Gen. 25. 10. sic specialis emere pro acquirere vicissim usurpatur Apo. 3. 18. 2 Sam. 7. 23. Psal 26. 11. and in the world to come they had been perfectly redeemed and reconciled unto God but because they did not eate tasted only they received not perfect remission they were not perfectly redeemed To this taste answereth the Sowe that is washed and returneth againe to the wallowing in the mire washed and so redeemed washed with remission of sinnes and so redeemed from sinne inchoately but because she returneth to the filth of sinne that remission is confirmed neither in the houre of death nor at the day of Judgement The false Prophets were bought as they beleeved Had they beleeved effectually with a soveraigne well-rooted Luk. 21. 28. Rom. 8. 23. Heb. 11. 35. Empti dincuntar hâ—e ut alibi lâ—quitur scriptura Exod. 15. 16. Deut. 32. 6. acqui siti uenepe quod illos Deuâ— in familiam suam adsciâ—erit See Kimedont de Redemp huÌ„ gen cap. 9. pag. 206. affiance they had been bought saving-effectually as they beleeved superficially so they were bought in act and event but not unto Salvation The purchase of redemption goeth before faith is not made by faith but applied only but it is most assured if men beleeve unfainedly they are redeemed effectually if they beleeve not they are not redeemed for them that be cast off as aliens we doe not reade that redemption was purchased This interpretation will not seeme new nor strained to them that shall weigh the circumstances of the Text not to them that urge it when they shall consider it is their owne It agreeth well with the scope of the Apostle which is to shew the fearefull condition of such false teachers because they in life denied the Lord that had called them into Covenant which they had accepted whom they had embraced by faith by whom they were delivered from the pollutions of the world in whom if they had beleeved unfainedly without question they should have been saved and whom wilfully not of frailty they had denied And is not this a good argumeÌ„t to prove that by their wilfull departure they had brought upon themselves swift damnation If they were never the neerer heaven by ought Christ had done the fault was their owne for life was truly promised unto them whereof they deprived themselves not because they could not doe otherwise but because they would not receive it or having received it in part they voluntarily fell off What though God never purposed to make them actuall partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death By his commandement he bound them to beleeve by promise he assured them of Salvation if they did beleeve he bestowed upon them many spirituall gifts the fruits of Christs death and if they fell away God was no cause efficient or deficient of their revolt And doth not all this conclude their sinne to be out of measure sinfull in denying the Lord that bought them The other places Rom. 14. and 1 Cor. 8. receive the same answer for they speake of weake bretheren for whom Christ died who were beleevers or as beleevers for whom Christ died in respect of application And then this argument doth not hang handsomly together Christ died for beleevers in respect of application therefore he died for all men to impetrate righteousnesse If they reason thus he died for some in respect of application that may perish therefore he died for all men in respect of impetration it hangs but loosely for they themselves will say Christ died for the faithfull only in respect of application and not for all men whatsoever we are to thinke of the condition of the faithfull whether they shall stand or may perish Amongst themselves some that maintaine generall redemption by the death of Christ doe yet hold that no lively member of Jesus Christ can perish or fall away And I can hardly see how their positions will hang together if they doe not grant that though some believers may fall and perish yet others cannot But as concerning the weake bretheren such as be true believers it is possible they should be grievously shaken by offences and temptations yea destroyed as farre as lies in the authours of scandall and temptation and their own frailty but in respect of the decree and unchangeable love of God and the intercession of Jesus Christ they shall not utterly perish but if they be tempted they shall be supported or if they fall God will raise them up againe The Apostles exhortation then is forcible that they should not offend their weake brother for this was as much as lies in them to destroy him for whom Christ died Perditio est â—orbi ac vulâ—u neris non mortis Vorst in Rom. 14. 15. Thus Vorstius paraphraseth the text offend not him with thy meat I pray thee and as much as in thee is destroy him for whom Christ died And in his loc com upon that Chapter although the elect cannot perish the unchangeable decree of God withstanding yet it is not said in vaine
that they perish by our fault who when they have entered into the way of salvation being offended with our actions begin to turne from the same And in loc com upon the other place although Christ will suffer none of his to perish yet indeed they are said to drive weake Christians into destruction who doe rashly offend them because to wit offences of themselves doe tend to their destruction to whom they are objected Lastly It is objected that the Covenant in Christ is generall Joh. 3 16. 6. 30. without respect of others As the Covenant is generall so is the fruit and application of Christs death in and through whom the Covenant is made that is proffered of God and accepted of man As all and every man is called into Covenant liveth under the Ordinances of grace is partaker of the fruits of the Spirit and applieth the death of Christ so Christ died and rose againe for him But this manner of Christs death pertaineth to the event act or application which they confesse is not common to all men and is manifest in this that God entred not into Covenant with every Nation at all times neither under the Law nor in times of the Gospell scil Act and with the Nations he passed by and which as the Scripture saith were without God God expressely declared himselfe in the time wherein the distinction of Jew and Gentile tooke place that he would accept of strangers as well as any if they should love and feare his name Isa 56. 7. But the Covenant at that time was not made with all Nations as it was with the Jews not made known unto all the Gentiles they did not enjoy means sufficient to come to the knowledge of the truth That the promises of mercy did at all times belong to them that fulfilled the condition is needlesse to be proved but that the Covenant was made with every man or that meanes sufficient or grace to receive the promises was granted to every man at all times in all ages if they would is that which no Scripture testifieth And that passage of the Prophet which promiseth the acceptance of the stranger if he repent and turne unto the Lord is manifestly spoken of the times of the new Testament when the partition wall was broken downe as the verses following doe convince In the daies of grace the Covenant was more generall then in former times it had been but God hath not erected his Tabernacle nor walked amongst all Nations in every age of these last times as experience teacheth How then is the Covenant generall respecting every man Peradventure they mean no more but this that every man that will be saved must be saved by it and whosoever doth believe be he bond or free Jew or Gentile male or female rich or poore he shall be saved though the Covenant was never made with most Nations of the world nor accepted by them nor they had means to come to the knowledge of it much lesse grace to performe the conditions and then to grant the Covenant is generall will availe them nothing There is no force in this argument the Covenant of grace is made with some none being exluded if they repent and believe therefore Christ died for every man rather we may strongly Rom. 1. 16. Col. 1. 23. Act. 17. 30. Tit. 2. 14. Luk. 24. 47. argue Christ died not for every man because God is not the God of all by Covenant But the invitation is generall scil in the daies of grace and to them that heare it and the promise universall to every believer we adde the invitation is serious shewing what God is well pleased with and doth approve in us scil that which he perswadeth with arguments in themselves forcible to move and incite and what he will performe if we make good the condition We adde that the party invited is passively capable of the invitation that no man of what state or condition soever is hindred or kept backe from comming to Christ by any cause efficient or deficient out of man himselfe which doth either constraine or necessitate his not comming and he that refuseth to come refuseth not through inability as unable though unwilling and desirous to imbrace it but willingly preferring some base inferiour good before it But this argueth only the sufficiency of Christs death that all men should be saved if they did believe and the efficiency thereof that the members of the visible Church should be invited seriously and those that be effectually called should inherit the promise It will be said to what purpose are they called and invited if they be as unable to come as a dead man is to arise and walke True it is every man is of himselfe unable by nature to come unto Christ and God doth enable whom he please but this inability is not from any impossibility that is without man himselfe either in respect of the thing commanded or any externall cause or bruite necessity and disposition but from his voluntary perversenesse which is most blame-worthy The comparison may be admitted if rightly interpreted otherwise it is captious for sinne is the death of the soule not physicall but morall Man by sin locseth not the faculty of understanding and willing but of understanding and willing aright as in duty he is bound the object being propounded and revealed with fit and convenient light It is not therefore all one to invite a sinner to forsake the errour of his way and call upon a dead man to arise out of the grave The Lord who doth whatsoever he will in heaven above and in earth beneath in his deepe and unsearchable counsell never absolutely intended to make every man actually and effectually partakers of the benefit promised for if he had so purposed it it should have taken effect neverthelesse the invitation is serious shewing what we ought to doe and God doth approve and desire on our parts and the purpose of God to give faith to whom he please and not to all men is no cause of any mans unbeliefe either efficient or deficient For that man believeth this he oweth unto God and that not simply alone but comparatively in respect of others who believe not but that man refuseth the promises of mercy this is of himselfe not of simple or naturall infirmity which might procure pity but of his owne perversenesse and love to some inferiour good different from the good proposed or contrary to it and aversenesse from the circumstances and conditions of the object proposed They aske what signe doth God shew of desire or approvall that men should believe when he gives them not power so to doe This that he commandeth intreateth perswadeth them to repent and believe waiteth with long-suffering and patience for their amendment promiseth mercy if they will returne convinceth them of their wilfulnesse and though he change not their hearts by the effectuall worke of his Spirit is wanting to them in nothing which in
them the people of God sonnes or children of God the sonnes of the living God a peculiar people reconciled unto God justified unto life the daughters of Zion and of Jerusalem who have the Jerusalem that is above for their spirituall mother the seed of Abraham who is the Father of us all And as Jerusalem which is above is the mother of us all so is Christ said to die for us all and God to have mercy upon all Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded them all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 5. 18. By the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life that is of all them which pertaine to the posterity of Christ by spirituall regeneration It may well be that all to whom Paul wrote that Epistle did not unfainedly believe but as they professed the Doctrine of Salvation and in some measure walked according to the policie of the new Jerusalem and as they enjoyed the Ordinances of grace whereby Christ was applied so the Apostle speakes of them as Saints and beloved and faithfull And in the same sense in other places they are reckoned amongst the faithfull beloved and elect who believe for a time and professe the doctrine of Salvation and partaÌ„ke the seales of the Covenant though afterwards they fall away and as they are called beleevers converts disciples members of Christ temples and sonnes of God as they are said to be justified sanctified and redeemed so is Christ to have died for them as he is applyed in the Ordinances of grace and they partake of the benefits of his death But as for them that be not in Covenant we shall never reade that their sinnes are pardoned Act. 10. 43. Joh. 5. 24. Joh. 15. 2. Act. 15. 9. Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 9. 25 26. Col. 1. 21. Joh. 3. 36. 2 Cor. 6. 15 16 17. that they are delivered from death purged from their sinnes reconciled unto God received into favour nay the contrary is plainly affirmed of them that they are not the people of God that they have no communion with Christ that they are enemies in their minds by wicked works alienated from God that the wrath of God abideth on them that they are without God in the world which is never said of them for whom Christ died The Scripture speaketh expressely that Christ died for his Church his sheep his children his people the people or children of God those that are given unto him of the Father his brethren As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay downe my life for my sheep Joh. 10. 15. Take heed unto your selves and to all the flocke to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud Act. 20. 28. Christ is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body Eph. 5. 23. Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it ver 25. He shall save his people from their sinnes Matth. 1. 21. Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people Tit. 2. 14. As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him Joh. 17. 2. He prophesied that Jesus should die for that Nation and not for that Nation only but also that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Joh. 11. 51 52. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy Name to my brethren Heb. 2. 11 12. The Church and people of God in themselves considered were sinners ungodly enemies alienated from God and Christ died for them not that he found them friends or brethren or children but that Rom. 5. 6 10. he might make them such as by the participation of the benefits of his death they are made such indeed The faithfull are the seed or children of Christ which he hath brought forth with pain and travell Isai 53. 10 11. The inheritance of Christ which he hath purchased by his death given unto him of the Father that they might be redeemed from death and possessed of him for their Salvation Psal 2. 8. as the Psalmist elsewhere expounds it All the ends of the world shall remember and turne unto the Lord and all Psal 22. 27. Psal 72. 11. and 86. 9. the kinreds of the Nations shall worship before thee And if Christ died thus for his people seed inheritance sheep and Church he died not equally for all and every man for then in his death he considered none to be made his sheep or brethren before others nor did he purchase grace that one should be made the child of God rather then another For though grace be distributed in different degrees yet that being so common to them that beleeve and them that beleeve not that sometimes the greater measure is given to them that reject and cast it off it cannot be the cause why one man differs from another Many things are answered to this argument As first that it is Synodal circ Art 2. paâ— 3 17. Vorst amica collat cum Piscat sâ—ct 26. Gal. 2. 20. not said Christ died for his sheep or brethren only and that his dying for them doth not exclude others as Paul saith Christ died for him applying the death of Christ to himself but not excluding others But the instance is not like for these words for me are not disjunctive to distinguish Paul from the rest of the faithfull but from unbeleevers or them that were not in the same state or kind This is a priviledge common to Paul with all beleevers that Christ died for him in respect of them then it is not disjunctive but in respect of them who be not partners in that prerogative it is disjunctive Therefore the example doth rather prove the speech to be restrictive then otherwise for as these words of Paul Who loved me and gave himself for me distinguish Paul from the company of unbeleevers and so are exclusive in like manner are these words of our Saviour I lay down my life for my sheep restrictive and exclusive In those Texts there is no exclusive particle expressed but the proposition for sense is restrictive For when difference or distinction is contained in some terme the Proposition is for sense exclusive no lesse then if it was expressely noted Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God him shalt thou Deut. 10. 20. serve and to him shalt thou cleave here is no restriction or exclusion expressed but in sense it is exclusive Call upon me in the time of Psal 50. 15. trouble and I will heare thee only is not added and yet for the sense the words are exclusive In thy seed shall all
goe sin unpunished is simply the omission of a divine act the decree of God excepted not deficient or inconformable to any rule of Gods will but rather a peculiar exercise of divine mercy What absolutely God can will that he can justly will otherwise it might be that God can will a thing which is injust or that he can will injustly But it was possible for God to will to let sin goe unpunished it is not absolutely repugnant to his divine nature so to will If God cannot pardon sin without satisfaction Hae rationes tum demum locum obtinerent si ita Deâ— putaretur agere ex necessitate naturae ut solo naturae impetu citra omnem intellectum voluntatis actum ageret veluti ignis calefacit ex necessitate naturae Windel de mundo Sect. 2. c. 2. Lex agendi necessitas 1. naturae 2. congruentiae Illa per quam agens ita agit ut per naturam non possit non agere estque vel sine cognitione vel cum cognitione Ista per quam agens non potest non congruenter suae naturae agere then it is necessary that he punish sin by absolute necessity or sin presupposed it is of absolute necessity that it be punished but it is not of absolute necessity that sin be punished for then God should punish it alwaies in one manner and as much as he can as naturall agents worke whereas we see by experience that God doth differently punish the sins of men in this life the lesser offendors most the greater least many times ever so as their punishments might be increased Neither can it be said that the greatnesse of punishment in this life doth lessen their punishment in the life to come for the punishments of the life to come being eternall can carry no proportion with the punishments of this life Then it was of absolute necessity that Christ should suffer so many stripes and no more be forsaken just so long and no longer continue in his agony so many houres and neither more nor lesse Sciendum est non sequi injustum ex quavis negatione justi etiam posiâ—is â—isdem circumstantijâ— Non est perpetuum ut id quod justè fiat non nisi injustè omittatur The bounty of God to reward obedience is essentiall as well as justice to punish iniquity and if God punish iniquity by absolute and naturall necessity of necessity he must reward obedience if he punish iniquity without divine constitution he must reward obedience in the same manner God may inflict a more mild punishment then sin deserveth therefore at least he may leave some degree of sin unpunished as also it is lawfull for God to men equall in sin to grant pardon to one to punish another according to his deserts To give reward above merit is not contrary to justice if it be given of our owne nor to punish mercifully and lesse then the fault deserveth if it be a fault committed against our selves And it seemes as much repugnant to justice Sunt quaedam Dei proprietates quarum exercitium tum quoad actum tum quoad tempuâ— modum actus imo etiam quoad objecti determinationem pendet a libera ipsus voluntate Ex promissione jus aliquod acquiritur ei cui facta est promissio at comminatione apertius dunâ—axat declaratur meritum poenae in peccante jus puniendi in comminante Cum bonitas misericordia Dei non minus proprietas ejâ—â— sit quam justitia ac quamquam ex misericordia non â—gisset sed puniisset universos minimè eo mutabilis vel etiam immisericors potuerit dici similiter neque extra decreti considerationem mutabilem vel injustum dici potuisse quanquam ignovisset universis citra illam satisfactionem Quod is qui deliquit paenam meretur eoque punibilis est hoc ex ipsa peccati peccatoris ad superiorem relatione necessariò sequitur propriè naturale ut vero puniatur quivis peccator poena tali quae culpae respondeat non est necessarium simpliciter universaliter neque propriè naturale sed naturae satis conveniens Chamier panstrat Tom. 2. l. 5. c. 1â— Parker de desc l. 3. Sect. 56. Wotton de Reconcil l. 1 c 4. Vâ—ss respons ad Iud. Ravensperg cap. 28. Isa 53. 10. Psal 40. 8. Joh. 5. 19 30. to accept a surety as to pardon the punishment especially that the Son of God the party offended should take upon him our nature and make satisfaction for us And if God by absolute necessity must punish sin as it deserveth then it is simply impossible to renew the sinner by repentance or to annihilate him because then he doth not bear what punishmeÌ„t his sin doth call for from the hand of justice Justice is essentiall to God so is mercy bounty liberality but God sheweth mercy to whom he will doth good to whom he will freely not by absolute necessity only God hath obliged himselfe by righteousnesse of fidelity that is by promises and threatnings which must be fulfilled to doe this or that Sin though it hath an outward disagreement such as may be in a creature from the Creator yet it hath no inward positive repugnancy or contrariancy to Gods nature such as is betwixt fire and water for then should the divine nature inwardly in it selfe be worse for the being of sin and should necessarily nill it Sin is displeasing unto God he cannot approve it as good in it selfe but it is one thing to be displeased with or hate sin another to punish it of absolute and naturall necessity as it is one thing to approve obedience another to reward it of necessity It is most true that God doth not only hate but punish all sin but that he doth not by naturall necessity but by naturall congruity which may stand with the most free will of God determining to manifest his justice for the manifestation whereof the punishment of sin was necessary The hatred of sin and punishment thereof are joyned together as a free cause and effect not as a necessary cause and effect for God hateth sin at all times but punisheth it not ever but in his time or season But it is not materiall to dispute this matter in more words for seeing God hath determined that his justice shall take her revenge if by breach of Covenant she be wronged he cannot but punish sin according to its desert neither may he set us free from the same but so as wronged justice may receive satisfaction The decree of God is unchangeable and the sentence of God denounced against sin must stand firme for ever therefore punishment must be executed if the commandment be transgressed And the reasons of this decree be Omne agens quod agit naturaliter agit in objectum suae actionis naturaliter receptivum quare si punire esset naturale illa nimirum acceptatione quae secum sert necessitatem non possit actio
talis de persona peccatoriâ— in per sonam aliam transire Neque etiam sapientia Dei quae in boc negotio maxâ—mè elucet locum babitura videtur si per naturam nequisset Deuâ— aliter â—gere sapientia enim est electrix mediorum Luk. 24. 26 27. Joh. 10. 18. weighty For hereby God manifesteth his just indignation against sin and magnifieth the riches of his grace and tender compassion towards the sinner whom he is pleased to save from deserved wrath Seeing then God decreed not to deliver man from the sentence of death contracted by sin but upon satisfaction made to divine justice and the punishment of sin borne by his surety of necessity if Christ become a Mediatour to intercede for us he must undertake to pay our debts and in our roome and steed to suffer what we deserved And as he undertook so he hath borne the chastisement of our peace and by bearing the punishment hath taken away our sins That Christ did under-goe the punishment due to sinners as their surety is evident in this that he died for us For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23 5. 12. which God inflicteth upon none but either a sinner or him that beareth the person of a sinner 2 Cor. 15. 21 22. Col. 1. 14. Eph. 1. 7. Heb. 12. 2. Act 20. 28. Col. 1. 20. Rom. 3 25. Gal. 3. 13. Heb. 12. 24. wherefore seeing Christ in himselfe most innocent did suffer death it necessarily followeth that he suffered not in his owne but in our name and satisfied the Father for us Hitherto it makes that he suffered not any kind of death whatsoever but ignominious violent judiciall and accursed such as had the sence of Gods wrath adjoyned For no reason can be imagined why Christ should so much dread death which the Martyrs endured without feare but that for the time he was deprived of that refreshing of divine grace and favour wherewith they were sustained and confirmed 2 Cor. 4 8 9. in the midst of the fire Nor is there any thing whither we can referre those tremblings of Christ those groanes and teares in which he was heard that desire that the cup might passe from him but to the imposition of our sinnes and that conflict with the wrath of God which followed from it The death of our Saviour is referred to his unspeakeable love towards us Joh. 14. Rev. 1. 5. Gal. 2. 20. 13. Gal. 2. 20. Ephes 5. 2 23. But if he could not but I de because he was man he shewed his infirmity in dying rather then the fervour of his love For though Christ had loved us unto death Soc. lib. 3. de Serv. c. 5. yet had he not commended his love in dying if he dyed by condition of nature and had not being innocent laid downe his life for us mortall because sinners In like manner Christ is said to have Lev. 5. 1. 10. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. 10. Ezek. 18. 20. 2 King 7. 9. Syr. portavit et ascendere secit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sursum serre Luk. â—4 51. sursum ducere Matth. 17. 1. Mar. 9. 2. Heb. 7. 27. Jam. 2. 21. Heb. 13. 15. 1 Pet. 2. 24. carried our sinnes and that in his body upon the tree which in usuall phrase of Scripture is to be punished for our sinnes and pay the punishment of our sinnes Isa 53. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Lev. 19 8. 20. 17. 24 15. Numb 14. 23. 30. 16. Lam. 5. 7. Ezek 18. 20. And such a carrying is described to which smiting is adjoyned and the chastisement of our peace from the translation of all our iniquities upon Christ Isa 53. 5. For as it followeth in the same place immediately He was afflicted that is with the punishment due to sinne which was laid upon him Isa 53. 6 7. Whereunto those passages of Scripture might be referred which say that Christ made his soule an offering for sinne Isa 53. 10. that he that knew no sinne was made sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he hath redeemed us from the curs of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. in which he must of necessity be understood who bears the punishments of sinne And it is against reason that he should be said to beare the sinnes of others who suffers by occasion of sin only unlesse he beare the punishment of sinne and take it upon himselfe For who will say he that suffers losse or dammage from the fault of a thiefe doth beare his sinne when he doth not beare the punishment of theft nor is punished for it The Evangelist translates this saying of the Prophet to corporall diseases which Christ did not receive upon himselfe it is by way of similitude and Math. 8. 16 177 agreement in the thing it selfe although the manner of the thing be diverse as also by such miracles Christ declared himselfe to be that Messiah who was to beare and by bearing to take away our sinnes Moreover the Scripture saith Christ died for our sinnes 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. 3. Gal. 1. 4. Heb. 10. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 18. and was delivered to death for our offences Rom. 4. 23. and for sinners and wicked Isa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 53. 6. Rom. 5. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 21. to be made sinne for us 1 Pet. 3. 18. to suffer the just for the unjust which import that sinne was the efficient meritorious cause of the death of Christ for sinne cannot Psal 39. 12. Psal 73 18 19. 10â— 17. Ephes 5. â— otherwise be the cause of punishment but by way of merit nor can any man be said to be punished for sinne but the meritorious cause of punishing is noted thereby And those particles applied to other things may note the finall cause applied to sufferings they point out the efficient or meritorious only and sinnes deserve affliction per modum paenae Lev. 26. 39. Deut. 18. 12. 1 King 14. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 38. Luk. 11. 11. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 15. Heb. 12. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the impulsive cause Rom. 15. 9. 2 Cor. 1. 11. Ephes 1. 16. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 7. 4. 9. 2. 12. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 4. Jud. ver 15. Sic Latini pro beneficijs gratias agere ulcisci pro injurijs c. Christ is said to die not only for our sinnes but for us not for our good alone but in our roome and steed as the phrase importeth and the one particle used signifieth opposition or subrogation and commutation Mat. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. Joh. 11. 50. Rom. 5. 7 8. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Heb. 2 9. 1 Pet. 2. 2. and the latter though sometimes it admit a different sence in this matter must be expounded by the former Rom. 9. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Christ
5. Psal 103. 8. Isai 55. 7. Ier. 9. 24. and 31. 20. Luke 6. 36. Rom. 2. 4. And if the Lord should utterly destroy all men there should be no Religion upon earth as man should everlastingly loose the fruition of God so he should likewise loose the voluntary service and subjection of his creature Iohn 15. 8. Ezek. 33. 11. For these reasons God purposed not utterly to cast man off and poure upon him deserved vengeance but withall he purposed not to let sinne goe unrevenged and that for these reasons First because of his great hatred thereunto He is of purer eyes then to behold evill he cannot looke on iniquity Hab. 1. 13. it provoketh abhorrency in him Psal 5. 6. Zach. 8. 17. Rev. 3. 16. Amos 5. 21 22. Isa 1. 13 14. And what is more convenient then to testifie how much sinne is displeasing unto him which is done most conveniently by punishment Exod 32. 10 11. Numb 11. 1. 16. 22. Joh. 3. 36. Impunity hath this in it that it makes that sinnes be lâ—sse esteemed as feare of punishment is a ready way to keepe men in awe They that have written of the relaxation of Proxima sunt idem ac tantundem Lawes doe note that those relaxations are best to which some commutation or recompence is annexed because by that meanes the authority of the Law is preserved and obedience given to that reason which was the cause of the Law And hence we may gather a second reason why God would not pardon sinne without satisfaction sc his truth and the Law which he had established against sinne which he will in no wise abolish one jot or title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Matth. 5. 18. For it is altogether undecent especially to the wisedome and righteousnesse of God that that which provoketh the execution should procure the abrogation of his Lawes that that should supplant and undermine the Law for the alone preventing whereof the Law was before established Also God will have men alwayes to tremble before him and by his terror to be perswaded from sinning 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. and therefore he reserveth to himselfe entire the punishment of sin that men might alwayes feare before him Matth. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 4. The omission of punishment after the publication of the Law doth detract somewhat from the authority of the Law with the subjects God therefore willing to shew mercy to the creature fallen and with all to maintaine the authority of his Law tooke such a course as might best manifest his clemency and severity his hatred of sin care to stablish the Law and tender compassion towards them that had gone astray And hereby the love of God towards them that are spared is the more illustrious that he spared them who rather then he would not punish sinne would give his only begotten Sonne to die for sinne It is objected againe that God doth freely remit and pardon sinne therefore he willed not that Christ should make satisfaction because free remission will not stand with satisfaction And most sure it is that God is favourable to our iniquities Ier. 31. 34. but God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3. 25. Act. 10. 43. Luk. 1. 68 69 70. There is a twofold paiment of debt one of the thing altogether Remissio est absoluta in qua Creditor sibi satisfieri noÌ„ vult conditionata in qua Debitor obligatione debiti solvitur at satisfactione aliunde interveniente Stegma p. 505. Noxa sequitar caput Gen. 2. 17. the same which was in obligation and this ipso facto freeth from punishment whether it be paid by the debtour himselfe or by the surety Another of a thing not altogether the same which is in the obligation so that some act of the Creditour or Governor must come unto it which is called remission in which case deliverance doth not follow ipso facto upon the satisfaction And of this kind is the satisfaction of Christ for in the rigour of the Law the delinquent himselfe is in person to suffer the penalty denounced Every man shall be are his owne burthen Gal. 6. 5. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death So that the Law in the rigour thereof doth not admit of any commutation or substitution of one for another And therefore that another person suffering may procure a discharge to the person guilty and be valid to free him the will consent and mercy of him to whom the infliction of the punishment belongeth must concurre which in respect of the debtour is remission and his over-ruling power Qui solvit hoc velle debet ut debitor liberetur Rom. 3 24. Tit. 2. 14. Manet nihil ominus gratuita Dei gratia 1. Ratione decreti gratuiti 2. Ratione doni gratuiti 3. Ratione acceptationis gratuitae quod tale consiliam invenit quod tale medium dedit quod satisfactionem talem acceptavit Col 2. 13. 3. 13. Eph. 4. 31. See Act. 25. 11 16. 2 Cor. 2 7 10. must dispence though not with the substance of the Lawes demands yet with the manner of execution which in respect of the Law is called relaxation Remission therefore is not repugnant to antecedent satisfaction but only to that paiment of the thing due which ipso facto doth deliver and set free It may be added that of grace Christ was ordained to be our surety that at the commandment of grace he made satisfaction and that his mind and will in satisfying was that grace might justly glorifie her selfe in pardoning offences and not that pardon should be given of justice And so the satisfaction of Christ is full and perfect and our pardon is every way free and gracious And seeing every one may impose a Law to the act depending upon his own free will and pleasure he that prayeth for another and he that admitteth the paiment of one thing for another may covenant that remission shall follow presently or after a certaine time purely or upon condition And this was the will and pleasure of Christ making satisfaction and of God admitting satisfaction and this the Covenant that God should pardon sin not presently in the very time of Christs passion but when man is turned unto God by true faith in Christ humbly intreating pardon To forgive sin is not opposite to thâ— accepting of that satisfaction which is freely admitted when it might be refused and to which he upon whom the benefit undue is conferred doth conferre nothing It is further objected that Christ satisfied not justice fully but by divine acceptilation only because he suffered but for a time whereas we deserved to die eternally Sundry answers are made to this doubt Some say his suffering for a time was more then if all man-kind had suffered eternally in respect of the excellency of his person But the worth and excellency of his person was neither to
dispence with time nor grievousnesse of his punishments but to make the passion of one availeable for many Otherwise if it might have dispensed with one degree of extremity of punishment due to sin it might also have dispensed with two and consequently with all Others answer that the punishments of sin eternally remaining must according to the rules of divine justice be eternall but it is no way necessary neither doth the justice of God require that the punishments of sin repented of ceasing and forsaken should be everlasting For as Divines note there are three things to be considered in sin the aversion from an infinite and incommutable good the inordinate conversion to a finite good and the continuing in the same or ceasing from it and to these severall things in sin there are three severall things answering in the punishment of it For to the aversion which is objectively infinite there answereth the losse of God which is an infinite losse To the inordinate conversion of the sinner to things transitory there answereth a sensible smart and griefe intensively finite as the pleasure the sinner taketh in the transitory things he inordinately loveth is finite To the eternity of sin remaining everlastingly in staine or guilt or continuance of it for a time answereth the eternity of punishment or the suffering of the same but for a time Now our Saviour Christ suffered only for those sins which he meant to breake off by framing the sinners to repentance and therfore it was no way necessary for the satisfying of divine justice that he should endure eternall punishment A third answer is that Christ suffered for a time because he suffered to satisfie and so to overcome upon the crosse he triumphed meritoriously over principalities and powers therefore his sufferings could not continue for ever but must have an end For in suffering he had not satisfied justice nor conquered the enemies of our salvation if he had lien under the punishment of our sins eternally But this sheweth the reason why Christ suffered but for a time rather then how his suffering for a time could satisfie the justice of God for ever which had deserved eternall death The fourth answer is more full and free from exception that Christ suffered but for a time because it was impossible he should be held under of the sorrows of death Act. 2. 24. The wicked suffer eternally because they being cast under the curse they cannot deliver themselves and justice will not set them free but Christ in suffering did overcome and delivered himselfe so that his sufferings continued but for a time In kind his sufferings were the same with those which in us should have continued for ever Chamier Tom. 2. l. 5. cap. 12. Sect 4. although they did not continue wherefore because they had an end not of themselves or their owne nature but of the power of Christ He overcame those punishments which had been altogether eternall if he could not have overcome Lastly it is objected that if God did elect and choose some men to grace and glory in and through Jesus Christ Christ needed Synodal Dord ubi supra not nor yet could make satisfaction for them for in as much as they were beloved of God we cannot conceive how satisfaction should be needfull or could be made for them Thus some dispute with great confidence but little strength For this Proposition God loveth whom he hath chosen or to chuse is to love doth admit a double sence one this whom God doth elect them he loveth or willeth well unto them in time to make them actuall heires of grace and glory in Jesus Christ and thus it is most true Illi tantum à parte ante ratione Dei nâ—gant meritum Christi effectum electionis illud constituunt ita ut Deus prius homines elegisse postea sic absolutè electis Filium tanquaÌ„ salutis medium dâ—disse dicatur Stâ—gâ— pag. 49â— and doth not exclude but inferre the necessity of satisfaction another sence may be that whom God doth elect them he doth love as made actuall heires of grace and glory by the influence of his love and in this it should exclude the necessity of satisfaction but so it is not to be admitted It is not absurd to say the elect are in grace with God in respect of ordination or appointment but after are brought into grace by Christ in respect of the actuall collation and communication When Christ is said to reconcile us unto God the meaning is not that God did then first begin to love or will well unto us as if he did hate and will to damne us before for then we must admit a proper change in the purpose and internall will of God proceeding from an externall cause which is contrary both to Scripture and sound reason but whereas formerly we lay under wrath deserved by sin now we are received into favour and friendship with God For reconciliation is a transient act done in time which inferrs a change in the creature reconciled a change of state not of qualities and followes the obedience of Christ as the effect the cause and which God imparteth to believers Reconciliation as the Scripture speaks of it imports not any change in God nor the externall good will or love of God which remains in himselfe and worketh not any change in the creature but a blessing granted to us in time that we who were the children of wrath by nature should be the Sons of God by grace we who were enemies and hated in respect of the effects of wrath and desert of sin should be made friends and deare to God the enmity being taken away by the bloud of Christ And from hence we may learne how the new Covenant in many things hath the prerogative above the old For wherein Moses mediated it was by the power of Christ but Christ was that one Mediatour who mediated from his owne authority and immediate power Moses was called by God and the people but an imperfect Mediatour as not a right middle person but Christ was a fit middle person both God and man partaking the nature both of the offending and offended party and so a middle person not only in office but in nature willing and fitting to mediate Moses by reason of his weaknesse was neither powerfull with God nor yet fully compassionate and powerfull with the people But Christ was man for the whole body of his brethren to prevaile for them and man with his brethren to be fully sensible and compassionate Heb. 2. 17. Againe he was man with God to present a perfect ransome or price of reconciliation and he was God with man to bow them sufficiently to accept the reconciliation offered Moses stood in need to mediate for himselfe as for the people but Christ having no controversie for himselfe mediated only for the people and hath perfected wherin Moses wanted For he fully bowes and circumciseth the hearts of his brethren to
eternall person Christ man is fitly called God and therefore in Christ man the God-head is said to dwell properly but Christ his humane nature may not be said to be God and therefore the God-head is not so fitly said to dwell in the humane nature as in the person denominated after it that is in Christ man It will be said if Christ rule in the midst of his enemies then it must follow that he is every where present But that is spoken of the person and not of the man-hood alone Psal 120. 2 and what is said of the person doth not necessarily belong to both natures And Christs dominion over all things doth not require his corporall presence with all things According to his divine nature he is every Joh. 8. 58. Christ in respect of his divine nature is every where present without addition and by the spirituall and effectuall presence of his body he entreth the soules and strengtheneth the hearts of all the faithfull by the power of his grace and truth of his promise Ephes 1. 22. Col. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 3. Christ is the first-borne Col. 1. 18. Heb. 1. 2 4. and heire of all things 2 Cor. 4. 5. where present according to the effects of his providence wisdom power grace c. according to his humane nature he is essentially in heaven and now only in heaven but his dominion is over all things which doth not denote soveraignty power or omnipresence essentially divine but glory and Majesty next to divine as was said before The fift thing implied in Christs sitting at the right-hand of the Father is that in speciall he is the head of his Church The word Head is used sometime for one who in any kind is before or above other and in this large sence Christ is the Head of the Angels that is their ruler or governour one that is above them man is the Head of the woman Christ of man God of Christ But here it signifieth that Christ is so over his Church that he is in a more neare and communicative sort conjoyned with it as the head is with the body and members Looke as the King hath a more intimate and aimiable superiority over his Queen than over any other subjects so it is here in Christ our King whose dominion towards his Church who is his Spouse and Queen is more aimiably tempered and nearly affected then is his government over any other Christ hath taken the selfe same holy and spirituall nature with his Church standing as well of that which is outward and sensitive as of that which is inward and intellectuall The faithfull are united to him here by knowledge of faith and love such as Christ himselfe by his Spirit begettetâ— in them as hereafter by glorious light and love He doth communicate unto them that whole life of grace and glory which they have or shall receive direct and move them outwardly by his signifying will and inwardly by sending his Spirit which moveth with efficacy to that which he sheweth and followeth them with aides inward and outward least their faith should be prevailed against Though betwixt the faithfull and Christs naturall body there be a bodily distance yet the Spirit which commeth from Christ doth so joyne them with him that nothing commeth twixt him and them The same life of grace for kind which is in Christ is in every faithfull soule as fire Caro Christi noâ— vivificare dicitur quatenus pro mundi vitâ— data est fide a nobis manducatur hoc est per modum merite simul ejusmodi efficaciae quae Mediatoris personae propriè conveniat Regnat ubique Deus homo divina humana voluntaâ—e ac nutu Filius vivit propâ—â—r Patrem Joh 6. 57. Fâ—lius à Patre habet aeternam increatam vitam ut homo quoque ab codem beatam creâ—tam vâ—â—am habetiut Mediator vitam beatam nobis carnis suae troditione in mortem acquisivit divina sua virtue in nobis effccit Gal. 3. 14. See Field of the Church 1â— 5. cap. 16. Sobin art 3. de person Christ p. 316. Petimus ut Christus nobis velit dare spiritam idqueâ—am humana quam divina sua voluatate tamen non petimus ut secundum humanam naturam ab ipso procedat incorda nostra Sp S seu ut humana per ipsum operetur nam etiam processio Sp. S. operatio perâ—psum est proprium Dei talis opus alterum ad intra alterum ad extra sed ut etiam humana voluntate velit hanc operationem Dei tatis suae in nobis Heb. 1. 6. Ps 9. 7. Phil. 2. 10. Rò 14. 11. Isa 45. 23 Joh. 5. 22. Psal 2. 12. Joh. 3. 15 16 17 18 36. Joh. 6 29 12. 36. Joh. 14. 1. Rom. 15. 12. Mat. 12. 21. Act 7. 50 60. 2 Joh. 3. Rev. 1. 4 5. Ro. 1. 7. Syr. 1 Co. 1. 3. 2 Co. 1 2. Gal. 1. 3. Ephes 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. â— kindled fire kindling is of the same nature And Christ having fulnesse of grace and glory for all his he cannot be but most ready to communicate with them every thing for their good Christ is the Head of his Church both as God and man our Mediatour For did not the divine nature which is the fountaine of all life naturall and supernaturall dwell with this man or humane nature we could not be enlightned or quickned by it He that eateth my flesh saith Christ hath life in him not that this nature of it selfe can doe these things but because the Deity dwelleth with it and by it as by an instrument joyned personally with it doth properly and efficiently worke these things The omnipotent power of creating spirituall graces is not in the humane nature nor the omnipotent actions which doth produce them doe or can proceed from the humane nature but they are in God only and from God in and with the humane nature working to the same effects according to its property Christs humane nature hath both understanding and will whereby he worketh and is an internall instrument united within the person of God the Son as a part of his person in a sort yea more neerly but these divine works which Christ the Mediatour worketh the chiefe vertue and action which properly effecteth them is in God not communicated really with the other nature though it doth worke them in this humane nature with it yea and by it as a most nearly conjoyned instrument which within the person of God the Son hath his proper actions concurring in an inferiour degree of efficiency to that which the divine nature properly and principally worketh God worketh graces Christ man worketh the same the divine nature createth them and infuseth them into this or that man through Christ man being as a common conceptacle or conduit-pipe The humane nature worketh them not by powerfull creating them but by taking away sin and the cause that so way
profitable and pleasant answerable in some sort to the nature excellency and use of the thing known And in this case the heart is not over-ruled contrary to the full spirituall and infallible evidence of divine truth seriously thought upon unto a practicall judgement This is the learning of Christ the teaching of the Father the knowing of things which passe knowledge Christ is not known if he be not acknowledged as he is propounded what perfect Si ignorare accipitur pro non attendere dici potest voluntatem humanam vix unquam peccare sine aliqua ignoratione quia quando voâ—untas peccat intellectus ut plurimum aliud agit nec attendit ad regimen voluntatis knowledge doth perfectly that imperfect knowledge doth imperfectly As the end acknowledged cannot be refused by like right neither can the meanes acknowledged the meanes I say necessary only necessary and without which there is no possibility or likelihood to obtaine the end For will is a reasonable appetite and therefore doth not stirre from such a good as is fully and spiritually represented unto it with evidence certainty profit and delight as the most universall adequate and unquestionable object of the desires and capacities of an humane soule and that both simply and in comparison for the freedome and willing consent of the heart is not lawlesse or without rules to moderate it but it is therefore said to be free because whether out of a true judgement it move one way or out of a false another yet in both it moveth naturally in a manner sutable to its owne condition If it be objected the heart being unregenerate is utterly averse unto any good The answer is that it is true the will must not only be moved but renewed and changed before it can yeeld to Christ But withall God doth never so fully and spiritually convince the judgement in that manner without a speciall work of grace upon the soule whereby the will is framed and fashioned to accept embrace and love those good things of which the minde is thus prepossessed The third help is a formall cause a free gracious disposition or Scimus non impetrari remissionem ante prece â—ed dicâ— decretam esse ante preces eam peti precibus quamvis sit decreta P. Malin de eâ—ect ex fide pag. 316. habite of faith by which the will is inclined agreeable to the disposition of it to come unto God This habite is necessary because without it the will being in bondage stained and defiled it is altogether unable to will or desire that which is spiritually good If there could be a will without such habite man might performe the act of a man spiritually alive before he was made alive So that the full answer to this question viz. what is that effectuall help whereby I come to God is this It is a mixt thing standing partly of that almighty power of his put forth for my good partly of that inward Word and inspiration by and with which his power is put forth partly in that spirit of faith and supernaturall life which his almighty power through his Word bringeth forth in my soule What was that help whereby Christ made Lazarus able to come to him out of the grave of naturall death The principall was Christs power the instrumentall his voyce the formall cause immediately helping to it or working it was the spirit of naturall life which the power of Christ by his Word restored to this dead corps which now was fallen And thus we have the effectuall help or grace by which we come actually to convert which are all given from Gods free grace and favour towards us And when God doth infuse the habite of faith into the minde of one of ripe age he doth cause him actually to beleeve as the nature of the thing it selfe and condition doth manifest For if the Spirit by inlightening the minde and renewing the heart doe perswade and move the soule effectually to embrace adhere unto and love the Lord Jesus Christ then the condition of the thing will not beare that grace should be given effectually but the act and motion of the soule must necessarily follow But though the connection of these two be indivisible yet the flexion or turning it selfe is not indivisible or in a point or moment but it may be sooner or slower more speedy in one more remisse in another The will is necessarily bowed or bended but more vehemently in one more slackly in another freely or willingly in all that are turned and yet necessarily And this first thing is well to be noted for from hence we may gather in what standeth the efficacy of grace effectuall to Conversion viz. In Gods effectuall power put forth to execute his intention which he hath of converting some actually before other some It Quaestio non est de irresistibilitate sed de insuperabilitate finali Nam quomodo traberemur gratia irresistibili cum id ipsum quod nolumus Deo resistere â—it ipsa Deigratia Illud ipsum velle resistere nihil aliâ—d est quam resistere doth not stand in any congruity or temperature of grace correspondent to our nature For this doth argue there is inward an incorrupted connaturall disposition to receive grace This maketh the effect of Conversion as much if not more to depend on the active capacity of the will as on the grace of God For it maketh the grace of God worke it morally and externally by perswasion only and the will of man from a power within it selfe which doth more inwardly enter the effect of Conversion then the other It may be questioned in what order doth the Spirit make us come unto God whether immediately or by some preparation going before wherein it is further to be considered what that preparation is or wherein it consisteth To the first branch of the Question it is truly answered that God doth use so to worke our comming to him by beliefe that he doth first for the most part prepare us thereunto As before we engraffe a Sciens we cut it and set it for incision and if a Timberlogg lie sunke in mudd men set to their tacklings first to draw it out of the mire before they lay it on a Cart to carry it away Thus God doth by his power often worke some preparative change in a sinner before he doth by his power and word worke the spirit of faith in them and make them come unto him So God by afflictions is said to boare the eare and prepare to conversion 2 Chron. 33. 11 12. Act 2. 37. When Manasseh was humbled in great misery he sought the Lord. Thus by conviction of sin others were pricked in heart and said What shall we doe to be saved and then speedily they received the Gospel beleeving Sometimes by extraordinary terrours rising from externall accidents yea hidden naturall causes God is pleased to bring men nearer unto him Thus the Jaylor Act. 16.
which as they are preparations fit the soul for Gods effectuall calling to be given they have their end when this immortall seed comâ—th to be sown in us The second Question is whether the efficacie of grace depend upon the liberty of will not whether grace hath its intrinsecall vertue to worke after the manner of grace or a supernaturall agent from the liberty of the will which all men deny Though if grace encline the will to a vitall and internall acâ— it takes away some degrees of indifferency and addeth some weight of disposition rather to will then to nill But the Question is whether grace effectuall doe leave the will at liberty actually to resist it or no or whether it be from grace or the liberty of will that this man doth assent and not another why grace in the second act is Motionâ— efficacis conceptu quidditativo includitur actuale obsequiumillius qui efficaciter movetur alioqui motio illa esset sufficiens non efficax Eze. 36. 24 26. Deut. 30. 6. Col. 2. 11. Ezek. 11. 17. Jer. 24. 7. 31 33 37. Isa 54. 10. 50. 20 21. Phil. 4 13. 1 Joh. 4. 4 Ephes 3. 16. Deut. 29. 4. Isa 44. 3. effectuall to the producing of conversion in Peter and not in Judas If grace take away the stonie heart then it removeth in us whatsoever should resist or make head against the Spirit for the will cannot resist when corruption is removed and to resist the application of grace sufficient is no small part of a stony heart A cause in power only is not a cause but a cause in act applied which is then sufficient and not potent only to doe somewhat when applied in act it bringeth forth effect sufficient I say not physically but morally presupposing the actuall application of it to that purpose And on the other side if the heart of stone be not taken away sufficient grace was not actually applied of God for that speciall effect for a fleshie heart cannot be received by a stony but the stony is removed by the fleshie There is the same reason of that grace of conversion and of the grace that followeth after conversion but the grace following conversion borroweth not its efficacy from the liberty of the will That which God promiseth to doe cannot be the condition of the thing promised because the promise is precedent but God promiseth to give a new heart and to put his Spirit into the inner man and that not for their sakes but of his free-grace And this promise God did Ezek. 36. 32. fulfill daily in the Church of the Jewes but more sparingly according Isa 40. 40. Luk. 3. 6. Jâ—â—l 2. 28. Act. 2. 16 17. Ephes 1. 19. 1 Pet 1. 5. to the measure of grace the fulnesse whereof was reserved unto the times of the Messiah That which the omnipotency of God is put forth to worke in the creature that the creature cannot resist But God putteth forth his omnipotency that by the effectuall working thereof he may bring us to beleeve To say that notwithstanding Gods helping grace man may resist is to put grace in mans power not to put mans will under the power of grace to make man able to frustrate Gods counsell touching his conversion and make God a lyar in that which he hath sworne touching the gathering of his people The worke of conversion is wrought in the will not from any naturall power of suffering but from the obedience in which it is to Gods almighty power which it cannot but obey and come to any thing whereunto he will bring it For the will hath no naturall inclination to suffer any thing both for the being and manner of it above nature as in the eye now blinde there is no naturall power to receive sight And if there were a power naturall to receive conversion then there must be some agent in nature able to worke conversion for there is not found a power naturall of suffering in any thing but there is found a power correspondent working upon it But to leave the efficacy of grace to the liberty Servas beri instrumentum est sed non necesse est â—erus determinet singulos actus servi Aâ— omnis causa subordinata ita Deo ut quodlibet instrumentum passivum agenti libero c. of mans will to chuse or refuse that doth make the will no instrument subject to Gods power but giveth it power to doe as it will when God hath done all he may unto it If God doe not apply and determine the creature to will and worke that which he worketh in the creature then the creature is the cause why God worketh and consequently why he willeth the conversion of man For Gods concourse working this or that must either goe before the will and so cause it to will or else it must follow accomplishing that which man willeth But the will of man hath no causall force on God himselfe nor doth his will follow or attend upon the will of man If the efficacy of grace depend upon the liberty of mans will then God doth not certainly fore-know the conversion of man For God cannot know this or that mans conversion certainly from eternity but he must see it certaine in himselfe willing it or in the causes of it or he must see it from all eternity as being present to himselfe out of the causes But if the efficacie of grace depend upon the liberty of mans will God doth not certainly will and determine the conversion of man Certitudo mentis absque omni entis certitudine necessitate est impossibilis Quis Deo determinationem tribuerit auâ— rationi à Deo moraliter adâ—ibitae quando tota causalitas determinativa quanta quanta est nec à Deo nec à ratione proficiscatur Joh. 6 37. Jer. 31. 34. Isa 54. 13. 1 Cor 4 7. Effectus producti in â—ec objecto non in illo non sunt tribuendi causae communiter agenti 1 Thes 2. 3. Ephes 2. 2. nor is it determined in its causes or circumstances and that he hath these things as existing forth of their causes from eternity to eternity co-existent with him is an unconceiveable absurdity God doth see what a free creature will doe being set in such and such circumstances because he doth see how his power would determine him in such and such occasions but to make him see determination when neither himselfe hath any way determined when the circumstances doe it not when nothing in the free creature doth determine him is to make him see that which neither in the creature nor in himselfe is to be seene They that are given unto Christ of the Father and taught of the Father they come unto Christ freely but necessarily withall not in respect of the liberty of will for necessity flowes not there from but the efficacie of grace they come unto Christ they are not so disposed that they might come or not come A
common cause doth not distinguish but if grace be common to them that believe and them that believe not it is only the common cause of conversion and doth not separate the believer from the unbeliever Men are said to sanctifie purge and free themselves as the instruments of God and free agents subordinate to grace predetermining but the Scripture never saith that man is the cause separating himselfe from the number of reprobates externally called in like manner with himselfe Conversion as it is an act supernaturall in us should be the effect of divine vocation but the cause of comparative vocation should be the meere will or pleasure of the creature Grace and liberty cannot be mixed together in the partiality of the cause because liberty as the Patrons of that opinion hold is a free indifferent elective cause but grace a cause determinate to produce one effect The use of grace is the application of actuall grace to act But if the efficacie of grace depend upon the liberty of mans will neither grace preventing nor co-operating doth apply grace to it worke not preventing grace because no meere power as such doth actuate it self nor co-operating because in order of causality it goeth not before the efficiency of the will If God give to believe and not only power Phil. 1. 19. to believe to believe and not only to believe when we will to believe then by grace he determineth the will to believe suffer will and the efficacie of grace is reduced unto God willing and determining And if he worke in us both to will and to doe Phil. 2. 13. Mat. 11. 27. not according to the liberty of our will but his own good pleasure if to will and doe inclinably rightly and well and not so as we may resist then he determineth the will to will and doe by his grace To what end doe the promises and threatnings tend may some man say if God doe worke all things by his effectuall power in them that believe To what end but that men might be saved But God doth that which pertaineth to a King and Law-giver towards many when that which pertaineth to the secret and unutterable dispensation of his grace he doth not doe that is he invites many in the Ministery of his Word and externall administration of the Covenant whom he doth not inwardly instruct and draw taking away the blindnesse and hardnesse of the heart But then the invitation is a giftlesse gift Not so neither but rather he is a most unthankfull servant of a perverse minde that he Deus sic movet hominem ad bona opera ut homo cognoscat vetit Deo monenti moventi ultrò morem gerat Nec tantum Deus agit cum voluntatibus nostris sed etiam per voluntates Isa 53. 10. Isa 45. â— 12. Psal 8. 8. Ps 72. 8 â— 10 Ps 100. 1 2 3. Jer. 23. 5 6. cannot obey For this inability is no cause of disobedience proceedeth from no fault of the faculties subject to the minde and will from no naturall quality of the matter necessitating but the meer wilfulnesse and perversenesse of the soul The invitation of God is not so hard that man cannot fulfill it if he would nor wicked that we cannot will to doe it without sinne but lawfull just honest and such as if man would he could not but execute so farre as he truly judgeth it ought to be willed and executed If the efficacie of grace depend upon the liberty of mans will to things opposite then the promises of God the Father made to his Sonne might all be frustrate That he should see his seed that the people should come unto him from the North and the West and from the Isles that he should possesse the Gentiles as his inheritance that his dominion should be from Sea to Sea that a willing people should come unto him c. But the Covenant of God with his Sonne cannot be made void and of none effect If some may object conversion be so the Determinatio Dei est externa aequivâ—ca noâ— vitalis principalis Humana verò interna univoca vitalis subordiâ—ata Deus ita utitur voluntate ut ipsa voluntas sese electivè vitaliter ex practico rationis judicio agat Deus prâ—mò principaliter ab aeterno actum liberum ut futurum liberè ponendum determinat sed non ad alium sed ad â—undem numero actum ad quem voluntas in tempore determinavit â—ese Causa actus liberi est potentia determinata non simpliciter potentia Deus sic movet res necessarias ut non fiant contingentes sic movet res coâ—tingentes ut voluntarias ut non adimit eis contingentiam voluntatem Quando superior causa est physica a legesoluta inferier moraâ—is legi subdita esto quod superior physica influit in inseriorem tamen si inâ—erior est libera rea esse potest inâ—erior non superior Virg. Aeneid 8. fatiâ— egere volentem worke of God then man doth not repent and believe but God But this followeth not for repentance is the gift of God but the act of man God is the cause of willing efficient but not formall the cause externall and effective but not vitally efficient The determination of God externall and vitall volition differ as cause and effect for he worketh in us to will but volition doth not worke to will the determination of God as efficient is externall and respecteth the will in the first act of its influx but vitall determination is internall and respecteth good to be chosen or to be desired In man not converted two things are to be considered native contumacy and the not curing of that native contumacy The native contumacy is of themselves as darknes from the earth the not curing of this coÌ„tumacy is of God as a cause physicall because he can cure it but doth not but not as a Morall cause because he is not bound to heale or cure it The effect of God not curing this native contumacy is only a negative non-conversion physicall or not culpable as a morall effect The absence of the sunne is the cause why the darknesse of the night is not removed but the darkenesse it selfe is not from the sunne Fault is a morall defect and cannot arise but from a morall cause and deficient Culpable non-conversion is a consequent of Gods not curing our native contumacy but no effect thereof as of a morall cause because God is not bound to remove it either by Law debt justice promise or Covenant and betwixt the resistance of the Spirit and Gods not-conversion the free willing of the corrupt will and voluntary love of native contumacy doth intercede Not only ability to believe but beliefe it selfe is merited by the death of Christ and for Christ vouchsafed to them who are called according to his purpose In this vocation of a sinner God doth so administer both
Covenant how they differ viz. eight wayes p. 32. Christ more darkly revealed in the Covenant of promise and why ib. Covenant of promise when it began and how long it continued 36. The degrees of it ib. the parts of it 43. who contained under it 45. the Covenant of promise whether made in Adam with every infant that should be born into the world p 46. Covenant of grace as manifested to Abraham p. 47. what peculiarly to be observed therein ib. the grand promises of it 53. the temporall promises 54. Covenants personall family-Covenants and nationall p. 52. Covenant with Abraham how confirmed p. 90. All are not in Covenant in one manner p. 91. Covenant of grace under Moses till the return out of the Captivity p. 92. Covenant of works whether made with man fallen 93. Obscurity among Divines in differencing the old Covenant and new 95. Covenant made with Israel particularly explicated and what Moses brought to the further expressure of the Covenant of grace 122. Gods Covenant with David 143. c. In this Covenant Christ more cleerly manifested then before 144. The things promised in this Covenant 146 147. The condition of it 149. The execution of this Covenant 150 151. c. In this Covenant some things promised absolutely some conditionally 152 153. Two things to be considered in this Covenant 154. Covenant made with Israel after the Babylonish Captivity 156. c. The promises of this Covenant 158 159. c. In what sense this Covenant may be called new 161. Wherein this Covenant exceeded the former which God made when he brought them out of Egypt 161 162 163. Of the new Covenant or Testament and how God hath revealed himself therein 194. See New Testament D DOubting what the right course to take with him that doubts whether he should beleeve because of his former transgressions 226 Dead to what purpose invitations made to them that are dead in sins 244 Death inflicted on none but sinners or him that beareth the person of a sinner 276 Debt a two-fold paying of a debt 290 Decree of God to punish sin the reason of it 276 E ELect are in grace with God in respect of Ordination and appointment though after brought into grace by Christ by actuall collation and communication 292 Examination of our selves necessary p. 87. a meanes to attain and preserve uprightnesse 188 Exhortations to all import not a generall purchase of salvation for all 208 209. they are usefull both to them that have received the truth and to them that have not 209. to what purpose exhortations and invitations are to perswade men to believe that have no power 247 Externall blessings more esteemed of under the Covenant of promise and why p. 34 F FAith why not expressely required in the Covenant of nature p. 12. Faith which the righteousnesse of nature presupposeth how it differs from the faith required in the Covenant of grace p. 12. Faith the alone cause on our part required of justification and salvation 18. In what sense it is imputed for righteousnesse 63. Three divers opinions of orthodox Divines about the imputation of Faith 64. 65 66 Faith hath not the place of our righteousnesse but doth answer in our participation of Christ to that which is the ground of our being partakers of Adams sinne 67 68. Though faith be commanded in the law it followeth not that being justified by faith we are justified by the works of the law 114. Faith whether that Christ as be died to impetrate remission of sin for me in particular be the object of justifying faith 227. Faith justifying is not without an apprehension of mercy in Christ to be obtained but implyeth not an apprehension of mercy in the pardon of sin already obtained 227 Faithfull all of the same faith with Abraham 91 Father though the same work be done by Father and Son yet a difference in the manner of working 268 Fathers before Christ and Christians in the time of the Gospell under the same Covenant for substance 26 Fellowes how the faithfull are called Christs fellowes 311 Fellowship with the Saints a signe means of uprightnesse 188 Fulnesse of grace of two sorts 311 G GIving doth not alwayes import an act of grace p. 61 Gospell why meet that the promise should goe before it 32. Grace bestowed more plentifully under the Gospell how to be understood 35. Gospell in what sense called everlasting 37. How faith is said to come by the Gospell seeing it was commanded in the law 113. The law as given to the Jewes not opposite to the Gospell ib. Gospell strictly taken or the new Testament when it took its beginning 197 198. Good that the intellectuall nature is capable of is double 313 Graces how given by the hand of the Apostles how by Christ 320 Guile of our spirits how to finde it out 187. c. how to take up our selves for it 192 H HAnd right hand what it signifieth in Scripture 303 Head how Christ is the head to his body 318 Heart a double heart what 185. signes of a good heart ibid. Heathens some remainders of Gods Image in them and many temporall blessings vouchsafed them whence it coÌ„meth to passe 13 Heaven The fathers that died before Christ had not that perfect state in heaven that now they have we are presently possessed of and in heaven they did expect their redeemer 35 36. The Kingdome of Heaven not expressely mentioned in the old Testament 132 Heavenly things wrapt up under earthly in the old Testament 33 Humane nature of Christ most highly exalted 305. Christ as man hath a prerogative above every creature 214. He is set above all principality and power and dominion and what signified hereby 214. He hath a power above every creature 215. The man Christ is King of heaven and earth 216. yet this power is not infinite simply ibid. Humanity of Christ whether to be adored 321 I IEhovah what it denoteth 123 Jewes why made a nationall Church 92. they had a double vail â—ver their eyes 120. An illustrious type of election in them 33 Incarnation of Christ whether necessary to goe before its effects and benefits 28. Incarnation of Christ the day of his coronation and espousals 294 Impute what it signifieth in Scripture 60 61. Imputation of a good thing three wayes 62. Imputation and reputation how differ ib. Certain corollaries about imputation See Faith 62 Infants holy by Covenant 52 Integrity see Vprightnesse the necessity of it 80 81 82 83. It sets a faire glosse upon the meanest actions 83. The effects and fruits of it 85. Meanes to attain it 86 87 88. How a Christian is to stir up himself to attain Integrity 88 89 c. Impotency of man such that he can neither move to any thing of himselfe that is good nor manage grace when vouchsafed 199. Impossible how that which is impossible may be an object of Gods desire and approbation 245. Innocent whether an Innocent person ought to suffer
must accompany faith yet no cause of salvation 19 Revelation a double cleernesse of revelation 33 Reward how taken in Scripture 57 Right or upright by what words expressed in the originall 177 Righteousnesse diversly taken 62. Righteousnesse imputative is not putative 63. Righteousnesse of the fact and of the person 66 S SAcraments of the old Testament no types of the Sacraments of the new 30. Sacraments of the old and new Testament how they differ 35 Satan Gods indignation against him some cause of the Covenant of grace 17 Sacramentall phrases wherein the thing signified is given to the signe are ancient and familiar 91 Sacrifices what typified by the bloud of them 40. the fathers before the law that offered them had commandment from God for them 45. sin expiated in them by substitution 279 Satisfaction why God would not pardon sin without it 288 289. How free remission stands with satisfaction ib. How it could be necessary for those which were beloved of God 292. The word satisfaction not to be found in Scripture but the thing is 272. whether God could not have pardoned sin without satisfaction 273 274 c. Seed how variously taken in Scripture 36 Segullah what it imports 103 Serpents head how bruised by Christ and his members 39 40 Servitude double 141 Sheep of Christ spoken of two wayes in Scripture 257 Sin the discovery of it sweetens mercy and hence the law was more fully discovered by Christ then it had been afore 272. Though it hath an outward disagreement such as may be in a creature from the Creatour yet it hath no inward positive repugnancy to Gods nature such as is betwixt fire and water 275. Three things to be considered in sinne 291 Sincerity and Truth and Vprightnesse It is a comfort to a man in his greatest distresse 172. It puts an heroic all spirit into the people of God ib. The service of the sound Christian is acceptable ib. The degrees and nature of soundnesse or sincerity ib. c. The effects of a sincere heart 174. Nine signes of sincerity 174 175 c. Sit To sit what it imports in Scripture and what it is to sit at the right hand of God 303 304. Christs sitting at the right hand of God what 305. The place where he sits 308. Six things implyed in Christs sitting at the right hand of God 310. 321 Socinus the ground why he denied the prescience of God 248 Spirit The plentifull powring of it deferred till the glorification of Christ 330 Spirituall good things of two sorts 155 Sufferings of Christ two things to be considered in them viz. the substance and circumstances for substance they were what the law required but for the circumstances they were more 281. His sufferings were beyond measure grievous 281. punishments of sin of two sorts and which of them Christ suffered 282 T TAught of God what it meanes 332 Temporall blessings in a greater measure and spirituall in a lesse given to the naturall seed in the first ages 55 Testament old and new in what accidents they differ being for substance the same 163 164 165 c. Of Truth and uprightnesse 166. Truth what it imports ib. It presup poseth five things 167 168 169. Truth compared by the Apostle to a girdle in what respects 169 170 171 c. Time may be served 178 Trinity the doctrine of it obscure in the Old Testament 201. V VNion and communion with Christ how distinguished 43. Union severall sorts of union conjunction of one person with another 286. Union of the two natures in Christ cannot cause the humane to partake the properties of the divine 308. Vocation by it men are called into Christs kingdome It is free not depending upon any precedent condition persons called to fellowship with Christ who 324. The subiect or matter of vocatiō what 325. How men are said to be worthy of their Vocation or calling ib. and 326. It is partly externall and partly internall ib. Sometime it is wrought by the ministry of private persons 326. The instrument of Vocation 327. Internall Vocation how wrought 332. Vorstius confuted who saith that faith and repentance and new obedience is accounted for righteousnesse 69. Uprightnes necessary 80 81 82 83. See Integrity Uprightnes of heart and life 179 180. An upright heart is fixed in regard of the obiect 180. The effects of Uprightnes 183 184 185 c. The meanes whereby it may be attayned and strengthened 186 187. W TO Walk before God what 73 74. To walk in Chr. what 74. Wicked men what benefit they have by Christ 13 14. Will whether the efficacy of grace depend upon the liberty of the Will 340. They that are given to Christ comefreely yet necessarily 342. How men are said to sanctify and purge themselves 342. God determineth the Will to will and doe by his grace 343. Works and faith cannot be joyned as con-causes in justification 70. What Works be opposed to faith in justification 137. Word a morall instrument of conversion 328. It is not only preparatory as if there were another Word suggested by the spirit which might be called cōsummatory 329. Word signifieth the second person in many places of the old Testament 125 126. World to come what 207. world that Christ come to save what 210. Whether the whole world be reconciled to God by Christ 216 217. c. world is usually taken for men in the world indefinitely not every man in the world nor yet the greatest part 261.
John the Baptist put over his hearers to Christ Joh. 1. 26 27. Luke 3. 16. Mark 1. 7 8. Matth. 3. 11 12. Christ invites men to the Kingdome of Heaven that is the Evangelicall Government of the Church as future at hand but not yet present Matth. 4. 17. Mark 1. 15. Nay after he was risen from the dead although he professe openly and plainly to his Disciples that all power was given unto him in Heaven and earth and he command them to preach the Gospell to every creature Matth. 28. 18 19. yet he gives them a charge to tarry at Jerusalem to waite for the accomplishment of the promise concerning the solemne sending of the holy Ghost and to be endued with power from above Luk 24. 49. as if they were designed before but then to be inaugurated and by extraordinary gifts many hearing and beholding openly to be approved The dayes immediately following the death and resurrection of Christ were the dayes of the Churches widowhood wherein she sate for a while destiture and comfortlesse and barren having neither power to beare nor to bring forth children But within ten dayes after Christ the Lord the Bridegroome of the Church had ascended from earth to Heaven in glory the holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles in visible shape in token that Christs Church was now betrothed unto him and had received strength to conceive and bring forth and breasts replenished with plenty of Milk to nourish and feed her children This was as the Solemnization of the Marriage and then did the barren begin to rejoyce that she should be the mother of many children From this time properly the New Testament tooke its beginning The nature of this Testament stands principally in three things 1. In the kinde of Doctrine plaine full and meerly Evangelicall 2. In freedome from the curse of the Law and freedome from Legall Rites 3. In the amplitude and enlargement of the new Church throughout all Nations of the world It may be described the free Covenant which God of his rich grace in Jesus Christ incarnate crucified dead buried raised up to life and ascended into Heaven hath made and plainly revealed unto the world of Jew and Gentile promising to be their God and Father by right of Redemption and Christ to be their Saviour to pardon their sinne heale their nature adopt them to be his Sonnes protect them from all evill that may hurt furnish them with all needfull good things spirituall and temporall and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come if they repent of their iniquities beleeve in Christ and through or by Christ in him and walk before him in sincere constant and conscionable obedience which he doth inwardly sease by the witnesse of the holy Spirit who is the earnest of their inheritance in the hearts of the faithfull and ratifie and confirme by outward seales universall plain easie and perpetuall The Author of this Covenant is God in Jesus Christ for none can make these promises but God none can make them good but his Highnesse Therefore the Lord doth evermore challenge this unto himself that he is the maker of the Covenant And as it is Jer. 31. 1 31 32 33. called our Covenant in respect of the conditions required Zech. 9. 11. So it is called the Lords Covenant because he hath made and will establish it If ye can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night c. Then may also my Covenant be broken Jer. 33. 20 21. with David my servant Christ also as Mediatour is both the foundation and Author of this Covenant as he is appointed of the Father Lord and King advanced at the right hand of God to give repentance and remission of sinnes unto Israel and as Testatour Heb. 9. 16. he hath confirmed the Covenant by his death But of this in the next Chapters God is both the Author of this Covenant and one partie confederate Fathers we know seldome frame Indentures thereby to bind themselves what they will doe for their children if they will be obedient but by right of Fatherhood they challenge of them their best service Lords and great personages seldome indent with their free servants what preferment they shall expect after some terme of service and attendance but if they look for reward they must stand at their courtesie But our Lord and Master to whom we owe our selves by right of Creation who might take advantage against us for former disobedience is content to undertake and indent with us and by Indenture to bind himself to bestow great things and incomprehensible upon us if we will accept his kindnesse and bind our selves unto him in willing and sincere obedience If you demand a reason of this dealing none can be given but the meere grace and rich mercy and love of God Thus saith the Ezek. 36. 22. Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake I will cause you to passe under the rod and I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant c. And ye shall know Ezek. 20. 37. that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the Land of Israel c. And there ye shall remember your wayes and all your doings wherein 42. 43. you have been defiled and ye shall lothe your selves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my Names sake not according to your wicked wayes nor according to your corrupt doings Man can doe nothing of himself to procure his spirituall good In spirituall things it fareth with him much what as with a child new borne into the world which being naked can neither provide cloathes nor being provided and laid by him can put them on for man destitute of all spirituall goodnesse can neither move to helpe himself untill it be freely bestowed nor manage and wield it well when it is of grace vouchsafed without direction and assistance from God And there is as little worth or dignity in man to move God to promise him help as there is ability in man to procure help There is nothing in man to move God to shew mercy but only misery which might be an occasion but can be no cause either why mercy is promised or salvation granted If man had not fallen from grace and state of Innocency God had never sent his Sonne to redeeme him nor shewed mercy reaching to the pardon and covering of his iniquity If he had not lost himself Christ had never come to find and restore him if he had not wounded himself he had not been healed and repaired of grace Man then is a subject on whom God bestowes grace and in whom he works it and his mâ—sery an occasion that the Lord took of manifesting his mercy in succouring and lifting him up out of that distresse but the free
for a nocent the question largely handled 284 285 c. It is not universally against equity for one to suffer the punishment of anothers sinne ib. That an innocent person may justly suffer for a nocent what is required 286. Intercession of Christ whether well distinguished into general and speciall 258. Intercession of Christ what it is 296. It is generall and particular heavenly and glorious 297. It is founded upon his satisfactory merits ibid. It implyeth three things 298. It is not reciprocall ibid. The benefits of it to the Church ibid. and 299. How the faithfull come to be subject to evil and misery Christ interceding for them ibid. Whether Christ prayeth for the absolute perseverance of beleevers or only upon condition 301. Invitations of God mans perversenesse only the cause why he answereth them not 343. Israel why called Iesurun 180. Judgement whether the will follow it 333 334. 335. the act of Judgement two-fold ibid. Justice of God cleered in requiring that of man fallen which he hath no power to doe 44. Justification cannot be by faith and workes as concauses â—o Justification is by faith alone not by that faith which is alone 73. K KIngs why specially to be prayed for 231. Kingdome of Christ he entreth alwayes on it by conquest 323. yet useth no compulsion 324. men are gathered into this Kingdome by vocation ibid. Knowledge of God begets in us a similitude of God 86. Christ saveth not as cleerely known but as sincerely acknowledged 33. L LAW called fiery why 101. and 124 The Law as given upon mount Sinai was a Covenant of grace proved at large 102 103 110. The Law never given without the Gospell nor the Gospell without the Law 102. The Law requireth faith as well as love and obedience 105. 106. c. The Law to be expounded according to the sense the prophets give of it 110. In the Law frequent mention of the Messiah 111. Faith in Christ commanded in the Law though more obscurely 113. Law and Gospell in what respects opposed 115 116 117 118 119 120 c. Law a double use of it 120. How it is said that the Law entred that sinne might abound 139. Whether the Law be abolished to them that are under the Covenant of grace p. 15. Learning of Christ what 334. Limbus patrum no such thing p. 30. yet the fathers before Christ had not that perfect state which now they have and we are presently possessed of p 35. Love of God toward the creature a double distinction of it 4. M MAny sometimes put for all 250. Mediatour the necessity of one 264. What an one the Mediatour must be ib. Why the second person was Mediatour rather then the first or third 266. According to which nature Christ was Mediatour ib. A Mediatour what 270. Whether Christ a Mediatour to himselfe ib. whether if Christ be a Mediatour according to his divine nature all the three persons be not Mediatours 271. Mediation of Christ three things to be considered in the acts of it p 28. How Christ hath performed the office of mediatioÌ„ 271. Meanes not vouchsafed to all and therefore neither the rest of the effects of Christs death 233. Measure what to doe a thing in Measure 310. Ministery of the Jewes and the end of it 138. Misery in man the occasion but no cause of Gods mercy towards him Messiah the times of the Messiah times of greater light 331. Moon a fit resemblance of the Church 147. Moses whether the Covenant of grace were manifested by him 93. The shining of his face what it signifyed 94. How and in what sense he was a mediatour 127 128 165. N NAtural gifts whether they may be so used that God will bestow supernaturall 237. Negations in Scripture imply not alwayes an absolute denyall p. 5 New what it signifieth in Scripture 194. A new song what ib. A new commandment what 195. New man what ib. New Testament abolisheth not the former but the former was fulfilled by the latter 29. Covenant of grace in what respect called a new Covenant or TestameÌ„t 195. Why it is called a Covenant and why a Testament 196. New Covenant when properly it began 196. New Testament published on a solemn day in the Assembly almost of all nations 197. New Testament the nature of it stands in three things 198. A description of it ib. The authority of it reason why God made it 199. New Covenant preferred much before the old though both of the same nature and from the same fountain 200. The promises in it assured by Father Son and holy Ghost 201. was stricken with all nations in opposition to the Jewes ib. made with some externally others internally 202 203. The prerogative of the new Covenant above the old 293 294 c. O OAth when the Saints bound themselves by oath to walk in all the statutes of the law what they meant 135. why God confirmed his promise to Abraham by oath 58 Obedience under what notion required in the Covenant 19. It is two-fold perfect and sincere 20. Obedience perfect is commanded though not rigidly exacted and why 21. It is in vain to think of entring into Covenant if not resolved to obey in all things ib. Obscurity in the knowledge of Christ under the Covenant of promise and the degrees of it and reasons p. 32 Old Testament what 92. difference betwixt the old Testament and new Old Testament abolished by the death of Christ in right not in act 196 P PAsseover when and to what purpose instituted 142 Peculiar people who 103 The Pedagogy of the Jewes illustrated largely by comparison of a Schoolmasters dealing with his Scholars 138 139 140. Perfection what it imports in Scripture phrase 75. A thing is said to be perfect three wayes 76 77 78 79. Prayers not to be made for all men 231. Christs praying for those that crucified him was of private duty not out of his office of Mediatour 259. some prayers suppose a condition in him for whom we pray some none 301 Personall union the end of it 269 To prepare the heart to seek God what 179 Preparations whether the spirit makes us come to God immediately or by some preparations going before 336. Nine conclusions concerning such preparations 337. c. This preparation is neither saving grace nor a thing betwixt nature and grace 339 Priesthood the end and use of it 138 141 R REading God may work by it when that preaching is not slighted 327 Reconciliation imports no change in God 293 Redemption universall redemption the controversie concerning it largely discussed 204. thorow the chapter and objections answered The deliverance we obtain by Christ is called Redemption and was made by the paying of a price 279 Religion for substance ever one and unchangeable 27 Remission of sin though certain yet lesse felt in the old Testament 35. Remission what 290. It is not repugnant to antecedent satisfaction ibid. Repentance how called for in the Covenant of grace 18. Necessary and