God doth not require this of them for they are under this Law of Nature and so he doth require it of them or else it is some distinct special Law whereby he requires it of others and not of them By this Notion God never made any Law beside this one Law of Nature no positive Law no ceremonial Law for this Law of Nature did bind Man to observe them when God was pleased to command them and yet they were special Laws for all that And why then must the Command of Faith in Christ and Repentance for Remission be no Law when God commands them because the Law of Nature requires us to obey them when God doth command them What a Government do these men assign to God who allow him but one and the same Law to govern the whole Creation by when their state and circumstances be so different though all are his Creatures 4. As for such as confound the Law of Nature with the Law to Israel as taken into the Covenant of Grace I shall not think fit to say more to than this Though the carnal Iews did turn it into a Covenant of Works as if their imperfect Obedience and chargeable Sacrifices were the very Righteousness for which they were justified and so neglected Repentance and Faith in the Promise of Forgiveness for the sake of Christ who was typified in their Sacrifices nevertheless it was a Law of Faith and Repentance as Wittichius calls it p. 106. in cap. 2. v. 25. and therefore such great Titles are given it in the Old Testament and not as such is it opposed by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament it was the base perverting of it as exclusive of Faith in Christ and as opposing Gospel Institutions by Jewish Ordinances that he reprehends See Calvin on Ps. 19 9. he states the difference between the Law commended by David and as represented by Paul and saith that Paul had to do with the perverse Interpreters of the Law which separated it from the Grace and Spirit of Christ c. and sums up all in these words Haec diversa legis acceptatio c. This different acceptation of the Law easily reconciles the seeming difference in the words of David and Paul because Paul's purpose is to shew what the Law of it self viz. as it sincerely requires the Duty we owe to God without the Promise of Grace can do in us or for us but David commends the whole Doctrine of the Law which is the same with the Gospel and therefore includes Christ therein See Mr. Ball 's Arguments for the Covenant with Israel being the Gospel-Covenant and how the Precepts were Gospel-Precepts Indeed it 's true the matter of the Ten Commandments were much of the matter of the Law of Innocency but God did not deliver it to his Church as a Law to innocent Man but to fallen Man for his direction and recovery Therefore when any Authors take the Law as given on Sinai to be the Covenant of Grace they deny Faith to be commanded Adam in Innocency though they grant it requir'd in the Law at Sinai 2. The Sanction of the Gospel is not the same with the Law of Innocency which I shall evidence in the promissory and minatory parts I 'll begin with the promissory part I. The promissory part of the Gospel differs from that of the Law of Innocency 1. There are many things promised in the Gospel which that Law never promised Did that Law ever promise Union with Christ or the indwelling Spirit or Forgiveness of Sin or Perseverance Surely no But the Gospel doth all this Nay Dr. Goodwin urgeth many Arguments to prove that the Reward of Adam was to be only a continuance in the same Life he had in Paradise and not a translation to Heaven 2. The Rewards of the Law of Works were not promised on the same account as the Benefits promised by the Law of Grace be those were on the account of Works as a meriting Righteousness ours are by Free Grace on the account of Christ's sole meriting Righteousness Dr. Goodwin saith The Reward of the Law was in a just sence due of Debt unto the Creature and that from God Not that God can owe any thing to his Creature or be obliged for any thing to him but because in a way of natural Justice or rather Comeliness and Dueness such as is by the Law of Creation to be between a just Creator and a holy Creature there is an approbation due to him from God whilst that Creature obeys him and that as a Debt of Nature But I say all the claim we have is for Christ and ex pacto as the Free Promise assureth us 3. The Benefits are promised on different terms By the Law all was for perfect Sinless Obedience but the Gospel promiseth Pardon upon our true repenting and believing and we forfeit not our Interest in its Blessings if our Faith be effectual and persevering in sincere Holiness and Obedience 4. The Law of Adam did not justifie till the whole time of the trial of Obedience was finished It 's true it did continue the Blessings he had while he sinned not but it did not fix his state of Happiness till his trial was over but the Gospel puts us in a justified state upon our first believing II. The threatning part of the Gospel differs from that in Adam's Law 1. The Evils threatned are not wholly the same Here 's not only Death but that in sorer degrees Heb. 10. 29. 12. 25. God's Wrath will be more poured out and Conscience will find matter of sorer Reflections Here 's a privation of Christ and his Spirit and Pardon We are not only without them but we are barr'd from them because of our wicked refusal when they were sincerely offer'd us after our Apostacy If the Gospel were no Law we could not be obliged to more Misery than Adam brought us under yea and Adam could not be our full Representative in his Covenant if we are capable of encreasing our Misery by that Law without disobedience to a new one 2. The Gospel doth not denounce Death for the same Sins as Adam's Law did that Law threatned Death for the least Sin yea for one Sin but the Gospel threatens Death not for every Sin it doth not bar every Sinner from actual Relief but the impenitent unbelieving and utterly ungodly Hypocrite 3. The Gospel binds not Damnation on us unless we are finally impenitent Unbelievers If at any time of life we truly repent and believe we shall find Mercy but Adam's Law denounced him miserable on his first Sin III. There be a great many other Differences viz. in Adam's Law God acted as meer Creator in the Law of Grace he acts as Redeemer as well as Creator in Adam's Law Men were considered as innocent and sinless in the Gospel we are considered as Sinners by that Law God governed us as happy in order to
that I forbear more Testimonies But why are Gospel-Threatnings a Bull No doubt because the Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings And indeed is it bad news that Sinners shall be saved if they repent and believe and many shall believe Will nothing be glad tidings but that they shall be saved tho' they neither repent nor believe This indeed was a Message unfit for God to send and tho' Mr. C. calls it a Bull Christ hath solemnly declared as the Lord of the N. Testament that they who believe not the Wrath of God abideth in them This cannot be a Threatning of Adam's Law for those Threatnings respected every Sin It is true the Unbeliever is damned for other Sins by rejecting Christ but what makes those Sins damning to him in the event notwithstanding the Offers of Life Is it every Sin will do this Will a vain Thought exclude a man from Pardon as much and as surely as final Unbelief Surely no But yet the Threatning of Adam's Law denounced Death against any Sin as much and as certainly as against final Infidelity and so did not appropriate Death to Infidelity as the Gospel-Threatning doth Besides is it an abiding of Wrath on us which Adam's Law threatned No it was the first bringing of Wrath on them that were free before III. TESTIMONIES that God hath declared a fixed Rule by which He pardons adopts and glorifies Sinners which Rule is his Gospel and not his Secret Decree To prevent mistake know that I speak not of the first Grace which He gives to all the Elect but I speak of Pardon and Glory which he hath promised upon Terms and judicially denies to them that refuse Christ. They put this Q. How is the Grace of God c A. The Grace of God is manifested in the second Covenant in that He freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation by him and requiring Faith as the Condition to interest them in him c. Here thou feest Faith is a Condition and a Condition required and this required to interest us in Christ No Interest but in conforming to this Rule that requires Faith to this end He De Christo grâ—…tis justificante p. 244. Conditio vero c. The Condition whereby we are properly justified is this That we believe in Christ and cleave to him by a constant profession c. P. 251 252. I ask When Salvation is promised freely for Christ's sake will the absolute Promise save all men promisâ—…uously for the sake of Christ without the limit of any Condition I think no such thing Go on then When this Promise belongs but to some and that only upon a certain Condition who then are those on whom this Promise properly falls Thou must say the Believer c. P. 297. Q. What Sinners are justified by Christ A. Those who enclined by a serious remorse bewail their Sins and displeased at themselves do recollect themselves with their whole Soul and are converted to Christ with an entire Faith these are the only Sinners whom Faith without Works doth justifie And p 311. Repentance prepares the Matter to receive Justification but the cause of Justification is Faith Consult these Canons of the Synod of Dort p. 289. The Promise of the Gospel is that whoever believeth on Christ crucified shall not perish but have everlasting Life which Promise with the Command of Faith and Repentance ought to be declared and proposed promiscuously and without distinction to all men to whom God in his good pleasure sends the Gospel But the reason why many that are called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe on Christ but perish in their Unbelief is not truly any want or insufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice offer'd on the Croâ—…s but through their own fault And the Synod adds p. 302. Quotquot autem c. But as many as are called by the Gospel are seriously called for God doth seriously and most truly declare in his Word what is pleasing to him viz. That they that are called should come to him and unfeignedly promiseth Rest for their Souls and eternal Life to all that come and believe I have cited these to shew that God sets down this general common Rule to all in his Gospel It 's not one Rule to the Elect and another to the Non-elect it 's the same to all Would the Reprobate obey the Call of the Gospel he should have Eternal Life And the Elect do obey this Call and thereupon obtain Eternal Life I could give very many instances out of this Book where Faith is called the Condition P. 105 Salvation is the thing promised in the new Covenant neither is it promised but upon the Condition of Faith Seeing therefore that all men have not Faith in Christ under which alone Condition is Salvation promised it is certain that Christ's Death hath not purchased the Restauration to a state of Grace and Salvation for all men but only for Believers See p. 12. God willeth that the obtaining of Life should be suspended on condition of foregoing Faith P. 76 77. When the Gospel is preached to Men an Experiment is made how they will prove as to Faith and Obedience if they acquit themselves in these they receive the Blessing of Eternal Life from God And p. 14. There is no Interest in Christ or Christian Religion to be obtained without Repentance from dead Works See p. 12 13 14. The removal hereof viz. Enmity of our Minds by wicked Works consists in this Repentance for that is our turning unto God upon the Terms of Peace tender'd to us c. All Doctrines Notions and Perswasions that tend to alleviate the necessity of Personal Repentance c. are pernicious to the Souls of Men c. P. 15. It hath an absolute inconsistency with the especial Righteousness of His Nature Christ and which he exerciseth as supreme Rector and Judge of all that any such should stand in his sight c. and for the Lord Jesus it would plainly make him the Minister of Sin c. and the Gospel doth openly propose Pardon of all sorts of Sin to all sorts of persons that shall believe and obey it If the Gospel did this without annexing to its Promise the Condition of Repentance never was there nor can there be so great an Encouragement to all sorts of Sin and Wickedness He on Ps. 130. p. 141. And this Connexion of Repentance and Forgiveness is that Principle from whence God convinceth a stubborn unbelieving People that all his ways and dealings with Sinners are just Ezek. 18. 25. and should there be any failure in it they could not be so if out of love to Sin or the power of Unbelief he refuse to close with him on these Terms his Condemnation is just P. 136. After the Angels had sinned God never once called them to Repentance he would not deceive them but let them know what they were to look for at his Hands He
hath no Forgiveness for them and therefore would require no Repentance of them It is not nor ever was a Duty encumbent on them to repent nor is it so unto the Damned in Hell God requires it not of them nor is it their Duty there being no Forgiveness for them What should move them to repent Why should it be their Duty so to do Assignation then of Repentance is a revelation of Forgiveness God would not call upon a sinful Creature to humble it self and bewail its Sin if there were no way of recovery or relief Pray see him p. 151 c. P. 184. he saith Whence is it that men perish in and for their Sins Is it for want of Mercy Goodness Grace or Patience in God Is it through any defect in the Mediation of the Lord Christ Is it for want of the mightiest Encouragements and most infallible Assurances that with God there is Forgiveness Not at all but meerly on the account of their own obstinacy stubbornness and perverseness they will not they hate the Light they will not come to Christ that they may have Life See his awful denunciation of the Curse against all that resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation p. 272. I 'll add one Passage of his p. 144. the satisfaction made for Sin being not made by the Sinner himself there must of necessity be a Rule and Law-Constitution how the Sinner may come to be interessed in it and made partaker of it for the consequent of the Freedom of one by the Suffering of another is not natural or necessary but must proceed from a Law-Constitution Compact and Agreement Now the way constituted and appointed is that of Faith or Believing as explained in the Scripture If Men believe not they are no less liable to the Punishment due to their Sins than if no satisfaction at all were made for Sinners P. 624. he asks whether there be any Terms or no Terms in the Covenant he answers Surely there are How shall poor Creatures make out their Interest therein unless God hath declared upon what Conditions we shall be possest of the Priviledges c If God hath once declared the Conditions if we would have the benefit we must consent to them In the last part p. 127. he tells us the Conditions of the Covenant are Faith Repentance and new Obedience P. 374. Nothing can be objected against the Conditions He requires viz. Repentance and Faith Can any Malefactor expect Peace with his Sword in his Hand And is it not fit there should be such Conditions to justifie God since we were the guilty Offenders can there be less than to cast away our Weapons bewail our Sins receive the Mediator and serve him with newness of life They are such reasonable Conditions that the Honour of God would not be provided for nor have a salvo without them See p. 692 349 c. P. 36. Make sure of true saving justifying Faith c. it secures from this Condemnation both as it is the Grace which unites to Christ and also as it is the great Condition of the Gospel upon which it promiseth Life and Salvation c. He may set down what Condition he pleases in order to the giving out of his Grace which when they are performed he is engaged to make good what he promiseth upon them How oft doth he tell us that God requires of every man Faith to be the Condition to be Partaker of the Covenant P. 114. and p. 143. he saith The Condition requir'd of us is the doing this viz. to repent to serve the Lord in newness of Life Bulkley by very many Arguments from p. 278 to 298. doth prove the Gospel-Covenant to be conditional P. 280. The Lord doth not say to any Soul I will save you and bring you to Life though you continue impenitent and unbelieving but commands and works us to repent and believe and then promises that in the way of Faith and Repentance he will save us Had I room I would give thee full proof that Davenant Pemble Perkins Twiss Scharpius Zanchius Rollock Wendelin Altingius Burgess Blake New-England Synod Turretin Synod of Dort with hundreds more do positively affirm the Gospel-Covenant to require a Condition on our part and so fix this Gospel-Rule Mr. Chancy's Father urgeth it p. 79 132 123 116. where he shews what we must do to obtain the Propitiation So 117. Mr. Rutherford affirms That to deny there be Conditions is to bely the Gospel and adds That Good Works are Conditions without which we cannot be saved p. 38. and p. 36. It is a new Heresie of Antinomians to deny a conditional Gospel it is all one as to bely the Holy Ghost who saith He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not is condemned already Or they may say whether Men believe or no they may be saved as Dr. Crisp saith P. 445. If not then be wise and 〈◊〉 from the Wrath to come and there is but one way and that is by closing with Jesus Christ and giving your selves up to an entire subjection to his Yoke There is no way to escape Wrath and secure Eternal Life but this P. 276. Consider where you will lay the blame of your Destruction you cannot lay it upon God for he gave Christ to redeem and save you you cannot lay it upon Christ for he would have gathered you and you would not he never cast you off till you cast him off you cannot lay it upon the Spirit for he would have convinced and converted and sanctified you and you have resisted and quenched him you cannot lay it upon your Ministers for they have set before you Life and Death and declared to you the danger of Sin and necessity of Holiness but you would not believe their Report c. So that you can lay the blame no where but upon a cursed corrupt Heart thy Destruction is of thy self See what he saith of Conditions and decree under the Head the Gospel is a Law P. 182 183 184 c. proves the Covenant to be conditional that without Faith there is no relation in a way of Covenant 'twixt God and us and that upon Faith God becomes our God in Covenant and answers Objections P. 188 189. he speaks to Sinners presuming of the many Promises of Salvation c. Oh but Sirs there is a Condition in the Bond which he oft repeats P. 430. when he had proved Repentance was necessary to the remission of Sin he adds Whereas they say this is Popish and Legal they speak ignorantly if not maliciously c. it is as Popish to say Repentance is required for Assurance as for Remission for both are Acts of Grace Conjunctas autem c. But Repentance and Remission of Sin are joyned together and truly so that Repentance goes before Forgiveness This partly the Word of God teacheth yea Reason it self and common Sence however corrupt doth