lapsus peccati statu alijsque peccatis excepta sola impenitentia considerantur c. Sicut fidelibus quatalibus fructus impetratae gratiae proprié obtingit ita infidelibus rebellibus qua talibus gratia impetrata non est c. pag. 312. The second sort of Divines distinguish the sufficiency and efficiency of Christs death In respect of the worth and greatnesse of the price he died for all men because it was sufficient for the redemption of every man in the world if they did repent and believe and God might without impeachment of justice have offered Salvation to every man in the world upon that condition if it had been his pleasure In the efficiency as every man or any man hath fruit by the death of Christ so Christ died for him But this is not of one kind some fruit is common to every man for as Christ is Lord of all things in heaven and earth even the earthly blessings which infidels injoy may be tearmed fruits of Christs death Others proper to the members of the visible Church and common to them as to be called by the word injoy the Ordinances of grace live under the Covenant partake of some graces that come from Christ which through their fault be not saving and in this sence Christ died for all that be under the Covenant But other fruits of Christs death according to the will of God and intention of Christ as Mediatour be peculiar to the sheep of Christ his brethren them that be given unto him of the Father as faith unfained regeneration pardon of sinne adoption c. and so they hold Christ died efficiently for his people only in this sence namely so as to bring them effectually to faith grace and glory Now let us come to examine what the Scriptures teach in this particular The Apostle writeth expressely that by the grace of Heb. 2. 9. God Christ tasted of death for all men or distributively for every man Some referre this to the sufficiency of Christs death but all men cannot be referred to man-kinde considered in the common masse or lapse for the words must be understood of the death of Christ as it was suffered in time and not as it was decreed of God and of men considered as at that time But at what time Christ suffered mankind could not be considered as in the transgression of our first Parents The Jewes were of opinion that Christ the Messiah was promised a Saviour to them only How to impetrate Salvation No but to be applied as in Covenant Now to beate downe their pride the Apostle saith Christ tasted of death for all sc both Jew and Gentile who stood in relation by virtue of the Covenant as the Jewes did So that the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death which is not absolutely common to all and every man in the world and by every man is meant every man who heareth receiveth and is partaker of the fruit and benefit of Christs death offered in the word of reconciliation every man who is under the new Covenant as it is propounded of God in the Gospell and accepted of them But every man under the new Covenant as he is under the Covenant is partaker of the fruit benefit of Christs death That the passage is to be understood of them that apply and possesse the fruit of his death is manifest by divers reasons from the verses precedent and subsequent The world to come verse 5. may well be that all or every man for whom Christ tasted death but that world to come is that happy age which the Prophets did foretell should begin at the comming of Christ whose accomplishment or fulfilling we expect as yet Beza an not in Heb. 2. 5. Corvin in Mal. cap. 29. § 1. Heb. 2. 10 11. 13 Isa 53. 10. Heb. 2. 16. They for whom Christ died are in the same Chapter described to be one that is of the same nature and spirituall condition with Christ to be his brethren such as trust in God the children of God given unto Jesus Christ the generation or posterity of Christ as the Prophet speaketh whom Christ tooke by the hand and lifted up from their fall the seed of Abraham But these things agree to them only that possesse the fruits and benefits of Christ for whom he died by way of application If the maintainers of universall redemption consider their owne grounds it will be hard to fit this Text to their purpose or rather from them the former exposition may be confirmed For either by all men they must understand mankind in the common lapse as fallen in Adam and then Christ by his death hath restored them into the favour of God they stand actually reconciled they be regenerated and if they die before by actuall sinne committed in their owne person they fall from that estate are undoubtedly saved or they must understand all men considered as obstinate impenitent rebellious unbelievers And then Christ died for all and every man as obstinate impenitent and unbelievers which I cannot find that any of them hath or dare affirme or by all men they must understand all beleevers who apply and possesse the benefits of Christs death which is that we affirme They say how truly I dispute not his dominion over all men that they are bound to obey him and live unto him is grounded upon his dying for every one But if that be granted is it not necessary that his death should be applied to every one in some sort at least made knowne unto them in the word of life For men are bound to obey and live unto Christ as they will grant not because he hath impetrated righteousnesse and salvabilitie but because he hath entred into Covenant with them made knowne unto them the way of life imparted unto them his blessings and they have accepted of the condition and received him to be their Saviour And these words By the grace of God I should thinke import more to them then that velleity or common mercy or generall affection of doing good which Armin. and Corvin make naturall and as they teach God beareth towards them that he hateth Corvin in Molin cap. 29. Sect. 2. which was the cause why he gave Christ to die for all men even that free grace and love whereby he quickens them that were dead in trespasses and saveth them that believe Ephes 2. 5. As for the particle All or every one examples are usuall in Scripture where it is used with fit limitation though neither all precisely nor the most part be signified and that confessed by all sides But what need paralell places to prove it may be when the circumstances of the text shew it must be limited and they that most presse universall redemption are enforced to acknowledge a limitation in this matter It is objected that the holy Ghost speaketh generally in the beginning of the Chapter What is man But how to frame any Heb.
for then all must comprehend even those that sinne sins unto death amongst the rest unlesse we beleeve that there are no such sinners in the world and he had need be of a strong faith and have some extraordinary revelation that beleeveth that Then are we to pray for all and every Infidell obstinate rebellious person even the whole Kingdome of Antichrist that they might come to the knowledge of the truth but he must be a man of strong faith that can believe that God will give his Gospell to every of these in particular that they might come to the saving knowledge of the truth The distinction of antecedent and consequent will hath no place in this matter because such are to be understood as have most egregiously abused the common grace of God received Moreover we shall never find in Scripture that the faithfull ever made such prayers but as God hath signified his will and pleasure concerning the calling and gathering of his people Jews or Gentiles so they have prayed as we may pray for the fulnesse of the Gentiles and calling of the Jews wherein we doe not exclude any though Act. 5. 31. aâ—d 11. 18. we know God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and gives the grace of repentance and to repent also to whom he please the habituall grace serving for the one and the actuall and effectuall motion of Gods Spirit being requisite to the other Some pleade further The meanes to this end that men may have part in Christ are unlimited the word written Joh. 20. 31. and preached Act. 3. 24 25 26 27. yea a command to preach to every creature Mark 16. 15. which Paul understood and therefore warned every man and taught every man Col. 1. 18. to repent Act. 17. 30. and to beleeve Rom. 1. 5. But if all this be granted nothing will follow which is not freely granted For as on the one side no man will affirm that Christ died to this end namely to procure forgivenesse of sinne and Salvation to all and every one whether they beleeve or no so on the other side none will deny but that he died to this end that salvation and remission of sinnes should redound to all and every one in case they should beleeve and repent For this depends upon the sufficiencie of that price which Christ paid to God his Father for the redemption of the world No man denieth but God made a Covenant with Adam fallen and his posterity as now with the faithfull and their seed that all mankind had continued in this Covenant if they had not discovenanted themselves and their posterity that no man is deprived of the benefits of Christs death but through his own sinne and corruption that God is not the cause efficient or deficient of any mans infidelity but man himself That men are seriously invited to repent in the Ministery of the Word and that the promise of Salvation is faithfull and true so that he that beleeveth shall never perish These things be not questioned nor whether some effects or benefits of Christs death be common to all men but whether he died equally for all men to purchase actuall reconciliation for them on Gods part and set all Infants in the actuall state of salvation but to procure faith and beliefe for no man so that he had obtained the full immediate end of his death though no man had ever beleeved on him or been saved by him But that which is assumed in this argument is apparently false as it is applyed The Covenant of grace is revealed to some no man being shut forth by name but if he repent and beleeve he shall be saved but many thousands never heard of never had probable meanes to come to the knowledge of the Covenant The commandement to preach the Gospell to every creature was given to the Apostles in the dayes of grace upon the publication of which Covenant they which formerly served dumbe idols were bound to repent and beleeve but that commandement was peculiar to the Apostles not given till after the resurrection of Christ after such commandement the Apostles were injoyned to tarry for a time in Jerusalem nor could they possibly disperse themselves in a moment into every part of the world nor the world take notice of any such commandement given unto them or of the doctrine revealed by them Before that time the Lord suffered the Gentiles for a long time to walk in the vanity of their minds without the light of his truth and since that time divers nations have been cast off left to themselves as aliens from the Covenant and deprived of all meanes to come to the knowledge of God in Christ And if there were any force in this reason The meanes of grace be unlimited and command given to preach to every creature therefore Christ died for all men This must be of greater weight The meanes of grace be not vouchsafed unto all and every man therefore Christ died not for all and every man For if meanes necessary to Salvation be not propounded if they be not nor ever were called to the faith by the ordinary and only effectuall meanes ordained of God to bring men thereunto we speake of our selves and not according to Scripture if we affirme God gave Christ to die for their redemption Amongst many effects of Christs death reckoned up in this argument this is the most generall and all the rest depend upon it and if the meanes be not vouchsafed to all none of the rest can be common to every one It is a received principle amongst them that as God loved the world and Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all men or is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world so God willed that the Gospell concerning Christ should be published to all men in the world Corvin in Mol. cap. 31. sect 33. If then the Gospell be not published or God willed not that the Gospell should be published to all and every man in the world Christ died not for all and every man Adam and Noah having received the Covenant were bound to teach their children and so successively in all ages Psal 78. which had it been observed none had failed to have the same published unto him If this be applied to the present purpose they must teach only that Christ died for all and every man if they that be in Covenant shall carefully observe the charge and commandement of God And by the same reason they may conclude that God gave his Sonne to die and that with plenary purpose that no man should ever sinne by ignorance infirmity impenitency unbeliefe or any particular transgression that God purposed to give to every man the plentifull and effectuall meanes of grace and that every man should actually apply the death of Christ For if every man successively had obeyed the commandement given to Adam and fulfilled that charge the doctrine of salvation had been published to every man every man had been
and receiving of the Sacraments oblige themselves to the condition required and thus all members of the visible Church be in Covenant With others God doth make his Covenant effectually writing his Law in their hearts by his holy Spirit and they freely and from the heart give up themselves unto the Lord in all things to be ruled and guided by him And thus God hath contracted Covenant with the faithfull only The first sort are the people of Rom. 2. 28. God outwardly or openly having all things externall and pertaining to the outward administration The second are the people of God inward or in secret whom certainly and distinctly the Lord only knoweth Experience hath confirmed it that in the dayes of the Gospell the Church of Christ hath sometimes been shut up within narrower bounds and limits sometimes it hath spread it selfe over the face of the earth more gloriously and so much was plentifully foretold in the Scriptures that such as lived in the times of that great apostasie and falling from the faith might not be offended at it What the state of Gods Church shall be in these latter dayes time will manifest more certainly then we can yet define but some Divines are of opinion that the bounds thereof shall extend further and the glory thereof be greater then ever heretofore And this is not improbable for when the Apoc. 11. 15. seventh Angel sounded there were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever which accordeth with that of Daniel Behold one like the Son of man came with the Dan. 7. 13 14. clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neere before him And there was given unto him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed CHAP. II. Christ the Mediatour of the New Testament for whom he died and rose againe CHrist Jesus incarnate is the Mediatour of the new Testament a reall Mediatour a fit middle person betwixt God and man a Mediatour and Testatour both who hath confirmed the Testament with his bloud But seeing the Covenant is made in Christ and Christ died in some sort for them that be under the Covenant it will not be out of place first to shew for whom Christ died and rose again and then how Christ is the Mediatour of the New Testament and what is the exaltation and Prerogative of the new above the old Covenant in that respect Touching the first there be two main opinions of Divines The first sort hold that he died for all and every man with a purpose to save But in the explication of their Tenent they adde Corvin in Mol. cap. 28. Sect. 1. 4. 20. 1. That Christ died for all men considered in the comman lapse or fall but not as obstinate impenitent or unbelievers Christ died not say they for Cain and Judas as such or as they should perish nor for Abell and Peter as faithfull in respect of the impetration of Salvation but without difference for them considered Resp ad Epist Minist Walak pag. 51. Armin. Worst part Secunda necess Resp Synod declar sent remonst circa Art Sect. de morte Christi Thomson diatr. cap. 4. Corvin in Mol. cap. 27. Sect. 4. cap. 12. Sect. 25 26 27. in the common state and condition of the fall and sin 2. That Christ died for all men in respect of the impetration of Salvation but the application thereof is proper to believers 3. That Christ died not to bring all or any man actually to Salvation and make them partakers of righteousnesse and life but to purchase salvabilitie and reconciliation so farre as that God might and would salvajustitia deale with them upon termes of a better Covenant which might well stand allthough it should be applied to no man no man should be reconciled or saved by Christ God should have no Church on earth or Saint be crowned with glory in heaven 4. That Christ hath purchased salvabilitie for all men but faith and regeneration he hath merited for none because God is bound to give that which Christ hath merited of him although it be not desired or craved Exam. Censur Cap. 8. pag. 95. Cap. 7. pag. 87 Respons ad specul 11. 107. Other poâ—itions they hold which â—ang not together nor agree Exam. Cens with that which hath been mentioned as that God neither would nor could by right condemne any man for the sinne of Adam and that Originall sinne so called is properly neither sinne nor punishment And then if Christ died for mankind in the common lapse he died for them that never had sinned nor deserved punishment Againe they teach that all Infants whether of believing Corvin in Mol. cap. â—8 Sect. 13 14. or Infidell parents dying without actuall sinnes committed in their owne person are restord into the favour of God regenerated and saved and that because God hath taken all mankind into the grace of reconciliation and entred into a Covenant of grace Arm. Resp ad ad Art 13 14. with Adam and all his posterity But then Christ died for all mankind in respect of impetration and application both and by his death hath actually reconciled all mankinde unto God merited actuall regeneration for them and purchased Salvation if after they be possessors of these spirituall blessings they doe not fall from them and shake them off by impenitency and infidelity For Adam and Eve excepted mankind cannot be considered in the Armin in Perk. pag. 4. common lapse but as infants only Further they affirme that Infants have refused grace in their parents grandfathers ancestors by which act they have deserved to be forsaken of God which how it can stand with their generall position or that last mentioned I cannot conceive Lastly they teach that Christ died for the impenitent and unbelievers for thus they reason If Christ died for all whom he came to save and came to save unbelievers as his words are I came not to judge but to save then he died for unbelievers How they accord these things I cannot finde but if we take things as they lay them downe it will plainely follow that Christ died for all mankind in respect of impetration only and that he died for them in respect of impetration and application both that he hath not actually reconciled them unto God and that he hath purchased actuall reconciliation that he died not for the impenitent or unbelievers in respect of impetration and that in respect of impetration only he died only for such And all this can hardly be reconciled with that they have in their Script Synod declar sent Rem circa Art 2 Gratia haec impetrata est peccatâ—ribus quatenus in communi
into Covenant with them and vouchsafe unto them the meanes of grace but unto some he shewed more speciall love so as to call them effectually and make them heires of salvation In like manner in the last times or daies of the new Testament God manifested so much love to the world as it is opposed to the Jewish Nation as that in the ministery of the Gospell he entreated them to be reconciled and entered into a Covenant of peace with them but unto some he bare and manifested more peculiar love in that he called them effectually and made them heires of life Neverthelesse when these Texts be expounded of the daies of grace or times of the new Testament we must not conceive that all men now called Gentiles were in former ages of the Church utterly cast off and shut out of Covenant or that the gift of Christ to Jew and Gentile is so restrained to the daies of grace as that he was not given to the faithfull whether Jew or Gentile in all ages but that the transcendent love of God in giving his Sonne to die and in him receiving the world of Jew and Gentile into the new Covenant is peculiar specially after the distinction of Jew and Gentile to the times of the Gospel This might easily be confirmed both for the substance of matter and the sence of these passages out of their writings that be the stiffest maintainers of the point in hand See Vorst Parasc cap. 4. 7. Corv. in Mol. cap. 31. § 33. Exam. censur cap. 8. Vorst de Deo not ad disput 1. Now then let us compare their position and those texts together and see whether they consent or dissent one from another First The love wherewith God so loved man fallen as to give his Sonne to die I speake according to their opinion is common to all men an incompleate will and affection whereby God loved them as men or a volition and intention of being reconciled But the love mentioned in this text is a love speciall to some ages and some men not common to every man in all ages It was a speciall love whereby the Lord loved the Jewes as his peculiar treasure above all Nations of the earth in the time of the Law Deut. 7 6. 10. 14. 26. 6. 32. 8. 2 Sam. 7. 23. 1 King 8. 53. Psal 33. 12. 100. 3. 143. 5. And it is a speciall love not common to all ages much lesse to every man in every age whereby the Lord hath loved the world of the Gentiles in the daies of the Gospell to take them for his people And this love is true love though many pervert the grace of God to their owne destruction Secondly The world for which Christ died was man-kind considered as fallen in Adam for unbeliefe followeth the death of Christ cannot be precedent to it But here the world comprehends unbeleevers and impenitent in respect of their present state and not such only as may fall into unbelief and impenitencie even such impenitent and obstinate as the Scripture saith could not believe Joh. 12. 39. Thirdly The world for which Christ died as they teach doth comprehend every particular man of what estate or condition soever in what age of the world soever But the world in the text doth not comprehend all men of all ages nor every man of any age yet passed but the world as it is set against the Jewish Nation only not comprehending every particular man of the Jewes or Gentiles but so many and so considered as they give reason of that opposition Looke in what respects God is said to have chosen the Jewes to be his peculiar people in the time of the Law but now in times of the Gospell to love the world in opposition to that peculiar favour at that time manifested to them alone in that sence is the world of Jew and Gentile to be understood and so many comprehended under it Fourthly They say Christ died for the world in respect of impetration or acquisition of righteousnesse not of the application of his death But this world which God so loved was called by the Gospell and did enter into Covenant with God and God with them The world which Christ came to save was a world in Covenant and whereunto he preached peace and so the death of Christ was applied unto them by the word and Sacraments and received by them in respect of faith temporary and profession For when God enters into Covenant with a people and they accept the conditions and give up their names unto God they doe in a sort apply the death of Christ unto themselves and possesse some fruits and benefits thereof And therefore either these passages must be interpreted of Gods giving Christ to die for the world in a speciall manner or from them it may undeniably be concluded that he died not for all man-kind For that which in speciall love was given in peculiar manner to the world of Jew and Gentile in the times of the new Testament that is not the effect of common love given to all and every man in all ages but God of his speciall love to the world of Jew and Gentile in the daies of the new Testament gave Christ to die for them therefore of common love he did not give him to die for all man-kind of every age and condition And seeing God loved some and but some according to the true sence of these places so as to give Christ to die that whosoever believeth in him should not perish c. Yea some considered for the present in the state of impenitency unbelief and obstinacy and it may be given up unto a reprobate sence Deut. 9. 9. 32 28. whereas he cast off many Nations in former ages much more particular persons who never proceeded so farre continued so long Josh 24. 2. Psal 100 3. Isa 43. 8. 65. 1. Ezek. 16 3. in these sins as this world had done must we not of necessity acknowledge some free election or choice according to the good pleasure of God Certainly it cannot be concluded hence that Christ did equally lay down his life for all men without exception to purchase for them actuall reconciliation on Gods part It is here objected that this world doth comprehend many impenitent Synod deâ—ens sent Remonst circ Art 2 pag. 301. and unbelievers that shall not be saved and if Christ died for one that shall not be saved it followeth à pari that he died for all And it is true as many be externally in Covenant and have all out ward things common with the faithfull who be not true members of Jesus Christ so also this world opposed to the Jewish Nation called of God and admitted into Covenant doth comprehend many which in deed and truth be not lively members of Jesus Christ In like manner many indeed wicked men and ungodly living in the visible Church and under the externall Covenant are called the chosen
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
in a more rude forme As the time of the Sunne approacheth neerer or if further off so is the light that goeth before it greater or lesser and as the time of the arising of the Sonne of righteousnesse is more remote or nigh at hand so was the revelation that went before more dimme or cleare It was meete and expedient that when the comming of the glorious King of peace and righteousnesse did draw nigh the hearts of men should be raised up in desire and expectation of him But the better they were acquainted with his person and office the more distinctly they understood the time of his comming the more lively tast they had of the benefits they should receive by him and the greater tokens they saw of his glory approaching the more their hearts would be enlarged to desire and expect him Moreover it was the good pleasure of God to manifest the riches of his grace not all at once but by degrees as he saw it most expedient for the glory of his great Name and the good of his people in severall ages and states of the Church of which we shall have occasion to speake largely in the Chapters following But here two things must be noted to prevent some doubts that may arise First that clearenesse of Revelation is twofold One on the part of the revealer when the revealer dealeth so that unlesse he have a rude hearer or altogether malitious it may be understood of the hearer what he meaneth The other cleare even on the part of the hearer when it is so great that the rudenesse of the hearer cannot hinder that he should not perceive what is spoken but his malice only In the first sence the revelation of Christ in the Covenant of the promise was cleare but the testimony concerning the Kingdome of Christ could not be understood of a rude hearer before the accomplishment If it be objected how then could they be saved In the second place iâ— is to be observed that Christ doth not save as clearly knowne but as he is sincerely acknowledged But when the Revelation was sparing and darke no man can deny that Christ was truly and unfainedly acknowledged in the Church of the Iewes The word of God is the measure of faith and that is true and saving faith which believeth all things which are revealed and in that manner wherein they are revealed and therefore the faith of the Fathers was sound and effectuall because they believed what God was pleased to reveale and after that manner wherein it was revealed of God A Third difference ariseth from this for Christ with all his benefits was proposed to the Israelites under types and figures As Exod. 24. 7. 8. Heb. 10. 1 Gal. 3. 16. Heb. 8. 1 2 9. 7 8 9 10 11. Rom. 3 25. 1 Iohn 2. 2. Heb. 3. 18. 4. 1. the Prtiests Altars Sacrifices Propitiatory were all types of Christ his Priest-hood and Sacrifice and the Land of Canaan a type of Heaven the Lord leading the Iewes by the help of earthly things to heavenly and spirituall because they were but young and tender which was one cause why the Covenant was more obscure heavenly things being wrapt up under earthly But in the new Covenant Christ is offered to be seene with open face the truth substance and body of the things themselves is exhibited and all vaile of figures removed our minds are streight directed to heavenly blessednesse 4. The variety of administration doth offer a fourth difference Gal. 4. 12. 3. 13 25. for the Apostle compares the Nation of the Iewes to an heire as yet an Infant that is under Tutours and Governours The Christian Church to an heire come to ripe yeares And from this ariseth a fifth difference That as an heire not Gal. 5. 1. come to yeares not differing from a servant the Church was held under the Ceremoniall Law from which they that believe in Christ are delivered after the expiration of the time of nourture appointed of the Father Sixthly they differ in the number of them that are called to the participation of the Covenant The Covenant of promise was at Deut. 30. 8. Math. 10. 1 6. 15. 24. first concluded within the Families of the Patriarkes the rest having excommunicated themselves and then within the confines or limits of Iudea that in the Iewes there might be a most illustrious type of Election and of rejection in the Gentiles that is of the Church of God and Sathan But the partition wall betwixt Iew Gentile being broken downe the Covenant of grace was made with all Nations Seventhly the efficacy of Christ promised is lesser then of Christ Gen. 2â— 18. Deut. 19. 8 9. exhibited In the Covenant of promise certaine promises concerning corporall blessings were made unto the Fathers and externall blessings were more esteemed as Symbols of spirituall and heavenly But under the New Covenant blessings spirituall and the gifts and graces of the Spirit are in more ample and plentifull manner powred upon the Church Remission of sinnes though it was certaine with God was lesse felt under the Covenant of Promise because the cloud of the Law put betwixt the mercy of God and the eye of the sould the grace of God was more obscurely revealed and the meanes of expiating sinne by the death of Christ as also because remission of sinnes was not really obtained by our surety for as yet he had not made the satisfaction promised The Spirit was powred in lesse plenty upon the faithfull because Ioh 3. 34. Ioh. 1. 16. 7. 38 39. Ioel â— 28. that benefit was to be reserved to the times of Christ who was first to receive the Spirit above measure in his humane nature and thence to derive grace unto all us The Iewes as heires were partakers of the Spirit of Adoption bu tempered with the sprit of Servitude because they were Infants under the yoke of the Law Rom 8. 15. Gal 46. the way to heaven not as yet clearely manifested But the heire come to ripe yeares is altogether led by the Spirit of Adoption The sense of future glory was also more obscure because there is more obscure mention of it and of the way thereunto in the Old Testament If we speake of some particular persons under the first Covenant they were endued with greater gifts of the Spirit then many under the New but more light of knowledge and greater plenty and abundance of Grace is bestowed upon the Church in the time of the Gospell if we respect the body of the Church and faithfull in Generall Eighthly the seales of the Covenant of promise were in number more in signification more obscure in use painfull and burdensome peculiar to some people as the Covenant was and to continue only untill the time of reformation But the seales of the New Testament are in number few in signification cleare in use easy common to all nations and to endure for ever And from
these grouÌ„ds it may be concluded That though the Fathers being delivered from the Tabernacle of the body were made Heb. 8. 6. 10 20. partakers of life eternall in Heaven yet they had not before Christ that perfect state in Heaven which now we and they are presently possessed of for they were not to be perfected without us as neither shall we be perfected before that blessed day of the second Heb. 11. 39 40. comming of Christ wherein the body of Christ that is the Church shall be absolute and perfect every way Not to insist upon this that the former Tabernacle standing the way to the Holiest was not fully manifested and that there must be some proportion betwixt the manifestation of the way unto and sense of the future life in this life in them that be of ripe age and the fruition of it in the life to come This is certaine the Fathers who died before Christ did expect in Heaven their Redeemer on whom they had beleeved for forgivenesse of sinne and life everlasting even as soules now expect the Resurrection of the body the second appearance of Christ to Judgement in regard of which things they are not perfected Now hence followed a want of much light and joy which on the sight of Christ God man entring the Heavens did redound unto them as we in earth now have not the fulnesse of joy which then we shall have when we shall see the accomplishment of what we expect CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of Promise made with Adam immediately upon his fall THe Covenant of Promise began immediately upon the fall and reached unto the comming of Christ in the flesh which is obscure in comparison of the new Covenant but in it selfe receiveth distinction of degrees according to the severall breakings out of it to the darke world and the growth from severall manifestations of God as was proportionable to the number and qualities of those who in succeeding ages should take benefit so that at first being like a young sapling it grew to be firme alwayes a fruitfull tree In Scripture it is delivered unto us under these degrees of growth both in respect of fuller and more cleare manifestation and as we may suppose of numbers that received benefit by it First from Adam untill Abraham Secondly from Abraham untill the Covenant made with Israel upon the Mount Thirdly from Moses to Christ which must be subdistinguished for the Covenant which God did promise to make with Israel and Judah upon the delivery from the North Countrey was to exceed the former Covenant which he had made with their Fathers when he brought them out of Egypt Jer. 23. 5 6 7 8. The first breaking forth of this gratious and free Promise and Covenant was immediately upon the fall and is expressed in these words I will put Gen. 3. 15. enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed He shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Herein God setting downe the irrevocable judgement and finall overthrow and destruction of Satan the arch-enemy of his glory and mans Salvation Gods fearefull doomes-man into whose power man was now fallen he proclaimeth his rich grace and mercy towards mankind in Jesus Christ the womans seed who should breake the Serpents head In the malediction of the Serpent is included the greatest blessing of God most mercifull towards miserable and wretched sinners In reference to this gratious antient Proclamation of mercy the Gospel is called everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 14. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 58. 12. 61. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 6. 16. 18. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 33. 15. Gen. 49. 26. Isai 54. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 5. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 14. 6. I saw another Angel flying through the middest of Heaven having the everlasting Gospell not in respect of the future but of the time past scil which was promised from the beginning of the world For as the hils paths and desolations are said to be everlasting or antient so the Gospell that is from the beginning This first Promise of grace and life was published by the Lord himselfe to mankind now dead in sinne and enemies to God that as they had heard from him the curse against sinne and saw and felt the same in part executed upon them so they should heare from him the promise of absolution lest they should be swallowed up in despaire When they should heare peace proclaimed by the Author of Peace and Judgement both by him that was immediately provoked and offended by sinne and came now to sentence the transgressours when they should heare peace proclaimed by him in his owne person by his owne voyce it must needs put more life and encouragement into them then if the glad tidings had been brought by some Messenger or divulged by some Herauld only The party upon whom the Promises of mercy are setled is here propounded as the seed of the woman and under the next degree as the seed of Abraham called the Angel of the Covenant The Mal. 3. 1. Eph. 1. 22. Joh. 3. 18. Gal. 4. 4. head of all things to the Church even Jesus Christ the only begotten Sonne of God who being God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. should come of David and Abraham and so of Eve Rom. 1. 3. according to the flesh for she was the mother of all living Christ God and man is made of God an Adam often opposed to the first Adam 1 Cor. 15. 21 22 23 45. Head root common receptacle and store-house in whom are treasured all good things which from him are communicated to the faithfull As in Adam our being naturall our hopes of life and death and in event our condemnation was received before ever they came to be applyed and received actually in us So in Christ as in a common store-house every thing is first placed which afterward is to be imparted to any beleever The first Adam created after the Image of God but a meere creature only was intrusted with the Promise of life for his posterity and betrayed all the body But now God of Matth. 28. 19. his infinite mercy ordaineth a second Adam even the seed of the woman that is Christ-man but lifted up above the condition of a creature by union unto the Divine Person that so as man he might be fit to receive that trust for men as God he It is cleare that this battle pertainâ—d to the woman and her seed on the one party and to this Devill that spake by the Serpent and all the wicked on the other party Dow. But then it cannot in speciall be applyed to the Virgin Mary If the Virgin Mary may be said to bruise the Serpents head because Christ was borne of her by the same reason we may say she was crucified and died for us c. might undergoe the burden
from the quality of the blessings there promised which could not be accomplished in any other but in Christ alone And this is evidently holden out to be the literall sense in other places Acts 3. 24 25. But where shall we find mention of the passion of Christ in this expressure of the Covenant unto Abraham which in the first manifestation was clouded in the phrase of bruising his heele and is essentiall to the Covenant of Grace in any overture of it as containing the price and ransome by which all hinderances are removed as the Apostle saith Christ was made a curse for us that the blessing of Gal. 3. 13 â—4 Abraham might come on the Gentiles Some answer that this is thrice put on in the passage of this Covenant with Abraham first in the federall confirmation by the figments with the smoaking fornace and burning lamps which passed between those pieces Gen. 15. 8 9 17. which howsoever it typified the dividing of Abrahams seed in Egypt with their fiery labours and sorrowes yet primarily the type expresseth the torment and rending of Christ Abraham his prime seed and by the fornace and fiery lampe the wrath of God that runneth betwixt and yet did not consume the rent and torne nature Secondly they conceive this perpession of Christ was expressed in the bloud of the Circumcision Gen. 17. 10 11. For they be of opinion that where God commands shedding of bloud in any his ancient Ordinances it doth fully reach unto the bloud of Christ and his everlasting Testament The bloud which was shed in the signes ordained to seale the Covenant of Promise what did it signifie but the bloud of Christ whereby the Covenant was to be sealed Lastly we may find a full expression of his passion in the resolved sacrifice of Isaac which was typicall the death of Christ and the Ramme in his stead wherein is set forth an Embleme of Gods love unto the world in that he hath truly sacrificed his only Sonne Christ to take away sinne Joh. 3. 16. And if some of these be not lively expressions it may seeme to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in typo vertit Tremelius ex Syri interpretis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae vox Hebraâ—â—è 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est apud Evang. Matth. 13. 35. Propheta Psal 78. â— redditur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. in Epist ad Hebr. 11. Gen. 17. 4. be implyed in the very Promise for how should the blessing promised come upon the posterity of Abraham if the promised seed had not borne the curse of the Law and by suffering removed it that mercy might be glorious in conferring righteousnesse and life eternall In the former Covenant a secret honour was put upon Eve as she was made if we may so speake the first pipe whereby God conveyed the grace of his Covenant unto her posterity who did not degenerate into the seed of the Serpent But here the Covenant is made with Abraham who received it not as an example only nor as a type but as an Ordinance leading unto the conveyance of the same Covenant to all the confederates In which sense it is plainly spoken to in the Epistles to the Rom. and Gal. and he called the Father of the faithfull Rom. 4. 11 12 16. and they which are of the faith the children of Abraham Gal. 3. 7. the seed of Abraham Gal. 3. 29. Abraham is not the Father of the faithfull effectively as if he should be the worker of faith in all or that men should be borne faithfull of him For so God only by the holy Ghost is the Father of the faithfull But analogically for the grace of the Covenant given unto him on that condition and priviledge that as Fathers transferre and passe over their rights and inheritance to their children so he as a Father should propagate the righteousnesse of faith and free blessednesse to all the faithfull by Doctrine Example and Covenant So that all who receive this Covenant from God in Christ doe likewise by faith draw it through Abraham to whom the promise was made Gal. 3. 16. The Subfederates are described and by that differenced from all the world to be Abrahams seed I will establish my Covenant between Geâ— 17. 7. me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Where these specialties are holden out That God will be as good a God to Abrahams seed as he is to Abraham himselfe and that whatsoever right by the Covenant was invested upon Abraham should descend as from a Parent under this Covenant to all his seed by vertue of this Covenant made with him But we must distinguish Abrahams seed For sometime by the seed of Abraham Gen. 18. 22. Gal. 3. â—6 is meant Christ who is the prime and principall seed who first entred the CoÌ„venant as Purchaser Maker Confirmer and upon whose person it was setled for us all by Abraham Againe by Abrahams seed are meant all that receive this Covenant from him whether by outward administration only or internall force and vertue also In the eye of God and Scripture all beleeving Gentiles are the seed of Abraham which may be called the Christian seed In thee shall all Nations of the earth be blessed which Gen. â—2 3. and 18. 18. and â—â— 18. Rom 4. â—6 17. ver 11. must needs be understood of the Gentiles which should beleeve and is plainly so interpreted by the Apostle Therefore it is by faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations That he might be the Father of them that beleeve though they be not circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed to them also And if ye be Christs then are Gal. 3. 14 29. ye Abrahams seed and heires by Promise All beleeving Jewes and Proselytes are comprehended under the seed of Abraham and may be called the spirituall seed in opposition to the carnall or naturall seed only This distinction of Abrahams seed spirituall and naturall the Apostle plainly specifieth Neither because they are the Rom 9. 7 8. and 2. 28 29. seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Besides all that descend from the loynes of Abraham and all that were borne in his house and bought with his money are counted Gen. 17. 11 12 13. for the seed though indeed many of them were wicked and profane Therefore Abraham is commanded to circumcise every man-child both him that is borne in his house or bought
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
in the affections how apt we are to undervalue the true treasure loose our selves in base delights abuse things lawfull in excesse how lavish and rash in our speeches dull and drosse in holy performances pettish and impatient if a little crossed c. Secondly Consider how carelesse we are of the spirituall action in those things we performe as in prayer hearing the word receiving the Sacraments giving almes c. To the spiritual performance of these and such like duties is required a preparation and heavenly disposition of soule befitting such actions and the Majestie of God with whom we have to deale as in confession of sinne is required griefe shame humility in supplication reverence devotion spirituall emptinesse whereby the heart is taken off the creature and driven out of our selves But who doth not lightly passe over these duties which is no better then the wiping of the out-side of the dish not looking to that within Doe we not rush upon prayer without premeditation give our hearts liberty to rove about forgetting with whom we have to doe are we not perfunctory in craving Gods blessing upon our meate at ordinary meales and in giving thankes when we are refreshed c. Thirdly Marke that in resistance of sinne we are more sorrie and deale more against this or that branch of Corruption which appeareth to our disgrace then against the body of death it selfe and against that sinne whereunto we are not so much enclined more then against others no lesse dangerous whereunto we are disposed Fourthly Consider the course of our affections and we shall see how unsound we are towards God and our Brethren If a thing touch our selves our blood will quickly be in our nailes If a man know this or that a misse by us it is very grievous the shame of it much upbraids us but things that offend God and which we know he seeth amisse in us we can let these passe nothing affected A signe our love to him is not so sound our feare of him and desire of praise with him not so unfained We should be ashamed to be found often in the same fault before men but we commit and confesse the same sinnes daily before God and are not confounded in our selves If we speake but an hasty or unadvised word in the presence of some grave and godly man that might be to our disgrace our thoughts trouble us but the offence against God is lightly passed over We are circumspect to avoid the breach of penall lawes not so carefull to watch against the committing of sinne against God We confesse sinne before God and seeme to aggravate it but being questioned by men we turne the faire side outward and make the best of it Lastly Let us observe how frequently our actions are corrupted In leaving sinne many time we leave it not because we hate it as sinne but it hath often broaken out to our reproach our friends perswade us to breake it off it will be for our credit and advantage We confesse our owne sinnes not desiring to give glory to God and gaine a testimony of a sound heart but because worldly wisdome doth tell us It is best to tell our owne tale or it were double folly to make daintie of that all the world knoweth It will not be for our credit to lessen our fault when it is fully knowne we shall loose the estimation of good men if we seek to hide excuse or make light of our offences Our promises of amendment when we have been overtaken with sinne to our disgrace have not proceeded from due consideration nor had due execution accordingly In the profession of religion we have oft aimed at sinister ends as praise of men gaine or the like Thus in taking up good duties as orders in our family we often looke not so much at the conscience of Gods Commandement as at this The eyes of men are upon us all the world will cry shame if such things be neglected altogether Our performance of private duties is farre more dull superficiall and sleight then that which is done in the sight and company of others The presence of men doth oft restraine from many hastie sinfull speeches and unwarrantable actions which we take liberty to speake and doe before the face of the most high and are not ashamed Our rebukes are carnall rather because our minds are crossed then that God is dishonoured Our obedience is partiall this we doe another thing no lesse materiall we passe over without regard and we meane well many times and are fervent in a good thing not meerly for sinister respects and yet not only nor resolutely for Gods Commandement but more for other considerations then that And therefore in such cases and tryalls we are found to be others if we examine it then we would be We beare with faults in him that is serviceable to our humour against another not so pleasing in our eye we are hot and fiery Sometimes we undertake to deale for some that speake to us but doe it without any heartie well-wishing to him sometimes not sticking to say to our friend I must speake to you for fashion but doe as you please We visit sick ones but not stirring up the bowels of mercy we speake a great many phrases of course our conscience telling us it is otherwise We make a semblance of reverence but how farre it is from the heart this may testifie that we can absent from the parties use their names proverbially breake jests on them admit sinister suspitions We can speake faire to mens faces when warre is in the heart and when we hate the person take on as if we sought the disgrace of his sinne only So in fruits of love we can doe this partie good sometimes but it is to keep another under who else would sprout forth so farre that his shade would dimme our lights as likewise I will doe for such an one they know good behaviour they will doe their homage such an one will thanke me for it I am sure it will not be given cleane away He is able to doe me a good turne againe c. In works of mercy we are not discreet free compassionate forward we seldome consider the necessities of others stand a loofe if any man will steppe before us in the worke pretend ignorance and are glad to hang the burden upon other mens shoulders that be lesse able to beare it Sixthly After we have discovered and found out the crookednesse and unsoundnesse of our heart and life we must take up our selves for halting bewaile it with shame and sorrow stirre up our selves to more uprightnesse and sincerity and fly unto God by hearty prayer to be established and confirmed Though there may be some reliques of hypocrisie in a good man yet the nature of halting is it will goe quite out of the way if it be not healed And make straight steps unto your feet least that which is halting be turned Heb. 12. 13. out of
no former age of the world but to these last times only as 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are made new And so a new song is a song wherein the name of God is celebrated for some new and admirable benefit of deliverance by the comming of Christ as Isa 42. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise from the end of the earth Psal 96. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song sing unto the Lord all the earth Rev. 5. 9. And they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke Rev. 14. 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the foure beasts Though now and then that is called a new song wherein the name of God is celebrated for some new benefit of deliverance at what time soever vouchsafed as Psal 40. 3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise to our God Againe that is new which is perpetuall shall never wax old or vanish away Heb. 8. 13. In that he saith A new Covenant he hath made the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away And in this sence may that of the Apostle 1 John 2. 8. well be understood Againe a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you In the Covenant of grace God promiseth to put a new spirit into his people Ezek. 11. 19. not new for the matter not for the inward forme or kind but the frame and fashion a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. renewed in qualities not changed in substance And so the faithfull are said to put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And in Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision Eph. 2. 15. but a new creature Gal 6. 15. that is a new man refined reformed and renewed by God in Christ Jesus And it may be the renewed soule is called the new man or new creature because it is noble beautifull fresh and vigorous never to wither or decay with age And whatsoever we must understand by the new heavens and the new earth promised Isai 65. 17. and 66. 22. Revel 21. 1. the title new seemeth to import the admirable excellencie and continuance thereof never to alter or decay but to remaine before the Lord. In all these respects the Covenant of Grace is fitly called the new Covenant or Testament Jer. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 6. for it is divers from that which God made with the Fathers before Christ most necessary and excellent never to wax old or to decay By it a new light of the doctrine of the Gospell shined to the world it had new worship new adoration a new forme of the Church new witnesses new tables new Sacraments and Ordinances and these never to be abrogated or disanulled never to wax old Heb. 8. 13. and it was established after a new manner by the bloud of the Mediatour It is called a Covenant of peace an everlasâ—ing Covenant which shall not be removed the Covenant of my peace Ezek 36 27. and 34. 25. Isai 54. 10. and 55. 3. Heb. 13. 20. Isai 61. 8. It is called a Covenant and a Testament A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming A Covenant in respect of Heb. 9. 16. God a Testament in respect of Christ who being appointed of the Father Lord and Prince with full possession of all things necessary to Salvation died as Testatour and confirmed by his death the testamentary promise before made of obtaining the eternall inheritance by the remission of sinnes John the Baptist by the light of preaching was greater then the Prophets that had gone before him but properly he was not a Minister of the new Testament as it differed from the old wherefore a middle place is rightly assigned to him being the forerunner of Christ to prepare Matth. 11. 11. the way before him From the birth of Christ the things foretold in the old Testament pertaining to the constitution of the new began to be fulfilled and that first by his comming in the flesh afterwards by his administration and then by his death by whose death the old Testament was abolished and the new did succeed in the roome thereof The old Testament was abolished by the death of Christ in right but not in act For before the promulgation of that innovation by the sound of the Gospell they amongst the Jewes that did beleeve in Christ were true beleevers though they were zealous for the Law but after the doctrine Act. â—0 21. of grace was sufficiently published they that obstinately did cleave to the shadowes and Ceremonies of the Law did reject the promise and Covenant in Christ So that properly the Heb. 13. 10. beginning of the new Covenant is to be fetched from that time wherein Christ hath fulfilled all things which were shadowed of him in the Law or foretold in the Prophets that is after that Christ was corporally ascended into Heaven and had sent downe the holy Spirit in the visible shape of fiery tongues upon his Apostles Act. 2. 3 4. at the solemne feast of Pentecost For the summe of the Gospell or new Testament is this that the Ceremoniall Law is ceased and the use of the Law whereby we were kept in bondage untill faith was revealed abolished and that Christ being already crucified dead buried and received into Heaven remission of sinnes in his bloud is clearly plainly and openly propounded offered and given to all them that by true and lively faith doe beleeve that he is Christ the Lord and Saviour and that the Spirit of Adoption is sent into their hearts who by firme affiance and confidence doe rest in the Redeemer that being taught of God they stand not in need of the legall pedagogie Surely that doctrine concerning faith in Christ cannot strictly be called the Gospell which did take place the Mosaicall worship as yet in force and that by the approbation of Christ those things not being fullfilled as yet which were preached in the Gospell For the Gospell is a message of good tidings or things past which affect the heart with singular joy and chearefulnesse And as the old Covenant was not promulgated without great pompe upon Mount Sinai the people of Israel hearing and beholding and swearing unto it Exod. 19. 18. and 20. so it was meet that the New Testament should be published on a solemne set day in the assembly almost of all Natiâ—ns with great splendour and glory as it was on the feast day of Pentecost And before that time the doctrine concerning faith was of that sort that men were rather called to the future Kingdome of God then commanded to rest in the present state of things
of God the people of God Saints by calling and so Christ died for them efficiently and by way of application as they be within the Covenant made in Christ and doe partake of those fruits and benefits of his death which of themselves tend to salvation but are perverted of them to destruction through their owne default But others comprehended under the world be faithfull indeed living members of Jesus Christ sealed by the Spirit and for these Christ died efficiently in a peculiar manner scil to bring them to life and happinesse as already they are called savingly and effectually to faith and repentance The argument à pari is of no weight manifestly confuted both by Scripture and experience it selfe For to many that perish is the word of Salvation sent they receive it professe it rejoyce in it live under the Ordinances of grace be partakers of sundry graces of the Spirit all which be speciall fruits of Christs death speciall to some not common to all men and in which respects Christ is said to die for them But to affirme the same things of every particular man in the world is to offend against common sence If Christ had died for one wicked man that perished because he had been wicked or for that reason there had been some truth in the argument but some fruits of Christs death are imparted to some although they be wicked not because they are wicked or for that reason Besides it is one thing to say Christ died for some that perish as they partake the fruits of his death in themselves belonging to Salvation which is granted another to say Christ died for all men considered as fallen according to the will of God and intention of Christ as Mediatour with full purpose to purchase for them actuall reconciliation on Gods part which is that they contend for So that this objection will be of no force untill it can be proved that impretation is application they be in Covenant who be not nor never were in Covenant they have the Gospell who never heard of the Gospell they have received the promise of Salvation who are rejected and cast off of God as aliens from the Covenant Christ is amongst them who never had possible meanes imaginable to come to the knowledge of the truth and they are enlightned and have tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the life to come who all their life long have lived in ignorance and infidelity and not heard that there is a Christ 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. We thus judge saith Paul that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe Here the Apostle saith expressely Christ died for all simply meant in respect of the impetration of a new Covenant and salvation according to that Covenant common misery is concluded from this that Christ died for all men sc that all were dead which is universally true of every man And upon this ground he exhorts men to live unto Christ scil that Christ died for all men Some learned Divines not partiall referre See Estium in 2 Cor. 5. 14. pag. 586. this to the greatnesse of the price and dignity of Christs death which was sufficient for the redemption of man-kind if they did repent and believe but the Apostle rather speaks of Christs death for all in respect of application event or effect for all not simply but for all to whom the fruit and benefit of Christs death is offered in the Gospel and received by faith Thus Vorstius Vorst in 2 Cor. 5. 14 loc com Illud quoque hic obiter notandum Christ died and was raised up for all men in generall if we consider the amplitude of divine grace offered in Christ but in respect of the event or effect both are done for all the elect and believers only And in this latter sence that phrase is used of the Apostle in this place And this the circumstances of the text will plainly enforce For he speaks of the death of Christ not as it was purposed and decreed of God but as it was actually suffered by Christ when the farre greatest part of the world was for present state drowned in Infidelity and Idolatry wherein they had continued a long time being rejected and cast off of God The end of Christs death and resurrection there named by the Apostle sheweth it is to be meant of the fruit and application that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him which died for them that is that by force of that communion which they have with him their head being dead unto sinne they should live unto righteousnesse But that can agree unto none who are not partakers of the fruits of Christ none are fitted by grace to live unto Christ but they that have put on Christ by faith That All for whom Christ died is that world which God in Christ hath reconciled unto himselfe not imputing their sins ver 19. whereby is meant the world of Jew and Gentile of which we have spoken before in the fore-cited places which must have the same meaning and cannot be affirmed of the world universally according to that present state wherein it stood when Christ suffered How then doth the Apostle conclude common misery from this If one died for all then were all dead It may well be understood of death unto the world and sinne and not of death in sinne as if he had said if Christ died for all then all that are his are dead to sinne and to the world The words and scope of the Apostle do both agree well to this interpretation It hath been alleadged that the words speake of a death passed not present as our translation sheweth and so could not be understood of death unto sin But Vorstius upon that very word noteth that he understandeth Vorst in 2 Cor. 5. 15. Schol. all Christians in which the efficacie of Christs death sheweth forth it self as they also by the example of Christ are dead to sin and the flesh Confer Rom. 6. 2 c. 1 Pet. 4. 1. Some foolishly understand this of the guilt of death that the sense should be because Christ is dead for all men hence it is truly gathered that all men are guilty of death which is refuted in the verse following This is Vorstius his censure of that interpretation As for the words seeing they speake of the death of Christ applyed in the time past it was requisite these that intreat of the death of sin in them that be Christs should be put in the time past also And so the words doe more confirme then weaken the interpretation It is further objected that it will not agree with the argument of the Apostle who by Christs death for all could not prove all to be dead to sin nor so much as all
the Elect or all at Corinth And the drift of the place is to prove not that all men simply are dead to sinne for that is notoriously false and was neither taught nor confirmed by any Pen-man of holy Writ nor that all the Elect or all at Corinth are dead to sin for he speaketh to the Church or faithfull in Corinth not to the place or inhabitants universally but that the faithfull who had believed in Christ as himself and the converted Corinthians had done and did for the present were dead to sin which he strongly confirmeth from the communion they have with Christ in his death and resurrection that is that Christ died for them in effect and event that the vertue and efficacy of his death did shew forth it self in them If the other Interpretation be admitted the consequence is good thus Christ died for all believers therefore all men by nature are dead in sin for the state of believers before conversion is the same with the others and if they by the merit power and efficacy of Christs death be delivered from the guilt and dominion of sin who so is not set free by the death of Christ from the power of sin must needs be dead therein Arguments not much unlike we have 1 Cor. 15. 22. As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive In the first part all simply in the latter all with limitation scil that be in Christ must be understood See Gal. 3. 22. And Rom. 5. 18. and 11. 32. But of that there is no need to make many words because the former interpretation is most naturall The 15. verse they say need not be restrained because all are bound to live unto Christ Whether all men be simply bound to live unto Christ because he simply died for them though his death had never been signified unto them I will leave to another place But the discourse of the Apostle is of them for whom Christ died and who believe in him and in whom the efficacy of Christs death doth exercise it self They that are dead with Christ should live unto God They object moreover that reconciliation is predicated of the vers 19. whole world which is reconciled thus farre through Christ that God will not deale with man as he might have done to cast him away utterly without hope so as he hath the Angels that sinned but he will accept of him upon termes fitting according to a new Corvin in Mol. cap. 28. §. 35. Covenant In which sense a Father is reconciled to his Son a Master to his Servant when he is content upon repentance submission and amendment to receive him into favour Upon this Text they would build a two-fold reconciliation one generall as some expresse it another speciall one not an actuall taking away of sins not actuall remission of sins not Justification not actuall redemption of these or these but an impetration of remission Justification and redemption whereby God may his justice not hindring remit sins to men transgressours which doth imply another member to wit reconciliation justification and redemption actuall Arm. in Perkin § 25. pag. 76. or a reconcileablenesse whereby men might be delivered from the captivity of sin or the necessity of thraldome and reconciliation whereby they are delivered from captivity Voss Hist Pelagian lib. 7. part 1. thes 3. Others call it an actuall reconciliation on Gods part and an actuall reconciliation whereby it comes to passe that all sinners do actually please God Exam. Censur cap. 8. pag. 59. Vorst in 2 Cor. 5. 15. and 1 Joh. 2. 2. Christ sufficiently and efficiently doth expiate the sins of all and reconcile the world to God quantum in ipso est that is as much as pertaines to the execution of his office laid upon him by his heavenly Father What distinction they make of reconciliation and actuall reconciliation or reconcileablenesse and actuall reconciliation the same may be made of redemption remission of sins justification and adoption regeneration and sanctification so that we may distinguish of them also that there is an actuall redemption and redemption actuall remission of sins and remission actuall justification and justification actuall sanctification and sanctification The terme actuall remission or reconciliation being set against reconciliation as the distinct member doth require that reconciliation potentiall be understood which may be called reconcileablenesse And then Christ hath not obtained of the Father by his death that he should remit sins but that he hath power to remit them he hath not obtained redemption but a possibility of redemption or the redemption purchased is a potentiall remission of sinnes he hath not merited sanctification but a right that he may sanctifie or sanctifiablenesse he hath obtained also that God might pardon sin as well as that man might be pardoned or reconciled and notwithstanding any redemption that Christ hath purchased every man might perish and be condemned for ever But if reconciliation potentiall or a possibility of remission only be purchased by the death of Christ how is this made actuall by application If it be actuall and effectuall why is it not applyed and given to every man will not God give to every man that which Christ hath merited and purchased for every man The merit of reconciliation by Christ and the application thereof must be distinguished but for whomsoever eternall redemption is purchased for them he hath obtained grace and glory and upon them he will actually conferre that grace and mercy sanctifying them to be a peculiar people to himselfe Heb. 9. 12. Matth. 1. 21. Joh. 4. 14. Application is as necessary an effect of redemption or reconciliation purchased as burning is of fire and there can be no redemption but of necessity it must bring application both in respect of Gods justice and Christs sacrifice Dan. 9. 24. Heb. 10. 10 14. Therefore there is but one reconciliation and that actuall and effectuall though it may be universally proposed in the Gospell and that particular actuall reconciliation is none other but that very same which God meritorie and impetratorie hath proposed by the death of Christ As for the present Text alleadged reconciliation is not predicated of the whole world taking the world for every man in the world nor reconciliation put for reconcileablenesse For it is manifest the Apostle speaks of the world as it was to be considered in the times when Christ suffered or after when in respect of present state the farre greater part were impenitent if not obdurate sinners aliens from the common-wealth of Israel without God in the world and I desire to see that Text of Scripture where God is said to reconcile unto himselfe the whole world of impenitent and obdurate sinners as such or where we shall find that all such Eph. 2. 12. Rom. 3. 8 17. Gal 3. 26. Eph. 2. 3 4. be brought under a new Covenant It is also as plaine that he speakes of the surrogation of the
Gentiles in the place of the Jewes and is to be understood of the world opposed to the Jewish Nation That world concerning whom the Lord had spoken before to Abraham saying In thy seed shall all the Nations of Gen. 12. 3. and 18. 18. Psal 2. 8. and 22. 27 28. Isai 11. 9 10. Psal 72. 11. the earth be blessed That world which the Prophets foretold should be added to the Church and given to the Messiah This world I say which God hath promised to blesse and adde to the Kingdome of the Messiah he hath reconciled unto himselfe to wit as they are blessed in Abrahams seed actually and effectually This is the Priviledge of the New Testament that God was Synod ubi supra Illi hoc loco per vocem Mundi intelligantur ad quos sermo reconciliationis pertinet in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe as is most apparent in the words next following and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation and by the sentence it self God was in Christ But what is proper to the times of the New Testament cannot be attributed to every man in the world even those that sate in darknesse and the shadow of death before the light did shine upon them The reconciliation here mentioned is actuall effectuall particular reconciliation purchased by Christ published by the Apostles to the world of Jew and Gentiles and received Meritum Christi subordinatur gratiae dilectionis generali ex ea enim fluit ordinatio hujus medii c. non enim ut vellet nostri misereri fecit Christus sed ut salva justitia nostri misereri posset Stegma pag. 54. Rom. 5. 9 10. by them in the Covenant of grace For it is explained by the non-imputation or remission of sinnes at least as one part or branch of reconciliation which is a transient act conferred in time and inferreth a change of state and condition in the partie justified or reconciled and of other reconciliation betwixt God and man the Scripture speaketh not And it is to be observed that the Apostle saith not Christ hath purchased that God is reconcileable or actually reconciled on his part as if before he were irreconcileable but God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself where the world is the subject or matter of reconciliation which is changed in respect of state or condition now received into actuall favour whereas heretofore it lay under wrath In another place the Apostle puts reconciliation by the death of the Sonne of God and justification by Christs bloud for the same where justification cannot be taken for possibility of justification but for actuall justification by faith in the bloud of Christ wherewith Salvation is joyned whereby we are acquitted from the guilt and punishment of sinne and so the justified or reconciled are opposed to sinners ungodly and enemies In respect of vers 6 8. our antecedent state we were enemies when In Scriptura ut saepè res dicitur quod paulò antè fuit ut coeci vident surdi aâ—diunt claudi ambulant Matth. 11. 5. esurientes qui prius miserè victitabant in solo sterili â—sal 107. 36. Joh. 9. 17. leprosus qui jam mundus est Matth. 26 6. Virgo quae jam nupta Matth. 10. 35. baculus qui est serpens Exod. 7. 11. publicanus qui est Christi discipulus Matth. 10. 3. discipulum Christi qui eum reliquit Joh. 6. 66 Sic contra saepè in sacris literis res describitur qualis â—utura est non qualis nunc est Ephes 5. 20. Ita Christi oves dicuntur qui tunc adhuc erant lupi Joh. 10. 16. Dei filii qui tum aâ—huc erant filii diaboli Joh. 11. 52. Tarn exercit l. 2. Job 3. 2. 561. reconciled to God by the death of his Son but by reconciliation we are received into grace and of enemies made friends and sons In these passages we cannot find reconciliation put for reconcileablenesse nor predicated of all the world nor all the enemies of God nor in any other Scripture For though all were enemies before reconciliation yet all enemies are not reconciled but they that be converted to the faith Thus we are taught in the word of truth to distinguish the state of the Gentiles living in their infidelity without God from the state of the Gentiles reconciled But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ c. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse having slaine the enmity thereby Eph. 2. 13 16. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now are reconciled Col. 1. 21. Now scil the Messiah being exhibited they are reconciled and their sins pardoned the promise of mercy pertaining to them as well as to the Jewes when formerly abalienati à foedere promissionum they were not reconciled And when in the precedent verse he saith that it pleased the Father by him scil Christ to reconcile all things unto himselfe whether they be things in heaven or things in earth he speaks of actuall reconciliation not reconcileablenesse and all things must be limited as that signification of the word and scope of the place doth necessarily require The sentence is diversly interpreted some think it not absurd to extend it simply to all things without exception but especially to reasonable creatures Angels and men Others think it must necessarily be restrained to creatures of a certaine kind and interpret it of Angels and men reconciled one to another who were formerly separated by mans disobedience Others restraine it to the faithfull in heaven and earth and expound it of Vorst in Col. 1. 20. Sch Eph. 1. 10. the Church and men in Covenant who are received into favour and reconciled by the death of Christ laid hold on by faith But to interpret it simply of all men penitent impenitent believers infidels obstinate separated from God by their evill works is directly contrary to the Text and hath scarce a second Author No man is to be excluded from seeking the benefit of reconciliation but from the benefit it self the Apostle excludes them that be not in Covenant and in the state of grace to whom only this spirituall blessing doth pertaine And in the same manner this and the like words are to be limited in other places Eph. 1. 10. Rom. 11. 32. And this they must not deny if they would be at one with themselves for they say all men are under a new Covenant and received into favour and that pardon of sin is promised unto all that shall continue in that Covenant and not transgresse against it Arm. respon ad Art 13 14. so that to consummate happinesse there is need of continuance only in the state which evermore hath effectuall communication conjoyned And restitution into the state of grace and actuall reconciliation if they be not one thing they
be inseparable And this doth take away the objection which they raise from the words following And hath committed vers 19 20 unto us the word of reconciliation Now therefore we beseech you we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God For not to say the Apostle speakes to the Corinthians at that time beleevers and in the state of persons reconciled hath not God committed the word of reconciliation to the Ministers who are to beseech mankind actually restored into grace and admitted into the new Covenant to be reconciled The word of reconciliation is of use both to them that be not restored into grace that they might be called and to them that be reconciled that they might continue and be builded forward That passage of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sinne and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole world is like to the former as all men confesse and hath the same answer For as Christ is our Advocate by office to plead our cause and defend us against the accusation of all our enemies so is he our propitiation But Christ is not the Advocate of every man simply but of his people And as he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes so he is of the whole world 1 Joh 4. 10. but he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes in that God is propitious unto them in Christ and not propitiable or reconcileable only He is their propitiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3. 25. by whom their sinnes are covered not coverable and Cyril in Ioh. â— 11. cap. 19. Aug. tract 87. in Iob. Autor de vocat Gent. l. 2. c. 1. Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. Estius in 1 Ioâ— 2. 2. expiated and done away not expiable only Therefore the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death and by the whole world man-kind in common considered as under the fall cannot be understood but the whole world of the Gentiles now called to the faith and admitted into Covenant Thus Vorstius himself though in his common places upon this Chapter he would understand these words as if Christ sufficiently and efficiently quantum in se was the propitiation for the sinnes of all mankind yet in his paraphrase he giveth this sence of the Text Where fore let Vorst in 1 John 2. 2. him consider that the Lord Jesus is the propitiation for our sins as who hath purchased full remission of them all for us And not only for us who at this time embrace his doctrine but for all men of the whole world as many as by faith receive or appehend the blessing of the Gospell offered unto them In this sence the world is taken as they themselves confesse Rom. 11. 12 15. Their fall is Scrip. Syn. pag. 307 308. See Chemnit Har. Evang. cap. 8. Quod gaudium erit omni populo the riches of the world and their casting off the reconciliation of the world that is of the Gentiles converted to the faith which did make a great part of the world and before conversion were worldly and profane men The rejection of the Jewes was an occasion by which the Gentiles hitherto without that gratious communication was made rich and being converted to the faith did returne into favour with God And the same argument they bring out of the former Text to confute the distinction of Christs death effectually for some sufficiently for all because then the adversative particle doth loose his emphasis if the Apostles words be thus understood Christ died effectually for us and not only so but sufficiently for the sinnes of the whole world doth confirme the other interpretation for the adversative should loose it weight if the sentence be thus resolved Christ is our propitiation by faith in whom God is actually reconciled and not only so but he is reconcileable to the whole world that lieth not in infidelity The maintainers of universall redemption thinke it may strongly be proved by this reason All men are bound to beleeve in Christ but Christ died for all men that are bound to believe in him which some propound in this forme Every man is bound to beleeve that Christ died for him but whatsoever a man is bound to beleeve that is true therefore he died for every man But if by beleeving in Christ they understand nothing but bare assenting to this proposition that Christ died for all men and for me as a man for the impetration of righteousnesse quantum in se or to purchase the grace of the Father and pardon of sinnes no man is bound to beleeve it because it is not revealed in Scripture much lesse made knowne to every man in the world by meanes sufficient Every man called whether he hearken to God calling or not is bound to beleeve that Christ is offered unto him as a Saviour so as if he beleeve he shall be saved but that Christ died for him in particular for the impetration of righteousnesse and for every particular man in the world that he is not bound to beleeve because it is not found in Scripture nor can he beleeve it according to their grounds that urge this argument neither can such perswasion be the ground of justifying faith I say every man in the world good or bad cannot beleeve it as they teach For either they be considered as in the common Masse as all Infants and then they be actually restored into grace or as impenitent and unbeleevers fallen from the Covenant themselves or as Arminius addeth in their parents and then Christ died not for them as such If they be admitted into Covenant and continue therein Script Rem advers coll Hag. art 2. Christ died for them in respect of application if they be fallen from that state by impenitency obstinacy rebellion Christ died not for them as such If they be cast off and not so much as outwardly called how can they beleeve that Christ died for them specially when by transgression they have departed from that Covenant and fallen from that state unto which they say they were admitted Neither can this perswasion be the ground of faith justifying for many ungodly men are perswaded that Christ died for all mankind that neither will nor can nor ought as such to beleeve in Christ or rest upon him for Salvation and many beleeve it not that beleeve truly in Christ and know they beleeve and that they ought to beleeve If by beleeving in Christ be meant faith justifying the proposition may be granted with two limitations First that under this terme they be not comprehended who never heard of Christ or had possible at least probable meanes to come to the knowledge of Christ or were admitted into Covenant So Vorstius seemes to limitit unlesse saith he Christ had died for all that are called in vaine should they all
for them both and being graciously invited he is without further dispute or delay to cast his soule upon the promises of mercy and come unto Christ that he might be refreshed But they are in vaine commanded to believe if Christ died not for them because they cannot believe Is it then in vaine that the obstinate and rebellious are commanded and invited to believe who as such cannot believe Was it in vaine that God commanded Pharoah to let Israel goe that our Saviour would have gathered Jerusalem when the things concerning her peace were hid from her eyes Might not men argue by the same reason that it was in vaine for God to intreate and perswade them to believe when he did fore-know that by such invitation they would not be allured to come unto him And if they cannot believe it is not through the unreasonablenesse or absurdity of the thing commanded which doth excuse nor impotency of weaknesse as if they would believe but cannot which is to be pitied but impotency of wilfulnesse and prave affection the more unable to believe the more wilfull to refuse which is inexcusable And though I cannot say God hath given to every man to believe if he will Yet sure God is not wanting to any man in that which either in justice or promise he is bound to give and did men deny themselves nourish the motions of Gods Spirit and earnestly desire to believe without question they should find the Lord gracious If men believe it is of grace not only that whereby they are inabled to believe but whereby they are discerned from other men if they believe not it is of themselves of their own pravity and they be not further from believing then from desire to believe It is objected further that Christ as he died to impetrate remission of sins for me in particular is the object of justifying faith The mercy of God reaching to the pardon of sin in and through Jesus Christ is the object of faith justifying as it is proffered unto us in the word of life but it is one thing to believe that mercy is to be had through the death of Christ and that it is offered unto us in the Gospell and we called to imbrace it another to believe that Christ according to the compleate and full will of God hath laid downe his life for us in particular to purchase for us both grace and glory Proportionable to the perswasion a man hath of Gods willingnesse to be mercifull is his perswasion of the sufficiency of Christs satisfaction and proportionable to his perswasion that God is mercifull to him in the pardon of his sin is his perswasion that Christ died for him in particular Justifying faith is not without an apprehension of mercy in Christ to be obtained but implieth not an apprehension of mercy reaching to the pardon of sin already obtained It is not without an application of recumbency reliance or imbracing which presupposeth the offer oâ— mercy in and through Jesus Christ to be received but the application of particular perswasion that Christ died for me in particular as well as for any other or hath purchased for me grace and glory is Corvin in Mol. cap. 29. Sect. 24. not required in justifying faith Some have affirmed that faith whereby I believe that Christ died for me is the foundation of faith whereby I believe in Christ but I should desire better proof than their bare word for it seeing the Scripture makes the mercifull offer of salvation in Christ to the burdened hungry and thirsty the ground of this affiance and that perswasion according to their positions may be in good and bad them that never shall be justified neither will nor can rest upon Christ for salvation To believe that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour and that salvation is offered to me in his name is lesse then to believe in Christ for remission of sins and in order of nature goeth before it But to believe that according to the purpose of God Christ is my Redeemer who hath purchased for me in particular grace and remission of sins and eternall redemption and hath actually reconciled me unto God this is the consequent of resting upon Christ for salvation and cannot be believed according to the Scripture unlesse a man doe first believe in Christ and according as men rest upon Christ superficially or soundly with a soveraigne and well-rooted affiance so they believe the other For when we reade in Scripture that Christ tasted of death for every man Heb. 2. 9. died for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. is the reconciliation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. shed his bloud for many Mat. 26. 28. gave his life for the ransome of many Mat. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. purchased the Church by his blood Act. 20. 28. Ephes 5. 25. gave himselfe for us all Tit. 2. 14. Rom 8 32. for his people Mat. 1. 21. for his sheepe Joh. 10. 15. for them that were given unto him of the Father Joh. 17 9 19. In these and such like passages by All the World Many and Vs are meant men in Covenant partakers of the benefits of Christ redeemed from all iniquity and purified unto him as a peculiar people delivered from this present evill world Gal. 1. 4. that they might live unto God 2 Cor. 5. 15. Peter Act. 3. 26. saith to the Jewes that crucified Christ Vnto you first God having raised up his Sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from your sinnes But he spake to them who were in Covenant the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant and as they were in Covenant so God raised up Christ for them which cannot be referred to the impetration of righteousnesse but the application of Christs death in some sort Otherwise if it be observed that the Apostle speaks of the Jews according to the present state when Christ was incarnate or actually raised from the dead I thinke the greatest Patrons of universall redemption will not affirme that Christ died for every man good and bad believer or Infidell obstinate and rebellious to purchase for them actuall reconciliation on Gods part according to that state wherein they stood when Christ came into the world or was raised from the dead Once againe it is objected that if this proposition Christ died for all men be not the ground of particular affiance it can have no ground at all neither promise of mercy absolute nor conditionall generall nor speciall But already it hath been shewed that bare assent or belief that Christ died for all men cannot be the ground much lesse the only ground of justifying faith and it may further be made evident by these reasons First That is the foundation of faith whereupon particular affiance leaneth or is immediately grounded But no mans particular affiance on Christ for salvation can be grounded on his generall belief that Christ died for all men because this
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
the Nations of the earth be blessed though no exclusion be expressed the Apostle is Gal. 3. 16. bold to interpret it as if it had been said In thy seed alone Whom he foreknew them he predestinated this proposition is not Rom. 8. 29 30. expressely exclusive is it not then exclusive in sense When David saith The Lord is my God he excludes not the faithfull from the same preeminence but when the Lord saith to his people I am the Lord thy God he excludes them that be not in Covenant Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. here is not restriction added but the proposition is exclusive Whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting Joh. 3. 16. life doth not this proposition exclude works from being a cause of Salvation because only is not added Some answer that these passages be exclusive because the Apostle expressely shuts forth works from the act of Justification Rom. 3. 28. whereas they rather teach that faith doth comprehend repentance conversion and new obedience and that works are not excluded from the act of Justification but only works done by the power of nature But leaving that the proposition is for the matter exclusive and that the Apostle shewes from the thing it self proving hereby that Abraham after he had followed the Lord a long time and yeelded obedience to his commandements was justified by faith without the works of the Law The words therefore may be exclusive though only be not added and that they be restrictive is plain by the thing signified for what is it for Christ to lay down his life for his sheep or to purchase his Church by his bloud but to bruise the serpents head to redeeme them from all iniquity and purifie them to be a peculiar people to himselfe â—o save his people from their sins to deliver them from the feare of hell and death and to blesse all Nations of the earth according to the promise made to Abraham This needs no further confirmation then the next answer which they make that the words be exclusive not in respect of the thing it selfe but of the modus which others expresse thus that Christ died for his sheep in respect of the application and event For if it be exclusive in the modus exclusive it is as well though only be not added as if it was And the question is not of the sufficiency of Christs death for all men in respect of the magnitude and excellency of the price nor of the efficiency of his death in some degrees for such as shall not inherit the crown of glory but of the modus whether he died sufficientèr efficientèr quantum in se for all and every man That this Modus is excluded will appeare in that we shall never reade that Christ died for any but for his sheep his Church his brethren his people or them that be considered as such in respect of present profession externall administration and application of his benefits Vnto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Luke 2. 11. Luke 1. 68 69 70. Lord. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel because he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an borne of Salvation in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us Mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of Luke 2. 30 31 32. all people A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Heb. 2. 17. brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sâ—nnes of the people Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for Rev. 5. 9. thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation And generally in every place they for whom Christ is said to die are called his elect his sheep his people his brethren not barely called into Covenant but received upon their acceptance thereof The severall passages alleadged to prove the universality of Christs death have been examined already and found to speake directly to this purpose But amongst them that be called into and accept of the Covenant some be elected simply others in comparison some be the sheep and brethren of Christ in truth and sincerity others in profession and externall administration or in some respect only And as we must distinguish of the elect and sheepe of Christ so of his dying for them For he died for all his elect as they apply and be partakers of the benefits of his death he died saving-effectually scil to bring them to grace and glory according to the election of grace for his simply elect and people in truth that is for them upon whom Salvation should be conferred and to whom it should be soundly applied So the Prophet telleth us Christ died that indeed and most certainely Isa 53. 10. he might see his seed and bring many brethren unto God And if Christ died not for his sheepe for this particular end that by his speciall grace and that which is given to none others they Rom. 9. 18. Job 10. 15. might injoy the fruit of his death we must confesse that Christ in this saying doth give no particular comfort to his sheepe and in that whole Chapter which is absurd And though sheepe and beleevers materially be the same formally in this place they be not for when Christ saith to the Pharisees Yee beleeve not for yee are not of my sheepe Joh. 10. 16. If to be a beleever and the sheep of Christ doe signifie the same thing he should say ye beleeve not and that which followeth My sheepe heare my voice and follow me Joh. 10. 27. should be the same as if it had been said the beleevers beleeve So that sheepe and beleevers are reciprocall but formally they are not made sheepe by faith but by election Moreover the acquisition of righteousnesse by the death of Christ and the application thereof are things to be distinguished but so inseperably conjoyned that for whomsoever it is acquired to them it is applied By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall beare their iniquities Isa 5â— 11. He bare the sinne of many and made intercession for the transgressours Isa 33. 12. By his stripes are we healed Isa 53. 5. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification Rom. 4 25. As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life Rom. 5. 18. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe Rom. 8. 34. I am come that they might have life and that thâ—y might have it more aboundantly Joh. 10. 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him 1 Joh. 4. 9. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified vers 14. The passages of Scripture are plentifull which testifie application to be the end of Christs death for he died to establish and ratifie the everlasting Covenant of grace Heb. 9. 15 16 17. to abolish him that had the power of death that is the devill Heb. 2. 14 15. conquer death 2 Tim. 1. 10. destroy and kill sinne Rom. 6. 10. sanctifie his people through the truth Joh. 17. 19. give life unto the world Joh. 6. 33. redeeme us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. obtaine eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he might deliver us from this present evill world Gal. 1. 4. that being dead unto sinne and alive unto God Rom. 6. 4 5 6. we might not live to our selves but unto him which died for us and rose againe 2 Cor. 5. 15. and that we might receive the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4. 5. And it is absurd to reason it selfe that Christ by the decree of God should purchase that for men which is not given unto them that he should acquire what they obtaine not that by divine imputation Christ should die for every man when the merits of Christ be not communicated unto them that the promised seed should be given to Abraham no blessing or multiplication following If Christ have purchased a new Covenant faith redemption reconciliation for every man without question they are or shall be delivered from the condemnation and dominion of sinne the Spirit is given or shall be given to abide with them they arâ— or shall be renewed after the Image of God If Christ be a King he hath a Kingdome subjects and territories wherein he doth exercise his regall power He is a King not only in personall right or to punish enemies but a King to feed and rule a people God hath given his Sonne the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession and shall men with-hold it Shall God give men unto Christ and shall they detaine themselves from him If Christ came to destroy the workes of the devill that is sinne as the Apostle shewes 1 Joh. 3. 8. Joh. 8. 41 44. and to deliver men from the feare of death and the devill shall we not thinke that Satan is cast downe and death abolished Christ is a Saviour as in merit so in efficacy else should his purchase be in vaine the end of his comming into the world be uncertaine his purpose in laying downe his life be frustrate and Christ should merit by the appointment of God what God doth not give therfore the impetration of righteousnesse must not be plucked from the application nor doth the giving of benefits purchased by the death of Christ depend upon the pleasure of men any more then the acquisition doth Betwixt the purchase and application of Christs death faith comes between but that faith is merited by the death of Christ and for Christ vouchsafed to them for whom he died Tit. 3. 6. Ephes 1. 3. Phil. 1. 29. Ephes 6. 23. Some have answered that all men are the sheep of Christ as the dispersed torne and devoured of evill pastors and beasts of the field and the seduced and destroyed are acknowledged to be sheep Jer. 23. 1 2. Ezek. 34. 5 6. But the Prophets speake only of the people of the Jewes which at that time was distinct from the Gentiles as the flock and inheritance of the Lord so that hence nothing can be gathered but that they who live in Christs Church and fold are his people and sheep of his pasture Againe the Scripture speakes of the sheep of Christ two wayes according to vocation or according to election According to vocation they are sheep who externally pertaine to the number of Gods people and the Church according to election Jer. 23. 3. Rom. 9. 27. Ezek. 34. 5 6. many sheep are without many wolves within and many sheep within many wolves without Although there be a distinction betwixt the merit of Christ by his obedience even to death and his intercession yet one of them cannot be separated from the other for he maketh intercession for them to his Father for whom he hath merited reconciliation by his death and we cannot thinke he should lay downe his life for them for whom he would not pray If we looke unto the signification of the words Mediatour and Intercessor note the same thing and if Christ have put himselfe betwixt the wrath of God and man to obtaine reconciliation by making satisfaction to offended justice can it be thought he will not request that for the virtue of his sacrifice they for whom he hath satisfied might be accepted of the Father If we looke to these two functions of Mediation suffering death and making intercession they are conjoyned in Scripture It is Christ that Rom. 8. 34. died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us If any man sinne we have 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our our sinnes Christ is our Advocate if he be our propitiation if we will receive the testimony of the Apostle and not separate things that God hath conjoyned Incredible it is that Christ out of his incredible love should vouchsafe to lay downe his life for them as well as others for whom the time of his passion being at hand he would not power out a prayer How these two be conjoyned in the intention of our Saviour sc to pray Joh. 17. 19. for men and to offer himselfe a Sacrifice for them may appeare by the words of our Saviour himselfe for these I sanctifie my selfe that is for these am I prepared to offer my selfe that they might be sanctified by the truth for these that is them for whom he prayed And if Christ had intended to offer up himselfe an holy and propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of all and every man he would rather have prayed his Father to accept his sacrifice for all men then professe that he prayed not for all men For whom Christ hath offered up himselfe a Sacrifice to put away sinne for them doth he appeare before God in heaven and if he doth appeare before Heb.
mediatory one generall the other speciall which some of late have devised but that he makes Intercession for all and every of them that are given unto him of the Father and only for them and that his Intercession is ever certain and effectuall as when he saith to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and to all the Luke 2â— â—2 Joh. 14. 10. Apostles I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever And when we heare from Christ himselfe that according to the proper office of his Mediatorship he makes Intercession only for them that are given unto him of the Father we may conclude that in speciall manner he offered up himself a sacrifice to the Father for them only Other arguments are alleadged for confirmation of this truth which who list may reade at large in sundry Treatises of this matter â— but it would be too long to insist upon each particular therefore here I will breake off this controversie and proceede to that which followeth in this intended discourse CHAP. III. How Christ hath fulfilled the office of Mediatour or how he is the Mediatour of the New Testament IN the fulnesse of time the eternall Sonne of God took unto him our nature and became God and Man in one person that he might be an equall middle person between God and man The necessity of a Mediatour appeares in this that man is guilty and God true and righteous If man had continued in his integrity he had stood in no need of an expiation if God had been unrighteous in the passages of mans sinne there had been due unto him no just debt of satisfaction But seeing man created good but mutable did willingly and by voluntary choice transgresse that Law under the precepts whereof he was most justly created and unto the malediction whereof he was as necessarily and righteously subject if he transgressed and God was purposed not to suffer sinne to passe utterly unrevenged because of his great hatred thereunto and of his truth and the Law which he had established against it of necessity either God must execute the severity of his Law whereby the creature should everlastingly loose the fruition of him and he should likewise loose the service and voluntary subjection of his creature or some course or other must be found out to translate this mans sinnes on anothers person who may be able to beare them and to interest this mans person in that others righteousnesse which may be able to cover him Of necessity a Mediatour must be found out to stand between God and man who must have one unto whom and others for whom and in whose behalfe and somewhat wherewith to make satisfaction to offended justice In regard of God towards man he must be an officer to declare his righteousnesse and in regard of man toward God a surety ready to procure pardon and deliverance not by favour or request but by way of satisfaction He must be one with us in the fellowship of our nature passions infirmities and temptations that so he might the more readily suffer for us who in so many things suffered with us and one with God the Father in his divine nature that so by the vertue of his sufferings and resurrection he might be able both to satisfie justice to justifie our persons to sanctifie our nature to purifie and perfume our services to raise our dead bodies and to present us to his Father a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle He must be man pure and undefiled man that he might suffer it being no way fit that one having no communion with another should make satisfaction by suffering for anothers fault Man pure and undefiled otherwise he could not have satisfied for himself much lesse for them that had so grievously offended He must be man that he might have compassion on them that come unto God through him and pure and undefiled that his Sacrifice being pure and without spot might be acceptable and pleasing to provoked justice He must be God that he might beare the weight of Gods wrath without sinking under it be the King and Head of the Church defend his people against the enemies of their Salvation send forth his Spirit into the hearts of his redeemed and receive from them such divine worship as was due to so great and gracious a Saviour He must be man our neere kinsman that he might have right of redemption be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in all things like unto his brethren He must be God that by his death he might overcome death and him that had the power of death that is the devill free us from the guilt of sinne and curse of the Law and preserve his redeemed unto his everlasting Kingdome He must be God and man in one person and so of a middle condition between God and us in that both the natures of God and man doe concurre and are conjoyned in his person that he might joyne God and man in a firme and stable Covenant of friendship and reconciliation and be the root fountaine and beginning of supernaturall and spirituall being in whom the whole natâ—â—â— of mankind should be found in a more eminent sort then it was in Adam The horrour of sinne was so grievous the curse of the Law so terrible the price of redemption so great that a meeâ— creature could not take away the one or pay the other and that man might not fall away as he had done under the former Covenant our Mediatour who was the foundation of this new Covenant did assume our humane nature unto his divine person Therefore the eternall Sonne of God being ordained of the Father to this office of Mediatorship that he might intercede between God and man and joyne God and man in one did assume our nature into the unity of his person and was born of a woman that he might save and call sinners and redeeme them who were under the Law Gal. 4. 4. and shut up under the curse of the Law The second person in Trinity the Son of God by nature the Image of the Father by whom all things were made was made man that he might renew what was disordered by sinne and make us the sonnes of God by grace and adoption who were by nature the children of wrath it being fit our redemption should be wrought by the Sonne and sealed by the holy Spirit For whereas a double mission was necessary the one to reconcile the other to give gifts to reconciled friends the Father being of none sent his Sonne the first proceeding person to take our nature and make satisfaction the Father and the Sonne both send the Spirit the second proceeding person to seale up them that Christ hath redeemed by his bloud And who was fitter to become the Sonne of man then he that was by nature the Sonne of God who could be fitter to make us the Sonnes of God
by grace and adoption then he that was the Sonne of God by nature who fitter to repaire the Image of God decayed in us then he by whom at first man was made after the Image of God Thus Christ was a fit and equall middle person conjoyned by the bands of friendly society and peaceable agreement with both the parties God and men that he might be a Mediatour of reconciliation and peace betweene God and man He tooke unto him the sanctified nature of man that therein he might draw neere unto men and be the root of them that are sanctified and retained the nature of God that so he might not depart from God Here it is questioned according to which nature Christ is Mediatour whether as man only or as God and man That he is a Mediatour according to the concurrence of both natures in the unity of his person it is confessed by all for if he were not both God and man he could not mediate between God and man but whether he be a Mediatour according to both natures concurring in the worke of Mediation there be some that make question Our resolution is that Christ is Mediatour according to both natures the humane nature doing that which pertained to the humanity Bellar. de Christ lib. 5. cap. 7. § Potest tamen and the divine nature that which pertained to the divinity but the humane and divine both concurring to produce one act or work of Mediatorship As the divine and humane nature concurre to make one Christ so the acts of the divine and humane Plura principia ad operationem unam possunt concurrere Lun ibid. cap. 7. not 1. nature distinct in vertue and operation by co-operation concurre to make up the same work of Mediation Some of the works of Christ the Mediatour were the works of his humanity in respect of the thing done and had their efficacy dignity and value from his divinity in that they were the works of him that had the divinity dwelling bodily in him and some the works of his divinity the humane nature concurring only instrumentally as the remitting of sins the giving of the Spirit the raising of the dead and such like The works of Ministery the Sonne of God Iâ—n cont 2. l. 5. cap. 5. not 29. performed them in the nature of man It was the Sonne of God and Lord of life that died for us on the Crosse but it was the nature of man not of God wherein he died The works of Authority and power were all performed by the divine nature yet not without an instrumentall concurrence of the nature of man Christ suffered as man but the divine nature did support and sustaine the humane He died as man as God he overcame death conquered and rose againe as man he was made an offering for our sins the worth and value of the Sacrifice was from the divinity The two natures in Christ be distinct in their essence and Iâ—n Paral. lib. 3. in cap. 9. Hebr. properties and so in their operations that we must not imagine one action of both natures but as the natures be united in one person so the operations concurre to make up one work of a Mediatour Many chiefe necessary and essentiall acts concerning our Iun. animad in Bell. contr 2. l. 5. ca. 3. not 9 reconciliation with God are from the Deity of Christ as from the next proper immediate and formall beginning The Incarnation of Christ is from the Deity which did assume the humanity which when it was not could not assume it selfe The manifestation of God was a work truly divine from the humanity of Christ as an instrument from the Deity as the true cause Christ as Joh. 1. 18. Matt. 11. 27. man teacheth as an instrument and Christ the Word teacheth as Mediatour for he is not only Mediatour who supplyeth the roome of an instrument but the Deity did move the humanity as his instrument that is personally united and not as anothers Joh. 10. 18. To lay down his life passively belongs to the flesh to lay down his life or soule actively to the word The resurrection of Christ is Iun. ibid. cap. 6. not 1. Rom. 8. 34 and 4 25. Rom. 1. 4. Mar. 2. 10. Joh. 15. 26. and 16. 7. an essentiall part of our Redemption but Christ rose not by the propriety of his flesh but by the power of his Deity Christ as Mediatour performed many divine acts but the humanity alone cannot be the beginning of a divine act as Christ as Mediatour hath authority to forgive sins to send the holy Spirit not meritoriously alone as Bellarmine distinguisheth but efficiently to conjoyne us unto God and bring us to salvation Christ as Mediatour is the King and Head of his Church which dignity and office Meritum Meâ—â—ationâ—â— est Mediatio personae cannot agree to him that is meere man For the Head is to give influence of sence and motion unto the body and Christ gives supernaturall sence and motion unto his mysticall body and that both by way of efficiency and by way of disposition fitting us that an impression of grace may be made upon us He prepareth and fitteth men to the receipt of grace by the acts of his humanity A tâ—ta quidem Trinitate datur Spirituâ— sed ad personam Mediatoris haec actio terminatur quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he suffered death and dying satisfied Gods wrath removed all matter of dislike procured the favour and acceptation of God and so made men fit to receive the grace of God and to enjoy his favour He imparteth and conferreth grace by the operation and working of his divine nature it being the proper worke of God to enlighten the understandings of men and to soften their hearts If it be alleadged that there is nothing that one person of the Trinity doth towards the creatures but they all doe it and consequently that those things which Christ did in his divine nature pertained not to the office of a Mediatour being common to all the Persons The answer is though the action be the same and the worke done by them yet they differ in the manner of doing it For the Father doth all things authoritativè and the Son subauthoritativè as the Schoole-men speake that is the Father as he from whom and of whom are all things the Son as he by whom are all things not as â—y an instrument but a principall efficient And in this sort to quicken give life and to impart the Spirit of Sanctification to whom he pleaseth especially with a kind of concurring of the humane nature meriting desiring and instrumentally assisting is proper to the Son of God manifested in our flesh and not common to the whole Trinity As the second person in Trinity did assume our nature and not the Father or the holy Ghost and as Christ is the Head of the Church not the Father or the holy Spirit so he
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
died the Just for the unjust that is being just he was substituted for us unjust and suffered not only for our good as the Martyrs may be said to doe Isa 53 9 10. Rom. 5. 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 13. The same is demonstrated by this that Christ is said to be the Mediatour who gave himselfe a ransome for all men 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. that by redemption of transgressions which were under the former Covenant they that are called might receive the inheritance Heb. 9 15. and the mediation it selfe is joyned to the sprinkling of blood Heb 12. 24. so that none other mediation is to be understood then that whereby parties disagreeing are set at one Hitherto it is to be referred that we are said to be reconciled to God by the blood of Christ Rom 5. 10 11. 2 Cor. 5. 18. Ephes 2. 16. Col. 1. 20. whereby our conversion to God is not understood as if we who hated God before had now departed there from and did set our love upon him but that we which formerly were under wrath are restored into favour that which caused that seperation being taken away by the satisfaction of Christ and free condonation of grace Therefore Christ is called our Heb. 2. 17. sig ibi expiatiâ—nem sedeam quae fit placâ—ndâ— propitiatorie Rom. 3. 25. and propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 2. 4. 10. not a testimony of placation because God in Christ is made propitious unto us and not we propitious to God In Scripture God is said to reconcile the world unto himselfe according to the usuall manner of speaking wherein he that offendeth is therefore said to be reconciled because as he gave occasion to hatred so he hath need of reconciliation and the pacifying of him whom he hath Sophocles in Ajace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dijs conciliari i. ipsâ—s reddere propâ—tios Punitio omnis qua talis sive impersonaliter spectata causam habet justitiam Dei. Procataâ—ctica verâ— causa sunt peccata itidem impersonaliter in genere spectata sine determinatione punitio verò quae pro alio est plane miseriâ—ordiae divinae opus est procatarctica vero causâ— sunt peccara nostra satisfâ—ctionem exigentia Voss resp cap. 12. offended although the reconciliation of them that be offended be not excluded The deliverance which we obtaine by Christ is called redemption which was made by the paiment of a price Rom 3. 24. Gal. 3. 13. Ephes 1. 7. Heb. 9 12. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Matth. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 7. 23. and redemption made by a price can be no other then by satisfaction or substitution as the Apostle saith Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. 1 Tim. 26. Faith and repentance and preaching of the Gospell come betwixt that we might obtaine spirituall deliverance from the captivity of sinne but no man will say that we are redeemed by them as by a price whereby we obtaine deliverance In the legall sacrifices sinnes were expiated no other way but by substitution how much more was Christ who is the bodie of those shadowes substituted for the sinnes of the faithfull Wherefore the Apostle saith Christ was appointed to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Heb. 2. 17. that is that by expiating the sinnes of the people he might pacifie God in the same sence wherein the blood of Christ is said to purge the conscience Heb. 9. 13 14. Therefore the Scripture useth those words in this businesse which note recompence and subrogation as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both to pacifie and reconcile Gen 3. 20 Prov. 16 14. and to recompence or satisfie 2 Sam. 21. 3. Exod. 21 30. Psal 49. 8. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recompence or pay Gen. 31. 39. In the legall sacrifices there was a typicall expiation but the conscience was not purged nor sinne taken away or heavenly Heb. 9. 9 10. 4. 9. 23â— things sanctified by such sacrifices but the sacrifice of Christ was necessary by which things of so greaâ— moment were effected which was tipified by the legall sacrifices and was effectuall as a morall cause of Salvation before Christ was exhibited in the flesh And if the Fathers of the â—lâ— Testament were saved by Christ of necessity the satisfaction of Christ was true and reall for when it was not distinctly understood it could not profit them as an example or confirmation of doctrine but as a reall satisfaction only If Christ by his death had confirmeâ— his doctrine only and not Heb. 5. â— made satisfaction be had not died as a Priest whose office it is to offer sacrifice and make attonement but the Scripture sheweth plainly that Christ is our high Priest according to the order of Melchizedech Psal 110. 4. Heb. 7. 14 15. who hath offered up himselfe a sweet smelling sacrifice Ephes 5. 2. and sanctified us by one offering up of himselfe once for all Heb. 10. 11 12. And because the sacrifice of Christ may be considered either as he offered Heb. 9. 13 23. up himselfe for all the faithfull in generall his sheep and Church or as every particular faithfull man is comprehended under that universality and the good things purchased for all tend to the salvation of every singular beleever God would have the first should be shadowed forth by the anniversary sacrifice and some others which were offered for all the people the latter by the private sacrifices of every sinner Lev. 5. Exod. 29. 30. Christ then as Mediatour by his death hath made satisfaction for us and that true full reall satisfaction and not by a certaine fiction of Law or divine acceptilation as they call it For why did God exact the bloody death of his Sonne if it had pleased him to rest in any light satisfaction The Apostle concludes the sacrifice of Christ to be necessary because it is impossible the blood of Bulls and Goats should doe away sinnes Heb. 10. 4. which argument concludes not if Christ hath satisfied only as it pleased the Father to accept of his imperfect satisfaction as if it had been perfect The satisfaction of Christ was free because he was freely given to satisfie but the decree of God presupposed to shew his mercy and justice full satisfaction was necessary because sinne must be punished as the Law requireth or God is not true as in his promises so in his threatnings None other wages is appointed for sinne but death Rom. 6. 23. hence he that is dead is justified from sinne Rom. 6 7. But Christ suffered death and by death made recompence to justice for our debt and in that he died for sinne he died once Rom. 6. 9 10. He tasted death that by death he might destroy him that had the Heb. 2. 9 14 15. power of death that is the devill and deliver them who through feare of death
were all their life subject to bondage But when the Scripture nameth death generally it comprehends all that which God threatned in that sentence Thou shalt die the death that penall death which is the reward of sinne but not sinne it selfe which is penall only not sinfull Other mens debts are answered diverse wayes some answer them simply as redeemers some as sureties He that answers them as a suretie must pay the Heb. â— 6. same summe of money that the debtor oweth Now Christ is not only our Mediatour but our suretie Heb. 7. 22. and hence the mediation of Christ is called a propitiation Rom. 3. 25. 1 Joh. 2. 2. and the surety is of debt and justice to make full satisfaction because he hath voluntarily promised it and God the Father did in justice exact it Rom. 3. 24 25. and 8. 32. In the sufferings of Christ we must consider the circumstances and substance of his sufferings The circumstances as the person of the sufferer the cause of suffering and efficacy of the passion in which respect it was more then the Law required for the Law did not require that God should die nor that any one should die that had not finned nor such a death and of such efficacie as not only to abolish death but to bring in life and that by many degrees more excellent then that which Adam had lost but if we respect the substance of punishment it was that which the Law required which he paid of love free and voluntary and yet of justice Justice requireth the same summe of debt the dignity of Christs person nothing hindering and according to justice Christ made satisfaction As concerning the substance of punishment Christ suffered what was due to us but in the circumstances which pertained not to the substance of the debt some thing was pardoned to the dignity of the person In this stands the dignity of Christs person that he might be fit meritoriously to pay our debt so farre was it from freeing or acquitting him for any part of our debt He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Surely he hath born our griefes and carried our sorrowes Isai 53. 4. When the Scripture speakes so fully why should humane curiosity limit the sufferings of Christ as if they were not fully satisfactory but by divine acceptilation only Christ suffered not every particular punishment that every particular sinner meeteth withall but his passion was a common price payed at once for all his people satisfying justice for all their offences Rom. 5. 19. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 33. He bore our sinnes in his body upon the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. We are redeemed by his bloud Eph. 1. 7. The bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1 Joh. 1. 6. Phil. 2. 8. Col. 1. 20. He hath made peace by the bloud Voss respons ad Iudic. Ravens cap. 6. Robert Loeus Examen Eccl. The saur effigiet veri Sabbath of the crosse Touching the punishments which Christ suffered they were not ordinary but beyond measure grievous bitter and unsupportable yea such as would have made any meere creature to sinke down under the burthen of them to the bottome of hell For he suffered grievous things from all the things in heaven earth and hell He suffered at the hands of God his Father and of men of Jewes of Gentiles of enemies insulting of friends forsaking of the Prince of darknesse and all his cruell and mercilesse instruments But whereas of the punishments of sinne some be sinnes and punishments both others punishments only and some common to the nature of man others personall growing out of some imperfection and defect in the vertue and faculty forming the body disorder in diet or some violence offered and some for sinne inherent others for sinne imputed Our Saviour Christ suffered the punishments that are only punishments and not sinne common to the whole nature of man not personall to this or that man the punishments of the sinnes of other men not his own and that of them that should breake off their sins by repentance not of them that would sin for ever if they might live for ever The whole life of our Saviour was a life of suffering but his speciall sufferings were those he endured in the Garden or upon the crosse In the Garden he was in an agony upon the crosse he was pressed with the weight of grievous and unsupportable evils His agony was that sorrow wherein his soule was beset round with heavinesse and feare even unto death Thus the Evangelists describe it He began to be sorrowfull and very heavy Matt. 26. 37 38. Then saith he to them scil Peter James and John My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death He began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy And saith unto them My soule is exceeding sorrowfull Mar. 14. 33 34. Joh. 12. 27. unto death Now is my soul troubled His soul was smitten with horrour that all powers and faculties for a time left their proper functions and did concurre to relieve nature in that extremity as when a man hath received some gashly wound the bloud doth at first retire to comfort the heart But this stay came not from any internall defect which had been sinfull but from an externall cause to wit the horrour which fell upon him as the wheeles of a Watch may cease from motion without any fault in them when they are stayed by the hand of the Artificer He feared also the stroke of the justice of God his Father sitting on the Tribunall or Judgement seat to punish the sins of men for whom he stood forth to answer this he feared as a thing impossible to be escaped in respect of the resolution and purpose of God his Father that by his satisfactory death and no other way man should be delivered And he declined everlasting destruction as a thing he knew he should escape without all doubt or uncertaintie of event though not without conflicting with the temptations of Sathan and the enduring of many grievous and bitter things These passions in Christ were most pure because he himselfe was most free from all taint of sin as if you put cleare water into a cleare glasse though you shake and stirre it never so much it will raise no mud The effects of this agony were two Earnest prayer and bloudie sweat Being in an agony he prayed more fervently He Luk. 22 44. fell on his face and prayed He prayed thrice the same words O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse Matt. 26. 39. not as I will but as thou wilt As the sense of nature and inferiour reason presented death and the ignominy of the crosse unto him as they are in themselves evill without the consideration of any good to follow he desired to decline them But as superiour reason considered them with all circumstances knowing Gods resolution to be such that the
seeke attonement and to walke sutably He doth remove the guilt of sinfully from the conscience of the offending brethren Heb. 9 14 15. He is potent with God to satisfie revenging Gal. 3. 13 14. justice by presenting his bloud to remove the curse of the Law that those which are called might receive the inheritance He alone hath in his owne person performed obedience to the broken Law of God and fulfilled all righteousnesse and by his crosse hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against us and broken downe the partition and slayed hatred and enmity betwixt the brethren Ephes 2. 14 15. But of this more hereafter The Fathers received Heb. 11. 13 14. not the promises but saw them afarre off and were perswaded of them and saluted them with great sweetnesse but under the new Covenant we have recived the promise God hath sent his Son into the world borne of a woman and made under the Law and openly manifested him to be the Son of God And if Gal 4. 4 5. the appearing of Christ God and man did adde much to the joy and comfort of the Saints in glory the manifestation of Christ in the flesh must adde to the faith and comfort of them that waited for the salvation of Israel The Incarnation of Christ was the day of his Coronation and of his espousals wherein in speciall manner Cant. 3. 11. he contracted him unto his Church Goe forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladnesse of heart The Fathers expected deliverance from the curse of the Law and to inherit the promises in and through the Messiah and the Sacrifices did prefigure and Prophets fore-tell the death of the Messiah but we may well thinke the faithfull did not distinctly understand how the Saviour promised was to satisfie justice and by death to overcome him that had the power of death But in the new Testament we learne expressely that Christ is made of God unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption how he satisfied justice by one oblation of himselfe removed the curse of the Law destroyed him that had the power of death purchased the promised Spirit and ratified all the promises of the Covenant by his death and bloud-shed Heb. 9. 15. Thirdly He is entred into heaven appeareth before the Father and maketh request for his people unto which there is pre-required a power and prevalencie over all his enemies to breake through the guilt of sin the curse of the Law and the chaines of death with which it was impossible that he should be held And this power of Christ was shewed in his Resurrection wherein he was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1. 4. and in his ascension wherein he led all his enemies captives Ephes 4. 8. and in his sitting at the right hand of God farre above all principalities and powers Ephes 1. 19 20. All which did make way to the presenting of his Sacrifice before the Mercy-seat which is the consummation of it and without which he had not been a Priest We have such an high Priest saith the Apostle as is set downe at the right hand of the Majestie in the heavens for if he were on earth he should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests which offer gifts according to the Law Heb. 8. 1 4. Christ our high Priest having offered up himselfe an expiatory Sacrifice once for all by his divine power rose againe from the dead and is entered into the very heavens to appeare in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. Levit. 16. 11 15. It was the same continued action whereby the Priest did offer without the holy place and did then bring the bloud into the holiest of all Heb. 13. 11. For the reason why it was shed was to present it to the mercy-seat and to shew it unto the Lord there Heb. 9. 8. Inchoari potest functio veri Sacerdotis stante typico Sacerdotio perfecta esse non potest illo staÌ„â—e Oblatio peracta in terra perfectissima fâ—it sed perfectione partis non perfectione totius Aliud est offerre in terra aliud peracta oblatione manere in terra Heb. 1. 3. 10 5 6 9. 1â— 1 Cor. 5. 7. So Christs act or office was not ended nor fit to denominate him a compleate Priest till he did enter with bloud and present his offering in the holiest of all not made with hands Heb. 9. 24. And therefore he had not been a Priest if he should have continued on the earth for there was another Priest-hood there which was not to give place but upon the accomplishment of his for the whole figure was to passe away when the whole truth was come Now Christs oblation was the truth prefigured in the Priests sacrificing of the beast and his entrance into heaven was the truth prefigured in the Priests carrying of the bloud into the holiest of all And therefore both these were to be accomplished before the Leviticall Priest-hood did give place Some referre this to the oblation of Christ whereof they make two parts the one expâ—atory when Christ suffered upon the crosse the other presentatory when he doth appeare in heaven before God for us the one of killing or suffering the other of ostension the one finished on earth when Christ suffered without the gate because as no sin so no punishment can come within the holy place the other performed in heaven satisfaction being Heb. 13. 11 12. first made on earth The first was not a preparation of a Sacrifice but a Sacrifice the latter was not so much a Sacrifice as the commemoration of the Sacrifice made for appearing in heaven is not properly a sacerdotall act unlesse it leane upon the vertue of the Sacrifice performed the first was an act of humiliation the latter Heb. 10 8 â—â— of glory the first performed once for all the latter done continually that the explatory Sacrifice or obtaining of redemption this the application of redemption The Sacrifice consisted in the Videtur etiam spect are consuetudines Regum Iudicum inter homines Reges enim soederati in suis aulis matuo habent Legatos pacis obsides qui quamdiu apparent in Regis conspectu firma stat confoederatio death of Christ alone the application thereof is grounded upon Christs death as its merit but effected by the life of Christ as its immediate cause When the Apostle saith Christ appeareth before the Father for us the expression is borrowed from the custome of humane Courts for as in them when the Plaintiffe or Defendant is called their Atturney appeareth in their name and behalfe so when we are summoned by the justice of God to defend our selves against those exceptions and complaints which it preferreth against us we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ
26 27. was prepared to receive the Gospel by the shaking of the Castle and that feare he fell into supposing the prisoners had been fled And Paul himselfe by an extraordinary vision was brought to Act 9. 6. great astonishment Sometimes by restraining grace or common gifts which make men for degree nearer that is in their kinde and state not so much removed as others in the same kinde and state with them God doth prepare men thus Christ said to the young man who was nigh and unconverted Thou art not farre Mar. 12. 34. and 10. 21. from the Kingdome of God Nay God may by giving a man up to the height of some sin or sins prepare him to conversion as Paul and Manasseh the one left to persecuting the other to those horrible out-rages And God in wisdome knew it best for Peter to give him up to be tempted of Satan and left to himselfe to deny his Master for the curing of his self-confidence Physicians by ripening diseases make way to cure them for sick matter is never more easily brought away then when in ripenesse and quantity it exceedeth Concerning this matter let these conclusions be remembred First These preparations are not absolutely necessary for we see God doth give sanctifying grace to Infants in whom none of these preparatory operations can take place Secondly We doe not finde that they have been alwayes used though perhaps it be a thing most commonly falling forth How was Matthew called even at his custome and he followed presently Mat. 9. 9. Luk. 19. 6. not as Judas but as a true convert of Christ So Zacheus upon the very call came downe hastily and received Christ joyfully So it is said of Lydia God opened her heart that she attended Act. 16. 14. unto those things which Paul spake For life and death being such contraries as have no third thing between them which doth partake in them both the one may be changed into the other without any thing preparatory The entring of grace doth expell corruption and spirituall quicknesse in newnesse of life is the mortification of sin Terrours doe not drive men to Christ of themselves nor stirre men up to imbrace the promises and God is able to draw men unto Christ by the allurements of the Gospell By Evangelicall enticements men may be allured as well as driven Hos 2. 14. by the convictions and comminations of the Law Thirdly All things which God doth prepare to the receiving of grace and comming to him they make not of themselves any thing to the introducing of grace farther then God intendeth this effect by them Feare of hell conscience of sin never such afflictions morall parts and all gifts which may be without sanctifying grace and true beliefe many have all these who yet never turne unfainedly unto God When the sicknesse is growne greater in quantity this absolutely taken maketh the patient further off health The feeling of the disease is no part of the recovery though the Physitian may worke by it Phrensie in it selfe is no preparation to health but to the Physitian who can worke on the patient more fitly in this taking then in a deadly Palsey it may be a preparative to health Thus to be like an aguish man on his good dayes or like to some mad-men in the time of their intermissions is in it selfe as faâ—re from state of health as otherwise but yet the Physitian may use such a state as a way to health choosing rather to deale witâ— him in this taking then in the fit And so it is not the height of sin nor the feare of hell nor a morall course of life that of themselves can make nearer the state of grace but only in regard of God who doth intend to turne them hereunto Afflictions of themselves profit not if God open not the ear fear and horrour drive to despaire if God support not vertuous life according to the light of nature turneth a man further from God if he adde not thereunto the effectuall worke of his Spirit And all or any of these in regard of Gods intention may prepare man to receive the Gospell or the grace of effectuall vocation Fourthly A man that is sunke deeper into sin may be converted with lesse sorrow or legall terrour as the Thiefe upon the Crosse and he that hath not so grievously offended may be kept longer under for the ripenesse and aboundance of the humour may make way for the more speedy removall thereof when it is for the safety of others that have not gathered so much corruption to be kept under for a season Fifthly A Christian must not quarrell his conversion because he hath not been terrified or brought so low as others or kept under so long for it matters not how deeply thou hast been wounded but how soundly thou hast been cured It is not materiall what paine thou hast felt but whether thou be brought unto Christ Sixthly Châ—â—stians in temptations or distresse must not desire or pray that God would terrifie them or humble them with deepe apprehensions of his indignation for they know not their owne strength whether they be able to beare it if God should deale severely they forget that it is God that must make all afflictions profitable and that of themselves these things tend to despaire and hardnesse of heart and it is no small unthankfulnesse to complain of the Physitians care because he is inclined to deale tenderly with you Godly sorrow is to be cherished and so is the desire of and prayer for more tendernesse of heart but when we pray for more horrour we relie too much upon our selves and yet consider not our own weaknesse Seventhly This preparation is neither saving grace nor a thing between nature and grace done by the externall aide of the Spirit It is not saving grace because it is that whereby God is pleased to bring us to Christ and not that whereby we are renewed to believe or engraffed into Christ Nor a thing between nature and grace as if the Spirit without any habit of grace did lift us up to the supernaturall acts of beliefe hope love for then we should be-lifted up to acts of life without the habit which is to make a blinde man see without sight and to make us bear good fruit without sap or before we be good trees Eighthly These things may dispose us to faith but not to justification immediately because the smart of the wound may provoke to seeke a plaister but serveth not to the curing of it Justification is of the free grace of God through the bloud of Jesus Christ and not through any habit of grace infused into us much lesse through feare of hell or initiall hope or desire or such like Ninthly Where the effectuall raising up of the heart to faith beginneth there Gods preparative workes take an end for as that which prepares the ground for seed now ceaseth when the seed is to be sowne So all these
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
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
borne and lived in Covenant every man had actually applyed the death of Christ unto himselfe every man had enjoyed all the Ordinances of God yea there had been no impenitent person I might adde properly no sinner but Adam and Eve Then they could not say Christ came to save the world under which infidels must be comprehended or that he prayed for his persecutours and unbeleevers nor that he came to save his people from their sinnes for if this charge had been obeyed there had been no Infidell nor persecutour nor sinner amongst his people but only our first Parents And by the same evasion they may hold that Christ died for all and every man when he died for no man living or that ever lived but Adam only But this is nothing to prove that since many Nations have neglected their charge and being fallen from God have received from him a Bill of divorce a commandement hath been given notwithstanding unto his servants in all ages to publish the doctrine of salvation unto every creature amongst all Nations Adam and Noah were in Covenant is there the same reason of them and their posterity continuing in the faith that there is of them that be strangers to the Covenant shut up in darknesse and never heard the sound of the Gospell for many generations together It seemeth sufficient to Princes say they to publish their Lawes in some places at some times though they concerne all are for their good and take hold of them if they be not observed leaving it to Parents to teach their children and every one to enquire for his own good In this comparison there be divers things unlike divers that cannot befitted to the purpose unlesse it be in a sense contrary For they say Lawes once sufficiently published bind and stand in force though unknowne or scarcely possible to be known by some particular men now living in some remote parts of the dominions And the plaine direct reddition is That God having made a Covenant of grace with Adam and his posterity all and every man is bound to beleeve in Christ and walke in obedience though he be ignorant of his duty never received ability to do it never had meanes possible to come to the knowledge of Christ yea though he be cast off and left to the hardnesse of his heart God hath commanded Parents to teach their children Who doubts of that But the question is whether God hath vouchsafed sufficient means of grace to every man which is not hereby proved because God when he gave his Covenant injoyned Parents to teach their children We grant the Lord is wanting in nothing which either he promised or in his eternall wisdome and justice saw meet to be done and that such as be deprived of the means of grace be justly deprived But we say as experience confirmeth that sufficient meanes of grace hath not been afforded to every man living since the fall of Adam In the comparison there be many things unlike For common-wealth are one body politick in which it is held sufficient to publish Lawes in some knowne places and at some times granting space and meanes that all may learne them if they will But we speake of such as never were so much as in the outward society of the Church nor adjoyning to them that never heard of the Covenant of grace they nor many of their Ancestours nor of a people or society professing the true Religion So that whereas the reason is of the meanes of supernaturall knowledge vouchsafed to them that never heard of the Covenant or lived nigh unto them that enjoyed the word of reconciliation the comâ—arison is of men in Covenant who cannot want possiblâ— meanes â—o know the main and fundamentall points of the Covenant Old Lawes they say not in use yet in force scarce possible to be knowne do bind But the question is of many doctrines in use which must necessarily be known or a man cannot be in the number of the faitfull so much as in externall society There is not a prohibition to preach or write to any say they unlesse it was to punish some speciall sinne as when Christ saith Cast not pearles before swine or some others were to be served first as Christ said to the woman of Canaan I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and Paul Act. 13. It was needfull that the Gospell should be first preached unto you And it was thus when the Spirit forbade Paul to goe into one place and commanded him to goe into another We might aske unto which of the two cases they will referre that of our Saviour Into the way of the Samaritanes enter ye not Matth. 10. 5. and Tarry ye at Jerusalem untill ye be endued with power from on High Luke 24. 49. during which time and before the Apostles could disperse themselves many millions might depart this life who never enjoyed meanes sufficient to bring them to the knowledge of God in Christ And if God have charged his servants not to cast pearles before swine and prohibited them for a time to preach the Word of the Kingdome to some people and in some places because it is his pleasure to serve others first why should we not likewise think that God in justice hath deprived many nations and people of all possible meanes whereby they should come to the knowledge of the truth Let us see how well this fitteth the matter in hand The meanes of grace be unlimited but in two cases there was a prohibition to write and what is this but in plain termes to confesse that the meanes of grace in all ages and times in respect of all places and persons have not been unlimited Besides when no man must take this office of preaching upon him but he that is called thereunto of God and no man can shew that he hath beene called to preach the Gospell to every creature why may not this be called a prohibition The last refuge is That any man might have had the Word using that little well that God gave How should he have had it By ordinary meanes or extraordinary revelation Some are bold to affirme he should have had it after an extraordinary manner Others speake of I know not what possibility by traffique and the like both sorts utter strange things and it is reason we should require better proofes then bare affirmations To him that hath shall be given is a proverbiall speech whereby our Saviour signifieth that they who be enlightened by the Gospell and use well the supernaturall gifts they have received shall be enriched with an happy encrease And that the contemners of the Gospell and grace bestowed upon them shall have that taken from them which they seemed to have But that men unregenerate can of themselves use their naturall gifts in an acceptable manner or that God will bestow supernaturall upon them that use their naturall gifts minus male as Arminius speakes is neither found in the