are parallel'd Rom. 5. 6. to the end The day that the first Adam sinned the Law passed a Sentence of Death upon all his Seed ver 12. virtually they all sinned and died there but not actually till they exist or have a being and as none are the Seed of the first Adam actually under his sin and condemnation till they be naturally born of him into the world of sinners so none are the Seed of Jesus Christ the second Adam actually under his righteousness to Justification of Life till they be spiritually born of him into the World of Saints ver 16 18 19. Joh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 16. the one Seed Christ to whom the Promise is made is not exclusive of infant Seed as to Ordinances but of an adult Seed which fought Justification and Eternal Life by the Works of the Law thus the one seed is that of Faith ver 26. For ye are the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Indeed Representatively we were not only justified but also sanctified and glorified at the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ Ephes 2. 5 6. He hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Not that we were the principal actors by him and he meerly our delegate For then we were Self Redeemers Self-Saviours it were more properly our act than his Jesus Christ so represented us as he was the principal actor and owner of all still the Redeeming act was his not ours Gal. 3. 13. Revel 5. 9. Gal. 4. 5. Rom 3. 24 25. the righteousness his Rom. 5. 18 19 21. It is his subjectively he is the Sâ—bject of it objectively ours we the Objects yea he so represented us as all was federally ours in him it was agreed that afterward we should have it all was for us in the Covenant but we are not actually his Seed one moment of time before Faith Rom. 5. 1. To say therefore that we are justified not in our persons but to our persons in Christ is to grant what is desired For men cannot be actually justified but in their own Persons and that cannot be till they actually exist and have personality and seeing after their Nativity their persons are unjustified they cannot at the same time be said to be justified Indeed the persons were determined Jesus Christ had full assurance that he should not die at uncertainties Isa 53. 11. But that doth not argue the immediateness of their Justification that is in the appointed season We must therefore carefully distinguish between Justification it self in the abstract consisting in remission of sins and righteousness prepared and our being justified as Mr. Norton saith Orthod Evang. p. 314. Or distinguish between Justification actually procured and it actually applyed the former is before Faith the latter not so As to the former see Rom. 5. 8 9 10. Our being reconciled was at the death of his Son not at the time of our Conversion Justification in this sense is the Object of Faith and may be before the act thus Heb. 1. 3. When he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high so Heb. 2. 17. Remission of sin then purging and reconciliation it self were compleat at the death of Jesus Christ then prepared for us but not conferred upon us till union with Jesus Christ and Faith 4. All are in a state of condemnation till union with Jesus Christ by Faith and so have no actual Justification till then for these are opposite Rom. 8. 33 34. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth The same persons then cannot at the same time be both justified and condemned for he proveth immunity from condemnation by their being justified and they are persons in Christ Jesus that only have this immunity ver 1. None out of Christ actually injoy it and no union with him one moment of time before regeneration and Faith for if any man be in Christ be in a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. All unbelievers are condemned already Joh. 3. 18. The wrath of God abideth on them ver 36. Are Children of wrath Ephes 2 3. Even Elect vessels before Faith are here said to be in that state under a Sentence of wrath and condemnation not only naturally de jure quoad meritum as to desent for so are all the sinful actings of Saints deserve wrath whereas here such wrath is intended as differenced their state in time past from what it was since they believed it was inconsistent with present Justification unto Life Though Jesus Christ alone made satisfaction to justice for their sin and was made a Curse for them so as not the least Atome of the Curse formally that is of vindictive wrath shall fall upon them in execution yet not only materially they are under it but the Laws Sentence of condemnation is against them and they are obnoxious to many tokens of wrath not only in their bodies in many sicknesses infirmities and painful diseases but in their Souls by ignorance darkness with many other sinful dispositions and inclinations and in their whole man by subjection and thraldom to Satan Col. 1. 13. Act. 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26. and deprivation of fellowship and communion with God and liability to the terrour of such a state and all these not in the least to make satisfaction but for other ends as that Grace may be the more admired in Salvation out of such a miserable state Ephes 2. 11 12. to humble them c. If it be Objected That our obligation being transferred upon Jesus Christ and he having born our sin and Curse justice and equity requireth that the Elect should upon his death be ipso facto actually discharged their debt being paid it cannot afterward be charged upon principal or Surety It may be Answered More is to be considered in this case than a meer debt for here the person was firstly and principally under the obligation as Dr. O. observeth satisfaction by a Surety being accepted the father might put in what terms he pleased without any shew of injustice and so there is no necessity that the discharge be ipso facto upon his death Also a debt may be charged upon the principal debtor till he obtaineth an actual interest in the satisfaction of the Surety till then though no further satisfaction will ever be exacted from Jesus Christ or the Elect yet the Laws obligation unto wrath may lie against them for other ends as to quicken them to seek deliverance out of that deplorable condition they are in The want of an immediate freedom is not from the defectiveness of the satisfaction made by Jesus Christ but from a present incapacity in those who are to be the subjects of the freedom as a full ransom may be paid for Slaves yet by reason of the distance an after-day may be set for their release So the Elect whilst unborn are uncapable of
of any sin at the same time See 2 Cor. 5. 21. â—om 3. 23 25. Yea further Jesus Christ suffered not the tantundem something in lieu or stead of what we should have suffered but the idem the very same punishment of the Law that was due to us and therefore continual interest in that must needs render at all times disobligâ—d or pardoned Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest dying thou shalt die Death then was the utmost penalty that was exacted nothing more was required of us by the Law of works and nothing less was suffered by Jesus Christ in our stead Heb. 2. 9. That he by the grace of God should tast death for every man The very thing that was threatned was undergone by him for us As to the eternity of the death and such circumstances that we are liable to these arise from the incapacity of our persons that cannot bear infinite sufferings in a short time as Jesus Christ did for us or as Mr. B. observeth that despair and death in sin proceed not from the threatning in it self considered but from the condition and disposition of the persons upon whom the execution of the curse falls punishment properly is satisfaction for injury done but sin is a continuing of the injury See Christ in Travel pag. 71. Gal. 3. 13. Made a curse for us the very thing yea all that the Law threatned was the curse and Jesus Christ did not undergo something in the room of it but the very curse of the same Law that we were under and therefore the idem Jesus Christ having undertaken the office of a great high Priest Isai 53. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all I cannot understand how iniquity it self could be transacted upon the Lord Jesus it is a non ens a privation of good if it could pass from one subject to another yet it could not fall upon any without the pollution of the subject where it resteth for it is altogether evil any thing short of this is not sin deny pollution and you deny sin it self to be upon any subject Jesus Christ was so infinitely pure as he could not suffer the least tincture of defilement therefore by iniquity must be understood the guilt of sin or its obligation to punishment not a tantundem that had not indeed been our iniquity but it was our very guilt whatsoever the Lord threatned against us and might exact from us on the account of our sin it is expressed by his being wounded for our transgression vers 5. by his being made an offering for sin vers 10. by his hearing iniquity vers 11. whatsoever burthen therefore was to be undergone or man was liable to bear for his iniquity this was laid upon Jesus Christ and that by the Fathers hand the Lord laid it there O what grace was here to us it was the Lord that was offended provoked dishonoured by sin and yet how desirous was he that we should be discharged from it in that he would with his own hand lay it upon his beloved Son Jesus Christ And it is the iniquity of us all it was not at an uncertainty the persons were determined by tale by number by name in whose stead he underwent all this He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sin and the chastisement of our peace was upon him vers 5. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now seeing Jesus Christ underwent the idem the very same penalty that was threatned by the Law and for the very persons and believers are always interested therein hence they cannot one minute of time be unpardoned 2. Believers are at all times actually interested in the general acquittance obtained by Jesus Christ and therefore are not without the actual pardon of particular sins one moment after the commission of them for that acquittance is our general pardon As he was charged with our sin so he was discharged by the father from it Isai 50. 8. He is near that justifieth me c. It is spoken of Jesus Christ as appeareth vers 6. He had justification not for himself he needed none but for us our sin or guilt being laid upon him and all demands of Divine justice being fully answered he was justified obtained a general acquittance for the whole body of his seed hence it is not only said he was delivered for our offences Rom. 4. 25. i. e. suffered death the wages due to us for sin but also was raised again for our justification If he had not made full satisfaction for us death would have held him still in that it could not hold him any longer this argueth that it had no Dominion over him but he had a compleat victory over that last enemy and his resurrection was his general acquittance for all the Elect and thus it was for their justification Believers have a ground to say as Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again They have then not only a continual interest in his death but also in his resurrection and they are put upon triumphing in faith on this account vers 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth c. It is the standing priviledge of all that are in a justified state that nothing can be justly laid to their charge and therefore none of their sins are one moment actually unpardoned as to Law guilt for then they might be laid to their charge Colos 2. 12 13. Quickned together with him He stood as a common person and virtually his seed might be said to die and rise at the death and resurrection of Christ himself in their room and stead but some actual sharing with him is here intended for he saith you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God this priviledge is not injoyed till they attain a work of faith with power and then the whole advantage of his resurrection becometh theirs in Jesus Christ they have a general acquittance and discharge Believers are risen with him it is reckoned unto them as if they had died and risen again in their own persons neither is this suspended until daily acts of Faith although these are not to be neglected but it is at their first conversion at their first Faith and recovery out of a spiritually dead condition you being dead in your sins both be quickened together with him That general Justification at his rising becometh theirs at first believing which will secure from all Law guilt that it will seize upon them no more as it followeth having forgiven you not only some but all trespasses they have then in their rising with Jesus Christ a general discharge in hand not only for sins past and present actually but for all even those to come virtually this general pardon will be ever ready that as soon as there is an actual commission of particular sins by that they will be immediately disobliged from them The actual
his Seed before the fall in that state man was to seek eternal life in the way of his own obedience Then God was upon those termes with man Do and live for that Divine threatning of death Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye doth strongly imply a promise of injoying life if he were obsequious else he might have said if I eat or eat not it is all one yet I am liable to death Doubtless as the threatned death was intended purposely to deter from eating so the hope of life was also a perswasive to this forbearance Yea the tree of life confirmeth this man was made an exile out of Paradise Gen. 3. 22. Lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever such an act of banishment would have been needless for prevention if it had never been intended for such an end to establish man in life in case he had kept his standing Some Divine Law or Covenant therefore there must be this way Some may doubt whether this was a Covenant of Works because here is only a threatning of death upon eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2. 17. upon disobedience to that one positive Law or Command and perfect obedience unto all moral Commands not so much as mentioned nor death threatned to the want of it I answer Man in his first Creation was under a Natural obligation to an universal compliance with the Will of God Eccles 7. 29. God hath made man upright this rectitude of nature imports an exact conformity to the Divine will it is opposed here to all those inventions evil devices new tricks vain and crooked Counsels which were the inlets to all iniquity He was created in the image of God Gen. 1. 27. which did not consist meerly in the faculties of the soul as understanding will c. but in gifts of illumination righteousness and holiness Coloss 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. There was an inscription of the Divine Law upon Adams heart yea even the Gentiles by nature shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. although this is exceedingly defaced and obliterated by the fall of man yet not wholly raced out or extinguished Now there being such original righteousness a Law of nature that obliged man as soon as created to all moral obedience it was needless for the Lord in entring into Covenant with him to make a repetition of that Law without which was antecedaneously written in lively Characters with a deep impression as a Law within All therefore that was necessary unto the making or forming of it into a Covenant of Works was the Addition of some positive Law or Command as a test or tryal of obedience to the whole and this we find in that Supervenient Command of not eating of the tree of knowledge Gen. 2. 17. under the highest penalty of death it self in case of disobedience This is the more evident because this positive percept was of such a nature and so intwisted with the other as Adam could not fall by transgressing of it in eating of the forbidden fruit without a violation or breaking of all the moral Commandments and involving himself in all sin and iniquity thereby Christ himself is giving the sum of the Law in these two of due love to God and the neighbour Mat. 22. 37 38 39. Now the tryal of love is by keeping his Commandments John 14. 21 24. and by eating that fruit Adam transgressed his Command Gen. 2. 17. and gave an evident proof of his want of love to God and to his neighbour also thereby murthering not only himself but all his posterity with him Yea though it seemed a small and indifferent thing in it self yet there was the summ of all sin in that first transgression which the Apostle compriseth in three things 1 John 2. 16. All that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life And Gen. 3. 6. The woman saw the tree was good for food in this pleasing of a carnal appetite was the lust of the flesh and pleasant to the eyes here is the seeking to satisfie undue desires the lust of the eyes and to be desired to make one wise or as the Serpent suggested verse 5. to be as Gods that is ambition or pride of life It might be manifested how all or most of the Commandments were broken by this act here was infidelity not believing the Word of God and seeking to Deifie himself against the first Commandment Adam's preferring the voice of his wife yea of the Serpent before the Word of God against the Second a conferring with Gods enemy about his word a part of his name without due zeal for his glory against the Third a not resting from his own work against the Fourth Eve out of her place in eating without her Husbands advice and consent against the Fifth a running under a Divine threatning of death to many thousands yea millions of men against the Sixth a giving way to an inordinate sensual appetite in eating the forbiddem fruit against the Seventh a taking what was not his own being reserved by God against the Eighth a receiving a false accusation against God Gen. 3. 5. against the Ninth Uncontentedness with the state and Condition God had placed him in aspiring to be higher than he saw it meer against the tenth Commandment And thus there was a Universal disobedience in Adams eating the forbidden fruit there is the seed of all sin in Original sin and therefore such an exact obedience to the moral or natural as well as to the positive Law was required there as rendred it a Law or Covenant of Works But man cannot now obtain happiness and Salvation by his own doing according to that for it is said to be Ephes 2. 9. Not of Works lest any man should boast So that Jesus Christ is not given for the renewing that old Covenant of Works with us again as the way to eternal life though the matter of it is drawn into the Covenant of grace to be performed by him for us as may be further manifested afterward 2. There is a Covenant of Grace provided for the recovery of some by Jesus Christ from a state of sin and death unto a state of righteousness and eternal life All that conduceth to Salvation is of grace Ephes 2. 8. By grace ye are saved Rom. 11. 6. If by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work The way of Salvation is here ascribed unto grace the holy Spirit giveth us both the terms of the distinction by making grace and works such opposite terms as one excludeth the other that therefore made with the first Adam was a Covenant of Works that for restoration by Jesus Christ is a Covenant of Grace see vers 26. 27 28.
foundation can no man lay then the is laid which is Jesus Christ The Covenant of Works was founded upon something in man his concreated ability and natural strength all the obedience of the first Adam if he had stood and the fruits thereof would have been resulting from the sufficiency of his own power and free-will and he failing all the fabrick fell But the Lord hath established another glorious Covenant and this is built upon what is firmer and of greater strength even Jesus Christ this stone that is laid in Zion is a tried stone Isa 26. 16. A sure foundation Now the structure of our Salvation will never fall because it hath such a sure ground-work able to bear up the weight and stress of all that is laid upon it No other can be laid He is the only foundation of all the promises of all the graces of all the obedience of all the peace of all the comfort of all the glory that is promised That with Abraham before his incarnation was confirmed of God in Christ Gal. 3. 17. He was the Mediator of Abrahams Covenant and therefore that had in it the same for substance with the new Indeed Jesus Christ is the foundation of all the blessings and special priviledges in the Covenant as with us If the Lord be a God to any it is in Christ if their iniquities be forgiven it is in the blood of Christ if the Divine Law be written in their hearts it is by the finger of the spirit of Christ thus he lieth at the bottom of all and so is the Covenant of the people 2. Jesus Christ maketh way for our injoyment of all federal blessings by standing in manifold relations to the Covenant As he standeth between God and us as a middle person to make reconciliation so he is the Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 9. 15. There was a wide breach that we could never have made up yea such a variance as there was no possibility of our approaching to God to enter upon a Treaty of Peace much less to procure our own reconciliation sin raised such an enmity as the Lord would have been a consuming fire to us if we had come near to him now the Lord Jesus interposed and took up this case undertook to compose and put an end to this difference There were iniquities in the way to hinder our fruition of promised mercies but he took an effectual course for the removal of these He is the Mediator of the new Testament to what end for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament Satisfaction was made by him to Divine Justice to the full he answered all the demands of the righteous Law and so wrought out reconciliation for us As he undertook for the parties at variance so he was the surety of the Covenant Heb. 7. 22. Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament The Lord would not take our bond for that great debt which we had contracted and were never able to pay It was now with us as with a poor man under an arrest for a vast sum unless there can be procured an able sufficient man to enter bond with him he must to prison without hope of being released any more so the Law of the righteous God arrested us for infinite breaches thereof it exacted a great and yet most just debt at our hand which we being already bankrupts were never able to answer it required a debt of infinite suffering the just due of our sin which if laid upon us would sink us for ever for the wages of sin is death The Lord demanded a debt of perfect obedience universal righteousness unto life which we were never able to yield and now unless one able and sufficient will undertake and be bound for us there is no possibility of escaping the prison of Hell the chains of infernal darkness the everlasting wrath of the Omnipotent God under this misery we must have layen without hope of recovery this was our state upon the fall of our first parents and in this strait and distress one not of our procuring but of his own grace offering it even Jesus Christ stepped in and became a surety for us to pay our ransom to answer our debt to the utmost farthing he put his name into our Obligation was made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4 4. Yea he became God's surety to us to free us from all doubtings about the fulfilling of the Covenant to us he undertook and promised that he would lose nothing that was given him John 6. 39. But would raise in up at the last day i. e. to everlasting Salvation for others shall be raised up also unto Condemnation but these unto eternal glory As he ratified and confirmed all so he was the Testator of the Covenant Heb. 9. 16 17. Where there is a Testament then must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men be dead Nothing less than death it self was threatned upon the first transgression Gen. 2. 17. that must be indured if ever Sinners be recovered unto a fruition of eternal life and now behold the matchless love of Jesus Christ saith he I will die in their stead to save them from eternal death and thus he hath turned it into a Testament a new Testament fealing it with his own blood As he acteth for our obtainment of the blessings promised so he is the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. The Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come We should have been without a knowledge of this grace altogether strangers to it and unacquainted with it if he had not revealed it to us and so we should not have made out after but come short of those spiritual blessings of the Covenant but now Jesus Christ himself travelleth with these blessed tidings he maketh a report of all the federal transactions between the Father and him in order to our Salvation he openeth all those soul-ravishing Mysteries and all those precious promises yea the way to our participation of those blessed priviledges and so he is the Messenger of the Covenant As he seeketh to satisfie us of the reality of God in all those federal transactions so he is the wâ—tness of the Covenant Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him for a witness of the people When poor sould hear the tidings of Covenant love in the heart of God towards them they are ready to suspect it is too good news to be true are apt to be incredulous here are hardly perswaded to believe the truth thereof at least as to themselves now Jesus Christ condescendeth so far as to take upon him the Office of a Witness to assure of the truth of all yea now he is in heaven he doth not throw up that Office he continueth still in this work and sendeth down news from heaven thereof Revel 1. 5. 3. 14. He
our own Works which are our own righteousness keepeth off from a submission unto that righteousness which is necessary unto Eternal Life and therefore if it were a mixt Covenant one part of it would hinder another as if the Lord in the same dispensation should pull forward and backward do and undo put upon seeking Life and yet on that which is a let in the way to it which were an impeachment to the wisdom of God for any to assert 2. Legal works are excluded out of Justification and Salvation in conjunction with Jesus Christ and therefore the Sinai Law could not be a mixed Covenant Gal. 5. vers 2 3. I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcisied Christ shall profit you nothing vers 4. Christ is become of no effect to you whosoever of you are justified i. e. seek to be justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Act. 15. 1 11. Ephes 2. 8 9. This implyeth that they urged Circumcision or Works of the Law and Christ too for Justification and Life the Argument had been insignificant to them if they had not expected profit and advantage by Jesus Christ and by the Works of the Law too and the Apostle concludeth one of these to be exclusive of the other a mixture of our own Works is a falling from the way of Grace a taking any of our services in conjunction with Jesus Christ in that matter is enough to shut out from all benefit and advantage by Christ he shall profit nothing if he alone be not owned herein 3. After a violation of a Covenant of Works nothing less than utter ruine and destruction are threatned therein Gen. 2. vers 17. In the day thou eatest thou shalt die There is nothing Promised by it ever after whatever services be performed nothing but Death thenceforth to be expected from it and therefore the Sinai Law could not be a mixt Covenant in regard Israel is often accused by the Lord for breaking of it Jer. 31. vers 32. Which Covenant they brake c. no good could be reaped from that part which was supposed of Grace the death threatned in the other part hindreth all good so that unless Israel could have kept it without violation which they could not it must have been altogether unprofitable to them for as Dr. Bolton saith man was not able to stand to the lowest terms to perform the meanest condition 4. There is such an opposition between our Works and Divine Grace in relation to Eternal Life that they are inconsistent each with other therefore the Sinai Law could not be a mixt Covenant There is no medium participationis or so as to partake of both there was an impossibility of having life both waies this I cleared before from Gal. 3. vers 18. which is equally strong here It is further proved Rom. 11. vers 4 5. It is said to be by Grace vers 6. If by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Work Which clearly intimateth that the way of Grace and Works are so mutually destructive one to the other that if it be by one it cannot be by the other If Israel had been to do any thing for Eternal Life though never so small it would have denied it to be of Grace Gratia nullo modo gratia nisi omâ—i modo grafia Aug. Grace is no way Grace unless it be every way free and therefore seeing Israel was justified and saved as we are Act. 15. 11. and we are justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24. and saved by Grace Eph. 2. 8. hence the Sinai Law could not be a mixt Covenant partly of Works and partly of Grace the one way being so Diametrically opposite to the other SECT III. Prop. 3. THat the Sinai Law was not only a Covenant for temporal mercies as the Land of Canaan and such like but did in some further way belong to the Covenant of Grace and bad the great concernment thereof even our Eternal Salvation as its principal aim and end Temporal blessings were dispensed out and possibly those only by vertue of the Sinai Covenant upon Israels performance of it but yet as it was to be performed for them by Jesus Christ so it respected the great matters of the Covenant of Grace even Spirituals and Eternals as may appear For 1. There are Typical representations is it of Spiritual and Eternal blessings There was abundance of the Gospel wrapt up in those legal Types and shaddows of old There were Priests and a High-Priest an eminent Type of Jesus Christ who is therefore called a High-Priest also Heb. 8. 1. and else-where O what an advantage was it so long before the Incarnation of Jesus Christ to have such a lively Emblem of this his glorious Office which our everlasting Salvation had such a necessary dependance upon That as the Levitical High-Priest did stand and appear for the People in many waies and for many precious ends that none else could so they might expect that Jesus Christ would do the like for them As the Priests did offer Sacrifice for the errours of the People so they might look that the Lord Jesus would offer a better Sacrifice for them They might easily guess that the Anti-type Jesus Christ would far excel out-strip and go beyond the Types the substance beyond the shaddow so Jesus Christ would be far more excellent than any of those figures of him What a priviledge was it to have some lively resemblance of all this so long before-hand Heb. 9. vers 23 24. Those things under the Sinai first Testament are intimated to be patterns of things in the Heavens and figures of the true There was a holiest of all which the High-Priest alone went into once every year not without blood signifying that the holiest of all was not made manifest whilst the first Tabernacle was standing vers 3 7 8. this intimateth that Jesus Christ the great High-Priest should enter into that which was truly the holy of holies to appear in the presence of God for us vers 24. and so that their holiest of all was a Type of Heaven A like Type thereof was the Land of Canean and therefore it beareth the very name that Heaven it self is set out to us by it is called the rest of the Lord Psal 95. 11. If they shall enter into my rest i. e. into the Land of Canaan Deut. 12. 9. This was another Type of the rest in Heaven Heb. 3. vers the last compared with Heb. 4. vers 8 9. Many other instances might be given wherein the Sinai Covenant represented matters of the Covenant of Grace even Spirituals and Eternals to Israel 2. Some of the same Promises of Spiritual and Eternal blessings which are found in other federal expressures are under a conditional form in the Sinai Covenant and therefore that appertaineth some way to the Covenant of Grace and
the first saving gift of God Christ and the Promises go together There are special marks of distinction whereby persons in Covenant are differenced from the World which agree to none that are out of Christ Heb. 9. 15. they are called ones that receive the Promise Abraham that famous Covenanter was not actually so till the time of his effectual calling from thence the four hundred and thirty years do commence which give the first date to the Covenant or Promise as made with him Gen. 12. Gal. 3. 17. not from the day of his Nativity much less from Eternity although then he was an Elect Vessel by becoming Christs men become Abrahams Seed and Heirs of Promise ver 9. 14 26 29. So the New Covenant runneth to the House of Israel and Judah Heb. 8 13. and none are the spiritual Israel for Life and Salvation till in him Rom. 2. 28 29. Till then they are so far from a Covenant state which is of Life Peace Mercy Salvation Mal. 25. Isa 54. 10. and 55. 3. Luk. 1. 71 72. Rom. 11. 26 27. That they are declared to be in an opposite state they are at enmity dead in trespasses and sins and children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. 1 2 3 5 8 15 16. Col. 1 21. This may appear further by an enumeration of the principal blessings of the New Covenant it is promised there that he will write his Law in their hearts and be to them a God Heb. 8. 10. but till in Christ they are without God in the World Ephes 2. 12. The greatest difficulty is as to the great priviledge of Pardon or Remission of sin under which the whole of Justification is signified Heb. 8. 10 12. Rom. 11. 27. Some think that we are justified from Eternity others at the death of Christ but actual personal Justification of a sinner before God is at his union with Jesus Christ and the gift of Faith not before For 1. None are actually interested in the righteousness of Jesus Christ before union with him and the gift of Faith it is he that is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. if without Christ then without his righteousness Rom. 5. 18. By the righteousness of one upon all unto Justification of Life none therefore ever attain Justification without a righteousness For it consisteth in a Divine declaration of a persons being righteous and if he were not so it were a false Sentence which is incompatible to the true God Neither will a righteousness of his own working out though by the help of Grace serve for this end of Justification but of that one Jesus Christ hence ver 19. By the obedience of one many are made righteous As his suffering and death did make satisfaction for sin so his obedience is a righteousness meriting blessings even Eternal Life ver 21. and it is called the righteousness of Faith Phil. 3. 9. that being a means for our application of that righteousness which is given Rom. 3. 22 25 26. Not that Faith is the meritorious procuring cause of our Justification it hath not the same causality therein that Jesus Christ hath No more is required to the release of our obligation it self than what the Law by which we are obliged doth exact which is satisfaction as to Duty and Penalty the solution thereof was by Jesus Christ alone but more is required partly to make way for this viz. a compact or new Covenant concerning it without which all sufferings by another had been of no advantage to us partly as a means of application viz. Faith Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto i. e. as a means unto righteousness and hence Justification is often said to be by Faith Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 5. 1. And the Question then was not how are men manifested and declared in their own Consciences to be justified but how are they justified before God and in his fight and that is not before but by Faith Gal. 3. 11. The scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. is to prove that we are justified by Faith and the righteousness thereof and not by works of the Law without cause of glorying ver 2. from the instances of Abraham and David ver 3. for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness and ver 6. David deseribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without Works And here note Pardon of sin is not the whole of Justification there is also necessary unto that end a righteousness if it were of our own working out then we were justified and saved by our own works which the Scripture generally denyeth this were to confound Justification and Sanctification as if Jesus Christ only satisfied for the sins and defects of a righteousness which we perform so as that is accepted unto Life whereas it is by a righteousness of Faith which is not of our own working out but wrought out for us by Jesus Christ The false Prophets themselves from among the Jews that urged these works of the Law upon the Romans and Galatians insisted much upon the ceremonials which plainly implieth an acknowledgement of sin and argueth that they did not expect Justification without pardon but carnally looked for pardon in the way of their own works and the Apostle in opposition to them excludeth out of Justification not only works wrought by their own natural power but even those which were by sanctifying Grace for the works of Abraham and David who were believers are here excluded Some think the righteousness of Jesus Christ or his active obedience in our stead needless unless as a part of his satisfaction for sin because say they the Law requireth not of us both suffering and obedience I Answer The Law as a Covenant of Works required suffering in satisfaction for sin and as it belongeth to the Covenant of Grace so it requireth perfect obedience to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ as the condition of the Justification and Life of sinners and new obedience which referreth to sanctification is to be performed by Christians as the fruit and effect of their spiritual Life Rather it was needless that Jesus Christ should fulfill righteousness or yield active obedience to the Law as part of a satisfaction for sin when by his passive obedience he underwent death which was the very same and all that the Law threatned against the sinner If man had never violated or broken the Covenant of Works or had never sinned then the Law would have required only righteousness of him for Life the tenour of it being Do and Live When man had sinned then the Law at a Covenant of Works required only suffering and threatned death Gen. 2. 17. but ceased in its promise of Life that immediately became null and void It is true the Law as a natural rule of righteousness required still perfect obedience that was due to God by right of Creation and his sinning could not
free him from the obligation of it It promised nothing to a sinner it would imply a contradiction that it should promise Life to him still upon perfect unsinning obedience when he was already a sinner under the threatning of Death Yea if immediately after Adams sinning satisfaction had been made and he pardoned yet he had been but in statu quo prius in his former state If the Covenant of Works had been in force again is at the first he must afterward have yielded perfect obedience else no promise of Life and therefore there is no incongruity in saying that man sinning the Law required satisfaction for sin and yet also required righteousness unto Life much more in our case for there is another Covenant viz. of Grace made with Jesus Christ the second Adam wherein he hath undertaken by suffering to make satisfaction for our sin without which we could never have been freed from the threatned death there was no other way to it the Lord might have refused a substitute and therefore might without any shew of injustice put in what terms he pleased for our restoration unto Life If freedom from threatned death were obtained still the Lord might have annihilated us we had no promise of Eternal Life that in the Covenant of Works being null and void upon the transgression of the first Adam Behold therefore the Lord agreeth to stand to the first terms the second Adam undertaking to do what the first should have done to fulfill the same righteousness the Lord doth thereupon promise Life again Thus the Law is drawn into the Covenant of Grace and requireth the same perfect righteousness as before to be fulfilled not by our selves for Life but by Jesus Christ the second Adam as the aforementioned Scriptures do witness which assert not only suffering but also the righteousness of that one Jesus Christ to be necessary unto Justification and Life as Rom. 5. 18 19 c. and hence the Sinai Covenant which he fulfilled did run in the first form of Do and Live The ground of this mistake is a false supposition viz. that no more is needful unto Life but satisfaction for our sin and disobedience as if Life would naturally follow upon that which is to say either that we have Life without any righteousness whereas there is no Promise of it to Adam or to any since that run that way or else that we have it by a righteousness of our own working out Christ satisfying for our sins and defects therein and this is to affirm that we have life still by the Covenant of Works and in the way thereof which to affirm is very anti-evangelical and unscriptural For there are many Testimonies that unto the pardon of sin there is needful a New Covenant Heb. 8. 12. and that Life is by that and the righteousness required to it wrought out not by our selves but by another for us even Jesus Christ And thus the death of Jesus Christ was needful to our freedom from death although we obeyed in him or he obeyed in our stead to merit for us Eternal Life which is promised thereupon not now by the Old Covenant of Works but by the New Covenant of Grace And thus although Christ fulfilled the Law for us so as it is imputed to us and we made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Yet it doth not follow that we should be freed altogether from the obligation of the Law unto obedience For the righteousness of Jesus Christ his obeying and fulfilling of the Law for us was as the condition of Life or that upon which the Lord hath promised Justification unto Life but we may be and are obliged to obedience not for that but for other ends not in the least for our Justification and title to Life but as a part of our Sanctification and we sin in not obeying that we may glorifie God by those fruits of our being Spiritually alive Christs obedience was for one end ours is for another as his sufferings were for one end our afflictions for another and neither of them unnecessary 2. No actual interest in the promises of the New and better Covenant before union with Jesus Christ and Faith Even the Elect of God so long as unconverted and without Christ are without promises as I have manifested Ephes 2. 12. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 22. they were not from Eternity the Seed of Abraham ver 29. he had no Seed so early If the sinner himself had satisfied then it had been no pardon for he is not-pardoned that payeth his whole debt himself but Jesus Christ interposed he underwent the Curse and the New Covenant or Free Promise is Gods grant or act of Pardon Heb. 8. 11. and 10. ver 16 17. This is my Covenant Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Remission of sin then is a glorious fruit and benefit of the New Covenant not only manifested but conferred thereby God justifieth Rom. 8. 33. and this is his pardoning act Not Faith it self or any Grace within us is that which giveth the pardon Faith only receiveth the Remission of sins Act. 10. 43. and the Divine gift of it is by an immutable thing even by the Promise of the New Covenant And hence if any Object That Jesus Christ as a Surety had the obligation of the Elect transferred upon him and made full satisfaction to the Law for them and so disabled it for holding them obliged because they cannot eventually be damned It is Answered As our obligation and condemnation was by the Covenant of Works so our declared freedom from its obligation and our Justification must be by the New Covenant that is the way laid out for the giving of it forth And though our sin was transferred upon him and an Act passed which rendred it certain that we should be justified yea and sanctified too in due season yet not so as that we were immediately disobliged but in the way laid out by Divine appointment for that end The Covenant of Works being violated though satisfaction must be given to that yet that contained no Promise of Life to a sinner upon anothers undergoing the very penalty threatned therein and therefore was so far from giving ipso facto deliverance that it would have availed nothing towards it without a New Covenant because payment by a Surety was a refusable satisfaction the Lord without any appearance of injustice might have said the Soul that hath sinned it shall die Therefore the Sentence of the Law lyeth against us till by the Covenant of Grace we be discharged from it in the way and time therein appointed which is at union with the Lord Jesus 3. None are actually and personally the Seed of Jesus Christ as the second Adam before union with him and Faith therefore none are actually and personally justified till then They are only his Seed such as he redeemed that he doth justifie Isa 53. 10 11. Rom. 3. 24 25. The two Adams