And tells us P. 612. Our first coming to Christ is as a Coach is said to come to Town when it is but drawn to Town I shall make no further Remark on this than tell thee the Doctor distinguisheth not between what we are abstracted from the Spirit 's Influence and what we are by the Spirit 's Influence VVe are passive in effectual Vocation as that is God's Act on us but even then no Violence is offered to the VVill for the Mind dictates what it chooseth freely Under this healing VVork and that passiveness is not our coming to Christ but by the Effect of God's Act on the Mind and VVill we consent to the Call and that is our first coming and thereby we receive Christ and not before He is not forced on us but accepted from a Light that commends and a VVill that desires him VVhereas we come not a step whiles we do refuse and reject him Though I wonder why he speaks of any first coming against our VVills when his Principle is that we are united to Christ at latest in the Moment of Conception in the VVomb CHAP. XII Of Justification by Faith with a Digression about Repentance TRUTH I Have spoken of Justifying Righteousness chap. 7. Though Faith be no way a Meritorious Cause of a Sinner's Justification yet God hath promised to Justifie all such as truly Believe and requires Faith as an indispensible Qualification in all whom he will Justifie for Christ's Merits declaring That Unbelief shall not only hinder Mens knowing that they are Justified but that it is a bar to any Person 's being Justified while he continues an Unbeliever Reader Note 1. There is a Righteousness for which a Man is Justified This is only Christ's Righteousness This is the Foundation of the Promise and the Merit of the Blessing promised Nothing can add to it or mingle with it it 's sufficient and alone sufficient to satisfie Justice atone for Guilt and merit Acceptance and Life 2. There 's to be considered what the Condition of the Person is whom this Mercy is promised to He is one that hath this Grace of true Faith and exerts it into Act. This Grace is also required and commanded as indispensibly necessary to the Participation of Forgiveness Christ's Righteousness shall not be imputed to this use unless we believe And nothing shall hinder our Title to this Benefit if we do believe in Christ for the Promise is inviolable And this Faith being a Conformity to the Rule of the Promise some call it a Subordinate Righteousness not meaning any Righteousness for which Sin is forgiven for it 's Christ's Righteousness alone for which God Justifies us but it 's our answering that Rule by which Christ applieth his Righteousness for our Remission and a Right to Life and his Promise is the Ground of our Title Having premised these things for Explication of the Truth I proceed ERROUR The whole use of Faith in Justification is only to manifest that we were Justified before and Faith is no way necessary to bring a Sinner into a Justified State nor at all useful to that End Proved that this is the Dr's Opinion The Doctor p. 85. puts this Objection Is not Believing required to the Justification of the Ungodly Answ. An ungodly Person after he is Justified doth Believe But you will say It is an Act of Christ by Faith Ans. Then Christ doth not Justifie alone c. Nay I say more Christ doth Justifie a Person before he Believes c. He cannot believe that which is not and if he be not Justified before he Believes it he believeth that which is false but he is first Justified before he Believes then he believes that he is Justified The Doctor then asks But what doth Faith serve for He answers It serves for the Manifestation of that Justification which Christ put upon a Person by himself alone P. 86. We do not Believe that we may be Justified but because we are Justified P. 578. God doth add never a tittle of Pardon it self more to him that is a Believer than to that Person not yet converted to the Faith c. P. 597. I say Faith as it takes hold of Christ's Righteousness it doth not bring this Righteousness of Christ to the Soul but doth only declare the Presence of that Righteousness that was there even before Faith was He in that Page denies Faith to be so much as an Instrumental Cause of Justification In very many places he declares We are not Virtually but Actually Justified before Faith If thou ask when he thinks the Elect are Justified The Doctor tells us It 's from Eternity at Christ's death and the latest time is before we are born See p. 101 255 361 362 616 c. See more ch 1 2 3 11. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not Whether Faith or any Grace be a jot of the meriting Righteousness for which we are Justified 2. Nor Whether Faith or any Grace add any thing to the Value of Christ's Merits These I deny yea I add That if Christ's Righteousness could be applied for Pardon to the vilest Sinner before he Believes it would Justifie him but God hath declared it shall not be applied to Unbelievers 3. Nor Whether we are Justified the same moment as we truly Believe in Christ and the Blessing is not suspended for any time longer This I affirm because God Justifies us by the Promise as his Instrument and this Promise declares that he will Justifie him that Believes It 's a Christ truly Believed in doth Justifie us and a Christ so Believed on cannot but Justifie us 4. Nor Whether an elect Person once Justified shall by Christ's care be kept in a Justified state 5. Nor Whether God hath decreed That the Elect shall certainly Believe and so be Justified 6. Nor Whether True Faith be an Infallible Sign of Justification These four last I do affirm Wherein the Real Difference is 1. Whether we are Justified before we Believe This the Doctor affirms and I deny 2. Whether the Use of Faith in Justification be only to manifest our Justification which we personally had before This the Doctor affirms and I deny and add That Faith Justifies us by receiving Christ and therein answers the Ordination of God who hath promised to Justifie the Believer by the Application of Christ's Righteousness in this gracious Effect of it upon the guilty Soul The Truth Confirmed What I have said chap. 1. Of the State of the Elect and chap. 11. Of the Necessity of Faith to Union with Christ and chap. 3 4 10. render Enlargement needless Yet I shall add 1. We are Justified by Faith is the common Language of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 2. 16 c. What is it to be Justified by Faith if we are Justified before Faith It contributes to our being Justified or words express nothing in a case of the highest moment Rom. 3 20. God justifieth the Circumcision by Faith and the
him as a Prophet and not believe and accept of his Teachings Can any receive him as a King that refuseth Subjection to his Government No for We will not have this man to reign over us was the Language of Unbelief as well as Damning to those Unbelievers Luk. 19. 14 27. and the same word signifies Disobedient and Unbelieving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10. 21. Can any Man come to Christ as a Priest and not rely on his Sacrifice for Pardon to be obtained by him And the word tells us we come to God by him if he be our Saviour Heb. 7. 25. But who can suppose that there 's this without any dedication of our selves to God c. Oh that Men were but wise enough to know what it is to receive a Ruler or a Teacher What Peace would it cause 4. A Faith without these Essentials could never produce those great Effects which are ascribed to Faith How could it purifie the Heart Act. 15. 9. Be a Shield against Temptations Eph. 6. 16. Works by Love Gal. 5. 6. Sanctifies us Act. 26. 18. By Faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2. 12. Is a lower Faith operative as I am Jam. 2. 17. Or can any call that which wants these A Principle of Obedience virtually including all Grace to say nothing of the unmeetness of a lower Faith to be the appointed Condition of Saving Benefits when it is the appointment of a Wise and Holy Governour 5. An Enlightened Regenerate Soul cannot act towards Christ when he is first presented to its view below these Instances It 's not a regenerate Heart that admits Actings contrary to any of these if it is a regenerate Heart it will discover it self in each of these upon the offer of Christ as a Saviour Act. 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do c. Sure a regenerate Principle includes a Disposition to all these Acts and the first view of Christ will excite and attract them Testimonies You have seen the Judgment of the Assembly and Elders at the Savoy in the Truth above stated Both also affirm ch 18. a. 3 4. Infallible Assurance doth not so belong to the Essence of Faith but that a true Believer may wait long and conflict with many Difficulties before he be partaker of it And the Assemblies Large Catech. Quest. Are all Assured c. They Answer Assurance not being of the Essence of Faith c. One of the Errours for which the Church of Boston in New-England dealt with Mr. H. was That there is no Faith of God's Elect but Assurance Dr. Owen in his Treat of Justification p. 111 112. denies that a full Persuasion of the Forgiveness of our Sins or That what Christ did and suffered as our Mediator he did it for us in particular or a particular Application of especial Mercy unto our Souls c. are of the Essence of Faith though all that have true Faith will endeavour it The Ground of Dr. Crisp 's Mistake Because Faith is the Evidence of thingsunseen that is it Assents to unseen Realities therefore he thinks that our Faith is nothing but an Assent to our particular Interest in Forgiveness Because the Word of Grace promiseth Justification to all true Believers therefore an Assurance of my being Justified is Believing Whereas I must first be a Believer in order to Pardon before I justly can or ought to believe that I am pardoned CHAP. X. Of the Free Offer of Christ to Sinners and of Preparatory Qualifications TRUTH CHrist is freely offered to be a Head and Saviour to the vilest Sinners who will knowingly assent to the Truth of the Gospel and from a Conviction of their Sin and Misery out of Christ are humbled and truly willing to renounce all their Idols and Sins denying their own carnal Self and Merits and accept of Christ as offered in the Gospel relying on him alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life Reader Observe 1. Christ is freely offered to the vilest Sinners for their acceptance of him according to the Gospel 2. He is not offered so as if any Sinner might have a Saving Interest in him till they are willing to deny themselves renounce all Sins and Idols and do accept of and rely on him as a full Saviour according to the Terms of the Gospel There cannot be an Acceptance of Christ without a Renouncing of Sin and Idols and Denying carnal Self and our own Merits as Opposites to him And on the other hand to renounce Sin and Idols and deny our selves will not avail us without an acceptance of Christ and relianceon him 3. I mention some things that are antecedently necessary to our renouncing of Sin and Idols and to our acceptance of and reliance on Christ as Knowledge Assent Conviction of Sin and Misery and some Humblings of Soul which must attend all true Convictions These are Preparatory Qualifications not that an Interest in Christ always follows these but they dispose the Soul to a hearty acceptance of Christ in opposition to all rival Opposites and are necessary thereto in some degree 4. The declared Design of the Offers of Christ to Sinners is That they may be thus willing to accept of Christ and so partake of an Interest in him ERROUR Christ is offered to Blasphemers Murtherers and the worst of Sinners that they remaining ignorant unconvinced unhumbled and resolved in their purpose to continue such they may be assured they have a full Interest in Christ and this by only concluding in their own Minds upon this Offer That Christ is theirs Proved that this is Dr. Crisp 's Opinion I need give no Proof of it but this That it 's a declared Point which he oft strives to prove That all the Elect are actually united to Christ before they Believe yea before they are Born as you 'll see in the next Chapter So that all the design of these Offers is only to manifest to Men That Christ was theirs before as he tells us p. 100. Is not Unbelief a Bar to have a part in Christ He Answers It is a Bar to hinder the manifestation of Christ in the Spirit but it is not a Bar to hinder one from having a part in Christ. Obj. But the Doctor seems to insist on Mens coming to Christ and closing with him as p. 206. No Consideration in the world can so aggravate a Man's Condition would he make his condition as bad as the Devils themselves yet if there be but a Coming there can be no Consideration in the highest pitch of sinfulness for Christ to reject him And p. 202. Whatever thou art suppose a Drunkard a Whoremaster a Swearer a Blasphemer a Mad-man in Iniquity couldst thou but Come to Christ I say Come only Come it is no matter if there be no Alteration in the world in thee when thou dost come to Christ. A. 1. But Coming or Believing is no other in the Doctor 's Judgment than an Inward Persuasion or Concluding that Christ is ours
of the Heart agree herewith 3. That cannot be a true Faith or Acceptance of Christ which consists with such vile Dispositions and is void of a Purpose to be otherwise Can he be said to accept of Christ who as the Doctor saith Hath a Knife in his Hand and Thoughts in his Heart to murther Christ and that without so much as laying down his Arms P. 210. What is rejecting Christ if this be not What is saying We will not have him to reign over us Do not we prefer our Lusts before him And can we thus marry him Nay What a carnal selfish thing is Believing a meer using Christ for our own Safety in our Abominations which we resolve shall rule over us without one Desire to be rid of them 2. Some Degrees of Convictions and Humiliations of Soul are necessary Prerequisites to the Soul 's true Acceptation of Christ for Pardon We find it 's the Weary and heavy laden that Christ invites to come to him for Rest Mat. 11. 28. I came not to call the Righteous that is the Conceited and Secure but Sinners to Repentance Luk. 5. 31. 32. The Converts recorded in the Word found such a Work on them those were pricked in their Hearts and cried What shall we do Act. 2. 37. The Gaoler felt the same humble Concern Act. 16. 30. Paul knew what this Trembling was Act. 9. 6. So Zacheus and the Prodigal Luk. 15. 14 15. Where the Word Even begins to take Effect the Man is convinced of all and judged of all The Secrets of his Heart are made manifest falleth down on his Face c. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. It 's a meet Order that Man should in some degree pay this Homage to God and thus resent his Apostacy to God's Glory whom he hath provoked Yea These are absolutely Necessary to bring a Man to be willing to close with Christ. Were there no Weight no Remorse no Sense of Sin or Misery Christ would not be regarded much less complied with Yea to come to Christ cannot be an Act of the Will it thus having a contrary Biass and the practical Judgment determining against it TESTIMONIES You have already heard the Sence of the Assembly and Elders at the Savoy You may see in Larg Catech. Q. What is justifying Faith They tell us That the Sinner is convinced of his Sin and Misery who receiveth Christ. And in the Directory for Visitation of the Sick they are for propounding Christ and his Merits to penitent Believers and Endeavours are to be first used to humble the Sick under the Sense of his Guilt and the Wrath of God c. Doctor Owen tells us There is nothing in this whole Doctrine that I will more firmly adhere to than the Necessity of Convictions previous to true Believing Of Justif. P. 133. The Necessity of them yea Antecedency of them to true Faith and Pardon he proves P. 98 99. as also Displicency Sorrow Fear a Desire of Deliverance with other necessary Effects of true Convictions P. 102 103. And he tells us The Belief of the Pardon of our own Sins is not proposed to Men in the first Preaching of the Gospel as that which they are first to believe And P. 140. Neither is it possible there should be any Exercise of this Faith unto Justification but where the Mind is prepared disposed and determined unto universal Obedience Mr. Norton of New England proveth at large That there are certain preparatory Works between the Carnal Rest of the Soul in the State of Sin and effectual Vocation or Christ in his ordinary Dispensation of the Gospel calleth not Sinners as Sinners but Sinners i. e. qualified Sinners immediately to believe These are his own Words which he proves Orthod Evang. from P. 129. to 140. The Ground of the Doctor 's Mistake Because they that truly come to Christ shall have an Interest in Christ therefore he thinks whoever can perswade himself that he hath an Interest in Christ doth come to him because sometimes the worst Sinners are made the Subjects of Preparatory Works and of effectual Calling as God's act on them therefore he thinks that these Sinners are invited to conclude they have an Interest in Christ before they do at all answer that Call But his greatest Cause of Mistake is that he thinks the worst Sinners if elect have as much Interest in Christ as the greatest Saint Therefore indeed they need no more Faith than to know it and that must be by a firm Perswasion that he is theirs because Christ calls Sinners to Repentance therefore Christ is theirs while impenitent CHAP. XI Of Union with Christ before Faith Truth EVery Man is without Christ or not united to Christ untill he be effectually called but when by this Call the Spirit of God enclineth and enableth him willingly to accept of Christ as a Head and Saviour a Man becomes united to him and Partaker of those Influences and Privileges which are peculiar to the Members of the Lord Jesus Errour All the Elect are actually united to Christ before they have the Spirit of Christ or at all believe in him even before they are born yea and against their Will Proved that this is Dr. Crisp 's Opinion The Title of Serm. 14. is Christ is ours before we have gracious Qualifications P. 430. But sure the Doctor intends only to exclude Works and not Faith A. No he tells us of dangerous Consequences that must follow on it if Persons are not united to Christ and partake not of Justification before they believe And addeth There is not I say such a thing as an uniting and cementing or knitting Power in Faith as that Faith doth or should become the Instrument to unite a Soul to Christ P. 6â—â— Obj. But he may intend only to exclude the Merit or Efficiency of Faith but not the Presence of it or the Divine Ordination of it to that end A. No he denies the Presence of Faith to this end he spends much time P. 614. c. to prove That Christ is ours before we come to him and that our not coming to Christ doth not import a State of Disunion with Christ. And P. 104. He tells us You may as soon conceive that a Man is able to see whiles he hath no head as think a Man can have spiritual Eyes whether the Eye of Faith to behold Christ or the Eye of Mourning to lament ones Wretchedness before there be actually the Presence and Conjunction of Christ the Head to such a Body Obj. But must not the Spirit be given before we are united to Christ. A. The Doctor saith We partake of the Spirit only by Virtue of this Union which he attempts to prove from the too gross use of the Metaphor of a Vine P. 599. and sundry other Places Obj. Sure he meaneth only this Union is decreed before Faith A. To prevent this his Words are P. â—â—â— I do not mean as some do that God did actually decree that Christ should be Christ
Union with Christ as if we were One Natural Person with him His Difinition of the New Creature as if it stood only in our New Relation to Christ. P. 90. The strange difference he makes between the way of Salvation before Christ's time and since P. 254 255 256 258. Their Sins were pardoned on Condition of Doing not given for all Sins at once much Dust left and they were subject to Lashes for Sin but now the Covenant is contrary in all these respects How contrary to the Sense of the Assembly and Elders at the Savoy ch 11. a. 6. The Justification of Believers under the Old Testament was in all these respects one and the same with the Justification of Believers under the New Testament He forgets that most of his Proofs be fetch'd from the Old Testament as Ezek. 16 c. Jacob loved in the Womb c. and seems not to distinguish the Covenant of Grace and that of Peculiarity But these with other Errours I pass by THE APPENDIX I Shall here repeat what I delivered in Pinners-Hall-Lecture which some Persons seemed greatly to resent and I leave it to any impartial Man to judge from what I have described as Dr. Crisp's Opinion whether I charged Men of his Persuasion with Falshood After I had fully acquitted Men of my Judgment from Pelagianism Socinianism and Arminianism which the Antinomians accuse us of I added with these Men It 's not enough that we hold That we were from Eternity elected to Grace and Glory unless we add That we were actually United to Christ and Justified from Eternity and in the Womb. It 's not enough that we say Christ did in the Covenant of Redemption undertake to save the Elect in his appointed way and time unless we add That there is no other Covenant for the Application of Christ's Benefits wherein God requires Faith and Repentance as the indispensible Means of our Pardon It is not enough that we own That Christ absolutely Redeemed the Elect so as to purchase Saving Graces as well as Benefits to be infallibly theirs unless we add That all others are in state of Devils as having no real Offers of Life on Gospel-Terms nor is their Salvation possible if they will repent and believe It will not please them that we affirm The Punishment of our Sins yea the Guilt of them as an Obligation to Punishment were laid upon Christ our Sponsor unless we add That our Sins themselves in their blot and filthiness were also transacted on Christ. It is not enough that we own That the Righteousness of Christ avails us as much as if it were personally our own yea was always intended for us and is so imputed to us as to be the Foundation of and Security for our Pardon and Right to Life and no Atonement for Sin or purchasing Price of Life can be demanded from us unless we also add That God esteemed us to have done and suffered what Christ did and suffered It sufficeth not that we say That we are Justified only by Christ's Merits as the sole procuring Cause or Righteousness for which we are Justified unless we deny That Faith and Repentance are the indispensibly required Conditions or Qualifications of those Persons to whom the Merits of Christ are applied for Justification It will not serve that we assert That Justifying Faith must be a Reliance on Christ as Priest and sole Atonement unless we deny That Faith must be also a fiducial Acceptance of a whole Saviour i. e. of Christ as Prophet Priest and King It 's not enough that we say We are upon Repenting and Believing put into a Justified state hefore any other Work unless we add That our Obedience to particular Precepts do not benefit us and that God doth not judicially approve of our sincere Actings as according to the Rule of the Gospel-Promises of those Benefits It is not enough that we say The absolute Promises are made to Christ for the be nefit of the Elect and pleadable by him unless we deny That the Gospel is an authoritative Command on Men to Believe and that under the Gospel-Sanction of Life and Death So that he that believes stall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned It will not please that we say That Christ purchased all Grace for us and by his Spirit worketh all Grace in us unless we add That he Believed Repented and did all for us so as we have nothing to do in order to Salvation It 's not sufficient that we own The Grace by which we do any Duty is from Christ and the Good promised to any Duty is for the sake of Christ unless we deny the ordained Connexion betwixt that Duty and that Benefit They say We set up Man's Righteousness if we tell Men that they must be holy and do good and take comfort therein as an Evidence of Grace and of their Title to Christ and as answering the Rule of the Gospel-Promises though we assert They must be Members of Christ and accepted through him or they cannot partake of any Saving Benefits thereby It is not right that we say God sees no Sin in Believers so as to cast them out of Covenant nor out of a Justified-state for it unless we add That God sees no Sin at all in them as theirs when they most offend It 's not enough that we affirm That Sin committed shall not eventually damn a Believer because he shall by the Spirit be brought to Repentance unless we add God is never angry with Believers for Sin nor ever corrects them as guilty of it With these we are Legal Preachers if we urge Faith and Repentance in order to Pardon though we declare that Faith and Repentance are the Gifts of Christ and Pardon is not the Effect of these Graces but of the Promise in the virtue of Christ's Blood or of his Blood applied for Forgiveness by the Promise We are Legal Preachers if we perswade to Holiness as the way of Salvation by the Ordination of Christ though we affirm that it is no way out of Christ nor but with a respect to Christ for whom it is accepted as what answers the Rule of the Gospel-Promise How are we decried as Legal if we urge Threatnings though as Motives to close with Christ and to walk in him Which being used to this end and the threatned Evil being avoidable on Gospel-Terms and pressed on fallen Man for his recovery they are Gospel and not Legal Threatnings It 's not enough That we assert and press Assurance unless we affirm That Justifying Faith is nothing but Assurance It 's not enough we say That we need the Spirit to discover to us our inherent Grace and to assist Conscience in it's Sentence That Grace is inherent unless we add That we must not try our State and conclude of it by Gospel-Marks of Sanctification but depend on an inward Voice of the Spirit saying Thy Sins are forgiven which we must believe if it agree but to the general Word viz. Christ came to save Sinners and believing this is all that Saving Faith the Gospel speaks of Herein I have in part described the state of the Case between them and us It 's true there are some small Differences among the Orthodox in Wording some of these things But shall we hereby give Advantage to such Errours as overturn the Gospel and Dominion of Christ under the abused Pretext of Exalting Christ and Free Grace Bear with this which for the sake of Christ and dying Religion I have ventur'd to declare not for the Irritation of any but the Edification of all especially some mistaken well-meaning People Conscience binds me not to palliate though I fore-see Reproach from some who would do well to remember the Caution the Spirit of God thought needful to such as boasted of a Faith without Works and still it appears too pertinent If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's rereligion is vain Jam. 2. 26. SOME General Heads THE Elect are Children of Wrath till effectually called Page 4 The filth of Sin not transacted on Christ p. 10 The Act of laying Sins on Christ is not the discharge of the Elect p. 17 Mens Sins their own and not Christ's Sins p. 25 Our Sins laid on Christ before he was nailed to the Cross p. 29 Christ not abhorred by the Father p. 33 No change of Person between Christ and the Elect p. 41 Christ's Mediatorial Righteousness not subjectively in us and how imputed p. 42 Believers not as Holy as Christ p. 46 The Covenant of Grace explained and what a Condition is p. 53 57. The Covenant of Grace Conditional p. 63 Faith not a Perswasion that my Sins are pardoned c. p. 75 Prevailing Enmity a Hindrance to our present Interest in Christ p. 85 The Elect not united to Christ without Faith p. 93 What Union with Christ is p. 100 Justification not before Faith p. 105 Repentance necessary to Pardon p. 114 Sinners have much to do to be saved p. 129 The Gospel hath Threats and Promises p. 133 Holiness and Good Works necessary to Salvation p. 139 They are profitable and God pleased c p. 142 143 144 Our own Good should be intended p. 155 Assurance by Gospel-Marks and not by an inward Voice p. 165 God Chargeth Sin on Men and they should repent for repeated Pardon p. 175 Sin may hurt Believers p. 184 God afflicts for Sin p. 192 Sincere Holiness not Dung p. 199 102 Christ doth not repent c. for us p. 211 Conditional Proposals of Benefit on terms of Duty Gospel-Preaching p. 213 To excite Fear in sense of Danger not Legal Preaching p. 228 Christ more Exalted by the former Truths than by Dr. Crisp's Opinions p. 235 The Free Grace of God not honoured by Doctor Crisp though more Freeness be asserted by him than by these Truths p. 239 Part of a Sermon at Pinner's-Hall Anno 1691. The Edition of Dr. Crisp's Works I refer to is the last Anno 1690. FINIS
sinful and vain and no Saving Benefit is dispenced to any of us by this Rule 2. The Gospel includes the Moral Preceptive part of the first Law with some additional Precepts which suppose our Apostate state as Faith in an atoneing Saviour and Repentance for Sin These could not be enjoyned as Duties on innocent Man by a Rule of Happiness and Misery nor could they be necessary to his Right to Life because they would suppose him a Sinner The Gospel is taken in a large sence when I say it includes all the Moral Precepts but yet the Gospel doth so and they are the Commands of Christ as Redeemer to whom all Judgment is committed as well as the Law of the Creator 3. The Gospel hath another Sanction to the Preceptive part of the Law than the Covenant of Works had Though nothing be abated in the Rule of Sin and Duty yet Blessings are promised to lower degrees of Duty and a continuance in a state of Deuth with a barr to the Blessing are not threatned against every degree of Sin as the Covenant of Works did Can any doubt this to be the Grace of the Gospel-Promise Doth it promise Life to all Men however vile and impenitent they be Or doth it threaten Damnation or a Continuance of it on any true penitent believing godly Man because he is imperfect This Change of the Sanction supposeth the Death of Christ and his honouring the Law by his perfect Obedience wherein God hath provided for his own Glory while he promiseth Life by Forgiveness to imperfect Man and yet he insists on some degree of Obedience to which of his mere Grace he enableth us This the Covenant of Redemption secures to the Elect tho' the Grant therein is pleadable only by Christ as the stipulating Party for us and our personal Claim depends on the Gospel-Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator 4. This Gospel-Sanction determines as certain a Rule of Happiness and Misery as the Law of Works did though it be not the same For while it promiseth Pardon to all believing repenting Sinners and declares a barr to pardon to the impenitent Rejecters of Christ and Gospel-Grace it fixeth true Repentance and Faith unfeigned to be the Terms of Pardon So when it promiseth Heaven to the sincerely holy persevering Believer it fixeth sincere Holiness and perseverance in Faith as the Terms of possessing Heaven Hence the Use of Faith Holiness c. to these Benefits is not from their Conformity to the Precept but their Conformity to the Rule of the Promise Our applying Christ's Righteousness and relying on it would no more Justifie us than our sincere Holiness would Save us were it not for this Gospel-Promise That God will Justifie for Christ's sake all such as believe 5. Hence by Gospel-Grace there is a great difference between perfect Faith and utter Unbelief between sincere Holiness and formal Profaneness or Wickedness True Love to God and prevailing Enmity imperfect spiritual Duties and rebellious Neglects c. By the Law of Works nothing was Holiness but what was perfectly so c. But read the Bible if thou doubtest whether there is not a true Faith Holiness Love c. which be short of Perfection 6. God in the dispensing of Gospel-promised Blessings doth judicially determine a Conformity to this Rule of the Promise When he forgives he judicially declareth a Man hath true Faith when he admits into Heaven he judicially declares a Man sincerely Holy and Persevering As upon a view of his Guests he cast out him that had not on the Wedding-Garment viz. True-uniting Faith so he judicially determined That they who were not cast out but admitted to share in the Marriage Feast viz. made Partakers of Union with Christ and the Benefits thereof had True Faith and not a mere Profession As by keeping out the foolish Virgins for not having Oyl in their Lamps viz. the Spirit of Grace and persevering Holiness so by admitting the wise Virgins he judicially declared they had a Spirit of Grace and persevering Holiness Can any think that Forgiving Adopting Glorifying or the conveyance of every other promised Benefit given on God's Terms are not judicial Acts of God as Rector If so doth he dispence these blindly and promiseuously without any regard to our being Believers c. or no Or whether our Faith be true or no Any one would blush to affirm it With respect to what 's above declared the Gospel is called a Law of Faith a Law of Liberty c. and it especially insists on that sincerity of Grace and Holiness which the Rule of the Promise makes necessary in its Description of the Person whom it makes Partaker of its included Benefit And the main of our Ministry consisteth in pressing Men to answer the Rule of the Gospel-Promises and disswading Men from those things which the Gospel threatens shall hinder their Interest in all or any of its Benefits with an Aggravation of their Misery if they be final Rejecters of its Grace We call Men to be reconeiled to God upon which we know God will be at peace with them These things will help thy Conceptions still remembring that the Merits of Christ are the cause of this Gospel-Ordination His Righteousness imputed is the cause for which we are justified and saved when we do answer the Gospel-Rule And I exclude not this Righteousness when I affirm That the Righteousness of God Phil. 3. 9. principally intends the Gospel-Holiness of a Person justified by Christ's Righteousness both which by Faith in Christ all his Members shall be perfect in The Grace of God is hereby stated as free as is consistent with his Government and Judicial Rectoral Distribution of Rewards and Punishments and none need the Riches of Grace more than I. Reader Note That in this Book I still speak of the Adult and not Infants When I say The Difference is not I state my own Concessions and mean not that the Doctor is in all these of my mind Thou must expect to take up my full sence by a view of several Chapters and not only one because sundry Chapters referr to the same Points more or less And forget not That though the Doctor oft in his Book speaks to Men as Believers yet every thing is true of the Elect viz. They have as much a Title to all Saving Blessings only they do not know it This was his Judgment I have carefully avoided any Reflexion on Reverend Dr. Crisp whom I believe a holy Man and abstained exposing many things according to the Advantage offered if by any means this Book may become useful to such as most need it That the Father of Lights would lead us into all Truth and Love is the Prayer of thy Servant in the Gospel London May 4. 1692. D. Williams ERRATA PAge 3. Line 7. add 365. p. 5. l. 8. for ew r. we p. 8. l. 15. for 289. r. 274. p. 10. l. 17. r. Propogation p. 28. l. 4 for Chaist r. Christ p. 38.
called justified sanctified and glorified Here thou seest Redemption and Justification are distinct things and the Elect are in Time called before they be justified In the Larger Catechis Q. What doth God require of us that we may escape his Wrath and Curse due to us The Assembly answer That we may escape Wrath c. He requireth of us Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus and the diligent Use of the outward Means whereby Christ communicates to us the Benefits of his Mediation Here thou seest that 1. We may be for a time without the Benefits of Christ's Mediation 2. That notwithstanding his Mediation we are under the Curse and Wrath as still due to us for sin till we repent and believe For it 's to escape these God requires Repentance and Faith 3. It 's by Means attended to and operating on us that the Benefits of Christ's Mediation are communicated for the Removal of the Curse and Wrath. VVhat can be more fully spoken against our being discharged when Christ suffered yea or before we repent and believe The Synod of New-England condemn this Speech viz. To say We are justified by Faith is an unsafe Speech VVe must say we are justified by Christ the Synod tells us it is no unsafe Speech But on the contrary to say a Man is justified before Faith or without Faith is unsafe as contrary to the Language of the Scripture p. 17 18. and they confute That as the 68. Errour viz. Faith justifies an Unbeliever that is the Faith that is in Christ justifies me that have no Faith in my self p. 13. Doctor Owen of Justif. p. 306. saith But yet the Act of God in laying our sins on Christ conveyed no actual Right and Title to us unto what he did and suffered They are not immediately thereon nor by virtue thereof ours or esteemed ours because God hath appointed somewhat else not only antecedent thereunto but as the Means of it unto his own Glory The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistakes Because it was God's Act to appoint Christ to suffer for our sins that we might in his VVay and Time be discharged therefore he thinks we are immediately discharged by that Act. Because Christ's Atonement is the sole meritorious Cause of Forgiveness therefore he thinks God suspends not Forgiveness till he works any thing else in the Soul which he hath made requisite to our being forgiven tho' not as any meritorious cause Because the Scape-Goat carried their sins into the Wilderness who expressed their Faith and Repentance by laying on hands on it and confessing sin therefore the sins of men are taken away by Christ while they continue impenitent and unbelieving CHAP. IV. Of the Elect's ceasing to be Sinners from the time their Sins were laid on Christ. REader I shall premise 1. Men are sinners or cease to be sinners in several distinct Respects 1. As to the Filth and Obliquity of Sin with respect to this they are more or less sinners according to the degree of their Innocence and Holiness 2. With some as to the Guilt of sin which refers to the Sanction of the Law against Offenders With respect to this the Offenders be more or less sinners as they are forgiven or not forgiven 3. As to the Charge of the Fact which was sinful with respect to this neither After-sanctification nor Pardon will deliver a Transgressor from having been a sinner the Fact was his The first and last denominate one a sinner most properly The second denominates a Man punishable but not a sinner formally 2. In the whole Scheme of the Doctor 's Principles it 's the Elect as elect who cease to be sinners Therefore when he speaks of a Believer he doth not mean he was a sinner before he believed for he states the time to be when Christ had our sins laid upon him viz. on the Cross. Having explained the Title of this Chapter I proceed Truth An elect Person ceaseth not to be a sinner upon the laying of our sins upon Christ that is he remains a sinner as to the Guilt till he believes if Adult He is a sinner as to the Filth of sin till he be sanctified He is a sinner as to the charge of the sinful Fact he commits and that even after Pardon and Sanctification Nevertheless he is free from the Curse when he is pardoned and shall be purged from all the Filth of sin when he is perfect in Holiness And tho' Christ did bear the Punishment of our Iniquity yet it never was Christ's Iniquity but ours Errour The Elect upon the Death of Christ ceased to be sinners and ever since their sins are none of their sins but they are the sins of Christ. Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion The Doctor puts this Objection p. 8. Must not he be reckoned to be a sinner while he doth sin A. I answer No Tho' he doth sin yet he is not to be reckoned a sinner but his sins are reckoned to be taken away from him c. A Man doth sin against God God reckons not his sin to be his he reckons it Christ's therefore he cannot reckon it his This he endeavours to prove p. 270. If thou hast part in the Lord Christ which he thinks all the unbelieving Elect have all these Transgressions of thine are become actually the Transgressions of Christ and so cease to be thine and thou ceasest to be a Transgressor from that time they were laid upon Christ to the last hour of thy Life So that now thou art not an Idolater thou art not a Thief c. Thou art not a sinful Person what sin soever thou committest p. 271. So that if you would speak of a sinner supposing that Person of whom you speak to be a Member of Christ i. e. Elect you must not speak of what he manifests but of what Christ was Wherein the Difference is not The Difference is not 1. Whether the pardoned Sinner shall be delivered from Condemnation 2. Nor whether God for Christ's sake will deal with a pardoned Sinner as if he had not been a Sinner 3. Nor whether Forgiveness doth take away Sin as to its Obligation to Punishment 4. Nor whether the Atonement of Christ when it 's applied in its full Effects will perfectly remove all Punishment and purge away all Filth and Defilement from the Elect. Each of these I affirm The real Difference 1. Whether because Christ obliged himself to bear the satisfactory Punishment of our sins did they therefore become the sins of Christ This the Doctor affirms and I deny Of which I have spoken Chap. 2. 2. Whether our sins were pardoned when Christ suffered on the Cross This the Doctor affirms and I deny Of this see ch 1. and 3. and 12. c. 3. Whether even they that are Members of Christ yet if they do sin are they Transgressors and Sinners and are the sins they commit their sins This the Doctor denies and I affirm The Truth proved One
of Faith ch 14. a. 2. Declarat ch 14. a. 2. of Saving Faith By this Grace a Christian believeth to be true whatever is revealed in the Word for the Authority of God speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular Passage thereof containeth yielding Obedience to the Commands Trembling at the Threatnings and Embracing the Promises of God for this Life and that which is to come But the principal Acts of Saving Faith are Accepting Receiving and Resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life by virtue of the Covenant of Grace Reader weigh this sound Account of Faith Which if it were regarded and no Essential part of it excluded when Faith is considered as a Condition of any Gospel-Benefit How much vain Disputes would be prevented as well as Danger to poor Souls And one would think no Man need prove That it is not Saving Faith when any Essential part of it is wanting And that it must be Saving Faith when we mention Faith as the Condition or Moral Instrument of any Saving Benefit ERROUR Saving Faith is nothing but our Persuasion or absolute Concluding within our selves That our Sins are pardoned and that Christ is ours Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion The Doctor tells us pag. 493. The whole Essence of Faith is nothing else but the Echo of the Heart answering the foregoing Voice of the Spirit and Word of Grace Thy Sins are forgiven thee saith the Spirit and Word of Grace My Sins are forgiven me saith Faith And the Soul that can assume thus from the Spirit and Word of Grace hath the whole Essence of Believing When the Doctor pag. 107. puts a Man on examining his Faith he hath these words How do I know I believe in Christ He Answers Do I rest my Heart upon this Truth Do I receive it as a Truth that I do believe Or do I reject it and will not receive it Then I do not believe But if you sit down and rest upon this Truth and receive it and do in reality believe it then you may absolutely conclude Christ is yours And pag. 296. If the Lord I say again give to any to believe this Truth That it is his Iniquity the Lord hath laid on Christ God himself cannot charge one Sin on that Man And pag. 158. he makes the difference betwixt a strong and weak Believer to consist in the Degree of this Persuasion See more in chap. 10 11. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not whether Assurance be attainable in this Life as the Effect of Faith 2. Nor whether a Sinner ought to apply yea doth personally apply the general Offers of Christ and Life by his own Compliance with the Terms of the Gospel For upon a true Acceptance of a whole Christ he is mine in virtue of the Gospel Promise which God will perform in giving Christ and Life to all that accept of him as he is proposed for our Acceptance 3. Nor whether a convinced Sinner hath at first a more especial regard to Christ's Priestly Offices and Sufferings as what are more sensibly fitted to his guilty State 4. Nor whether every thing recorded in the Scriptures must not be dwelt on with the same regard concern and assurance as the Essentials of the Covenant of Life 5. Nor whether Faith contain in it a reliance on Christ as the only Saviour and on his Satisfaction and Merits as what alone purchased our Pardon and Acceptance as well as it includes the realizing Assent to the Truth and unfeigned fiducial Consent to and Acceptance of a whole Christ in all his Offices All these I affirm The real Difference 1. Whether the whole Essence of Saving Faith consists in an Inward Persuasion or Assurance that our Sins are pardoned and Christ is ours This the Doctor affirms and I deny yea I deny that it is at all of the Essence of Saving Faith 2. Whether Saving Faith include not in its nature that powerful efficacious Assent to the Word and fiducial consenting Acceptance of Christ as Prophet Priest and King with a Reliance on his Merits and obediential Regards to God as the TRUTH above-mentioned doth express This the Doctor denies and I affirm The Truth confirmed 1. Faith is not an Assurance or Inward Persuasion That Christ is ours and our Sins are pardoned For 1. Men may have this Persuasion who do not savingly believe They in Mat. 7. 22. had this when they cried Lord Lord open to us Neither did the foolish Virgins seem without it Mal. 25. 1 2. Yea it's what the most profligate Sinners grow secure by to their own Destruction and this upon the general Word of Grace 2. Many true Believers have not this Persuasion let common Experience be consulted 3. Such as have had Assurance do by the Doctor 's Opinion fall into the Sin of damning Unbelief whenever they doubt their Interest in Christ and especially if they conclude that they have not this Interest A sad Doom on many pious Souls 4. This Persuasion should suppose an Interest in Christ and doth not give it It 's a false Conclusion That Christ is mine before he is so And must the great term of Life be a Lye We are to examine our selves whether we be in the Faith and so whether Christ be in us before we assure our selves that he is in us 2 Cor. 13. 5. And where hath God made this Proposition My Sins are laid upon Christ to be the Object of Saving Faith This Proposition is not God nor Christ nor any part of the Scripture unless you suppose a General Redemption and that to the actual Pardon of every Sinner And as the Word of Grace promiseth Pardon to none but a Believer so the Spirit speaks it to none but to the Believer as a Believer 2. Saving Faith includes the Essentials expressed in the above-mentioned Truth as Assent Trust Consenting Acceptance of Christ Reliance c. This appears 1. Faith can be no less than the Soul's Answer to the Call of God in our effectual Vocation And to this all those things are necessary 2 Pet. 1. 3. 2. The Scriptures describe Saving Faith by all these Acts It 's the Evidence of things not seen and Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. It 's a Receiving of Christ Joh. 1. 12. which must be as God gives him and that is a Witness a Leader and Commander of the People Isa. 55. 4. Acts 3. 26. to bless us in turning every one of you from his iniquity Rom. 15. 12. In him shall the Gentiles trust Isa. 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord which express consent 3. Christ cannot be received as a Saviour nor as the Way of a Sinner to God if Faith include not these Great things He is not a Saviour if you exclude any of his Offices and as an intire Saviour we must receive him Mat. 1. 21. Can any Man receive
Heathen through Faith Must not Faith be at least present It 's impossible to exert an Act by a Thing when that Thing is not 2. Faith is enjoyned as an indispensible Means of Justification by Christ and complied with by All Converts to that End Act. 16. 30. Believe and thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou believe with thine heart thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth to righteousness not to Assurance only To be Justified was a Benefit which Paul and the other Converts had an Eye to in Believing Gal. 2. 16. We have believed That we may be justified by the faith of Christ. The Blessing of Justification is limited to a Believer and extended to such by such conditional and indefinite Clauses as these Rom. 4. 23 24. To us it shall be imputed for Righteousness if we Believe on him that raised up Christ from the dead Act. 10. 43. Whosoever Believeth in him shall receive Remission of Sins What a gross Notion would it create That Faith should be required by God in order to a Benefit and this Faith acted by the guidance of the Spirit as a Means to partake of that Benefit and this Benefit proposed and limited to all under an express respect to that Faith and yet that Benefit is ours before Faith hath a Being 3. The Gospel denounceth and declareth All Condemned till they do Believe It declares they are so and denounceth they shall be so Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And ver 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already Here 's the Case of all Men by the Fall They are Condemned and under Wrath. Here 's the way of Relief A Christ believed on And they that believe their Condemnation is revers'd Here 's the Case of every Man that believeth not Wrath abideth on him The Condemning Sentence remains and Men are distributed into Condemned or Justified and this as Believers or Unbelievers Oh! that any can think all this Wrath that abides is no more than want of an Assurance that we are Justified Sure it 's more danger Joh. 8. 24. If you believe not you shall die in your sins Mark 16. 18. He that believeth not shall be damned Then they must be liable to Damnation whilst in Unbelief or they could not be Damned for Unbelief To be Condemned and Justified are Opposites at once none can be both Nor can God Justifie a Man whom he then and still Condemns 4. Unbelief is the cause why Men are barred from Justiâ—â—cation and remain obnoxious to Misery Joh. 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that ye may have life What undid the Jews Heb. 3. 18 19. They could not enter because of Unbelief And ch 4 6 7. And if Unbelief did not obstruct Life and a Right to it the Apostle would oddly inferr ch 4. ver 1 2 3. Let us therefore fear lest a Promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it c. for we which have believed do enter into rest How easily might I argue this Point from the Nature of Justification as it 's a judicial Act of God by a Gospel-Rule supposing Christ's Satisfaction As also from the immediate Effects of Justification which are all suspended as to Unbelievers God in all his Carriage not executing the Justifying Sentence on them but the contrary he leaves them many years Slaves to Sin and Satan void of his Spirit admitting them to no Communion with him rejecting their Prayers barring them from his Table suffering them to blaspheme and dishonour him he suffers them to remain Curses and Plagues to other Souls c. Doth God deal thus with the Justified What short of Hell is the Execution of the Curse if these be not Reader I leave it to thy self to judge whether all these things make Faith of no more use than to shew us the goodness of our state which we were as much possessed of before only we did not know it Is that all the change on believing which such great Expressions import Is our being now washed and justified 1 Cor. 6. 11. no more than we now know it Is Assurance all the motive we can honestly use with Sinners to believe Or the want of it all the Danger we have to threaten them with to any beneficial purpose against their abiding in Unbelief TESTIMONIES You have already heard the Assembly and the Congr of Elders at the Savoy Confes. chap. 11. a. 4. saying The Elect are not Justified until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ to them See ch 1. Of the State of the Elect Where I cited this Lesser Catech. Q. What Benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this Life A. They that are effectually called partake of Justification Adoption c. You see that the Assembly do suppose our Calling to our being Justified and Justification is a Benefit flowing from it In the next Answer they tell us We are Justified by receiving Christ's Righteousness by Faith alone So not before Faith The New-England Synod p. 18. thus confute that Speech of the Antinomians viz. To say we are Justified by Faith is an unsafe Speech we must say We are Justified by Christ. The Synod fully prove this is false and add To say a Man is Justified before Faith or without Faith is unsafe as contrary to the language of the Scripture Dr. Owen in his Treat of Justif. p. 299. saith It must be remembred that we require Evangelical Faith in order of Nature antecedently unto our Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us which also is the Condition of the Continuation of it This is as plain as can be and this he oft proves p. 306 c. The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake Because God Justifies the Ungodly that is the Man who the moment before he believed to Justification was ungodly yea and who still remains ungodly in the Eye of the Law of Works needing daily Forgiveness by Grace therefore God Justifies him who continueth wholly ungodly fifty years after Because Christ alone Justifies as he whose Satisfaction and Merits are the only Righteousness for which we are Justified therefore he thinks there is nothing else present in our Justification not considering that God Justifies the Spirit Justifies the Gospel-Promise Justifieth in sences distinct from Christ And so doth Faith though not as what meriteth yet as what the Promise requireth in all whom God will Justifie for the sake of Christ's Merits Because it 's Christ the Object of Faith Justifies therefore Faith in that Object is not requisite to Justification though it 's as plain as the Word of God can speak it 's a Christ believed on which Justifies It 's not Faith without a Christ can do it and Christ without Faith will not do it but on
Law of Innocence but of Gospel-Grace Who can doubt this if they consider 1. That the Covenant of Innocency promised Life to nothing below sinless and perfect Obedience 2. The Threatnings of the Covenant of Innocency admitted no Repentance or After-Relief to the Guilty They did fix the Curse irrevocably in case of any Transgression 3. No Overture of Life or Door of Hope or Argument to Conversion with Hopes of Acceptance could be framed out of those legal Threats or Promises to any Man that is a Sinner Turn ye Turn ye why will you die was not the Language of that Covenant No if a Man is once a Sinner the Law could speak no lower than this Thou art undone whether thou turn or no. Things being thus I would intreat thee to consider all the Calls of God in Christ to Men since the Fall VVeigh the Promises and Threats wherewith God strengthneth those Calls See if any one of the Calls to Faith or Repentance or Holiness thus back'd with Promises and Threats be not Evangelical 1. Doth God in those Calls promise Life to nothing below sinless perfect Obedience Or doth he threaten Eternal Death in those Calls against whatever is short of perfect Obedience 2. Do the Threats annexed to those Calls exclude all after-Repentance See Ezek. 18. 21. Is that Gospel or no But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed c. he shall surely live his transgressions shall not be mentioned 3. Are not these Calls with the Promises and Threats directed to Sinners for their Conversion and Recovery Is it not to Sinners God speaks in them and is it not for their healing and Salvation Are not the Promises an Offer of Relief Are not the Threatnings intended to awe and warn Sinners against Refusal of these Offers They be not uttered to bind the Curse but to deliver from it by urging our Compliance with the Commands of a Redeemer To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation c. Heb. 3. 7 8. 4. 7. Every Threatning used by God as an Argument to Conversion is a Gospel-Threatning 2. What kind of Government can Men assign to Christ if there be no Sanction to his Precepts Dr. Crisp oft tells us That the Sanction of the Law of Works is removed the Curse is gone as to the Elect. This is true if he mean that sinless Obedience is not now the Way of Life and that all below it shall not bind Death upon us so as to hinder our Relief by the Gospel But what then hath the Redeemer no Promises and Threatnings to rule Men by And is their Obedience or Disobedience an indifferent thing as to their Happiness or Misery Must he save all or damn all or else be a Respecter of Persons in his judicial Distributions Is this the Language of God to Sinners since the Fall Did Christ preach at this rate when on Earth Or doth he so speak now from Heaven Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvatian which at first began to be spoken by the Lord c. Our Lord assures us Mens Sins are aggravated and their Damnation grows greater by a Rejection of his Call to Sinners through Impenitence and Unbelief Joh. 8. 24. Ye shall die in your sins Heb. 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment c. It 's a precarious Dominion that Christ exerciseth if he hath neither Rewards nor Punishments to induce Mens regards to his Authority Read the Scriptures or wait the Judgment-day and you 'll find it otherwise 3. How unsuitable is it to the present state of Mankind that Christ should govern us without Promises and Threatnings He is a King and we are his Subjects And we are 1. Subjects in a state of Tryal for another World 2. We have great remains of Sin within us and Temptations without us 3. We have still in our Nature Hope and Fear which are the things which all the methods of Christ's Government suppose and are suited to Each of these would furnish me with Arguments beyond all rational Contradiction for the Proof of this Point whereas the opposite Errour implies That either Men are Machines or Brutes or Infants at best or else the Judgment-day is past already Yea how vain are the Expostulations Warnings Reproofs and Encouragements which the Word is filled with The Divine Being and all the Methods of Grace are strangely exposed by Conceits so sordid He calls us to fear lest we should seem to come short of the Promise Heb. 4. 1. Be not high-minded but fear Rom. 11. 20. Work out your salvation with trembling Phil. 2. 12. He that ploweth should plow in hope 1 Cor. 9. 10. We are saved by hope c. Rom. 8. 24. What are all these if our state be in no suspence as to what we shall be or do 4. I hope I need not prove that these Gospel-Promises and Threatnings are the Rule by which Christ dealeth with Men To doubt it would inferr a heavier Charge than any good Man would sustain It 's enough to calm us that he saith Be not deceived God is not mocked that which a man soweth that shall he reap Gal. 6. 7. This is spoken to Believers and true of the Redeemed II. By this Gospel-Constitution persevering Holiness sincere Obedience or good Works are Necessary to Salvation He that made Faith necessary to Justification hath made Obedience necessary to Salvation He hath as well promised Heaven to the Godly Man as Pardon to the Believer And our perseverance in Holiness and Obedience is as truly our Way to Glory as the Scriptures can describe it Nothing of these merit Heaven but he that merited Heaven hath peremptorily appointed these to bring us thither Heb. 6. 10 11 12. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love c. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end that ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Every word is forcible to argue this Truth But I shall offer a few things more 1. Christ in the Gospel declares they shall miss of Heaven and eternally perish who are Apostates Ungodly Disobedient and Unprofitable and that for being such This Doom is not the Doom of the Law of Innocence for it is not denounced against every Backsliding but Apostacy It 's not against every Imperfect degree of Godliness but Ungodliness It 's not against every Defect of Obedience but Disobedience It 's not against every Neglect of Fruitfulness but such Unprofitableness as argues a dead and barren state Reader art thou so unskilful in the Word as not to remember If any
loved Rev. 3. 19. Was not that for Sin which you find 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep What meaneth God when he saith he 'll be Sanctified in his offending Children He cannot hide his Face for Sin nor abate his gracious Influences for Sin and not shew Displeasure for Sin against the Offenders whom he so deserts How wickedly have most pious Persons been employed while they have humbly owned their Sins to be the cause of God's Withdraws and Corrections if what I assert be not a Truth And how strange such Texts You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth and therefore I will punish you for your Iniquities Amos 3. 2. Now who dare tell God Lyes to his Face c. TESTIMONIES You have seen the Assembly and Elders in the Savoy positively assert this Truth in my last Chapter which again consult And large Catech. Q How doth Christ execute the Office of a King Ans. among other things I Rewarding their Obedience and Correcting his People for their Sins The Provincial Synod of London p. 16. recite as one of the dangerous Errours of that day That God doth not chastize any of his Children for Sin nor is it for the Sins of God's People the Land is punished The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake Because God laid on our Sins on Christ to make Atonement for the Forgiveness of the Elect when they repent therefore God cannot be offended with the Elect for them before they repent Because God doth not hate the Believer as an unreconciled God when he sins therefore he is not at all displeased with him because of the grossest Sins Because the Refiner is not angry with his Gold which never could offend him when he casts it into the Fire therefore a holy God is no way angry with rational Offenders when he corrects them for their Reformation Because God will not hate a Believer so as to damn him therefore he cannot be angry with his People so as Fatherly to chastize them Because God afflicts from Sin therefore he doth not also afflict for Sin as if he could not rebuke for what is past if he resolve not against their amendment for time to come It seems also that the Doctor was led into his Opinion by not considering that Anger or Displeasure be not Passions in God but a Will of Correcting and are denominated from the kinds and degrees of Corrections CHAP. XIX Of the Beauty of sincere Holiness TRUTH THough the present sincere Holiness of Believers be not perfect according to the Precepts of the Word nor Valuable by the Sanction of the Law of Innocency nor any Atonement for our Defects and we still need Forgiveness and the Merits of Christ for Acceptance thereof yet as far as it prevails it 's lovely in it self and pleasing to God and is not dung or filth ERROUR The greatest Holiness in Believers though wrought in them by the Holy Ghost is mere Dung Rottenness and Filthiness as in them Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion P. 232. Know that the motions and assistance of the Spirit be pure holy and without scum in the Spring to wit it self yet by that time these Motions and Assistances have passed through the channels of our Hearts and been mixed with our manifold Corruptions in doing even the whole Work becomes polluted and filthy our filthiness alters the property of the pure motions of Christ's Spirit c. As one drop of Poyson injected into the rarest Cordial makes the whole and every drop of the whole Mortal so that except the best of our Works can pass through us without the least touch or mixture of any Defect or Pollution it cannot but be Dung c. And whereas it may seem harsh that even what is the Spirit 's must be involved within that which is a Man 's own under the general Notion of Dung Know that it once being mixed with our filth ceaseth to be the Spirit 's and becomes our own It was the Spirit 's when injected but our Flesh being like the Viper's Stomach turns the wholsomest Food into Poyson or like an ulcerous Tumour that turns the purest Spirits and soundest Flesh into rottenness And some of this ulcerous Flesh remains in the best Saints on Earth and mingles it self in the best service and so turns the whole into its own nature P. 414. All our Righteousness are filthy full of menstruosity the highest kind of filthiness Do not say he meaneth that our gracious Actings are too imperfect to be the Righteousness for which we are Justified No he must intend more for that would not make them Dung or Rottenness and cease to be the Spirit 's it would only argue they are Imperfect c. He hath abundance of such terms to make Holiness vile as before he said much to render Sin innocent to the Elect. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not Whether the Holiness or best Acts of a Saint be such or so perfect as to atone for his Sin or procure a state of Pardon 2. Nor whether our Holiness can make us accepted with God without Christ. 3. Nor whether the holiest Action of the holiest Saint is such as not to need forgiveness 4. Nor whether by the Sanction of the Law of Innocency Sincere Holiness could be accounted Holiness All these I deny and the last because nothing but perfect conformity to the Precept was Holiness whereas the Gospel-Grace makes a great difference between True Holiness though Imperfect and what 's formally Wickedness between sincere Love and Enmity sincere Faith and utter Unbelief The real Difference 1. Whether the sincere Holiness of a Believer's Heart and Actions be really Dung and Rottenness This the Doctor affirms and I deny yet I own we should so esteem it is compared with Christ as meritorious of Justification 2. Whether sincere Holiness as far as it prevails in our Hearts and Actings be truly lovely in it self and pleasing to God according to the Grace of the Gospel and is not Dung. This I affirm and the Doctor denies The Truth confirmed Consider That whatever is spoken of Holiness in any mere Man on Earth since the Fall is spoken of Sincere Holiness for Perfect Holiness none had I have room but to expostulate this Matter Is that Dung which is the effect of Regeneration in the Soul and Actings Is that Dung which is so often honoured with the Name of the Spirit it self and called the Spirit of Love Prayer c. I not that more lovely which is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. How aimable must that be which is the New Man after God's Image Eph. 4. 24. The New Heart Ezek. 18. 31. The Law of God in the Heart and the Grace of God Are those Works Dung to which we are created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 10. and enabled by the Spirit Or is that Filthiness which renders Saints the Excellent of the
they preached the Gospel See their Call to turn to God from Idols as part of it 4. The nature of the Gospel requires that the Ministry should include these things and it be preached in this manner It 's the Gospel of the Kingdom Luk. 9. 60. It 's the Law of Christ to whom all Judgment is committed Gal. 6. 2. The Law of Liberty The Law of Faith c. The great design of it is to destroy Satan's Empire and recover lost Sinners to God To this end it reveals that Salvation is to be had in Christ if we come to God by him though we be lost in our selves And it is the Call of God in Christ to come to him and hear him Nay it 's the Charge of Christ who is for dying made Lord both of the dead and living Now can any think that many Duties must not be parts of the Gospel as well as Believing Or That Christ hath not Arguments from Benefits and Dangers from Promises and Threats to strengthen his Charge The Preceptive part of the whole Law is in his hand and there is Authority in all his Injunctions and Calls Else what means Obeying the Gospel Subjection to the Gospel Disobeying the Gospel Obeyed the Truth Obedience of Faith and many such Expressions And that there be Gospel-Threats and Promises annexed to his Precepts I have fully proved And I could easily shew that the Substance of all Obedience is said to be Obedience to the Law Truth and Word of Christ. If things be so can we think that we preach not the Gospel when we preach Duties Or that we preach not the Gospel when we urge Obedience to these Duties from Gospel-Promises and Threats As if all Christ's Commands were mere Counsels It 's no Preaching with Authority if we omit this It 's no answering the Eng of Gospel if we wave this There 's no aptitude in the Ministry to draw Christ without this The Apostle gives us another Specimen Col. 1. 28. whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every Man perfect in Christ. What 's Snatching Men as Brands out of the Burning Compelling to come in c. What Pleas do the Apostles use Rom. 12. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. 2 Pet. 3. 11 12 14 c. 5. They do not preach the Gospel of Christ at all who preach contrary to the scope of this Truth no nor they duly who neglect to Preach according to it Christ never sent such News to Sinners That they were always Pardoned and Adopted and they need only believe it to know that it is so He never told them That they have nothing to do to the Participation of Saving Benefits he hath Believed for them and Repented for them c. Woe to them that will live as believing this Christ knew how to support the Honour of his Grace without overturning his Throne To Preach at this rate may excite the Affections of some but without a Miracle will never Convert a Soul and it needs an Antidote which I hope some of the Upholders of it have It 's the same with the Language of the Tempter the Arguings of the Flesh and the Conceits of presumptuous Sinners Could they that knock'd at the door Mat. 7. 21. be kept out Or the five foolish Virgins be excluded who went out to meet the Bridegroom if this be true Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come will be the Language of the Spirit to the Impenitent Mat. 3. 7. He is my Brother saith Christ that doth the Will of my Father Mark 3. 35. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud knowing nothing c. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. He that talks of preaching Christ without preaching his Laws his Title to rule us his Offers his Method of Grace and his Motives to urge Men profaneth and plays with that sacred Name TESTIMONIES The Assembly and Elders at the Savoy have given us their Thoughts in what I have cited of the Conditionality of the Covenant the Necessity of Faith to Union with Christ and Justification Free Offers of Christ to Sinners and Necessity of Holiness Consult the places See Large Catech. Q. What doth God require of us that we may escape his Wrath and Curse A. He Requireth of us Repentance towards God Faith towards our Lord Jesus and diligent Use of the Outward Means c. The Elders at the Savoy Declar. ch 20. a. 3. The Revelation of the Gospel unto Sinners made in divers times and by sundry parts with the Addition of Promises and Precepts for the Obedience required thereto c. But I cannot enlarge or I could shew how Doctor Owen pleads for this Gospel-Ordination and shews there be Threats and Promises therein See what the New-England Synod say on the former Heads They cite Errour 33. To act by Virtue or in Obedience to a Command is legal They thus confute it So is it also Evangelical The Mystery of the Gospel is said to be revealed for the Obedience of Faith 〈◊〉 16. 25. The Lord is Author of Eterâ—â—â—â—alvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. c. The 29th Errour of Mrs. H. was That such Exhortations as these Work out your Salvation with Fear Make your Calling and Election sure are spoken to such as are under the Covenant of Works Mr. Norton Orth Evang. p. 211. Believers obey the Gospel perfectly with the Perfection of Parts The Gospel is the Law in Christ The Rule of Righteousness is the same in the Law and in the Gospel though the Manner and End of Obeying are changed P. 105. The Obedience of good Men is rewarded by the Promise annexed to the Precept See what all these say in the Chap. of the Conditionality of the Govenant The Grounds of the Doctor 's Mistake Because Christ's Sufferings procured Salvation and assure it to such as Obey the Gospel therefore the Gospel enjoyneth nothing to be Obeyed Because the Law enjoyned Doing as the perfect Righteousness for which Life was a Debt therefore the Gospel requireth nothing to be done as the Means of Partaking of that Salvation which is merited by Christ. Because it's legal to Preach the Sanction of the Law of Innocency therefore it 's not Gospel to press the Gospel-Sanction The Reverend Mr. Cole affirms There 's Law enough in the Gospel The Gospel holds forth the Danger and Remedy too See his Treat of Regen p. 101. Had Doctor Crisp noted this Truth many Mistakes had been prevented CHAP. XXI Of Legal Preaching BEfore I proceed let me inform thee That Legal Preaching hath an uncertain Sound 1. If by Legal is meant the Precepts and Revelations of God in Christ for the Conversion and Government of lost Man under Gospel-Threats and Promises then to be Legal Preachers as Preachers of this Law we account our Duty and Honour All
Sinner to perform The Judgment-Day is past and a State of Tryal is over when-ever this is proved These things I have premised that if possible I may remove the Mistakes which govern the Minds of some well-meaning people The Truth TRUTH I shall express it in the words of the Assembly The Grace of God is manifested in the Second Covenant in that he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation by him requiring Faith as the Condition to interest them in him promiseth and giveth his holy Spirit to all his Elect to work in them that Faith with all other saving Graces and to enable them unto all Obedience as the Evidence of the Truth of their Faiâ—h and Thankfulness to God and as the way which he hath appointed them to Salvation Large Catech. Quest. How is the Grace of God manifested in the Second Covenant 1. Thou canst not but observe that the Assembly did judge 1. That though God hath provided a Mediator for Sinners yet they have no interest in him till they believe 2. That the Covenant is Conditional They scruple not to call Faith the Condition of our Interest in Christ and of Salvation by him 3. That Christ and Salvation are offered to all Sinners on the same Condition though God effectually enable the Elect to obey the Condition ERROUR The Covenant of Grace hath no Condition to be performed on Man's part though in the strength of Christ Neither is Faith it self the Condition of this Covenant but all the saving Benefits of this Covenant are actually ours before we are born Neither are we required so much as to believe that we may come to have an Interest in the Covenant Benefits Proved that this is Doctor Crisp 's Opinion The Doctor spends more than a Sermon to prove this And saith P. 81. There is not any Condition in this Covenant Mark what I say I know I shall go against the Strain of some c. P. 82. Observe I pray you and you shall plainly perceive that Man hath no Tye upon him to perform any thing whatsoever on his Part as a Condition that must be observed on his Part and there is not one Bond or Obligation upon Man to the fulfilling of the Covenant or partaking of the Benefits of it P. 84. He puts this Objection Though Works be not the Condition of the Covenant yet we hope you will yield Faith is the Condition of the Covenant He answers I must needs tell you directly that Faith is not the Condition of the Covenant But the Reader may suppose the Doctor only means there be no meritorious Conditions No he excludes all things wrought by Men or in Men as necessary to their Interest in the Covenant Blessings For he tells us P. 81. That after we are in Covenant with God he will bestow these things upon us as Effects of the Covenant And P. 83. The Covenant in the actual Substance of it is made good to a Man before he can do any thing i. e. from Eternity and in the Womb. Elsewhere he says Before our Eyes be opened c. P. 600. c. Wherein the Difference is not 1. It is not whether God hath promised and Christ engaged in the Covenant of Redemption that the Elect shall believe and possess Christ c. This I affirm 2. Nor whether there be any Duty on Man's Part as a Condition of Christ's Undertaking or of the Certainty of the Things undertaken in that Covenant This I deny 3. Nor whether the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace be performed in our own Strength or be uncertain as to the Elect. This I deny 4. Nor whether the Performance of the Conditions move God to enact offer or appoint this Covenant whereby the Grace of Christ is applied This I deny and add That God enacted this Covenant before we were born and offers an Interest in it on its proper Terms to Men when Sinners 5. Nor whether the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant be a purchasing Price or meritorious of the Benefits promised on such Conditions This I deny for Christ alone paid the Price and it 's the Covenant Promise gives the Interest in the Benefits to such as perform the Conditions 6. Nor whether the first Grace by which we are enabled to perform the Condition be absolutely given This I affirm though that be dispensed ordinarily in a due use of Means and in a way discountenancing idleness and fit Encouragement given to the Use of Means 7. Nor whether all the Conditions of the Covenant be of the same Use to the same Purpose or alike compleat Terms of the principal Benefits This I deny for Faith is supposed to all other Conditions and by Faith we are united to Christ c. 8. Nor whether upon Performance of the Conditions the Covenant Grant become not as absolute and the Right to the Benefit no longer suspended This I affirm for the Promise conveys the title as soon as the terms of the Grant are answered The real Difference 1. Whether the Elect have an actual Interest in the saving Benefits of the Covenant of Grace while they live in Unbelief This the Doctor affirms and I deny Of which see Chap. 10 11 12. 2. Whether God doth not offer the saving Benefits of the Covenant upon official Terms as believe and thou shalt be saved This I affirm and the Doctor denies 3. Whether the beneficial Privileges of the Covenant be not suspended on Terms of Duty as Doth not God forbear to pardon us till we believe This I affirm and the Doctor denies 4. Whether God doth engage to bestow the promised Benefits of the Covenant on all such who through Grace perform the Conditions This I affirm and the Doctor denies All may be reduced to this Whether our believing Confent to the Covenant of Grace be absolutely necessary by God's Command and Promise to our Interest in the saving Benefits of that Covenant This the Doctor denies and I affirm The Truth Confirmed 1. Each of the Benefits of the Covenant are offered to Men on condition and not absolutely in relation to God as his People is so Lev. 26. 3 12. If ye walk in my Statutes and keep my Commandments I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my People That this refers to the New Covenant Relation is plain by 2 Cor. 6. 16. So is Union to Christ with a Communion in the Benefits proceeding therefrom Mat. 22. 2 3 9 10 11. They must come to the Wedding-Supper or have no share in it So is it of Pardon of Sin Acceptance to Life Adoption and Salvation Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jelus and shalt believe in thine Heart c. thou shalt be saved Rom. 4. 25. To whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord. Gal. 3. 7. They which are of Faith are the Children of Abraham See more of this in
the Chapters of Union Justification c. And note that it's Injustice to add new Terms of any of these Benefits if they be ours by the Covenant as absolute before 2. If the Covenant be not conditional as to the disposing of these Benefits it would follow 1. That all to whom the Offers are made have an Interest in them or it is not a serious Offer no nor a true Offer as not containing a real and mutual Connexion between the Benefit and the Duty 2. Faith it self is no more necessary to our first Interest in these Benefits than any other Grace nay than Unbelief Let no body object it 's a Sign for so is any other Grace yea so might be the Description of Paul by his Name by his Abode yea by his Sin viz. A Persecutor Paul the Persecutor of such an Age and Place would serve as well to evidence him a justified Man as his Faith Abundance of such Consequences to the very overturning of the Gospel and all Religion are unavoidable 3. Men are said to enter into Covenant with God Deut. 29. 12 13. To make a Covenant Psal. 50. 5. To keep Covenant Psal. 103. 18. To perform the Covenant 2 Chron. 34. 31. Take hold of the Covenant Isa. 56. 46. To lye to God in their Hearts not being right with God when they enter into Covenant with him Psal. 78. 36 37. They for sake the Covenant Dan. 11. 30. Broken the everlasting Covenant Isa. 24. 5. See also Jer. 50. 5. Shall joyn themselves to the Lord in a Covenant not to be forgotten Ezek. 20. 37. I will cause you to pass under the Rod and will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant All these Expressions are convincing that there is a Restipulation on Man's part and that it 's a Covenant with respect to that mutual Stipulation between God and us To suppose the Covenant to be the sole Act of God and an Act that 's meerly absolute renders all these Phrases impertinent and impossible Can we be said to make or keep the Covenant which is only God's absolute Grant It was his Act to appoint this Covenant and to enable us to make and keep it It 's his Act to restipulate on his Part but to deny it to be conditional as to the very Benefits is to make God to be the sole Party Covenanting c. 4. Consider the Seals of the Covenant viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper and you will easily judge that they do not Seal absolutely but conditionally if absolutely then every one that partake thereof are saved If they Seal conditionally the Covenant must be conditional for by them the Covenant is renewed and the Benefits exhibited according to the Tenure of the Covenant it Self They do not Seal to us that we have the Grace to which the Benefit is promised but they seal the Benefits of the Covenant on supposition we have that Grace Hence 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptism that saves us is not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh i. e. outward Washing but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God i. e. The upright Consent of the Heart to the Vow and Profession made in Baptism If Men would consider that a meer elect Person though by Revelation known to be elect yet whiles unregenerate is not entitled to the Lord's Supper sure they cannot but inferr That this Person hath not an actual Interest in the Covenant and all its Benefits whiles he continues so 5. I might shew that Unbelief and whatever are Sins contrary to the Terms of the Covenant are the only Hinderances to a Sinner's Interest in the Benefits of the Covenant and by these we are said to reject and refuse the Covenant The Scripture is full in this it lays Mens want of Forgiveness on their Unbelief as the culpable Cause c. It 's needless to shew how this infers the Covenant-Benefits are conditional 6. The Gospel promise being the way which Christ appoints to dispense saving Benefits to Sinners must have the same Rules with the Covenant of Grace This Gospel is his Testament and the same with this Covenant the Benefits are the same and the Covenant cannot be a disposition of these Benefits in a way contrary to this Gospel but this Gospel or Covenant tells us 1. That there is a Promise of the first Gâ—aâ—â— made to Christ for the Elect and by the Virtue of that Promise the Elect do consent to the Covenant 2. This Gospel or Covenant is the Means whereby that Faith is wrought 3. This Gospel commands and by the Power of the Spirit works that Faith in order to saving Benefits which Benefits it promiseth to such as do thus believe and to no other 4. This Gospel or Covenant invests Believers in those saving Benefits 5. It secures the Perseverance of Believers in that true Faith and the necessary Effects and Operations of it and thereby secures those Benefits as unforfeited But Christ never bequeathed or promised in the Gospel a Pardon or Salvation to the Unbelievers nor the Continuance of that Pardon or Salvation but on Supposition that this Faith perseveres and if the Gospel Promise say no such things I am sure the Covenant did not 7. The Account of the Covenant which seems most for its Absoluteness implies this conditional Connexion of the required Grace and the promised Benefits Jer. 31. 31 32 33. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Heb. 10. 16 17. Jer. 32. 40. Ezra 11. 19 20 c. There be others that referr to the Restauration of the Captivity I 'll fix on that Jer. 31. 31. I 'll make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah 33. After those days I will put my Laws in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them for I will forgive their Iniquities and remember their Sins no more This is quoted Heb. 8. 10 12. and 10. 16 17. To understand this we must consider 1. Whom is this Covenant made with 2. What cannot be inferred from this Scheme of the Covenant 1. Whom is this Covenant made with It 's with the House of Judah and Israel not the Men in present being but Men to be hereafter It 's after those Days I will make it So that it was after the Mosaick Covenant was to expire Ver. 32. and it could not be the only Covenant of Grace for that had its Being from the Fall And the sincere Israelites did not lose the Advantages of it by the Mosaick Dispensation as the Apostle Argues Gal. 3. 17. The Point before us is to know who this Israel and Judah be 1. They are either the natural Jews to be alive in those Days which this Promise refers to 2. Or true Believers who are inwardly Israel