industrie he had procured something to pay for himself although the stock had been freely bestowed on him by the cautioner 2. It serveth to commend Christ and to bound all boasting and glorying in Him who is our Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 for this very end That â—e who glorieth might glory in the Lord. 3. This riddeth marches between the righteousnesse of the two Covenants that the one is inherent and consisteth in Works that is as the Apostle speaketh Tit. 3.5 the righteousnesse or somewhat which we our selves have done the other is without us and cometh by imputation and so is not only distinguished from our own righteousnesse but opposed to it Philip. 3.9 And although this truth be misrepresented by many yet we judge it to be impregnable and that in the great Day the decision will be found favorable thereto when only happy shall they be that shall be thus found in Christ. Thus therefore we are to conceive the terms of the Gospel as if a debaushed dyvour were ready to be apprehended having nothing to pay suppose one should offer to undertake for him and pay the debt so as he might be liberated upon condition that he should acknowledge his benefactor and plead ever his defence against the pursuit upon the cautioners payment and the discharge procured by Him in this respect the cautioners payment is the meritorious cause whereby such a man is absolved to wit because that payment is reckoned for him or imputed to him yet his pleading that defence or producing of that discharge immediatly may be said instrumentally to procure it because it is not the cautioners payment simplie that is sustained as a relevant defence in judgment till that be instructed and except the defence be founded thereon for so the Law provideth so it is not Christs satisfying simplie but His satisfaction pleaded by Faith and â—â—ed unto that justifieth for so the Law of Faith hath enacted yet the producing of such a discharge meriteth nothing but giveth a legall ground of right to the cause that doth merit and so to what is merited And the Lord hath appointed this to be the condition of Justification to wit the pleading of Christs satisfaction before the barr immediatly for 1. that stoppeth all mouths and none can produce that satisfaction but they must necessarily acknowledge emptinesse in themselves Justice and Grace in God and love and fulnesse in the Mediator 2. The pleading of this sheweth a compleat perfect equal evangelick righteousnesse in all whereas if it were any thing in us that were accounted so then it would not be equal if perfect which cannot be said of that which is our righteousnesse or that one man hath better ground to be justified upon and a better righteousnesse than another 3. That Faith is necessary for Justification so that none can expect to be justified but Believers hath been also hitherto almost amongst all uncontroverted till that of late Antinomians have opposed it But the Scripture is very expresse 1. in limiting all the promises of pardon to a Believer 2. in cursing all that believe not and declaring them to be under the curse 3. in placing Faith correlatively taken in the room that Works had in the first Covenant which must be in reference to Justification it self and not the sense thereof only 4. in asserting that we believe that we may be justified Gal. 2.16 c. So that there needeth not much speaking to this beside that many things spoken of Repentance may be applied here And if it be found that Faith is either the condition of the Covenant of Grace or the instrumental cause of Justification This will necessarily follow that there is no Justification without it I know there are some Divines that use different expressions here yet seing they also oppose Antinomians we will not now stick on that There is more difficulty in conceiving of the manner how faith concurreth that there is some eminency in it is acknowledged both by Papists who account it a radicall grace having influence on all other graces and so having special influence on that which they call Justification and also by some others who making works with it to be conditions of the new Covenant do yet acknowledge a special aptitude in it for applying of Christs righteousnesse and that therefore it is the principal condition and other things lesse principal In this â—ndeed these of the last opinion seem to differ from us 1. That they place Faith Repentance and Works in one and the same kind of causality in reference to Justification 2. That this causality is but to account them all causes sine quibus non 3. That all instrumentality is denied to Faith 4. That Faith is not alone the condition from any respect to its immediate acting on its object Christ but as other graces are 5. That Christ is not our immediate Evangelick righteousnesse but Faith properly taken and that as comprehending all other duties and graces under it and so it is both properly taken and improperly 6. That therefore we may be said to be justified by works as by Faith Faith being taken largely for all Although where the thing is clear and Christ is rested on in Justification and His satisfaction acknowledged as is in this case there needeth be no great debate for words and terms of condition imputation instrument c. yet these being still used among Divines we conceive there is no just reason to cast them the use of them having now of a long time made them to passe in this matter without mistake or strict binding of them to the acceptions wherein they are â—sed in other matters much lesse is there reason to cry down the matter expressed by them And it cannot but be sad that such new controversies should be moved We are perswaâ—ed that the reflecting on many worthy men the obscuring of the troden path by new Questions and Objections the confounding of Readers by proposing as it were of a different strain of the Covenant from what formerly hath been preached the giving of an open door to men to propose new draughts in all things and that not in expressions only but also as is alleaged in fundamentall materiall things c. shall be more prejudiciall to edification nor the bringing forth of this shall be usefull for if by this all the former Doctrine of Justification be enervated where are we till now if it stand so as the followers thereof may attain Heaven what is the use of this so full a new mould with so much professed danger in and dissatisfaction with the former will it not be welcome to Papists to have Protestants speaking in their terms and homologating them in condemning the former language of the most eminent Reformers and though unlearned or unread Divines be the Epithers of the opposers of this Doctrine yet possibly experience may shew that such may most readily be the embracers of it I say again when the Church
is overwhelmed with controversies already it is not fit to contend for words seing there is some agreement in the nature of Faith and in the necessity of works and we are sure where both these are there can be no hazard yet if under this new model an other matter be comprehended than formerly hath been intended by other expressions in the writtings of others it cannot be so easily approven lest we should condemn the generation of Gods People who have gone before us laying by therefore prejudice and contention for words we shall a little so farr as our scope permitteth enquire in the truth of Faiths peculiar concurring for the application of Christs Righteousnesse in the Covenant of Grace and what may be said of works In reference to which we would premit 1. That this way of Covenanting is borrowed from the practice of man with man to set forth somewhat of a spiritual nature betwixt God and man for which end the similitudes of Covenanting Marrying Treating Accusing Iustifying c. are borrowed as hath been said 2. That though all mutual Covenants have their conditions yet are they to be distinguished because sometimes the Covenant is such as entering into it intitleth to the benefits comprehended in it as in a Marriage-covenant entry thereunto intitleth the Wife unto the Husband and all that is his sometimes again the relation must not only be entered but all the terms thereof actually performed before there be a right to the thing promised thus is the covenant betwixt a Master and a Servant for though the Servant be the Masters Servant at the first instant of the agreement yet hath he not a right to the covenanted hire till he hath performed the service and accomplished his Term in the first of these Covenants that which entereth one in that relation is the condition not so in the second 3. Hence we may distinguish the condition of a Covenant sometimes it is taken materially to say so and more largely to wit for all the duties that are required of one in that relation and so a Wifes dutifulnesse to her Husband after Marriage and an adopted Sons dutifulnesse to his Father after adoption c. may be called conditions of the Marriage-covenant and of adoption sometimes again a condition is taken more strictly and to say so formally that is for such a thing as maketh up the relation and entitles one to and instates him in the priviledges Covenanted So formall consenting in Marriage is the condition and a Sons actuall accepting of the offered adoption and engaging himself to be dutifull do enstate him in the priviledge of a Son although he hath not yet actually performed all that he is engaged unto and in this respect the actuall performing of some duties is rather the duty of one in such a relation than the condition required to the up-making of it 4. There is a difference betwixt these priviledges and benefits of a Covenant that flow from it as such and to all in such a relation thus all wifes as such have interest in their Husbands all adopted Children in their Parents what ever years they be of c. and these benefits and priviledges of a Covenant which are but conditionally promised even to these within such relations and require more than being in Covenant as although a Wife cannot but have interest in her Husband as she is a Wife yet can she not plead the Dowry covenanted except she continue a faithfull Wife for if she fail in the essentials of the covenant she may be diâ—orced or an adopted Son cannot plead actuall possession of the inheritance though â—e be a Son till the term come that is appointed by the Father or he perform something called-for in the right of adoption which is insinuated also Gal. 4.1 2 c. Now to apply this we may some-way see in whâ—â— sense works may be called the condition of the Covenant of Grace and in what sense Faith only 1. If we take the condition largely and materially for what is called-for from one in Covenant so works may be called the condition of the Covenant even as a Wife or Soâ— their performing of conjugall and filiall duties to the Husband or Parent may be called conditions of Marriage and adoption yet if we consider the condition of the Covenant of Grace strictly and formally as that which doth actually interest one in or entitle him unto Christs Righteousnesse and maketh him a Son that is Faith properly taken as it doth unite with Christ Ioh. 1.12 because it is impossible to conceive one to believe in Christ but he must be conceived to have title to him as a Wife hath to her Husband or a Son hath to his Father And so he cannot be conceived to be a Believer but he must be justified because to have interest in Christ and His Righteousnesse cannot be seperated from Justification 2. We say if we look to such priviledges of the Covenant of Grace as presuppose something beside being in Covenant to anteced as for example entering into life admission unto Glory and the like in that respect works and holinesse may be called the condition of Salvation because that is not actually attained without these even as a Wifes dutifulnesse may be called the condition of her obtaining her Dowry yet neither is this properly a condition of Marriage nor the other of Covenanting with God but if we look to the priviledges which follow the Covenant immediately and do agree to a Covenanter as such as to be justified adopted c. in that respect not works but Faith is to be called the condition of the Covenant and of Justification because by Faith they are enstated into that Covenant and so in these priviledges that agree to a Covenanter as such Hence 3. We may see that when we speak of the Covenant of Grace and its condition it is not to be compared with every covenant amongst men indifferently as suppose to that agreement that is betwixt a Master and a Servant and a Husband-man and his Labourer for his hire which presupposeth working and so the performing thereof must go before ere the Servant or Labourer can plead any thing upon their agreement but it is like a Marriage-covenant or free adoption which doth indeed inferr duties to follow in the respects foresaid and doth imply an engagement to perform them but doth not-presuppose the actuall performance thereof before any right can be pleaded by such relations but only consenting and engaging to the same Hence in Scripture the Covenant of works is compared to that Covenant which is betwixt Masters and Servants and the Husband-man and his hired Labourers c. and the reward is called debt or hire not because of any merit or condignity in the works which cannot be pleaded even in Adams case but because the performance of the duties of holinesse and obedience was necessarily presupposed to the having right to the great priviledges contained in that Covenant for though
and thus Faith is the condition thereof Then 2. Suppose him to look to the charge that standeth against him for his former sins in Gods threatned curse and to satisfie this he giveth-in Christs satisfaction which being offered to him for this end that he upon the receiving thereof may be justified he by Faith resting on Gods faithfull Word through Christ repelleth all these charges by presenting that as his defence and by the letter of the Law of Faith which saith He that believeth shall not come into condâ—mnation but hath passed from death to life he is absolved and this is Justification even as he was formerly condemned by the Law of Works Here the only meritorious cause of the absolution and the righteousnesse upon which the sentence passeth is the Cautioners payment yet so as it is Judicially pleaded in which respect we say that Faith is instrumentall And though this pleading of it be necessary and the Law absolveth not but when the ground iâ— instructed yet this pleading or instructing is not the persons righteousnesse properly or the ground of his absolution but that which is pleaded and instructed to wit the Cautioners payment which being according to Law instructed is the ground of absolving the debtor from the charge this is plain even in the dealing of humane Courts And the tennor of the way of Justification being holden forth in the Word with respect to a judiciall procedour in humane Courts as is said it can no other way be more satisfyingly cleared To insist a little more then there is a twofold peculiarity attributed to Faith beside what is given to works and any other Grace 1. That it is the condition of the Covenant properly 2. That it hath an instrumentall causality peculiar to it in our Justification By the first is meaned that believing in Christ and receiving of Him is that which enstates one into the Covenant and giveth him right to what is promised and doth in our having right to Gods promises supplie that room which conditions do in mens mutuall bargains wherein when one promiseth somewhat on such a condition the performance of that condition doth turn the conditionall promise into an absolute right to him that hath performed it and so a condition is that upon which the title to the great promise to wit Gods being our God doth depend And Faith getteth this name in respect of the place God hath put it into in His Covenant and so it floweth from His extrinsick ordination By the second to wit that it is called an instrumentall cause the intrinsick manner of its acting is respected for though it be from the Spirit with other Graces and they be not separated yet hath it a peculiar aptitude to look to Christ receive Him apprehend and â—at Him take hold of and rest on Him c. which no other grace hath For it is in the new Creature and Inner-man someway proportionably as it is in the Outter-man for though there be many members of one body yet all act not in the same manner the hand acteth one way and the ear another c. So it is in the Inner-man there are many Graces which are members thereof yet have they their peculiar way of acting whereof these mentioned are attributed to Faith for which often it is called the eye the hand and the door of the renewed soul because by it Christ is apprehended received and admitted thereunto We conceive this instrumentality is justly attributed to Faith because seing there must be an application of the righteousnesse of Christ and seing Faith doth concur or is made use of as a mids for receiving of Him which is the way by which His Righteousnesse is applied why may it not be called instrumentall in our Justification as it is instrumental in receiving of and resting on His Righteousnesse by which and for which we are justified And thus Faith is not our receiving but the mean by which we receive as the eye is not our seeing nor the hand our gripping of any thing but the organs or means whereby we see and grip Neither doth this give any thing to Faith that derogateth from Christ for it leaveth the praise and vertue to Him but doth infer only an exercising of Faith for attaining of that benefit to wit Iustification Justification it self being an apotelesma to say so or effect both of Christs purchase Gods Grace and our believing and doth flow from them all respectively and doth presuppose the same The dispute about active and passive instruments is needlesse here seing the meaning is clear that for attaining of Justification by Christs Righteousnesse Faith doth peculiarly concur in the apprehending thereof and resting thereon otherwise than other Graces can be said to do And this cannot be denied if we consider 1. That to be justified by Christ and by Faith or by the righteousnesse of Christ and the righteousnesse of Faith are still one in Scripture even then when that concurrence which is allowed to Faith is denied to all other things which saith that Faith concurreth peculiarly and that so as Christ is rested on by it when it justifieth or that it justifieth by obtaining Justification through Him 2. If this be truth that the righteousnesse of Christ is the thing immediatly presented before Gods Justice upon which we are absolved as is said and also if it cannot be denied that Faith hath a peculiar aptitude to act on Christs Righteousnesse and present the same Then it must be granted first that Faith must have a peculiar way of concurring to the attaining of Justification And secondly that this may well be called an instrumental causality in reference to that end otherwise there is no use nor exercise of this its peculiar aptitude which is still acknowledged And if it please better to say that Faith justifieth or concurreth in Justification in respect of its peculiar aptitude to act on Christ and to receive Him than to say it concurreth instrumentally we shall not contend providing it be the same upon the mater with the ordinary doctrine concerning this instrumentality of Faith which we may illustrate and confirm by these considerations and similitudes 1. It is granted that the Word is the external instrument of Justification and that must be because it doth offer the same upon condition of believing or holdeth forth a righteousness by which we may be justified So Faith must be the internal instrument because it receiveth the same that is offered by the Word and receiving is no lesse necessary to Justification than offering and seing that receiving and offering relate so to each other and both to the end there is reason to attribute the same kind of causality to the one that is given to the other respectively 2. We are said to be justified by Faith in Christ as the people were healed by looking to the brazen serpent which was to typifie this Ioh. 3. vers 14. Now they by the vertue of the serpent considering it typically
and with respect to the appointment did receive health yet so as that health was attained by looking thereto in which respect their eye or look might be called instrumental in their health although it was not looking simply but to that Object with respect to the Lords appointment even so it is here it s Christs vertue whereby we are justified yet so as by Faith it is apprehended and according to Gods appointment looked unto and thus as Matth. 7. the eye is called the light of the body because it is the organ by and through which light is brought or letten-in to it so Faith may be called our righteousnesse as it is the mean by which Christs Righteousnesse without us is apprehended brought in as it were and admitted of to be ours 3. Justification is still held forth in judicial expressions as is said Now as an accused party their producing of a Law for them or a discharge may be said to be instrumentall in their own absolution although it be only the vertue of the discharge given-in that doth procure the same so may Faith be said instrumentally to justifie us as it presenteth for us Christs satisfaction before the justice of God And so it is here as in humane Courts for although some Advocates it may be plead better and some worse yet suppose that they all produce the same discharges and the same Laws in favours of their Clients they might all be called instrumental in their absolution and the ground of their absolvitours would be equal whereas if their act of pleading without respect to what is pleaded were considered it would not be so even so here though some mens faith be more strong and others more weak yet all apprehending the same satisfaction of Christ there is equal sharing in Justification which could not be if Faith did not concur instrumentally in the use-making of Christs Righteousnesse even as of the only immediate Evangelick-righteousnesse as it respecteth our Justification because if Faith be considered in it self and not as with the object apprehended by it it is not equal even in those that are justified 4. See it in miraculous Faith as it concurreth for attaining of a particular benefit so doth saving Faith for attaining of Justification for that there is an equal influence of both upon their respective effects cannot be denied Now that miraculous Faith might be said someway to concur instrumentally for health is clear for it is said that some had Faith to be healed to receive vertue from Christ c. which others had not and accordingly the effects are attributed both to their Faith and to Christs Power therefore it may be so here to wit Justification may flow from Faith as the instrumental cause and from Christs Righteousnesse as the meritorious 5. In the ordinary similitude of Marriage or solemn Covenanting it may be seen for actuall consenting or the hand that writeth the name may be said to be instrumental in the closing of the bargain or in attaining the priviledges that follow thereon and the hand hath an other influence than the foot or eye although these also be necessary yet it is not consenting or subscribing simply but such and such in reference to such Objects and Covenants even as it is not the tongue its speaking truths and the reaching forth of discharges simply that are instrumental in mens courts for attaining absolution but it is the speaking of such pertinent truths or producing of such sutable discharges that cometh under that name and this is all we intend when we say that Faith concurreth instrumentally even to hold out the immediate cause of our Justification to be Christ apprehended by Faith so that Faith and Christ are both necessary but differently and so also that the efficacie of all the concurrence of Faith may be from Christ the Object from which it is not to be separated when it is said to justifie The other thing peculiarly attributed to Faith is that it is the condition of the Covenant of Grace properly which can be said of no other grace or work This is to be understood as is above expressed to wit that Faith is that which on our side is called-for for constituting of us Covenanters and giving us right to the great comprehensive promise thereof that God may be our God and upon the performing of which that which God hath promised in it may be expected as is before said That Faith is thus the condition peculiarly and not Works nor any other grace beside what is said afterward upon Repentance may thus appear 1. Because Faith only hath that peculiar aptitude of receiving Gods offer and returning of our engagement and so for making the bargain mutually to be closed and Faith cannot be conceived to be exercised but the bargain must be conceived to be closed and that person to be in Covenant therefore the exercising thereof must be peculiarly the condition 2. If Faith be that which peculiarly riddeth marches between the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works and curse and a Believer so ipso be freed from the curse because he is a Believer and doth rest on Christ Then Faith must be peculiarly the condition of the Covenant of Grace But the former cannot be denied and is clear Ioh. 3 18 36. 3. If Works concur in the same causality with Faith Then it must either be Works before one be in Covenant or Works thereafter But it can be neither not before one be in Covenant because such Works cannot be accepted nor secondly after because then they could not be the condition upon which we are admitted for so we would be accepted before the condition be performed If it be said that the same reasoning will seclude Faith because if Faith be the condition Then it must either be Faith before we be in Covenant or after c. Answ. It followeth not because its Faith neither before nor after our entrie but that which enters us that is the condition and it cannot be conceived before nor after being an instantaneous act as solemn consenting in Marriage is not before nor after as it constituteth Marriage but instantly Here still observe that when we speak of a condition we speak of that condition whereby one is admitted within the Covenant and not of any thing that may be implied to be performed by one admitted already to Covenant because that must be the condition of the Covenant properly that intitleth one to the priviledges covenanted But what entereth one into this Covenant doth intitle him to the priviledges covenanted Therefore it must properly be the condition and Faith being that is therefore alone so to be esteemed Which we may further urge thus either being admitted to the Covenant one is freed from the curse and instated in all the priviledges of the Covenant or not It cannot be said not because that were to make one a Covenanter and not a Covenanter and one cannot be conceived to be in Covenant with God
Covenant of Works even so works have no proper merit nor proportion unto the things promised of themselves but as it is determined and condescended to in the Covenant and by vertue of Gods promise made thereunto therefore it is called a Covenant of Works not because of the merit of the works but in respect of the formality of the condition thereof to wit doing that is the righteousnesse which we our selves do Tit. 3.5 And in this respect to work one day and to work twenty years or paying of a thousand talents and one peny doth not difference the nature of the condition of the Covenant supposing the condition of both to be expressed in these terms although the degree thereof be different 3. Faith is opposed to works as the condition of the Covenant or of Justification not as considered in it self but as with respect to its object Christ and so we are thus to conceive the opposition works inherent in us and performed by us are called-for in the Covenant of Works as the righteousnesse thereof and as the only ground upon which we can expect to be justified by it again by the Covenant of Grace Christs Righteousnesse without us received by Faith is only admitted as a Righteousnesse and ground of Justification that Faith is so to be understood in Rom. 10 5.6.and Gal. 3.10 11 12 c. is evident for the righteousnesse spoken of Rom. 10. vers 3 4. which is the righteousnesse of Faith and is opposed to our righteousnesse is Christ the end of the Law for righteousnesse to all that believe who was stumbled at by the Iews c. So it is also in that other place Gal. 3. as the scope manifesteth to wit Faith as making use of Christ His becoming the curse for us And it is observable that in both these Chapters the difference of the conditions of the Covenant of Works and of Grace is insisted on to plead the necessity of a righteousnesse without us in opposition to our own and so Faith must be the condition of the Covenant of Grace as it acteth or resteth on that The second thing that mainly disswadeth from that opinion is that it doth propose something in our selves as the immediate ground of our Justification before God under that title of being our Evangelick righteousnesse for if works concur in that same causality with Faith Then our believing properly must be accounted our righteousnesse and not Christs by Faith taken hold on because these two are inconsistent to wit Faith and works in a proper sense to be our Evangelick-righteousnesse and Christ also For suppose one to be charged at Gods Barr for sin the one way Christ is represented and the other way the mans believing and obedience If it be faid that when we mention believing or Faith it cannot but respect Christ. Answ. 1. Then there is no difference for we acknowledge Faith correlatively taken to be our righteousnesse 2. Then also works cannot concurr in that manner for they cannot so respect him which is all that is intended If it be said that Christ is our legall-righteousnesse that is that by Him we have satisfied the Covenant of Works He having paid in our name but Faith and obedience are our Evangelick-righteousnesse that is as He hath procured a new grant of life upon these easie terms in the Covenant of Grace and so as by performing thereof we may come to have right to what He hath purchased in satisfying the first Covenant Answ. 1. This mis-representeth Gods way of Covenanting who hath not appointed our paying of a small rent as it were a peny to be the ground of our right unto Christs purchase but seing Christ became Cautioner in our name to pay the debt He hath appointed the debtors claiming of and submitting unto his payment to be the terms upon which he shall be absolved as was at the entry to this discourse observed and is clear from Philip. 3.9 where the righteousnesse of Faith which is our Evangelick-righteousnesse and opposed to works and to be found in Christ are one and the one is explained by the other 2. This way doth make a Covenant to be a mids or way for attaining of another righteousnesse for Justification beside Christs and so doth make two righteousnesses in Justification and one of them to be the mids for attaining the other whereas the Gospel righteousnesse is but one in it self by Faith apprehended and made ours 3. Although this may seem not to exalt works by giving them any merit yet it is impossible to account them even to be our Evangelick-righteousnesse or a condition of the Covenant of Grace but there will still be a readinesse to heighten them above their own place which derogateth to the way of Grace that is laid down by Faith in Christ for it is easie to exceed in reference to any thing in our selves considered in it self whereas when Faith is only respected as it apprehendeth Christ it cannot be so considered for it not only merits nothing but it excludeth merit and all boasting and therefore the Lord hath thus wisely ordered that all may be keeped from boasting even of Faith 4. We may answer if by legall-righteousnesse be understood that which may be satisfying to the Law so Christ indeed is our legall-righteousnesse yet so as by the Gospel only we have accesse to Him and have a promise of being accepted through Him without the receiving of which by Faith He is not a legall-righteousnesse to any and so He is our only Evangelick-righteousnesse also and thus our legall-righteousnesse and Evangelick are the same for there is but one charge to a sinner which only can be answered by fleeing to Christ and so He is our legall-righteousnesse as the Laws charge is satisfied by Him and He is our Evangelick-righteousnesse as that mean of answering the Law is to us proposed in the Gospel and for us upon the condition foresaid accepted by the same without which Christ had never been our legall-righteousnesse and the dividing of these two righteousnesses doth suppone that there may be a legall-righteousnesse in Christ to such as may actually never partake thereof and we are afraid that some such thing may occasion this distinction whereas Gods way in the Gospel is to provide a righteousnesse for such as were given to Christ by which they may be actually justified Isa. 53.11 And if Christ be not this Gospel-righteousnesse what can be it For it is by Him we are freed from the curse of the Law which is the end wherefore this Gospel-righteousnesse is preached And it is by putting on Him that even the Gospel holdeth forth Justification But if we consider the Law-righteousnesse strictly as it requireth personall holinesse or satisfaction from the very party so Christ is not our legall-righteousnesse and in that sense it cannot be pleaded for it must therefore follow that He is our Gospel-righteousnesse seing no other way but by the Gospel we have accesse to Him And
our righteousnesse properly there needed no imputation of Christs after our believing except it be said as some Papists say that it is imputed to make up our defects and to make our holinesse acceptable and so it were our Faith and Works that should be justified by the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse and not our persons which is contrary to Scripture 2. This is upon the mater the same with what we said as is hinted for suppose a debtor to be pursued he pleadeth absolution because his Cautioner hath payed and he produceth the discharge given to him wherein that is acknowledged his pleading so and producing of that discharge may be someway called the ground that giveth him right in Law to have that payment of the Cautioners imputed to him yet his absolution floweth from the complex businesse not of his pleading simply but of the cautioners paying his pleading of that payment and the Laws accepting of that defence and imputing of it to him and so from all these together his absolution floweth just so it is here our Justification floweth from Christs satisfaction being accepted and rested on by us and imputed to us by God And therefore thirdly though Faith properly be the condition upon which Christs Righteousnesse is imputed to us I had rather call it the mean by which it is apprehended yet it followeth not that therefore Faith properly taken is our righteousnesse and as such is imputed to us and accounted so seing still this presupposeth the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse in order of nature to interveen betwixt our believing and our Justification and therefore that His Righteousnesse imputed must be properly our righteousnesse seing we upon account and considered as such to wit as having Christs Righteousnesse imputed to us are justified and upon that Righteousnesse imputed Justification is immediatly grounded Yet Fourthly All this doth say nothing for Faith largly taken as comprehending all Gospel-duties for though Faith strictly taken be necessary for having right to Christs Righteousnesse or having it imputed to us yet are not actuall works so by any means but through the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse we are first accepted and then bring forth these good works which sheweth that they do not go before that imputation of Christs Righteousnesse or our Justification but that rather they follow thereupon For if we cannot do good works till we be Sanctified and if none be Sanctified but such as are Justified and these two cannot be separated no not for an instant of time for it cannot be said that a man is Sanctified but not yet Justified aut contra Then it will follow that a man is Justified before he hath actuall works it is of such we debate and not of habituall seminall holinesse for he may be and is Sanctified before he can have them much more ere he persevere in them And so consequently actuall good works cannot concur to Justification as Faith doth or be the condition thereof But the former is true and clear Therefore so is the latter also which is the thing that was in Question Lastly we say if Faith properly and largely taken according to their meaning or yet strictly be imputed to us for Righteousnesse Then either Christs Righteousnesse is not imputed but our Faith only or Christs Righteousnesse and our Faith properly taken also But neither can be said not the first to wit that the Righteousness of Christ is not imputed to us but Faith only That I suppose is not intended neither can the latter be said viz. that Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness and Christ also for then Christ is either imputed for our totall righteousness and so Faith cometh not in or as a partiall righteousness and that is absurd Again either His Righteousness is imputed to us before we believe and so before our Faith can be imputed which is false for that would make Christs Righteousness to be ours before we were in Covenant internally Or it is imputed to us after we believe and so after our own Faith is imputed to us and accepted for Righteousness But that cannot be for then we would be righteous before the imputation of Christs Righteousness which is absurd or lastly both must be imputed together which also cannot be for if both be imputed together properly Then both in the same sense or kind of causality or in diverse senses the first cannot be said for that would make both meritorious which is disclaimed if the last be said then it must be so as the one is imputed to us for our legall-righteousness to wit Christs satisfaction and the other as our Evangelick to wit Faith But 1. That is the thing already spoken to and doth divide Christ and our Gospel-righteousness Or 2. It turneth to this that Christ is the thing that satisfieth Justice but Faith is the ground or mean by which we come to have title to that satisfaction which is the thing that is granted and we suppose is the thing that by some is intended and is in sum that to which others give the name of the instrumentall cause And if so there needeth not be contending for words for both are acknowledged to wit that by Christs Righteousnesse only as the meritorious cause we are justified and that there is no right to plead Justification by that except by Faith or upon condition of believing by which actuall right to Christ and by Him Justification is obtained Further it cannot be said that they are imputed joyntly for then 1. Either that imputation must be an instantaneous act at the first believing or exercise of Faith and so Justification must be an instantaneous act also which they will not grant because the Faith that is imputed according to them is Faith and the exercise of holinesse persevered in for which cause Justification to them is a continued act 2. It must be instantaneous but not imputed till Faith and Holinesse be persevered into and by this neither Christs Righteousnesse nor Faith is imputed to the person not can he be accounted in friendship with God or to be in Christ or righteous till his life be closed for he cannot be accounted so till he be justified and he is not justified till these be imputed to him for Righteousnesse Or 3. that imputation must be a continued act from the first closing with Christ till the end But how can that be For 1. It is hard to conceive the act of the imputation of our faith to be continued but more hard to conceive the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse to be a continuing act for Christs Righteousnesse at the first is perfect and it is to be imputed to the Believer if therefore one may be called a Believer it is to be imputed to him instantly 2. Imputation being a judiciall word and act it supponeth an instant sentencing of such a righteousnesse to belong to such a person as it were and to be accepted for him for if he hath not perfect right there is
fully obliterated and dissolved as concerning the Covenant made with the Fathers Rom. 11.26 are now made ready 2. This readinesse is now set out in two expressions 1. figuratively she is cloathed in fine â— linnen clean and white 2. More plainly it is the righteousnesse or justification of the Saints Both may be two wayes understood 1. Of Christs imputed righteousnesse whom we are said to put on Rom. 13. ult and Gal. 3. when by faith we are united to Him and made partakers of His righteousnesse for the hiding of our nakednesse as in His counsell to Laodicea Chap. 3. 2. It may be understood of inherent righteousnesse which also in some respect we are said to put on Col. 3.12 In the first sense it is called clean and white simply for so Christs righteousnesse is without spot In the second sense it is so comparatively or it is cleannesse and whitenesse not absolute but in respect of what they were and in respect of the holinesse of other times This shall now be more 2. The righteousnesse or justification of the Saints is also two wayes understood 1. for a righteousnesse before men evidencing their justification before God so it is said Iam. 2. that Abraham was justified by his works 2. For that which indeed just fieth and is the cause of our justification before God and so Rom. 4. Abraham was not justified by works not only excluding all the works of the ceremoniall Law for it was then not given but even of the morall Law But he was justified by faith in Jesus Christ which was imputed to him for righteousnesse the former is the same with inherent righteousnesse the latter is called imputed Now though we take in both here as they are alway conjoyned and go together and holinesse serveth in a speciall way to make ready and meet for enjoying Christ in Glory when these garments shall be fully white yet we understand here Christs imputed righteousnesse or the righteousnesse of faith especially as that which maketh the Lambs wife ready and that for these reasons 1. This cloathing is that which is the righteousnesse of all Saints and that before God but that of faith was Abrahams before the Law Rom. 4. Davids under the Law Psal. 32. with Rom. 4. and Pauls under the Gospel Philip. 3.9 therefore so here 2. Christs righteousnesse is only spotlesse and clean ours is unclean the best being filthy 3. This readinesse is that upon which the marriage with Christ standeth and serveth to close with Him in that Covenant but that is in the offer he that believeth sâ—â—ll be saved and it is the want of that that casteth and marreth the making of the marriage for holinesse inherent preceedeth not our union with Christ which is our marriage but followeth our consent when the bargain is closed as duties of a person married 4. It agreeth best with the scope in reference to the in-coming of the Iews they are made ready and brought in by the contrary of that for which they were cast off but that Rom. 11. was unbelief stumbling at the stumbling stone in going about to establish their own righteousnesse and not submitting to His Rom. 9. and 10. vers 3. Therefore now that which maketh them ready must be faith and submission to Christs righteousnesse 5. This agreeth best with and is clear from the expressions setting forth the manner how she is made ready and that in two expressions she is cloathed with it that speaketh to the resemblance of putting on something from without in which this readinesse and decoring consisteth and not of what is within as Rev. 3. which pointeth at imputing of righteousnesse 2. That it was granted to her to shew it was not of her self it was given and freely given and gifted to her which saith it is not inherent holinesse for that someway inferreth debt and is opposed to grace Rom. 4.9 and 11. Eph. 2. but it is of grace which is the same with faith that it might be free Rom. 4.16 Eph. 2. and that to all the seed by which it appeareth how we are to reconcile vers 7. with this Thus if we look to the scope as it is propheticall this Verse saith 1. that these Iews on whom blindnesse and hardnesse hath layen long shall in the end in due time be brought in to believe on Jesus Christ and to submit to that righteousnesse which is common to all Saints Gentiles as well as Iews and to take that one way of salvation with the Gentiles which they have so long rejected God shall freely re-ingraft them again in His Church by that same faith which they despised 2. That they at their in-coming into the Church of God at that time shall be more eminently shining in holinesse than formerly when the Gentiles shall provoke the Iews and there shall be a holy emulation amongst them more fully to adorn the profession of the Gospel then shall the number of believers be increased and their qualifications of holinesse at a higher pitch This flourishing estate is promised whatever be of externall peace The confirmation followeth vers 9. where consider 1. who confirmeth 2. What he confirmeth 3. How First The person confirming is not God or Jesus Christ for it had not been a fault vers 10. to have worshipped hmi but is an Angel it is like that Angel who Chap. 17. came to shew Iohn the judgement of the whore and whom it is like God made use of to shew Iohn the things to come Chap. 1.1 That which he confirmeth in an extraordinary way by a speciall commission to write that the thing may be the more observed is set down in these words Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. The Lamb is our Lord Jesus often called so His marriage here is that vers 7. especially of the Iews in-calling to faith in him It signifieth 1. that betwixt Christ and believers there is a mutuall tye consent and obligation of each to other 2. That it is reall 3. A near tye 4. Kindly and loving 5. Indissolvable 6. For believers advantage to share of what He hath It sheweth in a word a kindly and loving relation between Christ and them beyond what is betwixt Him and others It is called a marriage supper not mainly from that custome as if then suppers had been most rise feasting times at Marriages what ever truth be in it for Mat. 22.3 it is called a dinner that the guests are invited unto but this seemeth to be the cause that Matth. 22. looketh to the Iews first calling at the preaching of the Gospel which they rejected and it is called a dinner they being more timely invited to it with the first This again looketh to their calling which shall be made effectuall when the day draweth near to an end at their restoring therefore it is called the marriage supper as more immediately preceeding the solemnizing fully of the Bridegrooms Marriage when the Queen shall be brought to His
the Word off his hand We see the Pharisees invited Christ to their houses thinking it a part of their esteem and name to be familiar with such a person yet it is not recorded of any of them that they intended their own edification or made use of such opportunities for that end as Marie did Luk. 10.42 6. Men in such a frame as they are professed enemines to profanitie so are they secret whisperers against true tendernesse and tender persons they wonder what spiritual exercises are and why folks will not believe and so quiet all their doubts they are ready to count diligence and seriousnesse beyond their own pitch to be but fansie and conceits as we see in some Pharisees condemning poor women that were mourning at Christs feet and upon occasions they cannot well hide the same especially when any faults break out in such as once seemed to be more tender then they blesse themselves in their own form of Religion and insult upon these whereas these that are truely spiritual are commanded to restore and will readily endeavour it such as fall with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 7. Somewhat is discernable by a peoples conversing with others for such readily love to converse with these that do admire them and make no doubt of their piety and sincerity and so Ministers and People both that speak most smoothly to them without riping up any thing of their wounds are most beloved by them and spoken of with the greatest commendations even in their absence 8. Some-thing also may be gathered from this if the Congregation be esteemed to be generally religious and if their manner of carriage under it be still the same and hath been so for a long time together without any observable change and such like When these things concur it may justly be suspected if such a work be reall that 's so universal and easily constant By these and such like an observing and discerning Minister may at least come so farr in the knowledge of such a case as may warrand him to apply himself to deal with them suitably to the same 6. If it should be asked How it is that a Minister ought to deal with people in such a frame This will be indeed more difficult to answer and will be the matter of many serious thoughts to a faithful Minister lest he run and labour in vain among such a people For there is no people with greater difficulty gained by the Gospel and there is not ordinarily any case that doth destroy so many souls in the visible Church as this doth and therefore there is not more zeal and prudence required in reference to any sort of persons than in reference to such For helping to answer this we may offer these things from the way which our Lord useth in this Epistle 1. A Minister that hath to do with such a people would endeavour to have a ministerial esteem amongst them that is that upon the one side he may have a testimony in their consciences that he loveth them and wisheth the good of their souls as a faithful Minister should do otherwayes if there should be any other jar all his reproofs and threatnings will be accounted to flow from that and so be rejected Again on the other side when I say this respect ought to be ministerial it is to seclude a carnal trivial respect and affection that doth proceed from too great familiarity with such persons than which there is nothing more dangerous both to Ministers and People for where it is he is accounted a companion and plainnesse from him hath no weight with it for they cannot think that he would converse with them so familiarly if he had indeed such thoughts of their condition as faithfulnesse will put a Minister to expresse in such a case and as such persons usually seek to gain such affection and familiarity from their Minister as a special mean to keep him in esteeming so of them as they do of themselves So Ministers would beware of giving them such a stumbling but to endeavour such an esteem amongst them as is for the works sake 1 Thess. 5.12 2. A Minister in such a case would not hold upon general Doctrines nor the reproving of grosse scandals only but he would set himself in application to insist upon hypocrisie and luke-warmnesse and so to describe it to shew the rifenesse of it to set forth the loathsomnesse and the hazard that cometh to souls by it and that in a searching grave and weighty manner that he may be seen to be affected therewith himself as the Lord doth in this place 3. This would be done pungently and purposly as if a Minister were building forts to besiege a City or taking a strong hold by the Gospel and therefore one battery would be made to follow upon the back of another if so be such stout pillars of presumption may be battered down and for that end the Word would be sharpened and edged that it may prove a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and lay open not only what is the mans practice without but what is the heart-language within what are his thoughts of himself what are the grounds upon which he buildeth them what are the answers whereby he shifteth challenges what are the deceits wherwith he beguileth himself in all these and such like which is the Lords practice here thou sayest c. 4. A Minister would threaten such indefinitly as here and when he hath described them with their characters and symptoms thunder out the Lords wrath and curse even against hypocrisie luke-warmnesse self-conceitednesse want of humility such as have not fled to Christ are not born again and such like that they may know such spiritual ills are loathsome to God 5. It is fit in such a case to rid marches between Nature and Grace accuratly and distinctly and to give such symptoms of the one and marks of the other as may clearly from Scripture â—et bounds between hypocrisie and sinceritie between duties done in the right manner and such as are but in shew so as consciences may be bound with it that these things are the Truths of God 6. There would be â—â—ll a plain opening-up of the way of Justification through Faith in Christ which is the sure ground of all peace and there would be a clearing of the terms of the Covenant of Grace and of the Doctrine of Regeneration and withall a most serious pressing of them to make the right choise and to accept of the best bargain Lastly This application would be carried-on with more than ordinary veâ—emencie in the manner weightinesse in the expression convincingnesse in the Arguments and Motives c. beside secret wrestling with God for them therefore the Lord here obtesteth and protesteth in the pressing of this this also would not be done for some little space of time but would be continued and insisted in therefore the Lord knocketh and He standeth and knocketh which
possible upon mans side as a satisfaction to that Justice there is an external righteousnesse provided to wit the satisfaction of the Mediator which being imputed to the sinner is in law to be accepted as satisfactory for him by vertue of the Covenant of Grace and by vertue thereof he is to be absolved and discharged as if he himself had satisfied this is the meritorious cause of our Justification 3. This satisfaction of the Mediator is not imputed to all nor to any but upon the terms agreed upon to wit that it be received and rested upon Therefore the Gospel is Preached and this righteousnesse is not only revealed therein but offered thereby to all who shall by Faith receive the same in which respect the Gospel â—s it is contained in the Word and the Preaching thereof is â—oâ—â— only called the external instrumental cause of our Justification 4. When by the Power of Gods Spirit the sinner is brought to receive this offer and to rest upon this righteousnesse as the only ground of his peace and his whole defence against the Law before the Justice of God then according to the offer he becometh interested in this righteousnesse and Christ becometh his righteousnesse who is by this receiving of Him put on by the Believer and by this he may plead absolution from the challenges of the Law before Gods Justice as a debtor may plead absolution from his debt upon his instructing the Cautioner to have payed it And in this respect Faith is called the condition of the Covenant because it is upon this condition that Justification is offered to us therein and upon this condition God becometh our God and Christ our Righteousnesse and it is also called the instrumental cause of our Justification because it acteth by receiving Christ as He is â—olden forth in the Word and if that be justly called the external instrumental cause which doth offer him for our righteousnesse Then may Faith well be called the internal instrumental cause because it doth receive Him for that same end and because by this receiving He becometh our righteousnesse upon which our Justification is grounded Hence 5. upon this receiving of Christ and presenting of His righteousnesse for our defence before Gods Justice that righteousnesse and satisfaction is imputed to us and accounted for ours and upon this our sins are pardoned and we absolved before God and this is that wherein formally our Justification consisteth and this is the end why this counsel is proposed that by receiving of this offered righteosnesse this may be attained This way of restoring of sinners by Grace is often set forth by way of mutual bargain as in Covenanting Treating by Ambassadours Marrying Bâ—ying and such like All which do import a mutuall dosing of a bargain upon mutual terms and thus it is expressed to shew not wherein formally our Justification doth consist but to shew the way and terms by which we may come at it and upon which we close with God and in this respect Faith is called the condition of the Covenant of Grace because it supplieth that place and hath in it that which ordinarily a condition hath that is proposed in making of a mutual bargain sometimes also it is set forth under legall expressions as to lybell an accusation against to charge and arraign a sinner before Justice and then to absolve him from that charge in opposition to condemnation and thus sin is called debt and to punish for it is to exact or require satisfaction and Christ in that respect is called the Cautioner or Surety and His suffering satisfying the pardoning of the sinner is called justifying or absolving in opposition to condemning and the deriving of this from Christ is called imputation or to repute the sinner righteous upon Christs satisfying for him or it is the reckoning of Christs satisfaction on the account of the sinner All which expressions are borrowed from the way of legall and judicial procedour before men The first way sheweth how we become friends with God to wit by Covenanting with Him in Christ Jesus The second sheweth a prime benefit which doth slow from that friendship to wit our Justification These two are not to be conceived different things or successive in time much lesse to be separated but as they be different wayes of holding forth the same thing whereof the one doth especially relate to the means the other to the end and that so as Grace and Justice may be seen to go alongst in this great businesse and that a sinner may be helped to conceive of the same the more distinctly when he hath it moulded in the terms and forms used among men and that under diverse considerations that so he may the more satisfyingly comprehend this mystery of free Justification Concerning which in the general we say 1. That the immediat meritorious cause of our Justification is Christs Righteousness we take for granted for it is the gold here that maketh rich without which the dyvour could not pay his debt it is the raiment which covereth our nakednenesse and therefore the righteousnesse of the Saints must be a put on communicated external and imputed righteousnesse so that supposing a man to be pursued before the barr of Gods Justice there is no defence can be proposed but Christs satisfaction which only will be a relevant exception in that Court which in Paul's example is clear Philip. 3.9 as if it were asked Paul what will thou flie to in that day Only to be found in Him saith he not having my own righteousnesse which is by the works of the Law but that which is by Faith in Christ. Thus Christ is our Righteousnesse and we are righteous in Him as He was made sin for us for that opposition 2 Corinth 5.21 doth evince this but our sins were imputed to Him and so were the immediat ground upon which He was found liable to Justice in that same manner therefore His Righteousnesse must be the immediate cause of our being absolved seing His Righteousnesse must be transferred to us as our sins were to Him as is said 2. That this Righteousnesse of the Mediator is immediatly imputed to us hath also been accounted a truth amongst the Orthodox hitherto that is that as a cautioners paying of the debt being instructed in a Court is sufficient for absolving of the debtor from the creditors pursuit because in the Law the cautioners paying in the debtors name is reckoned as if the debtor had paid it and so it is imputed to him and accepted for him so it is here And this way of imputing Christs Righteousnesse immediatly doth serve exceedingly 1. to humble the sinner when that whereby he is justified is not in himself this being certain that we are more proud of what is supposed to be in us than of what is imputed to us even as a dyvour hath lesse to boast of when the cautioners paiment is immediatly imputed to him for his absolution than if by his
Adam was in Covenant with God at first yet could he not claim life by vertue thereof till he had continued in the obedience of the Commands and actually performed the same as Servants must do before they can plead for their hire Again the Covenant of Grace is compared to free adoption or a mans entitleing of a stranger to his inheritance upon condition of his receiving that and to Marriage betwixt Man and Wife which is frequent in Scripture not because the Covenant of Grace requireth not holinesse and works but because it doth not require them actually to prâ—â—ede a persons title to all the priviledges covenanted and doth freely entitle him to the same upon his entry therein as a Wife is entitled to what is the Husbands upon her Marriage with him although afterward she be to perform the duties of that relation rather as duties called-for by it than as conditions of it Hence we may call the Covenant of works a servile-covenant and the Covenant of Grace a filial or conjugall Covenant and therefore although holy duties be required in both yet there is difference and the one is of works and the other of Grace Neither is it the difference that works in the one were meritoâ—ious and in the other not for there is proper merit in neither nor is the difference to be placed in this that the one requireth works perfectly holy as the condition thereof and the other Evangelick works not perfectly holy because so there were not the same law for ordering of holy duties to us which they had noâ— that same absolute patern of holinesse for our copy to wit Gods holinesse calling us to be holy as He is holy nor were defects in reference to our perfect holinesse sinfull under the Covenant of Grace if perfection were not required therein all which are false besides that so it were sâ—ill of works But the difference lieth in this that our working is not to be the ground of our right to the inheritance nor actually to precede our right as in the Covenant of Works it was necessary but believing and consenting only This difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and of Grace may be conceived thus Suppose a debtor being sued for his own debt should either plead no debt or that he had paid it or would pay it this is the Covenant of Works Again that of Grace is as a debtor acknowledging debt but being unable to pay pleadeth only the cautioners payment and expecteth to be absolved upon that account and not as if by a cautioners interveening he had all the debt forgiven him to so much or had a new bargain given him for a peny yearly or a pepper-corn in the place of a thousand talents and in a word somuch down or that for gold ure of gold should be accepted For so 1. some would have their peny more weighty than others and thereby be more justified than others or at least have a better ground to be justified upon 2. It would be still the same kind of condition and so the same Covenant in kind mâ—jus minâ—s 〈◊〉 variant speciem for paying of one bushell for an hundred chalders still saith it is victual-rent although it be of Grace that it is so little and indeed so the first Covenant might be called of Grace because the good promised were so far beyond the rent required and so it were but as a man that did at first require a talent for that which were worth much more and should afterward alter and require only a shekel 3. It cannot be so for the sinners charge is not that he wants his peny or pepper-corn but that he hath broken the Law his righteousnesse therefore must be such as doth meet that charge as Rom. 8.34 and so it must be such a righteousnesse as must stand before Justice and be equipollent at least to his own fulfilling the Law or his having satisfied the penalty thereof 4. When the Apostle opposeth the righteousnesse of the Law and Gospel he opposeth not as it were a thousand talents to a peny or one sort of works to an other but the righteousnesse of Christ or to be found in Him to all kind of works whatsoever Phil. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3. c. and to have the righteousnesse of Faith and the righteousnesse of Christ and the righteousnesse by Faith are ever one and the same and are still opposed to Works From this also it doth appear that Covenanting doth in order of nature precede Justification because by Covenanting and being in Covenant we come to have a right thereto as to a promise of the Covenant as the accepting of an offered pardon doth go before ouâ— having actuall riâ—ht to the following priviledges or a womans consent before her actuall claim to the Husbands goods though the one is not supposed to be without the other even as the breach of Covenant doth precede our being liable to condemnation by the Law Hence also we may someway gather that there may be some formall different consideration of the condition of Justification from the condition of the Covenant for Justification being a legall judiciall act it must presuppose such a condition as may be a ground in Justice to absolve a sinner and therefore in this Christs satisfaction as presented and pleaded must be the only ground for it is with respect to that only by which a sinner can be justified and this is to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 Covenanting again being a mutuall deed wherein the Lord condescendeth to make a free offer and to admit in Covenant upon condition of receiving the condition here must be that which entiâ—eth to that thing offered and entereth the person within the bond of the Covenant which must be Faith Hence these two acts of Faith whereby it is defined may be thus conceived 1. It receiveth Christ and so it entereth into and closeth with the Covenant and getteth instantly a title to what is contained therein 2. It resâ—eth on him which must be judicially understood as oâ—â— resteth on a relevant defence and therefore pleadeth it as it is said Rom. 2. that the Iews rested on the Law which was to expect Justification by it and so to rest on the righteousnesse thereof in which sense we now rest by Faith on Christs Righteousnesse this supposeth one to be in Him and in the Covenant and it looketh as such to Justification and in respect of its manner of acting immediately on Christ our Righteousnesse it may well be called the instrumentall cause of our Justification Thus suppose a sinner to be lying under Gods curse and suppose the Mediator to have satisfied and a Proclamation to be made that whatsoever sinner liable to the curse for sin will accept of Christs Righteousnesse and rest thereon he shall be justified 1. A sinner is induced to receive that offer which is done by consenting and submiting to that way of obtaining righteousnesse this is the closing with the Covenant
but God is in Covenant with him actually as a wifes marrying of a husband doth actually state her in what is the husbands Therefore Faith being that whereby we are entered into Covenant as is granted must be properly the only condition Again either by Faith we are instated in the Covenant of Grace upon the very instant of believing and so justified or one may be supposed to be a Believer and not to be in the Covenant of Grace or to be in the Covenant of Grace and not to be justified both which are absurd Therefore Faith must be the proper condition If it be said here that Justification is a continued act Then we urge 1. If instantly upon believing one be justified and freed from the curse and instated into friendship with God Then it cannot be a continued act But the former is true as is said and to say otherwise would overturn the nature of the Covenant 2. If Justification be a continued act Then our being received and admitted into Covenant as to a right unto the saving blessings promised therein must be a continued act also For these two must stand and fall together to wit to be admitted thus into Covenant and to be justified for who are thus in Covenant are justified and who are justified are thus in Covenant But the last cannot be said to wit that the act of our being admitted or whereby we are entered into Covenant is a continued act because 1. so none living could be said to be in Covenant with God nor account themselves to be Gods or claim God to be theirs which is absurd 2. So one that is a Believer might be said to be under the curse of the Covenant of Works which is contrary unto that freedom pronounced unto Believers for if they be not under Grace they are still under the Covenant of Works and if under Grace then in the Covenant of Grace To say here that God continueth to justifie will not remove this because Justification must continue only as their admitting or the act of their admission into Covenant may continue But it cannot be said that they continue in being admitted into Covenant or that by a continued act the Lord is still admitting them or that they are continuing to enter as it inferreth non-admission or not entry or an imperfect admission but as it supponeth the person to be entered and to continue so It must therefore be so in Justification 3. If a Believer so ipso that he is a Believer hath a shield against all challenges and a righteousnesse that can abide the trial in justice Then cannot Justification be a continued act because if Justification be not instantaneous and immediatly perfect it must either be upon ones not-believing in Christ or because of some defect of the righteousnesse that Faith presenteth and so Faith were not a sufficient shield or it must be because the Word doth not pronounce him just upon the ground of that righteousnesse which were also absurd But the former is true a Believer cannot be conceived to be such but he hath a compleat righteousnesse in Christ and by being in Him hath a sufficient answer to justice upon the first instant of believing as the whole series of the Gospel doth demonstrate he that believeth shalt not come into condemnation c. Therefore must he be upon the first instant justified for if it were but a perfecting it could not be said that he had an actuall perfect righteousnesse but only that it were a perfecting Further we may argue against Works concurring with Faith thus If Works be a condition of the Covenant Then it must either be Works as begun or as persevered into But neither can be said not the first because it is granted that persevering in holinesse is no lesse necessary than entering thereinto not the second because perseverance is a mercy contained in the Covenant and if we may say so promised to us upon condition of our believing and entering Covenant it cannot therefore be the condition of our entering the Covenant Again many have not actual works and yet may be saved therefore Works cannot be the condition If it be said that such have resolutions of and engagement unto Works That cannot solve this because this opinion doth distinguish Works and the necessitie of them from Faith properly and strictly taken yet to them that hold it Faith strictly and properly taken even that which is justifying doth receive Christ as Lord and so implieth this engagement and therefore if that definition of justifying Faith were true and this ground also granted that engaging is sufficient Then also were Faith properly that is strictly taken the condition of the Covenant according as they understand it and so there were no necessity to adde or mention Works as distinct from it or to presse Faith to be the condition as more largely and improperly taken and so in some respect there were no difference for this far none denieth but that actual engaging to Christ and to Holinesse is necessary because it is impossible to conceive one closing with the Covenant but he becometh ipso facto engaged who doth close Or thus that which is the condition to one must be to all at age for of such we speak But actual Works cannot be the condition to all because some may be saved without them as suppose which is not impossible actual consenting to the Covenant and engaging to holinesse were the last act of a person before death neither can they say that engaging to holinesse were in this case sufficient and that it is here intended because Works are spoken of as the condition as they are distinguished from Faith as it is taken by them to be the accepting of Christ as Lord as well as Saviour as hath been said See more of this on Repentance But beside all that is spoken these two mainly stand in the way of our accounting works a condition of the Covenant or of Justification in the same kind of causality with Faith Because it obscureth the difference of the two Covenants to wit the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace for so works should be still the condition of the Covenant of Grace Now the Apostle doth directly oppose these the righteousnesse of the Law saith on this wayes the man that doth those things c. and the righteousnesse of Faith is holden forth as opposit to that and so cannot be said to consist in doing of works Rom. 10.5 6. Gal. 3.12 If it be said that He excludeth legall works or Law-righteousnesse which are not alledged by this opinion but doth not exclude Evangelick works which may well stand with Grace Answ. 1. The Apostles opposition is not made to exclude one kind of works and take in another but simply to exclude all which may come under the expression do this And hence Faith itself as it is our work hath ever been excluded in this respect 2. If we look to works with respect to the
therefore that distinction will not hold here for Christ is either our legall-righteousnesse that is the righteousness which the Law holdeth forth and accepteth of it self or our Evangelick-righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse which the Gospel holdeth forth and which by it is accepted But he is not the first Ergo he must be the second And so Faith properly taken cannot be our Evangelick-righteousnesse seing Christ and Faith properly taken without relation to Him cannot both be so accounted Again if Faith properly taken and that largely be our Gospel-righteousnesse upon which we are justified Then it is either Faith including that respect to Christ or not But neither of these can be for if it respect and include Christ then it is what we say Faith with its object and not Faith properly and so not Faith in that same causality with works which is asserted if it respect not nor include Christ Then is there a righteousnesse and ground of Justification wherein Christ is not comprehended which will-sound no way like a Gospel-righteousnesse If it be said that he hath procured Faith in that large sense to be accepted Ans. 1. That maketh a new Covenant of Works as is said 2. That is not to make Christ to be our immediate righteousnesse but only to have procured that such works should be accepted and the former Covenant mitigated but not in its nature changed And so 3. It homologateth Popish Doctrine which we hope is far from being intended by the maintainers of this opinion 4. That overturneth the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse â—s our immediate righteousnesse which is enough to make it to be shuned for if we lippen to such graces and duties as abstracted from Christ and without resting on Him that is not to be found in him but in them for these two are opposed Philip. 3.9 and so they are a righteousnesse that will never quiet the conscience and which the Gospel will never own as an Evangelick-righteousnesse rest on it who will If it be said Cannot Faith then properly taken be in any respect counted a condition or ground of right For Answ. In sum we say 1. That Faith at most is but the condition on which Christ becometh our Righteousnesse or is impured to us for our Justification and so Faith it self properly cannot be our righteousnesse 2. We say that when Faith is called the condition of the Covenant or our righteousnesse it doth not imply that it is properly imputed but it sheweth to whom and upon what terms Christs Righteousnesse is imputed or how a sinner may have accesse to be justified by it 3. We say that Faith when it is called the condition is ever to be taken strictly that is as it receiveth Christ and by that manner of acting is differenced from all other graces and works And so 4. We say that it cannot be conceived under this consideration but as looking to Christs Righteousnesse as the object thereof even as we cannot conceive a consent which constituteth a Marriage without respect unto the party consented unto and his offer or declaration of his will preceding without which no consent could be constitutive of Marriage or be a ground of claim to any of the goods or priviledges of such a person or as we cannot conceive looking to the brazen Serpent as the condition upon or mean by which health was gotten but with respect to the object thereof to wit the Serpent and the ground and warrand preceding to wit Gods appointment without which a look considered simply in it self is not so to be esteemed If it be yet urged further here that if Faith properly taken be the condition of the Covenant of Grace and hath in that succeeded in the room that Works had in the Covenant of Works Then Faith must be our Evangelick-righteousnesse because Works then were our legal-righteousnesse and that upon which our right to life did stand But the former is truth He that said do and live faith now believe and be saved Ergo c. Ans. 1. This will say nothing for Faith largely taken as comprehending Works but at the most for Faith strictly taken as contradistinguished from them and so there will not be that same kind of causality in both but the contrary 2. In this condition Faith is never to be taken without implying the object Christ or without respect to its proper aptitude for receiving of Him and so believe and thou shalt be saved implyeth still this receive Christ and rest on His Righteousnesse or submit to Christs Righteousness and accept of Him for that end that He may be righteousnesse to thee and thou shalt be saved it is impossible to conceive it otherwise at least rightly Now when upon believing Justification doth follow and the person is declared just it cannot be said that the act of believing properly is imputed and that upon that account he is declared just it is rather Christs Righteousnesse believed on that is imputed to him and upon that account he is declared just which is the very terms of the Covenant of Redemption whereby the sinners sins are imputed to Christ whereupon He as Cautioner is sentenced and made sin that His Righteousnesse may be imputed to us and so we upon that account made righteous and that in him and not in our selves as it is 2 Cor. 5.21 which implieth that even our Evangelick-righteousnesse whereby we are absolved is in Him and not in our selves as the sin for which He was sentenced was in us and not in Him 3. There is this difference betwixt the two Covenants as was said The one is a servile Covenant to say so and must have what is engaged to in it performed before one have right to what is promised and so works were in the Covenant of Works the condition upon which life was to be expected and without the actuall performing of which there could have been no pleading for it but this to wit the Covenant of Grace is a conjugall Covenant therefore is not the condition thereof in all things to be squared by that Beside works were the very materiall righteousnesse upon which Justification was founded in the Covenant of Works but to say of Faith as taken in itself and without respect to Christ that it were so the condition now would be absurd Christ being by the whole strain of the Gospel holden forth to be rested on before we can be justified and yet even this would not confirm any way what is said of the joynt concurrance of Grace and works in that same kind of causality with Faith If it be further said may not Faith properly taken be called the condition upon which Christs Righteousnesse becometh a sinners and is imputed to him Answ. 1. This confirmeth what we say for if Faith be the condition upon which Christ becometh our Righteousnesse Then it is Christ who is our Righteousnesse and not Faith strictly and properly taken much lesse largely as comprehending all other Graces for if it were
no legall imputation to say so but if it be perfect then it is an instantaneous act 3. If it be continued then it is continued as if at first it were not a perfect imputation or perfectly imputed But that were to say that it is not imputation if it be continued as perfect then it is supponed to be instantaneous and past and what was said for Justification doth hold here Indeed if the meaning be that the Gospel doth continue to impute Righteousnesse even after Faith till the Believer be in Heaven and to account such a sinner just by vertue thereof That is truth But that speaketh the changed state of a sinner upon the account of an imputation and justification already so indeed the word of the Gospel continueth still to pronounce Believers justified upon that account and that imputation in its vertue never ceaseth But it cannot be said that the Word doth continue to justifie as justifying denoteth the changing of a persons state from a state of enimitie to a state of friendship even as an absolved Rebel or Debtor once pronounced free by vertue of such a persons intercession or Cautioners payment doth continue to be declared free that is his absolution continueth in force but properly the act of freedom or absolving doth not continue but is instantaneous upon the production of such rights To shut up this we may illustrate the way of Justification which is more clearly expressed in the Gospel under these expressions believe and thou shall be saved by comparing it with the more obscure and typicall expressions used under the Law for it is certain the substance is the same and what is our legall-righteousnesse was theirs and what was their evangelick-righteousnesse is ours also Now the terms or expressions of the Old Testament run thus Levit. 4. vers 3 4 c. When a man sinneth he shall bring his offering c. and he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him c. In which words there is an expresse condescending upon the Lords side to propose something as a righteousnesse for a sinner which was to be accepted for him yet I suppose no Christian will say that it was the external sacrifice itself that was to be accepted for such nor that it was the act of the Faith of the offerer alone that was so accepted for then there needed no sacrifice but it behoved to be the thing typified by that sacrifice to wit the Sacrifice of Christ looked to apprehended and pleâ—ded by the Faith of the offerer that was so accepted Yet the external sacrifices in the Old are as expresly said to be accepted for a sinners Justification or as an atonement for him as Faith is said to be accounted for righteousnesse in the New and as it cannot be said that by vertue of Christs satisfaction or the Covenant with him it was procured that such performances and sacrifices should be accepted of themselves as the persons immediat evangelick-righteousnesse though their ceremonial Law was their Gospel So it cannot be said that there is any such bargain concerning Faith in the New Testament but that Christ apprehended by Faith is the Righteousnesse both under the Old and New Testament which is the thing we intend Concerning Repentance REpentance is much called-for in these Epistles and that with peremptory certification of coming wrath if the same prevent it not as we may see Chap. 2. vers 5. in the Epistle to these of Ephesus who look like a people real in the Work of God though under some decay It is also called-for from Pergamos vers 16. Yea Iezebel hath a door of mercy opened to her upon supposition of Repentance vers 21 22. This also is required of Sardis Chap. 3. vers 3. and of Laodicea vers 21. For clearing of which places and other truths concerning Repentance it may be enquired once for all 1. If Repentance be simplie necessary for preventing of wrath and obtaining of the pardon of sin 2. In what respect it is necessary and how it doth concur thereto 3. If to a Believers recovery after his sin the exercise of Repentance be necessary 4. If so what kind of Repentance For understanding of all we would premit that Repentance may fall under a threefold consideration 1. It may be considered as somewhat previous in time to the exercise of Faith and Pardon of sin This is properly legall-sorrow and is a common work of the Spirit which may be in one whose sins will never be pardoned it is therefore not of it self gracious although the Lord may sometimes make use thereof for a sinners humbling and wakening before his conversion This is not the Repentance that is pressed here 2. It may be considered as it doth not only follow pardon but also the intimation thereof so it is a melting of heart and a self-loathing that floweth from felt love as the promise of the Covenant is Ezek. 16.63 and 36.31 This is the melting of heart spoken of in that woman Luke 7. Who loved much because much was forgiven her vers 47. Neither is this that which is principally intended here 3. We may consider Repentance as a work of sanctifying Grace rising from the sense of by-past sin and hope of future mercy whereby the heart is both affected with indignation in respect of what is past and warmed with desire and love in respect of what it expecteth and so differeth from the first which ariseth from apprehended future wrath and from the second which floweth from self-received mercy This Repentance goeth alongst with Faith and the exercise thereof for the attaining of the hoped-for remission with a through impression of the freenesse thereof in respect of the persons felt sinfulnesse That is the sorrow after a godly manner which is spoken of 2 Cor. 7.11 and it is that which is principally intended here and in other places where Repentance is required in order to remission of sin In Answer then to the first Question We say that Repentance understood in the last sense is simply necessary for the obtaining of the pardon of sin so that without it no unreconciled sinner can expect peace with God which we thus make out 1. from severall places of Scripture and first by these places where the command of Repentance is prefixed to the obtaining of pardon and preventing of wrath and that by way of certification that if it be not remission is not to be expected as Acts 3.19 Repent that your sins may be blotted out which doth imply that without this the blotting out of sin is not to be expected otherwise the proposing of the blotting out of sin could be no great motive to presse the exercise thereof which is the Apostles scope as also Acts 2.38 Acts 8.22 and so in all other places where Repentance is pressed as a mids for attaining of that end 2. We may adde these places where the connexion between
themselves principall duties and great helps in all the practice of holinesse 3. He presseth these exhortations to duties with motives which comprehend both the prejudice of neglecting them and the advantage that cometh by the performing of them Again when He proposeth the offer of the Gospel and inviteth to believe as to the Church of Laodicea He doth 1. open their sinful dangerous and hypocritical case and battereth down the ignorant self-confidence which they had in their own formal profession And 2. He proposeth the right remedie to wit Himself and His benefits His imputed Righteousnesse which can only cover their nakednesse c. 3. He cleareth the terms upon which that gold and white raiment is obtained under these expressions of buying opening hearkening c. And 4. He doth most sweetly and yet most vehemently presse it partly by condescending friendly to counsel and intreat partly by making His offer large free and particular to any man that will open c. and partly by urging His call weightily and rousingly with a behold I stand as if after He had made the offer and had knocked He were now taking instruments in the consciences of hearers thereby as with a nail to fasten His invitation upon them and so pressing their closing therewith or otherwise assuring that He will leave this instrument upon record against them 11. We find what ever the case of the people be that He speaketh unto the up-shot and scope of His message is ever to perswade a closing of the treaty between Him and them Therefore when He chargeth with sin He leaveth not there but commendeth unto them Repentance and giveth a promise of welcoming of them upon that condition when He quarrelleth for hypocrisie and deadnesse in profession He proposeth Christ and adviseth to accept of Him when He exhorteth to duty as to Repentance and Zeal yet even then doth He propose Christs Righteousnesse as the only cure and cover of their nakednesse as in the last Epistle is clear whereby we may see 1. what a Ministers scope should be and whereat he should aim in conviction reproof c. and where he should leave his hearers to wit at Christs feet who is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse And it is not unprofitable even explicitly to make that the use and close of all 2. We may see that the Law and Gospel should be both preached and pressed together and that so as the one seem not to encroach upon the other And especially this would ever be clear that the weight of our peace with God doth not ly upon duties when they are pressed but upon the righteousnesse of Christ. As it is a great practice in a Christian to give the Law and Gospel their due place in practice so is it a main qualification of a Gospel-Minister rightly to ridd marches between the Law and the Gospel This maketh so much insisting in the Epistles to the Romans Galatians c. to keep Justification by Faith in Christ clear and distinct from Works and Duties even when they were much pressed and practised And it is no lesse dangerous to Professors to rest on Duties than to omit them and therefore the necessity of being denied to them in the point of Justification and of resting upon Christs alone is to be cleared and pressed by Preachers as a most necessary and fundamental thing 12. For this cause the nature of the Covenant and Justification by Christ are especially to be cleared where a Church is formall that is free both of errours in Doctrine and grosse scandals in practice and resting there wherefore we see that in the Epistle to the Church of Laodicea which is charged with neither of these our Lord doth most especially insist on this for the beating down of errour and banishing of grosse profanity are but as it were the taking-in the outworks of the devils kingdom therefore when these are gained the main batteries are to be directed against self righteousnesse hypocrisie presumption self-confidence c. that the soul may be brought to receive Christ in earnest and zealously and seriously to study holinesse without which a formal profession will be but as a stone of stumbling 13. We see that our Lord Jesus putteth together an intire mould of the whole Doctrine and practice of Godlinesse giving as at one view a sight of our naturall sinfulnesse and hazard and of the way how these may be remedied so that when He proposeth any quarrel He leaveth not off till He propose also the remedy presse dutie and close with some encouraging conditionall promise This is also profitable for a mixt Auditory especially at solemn times and other occasions wherein people are usually most serious and attentive to give together a view of the Doctrine of the Gospel so that when a conviction is pressed and the Hearer is made somewhat hot he may have some present discovery of the way which he ought to take and that he may either be informed or at least be put in mind of as much of the Gospel as may be a ground of his peace if it be improven though he should never afterward hear any more This we see was the Apostles way in their occasionall Sermons in the History of the Acts wherein the sum of the Gospel is usually comprehended and the Lord himself doth so with Nicodemus Ioh. 3. and though there be difference now in some respect where the Gospel is ordinarily and daily Preached so that this is not so necessary to be done alwayes explicitely as if they had never heard the Gospel before and although it becometh a Minister to draw his Doctrine from some particular Text yet considering that the generality of Hearers are very ignorant of the series of the Gospel and others are weak and inadvertent even in things which they someway know and considering withall that a Minister may have occasion by way of Reason Use Mean Motive Question or otherwayes to hint a view of the Gospel almost from any materiall Doctrine and that without any just imputation of impertinencie we conceive that generally and usually its expedient to follow this manner especially on the Lords Dayes which are most fit for Gospel-doctrines people being then for that end set apart and sequestred from their ordinary bussinesses and when the bodie of the most ignorant people are gathered together This way certainly by Gods blessing would look more like a mean of conversion and hath in experience been ordinarily found so than when now one point and then another are distinctly handled and so the one is either forgotten by the most part before they hear the other or at least is not so warm to them although they have the knowledge thereof And these things being the Text of the Bible to say so and the great subject and earand which Ministers have to insist on It ought not to be accounted grievous because of mens nauseating and loathing of them from the frequent mentioning of them seing to the
to say that all are not redeemed c. because it leaveth this stumbling-block before the person that he knoweth not whether he ought to believe or not because he knoweth not whether he be redeemed or not and this thought may also follow him if he be not redeemed can his believing be usefull to him Answ. There are severall mistakes in this Objection Therefore we shall answer several wayes thereunto And first we say that even upon supposition that one doth not believe in Christ this Doctrine asserted is more comfortable than the other because first he hath no lesse warrand to believe in Christ and rest on Him than if the other Doctrine were supposed for it is not Christs dying for any that warranteth him to believe or is the object of his Faith but it is Gods call requiring faith of him and Gods offer and promise knitting life to the performance of that condition of believing called-for These are contained in Gods revealed Will which is the rule of our practice and the ground of our Faith And according to this Doctrine a hearer of the Gospel hath these grounds for his warrand and there can no other be given even upon the contrary supposition Secondly If he be brought to yeeld to His call to receive His offer and to trust himself to His promise he hath then more solid ground of consolation because of the certain connexion that is betwixt Faith and Salvation than he can have by the other Doctrine which by the interwoven Errors concerning Free-wil the falling away of such as sometime have been true Believers c. is wholly brangled And so supposing him not yet to have closed with Christ he hath the more effectuall motives to engage him thereunto because by so doing all is made sure 2. We answer this Doctrine of particular Redemption to call it so doth never make Salvation impossible to any that will receive Christ and rest on Him but on the contrary though it deny that all men are redeemed or shall be saved yet doth it assert this Universal that all whosoever shall believe are redeemed and shall be saved which certainly doth make the expectation of life through faith in Christ to be the more certain and doth lay the more solid ground for a tossed sinner to cast himself upon when it saith there was never a sinner of any rank or quality that did believe or shall believe in Jesus Christ but he shall be saved from which he may conclude Then if I can or shall believe in Christ I also shall be saved which conclusion will not follow from the other Doctrine And seing this is the very expresse letter of the Gospel whosoever believeth shall be saved there is no ground left to question the same without manifest reflecting upon the faithfulnesse of God 3. We answer If any thing follow from this ground all are not redeemed it is this Therefore all shall not be saved or Therefore all will not believe both which are true And it doth only make Salvation impossible to him who doth not believe in Christ for to such it saith if thou believe not thou shall not be saved neither in such a case hast thou ground to think thy self redeemed and what absurditie is in these yea upon the grounds of the other Doctrine there is none without Faith that can promise themselvs life or comfort themselves in their pretended universall Redemption more than upon the grounds which we have laid down therefore it can never be said that believing in Christ is uselesse according to this Doctrine yea it is asserted to be alwayes usefull and profitable whereas by the opposite grounds it may be often without these comfortable effects following thereupon In the fourth place we Answer That this Objection as much more in this controversie doth flow from a mistake of the true nature of justifying Faith for it supponeth it to be the hearts receiving of and closing with this as a truth that Christ hath died for me in particular and that His death was particularly intended for me This is the more dangerous because it hath been entertained by many and hath been the occasion of mistake even to some great men who have laid this for a ground as Cameron doth on this subject Christus mortuus est pro te si tu id factum credas that is Christ hath died for thee if thou believe it so to be now according to that ground it is impossible but to miscarry both in reference to this Doctrine the Doctrine of Justification and severall other most concerning-truths It is to be adverted then that when we are called to believe in Christ we are not called instantly to believe that Christ hath offered up Himself as a satisfaction for us in particular but we are to conceive it in this order First We are called to believe the truth of the Gospel and the way of Salvation laid down therein to wit that there is no name under Heaven by which a sinner can be saved but by the Name of Jesus and that yet all who believe in Him shall be justified and saved c. Thus we may apply that word Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must first believe that He is c. for if this generall truth be not acknowledged saving Faith wanteth the discoverie of a sufficient and fit object to rest itself upon Secondly We are then called to receive this Christ offered to us in the Gospel and by Faith to be take ourselves to Him so discovered and there as on a solid foundation to rest for the obtaining of Justification and life by the vertue of His satisfaction according to the offer that is made in the Gospel This is the main act of saving Faith whereby a sinner cometh to be entituled to Christ and to the benefits of His death Whereupon thirdly followeth our accepting of the forsaid offer being supposed a warrant to look upon Christ as ours upon the benefits purchased by Him as belonging to us and upon ourselves as actually redeemed by Him none of which before that could have been warrantably concluded but this being supposed there is good ground for it because a sinner by receiving of Christ cometh to have interest in Him and so consequently in all that is His for Christ and His benefits are not separated and therefore except there be ground to bear out this title to Christ Himself there is no warrant to believe that any of His benefits do belong to us Now according to this forsaid order no hearer is ever called to believe what is false Because these three are ever true to wit First That life is certain through Faith in Christ and no other wayes Secondly that one who is called to believe on Him ought to obey and that Gods call is a good ground for that obedience Thirdly This is also a truth that one who hath yeelded may look upon himself as accepted of God and redeemed by Christ Jesus because in the
be so chearfull a Song to the redeemed neither would it warrant them to say Thou hast redeemed us in a peculiar sense seing these effects are common to others also many might have ground to blesse for these mercies beside these who are made Kings and Priests All which are most inconsistent with the strain and scope of this place It is true if we will consider the way and method how these benefits are applied to the redeemed or the order by which they come to be possessed of them that instantly upon Christs suffering all cannot be said to be actually justified nor glorified more than they can be said all to have really existed because the Lord in His Covenant hath particularly concluded when and by what means such persons and no other should be brought to believe in Christ and actually to be justified even as well as when they should have a being or at what time their life should be brought to an end and they actually be glorified yet if we consider the things purchased in respect of the bargain we will find that they were absolutely and actually bought unto such persons and satisfied-for by the Mediator so as not only in His intention He aimed to make their Justification and Salvation possible but really and simply to make it sure and to procure it to them yet so as in due time and method it is to be applyed And we conceive that it is a dangerous assertion to say that Peter before his believing had no more interest any way in Christs death than Iudas which yet followeth upon the last opinion that was casten and is acknowledged by the Authors thereof See Cameron part 3. pag. 583. Indeed if we will consider Peters own estate as considered in its self without respect to the Covenant of Redemption and if we consider any actuall claim which he might lay to Christs death in that condition for his own peace and comfort there was no difference but if we will consider Christs sufferings as in the bargain of Redemption before the Lord the procuring of Peters Justification and Glorification was really undertaken-for by the Mediator and his debt satisfied-for by His suffering in his name so as it could not fail in reference to him more than if he had actually had a being and had been justified and glorified when that transaction was closed none of all which can be said of Iudas whose name was never in the Covenant of Redemption as Peters was The second thing moved was to consider if Faith and other saving Graces be fruits of Christs purchase so as by His satisfaction He did not only really intend the purchasing of pardon upon condition of believing but also the purchasing of Regeneration Faith c. that so the Elect might come to the obtaining of pardon Arminius and the Patrons of Free-will do deny Faith to be a fruit of Christs purchase So doth Cameron and some others but with this difference that these last do assert that the gift of believing doth not flow from mans free-will or any sufficient grace bestowed upon all but from Gods Soveraign good-wil thinking meet to bestow that gift upon some whom He hath Elected and not upon others and this they say is a meer fruit of His Soveraign good will without respect to the merit of Christs death even as His decree of election was The reason of the denying of this we conceive to be their making of the fruit and effect of Christs death to be common to all and it being clear in experience that all men have not Faith it cannot be consistent with the former ground to account it the fruit of Christs purchase for what He hath purchased cannot but be brought to passe as elsewhere Cameron asserteth and so according to their first ground Faith would be common to all men And to say that Christ hath purchased Faith conditionally as He hath purchased life and Salvation unto all were absurd because there is a clear condition upon which men may expect life to wit believing but there can be no such condition conceived upon which Faith may be said to be purchased But to answer what was moved we say That Conversion Regeneration Faith Repentance c. are no lesse the fruit of Christs purchase than pardon and Justificatioâ— c. because first by His purchase we are made Kings and Priests unto God And wherein do these priviledges consist but in the having and exercising of these inward saving graces of the Spirit whereby the Elect are made in a spirituall sense Kings and Priests Secondly It can not be well understood how Justification and Glorification may be said to be purchased by Him if all the steps by which these are necessarily brought about be not in the same manner procured Thirdly We are said to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Ephes. 1.3 which must thus be understood to wit that by His merit we have these communicated to us and Is not Faith and saving Grace to be accounted amongst spirituall blessings Fourthly He is made to us of God not only Righteousnesse but also Wisdom Sanctification and Redemption 1 Corinth 1 30.31 and certainly under these expressions all saving graces needfull to the working out of our Salvation are comprehended And the end of this is that whosoever glorieth may glory alone in Him as having all in Him and nothing but by Him Neither would there be such occasion of glorying in Him if these were not purchased by Him Fifthly The considering of the Covenant of Redemption will also fully clear this for no question that must be a fruit of Christs purchase which the Lord hath promised to the Mediator as a satisfaction to Him for His sufferings Now this is clear that it is not only promised to Christ that many through Faith in Him shall be justified but that certainly He shall see His seed and the fruit of the travel of His soul Isa. 53.10 11. That His people shall be willing in the day of His power Psal. 110.3 That these whom the Father hath given Him shall come unto Him Ioh. 6.37 and that they shall all be taught of God c. and What else can these speciall promises import but this to wit that the Son the Mediator for laying down of His life shall have many given Him and actually by the Spirit drawn to Him and made to believe in Him and to acknowledge Him as the Author of their eternall Salvation without which that promise of seing His seed could never be accomplished Yea must not all the promises of the Covenant have one rise and be derived through one meritorious cause Now these promises of Sanctification such as to take away the stony heart to give a new heart to cleanse us from all our idols and wash us with clean water c. are in one bundle with the promises of His pardoning our iniquity and remembering our sins no more as is clear in Ezek. 36.25 26 c. and
warn all her followers by that prediction but to withdraw them from that erroneous way under all highest pains certifying them that Popery will bring Gods everlasting curse on them and that it standeth them on no lesse than the necessity of Salvation to quite it by which Angel separation from Him is pressed as it is Chap. 18. come out of her when the same threatening is mentioned so every one of these Preachers and preachings inferreth the other well and agreeth to the Lords way of making His Truth to break up in the event 1. Luther began to preach against some errors as humane traditions and to open the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone in opposition to Indulgences Purgatory c. at first without thinking that Rome was Babylon or that there was a necessity of separating from it but the Gospel could not long be in the world but that must be clear like the light Then 2. he grew in light and boldnesse and others joyned with him as Melancthon Iustus Ionas c. and they came directly to speak of Rome as of Babylon and of the Pope as of Antichrist and thereupon applied these and such like plain passages foretelling their ruine as of the speciall treacherous enemies of Jesus Christ who had so long deluded the world and abused the Church Followeth upon that the third Angels preaching who cometh in with the necessity of abstaining from His worship and fellowship under pain of damnation and the more the Pope fumed and persecuted the more they preached and cleared that strange truth in the world that Popery was of it self damnable and that though God had a Church latent amongst them in the time of darknesse yet now he would not have it so and this Doctrine was much urged against the Pseudo-nicodemites to have the sinfulnesse of the Popish way born in upon souls not only that it was not good or so good as the other but that it was deadly and of a slaying and mortiferous power and therefore the Godly could not communicate with them in it without sin This was the Reformers third work See Sleid. lib. 1. 2. Calvin opuscul especially class 3. per totam Luther his work ascendeth by these steps 1. In his Theses given out Anno 1517. against Indulgences and thereafter in their defence against Sylvester Eccius Pererius and others he sheweth these things profit not to life but Repentance and Faith resting only on Christs merits and the mercy of God alone seing no Saints merits are perfect Anno 1519. Caralastadius beginneth a dispute against the Pope at Lypsick whither Eccius came and provoked Luther to dispute by maintaining the Popes absolute supremacy which Luther impugned Melancthon also was with Luther at this dispute but after in an Epistle to Leo 10. he excused it some way yet Anno 1520. he by a Book de captivitate Babylonica publickly asserted and proved Rome to be Babylon and the Pope Antichrist Sleid. lib. 2. pag. 23. Thereafter Anno 1521. when Zuinglius had begun to preach boldly the year before at Tigurine in Helvetia Luther with the whole College of Wittenberge burnt the Books of his adversaries as they had done his before appealing from the Pope to a Councel earnestly exhorting to abstain communion with the Church of Rome which thereafter he hath both in his Sermons and Writings confirmed This was more fully afterward joyntly prosecuted by Melancthon Calvine Martyr and Bucer See Calv. contra Pseudonicodemitas So we take the scope of this Chapter generally to set forth 1. Antichrists fall and the certainty of it 2. The means by which it should be effectuated to wit preaching and action by preaching withdrawing many from him by judgement overthrowing the rest which judgements are more particularly described by the vials 3. By what degrees or in what order it should be carried on by these means 1. Preachings and threatenings go before judgements And 2. in preaching the Truth of the Gospel is first preached and then judgements more peremptorily denounced ut supra 1. against the head then against the followers Now to come more particularly to this third Angel he cometh shortly on the back of the former with a loud voice which intimateth much deadnesse amongst the people that would not awake 2. Much zeal boldnesse and freenesse in him that preached making out this Truth plainly that he was commissionated with It is in generall a commination yet set down conditionally that it may be a warning to make men flee that sin that they may escape that judgement and because the Key of Doctrine in threatenings and promises is not absolutely to be applied by Ministers the conditions whereupon it goeth being indiscernable to them and so it differeth from the use-making of the Key of Discipline whereby absolutely we admit to or reject from Ordinances because the rule of it is conversant about externall scandals and profession which are discernable In short as if he would say follow not Popery longer for if ye so do ye shall not escape the heavy judgement of Gods everlasting wrath and it will be the greater that ye have gotten warning In particular it containeth a description of a Papist or one of Antichrists followers which is the object of this threatening vers 9. 2. It describeth their judgement vers 10 11. The description hath two parts 1. They are described by worshipping Antichrist which pointeth at some inward impression 2. By reserving his mark which supponeth some outward expression of their respect to him 1. He saith If any worship the beast and his image because none shall be missed if it were but one that continueth By beast and image we are not to understand two distinct things as we shew Chap. 13. for here they have the same common worship and their worshippers are of equal extent and their judgement is the same and vers 11. when it is repeated they are both spoken of as one his mark and his name and not theirs but by beast is more especially holden forth the Pope as the head of that antichristian estate and as it were the Author and by Image is holden forth the complex body of the hierarchy doctrine and superstitions which he hath framed called his because he composed it and made it called an image because of its likenesse to the old Roman heathenish worship and tyrannie over the Church The worshipping of these implieth as was said Chap. 13. more than a civil devotednesse to that Pope as head especially in his doctrine and worship The second part of the description of receiving his mark in the forehead and hand was expounded Chap. 13. and implieth not only mens acknowledging the Pope but their yeelding and submitting to him and giving up themselves as Souldiers or Servants to that antichristian state adhering to that profession and by publick evidences owning it without as well as cleaving to it in affection within It is called here the mark of his name which was before called the
the first may be removed by Justification when the other to wit the punishment is to be satisfied for at least in part by satisfaction to Justice where the sins have been committed by the free-will of the person to wit if he were adult or at age for they acknowledge this not to be necessary for infants and originall sin See Suarez lib. 7. pag. 128. Et pâ—ena aliqua as he saith non remittitur gratis sed per condignam satisfactionem And therefore gratis remittitur culpa licet postea sit de justitiâ satisfaciendum pro poenâ To lay down then their way these things are supposed without controversie 1. That man naturally is obnoxious to Gods curse and cannot save himself from it 2. That before he can be admitted to happinesse he must be justified 3. That God is the efficient cause of this and the principall worker is also without controversie 4. That both infusion of Grace and remission of sin do accompany Justification is denied by none 5. That the ultimate or finall end is the glory of God and the salvation of the person justified is the subordinate is agreed unto by all 6. That Christs righteousnesse is the only meritorious cause is in word professed 7. They acknowledge the necessity of Faith to concur in it as we do of good Works to follow after hitherto there seemeth to be no great absurdity we had need therefore to consider it the more narrowly in respect of three other causes added by them to wit the formall materiall and instrumentall causes with the effects and consequents following thereon And we put the question thus Wherewith may a sinner hazard to appear before Gods justice so as to expect Gods acceptation of him This will draw the question nearer when a sinner is to choose what defence to take him to or whereupon to ground his plea before the Throne of God 1. They answer roundly that man is justified per solam gratiam inhaerentem tanquam per forman integram sine imputatione externae justitiae Christi that is by inherent Grace alone as the intire form of righteousnesse without any imputation of Christs Righteousnesse and that this inherent righteousnesse doth confer this of it self as Suarez layeth it down lib. 7. cap. 7. pag. 83. in two corollaries expresly although they differ amongst themselves Some making it habituall Grace only as Bellarmin some both habituall and actuall as Suarez yet all agree that it is inherent Grace which constituteth us just before Gods Throne therefore do they call it gratia gratum faciens 2. This inherent Grace they acknowledge to be infused by God without any condign merit and to imply these two 1. Some-what positive to wit the bringing-in a new quality or Grace in the soul which is as it were a new form to it 2. Some-what privative that is a purging or cleansing of the soul from the blot of sin which necessarily followeth upon the former as two contrary forms are inconsistent together Thus they say this Grace expelleth or excludeth sin from the soul as light doth darknesse or heat coldnesse in water when it is calâ—fied This to them in effect is the remission of the fault which they account necessary to Justification and so Gods justifying of a sinner is His infusing that first Grace into the soul whereby necessarily sin is really and actually removed and not in opinion only as they object to our not imputing thereof Aquin. 1.2 quaest 113. doth include four things in Justification to wit an act of free-will tending to God and another in reference to sin beside the former two 3. They acknowledge Christs Righteousnesse to be the only meritorious cause of this first justification because that cannot be merited either by Faith Works or any thing that preceedeth pag. 127. that is He procured the infusion of this Grace 4. The materiall cause of this Righteousnesse or Justification they hold to be the soul of man which by the acts of its free-will in Faith Fear Contrition Love Prayer and other dispositions must necessarily concur for disposing to the receiving of this Grace and that as a cause without which it is not attained for faith the forecited Author lib. 12. pag. 504. cap. 24. Faith Contrition and such dispositions are laid down in Gods appointment to be the condition of His infusing this Grace and so man obtaineth this Justification when of his free-will and otherwayes he is congruously disposed to receive the same and saith he pag. 524. God infuseth Grace with respect to mans contrition idea infundit quia contritus other wayes not Although these dispositions be not de condigno meritorious of it yet they are matter whereby or out of which it is brought forth as a pre-existing materiall cause and in this mans soul is not the subject capable only which we say but the materiall cause 5. For the way how or instrumentall cause by which this is applied because this is so lesse necessary than other causes for it cannot profit if it be not applied they maintain that to be done by the Sacraments of the Church although some name the Word and Ministers also these according to their grounds confer this Grace ex â—pare operatoâ— or by the applying of them to persons so disposed especially Baptism and Pennance that is the Priests absolution after confession which to them is a sacrament this they say ex Dei ordinatione attrito confert gratiam pag. 68 and if there be noâ— occasion of the Sacrament they may have it in their vow and for be accepted without it pag. 225. Baptism they say conferreth it injusto poenitentia contrito 〈◊〉 justâ—â— Therefore are these two Sacraments simply necessary to them the first for originall sin the second for actuall 6. When one is thus justified by this first Justification although the blot of sin be removed and the person be just and holy there remaineth yet satisfaction to be made for the removing of the punishment at least in part and that as some affirm satisfaction condign as Vasquez 3. part disp 1. cap. 11. for which end they prescribe their Pilgrimages Pennances Fastings Vowes Almes Dotations and even Purgatory it self and Soul masses come in here for removing of the punishment and making the satisfaction to God for their guilt And because where there are many sins it will draw to thousands of years in Purgatory for they prescribe sometimes 5.7.10 or 20. years for one sin and they may be multiplied in one day and so draw to a great length therefore it is to them as Bellarmin calleth it a great difficulty what cometh of such whose satisfaction is not compleat as at the day of Judgement seing it may draw 20000. years He answereth it either by the Popes indulging of it or by the greater intensnesse of suffering whereby to 300. or 400. years that may be contracted De indulg lib. 1. cap. 9. col 1174. 7. Because heaven cannot be obtained according to their principles
now obtain life upon that same condition and upon the same way that Adam did even though he be habitually renewed Then can he not come to obtain life in this way laid down But to say the former were to continue the Covenant of Works and exclude the Covenant of Grace This way therefore to life is utterly impossible 2. If by the strain of the Gospel Christ Jesus be made all to us in respect of our peace and happinesse and that immediately that is without the interveening of any new merit occasioned by His merit Then the former way cannot be consistent with the Gospel because immediately infused Grace is made our formall Righteousnesse or first Justification and our actuall good works our merit or second Justification and these two are inconsistent together for Christ cannot immediately be our Righteousnesse as we stand before God and inherent Grace and good Works also be immediately the same because according to the first if it be asked at the sinner What is thy righteousnesse by which immediately thou darest appear before God or expect absolution and heaven from him He is to answer Christ and His satisfaction offered to me in the Gospel and by Faith received this is the defence I mind to shelter my self with at the barr of His justice and by which I expect to be saved According to the last he were to answer that former question thus Inherent Grace is that which maketh me acceptable to God and my good works and their condign merit is that upon which I expect heaven according to His promise made thereto Which certainly would rellish most uncomfortably to a challenged sinner and is contrary to the former But the former is true that by the Gospel Christ Jesus is immediately made our Righteousnesse by whose merits we may have only confidence to appear before God to expect remission and salvation from Him according to that Scripture 1 Corinth 1.30 He is made to us of God Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Col. 3.11 Christ is all which is expresly mentioned in opposition to circumcision and uncircumcision and every thing else which are not admitted to be any thing to the Believer in the former respects but Christ alone Phil. 3.8 9. 3. Gods contrivance of the Gospel for the justifying of a sinner through Christ Jesus is clearly holden out to be by a judiciall transferring of our sins as a debt upon Christ the Cautioner and of His Righteousnesse and merit to us to be imputed for our Justification before God without any respect had to our inherent holinesse or good works whether done before or after Justification as may appear from these two places 2 Corinth 5.20 that Christ is said to be made sin for us that we may be made the Righteousnesse of God through Him where this is clear that by the Covenant of Redemption we are to be righteous by Christ as Christ was sin for us but Christ was made sin or sentenced by Justice for it not by any infusion of sinfull habits which were blasphemous to think but by having imputed to Him the guilt of our sin in respect of the punishment thereof It will follow therefore that He is our Righteousnesse or we are justified or made just by Him by having His Righteousnesse imputed to us and accepted as performed in our name without laying the weight upon any inherent qualification in us and can there be a more clear way to expound what this is to be made just by Christ than by its opposit what it is to be made sin for us The second place is Philip. 3.8 9. where Paul is seeking to be in readinesse for appearing before Gods Tribunall and he was one who wanted not inherent Grace or actuall good Works and in a great measure yet in reference to Gods acceptation he can rest no where but in Christ not having his own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that Righteousnesse which is by Faith in Christ where we have first Paul looking on a Righteousnesse within him which was his own and that at the highest pitch of it for it respecteth any posterior time when he might be called to a reckoning this righteousnesse he disclaimeth as not being that which would be accepted 2. He looketh to a Righteousnesse without him in Christ Jesus which he considereth as being the only shelter even of a Believer from the wrath of God so that if the question be proposed to Paul What will thou choose to lippen unto Where will thou choose to be found in the day of Judgement His answer would be only in Christ. If it be asked what this is he answereth it is to have His Righteousnesse in opposition to his own If it be again asked How he cometh by it he sheweth by Faith in Christ he cometh to partake of His Righteousnesse which he dare lippen more unto than to his own Whereby it appeareth that the Gospels way of justifying a sinner is by imputing of Christs Righteousnesse and by a sinners resting upon it For this righteousnesse is not that which is procured by Christ and is inherently in the Believer but is that which is in Christ and whereof the Believer partaketh by hiding himself under it and by his faith opposing it to Justice which can be done no other way than by imputation Now there being nothing more opposit to the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse than the former Doctrine there can be nothing more opposit to the way of the Gospel and so if it be impossible to be justified without the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse it is impossible to be justified by the way of the Papists 4. The Scripture holdeth forth Gods way of reconciling sinners to Himself to be by way of Covenanting as Isa. 55.2 3. wherein God offereth and the hearer receiveth and closeth with His offer upon which followeth Gods acceptation of the person as Iob. 1.12 Heb. 8. Ier. 31. and his being reconciled to God Hence there is so much spoken of Covenanting in Scripture that the whole Doctrine thereof beareth that name of Covenant or Testament and one that closeth with it cannot but be justified Now by this Doctrine of Justification by inherent Grace or merit of Works there is no place left for such Covenanting upon such tearms yea they are inconsistent together Therefore this cannot be the way of making up the breach between God and a sinner 5. That Justification which the Gospel speaketh of is that wherein Faith hath a peculiar causality beyond any other Grace as that which doth entitle a sinner unto Pardon and Justification by the vertue of Christs Righteousnesse which it doth take hold of Hence it is that so frequently in Scripture it is called justification by faith and that as opposit to all other Graces in that respect the righteousnesse which is of faith and such like Now the former way is utterly inconsistent with this Therefore cannot be the way to Salvation And considering that Covenanting with God
imputation of Christs Righteousnesse Justification by Faith c. are things so essentiall unto the up-making of a sinners breach with God and that yet all of them are so great strangers even in the very name to the Popish way of justification and materially inconsistent with the same it cannot be of God More particularly we will find it overturn 1. the nature of Justification and at best it doth put in Sanctification in the room thereof and there is never any distinct ground laâ—d by which a sinner may come to receive a sentence of absolution before God but this to wit Justification is lost by the former Doctrine and they acknowledge no such thing distinct from Regeneration or Sanctification as if no such act as Justification were needfull or mentioned in Scripture as distinct from these and in effect it leaveth a sinner to a way of Salvation that wanteth Justification in it and therefore cannot profit him For by denying that which is the formall cause of Justification they deny it self seing that giveth it a being 2. It derogateth from the nature of Grace and that in severall respects 1. As to graces efficacie that it hangeth at mans free-will 2. As to its Soveraignity that it boundeth it to mans disposing of himself 3. As to its freedom in that it appointeth mans own satisfaction for the removing of punishment and his own merit for the obtaining of reward and as to its spirituall sublime way of working making it carnally to be conferred ex opere operato 3. It enervateth the merit of Christ For at the best it attributeth to that only the restoring of a Covenant of Works which may be entered keeped and broken according to mens working and as it were the procuring to men a new stock of habituall Grace with which they are to trade and procure their own happinesse by their after merit In reference to which if they fail Christs merit and their habituall Grace will not profit them Therefore the weight of obtaining life is laid there But the removing of the punishment and the obtaining of the reward they ascribe to humane satisfaction and good Works and that by reason of their own intrinsick worth without the imputation of Christs merit except in respect of the generall influence formerly alleaged yea they fear not to call Saints their Redeemers in so far as by their works of Supererogation they suppose them to have satisfied in some thing for them as Bellar. asserteth lib. 1. de indulg cap. 4. col 1161. and at most they are sanctified by Christs merit but after that they do for themselves 4. It wrongeth the Lord Himself 1. In His Grace as hath been said 2. In His Justice as if He were to be satisfied by creatures satisfaction and that in such things as many men would not be pleased with yea they scare not to affirm that such holinesse could not but have satisfied Him and merited although Christ had never suffered which sheweth also how little they respect Christs merit as the forcited Suarez pag. 484. and 486. afterteth 3. It wrongeth His soveragnity in that it tyeth Him in proper Justice to be mans debter and that not by vertue of His promise only but from the consideration of the intrinsick value and merit of mens good works that He were not just if He did not reward them 5. It wrongeth Gods Covenant for either it alloweth no Covenant at all or quite altereth the nature and tearms thereof and turneth it to Works as hath been said For it doth still make the stipulation on mans part the same which doth constitute the form of the Covenant of Works however one be enabled to perform that stipulation which certainly was by Grace even to Adam 6. It enervateth Faith excluding altogether that Faith that receiveth Christ and taketh hold on Him and closeth with the Covenant of Grace and leaveth no more to a Believer but a naked assent to the Truth of God which is in the devils and utterly secludeth Faith from any particularity of application in the making of our peace with God in any respect 7. It overturneth the Truth concerning mans naturall estate in giving him a free-will in reference to spirituall good and that before the infusion of Grace and in making this acting of free-will a necessary disposition to Justification and a necessary condition of merit 8. It corrupteth the holy Law of God 1. In its end as if now it were to be the condition of Gods Covenant upon which life is to be attained 2. In its meaning as if it did not condem naturall concupiscence and many other things are exempted by them from it that they may make the fulfilling thereof possible 9. It denyeth the true nature of sin and maketh many things that are contrary to the Law of God to be no sin as by its excluding of the remainings of originall sin and many others by that fond distinction of venial and mortal sins from being accounted sins that make men lyable to eternal wrath 10. It overturneth the nature of the Sacraments 1. In making these to be Sacraments which are not as Pennance Extream unction c. 2. In attributing other ends and another manner of attaining to these ends than agreeth with the Word or can quiet a conscience in reference thereto as the conferring of Grace ex opere operato 11. It doth not leave Discipline undestroyed for it abuseth the power of the keyes in this absolution to make up a Sacrament and confer grace and give Indulgences and such-like which no sober man will think a sufficient way for founding of his peace or to be a defence against a challenge in the day of Judgment 12. It doth altogether overturn that consolation that God alloweth His people For 1. there is great anxiety in the supposed way of attaining it 2. No certaintie of having of it and so it can yeeld comfort to none 3. According to their principles it may be lost and one that is justified to day may be in a stare of damnation tomorrow 4. It maketh their recovery difficult and almost desperat for as Bellar. in the forecited place asserteth it may have with it 20000. years continuance in purgatory Of this uncomfortablnesse and of all this matter more may be seen on Chap. 9. Lect. 1. 13. It excludeth knowledge and cryeth up ignorance So that Bellar. lib. de Iustific doth not fear to say that Faith ought rather to be defined by ignorance than knowledge per ignorantiam potius quam per notitiam 14. It overturneth and corrupteth the nature of holinesse and good works and all spirituall worship putting in I cannot tell what will-worship externall rites c. in the place of all practice mumbling and muttering unknown words for prayer afflicting of the body for mortification and many such like things have they These are but a part of the horrible absurdities of this way and yet we suppose are sufficient to demonstrate the truth of what we assert to
wit that this way is involved with many fundamentall inconsistencies with the Truth and way of the Gospel and so cannot be a possible way of attaining Salvation for it maketh men to count many sins not to be sins and so never to repent of them the sins that it discovereth it leadeth them not to the right satisfaction which only can be accepted for them to wit Christs Righteousnesse but to their own inherent holinesse and good works yea even this they corrupt and what they account saving Grace as Faith Repentance Humility and such like are nothing lesse than such indeed before God If it be again further asked what then are we to esteem of such as lived under Popery if all of them be excluded from the obtaining of salvation We answer with a fourfold distinction 1. We would distinguish these who might live under Popery and yet be keeped from the infection thereof and no way belong to that body from the native members thereof of such we have spoken Chap. 11. and 12. to such the Lord speaketh Chap. 18. Come out of Babylon my people such were rather captives under her tyrannie than subjects of her Kingdom of these there is no question but as the Lord sealed them for Him self Chap. 7. so did He alwayes singularly own them and accept of them 2. We may distinguish Papists in these that are antichristian worshippers and others who are superstitious and in some things are erroneous We call them antichristian who receive the beasts mark and number and give him worship in more than an humane manner ascribing to him a certain divinity infallibility universall supremacy and such like antichristian attributes and who 2. receive his doctrine in the complex contrivance thereof which is his number and 3. who joyn in his worship wherein it is antichristian as praying to Saints worshipping of Images adoration of the Masse and such like These in the former assertion we have excluded Again we call them superstitious Papists who might not altogether have keeped a distance from that Church in every thing but many wayes have been tainted with their superstitions yet so as to be keeped from an antichristian conjunction with that society or union therewith in things that are plainly antichristian but might be testifying against such by some sincere zeal and pure light Thus 1. we suppose that many did give some reverence to the Popes who yet did utterly abhor their grosse usurpations and blasphemies his assuming to himself what was proper to God and Jesus Christ and detest the base flatteries of others that ascribed these to him as to be supream head of all and that both in Civil and Ecclesiasticall things to be infallible to be countable to none to authorize traditions and such like and might only give him some reverence either from humane policie and Ecclesiastick constitutions such as was given to Archbishops Patriarchs c. or they might esteem him though erroneously and ignorantly to be a Church-officer for medling with things incumbent to Church-officers to meddle in without any opinion of his illimited or absolute power even as men might err in accounting Bishops Archbishops Patriarchs c. of divine Authority although they might disclaim antichristian tyrannous usurpation and practices in them and seek only to have that power subservient to edification 2. Further in fundamentall doctrines they may be pure although not altogether without errors even as were many of the Fathers 3. In worship they might joyn many superstitious rites as Crosses Altars Bowings c. yet abstain from worshiping of Saints and Idols and from accounting the Masse a propitiatory sacrifice although they might joyn in the Eucharist and such like Of such sort were Gersom Bernard and some others in the midst of Popish darknesse who were not altogether free of these superstitions yet still did check the Popish pride and usurpation and bound their authority and preserved the doctrine of remission of sins through faith in Christs Righteousnesse pure and pressed holinesse in some spirituall manner even in the midst of many superstitions that abounded and whereof they were not altogether free We suppose these last are no wayes to be classed with the former but might have had accesse to Gods mercy through Christ Jesus Because 1. although they had errors yet were they not such as were inconsistent with sincerity and the nature of the administration of Grace And 2. because they keeped the way of attaining pardon through Christ Jesus clear which being followed by them in their practice as no doubt it was by many might through Gods gracious dealing with them make them acceptable before Him so that their failings being of infirmity and not of malice might not be imputed to them but they accepted as penitents being sincerely affected with what they conceived to dishonour God although they did not discern every thing that was sin against Him Dist. 3. We would distinguish Papists living so and dying so from such as though living so might yet by Gods Grace have repentance conferred upon them at their death This hath been found by experience that many who have been tenacious of the doctrines and superstitions of Popery in their life have been yet at their death brought to abhor them and to betake them to the Righteousnesse of Christ alone for their Justification These where that Repentance and Faith were true as no question often it was are no wayes to be excluded or accounted worshippers of the beast 4. Distinguish times some thing might through Gods Grace be more dispensed with in these times of more universall darknesse than afterward in the breaking out of light and in Gods erecting a Standart for His Truth in the earth and bringing forth a visible Church-state for His People to joyn in which formerly was not hence communion in Church-fellowship with the Church of Rome is much more dangerous now than formerly which will appear upon these considerations 1. Because the Lord doth more peremptorily now threaten her and her followers and addeth more severe certifications to the same as we may see in this place now this is proclaimed If any man worship the beast c. the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God And again Chap. 18.4 2. Their stay now is more unexcusable because the Lord hath opened a door of freedom and they refuse it even as the peoples stay in Babylon while the captivity lasted was not imputed to them yet staying after the proclaimed liberty was detested and having with it ingratitude against their Redeemer and despising of their Redemption offered and a willing submission to that bondage contrary to the warnings and advertisements given them and Gods call to abandon the same 3. After this also things in the doctrine and worship of the Church of Rome became more deadly for Babylon refused to be cured and in the Lords righteous judgement it came to passe that their doctrines became more corrupt that thereby He might punish
neither will there be place for them These plagues will make a full end Vers. 2. The second generall way whereby he giveth a foretast of what these vials bring is a little hint at the flourishing and gladsome condition of the Church as well as of the hard things which were to come on her enemies which two ordinarily go together and usually by anticipation are set down in a Song It is in allusion to Moses and Israels way of coming out of Egypt who when they past the Sea wherein their enemies were destroyed did sing so the redeemed when they shall be delivered out of spirituall Egypt and be put on the shore beyond their trials they shall sing and have no lesse cause to sing and shall do it as surely as ever Moses did Exod. 15. The one delivery shall be as certain great and welcome as the other Particularly in it consider 1. who do sing they are they who have gotten the victory over the beast and his image his mark and number by these are understood not only such as were ever keeped from Antichrist his pollution but all that shall be under the seventh trumpet as brought out from under that tyrannie as the allusion to the people of Israels coming out of Egypt cleareth They are thus described particularly to shew they are such whom neither the Popes flatterers nor terrors nor Church threatenings could prevail over but through Grace they prevailed over all though for a time they fought These four things over which they get the victory signifie the same corruption of Antichrist that in no respect its deadly poison did stick to them After he hath described these singers by their victory as fully renouncing and abhorring Popery in all the branches of it They are Secondly set out in that postour they were in They were standing on a sea of glasse mingled with fire Three things are to be enquired here 1. What this sea of glasse is 2. What it is to stand on it 3. What it is to be mingled with fire First By this â—â—a or great vessell of glasse we shew Chap. 4. was understood the efficacy of the bloud of Jesus Christ by which only His people and their sacrifices can be washen and sanctified and of this we gave the reasons there and here also it may be confirmed For first this standing upon the sea of glasse denoteth the excellencie and firmnesse of the foundation upon which they stand 2. If we consider parallel places it is in expresse terms expounded Chap. 7.14 when this same company and their victory are described this is given as the ground thereof they are come out of great tribulation and have washen their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb so Chap. 12.11 it is said that they overcame by the bloud of the Lamb c. And this being marked as the ground which secureth these redeemed ones it must be for this purpose to shew that the way and manner of their getting victory over the beast and their security against him did consist in their fleeing to and resting upon Christ Jesus His satisfaction and Righteousnesse while the rest of the Antichristian world were blindfolded in ignorance and errour going about to establish their own righteousnesse as it were by the works of the Law 3. It is confirmed from that Chap. 4. where this sea of glasse is described to be before the Throne which signifieth their abiding near unto God in these times of defections when all generally went a whoring from Him wondering after the beast Secondly Standing upon this sea of glasse doth import 1. A confidence in them in their betaking them to that shore as it were the Believer never halteth till he be on Christ but is ever fleeing toward Him and then he standeth 2. It importeth a confidence that they have as now defying Antichrist through the vertue of that bloud and an exulting in God who had brought them to that land and this hath some allusion to the peoples practice Exod. 15. 3. It implyeth an efficacy and vertuousnesse to say so in this sea of glasse that being for excellency like glasse is yet able to support all the redeemed and to keep them from drowning Lastly which is clear from the scope it importeth their publick owning of the truth of God which was contradicted and opposed by Antichrist and his followers whereas they had not appeared so openly to bear testimony to it before By this sea of glasse cannot be understood the world Because 1. this sea of glasse is mentioned as that which supporteth them and the basis upon which they are builded which will not agree to this uncertain world 2. It is spoken of as a piece of their adorning and that which seperateth them from Antichrist and keepeth them as contradistinct from his company which will not be so clear from the other interpretation 3. This sea of glasse upon which they stand is said to be mingled with fire By fire must be understood somewhat suitable to this sea Now Chap. 4. where this sea is spoken of v. 6. lamps of fire are spoken of as burning before the Throne which are the seven spirits of God hence it will follow that by fire here is understood a sanctifying efficacy of the spirit of Jesus which is often compared in Scripture to fire I will baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire And so this is the meaning I saw the redeemed put beyond the difficulties of Antichrist and out of the hazard of his curse by the vertue of Christs bloud justifying them and by the vertue of His spirit sanctifying them and I saw them publickly appearing and confidently giving testimony to the truth as not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and this is added to distinguish these truly redeemed from carnall and presumptuous hypocrites who boast of faith and their standing upon the sea of glasse but do evidence that that sea is not mingled with fire and the spirit of Sanctification and therefore is not that foundation which will give them ground to tone their harps and sing before God further it may signifie Christs making use of the crosse to promove His Peoples Sanctification which is subordinate and subservient to the former In the last part of the Verse they are said to have the harps of God while they stand upon the sea of glasse this sheweth that the former ground must be something which giveth them very great chearfulnesse and agreeth well with their having palms in their hands who are spoken of Chap. 7.14 and are said to have washen their cloaths in the bloud of the Lamb. And this phrase importeth 1. that their harps were excellent so the phrase in Scripture is often when it would commend the excellency of things to call them things of God that is most excellent 2. It importeth it to be of Gods giving not a harp put in their hand or a song put in their mouth by Antichrist or the world but
state that then was It may also mean an active perdition in respect of destroying others in which respect Chap. 9. he is called Apollyon and 2 Thess. 2. the son of perdition for this describeth him best in his nature and is like one who cometh from that fountain from which he hath his rise 3. He is described by the welcome he should have in the world when he arose or the effect he should have on the world They that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the Lambs book This setteth out the absolutenesse of his reception or the obedience that should be given him in four 1. in extent the whole world almost all the Roman Empire except some Elect ones by God keeped from that impurity as also Chap. 13. it is as broad as ever it was in any form before 2. There is the kind of subjection expressed by wondering a superstitious subjection to him as to some Deity and not meerly as to a civill Governour as in the former heads for such subjection many Elect children gave but this is an Idolatrous adoration such as Papists give to their Popes 3. It setteth out the degree of subjection this of admiration is more nor ordinary and is to be wholly at the beck and command of this beast under this consideration it is a superstitious devotednesse to him 4. There is the motive of all this it is willingly they admire him not by constraint of arms but by a mistaken devotion they of themselves give up and enslave themselves to him as is said of the Kings vers 13. they shall give their power to the beast and vers 17. they agree to do it They were now out of temporall subjection the Empire having become weak and they upon that had got their Kingdom yet this admiration had such influence on them as to make them universally yeeld to this beast upon this account more willingly than Armies had made them do to the former The exception put in a parenthesis whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world not only holdeth forth that compliance to be an exceeding sinfull defection even such as the Elect should not yea to the end cannot continue in it But 1. It sheweth there is a difference made by Jesus Christ of Elect and Reprobate as if by name they were written in distinct Books 2. It sheweth it is eternall and so without dependance on our free wills it is before the world 3. It sheweth that our standing and being keeped clean is a fruit of Election and not our Election a fruit of our foreseen faith or works It is they admire not because they are written in the Lambs book and not they are written because they admire not 4. It sheweth a suitablenesse in the end and midses these Elected to glory are brought to it by Holinesse Eph. 1.4 and Sanctification 2 Thess. 2. vers 13. in being keeped from such filthinesse as others fall in and which otherwise they would have fallen in and on the contrary they go to destruction falling in sins which are the causes of their damnation though not of their reprobation yet the decrees in respect of their ends are not without respect to these midses although not grounded on them 4. And lastly he is in this last consideration described by the ground of this admiration which pointeth at the state it agreeth unto This is proposed by way of ridle When they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is This is to be understood with respect to the time of the beasts actuall existing under the last consideration wherein he is admired and seen by the inhabitants of the earth and so not only was and is not as in the former part of the Verse when this state was to come but now it is so it differeth in the notion of timing it from what it was formerly and is thus to be understood They see now an Empire which being before that time was exceeding different from this 1. in form 2. in nature or kind ut supra the heads then were crowned Chap. 12. now the horns 2. It is not that is it is a Dominion but it is not the former which was it is spirituall and so admired 2. It lordeth and ruleth over ten Crowned Kings the former did over ten Legats Proconsuls or Governours of Provinces 3. It useth not arms directly but Excommunications Censures c. 4. It was openly heathenish and idolatrous now it is secret under pretext of Christs Vicar so that old forme is away For this beast may be two wayes conceived 1. in its generall complex consideration 2. more particularly in its heads and horns In the generall consideration he compareth the whole beast in its Ecclesiastick nature complexly with the whole beast considered as a temporall Empire considered also complexly as under any of its first six heads so this last beast which supporteth the whore upon an Ecclesiastick account is opposed to its civil consideration as a civill power which went before In this sense there are but two states of this beast one that was present and to passe when this last succeeded another to come But when he considereth again the beast more particularly in respect of its heads and horns and compareth the Governments among themselves vers 10 11. there are seven forms whereof five were past one present and one to come Hence it is that he calleth this Ecclesiastick state of this beast the eighth looking to its distinct nature from the former and also the seventh as it is upon the matter the same power continuing the Dominion of Rome in one series with the former forms even as the two beasts were distinguished Chap. 13. upon that diverse account though upon the matter one So this first was and is not is no contradiction for the beast i. e. the Empire then was yet was not this power come as the supporter of the whore but was to come in which respect he is looked upon as distinct from all the other heads The third step is and yet is that is though it now differ much from what it was yet it is really that same Dominion upon the matter by other spirituall weapons 1. ruling as amply as ever their predecessors did 2. having as full and absolute rule as ever it had See for this two sayings of Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 21. pag. 301. cited Chap. 13. 3. It ruleth as tyrannously as any of the former encroaching on others liberties till it bring them under and when it hath done that it exerciseth its power also cruelly especially against the Saints as vers 14. and Chap. 13. 4. It keepeth the former throne and seat though under another form it getteth the Dragons seat and Authority Chap. 13. and these people Nations and Languages and Kings that formerly had the former beast for their temporall lord they have Papacy for their spirituall 5. in respect
things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen BEfore the Spirit close this Book much is spent of that part which is the Conclusion on these two 1. in confirming the truth of what is delivered in the prophesie 2. In the commending of the excellency of it After ver 10. He hath given direction by the Angel not to seal these sayings and having removed an objection that stood in the way ver 11. He confirmeth and commendeth these sayings 1. By Christs approaching coming to reckon with folks how they made use of this Scripture and warning ver 12. 2. From the soveraignity of Him who asserted it it was not an Angel but the eternal God ver 13. 3. He commendeth it from the happinesse of these that rightly maketh use of these words ver 14. which verse is answerable to ver 3. of Chap. 1. Then 4. He commendeth this Scripture from the contrary misery that shall come on all who shall by their own fault be excluded from this happinesse ver 15. These are done by several witnesses sometimes by Iohn sometimes by Jesus Christ sometimes by the Spirit sometimes by the Angel He goeth on to confirm the truth of what hath been delivered and the first confirmation is ver 13. which as it relateth to all the prophesie so doth it especially to the former of Christs coming quickly I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last I that speak and have sent this Book to my Church am God and will perform what I have spoken The words hold out Christs eternity not only as being before and after all things but as giving all things a being and ordering all things to their ends and to His own glory as the great end of all He is the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 This commendation is prosecuted ver 14. and 15. from the happinesse of them that so make right use of all the Word of God and especially of the words contained in this Book The happinesse and the persons to whom it belongeth are first set down ver 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments Blessednesse is the most desirable thing that is looked for and thus blessed are they that keep His Word and obey it And though this general be true yet considering ver 3. of Chap. 1 and ver 7. of this Chapter and the scope here to be one with these to commend this prophesie we take the commandments spoken of here especially to look to the sayings of this prophesie And so it is Blessed are they that keep the sayings of this Book the Lord foreseeing that this Book was to meet with more opposition than other Books of holy Scripture and there being a general reluctancy in all to make use of it therefore though but six or seven times blessednesse be spoken of in it yet it is thrice applied to them that keep the sayings of this prophesie particularly these which relate to the keeping of clean garments from the corruptions of Antichrist and of the time and to the putting of us in a posture of waiting for His coming This blessednesse is branched out several wayes more particularly 1. that they may have right to the tree of life that is to the happinesse the Saints have in glory and especially to Jesus Christ the objective and fountain-happinesse of the Saints as ver 2. of this Chapter and Chap. 2. The meaning is they shall have right to Jesus Christ and glory in heaven with Him Not that doing of the commandments is the meritorious cause of this or that which giveth Believers right to it But for clearing it consider Christ two wayes holden out in the Word 1. As He is the ground and purchaser of Salvation to Believers in Him and so believing is that which giveth right to Him and all that is in Him according to the offer which is the ground of our faith 2. Consider Him as the object in whom Believers happinesse consisteth and in the enjoying of whom there is life as Col. 3.4 Christ being thus looked on as the object of their happinesse keeping of the commandments is the way wherein we come to enjoy Him and this agreeth well with that word Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holynesse without which no man shall see the Lord. And hereby the necessity of holinesse and obedience to His commandments is holden forth without which Col. 1.12 we are not meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light for though holinesse and obedience be not the way unto or causa sinè qua non of our justification or to Christ considered as the meritorious cause of it who is thus to be closed with by faith alone yet are they to our glorification and to the immediate enjoying of Him in heaven The second branch of their happinesse is They shall enter in thorow the gates into the city that is into the new Ierusalem and the glory that the Saints have to look for in heaven Chap. 21. and beginning of Chap. 22. their holinesse endeth in happinesse and glory there is no coming to heaven but by this door no climbing over the walls for the Angels are porters The meaning is the studier of holinesse shall have fair accesse into heaven like a man that hath a passe and getteth liberty to enter in the city when the sentinel keepeth others back and they are not admitted 2 Pet. 1.11 So an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord whereby it is clear that this city is heaven and the way to it is holinesse and to hope to come to heaven and to live in profanenesse is as if folks would think to climb over the walls and not enter by the ports into it We may well say that though holinesse be not the cause of our entry yet it is our passe by which it is known who are to be admitted or have right to enter and who not The third way how this happinesse is set out is by holding out the misery of all that are profane ver 15. for without are dogs and sorcerers c. This is given as a reason why they are happy that shall have accesse into the city because without are such and such vile persons and as a reason why they are blessed that are holy because profane ones are shut out under which we comprehend all that are disobedient and such as cast the Word and Commandments of God And it letteth us see how God esteemeth of all that give not themselves up to the obedience of the Truth Of these sorts of sinners we spoke Chap. 21.8 Only dogs are added here that is 1. Such as are profane in conversation and will not take reproofs such as amend not Matth. 7.6 Give not that which is holy to dogs 2. These that are opposit to Truth in doctrine and vent
with the woman her self 537 538 E WHat is meant by the Saints reigning upon earth 292 By Earth is understood the visible militant Church and not alwayes the unconverted world 345 346 Who are to be understood by the Earth and them that dwell therein 558 What is the proper and immediate effect of Christs purchase to the Redeemed 307 What we are to understand by the twenty four Elders spoken of Chap. 4. 273 What the Elders question and Iohn's reply and the Elders answer do import Chap. 7.13 14. where that innumerable multitude are described 398 399 Civil and morall men may be great enemies to the Church and Religion 354 Why these Epistles are directed to the Church-guides or Angels see Angel Wherein all the Epistles agree and direction how to make use of them 66 67 If any truely Godly may be led away into Errour 166 That Satan aimeth mainly to seduce Christs servants unto Errour and why 167 That it is a great aggravation of Errour when Christs servants are seduced thereby and why ibid. 168 That repentance for Errour is very rare and why ibid. Some Errours inconsistent together and opposit one to another wherewith the Church may be at once assaulted 383 384 F FAith necessary to Justification vid. Justification Different opinions about the way of Faiths concurring thereto 236 Some considerations and distinctions laid down for clearing the way how Faith concurreth 237 Faith only the condition of Justification 238 A double peculiarity of Faith beyond any other grace in the point of Justification one of being the condition of the Covenant which floweth from the Lords extrinsick appointment another of being an instrumental cause which floweth from its intrinsick aptitude 240 That Faith doth peculiarly concur in the point of Justification and that Works do not concur therewith cleared and proven 240 241 The main act of saving Faith 306 Whether Faith and other saving graces be the fruit of Christs purchase 308 They who are sound in the Faith will be exceeding tenacious of their testimony 363 Marks of that fear which we should shun 45 How Christ's feet are like unto fine brasse vide Brasse How Christ's eyes are said to be as a flame of fire 38 There is a fire coming from the Altar which hath terrible effects 416 Of the change made by fire at the great day 756 What we are to understand by those fountains and rivers mentioned chap. 8. ver 10. 427 428 The fountain of life what 762 G A Gift for the Ministery what it is and what it includeth 199 200 What we are to understand by the sea of glasse and what by standing thereupon 274 275 602 603 Glory is the compleat outgate of Believers trials 393 That there is but one God and three distinct persons in the Godhead where of the expressions used in this mysterie 5 6 7 8 Whether God intended the salvation of all men conditionally in giving Christ to die 300 How can the glorified behold God since He is invisible and whether they all alike enjoy Him 773 774 How great a God He is whom we worship 397 There is nothing which can be a ground of praise but it is in God ibid. Gods people in their difficulties would strengthen themselves in the faith of future glory 400 What enemies we are to understand by Gog and Magog 737 Why is the Church compared to Gold since there is so much corruption in it 51 52 The Gospel at its first coming amongst a people ordinarily prevaileth most and why 342 343 A flourishing state of the Gospel is not long free of errors and offences following it 354 355 Church government opposed by Satan and the reason thereof 82 83 84 That there is a Government in the Church distinct and independent from Civil-government proven and objections answered 85 to 89 That it is not arbitrary for the Church to confederate for governing the Church but that which de jure ought to be done 90 Absurdities wherewith a Church government distinct from the Civil is loaded answered 93 94 Wherein the power of this government consisteth and who is the proper subject thereof handled both negatively and positively 97 98 99 How little reason men have to be jealous of this government 100 101 102 103 Concerning the nature and difference of common and saving grace 120 How a man should try the sincerity of his grace 123 Baxter's opinion about the difference betwixt common and saving grace related which doth not really differ so far from the common opinion as at first it would seem to do 125 126 Two distinctions laid down to clear the difference between common and saving grace and wherein the difference lyeth 127 That the habit of saving grace in the renewed doth dâ—ffer from any thing which can be in the unrenewed 129 130 That there is a difference also between the acts of a gracious man and acts of any other proven by instances and arguments 131 to 139 The trial of grace by its kind is safest and that which discovereth hypocrisie best this is Christs way the contrary is attended with inconveniences 133 134 Grace is a necessary qualification for a Minister and in what respects which is much to be regarded both in peoples calling him and in Presbyteries admitting him neither is it impossible to take trial herein and what length may be attained and aimed at in this trial which doth not infer but overturn the rigid way of trying Church-members 202 to 209 The grace of our Lord Jesus is that which a gracious man wisheth to himself and others as that which is comprehensive of all happinesse 781 782 H IT is not indifferent for persons to hear whom they will and the evils that attend it 64 When new errors may be esteemed old heresie 155 Heresie and error wait ordinarily upon the Churches outwardly prosperous condition 383 Heresie and error one of the greatest plagues whereby God in His holy justice punisheth those who receive not the truth in love ibid. Heresie and error a terrible judgement and what the nature of it is 422 The heresies of the Arians Macedonians Nestorians c. when and how suppressed 536 537 Who they are whom Hereticks seek mainly to seduce 166 What an excellent condition it is to be in Heaven 394 Some beginning of Heaven here and wherein it consisteth 402 How we are to understand the passing away of the Heaven and the Earth and what this new Heaven is 753 754 Whether the Heavens and Earth which now are be substantially changed ibid. Some things premitted to the glorious description of Heaven 757 Heavens happinesse set forth and described 759 760 A more particular amplification of Heavens happinesse 761 to 772 Where Hell is and whether any materiall fire be there 739 No coming to Heaven without holinesse 763 764 How we are to understand the number of ten horns 648 The type of the white horse explained 340 341 The type of the red horse 344 345 To what time these persecutions relate
which are prophesied of under the red horse 346 What the type of the black horse importeth 349 350 What we are to understand by the type of the pale horse with the difference which is amongst Interpreters in the application of this Prophesie to a particular time 355 356 357 In what respects hypocrisie is worse than the want of profession 212 The characters of hypocrisie 219 How a hypocrite cometh to have such high thoughts of himself 219 220 If a hypocrite can discern his own hypocrisie ibid. How a Minister may discern a hypocrite and how he should deal with him 221 222 I VVHat is meant by the new Ierusalem 195 A threefold Ierusalem in Scripture and why Heaven is held forth under that name 758 The description of the new Ierusalem and what is to be understood by its coming down from Heaven ibid. The conversion of the Iews who are called the Kings of the East foretold 617 618 Whether the Iews are to be restored to their former possessions after their conversion to the faith 619 620 What Iezabel and her doctrine was 162 The differences which are amongst the Popish Doctors about worshipping of Images 456 457 The worshipping of Images according to the grounds of Popery proven to be Idolatry 458 459 The Heathens and Jews had the same pretences in worshipping their Images which are alleaged by Papists 459 460 The worshipping of Images proven to be Idolatry from the second Command 462 Image of the Beast See Beast How to try an Impulse to the work of the Ministery whether it be from the Spirit or not 55 56 57 Imputation of righteousnesse an instantaneous act 248 When a storm is to come upon the world Christ interceedeth for His People 406 What Intercession importeth cleared from Scripture 407 408 How Christ executeth the office of an Intercessor now in Heaven ibid. What things Christ's Intercession doth include 408 409 Whether Christ before His incarnation did execute the office of an Intercessor ibid. The difference betwixt Christs Intercession before and after His incarnation 409 410 How the consolation flowing from Christ's Intercession is to be improven by Believers 410 411 Whom we are to understand by the children of Israel mentioned Chap. 7. vers 4. and what is meant by the particular distribution of them in so many Tribes and so many thousands of every Tribe 386 387 The scope of the distribution of Israel in Tribes and why some Tribes are omitted in this distribution is further cleared 389 Believers under the New Testament are Gods Israel 390 How the rigid execution of Iustice upon the damned may stand with the mercy of God 584 The last Iudgment described the preparation to it the parties judged the manner of procedure and the sentence it self 740 741 742 What young ones have to be judged for 742 Christs Righteousnesse the meritorious cause of our Iustification Faith is necessary thereto and the only condition thereof with which works do not concur 235 236 to 248 Iustification not a continued act 242 243 That a man is truely justified though his sins after Iustification be not pardoned while committed and mourned for 259 A short view of the Popish way of Iustification with the absurdities which follow upon that way 586 to 593 K VVHat is meant by the Key of David given to Christ. 191 What we are to understand by giving the keyes of the bottomlesse pit to the fallen star 437 What is signified by the Kingdoms of the world and how they become the Lords and his Christs 507 That by Kingdoms and Nations is meant the generality and body of such Kingdoms and Nations and by their becoming the Lords is understood a speciall Church-state and relation proven 511 512 513 Why Believers are called Kings and what that name obliegeth them to 22 23 Who the Kings of the east are what it is to prepare their way and how it is done 617 618 What kind of Government we are to understand by Kings 641 What is meant by the seventh Kings continuing a short space 642 A description of the ten Kings who are held forth by the ten horns 648 649 The war of the ten Kings with the Lamb His victory over them with a description of His followers 649 650 Whether the prophesie of the coming of the ten Kings be yet fulfilled the affirmative proven by severall Arguments 650 651 L HOw death and hell are said to be cast into the lake 747 748 Why Christ is called a Lamb 286 Who this Bride the Lambs wife is that is made ready what this readinesse is and how she is made ready 693 694 What it is to be called to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb 694 Learning necessary for a Minister so far as it implyeth acquaintance with the things of God that it is to be attained in the way of studying and that it is lawfull to do so 200 201 202 That these Locusts which came out of the smoak Chap. 9. vers 3. were Church-men is cleared and why they are compared to Locusts with a description of them 438 439 A particular description of these Locusts with the explication of the severall parts of that description 440 441 The Government of these Locusts described and their King ibid. The object plagued by these Locusts 442 Lords-day See Day M OF the rise of Mahomet 453 Magistrates not the subject of Church power with severall considerations set before them in reference thereto 97 to 103 Magistrates should not tolerate corrupt Teachers 164 Manna what is imported thereby and why called hidden 159 What a Martyr is and that it is not every suffering which will denominate a man so 361 362 Whether the Martyrs who shall reign one thousand years be such as suffered under heathen persecution or these who suffered under the beasts tyranny or such as suffered under both 720 How the Angels come in to praise the Mediator 293 294 Every one not proposed by JEHOVAH to the Mediator to be redeemed by Him 300 The method how the benefits purchased by Christs death are applied to the Redeemed 307 308 How Michael and the Dragon fight who their Angels were with a narration of the event of the war and the song of triumph following the victory with the parts thereof 526 527 528 How a Minister may be clear as to the discharge of the Ministery in such and such a place as also in carrying such a message 56 60 A Minister of the Gospel standeth under a threefold relation 104 That the relation of every Minister is to the Church universall before this or that particular Congregation 105 That the last is not perpetuall to a Minister ibid. What it is that maketh a particular relation between a Minister and a particular flock ibid. Severall conclusions laid down to clear the nature of a Ministers ty to a particular Congregation 106 107 That a Minister may exerce ministeriall acts without the bounds of his own Congregation and that authoritatively cleared and proven and the absurdities