THE COVENANT OF LIFE OPENED Or A TREATISE of the COVENANT OF GRACE Containing something of And especially of The nature of the Covenant of Works The Soveraignty of GOD The extent of the death of CHRIST The nature properties of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Suretyship or Redemption between the LORD and the Son JESUS CHRIST Infants right to JESUS CHRIST and the Seal of Baptisme With some Practicall Questions and Observations By SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinitie in the University of S. Andrews ZECH. 6.12 And speak unto him saying Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the BRANCH and he shall grow out of his place and He shall build the Temple of the LORD 13. Even He shall build the Temple of the LORD and He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon His Throne c. EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Broun and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Sun ANNO 1655. CHRISTIAN READER MAny have written to the edifying of the Godly of this excellent Subject It s not much I can do in this but have added some thoughts to what is said intending a more Practicall way of the last Points in another Treatise to wit of the application of Covenant-Promises and of the influences of the Spirit under the Covenant of Grace of which especially of the latter of these two few have practically written And it is of much concernment to make ouâ— the Union of our Duty and the breathings of the LORD and what can be done under deadnesse to either fetch the wind or to be put in a spirituall condition that the soul â—ay ly fair for the receiving of the influences of GOD. I desire in this to speak for Truth not either for or against persons of whom I am silent concealing the names of any Contradicent judging Truth so much the more desirable when it may possibly be had with peace and as little blowing or stirring of the fire of contradiction as can be What is here said in a way of Disputing the Moderate Reader who is not taken with that way may passe by and read what is practicall The Author hath been lest Truth should suffer by him a little darkned as report bears with the name I know not what of a Protester as one who hath deserted the Government and Discipline of the Church of GOD in SCOTLAND But my humble thoughts are the same they were before though I can adde nothing to the Truth I look on these men the world so names Protesters Schismaticks Separatists as sinfull men who stand in need of a Saviour and as such as desire to fear GOD and love His Name and would gladly have our practise and walk come a little more near to the Rule of the Gospel and that our Land might mourn for all the abominations committed therein which I desire to be spoken without any reflection upon any of the Godly in the Land who in that point are of another Judgement It is my desire to the LORD that he would let us hear experienced by the reality of that Thus saith the LORD As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I do for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all The LORD JESUS be with your Spirit Yours in the Lord Jesus S. R. Contents of the I. PART CHAP. I. and II. THe four particulars of the Treatise pag. 1. Propositions touching ADAMS state p. 1 2. ADAM was predestinate to life eternall in Christ and how pag. 2. CHAP. III. What is the intent and sense of the threatning Gen. 2.17 and Gen. 3.20 Dust thou art c. p. 3 4 5. Threatnings of the Law reveal what the Law-giver may jure inflict by justice and Law deserving not what shall come to passe p. 4. Except it be both a threatning and a Prophesie p. 5. What is carnall security ibid. What Adam was to believe in that threatning p. 5 6. How the promises and the threatnings differ in this p. 7. How Law threatnings to the Elect are Evangelick p. 8. CHAP. IV. The Elect before Conversion bear no part of the Law-curse nor is the Law-curse devided between them and Christ. p. 10.11 Faith is too near to be made a cause of satisfaction for sin by all who hold that Christ gave a satisfactory ransome for all and every one of mankind p. 11. Accepting or not accepting satisfaction is before faith and so believing or not believing can be no ground of the sufficiencie of the price payed for the Reprobate or of the laying of the sins of all upon Christ. p. 11 12 13 God may accept the satisfaction of Christ without any condition required on our part p. 13. CHAP. V. God intended a Law-dispensation but for a time 2. Adam how he was ordained for a Law life 3. How predestinate to Glory how not 4. That the heathens have no more universall grace then Divels 5. No ground for such grace p. 13 14 15. CHAP. VI. It was condiscension in the Lord to enter in Covenant with man 2. Temptâ—tions in fearing we are not chosen discovered 3. Beings and not-beings are debtors to God 4. Self denyall required in sinlesse nature as in sinfull 5. Man considered three wayes How faith layes hold upon conditionall promises and temptations of unbelief thereabout p 16 17. Oâ— the Covenant of nature p. 18 19 20. CHAP. VII It s not written in the heart of man by nature that God should promise life Eternall to man upon condition of obedience 2. The debt of justice cannot ty God 3. God punisheth not sin by necessitie of nature 4. Nor defends he his own declarative Glory by necessitie of nature 5. Nothing can be given to God All sufficient 6. No meriting of the creature 7. We are to have humble thoughts of free-Grace 8. Low thoughts of our selves 9. Promises make no strict justice between the Lord and us p. 20 21. God falls in no sort from his naturall dominion though he impose not penal Laws upon the reasonable creature p. 25 26. God loves his essentiall Glory by necessity of nature but not his declarative Glory by any such necessity p. 28 29 30. In every Covenant there is some out goings of Grace p. 35. The passage 1 Chron. 29.11 12. cleared and why none can give to God p. 37 38. Our vain boasting of self my and such proud pronoumes p. 39 40. How excellent to obey p. 45. Sanctified reason is not soft p. 45 46. How near are wee to justification by Works and to be sick of love for proud I. p. 46 47. CHAP. VIII What place death hath in the Covenant 2. What Reprobates and the damned are to do p. 47 48. What Adam was to do in the intervall between the fall and the publishing of the Gospel p. 48. How the Lord is Adams God p. 49. What life is
with God and his decrees under pretence of this what if he have not chosen me and I have no right to Covenant-mercies except I take a Law-way to earne them by fulfilling the condition 5. When we beleeve a conditionall promise if I beleeve I am saved faith relyes not fiducially upon the if I beleeve or upon the condition It s a weak pillar to a sinner to stay his unquiet heart upon to wit his own beleeving but faith rests upon the connexion if thou beleeve thou shalt be saved and it stayes upon the connexion as made sure by the Lord who of grace gives the condition of beleeving and of grace the reward conditioned so that faith binds all the weight upon God only even in conditionall Gospel-promises 1. Man is to be considered as a creature 2. As such a creature to wit endued with reason and the Image of God in either considerations especially in the former all that are created are obliged to do and suffer the will of God though they never sinned It s not enough to say that Sun Moon Trees Herbs Vines Earth Beasts Birds and Fishes cannot suffer the ill of punishment which is relative to the break of a Law for the whole Creation is subject to vanity for our sins Rom. 8.20 21. The Servant is smitten and sickened for the Masters sake and God may take from them what he gave them their lives without sense of pain and dollour for all beings yea defects and privations are debters to the glory declarative of God Prov. 16.4 Rom. 11.36 yea and no beings are under this debt God can serve himself of nothing yea that there are not created Locusts Caterpillars more numerous then that all the fruits of the earth can be food to them Preach the Glory of the Lords goodnesse to man and what are never to be no lesse then all things that have futurition or shall come to passe either absolutely or conditionally are under the positive decree of God else we should not owe thanks to the Lord for many evils that never fall out that the Lord turns away violent death violence of men and wilde beasts and many possible mischiefs contrair to Deut. 28.11 12. Lev. 26.6 Psal. 34.20 Psal. 91.5 6 7 8. And all these beings or no beings owe themselves to God to hold forth the glory of goodnesse wisedome mercy justice c. suppone there had never been sin Far more now who wants matter of meditation or can write a book of all the pains aâ—kings convulsions pests diseases that the Lord decreed to hold off so that every bone joynt lith hair member should write a Psalm Book of praises Psal. 35.10 All my bones shall say Lord Who is like unto thee Nor can any man write his debts of this kind But we are little affected with the negatives of mercies except we read them upon others and little then also Self-pain Preacheth little to us far more the borrowed experience of fallen Angels of Sodom of the old world c. leaves small impression upon stony spirits 2. Complain not that you have not that share of grace another hath if ye you think had it you would be as usefull to glorifie God as they but ye know not your self swell not against him that thou hast no grace O vessell of wrath thou owes that bit clay and all thy wants to glorifie his Justice 3. My sicknesse my pain my bands owe themselves to God and are debtors to his glory I and every one of men should say O that my pain might praise him and my hell and flamings of everlasting fire might be an everlasting Psalm of the Glory of his Justice That my sorrow could sing the Glory of so High a Lord But we love rather that he wanted his praise so we wanted our pain 3. God hath made a sort of naturall Covenant with night and day Jer. 31.35 For all are his servants Psal. 119.91 that they should be faithfull to their own naturall ends to act for him Ier. 5.22 Ier. 31.37 Psal. 104.1 2 3.4 and they are more faithfull to their ends then men Isa. 1.3 Ier. 8.7 The oxe and the asse being more knowing to their owner and the swallow and the cran being more discerning of their times then men are 2. They so keep their line that there is more self-deniall in their actings then in mans way as if fire were not fire and nature in it denied the fire devours not the three Children Dan. 3.27 28 The Sun stands still the Moon moves not Iosh. 10.12 13. The hungry Lions eat not Daniel ch 6.22 When the Lord gives a counter-command to them and that is a clause in the Covenant that the Lord entered with them that they act or no act as he shall be pleased to speak to them John 2.10 Isa. 50.2 Mat. 8.16 It is a most humbling Theame that an asse is more in denying nature and the cran and the fire then man yea then a renued man in some cases 4. But if man be considered as such a man endued with the Image of God and withall the Covenant be considered as such a Covenant as is expressed in the Ten-Commandements in which one of seven is a Sabbath to the Lord it will be found that many positives Morall are in the Covenant of Works that are not in naturall Covenants 5. So man must come under a three-fold consideration 1. As a creature 2. As a reasonable creature 3. As such a creature reasonable endued with the image of God In the first consideration man comes under the Covenant naturall common to all creatures So is Peters body carried above in the water as iron swims 2. As a reasonable creature he owes himself to God to obey so far as the Law written in the heart carries him to love God trust in him fear him But this can hardly bear the name of a Covenant except it be so called in a large sense nor is there any promise of life as a reward of the work of obedience here 3. But man being considered as indued with the Image of God so the Holy God made with him a Covenant of life with Commandements though positive and Morall yet not deduced from the Law of Nature in the strictest sense as to observe such a Sabbath the seventh from the Creation the not eating of the forbidden tree and with a promise of such a life And therefore though Divines as our solid and eminent Rollock call it a Covenant naturall as it is contradistinguished from the supernaturall Covenant of Grace and there is good reason so to call it Yet when it is considered in the positives thereof it is from the free will of God and though it be connaturall to man created according to the Image of God yet the Covenant came so from the Lords wisedom and free-will as he might have casten it in a new and far other frame And it cannot be denyed though it be most
him in the bush This is Christ the Angel 38. of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Whom they tempted 1 Cor. 10.9 Of whom the Lord said Exod. 23.21 Beware of him and obey his voice and provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my Name is upon him And this Angel saith I am the God of Abraham the Omniscient God that sees the afflictions of his people 3. Hears their prayers 4. Delivers them out of Aegypt Exod. 20.1 2 and so the Author of the Covenant and of all the promises It is much for weak beleevers that God stands ingadged in Christ by Covenant with him to give us to beleeve and to beleeve to the end Hath the Lord given himself Surety for the standing of a tottering beleever Is there not ground to beleeve that Christ shall make good his undertaking Also if all the promises be made to Christ who is the Author of the Covenant and upon condition that Christ do his part and lay down his life then sure Christ is under a Covenant to injoy his reward when he hath done his work And to have a beleeving seed is Christs reward heaven and earth can make no â—urer binding for faith and salvation 8. As the former Argument is from the promise made unto Christ and fulfilled to him so this is from the Predictions Prophecies and Promises of him as he of whom such glorious promises are foretold and may claim the thing promised by faith he hath some word of promise for suiting these things which is a Covenant if he shall do what is required of him and fulfill the Commandement Joh. 10.18 But such Prophecies and Promises there be of CHRIST Isa. 22.22 The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open 23. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious Throne to his fathers house 24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flagons Zech. 3.8 For behold I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH Zech. 6.12 Speak unto Joshua saying Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the man whose Name is the BRANCH and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord 13. Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne Mic. 5.4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God and they shall abide For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth 5. And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land So Psal. 72.7 In his dayes shall the righteous flourish c. Hence as Christ prayed in faith Joh. 17.5 to be glorified with the glory he had with the Father before the world was because he finished the work though he was not yet crucified but he had a mind fixed to suffer So may Christ pray in faith to Govern right and to bear the glory and to feed in the strength of the Lord and to have a conquished people since he was to fulfill all the work that was laid upon him And this supposes a Covenant Hence Arg. 9. from the suite he bids his Son aske which he will grant Psal. 2.8 Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Psal. 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my salvation 27. Also I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth 28. My mercy will I keep for him for ever c. If God say to us call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee This argues a Covenant that God shall hear if we pray Then it sayes if Christ the Mediatour shall pray he shall be heard and prospered with successe in his work 10. Argument from the work of Christ and the wages which a Covenant calls for Christ complains Isa. 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain there 's work Shall he have nothing for his work He adds Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God v. 6. He receives an answer of a full reward for his work And he said it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou may'st be my salvation unto the end of the earth Which words are cited true of Christ by Luke Act. 13.47 when Christ is Preached to the Gentiles And as one who laboured for us so he craves his wages though the Jews pay him unworthily Zech. 11.12 Then I said if ye think good give me my price and if not forbear pay me or pay me not Yet the Lord payed him Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient to the death the death of the crosse Here is work followeth his wages call it merit or what else it s a reward and the end of his suffering which Christ both desired and intended as the fruit of his labours v. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every name Act. 5.21 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour Isa. 53.10 When he shall make his soul an offering for sin which was work hard enough he shall see his seed which was his souls desired wages he shall prolong his days the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in hand 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyl with strong that is an ample reward Follows his work because he hath powred out his soul unto death and he was numbred with the transgressours and bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours Hence his care to finish the work of him that sent him and to do his will Joh. 4.34 Joh. 17.4 Joh. 8.29 and as the Father loved so he rewarded the obedience of his Son not by necessity of nature but by a voluntary compact but he loves his obedience Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again Joh. 15.10 If ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love Nor can it be denied but
dwell in Immanuels land where dwels Jehovah in his beauty and where are the Golden Candlesticks and where there run Rivers of Wine and Milk such are Exspectants of Grace and Glory to such the Marriage Table is covered eat if they will But the parties contracters of the Covenant in the latter respect are Jer. 31. Heb. 8. only the house of Judah the taught of God the people in whose heart the Law is ingraven for as God teacheth not all Nations his statutes nor sends the Gospel to them Ps. 147.19 20. Act. 16. So neither is the promise of a new heart made to all within the Visible Chuch 2. A great difference there is in regard of the Covenant of Suretyship or Mediation that Christ undertakes not for such as are only visible Covenanters and shall never beleeve As he prayes not for such as High Priest so he dies not for them nor came as a designed Covenanting Saviour from eternity under an act of Cautionry for them How then cometh the Gospel to them Ans. It comes to them 1. Not from Christ as their Surety since he prays not for any Mediation of his own toward them But 2. for the Elects sake so Paul Act. 13.26 Men and brethren children of the stock of Abraham and who among you feareth God to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word of salvation to you and for your cause that ye may be saved is the Gospel sent 2 Corin. 4.15 For all things our suffering our dying are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your sake 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I indure all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Jesus Christ with eternall glory Hence there is no salvation but that which is in Christ Jesus our Lord the Author and Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and meriting Procurer of eternall salvation Hebr. 5.9 Now though salvation be offered yet the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and merited by the ransone and price of his blood can be decreed and intended in the Preached Gospel to none but to the elect except they say that Christ did undertake to lay down his life and to save by his death and blood by Covenant-ingaâ—gment all the Reprobate within the visible Church for whom he refuses to pray John 17. But Christ undertook from eternity for the fulfilling of the Covenant of Grace and bestowing salvation upon them for whom he is Surety for it is he who makes the new Covenant Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. Heb. 8.10 11. 3. There is a twofold consideration of Gods will One is called his approving commanding and forbidding will when God reveals to us what is our obligation and duty and what is morally good and to be done because he commands it and what is morally evill and to be eschewed because he forbids it Now whether this good or evill shall come to passe or never come to passe it is all one as to the nature of the approving will of God for though the repenting of Cain and saving faith of the traitour Judas never came to passe yet it is the duty of the one and the other to repent and beleeve and the Lord commands and approves their obedience as good though he never decreed by his good pleasure that the obedience of Cain and Judas should come to passe But his will of pleasure his discerning will or his counsell purpose or decree is his pleasure and appointment of things not as good and evill or as agreeable unto or repugnant and contrair to an equal and just command of God but of things as they come to passe or shall never come to passe Hence in a premissive decree God appointed the crucifying of the Lord of Life the not breaking of a bone of Christ but he did never will the crucifying of his Son but forbids and hates it as execrable murther as touching his approving will in a word his commanding will is of things lawfull or unlawfull what we who are under a Law ought to do or not to do His will of pleasure is of things fixed and resolved upon what he purposes good or evill shall come to passe or not come to passe And by the way we may make good use of the foul sinnes that fall out for holy and clean is that hand and counsell of the Lord Act. 2.27 28. which determined what Herod and Pilate should do Yet did the Jews with wicked hands slay and crucifie him Act. 2.23 And O what beauty of wisedom and mercy do they see here who make that foul work of the slayers of Christ the subject matter of a fair Psalm Rev. 5.12 The thousands before the Throne sing worthy is the Lamb that was slain But were they worthy who slew him was it a worthy fact in the murtherers of the Lord of Glory No but grudge not at the beauty of his work who over rules all but adore and praise Let us not wrestle with his holy dispensation and say Ah! What an untoward Government of the world is it that God should suffer Angels and Men to sin and overturn the whole fabrick of Heaven and earth by sin Nay he hath by their fall brought in a more glorious order When he that sitteth upon the Throne saith Behold I make all things new Rev. 21.5 and it s said 2 Pet. 3.13 Neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwels righteousnesse Peter and the Disciples were to pray that they should not enter into temptation Mat. 26.41 and were oblidged not to be offended and scattered by the sufferings of the Lord but they were not to blame and grudgingly to judge that holy decree Prophecied by Zechariah and revealed to themselves Zech. 13.7 Mat. 26.31 I will smite the Sheepherd and the Sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad His part is clean and holy even when he throwes the wicked in hell and they are oblidged to sing the Psalm of the glory of his spotlesse Justice and that eternally as these who are before the Throne are to hold up for all ages the new song of the glory of his mercy and free-grace This ground being laid down the Holy Ghost speaks of the New Covenant two wayes in Scripture 1. According to the approving will of God as it stands of promises precepts threatnings and showes both what God doth by promises and what we are oblidged to do in point of duty Act. 2.39 The promise is to you and to your children Act. 3.25 Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord And I will be a Father to you c. This is the whole New Covenant holding out our duty ordaining those that professe to be baptized received members of the Visible Church the body to be edified as a visibly Covenanted people This
break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench He was most compassionate to sinners inviting them to come Mat. 11.28 29. crying and shouting with a loud voice to the thirsty Joh. 7.37 journeyed from heaven to seek and to save the lost Luk. 19.10 came to serve them with his heart blood Mat. 20.28 his bowels were turned with compassion to perishing souls that wanted the feeding Pastors Mat. 9.36 He sighed deeply in his Spirit at the perverse unbeleef of his deadly enemies the Pharisees Mar. 8.12 wept and shed tears at the foreseen destruction of Jerusalem Mat. 23.37 Luk. 19.41 42. and yet that City slew him Loved as the tender Physician to be much in company with sick sinners Mat. 9.11 12. Luk. 15.1 2 3. Luk. 19.1 2 3 9 10. O what rejoicing when he layes the lost sheep on his shoulder Luk. 15.5 When v. 20. he sees the home-coming sinner he ran fell on his neck and had compassion upon him and kissed him and made a feast and sang and danced for joy There is no humility like his to wash the feet of his servants there is no patience like his who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 As a lamb dumb before the shâ—arer Isa. 53. How gaining of souls was he who preached in the Temple in the Synagogues in the Villages in the Ship at the Sea side at every Table he came to at every Feast at every confluence of people at every way side and stood still and talked with a woman and wanted his dinner upon that occasion And thought he dined well when he gained to the Lord the soul of a woman and of them of Samaria who hated him and refused to lodge him How faithfull and free in rebuking the Pharisees and Rulers and in declaring the truth of the Gospel that he was the Son of God though they attempted to stone him for his free Teaching None mortified to honour as he that refused to be a King Joh. 6.15 and was willing to be worse lodged then birds and foxes Mat. 8.20 and being rich for our cause became poor 2 Cor. 8.9 and endured the crosse despised the shame suffered the contradiction of sinners Heb. 12. and did run and fainted not And was he not a patern of love who laid down his life for his friends Joh. 15.10 even when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 He pleased not himself Rom. 15.3 honoured his Father Joh. 8. sought not his own glory v. 49.50 and saith true Job 5.30 I seek not mine own will but the will of him that sent me Joh. 8.29 I do alwayes these things that please him He faithfully expounded the Law Mat. 5. refuted heresies Mat. 22. glorified God with his miracles he was subject to his Parents Luk. 2.51 payed tribute to the Prince himself Mat. 17.27 and taught others to obey lawfull Governours Mat. 22.21 would not usurpe the place of a Judge Luk. 12. v. 13 14. and witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate 1 Tim. 6.13 and was for that cause born and for that end came he into the world that he might bear witnesse unto the truth Joh. 18.37 none so self-denied he pleased not himself sought not his own glory nor his own ease nor his own will but submitted to the will of God In all which we are 1. to look upon Christ who went about doâ—ing good Act. 10. as one who 1. was Covenant-wise designed of God and anointed with the Holy Ghost and power to do what he did and to be what he was for our good and it s much for the establishing of our faith that Christ was all this for our salvations sake by counsell and Covenant These gracious qualifications Christ-God undertook to have for our good and they were not given to Christ as personall and proper for himself but as head for we may here distinguish the grace of the person and the grace of head-ship though they must not be divided But as the light and heat of the Sun is not if we may so speak private or personall for the Sun it self but for the earth and all that live and grow out of the earth that need the influences of the Sun and have eyes to injoy the light thereof The water of the fountain is not for that hole or cave of the earth from whence the fountain doth issue but it is very often to 〈◊〉 in streaâ—â— to be a river for the use of the whole land All these excellencies and graces are in Christ not as his to speak so personall induements but as the publick treasure that we may receive of his fulnesse We should think it a strange exorbitancy in nature if all the trees flowers herbs on earth should refuse to receive influences and growing from the Sun and deny to be oblidged to the Sun for light and heat and our unwillingnesse to receive from Christ the publick grace that is made his by Covenant when a publick conâ—ignation by compact is made for our good proclaims our unbeleef and our wicked estrangement from Christ as if we had said let Christ be gracious for Christ only I shall not be his debtâ—r Nor is it from the naturall connexion between head and members or because simply Christ is man as we are though the humanity be ground thereof nor is it because Christ simply is anointed with the fulnesse of the Spirit for he is head of the body and Lord Generall Captain of his people noâ— by nature only not because of grace simply but by Covenant-purchase Rom. 14.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living There 's a Covenant between the Father and the Son that Christ should die not simply but for and in the name of the heirs of glory such as are designed friends for his dying is a relative and a legall binding and buying by Covenant of so many certain persons and upon this he is made Head and Prince and exalted to give of his fulnesse to give repentance and forgivenesse of sins to the house of Israel Act. 5.30 31. Ah! how do we love to be beholdâ—â— to nature to self for Heathen and Pagan vertues by education and morall exercise which is but wild corn and we seâ— not how unwilling we are to trade with Christ or to buy from him fine gold yet it was given to him without measure as to the universall fountain and head for all his 2. All these are in Christ that he should be a living coppie which we must follow And he is a more lively example then the Gospel it self for Christ is the acted Gospel And if ye look on Christ loving beleeving hoping praying there comes more life and warmnesse from his actions then from the word when we consider that as God would have the
all threatnings and promises we are not to believe that though we sin we shall actually quoad eventum die and though we obey and beleeve wee are not to beleeve that GOD shall fulfill his promise and that our salvation shall come to passe only we are to believe jure that we deserve to die and that we shall have eternall life jure promissionis but not actually and according to the event Answ. Something is to be said of the threatnings then of the promises As touching the sense we are to beleeve In the threatnings conditionall as yet fourty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed and in that day thou eats thou shalt surely die in thy person and all thine the first and second death we are not to believe the event nor is it carnall security not to beleeve such an event we are only to have a godly fear and to tremble at the dreadfuâ—l deserving of such threatnings legall as alway are to be exponed and beleeved by all within the Visible Church with an Evangelick exception of repentance If therefore Adam did beleeve that he and all his should in their own persons actually suffer the first and second death and that irrecoverably he had no warrand for any such belief and the like may be said of Nineveh For when the Lord said in the day that thou eats thou shalt die the first and second death thou and all thy children personally His meaning was except I provide an Evangelick remedy and a Saviour Godly fear trembles more at the darkning of the glory of the Lord in a broken Law then at the event of inflicted wrath were it even Hells fire Obj. Adam was to beleeve no such exception Answ. True Because it was not revealed nor was he to beleeve the contrary that he should irrecoverably and eternally perish because that was not revealed But the threatning of the Law doth not deny the Evangelick remedy as it neither doth affirme it Obj. Then was Adam to believe it was true which the Serpent said ye shall not surely die quoad eventum but ye shall be as Gods living and knowing good and evill Ans. Neither doth that follow for in the meaning of the liar it was not true that they should not die either by deserving for Satan brangles the equity and righteousness of the Law and threatning or actually and in the event for both were false and neither revealed and faith is not to go beyond what is revealed of God And Sathan disputed against both the equity of the threatning as if it had been unjust in Law and against the event as a fiction and a thing that should not come to passe in the event which indeed did not come to passe but not according to the Serpents lying and false principles Obj. Was then Adam to despair and to beleeve nothing of a Saviour Ans. He was not obliged to despaire but to rely by vertue of the first Commandement of the Decalogue upon God infinitly powerfull mercifull gracious and wise to save for that was revealed and written in his heart and that is far from despairing But in the intervall between the fall and the Lords publishing the blessed Gospel and news of the seed to come he was so to trust in God for possible deliverance in generall as the Law of Nature requireth but he was to beleeve nothing of unrevealed particulars far lesse of the mystery of the Gospel which was kept secret since the world began Rom. 16.25 Obj. Then may also the damned in Hell who are not loosed from their obligation to the Law of Nature and the first Command be obliged to rely on an infinite and Almighty God for their deliverance for they are not obliged to despair nor is there an obligation to any sin Ans. There is not the like reason for though the damned be not loosed from the Law of Nature but are to rely upon God in his whole al-sufficiency yet with exception of his revealed Justice and Truth Now he hes expresly revealed that their worm never dieth and their fire never goeth out And to believe that is not to despaire Obj. What are then such Heathens to beleeve as touching that threatning who never heard of the Gospel Ans. They are under the Law of Nature and to beleeve that sin deserves wrath according to the infinitnesse of the Majesty against whom it is committed and to obey the Law of Nature and read the Book of the Creation carefully But and if the news and rumor of a Saviour come to their ears their sin cannot but be Evangelick in not pursuing the reality and truth of such a soveraign remedy Yet it is not to be thought that though the Gospel be come to all Nations Rom. 16.26 that that is to be meant 1. Of every Generation of all Nations Or 2. of the individuall persons either young or come to age of every Nation under Heaven experience and Scripture speaketh against both Obj. But is not the Covenant of Grace contrary to the Law and Covenant of Works Answ. A diversity there is but contrary wills in the holy Lord cannot be asserted Yea the Gospel may be proven out of the Law and from the first Commandement of the Decalogue if any act of the Lords free will and infinite wisedome shall be added to prove the Assumption So If the first Command teach that God is infinitely wise mercifull gracious just and able to save then if so it please him he shall save But the first Command teacheth the former And the Gospel revealing the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 expresly saith so much Ergo. As to the promises they contain not only the jus equity and goodnesse of the thing promised but also that the Lord shall actually perform yea and intends to perform what he hath promised upon condition that we perform the required condition And in this the promises differ not a little from these threatnings that are only threatnings of what God may do in Law but not from these threatnings which are both threatnings and also Propheticall predictions of what shall come to passe therefore must we here difference betwixt threatnings and such and such threatnings The promises are considered as they are Preached and anunciated to all within the Visible Church and as they are made in the intention of God with the Elect and Sons of the promise The same way the threatnings admit of a two-fold consideration The promises to the Elect as intended of God reveal that both the Lord minds to give the blessing promised and the condition that is grace to perform the condition and so they are promises Evangelick both in the matter and in the intention of the Lord But as proponed to the reprobate who are alwayes from their birth to their death under a Covenant of Works really as touching the LORDS holy Decree they are materially Evangelick promises but formally and in the Lords intention legall as every dispensation to
them is legall forasmuch as the Lord hath decreed to deny the grace by which they may or can fulfill the condition of the promise which is proper to the Law as it is peculiar to the Gospel that the Lord both gives the mercy promised and also the grace to fulfill the condition of the promise The threatnings to beleevers especially such as are legall if you beleevers fall away ye shall eternally perish are to beleevers though materially legall peremptorie and admit no exception yet they are formally and in the Lords intention directed to them upon an Evangelick intention nor do they say that the Lord intends and decrees that they shall eternally perish for he hath predestinate them to the contrary to wit to grace and glory Ephes. 1.4 Nor that he wills that they should beleeve either their eternall damnation or their finall and totall falling away which inevitably leads thereunto For they knowing that they are in Christ 2 Cor. 13.5 Rom. 8.16 17. and freed from condemnation Rom. 8.1 are to beleeve the contraire of the former to wit life eternall John 4.24 1 Thes. 5.9 John 3.16 and the contraire of the latter to wit the promise of perseverance made to them Jer. 32.39 40. Isa. 59.21 John 10.27 28. John 17.20 21. 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Mat. 16.16 17 19. Therefore these threatnings are not to be beleeved by the regenerate as certainly to come to passe in their persons but only as Law-motives to presse them to work out their salvation in fear and trembling and to cleave so much the closser to Christ as the condition of such as are under the Law is apprehended to be dreadfull But reprobats and unbeleevers are not to beleeve that God decrees and intends to them the thing promised and grace to perform the condition but only to beleeve their obligation to fiduciall relying upon and Gospel-faith in God revealed in the Mediator and that if they continue in a way of opposing Christ they not only deserve by Law which Law-deserving also beleevers are to apprehend to be broken but actually and quoad eventum shall eternally perish Believers are to believe the Decree of God to save them though they hear the threatnings for it s revealed But the Reprobate are to beleeve only the sense and Law-deserving and event of the threatning if they repent not but are to beleeve no decree to save them CHAP. IV. The Elect non-converted are not under Law-wrath 2. Faith is no cause of satisfaction 3. Christ can not have satisfied for the sins of the Reprobate WHether the Elect unconverted be under wrath is a doubt to many It is true they are servants of sin Rom. 6.17 Blind and under the power of Satan as Reprobats are Acts 26.18 By nature children of wrath even as others Eph. 2.3 Ans. Their sins committed before their Conversion are according to the Covenant of Works such as deserve everlasting condemnation and they are jure and in relation to that Covenant heirs of wrath as well as others 2. But we must distinguish between a state of election and everlasting though unseen love that they are under as touching their persons and a state of a sinfull way that they are born in and walk in as others do untill they be converted As to the former state it is true which is said Ier. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love See also Rom. 9.12 13. Eph. 1.4 so that God never hates their persons 3. The punishment of their sins and the wrath they are under is two wayes considered 1. Materially in the bulke and so they are under Law-stroaks and Law-wrath that is Law-punishment as others are Eph. 2.3 and so the other places are to be taken 2. The wrath is to be considered formally and so it is denyed that the punishment of the non-converted elect because of their sinfull way is any part of the Law-vengeance or curse which Christ did bear for their other sins committed by them after conversion 1. Because when Christ saith Iohn 5.4 The beleever hath passed from death as it is a curse and shall never come to judgement and condemnation he cannot mean that they have half passed from the curse and half not 2. Beleevers are delivered in Christ from the victory sting power of sin curse of the Law and every curse that is in affliction and from condemnation not in part only but in whole Else their triumph were but in part contrair to 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56. Hos. 13.14 Isa. 25.8 Nor should they be washen from all their sins and the spots thereof in his blood if they might wash themselves from any spot by bearing a part of the Law-curse in themselves contrair to Can. 4.7 Jer. 50.20 Joh. 1.28 1 Joh. 1.8 Rom. 8.1 3. What ever Christ was made for the redeemed ones that he was made fully for them in part and in whole for he is their perfect Saviour But Gal. 3.13 He is made a curse for us and able to save to the outmost all that come to him Heb. 7.25 Therefore the half or a part of satisfactory vengeance cannot be upon us and the other half on Christ for this is to make men and Martyrs joint satisfiers of justice with Christ by their own blood and sufferings to prevent the scaddings of purgatory For though we teach against Antinomians that the Godly are punished for sins according to Justice yet that is Evangelick not law-justice for they bear not one dram weight of satisfactory wrath and curse jointly with Christ Antinomians say that sin root and branch is taken away in Justification so that there is no sin nor punishment for sin in the justified man 4. The beleevers are blessed through Jesus Christ Gal 3.10 13. Psal. 32.1 2. Rom. 4.6 Psal. 2.12 Psal. 119.1 Their afflictions and death blessed precious in the eyes of the Lord not qualified with any Law-curse Job 5.17 Psal. 94.12 Mat. 5.6 Luk. 6.22 1 Pet. 1.6 1 Pet. 4.13 Psal. 21.3 4 5 6. Psal. 34.17 18 19. Rev. 14.13 Psal. 116.15 Psal. 72.14 Psal. 37.37 and they are asleep in Christ die in the Lord 1 Thes. 4.14 16. Nor can Antinomians and Socinians say this is under the New-Testament for dying Jacob saith Gen. 49.18 Lord I have waited for thy salvation Isa. 57.1 2. When the righteous man is taken away he shall enter into peace the Lord is the God of Abraham Isaak and Jacob when their bodies are rotten Exod. 3.6 Mat. 22.32 5. This comes too near the opinion of these who make faith a cause of satisfaction for sin as they must teach who hold that Christ payed a ransome on the crosse for the sins of all and every one For that which added maketh satisfaction to be counted and formally reckoned as satisfaction in order to the expiation of the mans sins so that by no justice he can suffer for them and which being removed maketh the payed satisfaction and ransome though never taken back again
the transient Law-dispensation and to set up Christ. 2. The Lord of purpose gave a positive Law forbidding eating of such a Tree added a threatning thereunto particularly suffered the Serpent to tempt and forsaw what frail nature would do that he might deal with man in a dispensation of free grace Obj. Did not God ordain that Adam should have life and righteousnesse if he should continue in obedience Ans. That was a decree conditionall of things the man that does these things shall live and showes the equitie and holinesse of the Law but it was not a decree of persons by which God predestinated Adam to a Law-glory as the end and to Law-obedience as the effectuall means leading to that end Q. Was not Adam chosen Ans. Adam according to the Lords designe finaliter objectivè was created in the state of predestination to glory and grace in Christ as touching his person but according to his inherent condition he was created in a legall dispensation which was a gracious inlet to Christ And according to his Law-state as he represented all mankinde he was Created as a lubrick and frail Coppie of weak nature Many who are such as are not chosen are Created and live under a Covenant of Works having onely some concomitant favours of the Gospel as the Preaching thereof 2. Common grace inward warnings 3. Protections of providence and forbearance in regard they are mixed with the Elect. The heathen cannot be said to have any inward calling to Grace and Glory because there be some remanents of the Image of God left in them which no more can be called universall Grace then the same sparkles that are left in Devils can be called Gospel Grace for they believe There is one God and confesse the Son of God Jam. 2.19 Luk. 4.34 Mark 1.24 Only if this be called Grace that the nature of man is so capable of Gospel mercy and the nature of the fallen Angels morallie not so 2. The offer is made to them of Christ not so to Devils we shall not contend Reason may seeme to say that all should have a share of Gospel-Grace but it may be replyed to reason why should it seeme to be a part of the goodnesse and bounty of God to will and desire all and every one to be saved and not to institute such a dispensation as all and every one should actuallie be saved 2. How should that stand he hath mercy on whom he will if free-will of the creature absolutely dispose of Salvation and damnation 3. How is it that the Calling Adoption and the offer of mercy is restricted to few and was confined to the Jews only of old But we are more ready to call the Lord to a reckoning for his dispensation of Grace to others then to use our own as becomes us 2. We cannot judge aright of God and of his goodnes except he be God our very way 3. It is a matter of no small difficultie to make right use of the Lords freedome of Grace and for clay humblie to adore Soveraigntie and not to stumble at the highnesse of his wayes who in these points hath wayes and thoughts above ours as the heavens are above the earth Isa. 55. CHAP. VI. It was condescension in the Lord to enter in Covenant with man 2. Temptations in fearing we are not chosen discovered 3. Beings and not beings are debtors to God 4. Self denyall required in sinlesse nature as in sinfull 5. Man considered three wayes WHither was God under an obligation to make a Covenant with man Hardly can any maintain the dominion and Soveraigntie of God and also assert an obligation on the Lords part of working upon the creature The Lord is debtor to neither person nor things He as Lord commands but it is condescension that he commands Covenant-wayes with promise of a reward to the obeyer The Leviathan in strength is far above Job he cannot command him Job 14.4 Will he make Berith a Covenant with thee wilt thou take him for a servant for ever That is the Leviathan will not engadge as a servant to obey Iob as his master A Covenant speaks something of giving and taking work and reward and mutuall engagements betwixt parties though there be something in the Covenant between God and man that is not in the Covenants of men The rationall creatures owe suitable that is rationall obedience to the Creator but God is under no obligation to give life especially so excellent a life as a communion with God in glory yet he does it What a God must he be who will come downe and put himself in a lovely and gaining capacitie to be a Covenanting debtour to our feeble obedience whereas he ows nothing and to make heaven and glory so sure to us that the heavens should sooner break and melt like snow before the Sun then his promise can fail Obj. True but faith is fixed upon the new Covenant-promise if I believe Ans. Yea but faith here is to believe that the condition it self is promised as well as the reward Obj. The condition of a new heart and of faith is promised but not to all not to me but to some few chosen only Ans. There be here a number of errors 1. Unbelief foments proud merite that we are to believe as much of God promised as there is conceived to be worth in self and in me to fulfill the condition But true faith contrare to self-unworthinesse relyes upon the Truth of God the excellencie of Christ and the absolutenesse of the promise 2. Sathan like a Sophist drawes the dispute to the weakest conclusion from the strongest to wit from the promise of God that is surer then heaven to the state against which there is a greater number of Topick Arguments then there can be against the promise of God As 1. What am I 2. Am I chosen or not So Sathan to Christ if thou be the Son of God command these stones to be made bread in point of beleeving its better that faith expatiate in viewing God Christ the Ransome of the blood of God-Man the depth of free grace then upon self and the state in point of repenting and humble down-casting we would read self and our own estate 3. It s Satan and the unbeleeving heart that would have our faiths greatnesse rising from selfs holinesse and goodnesse Whereas the greatest faith that Christ finds Mat. 8.10 looks away from self v. 8. I am not worthy and dwells much upon the Omnipotency of Christ in commanding diseases as a Centurian his Souldiers 4. When unbelief quarrels the Lord as untrue and weak who faints and wearies and one that is not the Creator of the ends of the earth it alledges only and pretends self-guiltinesse to justifie unbelief Yet Isa 40.28 though God be reproached as weak we seem to resolve all in this our own unworthinesse but we cannot get our faith stately enough and the truth is here we quarrell
confirmed Angels and holy as the Man Christ and brought them so to glory should he not have been God in that case and should he have lost his naturall dominion over men in that case 4. The dominion of God over men is not only in one particular of penall Laws it is in remunerative Laws also in giving predeterminating influences to obey and persevere in obedience in not leading into temptation in hyring and alluring us to serve God in terrifying men with examples of the Lords Judgements on others he spared not the Angels c. 2 Pet. 2.4 Jud. 6. and therefore to say that God falls from his naturall dominion over man and leaves off to be God except he impose penall Laws upon men is first an errour in Logick à negatione speciei ad negationem generis nulla est consequentia If God have not a dominion over man in one particular of penall Laws he falls from his whole dominion naturall in other things It is an undue inference 2. It cannot be but too darring to tye the blessed God-head and his essentiall dominion over man to only making of penall Laws it smells of Scripturelesse boldnesse with the most High and limits the Holy One that he cannot be God except he be God in our way And saith he hath no way to preserve his glory but by creating a Hell And therefore let that stand as an unproven position since it hath no probation The reason that is given is as weak as the weak conclusion Though water may bear up water yet it cannot support the earth For 1. it saith if man be created a reasonable creature under a Law he may sin intercidi potuit obedientiâ and he may be created under a Law with perfect morall dependence upon God Creator as the Elect Angels and the Man Christ and yet never sin and yet God falls not from his dominion and leaves not off to be God 2. This lookes somewhat the Arminian way that man cannot be under the subjection of properly so called Morall obedience except his will be indifferent as Adams was to stand or fall to run to Heaven or Hell which indeed saith that the most perfect obedience of Christ who was obedient to the death Phil. 2.8 and delighted to do the will of God Psal. 40.8 John 4.34 is no proper obedience that is perfect obedience is not proper obedience And that obedience of Elect Angels the samplar of our obedience Mat. 6.10 Isa. 6.2 3. Psal. 103.20 is not proper obedience 3. Whereas it is said if man sin his morall dependency cannot stand except God punish him but so not only God shall not be God nor have dominion over man except he impose a penall Law upon man but he shall not be God except he actually punish man or his surety Christ. But the same pen saith that the out-goings of justice are free that is to say it is free to God to punish sin and yet he falls from his naturall dominion over man and leaves off to be God if he punish not sin But we do deny that God falls from his naturall dominion over man though he never impose a penall Law upon him and never punish and desire that this may be proven nor is it imaginable how God by necessity of nature must punish sin And yet in the way measure and degree of punishment and in the time when he can use moderation Which is as good as to say the fire must by necessity of nature burn the Sun cast light But the fire hath free will to burn when it pleaseth and at this time and not at this time and the Sun must shine by necessity of nature but it is free to shine at ten hours of the day and not at twelve and it may shine as bright as the Sun or as dimme as the Moon Or God the Father loves himself but it is free to him to love himself to day not to morrow and to love himself so much not so much And so he may say God is so mercifull and just to day as he may be no merciful no just to morrow and God is infinitly mercifull and just and yet he is lesse mercifull and more mercifull essentially according to his good pleasure which are speaking contradictions Yea this is that which misjudging Suarez saith that the creature may do a reall injurie to God and take away from God jus Dei ad gloriam his right to glory but the truth is the creature by sin darkeneth or overcloudeth his declarative glory but can take away no essentiall glory nor any reall right or reall good from God so Elihu Job 39.6 If thou sinnest what dost thou against him If thy transgressions be multiplied what dost thou to him To take his declarative glory from God is no lose to him no more then it is lose to the Sun that ye hinder it to shine upon the wall when yet ye take no light from the Sun for it shines upon an interposed body Job 35.8 Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profite the Son of man It is needfull say some that God preserve his own glory safe but if sin be without infliction of punishment it is impossible that he can defend his owâ— glory Ergo of necessity he must punish sin The proposition is out of controversie for all confesse that God must preserve his own glory 〈◊〉 by necessity of nature he must do so quoniam seipsum non potest non amare Because he cannot but love himself and he hath said my glory will I not give to another To this is answered the glory internall eternall and essentiall to God the Lord must defend and love as he loves himself by necâ—ssity of nature and if any say that the egressions and out-goings of God to defend and love his own essentiall Glory and his own holy Nature so as he may use moderation in the degrees and time of these and he may love himself and his own essentiall glory more or lesse and touching the time he may delay to love himself and he may love himself and his own essentiall glory to morrow not to day As the Author sayes the out-goings of revenging justice are moderated in punishing he speaks wonders and things unworthy of God The place Isa. 42. speaks not of this glory for no idol no creature can more take away from the Almighty this essentiall glory of God nor his blessed Nature can cease to be but there is a glory declarative of pardoning mercie as well as of revenging justice It must be a carnall conception and a new dream that God by necessity of nature loves himself as cloathed with revenging justice or as just and his own glory of revenging justice but that God loves himself as mercifull and ready to forgive or his own glory of pardoning mercie freely and by no necessity of nature Which the Author must say for the place Isa. 45.
should otherwise bear this sense my glory of revenging justice only I will not give to Idol gods and creatures But the place of Isa. ch 42.8 should not conclude but they might ascribe the glory of salvation and mercifull deliverances and victories over Judah the Temple the Sanctuary to their idol gods the contrair whereof is intended by the Prophet But if the Lord by necessity of nature love his declarative glory as he loves himself then he must love glory of one attribute as well as of another and so as his Nature not freedome or soveraignty puts him to it to defend the glory of justice when man sins Yea so as he cannot be God and essentially just except he vindicat his glory of justice Yea so he must love the glory of saving and pardoning mercy as himself for the one glory is no lesse essentiall to God if it be essentiall at all then the other And by this means God by necessity of nature to preserve safe the glory of saving mercie must send his Son and by the like necessity by which he loves himself he must redeem man Now the Lord does not love himself of free grace for he every way for the infinite excellency of his Nature is love-worthy and there is no interveening of freedome or free grace or soveraignty in the Lords loving of himself and his own essentiall glory There is a declarative glory which is not essentiall to God of which the Scripture Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself that is for his glory to be declared Eph. 1.6 He hath chosen us to the praise of the glory of his grace v. 11. In Christ we have obtained an inheritance 1â— That we should be to the praise of his glory Rom. 11.36 All things are to him to his glory Isa. 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise All these are to be understood not of the essentiall glory of God but of the declarative glory of God that shines ad extra And this glory is not essentiall to God as so declared for he was infinitly glorious from eternity and should eternally be essentially glorious though neither world nor man nor Angel had been created And the meaning of that Isai. 42.8 is mistaken the length of the Heaven toto Coelo It is not this as I love my self so by necessity of nature I will and desire that my glory due to me as God be not given to idol gods and creatures 1. What by necessitie of nature God wills that certainly and by necessitie of nature is and existeth as he loveth himself and his Son by necessitie of nature and begets his Son by necessitie of nature so also by necessitie of nature God is loved and the Son of God is loved and the Son is by necessitie of nature begotten of the Father But it is most untrue that by necessitie of nature the Glory of God is not transferred to Idol gods and creatures The Scriptures cry the contrare When ever Idolatrie is committed Isa. 40. and 41. Isa. 46. Rom. 1. Acts 17. his Glory declarative is given most sinfully to another against his approving will 2. What ever sin God forbids he forbids the existence of it by his approving will not by necessitie of nature for if God essentially and by nature willed that sin and Idolatrie should never be he would efficaciouslie hinder it But what God wills by his commanding will we see he does not efficaciouslie hinder the existence thereof For then sin and Idolatrie should not be at all nor have any existence which is contrare to Scripture and experience And surely if God love his declarative Glory essentially as himself he must essentially no lesse love to keep this glory when Angels and men do obey him and to hinder the taking away of this Glory by sin then to revenge the taking away of this glory by punishment for every sin against a positive Law to eat of the tree of knowledge or for the Jews to eat swines flesh before Christ abolished such Lawes as well as sins against the Law of nature are contrare to the Glory of God and so contrare to that essentiall love that God hath to his Glory and to the Glory of the Lord the Law-giver himself Ergo by necessitie of nature because he cannot but love himself he should preserve his legislative Glory it is as properly and essentiallie the Glory of God which he requires of us in doing his will as the Glory of suffering punishment for sin committed is his Glory therefore by necessitie of nature because God cannot but love himself he should essentially hinder sin And if God absolve the guiltie where is the Glory of his justice True it should be lost so when God suffers the Angels to fall and Adam to sin where is the Glory of his legislative Majesty it is lost so far God is oblidged to defend the Glory of his Justice say and prove that he is oblidged by necessitie of nature to defend the Glory of his Justice more then by the same necessitie he must defend his legislative Glory 3. God must defend all his Glory with the same necessitie except the Scripture make some exception of some Glory which he must preserve as dearer to him then some other Glory which is unwarrantable to say and if God must by necessitie of nature and as God because naturally he loves himself and his own Glory defend his own Glory then by necessitie of nature he must defend the Glory of all his Attributes of Holinesse Graciousnesse Greatnâ—sse Omnipotencie Eternitie Infinite knowledge c. that the Glory of not one of these be taken from him by sin And because the Lord maketh and worketh all that he doth without himself in the creature for his own Glory Prov. 16.4 Rev. 4.11 Rom. 11.36 in all that he doth he must by necessitie of nature love his own Glory quoniam seipsum non potest non amare because he loves himself Ergo by this ground the Lord doth nothing freely without himself and so the Lord makes not the rain to fall the tree to bud the sea to ebbe the wind to blow the fowls to flee the fishes to swim for the declaration of the Glory of his goodnesse or his power or his mercy his holinesse with any freedome but all these he must do for Glory to himself by necessitie of nature which Glory he loves as himself for his Glory in all he doth without he loveth by necessitie of nature as he loves himself saith the Author And therefore as he cannot preserve the Glory of his Justice but by punishing sin and that by necessitie of nature so he cannot preserve the Glory of the rest of all his Attributes which Glory also he loves as himself but by doing all without himself in like maner by necessitie of nature which utterly destroyes the libertie and freedome of God in all his works of Providence and
Creation and so God shall be a naturall agent in all his works without himself not a free agent in Creating and Redeeming 4. The Scripture sayes he works all things according to the counsell of his will for his Glory and therefore he intends not his own declarative Glory as he loves himself For by necessitie of nature he loves himself and cannot but love himself But he might if so it had pleased him never have intended to shew forth his own Glory and does not show it forth by necessitie of nature as he loves himself Yea he might never have created the world never have acted without himself For he was sufficient within himself and stood in need of no declarative Glory Gen. 17.1 Acts 17.25 5. Yea if by necessitie of Justice God cannot but punish sin especially this justice shall cary him to follow the Law of Works without any Gospel moderation which is that the same person that sins and the same soul Ezek. 18. and no other should die for sin for all these Thou shalt destroy all the workers of iniquitie Thou art of purer eyes then that thou can behold iniquitie and the like are expressions of a pure legall proceeding in the Lord against such as are out of Christ under the Law not under the Gospel to wit the workers of iniquity whom the Lord in justice shall punish in their person not in their surety And if there be such a connexion objective ex naturâ rei between sin and punishment it must be between punishment and the very person and none other but the same that sinned For among men this is justice Noxa sequitur caput so that by necessitie of nature God shall not be God nor essentially just if he punish not eternally Adam and all mankinde in their own persons and so by necessitie of justice he cannot punish Christ And it cannot be denyed but there is a dispensation of free Grace and that it is no act of Justice but of Grace that God make Christ sin i. e. a sacrifice for sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And that the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all Isa. 53.6 and made him our surety Nor let any man object how could God make Christ a propitiation for sin to declare his righteousnesse Or how could such justice by that action be debarred since justice did not exact such an action If without violation of justice it might have been omitted if God should have been infinitely just from Eternitie if he had done no such thing Shall a Prince get himself glory in the name of justice by doing that which by his absolute Soveraignety he may leave undone without hurt of justice It is Answered this is to measure God by mortall men Shall an earthly father freely for no reall good to himself beget hundreds of children when he needs not and yet he foresees the largest number of them shall perish eternally and the eldest must die and be made a curse to save the rest The Lord punished Christ for us to declare the glory of his Justice in punishing sin in his own Son who was the sinner by imputation for out of the depth of infinite wisedome the Lord freely imposes a law upon his creatures He might have imposed no such law under such a punishment By no necessity of nature did the Lord threaten death for the eating the fruit of that tree prove that God should not have been God except he had threatned death for the eating of that fruit and except he had punished that eating with death either to be inflicted upon the eater or his surety Quid haeres Prove that by the Word of God it is sin to eat when God forbids but the Lords soul hates sin True but does the Lords soul hate sin naturally as he loves himself and by necessity of his essentiall justice as contradistinguished from his immutabilitie and his truth and faithfulnesse according to which attributes he decreed and said that the soul that sins shall die and he that eats shall die and he cannot change nor alter what he hath decreed and cannot but be true in his threatnings But the Question is whether laying aside the respect of Gods unchangeablenesse and truth there be such a connexion internall between eating and dying or between eating forbidden of God and punishment as God cannot be equally and essentially just nor can he be God except he punish forbidden eating for sure eating of that fruit is not of its nature sin but it is sin from the only forbidding will of God for the Lord had been no lesse essentially just had he commanded Adam to eat of the Tree of Knowledge Ergo it is punished from the forbidding will of God for say that to be punishable or to be punished be essentiall to sin if eating of such fruit be sin from the forbidding will of God the essence thereof must be from the same forbidding will then must it follow that God hates not all sin by necessity of nature And that he hates such eating only conditionally if he forbid it but 〈◊〉 from his meer free will did forbid it So the Question shall not be whether God in justice punished Christ and made him a propitiation to declare his justice but what the relative justice ad extra is by which God punisheth sin and whether God should leave off to be God hallowed be his high Name if he should not make first penall Laws to threaten all sin with punishment 2. Whether he should not be God if he should not punish all sin even the eating of the forbidden tree 3. What can be said that is more weak and watrie to enervat the glory of free Grace then to confound the Glory of Gods Justice in giving Christ to die for sinners and this glory as manifested and declared For sure the manifestation of that glory is a work of free Grace and most free if God do any thing freely he must freely and by no necessity of Justice Mercy Omnipotency Patience Grace c. manifest the glory of all these to men and Angels and these attributes and the internall splendor beauty or to speak so the fundamentall glory of all the attributes of God is essentiall to God and his very Nature And they deny the Lord who teach that any attributes or such glory are in God freely or contingently if I durst so speak for then might we say these may go and come ebbe and flow in the Lord and he should be God though Mercy Omnipotency Gloriousnesse Graciousnesse were now and then wanting in him as he punishes not alway◠and yet he is eternally just he saves not alwayes and yet he is eternally mighty to save and abundant in compassions but as to the manifestation of Power Mercy Justice that is freely in God He sent his Son and gave his Son to death for us out of love Iohn 3.16 But it is against common sense to infer Ergo God sent
his Son by necessity of love and mercy and free Grace So that he should not have been infinitly loving mercifull gracious if he had never sent him And it is as poor Logick to say because of grace and free-love he sent his Son and so might not have sent him as to say he loved where there was no need it is in vain to shew the glory of Justice saith the Author when God can take away sin out of free-pleasure and why should he expose his Son to shame death and a curse whereas he might have taken away sin freely because it is his pleasure This is the very thing that Socinians say there is no need of blood and satisfaction by blood if God out of his absolute Soveraignty can take sin away without blood and so there was no need of reall satisfaction This is against the Holy Ghost and we may hear it All the Scriptures cryes that out of free grace the Lord sent his Son and delivered him to death By the grace of God He tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 Shall we infer there was then no necessity that he should die It is safest to say the only wise God decreed that sin should be 2. That the glory of his Justice should appear in taking away sin not in our way but in the way of God to wit in a way of justice of mercy of free grace in incomparable love of mighty power and in all these so acts the Lord as he should not leave off to be the Lord but acts most freely though he had not taken that course But far be it from the godly not to adore him in this as the admirable way beyond the thoughts of men and Angels It were safest to draw holy practises by way of use from this In all pactions between the Lord and man even in a Law-Conant there is some out-breakings of Grace It s true there was no Gospel-Grace that is a fruit of Christs merite in this Covenant But yet if grace be taken for undeserved goodnesse There are these respects of grace 1. That God might have given to Adam something inferiour to the glorious Image of God that consists in true righteousnesse knowledge of God and holinesse Gen 1.26 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 It was a rich enough stock this holy Image to be so badly guided And who looks spiritually to their receipts It s either too much of grace and holinesse that another hath and too little that I have so arises virtuall sighing and grudging at the dispensation Or 2. a swelling that it is so much as if it were not receiving I am holier then thou Isa. 65.5 a miskenning of him that makes me to differ 1 Cor. 4.7 A blecking of others Luk. 18.11 A secret quarrelling at God as too strick and hard in his reckoning Mat. 25.24 And what pride is this because I am a meer patient under gifted holinesse to usurpe it as mine own As if a horse should kick and fling because he wears a borrowed sadle of silk for a day 2. Being and dominion over the creatures is of undeserved goodnesse Who looks to a borrowed body and a borrowed soul yea and to self and to that which is called I as to a thing that is freely gifted So that though thou be in an high opinion of self self is self and what it is from God And when thou rides whence is it that I am the rider and the wearied horse the carrier but from God 3. The Covenant of Works it self that God out of Soveraignty does not command is undeserved condescending that God bargains for hire do this and live whereas he may bide a Soveraign Law-giver and charge and command us is overcoming goodnesse Law is honeyed with love and hire it is mercy that for our penny of obedience so rich a wadge as communion with God is given 4. The influences to acts of obedience come under a twofold consideration 1. As congruous and suitable concurrences of God to Adams acts of obedience And so they were free gifts to Adam not promised as we shall hear in the New Covenant 2. As such influences by which the standing Elect Angels who were under this Covenant as well as Adam were differenced from the Angels that fell and were confirmed that they should not fall in this latter respect Absolute Soveraignty shines in Adams fall so if a Sparrow cannot stir its wing without God Mat. 10.29 nor a hair fall from our head ver 30. far lesse could Adam fall and all his without a singular providence And farre lesse could Adam go on and act without influences from God And if strong Adam and upright created in holinesse could not then stand his alone Shall our clay legs now under the fall bear us up What Godly trembling is required in us 5. The gift of Prophesie Gen. 2.23 seems to be freely given besides the Image of God and Adams knowledge Gen. 2.19 of every living creature according to their nature may be proven but it appears to be naturall and he is a lamentable example to us of abusing the Image of God and good gifts But no habite without the continued actings of God can keep us in a course of obedience There is no ground to make habits of grace our confidence 3. There can be no giving and taking between the creature and the Creator Elihu pleads well for him Job 35.7 If thou be righteous what gives thou to him Or what receiveth he of thy hand v. 1. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profite the Son of man Job 22.2 Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself Is it pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous Or is it a gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect So Eliphaz And David Psal. 16.2 My goodnesse extendeth not to thee Acts 17.25 Neither is the Lord worshipped with mens hands nor with their spirits as if he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life breath and all things What then is the glory of the creatures obedience to him It is some shining of the excellency of God upon men and Angels from the works of God and our obedience to him But suppose there were no creature to pay the rent of this glory to him is the Lord a loser therefore Hath he need of our songs of glory Or that creatures should be Heraulds of his praise Or needs he the workmanship or structure of Heaven Sun and Moon to be a Printed Book to spell and sound his glory If he need not the Book as he needeth nothing created Who sayeth I am the Lord Al-sufficient he needs not one letter nor any sense of the Contents of the Chapters of that Book There is a secret carnall notion of God in us when we act and suffer for God that brings a false peace and some calmes of mind
we have pleased him once and beside that peace a scumme and a froath smoakes up unsensible in the heart we are profitable to God it would be the worse with him if he wanted our prayers and service but had the Lord any missing of Heaven and of Angels and Men in these infinite and innumerable ages of duration that went before any created being When he was upon these infinite and self-delighting thoughts solacing himself in that infinite substantial fairenesse and love his Son Christ Prov. 8.89.30 2. You can give nothing to God Creator of all but it must be either an uncreated God-head but he who perfectly possesseth himself will not thank you for that or your gift most be a created thing But how wide is his universall dominion can you give to one that of which he was absolute Lord before all the Roses are his all the Vineyards all the Mountains he is the owner of the South and the North of the East and the West and infinite millions of possible Worlds beyond what Angels and all Angels can number for eternitie of ages are in the bosome of his vaste Omnipotencie He can create them if hee will And what ye give to another it was out of his dominion but all things are in his dominion for who spoiled him of what he had David blessed the Lord when the people gave for the Temple excusing himself and the people that they took on them to give to the great Lord-giver 1 Chro. 29.11 Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glorie and the victorie and the majestie for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the Kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all vers 12. Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able so willingly to offer after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Hence none can give to Gd. 1. Because he is JEHOVAH the Eternall God then he gives all and nothing can be given to him 2. Because of the greatnesse and infinitenesse of God Giving is an adding to him to whom we give But nothing can be added to him for thine is the greatnesse the power and the majestie 3. Nothing can be given to him who is universall and full Lord and Possessour of heaven and earth and all things therein for all that is in the heaven c are thine 4. Nothing can be given to him who is so Lord that he is exalted as Head Prince and King above all created Kings and their dominions over their own 5. But all the goods of the Subjects are the Princes or the Commonwealths The Jurists distinguish as the Schoolman Theod. Smising Tom. 1. de Deo tractat 3. disp 4. q. 5. fig. 65. a two-fold jus jus altum jus bassum The Prince and Commonwealth have a sort of eminent right to the goods of the Subjects to dispose of them for the publick good as they may demolish a castle belonging to a private man in the frontiers of the enemies land because it hurts the country and may be better made use of by enemies against them for the countrey And they may compell him to sell it but this hinders not but every Subject hath a dominion and right to his own goods to use them at his pleasure which the Prince cannot do Ahab the King hath no right nor dominion over the vineyard of Naboth to compell him to sell it or give it against his will to his Prince For the earthly Prince nay the man himself the just Proprietor before men cannot bear that so as it may be said of God vers 12 both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all For God created the being of gold and of every thing that we can give to God which no earthly Prince can do 6. Nothing can be given to him in whose hand is power and might and to make great and to give strength For 1. Riches and things we give are of him 2. Power might and strength to give either Physicall to bear a burden to his house Or 2 Morall a willing mind and heart to give is in his hand Or 3. A mixt power the being of the act of giving is his v. 7. Of thine own we give thee Can we give to any that which is his own already Can ye give to a Crowned King over such a Kingdome his own Crown Can ye give to the righteous owner of his own lands his own Garden and his own vineyard in gift but every being created is the Lords 8. Saith David v. 15. We are strangers before thee and sojourners as all our fathers were And that saith the Lord is the only Heritor and we but Tennents at will and strangers both fathers and sons though for five hundreth or a thousand years fathers and sons have lineally and in heritage before men possessed such lands yet before thee saith he we and our fathers have but Tennent-right and are strangers from thee And what can a meer stranger to life and being give to the just Heritor and Lord of life and being 9. And our dayes saith David on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding life and being is a shadow of being and God is the only first excellent being and suppose we should give life and being to and for him it is but a borrowed shadow that we give him And we are not lords of our own being we have not absolute right over our selves to give our selves to him If Doâ—g will not give himself to God and act for God Psal. 51.2 God shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the land of the living Job 27.21 the east wind of God carrieth him away and as a storm hurleth him out of his place Ye shall bestow life and being worse then upon God God shall make morter of thee O fool who makes a god of borrowed I great I and poor Nothing-self Nay if there be a Pronoun in thee O let it be this Oh if my separation from Christ and the blotting â—f my name out of the Book of Life and my heaven might be a footâ—tool to heighten the glory the high glory of the Lord in the salvaâ—ion of many 2. This Pronoun self and mine is a proud usurper against God Was he not an Atheist or a churle and his name folly who said 1 Sam. 25.11 and breathed out so many my's Shall I take my bread and my waters and my flesh which I killed for my hearers and give it to men whom I know not whence they be And he was as madde a fool who thus speaks Isa. 10.13 By the strength of my hand have I done it and by my wisdom
it be a doubt to me if the Covenant of Works had stooden and Adam and all his had fulfilled it perfectly if the Lord should weigh in an even ballance by ounce weights our poor labour and great reward of Glory for had he entered such a market the losse had been ours we could not have obtained life eternall that way for our stock of time-working should have dryed up The vertue of justice stands in the equality of that which is given and received Now there is a two-fold equality one rei ad rem between thing and thing ane Arithmetick justice so many ounces of naturall actings and the same number of ounces of grace and glory This commutative justice is not in God as the soundest and learned'st School men teach There is another justice of proportion duarum rerum ad duas alias res of two things proportionally answering to two things distributive justice is this and it keeps a Geometricall proportion Augustine with Scripture saith God is become our debter not by receiving any thing from us but by promising what he pleaseth 2. It followes from the Parable that Gods bargaining with us depends not upon the equality between thing and thing the work and the wage But upon his own free pleasure of disposing of his own And it is the froathinesse of our nature to judge the penny of Glory that we get by labouring to be our own whereas after the promise and after we have fulfilled the condition it is not ours but Gods and he calls it his own and it is to be disposed on by the Lords free-grace Friend may not I do with mine own what I please Mat. 20.15 2. No promise as a promise can give us a proper right by way of strict justice to plead with God 1. A promise of grace is a free promise and no man can say because God promises the new heart to most undeserving men that are of a stony heart and doe profane his holy name amongst the Gentiles that therefore it is just by condignitie of the thing that a new heart should be given to them that are foolish disobedient and serving diverse lusts The farrest that hard faced Jesuits go in this is to tell us of the poor penny of the merit of congruity for the right weight of the summe and thousands of saving grace which Papists have refused as ashamed thereof 3. If a promise as a promise should make an equalitie between one thing and another and so lay a band of strict commutative justice upon God then should every promise do the like quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that cannot be said For then if God should promise glory of ten thousand millions of degrees above the glory that Angels and men now injoy for speaking one good word that should be a free promise but that promise should not make an equality between so hudge and rich a reward of glory and so hungry and poor a work as the speaking of a good word so as God should fail of justice if he should deny a reward so great for so small a work For the denying thereof should be against the veracitie and faithfulnesse of God if he should not fulfill his promise but he should not fail against strict justice either in not rewarding the work with a condigne reward or in not giving to the man that spake the good word his own For there is no just equality between work and wage here Nor can ever so feckless a work or all the works of men and Angels make the glory of life everlasting our own For glory remains ever the proper gift of God and under his dominion 4. A promise is by order of time or nature latter and posterior to the good thing promised as words of truth are latter to things and things have the same valor and worth before and after the promise yea if one promise to give for a plot of ground a summe of money of value five hundred times above the worth of that plot of ground that promise can not make the unequall and unjust price to be a just and equall price Even so the promise of God to give eternall life to the obedience of Adam can make no equality of strict justice between the reward and the wage For the reward promised for the wages is equall and just before the promise and ex naturâ rei and so must lay bands on the Lord so as he cannot do contrair unto it which is against all reason And who gave first to the Lord and it shall be recompensed to him and he that gave first to him man or Angel must give his own or then it is no giving which he received not from God either created being or gift or work for any uncreated gift none can give to him as is said 2. What is given is amongst the all things that are of him as the efficient and to him as the last end and through him as the conserver of all and so can be no gift to him Rom 11.36 And what God of free goodnesse decrees to do that he may decree not to do and things falling under his decree are not necessary he cannot decree that man should be a reasonable creature for it involves a contradiction to be a man and not to be a reasonable creature But no shadow of contradiction there is for the Lord to forbid to eat and to forbid to eat under a punishment And the not created world it being from eternity nothing and a non ens could not have any jus or right to plead that God would stand to what he decreed and give being and create a world for if the Lord should not give being to it and create what he had decreed from eternity to create he should fail against his own unchangeable Nature but should do no unjustice to an uncreated world except we say God should be unjust if he had not created the world For being of justice is due to the world and God refuses to pay the debt of being to the uncreated world which is non-sense And upon the same ground if he should annihilat the world or take away life from living things he should be unjust It is safer therefore to say that God oweth the creature nothing but we are his debtors for service and praises while we have any being 4. Use. If God of his free will so placed Adam to reward his obedience We think hard to serve God for wages and to be placed in a condition of obedience Evah and we with her sucking the same milk thirst after such lawlesse Independency to be from Gen. 3.5 6. under God Whereas Adam and Angel-courtiers that have wings to obey and the Noble and High Heir who learned obedience through the things he suffered were in this condition and Christ a King in the shape of a Servant was obedient to death
to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. Hence to weary of submitting to God speaks much unnaturall pride yea will not be under God 2. There is little of Christ in such for it was life to Christ and meat and drink Psal. 40.8 Heb. 10.8 John 4.34 Act. 10.38 to obey and it is the Angels life Jsa 6.2 3. Psal. 103.20 Rev. 4.8 and they are neer him who both at once serve and Raigne Rev 22.3 5. much delight to obey speak much of God in the heart Tyre not of your Master examine more untowardnesse to pray to confer to give c. if it be not a cause of deadness and be not a way of backsliding 5. Use. If creatures keep their Covenant-naturall with God shal not the oxe the cran Isa. 1.3 Jer. 8.7 the asse 2 Pet. 2.16 who never had a design of rebellion depon against us in Judgement Ah! what an unnaturall policie the first evill wit of him that sinned from the beginning John 8.44 and whom we follow at the heels it is to please our own wit in Covenant breaking Such as are sick of love for their own wylie time-serving custome If all naturall men in their death bed damne not this folly aske them and they shall speak 6. Use. If God Covenant with us for hyre when his absolutenesse may bear him to command how sinfully soft are our spirits and weak is reason that is broken with a straw when an apple conquers Evahs eye and heart Talents of Silver and a wedge of Gold Achan and Gehazi A drink of water if not at hand in time of thirst make the people murmure against God the more sanctified defecat and spirituall reason be the farther it is above that which crusheth Balaam and Judas The first heavens motion the primum mobile which draws all the rest must be the most excellent and the moving power must be most spirituall it s neither heavinesse which is in stones or clay nor lightnesse in the aire and fire but a more heavenly force which throwes about that body so the motions of sanctified reason which is sweyed and driven by no Argument but from eternity communion with God a Kingdom above time must be most spirituall The dogge is moved with a bone the oxe with hay 7. If no law and poor obedience of ours can buy a communion with God let us examine the peace that flowes from obedience It s purer and more solid peace that flowes from Justification and more immediatly removes the warre between God and us Rom. 5. 1. and comes by a purer and nearer emanation from God and from the ransome of Redemption that is in Christ then that which flowes from created acts of inherent holinesse 2. Our first Adams Element is Justification by works in which we love to live and die The Law is an home-born Idol in us Our apprehensions of our own actings are lively and vigorous the 3000. Acts 2.37 Saul Acts 9.6 and the Jayler Acts 16.30 aske what we shall doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is not the law word of working Rom. 4.2 4 5 6. Rom. 3.20 28. It s much to be dead to the Law and to Law-righteousnesse Gal. 2.19 20. I live not but Christ lives in me Christ 2. is a stranger to us and comes from without gifted righteousnesse comes from heaven Grace only makes us willing debters to grace The pride of self will neither begge nor borrow from nor be debter to a Crucified Saviour when it despiseth him untill the roof of the house fall 3. Seldome do these two concurre deadnesse to works of grace and lively activity in the doing of them Paul attained to both but every man is not Paul 1 Cor. 15.9 10. I laboured more abundantly then they all But fearing and trembling at at that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he strikes sail to Christ yet not I but the grace of God in me This pride Paul notes in the Jewes they stouped not nor bowed as inferiours to their Master King or Lord or Father and Husband so the word to the righteousness of God When I self or nature meets with working yea with grace often there followes some loftinesse except it be humbled and mortified I which can weep and say Lord what am I CHAP. VIII What place death hath in the Covenant 2. What such as Cain and Judas are to do in their desperate state 3. And why the LORD is no where called the GOD of Adam Q. WHat room hath death in the Covenant A. Death hath room in the broken Covenant of Works as the Pursevant and Sergeant of revenging justice Hence deaths reign I must die whether I will or not Unwillingnesse to die and bondage through fear of death is the Law-sting in death from which Christ hath delivered us Heb. 2.15 Original sin and death came and entred the world by the Covenant of Works The Covenant of Grace made not death but found it in the world Christ made of an old enemy death a new servant it s now the Kings ferry-boat to carry the children over the water It s a sutable condition to a spirituall state to die being sent for not legally summon'd and to die because I desire to be dissolved Ph. 1.23 not because I must And better it is to summon our selves then to be summoned Though we love heaven too much as a place of pleasure rather then a place of holinesse yet most men would wish a better causey to it then to sleep through th◠cold grave or a dark hole in the earth Q. What room hath life in the Covenant Ans. The Administration of the Law-Covenant is first habituall holinesse of works and then a crown The Administration of grace is first faith and a title to Christ our life and hope of glory and then habituall holinesse begun here and perfected hereafter The Gospel-life is both a reward and a duty of praising and loving eternally in place of all the ten Commands yea of Law and Gospel The Law-life for ought that is revealed is a reward to be purchased by our legall obedience Q. If Adam in the intervall betwixt his fall and the publishing of the blessed Seed was not to despaire but to rely upon God as mighty to save What should such as Judas or Cain do A. The conscience of Cain and of despairers being no authentick Bible nor Judge which can carry the controversie between them and God so long as they are in the way or are viators the Gospel treaty betwixt them and Christ yet standing and not broken off upon the part of Christ they are to cherrish and hold up the Treaty and as it were to force speech out of Christ and to pursue the news of an offered salvation 2. There is no Spirit of God that suggests to them despaire and bids them write themselves in the black roll of Reprobates for though they beleeve hell as the Devils haply beleeve there is a God yet they blow
separate not the Word and the Spirit the Father of Spirits loves to work with his own tools and sow with his own seed the Word of God these three agree in one 1. The Spirit acting 2. The habite of Grace acted upon by the Spirit who blows away the ashes and 3. The word of exhortation nor doe we extoll dead letters and livelesse formes as Libertines say for we take in with the letter the quickning sense and convincing meaning of the Word and its considerable that the Spirit drawes sweetly after him the nature faculties of will minde and affections and they need no other allurement but the Word the Spirit and the new nature But when they barbarouslie slew their children and made them passe through the fire they must put out of their ears and hearts the crying and howling of the murthered Babies with the noise of the beatting of drums nature serves the Divell often weeping and Sathan deadenes nature Grace so mortifies as the consent of delegation goes alone Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.72.97 CHAP. XIII There are two sorts of Covenanting on externall professed visible conditionall another internall reall absolute and the differences betwixt them 2. Infants externally in Covenant under the New Testament 3. Some Questions touching infants PErsons are two wayes in Covenant with God externally by Visible profession and conditionally not in reference to the Covenant but to the thing promised in Covenant which none obtains but such as fulfill the condition of the Covenant For consent of parties promise and restipulation whether expresse by word of mouth Deut. 5.27 We will hear and do Josh. 24.24 And the people said unto Joshua the Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Or yet tacit and implicit by profession I will be thy God and the God of thy seed makes parties in Covenant The keeping or breaking of the Covenant must then be extrinsecall to ones being confederate with God And 2. Infants born of Covenanted Parents are in Covenant with God because they are born of such Parents as are in Covenant with God Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thy seed after thee 2. The Covenant choise on Gods part is extended to the seed Deut. 4.37 And because he loved thy Fathers therefore he choise their seed after them Deut. 10.15 Only the Lord had a delight in thy Fathers to love them and he choise their seed after them even you Fathers and Children above all people as it is this day And the Covenant choise of seed is extended to the seed in the New Testament Act. 2.39 For to you and to your children is the promise made He speaks in the very tearms and words of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one of you be baptized he saith not every one of you old and young Parents and Children repent For that command of Repentance is given only personally to them who moved the Question What shall we do Men and Brethren 37. For we are under great wrath and crucified the Lord of Glory The Answer is you aged Repent 39. True But ah we prayed his blood be upon us and our Children He Answers to that every one of you be baptized Why that must be every one of you who are cōmanded to repent No. It must be every one of you to whom the promise is made but the promise is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observe the very two Pronouns that are Gen. 17.7 Deu. 4.37 Deut. 10.15 to thee and thy seed To you and your seed and children Now the Answer had been most impertinent if he had mentioned their children except in order to their Baptism and their being in Covenant For 1. their Children crucified not the Lord Jesus Nay by Anabaptists grounds their Children not being visibly in Covenant with their Parents and not capable of actuall hearing the Word of actuall mourning for and repenting of their sins as Zech. 12.10 Mat. 3.8 9 10. they were not concerned either in the evill of their Parents who crucified the Lord of Glory nor in the good of their Repentance more then stones So that every one of you be baptized for the promise is to you and to your Children should be impertinent and also false for Covenant promises are no more made to Children then to stones say the opposites of Infant Baptism Yea also as the Lord in the Old Testament calls Israel his people My people old and young Saul shall be Captain of my people David shall feed my people old and young and shall punish with the sword the murthering of Infants 2. Because he choise with a Covenant choise the Jews and their seed Deut. 4.37 Deut. 10.15 Gen. 17.7 then he must be the God of their seed But he choiseth with a Covenant choise and calling all the Nations Isa. 2.2 3. All the kindreds of the earth under the New Testament Psal. 22.27 All Egypt and Assyria under the New Testament Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hand Isa. 19.29 All the Kingdomes of the world are the Lords and his Sons and he reigns in them by his Word and Gospel as the seventh Angel soundeth Revel 11.15 All the Gentiles are his Isa. 60.1 2 3 4. Mal. 1.11 All the ends of the earth and the heathen Psal. 2.8 9. Psal. 72.7 8 9 10. Now if they be not his by visible and externally professed Covenant they must be the Lords Kingdoms only because some in these Kingdomes 1. Are come to age 2. Professe the truth 3. Give a signification that they are converted and chosen and so baptized But so infants and all the rest of these Kingdomes who fixedly in a Church hear the Word professe they are followers and by so doing are witnesses against themselves that they have chosen the Lord to be their God and have consented to the Covenant as Joshua saith Josh 24.22 must be under the New Testament cut off from the Covevant and a place must be shown where God hath now under the New Testament broken the staves of beauty and bands and hath laid this curse upon all the Infants of Egypt Assyria of all the Kingdomes of the earth that the Lord is now no God to them and feeds them no more and therefore that which dies let it die and that which is cut off let it be cut off as it is Zech. 11.9 And the like must be said of all that are come to age and not baptized or as good as not baptized And Covenant promises are not to the Children of Beleevers contrair to Acts 2.39 nor to the aged untill they be converted visibly and Baptized This then hath never yet been fulfilled that the Gentiles and Heathen are become the Lords people Sure it is 2. and was a mercy for the seed to be in Covenant Exod. 20.6 I am the Lord shewing mercies unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements Psal. 89.28 My mercy will I keep with David
s a conjecture that they came with a may be or as Mr. Cobbet well sayeth a faith grounded upon a possibilitie of Election separated from the Covenant that is secret and the Covenant revealed and so this not election abstracted from that can be the ground of faith Deut. 29.29 and when Christ saith Math. 18.4 10. that little ones Angels behold the face of his Father and the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 1.13 that Angels are Minstring Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these that shall by heritage or lot injoy salvation It s clear infants have their share of salvation and by Covenant it must be As also the blessed seed is promised to Adam before he have a child and to his seed To Seth Japhet Isaac Jacob Abraham when Cainan Cham Ishmael Esau Abrahams Idolatrous house to David when his brethren are refused and to these as heads of Generations when contrare Generations and the houses of Cainan Cham Ishmael are rejected Hence the house of Israel the seed of Israel the seed of Jacob and there shall be added to the Gentiles Isa. 49. who shall bring in to the Church their sons and their daughters upon their shoulders 22. Isa. 54.1 Sing O barren for moe are the children of the desolate then of the maried wife saith the Lord Isa. 60.4 Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves about they shall come to thee thy sons shall come from far and thy sons shall be nourished at thy side Israel marying and Israel according to the flesh is the holy seed Neh. 7.61 Neh. 9.2 the holy seed have mingled with the heathen 1 Chron. 16.13 O ye seed of Israel his servants ye children of Jacob whom he hath chosen be mindfull of his Covenant And this holinesse by externall Covenanting is extended to the Gentiles 1 Cor. 7.14 But now are your children holy and its holinesse the Jews to be called in Rom. 11.16 If the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy 〈◊〉 also the branches So it is prophecied Isa. 61.9 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the people All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord holy by Covenant as was Aarons house because in Covenant visibly with God men shall call you the Ministers of our God Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall ye boast your selves Isa. 62.2 Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named v. 12. And they shall call them the holy people the Redeemed of the Lord And thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken Isa. 65.22 As the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people and mine Elect by calling shall long injoy the work of their hands Sure he Prophesies of a visibly Covenanted people under the New Testament For he adds v. 23. They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth in trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Now to any Godly Reader there is here 1. ◠Prophesie to be fulfilled of the Gentiles brought in as is clear Isai. 6◠1 2 3 4. Christ Luke 4. applyes that Text to himself And 9. Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles Isa. 62.2 The Gentiles shall see thy Righteousnesse And for Chapter 65.1 2 3 4. Paul expounds it of the in-coming of the Gentiles Rom. 9.24.26 Rom. 10.20 Eph. 2.12.13 Rom. 15.20 2. He speaks of a Visible Church and of their seed known among the Gentiles all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Isa. 5◠9 But they did not see the white Stone the seal of their election and a new Name which none can read but he that receives it Rev. ◠1◠And they see them a seed and off-spring of the Covenanted people of God Isa. 62.12 They shall call them the holy people then they must judge them a Visible Church But a Church of such as are predestinate to glory they cannot see them to be 3. Isai. 55. They are a Visible Church 21. They shall build houses and inhabite them 22. They shall not build and another inhabite They shall not plant and another eat And the reason is 23 Because they are they shall be it s a Prophesie under the New Testament the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Jer. 23.22 As the Host of Heaven cannot be numbred neither the sand of the sea measured so will I multiply the seed of David What seed The visible seed And the Levits that Minister unto me will I multiply He alludes to the promise made to Abraham of multiplying his seed Gen. 13.15 Gen. 15.5 Gen. 2.17 And this promise made to Abraham saith Calvin belongs to them all and he would have them not to doubt of the restitution of the people to their own Land Now the people and Levits and house of David were never so multiplied in the Jews after the deliverance from Babylon and therefore must be extended to the New Testament And if God establish Davids seed for ever Psal. 89.4 And the seed of his people shall possesse the gates of their enemies Gen. 24.60 And if he powre his Spirit upon the seed of Jacob Isai. 44.3 and Circumcise the heart of the seed of his people Deut. 30.6 and put his words in the mouth of the seed of his people and their seeds seed for ever Isai. 59.21 And the seed of the righteous be blessed on earth Psal. 37.26 not simply because they are a seed for the whole seed of man should be blessed if so but because they are the seed of his servants Psal. 69.36 of the Jews Esther 6.13 the Children of his Servants Psal. 102.28 See Jer. 31.35 35 37. Isa. 6.13 because the seed of Abraham and in the Covenant made with Abraham Exod. 2.24 2 Kings 13.23 Psal. 105.8 9. Psal. 111.5 9. Gen. 17.2 7 9. Lev. 26.42 45. Ezek. 16.60 Luke 1.72 Exod. 6.4 Deut. 8.18 c. Then must the Covenant be established under the New Testament with the Visible seed and if there were an abridging and contracting of this favour to the Elect only it would have been shewed and the Charter of reservation and exception must have been penned in the Old or New Testament 2. Otherwise the seed of all Gentiles called in to Christ by the Preached Gospel must be visibly cursed of God cut off from the people of God separated from the Lord from the Congregation of his people not to the tenth Generation only as the Ammonite the Moabite the Bastard Deut. 23.1 2 3. and Excommunicated out of the Camp as unclean nor should Christians marry or Covenant with them As Deut. 23.14 Lev. 13.43 44 45 46. Deut. 7.1 2 3. Exod.
and adultery in David or any justified man from being sins against the Law of God But because our works of grace have an intrinsâ—call power of meriting and justifying communicated to them by the merits of Christ they must be far more our formall righteousnesse before God then Adams righteousnesse was his justification and life before God And if our works of grace have no power of merite or worth communicated to them from Christs death then must it follow though Christ had never dyed our works may have the same gracious esteem of God the same power of meriting of justifying and saving they now have Yea and since Christ hath redeemed us from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 by his blood Why but as he hath redeemed us from hell and purchased salvation to us by giving us grace by our own good works after conversion to redeem and justifie and save our selves so he hath redeemed us from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 by giving us grace to do such works before we be redeemed from our vain conversation and before we be converted as we may merite our conversion and Redemption from our vain conversation If it be said he absolutely and without any condition that is required on our part by his blood redeems all whom he hath given his Son Christ to die for from their vain conversation 1. All mankinde without exception for by their way he hath died for them all must be redeemed from their vain conversation and converted Nothing can be more false 2. The Gospel to no purpose and the Gospel-Commands shall in vain crave obedience or so much as the duty of hearing the Gospel from such as are not yet redeemed from their vain conversation or not yet converted For that Redemption is promised to them â—bsolutely without any condition required of them saith this way Obj. If works have a causative influence on the possession of glory as working on wages and fighting on victory then must they have influence on just possession also For possession except it be just is no possession but usurpation Answ. Possession is essentially the enjoying of any thing pleasant gainfull yea or honest whether the title be just or unjust The Title is accidentall to the Possession Obj. 2. He that possesseth the Crown possesseth the Diamonds and pretious stones and the worth of the Crown Therefore he that possesseth life possesseth the right and title to it Answ. True but hence it followeth not but possession and right to what we possesse do differ in their nature Nor do we properly possess the right of possession for the right or title is modus rei non res the maner of and the due or the undue way of the possession thereof Obj. 3. Is not possession of eternall life from Christ as well as the title or right to the Crown from Him Ans. True both are from Christ but not the same way Possession of the Crowne is the enjoying thereof and is from free grace and we as willing and sanctified agents make use thereof But Christ alone bought with his blood the title and right to it And when he gave his life for the rightfull and due possession of glory to us we did contribute nothing either request or help to procure the title and the grace to enter in to the possession by faith is the fruits also of free grace Nor can it be denyed but our good works by which we enter into possession of the Crown are also the fruit of Christs death but yet not so as there is any meritorious or federall power of deserving the possession communicate to our works Only they are made by Christs death the oblidged way to the possession of life Obj. 4. How then is there a promise of the life to come made to Godlinesse 1 Tim. 4.8 Answ. That promise is neither a promise of the Covenant of Works for by the deeds of the Law no flesh can be saved Nor is it a federall promise of the Covenant of Grace strictly so called except any would say that it is called a promise especially for faith which is speciall Godlinesse and the acknowledging of the truth which is according to godlinesse Tit. 1.1 and so a promise made to the Godly in so far as he is in Christ by faith and in Christ is the promise of life 2 Tim. 1.1 Nor 3. is the promise of a title and right which is made to Christ our Ransone payer made to our Godlinesse as if it did buy our right to life eternall or were the price thereof 4. Life is promised to Believers who work not because they work And 5. the Lord in these only showeth the order of bringing men to glory not the causes of the right and title to glory except we say the mowing of the first quarter of the Meadow is the cause of the mowing of the second because it makes way to the mowing of the second and the mowing of the second quarter is a cause of the mowing of the third and so forth untill all be mown As because God gives grace to work to run to use means therefore he giveth of free grace the crown of life in the possession thereof Obj. Adams Law-obedience should only have so and by this way been the cause or way to the possession Ans. Not so if Adam had perfected his obedience he should have claimed life by right of sinlesse federall merit ex pacto without suiting of it by any title of grace merited by CHRIST not so we It s true beleevers are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy Rev. 3. but that is legally in Christ the Head not that the meritorious worth of Christ goeth out of himself and renders our works intrinsecally meritorious CHAP. XX. Whether or not suffered Christ for any sin against the Gospel only such as unbeleef finall which is conceived to be the only sin against the Gospel That Christ died not for all without exception The unwarrantablenesse of that Doctrine how the Law commands justifying faith and repentance how not IT may appear that Christ suffered not for any sin which is onely against the Gospel such as finall unbeleef If any sins be considered in any other respect as against the Gospel only then Christ was not to suffer for any such sin so considered for where no death is threatened none is explicitely due and where it is not so due to the sinner nor should have been execute upon him there it could not have been due to Christ nor executed upon him For the Gospel threateneth not death to any sin but finall unbeleef and rebellion and for that Christ never died therefore Christ died not for any sin as against the Gospel nor suffered that which is no where threatened But this is most doubtsome and cannot well stand It s true that Christ suffered not for finall unbeleef it being the proper sin of some reprobates to wit of such as hear the Gospel Joh. 8.21
much feeling of pain argues much life And such as in this regard say I thank God I was plagued and pained but now nothing ails me I have peace I am rich I have need of nothing Revel 3.17 I am all whole must be in a dangerous case Indeed the complaining of want of justification and of the righteousnesse of God in a believer and a raising of the foundation as Psal. 31.22 Jonah 2.4 I am cast out of thy sight are both false and bastard-feelings and hastie unbelief for this is a reflection upon and a reproaching of the Office of the Healer of sinners This is contrair to faith and the former is a complaining of the body of sin that can hardly be sclandered so a complaining of self and the feeling of inherent corruption weakens not but strengthens faith And complaining thus and triumphing in a believed justification do well consort in Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched man c. v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Rom. 8.1 Then every feeling of sin is not contrair to faith as Mr. Town and other Antinomians teach some godly tender feeling foments faith Q. 6. How cometh it to passe that seldome feeling of sin wanteth unbeleef Ans. Our looking in a Legall not in an Evangelick way upon sin doth occasion unbelief for looking to the sicknesse of the sinner is but abused when this use is made of it that the question which Christ hath aboundantly answered Ah he hath not who satisfied and payed my ransome justified me also by the Redemption that is in him but the strong body of sin which leads me captive Rom. 7.23 doth also lead rather mislead me to doubt whether the ransome was sufficiently payed and I sufficiently and freely by his grace and the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus justified as Rom. 3.24 And because the sinner feels the stirring and too vigorous acting of a body of sin which is his own work he removes the foundation-stones laid by Christ and questions the well done work of Christ and thrusts in his sickle into Christs harvest which is upon the mater to say Ah my sanctification is nought or small Therefore Christs satisfaction is weak so the man laying the burden upon the wrong back will take and pull off the burden that Christ in his own body did bear on the tree as 1 Pet. 2.24 and wrestle under his own body of sin himself and he thinks he will do the busines better himself then Christ. This is that which Antinomians imput to us groundlesly but it is our sinfull weaknesse so to be troubled at the indwelling of a body of sin as we doubt of and call in question the work of Justification and the satisfaction of Christ. But there is good cause why the sinner quarrel with himself and complain of a body of sin and yet not only quarrell with Christ but exalt Christ and by faith close with the absolutenesse of his gifted satisfaction and righteousnesse And this is as easie by the Grace of God as we see the more that a gracious soul abases himself as one carnall and sold under sin Rom. 7.14 as one in whom there dwells no good as touching the flesh v. 18. in whom sin dwells v. 20. as one brought into captivity to the Law of sin and a wretched man 24. so much the more doth he exalt Christ the only deliverer Rom. 7.25 Rom. 8.1 23 33 34 35. and why should not our blacknesse commend Christs beauty our deadness exalt his life our sinfull wretchednesse his glorious office in saving and our emptinesse and drynesse his fulnesse of the anointing who is all fulnesse CHAP. XXVIII Christ died not to blot out the sense of sin but rather to quicken a Godly sense thereof THe more of Christ and his sufferings be apprehended the more Godly sense of sin so far is Christs death from bloting out all sense of sin For if sense of sin be all one with a simple reflecting knowledge that we once sinned then the Godly in this life from grace not from the stirring of the Law do both know and acknowledge what they were 1 Tim. 1.13 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord c. I was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious but I obtained mercy Tit. 3.3 We our selves were also sometimes foolish disobedient c. Yea the glorified cannot before the Throne sing the glory of the Lamb slain and the price of Redemption payed Rev. 5 12. to redeem them from sin but there must be even in glory this sense of their debt though without heart break or sorrow Then it cannot be a Doctrine of the Gospel that paying of our debt and the ransome doth score out of a gracious memory the counts of a payed debt The more I know what Christ hath done the more I should kisse and imbrace the gracious surety and these kisses of Glory and that song worthy is the Lamb c. say that grace and the faith of the price payed do inlarge rather the holy memory and sense of sin then obliâ—erate it Hence the translated out of sense of grace cast back their eye to the pit the drudgerie of bondage they were once in Epâ— 2.3 4 5. Tit. 3.3 4 5. 1 Tim. 1.13 14. with loving and praising the riches of grace And must it not be good to read old counts and weep for joy and cast and dart up praises to him who is at the right hand of the Father and sorrow for old debts and love much him who freely pardons 2. If sense of sin be taken for the unbelieving feeling of and judging my self cast out of his sight and condemned whereas yet I am in Christ and it is God who justifies me who is he shall condemn Rom. 8.33 34. We shall agree with Antinomians this is indeed the hastie sense of unbeleef Psal. 31.22 Joâ— 2.4 Hence let them be rebuked who say not that Christ in the Gospel hath taken away this sense of sin Yea many redeemed of the Lord are weary and laden but they render themselves weary and then sinfully complain that Christ will not ease them In which unconverted ones in the dead-throw are more to be justified then they the one being under a reall burden and the spirit of the Law acting upon them the other act the Law at their own hand and will receive the spirit of bondage to fear again whether it be reason or not He is the less to be pittied who casts himself with his own hand in prison 3. There is a Gospel-sense of in-dwelling of sin bringing forth the mourning of the dove and tears that are so innocent as they wrong not Christ or his work of redeeming and justifying Of this Rom. 7.24 Christ sure takes not this away Beleevers lodge a body of sin in them as sighing patients and as captives half against their will at least their renewed will does contradict this guest Rom. 7.14 15 16 17 18 c. 23 24.
In the Covenant of Works as a sufferer for the breach of it It s said by Learned Davenantius one is said truely and properly to die for another who dies to procure his good though the other by his own fault get no good of his dying for him But there is not such a Question as this whether one may truely and properly die for another but whether Christ in the sense of the Holy Ghost died verè propriè truely and properly the just for the unjust to procure good to the unjust and yet these unjust may eternally perish and reap no good by Christs dying through their unbeleef 2. Will it not follow that Christ 1. died truely and properly for all and yet non obstante morte Christi notwithstanding of the Lords dying all the world may eternally perish as say Arminians and Socinians 3. It shall follow that the immediate yet the compleat effect of Christs death is not actuall but possible saving of all And Christ hath verè propriè truelie and properly died for them Nor 4. is it enough to say that Christ had a speciall intention in dying for the Elect to give them faith but he had no such intention in dying for the Reprobate But hence it follows that Christ as properly and truely died for the Reprobate as for the Elect as touching the nature and intention of his dying and that he offered as sufficient a ransome for the one as for the other and that is a meer possible ransome but as concerning the intention to apply effectually or no effectuall intention to apply the death there 's the difference But 1. we aske for Scripture where it is said CHRIST dying as dying for the world had these two contrair intentions The Scripture saith Christ died to gather his scattered children Joh. 11.5 to bring to God 1 Pet. 3.18 these for whom he died that they might have life Joh. 10.11 live to God 2 Cor. 5.15 die to sin 1 Pet. 2.24 be redeemed from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 be delivered from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 Here is our effectuall intention where is there a place for his dying with no effectuall intention to bring any to God and yet he dyed for all good and evill to make salvation possible say they It is not enough to coyn two intentions in Christ-God-Man dying and give us Scripture for one of them only and bid us take the other on trust 2. Nor is it enough to say all these places speak of Christs effectuall dying for his Elect only For 1. it is not truely nor properly said that Christ effectually died for the Elect only for he effectually died for no man by this way because he died only to make salvation possible to all so as they might perish for ever notwithstanding of his dying for them So the efficacy of dying is in Christs intention and application Now efficacy of intention and efficacy of application are both extrinsecall to his laying down his life 2. The place 2 Cor. 5.15 cannot be expounded by them of only the effect For it speaks as they expone it of Christ dying for all that were dead as v. 14. and these they say are Elect and Reprobate 3. Nothing is said whether Christ on the Crosse did sustain the person of all for whom he died Elect and Reprobate and whether he sustained two persons for he was cut off but not for himself Dan. 9.26 one for the Reprobate another for the Elect And whether he finished the transgression and made an end of sins as Daniel saith 9.24 that is of all sins and transgressions finall unbeleef and all others For except he did that hee cannot finish the transgression make an end of sins make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in everlasting righteousnesse to these for whom he died Except either he bring in half a righteousnesse or at least imperfect and never make an end of some sins and transgressions because men will not have it so and set bounds to the infinit sufficiency of Christ Oâ— because he puts an end of sin and brings in everlasting righteousnesse conditionally and is gracious and mercifull as men will and decrees to show mercy not upon discriminating rebellion or upon unbeleef which separateth a Reprobate from an Elect if so it seems good to men and if man shall have mercy on whom he will and harden whom he will or which is all one if man shall have mercy upon himself because he will or harden himself because he will harden himself Yet may it be disputable to some whethâ—r grace by which one is effectually drawn to Christ rather then another be the grace of predestination continuated and so before Christs death or a fruit of Christs death and so after But it may well be sâ—id that every created saving grace is a fruit of Christs death and that we receive the habit of saving grace out of his fulnesse and the saving habit infused separateth an Elect from a Reprobate For it is peculiar to Beleevers and the Elect to be gifted with one heart Ezek. 11.19 and a new heart in the habit Ezek. 36.26 and with the spirit 〈◊〉 grace and supplication to beleeve and mourn Zech. 12.10 and the Spirit and blessing that is powred on the thirsty ground and the seed Isai. 44.3 And so must we say that the same habit as actuated by the Lords Spirit and as it makes one to beleeve and draws him effectually to the Son actually and efficaciously and draws not another is a fruit of Christs death but this way must glory be a fruit of the death of Christ but not habituall saving grace 2. The death of Christ for all is as common a means of salvation as the Preaching of the Gospel And both must be made effectuall by efficacious grace which is not the fruit of the merit of Christ by this way and since grace to actually apply the death of Christ is not given to Pagans and millions for whom Christ died as these Authors teach how unsufficient must the death of our Lord be For it leaves faith as impossible to the reprobates as if he had never died for them for neither habituall nor actuall faith is purchased to them by this death Only the Pelagian application is left to them which they should have had suppose Christ had never died for them 2. It is to be considered how many wayes CHRIST may be said to give himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome for us or in our place 1. Christ hath sufficiently died for all in their room to redeem them For pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for men noteth ever the decree and intention of Christ dying for men but the sufficiency and worth and intrinsecal dignity of Christs death depends not upon the decree intention of God for the worth of the death and the blood of him who is God Act. 20.28 1 Cor. 2.8 and the Lord of Glory
head by the ascent of Mount Olivet it is good he also praises and sings Psalms 2 Sam. 15.30 Ps. 3.1 2 3. If he be at home in his house it is good he praises Ps. 30. Ps. 101. If he be banished in the wildernesse and chased from the house of God its good he praises Psal. 42. Psal. 63. Psal. 84. Nothing falls wrong to a mortified soul. The people cry Hosanna Christ bids them rejoice their King comes Zech. 9.9 The wicked spits on his face and plucks off the hair that is good Isa. 50.6 I gave them face and back to be doing their will Heat to a gracious spirit is good cold is good joy is good sorrow is good health is good sicknesse is good Ezekiah gets a victory the Assyrians are slain that is good Isaiah prophecies that all that are in his house and his treasures shall be spoiled and his children carried captive good is the word of the Lord Is spoil and captivity and the sword good Yea Ezekiah closes with it Isai. 39.8 Grace wonders at nothing laughs at nothing weeps at nothing but faintly rejoices at nothing wantonly closes with all sayes Amen to all for Christ was crucified for me and I am crucified in and with him Q. 3. What are the speces or sorts of mortifications that we may know the true mortification A. 1. It s hard to give the division of them logically There is 1. a naturall mortification there is no fire in the affections of sucking infants to Crowns Kingdomes to treasures of Gold and Silver that is not mortification but virtually there is as much fire in a flint stone though formally it be cold as may burn twenty Cities Concupiscence driven away from the aged Eccles. 12. the hearth-stone is cold and there is in it such a deadnesse to lusts not because of deadnesse of sin Originall it lives as the souls of the old men live but because the tools are broken the animal and vitall spirits are weakened the man loves the journey but the horse is crooked and laid by there is nothing of Christs death here 2. There is a compelled mortification sicknesse and withered arms and legs and strong fetters in the prison poverty and want care for bread and the armed man poverty that hath a sharp sword necessity blunts the affections in their second acts the man hath no mind of whooring And many drink water who through Christ crucifying are not mortified to wine and strong drink 1. There is often in this an ignorance of CHRIST crucified and no faith 2. A reluctance to divine dispensation and no gracious submission to God which is in one crucified to the world 3. There is a Philosophick mortification to the creatures which are seen by the light of nature to be very nothing and most unsatisfactory to the naturall man but there is no supernaturall deadness in the heart wrought by the death of Christ. Archimedis and other great spirits sick of love to know the nature motion and influence of the starres and pained with a speculative disease of books and to know much do contemn and despise honour gain pleasure the three idols of ambitious of covetous and voluptuous men but there is no deadnesse no bluntning of the operations of the soul toward the idol world flowing from the beleeved in crucified Lord of Glory except you say that Plato and Aristotle and such were crucified with Christ Learning works not mortification 4. There is a religious or a madly superstitious mortification The Monks saith Luther dreamed that the world was crucified unto them and they unto the world when they entered unto their Monasteries but by this means Christ is crucified not the world Yea the world is delivered from crucifying and is the more quickened by that opinion of trust they had in their own holinesse and righteousnesse Col. 2.23 In will-worship in humility and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh There is much vain and counterfeit mortification and Papists have as good warrand to sacrifice their lives to God and to offer a bloodie sacrifice unto God under the New Testament as to shed their own blood in whipping and scourging and such bloody worship hath the ground of mortification that Baals Priests had to launce themselves with knives to the effusion of blood And the same may be said of pilgrimages of voluntary poverty in which as Luther said the world and all their lusts are quickened 5. Not unlike to this is the Pharisees mortification in which they are not crucified with CHRIST but alive and vigorously strong to self-righteousnesse to merits to dead works 6. There is a civill or morall mortification which hath diverse branches As 1. Senecâ— teacheth that nature is satisfied with water for drink and a â—urse for a house yet he was a covetous man himself And shall Horatius Cocles be a mortified man because he defended the Romans against the three Curiatii alone Though the bloody Gallant killed his own sister And was the state mortified who pardoned him that bloody fact for his gallant service And Decius father and son who suffered so much for their Countrey and loved it more then their own blood And must Africanus Major and Cato who suffered for the liberty of the publick and Diogenes who lived on herbs be mortified men to the world But what avails it to be dead to the bulk of a bit body of clay and yet be alive to vain glory 2. There is an occasionall deadnesse rising from the sight of a father a brother a friend dead not from the death of Christ. An unbeleever dies with this word I would not live for all the world and we are like water spilt on the ground The house is burnt all spoiled treasures and the stock by land and sea-robbers are plucked away and riches have wings Hence mortification transient for a time but lusts fallen in a sown are not dead they rise again and live 3. There is another transient mortification as D. Preston observes when the conscience is affrighted with Judgement and some fire-flaught of restraining grace is up 4. A good calm nature naturally either dul and stupid or some clement and meek disposition and free of the fire that often follows the complexion and hampered in with teachers parents company education learning seems a mortified nature But that is true mortification that flowes from faith in a humbled crucified Saviour and it is not to beleeve that Christ was mortified in our room and place as Saltmarsh and Antinomians would say Faith in Christ crucified is our mortification causatively in radice not formally Q. 4. To what things must we be crucified Answ. Gal. 6.14 To all things created to the world wee condemn and despise and hate the world and the world does value us nothing 1. There is a deadnesse to self which was in Christ our samplar of mortification Ro. 15.1 Let us not please
this the conscience is quieted As I sinned in the first Adam legally so I satisfied in the second Adam Obj. But justice saith The same person that sinned the same must suffer and satisfie and no other Ans. Justice saith so but that part of justice by the graciousnesse and mercifulnesse of the Justâ—God is and may be dispensed withall So as Justice as Justice seeks payment the Creditor as the Creditor seeks recompence and restitution But by whom Justice determines not whether payment and satisfaction be made by the same very person who offended or by a fit surety in the person and place of the offender as it determines not whether as much or far more be restored then was taken away so there be a compact and voluntary agreement between the satisfier and the satisfied Hence Justice being 1. offended is not to speak so the interposing and the mediating attribute of God but Soveraignty of Free-grace and mercy interposeth 2. Justice may seek payment from the only offending partie and from no other from Adam and his posterity only but Justice doth not indispensably and by necessity of nature exact payment from the only offender and from no other 3. The conscience of the beleever may with sweetnesse of admiration and peace rest upon satisfied justice and adore interposing grace and be quickened from looking unto and loving interposing grace to obey and take on the labour of Gospel-love to run the wayes of his Commandements 4. It is not an act of Law nor of Justice to give or find out a satisfier but an act of love grace and infinite wisedom Q. 3. A third case is how can the beleever look upon life eternall as a gift if it be sold at so condign a price as Christs blood Ans. It is not fit to speak of this mysterie but with holy reverence life eternall is bought to us and we are said to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Pet. 1.18 1 Tim. 2.6 Matth. 20.28 Now it is unworthy of Christ that the fruit of his death should be only grace not glory and such a grace as is lubrick uncertain renders us indifferent but much weaker to beleeve or not believe that is as Socinians say to earne and win the wager of Glory by a new Gospel-working which is our righteousnesse and merit to glory For sure Pagans are more sinfully weak in the Second ADAM who died for them as Socinus will then mankind were in the first Adam The Scripture saith that Christ gave himself for his Church that he might present her a glorious Church Eph. 5. 25.27 1 Thes. 5.9 For God hath not appointed us for wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10. Who died for us 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternall glory Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. Act. 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance We are not afraid to call eternall life a fruit of Christs death that is of the merit of his death See Joh. 10.10 11.28 Joh. 3.14 15 16. Q. 4. A fourth case Many stumble some in that God permitted sin to enter which he might have hindered knowing he should be thereby under a necessity either to torment men in hell or torment on earth his most innocent Son Christ Ans. Socinians Arminians yea Pagans and all enemies to Christian Religion are burdened with the same seeming reason For if God or their gods may hinder wickednesse and yet do not hinder it they bring themselves or the true God that they must be necessitated to torment the sinners 2. There be reasons unanswerable why if we yeeld and it is a shame to deny that God is able to hinder sin to enter in the world or that he is not infinitly wise and so that he hath not most weighty reasons why he suffers sin to be As 1. if sin come freely in the world without the will of God either the Lords dominion over sin must be none at all or the creatures dominion of free-will must be dependent upon the dominion of grace and Soveraignty 2. The out-goings of free-grace must eternally be hid if sin had never been As there had been no field for the expressions and blossoms of eternall flourishing revenging justice As also the creatures armes are short and could not reach the eminent degree of manifesting the glory of free-grace and pardoning mercy but the Lord aimed at this And 1. the relation of a Saviour and a sinner of the Physician and the sick must be known Now a Physician hath not relation actuall to all sick all the world over but only to his own patients his own sick ones who by Covenant feeling their danger have laid the weight of life and death of righteousnesse of salvation over upon that one only Saviour and live dyet apply salves medicine only by the direction of this Physician and do receive medicine and recepts from no other 2. Infinite wisedom made choise beside other infinite possible wayes of this only way of redeeming and here glorious Soveraignty shines he wailles out Judas Magus Pharaoh to be fire-wood and coal to the River of fire and brimstone and made so many sinfull peeces of sick brittle clay overgilded with the habit of grace of free righteousnesse of glory to be the eternall harpers and proclaimers of the glory of his grace whereas he might have made these stones and worms for he created Angels and worms and all out of the Mother Nothing by his good pleasure And it must be a wonder of unsearchable Soveraignty that should not for eternity have been concealed such a number of Angels and men whom he set up in the heaven of heavens as heirs of glory to be everlasting Heraulds and Trumpeters to sound out experienced grace and mercy might have been if so it had pleased him lumps of everlasting vengeance in the eternall lack and all that are condemned and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire both devils and men are chips and peeces of beings hewen out of the same rock if so we may speak of that huge and vast Nothing and might have been up before the Throne filling the Chairs and rooms of the now heirs of glory thou beleever might have been in the seat of Iudas scorched in his furnace in hell and Iudas might have had thy Throne and thy Crown up with him eternally who sits on the Throne and with the Lamb. 3. He might have keeped all the sons of men and all the Angels in a sinlesse condition to be courteours to proclaim the glory of Law-goodnesse and of the never broken Covenant of Works
as the tree is in the seed as all the Rose trees and the Vine trees are in the first Rose tree and the first Vine tree created of God virtually For because God choosed us therefore shall we be in Christ by faith yea and he choosed us and ordained us to be in Christ by faith when He gave us to the Son to be keeped by him The third considerable act here is an act of delectation and the place is observable Prov. 8.22 The Lord Chanani possessed me It s not Bara created me It s not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LXX have it but as Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of his way as Cartwright before he had created any thing 23. I was set up from everlasting Tremellius inuncta fui I was anointed Aben Ezra Electa fui I was chosen The vulgar Latine I was ordained from the beginning or ever the earth was 24. When there were no depths I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with waters 25. Before the mountains were setled before the hills was I brought forth c. In all which the authority of Christ saith Cartwright is proven from his eternity antiquity immortality c. and all this time He was with God as is fully v. 30. cleared Then I was by him as one brought up with him Chald. Para. I was nourished up as à maid at his side He will not want his Son out of his eye I was daily his delight rejoicing alwayes before him The Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 die die from day to day Rabbi Solomon annorum myriades myriads of years The Father and the Son from eternity delighted one in another and were solacing themselves in the works without themselves and the ratio formalis as it were that which took up the love delight and thoughts of God when as yet there was no world no mountains no depths c. is Christ as Redeemer delighting himself with the sons of men 31. I was with him rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth Heb. Sporting or playing with the sons of men both because of all his works as Ambrose saith he most longed for man and made heaven and rested not and made the earth and rested not and made the Sunne Moon and Stars and rested not there and made man and then rested as having found the choisest peece of work he so much delighted in So the Father and the Son were taken and as it were love saith Bernard triumphed over God and they solaâ—ed their heart in that great design of love and from eternity passed over that long and sweet age of myriads of ages in the pleasant and delighting thoughts of that boundlesse and bottomlesse Ocean of love to wit God is to be made sick and to die a love for the sons of men Love being above and in a maner not stronger then the grave only and then death and hell but some way with reverence to his holinesse mightier then the most High and brought God down to sick clay that you may saith Bernard see if you take heed joy sadned faith feared salvation suffering life dying strength weakned and this wisedome was hid up and kept secret since the world began Rom. 16.25 Hidden wisedome in the heart of the Lord from eternity which God ordained before the world unto our glory 1 Corinth 2.7 the like whereof the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard nor hath entered in to the heart of man v. 9. to conceive So that this mystery of the Covenant between Jehovah and the Son of God was as it were little enough to busie the thoughts of the infinite understanding of of the highest Lord God Father Son and Spirit as containing the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 Say there were millions and ten thousand millions of Globs of new whole earths of all gold mines perfect and purest gold yet should they not all come near to the borders of this riches and these all were in before there was a Creation and he lets out of this fulnesse to us and we are sinfully poor beside Christs gold mines and dry beside the rivers of wine and milk and dead a thousand times being under the flowings and outlettings of life and of such a life Hence the 12. Argument If Christ the Son was designed and fore-ordained with the Father the Spirit and his own consent to be the person should pay the ransome of satisfaction and to be satisfied in his soul with the getting and injoying of the bought and well payed for and ransoned yea the over-ransoned sons of men who ravished love and heart of Father and Son before the mountains were brought Prov. 8.22 23 c. 30 31. forth and when as yet there were no depths then was that bargain of love closed and subscribed before witnesses from eternity For could the heart of Christ be cold and indifferent to undergoe suretyship for the sons of men Who warmed and kindled a fire of Redeemers love in his heart from everlasting Or was his consent to the Covenant but as late and young as since Adam fell or Abraham was called to leave his countrey and his fathers house Gen. 3. Gen. 12 Ah! it s an older love then so A yesterdayes love time-mercy a grace of the age with the world could not have saved me Nor were our Charters and Writtes of Gospel-grace first drawn up in Paradice Nay but copies and doubles of them only were given to Adam in Paradice The love of God is no younger then God and was never younger to sinners and woe to us if grace and mercy to redeemed ones should wax old and weaker through age and at length die and turn in everlasting hatred I desire to hold me fast by that Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love He meets as Calvin well observes with a blasphemous temptation of Sathan that the people had in their mouth Ho the Lord appeared to me of old but that is a love from one year to another and it s out of date now the Covenant-love to Abraham is dead and away and the Lord is changed No I have loved thee not for a year or a summer The Covenant-love is older then thy poor short time-love Obj. But I may leave off to love God and he loves me no longer then I love him Ans. Where is then everlasting love and because he loves us we shall not leave off to love him Night and overclouding of the Sun is not a perishing of the Sun out of the world his love quickens my fainting love CHAP. VIII The differences between the Covenant of Suretyship or Redemption made with Christ the Covenant of Reconciliation and of Grace made with sinners 2. The conjunction of the Covenants 3. How the promises are made to the Seed that is to Christ the meaning of the place Gal. 3.16 4. Christ acted and suffered alway as a publick head IT
36.26 27. Jer. 31.31 32 33 34 35. Jer. 32.39 40. Neither can there be confidence and faith in God through the sure mercies of David nor peace nor solide consolation nor warrand to pray for the Lords gracious bowing of the will to be his seed except it be beleeved Covenanted that God shall be the God of his people and their King not over the element of the sea only to rule it and over the mountains and the stones and rocks but also over the particular wills and the willing and nilling choosing of good and refusing of evill in the men of the Iles. And how could the Son pray Father give the inheritance of the Heathen to me according to promise Ask of me and I will give thee c. Psal. 2. If the Father could answer nothing but what Arminians and Socinians say he answers as also the beleever out of the fleshes weaknesse must dictat this return of prayer Son with good will I grant the Heathen and the ends of the earth to thee in heritage and possession so they be willing to submit to thee But what if they refuse to obey either me or thee I did never Covenant with thee Son to do more then I can try thy strength and force their free-will if thou can if they be willing well and good it is there is a bargain My approving and commanding will is that they be thy seed and thy willing people but my decree is not to Lord it over their will that is a fundamentall act of Government that all my subjects have liberty of conscience to will or nill as they please Nay but the Covenant of Suretyship includes the sure mercies of David and the Lord gives band word and writ and seal of blood and the Oath of God to the Son Psal. 110.4 Heb. 7.21 for the will Isa. 53.4 Behold I have given him for a witnesse of the people a leader and commander to the people But what if they will neither lead nor drive Yea the Lord promises they shall not need to be driven they shall be willing and run 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and of the Holy One of Israel for he hath glorified thee And a strong reason of this is given the Gentiles run Whence comes this forwardnesse of the Gentiles who knew not God Because saith Isaiah of Jehovah thy God of Christ Mediatour in Covenant with thee Psal. 22.1 Joh. 20. â—0 because of thy God the Holy One of Israel the running saith Calvin notteth the efficacy of the calling and they run to Christ because of Jehovah and the mighty power of God in the Man-Christ â— Noteth because saith Piscator And another reason because he hath glorified thee O Christ he hath declared thee to be the Son of God by thy rising from the dead ascension to heaven given thee a Name above all names Rom. 1.4 Phil. 2.7 8 9 10. So Musculus Piscator Marlorat Gualther Diodati So the running of the Gentiles to Christ is the glorifying of Christ and a part of the reward it s Christs glory that he hath a seed that runs after him Then And M. Dickson upon these words Ps. 2. Aske of me after Christs resurrection and declaration of his formerly overclouded Godhead he should continue in the Offiâ—e of his Mediation and Intercession and by vertue of his payed ransone of Redemption call for the inlargement of his purchased Redemption among the Gentiles for this is the Fathers compact with the Son saying aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen so that both by free Covenant and by merit Christ challengeth a seed and it were unjustice in the Lord with reverence and glory to his Holines to deny to Christ that for which he hath given a condign ransone and price But he hath payed a condign Covenantâ—ransone of his own precious self and offered blood for hâ—s seed Hence 1. though a weak beleever cannot by merit suit a bowed will and a circumcised heart from the Lord Yet 1. may be suit it by the band of the Covenant of Redemption between Jehovah and the Son and a Redeemed one may say it was an Article of the Covenant of Redemption that my stony heart should be taken away and a heart of flesh given to me and faith hath influence to be supported that God articled Covenant-ways such a wretch as I am to Christ and look as the book of life called the Lambs Book of Life contains so many by name head and in all their individuall properties Jacob Paul c. that are written and inrolled for glory so are all and I by name in a Covenant-relation given of the Father to the Son Joh. 17.3 9.11 Joh. 6.39 and that is surer then heaven or the fixed ordinances of nature Jer. 31.35 36. Psal. 89.37 38. Happy such as can ride at this anchor Though I mean not that the decree of election and the roll of the Mediatour to me or the gracious Suretyâ—Covenant between Jehovah and the Son as relating to me by name must be the nearest object of faith or that alwayes a beleever doth read this roll but his faith often is and ought and may be supported thereby 2. Christ may suit by vertue of both the Surety Covenant and by the justice of God his condign merite to me a fixed will to run the way of his Commandements Christs appearing with blood Heb. 9. and his prayer as high Priest Joh. 17. prove that in Christs Bill for us there is justice the merite of blood and that his Advocation is 1 John 2.1 grounded upon justice and he stands there as Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteous without sin now imputed not now made sin nor made a curse but by order of strict justice justified and righteous and the act of Suretyship taken off and as the hand-writing against us is cancelled upon the Crosse Col. 2. So the hand-writing of oblidged punishment due to Christ as our Surety is removed and he now justified in the Spirit without sin Heb. 9.28 Such a one as cannot die Rom. 6.9 Rev. 1.18 and cannot die a death satisfactory for sin because as beleevers cannot die the second death Christ having died for them neither can Christ suffer the second death again or be twice a curse for once he died for all But our faith is so supported not a little in this I darre not put merit or justice in my suits to God but I beleeve it is and must be in Christs bill and that bill is for me mercy and only mercy is in the sinners bill but the justice of a condign ransoner is in Christs suits and so faith looks to Christ As 1. having the first Covenant-right to heaven as the great Lord receiver of the promises And then we have a second right in him 2. Faith looks to Christ as having
end in all the Articles of the Covenant of Redemption so fear not JEHOVAH cannot break off the Treaty with his Son nor can Christ be left unsatisfied 6. The Lord promises help to Christ against his enemies Psal. 89.21 With him my hand shall be established mine arm also shall strengthen him There be many against Christ but he hath a divine furniture of strength Hence protection is promised to him in the discharge of his Office Isai. 49.2 In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shâ—fâ— in his quiver hath he hid me The outlettings and manifestations of strength and furniture that is in the â—ead redoundâ— to a seasonable supplie of all his afflicted ones that they shall not be overwhelmed 7. Victory is promised to Christ over all his enemies The Lord will not leave his soul in grave Psal. â—6 10 Therefore saith the Lord speaking Covenant-wayes Isai. 53.12 will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death He shall triumph over principalities and powers Col. 2.15 Luk. 11.22 and shall make all his enemies his footstool and subdue them so that he shall fill the pits with the dead bodies Psal. 110.1 6. and plague all his enemies Gen. â—â— 3 Psal. 89 2â— I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him It supports not a little our faith that when we tremble before temptations from Satan and the mighty of the world the Lord hath written Covenanted to Christ all his and our enemies destruction Our turning away our eye from the Covenant is the cause why we succumb Christ under his sorest assault with hell and hels pursevants and officers devils and the felt anger of a forsaking God dowbles his grips on the Covenant my God my God Psal. 22.1 Mat. 27. O my Father Mat. 26. Psal. 89.26 He shall cry to me my Father my God A Covenant is as it were more then a promise being a solemn promise in condiscension of mercy So the Church Psal. 89.38 39. and Jer. 14.21 and the afflicted people Isa. 63.16 and Dan. â— 9.4 5 6. Ezra 9.6.10.15 Hezekiah in a day of rebuke Isa. 37.16 20. the slain Church Psal. 79.9 Psal. 80.1 flee to this shoar in their stormes and the Lord professes he will be broken intreated and holden by his Covenant Lev. 26.41 42. 8. There is a promise of glory of a Name above all names made to Christ for his sufferings Psal. 16.9 10 11. Isa. 53.12 Act. 5.31 and to such as suffer with him and overcome Luk. 22.29 30. Rev. 3.21 Rev. 2.10 As also he shall bear all the glory of his Fathers house Isa. 22. Zech. 7.13 9. The Lord promiseth forbearing mercy to the children of Christ if they sin he will correct them in measure and in a Fatherly way give them repentance but not remove the Covenant-mercy So hath the Lord Covenanted and articled in the writ with his Son a rod to children to difference them from bastards Heb. â—2 And â—e that hath hiâ— fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem writes this up as a Covenant-mercy that he will not suffer them to perish with the world Hence the rods of the wicked stand booked in the Covenant of Works among the curses of the book of the Law Lev. â—6 Deut. 28.15 16 17 c. our rods are Covenanted mercies in the compact between the Lord and Christ and written in the Gospel-book of the Covenant of Grace 10. All the promises of the Gospel are first as it were promised to Christ the Gospel is put over in his hand Jesus is the Angel Rev. 10.1 châ—aâ—hed with a Cloud and a Rain-bow on his head v. 2. And hath in his hand a little book open the Testament and the book of all the promises to dispense them to such as the Father hath given to him to give his Spirit to his own to interceed and advocate for them to ratifie and seal them with his blood 11. There is promised to him an head-ship and power of judgment over man and Angels with an oath that to him all knees shall bow Rom. 14.11 Isa. 45.23 Phil. 2.10 and that he shall adde his seal to Gospel-hell and vengeance inflicted upon the despisers of the Gospel Luk. 19.14 Mat. 26.64 The threatnings against Gospel unbeleef are put in the hands of Christ not as Redeemer and Surety but as a refused Surety and King whom unbelievers will not have to raign over them 12. Adam brake the whole frame of heaven and earth and to the Second ADAM the whole broken and marred lump of the Creation is promised that he may be the repairer of the waste places Isa. 49.8 I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people to establish the earth to cause to inherite the desolat heritages Ps. 72.16 Under the raign of the Messiah There shal be an handfull of corn upon the top of the mountains the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon Jer. 31.12 Therefore shall they come and sing in the height of Zion and shall flow together for the goodnesse of the Lord Christ for wheat and for wine and for oyl and for the young of the flock and of the herd 1. The Lord made all things at the beginning very good Gen. 1.31 Heaven Earth Sun Moon Beasts Birds c. being all made servants to man were in a manner fellow-Covenanters in their kind with man in the Covenant of Works As a King covenants with a great Family his servants and dependers have the benefite of the Kings Covenant-peace all obeyed Adam without jarring but when Adam sinned war between the Lord and between the Master and the servants is denounced the earth is cursed for his sake Genes 3.17 18. and Lions and wild Beasts rise against him like loose borderers But in the Covenant of Grace Hos. 2.18 19 20. the beasts of the field the fowls of the heaven the Sun which shall not smite by day nor the Moon by night Ps. 121.6 are by the Surety of the Covenant brought in a new league yea the stones of the field Job 5.23 are compartners of the peace and Christ the King takes off the forefaultry upon all and looses the arrestment of vanity that by sin was laid upon the Creation which was made sick like a woman travelling in birth Rom. 8.20 21 22. Hence are they blessed in Christ to the Saints Deut. 28.4 5. Levit. 26.4 5 6. and the Angels come in under their Head Christ Col. 2.10 and serve the new restored heirs Heb. 1.13 for their Heads sake 2. God hath appointed Christ the Heir of all things and Heb. 1.2 hath given a Charter to Christ and put in bread garments houses and all to the Believer in Christ the first Heir his great evidence is 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are yours 3. He makes all things new Rev. 21.5
shall glorifie the Father It s not to be rejected that Hilarius lib. 1. de Trinit 11. August lib. 1. de Trinit c. 8. he shall render the elect back to God as now saved and present to the Father his ransoned ones now perfected so Eph. 5.27 3. Taking the word of raigning for this to excell in eminency of power above all so Christ shall raign eternally but taking the word of raigning as it notes the exercise of royall authority so and so by gathering a Church by the Preached word fighting against enemies and overcoming them to make them his foot-stool untill which time he raignes Ps. 110. And so it may be and is said by some he raigns not after the day of the universall Judgement but these are but the second acts of a King and the not exercising of these acts proves not but Christ is a King actu primo and essentially for the exercise of such and such acts are often extrinsecall to the office But the question shall remain whether he be not for ever and ever a Mediatory King and does retain his headship over the Church so as the Angel say Luk. 1.33 He shall raign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of his Kingdom there shalâ— be no end And as Dan. 7.14 Cameron and others say the meaning of that that his Kingdom shall have no end is only it shall not be destroyed by externall violence as worldly Monarchies that are made away and others rise in their place but that Kingdom say they may wellâ—be called eternall though the King leave off to raign when he leaves off to raign through no weakenesse and want of power but because he needs not raignâ— there being no need of laws because the subjects are perfected and there are no enemies to be subdued and the King hath obtained that eternall end a glorified people for which he was fighting But yet this seems not to satisfie 1. Circumcision and the Ceremonies and the Priest-hood Exo. 40.15 Lev. 16.29 the fast in the seventh month shall be a statute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever Lev. 6.18 All the mules of the sons of Aaron shal eat the remainder of the meat-offering it shall be a statute for ever in your generations so Lev. 17.7 Lev. 7.34 3â— Lev. 23.14 Num. 23.11 23. yet these Ordinances can hardly be called eternall as the Kingdom of Christ is And yet they cease when the body is come and they are not destroyed as humane inventions the hay and the stubble that are builded upon the foundation Christ. 2. These reasons prove that Christ shall not exercise such and such acts of royaltie upon such and such enemies for they shall be no enemies Yet we say not as â—amero that such a Prince leaves off to raign even as Mediatour Christs rendering of the Kingdome dispensatory or Oeconomick to the Father may well be a rendering of an account of his subjects and a presenting of them to God perfected Eph. 5.26 27. without spot and wrinkle Christ having brought them out of danger so as they need not Word Sacraments or a Temple And so 1 Cor. 15.24 He shal put down all rule all power and authority all Magistracy and Government that now is in either Church or State and so saith Parâ—us the Son shal be subject to the Father having subdued all the rebels as his Fathers Deputie he shall return to his Father the Kingdom now reduced to subjection and made peaceable and lay down his Mediatorie Commission and so be subject to the Father having ended the deputed and delegated charge And it is sure the Son as Mediatour is sent and is a Servant an Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. and the laying down of his written Commission is a sort of subjection and God doth not now actually raign in such a Mediatory way as in the days of Christs flesh he did raign in Christ but now after the last Judgement God is all in all that is not because he is not now all in all and is not the Lord of lords and King of kings but because it doth not so appear to be many now rise against him and contradict him and persecuting his Mysticall body do persecute Christ. 2. He shal be all in all by change of the Oeconomick Government then the Father Son and Spirit shal immediatly glorifie the Church Rev. 21.22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is their Temple 3. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did inlighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof But that Christ shall leave off to be Mediatory King after the last Judgement I deny For there is a twofold Mediation one of uniting sinners to God and mediating between God and them This shall cease and all the royall acts thereof but these with reverence 〈…〉 second operations and acts of royaltie There is another Mediation substantiall by which our natures glorified stand in a substantiall union with God for ever for to what end shall Christ stand glorified in our nature in heaven but to be the substantiall 〈…〉 between 〈◊〉 and us glorified for ever If any say that Christ-God-Man after that day is no Mediatour of reconciliation because there shall be no sin then It s true Nay but even now in the intervall between his ascension and second appearing to Judge the world he acts not as Mediatour of reconciliation to expiate our sins and to satisfie for them for only he did upon the crosse by dying for us so mediate And we will not say he is acting the part of a Priest formally by sacrificing for us in heaven as Socinians teach for he can offer no expiatory sacrifice for us in heaven for he died but once that was on the earth only Obj. But now he Advocats for sinners 1 Joh. 2.1 therefore as now in heaven glorified he is a Mediatour for sinners Ans. True he is a Mediatour and Intercessour now applicatione non expiatione by applying his blood but not by shedding of it And he is an Advocat but called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus the Righteous and an Advocat as just and righteous supposeth a right and just cause and that sufficient satisfaction and payment is given to God for the sins of these for whom Christ interceeds the Advocation of Christ is not to plead that beleevers may sin or their sins may be excused as no sins But his intercession is to plead 1. that for his blood we may stand as accepted of God and freed from condemnation 2. That the Spirit procured by the death of Christ may be given to us that we may repent and beleeve But again after the last Judgement Christ stands as Mediatour not to apply his death nor to interceed for sinners when there shall be no sinners but Christ eternally shall appear for us as a paund of a
act of the free-will grace and infinit wisdome of GOD be added to make good the assumption How the promises are to be beleeved and how in them we are to beleeve both the equity and event of the promises if the condition be performed and how the difference must be made between them and the threatnings The promises as annunciated and as made The Gospel promises to the Reprobate are legal how The Law-threatnings to the Elect are Evangelick and how The elect non-converted how they are not under Law-wrath The Elect non-converted bear no part of the Law-curse but CHRIST bare all Remission of sins and life eternal under the Old Testament Faith is made a cause of satisfaction for sin by all who hold that CHRIST gave a satisfactorie ransome for all and every one Elect and Reprobate Conditionall payment made for the sins of Judas is no payment at all Accepting or not accepting assenting or not assenting to the payment are not causes of the sufficiency of the payment made to justice The formal reason why God accepts of CHRISTS satisfaction is the intrinsecal sufficiency of it and why he accepts it for Peter not for another is the free election of grace How the satisfaction of Christ is refuseable how not Faith a condition of applying the satisfaction only God may accept the satisfaction of Christ without any condition required on our part The conditionall decree of Adams living if he should doe the Law was not predestination to eternall glorie How Adam was chosen to glory in Christ how not The heathen have not universall Grace The high and deep Soveraignty of God is against universall Grace Gods Covenanting with us is a gracious condiscension The errors in temptations which wee create from surmises that we are not chosen to life eternall Better faith view God Christ as self Unbelief quarrels at God and but pretends self sinfulnesse How to beleeve conditionall promises Beings and not beings are debtors to the glory of God All not beings are under the positive decree of God Our pains and sufferings are debters to the glory of God There is more self-denyall in the lifeless and unreasonable creatures in their Covenant of nature theÌ„ in man A threefold consideration of man in reference to a Covenant The Covenant naturall the Covenant in its positives of diverse considerations God neither by necessity of nature either rewardeth obedience or punisheth 〈◊〉 A naturall conscience may and doth know that GOD doth good freely to his creature but it followeth not that God doth good to his creature for that by necessity of nature Communion with GOD in Glory is a reward not due by nature but by the free gift of GOD to the most perfect law-obedience Arminius in Colla. cum Francis Junio ad propos â—2 pag. 547. Anselmus de redemptione certe Domine quia me fecisti debeo amori tuo meipsum totum imo tantum debeo amori tuo plus quam me ipsum Quantum tu es major me pro quo dedisti teipsum cui promittis teipsum Anselm Monolog 40. quid enim summa bonitas retribuet amaâ—ti desideranti se nisi seipsum No merit can wone God for he is greater nor our work Bradward de causa Dei lib. 1. c. 39. p. 343 lit E. It is not just that God shuld reward Adams obedieÌ„ce with life before God made it just Man can never come from under an obligation to his Creator and Redeemer God falls in no sort from his natural dominion though he punish not sin by necessity of nature God should have a perfect dominion over maÌ„ though he had imposed no penall but only rewarding or remunerative lawes upon him The Lords dominion over man is without Scripture or reason restricted to penal Laws Si enim lex talis non seratur necessariò possibile esset ut vel Deus jure suo naturali Dominio in creaturas caderet sic non esset DEVS vel stabilito isto jure creaturam ci non esse subditam Quod implicat contradictionem nam intercisâ obedientiâ quod fieri potuit factum est dependentia moralis creaturae rationalis à Deo illa nullo modo continuari potest nisi per poenam 〈◊〉 Jam verâ— egressus necessarios constituentes non negamus Deum tamen eam libere exercere It s not feazable without a contradiction to say God punisheth sin by necessity of nature and yet in the way measure and time of punishing he is free Suarez in opusc de justit Dei Sect. 2. 〈◊〉 9. fig. 352. God loves defends by necessity of nature his essentiall but not his declarative glory God loves defends the glory of his pardoning mercy no less then the glory of his revenging justice and if he love the one by necessity of nature he must also love the other The place Isa. 42.18 I will not give my glory to another vindicated The Scripture speaks for the most part of the Lords declarative glory God by necessitie of nature should procure his declarative glory and so by that necessitie create the world redeem man if by that necessitie he should love and defend his declarative Glory God must by necessitie of nature hinder the existeÌ„ce of sin and by the same necessitie seek his legislative Glory if he love it as he loves himself by necessitie of nature God might never have intended his glory declarative because if so it had pleased him he might never have made the world If God punish sin by necessity of justice hee must punish Adam and all his sons in their persons by necessity of justice deny them a Saviour The necessitie of declaring the righteousnesse of God in either punishing the sinner Adam or the surety Christ makes not God to punish by necessity of nature The glory of God the manifestation of his glory to Angels and Men are much different Declared glory and fundamental glory are different Qualis enim amor iste esse potest quem in ea re qua nihil opus fuit DEVS ostendit The freedom of punishing sin is objected by Socinus as contrair to the necessitie of reall satisfaction Grace and the measure of it is to be humbly looked on Being life and self are undeserved favours It is mercy that GOD rewards our obedience An admirable soveraignty in the standing of Angels and in the fall of man Gifts and habits of saving grace cannot keep creatures on foot The humbling thoughts that God needs not men nor their service nor any creature shuld take us up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secret in us after actings of Grace No creature can give to God Reasons why none can give to GOD from that excellent passage of David 1 Chro. 29 1â— 12. What dominion the state or communitie hath over private men Such as refuse to give self for God shall be plucked out of their place The unity of such as boast of the proud pronouns my and self Created
sinlesse self is to be denyed The Covenant between God and man is of a far other nature then the Covenant between man and man God cannot quite or part with Creator-right universall dominion over all things that may be given and therefore nothing can be given to him We are not to strive with the gracious Lord. The Covenant but not the proportion betwixt works and wage is the Lords rule in rewarding our labour nor should we be gainers if the Lord shuld so deal with us There is a commutative and a distributive justice between God us the former hath no place in the absolute Lord. August serm 16. de verb. Apostol debitor nobis factus est Deus non aliquid accipiendo sed quod eâ— placuit promittendo Glory is not our own after we have wrought for it A promise as a promise can give us no right of strict justice to any reward A promise being posterior to things promised cannot alter the worth or value of things None gave first to the Lord men or Angels God was no debtor â—o Justice to give being to the world Non entis nulla sunt accidentia We should not take ill to obey serve God who hath so noble servants The beasts and lifeless creatures shal depon in judgement against us who break Covenant with God Our soft nature is too soone brokeÌ„ with poor rewards and too little moved with great things Justification by works is our own element Christ and his righteousnesse strangers to us Seldome deadnesse to works and lively activity in works is one Rom. 10.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The room of death in the two Covenants The change that Christ hath made in death What Judas Cain in their despairing mood are to do What weak doubters are to do When faith acts most strongly VVilfulness in unbeleef 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVe are to obey and leave supposed contradictions to God in time of darknesse VVhy it is not said that God was the God of Adam Better our hearts be the Lords then our own VVhat a life was promised to Adam Of our â—ight to the creatures A three-fold right naturall providentiall spirituall There is no law to have being and living and so no sin in having it VVhat a providentiall right 〈◊〉 VVhat a spirituall right is how excellent To live to injoy the creatures is not in it self sin Their temptation who think they should not eat nor pray If the non-converted have no right to any thing then we may spoil deprive them of life and all they have How true it is that these who injoy that of which they deserve to be deprived they have no right to that and sin in using iâ— Living in the devils and damned and Reprobate is no usurping of life Simile The Reprobate non-converted in the Visible Church want all spirituall right by faith in Christ to life and the creatures and they sin in the maner of living eating c. How woful to have a lump of life time no right to life How God is ourâ— God to the Saints and to the Man CHRIST a heaven There may be a train of graces yet unquietnesse for the want of Christ. A spiritual soul acts in God And misses God rather then any created saving grace Cotvin cont Molin c. 8. §. 7. Primo foedere per inobedientiam primi hominis rupto cessabat etiam obligatio ad eam obedientiam lege praescriptam Ibid. c. 9. §. 5. Remonstr in Scrip Synod Dored 4. â—a 145. The Law the â—â—rst Covenant is holy and oblidgeth all to actiâ—â— obedience alwayes There is sin in Infants The naturall antecedent love of GOD which is fancied to be the ground of the Covenant of Grace is as what the Jews in tâ—e Talmud the Alcaron say of God Doctrin fidei Judai◠〈◊〉 5. trac 8. ib ord 1. disp 7. Alcar c. 43. 1. The Covenant of nature 2. Of Grace 3. The subservient Covenant the differences between it and the Covenant of nature which hold not The differences between the Covenant subservient as they call it and that of grace are â—ull Righteousnesse and forgiveness under that subservient Covenant The Law as proponed to Israel was the very Covenant of Grace The Covenant made at Horeb was the same which God made with Abraham The new Covenant a life of promises How God commands what The Law as the Law required no CircuÌ„cision no sacrifice nor any Type representing Christ. The first Covenant had the Mediator Christ as this hath but vailed in the one revealed in the other How the first Covenant is faultie How Paul speaks of the Covenant Gal 3. and how Gal. 4. Calvin Instit l. 11. â— XI Sect. 7 8. Epist. par 3. disp 12. The Arminians three Covenants dis 14. Self searching necessary Reflect â—cts are more spirituall then direct acts Threatnings under the New Testament more spirituall then under the Old Desertions under the Old and New Testament compared The Saint are stronger to suffer under the New Testament then under the Old A larger number of Godly of the rude unlearned thâ—n of the wise and learned according to the flesh It s a Law-state to be under the dominion of sin the nature of this dominion The difference between the wrestling and protesting of a naturall conscience against the flesh and betweene the flesh the Spirit Compelled convictions argue a Law-Spirit It is easier to be found then to be Godly Legall terrours convert none Legall terrours may be mistaken and conceived to be the child birth of Regeneration Literall and legall conviction on the mind and Gospel conviction on the affection Naturall and supernaturall convictions the danger of the latter if they be firy and not tempered with grace â—are conviction is no Godly principle A sweetnes in the hardest coÌ„mand because it is the holy wil of God in a child under grace A sweetnes of communion with God an aboundant hire for a duty to a child under Grace How an inward principle of a new nature stands as it were for a commaÌ„d and yet the Word and Spirit must not be sepâ—râ—ted The sâ—ed Infants of Covenanting parents are in Covenant with God under both Old and New Testament The promise of the Covenant must be made to infants Acts 2.39 else the sense of the words cannot stand Infants in Covenant under the New Testament Old and young of Nations under the New Test. are in Covenant externally as Israel was The place Rom. 9.6 vindicated from the unsound gloss of opposers of Infant Baptism Children must have from their being born of beleeving Parents under the N. Test. some Covenant priviledges It is a Covenant mercy to fathers and children that the Word of the Covenant is preached to them It is a mercy to be born in Zion There is no ground to say that the Covenant made with Abraham and with uâ— under the N. Test. are different Covenants To children no
suspendio vita se exuit Nequaquam aegre fero inquit Socrates nam in Theatro veluti in magno convivio verbis vexor 9. Deadnesse to an office or a place of authority 10. Deadnesse to pleasure 11. Deadnesse to all the world 12. Mortification to creature-comforts to multitude friends hosts armies chariots horse father son daughter husband to city to our mother-countrey c. 13. A deadnes to Captains stoutnesse and valour in warre to birth 14. A deadnes to youth pastime play laughter to hunger fulness 15. A deadnes to Ordinances There be twoâ—things in Ordinâ—nces 16. Deadnesse to prayer 17. To faith and hope we pray to our owne prayers 18. Deadnesse to coÌ„forts and feeling How farre we may be taken with feeling 19. Deadnesse to the habit stock of created grace 20. Deadnesse to the sweetnes of heaven 21. To the promises M. Isaac Ambrose prima media ultima life of faâ—th c. 9. Sect. 2. pa. 2â—1 22. Deadnesse to the out-shinings of God to take aright absence presence 23. Deadnes to fair providences of court Godly Princes miracles 24. To saplesse wil-worship Q. 1. How is CHRIST given as a Covenant of the people Is 49 6 Socinus de Servato l. 2. c. 16. Christ is not the coÌ„firmer only but the Author of the Covenant of grace The death of the Testator how it confirms the Covenant It is true that the death of the Testator to wit such a death of one who is more then a Testator or only man even God man procuâ—es as a meritorious cause life remission c but this it does not as the death of a Testator and dying friend but as such a so excellent so satisfactory a death which no Martyrs death can do There is a far other thing in Christs blood then power of sealing and witnessing the truth which is in the Martyrs blood The Socinian way quiets not the waâ—ened conscience by maÌ„â— works but by the blood of Christ apprehended by faith this is done Christ is upon both the Lords side of the Covenant upon our side the satisfactioÌ„ iâ— most 〈◊〉 Justice as justice seeks satisfactioÌ„ but Soveraignty of free-grace not justice determines how and who shall pay Justice is not the mediating and interposing attribute but free-grace Our glory was work and wadge to Christ but of free grace to us we bought it not Deep reasons in the depth of unsearchable wisedom why the Lord who can hinder sin to enter in the world thought fit it should be None sick speaks no Saviour no such PhysitiaÌ„ as Christ It is a deep of wisedom that the same men that now are fire-wood eternally in the lake of brimstone might have been if so it had pleased GOD proclaimers of the glory of his grace in heaven the now heirs of glory in their place God might have holâ—en up the lawâ—dispensation for ever but then there should have been no place for the Ark of glory J. Ch. The Gospel-woÌ„ders of grace should not eternallie have been biâ— Whether of the two be most excellent Law-innocency or Gospel-repentance Christ Man must be in Covenant with God Arg. 1. For the Covenant of redemption becaus Christ câ—lls the LORD his God 2. Arg. From the Lords calling of his Son to his Office 3. Arg. Christ his offering of his service to GOD proves this Covenant 4 Arg. The Fathers giving of the elect to Christ to be redeemed and the Son his willing receiving of theÌ„ proves this Covenant The persons being given of the Father to the Son speaks strong consolation it s no consolation at all to depend upon free-will 5. Arg. Christs receiving of the Seals of the Old New Covenant proves that there is such a Covenant Why Christ received the Seals 6. Arg. God might have followed a Law-way with al flesh not have sent his Son the Son might have refused to be sent 〈◊〉 Ergo by compact Christ came 7. Arg. All the promises how they are made to Christ. Christ is he who made the promises and the Covenant CHRIST is an ingadged Suretie for the standing of a weak believer 8. Arg. From the promises concerning Christ. 9 Arg. Christ is bidden aske a people froÌ„ God the Lord promiseth that he will hear 10. Arg. The relatioÌ„ of Christs working for wages and the Lords paying him his wages does prove this Covenant A design of love in the heart of Christ toward low man as his alme end 11. Arg. The Lords Oath â—o Christ when he is made Priest and King provs this Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRIST is a sworn Priest and Intercessour for the hour of temptation The most sweet providence of God in designing a Physician to us before we be sick Armin. de Sacerdatio Chri. pag. 14 15. The harmony of the Attributes of God in the declaration of mercy truth justice c. is sweetly made out by this Covenant The sending of the Spirit and the Spirit his free consent to come is not a proper Covenant Gods love in acting for man in time Paul Bayne Comm. on Eph. 1. v. 4. The Lord choosed us not in Christ because he saw us in him by faith The mutuall delights of love between the Father and the Son in their thoughts of the Covenant-love to man Ambros. hexa l. 6. c. 16. Deus fecit Coelum non lego quod requierit fecit terram nec lego quod sic requieverit fecit solem lunam stellas nec ibi lego quod requieverit lego quod fecit hominem quod tunc requieverit Bernard Serm. 64. in Cant. Quid violentius triumphat de Deo Bernard hom â— Super missus est videas si attendas in Christo tristari laetitiam pavere fiduciam salutem paâ—i vitam mori fortitudinem infirmari The strength of Gods love to man which we too little value No lesse everlasting love could save us There are different parties in Covenant of Redemption and Reconciliation Help layed upon Christ The Covenant of Redemption most to be eyed Two parts of the Covenant of Redemption one before time another in time How seasonable and timous the Covenant of Reconciliation was the Physick the Physicâ—an came both in time to the sicknesse 4. Differ The Covenants do differ in the matter work and wages 5. The Covenant of suretyship differeth from the Covenant of Reconcâ—liation in coÌ„mands 2. Promises 3. And conditions CHRISTS emptying himself was no act of obedience but a most voluntary free act beyond all obligation CHRISTS Covenant helps our Covenant he hath a place in our Covenant How the promise is made unto Christ Gal. 3. v. 16. Da. Pareus Comm. in Gala. 3.16 Hoc semen in quo benedicentur omnes Gentes Apostoâ—lus interpretatus erat non collective de multis vel omnibus Abrahamâ— posteris sed individue de uno Christo â— quo non â—am corporalis quam spiritualis benedicto hoc est justitia
Eze. 11 c. Crispe Christ exalted Ser. 6 pag. 159. The mistake of Antinomians as touching these places Jer. 31. Eze. 11. cap. 36.26 Isa. 59 c. For they own no Covenant of grace but that 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 doth all we are meer patients The Antinomians confound the efficient cause of obedience with the objective cause and rule of obedience in either Law or Gospel free men from all duties when the actuall influences of the Spirit cease The beleever is confirmed so as he cannot but beleeve and beleeve to the end being under the speciall promises made to the chosen although he have not the confirming grace of the elect Angels The doubtings unbeleef of the justified renders not the Covenant of Grace null so as it should not be a possible way of life to them as the least sin against the Covenant of Works renders the Covenant null so that it can never be a possible way of salvation again to those that once sin The Lord speaks not Jer. 31. Heb. 8. of the whole Covenant of Grace as preached to all in the Visible Church as many suppose The scope of the Epistle to the Hebrews is not to treat of the Covenant Preached in his nature parties promises precepts conditions but to treat of the excellency of Christ above Angels Moses Priests Sacrifices and in acting of the Covenant upon the heart of the elect especially Christ excells all Justification promised to Christ and that twofold Christ judicially loosed from death came out and we in him A promise of heavenly influences is made to Christ. Christ was assured of influences Adam was not to beleeve he should have influences nor yet to beleeve his own reprobation The great promise I will be his God made to Christ. Christ and beleevers are in one writ VVeare to make firmer our marriage-love with Christ. Our mistake touching comforts and duties A seed is promised to Christ seed was much in the heart of Christ. Christsâ—nd â—nd is satisfied by the Lord therefore are we not to fear Because victory is promised to Christ in temptations we may flee to the Covenant as Christ and the Saints have done A promise of glory is made to Christ. Rods in mercy are Covenanted to us An headship is promised to Christ. The creatures in the Covenant of works are now broken out when that Covenant is broken but now in Christ they are taken in again restored as under-Covenanters Christ being Man required that he should be under a Covenant No such condition is required of Christ as of Adam or of us nor was he under any threatning but had coÌ„firming grace from the womb The paying of the price of blood and dying for man was the formal condition of the Covenant of suretyship Law-holinesse in Christ did not exclude grace The holy actings of Christs affections Christs wisedome Christ his undaÌ„toned boldnes of faith His hope His holy sagacitie His righteousnesse His meeknesse His tendernesse to the weak His compassion to sinners His humility His painfull way of gaining of souls His faithfull free teaching His mortification A patern of love Of obedience to God and to all to whom obedience is due Christ hath all these qualifications as the grace of head-ship to be communicated to us not as the grace of his person to be personall and private induements for himself only We too much affect bastard graces and 〈◊〉 little the grace that is Chriâ—â— which hath a 〈◊〉 desirablenesse to cause us follow theâ—â— graces because they lodge in God Immanuel The graces in Christ are more forceable paterns to us to follow in some sense then the Scripture it self 1. The freedom of the Covenant of suretyship The grace in the Covenant of suretyship The more grace that is shown to us the more should we serve not with a servile but with a godly fear The godly fear and the other fear differenced In Respons ad Quaestio The Son 's being subject to the Father how it is to be expounded 1 Cor. 15 Augustine Ambrose their mind touching Christ his being subject to the Father Christ his not exercising of some second acts of a Mediatory Head and King after the last JudgemeÌ„t proves not but he is a Mediatory King even then That Christs Kingdome is eternall only because it is not destroyed as worldly Kingdomâ— are by external violence â—s said by some Illius imperii princeps desiit regnare Christ is ever even after the universall Judgment a Mediatory Head King and Lord. There is a twofold Mediation Christ acts not as a sacrificing Priest for us in heaven How Christ appears for us now in heaven as just as wel as merciful Christ stands in our nature our Mediatory Head and King after the last Judgement Christ stands eternally wel pleased and in love with his redeemed ones God stands eternally well pleased with what Christ hath done and suffered the once given Throne stands never empty Christs Mediatory triumph is eternall The Throne of the Lamb is eternal
10.5 and so it is most false that none are in Covenant under the New Testament but only Believers For Judas Demas Simon Magus and all the externally called for they cannot be baptized but as in Covenant with God Math. 22.10 are by their profession in Covenant externally as the Jews profession sayeth they accepted of and consented unto the Covenant of Grace for 1 Cor. 10.7 Be not ye Idolaters as some of them commit not fornication tempt not Christ murmur not as some of them v. 8.9 thâ—se and the like say we are the same way in Covenant as they were and our Visible Church now and the Visible Church then are of the same constitution Q. And may we not say that the same Covenant of Grace we are under is the same in nature and substance with that Covenant made with Abraham Ans. The same Christ was their Mediator as ours Heb. 13.8 their Rock and our Rock Christ. 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5 6. Ioh. 8.56 2. We are justified as Abraham and David Rom 4.1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 15.6 Ps. 32.1 2. 3. They were saved by Grace the Gentiles as well as they Acts 15.11 by faith Acts 10.43 Heb. 11.1 2 3 4.13 c. 4. There is no more reason to say it was a civill Covenant made with Abraham because it distinguished Abrahams seed from other Nations and an earthly Covenant because Canaan was promised to them not to us then to say there be two Covenants of Works one made to Adam with a promise of an earthly Paradice and another Covenant of Works to the Jews with an earthly Canaan And a third to these who in the Gospel time are under a Covenant of Works Yea upon the same account the Covenant of Grace made Psal. 89. 2 Sam. 7. with David having a Throne promised to him should be yet another Covenant different from the other two And since a Covenant here is a way of obtaining salvation upon condition of obedience John Baptist should be under another Covenant of Grace then the Apostles For to their faith is promised the working of miracles Mark 16.16 17 18. But John wrought no miracles and many thousands of beleevers work no miracles and they must be under a third Covenant For though Canaan was promised to Abrahams seed there is no reason to call it an earthly Covenant or another different covenant for to all beleevers the blessings of their land are promised Ezek 36.25 26 30 31. Jer. 31.31 compared with 38 39 40 41 42 43. Mat. 6.33 Luke 12.31 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 13.5 6. 5. What if we say the Covenant made with Abraham Exod. 3. proves by our Saviours reasoning Maâ— 22.31 32 33. that Infants shall not rise again and be in Angel-state and saved otherwise if Infants and all beleevers in the Saduces time be not under the same Covenant with Abraham no Infants shall have a Covenant-Resurrection nor a Covenant-Salvation Or then there is some other salvation for Infants that are saved to wit some Pagan heaven without the Covenant and without Christ and if Infants be Pagans without the Covenant either none of them are saved and chosen to life Contrair to Christ Mat. 18.2 3 4. Mark 10.13 14 15 16. and the Anabaptists grant Or there is a salvation 1 without a Covenant and so without the New and Old Testament 2. Without the Name of Jesus and the Blood of the Covenant Contrair to Acts 4.12 1 Joh. 1.8 Rev. 1.5 3. they shall be saved without the Visible Church the way that Pagans are saved Q 3. Are they not saved all of them Is not this enough But because the Kingdom of Christ is spirituall the Element of water can do them no good except they beleeve Ans. If his Kingdom be not spirituall because his wisedom hath appointed externall signes then no promise which is but good words shall be made to Children contrair to Acts 2.39 for they can do them no good untill they beleeve 2. Then should there be no Preaching of the Gospel to all Nations as Mat. 28.20 for impossible it is that all Nations can be profited by the Gospel 3. The doubt suppones that it is legall servilitie and Jewish to be under the Gospel Preached and the dispensation of signes and seals even to the aged such as are Baptism the Supper rebukes censures 4. To be a visible member and visibly in Covenant and to be baptized except all be sound beleevers must be Jewish Now certain it is a new Testament Ordinance that Ministers Preach and baptize all nations though the greatest part beleeve not Q. 4. If faith sanctifie as faith then an unbeleeving whore might be sanctified by a beleeving fornicator For faith will do its formall work in every subject Answ. Paul never meant that faith doth sanctifie in every subject but in subjecto capaci Faith sanctifieth not incest and sin they are not capable to be separated to a holy use If fire as fire burn then might all the water in the Ocean be dryed up with the least sparkle of fire If prayer as prayer obtain all things shall it obtain that the sacrificing of your son to God shall be accepted of him as holy and lawfull worship Mr. Baxter saith excellently upon this subject A thing must be first lawfull before it be sanctified God sanctifieth not sin in or to any See the Argument 1 Cor. 7. learnedly and solidely vindicated by him so as the dispute is at an end now Q. 5. What holiness is it that is called federal or Covenant holiness which is in Infants Ans. It is not so much personall holinesse though it may so be called because the person is a Church member separated from the world to God as holinesse of the seed Society Family or Nation which is derived from father to son as if the father be a free man of such a City that priviledge is so personall as it is by the Law hereditarie freedome derived from father to son if the father have jus ad media salutis right to the means of salvation so hath the son Hence this was first domestical God made the CovenaÌ„t with Abraham and his family I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17. it was extended to him not as a father only but as to the head of the family the children of Servants born in Abrahams family were to be circumcised and to be instructed as having right to the means of salvation Gen. 17.12 He that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your Generations so it is Generation-holinesse he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger that is not of thy seed So God showes clearly that in Abraham he chosed the Nation and the house Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will command his children that is too narrow a Church Visible and his houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord. 2. Afterward
he choosed the Nation to be a peculiar people holy to himself Deut. 7.6 7. but not with another new distinct Covenant but in the same Covenant 8. But because the Lord loved you and would keep the oath that he had sworn to your fathers to wit to Abraham Deut. 10.15 He chose their seed after them even you above all people not above all houses Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth So the externall Church Covenant and Church right to the means of grace is given to a society and made with Nations under the New Testament Isa. 2.1 2 3. Psal. 2.8 9. Psal. 22.27 Psal. 87.2 3 4. Rev. 11.15 Matth. 28.19 20. And not any are baptized in the New Testament except the Eunuch and Saul Acts 8.39 who were baptized firstly but they were baptized as publick men representing a seed also societies are baptized All Judea Mat. 3.3 All the land of Judea Mark 1.5 All the multitude all the people Luke 4.7.21 Sure the fathers were so Christianed and Baptized as their children had right to the same seal So Joh. 3.22 23 26. Cornelius his house and all with him were baptized Acts 10.33 47. Three thousand at once Acts 2.39 40 41. The Jayler and his house Acts 16.33 servants and friends The houshold of Stephanas 1 Cor. 1.16 was Baptized And this 3. is holden forth as the Church as the houshold of Narcissus which are in the Lord Rom. 16.11 Aquila and Priscilla and all the Church at their house v. 5. The Church at the house of Philemon Phil. v. 2. which teacheth that the Covenant holinesse is of societies and houses under the New Testament as in Abrahams house and as Abrahams house was Circumcised so are whole houses under the New Testament Baptized 4. Paul aptly calls it the holinesse of the lump or Nation and the first fruits root-holinesse the holinesse of the root and the branches Of the Olive Tree and the branches Rom. 11.16 17. 5. The speciall intent of God in sending the word of the Covenant must evidence this he sends not the Gospel unto and for the cause of one man to bring him in but to gather a Church and his elect ones by a visibly and audibly Preached Covenant to a society to a City to Samaria Acts 8. To the Gentiles Acts 13. To all Nations Mat. 28.19 20. that they and their children may have right to salvation and to the means thereof and to the Covenant and therefore we are not curiously to inquire whether the faith of the father be real or not if the Gospel be come to the Nation to the House to the Society The Lord in one Abraham in one Cornelius in one Jayler whom he effectually converts as far as we can gather from the Scriptures choises the race house society nation and gives them a Covenant-holinesse the mans being born where the call of God is does the turn as much as the faith of the Parent For by the root is not necessarily meant the Physicall root the father For Abraham was not the Physicall root and father nor Cornelius of all the servants and friends in the house But if a friend be in the house or society and professe the Gospel he and his obtain right to Baptism and the means of salvation But as touching real holinesse it is not derived from a beleeving father to make the son a beleever Scripture and experience say the contrair Nor 2. is internall and effectuall confederacie with God that by which one is a son of promise Rom. 9. and predestinate to life a nationall favour For 1. no man is chosen to life in his father because the father is chosen A chosen father may have a reprobate son 2. Election to life is not of nations or houses or societies but of single persons It is not said before the nation had done good or evill I chosed this nation all and whole not this but I loved this man not this man Q. What is the formall reason and ground that any hath right to Baptism Ans. If we speak of a passive right if the Eunuch beleeve Act. 8. and if such have received the Spirit Acts 10. they may receive baptism The Eunuch moves not the Question whether Philip should sin in baptizing him or not The Eunuch was troubled to make sure his own not Philips Conversion They who bring that Argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8. and that Mark 16. to prove that only such should be baptized who beleeve actually and are come to age They prove that the Church sinneth if they baptize any but such as are predestinated to life and really beleeve For the faith that Philip asked for was reall with all the heart not as the faith of Simon Magus And the faith Mark 16.15 is real saving faith that brings salvation he that beleeves is saved 2. It can not be visible faith only for that is in Simon Magus he doth visibly so beleeve and is baptized Yet upon that faith he was not saved being in the gall of bitternesse 3. He that beleeves not is damned The meaning must be he that beleeves not savingly is damned Or then he that beleeves not visibly as Magus and Judas is damned but this is most false for Peter beleeves not as Judas and yet he is not damned Or then the meaning must be he that beleeveth both really savingly and also professedly and visibly is saved And that is true but it concludes that none are to be baptized but both real and visible believers 4. If it be true that none are to be baptized but Covenanted ones as Acts 2.39 And if none be Covenanted ones under the New Testament but real beleevers and such as are predestinated to life as our Anabaptists teach from Rom. 9. then must the Church without warrant of the Word baptize Magus Demas Judas 5. Then must also all Judea all the Generations of vipers baptized have been both real and visible beleevers for they were all baptized Mat. 3.3 4. Mark 1.5 Luke 1.7.21 Let Independents consider this and what D. Fuilk and Mr. Cartwright Paraeus Calvin Beza and our Divines speak on these places against the auricular confession of all the huge multitude 6. It is a wonder that any man should dream that the Eunuch made a case of conscience Acts 8. whether it was lawfull to Philip to baptize and not whether he himself did beleeve and could worthily receive the seal Act. 8.36 here is water saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. So none can warrantably baptize any but persons dying in faith and it s not certain these have the faith that is Acts 8.37 Mar. 16.16 But for the formall warrand of such as baptize neither are the aged as the aged nor Infants as Infants to be baptized for so all the aged and all Infants even of Pagans are to be baptized Nor 2. are all in Covenant to be baptized For such as are only really and
Christ died now this end is not possible in Pagans who never hear nor can hear the Gospel therefore Christ died not for Pagans These who teach that Christ died for all and every one and made a Covenant of Grace with all every one and sends no more of the Gospel to al every one make the way of salvatioÌ„ more impossible under the second theÌ„ under the first Adam Christs incarnation and death cannot be a fruit of the Mediators death We have not properly right to Christs satisfaction by faith CHRISTS death cannot be applicable to the Reprobate by faith except faith be merited to them by that death Davenantius dissert de morte Christi pag. 49. Respectu mortis Christi voluntas Dei aliter est comparata ad omnes singulos quam esset absque ea nam hoc ipso quod Christus passus est in natura humana sine alio ullo medio interveniente hoc saltem apud Deum effectum ut velit 〈◊〉 homini Caino credenti poenitenti reconciliari peccata remittere vitam aeternam conferre â— tolle respectum hunc mortis Christi promissionibus quoad non-eleâ—tos nihil serii nihil solidi aut veri subesset illud certum quemlibet hominem beneficio mortis Christi hoc juris sibi vendicare posâ—e Ergo hoc jus est impetratum morte Christi etiam reprobis We have not a new heart by beleeving Adams sin is ours not because Adam is our father by nature but because he is our father both by nature and by law Three parts of original sin The free-will of God the ground of the Lords imputeing Adams sin to us The difference between the imputation of Adams sin to us of the righteousnes of Christ to us Christs imputed righteousnesse cannot remove inherent sin or make us such as never sinned Davenantus de morte Christi c. 4. pag. 48. Ex solâ vi horum verborum Christus pro omnibus mortuus est non potest inferri Christum pro omnibus ita mortuum esse ut absolute decreverit hac sua morte omnium salutem efficaciter insallibiliter operari quia satis vere proprie pro aliquo mori is dicatur qui bono alterius procurando moâ—itur quamvis ille alter suo vitio nihil commodi inde percipiat Christ cannot be said to die for all if these all may eternally perish No Scripture warranteth us to say that Christ died for all with one intention to apply his death to the elect and with another intention to apply no death at all to the reprobate Christ sustained not two persons upon the crosse Christ was not cut off to put an end to all their transgressions for whom he died by their way who teach that he died for all without exâ—ception There is nothing purchased to the most part for whoÌ„ Christ dies but a pelagian power to apply which power all men have suppone CHRIST had never died according to these who teach that CHRIST died for all and every one How many ways it may be said Christ died in our room stead The sufficiency of Christs death depends upon the iâ—finitness of his person not upon the free decree of God Whether all beleeve and be saved or none believe or be saved its true that whosoever believe shal be saved but the truth of it dependeth not upon Christs dying for all and for every one None are saved by beleeving that Christ died for them except thâ—y also believe that Christ rose also ascended interceeâ—ded for theÌ„ God hath no intention to save all though he say all that believe shall be saved nor comes such an offer froÌ„ CHRISTS intention to die for all and every one One that hath the Tongues may preach the Gospel to the Nation he comes unto but that preachablnesse of the Gospel comes in in no sort from the Lords sending his Son to die for all and every one The Gospel is not preachable to all and every Nation at all and every age difference of time The conditionall promise either of life to all that shall keep the Law or of salvatioÌ„ to all that beleeve in Christ can inferre no intention or good-will â—n God to bestow the end the means upon either the one or the other or any good-will toward their persons Conditionall promises place nothing absolutely in persons but only the connexion of things means â—nd work reward If the Gospel of it self were Preachâ—ble at all times to all Nations it were the sin of the Prophets not to Preach to all Nations whether they can speak wiâ—h all Tongues or no. 2. And all Nations should be in a fit câ—pacity at all times to be the Churchâ—s of Christ and â—ll Natiâ—Ì„s should be Chuâ—ches in Covenant with God in Christ. It s false that Christ so died for us that is in our stead as that in our stead hee fulfilled the Law and performed all active obedience passive by doing and dying that God can require of us How Socinians will have Christ to die for us Socinus de Servatore l. 2. c. 8. dictio pro causam finalem notat Ioan Crellius advers Grotiam par 1. c. 5. Cateche Râ—ccovie c. 8. pag. 183 184. Loco vice peccatorum nostrorum mortuum esse nihil delutiâ—â— qui dat pendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro captis in fuga aut loco fugae id pendit Jac. Armin. Antiper edit Bertianae pag. 676. Quod si statuamus talem mediatioris rationem ut omnium electorum peccata actu ab ipsis ablaâ—a in Christum translâ—ta sint qui poenam pro illis passus illos actu ipso â— poenis liberaverit tum obedientia ab illis postulata fuerit qui illam praestitit vitam aeternam illa praestatione non sibi sed illis meruerit non â—â—cus quam si ipsi Mediatorem nostro loco constituissemus per eum DEO solvissemus debita nostra jam simul statuendum est secundum ipsum justitiae DEI legis rigorem electis deberi immunitatem â— peccaâ—is vitam aeternam eosque ista bona â— DEO postulare jure solutionis emptionis absque eo ut Deus postulare ullo jure fidem in Christum conversionem ad Deum possit One may in Law be a real and true satisfying surety for another thogh the debter neither request nor Covenant with him to undertake yea though he know no thing of the sureties willingness to undertake and so Christ is our surety Arminius sides with Socinus How wee satisfied justice in CHRISTS dying so that we caÌ„not suffer eternally in hell if CHRIST suffered for us on the Crosse without wrong to Divine justice Christ dies not so in our room and stead as that we cannot in justice die the second death except there be a breach of Covenant between the Lord and Christ. God demands not of us faith and repentance by necessity of divine justice for
so he should fail against justice with all glory to him be it spoken if he should exact these from us Christ died not for our good only but also in our stead There be considerable differences between Christs punishment and that punishmeÌ„t which was due to uâ— eternally A fivefold onenes law identity samenes betweeÌ„ Christ the surety and sinners for whom he satisfied Scripture and arguments froÌ„ Scripture prove that Christ died in our room and stead If Christ was made the curse that was due in law to us that blessing not due to us might coÌ„e upon us then he suffered in our place Oratio pro Arâ—hia Poeâ—à Oratio pro Marcello 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demosthe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three for one slain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Il. 1. Rom 9. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 11.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5 6· 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 18. Syria versio Quis dabit me mori loco tui Chaldae Paraph Vellem quod mortuus essem tu mansisses â—odiè fili mi. Ge. 22. LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 44. LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. dabis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daebis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 11.8 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 34. â—4 Heb as before Ps. 45.16 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 16 4 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trostius Syria versio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loco Herodis patris sui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremel Trostius vice piscis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro 12.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremellius Trostius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro multis sed Mat. 2.22 vertunt loco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro vel vice omnis hominis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loco seu vice vestri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loco â—â—ium suarunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vice populi 1 Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loco omnis hominis 1 Pet. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro nobis vice nostri In stead or â—or another cannot note alwayes for the profit and good of another but it must make non-sense Socinus de Servato l. 2. c. 8. Cateches Raccoviens c. 8. pa. 183 184. The vain reason of Socinians that Christ died not in the place and room of sinners because he died not in the place and room of sinnes and transgressions retorted answered We legally died suffered for sin in Christ altho many of us for whom he died were not then born and neither we nor our sins had any being CHRIST willeth not that we answer plea's that he hath answered and that by unbeleef wee trouble our selves with debt that he hath payed Socinus de Servato l. 2. c. 8. Quomodo igitur vice loco nostri Christus est mortuus si nos quoque perpetuo â—idem mortis generi expositi sumus Crellius adversus Grotium c. 9. par 9. How wee die though Christ have died for us We depose CHRIST with reverence to his holiness from his office of Mediator when we embark having once beleeved in him in a new plea with the Law We are not to act of new a plea with the Law being now in another kingdome and freed from the Law We are not to desire a Law-wakening under Gospel-deadnesse VVe sinned in AdaÌ„ though we had neither being nor hand in making Adam either our naturall or Law-head so may we be legally crucified with Christ our surety though we had no hand in appointing Christ to be our surety All the requisits to a reall satisfaction are in Christs dying for us What mortification is Mortification comes froÌ„ Christs death as from a real cause and from a real new principle procured by the death of Christ. Gospel arguments how and upon whoÌ„ they work When reasoÌ„ is green adherence to a course by perswasion is unstable Four sorts of considerable actings in one mortified 1. No actings are in the mortified at most moving objects The motions of grace are quiet slow The actings of a mortified man in order to all created things are indifferent not peremptory not so absolutly fixed but he can qâ—iâ—e them 〈◊〉 Goâ— Actings terminated on God may be fiery Mortification sweetly closes with all providences Mortification or deadnesse meerly naturall only because the Tools are broken the horse wearied hath nothing to do with the death of CHRIST 2. Compelled mortification is not froÌ„ Christs death 3. Philosophick and bookish mortification not from Chrst crucified 4. Superstitious and religious mortification Luther Com. on Gal. 6 14 5. Pharisaâ—cal mortification 6. Civil mortification D. Preston Serm. 1. of mortification p. 8 p. 9. 1. Mortification to self 2. Mortification to will Much will much life all will is no mortification 3. Mortification to life 4. Mortification to wisdom there is a paper sicknes for maÌ„y books 5. Mortification to learning books Ptolemaeus Philadelphius King of Egypt gathered in the Bibliotheck of Alexandriâ— 40000. books ad luxuriam non ad utilitatem ait Livius and they were all burnt Serenus Sammoniâ—â—â— left in Testament to Gordianus junior three score and two thousand books Petrarcha Librorum larga copiae est operosa sed delectabilis sarcina animi jucunda distractio libri quosdam ad scientiam quosdam ad insaniam deduxere dum plus hauriâ—nt quam digerunt Vt stomachis sic ingentis nausea saepius nocuit quam fames 6. MortificatioÌ„ to riches The simple desire of riches is not the sin Whether acts of covetousnesse may consist with mortification and how 7. Deadnesse to honour Sis pro nobis peripsema Plutarchus De profectu virtutum lib. 11.5.237 Themistocles somnum sibi Miltiadis Tropheo adimi eoque se excitari electo Plutarch ib. pag. 239. Quid mihi nunciaturus es nisi Homerum revixisse Men may judg themselves mortified to honour because they are deadned to riches and not be mortified Plutarch de capienda ex hostibus utilitate lâ—bel n. 3â— pag. 241. Zeno cum nunciaretur navim ipsius qua negotiabatur fractam Bene facis inquit fortuna quae nos intra palliolum compellis All sins are not mortified with the like labour 8. Deadnesse to injuries Plutarch lib. de liberis educandis moral 1. n. 15.20 pag. 17. Aâ— si me Asinus calce feriisset jussuri eratis ut contra eum calcem impingerem Omnibus hoc ei exprobrantibus calcitronem adolescentem appellantibus