Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	covenant_n	faith_n	seal_n	4,746	5	9.5373	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95872	A very short and brief account of the free justification of God's elect, from the condemning power of the law, by that law change of persons, (flowing from an eternal act of grace, by way of covenant transaction between the Father and the Son;) which brought Christ as mediator under the curse and condemnation of that broken law, in the very room and place of elect sinners. : Whereunto are added, some questions concerning this point; : proposed to be answered by those that do so confidently affirm, that the elect of God are equally with others, under the same condemning power of the law, before faith. / By A member of a Church of Christ, in the County of Essex.	Member of a Church of Christ.	1699 (1699)	Wing V279dA; ESTC R185966	13,548	48

charged upon and Imputed to him by God himself should be the very next moment upon believing not charged with one Sin but received into the Favour of God as perfectly and compleatly Righteous in God's sight Now the change is not in the voice of the Law for that neirespects believers nor unbelievers Elect or Non-elect but equally Curseth all that continue not in all things that are written to perfection Deut. ●● 26 then it is not that imperfect ●●ange wrought in believers that can ●●n the sentence of the Law that it ●ould not Curse and Condemn them ●●at are in themselves sinful and imper●●ct Therefore I see not but that ●●ou must make the change to be in ●●od that counts the Mediatorial Obe●●ience of Christ answered the Law 〈◊〉 our place now and not before ●●cept you can find a milder Law that ●●onounceth the sentence of Life up●n this imperfect change wrought in ●s as the condition annex'd to the ●entence of Life And if so Then Question V. HOW will you deny that conditionality of the Covenant of Grace and that Faith is the Condition hereof for if Justification be by the New Covenant then the sentence 〈◊〉 Life must be according to the Teno●● of the Covenant Then if that be a● absolute promise of Life as Titus 1 ● compared with 1 John 2.25 the 〈◊〉 the Justifying sentence of Life must b● absolute as past upon all God's chose● in Christ their Covenant-Head Ge●● 3.15 chap. 22 18 compared wit● Gal. 3.16 17 18. otherwise th● Covenant must be Conditional an● Faith must be the Condition thereof 〈◊〉 and consequently no part of the Covenant Grace because not promised there in For if the first Grace be promised then the promise must be absolute t● Sinners as such as the price of th● Blood of the great Testator Again Question VI. WHY do you set the Seal of th● Covenant of Grace upon th● infinite seed of Believers seeing before ●aith they are in no fence under the ●entence of Life past in that Covenant promise though I grant that God is ●t liberty to shew his Sovereignty 〈◊〉 in Abraham's Family if the promise ●e not Real and absolute at least to ●ome as to the Internal part thereof ●hat God is their God by Covenant ●tomise Then the Seal of the Covenant is vain or only holds forth external priviledges and consequently believing Parents have no grounds for their Faith that God is the God of their seed by Covenant promise Again Question VII DOth God pronounce any Just but such as are so in his sight by Imputation If not then making over a Righteousness to elect Sinners in a Mediator must be taken in to God's Justifying Act as well as the pronounced sentence which is grounded upon this Act of Grace in a way of Justice because God as Righteous Judge Justifies ungodly Law-breaking Sinners as clears them from the voice of the Law as to the condemning power thereof by a righteousness without us by Imputation Then that Act of God's Grace that turns the sentence of the Law upon Christ the spotless Lamb by imputing our Sins to him and turns the sentence of Law as to its Condemning power from Guilty Law-breaking Sinners by imputing his Mediatorial obedience to them comes into Justification as well as the pronounced sentence that declares this Act of Grace by which the Sinner stands clear in a way of Justice For all sentences of Court according to Justice are grounded upon some preceding Act according to which Act the sentence is Just and the sentence Justifies as it declares the Act by which they stand clear Again Question VIII WHat is God's Act of Imputation by which he makes that Law Change of Persons which sets Christ as Mediator under the Curse and Condemning power of the Law Gal. 4. verse 4. chap. 3. verse 13. compared though in himself spotless and sets elect Sinners under the Blessings of the New Covenant Gal. 3. v. 14. as the immediate effects of his Mediatorial obedience though in themselves and with respect to the Law ungodly Sinners The Apostle speaking of this Sovereign Act of God Rom. 4.5 saith God Justifies the ungodly Then brings in David describing it by imputing Righteousness without works which is the Grounds Grounds of his not imputing Sin and consequently the Grounds of his pronouncing them Just This he brings in as the Quintessence of God's Justifying Act now if this Sovereign Act that makes this Law change of Persons and turns the Condemning sentence of the Law from the guilty Law-breaking Sinner to the spotless Lamb be not an Act of God's Sovereign Will as Imminent and Internal then I desire you would undeceive me and shew plainly what manner of Act it is for I take God's Will to be the Rule of all Justice and things are therefore Just because he Wills them and as it was his Will that the breach of his Law should be punished with Eternal Death and he would by no means clear the guilty Exo. 34.7 so it was his Will that this spotless Lamb should stand Guilty as Mediator by way of Imputation and should mediate between a broken Law and his Chosen ones and stand between all Harms and them And I humbly conceive that in this Act of imputing our Sins to Christ and his obedience as Mediator to us God respects no manner of inherent change in us Again Question IX WHen doth the Mediatory undertakement of Christ first take place for an Elect Person If when we believe and not before then Christ Intercedes not for the Elect uncalled which is contrary to the Scripture Jo. 17.20 Christ's Mediatorship is figured out in the Type Deut. 5.5 I stood between the Lord and you saith Moses when the Law was given upon Mount Sinai And Deut. 10.5 I came down from the Mount and put the Tables in the Ark and there they be as the Lord Commanded me Compare this with Gal. 3.19 20 21. there he shews that the Law in the Mediator's Hand made the promise take place upon the seed of Abraham Jews and Gentiles Which was the Gospel God preached to Abraham and to Adam too as Law and promise meet in Christ they sweetly agree Christ being delivered up to Justice for all the Elect in their Law-place Who can charge them saith Paul God Justifies them Christ died and is Risen again and received to God's Right Hand and there pleads Rom. 8.33 34. his plea as an Advocate is mighty and prevailing as he pleads his propitiatory Sacrifice as the propiciation of the Elect World Jew and Gentle 1 Jo. 2.2 Thus he pleads out all Bills of Indictment whatsoever out of Court and his atoneing Blood was Efficacious from the very moment Adam fell He is called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 he was not actually slain neither do I understand it in the Decree only but by vertue of the Decree his Blood was Efficacious from the first moment Adam fell Had it not been

are Heirs by Grace though Children of Wrath by Nature as coming from fallen Adam's Loins So considered their State is a State of Wrath and liable and obnoxious to God's eternal Wrath and Displeasure That State strictly considered but the Persons of the elect in this sinful fallen Estate 〈◊〉 are not objects of God's Wrath but objects of his great Immense God like-Love even when they are dead in sins Eph. 2.4 Faith makes not their Persons excepted though it doth their Services the exceptation of their Persons in the beloved is a pure Act of God's Sovereign Will that will because he will and will on whom he will Thus it appears that the Elect are Heirs by Grace and the Testament it self gives them Right to Eternal Life as the free gift of God by absolute promise and to have Right to Eternal Life and all the Blessings of the Testament of Grace by Blood and to be under the condemning Power of the Law are plain contradictions as being opposite one to the other But if any say they have nothing in present possession I answer if they have Right to Justifying Righteousness that is enough to free them from Curse and Wrath in the sight of God's satisfied Justice For there can be no Right except God counts it so and if he counts it so that is enough to Justifie us in his sight for this Righteousness is without us and is not communicated but imputed and Christ as Mediator is the subject of this Righteousness but however the Elect have a proper Right to Sanctification and Glorification before Faith For there was a Grant to Christ in the Eternal compact he performing all old Covenant Conditions as head and Mediator which when he had performed he entered into Heaven by his own Blood having obtained Eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 what he obtained as our great Executor and surety of the Testament was before granted and he obtained it on the behalf of them for whom it was granted It pleased the Father to intrust him with all fulness of Grace for the Elect as their Covenant Head that so it might be sure to all the Heirs of Promise The Father hath made it as sure in Christ the surety of this Testament as the Eternal God could make it to speak with Reverence Thus I have been shewing which way Sinners are made Righteous in a Mediator and though the Decree produced no immediate effect yet it produced its timely effects at that moment of time the Law was broken a Mediator stood Ready as fore-ordained to step in and stand in the breach to keep off the flood of Wrath from breaking out upon the Elect always remember the Law was put in the Mediators hand or else we make strange Work and set the Law and Promise together by the Ears when the Law could not give life it must march off as a Covenant of Life or Death to God's chosen Christ takes it in his own hand and makes it give way to the Promise Now I shall come to speak something of the Justifying Sentence which pronounceth the Elect Righteous in their Covenant Head and Mediator as grounded upon this preceding Act of Grace by way of Covenant Transaction between the Father and the Son which brought our Sins upon Christ and his Mediatorial Righteousness upon us and we are wholly passive both in our being made Righteous by Imputation which is an Act of pure Grace in God to Sinners and likewise in our being pronounced Just in that Imputed Righteousness which is a sentence of Grace and passeth in the Court of Grace Life by the free promise Now in pronouncing the Sentence of Life upon ungodly Law-breaking Sinners God sits Judge of his own Law as well as the Elect Sinners Cause and instead of pronouncing the Sentence of the Law upon the Poor Sinner to Condemnation God sits Inthroned upon a Mercy Seat in the Court of Grace reconciled in a Mediator in whom Grace and Justice most sweetly agree to pass the sentence of Eternal Life up on the Elect Sinner by absolute promise Gen. 3.15 Titus 1.2 1 John 2.25 This Sentence declares God's Eterna● Will that Christ as Mediator was t● die in elect Sinners Place and they t● live by an Act of Sovereign Grace Thus God as a righteous Judge Justifieth the Righteous only that is pronounceth none but such Just as are so Deut. 25.1 and yet he Justifies the ungodly not by dispensing with his Holy Law or making that void but in a way of Justice Magnifying and Honouring his Law declares an act of Eternal Grace by virtue of which Act his Elect did stand Righteous in his sight by Imputation of one Man's Obedience to answer the Law in their place as a Covenant Head opposed to Adam's one Disobedience who was a figure of this second Adam which was immediately to take the first Adam's place with Respect to God's chosen in him upon his failoure And it is Remarkable that with respect to Christ's Mediatorship God comes in the cool of the Day reconciled in him and sounds the Jubilee Trumpet from Heaven and pronounced the sentence of Life in the free promise upon Adam and all the Womans Seed in a better Covenant Head than poor A dam was when he was recking hot in Rebellion and had no Faith For till the sentence was past there was no Grace no Christ no promise Revealed for fallen Man to lay hold on and the case must be the same still for the object must precede the Act that is conversant about that object and if Life were not revealed in an absolute promise there were no footing for Faith for a conditional promise is most properly a Law He that doth the thing required shall live Thus Faith is made void and the free promise of none effect for the first thing lookt to must be the condition annex'd to the promise and then the promise claimed upon that condition Now suppose Faith be annexed to the Justifying sentence of Life then Justifying Righteousness and eternal Life in the free promise is not the object of Faith but Faith it self must first be lookt to and then the promise pleaded upon Faith as the condition of Life but this is not the Nature of Abraham's Faith that took God upon his word and staggered not at the promise nor considered not the unlikeliness or seeming Impossibilities but believed God upon his Word and the object of his Faith was counted to him for Righteousness Thus it is by Faith as an empty Hand or passive Instrument that receives all in the free promise as pure Grace and in no sense upon Faith as a condition annex'd to the sentence of Life Yet I own that this or that Individual Person is not declared to be a Justified Person and free from condemnation but upon believing as no Individual Person is declared to be elected nor Redeemed by the Death of Christ but upon believing Yet the Scriptures do plainly declare that some are elected and them are

Redeemed and what are the ill consequences that follow if I say that Justice doth not charge these Redeemed ones but God is compleatly reconciled to them by the Death of Christ any more than the former Will it not amount to the same to say some are ordained to Eternal Life and Redeemed with the Blood of Christ as to say God doth not charge these Redeemed ones seeing we likewise affirm that none know that they are not under Condemnation before Believing and that whoever dies an unbeliever shall be Damned except any suppose that Terrifying Soul with Curse and Condemnation be the most effectual way to bring them to Faith in Christ and if so I am not in their Mind and I am sure the Gospel ought to be Preached and Grace proclaimed And I think it is the most effectual to propose the Truth as the object of Faith which the Gospel doth Reveal for Salvation God's pardoning Grace in the Blood of Christ and so Invite Sinners to come to God as reconciled in the bleeding Sacrifice of his Son Jesus This it is that offends some that have made the greatest Noise and have enfluenced others which in other words say the same things about words and because they cannot so directly strike at this free Invitation to Sinners to come directly to Christ without their Previous Qualifications which strikes so directly at their Idol self Righteousness therefore they are pleased to brand the Doctrine of God's free Justifying Grace with Nick-Names at their pleasure And I wish that some which see otherways be not frightned from owning the Truths they believed and received in the light of God's Holy Spirit for fear of being laden with Calumnies and Reproaches for it is a trying time and I do be-believe that those that are kept close to Christ in owning the simplicity of the Gospel shall meet with as great Trials as those that have gone before us for Christ will shake the Earth and the Heavens and remove those things that are made and Burn up the Hay Wood and Stubble Therefore let every Man take heed what he builds though upon the foundation of Christ 〈◊〉 Cor. 3.12 But to return to the Point in Hand there be various sentences and in various Courts where and by which God declares the non-Imputation of Sin to his Elect and all sentences of Court whatsoever do but declare God's Act of Grace in that Court where the sentence is pronounced and the last add final sentence will be at the great Assizes when Christ will publickly before Men and Angels pronounce them blessed Yet to conclude with some that they were not compleatly Justified till then would be great darkness so though God in his Word doth pronounce Believers Justified yet it will no more follow that they were not Justified before than the former if things be rightly weighed for this makes Faith a moral Condition of Justification as hath been shewn already and also denies Justification to be by the new Covenant or makes the Covenant of Grace conditional and that in a strict sence denies Faith to be a part of the Covenant Blessings but that Justification is by the Covenant of Grace Few do directly deny and I am as certain as I am certain that the Scriptures are true that the first pronounced sentence of Life to Sinners is by that Covenant Gen 3.15 And it is according to the Tenour of that Covenant for there are but two Covenants or Courts where the pronounced sentence of Life can be supposed to pass but by the works of the Law No Flesh shall be Justified Rom. 3.20 then is must be according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace if that be an absolute promise of Life then the sentence is an absolute sentence but that is an absolute promise of Life Gen. 3.15 Titus 1.2 1 John 2.25 Therefore the sentence is an absolute sentence past in the Court of Grace upon all the Womans Seed in their Covenant Head in direct opposition to the Serpents seed upon the Serpent and his Seed the Curse takes place having no Mediator to make up the breach and the promise in Christ takes hold of the Elect as soon as they have a being Rom. 9.13 Then except it can be proved that the sentence that passeth upon believing be according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace it will be in vain for to contend for that to be the first sentence of Life that is past upon an elect Person But I deny That believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt have Life or be Saved is the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace it is a part of the New Testament Ministry but not the Tenour of the New Covenant Then seeing there is no Law given that can give Life Gal. 3.21 then prove that the Covenant of Grace i● conditional or grant that the ●●otence of Life is absolute or deny that the Justifying Sentence of Life passeth according to the Tenour of that Covenant and then it will lye upon you to prove by what Covenant we are Justifyed But leaving this that which I desire your answer to is these following Questions which I desire you would answer to each particular distinctly as you tender the Truth and the Glory of Christ and respect my good and the good of others by clearing up the Truth that the simplicity of the Gospel may be preserved by God's Special help and protection Question I. DID the Chosen of God which were loved with an everlasting and unchangable Love when they fell in Adam into Sin by the breach of the Law equally with others Did they then come under the same condemning Power of the Law and under the same Curse and Wrath of God equally with the non-elect whilst on Earth If not the very same shew where it differs and then it may be we agree in the main though differ in expressions But if the very same Then Question II. HOW can they be under the Curse and Wrath of God and suffer here on Earth in that state as the effects of Sin and consequently of the Curse whilst under it and not penal as part of the punishment due to Sin Though not Hell it self yet something of the same Nature though not the same degree because not under the Justifying sentence of Life past in the New Covenant Therefore the Curse of Afflictions not taken away they are no corrections in a Covenant way but properly punishment in Wrath as taken in a strict Sense Then Question III. HOW can this stand with that perfect atonement made by our high Priest's own Oblation or doth it not exceedingly derogate from that perfect satisfaction he made to Justice and his compleat filling up the Law by Mediatorial Obedience Heb. 10. v. 10 12 14. and chap 9 v. 12.26 Again Question IV. DOTH not this imply a change in God for there is a mighty change some where that one that stands condemned in God's sight and under his Curse and Wrath having all his Sins

A very short and Brief ACCOUNT OF THE ●ree Justification of God's Elect From The Condemning Power of the Law by that ●aw Change of Persons flowing from an Eternal Act of Grace by way of Covenant Transaction between the Father and the Son which brought Christ as Mediator under the Curse and Condemnation of the broken Law in the very room and 〈◊〉 of elect Sinners ●●ereunto are added some Questions concerning this Point proposed to be answer●d by those that do so confidently affirm that the elect of God are equally with others under the same Condemning power of the Law before Faith 〈◊〉 a Member of a Church of Christ in the County of Essex 〈◊〉 8.32 33 34. He tha●●●pared not his own Son ●ut delivered him up for us all how shall he not with 〈◊〉 also freely give us all things Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea 〈◊〉 is risen again c. London Printed in the Year 1699. TO THE READER THat which hath occasioned the publishing this short Treatise about Justification to the World is this A ●oor Member of a Church of Christ in the Country having affirmed that God's ●ect were never under the condemning ●ower of the Law being chosen in Christ ●s the Elect Head and Mediator of a ●●ee and absolute Covenant of Grace to ●hem Thereupon some Arguments ari●ng this being by some condemned as ●ot agreeable to Scripture these following ●ines were offered to clear up the point ●esiring an answer again in Writing that 〈◊〉 the Truth might appear by an Ingeni●s and Loving answer to some objections ●hich being refused made it seem at least to me as though the Refusers of so re●sonable a proposition were conscious themselves that affirming the contra●● was more Grounded upon Authors th● upon any clear Scripture Proof Whi●● made them so shy of coming to the light God's Word to clear up their so oft affirmed assertions that the very Perso● of God's chosen ones were under Curse a●● Wrath and the condemning Power the Law Before believing equally wi●● the non-elect the refusing to vouchs●●● clear Scripture Proof for this opini●● hath occasioned the publishing these f●● following Lines humbly desiring that might please Almighty God to vindic●● and defend his own Truth on which 〈◊〉 soever it be found and plainly discover 〈◊〉 bring to light all mistakes of this Nat●●● Therefore read and try every sentence the unerring Word of God and the L●● the Spirit vouchsafe to give out his lig●● and special teachings in the diligent sea●● of the Holy Scriptures To our Brethren in Christ TO our loving Brethren in the Lord Grace and Truth be with you As I doubt not but that we ●hall meet another day with exceed●ng Joy at the right Hand of Christ so I desire we may contend as Brethren in a Holy and Reverential ●ear of God our Father and for his Truth only therefore I only desire you to prove your assertion That Justification in the sight of God's satis●ed Justice before Faith is not accord●ng to Scripture And in order thereto shall propose some Questions to be ●●swered distinctly that so we may ●ome to a right understanding of each ●ther and see wherein we do really ●gree or disagree and not continue 〈◊〉 contend about Words to no purose if we do mean the same thing but if not let it come to Light with-without any under-hand dealing And I pray God Almighty confound what is not of God let it lye on which side it is and I hope I shall trample under foot with abhorrance whatever I could be convinced of to be contrary to the mind of God and do sincerely desire to use all the means I can to attain the clearest discoveries thereof Therefore I shall first explain my meaning concerning God's eternal Justifiing Act in his own Breast Acting in a way of Justice and Grace Jointly in God yet pure Grace with respect to elect Sinners preventing them in a way of Grace from the dreadful effects that otherways would most necessarily attend their fall in Adam And that he might clear them from the Curse of the Law in a way of Justice Grace puts the Law into a Mediator Hand and though Grace intended no to prevent the elect from falling i● Adam into Sin equally with others yet that Grace might super-abound where Sin abounded there was a Lamb provided who by divine appointment should bear the whole Curse due to Sin with all the dreadful effects thereof This I shall explain in as few but in as plain words as I can express my self my meaning is this there was from all Eternity a fixed immutable Will in God never to punnish Sin nor to inflict the penalty of the Law up his Elect his Will was not to prosecute his right against them in a way of Justice 1 Thess 5.9 but to deal with them as Righteous in a Mediator a pure act of Grace by free Imputation 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 5.21 Eph. 1.4 God from all Eternity did Immutably Will and bequeath eternal Life to his chosen in Christ through the Blood of the everlasting Testament Mat. 26.28 Heb. 10.10 It plainly appears in this 10th Chapter to the Hebrews that it was the Will of God that Christ should be offer'd up a Sacrifice to Justice by the which Will of God them that he died for were set apart to Life which I take to be meant by sanctified because the Apostle is treating of Justification and Pardon of Sin by Christ's own offering as our high Priest besides it would look strange to say the Will or Decree of God that Christ should die for Sinners should sanctifie us Inherently when it can hardly be granted that the Decree should make that Law Change of persons that Frees the Elect from Curse and Condemnation and sets Christ under it in their room but I think Sanctified by God's Will or Decree is set apart to Life and through Christ's own offering as it respects the thing Willed the Purging away Sin with respect to its Guilt and Condemning Power in the sight of Justice Now God's Will as a Testament of Grace to Elect Sinners was an eternal going forth Micah 5.2 by way of Covenant Transaction between the Father and the Son as distinct parties though one in essence and eternal Grace as it respected the fall and breach of the Law so likewise it acted from Eternity in a way of Justice by a Mediator to stand in the Sinners Law place so that Justice as well as Grace was eternally pleased that elect Sinners should go unpunished and hereby stand compleat in the unchangeable favour of God that when the Law was broken by Adam as a Covenant Head it should be compleatly answered by a second Man or Adam as Mediator as the elect Head and surety of a free Testament by Grace this Decree or imminent Act of God's Will made that Law change of persons which

set Christ as Mediator under the Curse and Condemning power of the Law which other ways could hot have touched him and turns the Curse of the Law from the Law-breaking Sinner which otherways would take hold on all Sinners as such and so sets him under the sentence of Life in the Court of Grace by absolute promise Titus 1.2 which free and absolute sentence of Life takes hold on the Persons of God's chosen as early as the law sentence can take hold on the persons of those that have no Mediator Rom. 9. 11 13. This is the immediate effects of Christ's Mediatorship for the Elect and the pronounced or declared sentence of God's eternal Will thus with Respect to this eternal Transaction in a Covenant way we may understand these following Scriptures Prov. 8.23 Micah 5.2 Zac. 6.13 Eph. 3.11 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.20 Now whither you will please to call this Imminent and Internal Act of God's Will Justification or not yet let the thing it self be granted and so far we shall agree I desire not to differ about Words if we mean the same thing I suppose you take only the pronounced sentence into Justification that I own as it declares the fundamental Act according to which they stand Just if we differ not about the sentence it self for I reckon that all sentences of Court that are according to Justice are grounded upon some preceding Act which makes the sentence Just Therefore I shall take in both because the Righteous Judge of the whole Earth will never pronounce any Law-breaking Sinner Just but those which he makes Righteous in a Mediator according to this Sovereign Act of his Grace but I take it for granted that our difference I mean amongst those that are sound and Orthodox is not about the matter of our Justifying Righteous nor whither it is God only that Justifies through Christ nor whether it be by Grace excluding all manner of Works of the Law wrought in us or performed by us even the Act of believing it self as it is a Work of the Law though I could wish that were something better cleared as well as owned in words Therefore I shall pass these things and come to the very point and that is what Act of God it is that makes over the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator to an elect Person or gives him a Right to that Righteousness in the sight of God This I take to be fundamentally in the Sovereign Will of God in that Covenant Transaction between the Father and the Son there was a Grant unto our great Covenant-Head the Lord Jesus though he were purely God and had not then assumed our Nature yet he did personally exist and was a distinct Person from the Father from Eternity though of the same Nature and Essence And by Virtue of Eternal Covenant Transaction he was under an Obligation from all Eternity to take our Nature upon him as Abraham's Seed with a Special Eye to the Elect for he pass'd by the Nature of Angels and though it is true that he took Flesh Humane Nature yet he pass'd by the non-elect and on the Seed of Abraham he took hold that is of all Abraham's Spiritual Seed as he saith I and the Children thou hast given me The Apostle in that Second Chapter to the Hebrews Quotes that out of Isaiah and brings it to prove the Covenant Relation that was between Christ and the Elect and forasmuch as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he likewise himself took part of the same by this Covenant Relation we became Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh as there is one Body as well as one Spirit by virtue of this Covenant Relation the elect only receive Life and quickenings from Christ as Head of the Covenant of Grace as the Father gave him to be Head to the Catholick or Universal Church the whole Body of election Eph. 1.22 23. and then it follows and you hath he quickened chap. 2. v. 1. Thus I have spoke in a few words something of that Union from whence flows Communion which doth not only precede Faith in order of Nature but in order of time also and by virtue of which we have the Spirit that works Faith in God's time from Christ as our anointed Head but to return by virtue of this Covenant Transaction he was likewise under an Obligation to bare all the Sins by way of charge and Imputation of all the elect in his own Body on the Tree as their Covenant Head and Mediator so he stood Ingaged by Covenant Contract from Eternity to answer for them to all the demands of Law and Justice John 10.18 This Command have I received of my Father and John 12.50 I know that his Command is Life everlasting The same Act of God's Grace that made our Sins to meet on Christ to Death as the wages of Sin brought his Mediatorial Righteousness upon the Elect to Life everlasting Rom. 5.21 chap. 6 23. By virtue of this Covenant Transaction it is made over to God's chosen by a free Testament of Grace in the Blood of the New Testament and comes upon them as a free gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.18 and we have Right to that Justifying Righteousness as held forth in the free and absolute promise as elect Persons being chosen in Christ as the elect head of this his free Testament and the Testament it self gives Right and the elect are heirs of promise as soon as they have a being not Natural Heirs by descent but Heirs by Grace for what is freer than Gift God made his Will in Eternity and bequeathed Eternal Life to his adopted Children that were predestinated to Son-ship acccording to the good pleasure of his Will Eph. 1.5 now this Testament of Grace in the Blood of Christ made known and Revealed by an absolute promise of Life Titus 1.2 taken from Gen. 3.15 this gives them right and makes them Heirs of the promise of Life and though the Blessings given in this Testament be in the Sureties Hand till the time apointed of the Father to be giving out successively at the several times appointed first the Spirit of Faith and then Sanctification gradually carried on and at last consummated in Glory therefore to make one Blessing thereof to be either Cause or Condition of the Rest would be very improper when all are but parts of the same free gift and that which gave them Right to one gave them Right to all that which gave them a Right to Faith before they did receive it gave them Right to Justifying Righteousness before they had Faith and that was thefree Testament it self in the Blood of Christ then here lieth the Right of elect Persons as such to Justifying Righteousness in the Will it self as being by that absolutely settled upon all the Heirs of promise by two Immutable things God's Promise and Oath and add to this the Testator's Blood and shews all is firm the elect have an Indefeasable Right and