Church For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name and the Redeemer the holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth shal he be called Isa 54.5 Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate but thou shalt bee called Hephzi-bah and thy Land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be married Isa 62.4 The fourth is the state of glory And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me Joh. 17.22 23. Touching the bands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commissurae vocantur ea omnia quae nos Christo devinciunt ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tango per has commissuras Christus tangit nos nos Christum tangimus see Exod 12.22 Heb. or tyes which hold the Head and Body together so as Christ and the Beleever doe thereby in this union touch one another for so the word turned Bands Col. 2.19 implieth we are to know that according as the third beings or tertiums differ whereinto Christ and a Beleever are united so the bands differ whereby they are united thus If Sameness of spirit be the third being then God in Christ giving his Spirit in a word of grace on the one part and the Soul receiving passively that Spirit of grace as an empty vessel receiveth oyl on the other part are the bands of union When the body mysticall is looked at as that third being then Christ in the gift of the grace of faith giving himselfe as our God actually is the band on his part and either the Souls receiving of Christ actually in its passive receipt of faith or actively by the act of faith is respectively the band on our part When we look at this union Christus suum consensum nobis efficacitèr patefacit suum Spiritum in corda nostra infundendo per hunc enim efficit ut sentiamus eum revera velle idque ex patris etiam voluntate nostrum esse sponsum eòque caput 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostrum Zanch. in Eph. cap. 5. Th. 3. in the third being of a Spiritual Marriage-estate the consent of Christ manifested by his infusion of his Spirit is the band on his part and the act of faith drawn forth by the power of assisting grace whereby we receive and take Christ as our Husband is the band on our part Lastly If we consider this union in the third being of a state of glory Christ giving glory is the band on his part our receiving whether passively or actively may respectively bee looked at as the band on our part The just observation of these several kinds of Union may haply be of use to reconcile that tenet which affirmeth Union to be by the habit of faith with that tenet ordinarily held forth in the writing of the Orthodox affirming Union to be by the Spirit and Faith understanding by faith the act of faith The first kinde of union is by the Habit not by the Act the second may be looked at as being by both either Habit or Act the third is by the Act not by the Habit. That proposition of frequent use among Divines sc Union is by the Spirit and faith that is by the Spirit on Christs part and Faith on our part Zauch in Eph. 5. de unione quaest 4. is to be understood of the third kind of union Touching the manner of this Union wherein Christ and the Beleever are united we may not unprofitably consider it First negatively Secondly positively Negatively it is not essential such as is the union of the three Persons in one essence in God Nor personal such as is the union of the Divine and Human nature in one and that an increated person in Christ Not natural whether essential as is the union of the form with the matter or by Local contact i. e. natural touching one of another as water is united to the vessel or by mixture as water is united to Hony or by the coupling together of a common and special nature as the Genus is united to the Species or by Cohesion as when one part of the body cohereth with another or by Adhesion as when Pitch cleaveth to our hands or by Inhesion as an accident inhereth in the subject or any other whatsoever 't is not civil as is the union of many persons into one body Politique Secondly Positively 't is a Spiritual and a Mystical union therefore the whole into which these Members are united is called a Mystical body This Spiritual union in respect of the verity thereof is real in respect of the things united 't is substantial in respect of its way or manner 't is supernatural and secret in respect of the neernesse of it 't is close and intimate 'T is a true not an imaginary union 't is sayed to be real or substantial in respect of the things that are united viz. the substance of Christ and the substance of the Beleever In this union we doe not receive the species or likenesse of Christ as the understanding receiveth the species of the Object but not the Object it selfe not are we thereby made partakers of the Spirit of Christ alone and not of himselfe but we are made partakers of both the very person of Christ and the person of the Beleever are as we saw before united together as the person of the Husband and the person of the Wife notwithstanding Local distance are united together From the neernesse of the union between Christ and his Members the body Mystical is called by the name of Christ Christ is considered either Personally in himselfe or Collectively together with the Church which is his Body so both Head and Members are required to make one Christ that is Christ not Personal but Mystical in which latter sense the Scripture calleth the Head and Body taken together by the name of Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ Gal. 3.16 And to thy seed which is Christ that is all his Mystical body Hence the sufferings of Paul and of other Beleevers which we must yet remember were edificatory not satisfactory in way of edification not in way of satisfaction are called the sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 The end of union is an everlasting and satisfactory communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nempe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the order of Union 1 Cor. 1.9 to the glory of God in Christ the good of the whole Mystical body and our own happinesse Union in order of nature though not in order of time followeth Vocation which appeareth by the considering of a being or essence Oneness and Union distinctly A being or essence is the thing
it selfe Oneness is an affection immediatly flowing from the meer being of a thing whereby it is individed in it selfe and divided from all other beings or things Union is the conjunction of two ones or more into a third being for example sake Ens unum unio take a man consisting of Body and Soul the Soul first hath a being then this singular being and not another then it is united unto the body in a third being namely the person of a man the like is true of the body In Vocation we receive our being in Union is the manner of our being In Vocation we are made Beleevers in Union is considered the order between Christ and Beleevers In Vocation is the foundation of our union in Union is the relation built upon that foundation Inter illa quae convertuntur secundum essendi consequentiam illud est prius quod habet rationem subjecti Alsted Metaph. par 1. cap. 25. In Vocation is the spirit of grace infused in Union this infused spirit is made an in-dwelling spirit Without Union there can be no Communion This necessarily pre-supposeth that things cannot act one upon another that doe not reach one the other they cannot give and take one from another that doe not some way meet together yet here we must know that the contact or mutual touch of things is not alwayes Local when their substances or Bodies doe immediatly touch one another but often-times vertual only when notwithstanding they doe not immediately touch one the other yet they reach one the other in their efficacy Instances whereof we have many in Natural causes as the Loadstone and Iron separated in place yet act one upon another that by attracting this by following In Political matters persons though distant in place one from another yet exercise civil communion in the affairs of this life In Spiritual things as namely in the Sacrament the Body and Blood of Christ is united to the Elements vertually that is by vertue of Divine institution and promise not Locally to deny that were to deny the Sacrament to be a Sacrament to say the last were to affirm Ubiquity whether Transubstantiation with the Papists or Consubstantiation with the Lutherans So here the Person of Christ who in respect of his Body is in Heaven and the persons of his Militant members who in respect both of Souls and Bodies are upon the earth are united to and doe Spiritually touch one another I am the Vine yee are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 For the better discerning the order of the dependence of Communion upon Union The order of the dependence of Communion upon Union from whence it floweth we may consider in Union as is also to be done in other relations these foure particulars First The subject of the Relation the person of Christ and the person of the Beleever Secondly The foundation of it on Christs part the Divine institution absolutely considered on our part faith considered only as an infused saving quality in the Soul Thirdly A mutual reference on Christs part superadding a respect to Divine institution whereby according to the appointment of God he looks at the Beleever as his Member superadding also on the Beleevers part a respect unto faith whereby faith which in it selfe is but a quality hath now adhering to it an order to its object whence it looks at Christ as its head In relatis spectanda Subjectum Fundamentum Mutuus ordo Efficacia This mutual order between Christ and the Beleever is the relation it selfe Fourthly The efficacie of the relation The efficacie of a Relation springeth from its foundation the foundation then of this being firstly the absolute grace of God in election and thence flowing downe in the Promise according to the merit of Christ by the effectual operation of the Spirit Needs must the River of life be full ever-flowing Tametsi relatis est ens debilis entitatis tamen est magnae efficaciae and quickning that ariseth from and is mantained by such fountains the influence of the Occan into water-springs of the Sun and Heaven into inferior bodies is not to be compared thereunto Next to the increated Communion of the Trinity in the Divine Essence and the communicated influence from the Divine nature to the Man-hood is the influence of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the members of his mystical body And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of Life In thy light we shall see light Psal 36.8 9. As the union between Christ and the soul The excellency of this communion flowing from union so the communion flowing from this union is mystical a glimpse of whose excellency as it readily shineth forth in this place in respect of the subject object and nature thereof so cannot but be of precious and vigorous use to the serious and spiritual Reader as he passeth along The subject thereof is the Catholick Church or body of Christ The Mystical body of Christ is a spiritual Totum The my stical body of Christ what or Whole consisting of the Person of Christ and all the persons of the Elect effectually called both Angels and Men orderly united by the Spirit unto Christ as their Head and in him one unto another after the manner of the body of a man So as from him is supplied grace suitable to their seveveral relations therein for the effectual and perfect communion both of all the members with the Head and of themselves one with another unto the increasing it self with the increase of God The Militant part of the Mystical body of Christ consisting both of Jews and Gentiles make one new man Eph. 2.15 The Mystical body Triumphant is compared to one perfect man Eph. 4.13 Christus omnia ejus membra constituunt unam personam my sticam Tho. quaest disp de gr ch art 7. ad 11. Davenan Coloss 1.24 Christ and all his members are one Mystical Person This innumerable number as they are but one mystical body so they all have but one soul viz. The Spirit of Christ whence they are united in this life sincerely in the life to come perfectly In point of judgement Eph. 4.13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God c. In point of affection 1 Cor. 12.12 Of perfect communion Joh. 17.22 23. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Stay yet a little and look upon this spiritual and glorious body walk about Christ mystical go round about him tell the Members mark ye well the
Head consider the bands and joynts The Sanctuary was a curious work Exod. 35 31-35 The Temple was a magnificent work our holy and beautiful house where our Fathers praised thee Isa 64.11 The body of man is fearfully and wonderfully made Ossibus ex denis bis centenisque novenis Constat homo denis bis dentibus duodenis Ex trecentenis decies sex quinqueque venis curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Psal 139.14 15. In it Anatomists observe two hundred and nineteen Bones others two hundred forty eight two and thirty Teeth three hundred sixty five Veines The bodies and persons of the Saints as sanctified are the workmanship of the more divine hand of God in Jesus Christ A member glorified shineth as the Sun Matth. 13.43 The body mystical considered as distinct from its head consisting of the innumerable company of the first-born every one whereof out-shines the Sun in its brightnesse must needs excell in glory all these are exceeded by the glorious body it self of the Lord of glory All which notwithstanding the body mystical hath its preheminence consisting of the person of Christ and of the persons of all beleevers which besides that it contains the summe of all created it partaketh also of increated glory and is an object wherein all the perfections of God do so eminently shine forth as though it be the duty of man dwelling in flesh to look into Yet neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor can it enter into the heart of man out of glory to conceive the manifold wisdome of God held forth therein Great is the honour God hath given his Son as also is the grace therein given unto his people in giving him to be the head of this glorious body He hath given HIM to be HEAD Eph. 1.22 The people in the Wilderdernesse were too many for Moses to provide for Num. 11.13 Who saith Solomon is able to judge this thy so great a people which cannot be numbred 1 King 3.9 but behold together with a far greater people a far greater person than either Moses or Solomon is here The object of this communion are all the members of the Catholick Church whether Militant or Triumphant The spirits of just men made perfect the innumerable company of Angels God the judge of all and Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant See Heb. 12.22 23 24. That which we saw and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 The excellency of the nature of this Communion omitting others may be considered in these particulars In respect of the Kind it is saving all grace flowing from Christ as a Head is saving grace that is such as accompanieth salvation and there is no saving grace which floweth not from Christ either as a designed or as an actual head of the Church The measure of it is full Col. 2.19 from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem appellant illum qui omnia ornamenta suppeditat sacras choreas agentibus Dav. Col. 3.19 c. The Greek word signifieth an abundant supply of all necessary things for every use T is a Metaphor taken from such who used to furnish those which were the Leaders in holy dances The Catholick Church is called the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 1.23 Which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all So called not onely actively because he filleth it but passively because by him it is filled The Catholick Church hath many members each member is a capacious vessel and each vessel hath as many large receptacles as parts and faculties yet all are filled every vessel and every receptacle in every vessel He filleth all in all The degree of it is perfecting Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13 The mystical body of Christ in the state of glory is here as we saw before compared to a perfect man The mystical body groweth up to be a perfect man but never to be an old man It hath its age of consistence but not of decrescence Christ causeth his body to increase with the increase of God exactly answering the measure of its stature appointed by God as Davids natural body answered what was written in Gods book concerning it Psal 139.16 Christ so perfecteth his body as that it shall want nothing it ought to have nor shall there be found in it any thing that it ought not to have He perfecteth it in regard of the number of members all the members belonging thereunto shal infallibly be added to it untill we all come Eph. 4. c. He perfecteth all that number of members in regard of the kinds of grace And of his fulnesse we have all received and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 He perfecteth all the kinds of grace in regard of the degrees thereof The fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 He perfecteth all in regard of the proportion of the parts mutually suitable unto the whole The whole and therefore every part shall attain the measure of its stature Lastly He perfects his body as in regard of their communion with their Head so also in respect of their communion one with another In respect of the Efficacy t is irresistable Christ doth not onely supply but apply the fruit of his merit unto his Elect. He is not onely the meritorious but also the efficient cause of grace and glory He makes his members and actuates them being mage Christ is a quickning head In regard of Duration it is an everlasting communion And I will betroth thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 In this Union of Christ with his Church Christ compareth himself unto a foundation his Church unto such a building as continueth for ever And upon this Rock will I build my Church Conjunctio tenacissima indissolubilis and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16.18 The Head of this spiritual body is Jesus Christ God-man the Body according to the measure of a meer creature is conformable to its Head the Union mystical the Communion whilst in this life and imperfect is heaven out of heaven but being perfect is heaven it self no marvel then the Apostle closeth his Epistle with this Benediction The Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 CHAP. XIV Of Justification by Faith THat we are justified by Faith is so evident in the Scripture as that he that runneth may read it Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.5 Gal. 2.16 James 2.23 Gal. 3.24 Rom. 3.28 But of the true understanding of this Proposition there is both great and perilous controversie for our help wherein consider the following particulars in order
17.7 I will be the God of thee and of thy seed after thee are sanctified and accordingly in due time actually ingrafted into him Beleevers in profession but not really so only externally real beleevers both externally and internally yet Christ is not there excluded whom we are to look at as the Root good Olive and Stock principally and effectually into which Abraham himselfe with all other Beleevers are ingrafted 4 Of incorporation into one mystical body whereof Christ is the Head Beleevers are the Members 1 Cor. 12.12 13. 5 Of a Spiritual conjugal estate wherein Christ is the Husband Beleevers are his Spouse Eph. 5.32 Lastly Of a Building wherein Christ is compared to the foundation or corner Stone Beleevers to a House or living Stones built or layed thereupon Matth. 7.25 and 16.18 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Union is the conjunction of the Person of Christ What Union is and the Person of the Beleever into one third being whence ariseth an everlasting relation and answerable communion of Head and Members between Christ and the Beleever for ever As in Marriage the type of this Union the consent of Parents and Parties is the efficient cause So here the will of God the Father the will of Christ and the voluntary consent of the Beleever caused by the operation of the Spirit are the efficient cause of this Marriage God the Father from all eternity hath willed the Incarnation and Marriage of his Son unto the Elect. The will of Christ is conformable unto the will of his Father Hos 2.19 20. The Elect by beleeving give their consent to be married unto Christ The Ministers of the Gospel are the instrumentall cause Joh. 3.29.2 Cor. 11.2 The matter of this union is the whole person of Christ on the one part and the whole person of the Beleever on the other part Mark it diligently that the whole person of Christ and the whole person of the Beleever are united together The whole Person of Christ is united unto the Beleever else we were not united unto Christ for neither the Divine nor Human nature considered apart is Christ Christ is God-man in one person Christ is not our Head as God alone nor as Man alone but as God-man Secondly Deitas est fons unde fluunt omnia bona vita salus Humanitas est caualis per quem ad nos derivantur omnia haec bona It would else follow that our union would be unprofitable the Humanity profits nothing without the Divinity it is the Spirit that quick neth the flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 the Divinity wil profit nothing without the Humanity Joh. 6.53 Then sayed Jesus unto them Verily verily I say unto you except yee eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drink his blood yee have no life in you The Divinity is the fountaine from which all good things flow the Humanity is the chanel by which all good things are derived unto the Elect. As the whole Person of Christ is united unto the Beleever so the whole person of the Beleever is united unto Christ we are not only one with Christ in respect of our Souls 1 Cor. 6.17 but we are also one with Christ in respect of our bodies For we are members of his Body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 One flesh If man and wife by vertue of their Marriage union which is but the Type become one flesh then Christ and the Beleever by vertue of their Spiritual union which is the Antitype must needs be one flesh vers 31. our person being in the same Mystical body with his person our flesh must needs be in the same Mystical body with his flesh where yet we must observe that this conjunction of our flesh with the flesh of Christ is not Corporal but Spiritual and to be understood of our flesh not simply but sanctified As our flesh hath spiritual Communion with the flesh of Christ in the Sacrament so our flesh hath union with the flesh of Christ in regeneration Such as is our Communion such is our Union but our commun on is from the whole person of Christ to the whole person of the Beleever therefore our union is between the whole person of Christ and the whole person of the Beleever Neither is our Soul alone joyned with the Soul of Christ alone Neque anima nostra sola cum sola Christi anima neque caro nostra sola cum sola Christi carne sed tota cujusque fidelis persona cum tota Christi persona verè conjungitur Zanchi Imo tota cujusque fidelis persona anima corpore cum tota per sona Christi verè conjungitur Buc. loc 48. quest 110. nor is our flesh alone joyned with the flesh of Christ alone but the whole person of every Beleever is joyned with the whole person of Christ See the Theses of Zanchy upon Eph. 5.32 treating largely and profitably of this subject See Bucanus also to the same purpose the whole person of every Beleever Soul and Body is truly conjoyned with the whole person of Christ The form of this union is the actual conjoyning of the person of Christ and the person of the Beleever in some third being Of the form of Union by the bands on either part For the better understanding the form of this union three things are to be attended 1. That third being or thing wherein Christ and the Beleever are united 2. The bands on Christs part and on the Beleevers by which they are united 3. The manner of this union Concerning the third being or thing which for readinesse sake in this discourse may be called a tertium wherein Christ and a Beleever are united it being premised and remembred that all union is of two ones or more into a third one arising out of and distinguished from both we are carefully to observe that the Scripture mentions divers Tertiums or third ones whence also so many kinds of union may not unprofitably be collected wherein Christ and the Beleever are united foure whereof are these The first Tertium or third being wherein Christ and the Beleever are united is Sameness of spirit but he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit the created grace which is in the Beleever is the same in kinde with the created grace that is in the Manhood of Christ Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 The second is One Mysticall body For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.12 13. The third is the Spiritual Marriage estate Eph. 5.32 This is a great Mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and the
effects of Election which are proper to the Elect. Saving Grace is of another kind therefore specially distinguished from all common grace which may be found in those who are not elected The Holy Spirit doth not work so much as one degree of saving and justifying Faith in those who are not elected Saving Grace is of the same kind with the created grace in the Manhood of Jesus Christ the Manhood of Christ received of the Spirit out of measure John 3.34 We receive from Christ of that Spirit in measure but he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace John 1.16 The Habits of Grace and Glory both in Christ and us are of the same kind Inherent saving Grace is distinguished from all common grace whether of nature or supernatural In respect of the first cause Est inter Christum omnia Christi membra continuitas quaedam ratione Spiritus Sancti qui plenissimè in Christo capite residens vnus idem numero ad omnia ejus membra diffunditur Dav. Col. 1.18 Cain Servatoris non fuit particeps ut Servatoris nec particeps ejus est impius quisquā Jun. de nat gratia collat confir rat 10.24 27. saving grace is from Election common grace is not from God electing but from him as the Authour of common gifts 2. In respect of the Meritorious Cause Saving Grace is from Christ as so meriting for them common grace is from Christ who did merit but not from Christ as so meriting he did not so i. e. savingly merit for them Saving Grace is from Christ as a Redeemer of them who are made partakers thereof Common grace is from Christ who is a Redeemer but not from Christ as their Redeemer saving grace is from Christ as a Head unto those who partake thereof as a designed Head in the gift of the first saving grace as an actual Head in the gift of following saving grace Common grace is from Christ who is the Head of his Body the Church but not as such a Head unto them who only receive thereof Cain saith Junius was not partaker of a Saviour as a Saviour neither is any other ungodly man 3. In respect of the next efficient cause the next efficient cause of saving grace is a motion of special grace the next efficient cause of supernatural common grace is a motion of supernatural common grace 4. In respect of the Subject the Subject of special grace are only the Elect the Subject of common grace are not only the Elect but also those who are not elected 5. In respect of their formal Nature the Genus or next common Nature of saving grace is a free-saving spiritual gift its Species i. e. it s formal or particular Nature is its sincere disposing the soul to Evangelical obedience as an inherent principle Common grace neither disposeth the soul to obedience nor is it a saving gift 6. In respect of its Efficacy Saving grace reigneth and quickens the new man and gradually mortifieth the old man until sin be wholly expelled Common grace is in this regard powerless neither doing the one nor the other Lastly They are distinguished in respect of their duration common grace is mortal Matth. 25.29 Saving grace is immortal Free-grace What 1 Pet. 1.23 Free grace understanding thereby increated grace is that eternal absolute and constant act whereby God of his meer good pleasure hath willed the infallible application of grace and glory unto elect sinners so as election or the act of willing grace and glory Tua enim omnia à nobis petis nihil nisi salvari 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc de Fide Orthodoxa lib. 4. cap. 24. Gratuitas Favor is meerly because it pleaseth him without respect of Christ as any Cause or Motive of Election but the actual application of all that good is with respect to Christ as the Meritorious Cause thereof and both Election and the actual Application of all this good without any respect of good or evil in the Elect themselves as any motive thereunto or hinderance therefrom This grace is briefly called the free favour of God in Christ Jesus By Created Free-grace taken as is usual for saving free-grace we are to understand the Effects of Election that is the saving free-gifts of the spirit viz. Vocation Union Justification Adoption Sanctification Perseverance Glorification c. The Freeness of Grace appears from the first cause viz. the meer good pleasure and will of God For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own pleasure Philip 2.13 So then It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy ver 18. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.4 The Obedience of Christ is meritorious not absolutely in it self but by vertue of the Covenant of God accepting his obedience as meritorious i.e. as that whereunto remission and salvation should be due according to Order of justice The Obedience of Christ was of sufficient value in it self because he was God to redeem all mankind but it could not be a price i. e. a ransom further then as God was pleased to accept The matter offered by Ahab was of equal value with Naboths vineyard but it could not be a price without his acception of it And as the Obedience of Christ becometh merit through the acceptation of the good pleasure of God so the extension of this merit is enlarged and bounded according to the Will of God accepting it for such a number neither less nor more Had there been more to have been redeemed the Merit of Christ was sufficient even for the Redemption of the whole world and if there had been but one to have been redeemed his merit must have been infinite It cost Christ no more blood to save Manasses then to save John the Baptist no less to save Timothy then to save Paul The Freeness of the Application of Grace appears further from the Merit of Christ Grace is given according to the Merit of Christ not with any respect to mans merit of good or demerit of evil The least sin without Christ is incurable the greatest sin by Christ is curable One sting of the fiery Serpent was mortal without looking to the Brazen Serpent and one look thereunto would cure a thousand stings as well as one such is the demerit of sin as that it justly slayes the child that sinned not after Adams transgression such is the Merit of Christ as that it justly saveth Adam the great transgressour No sin is little in it self the Merit of Christ is infinite 'T is a great sin for the least sinner not to be without hope in respect