place against the sins of ungodly men being executed to the full upon them Mat. 5.18 it has taken place against the sins of the Elect upon Jesus Christ the curse having been executed upon him Gal 3.13 He baâ—k redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us and God does bestow eternal life upon none but those who have fulfilled the righteousness of the Law in their Surety eternal life is given as a recompence of Christs Righteousness Rom. 5.21 PROPOSITION III. This covenant of Works could not be known by our first Parents any other way than by divine revelation because both the promises and threatnings of this covenant depended on the free will of God so that whatever a bilities of understanding Adam had in his first estate they were insufficient to make a discovery of them the precepts of the Law were written In the heart of man when he was first made and so they are still though not so legibly Rom. 2.15 They show the works of the Law written in their hearts and this I dont understand to be any distinct work of God from that of creating the soul for the precepts of the Law excepting that one of the Sabbath have a self-evidencing power so that supposing man to have an understanding he can't but have some knowledg of them and supposing them to have an understanding not corrupted he can't but have a clear knowledge of them but the promises and threatnings of the Law are not understood by any thing written in mens heart Conscience indeed by its own natural light does give evidence that sin is offensive to God and so affright men with expectation of wrath but it can't witness the certainty of Judgments much less of eternal condemnation except it have received some further light either from the Works or Word of God. PROPOSITION IV. The Covenant of Works does require Obedience only as the condition of life there are several other Obligations upon us unto Obedience some antecedent to the covenant of works as the infinite excellency of God the work of Creation some of them consequent as the dying love of Christ Gods giving converting Grace and many the like but the covenant of works requires it only as a condition of life and hence tho the covenant of works be fulfilled for us by Jesus Christ so that there is no engagement on us to perfect obedience as it is a condition of life yet those antecedent obligations do remain upon and we ow obedience still as a natural due Psal 95.6 that primitive obligation as we are creatures will ly upon us for ever besides those other obligations that God has laid upon us since PROPOSITION V. The covenant of works requires perfect but not personal obedience the obedience required in the covenant of works is perfect for one transgression layes man open to the curse but it does not stand upon personal obedience every one is obliged to personal obedience but this is upon another account and not by vertue of the covenant of works the covenant of works never tied us up to personal obedience as the condition of life God has been so far from binding us up to personal obedience as the condition of life that he never did propose that way unto us but from the beginning of the world constituted a publick person to act in our behalf and upon his failing immediately revealed Jesus Christ to be another publick person to act for us Rom. 5.19 PROPOSITION VI The life promised in the Covenant of works is a life of glory in heaven the promise is life Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them some have thought that Adam should have had only the continuance of that blessedness which he was created in if he had kept the Covenant it is very true that there is no mention in the Covenant of his going to heaven but we have clear ground to conclude from Scripture that if man had stood he should have gone to heaven according to this promise 1. Because hell where the devils are is the reward of disobedience by the covenant of works therefore heaven where the holy angels are is the reward of Obedience it is meet the rewards should be proportionable I know it is answered that sin deserves evil at Gods hands but holiness which is due unto God does not deserve any rewards but this does not take off the force of the argument for it is by the Law that sin merits as well as holiness and hence wicked men are punished only for such sins as they commit in this life 2 Cor. 5.10 and there is as much goodness in holiness as evil in sin and it is a meet thing that God should bestow as much good in a way of obedience as he inflicts evil in a way of disobedience besides the Law expresses the punishment of sin by death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death and the reward of obedience by life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live by them therefore it is a life directly opposite to that death a life that contains as much good in it as that death doth evil those terms do mutually explain one the other 2. Because Christ in fulfilling of the law for us has purchased life for us in heaven Christ has purchased heaven for us Epb. 1.14 it is called a purchased possession and he did it by performing the righteousness of the Law for us it is by making of us righteous that we come to have a title unto eternal life Rom 5.21 Grace reigns by righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Because Christ tells the young man in the Gospel that enquired of him what good thing he should do that he might have eternal life that if he would enter into life be should keep the Commandments Mat. 19.16 17. where we may mind that the life enquired after by the young man was a life in Heaven and that Christ in this answer is leading of him to the covenant of works upon a design to convince him of his inability to keep it 4. Because the Apostle Paul gives that as the reason that men cannot be justified by the Law because they are sinners Rom. 8.3 3.20 the Legallists that Paul disputes against expected eternal life in heaven by their works yet in all his disputes with them he never telis them that the covenant of works does not promise any such thing if he could have told them so that would clearly have cut off all their hopes but he still shows that they can't have Salvation by the Law upon this account because they can't fulfil it yea he plainly implies that the reward by the Law and Gospel are the same but the way of obtaining it is different Rom. 4.4 He that worketh has the reward by debt be that worketh not hath it by grace The second thing that falls under Consideration here is What is the difference between the Covenant of works and the
receive Gods testimony and act faith thereupon until he knows God Paul says I know him whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1.12 and every man must know God before he will believe him many men â—o entertain some of the things that God says so the Devils believe and tremble but those perswasions rise from the convictions and not from faith in Gods Word No man will receive any thing meerly on Gods testimony until he know him and therefore will not be assured of that which he can know no other way but by faith and which carnal reason has many objections against 3. The conviction of this Truth is by the Spirit of God it is the work of Gods Spirit to satisfie the heart in this that it is safe appearing in the righteousness of Christ God does create light in the mind to discover this the outward call of the Gospel presents the object before men and the work of the Spirit is to give men eyes to see the truth of it mens natural reason makes them understand the sense of the Proposition and the Spirit of God puts a new light in them whereby they understand the truth of the Proposition their perswasion about this is the fruit of Divine Instruction This I shall shew from several Texts of Scripture John 16.7 8. The comforter will reprove the World of sin of righteousness and of judgment in this Text for the clearing of what is before us we shall take notice of three things 1. That the comforter here is the Spirit of God this is clear not only because he was a person sent to assist in and succeed the Ministry of the Apostles but also because he is called the Spirit of truth John 14.16 17. He shall give you another comforter even the Spirit of Truth 2. That the works of the Spirit here is conviction so 't is in the Margent the word signifies to convince by Argument and Reason and here is the Argument that the Spirit shall convince by ver 10. Because I go to my Father and ye see me no more so the word is used John 8.9 1 Cor. 14.24 3. That the thing that the Spirit does convince of is our safety in Christs Righteousness it is his righteousness that he speaks of for his going to the Father is the argument of it and it is the sufficiency of his righteousness to our salvation This is clear by two things First Because the Spirit is promised to confirm the Doctrine of the Apostles And then Secondly because the argument mentioned verse 10 does confirm this truth Christs Ascention to the right-hand of God shews that he has performed the work he came for and wrought righteousness John 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth unto me the meaning of this is not that all that were godly among the Jews that had been taught of God should ackowledge Jesus of Nazareth and depend on him this is indeed a truth that upon the setting of convincting light before them they would do it so did Nathaniel Joh. 1.49 the Eunuch Act. 8.37 Cornelius and Lydia this is not the meaning for when he says every one that hath heard learned of the Father he means every one that has been taught by God the Doctrine of the New-Testament and he speaks of such teaching as did immediately draw men to Christ but the meaning is that they who have been taught the Gospel by God will believe on Christ so that this is clear from hence it is the work of God to encourage men to come to Christ and God encourages men by satisfying their hearts in the safety that is in the righteousness of Christ that perswasion that draws men to Christ is wrought by God. Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified by this Scripture it appears that it is Gods work to satisfie the heart in the safety of coming to Christ when he sayes that they are called of God he means they are inwardly called of God he intends not the outward call because he speaks of it as a proper effect of Predestination and certain fore-runner of Justification and this inward call is nothing else but the enlightning of the mind to see the truth and certainty of the outward call so that those Arguments which God sets before us in his Word to perswade us to come to Christ those he satisfies our hearts in by the inward work of his Spirit by his Spirit he sets home the precepts invitations and promises of the Gospel this inward Call is that which satisfies the heart so that it answers the call of God. Objection 1. It seems not to be work of the Spirit to convince men that they may safely appear in Christs Righteousness because after they have been convinced they doubt again and call it in question whether they may venture on the righteousness of Christ Answer We may well argue that if they have been convinced throughly by the spirit that they will never be utterly carried away with unbelief to reject this truth but we cannot conclude that they would never doubt men may call those things in question which they have learned by the spirit of God so the Prophet did 1 King. 13.17 18 19. yea men may question things that they have been taught by the saving work of the spirit God revealed it to the Disciples that Jesus was the Son of God Mat. 16.16 17. yet afterwards they questioned it Luk. 24.21 they say we verily thought it had been he that should have redeemed Israel the Psalmist no doubt had been convinced that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and yet afterwards he had such workings of heart as these verily I have cleansed my heart in vain Psa 73.13 and it is no wonder for the blindness of the mind is but in part removed and sometimes they have not the exercise of that light which is in them the Devil is busie to throw scruples and objections into their hearts and they have several principles in themselves that lead them to doubt of those things that God has convinced them of they have a principle of unbelief carnal reason and enmity to the truth so that it is no wonder that they have doubts about it Objection 2. If men were convinced by the spirit they would have more understanding than many of them have of this way of salvation many of them understood very little of the confidency of this way of Salvation with the Law of God how the sufferings of one could answer for so many there are maeny Objections that they dont see through Answer Every one that is taught of the spirit has so much knowledg in this way of life as is a foundation for Faith he must have so much knowledg as that his Conscience may be satisfied in the truth of it t is also true that the teachings of the spirit do clarifie mens understandings they come hereby to have more clear conceptions of
made unto us of the blood of Christ for the remission of sins Mat. 26.26 27 28. herein the hearts of Gods people have had peculiar establishment some when in a discouraged condition are backward to come to this Ordinance the Devil has a great hand in it to keep them from that which is the means of help they are afraid that they shall eat and drink judgment to themselves but God no where requires a faith of assurance in those that partake of that Ordinance this Ordinance is a special help to those that are in the dark with a good conscience and though it must be granted that to partake of it without Faith is a sin and so deserves damnation and so it does to pray or hear without Faith yet when the Apostle says that he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation or judgment to himself 1 Cor. 11.21 he intends particularly that evil of not distinguishing this eating and drinking from common eating or drinking doing it either ignorantly or profanely therefore he adds not discerning the Lords Body 4. Be earnest with God in prayer for the strengthning of Faith Christ prayed for Peter on this account Luk. 22.32 and on the same account we should pray for our selves prayer is the way to win any thing that we need from God importunate prayer is like the sword of Saul that returned not empty tho' the people of God are compassed with infirmities yet their prayers are very prevailing Elias was a man of like passions yet his prayers were successful God loves to gratifie his people he takes delight in the exercise of their graces in prayer he loves to encourage them in waiting on him according to his appointment therefore constantly attend this duty and be much in secret prayer be often pouring out your heart unto him this is duty Mat. 6 6. and in this way christians have much communion with God whereby their faith is strengthned such christians as can make shift so to stifle their consciences as to be negligent in this duty lose a great advantage for their flourishing in faith and holiness 5. In case of need advise with those that can help you when under darkness and temptation have recourse to such as can direct you that can speak words in season to them that are weary make use of such as are skilful and faithful some out of fearfulness or pride or through ignorance of their duty go with an heavy load upon their hearts a long while whereas it may be their scruples might be easily answered if they would have recourse to those that have skill by the blessing of God they might soon be led into such a way that they might have comfort Joh 33.23 if there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness God fits some men to discover mens uprightness unto them and to shew them how to get it have recourse to such as may be able to comfort you with the comfort whereby they themselves are comforted of God. 6. Rely upon God in Christ to maintain Faith in you it is needful to have all your expectation from him if men be in the use of means for the strengthening of Faith and trust to their own endeavours they give God occasion to blast their labours and leave them to the doubtings and discouragements of their own hearts no wonder if God lets them fall that trust to their own strength you are not able to maintain a spirit of Faith in your selves nor to fortifie your hearts against discouragements by any power or wisdom of your own therefore it is fit you should depend on God in Christ to work it in you Christ is our under aker to preserve Faith Heb. 12.2 He is the author and finisher of Faith therefore be not proud of your own strength but under a sence of your own inability rely on Christ to work it in you continually Direction 2. Get a more clear large and distinct understanding of this way of salvation by Jesus Christ many Christians are exposed unto temptation by their ignorance though they know that that is a sufficient foundation for Faith yet they are but rude in knowledg greatly to seek about many things that they need to know for the establishing of their Faith many Christians fall under that reproof Heb. 5.12 ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God it is a great help against Discouragement to have a clear knowledg of the Gospel the highest degree of literal knowledg is not sufficient to make a man believe but without litteral knowledge there can be no Faith and without a considerable measure of it you will be in great danger to be out bid with such temptations as you might easily see thorow if you had more knowledg and therefore the Apostle exhorts them to grow in the knowledg of Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 Christians should be able to give a reason of the hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3.15 when they are under doubts a little information about the way of salvation by the gospel does remove their doubts therefore labour to get a distinct knowledg of the gospel that you may be able to give account of the design of God in it as it is revealed in the gospel of the equity of it and its consistency with the Law of the absolute freedome of the grace of God of the true reason why Christ died of the terms of the covenant of Grace and of the manner of Gods dealing with his when he brings them into union with Christ and after their union with him a clear knowledg of these and such like things are of great advantage unto faith two wayes 1. It supplies us with Arguments to prove this way of salvation hereby men are furnished with strong reasons for the confirmation of their Faith these things do shew that the salvation of a Believer is built upon a strong foundation by reason of mens ignorance men are strangers to many things that would confirm their Faith there be many things in the Gospel that would clear it up to men it they did know them that it is impossible that believers should fail of Salvation Men might if they had more knowledg be able many wayes to prove undeniably that it is a safe thing for them to come to Christ 2. It supplies us with answers to temptations and many carnal reasonings the strength of many of those reasonings that prove perplexing to the people of God lies in their ignorance many temptations would presently vanish if men had more understanding the objections that many times men are perplexed with are easily answered by those that are more skilful in the word of righteousness there is enough in the Gospel to satisfie their scruples if they did but understand it many things that are great stumbling blocks to them would not puzzle them at all if they had more knowledg Direction 3.