seek of God the gift of faith or else be destitute of all excuse if they shall not do what they conceive and professe themselves able to do Thirdly it is equitable to crave faith from them who are able to promise morally the obedience of faith and are able to use the externall means leading unto true faith for the Lord Himself followed this way in his covenanting with the Israelites Exod. 19. where the Lord propounds the condition of the covenant and promiseth to be their God if they should hearken to His voice vers 5. 6. the people did accept the condition and undertook to perform it vers 7. 8. and upon these tearms the covenant was made with them morally in an externall way which did bind the obligation fast upon them Fourthly by preaching of the covenant of grace God doth ordinarly bestow grace and grace for grace on the redeemed in a time acceptable and in craving the condition the Lord giveth grace to accept the condition and to perform it and this course is very sutable to Gods soveraignty or supremacy sutable to His wisdom and his justice and sutable to the freedom of his grace for it becometh the absolute supremacy of God and the liberty of His most holy will to send the Gospel only to whom He will it becometh his wisdom where ever He doth send the Gospel to make offer of grace indifferently to all the hearers whether elect or reprobat that all may be tryed whether they please to receive the offer or not It becometh his justice to withhold grace from such as refuse the offer of it and it becometh his wisdom mercy grace truth and justice both to exact from the elect for whom Christ did satisfie the performance of the condition of the covenant and in the mean time by the offer of grace to make them sayingly to believe using the command of believing in Christ for a fit mean to beget faith hence it is that saving faith is given only to the elect which faith therefore is called the faith of the elect Tit. 1. 1. Hence it is that the elect are called heirs of the promises Gal. 3. 29. and children of the pâ—omise Heb. 6. 17. partly because they are the children promised to be broughin to Christ Isa. 53. 10. partly because by the promiâ—ses they are regenerat to a new life and by believing in Christ they obtain righteousnesse and eternall life for 1. Pet. 1. 23. they are called begotten again not of corruptible seed but of the incorruptible seed of the word of God Quest. If it be asked since faith is so necessary what is the object of faith Ans. We answer the truth of God revealed in Scripture or God speaking in Scripture and promising eternall life upon conditions holden forth in these promises among these promises some pertain to the covenant of works such as Gal. 3. 12. do this and live and Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments and sundry other particular promises of blessings both spirituall and temporall annexed unto the promulgation of the Law which promises do serve to encourage them to make good their undertaking if they be able as they conceive they are and to humble them when they shall find by experience that neither threatning nor promises can make them to fulfill that law Beside the promises annexed to the covenant of works there are other promises which pertain to the covenant of reconciliation and tend to the making men embrace the covenant of grace and to continue therein such as these which are propounded in the Gospel for giving unto the believer all the sure mercies of David and the benefits purchased by Christ. And of this sort some are more generall some more speciall some of them belong to this life some of them to the life to come for true godlynesse comprehending faith and the fruits of it hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come of all these promises the foundation and fountain is the covenant of Redemption whereof we have spoken Chap. 4. wherein Christ promiseth to the Father to do his will and the Father promiseth to Christ as Mediatour and head of the Church in favours of the redeemed that he shall see his seed and be satisfied and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand upon this covenant of Redemption all the promises made to the Church do depend whether they be absolute promises whether conditional promises whether qualified promises which are like unto conditionall Absolute promises we call for example such as do promise absolutely the taking away the heart of stone and the conversion of the Elect and their perseverance and salvation Ier. 31. 31 32. c. and 32. ver 40. Such are the promises of gathering edifying propagating and perpetuating of the Christian Church to the worlds end as Math. 16. 18. Upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Which sort of promises do serve to move men to come and embrace Christ and after men have fled to Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen the believer may make application and comfortable use of all the precious promises of righteousness and eternal life set forth in the Gospel Conditionall promises are such as make offer of Christ and reconciliation to the hearers of the Gospel upon this condition that in the sense of sin and fear of wrath they â—lye to Christ as the only and sufficient remedy of sin and misery Qualified promises like unto conditionall are these that have in them some qualification of the person who is already a believer and do seem to make that qualification or designation of the believer to be a condition of the blessing promised therein which promises if they be well considered do pre-suppone the qualified person to whom the promise is made to be both a believer and also to be evidently endued with the named quality as for example Math. 5. Blessed are the mercifull the peace-maker the meek the mourners the poor the sufferer of persecution for the Gospel or for Christ c. which vertues if the person be not a believer in Christ do as yet signifie nothing in him nor do not intitle the man to this Gospel-blessedness and being the designations of believers they give the persons endued therewith encouragment to go on and encrease in that grace and all other graces that they may thereby more and more give evidence of their being reall believers Such also are the promises which are made to the confident waiters on God rejoycers in God lovers and fearers of God c. In which promises grace for grace to be derived out of the fulness of Christ is promised to the believer Some promises design fit persons to enter in covenant and do invite them to come to Christ Such as are come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden Math. 11. 28. And Ho!
their deserved punishment Now when we see that the vilest sinners as liars thieves adulterers cannot patiently hear themselves called liars or thieves nor bear the shame of the vilenesse whereof they are really guilty with what suffering of soul with what clouding of the glory of his holinesse think we that our Lord took upon his shoulders such a dunghill of all vilenesse then which nothing could more be unbeseeming his holy Majesty 6. Unto all the former degrees of suffering of his soul the perplexity of his thoughts fell on him with the admiration and astonishment of soul when the full cup of wrath was presented unto him in such a terrible way as made all the powers of his sense and reason for a time to be at a stand Which suffering of his soul while the Evangelist is about to expresse he saith he began to be sore amazed and also to be very heavy and to expresse himself in these words My Soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death Mark 14. 33. 34. Obj. But did not this astonishing amazement of Christs soul speak some imperfection of the humane nature Ans. It did no wayes argue any imperfection or inlake of sanctity in him but only a sinlesse and kindly infirmity in regard of naturall strength in the dayes of his flesh for the mind of a man by any suddain and vehement commotion arising from a terrible object may without sinning be so taken up that the swift progresse of his mind in discourse may for a while be stopped and the act of reasoning suspended a while all the cogitations of the mind fleeing together to consult and not being able to extricat themselves in an instant may stand amazed and sit down a while like Jobs friends astonished Now our Lord taking on our nature and our common sinlesse infirmities became like unto us in all things except sin Daniels infirmity at the sight of an Angel was not sin Dan. 10. Obj. But doth not this astonishing admiration suddainly lighting upon Christs soul prove that something unforeseen of him did befall him Ans. Not at all for he knew all things that should befall him and told his disciples thereof and was at a point and resolved in every thing which was to come before it came But this astonishing amazement did only shew forth the naturall difference between things preconceived in the mind and these same things presented to sense for there is in the mind a different impression of the preconceived heat of a burning iron before it do touch the skin from that powerfull impression which a hot iron thrust into the flesh doth put upon the sense In regard of which naturall difference between foresight and feeling between resolution and experience this astonishment befell our Lord and in this regard Christ is said to learn experimentall obedience by these things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. 7. Another degree of the suffering of our Lords soul is the interruption for a time of the sensible uptaking and feeling of that quiet and peaceable injoyment of the felicity of the humane nature given for the point of right unto it in its personall union with his God-head in so far that in the midst of many disciples Greeks and Jews looking on him the vehemency of his trouble did not suffer him to hide his perturbation for Ioh. 12. 27. our Lord cryed out Now is My Soul troubled and what shall I say and Mark 14. 34. made him declare his exceeding heavinesse My Soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death In which words he insinuats that to his sense death was at hand yea that in no small measure it had seased on him and wrapped him up in the sorrows of death for the time as in a net of which he knew he could not be holden still Obj. But did not this hudge heap of miseries take away from the humane nature the felicity of its union personally with his God-head Ans. It did indeed hide it for a time and hinder the sensible feeling of it for a time as it was necessary in his deep suffering but it did not take it away nor yet eclipse it altogether for as a corporall inheritance hath a threefold connexion with the person owner thereof so a spirituall inheritance hath a threefold connexion with the believers soul. The first is of lawfull title and right the next is of possession of the inheritance according to the lawfull right the third is an actuall fruition and present feeling of the use of the inheritance The fruition and felt benefite and use may be marred or suspended the possession stand and the possession may be interrupted and suspended and the lawfull right remain firm Christ had not only an undoubted right to this felicity standing unto him by the personall union but also a fast possession of it in as far as the personall union was indissolvable But the actuall felt fruition in his humane sense and uptaking was so long interrupted as the humane nature was diverted from this contemplation for its present exercise and turned to look toward the sad spectacle of imminent and incumbent wrath especially when and how long it was as it were bound to the feeling of the present stroke which did fill the soul with sadnesse and grief anxiety and vexation without sin 8. Neither did the vindictive justice of God pursueing our sins in our Surety stay here but in the garden went on to shew unto Christ the cup of wrath and also to hold it to his head and to presse him to drink it yea the very dregs of the agreed-upon curse of the law was poured into his patient and submissive mouth as it were and bosome and the most inward part of soul and body which as a vehement flame above all humane apprehension so filled both soul and body that out of all his veines it drew and drove forth a bloody sweat the like whereof was never heard as when a pot of oyl boyling up and running over by a fire set under it hath yet further the flame increased by the thrusting of a firie masse of hot iron into it Hence came such a wasting and eating up of all his humane strength and emptying of his naturall abilities such a down-throwing of his mind such a fainting and swounding of his joy and so heavy a weight of sorrow on him that not only he desired that small comfort of his weak disciples watching with him a little and missed of it but also stood in need of an Angel to comfort him Luke 22. 43. It is without ground that some of the learned have denied the cause of this agony to be the drinking of the cup of wrath holden forth to him by the Father saying that the sight of it only and of the perill he saw we were into was the cause of this heavy exercise for the cup was not only showen unto him and the hudge wrath due to our sin set before him that he should see it and tremble at the apprehension of the
and full salvation for Isa. 53. 5. with his stripes we are healed now our healing is our full salvation from our sin and misery or our deadly sicknesses And Isa. 53. 10. the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand the pleasure of the Lord is partly our sanctification 1 Thes. 4. 3. partly our salvation and glorification Joh. 6. 39. this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And to this purpose powerfully doth his intercession serve from which the Apostle concludes that believers shall be perfectly saved Heb. 7. 25. wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them The second proof is from Isa. 59. 20. 21. THe second place is from Isa. 59. 20. 21. where first we have the parties agreeing pointed at the Lord Jehovah saith and of the Redeemer He saith that He shall come to Zion as Redeemer Next we have the kind of agreement between the parties God on the one hand and the Redeemer with the redeemed for whom and in whose name he makes the agreement this is my Covenant with them but first with Christ as the words following do shew Thirdly we have the party redeemed Zion and Iacob that turn from transgression which is the mark of true believers in Christ and of the elect for whom this grace is appointed as Rom. 11. 7. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election have obtained it and the rest were blinded And Rom. 11. 26. all this Israel shall be saved as it is written Fourthly we have the sort of their delivery which shall be not only by price paying but also by powerfull and effectuall working as the originall imports Rom. 11 26 and Isa. 59. 20. Fifthly the benefits bestowed upon the elect are comprehended under the designation of the redeemed they are to be turned from their iniquity by effectuall conversion by granting them faith in Christ repentance and reconciliation Sixthly it is shewed how these graces shall be brought to passe to wit by application thereof by the word and Spirit of Christ from which sanctification salvation and the perpetuation of all graces unto salvation do flow and follow on them My Spirit that is in thee saith the Lord to the Redeemer incarnat and My word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed c. These articles of the covenant of Redemption make expresly first against universall Redemption of all and every man because Christ as is shewed before makes his bargain for the elect and leaves the rest in blindness and is a Redeemer of none but of these to whom He is a deliverer actually from whom He turneth away iniquity and ungodlinesse which benefits befall none but the elect and the redeemed Next they make against election for faith and foreseen works because when Christ cometh to call-in the Jews He findes nothing commendable in them but impiety and transgression and defection and whatsoever might provoke Him to reject them they are turned from transgression Thirdly they make against a meer possible and contingent conversion for invincible grace is promised here for the word and the Spirit of Christ shall take up a dwelling in them and not depart from them Fourthly they make against the doctrine of the Aposlasie of the saints and uncertainty of their perseverance because here it is promised to Christ that from the heart and mouth of His seed the word and Spirit of Christ shall never depart The third proof is from Joh. 6. 37. c. THe third place is Ioh. 6. from v. 37. to 45. where first is set down the party contracters in the Covenant of redemption for the Elect are given over into the hand of Christ by the Father All that the Father giveth to me cometh to me v. 37. Secondly upon the Fathers giving of the Elect unto Christ followeth in due time the conversion and saving faith of the redeemed All that the Father giveth me cometh to me saith Christ. Thirdly the redeemed are committed unto Christ as to their leading on preservation and perfecting of their salvation This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day Fourthly it is agreed by what means the faith of the redeemed shall be formed in them which are the revealed sight of Christ the Son of God in the Word the powerfull drawing of the illuminat soul unto Christ which powerfull draught overcometh all opposition and resistence because it is omnipotent and invincible for no man cometh to Christ but he whom the Father draweth v. 44. and that by making them savingly and in a lively maner see the Son and believe on him v. 40. Hence followeth 1. that it is false Doctrine to teach that there is an universal redemption unto life of all and every man because not all but only some are given and made to come to Christ the rest that are not given come not Secondly it followeth that Election is of meer free grace because men come not unto Christ that they may be given but they are given unto Christ that they may be brought and come unto him Thirdly by this agreement the powerfull conversion of the redeemed and their powerfull preservation unto eternal life is as certain as the power and constancy and obedience of Christ unto the Father is firm and certain This is the will of him that sent me that of what he hath given me I should lose nothing but raise it up at the last day ver 39. The fourth proof is Joh. 10. 14. THe fourth place is Ioh. 10. from v. 14. to v. 30. where we see that the Lord Jesus the true Pastor of Israel before he was incarnat Ps. 23. continueth in that same office now being incarnat and gives his people to understand this when he saith I am the good sheepherd Secondly the care and custody of all the redeemed both converted and unconverted was put upon Christ v. 14. 16. I know my sheep and am known of mine and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring in and they shall hear my voice Thirdly the price of their redemption is clearly agreed upon v. 15. As the Father knows me even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for my sheep Fourthly the Father accepts the price and is satisfied and well pleased with it v. 17. 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again c. Fifthly all the redeemed are infallibly converted but they that are not redeemed are not converted v. 27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me