Nature was taken as an obscuring Vail and in the manner of Assuming it that Vail was exceeding thick which will appear in these Things 1. Christ was conceived in a Woman's Womb there was he confined the usual time he was born he sâ—ent part of his time in the unactive state of Infancy and Childhood He was capable of growing in knowledge Luke 2.52 This points to the manner of his Incarnation and is there no concâ—alment of his Glory herein no laying it aside Oh for God-Man to be at any time unactive as an Embrio or Child in the Womb for him to be born of a Woman for him to pass through the Incapacities of Infancy and the like necessary Consequences of the manner of his Incarnation Sure here 's a Suspension of Glory Eve was formed in a way more Glorious Whereas the Apostle notes it of Christ that he was made of a woman made under the law Gal. 4.4 2. Christ in his very Incarnation assumed the Humane Nature when in a low State yea after the Fall and subject to many Effects of that Fall It was not a Glorious Body a Spiritual Body a Body cloathed with Immortality but a Body subject to Hunger Thirst Weariness yea Death it self The Apostle leaves a Remark on this 2 Cor. 5.16 Thô we have known Christ after the Flesh yet know we him so no more Further what a Vail was it that he assumed our Nature after Man had sinned after he was condemned and part of the Sentence executed Yea there was need of an extraordinary way of Generation to prevent the propagation of Guilt and Defilement to him our Lord was subject to Grief Fear Trouble Temptations from without c. and the same Infirmities as we fallen Men are Sin only excepted Heb. 4.15 And was all this no Humiliation his meer Incarnation was his assuming a Body in the frame and habit whereof these Infirmities had actual place and not a Body exempted from these He was in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 3. The Apostle includes Christ's Incarnation in his Inferiority below Angels Heb. 2.9 We see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death c. Thô his Exaninition in assuming our Nature be not all yet it is a great part of his Minoration as taking a Nature below the Angelical Thô he could soon raise it above Angels when he had assumed it and finished his Work therein and hence some render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a little while But it 's plain that the Humane Nature in it self is below the Angelical and therefore in taking this lower Nature he was so far Humbled and went so far further from his Glory 2. Christ's receding from his Glory in taking our Nature in this state and after this manner in obedience to God and for the ends for which he assumed such a Body was truly a degree of Humiliation That Christ should become Man was one Article submitted to by him Heb. 10.5 It was a Debt Heb. 2.16 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was Incarnate and that in the very described manner that he might be capable of enduring those full effects of Sin that he might tast Death for every Man be Tempted and the like Had not he assumed our Flesh he was not capable of enduring these yea had he not assumed our Nature in an humbled State and submitted to a Vail on his Glory the World would have been dazled with his Brightness above the Sun 's and none durst have blasphemed or assaulted him But our Lord was thus Incarnate his Humane Nature was in this humbled Condition and not in an exalted State when he assumed it and begun not to be humbled afterwards he laid by his Glory when he put on our Flesh in his Conception and therefore Iohn 17.5 he prays Glorifie me with that glory which I had with thee before the world began And the Apostle reckons it as a degree of his Humiliation Gal. 4.1 Made of a woman made under the law Yea I think it might be demonstrated that the Lord 's quitting the Display of his Divine Glory in his Conception Birth and the whole time of his Life was the greatest degree of his Humiliation And what can exclude his Incarnation especially in such a manner from being a part of Humiliation unless this following Objection for it was in a way of Obedience his Glory obscured and this to abasing Purposes Obj. How could the Divine Nature be humbled A. It was the Eternal Word or the Second Person that was humbled as far as his Incarnation obscured his Glory in the way above described 1. The Divine Nature essentially considered could neither be humbled nor exalted nothing can add to or take from it 2. Neither could the Divine Nature feel or resent Sufferings in the same manner as the Humane Nature it was not capable of Passion 3. Yet the Eternal Word was capable of laying aside his Manifestative Glory of subjecting himself to do so in obedience to the Father and persuant to his Covenant Undertaking and to make himself capable of drinking the whole of the Cup by being cloathed with such Flesh and that in a manner so obscuring of his Glory It 's more strange that this should be questioned by such who ascribe to Christ Acts properly Mediatorial before his Incarnation 3. R. Christ for his very Incarnation among other things received Authority as a Reward Iob. 5.27 He hath given him authority to execute judgment because he is the son of man If you say he was not capable of such a Gift but as the Son of Man even that argues a degree of Humiliation that the Person to whom all was due by virtue of his Divine Essence should assume another nature to be capable of this as a Gift But the words express his being the Son of Man to have a Causality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority is a Reward for his Incarnation among other things And if this be rewarded it must come within the compass of his Humiliation for all Christ's Meritorious Acts come under the consideration of his being humbled and the Acts of his exalted State are not properly Meritorious I might add other Reasons as from the dependant State to which Christ became subject by assuming our Nature and from the way how the Glory of Christ's Person added to value the Sufferings of the Humane Nature c. But I think what is already offered is sufficient Obj. If Christ's Incarnation was a part of his Humiliation then he is in a state of Humiliation in Heaven A. 1. Christ's continuing in the Nature assumed when he hath exalted it may not be a part of his Humiliation and yet his assuming that Nature was a part of his Humiliation The Act of Assumption is one thing remaining United is another The Nature in a humble State as it was when he was Incarnate is one thing that Nature in a perfected glorious State as it is now in
a way of Satisfaction Impetration Merit or Intercession it were true but as he words it it may be very Erronious and it is to Scrue an Error he doth thus express it Hence because he finds Repentance and Faith are so necessary to our Salvation he hath in his Pulpit endeavoured to inform Men how Christ repented and that he repented for us and though he doth not-publish it in this Sermon as he did elsewhere That Christ believed for us yet you 'll see presently how much he endeavours to convince us that he did so for if he believed whilst humbled it was for us and it 's imputed to us as he oft in this Book affirms Had I Mr. M's liberty what would I call this Error for though it 's in Christ's Strength and Grace that we Repent Believe turn to God and do good Works yet if we do not these as our Personal Acts Misery will be our Portion If you not I believe not you shall die in you Sins John 8. 24. Except you not I repent you shall all perish saith Christ Luke 13. 3. I say Except your Righteousness not mine exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matt. 5.20 Had Mr. M. been an Auditor he had not said Lord thou understandest not the Gospel it 's thou art to do these things this is the deep Counsel of God however legally thou speakest He might as well say it 's thou Christ shall perish as thou Christ art to repent 2. Faith is a prime and principal part of our Being conformable to the Image of Christ c. He is the first Pattern and original Copy of Believing P. 62 63. Reply Is Christ's Faith the Pattern of Faith in Christ I remember somewhere Dr. Goodwin speaks of God's trusting Christ till he was Incarnate and of Christ's trusting the Father since the time of his Sufferings Yea we may easily grant that Christ believed God's Promise and as a Man depended and relied on God's Power and Truth But this is no other Faith than Adam in Innocency acted than the Law of Works directed to By this account we may think better of the State of Pagans than most do for without Gospel-Revelation they may believe in God trust him and depend on him But what is this to the account the Scripture gives of Faith in Christ Did Christ come to himself as a Saviour Did he receive himself as a Crucified Redeemer Did he eat his own Flesh and drink his own Blood for Eternal Life Did he plead his own Merits and rely on his own Righteousness for Pardon and restored Peace Did he consent to be married to himself Did he look to himself for Healing Or to use Mr. M's account of Faith in this very Page Did he go out of himself unto himself for all Yea take part of his Description of Faith in Christ p. 39 40.1 The Subject of Faith is the Heart of a convinced broken-hearted Sinner c. The very Nature of Faith and the acting of the Soul in it is such as doth imply and include a Sight and Sense of Sin and Misery and a lively heart-influencing Conviction of utter Helplesness in a Man's self and unworthiness to be helped by God c. Reader Doth Christ's Faith in the Nature of it imply a Sense of utter Helplesness and Unworthiness in himself or of his Sin and Misery The Reason he gives for Justling out such as Abram and setting up Christ for the original Copy of believing in himself is this The Humane Nature of Christ lives and subsists in the second Person leaning on the Eternal Deity of the Son of God it hath its Subsistence in the Bosom of the Godhead c. and hath the Eternal Power of the Deity clasping about it P. 63. The Apostle did not know this Faith when he said that Charity was greater than Faith Well as Sublime as this Reason seems to be I will venture to say This is not that Faith in Christ which the Gospel requires of Sinners 1. I will give you a Reason of Mr. M's which besure is none of the best P. 7. Christ's dwelling in our Nature is no part of the Punishment of Sin for then the Divine Nature only is punished and not the Humane at all nor the Person It 's a bad one for what he brings it since that Assuming the Nature and dwelling in it differ and I have answered it before and it needs a great Allowance to keep it from But if the Sufferings or Acts of only one Nature be not the Sufferings or the Acts of the Person of Christ then the acting of Faith of the one Nature on the other Nature is not acting of Faith upon the Person of Christ and consequently not Gospel-Faith which is to be acted on the Person of Christ here the Humane Nature believes but that is not with him Christ that believes it believes on the Divine Nature and that with him is not Christ who is believed on What now is become of Christ's Believing even by his own Reasoning 2. The Object of Faith in Christ is God-Man Mediator a Crucified Christ c. but the Deity of the Son of God abstractedly considered is not God-Man Mediator c. Truly if our Gospel-Faith is specified by this I see not the need of Christ's Incarnation or Death yea or regard thereto 3. This leaning and especially to the purposes assigned to this Act of Christ's Humane Nature is not all that which is Essential to the Faith in Christ which the Gospel requires But why should I Scribble the little Paper left It 's like the Reasons he gave for Christ's Repenting viz. The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me and he was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief 3. He plainly discovers his Mind to be that Faith is an Act of the Soul whilst spiritually dead and unregenerate P. 61. He joins with such as say Faith is the means and way of our being made spiritually alive rather than our acting Life as being already brought into a state of Life as the Bodies Clasping hold on the Soul by the animal Spirits which are Corporeal things is rather the means of Life than an act of Life c. P. 62. Suppose that the principle of Grace begotten and created in us in Regeneration contain in it the Habit of Faith which I will not now call in question Yet c. P. 32. All our new Obedience and all the Graces of the Spirit comprized under that one word Love are the Effects and Fruits of our being justified P. 60. In Vnion by Faith which is the cause of this Union we are brought immediately into a state of Spiritual Life first Relative then Qualitative c. Repl. Here with the Arminians he denieth the habit of Faith necessary to the actings of Faith He is contrary to the Assembly of Divines who tell us That God in effectual Vocation takes away
confine his Conceptions according as the Subject in the Question is Stated unless they will deceive others and themselves I shall offer these Reasons to prove that Christs incarnation was a partt of his Humiliation 1 R. The Word of God in express Terms affirms this Phil. 2.7 But made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men. Let us for the better apprehending the force of this Text consider 1. The Context 2. The Words in the Verse 3. The Objection that can be offered to enervate it from V. 8. For if the Context tend to prove that Christs Incarnation was a part of his Humiliation and the text in plain Words affirm it and there be nothing in the whole against it the Proof must be express only let me give you the 7 verse as it is in the Original which by our translation is Darkened Christ emptied Himself taking on him the force of a Servant being made in the likeness of Men. 1. Le ts consider the Context The Apostle had commanded Self-denial Charity and Humility ver 3 4. This charge he inforceth by Christs example ver 5. Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus lhat he might give this instance the greater Advantage 1. He shews the glorious dignity of Christ as God ver 6. Who being in the form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God He was equally glorious he that assumed our Nature and suffered in it was as excellent and the Beams of his Glory as Illustrious as God himself being of one Essence and Nature with God and having no other Nature besides his Divine 2. He then proceeds to tell them how this Glorious One humbled and debased himself v. 7. of which presently and thereby lets them see how meet it was that they should not grudge at denying themselves or being the most lowly and humble when Christ so infinitely more Glorious was content to become so low and mean as to take our Nature and suffer in it You see the Context requires that whatever is affirmed in this seventh Verse must refer to Christ's Debasement or it cannot answer the plain scope of the Apostles Reasoning which is to perswade Men to be Self-denying from this Example of Christ's humbling himself 2. The words of the seventh Verse are next to be considered He made himself of no reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the first Expression if you regard the derivation of the word it amounts to this He rendered himself such as if his Perfections and Glory were vain or useless The word is consonantly translated 1 Cor. 9.15 Make my glorying void It 's render'd by Tertullian Se Exhausit c. Of all made himself nothing By Beza Quasi ex omni seipsum ad nihil redegit Zanthius raiseth it higher Se Evacuavit omni gâ—oria aequalitate cum patri He emptied himself of all Glory and Equality with the Father Indeed who can comprehend the utmost of this Examinition Now these words must refer to his Incarnation as what let in and made him â—â—pable of all the subsequent Sufferings The next words are He took on him the form of a servant or taking on him the form of a Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein was this I answer In taking our Nature For by assuming this Nature he became God's Servant and subject to his Authority as if not his own Master thô a Servant to Man he never was He that was in the form of God that is truly so was in the form of a Servant that is truly so that is the sense the next words confirm and was made or being made in the likeness of Man Not likeness in opposition to the reality of the Humane Nature but a conformity in Nature and the natural Operations thereof He assumed our very Humane Nature I hope then the plain order and import of the words appear to be this The Lord Iesus did greatly empty and humble himself in taking our Nature by the very assumption of which Nature he was a Servant And lest you should think that by being a Servant is meant some Servile Debasement after he assumed this Nature and not his meer Incarnation the Apostle explains it yet more Being made in the likeness of a Man is added after the form of a Servant Nay lest any one should deny his Incarnation to be part of his Humiliation by inverting the order of the words He proceeds v. 8. And being found in habit or fashion as a man he humbled himself q. d. Being thus emptied and debased in taking our Nature and being to observance in a State common with other meer Men he went on to undergo those sensible Sufferings which his Humane Nature rendred him capable of enduring Which leads me 3. To the Objection from v. 8. Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself becoming obedient unto death even the death of the cross Whence may be objected That his Humiliation is confined to his dying in the Humane Nature after he had assumed it A. Christ's Dying was a great part of his Humiliation but that doth not argue that it was all his Humiliation Christ's Death and lying in the Grave finished his Humiliaiton but it doth not follow that was the beginning of it His Incarnation did begin it thô he proceeded to Consummate it by obeying unto Death And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Emptying himself which is ascribed to his Incarnation doth as truly express an Humiliation as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Humbled Yea the former denotes a far greater Humiliation as to the significancy of the word To conclude this I cannot conceive how the Apostle could more expresly assert that Christ's Incarnation was a part of his Humiliation nay he seems to lay a very great stress upon it and variously expresseth Christ's assuming our Nature as that wherein the Wonder consisted most Oh that he who had a Glory shining equally with the Father should so submit to the with-holding of it as to be made a Man Let me mind you that the Socinians will thank any Man that denies the sense I give of this Text. 2. R. Christ did in his very Incarnation in obedience to God's Command voluntarily submit to the concealing and suspending of his manifestative Glory that he might be capable to suffer the utmost Punishments he had engaged to endure This Argument will appear in greater strength if we consider it in its several Parts 1. By shewing what a concealing and suspending of Christ's Manifestative Glory there was in his very Incarnation 2. That submiting and enduring this in obedience to God and for the Ends he thus assumed our Nature was truly a Degree of Humiliation 3. I shall answer an Objection that may be offered against the Son of God being capable of being humbled 1. There was a great suspending and concealing of Christ's Manifestative Glory in his very Incarnation Our
Heaven is another Christ doth not in Heaven assume our Nature Denovo but remains United to that Nature which he assumed in the Womb And the state of this Nature is now Glorious whereas he took our Flesh when it was Inglorious A Prince may humble himself in marrying an ignoble deformed sickly Beggar and yet it will not follow he humbleth himself still because he lives with her as a Wife especially if he hath ennobled beautified healed and enriched her 2. Saying That Christ's Humane Nature is exalted in Heaven is an acknowledgment that Christ was humbled in taking our Nature in the manner and condition he assumed it in Would Christ's Body be in an exalted State if it were in the form it had in its first Conception Yet so it was in the moment of Incarnation Were it exalted if still to be Born Yet so it was Would he be in an exalted State if still an Infant or Child Yet this was necessary from the manner of Christ's Incarnation Would this Nature be exalted if still subject to Weariness Pain Grief Hunger Shame Temptation and Death Yet such was the frame and habit of it when he assumed it This vast difference in the state of Christ's Body in Heaven and when he became Incarnate may convince us that Christ humbled himself in assuming it unless you will suppose it was first a Glorious Body i. e. when he took it and after he assumed it it was deprived of that Glory and humbled and then again exalted But such Conceits I pass by 3. I might add Thô the exalted Body of Christ be now a more fitted Medium whereby the Divine Glory is exerted and manifest and also the Glorious Purposes attained by the Hypostatical Union continued do compensate it Nevertheless the Human Nature is in a sense at present some Vail upon the Glory of Christ as the Eternal Word notwithstanding the Exaltation of the Humane Nature 1 Cor. 15.28 But these things are so beyond our comprehension that an humble Reverence doth best set Limits to our Thoughts But what hath been insisted on without enlarging on this may suffice to give us juster Thoughts of our selves as Men at least so as not to furmise it was no Act of Humiliation in the Lord of Glory to become Man by being Conceived and Born for him to be a Child to assume Flesh subject to Weariness Pain Sorrow Faintness Temptation Death c. for the Creator of the World to assume to a Personal Union with himself the lowest sort of intelligent Creatures and for the Lord of Glory to become a Subject and Servant I shall conclude this Point by giving you the Westminster Assemblies Judgment Less Catech. Q 27. Wherein did Christ's Humiliation consist A. Christ's Humiliation consisted in his being born and that in a low condition made under the Law c. You see that they thought Christ's being boâ—â— was a part of his Humiliation And not only the Miseries that followed his being born nor the Low Condition wherein he was born 〈◊〉 tech. Q. 46. The Estate of Christ's Humiliation was that low condition wherein he for our sakes emptying himself of his Glory took upon him the form of a Servant in his Conception and Birth Life Death and after his Death till his Resurrection Q. 47. Christ humbled himself in his Conception in that being from all Eternity the Son of God in the Bosom of the Father he was pleased in the fulness of Time to become the Son of Man made of a Woman of a low Estate and to be born of her with divers Circumstances of more than ordinary Abasement You see his very becoming the Son of Man and his Conception whereby he was Incarnate were Parts of Christ's Humiliation 3. Enq. Did Christ by his Death and Sufferings merit any thing and that for us A. Christ by his Death and Sufferings merited yea even saving Blessings for us I shall 1. Premise somewhat that may tend to clear this 2. I shall prove the Thing I affirm 1. Let this be premised Christ's Death and Sufferings may be conceived of first as Satisfactory and then Meritorious On the other hand Christ's active Obedience is to be conceived as first fit to be Meritorious and then Satisfactory The reason of the former is this Had not Christ's Death and Sufferings been for to make satisfaction God had not admitted them or delighted therein as the merit of any Benefits nay God would have looked at them with dislike in stead of accounting them a meet Price of Blessings The reason for the later is That had not Christ's Active Obedience been perfect and so fit to merit it could not satisfie or be a recompense for Man's Disobedience by vindicating the injured Glory of God's righteous Government Imperfect Obedience had tempted Creatures to offend instead of atoning God for the Offence 2. I shall prove that Christ's Death and Sufferings did merit greatly and that for us Short Hints will suffice to confirm a Position to plain 1. R. That for which Christ was rewarded both as to himself and as to us did truly merit and that for us But Christ was rewarded both as to himself and us for his Death and Sufferings That Christ was rewarded for his Death and Sufferings as to himself is past Question Phil. 2.9 Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name The Covenant of Redemption adjusteth this Christ claimeth this oft as of Right and the Father is oft said to perform it as of Justice That Christ was for his Death and Sufferings rewarded as to us is as evident All the saving Benefits we receive are part of Christ's Reward and dispensed as such Isa. 53.11 12. He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul untâ— death c. I shall presently instance the Saving Blessings which we receive for the Sufferings of Christ as the procuring Caâ—se thereof 2. That which is the Price of our Redemption did merit for us but Christ's Death and Sufferings were the Price of our Redemption c. 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought with a price 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ c. Acts 20.28 To feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood You cannot doubt but that by which we are redeemed and bought did merit the just God was a detainer of us as guilty Offenders until Christ by Death made reparation to his Glory 3. That which is part of the Righteousness of Christ for which we are justified did merit for us But Christ's Death and Sufferings are part at least of the Righteousness of Christ for which we are justified c. Rom. 5.9 We are
first Testament viz. Before his Incarnation which were pardoned on the prospect of it And by his Death he purchased that his Called might receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9.15 As Testator he bequeaths and disposeth by and according to this Gospel Testament what he acquired by his Obedience even to a Bloody Death and by that Death this Testamentary Disposition is irrevocable As Surety he undertakes that his Testament which is also God's Covenant with us shall be fulfilled even on our parts and also unto us And this the Apostle directly applies to Christ's ever-living and interceding as what fitted him for it and whereby he executeth this Suretiship Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.24 25. Many Testaments are unfulfilled because the Testastor being Dead cannot see to the Execution of them and so the Legatees are wronged but Christ ever lives and attends to the fulfilling his Testament which is the same with God's Covenant with respect to whâ—â—â— as God's Covenant he still intercedes as well as ever lives You 'll find this Apostle Lodge the height of the Security of Christians against and from Condemnation upon this Intercession of Christ Rom. 8.34 Who is he that Condemneth it 's Christ that Died yea rather is risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us He ascribes our Safety to his Living and Interceding rather and more than to his meer Dying for though by his Death he acquired and bequeathed Absolution c. for his Seed yet it 's by his Living again and Interceding he secures and sees his Seed possessed of that Absolution and all other Blessings And if we consider that this Covenant mentioneth here rather Benefits promised to his Seed than Conditions of any Benefits as required either of him or his Seed He seems to be pointed at here more directly a Surety to see God's Promises made good to his Seed than that their New Covenant Engagements shall be made good by his Seed though it 's a great Truth he is a Surety on our part that we shall keep Covenant or we should soon undo our selves I think then it 's past Contradiction That the Covenant Christ is Surety of in this place which is the only place he is called Surety is the Gospel Covenant and if so he can even as a Money Surety hereby be bound with us to no more than what we are engaged to do and suffer by this Gospel Covenant It 's true by the Covenant of Redemption he was engaged to suffer Death in the Humane Nature for Satisfaction and this in our place and also to Obey the whole Law and both for the Salvation of his Seed But in that Covenant he was Principal for God never obliged us to Redemption-Work either by our selves or by any other and therefore Christ herein is what the Civilians call ex promissor He is obliged alone though he acts for another But how strange is it that from Christ's being a Surety of the New Covenant or Testament Men should conclude that Christ is a Money-Surety of the Covenant of Works and as such paid all our Old Covenant Debts as Debts and that altogether in Kind and so as we are accounted to pay that Debt and merit Life by that very Covenant yea and damn all that will not say as they say though to say so makes either Christ's Obedience or his Suffering needless all Forgiveness impossible all Gospel-terms of Application of Christ's Merits Unjust a suspension of a Right to those â—enefits for any time Injurious a Right in Men to Equal Rewards with Christ Inviolable all remains of Displeasure on and the Reign of Sin in the unconverted Elect matter of just Complaint against God and a Claim to any greater Blessings than the Law of Works promised Impossible I might further argue this Point by other Considerations as its Inconsistency with Christ's being a Mediator he being a Party also with Christ's being a proper Redeemer of Sinners any more than of himself yea it excludes the True Gospel Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in our Justification upon Believing as having no Righteousness of Christ's given us for it was Legally in us as much as in him we having Legally performed the Conditions as much as him and so we need not look out of our selves for Righteousness though our Surety did the Acts from whence that Righteousness resulted yet the Law-Right was in us as well as in him with many other All that I aim at by insisting on this Point is to guide your thoughts to true apprehensions of the Doctrin of Satisfaction and secure you against the Vulgar Mistakes and Dangerous Notions that are gathered from the abusive straining of the word Surety Whereas if you consider God as Rector Sinners as Criminals Sin as a Crime making Sinners liable to the Curse according to the Law which Law must be Honoured in the Satisfaction of Justice and Vindication of Divine Government And the Lord Jesus on the Law-givers proposing it freely undertaking and promising in the Covenant of Redemption to submit to â—â—e Obligation of bearing the punishment due to and in the Stead of those Sinners this Punishment being to be endured in the Humane Nature and of equal Weight yea in many things of the same Kind with what they were to endure And the Law-givers promising to Christ for his enduring this Punishment and perfectly Obeying his Will a great and certain Number that should certainly Believe in him and that all Believing on him should in his Righteousness be Pardoned Adopted Sanctified and Eternally Saved in a way of Faith and persevering Holiness to his Glory And that Sinners should have an Offer of these Benefits on the Terms of the Gospel Covenant and the Benefits to be dispensed assuredly in that Gospel Way c. I say in this manner every thing is Consistent and with these Limitations the Terms Sponsor Mediator Surety and Redeemer are Proper and Consistent I proceed to the Second Point viz. To prove that we are not Equally Righteous as Christ and shall have occasion to shew we are not so as to his Suretiship Righteousness 1. We are not Equally Holy as Christ this is a Conformity to the Divine Image and Will and is called Righteousness Have we an Habitual Holiness in a measure comparable to his Or can we pretend to that Purity of Heart and Life or that exalted Obedience to the Will of God which he rendered Our Hearts must condemn such a Thought nay Angels dare not be Rivals with him therein much less can we whose Defects are so manifest and Defilements are so many Iob 40.4 He is our Example proposed but in what can we imitate him in Equality Mal. 11.29 2. It is not true that we performed the Conditions of Redemption and Life Equally with Christ. I suppose they mean this by Suretiship
their Happiness as if themselves had done and suffered what Christ did Reader were these Men duly tender or honest when they pervert Words â—o plain and ascribe to me what is as directly contrary to my Words as yea and no. They say I affirmed what I do deny and that I denied the very thing I affirmed But the Turn could not be served without these Methods 3. The Ground of Jealousie I 'll give and judge you how just it is 1. I did affirm that Christ did bear the Punishment of our Sins yea and he bare the Guilt of our Sins which is that respect of Sin to the threatning of the Law whereby there is an Obligation to bear the Punishment of Sin But I denied that Sin it self as to its Filth and Fault was transacted on Christ and that Christ was made and accounted by the Father the very Transgressor the Adulterer and Blasphemer Gospel-Truth p. 10 11. Here 's my Crime for Mr. M. hath oft preached up the later 2. I affirm as thou seest of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness but my Fault is that I deny that God accounts that we legally died and obeyed that we made Satisfaction to God though I grant that Christ died for us yea in our Place and stead 3. I have through the Goodness of God lived to declare in this Book enough to confute his Prophesie and his Opinion too though I think he should pray for a more calm and charitable Spirit before he prâ—tend to Predictions concerning his Brethren 4. Will he repent of his rigid censorious Slander For I 'll here declare that I assent to his own Words p. 18. By imputed I mean that it Christ's Righteousness is looked on by God as belonging to us in order to our being judicially dealt with according to the Merit thereof This I have oft affirmed but it 's far short of what elsewhere he strains it too 4 Charge The Son of God was united to an Embrio which is a Piece of ignorant Blasphemy Repl. My Words were Oh! For God-Man to be at any time unactive as an Embrio or Child in the Womb for him to be born of a Woman I said not that the Son of God was united to an Embrio unactive as an Embrio is another thing And I 'll â—â—ing him twice Ten to oppose his two Witnesses But had I said it where is the Blasphemy when the divine Nature I hope was united to Christ's dead Body in the Grave as all grant And very many say that the divine Nature was united to the Flesh before it was organized or animated of whom Turretin's Instit. Theol. p. 372. Etsi anima infundi non potuit in Corpus nisi jam organizatum c. Non sequiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potuisse carnem statim sibi unire cum Opus ejus non possit aut praesente aut absente anima sibi coarctari Pierson and Multitudes are Blasphemers with this bold Man But supposing that though the Virgin conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost and went her usual Time and that Christ was like other Children and the Faetus had Matter and Nourishment ministred thereto by the Virgin who conceived by the Power of the Spirit Yet that the Divine Person was not united to the Flesh before it was animated But are not many Phisicians so ignorant as to judge the Soul is united to the Body unorganized and if so either the humane Nature of Christ had a separate Subsistence from the Divine Person which is false or the Divine Person assumed it when the Body was unorganized But it 's a Theme not fit for me to pursue who must confess my Ignorance therein in Comparison of Mr. M. who can tell us how the humane Nature of Christ leans on the God-head in the Son and hath the eternal Power of the Deity clasping about it and holding it in that Vnion p. 63. May not this seraphical yet very dull Author call what he please in this Point a Piece of ignorant Blasphemy whatever greater Divines or skilful Phisicans say to the contrary 5 Charge Because I would wash off all his Dirt at once I 'll give you one Charge out of his Book that he forgets in his Postscript though it hath been their best Tool viz. That I lick up Bellarmin's Vomit in my Exposition of Phil. 3.8 9. Repl. This is as true as the rest for when I expounded that Text I plainly affirmed thaâ— 1. We are justified by Christ's imputed Righteousness only 2. That all Holiness compared with winning Christ is to be esteemed as Dung 3. The best thing in us is vile compared with Christ's Righteousness And indeed if that Text speaks only of Justification and that the Apostle designes to oppose his own Righteousness to Christ's then his own and ours are as unfit as Dung to be found in 4. But I then judged and still do that the Apostle there designed to proclaim the Preferrableness of Christianity to Judaism and what was Pharasaical yea or self-invented And therefore as he enumerates all the Dignities of Judaism so he ascribes to Christ the whole Glory of his entire redeemed State shewing that not only his Justification but his Sanctification too came from and by Christ both which were of a diviner Nature as well as appointment than what he arrived to whiles he was a Stranger to Christ and therefore expected and pressed after a Perfection therein whiles he despised all Things Priviledges and Attainments which stood in Competition with Christ Yea was glad he had lost them all for Union with him a Perseverance in whom with higher Communications from him was the very main Aim of his Life and Endeavours I am sure this Sense best agrees with the Context and is far enough from Bellarmin's Sense neither want I Reasons sufficient to prove it had I room yea my Exposition of that Text is so far from militating against Justification by Christ's Righteousness that it proves it strongly 2. I come now to consider Mr. M's Defence of his own Errors He confines them to two Saying I kept Silence as to more When others read this Book they 'll see a greater Number though it seems he could not perceive them when he read my Notes and hath left out of his printed Sermons many obnoxious Passages yet he 'll meet with his Suretiship Righteousness the Debtor being as clear as the Surety P. 24. With his limiting so far Christ's Merit to his active Obedience p. 13. With his Position that all Graces of the Spirit are Effects of our being justified and not at all the Means thereof p. 32. That all our Obedience avails no more to our Justification than our worst Sins p. 71. Though he ascribes a Causality to Faith that the Crown of Glory is due to us in Justice p. 12. Even a remunerative Justice is exerted to us p. 15. c. But let us take what he thinks most concerns him the first whereof is that Christ's Incarnation was no
Superfine Distinctions of Christ's Assuming our Nature being another Thing than his Conception the Thing and the Manner of the Thing though that Manner was a Cause of it the Conception and the being Conceived being Self-conscious that he had offered no Arguments fit to Proselite any his Admirers not being able to understand them and such as could guess at what they did signifie being sure to despise if not abhor them he comes down to offer a Proposal from his own Choice For my own part I would chuse to refer Christ's Conception to the Things that made him allied in Blood to us and so fit to act as our Surety rather than to his actual performing the Work of Suretiship as antecedently standing in that Relation to us P. 75. Reply Designeth he by this to leave others to chuse for themselves without a Damning Sentence That 's unlike the Heighth and Heat of the Man But what can we make of this Jargon as connected with what past before Was not Eve allied in Blood to Adam though she was not Conceived a Daughter of Man or Woman And therefore Christ might have been allied without Conception Again was not Christ allied in Blood to us by his Incarnation which he saith is another thing than Christ's Conception It seems by our Author's words That his abstracted Incarnation was Christ's taking the Humane Nature or Flesh but not Specifically our Humane Nature or Flesh Or was his Assuming the Humane Nature as distinct from Conception an Assuming a Humane Soul not allied to our Souls as he is allied to us in Blood by Conception and he doth here confine it thereto Here we meet with another Distinction sufficient to argue him still a Designing Man but not a very Distinct or Discerning one Here 's a Humane Nature and yet not a Humane Nature allied to us a Humane Flesh and Blood and not a Flesh and Blood allied to ours By Christ's Incarnation he took a Humane Nature a Flesh and Blood not allied to us By Conception he became allied to us in Flesh and Blood and in Nature too unless he hath it in his Mind that Christ hath not a Humane Soul allied to ours Those words also are very uncertain Antecedently standing in that Relation to us Doth he mean that Christ was not related to Men as their Surety before his Incarnation How then were all the Saints Saved before his Coming Or is it that the Son of God did not perform any Suretiship-Act in Assuming our Nature or being Conceived If so then he had not undertaken to Assume our Nature before he took it though all that he did or suffered had it been possible would not have availed us unless so done and suffered in our very Nature And can you suppose he engaged not that as a Surety or Sponsor without which nothing had been Payment Or doth he intend that Christ wa◠not allied to us in Blood before his Conception It 's true and yet as true That he was allied to us in Blood by his very Incarnation as well and as soon as by his Conception Christ did not Assume a Humane Nature before nor otherwise than as he was by his Conception allied to us in Blood and Soul too At last we are gotten out of this Labyrinth made up of nothing but ripe blown Thistles His Authorities when examined avail him little I have but room to examine one yet he is at the Front of them Ames Medulla Cap. 20. P. 94. Humiliatio est qua subditus est justitiae Dei ad illa omnia perficienda c. The Humiliation of Christ as Mediator is that whereby he was subject to the Justice of God for finishing all those things which were required for Man's Redemption Phil. 2.8 Here he confineth Humiliation to one part viz. a subjection to Justice not Authority and this to finishing not beginning what was necessary to the Redemption of Man which by the Text he quotes refers to his Death or Passion on the Cross of which besure he was not capable as God But that he confined not all Christ's Humiliation to this which excludes his Incarnation is not evident for the next words are Humiliatio ista non fuit c. that Humiliation was not properly of the Divine Nature or Person considered in themselves but of the Mediator God-Man Therefore the Assumption of the Humane Nature simply and in it self considered non est Humiliationis hujus pace is not a part of this Humiliation That Humiliation and of this Humiliation do indicate that he had an Eye to somewhat else that might be called by this Name Humiliation at least it doth not prove that Christ's Incarnation was not a part of any Humiliation of the Son of God because it was not a part of this Humiliation Dr. Ames limits it to this part Mr. M. concludes against any other Our Author at last having bungled so at Demonstration he falls to suspicion-work which I confess his Talent renders him much more expert in as if thinking no Evil were no part of Charity or at least want of Charity were no Challenge to Faith But what hath his Jealous Head brought forth after so oft tumbling the word Conception Even this his own Doctrin of Imputation is lost if Christ's Incarnation be a part of his Humiliation Well it 's a point I never thought of before and it 's a comfort to me the Gospel Doctrin of Imputation will suffer nothing but be availed thereby I hope to find much more of Christ imputed to me as done for me than what I was personally obliged to do by the Law or was esteemed legally to perform though I own as well as Mr. M. that Christ died in my stead yea and so obeyed too as you 'll see in this Book But with him farewell all Christ's Obedience or Humiliation if we did not legally do and endure all the very same and if so he must take his leave of the greatest part of the price of Redemption viz. the value given to all Christ's Obedience by the Divine Nature for I hope the Law never required that in Man's Obedience And since he lays such stress on his point of the Incarnation being no part of Humiliation let us Appeal to Competent Judges Phil. 2.6 7 8. Christ Iesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but be emptied himself of his Glory taking on him the Form of a Servant being made in the Likness of Man And being found in Fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross. I have rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emptied himself of his Glory and left out the two Copulatives which are not in the Original The main Matter is reducible to these 1. Is emptying himself of his Glory any Humiliation I answer it signifies more Humiliation than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred humbled Vers. 8. The Word is as much as rendring all Glory
render us the Persons whom it so entitleth thereto And is this nothing though it be not the Righteousness for which we are Justified as legal Obedience was to be 7. He ventures too far in making the Crown of Glory and Justification to be Effects of Remunerative strict Iustice as to us which is untrue notwithstanding Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us P. 12 13 15. Among many other Expressions of this kind he saith It is the Constitution of God that all the Saving Good and Blessing which shall be given us shall be given not only by Free Grace but by the Hand of Justice Reply If he mean only that the Consideration upon which all Saving Good was granted is a Righteousness that answered strict Justice I grant it But to say which he seems fully to intend that the Righteousness of Christ is so impured to us as that Benefits are actually conferred on us in a way of Remunerative Justice as to us I deny and say it is a Thousand Fold worse than they whom he Condemns durst ever have a thought of I own also it 's a Reward of Justice to Christ that Believers should be Justified and Glorified But Justification and Glory are given of meer Grace to those Believers though in a Gospel way of Government They cannot plead Now Lord I have Christ's Righteousness on me I have a Claim to these as a Debt or Reward due to me from Remunerative Justice For though Christ give the Crown in his own Right and his Right to secure that Crown yet he reserves the Claim of Justice to his own Person and we must accept of all even at God's Hand of Gift Sinners shall not have the Saviour's Plea in themselves though he will plead it for their Good There is more Spiritual Pride in this kind of Talk than many imagine â—he Gift of God is Eternal Life even when he gives it and not only as to antecedent Causes we look for the Mercy of Christ to Eternal Life Iude 21. and it 's still for Christ's sake we must intreat and expect and not for our own nor for any thing as it 's ours whatever be the Effect of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness on us 8. That which he calls telling a Story to us of the deep Counsels of the Wisdom and Grace of God how this Righteousness is upon us from its first and highest Original is in several things an unsafe Account and greatly to the Dishonour of Father Son and Spirit Some parts of it I have already considered I now shall briefly observe these things 1. He strikes at the Essential Glory of the Son of God 2. He describes the Fall of Man very Dishonourable to God 3. He much mistakes what is most properly the Glory of God 4. He leaves out Man's Acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit in the Work of Salvation 1. Mr. M. strikes at the Essential Glory of the Son of God Before I prove this I would premise 1. The Son of God as second Person in the Trinity is equal to the Father in Essence and Glory though he be of the Father as to the Mode and Manner of Subsistence Hence he hath the same Divine Perfections and Glory 2. Whatever is ascribed to Christ before he assumed the Humane Nature must be such as is consistent with his Divine Nature as the Son of God and proper thereto 3. Nothing is added to the Divine Nature as in Christ by its Union to the Humane Nature besides relation to that Humane Nature 4. The Person of the Son of God was compleat before he assumed the Humane Nature and therefore the Humane Nature is no Constitutive part of the Second Person but as Dr. Ameswell saith is only as an Adjunct If Mr. M. mean more it 's horridly Dangerous when he saith P. 8. The Humane Nature belongs to the Constitution of Christ's Person as he now is And looks the worse for his words P. 7. Christ's dwelling in our Nature is no part of the Punishment of Sin for then the Divine Nature only is punished and not the Humane at all nor the Person As if what terminated on one Nature only did not terminate on Christ's Person and by the same Rule the Acts confined to one Nature as their Principle are not the Acts of his Person unless they be the Acts of both Natures 5. Since the Incarnation we frequently meet with a Personal Communication of Properties what is proper to either of the two Natures is ascribed to Christ as God-Man as Christ died c. 6. Yet there is neither a Transfusion or Communication of the Properties of one Nature to the other nor must we ascribe to his Person any thing in any manner that would tend to the Confusion of the two Natures 7. All the Glory or Humiliation that can be justly ascribed to the Son of God as such cannot infer any Change in or Addition to him and must be confined to what is Manifestative and Relative His Glory may appear more but cannot be added to it may be obscured but it cannot be really diminished 8. Hence whatever Addition of real Glory or Afflictive Suffering belongs to Christ it is with respect to his Humane Nature This was only capable of Rewards of being Exalted of being Deferred of God's hiding his Face and Dying I shall now evidence that Mr. M. strikes at the Essential Glory of Christ as the Eternal Son of God 1. He makes Christ as the Eternal Son of God capable of an Addition to his real Glory as God P. 56. God the Father from Eternity begat his Son the Second Person in the Trinity and loving him with an infinite Love designed a special Revenue of Glory and Honour and Praise unto him as from all his Creatures in their Kind and Way so more eminently from and in a certain Number of Mankind c. The End and Vpshot and last Issue that all his Counsels about them comes to is this That they may be brought to the Acknowledgment of the Son of God c. P. 61. You see how the grand Original Design of God to bring in a Revenue of singular Honour and Praise and Glory to his Son Christ is brought about c. I shall presently repeat more Let 's consider 1. It 's plain he intends the Son of God as such It 's he as begotten from Eternity he as the Second Person in the Trinity it 's he as loved with an infinite Love yea from being so infinitely beloved as God's Eternal Son the Contrivance had its Rise The Design in the Vpshot is That he might be acknowledged to be that Son of God It cannot be meant that this Additional Glory might be designed for him as foreseen Mediator or as in Flesh for this Design is the first step and this Glory of the Son is the Original of all the Contrivance He was pursuant to this purpose made a Mediator and legal Head and he tells us to confirm this That for this end of bringing a
Revenue of Glory unto his Son in the Salvation of the Elect God ordained that he shall do all with God for them and he shall be all from God unto them which is his second step and therefore what is subsequent to this in Intention cannot be before the other his Office and Incarnation are but means to this end So that no Doubt can remain that Christ is in this Design considered as the Eternal Son of God 2. Let 's weigh how he describes the Glory intended It 's an especial Revenue of Glory and Honour It 's a Revenue of singular Honour and Glory somewhat that made him more Glorious than he was as the Son of God nay it was his being acknowledged to be the Son of God which is the Vpshot of the Design about him as if though he were Son before yet he would not have been acknowledged to be the Son of God without this added Revenue of Glory 2. He makes the eternal Son of God considered as to his Divine Nature to be for a while under the Frowns and Displeasure of God 3. He makes the eternal Son of God as God to be capable of an acquired Right superadded to his natural Right even to his essential Glory as God and also of an acquired Right to that Love which he enjoyed as the Son of God in the Divine Nature before he was the Son of Man Take his Words p. 25 26. 'T is true Christ hath another Title and Right to the Love of God and unto Heavenly Glory viz. by the Prerogative of his Birth I mean his Eternal Generation as he is the only begotten Son of God But though he was rich yet such is his Grace that for our Sakes he became poor he consented not to forego his Title but for a Time to forego the actual Enjoyment of the full Fruit and Benefit of it He was contented to lay aside his Glory for a Time and to dwell here below on Earth under the Frowns and Displeasure of God his Father untill he should fully to the utmost Farthing have paid our Debt but then he was to be restored and raised up to the Enjoyment of his Father's Love and Heavenly Glory in the Virtue of that forementioned double Right or Title viz. both as the Son of God by Nature and as also having discharged all the Debt of the Elect as their Surety This latter being accumulated and superinduced upon the former and therefore being not a Natural but Acquired Title 1. You see that it is the eternal Son of God considered as to his Divine Nature which was under God's Frowns and Displeasure for it was only as to that Nature his Person was the Subject of God's Love before his Incarnation and it was that Love he alone could be restored and raised to which he had before his Incarnation and there could not be a restoring and raising to the Enjoyment of this Love as to this Nature unless that he was under the Frowns and Displeasure of his Father as to his Divine Nature For whatever Nature he enjoyed the Love of God in before he did forego the Enjoyment of it and to the Enjoyment of which he was raised and restored must be the Nature he endured those Frowns and Displeasure in which are opposed to the actual Enjoyment of that former Love He tells us that he did forego the actual Enjoyment of this Love and so dwelt under his Father's Frowns here below on Earth therefore it must be as to his Divine Nature he did forego the Enjoyment of that Love and Glory And consequently as to that Nature he endured the opposite Frowns since that he had not enjoyed that Love in his Humane Nature before he dwelt on Earth 2. It 's as plain that he makes the eternal Son of God as to his Divine Nature to have a superadded Right to that essential Glory from God which he had a former natural Right to For the Glory he enjoyed before his Incarnation was his essential Glory as the Son of God and it was his essential Glory he had a Natural Right to Again he had no Glory in his Humane Nature before he was Man to be restored to therefore the Glory he had an acquired Right to being a Glory to which he was restored and raised must be his essential Glory enjoyed only by the Divine Nature He could be restored to the actual Enjoyment of no Glory but what he actually had before he affirmed our Flesh and could not be restored to any Glory which he had not till he assumed our Flesh. The Matter is the same as to the Love that his Father bare to him as his Eternal Son for it 's the Love he was restored to the Enjoyment of which Christ is said by Mr. M. to have an acquired superadded Right to which must be no other than he was the Object of before his Incarnation yea he tells them it 's that very love and glory which was due to him by Privilege of Birth that he had this superadded Title to yea even that which he did not forego his Title to though he did forego the actual Enjoyment of for a while and to this he was restored in the Vertue of this double Right so he tells us Christ was rich yet he became poor How poor By foregoing the actual Enjoyment of the full Fruit and Benefit of it which he enjoyed before The Meaning of the Place he refers to is that though the Son of God was Maker and Heir of all things yet as to his Humane Nature he was in a necessitous suffering Case But hence Mr. M. infers that Christ as the Son of God did forego the actual Enjoyment of the full Fruit of his Inheritance which he fully possessed before and in that respect was poor This is plainly his Sense for he speaks of his being rich as he was antecedently to his Incarnation as to Enjoyment as well as Title and as to Riches he did not forego his Title to as he was the Son of God and yet the full Benefit of those very Riches he was so entitled to as Son of God he did forego the actual Enjoyment of whereas he might as well say he did forego the Enjoyment of all the Benefits as any and of his Title as of the Enjoyment all being alike possible to the Son of God who still enjoyed that whole Inheritance to the full as Son of God as he enjoyed it by his Title before he was the Son of Man to forego the Manifestation and the actual Enjoyment differ as to his Glory And as to Riches it 's one thing for the Human Nature to want for the Divine-Nature to abate any Enjoyment of what it was entitled to is quite another thing A poor God is a wild Phrase Obj. Had Christ as our Redeemer a Right to no Glory as a Reward Ans. 1. Yes to a Glory and Riches as to his Humane Nature But 2. that was not a Restauration of what the Son as God
enjoyed before his Incarnation but a Glory and Riches granted as to his Humane Nature which fully commenced upon his Exaltation though eternally decreed And to both indeed there was a Title from the Union of the Human Nature to the Divine Person and also as a Reward of what was suffered and done in the Human Nature 3. The utmost Glory belonging to or received by Christ as acquired was of another kind than what belonged to him as God and which he enjoyed before the Incarnation The â—ne is dependant the other independant the one is Creature Glory though above Angels the other is increated essential and divine even the same with the Father's Obj. Did not Christ lay by his Divine Glory A. 1. He could no more part with it no nor with the Enjoyment of it than he could part with his Divine Essence 2. He voluntarily agree'd to have it vailed as to Manifestation for a time but in the least quitted not the Enjoyment of it as the Son of God 3. The sensible Communications of it and of the Divine Favour were a while much suspended from the Humane Nature But considered as the Son of God he always alike possessed and perceived the Divine Glory and Favour The Father could as well be displeased with himself as with his Son as he was God 4. Hence though what Christ did and suffered did entitle him to the restoring of the sensible Enjoyments of the Divine Favour to the Humane Nature yet there was no Place or room for acquiring a Right to any sencible Communications of Love Riches or Glory to him as Son of God For they were never suspended they were essential to him and to suppose an acquired Right were to make that Love and Glory dependant and bring them within a Creatures State whereas you may see Christ in his humbled State still when he speaks as the Son of God asserting his Title and Possession in Equality with the Father yea to be the fame Ioh. 16.15 Ioh. 5.18 19 26. Ioh. 1.18 Reader judge how he honoureth Christ I could tell him what Names the Ancient Church gave to such a Heresie but I better like that he gives to my Opinion causlesly the name of Blasphemy than that I should give so just a Cause though I met with a Man so â—ld as should hope it was only ignorant The Son of God as God capable of an addition of real Glory and be the Object of God's Frowns and Displeasure and capable of parting with the enjoyment of God's Favour and the Glory and Riches he had before he was Incarnate and that he could have an acquired Right to that Essential Glory and Love and Riches superadded to his natural Right thereto are such Positions as should make a Man to tremble how he ventures afterwards to meddle beyond his depth My concern for these things prevents my using the advantage Mr. M. gives me 2. He describeth the Fall of Man in a manner very dishonourable to God 1. He makes it a designed necessary means resolved on to bring to the Son of God that Revenue of Honour and Praise which the Father had before designed for him This is fully expressed by him in his Model of the eternal Decrees The 1. Step is the Design of that Revenue of Glory to the Son 2. Step is Christ's being to do all for the Elect with God for them c. 3. Is making a Man innocent 4. Is the Fall of Man 5. The double Union issuing in legal and mystical Persons 6. Faith is the Means of mystical Union 7. This Faith in its Nature is to rest on Christ for all P. 58 59 60. The thing I infer is that the Fall being the Fourth Step must needs be not a thing supposed to the Fathers Design of the Revenue of Glory to Christ by some mens acknowledging him to be the Son for that 's first in order resolved and then the Fall appointed not over-ruled as a necessary means thereto as that by which he was to obtain this Glory and without which he must have gone without it and been limited to the privilege of his Birth Therefore he tells us P. 58. The Fall of the Elect into a state of Sin and Death and Wrath may seem somewhat remote from the point in hand But it is not for hereby a Door is opened to the Son of God to step in and do all with God for them that in this ruined condition they need c. So that as Christ speaks of the blindness of him Ioh. 9.3 that it was that the works of God might be made manifest in him we may say this of the Fall of the Elect it was in the Counsel of God designed to this end that the depths of the riches the knowledge of God might be manifest in them and as Christ speaks of Lazarus his sickness and dying it was not to death c. So must we say of this falling of the Elect into a state of spiritual death in sin and trespasses it is not unto Death for ever but for the Glory of God that the Son of God might be Glorified in recovering them Repl. I am sure the Son of God did not need any such Glory he had been as happy and perfectly Glorious as now he is though Man had stood 2. It seems very unagreeable to the purity and goodness of God to design the breaking of his own Laws the destroying of the greatest part of mankind the defacing of his own Image the gratifying of the Devil in the sin and misery of Men such dishonour to his own Name c. and this as a necessary means to Glorifie his Son to Decree the permission of the Fall and so to over-rule it to good ends is another thing 4. By this Model it was as impossible for Man to have stood or for the moâ—â— of Mankind to have avoided Sin and Eternal Ruin as it was for Man to have hindred God to give to his Son that special Revenue of Glory as he designed for him which I think would be a greater ease to the damned than their Consciences will feel or the Pleadings of God with Men will import 5. It greatly abates that admiring and thankful regard to God and our Saviour which the Scriptures always direct us to For if Mr. M's Model be right it was Love to the Son of God that brought Men to need a Saviour and not Love to Sinners that enclined God to give his Son and the Son to give him-self to be a Saviour Ioh. 3.16 The utmost which this Model can rise to is that since God resolved for the Glory of his Son that all should fall into a state of Sin and Death and Wrath that thereby some of them might be to his Glory they were ordained to be some of those which indeed is a mercy but not so greatly displaying of Divine Pity Love and Grace as the word represents it Therefore 6. to suppose Man foreseen as fallen and self-ruined and thereupon
a Saviour ordained to recover and actually save a certain number of these And for this to be in his suffering Nature to be rewarded and eternally exalted receiving the Praises of his saved ones fully answers the Account the Scripture gives of the Oeconomy of Redemption Rev. 1.5 6. Man is supposed thus fallen in all the. Texts which Mr. M. cites for God's Design of a Revenue of Glory to his Son from the Elect Eph. 1.3 4 5 6. We are chosen in Christ in what State You 'll see that by the Nature of the Blessings we are to obtain by him to be holy who were by the Fall unholy To be without Blame before him in Love who were so reproveable and hateful to the Adoption of Children who had by Sin lost our natural Birthright and become Aliens accepted in the Beloved to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace who had made our selves unacceptable and Condemnable in the Eye of Justice Redemption in him and Forgiveness of Sin according to the Riches of his Grace who had enslaved our selves committed Sin and were incapable to redeem our selves make Atonement or merit our Recovery And then he addeth Vers. 8. That in all this he abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence Amazing Wisdom To find a Way to sanctifie the depraved justifie the blamable love the hateful adopt the alien accept the vile and unworthy whom Justice condemned redeem the captive and forgive the guilty Sinner Here 's Work for all Wisdom and Prudence to abound much more than it was to resolve first to glorifie the Son of God and then find out a Way for it by designing to make Men fall into Misery and Death that he might come to this Glory by it Look into Vers. 9. and you 'll see that according to what I have shewen to be the Apostle's Model he concludes this is the Counsel of God's Will and his Purpose in himself even to recover by Christ Sinners thus in his Eye fallen and miserable The same Sense is plain in Rev. 5.11 12.2 Thess. 1.10 Eph. 4.13 I confess when I consider some Mens Temper I am at a Loss whether they are led by what themselves are to think of God as so cruel and far from Goodness or that the strange Representations of God which they believe do form them to what they think is his Resemblance Would any Divine else dare to preach that God took the Sin of Adam and squeezed out the Quintessence of it into the Humane Nature to propagate to the World And God took delight to see the Wicked Sin as one that sets Rats-bane to kill Rats looked through the Key-hole with delight to see the Rats eating the Rats-bane knowing it would kill them so God looked at the Wicked through his Fingers with Pleasure to see them Sinning knowing it would destroy them And the Spirit of God striving with Sinners did Enlighten them Reform them c. But why did he thus strive with many whom he did resolve he would never Save It was that they might be brought to those higher Degrees of Torments in Hell which he had fore-ordained them to As Iudas went to his own place that is to the higher Torments in Hell which God had decreed him to he could not come to this but by falling from his Apostleship he could not fall from his Apostleship if he had not been an Apostle and he could not have been an Apostle if the Spirit of God had not striven with him Mr. M. I suppose hath not forgotten these unsavory Passages which I do not think I have varied a word of at least I am sure this is the Substance and not aggravated at all as I have abundant Witnesses to prove 3. He mistakes what is the Glory of God as to its principal Sense this consists in his Essential Perfections as in himself yea the Manifestative Glory of God Father and Son is not so much in the Creatures Acknowledgments as in the display of his own Perfections in a way commanding their Admiration and Love Mens Hosanna's are a poor-thing comparatively even therewith He made all things for his Glory i. e. To express thereby his Wisdom Goodness Power Justice c. His Glory shines forth more in the Impresses of his Excellencies on any Being than in their Thankful Returns of Gratitude to him or Oral mention of his Praises Men by these do their Duty and contribute to their own Good but add not to his Glory yea his manifestative Glory is not hereby so promoted by those Men as by his Image on them and his Authority acknowledged by their Obedience and Good Works Matt. 5.16 God is glorified by Christ as Redeemer in our Nature as his Government was honoured Justice satisfied his Hatred to Sin expressed his Image restored his Authority among men acknowledged his Blessed Nature exemplified in the Humane Nature and Behaviour of Christ his Love and Mercy to Sinners made manifest by his Death By these I say much more than that some few Men do own him to be the Son of God yea our Redeemer even as in our Nature is more glorified by honouring God vindicating his Government from Contempt opening a way for Mercy to exert it self without Injury to God's Holiness or Justice accomplishing God's Purposes and Promises having all Fullness of Grace in him Authority and Judgment committed to him defeating Satan's Projects and breaking his Strength and Power even by the Humane Nature his giving his Spirit restoring the Image of God to a degenerate World rendring Men subject to the Divine Laws Imitaters of his Example subject to his Authority 2 Thess. 1.10 raising the Dead judging the World his wise equal and effectual Managing his Kingdom c. he is by them honoured I say far more than in a few Persons acknowledging his Sonship and being that his Sonship became obscured by his dwelling in Flesh I admire that Mr. M. would place the Vpshot of Christ's acquired Glory in the Elects Acknowledgment of his Sonship as if he took a Vail to do and suffer so much chiefly if not only to buy off its being a Vail 4. He leaves out the Holy Spirit as to the mention of any Gâ—â—â—y designed to him in the Oeconomy of the Salvation of Sinners Yet sure the Eternal Spirit hath a Glory Superior to Christ's Humane Nature and a Right thereto Superior to Christ's acquired Right Yea we are Baptised as Redeemed ones into or in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Matt. 28. But with these Men his Honour is little regarded he shall not have a Hand so much as to render some Sinners to be the Persons that shall rather than others be invested in Christ's Right to any Saving Benefits according to a Gospel-Rule Though God hath so wisely contrived the Acknowledgment of Father Son and Spirit in the Saving of Sinners the Father gives and sends his Son to Redeem the Son pays the Price of Redemption the Holy Spirit applies it by rendring Sinners
wherein I except my self Mr. M. hath done more to favour Socinianism than all those whom he accuseth 1. By calling such Semisocinians whose doctrin and Principles will approve themselves to most Men to be Orthodox Many will abate their prejudice against the real Socinian as not being so bad as the word imported 2. He falls in wholly with the Socinians in denying Christ's Incarnation to be a part of his Humiliation and deprives us of the force of one of the greatest Texts for the Deity of Christ Phil. 2.6 7. 3. He supports the Socinian Cause and one of their strongest Topicks against the Satisfaction of Christ by speaking still of God as a Creditor Sin as a Debt the Law as a Money Bond Christ as a Money Surety whereas all our Divines find it impossible to defend that Doctrin without denying this Metaphor and therefore plead that God is to be considered as a Rector Sin a Crime Sinners Criminals Christ a Sponsor in consistency with his being Redeemer Mediatour Saviour Sacrifice and Priest c. For if Sin were a Money Debt why could not God forgive it without Satisfaction as well as other Creditors do c. 4. He grants the absurdity in the sense objected by the Socinians and still opposed by our Divines viz. That we are as Righteous as Christ in equality Turretin Instit Theol. p. 714 715. proves that licet c. though we are justified by Christ's Righteousness imputed non sequitur nos non minus justos esse quam Christum it doth not follow that we are no less Righteous than Christ So doth Dr. Owen of Iustif. p. 509 510. All our celebrated Opposers of Socinianism do the same Mr. M. may say as well of these as he doth of us for denying it as they do They have a heart-hatred of standing in the Righteousness of Christ. 5. The Socinians have their whole Cause favoured against the Deity of Christ or at least the Arrians by what he asserts concerning the Person of the Son of God He makes him such a God as was capable of a real Glory to be added to him that as God he might be under God's frowns and displeasure might quit and forgo the actual enjoyment of that Love Glory and Inheritance which as Son of God he was entitled to and possessed of before his Incarnation not in a way of manifestation nor as to his Humane Nature but in reality and as to his Divine Nature in which alone he acted before his Incarnation a God capable of an acquired Right superadded to his natural Right to those very Riches Love and Glory which he enjoyed before he was Son of Man And also that the Humane Nature belongs to the Constitution of the Person of the Son of God as it is now p. 8. c. Are not these bold Strokes which I have before fully proved to be his Assertions Though Charity binds me to acknowledge that I think he designeth not to oppose the Eternal Deity of the Son of God by Assertions so unsuitable to the Divine Essence and so mistaketh what God is rather than who he is 6. I might add he blasts all the opposition made by our best Authors against Socinianism by branding even them as Semisocinians To say nothing of his representing the Doctrin of imputed Righteousness in a manner not defensible and tempting to most Mens being Socinians unless they have a better Notion of it Few will believe that we did legally do and suffer what Christ did that we are as Righteous as Christ and that the Gospel enjoineth no Duty as a Condition on us for obtaining the blessed Effects of Christ's Merits which be the only ground of his quarreling thus hotly with us Men of his suspicious temper will judge he designeth to favour Socinianism by calling us Semisocinians 12. Mr. M. Attempts to instruct us how to Preach but with an evil insinuation and in some things very contrary to Apostolical Preaching Thus your Teachers should instruct and lead you This is the Apostles direction to Titus that he should teach them that have believed to be careful to maintain good works not to teach and press sinners in their Vnbelief to fall to doing of good works first and overlook believing wholly or to postpone it after them p. 69. Repl. 1. Which teacher of his Hearers doth teach any to postpone Faith or overlook it wholly or delay it at all If by Believing he means a due accepting of a whole Christ yea do not they direct them to expect all from God through Christ and look to Christ as he in whom all fulness is But our Author is one of them who think Christ is never Preached unless his Name be mentioned and that as a Priest too His revealed Truths and enjoined Laws c. are not Preaching Christ. 2. But may one call Sinners to no Duty till they are Believers Must they not be prest to examin themselves pray read the Word hear it Preached fear God teach their Families love their Wives meditate consider strive with their Hearts resist Temptations believe the Scriptures nor relieve the Poor till they be Believers Peter was to learn of our Author to Preach for though he knew Simon Magus to be in the gall of bitterness yet he bids him then repent of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee Acts 9.22 perhaps he 'll say he believed true in such a manner as I fear some that pretend high to Faith exceed not Paul gives such an account of much of his Ministry at first to Jews and Gentiles Acts 26.20 That they should repent and turn unto God and do works meet for Repentance the Baptist was an ill Teacher and Christ's Sermon on the Mount Mat. 5. and Paul's at Lystra Acts 14.15 16. needed Mr. M's direction Paul saith to unbelievers We are Men of like Passions with you thus far he 'll agree and Preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God that made Heaven and Earth c. a good Work is pressed before they believed Here Mr. M. would have told him you Paul should not teach thus But what are his Reasons 1. They that believed in God should be charged to excel in good works therefore they that believe not in Christ should not be pressed to endeavour to set upon doing any good Work Hos. 5. 4. They must not so much as frame their doings to turn unto the Lord. 2. A few words after through Faith that Righteousness will be upon you and being upon you it will produce good Works Here it seems as I have oft heard it urged Ministers should not urge you nor you strive and labour after good Works this Righteousness will produce them but are all that I hope have Faith so abundant therein as not to need Spurs Do all that pretend to it shew that they have it by it's Fruits and how can we know them And is its being upon us the
Clots of Blood and rendred him Sorrowful even to Death God hid his Face from him A Death in the manner of it accursed as well as shameful he tasted and endured He lay in the Grave for a time after he had thus wade◠through a Sea of Blood Shame and Terrour Alas Who can tell what he underwent whose Resentments of all must give them a weight beyond our conjecture One so Glorious to be thus Debased one so near to God to be thus Deserted c. How astonishing a sight was it to see Christ hang upon a Cross The purposes designed by it must be answerable to the wonder and so we shall acknowledge when we understand the Justice and Purity of God the Evil of Sin the Harmony of Divine Government the value of Pardon and Eternal Life the Honour of the Mediatour and the influence of his Obedience on Myriads of Angels At present we see the Pardon of Sin made consistent with Justice Our Lord endured that Punishment of Sin that God might be Glorious whilst the Believing Sinner escapes By this God declared the Righteousness of his Government whilst he Glorified his Grace in saving Transgressors Christs being Obedient even unto Death Honoured the Law above all that Men could perform in their best Condition yea sets it above Contempt when the Penitent is forgiven his greatest Enormities So that God as our Governor receives such Glory by Christs Subjection as it suffers nothing by the Impunity and Happiness of all who are saved Yea A Dying Christ is more fit to Awe every one against Rebellion and dispose to the exactest Obedience than any other Consideration For the further clearing of this Point I shall propose three Enquiries 1 Enq. Were Christ's Sufferings a part of the Obedience of Christ whereby we are made Righteous Ans. The Sufferings of Christ were a part of the Obedience of Christ whereby we are made Righteous No Precept could try his Obedience more than that he should make his Soul an Offering for Sin Herein he outdid the Loyalty of all Beings for the proof of this Point I shall give you some further Evidence that Christs Sufferings were a part of his Obedience 1. Whatever was endured by Christ was injoyn'd on him in a way of Authority upon supposition he would be Redeemer He agreed to be a Subject and Servant He learned whât Obedience was even by what he endured Heb. 5.8 and still acknowledged an Authority over him as Mediatour This Commandment I have received of the Father 's John 10.18 Not as I will but as thou wilt were his Words when the Human Nature hinted so much Reluctancy as expressed the Cup to be truly bitter Mat. 26.29 2. Christ's Sufferings were endured by him in a way of Obedience he obeyed in whatever he endured Isa. 50.5 6. The Lord God hath opened my Ear and I was not Rebellious I gave my Back to the Smiters c. Mat. 26.42 He shews the most Obediential regard Thy Will be done Phil. 2.8 He was Obedient unto Death The Law of Mediation injoin'd it his Will exerted its true consent even giving up the Ghost 3. The efficacy of Christ's Sufferings much depended on their being acts of Obedience had they been against his Will or had he Repented after he had first agreed Men had fail'd of Salvation Heb. 10.9.10 Lo I come to do thy Will O God By the which Will we are Sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Iesus Christ one for all The Will of God appointing and accepting this Atonement and the Will of Christ obeying and freely performing what was appointed are that we are Saved by The Obedient Heart of Christ in all gives a Power thereto Hence there 's a Stress laid on his Voluntariness in his Work He gave Himself Gal. 14. Tit. 2 14. And he offered Himself Heb. 7 27. He testified this in being the Priest that offered himself as well as the Sacrifice that was offered These being such amazing instances of Obedience tended much to glorify Gods Government how sacred is that Authority and how binding are its mandates ◠When the Son of God in Flesh will observe them even when they require such Sufferings to be endured and submitted to These are harder precepts than Angels or Men were ever called to obey and therefore how chearful should they be in observing such Commands as be less humbling and difficult especially when the Authority of Gods precepts are founded in his absolute Dominion over them But Christ could be under no Law till by his own consent he was willing to be a Subject I infer then that if Christs Sufferings were a part of his Obedience then we are made Righteous thereby or we are made Righteous by only some part of his Obedience which I suppose you 'l not affirm 2. Christ's Sufferings are a part of Christ's meriting Righteousness this will both prove that they are part of Christs Obedience and that we are made Righteous thereby Unless any should surmize we are made Righteous by some what of Christs besides his Obedience or that his meriting Righteousness doth not conduce to make us Righteous That Christs Suffering are apart of his Righteousness might be demonstrated many ways as First They were part of the condition whereupon Christ had a right to Mens Pardon and Salvation Isaiah 53.11 12. Second Christ pleads and interceeds in the virtue of his Sufferings 1 Iohn 2.1 2. Third We are justified by his Blood Rom. 5 9. Four They are meritorious of what blessings we receive but these things will be insisted on in the third Enquiry 2. Enquiry Was Christ's Incarnation a part of his Humiliation Ans. Christs Incarnation was a part of his Humiliation To argue this point with evidence I must mind you that the subject of this proposition must be taken as it naturally lieth I would think it of no use to you and in it self a vain question to ask had Christ assumed our Nature in another State than it is since the Fall or had Christ become incarnate in another manner than by being Conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Whether then his Incarnation had been a part of his Humiliation thô I know some Popish Schoolmen ungroundedly affirm that Christ would have taken our nature into union with him if Adam had not fallen and so there would not have been that place for his Humiliation yet I think not hard to prove that for the Eternal word to become Incarnate in any manner would have been a great Humiliation and there must have been somewhat that would have rendred it so or he would not have assumed our Nature But we have nothing to do with such Chimaeras Christ was Incarnate he hath assumed our Nature the Word of God tells us in what manner he assumed it and to what ends and in what State Therefore we must in our Question speak of Christs Incarnation as it was and not as it was not and which ever way it be decided every one must
What allowance did he make for the weakness of their Flesh How kindly doth he assure them of Eternal Mansions with that Pathetick Accent If it were not so I would have told you Joh. 14.1 How earnestly did he pray for them Ioh. 17. How soon doth he visit them without upbraiding their sad Desertion c. Yea our blessed Jesus retains the same affectionate Heart towards us in Heaven after all he endured on Earth He ever lives to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 as if that were the very business and end of his Living How precious should Christ be to us to us to live should be Christ his Dominion we should acknowledge and obey his Law who so dearly bought his Government Rom. 14.9 Let us be entirely resigned to him and with joy endure the utmost for his Name for we are redeemed by his Blood Be careful and studious to imitate him as what expresseth our Esteem of him and most answers the great Ends of his Undertaking Rom. 8.29 Tit. 2.14 4. That sorer Punishment denounced in the Gospel against such as neglect Salvation by Christ is exceeding just Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing c. It 's equal they die in their Sins notwithstanding the Remedy since they refuse it and that the Wrath of God abide on them who despise his Reconciling Love But that 's not all the Gospel proportions its Threatnings to the aggravated Sins of Unbelief and Impenitency that we will not come to Christ for the Life he purchased by his Death is worse than our first forfeiture of Life By this we trample on Christ as odious and esteem his Blood profane and vile We spurn at the tenderest Bowels and contemn the riehest Grace We approve of our Apostacy and hug our Chains We downright tell God to his face I chuse to be Damned rather than be saved by Christ. Can any think it strange that their Fall should be the lower their Flames the hotter and the Reflections of a tormenting Conscienee more penetrating It 's in flaming fire Christ will take vengeance on such as obey not the Gospel who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power The Blow intended for such is too great for a created Instrument to give therefore it will be immediate by the Presence of the Lord yea it will be so awful as shall make the Power of God's Arm glorious in inflicting it Marvelous is the Instance by which God intends to glorifie any Attribute sore will be that Misery by which God will get Eternal Glory to the strength of his Power in making Wretches miserable Oh! tremble at Gospel Vengeance and credit Gospel Threatnings lest you feel them and thereby Christ not only become useless but also terrible to you What will your case be when he shall avenge his despised Blood and execute that which is the condemnation Joh. 3.19 And know O! obstinate Sinner thy Ruine is as sure as it is dreadful Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation There 's no possibility of escaping thy own awaken'd Mind being Judge Hath God a dearer Son to give for thee Will God be a Liar and Perjured for thy sake Can'st thou hope for this as thou must since he hath so often declared yea sworn that the impenitent Unbeliever shall never enter into his Rest. Undo not thy self by Hopes without any Word of God for them yea so expresly against his Word which so many thousands already feel the certainty of Obey the Gospel for Salvation thou must or its sorer Vengeance thou shalt Eternally undergo 5. The Faith and Joy of a sincere Christian are well grounded notwithstanding his many Offences and great Forfeitures Our Sins are many and great can God forgive them I am exceeding unworthy how shall God deal with me as his Child or admit my wearing a Crown of Glory Can I expect this or have any joyful hopes concerning it Truly these are necessary Challenges if the Price of Salvation be unknown But consider O Soul that thy Pardon and Eternal Glory are purchased by the Obedience of the Son of God in our Nature and secured to thee by the Covenant made and ratified in the Virtue of Christ's Blood Thy Sins have not dishonoured God above the Glory which redounds to him by the Sufferings and Merits of thy Redeemer That was done and suffered by Christ which in the Balance of Justice more than compensates whatever is to be forgiven thee or is promised to thee No Perfection of God is aggrieved by any thing the Gospel grants to the Persons it designeth Art thou a godly Believer thô a weak one Even thou mayest rejoyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ having now received the atonement Rom. 5.11 Having answered the first Quesâ—â—on What is the Obedience of Christ by which we are made Righteous I come to the second Question SERMON II. 2 Q What is it to be made Righteous by Christs Obedience A. THere 's hardly a word in Scripture of so various acceptations as the word Righteousness But I shall confine my self to what the Spirit of God designeth principally in the Text. To be made Righteous by Christ's Obedience is 1. To be made free from Condemnation as if we had not sinn'd and to be entitled to Acceptance with God and Eternal Glory as if we had kept the whole Law and both for the sake of Christ's Righteousness imputed to Penitent Belieâ—ers for Pardon and Adoption It is not to be made Men that never sinned for that 's impossible nor to be esteemed Men that personally kept the whole Law for that were false both which blessedness by Pardon doth demonstrate our forgiveness shews our disobedience 2. By the Merits and Spirit of Christ to be made obedient to the Gospel at least in those things which Christ hath graciously appointed to be the Conditions of our actual Enjoyment of saving Benefits as the effects of Christ's sole Righteousness In the first sense we are made Righteous in our Justification which is a forensick act and infers a relative change of our State from Guilty to Pardoned from Non-Accepted to Accepted and from being void of Right to have a Right to the Eternal Inheritance In the sense of the second particular we are made Righteous partly in our Effectual Vocation and partly in our Progressive Sanctification and Perseverance This is by the efficiency of the Spirit of Christ enclining and enabling us to the performance of the respective Gospel Conditions he enableth us to Believe for Justification to Repent for Pardon to Persevere in Faith and True Holiness for the possession of Eternal Glory Both these are by the Obedience of Christ. His Satisfaction and Merits have a causual influence on both though these
way of its application Rom. 10.3.4 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God They not knowing the Righteousness which God had contrived and appointed for the Salvation of fallen Man proudly thought they could by a tale of Works made up with operous costly Sacrifices merit Life at the hands of God and by this conceit they despised a Crucified Christ as needless refused to believe in Christ for Justification by his Merits and went on in Impenitency as above the necessity of Pardon by his Blood Which Impenitent persisting in rejecting of Christ was their non-submission to the Righteousness of God Oh the danger of a Heart too proud and a Will too stubborn to stoop to Christ and his Gospel Alas our own Garments are too scant for a covering and unless we accept of a whole Christ we shall be naked notwithstanding the largeness of his Robe His Stripes will not heal us if we return not unto this Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls 1 Pet. 2.24 25. A Righteousness to procure Acceptation or Merit Life we cannot work out but blessed be God Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 The end of the Ceremonial Law is what the Tipes signified The end of the Law of Works as being the scope and issue of it for if it had been perfectly obeyed by Man right to Impunity and its Reward was the utmost which that Law could confer on Innocent Man And blessed be God Christ hath by his Obedience merited both these and all that will truly believe shall in Christ's Right be Entitled to both tho' for any thing wrought by them they could never attain either Impunity or Glory If you peruse v. 5. to the 11. you will find that God hath put us past all solicitousness concerning the sufficiency and certainty of a Christ who hath a fullness of Righteousness for the Salvation of Sinners But the thing incumbent on us to be sollicitous about is that we comply with the Gospel that we may be saved by his Righteousness V. 10 11. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and believe with thy heart thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Without these neither his coming to Dye nor his Resurrection from Death will avail us to Salvation Oh! then accept of Christ and yield up your selves to him and to a due and faithful Confession of him as your Lord and Iesus 4. Prop. Jesus Christ by the gracious Dispensation of God as our Law-giver was admitted and in our Nature did so fully answer the demands of Governing Justice as that to its own very Glory it admits the Grace of God to exert it self in forgiving Believing Sinners and in conferring on them Saving Benefits in the Righteousness of Christ. It was not so small a matter as most account it to bring Justice and Pardoning Mercy to consist to honour the Government of God and save Believing Sinners who before were Sentenced to Dye But having spoken to some part of this Proposition in my former Discourse I shall reduce it to these Particulars which I shall briefly hint at 1. It was in our Offending Nature that Christ answered the Demands of Justice tho' it was not in our Person Rom. 8.3 God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh If without this it had been possible to vindicate the Government of God in general yet without assuming our Nature it would not have been a Vindication of the Government of God over Men in particular the Sufferings had not been a satisfaction for Human Offences as Human. 2. Nothing was abated to Christ that Governing Justice exacted the Substantials of the Law were inserted into the Rule of his Active and Passive Obedience and Justice adjusted his Work to his Wages There 's no Common nor Special Benefit promised or given on the account of his Obedience to any but the value of his Obedience is proportionable thereto tho' yet the Benefits much exceed what Adam forfeited and therefore his Obedience must transcend what was injoined Man by the Law of Works 3. Gods Government and Justice were not only Vindicated by Christs Obedience but greatly Honoured Oh! the lustre cast on Gods Laws hereby Never did the Authority of Gods Precepts appear so Royal as when God in Flesh so accurately obeyed them even to that of Dying for Sinners Never was the awfulness of Gods Penal Sanctions discovered as in the Tears Sweats Agony and Blood of his Glorious and Beloved Son There 's no instance of the Riches of Gods Praemiant Sanction as in the Rewards which our Saviour received How Exalted is his Human Nature above Angels And how great are his Rewards in his Members Yea no Blessing given to lost Man but it 's on his account What an attesting Eccho have you Ioh. 12.28.27 Father glorify thy Name Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again Christ spake his part when he had inspected the united force of Terrors just besetting him Now is my soul troubled Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour q. d. As heavy as it presseth as awful as it is yet Father glorify thy Name abate nothing that will make for thy Honour however my Flesh trembleth and my Soul is distressed Be thou great however low I must be brought Spare not for my crying so as to abate whatever tends to make thy Authority Sacred and Justice Exact The Father Answers I have persued the Interest of my Glory hitherto in thy Debasement Poverty Contempt Sorrows Shame Temptations and Torments which are now just a finishing my Sword is giving its utmost blow and then I will be Glorious in Exalting and Rewarding thee I 'll get my Remunerative Justice as great a Name in thy Triumphs as my Punitive Justice hath acquired in thy Debasements So Christ explains it v. 31 32. Now shall the prince of this world be judged and when I am lifted up I 'll draw all men to me 4. Tho' all was fulfilled by Christ when appointed to it yet it was by a gracious Dispensation of God as Law-giver that Christ was allowed to work this Righteousness for the Salvation of Sinners The Law-giver is above the Law and tho' the Law knew no Sponsor whose Obedience should procure Pardon and save the Guilty alius was aliud in its accounts Noxa Caput sequitur is its Language The Punishment must fall on the Sinner it could appoint no other to bear it and imputing to the Sinner what another endureth is above its Dialect Yet God the Law-giver had not signified his whole Will by the Law of Works he had reserved a Prerogative whereby he could secure the Glory of his Government and spare the Rebel satisfy Justice
we purchased the Spirits Operation and Faith equally with Christ we redeemed our selves and bought the Church with Christ's Blood equally as Christ did all which are notoriously false The ground of the Consequence is this He that equally performs that by which a thing is effected or procured doth equally effect or procure that thing Therefore if we performed that equally with Christ by which the Honour of Divine Justice is vindicated we did equally honour Divine Justice If we paid the Price of our Redemption and that whereby Faith and the Church is bought in equality with Christ we did redeem our selves and buy Faith and the Church equally with Christ the performed Conditions being the Ransom and Price 3 R. If we performed the legal Conditions equally with Christ we then are entitled equally with Christ to all his Rewards proposed to Christ upon those Conditions The ground of the Consequence is this Whatever is proposed and promised upon any Conditions is equally due to all who equally perform those Conditions Therefore if Christ is to have a Name above every Name and all Judgment and Authority committed to him for Obeying the Law and Dying then if we have equally with Christ so Obeyed and Died we are to have a Name above every Name c. 4 R. If we performed the legal Conditions in equality with Christ then we have an equal Share in whatever contributed to make Christ's Sufferings and Obedience Satisfactory and Meritorious and so the Influence of the Divine Nature into the value of all the performed Conditions was equally ours as it was Christ's The reason of the Consequence is this Whatever is essential to the performed Conditions must be equally ascribed to all that equally performed those Conditions and none of you will doubt that it was not sufficient to Redeem Sinners that the meer Acts were done and the Sufferings endured but that they were to be done and suffered by him that was habitually Holy to Perfection yea by him that was the Son of God in our Nature the value resulted from the Dignity of his Person Had he not been the Son of God he could not make Satisfaction for Sin by his Obedience It then unavoidably follows That if we equally obeyed and satisfied with Christ then we are accounted legally to have the Dignity of the Divine Nature in what we performed and that in equality with Christ a thing the Law never obliged Innocent Man to and a thing too great to be assumed by Sinful Wretches What need I more Arguments to prove that we did not equally with Christ perform the legal Conditions Though we have the same Right to a Freedom from Condemnation and to Eternal Glory as if we had only we are excluded from that Carnal Pride in saying we did it legally our selves and engaged against Idleness and Security in our Obedience to the Terms of the Application of what Christ hath performed If we dare not pretend that we satisfied Justice vindicated the Honour of God's Government purchased the Spirit of Grace and Faith and redeemâ—â— our selves yea and the whole Church in equality with Christ If we abhor pretending to the same Glory and Authority which belongs to Christ as Redeemer in equality with him If we tremble at pretending to have an equal Share with Christ in the Dignity and Value of his Obedience from the Glory of his Divine Person as the Son of God we must renounce this Conceit that we equally performed the Conditions the Reward whereof is our Redemption and Salvation and therefore should renounce that we are equally Righteous as Christ. The Performance of these Conditions being the legal Righteousness of Christ and that for which we are Justified and Saved but not to be equally ascribed to us and Christ and for any Pretence to it from its being a Suretiship-Righteousness you have seen there is no Suretiship of that kind as will infer that we performed whatever Christ performed or suffered what Christ suffered for our Redemption much less equally with him Though I might stop here for it 's the Righteousness of Christ as it was the Performance of the legal Conditions which is intended by Suretiship-Righteousness in respect of which we are said to be equally Righteous with Christ yet I will proceed further 3. It is not true that we are equally Righteous as Christ as he is Righteous with respect to his Right to the Reward upon his performing the Conditions thereof If any thing would afford a Shadow for the Assertion this is likeliest to do it though alas the thing intended is of a higher Nature even the Performance of the Condition it self but yet even in this lower Sense it is ungrounded By the Reward I mean what was promised Christ for himself or others in Consideration of what he was to do and suffer I shall briefly give you some considerable Differences between Christ's Right to the Reward and our Right even though it 's in Christ's Right we obtain all Saving Blessings 1. Christ's Right was by his own Purchase but we have a Right by Gift and do receive every Benefit as the Effect of his Purchase He bought a Pardon for Penitent Believers by his own Blood He graciously gives Believers this Pardon secured by his Title Is there nothing peculiarly honourable to Christ distinct from us Sure he hath the Glory of the Purchase and of his Beneficence whilst we have reason of humble Gratitude as needing and of Gift receiving this though he makes it safe to us Rev. 1.5 6. 2. Christ is Righteous as the Subject in whom Righteousness inheres and formally is but Believers have it by Imputation and hold all in dependance on it as in Christ. The Purchase is peculiar to him and the Right resulting therefrom never alienable from his Person though it be so transferred as to be the Plea and Security of Believers for what is promised to them Though it be upon them it is in Christ Rom. 3.22 Sure here is somewhat of a distinct Ground as to the Degree Reason and Manner of Denomination Subjectively Righteous and Imputatively Righteous Also Originally and Independantly Righteous and Dependantly Righteous have not a Sound of equality The Moon that borrows its Light from the Sun and depends on the Sun for Light is not equally Light as the Sun though it have the same Light Believers use and apply themselves daily to this Righteousness as it is in Christ that they may be dealt with according to it 3. Christ had nothing Forgiven him and needs no Forgiveness but Believers are Forgiven much and oft need Forgiveness and are taught by Christ daily to pray for it yea much of their Happiness and Hope lies in God's Forgiving them Luke 11.4 Rom. 4.7 8. Is there a full Equality between him that is Happy by Pardon yea is often pardoned actually after he is Justified and most Righteous And him that never needed a Pardon for himself yea in whose Right that Pardon is granted when so often