Love and Mercy of God an excellent Motive to stir up our Love towards God and Man HAVING spoken of Gods Justice I now proceed to his Love Mercy and Grace These are eminently ascribed to him in Scripture He is love it self 1 John 4.16 essentially such He is the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Mercy is his off-spring and joy He is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 The fountain of it is in him and all Graces in the Creature issue from thence Love communicates good to the Creature Mercy communicates it to the Creature in misery Grace communicates it to a Creature though unworthy All the drops and measures of goodness in the Creature are from Love when the good is suited to the misery of the Creature 't is Mercy when it exceeds desert and as it were triumphs over unworthiness 't is Grace in a special manner I shall not discourse of these distinctly but as the usage in Scripture is promiscuously these are in a very signal manner manifested in Christ So admirable a Glass is he that not only Wisdom Holiness and Justice are represented in him but Love Mercy and Grace also In these it is that this wonderful Occonomy terminates Wisdom laid the plot Holiness and Justice appeared in our Saviours Passion but the Center of all is Grace and Mercy These are highly exalted in the Reconciliation and Salvation of Men. The first appearance of these stands in this That God did not stand upon the first terms upon the Old Covenant of Works God made Adam a very knowing and righteous Creature he gave him excellent Laws Moral ones inscribed in his heart and over and above one positive Law in the Tree of knowledg He entred into a Covenant with him as the head and root of all mankind the terms were That all his Posterity should stand or fall in him He transgressed the Command of God and so Sin and Death came upon all the humane World Here God might have stood upon the first terms he was not bound to make new ones but might have stood upon the old and prosecuted them to the utter ruin of all Mankind This is plain by these Considerations 1. The Laws given by God to Adam were such as became God to give and Adam to receive very just and righteous The Moral Ones were congruous to his holy Faculties and conducible to his Happiness they were interwoven into his very rational Powers and Obedience might have come forth in the easiness of his Holy Principles The positive one was a just one God who made Man Lord of the lower World might well except one Tree as a token of his Supreme Soveraignty when the thing forbidden was not a thing in it self evil but indifferent Gods Authority appears the more Sacred and Mans Obedience would have been the more pure the Tree as lovely to the eyes was a fit curb to the sensitive appetite And as a Tree of knowledg was a just restraint to intellectual curiosity the prohibition of such a Tree was an excellent Item to man to look to both faculties the terms were just not only as to himself but as to his posterity Had not God made them he would never have told us that all sinned in one and that by one judgment came upon all Rom. 5.12 18. Which without such terms would have been impossible and if he made them it was no less impossible that they should be unjust Adam was the root and head of Mankind we were in him naturally as latent in his loins and legally as comprised within the Covenant His Person was the fountain of ours and his Will the representative of ours The thing therefore was equal unjust Laws should be abrogated but in this case the Laws and Terms being Righteous God might have stood strictly upon them 2. Adam having holy Powers sufficient for Obedience was bound to keep them with all diligence that which was formerly spoken to the Church in Thyatira Hold fast that which thou hast Rev. 2.25 was virtually spoken to Adam Nature dictates that Duty should be returned where benefits are received The Law of fidelity requires that a Trustee should keep the depositum God intrusted man with excellent endowments but if he will by his transgression cast them away must God make them good Must he follow after a Rebel a wasting bankrupt Creature to repair the lost Image and set him up again with a new stock of Grace No He who made him ex beneplacito cannot be bound ex justitiâ to new-frame him being broken He might without the least spot of injustice have left all mankind in the ruins of the Fall 3. The case of the fallen Angels determines this point When they left their Principle or first Estate Did God capitulate or enter into new Articles with them Was there a tabula post naufragium a room for Faith or Repentance Had they a Christ or a Gospel tendred unto them No they were cast down immediately into chains of darkness The sentence was irreversible their misery eternal annihilation would have been a kind of favour to them That God who stood upon the first terms with Angels superior creatures might have done so with man being a little lower than those glorious Creatures I know there are differences assigned between the two Cases Angels were the first transgressors the ring-leaders in sin Man followed after The Angels had a most pure light and that without any allay of flesh Mans intellect was lower and in conjunction with matter The Angels sinned by self-motion and of their own meerly Man sinned by seduction and through the guile of the Serpent In the Fall of Angels all the Angelical nature fell not In Adams Fall all the humane Nature fell no Religion was left in the lower world But not withstanding all this God might in Justice have stood upon the first terms with Man as well as with Angels and that he did not do so it was from meer Grace as the primary Reason thereof 4. Grace is in a very eminent manner lifted up in the Gospel Grace gives Christ and Faith to believe in him Grace justifies and sanctifies Grace faves and crowns with a blessed Immortality Every-where in the Gospel sounds forth Grace Grace but if God might not justly have stood upon the old terms the giving of new ones to Man was not Grace but Debt not Mercy but Justice Those Novatores who say That it would have been unjust for God to have condemned Adams Posterity for the first Sin do thereby overturn the Grace of the Gospel The Apostle who is much rather to be believed saith expresly That by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation Rom. 5.18 that is according to the terms of the old Covenant but if the old terms might not have been stood upon the new ones must be necessary and due to mankind and so no Grace at all They who deny the Justice of the old Covenant overturn the Grace of
of God which as it is the highest suavity in it self so it pours out a delicious relish into all outward things Spirituals were so those initial Graces of Faith and Repentance which introduce us into an Union with Christ are from him He is a Prince and Saviour to give repentance Acts 5.31 To you it is given in the behalf of Christ to believe on him Phil. 1.29 As soon as we repent and believe we are justified in his blood and by a conjunction with him the natural Son we have power and right to become the Sons of God by Adoption and Grace The Holy Spirit the fountain of Graces and Comforts which was upon him the head above measure will fall down upon us his Members in a proportion every Grace every piece of the glorious new-creature is created in him In the power of his Merits and Spirit every comfort every beam of Divine Favour comes down to us through him He is the true Mercy-seat where God meets and communes in words of Grace with us Eternals were so too all the weights of Glory and Crowns of life in Heaven were purchased by him His blood opens the Holy of Holies the pure River of life springs out of his Merits the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.28 Had it not been for him we could never have entred into such a blessed Region as Heaven What a Gift is Christ which virtually contains all gifts and good things in him How incomparable that Love which gave us so comprehensive a Gift In the last place let us consider the excellent Evangelical Terms which were founded on the Death of Christ Here two things are considerable The one is this The terms are easier The Covenant of Works was Do this and live The Covenant of Grace is Believe repent and live The first called for pure sinless perfect obedience The last stoops and condescends to fallen man it accepts of sincere though imperfect obedience uprightness passes for perfection the main of the heart for all of it the will is accepted for the work pure aims are taken for compleat performances infirmities are covered with indulgence duties are taken into the hand of a Mediator and perfumed with his infinite Merits and hence they are acceptable and as sweet Odours to God O how low doth infinite Love and Mercy stoop to poor sinners It will save a repenting believing sinner and how can it possibly go lower That God should justifie an impenitent unbelieving sinner is utterly impossible to his Holiness unless he would open a gap to all sin and wickedness and make it capable to have a Crown of happiness at last He could not more condescend than he hath done in the terms of the Gospel there is a Kingdom for the poor in spirit a Comfort for the mourners an acceptance for a willing mind a favourable respect for the least spark of grace which is latent in a desire and but as a little smoke or wiek in the socket as the expression is Matth. 12.20 And what condescending Love is here How could God stoop lower for the Salvation of Men The other is this The terms are surer It 's true Adam had he stood in Righteousness would have had a reward But the difference is this Under the first Covenant it was not certain that Adam though he had sufficient grace should stand but under the second it is as sure as Gods Truth and Faithfulness in the promise can make it that a people shall be gathered up out of the corrupt Mass of mankind that Christ shall have a repenting believing seed and that they shall abide and persevere till they come to the recompence of reward in Heaven St. Austin distinguishes of a double adjutorium gratiae De Corrept Grat. cap. 12. or help of grace Adam had that grace without which he could not have obeyed Gods People have that which causes them to obey The first gave him a posse a power to obey and persevere The second gives us the very velle perficere the very willing and working with perseverance Hereupon he observes that Adams will though sound and without spot did not persevere in an ampler good whilest our will though weak and infected with indwelling Corruption doth persevere in a lesser Adam with all his Holiness fell before an Apple a little titillation of pleasure but the Christian Martyrs have stood it out notwithstanding the reliques of sin in them against racks and torments Under the first Covenant the stock of Grace was in Mans own hand the stress lay upon his Will the principle of Holiness in him was subjected to it to be continued or forfeited But under the second Covenant which was founded at so vast an expence as the Blood of God Mans Will is not made Trustee a second time the stock is not in his own hand Grace is a Victor and subdues the Will unto it self Hence this Covenant cannot as the other did miscarry God was a friend to innocent Adam but in the second Covenant God comes nearer to us in a double Union such as Adam never dreamt of There is an Hypostatical Union the Son of God taking our nature into himself and which is founded thereon a Mystical Union Believers being in a wonderful manner united unto Christ as members unto their head In the first Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in Christ there is one Person In the second Christ and Believers make one Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Believers are but Christ displayed he lives in them he counts himself incomplete without them By virtue of these two Unions it is that Believers finally persevere Because I live saith Christ ye shall live also John 14.19 Their life is bound up in his as long as Christ the head is alive above the believing Members below shall not fail of quickning grace to maintain spiritual life unto eternal The Holy Spirit is in them a well of water springing up to everlasting life John 4.14 and to secure the abode of the Spirit with them Christ is a Priest after the power of an endless life Heb. 7.16 In the Covenant of Works there was no promise of perseverance but in the Covenant of Grace there are many such promises God shall confirm you unto the end 1 Cor. 1.8 He will put his fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 The Apostle praying for the Thessalonians that they may be preserved blameless unto the coming of Christ immediately adds Faithful is he that called you who also will do it 1 Thes 5.23 24 evidently God undertakes it and engages his Faithfulness in it To take these Promises conditionally is utterly to evacuate them to make them run thus If we will persevere we shall persevere and so much was true under the old Covenant and without any Promise at all The clear scope of those Promises is That Believers are not left in their own hand but kept in Gods and how sure
time He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him Eph. 1.3 4. Divine Graces which are choice spiritual blessings issue not out of common providence but as St. Bernard speaks ex abysso aeternitatis out of the great fountain of Election The eternal Love which lay in Gods bosom comes forth in the production of those Graces Nay and in the duration of them God fulfills all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 Whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 We see clearly Predestination carries them through the other links unto glory It is observable that when God expresses his fresh mercies to his people he doth it thus I will yet chuse Israel Isa 14.1 God gives such supplies of Grace to his Saints to make them persevere That it is as if he chose them again When the Saints are drooping and dying as it were away electing love gives them another visit and makes them live when their love cools and slacks his love is ever the same and inflames theirs afresh And how should their Graces fail The purpose of God according to election doth stand Rom. 9.11 The foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 And how should the rivulets or superstructures of Grace fail They can no more do it than the great design of a Church can their lamp never goes out their seed never dies the false Christs and false Prophets cannot seduce them Mark 13.22 The Canker of Hymeneus and Philetus cannot eat into them 2 Tim. 2.19 Election which is the fontal love still gives a fresh supply of Grace 2. Their Graces depend upon Christs merit and intercession Christ prays for Peter that his Faith may not fail Luk. 22.32 neither doth it concern Peter only In his solemn praier on earth which was the Canon and pattern of his intercession in Heaven he prays to his Father for all believers thus keep them from evil Joh. 17.15 If they are kept from evil they do not fall away which is the greatest of evils if they are not kept from evil Christs intercession ceases or becomes powerless neither of which can be cease it cannot because he ever lives to make intercession become powerless it cannot because he is a Priest after the power of an endless life what he intercedes for must be done And this is yet the stronger if we consider for whom he thus intercedes It is for believers parts and pieces of his Mystical body such as he cannot tell how to part from Notable is that of the Apostle The God of peace who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus make you perfect Heb. 13.20 21. That God who would lose nothing of Christs human nature no not in the Grave will perfect believers as mystical parts of him not suffering their Graces to see corruption in an utter decay nor leaving their souls in the hell of Apostacy This is another foundation of perseverance Hence Bishop Davenant saith De just hab 226. Amor Dei in renatos non fundatur in illorum perfectione aut omnimodâ puritate sed in Chrisio Mediatore The love of God towards the regenerate is not founded in their perfection or absolute purity but in Christ the Mediator As long as he intercedes their Graces fail not 3. Their Graces depend upon the holy Spirit and that upon a double account the one is this The Spirit dwells in believers it is an abiding Unction such as abides with them for ever Joh. 14.16 It is as a Well of water springing up to everlasting life Joh. 4.14 Continual irrigations of Grace issue from it to cherish the heavenly nature in them The Holy Spirit will enliven them as being parts of Christ Hence our Saviour saith Because I live ye shall live also Joh. 14.19 As long as the Spirit of life is upon the head it will flow down upon the members and whilst it is there there can be no such thing as Apostacy but on the contrary a sweet liberty to all the holy ways of God The other is this The Spirit witnesses to believers at least to some of them That they are the Children of God and by consequence heirs of him Rom. 8.16 17. And how high an evidence is this May such a Testimony fail or be reversed Or may believers cease to be children and fall short of the inheritance Far be it from that holy Spirit The Apostle calls the Spirit the earnest of our inheritance not for a time but till the redemption of the Church be compleated Eph. 1.14 till the whole sum be paid in glory the earnest goes along with the believer to Heaven his Graces therefore cannot fail by the way This is another ground of perseverance 4. Their Graces depend upon the promises In the Covenant of works there was no promise of perseverance but in the Covenant of Grace there are many such God shall confirm you unto the end 1 Cor. 1.8 He will put his fear in your hearts that ye shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 He which did begin the good work in them will perform it till the day of Christ Phil. 1.6 He will put his spirit into them and canse them to walk in his statutes Ezek. 36.27 In such promises as these the believers state of Grace is secured Shall we now say that all these promises are conditional If we will persevere or which is all one do our duty Is not this to turn the Covenant of Grace into that of Works Is it not to evacuate all these promises touching perseverance as if God spoke in such contradictory terms as these If you persevere I will make you persevere as if perseverance could be the condition of it self After these promises the believers are but where they were before Without these promises it would have been true That if they persevere they do so and with them so interpreted what have they more What do they contribute to believers when the main stress of perseverance is laid on mans will and not on Gods grace These promises were penned to be great comforts to believers that God would establish them by his grace but what comfort can they take in them if the matter be left to their own lubricous will It is in effect as if God should say I will preserve you from all evils and dangers only for that greatest evil of all which is in your own hearts and wills I will not undertake What is this but to take away the spirit and life of the promises to leave the Saints in a dead and comfortless condition Our Saviour tells us to our comfort That his sheep shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of his hand Joh. 10.28 not unless they themselves will Prael Theol. cap. 12. saith Socinus but what is this but to nullifie
the promise They cannot possibly be plucked out of Christs hand without their own voluntary consent So the promise runs thus They shall not be plucked out of his hand but only in such a way as the same is possible to be done that is the words are absurd and signifie just nothing But if the promises made to Saints were thus conditional what are those made to Christ Hath not God said That Christ should have a seed nay and be satisfied in it Isa 53.10 11 Hath he not said nay sworn to Christ That his seed such as believers are should endure for ever that his throne a chief part of which is in their hearts should be as the Sun Psal 89.35 36 And are these promises conditional also It 's true that there was a condition on Christs part That he should obey and suffer for us but was there any on ours Must these promises run thus Christ shall have a seed and a throne if man will No the promises are absolute no mention at all is made of mans will But if the Graces of the Saints may fail so may these promises also Christ might have no seed at least no enduring one such as may satisfie him His throne at least that choice part of it which is in the hearts of the Saints may utterly fail and come to nothing If the matter be left to the Lottery of mans will How is God true to his Son Christ Possibly there might be no feed of new-creatures at all or if there were they might flie away from the birth in an utter apostacy Nay what if the event did hit right and answer the promise yet God is never the truer for that neither can we say that he fulfilled his promise in that event which was never secured by his grace but came to pass as it happened by the lucky hit of mans will To conclude Upon the whole matter it appears God hath taken believers into his own hand their Graces shall not fail because his Truth and Faithfulness cannot their standing is sure because his promises cannot fall to the ground To add no more We see here how we ought in all humility to give Grace its due and this we cannot do unless we give it all Non est devotionis dedisse prope totum Deo sed frandis retinuisse vel minimum saith Prosper To give Nine hundred ninety nine parts to Grace and reserve one only to mans will is more than true devotion will bear it 's just to give the whole unto God The Jewish Rabbins say That he who receives any good thing in this world without a benediction is a robber of God but the greatest sacriledg of all is when we own not the Grace of God in supernatural blessings which relate to the world to come Verè humiles totum Deo reddunt True humble souls render all to God Let us then acknowledg with Jacob We are less than the least of all his mercies We were naturally undone unclean creatures proper objects of wrath Why did God send his Son in the flesh to seek that which was lost wash us in a laver of his own blood and bring us into favour with him We might have been born in the dark places of the earth where Christ is not named where the Sun of Righteousness shines not in Pardons and Graces Why did God place us in a Region of Evangelical light and set Jesus Christ with all his beauties and treasures evidently before us Under the Gospel there are many blind eyes and hard hearts many poor souls dead and buried in a grave of sin Why did he open our eyes upon heavenly mysteries and melt our hearts into the Divine will Why did he raise us up out of our spiritual graves and quicken us unto a Divine life There is still corruption within and temptation without us Our Graces are weak and in themselves defectible creatures Why doth he supply us with fresh influences of grace and maintain the new-creature in us Why are we not swallowed up in temptations and corruptions but kept and preserved to the heavenly Kingdom Here we must glory in our God and cry out Grace Grace All the good we have is from that Fountain Thus St. Paul ascribes all to Grace I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I labour yet not I but the grace of God which was with me He acknowledges no I-ness but ascribes all his spiritual being and working to Grace I will shut up all with that of Bonaventure Furti reus est qui sibi aliquid retinet cum Deus dicat gloriam meam alteri non dabo He is guilty of Theft who retains any thing to himself when God hath said My glory I will not give to another All glory therefore be to him alone CHAP. XI Chap. 11 Touching Justification as to the Law Christ's Righteousness constitutes us Righteous A double imputation One to the proper Agent another to those in Conjunction the Conjunctions between Christ and us how Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us that it is not only the Meritorious but Material cause of our Justification this is proved from that phrase The Righteousness of God from the nature of Justification from the parallel of the two Adams from other phrases in Scripture from a pardon as not being the same with Justification from Christ's suffering in our stead the Objections against imputed Righteousness answered what justifies us as to the Gospel terms the Necessity and connexion of a twofold Righteousness how we are justified by Faith how Good Works are necessary A short Conclusion THERE remaineth yet behind one Eminent piece of Grace I mean Justification this in Luther is Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae and in Chemnitius Arx propugnaculum Religionis Christianae a Sacred thing it is and difficult to explain the true measures of it cannot be taken from any thing but the holy Scripture where this Mystery is revealed Touching Justification there are three things considerable viz. First we are constituted righteous then esteemed or pronounced such and at last treated as such The first conferrs a righteousness upon us the second ownes and declares it the third gives us the consequent reward thereof The first we have in that phrase of Justifying the Ungodly Rom. 4.5 for that unless it were collative of a Righteousness would be the same abomination with the Justifying the Wicked Prov. 17.15 The second in that phrase of Justifying the Righteous Deut. 25.1 where the word Justifying is not effectionis sed aestimationis declarationis significativum the third is not so much a part of Justification as a consequent of it neither do I remember that it is called Justification in Scripture The first is the foundation of the other two unless a Man be constituted righteous God who is Truth it self cannot esteem or pronounce him such for that were for him to err which is impossible neither can he who is Sanctity it self treat him as such for an
the very instant of believing before any Good Works spring up in his Life hath a true title to the promises of the Gospel the Righteousness of Christ is upon him the Spirit of Grace is communicated to him Obedience is a blessed fruit which ensues upon these Thirdly Obedience is necessary though not to the first entrance into Justification yet to the continuance of it Not indeed as a Cause but as a Condition De Just Actual fol. 404. Thus Bishop Davenant Bona opera sunt necessaria ad Justificationis statum retinendum conservandum non ut causae quae per se efficiant aut mereantur hanc conservationem sed ut media seu conditiones fine quibus Deus non vult Justificationis Gratiam in hominibus conservare If a Believer who is instantly justified upon believing would continue justified he must sincerely obey God Though his Obedience in measure and degree reach not fully to the Precept of the Gospel yet in truth and substance it comes up to the Condition of it else he cannot continue justified this to me is very evident we are at first justified by a living Faith such as virtually is Obedience and cannot continue justified by a dead one such as operates not at all We are at first justified by a Faith which accepts Christ as a Saviour and Lord and cannot continue justified by such a Faith as would divide Christ taking his Salvation from guilt and by disobedience casting off his Lordship could we suppose that which never comes to pass that a Believer should not sincerely obey How should he continue justified if he continue justified he must as all justified persons have needs have a right to life eternal and if he have such a right how can he be judged according to his works no good works being found in him after his believing how can he be adjudged to life or how to death if he continue justified These things evince that obedience is a condition necessary as to our continuance in a state of Justification Nevertheless it is not necessary that obedience should be perfect as to the Evangelical precept but that it should be such that the truth of Grace which the Evangelical condition calls for may not fail for want of it Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City Rev. 22.14 The first fundamental right to Heaven they have by the Faith of Christ only but sincere obedience is necessary that that right may be continued to them In this sence we may fairly construe that conclusion of St. James Te see then how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Jam. 2.24 Faith brings a man into a justified estate But may he rest here No his good works must be a proof of his Faith and give a kind of experiment of the life of it Nay they are the Evangelical condition upon which his blessed estate of justification is continued to him in foro legis Christ and his Righteousness is all neither our Faith nor our Works can supply the room of his Satisfaction to justifie us against the Law But in foro gratiae our obedience answers to the Evangelical condition and is a means to continue our justified estate It 's true St. Paul asserts that we are justified by Faith not by Works Rom. 4. Which seems directly contrary to that of St. James that a man is justified by Works not by Faith only but the difference is reconciled very fairly if we do but consider what the Works are in St. Paul and what they are in St. James In St. Paul the Works are perfect Works such as correspond to the Law such as make the reward to be of Debt vers 4. Hence Calvin saith operantem vocat qui suis meritis aliquid promeretur non operantem cui nihil debetur operum merito In St. James the Works are sincere only such as answer not to the Law but to the Evangelical condition such as merit not but are rewarded out of meer Grace Works in St. Paul are such as stand in competition or coordination with Christ and his Righteousness which satisfied the Law for us Works in St. James are such as stand in due subordination to Christ and his Righteousness and are required only as fruits of Faith and conditions upon which we are to continue in a justified estate Works in St. Paul are such as no man can do Nay as no man must so much as imagine that he can do unless he will cast away Christ and Grace Works in St. James are such as must be done or else we prove our selves hypocrites and our Faith dead and vain in both Apostles Abraham is brought in as an instance In St. Paul the question was whether Abraham was a Sinner and here the Righteousness of Christ did justify him In St. James the question was whether Abraham was a true Believer and here his obedience did prove him to be so and did answer to the Evangelical condition these differences considered it is easie to understand how we cannot be justified by good works in St. Pauls sence and yet how according to St. James good works are necessary to prove our Faith a living one and to answer the condition of the Gospel that the state of Justification into which we entred by Faith may be continued To shut up this Discourse touching Justification we must here stand and adore the infinite Wisdom and mercy of God in this great Work what poor faln Creatures were we into what an horrible gulf of sin and misery were we sunk whither could we turn or how could we think ever to stand before the holy God storms of wrath hung over our heads and might justly have fallen upon us but how should we be justified or ever escape Might the pure perfect Law be abrogated that we might be acquitted No it could not be it was immortalized by its own intrinsecal rectitude and equity might God wave his holiness and justice that his mercy might be manifested upon us would the great Rector pardon the Sin of a world without any recompence or Satisfaction No his Law is sacred and honorable Sin is no light or indifferent thing in his eyes Where then shall a satisfaction be found no Creature could possibly undertake it no Man no Angel could or durst start such a thought as that one of the Sacred Trinity should do it See then and admire this incomparable work the Son of God very God leaves his Fathers bosom assumes our frail flesh in it fulfills all righteousness and at last is made Sin and a Curse for us that we might be justified and pardoned No sooner are we by Faith in Union with him but his righteousness is upon us his blood washes away all our guilt through him we but vile worms in our selves become no less than Sons of God and Heirs of Heaven What are we
but of some Legislation extends to all Election is that Decree according to which God gives out spiritual blessings to some as a Benefactor Legislation sets down that Rule according to which God deals with all as a Rector who governs by Law In the Covenant of Works that do this and live was not Election neither was the opposite member therein transgress and dye Reprobation In the Covenant of Grace that believe and be saved is not Election neither is the opposite branch therein believe not and be damned Reprobation for then all men because they are under both parts of the Evangelical Law should be both elected and reprobated which is impossible nay because they were in Adam their head under both parts of the first Covenant they should be once before both elected and reprobated It is one thing to prescribe the terms of salvation another to chuse men to it one thing to write down Laws for all another to write down the names of some in the book of Life That general Law All that believe shall be saved predestinates none in particular It would stand true if all men were left in unbelief and perdition If there were no such thing as a Church in all the world but elective if it secure not a Church to God is altogether insignificant It is an election of none that is no election Our Saviour sets down two wills of God as distinct This is the will of him that sent me That every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life Joh. 6.40 And in the precedent verse This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing In the one we have Gods legislative Will defining the terms of Salvation for all in the other we have Gods elective Will designing some that is the elect the given ones to it The first without terms in it would not be Legislation the latter without persons in it would not be Election 3. Election being a chusing a singling out some to eternal life must needs do some singular thing for them it must confer upon them some distinguishing Grace such as may reserve them out of the corrupt Mass unto God And what Grace is that but Faith If all men did believe there would be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or difference among them the righteousness of God would be upon them all the rivers of living water would flow in them all the Glory of Heaven would crown them all But Faith is a differencing Grace proper to Gods peculiar ones it is not given to all but to some not out of common Providence but out of Election It is a choice a prime Grace of Secretion and therefore in all congruity must needs issue out of the great design of Secretion that is Election If God give alike to all then he elects none he differences none however men may make themselves to differ God doth no such thing nor ever intended to do so Thus Election is a meer nullity But if as the truth is there be any such thing as Election then it bestows upon the chosen ones those special love-tokens of Faith and Perseverance which make them meet for Heaven and eternal Blessedness 4. Election is a sure infallible thing such as never fails Hence it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Praedestination or praedefinition such as never misses the mark Thus the Apostle Whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 The words whom and them fasten every link to its precedent and appropriate all throughout the whole chain to the same persons every person who is predestinated and called within this Text must be justified and glorified or the golden chain of Grace is broken The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Election is a foundation not an human one but a foundation of God laid in the Divine Will standing in eternity sure in immutability sealed up with infallible knowledg and unvariable love towards the elect Nothing is more momentous than this That God have a Church Christ a Body and the Spirit a Temple This is the highest of designs the aim of the Sacred Trinity the very thing upon which God hath set his eyes and his heart more than upon all the world besides yet if Election be not sure and infallible that high and precious design may be frustrate and of no effect And what a blot would this be to Providence And how unbecoming would it be to the Holy one who sits at the Stern and rules all If so accurate a thing as Providence could which it cannot without disparaging it self stumble or faulter in the things of nature yet surely it cannot do so in its master-piece in the high and precious concerns of Grace Election therefore must be sure and infallible Volk l. 5. c. 17. de praedest That distinction of the Socinians that there is a double Election in God an infirm one of those who assent to the Gospel and a firm one of those who live according to the Gospel is frivolous and blasphemous it is in effect to say that there is infirmity in God that Gods choice is weak or rather none at all and mans choice supplies and strengthens it The great design of a Church could not be secured by such a choice as mans nor by any thing less than Gods his Election is a sure foundation his special call according to purpose and his gifts without repentance Hence it appears That according to the opinion of the Remonstrants there is indeed no such thing as Election They say that the object of Election is a Believer and whether there shall be a Believer or not after all the operations of Grace ultimately depends upon the Will of Man And if so How can God elect any one person in the world The act of his Election depends upon the object and the object upon the will of Man Mans will must go foremost and make the object or else for want of one Gods Will must stand still and not chuse at all It 's true God hath set down this Law or Rule That believers should be saved but no-where hath he said that believers should be elected for that would overthrow his own Election supposing such a Law or Rule That believers should be elected If a Man did believe and so was elected it would not be Gods first Law or after-choice but mans faith which determined the matter he would be his own elector God in the mean time would not be an Elector but a Legislator only But a little further to consider the opinion of the Remonstrants They set down the order of Gods Decrees in this manner upon Adams fall there was a merciful affection in God towards man but justice standing in the way a Mediator was ordained to offer up a
remissio est Justificationis efficacis consequens necessarium and the worthy Mr. Bradshaw saith culpae remissio accuratè considerata neque totum neque pars Justificationis existit sed contingens tantùm Justificationis effectus I conceive the application of Christ's Justifying Blood is in order of Nature antecedent to remission under the Law first the Atonement was made and Blood sprinkled and then there was forgiveness under the Gospel first Christ's Blood is applyed and sprinkled upon us and then there is remission Christ is a propitiation through Faith in his Blood saith the Apostle Rom. 3.25 and then he adds To declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins Christ's Blood is first applyed and then remission follows upon it I say it follows upon it but it is no more the same with it under the Gospel then forgiveness under the Law was the same with the sprinklings and purifyings by the Blood of the Sacrifices when in Scripture there is attributed to Christ's Blood purging washing sprinkling cleansing from Sin and to a pardon covering blotting out taking away and casting away of Sin I cannot imagine that both these are the same as if Christ's Blood did not by it self do away Sin but only impetrate that it might be done away in a pardon I take it these are distinct first that Blood in the sence herein after declared frees us à culpâ and then the consequent pardon frees us à Baenâ Fifthly If Christ's Righteousness be Imputed to us not in it seif but in its effect only that is a pardon then Justification as to the Law wholly consists in a pardon on the other hand if Justification do not stand in a pardon then it stands in the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us in this great point I shall offer several things First The Scripture must be the great Rule to judge of Justification by there I find that we are justified by Christ's Blood that we are made rightcous by his Obedience but that we are justified by a Pardon I find not There I read that Christ is made to us Righteousness that we are made the Righteousness of God in him but not that an Immunity from punishment is a Righteousness I know many Learned Divines take Justification and Pardon to be one and the same but I shall consider the chief Scriptures which look that way The first is Rom. 4. There the Imputation of Righteousness Ver. 6. and the remission of sin Vers 7. and 8. seem to be the very same the quotation of the 32. Psalm seems to make it clear to answer to this I shall consider the scope of the Apostle He doth in the third Chapter lay down this Conclusion That we are justified by Faith Ver. 28. and in the fourth Chapter he lays down this That we are not justified by Works Ver. 4. that is perfect Works such as Man may glory in such as might make the reward of debt Abraham himself could not reach such a Justification this is proved by two things the one is this Abraham's Faith was counted to him for Righteousness therefore he was not justified by Works For Faith is not Works The other is this A justified Man is a pardoned one therefore he is not justified by Works for perfect Obedience leaves no room at all for a Pardon Touching the first I shall first consider what was the object of Abraham's Faith and then how Faith is counted for Righteousness The primary object of Abraham's Faith was Chrrist for the Apostle in the third Chapter speaks of the Faith of Christ and in the fourth where the same Discourse of Justification is continued the object cannot in any reason be varied Abraham is set forth as a great pattern of believing and he can hardly be so to Christians if his Faith had not for substance the same object with theirs The Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Gal. 3.8 That Abraham's Faith and ours might have the same object God took care that a Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelizandi verbum peculiariter conservatum est Doctrinae de Gratuita per Christum reconciliatione Bez. in loc a Blessing Christ should be set before him his Eyes were so far opened that he could see Christ's day and in a kind of Triumph of Faith rejoyce at it 1 Joh. 8.56 'T is true our Faith as having more of Evangelical light in it is more explicite than Abraham's was Abraham's was in the Messiah in universali in more general terms ours is in him in particulari in propriâ formâ in a satisfying atoning Messiah in his Blood and Righteousness nevertheless this being but a gradual difference according to gradual Light our Faith and Abraham's are for substance the same and center in one object and Christ's Righteousness and Satisfaction though not so clearly known to Abraham as to us was no less imputed to him than to us there being the same way of Justification by Imputed righteousness for him as for us Christ being the object of Abraham's Faith the next thing is how Faith is imputed for Righteousness Here I answer Faith is counted for Righteousness not as taken in abstracto meerly in it self but as taken in concreto in its conjunction with its object that is Christ and his Righteousness and then we have the full Righteousness of Justification Faith in it self answering to the Gospel-terms and in its object Christ's Righteousness answering to the Law Here I crave leave to set down the words of an Excellent Person though different from my self in this point the words are these Sir Charles Wols Justif Evang. 42. Faith looks both ways respects both the Law and the Gospel and comprizeth all that is requisite to our Justification with reference to both all the charge of the Law it answers ratione objecti in respect of its object which is Christ and all that is required by the Gospel ratione sui as being it self the performance of the condition annexed thereunto Thus he I quote not these words as if in this point he were of my opinion but because they are full and expressive of my thoughts Now that Faith is in this place to be taken in conjunction with its object appears thus the Apostle in the third Chapter proves That as to the Law every Mouth must be stopped that all the world must become guilty before God verse 19 and then concludes that by the deeds of the Law no Flesh can be justified verse 20. And in his After-discourse as the following words but now do import he sheweth what it is that justifieth us against the Law viz. The Righteousness of God that is of Christ which is not Faith it self but by Faith Vers 21 22. And at last he concludes That we are justified by Faith Vers 28. but Faith in it self cannot justifie us against the Law for Faith was not
the Spirit nor the Water from the Blood these must ever be in conjunction an half Christ is not the Christ of God but a Christ of his own fancy such as cannot profit us Faith is not meerly for Promises which are cordials and Pots of Manna but for Precepts too it is Meat and Drink to doe the Will of God Promises and Precepts run together in Scripture Promises are the effluxes of Grace and Faith takes them into the heart by recumbency Precepts are effluxes of Holiness and Faith takes them in by an Obediential Subjection both are owned by Faith and must be so as long as there is Grace and Holiness in God Faith cannot stand without repentance it trusts in Infinite Mercy and an impenitent one who still holds up his Arms of Rebellion cannot do so it rests upon the Merits and Righteousness of Christ and an impenitent one who tramples under foot the atoning Blood cannot do so It hath a respect for the holy Commands and the impenitent who by willful sinning casts them away and as much as in him lieth makes them void can have no respect for them there can no such thing as an impenitent Faith We see by these things what a Faith that is by which we are justified Secondly The next thing is How we are justified by Faith Faith may be considered under a double notion either as it respects Christ or as it respects the condition of the Gospel As it respects Christ it unites us to him it makes us Members of his Mystical Body thus it is a Sacred Medium to have Christ's Righteousness imputatively become ours that we may be justified against the Law nothing can justifie us against it but Christ's Satisfaction that cannot do it unless it become ours ours it cannot be unless we are Believers Hence the Apostle saith That the Righteousness of God is upon the Believer Rom. 3.22 That Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to the Believer Rom. 10.4 Here Faith doth not justifie us in it self but in its object Christ to whom it so unites us that his Righteousness so far becomes ours as to justifie us against the Law As it respects the Condition of the Gospel it is the very thing which that Condition calls for in the Law of Works the Condition and the Precept were coextensive the one was as large as the other no Man could live by that Law but he who had the perfect Obedience commanded in the Precept but in the Law of Grace it is otherwise The Precept hath more in it than the Condition the Precept calls for Faith not in its Truth only but in its Statures and gradual Perfections it would have us aspire after a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiducial Liberty a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a persuasion with full sails towards the great things in the Promise as if they were sensibly present with us but the Condition calls only for a true Faith and no more the least Faith if true though it be but as a little smoak or wick in the socket though it be but a little spark or seed of Faith latent in a Desire or Willing Mind is performance of the Condition Hence the poor in Spirit who seem to themselves to have nothing of Grace at all in them have a Blessedness entailed on them which could not be unless they had performed the Condition woe would it be to Christians if all that is in the Precept were in the Condition also if their Justification were suspended till they had reached the top and highest altitude of the Precept in reference to the Precept Faith hath its Degrees and Statures it comes up more or less to the Precept but in reference to the Condition Faith hath no Degrees but stands in puncto indivisibili it hath no magis or minùs in it the least true Faith doth as much perform the Condition as the strongest Cruciger who prayed thus Invoco te Domine languidâ imbecillâ Fide sed Fide tamen did as much perform the Condition as he who hath the strongest confidence in God's Mercy The verity of Faith is all that the Condition calls for these things as I have learned from Mr. Baxter being so I conclude thus as to the Precept true Faith falls short it is not as it ought to be it justifies not nay in respect of defects and imperfections it self wants to be justified and covered with the Righteousness of Christ but as to the Condition it fully comes up it is as it ought to be it is in it self the very thing required it is in this point a particular Righteousness answering for us That we have performed the Condition Yet still we must remember that this particular Righteousness is subordinate to Christ's Satisfaction which is our universal Righteousness There is yet one thing behind viz. To consider how or in what Respect Obedience or Good Works are necessary unto Justification I shall set down my thoughts in the following particulars First Our good Works do not come in the room of Christ's Righteousness to justifie us as to the Law to secure this the Apostle often concludes That we are not justified by the Works of the Law our good Works are full of imperfection the purest of them come forth ex laeso principio out of an Heart sanctified but in part and in their egress from thence gather a taint and tincture from the in-dwelling sin never any Saint durst stand before God in his own Righteousness Job though perfect would not know his own Soul Job 9.21 David though a Man after God's Heart would not have him mark iniquities Psalm 130.3 Anselm upon this account cries out Terret me Vita mea My own Life makes me afraid all of it was in his Eyes sin or barrenness our Good Works did not could not satisfie the Law no this was that which nothing but Christs Righteousness could accomplish We find not the Saints in Scripture standing upon their own bottom but flying to a Mercy seat and as the expression is Hebr. 12 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking off from themselves unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of their Faith in whom alone perfect Righteousness is to be found Secondly Our Good Works have not the same station with Faith this appears upon a double account the one is this Faith unites us to Christ And so it is a Divine Medium to have his Righteousness made ours but Good Works follow after Union we are by Faith married to Christ that we might bring forth fruit to God Rom. 7.4 Before Faith which is our Espousal of Christ we bring forth no genuine Obedience Good Works are the progeny of a Man in Christ one who by Union with him is rightly spirited to do the Will of God not of a Man in Adam one who stands in the power of Nature the other is this In the very instant or first entrance into Justification Faith is there but so is not Obedience a Believer in