God through faith be the matter whereupon or for which we are justified we are not justified by workes but the righteousnesse of God through faith is the matter whereupon we are justified Christ is the end of the Rom. 10. 4. Law for righteousnesse to everyone that beleeveth We are made the righteousnesse of God in him The righteousnesse of the Law is not 2 Cor. 5. 19. here put for workes done exactly by the strength of nature but for workes done according to the prescription of the Law according to which people in Covenant ought to walke to whom God hath promised that if they keep his Commandements they shall be unto him a peculiar people châ—sen generation and royall priesthood Exod. 19. 5. Non justificatur homo partim justitia partiali imperfect â inbâ—rente partim accepti latione imperfecti properfecto By the righteousnesse of God to understand remission of sinnes and regeneration by faith faith and workes and by the righteousnesse of the Law workes done by the strength of nature is rather to offer violence unto then to interpret this Text of Scripture And by the same reason the Popish Glosses upon this Text are confuted as false and vaine Bellarmine would make the sense this Faith is imputed for righteousnesse that is faith is justice by which Abraham was justified For if Abraham was justified by workes he hath whereof to glory in himselfe But with God he hath Rom. 4. 2. not whereof to glory To him that worketh not faith is imputed for righteousnesse therefore faith is not the righteousnesse of the Law The Question there disputed is not by what worke Abraham was justified but after he had done many and great works in the manner of Justification he presented himselfe before the throne of grace not only sub forma paâ—peris but which is more of an ungodly man to receive absolution from the hand of grace by a true and lively faith And faith is accounted for righteousnesse by gracious acceptation but what is accounted by free favour that is not truly and really the thing it is accounted for inherent in us It will be said Faith was not reputed to Abraham for righteousnesse after that he excelled with many vertues having embraced Christ But the holy Ghost rather testifies although the excellency of Abrahams vertue was great whereby he had increased by long perseverance yet he was not otherwise accepted as righteous unto life but because by faith he received grace offered in the promise The faith of Abraham was great and excellent for degree and measure but it was not accepted for righteousnesse in regard it was strong and eminent but because it laid hold upon the promised feed The faith of Abraham was eminent but not perfect and justified him not absolutely as an excellent vertue but relatively as it received the promise of mercy not as if Abraham was thereby made perfect by inherent holinesse for then Abraham had whereof to glory in himselfe but as in himselfe a sinner and ungodly he obtained free and full remission of the meere grace and favour of God So that we may conclude from this passage of holy writ that Abraham was justified by faith alone but this his faith though alone in the act of Justification no other grace coworking with it was not alone in existence did not lie dead in him as a dormant and idle quality Saving faith is lively and operative attended with every other grace of the Spirit setting them upon their worke animating and quickning them thereto and regulating them therein It stirres up sorrow for sinne and purpose of amendment it raiseth the soule earnestly to long after and heartily to crave mercy it comes to Christ as an humble poore penitent petitioner for forgivenesse but that which is done by faith stirring up sorrow and working by prayer is not done partly by faith partly by sorrow and partly by prayers but by that faith which doth enforce to pray For faith leaneth upon the promise and no promise is made the condition of prayer being shut forth Aske and it shall be given you Mark 11. 24. Therefore our Saviour Christ being intreated of many that he would heale them attributeth all the force of their prayers to faith Thy faith hath saved thee And so by what faith Abraham embraced the promise by the same he offered up his Son Isaac Workes then or a purpose to walke with God justifie as Jam. 2. 22 23. the passive qualification of the subject capable of Justification or as the qualification of that faith that justifieth or as they testifie or give proofe that faith is lively but faith alone justifieth as it embraceth the promise of free forgivenesse in Jesus Christ Abrahams faith was accepted for righteousnesse but Abraham himselfe Gen. 17. 1. is commanded to walke before God and to be perfect There be divers phrasâ—s in the Scripture of the Old Testament expressing the same thing for substance as to walke before God Gen. 17. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 24. 40. and 48. 15. 1 Kin. 3. 6. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 116. 9. Isai 38. 3. Psal 56. 14. 1 King 9. 4. to walke with God Gen. 5. 22. and 6. 9. Mal. 2. 6. Mic. 6. 8. to walke after God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 King 23. 3. Hos 11. 10. to walke in the name of God Zech. 10. 12. to walke in the wayes of God 1 King 3. 14. Deut. 10. 12 13 14. wholly to follow after the Lord. i. e. to exhibite full obedience to the Lord. Numb 32. 12. Deut. 1. 36. Josh 14. 14. to stand in the sight of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 1 King 17. 1. to walke in the light of the Lord. Isai 2. 5. to walke in equity Isai 57. 2. to walke in truth in judgement and uprightnesse 1 King 2. 4. and 3. 6. 2 King 20. 6. The two first phrases of walking with God and before God the Sept. Interpreters doe most commonly render to please God though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now and then they retaine the phrase of walking with or before God or walking after God and the Apostle seemes to have respect Isai 38. 3. unto their translation when he doth so alleadge it Heb. 11. 5. For he is reported to have pleased God In the New Testament there be Phrases that import the same thing for substance as to walke in the truth 2 Joh. 4. to walke in all the Commandements Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord. Luke 1. 6. to walke worthy the Lord that is as becomes the sonnes of God 1 Thess 2. 12. Eph. 4. 2. and to please him in all things Col. 1. 10. to walke in Christ Col. 2. 6. that is to doe all after the rule and command of Christ vers 6. and set before our eyes his glory as the white we shoot
to love them saith Moses and he chose their seed after them Deut. 10. 15. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Ezek. 16. 6. See Ezek. 36. 32. Luk. 1. 54 55 72 78. This Covenant was made in Christ in and through whom we are reconciled unto God for since God and man were separated by sinne no Covenant can passe betwixt them no reconciliation can be expected no pardon obtained but in and through a mediatour Sinnes were never remitted unto any man no man was ever adopted into the place and condition of a sonne by grace and adoption but in him alone who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Jesus Christ true God and true man Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. The fall of our first parents was occasion of this Covenant for Actus nostrae liberationis divinam bonitatem causam habet Sed aliter actus exactio nimirum paenae per modum satisfactionis caâ—sam eam habet quae ad paenam exegendam irritat id autemest peccatum God suffered him to slip that he might manifest the riches of his mercy in mans recovery Mercy freeing man from misery possible might have taken place before transgression and have discovered it selfe in the preventing of sinne and so of misery but it seemed good unto Almighty God to suffer misery to enter upon man through sinne that he might make knowne the infinite riches of his mercy in succouring and lifting him up being fallen and plunged into a state remedilesse and desperate for ought he knew Besides we may conceive that Almighty God upon just grounds disdaining that such a base creature falne by pride should thus upon advantage of the mutability of his reasonable creature ruinate the whole frame of the Creation and trample the glory of his name under foot and withall looking upon the Chaos which sinne had brought and would further make if some speedy remedy was not provided did out of his infinite and boundlesse love to man though in the transgression and just and dreadfull indignation against Sathan give forth this gratious and free Covenant The forme of this Covenant stands in gratious and free promises of all good to be repaired restored augmented and a restipulation of such duties as will stand with free grace and mercy For the Covenant of Grace doth not exclude all conditions but such as will not stand with grace The Covenant which was made of free love when we lay wallowing in our blood and which calls for nothing at our hands but what comes from and shall be rewarded of meere grace is a Covenant of grace though it be conditionall So the pardon of sinne is given of grace and not for workes though pardon be granted only to the penitent and faith on our part a lively unfained and working faith be required to receive the promise The parties covenanting are two and so are the parts of the Covenant the one in respect of God the other in respect of man A Covenant there is betwixt God and man but no mutuall obligation of debt for such mutuall obligation is founded in some equality but there is no equality between the Creator and the creature much lesse betwixt the Lord most high and man a sinner If man had never offended God almighty who gave him his being and perfection could not have been indepted unto him but as he was pleased to recompence the good of obedience in the creature that never deserved punishment much lesse can God be indepted to the creature that hath offended who can neither endure his presence nor beare the weight of his wrath nor satisfie Justice nor deliver his soule from the thraldome of sinne The obligation of man to God is of double right and debt but it is of rich grace and abundant love that God doth bind himselfe unto man God doth promise in this Covenant to be God and Father by right of redemption and Christ to be Saviour of them that beleeve in God by him and in faith do yeild sincere uniforme willing upright and constant obedience unto his Commandements Jer. 31. 31 32 33 Deut. 31. 6. Ezek. 36. 25 26. Gen. 15. 1 4 5. Jer. 32. 40. 33. 9. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Isa 54. 7. Hos 2. 19. The stipulation required is that we take God to be our God that is that we repent of our iniquities believe the promises of mercy and embrace them with the whole heart and yeeld love feare reverence worship and obedience unto him according to the prescript rule of his word Repentance is called for in this Covenant as it setteth forth the subject capable of Salvation by faith but is it selfe only an acknowledgement of sinne no healing of our wound or cause of our acquittance The feeling of Luke 13. 5. Act. 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Ezek. 18. 27â— paine and sicknesse causeth a man to desire and seeke remedy but it is no remedy it selfe Hunger and thirst make a man to desire and seeke for food but a man is not fed by being hungry By repentance we know our selves we feele our sicknesse we hunger and thirst after grace but the hand which we stretch forth to receive it is faith alone without which repentance is nothing but darknesse and despaire Repentance is the condition of faith and the qualification of a person capable of Salvation but faith alone is the cause of Justification and Salvation on our part required It is a penitent and petitioning faith wherby we receive the promises of mercy but we are not justified partly by prayer partly by repentance and partly by faith but by that faith which stirreth up godly sorrow for sinne and enforceth us to pray for pardon and Salvation Faith is a necessary and lively instrument of Justification which is amongst the number of true causes not being a cause without which the thing is not done but a cause wherby it is done The cause without which a thing is not done is only present in the action and doth nothing therein But as the eye is an active instrument for seeing and the care for hearing so is faith also for justifying If it be demanded whose instrument it is It is the instrument of the Soule wrought therin by the Holy Ghost and is the free gift of God In the Covenant of workes workes were required as the cause of life and happinesse but in the Covenant of grace though repentance be necessary and must accompanie faith yet not repentance but faith only is the cause of life The cause not efficient as workes should have been if man had stood in the former Covenant but instrumentall only for it is impossible that Christ the death and blood of Christ and our faith should be together the efficient or procuring causes of Justification or Salvation When the Apostle Rom. 3. â—â— 22 28 30. Gal. 2. 16. 17. Rom. 4. 2 3. writeth that man
is not justified by workes or through workes by the Law or through the Law opposing faith and workes in the matter of Iustification but not in respect of their presence faith I say and works not faith and merits which could never be without doubt he excludes the efficiency and force of the Law and workes in justifying But the particles By and of doe not in the same sense take Iustification from the Law and workes in which they give it to faith For faith only doth behould and receive the promises of life and mercy but the Law and works respect the Commandements not the promises of meere grace When therfore Iustification and life is said to be by faith it is manifestly signified that faith receiving the promise doth receive righteousnesse and life freely promised Obedience to all Deut. 7. 1â— 10. 12. Ier. 7. 23. Lev. 19. 17 18. Luk. 10. 27 Mar. 12 30. Gods Commandements is covenanted not as the cause of life but as the qualification and effect of faith and as the way to life Faith that embraceth life is obedientiall and fruitfull in all good workes but in one sort faith is the cause of obedience and good workes and in another of Iustification and life eternall These it seeketh in the promises of the Covenant those it worketh and produceth as the cause doth the effect Faith was the efficient cause of that pretious oblation in Abell of reverence and preparing Heb. 11 4 7 c. the Arke in Noah of obedience in Abraham but it was the instrument only of their justification For it doth not justifie as it produceth good workes but as it receiveth Christ though it cannot receive Christ unlesse it brings forth good workes A disposition to good workes is necessary to justification being the qualification of an active and lively faith Good works of all sorts are necessary to our continuance in the state of justification and so to our finall absolution if God give opportunity but they are not the cause of but only a precedent qualification or condition to finall forgivenesse and eternall blisse If then when we speake of the conditions of the Covenant of grace by Condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as precedent concomitant or subsequent to justification repentance faith and obedience are all conditions but if by Condition we understand what is required on our part as the cause of the good promised though only instrumentall faith or beliefe in the promises of free mercy is the only Condition Faith and workes are opposed in the matter of Justification and Salvation in the Covenant not that they cannot stand together in the same subject for they be inseperably united but because they cannot concurre or meete together in one the same Court to the Iustification or Absolution of Man For in the Court of Iustice according to the first Covenant either being just he is acquitted or unjust he is condemned But in the Court of Mercy if thou receive the promise of pardon which is done by a lively faith thou art acquitted and set free and accepted as just and righteous but if thou believe not thou art sent over to the Court of Justice Obedience is two-fold perfect in measure and degree this is so farre required that if it be not performed we must acknowledge our sinne in comming short And this God is pleased to exact at our hands that we might walke in humility before him strive after perfection and freely acknowledge his rich grace and mercy in accepting and rewarding the best service we can tender unto his Highnesse when in the Court of Iustice it deserveth to be rejected 2. Sincere uniforme and constant though imperfect in measure and degree and this is so necessary that without it there is no Salvation to be expected The Covenant of Grace calleth for perfection accepteth sincerity God in mercy pardoning the imperfections of our best performances If perfection was rigidly exacted no flesh could be saved if not at all commanded imperfection should not be sin nor perfection to be laboured after The faith that is lively to imbrace mercy is ever conjoyned with an unfained purpose to walke in all well pleasing and the sincere performance of all holy obedience as opportunity is offered doth ever attend that faith whereby we continually lay hold upon the promises once embraced Actuall good workes of all sorts though not perfect in degree are necessary to the continuance of actuall justification because faith can no longer lay faithfull claime to the promises of life then it doth vertually or actually leade us forward in the way to Heaven For if we say we have fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another 1 Joh. 1. 6 7. This walking in the light as he is in the light is that qualification wherby we become immediatly capable of Christs righteousnes or actuall participants of his propitiation which is the sole immediate cause of our justification taken for remission of sinnes or actuall approbation with God The truth of which Doctrine St John likewise ratifies in tearmes equivalent in the words presently following And the blood of 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Christ cleanseth us walking in the light as God is in the light from all sinne But of these things more largely in the severall degrees how this Covenant hath been revealed In this Covenant man doth promise to repent of his sinnes and repenting to cleave unto the promise of mercy made in Iesus Christ and in saith to yeeld willing cheerefull and continuall obedience In contracts amongst men one may aske more and the other bid lesse and yet they may strike agreement But it is altogether bootlesse for men to thinke of entring into Covenant with God if they be noâ— resolved to obey in all things The practise of all Gods people who ever made Covenant with his Highnesse doth expressely speake thus much when they solemnly entred into or renewed their Covenant for thus they promise Whatsoever the Lord saith that will we doe Exod 24. 3 7. The people said unto Joshua The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Josh 24. 23. And they entred into Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers with all their he art and with all thâ—eâ—r souâ—e That whosoever would not seâ—ke the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. And the King stood by the pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walke after the Lord and to keepe his Commandements and his Testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soule to performe the words of this Covenant that were written in this booke and all the people stood to the Covenant 2 Chron. 34. 31. 2 Kings 23. 3. They entred into a Curse and into
of Adam by the Law of nature written in his heart Confidence in God through Christ or the Messiah was required of the Israelites by the Law published upon the Mount Adam was to performe obedience to the Lord immediately without a Mediatour being himselfe pure and innocent But the Israelites being in themselves sinnerâ— â—ould not in their own names performe service pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord. Adam knew he was beloved of the Lord so long as he continued in obedience but had no warrant to wait upon his mercy when he had broken the Covenant of works But to the Israelites God bound himselfe in Covenant upon Mount Sinai promising to be their God and take them for his people notwithstanding they were sinners in themselves which could not be without forgivenesse and this Covenant they might and did renew by repentance after transgression The Law is not to be confounded with the Gospell but the sacred and inviolable knot of the one with the other is to be maintained unlesse we shall make God contrary to himselfe The Law doth not so directly and expressely teach faith in When Paul saith Faith came by the Gospell it is to be understood of the manner of propounding vvithout the invvrappings of types that the Doctrine vvas â— taught plainly vvithout types and figures Rom. 8. 3. Christ but require obedience yet doth it leade us to Christ and more obscurely command faith in him The Gospell doth more fully reveale Christ and the grace of God in him commanding faith by name but it doth also urge presse and exact obedience Thus sweetly doe the Law and Gospell consent together But here it is to be noted that faith is commanded in the Law which exacteth every thing that is good but it is given to us not by the Law but of the holy Ghost The distinction of the Law and Gospell as they are opposed one to another is cleare and evident but as the Law was given to the Jewes it is not opposite but subordinate to the Gospell The Law in it selfe considered exacted perfection of works as the cause of life but when that was impossible to man by reason of the infirmity of his flesh it pleased the Lord to make knowne to his people by the ministery of Moses that the Law was given not to detaine men in confidence of their own works but to leade them unto Christ Whatsoever the Law teacheth whatsoever it promiseth whatsoever it commandeth alwayes it hath Christ for the scope thereof For though the Law of righteousnesse promise a reward to the keepers thereof yet after it hath shut up all men under sinne it doth substitute another righteousnesse in Christ which is received by faith not purchased by the merit of works And therefore the Apostle doth reprehend the Jewes as perverters of the true sense and meaning Rom. 10. 4 5 6 c. of the Law when they sought to be justified by their works and sheweth that Moses taught them to look for Salvation in the Messiah and seek for that righteousnesse which is by faith Whereby it is manifest that the Law was given 〈◊〉 be a manuduction unto Christ in whom we have Redemption from all things from which by the Law of Moses we could not be justified and a rule to the faithfull according to which they must frame their conversation For what word was that which Moses saith was neere even in their hearts but the Law which the Lord gave upon Mount Sinai and promised to write in the hearts of his people under the Covenant of Grace And from this ground it is not hard to answer what is further objected against this truth as If faith be commanded in the Law then being justified by faith we are justified by the works of the Law For faith is not a work of the Law nakedly and absolutely considered as it exacteth perfect obedience of man in his own person but of the Law as it was given to the Jewes to direct them unto Christ who is the soule and life of the Law And though it be commanded in the Law as it is in the Gospel or new Covenant yet it justifieth not as a part of Regeneration or an act of obedience and work of Grace by it worth or dignity but in respect of that office whereunto it is assigned of God and as it receiveth the promises of mercy It is a sâ—phisticall forme of reasoning to say Faith is commanded in the Gospell therefore if we be justified by faith we are justified by the works of grace The arguments are like and both faultie For justification by faith in Christ is opposed to justification by the works of the Law because he only is justified before God by the Law whose acts being examined by the Law are found just and righteous according to that which the Law requireth but he is justified by faith who being in himself ungodly believeth in Christ for salvation So that according to the Apostles meaning wheresoever faith be commanded he is justified by faith without the works of the Law who is acquitted from sin by the meer and rich grace of God in Jesus Christ received by faith And to seek justification by works is to rest upon our works for salvation as they that answer in all things to that righteousnesse personall which the Law requireth Justification by faith and justification by workes are opposite and so is faith and workes but faith is not opposed to one act commanded whereby the promise is received for then it should be contrary to it selfe but to works whereby the Law is fulfilled in our owne persons to workes I say not to one work because no one worke can justifie but all are necessary If it be said the Apostle doth every where oppose the Law and the Gospel or the old and new Testament The answer is from the same ground that in the Scriptures of the new Testament the Law as well Ceremoniall as Morall is opposed to faith or the Gospel and yet the Ceremonies of the Law did prefigure Christ as all men acknowledge Therefore the Apostle doth not perpetually and absolutely oppose the Law and the Covenant of grace for he teacheth expresly that faith establisheth Rom. 3. 31. the Law For he understood the force and sentence of the Law to consist in faith but because the Jews addicted to the latter of the Law did pretermit the force and life of it Paul proves the Law so taken and separated from faith to be the cause not of life but of death as that which did not only want Christ who is the soul of the Law but is opposite to him And therefore Paul doth this because the Jews faith being let passe did seek righteousnesse in the dead works of the Law and did oppose the Law to the Gospel and Christ who was the end and scope of the Law This will be more plain if we shall examin the particular passages of Scripture wherein this matter is handled
fall by whom not only the Elect but the whole frame of nature received benefit In the Creation God raised up a great Family wherein he made Adam the head and all his posterity inhabitors the frame of Heaven and Earth his domicile the creatures his servants this Family upon the fall was broken up the present Master turned out of his imployments the children beggered the servants returning to God their Soveraigne and the whole frame of the creature under attainder God thus defeated if I may so speake sets up a second Family called the Family of Heaven and Earth wherein Jesus Christ the womans seed Gen. 3. 19. is the Head Matth. 28. 18. Ephes 1. 22. Col. 1. 19 20. stiled the second Adam Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth and that with more soveraignty and amplitude of injoyment then ever the first Adam had the whole creature being put under his feet The children of this Family are the faithfull who be the adopted Brethren Rom. 8. 15. sometimes called the seed The servants be the wicked and those of two sorts either such as attend in the Church neerer about Christs person or further off as in farme-houses for baser offices The creatures by a second ordinance from their former Master free are stated upon Christ though they beare some brands of evill from the sinne of their former Master the domicile though not so beautifull returnes to Christ So the Covenant of Grace entring upon the breaking up of the former Family investeth Christ with all as purchaser of the lost creature from revenging justice and as Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth who freely conferreth the heavenly inheritance upon the adopted sonnes and brethren and vouchsafeth earthly blessings and some spirituall common gifts to the wicked which may be called servants both those that more neerly attend his person and those that be further off But of this more hereafter CHAP. III. Of the Covenant of Grace in generall THe Covenant of Grace is that free and gracious Covenant which God of his meere mercy in Jesus Christ made with man a miserable and wretched sinner promising unto him pardon of sinne and eternall happinesse if he will return from his iniquity embrace mercy reached forth by faith unfained and walke before God in sincere faithfull and willing obedience as becomes such a creature lifted up unto such injoyment and partaker of such pretious promises This Covenant is opposite to the former in kind so that at one and the same time man cannot be under the Covenant of workes and the Covenant of grace For he cannot hope to be justified by his perfect and exact obedience that acknowledging himselfe to be a miserable and lost sinner doth expect pardon of the free mercy of God in Iesus Christ embraced by faith The condition of the Law as it was given to Adam excludes the necessity of mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne and the necessity of making a new Covenant argues the former could not give life Heb. 8. 7. He that is under grace cannot at the same time be under the law and he that waites for Salvation of meere and rich grace to be vouchsafed cannot expect it as the deserved wages of his good worke from justice and not of mercy What then may some say is the Law abolished or is it lawfull for Christians to live as they list because they be not under the Law Not so but the Law hath a double respect one as the unchangeable rule of life and manners according to which persons in Covenant ought to walke before and with the Lord and in this sense it belongs to the Covenant of grace The other as it is propounded in forme of a Covenant as if he must necessarily perish who doth neglect or breake it in the least jot or tittle and in this sense the Covenant of grace and workes are opposite The matter of Evangelicall precepts and of the Morall Law is the same but the forme of promulgation is not the same the rule is one but the Covenants differ Materialy the Law that is the matter and argument of the Law as a rule stands in force but if formally it did continue as a Covenant there could be no place for repentance nor for the promise of forgivenesse or mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne or the quickning of them that be dead in trespasses The Covenant of workes is of justice the Covenant of grace is of grace and mercy which cannot agree and take place in one and the same subject for he that tryâ—th justice perceiveth not the force of mercy è contra This might be common to both Covenants that God doth freely give reward because he was not bound unto it by any Law and that is done of grace which we are not tied unto by Law but in the Covenant of Grace he gives the reward of meere and rich grace and that to the creature which hath deserved Hell This Covenant entered immediately upon the fall and so may be called a Covenant of Reconciliation not of friendship At the very instant when God holy and true was pronouncing judgements upon the severall delinquents in the fall setting downe his sentence against the Tempter both in his instrument the Serpent and the maine Author Sathan he brings in the party who should execute the same in which execution is unfolded the Covenant of grace for the Salvation of the creature that the Serpent had destroyed that God might be knowne in wrath to remember mercy At the very fall and before judgement was pronounced upon the delinquents that were tempted the Covenant of mercy was proclaimed that by vertue of this Covenant God might prevent further waste of his creature which Sathan might haue wrought upon his new advantage in following his good successe and that the tempted might have some comfort before their judgement least they might have been swallowed up of wrath The Authour of this Covenant is God considered as a mercifull and loving Father in Iesus Christ as a Creator he strooke Covenant with Adam in his integrity as a Saviour he looked upon the poore creature plunged into sinne and misery by reason of sin The cause that moved the Lord to make this Covenant was not any worth dignity or merit in man for man never had ought which he had not received and now by his disobedience had deserved to be cast off for ever neither was the present misery into which he had cast himselfe the cause that moved the Lord to receive man into favour for the Angels more excellent by creation as miserable by their fall he hath reserved in chaines of darknesse The sole moving cause why God made this Covenant Bonitatis Dei donumest quod liberare nos voluit quod verò aliter quam tali modo liberare nos noluit pâ—ccatorum nostrorum est meritum was the love favour and mercy of the Lord. Deut. 7. 7 8. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers
ingraven in tables of stone is one for substance so is the new and the old Testament The Law is not opposed to the Law but the writing to writing Writing in tables of stone pertained to Moses or to the Old Testament writing in the heart to Christ or the new Covenant The Law is the same but otherwise administred in the hand of Christ then in times past in the hand of Moses Moses gave the Law in tables of stone but could not give power or ability to doe what the Law required but Christ writeth the Law in the heart and inableth the faithfull in some measure to doe what he commandeth And in the same place the Lord by the Prophet sheweth that when he made this Covenant with Jer. 31. 32. the Fathers which they brake he declared himselfe to be an husband unto them or joyned himselfe in marriage unto them But God never joyned himselfe in marriage unto a people but by the Covenant of grace It may be said the Apostle sheweth the former Jer. 3. 14. Covenant to be faultie or that another Covenant was lacking But that is not mentioned to prove the Covenants to be two in substance opposite one to the other but because the first Testament did not containe the Image of the things themselves and therfore was not to be rested in as if we could be justified by Heb. 10. 1. the workes of the Law or ceremoniall observances annexed but must be used as an introduction to leade us unto Christ who is the very Image of the things themselves This first Covenant therfore could not be fulfilled or effectuall but by the bringing in of a second which was prefigured thereby For the blood of Bulls and Goats was not availeable to purge away sinne but did prefigure the blood of Christ which is effectuall to purge our consciences from dead workes The blood of Bulls and of Goats and Heb. 9. 13. 14. the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh sc from a trespasse meerely committed against the Law of Ceremonies but the bloody sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Christ whereof the legall Sacrifices were tipes and shadowes was alone appointed of God and is effectuall to cleanse us from all sinnes committed against the Morall Law of God and to purifie us from such dead works as not expiated by his blood would bring forth everlasting death Of necessity therfore the first Covenant because it is of grace must bring forth a second Joh. 1. 17. Joh. 5. 46. in which is fulfilled that which in the first is prefigured The Law was given by Moses and the righteousnesse of faith was taught by Moses as our Saviour testifieth Why then doth the Apostle in the words following add by way of opposition but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ The sence of the place seemes to be this That the Law prefiguring Christ and redemption in him and teaching and commanding what ougâ—â— to be done but neither giving grace to doe it not containing the substance of the thing prefigured was given by Moses but grace to doe what was commanded came from Christ in whom also the substance of what was prefigured by the Ceremonies is fulfilled But if the Law of Moses sent the Jewes to Christ and directed them how to walke believing in him but of it selfe did not give grace or truth of necessity it must make knowne Christ 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as some bookes have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. verba viva Ar. Sermâ—nem vivum in some sort and command faith in him which is proper to the Covenant of grace The Law is a killing letter saith the Apostle and the ministration of death and condemnation But the same Law which is called a dead or killing letter is stiled a lively word or lively oracles that is such as give life The words of Paul therfore are not to be understood absolutely of the Law but as it was Act. 7 38. Lev. 18 5. Ezek. 20. 13. Neh. 9. 29. separated from Christ and the Gospell of men who did rest in the Law and sought to be justified by it whereas Christ was the end of the Law which the Jewes not perceiving they erred from the truth and perverted the true sence and scope of the Law For the ministery of Moses as it is referred to the mind and counsell of the Lord is bright and illustrious but the carnall people could not behold that brightnesse and therefore the Law is vailed to the carnall Jew that he cannot behold the light that shineth therein Even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile 2 Cor. 3. 15 16. is upon their heart Neverthelesse when it shall turne unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away That is when Israel shall be turned unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away that in the law it selfe they may see Christ whom now being blind by reason of their indurate mind they could not fee. For there was a double vaile drawne over their eyes the first of hatred against Christ the second of the Law it selfe in which Christ was revealed but not so clearely as in the Gospell which double vaile shall be taken Isa 25. 7. Rom. 4. 15. 3. 20. 7 9. away when they shall be converted unto Christ The Law worketh wrath and discovereth sinne yea reviveth it What the Apostle speaketh of the Law in these and other above rehearsed passages is to be understood of the whole Jewish pedagogie viz. the Law Morall and Ceremoniall as it was given by Moses And as here the Law is said to worke wrath and terrifie so Psal 19. 7 8 9. 119. 47. elsewhere it is said to cause the soule to returne to enlighten the eyes and rejoyce the heart Of necessity for the reconciliation of these sayings of the Prophet and Apostle in shew contrary it Beza in Rom. 2. 27. Calv. in 2 Cor. 3. 17. Col. 2. 13. The ceremonies are visible words preaching Christ and they preached our guile and wrath belonging unto us must be granted that the Law animated by Christ is pleasant and delightfull but as it is barely considered in opposition to Christ and to the Gospell as it exacteth perfect obedience but giveth no ability or power to performe what is required it woundeth terrifieth killeth and worketh wrath Of the Law there is a twofold use and consideration One as it is a rigid exactor of intire obedience and hand-writing against us for sinne and thus of it selfe barely considered it woundeth but healeth not it reviveth sinne but mortifieth it not The other as it pointeth to Christ in whom Salvation is to be found and directeth how to walke in all well-pleasing before the Lord and thus it is an easy yoke The Law considered without Christ woundeth killeth and reviveth sinne by reason of our Corruption But the Law considered in Christ and as it
The Lord did thinke it good to set forth the state of minority in such kind of attires habiliments as might best suit with the fansie of minority and so to teach and clothe his Church with types and Ceremonies which is a kind of Imagerie and therefore of the two the Jewes had more liberty in that kind then Christians in times of the Gospell the Law to bring him unto Christ But happy Christians after Christ living in the University of the Church under the free Tutors of new Ordinances The Schoolemastership of Moses was a good Ordinance for the body of the people under Covenant with God as we find this calling needfull and profitable in a Common-weale though inferiour to the honour and worth of an University There was not a man of them undiscovenanted who took not benefit some way or other by this pedagogie For some were kept thereby from notorious evils as children that learne little at Schoole get good in this that they are kept from shrewd turnes Others get much ability of knowledge though they never looked at Christ as some at Schoole learn to write and read cast account and make a bond though they never intend any better use of their learning But the spirituall Jew got some true measure of grace to Salvation though they reached not to that pitch and measure which is attaineable under the Ordinances of the New Testament as in some good Grammar Schooles those grounds of learning may be obtained whereby men may be serviceable to the Church or Common-weale in some measure though they come not to that ripenesse and maturity which may be gotten in the University For the manner of this pedagogie under Moses we are not to conceive that he taught his Schollers in things too hard for their capacity and practise only to set them to others to aske for it is the part of a bad master to set his Schollars too hard a taske that they might runne to their fellowes to make exercises this is the way to non-proficiency But Moses in the Ceremoniall Ordinances did point out Christ and so as a good Schoole-master directed unto him and by shewing unto the Jewes their weaknesse and inability convincing them of sinne terrifying their consciences he did drive them unto Christ and informed them how to walke being in Christ that they might inherite the promise Thus the Law entred that sinne might abound it discovered Rom. 5. 20. Gal. 3. 19. Rom. 7. 11. and 4. 15. sinne wrought wrath wounded terrified and killed and withall revealed the remedy to be had not in the Law but in Christ that the distressed might not rest in the Law but seek unto Christ and live In a Schoole we must have rods to keep refractory boyes in awe and idle boyes to their bookes according to the common Proverbe A rod in a Schoole is alwayes in season This was found with Moses in his Schoole and used as occasion was offered The Ceremonies were as an hand-writing against Col. 2. 14. Ephes 2. 15. The Ceremonies are visible words preaching Christ and they preach guilt also and wrath belonging unto us by consequent and to the Jew directly Ceremonies as they are a meere carnall kind of instructing do witnesse against us them as they witnessed their uncleanenesse or bound them to the debt of the Law and a curse was denounced against them that should not continue in all things that was written in the booke of the Law to doe them Schoole-masters must have Apples and toyes to traine up boyes of better and softer natures who be won with a Nut and lost with the shell This the Schoole of the Law wanted not in the hand of Moses as the outward temporall blessings of this life plentifully spoken too and distributed by the hand of Moses in his Booke The Jewes were as Infants and little children that are much pleased with rattles and other toyes and Moses the rather to winne and keepe them in obedience doth make large promises of corporall blessings and an earthly inheritance as did befit the state and condition of that people But if these prevaile not he hath his Ferula and gentle rod which is the commination of temporall calamities and judgements to be inflicted upon transgressours It is expedient a Schoole-master have some other practises besides Rods and Nuts to breake their wils and make them corrigible and teachable tractable and gentle which the Law provided for aboundantly having to doe with a stiffe-necked people and stubborn Schollars Three kinds of impositions Moses propounded unto his Schollars to beare First in the pedagogie of the Law he restrained them from some free creatures whereunto they had strange naturall desires as meats and drinks making some uncleane as mothers lay Apples before the eyes of their children which yet they must not touch upon paine of a frowne chiding or whipping to breake their wils and traine them up in obedience Secondly He laid before them some other indifferencies which if they did adventure to use they must undergoe such and such hardship as was not worth the while their injoyment not worth the paiment as we reade Levit. 15. in many washings and purifications Thirdly He prescribed such duties about the free creatures which were dangerous painfull and costly for the present if it were possible to bow their uncircumcised hearts wherein he prevailed and they profited aboundantly In all which he increased their homage to God more than at the first in the Covenant of works with Adam or in any former manifestation of this Covenant And in these respects the Law might well be called a burden unsupportable which neither the Jewes nor their Fathers Acts 15. 10. were able to beare A good Schoolemaster will not scorne to teach rudiments to lesser boyes every letter and syllable so Moses and his successors taught all the rudiments and legall precepts to all the Jewes wherein though some sticke as their furthest perfection yet some went further to higher degrees and all learned by them some partiall obedience to draw on them and theirs some partiall blessings Of this sort were these Touch not tast not It beseemes Col. 2. 21. an able Schoolemaster so farre as he hath ability and authority to teach his Schollars Greeke Hebrew Logicke principles of higher learning especially when an university is not at hand so Moses in this pedagogie did rise to teach higher things to the spirituall Israel as the blood of Christ folded up in the blood of the sacrifice for the purging of their hearts from dead workes and the mortification of sinfull corruption in their burnt offerings that so they might discover how they were delivered from the eternall curse of the Law Now when his spirituall Schollars felt the bondage of the Law and came to learne the remedy the very thing learned was their motive and reward that they did not so much need rods or nuts that is the promise of temporall blessings or denunciation of temporall judgements
by grace and adoption then he that was the Sonne of God by nature who fitter to repaire the Image of God decayed in us then he by whom at first man was made after the Image of God Thus Christ was a fit and equall middle person conjoyned by the bands of friendly society and peaceable agreement with both the parties God and men that he might be a Mediatour of reconciliation and peace betweene God and man He tooke unto him the sanctified nature of man that therein he might draw neere unto men and be the root of them that are sanctified and retained the nature of God that so he might not depart from God Here it is questioned according to which nature Christ is Mediatour whether as man only or as God and man That he is a Mediatour according to the concurrence of both natures in the unity of his person it is confessed by all for if he were not both God and man he could not mediate between God and man but whether he be a Mediatour according to both natures concurring in the worke of Mediation there be some that make question Our resolution is that Christ is Mediatour according to both natures the humane nature doing that which pertained to the humanity Bellar. de Christ lib. 5. cap. 7. § Potest tamen and the divine nature that which pertained to the divinity but the humane and divine both concurring to produce one act or work of Mediatorship As the divine and humane nature concurre to make one Christ so the acts of the divine and humane Plura principia ad operationem unam possunt concurrere Lun ibid. cap. 7. not 1. nature distinct in vertue and operation by co-operation concurre to make up the same work of Mediation Some of the works of Christ the Mediatour were the works of his humanity in respect of the thing done and had their efficacy dignity and value from his divinity in that they were the works of him that had the divinity dwelling bodily in him and some the works of his divinity the humane nature concurring only instrumentally as the remitting of sins the giving of the Spirit the raising of the dead and such like The works of Ministery the Sonne of God Iâ—n cont 2. l. 5. cap. 5. not 29. performed them in the nature of man It was the Sonne of God and Lord of life that died for us on the Crosse but it was the nature of man not of God wherein he died The works of Authority and power were all performed by the divine nature yet not without an instrumentall concurrence of the nature of man Christ suffered as man but the divine nature did support and sustaine the humane He died as man as God he overcame death conquered and rose againe as man he was made an offering for our sins the worth and value of the Sacrifice was from the divinity The two natures in Christ be distinct in their essence and Iâ—n Paral. lib. 3. in cap. 9. Hebr. properties and so in their operations that we must not imagine one action of both natures but as the natures be united in one person so the operations concurre to make up one work of a Mediatour Many chiefe necessary and essentiall acts concerning our Iun. animad in Bell. contr 2. l. 5. ca. 3. not 9 reconciliation with God are from the Deity of Christ as from the next proper immediate and formall beginning The Incarnation of Christ is from the Deity which did assume the humanity which when it was not could not assume it selfe The manifestation of God was a work truly divine from the humanity of Christ as an instrument from the Deity as the true cause Christ as Joh. 1. 18. Matt. 11. 27. man teacheth as an instrument and Christ the Word teacheth as Mediatour for he is not only Mediatour who supplyeth the roome of an instrument but the Deity did move the humanity as his instrument that is personally united and not as anothers Joh. 10. 18. To lay down his life passively belongs to the flesh to lay down his life or soule actively to the word The resurrection of Christ is Iun. ibid. cap. 6. not 1. Rom. 8. 34 and 4 25. Rom. 1. 4. Mar. 2. 10. Joh. 15. 26. and 16. 7. an essentiall part of our Redemption but Christ rose not by the propriety of his flesh but by the power of his Deity Christ as Mediatour performed many divine acts but the humanity alone cannot be the beginning of a divine act as Christ as Mediatour hath authority to forgive sins to send the holy Spirit not meritoriously alone as Bellarmine distinguisheth but efficiently to conjoyne us unto God and bring us to salvation Christ as Mediatour is the King and Head of his Church which dignity and office Meritum Meâ—â—ationâ—â— est Mediatio personae cannot agree to him that is meere man For the Head is to give influence of sence and motion unto the body and Christ gives supernaturall sence and motion unto his mysticall body and that both by way of efficiency and by way of disposition fitting us that an impression of grace may be made upon us He prepareth and fitteth men to the receipt of grace by the acts of his humanity A tâ—ta quidem Trinitate datur Spirituâ— sed ad personam Mediatoris haec actio terminatur quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he suffered death and dying satisfied Gods wrath removed all matter of dislike procured the favour and acceptation of God and so made men fit to receive the grace of God and to enjoy his favour He imparteth and conferreth grace by the operation and working of his divine nature it being the proper worke of God to enlighten the understandings of men and to soften their hearts If it be alleadged that there is nothing that one person of the Trinity doth towards the creatures but they all doe it and consequently that those things which Christ did in his divine nature pertained not to the office of a Mediatour being common to all the Persons The answer is though the action be the same and the worke done by them yet they differ in the manner of doing it For the Father doth all things authoritativè and the Son subauthoritativè as the Schoole-men speake that is the Father as he from whom and of whom are all things the Son as he by whom are all things not as â—y an instrument but a principall efficient And in this sort to quicken give life and to impart the Spirit of Sanctification to whom he pleaseth especially with a kind of concurring of the humane nature meriting desiring and instrumentally assisting is proper to the Son of God manifested in our flesh and not common to the whole Trinity As the second person in Trinity did assume our nature and not the Father or the holy Ghost and as Christ is the Head of the Church not the Father or the holy Spirit so he