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
no other seed no meer man could do it but the Son of God being made of a woman did destroy the works of the devil 1 Joh. 3.8 Partaking of flesh and blood he did through death destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2.14 That first Promise made almost Four thousand years before was accomplished in him He is that seed of Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed Gen. 22.18 Never was it said of any man but himself That all Nations should be blessed in him Never was any man but he who was God as well as man able to turn that Curse which lay upon the human nature into a blessing He is Jacob's Shiloh Gen. 49.10 at his coming the Scepter departed Herod an Edomite ruled over the Jews and to make himself the more absolute he slew the Sanhedrin in a little time all government was taken away from the Jews Hence that outery in the Talmud Vae nobis Wo to us because the Scepter is departed from Judah The temporal Scepter vanished but our Saviour had a spiritual one to him as to the true Shiloh was the gathering of the people multitudes of Jews and Gentiles were converted to Christianity He is Moses's Prophet Deut. 18.15 never man spake as he spake none but himself ever brought down sacred mysteries from the bosome of God unto the world He is the Star out of Jacob Numb 24.17 The Jews Barchochebas was but Barchozba the son of a Lye a false light and soon extinct But our JESUS is the bright and morning-star Rev. 22.16 who chases away darkness and communicates a divine light to men He is the Lords anointed against whom the Heathen did rage and the Kings set themselves Psal 2 but all in vain God laughed at them and set up his King upon Zion The Jews cannot but confess that this Psalm speaks of the Messiah but that the Minaei the Christians with them esteemed Hereticks may be answered they think it expedient to interpret it of David He is the Child in Isaiah who was born of a Virgin Isa 7.14 which never man was who hath these high titles Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 which are too great for a meer man He is the righteous Branch whose name is The Lord our righteousness Jer. 23.5 6. No other man since the fall had righteousness enough for himself but he had enough for himself and a World He is the Messiah in Daniel his blood made an end of sin his perfect Sacrifice put an end to all the legal ones Under the Messiah there was only to be the Sacrifice of Thoda or Thanksgiving He is the Ruler come out of Bethlehem Ephratah Mic. 5.2 As God his goings forth were of old from everlasting as Man he came in time out of Bethlehem Never such an one as he came from thence He is the desire of the nations in Haggai who filled the second Temple with glory The Man Gods fellow in Zachary who was smitten for us and in his wounds opened a fountain for sin and for uncleanness The Son of righteousness in Malachi who with enlightning and healing-beams shines into the hearts of men The Promises of the Messiah are all accomplished in him What the old Testament foretold the New exhibited The respects and sweet correspondencies which are between the two Testaments clearly and punctually shew that Jesus is the Christ Again here appears the truth of all the other Promises in the Gospel which are as so many superstructures upon the first fundamental promise of the Messiah P. Gal. lib. 2. cap. 23. The earth saith Rabbi Eliezer stands upon Tsadich upon the righteous one that is upon the Messiah I may add Heaven and all the Graces which lead thither stand upon him too In him all the promises are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 sure and stable as being founded upon his blood hence his blood is called the blood of the Covenant Heb. 13.20 as procuring it for us and the New Testament is called the new testament in his blood Luk. 22.20 as being founded upon it God is now obliged to perform the Evangelical Promises not meerly by his own infinite Veracity but by his Contract with his Son from whom he hath received a valuable consideration in his blood for the doing of it The Promises are secured by a double seal God's Veracity and Christ's Blood so they can no more fail than the Truth of the one and the Merit of the other The Apostle argued thus God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 We may thus argue If God would not go back but perform the promise of the Messiah which could not be done but at an expence so vast that in the doing of it he must part with his Son out of his bosom and his Son must part with his blood for us how shall he not fulfil all other Promises The Promise of the Messiah was the most difficult of all either for God to perform or for us to believe the foolish builder lays the foundation and is not able to finish but the wise and true God who laid the foundation of Promises in his Sons blood will be sure to accomplish them not one thing of them shall fail upon what Promise soever we can regularly set our faith we may take it as our own all the blessings of it shall be made good to us Further we see here the truth of the Moral Law that is made up of two parts a Mandatory part and a Minatory The Mandatory part stands in Precepts the truth of these consists in this that they are the Counterpanes of Gods heart real copies of his approving will the matter of them is consonant to his Sanctity and Rectitude acceptable and well-pleasing in his eyes obedience to them is very grateful and sure of an Euge an approbation from him A notable evidence of this we have in our Saviour It 's true the Law proves it self to be divine by its intrinsecal Rectitude and Justice but the sin of a World lying as a cloud upon that glory God would have it proved such by obedience no man since the fall being able enough for this work the Son of God came down from Heaven to do it As God he could not be under the Law but he assumed humanity and with it moral duty he was made of a woman and so made under the law Gal. 4.4 which reflected a greater honour upon it than the being of all men under it could do He perfectly obeyed it and in his obedience the Law had its end and an higher proof of its Divinity than it would have had if all men had obeyed it None can now doubt that the Law came from Heaven from the Father's bosom when the Son of God who came from thence did subject himself and obey
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
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
conjunction p. 329 330. The conjunctions between Christ and us p. 331 to 334. How Christs Righteousness is imputed to us p. 335 to 337. That it is not only the Meritorious but Material cause of our Justification 338. This is proved from that phrase The Righteousness of God ib. 339 340. From the nature of Justification p. 341 to 343. From the parallel of the two Adams 344 to 351. From other phrases in Scripture 351 to 357. From a pardon as not being the same with Justification 357 to 364. From Christs suffering in our stead 364 365. The Objections against imputed Righteousness answered 365 to 374. What justifies us as to the Gospel-terms 374 c. The necessity and connexion of a twofold Righteousness 375 to 381. How we are justified by Faith 381 382. How Good works are necessary 382 to 387. A short conclusion 387 388 c. CHAP. XII Touching an Holy Life 390 to 392. It is not from principles of Nature 393 394. It is the fruit of a renewed regenerated heart 395 to 401. It issues out of faith and love 401 to 407. It proceeds out of a pure intention towards the will and glory of God 407 to 414. It is humble and dependent upon the influences of Grace 414 to 421. It requires a sincere mortification of sin without any salvo or exception 421 to 427. It stands in an exercise of all Graces 427 428. It makes a man holy in ordinances alms prosperity adversity contracts calling 428 to 441. There is such an exercise of graces as causeth them to grow 441 to 447. The conclusion of the Chapter 447 to 449. CHAP. I. Chap 1 A short View of Gods All-sufficiency and condescension in revealing himself The various ways of Manifestation In the making of the World and Man After the fall in the moral Law and in types and shadows Lastly and above all in and by Jesus Christ GOD All-sufficient must needs be his own happiness he hath his Being from himself and his happiness is no other than his being radiant with all Excellencies and by intellectual and amatorious reflexions turning back into the fruition of it self His Understanding hath prospect enough in his own infinite Perfections his Will hath rest enough in his own infinite Goodness he needed not the pleasure of a World who hath an eternal Son in his bosom to joy in nor the breath of Angels or men who hath an eternal Spirit of his own he is the Great All comprizing all within himself nay unless he were so he could not be God Had he let out no beams of his glory or made no intelligent creatures to gather up and return them back to himself his happiness would have suffered no eclipse or diminution at all his Power would have been the same if it had folded up all the possible Worlds within its own arms and poured forth never an one into being to be a monument of it self His Wisdom the same if it had kept in all the orders and infinite harmonies lying in its bosom and set forth no such series and curious contexture of things as now are before our eyes His Goodness might have kept an eternal Sabbath in it self and never have come forth in those drops and models of Being which make up the Creation His Eternity stood not in need of any such thing as time or a succession of instants to measure its duration nor his Immensity of any such Temple as Heaven and Earth to dwell in and fill with his presence His Holiness wanted not such pictures of it self as are in Laws or Saints nor his Grace such a channel to run in as Covenants or Promises His Majesty would have made no abatement if it had had no train or host of creatures to wait upon it or no rational ones among them such as Angels and men to sound forth its praises in the upper or lower World Creature-praises though in the highest tune of Angels are but as silence to him as that Text may be read Psalm 65.1 Were he to be served according to his Greatness all the men in the World would not be enough to make a Priest nor all the other creatures enough to make a Sacrifice fit for him Is it any pleasure to him that thou art righteous saith Eliphaz Job 22.3 No doubt he takes pleasure in our righteousness but the complacence is without indigence and while he likes it he wants it not That such an infinite All-sufficient One should manifest himself must needs be an act of admirable supereffluent Goodness such as indeed could not be done without stooping down below his own Infinity that he might gratifie our weakness Those two Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports flesh or weakness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to annunciate and declare good tidings are of a neer affinity In the mysterie of the Incarnation God came down into our flesh and in every other manifestation of himself he comes down as it were into the weakness of creatures or notions that we who cannot hear or understand the eternal Word in it self or enter the Light inaccessible might see him in reflexes and finite glasses such as we are able to bear Every manifestation imports condescension The World as fair and goodly a structure as it is is but instar puncti aut nihili like a little drop or small dust to him Creature-reason though a divine particle and more glorious than the Sun it self is but a little spark for the Infinite Light to shew himself in No words no not those in the purest Laws and richest Promises are able to reach him who as an Ancient hath it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essence Goodness Wisdom all in hyperbole in a transcendent excess above words or notions His Name is above every name nevertheless he humbles himself to appear to our minds in a Scripture-image nay to our very senses in the body of Nature that we might clasp the arms of Faith and Love about the holy beams and in their light and warmth ascend up to their great Original the Father of Lights and Mercies God hath manifested himself many ways He set up the material World that he though an invisible Spirit might render himself visible therein all the hosts of Creatures wear his colours Sensible things say the Platonists are but the types and resemblances of spiritual which are the primitive and archetypal Beings Every thing here below say the Jewish Cabalists hath some root above and all Worlds have the print and seal of God upon them Eternity shadows forth it self in time infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness pourtray out themselves upon finite things in such legible characters that as soon as we open our eyes upon them we see innumerable creatures pointing to the Creator and teaching that Wisdom which Archytas the Philosopher placed in the reduction of all things to one great Original Almighty Power hath printed it self upon the World nay upon every little particle of it
foundation of the Law Dr. Li. Harm fol. 38. The words of the Scribes say they are more worthy than the words of the Law and more weighty than the words of the Prophets Thus departed they from the Scriptures and run themselves into a Labyrinth of Errors the power and vigor of Religion was evaporated into rituals and empty formalities if their Phylacteries were broad it was no matter how narrow the Law or Obedience to it were A clean outside would serve the turn though within there were nothing but hellish pollution Great vices might pass so as they were but sub umbrâ virtutis under a shadow of virtue their honesty was confined to those of their own Religion none else were neighbours with them they might lye or deal falsly with a stranger he was no neighbour if they did kill a stranger Seld. de sure Nat. Dr. Li. Harm fol. 46. they were not to dye for it by the sentence of the Sanhedrin he was no neighbour Nay and among themselves their Corban was able to untie the bonds of Nature and free them from Duty and Charity to their very Parents they seemed to be for cleansing the outside yet they fell into gross abominations The very Scribes and Pharisees their great Rabbies and Leaders from whom they were not to decline though they were told by them that their right-hand were their left would devour Widows houses and what but frauds and oppressions could be looked for among the ordinary sort Indeed among great and small ones there was a deluge of iniquity they had made their sins great and to fill up the measure they killed the Lord of life This was the fearful state of the Jews The Gentile World lay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5.19 in the evil one in the hand and power of the Devil or in that which is evil in wickedness corrupting as a dead man doth in his Grave It 's true within they had an implanted notion of a Deity without they had the Creatures proclaiming their Creator But alas They held the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 That little spark in their bosom which revealed a Deity was but a Captive it could not break out to give Glory to its Maker nor was it able to bear up the Honour of God in the World They could not but know God yet acknowledg him they would not though he made and bear up all things yet they owned him not no not in his own World They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed leasts and creeping things Rom. 1.23 And a little after They changed the truth of God into a lye and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Vers 25. They fell into all manner of Idolatries any thing might be God but the true one An high dishonour it was for them to prefer the vilest Creatures before the Optimus Maximus the best and greatest of Beings An horrible lye it was for them practically to say That a brute or a man or a star was a God or that a stock or a stone or a little dead matter in an Image did resemble the infinite Spirit Upon their Idolatry being an accursed departure from God the fountain of Goodness immediately followed a black train of abominations They were filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers back-biters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inventers of evil things disobedient to parents without understanding covenant-breakers without natural affection implacable unmerciful Rom. 1.29 30 31. They were in these things as in their Element acting out of sinful hearts and habits and so gratifying their first and second corrupt Nature both at once And for all this they seemed to have a Patent from Heaven in the Vices of their gods which their own Authors set before them they did but follow their Deities their sins were made Divine by the highest Example This was the state of the Gentiles And now what manner of Power was that which raised up an holy People to God out of so corrupted a World And how much work was there to be done about it The light was to be commanded out of darkness The blind minds were to be opened upon Divine Mysteries The Law was to come forth in its pure Spirituality The great necessity of Christ and Grace was to be inwardly felt Shadows were to be turned into substance Religion was to be brought back to the heart The musty Traditions were to vanish before the Word The old Idols to be cast to the Bats and the Moles those blind Creatures The fallen Nature was to be new-framed The sinful habits to be unravelled Sinners twice dead in sin were to be raised up into a Divine Life Here a very excellent Power was manifested Hence the Apostle prays for the Ephesians That they may have eyes to see it that they may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. The words are very magnificent Power mighty Power exceeding greatness of Power all working and in act as it was in the raising up Christ from the dead so great a work is it to bring home sinners to God! The Divine Power will yet be more illustrious in our Eyes if we look upon the state of the World in the great Men of it such as were great in Power or Wisdom The great men in Power the Emperors and Potentates of the World were utter Enemies to Christianity breathing out nothing but blood against the Professors of it Nero first kindled the furnace of Persecution against them he took occasion as pure malice uses to do from his own barbarous act first causing Rome to be set on fire and then casting the odium of that horrid act upon the Christians He set forth Edicts commanding to persecute them unto Death as Enemies of mankind which made Tertullian say That it was grande bonum Apol. cap. 5. some great good that Nero condemned Domitian first slew his Brother Titus and then blowed up the furnace of Persecution against the Christians He spent most of his time in catching of flies yet would not omit the Christians Trajan no Nero no Domitian but in esteem a pattern of uprightness carried on the bloody work he would not indeed have the Christians sought for yet if found he would have them punished Antoninus Philosophus was amiable to all others yet cruel to Christians Severus though illustrious in Moral virtues was stained with their innocent blood Afterwards Maximinus Si Tyberis ascendit in mania si Nilus non ascendit in arva si coelum stetit si terra movit si fames si lues statim Christianos ad leonem acclamatur Tert. Ap. cap. 39. Decius Valerianus
present evil one The Philosophers with all their Arts and Eloquence could not decoy them from supernatural Mysteries or induce them to take up their repose in humane Learning or Wisdom The whole World was annihilated to them and they unto themselves they became fools that they might be wise and Nothing that God might be All the Ornaments and Self-excellencies were put off that they might be compleat in Christ They lay at Gods feet for Mercy and lived in a continual dependance upon the influences of his Spirit and Grace In such a work as this the Arm of God must needs be revealed in a very eminent manner Here we have just cause to say What hath God wrought The Divine Power will yet more appear if we look upon the instruments in this Work In making the World there were none at all no Leavers or Engines to rear up the great Fabrick An Almighty word absolved it in converting it instruments were used but such that by the no-proportion between them and the great effect it might appear that the Power was of God only He sent not the glorious Angels to Preach up a crucified Christ but Men. The treasure was in Earthen-vessels in poor frail Mortals who carried about bodies of Clay That the excellency of the power might be of God 2 Cor. 4.7 that it might be clearly seen that the great Work was Gods Among men he sent not the Anshe Shem Persons of Renown for Learning or Wisdom but mean illiterate men Hence the Apostle saith God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1.27 that the Divine Power might appear in the Work These mean men preached not with excellency of speech or wisdom 1 Cor. 2.1 with the charms of Eloquence or the pomp of humane Wisdom but with plain words their Preaching was look't upon as foolishness That salvation should be by a crucified Christ seemed foolish that it should be communicated by Preaching Sclat in Pools Synop. seemed more foolish that it should be done by Preaching in a low simple plain manner seemed most foolish of all Yet in this way it was that Christ would ride conquering and to conquer the World to himself The great success of their Preaching was a signal proof that God was with them of a truth At Peters first Sermon three thousand souls were converted unto God Act. 2.41 and at his second they were encreased to five thousand Act. 4.4 multitudes of Believers came in to Christianity In a little time the Gospel was propagated over a great part of the World one Paul spread it from Jerusalem to Illyricum And what did all the rest of the Apostles who carried about this Evangelical light do What did the seventy Disciples do who as Ecclesiastical Writers say had their several Provinces to Preach the Gospel in The word did then run and was glorified it passed through many Countries with a Divine swiftness and success at the sound of the Gospel the World was spiritually turned upside down and of Pagan became Christian Tertullian enumerates divers Nations and at last adds touching us Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo tamen subdita sunt the Evangelical Power entred there where the Roman could not By such weak means to produce so great an effect was a work worthy of Omnipotence Moreover the Divine Power will yet more appear if we consider the things proposed in the Gospel Narces the Roman-General discontented at the Empress Sophia to invite the Lombards into Italy sent them many sorts of excellent fruits from thence The Present being congruous to sense the project took effect The Gospel indeed proposes very excellent things to us But they are so great and so far above humane Nature that the proposal if not accompanied with a Divine Power would have been altogether ineffectual I shall instance in two or three things 1. It proposes super-rational Mysteries such as the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity The Incarnation of the Son of God The Satisfaction made to Justice by his Blood These are objects of Faith and so depend one upon another that unless we believe the Trinity we cannot believe the Incarnation and unless we believe that we cannot believe a Satisfaction and without believing that we cannot fulfil the condition of the Gospel which requires us to rest upon Christ for salvation These therefore are necessary objects of Faith but without an Act of Divine Power Faith in these cannot be had Two things evidence this the one is ex parte objecti the things are above Reason As the things of Reason are above Sense so the things of Faith are above Reason without a Revelation Reason could not have found out these Mysteries after it Reason cannot comprehend them It may shadow them out by similitudes but there is in them a light unapproachable such as Reason cannot look into an infinite Abyss such as Reason cannot measure The other is ex parte subjecti man who is to believe these things is fallen and in his fall not one or two faculties fell but all of them and among the rest his intellectual and believing faculties fell also The intellect hath lost its subjection to God the Supreme Truth The believing faculty centers in the Creature and without the Power of Grace cannot lift up it self to supernatural Truths A Divine Power is requisite to captivate the understanding to the first Truth to elevate the believing faculty to super-rational Mysteries Hence in Scripture Faith is called the Gift and Work of God such an one as is the product of Divine Power it is wrought by Power Eph. 1.19 it is fulfilled and consummated by Power 1 Thes 1.11 it is stiled the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 It is not from our own spirit but Gods outwardly revealing the mysterious object in Scripture and inwardly inlightning and elevating the heart to entertain it Hence Fulgentius compares the production of Faith in the heart Carnem illam nec concipere Virgo posset nec parere nisi ejusdem carnis Spiritus Sanctus operaretur exortum in hominis corde nec concipi sides poterit nec augeri nisi eam Spiritus Sanctus infundat nutrint ex eodem Spiritu venati sumus ex spuo natus est Christus Fulg. de Incar cap. 20. with the conception of Christ in the Virgins Womb both are by one and the same Spirit Christ is no less formed in the heart by it than his flesh was in the Virgin It is therefore a work of Power to raise up the mind of man to believe those supernatural Mysteries which are far above it self 2. It proposes super-super-moral Virtues It would have us to be humble and deny our selves To sanctifie the Lord in our hearts To have a love for his Goodness a fear for his Majesty and Greatness a faith for his Truth and Mercy a sincerity for his all-seeing eye and such a posture of soul
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
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
God not to punish them Now here two things may be observed The one is this Obstinacy is not punished for it self for in good it is Constancy and worthy of praise but it is punished because it is in evil Sin is punished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it self but Obstinacy for the sin only and if sin be punished for it self then every sin must be punished The other is this If Jesus Christ had not come and satisfied for us all sinners would have been impenitent and contumacious the grace of Repentance would never have been given by an unatoned God neither is it now derived to us but through a Mediator Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance Acts 5.31 Hence it appears that without Christ all sin would have been in conjunction with impenitency and consequently necessarily punished But a little more to clear this Necessity I shall lay down some Particulars 1. Man a rational Creature could not be created but he would immediately by the very frame of his Soul be under a Law His Reason by the innate notion of a Deity could not but be bound to know the Supreme Truth His Will by its propension to its proper Object could not but be bound to love the Supreme Goodness The Respects which are in the rational Powers towards their Creator are a Law never to be altered God will no more dissolve them than he will contradict his own work Man cannot loose himself from them which are interwoven with his immortal Faculties As long as God is God the Supreme Truth and Goodness and Man Man an Intellective and Elective Creature It must needs be indispensably just for us to know and love our Creator The differences of Good and Evil are founded in Nature The Image of Righteousness is not a movable thing for then the love of God might be it to day and by a Counter-motion the hatred of him might be such to morrow which is utterly impossible 2. Man by his very Creation being under a Law it could not be otherwise but God must be a Rector and Judg over him He that made must rule him He that put a Law into his Faculties must be his Judg His Rectitude and Justice made him fit to be so Hence that of the Apostle Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speak as a man God forbid for then how shrll God judg the world Rom. 3.5 and 6 As if he had said Unless God cease to be Himself unless his Righteousness and Justice fail He must needs be Judg. 3. God being Rector and Judg He must needs carry himself as becomes one of infinite Rectitude and Justice It is right that sin should be punished And shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right After Man nay all the Race of mankind had for many Ages turned Rebels against God and violated and as much as in them lieth made void his Sacred Laws After they had by the contempt of their sins despised his Majesty and Soveraignty and by the turpitude of them offended his Purity and Holiness should all this pass unpunish'd how black would the Consequence be Would it not be a blot to his Government to nod and let fall the reins of Discipline a slight to his Law to neglect it as a thing ill-contrived or unworthy of a Vindication Would not the great things of the Law appear very small and the horrible Ataxy of sin a minute inconsiderable nothing Must not the divine Attributes of Rectitude and Justice be co-sufferers with that Law upon whose Commands and Comminations their very Image is engraven Would not the face of things look as if the moral Foundations the Differences of good and evil were shaken and destroyed as if all things were indifferent and sin or no sin were all one to the Holy One Which way should his infinite hatred and abhorrence of sin be manifested no more displeasure outwardly appearing at a world of sin than there would at none at all The total managery of things no way demonstrating Sin to be odious or Holiness grateful Obedience failing and there being nothing vicarious no Punishment to supply the room of it How could the order between the Creator and the Creature be preserved or what would become of that moral dependance and subjection which we owe to our Maker Doubtless no defect no jeofail can be in his Sacred Government His just Anger requires that Discipline should be kept Manners corrected and Licentiousness suppressed As an Ancient speaks Man being under a Law Surgimus ad vindictam non quia lasi sumus sed ut disciplina servetur mores corrigantur licentia comprimatur haec est justa ira quae sicut in homine necessaria est ita in Dto à qno ad hominem pervenit exemplum Lact. de Ira Dei. God must needs be Rector and being such He cannot chuse but act like himself in a just decorum to his holy Attributes and Law No blot or irregularity can light upon his Government Sin which makes a breach upon the sacred Order must be reduced in such a punitive way as may bear witness to his Rectitude and Justice There are two things in Sin a Macula a corrupting Spot and a Reatus an obliging Guilt The Spot is such a Turpitude and ill-temper of mind that the Soul in which it is resident and regnant cannot have Happiness the Guilt is such a Chain and strong binder unto Wrath that the Soul to which it adheres cannot have Impunity The Wisdom of God secures and ascertains the first Why should not his Justice secure and ascertain the second seeing God by the Law of his Essence is as much bound to act in congruity to his Justice as to his Wisdom 4. Upon supposal that a Punishment or Satisfaction were not necessary What should those millions of Sacrifices and slain Beasts under the Law mean If the substance the Sacrifice of Christ might have been spared what should the types and shadows do Nay why should the Son of God come and sweat and bleed and dye upon a Cross under Divine Wrath if all this might have been spared God doth not multiply things without cause much less did he make his dear Son the Curse causeless The Apostle tells us That it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin Heb. 10.4 But why so if a meer nothing a no-sacrifice might do it He signally distinguishes the blood of Beasts purifies the flesh and takes away Ceremonial Guilt But which is infinitely more the blood of Christ purges the Conscience and takes away real Guilt Heb. 9.13 14. But will not this distinction be altogether vain if no blood at all were requisite to take away guilt Also the Apostle asserts That we are justified by Christs blood Rom. 5.9 But why not without it if a Satisfaction were unnecessary It is very hardly imaginable that the All-wise God should fetch a compass and
go round about by his Sons blood when a word a merciful pleasure might have done the work without it These things premised I now proceed to shew how Punitive Justice was manifested in the Sufferings of Christ The Apostle speaks memorably God set forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins as if he had said There could be no remission without it and to make it the more emphatical he doubles the phrase To declare I say at this time his righteousness and withal he adds That he may be just Rom. 3.25 26. Righteousness that is Punitive Justice was eminently demonstrated in the propitiatory Sufferings of Christ unless this were so no sufficient account could be possibly given of them The Socinians who deny Christ's Satisfaction cannot give a tolerable reason thereof For what say they Christ in his Sufferings was an example of Patience I answer he was so but there was a Cloud of suffering-Martyrs before his Incarnation and then what singular thing was there in his Passion It 's true he was the greatest Pattern that ever was but had that been all why did he suffer as our Sponsor and Mediator why did he bear the Sin of a World and the Wrath of God due to it Here he was alone no man no Angel was able to trace or follow him The Saints may fill up the Sufferings of Christ in his mystical body but they cannot dare not aspire so far as to go about to imitate him in those satisfactory Ones which were in his own proper body Had he been only an exemplary Saviour he could have saved none at all Not those under the Old Testament for Example doth not like Merit look backward to those who were before it Nor those under the New for no meer Example no not that of an Incarnate God could have raised up Man out of the ruins of the Fall unless there had been in his Sufferings a Satisfaction to Justice The Guilt of Sin could not have been done away unless there had been therein a Merit to procure the Holy Spirit The Power of Sin could not have been subdued a meer exemplary Christ would have been but a titular Saviour The great design of raising up a Church out of the corrupt Mass of Mankind would have failed a Pattern only being too weak a bottom for it to stand upon Again they say Christ suffered that he might confirm the Covenant with his own blood I answer the Covenant was confirmed in Abrahams time Gal. 3.17 It was made immutable by Gods Word and Oath Heb. 6.17 It was ratified by the glorious Miracles of Christ it was sealed up by the precious blood of Martyrs and why must the Son of God dye for it or if he must might not a simple death serve Why was there a Curse and an horrible Desertion upon him There can be no imaginable coherence or connexion between his bearing the tokens of Gods Wrath and his confirming the Covenant of Grace the one can have no congruity or subserviency to the other The Scripture therefore which gives a better account tells us that he dyed to pay a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom for us obtain eternal Redemption abolish and make an end of sin deliver from the world and the wrath to come reconcile to God purchase a Church and bring in everlasting Righteousness and an happy Immortality suitable thereunto These noble and excellent ends could not be compassed but by Sufferings penal and satisfactory such as had the bitter ingredients of Divine Wrath and displeasure in them Christ was not a meer Witness but a Priest Redeemer and Mediator His blood was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Testimony but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Propitiation neither was it only confirmative of the Covenant but fundative all the Promises of Grace and Glory sprung up out of his satisfactory and meritorious Passion Further they say that in his Sufferings the immense Love of God was manifested I answer His immense Love was indeed very Illustrious in giving his Son but to what purpose was he given but to be a Propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this was love that he sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins saith the Apostle 1 John 4.10 When inexorable Justice-stood as an Obstacle in the way when Satisfaction must be made or mankind eternally perish then infinite Love appeared in giving the only begotten Son to be an expiatory sacrifice for us to satisfie Justice that we might partake of Mercy But if a Satisfaction were needless if the Sufferings of Christ might have been spared Where is the vehemence of Love It may seem rather to be in Remission of sin than in the Passion of our Saviour That Remission should come to us through his intervenient Death when that Death was not necessary looks not so much like an act of Love as of Sapience and yet how Sapience should unnecessarily and without just cause order so great a thing as the Death of Christ to be I cannot understand Moreover they say Christ suffered that his Death intervening we might be assured by his Resurrection of our own and of life eternal to be obtained in a way of Obedience But I answer This is rather to assign the end of Christs Resurrection than of his Death for his Death here comes in only by the by as a meer intervenient thing a causa sine qua non a thing which hath no proper end of its own It is not to me imaginable that such an one as he was should dye meerly to testifie to those things which were before fecured by the immutable Word and Oath of God himself O beatos nos quorum causâ Deus jurat miseros si ne juranti credimus saith Tertullian his Oath cannot but be a sufficient security It 's true Christs Death and Resurrection do assure Believers that they shall rise and live for ever in Glory But how do they do it what exemplarily only no surely his Death was satisfactory for sin and meritorious of life eternal His Resurrection was a Seal a pregnant proof that the Satisfaction made by his Death was full and consummate Hence arises in Believers an assurance of Life and Immortality the same being purchased and paid for by the blood of Jesus Had his Death and Resurrection been exemplary only which way should an assurance be drawn from it The argument if any must run after some such rate as this Jesus Christ God as well as Man one having Power over his own life free from all sin never seeing corruption able to overcome death it self did rise from the grave Ergo meer men having no power over their lives tainted with sin subject to corruption unable to conquer death shall rise also the inconsequence is apparent On the other hand let the argument run thus Jesus Christ did by a passion of infinite Merit and Satisfaction purchase eternal life for Believers Ergo they shall be sure