talis de persona peccatoriâ— in per sonam aliam transire Neque etiam sapientia Dei quae in boc negotio maxâ—mè elucet locum babitura videtur si per naturam nequisset Deuâ— aliter â—gere sapientia enim est electrix mediorum Luk. 24. 26 27. Joh. 10. 18. weighty For hereby God manifesteth his just indignation against sin and magnifieth the riches of his grace and tender compassion towards the sinner whom he is pleased to save from deserved wrath Seeing then God decreed not to deliver man from the sentence of death contracted by sin but upon satisfaction made to divine justice and the punishment of sin borne by his surety of necessity if Christ become a Mediatour to intercede for us he must undertake to pay our debts and in our roome and steed to suffer what we deserved And as he undertook so he hath borne the chastisement of our peace and by bearing the punishment hath taken away our sins That Christ did under-goe the punishment due to sinners as their surety is evident in this that he died for us For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23 5. 12. which God inflicteth upon none but either a sinner or him that beareth the person of a sinner 2 Cor. 15. 21 22. Col. 1. 14. Eph. 1. 7. Heb. 12. 2. Act 20. 28. Col. 1. 20. Rom. 3 25. Gal. 3. 13. Heb. 12. 24. wherefore seeing Christ in himselfe most innocent did suffer death it necessarily followeth that he suffered not in his owne but in our name and satisfied the Father for us Hitherto it makes that he suffered not any kind of death whatsoever but ignominious violent judiciall and accursed such as had the sence of Gods wrath adjoyned For no reason can be imagined why Christ should so much dread death which the Martyrs endured without feare but that for the time he was deprived of that refreshing of divine grace and favour wherewith they were sustained and confirmed 2 Cor. 4 8 9. in the midst of the fire Nor is there any thing whither we can referre those tremblings of Christ those groanes and teares in which he was heard that desire that the cup might passe from him but to the imposition of our sinnes and that conflict with the wrath of God which followed from it The death of our Saviour is referred to his unspeakeable love towards us Joh. 14. Rev. 1. 5. Gal. 2. 20. 13. Gal. 2. 20. Ephes 5. 2 23. But if he could not but I de because he was man he shewed his infirmity in dying rather then the fervour of his love For though Christ had loved us unto death Soc. lib. 3. de Serv. c. 5. yet had he not commended his love in dying if he dyed by condition of nature and had not being innocent laid downe his life for us mortall because sinners In like manner Christ is said to have Lev. 5. 1. 10. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. 10. Ezek. 18. 20. 2 King 7. 9. Syr. portavit et ascendere secit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sursum serre Luk. â—4 51. sursum ducere Matth. 17. 1. Mar. 9. 2. Heb. 7. 27. Jam. 2. 21. Heb. 13. 15. 1 Pet. 2. 24. carried our sinnes and that in his body upon the tree which in usuall phrase of Scripture is to be punished for our sinnes and pay the punishment of our sinnes Isa 53. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Lev. 19 8. 20. 17. 24 15. Numb 14. 23. 30. 16. Lam. 5. 7. Ezek 18. 20. And such a carrying is described to which smiting is adjoyned and the chastisement of our peace from the translation of all our iniquities upon Christ Isa 53. 5. For as it followeth in the same place immediately He was afflicted that is with the punishment due to sinne which was laid upon him Isa 53. 6 7. Whereunto those passages of Scripture might be referred which say that Christ made his soule an offering for sinne Isa 53. 10. that he that knew no sinne was made sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he hath redeemed us from the curs of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. in which he must of necessity be understood who bears the punishments of sinne And it is against reason that he should be said to beare the sinnes of others who suffers by occasion of sin only unlesse he beare the punishment of sinne and take it upon himselfe For who will say he that suffers losse or dammage from the fault of a thiefe doth beare his sinne when he doth not beare the punishment of theft nor is punished for it The Evangelist translates this saying of the Prophet to corporall diseases which Christ did not receive upon himselfe it is by way of similitude and Math. 8. 16 177 agreement in the thing it selfe although the manner of the thing be diverse as also by such miracles Christ declared himselfe to be that Messiah who was to beare and by bearing to take away our sinnes Moreover the Scripture saith Christ died for our sinnes 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. 3. Gal. 1. 4. Heb. 10. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 18. and was delivered to death for our offences Rom. 4. 23. and for sinners and wicked Isa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 53. 6. Rom. 5. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 21. to be made sinne for us 1 Pet. 3. 18. to suffer the just for the unjust which import that sinne was the efficient meritorious cause of the death of Christ for sinne cannot Psal 39. 12. Psal 73 18 19. 10â— 17. Ephes 5. â— otherwise be the cause of punishment but by way of merit nor can any man be said to be punished for sinne but the meritorious cause of punishing is noted thereby And those particles applied to other things may note the finall cause applied to sufferings they point out the efficient or meritorious only and sinnes deserve affliction per modum paenae Lev. 26. 39. Deut. 18. 12. 1 King 14. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 38. Luk. 11. 11. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 15. Heb. 12. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the impulsive cause Rom. 15. 9. 2 Cor. 1. 11. Ephes 1. 16. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 7. 4. 9. 2. 12. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 4. Jud. ver 15. Sic Latini pro beneficijs gratias agere ulcisci pro injurijs c. Christ is said to die not only for our sinnes but for us not for our good alone but in our roome and steed as the phrase importeth and the one particle used signifieth opposition or subrogation and commutation Mat. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. Joh. 11. 50. Rom. 5. 7 8. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Heb. 2 9. 1 Pet. 2. 2. and the latter though sometimes it admit a different sence in this matter must be expounded by the former Rom. 9. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Christ
died the Just for the unjust that is being just he was substituted for us unjust and suffered not only for our good as the Martyrs may be said to doe Isa 53 9 10. Rom. 5. 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 13. The same is demonstrated by this that Christ is said to be the Mediatour who gave himselfe a ransome for all men 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. that by redemption of transgressions which were under the former Covenant they that are called might receive the inheritance Heb. 9 15. and the mediation it selfe is joyned to the sprinkling of blood Heb 12. 24. so that none other mediation is to be understood then that whereby parties disagreeing are set at one Hitherto it is to be referred that we are said to be reconciled to God by the blood of Christ Rom 5. 10 11. 2 Cor. 5. 18. Ephes 2. 16. Col. 1. 20. whereby our conversion to God is not understood as if we who hated God before had now departed there from and did set our love upon him but that we which formerly were under wrath are restored into favour that which caused that seperation being taken away by the satisfaction of Christ and free condonation of grace Therefore Christ is called our Heb. 2. 17. sig ibi expiatiâ—nem sedeam quae fit placâ—ndâ— propitiatorie Rom. 3. 25. and propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 2. 4. 10. not a testimony of placation because God in Christ is made propitious unto us and not we propitious to God In Scripture God is said to reconcile the world unto himselfe according to the usuall manner of speaking wherein he that offendeth is therefore said to be reconciled because as he gave occasion to hatred so he hath need of reconciliation and the pacifying of him whom he hath Sophocles in Ajace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dijs conciliari i. ipsâ—s reddere propâ—tios Punitio omnis qua talis sive impersonaliter spectata causam habet justitiam Dei. Procataâ—ctica verâ— causa sunt peccata itidem impersonaliter in genere spectata sine determinatione punitio verò quae pro alio est plane miseriâ—ordiae divinae opus est procatarctica vero causâ— sunt peccara nostra satisfâ—ctionem exigentia Voss resp cap. 12. offended although the reconciliation of them that be offended be not excluded The deliverance which we obtaine by Christ is called redemption which was made by the paiment of a price Rom 3. 24. Gal. 3. 13. Ephes 1. 7. Heb. 9 12. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Matth. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 7. 23. and redemption made by a price can be no other then by satisfaction or substitution as the Apostle saith Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. 1 Tim. 26. Faith and repentance and preaching of the Gospell come betwixt that we might obtaine spirituall deliverance from the captivity of sinne but no man will say that we are redeemed by them as by a price whereby we obtaine deliverance In the legall sacrifices sinnes were expiated no other way but by substitution how much more was Christ who is the bodie of those shadowes substituted for the sinnes of the faithfull Wherefore the Apostle saith Christ was appointed to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Heb. 2. 17. that is that by expiating the sinnes of the people he might pacifie God in the same sence wherein the blood of Christ is said to purge the conscience Heb. 9. 13 14. Therefore the Scripture useth those words in this businesse which note recompence and subrogation as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both to pacifie and reconcile Gen 3. 20 Prov. 16 14. and to recompence or satisfie 2 Sam. 21. 3. Exod. 21 30. Psal 49. 8. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recompence or pay Gen. 31. 39. In the legall sacrifices there was a typicall expiation but the conscience was not purged nor sinne taken away or heavenly Heb. 9. 9 10. 4. 9. 23â— things sanctified by such sacrifices but the sacrifice of Christ was necessary by which things of so greaâ— moment were effected which was tipified by the legall sacrifices and was effectuall as a morall cause of Salvation before Christ was exhibited in the flesh And if the Fathers of the â—lâ— Testament were saved by Christ of necessity the satisfaction of Christ was true and reall for when it was not distinctly understood it could not profit them as an example or confirmation of doctrine but as a reall satisfaction only If Christ by his death had confirmeâ— his doctrine only and not Heb. 5. â— made satisfaction be had not died as a Priest whose office it is to offer sacrifice and make attonement but the Scripture sheweth plainly that Christ is our high Priest according to the order of Melchizedech Psal 110. 4. Heb. 7. 14 15. who hath offered up himselfe a sweet smelling sacrifice Ephes 5. 2. and sanctified us by one offering up of himselfe once for all Heb. 10. 11 12. And because the sacrifice of Christ may be considered either as he offered Heb. 9. 13 23. up himselfe for all the faithfull in generall his sheep and Church or as every particular faithfull man is comprehended under that universality and the good things purchased for all tend to the salvation of every singular beleever God would have the first should be shadowed forth by the anniversary sacrifice and some others which were offered for all the people the latter by the private sacrifices of every sinner Lev. 5. Exod. 29. 30. Christ then as Mediatour by his death hath made satisfaction for us and that true full reall satisfaction and not by a certaine fiction of Law or divine acceptilation as they call it For why did God exact the bloody death of his Sonne if it had pleased him to rest in any light satisfaction The Apostle concludes the sacrifice of Christ to be necessary because it is impossible the blood of Bulls and Goats should doe away sinnes Heb. 10. 4. which argument concludes not if Christ hath satisfied only as it pleased the Father to accept of his imperfect satisfaction as if it had been perfect The satisfaction of Christ was free because he was freely given to satisfie but the decree of God presupposed to shew his mercy and justice full satisfaction was necessary because sinne must be punished as the Law requireth or God is not true as in his promises so in his threatnings None other wages is appointed for sinne but death Rom. 6. 23. hence he that is dead is justified from sinne Rom. 6 7. But Christ suffered death and by death made recompence to justice for our debt and in that he died for sinne he died once Rom. 6. 9 10. He tasted death that by death he might destroy him that had the Heb. 2. 9 14 15. power of death that is the devill and deliver them who through feare of death
lapsus peccati statu alijsque peccatis excepta sola impenitentia considerantur c. Sicut fidelibus quatalibus fructus impetratae gratiae proprié obtingit ita infidelibus rebellibus qua talibus gratia impetrata non est c. pag. 312. The second sort of Divines distinguish the sufficiency and efficiency of Christs death In respect of the worth and greatnesse of the price he died for all men because it was sufficient for the redemption of every man in the world if they did repent and believe and God might without impeachment of justice have offered Salvation to every man in the world upon that condition if it had been his pleasure In the efficiency as every man or any man hath fruit by the death of Christ so Christ died for him But this is not of one kind some fruit is common to every man for as Christ is Lord of all things in heaven and earth even the earthly blessings which infidels injoy may be tearmed fruits of Christs death Others proper to the members of the visible Church and common to them as to be called by the word injoy the Ordinances of grace live under the Covenant partake of some graces that come from Christ which through their fault be not saving and in this sence Christ died for all that be under the Covenant But other fruits of Christs death according to the will of God and intention of Christ as Mediatour be peculiar to the sheep of Christ his brethren them that be given unto him of the Father as faith unfained regeneration pardon of sinne adoption c. and so they hold Christ died efficiently for his people only in this sence namely so as to bring them effectually to faith grace and glory Now let us come to examine what the Scriptures teach in this particular The Apostle writeth expressely that by the grace of Heb. 2. 9. God Christ tasted of death for all men or distributively for every man Some referre this to the sufficiency of Christs death but all men cannot be referred to man-kinde considered in the common masse or lapse for the words must be understood of the death of Christ as it was suffered in time and not as it was decreed of God and of men considered as at that time But at what time Christ suffered mankind could not be considered as in the transgression of our first Parents The Jewes were of opinion that Christ the Messiah was promised a Saviour to them only How to impetrate Salvation No but to be applied as in Covenant Now to beate downe their pride the Apostle saith Christ tasted of death for all sc both Jew and Gentile who stood in relation by virtue of the Covenant as the Jewes did So that the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death which is not absolutely common to all and every man in the world and by every man is meant every man who heareth receiveth and is partaker of the fruit and benefit of Christs death offered in the word of reconciliation every man who is under the new Covenant as it is propounded of God in the Gospell and accepted of them But every man under the new Covenant as he is under the Covenant is partaker of the fruit benefit of Christs death That the passage is to be understood of them that apply and possesse the fruit of his death is manifest by divers reasons from the verses precedent and subsequent The world to come verse 5. may well be that all or every man for whom Christ tasted death but that world to come is that happy age which the Prophets did foretell should begin at the comming of Christ whose accomplishment or fulfilling we expect as yet Beza an not in Heb. 2. 5. Corvin in Mal. cap. 29. § 1. Heb. 2. 10 11. 13 Isa 53. 10. Heb. 2. 16. They for whom Christ died are in the same Chapter described to be one that is of the same nature and spirituall condition with Christ to be his brethren such as trust in God the children of God given unto Jesus Christ the generation or posterity of Christ as the Prophet speaketh whom Christ tooke by the hand and lifted up from their fall the seed of Abraham But these things agree to them only that possesse the fruits and benefits of Christ for whom he died by way of application If the maintainers of universall redemption consider their owne grounds it will be hard to fit this Text to their purpose or rather from them the former exposition may be confirmed For either by all men they must understand mankind in the common lapse as fallen in Adam and then Christ by his death hath restored them into the favour of God they stand actually reconciled they be regenerated and if they die before by actuall sinne committed in their owne person they fall from that estate are undoubtedly saved or they must understand all men considered as obstinate impenitent rebellious unbelievers And then Christ died for all and every man as obstinate impenitent and unbelievers which I cannot find that any of them hath or dare affirme or by all men they must understand all beleevers who apply and possesse the benefits of Christs death which is that we affirme They say how truly I dispute not his dominion over all men that they are bound to obey him and live unto him is grounded upon his dying for every one But if that be granted is it not necessary that his death should be applied to every one in some sort at least made knowne unto them in the word of life For men are bound to obey and live unto Christ as they will grant not because he hath impetrated righteousnesse and salvabilitie but because he hath entred into Covenant with them made knowne unto them the way of life imparted unto them his blessings and they have accepted of the condition and received him to be their Saviour And these words By the grace of God I should thinke import more to them then that velleity or common mercy or generall affection of doing good which Armin. and Corvin make naturall and as they teach God beareth towards them that he hateth Corvin in Molin cap. 29. Sect. 2. which was the cause why he gave Christ to die for all men even that free grace and love whereby he quickens them that were dead in trespasses and saveth them that believe Ephes 2. 5. As for the particle All or every one examples are usuall in Scripture where it is used with fit limitation though neither all precisely nor the most part be signified and that confessed by all sides But what need paralell places to prove it may be when the circumstances of the text shew it must be limited and they that most presse universall redemption are enforced to acknowledge a limitation in this matter It is objected that the holy Ghost speaketh generally in the beginning of the Chapter What is man But how to frame any Heb.
invitation is life and salvation This is manifest in that the Lord doth earnestly againe and againe call upon impenitent and obstinate sinners to repent and believe protesting that he desires not their death but rather that they should repent and live when yet in his just and dreadfull judgement he hardeneth their hearts for their perversenesse and rebellion that they cannot repent But in respect of the good pleasure of God not to give them grace to repent and believe which of his rich mercy he gives to others who have abused what they received no lesse perhaps more then they the end is to manifest his justice in them for the contempt of his grace For what God doth command intreat perswade and promise that he doth will as he doth command in â—reat perswade and promise it But as God doth justly denie that grace to one which of his free love he vouchsafeth unto another so he willeth to manifest his justice in the one sort and the riches of his grace in the other Lastly Some object that they that are invited must either have Christ he not dying for them or misse of Christ though they repented whereof the former would argue mutability that Christ should die for men and not die for them and the latter would be a breach of promise A conceit not much unlike drove Socinus to denie the prescience of God because whencesoever this prescience commeth it is altogether certaine and from that is necessarily gathered an antecedent necessity of all things which are done Socin Praelect cap. 8. And in the same forme and manner a man may reason from the prescience of God if God approve the repentance and faith of them whom he doth certainly foreknow to have no portion or benefit by the death of Christ then either if they repent they shall have no benefit which is contrary to his promise or if they have benefit then is God deceived neither of which can be admitted without blasphemie And the answer to both these cavils is one that certaine it is Christ died for them that believe and whosoever believeth in him truly and unfainedly shall have benefit by his death but we need not we cannot say Christ died for them for whom he died not or that God is changeable For it is as sure and true that they will not repent and believe for whom Christ died not The connexion is good if the reprobate doe repent and believe unfainedly they shall be partakers of the benefits of Christs death but the simple Propositions are both false the reprobates doe repent and they are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death Carnall reasonings have brought forth strange monsters in Divinity and in this particular not a few It is good for us to acknowledge the wisdome justice goodnesse mercy and truth of God in all his wayes though we cannot wade into the depth of his counsels If men give themselves leave to reason thus against the protestations of the Lord why doth he intreat and perswade them to returne why doth he complaine that they will not come unto him if he give them not grace to come if they will if he doe not enable them Might they not plead as well against the fore-knowledge of God in the same manner if God certainly fore-know that men will not returne upon such invitation why doth he intreat againe and againe sending his Prophets early and calling upon them when by the refusall of such mercy they aggravate their sin and encrease their judgement Sure amongst men such a course would be accounted idle unlesse it was done for a further end One answer will suffice to both Objections but when shall we make an end if we give way to our ignorant and blind imaginations Now let us come to the second opinion which is that Christ died and by his death satisfied the justice of God for all that have believed doe believe or shall believe that they and they only are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death The death and redemption of Christ they deny not to be sufficient for the salvation See Malder antisynod p. 23 24 Tapper in schol Lovan Art 6. Fr. Sonn l. 3. demonst Relig. Christ cap. 19. Heb. 13. 20. Zach. 9. 11. Mat. 26. 26. and 20. 28. Mar. 14. 24. Isa 53. 12. Luk. 22. 20 Heb. 9. 28. of all men nor that it is effectuall in many particulars to some that believe not sincerely but that if the will of God or the event be considered in respect of saving benefits it was peculiar to the faithfull For Christ the Mediatour of the Covenant of grace died for them only that be comprehended in the Covenant of grace His bloud is the bloud of the everlasting Covenant of the Covenant that God of his grace hath stricken with his Church and was shed for them that have been are and shall be called into that Covenant This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes For many both Jews and Gentiles of which the Church was to be gathered Luke hath it which is shed for you and so it was shed for them and for many of the same spirituall estate and condition with them for many under the same Covenant The word many is used for all sometime Rom. 5. 15 16 19. but here it is used rather to distinguish them that be in Covenant from them that be cast off and them to whom remission of sins purchased by the bloud of Christ Heb. 2. 10 13. is sealed in the Sacrament from them to whom it is applyed The remission of sinne here spoken of is not put for remissiblenesse but actuall remission granted and received for remission in act and application whereof all are not partakers If all be taken for the common sort and poore of the people which yet may be questioned and cannot be proved by any passage of Scripture or shew of reason and our Saviour used that phrase to testifie his aboundant love and humility in that he shed his bloud for the poore and inferiour ranks of men in this world it makes nothing against the former interpretation For not many mighty not many noble but the poore and base of this world are called and admitted into 1 Cor. 1. 21. Covenant But the faithfull only be effectually in Covenant they that be in Covenant according to the outward administration doe professe the faith and in some degree are conformable in respect of conversation they that be truely and effectually in Covenant doe soundly and unfainedly beleeve When the Scripture speakes of them that be out of Covenant it saith they are not knowne of God neither doe they know God that is they are not regarded of God neither Isai 55. 5. Exod. 4. 10. Exod. 5. 1. Jer. 10. 20. Isai 63. 8. Hos 1. 10. Tit. 2 14. Col 1. 21. Gal. 4. 26. Rom. 4. 16. doe they regard him when of them that live in Covenant it stileth
were all their life subject to bondage But when the Scripture nameth death generally it comprehends all that which God threatned in that sentence Thou shalt die the death that penall death which is the reward of sinne but not sinne it selfe which is penall only not sinfull Other mens debts are answered diverse wayes some answer them simply as redeemers some as sureties He that answers them as a suretie must pay the Heb. â— 6. same summe of money that the debtor oweth Now Christ is not only our Mediatour but our suretie Heb. 7. 22. and hence the mediation of Christ is called a propitiation Rom. 3. 25. 1 Joh. 2. 2. and the surety is of debt and justice to make full satisfaction because he hath voluntarily promised it and God the Father did in justice exact it Rom. 3. 24 25. and 8. 32. In the sufferings of Christ we must consider the circumstances and substance of his sufferings The circumstances as the person of the sufferer the cause of suffering and efficacy of the passion in which respect it was more then the Law required for the Law did not require that God should die nor that any one should die that had not finned nor such a death and of such efficacie as not only to abolish death but to bring in life and that by many degrees more excellent then that which Adam had lost but if we respect the substance of punishment it was that which the Law required which he paid of love free and voluntary and yet of justice Justice requireth the same summe of debt the dignity of Christs person nothing hindering and according to justice Christ made satisfaction As concerning the substance of punishment Christ suffered what was due to us but in the circumstances which pertained not to the substance of the debt some thing was pardoned to the dignity of the person In this stands the dignity of Christs person that he might be fit meritoriously to pay our debt so farre was it from freeing or acquitting him for any part of our debt He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Surely he hath born our griefes and carried our sorrowes Isai 53. 4. When the Scripture speakes so fully why should humane curiosity limit the sufferings of Christ as if they were not fully satisfactory but by divine acceptilation only Christ suffered not every particular punishment that every particular sinner meeteth withall but his passion was a common price payed at once for all his people satisfying justice for all their offences Rom. 5. 19. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 33. He bore our sinnes in his body upon the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. We are redeemed by his bloud Eph. 1. 7. The bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1 Joh. 1. 6. Phil. 2. 8. Col. 1. 20. He hath made peace by the bloud Voss respons ad Iudic. Ravens cap. 6. Robert Loeus Examen Eccl. The saur effigiet veri Sabbath of the crosse Touching the punishments which Christ suffered they were not ordinary but beyond measure grievous bitter and unsupportable yea such as would have made any meere creature to sinke down under the burthen of them to the bottome of hell For he suffered grievous things from all the things in heaven earth and hell He suffered at the hands of God his Father and of men of Jewes of Gentiles of enemies insulting of friends forsaking of the Prince of darknesse and all his cruell and mercilesse instruments But whereas of the punishments of sinne some be sinnes and punishments both others punishments only and some common to the nature of man others personall growing out of some imperfection and defect in the vertue and faculty forming the body disorder in diet or some violence offered and some for sinne inherent others for sinne imputed Our Saviour Christ suffered the punishments that are only punishments and not sinne common to the whole nature of man not personall to this or that man the punishments of the sinnes of other men not his own and that of them that should breake off their sins by repentance not of them that would sin for ever if they might live for ever The whole life of our Saviour was a life of suffering but his speciall sufferings were those he endured in the Garden or upon the crosse In the Garden he was in an agony upon the crosse he was pressed with the weight of grievous and unsupportable evils His agony was that sorrow wherein his soule was beset round with heavinesse and feare even unto death Thus the Evangelists describe it He began to be sorrowfull and very heavy Matt. 26. 37 38. Then saith he to them scil Peter James and John My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death He began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy And saith unto them My soule is exceeding sorrowfull Mar. 14. 33 34. Joh. 12. 27. unto death Now is my soul troubled His soul was smitten with horrour that all powers and faculties for a time left their proper functions and did concurre to relieve nature in that extremity as when a man hath received some gashly wound the bloud doth at first retire to comfort the heart But this stay came not from any internall defect which had been sinfull but from an externall cause to wit the horrour which fell upon him as the wheeles of a Watch may cease from motion without any fault in them when they are stayed by the hand of the Artificer He feared also the stroke of the justice of God his Father sitting on the Tribunall or Judgement seat to punish the sins of men for whom he stood forth to answer this he feared as a thing impossible to be escaped in respect of the resolution and purpose of God his Father that by his satisfactory death and no other way man should be delivered And he declined everlasting destruction as a thing he knew he should escape without all doubt or uncertaintie of event though not without conflicting with the temptations of Sathan and the enduring of many grievous and bitter things These passions in Christ were most pure because he himselfe was most free from all taint of sin as if you put cleare water into a cleare glasse though you shake and stirre it never so much it will raise no mud The effects of this agony were two Earnest prayer and bloudie sweat Being in an agony he prayed more fervently He Luk. 22 44. fell on his face and prayed He prayed thrice the same words O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse Matt. 26. 39. not as I will but as thou wilt As the sense of nature and inferiour reason presented death and the ignominy of the crosse unto him as they are in themselves evill without the consideration of any good to follow he desired to decline them But as superiour reason considered them with all circumstances knowing Gods resolution to be such that the
dispence with time nor grievousnesse of his punishments but to make the passion of one availeable for many Otherwise if it might have dispensed with one degree of extremity of punishment due to sin it might also have dispensed with two and consequently with all Others answer that the punishments of sin eternally remaining must according to the rules of divine justice be eternall but it is no way necessary neither doth the justice of God require that the punishments of sin repented of ceasing and forsaken should be everlasting For as Divines note there are three things to be considered in sin the aversion from an infinite and incommutable good the inordinate conversion to a finite good and the continuing in the same or ceasing from it and to these severall things in sin there are three severall things answering in the punishment of it For to the aversion which is objectively infinite there answereth the losse of God which is an infinite losse To the inordinate conversion of the sinner to things transitory there answereth a sensible smart and griefe intensively finite as the pleasure the sinner taketh in the transitory things he inordinately loveth is finite To the eternity of sin remaining everlastingly in staine or guilt or continuance of it for a time answereth the eternity of punishment or the suffering of the same but for a time Now our Saviour Christ suffered only for those sins which he meant to breake off by framing the sinners to repentance and therfore it was no way necessary for the satisfying of divine justice that he should endure eternall punishment A third answer is that Christ suffered for a time because he suffered to satisfie and so to overcome upon the crosse he triumphed meritoriously over principalities and powers therefore his sufferings could not continue for ever but must have an end For in suffering he had not satisfied justice nor conquered the enemies of our salvation if he had lien under the punishment of our sins eternally But this sheweth the reason why Christ suffered but for a time rather then how his suffering for a time could satisfie the justice of God for ever which had deserved eternall death The fourth answer is more full and free from exception that Christ suffered but for a time because it was impossible he should be held under of the sorrows of death Act. 2. 24. The wicked suffer eternally because they being cast under the curse they cannot deliver themselves and justice will not set them free but Christ in suffering did overcome and delivered himselfe so that his sufferings continued but for a time In kind his sufferings were the same with those which in us should have continued for ever Chamier Tom. 2. l. 5. cap. 12. Sect 4. although they did not continue wherefore because they had an end not of themselves or their owne nature but of the power of Christ He overcame those punishments which had been altogether eternall if he could not have overcome Lastly it is objected that if God did elect and choose some men to grace and glory in and through Jesus Christ Christ needed Synodal Dord ubi supra not nor yet could make satisfaction for them for in as much as they were beloved of God we cannot conceive how satisfaction should be needfull or could be made for them Thus some dispute with great confidence but little strength For this Proposition God loveth whom he hath chosen or to chuse is to love doth admit a double sence one this whom God doth elect them he loveth or willeth well unto them in time to make them actuall heires of grace and glory in Jesus Christ and thus it is most true Illi tantum à parte ante ratione Dei nâ—gant meritum Christi effectum electionis illud constituunt ita ut Deus prius homines elegisse postea sic absolutè electis Filium tanquaÌ„ salutis medium dâ—disse dicatur Stâ—gâ— pag. 49â— and doth not exclude but inferre the necessity of satisfaction another sence may be that whom God doth elect them he doth love as made actuall heires of grace and glory by the influence of his love and in this it should exclude the necessity of satisfaction but so it is not to be admitted It is not absurd to say the elect are in grace with God in respect of ordination or appointment but after are brought into grace by Christ in respect of the actuall collation and communication When Christ is said to reconcile us unto God the meaning is not that God did then first begin to love or will well unto us as if he did hate and will to damne us before for then we must admit a proper change in the purpose and internall will of God proceeding from an externall cause which is contrary both to Scripture and sound reason but whereas formerly we lay under wrath deserved by sin now we are received into favour and friendship with God For reconciliation is a transient act done in time which inferrs a change in the creature reconciled a change of state not of qualities and followes the obedience of Christ as the effect the cause and which God imparteth to believers Reconciliation as the Scripture speaks of it imports not any change in God nor the externall good will or love of God which remains in himselfe and worketh not any change in the creature but a blessing granted to us in time that we who were the children of wrath by nature should be the Sons of God by grace we who were enemies and hated in respect of the effects of wrath and desert of sin should be made friends and deare to God the enmity being taken away by the bloud of Christ And from hence we may learne how the new Covenant in many things hath the prerogative above the old For wherein Moses mediated it was by the power of Christ but Christ was that one Mediatour who mediated from his owne authority and immediate power Moses was called by God and the people but an imperfect Mediatour as not a right middle person but Christ was a fit middle person both God and man partaking the nature both of the offending and offended party and so a middle person not only in office but in nature willing and fitting to mediate Moses by reason of his weaknesse was neither powerfull with God nor yet fully compassionate and powerfull with the people But Christ was man for the whole body of his brethren to prevaile for them and man with his brethren to be fully sensible and compassionate Heb. 2. 17. Againe he was man with God to present a perfect ransome or price of reconciliation and he was God with man to bow them sufficiently to accept the reconciliation offered Moses stood in need to mediate for himselfe as for the people but Christ having no controversie for himselfe mediated only for the people and hath perfected wherin Moses wanted For he fully bowes and circumciseth the hearts of his brethren to
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
and charge which was now greater then God laid upon the first Adams shoulders To have put the prime right of the Covenant upon every particular had left occasion to infinite fals and withall opened a gâ—p to dis-union which the Lord abhorreth To have chosen out a meere creature and under the fall how could he have made satisfaction for sinne formerly committed or free himselfe from the bondage of Satan Therefore that the Promise might be sure to the Heires of Promise God puts this honour and charge upon Jesus Christ who was the seed to come to whom the Promises were made and in whom all the Promises for all his brethren are Yea and Gal. 3. 19. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Amen The parties who are to partake of the benefits promised are inclosed in the woman as the Mother of the good or rather under the former terme the womans seed For the word seed Gen. 4. 25. and 21. 13. is sometimes taken for one but often collectively which must be judged by the circumstances of the place Now in this Text by the woman is meant Eve and by the seed of the woman the posterity of the woman those scil which degenerate not into the seed of the Serpent which is proved The Papists reade it Ipsa contrary to all Hebrew copies and all circumstances of the Text. The Septuagint translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Châ—ysast Hom. 17. in Gen. haâ—h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though his Latine Interpreters hath made him say Ipsa Iren l. 3. advers haeres c. 38. seemâ—s to have read it Ipsum Andradius def l. 4. Comas l. 2. c. 15. Cajetan Steuchâ—â— Cosmop in Gen. â— 3. Pagnine Ar. Montanâ—â— Sacraboscus Francis Georg. tom 1. Pathemat probl 15. Felisius eâ—ucidat Gen. 17. 2. Gal. 3. 16. Decal praec 1. c. 49. Riber in Heb. 1. 15. de Tempt l. 2. c. 2. Perer. in Dâ—â— cap. Lindan de opt genere interpretandi l. 3. pag. 126 127. dislike the reading Sâ—e Cypr. sect Adversus Iudaeos l. 2. c. 9. Panel Leo. Sermo 2. de Nativ Dom. Rainold praefat de Idol Rom. §. 6 by the opposition of seeds there made For as the seed of the Serpent must be taken collectively so also the seed of the woman that the opposition may be fit But by the Serpents seed are meant not only venomous beasts but wicked men 1 Joh. 3. 12. And the enmities fore-spoken of do pertaine to all the godly posterity of Eve even from the beginning so that the faithfull who lived before the manifestation of Christ in the flesh cannot be excluded but they must be understood under the name of the seed Christ peculiarly was the seed of the woman but the faithfull are comprehended under that title also the seed of the woman is to be taken collectively but so as it doth comprehend them only who are not the Serpents seed but opposite to them Christ properly is the seed by which the Promise is to be fulfilled the faithfull are the seed to whom the Promise is made The Promise is made to the faithfull and they are and shall be partakers of the Promiseâ— but Christ only is the cause of the blessing to be communicated Christ and the faithfull are comprehended under one kind of seed spirituall not carnall but Christ the principall who in that seed doth so excell that in him he doth bring all the seed of Abraham according to the Spirit unto unity the faithfull are the seed also as they shall inherit the Promise in and through Jesus Christ The worke of Christ the womans seed is to bruise the Serpents head which is a phrase of speech fitted to the condition of the Serpent which is obnoxious to this hurt when he is compelled to creep on the ground that his head should be crushed and bruised by the feet of men And thereby is signified that Christ should destroy death and him that had the power of death that is the devill Heb. 2. 14. that he should destroy the workes of the devill Joh. 12. 3â— 1 Joh. 3. 8. And this is true of the faithfull alâ—o by communication with Christ Christ hath bruised the Serpents head by his owne power but the faithfull overcome by the power of Christ The victory is common to all the seed but the author of victory in the seed is he who is the Head and chiefe and to whom as to an Head the unity of all the rest is reduced Ye have overcome the evill one Rom 16. 20. Luk. 11. 21. 1 Joh. 2. 13. By bruising the Serpents head we must not only understand the deadly wound given to the actors person and his instruments but the desolation of those workes which the Tempter had by the fall planted in the nature of the fallen creature as pride vanity ignorance lust c. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Ephes 2. 15. Now the nature of the fallen creature is such that if you continue his being and remove off him the workes of the Serpent you must necessarily bring in the contrary habits of Grace and goodnesse as of knowledge faith love feare and other Graces of the Spirit So that under this one blessing is comprehended whatsoever is necessary to spirituall blessednes For if Sathan be vanquished the curse of the Law is removed sinne is pardoned the Image of God repaired spirituall freedome and adoption obtained and everlasting happinesse shall in due time be possessed All these blessings which concurre to make up perfect happinesse are inseparably linked and the possession of any one is an undoubted pledge of the rest in due season to be injoyed So the Apostle saith God that cannot lie promised eternall life before the world began or rather Tit. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mead. in Ap. 14. 6. ante tempora saecularia that is from the beginning of ages scil in that famous promise of the blessed seed It seemes somewhat harsh to interpret the word promised by decreed to promise and therfore it is better to referre it to this promise made from the beginning of the world And it is manifest by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he meaneth nothing but what the same Apostle signifieth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 25. and nothing is signified thereby but what elsewhere the same Apostle doth intimate by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3. 9. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 26. and that notes the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15. 18. as Ier. 28. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 24. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13. 8. are the same But this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it owne force and propriety doth not signifie from eternity Luk. 1. 70. Act 3. 21. But how must the Serpents head be bruised even by Christs suffering death to satisfie revenging Iustice which was offended by transgression under the former Covenant This is expounded under this terme of bruising his heele by the
that they believe in him that justifieth the ungodly and walke before him in all wel-pleasing This may be gathered because the promise of forgivenesse cannot be received but by faith and by faith it is that we overcome the world and vanquish Sathan the enemy of our soules Thus we reade that by faith the Elders obtained a good report and that by faith Heb. 11. 2 4 6 Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice then Caine by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous and that by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and that Noah became heire of the righteoussnesse which is by faith which is an argument sufficient that they understood how faith was required in this Covenant or promise And seeing it is the property of faith to worke by love and to be fruitfull in all good workes of necessity if faith be commanded obedience is required though not as the cause of life yet as the way to life and the fruit of faith If we must beleeve in God we must also walke with God and worke righteousnesse To whom God gives to believe in him to them he gives to obey and doe all his Commandements as he doth to all that be effectually and internally in Covenant with his Highnesse and of whom he requireth faith in his Promise of them he exacteth obedience to his Commandement scil of all them that be outwardly in Covenant Thus we find that by faith Enoch walked with God or walked before God in all well-pleasing Heb. 11. 5. 6. Gen. 5. 22 24. And to what end is remission from sinne promised that man set free from the curse of the Law and stroke of revenging justice should wallow in profanenesse No but that he should serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life But how doth God require these things at the hand of the reasonable creature fallen unlesse he give them sufficient grace to beleeve if they will The answer is man in the state of Innocency being made after the Image of God had power both to beleeve and obey which being lost by sinne God is not bound to repaire And though he had not justifying faith because it argueth imperfection and sinne and could not loose what he had not yet by transgression he brought himselfe into such a state of bondage and wrath which could not be removed but by faith in Christ 2. When God in justice doth shut men up in ignorance and unbeliefe and with-hold from them both the graces of his Spirit and the meanes thereof his judgements are just though secret And if for the sinne of man God may justly cast off millions and not vouchsafe so much as outward meanes of Salvation unto them he may also exact faith and obedience upon promise of pardon and eternall happinesse when he doth not deliver them from thraldome and bondage spirituall whereunto they plunged themselves Was it injustice in God tâ—â—â—â—mise acceptance to Cain if he did well when as yet he was not set free from the bondage of Sathan 3. God doth deny nothing to them that be outwardly in Covenant with his Highnesse that he is bound to give either in justice or by promise so that it will be in vaine for them to plead with God for if they come short of mercy promised it is through their own wilfull neglect or contempt 4. No man is hindred from beleeving through the difficulty or unreasonablenesse of the command or through his owne simple infirmity as being willing and desirous to beleeve but not able which inability deserves pitty but his inability is of corruption and wilfulnesse he doth not beleeve because he will not he is unable because he doth not covet or desire which is inexcusable 5. His inability to beleeve is joyned with the wilfull refusall of mercy promised and voluntary pursute of some inferiour good as more to be desired then Gods favour But of this more in the next degrees of the Covenant Under this Covenant outwardly administred were comprehended both Adam and his posterity even so many as he should dedicate unto God or should accept of the Covenant untill by wilfull departure from the faith and worship of God they discovenanted themselves and their posterity As the Covenant was after made with Abraham and his seed and is now made with beleeving Parents for themselves and their children after them so was it with Adam and those that should descend from his loynes They that lived under this administration of the Covenant did offer sacrifice unto God by divine institution and appointment as is manifest in the example of Abel and Noah We reade not Quemadmodum in terris quum famuluâ— aliquid agit quod non potest nisi jussâ— Domini nâ— est stultus omnes intelligunt eum habere mandatum etiamsi non dicat Bell. de Sacr. Conf. l. 2. c. â— indeed that God gave any Commandement touching burnt offerings or sacrifices but without question what they did was done by divine prescription What a faithfull servant doth on earth which he cannot doe but by command and appointment of his Master for that if he doe it we presume he hath the Commandement of his Master although he doe not say so But Abel and Noah faithfull Servants of God offered sacrifice which they could not well doe but by the Commandement of God therefore they were so commanded though so much be not expressed All Ceremonies which signifie grace are ordained of God or they be unlawfull But the Sacrifices were Ceremonies which signified grace It is written of Abel that by faith he offered a better sacrifice then Cain and that God had respect unto Abel and his sacrifice Of the sacrifice of Noah it is said that God smelled a savour of rest but in faith the sacrifice could not have been offered if it had not been prescribed it should not have been accepted if it had not carried the stamp of God For those Sacrifices were the types of Christ and seales of propitiation and remission of sinnes in and through the bloud of Jesus which must be perscribed or they cannot be accepted These Sacrifices then were instituted of God and may well be called seales of the Covenant as they did signifie remission of sins in and through the bloud of Christ our true Priest and Sacrifice Whether God was pleased to confirme his Covenant by any other visible signes or seales in that state of the Church is more then the Scripture hath revealed One question remaineth to be discussed scil Whether this Covenant of Promise was made in Adam with all and every Infant that should afterwards be born into the world There be some that hold the affirmative part viz. That all Infants whether borne of beleeving or infidell parents are comprehended under the Covenant of Grace according to the internall efficacy though not according to the externall administration so as they be truly and effectually partakers of the benefits promised therein
from all his sins and accepted of God as righteous unto life which is called righteousnesse of the person Faith is not imputed for righteousnesse in respect of the worth or dignity of faith either in habit or act but in respect of it's office whereunto it is ordained in the Covenant of Grace as it doth imbrace Christ and thereby we are made partakers of the merits of his free and willing and perfect obedience to the command of Grace Faith is accounted for righteousnesse in regard of the object and is a cause of that Justification which is of grace A cause I say not a bare condition without which the thing cannot be buâ— a cause not meritorious or materiall but instrumentall only receiving Christ promised and offered in the word of grace For Rom. 3 22. Phil. 3. 9. howsoever our righteousnesse be called the righteousnesse of the faith of Jesus or by the faith of Jesus faith it selfe is never called our righteousnesse We reade that Christ is made unto us of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 19. Rom. 10. 4. righteousnesse that by one mans obedience many are made righteous that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth that the believer is justified by him and by faith in him obtaineth remission of sins We find also by conference Aâ— God did predestinate Christ of grace to this honour of being God in fellowship of person and of being the Prince of out salvation So God in the Covenant he did make with him and the commandment he gave him of laying downe his life did strike it and fulfill it of grace not requiring any thing of his Son more then duties of freeobedience which should of grace have acceptance c. Bain Col. 1. 19. of Scriptures that to be justified by faith and to be justified by Christ is in substance all one And what can be the sence of those places but this that Christ is the meritorious and materiall cause so to speake of our Justification faith the condition and instrument whereby we receive Christ made of God our righteousnesse The Apostle making comparison betwixt the first and second Adam sheweth that as sin commeth from Adam alone unto us all as he in whom we have all sinned So from Jesus Christ alone commeth righteousnesse to all that are in him as from him that hath satisfied the justice of God and performed gratefull obedience at the commandment of grace for them all In which comparison faith never hath the place of our righteousnesse but answers in our participation of righteousnesse in Christ to that which is the ground of our being partakers in the sin of Adam For as we were one with Adam and in respect of orignall and nature were in him and one with him and so by being in him and one with him did all in him and with him transgresse the commandment of God even so in respect of faith whereby onely we are united unto Christ and spiritually made one with him and ingrafted into him we all in him did satisfie the justice of God or are made partakers of the fruit and benefit of his satisfaction Thus our union with Christ and meanes thereof is alwaies to be distinguished from our communion with him in the participation of his righteousnesse as the fruit thereof Like as our being in Adam and one with him is to be distinguished from the fruit thereof which is communion with him in the participation of his transgression If faith be only the hand whereby we put on Christ both as a justifier and sanctifier then it is not the garment of righteousnesse wherewith we are cloathed But it is only the hand whereby we put on Christ as a garment Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 13. 13 14. Faith justifieth as it imbraceth the righteousnesse of God But Christ only is the righteousnesse of God allowed and ordained of God to be our righteousnesse In the third to the Romans and elsewhere oft we meet with this phrase We are justified by faith Now in the fifth Chapter of that Epistle vers 17. it is said that we shall raigne in life through Jesus Christ and verse 19. that by his obedience we shall be made righteous What in the first place is called Justification and Salvation by faith that in the other is called making righteous and raigning in life through Christ and him believed on And so we reade that of faith and by faith and through faith we are justified but we never reade for faith we Rom. 3. 30. 5. 1. are justified Act. 3. 16. First Peter saith His name hath made this man sound through faith in his name And then the faith which is by him hath given to him this disposition of body Is it not plain here that â—aith hath healed him is as much as his name or Christ believed on hath healed him the one phrase expounding the other Christ brought in everlasting righteousnesse into the world Dan. 9. 24. But faith was in the world before the comming of Christ in the flesh Heb. 11. 2. And the Spirit of God in Scripture evidently distinguisheth betwixt faith and Christ apprehended by faith saying The Fathers who believed received not the promise that is Christ the matter of the promise and consequently of righteousnesse Faith they had received but the promise they had not received because Christ in whom their blessednesse was promised was not exhibited in their daies For all bâ— it by faith they apprehended Christ â—â—â—cified to come and the righteousnesse which he was to bring unto the world at his comming yet that righteousnesse in the substance and matter of it was never brought into the world So that the very designing of a precise time for the bringing in of our righteousnesse into the world declareth that that righteousnesse materiall is to be distinguished from faith which was in the world in all ages before it was brought in For faith was in the world and did apprehend righteousnesse which was to be brought into the world long before it came as well as now long after that righteousnesse performed it can lay hold upon it to justification For the faith of Gods children before the day of Christ and the faith of Gods children now after the day of Christ did never nor yet doth apprehend any other righteousnesse but that which in that day was brought into the world For it is as easie to faith to apprehend righteousnesse to come as it is to lay hold on righteousnesse past or by-gone like as our faith apprehendeth many things yet to come as our glorification Vorstius and his followers expound this Text in this sence Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 4. 5. Faith that is repentance conversion and new obedience is accounted for righteousnesse that is in the place or stead of legall righteousnesse or exact obedience though it be not so indeed And so they freely confesse Justification by works which the Apostle saith is
Jer. 32. 37 38 39. shall say surely our Fathers have inherited lies vanity and things wherein there is no profit Behold I will gather them out of all Countries whether I have driven them in mine anger and Ezek. 11. 17 18 19. Eze. 20. 40 41 42 43. Lam. 4. 22. Thy punishment O daughter of Zion is finished he will not adde to give thee to be carried away scil after thou shalt return into thy Country out of present Captivity in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them againe into this place and I will cause them to dwell safely And they shall be my people and I will be their God And I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me And in these respects this Covenant which pertained to the old Testament might be called an inchoation of the new because the old ordinances distilling grace in some measure into the whole Covenant were to continue untill Christ should be incarnate and erect a new Tabernacle which should stand and continue for ever when a new people should be added to the Lord and the old ordinances because of their weaknesse being taken downe a new forme should be set up to abide for ever And from all this we may briefly observe in what accidents the old and new Testament differ one from another when for substance they be one and the same They both flow from the free-grace and mercy of God looking at poore sinners in Jesus Christ They have both one common matter the obedience of Heb. 5 8. Act. 3. 19 Eph. 1. 14. faith required and life everlasting and all secondary good things promised by the imputation of the righteousnesse of faith and free adoption in Jesus Christ They have both one object Jesus Christ who being promised to the Fathers in propheticall Scriptures God hath in due time exhibited under the Gospel They have both one generall end viz. the praise of the glorious grace of God in Jesus Christ Both Covenants are struck with man-kind as invested in one and the same reall and formall consideration whither before or after Christ viz. with sinners and those which worke not but beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly In both the same spirit sealed up the truth of the Covenants to all under Covenant for seeing the adoption and inheritance in some measure belonged to the Fathers in the old Testament the earnest of that inheritance cannot be denied them But the new Covenant doth in many things out-strip the old which do nothing derogate from their substantiall and reall unity and agreement First In the old Testament the Lord did proclaime himself to be mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth which he confirmed by great and wonderfull deliverances of his people out of Egypt and Babylon but yet at first he gave his Law with signes of Majesty glory and terrour yea of anger and displeasure against sin and wickednesse But the new Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 21 22 23. Eph 2 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. Testament was given with manifest tokens of love favour and free mercy God being reconciled in the Son of his love and therein he hath revealed his superaboundant and transcendent love mercy and long suffering as shall be shewed hereafter Secondly In the old Testament Christ was knowne to be the seed of the woman the selected seed of Abraham his bloud and death typified in Moses his person and office humiliation and resurrection fore-told by the Prophets but all these were more obscure and darke to the Jewes but in the new Testament Joh. 1. 12 â—â— Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 3. 19. 2 Co. 1. 20 he is openly manifested to be the Son of God made unto us of God wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption to whom the promise was made and by whose love authority as the great Testator of heaven they are all made put forth ratified established Thirdly The commandments of the old Testament were many Heb. 7. 16. Col. 2. 14 15. of them carnall standing in ceremoniall observances and containing an hand-writing against them and the promises were many corporall as of an earthly inheritance so that by them their faith was to ascend up to spirituall and heavenly things and the spirituall promises were obscure in number fewer and such as were farre off But the commandments of the new Covenant are spirituall Mat. 6. 33. and the promises spirituall plainly revealed nigh at hand ratified by the comming of Christ particular earthly things are promised as an additament to them that seek the Kingdome of heaven and included in the spirituall Fourthly Moses was the Mediatour of the old Testament a Gal. 3. 19. typicall imperfect Mediatour as not a right middle person a Heb. 9. 15. 8. 8. 6. 12. 14. Mediatour in respect of the outward administration and that by the power and vertue of Christ but the force of that Covenant had foundation in Christ and it was in and through Christ that the federates were partakers of the good things promised But Christ the Mediatour of the new Covenant a true and perfect Mediatour a right middle person between God and man who hath revealed the Gospel satisfied revenging justice brought in everlasting righteousnesse who alone is able to remove the guilt of sin from the conscience repaire the lost image of God in his people bow their hearts to walk in obedience and procure acceptance to their service Fifthly The old Testament was confirmed with the bloud of Heb. 9. 18 19 20. Heb. 9 14. Mat. 26. 28. beasts because the typicall Mediatour was not Testator and so was not to die but in the new Testament the true and perfect Mediatour was also the Testator and so the Covenant was confirmed by his precious bloud Sixthly The Law was written in tables of stone yet so as it was Exod. 31. 18 Deut. 9. 10. Deut. 30. 6 11 12. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. engraven in the tables of the heart though not in that plenty and abundance that afterward for under the old Testament God would have both letter and spirit but more letter and lesse spirit But the Gospel is written in the fleshie tables of the heart yet so as it is committed to writing for in the new Testament the Lord would have both letter and spirit but more spirit and lesse letter then in the old Testament Seventhly The old Covenant was made with one selected Nation though Proselites if any offered themselves might not be excluded but in the new Covenant the world in opposition to Mat. 28. 1â— Dan. 7. 14. the Jewish Nations all Nations
the Elect or all at Corinth And the drift of the place is to prove not that all men simply are dead to sinne for that is notoriously false and was neither taught nor confirmed by any Pen-man of holy Writ nor that all the Elect or all at Corinth are dead to sin for he speaketh to the Church or faithfull in Corinth not to the place or inhabitants universally but that the faithfull who had believed in Christ as himself and the converted Corinthians had done and did for the present were dead to sin which he strongly confirmeth from the communion they have with Christ in his death and resurrection that is that Christ died for them in effect and event that the vertue and efficacy of his death did shew forth it self in them If the other Interpretation be admitted the consequence is good thus Christ died for all believers therefore all men by nature are dead in sin for the state of believers before conversion is the same with the others and if they by the merit power and efficacy of Christs death be delivered from the guilt and dominion of sin who so is not set free by the death of Christ from the power of sin must needs be dead therein Arguments not much unlike we have 1 Cor. 15. 22. As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive In the first part all simply in the latter all with limitation scil that be in Christ must be understood See Gal. 3. 22. And Rom. 5. 18. and 11. 32. But of that there is no need to make many words because the former interpretation is most naturall The 15. verse they say need not be restrained because all are bound to live unto Christ Whether all men be simply bound to live unto Christ because he simply died for them though his death had never been signified unto them I will leave to another place But the discourse of the Apostle is of them for whom Christ died and who believe in him and in whom the efficacy of Christs death doth exercise it self They that are dead with Christ should live unto God They object moreover that reconciliation is predicated of the vers 19. whole world which is reconciled thus farre through Christ that God will not deale with man as he might have done to cast him away utterly without hope so as he hath the Angels that sinned but he will accept of him upon termes fitting according to a new Corvin in Mol. cap. 28. §. 35. Covenant In which sense a Father is reconciled to his Son a Master to his Servant when he is content upon repentance submission and amendment to receive him into favour Upon this Text they would build a two-fold reconciliation one generall as some expresse it another speciall one not an actuall taking away of sins not actuall remission of sins not Justification not actuall redemption of these or these but an impetration of remission Justification and redemption whereby God may his justice not hindring remit sins to men transgressours which doth imply another member to wit reconciliation justification and redemption actuall Arm. in Perkin § 25. pag. 76. or a reconcileablenesse whereby men might be delivered from the captivity of sin or the necessity of thraldome and reconciliation whereby they are delivered from captivity Voss Hist Pelagian lib. 7. part 1. thes 3. Others call it an actuall reconciliation on Gods part and an actuall reconciliation whereby it comes to passe that all sinners do actually please God Exam. Censur cap. 8. pag. 59. Vorst in 2 Cor. 5. 15. and 1 Joh. 2. 2. Christ sufficiently and efficiently doth expiate the sins of all and reconcile the world to God quantum in ipso est that is as much as pertaines to the execution of his office laid upon him by his heavenly Father What distinction they make of reconciliation and actuall reconciliation or reconcileablenesse and actuall reconciliation the same may be made of redemption remission of sins justification and adoption regeneration and sanctification so that we may distinguish of them also that there is an actuall redemption and redemption actuall remission of sins and remission actuall justification and justification actuall sanctification and sanctification The terme actuall remission or reconciliation being set against reconciliation as the distinct member doth require that reconciliation potentiall be understood which may be called reconcileablenesse And then Christ hath not obtained of the Father by his death that he should remit sins but that he hath power to remit them he hath not obtained redemption but a possibility of redemption or the redemption purchased is a potentiall remission of sinnes he hath not merited sanctification but a right that he may sanctifie or sanctifiablenesse he hath obtained also that God might pardon sin as well as that man might be pardoned or reconciled and notwithstanding any redemption that Christ hath purchased every man might perish and be condemned for ever But if reconciliation potentiall or a possibility of remission only be purchased by the death of Christ how is this made actuall by application If it be actuall and effectuall why is it not applyed and given to every man will not God give to every man that which Christ hath merited and purchased for every man The merit of reconciliation by Christ and the application thereof must be distinguished but for whomsoever eternall redemption is purchased for them he hath obtained grace and glory and upon them he will actually conferre that grace and mercy sanctifying them to be a peculiar people to himselfe Heb. 9. 12. Matth. 1. 21. Joh. 4. 14. Application is as necessary an effect of redemption or reconciliation purchased as burning is of fire and there can be no redemption but of necessity it must bring application both in respect of Gods justice and Christs sacrifice Dan. 9. 24. Heb. 10. 10 14. Therefore there is but one reconciliation and that actuall and effectuall though it may be universally proposed in the Gospell and that particular actuall reconciliation is none other but that very same which God meritorie and impetratorie hath proposed by the death of Christ As for the present Text alleadged reconciliation is not predicated of the whole world taking the world for every man in the world nor reconciliation put for reconcileablenesse For it is manifest the Apostle speaks of the world as it was to be considered in the times when Christ suffered or after when in respect of present state the farre greater part were impenitent if not obdurate sinners aliens from the common-wealth of Israel without God in the world and I desire to see that Text of Scripture where God is said to reconcile unto himselfe the whole world of impenitent and obdurate sinners as such or where we shall find that all such Eph. 2. 12. Rom. 3. 8 17. Gal 3. 26. Eph. 2. 3 4. be brought under a new Covenant It is also as plaine that he speakes of the surrogation of the
justice or promise he is bound to give specially when their impenitency is not from lack of grace but from perversenesse If this satisfie them not let them answer themselves how God doth will the repentance of them that be cast off and left to the hardnesse of their hearts How he doth will desire and approve the conversion of such as he hath blinded and hardened for their sins even when they are so blinded and hardened as of Gen. 4. 7. 1 Joh. 3. 12. Mat. 13. 15. Caine who was of the wicked one and slew his brother because God had respect unto his sacrifice and of the Jews whose eyes were closed and hearts hardened that they should not convert How is it imaginable say they that impossible should be the object of Gods desire or approvall The answer is given already impossible in it selfe or in respect of the unreasonablenesse of the thing commanded is not the object of Gods desire approvall or commandment but an impossible thing to us in respect of ouâ— perversenesse may be and is the object of Gods commandment and so of his approvall and desire as he doth will and desire what he doth command Doth not God exact of the Gentiles given up to the vanity of their minds that they should seeke him in the way wherein he will be found if they would be saved when they have not meanes sufficient to bring them to the knowledge of the truth nor grace to believe Doth not the Lord command approve and desire the conversion of many obstinate impenitent persons living in the Church who have and doe abuse the meanes of grace whom for their former and present contempt he doth Isa 6. 9. blind and harden whose condemnation is aggravated by this that they have and doe live under great and good teaching Doth not the Law exact perfection of them who are under the Law when it is impossible by reason of the infirmity of the flesh Is not the rebellion of the flesh repugnant to the Law of God from which it is impossibe to be freed in this life In the Covenant of grace perfection of faith and obedience is commanded otherwise imperfection should not be a sinne but that is impossible to man whilest he carries about this body of sin And if impossible be not the object of Gods will in this sence he that by custome in evill hath contracted an habit that he cannot but sin should not offend and he that is carried with most violence of mind unto evill should be least evill They demand further how could God approve that such should repent and believe as doe not these things from him and by the power of his grace who therefore might glory as he would have no creature to doe 1 Cor. 1. 30. And it is a most sure thing God would have no creature to glory in himselfe and most true that faith will not cannot glory in any thing but in the Lord and therefore we acknowledge that God of his grace hath chosen some men to faith and holinesse as in justice he purposed to leave and forsake others for their sin For if God decreed not to give men faith and repentance he is not the authour of them For God doth nothing in time but what he decreed to doe before all time To exclude boasting it sufficeth not to say that God gives grace whereby we might believe if we will specially if we use our naturall gifts well for that makes ability to believe only to be of God and that in part procured by our selves but faith and repentance to be from the free use of our owne will whereby we are distinguished from others which believe not to whom God wished as well and who received as much grace from God perhaps more See Groven dissert de elect fid praevis But leaving that matter for the time to the objection the answer is plaine that as God commandeth wicked men to repent and believe so he testifieth what he doth desire and approve but with-holding the internall and effectuall working of his Spirit they will not repent through their perversenesse As it is a duty which God requireth so it is approved but without his grace it cannot be performed It is a certaine truth if the wicked doe repent unfainedly they shall be accepted but repentance is the gift of God which without his grace cannot be wrought As God commandeth repentance so he doth approve it but he approves not that men should glory in themselves because if they returne as he commands it is by his grace God testified to Cain what he approved Gen. 4 7. when Cain had not grace at that time to doe what God required nor did the Lord approve that he should glory in himself as if he could repent by his own power It may be asked to what end doth God invite and perswade wicked men to repent and believe if he give them not grace to believe if they will The latter part of that question must be explained for if this be the meaning that many men through their own default be left of God without grace sufficient to bring them to life eternall it is that experience it selfe confirmeth in many Infidels who have departed this life before they had means to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ And if God may deny to some both meanes and grace sufficient to bring them to life eternall he may justly with-hold the graces of his Spirit from them that be called and invited in the Ministery of the word when grace is freely given and both the one and other be deprived through their owne default But if the meaning of that latter clause be that though wicked men should seek and truly desire grace yet God doth violently with-hold it from them then it is most false and implies a contradiction as if men without the grace of God could truly desire grace Now the end of this invitation may be considered according to the meanes and invitation it selfe and the will Duplex animi despositio ad fidem poenitentiam una fine qua non scil ut audiaâ—us Evâ—ngelium formaliâ— altera of God exacting of man what is good and acceptable and what in duty he oweth unto God and in this respect the salvation of the party invited is the end of the invitation or it may be considered according to the will of God whereby he doth not only ordaine and approve meanes to such an end but will so bring to passe that the effect shall follow or hereby he not only commands them to believe and others to further their salvation but willeth effectually to bring them to salvation and draw them unto him by the powerfull operation of his Spirit so he doth not will the salvation of all that be called As men are called to repent that they might live and God doth in calling them a vow it is his desire they would repent that they might live so the end of the
and to have done and suffered other such things and that by the bloud of his Son we are reconciled to God the Father This office of Mediation Christ hath performed First as the great Doctour of his Church by revealing unto us the way to life even 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9. the last full and perfect will of God concerning mans salvation the wisdome of God in a mysterie even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory which none of the Princes of this world knew Such things as eye hath not seen eare hath not heard or ever entred into the heart of man to conceive Such as the naturall inquirie of Angels could never Mat. 11. 27. Joh. 1. 1â— have discovered No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne hath revealed him No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him He only it is that openeth the bosome of his Father that is who revealeth the secret and mysterious counsels and the tender and compassionate affections of his Father unto the world He is said to be a teacher sent from Joh. 3. 2. God and to be the Lord which speaketh from heaven and the doctrine which he taught an heavenly doctrine even great Salvation The woman of Samaria could say I know when the Messiah cometh he will tell us all things And our Saviour professeth Heb. 12. 25. Joh. 3. 12. Heb. 2. 3. Joh. 4. 25. Joh. 15. 15 to his disciples All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you And in this the new Covenant is lifted up above former expressions of the same Covenant for substance For God who in sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers Heb. 1. 1. ver 3. by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Sonne who is the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse Image of his person that is he in whom the glory and Majesty of the Father Col. 1. 15. otherwise invisible and inconspicuous doth shew forth it selfe and that which is hid in the Father as in a ring is manifested as on the seale And as God is manifested in Christ so was he manifested and made knowne by Christ In Christ are hid Col. 1. 3. Ephes 3. 9 10. all the treasures of wisdome and he hath made knowne the manifold wisdome of God The discovery of misery and sin is that which sweetens mercy and gaines it esteem and therefore as the mercy of God was plentifully unfolded so was the Law laid open and sin discovered by our Saviour more fully then it had been in the old Testament that as sin abounded mercy might abound much more And where the maladie appeares hideous and desperate there is need that we be well acquainted with the soveraigne remedie and hence as the doore of the Law and curse is cast quite open that men might throughly know themselves so Christ in his person natures office and benefits is lively deciphered that when men feele themselves lost in themselves they might runne unto him for righteousnesse grace life and salvation Secondly Christ hath satisfied offended justice and answered whatsoever the Law had against us The word satisfaction the Scripture hath not but the thing signified thereby is plainly noted by the phrases of Redemption Expiation Reconciliation and many such like every where in Scripture Justice did release the debtour or the punishment of the person offending but would not simply release the punishment of the offence or pardon the fault without satisfaction If then the guilty be spared the surety must suffer punishment It is here questioned whether God could not pardon sin without satisfaction or satisfaction be absolutely necessary the decree and pleasure of God so to have it excepted Many sound orthodox and learned Divines hold the affirmative Martin de pers Christi lib. 1. Sect. ex mundi redempâ— p. 154 155. because justice is essentiall to God and it is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that afflict and that every transgression receive a just recompence 2 Thess 1. 6. Heb. 2. 2. Rom. 1. 32. Exod. 34. 7. And if recompence be just it is injustice to let sin goe unpunished The Lord testifieth that he that justifieth the wicked is an abhomination to his highnesse and he will not doe what he abhorreth in others Prov. 17. 15. Isa 5. 23. God cannot but love his Image and so he cannot but hate the corruption of it and severely punish that which is dissentanie from it This seemes to be engraven in the heart of man by nature that God is just and that sin cannot be done away without satisfaction and hence come those many fond devices amongst the Heathen Lex non est aliquid internum in Deo aut ipsa Dei voluntas sed voluntatis quidameffectus Lactant. de 〈◊〉 Dei cap. 19. Index peccatis veniam dare nâ— potest quia voluntati servit alienae Deus autem potest quia est legis suae ipse disceptator judex quam cum poneret non utiâ— ademit sibi omnem potestatem sed habet ignoscendi licentiam Senec. Occidere contra Legem nemo non potest servare nemo prâ—ter te to pacifie offended justice they were ignorant of the true God and how his wrath and displeasure was to be appeased but assured of this that he was offended by sin and that without satisfaction the sin could not be expiated or done away For these and such like reasons many have thought that it is absolutely repugnant to divine justice to pardon sin without satisfaction Others and those learned and orthodox are of opinion that the necessity of satisfaction depends upon the will and pleasure of God and that God by his absolute power salva justitia might have pardoned sin without satisfaction For God might out of his absolute soveraignty not have punished Adams sin both because it was against himselfe not others to whom he is tied to doe justice and especially for that the demonstration of his revenging justice springeth not from the necessity of his nature but from his voluntary disposition as well as the giving life perpetuall to obedience for a certaine space performed For with-draw that voluntary Covenant who doubteth but that had the creature kept his innocency a thousand yeares God was free to have annihilated him Also God is able were he pleased to shew his power to turne it to his glory which mens impotency not attaining being also forbidden by the Law of their Superiour maketh them that they cannot alwaies with justice forgive even that wherein themselves are trespassed If God of his absolute power cannot pardon sin without satisfaction then not to punish sin is simply a thing impossible or God in so doing should be deficient or inconformable to the rule of his will but to let
goe sin unpunished is simply the omission of a divine act the decree of God excepted not deficient or inconformable to any rule of Gods will but rather a peculiar exercise of divine mercy What absolutely God can will that he can justly will otherwise it might be that God can will a thing which is injust or that he can will injustly But it was possible for God to will to let sin goe unpunished it is not absolutely repugnant to his divine nature so to will If God cannot pardon sin without satisfaction Hae rationes tum demum locum obtinerent si ita Deâ— putaretur agere ex necessitate naturae ut solo naturae impetu citra omnem intellectum voluntatis actum ageret veluti ignis calefacit ex necessitate naturae Windel de mundo Sect. 2. c. 2. Lex agendi necessitas 1. naturae 2. congruentiae Illa per quam agens ita agit ut per naturam non possit non agere estque vel sine cognitione vel cum cognitione Ista per quam agens non potest non congruenter suae naturae agere then it is necessary that he punish sin by absolute necessity or sin presupposed it is of absolute necessity that it be punished but it is not of absolute necessity that sin be punished for then God should punish it alwaies in one manner and as much as he can as naturall agents worke whereas we see by experience that God doth differently punish the sins of men in this life the lesser offendors most the greater least many times ever so as their punishments might be increased Neither can it be said that the greatnesse of punishment in this life doth lessen their punishment in the life to come for the punishments of the life to come being eternall can carry no proportion with the punishments of this life Then it was of absolute necessity that Christ should suffer so many stripes and no more be forsaken just so long and no longer continue in his agony so many houres and neither more nor lesse Sciendum est non sequi injustum ex quavis negatione justi etiam posiâ—is â—isdem circumstantijâ— Non est perpetuum ut id quod justè fiat non nisi injustè omittatur The bounty of God to reward obedience is essentiall as well as justice to punish iniquity and if God punish iniquity by absolute and naturall necessity of necessity he must reward obedience if he punish iniquity without divine constitution he must reward obedience in the same manner God may inflict a more mild punishment then sin deserveth therefore at least he may leave some degree of sin unpunished as also it is lawfull for God to men equall in sin to grant pardon to one to punish another according to his deserts To give reward above merit is not contrary to justice if it be given of our owne nor to punish mercifully and lesse then the fault deserveth if it be a fault committed against our selves And it seemes as much repugnant to justice Sunt quaedam Dei proprietates quarum exercitium tum quoad actum tum quoad tempuâ— modum actus imo etiam quoad objecti determinationem pendet a libera ipsus voluntate Ex promissione jus aliquod acquiritur ei cui facta est promissio at comminatione apertius dunâ—axat declaratur meritum poenae in peccante jus puniendi in comminante Cum bonitas misericordia Dei non minus proprietas ejâ—â— sit quam justitia ac quamquam ex misericordia non â—gisset sed puniisset universos minimè eo mutabilis vel etiam immisericors potuerit dici similiter neque extra decreti considerationem mutabilem vel injustum dici potuisse quanquam ignovisset universis citra illam satisfactionem Quod is qui deliquit paenam meretur eoque punibilis est hoc ex ipsa peccati peccatoris ad superiorem relatione necessariò sequitur propriè naturale ut vero puniatur quivis peccator poena tali quae culpae respondeat non est necessarium simpliciter universaliter neque propriè naturale sed naturae satis conveniens Chamier panstrat Tom. 2. l. 5. c. 1â— Parker de desc l. 3. Sect. 56. Wotton de Reconcil l. 1 c 4. Vâ—ss respons ad Iud. Ravensperg cap. 28. Isa 53. 10. Psal 40. 8. Joh. 5. 19 30. to accept a surety as to pardon the punishment especially that the Son of God the party offended should take upon him our nature and make satisfaction for us And if God by absolute necessity must punish sin as it deserveth then it is simply impossible to renew the sinner by repentance or to annihilate him because then he doth not bear what punishmeÌ„t his sin doth call for from the hand of justice Justice is essentiall to God so is mercy bounty liberality but God sheweth mercy to whom he will doth good to whom he will freely not by absolute necessity only God hath obliged himselfe by righteousnesse of fidelity that is by promises and threatnings which must be fulfilled to doe this or that Sin though it hath an outward disagreement such as may be in a creature from the Creator yet it hath no inward positive repugnancy or contrariancy to Gods nature such as is betwixt fire and water for then should the divine nature inwardly in it selfe be worse for the being of sin and should necessarily nill it Sin is displeasing unto God he cannot approve it as good in it selfe but it is one thing to be displeased with or hate sin another to punish it of absolute and naturall necessity as it is one thing to approve obedience another to reward it of necessity It is most true that God doth not only hate but punish all sin but that he doth not by naturall necessity but by naturall congruity which may stand with the most free will of God determining to manifest his justice for the manifestation whereof the punishment of sin was necessary The hatred of sin and punishment thereof are joyned together as a free cause and effect not as a necessary cause and effect for God hateth sin at all times but punisheth it not ever but in his time or season But it is not materiall to dispute this matter in more words for seeing God hath determined that his justice shall take her revenge if by breach of Covenant she be wronged he cannot but punish sin according to its desert neither may he set us free from the same but so as wronged justice may receive satisfaction The decree of God is unchangeable and the sentence of God denounced against sin must stand firme for ever therefore punishment must be executed if the commandment be transgressed And the reasons of this decree be Omne agens quod agit naturaliter agit in objectum suae actionis naturaliter receptivum quare si punire esset naturale illa nimirum acceptatione quae secum sert necessitatem non possit actio
seeke attonement and to walke sutably He doth remove the guilt of sinfully from the conscience of the offending brethren Heb. 9 14 15. He is potent with God to satisfie revenging Gal. 3. 13 14. justice by presenting his bloud to remove the curse of the Law that those which are called might receive the inheritance He alone hath in his owne person performed obedience to the broken Law of God and fulfilled all righteousnesse and by his crosse hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against us and broken downe the partition and slayed hatred and enmity betwixt the brethren Ephes 2. 14 15. But of this more hereafter The Fathers received Heb. 11. 13 14. not the promises but saw them afarre off and were perswaded of them and saluted them with great sweetnesse but under the new Covenant we have recived the promise God hath sent his Son into the world borne of a woman and made under the Law and openly manifested him to be the Son of God And if Gal 4. 4 5. the appearing of Christ God and man did adde much to the joy and comfort of the Saints in glory the manifestation of Christ in the flesh must adde to the faith and comfort of them that waited for the salvation of Israel The Incarnation of Christ was the day of his Coronation and of his espousals wherein in speciall manner Cant. 3. 11. he contracted him unto his Church Goe forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladnesse of heart The Fathers expected deliverance from the curse of the Law and to inherit the promises in and through the Messiah and the Sacrifices did prefigure and Prophets fore-tell the death of the Messiah but we may well thinke the faithfull did not distinctly understand how the Saviour promised was to satisfie justice and by death to overcome him that had the power of death But in the new Testament we learne expressely that Christ is made of God unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption how he satisfied justice by one oblation of himselfe removed the curse of the Law destroyed him that had the power of death purchased the promised Spirit and ratified all the promises of the Covenant by his death and bloud-shed Heb. 9. 15. Thirdly He is entred into heaven appeareth before the Father and maketh request for his people unto which there is pre-required a power and prevalencie over all his enemies to breake through the guilt of sin the curse of the Law and the chaines of death with which it was impossible that he should be held And this power of Christ was shewed in his Resurrection wherein he was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1. 4. and in his ascension wherein he led all his enemies captives Ephes 4. 8. and in his sitting at the right hand of God farre above all principalities and powers Ephes 1. 19 20. All which did make way to the presenting of his Sacrifice before the Mercy-seat which is the consummation of it and without which he had not been a Priest We have such an high Priest saith the Apostle as is set downe at the right hand of the Majestie in the heavens for if he were on earth he should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests which offer gifts according to the Law Heb. 8. 1 4. Christ our high Priest having offered up himselfe an expiatory Sacrifice once for all by his divine power rose againe from the dead and is entered into the very heavens to appeare in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. Levit. 16. 11 15. It was the same continued action whereby the Priest did offer without the holy place and did then bring the bloud into the holiest of all Heb. 13. 11. For the reason why it was shed was to present it to the mercy-seat and to shew it unto the Lord there Heb. 9. 8. Inchoari potest functio veri Sacerdotis stante typico Sacerdotio perfecta esse non potest illo staÌ„â—e Oblatio peracta in terra perfectissima fâ—it sed perfectione partis non perfectione totius Aliud est offerre in terra aliud peracta oblatione manere in terra Heb. 1. 3. 10 5 6 9. 1â— 1 Cor. 5. 7. So Christs act or office was not ended nor fit to denominate him a compleate Priest till he did enter with bloud and present his offering in the holiest of all not made with hands Heb. 9. 24. And therefore he had not been a Priest if he should have continued on the earth for there was another Priest-hood there which was not to give place but upon the accomplishment of his for the whole figure was to passe away when the whole truth was come Now Christs oblation was the truth prefigured in the Priests sacrificing of the beast and his entrance into heaven was the truth prefigured in the Priests carrying of the bloud into the holiest of all And therefore both these were to be accomplished before the Leviticall Priest-hood did give place Some referre this to the oblation of Christ whereof they make two parts the one expâ—atory when Christ suffered upon the crosse the other presentatory when he doth appeare in heaven before God for us the one of killing or suffering the other of ostension the one finished on earth when Christ suffered without the gate because as no sin so no punishment can come within the holy place the other performed in heaven satisfaction being Heb. 13. 11 12. first made on earth The first was not a preparation of a Sacrifice but a Sacrifice the latter was not so much a Sacrifice as the commemoration of the Sacrifice made for appearing in heaven is not properly a sacerdotall act unlesse it leane upon the vertue of the Sacrifice performed the first was an act of humiliation the latter Heb. 10 8 â—â— of glory the first performed once for all the latter done continually that the explatory Sacrifice or obtaining of redemption this the application of redemption The Sacrifice consisted in the Videtur etiam spect are consuetudines Regum Iudicum inter homines Reges enim soederati in suis aulis matuo habent Legatos pacis obsides qui quamdiu apparent in Regis conspectu firma stat confoederatio death of Christ alone the application thereof is grounded upon Christs death as its merit but effected by the life of Christ as its immediate cause When the Apostle saith Christ appeareth before the Father for us the expression is borrowed from the custome of humane Courts for as in them when the Plaintiffe or Defendant is called their Atturney appeareth in their name and behalfe so when we are summoned by the justice of God to defend our selves against those exceptions and complaints which it preferreth against us we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ
common cause doth not distinguish but if grace be common to them that believe and them that believe not it is only the common cause of conversion and doth not separate the believer from the unbeliever Men are said to sanctifie purge and free themselves as the instruments of God and free agents subordinate to grace predetermining but the Scripture never saith that man is the cause separating himselfe from the number of reprobates externally called in like manner with himselfe Conversion as it is an act supernaturall in us should be the effect of divine vocation but the cause of comparative vocation should be the meere will or pleasure of the creature Grace and liberty cannot be mixed together in the partiality of the cause because liberty as the Patrons of that opinion hold is a free indifferent elective cause but grace a cause determinate to produce one effect The use of grace is the application of actuall grace to act But if the efficacie of grace depend upon the liberty of mans will neither grace preventing nor co-operating doth apply grace to it worke not preventing grace because no meere power as such doth actuate it self nor co-operating because in order of causality it goeth not before the efficiency of the will If God give to believe and not only power Phil. 1. 19. to believe to believe and not only to believe when we will to believe then by grace he determineth the will to believe suffer will and the efficacie of grace is reduced unto God willing and determining And if he worke in us both to will and to doe Phil. 2. 13. Mat. 11. 27. not according to the liberty of our will but his own good pleasure if to will and doe inclinably rightly and well and not so as we may resist then he determineth the will to will and doe by his grace To what end doe the promises and threatnings tend may some man say if God doe worke all things by his effectuall power in them that believe To what end but that men might be saved But God doth that which pertaineth to a King and Law-giver towards many when that which pertaineth to the secret and unutterable dispensation of his grace he doth not doe that is he invites many in the Ministery of his Word and externall administration of the Covenant whom he doth not inwardly instruct and draw taking away the blindnesse and hardnesse of the heart But then the invitation is a giftlesse gift Not so neither but rather he is a most unthankfull servant of a perverse minde that he Deus sic movet hominem ad bona opera ut homo cognoscat vetit Deo monenti moventi ultrò morem gerat Nec tantum Deus agit cum voluntatibus nostris sed etiam per voluntates Isa 53. 10. Isa 45. â— 12. Psal 8. 8. Ps 72. 8 â— 10 Ps 100. 1 2 3. Jer. 23. 5 6. cannot obey For this inability is no cause of disobedience proceedeth from no fault of the faculties subject to the minde and will from no naturall quality of the matter necessitating but the meer wilfulnesse and perversenesse of the soul The invitation of God is not so hard that man cannot fulfill it if he would nor wicked that we cannot will to doe it without sinne but lawfull just honest and such as if man would he could not but execute so farre as he truly judgeth it ought to be willed and executed If the efficacie of grace depend upon the liberty of mans will to things opposite then the promises of God the Father made to his Sonne might all be frustrate That he should see his seed that the people should come unto him from the North and the West and from the Isles that he should possesse the Gentiles as his inheritance that his dominion should be from Sea to Sea that a willing people should come unto him c. But the Covenant of God with his Sonne cannot be made void and of none effect If some may object conversion be so the Determinatio Dei est externa aequivâ—ca noâ— vitalis principalis Humana verò interna univoca vitalis subordiâ—ata Deus ita utitur voluntate ut ipsa voluntas sese electivè vitaliter ex practico rationis judicio agat Deus prâ—mò principaliter ab aeterno actum liberum ut futurum liberè ponendum determinat sed non ad alium sed ad â—undem numero actum ad quem voluntas in tempore determinavit â—ese Causa actus liberi est potentia determinata non simpliciter potentia Deus sic movet res necessarias ut non fiant contingentes sic movet res coâ—tingentes ut voluntarias ut non adimit eis contingentiam voluntatem Quando superior causa est physica a legesoluta inferier moraâ—is legi subdita esto quod superior physica influit in inseriorem tamen si inâ—erior est libera rea esse potest inâ—erior non superior Virg. Aeneid 8. fatiâ— egere volentem worke of God then man doth not repent and believe but God But this followeth not for repentance is the gift of God but the act of man God is the cause of willing efficient but not formall the cause externall and effective but not vitally efficient The determination of God externall and vitall volition differ as cause and effect for he worketh in us to will but volition doth not worke to will the determination of God as efficient is externall and respecteth the will in the first act of its influx but vitall determination is internall and respecteth good to be chosen or to be desired In man not converted two things are to be considered native contumacy and the not curing of that native contumacy The native contumacy is of themselves as darknes from the earth the not curing of this coÌ„tumacy is of God as a cause physicall because he can cure it but doth not but not as a Morall cause because he is not bound to heale or cure it The effect of God not curing this native contumacy is only a negative non-conversion physicall or not culpable as a morall effect The absence of the sunne is the cause why the darknesse of the night is not removed but the darkenesse it selfe is not from the sunne Fault is a morall defect and cannot arise but from a morall cause and deficient Culpable non-conversion is a consequent of Gods not curing our native contumacy but no effect thereof as of a morall cause because God is not bound to remove it either by Law debt justice promise or Covenant and betwixt the resistance of the Spirit and Gods not-conversion the free willing of the corrupt will and voluntary love of native contumacy doth intercede Not only ability to believe but beliefe it selfe is merited by the death of Christ and for Christ vouchsafed to them who are called according to his purpose In this vocation of a sinner God doth so administer both
his Word and Spirit as he knoweth it becommeth both his justice Rom. 9. 24 25 26. 10. 17 18 19 20. Rom. 11. 25 29 30 32 33. and mercy in Christ alwayes reserving to himselfe full and free power to call whom he please according to the good pleasure of his will But this distribution of vocation into externall and internall is not a distribution of the kinde into its specialls but shewes rather what doth concurre to that worke of vocation 1 Cor. 3 5 6. Rom. 1. 5. whereunto obedience is willing and freely yeelded This vocation is instituted and administred according to the eternall decree and purpose of God for knowne unto God are all Act. 15. 18. his workes from eternity and God doth nothing in time which he decreed not to doe from all eternity Whosoever therefore is Ephes 3. 5 6 9 11. Jam. 1. 18. 2 Tim. 1. 9. called in time he was predestinated from eternity that he should be called and in what state place time manner meanes soever a man is called he was predestinated to be called in that state at that time by those meanes and neither sooner nor later nor otherwise for the execution cannot vary from the decree but the note of changeablenesse must be ascribed unto God The company of them that are called effectually is the Church which is visible and invisible as this vocation is inward and outward Rom. 10. 10. visible which doth professe with the mouth and invisible which doth believe with the heart as man is distinguished 1 Cor. 4. 16. into inward and outward And as vocation inward and outward are not two callings but one and the same so the Church visible and invisible are not two Churches but the same Church differently considered Christ hath not two Kingdomes but There is but one Lord one Temple one Ministery Hieron ad Nepotian de vit Cler. Bilson Perpet govern cap. 11. one Kingdome one body one Church whereof every one that is savingly called is a living member The work of grace and heavenly calling is that which giveth being to the Church and make it a different society from all other companies of men whatsoever By effectuall calling and the answer of the soule unto God calling men are admitted into the Kingdome of Christ or Church of God every one that is thus called is of the Church and every one of the Church is thus called He that is not thus called is not of the Church and he that is not of the Church is not thus called He cannot be out of the Church who is in Covenant with God nor can he be a member of the Church who is not in Covenant The sheepe of Christ by predestination and eternall purpose are gathered into this fold some sooner others later some after one Joh. 10. 16. Mat. 20 3. 5. Act. 11. 18. Gal. 3. 28. Rev. 5. 9. Psal 68. 18. manner some after another of all nations kinreds and ongues Jewes and Gentiles bond and free male and female neere and farre off such as haue lyen longer and â—â—â—ke deeper into sinne and such as have beene preserved from the pollutions of the world The end of this vocation as it is the worke of God calling is that they who are given unto Christ of the Father should freely and willingly answer to God and Christ calling and so become the confederates of God by Christ the Mediatour of the New Testament and being faithfull and confederate they should love feare honour worship and obey God in Jesus Christ In respect Pro. 1. 24. Heb. 3. 7 8. Rev. 3. 20. Eph. 2. 11 12 13. Jer. 32. 38 39. Luk. 1. 74 75. Deut. 6. 4 5. Phil. 2. 12. Ephes 1. 6. Act. 13. 47 48. of the outward invitation it is their office and duty to answer to the call In respect of the inward and powerfull worke of the holy Ghost they are certainly inabled and drawne to come unto Christ and give up themselves unto him Another end remote is the Salvation of the elect and the glory of God in which respect calling to grace is a meanes ordained of God and according to the ordinance of God necessary to the communication of Salvation and the answer of the called is a condition requisite and necessary for the obtaining of that end according to the ordinance and appointment of God The glory of God most wife good mercifull just and powerfull doth so Rev. 4 8 9 10. 5. 8. 9 10. brightly shine forth in the communication both of grace and glory that it doth worthily draw the mindes of men and Angels into admiration and loose their tongues into the praise and magnifying of God Eâ— si respectâ— singulorum qui peâ—eâ—nt optabile esset ut homo non peccasset respectu tamen universalis boni câ—jus potius habenda fuit ratio non debuit Deus potentiam suam exâ—rere ad impediendum ne peccaretur Opposite unto this vocation is 1. That God doth suffer some to walke after the vanity of their owne hearts and blindnesse of their mindes and doth not invite them to come unto him or exhort them to repent Thus God regarded not the Gentiles in the dayes of their ignorance but gave them up to the lusts of their owne hearts And at this day many nations are shut up in ignorance and have not heard so much as the sound of the Gospell for many generations It is true the Lord calleth them in a sort by his long-suffering and patience and by the workes of providence in that he filleth their hearts with food and gladnesse but by the promise of mercy he is not pleased to speake unto them 2. Some that be outwardly called they contemne the counsell Luke 7. 30. Act. â—3 46. Act. 7. 51. Psal 81 12 13. Isai 63. 10. and 6. 9 10. Joh. 12. 37 38 39 40. Ezek. 20. 25. Per statuta mâ—la intelligi possunt leges Ethnicorum vel lex Dei quae ipsis in perniciemcessit of God put away from them the Word of grace resist the Spirit of God speaking unto them in the mouth of his Prophet whence followeth blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart efficaciousness of errour that men should beleeve lies a reprobate sense and delivering into the power of Satan Jer. 4. 20. Thou hast seduced this people scil by false prophets promising them peace which God promised not and giving them up to the efficacy of errour as a punishment of former transgression 3. God doth call some by the Gospell and bestow upon them divers spirituall good things though not such as accompany Salvation And thus some doe heare and receive and rejoyce in the Word and bring forth some fruit but not to ripenesse or perfection CHAP. V. How Christians answer to the call of Christ and so come to have Fellowship with him IN the matter of Salvation it pleased God to deale with man by way of stipulation and promise and so