his Son by necessity of love and mercy and free Grace So that he should not have been infinitly loving mercifull gracious if he had never sent him And it is as poor Logick to say because of grace and free-love he sent his Son and so might not have sent him as to say he loved where there was no need it is in vain to shew the glory of Justice saith the Author when God can take away sin out of free-pleasure and why should he expose his Son to shame death and a curse whereas he might have taken away sin freely because it is his pleasure This is the very thing that Socinians say there is no need of blood and satisfaction by blood if God out of his absolute Soveraignty can take sin away without blood and so there was no need of reall satisfaction This is against the Holy Ghost and we may hear it All the Scriptures cryes that out of free grace the Lord sent his Son and delivered him to death By the grace of God He tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 Shall we infer there was then no necessity that he should die It is safest to say the only wise God decreed that sin should be 2. That the glory of his Justice should appear in taking away sin not in our way but in the way of God to wit in a way of justice of mercy of free grace in incomparable love of mighty power and in all these so acts the Lord as he should not leave off to be the Lord but acts most freely though he had not taken that course But far be it from the godly not to adore him in this as the admirable way beyond the thoughts of men and Angels It were safest to draw holy practises by way of use from this In all pactions between the Lord and man even in a Law-Conant there is some out-breakings of Grace It s true there was no Gospel-Grace that is a fruit of Christs merite in this Covenant But yet if grace be taken for undeserved goodnesse There are these respects of grace 1. That God might have given to Adam something inferiour to the glorious Image of God that consists in true righteousnesse knowledge of God and holinesse Gen 1.26 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 It was a rich enough stock this holy Image to be so badly guided And who looks spiritually to their receipts It s either too much of grace and holinesse that another hath and too little that I have so arises virtuall sighing and grudging at the dispensation Or 2. a swelling that it is so much as if it were not receiving I am holier then thou Isa. 65.5 a miskenning of him that makes me to differ 1 Cor. 4.7 A blecking of others Luk. 18.11 A secret quarrelling at God as too strick and hard in his reckoning Mat. 25.24 And what pride is this because I am a meer patient under gifted holinesse to usurpe it as mine own As if a horse should kick and fling because he wears a borrowed sadle of silk for a day 2. Being and dominion over the creatures is of undeserved goodnesse Who looks to a borrowed body and a borrowed soul yea and to self and to that which is called I as to a thing that is freely gifted So that though thou be in an high opinion of self self is self and what it is from God And when thou rides whence is it that I am the rider and the wearied horse the carrier but from God 3. The Covenant of Works it self that God out of Soveraignty does not command is undeserved condescending that God bargains for hire do this and live whereas he may bide a Soveraign Law-giver and charge and command us is overcoming goodnesse Law is honeyed with love and hire it is mercy that for our penny of obedience so rich a wadge as communion with God is given 4. The influences to acts of obedience come under a twofold consideration 1. As congruous and suitable concurrences of God to Adams acts of obedience And so they were free gifts to Adam not promised as we shall hear in the New Covenant 2. As such influences by which the standing Elect Angels who were under this Covenant as well as Adam were differenced from the Angels that fell and were confirmed that they should not fall in this latter respect Absolute Soveraignty shines in Adams fall so if a Sparrow cannot stir its wing without God Mat. 10.29 nor a hair fall from our head ver 30. far lesse could Adam fall and all his without a singular providence And farre lesse could Adam go on and act without influences from God And if strong Adam and upright created in holinesse could not then stand his alone Shall our clay legs now under the fall bear us up What Godly trembling is required in us 5. The gift of Prophesie Gen. 2.23 seems to be freely given besides the Image of God and Adams knowledge Gen. 2.19 of every living creature according to their nature may be proven but it appears to be naturall and he is a lamentable example to us of abusing the Image of God and good gifts But no habite without the continued actings of God can keep us in a course of obedience There is no ground to make habits of grace our confidence 3. There can be no giving and taking between the creature and the Creator Elihu pleads well for him Job 35.7 If thou be righteous what gives thou to him Or what receiveth he of thy hand v. 1. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profite the Son of man Job 22.2 Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself Is it pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous Or is it a gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect So Eliphaz And David Psal. 16.2 My goodnesse extendeth not to thee Acts 17.25 Neither is the Lord worshipped with mens hands nor with their spirits as if he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life breath and all things What then is the glory of the creatures obedience to him It is some shining of the excellency of God upon men and Angels from the works of God and our obedience to him But suppose there were no creature to pay the rent of this glory to him is the Lord a loser therefore Hath he need of our songs of glory Or that creatures should be Heraulds of his praise Or needs he the workmanship or structure of Heaven Sun and Moon to be a Printed Book to spell and sound his glory If he need not the Book as he needeth nothing created Who sayeth I am the Lord Al-sufficient he needs not one letter nor any sense of the Contents of the Chapters of that Book There is a secret carnall notion of God in us when we act and suffer for God that brings a false peace and some calmes of mind
hath right and Law to come out of prison by paying the summe and neither Justice nor Creditor can keep him in prison solutus aere est solutus carcere Christ having satisfied our debt and payed the ransome of his blood to the death and being dead and under the dominion of death by justice is freed from either remaining in death or dying any more he is now justified not in his person for Christ in person was habitually righteous and from the womb Luk. 1.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That holy thing Jesus was sinlesse and so never condemned but justified in his cause and in his condition by Law for us and so appeareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second time without sin unto salvation the second time without sin hath relation to the first time without sin that is he shall appear the second time no lesse without sin and so justified in regard of his condition in Law then he was when he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and so that eminently holy thing born of the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.35 that is as justified as if he had never been made sin and never had been under the Law-burden of our sins as Isai. 53.6 And 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was justified in the Spirit declared to be just and the innocent Son of God by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 so that in the Spirit is in the eternall Spirit Heb. 9.14 the Godhead For he came from under that act and band of Cautionrie and Suretyship without sin that is acquit from sin which he was made and was laid upon him 2 Cor. 5.21 Isai. 53.6 4. We know Heb. 7.22 Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was made the Surety of a better Covenant as the LXX ever translate it of a better Testament Now here is a judiciall and a Law-act of suretyship put upon Christ. 1. He was made Surety then he was not Surety by nature but so made by a free transaction and Covenant For in Christs coming under that act when he was made Surety there be two things 1. His eternall condiscending to take on him our nature and to empty himself and be a servant 2. His agreeing and plighting of his faith and truth to take on our condition in Law that God should lay upon him the iniquity of us all Isa. 53.6 and that God should make him who knew no sin to be sin for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Law place and room 2 Cor. 5.21 not against his Fathers will nor yet without his own free consent That is against all reason For that which God made Christ that he was not by nature but that God willingly made him and that he was willingly and by free Covenant made But God gave him a body Heb. 7.5 and God made him sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.11 So a Surety is one that promises to satisfie for another and comes from a Verbe which signifies to promise by striking of hands Prov. 22.26 Be not thou among them that strike hands or of them that are surety for debts The Seventy give not thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Surety Aries Montan. Inter percutientes fide jubendo The Verbe in the Hebrew is from a root that signifies to mix together as the owle light when light and darknesse after the Sun-set are mixed together And by a Metaphor it notes suretyship and mixture of persons as M. Legh when one is tyed for another and mixed with him in his place As Christ put himself in the bond and writ of blood that we were in We were in the Law-writ Deut. 27. â—6 under a curse and Christ shifted the beleevers out and was made a curse by his own consent for us Gal. 3.10 and was written and acted in the Law-book the sinner and answered all the demands of Law and Justice and put in our names in the Gospel writ And that from everlasting God was in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reconciling the world of the elect not imputing their sins unto them 2 Cor. 5.19 And in time we beleeving are written blessed and righteous in him Gal. 3.13 14. 2 Cor. 5.21 And what could more be done by Christ who substitute himself by Covenant in our place and put us in his place Nor is this Suretyship just in debts only but also what ever Socinus Crellius and others say on the contrair in Capitall punishments For M. Thomas Goodwine pag. 50. Eâ—oritus did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly become a surety for Suephenus Yea and in hostages and pledges in war Plutarch saith that the Thessaliâ—ns slew two hundreth and fifty hostages The Romans saith Livie did the like to three hundreth of the Volsti and cast the Taratines over rocks de 〈◊〉 Tarpâ—iâ— and these were humane people The children of Tyrants were killed with the Tyrants by some Cities of Greece as Ciceâ—o and Halicarnaseus say Curtius saith that the Macedâ—nians put to death such as were near of blood to traitors Marcellinus saith so much also of the Persians The just Lord punishing the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation â—eacheth that conjunction of blood such as was between Christ our Kinsman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 19.25 and us may well make it most just that Christ be punished for us the Surety for the sinner though the sinner be under the hand of the Judge for he is unable to satisfie Justice and mercy saith that there is no essentiall reason in Law-justice why the same head which sinned and no other should suffer But grace may interveen so that though God need no surety yet tender mercy or God decreeing to show mercy in some good sense needs such a Surety as Christ. Neither is it much that justice saith that the Surety ought to have satisfaction made to him and restitution by the broken debter because justice gives his due to every man For 1. if the surety be more then a man and have absolute soveraignty over what he expâ—nds as Christ hath over his own life to lay it down and take it up again Joh. 10.18 As of free grace he payed for us so of free grace he pleads not in Law that the broken man pay him back and make restitution of his losses and this saith demonstratively that God doth neither punish nor show mercy by necessity of justice 2. When the surety hath a band of relief and as it were a back-band that his soul shall not be left in grave Psal. 16.10 but that he shall be victorious and more he may give out and look for nothing in again And the necessity of a surety to say remove the scaffold the guilty man shall not die pleads that if the Lord shall be merciful to sinners as he decreed then must Christ transact so with God as the everlasting out-goings of mercy may be with the free consent as it
by the payer no more a satisfaction for that man nor for Devils Is too near to the nature and to being a part of the satisfaction If one pay a summe that fully exhausts the debt of such a broken man upon condition the broken man say Amen to the paying thereof otherwise it shall be as not payed he must take up the summe again if the broken man refuse to say Amen to it for if he take it not up again but it be payed and fully satisfie for and exhaust the debt the mans debt is payed and the Creditor in justice cannot exact one farthing from the broken man Now nothing given to the Justice of God by way of satisfaction for the sins of unbeleevers was ever repeated or taken back again by Christ. Nay but say they the ransome was not payed at all for Judas but only upon condition that he beleeve but he never beleeved and therefore it was never payed for Judas Answ. This is that we say that Christ gave no reall ransome at all for the sins of Judas by way of satisfaction But they say that there is as well a ransome payed for all the sins of Iudas finall unbeleef excepted to free him in justice from eternall stroaks as for all the sins of Peter to free him only it is not accepted of by the Creditor because Judas by faith assented not unto the bargain But assenting or not assenting accepting or not accepting that are posterior to the payment are nothing up or down to the compleatnesse and perfection of the satisfaction made for the exhausting of Justice for Justice receives not two satisfactions or ransomes for Judas one upon the Crosse from Christ another in Hell from Iudas yea and it must follow that reall payment was made to Justice for all the sins of Iudas upon the Crosse and that he suffers for none of them in Hell but for only finall unbeleef which is no sin against the Covenant of Works and the Justice thereof but only and formally against the Covenant of Grace so that as yet satisfying of Divine Justice for sins must be halfed and parted between Christ and Iudas which the Scripture teaches not Also the Father either accepts the ransome of Christ because it is intrinsecally and of it self sufficiently satisfactory or because Iudas does beleeve it is so The latter cannot be said for beleeving adds nothing to the intrinsecall sufficiency of the satisfaction as not believing diminishes nothing from the sufficiency thereof Yea and so the Fathers formall reason of accepting of the satisfaction of Christ must be terminated upon our poor act of believing whereas the formal ground of the acceptation thereof is the intrinsecall excellency and worth of the Sacrifice being an offering of a sweet smelling savour to God Eph. 5.2 And because he offered the ransome of the blood of God-man of the Prince of life Act. 20.28 1 Cor. 2.8 and offered himself to God Eph. 5.25 26. Heb. 9.14 Mat. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 Rev. 1.5 nor is there any sufficiency in his death from the worth of beleeving And the reason why he accepts it for Peter not for another is the election of grace It is true the blood is a price refuseable but it is this way refuseable because the Lord might have followed a Law-way with Adam and all his sons and have denyed to give his Son a Ransome for us but it is not refuseable because of any insufficiency in the Ransome Now faith is to satisfaction as the approximation of and the laying on of dry fewell to the fire which is only a condition of burning but the fire is the formall cause of burning Yea if we speak properly faith is not so much as a condition without the which offended Justice is not satisfied nor is it a condition by any Scripture of the world without the which God laid not our iniquities on Christ for whether we beleeve or not God laid our iniquities upon him and made him sin for us Isa. 53.6 2 Cor. 5.21 Therefore by necessity of Justice he must accept that Ransome intrinsecally so sufficient which did restore more glory to God then the sins of all for whom Christ died took from him Nor is it imaginable to say that any act of obedience or beleeving can perfect the satisfaction of Christ and make it sufficient yea or causatively make it ours For God by no necessity of Justice but of his own free pleasure requireth faith as a condition of our actuall reconciliation for beside that he might have required any other act of obedience as love he might have accepted the Ransome without inquiring any act of obedience on our part as the Lord bestowed a calme Sea and deliverance from shipwrack upon the Idolatrous Sea-men upon the very act of casting Ionah in the Sea without the intervention of any saving faith on their part As a gracious Prince may send a pardon to free a condemned Malefactor from death and may command that it be valid in Law for him without the mans knowledge and far more without his acceptance thereof upon his knees especially since by a speciall paction between the Father and the Son he restored abundantly more Glory to God by suffering for all for whom he died then they took from God by their sins and that restitution was made to Justice without the interveening of any act of the creatures obedience But the truth is it is much to be doubted whether they who hold such a satisfaction to be given of God for the sins of all Elect and Reprobate but so as it shall not be valid in Law nor effectuall to quiet Justice but they must all suffer eternall vengeance and perform personall satisfaction in Hell to Justice except there interveen an act of obedience of the creature to make it effectuall do really and sincerely acknowledge against Socinians a reall satisfaction and compensation made to offended Justice by Christ For how is it reall and not rather scenicall and formall which may and should be null and in vain if the creature make it not reall by beleeving And especially if God out of his grace which is absolutely free work in us the condition of beleeving Can God give his Son as a Ransome for us upon condition that we beleeve if he himself absolutely work the condition in us They will not admit this CHAP. V. God intended a Law-dispensation but for a time 2. Adam how he was ordained for a Law-life 3. How predestinated to Glory in Christ how not 4. That the Heathens have no more Universall Grace then Devils 5. No ground for such grace IT is apparent that God intended not a Law-dispensation in Paradise to stand for ever For 1. nothing is spoken of Adam after the fall but of his procreating of children of the Patriarchs of Adams dying and of his actings before the fall the place of Paradice being scarce well known which sayes the Lord had a farther design to lay aside
with God and his decrees under pretence of this what if he have not chosen me and I have no right to Covenant-mercies except I take a Law-way to earne them by fulfilling the condition 5. When we beleeve a conditionall promise if I beleeve I am saved faith relyes not fiducially upon the if I beleeve or upon the condition It s a weak pillar to a sinner to stay his unquiet heart upon to wit his own beleeving but faith rests upon the connexion if thou beleeve thou shalt be saved and it stayes upon the connexion as made sure by the Lord who of grace gives the condition of beleeving and of grace the reward conditioned so that faith binds all the weight upon God only even in conditionall Gospel-promises 1. Man is to be considered as a creature 2. As such a creature to wit endued with reason and the Image of God in either considerations especially in the former all that are created are obliged to do and suffer the will of God though they never sinned It s not enough to say that Sun Moon Trees Herbs Vines Earth Beasts Birds and Fishes cannot suffer the ill of punishment which is relative to the break of a Law for the whole Creation is subject to vanity for our sins Rom. 8.20 21. The Servant is smitten and sickened for the Masters sake and God may take from them what he gave them their lives without sense of pain and dollour for all beings yea defects and privations are debters to the glory declarative of God Prov. 16.4 Rom. 11.36 yea and no beings are under this debt God can serve himself of nothing yea that there are not created Locusts Caterpillars more numerous then that all the fruits of the earth can be food to them Preach the Glory of the Lords goodnesse to man and what are never to be no lesse then all things that have futurition or shall come to passe either absolutely or conditionally are under the positive decree of God else we should not owe thanks to the Lord for many evils that never fall out that the Lord turns away violent death violence of men and wilde beasts and many possible mischiefs contrair to Deut. 28.11 12. Lev. 26.6 Psal. 34.20 Psal. 91.5 6 7 8. And all these beings or no beings owe themselves to God to hold forth the glory of goodnesse wisedome mercy justice c. suppone there had never been sin Far more now who wants matter of meditation or can write a book of all the pains aâ—kings convulsions pests diseases that the Lord decreed to hold off so that every bone joynt lith hair member should write a Psalm Book of praises Psal. 35.10 All my bones shall say Lord Who is like unto thee Nor can any man write his debts of this kind But we are little affected with the negatives of mercies except we read them upon others and little then also Self-pain Preacheth little to us far more the borrowed experience of fallen Angels of Sodom of the old world c. leaves small impression upon stony spirits 2. Complain not that you have not that share of grace another hath if ye you think had it you would be as usefull to glorifie God as they but ye know not your self swell not against him that thou hast no grace O vessell of wrath thou owes that bit clay and all thy wants to glorifie his Justice 3. My sicknesse my pain my bands owe themselves to God and are debtors to his glory I and every one of men should say O that my pain might praise him and my hell and flamings of everlasting fire might be an everlasting Psalm of the Glory of his Justice That my sorrow could sing the Glory of so High a Lord But we love rather that he wanted his praise so we wanted our pain 3. God hath made a sort of naturall Covenant with night and day Jer. 31.35 For all are his servants Psal. 119.91 that they should be faithfull to their own naturall ends to act for him Ier. 5.22 Ier. 31.37 Psal. 104.1 2 3.4 and they are more faithfull to their ends then men Isa. 1.3 Ier. 8.7 The oxe and the asse being more knowing to their owner and the swallow and the cran being more discerning of their times then men are 2. They so keep their line that there is more self-deniall in their actings then in mans way as if fire were not fire and nature in it denied the fire devours not the three Children Dan. 3.27 28 The Sun stands still the Moon moves not Iosh. 10.12 13. The hungry Lions eat not Daniel ch 6.22 When the Lord gives a counter-command to them and that is a clause in the Covenant that the Lord entered with them that they act or no act as he shall be pleased to speak to them John 2.10 Isa. 50.2 Mat. 8.16 It is a most humbling Theame that an asse is more in denying nature and the cran and the fire then man yea then a renued man in some cases 4. But if man be considered as such a man endued with the Image of God and withall the Covenant be considered as such a Covenant as is expressed in the Ten-Commandements in which one of seven is a Sabbath to the Lord it will be found that many positives Morall are in the Covenant of Works that are not in naturall Covenants 5. So man must come under a three-fold consideration 1. As a creature 2. As a reasonable creature 3. As such a creature reasonable endued with the image of God In the first consideration man comes under the Covenant naturall common to all creatures So is Peters body carried above in the water as iron swims 2. As a reasonable creature he owes himself to God to obey so far as the Law written in the heart carries him to love God trust in him fear him But this can hardly bear the name of a Covenant except it be so called in a large sense nor is there any promise of life as a reward of the work of obedience here 3. But man being considered as indued with the Image of God so the Holy God made with him a Covenant of life with Commandements though positive and Morall yet not deduced from the Law of Nature in the strictest sense as to observe such a Sabbath the seventh from the Creation the not eating of the forbidden tree and with a promise of such a life And therefore though Divines as our solid and eminent Rollock call it a Covenant naturall as it is contradistinguished from the supernaturall Covenant of Grace and there is good reason so to call it Yet when it is considered in the positives thereof it is from the free will of God and though it be connaturall to man created according to the Image of God yet the Covenant came so from the Lords wisedom and free-will as he might have casten it in a new and far other frame And it cannot be denyed though it be most
should otherwise bear this sense my glory of revenging justice only I will not give to Idol gods and creatures But the place of Isa. ch 42.8 should not conclude but they might ascribe the glory of salvation and mercifull deliverances and victories over Judah the Temple the Sanctuary to their idol gods the contrair whereof is intended by the Prophet But if the Lord by necessity of nature love his declarative glory as he loves himself then he must love glory of one attribute as well as of another and so as his Nature not freedome or soveraignty puts him to it to defend the glory of justice when man sins Yea so as he cannot be God and essentially just except he vindicat his glory of justice Yea so he must love the glory of saving and pardoning mercy as himself for the one glory is no lesse essentiall to God if it be essentiall at all then the other And by this means God by necessity of nature to preserve safe the glory of saving mercie must send his Son and by the like necessity by which he loves himself he must redeem man Now the Lord does not love himself of free grace for he every way for the infinite excellency of his Nature is love-worthy and there is no interveening of freedome or free grace or soveraignty in the Lords loving of himself and his own essentiall glory There is a declarative glory which is not essentiall to God of which the Scripture Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself that is for his glory to be declared Eph. 1.6 He hath chosen us to the praise of the glory of his grace v. 11. In Christ we have obtained an inheritance 1â— That we should be to the praise of his glory Rom. 11.36 All things are to him to his glory Isa. 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise All these are to be understood not of the essentiall glory of God but of the declarative glory of God that shines ad extra And this glory is not essentiall to God as so declared for he was infinitly glorious from eternity and should eternally be essentially glorious though neither world nor man nor Angel had been created And the meaning of that Isai. 42.8 is mistaken the length of the Heaven toto Coelo It is not this as I love my self so by necessity of nature I will and desire that my glory due to me as God be not given to idol gods and creatures 1. What by necessitie of nature God wills that certainly and by necessitie of nature is and existeth as he loveth himself and his Son by necessitie of nature and begets his Son by necessitie of nature so also by necessitie of nature God is loved and the Son of God is loved and the Son is by necessitie of nature begotten of the Father But it is most untrue that by necessitie of nature the Glory of God is not transferred to Idol gods and creatures The Scriptures cry the contrare When ever Idolatrie is committed Isa. 40. and 41. Isa. 46. Rom. 1. Acts 17. his Glory declarative is given most sinfully to another against his approving will 2. What ever sin God forbids he forbids the existence of it by his approving will not by necessitie of nature for if God essentially and by nature willed that sin and Idolatrie should never be he would efficaciouslie hinder it But what God wills by his commanding will we see he does not efficaciouslie hinder the existence thereof For then sin and Idolatrie should not be at all nor have any existence which is contrare to Scripture and experience And surely if God love his declarative Glory essentially as himself he must essentially no lesse love to keep this glory when Angels and men do obey him and to hinder the taking away of this Glory by sin then to revenge the taking away of this glory by punishment for every sin against a positive Law to eat of the tree of knowledge or for the Jews to eat swines flesh before Christ abolished such Lawes as well as sins against the Law of nature are contrare to the Glory of God and so contrare to that essentiall love that God hath to his Glory and to the Glory of the Lord the Law-giver himself Ergo by necessitie of nature because he cannot but love himself he should preserve his legislative Glory it is as properly and essentiallie the Glory of God which he requires of us in doing his will as the Glory of suffering punishment for sin committed is his Glory therefore by necessitie of nature because God cannot but love himself he should essentially hinder sin And if God absolve the guiltie where is the Glory of his justice True it should be lost so when God suffers the Angels to fall and Adam to sin where is the Glory of his legislative Majesty it is lost so far God is oblidged to defend the Glory of his Justice say and prove that he is oblidged by necessitie of nature to defend the Glory of his Justice more then by the same necessitie he must defend his legislative Glory 3. God must defend all his Glory with the same necessitie except the Scripture make some exception of some Glory which he must preserve as dearer to him then some other Glory which is unwarrantable to say and if God must by necessitie of nature and as God because naturally he loves himself and his own Glory defend his own Glory then by necessitie of nature he must defend the Glory of all his Attributes of Holinesse Graciousnesse Greatnâ—sse Omnipotencie Eternitie Infinite knowledge c. that the Glory of not one of these be taken from him by sin And because the Lord maketh and worketh all that he doth without himself in the creature for his own Glory Prov. 16.4 Rev. 4.11 Rom. 11.36 in all that he doth he must by necessitie of nature love his own Glory quoniam seipsum non potest non amare because he loves himself Ergo by this ground the Lord doth nothing freely without himself and so the Lord makes not the rain to fall the tree to bud the sea to ebbe the wind to blow the fowls to flee the fishes to swim for the declaration of the Glory of his goodnesse or his power or his mercy his holinesse with any freedome but all these he must do for Glory to himself by necessitie of nature which Glory he loves as himself for his Glory in all he doth without he loveth by necessitie of nature as he loves himself saith the Author And therefore as he cannot preserve the Glory of his Justice but by punishing sin and that by necessitie of nature so he cannot preserve the Glory of the rest of all his Attributes which Glory also he loves as himself but by doing all without himself in like maner by necessitie of nature which utterly destroyes the libertie and freedome of God in all his works of Providence and
Creation and so God shall be a naturall agent in all his works without himself not a free agent in Creating and Redeeming 4. The Scripture sayes he works all things according to the counsell of his will for his Glory and therefore he intends not his own declarative Glory as he loves himself For by necessitie of nature he loves himself and cannot but love himself But he might if so it had pleased him never have intended to shew forth his own Glory and does not show it forth by necessitie of nature as he loves himself Yea he might never have created the world never have acted without himself For he was sufficient within himself and stood in need of no declarative Glory Gen. 17.1 Acts 17.25 5. Yea if by necessitie of Justice God cannot but punish sin especially this justice shall cary him to follow the Law of Works without any Gospel moderation which is that the same person that sins and the same soul Ezek. 18. and no other should die for sin for all these Thou shalt destroy all the workers of iniquitie Thou art of purer eyes then that thou can behold iniquitie and the like are expressions of a pure legall proceeding in the Lord against such as are out of Christ under the Law not under the Gospel to wit the workers of iniquity whom the Lord in justice shall punish in their person not in their surety And if there be such a connexion objective ex naturâ rei between sin and punishment it must be between punishment and the very person and none other but the same that sinned For among men this is justice Noxa sequitur caput so that by necessitie of nature God shall not be God nor essentially just if he punish not eternally Adam and all mankinde in their own persons and so by necessitie of justice he cannot punish Christ And it cannot be denyed but there is a dispensation of free Grace and that it is no act of Justice but of Grace that God make Christ sin i. e. a sacrifice for sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And that the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all Isa. 53.6 and made him our surety Nor let any man object how could God make Christ a propitiation for sin to declare his righteousnesse Or how could such justice by that action be debarred since justice did not exact such an action If without violation of justice it might have been omitted if God should have been infinitely just from Eternitie if he had done no such thing Shall a Prince get himself glory in the name of justice by doing that which by his absolute Soveraignety he may leave undone without hurt of justice It is Answered this is to measure God by mortall men Shall an earthly father freely for no reall good to himself beget hundreds of children when he needs not and yet he foresees the largest number of them shall perish eternally and the eldest must die and be made a curse to save the rest The Lord punished Christ for us to declare the glory of his Justice in punishing sin in his own Son who was the sinner by imputation for out of the depth of infinite wisedome the Lord freely imposes a law upon his creatures He might have imposed no such law under such a punishment By no necessity of nature did the Lord threaten death for the eating the fruit of that tree prove that God should not have been God except he had threatned death for the eating of that fruit and except he had punished that eating with death either to be inflicted upon the eater or his surety Quid haeres Prove that by the Word of God it is sin to eat when God forbids but the Lords soul hates sin True but does the Lords soul hate sin naturally as he loves himself and by necessity of his essentiall justice as contradistinguished from his immutabilitie and his truth and faithfulnesse according to which attributes he decreed and said that the soul that sins shall die and he that eats shall die and he cannot change nor alter what he hath decreed and cannot but be true in his threatnings But the Question is whether laying aside the respect of Gods unchangeablenesse and truth there be such a connexion internall between eating and dying or between eating forbidden of God and punishment as God cannot be equally and essentially just nor can he be God except he punish forbidden eating for sure eating of that fruit is not of its nature sin but it is sin from the only forbidding will of God for the Lord had been no lesse essentially just had he commanded Adam to eat of the Tree of Knowledge Ergo it is punished from the forbidding will of God for say that to be punishable or to be punished be essentiall to sin if eating of such fruit be sin from the forbidding will of God the essence thereof must be from the same forbidding will then must it follow that God hates not all sin by necessity of nature And that he hates such eating only conditionally if he forbid it but 〈◊〉 from his meer free will did forbid it So the Question shall not be whether God in justice punished Christ and made him a propitiation to declare his justice but what the relative justice ad extra is by which God punisheth sin and whether God should leave off to be God hallowed be his high Name if he should not make first penall Laws to threaten all sin with punishment 2. Whether he should not be God if he should not punish all sin even the eating of the forbidden tree 3. What can be said that is more weak and watrie to enervat the glory of free Grace then to confound the Glory of Gods Justice in giving Christ to die for sinners and this glory as manifested and declared For sure the manifestation of that glory is a work of free Grace and most free if God do any thing freely he must freely and by no necessity of Justice Mercy Omnipotency Patience Grace c. manifest the glory of all these to men and Angels and these attributes and the internall splendor beauty or to speak so the fundamentall glory of all the attributes of God is essentiall to God and his very Nature And they deny the Lord who teach that any attributes or such glory are in God freely or contingently if I durst so speak for then might we say these may go and come ebbe and flow in the Lord and he should be God though Mercy Omnipotency Gloriousnesse Graciousnesse were now and then wanting in him as he punishes not alway◠and yet he is eternally just he saves not alwayes and yet he is eternally mighty to save and abundant in compassions but as to the manifestation of Power Mercy Justice that is freely in God He sent his Son and gave his Son to death for us out of love Iohn 3.16 But it is against common sense to infer Ergo God sent
to the necessitie of good works but the followers of Flaccius Illyricus dissented The Authors of the book of Concord condemne these of Flaccius their way and deny a necessity of efficiency in works to deserve salvation but yeeld a necessity of their presence that the work of salvation be not hindered 3. These distinctions are necessary 1. There is a jus and right to Gospel life eternall And 2. there is actuall possession of life eternall 2. There is a twofold jus One by the purchase of merit and the payed ransome of blood There is a right secundary by promise every promise giveth a right in a manner but its unproper 3. There is promise of life formally federall 2. There is a promis◠of life consequentèr federall 4. There is an order of things one going before the other as the Antecedent and the Consequent and in order of cause and effect 5. Law-obedience doth much differ from Gospel-obedience as Law-commands from Gospel-commands 6. GOD sent his Sonne to justifie persons but not to justifie works not to make inherent obedience perfect or our righteousnesse before God Asser. 1. If the new Covenant be considered strictly and formally in its essence he that beleeveth whether his faith be weake or strong is justified and saved Joh 3.18 36. Joh. 5.24 Act. 15.9 10 11. Rom. 3.16 Rom. 4.1 2 3 4 5. Rom. 5.1 for faith justifieth as lively faith and not as great or small Otherwise none should be justified and saved but the strong beleever whereas Christ died for the weak in the faith Rom. 14. Hence Mr. Sibs excellently Know that in the Covenant of Grace God requires the truth of Grace not any certain measure and a spark of fire is aswell fire as the whole element thereof we must look to Grace in the sparkle aswell as the whole flame all have not the like strong yet the like precious faith whereby they lay hold and put on the perfect righteousnesse of Christ a weak hand may receive a rich Jewell a few grapes will shew that the plant is a vine not a thorne There is a roome in heaven for thee who judges thy self for the number of lambes and babes weak in the faith in this Kingdome do far exceed the number of the strong and aged in Christ for the Scripture names the whole flock little ones babes his sheep they are not a flock of fathers and strong ones Asser. 2. There is a right to life by promise he that beleeves shall be saved Promissio facit jus creat debitum Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come And because a promise as a promise cannot create an equality betwixt the work and the wages as is proven this is an unproper right and not proper debt and takes not away the nature of a free gift This is no consequence at all the performing of the condition of the Covenant of Works doth justifie Adam by Law-works so as he is no sinner hath fulfilled the Law hath right to life eternall Ergo to beleeve to the end and fulfill to the end and fulfill the condition of the Covenant of Grace doth justifie the beleever by Evangelick works make him no sinner but a perfect fulfiller of the Covenant of Grace and one who hath due right by working to life eternall Certainly then 1. doing Evangelick gives us as good right to eternall life without the price and ransome of blood as doing legall gives to the same life 2. When we sin and fall in atrocious offences Adulteries Paricide Robbing we have as good right to Justification by works and life eternall by Evangelick works suppose he be a robber all his life as was the repenting theef as Adam suppose he had perfectly fulfilled the Law Now though believing be the condition of the Covenant of Grace it is of a farre other nature then perfect doing to the end and constant fulfilling of the whole Law in thought word and deed with all the heart and the soul and mind and all the strength For there is no sin here and so no place for punishing justice or wrath none can so believe but he sins and so deserves everlasting wrath If it be said that by the Covenant of Works he doeth deserve it but not by the Covenant of Grace for Christ hath merited to him life eternall Ans. 1. We speak now of the right that a Believer hath by Evangelick works to justification and life as contradistinguished from the merits of Christ this opinion saith that a man is justified by Evangelick doing because God hath made the like promise and the like jus and right by promise to doing Evangelick that he made to Law-doing if Christs merits be added to qualifie Evangelick works to adde to them the worth that they have then Christs merits must give life eternall by way of merit or a vertue of meriting condignly to our Evangelick doing as Papists say and so Christ hath made us saviours and redeemers of our selves and this is a right to life ex condigno more then Adams most perfite Law-obedience had 2. The Covenant of Grace commanding faith doeth by this opinion command all that the Law of Works doeth but in an Evangelick way that they be done sincerely Ergo it must forbid all sin which the Law forbids But the Law forbids not only unbelief finall unbelief but all the works of the flesh Also Christ must come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to louse and dissolve the Law which he denyes Math. 5. for if the Covenant of Grace condemne nothing but finall unbelief Christ in this Covenant must dissolve the Law but Christ sayeth he that breaks or teacheth men to break these is the least of the Kingdome of God But there is an other jus and right to life eternall by which Christ dying hath satisfied the Law expiated our sins restored as much and more glory to God by passive obedience by his sufferings as we had taken glory from God by our evill doing and so merited to us life eternall If any say abusing that place Rev. 22. 14. that we obtain this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and right to the Tree of Life and to Christ our life and everlasting glory which is our only right the only Charter of blood by keeping the Commandements Evangelically he must say that we first may keep the Commandements Evangelically before we have right to life to Christ and so before we beleeve 2. That we merit Christs right or merite by doing and that by Evangelick works we buy right to Christ and Christs merits and so Christ hath not merited to us a jus and right and title to life everlasting by dying and grace and a gracious right to do his Commandements by his death but that we by doing his Commandements do earne and sweat for a right to Heaven which is to say that we by doing merite and deserve the price of Redemption and that we merite Christ to our selves
is a gift of grace Phil. 1.29 the mercies bestowed and promised are all of free grace for we are justified by his grace Rom. 3.24 freely and are saved and called with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1.9 For by grace saith Paul are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and the new creation is framed in us of grace But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ Eph. 2.4 5. and the new heart promised Ezek. 36.26 is given upon this account v. 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel We have remission of sins freely of his grace Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Col. 1.14 Perseverence is promised of free grace Jer. 31.35 Jer. 32.39 40. Isa. 54.10 as life eternall is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 and every influence of grace is of free grace Phil. 1.13 Joh. 15.5 and CHRIST the Surety of the Covenant of free-grace and love is given Joh. 3.16 to taste of death for every man Heb. 2.9 CHAP. XXVII Of cases of Law-fear and Gospel-faith How a child of God fears Law-threatnings FRom these properties flow diverse cases touching the stability of the Saints their perseverance their temptations their standing in grace 1. If they cannot fall away who are thus seated in the Covenant is not free will left to much loosnesse of security Answ. Not at all For a principle of Godly fear is fixed in the heart and so in free will never to depart from God Jer. 32.39 40. And where this Godly aw is the heart is in a Godly trembling and fear and darre not be loose wanton and secure to fear nothing but fears alway Prov. 28.14 and fears and trembles at the Lord and his goodnesse Hos. 3.5 A Godly heart trembles more for fear of grace and the debt of grace then of justice and wrath and fears sin more as it is against the bands of grace and against Christ and Gospel-love who can save then as it is against Law the Law-giver and him who eternally destroyes And so the aw of heaven hath a stronger impression then the terrour and aw of hell Quest. 2. How can the fear of falling away and the faith of perseverance absolutely promised and absolutely given consist together Ans. The Law-fear of falling away and the Gospel faith of persevering are not consistent The fear legall of the least sinne is a fear of hell and of eternall wrath to be irrecoverably inflicted but because the person is under grace the beleever cannot fear this fear except the Law-fear be letten out against him as a temptation but it is not his oblidged duty so to fear 2. The Law-fear upon a beleever is conditionall and not absolute as he fears hell and falling away jure as his deserving if God should enter in judgement with him and if he were not in CHRIST But he is oblidged to a Gospel-faith which layes hold on Christ righteousnesse and deliverance from condemnation and if Christ and interest in him be hid from him and nothing on but Law-fear that is a triall not a duty of Law-fear But there is a Godly Law-fear or a Gospel-Law-fear which is a Godly horrour conditionall for that which is never to be inflicted but yet according to deserving may be inflicted and this is the terrour of the Lord which breedeth Gospel perswasion 2 Cor. 5.11 and so may well stand with Gospel-faith and assurance of deliverance from falling away and of being stablished and confirmed to the end As a child in the fathers arm threatened to be cast over a sharp Rock in the Sea may have horrour and fear and cry out for fear and yet beleeve so his fathers compassion as he will not throw him in the Sea because the threatning is ordained not to be exercised but that the child may so much the more thrust his arms about his fathers neck Quest. 3. What is the best victory over temptations from such fears Ans. As in all temptations so here overcoming is attended with precious promises which are to be read Rev. c. 2.7.17.26 27 28. c. 3.5.12.21 Rev. 21. For 1. Feavers of the Law that have no kindly cools and relenting by the promises of the Gospel tend not to the strengthning of the life of God but only when they leave a standing self loathing and loving of Christ. 2. It argues the strength of faith after many yea six foyles to stand as the Army that is broken six times yet rallies and draws up again is often at the seventh time victorious 3. Such as stand against a strong and mighty tentation bâ—ing pressed out of measure above strength as Paul was 2 Cor. 1.8 9. in so much saith he that we despaired even of life But wee had the sentence of death in our selves do prevail to the being taught of God not to trust in our selves but in God who quickens the dead For here there comes reall strength from fighting As he who by strength of nature lives and convalesceth after a running boatch and strong pestilence goes through pest-houses and is never infected again So the worthies by faith who overcame strong temptations Heb. 11. to the end keep the fields and prevail till death 4. Godly fear of self-weaknesse and trembling at sin which may darken the feelings of received mercies and sweet influences addeth strength Something of that is here 2 Cor. 12.10 when I am weak then am I strong 5. A fixed peace in assurance of deliverance from condemnation and quietnesse in beleeving pardon and righteousnesse in Christ ought alwayes to be as touching the state of Justification for the questioning of this in a beleever if Antinomians will yeeld to truth is contrair to faith and no warrantable assurance But 2. a fixed peace in David immediatly after blood-shed and adultery before beleeving of the remission of these particular sins be in the Lords order renewed is security and not Godly peace Psal. 32.3 While I keept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day 5. I acknowledged and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal. 51.1 2 3 c. prove this But it may be said doth not this holy feeling of and trouble for the particular hainous guiltinesse brangle the fixed peace and the persons faith and confidence that he is in a state of justification Ans. Not at all for the outcries of the child of God Rom. 7.24 under not a finger or an arm or a leg but a body of sinne O wretched man who shall deliver me from the body of this death are good and
but then there should never have been such a thing known to the generations to come as that Ark of glory that huge and boundlesse all fulnesse of the indwelling Godhead in the Man Christ. Sure had there been none sick such a suffering Physician to heal us had never been none lost would have said there is no Saviour none dead in sin would say there is no need of such a Lord and Prince of life by whose swelling wounds we are healed Isa. 53. 4. Nor was it fit that this should never be known to Angels and men that the Lord honours so many redeemed sinners with a grant and licence to love so high so precious a Redeemer and as it were to marre and black his fairnesse and desirable excellency with our feeble and sinfully weak love he being so far above our love or faith or praises 5. The Gospel-wonders should not be an eternally sealed book to men and Angels as Revel 12.1 that wonder in heaven A woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars should be known And what was shewed to John was to be shown to the Churches Rev. 21.10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Hierusalem descending out of heaven from God 11. Having the glory of God I mean here the wonders of grace mercy declared justice as that the most High should empty Himself and the Godhead be united to clay that there should be such a high Bridegroom so low and sinfull a Spouse that death should conquer death that Nothings of clay should sing their debts eternally cast down their crowns being made of sinners glorified Kings and not be ashamed to cast down their crowns before him that sits on the throne Nor should the gifts and graces of God be hidden Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son how should he not with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give us all things begrace to us all How should he not make heaven and earth free grace to us and all a masse of grace to us Eph. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath begraced us all over in Christ. 1 Tim. 1.13 But I obtained mercy as dipped in a sea of mercy Luk. 1.28 Hail Virgine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled with free grace Let us forgive one another Col. 3.13 as Christ begraced pardon to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we might know 1 Cor. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are freely given us And what a debt must that be the forgiving of ten thousand talents more then to forgive millions and tuns of gold Hence the Question whether Law-innocency and never sinning or Gospel-repentance and rising again in Christ be most excellent It is answered 1. Simply to us It is better and morally more excellent never to fall never to be sick then to rise in Christ and be healed by such a Physician But sinning and falling being considered in relation to a more universall good there is more excellency in Gospel-rising then in Law-standing As 1. There is more feeling deeper sense in the woman which did wash Christs feet with her tears and wipe them with the hair of her head then in some who never so fell And Christ may hold forth something of this Luk. 15.7 Likewise I say unto you saith Christ there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more then over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance True it is our Saviours scope is not to compare repentance and Law-innocency together or to show that the Pharisees needed no repentance as if they were not in a lost condition but to show what joy was in heaven with the Lord the father of the forlorn son and in the Angels at the home coming of repenting sinners And is not a Jewell of ten thousand millions of more worth then a Diamond that is not worth the eighth part of that summe Adams innocency and never sinning should have been by the common influences of Law-love and the same may be said of Angel-innocency But Gospel-repentance is the gift procured at a dearer rate Christ was exalted a Prince to give repentance Acts 5.31 Neither should there be sense and such loving sense of free grace in the forlorn son had he never fled away from his father and never been so received with a welcome of grace which he beleeved before he felt it CHAP. VI. Q. 11. Whether there be any such thing as a Covenant of Suretyship or Redemption between JEHOVAH and the Son of GOD That there is such a Covenant is proven by 11. Arguments NO doubt Christ God-Man is in Covenant with God being a person designed from eternity with his own consent and in time yeelding thereunto and yet he stands not in that Covenant-relation that we stand in as we shall hear 1. Arg. What Argument does prove that there is a people in Covenant with God who call the Lord their God as Zech. 13.9 Jer. 32.38 Isai 25.9 the same shall prove Christ to be in Covenant with God As who can say he is my God he must be in Covenant with God As Jer. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my people Ezek. 11.20 Ezek. 34.24 25 30. Now this is clearly said of Christ Psal. 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my salvation The Son the only begotten of the Father saith thou art my God Heb. 1.5 And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son It is expounded of Christ but was first spoken of Solomon the Type 1 Sam. 7.14 My mercy that is my Covenant-mercy to the Son of David and his seed shall stand sure as the dayes of heaven Psal. 89.28 29 34 35 36. 1 Chron. 22.10 He shall build a house for my Name he shall be my Son and I will be his father Then follows the Covenant-promise And I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever which is expounded Psal. 89.28 29 c. of Christ a Covenanted King as long as the Sun and the Moon indures 34 35 36. and cannot agree to David whose Kingdom is now gone As also Christ flees to this Covenant in his extream suffering my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22.1 Mat. 27.46 So Psal. 40. it is Christ who saith v. 8. I delight to do thy will O my God And it is a Covenant compellation my God and spoken by him v. 6. Mine ears thou hast opened who removes all sacrifices and offers himself a sacrifice Heb. 10.5 A body thou hast prepared me So also Ps. 45.7 Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse Therefore God thy God a Covenant word hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows See glorified Christ glorying in this Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a
salvation upon their own Socinian faith that is their indifferent relying upon the Saviour Jesus and their own holiness watchfulnesse obedience love to God Sure the comfort joy peace assurance subjective that they have in their conscience can be no stronger then the objective and fundamentall certitude of standing persevering overcoming flowing from free-will which is woefully free and indifferent to persevere and stand or not to persevere not to stand but to fall away It s a stronger consolation and the strongest should be the Christians choise that is founded upon the Fathers giving and the Sons receiving of sinners and the faith of salvation to me which relies and leans upon Christs undertaking for me that I shall not be lost nor casten out then upon my undertaking for my self The fifth Argument is from Christs receiving the Seals Who so receives in his body the Seals of the Covenant of Grace Circumcision and Baptism and yet needs no putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by Circumcision and needs no forgivenesse of sin no regeneration no burying with Christ in Baptism as Col. 2.11 12. Rom. 6.3 4 5. and eats the Passeover and needs not that the Lamb of God take away his sins as Joh. 1.29 since he is holy and without sin he must be under the Covenant and God must be his God in some other Covenant then sinners are for these seals are proper to a Covenanted people strangers and Pagans might not receive them but these in Covenant only Gen. 17.7 Exod. 12.48 Matth. 28.20 Col. 2.11 12. and Christ must have received Seals for other uses and ends then sinners received them to wit to testifie that he was the God of both Jews and Gentiles and that he was the undertaker for us in a Covenant of suretyship for us to perfect a higher command then any mortall man was under to wit to lay down his life for sinners Joh. 10.18 and beside that for our cause he was made under the Law to fulfill all righteousness and so was Circumcised Luk. 2.21 Baptized Matth. 3.13 16 17. did eat the Passeover with the Disciples Mat. 26.18 19 20. Mar. 14.18 Luk. 22.13 14. he in coming under that state in which he must because a man fulfill the Law and be under even Gospel commands so far as they were suteable to his holy Nature testifieth in obeying all commands even of the Morall Law and as the Son of God he was under no such obligation that he was under a speciall ingagement and compact to God for the work of Redemption And we are taught to feel what imbred delight and sweetnesse of peace is in duties when Christ Covenants with God to come under the Law and under the hardest of commands to lay down his life for sinners because it was a Law and command by Covenant that hath most of obedience which hath most of a Law Q. Was Christ such an one as needed seals to his speciall Covenant with the Father Ans. He needed no seals at all to strengthen his faith of dependency for there was no sinfull weaknesse in his faith yet he was capable of growing Luk. 2.52 For the Law requires not the like physicall intention and bendednesse of acts of obedience from the young as from the aged 2. In that the receiving of the seals proves Christ to be Surety of the Covenant of Grace it makes good that he was under the other Covenant and to perform the obedience due to the speciall command of dying as to a command of Covenant 6. Argument is from the Lords libertie If God might in justice have prosecuted the Covenant of Works and Adam and his might justly have suffered eternall death for sin for the Law is holy and just and the threatning Gen. 2.17 just except the Lord had of grace made another Covenant then must the Lord send or not send a Saviour to suffer and be a suffering Redeemer and Surety as pleased him or not pleased him and if Christ may refuse to undertake or willingly agree as pleased him and Christ being Godâ—consubstantiall with the Father might have stood to the Law-way of works For who or what could have hindered him to follow a course of justice against all men then if both agreed to dispense with that Law-way to save man Here is Covenant-condiscension between JEHOVAH and the Son of quieting Law and pitching on a milde Gospel-way 7. Argument from the promises made to Christ He to whom the promises are made as to the seed so as in him they are yea and Amen and he who is eminently the chief heir of the promises as ingaged to make good the promises on the Lords part to give forgivenesse Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.12 perseverance Jer. 32.39 40. Isa. 54.10 Isa. 59.21 peace Ezek. 34.25 Lev. 26.6.11 12. yea and a new heart Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 11.19 Heb. 8.10 life eternall Joh. 10.28 and to make good the promises upon our part by fulfilling the condition and giving habituall grace Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.26 and actuall influences Jer. 31.34 to know the Lord Ier. 32.39 40. Ezek 36.27 to and with him God must strike a Covenant of suretyship that he shall have the anointing in its fulnesse above his fellows without measure to make good all these promises as Mediatour for it is not simply grace and life that the Lord bestows upon his people but grace out of the store-house of the Mediatour God-Man Now this must be given to Christ by promise Gal. 3.16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ He cannot well mean mysticall Christ that is Christ and all his for they are indeed many and numerous as Isai. 2.1 2. Isai. 60.1 2 3 4 5 6. Psal. 22.27 compared with Rev. 5.11 Rev. 7.9 for the promises are made to Christ-God-Man eminently not formally For 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen For the promise is made to us for Christ and through his grace then the promise is made first to him and more eminently and to us for him Propter quod unumquodqueâ—ale id ipsum magis tale 2. The promises are fulfilled and made good not because we fulfill the condition but for Christ in whom and by whose merit both the grace promised and the grace habituall and actuall to perform the condition be it faith repentance humility c. is freely given to us 3. Christ is he who makes the Covenant and all the promises Act. 7.32 Who said to Moses I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham 34. I bave seen I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Aegypt and I have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them And now come I will send thee unto Aegypt And v. 35. Moses is made a Ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the Angel that appeared to
in time nor can Christ-God will any thing in time which he did not will and consent unto from eternity therefore he was present with the Father and consented unto the designation and closed the bargain from eternity upon which account Christ had the glory of a designed Saviour with the Father before the world was and prayes that he may God-Man be glorified as touching the manifestation of that glory to Angels and men with the glory that he had with the Father before the world was Joh. 17.5 and here is an eternally closed Covenant between JEHOVAH and the Son with the consent of parties And who sees not our debt of love for a foresight and providence of pure grace Behold a designed Physician before we be sick and Christ with his own consent writing himself the repairer of the breaches before the house fall and the healer and binder up before the bones be broken 2. Christ is chosen and predestinate the head the first born of the house and of the many brethren and sayes Amen to the choise and we are chosen in him as our head and he was fore-ordained the Mediator and the Lamb before the foundation of the world was laid to be slain for our sin Hence 2. offended Justice by the breach of the Covenant of Works in all the three Persons pleads that man should die and that pleading is most just and the Law cannot be broken nor repealed The soul that sins must die Ezech. 18. the threatning Gen. 2.17 must be fulfilled 2. Mercy pleads not having a Throne higher then justice as Arminius saith that so many chosen ones may find mercy and peace calls for reconciliation to sinners 3. Infinite wisedome also requires that justice and righteousnesse under the name of mercy we comprehend free and rich grace may meet and peace and righteousnesse may kisse each other Psa. 85.11 Hence all these Attributes of glory must come forth that a Throne may be set up and a Psalm may be sung Rev. 5.12 and the thousands of thousands may cry Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing 13. And every creature which is in heaven saith John and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Hence 1. there is no conflict between mercy and justice as Arminius saith nor any naturall desire in God to have all Angels and men saved which is hindered by justice Job sayeth truely c. 23. v. 13. He is of one minde and who can turn him from this end which he intends as if he could not compasse it to another end and what his soul desires in saving or destroying even that he doth 14. For he performeth the thing that is decreed for me and all creatures and his decrees are most free Eph. 1.11 and many such things or many the like things are with him Therefore it pleased his most free soveraign and absolute Counsell to bring forth to Angels and men to heaven and earth to sea and to all creatures the glory of justice truth mercy peace grace power wisdom Rev. 5.13 and in Christ the decreed and appointed Mediator the Lamb foâ—e ordained as Peter 1 Pet. 1.20 to be slain and who agreed to the decree and in an eternall compact took the burden upon him to fulfill that of Psal. 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other 11. Truth shall spring out of the earth and Righteousnesse shall look down from Heaven So that in this transaction the Father and the Son and Spirit let out to men for their salvation the glory of all thâ—se Attributes Obj. Did not the Holy Ghost also from eternity say Amen and agree to be sent by the Father and the Son to lead the Saints in all truth to sanctifie to comfort them And did not the Father and the Son from eternity decree to send the Spirit And did not the Spirit also consent to the decree before the world was And so shall there be also a Covenant between the Father and the Son sending the Spirit Joh. 14.26 Joh. 16.13 14 15. and the Spirit who is sent Ans. Every mutuall agreement between the blessed Persons concerning their actions without cannot be called a Covenant nor need we contend about names What if we say that there is some Oeconomicall and dispensatory agreement of sending and being sent yea even in the Works of Creation Redemption and Sanctification though two things stand in the way to hinder us to call such an agreement with the name of a voluntary compact or Covenant 1. It seems naturall and not voluntary that there is such an admirable order of working as the Father creates by the Son as by his eternall wisedome but yet a person a suppositum different from the Father and by the Spirit as his mighty power a third Person 2. The Son is decreed with his own consent to be the Person to empty himself to be in time cloathed with our nature and to put on the state and legall condition of a Covenant-Obeyer of God to the death the death of the crosse and is made a little lower then the Angels and this may well be called a Covenant-transaction and a course of Covenant-obedience in the Mediator which condition the Holy Ghost comes not under And what should man say when the votes of the Three carries it that our iniquities should be laid on the Son Isa. 53.6 and the Son should be sent Gal. 4.4 and he from eternity should step out Lord send me here am I to do thy will Joh. 3.13 No man no person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven These votes of love fell not upon Angels but upon man And how should it break my rockinesse that Christ spake for me undertook for me took all my diseases upon him before I was and before my disease had being We reckon it great favour Such a man pleaded kindly and boldly for you in your absence when you was not to speak for your self As its love to provide a rich inheritance for the child not born and to fight for the sleeping child that he may not be killed when we had neither being action nor vote in Christs undertaking Obj. Such as are chosen in Christ such are foreseen beleevers when they are chosen Ans. Justly learned and pious M. Bayn denies that for God choised the noble royall Family Christ the Head and all the Branches in Him Love eternall love begins at the head descends to the off-spring But not because they are in Christ by faith and actually are foreseen believers for that is all one We were in Christ
THE COVENANT OF LIFE OPENED Or A TREATISE of the COVENANT OF GRACE Containing something of And especially of The nature of the Covenant of Works The Soveraignty of GOD The extent of the death of CHRIST The nature properties of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Suretyship or Redemption between the LORD and the Son JESUS CHRIST Infants right to JESUS CHRIST and the Seal of Baptisme With some Practicall Questions and Observations By SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinitie in the University of S. Andrews ZECH. 6.12 And speak unto him saying Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the BRANCH and he shall grow out of his place and He shall build the Temple of the LORD 13. Even He shall build the Temple of the LORD and He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon His Throne c. EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Broun and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Sun ANNO 1655. CHRISTIAN READER MAny have written to the edifying of the Godly of this excellent Subject It s not much I can do in this but have added some thoughts to what is said intending a more Practicall way of the last Points in another Treatise to wit of the application of Covenant-Promises and of the influences of the Spirit under the Covenant of Grace of which especially of the latter of these two few have practically written And it is of much concernment to make ouâ— the Union of our Duty and the breathings of the LORD and what can be done under deadnesse to either fetch the wind or to be put in a spirituall condition that the soul â—ay ly fair for the receiving of the influences of GOD. I desire in this to speak for Truth not either for or against persons of whom I am silent concealing the names of any Contradicent judging Truth so much the more desirable when it may possibly be had with peace and as little blowing or stirring of the fire of contradiction as can be What is here said in a way of Disputing the Moderate Reader who is not taken with that way may passe by and read what is practicall The Author hath been lest Truth should suffer by him a little darkned as report bears with the name I know not what of a Protester as one who hath deserted the Government and Discipline of the Church of GOD in SCOTLAND But my humble thoughts are the same they were before though I can adde nothing to the Truth I look on these men the world so names Protesters Schismaticks Separatists as sinfull men who stand in need of a Saviour and as such as desire to fear GOD and love His Name and would gladly have our practise and walk come a little more near to the Rule of the Gospel and that our Land might mourn for all the abominations committed therein which I desire to be spoken without any reflection upon any of the Godly in the Land who in that point are of another Judgement It is my desire to the LORD that he would let us hear experienced by the reality of that Thus saith the LORD As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I do for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all The LORD JESUS be with your Spirit Yours in the Lord Jesus S. R. Contents of the I. PART CHAP. I. and II. THe four particulars of the Treatise pag. 1. Propositions touching ADAMS state p. 1 2. ADAM was predestinate to life eternall in Christ and how pag. 2. CHAP. III. What is the intent and sense of the threatning Gen. 2.17 and Gen. 3.20 Dust thou art c. p. 3 4 5. Threatnings of the Law reveal what the Law-giver may jure inflict by justice and Law deserving not what shall come to passe p. 4. Except it be both a threatning and a Prophesie p. 5. What is carnall security ibid. What Adam was to believe in that threatning p. 5 6. How the promises and the threatnings differ in this p. 7. How Law threatnings to the Elect are Evangelick p. 8. CHAP. IV. The Elect before Conversion bear no part of the Law-curse nor is the Law-curse devided between them and Christ. p. 10.11 Faith is too near to be made a cause of satisfaction for sin by all who hold that Christ gave a satisfactory ransome for all and every one of mankind p. 11. Accepting or not accepting satisfaction is before faith and so believing or not believing can be no ground of the sufficiencie of the price payed for the Reprobate or of the laying of the sins of all upon Christ. p. 11 12 13 God may accept the satisfaction of Christ without any condition required on our part p. 13. CHAP. V. God intended a Law-dispensation but for a time 2. Adam how he was ordained for a Law life 3. How predestinate to Glory how not 4. That the heathens have no more universall grace then Divels 5. No ground for such grace p. 13 14 15. CHAP. VI. It was condiscension in the Lord to enter in Covenant with man 2. Temptâ—tions in fearing we are not chosen discovered 3. Beings and not-beings are debtors to God 4. Self denyall required in sinlesse nature as in sinfull 5. Man considered three wayes How faith layes hold upon conditionall promises and temptations of unbelief thereabout p 16 17. Oâ— the Covenant of nature p. 18 19 20. CHAP. VII It s not written in the heart of man by nature that God should promise life Eternall to man upon condition of obedience 2. The debt of justice cannot ty God 3. God punisheth not sin by necessitie of nature 4. Nor defends he his own declarative Glory by necessitie of nature 5. Nothing can be given to God All sufficient 6. No meriting of the creature 7. We are to have humble thoughts of free-Grace 8. Low thoughts of our selves 9. Promises make no strict justice between the Lord and us p. 20 21. God falls in no sort from his naturall dominion though he impose not penal Laws upon the reasonable creature p. 25 26. God loves his essentiall Glory by necessity of nature but not his declarative Glory by any such necessity p. 28 29 30. In every Covenant there is some out goings of Grace p. 35. The passage 1 Chron. 29.11 12. cleared and why none can give to God p. 37 38. Our vain boasting of self my and such proud pronoumes p. 39 40. How excellent to obey p. 45. Sanctified reason is not soft p. 45 46. How near are wee to justification by Works and to be sick of love for proud I. p. 46 47. CHAP. VIII What place death hath in the Covenant 2. What Reprobates and the damned are to do p. 47 48. What Adam was to do in the intervall between the fall and the publishing of the Gospel p. 48. How the Lord is Adams God p. 49. What life is
acts of saving faith p. 16â— 162 James must speak of two sorts of faiths p. 162 163 The Arminian Argument to prove that James speaks of declared justification answered p. 165 166 How faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only justifies p· 170 171 The Socinian and Arminian faith and Papists formed faith includes new obedience and repentance p 172 173 Contrarâ— to the Scripture which differenceth between faith and new obedience p. 174 175 176 Right to life eternall and possession of life eternal differ in their nature and causes p. 176 177 The necâ—ssity of Works p. 177 178 Possâ—ssion of life and right to life differ p 178 179 180 And contrare objâ—ctions removed ib. CHAP. XX. Whether or not suffered Christ for any sin against the Gospel only suâ—h as finall unbeleef which is conceived to be the only sin against the Gospel That Christ died not for all without exception The unwarrantablenesse of that Doctrine how the Law commands justifying faith and repentance how not p. 181 182 c. Sins against the Gospel are also sins against the Law p. 188 189 CHAP XXI Whether the Lord Mediator as Mediator command the same good Works in the Covenant of Grace which are commanded in the CovenaÌ„t of Works p. 192 193 Christ layes one way Evangelick commands upon the Elect and another way upon the Reprobate p. 198 How the Reprobate are still under the Covenant of Works how not p. 192 CHAP. XXII No promise of perseverance to Adam p. 194.195 Nor any promise to him of influences of Grace p. 195 196 4. Classes of obediences considerably compared among themselves p. 196.197 198 Christs obedience most perfect most of his own p. 196 Most undue or least of debt coming from God man so most meritorious p. 197 Angels obedience 2. Of their own but not so as Christs of his own and so lesse meritorious p. 198 3. The obedience of Adam more of his own then that of Angels yet lesse obedience ibid. 4. Gospel-obedience hath least of the nature of obedience p. 198 199 CHAP. XXIII The Law of Works râ—quired not simplie doing but doing to the end p. â—00 208 CHAP. XXIV Whether faith as true or faith as continuing to the end be the condition of the Covenant of Grace p. 201 202. Faith which endures to the end but not quatenus as it indures to the end is the condition of the Covenant of Grace p. 201 202 Faith in the first lively acts saves and justifies p. 202 203 CHAP. XXV Whether is Christs righteousnesse imputed and made ours because we believe and apprehend it ours or do we believe because it is ours because we believe p. 206 207 Faith presupposeth three unions 1. Naturall 2. Legall 3. Federal and maketh a fourth p. 208 209 There be four or five sundry Adversaries against whom the holy Ghost in Scripture contends in the point of justification p. 210 211 The dominion of the Law p. 211.212 What is meant by the oldnesse of the letter p. 213 How we are freed therefrom ib. A threefold bondage of the Law ib. Of the dignitie of the Gospel above the Laâ— p. 213 214 CHAP. XXVI Of the perpetuity of the Covenant of Grace and the considerable differences between it and the Covenant of Works p. 214 215 216 217. How it continues with these that are asleep in the Lord Mat. 22. Exod. 3.6 p. 216 Of the graciousnesse thereof p. 216 217 CHAP. XXVII Of Law-fear and Gospel-fear p. 217 218. Of the Law-fear of falling away and the Gospel faith of persevering p. 218 219 Why feelings of sin seldome wants unbelief and should have the faith of a payed ransome p. 221 222 CHAP. XXVIII Christ died not to blot out all sense of sin but rather to quicken a godly sense thereof p. 221 222 223 Contents of the II. Part. CHAP. I. Christs roome in both Covenants p. 225 Of Christs active and passive obedience how they concur as one satisfaction p. 229 230 CHAP. II. WHerein stands our right to Christ and the satisfaction made for us by Christ 2. Faith is not the cause of our right 3. Christs incarnation and dying are not favours meâ—ited by Christ. 4. How Adams sinne and Christs righteousnesse are ours p. 230 238. CHAP. III. How Christ suffered for us in our room and place 2. He died not for all and every one 4. How many wayes Christ may be said to die in our stead 4. The Lords so dying for all makes not all saveable in Christ nor the Gospel preachable to all Nations 5. Christ died in the stead of the elect p. 236 237 238 239. Though we did not substitute him in our place p. 249 250 The differences between Chrâ—sts dying and the punishment due to the Elect p. 250 251 252 The legall oneness between Christ and us p. 251 To die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us is to die in our stead in all eminent languages p. 253 Christ died not for sins and in the stead of sins as he died for sinners p. 256 CHAP. IV. How we are in Christ dying and crucified in him 2. A twofold crucifying of us with Christ. 3. A discourse of mortification 4. The actings of the mortified 5. That we are to be mortified in our affections p. 257 258 259. Though we die personally yet we died in Christ legally p. 259 We are not to desire a Law-wakening p. 259 â—60 What mortification is p. 261 The influence of Christs death on mortification p. 262 Four sorts of actings in mortification p. 265 266 We must be mortified to all sort of created things p. 268 269 270.271 Forbidden desires p 270.271 CHAP. V. The Covenant of Suretyship or of Redemption between God and the Mediator Christ. 2. Christ is not a meer witnesse but the Author of the Covenant 3. The Socinian way of Wâ—rks cannot quiet the conscience 4. Christ is upon both sides of the Covenant 5. Justice mediates not 6. Reasons of the entrance of sin CHAP. VI. That there is a Covenant of Suretyship between JEHOVAH and the Son is proven by 11. Arguments p. 290 291 292. Christ calling to the Lord his God proves this 291.292 2 Christ is a Servant Messenger Shepherd not by nature but free compact and agreement p. 292 3. Ar. Christ offered his service freely p. 293 4. Arg. There is giving and taking between God and Christ. p. 293.294 5. Arg. Christ received the seals whither he needed seals or not p. 29â— 296 6 Christ with the Father dispensed with the Law p. 296 7. Ar. Rich promises that speak a Covenant made to Christ. p. â—96 8. Ar. The Prophesies of Christ and the promises of and to him p. 298 9. Ar. Ask of me Ps. 2. 10. Arg. The work and wages of Christ prove it p. 299 And O how low a wager and how high a designe p. 300 11. Arg. Christ is admitted by an oath and the use of it against Apostacie of Believers p. 300.301.302 CHAP. VII The
them is legall forasmuch as the Lord hath decreed to deny the grace by which they may or can fulfill the condition of the promise which is proper to the Law as it is peculiar to the Gospel that the Lord both gives the mercy promised and also the grace to fulfill the condition of the promise The threatnings to beleevers especially such as are legall if you beleevers fall away ye shall eternally perish are to beleevers though materially legall peremptorie and admit no exception yet they are formally and in the Lords intention directed to them upon an Evangelick intention nor do they say that the Lord intends and decrees that they shall eternally perish for he hath predestinate them to the contrary to wit to grace and glory Ephes. 1.4 Nor that he wills that they should beleeve either their eternall damnation or their finall and totall falling away which inevitably leads thereunto For they knowing that they are in Christ 2 Cor. 13.5 Rom. 8.16 17. and freed from condemnation Rom. 8.1 are to beleeve the contraire of the former to wit life eternall John 4.24 1 Thes. 5.9 John 3.16 and the contraire of the latter to wit the promise of perseverance made to them Jer. 32.39 40. Isa. 59.21 John 10.27 28. John 17.20 21. 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Mat. 16.16 17 19. Therefore these threatnings are not to be beleeved by the regenerate as certainly to come to passe in their persons but only as Law-motives to presse them to work out their salvation in fear and trembling and to cleave so much the closser to Christ as the condition of such as are under the Law is apprehended to be dreadfull But reprobats and unbeleevers are not to beleeve that God decrees and intends to them the thing promised and grace to perform the condition but only to beleeve their obligation to fiduciall relying upon and Gospel-faith in God revealed in the Mediator and that if they continue in a way of opposing Christ they not only deserve by Law which Law-deserving also beleevers are to apprehend to be broken but actually and quoad eventum shall eternally perish Believers are to believe the Decree of God to save them though they hear the threatnings for it s revealed But the Reprobate are to beleeve only the sense and Law-deserving and event of the threatning if they repent not but are to beleeve no decree to save them CHAP. IV. The Elect non-converted are not under Law-wrath 2. Faith is no cause of satisfaction 3. Christ can not have satisfied for the sins of the Reprobate WHether the Elect unconverted be under wrath is a doubt to many It is true they are servants of sin Rom. 6.17 Blind and under the power of Satan as Reprobats are Acts 26.18 By nature children of wrath even as others Eph. 2.3 Ans. Their sins committed before their Conversion are according to the Covenant of Works such as deserve everlasting condemnation and they are jure and in relation to that Covenant heirs of wrath as well as others 2. But we must distinguish between a state of election and everlasting though unseen love that they are under as touching their persons and a state of a sinfull way that they are born in and walk in as others do untill they be converted As to the former state it is true which is said Ier. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love See also Rom. 9.12 13. Eph. 1.4 so that God never hates their persons 3. The punishment of their sins and the wrath they are under is two wayes considered 1. Materially in the bulke and so they are under Law-stroaks and Law-wrath that is Law-punishment as others are Eph. 2.3 and so the other places are to be taken 2. The wrath is to be considered formally and so it is denyed that the punishment of the non-converted elect because of their sinfull way is any part of the Law-vengeance or curse which Christ did bear for their other sins committed by them after conversion 1. Because when Christ saith Iohn 5.4 The beleever hath passed from death as it is a curse and shall never come to judgement and condemnation he cannot mean that they have half passed from the curse and half not 2. Beleevers are delivered in Christ from the victory sting power of sin curse of the Law and every curse that is in affliction and from condemnation not in part only but in whole Else their triumph were but in part contrair to 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56. Hos. 13.14 Isa. 25.8 Nor should they be washen from all their sins and the spots thereof in his blood if they might wash themselves from any spot by bearing a part of the Law-curse in themselves contrair to Can. 4.7 Jer. 50.20 Joh. 1.28 1 Joh. 1.8 Rom. 8.1 3. What ever Christ was made for the redeemed ones that he was made fully for them in part and in whole for he is their perfect Saviour But Gal. 3.13 He is made a curse for us and able to save to the outmost all that come to him Heb. 7.25 Therefore the half or a part of satisfactory vengeance cannot be upon us and the other half on Christ for this is to make men and Martyrs joint satisfiers of justice with Christ by their own blood and sufferings to prevent the scaddings of purgatory For though we teach against Antinomians that the Godly are punished for sins according to Justice yet that is Evangelick not law-law-justice for they bear not one dram weight of satisfactory wrath and curse jointly with Christ Antinomians say that sin root and branch is taken away in Justification so that there is no sin nor punishment for sin in the justified man 4. The beleevers are blessed through Jesus Christ Gal 3.10 13. Psal. 32.1 2. Rom. 4.6 Psal. 2.12 Psal. 119.1 Their afflictions and death blessed precious in the eyes of the Lord not qualified with any Law-curse Job 5.17 Psal. 94.12 Mat. 5.6 Luk. 6.22 1 Pet. 1.6 1 Pet. 4.13 Psal. 21.3 4 5 6. Psal. 34.17 18 19. Rev. 14.13 Psal. 116.15 Psal. 72.14 Psal. 37.37 and they are asleep in Christ die in the Lord 1 Thes. 4.14 16. Nor can Antinomians and Socinians say this is under the New-Testament for dying Jacob saith Gen. 49.18 Lord I have waited for thy salvation Isa. 57.1 2. When the righteous man is taken away he shall enter into peace the Lord is the God of Abraham Isaak and Jacob when their bodies are rotten Exod. 3.6 Mat. 22.32 5. This comes too near the opinion of these who make faith a cause of satisfaction for sin as they must teach who hold that Christ payed a ransome on the crosse for the sins of all and every one For that which added maketh satisfaction to be counted and formally reckoned as satisfaction in order to the expiation of the mans sins so that by no justice he can suffer for them and which being removed maketh the payed satisfaction and ransome though never taken back again
suitable to mans intire nature to love God yet to love him so and so by obeying the command of not eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and some other Commands is not so connaturall but God might have commanded the contrair without any thing done contrair to mans nature Yet from this it followes no more that these are two Covenants then that there be two Covenants of Grace Because faith in God and the Morall Law in an Evangelick way are therein commanded and also some duties touching the seals by a positive Law are therein contained CHAP. VII It s not written in the heart of man by nature that GOD should promise life eternall to man upon condition of obedience 2. And that the debt of Justice can not tye GOD. 3. GOD punisheth not sin by necessity of nature 4. Nor defends he his own declarative Glory by that necessity 5. Nothing can be given to GOD Al-sufficient 6. No meriting of the creature 7. We should have humble thoughts of free-Grace 8. How low thoughts of our selves 9. Promises make no strict justice between GOD and us SUre it is not repugnant to the yet innocent and intire nature of man to know that God may reward all such as seek and serve him but that he must reward obedience either in the generall or so and so is neither written in mans heart nor hath it any truth For it were nothing against justice or bounty or any attribute of God not to reward his creature which is obliged to serve him and though there be a sort of quietnesse of conscience which is the naturall result of obedience in Adam and of all men yet it cannot inferre that there is an intrinsecall connexion ex naturâ rei between our obedience and a reward to be given of God Therefore nor will it be a good inference because there is disquietnesse in the conscience after sin and that it is naturall to a sinner to apprehend a revenging power pursuing sin committed that therefore it is naturall anâ— essentiall to the Lord to pursue sin with punishment in generall For a naturall conscience may and does know that God doth freely create the world and that he might not have created it that he doth good freely to his creatures and that he is not a debtor to his creatures Will it follow by any Logick that God creates the world by any naturall obligation And because by force of a naturall conscience all know that God is good and bountâ—full to his creatures in giving and doing good to them we cannot therefore infer that actuall beneficence is so essentiall to the infinite Majesty as he should not be God if he did not extend that goodnesse to them Common sense will say no more followeth but goodnesse and bounty intrinsecall are essentiall to God and these attributes are essentiall to him and were from eternity in him and are his good and bountifull nature Though not either man Angel or any thing else had been created to which he doth actually extend his goodnesse Ergo this actuall extension of goodnesse is not essentiall to God so neither is the actuall punishing of sin essentiall to God but free though Adam apprehended God would punish his eating of the forbidden tree Yet if he apprehended that he should not be God if he did not punish it his apprehension was erroneous And this only followes that there is an intrinsecall and internall Justice in God naturall and essentiall in God but so that the out-goings of his Justice the egressions are most free and that is said by some without all reason because the apprehensions we have naturally of God that he punisheth sin Vniversales apprehensiones nequaquam sunt eorum quae Deo vel adesse vel abesse possunt pro liberrimâ voluntate Universall apprehensions therefore they are not apprehensions of such things as may be or not be in God according to his free pleasure if the apprehensions of Gods doing good to Angels to men to all his creatures freely be in all by nature and cannot be rooted out and be universall then these apprehensions cannot be of such things as are in God according to his most free will and may be in the Almighty or not be in him But the conclusion hath neither reason nor sense for there are universall apprehensions in all men and they canot be rooted out that God does good to Angels men and creatures freely Ergo by this Logick the doing of good freely to Angels men and creatures is not a thing that is in God according to his free-will and may be in the Almighty or not in him Then the so doing must be in God essentially 2. Then must God not be God if he do not good freely to them 3. Then must God not be God except he create men Angels and creatures 4. But since he is God everlasting he must from everlasting have created men Angels and the creatures and from everlasting he must punish sin Life may be considered 1. As life 2. As such an excellent life to wit a communion with God In the former consideration life is either considered as the end or secondly as a free reward In the former respect To live an intellectuall life in obeying God was to Adam so created a connaturall end as to burn is to fire and to give light to the Sunne And God may put the respect of a reward upon any obedientiall end But that Adam should have such an eminent life for the reward of his obedience as a communion with God which is farre above his obedience is the free donation of God nor is there any necessary connexion between Adams perfect obedience and so high and eminent a life nor can this Covenant as touching such a promise be written in his heart God then never loved to make any Covenant yea even that of Works without some acts and out-goings of grace and the hyre was grace how is he not to be served who loves to hyre and allure us to be happy Arminius saith the reward of keeping the Covenant of Works cannot be spirituall nor can the punishment be spirituall because you teach saith he that the obedience is naturall Ans. It followeth not for the reward is spirituall yea and supernaturall from the free promise of God It was that God should recompence our naturall obedience coming from connaturall principles with so eminent a Crowne as communion with God Creator in a life of glory And this came from no innate proportion between a naturall work and supernaturall reward Otherwise we must say first that there is such an intrinsecall connexion ex naturâ rei between Adams work and so high wages as that glorious communion was as the Lord could not but in justice so have rewarded his obedience except he would be unjust but there is nothing in the creature that can conclude limite or determine his will 〈◊〉 wisdome who is infinite 2. It had been nothing against justice if
the Lord had followed Adams obedience with no reward at all For man as a creature owes himself to God and as sweetly and pithily Anselme saith as a redeemed one I owe my self and more then my self to thee because thou gave thy self who art so farre more then my self for me and thou promises thy self to me Now God who is more and greater then Adam promised himself to be enjoyed by Adam if he should continue in obedience For what can the highest goodnesse sayeth he give to one that loves it but it self 3. If God of justice give Adam life Adam might compell God to pay what he oweth him else he should be unjust But the creature can lay no necessitie on the Creator either to work without himself nor can he cause him to will 4. The proper work of merite saith great Bradwardine and of him that works must go before the wages in time or in order of nature And if the worker receive its operation and working for wadge from God first and by his vertue and help continue in operation and working he cannot condignely merit at the hand of God but is rather more in Gods debt after his working then before his working because he bountifullie receives more good from God then before especially because he gives nothing proper of his own to God but gives to God his own good But no man first acts for God for God is the first actor and mover in every action and motion As that saith Who gave first to the Lord and it shall be recompensed him 5. If this was yesterday just that life eternall is due to Adam for his work before God made it just and due then from Eternitie and before any decree of God it was just and due Certainlie God upon the same reason was debtour to make such a Covenant that was just before he made it just And this is no Covenant of God for God not making the justice of the Covenant and the juâ—t connexion between work and wadge he cannot be the Author of the Covenant But neither is Adam the Author of the justice nor of the just Covenant Upon the same ground it was then an everlasting justice without and before God from Eternitie Non datur justum prius primo justo 6. If God did more for Adam then he can recompence God for it as the Father hath done to the Son then he could not merit at the hand of God But God did more to Adam in giving to him being faculties mind will affections power habites his blessed Image then Adam can never be in a condition in which he can recompence God or give him more annuall and usurie in his acting of obedience then the stock was he received in proportion As the Son can never give the Father in recompence so much or the captive ransomed from death can never give to his ransome payer who bought him so much as the one and the other shall no more be under an obligation and debt of love and service to father and ransomer then to a stranger that they never knew Nor could Adam thus be freed of God so as he should be owing nothing to him If any say God may freely forgive all this obligation and debt To which Bradwardine Answers well 1. The forgiving of the debt when the debtor hath nothing to pay is a greater debt taken on 2. God saith he may forgive so in regard of actuall obligation that he is not oblidged ad aliquid faciendum sub poena peccati to do any thing under the pain or punishment of sin as the hireling is obleiged to work when he hath made a Covenant to work and so we are not oblidged to do as much as we can for God But in regard of habituall obligation God cannot forgive the debt that the reasonable creature owes to God for so he might dispence with this that the reasonable creature owe no obedience to God suppose he should command it which is impossible They seeme therefore with eyes of flesh to look upon God who say that God by necessitie of justice must punish sin yea that the most High cannot be God except he punish sin and that he should not be God if all his Lawes imposed upon men were only promissorie and void of all threatnings What could not God have said eat not of the tree of knowledge for if ye eat not your obedience shall be rewarded with life eternall and no more might he not have laid aside all threatning What Scripture or reason teacheth to say that God if he create a reasonable creature and under a morall dependencie which it hath and must have of God then must God by necessitie of nature punish the sinner yea so as if he punish not he should not be God nor just but must fall from his naturall dominion except he make penall laws and so he should not be God except he say to Adam if thou eat thou shalt die or shalt be punished for eating but this is not proven by one word except this the reasonable creature is not nor cannot be subject to God Creator except God punish the sinner But that is denyed Adam should have had a Morall dependance upon God and God should have been God and essentially just if sin had never come into the World and if God had kept Adam under a Morall Law as he did the Elect Angels who never felt or knew the fruit of a Morall Law broken and transgressed And God if he imposed any penall Law upon the Elect Angels as penall which shall be an hard work to prove yet had a naturall dominion over the Elect Angels and suppose no Law but only a rewarding and remunerative Law had been over their heads should God be no God in that case and if any deny that God hath a perfect dominion over the Elect Angels he is not worthy to be refuted 2. Shew me in all the Old or New Testament any penall Law of active obediencâ— as penall imposed upon the man Christ or where is it written If the Man Christ sin he shall eternally die I tremble at such expressions Is the Lord therefore not the Lord and hath the Lord fallen from his naturall dominion over his Son the Man Christ Or 3 will any man deny but the Lord might justly have laid upon all men and upon the Elect Angels a Law only remunerative not penall at all a Law only with the promise of a reward and void of all threatning of death first or second or any other punishment and yet he should have been the Lord and had a naturall dominion over Angels the Man Christ and all mankind 3 Suppose the Lord had never imposed the Law penall forbidding the sin against the Holy Ghost upon the Elect beleevers nor any other penall Law but by vertue of the most sufficient ransome of the Blood of God payed for man he had made them now after the fall as the
confirmed Angels and holy as the Man Christ and brought them so to glory should he not have been God in that case and should he have lost his naturall dominion over men in that case 4. The dominion of God over men is not only in one particular of penall Laws it is in remunerative Laws also in giving predeterminating influences to obey and persevere in obedience in not leading into temptation in hyring and alluring us to serve God in terrifying men with examples of the Lords Judgements on others he spared not the Angels c. 2 Pet. 2.4 Jud. 6. and therefore to say that God falls from his naturall dominion over man and leaves off to be God except he impose penall Laws upon men is first an errour in Logick à negatione speciei ad negationem generis nulla est consequentia If God have not a dominion over man in one particular of penall Laws he falls from his whole dominion naturall in other things It is an undue inference 2. It cannot be but too darring to tye the blessed God-head and his essentiall dominion over man to only making of penall Laws it smells of Scripturelesse boldnesse with the most High and limits the Holy One that he cannot be God except he be God in our way And saith he hath no way to preserve his glory but by creating a Hell And therefore let that stand as an unproven position since it hath no probation The reason that is given is as weak as the weak conclusion Though water may bear up water yet it cannot support the earth For 1. it saith if man be created a reasonable creature under a Law he may sin intercidi potuit obedientiâ and he may be created under a Law with perfect morall dependence upon God Creator as the Elect Angels and the Man Christ and yet never sin and yet God falls not from his dominion and leaves not off to be God 2. This lookes somewhat the Arminian way that man cannot be under the subjection of properly so called Morall obedience except his will be indifferent as Adams was to stand or fall to run to Heaven or Hell which indeed saith that the most perfect obedience of Christ who was obedient to the death Phil. 2.8 and delighted to do the will of God Psal. 40.8 John 4.34 is no proper obedience that is perfect obedience is not proper obedience And that obedience of Elect Angels the samplar of our obedience Mat. 6.10 Isa. 6.2 3. Psal. 103.20 is not proper obedience 3. Whereas it is said if man sin his morall dependency cannot stand except God punish him but so not only God shall not be God nor have dominion over man except he impose a penall Law upon man but he shall not be God except he actually punish man or his surety Christ. But the same pen saith that the out-goings of justice are free that is to say it is free to God to punish sin and yet he falls from his naturall dominion over man and leaves off to be God if he punish not sin But we do deny that God falls from his naturall dominion over man though he never impose a penall Law upon him and never punish and desire that this may be proven nor is it imaginable how God by necessity of nature must punish sin And yet in the way measure and degree of punishment and in the time when he can use moderation Which is as good as to say the fire must by necessity of nature burn the Sun cast light But the fire hath free will to burn when it pleaseth and at this time and not at this time and the Sun must shine by necessity of nature but it is free to shine at ten hours of the day and not at twelve and it may shine as bright as the Sun or as dimme as the Moon Or God the Father loves himself but it is free to him to love himself to day not to morrow and to love himself so much not so much And so he may say God is so mercifull and just to day as he may be no merciful no just to morrow and God is infinitly mercifull and just and yet he is lesse mercifull and more mercifull essentially according to his good pleasure which are speaking contradictions Yea this is that which misjudging Suarez saith that the creature may do a reall injurie to God and take away from God jus Dei ad gloriam his right to glory but the truth is the creature by sin darkeneth or overcloudeth his declarative glory but can take away no essentiall glory nor any reall right or reall good from God so Elihu Job 39.6 If thou sinnest what dost thou against him If thy transgressions be multiplied what dost thou to him To take his declarative glory from God is no lose to him no more then it is lose to the Sun that ye hinder it to shine upon the wall when yet ye take no light from the Sun for it shines upon an interposed body Job 35.8 Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profite the Son of man It is needfull say some that God preserve his own glory safe but if sin be without infliction of punishment it is impossible that he can defend his owâ— glory Ergo of necessity he must punish sin The proposition is out of controversie for all confesse that God must preserve his own glory 〈◊〉 by necessity of nature he must do so quoniam seipsum non potest non amare Because he cannot but love himself and he hath said my glory will I not give to another To this is answered the glory internall eternall and essentiall to God the Lord must defend and love as he loves himself by necâ—ssity of nature and if any say that the egressions and out-goings of God to defend and love his own essentiall Glory and his own holy Nature so as he may use moderation in the degrees and time of these and he may love himself and his own essentiall glory more or lesse and touching the time he may delay to love himself and he may love himself and his own essentiall glory to morrow not to day As the Author sayes the out-goings of revenging justice are moderated in punishing he speaks wonders and things unworthy of God The place Isa. 42. speaks not of this glory for no idol no creature can more take away from the Almighty this essentiall glory of God nor his blessed Nature can cease to be but there is a glory declarative of pardoning mercie as well as of revenging justice It must be a carnall conception and a new dream that God by necessity of nature loves himself as cloathed with revenging justice or as just and his own glory of revenging justice but that God loves himself as mercifull and ready to forgive or his own glory of pardoning mercie freely and by no necessity of nature Which the Author must say for the place Isa. 45.
it be a doubt to me if the Covenant of Works had stooden and Adam and all his had fulfilled it perfectly if the Lord should weigh in an even ballance by ounce weights our poor labour and great reward of Glory for had he entered such a market the losse had been ours we could not have obtained life eternall that way for our stock of time-working should have dryed up The vertue of justice stands in the equality of that which is given and received Now there is a two-fold equality one rei ad rem between thing and thing ane Arithmetick justice so many ounces of naturall actings and the same number of ounces of grace and glory This commutative justice is not in God as the soundest and learned'st School men teach There is another justice of proportion duarum rerum ad duas alias res of two things proportionally answering to two things distributive justice is this and it keeps a Geometricall proportion Augustine with Scripture saith God is become our debter not by receiving any thing from us but by promising what he pleaseth 2. It followes from the Parable that Gods bargaining with us depends not upon the equality between thing and thing the work and the wage But upon his own free pleasure of disposing of his own And it is the froathinesse of our nature to judge the penny of Glory that we get by labouring to be our own whereas after the promise and after we have fulfilled the condition it is not ours but Gods and he calls it his own and it is to be disposed on by the Lords free-grace Friend may not I do with mine own what I please Mat. 20.15 2. No promise as a promise can give us a proper right by way of strict justice to plead with God 1. A promise of grace is a free promise and no man can say because God promises the new heart to most undeserving men that are of a stony heart and doe profane his holy name amongst the Gentiles that therefore it is just by condignitie of the thing that a new heart should be given to them that are foolish disobedient and serving diverse lusts The farrest that hard faced Jesuits go in this is to tell us of the poor penny of the merit of congruity for the right weight of the summe and thousands of saving grace which Papists have refused as ashamed thereof 3. If a promise as a promise should make an equalitie between one thing and another and so lay a band of strict commutative justice upon God then should every promise do the like quod convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that cannot be said For then if God should promise glory of ten thousand millions of degrees above the glory that Angels and men now injoy for speaking one good word that should be a free promise but that promise should not make an equality between so hudge and rich a reward of glory and so hungry and poor a work as the speaking of a good word so as God should fail of justice if he should deny a reward so great for so small a work For the denying thereof should be against the veracitie and faithfulnesse of God if he should not fulfill his promise but he should not fail against strict justice either in not rewarding the work with a condigne reward or in not giving to the man that spake the good word his own For there is no just equality between work and wage here Nor can ever so feckless a work or all the works of men and Angels make the glory of life everlasting our own For glory remains ever the proper gift of God and under his dominion 4. A promise is by order of time or nature latter and posterior to the good thing promised as words of truth are latter to things and things have the same valor and worth before and after the promise yea if one promise to give for a plot of ground a summe of money of value five hundred times above the worth of that plot of ground that promise can not make the unequall and unjust price to be a just and equall price Even so the promise of God to give eternall life to the obedience of Adam can make no equality of strict justice between the reward and the wage For the reward promised for the wages is equall and just before the promise and ex naturâ rei and so must lay bands on the Lord so as he cannot do contrair unto it which is against all reason And who gave first to the Lord and it shall be recompensed to him and he that gave first to him man or Angel must give his own or then it is no giving which he received not from God either created being or gift or work for any uncreated gift none can give to him as is said 2. What is given is amongst the all things that are of him as the efficient and to him as the last end and through him as the conserver of all and so can be no gift to him Rom 11.36 And what God of free goodnesse decrees to do that he may decree not to do and things falling under his decree are not necessary he cannot decree that man should be a reasonable creature for it involves a contradiction to be a man and not to be a reasonable creature But no shadow of contradiction there is for the Lord to forbid to eat and to forbid to eat under a punishment And the not created world it being from eternity nothing and a non ens could not have any jus or right to plead that God would stand to what he decreed and give being and create a world for if the Lord should not give being to it and create what he had decreed from eternity to create he should fail against his own unchangeable Nature but should do no unjustice to an uncreated world except we say God should be unjust if he had not created the world For being of justice is due to the world and God refuses to pay the debt of being to the uncreated world which is non-sense And upon the same ground if he should annihilat the world or take away life from living things he should be unjust It is safer therefore to say that God oweth the creature nothing but we are his debtors for service and praises while we have any being 4. Use. If God of his free will so placed Adam to reward his obedience We think hard to serve God for wages and to be placed in a condition of obedience Evah and we with her sucking the same milk thirst after such lawlesse Independency to be from Gen. 3.5 6. under God Whereas Adam and Angel-courtiers that have wings to obey and the Noble and High Heir who learned obedience through the things he suffered were in this condition and Christ a King in the shape of a Servant was obedient to death
to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. Hence to weary of submitting to God speaks much unnaturall pride yea will not be under God 2. There is little of Christ in such for it was life to Christ and meat and drink Psal. 40.8 Heb. 10.8 John 4.34 Act. 10.38 to obey and it is the Angels life Jsa 6.2 3. Psal. 103.20 Rev. 4.8 and they are neer him who both at once serve and Raigne Rev 22.3 5. much delight to obey speak much of God in the heart Tyre not of your Master examine more untowardnesse to pray to confer to give c. if it be not a cause of deadness and be not a way of backsliding 5. Use. If creatures keep their Covenant-naturall with God shal not the oxe the cran Isa. 1.3 Jer. 8.7 the asse 2 Pet. 2.16 who never had a design of rebellion depon against us in Judgement Ah! what an unnaturall policie the first evill wit of him that sinned from the beginning John 8.44 and whom we follow at the heels it is to please our own wit in Covenant breaking Such as are sick of love for their own wylie time-serving custome If all naturall men in their death bed damne not this folly aske them and they shall speak 6. Use. If God Covenant with us for hyre when his absolutenesse may bear him to command how sinfully soft are our spirits and weak is reason that is broken with a straw when an apple conquers Evahs eye and heart Talents of Silver and a wedge of Gold Achan and Gehazi A drink of water if not at hand in time of thirst make the people murmure against God the more sanctified defecat and spirituall reason be the farther it is above that which crusheth Balaam and Judas The first heavens motion the primum mobile which draws all the rest must be the most excellent and the moving power must be most spirituall it s neither heavinesse which is in stones or clay nor lightnesse in the aire and fire but a more heavenly force which throwes about that body so the motions of sanctified reason which is sweyed and driven by no Argument but from eternity communion with God a Kingdom above time must be most spirituall The dogge is moved with a bone the oxe with hay 7. If no law and poor obedience of ours can buy a communion with God let us examine the peace that flowes from obedience It s purer and more solid peace that flowes from Justification and more immediatly removes the warre between God and us Rom. 5. 1. and comes by a purer and nearer emanation from God and from the ransome of Redemption that is in Christ then that which flowes from created acts of inherent holinesse 2. Our first Adams Element is Justification by works in which we love to live and die The Law is an home-born Idol in us Our apprehensions of our own actings are lively and vigorous the 3000. Acts 2.37 Saul Acts 9.6 and the Jayler Acts 16.30 aske what we shall doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is not the law word of working Rom. 4.2 4 5 6. Rom. 3.20 28. It s much to be dead to the Law and to Law-righteousnesse Gal. 2.19 20. I live not but Christ lives in me Christ 2. is a stranger to us and comes from without gifted righteousnesse comes from heaven Grace only makes us willing debters to grace The pride of self will neither begge nor borrow from nor be debter to a Crucified Saviour when it despiseth him untill the roof of the house fall 3. Seldome do these two concurre deadnesse to works of grace and lively activity in the doing of them Paul attained to both but every man is not Paul 1 Cor. 15.9 10. I laboured more abundantly then they all But fearing and trembling at at that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he strikes sail to Christ yet not I but the grace of God in me This pride Paul notes in the Jewes they stouped not nor bowed as inferiours to their Master King or Lord or Father and Husband so the word to the righteousness of God When I self or nature meets with working yea with grace often there followes some loftinesse except it be humbled and mortified I which can weep and say Lord what am I CHAP. VIII What place death hath in the Covenant 2. What such as Cain and Judas are to do in their desperate state 3. And why the LORD is no where called the GOD of Adam Q. WHat room hath death in the Covenant A. Death hath room in the broken Covenant of Works as the Pursevant and Sergeant of revenging justice Hence deaths reign I must die whether I will or not Unwillingnesse to die and bondage through fear of death is the Law-sting in death from which Christ hath delivered us Heb. 2.15 Original sin and death came and entred the world by the Covenant of Works The Covenant of Grace made not death but found it in the world Christ made of an old enemy death a new servant it s now the Kings ferry-boat to carry the children over the water It s a sutable condition to a spirituall state to die being sent for not legally summon'd and to die because I desire to be dissolved Ph. 1.23 not because I must And better it is to summon our selves then to be summoned Though we love heaven too much as a place of pleasure rather then a place of holinesse yet most men would wish a better causey to it then to sleep through th◠cold grave or a dark hole in the earth Q. What room hath life in the Covenant Ans. The Administration of the Law-Covenant is first habituall holinesse of works and then a crown The Administration of grace is first faith and a title to Christ our life and hope of glory and then habituall holinesse begun here and perfected hereafter The Gospel-life is both a reward and a duty of praising and loving eternally in place of all the ten Commands yea of Law and Gospel The Law-life for ought that is revealed is a reward to be purchased by our legall obedience Q. If Adam in the intervall betwixt his fall and the publishing of the blessed Seed was not to despaire but to rely upon God as mighty to save What should such as Judas or Cain do A. The conscience of Cain and of despairers being no authentick Bible nor Judge which can carry the controversie between them and God so long as they are in the way or are viators the Gospel treaty betwixt them and Christ yet standing and not broken off upon the part of Christ they are to cherrish and hold up the Treaty and as it were to force speech out of Christ and to pursue the news of an offered salvation 2. There is no Spirit of God that suggests to them despaire and bids them write themselves in the black roll of Reprobates for though they beleeve hell as the Devils haply beleeve there is a God yet they blow
that Christ is the Son of God Luke 4.34 and so doeth the carnall Jew teach that it is not lawfull to steal to commit adultery Rom. 2.21 22. But in the Old and New Testament Devils never accuse themselves of sin but tempt to it and challenge the Law and God Gen. 3.4 5. of unjustice never themselves Divels are most properly under the Covenant of Works and by no command is the Gospel Preached to them and next to them are such as are found in the letter of the Gospel but never convinced of sin Such are most under the Law as have least Law-work and Law-condemnation upon their Spirits these that are under the Law most as touching their state are most under the letter least under the Spirit as touching any penall awaking To be under Law-bondage is a more punishment to Divels and men under a Law state for legall terrors are upon Divels Math. 8.29 Jam. 2.19 and Cain Gen. 4.14 punishment as such neither maketh nor denominateth any gracious it is but accidentall to prepare any for Christ many tormented with the Law have believed such a case to be the pain of the second birth when it was but a meer Law-feaver and have returned to their vomit and become more loose and profane 1. Because the Law as the Law can convert none 2. Wrestling with Law-bondage without any gospel-Gospel-Grace is but a contradicting of God and his justice and God recompenceth opposing and blaspheming of him in hell with more sinfull loosenesse 3. Law-light under legall terrors shines more clearly and the guiltinesse in not making use of rods of that nature is so much the more grievous Ye that have been scadded and burnt in this furnace and are come back from hell are taught by sense to believe there is a hell and though hell torment can convert no man yet it renders men more unexcusable Humbling wakning and sanctifying Law-bondage is more then a work of the Law when it brings forth confessing praying believing humble submitting to God in Job David Hâ—zekiah Heman and what a Physician is Christ who can heal us with burning and coals of hell 3. A man under a Law-work may give a legall and dead assent to both the truth and goodnesse of the promises liberally conceived as temporaries doe and Simon Magus wonders but Saul Acts 9. the Jaylor trembles Acts 16. but that is in regard of the conviction not of the mind only but of the conviction of affection and the yeelding to what shall I do But Foelix trimbleth but only in regard of literall conviction on the mind but neither he nor Magus comes to what shall I doe they differ as the burning light of a fire which both casts light and with it shiâ—ing heat also and the light that precious stones cast in the night which is both little and hath no heat Fyrie and piercing convictions are good there is a dead conviction of the letter that doth not profite 4. There is a strong Law-conviction that vengeance followeth the scaddings of Sodomie and the killing of parents because naturall instinct kindles and fires the soul with Law-apprehensions when the minde hath engraven sharpnesse to discerne undenyable principles but the conscience is more dull in apprehending that spirituall vengeance followeth such spirituall sins as unbelief because untill there be some supernaturall revelation we are dead to the Gospel truths and Gospel sins but when a common Grace hightens the soul to a supernaturall assent that Christ is a Teacher sent of God Joh. 7.28 Joh. 3.2 the conviction is more strong But because it is more supernaturall and in stead of kindly affection of love which it wants it is mixed with hatred and anger and so degeners into fierie indignation against the Holy Ghost as Joh. 15.24 compared with Math. 12.15 26.31 cleareth 5. Conviction which is no more but conviction is no godly principle nor makes any heart change yea it goes dangerously on to wonder and despise except it send down coals of fire to the affections 6. He who is under the Covenant of Grace findes a threefold sweetnesse in obedience 1. An inbred sweetnesse in the command 2. In the strength by which he acts 3. An inbred sweetnesse in a communion with God No man is any other way under the Law then under a yoak what is only written seems the oldnesse of the letter Rom. 7. and is dead of it self and layes on a burden but gives no back to bear He that is under Grace findes sweetnesse of delight in a positive Law though the thing commanded be as hard to flesh and blood as to be crucified Joh. 10.18 yet it obtains a sweetnesse of holinesse from Gods will Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O God even to be made a curse and crucified Thy Law is within my heart and he would but fulfill all righteousnesse even that which seems to be the outside of the Gospel to be sprinkled with water Math. 3.15 and this Christ would doe as under the Covenant of Grace 2. The stirrings and breathings of the Spirit makes the work sweet hearing brings burning of heart Luke 24.32 willing gladnesse Acts 2.41 and some sweetnesse of stirred bowells comes from the Lords putting in his hand through the Key-hole of the door of the heart Cant. 5.4 where as to an naturall man under the Law to lift up a Prayer is to carie a milstone on his back every syllabe of a word is a stone weight which he cannot bear 3. Were there no more in praying but a communion with God how sweet is it when Christ prayeth the fashion of his countenance is changed Luke 9.29 There is a heaven in the bosome of Prayer though there were never a granting of the sute sure there is a sin in making heaven a hire and in making duty a relative thing a horse for a journey a ship for a voyage to fetch home gold where as there is heaven in praising God before the Throne such as is both work and wages and so in spirituall duties here 7. Suppose there were no letter of a command because there is suteablenesse between the Law ingraven in the heart and the spirituall matter commanded a childe of Grace under Grace sets about duties so that in a maner there is no need to say to David Get thee to Jerusalem and to the house of God for he sayeth Psal. 122.1 I was glad when they said let us go to the house of the Lord. As there needs no command that the Father love the child nor is there need to exhort the Sea to ebbe and flow or the Sun to shine nor are many arguments usefull to presse the mother to give suck to the child nature stands for a Law here the strength of the ingraven Law in the heart overpowreth the letter So the new nature the indwelling anointing as a new instinct putteth the child of Grace to act But here we are to bewar that we
24. 2 Thes. 1.7 8. But it seems against all Scripture that Christ should die for these for whose sins he dies not And so that 1. Christ should half and part the sins of the Reprobate and the Scripture I judge shall not admit that Christ bare in his own body on the tree some sins of the Reprobate to wit all their sins against the Law absolutely or conditionally and he that bears not either absolutely or conditionally their other sins against the Gospel to wit their finall unbeleef and rebellion for Christ was wounded and bruised for the transgressions and iniquities of these for whom he died He must then have been wounded for some of their transgressions and not wounded for other of their transgressions And so the sins of the Reprobates are divided between Christs satisfaction upon the Crosse and their own satisfaction in Hell But he suffered one may say conditionally only for the Reprobates sins against the Law upon the Crosse if they beleeve not otherwise Ans. The same reall satisfaction conditionally that he performed on the Crosse for the Elect the same say the Authors he performed for the Reprobate conditionally if either beleeve but because the one beleeves it is accepted for payment for them and the other beleeves not it is not accepted for them 2. As there is a satisfaction performed for some sins not for all not for finall unbeleef that sin then must be in the same case with the sin of the fallen Angels there is no sacrifice for it nor is Christs death applicable by divine ordination to purge men from finall unbeleef more then to purge Devils from any sins they commit 3. The same incorruptible price of the blood of the Lamb that is given to ransome all from wrath Matth. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 conditionally is given to buy all for whom Christ died from their vain conversation also 1 Pet. 1.18 that is to merite faith to them conditionally Shew us the condition of the one more then the other If a condition cannot be shown Christ must have payed the price of blood upon the Crosse for some upon intention for others upon another unlike intention 4. If Christ died for all not because they did will and beleeve but that they might will and beleeve and if Jesus suffered without the Camp that he might sanctifie the people by his own blood Heb. 13.12 Heb. 10.10 That he might wash them from their sins and make them Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1.5 6. That they might offer up themselves holy living sacrifices to him Rom 12.1 upon a great designe of love to cleanse them with the washing of water by the Word and present them a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.26 27. If he gave himself for them that they should live to righteousnesse being dead to sins 1 Pet. 2.24 That they might be delivered from the present evill world Gal. 1.4 If Christ gave himself for these for whom he dyed that he might redeem them from all iniquity and might purifie them to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Then did he die to redeem all men from iniquity even from finall unbelief the great iniquitie and from the vain conversation of finall unbelief and that they might be dead to sins especially the sin of finall unbelief Except it be said that Christ gave a price to buy faith to all Reprobate and Elect and to redeem them from finall unbelief if all would be willing But to commit to their free-will the efficacie of Redemption which Prosper saith maketh the will of God valide and effectuall and unvalide and weak according as the will of man which Davenantius Bishop of Salisburie if that opus posthumum have been written by him in his riper years and revised by himself justly censures as the boyl of Pelagian Doctrine which Faustus Rhegiensis did covertly teach The Lord saith he redeems such as are willing being a rewarder of their good or evill wils Now hardly can these eschew this Pelagianisme who teach that the death of Christ is an universall salve applicable by the decree of God to save all and every one of mankinde Christian and Pagan so they actually believe For it cannot be said that Christ hath died to make all mankinde saveable upon condition of actuall faith to receive Christ preached for so Infants to whom Christ preached is in no tollerable sense applicable that way by any ordination of God if they actually believe shal be no parts of the world they must be excluded from Baptism And it cannot be said that this argument shal militate against us for we do not defend such a conditionall applicabilitie of Christ upon condition of faith actual in preached Christ even to infants in the Visible Church yet we teach they are in Covenant with God and so God hath his decree of election to Glory and Redemption in Christ among infants as among aged professours 2. There is a providentiall and to many thousands of Pagans who never heard nor could hear of Christ an invincible impediment and so Christ is not applicable by Gods decree to them upon condition of actuall beleeving Rom. 10.14 How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard It seems to me physically impossible that there is such a thing as the Indians worship Satan under such a name and in such rites if I never heard of the Indians or of their God or their worship So neither can they worship Christ in a Gospel-way who never heard of him It s impossible to beleeve a non ens Christ offered in the Gospel is very nothing and so not applicable to thousands by any decree of God 3. This is not written in Scripture God hath decreed that Christ be Preached and life be offered actually to all and every one of all and every Nation under Heaven and this opinion saith that Christ died and satisfied offended Justice for the sins of all and every one of all and every Nation under heaven except for finall unbâ—leef The Antecedent is clear by Scripture and experience God fulfills his decrees irresistibly But he never sent the Preached Gospel to as many as these Authors say he died for Nor can they themselves teach any such thing Nor is this true God hath decreed that Christ in the Preached Gospel and salvation may be offered to all and every one old and young of all and every Nation in all Generations upon condition of actuall beleeving And yet for all these without exception Christ died say they For not to say God never decreed that such may be offered to infants of Pagans for whom they say Christ died To make a thing that physically is possible the object of a decree of God we must say that God hath decreed to give the gift of tongues to all Professours and Pastours to speak to all and every Nation in their own Language and to make an offer of Christ
and every one and such persons by head name birth c. Yet it is not the justifying of me or John or Paul for I nor no man can know that Christs satisfaction stands for you or me by name and person while first I or you beleeve because it is the hid Decree of God 3. Nor is this legall imputation beleevable nor is it revealed as â—t is terminated to single persons to me or to you untill by faith we apprehend it 5· But the imputation of application is that in which our justification standeth And the faith by which as by an instrument we are justified presupposeth three unions and maketh a fourth union It presupposeth an union 1. Naturall 2. Legall 3. Federall 1. Naturall that Christ and we are not only both mankind for CHRIST and Pharaoh Judas the traitour and all the sons of perdition are one specie naturâ true men but one in brotherhood He assuming the nature of man with a speciall eye to Abraham Heb. 2.16 that is to the elect and beleevers for with them he is bone of their bone and is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 12. Ps. 22.22 2. It presuppones a Legall union between Christ and them that God made the debter and the Surety one in Law and the summe one in so far as he laid our debts on Christ Isa. 53.6 â— Cor. 5.21 3. It presuppones an union Federall God making Christ our Surety and he was willing to be our Surery and to assume not only our nature in a personall union but also our state condition and made our cause his cause our sins his sins not to defend them nor to say Amen to them as if we might commit them again but to suffer the punishment due to them And our faith makes a fourth union betwixt Christ and us whether naturall as between head and members the branches and the Vine Tree or mysticall as that of the spouse and beloved wife or artificiall or mixed between the impe and the tree Or 4. Legall between the Surety and the Debter the Advocate and the Client or rather an union above all is hard to determine for these are but all comparisons and this Christ prayes for Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one 6. Now to the Question as the Law condemns not a man but him who is first a sinner and an heir of wrath by nature in the first Adam for the Law is essentially just So God justifies not a man but the man who by order of nature is first by faith in CHRIST Rom. 5.18 Therefore 〈◊〉 by the offence of one judgement came upon all men unto condemnaâ—â—â—n even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon aâ—l men in Christ as the other were in the first Adam unto the justification of life and so we must say that all ere they be justified and before God impute faith to them that is Christs believed righteousnesse to be theirs must have faith and so believe and so be one with Christ. And this imputed righteousnesse is ours because we believe and not untill we first believe and the other imputation goes before faith So the faith of Gods speciall mercy is two wayes so called 1. As it leaneth upon and apprehendeth God in Christ for the obtaining of mercy and remission of sins and imputed righteousnesse So faith goes before justification and we believe that our sins may be pardoned and that our sins may not be imputed and that we may be justified and freed from condemnation so by the act of believing righteousnesse is imputed to us And thus justification and remission i. e. relaxing of our persons from a state of eternall condemnation as is meant Rom. 8.1 are not the object of faith but the effect and fruit of faith 2. The faith of speciall mercy to me is considered as it apprehendeth and believeth or rather feelingly knoweth speciall mercy imputation of Christs righteousnesse now given to me and as Christ hath payed a ransome for me and satisfied justice for me and so imputed righteousnesse and justification are the object of faith Or rather the object of the sense of faith which is most carefully to be observed To answer Bellarmines unsolide Argument we either believe remission of sins past or to come c. But remission is liberation from punishment eternall or temporall but justificatâ—on is freedome from the fundamentall guilt-deserving punishment and remission is a consequent thereof Q. Whether or not is Justification taken one and the same way in the Old and New Testament Ans. The Apostle is clear Rom. 4. where he proves both Jews and Gentiles are justified as Abraham and David But 2. Justification by Grace hath not in iisdem apicibus in the same points the same adversaries 1. Moses and the Prophets contend most with Ceremoniall hypocrits who sought righteousnesse much in Ceremonies Washings Sacrifices New Moons and also their own inherent godlinesse Deut. 5. Deut. 7. Deut. 10. Deut. 11. Isai. 1.10 11 12 c. Mic. 6.6 7 8. Psal. 50.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Ps. 4.2 3 4 5. 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Isa. 66.1 2 3 4 5. Jer. 7.1 2 3 21 22 23. 2. Paul had other Adversaries Rom. ch 3. ch 4. ch 5. ch 9. ch 10. especially Antinomians who drew the Doctrine of free Justification by Grace to licencious loosnesse then we may sinne if so and so we be justified said they then is the Law of none effect Rom. 6.1 But his chief Adversaries on the other extream were men that stood much for Justification by the works of the Morall Law And Paul Rom. 3. proves that all Jews Gentiles David Abraham could be justified neither by works of Nature nor of Grace and casts down the Jews righteousnesse by Law-doing Rom. 9. Rom. 10. 3. There were a third Classe of Adversaries to free Justification Galatians seduced and false Apostles who contended for Justificatication by Circumcision and the necessity of keeping the Ceremonial Law if they would be saved Act. 15.1 2 3 4 c. Gal. 2. Gal. 3. Gal. 4. Gal. 5. ch 6. Who mixed the Gospel and Moses his Law and Paul proves Gal. 3. that we are not justified by the works of the Morall Law for that Law Deut. 26.27 involves all that omit the least duty of the Law Gal. 3.10 11 12 13. under a curse and Christ was made a curse for us And Paul proves in the generall we are justified by neither the works of the Morall nor of the Ceremoniall Law 4. James had to do with another gang of loose livers the Gnosticks who contended for justification by a bare nominall faith without love or good works And James proves that we are justified before men and to our selves by faith working by love and not by a dead faith 5. John contends much for reall and speaking marks of justification and conversion against dead Professours void of
Christ and beleevers actually freed from satisfactory punishment So that both beleevers and Christ must actually bear the satisfactory punishment Which indeed makes beleevers half redeemers with Christ against which we disputed before 3. Arminians denies that we payed our debts to God in Christ paying them for us So that the broken man cannot be said to have satisfied the debt in and through the surety who satisfied for him which in all Law is unjust And since Arminians denies that we payed to Justice a ransome for sin because our Surety Christ payed for us he must deny that Christ was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities or that the chastisement of our peace was upon him Contrair to Isai. 53.5 because we made him not our Mediatour and Surety but God made him Mediatour and laid our iniquities upon him Isai. 53.6 But it is accidentall in Law that the debter substitute the surety or request him to take the place of surety upon him But he is a reall and a most legall surety who not requested of free grace becomes surety and pays the very same summe in speciè in kind that the debter ought to pay this reason does prove he is both a surety and a gracious surety As a Kings son who comes in and layes down his head for a malefactor truely and really dyeth and layeth down his life in the room and place of that malefactor though there was no Covenant nor paction between him and the Kings son though neither the malefactor nor any friend in his name did request the Prince to become surety and die for him Reuben offers his two sons to Jacob as pawnds to be slain if he should not bring home Benjamin safe to the father And had Jacob accepted of the offer Reubens two sons who knew not of the bargain had been sureties for Benjamin Gen. 42.37 and Judah might have been Law-surety for Benjamin to Jacob though Benjamin requested him not to take any such place The Lord the Creditour and Christ the Cautioner did strike hands together Christ put himself in our room as an hostage pledge and surety to die for us and payed the first and second death the summe that we was owing according to a paction between the Lord and Christ and we requested not Christ to be surety only by beleeving we thank him and subscribe and say Amen to what is done But in Law we payed in regard the same nature that suffered was ours and accepted as ours But Arminians clearly refuse that Christ shall be an hostage and surety for us because the offended party of his own furnished not one that died for him and so he strikes at the root of a reall sacrifice that is satisfactory to God because one and the same cannot be both satisfied and de suo of his own furnish a satisfying surety For so as his own Socinus saith one cannot be both a satisfier and a person satisfied and this is no satisfaction at all saith Socinus 4. Our beleeving cannot effectuate this that Christ hath actually born the satisfactory punishment due to us Arminius saith that Christ hath not actu ipso actually born that punishment he must say he hath born it only potentially potentià Then its like when we beleeve he bears that punishment compleatly but he cannot die nor suffer but once only he must mean that Christ did actually bear our sins but the satisfactory punishment is not accepted as suffered in our name But our beleeving hindereth not but he hath in genere causae moralis meritoriae really as a meriting cause deserved that God in justice cannot exact from us that same satisfactory punishment that Christ hath suffered for our sins its impossible that our faith can adde any meritorious power to Christs death therefore though not in our selves and physically yet really morally legally in Christ deliverance from satisfactory punishment is due to us we being in Christ legally and life eternall is due to us being in Christ according to the rigour of justice and injuria irrogata Christo sponsori foret wrong should be done to Christ and commutative justice by which ex condigno by condignitie he hath bought freedom from hell and right to heaven to these he died for if we should suffer eternall wrath in our persons whether we beleeve or beleeve not for beleeving is no part of the meriting cause of the satisfying ransome Yea Christ by right of buying and selling and we in Christ our surety may claime freedom from the second death and right to everlasting life so as God should fail against commutative justice against Christ and break with reverence and humble submission to his Glorious Majesty be it spoken Covenant to Christ and he should buy with a price more then enough his seed and not get his wages if these he died for die the second death and come short of glory eternall if the Lord say to Christ I promise to thee a seed that they shall be delivered from the second death and have life eternall providing thou shalt give me a price abundantly sufficient to buy these to wit the life and blood of God-Man and offer thy self a sacrifice upon the Crosse to offended Justice If CHRIST shall do this and pay the ransome and Christ get no wages no saved seed but they perish through the want of faith only either must faith be a part of the ransome which none can say or then the Lord shall not keep Covenant to Christ. 5. When Arminius saith that the Lord can nullo jure by no Law nor Justice crave of us faith and conversion to God if we have payed our debts by rigour of justice exactly to God in Christ who legally in our stead and place payed for us he supposes plainly that God requires faith and obedience of us as a part of recompence made to offended Justice And Arminiâ—s saith that Christs righteousnesse is ours not as performed by him but as imputed to us by faith So that faith comes in as a collaterall price payed for us or a part of the price the very act and work of beleeving being counted ours and our righteousnesse before God Yea but God by no necessity of hurt Justice craves faith and repentance from us That CHRIST died not for our good only but in our stead is proven 1. Because Christ in some other more legall way died for us then for Angels for he died for their good that he might â—e made the Head of Angels Col. 2.10 Phil. 2.7 8 9 10 11. Rom. 10.9 11. and he died for the good of the whole Creation that he might make all things new and restore the creatures to their perfection which by the sin of man they had lost Rom. 8.20 21 22 2â— Acts 3.21 Rev. 21.5 but he died not as suffering punishment due to the Angels and the work of Creation in their stead â—s wounded for their transgressions as he died for our
transgressions Isa. 53. For the transgressions of us all Elect and Reprobate as they say exponing that all Isa. 53.6 of all and every one of mankind were upon him 2. We deny not but there be considerable differences between Christs dying and the punishment of the Elect which they were to suffer As 1. Ours should have been eternall because we could never out satisfie But the sufferings of Christ because of the dignity of his person God-Man were perfectly satisfactory in a short time 2. He could not suffer the same pain in number that we should have suffered for one and the same accident cannot be in different subjects nor is the surety to pay the very same summe numero that the debter borrowed 3. The Lord could not but have punished the Elect with hating aversion of mind they being intrinsecally and inherently sinners He punished Christ who was not inherently but only by imputation the sinner with no hatred at all but with anger and desire of shewing and exercising revenging justice but still loving him dearly as his only Son But upon this account Christ must stand in our room and because of the five-fold onenesse and Law-identity and samenesse For 1. Though physically the surety and the debter be two different men yet in Law they are one and the same person and one and the same legall party and the same object of justice Whoso pursues in Law the surety does also pursue the debter 2. The debt and summe is one not two debts nor two ransoms nor two punishments nor two lives to losse but one 3. It is one and the same solution and satisfaction there can not in Law-justice come another reckoning dying and payment making after the surety hath payed 4. There is one and the same acceptation upon the creditor his part if he accept of satisfaction in the payment made by the surety he cannot but legally accept of the debter and cannot pursue him in Law but must look upon him as no debter To justifie him is another thing It being a forinsecall transient declaration of his righteousnesse who beleeves I speak here of an acception of satisfaction to hurt justice revenging sin not of an acceptation of obedience 5. It s one and the same legall effect Christ justified in the Spirit and risen again 1 Tim 3.16 and we in him as in the merâ—torious cause are legally justified Hence he who suffered the same satisfactory punishment for the same sinnes committed by us which in Law we ought to have suffered eternally 2. He suffered and died for us in our stead and place especially when the Creditor counts these sufferings as if we had suffered So Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 If one be dead for all then were all dead And the Messiah was cut off and died not for himself Dan. 9.26 He did no violence neither was guile found in his mouth Isa. 53.9 Joh. 8.46 Heb. 7.26 But he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa. 53.5 1 Pet. 2.23 24 25. He was delivered for our offences The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all He was cut out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he plagued Isa. 53.8 He bare on his body our sins on the tree 3. He who being made under the Law payed that Law-debt of satisfaction which the Elect in their persons should have payed and thereby freed them from the Law-debt of satisfaction He sustained the person of the Elect in his suffering But Christ being made under the Law payed that Law-debt of satisfaction which the Elect in their persons should have payed The proposition is out of doubt none denies the Minor but that we should have died eternally in our persons if Christ had not died for us 4. He who of purpose took on him our nature the nature and seed of Abraham and the legall condition of a surety to suffer for us he stood in our person and room in suffering for us But Christ took on him our nature which is common to beleeving Jews and to such also who are casten off of God Rom. 9.3 4. but not as common to them but as the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 And 5. Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one who continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Law being made a curse for us not to reconcile all and every one to himself or to obtain a potentiall and far off power of salvation But ver 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Not that we might beleeve or not beleeve if we would that is not the blessing of Abraham Act. 11.18 Act. 15.8 9. Act. 5.31 Ph. 1.29 and for his great love he died for us the just for the unjust to bring us to God 6. And it is thus confirmed Christ in dying is not looked on as a man Nor 2. simply as a single man dying Nor 3. as a publick Martyr or witnesse that all or none at all if they so will may get good of him but by speciall paction if he shall lay down his life and work his work and suffer for our sins that which we should have suffered he shall receive his wages and see his seed 7. As also none who dies as a surety or pays as a surety but he bears the person of such as he pays for who ever gives a ransome for another by way of payment and whosoever as a Priest offers a sacrifice for another he represents the person offended for whom he offers so does the Advocate act the person of the Client the intercessour his person for whom he interceeds 8. The phrase to die for another as a ransoner signifies to die in the stead and person of another Demosthenes orat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in liew of Ktesiphon For Archias for Marcellus he pleads it is in Law as if Archias as if Marcellus or as if the parties for which Cicero and Demostenes do plead were in persons pleading themselves It s true Isocrates hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in bonum for the favour and good of any And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes also to do or die for the good and profit of others Col. 1.24 I rejoice in my sufferings for you that I may fill up the remnant of the sufferings of Christ for his body But if it cannot be denied but for Christ to die for his body is somewhat more then for Paul or any Martyr to die for the body then sure Christs dying for his Church as the more doth include the lesse notes Christs dying for the good of his Church
or to hearken to conscience which craves in the name of mistaken Law well payed debts and this is but Sathan abusing the Law and feigning Letters of Caption in the name of the Law to trouble the quieted conscience of a beleever But its safest to say I stand to what Christ hath done and suffered to fulfill the Law and I believe I was crucified in him judged and condemned legally in Christ and what can you seek more of an ill-doer He is condemned crucified hanged on a tree and so is justice quieted Some raise the devill and a storm in the soul and cannot calm it again It is not good to provoke irritate and waken a sleeping dogge There is quietnesse and peace of beleeving what Christ hath done as well done and comfortably to rest on his deed by faith Hence a case of some who because they are under deadnesse and security desire a wakening of conscience and Sathan hath taught some to commit some hainous guiltinesse that they may fall in the hand of justice and so be wakened and Sathan gives them their fill of it Hence we had rather take a Law-way which is not Gods way as ly under deadnesse there may be a legall looking upon deadnesse whereas it is a gospel-Gospel-sin that we should be humbled for and in which we should not please our selves but no man freed from the Law and brought out of prison should be willing or desirous to return to the dungeon again We should let God guide us under a feaver and not be our own Physitians but be quiet at Christs part if he be pleased to cure by contrairs and to quicken me by deadening me or to make a soul humble by smiting with a spirit of pride its good we are to submit Obj. How could we be in Christ as in our surety for saith Arminius we did not give nor appoint Christ to be our Cautioner or Surety Ans. It s evill arguing of Arminius or Sathan who would make the union either naturall or legall betwixt us and Christ weak far off generall and such as is betwixt Christ and Pagans and all the world But this reason is nought for we sinners were not born and very nothing when God made the first Adam our father and head in Law as in nature nor had we any hand or action in substituting the first Adam in his place and yet we sinned in Adam and his sin is ours by divine imputation But can any deny but Christ on the Crosse did act the cause of many beleevers not born This is peculiar to this dispensation that the creditor not the debter appoint both the Law-head and the Evangelick Surety The Surety had from us a Cautionary sponsorie and deputed nature but no subscribed commission from us it was in the heart of the Creditor by grace efficacious to obtain our consent and to make a sort of legall marriage assuming our nature before we either knew our husband or gave consent to the marriage-Covenant As the Advocat speaks in the person of the Client absent and sleeping and when the Client hears and sees how his cause is promoved he both assents unto and renders thanks and praises to the Advocat and so the absent and far off Client not knowing any thing does act in the Advocat And how many answers doth our Advocat in Heaven make for sinners on earth in his pleadings of which we know not in particular any thing Nor doth Christ speak or plead for beleevers as a privat man nor appear in his Name as it were but in our person Neither is there a faining of a person here or a borrowed and fained redemption there be these five here 1. A Redeemer Christ. 2. Persons redeemed sinners 3. A Lord from whom we are redeemed the Lord Jehovah not simply as God he is the partie from whom we are redeemed but God as the offended Law-giver who had us lyable to eternall punishment 4. There was a price the life and blood of God which though not profitable to God for that is extrinsecall to satisfaction reall yet an aboundant compensation to justice for declarative glory taken from God which is the nature of reall satisfaction 5. There is here a God just true holy unchangeable to whom the price is payed Nor does Christ sustain the person of the enemy Satan from whom we are redeemed for he is but the lictor who then had no right to detain us we are redeemed from evils of sin and punishment Nor doth Christ in suffering sustain the person of God Hence from our being crucified with Christ crucified something is to be said in a practicall way of our mortification for mortification flows originally from Christs death we being crucified in him and with him Gal. 2.20 Q. What is mortification A. It is a deadning of the whole powers and inclinations of the soul in their bentnesse and operations in order to things forbidden by the Law of God or in things indifferent and commanded Hence not the affections only but the understanding and mind must be deadned And therefore this is no mortification untill sin originall be subdued in its damnation by Christs death and in its dominion by the Spirit of Sanctification A tree is not withered while standing on its root bulk and branches are green and flourishing It s much to know the withdrawing of sap and life from the root and the vitall parts of old Adam The ebbing of a River is not the drying up of it the new birth only is mortification Q. 2. Since mortification comes only from Christs death what is the influence of Christs death herein Ans. The influence is reall ad modum causae physicae the merit of blood hath bought us from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Christ dying doth merit by blood the Spirit and infused grace which deadens the whole life of sin Evangelick Arguments from ten heavens from ten Gospels working morally and in a swasory way cannot more work mortification then touching can make a reall change on a dead corps we was legally dead and crucified in Christ and with Christ when he died many not being born then But in the infusing of the life of God Christ applyes the reall principle of mortification Now the redemption from a vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 from the present evil world Gal. 1.4 is as reall and proper a bargain except we follow Socinus as redemption from the wrath to come 2. Christs death hath an influence morall and swasorie to work mortification As 1 Pet. 1.16 Be holy 17. Passe the time of your sojourning in fear For ye are bought with his blood from your vain conversation And 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Christ hath suffered in the flesh therefore be mortified to your lusts and serve them not as the Gentiles do So Col. 3.1.5 But the action morall of the Gospel doth not work upon the naturall man for like works upon the like carnall reason upon a carnall spirit and
the comforter the infant may at once both suck the breasts and also sleep And is one flower more to be smelled then the whole Garden And shall feelings and raptures and manifestations of God in his out-goings be courted and over-courted by us beyond the God of all comforts There is need that the heart be deadened to sense for feeling and sense is fiery and idolatrous and were sense more mortified at the out-goings of faith hope love it were good for our faith should be the more lively and vigorous to lay hold on God Q. Is it not lawfull to be taken and feelingly delighted with the influences of God Ans. Sure feeling of it self is not faulty the fierinesse and excessive fervour of feeling is faulty especially when terminated upon created actings of love faith joy desire hope and not upon influences as coming from the free Grace of God otherwise we are but sick and pained of love of our own gracious actings because they are our own and this is the sicknesse of selfishnesse Ah! a Godhead a Godhead is not known 23. Nor must we be in a too lively way taken with our own stock nor trust in the habit of grace or the new heart for grace in us is a created rose that spreads fair and broad and smels well but it is not God nor Christ that we may learn not to trust in our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1.9 But why but we may trust in our renued selves now furnished with a stock and infused habits the excellent blossoms and blooms of heaven Nay not in our selves thus fitted but in God who raises the dead for it s not possible both to trust in renewed self and in God And Paul never meant that any that professeth CHRIST is to lean upon sinfull self or upon lost and condemned self And sure it is as selfy to be alive to infused habits as to misken Christ and think being once a convert we can send our selves all the rest of the way to heaven without Christ we need not Christ for a Guide or a Tutor it s within us may save us And nothing can be more contrair to a living the noble and sure life of continuall dependencie by faith on the given Leader of the people Jesus Christ then to trust on habits of grace they are not Christ. 25. Ah! who is that mortified as to be dead to the created sweetnesse of joy and the right hand pleasures of God and the formall beatitude of glory and alive to the only pure objective happinesse of glory And yet that is mortification to love and be sick and thirsty for heaven not for the pleasures of the Garden and the Streets of Gold and the Tree of Life and the River of Water of life but for only only God the heaven of heavens And therefore we cannot be alive to pure and the only abstracted and unmixed God head except we be thus dead to heaven 26. There is a deadnesse to the letter of the promise The promise saith M. Ambrose is but the Casket and Christ the Jewell in it the promise is but the field Christ is the Pearle hid in it Christ removed the promise is no promise or but â—aplesse signes 27. We must also be dead to the rayes out-shinings and manifestations of God to the soul here and must transchange God in all presence and all love embracements and no more but he dead to the house of wine to the lifâ—ed up banner of love to love-kisses of Christ to the love-banquets and to the felt lying as the beloved all the night between the breasts for these nearest communions are not God himself There is required a godly hardnesse for receiving sparkles of hell and some draughts of sore trying wrath and the hell of his most wise and righteous frownings and necessary absence and night of hiding himself 28. And should not the Church be dead to providences of fair weather and Court or the blessing of a godly King David Ezekiah and mortified to miraculous deliverances dividing of the red sea defeat of enemies to confirmation of the truth by Martyrdome and sufferings to blood He who is dead to himself and his body and ease and hardned against contradictions of sinners against torment of body cold imprisonment sicknesse death and can in patience submit to all providences is crucified with Christ if God give or withdraw he is dead to both 28. All who are dead with Christ are dead to all dead worship saplesse ceremonies and formall worship Col. 2.20 Gal. 4.9 and are lively in the serving of God and fervent in spirit serving the Lord And rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Rom. 12. CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of Redemption between God and the Mediator Christ. 2. Christ is not a bare witnesse to confirm the Covenant but the Author of the Covenant 3. The Socinian way of works cannot quiet the conscience 4. Christ is upon both sides of the Covenant 5. Justice mediatâ— not 6. Reasons of the entrance of sin ISai. 49.8 I will preserve thee saith the Lord to Christ and give thee for a Covenant of the people Hence the 1. Question How is Christ said to be given as a Covenant of the people Ans. As Isai. 49 6. he saith I have given thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth that is as Act. 13.46 47. I have thee O Christ to be the Preached Light and Guide of the Gentiles and the Preached Saviour declared and proclaimed by the Preaching of Paul Barnabas and the Apostles and Pastors So I will give thee for the Covenant that is the Preached surety and Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 When the first Covenant was broken he makes with us an everlasting Covenant even the sure mercies of David Isai. 55.3 2. I will give thee as the only one who is the subject of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace For to Preach Christ and to Preach the Gospel and New Covenant are all one 3. I have given thee to be the confirmer of the promises they are all yea and Amen in thee 2 Cor. 1.20 Gal. 3.16 And 4. by thy death thou confirmes the Covenant and seals it with thy blood Heb. 9.15 16 17 22 23 24. Heb. 13.20 Q. But Socinus denies that Christ is the purchaser or the obtainer by his blood as it were of the New Covenant for he did not by his death procure or merit pardon to us he is only the surety or Mediator of the Covenant And Crellius and he say the cause why the confirming of the Covenant is ascribed to the death of Christ is because as by a slain beast and divided into two parts Covenants of old were established so by the death of Christ the Covenant of Grace was solemnly confirmed and sealed Ans. Christ is so the Surety as Mediator
as he is also the Author of this Covenant as God Exod. 3.6 It was he who said I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 1 Cor. 10.9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of the Serpents And this is he who led them and brought them out of Aegypt Numb 21.6 7. whom they tempted in the wildernesse 5 6 7. And he ascribes to himself the Covenant Heb. 8.9 Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers c. And it is clear that the pardon of sin promised in the Covenant Jer. 31. Heb. 8. is never ascribed to the blood of Martyrs but every where to Christs blood Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Rom. 3.25 Rev. 1.5 1 Joh. 1.8 Heb. 9.14.14 15 22. Heb. 10.16 17 18. 2. That he is the Surety also of the Covenant is expresly said Heb. 7.22 and the Mediator thereof Heb. 8. Nor can it be said that the death of the Testator does properly give faith and authority to the Testament for the authority and justice of the just or unjust will of the Testator addeth unto or diminisheth from the authority of the Testament for the Testators will is the principal efficient cause of the Testament the death of the man is only a necessary condition by which the right of the Testator to these goods is transferred from him who now being dead needs them not in to friends to whom they are left in Legacie and so death is but an antecedent condition of the right to the goods 3. Christs dying to bear witnesse to his own Gospel is only the secondary end of his death in so far as secondarily remission of sins is made known to us after the principall end of his death to wit reconciliation remission pardon redemption and life is purchased to us by way of merit And sure the truth of pardon and redemption is hugely more confirmed and sealed by the whole company of the Martyrs and made known to the sons of men then by the death of one single man Maries Son Nor does the Scripture ever commend Christs love to us in sealing the Gospel with his blood as the only way to life or making this the most strong Argument to move us to beleeve in God and obey Christ because Christ died for sinners and rose again to make the Gospel true like and worthy to be beleeved as the Martyres do but love shined in this that in dying we have redemption and forgivenesse and life in his blood And since Godly and sound beleeving Martyrs died for this end especially to glorifie God and seal the truth Joh. 21.19 Rev. 2.13 Mat. 10.32 Luk. 12.8 Mar. 8.38 Luk. 9.26 2 Tim. 2.12 Rev. 12. â—1 we must have most properly forgivenesse of sins in the blood of Sâ—even and Antipas and the rest of the Martyres And miracles do aboundantly seal the truth of the Gospel And so doth the holinesse of profession Joh. 20.32 Mar. 16.20 Joh. 5.35 36. Matth. 5.16 but never are we redeemed justified saved by Christs and the Apostles miracles and holy life for any thing we read in Scripture but we have life by Christs blood as by a ransome a price to buy us Q. Hence 1. case May not the conscience be quiet by the way of Socinus which lays aside a ransome given to Justice Ans. The experience of the Godly man wakened in conscience saith to this when he is chastened with pain in his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain and the mans soul drawes â—ear to the gâ—ave and his life unto the destroyers and the man stands on need of an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his righteousnesse Job 33.19 20 21 22 23. Then God is gracious to him and saith deliver him from going down to the pit I have found him a ransome He is not quiet while God say my Prophet deliver him from hell and the pit which he so much fears for my offended Justice hath found a ransome in Christ and I am 〈◊〉 with him Yea and the conscience must be purged from 〈◊〉 works by his blood who offered himself without spot to God through the eternall Spirit Heb. 9.14 Yea and there is no remission of sins without sheding of blood v. 22. Not of Buls or Goats for the blood of beasts leaves still conscience of sin Heb. 10.1 2. Then it must be the blood of Christ v. 5.10 who was crucified and made a curse for us Gal. 3.10 such a curse as we must have eternally according to Divine Justice suffered Yea if works done by the exemplary grace of a Martyr such a holy man as Christ who was never wounded for our transgressions nor bruised for our iniquities then Christ died in vain and there was no ransome of blood given for our sins only God of free-will made an innocent man a curse and would have him crucified neither for his own sin nor for ours well then may good works without the blood of sinner or surety take away sin And the conscience sprinkled with good works may well calm a guilty conscience yea and according to the measure of good works is the measure of assurance of peace with God Now we see the most tender David Job Hezekiah Heman who walked most with God have not alway most assurance of peace and righteousnesse with God but most dreadfull doubtings of conscience according as by faith they apprehend the ransome of full satisfaction or were dazled and darkened in their apprehension yea sure without the ransome of blood of free-will all receive a dry and unbloody pardon by doing the Commandements of Jesus Christ. The Socinian faith which looks to an exemplary Martyr whom God of no justice but in vain and for no cause delivered to death but of meer free pleasure whereas there might be and is forgivenesse without shedding of blood contrair to Heb. 9.22 Rom. 3.24.25 c. even good works done in imitation of Christ. Q. 2. Another case is here Is Christ on our side of the Covenant and on the Lords side This would seem no satisfying of justice Ans. It is true the case would seem no quieting of conscience If 1. Christ-God were not the same offended God who out of soveraignty of free grace doth condescend to make a Covenant of grace and so is upon Gods side 2. If Christ were not a Person different from offended God as the Godhead is common to all the three so in a voluntary and admirable dispensation and Oeconomie the Kings Son a Person different from the Father taketh upon him our nature And 3. having mans nature which offended and so being fit therein to satisfie wrath and fit therein to merit to sanctifie the people with his own blood might well be upon our side and there 's no scenick no seeming but a most reall satisfaction here in that there is a most full and reall compensation made to offended justice and our faith laying hold on
this the conscience is quieted As I sinned in the first Adam legally so I satisfied in the second Adam Obj. But justice saith The same person that sinned the same must suffer and satisfie and no other Ans. Justice saith so but that part of justice by the graciousnesse and mercifulnesse of the Justâ—God is and may be dispensed withall So as Justice as Justice seeks payment the Creditor as the Creditor seeks recompence and restitution But by whom Justice determines not whether payment and satisfaction be made by the same very person who offended or by a fit surety in the person and place of the offender as it determines not whether as much or far more be restored then was taken away so there be a compact and voluntary agreement between the satisfier and the satisfied Hence Justice being 1. offended is not to speak so the interposing and the mediating attribute of God but Soveraignty of Free-grace and mercy interposeth 2. Justice may seek payment from the only offending partie and from no other from Adam and his posterity only but Justice doth not indispensably and by necessity of nature exact payment from the only offender and from no other 3. The conscience of the beleever may with sweetnesse of admiration and peace rest upon satisfied justice and adore interposing grace and be quickened from looking unto and loving interposing grace to obey and take on the labour of Gospel-love to run the wayes of his Commandements 4. It is not an act of Law nor of Justice to give or find out a satisfier but an act of love grace and infinite wisedom Q. 3. A third case is how can the beleever look upon life eternall as a gift if it be sold at so condign a price as Christs blood Ans. It is not fit to speak of this mysterie but with holy reverence life eternall is bought to us and we are said to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Pet. 1.18 1 Tim. 2.6 Matth. 20.28 Now it is unworthy of Christ that the fruit of his death should be only grace not glory and such a grace as is lubrick uncertain renders us indifferent but much weaker to beleeve or not believe that is as Socinians say to earne and win the wager of Glory by a new Gospel-working which is our righteousnesse and merit to glory For sure Pagans are more sinfully weak in the Second ADAM who died for them as Socinus will then mankind were in the first Adam The Scripture saith that Christ gave himself for his Church that he might present her a glorious Church Eph. 5. 25.27 1 Thes. 5.9 For God hath not appointed us for wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10. Who died for us 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternall glory Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. Act. 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance We are not afraid to call eternall life a fruit of Christs death that is of the merit of his death See Joh. 10.10 11.28 Joh. 3.14 15 16. Q. 4. A fourth case Many stumble some in that God permitted sin to enter which he might have hindered knowing he should be thereby under a necessity either to torment men in hell or torment on earth his most innocent Son Christ Ans. Socinians Arminians yea Pagans and all enemies to Christian Religion are burdened with the same seeming reason For if God or their gods may hinder wickednesse and yet do not hinder it they bring themselves or the true God that they must be necessitated to torment the sinners 2. There be reasons unanswerable why if we yeeld and it is a shame to deny that God is able to hinder sin to enter in the world or that he is not infinitly wise and so that he hath not most weighty reasons why he suffers sin to be As 1. if sin come freely in the world without the will of God either the Lords dominion over sin must be none at all or the creatures dominion of free-will must be dependent upon the dominion of grace and Soveraignty 2. The out-goings of free-grace must eternally be hid if sin had never been As there had been no field for the expressions and blossoms of eternall flourishing revenging justice As also the creatures armes are short and could not reach the eminent degree of manifesting the glory of free-grace and pardoning mercy but the Lord aimed at this And 1. the relation of a Saviour and a sinner of the Physician and the sick must be known Now a Physician hath not relation actuall to all sick all the world over but only to his own patients his own sick ones who by Covenant feeling their danger have laid the weight of life and death of righteousnesse of salvation over upon that one only Saviour and live dyet apply salves medicine only by the direction of this Physician and do receive medicine and recepts from no other 2. Infinite wisedom made choise beside other infinite possible wayes of this only way of redeeming and here glorious Soveraignty shines he wailles out Judas Magus Pharaoh to be fire-wood and coal to the River of fire and brimstone and made so many sinfull peeces of sick brittle clay overgilded with the habit of grace of free righteousnesse of glory to be the eternall harpers and proclaimers of the glory of his grace whereas he might have made these stones and worms for he created Angels and worms and all out of the Mother Nothing by his good pleasure And it must be a wonder of unsearchable Soveraignty that should not for eternity have been concealed such a number of Angels and men whom he set up in the heaven of heavens as heirs of glory to be everlasting Heraulds and Trumpeters to sound out experienced grace and mercy might have been if so it had pleased him lumps of everlasting vengeance in the eternall lack and all that are condemned and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire both devils and men are chips and peeces of beings hewen out of the same rock if so we may speak of that huge and vast Nothing and might have been up before the Throne filling the Chairs and rooms of the now heirs of glory thou beleever might have been in the seat of Iudas scorched in his furnace in hell and Iudas might have had thy Throne and thy Crown up with him eternally who sits on the Throne and with the Lamb. 3. He might have keeped all the sons of men and all the Angels in a sinlesse condition to be courteours to proclaim the glory of Law-goodnesse and of the never broken Covenant of Works
sprinkled Altar was also sprinkled with blood for saith the Holy Ghost Heb. 9.22 Almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood there is no forgivenesse of sins There was no guiltinesse in the Book but these written Lawes and Ceremonies were the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us which Christ by his bloody death behoved to blot out take out of the way and nail to His Crosse Colos. 2.14 But another Question riseth Exod. 24.6 What needed the sprinkling of the people with one half of the blood and the sprinkling of the Altar that is Christ the Mediator with the other For 1. Neither the work of dying to redeem man can be divided between Christ and the people nor needed Christ our true Altar forgivenesse of sins Ans. The typicall sprinkling of the people is expounded Heb. 9.14 the purging of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God to obey the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.3 But the sprinkling of the Altar Christ with the blood is a far other thing So the Holy Ghost Heb. 9. He who is constitute the Mediator of a Testament his death must interveen to ratify and make valide in Law the Testament v. 16 17. That the friends of the Testator may have right to the goods that are bequeathed to them in the Testament But Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament v. 15. Ergo c. Now we are to know that Christs dying is considered 1. As a paying of ransone for captives by which in Law and by way of meriâ—e the ranson of the blood of God exceedeth the worth of the bought captives or the crime committed by the captives and so Christs death meriteth to his friends ransoned righteousnesse life pardon 2. His dying is considered as a Testament of a dying friend Now the living friends by vertue of a Testament as a Testament have not â—us and right by buying and selling to the goods tested The essence and nature of a Testament is saved whether the goods that are bequeathed in legacy be the free gift of the Testator not bought with a price by him or goods of the father of the friend to which the friend being a German-brother hath as good right or the same right by birth that the Testator hath How ever the comparison holds in this Christ 1. hath bequeathed to believers these goods 2. The Testament is no Testament nor valide in Law except the Testator be dead No man can sue by Law tested goods if the Testator himself be living Nor can we have right to a new heart forgivenesse perseverance eternall life to grace and glory except Christ our Testator had died But because the Tested goods are more then goods left to us in Testament they are left to us by such a Testament as is both a Testament and a death perfectly meritorious this is superadded to the nature of a Testament and beyond all Testaments yea a death which is a price to ransone us from the wrath to come Therefore Christ so dying in our stead of justice meriteth that the friends should have these goods though they belong by meer grace and free promise to the friends Now this is a most clear ground Christ hath a well purchased right by giving a condign price for the goods and blesâ—sings promised in the Covenant of Grace to us This right he hath by paying a price laying down his life for us This buying is not by necessity of nature of justice but by a voluntary free and uncompelled agreement and Covenant Joh. 10.18 Isai. 53.6 No man can exact upon him Psal. 89.22 2. If the Old Testament was confirmed by the blood of beasts then must the New Testament be confirmed by the blood of Christ prefigured in these But the Old Testament was so confirmed Heb. 9. v. 18 19 20 21 22 23. Ergo now neither Testament nor Covenant was confirmed by blood simply but by the blood of a living creature slain 3. Hence the making of a Covenant was by cutting a calf or a beast in twain and passing between the parts thereof Jer. 34.18 and so they entered into a curse Nehem. 10.29 devoted themselves to destruction wishing they might be cut 〈◊〉 which is a strange kinde of death Math. 24.51 if they should break the Covenant Hence the Phrase of striking a Covenant So the Romans slew a sow So the Romans and Albani made a Covenant as Livius A Herauld or Officer at Arms slew the beast and prayed a curse on the people of Rome that they might be the same way stricken if they should break the Covenant It s like they had it from the Jewes So Christ died to ratifie and confirm the Covenant Exod. 24.6 This is the blood of the Covenant Now the Covenant hath no blood This blood of slain beasts for it is a figurative speech is a signe confirming the Covenant that believers shall have remission of sins in that blood of Christ which is shaddowed forth by the blood of these beasts So Christ the great Shepheard of the flock Heb. 13.20 is said to be brought from the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the blood of the everlasting Covenant Juâ—ius the Article is understood Or as the Hebrew Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Calvin and Piscator The question may be How did God bâ—ing Christ again from the death by the blood of the everlasting Covenant had the blood of Christ any influence to bring himself back from the dead Or did he by dying merit his own resurrection Ans. Some read the word thus and shun the Question The God of peace who brought again from the dead the great sheepherd of the sheep Understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the great sheepherd or feeder by the blood of the everlasting Covenant So Beza who maks these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So as Christs right to be Pastor is in and by his blood and suffering And the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is not to be constructed with the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Beza confesseth that he changed the situation of the words But if Christ be made a Pastor and feeder of the sheep by the blood of the eternall Covenant then is he called to be a Pastor by Covenant And what influence hath his death in his Pastoral Office Is it by way of merit Or did Christ merit to himself Hardly if not curiously can we say that though I nothing doubt but Christ gave perfect obedience as man to the Covenant of Works and he did merit as man jure operum life eternall the way that Adam should have merited life eternal so he had never fallen But the words naturally bear this sense as Deodati expounds them that Christ is risen by vertue of his death As it is well said the just surety
36.26 27. Jer. 31.31 32 33 34 35. Jer. 32.39 40. Neither can there be confidence and faith in God through the sure mercies of David nor peace nor solide consolation nor warrand to pray for the Lords gracious bowing of the will to be his seed except it be beleeved Covenanted that God shall be the God of his people and their King not over the element of the sea only to rule it and over the mountains and the stones and rocks but also over the particular wills and the willing and nilling choosing of good and refusing of evill in the men of the Iles. And how could the Son pray Father give the inheritance of the Heathen to me according to promise Ask of me and I will give thee c. Psal. 2. If the Father could answer nothing but what Arminians and Socinians say he answers as also the beleever out of the fleshes weaknesse must dictat this return of prayer Son with good will I grant the Heathen and the ends of the earth to thee in heritage and possession so they be willing to submit to thee But what if they refuse to obey either me or thee I did never Covenant with thee Son to do more then I can try thy strength and force their free-will if thou can if they be willing well and good it is there is a bargain My approving and commanding will is that they be thy seed and thy willing people but my decree is not to Lord it over their will that is a fundamentall act of Government that all my subjects have liberty of conscience to will or nill as they please Nay but the Covenant of Suretyship includes the sure mercies of David and the Lord gives band word and writ and seal of blood and the Oath of God to the Son Psal. 110.4 Heb. 7.21 for the will Isa. 53.4 Behold I have given him for a witnesse of the people a leader and commander to the people But what if they will neither lead nor drive Yea the Lord promises they shall not need to be driven they shall be willing and run 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and of the Holy One of Israel for he hath glorified thee And a strong reason of this is given the Gentiles run Whence comes this forwardnesse of the Gentiles who knew not God Because saith Isaiah of Jehovah thy God of Christ Mediatour in Covenant with thee Psal. 22.1 Joh. 20. â—0 because of thy God the Holy One of Israel the running saith Calvin notteth the efficacy of the calling and they run to Christ because of Jehovah and the mighty power of God in the Man-Christ â— Noteth because saith Piscator And another reason because he hath glorified thee O Christ he hath declared thee to be the Son of God by thy rising from the dead ascension to heaven given thee a Name above all names Rom. 1.4 Phil. 2.7 8 9 10. So Musculus Piscator Marlorat Gualther Diodati So the running of the Gentiles to Christ is the glorifying of Christ and a part of the reward it s Christs glory that he hath a seed that runs after him Then And M. Dickson upon these words Ps. 2. Aske of me after Christs resurrection and declaration of his formerly overclouded Godhead he should continue in the Offiâ—e of his Mediation and Intercession and by vertue of his payed ransone of Redemption call for the inlargement of his purchased Redemption among the Gentiles for this is the Fathers compact with the Son saying aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen so that both by free Covenant and by merit Christ challengeth a seed and it were unjustice in the Lord with reverence and glory to his Holines to deny to Christ that for which he hath given a condign ransone and price But he hath payed a condign Covenantâ—ransone of his own precious self and offered blood for hâ—s seed Hence 1. though a weak beleever cannot by merit suit a bowed will and a circumcised heart from the Lord Yet 1. may be suit it by the band of the Covenant of Redemption between Jehovah and the Son and a Redeemed one may say it was an Article of the Covenant of Redemption that my stony heart should be taken away and a heart of flesh given to me and faith hath influence to be supported that God articled Covenant-ways such a wretch as I am to Christ and look as the book of life called the Lambs Book of Life contains so many by name head and in all their individuall properties Jacob Paul c. that are written and inrolled for glory so are all and I by name in a Covenant-relation given of the Father to the Son Joh. 17.3 9.11 Joh. 6.39 and that is surer then heaven or the fixed ordinances of nature Jer. 31.35 36. Psal. 89.37 38. Happy such as can ride at this anchor Though I mean not that the decree of election and the roll of the Mediatour to me or the gracious Suretyâ—Covenant between Jehovah and the Son as relating to me by name must be the nearest object of faith or that alwayes a beleever doth read this roll but his faith often is and ought and may be supported thereby 2. Christ may suit by vertue of both the Surety Covenant and by the justice of God his condign merite to me a fixed will to run the way of his Commandements Christs appearing with blood Heb. 9. and his prayer as high Priest Joh. 17. prove that in Christs Bill for us there is justice the merite of blood and that his Advocation is 1 John 2.1 grounded upon justice and he stands there as Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteous without sin now imputed not now made sin nor made a curse but by order of strict justice justified and righteous and the act of Suretyship taken off and as the hand-writing against us is cancelled upon the Crosse Col. 2. So the hand-writing of oblidged punishment due to Christ as our Surety is removed and he now justified in the Spirit without sin Heb. 9.28 Such a one as cannot die Rom. 6.9 Rev. 1.18 and cannot die a death satisfactory for sin because as beleevers cannot die the second death Christ having died for them neither can Christ suffer the second death again or be twice a curse for once he died for all But our faith is so supported not a little in this I darre not put merit or justice in my suits to God but I beleeve it is and must be in Christs bill and that bill is for me mercy and only mercy is in the sinners bill but the justice of a condign ransoner is in Christs suits and so faith looks to Christ As 1. having the first Covenant-right to heaven as the great Lord receiver of the promises And then we have a second right in him 2. Faith looks to Christ as having
humane nature a chariot to convey to us the fulnesse of merite by satisfaction so must it be the mean of carrying to us the fulnesse of grace by sanctification and then when God Covenants with the Man Christ that love faith hope meeknesse humility and 〈◊〉 shall live speak and act in Christ out to us we are more strongly convinced to follow the footsteps of so blessed a guide Christ is a living glasse in which we see the beauty of grace As also his meeknesse and humility is the meeknesse and humility of God and all these graces have a seat and lodging in our Immanuel God with us they have a drawing and an alluring desirablenes from the Person the Lord Jehovah our King the mighty God the Father of ages in whom they reside The properties of the Covenant of Suretyship are 1. Freedom 2. Graciousnesse 3. Eternity As to the first Nothing could compell nothing could hire Christ for eternity to ingadge his Name in such a band since he well knew what it should cost him how dear it should stand him and saw what indignity shame pain curse and all these conditions before him And what could move the father since he might have followed the Law-course of Works 2. The first draughts of free-grace and the Lords unsearchable riches appears in the sure mercies of David in an everlasting Covenant Isa. 55.3 and Ps. 89.1 I will sing the mercies of the Lord. 2. For I have said mercy shal be built-up for ever Why v. 3. I have made a Covâ—nant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever c. The giving of the Covenant 2. The design of a Redeemer 3. The sending 4. Anointing 5. The consenting of Christ. 6. His coming 7. Dying are all acts of grace God was no debter to the Man Christ or to any of his kindred and blood-friends more then he was to David and his seed but God would act grace in Christ and make him a samplar and the first coppie of free-grace to all his brethren that they might share with him therein But though he made Christ also a coppie of his Justice Rom. 3.25 and spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 yet Mal. 3.17 the â—ord deals not so with us And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him And of Christ it is said Ps. 72.13 He shal spare the poor and needy And O what riches of grace and mercy and plenteous Redemption hath he manifested to us and therefore the more grace he shews to us the more freely and sonly should we serve him with lesse hirednesse and servile disposition If we could love God and Christ with a heart abstracted from heavens hire at least the pleasure of it for pleasure makâ— not any conform to God but holinesse doth and the heart not legally fearing the burning torment of hell it were good for since Christ hath freed us from the Law-wrath he takes it not well that we darre approach too near to the mount burning with fire nor does Christ allow our affections of fear and sorrow sadnes to act upon feared everlasting wrath we being justified by faith any other way then in a Gospel-consideration being casten down for our Law-deserving but so as we highly value our ranson-payer and serve him with godly fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Heb. 12.28 must note a difference between the fear and trembling and terrour upon devils for the torment of hell Mat. 8.29 Jam. 2.19 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly fear of believers Heb. 12.28 which is also given to Christ Heb. 5.7 in whom there was no fear of hell torment and therefore the fear of him that can cast both soul and body in hell though it be another word Mat. 10.28 which Christ commands cannot be a servile fear legall for hell such as is in devils and men but a godly fear such as is consistent with the faith of deliverance from the wrath to come for Christ Mat. 10.28 commands that fear fear saith he to deny Christ before men Why fear him who can cast soul and body in hell And immediatly v. 31. Fear not therefore the same word that is v. 28. then he must forbid a fear opposite to servile fear and which stands with the faith of sons who are to beleeve the care of a father which is more toward his children then toward sparrows v. 29 30. And that the word noâ—â—eth a godly fear which is Heb. 12. beside other Greek Authors See Heb. 5.7 see Luk 2.25 Act. 2.5 Act. 8.2 Act. 23.10 and Heb. 11.7 Noah moved with fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 built and ark sure the fear of everlasting torment in hell moved not Noah to build the ark for by faith which is saving he builded it v. 7. 3. Eternity is a speciall property of the Covenant of suretyship For 1. the parties are eternall Jehovah the Lord and the Son of God never began to agree upon the designation of the Redeemer for that work it was a bargain closed from everlasting Only the question is when the Son shal render the Kingdom to the Father 1 Cor. 15. whether or not the Covenant shal then ceaâ—e For 1. Christ shal then end his work of Redemption and shal fully and finally have purchased what his soul desires and shall have received his wages and injoy with his conquished bride an eternal sabbath 2. He shall interceed no more for sinners for the sinning of his redeemed ones shall have an end 2. The Son saith Camero shall leave off to raign quod attinet ad regnandi actum according to the act of raigning but as touching the Kingdom it self there shall be no end of the Kingdome But it may appear as there was a time when it was said of Christ Phil. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He emptied himself and took on him the form of a servant So there is a time opposite to that v. 9. Therefore God hath highly exalted him which is not fulfilled in his resurrection ascension and sitting only at the right hand of God but when all power friends and unfriends and the Man Christ shal be subject to the Lord yea even the Son not as God for Christ-God is equall with the Father not as man for so in the days of his flesh as man he ever was and is and shall be subject to God but the Son shall be subject as touching the Office of a formall Mediatour 2. Another distinction is here needfull as Augustine and Ambrose he shall render the Kingdom to the Father not that he shall leave off to raign but that he then shal declare that he raigns not of himself but that he hath his power of raigning from the Father and he shall professe this before men and Angels and so
suspendio vita se exuit Nequaquam aegre fero inquit Socrates nam in Theatro veluti in magno convivio verbis vexor 9. Deadnesse to an office or a place of authority 10. Deadnesse to pleasure 11. Deadnesse to all the world 12. Mortification to creature-comforts to multitude friends hosts armies chariots horse father son daughter husband to city to our mother-countrey c. 13. A deadnes to Captains stoutnesse and valour in warre to birth 14. A deadnes to youth pastime play laughter to hunger fulness 15. A deadnes to Ordinances There be twoâ—things in Ordinâ—nces 16. Deadnesse to prayer 17. To faith and hope we pray to our owne prayers 18. Deadnesse to coÌ„forts and feeling How farre we may be taken with feeling 19. Deadnesse to the habit stock of created grace 20. Deadnesse to the sweetnes of heaven 21. To the promises M. Isaac Ambrose prima media ultima life of faâ—th c. 9. Sect. 2. pa. 2â—1 22. Deadnesse to the out-shinings of God to take aright absence presence 23. Deadnes to fair providences of court Godly Princes miracles 24. To saplesse wil-worship Q. 1. How is CHRIST given as a Covenant of the people Is 49 6 Socinus de Servato l. 2. c. 16. Christ is not the coÌ„firmer only but the Author of the Covenant of grace The death of the Testator how it confirms the Covenant It is true that the death of the Testator to wit such a death of one who is more then a Testator or only man even God man procuâ—es as a meritorious cause life remission c but this it does not as the death of a Testator and dying friend but as such a so excellent so satisfactory a death which no Martyrs death can do There is a far other thing in Christs blood then power of sealing and witnessing the truth which is in the Martyrs blood The Socinian way quiets not the waâ—ened conscience by maÌ„â— works but by the blood of Christ apprehended by faith this is done Christ is upon both the Lords side of the Covenant upon our side the satisfactioÌ„ iâ— most 〈◊〉 Justice as justice seeks satisfactioÌ„ but Soveraignty of free-grace not justice determines how and who shall pay Justice is not the mediating and interposing attribute but free-grace Our glory was work and wadge to Christ but of free grace to us we bought it not Deep reasons in the depth of unsearchable wisedom why the Lord who can hinder sin to enter in the world thought fit it should be None sick speaks no Saviour no such PhysitiaÌ„ as Christ It is a deep of wisedom that the same men that now are fire-wood eternally in the lake of brimstone might have been if so it had pleased GOD proclaimers of the glory of his grace in heaven the now heirs of glory in their place God might have holâ—en up the lawâ—dispensation for ever but then there should have been no place for the Ark of glory J. Ch. The Gospel-woÌ„ders of grace should not eternallie have been biâ— Whether of the two be most excellent Law-innocency or Gospel-repentance Christ Man must be in Covenant with God Arg. 1. For the Covenant of redemption becaus Christ câ—lls the LORD his God 2. Arg. From the Lords calling of his Son to his Office 3. Arg. Christ his offering of his service to GOD proves this Covenant 4 Arg. The Fathers giving of the elect to Christ to be redeemed and the Son his willing receiving of theÌ„ proves this Covenant The persons being given of the Father to the Son speaks strong consolation it s no consolation at all to depend upon free-will 5. Arg. Christs receiving of the Seals of the Old New Covenant proves that there is such a Covenant Why Christ received the Seals 6. Arg. God might have followed a Law-way with al flesh not have sent his Son the Son might have refused to be sent 〈◊〉 Ergo by compact Christ came 7. Arg. All the promises how they are made to Christ. Christ is he who made the promises and the Covenant CHRIST is an ingadged Suretie for the standing of a weak believer 8. Arg. From the promises concerning Christ. 9 Arg. Christ is bidden aske a people froÌ„ God the Lord promiseth that he will hear 10. Arg. The relatioÌ„ of Christs working for wages and the Lords paying him his wages does prove this Covenant A design of love in the heart of Christ toward low man as his alme end 11. Arg. The Lords Oath â—o Christ when he is made Priest and King provs this Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRIST is a sworn Priest and Intercessour for the hour of temptation The most sweet providence of God in designing a Physician to us before we be sick Armin. de Sacerdatio Chri. pag. 14 15. The harmony of the Attributes of God in the declaration of mercy truth justice c. is sweetly made out by this Covenant The sending of the Spirit and the Spirit his free consent to come is not a proper Covenant Gods love in acting for man in time Paul Bayne Comm. on Eph. 1. v. 4. The Lord choosed us not in Christ because he saw us in him by faith The mutuall delights of love between the Father and the Son in their thoughts of the Covenant-love to man Ambros. hexa l. 6. c. 16. Deus fecit Coelum non lego quod requierit fecit terram nec lego quod sic requieverit fecit solem lunam stellas nec ibi lego quod requieverit lego quod fecit hominem quod tunc requieverit Bernard Serm. 64. in Cant. Quid violentius triumphat de Deo Bernard hom â— Super missus est videas si attendas in Christo tristari laetitiam pavere fiduciam salutem paâ—i vitam mori fortitudinem infirmari The strength of Gods love to man which we too little value No lesse everlasting love could save us There are different parties in Covenant of Redemption and Reconciliation Help layed upon Christ The Covenant of Redemption most to be eyed Two parts of the Covenant of Redemption one before time another in time How seasonable and timous the Covenant of Reconciliation was the Physick the Physicâ—an came both in time to the sicknesse 4. Differ The Covenants do differ in the matter work and wages 5. The Covenant of suretyship differeth from the Covenant of Reconcâ—liation in coÌ„mands 2. Promises 3. And conditions CHRISTS emptying himself was no act of obedience but a most voluntary free act beyond all obligation CHRISTS Covenant helps our Covenant he hath a place in our Covenant How the promise is made unto Christ Gal. 3. v. 16. Da. Pareus Comm. in Gala. 3.16 Hoc semen in quo benedicentur omnes Gentes Apostoâ—lus interpretatus erat non collective de multis vel omnibus Abrahamâ— posteris sed individue de uno Christo â— quo non â—am corporalis quam spiritualis benedicto hoc est justitia