Heaven as well as on Earth for the compleating our Redemption His work on Earth was compleat as to the meritorious work of Teaching and Suffering But for the effectual Application of it the Will of the Father was to be done in Heaven his Will on Earth was done as it were in an hour but his Will in Heaven is a work of Ages so long as the Church is in Gathering so long is the Church in Redeeming until all be compleat in the Resurrection of the Body and therefore our Saviour enters upon this part of Redemption at his Resurrection and ascends to the right hand of the Father to receive the promised Ministerial Spirit to give forth for the proclaiming this glad Tidings and perswading Men to receive it and then to be a Priest for ever at the Fathers right Hand after the order of Melchisadech whose Throne is Justice and Judgment and Mercy and Truth go before his Face He is made a Throne of Grace a Mercy-seat for sinners to address unto to obtain Remission of Sin by and through Faith in his Blood and all good things promised And he is entred into Glory not only to Judge his people in perfecting the Work of their Redemption according to the Law of his Grace but also to succour them in all Dangers and Temptations for which end he is beyond the reach of all his Adversaries and made the Monarch of the World tho not a worldly Monarch the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Fourth Enquiry For what great Ends or Effects it was necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into Glory This is an unsearchable depth it is safe for us to keep to what is revealed and to bring our notions to the Text and not the Text to our conceptions There are Four Principal Ends or Effects mentioned in the Scriptures As 1. To Manifest the Grace of God in its Freedom Riches and Extent 2. To Manifest the Marvellous and Manifold Wisdom of God 3. To Manifest and Vindicate the Severity of God's Judgments against the Neglectors and Contemners of his Mercy 4. To Manifest the sympathetical Power of Christ in succouring his Church in her Suffering for his Name sake Of the First End And First Of the Freedom of the Grace of God This Freedom of the Grace of God in the work of Man's Redemption seems to exclude any Consideration of a penal satisfaction to the wrath and vindictive Justice of God by the Mediatour as Antecedent to the Remission of Adams Sin but implys that God was pleased to remit Adams Sin upon the Account of the Mediators obedience to the Justice of his free promise without a penal Satisfaction so that the face of Man's Redemption from the beginning was Mercy and Truth and not vindictive Justice This doth abundantly appear in Holy Scripture As First In the Old Testament in Exod. 34. when God proclaims His Name it is Mercy in the first place forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin and Judgment in the Second place In the description of the Throne of God The Prophet David describes God sitting on his Throne to have Mercy and Truth go before his Face Ps 89.14 And David describes his own Throne as King of Israel who was to be like unto God in his Government in this manner Ps 101.1 I will sing of Mercy and Judgment unto thee O Lord will I sing And the Evangelical Prophet Isa 55.8 after he had promised abundance of Pardon without any penal satisfaction he Answers the Objections which unbelieving Men are ready to make against this Free Mercy of God as if it were against his just proceedings he Answers all Mens thoughts about it with this saying from the Lord My ways are not as your ways nor my thoughts as your thoughts In the New Testament our blessed Saviour Himself declares this glorious Truth in a Parable Matth. 18.23 c. he saith the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Kingdom of Grace is not like the Man that took him that owed him 500 Pence by the Throat and said pay me that thou owest me before he would shew him any kindness But the Kingdom of Heaven is like to a King that took Account of his Servant who owed him a Thousand Talents and when he had nothing to pay upon his Intreaty forgave him all And our Apostle the Teacher of the Gentiles declares the Doctrine of Christs Redemption in this manner Rom. 3.24 25. he saith the Redemption that is by Jesus Christ is freely by Grace and this freedom he explains by two remarkable Expressions in the Context the first expression is that he saith the Redemption of Christ declares the Righteousness of God for the Remission of Sins which Righteousness of God cannot be understood of his vindictive Justice but of his Mercy and Truth in Performance of the Grace of the New Covenant according to St. John's Expression if we confess our sin God is righteous and just to forgive sin 1 John 1.9 The Second Expression is in vers 28. where he saith we are justified by Faith without the law of Works Where without the Law of Works must necessarily exclude all Penal Satisfaction for breaking the Law The Notion of Christs being Adams surety for debt as bound in the same Bond with him is Defective for these Reasons As 1. It supposeth Christs satisfaction to penal vindictive Justice to be the first Act of Christs Mediation which is against the absolute freedom of the Law of Grace 2. It supposeth Christ to be guilty of Adams Sin which is against the Reward of the Law of Grace 3. It infers that Christ should restore Adam to the state wherein he was before he sinned which is against the Nature of the Law of Grace Secondly Christ suffering these things and entring into Glory doth also manifest the Riches and full measure of Grace not only for the pardon of transgressors against the Law of Works but also for obtaining a new Heart and Adoption to Eternal Life And Thirdly The Extent also of Divine Grace is hereby manifested because Christ did not only suffer and enter into Glory as the Son of David of the seed of Abraham but also as the Son of Adam in the common nature of Mankind Luk. 3. Of the Second End viz. Christ suffered these things and entred into Glory to manifest the manifold Wisdom of God in the Work of Man's Redemption Ephes 3.10 The Wisdom of God in this Glorious Work is neither comprehensible nor expressible by us it may suffice to observe what the Scripture saith touching the marvellous Constitution of the Person of the Redeemer and the Order of the Work in us and upon us The Person of Christ is sometimes set forth by a description of the Divine Nature as he is called the Son of God sometimes by a description of the Human Nature as he is called the Son of Man sometimes by Expressions that signifie the admirable Union of both Expressions referring to the Divine Nature are
such as these John 1.1 2 3 4. Col. 1.15 16. Heb. 1.2 3. the Word the Light the Image of the invisible God the brightness of his Glory and the engraven Form of his Person for whom are all things and by whom are all things Expressions referring to his Human Nature are such as these The Son of Man conceived by the Holy Ghost made of a Woman born of a Virgin he grew in Wisdom and Stature and favour with GOD and Men he received the Spirit without measure was subject to his Parents was made under a Law not only under the Moral and Ceremonial but also the Judicial as exercised by the Jews and not only the Judicials of the Jews but also the Judicials of the Romans who then ruled over the Jews he submitted himself to their Judgment though false and injurious and executed by wicked Hands by whom he suffered many grievous things bearing their Injuries victoriously in the power of Faith and Patience so that by the wise and holy Providence of the Father being made perfect and consecrate by Sufferings he became a Surety of the Promises of Remission and Adoption to Eternal Life making them his Testament or Last Will which he confirmed by his Death and Bloodshedding And having done the Will of the Father upon Earth and being perfected by his Sufferings he became the First-begotten of the Dead the First-fruits of them that sleep and is made an eternal Priest at the Right Hand of the Father after the Order of Melchisedeck King of Righteousness and King of Peace whose Throne is a Throne of Grace for poor Sinners to seek for the Mercy of the Father by him and so is made the Head of all things to the Church the Saviour of his Body the Heir of all things Thus Christ was another Adam a suffering and a conquering Man and a glorified Man which the first Adam was not Expressions signifying the Union of both Natures in Christ's Person are such as these The Only-begotten of the Father the Word made Flesh God manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached in the World received up to Glory in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily or in whose Body or Human Nature the Fulness of the Godhead dwells as in his Temple Emanuel God with us and God with him The manifold Wisdom of God appears not only in the Constitution of the Person of a Mediator for us but also in his Work in us and upon us We speak saith the Apostle the wisdom of God meaning his operation in us in a mystery Some of which Work may appear in this Observation The Apostle declares the Work of Redemption by one word of Reconciliation or Atonement which he sets forth in reference to a general notion common to all Mankind and a particular notion referring to the Persons of Men. The general notion of Reconciliation or Redemption is God's reconciling the World of Mankind consisting of Jew and Gentile to himself into one state of Churchhood by Jesus Christ doing the Will of the Father in our common Nature which Reconciliation or Redemption appears in three things 1. The taking away the Partition-wall which consisted in dividing Ordinances 2. The not imputing their Sins to them when they both were ripe for Destruction and giving them a farther day of his Patience 3. The sending forth a Ministry of Reconciliation both to Jew and Gentile This is asserted in 2 Cor. 5.18 19. which may be thus paraphrased All things in the Church state are new and are of a reconciled God who hath in the first place accepted an Atonement for the Jews by Jesus Christ and hath given us the Apostles of Christ Authority to minister this Reconciliation not only to the Jews but to tell all the World That God hath put both Jews and Gentiles into one state of Churchhood in relation to himself by the Atonement which Christ hath made and is pleased for his sake to give them a farther day of his Patience and a Word of Command to us the Apostles to settle and exercise one reconciling Ministry without difference of Nations in all the World The Personal Notion of Reconciliation is the reconciling our Souls and Spirits to God from our natural Enmity to a supernatural Love in yielding our selves to be perswaded to be the Righteousness or Workmanship of God by the power of Christ's Ministerial Spirit given forth since his Resurrection and to be perswaded hereunto from the consideration of the great Love of Christ in suffering of himself to be made in reputation of a Sinner by wicked Sinners that he might as a perfectly-tryed righteous man obtain the Spirit of Regeneration Gal. 3.12 13. to be given to us Gentiles to make us really and acceptably righteous and not only so but also considering that he hath procured a Day of Grace wherein our accepting of Christ's perswasive Operations will be accepted of the Father and also considering that the present time is that our Day This concerning our Personal Reconciliation is asserted also in 2 Cor. 5.20 21. Cap. 6.1 2. The general notion of Reconciliation and Redemption is asserted in John 1.29 Christ is the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world Here the World is the World of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews the Sin of the World is the Judgment which lay upon the Nations for their Apostacy at the Tower of Babel from the Faith of Noah which Judgment was by Confusion of Tongues to separate them from the House of Sem who kept the Faith and so they were without God without Christ dead in Sins under the Government of the Prince of Darkness This Sin was taken away by Christ and a Reconciliation made by his Sacrifice in Man's Nature whereby he merited a Ministry of Reconciliation with the Gifts of Tongues to bring them again to God Reconciliation implys a preceding Judgment a Judgment supposes a Sin of Apostacy Apostacy supposes a precedent good Condition Adam was in a good Condition then followed his Apostacy then a Judgment then a Reconciliation out of meer Mercy by a Promise of a Redeemer Gen. 3.15 which put Man into a good condition again to come to God by an atoning Sacrifice Then came an Apostacy from the right way of sacrificing in Cain and his Posterity If thou doest well saith the Lord to him that is in sacrificing aright shalt thou not be accepted This Apostacy of the Cainites spread over the face of the whole World then came the Judgment of the Flood then followed a Reconciliation Gen. 8.21 it 's said That God smelt a savour of Rest in Noah's Sacrifice and Mankind was put into a good condition again then came the Apostacy at the Tower of Babel for which the Judgment of Dischurching came upon them till the Lamb of God offered himself in the common Nature of Man and made Peace for them by the Blood of his Cross and brought them into a salvable
an aggravation of Punishment of a Second Death after the Resurrection of the Body and those that received the Grace of God in vain were under the same condemnation but those that received this Grace were under the Law of Grace Thus Abel was under the Law of Grace but Cain and all the Cainites a degenerate Seed were under the Law of Works and judged thereby in the Flood and after the Flood the way of Mercy by the Mediator was renewed to all Mankind Gen. 4.7 If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou doest not well Sin lyeth at thy door i. e. if thou sacrificest well as thy Brother Abel did in coming to God in the way of his Mercy by a Mediator thou shalt be accepted but if thou comest in the way of thy own Righteousness as thou didst thy Sin remains unpardoned and thy Person unaccepted 2 Thess 1.7 8. the Lord Jesus shall come in flaming Fire to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Of the Fourth End The fourth End of Christ's suffering these things and entring into Glory was to succour and relieve the Redeemed in all their Sufferings which they ought to suffer and are not redeemed from As it was the will of the Father that Christ should suffer in the Body or Human Nature denying himself and taking up his Cross in obedience to him in order to the perfecting the meritorious Work of Redemption for his Church so also it was his Will that Christ should exercise his Church in Self-denial in taking up the Cross and following of him as his Discipline over them to perfect his ministerial Work in them as the Captain of their Salvation and the Bishop of their Souls Col. 1.24 I rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church And 2 Tim. 2.10 I endure all things for the elect's sake Note that when the Apostle speaks of suffering for the Elect and for the Body of Christ the Church it is for their edification and when he calls his Sufferings the Sufferings of Christ he means those Sufferings whereof Christ is the Author for these Expressions of Paul the Cross of Christ the Sufferings of Christ the Faith of Christ and the Righteousness of God when they are spoken and mentioned in reference to Man do signifie that Christ is the Author of the Cross and of Sufferings and of Faith and that God is the Author of Righteousness and the genitive case in such expressions notes it to be genitivus efficientis and is of the same signification as if the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were prefixed as will appear by comparing 2 Cor. 5.18 21. and Rom. 11. ult Our Blessed Saviour after his Sufferings enters into Glory that he may be able to succour those that suffer for Righteousness sake 1. By sympathizing with them 2. By giving them an Example what to suffer and how to suffer 3. By supporting their Spirits in the Power of Faith and Patience 4. By seasonable Deliverances 5. By rebuking their Enemies 6. By receiving them into the fellowship of his own Glory Here follows a brief Sum or Scheme of the whole The Redemption of our Saviour is described by his suffering these things and entring into Glory Christ does not redeem first meritoriously and then by Grace but freely by Grace and by Grace both meritoriously and ministerially The Work of Redemption and Reconciliation perform'd by Christ 1. Is general with respect to all Mankind 1. In continuing their Being 2. In preserving them 3. In exercising Patience towards them 4. In blessing their Labours And 5. In making them capable of Salvation in the Means of Grace or in making Salvation possible to them or in putting them into a salvable state 2. Is national As to the Jews as they were redeemed from Egypt and Babylon 3. Is personal viz. Of the Elect to a certainty of Salvation in the Means of Grace Now Personal Redemption respects I. Personal Sins Christ redeems in respect of Sin 1. Not from the Being of Sin 2. But from the Dominion of Sin 3. And from the Accusation of Conselence upon the guilt of the Dominion of Sin And II. Personal Sufferings Christ redeems 1. From Sufferings of Eternal Wrath. 2. To Sufferings As his Discipline to perfect the Work of Grace For Sin by way of Correction 1 Cor. 11.31 For Righteousness sake by way of Tryal Acts 14.2 2 Tim. 3.12 And 3. In Sufferings as 1. The Captain of Salvation And 2. The Bishop of Souls The sum of all in one Proposition is this viz. God the Father out of his love to Mankind fallen into Misery did freely without any antecedent penal Satisfaction to Vindictive Justice by Adam himself or his Surety resolve to shew Mercy to Man by a Mediator in a way of rewarding Justice to which end he made many precious Promises both to the Mediator as the Captain of Salvation and as the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls and to Man as receiving the Mediator and his Atonement in Faith and Repentance The accomplishment of which Promises is the compleat Work of Man's Redemption Some Reconciling PARADOXES to be enquired into Touching Christ's Sufferings and Satisfaction ADAM and Eve were one Flesh or Nature but two Persons Gen. 2.24 Christ suffered in the Flesh or Nature of Adam but not in his Person but Christ as a distinct Person suffered for Adam's Person and for the Persons of all others Male or Female who believe the Atonement made in our Nature either as promised in the beginning of time Gen. 3.15 or as performed in the fulness of time Rom. 4.24 25. John 3.16 Christ did not satisfie Vindictive Justice as a guilty Sinner for Adam's Transgression but he satisfied Rewarding Justice as a victorious Sufferer Phil. 2.5 6 7 8 9. There is a twofold Satisfaction as I may so say instead of a better word in the Law of Grace the Satisfaction of a Saviour and the Satisfaction of a Sinner The Satisfaction of a Saviour is in Christ's Death Resurrection and Intercession the Satisfaction of a Sinner is in relation to Christ's Ministerial Work he must deny himself take up his Cross and follow Christ Touching Reconciliation and Redemption There is a Reconciliation or Atonement of all Mankind made in the Nature of Man with a possibility of Eternal Salvation in the Means of Grace And there is a Reconciliation or Atonement received in or by the Persons of Men with a certainty of Salvation in the Means of Grace Touching Justification This Sentence We are justified in our Persons by Faith alone is to be understood according to the full sence of Faith and Justification The full sence of Faith is that it signifies the Law of Faith and the Grace Act or Work of Faith
Eph. 1.13 3. That a Christian doth not walk worthy of his baptismal calling unless he endeavour after the Power which is Faith working by love to GOD and to Man in Deed and in Truth 4. That the Power is attainable by constant Prayer to our God Now it 's beyond all dispute that St. James agrees with St. Paul in the Faith as the Apostle of Christ and therefore when he says Not by Faith only he means not by the form only or the notion and profession of Faith only and when he saith by Works he doth not mean Works of the Law which Paul excludes but Works of the Power of Faith as the Instances in Abraham and Rahab shew which Works Paul includes And when he says a Man is justified by Works he means as Paul doth a Man is not only made just by Faith by the Ministry of Faith but he is also accounted a just man in the sight of God on tryal of his Faith when the power of it appears in the truth of the Work Touching the distinction of the Righteousness of our Persons into inherent and imputed This distinction seems not according to Scripture for that which was imputed to Abraham for acceptable Righteousness in the sight of God was inherent in him and it 's said Faith was imputed unto Abraham for Righteousness and not Righteousness imputed to Abraham's Faith This distinction may seem to be rectified thus Inherent Righteousness is spoken of in Scripture in reference to GOD and to Man 1. In reference to God his Righteousness is his Mercy and his Truth his Mercy in making Promises his Truth in performing Promises which is his rewarding Justice and inflicting Punishment for contempt of Mercy which is his revenging Justice Psal 98.2 3. Psal 103.17 2. In reference to Man inherent Righteousness is imputed or not imputed 1. Inherent Righteousness imputed or accounted by God for acceptable Righteousness is the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 13. 2. Inherent Righteousness not imputed of God for acceptable Righteousness in his sight 1. Is Pharasaical Righteousness Mat. 5.20 Or 2. Philosophical Righteousness Galat. 5.6 Tit. 3.5 Ephes 2.8 9. Which is also called our Righteousness Isa 64.6 our own Righteousness of the Law Phil. 3.9 the birth of the will of man John 1.13 the Flesh Rom. 4.1 And the Righteousness of Faith is also called the Righteousness of God by Faith Phil. 3.9 the Righteousness of God by Christ ministerially 2 Cor. 5.21 and Righteousness regnant Rom. 5.21 and the New Creature Gal. 6.15 which consists in a new Heart with Forgiveness Jer. 31.31 Touching the measure of Knowledge in a weak Christian If a Christian sincerely believes that God forgives his Sins for Christ's sake he humbly seeking for Mercy and do also believe the love of Christ in giving himself a Sacrifice and Offering of sweet-smelling savour unto God and be willing to follow God and Christ as a Child according to the measure of Light he hath received or may receive he may walk comfortably and joyfully in the assured hope of Eternal Life although he know very little of the method of Divine Grace or it may be misunderstand much This is gathered from the compendious expressions in Eph. 4.32 and Eph. 5.1 2. Be ye courteous and tender hearted forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake forgave you Be ye followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour unto God And we know but in part and prophecy but in part Touching the Righteousness of Christ The Righteousness of Christ the Mediator is an incomprehensible Mystery but according to our manner of conceiving the Righteousness of Christ may be said to be inherent imputed and communicated or imparted or applyed 1. Inherent is the same with the Father in Mercy and Truth I and the Father are one 2. Imputed is the Righteousness of Christ's Person imputed to the Nature of Man in his Person making his Sufferings meritorious 1 Cor. 11.24 This is my body which is broken for you Here the Son of God owns the Body or Human Nature and the Sufferings in Man's Nature to be his Acts 20.28 John 16.14 Gal. 2.20 3. Communicated Isa 45.24 They shall say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 54.17 Their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord. Jer. 23.6 They shall call him the Lord our Righteousness Psal 96.12 In righteousness shall he judge the world and his people in truth Touching admitting to the Lord's Supper The requiring admittance to the Lord's Supper upon declaring Experiences is dangerous and unknown to the first Churches The safe way of admittance is upon owning the Baptismal Faith and Engagement not denying it by Works Acts 2.41 42. Touching Election There is in Scripture a threefold Election or three degrees of it 1. Election in the Divine Purpose Eph. 1.11 2. Election in the Baptismal Calling 2 Pet. 1.10 Col. 3.12 as there was Election in the Circumcision Calling Deut. 7.7 This is called the Spiritual Beginning Gal. 3.3 the Beginning of the Good Work Phil. 1.6 and the Doctrine of the Beginnings of Christ Heb. 6.1 3. Election made sure confirmed sealed witnessed earnested by the peculiar Spirit of Adoption 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Mat. 22.14 1 Pet. 5.10 Revel 2.17 THE CONCLUSION TO THE READER THIS kind of Writing may be excused from the Words of our Apostle in Phil. 1.10 That you may discern things that differ and in 2 Tim. 2.16 Studying to divide aright the word of truth For the Church is much dis-edified by false and impertinent Distinctions And it is excusable upon this Subject from what Dr. Owen says in his Book entituled The Doctrine of Justification by Faith through the imputed Righteousness of Christ In Page 38. of that Book he saith This is the substance of what is pleaded for That Men should renounce all Confidence in themselves and every thing that may give countenance thereto betaking themselves to the Grace of God by Christ alone for Righteousness and Salvation There is nothing said here contrary to this Saying of his and what is said different to his Sentiments is excused by what he says in the last words of his Preface to the Reader his words are these Whereas saith he the principal design of this Discourse is to state the Doctrine of Justification from the Scripture and to confirm it by Testimonies thereof I shall not esteem it spoken against unless our Exposition of Scripture Testimonies and the application of them to the present Argument be disproved by Just Rules of Interpretation and another sence of them be evinced Thus he Nothing is supposed to be said here that will be offensive to any that are not too much addicted to a Party which Humour is under a severe Reprimand by our Apostle 1 Cor. 4.8 Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us and I would to God ye did reign that we might reign with you FINIS