Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 147 – Section 148
§ 147.
SEcondly, All the promiſes in tailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith & repentancelooke upon the promiſes ſingle, and thou ſhalt finde, that they are not made indefinitely, to al; but with a reſtriction, to ſuch only, as are qualified and made capeable thereof, by grace from above.
The Penmen of holy Writ, have ſet out Gods mercy in high and ſtately termes, Heb. 4.17.18. Ion. 4.2. 1 Pet. 1.2.3. Epheſians 3.18. but withal, they declare that hee reſembles Auguſtus Caeſar, in his diſpenſing the riches thereof, of whom they which write his life, note, that in his military diſcipline, hee was exceeding liberall and laviſh in his gifts, to ſuch as were of any deſert; but withall, as ſparing and ſtraite handed, to the undeſerving.
What though Chriſt in the Goſpell, hath made many large and precious promiſes? there are none ſo generall, which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruit therof, unfained repentance; and each of them are ſo tyed and entailed, that none can lay claime to them, but true believers, which repent and turne from all their ſinnes, to ſerve him in holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12 14. Eſay 59.20. So that hee muſt forſake his ſinne that will have God to forgive it, 1 Samuel 2.30. As for inſtance, our Saviour hath made publike Proclamation, Mark. 16.16. that whoſoever ſhall believe and be baptized, ſhall be ſaved; but marke what withall is added, he that will not believe, ſhall be damned. Againe, Heb. 5.9, he is ſaid to be the author of eternall ſalvation, unto all that obey him; not unto them, which continue in their rebellious wickednes, and never ſubmit themſelves, be ruled by the ſcepter of his word. Theſe and many the like promiſes, yeild joyful aſſurance to the ſinner that repents; no comfort to him that remaines impenitent.
Or in caſe the condition of faith and repentance is any where unexpreſt, yet every promiſe muſt be underſtood with ſuch condition: yea, it was never heard, that any aſcended into heaven, without going up the ſtaires of obedience, and good works; that any have attained unto everlaſting life, without faith, repentance, and ſanctification: for, even the Thiefe upon the Croſſe believed in Chriſt, and ſhewed the fruits of his faith, in acknowledging his owne ſinne, reproving his fellow, in confeſſing our Saviour Chriſt, even then, when his Apoſtles denyed and forſooke him, in calling upon his Name, and deſiring by his meanes everlaſting life.
For know this, that whoſoever Chriſt ſaveth with his blood, he ſanctifieth with his Spirit; and where his death takes away the guilt and puniſhment of ſinne, it is alſo effectuall for rhe mortifying of ſinne, Romans 6, 5, 6. Chriſts blood, ſaith Zanchie, was ſhed, as well for ablution, as for abſolution; as well to cleanſe from the foyle and filth of ſin, as to cleare and aſſoyle from the guilt of ſin. God hath choſen us in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, that wee ſhould be holy and without blame before him, in love, Eph. 1.4. they therefore that never come to be holy, were never choſen.
Hee is ſaid to have given himſelfe for us, that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity, and purge us to bee a peculiar people unto himſelfe, zealous of good workes, Titus 2.14. and Luk. 1.74, 75. Yea, the Lord binds it with an oath, that whomſoever hee redeemeth out of the hands of their ſpirituall enemies, they ſhall worſhip him in holineſſe and righteouſneſse, all the daies of their life, 1 Peter 2.24. Other Scriptures, to this purpoſe are many; as Matth. 19.17 hee that will enter into life, muſt keepe the Commandements, viz. ſo farre forth as hee can. And Titus 2.12. The grace of God which bringeth ſalvation, teacheth us that we ſhould deny ungodlines, and worldly luſts, and that we ſhould live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly, in this preſent world.
By all which it is plain, that as Chriſt's blood is a Charter of pardon, ſo withall, it is a covenant of direction; and hee that refuſeth to live, as that covenant preſcribes, may periſh, as a malefactor that is hanged, with his pardon about his necke. And yet every drunken, diſſolute, and deboyſhed perſon, doubts not to fare well while they feare not to doe ill.
§ 148.
BUt ſecondly, One part of the covenant of grace is, that we…e wil forſake the Divell and all his workes, conſtantly believe, &c.what elſe did thy vow in Baptiſme (which is a ſeale of the covenant) import, but that there are Articles and conditions, viz. certaine duties, on thy part, to be performed, aſwell as promiſes on Gods part to be fulfilled? A Sacrament is the ſealing of a League, with Covenants betweene party and party, ſaith Pareus, Now as God hath covenanted, and bound himſelfe by his Word and Seale, to remit thee thy ſinnes, adopt thee his child by regeneration, and give thee the Kingdome of heaven, and everlaſting life, by, and for his Sonnes ſake: ſo thou dideſt for thy part, bind thy ſelfe by covenant, promiſe, and vow, that thou wouldeſt forſake the Divel, and all his workes, conſtantly believe Gods holy Word, Mark. 61.16.and obediently keep his Commandements, the better thereby to expreſſe thy thankfulneſſe towards him, for ſo great a benefi, 1 Pet. 3.21: Pſ. 116.12.13.14. And we know, that in Covenants and Indentures, if the conditions be not kept, the Obligation is not in force; whereby many even (Magus-like) after the water of Baptiſme, goe to the fire of Hell.
Yea, except wee repent and believe the Goſpell, that holy Sacrament (together with the offer of grace) inſtead of ſealing to us our ſalvation, will bee an obligation under our owne hand and ſeale againſt us, and ſo prove a ſeale of our greater condemnation.