Aphorisms of Justification, Answer · Answer 6,7
To the sixth and seventh Objections.
THe same Answer will serve to your sixth and seventh Questions; viz. How Faith and Repentance are both promised of God, and required of us; Can they be his conditions and ours too? And then whether the new Covenant be not absolute?
I told you before that the Scripture mentioneth two sorts of Covenants, absolute and conditionall. The Absolute Covenant is found in Ezek. 11. 17, 18. Ier. 31. 31, 32, 33, 34. Ier. 32, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42. & mentioned by the Apostle in Heb. 8. 10. Concerning this Covenant you must understand, that as in the first promise of it here by the Prophets, it seemeth to be made to the particular Nation of the Jews, and is joyned with the promise of their temporall Restauration; so some do question, whether it be yet to them fulfilled? or whether it be not a promise of some extraordinary permanent happiness which they shall receive at their last and great deliverance by the Messias? (whether by coming personally to raign among them, or not, I now dispute not.) Yet as the Apostle in Heb. 8. 8, 9. doth extend it further then to the Jews, so must we; but whether the Apostle mention it as an absolute promise, is a great doubt; or whether he only respect the spirituallity of the benefits, and so oppose the writing of the Law in our hearts, (which the new Covenant promiseth) to the writing of it in stone, and revealing mercy in the dark way of Ceremonies? But yet, for my part, I think you may call it an absolute Promise: But then understand, that this is not the new Law or Covenant made with mankind, revealing to them their duties, and the terms on which they must live or dye: This is made to the elect only; this speaketh nothing of duty: No man can have any comfort by this Covenant, till it be performed to him, and till he have received the promised benefits; for no man till then can tell whether it be made for him, or not: It is made to the elect only; and no man can know himself to be elect, till he be sanctified, and when he is sanctified this promise is fulfilled; therfore the benefits of this promise are not to be received by Faith: for Faith is part of the promised Good, as it is contained in a new & a soft heart seminally; and therefore to receive this promise by Faith, were to believe, that we may receive grace and power to believe, then which what can be more absurd: No man therefore can say before-hand, that he shall have a new and soft heart, because God hath promised it; for he cannot know that it is promised to him: So that I conclude, that this is most properly but a prophesie what God will do, de eventu, as it hath reference to the parties on whom it shall be fulfilled, and so is the revealed part of Gods purposing Will, and belongeth not at all to his Preceptive or Legislative Will, by which he doth govern, and will judge the world: But as it is revealed to the Church visible in generall, and so in regard of the subject is indefinite, intended only to reveall the quality and spirituall excellency of the Mercy of the New Covenant procured by Christ, that so Christ may be honoured, and men drawn to seek after, and entertain this precious Covenant, and not to stick to the old imperfect Dispensation; In this sence it belongeth to Gods Legislative Will: And in this sence I think it is that the Apostle to the Hebrews doth recite it; and not in the former sence, as it doth respect the particular persons that shall have it fulfilled, and so is an absolute Covenant to the unknown Elect.
But now the Covenant which is mentioned through the whole Gospel is of another kinde, He that beleeveth, shall be saved; and he that beleeveth not, shall be damned. This is frequently and plainly expressed, and not so darkly as the former: This is made to all the world, at least, who hear the Gospel: This is the proper new Law and Covenant, by which men must be judged, to justification or condemnation. This properly succeedeth in the place of the first Covenant, which saith Do this and live: And this is it which I stil mean, when I speak of the new law or Covenant.
So that now I hope you can hence answer to both your own demands. To the 7. you see there is a Covenant absolute, and a Covenant conditional; but the last is the proper Gospel-Covenant. To the 6. you see, that in the absolute Covenant, or Prophesie, he promiseth faith and repentance (in promising his Spirit, and a new heart) to the elect, who are we know not who. And in the conditional proper Covenant he requireth the same Faith and Repentance of us, if we will be justified and saved. So that they are Gods part which he hath discovered that he will perform in one Covenant; and they are made our conditions in another.
Neither is there the least shew of a contradiction betwixt these: For in the absolute Covenant he doth not promise to make us Beleeve and and Repent against our wills: Much less, that He, or Christ, shall Repent and Beleeve for us; and so free us from the duty: But that he will give us new and soft hearts, that we may do it our selves, and do it readily and willingly: which that we may do, he commandeth and perswadeth us to it in the conditionall Covenant: not bidding us do it without his help; but directing us to the Father to draw us to the Son; and to the Son, as without whom we can do nothing; and to the Spirit, as the sanctifier of our hearts, and exciter of our Graces.