A Conciliatory Discourse Upon Crisps Sermons, Head 14-15 – Head
Head 14, 15.
I joyn theſe Two together. The Goſpel hath Threats and Promiſes; Holineſs and Good Works are neceſſary to Salvation.
Conciliation. As upon the gracious Councels of God before All Worlds Began; ſo upon this very Point, among all the Diſpoſes of God in time; the Hinge of theſe Points turns; For if the Goſpel be a Law full of all Holy and Righteous Precepts, to which Faith and Repentance introduce us; arm'd with its Promiſes and Threats, and ſo ſetled as a Covenant; that who of himſelf accepts the Terms of it by Faith and Repentance, under the Aſſurance of the Aſſiſtances of the Divine Spirit, are accepted, and ſhall have All the Benefits of it; and whoever will not ſhall be Damn'd, and his Judgment ſhall be more intollerable, becauſe he refuſes ſuch gracious Terms offerr'd: This doth, I confeſs, perfectly overthrow Dr. Criſp's Scheme; For then Chriſt comes in as a Law-giver, and having all Judgment committed to him; and there is a Mediatorian Law and Covenant in the Hand of the Mediator, of more gracious condeſcention than that of the Covenant of Works; but the laſt reſult of all is into the free Will of Man, and his Action in compliance with this Covenant; Thus of the Law, and the Covonant of Works, as the Firſt Law, there is a Perfect Abrogation as a Law; but as the Holineſs and Righteouſneſs of it are tranſplanted into this New Law; ſo here is, as to that Law, a perfect Antinomianiſm; and all Mankind are only under this Law; and Juſtification, Salvation, or Death and Condemnation, are according to Obedience or Diſobedience to this Law or Goſpel-Covenant, of which the Conditions are Faith and Repentance. But if the Goſpel in the Supreme Intention of it, and in the Propriety of its Nature, be a Covenant of Grace, wherein God is pleas'd to be from his own free purpoſe of Grace the Soveraign Covenantee; and his Elect bear the Analogy, or part of Covenantees, as at the other Extreme; and Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator, Surety, and Teſtator, paſs between both, that all may be perform'd, Mediating with God for his efficacious Grace, in giving the Divine Diſpoſitions promiſed in this Covenant, as if perform'd by the Covenantees; So bringing every thing in effect from God to us, and from us to God; and by his Death having right as a Teſtator to beſtow the very things upon All, given to him by God to give Eternal Life to them, John 17. 2. Then ſhall the Goſpel, or New Teſtament, be ſupremely a Miniſtration of the Spirit, of Righteouſneſs, of Life, according to 2 Cor. 3.
And in its Subordinate Nature, it ſhall be a Publication of the Divine Grace and Love to Mankind in general, upon the Terms of Faith and Repentance.
The Law all this time ſtands in its own place, as the Eternal Sanction of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, and can never be abrogated; becauſe it is Eternal Righteouſneſs; but it is as a Covenant ſo far mitigated, as to accept the Satiſfaction it requires from a Mediator; and ſo it is in the Hand of a Mediator, Gal. 3. 19. Towards whom it commands Faith, and Repentance, or return to God by him; even as it is a Law of Eternal Righteouſneſs, Requiring Faith and Obedience to all Manifeſtations from God, ſufficiently teſtified to be from him; and as theſe Manifeſtations of Grace are the only poſſibility left to a fallen Nature to return into a State of Agreement with God.
Hereupon the Law becomes a Standard, by which the full Value of the Satisfaction of Chriſt by his Sacrifice, and Obedience unto Juſtification, and the Infinite Grace of God in Pardon is tryed, and made glorious; by which the Duties of Humiliation, Confeſſion of Sin, Application to Chriſt for Righteouſneſs, Repentance, ſhould be both underſtood and urged; Here is the Rule for Holineſs and new Obedience, out of which all the Holy Precepts of the Goſpel are drawn; Hereby the Remainders of Sin are Diſcern'd, and Humiliation under them wrought: Hereby is the Infinite Grace of Chriſt towards his Legatees, his Redeemed, ſet at full Light, in working an Inward Conformity to this Holy Law in all parts of it; And hereby the Government of God, committed to Chriſt, is continued with Relation to all Mankind, even to all not given to him; For they who have the Goſpel Preached to them, are judged not only according to the Law of Righteouſneſs, firſt written in the Heart, but according to this Divine Revelation and Grace; which highly aggravates their Diſobedience, and makes it more Tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for them, Mat. 10. 24. They who have not the Goſpel are judged according to that Law, and Light of Nature, They have concerning the Law; and that Witneſs of an Intention of Grace, God gives to them in giving Fruitful Times and Seaſons, and all the Diſcoveries of his Patience, Leading them to Repentance; even as the King of Nineveh, who ſhall riſe up in Judgment and condemn Heathens, who have not by ſuch a Light from the forbearance of God argued to Repentance, as he did: And thus are the Secrets of all Hearts, judged according to the Apoſtles Goſpel, as he ſaid, Rom. 2. 16. Some Ombrage of which Heathens have.
Thus the Law is eſtabliſhed and preſerved in its full Authority; and the Goſpel is alſo eſtabliſh'd as Divine Revelation; and in its High, purely promiſſory Part, as a Ministration of the Spirit; And if the Deſignation of the Goſpel be particularly ſingled out for the moſt powerful Preaching of it by ſome, and yet in the mean time the more large, and univerſal Motion, and Doctrin of the Goſpel be Preach'd more univerſally by the moſt of the Preachers; whom the Spirit of God, according alſo to the general Stream of Scripture, hath ſo Miſſiond, Commiſſion'd, and Enabled. I cannot ſee, but here may be the Sweeteſt Union, and as great a Conſpiration, as between the Apostle Paul, and the Apoſtle James; while one tells us a Man juſtifyed by Faith without Works; and the Laſt tells us by what of Faith, viz, not by the Body of Faith, or a Confeſſion of Faith, but by the Spirit of it, the Vis Eſſectrix or Operatrix, the working Efficacy of it; which I take on great Reaſon to be the very true Expedient of Reconciliation between the two Apoſtles; and yet in both, by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt by Faith alone, and that Faith given only by Chriſt; So all is of Grace, Epheſ. 2. For Faith and all its Works flow from the Blood and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, drawing nigh to his Elect People to Regenerate, and to juſtifie together, Titus, 3. 5. &c.
And ſurely by a cloſe and univerſal Compare of Scripture, The Day of Judgment muſt be according to this very ſame Grace; For when the Spirits of Saints are immediately with Chriſt; and He receives them, who Dye, and Sleep in him; in a Moment, in the Twinkling of an Eye made Perfect; and when they are Raiſed Incorruptible, he brings them with him; and they together with Chriſt, Judge Angels and the World; And it is given to them to Appear in Robes waſh'd white in the Blood of the Lamb, and to be Cloathed in Linnen white and clean, which is the Righteouſneſs of the Saints; and he preſents them to himſelf without Spot, Wrinckle or any ſuch Thing; It cannot be underſtood that the Day of Judgment, in relation to the Saints, is by way of Tryal of Judgment on particular Actions; But their very Appearance is their Abſolution, and Adjudgment to Glory, as Clad in the rich Robes, Waſh'd in the Blood of the Lamb; All their Graces, and Holy Duties fill'd up, and their Sins perfectly blotted out, and remainders of Corruption effaced by Grace perfected in Glory.
On the other ſide, The wicked have Appearances in their Sins, having found them out, covering them as a Garment of Diſhonour, and as filthy Garments, that expoſe them immediately to Condemnation: And as if their particular Sins were written upon them, and the Condemnation together with them.
And thus each appear viſibly before the Throne, Tribunal and Judgment Seat of Chriſt, during the whole Thouſand Years of his Kingdom; One Crowned with Glory and Honour, the other cover'd with Shame and Contempt.
If any ſhould object Chriſts inſiſting on the particular Duty of Viſiting, Cloathing, Feeding, Mat. 25. either as perform'd or neglected: It is to be obſerv'd; each ſort firſt were ſet, one on the Right Hand, the other on the Left; one as Sheep, the other as Goats: So the Tryal was eaſie.
If it be further ſaid, God will bring every Work into Judgment, whether it be Good or Evil. This I attribute to the mighty Power and Wiſdom of God, giving together with every Perſon before his Judgment, all the Holy Actions of Saints waſh'd and perfected in, and by the Blood of Jeſus; and fill'd up with his Grace, and by the Spirit; as in a Moment, an Atom of Time, the Twinkling of an Eye; and their Sins ſo taken away, as not only not to be found, but not to be. Whereas the Talents of wicked Men, that is, any good Things they had here, not being purged by his Blood, perfected by his Obedience, and fill'd up by his Spirit, are taken from them, and they appear All in their Sins; And thus the Order of Things at that Day, is according to the free Grace of Election, Calling, Juſtification; and Sanctification, covered under Juſtification; in that Chain of Salvation, Rom. 8. and Glorification ſpringing from all.
Head 15.
Holineſs and good Works are neceſſary to Salvation.
Conciliatiion. Good Works are ſo, as they are the Proviſion and Preparation of God; even of his Eternal free Grace, in furniſhing us with them; and as we are his Workmanſhip in Christ Jeſus, Created to them. But the Number, Meaſure, Elevation of them in higher or lower Degrees of Excellency, ſo diverſe in Saints, ſhew, the Foundation of our Salvation, as well as Juſtification, reſts elſewhere.
Head 16.
Good Works are profitable, and pleaſe God.
Conciliation. They do ſo, as they are the Fruits of the Death and Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, and the Diſpoſalls of his free Grace in us, and to us, and ſo by us; And as God is pleas'd to ſhew himſelf, as the Supreme Rector and Governor, according to his Holy Law; but yet ſo, that the Poles on which Salvation moves, are the Grace of God in our Election, and his Acceptation of us to Righteouſneſs in Chriſt; and if he leave any of his Servants, in their Service and Good Works to the Eleventh Hour, or that he fits them not to ſuch Abundant Services, Eminency, and Exemplarineſs therein, as he doth other of his Saints; He hath an Infinite Fund to ſupply them out of, viz. the Righteouſneſs, and Obedience of Chriſt; and Power of Grace to Accompliſh them to their Meaſure.
Head 16.
Our Good ſhould be intended by Good Works.
Conciliation. Our Good ſhould be intended by them, as they are Manifeſtations of the Grace of Chriſt in us, and ſuitable to that Law, he influences his Servants by his Spirit according to; In the want of which we have great reaſon to Mourn, as giving Fear and Suſpition Chriſt is not in us of a Truth; and that he leaves us to do the things very diſpleaſing, and offenſive to his Holy Nature, and the Rule of Life and Action, his Grace governs his Servants by; but yet they are not of themſelves our Title, but our Evidences only of our Title, which is Chriſt alone; and if we are his, we ſhall certainly be born up to what, He, as our Mediator, Surety, and Teſtator, hath thought neceſſary to our Salvation; and will accept; and ſupply the want of by himſelf; Yet all is, and ought ſo to be carried, that we may be urg'd, and preſs'd to our Duty, as under the Holy Rectory of God, and Chriſt, and according to all the Rules of his Word.
Head 17.
Aſſurance is by Goſpel-Marks, and not by a Voice within us.
Conciliation. Marks are according to Scripture; yet ſo, that they are, but few, of any of the Servants of God, but have reaſon to fly to the Witneſs of the Spirit, and its Voice, crying, Abba, Father; and to appeal to Infinite Grace; ſeeing in the midſt of our Falls, Failings, and Imperfections, we cannot otherwiſe diſcern, where Sincerity and Perfect Obedience divide one from another, and what is enough in our many Corruptions to conſtitute Sincerity. Beſides, ſeeing our Staple-hold is the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt without us, our Supreme Teſtimony depends upon his Spirit, witneſſing within us indeed, yet from what is without us, viz. Free Grace.
Head 18.
God charges Sin on Men, and they ſhould repent for Repeated Pardons.
Conciliation. This is among the Wiſe, Holy, and Gracious Methods of God, and Chriſt, in this preſent Low State of the Redemption, appearing; until its Glory in the Kingdom of Christ; that Sin is charg'd, and Pardon repeatedly begg'd in Daily Prayers; But all notwithſtanding is ſecur'd in the unchangeableneſs of Electing Love, of Juſtifying Grace, of the daily Iſſuing Pardon of the New Covenant, immediately ready; and thus expreſs'd, as if it iſſued out upon the very Sin; I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſſes, and their Sins, and Iniquities I will remember no more, Heb. 8. 12. Before David had ſaid any more, than this, I have ſinned against the Lord, Nathan ſaid from God, The Lord hath put away the Iniquity of thy Sin, Thou ſhalt not Dye, 2 Sam. 12. 13. The Grace of the Covenant went forward therefore in him, (as in all Saints) to the Compoſure of his Heart to that great Penitential Pſal. 51. So that in a way of Conſolation of Saints and Encouraging of all to Come into Chriſt; there may be great Freedom of Expreſſion us'd; in which ſome Things may need Review and Correction, as Humane; and yet the main Scope and Intention preſerv'd, as conſiſtent with ſincere Deſign to promote Holineſs; moſt livelily flowing from the Grace of the Covenant, and the Death of Chriſt, into the Hearts and Lives of Believers; there being hence much more hope, both in Converſion and Renewed Repentance, than in any thing within Men themſelves; whenever they have fallen into Sin after converſion, or while in an unconverted eſtate.
Head.
Sin may hurt Believers, and God afflicts for Sin.
Conciliation. While we look down to the preſent State, and to God's preſent Government of the World, this muſt be acknowledg'd; and yet when we lift up our Hearts to the Conſideration of the Supreme Grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt, the very hurt Sin does Believers, or even the Elect, is made to ſerve the Triumphs of Grace; and all their Afflictions for Sin are Salutary Diſpenſations. All which muſt needs be granted on cloſe reaſoning theſe Points, and will bear out many Amplifications of this Grace in Diſcourſes declararatory of it; tho' on the other ſide, a very different way of ſpeaking of them muſt be ſubmitted to in this Atmoſphere, this Dark and Foul Place of the Apoſtacy, we are yet in; and it is born out by a very general way of Scripture-ſpeaking.