The Covenant of God Entered with Mankind, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Works incumbent upon the Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace.
THis work of Chriſt in his Mediatourſhip, I ſuppoſe may fitly be reduced to theſe heads.
Firſt, to bring man into a capacity of covenanting with God.
Secondly, to bring man into the bond of the covenant; profeſſedly to accept it.
Thirdly, to enable thoſe whom he brings to glory; to perform the duties of the covenant, to be ſteady and upright in it.
Fourthly, to crown thoſe with glory; whom by grace be brings up to the terms of the covenant.
1. He is to bring man into a capacity of covenanting,Chriſt brings man into a capacity of covenanting with God. of which ſinne had made mankinde uncapable, for though it ſhould be granted, that God in abſolute juſtice, is not bound to puniſh ſinne whereſoever he findes it; and that it is not againſt his Eſſence (as ſome would have it) to pardon ſin without ſatisfaction, yet his ordinate juſtice is thus bound, That law of his, being preſuppoſed, The day that thou eatest, thou ſhalt ſurely die, he cannot recede from it; the penalty of this Law muſt be born; in order to reconciliation, and juſtice ſatisfied for mans tranſgreſſion, which muſt be done by ſuch a one, that can anſwer the claime of divine juſtice. The beaſts of the Forreſts, and cattel of a thouſand hills (which were yet often given to God in ſacrifice) could not do it. The Apoſtle tells us, that it is impoſſible that the blood of Bulls and Goats ſhould take away ſinne, Heb. 10. 4. They were never guilty, and they are no valuable conſideration, nor yet the Angels who are above mankinde, as the bruit creatures are below. Man had ſinned, and a ſacrifice from among man-kinde, is to be found, Neither can man in ſin, and under the taint of it be accepted, all that he can ſuffer is due for himſelf, and therefore can be no other mans diſcharge. In the payment of my own debt, I ſet free no other debtor; Neither can any, that is meer man go thorow with it, here is pure juſtice without relaxation, as to the value, confeſt by thoſe who yet contend whether idem or tantundem be paid by Chriſt, the ſame in kinde, as was owing by man, or the like in value and eſtimate; He that is brought under a divine attachment, muſt not come out till he have paid the uttermoſt farthing, which man in torments is ever in diſcharging, and never can diſcharge; It is as eaſie to make a world, as by way of ranſome to deliver a ſoul. Chriſt therefore that knew no ſin, is made ſinne, that is, an offering for ſinne. God manifeſt in the fleſh, he that was God and man, hath undertaken the work, man to ſuffer, and God to ſatisfie in ſuffering, and ſo God is in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf, 2 Corinth. 5. 19. The immediate effect or reſult of this price of mans redemption, (I ſuppoſe) is the putting of man into a capacity of a covenant with God, yet when this is done, till more be done, by Chriſt in the way of his Mediatourſhip for man, men are not yet in covenant, not the Elect among men. This is evident in thoſe Epheſians, that were raiſed up together, and made ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus, Epheſ. 2. 6. There was no time in which Chriſt had not paid the price of their ranſome, yet there was a time, and then but lately over, that they were without Chriſt, being aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the covenant of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world, Epheſ. 2. 12. Elect Infidels are not till their call, in covenant, they ſtand not actually reconciled, and one with God before Faith, for then there needed no Miniſtery of reconciliation to follow. If this were granted, then Chriſt did the whole for mans ſalvation on the croſſe by himſelf, and doth nothing now in heaven, by way of interceſſion, nor any thing by his agents in a miniſterial way upon earth, neither could man before faith, be underwrath, in which he is yet concluded by our Saviour himſelf, John 3. 36. A ſtate of wrath, and an actual reconciled eſtate cannot ſtand together. There is a price paid, and (as I may ſay) in the Fathers hand, but to be applyed according to the good pleaſure of the Father and the Sonne; A man may purchaſe a priſoners liberty; ſo that he hath it in his juſt and legal power to ſet him free; and yet take what time he pleaſeth in diſcretion to impart it to him, and actually deliver him. In this work there are three parties; God the Father, as Creditor, Chriſt Jeſus, the Surety Man, the Debtor. The Father might have refuſed this diſcharge from the hand of Chriſt, and exacted it of the principal; Chriſt might have refuſed to have made ſuch payment, he was not in the Obligation; There was a relaxation of the perſon, as is agreed on all parties; Man muſt come in and manifeſt his acceptance, Till he is content to leave his old maſter, ſin and Satan; This new Lord gives him no entertainment, he muſt be content to come out of bondage, or elſe he can enjoy no freedome.
2. The next work of Chriſt,Chriſt brings man within the verge of the Covenant. 1. By his tender of it. is to bring man within the bond of the covenant profeſſedly to accept it, for which there is yet a double work. Firſt, to make tender of it, this hath been Chriſts work as the Prophet of his Church in all ages. In what latitude in was carried in the dayes of the fathers before the flood, it is rather obſcurely pointed at; then plainly ſhewed; yet there was then a diſtinction, between the poſterity of Seth, and that of Cain, and ſo contiued till the dayes of Noah, when the ſonnes of God ſaw the daughters of men; children of the covenant, ſaw thoſe out of the covenant; Men within the viſible Church, ſaw women without the Pale, and joyned themſelves in marriage with them. From Abrahams dayes it was confined to his poſterity, and held within his line, and thoſe few that as proſelytes joyned themſelves unto them. In Goſpel times it is enlarged, the tender is made not to Jewes only, but alſo to every Nation under heaven, the Commiſſion being to preach the Goſpel to every creature, none by Nation ſo contemptible, that is to be excluded. In Chriſt Jeſus there is neither Barbarian, 2. By ſhaping the heart for it.nor Scythian, Jew or Gentile, Col. 3. 11. And, as there is to be a tender; ſo alſo it is his work to ſhape the heart for acceptation of it, to embrace the terms, and enter into it. God ſhall perſwade▪ Japhet, and he ſhall dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9. 27. The inhabitants of the Iſles peopled by Japhets poſterity ſhall become the Iſrael of God, ſhall ſucceed the Jewes in a Church-ſtate, and viſſible profeſſion of the name of God, The hand of the Lord was with them, namely, thoſe that preacht at Antioch, and a great number beleeved, Acts 11. 21. where beleeving (after the manner of the Hiſtory in the Acts) is no other then embracing the Doctrine of Faith, they were made Diſciples; many of which after fell off, even from their profeſſion.
A third work is to enable thoſe whom he brings to glory (thoſe among them in covenant that are called according to his purpoſe) to performe the duties of the covenant,Chriſt brings up to the terms of the Covenant. to be ſtedfaſt and upright in it, and this is by Circumciſing their heart giving them a new heart, writing his Law in their hearts, putting it into their inward parts, keeping them by his mighty power through faith unto ſalvation; of which more hereafter.Chriſt crowns thoſe that come up to the terms of the covenant
The laſt work is to crown with glory thoſe that by grace he raiſes up, to the termes of the covenant, thus qualifying them, he crowns them, I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord, the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to my ſelf, John 14. 2, 3.
Here ſome difficulties offer themſelves, If the covenant of works (paſt between God and man in his integrity) were immediate,Difficulties removed. and the tranſactions of it without reference to Chriſt, then if follows that faith in Chriſt is not commanded in that Law, Obj. which was given to man for a rule, There being no poſſibility of it, there could be no command for it, and there was no poſſibility of Adams beleeving it,Faith is a duty of the moral Law. ſeeing Chriſt was not revealed, and was not as Mediatour of any uſe. This opinion is ſtrongly maintained by Arminians. Armin. in resp. ad artic. decimum nonum. Corvinus Contr. Molin. cap. 11. And to this end, that they may make it good, that God cannot in juſtice require faith in Chriſt, from man in his fallen condition, unleſſe he withal confer upon him abilities to believe, ſeeing he never had that power from him in his integrity, and ſtate of purity, and upon this ſuppoſition the argument ſeems of force. We vindicate Gods juſtice in commanding works; though to us now impoſſible, ſeeing once we had power to reach the higheſt of his precepts, and his command, is no rule of our empaired ſtrength, but of our duty. But if men never had that power, and the Law never required it, it is injuſtice (according to all parties) to exact it. Anſw. Let thoſe that fall to the Arminians in this tenent, (that they may make the Law an imperfect rule, and an inſufficient direction) ſee how they can avoid it, how they can vindicate Gods juſtice thus impeached. But the Orthodox party have ſtill maintained that Adam had, in his integrity that faith that doth juſtifie, though then it performed not that office of juſtification, as he had that faculty whereby we ſee dead bodies; though then there was no poſſibility of ſuch ſight, there being no dead bodies to be ſeen. And that faith in Chriſt is commanded in the firſt precept of the Law is manifeſt. There we are commanded to have God for our God, no Interpreter will deny, that the affirmative is contained in that negative: Thou ſhalt have none other gods but me. Now God is the God of beleevers, Heb. 11. 16. No man can have any communion with God, but by faith in Chriſt. And ſo conſequently this faith is there required; what Expoſitor of the Law doth not put truſt and affiance in God, within the affirmative part of the firſt commandment, as well as fear, love, and obedience? And without Chriſt there can be no affiance or truſt. If we conceive the moral Law, to reach no farther then the duties expreſſely there named, or the evils forbidden, we ſhall make it very ſcant and narrow, we ſhall ſee ſmall reaſon, of that of the Pſalmiſt, Thy Commandment is exceeding broad, Pſalme 119. 96. But in caſe we take in all that by neceſſary conſequence may be inferred, according to the approved rules of interpretation, then ſcarce any duty is more clearly laid down then this of faith in Chriſt. And whereas one faith, A man cannot preach Faith in Chriſt out of the Moral Law, I ſay, a man out of the Moral Law, may evince the neceſſity of Faith in Chriſt; unto every one that lives in Goſpel-light, to whom Chriſt is tendred; The Law requires the duty, and the Goſpel diſcovers the object, no man out of the Law could have evinced Abraham that he muſt offer his ſonne, nor that he muſt have left his countrey, but when Gods minde was made known to him, the Moral Law did binde him to obedience, and he had ſinned againſt the Moral Law, in caſe he had refuſed. There is no command given of God to any man, at any time, of an nature whatſoever, but the Moral Law ties him to the obſervation of it, not immediately, explicitely, but upon ſuppoſition of ſuch a command intervening. Therefore ye ſhall obſerve all my Statutes, and all my judgements, and do them, I am the Lord, Levit. 19. 37. Faith in Chriſt being commanded of God, I John 3. 23. the Moral Law obliges to obedience of it. See Molin. Anatom. Arminianiſ. cap. 11. Reſponſ. Wallaei. ad Cenſuram Johannis Arnol. Corvini cap. 11. Ball on the covenant, page 105. Burges Vindiciae legis. page 117.
A farther difficulty here offers it ſelfe, Obj. and an obſtruction laid againſt that which in this Treatiſe is after intended. If the covenant, or ſecond covenant (as oppoſite to that of works) be in Chriſt, and grounded on the work of reconciliation, then it is commenſurate with it,The Covenant of grace not commenſurate with election. and of no greater latitude, and only the elect and choſen in Chriſt, the called according to Gods purpoſe, being reconciled, only theſe are in covenant; when the Scripture (as ſhall be, God willing, made good) confines not this covenant within the limits of the inviſible Church, known only to God. But it is as large as the Church viſible.
To this I anſwer, Anſw. that the Prophetical office of Chriſt, as Shepherd and Biſhop of our ſouls, and ſo much of his Kingly office as conſiſts in a legiſlative power, hath its foundation (as well as the covenant) in this work of reconciliation. Had not this been undertaken by Chriſt for mankinde, man had never enjoyed that light, man had never had an Oracle, or an Ordinance as the fruit of his Prophetick office, yet, theſe Ordinances are not commenſurate with reconciliation, nor of equal latitude with election, So neither is the covenant, but either of both in order towards it. As Ordinances therefore are Chriſts gift from heaven, as the fruit of his death and reſurrection, when yet all that partake of theſe Ordinances do not yet die or riſe with Chriſt; So, is the covenant, when yet all in covenant are not ſtedfaſt in it, nor obtaine the graces of it. Therefore I know not how to admit that which a Divine ſingularly eminent hath laid down; That all the effects of Chriſts death are ſpiritual, diſtinguiſhing and ſaving; Seeing gifts of Chriſt; from his Fathers right hand are fruits of his death, yet not ſpiritual, diſtinguiſhing and ſaving. That they are in ſome ſort ſpiritual, I dare grant that is, in ordine ad ſpiritualia, (if I may ſo ſpeak) they have a tendency to a ſpiritual work. That they are diſtinguiſhing from the world, (as it is taken in oppoſition to the Church viſible) I yeeld, for I do not enlarge the fruit of Chriſts death to all man-kinde, aſſenting to Maſter Owen and Maſter Stalham in the grounds that they lay, of Gods reſpite of the execution of the whole penalty on man, with the continuance of outward favours not to be upon the account of Chriſt, but for other reaſons; yet I know not how to affirme, that Ordinances which yet are fruits of his death, are all ſaving, ſpiritual and diſtinguiſhing, ſeeing they neither conferre ſalvation nor ſaving grace on all that partake of them, So that Chriſt, is a Mediatour of this covenant; and yet thoſe enter into it that have not reconciliation by Chriſt Jeſus; The Epheſians that were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt, Epheſ. 2. 13. that is, brought into a viſible Church-ſtate in the fruition of Ordinances, made free of that city whoſe name is, The Lord is here, Ezek. 48. 35.