Neonomianism Unmasked, Part 2 · Debate 8 · Covenant

Neonomianism Unmasked · Part 2 · Debate 8 · Covenant

p. 111Of a Covenant of Promiſe.

THere is a Covenant by way of free unconditional Obligation, and that is where the Principal or Supream Covenanter binds himſelf to the Covenantee, abſolutely requiring no condition to be performed by the Covenantee before his performance of the Promiſe; and in a ſence this Covenant is foreign, not as a Covenant with the Stones of the Field, that abide uncapable Subjects of Reſtipulation; but it ſuppoſeth the Covenanters to be ſuch as are by the Promiſe made capable and willing to reſtipulate and perform all Duties for matter and manner, that may anſwer the deſign of the Covenant conſequential to the beſtowing of Promiſe, in which their Obedience is contained.

p. 1122. That God hath Covenanted thus with the Creature, without requiring previous Conditions to the Performance of the Promiſe, is not to be queſtioned; ſuch was that made with Noah, Gen. 9.11. foreign LXXII. foreign, I will [i. e. alone, and by my ſelf] ſet up and eſtabliſh my Covenant with you, without calling you forth to reſtipulate or perform Conditions; and the Promiſe was, that all Fleſh ſhould not be cut off any more by the Waters of the Flood, nor ſhall there be a Flood to deſtroy the Earth any more. God laid Man under the performance of no condition to Entitle him to this Promiſe; yea, though he lay under a Forfeiture of all good things promiſed in the firſt Covenant, and a Deſert of all Calamity and Deſtruction, and neither able or willing to enter into Covenant with God by the performance of any Duties, yet God tyes himſelf that for that this kind of Deſtruction ſhould no more come upon the Earth; there was alſo the Covenant concerning the continuance of Day and Night, and that the Seaſons of the Year ſhould be opportune, regular and conſtant, Gen. 8.22. To both theſe Covenants is the Covenant of Grace compared in reſpect of its Abſoluteneſs and Perpetuity, Iſa. 54.9. Jer. 33.25. The Promulgation thereof under the Old and New Teſtament, are thence called foreign, the Covenants of Promiſe.

3. Such a Covenant as this is a Teſtament which takes place among the moſt Entitling Covenants in the World,The Apoſtle doth more than once ſpeak of the Covenant of Grace by the Nature of a Teſtament, which is the immutable purpoſe of God, and ſuſpendible upon no condition, but as it were his laſt Will of beſtowing Eternal Life upon the Elect, which being built upon the unchangeable Counſel of God, and hath its Sanction in the Death of Chriſt the Teſtator, it can't be ſubverted by any Infidelity of the Elect, neither it's firmneſs depend upon any Faith of man, ſeeing in the ſaid Covenant God hath provided unchangeably no leſs for their Faith than Salvation. Witſ. de foed. p. 195. whereby a Legacy is freely Bequeathed, Entitling the Legatee to the Eſtate Bequeathed, without any Duties or Conditions previous to the ſaid Title by Bequeathment; but the Eſtate Bequeathed by Will and Teſtament becomes due upon the Death of the Teſtator, according to his free Conſtitution; hence the Exhibition of the Covenant of Grace in the Old and New Diſpenſations, are called Teſtaments becauſe of their Abſoluteneſs, under whatever Vails of Conditions they ſeemed to be cloathed; and becauſe it was confirmed and become due by Death Typically, under the Moſaical Diſpenſation by the Death of the Sacrifices, but really by the Death of the Teſtator, accompliſhed in the Goſpel-Days: And this was it's Sanction, and the proper Sanction of a Testament.

p. 1134. This Covenant is ſaid to be abſolute, free and unconditional in reſpect of us that are ſaved by it, becauſe there was no Capacity, Ability or Will in Man ſince the Fall to perform any Covenant-Conditions or Duties to God as ſuch, but he lay utterly condemned and dead in Sin. All Salvation muſt come to him of Free Gift, even Life, whereby he might perform any vital Act; for all Action is from Life, and no Action can be before Life, but muſt proceed from it: Man in Innocency acted from Life in Innocency; and that he ſhould act before, or without Life, is moſt abſurd to think, or that in a ſtate of Spiritual Death he ſhould act for Life: The natural Man can do neither; before he can do any thing for God the Abſolute Promiſe muſt be performed of giving him Reſurrection from the Dead, the new Birth, the new Nature, the new Heart. So that the Covenant of Grace is conſidered as totally free and abſolute as to the Tenure of, and Performance relating unto Man in his loſt and fallen eſtate and condition, all the good contained in it relating to us by way of Promiſe, and beſtowed upon us by way of Free Gift, even Faith and all Holineſs, Grace and Glory.

5. But taking the Covenant of Grace or Promiſe in the full extent of it,Foedus gratiae reſpectu Sponſoris magìs foederis notionem habet ſignificationem pactum mutuae fidei foreign reſpectu noſtri magis Teſtamenti rationem habet quaſi foreign eſſe. Witſas, p. 597. de Foedere. it is a mixt Covenant, a conditional and abſolute, a Covenant of expreſs Compact between two ſtipulating Parties, upon propounded Terms; and a Covenant of Promiſe, wherein God hath freely given us his Son, and in him Life eternal. It is therefore to be conſidered as it reſpects Chriſt, and as it reſpects the Elect in him.

6. As it reſpects Chriſt, it carries the Nature of an expreſs compleat Covenant of Works, Sponſor Teſtamenti Chriſtus vocatur Heb. 7.11. non eo precipuè nomine qui pro Deo & promiſſis illius nobis ſpondet, aut quia pro nobis ſpondet nos obedituros quemadmodum Moſes Exod. 19.3.3. Quanto Chriſtus major Moſe tanto preſtantiori modo ſponſor fuit, ſponſio illius in eo conſiſtet, quod in ſeſe recepit preſtare conditionem illam, citra quam ſalvâ Juſtitiâ Dei, gratia & promiſſiones ipſius ad nos non poterat pervenire & quâ preſtirâ omninò illae ad filios foederis perventurae erant. Niſi ergo Chriſti ſponſionem evacuare velimus, & Socinianis peſſimis Scripturae perver ſoribus gratificari velimus, neceſſe eſt foedus aliquod concipiamus cujus conditiones Ch…iſtus in ſe recepit ſpondendo apud parrem ſe eas pro nobis preſtiturum, & quibus preſtitis ſpondere nobis pro parre poſſit de gratiâ gloriâ infallibiliter nobis donandâ. Herm. Witſus de Oeconomia Foed. p. 104.Heb 7:11Exod 19:3and that in reſpect of the Party's covenanting, and the tenure of the ſaid Covenant: The Party's covenanting was the Father and the Son; God p. 114the Father propoſing, and God the Son accepting the Terms: Here the Parties Contrahentes, or Confederantes, were equal, Phil. 2. and had equal freedom of accepting or refuſing the Terms; hence the Agreement was Mutual and Reciprocal. The Tenure of the Covenant was Expreſs Conditions and Promiſes upon the performance of them by Reward in a way of Remunerative Juſtice, Iſa. 53. The Conditions were of the higheſt Nature, 1. To ſatisfie offended Juſtice on the behalf of the Elect, looked upon as fallen by the Tranſgreſſion of the Law Covenant in the firſt Adam, and to be the end of the Law for all Righteouſneſs both Active and Paſſive to all them that ſhould believe. 2. That the Condition performed by Chriſt ſhould not only be Meritorious, Virtute compacti, as therefore Adam's ſhould have been, but that they ſhould be adequately ſo, they bearing an equality to and with the Eternal Life promiſed, by reaſon of the Tranſcendent Excellency of the Perſon, and the performances: And herein he became, and ſtands the Middle Perſon or Mediator betwixt God and Man; and hence as he was the Covenanting Head and Repreſentative of the Elect, ſo he undertook to be, and was the Foederal Condition in what he was, and what he did; and to him as ſuch was all the Promiſes primarily made, and in him performed, all being Yea and Amen in him; and hence he became the Fundamental Promiſe, the Father giving us his Son, and Eternal Life in him; upon which accounts he is fitly called the Covenant.

7. This Covenant is Conditional in reſpect of the Juſtice of God and the Law of Works, for Grace being to be magnified in a Salvation by way of Mercy, the Subjects of it were ſuch as had broke God's Righteous Law and offended Juſtice, and ſuch who were never able to fulfill this Law by perfect Obedience; therefore it was Incumbent on the Mediator to make Reconciliation, by coming between the Juſtice of God and the Elect, to ſtand in their ſtead, and to fulfill all Righteouſneſs on their behalf.

8. Again the Conditionality of the Covenant may be conſidered to be in Chriſt, as he is the men way of conveyance of all good things from God to us, all Bleſſings come in and through Chriſt to us; all Union and Communion that God hath with us and we with him, is in and through Jeſus Chriſt, there is no other Name for it given under Heaven; and he is become the Living and Diſpenſing Fountain of all Grace and Glory, the Way, the Truth, and Life, John 14.

9. Upon a due conſideration of the Federal Conditions there will reſult an appearance of two ſorts of Promiſes not differing Specifically, p. 115but modo quodam, and reſpectively only; ſome that refer moſt immediately and directly to the Elect, and others that have their Aſpect more immediately on Jeſus Chriſt. As to the firſt ſort they are to the Elect as ſuch, and therefore to Chriſt the Head of them, and the Firſt-born among many Brethren; and ſo the Promiſe of Eternal Life is made unto him and them. As to the ſecond ſort which are Rewarding unto Chriſt, and the Crowning him with Glory and Honour, though they primarily reſpect Chriſt, yet fall down from his Head to the Skirts of his Garment, and become a Joy, Comfort and Crown to all the Elect, what other can ſuch be? As ſeeing his Seed, and prolonging his Days, and the proſpering of the good pleaſure of the Lord in his Hand.

10.Divines differ about the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace; we are of their Opinion, who think that in accurate ſpeaking, that the Covenant of Grace hath no Conditions properly ſo called in reſpect of us. A Condition properly ſo called in the matter of a Covenant, is ſuch an Action, which being performed, gives a man a right unto the reward: Such a Condition in the Covenant of Grace cannot he exacted of us, its very plain, becauſe a right to Life cannot come upon any action of ours, but only upon the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; ſeeing he was for us foreign, The Righteouſneſs of the Law; he fulfilled it perfectly, and left nothing at all to be required juſtly of us to the gaining a right unto our ſelves. Wits. ad Foed. cum Elect. p. 195. § 9. The Nature of the Covenant of Grace is Abſolute, and a Covenant of Promiſe, notwithſtanding all the Conditionality contained in it, and that muſt be underſtood in theſe reſpects. 1. In reſpect of the Original Propoſer of this Covenant, it came from the free and abſolute Will, Grace and Purpoſe of the Father, 1 Tim. 1.9. and ver. 1. This Covenant was not purchaſed, no not by Jeſus Chriſt; the Covenant it ſelf, Chriſt in it, and all the Glory of it lay in the Eternal Councel of Gods Will, and became the purpoſe thereof, and accordingly tranſacted with Jeſus Chriſt, and in him with all the Elect as their Repreſentative. 2. Hence it was free and abſolute as to the Elect perſonally conſidered, the whole of the Foederal Conditions lay upon their Head as Undertaker for them. 3.The Covenant, and Grace thereof is free and abſolute, and not conditional and ſuſpended upon the unſtable will of man—Between God the Father indeed and Chriſt as the ſecond Adam, the tranſaction of the Covenant was wholly conditional— Yea, he undertook not only for his own works, but for ours. True indeed it is, that when we believe, it is we only that believe! and when we work, it is we that work but our working is not the cauſe of his Grace, but his Grace is of our working. Dr. Reynolds Works, laſt. Edit. p. 923. If the Covenant be conſidered, as it is applyed actually unto the Elect in time; this is done abſolutely in beſtowing the Gift of the Promiſe to dead Creatures, in whom there is an abſolute impoſſibility of performing the leaſt entitling Act to the p. 116Promiſe; and therefore there can be nothing freer than Life to a dead Creature; neither doth Life given entitle to action; that's very abſurd to ſay, but it's a Principle of Action; but Life, and ſuch a Life, and all the Effects of it proceeds from the ſame Gift, and this is Eternal Life. 4. Hence all thoſe Promiſes that contain the Promulgation of the Covenant in it's O…iginal Nature, and as reſpecting us, expreſs the Tenure of it as moſt free and abſolute, as it was revealed to Adam, Abraham, David, and in the Goſpel-Diſpenſation ſince Chriſt. 4. The Abſoluteneſs of this Covenant appears as to us, in that all the Federal entitling Conditions contained in it is to be found in another, and not in us, nor wrought in us; for whatever is wrought in us, is from free Gift, and of Promiſe, and muſt have ſome condition performed by another as Federal, before we can partake of it. Therefore there's nothing in us before or after Converſion that doth belong to the Federal Condition; all our Goſpel Obedience is to be referred to the Promiſe, and is built upon it; therefore it's abſolute, becauſe both Chriſt, the Condition, and all the good things promiſed, are freely beſtowed upon us.

11. For the better underſtanding of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace,Medium eſt vox communioris ſignificationis quam conditio, non omne medium eſt conditio licet omnis conditio fit medium, ſed medium ad aliquid obtinen dum ex contractu vel foedere illud demum eſt conditio. Dr. Twiſs. we muſt diſtinguiſh well upon the Nature of Conditions: There are two ſorts of Conditions; Conditions Federal, and Conditions of Connexion or Dependance of things one upon another. Federal Conditions are Terms agreed on in Covenant-contract between the Parties covenanting; whereupon the Promiſes made become due by Reward and Debt: And this ſuppoſeth, that the Terms propoſed be accepted before it become a Covenant. A Covenant is not forced; and therefore if the Covenant of Grace were made upon conditional Terms with Sinners, it could not be a Covenant-Agreement conſummated, till they had firſt accepted the Terms. 2. It always ſuppoſeth there is a Power and Ability in the Party on whom the Covenant-Condition lies to be performed, previous to the Propoſal of the ſaid conditions, otherwiſe they would be vain and abſurd. Hence to aſſert Faith or Obedience to be the Federal Conditions, doth unavoidably throw Men into the Arminian Doctrine of Free-Will, and of a Natural Power in Man to provide for his Salvation in the performance of the ſaid Foederal Conditions. But we affirm, neither Faith it ſelf; no, not the Gift of the Spirit p. 117that works Faith, not our Union to Chriſt, no Gifts that accompany Salvation, are Foederal Conditions. Chriſt in the Exerciſe of his Mediator's Office in his Humiliation and Exaltation, is the only Foederal Condition wherein all entitling Conditions particularly mentioned in the Goſpel are lodged and treaſured up, and are freely by Chriſt beſtowed on us.

12. There are alſo Conditions of Connexion by way of Order and Dependance of things one upon another,Whereas the Scripture often inculcates ſuch Expreſſions as theſe, Without Faith none can pleaſe God, Without Holineſs none can ſee God; as if they had called Faith and a new Life Conditions of the Covenant; when in accurate ſpeaking, and according to the nature of this Covenant, on God's part they are Executions of former Promiſes, and an Earneſt of future good: But if we will call theſe Conditions, they are not ſo much Conditions of the Covenant, as of the certainty that we are in the Covenant. Witſ. de Foed. 196. which are rationes rerum inter ſe, and belong to Logick; and they ariſe from all Arguments Artificial or Inartificial, Prime and Ort, Simple or Comparate, Conſentany or Diſſentany, and they run in a Connex Axiom, when the ſaid Conditionality is expreſs'd. As thus, Si Animal est homo eſt rationale; ſi figura eſt trigularis eſt & trilateralis: If a Creature be a Man, he is a Rational Creature. If a Figure have 3 Corners, it hath three ſides; all things in the World are capable of coming under this kind of Conditionality; yea, the moſt abſolute Beings: As if God be the firſt Cauſe, he is the Creator of all things. In this Sence Creation is a condition of Salvation. If a Man be ſaved, he muſt be created. So Election a condition, if a Man be ſaved, he muſt be elected; but Election is not a Foederal Condition. So if a Man believe he ſhall be ſaved, Believing is a condition of connexion to Salvation. If a Man have the Spirit of Chriſt, he ſhall believe unto Salvation; but neither Faith nor Union are Foederal Conditions. A ſtate in Grace is a condition to a ſtate in Glory by way of connexion in the Promiſe: But one is not a Foederal Condition of another, but both come in in the Gift of Grace. In this Sence the Covenant of Promiſe contains all the Conditions of Order and Dependance in the Exhibition and Performance: The Hearing the Word is the Condition of Faith, but hearing the Word is not a Foederal Condition: So the giving the Spirit is the condition of Union to Chriſt and Faith, Faith the condition of receiving Pardon and living in Holineſs. And the giving of Pardon the condition of receiving it, Holineſs the condition of ſeeing God and eternal Happineſs: But theſe kind of Conditions are not Foe…eral entitling to the Promiſe, p. 118but are contained in the Promiſe, and denote only the connexion and dependance of one promiſed Benefit upon another.

13. Hence the Miniſtry of Reconciliation runs conditionally. becauſe in it the abſolute Covenant is preached. 1. Indefinitely to Elect and Non-elect. 2. The Covenant is declared in all the Promiſſary and Duty-Dependances contained in it, and Duty required becauſe promiſed. 3. We muſt diſtinguiſh of the Miniſtry of Reconciliation in reſpect of the Letter of it,Inſertae ſunt noviſaederis conditiones novae obedientiae, legali quidam Schaemate, ad normam probationis noſtrae ipſius & gratitudinis debitae— Sic tamen & alio quoque Schemate ipſa reſipiſcentia in peccati mortificatione & bonorum operum ſtudio promittitur tan que Dei donum quod ipſe operaturus ſit in nobis ut iſthoc ſigno & argumento fas ſit, ex quo verè reſipuimus & credimus foreign ſperate in eam quae ad nos defertur gratiam in patefactione Jeſu Chriſti, 1 Pet. 1.13. Promiſſionis formulae expreſſiſſimae novum foedus ſancientes donatione reſcipiſcentiae & novae obedientiae extant. Jer. 32.40. Iſa. 52.2. 1 Pet. 1.4. 2 Pet. 1.3. 1 Joh. 3.9. and ver. 18. Clopeub. d… fo…d. p. 516. Quicquid conditionis locum obtinere concipitur id omne vniverſalitare promiſſionum includitur ſi vitam aeternam ſolum polliceretur Deus non de…ſſet ſpecie aliqua dicendi reſcipiſcentiam fidem, &c. Conditiones hujus foederis eſſe. Verum cum & initium & progreſſion, & non interciſam continuationem & conſummationem denique novae vitae odem quaſi …lur addicat. Deus in univerſalitte hâc promiſſorum nihil remanet quod totius foederis conditio cenſeri queat. Nos hic de conditione foederis ſic agimus, non de aliquâ re in homine quae actuaalem fruitionem conſummatae felicitatis precedere debet. Witf. p. 195, 196. de Foe…ere.1 Pet 1:13Jer 32:40Isa 52:21 Pet 1:42 Pet 1:31 John 3:9 and the Spirit of it, 1 Cor. 3.6. In the Letter of it, the meer external Diſpenſation, that kills, becauſe a Sinner looks upon all theſe conditions of Dependance to be Foederal Conditions; but the miniſtration of the Covenant by the Spirit in that Miniſtry is abſolute, according to the Original Contract, and the fulleſt Diſcovery in its higheſt Freedom: And therefore the Apoſtie tells us, this Spirit giveth Life. And the believing Corinthians are ſaid to be the Epiſtle of Chriſt written and tranſcribed from the Original Covenant-Contract, not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God; not in Tables of Stone, but in the fleſhly Tables of the Heart, according to that Promiſe of a new Heart. Hence therefore we muſt diſtinguiſh between the Covenant of Grace, it's abſolute Tenure, and the Miniſtry of the Grace of the Coventnt, which Miniſtry is conditionally diſpenſed, according to the connexion and dependance of good things contained in the Promiſe, to a mixed People, Elect and Non-elect. p. 119The effect of this Miniſtry is, either to work effectually by the Spirit according to the nature of an abſolute Promiſe, and then becomes a Savour of Life; or elſe it works only in the Letter in the conditional Nature as a Covenant of Works, and then it killeth eventually, and is a Savour of Death and Condemnation.

14. The Covenant of Grace is to be diſtinguiſhed according to its different Revelation and Diſpenſation, under the Names of the Old and New Teſtament, which is no Specifick Difference, but only ſecundum adjunctae Revelationis. The Abſoluteneſs of this Covenant was abundantly revealed under the Old Teſtament Diſpenſation unto the Patriarchs and Prophets, but not ſo clearly by the Miniſtry of the Worldly Sanctuary, but vailed, on which vailedneſs the faultineſs of that Diſpenſation was charged, and did conſiſt, in compariſon of what was to enſue. 1. It ſtood vailed under a Figurative, Carnal Miniſtry and Ordinances. 2. Such as were weak and inſufficient as to reaching thoſe Ends that were deſigned by the Grace of the Covenant, Heb. 10.1. and that in reſpect of the main Goſpel Grace in pardon of Sin, and purifying the Conſcience. 3. In that it inſiſted ſo much upon the Conditionality of Works, and wherein it's ſaid they continued not, viz. In the Mount Sinai Covenant which God gave them when he brought them out of Egypt, Heb. 8.9. 4. In regard of that ſort of Promiſes which they ſtood encouraged by to the performance of this External Obedience; they were uſually Temporal Bleſſings only, and the Threats and Curſes denounced againſt Diſobedience was uſually in rſepect of outward things; though under all this Cloudineſs and Conditionality the Covenant of Promiſe was applied in its Abſolute Nature, as at firſt revealed to Adam and Abraham, which was to all the Elect living before Chriſt, the Miniſtry of the quickning Spirit, and a Savour of Life.

15. The Original Contract of this Covenant before the World was, is by ſome called the Covenant of Redemption, and diſtinguiſht from the Covenant of Grace, but ſuch do greatly miſtake, for both the Original Contract, and the Manifeſtation thereof are one and the ſame Covenant, there's no Specifick Difference, that which is, is but ſecundum adjuncta Ordinis & Manifeſtationis.

Neonom.

Next to the Doctrine of Imputation, which I think I have ſufficiently cleared up according to my Scheme, and fully and rightly ſtated Truths and Errours in thoſe Points: Let us now Debate the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace.

This being a Point of Great Concern, I ſhall premiſe an Enquiry p. 120nto ſome particulars for the explaining this Subject. Q. 1. What is the Covenant of Grace? D. W. C. 8. p. 53.

A. 1. It is not the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and Spirit as one Party, and the Eternal Word the Lord Jeſus as the other Party.

Antinom.

Who ever put the Father and Spirit on one Party in the Covenant of Grace? it's New Divinity; and ſecondly, you are very Magiſterial in this Negative Poſition, Quadam confidentia non eſt Virtus ut audacia. Methinks the Judgment of the Reverend Divines ſhould have weighed ſo much with you as not to have blowed it off at one Puff.

In the Larger Catechiſm. Q. 30. Doth God leave Mankind to periſh in a ſtate of Sin and Miſery?

A. God doth not leave all Mankind to periſh in the Eſtate of Sin and Miſery into which they fell by the Breach of the firſt Covenant, commonly called the Covenant of Works, but of his meer Love and Mercy delivereth his Elect out of it, and bringeth them into a ſtate of Salvation by the ſecond Covenant, commonly called a Covenant of Grace.

Q. 31. VVith whom was the Covenant of Grace made?

A. The Covenant of Grace was made with Chriſt as the ſecond Adam, and in him with all the Elect as his Seed.

You ſay, That the Covenant Agreement made with Chriſt, was not the Covenant of Grace. You call it a Covenant of Redemption as another thing from the Covenant of Grace. I acknowledge the Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Redemption, and the Covenant (you call) the Covenant of Redemption is the Covenant of Grace; and therefore ſhall not incumber our Diſcourſe with a Debate about Names, but ſhall affirm that there is no ſuch thing as an Eſſential Difference between the Covenant of Grace and Redemption, the diſtinction made between them is but Novel, at leaſt that it was but lately ſo generally received; for it appears by what is here ſpoken in this Anſwer of the Aſſembly ſo plainly and poſitively, that they owned but two Covenants, that of Works and that of Grace. They are only diſtinguiſhed between the making and manifeſting this Covenant of Grace. A Covenant hidden, or ſecret, and manifeſt, is but diſtributio ex adjunctis; therefore after they had told us that this Covenant of Grace was made with Chriſt the ſecond Adam, and with all the Elect as his Seed. They enquire next;

Q. 32. How is the Grace of God manifeſt in the ſecond Covenant?

A. The Grace of God is manifeſted in the ſecond Covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator, and Life, and Salvation by him, &c.

So that the Covenant of Grace contains all Grace and Mercy, Redemption, and the offer and application thereof.

p. 121Neonom.

Were this Covenant underſtood, I think many well meaning People would be undeceived: In that Covenant [i. e. of Redemption] all the Cauſes of Man's Salvation are adjuſted and ſecured; all Satisfaction and Merit are on Chriſt, as his undertaking, &c.

Antinom.

It ſeems then this well-meaning Aſſembly was deceived, and many Able Divines beſides, who have not admitted of this Novel Diſtinction between the Covenant of Redemption, and that of Grace. 2. You talk at leaſt very improperly; that the cauſes of Man's Salvation are adjuſted and ſecured in the Covenant of Redemption, which placeth it before Election; for I take the Grace of Election to be the firſt adjuſting and ſecuring cauſe of Mens Salvation, and not ſo only, but of the Covenant it ſelf made with Chriſt. I thought all the cauſes were ſufficiently adjuſted in the Councel of God's Will, and that by the purpoſe of Grace they were ſecured to us, and Redemption too. Chriſt's Undertaking the charge of Satisfaction and Merit, is a cauſe of our Salvation, not adjuſting and ſecuring it, they were adjuſted and ſecured before.

Neonom.

Yea, it's provided there that the Elect ſhall obey the terms of Life, and certainly poſſeſs Salvation.

Antinom.

1. It's manifeſt that you eſteem not Redemption one of the Terms of Life, but ſome other Terms diſtinct from it, I had thought that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs had been the great condition of our Life and Salvation, but it ſeems it's but proviſion for the performing the Terms of Life. 2. I thought it had been provided in Election, that all the Elect ſhould certainly believe and obey the Goſpel, but it ſeems by what you ſay here they were only conditionally Elected, and proviſion made in the Covenant of Redemption, that they ſhould perform the Condition, and obey the Term, (very improper) it's to perform the Terms. Now what is in ſuch a Covenant of Grace more than Adam's would have had if he had ſtood; for God muſt have provided that he ſhould obey or perform the Terms of Life, which were to him very ſmall and eaſie, no more than giving a Pepper-corn, or not ſo much; only to forbear plucking and eating an Apple when he had enough beſides. There's no Eſſential Difference in your Opinion, for where-ever the Creature performs a Condition of a Covenant of God's making, God muſt provide for that performance, by Grace given and confirmed.

Neonom.

Yea, as that Covenant was not made with the Elect, though for the Elect; ſo they have nothing to do as a Condition of this Covenant.

p. 122Antinom.

Rare Divinity! Mens tua ſublimis ſupra genus eminet ipſum. 1. You ſay that Covenant was not made with the Elect. The Aſſembly ſay it was made with the ſecond Adam and his Seed; but you I ſuppoſe deny Chriſt to be a ſecond Adam, a publick Perſon, and a Spiritual or Myſtical Root. 2. I would fain know whether Chriſt in his Humane Nature was not Elect, and the Head of all the Elect; therefore if we conſider him but ſingly, whether he was not the Principal Elect one? and I pray, was the Covenant made with him or for him? I ſay it was made with him and for him, and ſo it was made with the Elect in him, both with them and for them; or elſe how comes God's Purpoſe and Grace to be given us in Chriſt Jeſus before the World began; 2 Tim. 2.9. But you tell us that the Elect have nothing to do as a condition of this Covenant; you reckon, you highly honour Chriſt in giving all the Conditionality of this Covenant to him; and what's that? It's that he provided for our performing the condition of another Covenant, and why might he not have prepared us by that condition for another Covenant condition after that? But it ſeems your Covenant of Redemption is but a ſubordinate Covenant to that of Grace, and its Righteouſneſs ſubordinate to our Righteouſneſs, which you make the condition of the Covenant of Grace.

Neonom.

And to this [Covenant of Redemption] all abſolute Promiſes and Propheſies of Grace are reducible, they being a tranſcript hereof. D. W. p. 54.

Antinom,

What is your meaning in this, it's hard to gueſs, whether Abſolute Promiſes are made in the Covenant of Redemption. And, 2. If ſo, whom in that Covenant they are made to, to Chriſt? You muſt mean ſo; for you ſay we are not in it: Then the Promiſe of giving a new Heart is made to Chriſt, and not to us. Or, 3. If you mean they are reducible to it, as being the Covenant of Promiſe, and ſo Chriſt and all his Benefits are given abſolutely and unconditionally to us in it; this makes us concerned as a Party in the Covenant; for to whom the Promiſe of the Covenant belongs, to them the Covenant belongs as a Party concerned.

Neonom.

This Dr. Owen makes to be a diſtinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace. P. 268, 269.

Antinom.

It is true, Dr. Owen and other Learned Divines have ſpoken of a Covenant of Redemption, as in ſome reſpect diſtinct from the Covenant of Grace, but make not ſuch an ill Uſe of that Notion as you do: The Dr. ſays, He doth not call theſe Foederaal Tranſactions the Covenant of Grace abſolutely: Nor p. 123is it ſo called in Scripture. [And it may well be ſo, for we find not the Term Covenant of Grace mentioned in Scripture] and ſome will not diſtinguiſh between a Covenant of a Mediator, and the Covenant of Grace, becauſe the Promiſes of the Covenant are abſolutely ſaid to be made to Chriſt, Gal. 3.16. of which ſome its plain the Aſſembly at Weſtminſter was. And therefore it appears there have been different Apprehenſions in this matter. I reverence and honour both Parties as Orthodox and ſound in what they intended and meant in this Point; but I muſt adhere to the Word of God as the moſt infallible Guide in this and other things, according to what Light I receive. All the difference that I find they make, is no more than reſpectu adjunctorum, that is Hiddenneſs and Declaration, or at moſt to Execution. And indeed all I underſtand by Dr. Owen is two things: 1. To ſhew us under how many Conſiderations the New Covenant comes. And, 2. Which of theſe Conſiderations it is the Spirit of God ſeems moſtly to point at, when it ſpeaks of this New Covenant, as a Promiſe, Covenant of Grace or Peace. And he ſaith, It's variouſly repreſented, 1. In the Deſignation and Preparation of its Terms and Benefits in the Councel of God, which although it have the nature of an eternal Decree, yet is it not the ſame with the Decree of Election, &c. 2. It may be conſidered with reſpect of the Foederal Tranſactions between the Father and the Son. 3. In reſpect of Declaration of it by Special Revelation. (1) By way of Abſolute Promiſe. (2) By way of Additional Preſcription of the way and means whereby it is the Will of God that we ſhould enter into a Covenant-ſtate with him, &c. 4. The Covenant may be conſidered as to the actual Application of the Grace, Benefit and Priviledges unto any Perſons, &c.

Now all this while he makes not two Covenants, a Covenant of Redemption, and of Grace, but gives divers Conſiderations of the New Covenant in it's Diſpenſation, and under which Conſideration it may moſt uſually and properly be termed by us a Covenant of Grace: And the ground of this Diſcourſe is to diſprove your Notion, That the Covenant of Redemption or Surety ſhip is the procuring Cauſe of the Covenant of Grace: And he ſhews that it is no where ſaid in the Scripture, That Chriſt by his Death merited, procured, obtained the New Covenant,Dr. O. p. 266, 267. or that God ſhould enter into a new Covenant with Mankind; yea, that which is contrary to it, and inconſiſtent with it, is frequrnrly aſſerted.

Now he comes to ſhew what reſpect the Covenant of Grace hath unto the Death of Chriſt, and what Influence it hath thereunto?

A. Suppoſing what is ſpoken of his being a Surety thereof, it hath a three-fold reſpect thereunto. 1. In that the Covenant,Dr. O. p. 271, 272. as to the Grace and Glory of it, were prepared in the Councel of God, as the Terms of it was fixed in the Covenant of the Mediator, and as it were declared in the Promiſe, was confirmed, ratified, and made it revocable thereby. This the Apoſtle inſiſts on at large, Heb. 9.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. 2. He thereby underwent and performed all that which in the Righteouſneſs and Wiſdom of God was required, that the Effects, Fruits, Benefits and Grace intended p. 124and deſigned, and prepared in the New Covenant might be effectually accompliſhed and communicated unto Sinners. 3. All the Benefits were procured by him, &c.

Now ſaith he, The Sum of theſe things is, Whereas it's affirmed the New Covenant was procured by the Death of Chriſt,Dr. O. p. 273. if it be underſtood with reſpect unto the Actual Communication of all Grace and Glory prepared in the Covenant, and propoſed unto us in the Promiſes of it; it is moſt true, all the Grace and Glory promiſed in the Covenant was purchaſed for the Church by Jeſus Chriſt. In this fence by his Death he procured the New Covenant; but as to the New Covenant it ſelf it's not procured.

All this is rather a Confirmation than a Denial of the Truth of what the Aſſembly affirms concerning the Covenant of Grace.

Neonom.

I ſay, that the Covenant of Grace is not the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and the Son.

Antinom.

You ſhould have told what the Covenant of Grace is.

Neonom.

The Covenant of Grace is the way that God hath ordained to apply to Sinners that Salvation which is prepared by Chriſt, and which he will inable the Elect to comply with.

Antinom.

This Definition or Deſcription I except againſt. For firſt, it contains not the Genus or common Nature of a Covenant, viz. to be an Agreement wherein two Parties do mutually conſent; nor the Parties wherein the Nature of a Covenant doth conſiſt, which is a Condition and Promiſe; nor is there a Covenant in the more improper fence denoted, viz. A Promiſe; for if it be a Covenant of Grace, it muſt be at leaſt a Covenant of Promiſe. 2. You ſay, it's a way ordained of God: Here's no Forma or Differentia; for many things are ways and means, which are not Covenants; you ſhould have ſaid (according to your Sence) it's God's Agreement with Sinners upon Terms of Faith and Repentance. 3. The Application of the means effectually is part of the Salvation it ſelf. 4. You ſay this Salvation is prepared by Chriſt; you ſhould have ſaid, By the Father in his Councel and Purpoſe for the giving his Son, and bleſſing us with all Bleſſings in him: The Life and Salvation is Chriſt, and in Chriſt; he is our Life; the Father hath given us Life, and this is in his Son. 5. You ſhould have ſaid, Which he hath promiſed to enable the Elect to comply with, or elſe it hath nothing of a Covenant in it; it carries only the force of electing Will; and if he hath promiſed, then to ſome or other, either to Chriſt, and then it brings in your Covenant of Redemption; if to any other excluding Chriſt, then to the Elect out of Chriſt: For the Promiſe to make a Perſon comply, muſt be made, and muſt be in Nature before he doth comply.

p. 125Neonom.

I pray, what do you ſay is the Covenant of Grace.

Antinom.

I ſhall tell you the Parties between whom it was made. It was made by God in the Perſon of the Father with Man in the Perſon of the Son. You ſpeak improperly to talk of the Father and Spirit covenanting with the Son; you ſhould rather ſay, The Father, Son and Spirit covenanted with the Son: For by this Notion you take in the Perſons of the Trinity; for you muſt take them all in the covenanting part; and then there's as much reaſon to take them in all in their ſtipitulating part, becauſe the Son is God, and ſo the three Perſons covenanted with themſelves under the ſame diſtinct conſideration in the Godhead. But we ſay, God eſſentially conſidered covenanted in the Perſon of the Father, with Man in the Perſon of the Son. His Son taking Man's part, being his Repreſentative, as having his Nature in the ſame Perſon; therefore as the Second Adam, having all the Spiritual Seed in his Loyns, and as a common Perſon foederally.

Neonom.

And what is a Covenant between theſe …a…sks?

Antinom.

It's the Promiſe of Eternal Life made to Chriſt, and to the Elect in him to be performed in and through Jeſus Chriſt as the great Condition to all them that ſhall be ſaved by him. Covenants are denominated from either part, by a Synechdoche here chiefly from the Promiſe, as the ſame is ſometimes from the Condition.

The Covenant of Grace is a great Myſtery, &c. Rom. 16.25. Col. 1.26. 1. Becauſe it was Eternal, Tit. 1.2. 2 Tim. 1.9. 2. That though between God and Man, yet being made with us in Chriſt, it was between Equals, Phil. 2.6. 3. That though it was a Covenant of Works, yet a Covenant of Grace, to Chriſt a Covenant of Works, and moſt conditional, Iſa. 53.10, 11, 12. To us abſolute and free, being a Promiſe of the Gift of Chriſt, and all Bleſſings in him. 4. It is myſterious in reſpect of the ſeveral ſtates that it hath had. 1. Hidden. 2. Revealed. Hidden in God before the World was; Revealed ſince the World. 1. Leſs manifeſted in the Promulgation before Chriſt's coming. (1) In reſpect of the few Emanations and Diſcoveries of its Brightneſs and Luſtre in Abſolute Promiſes to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, David. (2) In regard of it's Vailed ſtate. Firſt, Under the Veils, of Sacrifices, Types, Figures. Secondly, Under a Legal, Moral and Conditional Adminiſtration. 5. It is myſterious in regard of the various Names and Titles that it hath had from it's different Diſpenſations; that under the Law was called Old and Faulty, becauſe it made but a partial Diſcovery of it's Glory and Luſtre. In the New Teſtament it's p. 126called the New Covenant, in reſpect of the new and clear Diſpenſation; it's called the Promiſe, becauſe it appears abſolutely given forth in a Promiſſory way; it's called the foreign as well as foreign, from the Nature of it in relation to Sinners it's good News to them. It's called a Teſtament, becauſe confirmed by Chriſt's Death.

Neonom.

But you tell me not how you prove the Covenant of Grace and Redemption are all one.

Antinom.

1. Becauſe I know them not ſpoken of any where as diſtinct Covenants. The Scripture of Iſa. 53.10, 11, 12. is a place wherein this Covenant is ſo clearly deſcribed between the Father and the Son, it holds forth the Covenant of Grace fully and clearly, the Promiſe of all Grace and Benefits that are contained in the ſaid Covenant of Grace. And the Apoſtle tells us expreſly, That this Covenant-Agreement was the Will by which we are ſanctified, through the offering of the Body of Jeſus once for all, Heb. 10.8, 9, 10.

2. That Covenant that contains in it the whole Matter and Form, in Conditions and Promiſes, of the Covenant of Grace, doth not Eſſentially differ from it: but the Covenant of Redemption doth. It contains Conditions and Promiſes of Grace, all things that pertain to Life and Godlineſs; and it contains in it all conditions upon which we may be partakers of any Promiſes, Chriſt's Perſon, Offices, Sacrifice, Righteouſneſs Active and Paſſive, there's no Covenant condition, of Atonement, Propitiation, Satisfaction unto the Juſtice of God, but it is here, Chriſt is the Great Fulfiller of the Law, and Satisfier of it; he is the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs to every Believer, Rom. 10.4.

3. From the Vailed Diſpenſation of the Covenant of Grace before the coming of Chriſt, their Sacrifices, and their Ceremonial Adminiſtration held forth in a Figure, that it is made to Chriſt, and confirmed in him as the Great Offering, and Atonement; Chriſt is there exemplified and ſet forth as the fulneſs of the Covenant of Grace, both in reſpect of Promiſes and Conditions.

4. When we plead any thing of the Covenant of Grace, it's the Promiſes of Life made to us in Chriſt, as Yea and Amen to us in him, in reſpect of obtaining and performance to us.

5. Our Juſtifying Acts of Faith is fixed on Chriſt as the Summ of the Covenant of Grace, as Satisfying for our Sins, and as to whom the Promiſes were made, and the great thing promiſed, as the Fountain and Meritorious Cauſe of all Bleſſings; he is given us as the Covenant.

p. 1276. There is all Grace to be had in this Covenant, fruſtra fit per plura quod fieri poteſt per pauciora; there is no Grace but is given forth and received by us in this Covenant between the Father and Son; the Gift of the Spirit, the Grace of Faith, Juſtification by his Blood; by him came all Grace; yea all other ſuppoſed Grace that came not from the Father, and through Chriſt, is no Grace, and will not profit us.

7. Where the Covenanters Condition and Promiſes are all from Grace and Love to us, there's a Covenant of Grace; but in that which you call a diſtinct Covenant of Redemption, the Covenanters, the Conditions and Promiſes are of Free Grace and Love to us; God the Father from his Free Grace and Love to us called his Son to this Undertaking and Covenanting with him; God the Son in our Perſon from his Love and Free Grace Covenanted with his Father, he came and freely offered himſelf to perform the Covenant condition. The condition of this Covenant in all Mediatorial Perfections and Performances, is freely promiſed and beſtowed upon us. The Promiſe of Eternal Life, all Grace and Glory are promiſed and given, in this Covenant. That is a Covenant of Grace, wherein God is to us a God of all Grace.

8. If the Covenant of Redemption be not the Covenant of Grace, then there is more Covenants than the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace for Life and Salvation, but there is no more Covenants for our Life and Salvation, but that of Works, and that of Grace. The Minor I think hardly any will deny; but if it be ſaid there was Moſes Mount Sinai Covenant; that was but a darker and faultier Diſpenſation of the Covenant of Grace in the Moral and Ceremonial Law; if Church Covenants be alledged under the Law or Goſpel, they add nothing to this grand Covenant, but are Accompliſhments of the Promiſes thereof to whom it doth belong, it being promiſed that they ſhall be God's People; in this Covenant Chriſt ſtipulates, and we in him, as we did in the firſt Adam, then when we believe we ſtipulate, moved thereto from the Grace of the Promiſe, and enter perſonally into this Covenant, embracing that Covenant which was made for us in Chriſt, it's called laying hold of it. It is ſolemnly alſo owned, profeſſed and reſtipulated to, when we enter into Church Fellowſhip; repeated Reſtipulations, and Renewings of the ſame Covenant may be, without changing the Covenant; for as we find God often repeats this Covenant, and renews it with his People in Revelation and Eſtabliſhment, as with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, p. 128yet it was but the ſame Covenant; ſo are God's Children excited and encouraged thereto from the Free Grace of the ſaid Covenant.

I ſhall not here enlarge any further, but refer the Reader to that Excellent Treatiſe of the Reverend Mr. Petto concerning the Covenants; where C. 2. p. 18. he gives us this account of the Covenant of Grace, viz.

The Covenant of Grace was made and eſtabliſhed not only with us, but jointly with Jeſus Chriſt, and us in him; ſo that both are within one and the ſame Covenant, for the great Tranſactions with Jeſus, yea, even the giving and ſending of him, and his accepting the Office of a Redeemer, and undertaking for us, theſe are all of Grace as well as what is promiſed to us through him; therefore the Covenant of Grace muſt take in all that conduceth (otherwiſe than a meer Decree) to our Reſtauration and Eternal Salvation.

1. There is no Scripture Evidence for making theſe two Covenants, one of Suretiſhip or Redemption with Jeſus Chriſt, and another of Grace and Reconciliation made with us; that diſtinction which ſome uſe is improper, for the parts are coincident, ſeeing that which was with Chriſt was of meer Grace alſo, John 3.16. And it's promiſed that he ſhould be given for a Covenant, Iſa. 42.6. therefore it's of Grace we are Redeemed by him, 2 Tim. 1.9. There was Grace before the World was, and that muſt be in the Covenant as with Jeſus Chriſt, which was for Reconciling the VVorld to the Father, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. Coloſ. 1.20, 21. It's true, Chriſt only is our Redeemer and Surety, not we in our own Perſons, — And Chriſt hath ſome peculiar Precepts and Promiſes appropriated to him, which are not afforded to us in the ſame manner and degree, yet this hindereth not the Oneneſs of the Covenant with him and us.

2. The Covenant of Grace was made with Jeſus Chriſt as a Publick Perſon, a Second Adam, and therefore with all his Seed in him.

3. All in the Covenant as with us, is undertaken for and promiſed in the Covenant as between the Father and the Son, and ſo together make but one Covenant.

4. All Covenant Bleſſings are primarily granted to Chriſt. See more, p. 23, &c.

Neonom.

Q. 2. What is intended by a Condition?

A. I anſwer in the Words of the Worthy Mr. Flavel (Diſcourſe of Errors, p. 248.) An antecedent condition ſignifies no more than an Act of ours; which though it be neither perfect in every degree, nor in the leaſt meritorious of the Benefit conferr'd, nor performed in our natural Strength, yet according to the Conſtitution of the Covenant, it is required of us, in order to the Bleſſing conſequent thereupon, by vertue of the Promiſe; and conſequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in this Order, are and muſt be ſuſpended by the Donor, or Diſpoſer of them, till it be performed; ſuch a Condition we affirm Faith to be.

Antinom.

Mr. Flavel was a worthy Man; but it may be not without ſome Hay and Stubble. I wiſh it do not prove an attempting at another Foundation beſides Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.10, 11, 12, 13.

You tell us, what an antecodent condition is; that it ſignifies no p. 129more than an Act of ours, and ſuch is Faith. I ſuppoſe you and he mean, in diſtinction from a conſequent condition: The Antecedent gains the Eſtate; the Lawyers reckon it the Purchaſe-Mony, the conſequent condition keeps it, and it's the Quit-rent, which if it be not duly paid, the Lord can enter and take to the Eſtate: So that Faith you'll have to be the Antecedent condition money depoſited and laid down, before you have any thing of your Spiritual Eſtate. And you ſay, it ſignifies no more than an Act of ours. I pray, whoſe ſhould it be but ours, if the condition be to be performed by us? And why is this put in, it ſignifies no more? Unleſs the meaning be, that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs ſhould be ſhut out, and it ſhould be reckoned under the nature of this condition meerly as an Act of ours, without reſpect to Chriſt the Author of it, and Chriſt the true Object of it. And now you tell us it's Negative Qualifications. 1. It's not perfect in every degree. What's the meaning of that? This inſinuates as if it were perfect in ſome degrees. I had thought no Grace were perfect in degrees, tho' as to Kind and Truth. But you will have it perfect in ſome degrees, and imperfect in other degrees: Pray in what degrees is this condition perfect, and in what imperfect? And whether it be not an imperfect Covenant that hath an imperfect Condition? 2. It's not in the leaſt meritorious of the Benefits conferred, by no means, i. e. by any Intrinſick Value and Worth, either adequate to, or excelling the Benefits received. No, your meaning is, what you have for it is well worth your Money; it's a good Bargain: But by your Favour, every Foederal Condition is ex pacto, meritorious; ſo that you may challenge your Bargain upon Performance, if it be but 20 Guineas to purchaſe an 100 l. per Annum: So that we have only your Word for it, that it's not meritorious, when it's ſo in reality; the nature of the thing ſpeaks it to the Underſtanding of all Men of Sence. No, no; do not think to wheedle Chriſt out of his Merits, and God out of the Honour of his Free-Grace, and us out of the comfort of both. 3. You ſay it's not performed in our Natural Strength. No, and yet a condition of Covenant made with Man? A moſt unreaſonable thing, to require a Condition of a Covenant of one, that we know hath no ſtrength to perform it. If a rich Man ſhould offer an Eſtate of 1000 l. a year to a poor Man that he knew was not worth a Groat, provided he fetched him Twenty Pound of his own Money; this Act would be reckoned a mocking and ridiculing this poor Wretch. God did not require that ſmall Condition of Adam, but that he actually had natural Strength to perform it. p. 130You will ſay, God will give him Ability to perform, ſo he did to Adam, previous to the Covenant. As the rich Man tells the poor, I will give thee 20 l. to pay me for my Eſtate, he'll ſay, Well, Sir, when you give it me, I will then bargain with you; and when I have it, though you gave it me, I ſhall reckon it mine as much as if I had raiſed it my ſelf, or another had given; and if we bargain, I ſhall expect to have my Bargain upon this condition. Though it's a good Bargain, yet it's a Bargain, and whatever I have of you is Debt. I can ſue for it as purchaſed by me, ſaith the poor Man. Now ſee how well qualified this Condition is; no, no, believe it, God makes no ſuch lame Bargains as theſe: Yet you ſay, according to the Conſtitution of the Covenant, it is required of us in order to the Bleſſings conſequent thereupon by vertue of the Promiſe. This I muſt confeſs is an Orthodox Paradox indeed. What mean you by the Conſtitution of the Covenant? Is it not as other Covenants, by the Conſtitution of your Scheme? Is it not by a Condition and Promiſe? And is not this Condition performed Foederale Meritum? And is not, Do this and Live, Ordo foederalis, and the Bleſſings conſequent ex pacto, and therefore Debt? Think not to beat us out of our Senſes, that the Bleſſings of a Covenant are only à conſequentia Ordinis vel poſterioritatis: As one Man follows another in a narrow Path, or Ordine Naturae, as a Son is after a Father: But here it is in Ordine ad, Virtute pacti, in order to a Foederal Right and Challenge of the Benefits as a due Debt. But how do you underſtand that Clauſe, By vertue of the Promiſe?

Neonom.

It's from God's Will in the Promiſe, that they are made to be Conditions: He connected the Benefit and the Duty; though he choſe thoſe Conditions that were fit, yet their fitneſs would not have availed to our Intereſt in the Benefits, unleſs he had promiſed that they ſhould avail. A Penitent Believer had not been ſaved but for the Promiſe, though it's unlik… a God to have ſaved any that were not ſuch. D. W. p. 55.

Antinom.

Wherefore God's Will in the Promiſe? Are not the Promiſe and the Conditions both equally willed by God? Is God's Will in the Promiſe any thing beſides that Will of God that is in the Condition? The plain Truth is, this is a puzzling Doctrine, God's Will in the Promiſe that makes Conditions. But how? You tell us, he connected Benefit and Duty. But in what manner? For he connected Benefit and Duty in the Covenant of Works; and it was as much God's Will in the Promiſe as you can pretend to, if I underſtand the Riddle: But you ſay, he choſe fit Conditions. It was fit God ſhould chooſe his Conditions, and it became his Wiſdom and Power to make fit Conditions: But imperfect, lame, p. 131ſinful Conditions of a Covenant do not become a holy and perfect God to chooſe; to caſt away perfect Conditions, and take Imperfect in their room. But though God choſe fit Conditions, yet they would not have availed, (ſufficient, you reckon, but not efficient) God's choice of Perſons or things in your Sence, makes them not certainly future; yet we find that many things that God hath choſen do avail to attain the End to which he choſe them, tho' there be no Promiſe of their availing. But it ſeems God makes a Covenant with Man, and is fain to enter into Bond for Man's Performance of the Condition, and perform them himſelf at laſt in giving the firſt Grace. But what indeed ſhould be the true Engliſh, after all this Splutter about a Condition? It's but a little thing wrapt up in the Promiſe, and is ours by vertue of Promiſe. So that at laſt our conditional Covenant is become Abſolute; for we have the Duty as well as the Benefit by Promiſe. The Penitent Believer hath his Faith and Repentance as a part of eternal Life given to him by Promiſe.

Neonom.

And conſequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in this Order, are, and muſt be ſuſpended by the Donor or Diſpoſer of them till it be performed, and ſuch a condition we affirm Faith to be.

Antinom.

And a fine buſineſs you have made of it. And conſequently, i. e. Foederally; for it's no otherwiſe conſequently: There muſt be a Suſpenſion of the granted Benefits, not by the Donor, that's improper, but by the Bargainer: And how long? Till he is pleaſed to give the Man Money to make the Purchaſe with: And is not this Reaſon, if he be to find the Money? And is it any Fault in the poor Man that he doth not make the Purchaſe, when he that ſhould ſell him the Eſtate hath all the Purchaſe-money in his Hands? You bid poor Sinners come and buy; and you ſay not with the Prophet, without money and price, but you muſt have ſuch a parcel of Mony to do it with, which Money is in God's Hands. They will tell you, when God gives us the Money, we will buy, and till then it's not our Fault. He is a hard Maſter if he looks to reap where he ſowed not.

Neonom.

Theſe Conditions are our Duty by God's Command, and no leſs ſo by being made Terms of the Benefit in the Divine Grant. D. W. p. 55.

Antinom.

It ſeems you make more Conditions than one; we ſhall meet with them by and by. 2. You make the Covenant of Grace a Covenant of Legiſlation, and ſo a new Law directly oppoſed to the Covenant of Promiſe, as we do make appear. Was not the condition appointed to Adam by God's Command, p. 132and had antecedent Power given him to perform? Is it not unreaſonable to command the performance of a condition, where the Commander knows there is no Power to perform? Is it conſiſtent with the Wiſdom of God to command an Impoſſibility to his Creature, as a Covenant-condition? And is it juſt to deal with him upon his Non-performance, according to the Sanction of a Law? And you ſay, His Duty no leſs by being made Terms, &c. You ſhould have ſaid, Legally much more. In ſtead of Terms of the Benefit, you ſhould have ſaid, Terms of the Covenant, if you had ſpoken properly. And as for the Grant you ſpeak of, it's but conditional, and there's no Grant at all pleadable till the Condition be performed.

Neonom.

The Covenant, tho conditional, is a Diſpoſition of Grace: There's Grace in giving Ability to perform the Condition, as well as beſtowing the Benefits; God's enjoyning one in order to the other, makes not the Benefit to be the leſs given. D. W. p. 55.

Ant…nom.

In a conditional Covenant (that is a Covenant of Works in the higheſt Sence) there is always a Diſpoſition of Grace to the Creature, even in that by which the very good Angels ſtand, and was in that made with Adam. It's Grace that God offers Happineſs to his Creature upon any Terms, when he is in a capacity to perform them. It's Grace to take his Creature into Covenant. The Angels are ſaved by Grace, and ſo would Man have been, if he had ſtood; and though he fell, there was that Grace you ſpeak of in giving Ability to perform the condition, and giving it before he put the condition upon him, which is not here; for you'll have the condition put upon a Sinner, before the Diſpoſition of Grace to give him Ability; which makes it a harſh dealing, and unreaſonable, and hence far from Grace, and therefore this enjoyning makes not only leſs Grace, but no Grace.

Neonom.

It's a Diſplay of God's Wiſdom, in conferring the Benefit, ſuitably to the Nature and State of Man in this Life, whoſe Eternal Condition is not Eternally decided, but are in a ſtate of Trial; yea, the Conditions are but a meetneſs to receive the Bleſſings.

Antinom.

Groſs Divinity! I had thought Chriſt in the Covenant had been the great diſplay of God's Wiſdom, 1 Cor. 1. But you muſt have a pitiful condition, an imperfect, ſinful Righteouſneſs inſtead of him, and a Covenant agreeable to the corrupt Nature and State of Men, and indeed ſo is yours, for there's nothing ſuits more with our carnal, corrupt Hearts, than to ſeek Salvation in ſuch a way as you pretend to. And is not the State of Believers decided in this Life? But is it ſtill a contingent Axiom that John a p. 133true Believer ſhall be ſaved? What miſerable conſequences will hence be inferr'd, the conditions are ſtill performing theſe Federal Conditions and Subjective Qualifications, it may be the Man may not perform them all, and then he periſheth Eternally; there's no certainty of Salvation here, no Man can have any more than an Opinion of it, ſhake hands with the Papiſts and Arminians. Nay hence it ſeems that all the Grace given here is no part of Eternal Life, but qualifying conditions to make them meet for it Federally, and that in true Engliſh is to make them merit it. Laſtly, All the Doctrine of Election is hereby overthrown, you may tear out, Eph. 1. and Rom. 9. and ſeveral other places of Scripture out of your Bible. No Man's Eternal Condition is by the Eternal God decided. The beſt Man is but upon his Tryal as Adam was, whether he will ſtand or fall.

Neonom.

I will ſhew you the Reaſon why we uſe the word Condition. 1. Becauſe it beſt ſuits with Man's Relation to God, in his preſents Dealings with us as Subjects in Tryal for Eternity. D.W. p. 55.

Antinom.

I know not why you ſhould make any Apology for uſing the word, for undoubtedly it beſt ſuits with your Syſtem of Divinity; though it would not have ſuited with Paul's conditions, it will ſuit our Nature that are Dead in Treſpaſſes, without ſtrength, in the Fleſh, and cannot pleaſe God in the performance of any conditions; and it ſuits his preſent Dealings you ſay in way of tryal for our Eternal Eſtate, upon our good Behaviour in performance of after conditions as well as firſt conditions, our Calling, Election, Juſtification, Union with Chriſt, the Promiſes of Perſeverance, all doth not decide our eternal Eſtate, nothing but our final Performance of conditions. Lord have Mercy upon us and our Miniſters! Where's our Goſpel?

Neonom.

Chriſt as Prieſt hath merited all.

Antinom.

He ought then to be content, and not except againſt your Scheme, you allow him enough.

Neonom.

But as King or Prieſt upon his Throne he diſpenſeth all, he enjoyns the Conditions in order to the Benefits; and makes the Benefits Motives to our Complivnce with the Conditions: He treats with Men as his Subjects, whom he will now Rule, and hereafter Judge.

Antinom.

Now he comes to his Rectoral Rule of Government, and gives forth his new Law. I had thought Chriſt had been a King, and exerted his Kingly Office upon the Croſs as well as upon the Throne; but now you ſay he acts as a King or Prieſt upon the Throne; and as ſuch, either King or Prieſt, you know not which, he enjoyns Conditions in order to Benefits. You ſhould ſpeak plainly; you mean, He ſets up a new Law, juſtifies or condemns p. 134Men by the Works of this Law, and treats all the World as redeemed Subjects, deals with them according to this new Law, bringing them upon their Tryal for Eternity. Your meaning is, that Chriſt hath merited a Power to himſelf to exerciſe Dominion in the Earth, and bring Men under his Tryal and Judicature in performance of Conditions; and they that are ſaved ſhall be ſaved by his Regal Power. It's enough for his Prieſtly Office, that it merited what he was to do as King: But not all; for the firſt Grace muſt not come from his Merits; and now there's but a little Uſe for his Prieſthood; all the reſt depend upon our Conditions.

Neonom.

Now what word is ſo proper to expreſs the Duty as enjoyned means of Benefits, like this Word Conditions?

Antinom.

It ſeems you hug this Word Condition extreamly.

Neonom.

Yes, I do. There's few Author's of Note, even of any Perſwaſion, but make uſe of this Word in my Sence. viz. Twiſs, Rutherford, &c.

Antinom.

Few of them underſtood the Word as you do, or at leaſt made uſe of it in your Sence: But whether they underſtood it ſo or not, it's no great matter. I would wiſh you to build a Condition-School, where all Perſons might reſort to the hearing Condition-Lectures, to ſit them to underſtand your Terms of Art in Preaching: And let us conſider a little the Nature of it. Condition comes under ſeveral Conſiderations.

1. Logical; and there it's Conditio conditionans, or Conditio conditionata. It's more Ordinis, aut Relationis, reſpectu Ordinis; It ariſeth from a Priority and Poſteriority of things: All things can't be at once, but one thing muſt be before another; and here one thing is the condition of another reſpectu temporis; there is Conditio relativa; and ſo all Arguments are mutual Conditions one of another, and conſiſt è mutuâ alterius affectione; and here is not Prioritas temporis ſed nature Pater eſt conditio Filii; or rather, Paternitas relata affectio eſt cauſa filietatis correlata affectionis. There is Conditio Axiomatica, which ariſeth from a Contingent Axiom, or neceſſary; and either connex, becauſe they're moſtly expreſs'd Conjunctione connexivâ ſi. And ſo there is alſo Conditio in diſpoſitione Syllogiſticâ, ex dependentia inter concluſiones & premiſſa. There is alſo Law-Conditions. Dr. Cawel ſaith, It is a Rate, Manner, or Law annexed to Men's Acts or Grants, ſtaying and ſuſpending the ſame, and making them uncertain whether they ſhall take effect or no. And Papinian ſaith, Conditio dicitur cum quid in caſum incertum, qui poteſt tendere ad eſſe aut non eſſe confertur. This is a general Account of a Condition, as ariſing out of a Contingency, the effect depending upon p. 135an uncertain Cauſe. And a Learned Lawyer ſaith, A Condition is a Reſtraint or Bridle annexed and joyned to a Promiſe, by the performance of which it's ratifyed and takes effect, and by the Non-performance of it becomes void.

Such a Condition I perceive you and Mr. Flavel will have Faith to be; a Condition upon which the Promiſe is made, and the Performance ſuſpended by the Diſpoſer till the ſaid Condition be performed. Conditio adimpleri debet priuſque ſequatur effectus. Now this being your Condition, I ſay, it's Foederal. It's Conditio Foederalis; and let it be in value leſs or more, it makes a Covenant of Works, and is cloathed with all the Logical Notions of Condititions beſides. The Logical Conditions are in all things ex neceſſitate dependentiae mutuae rerum, and a Man can't move a Hand or Tongue without them. Even Brutes and all inanimate Beings, as well as Men, they belong to the whole Fabrick and Conſtitution of created Beings. But a Foederal Condition belongs only to rational Beings; and it's related to the Promiſe ex pacto, in a way of Merit, and the Promiſe belongs to it by way of Debt. And in this Sence the Apoſtle always decries the Law, or any Law, to have to do with our Juſtification; he affirms, that it's always of Grace, and never of Debt, upon the leaſt Conſideration whatever of our Performance and Qualification.

And this is the Condition that I contend againſt, and ſay,

That neither Faith, or any other Gracious Qualifications or Graces of the Spirit, are Foederal Conditions, or Conditions of the Covenant of Grace. My Arguments, ſome of them in brief are theſe.

That which is a Gift of the Promiſe of eternal Life, is no condition of it; but Faith is a gift of the Promiſe, Ergo. For the Major, it's clear; for one thing can't be another eodem reſpectu & tempore. The Condition and Promiſe are Oppoſita; they are Foederalia relata, and therefore Contraria affirmantia; a Father can't be a Son in that reſpect as he is a Father. As to the Minor, it's out of all doubt by Divine Teſtimony. See John 17.3. Eph. 2.8. To know Chriſt by Faith, is Eternal Life; and this Life of Faith is the Gift of God. Hence Faith, that is the Benefit promiſed, is not the condition of it. A Promiſe, or Gift of the Promiſe, cannot be the Condition of it ſelf.

2. That which would make the Promiſe a Debt, and the Gift of it a Reward of Debt, is not to be allowed: But to make Faith a Foederal Condition of the Covenant of Grace, would make the Promiſe to be Debt, and the Reward a Reward of Debt. p. 136Therefore Faith is not to be allowed to be a Condition of the Covenant. For the Major, it will ſtand with invincible ſtrength from the Apoſtle Paul's Divinity and Logick, Rom. 4.4. Believing and working are oppoſed as working and not working, as Contradicentia. It's vain and frivolous to ſhift by evaſive Interpretations; and all that's ſaid to that purpoſe, is eaſily wip'd off. For the Minor, That putting Faith in as a Federal condition, would make the Promiſe a Debt. The Performance of any Work, or doing any Act as a Federal Condition, let it be never ſo ſmall, the promiſing Federator becomes indebted thereby to beſtow the Benefit promiſed on the Confoederator, ex obligatione foederali, and therefore a Debtor. Now the Apoſtle will not allow any thing of this in the leaſt Meaſure.

In thoſe places where the Apoſtle oppoſeth Faith to Works he ſpeaks of ſuch Works as contain perfect and perpetual Obedience, ſuch as God required of man under the Law, but not of thoſe Works which comprehend that Obedience which God requires of us who believe in Chriſt Racov. Catech. c. 9. Therefore your Doctrine of Conditions is Socin.3. That Doctrine which will make all the Graces of Sanctification or gracious Qualifications, Federal Conditions, is not to be admitted. But to ſay, Faith is a condition of the Covenant in the Sence pleaded for, will bring in all other Graces as well as it's ſelf, Ergo this Doctrine is not to be admitted; for there is as much reaſon that all of them be allowed to be Conditions, as that Faith ſhould; and therefore I ſee you and your Party bring in Repentance and other Graces together with Faith; and ſay, Our eternal Life is given unto us at the laſt, upon conditional Meetneſs for it. But the Scripture no where ſpeaks of our Juſtification, for or by Repentunce, Love, Patience, Mortification of Sin, &c. not ſo much as once in the Sence that it ſpeaks of Juſticfiation by Faith: And therefore Faith juſtifies not in it's qualifying nature, which it hath in common with other Graces of the Spirit. God never intended our ſtricteſt Holineſs and higheſt degrees of Grace ſhould be our Juſtifying Righteouſneſs before God, or Federal Conditions of the Covenant of Grace.

4. That any Act of ours ſhould be a Federal Condition of the Covenant of Grace, deſtroys the very Nature of it,Rom. 11.6. Eph. 2.8, 9. Tit. 2.5. Rom. 5.17, 18. Iſa. 55.1, 2. 1 Cor. 2.12. Rom. 3.24.Rom 11:6Eph 2:8Eph 2:9Titus 2:5Rom 5:17Rom 5:18Isa 55:1Isa 55:21 Cor 2:12Rom 3:24 as it ſtands in oppoſition to the Covenant of Works; it can't be diſtinguiſhed otherwiſe from the Covenant of Works; for the Condition of the Covenant of Works was as ſmall as any thing, imagining the Ability was p. 137given before the Condition was required. He ſhould have had perſevering Grace in the Promiſe, had he outſtood this Temptation. Now the formal difference between the Covenant of Works, and Grace was in the Condition, that in the Covenant of Works the Righteouſneſs which was the Condition was in Man himſelf that was to be Juſtified. In the Covenant of Grace the conditional Righteouſneſs is in another: Not only the Promiſe, but the Condition is freely given, and is in another. If we muſt provide the Condition; nay, if it muſt be inherent in us, though wrought by God, it makes our Covenant-ſtanding no otherwiſe than the firſt and old Covenant-ſtanding. Beſides, the Deſign of God in the Covenant of Grace, is not only to ſave graciouſly, ſo he doth ſave Elect Angels, but to ſave mercifully; to take them into Covenant with him, that not only are without good Qualifications, but ſuch as are moſt ſinful and miſerable, and not to qualifie them with meriting or dignifying Righteouſneſs firſt, but to ſave them ſo, that neither they themſelves, nor God himſelf, will ſee any Federal Conditions of Righteouſneſs in them. The deſign of Grace is to ſave the Creature in the higheſt Degree of Abaſement in himſelf, and far from boaſting, or ſeeing any reaſon in himſelf to do it.

6. The great and Evangelical Promulgations of this Covenant of Grace was always in abſolute Promiſes, and no mention made of Federal Conditions in us. Jer. 31.33. Ezek. 36.25. Hoſ. 2.18, 19, 20. See Zanch. upon the place, He doth not ſay, If thou wilt repent, I will receive thee into favour, and betroth thee; but abſolutely,Tom. 5. fol, in Hoſ. p. 4…, & 55. I will betroth thee. It is therefore a moſt abſolute Covenant, wherein God without any Condition doth promiſe that he will receive his People into Favour, and ſave them. The firſt Promiſe to Adam was abſolute; and was not thoſe repeated Promiſes of it to Abraham and the Patriarchs abſolute? The forenamed Author ſpeaking of the Covenant made with Abraham, Gen. 17.7. notes, that this Promiſe is altogether free, abſolute, and without Condition, becauſe in the Words of the Covenant we find no Condition.

7. That which is a New Covenant Condition to ſome ſaved ones, is to all; for it's not to be ſuppoſed that the New Covenant hath divers ſorts of Conditions, but faith or Evangelical Obedience cannot be a condition to ſome, Ergo, not the condition. Minor. It cannot be the condition to ſaved Infants nor Ideots, but it is not to be doubted but God ſaves many of them by the Covenant of Grace.

8. If Jeſus Chriſt himſelf be the Sole Condition of the New Covenant, then Faith nor no other Grace of the Spirit is not the condition. p. 138The Spirit it ſelf is not the foederal condition of the Covenant, but promiſed to work Faith and Holineſs in us. But Chriſt is the only condition. 1. His Righteouſneſs is our Condition in Satisfaction of the Law, both as to Active and Paſſive Obedience, Rom. 10.4. He is the Condition in whom it is, through whom Eternal Life is conveyed to us, 1 John 5.11. He is the condition through whom all the Benefits flow, Eph. 1.3. Redemption, Forgiveneſs, ver. 7. He is the Condition of all Good, in him, through him, and by him we have, (1 Cor. 1.30.) Reconciliation; Col. 1.21. Of him we have our Faith, Heb. 12. beg. That Chriſt is the only Foederal condition of the Covenant, is ſo clear and plain a Truth thoroughout all the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament, that he muſt deny the Sun in the Firmament that denies this Truth; Chriſt himſelf is the Sole Condition of the Covenant.

1. It's impoſſible any thing elſe ſhould be the Condition, &c.

(1.) There's nothing elſe can reconcile Sinners to God in bearing Sin and Curſe; he only was our Condition for Reconciliation.

(2.) There's nothing elſe pleadable with God.

1. Chriſt can plead nothing elſe in his Interceſſion, but his own Righteouſneſs.

2. We can plead nothing elſe with God, not our Faith or Obedience, when be come before God in Prayer, Dan. 9.18.

3. Our beſt Holineſs cannot have any ſatisfying Vertue for Sin committed.

II. Chriſt muſt be the only Condition, that the Covenant of Grace might be free to us: That Grace might be free Grace.

III. He that is the Condition of beſtowing the Spirit which works Grace, is the condition of all Grace that enſues, but Chriſt is the condition of the beſtowing the Spirit; Ergo, He hath purchaſed this Gift; he ſends the Spirit; it is his Spirit, he had it for this end without meaſure.

Neonom.

I will tell you what is intended by the Benefits of the Covenant? A. The Good Things or Priviledges promiſed to ſuch as by Grace are enabled to comply with the Terms of the Covenant, eſpecially whatever is Eſſential to our Felicity. D. W. p. 56.

Antinom.

I pray to what doth that Grace that doth enable a Man to comply with the Terms belong? Is it any Priviledge or Benefit of the Covenant? Or hath he it out of Covenant? And what is that Benefit that he hath in changing his Heart, in turning him from Darkneſs to Light? Is not this the performance of the Promiſe of Eternal Life? What condition have you to Premiſe to this Gift of God? You talk of the Grace of God enabling a Sinner to comply, p. 139juſt as if he were to keep his Old State, and the Grace of God did only help and aſſiſt him by ſome Moral Perſwaſion; I pray tell me:

1. Is not the firſt Life of Grace a good Thing and Priviledge? What in us is the condition of it?

2. Nay, Is not the Preaching of the Goſpel a good Thing and Priviledge? And doth not Faith come by Hearing? You ſhould make Hearing a condition of the Covenant; for every Duty to be performed Antecedaneous to another in Order thereunto, or as a Means for it, is it's condition, but not a Federal condition; dreſſing Meat is ſuch a condition to the eating of it; making a Suit of Cloaths to the putting it on, &c.

Neonom.

It's needful that I acquaint you, wherein the conditions of the Covenant of Grace, differ from conditions in the Covenant of Innocency, or Works as vulgarly called; for both lye in doing ſomething, though not the ſame thing, nor to the ſame end, p. 56.

Antinom.

We are like to have Excellent Doctrine now; here's a plain declaration that the Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Works, though it's not the ſame individual thing, and ſomething elſe deſigned, but it lyes in doing.

Neonom.

1. The conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Chriſt freely given to Sinners. The conditions of the Covenant of Innocency were performed by a ſtrength due to and inherent in our Innocent Nature. D. W. p. 57.

Antinom.

To ſay the conditions of the Covenant of Grace are performed by the Grace of Chriſt freely given to Sinners, and that any Act of ours is a condition, I affirm to be a contradiction. 1. Whatever is freely given to a Sinner, is no part of a Federal condition as ſuch, but of a Promiſe. 2. That which is to be aſcribed wholly as to all its Good to Grace, is no condition of a Covenant in us, or conditionary part, if there be any it's in Chriſt. 3. You do manifeſtly own that Sinners are not capable of a Covenant condition, it muſt be wrought in them, therefore how abſurd is it to ſay a Covenant Promiſe was made to them upon condition of their own Act, when they do not Act, nor have Power to Act. 4. The conditions of the Covenant of Innocency (as you would have it improperly enough) were performed by a ſtrength given freely, and that before the condition was impoſed; you make the New Law harder, becauſe it commands Duty as a condition be…ore it gives ſtrength to perform; and how was it due to our Innocent Nature? no more than a diſtinct Nature from Bruits was due to us; it was all of Gracious Bounty and ex beneplacito; there's nothing due to the Creature from the Creator, but what he will p. 140from his free good Will and Pleaſure make due; well then, hitherto you ſhew us no more Grace in your New Law than in the Old Law, and I am miſtaken if not leſs.

Neonom.

2. The Principal Conditions of the Covenant of Grace expreſs the Guilt and Miſery of them that perform them. Repentance owns our Filth and Guilt, and Faith in a Redeemer expreſſeth our ſinful and loſt Eſtate; neither of theſe could have place in our Legal Righteouſneſs, as being utterly inconſiſtent with an Innocent condition: Nor can they have much Room in Heaven, where we ſhall be perfect, whereas the Terms of the Covenant of Works implied nothing but Innocency and Happineſs.

Antinom.

You tell us of Faith and Repentance being the Principal condition; I pray which are the reſt of the conditions, it's fit we ſhould know them all, and when we have performed our part that we make our claim, for we can make none till we have performed all. 2. If our Repentance only as a condition expreſs Guilt and Filth, it expreſſeth our Condemnation only, and thereby not a condition of Salvation; it worketh Wrath, and thereby belongs to the Law of Works broken, Rom. 4.15. If it be a condition of Salvation it muſt take off Guilt and Filth by Expiation, which you dare not ſay Repentance doth make; and ſo Faith, it's not enough to expreſs a ſinful and loſt Eſtate; that's but a Sentence of Death, but it muſt as a condition take off this Sentence, by its own Nature. 3. Whereas you ſay neither of theſe, i. e. Faith or Repentance could have place in our Legal Righteouſneſs; it's falſe, for Faith had place in our Legal Righteouſneſs. Adam's Legal Righteouſneſs was Faith and Obedience, and his Legal unrighteouſneſs was begun in Unbelief, which is manifeſt from the Serpents Temptation, Gen. 3.3. which Adam complyed with; our Firſt Parents fell firſt by Unbelief. And why could not Repentance have been one of the conditions, if the Law-giver had pleaſed to put it in? Why might not the Law run in theſe Terms, In the day thou eateſt, and doſt not repent thereof, thou ſhalt die, and ſo one Law ſhould have done all? Why could there not have been as many conditions, and the ſame in the Old Law as you will have in the New? therefore there's nothing hinders in the Nature of the thing that makes it inconſiſtent, as you ſay, with an Innocent condition; why may not a proviſion be made in a ſtate of Innocency for the cure of Nocency, if the Legiſlator pleaſeth? For he made not his Law by neceſſity of Nature. And know, that Repentance …th great conſiſtency with the Law, and naturally follows in caſe of Tranſgreſſion, and there was no need of it but upon that Suppoſition, and p. 141upon the Fall Adam naturally fell into Repentance, expreſſing the Guilt and Filth of his Sin. 4. Nor (you ſay) can they have much room in Heaven; it ſeems they have a little, at leaſt ſo much as to retain the Nature of a condition, or elſe the Covenant is loſt in Heaven; for the Covenant muſt always be made up of Condition and Promiſes, or Performance of things promiſed, it is an Everlaſting Covenant. But b… your favour, Faith hath place in Heaven, and that a higher Faith than we are capable of here. 5. You ſay, the Terms of the Covenant of Works implyeth nothing but Innocency and Happineſs; there was not a Promiſe of Happineſs expreſſed, tho implyed, and God never intended to give us Happineſs by that Law; for the Apoſtle ſaith, Gal 3.21. If there had been a Law given which could have given Life, verily Righteouſneſs ſhould have been by the Law: Therefore God never intended to give Life to us b… that Law or any other; if he had, he could have given a Law ſufficient for it at firſt; and were there no Terms but Innocency and Happineſs? was there not Terms of Tranſgreſſion and Condemnation? and thoſe were the expreſt Terms, the other were but ſuppoſed or implyed.

Neonom.

3. The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace make us capable of no Happineſs, except what Chriſt hath bought and prepared for us, his Blood is the Price of all. But the Happineſs granted to ſinleſs Obedience was immediately from the Creator, and knew no Atonement or Mediator. D. W. p. 57.

Antinom.

Doth that make your Covenant the better or the worſe? Is not a perfect entire Covenant without any flaws in it, better than a faulty Covenant? The Apoſtle condemns a faulty Covenant, but you chuſe to prefer a Covenant that is faulty, made up of ſinful Obedience, and that muſt have a Mediator to provide againſt it, and to mend the faults of it; and hence this Covenant could not be without a Mediator, becauſe of its faultineſs; and you ſay your Covenant makes us capable of no Happineſs but what was bought and prepared for us. 1. Then this is a Covenant that capacitates us firſt for what Chriſt bought, and then when we are capable we ſhall be partakers of Chriſt, by a previous Covenant where Chriſt hath nothing to do but Extrinſecally only; this capability is by congruity or condignity. 2. It's a kindneſs to Chriſt that you will allow him the honour to buy and prepare Happineſs for us, and have it ready againſt we have occaſion for it. 3. What other kind of Happineſs can you ſuppoſe? Is there any but what comes to us in or by Chriſt? Would the Life promiſed to Adam have differed in ſpecie, and be of another kind? But is not the Gift of the p. 142Son himſelf a Happineſs? (all Bleſſings of the Covenant are Happineſs to Sinners,) the Father's Love was not purchaſed, nor the Gift of the Son; God ſo loved the World that he ſent his Son, &c. 4. But his Blood is the Price of all, there's enough for him, he bought your whole New Law at a Lump, both your Inherent Foederal Righteouſneſs for a condition, and the Reward of Debt; he capacitated the Law, and brought it to ſo low Terms, that you were capable of performing the conditions of it. But hath his Blood no capacitating Faculty in it, but meerly to be a Price to free us from the Old Law, that we may come upon New Terms now with God in the Second Law? 5. And what if the Happineſs granted to a Sinleſs Obedience came immediately from the Creator, was it the worſe for it, provided it were the ſame Happineſs, and knew no Atonement? (you ſay) why? becauſe it needed none. But it might know a Mediator, though no Atonement; a Mediator may be where there's no Atonement. What did the Tree of Life import? Laſtly, I would fain know whether Chriſt, and all the Goſpel Bleſſings, come not immediately from God the Creator? And whether they that come from Chriſt, come not from a Creator? Were not all things made by him? Col. 1. And is not our ſtate in Chriſt a New Creation?

Neonom.

The Bleſſings promiſed on the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, are meerly of Grace; they be for another's ſake, and not our own.

Antinom.

You cannot make that meerly of Grace that requires a previous condition in us to the beſtowing of it; you allow this indeed, that Chriſt hath obtained a good Bargain for us, and this we have for his ſake, but the Purchaſe Money muſt be paid by us, though we borrow it, and get it as we can; and if a Friend be ſo kind as to give us the Money, yet the Purchaſe muſt go in our Name, we muſt be accounted the Buyers.

Neonom.

They are given to them that are Condemned by the Covenant of Works, and that are ſtill Condemnable by the Law for the Imperfection of the performed Goſpel Conditions.

Antinom.

Therefore their condition of the Happineſs muſt be an adequate ſatisfaction to that Covenant, which you dare not ſay can be found in your conditions; Condemnation cannot be taken off upon any other condition. 2. But I pray what a ſtrange Law is your Law of Imperfection, is it an imperfect Law? Or a Law to allow imperfect Obedience for a Goſpel condition, that is a ſinful Obedience, in diſtinction from the ſinleſs Obedience which was the condition of the firſt? This Law of Imperfection little becomes p. 143ſuch a Perfect Lawgiver, to drop a Law of Perfection, and ſet up a Law of Imperfection. 3. It ſeems this Law of Imperfection is ſoundly ſo; for it's not only Imperfect in the conditions, but in the Happineſs; for you ſay they are ſtill condemnable by this Law, truly by the conditions you have brought us into a pretty condition, you have brought us from a Law wherein we were condemned, and into another Law wherein we continue condemnable, we are condemned by one, and condemnable by the other, when we have performed theſe conditions; here we perform Imperfect Goſpel Conditions, and remain Damnable, liable to Damnation, not paſſed from Death to Life. What Miſerable Divinity is here!

Neonom.

Ay, but it's forgiveneſs which renders theſe Perſons bleſſed, Rom. 4.7.

Antinom.

i. e. When they can get it; for they are condemned by the Law of Perfection, and remain condemnable by the Law of Imperfection. And this is not ſure a Holy, Juſt and Good Law; it's not holy, becauſe ſinful Obedience is the condition, and it becomes not a Holy God to command ſinful Obedience, for the Law condition is a command of Duty; neither is it Juſt, to give a Reward to a Perſon condemnable by the Law; neither is it Good, for that which is neither Holy nor Juſt is not Good; and therefore we condemn that Law which will do no more than make us condemnable; is this your Remedial Law?

Neonom.

But the ſinleſs Obedience of Innocent Adam made the Reward to be of Debt, Rom. 4.4.

Antinom.

It ſeems that God may make his Reward to be of Grace, he throws away the ſinleſs condition, and blends up a condition with Sin; is this the way for Grace to abound, to make Sin a Sharer in the Foederal Condition, yea, and Damnation too, a ſinful, imperfect Condemnable Condition; the Covenant of Grace is to ſave from Sin and Damnation, not by Sin and for Damnation. And is there not a Reward of Debt, if a Man purchaſe an Eſtate with Braſs Half Crowns, Waſht and Clipt Money, if they be accepted, as well as if he paid in good Currant Money? It ſeems now God's willing to take your Copper Money, he ſhall have the Credit of giving you an Eſtate; I tell you, if Copper Money will paſs, it makes as clear Debts and Purchaſes as Silver and Gold. But I muſt ſay this is but waſht Divinity, and clipt too; and there's no part of it but is filthily mixt at beſt.

Neonom.

The Ʋſe and Intereſt of Goſpel Conditions, is not from the Conformity of them to the Preceptive part of the Law, (though p. 144in a degree there be that) but from the Conformity to the Rule of the Grace of the Promiſe.

Antinom.

It is good now we ſhould know how to uſe theſe Law Ingredients, and mix them well by weight and meaſure, ſecundum artem; and then to know the Virtues and right way of Application, and it's fit we ſhould have good Teſtimony from Dr. Experience, that this Remedial Law is a Panacaea. Let the caſe be never ſo deplorable: It ſeems the great difficulty lyes in finding from whence the Uſe and Intereſt of the Money (i. e. I ſuppoſe the Vertue) doth ariſe. It's not from any conformity to the Law Precepts, that would make it too good and too ſtrong for a weak Stomach, beſides it would be too coſtly. But there is a little of it in a degree, the proportion is not above a grain of conformity to the Preceptive part of the Law, to a Pound of conformity to the Law of Imperfection, which is your Rule of the Grace of the Promiſe; but though there is a little touch of conformity to the Old Law, to ſeaſon the Julep, as a few drops of Spirit of Vitriol to make it more palatable, yet the Virtue lyes more abſconded than what the Patient can preſently find; but where do you think? In the Imperfection of it. This mixture is contrary to all Natural Remedies, that the worſe the Ingredients are, and the more imperfectly prepared, the better it is; if it ſhould be perfect it would ſpoil all, it would make the Happineſs Debt, as bad as it would have been to Adam in Innocency, or to the Saints in Heaven.

Neonom.

The Promiſe of Pardon through Chriſt being to the Penitent Believer, and no other; Repentance and Faith becomes neceſſary and uſeful conditions of this Pardon, by the Order of God in that Gracious Promiſe.

Antinom.

The Promiſe of Pardon is not to a Sinner as Penitent, but as a Sinner; neither doth a Sinner when he applies Pardon rightly, apply it to himſelf as Penitent, but as a Sinner. Repentance is part of the Promiſe, and is given with Remiſſion of Sins through Faith in the Blood of Chriſt; and without Juſtifying Faith applying to Chriſt for Pardon firſt, there can be no Repentance to Life; Pardon through Faith is firſt in Nature before the Exerciſe of true Goſpel Repentance; Repentance is turning from Sin to God, and this muſt be by Faith, for none can come to God but by him. Repentance and Faith do become neceſſary and uſeful by Vertue of the Promiſe in the way of Salvation, but by no means in the Nature of Foederal Conditions, God never conſtituted them in ſuch a Covenant Order.

p. 145Neonom.

In the Covenant of Works the meer Work gave an Intereſt in the Reward, as it was Obedience to the Precept by a Sanction, which had Goodneſs, but no ſuch Grace in it.

Antinom.

It's a groſs miſtake that Adam's Obedience would have Merited from Intrinſick Value or Worth, it was ex pacto; and whatever condition of the Creature-Performance the Legiſlator puts into the Covenant, let it be leſs or more, perfect or imperfect it's all one, they do ex pacto, make the Benefit promiſed a Debt, and this I will maintain againſt all the Neonomians in the World.

Neonom.

Ʋpon theſe accounts I ſhall never fear that Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace ſhould turn it into a Covenant Works, till I ſee it proved that God can promiſe and apply no Benefit purchaſed by Chriſt to a poor Sinner, upon a condition of an Action he commands, and freely enableth the Sinner to perform: The Judgment Day is paſt, and a ſtate of Tryal is over whenever it is proved. Thus much for Removal of Mistakes.

Antinom.

And poor confident Man, I can but pity you to ſee how miſerably miſtaken you are. All that you have ſaid is ſo far from turning your Law of Imperfection into a Covenant of Works, that it proves it to be a Covenant of Works againſt all the World. What God can do is one thing, and will do is another. I am ſure he hath made no other Foederal Condition of the New Covenant, than Jeſus Chriſt himſelf and his Righteouſneſs; and when the Judgment Day is come, and it may be through Grace before, during the ſtate of Tryal, as you call it, you will be glad to throw away all your conditions, and hold Chriſt alone as the only Foederal condition of Life and Salvation.

And let me tell you again, that you forget it not:

That God never promiſed or applyed any Benefit to the moſt Perfect and Innocent Creature, upon the condition of any Action he commands, but what he freely enableth the ſaid Perſon ſo commanded to perform; and hitherto you have given us no Specifick difference between the Covenant of Works and Grace, it's only in degree that this is worſe in condition, and we are all together without ſtrength to perform it.

Neonom.

Having premiſed theſe things to remove Miſtakes, I will tell you the Truth, which I will expreſs in the words of the Aſſembly. D. W. p. 58.

Q. 32. How is the Grace of God manifeſted in the Second Covenant.

A. The Grace of God is manifeſted in the Second Covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator, and Life and Salvation by him, requiring Faith as the condition to Intereſt them in him, promiſeth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his Elect, to work in them that Faith with all other Saving Graces.

p. 146Antinom.

In the firſt place you ſhould have obſerved that they ſpeak only of the manifeſtation of the Grace of the Covenant, and no diſtinct Covenant from that of Redemption. 2. They make not Faith a Condition of the Covenant of Grace, but only of Intereſt, Reception or Participation of the ſaid Covenant. With them 'tis no more than modus recipiendi, or participandi, which is generally called the Inſtrument, and therefore explain themſelves thus:

Queſt. 73. How doth Faith juſtifie a Sinner in the ſight of God?

A. Not as if Works, or any Grace of Faith, or any Act thereof were imputed to him for his Juſtification, but only as it is an Inſtrument whereby he receiveth and applyeth Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs. 3. I made no Queſtion but that it was that Fly that you catch'd at, and watch'd for. The Word Condition was then but a very ſmall inconſiderable Word, that none made any great matter of, as importing no more than the Connexion of the Congregrative connex Axiom, whoſe band of Connexion is the Conjunction Si: And this conditional Connexion may fall upon any things that have neceſſary or contingent dependency one upon another, whereby they have a mutual Affection or Diſſatisfactions one to another, and I call it a relative Condition, and all things may come under it which way ſoever they look. The Affirmation of this Propoſition, Si ſit homo eſt animal. If the Antecedent be true, then the Conſequence is true. If John be a Man, then he is an Animal, and the Negation is, Non ſi Johannes ſit homo ſit animal; and though both antecedent and conſequent may be falſe, yet the It may be a true Propoſition by vertue of the Connexion. As if a Man be a Lyon, he is a Four-footed Beaſt. So if Judas be ſaved, he did believe. It's a true Propoſition; tho' Judas never did believe, nor was ſaved; neither was there any Covenant of Grace made with him. So that ſuch a Propoſition as this importeth no Covenant-Condition, unleſs it be foederal over and above. If the Devils ſhall be ſaved, Chriſt died for them. It's true as a connex Propoſition, becauſe there's no other Name given under Heaven by which any Sinner can be ſaved. But neither parts of this Propoſition is true, for Chriſt died not for them, nor ſhall they be ſaved. So here, if a Sinner partake of Chriſt, it's by Believing, becauſe believing is his Participation, and giving and receiving are relata, and is no more a Condition here, than Faith is to Holineſs. As thus, If I believe I ſhall bring forth Fruits of Faith, and it will be a Condition the other way, if I bring forth good Fruits, then I believe. So that this ſort of Condition attends the Expreſſion of all p. 147ſorts of Relations and Dependencies, either Logical, Mathematical, Natural or Theological. But when the Word Condition is carried further, to denote a Foederal Bond or Obligation, it becomes a big-bellied Word (as you have phraſed it) and is always a diſtinguiſhing Character of a Covenant of Works. And that the Aſſembly intended no other than a Relative Condition, not a Federal, I can give you many grounds from themſelves.

Neonom.

But I will give my Reaſons why they muſt underſtand a Federal Condition. For, 1. They judge, that though God provided a Mediator for Sinners, yet they have no Intereſt in him till they believe.

Antinom.

They by Intereſt mean Claim of Intereſt and Participation, which we have by Faith; and there Faith is no more a Condition, than my hand is to the receiving a 1000 l. When it's brought, it's only a Relative Condition: Where there's giving there is receiving; but if there be any Condition on one ſide more than another, it's in the giving ſide, which in nature and cauſality hath the firſt place: For it runs thus, If you receive, there's ſome body gives: So the Giving is the Condition of Receiving. Or ſee it thus, If you be a Father, you have a Son; they are mutual Cauſes one of another, but the Father is firſt in reſpect of Nature and Cauſality. If Receiving lie upon the Condition of Giving, then Receiving is not the Condition of Giving, but vice verſa: but Receiving lies under, and depends upon the Condition of Giving; for if there be no Giving, there can be no Receiving.

Neonom.

They judge the Covenant is conditional; they ſcruple not to call Faith the Condition of our Intereſt in Chriſt, and Salvation by him.

Antinom.

They do intend, and ſo do we, that the New Covenant is conditional, and hath a great Condition, Jeſus Chriſt: He is the Foederal Condition ſatisfactory and procurative; but they mean not, that Faith is a condition of the Covenant, but a condition relative in the manifeſtation: For they could not ſuppoſe Faith to be the Condition of what they make the Covenant, for it's but in the Foregoing Anſwer they ſay, The Covenant of Grace was made with the Second Adam, and in him with all the Elect as his Seed. They ſpeak not of any Condition of the Covenant of Grace, which they give an Account of, Queſt. 31. but ſpeak only of the way and manner of the manifeſtation of the Grace of God in the Second Covenant, and that they tell you it's by Faith as a correlative receiving Condition: They ſpeak not of any Condition of the Covenant, but of the manifeſtation of the Grace in the Covenant, by the Participation thereof.

p. 148Neonom.

3. They judge that Christ and Salvation are offered to all Sinners on the ſame condition, though God effectually enable the Elect to obey the Condition.

Antinom.

They ſay he freely provideth and offereth to Sinners a Mediator and Life. Is Faith the condition of God's providing a Mediator? And upon the ſame Terms, that he provideth he alſo offereth, i. e. freely. If you look for a condition, here it muſt be of providing and offering: And they ſay, God requires and works Faith as a Condition, i. e. no more in their Sence, but a means of conveyance the Grace of the Second Covenant unto them. Now that this is their meaning, take a full confirmation, their Sence fully expreſs'd in their Confeſſion. In Ch. 11. Of Juſtification, ſpeaking of the Nature of Juſtification, ſaith,— It's not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Chriſt alone, not by imputing Faith it ſelf the Act of believing, nor any other Evangelical Obedience to them as their Righteouſneſs; but by imputing the Obedience and Satiſfaction of Chriſt unto them, they receiving and reſting on him and his Righteouſneſs by Faith, which Faith they have not of themſelves.

Faith, thus receiving and reſting on Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, is the alone Inſtrument of Juſtification. Thus, Gentlemen, you ſee what a Catch he hath got of the Word Condition made uſe of by the Aſſembly.

When they uſed the Word Condition, it was but Aaron's Rod, it's now turned into a Serpent, and every one that ſavours Chriſt aright will fly from it: It is no better now than a Nehuſhtan, and is to be brokee in pieces in the Sence of a Foederal Condition.

Neonom.

Errour. The Covenant of Grace hath no Condition to be performed on Man's part, though in the ſtrength of Chriſt: Neither is Faith it ſelf the Condition of this Covenant, but all the ſaving Benefits of this Covenant are actually ours before we are born: Neither are we required ſo much as to believe that we may come to have an Intereſt in the Covenant-Benefits. D. W. p. 59.

Antinom.

We have told you, and proved to you your Errour, in ſaying, That faith is the Condition foederally of the Covenant of Grace; and we have ſhewed how far ſaving Benefits are prepared for us and ours in the Promiſe right before we believe; yea, before we are born; and though it's our Duty to believe, and do believe, as thereby partaking of Chriſt unto Salvation, yet not in your Sence as a condition of a Covenent of Grace, but as a promiſed Gift and Benefit beſtowed upon us in Chriſt, and wrought in us by him.

p. 149Neonom.

You ſpend more than a Sermon to prove this, and ſay, there is not any Condition in this Covenant. D. C. p. 81.

Anntinom.

In preaching on Iſa. 42.6, 7. I ſhewed by way of Doctrine,Dr. C. p. 81.

That the Father is pleaſed to give Chriſt for a Covenant to the People; and in opening it I ſhewed, what it is for Chriſt to be a Covenant: Where I ſhewed, That the Lord means not a Covenant of Works, but the Covenant of Grace, which Covenant is mentioned Jer. 31.33. and renewed again, Ezek. 36 26. and alſo Heb. 8.6. where you ſhall find this appropriated to Chriſt, to be his great Priviledge to have the ſole hand and managing of this New Covenant. But now ſaith the Apoſtle, He hath obtained a more excellent Miniſtry, by how much alſo he is the Mediator of a better Covenant. And what is this better Covenant? Mark what follows, Ver. 8. Behold the days come, &c. Here ſee the ſubſtance of the Covenant, I will be their God, and they ſhall be my People.

Now I ſhew the difference between this Covenant and others; all others run upon Stipulations; the Promiſe runs altogether upon Conditions on both ſides. The Condition on God's Part, They ſhall live. The Condition on Man's Part, That he might live, he muſt do this. And in the Old Covenant, in caſe Man failed, the Condition was broke: But in this Covenant there's no Condition on Man's part to be performed, becauſe the Covenant is everlaſting, Heb. 8. God ſaith, I will be mer…iful to your Iniquities, and your Sins I will remember no more. Now ſuppoſe there were Conditions for Man to perform, and ſuppoſe Man did fail in thoſe Conditions, what were become of the Covenant? The Covenant is fruſtrated as ſoon as the Conditions are broken. Dr. C. p. 81.

Obj. 1. There are many Conditions mentioned in this Covenant, there muſt be a Law put in the Mind, writ in the Heart, &c.

Anſw. It is true, God ſaith, I will put my Law in your inward parts. But it is not ſaid, This is a Condition to be performed on Man's part.

Obj. But Conditions or no Conditions, a Man muſt have his Heart in this manner.

Anſw. I anſwer, It's true by way of Conſequence, that after we are in Covenant, he will beſtow thoſe things upon us as Fruits and Effects of this Covenant; but it's not true by way of Antecedence, That God will require thoſe things at our hands before we be Partakers of this Covenant.

Anſw. 2. You ſhall ſee plainly, that Man hath no tie upon him to perform any thing whatſoever in this Covenant as a Condition to be obſerved on his part— Mark how it is in Jer. Ezek. Heb. God ſaith, I will put it in, I will write it; they ſhall be my People. [Shall] here is a Word of Power. And it follows, They ſhall not teach every one his Neighbour. —for they ſhall know me. How? By their own Study and Induſtry. No. See John 6.45. The Condition of knowing the Lord is to be performed by the Lord: They ſhall be all taught of God. Obſerve alſo the larger Expreſſion of the Covenant, Ezek. 36.25. &c.

Obj. If all lies on God's part, and Man muſt do nothing, then all his Life-time he may live as he liſt.

Anſw. You muſt make a difference between doing any thing in reference to the Covenant as a Condition thereof; and in doing ſomething in reference to Duty and Service to God, who freely enters into Covenant with you. I ſay only in way of Condition of the Covenant you muſt do nothing.

Calvin.

You ſee, Mr. Neonom. he doth not deny Duties to belong to this Covenant, and Duties to be performed under the higheſt Obligation of God's free and bountiful Acting towards us in this Covenant; but he ſpeaks againſt your Principium & modus agendi; p. 150that we are not to perform theſe Duties in a mercenary way, as if we were thereby Obtainers of the Benefits by Foederal Conditionality, which way of Performance brings us under a Covenant of Works; but we are to do all as ſuch, who receive both to will and to do by vertue of the Covenant, and as the Effects thereof; and I am very much miſtaſten, if this be not Goſpel-Truth.

Neonom.

But he ſaith in Anſwer to an Objection, (D.W. p. 60) I muſt needs tell you directly, That Faith is not the Condition of the Covenant. Dr. C. 84.

Antinom.

I did ſay ſo, and ſay ſo ſtill.

Obj. But you will ſay, He that believes ſhall be ſaved, he that believes not ſhall be damned. Is not Faith therefore the Condition of the Covenant?

Anſw. There is no Perſon under Heaven ſhall be ſaved till he hath believed this, I grant; yet this will not make Faith a Condition of the Covenant. Faith as an Act is our Act, and our Act of believing is a Work; but it doth not depend upon a Work. For the Apoſtle ſaith, To him that juſtifies the ungodly.

Thus far to ſatisfie you from what I diſcourſed.

Now I tell you further, that the Propoſition, He that believes ſhall be ſaved, denotes no more than the neceſſary Connexion of Faith and Salvation by vertue of the Promiſe, viz. Of one Gift of the Promiſe to another, the Lord making many of the Gifts or Duties from a Covenant-Principle, not upon Terms of foederal Conditionality on our part; but that all is to be done by vertue of, and flowing from the Promiſe of Eternal Life, whereof Faith it ſelf, and the lively Fruits thereof, are parts, as well as Glory it ſelf; and all Eternal Life is in one Promiſe, though not beſtowed together; but the ſeveral Gifts thereof have Conditionem Ordinis, i. e. Prioritatis & Poſterioritatis & conditiones relativas inter ſe. But none of theſe Gifts are Foederal Conditions one of another, but all alike belong to the Promiſſory part, Grace as well as Glory.

Neonom.

But you ſay, That after we are in Covenant with God, he will beſtow theſe things upon us as Effects; and that the Covenant in the actual Subſtance of it is made good to a Man before he can do any thing. Dr. C. p. 81. & 83.

Calvin.

Great Truths; for without Chriſt we can do nothing; therefore Chriſt, the Subſtance of the Covenant, muſt be given to us firſt, or elſe Chriſt himſelf hath not ſpoken Truth.

Neonom.

I will ſhew you now how far I agree with you in this point, and then it will the better appear where the difference lies.

1. The Queſtion is not, Whether God hath promiſed, and Chriſt engaged in the Covenant of Redemption, that the Elect ſhall believe and poſſeſs Chriſt, &c. This I affirm.

p. 151Antinom.

Then you own a Covenant between the Father and the Son, and the Promiſe of it was Chriſt and all his Benefits. This one Aſſertion lays the Covenant of Grace higher than it's poſſible that you or I can reach by our Conditions; only you would not have this the Covenant of Grace, though it contains all Grace, but a Covenant of Redemption, contradiſtinct to the Covenant of Grace, which is moſt abſurd: For what is Redemption but rich Grace? God hath accepted us in the beloved, in whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveneſs of Sins, according to the riches of his Grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all Wiſdom and Prudence, having made known unto us the myſtery of his Will, Eph. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. This Myſtery of his Will is the Covenant of Grace, which I can eaſily alſo evince, made manifeſt by the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt, and working out our Redemption, and by the Preaching thereof, 1 Tim. 1.10, 11.

Neonom.

Neither is there any Queſtion, Whether there be any Duty on Man's part as a Condition of Chriſt's Ʋndertaking, or of the certainty of the things undertaken in that Covenant. This I deny.

Antinom.

Then you deny all Conditions of ours as required in the Covenant of Redemption, as you call it: Call it then but the Covenant of Grace as it is, and the Aſſembly call it, and then you ſay as we do in that Point.

Neonom.

Nor whether the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace be performed in our own ſtrength, or be uncertain as to the Elect. This I deny. D. W. p. 61.

Antinom.

Then this Performance by Divine ſtrength and certainty is founded on Promiſe; and if ſo, is the Gift of God; and thence it's frivolous to talk of Conditions to be performed on our part: God doth not give his Gifts to us to make Purchaſe with, and rob his Free Grace and his Son of the Honour due to them.

Neonom.

Nor whether the Performance of the Conditions move God to enact, offer or appoint this Covenant, whereby the Grace of Chriſt is applyed. This I deny.

Antinom.

What mean you by enacting or appointing this Covenant? If you mean, your Law of Imperfection, we know no ſuch Covenant of God ever enacted or appointed.

Neonom.

Yea, I add, That God enacted this Covenant before we were born, and offers an intereſt in it on it's proper terms to men when Sinners.

Antinom.

Then the Covenant was an Eternal Covenant, or at leaſt the compleating of it did not depend upon our coming in p. 152with our perſonal foederal Conditions: But I do not grant, that your Covenant of Imperfection was ever ſo enacted. And, 2. You ſay, offers an Intereſt in it to Men when Sinners. Now our Covenant of Redemption and Grace come to be all one: All that remains to be done, is to bring Sinners to a participating Intereſt in it. Undoubtedly, when the Covenant was enacted, it was provided that Sinners ſhould have a free unconditional participation of it, for the Infinite Wiſe God knew Sinners would be ſo poor and wretched that they would have no Condition Money; and never thought fit to make them Purchaſers with his Money, leſt they ſhould boaſt and claim all as Debt, when he had given them Forty Shillings to begin with. 3. But you will have Popiſh Terms come in at the Tail of this fair Story; your dead Fly of Conditions muſt be in every Pot of your Apothecaries Ointment.

Neonom.

Nor whether the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant be a Purchaſing Price, or Meritorious of the Benefits promiſed on ſuch Conditions. This I deny, for Chriſt alone paid the Price, and it's the Covenant Promiſes gives the Benefits to ſuch as perform the Conditions.

Antinom.

What ſecurity will you give us that they be not a purchaſing Price or Meritorious? What if Chriſt will ſay they be ſuch as will Rob him, and that he ſay, if we put in and ſtand upon our conditions he ſhall profit us nothing? What if poor Creatures that you infuſe your Notions into, and put your conditions upon, they take them to be purchaſing Prices of an Intereſt in Chriſt? How will you anſwer the Preaching another Goſpel than Paul Preached, and free your ſelves from the Anathema? But ſecondly, If a Man that hath purchaſed an Eſtate for me, and left me an Hundred Pound to pay of the Purchaſe Money, I reckon that I pay part as well as he, though he paid a Thouſand Pound, and ſo will all Men judge. 3. It's not enough for you to ſay, Chriſt only paid the Price, when Foederal Conditions beſides lyes to be performed by ſome others; and we do as confidently affirm, and do prove, that where there is a Covenant ſtipulated by conditions and promiſes, the performance of the conditions, though never ſo ſmall and diſproportionable to the Benefit, carries a Merit of a Reward as of Debt, virtute pacti, though it lye not in the Intrinſick Value of the Condition, whether it be mine, or imputed to me by Loan or Gift, to buy the Benefit, or Swop for it. And this is ſuch a Truth that every Child almoſt that runs about to play in the Street knows and daily practiſeth.

p. 153Neonom.

6. Nor whether the firſt Grace by which we are inabled to perform the Condition be abſolutely given. This I affirm, though that be diſpenſed ordinarily in a due uſe of means, and in a way diſcountenancing Idleneſs, and fit Encouragement given to the uſe of Means.

Antinom.

It ſeems as to the firſt Grace, it is abſolute, then we come at firſt into an unconditional Covenant, but afterward we muſt pay for what we have; God gives a Stock of Money, and then we muſt buy; firſt begin in the Spirit, and then finiſh in the Fleſh. I pray what Covenant Promiſe doth this firſt Grace belong to, to the Covenant of Redemption, or the Covenant of Imperfection? It's plain then that a Sinner doth not come under an Obligation to the Covenant of Imperfection till he hath been furniſhed with conditions ſome other way. So that he muſt needs come under two diſtinct Covenants; firſt an abſolute, and then conditional; What a cutting and hacking is here of the Covenant of Grace, to puzzle and confound poor Souls in the great concernment of their Salvation.

Neonom.

Nor whether all the Conditions of the Covenant be of the ſame uſe, to the ſame purpoſe, or a like compleat Terms of the Principal Benefits; this I deny, for Faith is ſuppoſed to all other Conditions, &c.

Antinom.

It is not to our Buſineſs, whether they have other diſtinct Offices, but reſpectu Conditionalitatis foederalis, they are equally conditions; the compariſon is not here in Quantity but Quality. One Shilling is as much a condition in the price ſet upon a Horſe or Cow that is ſold, as Five Pound, though it be not ſo great in quantity; but it ſeems here are divers ſorts of conditions, ſome greater than others, and Faith hath the preheminence. I have a Queſtion or two to ask, Whether if one of theſe little conditions be not performed, I do therefore forfeit my Bargain? One inconſiderable one that hath ten times more Sin and Imperfection in it than Good? And whether this Covenant of Imperfection doth not look upon the Imperfecteſt Conditions, and moſt ſinful, provided there's a little good in them, to be the beſt Conditions? And whether it be fit that we ſhould have good, ſound and perfect Commodities for debas'd Coin?

Neonom.

Nor whether upon the performance of the Conditions, the Covenant Grant becomes not as Abſolute, and the right to the Benefit no longer ſuſpended. This I affirm, for the Promiſe conveys the Title as ſoon as the Terms of the Grant are Anſwered.

p. 154Antinom.

As Abſolute as what? It's Nonſence. I take it to be an Erratum, but it's not among them, and that as ſhould not be there; and therefore it's thus, that upon performance of the conditions the Grant ſhould become Abſolute; this is impoſſible, for Abſolute and Conditional are adverſa, quae inter ſe velut & regione perpetuò adverſantur. As much as if you ſhould ſay, after I have bought a Houſe of you and paid my Money, that you gave the Houſe to me freely. And what do you talk of the Promiſe conveying the Title, it's the Condition gives me the Title, the Promiſe is challenged upon the performance of the Condition.

Neonom.

I come now to the Real difference betwixt us. D. W. p. 62.

1. Whether Men have an Actual Intereſt in the Saving Benefits of the Covenant of Grace, while they live in Ʋnbelief; this you affirm, and I deny.

Antinom.

Did you not grant a real Intereſt to the Elect in the Covenant of Redemption, which to us is the Covenant of Grace? That God hath there Covenanted that they ſhall believe; and that Chriſt hath undertaken for the certainty of their Faith and Holineſs; and that Chriſt hath paid actually all the Price of Redemption for them, and are all thoſe no Saving Benefits? What if they know not their Intereſt, have they therefore none? Doth that follow? A good Eſtate may be bought and made over to me, that I have as good an Intereſt in, and Title to as any Man in the World to his, and yet I not know it; it may be it's in the Barbadoes, bought or given by a Friend, and I know not of it a Year after, but when I hear of it, or enter Poſſeſſion, is my Title any better than before? And when is the firſt Grace given which you ſaid is abſolute, but when we are in unbelief? For there's no Medium between Unbelief and Faith.

Neonom.

Whether God doth offer the Saving Benefits of the Covenant upon Official Terms, as Believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved; this I affirm, and you deny.

Antinom.

You mean by Official Terms only Foederal Conditions, Do and Live, or Believe and Live in the ſame ſence as Do and Live. I ſay the Covenant of Grace ſpeaks otherwiſe, it ſaith Live and Do; and the command in the Goſpel becoming effectual to Believe, is the performance of the Promiſe, in quickning and raiſing him from the Dead; believing is his very Saving, it's his Life begun, and not the condition of it. Believe and be Saved, is a Propoſition declaring the near and indubitable connexion of all the Gifts of Grace, as Bleſſed are they that Mourn for they ſhall be Comforted; p. 155Bleſſed are the Merciful, they ſhall obtain Mercy, &c. Theſe Propoſitions of Beatitudes do not declare any Foederal Conditionality lying in the Antecedent, but a Covenant Connexion of good things in the Promiſe of Life to be beſtowed, that one of theſe Bleſſings will be where the other is, either firſt or laſt; for Meekneſs, Godly Sorrow, Purity of Heart, Faith, &c. they are all the Gifts of Grace, and belong to the Promiſſory part of the Covenant, and not to the Conditional, and yet become Duties by Vertue of the Promiſe and Precepts accompanying.

Neonom.

Whether the Beneficial Priviledges of the Covenant be not ſuſpended on the Terms of Duty? As doth not God forbear to pardon us till we believe? This I affirm, and you deny.

Antinom.

It is as much as to ſay that Duty is no beneficial part of the Covenant; the change of the Heart is no beneficial part of the Covenant; but you ſay theſe beneficial parts are ſuſpended upon the Terms of Duty. It's as much as to ſay he ſhall have no Benefit by the Covenant, and all Benefits are ſuſpended till he do ſome Duty that is no Benefit of the Covenant. And as to your Enquiry, Whether God forbear to pardon us till we believe: I Anſwer, Pardon is with God before it is with us, if it were not we ſhould never have it; and the Pardoning Grace of God is at work with us before we do believe, and doth by the Light of it in the Glorious Goſpel work Faith in our Hearts. As for your phraſing it thus, that God forbears Pardoning till we Believe, it inſinuates thus much according to your Scheme of Conditions, That God ſuſpends his Acts toward the Creature till he ſeeth ſomething in it to encourage him, and that God would have wrought ſooner than he did, if it had not been our fault; whereas God works, and none can let, neither doth his working, or not working, depend upon the Creatures, but that it is in his own way and time, and when he will pardon he works Faith; and it muſt be ſo, becauſe the Believer is Pardoned in application of Pardon, therefore the Pardoner and Pardoned are relata; and though as relata they are ſimul natura, yet in reſpect of Cauſality the Pardoner is firſt; and if he ſhould forbear pardoning till the Sinner were fit for it by good qualification, it would be long enough before it come unto us. You ſay the firſt Grace is abſolute, and if the ſecond Grace or Benefit be Conditional foederally, where lies the condition? and if a man be fallen into a deep Well, and have broken an Arm or Leg, would it not be very odd to ſay, I forbear the Setting of his Arm or Leg till he comes out of the Ditch, whereas it lyes upon me to fetch him out of the Ditch firſt. As God pardons who and when he pleaſeth, ſo by the ſame p. 156Grace he hath provided for all ways and means of Application.

Neonom.

It's enquired, Whether God doth engage to beſtow the promiſed Benefits of the Covenant on all ſuch, who through Grace perform the Conditions? This you affirm and I deny.

Antinom.

I affirm, that God doth beſtow all the Benefits of the Covenant upon all thoſe unto whom through Grace they do belong; and to perform any Duty of the Covenant required, is a Gift of Grace: You ſay, through Grace, and therefore a promiſed Benefit, Creation in Chriſt Jeſus, a New Heart, Union to Chriſt. Where are there Conditions through Grace to be wrought in us before the effectual Power of Grace? To ſay any thing is to be performed through Grace, that is not the Gift of Grace, and is not a Benefit of the Covenant, is ſomething; otherwiſe your Conditions are but in order of working, or at moſt Relative Conditions, the connexion of one Gift of Grace or Benefit to another, and then your conditionality is no more than the Apoſtles, Rom. 5.1, 2, 3. Faith the condition of Hope, Hope of glorying in Tribulation, Tribulation of Patience, Patience of Experience, &c. Theſe may all be brought into a connex Propoſition forward and backward. If I Believe I ſhall Hope, if I Hope I ſhall glory in Tribulation, if I have Patience I ſhall have Experience; but yet all Gifts of Grace are none of them foederal Conditions, but Promiſes beſtowed.

Neonom.

All may be reduced to this, Whether our believing conſent to the Covenant of Grace be abſolutely neceſſary by God's Command, and promiſed to our Intereſt in the ſaving Benefits of the Cevenants. This you deny and I affirm.

Antinom.

It's one thing to be antecedently neceſſary, another thing to be conſequently neceſſary. Whatever is commanded in the Covenant of Grace (as you will inſinuate) is alſo promiſed; and being promiſed, is a Benefit: Therefore if you make believing antecedently neceſſary (which is a Work and Gift of Grace) to all the Benefits, you contradict your ſelf and all right Reaſon. And as to the great Ado you make about Intereſt, I have told you it comes under a double conſideration, of real and known, or manifeſt. All the Elect have a real Right and Intereſt in the Covenant even before believing, ſuch a Right as entitles them to believing: For Chriſt hath undertaken, that all that the Father hath given him ſhall come to him; and it's therefore abſolutely neceſſary they ſhould, as promiſed in the Covenant, not as a Condition, as a leading Benefit, and no otherwiſe. And do you not call p. 157them Saving Benefits? Shew me a Condition to be performed before any ſaving Benefits that we do receive, and then you will ſay ſomething. What's a greater Benefit than Life it ſelf?

Neonom.

I will confirm the Truth by ſeveral Arguments.

Antinom.

Let it be Truth firſt: It's very little Truth that hitherto you have affirmed, as I think I have made ſufficiently appear. But go on; I am willing to hear what you can ſay, and to embrace Truth.

Neonom.

Each of the Benefits of the Covenant are offered to Men on Condition, and not abſolutely in relation to God as his People is. So Levit. 36.3, 12. compared with 2 Cor. 6.16. Matth. 22.2, 3, 9, 10, 11. Rom. 10.9. ch. 4.25. Gal. 3.7.

Antinom.

Your Argument is very confuſed and rough drawn; for you tell us not what you would conclude of all the previous Queſtions. I take it for grant, that you would conclude your imperfect conditions in whatever Queſtion you put about the Covenant. 2. Then you uſe very ambiguous Terms; you talk of offering the benefits of a Covenant: It's one thing to make a Covenant, and another thing to offer to make a Covenant; for there are conditions to the Offer, and the conditions to the making, and what you mean by offering abſolutely in relation to God, I know not. Doth not God offer abſolutely? Is he provoked to offer Grace from any thing out of himſelf? Sure he offers abſolutely and from himſelf, though he offer upon condition, or makes Conditions in his Offer: And how that comes in, as his People is, I know not. I take the whole put together not to be Sence. But I will extract your Argument as well as I can.

If each Benefit of the Covenant is offered to Men upon condition, and not abſolutely in relation to God, then there are Conditions in the Covenant of Grace to be performed by us before we can have the Benefits: But each Benefit of the Covenant is offered ſo, &c. Ergo. Here I deny the conſequence of the Major firſt; for there are conditions of Offer, and conditions propounded in Offer; mean them if you pleaſe: God's propounding the Grace of the Covenant-condition, is no ground of Proof, that therefore there are conditions to be performed by us before we receive the Benefit: For the Duty required, and Good thing promiſed, are but both of them Benefits, and the leading Duty it may be the greateſt, and the greateſt Exemplification of the Grace of the Promiſe. Here is connexion then of Benefits as to Relation and Order, and therefore I deny your conſequence, That Promiſes conditionally made do inferr neceſſarily foederal conditions diſtinct p. 158from the Benefits. Minor alſo deny'd; for each Benefit of the Covenant is not offered conditionally; as the making a new Heart, the Gift of Faith, the uniting Power and Efficacy of the Spirit, whereby we are inſerted into Chriſt as our Root, before we can bring forth the Fruit of Faith. As to the places mentioned, I ſay, Firſt, That the Covenant of Grace as diſpenſed under the Old Teſtament, was vailed and covered two ways. 1. By Types and Ceremonies. 2. By a Legal Miniſtration in Denunciations, Conditions, Promiſes of Temporal Bleſſings, whereby they were carried on to Duty; but yet in the Sacrifices they had ſome ſight by Faith of the Abſoluteneſs and Freeneſs of the Grace of God in the Promiſe; and it's evident the unconditionality of the Promiſe, tho' it was manifeſted ſometimes to the Patriarchs and Prophets, yet was moſtly under a Cloud; as in a cloudy day the Sun may now and then break out with marvellous Brightneſs and Splendor, when for the generality a Legal Darkneſs clouded and obſcured the Grace of God.

In other Ages the Myſtery of the Covenant was not made known and revealed ſo as now, Eph. 3.5. But as to Lev. 26.3, 12 it makes nothing againſt us; for God doth but by his Commands and Promiſes bring them into participation of the Covenant of Grace. For what is Faith and Obedience but the Gifts of his Grace? And it's he who through the Blood of the everlaſting Covenant works in us the things that are well-pleaſing in his ſight through Jeſus Chriſt, Heb. 13.21. And this was the way of his working with them, being under this Tutorage, differing little from Servants till the time appointed of his Father, Gal. 4.1, 2, 4. And accordingly you ſee, Lev. 26.3. the Promiſe of Encouragement is, Then will I give you rain in due ſeaſon. And likewiſe as he promiſeth outward Bleſſings, ſo Spiritual Priviledges, His Ordinances and Preſence among them, in them, ver. 12. Not that their walking in his Statutes was the condition of his being a God in Covenant; for he choſe them before they choſe him. And God ſaith, ver. 13. notwithſtanding theſe conditional Promiſes, I am the Lord your God that brought you out, &c. Likewiſe as the Promiſes were moſtly of outward good things Temporal, and the continuance of his Ordinances, ſo performance of theſe were connected to their external Conformity to his inſtituted Worſhip; they were to be a ſeparate and peculiar People, ſequeſtred from other People unto his pure Worſhip and Ordinances; and to that Sence doth the Apoſtle apply this place, 2 Cor. 6.17. For he preſſeth Purity in Church-fellowſhip in the foregoing Verſes by divers Arguments; p. 159and among others, this of Leviticus, That God expected ſuch Purity of the Church of the Old Teſtament, much more of them; and hence preſſeth Separation in external Church-fellowſhip and Ordinances; and then as they have the Bleſſings of Ordinances, they will have the Bleſſing of God's Viſible Preſence: Whereas I ſaid before, Benefits are connected. A Duty Benefit to a Priviledge, to be as motives to Performance, the Spirit working with the Word: There may be Commands, Directions, Motives to Duty in the Word, and none of theſe make Duty antecedently neceſſary and conditional to our being in Covenant, but all conſequently neceſſary, being a Series of connected Benefits flowing in after we are taken in to Covenant.

As to Matth. 22.2, 3, 9, 10, 11. you ſay, Coming to the Wedding Supper was a Condition of having ſhare in it,You ſay in your Preface to that place, that the Garment is Ʋniting Faith: You ſhould have ſaid, Putting on the Garment is the Garment. Is the coming to Chriſt, or putting him on, the Wedding-Garment, or Chriſt himſelf and his Righteouſneſs? ſo is it of pardon of Sin and acceptance to Life. Coming to the Wedding-Supper was not the Condition that gave Right, but the Invitation. Coming is a priviledge which the People that are invited to receive the Goſpel have, whom Chriſt by the Power and Efficacy of his Grace working with the Word compels and conſtrains, overcoming their Rebellious Hearts. As to that place of Rom. 10.9. you have as much Reaſon to inferr thence, that Confeſſion is a Condition, as well as Faith; the great Antecedent Condition there mentioned, is Hearing, by which Faith comes. As for Rom. 4.25. Gal. 3.7. they all ſhew but connexion of Covenant-benefits, all abſolutely given in the Promiſe of Eternal Life, Pardon and Faith, Faith and Holineſs, Grace and Glory, all ſounded upon one Condition of the Covenant, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Neonom.

I pray, By what Juſtice then do you ſay the firſt Grace is abſolute? It's Injuſtice to add new Terms to any of thoſe Benefits, if they be ours by the Covenant as abſolute before.

Antinom.

I ſee you will ſtand upon Terms with God, and will have him ſtand upon Terms with you. But God never made any ſuch Terms as you dream of: Bleſſed be his Name.

Neonom.

If the Covenant be not Conditional, as to the diſpoſing of Benefits, it would follow, 1. That all to whom the Offers are made, have an Intereſt in them, or it is not a ſerious Offer; no, nor a true Offer, as not containing a real and natural Connexion between the Benefit and the Duty. D. W. p. 63.

p. 160Antinom.

I muſt take notice of your ſhifting in your Antecedent, what do you put in as to the Diſpoſal of Benefits; the Diſpoſal of Benefits is the Performance of the Promiſe; your Condition ought to lie before the Diſpoſal of Benefits: If you mean an adjuſted Order in the diſpoſal of Benefits, you multiply Conditions to the end of the World, and turn all Benefits into Conditions. We are to talk of a Condition, upon which as ſuch, all others are Benefits, and relative Conditions are given forth by Promiſe: And we ſay, Jehovah our Righteouſneſs is that Condition for which we are bleſſed with all Bleſſings in and through him; in and through him they are beſtowed, and all ways and means of beſtowing them are Bleſſings provided in him, and beſtowed by him; that there is a Method of Order in beſtowing them, and a relative Connexion between them there is, as alſo among the Bleſſings and Benefits, and is no hindrance to the Abſoluteneſs of the Promiſe. A Man gives me an Eſtate to come gradually to me 20 l. per Annum this year, and 20 l. next, &c. is my having 20 l. per Annum this year the reaſon, by way of condition, of my having 20 l. per Annam more the next. The Condition of all this Eſtate is reſolved into the Free-Will of the Donor, and his purchaſing of it for me with his Money.

As to your conſequence, it follows, you ſay, That all to whom the Offer is made have an Intereſt in them. I deny it utterly in ſuch Offers as God makes; for though the Tender of Grace be indefinite, yet God knows who are his by Election and Redemption, and to them he gives his Son and his Spirit, and the firſt Gift of the Promiſe to perſwade and enable them to come unto Chriſt. Or you ſay, It's not a Serious Offer, viz. To offer Grace upon ſuch Terms and Conditions, which the Sinner is not able to perform. This Inference will rebound back again upon you, for ſaying, That theſe Conditions are freely wrought of God in us. Doth God work theſe Conditions before he offers them the Grace of the Covenant? If ſo, you ſay ſomething, and work them in all too to which they are offered; if not, it's not ſerious, as you and the Arminians will ſay. Therefore to ſupport your Hypotheſis, you muſt grant a Free-will in Man, and Power of himſelf to perform the ſaid Condition. Now it is true, you ſay, as not containing a real and natural Connexion between the Benefit and Duty. Why ſo? Can't Benefits be relative and truly connected, without there be a Foederal Condition? Having Food and Raiment, let us therewith be content. Contentment is the Benefit here, and it's a Duty, and the Condition …od and Raiment, a manifeſt Benefit too; and can't theſe be con…ted, without one be a Foederal Condition of the other? which p. 161wanting, the Bleſſing is not look'd for. Then you may ſay, Not having Food and Rayment ſufficient, I need not be content. Know this, the Spirit of God makes the Promiſe the Condition of the Duty. As to Abraham, I am God All-ſufficient, walk before me; and its always ſo, if we rightly underſtand the Language; for it firſt bids us live before it bids us do. And this is the difference between the Covenant of Works and that of Grace.

Neonom.

2. Faith it ſelf is no more neceſſary to our firſt Intereſt in thoſe Benefits, than any other Grace; nay, than Ʋnbelief. Let no man object, It's a Sign; for ſo is any other Grace; ſo might be the Deſcription of Paul by his Name, by his Abode, yea, Sin, a Perſecutor, &c. D. W. p. 63.

Antinom.

There is an Intereſt antecedaneous to Faith, but hidden, yet ſuch as our Faith can never come into being without. And as to our Intereſt by Faith you ſpeak of, Chriſt by Revelation of his Grace in the Goſpel makes us Partaker thereof: It's an Intereſt of Poſſeſſion; and yet a Man may be thrown out of Poſſeſſion, unleſs he have this antecedent Right and Title to it. And the Intereſt by Poſſeſſion of, and Communion with Chriſt, is greater by Faith than any other way, becauſe it's directed to Chriſt objectively, and receives more eminently Chriſt himſelf: And though it do ſo, yet it can't be the Condition of receiving Chriſt. That is, the very receiving of Chriſt; for the receiving cannot be the Condition of receiving, then an Act ſhould be the Condition of it ſelf.

Neonom.

Let not any one ſay it's a Sign, for ſo is any other Grace, and Paul may be known by this Name, Abode, &c.

Antinom.

Faith is for thoſe Uſes that Chriſt hath appointed, but he never appointed it for a Moral Foederal Condition: For if it be a Condition, it's ſo as an Act; and if as an Act, a Duty; and as a Duty, Moral, and ſo makes your Covenant only a Moral Law. Believing is more than a Sign; but it's moſt naturally ſo in your Sence; for in it's Conditionality you make it but the ſame with other Graces and Duties. But we ſay, Believing is feeding on Chriſt; ſeeing of him, receiving of him; and it's not proper for to ſay, Feeding is a Condition of Feeding, Seeing a Condition of Seeing, yet it carries it's Evidence with it abundantly, becauſe there is Perception of all I ſee and feed upon.

Neonom.

Men are ſaid to enter into Covenant with God, Deut. 29.12, 13. Pſal. 50.3. To keep Covenant, Pſal. 103.18. To perform the Covenant, 2 Chron. 34.31. To take hold of the Covenant, Iſa. 6.6.

p. 162Antinom.

In the Covenants mentioned betwixt God and the Church of the Jews, we muſt always conſider the Pedagogy that they were under, and that they were under the Covenant of Grace vailed, and not only with Levitical Types, but Legal Diſpenſations in reſpect of Duty. And the Apoſtle tells us, that this Miniſtry was faulty; and therefore he ſaith, Chriſt hath obtained a more excellent Miniſtry, far differing, foreign, By ſo much, that he was the Mediator of a better Covenvnt, which is eſtabliſhed on better Promiſes; Heb. 8.6. For if the firſt Covenant had been Faultleſs, foreign, there had been no place found for the Second. This Second is not to be underſtood of the Covenant of Works, but the Moſaical Miniſtry of the Covenant of Grace, which is fully expreſſed in the beginning of the Chapter. Neither doth the Apoſtle mean only the meer Ceremonial part of that Miniſtry, but the morally legal and conditional way of Diſpenſation like the Covenant of Works: And therefore he ſaith, The new Covenant that he would make or promulge by the more excellent Miniſtry of the Mediator, it ſhould be publiſhed in the true, abſolute, and unconditional Light of it, not according to the Mount-Sinai Covenant upon their coming out of Egypt, foreign, They abode not in that Covenant, by performing the conditional Duties; foreign, ſaith the Lord, ver. 9. i. e. He did not give them thoſe Promiſes of external good things that he made unto them; for the Promiſes were external for the moſt part, as the Conditions of them were morally Legal. 2. Beſides theſe explicit Covenants, there were Eccleſiaſtical Covenants, as they were a National Congregational Church; and in theſe Covenants they promiſed Subjection unto God, and Obſervation of all his Appointments in that Diſpenſation, whereby God would have them to be viſibly a peculiar and ſeparate People; and what they did in this kind in a right manner, was an Effect, and not a Cauſe of their true Intereſt in the Covenant of Grace; but the Covenant it ſelf as externally made, was a National Church-Covenant, as appears Deut. 29.15. and ſo when it was renewed in Joſhua's time, ch. 24. And I think any one that readeth that Solemn Covenant, Deut. 29. will ſee, that it carried with it all the Thunder and Lightning of Mount Sinai to enforce it, and alſo the Bleſſings promiſed were Temporal, and the Conditions were the Duties of the Moral Law and Ceremonies, ver. 26. Now I wonder that any can pretend that this Covenant was the New Covenant, for ſo it was not in the Sence of the Apoſtle, and that it was a Miniſtry of the Covenant p. 163of Grace any more than in a carnal and legal Diſpenſation after the manner of the Covenant of Works: And you ſhall find among the great things promiſed for the ſtrengthening and encouraging of the Faithful, one thing was the reforming the external Diſpenſation of Grace in taking off the Vails; and therefore always in thoſe places we have it run as a free abſolute Promiſe, and God beginning firſt with them before any Condition is performed on their parts, Ezek. 26.25. I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be clean, &c. So Exek. 27.26. I will make a Covenant of Peace with them, and it ſhall be an everlaſting Covenant, &c. Jer. 31.31, 33. Zech. 8.8.

Hence all external Covenant-Obligations that the Church makes are effects of this new Covenant-Intereſt; Covenants that they are obliged to, and Covenants that in the New Covenant are promiſed abſolutely as their Bleſſings and Priviledges, and in that way commended to Goſpel-Churches, 2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18. I will be their God, and they ſhall be my People. It's all Promiſe, and upon this account they are commanded to walk as a becoming People under ſuch an Obligation of Free Grace laid upon them. Yea, God always in theſe Old Teſtament Covenants made his goodneſs and kindneſs to them firſt as a motive and condition unto them to build their Obedience upon, whereby he preached Free-Grace to them, Exod. 19.4. ch. 20.1. and innumerable other places. And you mention places your ſelf, which ſhew our Covenant with God is promiſed by him, Jer. 50.4, 5.—They ſhall go and ſeek the Lord their God—They ſhall ask the way to Zion, ſaying, Come, let us joyn our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that ſhall not be forgotten. We grant every Believer doth actually and freely enter into Covenant, but it's becauſe God hath covenanted with him firſt: We are not reconciled to God but upon believing God's Reconciliation to us: Therefore the Goſpel-Miniſtry is the Declaration of God's Reconciliation, and from thence an Argument to perſwade us to be reconciled unto God. So it is Ezek. 20.37.

Neonom.

All theſe Expreſſions are convincing, that there is a reſtipulation on Man's part, and that it is a Covenant in reſpect of that mutual Stipulation between God and us.

Antinom.

It's a ſtrange thing, that moſt of thoſe Men that quote the Church-Covenant of the Old Teſtament to make good their Notion of the Covenant of Grace, that it's a moral conditional Covenant, are againſt all Explicit Church Covenants, whereby Men that profeſs Godlineſs ſhould have an external viſible Tie to walk in the Faith and Order of the Goſpel, which was the main Intent and Deſign that God had upon his People in the days of the p. 164Old Covenant, and never intended it as a condition of their Perſonal Covenant with him, but a fruit and conſequent after they were in Covenant. It's mightily to derogate from the Covenant of Grace, to make the Promiſe thereof to depend on a ſtipulation on our part: For if we ſtipulate with God, we alſo promiſe to him, as well as he to us before Performance, and likewiſe that we do our part before he doth his; for the Stipitulation is covenanting; and for any Man to talk of any ſuch thing, runs upon multitudes of Rocks: Our radical Stipitulation was in Chriſt, all other Stipitulations are effects of it.

Neonom.

To ſappoſe the Covenant to be the ſole Act of God, and an Act that's meerly abſolute, renders all theſe Phraſes impertinent and impoſſible.

Antinom.

The Covenant of Grace is the Act of God in the Perſon of the Father, with us in the Perſon of Chriſt, in him we did reſtipulate; he was the great Covenanter on our part, and the Condition of this Covenant; and when we, by vertue of the Promiſe, take hold of this Covenant, we ſtand upon this Condition with God, and God diſpenſeth all Benefits upon this Condition to us: And it's a free and abſolute Covenant to us, a Covenant of Promiſe, becauſe not only the Promiſe is beſtowed without Foederal Conditions performed by our ſelves, and the great Foederal Condition the Lord Chriſt is freely beſtowed on us.

Neonom.

It was his Act to appoint a Covenant, and enable us to keep it; and it's his Act to reſtipulate on his part, &c.

Antinom.

This frees it not from being a Covenant of Works; for God appointed Adam's Covenant, and gave him ſtrength to keep it, which ſtrength he had when God gave him the Law; but to talk of God's covenanting with fallen Man in that ſtate, and ſay, Man hath reſtipulated while in a ſtate of Enmity, is moſt abſurd. Or to ſay, he ſhall reſtipulate when God gives him Power ſo to do, is as much as to ſay, I have ſold to a Man my Horſe for 10 l. and when he brings me that 10 l. he ſhall have it, but hath not a Groat to pay, Rags to his Back, or Bread for his Belly, and he refuſed my Horſe too, and hates me with a perfect Hatred, yet I will make him willing to take the Horſe, and I will give him the Money to pay for't; there's no Man can think this Man hath any other Deſign than to loſe the Honour of giving away his Horſe, that this Man and all the World ſhould look upon the Horſe as purchaſed; and ſo it was, and the Law will find it ſo, for all his giving him the Purchaſe-Money.

And it's no leſs abſurd, that God reſtipulates to our covenanting, to make us firſt in covenanting with God, which is contrary to all p. 165the Account we have of the Covenant of Grace; and when any place ſpeaks ſo, it's ad hominem, and in the Language of the Covenant of Works.

Neonom.

Conſider the Seals of the Covenant, Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper; they ſeal not abſolutely, but conditionally.

Antinom.

Baptiſm is for Remiſſion of Sins, which is an abſolute Gift, and it ſuppoſeth it given where there's no Qualification for it; and this is an Argument to baptize Infants. And if you will have it to Seal the Performance of conditional Duties, you muſt never baptize Infants. I would deſire no ſtronger Argument to manage againſt Infant-Baptiſm than your Principle of Conditionality of the Covenant. And as for the Lord's Supper, it holds forth Chriſt's Body freely given, and his Blood freely ſhed for us, and that his Blood was a Seal and Ratification of the New Covenant, where-by it becomes a Teſtament.

Neonom.

1 Pet. 3.21. Baptiſm that ſaves us, is not the putting away the Filth of the Fleſh, but the Anſwer of a good Conſcience towards God, i. e. Ʋpright conſent of Heart to the Vow and Profeſſion.

Antinom.

The Words are thus, foreign. To what was Baptiſm an Antitype? Was it not to the Waters of Noah, that ſaved Perſons by bearing up the Ark, when the reſt of the World were drowned. What condition was there of God's ſaving thoſe Eight Perſons? And to bring it home, the Apoſtle tells us, the mere Element in Baptiſm and external Adminiſtration foreign, not the waſhing away External or Levitical Uncleanneſs, as it was uſed by the Jews, but as it ſignifies the Blood of Chriſt reaching to the purifying of the Conſcience from Guilt, Heb. 9. & 10. and thence is foreign, Through the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, as it ſignifies the carrying or waſhing away our Sins by the Blood of Chriſt, and our riſing again, wherein we were fundamentally Juſtifyed, and the application of both by Faith, whereby our preſent Sence of God's Wrath and Condemnation is removed. To talk that it ſignifies a Vow or upright Conſent, is very Jejune, againſt the Stream of Interpreters.

Neonom.

An Elect Perſon known by Revelation to be ſo while unregenerate, is not entitled to the Lord's Supper.

Antinom.

He that hath that Revelation, I ſuppoſe, will have ſomething more revealed: But in the mean time I wonder why you that ſtand upon ſuch ſtrict moral Qualifications for an Intereſt in Covenant-Benefits, and ſo ſparing of Goſpel Grace, ſtand upon ſo ſlight Terms for admiſſion to the Lord's Supper, and are ſo p. 166laviſh of Covenant-Benefits upon ſuch eaſie Terms. I am ſure you may know ſome of them are not Regenerate without Revelation.

Neonom.

Ʋnbelief, and whatever Sins are contrary to the Terms of the Covenant, are the only hinderances to a Sinners Intereſt in the Benefits of the Covenant, and by theſe we are ſaid to reject and refuſe the Covenant. The Scripture lays Men's want of Forgiveneſs on their Ʋnbelief as the culpable cauſe, &c.

Antinom.

Then the great Buſineſs of the Covenant of Grace is to ſave Sinners, and give them Life, being dead in Sin and Unbelief; and the Gift of God is eternal Life, begun in Remiſſion of Sins, and Faith in Chriſt's Blood, which God gives freely unto thoſe that are altogether uncapable to perform any Conditions for it; he gives theſe Gifts to unbelieving rebellious ones: And if Unbelief ſhould hinder theſe Gifts of God's Grace, there's none could be ſaved. And as Unbelief doth not hinder Fundamental Covenant Right which they have by Chriſt's Imputation, ſo it hinders not God's Application when he will work; for then nothing ſhall hinder. You ſeem alſo to hint, as if ſome Sins were more venial than others; and ſome more conſiſtent with your Moral Conditions of the Covenant of Imperfection; and know that no culpable Cauſe ſhall hinder the Forgiveneſs of thoſe for whom Chriſt died.

Neonom.

The Goſpel-Promiſe being the way which Chriſt appoints to diſpenſe ſaving Benefits to Believers, muſt have the ſame Rules with the Covenant of Grace.

Antinom.

Yea, for the Covenant of Promiſe and the Covenant of Grace are the ſame, and ſaving Benefits are diſpenſed only by way of Gift, which is performance of the Promiſe, and no other way.

Neonom.

The Goſpel is his Teſtament, and a Covenant cannot be a Diſpoſition contrary to this Goſpel.

Antinom.

The Covenant of Grace is a Teſtament, becauſe confirmed by the Death of Chriſt; and there's no adding to it, (if it were but a Man's Teſtament and laſt Will, as the Apoſtle ſaith) and therefore there's no bringing in any after-terms or conditions of it: And the Goſpel is a Declaration of this Promiſe and Seal, and addeth no further Terms.

Neonom.

This Promiſe tells us, 1. That there is a Promiſe of the firſt Grant made to Chriſt for the Elect, and by vertue of that Promiſe the Elect do conſent to the Covenant.

p. 167Antinom.

Promiſe and Grant are in a manner one, and this made to Chriſt for the Elect, (it's better to the Elect in Chriſt, but that will do for the preſent) and by vertue of that Promiſe the Elect do conſent: I ſuppoſe you mean the firſt Conſent, which you will ſometimes have the Condition of their receiving benefit by the Promiſe. I hope it's this, a great Benefit and abſolute Gift of the Promiſe; and of this then there's no Condition but Chriſt by your own Conſeſſion.

Neonom.

2. That Goſpel or Covenant is the means whereby that Faith is wrought.

Antinom.

Very good; then the Covenant is the condition of Faith, and not Faith of the Covenant.

Neonom.

This Goſpel commands, and by the Power of the Spirit works that Faith in order to ſaving Benefits, which Benefits it promiſeth to ſuch as do believe, and no other. D. W. p. 66.

Antinom.

I thought but now you were got above your Covenant of Imperfections, but I find you are working down again: Theſe Conditions are heavy bulky things, they will weigh a Man down do what he can. And is Faith wrought only in order to ſaving Benefits? How often ſhall I tell you, it's one of the principal ſaving Benefits of any Grace wrought in us? And Faith is promiſed to Unbelievers, elſe they would never have it.

Neonom.

This Goſpel inveſts Believers in thoſe ſaving Benefitt.

Antinom.

And it inveſts Unbelievers in the ſaving benefit of Faith; and therefore the Goſpel is the condition of Faith.

Neonom.

It ſecures the perſeverance of Believers in the true Faith, and the neceſſary Effects, and thereby ſecures thoſe Benefits as unforfeited.

Antinom.

Then they are not under an uncertain Trial all this Life, that it is not determined whether they ſhall be ſaved or no, as you ſuggeſted.

Neonom.

But Chriſt never bequeathed or promiſed in the Goſpel a Pardon or Salvation to Ʋnbelievers.

Antinom.

That's a Riddle. Was it not in Chriſt's Teſtament to ſave Sinners, to juſtify the Ungodly? Did he not pray for them that ſhould believe? Doth not the Goſpel tell us, He came not to ſave righteous, but to bring Sinners to repentance; that he came to ſeek and to ſave them that are loſt? Doth not Chriſt ſay, He is the Reſurrection and the Life; and that we are quickened, who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins? &c. The main Tenure of the Goſpel. If it be as you ſay, there's none ſhould be ſaved; for if Men are p. 168not ſaved by vertue of the Promiſe, they will never be ſaved. What a miſerable Condition are all in, if believing and promiſing Mercy be not beſtowed upon Unbelieving Sinners.

Neonom.

Nor the continuance of that Pardon or Salvation, but upon ſuppoſition that this Faith perſeveres: And if the Goſpel-promiſe ſay no ſuch thing, I am ſure the Covenant did not, p. 66.

Antinom.

What Chriſt bequeathed he purchaſed; but it ſeems all was done but upon condition of perſeverance. We muſt ſtand upon theſe uncertain conditions all our Days; it would be ſome comfort, if we could come to ſome certainty of our Pardon and Salvation after we are over the firſt brunt; but we can't be ſure we are pardoned, or that we ſhall be ſaved till the laſt Gaſp; and if we happen to fall in the mean time, our Pardon is gone.

Neonom.

The Account of the Covenant, which ſeems moſt for it's Abſoluteneſs, implies this conditional Connexion of the required Grace and the promiſed Benefits.

Antinom.

Now all our Foederal Conditions are dwindled away into conditional Connexions only. It is well ſome places ſeem to be for the Abſoluteneſs of the Covenant; if there be but one Text that is really for it, I think we are bound to believe it. But you ſay, they imply a conditional Connexion. God forbid, that conditional Connexions ſhould he turned out of the World; if they ſhould, all things muſt be returned into the firſt Chaos, and this would be a conditional Connexion; and this Connection is between the required Grace and promiſed Benefit. If you had ſaid, Beſtowed Grace, it had been more proper: Or ſaid, Required Duty: There's no body hath ſo little Sence as to deny Cauſe and Effects, Subjects and Adjuncts, Arguments of all ſorts in the Covenant of Grace in that free abſolute Covenant; and among the Gifts of it, there is Chriſt and all his Effects, the Spirit and its Effects, Faith and it's Effects, Adjuncts and Contraries. This we call Relative Conditions, or elſe things muſt ceaſe to have a Being. But that which we deny is, Moral Foederal Conditions to be performed by us: Such as theſe we ſay there's none: In the Covenant of Grace there's no required gracious Act that is ſuch a moral condition of any promiſed Benefit.

Neonom.

The places that ſeem to be for an abſolute Covenant are, Jer. 31.31, 32, 33. Heb. 8.10, 11, 12. Heb. 10.16, 17. Jer. 32.40. Ezra 11.19, 20. There be others that relate to the reſtauration of the Captivity.

p. 169Antinom.

You name Ezra 11. for one, and Ezra hath not ſo many Chapters. I ſuppoſe it's an Erratum, but I find it not among the Errata's. As for the reſt, you inſinuate, as if they referr'd only to the return of the Captivity.

Neonom.

Yes, I'll pitch upon one, Jer. 31.31. &c. This is quoted Heb. 8.10, 12. and ch. 10.16, 17. To underſtand this, we muſt conſider, 1. Whom is this Covenant made with. 2. What can be inferr'd from this Scheme of the Covenant. (1.) It's made with the Houſe of Judah and Iſrael, not the Men in preſent being, but Men to be hereafter. It's after thoſe days I will make it, ſo that it was after the Moſaick Covenant was to expire, ver. 32. D. W. p. 67.

Antinom.

Hence then you refute your ſelf, in ſaying, that it referr'd to the Reſtauration of the Captivity; for then the Moſaick Covenant was in it's full force.

Neonom.

And it could not be the only Covenant of Grace, for that had it's Being from the Fall, and the ſincere Iſraelites loſt not the advantage of it, Gal. 3.17.

Antinom.

The Covenant of Grace had it's Being before the Fall, and from the Fall it had it's Promulgation; then was that firſt revealed ſtate of it, before it was the Myſtery that lay hid in God. But obſerve, that as it was then manifeſted, it was abſolute as to us. The Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpents Head. There was no condition mentioned, nor rationally ſuppoſed to be implied, but Chriſt. And it's to be obſerved that this Covenant-promiſe was made before the Sentence was pronounced upon our Fallen Parents, which Bleſſing was the Curſe of the Serpent denounced. Now as this promulgated Covenant had it's being from the Fall, ſo it continued as the Covenant of Grace and Salvation to all the Faithful under the Old Teſtament. The Lamb ſlain from the Foundations of the World, or before them, was looked upon as the only Foederal Condition, which was exemplify'd by Sacrifices, early begun in Adam's Family, and continued till the Meſſiah came. Now indeed this Covenant in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews is not meant in the Eſſential Nature of it, but in the vailed ſtate of it under the Moſaick Adminiſtration, which is called by the Apoſtle, foreign, Graven in ſtone, 2 Cor. 3.6, 7. and oppoſed to foreign, which is the Goſpel unvailed Miniſtration, which is ſaid, therefore to be New, becauſe of the full and clear Diſcovery that was made by the Revelation of Chriſt in his Coming and Miniſtry, which was not before: And in the ſame Sence Mount Sinai and Mount Zion is oppoſed in Heb. 12. And what was ſeen by this laſt Miniſtration? p. 170It was, that Chriſt Jeſus was the Summ and Subſtance of the former Miniſtration. 1. That it was a Covenant of Free-Grace, the Promiſe given upon the condition of Redemption by the Blood of Chriſt, which appeared to be the true intent of all the Sacrifices. 2. That though ſo much was conditionally required, yet no Duties could expiate ſin, or reconcile us to God: And the Reaſon of thoſe Duties are given us as truly, though then not ſo fully ſeen, was the performance of the Covenant-condition vertually in Redemption typified by Redemption out of Egypt, Exod. 20. In a word, the Covenant of Grace ſtood vailed under the Moſaick Pedagogy, which ſtood in a conditional Command under the Sanction of Rewards and Puniſhments moſtly Temporal, and under Types and Figures.

Now this miniſtration of the Letter ſtood under a double Faultineſs, which clouded the Glory and Beauty of the Promiſe. Firſt, A Typical and Shadowy Adminiſtration in Sacrifices, by which the great condition of the Covenant was pointed at, as being not yet come, and Symbolically only expreſs'd to their Faith. The other Fault was, the Moral Mount Sinai Vail, which called for Duty as it were in the way of Foederal Condition, cauſed them to perform Duty as under a Spirit of Bondage, and in a mercenary manner, through the Encouragement of Temporal Rewards, and fear of Temporary Sufferings, and a ſeeming Attribution of Demerits to the Performances. And therefore the Apoſtle ſhews, that the Faultineſs lay here alſo, Heb. 8.9. Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers, &c. Becauſe they continued not in my Covenant, they could not be ſaved by thoſe Legal conditional Performances, but by an abſolute Covenant couched under that conditional Miniſtration, being ſaved even as we; for the Law and Legal Miniſtration it was weak through the Fleſh, Rom. 8.3. And you ſpeak very truly, that the true Iſraelites never loſt the Spiritual Advantage of the Covenant of Grace by reaſon of this vailed Miniſtration, but look'd thorough the Vail by Faith; for the Law-deliverance at Mount Sinai did not, or could not diſannull it. foreign, The Covenant or Teſtament foreratifyed by God unto Chriſt. Thus far we do in ſome meaſure agree.

Neonom.

But the Point before us is, to know who this Iſrael and Judah be. 1. They are either the Natural Jews to be alive in thoſe days, which this Promiſe refers to. 2. Or to true Believers, who are inwardly Iſrael, Rom. 9.6. If it terminate in the Natural Jews, it's a ſtrong p. 171Text for the Converſion of the Jews, for the moſt part by an immediate Influence.

Antinom.

Thoſe days are the days of the Goſpel-miniſtration, and it's plain the Spirit of God referrs to the Jews that then lived. The Apoſtle wrote to the Hebrews, and his Deſign was to take them from the Mount Sinai Miniſtration, which they were moſt fond of: He tells them, That now the days were come which the Prophet ſpake of; and therefore this is but ſhuffling with the Texts, as if the time of fulfilling this Promiſe was not yet come, when the Spirit of God gives us ſo clearly to underſtand when this Prophecy was accompliſhed, ver. 6. having given us an Account of the Miniſtry of the Old Sanctuary, that then the Prieſts did ſerve the Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things. foreign, They do ſervice, or miniſter by way of Similitude and Shadow, whereby they underſtood that they were not to laſt but till a better Miniſtry enſued. And ver. 6. he ſaith, But now hath he obtained a more excellent Miniſtry, by how much alſo as he is the Mediator of a better Covenant. And this is the time, at the Appearance of this Mediator, and his fulfilling all Righteouſneſs, that there ſhould be this clear, unvailed Diſpenſation of the Promiſe. Not but God did thus unconditionally ſave them before; but now they ſhould underſtand the true Ground, Principle, and Uſe, of Goſpel-Services and Duties. And here's all abſolute; God forgives their Iniquity, and writes his Law in their Hearts, where all is abſolute and free, without mentioning any condition; though you would fain hook them in any way by Head and Shoulders, but you labour in vain.

Neonom.

If they be true Believers, inward Iſrael, Rom. 2.9. then there is Faith in ſuch who are the Parties with whom God makes this Covenant, &c. D. W. p. 68.

Antinom.

We ſhewed you, it's meant firſt of the profeſſed Jews in thoſe days, out of which God would take a true Iſrael by vertue of this Promiſe: And when-ever they that were blinded ſhould be converted, and turn to the Lord, it ſhould be ſo; and this way they ſhould come to be Believers; for giving the New Heart, and writing the Law there, is making them Believers. How abſurdly do you talk of making Believers firſt, and then taking them into Covenant? As if making Men Believers, and giving them new Hearts, were not taking them into Covenant. This is from your Principle, That there's no Promiſe of giving Pardon or Salvation to meer Sinners and Unbelievers, which is contrary to the whole Goſpel. p. 172I will ſhew you a Promiſe that declares this abſolute Covenant expreſly to the Sinners of the Gentiles, (though the ſame Promiſe belongs to both expreſſed in either of the places.) Rom. 9.23. That God might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Veſſels of mercy, which he had afore prepared to Glory, foreign. This fore-preparation was in the Covenant of Grace, even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles, ver. 25. As he ſaith in Oſce, I will call them my people which were not my people, and her beloved which was not beloved, &c. See the place: And that this Calling referrs to more than an outward Profeſſion appears by 1 Pet. 2.9, 10. You will make the writing of God's Law in the Heart to be the Condition, when it's the very Promiſe made. Give me the Condition of this Promiſe to be found in us before God's Law is written, or elſe you do nothing.

Neonom.

It cannot be inferred from this Scheme of the New Covenant, that (the Dr. would have it) God doth not require any Duty as the condition of the Benefits which he promiſed to give. D. W. p. 68.

Antinom.

You ſay the firſt Grace is freely given, which in the Promiſe is a New Heart. Now what is a greater Benefit than Life from the dead? And what Duty can be required as a Condition to this Benefit? Here you muſt fall in with the Papiſts, and directly contrary to Article 13. of the Church of England.

Neonom.

I talk not of a Condition before a new Heart, but that the New Heart is the Condition: For God's Law is written in the Heart, before our relation to him as his People, or the Pardon of Sin.

Antinom.

Here you plainly ſay, there's a real ſtate in Grace, without a relative: Sanctification, without Juſtification or Adoption; the Law written in the Heart, and therefore Good Works. While we are unreconciled to God, it's before we are his People. Now this Law muſt be written, 1. In the Heart of the ungodly Man and Unbeliever; contrary to what you ſay, That there's no promiſe made to ſuch becauſe Unbelievers: Or it muſt be in the Heart of him, who at once is made a Believer in the working of a New Heart, in which inſtant he is related to God, and hath the pardon of Sin. But it's unaccountable Divinity, That the Law of God is writ in the Heart before our Relation to God as his People, or the Pardon of Sins.

Neonom.

But God requires us to make us new Hearts as a condition of Life, Ezek. 18.31. Jer. 7.23. 2 Cor. 3.6.

Antinom.

I ſuppoſe, Sir, you your ſelf cannot ſay, that the firſt quoted places are wrote in the New Covenant Dialect, but in that of the Vailed Covenant, eſpecially that of Ezek. 18. the place p. 173quoted by you. I ſuppoſe you will not ſay it's quite contrary to Jer. 31.31. for if ſo, we may throw away our Bibles, but that this place is to be taken in ſome Sence that is not contrary to the very nature and deſign of that of Jeremy.

The drift of this Chapter, Ezek. 18. is to vindicate the juſt and righteous Proceedings of God: For they had charged God with Injuſtice and Unrighteouſneſs of his Dealings towards them, That the Son ſuffered for the Father's Sins, The Father eat ſowre Grapes, &c. God Viſiting the Iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children. The Lord tells them, there's no Child ſuffers for his Fathers Sins, any farther than he entails the Curſe, and as he walketh in his Fathers Sins: and that by perſonal Repentance of the vileſt Perſon a Man ſhould be ſaved, and not ſuffer for his Parents Sins. And ver. 29. the Prophet ſaith, notwithſtanding you have heard the Juſtice of God thus vindicated, you will perſiſt in it, and ſay, foreign, The way of God is not juſt or right. O houſe of Iſrael, (ſaith the Lord) are not my ways juſt? Are not yours unjuſt? For thus ſaith the Lord, I will judge you; ſeeing that you ſtand ſo upon your own Juſtification, and cenſure my Juſtice; ſee now that you repent, and turn you from your Iniquities, and ſo Iniquity ſhall not be your ruine. And if they plead this, We cannot do it without the Gift of Grace, and thou change our Hearts. No, faith God, ſeeing you ſtand upon ſuch Terms with me, you muſt do as you have pretended you could. Ver. 31. Caſt away from you all your Tranſgreſſions—and make you a new Heart: Get up your ſelves ſuch Faith as thoſe have, who receive my Grace freely, and I give new Hearts to, and it ſhall be well with you: For, ſaith the Lord, my Nature is not to delight in the Miſery of the Creature, (as no juſt Judge that paſſeth Sentence delights to afflict or kill the Priſoner at the Barr) I had according to my nature, rather he ſhould repent and live; but if he doth not, Juſtice requireth that he ſhould die. Now that which ſeems here to be chiefly aimed at, is, to convince them of their ſinful undone ſtate, that they were never able to perform ſo much as the external Commands of the Law of Moſes, or any Commands to Repentance or Obedience in their own ſtrength and power. And ſeeing you charge me with this, That I accept not your pretended Repentance, but have carried you away into Captivity, it's for the Iniquity of our Fathers, they have ſinned and we muſt ſuffer. No, ſaith God, do but repent, Sin ſhall not be your ruine; make you new Hearts your ſelves. Seeing you pretend you deſerve ſo much, and have done ſo and ſo, let me now ſee what you can do without me as to Help p. 174and Grace; you ſhall ſee I ſhall deal with you according to your Good, as well as according to your Wickedneſs. The Current of the Old Tkſtament is to convince them of the Faultineſs of this Conditional Covenant, and to confirm what the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 8. Rom. 10.31, 32. which is the Sence of that place, Jer. 7.23, 4. This thing I commanded them, but they hearkened not, &c. That they continued not in that conditional way of Salvation, nor obtained the Law of Righteouſneſs, neglecting the true Spiritual meaning of the Sacrifices; but they that were ſaved, were ſaved as we, by Faith in a free and an unconditional Covenant of Grace.

Calvin ſaith on the place, Non fruſtra hoc dicit Deus, facite vobis, &c. God doth not ſpeak this in vain. Facite vobis (though they had no Power to do it) but for this end, that men being convinced of their ſins, ſhould blame none but themſelves; and acknowledging their Impotency, ſhould betake themſelves to the help of the holy Spirit as David, Pſal. 51.22. So as alſo this external Exhortation is as it were the Inſtrument God uſeth to conferr Grace upon them. And the Apoſtle acquaints us, 1 Cor. 10. and ſhews us how the Iſraelites failed, and rebelled againſt this conditional Covenant, and ſo brought themſelves under the Calamities threatned to their Diſobedience, and tells us, that all theſe things happened unto them in a Type, foreign [or foreign, as another Reading hath it] foreign, ver. 11. They were Types, and were written for our Inſtruction. Wherein was that? viz. That we ſhould not think as they, to be ſaved upon the condition of our Performances, which they did, notwithſtanding they had Chriſt and the free Promiſe of Life given to them in the Types of the Cloud, and the Rock which they made not Improvement of, or regarded, but ſtood moſtly on their own ſtrength and righteouſneſs. Therefore, ſaith he, ver. 12. the Inſtruction lies here, which we are taught, He that thinks that he ſtands, let him take heed leſt he falls; i. e. let him depend upon the Free Grace of the Covenant, and not upon his Conditional Performances. I ſee not to what purpoſe you quote 2 Cor. 3.6. and ch. 10.11, 12, 21.

Neonom.

I will tell you your Miſtakes, you think every thing is a price to buy a Benefit, which is a compliance with the way God hath ordained to be a way to beſtow a Gift. D. W. p. 71.

Antinom.

I think God hath a way to beſtow Grace upon us by Price and Gift too; the Price is paid by Chriſt, i. e. the conditional part of the Covenant performed, and Chriſt is freely given to us, and this is all the Covenant-way of Salvation in him. Now if you bring in any other Foederal Condition between Chriſt and us, you deſtroy it as a Gift of Righteouſneſs and Life, and make it Debt, becauſe that which makes the Benefits promiſed due by remunerative Juſtice, makes them a Debitum; but a previous foederal Condition performed, makes the Benefits promiſed due by Remunerative Juſtice, Ergo. Make them a Debt, and the Condition a Price; therefore all ſuch Conditions are rejected as Money and Price, Iſa. 55.1.

p. 175Neonom.

You think becauſe God hath promiſed to Chriſt, that the Elect ſhall believe; therefore God cannot make Faith a Condition of any other Bleſſing.

Antinom.

I think Faith being promiſed to Chriſt for us, and to all his Seed in him, it can never loſe the Nature of a Promiſe to us, and can't return into the Nature of a Foederal Condition. That the Promiſes are beſtowed Ordine & relativâ connexione, I deny not, nor no body of Sence; but no Gifts of the Promiſe are Foederal Conditions, but Chriſt himſelf.

Neonom.

He thinks becauſe Christ is given to be a Covenant, i. e. is appoint…d to be a Surety, to ſerve the great ends of the Covenant accompliſhed and ſecured, therefore there is nothing required from men as the way of their Intereſt in the Benefits of the Covenant, though under the Influence of Chriſt.

Antinom.

It ſeems you give two things to Chriſt as Surety only. 1. That he is the Executor. 2. That he hath given Bond and Security that we ſhall perform the Conditions of the Covenant: But we ſay, he was ſo a Surety, as not only to undertake, but actually to fulfill all Righteouſneſs for us, and was our Federal Condition, and was the Teſtator of the Promiſe; and it being made unto him, and us in him, all Power was put into his Hand; he gave it us by Will, ſealed it with his Blood, and now is exalted, and in full Power to give out the w…ole Covenant-grant himſelf, and eternal Life in him to Sinners freely that have no Qualification for it, neither are capable of making or performing any Foederal Conditions.

Neonom.

You think becauſe Chriſt is appointed to work Faith in Order to Ʋnion, and other Benefits, therefore we muſt have an actual Intereſt in Chriſt and his Benefits before this Faith is wrought.

Antinom.

Faith is the Fruit that grows upon a Branch of the Vine Chriſt Jeſus. Now tell me how that Fruit ſhall grow without the Influence of the Root: Unleſs you will ſay, a Branch out of Chriſt can bring forth Fruit. I will not undertake to tell how long the Union made by the Spirit is before Faith appear, but I am ſure Faith cannot ſo much as ariſe into the firſt Act, without the Sinners Union and Spiritual Communion, ſo far as to have from the Root; but as to his active and apprehended Union, it can't be before Faith.

Neonom.

You think becauſe all Grace after Ʋnion comes from Chriſt as our actual Head, therefore Chriſt by his Spirit can work no Grace in us as our deſigned Head.

p. 176Antinom.

I know not how you put that Paradox upon me, or what you mean by it very well; I can but gueſs at it by your other Notions; all that I can ſay to it is, that Chriſt works Grace as our Actual Head. That Chriſt Works Grace in us as a deſigned Head is a Riddle; for ſo Grace muſt be wrought in us before we are in Chriſt.

Neonom.

You think becauſe God Soveraignly decreed what Benefits he would beſtow; therefore he hath as our Ruler, ſtated no rectoral Method of beſtowing thoſe Benefits.

Antinom.

I never thought God to be any other than a God of Order, and that he is wiſe in all his ways, and holy in all his Works, and always thought that as God hath decreed to us all Covenant-Bleſſings, ſo he hath provided the beſt method and way for beſtowing them, moſt to the Honour and Glory of his Free-Grace.

Neonom.

Becauſe the Covenant is everlaſting, (as to future) therefore you judge there can be no Condition on man's part; nor remembring, that the Covenant ſecures our perſeverance in performing thoſe Conditions.

Antinom.

Becauſe the Cnvenant is eternal, before the World began, I judge it was compleat, and that the Condition was as ancient as the Covenant, and the Security both in Condition and Promiſe as ancient.

Neonom.

Dr. O. in his Treatiſe of Juſtification, p. 264. ſaith, That Chriſt undertook that thoſe who were to be taken into this Covenant ſhould receive Grace, enabling them to comply with the Terms of it, fulfill it's Conditions, and yield Obedience, which God required therein. How frequently doth he aſſert, That our Intereſt in the Benefits of the Covenant depends on our Anſwering the Terms of the Goſpel.—270, 30…, 351. And ſo Mr. Norton.

Calvin.

Dr. Owen ſhews what Chriſt undertook as Sponſor, Praes. Fidejuſſor. 1. To anſwer for all the Sins of thoſe who are to be, and are made Partakers of the Benefits of it. 2. That thoſe who are to be taken into Covenant, [by their Actual embracing it] ſhould receive Grace enabling them; and whatever Chriſt undertook, God promiſed; and this Grace of Compliance is no other than what Chriſt procured, undertook, and God promiſed. To ſay that the Promiſes are Conditions one of another, is to ſay no more than that they ſtand in an order of Application, and i… a conſtituted relation one to another.

And theſe are all the Terms the Doctor means; and that he doth mean ſo, and not in your Sence, is manifeſt, by noting other Notions of theſe things, two of which he rehearſeth, wherein I am ſure your Notion is comprized at length and breadth, He tells us what ſome ſay we owe to the Death of Chriſt, the Procuratum of the New Covenant, and that he ſuffered what God appointed he ſhould; not that p. 177the Juſtice of God required any ſuch thing, &c. as in their ſtead, but what by a free Conſtitution of Divine Wiſdom and Soveraignty was appointed; and hereon God remitted the Terms of the Old Covenant, and entred into a New Covenant, ſuited unto Reaſon, &c. Theſe are Faith and ſincere Obedience, &c. — Others ſay, The whole Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is imputed to us ſo far, as that we are made Partakers of the Benefits thereof. And that the way of the Communication of them unto us is by the New Covenant, which by his Death the Lord Chriſt procured. For the Conditions of the Covenant are eſtabliſted in the Covenant it ſelf, whereon God will beſtow all the Benefits and Effects of it upon us, which are Faith and Obedience. Wherefore, what the Lord Chriſt hath done for us, is thus far accepted as our Legal Righteouſdeſs, as that God upon our Faith and Obedience with reſpect thereunto, doth releaſe and pardon all our Sins. Upon this Pardon there is no need of any poſitive perfect Righteouſneſs unto our Juſtification or Salvation; but our own perſonal Righteouſneſs is accepted with God in the room of it, by vertue of the New Covenant which Chriſt hath procured: So is the Doctrine hereof ſtated by Curſellaeus, and thoſe that joyn with and follow him, as I take it you do. This Doctrine he refutes.

As for what you quote from Mr. Norton, Orth. Evang. p. 172. it's not to the purpoſe. His Deſign is to prove, the Goſpel is preach'd in an Indefinite Propoſition, which is not to our purpoſe; you quote Mr. Norton in the wrong place. Look ch. 10. p. 227.—

The Application both of Grace and Glory, and all the good of the Covenant of Grace, are free to us, though conditioned unto Chriſt. Free Grace excludes not Chriſt's Merit, but Man's Merit.

Obj. Faith is a Condition, though not of it ſelf, yet of Salvation, and that in the Elect themſelves: Therefore the Application of Salvation ſeems not to be free in reſpect of the Elect.

A. A Condition is either a Condition properly ſo called, i. e. an Antecedent Condition, or a Condition improperly ſo called, i. e. a Conſequent Condition. A Condition properly ſo called is a Law or Obſervation, annexed to a buſineſs, the performance whereof lyeth upon the Covenant, and accordingly the buſineſs becomes valid or null. Such a Condition was Works in the firſt Covenant. If Faith were ſuch a Condition, there would ſoon be an end of the Covenant of Grace; yea, the Covenant of Grace were indeed no Covenant of Grace. A Condition improperly ſo called, or a conſequent Condition, is ſuch a Condition, whoſe performance by the Covenantee is abſolutely undertaken for, and irreſiſtibly wrought by the Covenanter, and not left in Suſpence upon the Covenantee, to be performed by his own ſtrength. Faith is a conſequent Condition, not an antecedent Condition. So as this Propoſition, I will give Eternal Life to the Elect, if they believe, is equivalent unto this, I will out of my abſolute Will give unto the Elect Eternal Life, becauſe I will out of my abſolute Will give unto the Elect to believe. Particula ſi, foreign, ſi feceris hoc vives. Particula ſi, non eſt foreign ſed foreign, in ſi credideris. Buc. loc. 21. q. 3.

Obj. Repentance and new Obedience are neceſſary to Salvation, Luke 13.3. Heb. 3.13. Therefore the Application of the good of Election is not to be free in reſpect of us.

A. Good Works (which is alſo true Repentance) are neceſſary, as the way appointed of God unto Salvation, but not as the Cauſe; this were to change the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works, our good Works are the effects of Grace, the Reward of good Works are a Reward of Grace; Good Works are neceſſary to Salvation as the Way, not as an Inſtrument or Cauſe. Faith is neceſſary to p. 178Salvation as an Inſtrument. The Active and Paſſive Obedience of Chriſt is neceſſary as a meritorious Cauſe.

Calvin.

Mr. Antiſozzo, I pray do you now ſpeak impartially to this Point.

Antiſozzo.

I think I have met with his Scheme before now, and as I take it, it runs thus, and the Queſtion that lies before us is this, What Influence the Sacrifice of Chriſts Death, and the Righteouſneſs of his Life have upon our acceptance with God? The Gentleman that I once diſputed with ſtated the Queſtion ſo, and reſolved it as follows. [Antiſozzo, p. 580.] All that I can find in Scripture about this is, That to this we owe the Covenant of Grace; That God being well-pleaſed with the Obedience of Chriſt's Life, and the Sacrifice of his Death, for his ſake entred into a new Covenant with Mankind, wherein he promiſes pardon of Sin and eternal Life to thoſe who believe and obey the Goſpel.

I think this is exactly your Scheme, Mr. Neonomian.

Neonom.

Yes, and ſomething more, D. W. p. 8. viz. That the Goſpel barrs all Ʋnbelievers and dead Sinners from Pardon and Adoption, and denounceth the continuance of Condemnation againſt them, limiting it's Benefits to ſuch as believe.

Antiſozzo.

This Scheme contains three things. 1. A Deſcription of the Covenant of Grace. 2. An Aſſertion that this Covenant of Grace is owing to the Sacrifice and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. 3. A Suppoſition that this Righteouſneſs and Sacrifice of Chriſt hath no other Influence upon our acceptance with God, but that for his ſake he enrted into ſuch a Covenant with Mankind.

1. His Deſcription is this: A Promiſe of the pardon of Sin and Eternal Life to thoſe who believe and obey the Goſpel.

Neonom.

You will not, I hope, deny this to be a true Deſcription of the Covenant of Grace.

Antiſozzo.

But I will for all your haſt: It is a Deſcription ſo liable to Exceptions, that it deſcribes neither the whole of the Covenant, nor a New Covenant, nor (upon the matter) any Covenant at all.

Neonom.

If you prove what you ſay, —Eris mihi magnus Apollo. I'll ſtrike out your Name from my Book; and if I can be convinced, I muſt ſubſcribe yours.

Antiſozzo.

You ſhall ſee what I can do preſently. 1. This Deſcription gives us very little of a true Covenant of Grace. For, 1. Tho you think to put us off with a Promiſe of Pardon and Life to thoſe that believe and obey; the true Covenant of Grace hath given us a Promiſe of that Faith whereby we may believe, and of that New Heart, whereby we are enabled to obey the Goſpel. And Firſt, We have the Promiſe of the right Faith in the true Covenant, John 6.37. Eph. 1.8. And leaſt it ſhould be ſaid, Faith is a common Gift, as other things are, the Apoſtle hath his reply ready, Eph. 1.19. Secondly, We have a direct and expreſs Promiſe too of that New Heart from which we give to God new Obedience, Ezek. 36. Ver. 26, 27. &c.

2. This Deſcription gives but very little of the true Covenant of Grace; there's a Promiſe of Pardon and Life to them who believe and obey, but Perſeverance in Faith and Obedience is left to the Deſultory and Lubricous Power of Free Will; whereas in the true C…venant of Grace there's an Undertaking that the Covenant p. 179ſhall be immutable both on God's part, Jer. 32.38, 4. God hath ſaid, He will not turn away from doing them good. And 2ly. He hath promiſed, That they ſhall not depart from him, &c. p. 583.

2. As it deſcribes not the whole of the Covenant, ſo it deſcribes not the Nature of a new Covenant. 1. It deſcribes no New Covenant in oppoſition to the Old Covenant of Works: The Covenant with Adam promiſed Life upon condition of O…edience, and thoſe Commands as eaſie as thoſe now given to Mankind, and much eaſier too, if we conſider Adam's Natural Strength. 2. We are told by you, that Chriſt hath added to the Moral Law, [i. e. to the Moral Duties required by the New Law, Faith and Repentance] which is to lay more Load on thoſe that were overcharged before. So that as you make Covenants, Adam's was much the better Covenant of the two; but you have wiſely ſhuffled in a Promiſe of the Pardon of Sin, which may ſeem to give this Covenant a Preheminence above that of Adam: But that will not mend the matter, both becauſe it's better to have no Sin in our Natures, than ſuch a Remedy; better to have no Wound than ſuch a Plaiſter; and alſo becauſe the Promiſe of Pardon (as you ſay) is ſuſpended upon the condition of Faith and Obedience, which without a Supernatural real Influx of immediate Divine Power, reduceth the Promiſe to an impoſſibility of Performance. 2ly. This Covenant deſcribed is no new Covenant in oppoſition to the Old Adminiſtration of the Covenant of Grace; there were the ſame Promiſes then that we have now, the ſame Moral Precepts that we have now. Though the Word Goſpel come in for a Blind, yet the Apoſtle aſſures us the Goſpel was preached to Abraham.

3. Upon the matter it's no Covenant of Grace at all, p. 584. For, 1. A Promiſe of Pardon and Life upon condition of believing and obeying, is neither better nor worſe than a Threatning of Condemnation and Death, to them who believe not and obey not. It may with equal right be called a Threatning of Death, as a Promiſe of Life: It's no more of Grace than a Covenant of Wrath: And therefore, 2ly. (If it be lawful to conſider Man as the Word of God deſcribes him, dead in Sins and Treſpaſſes) It's no Covenant at all to him. For what is the nice difference betwixt the Promiſe of Life to him that obeys, when it's certain before-hand he cannot obey, and no Promiſe at all, &c.

Neonom.

Well, Sir, pray let us call another Cauſe: Do you argue like a Voucher to my Book. Mr. Calviniſt, he is a ſharp Man, and he doth this only for Argumentation ſake; he is of my mind for all this.

Antiſozzo.

No, do not you believe that; you wheadled me in to vouch for your Book I know not how; but I ſhall ſtick the cloſer upon your Skirts for that, I have not done with you yet.

Calvin.

I will then propound one Queſtion to Mr. Antiſozzo, Whether the Covenant of Grace be owing to the Sacrifice of Chriſts Death, and ſo be diſtinct from that he calls the Covenant of Redemption? Becauſe our time now is up, ſpeak only what your Judgment is in this Point.

Antiſozzo.

Mr. Neonomian, I muſt tell you I have narrowly pryed into this Paradox, That the Covenant of Grace is owing to, procured by, and founded on the Obedience of Chriſts Life, and the Sacrifice of his Death, and yet ſo unhappy I have been in my ſearch that I cannot find any proof, or any attempt to prove it; and therefore p. 180(till I ſee evidence to the contrary) I ſhall take for granted that the Covenant of Grace is owing to, and founded on, and given forth by that Free Grace of God from whence its juſtly denominated a Covenant of Grace, though the Intervention of a Mediator, ſuch a Mediator was abſolutely neceſſary to put us into Actual Poſſeſſion of thoſe Rich Mercies deſigned to us by God in that Covenant; which Mediator himſelf is owing to, and founded on that Covenant of Grace; and therefore the Covenant of Grace is not founded upon him, but indeed for that Covenant [which Mr. Neonomian] is pleaſed to call a Covenant of Grace, it's no great matter where it is founded; and therefore let him diſpoſe of his own Creature as he pleaſeth, &c. See p. 581, 586. &c.

Neonom.

There are Precepts and Threatnings in the Covenant of Grace; and therefore thoſe Duties required are Foederal Conditions: For to the performance of them are annexed Promiſes, and to the breach of them Threats.

Calvin.

I pray, Dr. Witſius, do you ſpeak in Anſwer to this Argument.

Dr. Witſius. The Covenant of Grace, or Goſpel ſtrictly ſo called, as a Platform of that Covenant, ſeeing it conſiſts in meer Promiſes, properly preſcribes nothing as Duty, it requires or commands nothing, not ſo much as Believe, Truſt and Hope in the Lord, &c. but it reports, declares and ſignifies to us what God in Chriſt hath promiſed, what he will and is about to do. All Preſcription of Duty belongs to the Law, even as after others venerable Voetius hath preſſed again and again. Voet. Diſput. Tom. 4. p. 24. & ſeq. And this we muſt firmly hold, if we will conſtantly defend (with all the Reformed) the perfection of the Law, containing in it's compaſs all Vertues, all Duties of Holineſs. But the Law fitted to the Covenant of Grace, and according there to written in the Heart of the Elect, commands all theſe things which are propounded in the Goſpel, to embrace it with Faith unfeigned, and to live a Life of Grace and Glory agreeable thereto. De F…der. p. 197.

As to Comminations, it cannot be denyed but in the Doctrine of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, there are many Comminations, which have a peculiar reſpect unto the Covenant of Grace, as, He that believes not ſhall be condemned, &c. which Comminations do ſeem to be diſtinguiſhed from thoſe that are plainly Legal: Such as this, Curſed be he that continues not in all things, &c. Yet if we exactly conſider them, the Covenant of Grace hath no peculiar Threats, for all the Threats are from the Law, which Law as to all its parts, doth accommodate and ſuit it ſelf to the Covenant of Grace; and there are none which cannot be referred to, or deduced from that meer Legal Commination Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things, &c. De Foed. p. 199.