The Gospel Method of Gods Saving Sinners, Discourse · Proposition 11
PROPOS. XI. Of our neceſſary obligation to perform the conditions of the Covenant.
AS the Covenant of Grace is made with conditions, ſo theſe conditions, they muſt actually be accepted and performed by us, before we can be admitted to any actual intereſt in, or have any lawful claim to the bleſſings of it. The Covenant, as before was ſaid, is made up of priviledges and duties. Thoſe are promiſed, and theſe commanded. Now the duties commanded, muſt firſt be performed, before the priviledges promiſed can be enjoyed, ſince the promiſe is only made to the performance of them. Plainly thus, We are not, firſt pardoned, and then repent; firſt juſtified, and then believe; firſt glorified and then made holy: But we muſt firſt repent and believe before we can be pardoned, and make good the ſincerity of our reſolutions in both (ſo far as we have opportunity) by obedience, before we enter into life. Which is no more, than what is commonly ſaid by Divines, viz. That faith goes before juſtification; and holineſs before happineſs. This is the unvariable order in which the benefits of this Covenant are to be diſpenſed, and in which they are only to be expected by us.
I do not ſay, that theſe duties, or conditions are to be performed by us in our own natural ſtrength, but yet they muſt be performed by us, in our own perſons. The work is properly ours, but the ſtrength to do it, is from the Lord. He by his ſpirit inables us to repent, and believe and obey the Goſpel. I but ſtill ſo, that it is our act: we are the perſons that muſt actually repent, and believe, and obey, or elſe we cannot receive the remiſſion of our ſins, and an inheritance amongſt them that are ſanctified.
And ſhall I need to ſay much for the proof of this which is ſo manifeſt, partly from what I have already ſaid, and partly from the evidence of reaſon it ſelf? For firſt,
1. Hath not God poſitively, and in plain terms commanded us to repent, and believe and be holy? And that in order to our being happy▪ And hath he not finally excluded from life and happineſs, all ſuch that are impenitent, unbelieving and impure? Can there be any doubt concerning this, to him that reads the Goſpel, and believes it to be of Divine authority? And is he not, do you think, ſerious in all this? What, ſhall the unchangeable God, that cannot lie, be deemed like degenerate Man, to ſpeak one thing, and mean another? Or is he ſerious only in his promiſes, and not ſo alſo in his commands, and threatnings? Why? Are not both equally founded upon the ſame immutable nature, and veracity of God? And if you can perſwade your ſelves to hope, that God will revoke his threatnings, and commands; Why ſhould you not alſo doubt, whether he will make good his promiſes? We have no other foundation, whereon to build our faith, and hopes, but the declared will of God, and if that be changeable, our faith's no better than opinion, and our hopes, preſumption. We can then neither be ſure, that the wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, nor yet that the righteous ſhall be ſaved. If this then be the fixed and unchangeable order, and method of Salvation by the Covenant of Grace, that either we muſt repent, or periſh, return, or die, believe, or be damned, be holy, or not ſee God, be obedient, or ſuffer the vengeance of eternal fire, as hath been ſhewn; how can we hope to be ſaved otherways than in repenting, and turning, and believing, and obeying of the Goſpel? Otherways than in the actual performance of theſe duties?
2. Have we not more than once by our own voluntary act ſolemnly engaged our ſelves to the actual performance of all theſe conditions? When we were baptized; when we after this approached to the Lords Table, when we have at any time profeſſedly humbled our Souls before the Lord, in any ſolemn ordinance; yea when we firſt entertained the tenders of Grace and Salvation, did we not then promiſe and engage to amend our evil wayes, and doings, and turn to God, and believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and receive him in all his offices, and keep his Commands, and walk in all holineſs, and obedience well pleaſing in his ſight? Now either we were ſerious, and in good earneſt, or not, when we thus engaged. If ſerious, 'tis morally impoſſible, that we ſhould indulge our ſelves in the wilfull neglect of theſe duties, ſince an intentional, and approved violation of our promiſe is inconſiſtent with ſincerity: And therefore the conſcience of our own obligation will neceſſarily put us upon all poſſible endeavours to act conformable to our own engagements. And ſince the thing, to which we obliged our ſelves, was not meerly the profeſſion, and acknowledgment, but actual performance of theſe duties, we ſhall accordingly ſtudy to perform them.
But if we ſay, we were not ſerious in theſe ſolemn engagements, we then plainly confeſs, that our deſign therein was only to play the Hypocrites with God, and to impoſe upon his omniſciency. But is it poſſible, that any reaſonable creature ſhould ever become ſo prodigious a Monſter? Or that ever it ſhould enter into the heart of Man to imagine, that the all wiſe, and holy God: He that requires truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51.6. He that hath curſt the deceiver, Mal. 1.14. He that hath denounced ſo many woes againſt the Hypocrite, Matth. 23. and hath ſentenced them to the loweſt place in Hell, Matth. 24.51. That he I ſay ſhould bind himſelf by Covenant to ſuch Miſcreants, to pardon them and bleſs them, and admit them to the beſt and choiſeſt priviledges of his Kingdom? What? ſuch as deſign to mock God, and play the Hypocrite with him, and to be treacherous and unfaithful to him? Be not deceived, ſaith the Apoſtle, God is not mocked, Gal. 6.7.
Beſides, if our ſtipulating with God in the Covenant, or as the Prophet expreſſeth it, our ſubſcribing with the hand to the Lord, be neceſſary (as hath been demonſtrated) in order to our rec…iving the bleſſings of it, then our actual performance of what we ſtipulated, and ſubſcribed to, muſt needs be much more neceſſary, ſince our ſolemn engagement to the Covenant is r…quired not meerly for it ſelf but only as a means to this end, that is, to bind us to a more punctual performance of the conditions of it.
3. How elſe ſhall we diſtinguiſh betwixt the righteous, and the wicked; the Heirs of Glory, and the Sons of perdition? They may all be baptized. They may all ſubſcribe with the hand to the Lord. They may all eat, and drink at his table. They may all be profeſſors in Religion, and make a fair ſhew in the fleſh, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Gal. 6.12. Theſe things are common to both, and therefore can be no mark of diſtinction betwixt them. No, but herein lies the difference. The one break off their ſins by repentance, and turn to God: the other not. The one come to the foot of Chriſt, take his yoak, and bear his burden, and ſincerely believe in him: the others not. The one keep his Commandments, and obey from the heart his Laws, and Doctrine: the others not. The one love the Lord with all their Souls and thoughts and ſtrength: the others have not the ſame love of the Father in them; but love the world and the things of the world, as John ſpeaks, 1 John 2.15. In a word, the one perform the Oath of the Lord, and act conformably to their Covenant engagements, but the other they draw back and are unfaithful. Like the Phariſees, they ſay, and do not: But the others they ſay and do. And thus they are mutually deſcribed and diſtinguiſhed by the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 3▪ 7, 10. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteouſneſs, is righteous, even as he is righteous: ver. 7. But whoſoever doeth not righteouſneſs, is not of God, ver. 10. And herein he tells us, the Children of God are manifeſt, and the Children of the Devil. Herein they are differenced, and hereby they manifeſtly may be diſtinguiſhed. And the ſame Character and mark of diſtinction we have from Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, Job. 8.31. & 15.8.
But if the actual performance of theſe conditions be not unchangeably neceſſary, all diſtinction betwixt good and bad, Holy and Prophane is taken away, and we cannot ſay of any, …owever viſibly different in their lives and converſations, this Man is wicked, or that Man is righteous, ſince one is not this in obſerving, nor the other that in neglecting the obſervance of them, if not nece…ſary to be obſerved; and ſo we have no Standard left whereby to judge of either. The obedient and diſobedient are alike, if obedience and diſobedience be the ſame.
For whatever elective love God may have for any particular perſon, more than for others amongſt the degenerate Sons of Men, yet ſince that is only an immanent act in God, and that, which had an exiſtence from all eternity, before we had any thing, and wholly lies hid in the ſecret counſel of Gods will, and ſo abſolutely unknown to us, that cannot poſſibly either make any change of our ſtate, or become any foundation for any real and forenſick diſtinction betwixt Man and Man. 'Tis not that, which makes this Man a Judas, and that Man a Paul. The one actually wicked, and the other perſonally righteous. And therefore whoever God predeſtinates, ſaith the Apoſtle, th…m alſo he calls, before they are either juſtified or glorified, Rom. 8.30. He makes them to paſs under the rod, and brings them into the bond of the Covenant, and pours clean water upon them, and puts his Spirit into them, and writes his Laws in their hearts, and cauſeth them to walk in his ways, and keep his Judgments, before he will own them to be his people, and dignify them with the name of Saints, and Children, and righteous ones, Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27, 28. Jer. 31.33. 1 Cor. 1.2. Take Paul for an inſtance. He was you know a choſen veſſel to the Lord, Acts 9.15. Separated (in Gods predeterminate counſel) from his Mothers womb, Gal. 1.15. Yea, but was he therefore immediately juſtified, and ſanctified, and adopted, and owned for a Saint, a Child of God from his Mothers womb? No, for all that, he will tell you, that he was for ſome years a Phariſee, an injurious perſon, a Perſecutor, a Blaſphemer, 1 Tim. 1.13. And as he ſpeaks of the Epheſians, that he was dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, a Child of diſobedience and of wrath, without Chriſt, having no hope, and without God in the World. Eph. 2.1, 2, 3▪ & 12. To this effect he ſpeaks expreſly of himſelf, Tit. 3.3. And may we not now truly ſay of Paul (however elected) that he was a wicked Man, during his continuance in this ſtate? And conſequently, that he was not righteous; ſince 'tis impoſſible for the ſame perſon to be righteous and wicked, dead and alive at the ſame time. But how then came Paul to be amongſt Gods Jewels, his holy ones? How? God humbles him at the foot of Chriſt, Acts 9.5, 6, &c. and calls him by his Grace, Gal. 1.15. and makes him obedient to his call, Acts 26.19. and regenerates him by his Spirit, Tit. 3.3, 4, 5. and cauſeth him to believe, and obey the Goſpel, Acts 24.14, 15, 16. and to live intirely to Jeſus Chriſt, Philip. 1.21. Thus Paul obtaineth Mercy as he tells you, 1 Tim. 1.16. and is liſted into the number of the Saints, his name now is changed, Acts 13.9. 'Tis no more Saul, but Paul, no more a Perſecutor, but an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt: and now he is juſtified, Gal. 2.16. and now he receives a Crown of righteouſneſs, 2 Tim. 4.8. And thus you ſee what it is, that denominates a man righteous, or wicked, and what is the only note of diſtinction betwixt an Heir of wrath, and a Child of God, not baptiſm or profeſſion, or being in the viſible Church, or the elective love of God, but doing righteouſneſs, as John ſpeaks, which is nothing elſe, but the actual performance of the Conditions of the New Covenant, of which I am treating.
4. Why elſe hath God ſent his holy Spirit into the World? Is it not plainly for this end, that he may help our infirmities, Rom. 8.26. and that he may aſſiſt us in the actual performance of thoſe duties, which are by the New Covenant required of us? That we may look upon him whom we have pierced by our ſins, and mourn, Zech. 12.10. that we may believe in Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.13. that we may mortifie the deeds of the fleſh, Rom. 8.13. that our hearts may be purified in obeying the truth, 1 Pet. 1.22. And that we may walk in the wayes and keep the Judgments of God, Ezek. 36.27. All this is ſaid to be by the aſſiſtance of the Divine Spirit. And therefore it is, that the miniſtration of the Spirit is ſtill neceſſary in order to our Salvation, notwithſtanding that Jeſus Chriſt hath fully diſcharged the office and perf…cted the work of a Redeemer and Mediator for us: Joh. 16.7. Nevertheleſs, I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you, th…t I go away: for If I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you▪ but if I depart, I will ſend him unto you.
The Spirit here is expreſly promiſed to be ſent in the room of Chriſt to ſupply his place and office, when he ſhould leave the World, as that which ſhould be of more advantage to them than ſtill to enjoy Chriſts perſonal preſence here on Earth: Nevertheleſs I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. But why expedient? For then the Spirit ſhall come. But when he is come, what ſhall he do? Why? He ſhall convince the world of ſin, of righteouſneſs and of judgment, ver. 8. I, but if Jeſus Chriſt hath ſo done all, as that we have nothing at all to do, and that his imputed righteouſneſs alone be ſufficient to ſave us, without our perſonal, and obediential righteouſneſs, to what purpoſe is the adminiſtration of the Spirit? His work, and office is wholly ſuperſeded. For what needs a Spirit of mourning to be poured down upon us, if ſo be the Covenant of Grace require us not perſonally to repent? Or a Spirit of Faith (as the Apoſtle calls it, 2 Cor. 4.13.) if we are not bound to believe? Or a Spirit of holineſs, if it oblige us not to be actually holy? Or a ſpirit of obedience, if we may be ſaved without obeying? If then our having of the Spirit, and being led, or acted by him, be indiſpenſably neceſſary in order to our Salvation, ſo alſo is our repenting, and believing in Chriſt, and loving God, and doing of his will, and cleanſing our ſelves from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, and perfecting holineſs in the fear of God, and purifying our ſelves, as he is pure; ſince the effecting this in us, is the great errand for which he came into the World, and the main office he hath undertaken, during the time of Chriſt Mediatory Kingdom.
The truth is, we can no more be ſaved without the miniſtration of the ſpirit, than we can without the Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt. This argument runs clear in Scripture, He that hath not Chriſt, hath not life, 1 Joh. 5.12. But he that hath not the ſpirit, hath not Chriſt, Rom. 8.9. And he that is not holy and obedient, hath not the ſpirit, Jude ver. 19. For where ever the Spirit is, he regenerates and ſanctifies the whole lump, Body, Soul and Spirit as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Theſs. 5.22. and ſo becomes in that Soul a Spirit of Faith, Holineſs, and obedience.
5. How otherwiſe ſhall Believers attain to any evidence, or aſſurance of their Salvation? Or come to know that they more than othes are in a ſtate of friendſhip with God, and made Heirs of the promiſe, and veſſels of mercy, when ſo great a part of the World are Heirs of wrath, and Sons of perdition? That they may be thus aſſured, ſince ſome undoubtedly have been ſo, and that they all ought to labour for this aſſurance, ſince God in Scripture hath expreſly commanded it, I here take for granted. But how is it poſſible, that this aſſurance ſhould be raiſed in them, any other way than by their certain knowledge, that they have through Grace, been inabled to diſcharge thoſe duties of the Covenant to which theſe bleſſings and priviledges are therein promiſed? As how ſhall any man know that he is ſecured in the quiet poſſeſſion of the Lands he holds by leaſe, but by knowing that he hath truly performed Covenants, and diſcharged the Conditions of his Indentures, by which his title to, and poſſeſſion of them were made over, and ſecured to him? This I am ſure is the only foundation that Scripture lays whereon to build our evidence, 1 Joh. 2.3, & 5.1 Joh. 3.18, 19, 20, & 24. & 1 Joh. 5.18, 19. Hereby, ſaith the Apoſtle, we know, and hereby we aſſur… our ſelves, Of what? That we are in God, and that he loves us: But how? Why? … we love him, and keep his Commandments. And if we do theſe things, ſaith Peter, we ſhall never fall, 2 Pet. 1.10.
And doth not the very nature of the thing it ſelf no leſs demonſtrate this? For what is aſſurance? Is it not a reflect act of the Soul upon it ſelf, and actions, whereby it comes to k…ow that its ſtate and actions are, and have been ſuch, as God by the Law of the New Creature doth require and will accept? I… knows (by the aſſiſtance of the Divine Spirit) that it hath ſincerely repented, and that it doth believe, and is regenerate, and born of God, and made obedient to the heavenly call, &c. And that conſequently all the bleſſings promiſed to ſuch a ſtate, as pardon of ſin, and acceptance with God, and eternal life, do now undoubtedly belong to him, as his reward, and portion. This is properly aſſurance, and not an unwarrantable perſwaſion, that we are elected, or that Jeſus Chriſt died for us and roſe again for our juſtification in particular, or that God loves us, we know not why, &c. For then the ſtrongeſt preſumption would be the beſt aſſurance.
'Tis therefore impoſſible, that any Soul ſhould be truly, and with ſafety aſſured of its being ſaved, unleſs it firſt be aſſured of its own ſincerity in having acted according to the tenor of the Covenant: Man may preſume indeed, and pleaſe themſelves with pleaſant dreams, and deluſions, and fondly perſwade themſelves like drunken, or diſtracted men, that they are Kings, and Prieſts to God, and Heirs to a Crown of Glory, and ſhall ſit upon Thrones in Heaven with the Lamb, and reign with him for ever: They may thus fancy indeed, but whatever they pretend, they can never be thus aſſured, till the truth of their repentance, and faith, and holineſs be firſt aſſured to them.
The great buſineſs therefore of the Spirit in ſealing, and witneſſing, is to evidence and confirm the truth, and reality of theſe Graces to the Soul, and to raiſe it to a comfortable perſwaſion of its own ſincerity. For this is that, which modeſt and humble ſouls do uſually moſt queſtion, and concerning which they are not eaſily ſatisfied, partly by reaſon of temptation, and partly from a ſenſe of their own daily failings, and infirmities, and partly alſo from the great importance of the thing it ſelf, their eternal woe, or happineſs depends upon it. That they who ſincerely repent, and believe, and are ſanctified, ſhall infallibly be ſaved, that is not the thing they doubt of. No, this they will acknowledge they do believe: I but their great doubt lies here, whether their repentance, and faith, &c. be true and ſincere. 'Tis their own ſincerity, and not Gods faithfulneſs, that they commonly call in queſtion. And here now properly comes in the witneſs of the Spirit. They are Saints, and Sons, but they cannot diſcern their Fathers image upon their Souls: they have Faith, and Repentance, &c. they have Grace, but they do not ſee it. As a man that may have good Evidences for his Lands, yet by reaſon of ſome weakneſs, or diſtemper in his eyes, he may not at preſent be able to read them. The ſpirit therefore he comes, and blows off the duſt, if I may ſo expreſs it, and draws the lines more clear, he enables them more powerfully to mortifie thoſe ſins, that weakned their evidences, and ſtirs up thoſe languiſhing ſparks, that are in them, and makes them more quick and burning, and ſo more viſible, or as the expreſſion is in the Canticles, he blows upon the Garden, and makes the Spices thereof to flow out, and their ſweet Odors to be more fragrant and diffuſive: He invigorates their Graces, and cauſeth them to act with more ſenſible life, and ſtrength, and after all he ſhines upon his own Graces, and ſtrengtheneth their viſive and diſcerning faculties, and ſo enables them to ſee the truth, and reality of thoſe Graces, which before they doubted of. And thus by witneſſing together with our ſpirits (Rom. 8.16.) He raiſeth the Soul to a comfortable aſſurance of its being in a ſafe, and happy ſtate. As when a Man is under any apprehenſions, that his Eſtate is forfeited for breach of Covenants, and that thereupon he may be liable to arreſts, and actions if upon reading his indentures, and viewing his acquit…ances he conceives that the rent hath been paid, and the reſt of the conditions have been kept, his fears are in a great meaſure allaid, but if the owner himſelf now come, and …oint him to that particular acquittance, which was before over laid, and acknowledge that 'tis his own hand-writing and that he hath faithfully diſcharged the ſeveral conditions of his Leaſe, the Man is now fully ſatisfied, and ſufficiently aſſured, that he may ſtill have, and hold his Lands without any let, or moleſtation. This is, as I apprehend, the true Scriptural notion of the ſpirits ſealing, which you plainly ſee, preſuppoſeth our repenting, and believing, &c. according to the tenor of the Goſpel Covenant. For can you imagine that the Spirit ſeals to a blank? Or witneſſeth to a lie? What, teach us to cry Abba Father, before we are born of God? Or perſwade us we are juſtified, when we are in a ſtate of unbelief, and the wrath of God abides upon us? Or aſſure us, we are Heirs of the promiſe▪ when we are ſtrangers to the Covenant▪ Or that our eſtate is ſafe, when a curſe, and death, and hell, are denounced againſt us? Is this the Spirits witneſs do you think, or way of ſealing? No, he firſt works Grace upon the heart, and then gives teſtimony to his own work. He ſanctifies firſt and then he ſeals to the day of Redemption Eph. 1.13.
6. The perſonal performance of the Conditions of the New Covenant is therefore neceſſary, becauſe the promiſe of pardon, and acceptance, and eternal life is only made to our perſonal performance of them. This I have often hinted before, and preſuppoſed as a foundation to ſeveral of the preceeding arguments, but now it may be neceſſary to enlarge a litte farther upon it, to make it more clear and evident. This is certain, that whoever receives an eſtate by grant, or Covenant from another, he can have right to nothing more, than what is therein by name expreſſed, nor upon any other terms, than thoſe therein ſpecified. Nor any longer maintain his claim to it, than thoſe Conditions are done, and performed by him. So that if either he did not conſent to, and accept of the terms, or not duely perform them, when accepted, he is no more de jure to be deemed the lawful poſſeſſor of it. The caſe is thus here betwixt God, and Man: God makes a grant of pardon, and acceptance, and eternal life to ſinners. This grant is by Covenant. This Covenant is with certain terms, and conditions, and theſe conditions, they muſt be accepted, and performed, or elſe no right to any of the priviledges of this Covenant is conferred upon us. For ſince we have here no right (as was ſaid) but what is given us, and ſince that right is expreſly affixed to the perſonal performance of the conditions of the Covenant, therein mentioned, where there is no ſuch performance, there can be no right. That this right is thus affixed to the perſonal performance of the Conditions of the Covenant is evident, for we have no right, but by promiſe, 1 Joh. 2.25. This is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, even eternal life. And therefore Believers are by the Author to the Hebrews called the heirs of promiſe, Heb. 6.17.11.9. The promiſe then only gives us right to life, yea but the promiſe is only made to the perſonal performance of theſe duties, Acts 3.19. Repent ye, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, when the days of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord. Prov. 28.13. Who ſo confeſſeth, and forſaketh his ſin ſhall find mercy. Rom. 10.9, 10. If thou ſhalt confeſs with thy mouth the Lord Jeſus, and ſhalt believe with thine heart, that God hath raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteouſneſs, and with the mouth confeſſion is made unto ſalvation. Rom. 8.13. If ye through the ſpirit mortify the deeds of the fleſh ye ſhall live. Joh. 13.17. If ye know theſe things, happy are ye, if ye do them. And Matth. 7.21. not every one that ſaith unto me Lord, Lord ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
From all theſe Scriptures it evidently appears that the promiſe of mercy, and pardon and life and bleſſedneſs (the great benefits of the Covenant) they are expreſly made to the actual, and perſonal performance of repentance, and faith, and ſincere obedience, which are the main duties and conditions of the ſame Covenant. 'Tis our perſonal performance therefore of the conditions of the Covenant, that gives us a formal, and perſonal right to the bleſſings of it, and our non-performance only by which our right is forfeited. ▪Tis that which gives us right, Rev. 22.14. Bleſſed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City. Bleſſed are they; who? They that have eat, and drunk in his preſence, and wrought miracles in his name? No, but they that do his will: but why bleſſed? Becauſe, they have right, (not only the favour, and priviledge) but right to the tree of life: But what gave them this right? Their ſubſcribing, and ſealing, and promiſing obedience to Jeſus Chriſt? No, but their performing Covenants; their keeping of his Commandments. Therefore bleſſed are they, that they may have right. And this right ſince 'tis founded in Grace, and not in merit, it may be humbly pleaded by Believers, when their right to the promiſe is called in queſtion, or any accuſations from the old Law brought in againſt them. Through Grace they have been inabled to believe, and repent, &c. And therefore they are freed from the curſe and from condemnation. And therefore the promiſe of pardon, and life is theirs. But becauſe few are ſo well ſatisfied concerning their own ſincerity as to be thereby enabled to make this Plea, therefore the promiſes that are more abſolute, in this caſe are to be pleaded by them. For as ſome promiſes are made to Grace, the conditions of which, being performed, are the foundation of our aſſurance: So there are other promiſes of Grace, which are the immediate foundation of our encouragement to Faith and Prayer. However, the doubting Souls cannot alway plead their right, becauſe they queſtion their own performances; yet the ſincere performance of the condition, for all that, gives an undoubted right, and laies a good foundation for a legal plea, and by ſuch as are ſatisfied concerning their own ſincerity may be pleaded againſt accuſations from the Law and Juſtice, without either aſſerting merit, or retrenching the free Grace of God. Since this right (as was ſaid) ariſeth from the gracious will and favour of God, and not from our own deſert, or the intrinſick value of the duties we perform. As ſuppoſe one to found a School, or Hoſpital, and to endow it with rich revenews, and priviledges, but with this condition, that they upon whom 'tis ſetled, ſhall once, or twice every year pay by way of acknowledgment, ſome few pence or half pence to one of his own name, that the memory of his name might be preſerved, and they conſtantly be made to acknowledge from whom they received ſo liberal a donation. In this caſe, as his making this the condition upon which they hold it, ſhall not render it to be no act of Charity, or blot out his name from amongſt their Benefactors: So neither ſhall their pleading, that this acknowledgment, if called in queſtion, hath accordingly been made, and the conditions of the grant been conſtantly performed; the pleading this I ſay, ſhall not be deemed either any detraction from the freeneſs of the gift, or a pleading of your own deſert, only an humble aſſerting of their own right which was by grant conferred upon them.
But as our actual performance of the conditions of the Covenant gives us an undoubted right (becauſe founded upon the faithfulneſs of God) to all the priviledges of the Covenant, ſo conſequently, on the contrary the non-performance of them muſt needs null our right, and caſt us out of poſſeſſion, and actually expoſe us, and make us liable to all that wrath, and vengeance, to all thoſe woes, and penalties that either this, or the Old Covenant hath denounced. For ſince it is attended with double guilt, it ſhall alſo be rewarded with double puniſhment, Heb. 10.29. Nor will it be ſufficient in this caſe to plead, that we have ſubſcribed, and ſealed, and promiſed performance to the Goſpel Covenant; no, all this, if it be not actually kept, will ſerve for no other purpoſe, but to witneſs our own unfaithfulneſs, and to condemn us for being falſe to our own engagements. You know what anſwer Chriſt returned to ſuch as made the like plea, Matth. 7.23. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not.
But laſtly to ſum up all. One of theſe three things muſt here be affirmed. Either that God will diſpenſe with his Laws, and ſtated order of ſaving ſinners, and ſave them in ſome other way, than what he hath declared; or elſe that theſe duties, and conditions are diſcharged, and performed by ſome other perſon as ſurety for us and in our behalf; or elſe that they are actually to be performed by us in our own perſons.
But, firſt what reaſon have we to imagine, that God will change his laws, and alter …he fixed methods of his Grace, and reſcind his Covenant, which is the contrivance of his infinite wiſdom, and goodneſs; founded in the blood of his own Son, and confirmed by his death, and that every way ſo well ſecures the honour of God, and the allegeance and comfort of the creature? What? Do you think he will thus offer violence to him…elf, his wiſdom are holineſs, which he ſo much delights to honour? Or that he will contradict the great deſign of his Sons undertaking, which was to reduce the creature to his duty, and obedience to God? Or that he will affront his own truth, and faithfulneſs, and impeach himſelf guilty of a lie? What? The holy and wiſe God do thus, and only for this end, that he may gratifie ſinners in their wilfull neglects of him, and of the duties they indiſpenſably owe to him? And open a door to licentiouſneſs, and all ſorts of abominations, which his Soul hates? And all this to ſave the impenitent, and unbelieving, and impure, and diſobedient, (for all Men are ſo that do not actually repent, and believe and obey) and make them Coheirs with Chriſt, and ſet them upon his throne, and put Crowns of Glory upon their heads? What? thoſe that are his enemies, whom he hates, and hath ſworn in his holineſs that they ſhall never enter into his reſt, or ſee his face, or taſte of his joyes, but be thrown into outer darkneſs, and ſuffer the vengeance of eternal fire, and be tormented day and night, and everlaſtingly drink of the wine of his wrath poured out without mixture, and lie for ever in an Hell of miſery, weeping, and wailing, and blaſpheming becauſe of their plagues, and torm…nts, where his eye ſhall not pity, nor ſpare, nor have mercy on them? What? Can any Man, that hath not wholly loſt his reaſon, perſwade himſelf to believe thus, or to hope for Salvation in this way? Or if you ſuppoſe it poſſible for any thus to believe, will his f…ith, this faith, do you think, ſave th…m? For whom then is Tophet prepared? Or for wh…m is the blackneſs of darkneſs reſerved, if none be veſſels of wrath, and Sons of perditions? And none are ſuch, if not the impenitent, unbelieving, diſobedient and impure. If theſe expect Salvation from God, they muſt then ſhew us another Goſpel, another Covenant, for by this I am ſure 'tis impoſſible that any ſhould be ſaved that doth not perſonally perform the conditions of it. Nor have we ſecondly any greater reaſon to believe, or hope that theſe conditions ſhould be diſcharged for us by any other perſon in our ſtead and behalf. For are not the commands, that require duty, expreſly ſpoke to us? Ye ſhall repent and turn to God: ye ſhall believe in Je…us Chriſt: ye ſhall be pure in heart, and holy in all manner of converſation, and ye ſh…ll love God and keep his Commandments, &c. And are not the promiſes of pardon, and life, &c. particularly made to us and to our perſonal performance of the conditions upon which they are made, as hath been ſhewn? And are not the comminations of death, and wrath, and eternal torments denounced againſt us in caſe of perſonal diſobedience? He that believeth not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. He that loveth not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be an anathema, maran-atha, 1 Cor. 16.22. And except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, Luke 13.3. Now what foundation is here to imagine, that theſe can concern any one, but our ſelves? Or if any of them be acknowledged to be appropriate to our ſelves, why not the reſt? If the promiſes, why not the commands and threatnings, ſince we are alike ſpoke to in all? Why ſhould we charge theſe upon another, and take the promiſes only to our ſelves? May we not with as good reaſon ſay, that another may be ſaved for us, or damned for us, as that he ſhall repent, and believe for us? And ſo Heaven ſhould be ours only by a proxie, and Juſtification ours by a ſubtitute, &c. That is, in plain Engliſh, 'tis not we that are juſtified, nor we that are adopted, nor we that are admitted into eternal Glory; but ſome one elſe for us.
But who is this, that we ſuppoſe ſhould perform theſe Conditions for us? Jeſus Chriſt our Mediator?
'Tis true he hath fully ſatisfied the demands of the firſt Covenant, and taken Believers off from all obligation of duty to it. And he hath alſo by his Mediation obtained another, and better Covenant founded in his own blood, and attended with better promiſes, wherein pardon and eternal life are again offered, and aſſured to ſinners upon the equitable, and honourable terms of repentance and faith, and ſincere, though not perf…ct obedience. Yea, but yet we muſt not ſay, that Jeſus Chriſt repents, and Jeſus Chriſt believes for us, &c. No, this muſt ſtill be our own Act, and 'tis impoſſible it ſhould be the act of Chriſt. For conſider but what is the proper object of theſe duties: The object of repentance is ſin: and the object of faith and obedience is Jeſus Chriſt: we are to believe in him, and to be obedient to him, Heb. 5.9. and be conformable to him, Rom. 8.29. and to keep his commands, Joh. 15.10. and to walk after his example, 1 Pet. 2.21. But can theſe any way be applied to Jeſus Chriſt? What? ſhall we ſay, that Chriſt believes in Chriſt? Or that Chriſt is obedient to Chriſt? Or that Chriſt is conformable to Chriſt? Or that Chriſt walks in the ſteps of Chriſt? What ſence ſhall we then make of Scripture? Or if any ſhall be ſo forſaken of their reaſon, as to cant thus, yet will any one ſay, that Jeſus Chriſt repents of Sin? Or breaks off his ſins by repentance, and amends his evil wayes and doings, as we are commanded? If then it be not poſſible, that either God ſhould violate his own Covenant, and contradict himſelf, or that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould perform the conditions of it for us, it neceſſarily follows that we our ſelves are perſonally obliged to the actual performance of them, in order to our obtaining eternal life. That is, as I have often ſaid, we our ſelves are the perſons, that ſtand bound, …ch Man for himſelf to repent, and believe, and obey and be holy; or elſe Salvation it ſelf cannot ſave us.