Truth and Innocence Vindicated, Part 1 · Subpart 6
Animadverſions on the foregoing Head.
THE Deſign of the Charges under this Head, ſeem very probably to me to inſinuate this: That there is no Difference between Believers now, and Believers under the Law; and therefore. Believers then being under a Conditional Covenant of Grace, (as is alledged) they are ſo ſtill, even now in Goſpel Days: But the Vanity of this Argument appears, if we do but well weigh the Scope, Argument and Deſign of many of the Writings of the Apoſtles, both of Paul and others, which was to ſhew an eminent difference between the Two Diſpenſations; this the Apoſtle Paul doth on ſet purpoſe, through the whole Thread of his Diſcourſe, in his Epiſtle to the Romans. The like is done in that of the Hebrews, &c.
Now grant, that to be a Conditional Covenant of Grace, yet now ſaith the Word of the Lord, we are under another Diſpenſation, far exceeding that, and this, in a greater preheminence, above the other, in that it is free in its Diſpenſation: The former Covenant ſaid, Do this, &c. Rom. 10. But the Covenant of Grace, the Rightouſneſs of Faith, ſaith on this wiſe, Aſcend not into Heaven to bring Chriſt from Above, deſcend not into the Deep, to bring Christ up; that is, perform no Conditions for Chriſt: but what, ſaith it, the Word is nigh thee, even in thy Word, and in thy Heart; that is, the Word of Faith, and it is of Faith that it might be of Grace.
2dly. The Order of the Firſt Covenant was quite different from this: The Firſt Covenant ran in this ſtrain, Exod. 19. 5. Now therefore, if ye will obey my Voice indeed, and keep my Commandments, then ye ſhall be a peculiar People unto me above all People, &c. Whence obſerve, 1ſt. here is Doing and Obeying, before there is a Right and Title to any Bleſſing: The Order of the Second Covenant ran quite otherwiſe, as you may ſee Jerem. 3. 35. Hebr. 8. 13. Where you have 1ſt. The Cauſe, the free pardon of Sin: 2dly, The Effects; I will put my Laws in their Hearts, and write them in their Minds, v. 10; and the Cauſe muſt always precede the Effects: Obſerve in the Firſt Covenant, Obedience is mentioned as the Condition of the Bleſſing. 3dly, This new Covenant is ſaid to be eſtabliſhed upon better Promiſes, Hebr. 8. 6. The Promiſes of the Firſt Covenant being chiefly Temporal and all Conditional; but the Promiſes of the Second being Eternal, and alſo Abſolute and Free. 4thly, The Firſt Covenant was faulty. Not that there was any Fault in the Holy Covenant, but in them that were under it: For it is ſaid expreſsly, Heb. 8. 8. For finding fault with them, &c. And that is, becauſe they could not perform the Conditions of it; therefore the Fault of the Covenant was in reſpect of them that were under it, becauſe they could not come up to the Terms of it. But this Fault is fully amended in the Scond, in that the Conditions are fully performed by the Mediator thereof; and therefore the Bleſſings thereof are perfectly Free and Unconditional to them that are under it: ſo that no fault can be found with the Covenant, for requiring Conditions not to be performed; for they are already performed by the moſt excellent Myniſtry of the Mediator of this Second Covenant Nor can there be any fault found with them that are under it; for they can plead the Performance already given in by their Surety and Repreſentative: This is the main Scope of the Apoſtle's Argumentation, Heb. 8. ver. 6, ad finem. So that I conclude, If the Firſt Covenant were a Conditional Covenant of Grace; yet it is evident, that the Second has the Preheminence over it, in that it is Free; yea, Abſolutely Free to us, without Condition.
I might add many Scriptural Reaſons more, to prove the Freedom and Unconditionality of this New-Covenant; but that would be contrary to my deſigned brevity, therefore let theſe ſuffice for the preſent.
I ſhall now return to the next Head of Charges.
[In Prayer, he ſaid, Lord, we ſtand before thee without Sin! And in his Sermon, he objected, Some ſay we are againſt Praying againſt Pardon of Sin: to which he anſwered, altho' we are Pardoned; yet it is our duty to pray for Pardon, for the Honour of the Father and of the Son.]
Anſw. There is too much Sin cleaves to our Perſons and Performances, and we ought to acknowledge it; but Believers in the Righteouſneſs of another, are ſo accounted; which was meant, if not added. Though there be Spots enough upon us, and upon our beſt Performances; yet there is no ſpot in that Compleat and God-like Righteouſneſs, which is imputed to us. The Expreſſion is Scriptural; Rev. 14. 5. For they are without fault before the Throne of God. Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair, my Love, there is no ſpot in thee. Why ſhould the Expreſſion then be offenſive to any, except to ſuch who are enemies to the Righteouſneſs of God which is by Faith.
'Tis true our Juſtification is true at our firſt Believing; this truth is only ſit for Bellarmine to deny and they that are like him; therefore when we pray for the Pardon of Sin, we pray for the greater Application of it to our Conſciences, and the continuance thereof; this God requireth of us. And certainly to obey him is to Honour him. 'Pray in this Charge where is the Crime?
[Lord thou lookeſt upon thy People even when they are ſinning againſt thee, and ſayeſt: Thou art all fair, my Love, there is no ſpot in thee.]
Theſe Poſitions are undeniably true:
1. That the beſt of Believers do ſin, and the ſin of Unbelief mixeth with their beſt Performances, and that I take to be a very great Evil.
2. That God looketh upon them and dealeth with them always in the compleat Righteouſneſs of his Son, even then alſo when their Imperfections mingle with their beſt Holineſs: Elſe what would become of the Beſt?
3. As this Everlaſting Righteouſneſs is unchangeable, ſo is God's Act of Imputation, for with him there is no variableneſs, nor ſhadow of turning, from whom this Good and perfect Gift cometh; Jam. 1. 17. Jeſus Chriſt that's make of God unto the Believer Wiſdom, and Righteouſneſs, and Sanctification, and Redemption; 1 Cor. 1. 30. is the ſame yeſterday, to day and for ever; Heb. 13. 8. Who is an Advocate with the Father for us always, even when we ſin: and pleading his Propitiatory Sacrifice unchangably on our behalf. 1 John 1. 2. Compared with Heb. 7. 24. Tho' we vary and change in our Frames and in the Exerciſe of Grace; yet it is well for us, he never changeth: nor the Righteouſneſs of his Son: He is God, and changeth not, therefore, &c. Mal. 3. 6.
[There muſt be no more Conſcience of ſin in Believers.]
Such is the Nature of their Sacrifice, that it ought to be ſo; this Expreſſion alſo is Scriptural; Heb. 10. 2. they that cavil at me herein, cavil at the words of the Holy Ghoſt; pray let them undertake to anſwer him for it.
[You would mourn: You would weep. Chriſt hath mourned, Chriſt hath wept, and you have nothing to do but accept his Grace: the Righteouſneſs by which you and I muſt be juſtified, is Chriſt's fulfilling Adam's Covenant, and Mount Sinai's Covenant, and the Covenant of Grace.]
I do not remember verbatim what hath been expreſſed ſo long ſince, malice it ſelf muſt have a better memory than I to do it; but I will plainly relate my Judgment in the matter.
1. That the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is according to the Scriptures, the End or Conſummation of the Law, for Righteouſneſs to every one that believeth: Rom. 10. 14. And he did (as it became him) to fulfill all Righteouſneſs as their Repreſentative. 2ly. This offered Righteouſneſs muſt be moſt freely accepted as a free Gift; Rom. 5. 16. We muſt bring no Money nor Price in our hands to purchaſe it; Iſa. 55. 1. 3ly. Sinners are prone to mourn and weep by way of ſatisfaction to Juſtice; but what ever in that nature was Penal and Satisfactory to Juſtice, Chriſt dath done and ſuffered; Iſa. 53. 3, 4. Heb. 5. 7.
[When you are diſcouraged with Unbelief in Duty, if you can believe that Jeſus is there, ſtrongly believing in Heaven for you, this raiſeth your Faith: If you ſee Chriſt loveth for you, this draweth forth your love.]
Firſt obſerve this differently Phraſed in the Libell, ſo that it ſeems, Mr. King took the ſame ſentence from my mouth divers ways, backward and forward, even as his fancy pleaſed to chime it. The ſame obſervations I have made concerning divers of theſe Accuſations compared with them in the Libell.
2. This I affirm that this Report was heard of early by us, ſo that I and others that heard me did recollect what I delivered, and we found upon ſuch Recollection that my words were wreſted and miſconſtrued, but that I expreſſed my ſelf to this Effect.
1mo. That Chriſt as our Repreſentative, fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, as is aforementioned: That Chriſt believed, and believed as our Repreſentative: Dr. Goodwin undeniably proves in his Triumph of Faith.
2ly. That the Graces of the Spirit he perfectly exerciſed as man, cometh within the Compaſs of our Imputed Righteouſneſs; that all the Righteouſneſs he fulfilld on Earth, he carried with him to Heaven, when he entred once for all, not without Blood, where he eternally preſenteth them to the Father as the matter of our Juſtification; and they are the Pleas he uſeth in his Interceſſion: the Faith and Love and other Graces he exerciſed when on Earth, are now in Heaven where he is.
3ly. Believers may take Comfort by veiwing through Faith, not only their Perſons but Performances covered in his Righteouſneſs, and ſee all their Guilt done away in his Blood; ſee their Imperfect Obedience cover'd with his perfect Obedience. This is the Summ of what was delivered, and this I will ſtand by.
[To fear Sin is the way to increaſe it.]
The Poſition I laid down was this, That Unbelieving Fears of Sin, diſtruſting the Power of Chriſt to keep us; is an inlett into ſin; 1 Job. 4. 18. He that feareth, is not made perfect in Love; ſo divers other places which I need not inſiſt upon now.