Justification Without Conditions, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Of the Covenant between the Father and the Son, concerning the immediate effects of Christs death.
THe Reasons which perswade me to believe, That there was not any Covenant passed between God and Christ, to hinder the immediate and actual reconciliation of Gods Elect by his death, and to suspend this effect thereof, upon terms and conditions to be performed by them; but contrariwise, that it was the will both of God and of Christ, that his death should be available to their immediate and actual Reconciliation and Justification, without any condition performed on their part, Are, as followeth.
First, There is no such Covenant doth appear, Ergo, there is none. Non est Scriptum, Ergo, There is no such thing; hath hitherto been counted a good Argument amongst Christians: It is not possible (says Damascene aDamas. de …id. Orthod. l. 1. …. 2. & Iod. Clictov. in loc.) foreign, &c. To speak ought of God, beside the things which are divinely manifested in the Old and New Testament. If there be any such Covenant, let our Adversaries shew it, and until they do, we shall rest securely in the Negative; they must pardon us, if we yeeld not up our Faith to unwritten Verities bOmnes sciant, nemini quicquam, quàm quod scriptis probaverit, esse credendum. Cod. l. 1. Tit. 18. leg. uni…. Grat. Valentinian. & l. 3. Tit. 1. leg. …. Constant,.
Secondly, The Covenant made between God and Christ, was, That upon giving up of himself to death, he should purchase a Seed like the Stars of Heaven, i. e. All the Elect of God, Isa. 53.10. And our Saviour Christ after that he had tasted death to bring many sons unto glory, boasts and glories in this atchievement. Heb. 2.13. Behold, I and the children, whom God hath given me. Ergo, It was the Will of God, that his death should be available for their immediate reconciliation; for they could not be the children of Christ, and the children of wrath at the same time.
§. 2. Thirdly, If it were the Will of God, that the death of Christ, should be the payment of our debt, and a full satisfaction for all our iniquities, then was it his Will that our discharge procured thereby, should be immediate; but it was the Will of God, that the death of Christ should be the payment of our debts, and a full satisfaction for our iniquities. Ergo. I suppose the Assumption will not be questioned; for though the word satisfaction be not used in Scripture cSee Bull of the Covenant. p. 276, &c., yet the thing it self is plainly signified in those phrases of Redemption, Atonement, Reconciliation; and in like manner, all those places which declare that Christ died for us, and for our sins, and offences, do imply the same; scil. That the death of Christ, was the payment of our debts, and the punishment of our sins; that thereby he satisfied the Law for all those wrongs, & injuries we have done unto it. Now the Sequel is evident, If God willed, that the death of Christ should be a full and satisfactory payment of our demerits, then he willed that the discharge procured thereby, should be immediate and present; for it is contrary to Justice and Equity, that a debt when it is payed, should be charged either upon the Surety or Principal; and therefore though God did will, that the other effects of Christs death, as it is the meritorious price of Faith, Holiness, Glory, &c. should be sub termino, or in Diem, not Present but Future; yet he willed, that this effect of it, to wit, our discharge from sin, and the curse, should be present and immediate; because it implies a contradiction, that the same debt should be paid, and not paid; that it should be discharged, and yet justly chargable: As when a man that is a Trespasser, or any one for him, payes a sum of money, which is sufficient both for discharge of his trespass, as also for the purchase of a peece of Land: From the trespass his discharge must be present, if the satisfaction be full, though the enjoyment of the Land may be in Diem, as the Vendee and Purchaser can agree; the Case before us, is the very same. The death of Christ was both a price and a ransom, it served both to pay our debts, and to procure our happiness; he did thereby purchase both our deliverance from sin and death, and all those Spiritual Blessings, present and future, which we stand in need of. The discharge of our debts, and deliverance from punishment, must needs be present and immediate upon the payment of the price, though those Spiritual Blessings be not received till a long time after, as God and Christ shall see it fit to bestow them on us. To this I shall adde a fourth.
§. 3. Fourthly, If nothing hindered the reconciliation of the Elect with God, but the breach of the Law, then the Law being satisfied, it was the Will of God that they should be immediately reconciled; but nothing hindred their reconciliation with God, but the breach of the Law. Ergo. It was sin alone that made a distance, or separation between God and them, Isa. 59.2. For which cause it is compared to a cloud or mist, Isa. 44.22. to a partition wall, Ephes. 2.14. It lay as a block in the way, that God could not (salva justitia) bestow upon them those good things intended towards them in his Eternal Election. The onelyonly cause of Christs death was to satisfie the Law; he did not die to procure a new Will or Affection in the heart of God towards his Elect, nor yet to adde any new thing in God, which doth perfect and compleat the act of Election, as Wallaeus seems to intimate dApud Rhaetorf. Apol. p. 39.: But that God might save us in a way agreeable to his own Justice, that he might confer upon us all those Blessings he intended, without wrong and violation to his holy Law; for God having made a Law, that the soul which sinneth, should die, the Justice and Truth of God required, that satisfaction should be made for the sins of the Elect, no less then of other men; which, they being unable to perform, the Son of God became their Surety, to bear the Curse, and fulfil the Law in their stead. God might will unto us sundry benefits, which he cannot actually bestow upon us without wrong to his Justice: As a King may will and purpose the deliverance of his Favorite, who is imprisoned for debt, yet he cannot actually free him, till he hath paid and satisfied his Creditor. So though God had an irrevocable, peremptory Will to save his Elect; yet he could not actually save them, till satisfaction was made unto his Justice; which being made, there is no let or impediment to stop the current of his Blessings. As when the Cloud is dissolved, the Sun shines forth; when the partition wall is broken down, they that were separated, are again united: So the cloud of our sins being blotted out, the beams of Gods love have as free a passage towards us, as if we had not sinned. Now that Christ by his death removed this let and hinderance, the Scripture is as express as can be desired, as that he made an end of sin, Dan. 9.24. Blotted it out, &c. Col. 2.14 eDiodate on Col. 2.14.. Took it quite away, (as the Scape-goat, Levit. 16.22.) John 1.29. And slew the enmity between God and us, Ephes. 2.16. See Verses 13, 14, 15.
§. 4. Fifthly, If it were the Will of God, that the sin of Adam should immediately over-spread his posterity, then it was his Will that the Satisfaction and Righteousness of Christ, should immediately redound to the benefit of Gods Elect; for there is the same reason for the immediate transmission of both, to their respective subjects fVid. Sup. cap. 1. sect. 6.; for (as the Apostle shews, Rom. 5.14.) both of them were heads and roots of mankinde. Now the sin of Adam did immediately over-spread his posterity; All men sinned in him, before ever they committed any actual sin, Rom. 5.12, 14. And therefore the Righteousness of Christ descended immediately upon all the Elect for their Justification, Rom. 5.17, 18.
Sixthly, If the Sacrifices of the Law were immediately available for the Typical cleansing of sins under that administration, then the Sacrifice which Christ hath offered was immediately available, to make a real atonement for all those sins for which he suffered. The reason of the consequence, is, because the Real Sacrifice is not less efficacious, then the Typical, Heb. 9.14. But those Legal Sacrifices did immediately make atonement, without any condition performed on the sinners part, Levit. 16.30.
§. 5. Seventhly, If it be the Will of God that the death of Christ should be available, for the immediate reconciliation of some of the Elect, without any condition performed by them, then it was his Will, that it should be so for all of them; the reason is, because the Scripture makes no difference between persons in the communication of this Grace, The free gift (saith the Apostle) came upon all men, i. e. In omnes praedestinatos *August., to Justification of life, to wit, by the gracious imputation of God. But it is the Will of God, that the death of Christ should be available for the immediate reconciliation of some of the Elect, without conditions performed by them, viz. To Elect Infants, or else they are not reconciled, and consequently they cannot be saved.
Now if any shall say, That God hath a peculiar way of reconciling and justifying Infants, or of communicating unto them the Benefits of Christs death; let them clear it up from Scripture; let them shew us the Text that saith, God gives Salvation unto Infants in one manner, and to men in another; to the one freely, and to the others, upon conditions. If they say, Infants have the Seed, or Habit of Faith, the Scripture will contradict them, which affirmeth, (1) That they have no knowledge at all, either of good or evil, Deut. 1.39. And that they cannot so much as discern, between the right, and the left hand. And if so, how can they, who conceive not of things Natural, understand those things that are Heavenly and Spiritual? And therefore (sayes Augustine gEpist. 57.) If we should go about to prove, that Infants know the things of God, who as yet know not the things of men, our own senses would confute us. And can there be Faith without knowledge? (2) That Faith cometh by hearing of the Word Preached. Rom. 10. Now Infants either hear not, or if they do, they understand not what they hear: We have sufficient experience, that no Children give any testimony of Faith, until they have been taught and instructed. Elect Children (which are afterwards manifested to be such) are as obstinate and unteachable as any others: As for the instance of the Baptist, that he believed in his Mothers belly, because it is said, Luke 1.41. That he was filled with the Holy Ghost, &c. it doth not prove it; for (as one observes hDowns of the Faith of Infants, p. 199.) it is not said, Credidit in utero, but onelyonly, exultavit, which exultation or springing, Divinitùs facta est in Infante, non humanitùs ab Infante; And therefore it is not to be drawn into an example, or urged as a rule to us, what to think of other Infants. But if any shall say, that Infants do perform the conditions of Reconciliation and Salvation by their Parents; then it will follow, That all the Children of believing Parents, are reconciled and justified, because they perform the conditions, as much for all, as they do for one: But I suppose no man will say, That all the Children of believing Parents are justified; we may as well assert works of supererogation, as that one is justified by anothers Faith iEzek. 18.20. Hab. 2.4.. That any Infants are saved, it is meerly from the Grace of Election, and the free imputation of Christs Righteousness; of which, all that are elected, are made partakers in the same manner.
§. 6. Eighthly, If it were the Will of God, that Christ should have the whole glory of our reconciliation; it was his will that it should not in the least depend upon our works or conditions; because that condition, or conditions will share with him in the glory of this effect; and our Justification would be partly of Grace, and partly of Works; partly from Christ, and partly from our selves: Nay, it would bee more from our selves, then from Jesus Christ; seeing, that notwithstanding all that he hath done for us, we had been eternally miserable, unlesse we had also contributed our owne endeavours. How derogatory this is to Christ, and contrary to the Scriptures is sufficien…ly man…fest.
Ninthly, If it were the Will of God that his people should have strong consolations kHeb. 6.18., and that their joy should be full l1 Joh. 1.4., then it was his Will that their peace and reconciliation, should not depend upon termes and conditions performed by themselves. For (as was noted before out of Calvin mSup. cap. 4.) it is impossible that any soule should injoy a firme and settled peace, whose confidence towards God is grounded upon conditionall promises; and,Rom. 4.16. sayes the Apostle, our Salvation is by grace, to the end that the promise might be sure unto all the seed; implying, that if it depended never so little upon our works, wee could not bee sure thereof, and consequently, wee must walke in darknesse and see no light.
§. 7. Tenthly, If it were the Will of God that the death of Christ should be available for the reconciliation of his Elect, whilst they live in this world, then it was his Will that it should procure for them, immediate, and actuall reconciliation without the intervention of those conditions supposed to be required of them; and the reason of this consequence is, because they cannot performe all the conditions required of them till their last breath, this being one, that they must persevere to the end; and the nature of conditionall grants is such, that the benefit cannot be had, and injoyed, till all the conditions are performed: So that if the reconciliation of the Elect, did depend upon the conditions pretended, they should not only not have reconciliation before Faith, but not before death; which is contrary to innumerable Scriptures, which doe declare that the Saints are perfectly justified, and so immutably reconciled unto God, that nothing shall be able to separate them from his love; though their Sanctification be imperfect; yet their Justification is as full and perfect as ever it shall be; it doth not grow and increase as the other doth, but is perfect at first nSee Hildersh. on Psa. 51. lect. 128. Ames. med. s. 1. c. 27.; And therefore baptisme which seals unto us the forgivenesse and washing away of all our sins, not originall only, but actuall also, is administred but once in all our life time; to shew that our Justification is done all at once, at the very first instant, wherein the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us, Ezek. 16.8, 9. Act. 13.39. 1 Joh. 1.7. Col. 2.13, 14.
§. 8. Eleventhly, If it were the Will of God that the death of Christ should certainly and infallibly procure the reconciliation of his Elect, then surely it was not the Will of God that it should depend upon terms and conditions on their part; because that which depends upon future conditions, is, as to the event, altogether uncertain oOmnis conditio in casu mincertum tend…t., it is possible it may never be, by the non-performance of the condition. But this hath been alleadged before.
Twelfthly, If God willed this blessing to his Elect by the death of Christ, but conditionally; then he willed their Reconciliation and Justification, no more then their non-Reconciliation, and Condemnation; and stood as it were indifferent to either event; but doubtlesse his heart was more set upon it then so: see John 6.38, 39. John 17.21, 22, 24. The consequence is cleare, for if he willed their Justification onelyonly in case they should beleeve, and repent; then he willed their Damnation in case they doe not beleeve, and repent; and then it will follow that he willed their Justification, no more then their Damnation; nay, most probably; he willed it lesse, because we are more prone to Infidelity, then we are to Faith; and to hardnesse of heart, then, we are to repentance. I adde to this.
§. 9. Thirteenthly, If God willed unto men the benefits of Christs death upon any condition to be performed by them, it will follow that God foresaw in them an ability to performe some good, which Christ hath not merited. Conditionall reconciliation necessarily supposeth Free-will. For either God willed it unto men upon a possible, or impossible condition; not upon an impossible condition, for that is inconsistent with the Wisdome of God; if upon a possible condition, the possibility thereof ariseth either from Gods Will, or from Mans; it is possible, either because God will bestow it, or because man can performe it. Our adversaries, cannot mean it in the former sence, for God will bestow upon us nothing, but what Christ hath purchased; and Christ hath purchased nothing, save what God hath promised in his Covenant. Now Mr. W. denyes that the promise of Faith is any part of the Covenant, or any effect of it, p. 32. and others that are for this conditional reconciliation look upon it as a ridiculous conceit pAnne conditionem quis seri… & sapienter prescribet alteri sub promisso praemii, & paenae gravissimae comminatione, qui eam in eo cui prescribit efficere vult, haec actio totae iudiora, & vix scoena digna est. Rem Apol. c. 9. p. 105. a. Nihil ineptius, nihil vaniùs quam fidem merito Christi tribuere si enim Christus meritu… est fidem, tum fides conditio esse non poterit▪ c. 8. p. 95., that God should promise men Salvation upon a condition, and that he should work this condition in them, and for them; so that in the upshot, we shall be beholding cheifly to Free Will, an opinion so absurd that in all ages it hath been exploded by humble and sober minded Christians, it being palpably contrary to the Scriptures which shew that every man by nature is without strength, dead in treaspasses and sins, that we cannot so much as think a good thought, that it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure. If any shal say that God did will, that by Christ wee should have Faith, and after that, reconciliation; Though this be granted them, it will follow notwithstanding, that our reconciliation is an immediate effect of the death of Christ (as Mr. Owen hath invincibly proved in his answer to Baxter, p. 34.) and then all the controversie will be, about Gods order and method in conferring on us the effects of Christs death; and whether God doth enable a man to perform good works, before his person is reconciled to God. Some Reasons for the Negative have been given before.
§. 10. Fourteenthly, If God did will that our sins should be accounted unto Christ without any condition on our part, then it was his Will that they should be discounted unto us without any condition, and the Reason thereof is, because the charging and accounting of them unto him, necessarily includes our discharge; the imputing of our sins to Christ, was formally, the non-imputing of them unto us: Gods accounting of them unto him (as hath been shown) was a reall discounting of them from us, for they could not be accounted or charged upon both, without a manifest contradiction in the thing it selfe, and in the Justice of God. But God willed that our sins should be accounted to, and charged upon Christ, without any condition performed by us, for he actually suffered for them, before we were. Ergo.
§. 11. To these Arguments from Scripture, I mighr adde many plaine Texts, which doe declare that our reconciliation, is the actual and immediate effect of Christs death, as Col. 1.14. Eph. 1.7. We have redemption [not, we shall have] the forgivenesse [or non-imputation] of sins according to the riches of his grace [not according to any condition performed by us] he having obtained eternall redemption for us, Heb. 9.12. And 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. (a place which we have often mentioned) the Apostle shewes that Christ by his death, made such a reconciliation for us, as that God thereupon did not impute our sins unto us, which was long before any condition could be performed by us. Elsewhere, That Christ by himselfe purged and expiated our sins, Heb. 1.3. and afterwards set downe, as having finished that worke, chap. 10·12. Now sin that is fully purged, and expiated, is not imputable to the sinner. The same Apostle addes, that Christ by his sacrifice hath for ever perfected all them for whom it was offered, Heb. 10.14. And in another place, that he hath made them compleat, as to the forgivenesse of their sins, Col. 2.10, 13, 14. In Rom. 8.33, 34. He argues from the death of Christ to the non-imputation of our sins, Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect, it is God that justifieth, it is Christ …hat dyed; whereas notwithstanding sin would have been chargeable upon them, and they, condemnable if the death of Christ had not procured their discharge, without the intervention of any condition performed by them.