Justification Without Conditions, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Wherein is shewn, That in the New Covenant there are no conditions required of us, to invest us with a Right and Title, to the blessings of it.
BEfore I do give the Reasons of this Assertion, I must crave the Readers patience, whilest I tell him (1) what I mean by the New Covenant, and (2) what I understand by a condition.
1. By the New Covenant, I mean that engagement which God hath laid upon himself, to bestow on them for whom Christ hath died, all good which is commensurate to their nature, and by vertue whereof all blessings Corporal, Spiritual, and Eternal, do flow down unto them. I call it an Engagement, because God by promising makes himself a debtor, though not to us, yet unto himself; being bound in justice to perform his Word and Promise. There are two principal Engagements, which God hath laid upon himself, in order to our Eternal Happiness, to one of which all his promises may be reduced. The first is that Covenant which he made with the first Adam in the time of his innocency; wherein God promised us life, upon condition of our perfect obedience: This is called a Covenant of Works, because the effects thereof do depend upon our works; the promise is not in force, nor have we any right to the Blessings, until all those works are performed which are here required. Now this Covenant (saith the Apostle) became weak through the flesh, i. e. It was altogether unable to give us life, by reason of our default, and not performing the condition required of us; we have no benefit at all by this engagement, and therefore the Lord made another Covenant with the second Adam, that upon the making of his soul an offering for sin, he would give unto his Seed, viz. All the Elect, Eternal life, i. e. All good things whatsoever which they stand in need of. Now this we call The New Covenant, because it succeeded in the place of the other; and the Covenant of Grace, because all the effects thereof, do flow down unto us, meerly from the favor of God, and the merit of Christ. All the mercies we receive, they are the fruits and effects of this engagement, Zech. 9.11. It is the onelyonly plea we can use to God, both for the things of this life, and that which is to come; and by vertue hereof, we may claim and confidently expect from him all things whatsoever which we stand in need of, and are good for us. Now I say, that Promise or Covenant by vertue whereof, we obtain both Grace and Glory, good things, present and future, is not conditional to us; I say, to us; for to Christ it was conditional, though to us it be free; to him it was a Covenant of Works, though to us it be a Covenant of pure Grace; there is not so much as one blessing doth descend to us, but he hath dearly bought it, even with the price of his own blood; for which cause he is called the Mediator, Witness, and Surety of the New Covenant.
§. 2. 2. When we say the New Covenant is not conditional, we understand a condition in its proper and genuine sense, as the Jurists use it, in reference to mens contracts and bargains. A condition (saith Dr. Cawel aInterpreter verbo, condition.▪) is a rate, manner, or Law annexed to mens acts (or grants) staying and suspending the same, and making them uncertain, whether they shall take effect, or no. And our English Papinian bJ. Cook on Littleton, l 3. c. 5., Conditio dicitur cum quid, in casum incertum, qui potest tendere ad esse, aut non esse, confertur. To the same purpose, the Expositor of Law terms cVerbo Condition., A condition is a restraint or bridle, annexed and joyned to a promise, by the performance of which, it is ratified and takes effect, and by the non-performance of it, it becomes voide, the person to whom it is made shall receive no commodity or advantage by it: Hence is that Maxime amongst Lawyers, Conditio ad impleri debet, priusquàm sequatur effectus, i. e. The condition must be performed, b…fore the Grant or Promise becomes valid. In this sense we say▪ The Covenant which God made with Adam was conditional, God annexed to the promise of Life, the condition of Obedience. Do this, and thou shalt live; The stability, and success of that promise, did depend upon his performing of the condition; he failing in his part, the promise became voide. Now we deny, that the blessings of the New Covenant, do depend upon this, or any other condition to be performed by us. Lawyers do distinguish of a twofold condition, (1) Antecedent, and (2) Consequent. The Antecedent condition being performed, doth get, or gain the thing, or estate made upon condition; the Consequent condition doth keep and continue it. As for instance, If I fell a man a Farm, on condition he shall pay me five hundred pounds present, and forty shillings, nay, be it but six pence per annum for the future; the payment of the five hundred pounds is the Antecedent condition, which gives him possession of the Farm; the forty shillings or six pence per annum is the Subsequent condition, and that continues his possession; and if he fail in this latter, the Estate is forfeited, and in Law I may re-enter upon the Farm, as if no such bargain had been made between us. Now we say further, That the Blessings of the New Covenant require not onelyonly no Antecedent, but no Subsequent condition to be performed by us; there is nothing on our parts that procures our Right and Interest, nor yet that continues and maintains our interest in them; The Lord Jesus is both the Author and the Finisher of our Salvation; it is by, and through him, that we are made Sons, and doe continue Sons; are made Righteous, and doe continue Righteous; that we Obtain, and do Injoy all the effects of the New Covenant.
§. 3. I am not ignorant that the word Condition is sometimes taken improperly, for that which is meerly an Antecedent, though it contributes not the least efficiency, either natural, or morall, towards the production of that which follows it: A condition properly taken, is a moral efficient cause, which produceth its effect by vertue of some compact, agreement, or constitution between persons, omnis conditio antecedens est effectiva, a condition properly so called, is effective of that which is promised upon condition. Now I say, not onelyonly conditions in a proper sense, but all certaine and constant Antecedents (though they are not expressed or included in their Federal constitution, so as that the Promise doth depend upon them) may in a vulgar sense, be called conditions of those things that follow them; and in this sense our Divines doe commonly call one benefit of the Covenant a condition of the another; as that which is given first, of that which is given after. Thus Dr. Twisse dVind. l. 1. part 3. sect. 7. …. 1. & alib. saepe.makes inherent holinesse to be causa dispositiva, or the sine qua non, (not of Justification) but of Salvation, or Glorification, because the one alwaies precedes the other: Many other do expresse themselves in the same manner. It is evident that some benefits of the New Covenant in their execution and accomplishment doe follow others; though we have a right unto them all at once (for as much as that flowes immediately from the purchase which Christ hath made) yet we have not possession of them all at once, but in that order and manner as God is pleased to bestow them: Christ hath procured both Grace and Glory for his Elect, yet he gives Grace, i. e. Gracious Quallifications, as Knowledge, Faith, Love, &c. before he brings them to the possession of Glory; in which sense, I conceive, it is that the Scripture annexeth Salvation unto Faith, and other works of inherent Holinesse, Matth. 5. pr. Heb. 12.14. &c. because these are certain and infallible Antecedents in all that shall be saved eSee Down. of Justif. p. 471.; none (who live to years of understanding) are saved, but they that doe beleeve the Gospell, and shew forth the fruits of it in a suitable conversation: If in this sence onelyonly, Faith and Repentance be called conditions of the Covenant, to wit, because they are wrought in all those that do injoy the ful effect of the Covenant, I will not contend.
§. 4, Yet I think it fit rather to forbear this expression, (1) Because it is so improper, to call a part of the Covenant, the condition of it, Chamier, though he often useth the expression, yet hee acknowledgeth that Faith is called a condition, verbis minus propriis Tom. 3. l. 15. …. 3. sect. 27.; And a little after, Ib. c. 5. sect. 16Fidei conditio, non est antecedens sed consequens, non est causa salutis, sed instrumentum apprehendendi gratiam, i. e. Faith is not a proper antecedent condition, but an improper or consequent condition, it is not a cause of salvation, but only the instrument whereby we receive and apply it. Mr. Rutherford himselfe, though he cals them Libertines and Antinomians, who say the Covenant of Grace is not conditionall, yet almost in the same breath he hath let fall these words Trial of Faith … 61.: To buy without mony, and to have a sight of sin, is the condition of our having the water of Life, but the truth is, it is an improper condition, for both wages and worke is Free Grace. I confesse improper locutions ought to be borne with, when they serve to illustrate truth; but this I conceive doth exceedingly darken it. (2) Because of the advantage which the adversaries of the Gospel doe make of this expression; were most of the ancient Fathers now alive, to see what use the Papists and others doe make of their unwary sayings, to patronize their Errors, I am perswaded, they would fill the world with their retractations and apologies. Have we not cause then to be careful in this matter, when we see so many profligated Errors, as Free-Will, and Universall Redemption, sheltering themselves under this expression? But (3) That which moves me most, is compassion to our vulgar hearers; who when they hear men say, that Faith, Repentance, &c. are conditions of the Covenant, understand it no otherwise then in the most common acception, and as the term Condition is used in reference to mens Contracts, and as Obedience was the condition of the first Covenant; whereby, (as Luther hath observed hCom. on Gal. 4.) they live stil in bondage, not daring to take hold of the Promise, because they doubt whether they have the condition; All their endeavors after Faith, and Holinesse are but mercinary and selfish, they would not do the work, but to get the wages.
§. 5. But this is not the matter, that is now in question, Our difference is not about words, but things, The Reader I suppose is sufficiently informed in what sence we deny, that the New Covenant is conditional, to wit, in that manner as the first Covenant was, which was properly conditional: and this perswasion I cannot but adhere to (notwithstanding al that I have seen or heard to the contrary) That in the New Covenant wherein God hath promised Life and Salvation unto sinners, for whom Christ hath shed his blood; and by vertue whereof they do obtain all good things present and future, there is no condition required of them to obtain or procure the blessings that are therein promised; For though God doth bestow upon us one blessing before another, yet he gives not any one for the sake of another, but all of them (even to our finall sitting down in Glory) are given us freely for the sake of Christ; Glory it selfe is not only not for, but not according to our works, as the principle or rule, by which God proportions his reward, but according to his owne Mercy and Grace. My Reasons for the Thesis are.
§. 6. 1. Because in all those places, wherein the nature or tenor of the New-Covenant is declared, there is not (as Dr. Twisse iSup. c▪ 17. sect. 10.hath observed) any mention at all of the least condition, as Jer. 31.33. Ezek. 36.25. &c. Hos. 2.18, 19, 20. in all which places, with the like, God promiseth to doe all in them and for them; upon the last of those Texts Zanchius observes kTom. 5. fol· in Hos. p. 42. and 55., Non ait si non resipueris, recipiam te in gratiam, & desponsabo, sed absolute [ego te desponsabo] est igitur absolutissima promissio, qua sine ulla conditione promittit▪ Deus, s… s…um populum, in gratiam recepturum, & servaturum, &c. i. e. He doth not say, if thou wilt repent, I will receive thee into favor, and betroth thee; but absolutely [I will betroth thee &c.] It is therefore a most absolute Covenant, wherein God, without any condition, doth promise that he will receive his people into favor, and save them. The same Author in another place lDe natura Dei in meo. p. 491., speaking of the Covenant which God made with Abraham, Gen. 17.7. It is to be noted (saith he) that this Promise is altogether free, absolute, and without any condition, which he proves by two Arguments, one of which is, Quoniam nullam plane in verbis foederis conditionem legimus, i. e. Because in the words of the Covenant we finde no condition. And long before him that noble Champion of Grace against the Pelagians, Prosper of Aquitan mDe Vocat. Gen. l. 1. c. 9.(who lived about the year 445.) Manet prorsus & quotidie impletur quod Abrahae dominus sine conditione promisit sine lege donavit: The Covenant (saith he) is still in force, and is daily fulfilled, which the Lord promised unto Abraham, without any condition, and established without a restipulation. Now if any shall say that these, and such like Texts do not comprize the whole, but onelyonly a part of the New Covenant, because God doth not say, it is the whole Covenant. I Answer, (1) That it is a meer shift, like that of the Papists nBellar. apud. Ames T. 4. l. 5. c 4. sect 9.against Justification by Faith alone, because the word [Alone] is not found in those Scriptures, which the Protestants doe bring to prove it. Our Divines answer, it is there virtually, and by necessary consequence, though not formally or litterally; So say I, when the Lord saith expressely, This is my Covenant; It is all one, as if he had said, This is my whole Covenant. Let our Adversaries shew us one place, where any conditional Promise is called the New Covenant, either in whole or in part. (2) That which they would make the Condition of the Covenant on our part, is expressely promised to us, no lesse then any other blessing; and their saying that it is promised in the Covenant, but not as a part of the Covenant, hath been sufficiently disproved before.
§. 7. 2. Because all those Covenants which God made to prefigure this Covenant, were free and absolute, without any Condition; therefore the Covenant it selfe, which was figured by them, is much more so: It is not to be questioned but the substance hath as much Grace as the shadow. Now I say in those tipicall Covenants, which God made with Noah, Abraham, Phineas, David, &c. there are no Restipulations oVid. Jun. orat. 2 de foed.. The Covenant with Noah, doth not run like that with Adam, Do this, and live, but, I will not destroy the earth, &c. Gen. 9.11. I confesse Rivet pIn loc.saith, the condition on Noahs part, was ut justè, & intigrè ambularet. But (1) God doth not say so; the Lord doth not say, I will make this Covenant with thee, if thou wilt walke uprightly. (2) This Covenant was made not onelyonly with Noah, but with every living creature, Vers. 12. Now sensitive creatures could not performe any such Condition. (3) If the benefit of that Covenant had depended upon Noahs upright walking, then upon Noahs fall, V. 21. the World should have been drowned again; as death entred into the world upon the non-performance of Adams condition. The Covenant with Phinehas, Num. 25. is not like that which God made with Eli, which was but a conditional and uncertain Covenant, 1 Sam. 2.30. So the Covenant which God made with David, concerning the Kingdom, is not like the Covenant which he made with Saul, which was quickly voide, because it depended upon his obedience, 1 Sam. 13.13, 14. which Davids did not; and therefore the Covenant which God made with David, is called The sure mercies of David, Isa. 54.3. God promised mercies unto Saul as well as unto David, but they were not sure mercies qPreston of Gods Immutab. p. 86., because they were conditional, they were promised upon conditions to be performed by him; but the Covenant with David, was sure and stedfast, Psal. 89.28. because it depended not upon conditions on his part; and therefore, though he started aside as well as Saul, yet the Covenant made with him was not thereupon dissolved, and broken.
§. 8. 3. Because if there were any condition required in the New Covenant to intitle us to the Blessings of it, it would not be a Covenant of pure Grace; so that the asserting of conditions in the New Covenant, doth by necessary consequence overthrow the nature of it; for as Austine hath observed, Grace is not grace, unless it be every way free, and the Apostle before him, Rom. 11.6. If by grace, then is it no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; but if it be of works, then is it no more grace. Our Salvation is ascribed to Grace, not onelyonly inclusively, but exclusively, Ephes. 2.8, 9, Tit. 2.5. All the Blessings of the New Covenant are called Gifts, Rom. 5.17, 18. & 6.23. and gifts that are given freely, 1 Cor. 2.12. Rom. 3.24. To give a thing freely, and conditionally, are contradictories; he that parts with any thing upon conditions, doth as it were sell it. The works and conditions which men perform, in the Prophets phrase, are their money. Isai. 55.1, 2. A condition performed, makes the thing covenanted for a due debt, which the promiser is bound to give; so that if the Blessings of the Covenant, did depend upon conditions, they would not be of grace, but debt; and men by performing those conditions, would be, at least in part, their own Saviours. Now what can be imagined more derogatory to the Grace of God?
Object.Object. True may some say, it would derogate from the grace of God, if we attributed such a meritoriousness unto these conditions, as the Papists do unto works; but we do not do so. To which I answer,Answ. (1) That the Papists assert no other works and conditions to be necessary to Justification and Salvation, then what our Adversaries do. (2) Neither Papists nor Arminians do ascribe any more meritoriousness to works, then our opponents: They grant there is such an infinite distance and disproportion between the Blessing promised, and the conditions required of us, that in strictness of Justice they do not deserve it, onelyonly expacto, seeing God is pleased to promise so largely upon condition of so small a pittance of service, we may be said to merit by performing the condition; and in this sence, Mr. Baxter rAphor. Thes. 26.will tell you, That the performers of a condition, may be said to merit the reward. The Papists never pleaded for merit upon any other account; Mr. Calvin sQui belle se absurda omnia evasisse pu…arunt, cum dicerent, non intrinseca sua bonitate valere opera, ad salutem c…merendam, sed expac… ratione. Calv. Inst. l. 3. c. 17. sect 3.observed long ago, how much they please themselves with this simple shift, supposing that hereby they shall evade whatsoever Arguments are brought against them: Though Mr. B. seems to mince the matter, calling his conditions but a sine qua non, and a Pepper corn tAphor. Thes. 23. p. 127., &c. he attributes as much, if not more to works, then the Papists, Arminians, and Socinians, have done; the Papists will not say, That works do merit in a strict and proper sence. Smalzius uApud. Stegman. in Photin.calls their fides formata, a meer sine qua non; and a known friend to the Remonstrants Doctrine amongst our selves wDr. Hamm. 9 Ser. p 140., dubs it with no better name, then a sleight, unconsiderable, despicable Pepper corn, most pitifully unproportionable, to the great rent which God might require, and to the infinite treasure of glory he makes over to us: And again, That mite of Obedience, Faith and Love. But now Mr. B. goes a step beyond them, in that he ascribes a meritoriousness to works, which the Arminians, and Socinians have not dared to do. (3) I would ask whether the condition required of Adam, were meritorious of eternal life? I presume no man will say it was, in a strict and proper sense, there being no proportion between the work and the wages; but yet that condition did lessen the freeness of Divine Grace: The Grace of God was not manifested so much in saving man in that way, as in giving life unto him freely. And therefore to put our Justification and Salvation upon the same terms, must necessarily eclipse the Grace of God in the New Covenant.
Object. But some may say there is a great difference, the conditions required of Adam were legal conditions; Object.but the conditions which we stand for, and assert in the New Covenant, are Evangelical Conditions. I answer,Answ. That the sound of words doth nothing at all alter the nature of things; all conditions performed for life, are legal conditions: The precepts both of Law and Gospel, have the same matter, though not the same end; but when Gospel duties are made conditions of Justification and Salvation, there is no difference.
Object. Yes, may some say, Object.Evangelical conditions are more facile and easie, then the Legal were. Are they so!Answ. Let them consider again, whether it be more easie for a man that is dead in trespasses and sins, to believe in Christ, to love God, to hate sin, to mortifie his lusts, &c. then it was for Adam in his innocency (when he had a natural inclination to obey God) to abstain from the fruit of one Tree, when he had a thousand besides, as good as that; there can be no condition imagined more facile and feasable, then Adams was. But if it were so, yet would the reward be debt, and not grace: As he that hath his peny by contract, hath as much right to it, though he labored but an hour, as if he had endured the heat of the whole day. We say, Gradus non variat speciem, it is not more grace, but all grace, that doth denominate the Covenant, a Covenant of Grace.
§. 9. To these Reasons there might be added many more; which because they have been mentioned before, upon another occasion, I shall not stand upon them.
4. Because all the pretended conditions of the Covenant, are promised in the Covenant: Now it is absurd to make any thing a cause of itself, or a means and condition whereby it is procured.
5. Because the asserting of conditions in the Covenant, attributes unto men a power and ability to do good, not onelyonly before they are justified; but before they believe: For if all the promises of the Covenant are conditional, then the promise of Faith is conditional, and consequently a man must be supposed able to perform some good and acceptable work to God before he believes, whereas without Faith, it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. Conditions in a proper sence, do necessarily infer the liberty of mans will unto that which is good; for as the Remonstrants do define it, A condition is a free act which we absolutely may perform, or not perform, by Freewil not acted, by the predeterminating grace of God. A Conditional Covenant and Freewil, are inseparable; the former supposeth the latter: Whether Mr. W. will own the Consequence, I am not able to say; however, that there is no such power, or ability in the Natural man to do that which is good, might be irrefragably demonstrated from sundry Scriptures, as Gen. 6.5. Eph. 2.1, 2. 1 Cor. 2.14. 2 Cor. 3.5. Rom. 7.18. Phil. 2.13, &c.
6. Because if the Covenant were conditional, no man in this life, could attain to any assurance of his own interest in the blessings of it, but must live always in a wavering and uncertain estate, as to the hope of eternal life; that hope of Salvation which is built upon conditional promises, is (as Calvin observes) always wavering and tottering; for conditional promises belong to none, but unto them who have performed the condition: If remission of sins were promised unto us, not absolutely but conditionally, as upon condition that we do believe, repent, and persevere. Tum (says Rutherford xExerc. Apol. p. 36. & 34) remissa nulla omnino peccata sunt in hac vita, &c. i. e. Then it must follow that no mans sins are remitted in this life, no man is justified here, which is contrary to many plain Scriptures, as Rom. 4.10. & 5.1. & 8.30. Ephes. 1.7. 1 Cor. 6.11.
§. 10. 7. Because the Scripture shews, that there is the same proportion, between Adams conveying sin to his seed, and Christs conveying Righteousness to his Seed, Rom. 5.16. The imputation of Adams sin did not depend upon the personal sinful acts of his posterity, so neither doth the imputation of Christs Righteousness depend upon the good works and actions of Gods Elect; but as by Adams sin, all his posterity became actually sinners, even they that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, i. e. Actually in their own persons; even so by Christs Righteousness all the Elect to the end of the world, are constituted righteous, before they have performed any works, or conditions in their own persons.
8. Because if the Covenant were conditional, then Infants and Ideots, though elected, could have no interest in any of the blessings therein promised, in regard they cannot perform the conditions, upon which they do depend; and consequently, dying without Faith, they must needs be damned.
§. 11. …. and lastly, If they to whom the Covenant belongs, had a right and title to all the blessings of the Covenant, before their believing, and turning unto God, then are there no conditions required on our part to intitle us to the blessings of it. But they to whom the Covenant belongs, scil. the Elect, had a right and interest in all the blessings of the Covenant before their believing, &c. Ergo. The Assumption shall be proved in our Answer to that Argument which Mr. W. hath retorted upon us from Jere. 31. wherewith we shall enter the lists in the next place.