Justification Without Conditions, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Wherein Mr. Woodbridges chief Argument against the Absoluteness of the New Covenant, is answered; and this Position [That God is the God of his people, before they do believe and repent] rescued from his contradictions.
FRom the Scriptures before mentioned, wherein the tenor of the Covenant is recited, Mr. W. hath advanced this Argument against us, If God be not the God of any, nor they his people before they believe, then none are in Covenant with God before they believe; but God is not the God of any before they believe. Ergo. As for the Proposition (says he) he is destitute of sense that shall deny it; I say so too, if that clause of Gods being the God of any, be taken comprehensively, and in its full latitude, for their having interest in God, and in all the blessings which God hath intended to his people; but if it be taken for the actual enjoyment and possession of any one, or more, of those blessings (as sometimes it is) he is as much destitute of sense that shall affirm it; for then the sense of it, is this, If none do know, or have the comfort of this priviledge, that God is their God before they believe, then none are in Covenant with God before they believe; this consequence is false; for there is a wide difference between having an interest in God, and the blessings of his Grace; and our knowledge thereof, or our enjoyment of those blessings. Interest and Possession, are not equipollent and reciprocal; God may promise some one benefit, in order to our possession, and enjoyment of others, though not to give us a right and interest in them. We say, that by Faith we have the knowledge and comfort of that reconciliation which Christ hath made between God and us, though we cannot say, that we obtain a right and interest therein by Faith: Thorough Faith we come to know, that God is our God, though our believing doth not make him to be our God. But the Assumption, viz. That God is not the God of any before they believe, is obvious unto just Exception, which he hath endeavored to prove after this manner; If God promise to give Faith, that we may be his people, and he our God, then till that Faith be given, he is not our God, nor we his people: But God promiseth to give Faith, that he may be our God, and we his people, Jere. 31.33. Heb. 8.10. Ezek▪ 11.19.20. & 36.25, &c. & 37.23, 24, 26, 27. We have shewn before, that the Scriptures mentioned do utterly refuse to protect the Minor; and that all the particular promises contained in them, are parts or effects of the Covenant, and not means to bring us into Covenant. The having of a new heart doth not make God to be our God; but because he is our God, he gives us that blessing, and all things else.
§. 2. That God is the God of his people before they do believe, and are converted, is evident unto me from these grounds.
First, If God be their God, whom he doth peculiarly love, and whom he hath chosen, and separated to himself from the rest of mankinde, then is the Lord a God unto some before they believe; the consequence is clear, because God hath loved and chosen some in that manner from everlasting, Jere. 31.3. Eph. 1.4. Now this was not an ordinary common love, such as he bears unto all Creatures, but a peculiar distinguishing love, whereby he willed to them the greatest good, even that foreign mentioned Eph. 2.4. See John 17.23, 24. But God is their God whom he doth peculiarly love, and hath chosen and separated to himself, Ergo. For what is it to have the Lord for our God, but to be appropriated to God, to have such an interest in God, as others have not, to be the objects of his speciall love? It was Israels prerogative above all the Nations of the world, that they had the Lord to be their God; now the Lord became their God, by setting his love upon them, and chusing them to be a peculiar people to himself, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. and by separating them from other people, Lev. 20.24, 25. The Lord, Ezek. 16.8. declares concerning spirituall Israel, that they became his, whilst they were in their blood, that ere ever they were washed and adorned (had any amiable qualities in them) he sware unto them, and entred into Covenant with them; which swearing as it refers to spiritual Israel must be understood of that Oath which he made to Christ, concerning the blessing of his seed. The Prophet infers this their relation unto God from his everlasting love, Jer. 31.1.3. The Apostle likewise Rom. 8.31. grounds the Saints interest in God, or their having God to be with them, upon his eternall and unchangeable good will, towards them, even before he spared his Son to dye for them. So 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God standeth sure; the Lord knoweth them that are his; Implying, that the election, and fore-knowledge of God doth make men his.
§. 3. Secondly, If the Lord be a God, not onelyonly to his people, but to their seed also, then is he a God to some before they beleeve; But he is a God not onelyonly to his people who are called, and doe beleeve, but to their seed who are not called, and do not yet beleeve, Ergo. The Lord promised Abraham, that he would be, not only his God, but the God of his seed; the seed of Abraham did not then beleeve, yet the Lord stiles himself their God. And the Apostle tels those converts Act. 2.39. That the Promise was to them, and to their children: Now what was that Promise, but Ero Deus tuus & seminis tui? If our opposers say, That God was not the God of their children, untill they were called, they will be guilty of the same Tautalogy which they charge upon the Anti-pedo-baptists: upon this ground it is, that the children of beleeving Parents are admitted to baptisme, before they beleeve; because God hath declared, that hee is their God.
§. 4. Thirdly, They whom the Lord hath purchased to be a peculiar people to himselfe, have the Lord to be their God; But God hath purchased some to be a peculiar people to himself before they beleeve, Ergo. The major is evident, for when a man makes a Purchase, he obtains a legall right and propriety in the thing purchased; Quod venditur transit in potestatem ementis. And therefore the Apostle concludes from hence, that we are not our own but Gods, because, we are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20, The minor is undeniable, That God did purchase us before we do beleeve, even when he gave himselfe foreign, a Ransome for us, 2 Tim. 2.6. he bought us (saith the Apostle) with his precious blood, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. thereby we were made foreign, a peculiar people, Tit. 2.14. Though he had not immediately upon the payment of the price, the possession of us, yet thereby he obtained a right to us; we became his in right, though not in injoyment; It was here, as with a man that buyes a Living, and payes down the price, he hath immediately a right to it, though he hath not the present possession of it; he may call it his own, though it be not in his hands.
§. 5. Fourthly, If we recive all good things from God; yea, Faith it selfe, upon this account, because we are his people, then God is our God before wee beleeve; But wee receive all good things from God, even Faith it selfe, meerly upon this account, because we are his people, as Gal 4.6. Because yee are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son, into your hearts. They were Sons before they received the Spirit of his Son. So Isa. 48.17. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, scil. By my word and works; by which means men are brought to Faith and Repentance: No reason can be given why one man profits by the Word, and another doth not, but because the Lord is a God to one, and not to the other; he hath chosen one, and not the other, Act 13.48. as many as were ordained unto eternall life, i. e. chosen and separated from the rest of mankind, to be a peculiar people unto God; beleeved.
§. 6. Fifthly, If none can, or do Beleeve and Repent, but they to whom the Lord doth manifest this Grace, That he is their God, then the Lord is our God before we beleeve and repent; But none do or can beleeve and repent, but they to whom God doth reveale and manifest this Grace; Ergo. We chuse him, because hee hath chosen us; and love him, because he hath loved us first, Joh. 15.16. 1 Joh. 4 10.19. In Hos. 2.23. saith the Lord; I will have mercy upon her, that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, thou art my people, and they shall say, Thou art my God. I have observed that Expositors generally, doe take notice of the order of the words. As Mr. Burroughs aBur. on Hos. 1 Vol. p. 674., God must begin with us, we cannot begin and say, Thou art my God; but God must begin with us first, and say, You are my people. And Dr. Rivet bIn loc. obs. 6. p. 101., Hic ord… est considerandus, &c. The order of the words ought diligently to be observed, It is God that begins and calls them his people: who being made his people through Grace, doe by Faith give their consent, and own him for their God. And Zanchy cTom. 5. in Hos. p 57.to the same purpose, The order of the words shewes, That God doth first prevent us with his Grace, and makes us his people, then follows the assent of our Faith, whereby we acknowledge and imbrace him for our God. So that our Faith, doth not make him to be our God, but suppose he is so.
§. 7. Sixthly, They to whom God is a Father, and a Shepherd, have the Lord for their God; But God was our Father, and Shepherd before we beleeved, Ergo. All the Elect are the Sheep, and Children of Jesus Christ. They are his Sheep, Joh. 10.15. I lay down my life for my Sheep, he laid down his life, not onelyonly for them that were then called, but for them that were to be called afterwards, so ver. 16. Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; The Elect Gentiles were his sheep, before they were brought into his Fold, scil. the visible communion of Saints. They are also called his Seed and Children, Isa. 53.10. and Heb. 2.13. Behold I, and the children which God hath given mee: Hee speaks of all those Sons, whom he was to bring unto Glory, ver. 10. So Jer. 3.19. Thou shalt call me, my Father; Their calling him Father, did not make, but suppose him to be their Father, and in this respect he is called an Everlasting Father, Isa. 9.6.
§. 8. Mr. W. tels us, That he hath onelyonly one observation to adde, which the most learned among the Jewish, and Christian writers, doe often take notice of, and that is this, [That God is never said to be our God in reference to his giving of the first Grace, but onelyonly in reference to the blessing, which he promiseth to them that have Faith] Heb. 11.16. He is not our God, that he may give us Faith, but is every where said to give us Faith, that he may be our God, 1 Pet. 2.10. I acknowledge that Mr. W. is a learned man, yet I know it is much above his reach to determine, who are the most learned amongst the Jewish, and Christian Writers; who as yet hath not looked into the tenth part of either: As for the Jewish Doctors, I suppose no man will think them competent Judges of Gospel verities; and I must confesse, that too many of our Christian Writers are leavened over-much with a Jewish legal spirit; However if he had pointed to the Authors that make this Observation, I should have weighed the grounds whereon they lay it; the names of men, though never so learned, weigh lighter then a feather in matters of Faith. If hee took up his Observation upon trust from Grotius (as I suspect he did) I shall presume once more, to advice him to take heed of tampering with the Notions of that learned Apostate.
§. 9. I have shewed already that sundry Godly and Learned men are of another mind, who exclude all manner of Conditions from the New Covenant, and consequently do make Faith a part of the Covenant, and not the means to bring us into Covenant; to which there might be added many more, as Luther dIn Gal 4.25. fol. 218., The Promises of the Law are conditionall, promising life, not freely, but to such as fulfill the Law, and therefore they leave mens Consciences in doubt, for no man fulfilleth the Law; But the Promises of the New Testament have no such Condition joyned unto them, nor require any thing of us, nor depend upon any Condition of our worthinesse, but bring, and give unto us freely, Forgivenesse of sins, Grace, Righteousnesse, and Life everlasting for Christs sake, &c. Melancton speaks as fully to the purpose eMelanct in Rom. 3. Vulgo in…ginantur hom…es evangelium esse promissionem conditionatem, at ab hac imaginatione, adducendi sunt, &c., Men commonly (saies he) doe imagine that the Gospell is a conditionall Promise; but this conceit is to be rooted out of them. —The Gospell offers remission of sins and Eternal Life, without the Condition of our works. And again fIb. in Rom. 4., Our Obedience is neither the Cause, nor the Condition, for which wee are accepted before God. So P. Martyr gNos negamus Testamentum Dei de remissione peccatorum, habere adjunctam conditionem loc com. de Justif. fid. sect 65 p. 387., Wee deny (sayes he) That the Covenant of God concerning the remission of sinnes hath any Condition annexed unto it. And Olevian hTota substantia fede…is est si…e conditione, D…. N. foed. sect. 1…, The whole frame, or substance of the New Covenant, is without any Condition. Estius puts this question iComment. in Heb. 8.10., How the New Testament can be called a Covenant, seeing it contains onelyonly a most free promise, whereas Covenants do consist of conditions on both parts? We may not answer (says he) that good works are the condition thereof, seeing that works themselves are contained in the promise of the New Testament: But (says he) the word [Berith] doth not onelyonly signifie a Covenant in a strict sense, which consists of mutual conditions, but it single promise which is free from all conditions; and such a Covenant is that which we call the New Testament, viz. Promissio Dei prorsus absoluta & gratuita; to wit, That promise of God which is altogether free and absolute. With him agrees Dr. Ames kCoronis ad Col. Hig Edit. 6. p. 400., who addes, That the New Covenant is more properly called a Testament, then a Covenant; because a Will or Testament bequeaths Legacies, without any office or condition of the Legatees. And Beza lBeza in Gal. 3.14., The word foreign used Gal. 3.14. doth not signifie (says he) any promise, but that which is altogether free, in which respect it is opposed to the Law; for the promises of the Law have conditions annexed to them; and therefore the word foreign whereby the New Covenant is signified, is better rendred Promise, then Covenant. But to avoide proli…ity, I shall desire the Reader at his leisure to peruse Junius his Second Oration De foedere novo, prefixt to his Enarrations on the four first Psalms, who being so great a Linguist and Lawyer, his Judgement in this point, ought the more to be regarded. It may be Mr. B. and Mr. W. will place them but in the form of ignorant and unstudied Divines; Though they do, it hath been sufficiently confirmed, with the authority of a greater Doctor. And if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, 1 John 5.9.
§. 10. The Scriptures which Mr. W. hath brought, do no whit help him, as Heb. 11.16. where it is said, God was not ashamed to be called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were believers; Ergo, (says he) God is not the God of any, before they do believe: He might reason as well, a Father acknowledgeth and stands by his son, when he is in distress, Ergo, He was not his father before. The scope of the place, is not to shew when God did become their Father, but rather the faithfulness and condescendence of God towards his people in their low estate mSee Dicksons Com., for though they were pilgrims and strangers in the world, hated, and despised of all, yet God did own, and honor them. See Psal. 105.12, 13, 14, 15. So that, in 1 Pet. 2.10. (where the Apostle speaking to the Saints, says, In times past, you were not a people, but are now the people of God,) is to be understood, in reference to the external administration of the Covenant, and not the real participation, or interest in the blessings of it: Indeed, in the first consideration, none are the people of God, but they that do profess the fear and worship of the true God,Micah 4.5. who walk in the name, i. e. In the Laws and Ordinances of God. In which respect the Elect before Faith, are said to have been without God in the world, Eph. 2.12. And in this sense, all that do profess the truth, are the people of God, though many of them are Hypocrites; who are therefore said to be of Israel, Rom. 9.6. Joh. 15.2.though they are not Israel; and some that are but fruitless branches, are notwithstanding said to be in Christ; which must be understood in respect of external profession, and not of internal implantation. But in the later consideration, none are the people of God, but they that do belong to the Election of Grace, who are the Spiritual Seed, and Israel in truth: And thus, all the Elect, whether called or uncalled, are the people of God; though before conversion, they have not the comfort, yet they have a good right and title unto all the purchases of Christs death. God knows them to be his people, though they know not, that he is their God.