Body of Divinity, Book 5 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of Mans Recovery.
SECONDLY, Mans Restauration or Recovery from hisWhen the Parson once demanded about mans misery, Since man is so miserable, What is to be done? and the answerer could not tell, He asked him again, What he would do if he were in a ditch? This familiar illustration made the answer so plain, that he was even ashamed of his ignorance, for he could not but say, he would haste out as fast as he could. Then he proceeded to ask, Whether he could get out of the ditch alone, or whether he needed a helper? and who was that helper. Master Herborts Remains, cap. 21. miserable estate that he had plunged himself to by sin.
1. What this Recovery is.
2. The causes and parts of it.
Of the first,
It is a part of Gods special Providence, whereby man is recovered out of the state of Sinne, and slavery to Satan, Death and Hell, to an estate of Grace, Life and Glory. Death and sin entred by the first Adam, the second Adam brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel, Rom. 3. 24, 25. Rom. 5. 18, 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22.
God still delighted to deal with a common person in the name of all the rest, in both the Covenants there was a principal contracting party, a common representee,Rom. 5. 14. Who was the figure of him that was to come. Gal. 3. 16. See my Annot. on 1 Cor. 15. 47. Adam in the Covenant of Works, Christ in the Covenant of Grace, either of these was to communicate his estate to his posterity. Both these were common parents, authors of life to their seed, 1 Cor. 15. 45, 49.
But they differed,
1. In the Dignity of their persons, Adam was a holy man, yet but an earthly creature, Christ is the Lord from heaven. See Rom. 5. 15, 16, 17.
2. In the Degree of the publick Office, Adam was a common person, but notChrist was called Adam, because he did partake of our nature, the second Adam, because he was another common Representee in whose acts we are infolded. a Surety for them. Christ was a Surety, Heb. 7. 22. able to give his a new heart.
3. In the Manner of Representation, Adam took nothing from us, and conveyed nothing to us but sinne. Christ took sinne from us, made our transgressions to be his, and his obedience is become ours, 2 Cor. 5. 21.
This work of mans recovery is Gods Master-piece, all other designs are subordinate to this; all his Attributes shine out in this.
God manifested great love to man at the first, in making him happy, in stamping his Image on him, and in making himself his end, but he discovered greater love in the work of redemption, Iohn 3. 16.
He discovered great power in creating the world of nothing, but greater in mans recovery; it is greater power to restore a creature when fallen, then to uphold it at the first: all other acts of power were but over the creature, this was over his Son, Iohn 10. 18. never was there such an act of grace to take the creature into personal Union with the God-head, Zech. 13. 7.
God discovered great wisdom in making the creatures, and in his Law; but that prescribed not a way how to satisfie God and sanctifie man, and that so easily, Heb. 2. 12. See Rom. 11. 33.
He declared also his Holinesse and Justice, rather then sin should go unpunished his own Son was punished.
2. The Cause of it:
It comes wholly and onelyonly from the free grace and favour of God, Ephes. 2. 8. By grace you are saved, through faith, not of your selves, it is the gift of God.
The ground of mans restitution was the bringing in of the second Covenant, God vouchsafing to deal with man as a rational creature, was pleased to deal with him in way of a Covenant, the Covenant of Works being broken, and it being impossible to enter into heaven that way, Rom. 8. 3. God made a new and better Covenant, called the Covenant of Grace, of which Isaiah, Ieremiah and Ezekiel speak.
This is the way of Gods bringing lost man to life and happinesse by a Mediator.Man could not come to the favour of God again unlesse the justice of God were satisfied, there must therefore be a price paid for him, and he must be bought again that was fallen from his Lord and master. The first Covenant was Gods way of bringing man to life by his obedience. The righteousnesse required to bring a man to life in the second Covenant, is not his own righteousnesse, but the righteousnesse of a Mediator.
1. This Covenant of Grace was ever one and the same. Christ the same yesterday, to day and for ever, all that obtain life, obtain it the self same way. The same Covenant that was revealed to Adam when he sin'd, was revealed after to Abraham and Noah, the Prophets, and to us.
2. Although for substance this Covenant be one and the same in all ages, yet the external administrations of it were different, in one manner before Christ exhibited, in another after. Then it was administred by Prophecies, Promises, Sacrifices, T…pes, Shadows: after Christ exhibited in the flesh, it was administred only in the Ordinances of preaching, and the Sacraments. Their Types, Shadows, Sacrifices, Washing, Circumcision, eating rosted Lambs, held out the same Christ that our Sacraments hold out.
3. The Administration of the Covenant of Grace since Christ was exhibited is far more glorious; theirs was called the old Covenant, ours the new one. This lies in three things:
1. It is more universal, a great while the other was onelyonly in Abrahams family, and after appropriated to the Nations of the Jews, and some that turned Proselytes, now the utmost isles of the world see the salvation of God.
2. Now the Covenant of Grace is revealed more clearly, the things about Christ were then dark, babes may now understand those things that their Doctors did not.
3. A greater measure of Grace and Holinesse is now communicated.
3. The parts of this Recovery are two, saith Mr Richardson.
1. The work of Mans redemption.
2. The Application of it.
The work of Redemption is the purchasing of man from his undone condition by a Redeemer or Mediator; or the Recovery of man from his estate of sinne and misery by a full price paid for him by a Redeemer.
2. The Application of it is whereby it is made ours by imputation.
These two are joyned together, Iohn 3. 16. Mark 16. 16. The one of these isThe Heathens had some obscure notice of the fall, but could not dream which way the remedy should come, Ephes. 3. 12. They spake of vertue and vice in a moral way, but not of righteousnesse and sinne as they related to the Law. John 17. 3. Acts 4. 12. & Acts 1. 15. 1 John 5. 11, 12. O foelix culpa quae talem meruit habere redemptorem. Greg. Bern. Luk. 15. 7. the Sufficiency of mans Recovery, the other the Efficiency; Paul and Peter speak often of a price paid for us.
I shall therefore shew,
1. Who this Redeemer is that hath paid this price for us.
2. What the price is that he hath paid for us.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Immanuel, the Word made flesh, God and man united in one Person, is the Person. The price that he hath paid was the subjecting of himself in our stead to do what we should have done, and suffer what we should else have undergone, Mat. 18. 11. Luk 19. 10. Rom. 3. 24, 25. 1 Tim. 5. 15.
All the Ceremonies and Sacrifices under the Law had relation to Christ, theyQuae legem praecesserunt, variis modis Christum praesigurabant, ejusque actiones, vitam, mortem, regnum, Ecclesiam: ut in morto Abelis insontis, in diluvio, & reliquiis humani generis à Noë servatis: in fide Abrae, in obedientia Isaac, in simplicitate Jacob, in invidia & exaltatione Joseph, in agno Phase, in egressu Aegypti, in transitu maris rubri, in introductione ad terram promissam patribus. Quae omnia quòd umbrae essent regni Christi, idcirco tam diligenter est ea Moses persecutus. Lod. Viv. de verit. fid. Christ l. 2. c. 7. Christus est sal & vita, & lux veteris Testamenti, qui mortuis rebus vitam attulit, & sativit insipida. Id. ibid. were but the shadow and he was the body.
First, The Nazarite must be sanctified in his mothers womb, to signifie, that Jesus the true Nazarite should be conceived without sinne in the womb of the Virgin.
Secondly, His two Natures were signified by the Goat that was killed, and the Scape-goat, and by the two Sparrows, the one killed and the other let go. His Offices of King and Priest typed by the High-priests Crown, Garments and Ornaments. His Death by the Sacrifices, and his lifting up upon the Crosse by the brazen Serpent. His Burial by Ionahs lying in the Whales belly three dayes. His Resurrection by the first fruits, 1 Cor. 15. 20.
Every thing in the Temple was a Type of Christ, the Vail was a Type of his Flesh, Heb. 10. 20. the golden Altar of his Intercession, Revel. 8. 3. and the brazen Altar of his Passion, the Temple it self was a Type of Christs body, Iohn 2. 19.
The Tabernacle was built with three distinct rooms:
1. The most holy place, in which were the Ark and Cherubims, the most holy place signified Heaven, the Ark Christ, as he is received up into Glory, sitting at his Fathers right hand, protecting his Church, and using the Ministry of his Angels for their good and welfare.
The second was called the holy place, and this did signifie the true invisible Church of the Elect of God here militant on earth, into which none entered but the Priests, which signified the elect people of God, which are a holy and royal Priesthood unto him, here was a golden Candlestick, which having Lamps was dressed every Evening, and gave light all night, to signifie the work of Christ by his Spirit affording the true light of saving knowledge of himself, and of his spiritual benefits to them, when it is dark night to all the world besides; here was the golden Table which had ever upon it Bread and Incense, signifying Christs giving himself as spiritual Food to his people to strengthen and confirm their hearts in obedience, and also giving the pure Frankincense of his Merits unto them, by which they become acceptable unto his Father.
The third room was the utter Court where all the people came, and it signified the Church visible, wherein are Elect and Reprobate, true and false Christians mixt, there was the Offerings of Buls, Goats and other beasts; and sprinkling of bloud in all the services to be performed, signifying the Revelation of God himself in the Ministry of his Gospel to the sons of men that they might be brought to believe in him.
The whole Doctrine of Christ in his Person, Works, the Benefits which theJustification, Rom. 3. 24. Adoption, 1 Ioh. 12. Gal. 4. 5. Regeneration, Jam. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Repentance, Acts 5. 31. Faith, Ephes. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 27. Church receives by him, are all the free gift of God, Isa. 9. 6. Titus 4. 14. Rom. 5. 15, 16, 17, 18.
Gift is a transferring of right from one to another by free will, or the free interesting of another in that which is my own: only I forego my own property when I give it another, but God hath still the same right in his Sonne when he gives him to us.
First, Christ is the great gift of *John 4. 10. The happiness of the persons is the infinite satisfaction they take one in another.God, the greatest that ever he gave Four things meet in him which shew him to be the greatest gift.
1. He is the dearest and most precious to him that gives him, Iohn 3. 16. 1 Iohn 4. 9, 10. the heart of God was infinitely set on Christ, Prov. 8. 30. a metaphor taken from two mates and companions that are born and bred together, and sport themselves in each others society.
2. Of all things that were in the power of God to give there was nothing we so much needed, set fancy aside no man needs any thing in the earth but food and raiment, we are miserable for ever if we fail of Christ.
3. It is the comprehension of all other gifts, if we look on the intrinsecal worth of the gift it self, by him we have pardon, grace, glory, he is God-man, a Prophet, Priest and King, the true Trismegistus.
4. This is an everlasting gift, not only the gift lasts, but the minde of the giver, he lends thee but other things.
Secondly, Christ is the free Gift of God.
1. There is no one particular concerning Christ and our salvation by him, but there are Scriptures to prove it, that it is the free gift of God; He gives the Spirit to unite us to him, Iohn 7. 39. and the means, Ephes. 4. 11. and faith to lay hold on him.
2. What ever may argue a gift to be free, meets in the Lords giving of Christ.
1. When the giver hath no motive to stirre him to it but his own will.
2. When the party doth it out of no need, he is no whit the richer or happier.
3. He gives him to them who have no more, why they should partake of Christ, then others on whom he doth not bestow him.
4. When there is no condition in the receiver, but meerly that he do accept it, he works in our hearts consent of his good pleasure.
5. When he is pleased with this gift, and takes more content in giving then any soul can take in the receiving.
There was a transcendent excellency in the love of Christ to the Saints in giving himself for them.
1. He loved them with the love of all relations, with the love of a brother, friend, husband, father, God.
2. He loved them above all the creatures here below, he hath made them the first fruits of all his creatures, in some sort more then the Angels.
1. In regard of your nature which he took.
2. In regard of the relation wherein he stands to you, the Angels are his servants but not his members.
3. In regard of his righteousnesse bestowed upon you, it was not the essential righteousnesse of God, but such a righteousnesse as the God-head gave an excellency and efficacy to.
This love of Christ comforts the Saints under the greatest afflictions. They look on this love of his as the fountain of all blessings, it works a conformity in them to Christ.
We may judge of the love of Christ by these marks:
First, Suitable to the manifestation of himself is the love of Christ to thy soul, Iohn 14. 21.
Secondly, The more grace he bestows on a man the more he loves him.
Thirdly, The greater Communion we have with him the more he loves us, Iohn 14. 8.
Fourthly, The more he keeps thee from those ordinary snares that others fall into, Eccl. 7. 26. Rev. 13. 8.
Fifthly, The more every thing works to thy spiritual good, 3 ep. Ioh. 2.
Sixthly, According to thy measure of fruitfulnesse, Ioh. 15. 16.
Seventhly, Observe the glimpses of Christ to thy soul, Psal. 35. 3.
Eighthly, The more powerful our prayers are with God, Dan. 10. 11, 12.
Christs Kingdom was set up in opposition to Satan, when he was born all theAnte adventum Christi victus videbatur à daemonibus Deus, occ…paverat …n… …ultus corun… non solum gentes, sed etiam non obstante Dei prohibitione in maxima parte Iudaeos; sed per Messiam salvatorem nostrum sibi tunc Deus praevaluit, cum Christus missis Apostolis, & aliis discipulis in mundum universum tot per cos miracula secit, quod omnes serè gentes ad cultum Dei convertit & idololatrium penitus extirpavit. Raymund. Pugio adversus Iud. par. 3. Dist. 3. c. 23. …ententia Amyraldi est, cognitionem Dei quae potest haberi ex creaturis & operibus providentiae esse gratiam sufficientem objectivam, per quam homines expertes cognitionem Christi pro nobis mortui, possunt servari si …a benè utantur. Molin. de Amyr. advers. Spanh. lib. Iudicium. l. 2. c. 9. Vide plura ibid. etiam c. 10. & 11. Et Vedel. de Deo Synagog…, l. 1. c. 4. Et Riveti Synopsin Doctrinae de natura & gratia. c. 8. Non est coarctandus Iesus Christus, quasi non servator extitisset, quod delirant Manichaei, prius quam in Iordanc baptizaretur, aut clamaret in cruce, Consummatum est. Sed erat i…e modorum illorum multorum, temporibus & mensura diversorum, dispensator unus & Promus condus, in quo solo, ut nunc, servantur, qui servabuntur, ita quoque & olim servati sunt, quicunque sunt salutem consecuti▪ Rectè igitur Augustinus, accuratissimus in sid… dogmatibus discernendis & in disputandis solertissimus, fieri olim potuisse pronunciavit▪ quin & revera suisse saepè sactum, ut praeter Israelitas, alii quoque interdum ad salutem pervenirent: Nullos tamen sine Christo, nullos per legem, non per Philosophiam aliquos, cum non esset aliud sub Coelo nomen praeter illud Iesu Christi, in quo consequi salutem possent homines. Montac. Appar. 1. p. 33. Vide plura ibid. pag. seq. Oracles ceased. The time was come mentioned Iohn 12. 31. the night was past and the day was come, and therefore such birds of darknesse were not to prevail, as in times past they had done. As by the rending of the vail of the Temple of Salomon, was signified the abolishment of legal worship, so by the prodigious destruction of Satans throne or chiefest Temple at Delphos, was sealed the irrevocable overthrow of Ethnicism.
Some say the Heathens by the light of nature, by the knowledge of the Sunne, Moon and Stars, might come to a saving knowledge of God, and urge that place, Heb. 11. 16. He that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and say, that men might know Gods being and bounty by his works. Others urge Rom. 1. 19. & Act. 14. 17. The Scripture is the only means of knowing God savingly, therefore it is called salvation, Heb. 2. 3. See 2 Tim. 1. 10.
Quid erit mundus▪ sublato verbo, quam infernus & merum Satanae imperium. Luther. loc. commun. 1. Clas. cap. 23. If that were true Doctrine, then men may be saved without Christ; or they may be saved by Christ who either know him not or believe not in him, for the works of God can never reveal Christ.
Solus Christus medium & speculum est per quod videmus Deum, hoc est, cognos…inus ejus voluntatem. Luther. loc. commun. Clas. 1. c. 1. Non solum periculosum, sed etiam horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare. Id. ibid. No man comes to the Father but by me. See Iohn 17. 3. Acts 4. 12. Col. 2. Ephes. 2. 12. saith. That the Gentiles were without hope, and without God in the world, therefore they could not conceive hope of remission of sins from the creatures, Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of God, viz. his Power and God-head may be known by the contemplation of the creatures, but not his mercy in pardoning sins, and the hope of salvation by redemption. For that power and God-head strikes a fear into a man, and requires perfect obedience, but doth not promise remission of sins.
It is true that God instructed the Heathens by his works of Creation and Providence. But never any yet could instance in one of them, and say assuredly, that by using well their naturals, he came to eternal life.
Zuinglius said, That God did extraordinarily work grace and faith in the Heathens, which opinion of his is much exagitated by the Lutherans, and he is justly forsaken by the Orthodox in this point.
The Papists and Arminians say▪ That God gives an universal sufficient grace to all men, even to Pagans. Paul Rom. 1. speaking of them all, saith, They became vain in their imaginations. That is an excellent speech of Augustines, Qui dicit hominem servari posse sine Christo, dubito an ipse per Christum servari possit. See Mr Burgesse of Grace, Sect. 12. Serm. 120.
It were a worthy work for one to collect the several places in Scripture, where the relations of Christ to his Church are mentioned, his various denominations also and representations are expressed, they being all great props of faith.