The Difference Between the Old and New Covenants, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of the time of firſt coming into Covenant.
IT may be asked, When is it that any are actually and perſonally intereſted in the Spiritual benefits, or bleſſings of the New and better Covenant?
It is not a virtual but an actual intereſt that is here inquired after; and, not when they were repreſentatively in Covenant in their common perſon, but when perſonally by an application of its bleſſings to their own perſons?
And indeed the New Covenant is for application, and is the ſumm of all that is to be applyed, though it be not the whole Covenant of Grace, which taketh in all Articles between God the Father, and Jeſus Chriſt the Son, in order to our reſtoration.
And it is to be noted, That ſome are viſibly, others are really under the Covenant.
Some who are branches in Jeſus Chriſt, yet may be broken off, Joh. 15. 2, 6. Rom. 11. and therefore were but viſibly in him. Some are ſanctified with the blood of the Covenant, and yet afterward may count it an unholy thing, Heb. 10. 23. and ſo are but viſibly under it, by an outward ſeparation to, or profeſſion of the name and Faith of Jeſus Chriſt, to as to partake of common priviledges belonging to its external diſpenſation: perſons thus in Covenant and under the ſign of it, may be in a periſhing condition ſtill, Act. 8. 13, 23. Outward profeſſion of Faith is not that which entituleth to the external adminiſtrations of it, but only is a character or mark of perſons fit for them, as ſhewing a viſible intereſt in the Promiſe by a poſſeſſion [of the things promiſed]; and their Seed have as ſure a mark of their being viſibly under [the Promiſe], by the Lords declaring them intereſted therein with their Parents, Gen. 17. 7, 9. Act. 2. 38. and this not by the Old Covenant (as ſome would have it) which is diſanulled, but by that with Abraham, which is yet in force, Gal. 3. 17.
And beſides, the ſame that are the ſubjects of the New Covenant, were the ſubjects of the Old, even the houſe of Iſrael and Judah, Jer. 31. 31, 32. Heb. 8.
As the Faith of Abraham was to be exerciſed in the Promiſe (which was made to him) for his Seed; ſo many other Parents Faith be acting for theirs. It's true all of them may not be ſaved, the ſame is to be ſaid of adult Profeſſours, and therefore the Promiſe unto either (as to rea intereſt) is to be underſtood indefinitely not univerſally; even as promiſes attending Family inſtruction, yea and the publick Preaching of the Word: Chriſt is with his Miniſters to the end of the World, though all that hear be not converted; they are the means uſually bleſſed to ſuch ends.
But there is a real intereſt in the New Covenant, ſuch as is certainly attended with Salvation, when the ſpecial bleſſings of it be theirs, Heb. 8. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 23. this is it that I would chiefly inquire after here, when it is afforded?
Real actual and perſonal intereſt in the New and better Covenant, is afforded unto Souls when they attain unto union with Jeſus Chriſt, and the gift of Faith, not one moment of time before.
Abſtractedly from Chriſt or till in him, not one Promiſe is thine; For, all the Promiſes of God [in him] are yea, and [in him] Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. Epheſ. 3. 6. all made, treaſured up, and fulfilled or accompliſhed in him; if Chriſtleſs, then Promiſeleſs…, Epheſ. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 32. Jeſus Chriſt is the firſt ſaving gift of God; Chriſt and the Promiſes go together.
There are ſpecial marks of diſtinction whereby perſons in Covenant are differenced from the World, which agree to none that are out of Chriſt, Heb. 9. 15. they are called ones that receive the Promiſe. Abraham that famous Covenanter was not actually ſo, till the time of his effectual calling; from thence the four hundred and thirty years do commence, which give the firſt date to the Covenant or Promiſe, as made with him, Gen. 12. Gal. 3. 17. not from the day of his Nativity, much leſs from Eternity, although then he was an Elect Veſſel: by becoming Chriſts, men become Abrahams Seed and Heirs of Promiſe, ver. 9. 14, 26, 29.
So the New Covenant runneth to the Houſe of Iſrael and Judah, Heb. 8 13. and none are the ſpiritual Iſrael for Life and Salvation till in him, Rom. 2. 28, 29. Till then they are ſo far from a Covenant ſtate, which is of Life, Peace, Mercy, Salvation, Mal. 25. Iſa. 54. 10. and 55. 3. Luk. 1. 71, 72. Rom. 11. 26, 27. That they are declared to be in an oppoſite ſtate, they are at enmity, dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, and children of wrath as well as others, Epheſ. 2. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 15, 16. Col. 1 21.
This may appear further, by an enumeration of the principal bleſſings of the New Covenant: it is promiſed there, that he will write his Law in their hearts, and be to them a God, Heb. 8. 10. but till in Chriſt, they are without God in the World, Epheſ. 2. 12.
The greateſt difficulty is, as to the great priviledge of Pardon or Remiſſion of ſin, under which the whole of Juſtification is ſignified, Heb. 8. 10, 12. Rom. 11. 27.
Some think that we are juſtified from Eternity, others at the death of Chriſt: but actual perſonal Juſtification of a ſinner before God, is at his union with Jeſus Chriſt and the gift of Faith, not before. For,
1. None are actually intereſted in the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, before union with him and the gift of Faith: it is he that is made unto us righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. if without Chriſt, then without his righteouſneſs, Rom. 5. 18. By the righteouſneſs of one upon all unto Juſtification of Life; none therefore ever attain Juſtification without a righteouſneſs; For, it conſiſteth in a Divine declaration of a perſons being righteous; and if he were not ſo, it were a falſe Sentence, which is incompatible to the true God.
Neither will a righteouſneſs of his own working out (though by the help of Grace) ſerve for this end of Juſtification, but of that one Jeſus Chriſt: hence ver. 19. By the obedience of one, many are made righteous? As, his ſuffering and death did make ſatisfaction for ſin, ſo his obedience is a righteouſneſs meriting bleſſings, even Eternal Life, ver. 21. and it is called the righteouſneſs of Faith, Phil. 3. 9. that being a means for our application of that righteouſneſs which is given, Rom. 3. 22, 25, 26. Not that Faith is the meritorious, procuring cauſe of our Juſtification; it hath not the ſame cauſality therein, that Jeſus Chriſt hath. No more is required to the releaſe of our obligation it ſelf, than what the Law (by which we are obliged) doth exact, which is ſatisfaction as to Duty and Penalty; the ſolution thereof was by Jeſus Chriſt alone: but more is required partly to make way for this, viz. a compact or new Covenant concerning it, without which all ſufferings by another, had been of no advantage to us; partly as a means of application, viz. Faith, Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto (i. e. as a means unto) righteouſneſs; and hence Juſtification is often ſaid to be by Faith, Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 5. 1. And the Queſtion then, was not how are men manifeſted and declared in their own Conſciences to be juſtified, but how are they juſtified before God and in his fight? and that is, not before, but by Faith, Gal. 3. 11.
The ſcope of the Apoſtle, Rom. 4. is, to prove that we are juſtified by Faith and the righteouſneſs thereof, and not by works of the Law without cauſe of glorying, ver. 2. from the inſtances of Abraham and David, ver. 3. for what ſaith the Scripture, Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteouſneſs, and ver. 6. David deſeribeth the bleſſedneſs of the man unto whom God imputeth righteouſneſs without Works. And here note, [Pardon of ſin] is not the whole of Juſtification, there is alſo neceſſary unto that end, a righteouſneſs; if it were of our own working out, then we were juſtified and ſaved by our own works (which the Scripture generally denyeth) this were to confound Juſtification and Sanctification; as if Jeſus Chriſt only ſatisfied for the ſins and defects of a righteouſneſs which we perform, ſo as that is accepted unto Life; whereas it is by a righteouſneſs of Faith, which is not of our own working out, but wrought out for us by Jeſus Chriſt. The falſe Prophets themſelves from among the Jews, that urged theſe works of the Law upon the Romans and Galatians, inſiſted much upon the ceremonials, which plainly implieth an acknowledgement of ſin, and argueth that they did not expect Juſtification without pardon, but carnally looked for pardon in the way of their own works; and the Apoſtle in oppoſition to them excludeth out of Juſtification, not only works wrought by their own natural power, but even thoſe which were by ſanctifying Grace; for the works of Abraham and David (who were believers) are here excluded.
Some think the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, or his active obedience in our ſtead needleſs; unleſs as a part of his ſatisfaction for ſin, becauſe (ſay they) the Law requireth not of us both ſuffering and obedience.
I Anſwer, The Law as a Covenant of Works, required ſuffering in ſatisfaction for ſin, and as it belongeth to the Covenant of Grace, ſo it requireth perfect obedience (to be fulfilled by Jeſus Chriſt) as the condition of the Juſtification and Life of ſinners, and new obedience, (which referreth to ſanctification) is to be performed by Chriſtians as the fruit and effect of their ſpiritual Life. Rather it was needleſs that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould fulfill righteouſneſs or yield active obedience to the Law as part of a ſatisfaction for ſin, when by his paſſive obedience he underwent death, which was the very ſame and all that the Law threatned againſt the ſinner.
If man had never violated or broken the Covenant of Works, or had never ſinned, then the Law would have required only righteouſneſs of him for Life; the tenour of it being Do and Live.
When man had ſinned, then the Law (at a Covenant of Works) required only ſuffering, and threatned death, Gen. 2. 17. but ceaſed in its promiſe of Life; that immediately became null and void. It is true, the Law as a natural rule of righteouſneſs required ſtill perfect obedience, that was due to God by right of Creation, and his ſinning could not free him from the obligation of it. It promiſed nothing to a ſinner; it would imply a contradiction that it ſhould promiſe Life to him ſtill upon perfect unſinning obedience, when he was already a ſinner under the threatning of Death. Yea, if immediately after Adams ſinning, ſatisfaction had been made, and he pardoned, yet he had been but in ſtatu quo prius, in his former ſtate; If the Covenant of Works had been in force again is at the firſt, he muſt afterward have yielded perfect obedience, elſe no promiſe of Life; and therefore there is no incongruity, in ſaying, that man ſinning, the Law required ſatisfaction for ſin, and yet alſo required righteouſneſs unto Life; much more in our caſe; for there is another Covenant, viz. of Grace made with Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam, wherein he hath undertaken by ſuffering to make ſatisfaction for our ſin, without which we could never have been freed from the threatned death, there was no other way to it; the Lord might have refuſed a ſubſtitute, and therefore might (without any ſhew of injuſtice) put in what terms he pleaſed for our reſtoration unto Life.
If freedom from threatned death were obtained, ſtill the Lord might have annihilated us, we had no promiſe of Eternal Life; that in the Covenant of Works being null and void, upon the tranſgreſſion of the firſt Adam.
Behold therefore, the Lord agreeth to ſtand to the firſt terms; the ſecond Adam undertaking to do what the firſt ſhould have done, to fulfill the ſame righteouſneſs, the Lord doth thereupon promiſe Life again. Thus the Law is drawn into the Covenant of Grace, and requireth the ſame perfect righteouſneſs as before, to be fulfilled not by our ſelves for Life, but by Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam, as the aforementioned Scriptures do witneſs; which aſſert not only ſuffering, but alſo the righteouſneſs of that one Jeſus Chriſt to be neceſſary unto Juſtification and Life, as Rom. 5. 18, 19, &c. and hence the Sinai Covenant (which he fulfilled) did run in the firſt form of Do and Live.
The ground of this miſtake is a falſe ſuppoſition, viz. that no more is needful unto Life, but ſatisfaction for our ſin and diſobedience; as if Life would naturally follow upon that, which is to ſay, either that we have Life without any righteouſneſs (whereas there is no Promiſe of it to Adam, or to any ſince, that run that way) or elſe that we have it by a righteouſneſs of our own working out, Chriſt ſatisfying for our ſins and defects therein, and this is to affirm that we have life ſtill by the Covenant of Works and in the way thereof, which to affirm is very anti-evangelical and unſcriptural; For, there are many Teſtimonies, that unto the pardon of ſin there is needful a New Covenant, Heb. 8. 12. and that Life is by that, and the righteouſneſs required to it, wrought out not by our ſelves, but by another for us, even Jeſus Chriſt.
And thus the death of Jeſus Chriſt was needful to our freedom from death, although we obeyed in him, or he obeyed in our ſtead, to merit for us Eternal Life, which is promiſed thereupon, not now by the Old Covenant of Works, but by the New Covenant of Grace.
And thus although Chriſt fulfilled the Law for us, ſo as it is imputed to us, and we made the righteouſneſs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Yet it doth not follow that we ſhould be freed altogether from the obligation of the Law unto obedience; For, the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, his obeying and fulfilling of the Law for us, was as the condition of Life, or that upon which the Lord hath promiſed Juſtification unto Life; but we may be (and are) obliged to obedience, not for that, but for other ends; not in the leaſt for our Juſtification and title to Life; but as a part of our Sanctification; and we ſin in not obeying, that we may glorifie God by thoſe fruits of our being Spiritually alive. Chriſts obedience was for one end, ours is for another; as his ſufferings were for one end, our afflictions for another, and neither of them unneceſſary.
2. No actual intereſt in the promiſes of the New and better Covenant before union with Jeſus Chriſt and Faith: Even the Elect of God ſo long as unconverted and without Chriſt are without promiſes, as I have manifeſted, Epheſ. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 22. they were not from Eternity the Seed of Abraham, ver. 29. he had no Seed ſo early.
If the ſinner himſelf had ſatisfied, then it had been no pardon; for he is not-pardoned that payeth his whole debt himſelf; but Jeſus Chriſt interpoſed, he underwent the Curſe, and the New Covenant or Free Promiſe, is Gods grant or act of Pardon, Heb. 8. 11. and 10. ver. 16, 17. This is my Covenant—Their ſins and iniquities will I remember no more. Remiſſion of ſin then, is a glorious fruit and benefit of the New Covenant, not only manifeſted but conferred thereby. God juſtifieth, Rom. 8. 33. and this is his pardoning act. Not Faith it ſelf or any Grace within us, is that which giveth the pardon: Faith only receiveth the Remiſſion of ſins, Act. 10. 43. and the Divine gift of it is by an immutable thing, even by the Promiſe of the New Covenant.
And hence, if any Object, That Jeſus Chriſt as a Surety, had the obligation of the Elect transferred upon him, and made full ſatisfaction to the Law for them, and ſo diſabled it for holding them obliged, becauſe they cannot eventually be damned.
It is Anſwered, As our obligation and condemnation was by the Covenant of Works, ſo our declared freedom from its obligation, and our Juſtification, muſt be by the New Covenant; that is the way laid out for the giving of it forth. And though our ſin was transferred upon him, and an Act paſſed which rendred it certain, that we ſhould be juſtified (yea and ſanctified too) in due ſeaſon, yet not ſo, as that we were immediately diſobliged, but in the way laid out by Divine appointment for that end.
The Covenant of Works being violated, though ſatisfaction muſt be given to that, yet that contained no Promiſe of Life to a ſinner upon anothers undergoing the very penalty threatned therein, and therefore was ſo far from giving ipſo facto deliverance, that it would have availed nothing towards it, without a New Covenant, becauſe payment by a Surety was a refuſable ſatisfaction; the Lord (without any appearance of injuſtice) might have ſaid, the Soul that hath ſinned it ſhall die. Therefore the Sentence of the Law lyeth againſt us, till by the Covenant of Grace we be diſcharged from it, in the way and time therein appointed, which is at union with the Lord Jeſus.
3. None are actually and perſonally the Seed of Jeſus Chriſt as the ſecond Adam, before union with him and Faith; therefore none are actually and perſonally juſtified till then.
They are only his Seed, ſuch as he redeemed that he doth juſtifie, Iſa. 53. 10, 11. Rom. 3. 24, 25. The two Adams are parallel'd, Rom. 5. 6. to the end. The day that the firſt Adam ſinned, the Law paſſed a Sentence of Death upon all his Seed, ver. 12. virtually they all ſinned and died there, but not actually, till they exiſt or have a being: and as none are the Seed of the firſt Adam, actually under his ſin and condemnation till they be naturally born of him into the world of ſinners; ſo none are the Seed of Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam, actually under his righteouſneſs to Juſtification of Life, till they be ſpiritually born of him into the World of Saints, ver. 16, 18, 19. Joh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 16. the one Seed Chriſt, to whom the Promiſe is made, is not excluſive of infant Seed as to Ordinances; but of an adult Seed, which fought Juſtification and Eternal Life, by the Works of the Law, thus the one ſeed is that of Faith, ver. 26. For ye are the Children of God by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt.
Indeed Repreſentatively, we were not only juſtified, but alſo ſanctified and glorified at the Death, Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion of Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 2. 5, 6. He hath quickened us together with Chriſt, and hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. Not that we were the principal actors by him, and he meerly our delegate; For, then we were Self Redeemers, Self-Saviours, it were more properly our act than his; Jeſus Chriſt ſo repreſented us; as he was the principal actor, and owner of all ſtill, the Redeeming act was his, not ours, Gal. 3. 13. Revel. 5. 9. Gal. 4. 5. Rom 3. 24, 25. the righteouſneſs his, Rom. 5. 18, 19 21. It is his ſubjectively, he is the S…bject of it, objectively ours, we the Objects; yea, he ſo repreſented us, as all was federally ours in him, it was agreed that afterward we ſhould have it; all was for us in the Covenant, but we are not actually his Seed one moment of time before Faith, Rom. 5. 1.
To ſay, therefore, that we are juſtified, not in our perſons, but to our perſons in Chriſt; is to grant what is deſired: For, men cannot be actually juſtified but in their own Perſons, and that cannot be till they actually exiſt and have perſonality: and ſeeing, after their Nativity, their perſons are unjuſtified, they cannot at the ſame time be ſaid to be juſtified.
Indeed the perſons were determined, Jeſus Chriſt had full aſſurance that he ſhould not die at uncertainties, Iſa. 53. 11. But that doth not argue, the immediateneſs of their Juſtification, that is in the appointed ſeaſon.
We muſt therefore carefully diſtinguiſh, between Juſtification it ſelf in the abſtract, (conſiſting in remiſſion of ſins and righteouſneſs prepared) and our being juſtified, as Mr. Norton ſaith, Orthod. Evang. p. 314.
Or diſtinguiſh between Juſtification actually procured, and it actually applyed; the former is before Faith, the latter not ſo. As to the former, ſee Rom. 5. 8, 9, 10. Our being reconciled was at the death of his Son, not at the time of our Converſion. Juſtification in this ſenſe is the Object of Faith, and may be before the act; thus Heb. 1. 3. When he had by himſelf purged our ſins, ſate down on the right hand of the Majeſty on high, ſo Heb. 2. 17. Remiſſion of ſin then, purging and reconciliation it ſelf, were compleat at the death of Jeſus Chriſt, then prepared for us, but not conferred upon us, till union with Jeſus Chriſt and Faith.
4. All are in a ſtate of condemnation till union with Jeſus Chriſt by Faith, and ſo have no actual Juſtification till then; for theſe are oppoſite, Rom. 8. 33, 34. It is God that juſtifieth, who is he that condemneth? The ſame perſons then cannot at the ſame time be both juſtified and condemned; for he proveth immunity from condemnation by their being juſtified; and they are perſons [in Chriſt Jeſus] that only have this immunity, ver. 1. None out of Chriſt actually injoy it, and no union with him one moment of time before regeneration and Faith; for if any man be in Chriſt be in a new Creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. All unbelievers are condemned already, Joh. 3. 18. The wrath of God abideth on them, ver. 36. Are Children of wrath, Epheſ. 2 3. Even Elect veſſels before Faith, are here ſaid to be in that ſtate; under a Sentence of wrath and condemnation, not only naturally de jure & quoad meritum, as to deſent, for ſo are all; the ſinful actings of Saints deſerve wrath; whereas here ſuch wrath is intended as differenced their ſtate in time paſt, from what it was ſince they believed; it was inconſiſtent with preſent Juſtification unto Life. Though Jeſus Chriſt alone made ſatisfaction to juſtice for their ſin, and was made a Curſe for them, ſo as not the leaſt Atome of the Curſe formally, that is, of vindictive wrath ſhall fall upon them in execution; yet not only materially they are under it, but the Laws Sentence of condemnation is againſt them: and they are obnoxious to many tokens of wrath, not only in their bodies in many ſickneſſes, infirmities, and painful diſeaſes, but in their Souls, by ignorance, darkneſs, with many other ſinful diſpoſitions, and inclinations, and in their whole man by ſubjection and thraldom to Satan (Col. 1. 13. Act. 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26.) and deprivation of fellowſhip and communion with God, and liability to the terrour of ſuch a ſtate; and all theſe not in the leaſt to make ſatiſfaction, but for other ends, as that Grace may be the more admired in Salvation out of ſuch a miſerable ſtate, Epheſ. 2. 11, 12. to humble them, &c.
If it be Objected, That our obligation being transferred upon Jeſus Chriſt, and he having born our ſin and Curſe, juſtice and equity requireth that the Elect ſhould upon his death be ipſo facto actually diſcharged; their debt being paid, it cannot afterward be charged upon principal or Surety.
It may be Anſwered, More is to be conſidered in this caſe than a meer debt, for here, the perſon was firſtly and principally under the obligation, as Dr. O. obſerveth, ſatisfaction by a Surety being accepted, the father might put in what terms he pleaſed, without any ſhew of injuſtice, and ſo there is no neceſſity that the diſcharge be ipſo facto upon his death.
Alſo a debt may be charged upon the principal debtor, till he obtaineth an actual intereſt in the ſatisfaction of the Surety; till then, though no further ſatisfaction will ever be exacted from Jeſus Chriſt or the Elect, yet the Laws obligation unto wrath may lie againſt them for other ends; as to quicken them to ſeek deliverance out of that deplorable condition they are in. The want of an immediate freedom, is not from the defectiveneſs of the ſatisfaction made by Jeſus Chriſt, but from a preſent incapacity in thoſe who are to be the ſubjects of the freedom: as a full ranſom may be paid for Slaves, yet by reaſon of the diſtance, an after-day may be ſet for their releaſe; So, the Elect whilſt unborn are uncapable of being actually diſobliged; for the ſubjects muſt exiſt before even a relative change can paſs upon them; alſo, after they are born, they are at a great diſtance from God, without making up of that, they are uncapable of an actual poſſeſſion of Redemption. As a common perſon Jeſus Chriſt repreſented many that lived in ſeveral Ages of the World, and therefore of neceſſity the actual diſcharge of particular perſons muſt be at different times, not all at once, but when they become his Seed.
Further, A debt may be charged upon the principal debtor by an Old Law, till a New Law or Covenant declareth his diſcharge from the obligation: Thus the Sentence of the violated Covenant of Works may ſtand againſt men, till they be declared to be diſcharged by the New Covenant, Heb. 10. 16, 17. Yea obſerve, Jeſus Chriſt in ſuffering death for our Redemption, ſtood as Mediatour of the New Teſtament, Heb. 9. 15. Though therein he ſatisfied for our breaking of the Covenant with the firſt Adam, as this was drawn into the Covenant of Grace, as the condition thereof.
Once more, A debt may be charged upon the principal debtor, after a Sureties ſatiſfying the obligation, in caſe the Sureties name was not at firſt in the ſame obligation, but is admitted afterward by voluntary contract, Covenant, and conſent; For, there the Covenant is the only determining rule of all matters concerning the diſcharge. Why are they not ſanctified and glorified immediately after their coming into the World (theſe being effects of the death of Chriſt) but becauſe the Covenant provideth otherwiſe?
If the Name of Jeſus Chriſt (as as Surety) had been Originally or at firſt in Adams obligation, then more might have been ſaid for an immediate diſcharge upon his payment of our debt, and ſuffering death; but this was not the caſe, for if it had, then his ſuffering death had been neceſſary and unavoidable, though no New Teſtament had ever been made, yea the making of it had been unneceſſary, vain, and uſeleſs.
Whereas it was extreamly neceſſary, there could have been no transferring of our guilt to him, without it, and his ſubmitting to death was by a voluntary contract, Joh. 10. 17, 18. And his name not being at firſt in our bond, hence his payment was a refuſable ſatisfaction.
It was by an act of Free Grace that he was admitted to undertake for us, and his payment accepted in our ſtead, and ſo, though he paid the idem, the ſame that we did owe, yet there was nothing contrary to juſtice or equity, if the Father added other terms than before, and ſo no need that we ſhould be ipſo facto diſcharged. And the Law paſſeth Sentence not only upon ſinful actions, but upon the perſons for them, Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 22. And therefore no Juſtification, till delivered out of this ſtate, which is at union with Jeſus Chriſt and Faith.
5. I might argue from the many abſurdities that attend the aſſerting Juſtification from Eternity: It would ſound harſh to deny that Adam was an Elect veſſel; and being Elected, if Eternal Juſtification be admitted, then he muſt be actually both under the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace at once; and ſo was bound at the ſame time to ſeek Life in two waies utterly inconſiſtent each with other, Gal. 3. 12. viz. by Works, and by Jeſus Chriſt through Faith. Yea, then Adam was actually juſtified from ſin, before he had any ſin to be juſtified from, before ſin entred into the World by his F…ll, Rom. 5. 12. and did not become guilty by …his falling, being diſobliged from Eternity.
Neither will this be evaded by ſaying, Our ſin was imputed to Jeſus Chriſt before committed, and an actual exiſtence of ſin is no more requiſite unto our diſobligation, than unto our obligation unto the puniſhment thereof.
I Anſwer, The ſins of the Elect were not actually upon Jeſus Chriſt, till he came actually under the Law, which was their very obligation, Gal. 4. 4, 5. And thus all their ſin by that Law did meet upon him before committed; anſwerably, when perſons do actually come under the New Covenant; I grant they are juſtified, yea even virtually from ſins not yet committed: but the Old Law of Works muſt needs be in force againſt them till a New diſchargeth from it, and this is not till union with Jeſus Chriſt and the gift of Faith.
And O how miſerable then, are all they who are out of Chriſt! they are in an unjuſtified eſtate, ſeeing they have no Word or Promiſe to aſſure them that the Lord hath laid down his Sute againſt them; but great is the happineſs of all in Chriſt, of all believers, in that they ſtand juſtified before the Lord, Rom. 4. verſ. 7. Bleſſed are, they whoſe iniquities are forgiven, &c. it is ſin alone that rendreth miſerable; and now the Apoſtle challengeth even Earth and Hell for all ſuch, Rom. 8, 33, 34. It is God that juſtifieth, who ſhall condemn? It was God that was injured by ſin, and who hath power to diſcharge from it, none can reverſe or diſanul Gods act; who ſhall lay any thing to their charge? Sin, Satan, their own hearts may draw up many charges, but will be able to make none good againſt them, why? it is God that juſtifieth. It is very extenſive, it reacheth to all ſins, Col. 2. 13. Jeſus Chriſt is a propitiation for the ſins that are paſt, Rom. 3. 25. that is, for ſins committed before his Incarnation; for it is ſpoken in oppoſition to thoſe that ſought to be juſtified by the Works of the Law, verſ. 20, 21. To draw off from this, he telleth them (as Heb. 9. 15.) that the Redemption of tranſgreſſions that were under the firſt Teſtament, or their remiſſion, was not by legal ſacrifices and obſervances, but by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt. It doth not deny his being a propitiation for ſins to come, his faithfulneſs is ingaged to afford the remiſſion of theſe, 1 Joh. 1. verſ. 8, 9. 1 Joh. 2. verſ. 1, 2. even Believers are daily ſinning, and the Lord will be extending pardoning mercy unto them, yea he will all their life long be magnifying this Title, or part of his Name, The Lord God pardoning iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin, Exod. 34. 7. yea, it is his glory that he is a ſin pardoning God, Mica. 7 ver. 18. Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity? &c.