Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 2 · Chapter 37 – Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVII. How good works are necessary.
FOr good works, 1. We call not these good works that are extorted by the terrours of the Law: as a captive keepeth the high way, because his Keeper leadeth him in an iron chaine. Nor 2. these which flow from the sole authority of God as Lawgiver. Or 3. which issue from meere morall principles, without saving grace: but these we call good works in an Evangelicall sense, that not onelyonly are done from the authority of the Law-giver, but also from a mediatory and Evangelike obligation, from the sweet attractions and drawing coards of the secrets of Christs love. And 2. from Evangelike faith that purifieth the heart. 3. From Physicall principles, and supernaturall habits of grace, good works are this way necessary.
1. That as grace and glory differ not in nature, but gradually as the morning dawning of twy-light, and the noone-day-light; so the good works done by the grace of Christ, and that perfect love of God, and our brethren in heaven, are of the same nature, different in degrees, and the one degrees and waies to the other; especially when from Gods free promise of the blessings of this life, and that which is to a1 Tim. 4 8.come; the Lord hath made a passe betweene the one and the other; and the Lord hath tyed himselfe to himselfe, not to us, to carry on grace out of meere grace. Every branch bIoh. 15.2.that bringeth forth fruit in me (saith Christ) my Father purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruit, unto every one that hath shall cMath. 25 29be given, and he shall have abundance. He that soweth dG…l. 6.8.to the spirit, shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting. There is a harvest promised to this sowing; e2 Cor. 9.6. Phil. 4.17.18.as to a speciall furtherance of our reckoning in the day of Christ; hee that soweth bountefully, shall reape bountefully, yea sent once and againe unto my necessitie; not because I desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account, fRom. 8.13.if ye, through the spirit, doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh, yee shall live. But being made free gRom. 6 22.from sinne, and become servants to God, yee have your fruit unto holinesse, and the end everlasting life. Blessed are they that hRev. …2 14.doe his commandements, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in thorow the gates into the city. And lest we should think the commands are all but one only precept of beleeving, hee addeth for without are Doggs and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murtherers, &c. iIoh. 14 2….He that hath my commandements, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest my selfe to him. All these evidence to us, that holy walking is a way to heaven, as sowing is to harvest, and that Christ maketh a promise of life eternall to him that doth his Commandements: onelyonly the question is, in what tearmes the promise is made to the doer of Gods will, as a doer, or as a beleever, whose faith is fruitfull, and with childe of Evangelike doing.
But wee may say the formall promise of the covenant of grace is made to beleeving, as the Law-promise is made to doing Legally, and perfectly out of our own, without grace; and that the Gospel, as it is larger then the covenant of grace; and as it containeth the whole doctrine of grace, taught by the Prophets and Apostles, is a promise of life eternall, made to Evangelike and unperfect doing through the strength of grace. And that because 1. God commandeth good works through the whole kRom. 1…. …, 2, &c. Ephes. 4.1, 2. Matth. 7.21, 22, 25, 26, …7. Matth. 12▪ 50. 1 Thes. 4. …, 3, 4. E…hes. 6.1, 2. Eph. 5 1, …, 3, 4. Col. …, 3, 4, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2, 3, &c. 1 Pet. 4.1, 2, 3, &c.New Testament. 2. They are so necessary, as without them, our faith is a dead and vaine faith, and cannot lIam. ….justifie us. 3. They are the end, for which Christ redeemed us, that m1 Pet. ….24.we should live to him, n1 Pet. ….3.bee redeemed from our vaine conversation, oG…l. 1. ….from the present evill world, that pTit. 2.24.we should bee a purified peculiar people to him, zealous of good works, and in this title also they are commanded. 4. They are conditions without which wee cannot bee saved. For John Baptist taught this with the Gospel, qMath. 3.10.Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewen downe, and cast into the fire. What shall we doe rAct. 2.37.38.to be saved, receiveth this answer, Repent, and be baptized every one of you; Except sLuk. 13.3.yee repent yee shall all likewise perish. 5. They are commanded as acts of the new creature; and partly, as contrary to sinnefull fiery, and mighty temptations of tEphes. 6.14.15, 16.Satan, and the flesh, as mortification to fleshly lust, faith to unbeliefe. Partly as expressions of thankfulnesse for the free uCol. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5▪ 6, 7. 1 Pet. ….1, 2, 3, 4.redemption in Christ, and commanded in the Law, in the great Commandement of the xMat. 2….37. Deut. ….5.loving of God with all our heart, just as this Law of loving God did oblige Abraham to offer his Sonne Isaak for God, and Judah to be thankefull to God, for redeeming them out of the Babylonish Captivity; though the Law neither commanded any father to offer his Sonne, nor the people to returne from Captivity; yet the eternall Law of love commandeth both these, and us to doe, what ever God-Redeemer commands us, as well as what ever God the Law-giver injoyneth; onelyonly we cannot say, Good works doe merit salvation, or purchase right to life eternall, Christs bloud is onelyonly so a ransome of life. 2. Nor have they any proper condignity to such a high reward, being so imperfect. 3. Nor can they have any effective influence, or proper causality thereunto, nor are they causes or conditions of justification: but that which Crispe Crispe vol. …. …er. 4. pag. 89.saith is not of God; But withall (saith he) I must tell you, that all this sanctification of life, is not a jot of the way of a justified person to heaven; it is true, they are not the meritorious, the efficient cause or way, nor the formall covenant-condition; but a way they are, as sowing is to harvest, running to the garland, wrestling to the victory.
CHAP. XXXVIII. The Gospel is conditionall,
ANtinomians deny all conditions of the covenant of grace, of justification, or of salvation, or that the Gospel zCrispe Ser. 6. vol. 1. p…. 160.16….162.hath any conditions at all. Yea aPower of love, pag. …1.though yee should not beleeve, yet God is faithfull, and cannot deny himselfe to be your Redeemer. So (saith bSaltmarsh Free grace. pag. …06.207.Saltmarsh) its not the way of a covenant cSaltmarsh Free grace, pa. 152.153▪that the Gospel useth, but rather the promise or grace and salvation. It is true, if we take a condition. 1. For an antecedaneous quallification going before Redemption, the Gospel is no covenant of grace, so as God will neither redeeme us in Christ, nor propose a covenant of grace, nor transact covenant-waies to be our God, while we beleeve. So faith is no condition. Antinomians ignorant of the doctine of Protestants, fancied that of us; Nor doth it follow, as Crispe and Antinomians say, Faith, obedience, and repentance are not conditions, because pardon, and justification, and salvation goe before them; or because by them we purchase not Christ, it onelyonly followeth, they are not such conditions as are antecedent, and purchase Christ, which we grant. 2. If a condition be taken in Law tearmes for a condition, qualification, or some thing that issueth from free will, without the determining grace of Christ, and such a condition as salvation and righteousnesse imputed dependeth on, in a proper way of condition; so faith is neither strictly a condition of justification, nor of righteousnesse, or salvation; because God of meere grace worketh, both the condition, faith and the thing conditioned; for a condition is properly a qualification, or worke to be done by a party,What a cond…on …. by way of contract, league, and bargaine, and done, of the parties owne strength, as the one side, halfe, or quarter of a covenant, that obleigeth the other party, to bestow a favour or reward for the performed condition, as Arm…nians say, and neither in this sense, doe wee ascribe a condition to men. 1. Because Christ as surety undertaketh by promise to fulfill both our part, and his owne, I will writ my Law in their dIer. 31.33, 34. …. 32.19, 40 … 5….11. H…b▪ 8 10. Ezech. 36.26.hearts. Christ subscribeth the covenant for me, and himselfe, and leadeth our trembling hand at the pen, and causeth us consent; in this notion, the Gospel is all promise, rather then a covenant, or a bargaine; and there is neither limbe, nor lith, nor joynt of the covenant, but its all pure grace, both worke and wages. Antinomians cannot say that we teach, We are redeemed, justified, saved for faith, for works. But if a condition be taken Evangelically for a qualification wrought in us, by the grace of Christ, and without which we are not justified, nor saved; then to deny the Gospel to be a conditionall covenant, is to bely the Gospel. For the whole Gospel saith, He that eIoh. 5.25. Io…. 2.18, …6.beleeveth, hath life, is freely justified; hee that beleeveth not, is damned, and the wrath of God abideth on him. And that repentance fLuk. 3.11. Act: 2.3. Io…. 5.4.and doing of Gods will, and new obedience, are conditions, is evident by gMat. 7.21. Ephes. 4.24. Put on the New Man. Rom. 8.13. If yee live after the flesh, yee shall die. Heb. 12.14. Without holynesse none shall see God. Matth. 1….20, 21. Matth. 10.30.Scripture. Nor is it a Popish way by works, to say, We seeke glory, and honour, and immortality (h)Rom. 2.7·by well doing. Workes are not so much conditions of justification, as Faith iRom. 3.26, 27, 28, 29, 30.31. See Ioh. 8.24. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. 1. Matth. …8.3. Eph. 5.5 Acts 16.31. Hebr. 11.2. Matth. 16.24. Matth. 1….50. 1 Ioh. 3.3.is; yet are they conditions required in these that shall be saved. And because Christ worketh faith in us, it proveth it is not a condition of our owne working, but not that it is no Evangelike condition.