The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Concerning the benefits that do inſeparably accompany Chriſts perſon, where he is received, either by the firſt or ſecond Covenant, according to the tenor of both which there is vertue in his blood to reconcile and bring men to God.
CHriſt in the 42. and 49. Chapt. of Iſaiah is called The Covenant, ſaid to be him that God gives to be a COVENANT to the People, to eſtabliſh the earth, and cauſe to inherit the deſolate heritages; to ſay to the priſoners go forth, and to them that ſit in darkneſs, ſhew your ſelves.
The way wherein Chriſt given as a COVENANT to any ſoul, is by becoming the received Lord and Chriſt in that heart, miniſtring a participation and fellowſhip with him in ſpirit, by the power and preſence of himſelf there, either in his firſt or ſecond appearance, and changing that ſoul into the likeneſs of himſelf, more or leſs, in one of thoſe his appearances.
Thus according to the firſt Covenant he viſited the Children of Iſrael in Egypt, brought them out of the houſe of bondage, and baptized them unto Moſes in the cloud and in the red Sea; cauſing them to eat the ſame ſpiritual meat and to drink the ſame ſpiritual drink; for they drank of the ROCK which followed them, which ROCK was Chriſt; yet with many of them God was not well pleaſed: but (as he ſaith) Jer. 31. 32. That my COVENANT they brake, though I was an HUSBAND unto them: and Iſa. 63. 8, 9, 10. he ſaith, Surely they are my people, children that will not lye: and ſo upon that condition he was their Saviour, admitting them to the benefit of his ſacrifice; In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them; in his love and in his pitty he redeemed them out of the houſe of bondage, and carried them all the daies of old; but they rebelled and vexed his holy ſpirit: therefore he was turned from the way of love and pitty he exerciſed towards them before, became their enemy, and fought againſt them. Thus alſo Ezek. 16. he miniſters life to them, decks them with excellent ornaments, yea with his own comelineſs, and ſpreads his skirt over them. After all which they provoke him with greater abominations then ever before, and then he and they part again, and he becomes their enemy.
It is evident then, that upon ſuch conditional terms as are comprehended in the tenor of the firſt Covenant, Chriſt can and doth cauſe his own reception in the hearts and conſciences of men; and that there are inſeparable benefits attending and accompanying this manner of reception of, or believing in Chriſt, which is begotten and held but upon the wavering principles of the firſt Covenant, which in reſpect of its uncertainty is found fault with by God, Heb. 8. 7, 8.
Firſt, they that are thus made receivers of Chriſt, are called out of the world, to come out of that heatheniſh ſtate wherein men live as without God and Chriſt in the world, and ſo are made of the number of thoſe many that are called, whereof there are but few choſen and endued with the wiſdom from above which will make their calling ſure.
Secondly, Chriſt is made unto ſuch, RIGHTEOUSNES in a way of Juſtification, who having made himſelf a ſinoffering for fallen man, is pleaſed even upon the tenor of this Covenant to make them the RIGHTEOUSNES of God in him; that is, to afford unto them the benefit of his legal righteouſneſs whereby he ſatisfied the Law, ſo that the Law hath nothing to ſay againſt ſuch; yea to make them that in him which God in righteouſneſs (imputing the benefit of his ſacrifice unto them) doth accept, and is the juſtifier of them by, in declaring Chriſts righteouſneſs unto them as a propitiation for all their paſt ſins, and ſo to be continued to them as long as they ſhall do well: In which ſenſe God argued with Cain, Gen. 4. 7. Whilſt thou doſt well ſhalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doſt not well, ſin lieth at the door. Through this Propitiatory-covering of Chriſts blood they are under SANTCUARY, and in a City of refuge from Gods wrath and the avenger of blood: kept unto the faith to be revealed, till by their wilfull ſinning and making themſelves unworthy of further or more grace, there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin. This Juſtification the world hath in common with true believers as well as the firſt faith and calling before mentioned. Thus tis ſaid, 1 Tim. 2. 3, 4. that God our ſaviour will have all men to be ſaved and come to the knowledge of the truth: who ver. 6. gave himſelf a ranſome for all, to be teſtified in due time.
The third benefit inſeparably accompanying this kind of Chriſts giving himſelf by the firſt convenant, is that which we call ſanctification, 1 Cor. 1. 30. conſiſting in a real and actual change of the heart, which lieth in our conformity to Chriſts legal righteouſneſs, and is communicable unto men by this covenant in degree and meaſure, ſo as through this knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt men come to eſcape the pollutions of the world, and to live in a conformity of mind to the holy commandment delivered and exhibited to them in the glory and perfection of Chriſts fleſh or natural man; unto which righteous and holy operations man is called by the law and rule of the firſt covenant; wherein when Chriſt was ſet up as he was made under the law, he was like unto us in all things, ſin only excepted. This ſort of holy and righteous operations in men, and of holy and righteous principles according to this covenant, is at large deſcribed, Ezek. 18. wherewithal Chriſt declares that in the day they turn from this their righteouſneſs, and commit iniquity, they ſhall die, and their righteouſneſs be no more remembred.
Theſe may be heightned to ſuch meaſures and degrees of life and light in this firſt covenant, as to know all myſteryes, to have faith ſo as to remove mountaines, and to ſpeak with the tongue of men and Angels, taſte of the heavenly gift and powers of the world to come, and yet be as ſounding braſs and a tinckling Cymbal; yea, may become the more deeply fixed thereby in irrecoverable enmity againſt Chriſt and God: which comes to paſs by their having received Chriſt thus in part only, and looking no farther then to the perfection through him attainable on this ſide his grave and reſurrection; whereas the true ſpiritual ſeed and choſen ones of God receive Chriſt not in part only, whereby they have in common with the other all the forementioned benefits; but in whole, whereby they have over and above, that which excels, poſſeſſing and enjoying the riches of both covenants, and all this not conditionally and upon the ſlippery tenure of the firſt covenant, but abſolutely and unchangeably in the ſecond, Iſa. 59. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them ſaith the Lord, My ſpirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeeds ſeed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforthand for ever.
In this new and everlaſting covenant Chriſt is given and received in whole, anſwerable to what himſelf received from the overſhadowing of the Holy Ghoſt in the womb, from whoſe fulneſs they receive grace for grace, in both thoſe ſorts of principles and operations which we have already deſcribed in the foregoing chapter: according to one of which he is alwaies one with the Father, acting in unity of mind with him throughout: and according to the other of which he is a righteous man in all his operations after the tenor of the law.
This then is that which we mean: where whole Chriſt is given to any ſoul, both theſe ſorts of principles and operations through his indwelling ſpirit and preſence are communicated unto it: which two perfections are far better then that one that is given ſingle and alone by the firſt covenant: for here when one is ready to fall, the other is neer to help him up: but woe be to him that is alone, Eccleſ. 4. 9. 10.
Now Chriſt by this entire gift of himſelf, begets in and together with that which he communicates ſingle by the firſt covenant, a further capacity in the mind of man to be of one heart and one way with him throughout, built up in this unity of the faith of the Son of God, ſo as to make the Saint alwaies do that in a way of true Evangelical obedience, which is pleaſing unto him: as he was alwaies in the daies of his fleſh (when he was offering up himſelf in the eternal ſpirit) doing that which was pleaſing to the Father.
When Chriſt thus beſtows himſelf upon any, forming his own reception in them, they do obtain thereby the power and dignity to become the ſons of God, as thoſe that are not born only of blood and of the will of the fleſh, and of the will of man, but of God: through which ſeed of God abiding in them, they are made uncapable of ſinning wilfully, or of ſo provoking God as that he ſhould ſwear in his wrath they ſhall never enter into his Reſt; being once taken thus into Gods everlaſting covenant, and made Gods firſt-born from the dead, and co-heirs with Chriſt, higher then the Kings of the earth; A ſeed with whom his covenant ſhall ſtand faſt, and for whom he keeps his mercy for evermore: who ſhall endure for ever, and their throne as the daies of heaven; who yet if they walk not in Gods law, but for ſake his judgements, if they break his ſtatutes, and keep not his commandments (as they may do) then ſaith God, I will viſit their tranſgreſſions with the rod, and their iniquity with ſtripes; nevertheleſs my loving kindneſs will I not utterly take from them, nor ſuffer my faithfullneſs to fail, but will keep them from the great tranſgreſſion, that preſumtuous ſins get not dominion over them. Theſe are deſcribed, Rev. 14. 3, 4, 5. as thoſe that were enabled to ſing a new ſong before the Throne, which none could learn but thoſe that were thus redeemed from the earth, who are not defiled with women, but in this unity and ſimplicity wherein they are eſpouſed to Chriſt, are kept as chaſte Virgins to that their one husband, and are followers of the Lamb whitherſoever he goes, as thoſe that are redeemed from among men and made the firſt fruits unto God and unto the Lamb; In whoſe mouth is found no guile, as they are found in this unity with Chriſt, and conſidered as that one ſeed, Gal. 3. 16. that are without fault before the Throne of God.
From the conſideration of which Scriptures, the further benefits that do inſeparably accompany Chriſt, as entirely and abſolutely given by the new and everlaſting convenant, are likewiſe plainly to be taken notice of as the peculiar priviledges of theſe, beſides thoſe that they have in common with the others; as,
Firſt, that calling which thoſe few choſen ones are called with, that ſhall be ſaved, conſiſting in this ſpirit of adoption and ſon-ſhip which makes them one ſpiritual ſeed with Chriſt, as brought forth into the ſame unity with him which he is in with his Father; whereby they become heirs, and are Lords of all, perfectly diſtinguiſhed from the ſervant, or children born after the fleſh, under the firſt covenant.
And that we may the better underſtand what is meant by this unity of the faith of the Son of God, into which all the ſpiritual ſeed are begotten, we are to take notice of three ſpiritual unions witneſſed unto by the Scriptures. Firſt, between God and Chriſt, in the WORD that was in the BEGINNING, and was with God, and was God; in which union Chriſt the Mediator is God. Secondly there is an union between the Word and Chriſts manhood, as we have already ſhewed in the precedent Chapter, & that in a threefold reſpect: according to one of wth his manhood is found in the form of God, and as the ſon of man, he accounts it not robbery to be acknowledged equal with God: the man that is his fellow. Thirdly, there is a union between the manhood of Chriſt (who in the ſenſe before declared, is made Gods equal and fellow) and the whole ſpiritual ſeed in general, and each of them in particular, who are as the Bride and wife to this Lamb, and ſo in a ſenſe are his fellows and conſorts, heirs of God and co-heirs with Chriſt (where the Spirit and the Bride ſay, come) living together in this unity as Bride and Bridegroom: and ſo intimated, Eph. 5. 32. where the natural marriage is made a type of it, and the Apoſtle ſaith, this is a great myſterie, But I ſpeak concerning Chriſt and the Church.
And now what is more evident, then that the Saints by this union with Chriſt are not deifyed nor Chriſted, but have the place only of his Bride and ſpouſe, as the Queen who is all glorious within, and who is one, the only of her mother? To be therefore a member of this Heavenly City, a living ſtone in this divine building, is that which we are to underſtand by this ſecond ſort of calling, wherein our Election is made ſure to us, and a new name given us that none can read but thoſe that have it.
Secondly, through this unity of the faith of the Son of God, whereby thoſe that are called are placed in the relation of members to Chriſt as he is the Head of the Church and the firſt-born from the dead, they are for ever juſtified, receiving this further benefit as they ſtand related to Chriſt in this his ſecond Headſhip, beyond thoſe that are ſingly related to his firſt, and obtain thereby but the common and conditional juſtification. For this everlaſting juſtification extends to ſins paſt, preſent and to come, abſolutely and at once diſcharging from all ſin, that their iniquities may be remembred no more: and preſents them faultleſs and without guile before the Throne of God, as the objects of his eternal love and favour, unto which they are entitled in right of their being made his firſt-born from the dead whoſe names are written in heaven; adopted into his own line, family and deſcent, by this their marriage-union with Chriſt, who according to his heavenly manhood is the immediate off-ſpring of the WORD, and eternal Son of God: without Father, without mother, without deſcent, other then that of the very Son of God, into which he is adopted and taken by marriage-union; which dignity and grace he freely beſtows and conveys in a ſecondary way upon his whole ſpiritual ſeed, and in this neer union keeps them from ever departing from him.
Thirdly, theſe unto whom Chriſt is thus made their righteouſneſs and juſtification, he is made alſo their ſanctification, to the purifying of their hearts through believing, and cleanſing them from all evil conſcience, as well that which conſiſts in the filthineſs of the fleſh, as that which lies in the filthineſs of ſpirit; renewing them in their minds, through the putting on of the new man, to the exerciſing as well their ſpiritual ſenſes (in likeneſs and conformity to Chriſts actings and life in that unity wherein he and his Father are one, whereby he crucified and kept under his natural man) as to the exerciſing of their natural powers and faculties in likeneſs and conformity to the actings of Chriſts natural man; making them herein ſubject to the Father of ſpirits, and to live acceptably and work holineſs in his ſight as renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created them, or according to the pattern of the new man, in the holy and righteous actings thereof ſet up in the perſon of Chriſt, where Chriſt is all and in all: which good works the Saints are foreordained of God to walk in, as their true Evangelical and new-covenant obedience.
Fourthly, and laſtly, thoſe unto whom Chriſt is thus made ſanctification, he is made alſo redemption or glorification, to the changing them throughout, in ſpirit, ſoul and body into a likeneſs with his ſpirit, ſoul and body, as he is declared the Son of God with power by the reſurrection from the dead, at ſuch time as our vile bodies ſhall be made like unto his moſt glorious bodie, by that mighty power of his whereby he is able to ſubdue all things unto himſelf: which is to be brought to light in his times, when he ſhall be admired in all them that believe, and anſwer the expectation of the creature, in delivering it from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God, at their manifeſtation and the compleating of their adoption by this redemption of their bodies.
Theſe are the benefits in ſhort and in general, that inſeparably accompany the guift of Chriſts perſon to the ſoul as he miniſters himſelf in the two Covenants reſpectively: and are the fruits of his preſence there: Which will ſerve as a key to open many things in the following diſcourſe, when we come to ſpeak of the practical conſcientious part that is begotten in, and exerciſed by the ſubjects of Chriſt, as they live under his Rule and dominion in the world, and are therein conteſting and warfaring with the adverſary, the devil and his inſtruments.