Gods Love to Man and Mans Duty Towards God, Part 1 · Section 13 – Section 15
Sect. 13. PROP. XIII. As a clear and certain evidence, that God in Covenanting with man, did not lay down his Soveraignty and Authority over him; He annexeth to his Law or Covenant the juſt threatning of a dreadful penalty, Death in caſe of diſobedience. In the day thou eateſt, (ſinneſt) dying thou ſhalt dye.
AS God hath firſt of all jus praecipiendi, a right of Commanding. So if his Commandments are not in every thing obeyed; he hath thereupon jus puniendi, a right of puniſhing. Where due Obedience is denyed to a Superior, much more where it is denyed unto him, who is the Supream, God over all, puniſhment is juſtly exacted, and righteouſly inflicted by him.
Now there is a Queſtion, when God threatned death to Adam, if he diſobeyed, what kind of death it was, whether the ſame kind of death was threatned under the Covenant of works, as under the Covenant of Grace?
Anſ. I ſuppoſe the ſame kind of death threatned under both Covenants. If the ſame kind of life and happineſs was promiſed under the Covenant of Works, as is promiſed under the Covenant of Grace, we may in reaſon conclude the ſame kind of death, and puniſhment was threatned in both Covenants. But the former would ſeem true as w… heard before.
Again, what think we? Do any ſuffer, as a… judged to death by the Covenant of Works? If w… ſuppoſe any ſinners in the world proceeded againſt and puniſhed, as Violaters of that Covenant, w… read no where in Scripture of two different Hel… prepared, one for thoſe that are guilty of breaking the firſt; the other, for ſuch as are guilty of breaking the ſucceeding Covenant. We find the ſam… Vengeance threatned to them that know not God and to them that obey not the Goſpel, 2 Theſſ. 1.… The Sinners of Sodome ſuffer the Vengeance of Ete… nal fire, Jude v. 7. the ſame vengeance which … threatned to Sinners in Sion. I ſay the ſame puniſhment for kind (i. e. Hell-Torments) though not th… ſame degree of puniſhment; but if a different d… gree of puniſhment ſhould make a new kind of p… niſhment, it ſeemeth to follow, that, ſince of tho… that ſin againſt the Covenant of Grace, ſome … more hainouſly than others, more openly and deſp… rately than others contemn it, and therefore ſhall … thought worthy of much ſorer puniſhment (He… 10.29.) ſo there ſhould be divers kinds of puniſhments; for the breakers of the Covenant of Grace which I know none that will aſſert.
Again, I ſuppoſe it will not be denyed, but beli… vers are delivered by Chriſt's ſatisfaction from th… condemnation of hell. As I ſuppoſe, it will not b… affirmed; that Chriſt ſatisfyed for the penalty threa… ned in the Covenant of Grace, properly as the… threatned; but for that which was threatned an… due to ſinners under the Covenant of works. An… ſo will it not follow, that the condemnation of He… was threatned, and due to ſinners under the Covenant of works.
Only, one thing ſeemeth to make againſt this, viz. Suppoſing a temporal death or ſeparation of Soul and Body, to be one thing included in the threatning here, [dying thou ſhalt dye] it would ſeem that the reſurrection of the body is a proper fruit of Chriſt's death, and reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15.21, 22. And if there was to have been no reſurrection of the body, had not Chriſt dyed and riſen again, then it would follow, no ſuch puniſhment could be threatned at firſt, as is now threatned to unbelievers, who are to be puniſhed everlaſtingly both in Body and Soul.
Anſ. The fore-mentioned Text ſeems to ſpeak of the reſurrection unto life, the reſurrection of thoſe that are Chriſts, v. 23.
Again, though Chriſt Mediator, be the cauſe of the reſurrection of all (both juſt, and unjuſt) at the laſt day; yet it follows not, that there had been no reſurrection, if Chriſt had not been given a Mediator; we know what he ſaith, Joh. 5.22.27. All …udgment is now committed to the Son of Man, yet ſurely ſinners ſhould have been judged, though he had not been incarnate, had not been the Son of Man. Qui reſurrectionem impiorum Chriſti merito attribuunt, ignorant hominem pro peccato & temporalem, & aeternam mortem in toto ſuppoſito perferendam debere, Coccei de Foed. c. 2. Sect. 2. p. 46.
Another Queſtion, whether the truly righteous man is awed with the threatning.
Anſ. That the righteous ought to be awed with divine threatnings is very plain from hence, that righteous Adam was to make uſe of this threatning, to keep him from ſin. And the beſt of Saints whil… upon earth, are ſhort of innocent Adam, many degrees below him, being renewed and ſanctified b… in part, having but (as it were) a firſt draugh… of Gods Image, which Adam had compleat; But,
1. Some will ſay, Believers have no need of th… threatnings to keep them from ſin.
Anſ. What are they greater than our Father… Adam, more perfect than Adam was in the ſtate … integrity. He had need of the threatning, and hi… not attending to it ſo as he ſhould have done, was cauſe of his, and our ſin and ruine.
Again, why are there ſo many threatnings in th… Word, directed to believers in ſpecial, if they a… not to be heeded, and if ſuch have no need of them ſurely, the ſpirit of wiſdom ſpeaketh not in vai… Therefore ſaid the Wiſdom of God, Luk. 11.4… what the written word ſayes, that the wiſdom of Go… ſayes; ſo God in his infinite wiſdom, thought… needful to awe his people with threatnings, an… not only to feed them with promiſes. Then can be any other than folly for any to think, his threa… nings needleſs, Rom. 8.13. If you live after the fle… you ſhall dye. This is ſpoken to thoſe, of whom h… ſaith v. 15. Ye have not received the ſpirit of bonda… again to fear, Heb. 10.38. The juſt ſhall live … Faith, foreign, but if he draw back, … ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him. Parallel to Ez. 18.2… Heb. 10.26, 27. If we ſin wilfully after that … have received the Knowledge of the truth, &c.
Not that theſe Texts will prove the Apoſtacy … Saints; but only that upon ſuppoſition of their t… tal final Apoſtacy, they ſhould periſh even as other If you can ſuppoſe a Saint to fall away finally, I … ſuppoſe that Saint to fall into condemnation, and to periſh everlaſtingly; and ſuch threatnings are to caution them, as means appointed and bleſſed by God, to prevent their total Apoſtacy, and conſequently to prevent their Perdition too. And as one obſerves well, there is a threatning virtually contained in every promiſe. As when it is ſaid [Whoſoever endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved.] It implyeth that whoſoever doth not endure, and hold out to the end, ſhall not be ſaved. But further ſome will ſay, Adam it's true might fall from the Condition of the Covenant of works, and ſo fall under the curſe and threatning, but believers cannot fall from the condition of the Covenant of Grace, that they need not fear the threatning, ſeeing they cannot fall under it.
Anſ. That a Believers ſtanding is ſurer than Adam's was, it is not becauſe he is ſtronger in himſelf, for he is much weaker than Adam was; but becauſe he hath thoſe props and ſupports, which Adam had not in the ſtate of his integrity. There is Gods immutable purpoſe and promiſe to uphold him, Chriſts undertaking, and interceeding for him, &c. But as the Lord hath promiſed, the Elect ſhall perſevere; ſo he hath provided means in order to it, (as was hinted before;) ſo he keepeth his people cloſe to himſelf, not only by working love, but alſo by putting an holy fear in their hearts, Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. This may be ſet forth by a compariſon which Mr. Rutherford hath, thus, As a Child in his Fathers Arms threatned to be caſt over a ſharp rock into the Sea, may fear, and cry out for fear, and yet believe ſuch is his Fathers love and compaſſion, that he will not throw hi… into the Sea, that the threatning is not intended t… be executed; but to cauſe him to take faſter hold and claſp his Arms about his Father's Neck.
2. But here ſome again will ſay, to be awed with threatning, is ſlaviſh; this is from a Spirit of Bondage and contrary to our acting out of love.
Anſ. We may ſee the contrary in Adam; H… was to fear the threatning, yet was not of a ſlaviſ… ſpirit, notwithſtanding the threatning againſt diſ… obedience, yet he obey'd in love too, while in th… ſtate of Integrity. So the Apoſtle ſayes, 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, and in the ſam… Chapter v. 11. Knowing therefore the terror of th… Lord, we perſwade men. To Act only from fear, i… the property of a ſlaviſh ſpirit indeed; but ſo o… the other hand, to caſt off all fear is the property o… a vain, ſecure, and wanton ſpirit. But obſerve, we do not think it enough for men to act in Religion only from fear; you never hear us ſay (as the Papiſts) that Attrition, as diſtinct and ſeparate from contrition; that ſorrow for ſin meerly for fear of hell, without any ſorrow for it, as an offence againſt God, (if accompanied with confeſſion to a Prieſt) is enough for ones Salvation.
If that Text of the Apoſtle John 1 Epiſt. 4.18. be objected.
Anſ. Love here is not perfect, as it will be in the world to come.
2. By Fear (which love is ſaid to caſt out) the Apoſtle meaneth not a reverential fear of God, which quickeneth unto duty, and helpeth to compoſe the heart aright in duty; but a ſlaviſh fear. Or,
3. He meaneth not the Fear of God, and of his wrath or diſpleaſure, but the fear of man, of man's frowns, of man's rage. Indeed this hath torment in it; and greatly diſquieteth, and diſanimateth men, in whom it prevaileth.
Briefly to diſpatch this point, are we allowed to …ear any thing? If any thing in the world be to be …eared, ſurely then Gods wrath is to be feared, …oming into the ſtate of the damned, to be for ever …eprived of, ſhut out of God's preſence, and laid …nder his burning Indignation for ever, is a thing … be feared: not that believers ſhould conclude poſi…ively, and abſolutely of their falling into condem…ation (for there is no condemnation to them that are …n Chriſt Jeſus) but upon ſuppoſition; thus, If I …ve after the fleſh, I ſhall dye. If I ſhould draw back …rom Chriſt, it would be to my own perdition. If I …hould wickedly depart from God, forſake him, he would caſt me off for ever. Pray Sirs think of it: Hath not God told us ſo much in his Word, and are we not bound to believe the truth of what he there …eclares? And if we are bound to believe theſe …hings to be true, are we not exceedingly to dread …eaſt they ſhould be verified in us; how ſhould we …read that courſe and ſtate which we are ſure to …eriſh in, unleſs the Word of God prove falſe! And thus to apply the threatnings of the Word, is a good way to prevent the evil threatned. Such an Application of Divine threatnings tends to promote an holy care, which is a neceſſary duty, rather than to beget ſlaviſh fear, that Soul-miſery. They that quite caſt off theſe reins, which the Lord hath laid on us, to curb, and keep under our Corruptions, I ſhould …ook for no other than that they would ſoon wax wanton, and kick againſt God.
One conſideration more, I cannot paſs by; … vine threatnings ſhew us what Sin deſerves, … the greater ſenſe we have of our danger by … the more we ſhall prize redemption by Chriſt. T… more we underſtand the deſert of ſin, the more … ſhall come to know our Obligation unto God, … pardoning grace. They are clearly miſtaken the… fore, that would not have believers hear the thre… nings of the Word. Surely they do not underſta… themſelves, that think this is a way to damp th… Child-like love, the Goſpel requires, rather a d… conſideration of Gods threatnings againſt Sin a Sinners, would help to raiſe a believers love God, and Jeſus Chriſt, and blow it into a great flame, Mary loved much, becauſe ſhe had m… forgiven. And the more we ſee what ſin deſerv… the better we ſhall know what it is to have forgiven, and the more we ſhall apprehend, w… an Obligation lyeth on us, to love God t… pardoneth our iniquities, and to love Je… Chriſt, a dear Redeemer, upon whoſe acco… they are forgiven.
Sect. 14. PROP. XIV. From the fore-going Propoſition (to look no further) it evidently appears, the Covenant betwixt God and Man was not inter pares, ſed impares, not betwixt equals, or perſons equally un-engaged to each other, and ſo that it was not a pure Covenant, but mixed, partaking alſo of the Nature of a Law.
HEre was a Law with a threatning, as a Covenant with a promiſe. And the matter being betwixt God and his Creature, betwixt the moſt abſolute Soveraign, and his Subject, it could not be otherwiſe, unleſs the Majeſty of Heaven and Earth would have laid aſide his Crown and Scepter, except he had given away his Supremacy, and ceaſed to be the Rector of the world.
Sect. 15. PROP. XV. This Covenant therefore which God made with Man at firſt, was the perfect, Adaequate Rule, both of all which God then required of Man, and of what Man might expect from God. It contained the Rule of Man's Obedience, and the ground of his hopes.
THe Stipulation or condition required, was no leſs than the whole duty of Man, obedience to the will of God in all things.
The promiſe of life (belonging to this Covenant) included in it all good, agreeable to Man's preſent ſtate, and everlaſting happineſs, at the end of Man's probation-ſtate.
The death threatned upon Man's diſobedience, we ſee explained in part, what it was in thoſe evils, which ſin hath brought upon the world of Mankind, manifold miſeries, in this life we feel; we all naturally fear, and look for temporal death, (The living know that they ſhall dye.) And which is inconceivably more, ſin ſubjected to all miſerie… Spiritual, and Eternal.
Thus the firſt Covenant determined both of Man's duty, and of his Condition, as to felicity, or miſery, as to life or death, according as he performed, on failed in his duty. If he was Obedient in all things, then he was ſure of life and happineſs, if he failed in any the leaſt point of Obedience required, then he could look for nothing, but to have the threatned penalty inflicted. Some find, as ſoon as Adam had ſinned, he was afraid, and hid himſelf, Gen. 3.20.
But whether the threatning of the firſt Covenant did properly belong to it, as a Covenant, or a Law, I leave to others to determine.