Gods Love to Man and Mans Duty Towards God, Part 2 · Section 1 – Section 2
Sect. 1. PROP. I. There are but two wayes to be thought of, how Man ſhould come to the enjoyment of God and happineſs; that is, either, 1. By a perfect conformity to the will and Law of God, by unſinning Obedience; Or, 2. Suppoſing Man once guilty of ſin, then in this caſe by pardoning Grace and Mercy.
Or thus, There are but two wayes to Heaven, viz. Either by the Covenant of Works, or by the Covenant of Grace.
NOw ſince it is utterly impoſſible to attain to happineſs in the way, or upon the terms of …e Covenant of Works. [Do this, and live] can …fford no benefit, hope, or comfort to thoſe who …nnot obey perfectly, who are already faln ſhort of …e glory of God. Since all are concluded under ſin, the whole world become guilty before Go… whoſoever are ſaved, muſt be ſaved in the way, a… upon the terms of the Covenant of Grace, by Go… free pardoning Grace.
Certainly, it is a moſt ſenſeleſs, irrational co… ceit, as abſurd a fiction as ever wild fancy frame to imagine that any Creature, that is a ſinner, a… therefore can only lay claim to hell, as his portio… (who if he were condemned to everlaſting tormen… had but his juſt deſerts.) that ſuch a Creature ſhou… ever properly, and in a ſtrict ſence, merit any thi… of God for himſelf, much leſs ſatisfie and ſupererr… gate for others. Even Bellarmine himſelf bei… Judge. Mereri ſimul aeternam vitam & mort… aeternam repugnantiam includit: Et proinde qui ta… eſſet, deberet vivere in aeternum, & non vivere … aeternum; mori in aeternum & non mori in aeternu… l. 5. de juſt. c. 12.
It implyeth a contradiction, that one ſhould bo… deſerve eternal death, and alſo deſerve everlaſt… life. And therefore the Papiſts have no way to ſa… themſelves here; but by flying to that falſe diſti… ction of ſins, that ſome are mortal, ſome venial. … if there were any ſuch peccadillo's againſt God, … either deſerved pardon, or did not deſerve death what deſerves pardon, does not deſerve to … puniſhed.
Mereri, & non mereri poenam, includit repu… nantiam.
What deſerves no puniſhment, muſt be counte… no fault.
So likewiſe Chriſt needed not to die for thoſe ſin… which do not deſerve death. Then why does the … poſtle ſay, 1 Joh. 1.7. The blood of Jeſus Chri… clenſeth us from all ſin?
Sect. 2. PROP. II. When the Covenant, by which alone is Salvation, is called the Covenant of Grace, you are to underſtand, it is ſo foreign, by way of Eminency.
NOt as if there was no grace in the firſt Covenant made with Man. I have ſhewed before …hat it was of Grace, That God (to whom all poſſible obedience was immediately due from his Crea…ure; of Grace) that He was pleaſed to engage and promiſe to do any thing for Man, for the future; …nd yet further of Grace, that he promiſed to do ſo …uch. But this new Covenant deſerves eſpecially to …e called the Covenant of Grace, in regard of a more …ignal Diſcovery of Gods rich and free Grace in this, …han was in the former, that was firſt made with Adam; was it not a Teſtimony of Gods wonderful Grace to provide and appoint Jeſus Chriſt his Son, …o be ſurety and Mediator of this Covenant? ſo …as it not an high expreſſion of his Grace, that God …hould come to ſo low terms with Man, in this Covenant; requiring no more than Man's ſincere and …earty ſervice and obedience, and promiſing to …ccept, and graciouſly reward the ſame, though …eak and imperfect? That the Lord ſhould accept …f this, when perfect ſinleſs obedience was eternally … due debt from Man, as he was a Creature; was … not of Grace? Again, the benefits and bleſſings held forth and promiſed in this Covenant, are the… not ſuch as do aloud proclaim his Grace? Th… pardon of ſin, a fundamental bleſſing 'tis impoſſibl… it ſhould be otherwiſe, than of Grace. In that th… Lord is a God that pardoneth iniquity, tranſgreſſio… and ſin, it proclaimeth and ſpeaks out fully, tha… he is gracious, and merciful, Exo. 34.6, 7. A… does it not ſpeak out Gods abundant Grace, that … this Covenant there are greater priviledges he… forth in and by Jeſus Chriſt; than innocent Ada… could have claimed by the firſt Covenant, Scil. … fluences of Grace promiſed (whereby the faithful … perform and perſevere in the performance of wh… this Covenant requires) and ſome new addition… degrees of glory. Happineſs was not ſo ſure … innocent Adam under the firſt Covenant, he bo… might and did fall from it. They that are in Chri… have a firmer title by the Covenant of Grace, (whe… perſeverance is one thing promiſed) and ha… ground to expect ſome higher degree of happ… neſs. And is not this wonderful Grace indeed, … only to recover Man fallen out of a ſtate of mi… ry, but further to raiſe him to an higher happineſs.