Of the Death of Christ, Discourse · Chapter 12
CAP. XII.
Of the way whereby they actually attain and enjoy Faith and Grace, who have a Right thereunto by the Death of Chriſt.
THE Way and Cauſes of beſtowing Faith on them, who are under the Condition before deſcribed, is the next thing to be enquired after.
What are the Thoughts of God from Eternity concerning thoſe for whom Chriſt was to die, with the State they are left in, in relation to thoſe Thoughts; as alſo what is the Will of God towards them, immediatly upon the Conſideration of the Death of Chriſt, with the Right which to them accrews thereby, being Conſidered, it remaineth (I ſay) that we declare the Way and Method whereby they obtain Faith through the righteouſneſs of God.
And here we muſt lay down certain POSITIONS. As;
1, Notwithſtanding the Right granted them for whom Chriſt died, upon his Death, to a better State and Condition in due Time, (that is in the Seaſon, ſuiting the Infinitly-Wiſe-Sovereignty of God) yet as to their preſent Condition in point of Enjoyment, they are not actually differenced from others: Their Prayers are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 28. 9. all Things are to them unclean, Tit. 1. 15. they are under the Power of Satan, Eph. 2. 2. in bondage unto death, Heb. 2. 14. Obnoxious to the Curſe, and Condemning power of the Law in the Conſcience, Gal. 3. 13. having ſin reigning in them, Rom. 6. 17. &c.
2, What ſpiritual Bleſſings ſoever are beſtowed on any Soul (I mean peculiarly diſtinguiſhing Mercies and Graces) they are all beſtowed and collated for Chriſts ſake: That is, They are purchaſed by his Merit, and procured by his Interceſſion thereupon.
That ſupernatural Graces cannot be traduced from any natural Faculty, or attained by the utmoſt Endeavour of Nature, howſoever affected with outward advantages, I now take for granted. Theſe things I looked upon as the free-gifts of Love: So the Scripture, Joh. 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Eph. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Eph. 2. 10. Mat. 11. 25, 26. Act. 16. 14. &c.
Now the Diſpenſation of all theſe, as it is through Chriſt, ſo they are for Chriſt. On whomſoever they are beſtowed it is for Chriſts ſake: For Inſtance,
Peter and Judas are Unbeleevers. Faith is given (for Faith is given) to Peter, not to Judas. Whence is this difference? Preſuppoſing Gods Sovereign diſcriminating Purpoſe, the immediate procuring Cauſe of Faith for Peter, is the Merit of Chriſt. To us it is given on the behalf of Chriſt to beleeve on him: Phil. 1. 20. We are bleſſed with all ſpiritual Bleſſings in him: Eph. 1. 3. Whatſoever is in the Promiſe of the Covenant is certainly of his procurement; for therefore he is the Surety, Heb. 7. 22. And his Bloud, (the Ranſome he paid) is the Bloud of the Covevenant: Mat. 26. 28. Whereby all the Promiſes thereof, become in him Yea, and in him Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. And whether Faith be of the Bleſſings of the Covenant, and Conclude in the Promiſe thereof or no; let the Scripture be Judge. Jer. 31. 31, 32. Ezek. 36. 26. Heb. 8. 9, 10, 11.
Furthermore, What we have through him, we have ſo him. All theſe things, being made out on this Condition, that he ſhould make his Soul an Offering for ſin, Iſa. 53. 10
3, That all the procurements of the Death of Chriſt in the behalf of his, are to be made out by vertue of a Stipulation ſub termino: or in reſpect of their actual collation and beſtowing, they are to be made out in the ſeaſon limited and appointed by the Will of the Father. Of this before.
4, No Bleſſing can be given us for Chriſts ſake, unleſs in Order of Nature, CHRIST be firſt reckoned unto us.
Here I muſt do two things;
1 Declare what I mean by reckoning Chriſt unto us: And then,
2 Prove the Aſſertion as laid down.
Gods reckoning Chriſt, in our preſent ſenſe, is the imputing of Chriſt unto ungodly unbeleeving Sinners for whom he died, ſo far, as to account him theirs, to beſtow Faith and Grace upon them for his ſake.
This then I ſay, at the Accompliſhment of the appointed time, the Lord reckons and accounts and makes out his Son Chriſt, to ſuch and ſuch Sinners, and for his ſake, gives them Faith, &c. Exerciſing of Love actually in the beſtowing of Grace upon any particular ſoul, in a diſtinguiſhing manner, for Chriſts ſake, doth ſuppoſe this accounting of Chriſt to be his, and from thence he is ſo indeed: which is the preſent Theſis, and may be proved. For:
1; Why doth the Lord beſtow Faith on Peter, not on Judas? Becauſe Chriſt Dying for Peter, and purchaſing for him the Grace of the Covenant, he had a Right unto it, and God according to his Promiſe beſtowed it: With Judas, it was not ſo.
But then, Why doth the Lord beſtow Faith on Peter at the 40th yeer of his Age, and not before, or after? Becauſe then the Term is expired, which upon the Purchaſe, was by the Counſel of Gods Will prefixed to the giving in, the beginning of the thing Purchaſed unto him.
What then doth the Lord do, when he thus beſtoweth Faith on him? For Chriſts ſake (his Death procuring the Gift, not moving the Will of the Giver) he creates Faith in him, by the way and means ſnited to ſuch a work. Eph. 1. 18, 19. Chap. 2. 1, &c.
If then this be done for Chriſts ſake, then is Chriſt made ours, before we beleeve. Elſe, Why is Faith given him at this inſtant for Chriſts ſake, and not to another, for whom alſo he died? That it is done then, is, becauſe the appointed time is come; that it is done then for Chriſt, is becauſe Chriſt is firſt given to him.
I cannot conceive how any thing ſhould be made out to me for Chriſt, and Chriſt himſelf not be given to me; he being made unto us of God, Righteouſneſs. 1 Cor. 1. 30.
2 The Apoſtle holds out this very Method of the Diſpenſation of Grace, Rom. 8. 32. He that ſpared not his Son, but delivered him up to Death for us all, how ſhall he not with him freely give us all things?
Firſt Chriſt is given for us, then to us, then with him (he having the preheminence in all things) all things: and this being, alſo, for him, (Phil. 1. 29.) he is certainly in the Order of Nature given in the firſt place. He being made ours, we receive the Atonement by him, Rom. 5. 11.
How Chriſt is ſaid to be received by Faith, if he be ours before Beleeving, is eaſily reſolved. Chriſt is ours before and after Beleeving in a different ſenſe. He who is made ours, in an Act of Gods Love, that for him we may have Faith, may be found and made ours in a Promiſe of Reconciliation by Beleeving.
I offer alſo, Whether Abſolution from the guilt of ſin, and obligation unto death, though not as terminated in the Conſcience for compleat Iuſtification, do not proceed our actual Beleeving. For, What is that Love of God which through Chriſt is effectual to beſtow Faith upon the Unbeleeving? And how can ſo great Love in the actual exerciſe of it producing the moſt diſtinguiſhing Mercies, conſiſt with any ſuch Act of Gods Will, as at the ſame inſtant ſhould bind that Perſon under the Guilt of ſin?
Perhaps alſo this may be the Iustification of the ungodly mentioned, Rom. 4. Gods abſolving a Sinner in Heaven, by accounting Chriſt unto him, and then beſtowing him, upon him, and for his ſake enduing him with Faith to beleeve.
That we ſhould be bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings in Chriſt, and yet Chriſt not ours in a peculiar manner before the beſtowing of thoſe bleſſings on us, is ſomwhat ſtrange. Yea he muſt be our Chriſt, before it is given to us for him to beleeve: Why elſe is it not given to all others ſo to do. I ſpeak not of the ſupream diſtinguiſhing Cauſe, Mat. 11. 25, 26. but of the proximate procuring Cauſe, which is the bloud of Chriſt.
Neither yet do I hence aſſert compleat Juſtification to be before beleeving.
Abſolution in Heaven, and Juſtification differ as part and whole.
Again, Abſolution may be conſidered, either as a pure Act of the Will of God in it ſelf, or as it is received, beleeved, apprehended, in, and by the ſoul of the Guilty. For Abſolution in the firſt ſenſe, it is evident it muſt proceed beleeving: as a diſcharge from the Effects of Anger, naturally proceeds all Collation of any fruits of Love, ſuch as is Faith.
Object. But if God account Chriſt unto, and beſtow him upon a Sinner before Beleeving, and upon that Account, abſolve him from the Obligation unto Death and Hell which for ſin he lies under, what wants this of compleat Juſtification?
Anſw. Much every way.
1 It wants that Act of pardoning Mercy (on the part of God) which is to be terminated and compleated in the Conſcience of the Sinner; this lies in the Promiſe.
2 It wants the Hearts perſwaſion concerning the Truth and Goodneſs, of the Promiſe, and the Mercy held out in the Promiſe.
3 It wants the Souls rolling it ſelf upon Chriſt, and receiving of Chriſt, as the Author and Finiſher of that Mercy, an Al-ſufficient Saviour to them that beleeve.
So that by Faith alone we obtain and receive the forgiveneſs of ſin: for notwithſtanding any antecedent Act of God concerning us, in and for Chriſt, we do not actually receive a compleat Soul-freeing diſcharge until we beleeve.
And thus the Lord Chriſt hath the preheminence in all things. He is the Author and finiſher of our Faith.
This then is that which here we aſſign unto the Lord. Upon the Accompliſhment of the appointed Seaſon, for the making out the fruits of the Death of Chriſt unto them for whom he died, he loves them freely, ſayes to them, Live, gives them his Son, with, and for him, all things, bringing forth the choiceſt Iſſue of his being reconciled in the bloud of Jeſus, whileſt we are Enemies, and totally alimated from him.
It will not be requiſite at all, (as to our purpoſe in hand) to make particular enquiry into the State and Condition of them towards whom ſuch are the Actings of God as we before deſcribed. What it is that gives them the firſt real alteration of Condition and diſtinguiſhment from others, I have now no occaſion to handle.
So far as Advantage hath been offered, I have laboured to distinguiſh aright thoſe things, whoſe Confuſion and miſ-apprehenſion lies at the bottome of very many dangerous Miſtakes: How the forgoing Diſcourſe may be accommodated and improved for the Removeal of thoſe Miſtakes, I ſhall leave to the Conſideration of others.