Additions to the Saints Everlasting Rest, Section 8 – Section 10
§ 8 SECT. VIII.
Prop 7 Propos. 7. WHatso…ver therefore is the Condition which the Covenant of Grace requireth of man, for the attaining of Justification and Salvation, and upon which it doth bestow them; that only is a Justifying and Saving Act. And inferiour Duties are no further Marks to try by, nor are Justifying and Saving, then as they are reducible to that Condition.
This is it which I have asserted in the last forgoing Chapter: and this is the reason why I laid down but only two Marks there. Though in the first Part, in the description of Gods people, I laid down the whole description, which must needs contain some things common, and not only special Properties; yet now I am to give you the true Points of Difference, I dare not number so many particulars. The Performance of the proper Condition of the New Covenant, promising Justification and Salvation, then, is the only Mark of Justification or Salvation, Direct and Infallible: or is the only Justifying and Saving Grace properly so called. Now you must understand that the Covenant of Life hath two parts, as the Conditon for man to perform, if he will receive the benefits. The first is the naturall part concerning the pure Godhead, who is the First and the Last, the Principal Efficient and Ultimate End of all: Who is our Creator, Preserver, Governour, Happiness or Rest. This is [The taking the Lord only for our God] in opposition to all Idols visible or invisible. As the End as such is before and above all the means, and the Father or meer Godhead is above Christ the Mediator as such (as he saith, Joh. 14. 28. The Father is greater then I) so this is the first and greater part of the condition of the Covenant: (And so Idolatry and Atheisme are the greatest and first condemning sins.) The second part of the Condition is, [That we take Jesus Christ only for the Mediator and our Redeemer, and so as our only Saviour and Supream Lord, by the Right of Redemption.] This is the second part: consisting in the choice of the right and only Way and Means to God, as he is the End: For Christ as Mediator is not the Ultimate End, but the Way to the Father. These two parts of the Condition are most evident in the Word, both in their Distinction and Necessity. The former was part of that Covenant made with Adam, which is not Repealed, nor ever will be, though the rest of that Covenant may be laid by. It was afterward still fully expressed to the Church before Christs coming in the flesh: In all the peoples covenanting this was still the summe, that [They took the Lord only to be their God.] But the later part was not in the Covenant with Adam: Nor was it openly and in full plainnesse put into the Covenant of Grace in the beginning: but still implied, and more darkly intimated, the light and clearness of Revelation still increasing till Christs coming. Yet so, as that at the utmost they had but the discovery of a Saviour, to be born of a Virgin, of the Tribe of Juda at such a time: But never that this Jesus was the Christ. And so it was only in a Saviour so to be revealed that they were to believe before: But after Christs coming and his Miracles (and Resurrection at utmost) he tels them [If ye believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins] So that to them to whom he was Revealed (at least) it was of necessity to believe that [This Jesus is he, and not to look for another] Now to us Christians under the New Testament this later part of the Covenant (concerning the Mediator) is most fully expressed, and most frequently inculcated: Not as if the former part (concerning God the Creator and End) were become less necessary then before, or ever the less to be studied by Christians, or preached by the Ministers of the Gospel: But on the contrary, it is still implied, as being fully revealed before, and a thing generally received by the Church; yea and confirmed and stablished by the adding of the Gospel, and preaching Christ. For the End is still supposed and implied, when we determine of the Means: and the Means confirm and not deny the excellency and necessity of the End. Therefore when Paul (Act. 17. &c.) was to Preach to the Athenians or other Heathens, he first preacheth to them the Godhead, and seeks to bring them from their Idols; and then preacheth Christ. And therefore it is said, Heb. 11. He that comes to God (as the End and his Happiness, or Creator and Preserver) must (first) believe that God is, and that he is (in the Redeemer) a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. And therefore the Apostles *Act. 20. 21.preached [Repentance toward God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ] The first is [The turning from Idols to the true God] (and so Repentance is in order of nature before Faith in the Mediator, and more excellent in its nature, as the End is then the way: but not before Faith in the Godhead.) The second is the only high way to God. Therefore Paul was by preaching to Turn men from darkness to light (both from the darkness of Atheisme and Idolatry, and the darkness of Infidelity: but first) from the power of Satan (and worshipping devils) to God: (that so next) by faith in Christ they might receive Remission of sin, and Inheritance among them that are Sanctified, Act. 26. 18. And Christ himself took the same course, and preached these two parts of the condition of the Covenant distinctly; Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee the only true God, and (then) Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. (Words of knowledge in Scripture-commands import Affection.) And Joh. 14. 28. The Father is greater then I. And Joh. 14. 6. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: No man com…th to the Father but by me. And Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God, (there is the first part) Believe also in Me (there is the second part.) But intended brevity forbids me to heap up more proof in so plain a Case.
To this last part of the Condition is opposed Infidelity, or notbelieving in Christ; being the chiefest condemning sin, next to Atheism and Idolatry, which are opposite to the first part. On these two parts of the condition of the Covenant, hath God laid all our salvation, as much as concerns our part; still supposing that God and the Mediator have done and will do all their part.
The first part of the Condition I call, The natural part; being from the beginning, and written in the nature of every reasonable creature: and by an Eminencie and Excellencie it is of Natural Morality above all other Laws whatsoever. The second I call, The supernatural part of the Condition; as being not known to any man by the meer light of Nature; but is supernaturally revealed to the world by the Gospel. The first part also, is the basis or great command of the Decalogue; [Thou shalt have none other God but me] or in other terms [Thou shalt love God above all.] The second is the great command of the Gospel [Believe in the Lord Jesus] or in other terms [Love Christ above All] (For, as I said, words of knowledge in Scripture imply Affection, especially Will: where all Acts of the soul are compleat, which in the intellect are but incompleat, imperfect and preparatory: the Understanding being but the entrance to the Will; and the Will being an extended understanding: Therefore sometime Christ saith, He that believeth not is condemned: Sometime, He that loveth, any thing, more then me, is not worthy of me, and cannot be my Disciple.) And he joyneth them together in Joh. 16. 27. Therefore hath the Father loved you, because you have loved me, and have believed, &c.] Intellectual belief or assent therefore, where ever you reade it commanded, implieth the Wills consent and love.
And thus I have shewed you what the conditions of the Covenant are: which I have done the fullier, that you might know what is a Saving Grace or Act, and what not. For you may easily conceive, that it must needs be safer trying by these then by any lower Act or Duty: and as all other are no further saving, then as they belong to these, or are reducible to them; so you can no further try your selves by them, but as they are reduced to these. And now you see the reason why I mentioned but only two Marks in the foregoing Chapter: and why I say that true Marks are so few, by which a man may safely try his title to heaven. And yet you shall see that we must yet reduce them to a narrower room, when we come to open the nature of sincerity. In preparation to which I must tell you; that In the terms of these two Marks, or two parts of the condition of the Covenant, there is contained somewhat common (which an unregenerate man may perform;) and somewhat speciall, and proper to the Saints. Though all must go together and be found in those that will be saved, yet the specifical Form, or Constitutive difference, by which as Saving, the Act of a true Believer is discerned from the Act of an unsound person, doth lie but in part of it, and I think but in one point. As a man is defined to be [a Reasonable living-creature:] but to be a creature will not prove him a man, nor to be a living creature neither: because that there are other creatures, and living creatures, or animate besides himself. But to be a Reasonable Animal or living creature, will prove him a man; because Reason contains his specifique form and constitutive difference. Other inferiour creatures may have bodies and fleshly bodies, as well as man, and others may have life (which we call a Soul) (and yet man must have these too) But others with these have not Reason; or a Soul indued with a power of Reasoning. So in these Marks of Grace or conditions of the Covenant: To love is common to every man: To love God and Christ is common to a Christian, with an hypocrite or wicked man: But to love Christ Savingly, (that is, as I shall shew you presently, Sovereignly or Chiefly) this is the Form or Constitutive difference of Love which is Saving. To Take or Accept, is common to every man: To Take or Accept of God and Christ, is common to a true Christian and a false: But To Take or Accept of God and his Christ Sincerely and Savingly, is proper to a sound Believer. So that even in these two Marks, the sincerity of both lieth in one Point. For supposing the Truth of the Act, and the Truth of the Vertue in generall (which are both common, as I have told you:) the Truth or Sincerity of them, as Saving, is the only thing to be enquired after. And in this sense, I know but One infallible Mark of sincerity: seeing sincerity lieth in this one point. But before I come to open it more fully, I will premise (and but briefly name) two more Propositions.
§ 9 SECT. IX.
Prop 8 Propos. 8. GOd hath not in the Covenant promised Justification or Salvation upon any meer Act or Acts considered without that Degree and Sutableness to their objects wherein the sincerity of them as Saving doth consist.
It is said indeed, that He that believeth shall be saved, but then it is supposed, that it be sincere Believing: for any Believing is not here meant: For many that Believed, and that without gross dissimulation, shall perish, as not Believing sincerely. And therefore Christ would not trust himself with those that yet Believed in him, because he knew their hearts, that they did it not in faithfulness and sincerity, Joh. 2. 23, 24. But I shall confirm this more fully afterwards.
§ 10 SECT. X.
Prop 9 Propos. 9. THere is no one Act considered in its meer nature and Prop. 9.kinde without its measure and sutableness to its object, which a true Christian may perform, but an unsound Christian may perform it also.
I have great reason to add this, that you may take heed of trying and judging of your selves by any meer Act, considered in it self. If any doubt of this we might soon prove it, by producing the most excellent Acts, and shewing it of them in particular. Believing is as proper to the saved as any thing, for the Act. And yet as for the assenting Act, James tels us the devils Believe: And as for Resting on Christ by Affiance, and expecting Pardon and Salvation from him, we see beyond question, that many thousand wicked men, have no other way to quiet them in sinning; but that they are confident Christ will pardon and save them, and they undissemblingly Quiet or Rest their souls in this perswasion, and undissemblingly expect salvation from him when they have sinned as long as they can. And indeed, herein lieth the nature of Presumption: And so real are they in this Faith, that all our Preaching cannot beat them from it. If the Question be, Whether a wicked man can Pray, or Meditate, or forbear the Act of this or that sin, I think none will deny it. But yet all this will be opened fullier anon.