Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 3 · Sermon 35
Galat. III. 22.
But the Scripture hath concluded all under ſin: that the promiſe by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, might be given to them that believe.
I Am now come to the laſt part of my deſigned Diſcourſe. In my firſt, I aſſerted the Doctrine of Divine Providence, againſt ancient and modern Atheiſts. I opened it in the nature and principal Acts of it. In the Second, I 1. ſhewed you the ſpecialties of it. 2. Wherein you muſt ſtand ſtill, and admire it in the depths, and unſearchable things of it. 3. I directed you how to make ſome obſervations upon the more ordinary and intelligible motions of it. I am now come to open ſome hard Chapters, in this great and excellent book; and to reconcile this great work of God, to his moſt holy nuture, and that infinite juſtice goodneſs, wiſdom and truth, which are inſeparable from it. I take it to be a work worthy of a Divine, to make a rationale divinorum operum; to give a reaſonable account of the Divine works, humbly adoring God in them, yet inquiring into them, and that, non tam ad mentis otium, quam ad cordis uſum (as Nierembergius ſaith) not ſo much for the exerciſe of our wits, as for the uſe of our ſouls. It advantageth the works of God to our ſouls, when they appear no other than reaſonable to us; and I think the ſame Author ſpeaketh well, when he ſaith, Nullum puto conſilium Divinum, cujus non aliqua ratio reddi poteſt, nullum cujus omnis reddatur, ita & inſcrutabilia ſunt divina opera, & digna ut ſcrutemur, & facilia; that is, I do not think any Divine Counſel can be named, of which we may not give ſome reaſonable account, though there be likewiſe none, of which we can give a perfect account; ſo as the Divine works, are at the ſame time both unſearchable, and alſo worthy and eaſie, to be ſearched out. I ſhall not ſo much as propound to my ſelf or you, to reſolve all the ſeeming riddles and difficulties of Actual Providence. I ſhall only diſcourſe ſome of them, which ſeem moſt obvious, and readieſt to ſtumble our thoughts; and thoſe which I ſhall ſpeak to, ſhall chiefly refer to theſe heads.
1. The exhibition of the Covenant of works, after the eſtabliſhment of the Eternal Covenant of Redemption and Grace; and the exhibition or tender of grace indefinitely to all, after the decree of election, and the fall of man.
2. The permiſſion of ſin, and ſo much ſin in the world.
3. The punitive Providence of God.
4. The diſpenſation of the external, or internal & more effectual means of grace.
I ſhall ſpeak to divers ſeeming difficulties, that will fall under theſe four heads; and at this time begin with the firſt of theſe.
It was one of the firſt acts of Divine Providence that we read of, immediately ſucceeding the creation. Gen. 2.15. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dreſs it, and to keep it; and the Lord God commanded the man, ſaying, of every tree of the garden thou maiſt freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely dye. Under that threatning is a promiſe of life, upon condition of obedience, as to the Law of God written in Adams heart. So to that poſitive Law given him for the trial of his obedience. I ſhall not engage my ſelf deeply in the queſtion, what death it is which God there threatneth to Adam. I am aware of the varieties of opinions: I take it for granted, that whatſoever falleth under the notion of death in Scripture is all comprehended under that threatning, In dying thou ſhalt dye (ſaith the Hebrew phraſe), which we tranſlate, Thou ſhalt ſurely dye. The threatning mentioneth neither one death nor another, but is indefinite, and of the ſame force, as if univerſal, and it is accordingly uſed in Scripture, to ſignifie all kind of death, as Ezek. 18. and in many other places, and out of doubt there falleth under that threatning whatſoever was contrary to the felicity of Adam in that eſtate. I do therefore agree with the ancient and modern Divines, who underſtand death, Corporal, Spiritual, and Eternal, there threatned in caſe of diſobedience, and life, Corporal, Spiritual, and Eternal, there promiſed in caſe of obedience. Now hence ariſeth a great difficulty, there were two great Acts of God, with relation to man, paſſed before this Act of Providence. 1. The decree of Election, by which God had not only ſtated the number of thoſe that ſhould be ſaved, but choſen us in him before the foundation of the world, Epheſ. 1.6. 2. The eternal Covenant of Redemption and Grace. By which the ſalvation of man was ſetled, to be obtained not by working, but by believing in him that juſtifieth the ungodly; that is, not to be obtained by the merits of our own works, but by the merits of Chriſt, imputed to us for righteouſneſs, and to be by faith apprehended and applied. Now here ariſeth the difficulty.
Queſt. How it could conſiſt with the wiſdom and truth of God, having thus in his eternal counſels reſolved, that there ſhould be no other name under heaven, no other way or means of ſalvation, but by believing in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to propound a way of ſalvation to be obtained by mens working and obedience to the Law of God, eſpecially when he did aforeknow that man would break this firſt Covenant, and no man ſhould be ſaved upon the terms of it. That I might ſpeak ſomething to ſhew you the reaſonableneſs of this motion I have made choice of this Text, in which you have,
1. An aſſertion. The Scripture hath concluded all under wrath.
2. The end or reaſon of the thing aſſerted, That the promiſe by faith in Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. A text much parallel to that, Rom. 11.32. He hath concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. This Text ſaith, the Scripture hath done it; that text ſaith, God hath done it, there's no contradiction in it, the Scriptures are the word of God; if the Scripture hath concluded all under wrath, God hath done it. Now how hath the Scripture done this? or how hath God done it, but by firſt making man in his own image, writing his law in his heart; then adding that poſitive law, forbidding him to eat of the tree of forbidden fruit; after this ſuffering him to eat, by which not Adam only, but all mankind (then in him) loſt the Image of God, and all were concluded under ſin: and to what purpoſe was all this? The text telleth us, That the promiſe by faith in Jeſus Chriſt might be given to all that believe. If you pleaſe, I ſhall make my whole diſcourſe, but a demonſtration of this Propoſition.
Prop. That God in infinite wiſdom, by his Providence gave out the Law or Covenant of works, ſuffering the firſt man to fall; and all (in him) by the fall, to be concluded under wrath. My buſineſs muſt be to ſhew you the exceeding reaſonableneſs and wiſdom of God in this diſpenſation. I ſhall open this to you in five or ſix particulars.
1. It neither was, nor could be Gods deſign in it, that any one ſoul ſhould be ſaved by the fulfilling of it, but that he might by it make way for the exhibition of the Covenant of Grace, which is indeed what the text ſaith, That the promiſe by faith in Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. It is manifeſt that it was never any part of Gods deſign and counſel in his firſt exhibiting the Covenant of Works (or making it rather, for that was made immediately betwixt God and Adam in paradiſe), that any ſoul ſhould be ſaved by it, for as to this the Apoſtles words are true, Gal. 3.21. If there had been a law, which could have given life, verily righteouſneſs ſhould have been by the law. The Apoſtle in that text may be ſpeaking of the law given to man in his lapſed eſtate; but I ſay it is as true concerning the law given in the eſtate of innocency. But why could not the law give righteouſneſs? As to our lapſed eſtate the Apoſtle tells you, Rom. 8.3. Becauſe it was made weak through our fleſh. But this cannot be ſaid of man in his eſtate of innocency and original integrity, he then certainly had a poſſe non peccare; but then the eternal Counſel of God hindred, who had fixed the ſalvation of man upon another foot, having from eternity ſet apart the ſon of his love, for the head of his elect, and choſen us in him, and ordained mans ſalvation by faith in him. The law given in innocency, in reſpect of it ſelf might have given life, what ſhould have hindred? Eternal life was then the gift of God, and God had annexed the promiſe of it to mans obedience; but it is as true, that if we reſpect the eternal Counſels of God, having fore ordained men to ſalvation upon a Covenant of grace made with the Son of his love; even that law could not give life, it was not conſiſtent with our being choſen in Chriſt. In ſhort, the power in the law to give life, may be conſidered in a threefold habitude or reſpect.
1. With reſpect to the law it ſelf. Thus the law could have given life, if man had kept it; the law given to Adam could in this ſenſe have given life, the law afterward upon Mount Sinai could have in this reſpect have given life. If thou wilt enter into life (ſaith our Saviour) keep the Commandments. As to our lapſed eſtate, the Apoſtle ſaith no more than, that it is weak through our fleſh; that is, becauſe we are not able to keep it; or elſe, ſecondly,
2. The law may be conſidered with reſpect unto man; and he is conſiderable, either in his primitive ſtate of innocency, or in his lapſed eſtate: if we conſider man in the firſt eſtate, the law again might have given life; for it was the perfect rule of God at that time concerning man, and man had a power to keep it ſo, as nothing hindred, but that the law might have given life: but indeed if we conſider man in his lapſed eſtate, the caſe is quite otherwiſe; for man was now made weak through his fleſh, and unable to keep that law, which yet approved it ſelf to his reaſon in that ſtate, as holy, ſpiritual, juſt, and good.
3. But (thirdly) the law may be conſidered in its power to give life, with reſpect to Gods counſels and purpoſes, fixed concerning the end and means of mans ſalvation from all eternity; and ſo the law never had a power to give life, that is, it never was any ordination of God in order to ſuch an end, nor ever was deſigned by God as an effectual means in order to that end: nor indeed is it poſſible that it ſhould, for then it had been poſſible that the counſel of God could have been fruſtrated of its intendment, for never yet was any ſaved by any works of their own: But the giving of the law to man in innocency, was not, nor could be intended by God further than as a proper mean for the exhibition of the Covenant of Grace: and for this it was ſo proper, that upon this Hypotheſis, that the elect were (as the Apoſtle ſaith) choſen in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, and that a Covenant of Grace, was made for mens ſalvation through faith, and believing in Chriſt; yet it is very difficult to imagine how the Providence of God could have brought this about otherwiſe, than by firſt making a Covenant of Works with man, then ſuffering him to fall and violate it, and ſo be concluded under ſin and wrath; I ſay it is hard to imagine, how otherwiſe God could have given out the promiſe to them that ſhould believe in Jeſus Chriſt. This I ſhall yet further open to you in five or ſix particulars. To this end I ſhall intreat you to conſider,
1. That man was created in a ſtate of innocency. The Scripture ſaith ſo, that in the image of God he created man, and that is expounded to us by the Apoſtle, to have been in knowledg, righteouſneſs, and holineſs; and indeed it was impoſſible, that he ſhould come out of the hands of God, other than holy and righteous. Divines ſay, the Image of God lay in Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, and that dominion over the Creatures, with which God inveſted him: the laſt indeed was not neceſſary, but coming immediately out of the hands of an holy God, it was neceſſary that he ſhould be created in righteouſneſs and holineſs. God ſaw all that he had made that it was good, good according to the nature. Every inanimate and ſenſitive creature had a goodneſs ſuitable to its nature, a natural goodneſs; man muſt alſo have a goodneſs ſuitable to his being, and conſidering him a rational creature, he muſt have a moral goodneſs, a purity, and integrity, a freedom from any ſpots or ſtains of ſin, and ſo conſequentially from any guilt of ſin. God made man upright: this is a confeſſed principle, and needeth no further enlargement of diſcourſe.
2. Man in this ſtate was not capable of ſalvation in that way wherein God had foreordained the ſalvation of men, viz. by a Redeemer: the whole need not a phyſician, but the ſick; men muſt be loſt, before they are found; they muſt be captives, before they are capable of Redemption; they muſt be unrighteous, before they can be capable of a bring made righteous. Chriſt came not (as himſelf telleth us) to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance.
3. Man could no other way become loſt, than by ſome actual tranſgreſſion: The firſt man could have no original guiltineſs. We are guilty by imputation, as we were all in the firſt man, and ſinned in him, and ſell with him; but Adam being the firſt man, could derive no guilt from any proparent. We become guilty by traduction, deriving guilt from our immediate parents: we were conceived in ſin, and in iniquity did our mother bring us forth, and ſo we were by nature the children of wrath. But Adam came immediately out of the hands of God, and therefore muſt neceſſarily be without ſpot or wrinkle.
4. From hence followeth in the fourth place, the neceſſity of a law to be given unto man in his ſtate of innocency: For (ſaith the Apoſtle) where there is no law, there is no tranſgreſſion, ſin being the tranſgreſſion of the law. Now this Law, with the promiſe annexed to it, was the Covenant of Works on Gods part; and the reſtipulation on mans part muſt be preſumed, or man had been a tranſgreſſor before the fall, by a rebellion to the Divine Will: and this formally maketh up the Covenant of Works, God promiſing him life upon condition of his Obedience, and man accepting the promiſe, and agreeing to the terms, or condition of life impoſed on him. Now God having given this Law, and made this Covenant, man by the violation of it became guilty, a debtor to the Juſtice of God, and ſo capable of a Redemption, a Remiſſion, and Juſtification.
5. I deſire you to conſider, That the Covenant of Grace, and promiſe by faith on Gods part, could not poſſibly have been made good, without the deſtruction of the firſt Covenant of Works, and the promiſe of life made upon that: this is that which the Apoſtle ſaith in my text, That the promiſe by faith of Jeſus might be given to them that believe. I pray obſerve, here are three things to be conſidered, 1. The matter of the promiſe. 2. The means by which the promiſe is to be obtained. 3. The objects of it. The promiſe intended, is doubtleſs the promiſe of eternal life; ſo often called in Scripture, (as being indeed the great and moſt valuable promiſe), what is the means of obtaining it? On Gods part it muſt be given out, on mans part it muſt be received by faith, for it is given to them that believe, and it is therefore called the promiſe by faith in Jeſus Chriſt. Now the promiſe of life by works, under the firſt Covenant, was wholly inconſiſtent with this promiſe of being ſaved by faith in Chriſt. Though the firſt Covenant comprehended a faith in God, as being a piece of that internal homage, which every ſoul oweth to God; yet it could not comprehend a faith in Chriſt as our Mediator, there being no need of a Saviour, till we were in danger, nor of a Mediator, till we were become tranſgreſſors: How therefore was it poſſible that the promiſe of faith in Chriſt to thoſe who believe in him ſhould be given out, till firſt the Covenant of Works was both given out, and alſo violated? Though the law by the promiſe of ſaith in Chriſt, was not deſtroyed ſo far forth, as it was a directive and obligatory rule of life and converſation unto all; yet ſo far as it was a Covenant of life, it muſt be both given out, and alſo deſtroyed, that the promiſe of faith might be given out.
6. In the laſt place, I deſire you to conſider, That as on Gods part, the promiſe of life by faith in Chriſt, was inconſiſtent with the promiſe of life, upon the doing of the works of the law: ſo on our part, we ſhould never have come to Chriſt that we might have life, if we had not firſt been concluded under wrath: And this will appear to every intelligent ſoul, that will but conſider, That the going out of the ſoul unto Chriſt for life, is a diſclaimer of its own righteouſneſs; and a very great piece of ſelf-denial, to which the ſoul will never move naturally, but muſt ſee it ſelf conſtrained to it by neceſſity, Iſa. 57.10. Thou haſt found the life of thy hand, therefore thou wert not grieved: ſo long as a man ſeeth help in himſelf, and thinks that he hath found life in his own hands, ſo long he is not grieved, not at all concerned as to his eternal ſtate: And this is the true reaſon why you ſee the greateſt brokenneſs of heart, and ſenſe of ſin, yea and the greateſt holineſs of life too in thoſe men that yet look to be ſaved by faith in Jeſus Chriſt; for our free-will men that maintain a power in man to believe, and repent, or to keep the Law of God perfectly; they have ſaid, they have found life in their own hands, and then I hope they have none but themſelves to blame, if they miſs, and come ſhort of it; if they do not repent, and turn unto God to day, they can do it to morrow. It was neceſſary as on Gods part, in order to his giving out of the promiſe of faith in Chriſt, and exhibition of the Covenant of Grace to the world: ſo alſo on our part, in order to our acceptation, and taking hold of any ſuch Covenant, and the application of our ſouls unto God, upon the terms of that Covenant, for the ſure mercies of it; that there ſhould firſt be a Covenant of Works made with man, and a law of works given unto him; for had there been no ſuch Covenant made, no ſuch Law given, man could not have broken, and violated it; and if he had not violated, and broken it, he could not have been a tranſgreſſor, he could not have been a loſt ſinner, and conſequentially had needed no Saviour; nor would man have ever been perſwaded to have gone out of himſelf, and to have accepted of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt for his righteouſneſs, had he not firſt been rendred in a forlorn, deſperate, and hopeleſs condition, without Application unto Chriſt.
Ʋſe 1. For the practical Application of what you have heard now in this diſcourſe. This, in the firſt place, ſhould mind us, not to be haſty to deny, nor too forward to ſtumble at ſome things in the diſpenſations of God, which at firſt ſeem to us hard to be underſtood. Who can find out God, or ſearch out the Almighty unto perfection? I do not know any thing that looketh more inconſiſtently in appearance to us, at our firſt view of it, than this; That God ſhould from eternity ſix the ſalvation of man upon a Covenant of Grace, and write it in his book, That there ſhould be ſalvation in no other, than in Jeſus Chriſt, nor any other name given under heaven amongſt men, whereby they might be ſaved: that he who believeth ſhould be ſaved, and he who believed not ſhould be damned, for all theſe things were decrees in the rolls of eternity, or they could never have been Revelations of Gods Will in Scripture, Heb. 10.5, 6, 7. and Pſal. 40.7. In the volume of Gods book it was written of Chriſt, that he ſhould come into the world, and do the Will of God, relating to the ſalvation of man: I ſay, that God ſhould thus ſetle mans ſalvation in the order of its cauſes, and upon the terms of free-grace, the merit and ſatisfaction of Chriſt and Faith in him; and yet when mankind was created, God ſhould treat him upon a Law of Works, and make a Covenant with him for life and ſalvation, upon condition of his perfect obedience both to the Law written at that time upon his heart, and this poſitive precept of not eating of the tree of forbidden fruit; yet there is nothing clearer in Scripture, than that God did do this: for to ſay that theſe were ſecond thoughts about mans ſalvation, when he was lapſed and fallen, were to blaſpheme by attributing change of mind and purpoſe to God, and a ſucceſſive knowledg of things, ſuch as we have upon the events, ſo aſcribing humane imperfections to a moſt holy God. If God from all eternity did ſettle the buſineſs of mans ſalvation (as the Apoſtle ſaith he did), Epheſ. 1.4, 5, 6, 7. Couſing us in him before the foundation of the world (that is, in Chriſt, as ver. 3.) that we ſhould be holy, and without blame before him in love, having predeſtinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jeſus Chriſt to himſelf, according to the good pleaſure of his will, to the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins according to the riches of his grace: and this, as verſ. 8. was the myſtery of his will according to his good pleaſure which he had purpoſed in himſelf; ſure we are, he created man in a ſtate, that was not capable of theſe ſpiritual bleſſings, until he was fallen from it, and that God according to that holy and guiltleſs ſtate, wherein he made man, did firſt ſtipulate with him in a Covenant of Works, and offered him life upon his doing the Law of God. I would gladly know of thoſe, who ſo flutter with their little ratiocinations, about the ſeriouſneſs of Gods actings in his offers of grace, and would make us believe that God doth not ſerio agere, act ſeriouſly in calling men to believe and repent, unleſs there were a poſſibility of ſalvation for them all; or unleſs Chriſt intentionally dyed for all, or men had a power in their lapſed eſtate to do things ſpiritually good; I ſay, I would fain know of them, whether God was in earneſt or no with Adam, when he promiſed him life upon the Covenant of Works. It is moſt certain, that he either never intended that Adam, or any of his poſterity ſhould go to Heaven that way, or that he was fruſtrated of his intention (which God cannot be). If he never intended that any ſhould be that way ſaved, I would know of them whether God was ſerious or no with Adam in ſuch a propoſal of life unto him; if they can find out an anſwer in this caſe, it will alſo ſerve in the other. God was ſerious with Adam in the making of the Covenant of Works with him, ſerious with reſpect unto his own end, which was not that any ſhould be ſaved by the fulfilling of that Covenant, which he knew none would, but that it ſhould be as a School-maſter to lead us to Chriſt (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the Law contained in Ordinances) and introductive to the exhibition of that better Covenant which God had eſtabliſhed with the Son of his Love, and upon which he had fixed the ſalvation of the Elect.
Ʋſe 2. We may learn from hence, That it is conſiſtent enough with the holineſs of God, to require things of perſons, which it is not his Will of purpoſe that they ſhould do; and to make conditional promiſes to them, who he knoweth will never fulfil the condition. Theſe are two things which ſome make a great pudder with, that they might eſtabliſh their univerſalities, and obtain againſt the Election of Grace. They think that if God had determined the certain number of thoſe who ſhould be ſaved, or for whom Chriſt dyed; others ſhould not be called to, or required to believe, or repent, nor a promiſe of life and ſalvation, and life made to them in caſe of their repenting and believing; for they apprehend it inconſiſtent with the truth and holineſs of God, to require that of men, which it is not his will or purpoſe they ſhould do, or to offer them life and ſalvation upon a condition, from the performance of which they are precluded by the purpoſe of God. We muſt adhere to this, that there is nothing contingent to God, no event which he did not from eternity foreknow, and therefore foreknow, becauſe he willed either to effect, or to permit it. We can neither allow of any ignorance to be imputed unto God, nor any ſucceſſion in his knowledg, nor apprehend it poſſible that God ſhould from all eternity know who would believe and repent (which none could without his ſpecial grace) without willing that grace to them, by vertue of which they ſhould put forth theſe ſaving acts; and therefore ſuch to whom he did not by his eternal purpoſe will thoſe habits of grace, muſt be paſſed over. But then ſay they, who have other apprehenſions; How is it conſiſtent with the truth and holineſs of God to call all men to believe, and to repent, and to promiſe them eternal life and ſalvation, upon the terms of faith and repentance? We ask them how it was conſiſtent with the truth and holineſs of God, to require of Adam under the Covenant of Works, not to eat of the tree of forbidden fruit, and to promiſe him life upon his not eating thereof; when-as it is plain, that God had purpoſed to permit him to eat thereof, and foreknew that he would eat thereof, and never intended that Adam, or any of his poſterity ſhould come to Heaven, by the fulfilling of that Covenant. But then ſay they, to what purpoſe are theſe Precepts, or Promiſes? Divers anſwers are given by Divines, as to that queſtion concerning thoſe who are called to repent, and to believe, which poſſibly will hereafter fall in my way to touch upon. At preſent, as to this purpoſe it is enough to ſay, Gods end in making the Covenant of Works with Adam, was to make way for the publication of the Covenant of Grace. For the exhibition and publication of which to the world, there was no room, until the Law and Covenant of Works was violated, and man that was created in the Image of God, and ſtate of Holineſs, had fallen from that ſtate, and become concluded under wrath. In the mean time obſerve, here is a precept given, which God had never intended, ſhould be obeyed; a conditional promiſe made, from which God never intended that any man ſhould have any advantage: and in that appeareth the advantage of this inſtance, for in the calls of the Goſpel to faith and repentance, though the Lord hath told us, Many are called, and few are choſen; Although all to whom the Goſpel is Preached, be not the choſen of God, and within his purpoſe of eternal life and ſalvation: yet ſome are, and ſome ſay, Non proprie & per ſe reprobos hortatos eſſe ad fidem & poenitentiam, ſed per concomitantiam, quatenus electis externa ſocietato permiſcentur; That is, that reprobates are only called to faith and repentance, as they are mixed together with the elect. But here Adam, and in him all mankind were called to a fulfilling of the Covenant of Works, and life was upon that condition promiſed to them all, when-as yet it was never Gods purpoſe and intendment, that any of them ſhould fulfil it, or that way obtain everlaſting life.
Ʋſe 3. In the laſt place my diſcourſe upon this argument may let you ſee, how uniformly the Providence of God in the converſion, and bringing home to God, of a particular ſinner, moveth to its motions and workings, in order to the general publication of the Covenant of Grace, and the way of ſalvation through him unto the world. The way of God in making known of Jeſus Chriſt to a particular ſoul, is ordinarily firſt by the law to humble the ſoul, and to conclude it under wrath, and then to open to it a door of hope: and indeed this is but a reaſonable working of Providence, and exceedingly ſuitable to the principles of reaſon, and humane nature. What ſignifies the news of a Redeemer unto him, who either is no captive, or is not ſenſible that he is; the news of a Saviour to him, that apprehendeth not himſelf loſt, or to ſtand in need of any ſalvation? God therefore ordinarily in the converſion of a ſinner, layeth the Law to him, ſheweth him what God hath required of him, how much he is a debtor to God, how much he lyes open to wrath, and is ſubject to the curſe: this letteth him ſee what need he hath of ſalvation by a Redeemer, and induceth him to be willing to go unto Chriſt for life. Now this motion and working of Providence, as to particular ſouls bears a juſt proportion to Gods firſt Revelation of Chriſt unto the world. God firſt gave unto Adam a Law of Works, and made a Covenant with him, and then permitted him to violate this Law, to break this Covenant, and then diſcovers the Covenant of Grace and Redemption, which to this time lay hidden with God, although as to the paction of it, it was eternal. And hence alſo appears an eaſie anſwer to that queſtion, whether men and women unregenerated, be under the Covenant of Works, or under the Covenant of Grace; that all men ſince the fall of Adam, are not under the diſpenſation of the Covenant of Works, but under the diſpenſation of the Covenant of Grace is out of doubt, for the Covenant of Works expired with Adams fall. But thus far they are under the Covenant of Works, viz. That there is no ſalvation for them, but by keeping the whole Law in thought, word, and deed, which is a ſtate ſad and miſerable enough, it being that which no man in his lapſed eſtate is able to do. Adam indeed might have done it, none ſince the fall can do it; and from hence followeth the impoſſibility of ſalvation for any ſoul, that is out of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The law they cannot keep, ſo as from the fulfilling of that to expect ſalvation; and whereas (as the Apoſtle telleth us) what the law could not do, becauſe it was made weak through our fleſh, that God himſelf hath done, ſending his ſon in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and condemning ſin in the fleſh, that the righteouſneſs of the law might be fulfilled in us; they have no part nor portion in this matter, no ſtate nor intereſt in Chriſt, but are without Chriſt, and conſequently during their preſent ſtate incapable of any lively hope. But this is enough to have ſpoken to this firſt difficulty, and the inferences by way of Application to be made from it.