The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Book 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
A digression containing the substance of an occasionall conference concerning the satisfaction of Christ.
MUch about the time that I was composing that part of the § I last Argument, which is taken from the satisfaction of Christ, there came one (whose name and all things else concerning him, for the respect I beare to his parts and modesty shall bee concealed) to the place where I live, and in a private excercise, about the sufferings of Christ, seemed to those that heard him to enervate, yea overthrow the satisfaction of Christ: which I apprehending to be of dangerous consequence; to prevent a further inconvenience, set my selfe briefely and plainly to oppose; and also a little after willingly entertained a Conference and Debate (desired by the Gentleman) about the point in question: which being carried along with that quietnesse and sobriety of spirit, which beseemed lovers of and searchers after truth: I easily perceived not onelyonly what was his perswasion, in the thing in hand, but also what was the ground and sole cause of his misapprehension: and it was briefely this, That the eternall unchangeable love of God to his elect, did actually enstate them in such a condition, as wherein they were in an incapacity of having any satisfaction made for them▪ the end of that, being to remove the wrath due unto them, and to make an attonement for their sinnes; which, by reason of the former love of God, they stood in no need of, but onelyonly wanted a cleare manifestation of that love unto their soules, whereby they might be delivered from all that dread, darknesse, guilt, and feare, which was in and upon their Consciences, by reason of a not-understanding of this love, which came upon them through the fall of Adam. Now to remove this, Jesus Christ was sent to manifest this love, and declare this eternall good will of God towards them, so bearing, and taking away their sinnes, by removing from their consciences that misapprehension of God and their owne condition, which by reason of sinne they had before; and not to make any satisfaction to the justice of God for their sins, he being eternally well pleased with them. The summe is, election is asserted,) to the overthrow of Redemption, which followed in our conference, with what successe by Gods blessing it did obtaine, shall for my part rest in the minds and judgments of those that heard it, for whose sake alone it was intended. The things themselves being, First, Of great weight and importance of singular concernment to all christians. Secondly, Containing in them a mixture of undoubted truth, and no lesse undoubted errors, true propositions, and false inferences, assertions of necessary verityes, to the exclusion of others no lesse necessary, and Thirdly, Directly belonging to the businesse in hand, I shall briefly declare and confirme the whole truth in this businesse, so farre as occasion was given, by the exercise, and debate before mentioned: beginning with the first part of it, concerning the eternall love of God to his elect, with the state and condition they are placed in thereby, concerning which you may observe.
First, that which is now by some made to be a new doctrine of free grace, is indeed an old objection against it, that a non-necessity § II of satisfaction by Christ, was a consequent of eternall election was more then once for the substance of it objected to Austine by the old Pelagian hereticks upon his clearing and vindicating that doctrine, is most apparent: the same objection renewed by others is also answered by Calvin Institut: lib. 2. cap. 16: As also divers school-men had before in their way proposed it to themselves, as Thom: 3. g: 49: a: 4: yet, notwithstanding the apparent senselesnesse of the thing it selfe, together with the many solid answers, whereby it was long before removed, the Arminians at the Synod of Dort greedily snatched it up againe, and placed it in the very front of their arguments, against the effectuall redemption of the elect by Jesus Christ. Now that, which was in them onelyonly an objection, is taken up by some amongst us, as a truth, the absurd inconsequent consequence of it owned as just and good, and the conclusion deemed necessary, from the granting of election, to the denyall of satisfaction.
Secondly, observe, that there is the same reason of election and reprobation: (in things so opposed, so it must be) Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, Rom. 9. 13. By the one, men are ordained § III to eternall life, Acts 13. By the other, before of old ordained unto condemnation. Jude 4. Now if the elect are justified and sanctified and saved, because of Gods decree, that so they shall be, whereby they need nothing but the manifestation thereof: then likewise are the reprobates, as soone as they are, finally impenitent, damned, burned, and want nothing but a manifestation thereof: which whither it be true or no, consult the whole dispensation of God towards them.
Thirdly consider, what is the eternall love of God; is it an affection in his eternall nature as love is in ours? it were no lesse § IIII than blasphemy once so to conceive, his pure and holy nature wherein there is neither change nor shadow of turning, is not subject to any such passion, it must be then an eternall act of his will, and that alone in the Scripture it is called, his good pleasure Math. 11. 26. His purpose according to election Rom. 9. 12. the foundation of God 2 Tim. 2. 19. Now every eternall act of Gods will, is immanent in himself, not really distinguished from himself; what ever is so in God, is God: hence it puts nothing into the creature, concerning whom it is, nor alteration of its condition at all, producing indeed no effect untill some externall act of Gods power doe make it out. For instance, God decreed from eternity that he would make the world, yet we know the world was not made untill about five thousand five hundred yeers agoe. But ye will say, it was made in Gods purpose; that is (say I) he purposed to make it, so he purposeth there shall be a day of judgement, is there therefore actually an universall day of judgement already? God purposeth that he will, in and through Christ, justifie and save such and such certain persons; are they therefore justified, because God purposeth it? it is true they shall be so, because he hath purposed it, but that they are so is denyed. The consequence is good from the divine purpose to the futurition of any thing, and the certainty of its event, not to its actuall existence: as when the Lordin the beginning went actually to make the world there was no world, so when hee comes to bestowe faith and actually to justifie a man, untill he hath so done he is not justified. The summe is,
First, the eternall love of God towards his elect, is nothing but his purpose, good pleasure, a pure act of his will, whereby he determines to doe such and such things for them in his own time and way.
Secondly, no purpose of God, no immanent eternall act of his will, doth produce any outward effect, or change any thing, in nature and condition of that thing, concerning which his purpose is; but onelyonly make the event and successe necessary in respect of that purpose.
Thirdly, the wrath and anger of God, that sinners lie under, is not any passion in God, but onelyonly the outward effects of anger, as guilt, bondage, &c.
Fourthly, an act of Gods eternall love which is immanent in himself, doth not exempt the creature, from the condition wherein he is under anger and wrath, untill some temporall act of free grace doe really change its state and condition: for example, God beholding the lump of mankinde in his owne power, as the clay in the hand of the potter, determining to make some vessels unto honour, for the praise of his glorious grace, and others to dishonour, for the manifestation of his revenging justice, and to this end suffer them all to fall into sin, & the guilt of condemnation, whereby they became all liable to his wrath & curse: his purpose to save some of these, doth not at al exempt or free thē from the common condition of the rest, in respect of themselves and the truth of their estate, untill some actuall thing be accomplished, for the bringing of them nigh unto himself: so that notwithstanding his eternall purpose, his wrath in respect of the effects abideth on them, untill that eternall purpose doe make out it selfe, in some distinguishing act of free grace, which may receive further manifestation by these ensuing arguments.
First, If the sinner want nothing to acceptation and peace, but a manifestation of Gods eternall love, then evangelicall justification § V is nothing but an apprehension of Gods eternall decree and purpose: but this cannot be made out from the Scripture, viz. that Gods justifying of a person, is his making knowne unto him his decree of election, or mans justification an apprehension, of that decree purpose or love. Where is any such thing in the book of God? It is true there is a discovery thereof made to justified believers, and therefore it is attaineable by the Saints, God shedding abroad his love in their hearts, by the holy Ghost that is given unto them, Rom. 55. But it is after they are justified by faith, and have peace with God. v. 1. Believers are to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure: but that justification should consist herein, is a strange notion, satisfaction in the Scripture, is an act of God, pronouncing an ungodly person upon his believing, to be absolved from the guilt of sinne, and interested in the all-sufficient righteousnesse of Christ, so God justifies the ungodly, Rom. 4. 5. man by the righteousnesse of God, which is by the faith of Christ unto them, Rom. 3. 22. making Christ to become righteousnesse to them, who were in themselves sinne; but of this manifestation of eternall love, there is not the least foundation, as to be the forme of justification, which yet is not without sense and perception of the love of God, in the improvement thereof.
Secondly, The Scripture is exceeding cleere in making all § VI men before actuall reconciliation, to be in the like state and condition, without any reall difference at all; the Lord reserving to himselfe his distinguishing purpose of the alteration he will afterwards by his free grace effect. There is none that doeth good no not one, Rom. 3. for we have proved that Jewes and Gentiles, are all under sinne. v. 9. 10. All mankind is in the same condition in respect of themselves and their own reall state, which truth is not at all prejudiced by the relation they are in, to the eternall decrees. For every mouth is stopped, and all the world is become guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19 foreign, obnoxious to his judgement. Who makes thee differ from another, or what hast thou that thou hast not received, 1 Cor. 4. 7 All distinguishment in respect of state and condition, is by Gods actuall grace; or even believers, are by nature children of wrath as well as others, Ephes. 2. 3. The condition then of all men, during their unregeneracy, is one and the same; the purpose of God concerning the difference that shall be, being referred to himselfe. Now I aske, whither Reprobates in that condition lye under the effects of Gods wrath or no? if ye say no, who will believe you? if so, why not the Elect also? the same condition hath the same qualifications, an actuall distinguishment we have: proved there is not: produce some difference, that hath a reall existence, or the cause is lost.
Thirdly, Consider what it is to lye under the effects of Gods wrath according to the declaration of the scripture, and then see how the elect are delivered therefrom, before their actuall calling. Now this consists in divers things, as 1. To be in such a state of alienation from God, as that none of their services are acceptable to him, the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 28. 9. 2. To have no outward enjoyment sanctified, but to have all things uncleane unto them. Tit. 1 15. 3ly. To be under the power of Sathan, who rules at his pleasure in the children of disobedience, Eph. 2. 2. 4ly. To be in bondage unto death, Heb. 2. 14. 5ly. To be under the curse and condemning power of the Law, Gal. 3. 13. 6ly. To be obnoxious to the judgment of God, and to be guilty of eternall death and damnation, Rom. 3. 19. 7. To be under the power and damnation of sinne, raigning in them, Rom. 6. 17. These and such like are those which we call the effects of Gods anger. Let now any one tell me what the reprobates in this life lie under more? and do not all the elect untill their actuall reconciliation in and by Christ, lie under the very same? for First, Are not their prayers an abomination to the Lord? can they without faith please God? (Heb. 11. 6.) and faith we suppose them not to have; for if they have they are actually reconciled. 2ly. Are they not under the power of Sathan? if not, how comes Christ in, and for them to destroy the works of the Devil, did not he come to deliver his, from him that had the power of death, that is the Devil? Heb. 2. 14. Eph. 2. 2. 3ly. Are there enjoyments sanctified unto them? hath any thing a sanctified relation without faith? see 1 Cor. 7. 14. 4ly. Are they not under bondage unto death? the Apostle affirmes plainely that they are so all their lives, untill they are actually freed by Jesus Christ, Heb. 2. 14. 5ly. Are they not obnoxious unto judgement, and guilty of eternall death? how is it then that Paul sayes, that there is no difference, but that all are subject to the judgement of God, and are guilty before him? Rom. 3. 9. And that Christ saves them from this wrath, which (in respect of merit) was to come upon them? Rom. 5. 9. 1 Thes. 1. 6ly. Are they not under the curse of the Law? how are they freed from it? by Christ being made a curse for them, Gal. 3. 13. Are they not under the dominion of sin? God be thanked, sayes Paul, yee were the servants of sinne, but have obeyed, &c. Rom. 6. 17. In briefe, the Scripture is in nothing more plentifull, than in laying and charging, all the misery and wrath of and due to an unreconciled condition, upon the elect of God untill they actually partake in the deliverance by Christ.
But now, some men think to wipe away all that hath been said in a word, and tell us, that all this is so, but onelyonly in their own § VII apprehension, not that those things are so indeed and in themselves, but, if these things be so to them, onelyonly in their apprehensions: why are they otherwise to the rest of the whole world? The Scripture gives us no difference nor distinction between them: and if it be so with all, then let all get this apprehension as fast as they can, and all shall be well with the whole world, now miserably captived under a misapprehension of their owne condition; that is, let them say the Scripture is a fable, and the terrour of the Almighty a scarecrow to fright children, that sinne is onelyonly in conceit, and so square their conversation to their blasphemous fancyes: some mens words eat as a canker.
Fourthly, Of particular places of Scripture, which might abundantly § VIII be produced to our purpose, I shall content my selfe to name onelyonly one: John 3. 36. He that believeth not the Sonne the wrath of God abideth on him: it abideth, there it was, and there it shall remaine, if unbelief be continued: but upon believing is removed. But is not Gods love unchangeable by which we shall be freed from this wrath? who denyes it? But is an apprentize free, because he shall be so at the end of seven yeares? because God hath purposed to free his, in his own time & will doe it: are they therefore free before he doth it? but are we not in Christ from all eternity? yes chosen in him we are, therfore in some sense in him: but how? even as we are? actually a man cannot be in Christ untill he be: now how are we from eternity? are we eternall? no? onelyonly God from eternity hath purposed that we shall be: doth this give us an eternall being? alas we are of yesterday, our being in Christ, respecteth onelyonly the like purpose, and therefore from thence can be made only the like inference.
This being then cleared, it is I hope apparent to all, how miserable a strained consequence it is, to argue from Gods decree of § IX election to the overthrow of Christs merit and satisfaction, the Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, being indeed the chief meanes of carrying along that purpose unto execution, the pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hand, yea the argument may be retorted foreign and will hold undeniably on the other side: the consequence being evident from the purpose of God to save sinners, to the satisfaction of Christ for those sinners, the same act of Gods will, which sets us a part from eternity for the enjoyment of all spirituall blessings in heavenly places, sets also apart Jesus Christ to be the purchaser and procurer of all those spirituall blessings, as also to make satisfaction for al their sins, which that he did (being the maine thing opposed) we prove by these ensuing arguments.