A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 48 (Question 12)
SERMON XLVIII.
QUESTION XII.
WHAT ſpecial Act of Providence did God exerciſe towards Man, in the Eſtate wherein he was Created?
ANSWER.
WHEN GOD had Created Man, He entred into a Covenant of Life with him, upon Condition of perfect Obedience; forbidding him to Eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil, upon Pain of Death.
WE have been conſidering of God's common Government, by which He leads Natural Agents to their End. It follows,
II. THAT we proceed to Diſcourſe about His ſpecial Government, which reſpects Rational Agents, and the way in which God conducts them to their End. The Queſtion under conſideration points us to that which is the foundation of this Government reſpecting Man, and unto which all the After Tranſactions mentioned in the former part of the C…techiſm do refer; and therefore calls for a more exact Explication: And to make way then to a clear Inſpection into it, ſomething may be premiſed,
Firſt, CONCERNING the General Nature of Special Government; and it may admit of this Deſcription.
SPECIAL Government is that whereby God Guides His Reaſonable Creatures, to an everlasting State of Happineſs or M…ſery, according to the Tenour of the Moral Law.
THAT we may rightly take up, and not be miſtaken in this Deſcription, let us diſtinctly conſider the ſeveral things contained in it. Here then obſerve theſe following Propoſitions, which will lead us to the Things:
1. THE Reaſonable Creature comes under a double Conſideration; either as it hath ſomething in common with other Natural Agents, or as it hath a ſpecial Nature diſtinct from them: And hence it is a Subject both of common and ſpecial Government. So far as all Creatures hold any thing in a Community, ſo they come under God's common Governing Providence. For this ſpecial doth not include thoſe common conſiderations reſpecting this Subject. The general Laws of the Realm include under them all priviledged Places, or Corporations conſidered as Subjects of the Kingdom; but their Charter-Privileges have ſomething in peculiar. Conſider Man in the natural reſpects wherein he agrees with other Beings, as Vegetable, Motive, Animal, and ſo all his natural Actions reſpect the former …bernation▪ but look upon him as a Reaſonable Creature; and thus he is a Subject of ſpecial Government.
2. THE proper Subject of ſpecial Government is the Reaſonable Creature: Such as being Cauſes by Counſel, are capable of chuſing their own Actions; that can act upon Deliberation, and either Elect or Reject. Theſe being the nobleſt Kinds of God's Creature, and made after God … Image, were appointed to ſerve to their End, after another manner. For, being capable of the Active Act of the Rule, and not only a bar… paſſive impreſſion of it, they muſt therfore have another and an Higher Rule, and be govern'd after a ſingular and ſpecial manner; for God Rules His Creatures according to their Nature: Now only theſe Being… are capable of this Government, or ſuited … to it, both becauſe they only are capable of the Rule, other Beings are not ſo: Theſe only can know God, and chuſe Him and love Him, &c which the Rule points to; and alſo becauſe theſe only are capable of the conſequent Rewards of Eternal Happineſs and Miſery; other Creatures cannot be Happy, becauſe it is a thing above their Conſtitution, and they cannot be forever, becauſe they Periſh; but theſe may be happy, and they abide to Eternity.
3. THE Rule of ſpecial Government is the Moral Law. This may at firſt ſeem doubt full; but to make it out, let theſe things be obſerved,
(1.) WHERE there is Government there muſt be a Rule. This belongs to the very Nature of it: To Rule a Subject without a Rule to direct, is Tyranny, and not Government among Man; and tho' God's Will be His Rule, yet God hath in Himſelf an Idea of that which He will manage the Creatures by, and it is wiſe and juſt. Government is for an End, and therefore it muſt have it's Rule, how elſe ſhould it reach it's End?
(2.) THIS Rule is properly called a Law. And the Reaſon is, becauſe it refers to Government; and it bears the Denomination of a Law in two reſpects,
1. IN reſpect to Him that Governs. It is the Ground upon which he proceeds in this Adminiſtration, and to which he refers himſelf in it: He makes it his own Law, to which he reſtrains himſelf; and it is the Rule of his Juſtice in all his proceedings: We read, Gen. 38 21. Diſcern, I pray thee, whoſe are theſe. And there muſt be a Law to diſcern between right and wrong in a Judge. God therefore obligeth Himſelf to this.
2. IN reſpect to the Subjects, or them that are Govern'd. It ſets them their bounds, which if they come ſhort of, or go beyond, they become guilty of Tranſgreſſion. Hence, Sin hath that Deſcription, 1 Joh. 3.4. —Sin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law. He being under the Authority of the Rule, it becomes a Law to him, and he cannot decline from it without Sin▪ becauſe he is obliged to conform himſelf entirely to it.
(3.) THE Excellency … a Law, … appears, in its being ſuited to the Nature and … of the …. The deſign of a Law being to Govern the Subject ſuitably to its End and that reſpecting it's Actions; it muſt needs have reſpect to its Nature; for the Operation is according to the Being of the thing: and therefore Creatures of different Kinds or Natures, muſt have differing Laws. That cannot be a Law to one, that may be to another. Law is founded in the higheſt Reaſon; but to require the ſame of an Unreaſonable Creature, that may be of one that is Reaſonable, is a thing unreaſonable▪ See, Joh 35.10, 11.
(4.) HENCE, Man being a Moral Agent, it was s;et that be ſhould have a Moral Law to Govern him …y. Without this, his Moral …, which are only truely and properly Humane, would be under to Government; and hence they would ſerve to no End, and ſo be in vain, which is not to be conceived; for ſo God would loſe the Glory of the Service of His nobleſt Creatures, in their moſt excellent Endowments. This Moral Law is therefore uſually called by Divines, the Law of Nature; not in a …ger ſenſe reſpecting the whole Nature of the Creature, but …, relating to the Nature of Man, becauſe it was fitted to his Nature, and the Reaſons of it are to be read in the Light of Nature, ſo far as it remains in him: It is therefore called a Good Law, in Rom. 7.12.
(5.) GOD is firſt gave Man this Law for his …. It was that according to which He required him to conform Himſelf. The New … of the Moral Law upon Mount Si…a…, drawn up into Ten Commandments, was nothing elſe but a Tranſcript of the Law given to Adam at Firſt; which fallen Man had loſt the Senſe of in a great meaſure; and therefore the Rel…cts of it are intimated to be in the Hearts of thoſe very Heathen who never had a Copy of that which was given by Moſes, Rom 2.14, 15. For where the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, thoſe having not the law, …re a law unto themſelves: Which ſh…w the work of the law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo hearing witneſs, and their thoughts the mean while accuſing, or elſe excuſing one another.
(6.) THIS Moral Law was given to Man to be a perpetual Rule: And that both for his meaſuring his Actions by, and God's meaſuring out his Rewards of them according to it. It was to be perpetual. There was a Ceremonial Law given afterwards, which was to be tranſient, but this was to abide as long as this Government of God continued; and for this Reaſon our Saviour hath that Aſſertion, Matth. 5.18. For verily I ſay unto you, Till heaven and earth paſs, one yet or one title ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the law, till … be fulfilled. We therefore read; Pſal. 19.9. T…e fear of the Lord is clean, …d…ring …orever. Pſal. 119.89. For ever, O Lord, … is ſetled in heaven. This is an Unchangable Law through all Generations.
(7.) HENCE all the after Tranſactions between God and Men refer it … L…. Here was the foundation unto which all muſt be reduced: This was it which did … introduction of Surety, upon Man's falling behind in his reſpect to it; this muſt be conſidered in all the Parts of the New Covenant, as that which muſt be anſwered … by or … Man, and may in no caſe he ba…lked, and … Reaſon of that muſt needs be, becauſe it was the firſt ſtanding unalterable Rule of ſpecial Government: Not that it did exclude the New Way to Happineſs by Chriſt, but made it neceſſary, hypothetically; which elſe it had not been.
4. THE State unto which the Reaſonable Creature is conducted by this Government: It is an Everlaſting State. This will be evident, if we conſider,
(1.) THAT the Subjects of this Government are to abide for ever. They are Angels and …: Angels in reſpect of their entire …eing; and Men in reſpect of their Souls, are immortal Subſtances: And though their mortal Bodies muſt ſuffer Corruption yet they ſhall …e … again to incorruption, Matth. 23.30. For in the r…rrection they neither … given in marriage; but …re as the angels of God in heaven. 1 Cor. 15.42. … the reſurrection of the dead, it is … raiſed in incorruption. They ſhall therefore continue for ever; for it is der…gatory to the Infinite Wiſdom of the Creator, to make … Immortal Subject, and afterwards to annihilate it.
(2.) THAT there are Everlaſting Places prepared in purpoſe for theſe Subjects it be diſpoſed in And why ſhould Eternal … be provided, unleſs the Creatures State in them were commenſurable for duration? But that there are ſuch, the Scripture plentifully inform us, Joh. 14 2. In my fathers houſe are may mar…ers; if it were not ſo, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you. Iſa 33.14. … among us ſhall dwell with the … fire? … dwell with everlasting burnings. Yea we are told that they ſhall be here forever, Matth. 25. ult. And theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment: but the righteous into life eternal.
(3.) THAT God will have ſome Everlaſting Monuments of his own Infinite Glory, in … the ſhine of his Divine Moral Perfections, … be illuſtrious for ever. We are told that God will have it ſo, Rom. 9.22, 23. What of God willing to ſhew his wrath, and to wake his power known, endured wi…h much long ſuffering … veſſels of wrath ſitted to deſtruction. And that he might make known the riches of his glory … the veſſels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? Other Beings, tho' their Me… …e… periſheth not, yet their Subſtances are reſolved into their Principles, and they are no more, and the whole Species of them will … long ceaſe; but theſe muſt remain, that God's Glory may be ſeen in them Eternally; they periſh but theſe muſt endure,
5. THE …pan… which they are brought, …ſ…ecting this …ternity i… twofold, …, either of Happineſs or Miſery. Some are appointed and led to a State of Eternal Life and Glory, others to a Condition of Eternal Death and Puniſhment, Matth. 25. ult. And theſe ſhall ſhall go away into everlaſting p…riſ…m…t: but the righteous into life eternal. S…me ſhall hare the Bea…fical Viſion and Fr…ition of God forever; 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of al… grace, who hath called at unto his eternal glory by Chriſt Jeſus. Others ſhall be caſt forever from His Preſence into Everlaſting Burnings; 2 Theſ. 1.9. Who ſhall be …ſhed with everlaſting destruction from the … of the Lord, and from the glory of …. Here obſerve,
(1.) THAT there are two glorious Attributes of God, which be intends principally to exact in His Reaſonable Creatures; and they are His … Grace, and His Juſtice. Theſe are … to be called his Moral Perfections, and … that Reaſon Moral Agents are to be the Subjects in whom the Declarative Glory of them is to be manifeſted; and that God hath de…igned the Glorfying of theſe Perfections in this Subject, is witneſſed in the forecited, Rom. 9.21, 23.
(2.) THAT theſe Attributes …ay for ever … in them, th…re muſt be ſome everlaſting …ments of each of them. That Grace may appear Eternally, there muſt be ſome that muſt be made endleſly Happy, in ſuch a way, as may render it admirable. And that … may fit in State, and may triumph for ever, others are ordained to be perpetual … of it, by ſuffering Eternal Puniſhment. This is one of God's ancient Decrees, and therefore they are ſaid to be of all ordained to it, J…de ver. 4.
(3.) THAT this may be effected, they muſt needs come under the ſpecial Government of God. Theſe things refer to the conſideration of Rewards and Puniſhments, and are to be diſpenſed with Authority, and God acts in it as a Judge; and therefore they muſt needs come under a Rule, in which the Creature is concerned as a natural Agent: Hence we read, Rom. 2.6. Who will render to every men according to his deeds.
6. THIS iſſue bef…lls the Reaſonable Creature according to the tenour of the Moral Law. We heard already that it is the Rule of ſpecial Government. But here let us farther obſerve,
(1.) THAT the Moral Law might be a ſuitable Rule of Government, it had Sanctions added to it. There was not only a Directory giver, but there was a Promiſe made unto Obedience, Rom. 10.5 For Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſs which is of the law, That the … which doeth th…ſe things ſhall live by them. And a Threatning to Diſobedience, Gen. 2.17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou ſhall not …at of it: for in the day that thou … thereof, thou ſhal… ſurely die. Without theſe …hat not been a proper inſtrument of Government.
(2.) THAT the Reaſonable Creature to whom this … was mutab…e. Though he was every war …ur…hed with Moral Powers to obey, yet he was capable of diſobeying; as the Event wofully proved: Theſe Sanctions therefore were a ſuitable Moral Obligation on him, to practice Obedience, and avoid Diſobedience, Deut. 30.19. I call heaven and earth to record this day againſt you, that I have ſet before you lye and death, b…ſſing and curſing: therefore chooſe life, that both them and thy ſeed may live.
(3.) THAT whether the Reaſonable Creature Obey or Diſobey. God will have His Glory by it. God hath an End in all His works, and he will never miſs of it. If the Creature miſs of it's Felicity; yet He will not be put by of His Honour: And for that End he hath proviled for it by annexing a Penalty as well as a Reward to his Law; that if the one fail, the other may take place: Hence that, Rom 2.7, 8, 9. To them, who by patie…t …tir…ng in well doin…, ſeek for g…ory, and honour, an… immortality; eternal life: But unto the… th… are … it, … do not they the truth, but they unrighteouſneſs; indignation & wrath; Tra…lati… and ex…iſh upon every ſoul of man that ….
(4.) HENCE of God's proceedings with the Creature in this G…vernment refer hither. The Moral Reaſon why one is made Happy and another Miſerable, is not becauſe they were Ordained to it; but becauſe they are found the Subjects of theſe, according to the Law: And therefore the Book of the Moral Law, will be the ground of the Proceſs of the great Court at the laſt Day: The enquiry will be, whether that be at ſwered, and accordingly will the Sentence paſs. The New Covenant only admits that it …e anſwered by a Surety; but it is certain, that there ſhall be none ſtand hen in the Judgment, but they whom Juſtice it ſelf ſhall give an acquittance unto, and declare for then that they have obeyed.
USE 1. WE hence learn, That Man was neither Happy nor Miſerable by Creation. Creation made him a Subject capable of either, but it put him into neither.
HERE let us obſerve,
1. HAPPINESS & Miſery do not belong to the head of Creation, but of ſpecial Government. God muſt lead him to this State, if ever he arrives at it; but God doth not lead him thereto by the Rule of Creation; in that he only gave him a Nature that he might be Happy, and an Abi…ity to comply with the way to it.
2. HAPPINESS is the attainment of the Creature's End; and Miſery is the loſs of his End. And here underſ…and me not to intend the End of the Decree, which we call, God's End; which can never be loſt; …t the End propoſed to Man, in which by Obedience he was to receive the Reward, and this we call Man's End, becauſe he was obliged by the Precept to aim at it: But Man by Creation neither obtains nor loſeth his End, but is put into a Capacity for either.
3. HAPPINESS or Miſery are the Reward or Puniſhment of the Creature according to ſome Rule, and the reſpect that his State and Actions bear to the Rule. Happineſs therefore follows upon Eupraxy or Well-doing, Miſery upon Evil-doing; but Man by Creation had done neither Good or Evil: And before he could, he muſt have a Rule given him, which muſt be the Meaſure of it; which belongs to this Government. Man had the Habits of Original Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, enabling him to bring forth the Actions of true Obedience, and ſo to be made Happy: But being mutable, he might miſs and fail: Happineſs was Conditionally promiſed him in the Covenant; but the actual Fruition of it, depended upon his Trial.
USE 2. LEARN hence, The Excellency of the Moral Law, in that it is a Rule of the Happineſs of the Reaſonable Creature: Iſa. 56.2. Bleſſed is the man that doeth this, and the ſon of man that lay…th hold on it: that keepeth the ſabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Jam. 1.25. But whoſo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed. The Law was not given Man for his Hurt, but Good; he could never have attained Bleſſedneſs without it; he muſt never have known the way of it, if he had not had this Rule to have guided him unto it. Man was deeply obliged unto God for giving him the Law, for without it he had been left in a Wilderneſs, and remained without Felicity forever.
USE 3. THIS tells us, What Reaſon there is why we ſhould all take great heed to our Lives and Actions. Let us then always remember that we are under God's ſpecial Government, and that all we do hath a tendency to an Everlaſting State, either of Happineſs or Miſery: And ſhall not this make us Cautious to ourſelves to conſider, that whatever we do is upon an Everlaſting Account; we are not like Beaſts that live a while, and then Periſh and are no more; but we are going to an Eternity, and all we think, ſpeak or do, is upon the Account, and will contribute either to our Weal or Wo: How wary ſhould this make … to ourſelves, and put us upon pondering all our ſteps, and propoſing to our own Souls beforehand, Will this contribute any thing to my own Eternal Bleſſedneſs? aſſuring our ſelves that if it doth not, it will lay in for our endleſs Puniſhment, if Grace prevent not.
USE 4. THIS Truth points us to the abſolute… need of Chriſt's Satisfaction, in order to our Salvation; and of the imputation of His Righteouſneſs to us, in order to our Juſtification. For If the Moral Law be the Rule of ſpecial Government, wo to all the Poſterity of fallen Man, if the Law be not anſwered for them in a Surety, and the Benefit of the Suretiſhip …e not conferred upon them, ſo as to procure a Righteous Diſcharge from the Conde…ation of the Law for them; which can derive in no other way but this; and how ſhould this drive us a… to ſeek the Security of ſuch a Title, that we may not be condemned?
[DECEMBER 1. 1691.]