Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Chapter 8 – Chapter 19
CHAP.VIII. Of Chriſt the Mediator.
IT pleaſed God in his eternal purpoſe, to chuſe and ordain the Lord Jeſus his only begotten Son, according to a covenant made between them both, to be the mediator between God and man; the prophet, prieſt, and king, the head and Saviour of his church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world: Unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his ſeed, & to be by him in time redeemed, called, juſtified ſanctified and glorified.
2. The Son of God, the ſecond perſon in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one ſubſtance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullneſs of time was come, take upon him mans nature, with all the eſſential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without ſin, being conceived by the power of the holy Ghoſt in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her ſubſtance: So that two whole perfect and diſtinct natures, the godhead and the manhood▪ were inſeperably joined together in one perſon, without converſion, compoſition, or confuſion; which perſon, is very God and very man, yet one Chriſt, the only mediator between God and man.
2. The Lord Jeſus in his human nature, thus united to the divine in the perſon of the Son; was ſanctified and anointed with the holy Spirit above meaſure; having in him all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, in whom it pleaſed the Father that all fullneſs ſhould dwell, to the end that being holy, harmleſs, undefiled and full of grace & truth, he might be throughly furniſhed to execute the office of a mediator and ſurety; which office he took not unto himſelf, but was thereunto called by his Father, who alſo put all power & judgement into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the ſame.
4. This office the Lord Jeſus Chriſt did moſt willingly undertake; which that he might diſcharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it, and un…e… went the puniſhment due to us which we ſhould have borne and ſuffered, being made ſin and a curſe for us, enduring moſt grievous torments immediately from God in his ſoul, and moſt painful ſufferings in his body, was crucified, and died, was buried and remained under the power of death, yet ſaw no corruption, on the third day he aroſe from the dead with the ſame body in which he ſuffered, with which alſo he aſcended into heaven, and there ſitteth at the right hand of his Father, making interceſſion, and ſhall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.
5. The Lord Jeſus by his perfect obedience and ſacrifice of himſelf, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully ſatisfied the juſtice of God, and purchaſed not only reconciliation, but an everlaſting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all thoſe whom the Father hath given unto him.
6. Although the work of redemption was not actually by Chriſt till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy and benefits thereof communicated to the elect in all ages ſucceſſively from the be beginning of the world, in and by thoſe promiſes, types and ſacrifices wherein he was revealed and ſignified to be the ſeed of the woman, which ſhould bruiſe the ſerpents head, and the lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world, being yeſterday and to day the ſame, and for ever.
7. Chriſt in the work of mediation acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to it ſelf; yet by reaſon of the unity of the perſon, that which is proper to one nature, is ſometimes in ſcripture attributed to the perſon denomin…ed by the other nature.
8. To all thoſe for whom Chriſt hath purchaſed redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the ſame, making interceſſion for them, and revealing unto them in & by the word myſteries of ſalvaon, effectually perſwading them by his Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by his word and Spirit, overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power & wiſdom, in ſuch manner and ways as are moſt conſonant to his wonderful and unſearchable diſpenſation.
CHAP. IX. Of Free-Will.
GOD hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty & power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any abſolute neceſſity of nature determined to do good or evil.
2. Man in his ſtate of innocency had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleaſing to God; but yet mutably, ſo that he might fall from it.
3. Man by his fall into a ſtate of ſin, hath wholly loſt all ability of will to any ſpiritual good accompanying ſalvation, ſo as a natural man being altogether averſe from that good, and dead in ſin, is not able by his own ſtrength to convert himſelf, or to prepare himſelf thereunto.
4. When God converts a ſinner, and tranſlates him into a ſtate of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under ſin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is ſpiritually good; yet ſo, as that by reaſon of his remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth alſo will that which is evil.
5. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the ſtate of glory only.
CHAP. X. Of Effectual Calling.
ALL thoſe whom God hath predeſtinated unto life, and thoſe only, he is pleaſed in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call by his word and ſpirit, out of that ſtate of ſin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, enlightening their minds ſpiritually and ſavingly to underſtand the things of God, taking away their heart of ſtone, and giving unto them an heart of fleſh, renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jeſus Chriſt: Yet ſo, as they come moſt freely, being made willing by his grace.
2. This effectual call is of God's free and ſpecial grace alone, not from any thing at all foreſeen in man, who is altogether paſſive therein, until being quickened and renewed by the holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to anſwer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.
3. Elect infants dying in infancy, are regenerated and ſaved by Chriſt, who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaſeth: So alſo are all o…her elect perſons who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the miniſtry of the word.
4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the miniſtry of the word, and may have ſome common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither do nor can come unto Chriſt, and therefore cannot be ſaved; much leſs can men not profeſſing the chriſtian religion, be ſaved in any other way whatſoever, be they never ſo diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profeſs: And to aſſert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be deteſted.
CHAP. XI. Of Juſtification.
THOSE whom God effectually calleth, he alſo freely juſtifieth, not by infuſing righteouſneſs into them, but by pardoning their ſins, and by accounting and accepting their perſons as righteous, not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Chriſt's ſake alone; nor by imputing faith itſelf, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteouſneſs, but by imputing Chriſt's active obedience unto the whole law, and paſſive obedience in his ſufferings and death, for their whole and ſole righteouſneſs, they receiving and reſting on him and his righteouſneſs by faith; which faith they have not of themſelves, it is the gift of God.
2. Faith thus receiving and reſting on Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, is the alone inſtrument of juſtification; yet it is not alone in the perſon juſtified, but is ever accompanied with all other ſaving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
3. Chriſt by his obedience and death did fully diſcharge the debt of all thoſe that are juſtified, and did by the ſacrifice of himſelf, in the blood of his croſs, undergoing in their ſtead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real and full ſatisfaction to God's juſtice in their behalf: Yet inaſmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and ſatisfaction accepted in their ſtead, and both freely, not for any thing in them, their juſtification is only of free grace, that both the exact juſtice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the juſtification of ſinners.
4. God did from all eternity decree to juſtify all the elect, and Chriſt did in the fullneſs of time die for their ſins and riſe again for their juſtification: Nevertheleſs, they are not juſtified perſonally, until the holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Chriſt unto them.
5. God doth continue to forgive the ſins of thoſe that are juſtified; and although they can never fall from the ſtate of juſtification, yet they may by their ſins fall under God's fatherly diſpleaſure: And in that condition they have not uſually the light of his countenance reſtord unto them, until they humble themſelves, confeſs their ſins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.
6. The juſtification of believers under the old teſtament was in all theſe reſpects one and the ſame with the juſtification of believers under the new teſtament.
CHAP. XII. Of Adoption.
ALL thoſe that are juſtified, God vouchſafeth in and for his only Son Jeſus Chriſt to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have his name put upon them, receive the ſpirit of adoption, have acceſs to the throne of grace with boldneſs, are enabled to cry abba father, are pitied, protected, provided for and chaſtned by him as by a father, yet never caſt off, but ſealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promiſes as heirs of everlaſting ſalvation.
CHAP. XIII. Of Sanctification.
THEY that are effectually called and regenerated, being united to Chriſt, having a new heart and a new ſpirit created in them, through the virtue of Chriſt's death and reſurrection, are alſo further ſanctified really and perſonally through the ſame virtue, by his word and ſpirit dwelling in them, the dominion of the whole body of ſin is deſtroyed, and the ſeveral luſts thereof are more and more weakned & mortified, and they more and more quickned, and ſtrengthened in all ſaving graces, to the practice of all holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord.
2. This ſanctification is throughout in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life, there abide ſtill ſome remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariſeth a continual and irreconcileable war, the fleſh luſting againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh.
3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual ſupply of ſtrength from the ſanctifing ſpirit of Chriſt, the regenerate part doth overcome, and ſo the ſaints grow in grace, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God.
CHAP, XIV. Of ſaving Faith.
THE grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the ſaving of their ſouls, is the work of the Spirit of Chriſt in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the miniſtry of the word; by which alſo, and by the adminiſtration of the ſeals, prayer, and other means, it is increaſed and ſtrengthened.
2. By this faith a chriſtian believeth to be true whatſoever is ravealed in the word, for the authority of God himſelf ſpeaking therein, and acteth differently upon that which each particular paſſage thereof containeth, yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatnings, and embracing the promiſes of God for this life, and that which is to come. But the principal acts of ſaving faith are accepting, receiving, and reſting upon Chriſt alone, for juſtification, ſanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
3. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or ſtrong, yet it is in the leaſt degree of it different in the kind or nature of it (as is all other ſaving grace) from the faith and common grace of temporary believers; and therefore, though it may be many times aſſailed and weakned, yet it gets the victory, growing up in many to the attainment of a full aſſurance through Chriſt, who is both the author and finiſher of our faith.
CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation.
SUCH of the elect as are converted at riper years, having ſometime lived in the ſtate of nature, and therein ſerved divers luſts and pleaſures, God in their effectual calling giveth them repentance unto life.
2. Whereas there is none that doth good, and ſinneth not, and the beſt of men may through the power and deceitfulneſs of their corruptions dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall into great ſins and provocations; God hath in the covenant of grace mercifully provided that believers ſo ſinning and falling, be renewed through repentance unto ſalvation.
3. This ſaving repentance is an evangelical grace, whereby a perſon being by the holy Ghoſt made ſenſible of the manifold evils of his ſin, doth by faith in Chriſt humble himſelf for it with godly ſorrow, deteſtation of it, and ſelf-abhorrency, praying for pardon and ſtrength of grace, with a purpoſe and endeavor by ſupplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleaſing in all things.
4. As repentance is to be continued through the whole courſe of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof; ſo it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known ſins, particularly.
5. Such is the proviſion which God hath made thro' Chriſt in the covenant of grace, for the preſervation of believers unto ſalvation, that although there is no ſin ſo ſmall, but it deſerves damnation, yet there is no ſin ſo great, that it ſhall bring damnation on them who truly repent; which makes the conſtant preaching of repentance neceſſary.
CHAP. XVI. Of good Works.
GOOD works are only ſuch as God hath commanded in his holy word, and not ſuch as without the warrant thereof are deviſed by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions.
2. Theſe good works done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and living faith, and by them believers manifeſt their thankfulneſs, ſtrengthen their aſſurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profeſſion of the goſpel, ſtop the mouths of the adverſaries, and glorify God, whoſe workmanſhip they are, created in Chriſt Jeſus thereunto, that having their fruit unto holineſs, they may have the end eternal life.
3. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themſelves, but wholly from the Spirit of Chriſt: And that they may be enabled thereunto, beſides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the ſame holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do, of his good pleaſure; yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unleſs upon a ſpecial motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in ſtirring up the grace of God that is in them.
4. They who in their obedience attain to the greateſt height which is poſſible in this life, are ſo far from being able to ſupererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall ſhort of much, which in duty they are bound to do.
5. We cannot by our beſt works merit pardon of ſin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reaſon of the great diſproportion that is between them, and the glory to come; and the infinite diſtance that is between us, and God, whom by them we can neither profit, nor ſatisfy for the debt of our former ſins; but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable ſervants: And becauſe as they are good, they proceed from his Spirit, and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with ſo much weakneſs and imperfection, that they cannot endure the ſeverity of God's judgement.
6. Yet notwithſtanding, the perſons of believers being accepted through Chriſt, their good works alſo are accepted in him, not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreproveable in God's ſight, but that he looking upon them in his Son is pleaſed to accept and reward that which is ſincere, although accompanied with many …tneſſes and imperfections.
7. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good uſe both to themſelves and others; yet becauſe they proceed not from an heart purified by faith, nor are done in a right manner, according to the word, nor to a right end, the glory of God; they are therefore ſinful, and cannot pleaſe God, nor make a man meet to receive grace from God; and yet their neglect of them is more ſinful and diſpleaſing to God.
CHAP. XVII. Of the Perſeverance of the Saints.
THEY whom God hath accepted in his beloved, effectually called and ſanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the ſtate of grace, but ſhall certainly perſevere therein to the end, and be eternally ſaved.
2. This perſeverance of the ſaints depends not upon their own free-will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, and union with him, the oath of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the ſeed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace, from all which ariſeth alſo the certainty and infallibility thereof.
3. And though they may through the temptation of Satan, and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preſervation, fall into grievous ſins, and for a time continue therein, whereby they incur God's diſpleaſure, and grieve his holy Spirit, come to have their graces and comforts impaired, have their hearts hardened, and their conſciences wounded, hurt and ſcandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themſelves; yet they are and ſhall be kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation.
CHAP. XVIII. Of the Aſſurance of Grace and Salvation.
ALTHOUGH temporary believers, and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themſelves with falſe hopes and carnal preſumptions of being in the favor of God, and ſtate of ſalvation, which hope of theirs ſhall periſh, yet ſuch as truly believe on the Lord Jeſus, and love him in ſincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conſcience before him, may in this life be certainly aſſured that they are in a ſtate of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope ſhall never make them aſhamed.
2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable perſwaſion, grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible aſſurance of faith, founded on the blood and righteouſneſs of Chriſt, revealed in the goſpel, and alſo upon the inward evidence of thoſe graces, unto which promiſes are made, and on the immediate witneſs of the Spirit, teſtifying our adoption, and as a fruit thereof, leaving the heart more humble and holy.
3. This infallible aſſurance doth not ſo belong to the eſſence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it; yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may without extraordinary revelation, in the right uſe of ordinary means attain thereunto: And therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and election ſure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the holy Ghoſt, in love and thankfulneſs to God, and in ſtrength and chearfulneſs in the duties of obedience, th… proper fruits of this aſſurance; ſo far is it from inclining men to looſeneſs.
4. True believers may have the aſſurance of their ſalvation divers ways ſhaken, diminiſhed and intermitted, … by negligence in preſerving of it, by falling into ſome ſpecial ſin, which woundeth the conſcience, and grieveth the ſpirit, by ſome ſudden or vehement temptation, by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, ſuffering even ſuch as fear him to walk in darkneſs, and to have no light, yet are they neither utterly deſtitute of that ſeed of God, and life of faith, that love of Chriſt and the brethren, that ſincerity of heart and conſcience of duty, out of which by the operation of the Spirit, this aſſurance may in due time be revived, and by the which in the mean time they are ſupported from utter deſpair.
CHAP. XIX. Of the Law of God.
GOD gave to Adam a law of univerſal obedience written in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, as a covenant of works, by which he bound him and all his poſterity to perſonal, entire, exact and perpetual obedience, promiſing life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
2. This law ſo written in the heart, continued to be a perfect rule of righteouſneſs after the fall of man, and was delivered by God on mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables, the firſt four commandments containing our duty towards God, and the other ſix our duty to man.
3. Beſide this law commonly called moral, God was pleaſed to give the people of Iſrael, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing ſeveral typical ordinances, partly of worſhip, prefiguring Chriſt, his graces, actions, ſufferings and benefits, and partly holding forth diver… inſtructions of moral duties: All which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are by Jeſus Chriſt the true Meſſiah and only law-giver, who was furniſhed with power from the Father for that end, abrogated and taken away.
4. To them alſo he gave ſundry judi…ial laws, which expired together with the ſtate of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that inſtitution, their general equity only being ſtill of moral uſe.
5. The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well juſtified perſons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but alſo in reſpect of the authority of God the creator, who gave it: Neither doth Chriſt in the goſpel any way diſſolve, but much ſtrengthen this obligation.
6. Although true believers be not under the law, … a covenant of works, to be thereby juſtified or condemned, yet it is of great uſe to them as well as to others, in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God, and their duty, and directs and binds them to walk accordingly, diſcovering alſo the ſinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives, ſo as examining themſelves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred againſt ſin, together with a clearer ſight of the need they have of Chriſt, and the perfection of his obedience. It is likewiſe of uſe to the regenerate, to reſtrain their corruption…, in that it forbids ſ…n, and the threatnings of it ſerve to ſhew what even their ſins deſerve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curſe thereof threatened in the law. The promiſes of it in like manner ſhew them God's approbation of obedience, and what bleſſings they may expect upon the performance thereof, altho' not as due to them by the law, as a covenant of works; ſo as a mans doing good, and refraining from evil, becauſe the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law, and not under grace.
7. Neither are the fore-mentioned uſes of the law contrary to the grace of the goſpel, but do ſweetly comply with it, the Spirit of Chriſt ſubduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and chearfully which the will of God revealed in the law required to be done.