The Sum of the Text is comprehend­ed in this Proposition.

Doct. Jesus Christ was set forth by God to be a Propitiation and Expiati­on, a Price of Redemption for Sin and Sinners, that God might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.

I shall speak of this by parts ly­ing in the Text, following the natu­ral order of the things.

1. God set him forth, [...]. The word that is here translated set forth, signifies either to fore-ordain, or set forth; either ante decernere, or in medium proferre. I shall speak some­thing [Page 16] of it in both Significations.

1. God fore-determined, fore-or­dained him a Propitiation. And so it is in the Margent of your Bibles. This Propitiation was of Gods own invention. When Darius perceived Dan. 6. 14 how Daniel was ensnared by his De­cree, by his Law, he was greatly trou­bled. He was foolishly righteous o­ver-much; and was averse (through care of his Honour) to cast disrepute on his Law, though unjust, and the greatest injustice would be in execu­ting it. We read, he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and laboured (that is in contriving) till the go­ing down of the Sun, but could not find a way to do it, and keep up the repute of his Justice, and of his free­dom from unadvisedness, fickleness, and inconstancy with himself. But our God set his heart on us to deliver us from the roaring Lion of Hell, and found out a way to do the crea­ture good, and himself and his Law no dishonour. I have found a ran­som, not by advice or consultation with others; He alone contrived it, [Page 17] invented it, it was God himself that provided this Lamb for a Burnt-of­fering, it was [...]. Christ cru­cified was such wisdom as none of the Princes of this World knew. The Angels desire [...], with stoop­ing 1 Pet. 1 [...]. 12: down to look into these things. He alludes to that, that the Cheru­bims Exod. 25. 10. were pictured with their faces looking down upon the Propitiato­ry. The Angels knew not these things naturally, they were hid in God, and made known to them; and not made known to them immediately or pri­marily, but by the Church, but by the Revelation made to the Church. The Apostle speaking or preaching of Eph. 3. 9. 10 the unspeakable riches of Christ, he addeth, To the intent that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God.

How we admire them that find out Inventions, rare Inventions, especial­ly if beneficial ones to the world! how should we adore that Wisdom that found out this Expedient for the sal­vation of the guilty Rebel-world? [Page 18] Here is heighth and depth, length and breadth of Wisdom, to pardon and punish both together; to dis­play riches of Mercy and Grace, without derogation from his Justice. This was that abyss the mind of man could not fathom: for things so far asunder, so distant in their own na­ture, as greatest Mercy and greatest Justice, to be made to meet and con­centre, was a wonderful plot and contrivance of Divine Wisdom, ever to be adored; and being now reveal­ed, appears Wisdom to men that are perfect, yea, to all men sober and sound in their Intellectuals that hear of it.

Again, If God thus fore-ordained him a Propitiation, How weak and wicked is Socinus his arguing, who argues just contrary, That he cannot be a Propitiation, a Satisfaction, be­cause we grant, God fore-ordained him, set him forth to be so. He ar­gueth thus: God was not at odds with men, not angry with men, be­cause he found out this way; there­fore God was appeased, his Justice [Page 19] satisfied before; he was reconciled before, and so needed no Propitiati­on to make him reconciled to the World, else he would not have or­dained, or given Christ thus. All that this Argument of his proves, is this, That God, though he was (as things stood) necessarily an Enemy by vir­tue of his strict Justice; yet he was such an Enemy as desired to be ato­ned or appeased. Like that we read of his command to Job's three friends, My wrath is kindled against Job 42▪ 7▪ thee and thy two friends (saith God to Eliphas) therefore take seven bul­locks, and seven rams, and go to Job and offer, &c. One may as well ar­gue God's wrath was not kindled a­gainst them, though he saith it was, because he directeth to means how to appease his wrath; whereas it shew­eth he was angry, but willing and desirous of atonement, in that he sheweth means how to come into his favour. The love of God, that set Wisdom on work. to find out this of Christ, was not the love of one that was bound in Honour and Justice to [Page 20] be an Enemy, that is, to execute the curse upon us, as things stood; but of one desirous of finding out a way that he might with safety to his Ho­nour and Justice be a Friend as a Re­ctor.

2. The word signifies (as it is tran­slated) set him forth. The death of Christ, the making Christ a Propitiation, was of Gods ordering and disposing. God set him forth to dye. Not a Spar­row falleth to the ground without Gods Providence, much less the Son of God. They did no more, nor o­therwise in crucifying Christ, than what Gods determinate Councel had appointed. The sufferings of Christ were Heavens Counsel, and Hells Suggestion, and Earths Execution; the effect of Gods goodness, the De­vil's malice, and the Jews hatred: When they had fulfilled all things that Acts 13. 29 were written of him, they took him from the tree and put him in a Sepul­cher. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and afterward enter into glory? It pleased the Lord to bruise Isa. 53. him. God was never so pleased with [Page 21] any thing in the world, as with the Sufferings of Christ, they were a sweet-smelling Sacrifice; and yet ne­ver so displeased with any wicked act, as with the betraying, accusing, and condemning of Christ▪ He decreed and ordered the death of Christ, de­lighted in the thing alone, in some sense; but had the greatest hatred against the wicked cruel actors of it. Whom you slew with wicked hands, and so with wicked hearts. God decreed Christ should dye a cursed death, that we might live; but their hearts thought not so, it was in them to de­stroy. You intended it for evil, but the Lord turned it for good (saith Joseph Gen. 50. 20. to his Brethren). We see God hath an ordering hand about sins, an active providence about sins: Ye sent me not hither, but God. God hath his good will and pleasure by mens evil will. The Jews did what they did to satisfie their rage and lusts; but God ordered it to save our souls. God could have hindered the death of Christ, but then he had hindered his own counsel and promise. Yet take [Page 22] heed of the other extream. God stirreth up no man to sin. gataker Gataker's Gods eye upon Is­raek. tells us, that that difficult place, 2 Sam. 24. 1. should be read passive­ly, he was stirred up, incitatus est, viz. from his own heart, as the Jew­ish Expositors commonly; or by Sa­tan, as 1 Chron. 21. 1. and brings many instances of it. But however, we must understand that, and such places, by leaving them to temptati­on, and their own hearts; as when it is said, God hath bidden Shimei curse. And to speak of the thing in hand: God in his Providence order­ed all, to such a concurrence of cir­cumstances, that the death of Christ was brought about without any vio­lence or force offered to mens wills; only God actively sendeth Christ (whom the wicked hated, because of the light of his Life and Doctrine) to Jerusalem to the Passover, and active­ly taketh off restraints from them, so that their is no man or thing to bin­der them from doing what they would; and then God leaveth them to their own hearts and wills, and [Page 23] they wickedly crucifie him. So that we are not to thank the Devil, nor the Jews, for what their wickedness was instrumental to bring about; for as God is no way accessary to their malice, cruelty and wickedness; so neither do they partake of Gods righteousness in such acts, wherein he declareth his righteousness. There­fore God useth after to burn the rods of his anger, and this cursed act brought ruin on this Nation, and a curse on their Children and Posteri­ty to this day, they no [...] repenting of their sin. If God had no [...] a [...]g ordering Providence about [...] could not be said to punish or [...]n his people; for their corrections are for the most part, by their hatred and malice, the sins of wicked men. Sup­pose Gods ways above our ways, a­bove our reach, as in some things they are, shall we say, They are un­righteous, unjust, when he sets Him forth a Propitiation, that he might be just.

2. Jesus Christ. ▪ Set forth Jesus Christ, God-Man, God and Man in [Page 24] one Person; Emanuel, a Mediator, a Middle-person, not only in Office, but in Nature, partook of both Parties; not like the medium negationis, but participationis utrius (que) extremi. So that we need not take up Job's dark complaint, There is not a days-man between us, to lay his hand upon us both; i. e. Is not an Umpire to day our differences. There is indeed a great distance, yea, a contrariety be­tween God and us; but though far asunder, he can reach both parties; he is both, can lay his hand upon us both.

He is truly God, Of whom as con­cerning the flesh Christ came; who is Rom. 9. 5. 1 John 5. 20. Tit. 2. 13. God over all blessed for ever. Called the true God and everlasting life, God manifest in the flesh.

He is truly man, the Word was made flesh; not only appeared in flesh as formerly, but now made flesh.

1. He must needs be Man, that he might be near a▪kin to us, our Goel; that as man sinned, man might suffer, dye, and satisfie; that there might be [Page 25] as little alteration as might be in the execution of the threatning: that, as by the offence of one man, one a-kin, one near to us, death came on all; so by the righteousness of one man, one near a-kin, righteousness and life might come on all: that as man was to be redeemed, man might pay the price. He came as near us as could be in a close union; so that the Mem­bers in some sense may be said to have suffered in their Head. For both he which sanctifieth (that is, by way of Heb. 2. 11 expiation, for so the Author to the Hebrews often useth the word) and they which are sanctified, are all of one; of one mass, lump, of one and the same nature: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Forasmuch then as the children (that Verse 14. is, they to be redeemed) are parta­kers of flesh and blood; he also him­self took part of the same, that through death, &c. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his Verse 17. brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest, to make re­conciliation for the sins of the people: [Page 26] for in that he himself hath suffered, be­ing tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

2. He must needs be God that suf­fered; not only to support the hu­mane nature in bearing wrath due to sinners, that it might overcome death, that it sink not under the weight (as the Altar of Wood was to be cover­ed Exo. 27. 2 with brass, that it might not be consumed with the fire) but to give worth to the sufferings, to make them satisfactory, that the dignity of the person might add virtue and value to the sufferings.

And Socinus his Objection here is contrary to all Reason, viz. That be­cause the Divine Nature did not suf­fer, it cannot be considered in the suf­ferings. One may with as much rea­son say, It is all one whether you strike a private man or your Prince, because the stroak lighteth on the bo­dy immediately, and not on the dig­nity; & it is all one whether you strike a stranger or your Father, because the stroak hits the body immediately, and not the relation of the person. [Page 72] The Scripture placeth the emphasis, the value of the sufferings, in the worthiness of the person, in being God. God redeemed the Church with his own blood. If the blood of Bulls and Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9. 14 Goats sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit (that is his Divinity) offered himself, purge your Conscience, &c. Being in the form of God, and thought it no Phil. 2. 6. robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, humbled himself, and became obedient to the death of the Cross. Hence called the 1 Pet. 1. 19. 1 John 1. 17 precious blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son that clean­seth us from all sins.

So that if any should ask, What Justice, what Equality is there in this commutation, one suffering for many? It may be answered, He was but one, but he was One worth Ten thousand of us; the Prince of Life was kil­led, the Lord of Glory crucified. The blood of a man is of more value than the blood of a beast; the blood [Page 28] of a King of more value than the blood of a common man; but the blood of God, of more value than Ten thousand millions of Kings. Here then is a high price indeed, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the King of Heaven and Earth's Son, for Traitors and Traitors Sons. The Man that was Gods fellow was smit­ten. Thousands of Rams, and Ten Zac. 13. 7. thousands of Rivers of Oyl, could not have bore proportion to such a suf­fering for satisfaction. This is more than if all the men in the world had eternally perished; and doth more keep up the repute of the Law, be­fore Angels and considerate men. Set forth Jesus Christ to declare his righte­ousness. It declared it indeed.

3. To dye] To dye, this we have in those words in the Text, Faith in his blood.

Object. Could not God have de­clar'd his righteousness, and his ha­tred of sin, and have kept up the re­pute of his Law; and have made that honourable in dispensing with it upon [Page 25] a less consideration? Would it not have been penalty enough, satisfacti­on enough▪ for Christ only to have taken upon him our nature, though he had lived as King of kings, atten­ded with Princes, Kings, and Empe­rors? Or, however, to have taken on him the form of a Servant, though he had not dyed? Or yet would it not have been enough if he had un­dergone some little part of his suffer­ing? Would not some one or few drops of his blood have sufficed, as those shed in his Circumcision? Some of the Ancients have spoken strange­ly concerning these things; but Pope Clement the sixth, most strangely: for by his Decretal-Epistle he hath de­termined this difficulty so rationally in the account of Canonists, that it is inserted into the body of the Ca­non-Law, Extrav. tit. Ʋnigenitus, viz. thus: One drop of Christs blood was enough to save the world; and therefore the over-plus of it is laid up in the Treasury of the Church, to be given out by the Popes, in Par­dons and Indulgences. But we are [Page 30] sure, God thought it not sufficient. By his blood is meant death. But yet there remains a seeming difficulty, which I never saw or heard endea­voured to be answered, except by the Pope, as I said; and therefore I shall be the more large in answering of it: and thus it lies: We are sure that God's becoming man was more than if all the men in the world had ceased to be: and then on the other hand, God was not so prodigal of his Sons blood, as to have poured it all out, if one drop would have served the turn, and answered the ends of Satisfaction for which it was shed.

Ans. I shall answer it plainly in these few Propositions.

1. Christ's Sufferings were not proper solution, a payment of the same; but a satisfaction: a refusable, though valuable consideration. His Sufferings were not an execution of the Law or Threat, but a Satisfaction that it might not be executed. See this more fully explained after­ward.

[Page 31]2. Satisfaction consists not in in­divisibili, in a Mathematical point, that we can say, Just so much is just, and no more.

3. Satisfactions being refusable payments, one may require more than a valuable consideration, without any injustice; yea, as much more, as wis­dom seems meet. If some useful mem­ber in a Commonwealth (as a man fit for a General) should commit some crime which he is to be banished for by the Laws of the Land, and some Noble-man should intercede to the Rector, the King, and offer himself to be whipped through the City to save this mans banishment; here, though the whipping of a Noble­man be a greater matter intrinsical­ly, and of greater value; yet if he (to keep up Law and Justice) should refuse to accept of this offer, here is nothing of injustice; yea, suppose five Nobles should then offer them­selves to be used in like manner, there is no injustice if he should say, I will not pardon him except ten Nobles will be thus treated to save his banish­ment: [Page 32] Here is nothing of injustice, because it is only a Satisfaction; it is refusable, and he may refuse in infini­tum, though a thousand should thus offer themselves.

4. Those are more honourable Sa­tisfactions, and do more answer the ends of Satisfactions, that are of greater value than the penalty it self: the greater the Satisfaction is, it doth by so much the more speak inexorable Justice, and shew how little ground offenders have for the future to ex­pect pardon and impunity.

5. Those are more honourable Satisfactions, & caeteris paribus, that keep as near as may be to the penal­ty threatned by the Law; because they represent the penalty more lively, and call it to mind more effe­ctually. As if the Noble-man him­self should be banished to save the others banishment, rather than be scourged or pay money. The known story of Zaleucus is worth relating here. This Zaleucus was King of the Locrians; and he designing the wel­fare and reformation of his people, [Page 33] makes many good Laws; amongst which this was one, That whosoever should commit Adultery, should lose both his eyes. The Prince and Heir apparent was found guilty; the King resolves to execute the Law on his Son; the people intercede in his be­half, (and no doubt would shew him a great necessity of dispensing with the Law; it would damage the Com­monwealth to have his Successor blind): At last overcome with their importunities, he finds out this expe­dient to keep up Law and Govern­ment; he put out one of his own and one of his Son's eyes. Suppose Za­leucus had cut off both his own arms, or had put out out one of his Son's eyes and cut off his own right hand, it would wonderfully have declared inexorable Justice, and they would have had little ground to have up­braided him with partiality; for there was some necessity to dispense with the Law, and it was done upon a dreadfully awing consideration; and his Subjects would have had very little encouragement to transgress in [Page 34] hope of relaxation of his Law for the future. But yet it more kept up the repute of the Law, when he did keep so near the very penalty of it self. Here were exacted two eyes, his own and Son's.

This is Answer enough to this Question. God, though he could for the reasons formerly mentioned, ad­mit of change of persons; yet he thought it not good in wisdom to ad­mit change of penalties; or however as little a change as was necessary for the main ends, that we might be sa­ved, and Christ overcome death and be compleatly a Redeemer. Death was threatned, and Death shall be in­flicted, and without blood there shall be no remission. Yea, Soul-death was threatned, and shall for some time be inflicted; and if man could not see Soul-suffering, yet Angels might; yea, and men might in some measure, by his crying out, by his sweating of clods of blood, and by his telling us of it, and God at­ [...]esting whatever he testified, by Mi­racles.

So that whatever intrinsecal value a little penalty inflicted on Christ might be of (which I have you see freely granted) yet God made ac­count, that a little penalty inflicted on Christ, would not be enough to declare his righteousness, but would have some great and wonderful suf­ferings, to awe the World, Men, and Angels; to declare his hatred of sin, and how difficulty he obtained of himself to dispense with his Law; and how little hope transgressors may have of impunity, that shall make their condition hopeless the second time, by refusing Christ and Mercy. God would have satisfaction to the purpose, plenteous redemption, a plenteous price of redemption, good measure, pressed down, shaken toge­ther, and running over. You see there is no inconveniency in saying, He hath received at the Lord Christ's hand double for all our sins. God will magnifie his Law, and make it ho­nourable for his righteousness sake, saith the Prophet. He means I sup­pose Isa. 42▪ 2 [...] in the punishing of transgres­sors; [Page 36] and indeed God hath magnifi­ed his Law, and made it honourable in this way of pardoning transgres­sors. All the Earth should be filled, and resound with the glory of this Justice.

Thus you see this part, He set him forth to dye. And under this head I will set before you these six Qualifi­cations or Modifications of his death.

1. He dyed a grievous painful death, that God might be just, &c. His whole life was indeed a conti­nued suffering of God, a continued abasement. It is observed, we read of his weeping, but never of his laughing. This I know doth not prove he never did laugh; and, sup­pose it did, it would not prove it un­lawful for us; for what was the pow­er and faculty given for? If for use, we are sure it was not to laugh at spiritual things. It may be he never did laugh; it is possible that never [...] was seen on that face that was t [...] be the cause of our joy, laughter and cheerfulness. He was ever and [Page 37] anon thinking of the bitter Cup he was to drink for our health. One of the bravest days that ever he saw in the days of his servitude, was the Transfiguration day, when Moses and Elias appeared with him in Glory; yet then it is added, and they talked of his decease.

His whole life was a life of sor­rows. Faith in his blood doth not exclude his obedience, and other parts of his sufferings; but all are comprehended under this most emi­nent part, which was most grievous and painful to body and soul.

1. His Body: What torments did that endure? What scourgings, pier­cings? and the exquisiteness of his bo­dily temperature and constitution, would augment his torture; He had not dulled and blunted his spirits and sense by intemperance.

2. His Soul: What punishment of sense was there on his Soul in his Ago­ny in the Garden; when he sweat as it were clods of blood, and com­plained, My soul is exceeding sorrow­ful unto death: and an Angel was fain [Page 38] to comfort him, when he cryed, Fa­ther, if it be possible let this cup pass: sure there were some dregs, some gall and wormwood in his cup. What punishment of loss, when he cryed out, Why hast thou for saken me? We hid as it were our faces from him▪ saith the Prophet; but this was a small matter in comparison of God's hiding his face. His Disciples forsook him, but he complains not of their forsa­king; but, why hast thou forsaken me? If it be asked, What need of soul-suffering, soul-trouble, was not bo­dily enough? It is answered already, God would have sufferings as near the same threatned as could be; would dispense as little with the Law as might be. How are the Socinians here upon the rack, when to give an account of his crying out and discom­posure beyond the ordinary rate of Martyrs, for they shouted and tri­umphed; since they maintain he suf­fered no otherwise, and on no other account than they did, only to attest the truth, and leave us an example of patience. They make his groaning [Page 39] heavier than his strokes, if he had no more of bitterness in his Cup than they.

2. A shameful death. God set him forth to a publick, notorious, shame­ful death, that he might be just, &c. It was at a solemn time, the Passover, when the Jews were come from all parts of the Land, and Proselytes and others from remote parts of the World, and at the most publike place Jerusalem. Then and there the God of Heaven was spit on, stripped▪ and whipt naked in the sight of the multi­tude, crucified before all Israel, and in the sight of the Sun. All Nations have as it were by consent agreed, that hanging on a tree, crucifying, should be the most contemptible death of the vil [...]st of Creatures, and vilest of men. Whom you s [...]w, and Acts 5. 20 hanged on a tree: the emphasis of the shame, is, hanged on a tree. So en­dured the Cross and despising the shame. It is a shame for a King [...]o suffer an ig­nominious death, how much more for God?

He suffered as a Malefactor, as a [Page 40] Traytor against Caesar his Prince, as a Blasphemer of his God, as a Decei­ver and Impostor. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and af­flicted. We (that is the generality of the people) esteemed him as one smit­ten for his own sins, justly condem­ned for his own sins; and so, far from taking away condemnation from o­thers. He was numbred with transgres­sors; accounted a wicked person, suf­fered with thieves, as being account­ed the fittest companion for them.

To live with i [...]famy is accounted worse than death. What is it then to dye with infamy? Many men could with less regret bear the pain of hanging, than the shame of it. He is insulted over in his miseries; nothing is so intolerable as shame to noble in­genuous spirits. He is scoffed at in all his Offices; as Priest, He saved others, himself he cannot save. As Prophet, Prophesie unto us who smo [...]e thee. This Deceiver, &c. As King, Hail King of the Jews. I am the reproach of men, Psal. 22 6 and despised of the people, was spoken not without cause of him in the type.

[Page 41]3. Cursed death; that God might be just, &c.] I must not leave this out, though I have an averseness to speak of things I do not well under­stand. And I must confess that I do not so clearly understand (as I do other things) what is meant by Curse, distinct from pain and shame. But I will tell you my thoughts of it: As Benedictio, blessing, as Amiraldus saith, seemeth to be the solemn de­claration of the good will of one su­periour in Power and Dignity. The Heb. 7. 7. less is blessed of the greater. So Ma­ledictio, [...], seemeth to be nothing else but a solemn declaration of the anger and displeasure of the Rector and higher Powers. So that every death that carrieth in it the tokens and marks of the displeasure of the higher Powers, may be called [...], a curse. This is it, that it be inflicted by the King for a fault; and there­fore a death of hanging on a Tree, which is inflicted for a fault, by the authority of the Higher Powers, be­ing a painful, and especially a shame­ful death (wherein the chief of [Page 42] punishment consists) is accounted a Curse by the consent of Nations.

That Curse which the Apostle al­ludeth to, seemeth to be only some Gal. 3. 10. ceremonial Curse, which was pro­nounced D [...]ut. 21. 23. on every one that hanged on a tree, (I suppose whether right­fully or wrongfully hanged) such a carkass was to be shunned in a special manner, and not to be buried with or­dinary burial, it may be. And this Ce­remonial Curse was by the wise fore­seeing Providence of God pronoun­ced on every one hanging on a Tree, that it might be typical of Christ, be­ing cursed with another kind of curse, in being hanged on a tree, with a mo­ral Curse, the Curse of the Moral Law, which was due to sinners. Cur­sed is he that continues not in all things written in the Law.

What a Curse did he bear in being made a curse for us? What millions of Talents of vengeance were in his cup? All the curses written in the Book of the Law (in a sense) fell on him; he was made [...], piaculum. The Son of God's dearest love be­came [Page 43] the subject of his Rectoral dis­pleasure, for us children of wrath, that we might becom objects of his favour.

4. An undeserved death of his own as for any fault. That God, &c. No guile was in his mouth. The Lamb without spot; in all things like us, yet without sin, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. By his knowledg shall my righteous servant justifie ma­ny. And the stress is laid here in righ­teous. He who knew no sin was made sin for us. He was not like the High Priest, who was first to offer for him­self, and then for the people. There­fore God ordained him to be born of a Virgin, by the Holy Ghost, that he Isa. 53. 4, 5. might be without sin. These seem to be opposed. We did esteem him smitten of God and afflicted; that is, smitten as an offender for his own faults, as being so far from taking away the curse from us, that he was cursed for his own sin. But, saith he, he was wounded for our transgressions. The Antithesis shews these to be inconsi­stent. The cause was just, contrary to what David pleaded, Let it be on [Page 44] me and on my Fathers house; but these sheep, what have they done? But here it may be said, The shepherd what hath he done, that laid down his life for his sheep, when the sheep only were in fault? All we like sheep have gone astray, a [...]d the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

And to speak here by way of anti­cipation, The Innocent suffering for the Guilty, should be so far from pre­judicing us against the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction to Justice, that on the contrary this alone maketh it satisfactory to right Reason; for had he himself been guilty, he had been in no capacity to pay a ransom for others. If he was bound to pay all he had, suffer all he could suffer for himself, How should he pay any thing for us, suffer any thing for us?

5. A willing voluntary death. That God might be just, &c. God set him forth▪ but yet by his own consent: He gave himself for our sins according to [...]al. 4. 1. the will of God and our Father. That which casts a stain and blemish upon [Page 45] the most Satisfactions we read of in humane Authors, and maketh them ingrateful unto us, is this, That either they did not undergo their sufferings for another willingly, as when they chastned the Infant-Prince's darling-Pages for his fault; or if they did undergo them willingly, they had not lawful authority and power to do so. For men have not that full power and authority over their lives and members, to give them a compensati­on for others, which they have over their money and estates. God hath not given them this power; and also Governours are under the Law of God, and so have not regularly au­thority to take away mens lives or members upon such commutations in­stead of others; therefore those Au­thors that thought men had full au­thority over their lives and members, do hugely commend the act of Zaleu­chus in putting out one of his own eyes; and were it not for this obstru­ction, we should commend it as one of the bravest acts of Justice mixed with prudence, in those circumstan­ces, [Page 46] that ever was. Now both these difficulties are removed here.

1. Christ had power and authori­ty over his own life: I have power, [...], I have authority to lay down John 10. 18. my life, and authority to take it up a­gain. He had authority over his own life (as other men have not) being God. And further, we are sure the Father gave him leave.

2. He willingly undertook this task of dying a Propitiation for sin­ners. Burnt-offering thou wouldst not; then said I, Lo I come, I delight to do thy will, O God. I lay down my life for my sheep, no man taketh it from me (a­gainst John 10. 16 my consent), I lay it down of my self. It was a voluntary Sacrifice, a Free-will-Offering: He was the Priest himself, offered himself by the eternal Spirit, though the Jews were the Butchers. Thinkest thou not (saith he to Peter smiting off of Malchus's ear) that I cannot now pray my Fa­ther, and he shall send me more than twelve legions of Angels? He gave Pilate no answer, as if afraid of hin­dering his own Sufferings. Had he [Page 47] spoken as he could have done, as one having authority, he could with few words have daunted Pilate's heart, and caused his own release. But, he went as a Lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before the shearer he was dumb, and opened not his mouth. So that Pi­late is impatient at his patience, angry at his silence: Answerest thou not? When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatned not. Had 1 Pet. 2▪ 23. he but threatned, he might have for­ced his own dismission.

Two things can only be objected here against his willingness.

1. His great natural averseness: Father, if it be possible, &c. He fear­ed this Cup.

Ans. In speaking of his Humane Nature (there is no difficulty about his Divine) we must distinguish with the School-men, thus: There is vo­lunt as ut natura, and voluntas ut ratio. There is the natural will or inclinati­on, and the rational will: according to this natural will he desired to es­cape this death, Nature abhorring things destructive to its self: But by [Page 48] his rational will, for God's honour, and our redemption, he willingly sub­mitted to it. Aquinas instanceth thus: A Man according to his natural will desires to avoid a bitter potion, and the lancing or cutting off of any Member; and yet by his rational will, he consenteth to these for the good of the whole. And this is most properly to be called the will. Quod quisque mavult▪ id maxime proprie vult. This natural willingness and averse­ness in him doth commend and ad­vance the meritoriousness of Christ's willingness as Mediator and merciful High Priest; and not at all proves his unwillingness, in the properest sense of the word.

2. Here may also be objected: He was for the most part careful to secure himself from the Jews treacheries and injuries, and sometimes fled.

Ans. This doth not prove his un­willingness to suffer, at all; but only his chusing the fittest time and hour, and his reserving himself for the time and place appointed by the Father: And he used to say before, that his [Page 49] hour was not yet come. But consider how he carried himself when his hour was come, and he knew it was come. Now before the feast of the Passeover, Joh. 13. 1. when Jesus knew that his hour was come that▪ he should depart out of this World to the Father: Then he prepareth his Disciples, These words spake Jesus, and Joh. 17. 1, 4. lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Fa­ther, the hour is come, Glorifie thy Son; I have finished my work, now glorifie Ver. 4. me with thy own self. Jesus knowing all things that should come upon him, Joh. 18 4. went forth (to Judas and his band of Soldiers) and said unto them, Whom seek you? they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am He. They went backward and fell to the ground. He that threw them to the ground, could have thrown them in­to hell; but he suffers them to rise a­gain, offers himself, and saith, Whom seek you? They said, Jesus of N [...]zareth: Jesus answered, I have told you, that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these (Disciples) go away. He had care of them, to keep them out of cruel hands, while he willingly yielded up himself. [Page 50] He was straitned, till it was accom­plished.

Now the main of the Socinian Ob­jections fly before this, as dry leaves before the wind.

One may thus rhetorize in object­ing with them. What? shall not the just Judg of all the Earth do right? Will he s [...]y the righteous with the wicked? However, will he slay the righteous, and let the wicked escape? Or, which is worse, Will he slay the righteous for the wicked, by punish­ing the just for the unjust? Now that he underwent it willingly, answers all this. God hath made a Law that the Son shall not be put to death for the Father, much less one Stranger for an­other. Therefore this maketh it ordi­narily sinful among men, to give such, or for the Magistrate to accept such commutations, because God hath de­prived them of this power. But shall we say, His ways are unequal, because not like or above our ways; or that that is necessarily unlawful to God, which he hath made so to us? Say they, this would declare Gods un­righteousness, [Page 51] to set forth an Inno­cent Propitiation for the Nocent. It would do so indeed, to punish the In­nocent for the Nocent, except he chuse it. All see it is not injustice to demand debts of a bonds-man, a sure­ty; for God hath given men power over their estates; and he willingly undertook it. I grant, it is ordinarily unlawful to offer to be, or to except sureties, and undertakers for others with lives or members; but the reason is, because God hath not given men this power; otherwise it would be all one. Therefore there is no inju­stice, in his life going for ours. He had right and authority so to dispose of his life, as we have not, and he willingly undertook it. If God was wroth with his beloved Son, it was from his own Choice and underta­king, through his love to us. Father, lay not the punishment on these my ene­mies and thine, I will bear it; If thou wilt be paid it have Satisfaction; pour out thy wrath on me that can satisfie, not on them that cannot, but by their eter­nal and utter sinking under it.

6. A Death of infinite Value. If Gods justice do require a Satisfacti­on, it will not be put off with a meer shew or colour of one; or with a partial, lame, defective one; but it must be commensurate and proporti­onable to the infinitely hainous and numberless sins and provocations of Men, and to the justice of God; and so it must be of infinite dignity and value. Now the death of Christ was of infinite value; Infinite in satisfa­ction, but not in duration; for if in duration, then the expiation would never have been made and perfected, and so we should never have been re­deemed. He should then (and so we) have ever remained under the power of death and condemnation: for, the utmost farthing would never have been paid. It would have been un­worthy of Christ; it would have been unprofitable for us, and it was not ne­cessary for satisfaction, for Christ to have undergone pains infinite in du­ration, But his sufferings being actu­ally infinite in merit, do more than equal a suffering only infinite in du­ration; [Page 53] for that would never have been actually infinite.

Sins against God naturally deserve (and therefore God threatens) infi­nite punishment; for Sins are increa­sed according to the greatness of the person against whom the offence is committed. They have not only rejected thee, b [...]t rejected me, saith God, as a greater matter; and it is brought in as a great aggravation to speak evil of Dignities; and in our Law a Scanda­lum magnatum, is a greater matter than the scandalizing of our Equals: Therefore Sin is of infinite demerit, being against an infinite God. And hence it follows, that the punishment of Sin, must either be infinite in the extremity and greatness▪ or in the du­ration. Now to speak naturally: Rea­son and Justice, considering the ends of punishment in Moral Govern­ment, would immediately urge, Let it, if it can, be infinite in the great­ness, weight and gravity, that the of­fender (having satisfied in suffering) might work again. But human nature being finite, is not capable of such [Page 54] infinite punishment; and upon this account it was necessary that it should be infinite in the extensiveness and duration, because a finite Creature is not capable of punishment infinite in intensiveness and greatness. But now when Christ suffered for us, he underwent punishment infinite in magnitude and greatness. But still this infinity is to be estimated not from the intensiveness and greatness of the pu­nishments themselves, which human Nature (and so Christ's human Na­ture) was not capable of; but from the dignity of the person that suffered them. Just as sin that is finite in its own nature, coming from a finite crea­ture, becomes infinite by being com­mitted against an infinite Majesty: So the punishments of Christ, (being in their own nature finite) became infi­nite in their value and satisfaction, by the infinite dignity of the person suf­fering. And the stress (as I have told you before) is still laid on this, in Scripture; the dignity of the person, that he was God that suffered. And this very consideration of his death [Page 55] being infinite in value and recom­pence, and not in duration, doth pre­vent such a difficulty as could not be answered. For, had our Redeemer been to continue for ever, under this condemnation of those he suffered for, this might have made the Chri­stian Religion less rational and credi­ble; it would have been such an un­accountable excess of charity, to de­stroy himself eternally to save others, But God knew, and Christ knew, he could so wrestle with death and con­demnation as to overcome, and that it would not be an utter losing one worth ten thousand of the guilty in saving them; which would have been a thing unaccountable, to be either done, or permitted to be done, by the King and Governour of the World: but his Sufferings were to be to him an entrance into Glory, and the ob­taining a Name above every Nature.

Thus of this Third Head to die and manner of this Death.

4. A Propitiation. Died a Propi­tiation, [Page 56] for Sin and Sinners; that is implied, yea, signified in the very word Propitiation, that it was for Sin and Sinners. Propitiation, [...] this is the word the Septuagint use to express the Mercy-seat by: The word we translate Mercy-seat, is, [...] which coming from [...] which signi­fieth to hide, and in Piel to expiate and propitiate, this word coming from it doth so too. It signifieth Oper­cuium, tegumentum, and placamentum, piamentum, a cover or hiding, and an Expiation, or Propitiation; to make God propitious, reconciled, and fa­vourable. Now this Mercy-seat, this Operculum Propitiatorium, was a co­ver of pure Gold laid over the Ark of the Covenant, just the dimensions of the Ark, the length and breadth of it. Two cubits and a half the length, and one cubit and a half the Exod 35. 10, 17. breadth of either of them, as you ma [...] see. We read nothing of the thickness of this Propitiatory Cover; but some R [...]bbins say it was of one Palm. And this Ark▪ which this co­vered, ver. 16. had in it the Law; and so this Mercy-seat or Propitiatory that [Page 57] covered the Ark wherein was the Law, typified and signified, Jesus Christ fully covering our sins (being transgressions of the Law) out of Gods sight; the Righteousness and Satisfaction of Christ being as broad, and as long, as the Law and our trans­gressions of it. Above the Mercy­seat, on either side, were the Cheru­bims, and the Majesty of God appea­red between the Ceerubims: Christ interposeth between God and his Law, to make him propitious to his People. From above the Mercy-seat Ver. 22. between the two Cherubims will I meet thee and commune with thee. So you see, this Mercy-seat, this Cover of Gold typified Christ, the true Pro­pitiatory, or Mercy-seat, covering out of God's sight all our Transgres­sions of the Law, and God through him meeting with us, and made propi­tious and reconciled to us. And here now, Christ is called by the name of his own type, as often elsewhere, when he is called the Lamb and Lamb slain; and so called the Propitiatory, or Propitiation, God having made [Page 58] him really that to us, which that did but typifie.

Christ was made an Expiation and Ransom, and Propitiation for Sins; for these things the Hebrew word signifies.

Here now, under this Head, I will make it my business irrefragably to prove to you, what I have taken hitherto almost for granted.

1. He died not for Himself; He was the Lamb without spot; as in­deed he that was to wash away o­thers spots, was to be without spot Himself. Messiah cut off, but not for himself.

2. He could not die but for some Sin; Death befalleth not Men, as Men, but as Sinners. The Apostle proveth all to be Sinners, because all die? else it was impossible in justice. God Act. 2. 24 raised him up, having loosed the pains of death; for it was not pos­sible he should be holden of it; Death being but the Servant of God's Ju­stice, and Christ having satisfied Ju­stice, it could not but let go its hold. He could not but be taken from prison [Page 59] and from judgment. We may use the same argument: it was impossible, Death could not have taken hold of Him at all, had it not been for Sin.

3. It remains therefore that he died for our sins, according to the Scri­pture; for none else come in compe­tition. None will pretend He died for the Sins of Angels, good or bad, or of Brutes which are not capable of sin. Was delivered to death for our sins. Bore the sins of many. Gave himself for us, that he might redeem us. The professed Adversaries of this Doctrine (the Socinians) will grant, He died in some sense for our Sins. Therefore, How died he for our Sins?

1. He died for our Sins so as to turn us from them, this is truth; but this is, as they suppose, all, and they will grant no more: But we must go further.

2. He died for our Sins, as a meri­torious deserving cause of his Death. For the transgression of my people was he smitten. Wounded for our trans­gressions. Isa. 53. Rom. 4. 25. Delivered to death for our sins. So that if it be asked, What [Page 60] meaneth the heat of this great anger? wherefore was he thus wounded? We must answer, He was wounded for our transgressions. We have pierced him, this hath been by our means; we have ate sowre grapes, and his teeth were set on edg; the Children ate sowre grapes, and the everlasting Father's teeth were set on edg.

3. He died for our sins; in our place and stead, that we might not perish for them. In our place and stead for expiation, for satisfaction, for compensation; though not in such an un [...]ound irrational sense as some pre­tend, and I shall have occasion to speak of hereafter in a more conve­nient place.

I shall prove this, first, from express Scriptures; second, from the peculi­arity of his Death; third, from the Sacrifices that typified Him.

1. From express Scriptures, in three Instances.

1. We often read of his Sufferings for our fins, [...], This man af­ter he had [...]ffered one sacrifice for sins. Heb. 1. 12 Gal. 1. 4. Who gave [...]imself for our sins. Now [Page 61] this word translated, for, may signi­fie only the final cause, as to turn us from them: But words must be un­derstood secundum subjectam materi­am, according to the subject matter, and in such speeches the subject mat­ter will not bear that sense. We ne­ver read in Scripture (or any where else) of one dying and suffering for sins; but it is for them as the merito­rious cause of the sufferings, as some compensation for the fault; as when he saith, I will punish you for your ini­quities. And, Israel suffered for the sins of Jeroboam.

2. We often read of his Suffering for persons. I lay down my life for my sheep. Redeemeth us from the curse Joh. 10. 17. Gal. 3. 17. of the Law, being made a curse for us. [...], and the usual sense of this is, in­stead of another. As Paul could wish himself accursed for his brethren. Yet I know this phrase [for another] may in some instances signifie only the final cause, only for their good, and not in their stead. A man may be said to die for his Country (only as the final cause) for their good; and to lay [Page 62] down his life for his brother, only for his good, to save his life.

But it is not capable of such a nar­row sense, when one dieth for another as a sinner, as an offender. Now we read of Christ's dying, the just for the unjust; there it must be meant in his stead. And, when sinners, he died for us. And, Hs who knew no sin was made sin; that is, a Sin-offer­ing for us The word [...] and [...], are the words the Septuagint ex­press a Sin-offering by: called in Hebr. [...] and [...]. So that place, Rom. 8. 3. (which, as it is transla­ted is scarce sence) should have been translated, God sending his own Son in the likeness of [...]inful flesh, and a Sin-offering, [...], condemned [...]a in the flesh, as the same words are well translated, Heb. 10. 6. In Burnt-offering and Sacrifice for sin. [...], thou hast no plea­sure. And so again vers. 8.. It is good sense to say, such a one died for his Country, as in the Warrs, only to denote the final cause, for the good of his Country. But be­cause Men go not into the Warrs, because of their faults, neither are they killed in the Warrs ordinarily for any fault; Men die not in the Warrs as Male­factors, but as Soldiers: It would not be sense to use such speeches, He died for his Country though an innocent man; it would be a frigid, sapless, [Page 63] dilute manner of speaking; for here would be no Opposition in it. But you see, He who knew no sin was made sin for us. We esteemed him smitten of Isa. 53. God. But he was wounded for our sins, 2 Cor. 5. 15. &c. Because we thus judg, if one dyed for all, then were all dead, and he dyed for all, &c. This place would not be true, if one interpret, dying for all, only for the good of all, not in their stead. For it would not be true argu­ing, If Christ died for the good of all, then were all dead. But this way that I am speaking of, is good and cogent. If in the stead and room of all, they all were judicially dead.

Again, the word used in the Origi­nal [for us] is not only [...], which may, when there is fit subject matter, signifie only the final cause; but it is also [...], which (as Grotius well ob­serves) always imports either contra­riety or commutation: and it can by no means signifie contrariety, there­fore it signifies commutation, compen­sation. He gave himself, [...], a ransom for many; like, [...] Mat. 20. 28. [...]. i. e. vice. So [...]. And [Page 64] they were called [...], who de­voted themselves to death in the stead of others.

3. He is said in many places to re­deem us. Gave himself for us, that he 2 Tit. 2. 14. might redeem us from our iniquities. To ransom us: to be a [...], a ransom. He gave himself [...], a ransom for all. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Now the proper import of redeem, and such words, is by way of price. And what if (as they object) the word re­deem sometime be used Metaphorical­ly, for our deliverance from any evil, whether with price, or without; for redemption by power; as when he saith, I will redeem you with stretched­out arm, and with great judgment; Doth it therefore follow, that it can possibly so signifie redemption by power, when we are said to be re­deemed with price, and bought with a price, and with a price of great value? and when we are told with what price we are redeemed, Not with cor­ruptible things, as silver and gold, but 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Act. 20. 28. with the precious blood of Christ. And when we read it was done, by bearing the punishment due unto us; His own [Page 65] self bare our sins in his body on a tree?

2. This is plainly proved by the peculiarity of his Death. We will readily grant, He died for us, as none in the world else ever died for us; therefore not only for our good. Socinus and his Followers tell us, that Christ having taught as a Prophet sent from God, a Doctrine of holi­ness and piety, and that they that im­brace it, believe, repent, return, shall be saved notwithstanding all their former sins; He died only to con­firm the truth of his Doctrine, and to leave the world an example of pati­ence and submission, courage in suffer­ing; but not for expiation, & satisfacti­on. Certainly, Christ did some singular thing by his Death; and if this be all, we may ask, What singular thing hath he done? Have not all Martyrs done the same by their Death? they taught true Doctrine, and died to give Wit­ness to the Truth, and to encourage us in sufferings. Did not the Apostles do the same? the Apostle speaketh of his sufferings for their good, in Col. 1. 24. this sense, Who now rejoyce in my suf­ferings for you, for the Church. There­fore [Page 66] I endure all things for the Elects 2 Tim. 2. 10. sake, that they also may obtain the Sal­vation by Jesus Christ. And yet he speaketh it with abhorrence; Was Paul crucified for you? Do we suffer 1 Cor. [...]1. 13. for you in the sense that Christ suffer­ed for you, as a Satisfaction? as an Expiation? And if this be all the meaning of our Redemption by his blood, and Justification by his blood; then we may as well say, We are re­deemed and justified by the blood of Martyrs; however as really, though not fully; his death and sufferings being at most but a greater attestation of the truth, and encouragement of us in our suffering for it.

If Christ died only for the Confir­mation of the Gospel which he prea­ched, and for our encouragement and imitation in suffering for the truth; we may say, Where is the Lamb for the Burnt-offering? We are guilty, and want atonement; Captives, and want a ransom. If we should look on Christ's Death (as one saith) through Socinus his Spectacles, we should look on it as neither satisfactory to [Page 67] God nor us; we have yet no help meet for us, there is no days-man be­tween us; he that was to come, is not come; And yet, we look not for ano­ther.

3. I shall prove it from the Sacri­fices under the Old Testament, which typified and shadowed out these things. The Law had a shadow of good Heb. 10. 1, 2. things to come; not the very image; implying Christ's Sacrifice was the very reality. The blood of Bulls and Goats could not expiate moral guilt; but only shadowed out that which could do it. Every Priest standeth dai­ly Heb. 10. 11, 12. ministring and offering often times the same Sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins, &c. They were but dumb shews of this Tragedy to be acted. Consider these three things.

1. These Sacrifices did take away, did expiate typical guilt (in some sense,) took away the typical punish­ment of being excluded the congre­gation and society, and such tempo­ral punishment as was to be inflicted [Page 68] by God or Man, for such faults as they were appointed Offerings for: For the Apostle saith, The blood of bulls and goats did sanctifie thus far, to the purifying of the flesh: Now by sancti­fie, he meaneth expiate, (which will appear by perusing how this Author useth this word in other places of that Epistle) and not taking away the fault it self. But these Sacrifices were Heb. 9. 14 Lev. 10. 14 but only typical of that, which took away the eternal punishment and moral guilt and obligation. Now since these typical Sacri [...]ices were expiato­ry, satisfactory in respect of typical guilt, What similitude can there be? what relation of Types can they have, if Christ's offering up Himself was no expiation for real moral guilt? for Types were not ordained for their own sakes, but for the sake of those things they did shadow out. Why would God put them upon ty­pical propitiatory Sacrifices, if they did signifie nothing of real Propitia­tion?

2. The Sacrifices were offered in Men's stead, in the Sinners stead, to [Page 69] make atonement for his Soul, for his Life, that he died not for such typi­cal guilt, He shall put his hand on the Lev. 1. 4. head of the Burnt-offering, and it shall be accepted for him. They were offer­ed for Man's good indeed; but how for his good? why, in his stead? When a man was to die they died for him, and he was kept alive. And that which yet maketh it more plain is this, because in capital offences, where men were absolutely to die without remedy, there were (as is well observed by many) no private Sacrifices instituted, because the man himself was to die for his fault, and so a beast could not die in his stead. And if Sacrifices were only offered for the good of Men, and not by way of compensation, and expiation, in their stead, What possible reason can be given, why no Sacrifices were to be offered for them that were to be taken away out of the land of the living?

3. Now Christ is called our Sacri­fice, Walk in love, as Christ also hath Eph. 5. 2. loved us, and hath given himself for us, an Offering and Sacrifice to God, for a [Page 70] sweet smelling savour. He alludeth to the expression of the Old Testament, where God is said to smell a sweet sa­vour, or a savour of rest in their Sacri­fices. He is called (as was said be­fore) Gen. 8. 21 Lev. 1. 9. by the name of his own Types, Lamb without spot. Behold the Lamb, [...], the Lamb of God; the eminent Lamb, the true propitiatory Lamb indeed that did that in reality, which others but represented, that did really take away, and expiate the sins of the World. So he is called our Passeover.

I will here answer two Objections more before I pass to another general head.

Object. But can one satisfie him­self? Christ was God (and so the par­ty offended) as well as Man.

Answ. Passing by what may co­lourably be said upon consideration of the distinctions of Persons? I answer,

1. Do we not read of God recon­ciling the World to himself. God was 2 Cor. 5. 19. the Agent in it, and this he could not do but by finding out some way to sa­tisfie [Page 71] and propitiate himself, that he might not impute their sins.

2. Did not Zaleucus in part help to satisfie his own Law by his own suffering, losing one of his own eyes (as we heard in the story fore-menti­oned)? And this is not accounted an imprudent act, but commended high­ly by the Authors that relate it, as a worthy noble act, and expedient; and I told you, we have only one thing to object against it, which cannot be ob­jected here.

3. Tell me, O vain dark man, that wouldst teach God, that repliest a­gainst God, What way was there else possible? Think a little on that: What way so ever you will pro­pound, as suppose, of less satisfacti­on (by some meer creature), or no satisfaction; you may see the reason why you like it better, is, because you have not the hatred of Sin, and love of Holiness, and care of Law and Justice, that God hath: nor in­deed such as you ought to have; or else you must say, You would have had God suffer Mankind remedilesly [Page 72] to perish; and then it is because you have not that love to Mankind that God and Christ had: And this last is the most seeming rational ground of our offence; and surely we will easi­ly be prejudiced against, and offended with, what God doth, when God displeaseth us, because he did not leave us irrecoverably to perish with­out remedy. O curvae in terris animae & caelestium manes? O the crooked mind ef dark man!

Object. But some have objected, It is impossible; one cannot suffer for another. I have already answered what can be objected about the inju­stice, but here the impossibility is objected.

Answ. 1. God's ways are above our ways and understandings. Shall we say that is impossible, which he hath said he hath done, because we cannot understand it?

2. It is not oriously possible. God's forbidding Men to punish one for an­other, argueth the thing possible; he would not forbid impossible things. The Heathens knew it very [Page 73] possible, we may see, by their offer­ing up the fruit of their body, for the sin of their soul.

3. It is so highly possible, that it hath been and is common amongst Men. How common is the translati­on of punishment from one to ano­ther; as in Hostages, and men un­dertaking to bring out the offender? liable to the mulct of the offender. Solomon writeth much about avoi­ding suretiship, because, the debter failing, he must pay. Which takes it for granted as a thing common.

4. If the Papists, who yet would not be accounted Socinians (and ma­ny of them are not) should scoff at this doctrine of Justification by Christ's Righteousness and Satisfa­ction, as absurd, impossible (as some of them do); you may tell them how shamefully they contradict them­selves, and grant it eminently possi­ble by their proclaiming a Justificati­on by the merits and sufferings of Saints. Saint Francis his Wounds, and Becket's Blood; yea, the Virgin's Milk will justifie Men; yea, the [Page 74] scourgings and severities, and good deeds of Men of their religious Or­ders, will so stand Men in stead, as if they had done those things themselvs: And yet some of them can make lit­tle or nothing of Christ's Death.

5. To declare his Righteousness, [...], is, to declare plainly his Righteousness. There is such a rectitude in God's Na­ture as causeth him to hate sin, and in­clineth him to punish it; and this na­tural justice inclineth him to punish fin in the person that commits it; but yet not as fire burneth, that cannot do otherwise; but this inclination (or this which we must conceive as analogical to an inclination) is sub­ject to his wisdom, and orderable by it. And this Oeconomy or dispensati­on concerning a Satisfaction, was as Governour and Rector of the world, that he might not dishonour Himself in pardoning, to secure the glory of his Justice, which would otherwise have been aspersed by sins impunity, and to please himself in displaying the glory of his Attributes. God is [Page 75] just, and this was an act of justice, governing justice, to declare at this time, &c. We are prone to think, that this time of the Gospel was only a time of love, grace, and compassion to sinners; but we see it was also a time of Demonstration of Justice, of the strictest justice, and most inflexi­ble holiness and hatred of sin. He hereby sheweth how little he respect­eth persons, that if the dearest Son of his love will intercede, undertake for the pardon of sinners, He shall pay dear for it. Here is inexorable Ju­stice indeed. There were indeed for­mer demonstrations of God's justice, in the Destruction of the Old World; Overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Babylonian Captivity; but never any like this at this time, to vin­dicate his injured Law and Honour before Men and Angels. It is natural to God to have a regard to himself, to his own honour and concernment, that he make not himseif contemptible slighted as a patron of sin, or no great en [...] to it: And as Rector it beho­ [...] assert his Majesty, and [Page 76] keep up the repute of his Law and Government. How unworthy is it of a Rector, by impunity and indulgence, to seem to have a confederacy with the breakers of his Law? Though he pardon offenders, yet it must be in such a way as there may be no ground of suspition, as if he was pleased with sin, become such a one as themselves, or not highly displea­sed with the violators of his Law; it must be upon dreadfully-awing honourable terms. What can you imagin Christ's Death was a compen­sation for, or a satisfaction unto; but to those high and glorious Attributes of his Wisdom, Justice and Holiness? that saving the honour of these, he might pardon and advance to dignity rebells against Heaven, upon their re­turning to their subjection and allegi­ance; that the honour and credit of these might be maintained, and yet the offenders not perish. And this atroci­ous death of the Son of God for sin, did do God great honour in the face of the Sun, and of the World: did assert his holiness and ha [...] [Page 77] proclaim his Righteousness, and is a loud Thunder-clap of terror against such as shall again a second time, and after such hope brought in, undo themselves: And by this, all the di­shonour that would have come to God, by pardoning submitting and yielding enemies and rebells, is clear­ed and wiped off, and the repute of the Law as well secured and kept up, and offenders (considerate) no more imboldened to sleight Him, and his Laws, and Threats, by looking on him as no great enemy to sin; than if the penalty had been executed upon all Men for ever. I shall add no more here, because I have prevented my self in speaking largely of this before.

6. That God might be just, and a justifier of faln man, that God might be just and merciful.

1. That God might be just: it would not be sense to stop here; for, God would have been just without this Propitiation, inflicting the punish­ment on sinners themselves; but then he would have been meerly just, and no justifier of faln man; because man [Page 78] could never have satisfied; he would have been always paying, and yet the debt always to pay still; so that there could never have been any Justification of sinners.

2. But that he might be just, and a justifier, He set out Christ a Propitia­tion for the remission of sins. Here you see two causes of Christ's death. The love of God to Man one, and the justice of God the other. He was induced to this amazing act by his Philanthropy, his love of man, and zeal of justice. He so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed on him, might not perish, but might have everlasting life. And here his justice did not swallow up his Mercy, nor his Mercy his Ju­stice, but they are of quite distinct considerations. Here is a loud Testi­mony of his Love to us, and love to his Law and Justice; of love to us, that Christ should die rather than we perish; and of love to his Law and Justice, in that he hereby took or­der that they should not be injured by his pardoning of us.

Yet observe well here, (for the un­derstanding of the things, I have spo­ken of, and shall speak of, depend much upon it) that this love was not the love of Complacency or Recto­ral love; for that is, and was, the fruit of Christ's Death; but a love of pity, such as was consistent with Rectoral and Legal hatred. Zaleucus might lawfully have a love of pity to his Son, before his invented Satisfa­ction; but Rectoral wrath and ha­tred: He was bound in honour as a iust Rector to execute the Law, to keep it sacred and unblemished; and this restrained his natural pity, from doing an injury to justice. And this Love that I am speaking of, was the Love of one that was bound in ho­nour and justice to be an enemy, as things stood; but yet of one willing to find out some way, that he might, with safety to his honour and justice, be a friend, as Governour; that is, might justly not inflict the penalty. Thus you see the love of Pity that sent Christ, was not the fruit of Christs Death: But his love of Complacency, [Page 80] his justifying love, Pardoning love, Rectoral love, that is the fruit of his Death.

7. Justifier of Sinners, of faln Man, that is implied in the word Propitiation and remission of sin, and in the whole texture of the words. And here I will shew you, he died for Justification of the greatest of sin­ners, upon their acceptance of him; yea, and of sinners then long since dead.

1. For the Pardon and Justification of the greatest Sinners, worst of Men, whose throat was an open Sepulcher, and their feet swift to shed blood; as is expressed before, in this Chap­ter. The greatest Sins cannot ex­ceed the price paid; for they are but the Sins of Man: but the Sufferings were the Sufferings of God. They that were guilty of the hainousest act that ever the Sun saw, of that horrid act of Crucifying Christ; upon their repentance, and being pricked in their hearts, were forgiven; as we read in the Acts of the Apostles.

2. For the Pardon and Justification [Page 81] of Sinners, then dead before Christ's death, God now declareth his righ­teousness in the remission of those past sins. Whether all those that were justified and saved under the Old Testament, did know of this to come satisfaction, or not, I do not now dispute. But this is plain (whether they knew of it or not) they were not justified and saved without God's having respect to this to come Propitiation; it was by vir­tue of this which is now declared. It is now declared to Men and An­gels, that it was upon the account of the Satisfaction intended and pro­mised. They were justified by vir­tue of Satisfaction designed and un­dertaken by Christ, and in due time to be exacted and paid; but through the forbearance of God, the exact­ing of the price for sins past and fore-committed, was deferred till the time of the Gospel. A Merito­rious cause is a Moral cause; and for a Moral cause to operate and have its effect, it is not necessary that it do exist, it sufficeth that it [Page 82] have an Esse cognitum, a beeing in knowledg. A man may be properly said to have bought that which he hath not yet paid for, and may have the actual benefit of his purchase; if he hath undertaken the payment, and the other accepts of, and rests satisfied with his promise and un­dertaking. Grotius lib. de Satisf. thus interpreteth this place, remission of sins past. And it seemeth probable enough to be the meaning of this difficult place, Sanguis Christi profuit, ante­quam fuit. Both the Ancients were, and we are saved by Christ; and God hath now set him forth a Pro­pitiation for those past sins. And in­deed till Christ thus came, the Satis­faction was not paid, but through the forbearance of God, thus served the turn, that it was undertaken, and promised, and typified, and repre­sented by the Sacrifices and Types which shadowed it out; but the Truth, Reality, and true Sacrifice, came not till Christ. And God did forbear to inflict wrath on them, because he should at length have [Page 83] satisfaction; and now he declareth his Righteousness in exacting the prefigured Satisfaction. They drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, which Rock was Christ. Hence it is not improbably concluded by some, that he is called, The Lamb slain from the founda­tion of the world. Yet I rather encline to them that read it— written from the foundation of the world in the book of the Lamb slain. Because in the same Book, we read, Rev. 17. 18. Whose names were not writ­ten in the book of life from the foundation of the world. Rev. 13. 8. comparing it with that place, 1 Pet. 1. 19, 20. Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without spot, who ve­rily was fore-ordained before the foun­dation of the world, but was mani­fested in these last times, &c. Heb. 9. 15. The Apostle speaking of Christ's Sacrifice, saith, It was for the expiation of transgressions under the old Covenant; and (H [...]b. 9 6.) teacheth us by undeniable conse­quence, that the virtue of Christ's death reached to them before Christ; for he proveth, that Christ need not (and so shall not be offered often) be offered again to the end of the [Page 84] world; with this argument, Because he was not often offered from the beginning of the world: which rea­son of his, leaneth upon this implied foundation, That the death of Christ was as necessary for, and as influential into the salvation of those in the Ages before Christ, as in th [...]se Ages after his death. Col. 1. 20. And (having made peace by the blood of his Cross) by him to recon­cile all things to himself: by him, I say; whether they be things in Hea­ven, or things in the Earth. By things in Heave [...] cannot be meant Angels (as some y [...]t hold); for if we should grant, that their confirmati [...]n was from Christ [...] as Mediator, which yet seems harsh; for who will say, if A­dam had stood, his confirmation should have been from Christ? Vas­ques and Becanus seem fully to prove the contrary against other School­men, by such Arguments as these. 1. [...]t is virtually to say▪ They should not have had their confir­mation except Man had faln; or else, that he should have been sent a Me­diator [Page 85] without Man's fall. 2. Christ died for all those for whom he was Mediator, or merited any thing for▪ And the Apostle seemeth to assert the contrary, by that phrase, [...], he did not take hold of, or relieve Angels (for so learned men observe the word signifies). But should all this be granted, yet they were not reconciled by Christ; for that implieth enmity: but here he saith, that he might reconcile all things to himself, whether things in Heaven, &c. It seems very probable, that by things in Heaven are meant the Patri­archs and ancient Saints before dead. That place, Gal. 3. 16, 17. is most ex­press; first▪ That there was a Law of Grace, called the Covenant or Pro­mise, confirmed or enacted of God in Christ with faln man; the tenour whereof was this, That all sincerely obedient believers, such as Abraham was▪ should be saved and blessed. 2. That this was made by God in Christ, before the giving of the Law by Moses.

8. Lastly, That he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus; or, that is of the faith of Jesus, [...], that is, of the Christian faith.

God set not forth Christ to dye meerly for this end, that Sinners might be justified without any more ado, only be sinners. Some have said, Be but sure of this, that you are sin­ners, and you may believe you are justified. The immediate effect of this Satisfaction, as satisfaction, and which is an essential consequent of a satisfaction to Justice, is only this, That, that obstacle being removed, he might be left at liberty to act in the pardon of sinners, in what way, and upon what terms he pleased. The immediate effect is, That God might be just, though he should par­don sinners; that he might pardon salvá justitiá; not that he must par­don them, come what will of it; or be unjust: not that sinners should ipso facto be pardoned, the price be­ing undertaken or paid, and accept­ed. The Justice of God, as a flaming [Page 87] sword, obstructed all treating with us upon any terms of reconciliation whatsoever; and this would have been an eternal barr to all influen­ces and effluxes of favour and bounty whatsoever. Now this Ju­stice being satisfied (as I have be­fore made out) and this barr and obstacle removed, Divine Grace and Benignity is left at liberty freely to act how it pleaseth, and in what way, and upon what terms and conditions it thinketh meet.

Object. Here the Antinomians ob­ject, What do you talk of terms and conditions? Is it not injustice to refuse immediately to justifie the Party? immediately to pardon and acquit the offender, for whom the price was paid? And is it not inju­stice to set them terms and conditi­ons of their benefit by the price paid for their justification and sal­vation, so as without the perform­ance of them they shall have no be­nefit by the said price?

Ans. It is not injustice. That which misleadeth men, and maketh them think otherwise, is, their look­ing on God as if he was properly a Creditor, whereas he is Gover­nour; and sins are not properly debts owing to God, but so called metaphorically, because in some things alike they subject us to dan­ger and trouble, as debts do; and they look upon sinners as Debtors, and Christ as a Surety properly. Get these things well into your minds, and you may see through these mists.

First, Labour to understand this, that the case here is not properly the case of Debtors, but of offend­ing Subjects; and God is not to be looked upon properly as a Credi­tor, but as a Rector, Governour, Legislator; and the Person Christ sustained; and the part he acted in his Sufferings, was not in a strict sense (though figuratively once so called) that of a Surety paying the debt it self, and discharging the Bond, by paying the very thing it [Page 89] self in the obligation; but of a Me­diator, expiating Guilt, and ma­king reparation to Justice some o­ther way than by the execution of the Law; yea, endeavouring that the Law, the legal threat, might not be executed, by making amends for the non-execution of it.

Secondly, Get this into your minds, That the Sufferings of Christ were not properly an execution of the Law (though they may figura­tively be so called) but a satisfacti­on to Justice, that the Law-threat might not be executed. The suffer­ings of Christ were not the very in­dividual things threatned; for it threatned the offenders should dye, and be damned; Cursed is every one that continueth not, &c. In the day thou eatest, thou shalt dye. So that it was not Christ was threatned, but we; for he was not the offender. His sufferings therefore were not the idem, but the tantundem; not proper payment, but a valuable consideration, or you may call it a refusable payment, though it be not [Page 90] properly payment at all; not solu­tion or payment in the strictest sense, but a satisfaction in the strict­est sense: The essence of which lies in this, that it is justly and fairly re­fusable. In payment of debts, the most Laws admit payment by a Sub­stitute, and take it as all one in ac­count of Law, whosoever pays it, so it be but paid; yea, in many ca­ses, though it be by another without the Debtor's knowledg; it was paid by the same person in Law, though not by the same natural person; and if any Laws do lay any stress on the person of the Debtor, so that it shall be judged as no payment except paid in person, such are hard Laws, and against natural equity; so that though payment should justly according to such Munucipal Laws, be refusable from another, yet it is not fairly tefusable: But it is quite otherwise in all Law and natural E­quity in the case of obedience and punishment: for here the Laws do justly and equitably determine the very person that shall obey or suf­fer; [Page 91] and allow not any delegation, as doing or suffering by another: so that if another suffer, it is not the same in Law; if the penalty be suffered by another natural person, it is suffered by another person in Law. And here, Dum alius solvit, aliud solvitur, therefore such suffer­ing of another contrary to Law, may be a satisfaction that the Rector may with hono [...]r not execute the Law, but cannot possibly be an exe­cution of the Law, the idem, the same threatned.

I will make all plain to you thus:

Suppose the Law-threat had run thus: If any man sin, he shall dye, be damned, or another for him; [he, or another] thus disjunctively; ei­ther of these would have been the very thing threatned, the same in Law, as the Principal and Surety are; and then all these after-menti­oned inconveniences would have followed.

First, In this case, had God provided one to dye for us, here would have been nothing of pardon. Here indeed [Page 92] would have been grace and favour in thus procuring one; but nothing of pardon, remission of sin: for it would not have been a refusable payment; either of their deaths would have been the same in Law, and so no act of Pardon or Grace to acquit upon it: whereas God for Christ's sake forgiveth. We have by Eph. 4. 32 his blood the remission of sins. This would have been like proper solu­tion; and then the strictest Justice cannot deny an acquittance and ju­stification to the party, for whom it is paid; and there need not be, there cannot be, in this case, any such thing as pardon: pardon and full satisfaction may stand together, but not pardon and solution, or pay­ment. e. g. If a Law be made, that threatens, That for such an offence the Delinquent shall sit in the Stocks, or another for him, thus disjun­ctively; here would be grace and favour in the Prince, to procure one to sit for the offender, but no­thing of pardon or remission: for the utmost rigour of Justice could [Page 93] not refuse to acquit upon it; here is no remitting any thing the Law requires, no pardon at all: for the Law never required the offender himself should suffer, but he or ano­ther indifferently.

Secondly, It would also in this case be injustice to inflict the least part of the penalty threatned, up­on the offender, when the other hath suffered; because it would be to inflict what was never threat­ned by the Law, and so what is not due: for the utmost Justice re­quires no more than the suffering of one of them.

Thirdly, It would also in this case be non-sense, or injustice, to pre­scribe the Delinquent terms or con­ditions on which he should have ju­stification; the benefit of the other's death, or of the other's sitting in the Stocks; or else to have no benefit by them: for the offender would have right without performing such con­ditions. And therefore as a plain de­nying the offender the thing he hath right to, would be injustice; so, to [Page 94] reduce back his absolute right to a conditional, would be injustice in part: To threaten damnation if men believe not, repent not, would be something of injustice, being a par­tial denial.

Fourthly, Also in this case the of­fender would be justified immedi­ately by the other's death, by the Law that threatned, by the very Law of Works; there would need no Covenant of Grace, or Gospel­promise; it would be injustice to prescribe terms of benefit by it, as Faith, Repentance, as in the other case the Delinquent would have right to impunity for his offence, by the other's sitting in the Stocks, by the very Law that threatned it. There needs no Law of Grace for requital; for it is the idem in Law, the very thing threatned, and so not refusable by the strictest Justice; to promise here, would be to promise that which we have right to without promise; and such promises would not be of Grace, but meer Nulli­ties.

But this death of Christ was a sa­tisfaction much like a refusable pay­ment: for the threat was, The soul that sinned should dye, be damned; not he, or another. The death of Christ was a satisfaction, a refusable pay­ment; for God might have refused, if Christ had interceded, as Moses, Blot me, I pray thee, out of the Book of Life for the people; and save their souls, their lives. God might have an­swered, Those that sin against me, I have only threatned, and those only I will punish; but of thee will I re­quire nothing, and from thee will I accept nothing. For the threat was not, If a man sinned he should dye, or some other for him (for then, either of them would have been the idem, the same in Law), and so not refusable; but it was that the offen­der himself should dye: so that whatsoever else than the offender's sufferings, could be offered, was re­fusable, and so could be but a Satisfa­ction. And then these things will suit and agree:

1. Here is pardon and remission, [Page 96] in accepting and acquitting: for he might have refused to accept of Christ's death, and to acquit us up­on it. It is plainly, a not standing to his threat, a dispensing with his Law, notwithstanding Christ's death, for him not to execute the Law upon us, though an honourable dispen­sing with it.

2. Being a Satisfaction, a refusa­ble payment, God may take off what part of the penalty He and his Son agreed, from the offender, and leave on him what part they please, and as long as they please and judg meet: And indeed, though they did agree, and God hath promised for Christ's death-sake, that they who perform the Gospel-condition, shall not perish, but shall have eternal life: they shall not undergo eternal sorrows, Hell-sorrows; yet they never agreed, and God never promised that Belie­vers should not be afflicted for their sins in this life, or that they should not dye temporally, or that the ground as to them should be freed from that first curse; or that belie­ving [Page 97] Women should not undergo pain in Child-bearing; for these things God doth inflict: therefore the Son in paying the ransome, and the Father in accepting, never a­greed they should be freed from them in this life; though yet they did, so to moderate and help in them, and sanctifie by them, that a Christi­an life in this World is worth living. Phil. 1. 22. To live in the flesh is worth while, [...], operae pre­tium. And it is contrary to all Scrip­ture, to say, Believers afflictions are not for sin; and if they were not for sin, they would not be chastise­ments or corrections: for it is of the essence of chastisement, that it be a punishment; for punishment is the genus, and the whole nature of it is in every species, in every chastise­ment. Punishment is truly defined, the infliction of a natural evil, for a moral evil; and this is in every chastisement. If a Father should whip his Child, not for any fault, but only to do him good, we might possibly call it blood-letting, but not [Page 98] chas [...]isement, because it is not pe­ [...] If [...]e tye up his Child, not for any [...] but left he run into dan­gers in his absence, you cannot call this, correction or chastisement, though grievous to the Child, be­cause it is not for a fault. And if God do punish his people with temporal chastisements, then they are so far, and as to those temporal chastisements, unpardoned; so far as they are punished, so far they are unpardoned. If a Traytor be par­doned, but must lose some part of his Goods, he is then pardoned as to his Life and Lands, but not as to that part of his Goods. It is not less absurd to speak of chastening for a fault never committed, than for a fault perfectly and every way par­doned. You may see how this an­swers these difficulties: If it be a Satisfaction, he may pardon the of­fenders, as to their ruin and destru­ction by their sins, and yet leave some part of the penalty on them, that may make their hearts ake, and eyes weep; though they be as [Page 99] brands plucked out of the fire, yet he may chuse not to make them im­mediately in this life, be like those whose garments smelled not of it, without any shew of injustice.

3. If the Sufferings of Christ were a Satisfaction, a refusable pay­ment; then, As God is bound no further to acquit the parties for whom it is paid, than he accepting it, and Christ paying it, agreed: so (which is the main thing I have spo­ken all this, to answer), He is bound only in such a way, and on such terms and conditions, to acquit the Offen­der, as the party paying the price, and the party accepting of it, a­greed on.

Now God did not set forth Christ a Propitiation, and Christ did not give himself a Pr [...]ion, that sin­ners should immediately be acquitted without any more ado, only be sin­ners: for the Father and Son had a care, not only of the offender's good, but also of their own honour [...] for, if we shall suppose▪ that through this Satisfaction, it might now well have [Page 100] consisted with God's Justice; yet it is certain, it was not consistent with his wisdom and prudence in Govern­ment, to pardon and deliver those that should slight deliverance; so to re [...]eem Creatures, as to have them lawless; to lose his Rule and Go­vernment over them; that they may say, We are delivered to commit all these abominations; to be like School­boys, that have their orders, that they may do well if they will; but if they will not, the Master cannot justly, according to those Tempora­ry Laws, punish them. Christ was not properly a Surety (though Me­taphorically once so called) who hath only a care of one party to get de­liverance for the Debtor, and ca­reth not for the Creditor; but he was a Mediator, a middle person, and had care of both; would have their redemption and deliverance on­ly in such a way, as should no way dishonour God. He had a care of the Worship, Service, and Honour of God, as well as of man's impunity and deliverance; and he would also [Page 101] have a care that he should not be re­proached as an unholy Saviour; to have redeemed one to live, as if the Blood of the Covenant was an unho­ly thing, and would allow them im­punity in all sin. He would not for his part have his unspotted Righte­ousness to serve as a covering to wrap and cover wilfully continuing running sores. Nay, Christ was so far from meerly designing and bargain­ing for the salvation of them that should continue wilful contemners of God and his Laws; from intending his death for a Sanctuary, where wil­ful continuing enemies might find re­fuge and safety; that his design was, to bring Religion into the World, and to fetch it back from that swoon wherein it must needs have lain, had not Christ dyed, had there been no hope for repenting returning sin­ners. He was so far from meerly pur­chasing the pardon of any, live they as they list, that one of the great ends of his death was, That purcha­sing such hope for them that return­ed, they might purifie themselves; [Page 102] purchasing such Promises, they might cleanse themselves from all polluti­ons of flesh and spirit. Who gave him­self for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto him­self Tit. 2. 14. a peculiar people zealous of good works. He bare our sins (that is, the [...] Pet. 2. 24 punishment of our sins) in his own bo­dy on a tree, that we being dead unto sin, might live unto righteousness. That whereas God would have had no service, no obedience, there be­ing no forgiveness with him that he might be feared, but Earth would have been like Hell; now God might have such poor shattered ser­vice as our degenerate estate is capa­ble of.

Therefore be sure, He would not use such an unlikely means as this; to bargain for, and purchase of his Father pardon of sinners, so ab­solutely, that should they wilfully slight their Redeemer▪ they should yet have the benefit of his death, and he should be unjust in denying them pardon, and therefore wish them on­ly to repent, believe, reform, out of [Page 103] good nature, and ingenuity, and by way of thankfulness; but if they should refuse, he should be unjust, ac­cording to such an Oeconomy, if he deny to them the pardon and justifi­cation procured by Christ. Nay, let any man that is not forsaken of Reason, as well as Religion; that is not giddy and drunk with error, and is not ignorant of the wicked­ness of man's nature, judg, Whe­ther this would be as likely a means for Christ to bring Religion into the World, to obtain that they should have the fruit and benefit of his death to justification and salvation, whe­ther they repent, return, or no [...] you shall have these things, live as you list; only I beseech you, by way [...]f gratitude, repent, reform: Or, for God to give his Son, and Christ give himself, that whosoever should be­lieve, repent, return, should have [...] benefit of it; and otherwise [...] short. Whether of these are [...] ­lier way to lay such a sound [...] the world, judg [...] Would [...] pardoning sins against the first [...] [Page 104] nant, shew so dreadfully (by the death of his Son) how hardly and difficultly he dispensed with his Law, that men might after go on in sin without danger? Surely one of the ends of Christ's dying was to shew, that if he would not pardon sinners against the first Covenant, without such a stupendious Satisfaction, how hopeless will their condition be, that perform not the terms of this second Covenant, founded in the blood of Christ!

Christ never agreed for the salva­tion of final impenitent Unbelievers, never satisfied for that, though he did for impenitency, and unbelief, and rejection of Christ for a time, provided they came in at last. He ob­tained of God, not to take every de­nial, every rejection, for an utter loss of all (for then we had all perished); but obtained that God would wait, and be long-suffering to sinners, and accept them to righteousness and life, provided they come in before death. They that have a mind to it, notwith­standing Christ's bearing their sins, [Page 105] may bear them themselves: and many will do so; even they that knowing the terms of Justification and Salva­tion by Christ, do chuse rather his eternal wrath and displeasure, than to accept him on the condition of his love and favour.

They agreed that they, and they only, shall have benefit by this Pro­pitiatory death of Christ, that shall, in this life, perform the conditions whereon it is offered, and if they finally refuse it on these terms, they shall have no benefit by it, but the wrath of God shall abide on them; yea, and they shall perish with hea­vier perdition, with so [...]r punish­ment, because of their treading un­der foot the blood of the Covenant; slighting of it as not worthy their acceptance upon the terms of it: Which is this new Covenant, this second Covenant made in the blood of Christ.

So that I may say, Though imme­diately and antecedently, to the consideration of fixing the terms, and making this second Covenant, Christ [Page 106] dyed (as I told you before) that God might be just, though he should pardon sinners; yet he dyed eventu­ally, and the new Covenant being considered, that God might be just, and the justifier of him that is of the faith of Jesus. He so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed, &c. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Covenant, that by means of death for the redemption of Transgressi­ons, they which are called (that is, Heb. 9. 15 effectually called, converted) might receive the promise of the eternal Inheritance.

Now it is necessary for your in­struction herein, that I make out to you these three things.

• 1. What Justification is.
• 2. What the Covenant.
• 3. What the Condition.

First, What Justification, and to justifie, [...]s.

If you know what Condemnation [Page 107] is, you may by it know what Justifi­cation is: for contraries are mutual­ly known by one another. Now Condemnation is contrary to Justi­fication. Who shall lay any thing to Rom. 8. 33 the charge of Gods Elect? it is God that justifieth, Who is he that condemneth? If there be a controversie between men, Deu. 25. 1 and they come unto judgment, that the Judges may judg them; then they shall justifie the righteous, and con­demn the wicked.

Now there is a two fold Condem­nation, viz. by the Law, and accor­ding to the Law; that is, by the Law, and by the sentence of the Judg.

A man that transgresseth a Law, is immediately condemned by the Law. Adam in the very moment he trans­gressed the Law, was condemned in Law; that is, made guilty, the death threatned was made due to him. And again, when an offender is proceed­ed against according to the Law, and, by the sentence of the Judg▪ senten­ced according to the Law, then he is Sententially condemned: First, the [Page 108] Law condemns him, and then the Judg according to the Law.

So there is a Justification in Law, and a Justification by the Sentence of the Judg. And these two senses of the word can only challenge any kind of propriety; one is called Sentential Justification, by the sen­tence of the Judg, pronouncing him righteous, and one that ought to be acquitted according to the Law. The other is called [...]. Consti­tutive Rom. 5. 19 Justification, or Justification in Law; which is, of one that hath right to be acquitted, when accused. When the Scripture speaketh of Ju­stification by Christ, by faith, or to life, it constantly useth it in one of these senses. He that is a believer, that hath performed the Gospel­condition, is justified immediately, ipso jure, in Law-title, by the Law of Grace; he is constitutively justi­fied by that Covenant or Gospel­grant [He that believeth, shall be sa­ved]; hath right to not-perishing, and a right to eternal life, by this promise; though he is not sententi­ally [Page 109] justified till the day of Judg­ment: The Lord grant he may find mercy at that day, saith the Apostle. By the Law of Grace or Promise, immediately the sinner upon his be­lieving, hath right to impunity, as to Hell, and right to the Inheritance by Promise; and at the last day shall be adjudged to it, to the immediate pos­session of all those Immunities which were given by the Law of Grace or Promise. Not the hearers, but the doer of the Law shall be justified—In the Gal. 5. 5. day when God shall judg the secrets of all men according to my Gospel. We through the spirit do wait for the hope of righteousness by faith; that is, for justification by faith at the last day. But this Sentential justification is to come. Therefore whensoever the Scripture speaketh of justification in this life (as for the most part it doth), being justified by faith, we have peace with God. But you are san­ctified, you are justified—it is to be understood of justification in Law­title; and in this sense it is to be un­derstood here. We may say of a man [Page 110] whose case is good according to the Law, that ought to be acquitted when it cometh to trial, The Law justifieth him, the Law acquits him, he is justified already in Law; and so are believers in this life: There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. The justification here spoken of, is expressed by ano­ther word in the Text, viz. Remission of sins. And the Scripture constant­ly useth Justification in the Gospel­way, and pardon or remission of sins, as equipollent terms; and the Apo­stle proveth, there is no justification now by works, but by pardon of sins, Rom. 4. 7, 8. citing it out of the Psalms; Blessed are they whose iniquities are pardoned, and whose si [...] are covered. Blessed is the man to wh [...] the Lord doth not im­pute iniquity. Observe the place, and you will see he useth imputing righteousness without works, and not imputing iniquity, as the very same. Again, in the Text justified freely by his grace through the [...]pt [...] [...]hat is in Christ, is th [...]s [...] [Page 111] Scriptures, Redemption through his Eph. 1. 7. blood, the forgiveness of sins, accor­ding to the riches of his grace. And, redemption through his blood, even Col. 1. 14. the remission of sins. Be it known unto Acts 13. 38, 39. you therefore brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the re­mission of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from those things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses. The blood of the Matt. 26. 28. new Covenant shed for the remission of sins. And this justification of sinners, or forgiveness of sins, is reckon'd as one Article of the Creed, as essenti­ally necessary to salvation to be be­lieved.

And indeed, the Justification (in law) of faln man, is all one with the pardon of sin. And as for the respe­ctive difference of pardon being a discharge from the obligation of the Law to punishment; and justificati­on from the condemnation and ac­cusation of the Law; it is so little, that it is not worth while to clear it to you; for the obligation of the Law to punishment, and the con­demnation [Page 112] and accusation of the Law, are one and the same act.

Justification of one guilty, is all one with pardon of sin. Yet there is this difference between Justification taken at large, and pardon, viz. None can be pardoned but an offen­der; but a man that was never an of­fender, is capable of being justified (as Adam would have been, had he stood) against any charge pleaded or pleadable against him. But if once a man be guilty of the breach of a Law, his Pardon and Justifica­tion are all one; for there can be no justification of offenders, but by a legal discharge of the sinner from the obligation to punishment, which is pardon. So that Justification a­ctively taken, is an act of God, where­by he pardoneth our sins, or dischar­geth us from condemnation, or gi­veth right to salvation, notwith­standing our sins. All these are the same, and only differ in words. If you should define Justification, An act of God, whereby he pardoneth our sins, and constituteth us righteous; all the [Page 113] fault here is only this, You do tau­tologize; for there needeth no more to righteousness, than pardon of sin: for that which putteth an offender into such a state, as if he had per­formed the Law in all things, that doth perfectly justifie, or constitute him righteous: but, pardon of all sins, both of omission and commissi­on, doth put a man into that state, as if he had performed the Law in all things (for it putteth him into that estate, as if he had transgressed the Law in nothing; therefore, as if he had performed the Law in all things). It is impossible to find a middle. I say, there needeth no more to righ­teousness, than pardon of sin. If all his sins be pardoned, he is ipso facto non reus, not guilty; and if not guilty, he is justus, just. It is impos­sible to find any medium [...], in capaci, in a capable Subject. In a subject uncapable, where there is not debitum inessendi; there may be not­guilty, not-unjust, and yet not-just; as in a Brute or Stone. If a man by his sin be guilty, be obliged to lose [Page 114] Heaven and go to Hell; if his sin be once pardoned, this obligation once dissolved, he is in statu quo prius, hath right to Heaven, and to be free from Hell. If right to any good thing that a man should have, if in­nocent, should yet be wanting to a man pardoned (as you may see I did yield such a thing before as to this li [...]e) the want of that good thing is part of punishment; and therefore he is not wholly pardon­ed, no more than wholly justified as yet, except the right to that good thing be restored. If the poena dam­ni, the loss of the enjoyment of God be punishment [...], then pardon of sin restoreth right to the enjoyment of God; else not fully pardoned, no more than justified. If a Traytor be pardoned, but must lose his Goods, he is then pardoned and ju­stified as to his Life and Lands, but not as to his Goods. So that they are the same thing, his pardon and justification; and there is no more in the justification of an offender, than pardon of sin. Those learned [Page 115] men that oppose this, constantly grant, That if pardon of sin put an offender into such an estate, as if he had performed the Law in e­very thing, then it would appa­rently be the whole of Justificati­on: and also that pardon of sin putteth him into such an estate, as if he had offended the Law in no­thing; and also that the satisfaction of Christ is enough for pardon of sin. But they maintain, that it is pos­sible for a man not to have offend­ed the Law in any thing, and yet not to have fulfilled the Law in eve­ry thing; which I should by no means tell them that know it not, was it not in duty to instruct you, that it is opposed without shew of reason.

And by the way you may see how contrary to Reason (as well as Scri­ture) that way of theirs is, who hold, That Christ's fulfilling of, and Christ's obedience to the Law, is ac­counted, imputed, as if believers had fulfilled and obeyed the Law in his so doing: You may hold the active [Page 116] and passive righteousness of Christ a satisfaction to Justice for our breach of the Law; both of them a valua­ble consideration, on which God will acquit the offenders, so they do but perform the Gospel-conditions; and I can easily answer all the Ar­guments I have read, to exclude his active obedience from being part of the satisfaction to Justice for the breach of the Law: But to hold, o­ver and beside such a satisfaction for our disobedience, that there is made over to us a right to his obedience, so as God to account us as if we had obeyed the Law in him; beside the danger of making God account men as perfect as Christ, and accounting that which is not true;

First, It is altogether needless: for the Law requireth not of us, both suffering and obedience, in re­spect of the same time and actions, but only one of them; either our obedience, or our undergoing the penalty. And it is vainly alledged, that it requireth suffering for the time past, and obedience for the fu­ture. [Page 117] It is in effect to deny Christ hath satisfied for future sins: Ere long those future sins will be past; and if we do not obey for the fu­ture, we sin; and if we sin, the Law requireth only our suffering for ex­piation; and that, Christ's Satisfacti­on, Expiation, Propitiation, hath sa­tisfied for.

Secondly, It maketh the death and sufferings of Christ needless: for if we obeyed the Law in him, he being in our stead, so as God accounted us to have obeyed in him; then there was no need of his death: for though we obeyed not in our selves, yet we obeyed in Christ. If a Soldier be by the Martial Law to watch his hour or dye; if another be accepted to watch for him, so as it may be said another hath watched for him; though he did not watch, what, Must this other Soldier dye for him, as well as watch for him? No Law requires both. It was not, Do this, and dye. If his o­bedience was so formally for us, as to be accepted by God for us, as if we had fulfilled the Law in every [Page 118] thing, What need was there of a Sa­tisfaction, to make as if we had b [...]o­ken the Law in nothing? & vice versâ.

Thirdly, If Christ fulfilled the Law for us in this sense, so as it is to be imputed to us, as if we had ful­filled the Law our selves; then we should be freed altogether from any obligation from the Law to obedi­ence; just as we are freed from the condemnation of the Law, because Christ underwent it as a Satisfaction for us, we should not then sin in not­obeying the Law, and we could not be pardoned by Christ for our sins in not obeying the Law; for they are no sins according to this Hypo­thesis.

If there be a Law, That if a ser­vant, hired for a year, shall refuse to serve his year's service (if his Ma­ster require) he shall lye in the prison a year. Suppose one hired did not serve a year, but another served a year good and faithful service for him, Must this hired man also serve a year for himself, or he is to blame? [Page 119] and, Must this man, accepted to serve a year for him, also lye in prison for him? What if I did not serve a year, yet another served for me, and better service than I can perform? What need is there, may he say, that I should serve it my self? Do I think I can mend his work? do it better my self, than I have done it in him?

I am almost ashamed to lay open the weakness of them that hold these things, after such multitudes of learn­ed Protestants have shown their ab­surdity. How much clearer is the Scripture▪ way, of God for Christ's sake justifying and pardoning us, for Christ's Satisfaction, Propitiation? than to talk of our fulfilling the Law; yea, or (which is not so ill) our satisfying in Him, suffering in Him, or redeeming our selves in Him, or God accounting us to have satisfied in Him. These are Phrases the Scripture is a stranger unto: though if they will say, as some, They mean no more by such speeches, but that God for Christ's Satisfaction gives us all these Gospel-mercies: [Page 120] I shall only say, They might speak plainer. And our satisfying in Him is true, in a figurative sense, though not in a proper sense; and so God's accounting us to have sa­tisfied in Him: yet, in no possible sense is our fulfilling the preceptive part of the Law in Him, true; for, this would make Christ's satisfaction needless.

Now since I have defined Justifi­cation by pardon of sin; it is neces­sary that I tell you what Pardon is: Pardon is a dissolution, or discharge from the obligation to punishment. It is none of these four things that only pretend to come in competi­tion.

1. Pardon of sin is not, A ma­king sin cease to be: for that is to be ascribed to Sanctification, which is a real change in opposition to re­lative.

2. It is not, making that it should be said, that the sin was never com­mitted; this is impossible.

[Page 121]3. It is not, making sin that it do not in its own nature deserve dam­nation.

4. It is not, the executive taking off the penalty; for this is a conse­quent of pardon, by virtue of ju­stice and faithfulness. Yet some­times it is used in this improper sense in Scripture.

But it is, A dissolution of the obligation to punishment; the due­ness of the penalty is taken away immediately by pardon, and so re­motely and ultimately the penalty; God being just and faithful, will not inflict what is not due, what he hath made not due by his Law of Grace.

So that Justification actively ta­ken for God's act, is an act of God, whereby he pardoneth our sins, or, dissolveth the obligation to punish­ment. And then Justification, when taken passively for the effect of Ju­stification, is, A dissolution of, or discharge from the obligation to Hell and Punishment, or a right to Salvation; or, a right to be free [Page 122] from Condemnation, which is no­thing else but a right to salvation.

It doth not, in this Discourse, concern me to speak of the further degrees of Happiness superadded: for, Justification of it self compre­hendeth no more than right to what would have been due to us if we had been righteous without pardon, had never transgressed the Law: for, Ju­stification is from some thing, as well as to some thing. Yet this, on the by: Greater things than we fell from, do come to man by the same Law of Grace, by the same blood of Christ, and upon the per­formance of the same condition, that Justification or pardon of sin doth. As for the meritorious cause of this Justification, I have spoken very largely of it already: for whose sake, merit, Cujus intuitu: I told you that he justifies us through the redemption that is in Christ; and I dare not ever and anon return to speak of it here, lest I should con­found your understandings. I shall, after this, speak of God's working [Page 223] Faith in us, that we might be justi­fied, and Christ's meriting of it. Therefore do not in your too for­ward thoughts over-run me, as if I denied any thing I come not yet to speak of.

Now I will tell you what this act of God is; how God dischargeth the sinner, and dissolveth this ob­ligation to Punishment, and so gi­veth right to salvation which we lost by our sins.

It is by some new Law or Con­stitution, by some Covenant or Pro­mise, founded in Christ's Satisfacti­on. It is some judicial juridical act, and therefore by some Law-act. I thus prove it.

1. It is impossible that a man that is a sinner should have right to be freed from condemnation, but it must be by some Law of Grace, some legal discharge. Such a jus or right cannot possibly pass, but by some Law-act. If a Rector should refuse to inflict the penalty on a man guilty or condemned, this is not Pardon or Justification. You [Page 124] may call it Suspension, Impunity; but the offender hath no right to the Impunity, the obligation to punishment is not dissolved by it. Yea, suppose God should have re­solved within himself never to in­flict the penalty; yet he might in­flict it when he would, without in­justice (though I confess not with­out mutability), the offender hath no right to impunity by such an in­tention, no jus, the obligation is not dissolved till some lex remedians, some remedying Law, some Recto­ral Law of Oblivion, some Act of Pardon and Oblivion: else, it is on­ly forbearance, but no acquit­tance, no discharge, no pardon, no justification.

2. God will be true to his own Laws, and will not leave a man un­punished to whom punishment is due by his own Constitutions, all things considered; but his judgment and execution will be according to Truth and Law. He that condemn­eth Prov. 17. 15. the righteous, and justifieth the wicked, they both are an abomination [Page 125] to the Lord. He will sentence men according to his own Laws; and he will not justifie or condemn pro li­bitu, but according to his own decla­red Laws. He will not sententially hereafter justifie, nor will he ac­count justified here, any sinner, but whom the new Law of Grace, the Gospel founded in the blood of Christ justifieth, which only justifi­eth Believers.

3. Condemnation is by some Law: therefore Justification must be by some Law; for, Contraries are of the same general nature. As con­demnation is by a Law-threat; so Justification of a sinner must be by a Law-promise. It is a Law-rule, that Obligations are dissolved by the same way whereby they are made. The Apostle speaking of boasting being excluded in Justification, asketh, By what Law? and answers, By the Law of Faith; implying plainly, Men are justified by the Law of Faith.

4. We may clearly see it by the te­nour of the Covenants, Rom. 10. 5, 6, 9 Moses describeth the righteousness of [Page 126] the Law, the tenour of the Cove­nant of Works, which would have justified men, had they performed the condition of it: The man which doth these things, shall live in them. But the righteousness of faith, the tenour of the Covenant of Grace, the word which we preach, is this: If thou confess with thy mouth, and believe with thy heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Had man performed the Legal Condition, perfect and perpe­tual obedience, the Law of Works would have justified him. There­fore, now, if a man perform the Go­spel-condition; the Gospel, this Law of Faith, will justifie him. See also Gal. 3. 16, 17, 21, 22, of the two Co­venants. To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made; that is, to Abraham, and all true Believers that are of the Faith of Abraham; as he fully explains himself in other places of the Chapter, especially the last verse. And is the Law against the Promises of God, against this Cove­nant confirmed of God in Christ, [Page 127] That he that believeth shall live? Had there been a Law which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by that Law: but the Scrip­ture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. We may argue plainly thus: This Law, this Covenant-Promise, Believe and live; can give life, that is, right to life; for some do perform the Condition of this Law: Therefore, verily Righteousness is and must be by this Law. Can any man possibly give a reason why that Law would have justified, would have given right to life, and so righteousness have been by it, to a man that had performed perfect obedience, and not this Believe and live, perform the Gospel-conditions and live; and not this justifie, give right to life, and so righteousness be by it?

5. To deny this, is to say, the Gospel-Promises are meer Cyphers and Nullities; they have no effect, if they do not give right to Impu­nity and eternal life, which is Ju­stification [Page 128] to those that perform the conditions: Nay, it is to deny that they are Promises; for if Promises, they must have the common nature of Promises, which is to give right. To deny the efficacy of them, is to deny they are gracious Promises; it is to say they are useless, as to giving the right; we should have had right without them. It is no Act of Obli­vion, much less a very gracious Act of Oblivion, that doth not pardon and justifie properly them that per­form the Conditions of it; no Act of Oblivion to him that would be justified by doing that which is the condition of it without it. And this, by the way: They that say, Faith attaineth right as an Instrument, and not as a condition, make all the Promises Nullities; they in effect say, We should have had right, had we performed that thing which is the condition, without such a promise.

Thus you see, Justification must be by some Law of Grace; and in­deed Protestants seem agreed, it is a Juridical Act. Now what Law of [Page 129] Grace is it? What names is it to be called by? You may call it, The Promise, the Covenant, the Law of Grace, the Law of Faith, the Gospel; by these names it is called in Scrip­ture. The tenour of it is this: He that turneth, shall live: He that be­lieveth, shall be saved: He that ac­cepteth Christ in the Gospel-way, on the Gospel▪ terms, shall have the benefit of this Propitiation to his justification and salvation, though never so great a sinner. This is the Gospel, the Law of Faith, the Law or Covenant of Grace founded in the blood of Christ. These Promi­ses are Yea and Amen in Christ; are the Covenant confirmed of God in Christ, as the Apostle calls them. And by this all were justified and saved, that ever were saved by the blood of Christ. You shall all be judged, that is, justified or condemned, sen­tentially, according to this Gospel. And, as you shall be sententially judged according to this Law of Liberty at the last day; so, you are here in this life constitutively [Page 130] justified or condemned here in law. The word which Christ spake shall John 1 [...]. 48. condemn [...] at [...] last day; shall ju­stifie or [...]. So it doth in Law­ [...] them that obey the Go­spel here. For not the hearers of the [...] are just before God (he speak­eth Rom. 2. [...], [...] of the Law of Grace: it is like that. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord; but he that doth the will of my Father, shall inherit the King­dom of Heaven); but the doers of the Law shall be justified, in the day when God shall judg the secrets of all hearts, according to my Gospel.

I hope you now begin to see into the nature of Justification; and by seeing what it is, you see what it is not. Only these things following, to my best remembrance, are, and can with any shew be pretended to be called Justification; except what the Pupists pretend. That it is no­thing else but Sanctification; which I pretermit as ridiculous. He would not be an abomination to God, that could justifie the wicked; that is, sanctifie them, according to th [...]ir interpretation.

First, It is not. Our knowing we are justified, which some call Justifi­cation in Conscience. For,

1. The Scripture never calleth As­surance (our knowing we are justi­fied) Justification.

2. We may be justified in Scrip­ture-sense by this Gospel, having the condition of Justification, and yet not know it; yea, think we are not justified, and have no right to salvation; else, wo to troubled souls. And we may not be justified, and think we are.

3. In this sense we should be pro­perly said to justifie our selves, and not God to justifie us: for it is we that know we are justified, by the act whereby we know it; and not God, though God enable us to know we are justified.

Secondly, Justification is not, God's knowing we are justified, and have right to Impunity, right to Heaven: it is not God's knowing, accounting us, judging us justified: for we are first justified, pardoned in order of Nature, though not of [Page 132] Time, before he knows, accounts us so be. We first have this right to Impunity, Salvation, before He knows or accounts us to have it. The Object is in order of Nature before the Act; a thing is, before it be known. If there be an Act of Oblivion made, upon condition of Rebels laying down their Weapons; Offenders are pardoned, justified in Law-title, upon laying down their Weapons, in order of Nature, be­fore the King, or any else, know or account them pardoned. God doth not account men's sins pardoned, till first they be so by his own Law of Grace. They that justifie the wicked, or condemn the righteous, are both an abomination to the Lord. As God did not account Adam guilty, con­demned, till first he was so, by his own Law, through sin; so he doth not, will not account any justified, pardoned; till first they are so by his own Law of Grace made in the Blood of Christ, which is upon their performing of the Condition of it.

Thirdly, Justification is not, God's knowing we shall be justified. God indeed doth know men shall be ju­stified when they believe: but this is not Justification. It doth not fol­low that a man is justified, and his sin pardoned, who is going on in all villany, because he belongeth to the Election of Grace, because God knoweth he will believe, and so will be justified when brought home. For, 1. God knoweth, till he believe, he is unjustified, his sin not pardoned, he is under the curse of the Law, and under the Rectoral displeasure of God: for, Without Faith it is im­possible to please God. God hateth all workers of iniquity with this Recto­ral hatred. He that believeth not, is condemned already; he is so far from being justified. You cannot say of such a man, he is justified, his sins pardoned, but he knoweth it not. No; till a man believe the wrath of God abideth on him. Hell is yet his due, by God's own Laws of Govern­ment; though Heaven will be so, when he believes. 2. Else Justificati­on [Page 134] and pardon of [...]in would be from Eternity, which we are sure is contra­ry to all Scripture that maketh them consequent of Faith, Repentance, and Conversion, whatsoever some have said to the contrary,— turn them from darkness to light, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance, &c. We have believed, Gal. 2. 16. that we may be justified by the faith of Christ. To whom righteousness shall Rom. 4. 24. be imputed, if we believe. That they may return every man from his evil Jer. 36. 3. way, that I may forgive their ini­quity and their sin.—lest they should see with their eyes, and be converted, Mar. 4. 12 and their sin be forgiven them.

Fourthly, Justification is not, God's intending, decreeing, willing that men should be justified when they believe. 1. Then it would be from Eternity; which is repugnant to all Scripture: God speaketh of it as a thing future. God intended from E­ternity, That our King should be King of England; but he was not King of England till his Father was dead, and then h [...] [...] the legal [Page 135] Title. 3. God's intending from E­ternity to condemn men for their sins, is not Condemnation; else men would be condemned from Eterni­ty: but, then men are condemned when they sin, and the Law con­demns them. So, God's intending to justifie sinners upon believing, is not Justification: But, when men be­lieve, then God justifieth them by his Law of Faith. 3. To say, This is meant by Justification, is to make non-sense of all those places of Scripture that make it future. When he saith, God will justifie; we must then say the meaning is, He will will­justifie. We must double the word will.

Fifthly, Some tell us, That Justifica­tion is properly and formally Christ's suffering or obedience, or properly God's laying our sins on Christ. But then we must say, Christ never merit­ed our pardon or justification; we are not forgiven for Christ's sake: for, Christ never merited th [...]se things which they call Justification, viz. his own sufferings, or our sins laying on him.

Could you think of any other thing to call Justification, beside what I have here taught you, I could with much ease shew you the absurdity of it. These are the likeliest of any I can think of, to pretend to be it; that are not it, and are pretended by some to be it.

You now see, or may see, Justifi­cation is God's Juridical Act by his Gospel, by his Law of Grace. If an Act of Oblivion be made on these terms, That whosoever of such Re­bels shall go and promise before some Justice of Peace, they will be loyal Subjects for the future; as soon as e­ver they have thus promised, this Law justifieth, pardoneth them. They did not pardon themselves (that is a foolish pretence of some weak men, contrary to the knowledg of all Law­yers and Divines, yea, of any ratio­nal men), but the Law-giver did par­don them by this Rectoral Act of Pardon upon their promise. If there be a Law in force, that every Felon should dye: but there is also another remedying▪ Law, That if the Felon [Page 137] read, he shall not dye: When he readeth, the Law pardoneth him; the Law-giver by this Law justifieth him from the charge and condem­nation of the other Law.

It is by this Gospel, this perfect Law of Liberty, that we are justi­fied; this is that new Law that Mi­nisters are sent to preach: Go preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth, shall be saved. He that be­lieveth not, shall be damned. This is our great business, To tell men the condition on which they shall be pardoned, justified, and so saved. And should any Ministers be igno­rant of their great Message? yea, so ignorant as to say, These are no conditions, no terms, nothing re­quired of us in order to attaining▪ the benefit of Christ's death? How sad should this be to us? Men are justified or condemned here in this life, by this Gospel, in a Law-sense; and, in this sense, Scripture for the most part useth the word Justifie; and men shall hereafter be justified or condemn'd sententially according to [Page 138] this Gospel. Thus I have told you what Justification is; which was the first Question propounded to be an­swered: and I have tacitly slidden into the second Question, What the Covenant is? and answered that. The third propounded was, To tell you what the Condition is.

Thirdly, What is meant by this, [...], Him that believeth in Jesus; or, Him that is of the faith of Jesus. This is the Question now to be answered, What is the Con­dition of the Covenant of Grace, of the Law of Grace, on the per­formance of which this Propitiati­on, this price of Redemption shall be ours, for our justification and sal­vation? Ours, I say, with this limi­tation [For our justification and sal­vation]; or, to speak more strictly, The condition of our justification and salvation by it: For, God ne­ver giveth us interest in his Son's Merits and Satisfaction in its essenti­al nature, but only in the fruits and effects of it. He giveth us his Merit only in such a sense as a man be [Page 239] said figuratively to give a Captive a sum of money, which it may be the Captive never handled, never had it given to him at all properly, but only it was paid to the King of that Countrey for his ransome.

I answer: What would you wish or desire it should be? Think of that a little; for that is it, I dare say, if you think or desire rationally. Should God say, O ye guilty Re­bels, I have found a Ransome; I have found out a way that I can now par­don you with safety to my Honour and Justice. Now, as ingenuous men, speak, and tell me, what I shall do for you? Should I pardon you, and give you Heaven and Happi­ness, though you should continue to live in all Villany, hating me and my holy ways, slighting my Law and Government? We would answer, No. This would not become the ho­ly and universal Magistrate and King of the World; this would be unwor­thy of God: For, then we might say, We are delivered to commit all these abominations: this we have [Page 140] begun to do, an nothing will be restrained from us which we can ima­gine to do; and there will be none to put us to shame. Speak then like honest men that have some sparks of ingenuity. We should say, Make not the terms perfect obedience; for, we brake that old Covenant that had these terms, when, we had our perfect strength; and now we are weakned wonderfully, shattered wonderfully by our fall.

Ans. Make the condition, the terms this: That if we, humbly ac­knowledging our desert of damna­tion, repenting us of our iniquities, and seeking to thee for forgiveness, shall sincerely desire and endeavor to please thee, and keep thy Command­ments, and shall bewail it with grief when we fall short, and fail in this our duty, that then we shall have the be­nefit of this Propitiation: So that only our wilful chosen casting off thee and thy Government, shall undo us. And make it, that though we should have long refused thee, yet if at length we thus repent and return, we shall find this mercy.

This is well said thus far: And though this be not now enough for us, yet this seemeth to comprehend all the condition required of men to justification and salvation, before the appearance of Christ in the flesh. There were Promises of Forgive­ness, Justification, and right to Hea­ven, made known to the World by Noah the Preacher of Righteousness, and others, upon the condition of repentance and returning to God. If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? was said to a great sinner. This was Gospel, not Law; for that requires that a man never have been a sinner. The Book of Job is gene­rally with reason held to be written before the Law of Moses; and his Friends knew and taught this Do­ctrine, and name it as coming from the Ancients by Tradition, If any Job 8. 5, 6, 7, 8. Chap. 33. 27, 28. Chap. 22. 21, 22, 23 man shall say, I have sinned and per­verted that which is right, and it profits me not; he will deliver his soul from going down into the pit. And these Promises were made by virtue of this death of Christ. Moses en­tereth [Page 142] the people into this Cove­nant, To be the Lord's people; and promiseth on that, God will be their God: and he sprinkleth blood, and saith, Behold the blood of the Cove­nant which the Lord hath made with you this day; upon their engaging to be the Lord's people, and to o­bey his voice; to signifie, it was made in the blood of Christ. And he saith, I have set before you life and death, in that I command you to walk in his ways: And that which he commanded, was not the old conditions, which were impossible, viz. Never to have been sinners. It is not in the Heavens, or beyond the Sea; but is nigh thee, in thy heart and in thy mouth. It was, to love God in sincerity, and walk in his ways And the Apostle cites this, and saith it is Gospel, even the word of faith which they preached, Rom. 10. 6. Yea, and the sons of strangers that joyn themselves to the Lord, to love the name of the Lord, and take hold of this Covenant, to them [...]e would give, &c. And so the Pro­phets, [Page 143] If the wicked turn from his wickedness, he shall live, he shall not dye. This was the Gospel; this pro­mise was made in the blood of Christ: for the Law admits of no pardon upon repentance. And any that were justified and saved upon the perform­ance of these conditions, were saved only by the death of Christ promi­sed and undertaken; and this obe­dience and turning to God, is a great part of the Gospel-condition. So that obedience is called Faith; and diso­bedience, Infidelity. He that belie­veth Joh. 3. 16 on the Son, [...], hath ever­lasting life: but he that believeth not, [...], he that believeth not, or obeyeth not the Son, or is not per­swaded by him. So, To day if ye will hear (that is, obey) his voice, Heb. 3, 7, 12 harden not your hearts, as in the pro­vocation. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God: To whom sware he, they should not enter into his rest? But to them that be­lieved not, [...], or to them that were disobedient? So we see they [Page 128] could not enter in because of unbe­lief. We see how disobedience and unbelief are promiscuously used, Heb. 4. 1. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word did not profit them, not being mixed with faith (or obedience, used pro­miscuously) in them that heard it. You may observe hence, that they had the Gospel preached to them in the Wilderness; and you may here see what the Gospel is; A promise of rest and happiness to sinners, to faln man; and we see, Heaven was promised under the type of Canaan; and we see, the Gospel is a condi­tional promise: for, if absolute, the missing of Heaven and rest would have been ascribed to God's un­faithfulness, and not to man's dis­obedience or unbelief: and you see, what the condition of the Gospel is, by seeing faith and obedience count­ed as one. Seeing therefore it remain­eth Heb. 4 6. that some must enter in, and they [Page 145] to whom it was first preached enter­ed not in because of unbelief, [...] because of disobedience; and so the Margent of your Bibles have it, also ver. 11. And the Apostle tells us what Faith was necessary in those days, Heb. 11. 5, 6. Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God; but without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. It is essential to Religion, to believe there is forgiveness with God, that he may be feared. The Gospel-condition is rather the dili­gent seeking of Him (if you will place it in one of these acts only) than the believing he is, and is a rewar­der of them that come to him: for, this may be without that seeking, but not that seeking without this. I think it was not an essential condi­tion to Justification and Salvation in those days, to have an explicite knowledg and belief of Christ's death and satisfaction, though God did pardon them upon their return­ing [Page 146] unto him upon the account on­ly of that to come Satisfaction. And that which is like a Mathematical demonstration to me, that it was not an essential condition of pardon and salvation, is this, viz. If it was an essentially necessary condition of Ju­stification then, then no man could be in a state of justification and sal­vation, without an explicite know­ledg of Christ's death and satisfacti­on to come. But the Disciples of Christ (at least some of them) were truly regenerate men, truly children of God, and in a justified estate be­fore Christ's Resurrection, and be­lieved it not. That they were truly the people of God, and in a justi­fied estate before his resurrection, is clear; for saith Christ (before that), You are clean, through the word I have spoken to you. And it is said of Na­thaniel, A true Israelite, in whom is no guile. And else we must say, God had no people in the world at that day; for you will confess, they were the best. And again, it is apparent they did not believe any such thing [Page 147] as his death, and paying a price of blood. Nay, they were so far from believing he should so dye, that they rather believed that he should not so dye. When ever he spake any thing of his death, it is said, They un­derstood Mat. 16. 23. Mark 9. 31, 32 Luke 9. 44, 45▪ Luke 18. 34. none of these things: and, Far be it from thee: and when dead, they thought it unlikely that he should be a Redeemer: We trusted this was he that should have redeem­ed Israel. They looked on him as the promised Messiah, but thought he was to be some great Temporal De­liverer, and his Redemption should be with Power, and not with Price. How then could they be saved, if they had then died? I answer: That they, as others before them, belie­ved God would pardon sinners upon their repentance, and returning from sin unto God; but for whose sake or merit they knew not.

I do not here deny but some be­fore them might and did know some­thing of Christ's death and Propi­tiation: and I do not deny, it was their fault they knew no more, and [Page 148] understood no more the Types and Prophesies of him: but all that I contend for, is this, that it was not a necessary condition of salvation; else the Disciples had not been in a justified estate. And I may add this, John Baptist was under a clear­er dispensation than they before him, and the least in the Kingdom of Hea­ven in a clearer than John, and so the Disciples in a clearer than John. Hence it is very probable, If the Disciples knew not any thing of it, very few before them did, that li­ved under more obscure Dispensa­tions, and had not the helps they had. Now such repentance, sincere obedience, and turning, is still a part of the Gospel-condition: for, this is not taken away now under the Gospel; it is as much a condition of the Covenant, as ever, That we take God for our God, and turn from sin▪ Will any man say, That Ministers are not to preach from those Texts, If the wicked turn from his wicked­ness, he shall live. And, If you live after the flesh, you shall dye; but if [Page 149] you through the spirit do mortifie, &c. These things are as much a condition as ever. But there is something ad­ded under the Gospel, something re­quired of us as necessary, that was not so to them. Now, if you believe not I am He, you shall dye in your sins.

It might be replied (to continue the former Dialogue), You have well said in propoun­ding this to be a con­dition; Nonnulla hic desiderari, Ha­bes confitentem reum: sed quae mihi solutionem alienarum quaestionum [...] im­ponerent. In quibus quidem aqua mihi non multum haeret: At harum enodatio pluscu­lum insumeret chartae; paucis enim expedire non licet. Et forsan invidiam mihi concilia­ret, quae tu hujus generis ad populum conatibus maximo­pere cavenda est. Dumque necessitas rerum in confesso est unde oritur non adeo labo­randum: nec est tanti, nobis clar [...] evangelii luce agenti [...]s; nostra enim res non ageretur. [...]uare fere [...]at animus h [...]c ut vides aliquantulum [...]. & h [...]antia, relinquere; & proculdubio praestat opera­sis de rebus & explicatu diffici­libus tacere quam pauca dicere. but there is something more yet, is fit to be required of those that live under the clear Dispensation of the Gospel, viz. That we, after Christ is thus come, should explicitely know, be­lieve, trust in, and ho­nour our Redeemer. It is sit there should be faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as repentance toward God: That he should [Page 150] save only those that come to God by him, and ask in his Name: That over and above being true Israelites in whom is no guile, there should be a belief of Christ, and his death and resurrection. And so indeed there are new Articles essential to our Creed; Except you believe I am he, you shall dye in your sins.

To conclude, This is the Gospel­condition: God saith to us as Solo­mon to Adonijah (when fled to the horns of the Altar): He deserves to dye; but if he will shew himself a wor­thy man, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground: but if iniquity be found in him (if he will be false and trea­cherous to me and my Government) he shall dye. It is seemingly too high an Allusion; but the New Testa­ment often useth the word [worthy] for carrying in our weak measure suitably. I mean however no more but this; Be but Christians in good earnest; believe the truth of the Gospel stedfastly, in such a degree as to venture all upon it; and love God and Christ heartily, and serve [Page 151] them according to your weak shat­tered ability faithfully, so that it shall be the real grief of your soul when you fall short; and this shall serve your turn. So the terms are the whole of Christianity, the whole duty of man, so far as integrity and sincerity. What doth Solomon mean, when he saith, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, but the whole condition of happiness? Doth he set us on any thing not required under the gospel? These are the terms of the Covenant of Grace, established in the Blood of Christ, which you shall be judged, justified, or condem­ned by; and they are just before God, are justified in Law, that do thus; and shall be sententially pro­nounced just, that do thus in since­rity, though not perfectly; and they that do not, shall be condemned, notwithstanding Christ's death. Such only are of the Christian Faith. I understand Faith thus largely; and it is plain the Scripture doth, when ever any promise of Justification is made to it.

Do but well consider these few things following, to remove preju­dice, and to let you see into the na­ture of things; and I hope you will easily be convinced what are the terms.

1. There are the same terms and conditions of Justification and of Salvation. Whatsoever is the con­dition of the one, is also of the o­ther: For, the Apostle argueth in the same manner against salvation by works, as justification by works. Yea, it is apparent in the nature of the thing: for, Justification passive­ly taken (as I told you before) is nothing else but right to salvation; and we need no more for Heaven, than right to it. Do but get and keep right to Heaven (which is Ju­stification), and we need no more on our part. As for possession, that is God's work, by his Angels, carrying away souls, raising bodies. Many worthy men have said, That Repent­ance, sincere Obedience, are only for Possession, and not for Right. But we are not to work for Possession at [Page 153] all; we need not get upon a Hill, when about to dye, to save the An­gels a labour of carrying our souls too far. Do but get and keep Right, and to deny Possession to us (if we have right to it by Promise) would be unfaithfulness in God; which we need not to fear. Therefore if you will grant, that all the things I have spoken of, are required necessary to salvation, then they are also to justification. Only still, it is here, as in all other things of like nature, Consent, hearty consent to the Go­spel-terms, immediately instateth us in Justification, and right to Heaven. But if we would have continuance of our Justification and right to Hea­ven, we must continue to consent to those terms, as to the sincerity of our hearts and endeavours; else we should lose our Justification and right to Heaven; and the reason why we cease not to be justified, is because God keeps us from depart­ing from him, by keeping in us care and watchfulness. Thus we see what­soever we may lawfully do for Sal­vation, [Page 154] the same we may lawfully do for Justification.

2. Whatsoever duty there is, that if we do not, we should have no right to salvation, or justification, that is a condition of our salvation and justification. It is too common a saying, and a great upholder of the Antinomian way: Do but be­lieve, say some, (and by believing, they do not mean as I do, the whole of Christianity; but some one act, as, believing my sins are pardoned, or reliance, or accepting Christ for my Saviour) and such acts as accep­ting Christ for Lord, and sincere o­bedience will follow; but they are not conditions of Justification and Salvation; but put that one act, and they will naturally and inevitably follow. But ask them, Suppose they do not follow? They will answer, You must not suppose it, they will; for, they dare not ordinarily say, That if they do not follow it, you will yet have right to Heaven. I will shew you the vanity of such talk. This is virtually to say, God [Page 155] never made promise to these as con­ditions, never suspended salvation on them, but they will follow faith naturally. This is to say, Godliness hath not the promise of this life, or however not of that to come; else it would be a condition of the pro­mise. The instance that is usually brought of it, is this: There cannot be a seeing-eye without the body; yet it is the eye that only sees. So Faith only is the Condition, only at­tains right, but cannot be without works. Now I will bring this to make it like the case in hand: Sup­pose one promise you such a reward if you bring him, and give him the seeing eye of such a Beast; we are sure (if the meaning be according to the words) you would have right to the reward, if you brought him a seeing-eye without the body; though indeed you cannot: yet we are sure, if you did, you would have right, and he would be unjust in de­nying you the reward, though you brought not the body. And on the contrary: Suppose we be sure this [Page 156] is a truth, If you should bring him a seeing-eye, it would not attain right without the body; Then we are equally sure, that we mistook his words or meaning, he spake synec­dochically: for then it is equally a condition that the body be brought, as that the seeing-eye be brought; and it is equally influential into right: for, come to those things that do na­turally and universally accompany and follow one another, and where but one of them is made the con­dition, and the other not; the absence of that which is not a condition, would no way hinder right; and so not right to Justification and Salva­tion. If a man become a Christian indeed, it naturally and inevitably follows, he shall be hated of wick­ed men; but God never suspending Justification and Salvation upon it, never making this a Condition, we may truly say, If a man be a sincere Christian, it would not hinder his justification and salvation, though the wicked did not hate him. So if it be true, that a man cannot be a [Page 157] true Christian, but he must eat, drink, and breathe; these are natural Con­comitants: yet these not being made Conditions, though he did never eat, drink, nor breathe, he shall be saved. If you can say of any Grace, or any measure of Grace, as Assurance, or Joy, That it is not necessary to ju­stification and salvation: Then only you may say, They are not Condi­tions of these. If any one beloved sin, knowingly and wilfully conti­nued in, would hinder a man's par­don, justification, or right to Hea­ven; then a sincere desire and en­deavour, according to his ability, to get rid of that beloved sin, is a Condition of his Pardon and Justi­fication.

3. All Conditions of Justificati­on and Salvation, are equally Con­ditions, equally influential into right. If only an accident, or mode of a thing, be made a Condition with the thing; it is equally a Condition with the thing it self. If one promise to bring me a white Horse, and you shall have such a reward: It is [Page 158] equally a condition, and as much influential into right, that it be White, as that it be a Horse; so in any instance you can bring, either in fact or fiction. If I promise some­thing upon condition you bring me a Hundred, and you bring only Ninety-nine; you have no more right than if you brought none; and the odd one is as much a Condition as Ninety-nine. If any shall say, The Condition is a working Faith; then, that it be working, is equally a Condition, and equally influential into right, as, that it be Faith.

4. There is no such thing as re­ceiving Righteousness, or Justifica­tion, or Pardon. Many make this their great strong hold. Repent­ance and sincere Obedience, are not receptive, receiving Graces, as Faith is; and so cannot receive Justifica­tion and Righteousness. Now this falls; for, there is no act of recei­ving these, Justification, Right to Heaven, Righteousness, cometh, on Men. The free gift came upon all to justification. As by the offence of one, [Page 259] judgment came upon all men to con­demnation. As condemnation com­eth upon men without any act of receiving it, it is a resultancy from the Law upon disobedience; so Ju­stification, Right to Heaven, is a re­sultancy from a Law-promise (the condition being performed) I know you may object that place,— turn­ed from darkness to light, that they may receive remission of sins. But one of an ordinary capacity may per­ceive it is a figurative expression (because in natural things, where there is giving, there is receiving): for, if once men be turned from sin to God, Pardon comes by virtue of God's Promise; and Right to the In­heritance cometh on them. And we may figuratively say, Adam received his condemnation by eating: And so we read in Scripture of receiving condemnation; but there was, in propriety, no act of receiving it. If I make a promise upon such a con­dition; as soon as the condition is performed. Right to him results with­out any act of receiving it. Right [Page 160] comes upon the Felon that reads, Right to have his Life spared; Ju­stification, Pardon to Life comes upon him by the Law, by reading, without any act of receiving it. Many tell us of applying Christ's Righteousness to Justification; and this is all. It is an obscure speech; and it is, you see by this, impossible there should be any such thing pro­perly. I will tell you what I guess they mean by the word [apply] viz. Meditating upon any Truth you be­lieve. And they mean the same by [acting faith], viz. Meditating up­on Truth we believe. This is a great duty, to meditate on his Death, to act Faith upon his Satisfaction, and the fulness of it; to draw our hearts to consent, and chear our hearts af­ter consent: But if once they un­derstand it is Meditation they mean, they will not surely pretend it is the only Condition of Justification. You may say indeed, That Faith recei­veth Christ: But then you must not mean, by Faith, Assurance, or Reli­ance; for, Why doth not Love, or [Page 161] Fear, or Hope, as much receive as reliance? But you must mean the moral receiving, performed by the natural act of consent, acceptance. As one receives morally such a man to be his Master (that desires his service) by consenting; and if you will say, Faith is Consent; why is not Consent to be ruled by him, giving up our selves to be ruled by him, as much a recei­ving Christ, as Consent to be saved and pardoned by Him? And then if you will but grant this, this is to grant all I am pleading for. For, Consent to have him for Lord and Saviour, is to consent to be Christians in­deed, to consent to perform the whole duty of man; which is as com­prehensive a word as can be spoken, to be made the condition of salva­tion and justification: and if con­senting to the whole duty of man to the best of our power and knowledg be the condition of begun-Justificati­on and Salvation; then you will rea­dily see, that continuing this Consent, continuing to be Christians indeed, and to perform the whole duty of [Page 162] Man, to the best of our knowledg and power, in the integrity of our hearts, and wherein we fail to lament it, is the condition of our continued ju­stification and right to salvation. If a King grants a Pardon to Rebels, on condition they will become Loy­al Subjects, Consent is enough at the first to attain right to all the benefits of it: But continued Con­sent, and continual loyal carriage (in the main) towards him, is the con­dition of their continued right to Impunity; and every moment of continued Loyalry, is, in order of nature, before their continued Right. So, whereas before we consented to the Gospel-terms, our Pardon, and Justification, and Right to Heaven, were only offered to us upon condi­tion, and were not actually existent at all: now when we have heartily consented, they are really existent and actual, not meerly conditional; so that should we dye in that mo­ment, we should be saved, whereas had we dyed before we should have perished. But yet the continuance [Page 163] of our Justification, and pardon of future sins, is still conditional.

5. It is a gross mistake that many take up with, thinking it would be a more gracious, liberal, and free speech and promise, to say, Only be­lieve, rely, accept Christ for Savi­our, and you shall have right to Heaven, and be justified; and I will require nothing else of you for right to Heaven: This believing shall on­ly be influential into your right; but yet, except you repent, turn from sin to God, and obey, you shall have no right, shall not be justified; than to say, Turn from sin to God, re­pent, believe, obey, and you shall have right to salvation. For such a speech as the first, instead of being a more noble free promise, is non­sense, is untruth, and a contradiction in the very words: It is to say and unsay; it is to say, All shall be e­qually influential into right, all shall be Conditions, and yet they shall not all be Conditions, and equally influential into right. For, a Condi­tion is that, which if we do not, we [Page 164] shall have no right to the thing pro­mised. This is a Condition as much as any Condition, and as influential into right as any condition in the world that is not the whole conditi­on: for, every condition is only a sine qu [...] non, and altogether only sine quibus non, & cum quibus. And there­fore for any to speak thus, is weakly to lye for God, pretending to keep up the honour of God's free grace; ignorantly thinking, that if God re­quire us to repent, return, or no mercy, then it is not free; then we merit our pardon; it is not of grace: contrary to all Reason and Scripture.

God hath made the Condition re­quired from us, as little, as small a matter as he thought would stand with his Honour, Wisdom, and Go­vernment in the World; and they that would make the conditions of Grace, Mercy, and Salvation through Christ, less than God hath made them (what ever good intention they have to honour God by it) do really dishonour him as an unholy God: for God thought it would not [Page 165] stand with the honour of his Holi­ness, to accept unto favour and life any but they that should return from sin unto God. Ministers are to tell the whole terms, that men may sit down and consider the cost; and if men will be offended, and say it is a hard saying, and like not Christ and Life on these terms: Let them be offended, they have their choice to let him alone; but they shall know, they had life and death set before them on gracious easie terms; and they have rewarded their own souls evil for good. Again, if a necessity of Repentance and sincere Obedi­ence to Justification, would hinder it from being free; then such as say thus, and tell us, these things are on­ly for possession; do virtually grant, that possession of Salvation is not free: But what Christian-ears can endure this, that Possession is not equally free with Right, that both are not of free-grace?

6. They that say, There is only one act to be done by us for Par­don, Justification, and Right to Hea­ven; [Page 166] and whosoever shall do any other duty or act for these ends, seeks to be justified by works, in the Apostle Paul's sense: They make it a certain damning sin, to do any o­ther act that we may be pardoned, justified, obtain right to Salvation. For that certainly was it which the Apostle wrote against. Now quae ni­mium probant, nihil probant; that which will prove more than they, upon deliberate thoughts, dare grant that use the argument; that answers it self as to them. Surely they dare not own what inevitably follows from this. Then it follows, that no man must pray for pardon of sin, upon pain of damnation; for this is to do one act more for Justifica­tion, than that one act. No man must repent for this end, That his iniqui­ties may be blotted out; that is, for Justification. No man must by pa­tient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and immortality; for, then he must be damned: for, surely well­doing comprehends more than belie­ving, when they take it for one act; [Page 167] but God hath said, To such only he will give eternal life. No man must do the Commands of God for this end, That he may have right to salvation: If he do, he shall be ac­cursed: whereas God saith, Blessed Rev. ult. 14. are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.

What? hath God made promise to repentance, returning, sincere O­bedience, of Pardon, Justification, Heaven; and shall we provoke God if we perform the condition for at­taining the benefit, and expect the benefit upon performing the condi­tion? Would not this be as rational, to threaten death for sin, and yer be angry at us for fearing his threat, for avoiding the sin upon the account of his threat? as to be angry at us, yea, (according to this principle) damn us for performing the conditi­on of the Promise, that we may have right to the thing promised? There is no possible avoiding this conse­quence: for, if you may act for re­ward, then for right to the reward: for you are not (as I shewed before) [Page 168] to act for Possession any further than for right to it. And if any should object, But you must not expect Justification and Salvation to come by these; this would be to say, You must think God unfaithful, and his Promises nullities; and we are apt to be too distrustful herein without bidding; or, but you must not think to merit by these things. Very true; but is it impossible to perform them for these ends, but we think to merit by them? Do they that say, they may do the one act of Believing for Justification, think they merit Justi­fication by it?

Sure I am, that many that held these things notionally, did not hold them practically: for many of the worthiest men, both Prelates and o­thers, that ever England had, held these things notionally, yet so as to deny the consequence; but never any good man held them practically, I mean except just in a sudden fit of temptation.

I shall now yet more fully make out to you what this Gospel-condi­tion, [Page 169] the Covenant-terms of Justifi­cation and Salvation, and all other benefits by Christ are, (for they have all the same condition, every Covenant-benefit or any Covenant­benefit) by reciting some of the most eminent Names the Gospel­condition is called by; which is an easie matter to do: and some may think it as well let alone, as need­less. But the thing I am speaking of, seems to me to be as weighty a mat­ter as any point in Divinity, and is opposed by many; and therefore it shall not be grievous or burdensome to me; and for you, I think it safe and needful; and let the more in­telligent pardon my using so many words, yea, and Tautologies, since I do it that the lowest-parted may understand me, and doubt no more.

That Condition which we are to be justified and saved by, is called by many Names, which yet always mean the same thing for substance.

1. It is called Knowledg, By his Isa. 53 11. knowledg shall my righteous servant justifie many. Knowledg here is taken [Page 170] objectively, not subjectively, viz. for our knowledg of Christ, not his knowledg whereby he knows. So, This is life eternal (i. e. the conditi­on of life) to know thee and thy Son; but it meaneth also, Love, Believe, Obey, and carry suitably to such Knowledg.

2. The Gospel-condition is cal­led Confession. If we confess, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. So, if any man say, I have sinned and perverted that which is right, it pro­fiteth me not, he will deliver his soul. But the meaning is, Si caetera sint pa­ria. Confess so, as to forsake, obey, &c. Else if God meant no more, by these Promises we should have right; and he would be unfaithful in de­nying us possession, though we for­sake not our sins.

3. Sometime it is called Faith. The righteousness of Faith speaketh on this wise; that is, the Gospel, the Law of Faith, in opposition to the Cove­nant of Works. If thou confess with Rom. 10. 9. thy mouth, and believe in thy heart, that God hath raised him from the [Page 171] dead, thou shalt be saved. What doth he mean no more than you must be­lieve Christ is risen? Nay, you must believe he is ascended into Heaven also; yea, and believe the whole Go­spel, and obey and carry suitably to the Gospel also: The Gospel-con­dition, which is a sincere endeavour according to the best of our know­ledg, to perform the whole duty of man, is frequently called by the name of Believing, in the New Testament; because it was the great business at that time, to perswade the Jews and Gentiles that Christ was the Messiah, and that he rose again. There were new Articles now added to the old ones, new Conditions to the old. They take it for granted as a thing known, that they were to repent and obey, that they knew the duty of repentance toward God. But this was the great difficult Doctrine, to perswade them there was a necessity of Faith in the Lord Jesus, and to believe his death and resurrection. Try the spirits, for many false pro­phets are gone out into the world (and 1 Joh. 4. 1, 2, 3. [Page 172] gives this as a trial of the Prophets), every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: but he that confesseth it not, is not of God. We may take this as a proba­ble interpretation of the place. He takes it for granted, that they knew, they that taught wickedness and ido­latry were not of God, whatever confession they made of Christ. But his meaning may be; If any coming as a Prophet, seeming to be a man teaching Holiness; he is not of God, if he deny Christ come in the flesh: but if he add to other such virtues, Faith in the Lord Jesus, he is of God. You may easily apply it to the case in hand. And whatever inter­pretation else you will give of this, as confessing Christ in time of trial; yet it must be meant, and teach sui­tably to such confession. What do you think the wicked Jews meant, when they said, If we let this man alone, all men will believe on him? What did they mean, some one act, and that one act that many now hold to be only necessary to salvation, though [Page 173] not agreed ordinarily what it is? Surely they meant, They will be­lieve he is the Messiah, and so love him, obey him, stick to him. If one bid you believe in such a Physici­an, trust in him, and he will cure you; cannot you easily understand he means also, Take his Counsel, follow his directions, by believing in him? So when he saith, Believe, and thou shalt be saved; he meaneth, Believe, and carry as one that belie­veth; love, obey, turn.

4. Sometime called Repentance. Repent, that your iniquities may be blotted. John preached repentance for the remission of sin. Surely, you will grant, that is for Justification. And Christ did not take away this Condition; nay, he preached it him­self: Except you repent, you shall pe­rish. He meant, believe, obey also.

5. Called Conversion.— Turn them from darkness to light, that they Mar. 4. 12 may receive remission. Lest they should see with their eyes, and be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. [Page 174] Implying the terms that God hath bound himself to by promise through Christ's death to the world, so as he cannot in faithfulness break. If con­verted, he must forgive, having made this new Law of Grace.

6. Called Obedience. Being made perfect through suffering, having fully satisfied, he became the Author of eter­nal salvation to those that obey him. Surely this holdeth out the terms on which men shall have the justifying saving benefit of Christ's death. But there is implied in this also the be­lief of the truth of the Gospel. So, Hear and your souls shall live. That is, obey for life, for justification, for right to salvation.

7. Keeping the Commandments. Blessed are they that do his Command­ments, that they may have right to the tree of life. Not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord; but he that doth the will of my Father, shall inherit the Kingdom. If the Erek. 18. 21. wicked turn from all his sins which [Page 275] he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, he shall live; all the trans­gressions that he hath done shall not be mentioned. This is not the Law of Works, but the Gospel: for, the Law promiseth no mercy to the returning wicked. Consider these three places: In Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but Gal. 5. 6. faith, which worketh by love. In Jesus Gal. 6. 15. Christ neither circumcision, &c. but a new creature. Again, In Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 7. 19. neither circumcision nor uncircumci­sion availeth any thing, but the keep­ing the Commandments of God. Do not these three expressions mean the same thing, the same Gospel-condi­tion?

8. Regeneration, New Creature. Except a man be born again, &c. Not by works of righteousness which we have Tit. 3. 15. done, but according to his mercy hath he saved us, by the washing of rege­neration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. One would think you might gather hence, what the Apostle Paul means by Works, and what by Faith, the Gospel-condition.

[Page 176]9. Sanctification. Except I wash thee, thou canst have no part in me. And, without holiness none shall see the Lord. Godliness hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come. Is not Justification, right to Heaven among the number of those things? Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, learn to do well. Come now, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

I could name many other Names, as Fearing God, Hoping in him, Trust­ing in him, &c. But I will name but one more.

10. Sometime it is expressed by words that import a Continuance; and this is indeed the condition of the continued Justification and right to Heaven. To them he will give eter­nal Col. 1. 21, 22, 23. life, who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for immortality. Yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh, through death, to present you blameless and unreproved in his sight, if you continue in the faith, grounded [Page 177] and setled, and be not removed away from the hope of the Gospel, which you have heard, and was preached to every creature under Heaven. That is, upon condition that as you have received the Christian Faith, so you continue in it to the end, notwith­standing all sufferings; by the encou­ragement of that hope which this Gospel supplies unto you. If we 1 Joh. 1. 7 walk in the light, as he is in the light, the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. There is no condemnation to Rom. 1. 8. them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Whose house are we, if we hold Heb. 3. 6. fast our confidence unto the end.

But yet believers are justified at present. But you are sanctified, but you are justified, saith the Apostle: you are so, upon your first cordial­consent to the Gospel-terms. It is here as in all other things of the like nature. What makes a Servant, but Consent? When the Master is wil­ling to have him, and propounds the terms, he consents to the terms.

I have set Life and Death before you, and told you the condition of Life by Christ.

Would we go and consider this condition, and the reasonableness of it, and the glorious things that would come by it; and would we go, and in the strength of God and Christ, call Heaven and Earth to record; yea, and Hell to witness, That we consent, give up our selves to be ruled and saved by Christ; would we enter into Covenant to be the Lord's people, and his Christ's, to walk in all well-pleasing, and not to allow our selves in any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty; and to use the means God hath appointed to know his will, and for the destruction of sin; and this as honest men really intending per­formance even till death; being so far from designing treacherously to turn aside in difficulties, that it is our greatest fear and dread, lest we should deal falsly in this Covenant: From this time you are justified by this Law of Grace, and have right [Page 179] to Heaven, though you should have black and sad thoughts, and think you are not: and, you may pray with encouragement, Keep this in the thoughts of our heart for ever, and confirm our hearts unto thee; and God will keep those that thus com­mit themselves unto him. But yet this is true, if you should fall utter­ly away, this Law of Grace would cease to justifie you, because you withdraw this consent, and so cease to have the condition of it; and the reason why we do not lose Ju­stification, and right to Salvation, is, Because God keepeth his fear in our hearts, lest we should draw back, and his soul have no pleasure in us. Do not say, This is not to be supposed; for you ought to put such suppositions to your selves: viz. If I should now leave off to be wise, and to do good, I should perish. For what else doth God threaten? for, If the righteous forsake his righteousness, he shall dye. As a man that never maketh this Sup­position, [If Christ had not died, I had perished; or, if God had not [Page 180] converted me] cannot but be very unthankful; which Suppositions are at least as equally impossible as the Supposition of your total Apostacy. So a man that never maketh these Suppositions, [If I should fall away, I should lose all] cannot but be ve­ry unwary and remiss in care and watchfulness.

Concerning those several Names the Gospel-condition is called by, let me add this Observation. I know sometime these words may be, and are used in Scripture in their proper sense, for one act, and no more. And it may be sometimes by confess, may be meant no more than confess. And sometime Faith is used only for Faith; as when he saith, He that cometh to God must believe that God is: There, by believing, is meant only assent: And so when we read of Faith's operativeness, it means only the be­lief of the Truth (and so would I be understood, when I at any time speak of Faith's operativeness, as purify­ing their hearts by Faith); yet when­ever any Promise is made to any [Page 181] Grace or Act whatsoever of Justi­fication, Salvation, Pardon; there it implieth the whole Gospel-conditi­on, and all Graces essential to Chri­stianity. It must be understood, cae­teris paribus, if other things answer thereto. And this I can prove evi­dently to you by this argument; else a man would have right by the Promise upon his Confessing, though he did not forsake; and, by belie­ving that Christ is risen from the dead, though he should refuse to o­bey the Gospel; and God would be unfaithful in denying him the things promised. If you promise a Vintner so much money to send you such a Butt that stands in his Cellar, and he sends you the empty Vessel; if you can assure me that you are not by truth and promise bound to pay him, then I am equally sure, that you meant the Vessel and the Wine also: you spake Synecdochically.

Methinks I may say as the Town-Clark of Ephesus once did, with great­er reason than he, These things are [...], things that cannot be spo­ken against.

Object. Is not this, working for Justification, or Righteousness? Is there no danger in seeking to be ju­stified and saved by works?

Ans. No danger at all in this sense; and yet great danger in another sense: but it is so far from being dangerous in this sense, that it is in­dispensably necessary to salvation: They only shall be blessed that keep his Commandments, in Gospel-sincerity, that they may have right to the tree of life; that is, that they may be ju­stified. And I dare confidently say, that never any did sincerely obey God (whatever confused notions some good men have had in their brains, that they held only specu­latively), but for this end, among others, that they might have right to Heaven, which is Justification; for as humane nature now is (and I think I may say the same concerning the state of Innocency), it is not capa­ble of undergoing the difficulties of obedience, but for such ends, To [Page 183] escape the curse, and attain the bles­sing; which is to attain Justificati­on, and escape Condemnation. And to say otherwise, is to say, God hath indeed made promises of remission of sins, and Heaven, to those that repent, turn from sin, and obey the Gospel; but I will not regard these promises, I will not be moved by them, I will do none of these things for these ends; but I will only act out of love. Which yet, I could shew you, would be impossible: For, how can I love him who I think hath done me no good? and, how can I think he hath done me any good, when I think my own salvation is no good? as I certainly do, if I do not desire and endeavour it. And God hath threatned those that go on in sin, with a Curse, and Hell. But I will not refrain sin for these ends, that I may escape Hell; I will only act out of Love; I will be above Scripture; I will neither be moved with promises nor threats. But there is another sense which the Apostle speaketh of as damnable. [Page 184] The Pharisaical Jews would have Justification and Righteousness with­out pardon; would purely and meer­ly be justified, so as not to be par­doned, that it should be no favour to justifie them, but their due with­out grace and pardon; (and that maketh him prove, out of David, the necessity of pardon, Rom. 4.) and that would be in effect to say, with­out the Satisfaction and Righteous­ness of Christ: and if so, Christ died in vain, this would make void his death; they would have their obe­dience to the Moral Law (which they commonly interpreted as reach­ing only to the outward act) either to be perfect, or so little defective, that the great meritoriousness of being Abraham's Seed, and circumcised; and their strict observance of the Cere­monial Law, and other Traditions never commanded, would make up what wanted: And their Righte­ousness being compleat of it self, their Justification would be of due debt from the old Law, through Ju­stice; and not of Pardon and Grace [Page 185] through a Propitiation. And so too many among us look upon their good works as meritorious; though they be sinners, and know it, yet they think the good works of Alms, and other things, which they look upon as no duties, will satisfie for those sins; and think God would do them wrong, if he do not for their good deeds pardon their evil deeds; think their good works are very good, and deserving much from God; and their evil not very evil; and so God would be very hard, yea, unjust, if he should condemn them. If this was true, then no need of Christ, he then dyed in vain; then salvation would be of debt from natural Justice, from the old Law, and not of Grace, and Mercy, and Pardon through Christ. Will any dare to say, If what I have spoken be true, that he will pardon none but repenting, return­ing, believing sinners, that it is not of Pardon, Mercy, Grace, but of debt from the old Covenant, which allows no Pardon?

I confess Paul's Epistles about Ju­stification are hard to be under­stood; and I am confident many Expositors are, and have been no­toriously mistaken about these things; and that by Faith he meaneth (as I do) Faith and Obedience to the Gospel. I have written something to shew to my Acquaintants the meaning of these places, which I think make them appear rational and plain to this sense, and (absit verbo invidia) will do so to ratio­nal men. But it is not fit to speak so largely here. I wish you to read considerately, Cap. 3. v. 5. of his E­pistle to Titus. Can you imagine when the Apostle saith, Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Christ, we have believed that we might be justified, &c. That he means, we did not repent that we might be justified; did not obey, turn from sin, that we might be ju­stified, or not be condemned? All that I will do here further, shall [Page 187] be to speak so as to keep you from dangers on both sides, if you will observe this distinction, and it will be plain I hope to the meanest ca­pacity.

There is in this Justification by Christ spoken of, (there being two Laws or Covenants, one of Works, and the other of Grace, a lex re­medians, and both in force; else if the old Law, as a Law, with its pe­nalty, was repealed, it would be no sin not to obey perfectly; and we might say, Christ his death had not satisfied for our sins, and the legal desert of them, but prevented them from being sins, and from legally de­serving damnation) there is in this Justification, as it were, a two-fold Righteousness or Justification; and the distinction of these two is so ne­cessary to any competent measure of understanding this Doctrine of Ju­stification, and would be so helpful to make us understand it, and speak intelligibly of it, that I desire you would never forget it: Passive Ju­stification, the effect of active, is our [Page 188] right; constituted as I have shewed you. But to speak of active Justi­fication, It is essentially from some Charge pleaded, or possibly pleada­ble against us.

1. Suppose the Accusation be, We are sinners, have offended God, de­served wrath, broken the first Cove­nant, the Law of Works: and un­der this are comprehended sins a­gainst the Gospel; for they are sins against the Moral Law, which Christ hath satisfied for all the breaches of, that ever were or shall be. For the Original Law of Nature is this, Keep all my Commandments which I have or shall reveal to thee any way what­soever, whether by Nature, or any o­ther way of making my will known (the eating of the forbidden fruit was against this Moral Law, though immediately against a particular Re­velation) or thou shalt dye. Now if this be the Accusation, thou art a sinner, hast deserved death, trans­gressed the Law, refused Christ and the Gospel a long time; yea, and hast notoriously sinned since conver­sion. [Page 289] Here nothing will justifie, no­thing will answer this Accusation, but this: Christ hath dyed, satisfied; God hath set him forth to be a Pro­pitiation. It would be improper and vain here to plead, We have repent­ed, believed: for thou art a cursed Creature, and there is no blood or satisfaction in these; thou wilt rather be damned for thy failings in these; they are imperfect at best, and how­ever cannot buy off thy former sins. Here we must plead nothing in our selves to this Accusation: nay, we must confess we have nothing in our selves to justifie us against this Accu­sation of being sinners, deserving wrath. That that must answer this Accusation, is altogether without us. To plead, to justifie from this Ac­cusation, something within us, is to spit in Christ's face, is damnable: for whatever we plead, must be a Righteousness, or it is no way pleada­ble. If we have a Righteousness to answer this, Christ dyed in vain.

2. But now suppose another Ac­cusation which is possibly pleadable [Page 190] against us: suppose the accusation be, But thou hast no lot or porti­on in this Satisfaction; for all have not interest in it: but there was a second Covenant made, wherein God made it over only upon Go­spel-terms, and conditions of repent­ing, believing, obeying sincerely, up­on sincerity and uprightness, and truth in the inward parts: for, it was enacted that none should have the benefit of it, to justifie them a­gainst the old Law, but they that performed the condition.

Here now is no danger of plead­ing, to answer this Accusation, some­thing in our selves; nay, it is duty, and we wrong our selves if we have the condition, and do not. Ye must say, Yea, through grace I have re­pented, believed, endeavoured to obey God sincerely, and have la­mented when I have faln short; I have received Christ for my Lord and Saviour, & endeavoured to serve him, and do at this day. And this will be your righteousness against this Ac­cusation, will justifie you against this Accusation.

It would be foolishly impertinent to plead here, Christ hath dyed, hath made satisfaction to the Law; when the Charge, the Accusation is, Thou hast no interest in him, and his death, and the purchased bene­fits. And it would be false and ridi­culous to plead what they that falsly are called the only Preachers of Free­grace would have you plead, viz. That Christ hath repented for thee, performed the Gospel-conditions for thee. Here you may and must plead something in your selves, even the performance of the Gospel-con­dition. You must not confess you have nothing to plead, except you have not; and then I would say, Are you mad wilfully to refuse Christ? I know, men may think they have not, and yet have this condition; and then God knows, there is this good thing in them toward God and Christ, though they think not so; and so they are justified, and know not. But if you say, I have nothing in me to answer this Accusation, and say true, and continue in this estate; [Page 192] you will be condemned upon this Accusation at the last day, when judged according to the Gospel, and are at present under condemnation in law.

But if you be sincere Christians, and in some comfortable measure know it, you may in this sense re­joyce in your selves; you may say, I have proved my own work, and so have joy in my self, and not in ano­ther. This is our rejoycing, the testi­mony of our Conscience, that in simpli­city and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in this world. You may say of a godly man, he hath that within him that will bear him out, and mean by it the sincerity of his heart; but then you must not mean it to satisfie for his ill deeds, or against the first accusati­on; but against this only, of having no part in Christ. Here a man may glory; Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and know­eth me, Jer. 9. 24. We may say in the Apostle John's sense and words, Our [Page 193] hearts, our consciences acquit us, and condemn us not. 1 John 3. 20, 21. If our hearts truly condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts con­demn us not, then have we confidence toward God; and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

So that you may now see, that 1. God justifieth as the principal Efficient. 2. The Promise or Cove­nant of God (If thou believe, thou shalt be saved) as the instrument, or less principal efficient: for an In­strument is essentially an efficient; and the act of the principal and in­strument are essentially one and the same act, and both proper Efficients of the effect. If one strike with a rod, he strikes and the rod strikes, though less principally, yet both truly. If a man promise, he gives right, and the promise gives right properly. 3. Christ's Death and Merits justifie as a Satisfaction to God's Justice, that he might pardon [Page 194] with safety to his honour and go­vernment. 4. The faith of Christ, or true Christianity as the condition. Now a condition is a causa sine quâ non; and it is agreed that a causa sine quâ non, is no cause, but only so necessarily called for want of a better word; just as we are forced to speak always of non-entities, as if they were entities whenever we speak of them, as Tenebrae sunt, Nihil fuit. So I was wittingly forced, sometimes before, to use the word of Faith's influence into right. And it is almost impossible to speak o­therwise, but any intelligent man may see, though the performance of the Gospel-condition seemeth at the first view to have something like in­fluence into right, like causality, yet it hath not; but that influence which it seemeth to have, is to be ascribed in propriety only to God and the Promise. When a Felon reads, it was not his reading that pardoned him, but the Legislators by the Law upon his reading. So that they err that use to tell us, that Faith is a [Page 195] cause of Justification, and not other graces; for it is no cause, it doth not in propriety justifie and pardon our sins at all. If Faith did merit, then it would be a moral efficient of our right. Methinks none should say, Faith is an Instrument of Justi­fication; for then it would be a true proper saying in the strictest sense, Faith pardoneth our sins, Faith ac­quitteth us.

You have seen upon what honou­rable terms God hath dispensed with his Law in not executing it, how­ever not fully executing it upon offenders.

1. He doth execute some of it in this life upon his pardoned ones, pardoned as to the great matters: for Christ did not bargain, that the curse should in every part be taken off immediately upon their belie­ving. No, God makes sin evil and bitter to them in this life many ways; and they must dye, and their bodies rot in the grave for a time. God told Moses, he had pardoned the Is­raelites (that is, so as not to cut [Page 196] them off from being a people); but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, their carkasses shall fall in the wilder­ness. And I doubt not, but this tends to the honour of God's Justice, to leave some drops of this curse upon us in this life; and we ought to take notice of his righteousness, as well as mercy in afflicting us.

Some will object, But the Suffer­ings of Believers are not satisfa­ctory.

Ans. I know they are not in the strict sense of the word: for that signifieth compensation enough for the fault; or, in the sense the Pa­pists use the word, For little Suf­ferings buying off other Sufferings; yea, the great or eternal suffering. And some object, They are not vindictive; and when they explain the word, they mean, they are not eternal or totally de­structive; which is true indeed. But if any by the words Satisfactory or [Page 197] Vindictive, mean, that they are not inflicted by the Rector by virtue of the Law for a fault, in token of his displeasure, and for the honour of his Justice, and warning of others. I must deny it, and say, So far as they are for sin, they are satisfactory and vindictive in this sense; and can plainly prove it.

2. That which God hath and will take off (as indeed all will be clear taken off at the great, full, execu­tive Redemption, the Resurrection of the body) Christ hath paid deer for it.

3. Though Christ hath paid this great Price, yet we shall have this benefit by it, only upon such terms of honour to God, as acknowledg­ing in deep sense of our unworthi­ness, God's righteousness if he had condemned us, and turning from sin, accepting the Redeemer. Methinks we should be so far from quarrel­ling at, that we should see high rea­son for, and admire the wisdom of God in this whole Transaction; and while we see some of his ways are [Page 198] rational, conclude all are so, and our ignorance is the cause they appear no more amiable to us.

Here is no shadow of injustice in the Universal Magistrate of the World, neither to Christ, nor to Christians, nor to the Commonwealth of the World, nor to his old Law that was not executed.

1. No wrong done to Christ: for, he underwent it willingly, Et violenti non fit injuria; No wrong can be done to a mind willing of the da­mage.

2. Not to Christians: The high­est praises are due to God from them, and given by them, for this very transaction.

3. Not to the World: It was to reform it, and lay a new foundation of Religion in it.

4. Not to his Law: For, the re­pute of that hath been as well secu­red, and kept as inviolable by the revelation of this to be adored Ju­stice of God, as if it had been exe­cuted upon all offenders to all Eter­nity.

I will answer but one Objection more, before I come to apply all.

Some will expect to hear, how this whole Doctrine is consistent with Election and Special Grace.

If you ask men of different per­swasions concerning general and spe­cial Grace, How it comes to pass that any of the degenerate sons of Adam are saved? They will answer, Only by Grace and Mercy through Christ. If you ask them further, How comes it about that some are saved, and some perish, notwith­standing this Grace? They will fur­ther answer, Because some believe, perform the Gospel-condition, others not. If you demand, How comes this, that some perform the Gospel­condition, and not others? They will still concent in answering, Some will, and some will not; some chuse mercy on the terms of it, and others chuse rather to perish than to ac­cept Christ and Mercy on the Gospel­terms. Thus far they agree com­monly; so that it doth not properly concern me to speak (in this Dis­course) [Page 200] of the things wherein they differ; both granting all that I af­firm. But if you enquire further of them, How comes it to pass that some are thus willing, and others not? Here they disagree: Some will say, this of man's willingness, it is to be ascribed to man himself; or give such answer that it inevitably follows from it; and that God doth no more in this case for one than for another; helps one as much as ano­ther; and then consequently it fol­lows, that a man converted is not a jo [...] more beholden to God than one not converted, God doing no more for him than the other. And some doctrinally hold, That God giveth men only free-will, and the Gospel or objective Evidence; and will go no further with any. I cannot un­derstand how such can pray for Grace, or for God's giving them to improve the Gospel, and his Provi­dences, while they mean only, Give us Free-will (which I grant in some sense they have, though I utterly dis­like the [...] that some plead for) [Page 201] and the Gospel and objective evi­dence, which they have already, and hold that God will do no more for any; whereas God only disowns respecting of persons in Rectoral and Judicial Acts, as punishing and rewarding, as will appear upon view of those places; but no where the doing that for the working the Con­dition in some, which he doth not for others, but owns the contrary. I dread to affirm, That a man in this sense makes himself to differ; though man's sin and unwillingness (and so destruction) is plainly of himself, yet not his willingness. And though I may well excuse my self from intermedling in these Con­troversies, yet I will in short give you an account of my thoughts con­cerning them. Though I doubt, some will say (which I cannot much contradict) that I had better have said nothing of this nature, than speak so little. All that I shall say of this Difficulty, shall be in answer to this following Objection.

Object. Is not the Condition it self of Justification and Salvation, and the working the Condition it self, the fruit and effect of Christ's Death?

Ans. I shall endeavour to shew you how it is, and how it is not, in these Propositions.

1. The death of Christ foreseen, undertaken, or undergone, as a Pro­pitiation, Expiation, Satisfaction, was only for sin, and so for pardon of sin, that God might with safety to his Justice not execute the penalty, but might shew kindness and favour to offenders, notwithstanding the Threat; and therefore, as a Satisfa­ction, with this kind of causality, causeth no more; and then it being agreed between the Father and Son, that only Believers (in the Scrip­ture-sense) should have the benefit of it for salvation; We can only say (setting aside the comfortable reprieval, and the objective evi­dence, and whatever other common [Page 203] helps and assistances of the Spirit there are which were necessary in order to trial), He gave his Son (and Christ, himself) that whosoever repent­ed, believed on him, should not perish, but have eternal life.

2. This death and satisfaction, and the benefit of them offered to sin­ners on these terms, are as a moral cause in their own nature influential to work the Condition, Faith and Repentance. The death of Christ (this promise being made with it) is an object, aptum natum, a thing objectively, naturally influential to work this effect; and so being the cause of this cause of Faith, it is the cause of the thing caused: for, there would have been no foundation of Religion and turning to God, but for God's being made so far pacified, as to accept sinners on these terms, and make it known to men. But this is nothing singular, but common to all that enjoy the Gospel; and it means no more but this, It would have this effect if men did their duty, and im­proved it a right.

[Page 204]3. The working the Condition, the making the Gospel actually ef­ficacious for the working the Con­dition, is to be ascribed to God's De­cree, and his execution thereof, as most properly its effect; and useth therefore to be ascribed to the Fa­ther, rather than the Son. Take this account of it. A foundation being laid (or foreseen as laid) in the blood of Christ, that God might, with safety to his Honour and Ju­stice, return into favour with sin­ners; and that he could as Rector (and so would) pardon repenting returning sinners; and that this was all he could do as Rector, with Ho­nour and Justice; he could descend no lower than to make this Law of Grace, this act of Oblivion, He that repenteth, believeth, returneth, shall be saved: and he must be true to his own Laws; it would not stand with his Honour to pardon any but upon these terms: Now these things, and this Law being foreseen, and also fore-seeing that all men would yet perish by refusing Christ, rejecting [Page 205] Mercy, through the wilful chosen wickedness of their own hearts, not­withstanding the death of Christ for them, and the objective evidence of the Gospel: He doth this other act I am now speaking of, as Dominus, Lord Proprietary. For, as saving and justifying them that believe, is, actus justitiae, (the Law being consi­dered) The 17th Article of our 39 Articles of Reli­gion, can mean no less than what is here af­firmed. a Rectoral act, so, as Lord Proprietary, he decreed, resolved from eternity to, and doth in time, make and cause such particular men (by setting home Truths in evidence, and softning their hearts by his spi­rit in a way to us possibly much un­known, and not fit to be insisted on here) to believe, repent, return, or accept Christ on his own terms, whom otherwise he fore-saw would reject Christ even as others.

I look upon this Election which is ascribed to the Father, as the foun­dation of the first difference, of one differing from another: For, as be­ing regenerate, converted, maketh a difference, maketh men actually choice men, executively elect men, [Page 206] differing men (the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour): So this Decree, to give such men grace, to convert them, is the foundation of this first difference; as having the condition of the Promise, maketh the first difference, so the Decree to work it is the first foundation of it.

This is that the Apostle speaketh of as a depth to be admired, that God should condemn men, or de­cree to condemn men for their sin, that reject Christ and Grace; this he doth not wonder at; he could, and we can give sufficient reason for that; neither doth he wonder that God should save or decree to save by Christ those that repent and be­lieve, and not others; there is a con­gruity in the thing, a Satisfaction, being that he may do it with Ho­nour: But, that when all would have rejected Christ and Mercy, that he should harden some, that is, leave them to the hardness of their own hearts, and soften others, make some repent, believe, that would have [Page 207] refused grace, this was his wonder, and the thing unaccountable to the Apostle; and so ir is to us.

Th [...]se are said to be drawn by the Father, and given to Christ by the Father; and this of drawing men to Christ, making them to ac­cept Christ, is ascribed, you see, ra­ther to the Father than the Son. All that the Father giveth me, shall come Joh. 6. 37. unto me; and him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast off; and I will raise him up at the last day. He seemeth to refer to that giving men­tioned, Ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheri­tance: that is, I will make that Christ shall be their Lord actually (like that, Isa. 55.) and they subject to his Laws actually. I will bring them to the obedience of Faith, which God doth in giving Faith and Re­pentance, in giving the first Grace, in working in them the condition of the Covenant, which is the fruit of Election: for this giving cannot be meant of those that are actually Be­lievers, or fore-seen and looked on [Page 208] as such by him; for he saith, they shall come unto me, shall believe on me: and this belief and coming is named as the effect of God's giving men to Christ; and so the giving is antecedent to the coming in all con­sideration. So Ver. 44. No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him. Ver. 45. It is written, They shall all be taught of God: every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, com­meth unto me. Ver. 65. No man can come unto me, except it be given him of my Father: This he said, know­ing that there were some that belie­ved not. Such is the wilful wicked­ness of the world, that all would reject Christ; yea, and they cannot do otherwise in some sense, though they can in another sense (which senses I could make plain to you, but it would take up too much time, and be too large a digression), so that the working the Condition, the first Grace, the first difference is to be ascribed to Election.

[Page 209]4. Though the common saying is, That Christ's death merited no Volitions, no Decrees; and so his fore-seen death merited not, that God should will such and such things; and the most build much upon A­quinas his saying, Deus vult hoc prop­ter hoc, sed non propter hoc vult hoc; meaning there are reasons and mo­tives, causes of the things willed, but not of the willing of those things: yet I look upon this saying as meer words, and void of truth; and we ought to have other conceptions, or else we shall have conceptions un­worthy of God. Yet many go in such a method in speaking of God's Decrees, that they make this such a main Pillar of their Fabrick, that for one to hold that God's love or pity, or man's misery, was any mo­tive to God to send his Son to dye (which God forbid any should de­ny) would destroy their whole me­thod: for, it is impossible that any thing should be, or be considered, as, ratio rei volitae, a reason of the thing willed; but it must be, and must be [Page 210] considered, as, ratio actus volunta­tis, as the reason of the willing: For, a reason or motive is essenti­ally a motive to the will of the principal Agent: for, what can it possibly be conceived to move, but the Will? Can it be a Motive, and move nothing? or, can it be actually a prevailing-reason, and not prevail with the Will? What ever God doth in time for the Merits of Christ, he decreed and willed from eternity to do it in time for the Merits of Christ: for, whatsoever God doth now in time for any end whatsoe­ver, or upon any motive whatsoever, he decreed and willed for that end, and upon that motive, from eternity to do it. If God in time created rain to make the earth fruitful, then the reason why he decreed and willed to cause rain, was, that the earth might be fruitful. And for us to con­ceive otherwise of God, would be for us to conceive him to act irra­tionally, as willing things for no end; and would put a stop to all admira­tion of the wisdom of God seen in [Page 211] his Providence; and therefore, such a conception of him would be of­fensive to him: for we ought to conceive of him in the most honou­rable way we are able; and that is the most pleasing to Him, who is above our best conceptions. If he condemn men in time for their re­fusal of Christ, then he decreed to condemn them because he foresaw that they would refuse Christ: If he save none, justifie none in time, but for their believing; then he willed and decreed from eternity to save none (with any decree or violence, that we are to conceive of, as di­stinct from his Will or Decree, to work the Condition in men, that they might be justified and saved) but those he foresaw should believe. And it seems plain, that as he abso­lutely and without condition justi­fieth and saveth none; so neither did he absolutely, and without con­dition, decree to justifie and save any. But God foreseeing what an order and concatenation of things he would make, and was bound in [Page 212] Honour to make, notwithstanding Christ's death: As in time, without Condition, (though not without means) He worketh Faith and Re­pentance, worketh the Condition in the Elect, that they may be justifi­ed and saved by Christ: So he wil­led and decreed absolutely, and without condition, to work the condition, the first Grace, that they might be justified and saved by Christ.

5. Though Christ's death as a sa­tisfaction, expiation, was the cause of no more to us than this, That, if we repent and believe, we shall be justified and saved; Satisfaction and Propitiation being only for sin: yet, considering this suffering of Christ, as a highly pleasing meritorious act, as a worthy voluntary undertaking for the Honor of God we may say, Christ did merit that God should give this Faith, work this Condition, and keep it in the Elect: for all would, not­withstanding this (and the easie rea­sonable terms made of their interest in it) through their own wilful wick­edness, [Page 213] have perished; and he deser­ved that his blood should not thus far be lost, as water spilt on the ground; but that he should have some fruit of the travel of his soul, in seeing a Seed, actually to honour, venerate, and adore their Redeemer. Though I must say, for the honour of our Redeemer in this great af­fair, He will have some reward in those that perish, in that he did a wonderful kindness for them, it be­ing only through their own chosen refusal, that they had no benefit by it. His Goodness and Grace is not therefore no Grace because men re­ject it. And to do a good and gra­cious act, is a reward and satisfa­ction in it self. And you may as well maintain, That, except God be ignorant, and know not that men will reject his mercy, he cannot be righteous and just in punishing them for it: which is contrary to the knowledg of the whole world; as to say, Except God be ignorant, and know not that they will through their wicked wilfulness refuse his [Page 214] Mercy, his Grace and Mercy is no Grace and Mercy. If one of you take a long, tedious, and hazzardous journey, to disswade your friend from something you hear he designs to do, which you know will undo him, though he wilfully persist, and will not be perswaded by you, and so is undone by it; yet he is bound to thank you all his life after, and your kindness ceaseth not to be kind­ness; and you have this satisfaction and reward, You did a kind act, though he reap no benefit. And suppose you might have prevailed with him, if you had there stayed longer with him, and taken more pains; yet your kindness ceaseth not to be a kindness because you did no greater kindness; since that which you did, would have been enough, had it not been for his wilful obsti­nacy: And his after-ruing of his own folly, bears a loud testimony to, and tends to the honour of your kind­ness, Oh that I had hearkened to my Friend! How have I hated in­struction, and would not incline mine [Page 215] ear to him that instructed me? They in Hell, if they would and could do as befits them, or as Christ hath de­served from them, would spend time as well in admiring the love of God, and the Redeemer, in this wonderful once offered and urged Kindness, as in ruing that they lost it through their own chosen wilful madness. Some go on such grounds in speak­ing of these things, that (holding to their way) they must necessarily de­ny that sinners in Hell will ever rue, and befool themselves for their loss of salvation by Christ: But if any will hold so much power in man to receive Christ, as that they will rue it as their madness, and folly, and sin, to reject him, and perish by so doing; I can from that demonstrate (as clearly as I can do any thing) that this I now speak in this digression inevitably follows. Let me but ask you this, Was there no cause for A­dam (when faln from the benefit) to thank God for making that pro­mise, Obey and Live; when as God might have annihilated him, not­withstanding [Page 216] his obedience, had it not been for that promise? And do you never thank God for it, though God knew he would fall? But to return: As Christ's sufferings did not as an expiation or satisfaction, but as a highly meritorious act, deserve or obtain, that God should give greater things to those that believe, than A­dam lost, for the honour of the Re­deemer, and of this great work of Redemption: so, he did deserve, that God should cause some to believe; and so from eternity his death, fore­seen or undertaken, was a cause, a meritorious cause or motive why God would, that is, decreed, to make some, and so, though more remotely, such particular persons, the Elect, to accept offered mercy and Christ, which they would otherwise (as o­thers) have rejected. Some call this, the Covenant of Redemption; but it is an immanent act, and from eter­nity, and an elicite act of the will; and therefore is properly a De­cree, and belongeth to the Will of Purpose, and not to his Legisla­tive [Page 217] Will, his Rectoral Will. Me­thinks you may see hence, how it cometh to pass that we sometimes read of Christ's dying for the world; and in other places, that he laid down his life for his sheep; sometime, tast­ed death for every man, dyed for all; sometime again, gave himself for the Church; in one place, a Saviour of the Body; in another, a Saviour of the world. He dyed for the Elect and World both, so far, that whosoever should believe on him, should not perish; but for the Elect, as they which were much in his eye, being those who certainly should believe, and so be actually saved. Though God and Christ did, as one saith, aequè intend this satisfaction, a propitiati­on conditionally applicable to every one; yet he did not, ex aequo, as fully intend it for to be actually applied to every man. There is much of truth in that frequently cited pas­sage of Ambrose, Christus passus est pro omnibus, pro nobis tamen specia­liter passus est. Like that, a Saviour of all men, especially of them that be­lieve.

Will any dare to say, Here is no­thing of grace or kindness to the World? Joh. 3. 16. He so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlast­ing life. V. 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Cannot you see plain­ly here what is meant by the World, and that his first coming was to save it, though his second will be to take a severe account? V. 18. He that believeth on him, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condem­ned already, because he believeth not. Can you say, a sick man dyed, be­cause he took not such a Medicine; when, if he had taken it, it would not have cured him? You cannot say, the Devils continue to be condemn­ed, because they reject Christ; be­cause, if they should accept him, they would still perish; for there was no satisfaction made for them: And may not the same be said of them that perish, if no satisfaction be [Page 219] made for them? So John 12. 47. If any man hear my words, and believe not (surely you will say this is meant of a non-elect man) I judg him not; for I came not into the world to con­demn the world, but to save the world. Which reason would have no shew of reason, except Christ came to save that man, except he be one of that World he came to save. If Election and Redemption were of the same latitude and strictness, you might as well say to sinners, Repent, for you are elected, for you are fore­known in the Scripture-sense, for you are given to Christ by the Fa­ther, in that special sense; as, Re­pent, for you are redeemed, Christ dyed for you; you are bought with a price: therefore glorifie God with your bodies and spirits, which are his: But the Apostle would not venture to speak thus, You are elected; therefore repent, glorifie God: for he should have spoken what he knew not to to be true.

I will say no more but this here: Whether is it a more likely way to [Page 220] lay a foundation for Religion in the World, to encourage and draw mens hearts to repent, return, to tell them Christ hath dyed for you, and hath obtained this of the Father for you, That if you return, you shall live, notwithstanding all your former sins; or, to say, Repent, return: for, for any thing you know, Christ hath dyed for you; for any thing you know, he hath obtained this from God, That if you turn, you shall live; though it is ten to one he hath not: or however, we cannot tell whether he hath or no. And if he hath not, then as this is true, that if the Devils should repent and return, they should yet perish, because no Satisfaction was made for them; so if you should repent and believe, you should yet perish, because no Satisfaction made for you.