;4?^^.# j^m w- '^'^ ■^ * hN^ A OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETONyf N.J. BX 9174 .R51 1814 v. 2, c.2 Ridgley, Thomas, 16677-1734' A body of divinity I- T\M j2,^^i ■t/j^y^ ' r / ^ > \\ '^ ■<■*»?•*? ■^ ^C£^J^ J L^t^yiyt/i^^'^ J' ■ (7 /%■/• ms^. '..*• // ■•Tr:- n:' ^ BODY OF divinity: •WHEHEIN THE DOCTRINES OF THI CHRISTIAN RELIGION ARE EXPLAINED AND DEFENDED BEIXO THE ' SUBSTJJVCE OF Sr.VERAL LECTURES QN THE ASSEMBLY'S LARGER CATECHISM BY THOMAS RIDGLEY, D. I). WITH NOTES, ORIGINAL AND SELECTED, BY JAMES P. WILSON, D. D. - . ■ ■ ' - ■■ ■■ ■ . . • . ■ ■ ■ ■ , I •■ •' ■■♦ ■ IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. IL JIRST AMSKICAir, FBOM THE THIRD £UROP£J.ar XUITTOX, PHILADELPHIA : PBIUTED BT AOT) FOB WH.IIAM W. WOODWARD, CORNTR OF CHrSNCT AWll HOrTtt SECOND STREETS. 1815. THE CONTENTS OF TFIE SECOND VOLUME. Quest. XIV, XV. Of the work of Creation. CREA TION^ the word explained Page 6 It was not from eternity 7 This proved from the invention of things 13 By the power and for the glory of God 14 Performed in six days 16 Each day^s rvork 19 Of instantaneous production 1 7 The condition and season of the year in which things ivere created 24 Antiquity of nations vainly boasted of 10 Quest. XVI. Of Angels. Of their existence 26 Nature and properties 2& Work and employment 30 Worship. Harmony therein^ but no Hierarchy 31 How they impart their Ideas to one another ZZ Quest. XVII. Of the creation of Man. Man was created male and female 34 Excellency of his make 40 Origin of the soul^ in a note 41 Of God^s image in man 44 No men before Adam 37 Quest. XVIII. Of Providence. Providence governs all creatures 47 And all their actions j^jj His concern for man 51 Hoxv conversant about evil actions 52 Sin over-ruled for God'' s glory ^ and his people's good 53 Other things over- ruled by providence 59 iv THE CONTENTS. ObJectioHif against providence answered 60 Unequal distributions of providence vindicated 61 Quest. XIX. Of God's providence towards the angels. How it zuas conversant about the fall of apostate angels 63 These fell all at once 64 Some angels confrmed ith holiness and happiness 66 Ministry of angels 68 Quest". XX. Of God's providence towards man in innocency. Of Paradise 70 Man^s secular employment and food therein 72 His dominion over the creatures ^ 7^ His spiritual concerns were under the direction of provi- dence 75 Sabbath itistituted and the covenant established 76 Representation^ in a note 77 Difference between a law and a covenant 78 Adam was under a covenant 82 Objections ansxvered 85 Conditions of that covenant 84 Tree of life a seal of it 86 Of the tree of knoxvledge 90 Quest. XXI. Of the fall of man. Our first parents were endued xvith freedom ofivill 93 Were left thereimto 94 How they were tempted 96 Satan's subtilty in the temptation 99 Eve represented by Adam^ in a note 103 Aggravations of their sin 105 Its immediate consequences 104 Quest. XXII. All mankind fell in Adam. Adam a federal head 109 All fell in him^ except Christ 112 His sin imputed to his posterity 113 Penal evils which followed 111 Appointfnent of his headship vindicated 114 Quest. XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI. Of Sin. Original sin 118 Actual transgressions proceed from if- 1 20 Conveyed by natural gejieration i 32 THE CONTENTS. ir Original righteousness lost 121 MarCs nature inclined to sin 123 Propensity to sin not put into our nature by God 124 Not harmless even in childhood 125 Origin of moral evil 127 The notion of tivo jirst causes exploded ibid Pre-existence of souls a mere fancy 126 Corruption of nature not by the souPs traduction 128 Not from imitation ibid Necessarily ensues on ths privation of original righteous- ness l3l Quest. XXVII. Of man's misery by the Fall. Various vpinions about the salvation of infants 138 Punishment of original sin increased by actual 141 Sinners liable to God^s xvrath and curse 143 Slaves to Satan 144 Sin exists in the intentions^ in a note 145 Quest. XXVIII, XXIX. Of the punishment of sin in both worlds. (^judicial blindness of mind 146 Hardness of heart 149 Sins that lead to it 150 Difference between the hardness found in believers and judicial 152 Of strong delusions 147 A reprobate sense 152 Vile affections 153 Horror of conscience. When judicial ISA, Punishment of sin in outward things 155 In the world to come 15g This will be perpetual^ in a note 159, 160 Quest. XXX. Of man's Recovery. God^s love the only moving cause of it 162 Covenant of grace. Its various periods 166 Opposed to that ofinnocency 165 Quest. XXXI. The covenant of grace made with Christ, and, in him, with the elect. Covenant, scriptural sense of the 7Vord 168 Retrveen the Father and Sen, explained 171 And proved 17^ vi THE CONTENTS. Of redemption distinguished hij some ftom the ccfVend'nf of grace 178 God^s covenant diners from human 1 70 How he covenants with man 181 Jloxv fnan covenants with him 183 Quest. XXXII. Of the grace maniiested in the se- cond covenant. Conditions of a covenant ^ how understood 190 Faith is a dutij^ in a note 193 Meritorious performed bi^ Christ t9i> Conditional promises uncertain 191 Interest in Christy xvhat meant by it 189 Grace glorified^ in ordaining^ promising^ and working faith 197 Other graces promised and connected -with salvation 195 Quest. XXXIII, XXXIV, XXXV. Of the various dispensations of the covenant of grace. Christ revealed of old by promises and prophecies- 199 Ceremonial law typified Christ and the gospel 201 Types. Cauti07is about them 203 Rules how to judge of them 205 How the Jews knexv their meaning 207 Cocceius's sentiments about the bondage and darkness of that dispensation 208 Gospel-dispensation^ xuhen it began 212 Hoyv it excels the Legal 213 Quest. XXXVI, XXXVII. Of the Mediator of the covenant of Grace. Saints and angels no Mediators 218 Christ the only Mediator 217 I'lvo distinct natures in Christy but not ttvo Persons 222 His human 7}ature was united to his Person 220 It shall continue so for ever 234 Hoto formed like ours. How not 227 It was formed of the Virgin 229 His body xvas truly human 224 His sold distinct from his deitn 226 He was expected hy the Jews 231 Born in the fulness of time 233 What meant thereby ••.M.'> THE CONTENTS. vii Quest. XXXVIII, XXXIX, XL. Of the necessity of the Mediator's havhig two natures. IVhy he should be God 235 Why man 238 Why both God and man 242 Quest. XLI, XLII. Of the Mediator's name and offices. Why he was called Jesus 244 Why he was called Christ 245 His ojffices distinguished^ but not divided 252 He xvas set apart and authorized to execute them 248 Jle was Jit ly qualified for them 249 Quest. XLIII. Of Christ's prophetical office. He reveals the will of God 253 He was qualified for it 254 He does it in various ages 257 To whom and how he does it "255 Quest. XLIV. Of Christ's priestly office. Priesthood of Christ and Aaron compared 280 Typified by Melchisedek 264 Various opinions who Melchisedek was 265 Proved that he was Christ (quaere tamen) 267 Objections answered 270 Satisfaction demanded for sin^ of what value and kind 275 Of Christ was necessary 273 His active obedience a part of it 283 Least degree of his sufferings not sufficient for it 281 A^o redemption zvithout price \ 286 Death of Christ a ransom 290 Confrmcition of his doctrine not its principal end 293 Christ died in our stead 290 Objections answered ihid Modern opinions on the atonement^ in a note, 276 to 280, and 292 to 297. He offered himself by the Spirit 297 without spot to God 297 Not for all men ,■501 ?t 276 but for his sheep and friends 316 and for his church 318 yiii THE CONTENTS,, Dr. Ma gee's Discourses y in a note 298 — 31 ? This evidenced by his love to it 318 his propriety in it 322 a7id saving- it y ibid Objections answered 319 Christ purchased grace and glory 328 Universal redemption^ its consequences 326 Arguments for it considered 327 Texts urged for it explained 343 How the word All, 0c. is to be explained 541 Special Redemption^ consistent with the covenant of grace 329 and with preaching the gospel 331 It advances grace more tha7i general does 337 It leadi not to despair 331 Whether if be contrary to scripture 338 Christ intercedes not for all S24 Divine expostulations explained 333 How all should repent and believe ^ though Christ died not for all 335 Sacrifice of Christ sufficient for all^ in a note 349 Quest. XLV. Of Christ's Kingly office. Jis respecting his subjects What they were^ before subdued 353 HoTJU brought into subjection 354 Hotv their subjection expressed at firit 357 Their behaviour and conflicts 358 Hoxv Christ deals xvith them 361 As respecting his enemies 362 He governed the church before and since his incarnation 364 This office executed by him in glory 365 Of the Millennium. Various o^ijiions about it 366 Some have gross Ideas of it 3/0 What shall precede or attend it 368 Gospel shall then be more spread 373 How this doctrine to be treated 367 In what respects it is to be allowed 368 Some prophecies of the call of the Jews not yet fulfilled 376 Why Christ shall not reign visibly in his human nature 379 Temple-service not to be revived 381 Gospel-ordinances shall be continued 382 THE CONTENTS. ix j/V'St resurrection; hozv understood hy some 383 , Its literal sense debated 384 General conjlagratwn 387 Nerw heavens andnexu earth 388 Resurrection of the fhurch sotnetimes taJien mystically 389 1000 years how understood by some 391 These not yet begun ihid Mediatorial kingdom of Christ eternal *392 1 Cor. XV. ver. 24, 35, 28. explained 393 Quest. XL VI, XLVII, XLVIII. Of Christ's Humi- liation. This shewn i7i his birth and infancy 398 In his parentage 599 In the place of his birth and abode 400 In the sinless infirtnities of his life ^ 422 In his being made under the laty 401 In his being exposed to indignities: 402 ■Temptations endured by him 404 General remarks on them 406 The time and place thereof 405 His first temptation 410 His second temptation 412 Its Matter explained ^ 416 His third temptation 417 What to be observed therein 419 Temptations zvere ?nental. in a note 420 Quest. XLIX, L. Of Christ's humiliation before and after his death. Christ betrayed by Judas 424 Forsaken by his disciple^ 425 Denied by Peter 426 Scorned by the world ibid Reviled by many ^ ' 428 Inferences ibid Prosecuted by the Jews 429 Condemned by Pilate ibid Tormented by his persecutors 431 Bore the wrath of God ' ibid Death of the cross cruel and painful 433 Shameful^ servile^ and cursed 434 Christ buried with respect by his friends 437 Was under the power of death till the third day 438 Of his descent into hell 440 A THE CONTENTS. Horv the Papists understand it ' 441 1 Pet. iii. 18. explained^ in a note 442 Quest. LI, LII. Of Christ's Res^jirrection and Exal- tation. Resurrection of Christ proved 44*4 By credible "witnesses 448 They zvere meJi of integrity 449 By the conduct of his enejnies 450 By miracles 451 Properties of his risen body 452 Christ raised the third day 453 Reasons of it 454 Was not three rvhole days and nights in the grave 455 Socinians' account of Christ^ s resurrection 457 Christ's own and his peoples'* concern in his resurrection 458 Quest. LIII, LIV. Of Christ's Ascension. It xvas real and visible 464' Its necessity and design 468 Its distance from the time of his resurrection 461 Hoxv this interval -was employed 463 Matter of his conversation with his disciples 464 Remarks on what preceded it ly 460 He ascended from mount Olivet 467 Chrisfs sitting at the right hand of God 471 Quest. LV. Of Christ's Intercession, ^ Necessity of it 473 His fitness for it 47 4i Mariner of it 477 How it differs from our prayers 476 What procured by it 479 How to be improved ibid Quest. LVI. Of Christ's coming to judge tlie world. The time of his appearance 481 The glory that shall attend it 482 Quest. LVII, LVIII, LIX. Of the benefits of re> demption, and the application thereof. Benefits procured by Christ 486 These appjied by the Holy Ghost 487 To all for xvhom they were purchased (vide 349) 488 THE CONTENTS. xi Quest. LX. Of the disadvantages of those who never hear the gospel. State of the Heathen considered 491 No salvation without the gospel — ^tamen quaere 492 Nor without faith in Christ — tamen qusere ibid Deists ; falseness of their hope set forth 494 False grounds of hope hi others 496 Salvation in none but Christ 498 This proved 499 Objections answered 502 Christ the Saviour only of his Body the church 508 Quest. LXI, LXII, LXIII, LXIV. Of the Church, visible and invisible. Church, the word hoxv used^ (515 in a note) 510 Places of worship so termed 511 Their first erection 512 Its distinction into visible and invisible , 516 Invisible church described 519 This farther explained and defended 520 Visible church described 521 In what respects it is one 522 In what respects it is not one ibid Its concern for the children of its members 526 Jewish churchy its establishment ibid Its gover7iment 527 How they promoted religion in their synagogues 529 Their Proseucha;, or places appointed for prayer 530 A particidar gospel-church described 536 Its matter 539 Its form or bond of union 540 Its subjection to Christ to be professed 54<2 Hoxv this to be made visible 543 Its poxver of admission 541 The reformed churches differ about this ibid Terms of coynmunion fixed bij Christ ibid Its power of exclusion 544 Causes of exclusion 545 The way of proceeding therein 5^7 With what temper this shoidd be done 549 What meant by being delivered to Satan 550 and for tvhat end 55X The frst preaching and success of the gospel 532 Conduct of the Apostles in planting gospel-chvrrhes 534 Ui THE CONTENTS, Church-communion proved from the Imu cf nature 53S from scripture ibid Gover?iment of churches btj their ojjiccrs 552 A'TodcKo;, 'E.TritrKO'nroi, iu-movos, in a nOte, ibid The office of a Pastor^ Bishops or Elder ' 555 Bishops and Elders the same 556 jferom's account of the increase of the pozver of Bishops ^ in a note 558 Pastors chosen by the church 561 ^i^fOTonce, in a note 563 How to be set apart ibid Hoxv their office to be discharged 565 Whether a Teacher be a distinct officer 566 Synods^ the abuse and advantage of them 566 Parishes^ xvhy churches were so called by ancient Writers 567 The office of a Deacon 570 Officers of the churchy in a note 571 Privileges of the visible church 572 It is under Christ'' s special care 574 Wherein this consists 575 It is under Christ^s special government: 576 In what respects 577 It enjoys communion of saints i^id It has the ordinary means of grace 578 THE DOCTRINES » OF f HE * CHRISTIAN RELIGION EXPLAINED AND DEFENDED. * ■ • TH« WOR^ OF CREATION. Quest. XIV. Hoxv dotji God execute his decrees ? • . • Answ. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and • providence, according to his intallible,.fore-kno\vledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will. Quest. XV. What is the rvork of creation ? ANS^?^. The work of creation is that, wherein God did, in the beginning, by the word of his power, make, of nothing, the world, and all things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good. HAVING considered God's eternal pm-pose, as respecting w^hatever shall come to pass, which is generally called an internal, or immanent act of the divine will, we are now to consider those works which are produced by him, in pursuance thereof. It is inconsistent with the idea of an infinitely perfect Being, to suppose, that any of his decrees shall not take effect, Hath he spoken^ and shall he not make it good ? Num. xxiii. 19. His counsel shall standi and he xvill do all his pleasure^ Isa. xlvi. 10. This is a necessary consequence, from the immutability of his will, as well as from the end which he has designed to at- tain, to wit, the advancement of his own glory ; and therefore, if he should not execute his decrees, he would lose that reve- nue of glory, which he designed to bring to himself thereby, which it cannot be supposed that he would do ; and according- ly we are to consider his power as exerted, in order to the ac- complishment of his purpose. This is said to have been done either in the first production of all things, which is called. The tvork of creation J or in his upholding and governing all things, Vol. II. B t> ' lliE WOKK Ol CREATION. • • • • # • which is his providence ; both vvhich are to be particularly con- 'sidered. And, I. We are to speak'concerning th*c work of creation, and so to enquire what we are to understand b)- creation^ and^to con- sider it as a work peculiar to God. • IL That this work was no? performed froja ete/nity, but in the beginning of time. • ^ IIIo.How he is said, to create all things by the word of his power. IV. The end for which he made them, namely, for»himself, or for his own glory. • V. T-hc time in which he madt- them. And, VI. The quality or condition thereof, as ail things are said to have b.;en made very good. I. As lo ihe meaning of the word creatioJh; it is the applica- tion thereof to the things made, or some circun^tances attend- ing this action, that determine the sense of it. The* Hebrew • and Greek words *, by which it is e'xpresstd, are sometimes used to signify the natural production of things : Thus it is gaid, in PsaL cii. 1 8. Thetpeople that shall be created.^ speaking of the* generation to come, shall praise the Lord ; and elsewhere, in Ezek. xxi. 30. says God, I tvill judge thee hi the place xvhere thou Tvast created, that is, where thou wast born, in the land of thy nativity. And sometimes it is applied to signify the dis- pensations of providence, which, though they are the wonder- ful effects of divine power, yet are taken in a sense different from the first production of all things : thus it is said, in Isa. xlv. 7. I form the light, and create darkness ; which metaphori- cal expressions are explained in the following words, I make peace, and create evil. And, on the other hand, sometimes God's creating is express- ed by his making all things ; which word, in its common accep- tation, is taken for the natural production of things ; though, in this instance, it is used for the production of things which are supernatural : thus it is said, in John i. 3. All things rvere made by him; and elsewhere, in Psal. xxxiii. 6. By the xvord of the JLord xvere the heavens made, and all by the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Therefore it is b)^ the application of these words, to the things produced, that we are more especially to judge of the sense of them. Accordingly, when God is said to create, or make the heavens and earth, or to bring things into being, which before did not exist, this is the most proper sense of the word creation ; and in this sense we take it, in the head we are entering upon. It is the production of all things ou( of nothing, by his almighty word ; and this is gene: ally caijed im- * x^3, ^^t'V ""'■'^'''''^ '^'''"> yp'^<"- tHE WORK OF CREATION. t mediate creation, which was the first display of divine power, a work with wliich lime began ; so we are to understand those words, In the beginning' God created the heaven and the earthy Gen. i. 1. that is, that tirst matter out of which all things wer& formed, which has been neither increased nor diminished evec since, nor can be, whatever alterations there may be made iir things, without supposing an act of the divine will to annihilate any part thereof, which we have no ground to do. Again, it is sometimes taken for God's bringing things into that form, in which they are, which is generally called a medi- ate creation, as in the account we have of it in the first chap- ter of Genesis ; in which God is said, out of that matter which he created at first, to create the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all living creatures that m.ove therein, after their respective kinds, which no finite wisdom, or power, could have done. The work was supernatural, and so differs from the natural prodlic- tion of things by creatures, inasmuch as they can produce no- thing, but out of other things, that have in themselves a tenden- cy, according to the fixed laws of nature, to be made, that which is designed to be produced out of them ; as when a plant, or a tree, is produced out of a seed, or w'hen the form, or shape of things is altered by the skill of men, where there is a tendency in the things themselves, in a natural way, to answer the end de- signed by them that made them, in which respect they are said to make, but not create those things ; so that creation is a work peculiar to God, from which all creatures are excluded. Accordingly, it is a glory which God often appropriates to him- self in scripture : thus he is called, by way of eminence. The Creator of the ends of the earthy Isa. xl. 28. and he speaks, con- cerning himself, with an unparalleled magnificence of expres- sion, I have made the earthy and created man upon it ; /, even mxj hands^ have stretched out the heavens^ and all their host have I command^^ Isa. xlv. 12. and he is said to have done this, ex- clusively of all others : thus he says, / am the Lord^ that maketk all things., that stretcheth forth the heavens alone.^ that spreadetk abroad the earth by myself Isa. xliv. 24. And, indeed, it can- not be otherwise, since it is a work of infinite power, and there* fore too great for any finite being, who can act no otherwise.^ but in proportion to the circumscribed limits of its own power; and being, at best, but a natural agent, it cannot produce any thing supernatural. From w^hence it may be inferred, that no creature was an instrument made use of, by God, in the pro- duction of all things ; or that infinite power could not be exert- ed by a finite medium : but this has been already considered, under a foregoing answer, II. We are now to consider that this w^ork of creation was not performed from rte^nity, b'jt in tb° beginning of time. Thi^ 8 Tllli WORK OF CREATION, we asserbragalust some of the heathen philosophers, Who have» in their writings, defended the eternity of the world *, being induced hereunto by those low conceptions, which they had of the power of God, as supposing, that because all creatures, or jaatural agents, must have some materials to work upon, so that as this proposition is true, with respect to them, that nothing can be made out of nothing, they conclude, that it is also ap- plicable to God. And this absurd opinion has been imbibed by some, who have pretended to the Christian name ; it was maintained by Hermogenes, about the middle of the second century, and, with a great deal of spirit and argument, opposed by Tertullian ; and, among other things, that father observes, that philosophy, in some respects, had paved the way to here- sy f ; and probabhT^ the apostle Paul was apprehensive that it would do so ; or that they, who were bred up in the schools of the philosophers, would, as it is plain they often did, adapt their notions in divinity, to those which they had before learned there- in, of which this is a flagrant instance ; and therefore he says, Betvare, lest any man spoil you through philosophy^ and vain deceit^ after the tradition of men^ after the rudiments of the ruorld^ and not after Christy Col. ii. 8. and they, w^ho have de- fended this notion, have been divided in their sentiments about it. Some suppose, in general, that matter was eternal, but not brought into that form, in which it now is, till God, by his al- mighty power, produced that change in it, and so altered the form of things. Others suppose, that the world was in a form, not much unlike to what it now is, from eternity, and that there were eternal successive ages, and generations of men, and a con- stant alteration of things. Some parts of the world, at one time, destroyed by deluges, or fire, or earthquakes, and other parts at another time ; and so there was a kind of succession of generation and corruption ; former worlds lost and buried in ruins, and all the monuments of their antiquity perished with them, and new ones arising in their stead. This they assert, as a blind to their ungrounded opinion, and as an answer to that reasonable demand which might be made ; If the world was eternal, how comes it to pass that we know nothing of Vvhat was done in it, in those ages, w hich went before that which we reckon the first beginning of time ? As for the school-men, though they have not any of them given directly into this notion, which is so notoriously contrary * OftMs opinionivas ,iristotle, and his followers \ thmtgh he acknowledges, that it tuas conlrarti to the sentiments of all the philosophers that zvcre before him, Vid.Arist. de Cceh), Lib. I. cap. 2- -ivlio, speaking concerning the creatio7i of the world, sat/s, J-tVO/UfVOV fJitV >tY A7r-i.V7H iiVCtt CpSLlTiV- •j- Tertul/. adv. Hermog. cap. 8. Hxreticoncm Patriarchce PJiilosophi ; which was so memorable a passage, that it was quoted, upon the same occasion, by Jerom, and others of the fathers. THE WORK OF CREATIONc 9 to scripture, yet some of them have very much confounded and puzzled the minds of men with their metaphysical subtilties about this matter ; as some of them have pretended to maintain, that* though God did not actually create any thing before that beginning of time, which is mentioned in scripture, yet he might, had he pleased, have produced things from eternity *, because he had, from eternity, infinite power, and a sovereign will ; therefore this power might have been deduced into act, and so there might have been an eternal production of things ; for to suppose, that infinite power cannot exert itself, is con- trary to the idea of its being infinite. And to suppose that God was infinitely good, from eternity, implies, that he might have communicated being to creatures from eternity, in which his goodness would have exerted itself. And they farther argue, that it is certain, that God might have created the world sooner than he did ; so that, instead of its having continued in being, that number of years, which it has done, it might have existed any other unlimited number of years ; or since, by an act of his will, it has existed so many thousand years, as it appears to have done, from scripture, it might, had he pleased, have existed any other number of years, though we suppose it never so large, and consequently that it might have existed from eternity. But what is this, but to darken truth, by words without knowledge ? or to measure the perfections of God, by the line or standard of finite things ? it is to conceive of the eternity of God, as though it were successive. Therefore, though we do not deny but that God could have created the world any number of years that a finite mind can describe, sooner than he did ; yet this would not be to create it from eternity, since that exceeds all bounds. We do not deny but that the divine power might have been deduced into an act, or created the vf orld before he did ; yet to say that he could create it from eternity, is contrary to the nature of things ; for jt is to suppose, that an infinite dura- tion might be communicated to a finite being, or that God might make a creature equal, in duration, with himself; which, as it contains the greatest absurdity, so the impossibility of the thing does not, in the least, argue any defect of power in him. From whence we may infer, the vanity, and bold presump- tion, of measui-ing the power of God by the line of the crea- ture ; and the great advantage which we receive from divine revelation, which sets this matter in a clear light, by which it appears, that nothing existed before time but God ; this is agree- able to the highest reason, and the divine perfections. To sup- pose, that a creature existed from eternity, implies a contra- diction ; for to be a creature, is to be produced by the power of a creator, who is God, and this is inconsistent Avith its ex- * Thi? -was maintained by Jlquinas, DitranduSi Cajftav, and others f thvitgh op- , posed by .ilbertin Ma^^ris, Boiav'^v.urr^ Ifr. '- lO THE WORK OF CREATIOJT, isting from eternity ; for that is to suppose that it had a being fcefore it was brought into being. Moreover, since to exist from eternity, is to have an infinite, or unlimited duration, it will follow from thence, that if the first matter, out of which all things were formed, was mfinite in its duration, it must have all other perfections ; particularly, it must be self-existent, and have in it nothing that is finite, for infinite and finite perfections are inconsistent with each other ; and, if so, then it must not consist of any parts, or be devisible, as all material things are : besides, if the world was eternal, it could not be measured by successive duration, inasmuch as there is no term, or point, from whence this succession may be computed, for that is inconsistent with eternity ; and if its du- ration was once unmeasured, or not computed by succession, how came it afterwards to be successive, as the duration of all material beings is ? Again, to suppose matter to be co-eternal with God, is to suppose it to be equal with him, for whatever has one divine perfection, must have all ; so that this is contrary to those na- tural ideas, which we have of the divine perfections, and con- tains such absurdities, as have not the least colour of reason to support them. But it more evidently appears, from scripture, that the world "was made in the beginning of time, and therefore did not exist from eternity; since therein we read, that in the beg'inning' God created the heaven and the earthy Gen. i. 1. and elsewhere, ThoUy Lord^ in the beginnings hast laid the foundation of the earthy and the heavens are the -works of thine hands^ Heb. i. 10. Now since we are not to confound time and eternity together, or to say, that that which was created in the beginning, was without be- ginning, that is, from eternity, it is evident that no creature was eternal. Thus having considered the impossibility of the existence of finite things, trom eternity, we may here take occasion to vindi- cate the account we have in scripture, concerning the world's hav- ing been created betAveen five and six thousand years since, from the objections of those who suppose, that the antiquity thereof exceeds the scripture-account by many ages. Those that fol- low the LXX translation of the Old Testament, in their chro- nological account of time, suppose the world to be between fourteen and fifteen hundred years older than we have ground to conclude it is, accoi-ding to the account we have thereof in the Hebrew text. This we cannot but think to be a mistake, and has led many of the fathers into the same error *, who, * Thus Aiigustin, speakhig conceriiing the years from the time of the creation to his time, recko7is them to be not full, that is, almost six thousand years ; whereas m reality, it tvas but about four thousand four hundred, herein being imposed on by this '■andation. Vid. Aug. de Civ. Dei, Lib. XIL Cap. 10. THE WORK OF CREATION. 12 through their unacquaintedness with the Hebrew language, ex- cepting Jeroni and Origen, hardly used any but this tran5= lation *. But this we shall pass over, and proceed to consider the ac- count that some give of the autiquity of the world, which is a great deal remote, from what we have in scripture, though this is principally to be found in the writings of those who were al- together unacquainted with it. Thus the Egyptians, according to the report of some ancient historians, pretended, that they had chronicles of the reigns of their kings for many thousand years longer than we have ground to conclude the world has stood f. And the Chaldeans exceed them in the accounts they give of some things contained in their history ; and the Chinese pretend to exceed them by many thousand years, but these accounts are fabulous and ungrounded :|; (a). And inasmuch as they are confu- ted, and exposed by many of the heathen themselves, as ridicu- lous and absurd boasts, rather than authentic accounts, no one * Everi/ one, that obsei-ves the Ixx. translation in their chroiiological account of the lives of the patriarchs, from Adam to Abraham, in Gen. chap. v. compared -uith chap. xi. ivilljind, that there are so many years added therein to the accoiait pf the lives of several there mentioned, as -will make the sum total, from the creation of ths ■ivorld to the call of Abraham, to be bet-ween fourteen andffteen hundred years more than the account -xhich we have thereof in the Hebreio text /-which I rather choose to call a tnistake, in that translation, than to attempt to defend it ,- though some, 7oho have paid too great a deference to it, have thought that the Hebreio text -was cor- rupted, after our Saviour^ s time, by the Jeius by leaving out those years lohich the Ixx. have added, designing hereby to make the ivorld believe that the Jllessiah -was not to come so soon as he did, by fourteen orffteen hundred years ; and that therefore the Hebreio text, in those places, is to be corrected by that version ; -which I caiinot but conclude to be a very injurious insinuation, as -well as not supported by any argument that has the least probability iii it. ■j- Yid. Pomp. Mel. Lib. I. Cap. 9. -who speaks of the annals of the kings of Egypt, n€ containing above thirteen thousand years ; and others extend the antiquity oftha' nation many thousand years more. Vid. Diod. Sicul. Biblioth. Lib. I. t ^^id. Cicero de Divinat. Lib. I. who condemns the Egyptians and Babylonians^ as foolish, vain, yea impudent, in their accounts relating to this matter, -wlien tlmf speak, as some of them do, of things done four hundred and seventy thousand yearc before ; upon which occasion, Lactaniius, in Lib. 7- § 14. de Vita beata, passes thit juH censure vpon them, Quia se posse argui non putabant, liberum sibi credide- runt esse mentiri; and Macrob. in somn. Scip. cap. 11. supposes that they did not measure their years as we do, by the annual revolution of the sun, but by the moon; and so a year, according to them, -was no more than a month, which he supposes Vir- gil was apprised of, when he calls the common solar year. Annus Jifagmis, as compa- red with those short ones that were measured by the monthly revolution of the moon ■ but this -will not briiig the Egyptians and Chaldean accounts to a just number rfyears, but some of them would, Jiotivithstanding, exceed the time that the world has stood. As for the Chinese, they have no authentic histories that give any account of this matter ,- but all depends upon uncertain tradition, transmitted to them by those who are their leaders in religions matters, and reported By travellers who have received these accounts from them, which, therefore, are far from deserving any credit in the world. faj The reader will be highly gratified by a treatise of Dr. Hugh Williamson en climate, wherein he examines this subject. 13 THE WORK OF CREATIONc who has the least degree of modesty, can oppose them to the ac- count we have, in scripture, of the time that the world has conti- nued, which is no more than between five or six thousand years. And that the world cannot be of greater antiquity than this may be proved, from the account which we have of the first original of nations, and the inventors of things in scripture, and other writings. It is not reasonable to suppose, that men lived in the world many thousand years, without the knowledge of those things, that were necessary for the improvement of their minds, and others that were conducive to the good of human society, as well as subservient to the conveniencies of life ; but this they must have done, who are supposed to have lived be- fore these things were known in the world. As to what concerns the original -of nations, which spread themselves over the earth after the universal deluge, we have an account of it in Gen. x. and, in particular, of the first rise of the Ass^'rian monarchy, which was erected by Nimrod, who is supposed to be the same that other writers call Belus. This monarchy was continued, either under the name of the Assy- rian, or Babylonian, till Cyrus's time, and no writers pretend that there was any before it : and, according to the scripture account hereof, it was erected above seventeen hundred years after the creation of the world ; whereas, if the world had been so old, as some pretend it is, or had exceeded the scripture ac- count of the age and duration thereof, we should certainly have had some relation of 'the civil affairs of kingdoms and na- tions, in those foregoing ages, to be depended on, but of this, histoiy is altogether silent ; for we suppose the account that the Egyptians give of their Dynasties, and the reigns of their gods and kings, in those foregoing ages, are, as was before ob- served, ungrounded and fabulous. As to what respects the inventors of things, which are ne- cessary in human life, we have some hints of this in scripture. As we have an account in scripture. Gen. iv. 20^ — 22. of the first that made any considerable improvement in the art oi hus- bandry, and in the management of cattle, and of the first in- structor of every artificer in brass and iron, by which means those tools were framed, which are necessary for the making those things that are useful in life ; and also of the first inven- tor of music, who is called. The father of all such as handle the harp and organ^ which was in that space of time, which inter- vened between the creation and the deluge ; and, after this we read of the first plantation of vineyards, and the farther improve- ment thereof by making wine, by Noah, Gen. ix. 20, 21. which the world seems to have known nothing of before. And it is more than probable, that the art of navigation was not known, till Noah, by divine direction, framed the ark, which gave the THE WORK OF CREATIO.V, 15 first hint to this useful invention ; and this art was not, for ma- ny ages, so much improved, as it is in our day. The mariner's needle, and the variation of the compass, or the method of sail- ing by observation of the heavenly bodies, seem to have been altogether unknown by those mariners, in whose ship the apos- tle Paul sailed, Acts xxvii. for want of which, they exposed themselves to suffer shipwreck, hoping, thereby, to save their lives. And* as to what concerns those inventions, that are necessa- ry for the improvement of knowledge ; it does not appear that writing was known till Moses' time ; and, after this, the use. of letters was brought into Greece by Cadmus. And there- fore it is no wonder, when historians give some dark hints of things done before this, being unacquainted with scripture-his= tory, that they are at a loss, and pretend not to give an account of things done before the deluge *. Shall we suppose, that there were so many ages, as some pretend in which men lived, and yet no account given of things done therein, transmitted to pos- terity, by those who assert it? Therefore there can be no gi'ound to conclude, that the world has stood longer than the scripture account thereof f . We pass by the invention of the art of printing, which has not been known in the world above three hundred years ; and the many improvements that have been made in philosophy, mathematicks, medicine, anatomy, chymistry, and mechanicks, in the last age ; and can we sup- pose that there are so many thousand ages passed without any of these improvements ? And to this we may add the origin * The common distribution of time, into that which is ctSuxov, before the flood, and M'J^iHov, after it, till they computed by the Olympiads ,- and aftei-zvards that -which they call iscpiaov the only Account to be depended upon, mahes this matter farther evi- dent. t See this argument farther improved, by those vjho have irisisted on the first ir,' vejitors of things,- as Polydor. Virgil, de Rerum inventoribus ; ajid Plin. Secund, Hist Muiidi. Lib. VII. cap. 56.— 60. and Clem. Jlex. Strom. Lib. L Lucretius^- though an assertor of the eternity of matter and 7notion, from his master Epicurus^ yet proves, that the tvorld, as to its present form, Iiada beginning ,• avdvjhat he aayc is so much to our present argument, that 1 cannot but mejition <'.', Vid. I.U('-.}t d*» Rer. Nat. Lib. V. Prietera si nulla fuit genitalis origo Te.rrarum& Call, setnperg ,- xternafucre; Cur supra bellum Thebunum, is' fanera Tiuj^, JVon alias alii quoque res cecinere Poetx ? Quo tot facta virum ioties cecidere ? neque usqud'. ^ternis famtt monimentis insitufurent ? Veinim, ut opi'ior, habet novitatem Summa, recernq JVatJtra est ^Iundi,neque pridem exordia cepU. Qiiare etiam qiiDsdam nunc artes expoliuntur. JVunc etiam augescunt ,- nuncaddita nuvigiis sunt J\ttdta : modo organici melicos peperere souoret Denique JVatura hac reriim, ratioque reperta est JK'uper . ——— Vol. II, C 14- rHK WORK or CRIiATldN. of idolatry, in them who worshipped men, whom they called gods, namely, such as had been useful while they lived among those that worshipped them, or had been of great note, or pow' er, in the world, or who were the first inventors of things : this being known, and the time in which they lived, mentioned, by some writers among the heathen, which is much later than the first age of the world, is a farther evidence of this truthj that it has not stood so many years as some pretend. If it be objected, that there has been a kind of circulation, or revolution of things with respect to men's knowing, and after- wards losing and then regaining the knowledge of some of those arts, which we suppose to have been first discovered in in later ages, so that they might have been known in the world many ages before : This is to assert, without pretending to give any proof there- of; and nothing can be inferred from a mere possibility of things, which no one, who has the least degree of judgment, will ever acquiesce in ; especially the memory of some things could never have been universally erased out of the minds of men, by any devastations that might be supposed to have been made in the world. Therefore, to conclude this argument, no- thing can be reasonably objected against the account we have in scripture, of the creation of the world at first, and of its hav- ing continued that number of years, and no longer, which we believe it to have done, from those sacred writings, which con- tain the only authentic records thereof, and have sufficient au- thority to put to silence all those fabulous conjectures, or vain and groundless boasts, that pretend to contradict it. III. God is said to have created all things by the word of his power ; thus the Psalmist says, By the* ivord of the Lord were the heavens made ; and all the host of them bij the breath of his month, Psal. xxxiii. 6. Some, indeed, understand this, and several other scriptures, in which God is said to create all things by his word, as implying, that God the Father made all things by the Son, his personal Word : but, though this be a great truth, and it be expressly said. All things ivere made by him^ John i. 3. as has been considered under a foregoing an- swer *, whereby the divinity of Christ was proved ; yet here we speak of creation, as an effect of that power, which is a per- fection of the divine nature. And whereas it is called the word of his power, it signifies, that God produced all things by an act of his power and sovereign will ; so that how difficult soever the work was in itself, as infinitely superior to finite power, yet it argues, that it was performed by God without any manner of difficulty, and therefore it was as easy to him as a thought, or an act of willing is to any creature ; accordingly it is said, * See Vol. I. I'ajes 220, 221. The work of creation. Ij Jle spake and it tvas done; he commanded^ and it stood fast^ Psal. xxxiii. 9. As nothing could resist his will, or hinder his purpose from taking effect, so all things were equally possible to him. In this respect, creation differs from the natural produc- • tion of things, which, though they be the effects of power, ytt nothing is produced by a powerful word, or, as it were, com- manded into being, but that which is the effect of almighty power, as the creation of all things is said to be. IV. The end for which God made all things, was his own glory j'or, as it is said, He made all things for himself Prov. xvi. 4. that is, that he might demonstrate his eternal power iuid Godhead, and all those divine perfections, which shine forth in this illustrious work, and so might receive a revenue of glory, as the result thereof. Not that he was under any na- tural necessity to do this, or would have been less happy and glorious in himself, than he was from all eternity, if he had not given being to any thing. We are far from supposing, that there is any addition made hereby to his essential glory ; this appears from the independence of his divine perfections : As they are not derived from the creature, so they cannot receive anv additional improvement from him, no more than the lustre of the sun is increased by its being beheld by our eyes ; nor does it sustain any real diminution thereof, when its brightness is obscured by the interposure of any thing that hides it from, us. God did not make the world that his power or wisdom might be improved hereby,- but that he might be admired and adored, or that his relative glory might be advanced by us, which would be the highest advantage to us. This was the great end for which he made all things ; and it is very agree- able to the scope and design of scripture in general, which puts us upon giving him the glory due to his name, as being indu- ced hereunto by all the displays thereof in his works. Therefore it is a very unbecoming way of speaking, and tends very much to detract from the divine perfections, to say as a judicious writer * represents some objecting, " As though " God were not so selfish, and desirous of glory, as to make *' the world, and all creatures therein, only for his own honour, *' and to be praised by men." And another writer f speaks hi? own jsense of this matter, in words no less shocking. He says, indeed, " That God cannot reallv suffer any diminution of his " own by our dislike, or is advanced in honour by our appro- " bation of his dispensations ;" which, as it respects his essen- tial glor}', is an undoubted truth ; but yet he speaks, in other respects, of the glory of God, by which, it ^s plain, he means that which is generally called his relative, or mapifestutive glo' * See Ray's Wisdom of God in the Creation, page 182. t iVhitbij on Election, page 92, 93. 16 -THE WORK Ui CREATION, ry, in a v^ery unbecoming manner, when he says ', " That God, *' lieing infinitely perfect, must be infinitely happy within him- " self, and so can design no self-end without himself j.there- *' fore what other end can he be supposed to aim at in these *' things, but our good ? It is therefore a vain iriiagination, that " the great design of any of God's actions, his glorious works " and dispensations, should be thus to be admired, or applaud- *' ed, by his worthless creatures, that he may gain esteem, or *' a good word, from such vile creatures as we are. We take *' too much upon us, if we imagine that the all-wise God can *' be concerned, whether such blind creatures, as we are, ap- *' prove or disapprove of his proceedings ; and we think too " meanly of, and detract from his great Majesty, if we con- *' ceive he can be delighted with our applause, or aim at re- " putation from us in his glorious design, that therefore such *' as we should think well of him, or have due apprehensions *' of those attributes, by the acknowledgment of which we are *' said to glorify him." This is, at once, to divest him of all that glory, which he designed from his works j but far be it from us to approve of any such modes of speaking. Therefore "we must conclude, that though God did not make any thing with a design to render himself more glorious than he was, from all eternity, yet it was, that his creatures should behold and improve the displays of his divine perfections, and so ren-» der himself the object of desire and delight, that religious wor- ship might be excited hereby, and that we might ascribe to him the glorv that is due to his name. We might also observe, that God created ail things by his power, that he might take occasion to set forth the glory of all his other perfections, in his woi-ks of pi-ovidence and grace, and particularly in the M^ork of our redemption, all which suppose the creature brought into being; and so his first work made •way for ail others, which are, or shall be performed by him in time, or throughout the ages of eternity. V. We are now to consider the space of time, in which God •created all things, namely, in six days. This could not have been determined by the light of nature, and therefore must be •concluded to be a doctrine of pure revelation ; as also the ac- count we have, in Gen. i. of the order in which things were ilbrought to perfection, or the work of each day. Here we can- not but take notice of the opinion of some, who suppose, that the world was created in an instant, as thinking, that this ic, more agreeable to the idea of creation, and more plainly distin- guishes it from the natural production of things, which are brought to perfection by degrees, and not in a moment, as they suppose this work was. This opinion has been advanced hy •some ancient writers j and whereas it seems directly to con- HIE WORK Ot CKEATION. IT tradict that account which is given thereof by Closes, they sup- pose that the distribution of the work of creation, into that of six days, is only designed to lead us into the knowledge of the distinct parts thereof, whereby they may be better conceived of, as though they had been made in such an order, one after another; but this is to make the scripture speak what men please to have it, without any regard had to the genuine sense and import of the words thereof. Had it only been asserted, that the first matter, out of which all things were formed, had been created in an instant ; that is not only agreeable to the v/ork of creation, but to the literal sense of the text j for it is said to be created in the beginning-, that is, in the first point of time ; or if it had only been said, that God could have brought all things to perfection in an instant, we would not have de- nied it ; but to assert that he did so, we cannot but think an ill-grounded sense of a plain part of scripture. That which in- duces them to give into this opinion is, because they think that this redounds to the glory of God, and seems most agreeable to a supernatural production of things, and to those expres- sions, by which the work of creation is represented ; as in the scripture before-mentioned in which it is said, God spake, and H xvas done ; that which was produced by a word's speaking, is performed in an instant. And they suppose, that this is agree- able to the account which we have of that change which shall pass on the bodies of those who shall be found alive at the last day, that it shall be iii a }no7ueni, in the tzuinklin^ of an eye, 1 Cor. XV. 52. and to some other miracles and supernatural productions, which have been instantaneous. But all this is not sufficient to support an opinion, which cannot be defended any otherwise, than by supposing that the express words of scrip- ture must be understood in an allegorical sense. There is therefore another account given of this matter, by some divines, of very considerable worth and judgment,* which, as they apprehend, contains a concession of as much as need be demanded in favour of the instantaneous production of things, as most agreeable to the idea of creation, and yet does not militate against the sense of the account given there- of, in Gen. i. and that is, that the distinct parts of the creation were each of them produced in a moment. As for instance, in the work of the first day, there was the first matter of all thing?^ produced in one moment ', and, after that, in the same day, light v.'as produced, in another moment, agreeable to those words, Let there be light, and there xvas light ; and, in another moment, there was a division of the light from the darkness, and so the work of the first day was finished. And, in the «ither days, where the works were various, there were distinc* "♦ .S'» t'le .'Setherlands, ivhn still adliere to, and defend that hypothesis. This ivas thought a snffici^nt expedient to fence agaijist the absurdities of Elica-vs, and his followers, -who s^tppose that things attained their respective forms by tha fortuitous concourse of atoms ; nevertheless, it is derogatory to the Creator's glori'i^'^'^^rnudi as it sets aside his immediate ffficiency in tlie pi-oduction of things. 20 THE WORK OF CREATIOX. jectures. There are some writers, among the Papists, who have supposed that it was a quality, without a subject,* which is an obscure and indefensible way of speaking. Others have thought, that hereby we are to understand the angels ; but this is to strain the sense of words too far, by having recourse to a metaphor, which is inconsistent with what imnaediately follows, , that God divided the light from the darkness. But it seems most probable that nothing else is intended hereby, but those lucid bodies, which, on the fourth day, were collected into the sun and fixed stars. To this let me add, that it is more than probable that God, on the first day, created the highest heaven, which is some- times called his throne, together with the angels, the glorious inhabitants thereof. It is true, Moses, in his history of the creation, is silent as to this matter, unless it may be inferred from those v/ords. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth ; though, as has been before observed, something else seems principally to be intended thereby : nevertheless, we have sufficient ground to conclude, that they were created in the be- ginning of time, and consequently in the first day, from what is said elsewhere, that when God laid the foundations of the earthy the morning stars sang together^ and all the sons of God shouted for joy ^ Job xxxviii. 4, 7. where the angels are repre- sented as celebrating and adoring those divine perfections, which were glorified in the beginning of the work of creation ; therefore they were, at that time, brought into being. On the second day, God divided that part of the world, which is above, from that which is below, by an extended space, which is styled the frmament^ and otherwise called heaven, though distinguished from the highest heaven, or the heaven of hea- vens J and it is farther observed, that hereby the waters that are above, are separated from those which are below, that is, the clouds from the sea, and other waters, that are in the bowels of the earth. As for that conjecture of some, taken from hence, and es- pecially from what the Psalmist says. Praise him ye waters that are above the heavens^ Psal. cxlviii. 4. that there is a vast collection of super-celestial waters, which have no communi- cation with those that are contained in the clouds ; this seems to be an ungrounded opinion, not well agreeing with those principles of natural philosophy, which are received in this present age ; though maintained by some of the ancient fathers, as principally founded on the sense in which they understand this text ; neither do they give a tolerable account of the de- * This absurd opinion the Papists are very fond of, inasmnch as it senses tittir pvr/iour in dfffiiulivn- th'- ilru'lnne ofrransubstantiation. THE WORK OF CREATION. jjl Sign of providence in collecting and fixing them there *. There- fore nothing seems to be intended, in that text, but the waters that are contained in the clouds as it is said, He biadeth up the waters in his thick clouds^ Job xxvi. 8. and, indeed, the He- brew words seem not to be justly traiislated f ; for they ought to be rendered, Te xvaters that arc from above in the Jirmament^ not above the heavens, but the earth, or a considerable distance from it, in the firmament, as the clouds are. On the third day, the sea and rivers were divided from the earth, and the dry land appeared, and the earth brought forth herbs, grass, trees, and plants, with which it is so richly stored, v/hich in a natural way, it has produced ever since. On the Jhiirth day, the sun, nioon and stars were, made, to enlighten, and, by their influence, as it %vere, to enliven the world, and so render it a beautiful place, which would otherwise have been a dismal and uncomfortable dungeon ; and that here- by the four seasons of the year might be continued in their re- spective courses, and their due measures set to them : thus it is said, these heavenly bodies were appointed for si^7iSf and for seasons^ and for days, and for years^ Gen. i. 14. This has occasioned some to enquire, v/hether any counte- nance is hereby given to judicial astrology, or whether the hea- venly bodies have any influence on the conduct of human life, which some ancient and modern v/riters have defended, not without advancing many absurdities, derogatory to the glory of providence, as well as contrary to the nature of second causes,, and their respective effects ; and, v/hen the moral actions of in- telligent creatures are said to be pointed at, or directed by the stars, this is contrary to the laws of human nature, or the na- ture of man, as a free agent ; therefore, whatever be the sense of these words of scripture, it is certain, they give no counte- nance to this presumptuous and ungrounded practice. But this wc shall take occasion to oppose, under a following answer, * .Ambrose, in his Hexameron, Lib. II. cap. 3. as svell cs Basil, arid others, sup' fose, that the use thereof is to gnalify the extraordinai'y heat of t lie sun, andotiier ce- kstial bodies, to prevent tlielr imrning the frame oj nature, and especially their de^ itroying tids lo-zver -world; u7id cfhers think; that tlteij are reserved i?i store, to an- ■':wcr sonw particular ends of provi^irice, luhen God, at any time, designs to destroi/ the world by a deluge ; and conseqiieni'u they conclude, that it -was by a supply of ivaterfroni thence, that there was a sujjlueiit quantity poured down, tjhen the world was drowned, in the universal deluge: but, though a late ingenious writer, Wid. Burnet. Tellur. Theor. Lib. I. cap. 2.] supposes, that the clouds could afford but a small part of that water, which was sufficient to answer that end, which he supposes to be eight times as much as the sea contains ; yet he does 7iot thi?tkft to fetch a sup- ply thereof from the super-celestial stores, not only as supposing the opinio7i to be ill- grounded, but by being at a loss to datenniue how these waters should be disposed of again, which coidd not be accounted for any other way, but by annihilation, since they could not be exhaled by the sun, or contained in the clouds, by reason of their distant ■vtuation, as being far above them. t It is not^rpr^ »7v, bnt ^^p-^^ ^-^q, Vot.it. ' D f^ lUL WORK OF CREATION. when ^vc consider judicial astrolog)', as forbidden in the first commandment *. Therefore, all that -vve shall add, at present, is, that when the heavenly bodies are said to be appointed ybr times and seasons, &c. nothing is intended thereby, but that they distinguish the times and seasons of the year ; or, it may be, in a natural v/ay, have some present and immediate influence on the bodies of men, and some other creatures below them. There is also another question, which generally occurs when persons treat of this subject, namely, whether there are not dis- tinct worlds of men, or other creatures, who inhabit some of those celestial bodies, v/hich, by late observations, are supposed to be fitted to receive them. This has been maintained by Kep- Jar, bishop Wilkins, and other ingenious writers; and that which has principally led them to assert it, is, because some of them are, as is almost universally allowed, not only bigger than this earth, but they seem to consist of matter, not much unlike to it, and therefore are no less fit to entertain distinct worlds of intelligent creatures. And they farther add, in defence of this argument, that it cannot reasonably be supposed that there should be such a vast collection of matter, created with no other de* sign, but to add to the small degree of light, which the planets, the moon excepted, afford to this lower world. As for any other advantage that they are of to it, any farther than as they are ob- jects, to set forth the wisdom and power of God, this cannot be determined by us ; therefore they conclude, that they were form- ed for the end above mentioned. And some carry their conjec- tures beyond this, and suppose, that as every one of the fixed stars are bodies, which shine as the sun does, with their own un- borrowed light, and are vastly larger, that therefore there i3 some other use designed thereby, besides that which this world receives from them, namely, to give light to some worlds of cl-eatures, that are altogether unknown to us. According to this supposition, there are not only more worlds than ours, but multitudes of them, in proportion to the number of the stars, which are inhabited either by men, or some other species of intelligent creatures, which tends exceedingly, in their opinion, to advance the power, wisdom, and goodness, of the great Crea-< tor. The only thing that I shall say, concerning this modern hy- pothesis, is, that as, on the one hand, the common method of opposition to it, is not, in all respects, sufficient to overthrow the argument in general, especially when men pretend not to determine what kinds of intelligent creatures inhabit these worlds, and v/hen they are not too preremptory in their asser- tions about this matter ; so, on the other hand, when this argu- ment is defended with that warmth, as though it were a neces- * Scs Qti£St. CT. THE WORK OF CREATION. 23 feary and important article of faith, and some not only assert the possibility, or, at least, the probability of the truth thereof, but speak with as much assurance of it, as though it v/ere founded on scripture ; and when they conclude that they are inhabited by men, and pretend to describe, not only the form of some of these Avorlds, but give such an account of the inhabitants there- of, as though they had learned it from one who came down from thence * ; in this respect, they expose the argument, which they pretend to defend, to contempt, and render it justly ex- ceptionable. But, if men do not exceed those due bounds of modesty, which should always attend such disquisitions, and distinguish things that are only probable, from those that are demonstratively certain, and reckon this no other than an inge- Hious speculation, which may be affirmed, or denied, in com* mon with some other astronomical, or philosophical problems, without considering it, as affecting any article of natural or re- vealed religion, I would not oppose the argument in general, how much soever I would do the particular explication there- of, as above mentioned : but, when this is brought in, as a mat- ter of debate, in the theologick schools, and disputed with as much warmth, as though it were next to an heresy to deny it, I cannot but express as much dislike thereof, as any have done, who give into the commonly received opinion relating to this matter. On the Jlft/i day, another sort of creatures, endowed witli sense, as well as life and motion, were produced, partly out of the waters, and partly out of the earth, that was mixed with them, namely, the fish that were designed to live in the waters, and the winged fowl, which were to fly above tliem f. On the sixth day, all sorts of beasts, and creeping things, with which the earth is plentifully furnished, were produced out of it. And whereas there are two words used to set forth the different species of living creatures, as contra-distinguished from creeping things, namely, the cattle and the beasts of the earth, it is generally supposed to imply the different sorts of beasts, such as are tame or wild, though wild beasts v^^ere not, at first, so injurious to mankind as nov/ they are. In the latter part of the day, when this lower world was * Thus the learned TTitsins, in Smybol. Exercitat. 8. § 78. exposes thin notion, bif refernnjr tn a particular relation g'iven, by one, of mountains, vaUifs, seas, -woodi!, and vast tracts of land, ivhich are cojitained in the moon, and a describing the meji that inhabit it, and the cities that are built by them, and other things relating hereun- to, loliich cannot be reckoned, in the opinion of sober men, any other than fabulous and romantic. f This, szipposing the fowl to be produced out of the tvater, mixed with earth, re- eoncilei the seeming contradiction that there is betiveen Gen. i. 20. and chap. ii. IP. in the former of which it is said, thefoTxd T;re created out of the vraler, and in thg iatter, out of tht earth. ^4 ' THE WORK OF CREATION'. brought to perfection, and furnished with every thing necessa- ry for his entertainment, man, for whose sake it was made, Avas created out of the dust of the ground ; which will be more par- ticularly considered in a following answer *. God having thus produced all things in this order and me- thod, as we have an account thereof in scripture, he fixed, or established the course or laws of nature, whereby the various species of living creatures might be pi-opagated, throughout all succeeding ages, without the interposure of his supernatural power, in a continued creation of them ; and, after this, he rest- ed from his work, when he had brou-ght all things to perfection. Thus having considered the creation, as a work of six days, it may farther be enquired, w^hether it can be determined, with any degree of probability, in what time, or season f of the year all things were created. Some are of opinion, that it was in the spring, because, at that time, the face of the earth is renewed every year, and all things begin to gi'ow and flourish :|:. And some of the fathers have assigned this, as a reason of it ; be- cause the Son of God, the second Adam, suffered, and rose from the dead, v/hereby the world was, as it were, renewed, at the same time of the year. But this argument is of no weight. Therefore the most probable opinion is, that the world was created at that season of the year, which generally brings all things to perfection ; when the fruits of the earth are fully ripe, and the harvest ready to be gathered in, which is about autumn, the earth being then stored with plenty of all things, for the sup- port of man and beast. It is not, indeed, very material, wheth- ei- this can be determined or no, nevertheless this seems the more probable opinion, inasmuch as the beginning of the civil year was fixed at that time. Accordingly, the feast of ingather- ing, which was at this season of the year, is said, in Exod. xxiii. 16. to be ill the end cfthe xjear ; therefore, as one year ended, the other began, at this time, and so continued, till, by a special, providence, the beginning of the year was altered, in commemo- ration of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt. And, from that time, there v/as a known distinction among the Jews, between their beginning of the civil and the ecclesiastical year ; the for- mer of which was the same as it had been from the beginning of the world, and answers to our month September : from whence it is more than probable, that the world was created at that season of the year. We now proceed, VI. To consider, the quality, or condition, in which God * See Quest. XVII. •J" When -we speak of the season of the near, toe have a particular respect to that part oft/ie earth, in which nia)i at first resided; being sensible that the seasons oftli^ year vary, according to the different situation of the earth. \ Ver illud erat, I'er magnus agebat Orbis,rj.s. Areop. end Hit J'in^s Aisti-ri/ of occlesiastical 7vritcrs. Ccr.i. 1. Page 32 — 24. THE CREATION OF ANGELS. 33 Paul's ministry. Acts xvii. 34. as well as disagreeable to the sentiments of the church in the age in which he lived ; there- fore, passing by this vain and trifling conjecture, all that we can assert, concerning this matter, is, that there is a beautiful order among the angels, though not of this kind ; and this appears very much in that social worship, which is performed by them. And this leads us to enquire hov/ they communicate their ideas to each other, tliough destitute of organs of speech, like those that men have. That they do, some way or other, im- part their minds to one another, is sufficiently evident, other- wise we cannot see how they could join together, or agree in that worship, which is performed by them, and those united hallelujahs, with which they praise God, and so answer the end of their creation. That they converse together is evident, since they are represented as doing so, in several places of scripture : thus the prophet speaks of the angel that talked ivith him ; he xvent forth^ and another angel went out to meet him^ Zech. ii. 3. and elsewhere it is said, concerning them, that one cried to another, Holy^ hohj^ holy, is the Lord of lioats ; the -whole earth is full of his glorij^ Isa. vi. 3.' and the apostle John speaks of ayi angel ascending from the easty xoho cried -witJi a loud voice to four other angels, Rev. vii. 2, 3. who were performing apart of their ministry here on earth, and giving them a charge re- lating thereto ; and elsewhere he again represents one angel at; speaking to another, and crying- zvith a loud voice, &c. chap, xix. 17. In some of these instances, if the voices uttered by them were real, this may be accounted for, by supposing that they assumed bodies for the same purpose, and so communis rated their minds to each other, in a way not much unlike to what is done by man. But this is not their ordinary way of con- versing with each other : notwithstanding, we rnay, from hence, infer, and from many other scriptures, that might be brought to the same purpose, that there is some way or other by which they communicate their thoughts to one another. Plow this is done, is hard to determine ; whether it be barely by an act of ■willing, that others should know what they desire to impart to them or by what other methods it is performed ; it is the safest way. for us, and it would be no disparagement were we the wisest men on earth to acknowledge our ignorance of it, rather than to attempt to determine a thing so much out of our reach, in this imperfect state, in which we knov/ so little of the nature or properties of spirits, especially those that are without bodies. It is therefore sufficient for us to conclude, that they converse together, when joined in social worship ; but how they do this, is altogether unknown to us. VII. Notwithstanding all the advantages which the angels had from those natural endovrments, with which they were crea- 34 THE CREATION OF ANGELS. ted, yet it is farther observed, that they were subject to change. Absolute and independent immutability is an attiubute peculiar to God ; so that whatever immutability creatures have, it is by his W'ill and power. Some of the angels, who were created holy, were not only subject to change, but they kept not their Jirst es- tate^ Jude, ver. 6. and, from being the sons of God, became enemies and rebels ; which is an evident proof of the natural mutability of creatures, if not confirmed in a natural state of holiness and happiness ; and we have ground to conclude, from hence, that the rest might have fallen, as well as they, had they not been favoured with the grace of confirmation, which ren- dered their state of blessedness unchangeable. But this will be farther considered, under a following answer *. Quest. XVII. How did God create man ? Answ. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female, formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man ; endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls, made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holi- ness, having the law of God written in their hearts, and pow- er to fulfil it, with dominion over the creatures, yet subject to fall. IN this answer it is observed, I. That man was created after all other creatures. There was a sort of climax^ or gradation in the work of creation ; and that the wisdom and power of God might be more admired herein, he proceeded from things that were less to those that were more perfect. Man, who is the most excellent creature in this lower world, was framed the last, inasmuch as God de- signed hereby not only to give a specimen of his power, wis- dom, and goodness, but that the glory of those perfections, which shine forth in all his other works, might be adored and mag- nified by him, as a creature fitted for th^t purpose. And his being treated after all other things, is not only an instance of the boimty and goodness of God, in that the world, which was designed to be the place of his abode, should be stored with all those provisions that were necessary for his entertainment and delight ; but that he might hereby be induced to give him the glory that was due to his name, and all other creatures, that were formed before him, might be objects leading him to it. II. As to what conceras the difference of sex, it is farther observed, that man was made male and female. Adam was * See. Quest. XIX. TUE CREATION OF MAN. 25 first formed, concerning whom we read, which is an humbling consiati aaon, that his bodi/ xvas formed of the dust of the ground^ from whence he took his name. This God puts him in mind of, after his fall, when he says. Dust thou art. Gen. iii. 19. And the best of men have sometimes expressed the low thoughts^ they have of themselves, by acknowkclging this as the iirst ori- giiidl of the human nature. Thus Abraham, when standing in th. presence of God, says, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord^ which am but dust and ashes^ Gen. xviii. 27. And this character is considered, us universally belonging to man- kind, wh^n it is said. Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it xvas, Eccles. xii. 7. As for the woiaan, it is said, she was formed of the rib of the man. The reason of her formation is particularly assigned^ It is not good that the mafi should be alone, I ivill make him an help-meet for him. Gen. iii. 18. There was a garden planted for his delight, and the beasts of the earth brought, and given to him, as his property ; and his sovereignty over them was ex- pressed by his g.ving names to every living creature : But these were not fitted to be his companions, though designed for his use. He was, notwithstanding, alone ; therefore God, design- ing him a greater degree of happiness, formed one that might be a partner with him, in all the enjoyments of this life, that hereby he might experience the blessings of a social life ; and that, according to the laws of nature, by this means the world might be inhabited, and its Creator glorified, by a numerous seed, that should descend from him. From Adam's being first formed, the apostle infers his pre- eminence of sex, 1 Tim. ii. 11 — 13. compared with 1 Cor. xi. 8, 9. though not of nature ; the woman being, in that respect, designed to be a sharer with him in his present condition, and future expectation. From her being formed of a rib, or, 2iS some understand it, out of the side of man, some curious, or over-nice observations have been made, which it is needless to mention. The account, which the scripture gives of it, is, that her being part of himself, argued the nearness of relation, and unalienable affection, which ought to be between man and wife, as Adam observed, This is noru bone of my bo?ies^ and flesh of my fleshy Gen. ii. 23, 24. and our Saviour, as referring to the same thing, says, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his xvife, and they twain shall be one flesh „ Matth. xix. 5. III. The next thing that may be cbsetved, is, that these were the first parents of all mankind ; for the apostle expressly calls Adam the first man, 1 Cor. xv. 45. And this is very agreeable to the account which Moses gives of his creation, on the sixth dayj from the beginning of time. This is a truth so generally 36 THE CREATION OF MAN. received, that it seems almost needless to insist any farther on the proof thereof. The very heathen, that knew not who the iirst man was, nor where, or when, he was created, did, notwith- standing, allow, in general, that there was one, from whom all descended ; therefore, when the apostle Paul argued with them, that God had made of one blood all nations oj mcn^for to dxoellon all the face of the earthy Acts xvii. 26. none of them pretended to deny it. And, none who own the divine authority of scrip- ture, ever questioned the account which Moses gives hereof, till a bold writer, about the middle of the last century, published a book, in which he advanced a new and fabulous notion ; that there was a world of men who lived before Adam was created *, and that these were all heathen ; and that Moses speaks of their creation, as what was many ages before Adam, in Gen. i. and of Adam's in chap. ii. whom he supposes to have been created in some part of the world, which was then uninhabited, where he was designed to live, and to be the father of the chiuxh, which v/as to descend from him ; and, being so far remote from the rest of mankind, he knew not that there was anv other men besides himself, till his familv increased, and some of them apostatized from the faith ; and, in particular, Cain, and his descendents xvent out from the prestnce of the Lord, and dv/elt among them. And whereas Adam is called, by the apostle Paul, the first ?«a;2, he supposes that he is styled so only as con- tra-distinguished from Christ, who is called the second man, de- signing thereby to compare the person, whom he supposes to have been the head of the Jewish church, with him who is the head of the Christian church. And he insists largely on, and perverts that scripture, in Rom. v. 13. where it is said, Until the laxv, sin xvas in the rvorld ; as though the sense of it were, that there was a sinful generation of men in the world, before God erected his church, and gave laws to it, when he created Adam, as the head and father thereof; whereas the apostle there speaks of sin's prevailing in the world before the law was given by Moses ; and as for the historical account of the crea- tion of man in scripture, it is plain that Moses speaks of the creation of man in general, male and female. Gen. i. 27. and, in chap. ii. gives a particular account of the same thing, and speaks of the manner of the formation of Adam and Eve. Be- sides, when God had ci-eated Adam, it is expressly said, in Gen. * This book, loJiich is called, Sy sterna Theologicum, in -which this matter is pre- tended to be defended, xuas Jnibliidied bi; one Peirerius, about the middle of the last century ; and, being -iuriiten in Latin, -nxis read by a great mmiy of the learned luorld- ..ind, inasmuch as the sense of many scriptures >«■ strained by him to defend it, and hereby contempt was cast iipon scriptnre in general, andoccasion given to many, -who are so disposed, to reproach and bnrlesque it ; therefore some har^ihonght it -vorth iheir -zuhile to take notice of, and confute this nc-w doctrine ; after ivhich, the author thereof, either being co7ivinccd of his error therebq, as some suppose, or being afraid '"St hv should svj^ev persecution for it, recanted his opinion, and turned Papist. THE CREATION OF MAN, 37 ii. 5. that there was not a man to till the ground^ therefore there was no other man living, wliich is directly contrary to this chi- merical opinion. And, if there had been a world of men be- fore Adam, what occasion was there for him to be created out of the dust of the ground ? He might have been the father of the church, and yet descended from one that was then in being, in a natural way ; or, if God designed that he should live at a distance from the rest of the world, he might have called him from the place of his abode, as he afterwards did Abraham, without exerting power in creating him ; and he might have ordered him to have taken a wife out of the world, without creating a woman for that purpose. It would be too great a digression, nor would it ansv/er any valuable end, for me to take notice of every particular argu- ment brought in defence of this notion : but though the book we speak of, be not much known in the world, yet the notiou is defended and propagated by many Atheists and Deists, who design hereby to bring the scripture-history and religion in general into contempt; therefore I am obliged, in opposition to them, to answer an objection or two. Object, 1. If Adam was the first man, and his employment was tilling the ground, where had he those instruments of husbandry, that were necessary, in order thereto, and other things, to subserve the vai'ious occasions of life? Answ. This may easily be answered, by supposing that he liad a sufficiency of wisdom to find out every thing that was needful for his use and service, whatever improvement might be made in manual arts, by future ages ; but this objection, though mentioned amongst the rest, is not much insisted on. Therefore, / Object, 2. There is another objection, which some think a little more plausible, taken from what is contained in Gen. iv. where we read of Cain's killing his brother Abel, which was a little before the hundred and thirtieth year of the world, as ap- pears, b}' comparing chap. v. 3. with chap. iv» 25. in which it is said, Adam lived an hundred and thirty years^ and begat Seth; upon which occasion, his wife acknowledges it as a mercy, that God had appointed her another seed, instead of Abel, ivhom Cain slexv. Now, if we observe the consequence of this murder; how Cain, as it is said, in chap. iv. 16. 7vcnt out from the presence of the Lord, and dxvelt in the land of Nod ; and, in ver. 17. that he bicilt a city, and called the name of it after the name of his son, Enoch ; from whence they infer, that, in a little above an hundred and thirty years after the world was created, there were several colonies settled in places remote from the land of Eden, where Adam, and his posterity, dwelt; and the inhabitants of those countries were of a different jeli^ Vol. II. F 88 THE CREATION OF MAX. gion from him, otherwise Cain's Hving among them would npt be styled, his going out from the prtsence of the Lord. And it is not said, that Cain peopled that land, but he went there, that is, dwelt, amongst the inhabitants thereof; and it must be by their assistance that he built this city, inasmuch as it is probable that the art of building, at this time, was hardly known by our first parents, and their descendants ; but they lived, separate from the world, in tents, and worshipped God in that v/ay, which they received by divine revelation, being but few in number, v/hile other parts of the world might be as much peopled as they are, at this day. Anszu. But to this it may be answered that as this chimeri- cal opinion sets aside; or perverts the scripture-account of things, so the absurdity of it may be easily manifested. And, 1. If they suppose that the number of Adam's posterity were small, and inconsiderable, when Cain slew his brother, and built the city before-mentioned, this will appear to be an ungrounded conjecture, if the blessing, which God conferred on man in his first creation, of i?icrcasmg, multiplying^ and replenishing the earthy Gen. i. 28. took place, as it doubtless did, and that in an uncommon degi-ee, the necessity of things requiring it; therefore it is not absurd to suppose, that, at least, as many children were generally born at a birth, and in as early an age of the mother's life, as have been, or are, in any uncommon instances in latter ages. It is also very proba- ble, that the time of child-bearing continued many years lon- ger than it now doth, in proportion to the number of years, in which the life of man exceeded the present standard thereof; and if the age of man was extended to eight or nine hundred years, we may conclude that there were but few that died young. If these things be taken for granted, which seem not, in the least, improbable, any one, who is curious in his enquiries about this matter, and desires to know what a number of peo- ple might be born in one hundred and thirty years^ will find it will be so great, that they might spread themselves through many countries, far distant from the place where Adam dwelt ; and therefore there is no need to suppose, that those, with whom Cain dwelt in the lajid of Nod, were persons that lived before Adam was created. But, that this may more abund- antly appear, let it be farther considered, 2. That though we read of Cain's going out from the pre- sence of the Lord^ and his dwelling in the land of Nod, and building a city, immediately after the account of Abel's death, and therefore it is taken for granted, that this was done soon after, that is, about the hundred and thirtieth year of the world ; yet there is no account that this was done immediate- ly, or some few years after, in scripture, which contains the THE CnSATIOJj OF MAN. .39 iiistoiy of tUe life of Cain, in a few verses, without any chro- nological account of the tinie, when these things were said to be done by him, and therefore it seems probable, thi-.t this was done some hundreds of years after Cain slew Abel; an that we need not enquire what a number of persons might be in the world in one hundred and thirty years^ but in seven or eight hundred years, and then the world might be almost avS full of people, as it is now at present, and then the greatest part of the world might be also degenerate, and strangers to the true religion ; so that Cain might easily be said to go out of the presence of the Lord, and choose to live with those that were apostates from him, and served other gods ; therefore no advantage is gained against the scripture-history by those, v/ho in contempt of it, defend this ill-grounded opinion. Thus we have considered man, as created male and fe- male, and our first parents, as the common stock, or root, from whence all descended ; we shall now take a view of the con- stitution, or frame of the human nature, and coiisider, IV. The two constituent parts of man, namely, the soul and body. With respect to the former of these, he is, as it were allied to angels, or, to use the scripture-expression, made a lit- tle loruer than them, Psal. viii. 5. As to the other, which is his inferior part, to wit, the body, he is of the earth, earthy^ and set upon a level with the lower parts of the creation. And here we shall, 1. Consider the body of man, inasmuch as it was first form- ed before the soul ; and according to the course and laws of hature, it is first fashioned in the womb, and then the soul is united to it, when it is organized, and fitted for its reception : There are many things very wonderful in the structure ot hu- man bodies, which might well give occasion to the inspired writer to say, / am fearfully atid xvonderfully made, Psal. Gxxxix. 14. This is a subject that would afl^"ord us much mat- ter to enlarge on, and from thence, to take occasion to admire the wisdom and goodness of God in this part of his work. Many things might be observed from the shape, and erect posture thereof, and the several conveniences that arise from thence, and how we are hereby instructed that we were not born to look downwards to the earth, but up to heaven, from whence our chief happiness is derived. We might here con- sider the various parts of the body, whereof none are superflu- ous or redundant, and their convenient situation for their res- pective uses; the harmony and contexture thereof, and the subserviency of one part to another ; and particularly, how it is so ordered by the wisdom of the Creator, that those parts, which are most necessary for the preservation of life, which, if hurt, would occasion immediate death, are placed most in- 40 THE CREATION Of MAJ*'. ward, that tliey might be sufliciently defended from all external injuries that might befal them; and also the disposition of those parts, that are the organs of sense, and their contexture, tvhereby they are fitted to exert themselves, in such a way, as is most proper to answer the ends thereof. We might also consider the temperature of the body, whereby its health and vigour is maintained; and that vast variety that there is in the countenances, and voices of men, in which there is hardly an exact similitude in any two persons in the world ; and the wise end desigiied by God herein, for the advantage ot mankind in general ; these things might have been particularly insisted on, and have afforded many useful observations ; but to enlarge on this head, as it deserves, would be to divert too much from our present design ; and it will be very difficult for any one to? treat on this subject Avith more advantage than it has been done by several learned and judicious writers, being set in a much clearer light than it has been in former ages, by those improvements, which have been lately made in anatomy ; and it is insisted on so particularly, and with such demonstrative evidence, by them, that I shall rather choose to refer the rea- der to those writings, in which it is contained, than insist on it*^. All that I shall farther observe is, that there is something w onderful in that natural heat that is continued in the bodies of men, for so many years together, and in the motion of the heart", the circulation of the blood and juices, the continual supply of animal spirits, and their subserviency to muscular motion : these things, and many other of the like nature, are all wonderful in the bodies of men. If it be objected, that there are other creatures, who, in some respects, excel men, as to what concern their bodies, and the powers thereof; as the vulture, and many other creatures, in quickness of sight and hearing ; the dog in the sense of smell- ing, and many others excel them in strength and swiftness ; and some inanimate creatures, as the sun, and other heavenly bodies, in beauty. To this it may be answered : That the bodies of men must be allowed to have a superior excellency, if considered as uni- ted to their souls, and rendered more capable of glorifying fciod, and enjoying that happiness, which no creatures, below them, are capable of. It is true, man is not endowed with such quickness of sense, strength of body, and swiftness of motion, as many other creatures are ; some of which endow- ments tend to the preservation of their own lives : others are conducive to the advantage of man, who has every thing, in * See H'Ut/'s wisdom of God, m the rvork of creation, Part. IJ. and Derk&m^s Phrjnco. Theologij, Beck V- THE CREATION OF MAN. 41 the frame of his nature, necessary to his happiness, agreeable to his present station of life, for his glorifying God, aod an- swering higher ends than other creatures were made for ; so that if we judge of the excellencies of the human nature, we must conceive of man, more especially as to that more noble part of which he consists. Accordingly, 2. We shall consider him as having (a) a rational and im- mortal soul, which not only gives a relative excellency to the body, to which it is united, and, by its union therewith, pre- serves it from corruption, but uses the various organs thereof, to put forth actions, which are under the conduct of reason ; and that which renders it still more excellent, is, that it is ca- pable of being conversant about objects abstracted from mat- ter, and of knowing and enjoying God. And whatsoever ob- structions it may meet with from the temperament of the body, to which it is united, or what uneasiness soever it may be ex- posed to from its sympathy thei ewith ; yet none of those things, which tend to destroy the body, or separate it from the soul, can affect the soul so far, as to take away its power of acting, but when separate from it, it remains immortal, and is capa- ble of farther improvements, and a greater degi-ee of happi- ness. We might here proceed to prove the Immortality of the soul; but that we shall have occasion more particularly to do, under .1 following answer *, when we consider the souls of believers, • See Quest. Ixxxvi. (a) The Origin of the soul, at what time it enters into the body, whether it be immediately created at its eritrance into the body, or comes out of a pre-ex- istent state, are things that cannot be known from any fitness or reasonableness founded in the nature ol" things ; and yet it is as necessary to believe this is done according to certain reasons of wisdom and goodness, as to believe there is a God. Now, who can say that it is the same thing-, whetlier human souls are ciealed immediately for human bodies, or whether tiiey come into tliem out of some pre- existent state? For aught we know, one of these ways may be exceeding fit and vise, and the other as entirely wijii^^ and unreasonable; and yet, when Reason examines either of these ways, it finds ItSicU equally perplexed with difficulties, and knows not which to chase : but if ^ioule be immaterial [as all philosophy now proves] it must be one of them. And perhaps, the reason why God has revealed so little of these matters in holy Scripture itself, is, because any more particular revelation of them, would but have perplexed us \vith greater difficulties, as not having caj^acities or ideas to comprehend such things. For, as all our natural knowledge is confined to ideas bon-owed from experience, and the use of our senses about human thvigs; as Revelation can only teach us things that have some likeness to wliat we al- ready know; as our notions of equity and justice ai-e very limited, and confined to certain actions between man and man ; so, if God had revealed to us more particulu-ly, the orifin of our soi'ls, and the reason of their state in human bo- dies, we might periiaps have been exposed to greater difficulties by such know- ledge, and been less ubie to vindicate the justice and goodness of God, thanwc are by our present ignorance. uu.xa.v reasox. 4iJ 'HIE CREATION OF MAK. as made perfect in holiness, and thereby fitted for, and after- v.'ards received into heaven, having escaped the grave, (in which the body is to be detained until the resurrection) which is the consequence of its immortality. And therefore we pro- ceed, V. To consider another excellency of the human nature, as man was made after the image of God. To be made a little lower than the angels, as he is represented by the Psalmist, in Psal. viii. 5. is a very great honour conferred on him ; But what can be said greater of him, than that he was made after the image of God i Hov/ever, though this be a scripture-ex- pressioji, denoting the highest excellency and privilege, yet it is to be explained consistently with that infinite distance that there is betv/een God and the creature. This glorious char- acter, put upon him does not argue him to partake of any di- vine perfection; nor is it inconsistent Avith the nothingness of the best of finite beings, when compared Vv'^ith God; for what- ever Hkeness there is in man to him, there is, at the same time, an infinite dissimilitude, or disproportion, as was before ob- served, when we considered the difference betv/een those di- vine attributes, which are called incommunicable, from others, v/hich some call communicable. If it be enquired, wherein the image of God in man con- sists ? It would be preposterous and absurd, to the last de- gree, to suppose that this has any respect to the lineaments of the body ; for there is a direct opposition rather than simili- tude, between the spirituality of the divine nature, and the bodies of men. And, indeed, it would have been needless to have mentioned this, had not some given occasion for it, by perverting the sense of those scriptures, in which God is re- presented, in a metaphorical way, in condescension to our common mode of speaking, as though he had a body, or bodi- ly parts; from whence they have inferred, that he assumed a body, at first, as a model, according to which he would frame that of man ; which is not only absurd, but blasphemous, and carries it own confutation in it. There are others, who suppose that man was made after the image of Christ's human nature, which, though it doth not al- together contain so vile a suggestion as the former, yet it is groundless and absurd, inasmuch as Christ was made after the likeness of man, as to what concerns his human nature, Phil, ii. 7. and man, in that respect, was not made after his image. And to this let me add, that when the scripture spe ks of man, as made after the image of God, it plainly gives us ground to distinguish between it and that glory which is pecu- liar to Christ, who is said not only to be made after his image, but to be the image of the invisible God^ Col. i. 15. and the ex' IHE CREATION OF UAS. 4.o press image of his person^ Hcb. i. 3. and therefore that there is, in tliis respect, such a similitude between the Father and Son, us cannot, in any sense be apphed to the hkeness, which is said to be between God and the creature. Moreover, when we speak of man, as made after the image of God, as consisting in some finite perfections communicated to him, we must carefully fence against the least supposition, as though man were made partaker of any of the divine per- fections. It is true, the apostle speaks concerning believers, as being made partakers of the divine nature^ 2 Pet. i. 4. for the understanding of which we must take heed, that we do not pervert the mind of the Holy Ghost herein ; for nothing is intended by this expression, in which the image of God is set forth, but a sanctified nature, or, as I would rather /jehoose to render it, a divine nature^ derived from, and, in some re- spects, conformed to him but yet infinitely below him. This image of God in man, in this answer, is said to con- sist particularly in three things. 1. In knowledge. This is Vthat we generally call the natu- ral image of God in man, which he is endowed with, as an in- telligent creature ; not that the degree of knowledge, which the best of men are capable of, contains in it any thing proper- ly divine as to its formal nature ; for there is a greater dispro- portion between the infinite knov/ledge of the divine mind, and that of a finite creature, than there is between die ocean and a drop of water : But it signifies, that as God has a comprehen- sive knowledge of all things, man has the knowledge of some things, agreeable to his finite capacity, comAiunicated to him ; and thus we are to understand the apostle's Avords, when he ijpeaks of man's being renerued in knorvledge, after the image of him that created him^ Col. iii. 10. 2 It consists in righteousness and holiness. This some call the nior^l image of God in man ; or, especic^lly if we consider it as re.stored in sanctification, it may more properly be called his supernatural image, and it consists in the rectitude of the human nature, as opposed to that sinful deformity and blemish, which renders fallen man imlike to him. Therefore we must consider him, at first, as made upright, Eccles. vii. 29.* so that there was not the least tincture, or taint of sin, in his nature, or any disposition, or inclination to it ; but all the powers and faculties of the soul were disposed to answer the ends of its creation, and thereby to glorify God. And to this some add, that the image of God, in man, con- sisted in blessedness ; so that as God is infinitely blessed in the enjoyment of his own perfections, man was, in his way and measure, blessed, in possessing and enjoying those perfections, which he rccdved from God. But, though this be true, yet I 4*4. THE CREATION OF MAK. would rather choose to keep close to the scripture mode qT speaking, which represents the image of God in man, as con- sisting in righteousness a7id true holiness^ Eph. iv. 24. Man, being thus made after the image of God, is farther said in this answer, to have the law of God written in his heart, and, power to fulfil it. Herein God first made, and then dealt with him as a reasonable creature, the subject of moral govern- ment ; and, that this law might be perfectly understood, it was v^ritten on his heart, that hereby he might have a natural know- ledge of the rule of his obedience, and might, with as little dif- ficulty, be apprised of his duty to God, as he was of any thing that he knew, as an intelligent creature. And inasmuch as he was indispensably obliged to yield obe- dience to this law, and the consequence of violating it would be his ruin, God, as a just and gracious Sovereign, gave him ability to fulfil it ; so that he might not, without his own fault, by a necessity of nature, rebel against him, and so plunge him- self into inevitable misery. 3. It is farther observed, that the image of God, in man, con- sisted in man's dominion over the creatures. This is express- ly revealed in scripture, when God says. Let us make man in our image^ after our likeness^ and let the^n have dominion over thejish of the sea^ and over the fowl of the air^ a7id over the cat- tle^ and over all the earthy and over every creeping- thing- that creepeth upon the earthy Gen. i. 26. and the Psalmist describes this dominion in other words, though not much differing, as to tlie general import thereof, when he says. Thou madest him to have dominion ov^ the works of thy hands ; thou hast put all things under his feet : All sheep and o.ren; yca^ and the beasts of the f eld ^ the foxvl of the air, and the fish of the sea^ andxvhat- soever passeth through the paths of the seas, Psal. viii. 6 — 8- This dominion consisted in the right which he had to use and dispose of the inferior creatures, for his comfort and delight, and to serve him, in all things necessary, for the glorifying his Creator, though he had no right, nor inclination, in his state of integrity, to abuse them, as fallen man does, in various in- gtances. VI. The last thing observed in this answer, is that notwith- standing the advantageous circumstances, in v/hich man was created, yet he was subject to fall; by which we are not to un- derstand that he was forced or compelled to fall, through any necessity of nature; for that would have been inconsistent with the liberty of his will to what was good, or that rectitude of nature, whereby he was not only fitted to perfonn perfect obedience, but to avoid every thing that has a tendency to ren- der him guilty before God, and thereby to ruin him. Aft for tlie devil, h^ had k,o pQwer to force the will; nor THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. ' 45 coiiltl he lay any snare to entangle and destroy man, but what he had wisdom enough, had he improved his faculties as he ought, to have avoided: But, notwithstanding all this, it is evi- dent that he was subject to fall, for that appears by the event ; so that, though he had no disposition to sin in his nature, for God could not create a person in such a state, since that would render him the author of sin, yet he did not determine to pre- vent it; though this, as will be hereafter considered, was a pri= Allege which man would have attained to, according to the tenor of the covenant he was under, had he performed the con- ditions thereof, and so would have been confirmed in holiness and happiness ; but this, it is certain, he was not at first, be- cause he fell : But of this, more under a following answer. Quest. XVIII. What are God's xvorks of Providence ? Answ. God's v^orks of Providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; or- dering them, and all their actions, to his own glory. IN speaking to this answer, we must consider w^hat we are to understand by providence in general. It supposes a crea- . ture brought into being ; and consists in God's doing every thing that is necessary for the continuance thereof, and in his ordering and over-ruling second causes, to produce their re- spective effects, under the direction of his infinite wisdom, and the influence of his almighty power. It is owing to this that all things do not sink into nothing, or that every thing has what it wants to render it fit to answer the end designed in the creation thereof. Pursuant to this general description of pro- vidence, it may be considered as consisting of two branches,,, namely, God's .upholding, or preserving, all creatures; and enabling them to act by his divine concourse or influence : and his governing or ordering them, and all their actions, for his own glory. I. That God upholds all things, l^iis he is expressly said to do, i>i/ the word of his poxvcr^ Heb, i. 3. and it may be larther evinced, if we consider that God alone is independ- ent, and self-sufficient, therefore the idea of a creature im- plies in it dependence; that which depended on God for its being, must depend on him for the continuance there- of. If any creature, in this lower world, could preserve itself, then surely this migiu be said of man, the most excellent part thereof; But it is certain, that man cannot pre- serve himself; for if he could, he would not be subject to those decays of nature, or those daily infirmities, which all ire liabl'" Vol, JL G 4.& THE WORKS or PROVIDENCEf unto ; and he would, doubtless preserve himself from dying^ for that is agreeable to the dictates of nature, which would, were it possible for him to do it, prevent itself from being dis- solved. And if man could preserve himself in being, he might, and doubtless, would, by his own skill, maintain himself in a prosperous condition in this world, and always lead a happy life, since this is what nature cannot but desire : But, inasmuch as all are liable to the afflictions and miseries of this present state, it plainly argues that they are unavoidable, and conse- quently that there is a providence that maintains men, and all other creatures, in that state in which they are. In considering the upholding providence of God, we must observe, that it is either immediate, or mediate. The former of these consists in his exerting that power, by which we live, move, and act, which is sometimes called the divine manuten- ency; and this cannot be exerted by a finite medium, any more, than that power that brought all things into being. But besides this, God is said, according to the fixed laws of nature, to preserve his creatures by the instrumentality of second causes. Thus life is maintained by the air in which we breathe, and the food, by which we are nourished ; and 4Every thing that tends to our comfort in life, is communicated to us by second causes, under the influence and direction of providence, to which it is as much to be ascribed, as though it v/ere brought about without means : thus Jacob considers God, as giving him bread to eat^ and raimeiit to put on^ Gen. xxviii. 20. whateyer diligence or industry was used by him to attain them J and pod is elsewhere said to give food to all Jlesh; PsaJ. cxxxvi. 25. and, concerning brute creatures, it is said. These xvait all upon thee^ that thou mayest give them their meat indue season; that thou giv est them^ they gather ; thou openest ihy hand^ they are Jilled xuith good^ Psal. civ. 27, 28. II. God governs all things by his providence, so that nothing happens by chance to him. This appears from those admira- ble displays of wisdom, which come under our daily observa- tion, in the government of the woi'ld. Many things are or- dered to subserve such ends, as are attained by them without their own knowledge ; as the sun and other heavenly bodierj which are a common blessing to this lower world ; so the rain, the air, vapours, minerals, beasts, vegetables, and all other creatures, below men, answer their respective ends, with- out their own design, and not by the will or management of any intelligent creature therefore it must be by the direction of providence. That there is a providence, that governs the world, is so ob- vious a truth, that it has been denied by none, but the most stupid part of mankind, who wholly abandoned themselves to sensuality and libertinism, and hardly owned that there is a TtlE WORKS OF PROVIDEN.CE. 47 God, or such things as moral good or evil ; and these scarce deserve the name of men.* All others, I say, have owned a providence, as what is the necessary consequence of the belief of a God, and therefore it is a doctrine founded in the very na- ture of man ; so that the heathen who have had no other light thaa that affords, have expressed their belief of it, and have compared the divine Being to a pilot, who sits at the helm and steers the ship ; or to one that guides the chariot where he pleases ; or to a general, that mai'shals and gives directions td the soldiers under his command : or to a king, that sits on the throne, and gives laws to all his subjects. Accordingly, the apostle Paul, when arguing with the Athenians, from princi- ples which they maintained, takes it for granted, as what would not be contested by them, that there was a providence, when he says, In him vje Ihe^ and move^ and have our being. Acts xvii. 28. And, indeed, this truth appears to have been univer- sally believed, in the world, by men of all religions, whether true, or false. As it is the foundation of all true worship ; so, that worship, which was performed by the heathen as derived partly from the light of nature, and partly from tradition i and those pi-ayers, that were directed to God, and altars erected for his service, all argue their belief, not only of God, but of a providence ; so that this doctrine is agreeable to the light of nature, as well as plainly evinced from scripture. III. The providence of God extends itself to all the actions of creatures. That this may appear, let it be considered ; that there are.innumerable effects produced by, what we call, second causes ; this is allowed by all. Moreover, every second cause implies, that there is a first cause, that guides and directs it. Now no creature is the first cause of any action, for that is pe- * It was denied, indeed, by the Epicureans, mho were detested by the better sort of heathen, arid reckoned the Libertines of the respective ages, in -which they lived; and, though they may occasionally speak of a God, yet vjere deemed no better than Atheists. Diogenes Laertius [Vid. in Vit. Epicuri, Lib. X.] in the close of the life of Epicurus, gives a brief account of Ids seiitimaits about religion, -uhich he lav-i doion in several short Aphorisms ; the first ofiuhich begins -with this memorable pas • sage, Ts fxaxupi^y KUt apSstplcv ht* auto f his own glory* In considering the os^er-ruling providence of God, in order to the bringing about the ends designed, let it be farther ob- served ; that there are some things which seem to have a more direct tendency thereunto, agreeably to the nature of those se- cond causes, which he makes use of, whereby he gives us oc- casion to expect the event that will ensue : and, on the other hand, he sometimes brings about some great and valuable ends by those means, which at first view, have no apparent tenden- cy thereunto ; but they are over-ruled without, or contrary to the design of second causes, wherein the admirable wisdom of providence discovers itself. Thus those things, which, in all appearance, seem to threaten our ruin, are ordered to subserve our future happiness, though, at present, altogether unexpected. When there was such a dark gloom cast on the world, by the first entrance of sin into it, who would have thought that this should be over-ruled by providence, to give occasion to the display of those divine perfections, which are glorified in the work of oiu' redemption ? I do not, indeed, like the expression of an ancient writer, who calls it, Happy sin ! that gave occa- sion to man's salvation ; but I would rather say, How admira- ble was the providence of God, which over-ruled the vilest action to answer so great an end, and brought so much good cut of that, which, in itself, was so great an evil ! We might here give some particular instances of the dispen- sations of providence, by which God brings good out of evil^ in considering those lengths which he hath suffered some men to run in sin, whom he designed, notwithstanding, effectually to call and save ; of which the apostle Paul was a very remark- THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. o? able instance, who considers this as an expedient, whereby God designed to shew forth all long-suffering as a pattern to them^ that should hereafter believe on Christ to Ife eternal; and that men might take encouragement, from hence, to conclude, that Christ came into the world to save the chif ofsiwurs, 1 Tim. i. 15, 16. And the injurious treatment which God's people have met with from their enemies, has sometimes been over- ruled for their good. Thus Ishmael's mocki7ig, or, as the apo> tie calls it, persecuting Isaac; and, as is more than probable, not only reproaching him, but the religion which he professed, was over-ruled, by providence, for Isaac's good, v, hen Ishmaei was separated from him, which set him out of danger of being led aside by his bad example, as well as delivered him from that uneasiness, which his opposition to him would have occa- sioned : and it was most agreeable to his future circum£i>inces, whom God designed not only to be the heir of the family, but the propagator of religion in it. Again, Pharaoh's cruelty, and the methods used to prevent the increasing of the children of Israel in Egypt, was over- ruled by the providence of God, so that they seemed, after this, to be the more immediate care thereof; and it is more parti- cularly remarked in scripture, as an instance of the kind hand of providence towards them, that the more the Eguptians af- flicted them., the more they multiplied., and grav., Exod. i. 12. Again, the inhuman and barbarous cruelty of Simeon and Levi, in slaying the Shechemites, Gen. xxxiv. 25. brought on them a curse ; and accordingly their father pronounced it, and tells them, that God xvould divide them in Jacob., and scatter them in Israel., Gen. xlix. 7. %vhich, in particular, had its ac- complishment in Levi's having no distinct inheritance, except those cities that w^ere appointed to them, out of every tribe ; but this dividing and scattering them throughout the whole country, was over-ruled by the providence of God, for the good of his people in general ; so that this tribe, which God had or- dained, to teach Jacob his judgments^ and Israel his law., Deut. Xxxiii. 10. might, through the nearness of their habitation, be conveniently situated among them to answer that end. We might farther observe, that Saul's unreasonable jealousy and fury, with which he persecuted David, was over-ruled, by providence, for his good ; as, in his exile, he had a gre^.ter de- gree of communion with God, than at other times, and, as is more than probable, was inspired to pen the greater number of his Psalms, and was, as it were, trained up for the crown in this school of affliction, and so, more fitted to govern Israel, when God designed to put it on his head. To this let me add one instance more, and that is, God's suffering the persecuting rage of the Jews to vent itself against 53 THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. the apostles, v/hen the gospel was first preached by them, which was over-ruhd by providence for thsir scattering, and this for the farther spread thereof, wherever they came ; and the apos- tle Paul observes, that his bonds in Christ were not only mani- fest in all the palace; aiid in all other places^ but they were made conducive to th^ furtherance of the gospel^ Phil. i. 12, 13. And as for that contention that was between him and Barna- bas, at another time, in which each of them shewed that they ■were but men, subject to like passions and infirmities with others, this seems to have been occasioned by a small and in- considerable circumstance, yet it rose to such a height, that they departed one from the other^ Acts xv. 36 — iO. Each seemed to be over-much tenacious of his own humour; but providence suffered the corruption of these excellent men to discover itself, and their separation to ensue, that by this means^ their ministry might be rendered more extensive, and double service be done to the interest of Christ in different parts of the world. We might descend to instances of later date, and consider how God suffered the church of Rome to arrive to the greatest pitch of ignorance, superstition, and idolatry ; and wholl}- to forsake the faith of the gospel, so as to establish the doctrine of merit, and human satisfactions ; and its leaders to be so pro- fanely absurd, as to expose pardons and indulgencies to public sale ; this, providence was over-ruled, for the bringing about the glorious Reformation in Germany. And if it be added, that pride, lust, and covetousness, paved the way for it here in England ; this is no blemish to the Reformation, as the Pa- pists pretend, but a display of the over-ruling providence of God, that brought it about by this means. I might enlarge on this subject, in considering the provi- dence of God as bringing about wonderful and unexpected changes in the civil affairs of kingdoms and nations, remarka- bly bringing down some who made the greatest figure in the world, and putting a glory on others raised up out of their ruins ; and how all political affairs have been rendered subser- vient to answer the ends of the divine glory, with respect to the church in the world, and the deliverances v/hich God has ivrought in various ages for it, vvjien it was, in all appearance, upon the brink of ruin, of which we have not only many in- stances in scripture, but almost every age of the world has given us undeniable proofs of this matter. We might also con- sider the methods which God has often taken in bringing about his people's deliverance, wiien, to the eye of reason, it seemed almost impossible, and that, cither by dispiriting their enemies, cr removing them out of the way, as the Psalmist expresses himself, The stotd'-hearted are spoiled; theij have slept their THE WORKS OF PROVIDEKGE. 5.9 aleep^ and none of the men of might have found their ha?ids^ Psal. Ixxvi. 5. or else by finding them some otlier work to do tor their OAvn safet)^ and defence. Thus when Saul was pursu- ing David, in the wilderness of Maon, and had compassed him, and his men round about to take them, there came a messen- ger to him, saying, Haste thee and come^for th-c Philistines have invaded the land^ 1 Sam. xxiii. 26, 27. And sometimes he sof- tens their spirits, by a secret and immediate touch of providence working a change in their natural temper and disposition. Thus he provided for Jacob's escape from that death that was de- signed by his brother Esau. And if God intends that they shall fall by the hand of their persecutors, he gives them cou- rage and resolution, together with the exercise of all those gra- ces, which are necessary to support them under, and carry then\ through the difficulties that they are to undergo. But these things are so largely insisted on, by those who have written pro- fessedly on the doctrine of providence,* that more need not be added on this subject. I shall therefore oiJy consider an objection, or two, that is generally brought against it, by those who pretend to ackuowlege that there is a God, but deny his providence. Object. 1. It is objected against the concern of the providence of God, with respect to the smallest things in this world, that they are unworthy of his notice, below his care, and therefore not the objects thereof. Ansxv. If it was not unbecoming his power, to bring the smallest things into being, or to preserve them from sinking into nothing, then they cannot be excluded from being the ob- jects of his providence. If we consider the whole irame of na- ture ; it cannot be denied, but that some things have a tendency to answer the general design of providence, in a more evident degree than others, and there are many things, the use whei-eot cannot be particularly assigned by us, otherwise than as they contain a small part of the frame of nature. But to say, that any part thereof is altogether useless, or excluded from being the object of providence, is a reflection on God, as the God oi nature. And therefore we must conclude, that all things are some way or other, subject to his providence ; and that this is jo far from being a dishonour to him, that it redounds to his glory. Object. 9,. It is farther objected, by those who are disposed to cavil at, and and fault with the divine dispensations ; that they are not just and equal, because we oftentimes see the righteous afflicted, and the wicked prosper in the world ; which is to reproach, if not wholly to deny the doctrine of providence. This is not only done by wicked men, but believers themselves ■ See Charnoch, FlavcH^ Dr. Collins^.i; on Prcvhlau-r. 60 THE WORKS OF fROVlDEKCE. have somellmes been under a temptation, through the prcva- lency of corrupt nature, to bring their objections against the equity of providence. Thus the Psalmist says ; But as for yne, my feet zucre almost gojie ; my steps had rvell nigh slipt. For I tvas envious at the foolish^ zvhcn I saw the prosperity of the zvicked. For th?re are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; nei- ther are they plagued like other men, Psah xxiii. 2 — 5. These are the ungodly^ xvho prosper in the xuorld ; they increase in riches : But as for himself, he says. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and zvashed ?ny hands iji innocency ; for all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning, ver. 12 — 14. and the prophet Jeremiah, when pleading with God concerning his judgments, though he owns, in general, that he was righteous, yet says he. Wherefore doth the xvay of the zvicked prosper ? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? 1 hou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root ; they groxv, yea, they bring forth fruit ; thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins, Jer. xii. 1, 2. He could hardly reconcile the general idea which he had of God's justice, with the seeming inequality of the dispensations of his providence ; so the prophet Habakkuk, though he owns that God was of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that he can- not look vpon iniquity, yet he seems to complain in the follow- ing words, Wherefore lookcst thou upon them that deal treach^ croushf, and holdest thy tongue, when the zvicked devoureth the 7nan that is more righteous than he? Hab. i. 13. And Job seems to speak very unbecomingly, when he says, Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress ? that thou shouldest des- pise the work of thine hands ? arid shine upon the counsel of the zvicked ? Job. x. 3. So that, as the wicked boldly deny a pro« vidence, or, at least, reproach it ; others, of a far better charac- ter, have, through the prevalency of their unbelief, seemed to detract from the glory thereof. Ansxv. To this it may be renlied, in general, in the apostle's words. Nay but, 0 man,who art thou, that repUcst against God? Rom. ix. 20. Is there no deference to be paid to his sovereign- ty, who has a right to do what he will with his ov/n ? Is his jus- tice to be impeached, and tryed at our bar ? Or his wisdom to be measured by our short-sighted discerning of things, who can- not see the end from the beginning of his dispensations ? It i? true, good men have been sometimes tempted to question the equity of the distributions of providence, as in the instances but now mentioned; unless we suppose, that the prophets Habak- kuk, Jeremiah, and Job, rather speak the sense ol the world, tlian their own sentiments of things, and desire that God would clear up some dark providences, that wicked men might no* THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. Ot faring their objections against them ; but it may be doubted, whether this be the sense ot those scriptures or no. And as for the Psahnist, in the other scripture, it is plain, that he express- es the weakness of his own faith, which was sometimes almost overset ; but, at other times, God condescends to resolve his doubts, and bring him into a better frame, as appears by some following verses. But, that we may give a more particular re- ply to this objection, let it be considered, 1. That the unequal distribution of things is so far from be- ing a disparagement to any government, that it eminently sets forth the beauty, wisdom, and excellency thereof, and is, in some respects necessary. As it is not fit that every subject should be advanced to the same honour, or that the favour of a prince should be dispensed alike to all ; so it sets forth the beau- ty of providence, as God is the Governor of the world, that some should more eminently appear to be the objects of his fa- vour than others. 2. The wicked, whose condition is supposed, by those who bring this objection, to be more happy than that of the righte- ous, will not appear, if things were duly weighed, to be so hap- py, as they are pretended to be, if we consider the evils that they are exposed to at present, some of which are the imme- diate result and consequence of sin, whereby they are, as it were, tortured and distracted with contrary lusts and passions, which militate against the dictates of human nature, and ren- der the pleasures of sin less desirable in themselves : But, when we consider those tormenting reflections, which they sometimes have, after the commission thereof, these are altogether incou' sistent with peace or happiness, much more if we consider the end thereof, as it leads to everlasting destruction : thus it is said, £ven in laughter the heart is sorrowful ; and the end of that mirth is heavitiess. The backslider in heart shall he filled xvith his own ways^ Prov. xiv. 13, 14. Therefore, the good man would not change conditions with him, how destitute soever he may be of those riches, honours, or sensual pleasures, which the other reckons his portion ; A little that a righteous man hath^ is better than the riches of man if wicked^ Psal. xxxvii. 26. 3. As for the good man, who is supposed to be in an afflict- ed condition in this life, we are not, from thence, to conclude him, in all respects, unhappy, fo.- we are to judge of his state by the end thereof. He that looks upon Lazarus, as full of sores, and destitute of many o£ the conveniences of life, may reckon him unhappy at prest;nt, when compared with the con- dition of the rich man, who is represented in the ;. arable, as clothed xvith purple and fne linen^ and faring sumpt ■rnuly every day : but if we consider h;m, wh-n leaving the v, o Id, as car- ried by angels, into Abraham's bosom, aiid the pther plunged Vol. II. I 62 THE WORKS OF Pi^OVlOENCE. into an abyss of misery ; no one will see reason to charge the providence of God with any neglect of him, or conclude himi to be really miserable, because of his condition in this present life- Moreover, if we consider the righteous in his most disadvan- tageous circumstances, as to what respects his outward condi- tion ; we must, notwithstanding, regard him, as an object of di- vine love, and made partaker of those graces, and inward com- forts, which are more than a balance for all his outward trou- bles ; and therefore we may say of him, as the apostle does of himself, though he be wiknozun, that is obscure, and, as it were, disowned by the world, yet he is well ktiowny that is, approved and beloved of God ; does he live an afflicted and dying- life I yet he has a better /i/e, that is maintained by him : Is he chast- ened? yet he is ?iot killed : Is he sorrowful? yet he always re- joiceth: Is he poor ? yet he maketh many rich; has he nothings as to outward things f yet he possesseth all thing-s^ as he is an heir of eternal life, 2 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Quest. XIX. What is God^s providence towards the angels? Answ. God, by his providence, permitted some of the angels, wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation, limiting and ordering that, and all their sins to his own glo- ry, and established the rest in holiness and happiness ; em- ploying them all at his pleasure, in the administration of his power, mercy, and justice. IT was observed, in a foregoing answer, that God created all the angels holy ; but, in this, some of them are described as fallen, while the rest retained their first integrity. And the providence of God is considered, as conversant about this mat- ter, in different respects. Accordingly* it is said, I. That God, by his providence, permitted some of the an- gels to fall. This appears, by the event, because there are some wicked and impure spirits, sunk down into the depths of mise- ry, from that state in which they were created, as the conse- quence of their rebellion against God. And inasmuch as it is observed, that it was only a part of the angels that fell, we may infer from thence ; that the dispen- sation of providence, towards the angels, was different from that which mankind was subject to, when first created, in that one of them was not constituted the head and representative of die rest, in whom they were all to stand or fall j but the hap- piness or misery of every one of them was to be the result of iiis own personal conduct. As their persisting in obedience to God was necessary to their establishment in holiness and hap- piness, so the least instance of rebellion against him, woivld god's providence to angels. 63 bring inevitable ruin, upon them. Now that which is observed concerning a part of them, is, that they fell into sin and dam- nation : thus the apostle says, in 2 Pet. ii. 4. God spared not the angels that sinned^ but cast them doxvn to helL Their sin, or fall, was wilful ; tliey commenced an open war against their Creator. Herein that enmity to God, and good- ness, took its first rise, which has, ever since, been expressed by them, in various instances. Their sin appears to have been wilful, inasmuch as it was committed against the greatest de- gree of light, for all the angels are described as excelling in knowledge ; and that subtility, which is knowledge abused, and depraved with sin, that discovers itself in the fallen angels, argues, that their knowledge, before they fell, was very great, and therefore tlueir rebellion was aggravated in proportion there- unto. Moreover, they sinned without a tempter, especially those who first took up arms against God. Whether others, by their instigation, might not be induced to sin, we know not * : But this is certain, that this rebellion was begun without a tempter % for there were no fallen creatures to present a temptation, nor any corruption in their natures that internally drew them aside from God; and therefore their sin might well be styled wilful. And it may be observed, that the consequence hereof was their irrecoverable ruin. This respects the event of their fall ; or that God designed, for ever, to leave them in that sinful and miserable state into which they hereby brought themselves. He might, indeed, have recovered them, as well as sinful man, had he pleased ; but he has provided no mediator, no surety, to give satisfaction for them. The blessed Jesus is expressly said, not to have taken their nature upon h'lm^ thereby to signify that their condition was irretrievable, and their misery to be eternal. Now it is farther observed, that the providence of God was conversant about their sin and fall, in the same sense in which as it has been before observed, it is conversant about sin in ge- neral ; which is consistent with his holiness, as well as other per- fections, namely, in permitting^ limiting^ and ordering it, and all their other sins, to his own glory» 1. He permitted it. To permit, is not to prevent a sin ; and to say that God did not prevent their fall, is to assert a truth which none ever denied, or thought necessary to be proved. 2. It is farther observed, that the providence of God sets bounds and limits to their sin ; as it does to the waves of the sea, when he says. Hitherto shall ye go, a?id no farther. How destructive to mankind would the malice of fallen angels be, • Some think, that those expressions, lohich ivefndin scripture, that speak of the devil, and bis angels, and the princ€ of devils, import as rmich ; btit this -^ve pretend not to determine. 64" god's providenge to angels. were it not restrained ? What would not Satan attempt ag;ainst us, had he an unlimited power ? We have a remarkable instance of this in the case of Job. Satan first accused him as a time- serving h)'pocrite °, a mercenary professor, one that did not fear God Jo r nought^ in chap, i, 9. and how desirous was he that providence would give him up to his will, and take away the hedge of its safe protection ? But God would not do this ; ne- vertheless, so far as Satan was suffered, he poured in a conflu- ence of evils upon him, but could proceed no farther. First, he was suffered to plunder him of his substance, and take away his children, by a violent death; but was so restrained, that, upon himself he was not to put forth his hand^ in ver. 12. Af- terwards, he was permitted to touch his person ; and then we read of his smiting him with sore boils^from the sole of his foot unto his crorvn, in chap. ii. 7. But yet he was not suffered to take away his life. And, after this the de\-'il's malice still grow- ing stronger against him, he endeavours to weaken his faith, to drive him into despair, and to rob him of that inward peace, which might have given some allay to his other troubles ; but yet he is not suffered to destroy his graces, or hurry him into a total apostacy from God. What would not fallen angels at- tempt against mankind, were not their sin limited by the provi- dence of God ! 3. God's providence ordered, or over-ruled, the fall of angels, and all other sins consequent hereupon, to his own glory. Their power, indeed, is great, though limited, as appears by the in- numerable instances of those who have been not only tempted, but overthrown, and ruined by them. It may truly be said of them, that thei/ have cast down many wotinded; yea inany strong men have been slain by them. Nevertheless, God over-rules this for his own gloiy ; for from hence he takes occasion to try his people's graces, to give them an humbling sense of the corrup- tion of their nature, and of their inabiiitv, to stand in the hour of temptation, without his immediate assistance, and puts them upon imploring help from him, with great importunity ; as the apostle Paul did, 2 Cor. xVi. 7 9. when the messenger of Satan rvas sneered to buffet him^ and God took occasion, at the sam.e time, to display that grace^ -which -was siijlcient for him, and that strength^ that v/as made perfect in xueakness^ and, in the end, to bruise Satan under his feet, and to make him more than a conqueror over him. Having thus considered some of the angels, as sinning and falling, it might farther be enquired ; whether these all fell at once ? And here I cannot but take notice of a very absurd and groundless conjecture of some of the fathers, and others, who of late, hr.ve been too much inclined to give into it, name- ly, that though some of them sinned from the beginning, and god's providence to angels. 65 these were the occasion of the sin of our first parents, as all al- low ; yet, after this, others, who were appointed to minister to men, were unfaithful in the discharge of their office, and be- came partners with them in sin ; accordingly they understand that scripture, in which it is said. The sons of God saw the daugh- ters of men., that they were fair ; and they took them wives of all which they chose^ Gen. vi. 2. as though it were meant of an- gels;* whereas nothing is intended thereby but some of the posterity of Seth, who were, before this, professors of the true religion. There are, indeed, some, of late, who have given into this notion, and strain the sense of that text, in Jude, ver. 6, 7. in which it is said, that the aiigels^ which kept not their first estate^ &c. even as Sodom and Gomorrah^ giving themselves over to for- nication^ are set forth^for an example^ suffering the vengeance of eternal fire', the meaning of which they suppose to be this; that, even as the Sodomites were guilty of fornication, and were destroyed, by fire from heaven, for it, so some of the angels were sent down to hell for the same sin : But it is plain the apostle does not here compare the angels and the Sodomites together, as guilty of the same kind of sin, but as both are con- demned to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, and are set forth as warnings to presumptuous sinners. Therefore nothing more need be added under this head ; it is enough to say, that this opinion is contrary to the spirituality of the nature of angels ; though there are some ancient v;-riters, who, to give countenance * This was tlie opinion of most of the fathers, in tlie three first centuries of the church, namely, Justin Martyr, Origen, TertiiUian, Clemens, Alexandrimis, Lac- tantius, Ireuiens, Cyprian, and others. Some of them appeared to have taken the hint tliei'eof from some JUS. of the LXX trayislation, -luhicli rendered the words in Gen. vi, 2. instead of the sons of God, the angels saw the daughters of men, &c. Tlds translation being used by them, instead of the Hebrew text, which they did not •well understand ; though others took it from a spurious and fabulous wanting, which they had in their hands, called Enoch, or, the proi:)hecy of Enoch, or rather. Liber, iT»/>* typnycfim, de Egregoris, a barbarous Greek word, used to signify angels, and taken from tlie character given them of watchers, in Daniel. Of this book, we have some fragments now remaining, in which there is such a ridiculous and fabulous ac^ count of this matter, as vei-y much, herein c.rceeds the apocryphal hiaiory of Tobif. It gives an account »f a conspiracy among the angels, relating to this ?nat(er ; the manner of their entering into it, their names, the year of the world, and place in which this wickedness wat committed, and other things, that are unworthy of a grave his- torian ; and, the reckoning it among those writings, that are supposed to have a di- vine sanction, is little other than profaneness and blasphemy. Some of the fathers, who refer to tlcis book, pretend it to be no other than apocryphal, and, had they coun- ted it otlieiivise, all would have reckoned it a burlcsfjue upon scripture ; therefore Origen, who, on other occasions, seems to pay too great a deference to it, when C'elsus takes notice of it, as containing a banter on the Christian religion, he is, on that oc- casion, obliged to reply to him, that book was 7iot in great reputation in the church, Vid. Orig. contra Celsum, Lib. V. And Jerom reckons it among the apocryphal writings, Wd. Hieronym. in Catal. Script. Ecclcs. cap. 4. And Jlugustin calls it not only apocryphal, but, ae it deserves, fabuloua. Vid. ejnsd. de Civ. Dei. Lib. XV- cap. 22. 6& god's providence to angels. tliereunto, have supposed that the angelic spirits were either united to some bodies, or that they assumed them for this purpose; but this is equally absurd, and without any coun- tenance from scripture. Thus concerning the providence of God, as exercised towards the angels that fell. We proceed, II. To consider providence, as conversant about the rest of the angels, who retained their integrity. Concerning these it is said, 1. That God established them in holiness and happiness. These two privileges are always connected together. It is not said, that they were brought into such a state, or, like man, recovered out of a fallen state, for they are considered, as sinless, or holy angels ; nor is it supposed their holiness was increased, since that would be inconsistent with its having been perfect before : That privilege therefore, which providence conferred on them, was the confirming, or establishing them in that state, in which they were created j which bears some resemblance to that priv- ilege, which man would have enjoyed, had he retained his in- tegrity, as he would not only have continued to be holy and happy, so long as he remained innocent ; but he would have been so confirmed in it, that his fall would have been prevented : But of this, more in its proper place. The angels, I say, had something like this, which we call the grace of ' confirmation. Some have enquired whether this was the result of their yield- ing perfect obedience for a time, while remaining in a state of probation, pursuant to some covenant, not much unlike that which God made with innocent rnan ; and whether this priv- ilege was the consequence of their fulfilling the condition thereof. But this is to enter too far into things out of our reach ; nor is it much for our edification to determine it, though some have asserted, without proving it, while others have supposed them to have been confirmed, when first created, and that herein there was an instance of discriminating grace among the angels ; so that they, v/ho fell, were left to the mutability of their wills, whereas they, who stood, had, at the same time, the grace of confirmation. I might here have been more particular, in considering what this privilege imports, and how it renders the fall of those who are confirmed impossible, and therefore it is a very considerable addition to their happiness : But since we shall have occasion to speak of the grace of confirmation, which man was given to expect in the first covenant under a following answer, and the privileges that would have attended it, had he stood, we shall add no more on that subject in this place j but proceed to prove, diat the angels are established and confirmed in holiness and happiness. This may, in some measure, be argued, from their being Gt>D's PROVIDENiB TO ANGEL&. 67 called elect angels^ 1. Tim. v. 21. If election^ when applied to men, imports the purpose of God, to confer everlasting blessed- ness on those who are the objects thereof, and so not only im- plies that they shall be saved, but that their salvation shall be eternal ; why may it not, when applied to angels, infer the eter- nity of their holiness and happiness, and consequently their be- ing established therein ? Again, this may be also argued, from their coming with Christ, when he shall appear to judge the world ; and the joining the saints and angels together iii one assembly in heaven : there- fore, if the happiness of the one be eternal, that of the other must be so likewise. It is also said, expressly of the angels, that they ahvays behold the face of God. And, when we read of the destruction of the church's enemies, the angeis are re- presented as observers of God's righteous judgments ; and then it is added, that the punishment inflicted on those, who shall drink of the wine of the xvrath ofGod^ shall be eternal, and this eternal punishment will be in the preserice of the holy angels^ Rev. xiv. 10, 11. If therefore the duration of the holiness and happiness of the angels, be equal to that of the misery of God's implacable enemies, as both are said to be eternal, this evidently proves that the angels are established in holiness and happiness.. 2. It is farther observed, that God employs all the angels, at his pleasure, in the administration of his power, mercy, and justice. This leads us to speak concerning the ministry of an- gels, which is either extraordinary, or ordinary* Most of the instances which we have thereof, especially in the Old Testa- ment, were performed in an extraordinary manner, and some- times attended with their appearance in a human form, assu- med for that purpose : This may be briefly considered ; and then we shall enquire, whether, though their ministry be not visible, or attended with those circumstances, as it formerly was, there are not some other instances, in which the providence, of God now employs them for the good of his church. As to the former of these, we read that God has sometimes sent them to supply his servants with necessary food, when destitute there- of, and there was no ordinary way tor their procuring it : Thus an angel brought a cake^ and a cruse of water ^ to Elijah, when he was on his journey to Horeb, the mount of God^ 1. Kings xix. 5 — 8. And when Abraham's servant was travelling to Me- sopotamia, to bring a wife from thence for Isaac, Abraham tells him, that God xvoidd send his angel before him^ Gen. xxi. 7. and so make his journey prosperous. Again, the angels have sometimes been sent to defend God's people, and to assure them of safety, when exposed to danger: Thus, when Jacob was returning from Laban to his own coun- tr)', aud was apprehensive of the danger that he was exposed 6H GOD S PROVIDENCE TO ANGEL3. to, from the resentment of his brother Esau, it is said, that the angels of God met him; and^ xvhen he saw them^ he saidj This is God''s hosty Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. And when the prophet Elijah was encompassed about by the Syrian army, sent on purpose to take him, he was defended by an host of angels appearing un- der the emblem of horses and chariots of fire round about him, 2 Kings vi. 15 — 17. Others, when persecuted, and, as it were, delivered over to death, have been preserved, by the ministry of angels, as Daniel was, when cast into the Uon''s den, Dan- vi. 22. Others have been released from their chains, and the prison doors opened by them ; as Peter, and the rest of the apos- tles were, Acts xii. 17. compared with chap. v. 19. Again, sometimes they have been employed to deliver mes- sages, and give the prophets an extraordinary intimation of fu- ture events ; as the angel Gabriel did to Daniel, Dan. viii. 16. And an angel was sent to Zacharias, to foretel the birth of his son, fohn the Baptist, Luke i. 13. Moreover, the angels of God have sometimes been employ- ed to give a check to his enemies, when they have attempted any thing against his church : Thus the angel met Balaam in the way, when he was riding to seek inchantments against Is- rael, his -way h&\\\^ perverse before God^ Numb. xxii. 32. And another angel was sent, as a minister of God's justice, in bring- ing the pestilence on Israel, for David's numbering the people, ■who appeared -with his hand stretched out upon Jerusalem to destroy it, 2 Sam. xxiv. 16. and afterwards withdrew his hand, when God told him. It is enough, and that it repented him of the evil. And to this we may add, that the angels shall be em- ployed, at last, in gathering together the elect, from the four winds, that they may appear before Christ's tribunal. These, and many other instances to the like purpose, are mentioned, in scripture, to set forth the extraordinary ministry of angels. There are also other instances, in which, though miracles are ceased, the angels are employed to perform some works in the hand of providence for God's people : Thus there arc some pro- mises, which seem to be applied to the church in all ages, of blessings, which should be conferred by their ministry; as when it is said, He shall give his aJigels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways ; they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone ^ Psal. xci. 11, 12. which scrip- ture, though it may have a particular reference to their ministry to our Saviour, yet it seems to be applicable also to his people ; and that promise. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about J| them that fear him, and delivereth the>n, Psal. xxxiv. 7. is ap- ^ plicable to them in all ages, as well as that in which it is said, concerning the ministry of angels to infants, that i?z heaven their angels do ahvays hcfwld the face of my Father, xvJiiQh is iriheaven^ Matt, xviii, 10. god's providence to ANGEtS. C9 Moreover, the ministry of angels to dying saints, who are, accordii^g to what our Saviour says in the parable, carried^ by them, into Abrahani's bosom^ Luke xvi. 22. is universally true of all saints. And it is expressly said, with a peculiar applica- tion to the gospel-dispensation, that the angels are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of sal- vation^ Heb. i. 14. so that though their ministry, as to many circumstances thereof, differ from what it was of old, there be- ing nothing miraculous now attending it, as formerly there was ; yet it remains an undoubted truth, that they are, and have been, in all ages, made use of, by the providence of God, in the ad- ministration of his power, mercy, and justice. I shall conclude this head with a few cautions relating to this matter, as this doctrine is not to be laid down without certain restrictions, or limitations ; therefore, 1. We must take heed, notwithstanding what has been said concerning the ministry of angels, that we don't take occasion hereby to set aside the immediate influence, or concern of the providence of God, for his church ; for whatever may be as- cribed to angels, as second causes, our principal regard must be to him, whose ministers they are ; neither are we to entertain the least thought, as though God had committed the govern- ment of the world, or the church, to them ; which the apostle expressly denies, when he says. Unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the rvorld to come^ Heb. ii. 5. therefore, 2. The praise and glory of all their ministry is not to be as- cribed to them, but to him, who makes use of them ; nor are we to pretend, at all times, to determine, that this or that par- ticular dispensation of providence is by the immediate hand of God, and another by the ministry of angels ; since it is enough for us to say, that, though God does not need their assistance, yet he sometimes sets forth the sovereignty of his providence, and evinces his right to employ all his creatures at his oieasure, as well as gives an additional instance of his care of his churches, by employing them in extraordinary services for their good ; though we cannot, at all times, distinguish between what is done by the immediate hand of God, and other things performed by their ministry. 3. Whatever we assert, concerning the ministry of angels, we must take heed that we do not regard them as objects of divine worship, or exercise that dependence on, or give that glory to them, which is due to God alone. Nor are we to sup- pose, that God employs them in those works that are the ef- fects of his supernatural or almighty power, in which he deals with the hearts of his people, in a way more immediately con- ducive to their conversion and salvation. Vol. U. K ?d god's providence to man in INN0€ENCY. Quest. XX. What was the provide?2ce of God toward man itz the estate wherein he xvas created? Answ. The providence of God toward man, in the estate wherein he was created, was, the placing him in paradise^ appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth, putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his help, affording him commu- nion with himself, instittrting the Sabbath, entering into a covenant of life with him, upon: condition of personal, per- fect, and perpetual obedience j of which, the tree of life was a pledge ; and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. IN this answer, we have an account of the providence of God, as respecting the outxvardy and the spiritual^ con- cerns of man. i. As to what respects his outward estate, we have an ac- count, 1. Of God's fixing the place of his abode, which was to be in paradise, a very large and most delightful garden, of God's own planting, an epitome of all the beauties of nature,, which, as it were, presented to his view the whole world in miniature,; so that herein he Kiight, without travelling many miles, behold the most beautiful land-skip which the world afforded, and par- take of all the fruits, with which it was stored. The whole world, indeed, was given him for a possession ; but this was, as it v/ere, a store-house of its choicest fruits, and the peculiar seat of his residence. We find the word paradise used, in scripture, sometimes to signify a delightful garden, and sometimes it is taken, in a metaphorical sense, to signify heaven^ Luke xxiii, 43. 2 Cor. xii. 4. Rev. ii. 7. by which application thereof, we may con- clude, that this earthly paradise, in which man was placed, was a kind of type of the heavenly blessedness, which, had he re- tained his integrity, he would have been possessed of, and which they, who are saved by Christ, shall be brought to. Here we may take notiee of the conjectures of some ancient and modern writers concerning it,^ more especially as to what respects that part of the world wherein it was situate ; and whether it is now in being, or to be found in any part of it, at this day. Many have given great scope to their conception •about the situation of paradise, and some conjectures are so ab- surd, that they hardly deserve to be mentioned. As, (1.) Some have thought that it was situate in some plac-e, superior to, and remote from this gldbe of the earth, in which we live ; but they have not the least shadow of reason for this supposition, and nothing can be more contrary to the account we have thereof in scripture* god's providence to man in innocency. 71 (2.) Others fancy, that there was really no such place, but that the whole account we have thereof, in Gen. ii. is allegori- cal ; thus Origen, Philo, and some modern writers : but no one can justly suppose this, who duly weighs the historical account we have of it, in scripture, with that sobriety and impartiality that he ougJit ; for, according to this method of reasoning, we may turn any thing into an allegory, and so never come lo any determinate sense of scripture, but what the wild fancies of men suggest. (3.) Others have supposed, that the whole world was one great garden, or paradise, and that when man was placed there- in, it was so described, to signify the beauties of nature, before they were lost, by the curse consequent on sin : But this cannot be true, because God first made man, and then planted this gar" den^ and afterwards j&wf him into it ; Gen. ii. 8. and after the fallj he drove him out ofit^ chap. iii. 24. But, passing by these ground- less conjectures, something may be determined, with nK)re cer- taint}^, concerning the -situation thereof, and n>4>re agreeable to scripture ; therefore, (4.) It was situate in Mesopotamia, near Babylon, to the north-east end of the land of Canaan. This appears, \st^ From the country adjacent to it, which is called Eden, out of which the river that watered it is said to proceed, chap, ii. 10. This country was afterwards known by the same name, and is elsewhere reckoned among those that the king of Assy- ria had conquered, Isa. xxxvii. 12. 2^/i/, Two of the rivers, that proceeded from Eden, which watered paradise, were well known in after-ages, viz. Hidde- kel, or Tigris, and Euphrates, especially the latter, of which we often read in scripture ; and it is certain they were in Me- sopotamia; therefore the garden of Eden was there. And, as it was the finest plantation in the world, this was one of the most pleasant climates therein, not situate too far northward, so as to be frozen up in winter ; nor too near the equator south-ward, so as to be scorched with excessive heat in summer ; this was the place of man's residence at first, (a) But if any are so curious in their enquiries, as to desire to know the particular spot of ground in which it was ; that is not to be determined. For though the place where paradise was, must still be in being, as much as any other part of the world ; yet there are no remains of it, that can give any satisfaction to the curiosity of men, with relation thereunto ; for it is certain, that it was soon destroyed as a garden, partly by the flaming sword, or stream of fire, which was designed to guard the wa)^ of the tree of life, that man might no more come to it ; and CaJ vide Dr. Wells' Sacred Geojrapk^, and tlie exoirsion" annexed to it 72 god's providence to man in innocency. thereby to signify, that it ceased to be an ordinance, for his faiih concerning the way in which eternal life was to he obtained. And it is more than probable, that this stream of fire, which is called a flaming sword, destroyed, or burnt up, this garden ; and, besides this, the curse of God, by which the earth brought forth briars and thorns, affected this, as well as other parts of the world J so that, by reason thereof, and for want of culture, it soon lost its beauty, and so could not well be distinguished from the barren wilderness. And to this let me add, that since the flood, the face of the earth is so altered, that it is a vain thing for travellers to search for any traces thereof, or to pretend to determine, within a few miles, the place where it was. Having considered the place of man's abode, to wit, para- dise, we have, 2. An account of his secular employment therein. He was appointed to dress, or manure it ; from whence we may take occasion to observe, that a secular employment is not inconsis- tent with perfect holiness, or a person's enjoying communion with God, and that blessedness which arises from it : but, on the other hand, it may be reckoned an advantage, inasmuch as it is a preservative against idleness, and those temptations that oftentimes attend it. Notwithstanding, though man was employ- ed in this work, it v*^as performed without that labour, fatigue, and uneasiness, which now attends it, or those disappointments, and perplexities, which men are now exposed to, whose secular callings are a relief against poverty, and a necessary means for their comfortable subsistence in the world, which had not man fell, would not have been attended with those inconveniences that now they are, as the consequence of that curse, which sin brought with it ; as it is said. In the srveat of thy face shalt thou eat bread^ Gen. iii. 19. 3. We have a farther account of the provision that provi- dence made for man's subsistence j the great variety of Iruits, •;vhich the earth produced, were given him for food, the tree of knowledge of good and evil only excepted. From whence we may observe, the difference between the condition of man in pa^ radise, and that of the saints in heaven, in which the bodies of iKen shall be supported, without food, when changed and adapted to such a way of living, as is inconsistent with this present state; which seems to be the meaning of that expression of the apos- tle, Meats for the belly ^ and the belly for meats ; but God shall destroy both it and them, 1 Cor. vi. 13. .iHere we may take occasion to enquire, whether the fruits of Jhe earth were the only food which man lived on, not only be- fore the fall, but in several follo^ving ages ? or, whether flesh was eaten before the flood? It seems most agreeable to the dktates of nature, to suppose, that he would never have found cod's providence to man in innocency. 73 out such an expedient, as killing the beasts, and eating their flesh to subsist him, had he not received an express direction to do it from God, which rendered it a duty. And we have a par- ticular intimation oi this grant given to Noah, after the deluge, when God says. Every vioving- thing that liveth, namely, every clean beast, shall be meat for ijou^ Gen. ix. 3. from whence some conclude, that there was no flesh eaten before this ; and that the distinction, which we read of, concerning clean and unclean beasts, which Noah brought with him into the ark, respected either such as were fit or unfit for sacrifice ; or the clean beasts were such as God afterwads designed for food ; and therefore there is a kind of prolepsis in their being called clean at that lime. The principal reason that induces some to suppose this, is, because we read, in the scripture but now mentioned, that when God directed Noah, and his posterity, to eat flesh, and consi- dered this as a peculiar gift of providence, he said. Even as the green herb have I given you all things ; that is, as when I cre- ated man at first, I gave him every herb bearing seed^ which is upon the face of all the earthy and every tree^ iJi the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed^ that it shoidd be to him for meat ; but now have I given you all things^ Gen. i. 29. that is, have made a considerable addition to your food by giving you a liberty to feed on flesh ; where the manner of expression seems to intimate, that, in this respect, man's food differed from what it was before. This conjecture, for that is the most that I can call it, seems, to me, to have equal, if not greater, probability in it, than the contrary, which is the commonly received opi- nion relating hereunto ; and, if it be true, then we may observe, if we compare the food, by which man subsisted, with the length of his life, in the first ages of the world, that the most simple diet is the most wholesome ; when men become slaves to their appetites, and pamper themselves with variety of meats, they do, as it were, dig their own graves, and render their lives shor- ter, than they would be, according to the common course of nature. If it be objected to this, that man's not feeding on flesh, was such a diminution of his happiness, that it seems inconsistent with a state of innocency. To this it may be answered, that for man to feed on what the earth produced, was no mortification or unhappiness, to him ; especially if it were, by a peculiar blessing of providence, adapted to, as well as designed for his nourishment, as being his only food ; in which case none of those consequences would ensue, which would now attend a person's being wholly confined thereto. If this way of living was so far from destroying, or weakening the constitution of men, that it tended, by the peculiar blessing of God, not only r-i god's providence to man in IN;NOCENCy. to nourish, but to maintain health, and was medicinal, as well as nourishing, and so conducive to long life ; and if the fruits of the earth, before that alteration, which they might probably sustain by the deluge, or, at least, before the curse of God was brought upon the earth by man's sin, differed vastly from what they now are, both as to the pleasantness of their taste, and their virtue to nourish ; if these things are supposed, it cannot be reckoned any degree of unhappiness, though man, at this fime, might have no other food, but what the earth produced : But tbis I reckon among the number of those probable conjec- tures, concerning which it is not very material to determme, whether they are true or false. 4. God gave man dominion over all creatures in this world, or, as it is expressed, he put them under his feet^ Psal. viii. 6. which not only argues a superiority of nature, but a propriety in, and liberty to use them, to the glory of God, and his own advantage. No creature was in itself a snare to him, or a ne- cessary occasion of sin ; for as the creature at first, to use the Apostles phrase. Was not liable to the bondage of corruption, so it was not subject to vanity^ Rom. viii. 20, 21. by an inclination that he had in his nature to abuse it. And as for those creatures xvhich are now formidable to man, as the lion, the tyger, &c. these, as it is more than probable, had not that fierceness in their nature, before the fall of man, and the curse consequent there- upon, so that our first parents could make as much use of them, and had them as much under their command, as we have the tamest creatures. And it is not improbable, that they did not prey upon, and devour one another, as now they do, since pro- vidence provided the produce of the earthybr their food. Gen. i. 30. and therefore, by a natural instinct, they sought it only from thence ; so that the beasts devouring one another, as well as their being injurious to man, is a standing mark of the curse of God, which was consequent on sin. We read of a time in which the church is given to expect, that the xvolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straxv like the bullock, and dust shall be the serpenfs meat ; fJietf shall not hurt, nor destroy, in all God^s holy 7nountain, Isa. Ixv. 25. which, if it shall be literally accomplished, is an inti- mation that it was so at first, as it contains a prediction of the restoring of this part of nature, in some respects, to its first es- rate. But, supposing it only to be a metaphorical description of the cliurch's happy state in future ages j the prophet's using this inetaphor, argues the possibility of the thing's being literally trvie, and that it is a consequence of man's fallen state that it is ribt so nov/, therefore it is probable, that it v/as otherwise at first. Such conjectures as these may be extu^ed, if ^ve dont pretend god's providence to man lU INNOCENCY. 75 them to be articles of faith, nor think it worth our while to con- tend with those who deny thtm. 5. It is farther observed, that God ordained marriage for man's help, and that not only in what concerns the conveniences of this life, but as a means to promote his spiritual welfare, as such a nearness of relation lays the strongest obligations to it ; and also that the world might be increased, without any sinful expedient conducive thercunto ; and herein there was a stand- ing-precedent to be observed by mankind, in all succeeding ages, that hereby the unlawfulness of polygamy, and other violations of the seventh commandment, might evidently appear *. II. We proceed to consider the providence of God, as con- versant about man's spiritual concerns, and that in three res- pects, namely, in granting him communion with himself, in in- stituting the Sabbath, and entering into a covenant of life with him. 1. Man, in the estate in which he was created, was favoured with communion with God : This supposes a state of friend- ship, and is opposed to estrangement, separation, or alienation from him ; and, as the result hereof, (1.) God was pleased to manifest his glory to him, and that not only in an objective way, or barely by giving him a con- viction, that he is a God of infinite perfection, which a person may have, who is destitute of communion with him : but he dis- played his perfections in such a manner to him, so as to let him see his interest therein, and that, as long as he retained his in- tegrity, they were engaged to make him happy. (2.) This communion was attended with access to God, without fear, and a great delight in his presence ; for man, be- ing without guilt, was not afraid to draw nigh to God; and, be- ing without spot, as made after his image, he had no shame, or confusion of face, when standing before him, as a holy, sin-ha- ing God. (3.) It consisted in his being made partaker of those divine influences, whereby he was excited to put forth acts of holy obedience to, and love and delight in him, which were a spring and fountain of spiritual joy. Nevertheless, though this communion was perfect in its kind». as agreeable to the state in which he was at first, yet it was not so perfect, as to degree, as it would have been, had he continu- ed in his integrity, till he was possessed of those blessings, which would have been the consequence thereof; for then the soul would have been more enlarged, and made receptive of greater degrees of communion, which he would have enjo} xd in hea- ven. He was, indeed, at first, in a holy and happy state, yet he * See Qttest, cxxxix. 76 god's providence to man in innoclncv. was not in heaven, and, though he enjoyed God, it was in or- dinances, and not in an immediate way, and accordingly it was necessary for him constantly to address himself to him, for the maintenance of that spiritual life, which he had received, to- gether with his being ; and this was not inconsistent with a state of innocency, any more than the maintenance of our natural lives, by the use of proper food, is inconsistent with health, or argues an infirm, or sickly constitution, or any need of medi- cine to recover it ; yet our lives would be more confirmed, and, if we may so express it, less precarious, if God had ordained that they should have been supported without these means. This may serve to illustrate the difference that there is be- tween the happiness that the saints enjoy, in God's immediate presence in heaven, and that which is expected, as the result of our daily access to him, in ordinances, wherein we hope for some farther degree of communion with him ; the former of these man would have attended to, had he stood ; the latter con- tained in it, that state in which he was in innocency : but inas- much as there can be no communion with God, but what has a proportionable degree of delight and pleasure attending it ; this our first parents may be said to have experienced, which contributed to the happiness of that state in which they were, though this joy was not so complete, as that is which they are possessed of, v/ho have not only an assurance of the impossibili- ty of losing that communion, which they have with God at pre- sent, but are arrived to a rotate of perfect blessedness. 2. God sanctified and instituted the Sabbath for man's more immediate access to hiin, and, that he might express his gra- titude for the blessings he was made partaker of, and might have a recess from that secular employment, which, as was be- fore observed, he was engaged in. This was therefore a great privilege ; and, indeed, the Sabbath was a pledge, or shadow, of an everlasting Sabbath, which he would have enjoyed in heaven, had he not forfeited, and lost it, by his fall. But we shall have occasion to speak more particularly to this head un- der the fourth commandment;* and therefore all that we shall add, at present, is, that the Sabbath was instituted as a day of rest for man, even while he remained in a state of innocency. This appears from its being blessed and sanctified, upon the occasion of God's resting from his work of creation ; therefore it was, at that time, set apart to be observed by him. Object. 1. It is objected, that it might then be sanctified with this view, that man should observe it after his fall, or, in parti- cular, at that time when the observation of it was enjoined. Ansxv. To this it may be replied, that there never was any ordinance instituted, but what was designed to be observed by * See Quest, csvi. boD's PROVIDENCE TO MAN IN INNOCENCY. 77 hian, immediately after the institution thereof. Now the sanc- tification of the Sabbath iniports as much as its institution, or setting apart for a holy use ; therefore we cannot but suppose^ that God designed that it should be observed by man in iuno- cencv. Object. 2. It is farther objected, that it is inconsistent with the happy state, in wiiich man was created, for God to appoint a day of rest ior him, to be then observed ; for rest supposes labour, and tlierefore is more agreeable to that state into Vv^hicK he brought himself by sin, when, by the sweat of his brow, hfe was to eat bread. Anszu. Though it is true, man, in innocency, was not expo- sed to that uneasiness and fatigue tliat attended his employment after his fail, ncithor was the work he was engaged in a burthen to him, so as th:it he needed a day of rest to give him ease, in that respect; yet a cessation from a secular employment, atten- ded with a more immediate access to God in his holy institu- tions, wherein he might hope for a greatel» degree of commu- nion v/ith him, was not inconsistent with that degree of holi- ness and happiness, in which he was created, which, as was before observed, was short of the heavenly blessedness ; so that, though heaven is a state, in which the saints enjoy an ever- lasting Sabbath, it does not follow that man, how happy soever he was in paradise, was so far favoured therein, as that a day of rest was inconsistent with that state. 3. We shall proceed to enquire how the providence of God had a more immediate reference to the spiritual or eternal hap- piness of man, in that he entered into a covenant of life with him, under which head we are to consider the personal con- cerns of our first parents therein, (ci) (a) If there bad been a period in which there was absolutely no existence^ thei-c would never have been any thing. Either man, or his Creator, or one more remote, bus been from eternity, unless we admit the contradiction of an eternal succession. But because to create implies power and wisdom, which we have not Jie lea->t reason to imagine any creature can possess, either man, and the wo.'ld he possesses, h:n'e always been, or their maker. The history of nian, the structure of languages, the face of the [;TOund, &c. shew that man and his habi- tation have not been from eternity ; therefore God is eternal. As all excellency is in himself^ or derived from lum, his happiness depends only on himself; and the worlds he bus made, are so far pleasing as they exhibit himself to himself. He could have made his intelligent creatures all confirmed in holiness, but he chose to conff-r liberty, which was a blessing till abused. He knew all the con- sequences, and that these wovdd exercise his mercy and justice. Partial evil he determined should produce universal good, and that no evil should take place, but that which should eventually ])raise him. The first intelligent creatures were purely spiritual, and each stood or fell for himself He united in man the spiritual and corporeal natures ; he formed his soul innocent and holy, and made ample provision for the comfort of his body; and as it would have been inconvenient to have brought all of the liunian family, which were to be in every generation, upon the earth at one time, and etiU marv Vol. it. L 78 god's PROVEDEKGE to maw in INJfOCENCta (1 .) The dispensation they were under was that of a cove- nant. This is allowed by most, who acknowledge the imputa- tion of Adam's sin, and the universal corruption or viaturc-, as consequent thereupon. And some call it, a covenant of inno- ce?ici'^ inasmuch as it was made with man while he was in a state of innocency; others call it, a covenant of luor.ks^ because perfect obedience was enjoined, as the condition of it, and so it is opposed to the covenant of grace, as there was no provi- sion made therein for any display of grace, as there is in that covenant which we are now under ; but, in this answer, it is called the covenant of life, as having respect to the blessings promised therein* It may seem indifferent to some, whether it ought to be term- ed a covenant, or a- law of innocency ; and, indeed, we would not contend about the use of a word, if many did not design, by what they say, concerning its being a law, and not properly a covenant, to prepare the way for the denial of the imputation of Adam's sin ; or did not, at the same time, consider him as no other than the natural head of his posterity, which, if it were to be allowed, would effectually overthrow the doctrine of original sin, as contained in some following answers. There- fore we naust endeavour to prove that man was not barely un- der a law, but a covenant of works ; and, that we may proceed with more clearness, we shall premise some things, in general, concerning the difference between a law and a covenant. so, that, every one standing or falling for himself, the eartli should be the com- mon habitationof beings perfectly holy, happy, and immortal, and also of cursed perishing beings, he constituted the first man a representative of his race. " Let us make iruin" the race in one. To be fruitful, multiply, fill, and subdue the earth, were directed to the race. " In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die." He did die spii-itually, he lost his innocence, became the subject of guilt, shame, and fear ; and all his posterity inherit the fallen natiu'e. Being already cursed, when afterwards ai'raigned and sentenced, it was only necessary to curse- his enjoyments in this world. His posterity were inclndedj for they are subjec- ted to tiie same afflictions and death. If they had not been included in the sen- tence "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," as they were a, part of his dust, not dying, it would not have been accomplished. That he represented the race appears also from this, that the command was given to him before his wife was formed, and also because it does not appear that her eyes were opened to see her guilt, and miserable condition until he had eaten of the fruit ; then *' the eyes of them both were opened." The "remedy was provided before the creation, and nothing can be shown to prove that it is not complete in every instance \\'hen there is not actual guilt. That the wom;;n was to have a seed the first parent heard announced ui the sen- tence against the tempter, whilst standing in suspense momently in expectation of that death which had been threatened. If the plural had been used, this could have been no intimation of the seed' Christ. Wliy was the word ivomun used, which excludes the m.in, and not the term man, which would have embraced both, unless the Son of the virgin was intended ? It is all one gi'eat whole, per* fectly seen only to God himself. " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past. Midiiig,out" 6DB*8 TSC^IDENCE TO MAN IN INNOCENCY. T^ A law is the revealed will of a sovereign, in which a debt of obedience is demanded, and a punishment threatened, in pro- portion to the nature of the offence, in case of disobedience. And here we must consider, that as a subject is bound to obey a law; so he cannot justly be deprived oi that which he hai a natural right to, but in case of disobedience ; therefore obe- dience to a law gives him a right to impunity, but iiothing more than this; whereas a covenant gives a person a right, upon his fulfilling the conditions thereof, to all those privileges, which are stipulated, or promised therein. This may be illustrated, by considering it as applied to human forms of government, iii which it is supposed that every subject is possessed of some things, which he has a natural or political right to, which he cannot justly be deprived of, unless he forfeit them by violating the law, which, as a subject, he was obliged to obey ; there- fore, though his obedience give him a right to impunity, or t6 the undisturbed f>Gssession of his life and estate, yet this does not entitle him to any privilege, which he had no natural right to. A king is not obliged to advance a subject to great honours, because he has not forfeited his life and estate by rebellion : but in case he had promised him, as an act of favour, that he would confer such honours upon him, upon condition of his yielding obedience in some particular instances, then he would have a right to them, not as yielding obedience to a law, but as ful- filling the conditions of a covenant. This may be farther illustrated, by considering the case of Mephibosheth. He had a natural and legal right to his life and estate, which descended to him from his father Jonathan, because he behaved himself peaceably, and had not rebelled against David ; but this did not entitle him to those special fa- vours which David conferred upon him, such as eating- bread at his table continually^ 2 Sam. ix. 13. foi' those were the re- sult of a covenant between David and Jonathan ; in which Da- vid promised, that he would shew kindness to his house after him, Nov/, to apply this to our present case, if we consider our first parents only as under a law, their perfect obedience to it, it is true, would have given them a right to impunity, since punishment supposes a crime ; therefore God could not, con- sistently with his perfections, have punished them, had they not rebelled against him. I do not say, that God could not, in consistency with his perfections, have taken away the blessings that he conferred upon them, as creatures, in a way of sove- reignty, but this he could not do as a judge ; so that man would have been entirely exempted from punishment, as long as he had stood. But this would not, in the least, have entitled him to any superadded happiness, unless there had been a promise made, which gave him ground to expect it, in case he yielded 30 GOD^S PROVIDENCE TO MAN IN INNOCENCY. obedience ; and if there were, then that dispensation, which be- fore contained the form of a law, having this circumstance ad- ded to it, would af.erwards contain the form of a covenant, and so give him a right to that super-added happiness promised therein, according to the tenor of that covenant. Therefore, if we can prove (which we shall endeavour to do, before we dis- miss this subject) not only diat man was obliged to 5 ieid per- fect obedience, as bemg under a law ; but that he was given to expect a super-added happiness, consisting either in the grace of confirmation in his prestnt state, or in the heavenly blessed- ness ; then it v, ill lolsow, that he would have had a right to it, in case of vieiding that obedience, according to the tenor of this dispt ligation, as containing in it the nature of a covenant. This i apprehend to be the just difference between a law and a covenant, as applicable to this present argument, and conse- quently must conclude, that the disj:iensation man was under, contained both the ideas of a law and a covenant : his relation to God, as a creature, obliged him to yield periect obedience to the divine will, as containing the form of a law ; and this perfect obedience, had it been performed, would have given iiim a right to the heavenly blesstciness, by virtue of that pro- mise, which God was pleased to give to man in this dispensa- tion, as it contained in it the nature of a covenant. And this will farther appear, wjhen we consider, (2.) The blessing promised in this covenant, namely, life. This, m scripture, is used sometimes to signify temporal, and, at other times, spiritual and eternal blessings : we have both these senses joined together in the apostle's words, where we read of th'e life that now is^ and that xvhich is to come^ 1 Tim. iv. 8. Moreover, sometimes life and blessing, or blessedness, are put together, and opposed to death, as containing in it all the ingredients of evil, Deut. xxx. 19. in which scripture, when. Moses exhorts them to choose life, he doth not barely intend a natural life, or otitward blessings, for these there is no one but chooses, whereas many are hardly persuaded to make choice of spiritual life. In this head we are upon, we consider life, as including in it, both spiritual and eternal blessedness ; so it is to be under- stood, when our Saviour says, Slrait is the gate^ and narroiv is the rvai^^ xvhich leadeth nnto life; Matt. vii._ 14. and else- where, If thou xvilt enter into lifi\ keep the connnandments^ chap. xix. 17". We must therefore conclude, that Adam having such a promise as this made to him, upon condition of perfect obe- dience, he was given to expect some privileges, which he was not then possessed of, which included in them the enjoyment of the heavenly blessedness ; therefore this dispensation, that he v/as under, may well be called a covenant of life. god's providence to man in innogency. si But, since this is so necessary a subject to be insisted on, we shall offer some arguments to prove it. Some have tliought that it might be proved from Hos. vi. 7. which they choose to ren* der, Ihey^ like Adam, have ironsgressed the coveiiant ; from wlience they concUide, that Adam vvas unacr a covenant; and so they suppose that the word Adam is taken for the proper name of our ftrst parent, as it is probable it is elsewhere, viz* when Job says, If I covered my transgressions, as Adam, Job xxxi. 33. alluding to those trifling excuses which Adam made, to palliate his sin, immediateiy after his tall, Gen. iii. 12. And there are some expositors who conclude, that this is no impro- bable sense of this text:* yet I would not lay much stress on it ; because the words may be rendered as they are in our trans- lation. They, like men, &c. q, d. according to the custom of vain man, they have transgressed the covenant ; or, they are no better than the rest of mankind, who are disjxjsed to break covenant with God. In the same sense the apostk uses the words, when reproving the Corinthians, he says, Are ye not carnal, and walk as men, 1 Cor. iii. 3. Therefore, passing this by, let us enquire, whether it may not, in some measure, be proved from that scripture, which is often brought for this purpose, In the day thoii catest thereof^ thou shalt surely die. Gen. ii. IT. irom whence it is argued, that, if man had retained his integrity, he would have been made partaker of the heavenly blessedness. Many, indeed, are so far from thinking this an argument to prove this matter, that they bring it as an objection against it, as though God had given man hereby to understand, that he was not, pursuant to the nature of a covenant, to expect any farther degree of hap- piness than what he was already possessed of; but, agreeably to the sanction of a law, death was to be inflicted, in case of disobedience ; and life, that is, the state in which he was crea- ted, should be continued, as long as he retained his integrity. As when a legislator threatens his subjects with death, in case they are guilty of rebellion, nothing can be inferred from thence, but that, if they do not rebel, they shall be continued in the quiet possession of what they had a natural right to, as sub- jects, and not that they should be advanced to a higher degree of dignity. This sense of the text, indeed, enervates the force of the argument, taken from it, to prove, that man was under a covenant. But yet I would not wholly give it up, as contain- ing in it nothing to support the argument we are defending. For this threatening was denounced, not only to signify God's will to punish sin, or the certain event that should follow upon • Vid. Grot, in Hos. vi. 7. J^Iihi latina hxc interpretatio von dhpUcet, ut sensus hie sit ; si cut ,Sdam, quia pact-um meum violavit, expulsua est ex Uedene ; ita aquwn est ex sua terra txpeUi. ia2 <;dD'« pROViOENCfi to man in innqcency, it, but ae a motive to obedience ; and therefore it includes ia it a promise of life, in case he retained his intv.grit}*. The question therefore is ; what is meant by this life ? or, whether it has any respect to the heavenly blessedness ? In an- swer to which, I see no reason to conclude but that it has ; since that is so often understood by the word life in scripture : thus i': is said, Hear and your soul shall live^ Isa. Iv, 3. and, If thou wilt enter into life^ keep the commandynents^ Matt, xix. 17, and in many other places ; therefore why should not life^ in this place, be takei^ in the same sense l So, on the other hand, when death is threatened, in several scriptures it implies a pri* vatioD of the heavenly blessedness, and not barely a loss of those blessings, which we are actually possessed of. Moreover, Adam could not but know God to be the Foun- tain of blessedness, otherwise he would have been very defec- tive in knowledge ; and, when he looked into himself, he would jfind that he was capable of a greater degree of blessedness, thaa he did at present enjoy, and (which was yet more) he had a desire thereof implanted in his very nature. Now what can be inferred from hence, but that he would conclude that God, who gave him these enlarged desires, after some farther degree of happiness arising from communion with him, would give him to expect it, in case he retained that holiness, which was im- planted in his nature .'' But, tliat it may farther appear that our first parents were given to expect a greater degree of happiness, and consequent? iy that the dispensation, that they were under, was properly federal, let it be considered ; that the advantages which Christ came into the world to procure for his people, which are pro- mised to them, in the second covenant, are, 'for substance,* the same with those which man would have enjoyed, had he not fallen ; for he came to seek and to save that which ivas lost^ and to procure the recovery of forfeited blessings. But Christ came into the world to purchase eternal life for them ; there- fore this v/ould have been enjoyed, if there had been no need of purrhaslng it, viz, if man had retained his integrity. The apostle, speaking of the end of Christ's coming into the world, observes,'Gal. iii. 13, 14. not only, that it was to redeem us from the curse, or the condemning sentence of the laruy but that his redeemed ones might be made partakers of the blessing- of Abraham, which was a very comprehensive one, including in it, that God would be his God, his shield, and ex- ceeding- g-reat reward. Gen. xvii. 7» compared with chap. xv. * TVhen I speak ofifw advantagea being, for substance the same, it is supposed, that there are some circumstances of glory, in which that salvation that -was purcha- ted by Christ, differs from that happinest -which Adam tsould have b^7ipoitnsed of had he persisted in his inie^ritif. «od'« providence to man in inkocency. s^ I. and the same apostle elsewhere speaks of Christ's having iredeemed them that zuere under the laxv^ that is, the curse of the vioiattd law, or covenant, that xve might receive the adop- tion of sons y Gal. iv. 4, 5. that is, that we might be made par- takers of all the privileges of God's children, whrt'h certainly include in them eternal life. Again, there is another scripture that farther supports this argument, taken from Rom, viii. 3, 4. What the law could not- doy in that it was xveak through the fleshy God sending his oivn. Son in the likeness of sinful f.esh^ and^forsin^ condemned siii in thefeshy that the righteousness of the lazv might be fulfilled in. us ; which is as though he should say, according to the tenor of the first covenant, eternal life was not to be expected, since it was become weak, or could not give it, because man could not yield perfect obedience, which was the condition thereof: But God's sending his own Son to perform this obedience foF us, was an expedient for our attaining that life, which we could not otherwise have enjoyed. This seems to be the general scope and design of the apostle in this text ; and it is agreea- ble to the sense of many other scriptures, that speak of the ad- vantages that believers attain by Christ's death, as compared with the disadvantages w^hich man sustained by Adam's fall ; therefore it follows, that, had Adam stood, he, and all his pos- ter! t}', v/ould have attained eternal life. Thus we have endeavoured to prove, that God entered into covenant with Adam, inasmuch as he was given to expect^ that, if he had yielded perfect obedience, he should have been possessed of the heavenly blessedness. But supposing this be not allowed of, and the arguments brought to prove it are rec- koned inconclusive, it Would be sufficient to our present pur- pose, and would argue the dispensation that Adam was under to be that of a covenant, if God had only promised him the grace of confirmation, and not to transplant him from the earthly to the heavenly paradise ; for such a privilege as this, which would have rendered his fall impossible, would have contained so advantageous a circumstance attending the state in which he was, as would have plainly proved the dispensa- tion he was under to be federal. Therefore, before we dis- miss this head, we shall endeavour to make that appear, and consider, 1. That to be confirmed in a state of holiness and happiness, was necessary to render that state of blessedness, in which he was created compleat; for whatever advantages he was possess* ed of, it would have been a great allay to r them to consider^ that it was possible for him to lose them, or through any act of inadvertency, in complying with a temptation ta fall, and luin hinaself for ever, ti the saints in heaven, who are ad~ 94 ®OD^S PROVIDENCE TO MAN IN INNOCENCY. vanced to a greater degree of blessedness, were not confirmed in it; if it was possible for them to lose, or fall from it, it would render their joy incomplete ; much more would the hap- piness of Adam have been so, if he had been/to have continu- ed for ever, without this privilege. 2. If he had not had ground to expect the grace of confir- mation in holiness and happiness, upon his yielding perfect obedience, then this perfect obedience, could not, in any res- pect, in* propriety of speaking, be said to have been condition- al, unless you suppose it a condition of the blessings which he was then possessed of; which seems not so agreeable to the idea contained in the word co?idition^ which is considered as a motive to excite obedience, taken from some blessing, which would be consequent thereupon. But, if this be not allowed to have sufficient weight in it, let me add, 3. That it is agreeable to, and tends very much to advance the glory of the divine goodness, for God not to leave an in- nocent creature in a state of perpetual uncertainty, as to the continuance of his holiness and happiness ; which he would have done, had he not promised him the grace of confirnia- tion, whereby he would, by his immediate interposure, have prevented every thing that might have occasioned his fall. 4. This may be farther argued, from the method of God's dealing with other sinless creatures, whom he designed to make completely blessed, and so monuments of his abundant goodness. Thus he dealt with the holy angels, and thus he will deal with his saints, in another world ; the former are, the other shall be, when arrived there, confirmed in holiness and happiness; and why should we suppose, that the goodness of God should be less glorified towards man at first, had he re- tained his integrity? Moreover, this will farther appear, if we consider, 5. That the dispensation of providence, which Adam was under, seems to carry in it the nature of a state of probation. If he was a probationer, it must either be for the heavenh' glo- ry, or, at least, for a farther degree of happiness, containing in it this grace of confirmation, v/hich is the least that can be sup- posed, if there were any promise given him ; and, if all other dispensations of providence, towards man, contain so many jreat and precious promises in them, as it is certain they do ; can we suppose that man, in his state of innocency, had no pro- mise given him ? And, if he had, then I cannot but conclude, that God entered into covenant with him, which was the thing to be proved. Object. 1. The apostle, in some of the scriptures but now re- ferred to, calls the dispensation, that Adam was under, a lazv ; therefore we have no grotmd to call it a covenant. GOD*S PROVIDENCE TO MAN IN INNOCENCY. 85 Answ. It is true, it is often called a hnv ; but let it be con- sidered, that it had two ideas included in it, which are not op- posite to, or inconsistent with each other, namcl)-, that ot a law, and a covenant. As man was under a natural and indispensa- ble ohligation to v itld periect obedience, and was liable to eter- nal death, in case of disobedience, it had in it the form and sanction of a law ; and this is not inconsistent with any thing that has been before suggested, in which we hav^e endeavoured to maintain, that, besides this, there was something added to it that contained the nature of a covenant, which is all that we pretend to prove ; and therefore the dispensation may justly take its denomination from one or the ocher idea, provided, when one is mentioned, the other be not excluded. If we call it a law, it v^'as such a law, as had a promise of super-added blessedness annexed to it ; or if we, on the other hand, call it a covenant, it had, notwithstanding, the obligaiion of a law, since at was made with a subject, who was bound, without regard to his arbitrary choice in this matter, to fulfil the demands thereof. Object. 2. It is farther objected, against what has been said concerning man's having a promise of the heavenly blessed- ness giveh him, upon condition of obedience, that this is a pri- vilege peculiarly adapted to the gospel-dispensation ; and that our Saviour was tb.e first that made it known to the world, as the ajjostle says, that life and immovtaUty is brought to light through the gospel^ and made manifest^ by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christy 2 Tim. i. 10. and therefore it was not made known by the law, and consequently there was no pro- mise thereof made to Adam in innocency; and the apostle says elsewhere, that the rvay into the holiest ofall^ that is, into heaven, zi>as not yet made manifest^ while the first tabernacle rvas yet statiding\ till Christ came, zvho obtained eternal re- demption for us^ Heb. ix. 8, 11, 12. From whence they argue, that we have no reason to conclude that Adam had any pro- mise, or expectation, founded thereon, of the heavenly blessed- ness ; and consequently the argument taken from thence to prove, that the dispensation he was under, was that of a cove- nant, is not conclusive. Ansxv. It seems very strange, that any should infer, from the scriptures mentioned in the objection, that eternal life was al- together unknown in the world till Christ came into it, inas- much as the meaning of those scriptures is plainly this : in the former of them, when the apostle speaks of life and immortali- ty as brought to light by the gospel^ nothing else can be inten- ded, but that this is more fully revealed by the gospel, than it was before ; or, that Christ revealed this as a purchased pos- session, in which respect it could not be revealed before. And, if this be opposed to the revelation given to Adam of life :^nd Vol. II. M BS GOD'fi i'ROVIDEKCE TO SiAN IS IKKOCENCY- immortality, in the first covenant ; it may be notwithstanding, distinguish^ci from it : for though the heavenly blessedneiis was contained therein : yet it was not considered, as including in it the idea of salvation, as it does to us when revealed in the gospel. As to the latter of those scriptures, concerning the way int9 the holiest of all ^ that is, into heaven, not being via.de manifest while the first tabernacle xuas yet standings the meaning there- of is, that the way of our redemption, b} Jesus Christ, was not so clearly revealed, or with those circumstances of gioiy under the ceremonial l|iw, as it is by the gospel ; or, at least, whatever discoveries were made thereof, yet the promises had not their full accomplishment, till Christ came and erected the gospel- dispensation ; this, therefore, doth not, in the least, militate against the argument we are maintaining. Thus concerning the blessing promised in this covenant, namely, life, by which it farther appears to be a federal dispensation. (3.) We are now to consider the condition of man's obtain- ing this blessing, which, as it is expressed in this answer, was personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience. 1. He was obliged to perform obedience, which -(vas agree- able to his character, as a subject, and thereby to own the so- x'ereignty of his Creator, and Lawgiver, and the equity of his law, and his right to govern him, according to it, which obli- gation was natural, necessary, and indispensible. 2. This obedience was to be personal, that is, not performed by any other in his behalf, and imputed to him, as his obedience was to be imputed to all his posterity ; and therefore, in that respect, it would not have been personal, as applied to them : but as the obedience of Christ is imputed to us in the second coverianu 3. It was to be perfect, without the least defect, and that both in heart and life. He was obliged to do every thing that God required, J^s well as abstain from every thing that he for- bade him ; therefore we are not to suppose, that it was only his eating the forbidden fruit that would ruin him, though that was the particular sin by which he fell; since his doing any other thing, that was in itself sinful, or his neglecting any thing' that was required, would equally have occasioned his fall. But since we are considering man's obligation to yield obe- dience to the divine law, it follows from hence,, that k was ne- cessary that there should be an intimation given of the rule, or matter of his obeditnce, and consequentlv that the law of God should be made known to him ; for it is absolutely necessary, not only that a law should be enacted, but promulgated, before the subject is bound to obey it. Now the law of God %vas made known to man two ways, agreeable to the twofold distinction thereof. god's providence to man in innocency. 87 Isty The law of nature was written on his heart, in which the wisdom of God did as much discover itself, as in the sub- ject matter of this law. In this respect, the whole law of naturt might be said to be made known to him at once; the know- le)dge of which Avas communicated to him, with the powers and faculties of his soul, and was, as it were, instamped on his na- tiire ; so that he might as well plead, that he Avas not an intel- ligent creature, as that he was destitute of the knowledge of this law. 2t//y, As there were, besides this, several other positive laws, that man v/as obliged to yield obedience to, though these could not, properly speaking, be said to be written on his heait; yet he had the knowledge hereof communicated to him. Whether this was done all at once, or at various times, it is not for us to determine; however, this we must conclude, that these posi- tive lavs could not be known in a way of reasoning, as the law of nature might. But, since we have sufficient ground to con- clude, that God A^as pleased, in different ways and times, to communicate his mind and will to man, we are not to suppose that he was destitute of the knowledge of all those positive laws, that he was obliged to obey. What the number of these laws was, we know not ; but, as there have been, in all agts, various positive laws relating to instituted worship, doubtless, Adam had many such laws re- vealed to him though not mentioned in scripture. This I cannot but observe, because some persons use such modes of speaking about this matter, as though there were no other positive law, that man was obliged to obey but that of his not eating ot the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or, together with it, that which related to the observation ol the sabbath, (t/) 4. The obedience, which man was to perform, v»'as to be per- petual ; by which we are not to understand, that it was to he performed to eternity, under the notion of a condition of the covenant, though it certainly v/as, as this covenant contained in it the obligation of a law. The reason of this is very obvi- ous ; for, when any thing is performed, as a condition of ob- taining a subsequent blessing it is supposed that this blessing is not to be conferred till tiie condition is perfoimed. But thiit is inconsistent with the eternal duration of this obedience, on the performance whereof the heavenly blessedness was to be conferred ; and therefore, though divines often use the word perpefiialy when treating on this subject, it must be understood with this limitation, that man was to obey, ivithout any inter- ruption or defect, so long as he remained in a state of proba- tion ; and this obedience had a peculiar reference to the dispen- sation, as it was federal : but, when this state of trial was over, (a) Yet it is tlie better opinion, tlut Ue was yuliierable only on one point. 88 god's providence to mas' ik innocency. and the blessing, promised on this condition, conferred, then, thou j'h the same obedience was to be performed to eternity, it would not be considered as the condition of a covenant, but as the obligation of a law. And this leads us to enquire, Wh-ither we may not, with some degree of probability, with- out being guilty of a sinful curiosity, determine anv thing re- lating to the time of man's continuance in a state of trial, be- fore the blessing promised, at least, that part of it, which con- sisted in the grace of confirmation, would have been conferred upon him. Though I would not enter into any subject that is over-curious, or pretend to determine that which is altogether uncertain, yet, I think this is not to be reckoned so, especially if we be not too peremptorj^, or exceed the bounds of modesty, in what respects this matter. All that I shall say, concerning it, is, that it seems very probable that our first parents would have continued no longer in this state of probation, but would have attained the grace of confirmation, which is a considerable cir-^ cumstance in the blessing promised in this covenant, as soon as tht.y had children arrived to an age capable of obeying, or sin- ning, themselves, which, how long that would have been, it is a vain thing to pretend to determine. The reason wh)" divines suppose, that Adam's state of pro- bation would have continued no longer, is, because these chil- dren must then either be supposed to have been confirmed in that state of holiness and happiness, in which they were or not. It the)' had been confirmt^d therein, then they would have at- tained the blessings of this covenant, before Adam had fulfilled the condition thereof. If thev had not been confirmed, then it was possible for them to have fallen, and yet for him to have stood ; and so his performing the condition of the covenant, would not have procured the blessing thereof for them, which is contrary to the tenor thereof. When pur first parents would have been removed from paradise to heaven, and so have at- tained the perfection of the blessings contained in this covenant, it would be a vain, presumptuous, and unprofitable thing to en- quire into. (4.) The last thing observed, in this answer, is what some call the seals annexed to this covenant, as an ordinance design- ed to confirm their faith therein ; and these were the two trees mentioned in Gen. ii. of which the tree of life was more pro- perly called a seal, than the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 1. Concerning the tree of life, several things may be observ- ed, 1st, It was a single tree, not a species of trees, bearing one sort of fruit, as some suppose : This is evident, because it is expressly said, that it was planted in the midst of the garden., Gen. ii. 9. 2<2f/y, The fruit thereof is said, in the same scripture, to be god's providence to man in INNOCENCY. 8^ pleasant to the sights and good for food^ as well as that of other trees, which were ordained ior the sAme purpose. It is a vain thing to enquire what sort of fruit it was ; and it is better to confess our ignorance hereof, than to pretend to be wise above what is written. Zdly^ It is called the tree of life. Some suppose, that the prin- cipal, if not the only reason, of its being so called, was, because it was ordained to presei've man's natural life, or prevent any decay of nature ; or to restore it, if it were in tlw; least impair- ed, to its former vigour. And accordingly they suppose, that, though man was made immortal, yet some things might have happened to him, which would have had a tendenc)^ to impair his health, in some degree, and weaken and destroy the tempe*- rament of his body, by which means death would gradually, ac- cording to the course of nature, be brought upon him : But, as a relief against this, he had a remedy always at hand; for the fruit of this tree, by a medicinal virtue, would efftctually re- store him to his former state of health, as much as meat, drink, and rest, have a natural virtue to repair the iatigues, and sup- ply the necessities of nature, in those who have the most health- ful constitution, which would, notwithstanding, be destroyed, without the use thereof. But, though there be somewhat of spi- rit and ingenuity in this supposition ; yet why may we not sup- pose, that the use of any other food might have the same effect, which would be always ready at hand, whenever he had occasion for it, or wherever he resided i Therefore 1 cannot but conclude, that the principal, if not the only reason, of the tree of life's being so called, was because it was, by God's appointment, a sacramental sign and ordinance for the faith of our first parents, that, if they retained their in- tegrity, they might be assured of the blessed event thereof, to \vit, eternal life, of which this was, as it is called in this answer, a pledge ; and it contained in it the same idea, for substance, as other sacraments do, namely, as it was designed not to confer, biit to signify the blessing promised, and as a farther means to encourage their expectation thereof: Thus our first parents were to eat of the fruit of this tree, agreeably to the nature of other sacramental signs, with this view, that hereby the thing signifi- ed might be brought to their remembrance, and they might take occasion, at the same time, to rely on God's promise, relating- to the blessing which they expected ; and they might be as much assured, that they should attain eternal life, in case they persisted in their obedience, as they were, that God had given them this tree, and liberty to eat thereof, with the expectation of this blessing signified thereby. Now, to make it appear, that it was designed as a sacramen- tal sign of eternal life, which w^as promised in tliis covenant, 90 god's providence to man in inkocekcy. W6 may consider those allusions to it in the New Testament, whereby the heavenly glory is set forth : thus it is said, To hint that overcometh zvili I give to eat of the tree of life ^ xvhich is in the midst of the paradise of God^ Rev. ii. 7. and elsewhere, Bles^ sed are they that do his commandments^ that they may have a right to the tree of life ^ chap. xxii. 14. It seems very plain, that this respects, in those scriptures, the heavenly giory, which is called the New ferusalem ; or it has a particular application to that state of the church, When God shall zvipe axvay all tears from their eijes^ and there shall be no msre death^ neither sor- roxv nor crying^ chap. xxi. 4. and it is mentioned immediately after, Christ's coming quickly^ and his rexvards being with him^ chap. xxii. 12. and there are several other passages, which might be easily observed, which agree only with the heavenlv state. Therefore, smce this glory is thus described, why may ■we not suppose, that the heavenly state was signified by this tree to Adam, in paradise ? And, that this may farther appear, let it be considered, that nothing is more common, in scripture, than for the Holy Ghost to represent the thing signified by the sign : Thus sanctifica- tion, which was one thing signified by circumcision, is called, The circumcision jjiade xvithout hands^ Coloss% ii. 11. and re- generation, which is signified by baptism, is called, our being born of water ^ John iii. 5. and Christ, whose death was signi- fied by the passover, is called, Our Passover^ 1 Cor. v. 7. Ma- ny other instances, of the like nature, might be produced ; there- fore, since the heavenly glory is represented by the tree of life, why may we not suppose, that the reason of its being so call- ed, was, because it was ordained, at first, to be a sacramental sign or pledge of eternal life, which our first parents were giv- en to expect, according to the tenor of that covenant, which thev were under t Object. 1. It is objected, by some, that sacramental signs, ceremonies, or types, were only adapted to that dispensation, which the church of the Jews were under, and therefore were not agreeable to that state in which man was at first. Ansxu. The ceremonial law, it is true, was not known, nor did it take place, while man was in a state of innocency ; nor was it God's ordinary way to instruct him then by signs ; yet it is not inconsistent vfith that state, for God to ordain one or two signs, as ordinances, for the faith of our first parents, the signification whereof was adapted to the state, in which they were, any more than our Saviour's instituting two significant ordinances under the gospel, viz. baptism, and the Lord's sup- per, as having relation to the blessings expected therein, is inconsistent with this present dispensation, in which we have nothing to do with the ceremonial law, any more than our first god's providence to man in innocenc\. 91 parents had. And all this argues nothing more, than that God may, il he pleases, in any state of tht ehurch, inscruct them in those things, which their faith should be conversant about, in what way he pleases. Object. 2. It is farther objected, that the tree of life was not designed to be a sacramental sign of the covenant, which our first parents were under, but rather, as was before observed, an expedient, to render them immortal in a natural way, inasmuch as when man was fallen, yet the tree of life had stiii the same virtue : Accordingly it is said. Lest lie put forth his hand^ arid take of the tree of life ^ and eat and live for ever ; therefore the Lord God sent him forth out of the garden of Eden; and he drove out the man : and placed chcrubi)n and a faming sxvord^ xvhich turned every xvay^ to keep the xvay of the tree of life^ Gen. iii. 22, 23, 24. And some extend this objection so far, as that they suppose man did not eat of the tree of life before he fell, which, had he done, he would by virtue of his eating of it, have lived for ever, notwithstanding his sin : or if, as soon as he had fallen, he had had that happy thought, and so had eaten of it, he might, even then, have prevented death ; and therefore God drove him out of paradise, that he might not eat of it, that so the curse, consequent upon his fall, might take effect. Anszv. The absurdity of this objection, and the method of reasoning made use of to support it, will appear, if we consi- der, that there was something more lost by man's fall, besides immortality, which no fruit, produced by any tree, could re- store to him. And, besides, man was then liable to that curse, which was denounced, by which he was under an indispensa- ble necessity of returning to the dust, from whence he was taken ; and therefore the tree of life could not make this threat- ening of no effect, though man had eaten of it, after his fall : But, since the whole force of the objection depends on the sense they put on the text before-mentioned, agreeable there- unto, the only reply that we need give to it is, by considering what is the true and proper sense thereof. When it is said, God drove out the man, lest he should eat of the tree of life^ and live for ever ; the meaning thereof is, as though he should sa}', Lest the poor deceived creature, who is now become blind, ignorant, and exposed to error, should eat of this tree, and think to live for ever, as he did before the fall, therefore he shall be driven out of paradise. This was, in some respect, an act of kindness to him, to prevent a mistake, which might have been of a pernicious tendency, in turning him aside from seeking salvation in the promised seed. Besides, when the thing signified, by this tree, was not to be obtained that way, in which it was before, it ceased to be a sacramental sign ; and 92 GOD*S PROVIDENCE TO MAJT IK INNOCENCY. therefore, as he had no right to it, so it would have been no less than a profanation to make a rehgious use of it, in his fal- leh state. 2. The other tree, which we read of, whereof our first pa- rents were forbidden to eat, upon pain oi death, is called, 7 he tree of knoxvledge^ of good and evil. Though the fruit of this tree was, in itself, proper for food, as well as that of any other j yet God forbade man to eat of it, out of his mere sovereignt}-, and that he might hereby let him know, that he enjoyed uottiing but by his "grant, and that he must abstain from things appa- rently good, if he require it. It is a vain thing to pretend to determine what sort of fruit this tree produced : it is indeed, a commonly received opinion, that it was an apple tree, or some species thereof ; but, though I will not determine this to be a vulgar error, yet I cannot but think it a groundless con- jecture * ', and therefore I would rather profess my ignorance as to this m.atter. As to the reason of its being called the tree of knowledge, of good and evil ; some have given great ^scope to their im- aginations, in advancing groundless conjectures: thus the Jew- ish historian f, and, after him, several rabbinical writers, have supposed, that it was thus described, as there was an internal \'irtue in the fruit thereof, to brighten the minds of men, and, in a natural way, make them wise. And Socinus, and some of his brethren, have so far improved upon this absurd supposi- tion, that they have supposed, tha,t our first parents, before they ate of this tree, had not much more knowledge than infants have, which they found on the literal sense they give of that scripture, which represents them as not knowing that they were naked :|:. But enough of these absurdities, which carry in them their own confutation. I cannot but think, it is called the tree * The ptincipal argument brovght to prove this, is the applicatiov of that scrip- ture, to this purpose, in Cant. viii. 5. 1 raised Ihee up under the apple tree ; there fhy niollier brouglit thee forth, as if he should say, the church, ^ehen fallen by ovr JiTst parents eating thefrnit of this tree, iocs raised up, xvhen the JMessiah xvusjirst promised. But, though this be a truth, yet whether it be the thing intended, by the Holy Ghost, in that scripture, is imcertain. Jisfor the opinion of those who suppose it was afg-tree, as Theodoret, [Vid- Quest. xxr>iii. in Ge7i.] and some other ancie?it ■writers ; that has no other fojtndatiov , but what we read, coiicerning our frst parents ."sewing fig leaves together, and making themselves aprons, which, they suppose, was done before they departed from the tree, their shame immediately suggesti7ig the ne~ ressity thereof. Jiut others think, that whatever tree it were, it certainly was not a fig-tree, because it can hardly be supposed but that our frst parents, having a sense tfgiult, as well as shame, would be afraid so much as to touch that tree, which had occasioned their ruin. Others conclv.de, that it was a vine, because our Saviour ap- pointed that wine, which the vine produces, should be used, in commemorating his death, which removed tlie effects of that curse, which si?i brought on the world : but this is a vain and trifiug method of reasoning, and discovers what lengths sotTie men ■vun in their absurd glosses on scripture. f Vid- Joseph. Aniiquit. Lib. I. cap. 2. ^ Vid. Socin. de Stat. Prim Horn, ii Smalc. de ver. & J\''at. Dei. Fil THE FALL OF MAM, §3 of knowledge, of good and evil, to signify, that ju man before knew, by experience, what it was to enjoy that good which God had conferred upon him, the consequence of his eating thereof would be his ha\ ing an experimental knowledge of evil. All that I shall add, concerning this prohibition, which God gave to our first parents, is, that, as to the matter of it, it was one of those laws, which are founded in God's arbitrary will, and therefore the thing was rendered sinful, only by its being forbidden ; nevertheless, man's disobedience to it rendered hini no less guilty, than if he had transgressed any of the laws of nature. Moreover, it was a very small thing for him to have yielded obedience to this law, which was designed as a trial of his rea- diness, to perform universal obedience in all the instances there- of. It was not so difficult a duty, as that which God afterwards commanded Abraham to perform, when he bade him offer up his son ; neither was he under a necessity of eating thereof, since he had such a liberal provision of all things for his sustenance and delight; and therefore his sin, in not complying herewith, was the more aggravated. Besides, he was expressly cautioned against it, and told, that i7i the day that he eat of it, he should die ; whereb}' God, foreseeing that he would disobey this com- mand, determined to leave him without excuse. This was that transgression by which he fell, and brought on the world all the miseries that have ensued thereon. Quest. XXI. Did man continue in that estate wherein God at Jirst created him ? Answ. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God, in eating the forbidden fruit, and thereby fell from the state of innocency, wherein they were created. IN this answer, I. There is something supposed, namely, that our first parents were endued with a freedom of will. This is a property belonging to man, as a reasonable creature ; so that we may as well separate understanding from the mind, as liberty from the will, especially when it is conversant about things within its own sphere, and, most of all, when we consider man in a state of perfection, as to all the powers and faculties of his soul, a* he was before the fall. Now, that we may understand what this freedom of will was, let it be considered, that it consisted in a power, which man had, of choosing, or embracing, what Vol. IL N 94 THE FALL OF MAKj / appeared, agreeably to the dictates of his understanding, to be good, or refusing and avoiding what was evil, and that without any constraint or force, laid upon him, to act contrary to he dictates thereof; and it also supposes a power to act pursuant to what the will chooses, otherwise it could not secure the hap- piness that it desires, or avoid the evil that it detests, and ihen its liberty would be little more than a name, without the thing contained in it. Moreover, since the thing that the will chooses, is supposed to be agreeable to the dictates of the understanding, it ioiiows, that if there be an error in judgment, or a destructive, or un- lawful object presents itself, under the notion of good, rloagh it be really evil, the will is, notwithstanding, said to act freely, in choosing or embracing it, in which respect it is free to evil, as Vv'ell as to good. To apply this to our present purpose, we must suppose man, in his state of innocency, to have been without any defect in his understanding, and therefore that he could not, when making ii right use of the powers and faculties of his soul, call evil good, or good evil. Nevertheless, through inadvertency, the mind ifiight be imposed on, and that which was evil might be repre- sented under the appearance of good, and accordingly the will determine itself to choose or embrace it } for this is not incon- sistent with liberty, since it might have been avoided by the right improvement of his natural powers, and therefore he was not constrained or forced to sin. ■^ Now it appears, that our first parents had this freedom of will, or power to retain their integrity, from their being under an indispensible obligation to yield perfect obedience, and liable to punishment for the least defect thereof. This therefore, sup- poses the thing not to be in itself impossible, or the punishment ensuing unavoidable. Therefore it follows, that they had a power to stand ; or, which is all one, a liberty of will, to choose that which was conducive to their happiness. This might also be argued from the difference that there is between a man's innocent and fallen state. Nothing is more evident, than that man, as fallen, is, by a necessity of nature, inclined to sin ; and accordingly he is styled, a servant of sin^ John viii. 34. or a slave to it, entirely under its dominion : but it was otherwise with him before his fall, when, according to the constitution of his nature, he was equally inclined to what is good, and furnished with every thing that was necessary to his yielding that obedience, which was demanded of him, II. It is farther observed, that our.first parents were left to the freedom of their own will. This implies, that God did not design, especially, while ihev were ifi this state of proba- tion, to afford th«m that immediate help, by the interposhion of THE FALL OF MAN. 95 his providence, which would have efllctually prevented their compliance with an}- temptation to sin; for that would have rendered their tall impossible, and would have been a granting them die blessing of confirmation, beioie the condition thereof was fulfilled. God could easily have prevented Satan's en- trance into paradise ; as he does his coming again into heaven, to give disturbance lo, o - lay snares for any of the inhabitants thereof; or, though he suffered him to assault our first parents, he might, oy the interposition of his grace, have prevented that inadvtriency, by which they gave the first occasion to his vic- tory- over them. There was no need for God to implant a new principle of grace in their souls; for, by the right use of the liberty of their own wills, they might have defended themselves against the temptation ; and had he given them a present inti- mation of thtir danger, or especially excited those habits of grace, which were implanted in their souls, at that time, when there was most need thereof, their sinful compliance with Sa- tan's temptation would have been prevented : but this God was not obliged to do ; and accordingly he is said to leave them to the freedom of their own wills. And this does not render him, the author of their sin^ or bring them under a natural necessity of falling, inasmuch as he had before furnished them with suf- ficiency of strength to stand. Man was not like an infant, or a person enfeebled, by some bodily distemper, who has no ability to support himself, and therefore, if not upheld by aiigther., must necessarily fidl : but he was like a strong man, who, by taking heed to his steps, may prevent his falling, without the assistance of others. He had no propensity in nature to sin, whereb^)' he stood in need of preventing grace; and God» in thus leaving him to himself, dealt with him in a way agreeable to the condition in which he was. He did not force, or incline him to sin, but left him to the mutability of his own will, ac- cording to the tenor of the dispensation which he was under. III. It is farther observed, that there was an assault made on our first parents by Satan, not by violence, but by tempta- tion; the consequence whereof was, that, by sinful compliance therewith, thev fell from their state of innocency. It appears very evident, from scripture, that they were deceived, or be- guiled, as Eve says, The serpent beguiled ?ne^ and I did eat^ Gen. iii. 13. And the apostle Paul speaks concerning it to the same effect ; The ruoman being deceived^ xvas in the tramgres- jsion^ 1 Tim. ii. 14. in which scripture, though it be said, in the foregoing wOrds, that Adam zvas not deceived, probably nothing more than this is intended, that the man was not first deceived, or not immediately deceived, by the serpent, but by his wife; though, indeed, some give anodier turn to that expression, and suppose that Adam sinned knowingly, being content to pUmge 9$ I'HE FALL OF MAN. himself into the depths of misery, in complaisance to her, in her sorrows :* But we rather think, that the apostle does not speak of Adam's not being deceived, but rather of his not being first deceived, or first in the transgression. Now this deception or temptation, was from the devil, who, because ot his subtiity, is called. That old aerpent^ Rtv. xii. 9. chap. XX. 2. and he is said to make use of xviles^ Eph. vi. 11, that is, various methods of deceit in suiting his temptations, so that men may be ensnared by them ; which leads us to con- sider, IV. The methods he took to deceive our first parents, as we have a particular account uhereof, and of their compliance there- with, in Gen. iii. 1-— 6. in which we shall take occasion to ob- serve who the tempter was ; and the way and manner how he assaillted them. There are two extremes of opinion, which some run into, tvhich are equally to be avoided. On the one hand, some sup- pose that it was a beast, or natural serpent, that was the temp- ter, and that the devil had no hand in the temptation ; whereas others suppose that there was no serpent made use of, but that the devil did all without it, and that he is styled a serpent, in that scripture, from his subtiity. This we call another extreme of opinion, and, indeed, the truth lies in a medium between them both ; therefore we must suppose, that there was really a natural serpent, a beast so called, made use of, as an instru- ment, by the devil, by which he managed the temptation, and accordingly that he possessed and spake by it, which is the most common opinion, and agrees best with the account given of it in the above-mentioned scripture ; and it is also consistent "with what our Saviour says of him, w/hen describing him as a murderer from the heginnmg^ John viii. 44. That it was not only, or principally, the natural serpent that tempted our first parents, will appear, if we consider, (1.) That, though the serpent, indeed, is said to be more subtile than all the beasts of the field, yet it never was endow- ed with speech,! and therefore could not, unless actuated by a spirit, hold a discourse with Eve, tis he is said to have done. (2.) Brute creatures cannot reason, or argue, as the serpent did ; for, whatever appearance of reason there may be in them, • This is beautifully described by Milton, (in his paradise lost, Booh IX.') and many others have assertett the same thing for substance, as t/iinking il below theids- dom of the man to be imposed on; tliereby insimiatiiig, though -without sufficient ground, that he hud a greater degree oftuisdom allotted to him than his luife. f Josephus indeed, (See Jntiq. Lib. I. cap. 2.) intimates, tJiat the serpent was, at first, endotued -with speech, and that his loss of it ivus inflicted for his tempting maui but it is a groundless conjecture arising from a supposition, that those things spoken of in Gen. iii. -which are attributed to the devil, loere done xvithont him, ivldch is iiQi only his opinion, but of many other Jewish -writers, and several modern ones. rut TALL OF MAN. 97 it would be a very hard matter to prove that they are capable of digesting their ideas into a chain of reasoning, or inferring consequences from premises, as the serpent did; much less are they capable of reasoning about divine subjects, who know no- thing of God, or the nature of moral good or evil, as the ser- pent that tempted Eve must be supposed to have done. But though the serpent was not the principal agent herein, yet it was made use of by the devil ; and therefore the whole histo- ry, which we have thereof in the place before-mentioned, is not an allegorical account of what Satan did, as some suppose, with- out any regard to the part that the serpent bore therein. This appears from the curse denounced against tlie serpent. Because thou hast done this^ saith God, thou art cursed above all cattlcy and above every beast ofthejield; upon thxj belli) shalt thou go^ and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life^ Gen. iii. 14. which is only applicable to the beast so called, and this we see evidently fulfilled at this day. Some, from hence, infer, not, I think, without reason, that the serpent, before this, went erect; whereas afterwards, as containing the visible mark of the curse, it is said to go on its belly. This part of the curse therefore respected the natural sei-pent only ; whereas that contained in the following words, / will put enmity between thee and the wo- man^ and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy head^ and thou shalt bruise his heel, ver. 15. respects the devil, that actuated, or spake by it ; though I am not insensible that some Jewish writers, and others, who would exempt the devil from having any hand in the temptation, and throw all the blame on the brute creature, the natural serpent, give a very jejune and empty sense of this text, as though it were to be taken altogether, according to the letter thereof, as importing, that there should be a war between man and the serpent, that so he might be revenged on him, which should never cease till he had slain him, or had bruised his head. But it seems very plain, that as the former verse respects the instrument made use of, viz. the natural serpent, so this respects the devil, and contains a prediction, that his malice should be defeated, and his power destroyed, by our Saviour, who is here promised, and described as the seed of the woman. From all which we are bound to conclude, that the devil making use of the ser- pent, was the tempter, by whom our first parents were seduced, and led astray from God, to the ruin of themselves, and all their posterity. There are several things that may be observed in the method Satan took in managing this temptation, by which he seduced and overcame our first parents, of which we have an account in the scripture before-mentioned. 1. He concealed his character as a fallen spirit, and pre- 98 THE rALL OF MAN. tcHded himself to be in circumstances not unlike to those in which our first parents vv^ere, at least in this, that he seemed to pay a deference to the great God, so far as to allow that he had a right to give laws to his creatures ; and it is more than probable that this was done immediately after his fall, and that our first parents knew nothing of this instance of rebellion in heaven, and did not, in the least, suppose that there were any creatures who were enemies to God, or were using endeavours to render them so. Had tiie devil given Eve an historical nar- ration of his sin and iaii, and begun his temptation with open blasphemy, or reproach cast on God, whom he had rebelled, against, he could not but apprehend that our first parents would have treated him with the utmost abhorrence, and fled from him as an open enemy ; but he conceals his enmity to God, while he pretends friendship to them, which was a great in- stance of subtilty ; inasmuch as an enemy is never more for- midable, that when he puts on a specious pretence of religion, or conceals his vile character as an enemy to God, and at the same cim*., pretends a great deal of friendship to those whom he designs to ruin. 2. As he tempted our first parents soon after his own fall, which shews his restless malice against God and goodness ; so it was not long after their creation, in which he shewed his subtilty, not barely, as some suppose, because he was appre- hensive, that the longer man stood, the more his habits of grace would be strengthened, and so it would be more diffi- cult for the temptation to take effect. But that which seems to be the principal reason, v/as, either because he was apprehen- sive that man might soon have an intimation given him, that there were some fallen spirits, who were laying snares for his ruin, and therefore he would have been more guarded against him ; or principally because he did not know but that man might soon be confirmed in this state of holiness and happiness ; for how long God xvould continue him in a state of probation, was not revealed, and the devil knew very well that, upon his ob- taining the grace of confi'-mation, after he had yielded obe- dience for a time, all his temptations would prove ineffectual ; therefore he applied himself to his work with the greatest ex- pedition. 5. He assaulted Eve when she was alone. This, indeed, is not expressly mentioned in scripture ; but yet it seems very probable, inasmuch as he directed his discourse to, and held a conference with her, and not with Adam, which doubtless, he would have done, had he been present; and then it could hardly have been said, as the apostle does in the scripture before- mentioned, that the woman was jirst In the transgression^ and that she vras first deceived by the serpent; and, indeed, had he THE FALL OF MAK. 99 been with her, though she might have been first in eating the forbidden fruit ; yet he would have sinned, as being a partaker with her therein, by suffering her to comply with the tempta- tion, and not warning her of her danger, or endeavouring to de- tect the devil's sophistry, and restrain her from compliance therewith. As the law deems every one to be principals in traiterous conspiracies against a prince, it they are only present, provided they do not use those proper means which they ought to prevent it; accordingly if Adam had been with Eve, he would have sinned with her, before he received the forbidden fruit from her hand; which we do not find him charged with; therefore she was alone, on which account the devil took her at the greatest disadvantage ; for, as the wise man well ob- serves, Two are belter than one ; for if they fall, the one will lift up his felloxv ; but xvoe to him that is alone when he fallethy Eccles. iv. 9, 10. 4. The instrument Satan made use of, was, as was before ob- served, the serpent : Probably he was not suffered to take a hu- man shape ; or, if he had, that would not so well have answer-v cd his end, since it would have tended to amuse and surprise our first parents, and have put them upon enquiries who he was, and whence he came, for they knew that there were no human creatures formed but themselves. If he had made use of an inanimate creature, it would have been more surprising to hear it speak and reason about the providence of God ; and if he had not assumed any visible shape, he could not have managed the temptation v/ith that success ; for there was no corrupt na- ture in our first parents to work upon, as there is in us. There- fore some are ready to conclude, that no temptation can be offer- ed to an innocent creature, in an internal way, by the devil; therefore it must be presented to the senses, and consequently it was necessary that he should assume some shape, and par- ticularly that of some brute creature, that he might more effect- tually carry on his temptation. And it was expedient to an- swer his design, that he should not make use of any brute crea- ture, that is naturally more stupid, and therefore less fit for his- purpose ; accordingly he made use of the serpent, concerning which it is observed, that it is more subtil than any beast of the field; and, as some suppose, it was, at first, a very beautiful creature, however odious it is to mankind at present, and that it had a bright shining skin curiously painted with variety of colours, which, when the sun shone upon it, cast a bright re- :flection of all the colours of the r:unbow. But passing this by, as what is uncertain ; 5. It is probable that the devil took that opportunity to dis- course with Eve about flie tree of knowledge, when she was standing by, or at least, net far from it, tlvat so he might pre- 100 THE FALL OF MAN. vail with tier to comply with the temptation in haste ; whereas, if he had given hei' room for too much dehberation, it might have prevented his design from taking effect : If she had been at some distance from the tree, she would have had time to con- sider what she was going about ; she did not want understand- ing to detect the fallacy, had she duly weighed matters, and therefore would hardly have complied with the temptation. Again, that she was, at least, within sight of the tree appears from hence, that the serpent takes occasion, from the beholding of it, to discourse about it, and commend it; and, wliile he was speaking about it to her, she saw that it was pleasant to the eyCy and good for food. 6. As to what respects the matter of the temptation, we may- observe, that the devil die; not immediately tempt her to blas- pheme God, to proclaim open war against him, or to break one of the commandments of the moral law ; but to violate a po- sitive law, which, though heinous in its own nature, as it was a practical disowning or denying the sovereignty of God, and had many other aggravations attending it; yet the breach of positive laws, founded on God's arbitrary will, are generally reckoned less aggravated, or we are inclined to entertain the temptation thereunto with less abiiorrence than when Ave are tempted to break one of the moral laws, which are founded on the nature of God. Had he tempted her to deny that there was a God, or that there was any worship due to him ; or had it been to have murdered her husband, or to commit any other crime, which is in itself shocking to human nature, he would have had less ground to conclude that his temptation would have taken eifect. And here we may observe, that he proceeded, in a gradual way, from less to greater insinuations, brought against God. (1.) He does not immediately and directly, in his first onset, bring a charge against God, or his providence, but pretends ig- norance, and speaks as one that wanted information, when he says, Tea^ hath God satd^ Te shall not eat of every tree in the garden^ q, d. Here is a garden well stored with fruit, the trees whereof are designed for your food ; are there any of which you are prohibited to eat? This question occasions her reply; The woman said unto the serpent^ We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden ; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden^ God hath said, Te shall not eat ofit; neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Some think, that her sin began here, and that she misrepresents the divine prohibition, for she was not forbid to touch it ; it is only said, In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen. ii. 17. But I cannot see that this was any other than a just inference from the prohibition itself, as every thing is to be avoided that may THE FALL OF MAN. 101 j^Tove an occasion of sin, as well as the sin itself. Others sup-^ pose, that there is a degree of unbelief contained in that expres- sion, Lest ye die * ; which may be rendered, Lesi peradventxire ye dicy as implying, that it was possible for God to dispense with his threatning, and so death would not ceitainly ensue ; whereas God had expressly said. In the day that thou eatest thereof^ thou shalt surely die. But passing by this, as an un» certain conjecture, let us farther consider, (2.) After this, Satan proceeds from questioning, as though he desired information, to a direct and explicit confronting the divine threatning, endeavouring to persuade her, that God would not be just to his word, when he says, Te shall not surely die^ He then proceeds yet farther, to cast an open reproach on the great God, when he says, God doth knoxu that in the day ye eat^- thereof^ your eyes shall be opened^ and ye shall be as Gods^ know- ing' good and evil. Here we may observe, 1^^, That he prefaces this reproach in a most vile and wicked manner, with an appeal to God for a confirmation of what he was about falsely to suggest, God doth knoxv^ &c. 2dly^ He puts her in mind, that there were some creatures above her, with an intent to excite in her pride and envy : and it is as though he had said ; notwithstanding your dominion over the creatures in this lower world, there are other creatures above you; for so our translation renders the words, gods^ meaning the angels. And Satan farther suggests, that these excel man, as in many other things, so particularly in know- ledge, thereby tempting her to be discontented with her pre- sent condition ; and, since knowledge is the highest of all na- tural excellencies, he tempts her heieby to desire a greater de- gree thereof, than God had allotted her, especially in her pre- "sent state, and so to desire to be equal to the angels in know- ledge ; which might seem to her a plausible suggestion, since knowledge is a desirable perfection. He does not commend the knowledge of fallen angels, or persuade her to desire to be like those who are the greatest favourites of God. From whence it may be observed, that it is a sin to desire many things that are in themselves excellent, provided it be die will of God that we should not enjoy them. But it may be observed, that a different sense may be given of the Hebrew word, which we translate gods : for i.t may as well be rendered, Ye shall be like God, that is. Ye shall have a great- er degree of the image of God ; particularly that part of it that consists in knowledge. But however plausible this suggestion might seem to be, she ought not to have desired this privilege, * The taords of the prohibition, in Gen. ii. 17. are. Ye shall surely die : loherea:- in tfie account she ^ives thereof to the serpent, lier wartk ar:, pnOD f 0 Tohich Ory keloi, in his Tar^my renders, Ne lorte nioriaiiiini. \ V©L. II, O 102 THE FALL OF MAN. if God did not design to give it, especially before the condition of the covenant she was under was performed ; much less ought she to have ventured to have sinned against God to obtain it. odly^ Satan farther suggests, that her eating of the tree of ^knowledge would be a means to attain tliis greater degree of Icnowledge ; therefore he says. In the day you eat thereof^ ijoiir €i,'es shall be opened^ &c. We cannot suppose, that he thought her so stupid as to conclude that there was a natural virtue in the fruit of this tree, to produce this effect ; for none can reason- ably suppose that there is a natural connexion between eating and increasing in knowledge. Therefore we may suppose, that he pretends that the eating thereof was God's ordinance for the attaining of knowledge ; so that, as the tree of life was a sacra- mental ordinance, to signify man's attaining eternal life, this tree was an ordinance for her attaining knowledge ; and there- fore that God's design in prohibiting her from eating of it, was, that she should be kept in ignorance, in comparison with what §.he might attain to by eating of it : Vile and blasphemous in- sinuation ! to suggest, not only that God envied her a privilege, which would have been so highly advantageous, but that the sinful violation of his law was an ordinance to obtain it. It is farther supposed, by some, though not mentioned in scripture, that Satan, to make his temptation more effectual, took and ate of the tree himself, and pretended, as an argu- ment to persuade her to do likewise, that it was by this means, that he, being a serpent, and as such on a level with other animals of the same species, had arrived to the faculty of talking and reasoning, so that now he had attained a kind of equality with man ; therefore if she eat of the same fruit, she might easily suppose she should attain to be equal with angels. By these temptations, Eve was prevailed on, and so we read, that she took of the fruit thereof and did eat ; it may be, the fruit was plucked off by the serpent, and held out to her, and she, with a trembling hand, received it from him., and thereby fell from her state of innocency. Having considered the fall of Eve, who was the first in the transgression, we are now to speak of the fall of Adam : This is expressed more concisely in the fore-mentioned chapter, ver. 6. She gave also unto her husband^ and he did eat. We are not to suppose that she gave him this fruit to eat, without his con- sent to take it; or that she did not preface this action with something not recorded in scripture : but it is most probable that she reported to him what had passed between her and the serpent, and prevailed on him by the same arguments which she was overcome by ; so that Adam's fall was, in some res- pect, owing to the devil, though Eve was the more immediate instrument thereof. And to this we may add, that, besides her TfHE FALL OF MAN. 103 alleging the arguments which the serpent had used to seduce her, it is more than probable she continued eating herself, and commending the pleasantness of the taste thereof, above all other fruits, as it might seem to her, when fallen, to be much more pleasant than really it was ; for forbidden fruit is sweet to cor- rupt nature. And besides, we may suppose, that, through a bold presumption, and the blindness of her mind, and the hard- ness of her heart, which immediately ensued on her fall, she might insinuate to her husband, that what the serpent had sug- gested was really true ; for as he had said. Ye shall not surely die, so now, though she had eaten thereof, she Avas yet alive ; and therefore that he might eat thereof, without fearing any evil consequence that would attend it : by this means he was pre- vailed upon, and hereby the ruin of mankind was completed.. Thus concerning *heir sin and falL V. We shall now consider what followed thereupon, as con- tained in that farther account we have of it, in Gen. iii. 7, Sec. And here we may observe, 1. That they immediately betray and discover their fallen state, inasmuch as they, Avho before knew not what shatne or fear ineant, now experienced these consequences inseparable from sin : They knew that they were naked, and accordingly they were ashamed; (a) and had a sense of guilt in their con- sciences, and therefore were afraid. This appears, in that, (a) The command hud been g^iven to Adam : he was the representative of Eve and his posterity ; according-.y, upon her eating, no change was discovered : but as soon as he ate, " the eyes of them both -were opened " They instantly felt a con- scious loss ofinnocence, and the; were ashumed of tlieir condition. This affection may liave either g(>od or evil as its exciting cause. The one spe- cies is praise-worthy, the ot-ier culpable. When there exists shame of evil, the honour of the party has been wounded. Honour, the boast of the irrel)g;ous, is the vanguard of virtue, and is always set for her defence, while she is contented witli her own station. I3ut when honour assumes the authority, which belongs to conscience and reason, the man becomes an idolater. For conscience aims at God's glory, honour at man's ; conscience leads to perfect integrity, whilst honour is contented with the reputation of it : the one makes us good, the other desires to become respectable. Conscience and religion will protluce that, which honour aims at the name of Honour without virtue, is mere hypocrisy. But honour as ancillary to virtue, will cLetect and vanquish temptation, before virtue may apprehend danger : slie is therefore to be regarded and fostered, but to be restrained within her own precincts. Shame of good is ratlier an evidence of a want of honour, and springs from dastardly cowardice : it argues wck faith, superficial knovvledge, and languid desires of good. Such knowledge and desires are barely enough to aggravate the guilt, and show it was deliberate. The relig.ous man must count upon opposition from a world hostile to holjj ness. His coiiduct and character will necessarily, by contrast, condemn those of the wicked. But he is neither to aband'. of him will 1 be ashamed." THE FALL OF MAN. ' 105 they broke most of them, and those both of the first and second table ; and it may truly be said, that, by losing their innocen- cy, and corrupting, defiling, and depraving their nature, and rendering themselves weak, and unable to perform obedience to any command, as they ought, they were virtually guilty of the breach of them all, as the apostle says. Whosoever shall keep the -whole laxu, and yet offend in one pointy he is guilty of all, James ii. 10. But, more particularly, there were several sins contained in this complicated crime ; as, (1.) A vain curiosity to know more than what was consist- ent with their present condition, or, at least, a desire of increas- ing in knowledge in an unlawful way. (2.) Discontentment with their present condition; though without the least shadow of reason leading to it. (3.) Pride and ambition, to be like the angels, or like God^ in those things, in which it was unlawful to desire it : it may be, they might desire to be like him in independency, absolute sovereignty, ^c. which carries in it downright Atheism, for a creature to desire thus to be like to him. (4.) There was an instance of profaneness, in supposing that this tree was God's ordinance, for the attaining of knowledge, and accounting that, which was in itself sinful, a means to pro- cure a greater degree of happiness. (5.) It contained in it unbelief, and a disregard, either to the promise annexed to the covenant given to excite obedience, or the threatening denounced to deter from sin ; and, on the other hand, they gave credit to the devil, rather than God. (6.) There was in it an instance of bold and daring pre- sumption, concluding that all would be well with them, or that they should, notwithstanding, remain happy, though in open rebellion against God, by the violation of his law ; concluding, as the serpent suggested, that they should not surely die. (7.) It was the highest instance of ingratitude, inasmuch as it was committed soon after they had received their being from God, and that honour of having all things in this world put under their feet, and the greatest plenty of provisions, both for their satisfaction and delight, and no tree of the garden pro- hibited, but only that which they ate of. Gen. ii. 16, 17. (8.) It was committed against an express v/arning to the contrary; therefore whatever dispute might arise concerning other things being lawful, or unlawful, there was no question but that this was a sin, because expressly forbidden, by God, and a caution given them to abstain from it. (9.) If we consider them as endowed with a rectitude of na- ture, and in particular that great degree of knowledge which God gave them : This must be reckoned a sin against the greatest light ; so that whsit inadvertency soever there might 106 - THE lALL or MAST. have been, as to what respects that which first led the way fc a sinful compHance : they had a sufficient degree of know- ledge to have fenced against the snare, how much soever they pretended themselves to be beguiled and deceived, as an ex- cuse for their sin ; and, had they made a right use of their knowledge, they would certainly have avoided it. (10.) Inasmuch as one of our first parents proved a tempter to the other, and the occasion of his ruin, this contained a no- torious instance of that want of conjugal affection and concern for the welfare of each other, which the law of nature, and the relation they stood in to one another, required. (11.) As our first parents were made after the image of God, this sin contained their casting contempt upon it ; for they could not but know that it would despoil them of it. And as eternal blessedness was to be expected if they yielded obe- dience, this they also contemned, and, as every sinner does, they despised their own souls in so doing. (12.) As Adam was a public person, the federal head of all his posterity, intrusted with the important affair of their hap- piness, though he knew that his fall would ruin them, together with himself, there was not only in it a breach of trust, but a rendering himself, by this means, the common destroyer of all mankind j which was a greater reproach to him, than his being their common father was an honour. We shall conclude with a few inferences from what has been said, concerning the fail of our first parents. Isty If barely the mutability of man's will, without any pro- pensity or inclination to sin in his nature, may endanger, though not necessitate, his fall, especially when left to himself, ^as the result of God's sovereign will; then how deplorable is the state of fallen man, when left to himself by God in a judi- cial way, being, at the same time, indisposed for any thing that is good. 2(//y, From the action of the devil, in attempting to ruin man, without the least provocation, merely out of malice a- gainst God, we may infer the vile and heinous nature of sin, its irreconcileable opposition to God ; and also how much they resemble the devil, who endeavour to persuade others to join with them as confederates in iniquity, and thereby to bring them under the same condemnation with themselves : this is contrary to the dictates of human nature, unless considered as vile, degenerate, and depraved by sin. 3(//z/, How dangerous a thing is it to go in the way of temp- tation, or to parley with it, and not to resist the first motion that is made to turn us aside from oiu- duty ? And what need have we daily to pray, as instructed by oui- Saviour, that God THE FALL OF MAN. igV would not, by any occurrence of providence, lead us into temp- tation ! 4t/ilyj We learn, from hence, the progress and great increase of sin : it is like a spreading leprosy, and arises to a great height from small beginnings ; so that persons proceed from one degree of wickedness to another, without considering what will be the sad effect and consequence thereof. Quest. XXII. Did all matikind fall in that Jirst trans* gression P Answ. The covenant being made with Adam, as a public per- son, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in that first transgression. HAVING shewn,, in the foregoing answer how our first pa- rents sinned and fell, we are now led to consider, how their fall affected all their posterity, whom they represented ; and accordingly it is said, that the covenant was made with Adam, as a federal head, not for himself only, but all his pos- terity; so that they sinned in, and fell with him. But, before we enter more particularly on this subject, it may not be im- proper to enquire, whether this chai'acter, of being the head of the covenant, respects only Adam, or both our first parents ? I am sensible there are many who think this covenant was made •with Adam, as the head of his posterity, exclusive of Eve ; so that, as he did not represent her therein, but his seed, she was not, together with him, the representative of mankind ; therefore, though the covenant was made with her, and she was equally obliged to perform the conditions thereof, yet she was only to stand or fall for herself, her concern herein being^ only pei'sonal ; and therefore it follows, from hence, that when she fell, being Jirst in the transgression^ all mankind could not be said to sin and fall in her, as thev did in Adam ; there- fore, if she alone had sinned, she would have perished alone. And ii it be objected hereunto, that she could not then be the mother of innocent children, for ivho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean f The reply, which is usually given to this, which is only matter of conjecture, is, that God would have created some other woman, who should have been the mother of a sinless posterity, {a) The reason why these conclude that the covenant was made only with Adam, is because we never read expresslv, in scrip- ture, of its being made with Eve in behalf of her posterity; and particularly it is said, in Gen. ii. 16, 17. that the Lord God (n) If Adam represented Eve (his riW) in the covcnaat, siie did not fall till he felL iO& THE FALL ©F MAN. commanded the man^ sayings Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of khowledge of good and evil ^ thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And it is observed, that this law was given to him before the Avoman w^as created ; for it said, in the following words, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And, in other scriptures, which treat of this matter, we read of the man's being the head of the covenant, but not his wife : thus the apostle, in 1 Cor. xv. 45, 47. compares him, whom he styles, the first man^ Adam, as the head of this covenant, with Christ, whom he calls. The second man, as the head of the covenant of grace ; and elsewhere he says. As in Adam all die, so iti Christ shall all be made alive, ver. 22. and again By one man sin entered into the world, &c. Rom. V. 12. and By one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, ver. 19. It is not said by the disobedience of our first parents, but of one of them, to wit, Adam ; therefore, from hence, they conclude, that he only was the head of this covenant, and here- in the representative of mankind. But, though I would not be too peremptory in determining this matter, yet, I think, it may be replied to what has been said in defence thereof; that though it is true, it is said, in the scripture, but now mentioned, that God forbade the man to cat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, before the woman was created, yet she expressly says, that the prohibition re- spected them both *, when he tells the serpent. We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden ; but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Te shall not eat there- of, lest ye die. Gen. iii. 2, 3. Besides, we read, that Eve had dominion over the creatures, as well as Adam, Gen. i. 26 — 28. it is true, it is said, that God created man, &c. but by the word man, both our first parents are intended ; for it immediately follows, arid he blessed them, therefore the woman was not ex- cluded; so that we may apply the apostle's words, (though used with another view) The man is not without the xuoman, 710 r the woman rvithout the man, in the Lord, 1 Cor. xi. 11. to this particular dispensation of providence. And there seems to be the same reason for one's being constituted the federal head of their posterity, as the other, since they were both de- signed to be the common parents thereof > the tenor of the co- venant £;eems to be the same with respect to them both, and the tree of life was a seal and pledge of blessings, to be con- veyed by both. But to proceed to consider the subject-matter of this an- swer, * Tlie compilers of the LXX. seem to have understood the words in this sense, 7'jheii thei^ render the text in Gca iL 17. « /«? n/uifit, ^xyi^/n «?» tttm QxmTsc *3-«S*rwc6ii. THE FALL OF MAN. l09 1. W'e shall prove, that Adam was a public person, the head of the covenant with whom it was made for himself, and all his posterity. When we speak of him as the head of our pos- terity, we do not only mean their common parent, for, had there been no other idea contained therein, I cannot see how they could be said to fall in him ; for it doth not seem agree- able to the justice of God to punish children for their parents' sins, unless they make them their own, at least, not with such a punishment that carries in it a separation from his presence, and a liableness to the condemning sentence of the law. Therefore Adam must be considered as constituted their head, in a federal way, by an act of God's sovereign Avill, and so must be regarded as their representative, as v»^ell as their common parent ; which, if it can be proved, then they may be said to fall with him. For the understanding hereof, we must conclude him to have been the head of the world, even as Christ is the Head of his elect ; so that, in the same sense as Christ's righteousness becomes their's to wit, by imputation, Adam's obedience, had he stood, would have been imputed to all his posterity, as his sin is, now he is fallen. This is a doctrine founded on pure revelation : and therefore we must have recourse to scripture, to evince the truth thereof. Ac- cordingly, 1. There are several scriptures in which this doctrine is contained; as that in Rom. v. 14. where the apostle speaks cwiccrning our fall in Adam, whom he calls, the f^ure * of him that was to come. Now, in what was Adam a tvpe of Christ ? Not as he was a man, consisting of soul and body; for, in that respect, all that lived before Christ, might as justly be called types of him. Whenever we read of any person, or things, being a tvpe in scripture, there are some peculiar cir- cumstances by which they may be distinguished from all other persons, or things that are not types. Now Adam was distin- guished from all other persons, more especially as he was the federal head of all his posterity ; and that he was so, appears from what the apostle not only occasionally mentions, but large- ly insists on, and shews in what respect this was true ; and he particularly observes, that as one conveyed death the other was? the head, or Prince of Life. These respective things indeed, were directly opposite, therefore the analogy, or resemblance, consisted only in the manner of conveying them ; so that as death did not become due to us, in the first instance of our liableness to it, for our own actual sin, but the sin of Adam ; that right we have to eternal life, by justification, is not the re- sult of our own obedience, but Christ's : This is plainly the a- postle's method of reasoning. Now, if Christ was, in this re- • lymi, the Type. yoL.ii. - p 110 THE FALL OP MAN. spect a federal Head and Representative of his people, then Adam, who is in this, or in nothing, his type, or figure, must be the Head of a covenanty in which his posterity were in- cluded. There is another scripture, by which this may be proved in 1 Cor. XV. 45 • 59. where the apostle speaks of the Jirst and second Adam; by the latter he means Christ. Now, why should he be called the second man, who lived so many ages after Adam, if he did not design to speak of him, as typified by him, or bearing some resemblance of him ? And, in other ex- pressions, he seems to imply as much, and shews how we de- rive death from Adam, of whom he had been speaking, in the foregoing verses. Accordingly, he says. The Jirst man was of the earthy earthy i and, as is the earthy ^ such are they also that are earthy^ and rue have borne the image of the earthy ; so that if Adam was the root and occasion of all the miseries we endure in this world, arising from his violation of the covenant he was under, it plainly proves, that he was therein the head and re* presentative of all his posterity. For the farther proof of this, we may take occasion to consi- der the apostle^s method of reasoning, in the scripture but now referred to, By one man sin entered into the world^ that is,, by the first man, in xvhom all have sinned, Rom. v. 12. so I would choose to render it rather than as it is in our translation, since this seems to be the most natural sense of the word*; and it proves Adam, in whom all sinned, to be their head and repre- sentative, and also agrees best with the apostle's general design, or argument, insisted on, and farther illustrated in the foUow- ing verses. Again, the apostle speaks of those penal evils consequent on Adam's sins, which could not have befallen us, had he not been our federal head and representative ; Thus, in ver. 18. By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemna- tion f . It may be observed, that the apostle, in this text, uses a word, which we translate condemnation \ ; which cannot, with * 'E?' ». f T^e -words are, »? St ivc; ■V'i.funlnfjLulo^, u; vcttl'M stvB-fuma; it; Kuluit[it/jia.> The ivordJndgment, though 7iot in the original, is ven/ justly supplied in our trans- lation, from verse 16. or else, as the learned Grotius observes, the word eywtlo might have bee^i supplied; and so the meaning is. Res processit in condemnationem. .^n*? J. Capelhts gives avery good sense of the text, when he compares Jidam as theheaj^ tvho brought death into the -world, ivith Christ by -whom life is obtained. His -wordt: are these .- Quemadmoclum omncs homines, quicondemnantnr, reatum suum con- traxerant, ab una tinius hominis ofiensa; sic & quotquot vivificantur, absolutio ■ nem suam obtinuerunt ab una anius liominis obedientia. I The word x^lciKiiiuaL is used in scripture, in a forensic sense, in those places of the J\''c-w Testament, -ivhere it is found: Thus ver. 16. of this chapter, and chap. viii. 1. Jind accordingly ii signifes a judg7ne7it 7in(o condemnation ; as also do those . words, the sense whereof has an affinity to it, in Rom. viii. 34. ti; o naJuKinvaev •, and aUo xxv.hxftl);, as in Acts xvi, 27. and- chap. xxii. 25. So that, according (a ths TBE FALL OF HAN. Ml any maimer of consistency, be taken in any other than a foren- sick sense ; and therefore he argues, from thence, that we are liable to condemnation, by the offence of Adam ; whicli certain- ly proves the imputation of his offence to us, and consequently he is considered therein as our federal head. 2. This farther appears, in that all mankind are exposed to many miseries, and to death, which are of a penal nature ; therefore they must be considered, as the consequence of sin. Now they cannot be the conseqiience of actual sin, in those, who are miserable and die, as soon as they are born, who have not Slimed dfter the similitude of Adain^s ti-ansgres»ion ; there- fore this must be the result of his sin, which it could not be,, had he not been the federal head of all his posterity, fa J Object. It is objected to this, that God might, out of his mere sovereignty, ordain that his creatures should be exposed to some degree of misery ', and, if this misery be not considered, as the punishment of sin, in infants, then it does not prove the impu- tation of Adam's sin to them ; and even their death, considered only as a separation of soul and body, may not contain in it a proper idea of punishment, (which consists in the stroke of jus- tice, demanding satisfaction for sin) if it be only reckoned an expedient, or a necessary means for their attaining eternal life. Therefore it doth not follow, that, because we are liable to death, before we have done good or evil, it must necessarily be a pun- ishment due to that sin, which was committed by Adam. Ansiv. 1. I will not deny but that God might dispense some lesser degrees of natural evil, to a sinless creature, out of his mere sovereignty ; neither will I contend with any, who shall say, that he might, without any dishonour to his perfections, send on him an evil, sensibly great, provided it were not only consistent with his love, but attended with those manifestations and displays thereof, which would more than compensate for it, and, at the same time, not have any tendency to prevent the conttruction of the -word, though xpi/^it signifes jiulicium in general, xaV^x^/^* sig- Tj/^e* judicium adversus aliquem, or condemnatio. (a) That mankind are born and live in sin, m:<\ be collected from various sour- res of ai'gument; by matter of fact, none are found free from, who are capable of actual guilt, by the evils and death which a just God would not otherwise in flict; by the ideas of tlie ancients who speak of a degeneration from a goldei:, to un iron age, by the general practice of offering sacrifice, which is an acknow- ment of guilt, by the testimony of the heathens, that evil example has a prepon- derating influence over good, by tlie historical account of llie fall of man in the scriptures, by their numerous testimonies that none arc riirhteous before God or can be justified by their obedience to his laws, by the confessions of the saints, by the necessity of repentance in all, by t>ief propriety of prayer for the pardon ot' sin, by Christ's example of daily praye'r \vhich contains such a petition, by the necessity of faith that we may pleasie Cod, by man's unjvillingness to be reconci- led to God, and rejection of all the spiritual good things offered, and contempt of divine threatiiings ; and above all other proofs, by the coming and suffering of Christ. 112 THE FALL OF MAN. answering the end of his being ; yet I may be bold to sav, that, Vom the nature of the thing, God cannot inflict the least degree of punishment on a creature, who is, in all respects guiltless. If therefore these lesser evils are penal, they are the conse- quence of Adam's sin. 2. As for death, that must be considered as a penal evil ; for, as such, it was first denounced, as a part of the curse, con- sequent on Adam's sin ; and the apostle says, The wages of sin is death^ Rom. vi. 23. and elsewhere he speaks of all men, as dying in Adam, 1 Cor. xv. 2^3. and therefore his sin is im- puted to all mankind ; and consequently he was their federal head and representative in the covenant that he was under. II. They, whose federal head and representative Adam was, are such as descended from him by ordinary generation. The design of this limitation is to signify, that our Saviour is ex- cepted, and consequently that he did not sin or fall in him, in- asmuch as he was born of a virgin ; therefore, though he had the same human nature with all Adam's posterity, yet he did not derive it from him, in the same way as they do ; and a si- militude of nature, or his being a true and proper Man, does not render him a descendant from Adam, in the same way as we are. The formation of his human nature was the effect of miraculous, supernatural, creating power ; therefore he was no more liable to Adam's sin, as being a Man, than a world of men would be, should God create them out of nothing, or out of the dust of the gromid, by a mediate creation, which would be no more miraculous, or supernatural, than it was to form the human nature of Christ in the womb of a virgin. Now, as persons, so formed, would not be concerned in Adam's sin, or fall, whatever similitude there might be of nature ; even so our Saviour was not concerned therein, faj Moreover, that we might understand that he was not included in this federal transaction with Adam, the apostle opposes him, as the second i^i^m, the federal Head of his elect, or spiritual seed, to Adam, thQ first man, and head of his natural seed,' in that scripture before referred to, ver. 45. And, as an argu- ment, that his extraordinary and miraculous conception ex- empted him from any concern in Adam's sin and fail ; the an- gel, that gave the first intimation hereof, when he tells the bless- ed virgin, his mother, that the Holy Ghost should come upon her^ that the poxvcr of the highest should over-shadorv her, he says, Therefore that Holy Thing, that shall be born of thee, shall be called, the Son of God ; thereby implies, that, in his first forma- tion, he was holy, and consequently had no concern in the guilt of Adam's sin, because of the manner of his formation, or con- ception ; and this is certainly a better way to accouat for his be- ("a J The covenant of grace vas from eternityj and implied bis innocence. THE FALL OF MAN. 313 ing sinless, than to pretend, as the Papists do, that his mother was sinless ; which will do no service to their cause, unless they could ascend in a line to our first parents, and so prove, that all our Saviour's progenitors were immaculate, as well as the virgin ; which is more than they pretend to do. III. It is farther observed, in this answer, that mankind sinned in and fell with Adam in his Jirst transgression^ and therefore they had no concern in those sins, which he commit- ted afterwards. This appears from hence, that Adam, as soon as he sinned, lost the honour and prerogative, that was confer- red upon him, of being the federal head of his posterity, though he was their natural head, or common father ; for the cove- nant being broken, all the evils, that we were liable to, arising from thence, were devolved upon us, and none of the blessings, contained therein, could be conveyed to us that way, since it was impossible for him, after his fall, to perform sinless obe- dience, which was the condition of the life promised therein. This doth not arise so much from the nature of the covenant, as from the change that there was in man, with whom it was made. The law, or covenant, would have given life, if man could have yielded perfect obedience ; but since his fall ren- dered that impossible, though the obligation thereof, as a law^ distinct from a covenant, and the curse, arising from the sanc- tion thereof, remains still in force against fallen man ; yet, as a covenant, in which life was promised, it was, from that time, abrogated; and therefore the apostle speaks of it, as being 7veak through the Jiesh^ Rom. viii. 3. that is, by reason of A- dam'^s transgression, and consequently he ceased, from that time, to be the federal head, or means of conveying life to his posterity ; thei-efore those sins that he committed afterwards, were no more imputed to them, to inhance their condemnation, than his repentance, or good works, were imputed for their jus- tification. IV. Having considered the first transgression of Adam, as i inputcd to all those who descended from him by ordinary gene- ration, we shall proceed to consider, how this doctrine is op- j)Osed, by those who are in the contrar>^ way of thinking. Object. 1. It is objected, that what is done by one man can- not be imputed to another ; for this is contrary to the divine perfections, to the law of nature, and the express words of scripture. It is true, that which is done by us, in our ov/n per- sons, may be imputed to us, whether it be good or evil. Thus it is said, that Phinehas's zealin executing judgment^ bu xvhich means the plague xuas stayed^xvas counted to hiyn for righteous- ness^ Psal. cvi. 30, 31. so was Abraham's yazV/?, Rom. iv. 9, 23. Accordingly God approved of these their respective good actions, as what denominated them righteous persons, and pla- 114 THE FALL OF MAN. ced them to their account, as bestowing on them sdlYie rewards accordingly ; so, on the other hand, a man's own sin may be im- puted to him, and he may be dealt with as an offender: But to impute the sin committed by one person to another, is to sup- pose that he has committed that sin which was really committed by another ; in which case, the Judge of all the earth would not do right. Answ. When we speak of persons being punished for a crime committed by another, as being imputed to them, we understand the word imputation in a forensick sense, and therefore we do not suppose that here is a wrong judgment passed on persons or things, as though the crime were reckoned to have been commit- ted by them ; accordingly we do not say, that we committed that sin, which was more immediately committed by Adam. In him it was an actual sin ; it is ours, as imputed to us, or as we are punished for it, according to the demerit of the offence, and the tenor of the covenant, in which we were included. Moreover, it is not contrary to the law of nature, or nations, for the iniquity of some public persons to be punished in many others, so that whole cities and nations have suffered on their account ; and as for scripture-instances hereof, we often read of whole families and nations, suffering for the crimes of those, who had been public persons, and exemplary in sinning. Thus Achan coveted the wedge of gold, and, for this, he suffered not alone ; but his sons and daughters were stoned^ and burned ^tk firc^ together with himself, Joshua vii. 24, 25. though we do not expressly read, that they were confederates with him in the crime. And as for the Amalekites, who, without provoca- tion, came out against Israel in the wilderness, God threatens them, that he would have ivar rvith them for th'is^from gene^ ration to generation^ Exod. xvii. 16. and in pursuance of this threatening, God, imputing the crime of their forefathers to their posterity, some hundreds of years after, ordered Saul to go and utterly, destroy fhejn^ by slaying both man and rvoman^ infant and suckling, i Sam. xv. 2, 3. And the sin of Jeroboam was punished in his posterity, according to the threatening de- nounced, 1 Kings xiv. 10, 11. as was also the sin of Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 21, 22. And the church acknowledges, that it was a righteous dispensation of providence for God to bring upon Judah those miseries, which immediately preceded, and fol- lowed their being carried captive, when they say. Our fathers have si?ined, and are not ; andtve have borne their iniquity. Lam. V. 7. and our Saviour speaks to the same purpose, when he tells the Jews, That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, rvhom ye slew between the temple and the altar, Matth. xxiii. 35. These instances, and others of THE FALL OF MAN. 115 the like nature, prove that it is no unheard of thing, for one man to suffer for a crime committed by another *. But I am sensible the principal thing intended in the objec- tion, when this is supposed to be contrary to scripture, is, that it contradicts the sense of what the prophet says, when he tells the people, that thei/ should not hove occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel^ The fathers have eaten sour grapes^ and the children's teeth are set on edge ; for the soul that sinneth shall die^ Ezek. xviii. 2 — 4. the meaning of which scripture is, that if they were humble and penitent, and did not commit those crimes that their fathers had done, they should not be punished for them, which was a special act of favour, that God would grant them on tliis supposition ', and it is as much as to say, that he would not impute their father's sins to them, or suffer them to be carried captive, merely because their fathers had deserved this desolating judgment. But this does not, in all respects, agree with the instance before us ; for we are considering Adam as the federal head of his posterity, and so their fathers were not to be considered in this, and such like scriptures. More- over, the objectors will hardly deny, that natural death, and the many evils of this life, are a punishment, in some respects, for the sin of our first parents. Therefore the question is not, whether some degree of punishment may ensue hereupon ? but, whether the greatest degree of the punishment of sin in hell, can be said to be the consequence hereof ? But this we shall be led more particularly to consider, under a following answer f . Object, 2. It is farther objected, that it is not agreeable to the divine perfections, for God to appoint Adam to be the head and representative of all his posterity ; so that they must stand, or fall, with respect to their spiritual and eternal concerns in him, inasmuch as this was not done by their own choice and consent, which they were not capable of giving, since they were not existent. The case say they, is the same, as though a king should appoint a representative body of men, and give them a power to enact laws, whereby his subjects should be dispossess- ed of their estates and properties, which no one can suppose to • Thit is not only agreeable to mavy instancet contained in scripture, but it has ieen ackno-wledged to be just by the uery fteuthen, a* agreeable to the Uno of nature and nations. Thus one says : Sometimes a ivhole city is pimishedfor the wickedness •/ one man : Thus Uesiod, 7r»}j\Mn mcu ^ufATrAva. irohK »duiit avJ'fo! KTcLvfu ; and Horace says, Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi : Aid one obsei-ves, that it was the custom o/sevei-al cities of Greece, to inflict the same punishment on the childvenof tyrants, as their fathers had done on others : In Grsecis civitatibus liberi tyranno- rum suppressis illis, eodem supplicio afficiuntur. Vid. Cicer. Epist. ad Brut. XV. i/f Q. Curt. Lib. VI. speaks of a late observed among the J\facedoniana ; in 7vhich, traiterous conspiracies against the life of the prince were punished, not only in the traitors themselves, but in their near relations. Qui regi infidlati ess^t, iiu euro cognatis & propinquis suis mortc affivtrtutwr t See (iuest. xivU, 116 THE FALL OF MAN. be just ; whereas if they had chosen them themselv es, they would have no reason to complain of any injustice that was done them, inasmuch as the laws, made by their representatives, are, in effect, their own laws. Therefore, to apply this to the case before us, had all mankind chose Adam to be their repre- sentative, or consented to stand or Fall in him, there would have been no reason to complain of the dispensation of God's provi- dence, relating hereunto : but, inasmuch as it was otherwise, it does not seem agreeable to the justice of God, to constitute him the head and representative of all his posterity : so that, by his fall, they should be involved in ruin, and eternal perdition. Answ. There are various methods taken to ansM^er this ob- jection. 1. Some say little more to it than this : That if Adam had retained his integrity, we should have accepted of, and rejoiced in that life, which he would have procured by his standing ; there would then have been no complaint, or finding fault, with the divine dispensation, as though it had been unjust; there- fore, since he fell, and brought death into the world, it is rea- sonable that we should submit, and acknowledge, that all the ways of God are equal. But, though we must all allow that submission to the will of God, in whatever he does, is the crea- tures duty, yet I cannot think this a sufficient answer to the objection, and therefore would not lay much stress upon it, but proceed to consider what may be farther said in answer to it. 2. Others say, that, since Adam was the common father, and consequently the most honourable of mankind, (our Sa- viour only excepted, whom he did not represent) therefore it was fit that he should have this honour conferred upon him ; so that, had all his posterity been existent, and the choice of a representative been wholly referred to them, the law of nature would have directed to, and pointed out the man, who ought, in this respect, to have the preference to all others. This answer bids fairer, I confess to remove the difficulty than the other, especially if it be added, that God might have given Adam some advantages of nature, above the rest of mankind, besides that relative one, arising from his being their common father ; and therefore, that it would have been their interest, as well as their duty, to have chosen him, as being best qualified to per- form the work that was devolved upon him. 3. But, since this will not wholly remove the difficulty, it is farther alleged, that God chose him, and therefore we ought to acquiesce in his choice ; and, indeed, had all mankind been, then existent, supposing them to be in a state of perfect holiness (and we must not suppose the contrary) then they would have acknowledged the equity of this divine dispensation, other- wise they would have actually sinaed, and fallen, in rejecting THE FALL OF MAN. 11? and complaining of the will of God. But this will not satisfy those who advance the contrary scheme of? doctrine, and deny the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity, who still com- plain of it, as a ver}' severe dispensation, and conclude, that the sovereignty of God is pleaded for against his other perfections ; therefore something farther must be added, in answer to the objection. We freely allow, that it is not equitable (to use the similitude taken from human forms of government) for a king to appoint a representative, who shall have a power committed to him, to take away the properties, or estates of his subjects : but this does not, in many respects, agree with the matter under our present consideration : nevertheless, if we were to suppose, that these subjects had nothing which they could call their own, se- parate from the will of the prince, and their properties and es- tates were not only defended, but given by him, and that upon this tenure, that he reserved to himself a right to dispossess them of them at his pleasure ,* in this case, he might, without any injustice done them, appoint a representative, by whose conduct they might be forfeited, or retained; and this agrees with our present argument. Accordingly let it be considered, that there were some things which Adam was possessed of in his state of innocency, and others which he was given to ex- pect, had he stood, which he had no natural right to, separate from the divine will ; therefore it follows, from hence, that God might, without doing his posterity any injustice, repose this in the hands of a mutable creature, so that it should be retained or lost for them, according as he stood or fell. And this will appear less exceptionable, when we consider the nature of that guilt, which all manlcind were brought under, by Adam's sin^ and tlie loss of original righteousness, as the consequence of his fall ; which they, who maintain the other side of the question, generally represent, in such a way, as though we supposed that there were no difference between it, and the guilt contracted, together with the punishment ensuing on actual sins, how great soever they are. But this will be more particularly considered imder a following answer,* in which we shall endeavour to take a just estimate of the difference between the guilt of Adam's sin, imputed to us, and that of actual sins committed by us. Quest. XXIII. Into what estate did the fall bring' mankitid^ Answ. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. * See Quest, xxvij. Vol. II; Q 118 OF si?r. Quest. XXIV, What h sin P Answ. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature. Quest. XXV. Wherein consisteth the sinfulness of that estate zvhereinto man fell? Answ. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, con- sisteth in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of that righ- teousness wherein he was created ; and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually, which is commonly called, Original sin, and from which do proceed all actual trans- gressions. Quest. XXVI. How is original sin conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity ? Answ. Original sin is conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity by natural generation, so as all that proceed from them, in that way, are conceived and born in sin. HAVING considered the fall of our first parents, and all mankind being so far concerned therein, as that their sin is imputed to them ; we are now led to speak concerning that sin and misery which ensues hereupon. And, I. This is not barely called a single act of sin, or one par- ticular instance of misery, but a state of sin and misery. Man's being brought into a state of sin, is sometimes called sin's reign- ing, or having dominion over him ; and his being brought into a state of misery, is called the reign, or dominion of death ; so that as, by various steps, we proceed from one degree of sin unto another, our condemnation is gradually enhanced thereby. This is the subject matter of the first of these answers. II. We have a brief definition of sin, in which there is some- thing supposed, namely,- that there was a law given, and pro- mulgated, as a rule of obedience, to the reasonable creature, without which there could be no sin committed, or guilt con- tracted; as the apostle saith^ Where no laxv is^ there is no trans- gression, Rom. iv^ 15. or. Sin is not imputed^ where there is 710 laxv^ chap. v. 13. And inasmuch as it is observed, that the subjects, bound by this law, are reasonable creatures; this gives us to understand, that though other creatures be the eflfect of God's power, and the objects of his providence, yet they are not the subjects of moral government. They cannot therefore be under a law, in- asmuch as they are not capable of understanding their relation to God, as Sovereign, or their obligation to obey him, or the or SINT. 119 meaning of a law, Avhich is the rule thei-eof. Moreover, we ha,ve in this answer, an account of the formal nature of sin. 1. It is considered, either in its negative, or rather privalive idea, as containing in it a defect, or want of conformity to tiie law, a privation of that rectitude of nature, or right/iousness tliat man had at first, or our not performing that v/hich we are bound, by the law of God, to do ; and those particular instan- ces of sin, included herein, are called sins of omission. 2. It is described by its positive idea, and so it is called, a transgression of the law, or doing that which is forbidden by it. Thus it is called, by the apostle, The transgression of the IcnVy 1 John iii. 4. This we shall not insist on at present, inasmuch as we shall have occasion to enlarge on this head, when we con- sider the sins forbidden, under each of the ten commandments, and the various aggra\ations thereof.* III. We are, in the next answer, ltd to consider the sinful- ness of all miinkind, as fallen in Adam, or original sin, as de- rived to, and discovered in us ; and this consists more espe- cially in our being guilty of Adam's first sin, our wanting that righteousness which he was possessed of; and also in the cor- ruption of nature, from whence all actual transgressions pro- ceed. 1. We shall enquire what we are to understand by the guilt of Adam's first sin. Having before shewn that his disobe- dience is imputed to his posterity, that which is the result there- of, is, that all the world becomes guilty before God : guilt is an obligation, or liableness to suffer punishment for an offence committed, in proportion to the aggravations thereof!, Now, since this guilt was not conti-acted by us, but imputed to us, we must consider it as the same, in all ; or not admitting of any degrees ; nevertheless, there is a very great difference between that guilt which is the result of sin imputed to, and that which arises fi-om sin's being committed by us. They, who do not put a just difference between these two, give occasion to many pre- judices against this doctrine, and do not sufficiently vindicate the perfections of God, in his judiciary proceedings in punish- ing one or the other of them. That we may avoid tliis inconve- nience, let it be considered, that original and actual sins differ more especially in two respects. (1.) The sin of our first parents, how heinous soever it was in them, as being an actual transgiession, attended with the highest aggravations, yet it cannot be said to be our actual sin, or committed by an act of our will ; therefore, though the im- putation thereof to us, as has been before proved, is righteous, yet it has not those circumstances attending it, as though it had been comiiitted by us. Therefore, • See Qji'jsf. cv. — cli. 120 OF SIN. (2.) The guilt thereof, or the punishment due to it, cannot be so great as the guilt we contract, or the punishment we are lia- ble to, for actual sins, which are committed with the approba- tion and consent of the will, and as they are against some degree of light and convictions of conscience, and manifold engage- ments to the contrary : but this does not properly belong to Adam's sin, as imputed to us ; nor is the punishment due to it the same, as though it had been committed by us in our own persons. But, that we may not be misunderstood, let it be considered, that we are not speaking of the corruption of nature inherent in us. We do not deny, but that the fountain that sends forth all actual sins, or that sin reigning in the heart, is, in various respects, more aggravated, than many others that are commit- ted, which we call actual transgressions, as the corrupt foun- tain is worse than the streams, or the root than the branch, or the cause than the effect. But when we consider, as at present we do Adam's sin only, as imputed, and as being antecedent to that corruption of nature, which is the immediate cause of sinful actions j or when we distinguish between original sin, as imputed and inherent, we only understand, by the former, that it cannot expose those who never committed any actual sins, to so great a degree of guilt and punishment, as the sins com- mitted by them are said to expose them to. And let it be farther observed, that we do not say that there is no punishment due to original sin, as imputed to us ; for that would be to suppose that there is no guilt attending it, ■which is contrary to what we have already proved ; but all our design, at present, is, to put a just difference between Adam's sin, imputed to us, and those that are committed by us. And, indeed, if what we have said under this head, be not true, the state of infants, dying in infancy, under the guilt of Adam's sin, must be equally deplorable with that of the rest of man- kind; therefore, when I find some expressing themselves to tliis purpose, I cannot wonder that others, who deny this doc- trine are offended at it. It is one thing to say, that they are exposed to no punishment at all, which none, that observp the miseries that we are liable to, from our first appearance in the world, to our leaving it, whether sooner or later, can well de- ny ; and another thing to say, that they are exposed to the same punishment for it, as though they had actually committed it i the former we allow; the latter we must take leave to deny lest we should give occasion to any to think that the Judge of alj does any thing, which carries in it the least appearance of se- verity, and injustice. Thus concerning the guilt of Adam's first sin, imputed to us ; which leads us to consider the effects thereof. Accordingly, OF SIN. 121 2. Man is said to want that righteousness which he had at first, which is generally called, original righteousness. This is styled, the privative part of original sin, as the corruption of the human nature, and its propensity to all sin, is the positive part thereof. In considering the former of these, or man's want of original righteousness, we may observe, (1.) That man has not wholly lost God's natural image, which he was possessed of, as an intelligent creature, consist- ing in his being endowed as such with an understanding, capa- ble of some degree of the knowledge of himself and divine things ; and a will, in many respects, free, viz. as to what con- cerns natural things, or some external branches of religion, or things materially good, and in his having executive powers, to act agreeably thereunto ; though these are miserably defaced, and come far short of that perfection, which he had in the state in which he was first created. Some have compared this to an /aid decayed building, which has, by the ruins of time, lost its strength and beauty, though it retains something of the shape and resemblance of what it was before. Thus the powers and faculties of the soul are weakened, but not wholly lost, by the fall. They are like the fruits of the earth, which are shrivelled and withered in winter, and look as though they are dead ; or like a man, who has out-lived himself, and has lost the vivacity and sprightliness of his parts, as well as the beauty of his body, w^hich he formerly had. (2.) Our ability to yield acceptable obedience to God, much more perfect obedience, is wholly lost, as being destitute of a principle of spiritual life and grace, which must, if ever we have it, be implanted in regeneration ; so that every one may say with the apostle. In vie (that is^ in myjiesh,) dxvelleth no good things Rom. vii. 18. (3.) We are destitute of a right to the heavenly blessedness, and all those privileges, that were promised upon condition of our first pai-ents performing perfect obedience, according to the tenor of the covenant made with them in their state of innq- ctncy. This want of original righteousness is the immediate conse- quence of Adam's first sin. By original righteousness we un- derstand, either that freedom from guilt, which man had before he sinned, which exempted him from any liableness to condem- nation, and afforded him a plea before God for his retaining the blessings he was possessed of; and, had h^ persisted longer iu his integrity, it would have given him a right to a greater degree of happiness : His perfect obedience was his righteousness, in a forensick sense ; and the failure thereof, in our first parents, ren- dered both them and us destitute of it. But, since this is the same with what is expressed in the foregoing words, wherein we are 122 or SIN. denominated guilty of Adam's first sin, wc must consider some- thing else, as intended in this expression, when we are said to want that righteousness wherein he was created. We have before observed, that, by the fall of our first parents, the image of God in man was defaced : But now, we are to speak of his supernatural image, as what was wholly lost, and there- fore all mankind are, by nature, destitute of a principle of grace ; upon which account it may be truly said, as the aposde does, There is none righteous ; nOy not one^ Rom. iii. 10. and else- where man is called, A transgressor Jrom thewomb^ Isa. xlviii. 8. and, by nature, not only a child of xurath^ but dead in tres- passes and sins, Eph. ii. 1 . and therefore it is necessary that we be created again to good works, or that a new principle of grace be implanted in regeneration, without which there is no salvation. Our being destitute of this supernatural principle of grace is dis- tinguished from that propensity to sin, or corruption of nature, which is spoken of in the following words of this answer; and therefore, considering it as thus distinguished, and as called, by some, the privative part of original sin ; we are led to speak of man in his destitute state, deprived of that which was his glory, and tended to his defence against the assaults of temp- tation ; and of those actual transgressions which are the conse- quence thereof. This excellent endowment man is said to have lost. Some divines express themselves with a degree of caution, when treating on this subject; and therefore, though they allow that man has lost this righteousness, yet they will hardly own that God took it away, though it were by a judicial act, as sup- posing that this would argue him to be the author of sin ; and I would not blame the least degree of concern expressed to fence against such a consequence, did it really ensue on our asserting it ; yet I cannot but conclude, that the holiness of God may be vindicated, though we should assert, that he deprived him of this righteousness, as a punishment of his sin, or deni- ed him that power to perform perfect obedience, which he con- ferred on him at first; for there is a vast difference between God's restoring to him his lost power, to perform that which is truly and supernatundly good in all its circumstances ; and the infusing habits of sin into his nature : This, we acknow- ledge, he could not do, consistently with his holiness, and shall make it farther appear, under a following head. But the other he might do, th^ is, leave man destitute of a power to walk be- fore him in holiness and righteousness ; for, if God had been obliged to have given him this power, then his bestowing it on fallen man, would be rather a debt than a grace, which is con- trary to tlie Avhole tenor of the gospel. But this leads us to con- sider the positive part of original sin ; therefore, OF SIN. 12i» 3. INIan's sinfulness, as fallen, consists in the corruption of his nature, or a propensity and inclination to all evil, which, as it is observed, is commonly called, original sin^ that is, original sin inherent, as distinguished from it, as imputed to us, which has been already considered. That the nature of man is vitia- ted, corrupted, and prone to all that is bad, is taken for grant- ed by all ; and, indeed, he that denies it, must either be very much unacquainted with himself, or hardly retain the common notices which we have of moral good and evil. This is frequent- ly represented, in scripture, as a plague, defileinent, or deadly evil, with which his heart is affected ; upon which account it is said, that it is deceitful above all thijigs^ and desperately xvick- ed, Jer. xvii. 9. that out of it proceed evil thoughts^ and all o- ther abominations of the most heinous nature, Matth. xv. 19. unless prevented by the grace of God. This propensity of nature to sin discovers itself in the first dav.n of our reason ; so that we no sooner appear to be men, but we give ground to conclude that we are sinners. Accord- ingly it is Said, The imagination of man's heart is only evil^ and thaty)<5m his youth^ (a) Gen. vi. 5. compared with chap. viii. 21. and he is represented as estranged from the xvomb^ going astray as soon as he is bor?!^ speaking lyesy Psal. Ivii. 3. which is, notwithstanding, to be understood with this limitation, that we ar-i prone to sin, as soon as we have any dispositions, or in- clinations, to any thing ; for it cannot be supposed that man is disposed to commit actual sin before he is capable of acting- Some, indeed, have attempted to prove that the soul of a child sins as soon as it is united to the body in the womb, and have CaJ Gen. vi. 5. Is a picture of antideluvian iniquity, it not only proves that jfiiilt was universal, and all men affected ; that it was general, the greater por- tion of the actions of men beiiif^ evil ; but that the depravity of every unsanctified man was total, extending not merely to his thoughts, but to his imagination "^If ' the first frame or furm of the thoughts. They were not partially, but only evil, and tliat not occasionally but continminy. Yet the race v.ho were destroved, must have performed relative duties, parental and filial ; and the tribes seem to have lived as free from war, at least, as those who have existed since the flood. If crimes before the flood exceeded in degi-ee and multitude those of modern times, yet if they differed not in their nature, it will follow, that when the unre- newed in our days, are kind parents, dutiful children, honest men, and good citi- zens, they may be tntaUy depraved; the " imaginatioji of the thoughts of their heart h may he only evil continuully." As we know not their hearts, arc to judge of them by their fruits, and are charitably to impute tlielr actions to better motives, we may with propriety commend what God will condemn. He sees the intentions, and the aversion of heart to him and holiness, and though he may reward virtu- ous conduct in this world, to encourage virtue, yet will eventually judge righte- ous judgment, and connect every action with its motives. This scripture also shews us not only, that the material goodness of actions will not recommend them to God, but that conscientiousiiess in the discharge of relative duties, (tor this must have existed belbre the flood,) will not recommend them where the love ot God, which is pcciUiar to tUc rensved mind, is abscut ii2i4 or SIN. carried this indefensible conjecturr; so far, as that they have maintained, that actual sin is committed in the womb. But this is not only destitute of all manner of proof, but it seems so very absurd, that, as few will be convinced by it, so it needs no confutation. As for this propensity to sin, (whenever it may be said to take place) it is certain, that it is not equal in all ; and in this it differs from Adam's guilt, as imputed to us, and from our want of original righteousness, as the immediate consequence thereof; for these corrupt inclinations appear, from universal experience, as well as the concurrent testimony of scripture, to be of an increasing nature ,* so that some are more obstinate and hardened in sin than others ; and the habits thereof, in many, are compared to the tincture of the Ethiopian, or the leopard\t spots, Jer. xiii. 23. which no human art can take away. We are, indeed, naturally prone to sin at first; but afterwards the leprosy spreads, and the propensity, or inclination to it, in- creases by repeated acts, or a course of sin. The Psalmist takes notice of this, in a beautiful climax, or gradation ; They hi07r not, neither will they widerstand, they walk in darkness, Psal. Ixxxii. 5. We shall now take occasion to speak something concerning the rise or origin hereof. This is a difficulty which many have attempted to account for and explain, though with as little suc- cess as any thing that comes within the compass of our enqui- ries. Some ancient heretics * have thought, that because it could not be from God, who is the author of nothing but what is good, that therefore there are two first causes ; one of all good, which is God, and the other of all evil. But this is deservedly explod- ed, as a most dangerous and absurd notion. Others seem to assert, that God is the author of it ; and, that they may exculpate themselves from making him the author of sin, which is the vilest reproach that can be cast upon him, they add, that he does this in a judicial way, as a punishment for the sin of our first parents, and that it is no reflection on him to suppose, that, as a Judge, he may put this propensity to sin into our nature ; so that it is, as it were, concreate with the soul, or derived to us, at the same time that it is formed in, and united to the body : But we cannot, by any means, conclude God to be the author hereof, though it be as a Judge ; for that would be to suppose his vindictive justice inconsistent with the spotless purity of his nature. We read, indeed, of God's g'iv- ing men up to their own hearts^ lusts, Psal. Ixxxi. 11, 12. as a punishment for other sins ; but never of his producing in them an inclination to sin, though it be under the notion of a punish- ment : But this having been proved and illustrated, under a * 2'he Marcionites in the second ecntwj, ami the Manichees in the third OF SW. 125 foregoing answer, when speaking concerning the providence of God, as conversant about those actions, to which sin is annexed, in a judicial way, we shall pass it over in this place *. The Pelagians, and, alter them, the Papists, and some among the Remonstrants, being sensible, that this propensity of nature to sin cannot be denied, have taken such a method to account for it, as makes it a very innocent and harmless thing ; and, that it may appear agreeable to the notion which they maintain of the iunocency of man by nature, they suppose that the first motions, or inclinations of the soul to sin, or, to use their own expression, the first acts of concupiscence are not sinful j and, to support this opinion, they maintain, that nothing can be deemed a sin, but what is committed with the full bent of the will ; and therefore when an unlawful object presents itself, how much soever the mind may be pleased with it, yet there is no sin till there is an actual compliance with it ; and, for this, they bring that scripture. When hist has cojiceivedj it bringeth forth, sin^ James i. 15. that is, the second act of concupiscence, or the compliance with the first suggestions to sin, are only deno- minated sin ; and, as a consequence from this supposition, they pretend that these first acts of concupiscence were not inconsis- tent with a state of innocency ; so that when £ve saw that the tree zuas good for food, ayid that it xvas pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit there- of and did eat. Gen. iii. 6. She did not sin till she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat ; and, as a farther consequence dedu- ced from this supposition, they conclude, that that original righ- teousness, which our first parents had, did not consist so much in a perfect freedom from all suggestions to sin, but it was ra- ther a bridle to restrain them from compliance therewith, which, by not making a right use of, they complied with the motions of concupiscence, and so sinned. And, according to this scheme, that propensity of nature to sin, which we have in our child- hood, is an harmless, and innocent thing, and therefore we may suppose it to be from God, without concluding him to be the author of sin. But this is a vile and groundless notion, and such as savours more of Antinomianism, than many doctrine.^ that are so called ; and, indeed, it is to call that no sin, which is, as it were, the root and spring of all sin, and to make God the author and approver of tliat, which he cannot but look on with the utmost detestation, as being contrary to the holiness of his nature ; to which nothing farther need be said, since the notion carries the black marks of its own infamy in itself. There are others who oppose the doctrine of original sin, and pretend to account for the corruption of nature, bv supposing ihat all men sinned for themselves ; which is nothing else but * Set Page 54r-57, mite. Vol. it. R i2&. OF SIN, ^ reviving an old opinion taken from the schools of Plato and Py- thagoras, namely, that God created the souls of all men at first, and before they were united to their bodies, at least those that now they have, sinned ; and, as a punishment of their crime in that state, they were not only condemned to their respective bodies, but to suffer all the miseries which they are exposed to therein ; so that the sin, which they committed in these bodies, is nothing else but the propagation of that, which had its first rise in the acts of the understanding and will, when they first fell into a st^e of sin. This is so chimerical an opinion, that I Vv^ould not have mentioned it, had it not been maintained by some, as an expedient, to account for the corruption of nature, by those who deny original sin, and affirmed with that assu- rance, as though it were founded in scripture ; whereas I can- not think it has the least countenance from it. They first take it for granted without sufficient ground that those scriptures, that speak of the pre-existence of Christ in his divine nature, are to be understood concerning the pre-existence of his soul; and from thence they infer, that it is reasonable to suppose, that the souls of other men pre-existed likewise. And they also strain the sense of two or three other scriptures to prove it ; as when it is said, that, when God had laid the foundation of the earthy the morning stars sang together^ and all the sons of God shout- ed for joy ^ Job xxxviii. 7. where, by the hiorning stars^ they im- derstand, as others do, the angels ; and, by the sons of God^ they suppose, is meant the souls of men, that were then crea- ted, and untainted with sin, and, to give farther countenance to this, they explain what is said in a lollowing verse, ver. 12. a- greeably thereunto, where, when God had continued the ac- count v/hich he gives of his having created tiie world, he says, Knozvest thou it^ because thoiixvast then born^ or because the num- ber of thy days is great ; they render the words, Knoxvest thou that thou zvast then born^ and that the number of thy days are many^ or they depend upon the translation, which the LXX give of the text, I knoxv that thou xvast the7i born^for the num- ber of thy days is many^ that is, that thou wast then existent ; for though thou knowest not what thou didst, from that time, till thou camest into the world, yet the number of thy days is great, that is, thou hadst an existence many ages before. How easy a matter it is for persons to strain the sense of some words of scripture, to serve a purpose, contrary to the general scope and design thereof, if they attempt to give countenance thereby to any doctrine of their own invention. As for tlio se scriptures, which they bring to prove that the Jews were of this opinion, I will not deny the inference from thence, that some of them were, as appears from the report that the disciples gave to our Saviour, when he asked them, Whom do pie7i say that lam? They replied, Soirte say that thou art John the Baptist.^ some Elias^ and others Jeremias^ or one of tht prophets^ Matth, xvi. 13, 14. that is, they judged, accord- ing to the Pythagorean hypothesis, that the soul ol Jeremias. or one of the prophets^ dwelt in that body, which he had, and therefore that he was one of them. And there is another scrip- ture, in which our Saviour's disciples, speaking coijcerning the blind man, asked. him. Did this man sin, or his parents^ that he was born blind ? John ix. 2. as if he should saj^ : Was it for some sin that this man's soul committed, before it entered into the body, to which it is united ? And was his being born blind a punishment thereof? I say, I will not den)-, but that some of the Jews, from hence, may be supposed to have given into this fabulous notion, agreeably to the sentiments of the philosophy, which they had been conversant in. But I will not allow that our Saviour's not confuting this absurd opinion, is an intima- tion ; (as the defenders thereof generally conclude it to be) that he reckoned it just ; but I rather think, that he passed it over, as a vulgar error, not worthy of his confutation. And as for that passage, which they quote, for this purpose, out of the apocryphal book of Wisdom, which is no pi'oof of this mattei from Scripture, when one is represented, as saying to this ef- fect, that because he xvas good, he came into a body undefded i this only proves, that this was the opinion of some of that tri- fling generation of men. And, when they speak ot it, as what has been maintained by some of the Fathers, who received the notion from the philosophy above-mentioned, this is also as lit- tle to the purpose ; and, indeed, all the other arguments that they bring, amount to nothing else but this ; that, if the scrip- ture had not given us ground to establish the contrary doc- trine, there might have been, at least, a possibilit}^ of the truth of this, but to lay this as a foundation, on which they assert the truth thereof, and that with the design above-mentioned, this is nothing else, but for men to substitute their oAvn fancies, without sufficient ground, as matters of faith, and build doc- trines upon them, as though they were contained in scripture. I pass by other improvements, wTiich they make on this fabu- lous notion, which still appear to be more romantic* Tliere is another attempt to account for the origin of moral €vil, without inferring God to be the author of it, which has formerly been advanced by those who deny the imputation of Adam's sin ; and these suppose that the soul is rendered pol- luted with sin, by reason of its traduction, or propagation, from the soul of the immediate parent ; so that, in like manner, as the body is subject to iiereditaiy diseases, the soul is defiled • .See a book, supposed to be rjrittsn in y Ctnnvil, entitled, Lux V'ientalic. \ 128 OF SIN. with sin, as both one- and the other are the consequence of their formation, according to the course of nature, in the hkeness of those, from whom they immediately derive their respective be- ings ; and they suppose that a similitude of passions, and na- tural dispositions in parents and children, is an argument to e- vince the truth hereof. But this appears so contrary to the light of nature, an, >.r,. ,7.-» ,,,,r. ' n.'-n --^ n^Hg, nuin reddidit i?i Mamo, 132 OJ- SlKr and that God may deny this grace, without supposing him to be the author of sin ; for he was not obliged to continue that to Adam's posterity, which he forfeited, and lost for them. And that which follows, from hence, is, that the heart of man, by a continuance in sin after it is first tinctured with it, grows worse and worse, and more inclined to it than before. This I cannot better illustrate, than by comparing it to a drop of poi- son, injected into the veins of a man, which will by degrees cor- rupt the whole mass of blood. As to what concerns the body, to which the soul was uni- ted, as giving occasion to these corrupt habits being contracted thereby, some have compared this to sweet oil's being infected by a musty vessel, into which it is put ; so the soul, created good, and put into a corrupt body, receives contagion from thence : and this conjunction of the pure soul with a corrupt body, is a just punishment of Adam's sin. Thus a very leai-ned and excellent divine accounts for this matter ; * though this similitude does not indeed illustrate this matter in everv cir- cumstance, inasmuch as that tincture, which is received from a vessel in a physical way, cannot well agree with the corruption of the soul, which is of a moral nature ; but yet I would make this use of it, as to observe what daily experience suggests, namely, that the constitution, or temperament of the body, has a very great influence on the soul, and is an occasion of various inclinations to sin, in which it acts, in an objective way. There- fore when we suppose a soul united to a body, that, according to the frame and constitution of its nature has a tendency to in- cline it to sin, and this soul is deprived of those supernatural habits, which would have fenced it against this contagion ; what can ensue from hence, but that corruption of nature, whereby men are inclined to what is evil ? which inclination increases daily, till men arrive to the most rooted habits and dispositions to all that is bad, and are, with more difficulty, reclaimed from it. This leads us to consider, IV. The conveyance of original sin, from our first parents to their posterity, by natural generation, or how we are said to be born in sin. It is not the sin of our immediate parents that is imputed to us, for they stand in no other relation, but as natu- ral, and not federal heads of their posterity ; therefore the mean- ing of that answer, in which this doctrine is" contained, is only this, that original sin is conveyed to us, by our immediate pa- rents, with our being ; so that, as we are born men, we are born sinners. Now, that we may consider this in consistency with what has been before laid down nothing can be inferred, from hence, but that the guilt of Adam's first sin is conveyed to us with our being, and that habitual inclination thut we have, * See Perkins on the Creed. OF SIN. 133 which we call a propensity of nature to sin, is the consequence hereof; so that what our Saviour says, is a great truth. That which is bom of the Jiesh^ is fiesh^ John iii. 6. or eveiy one that is bom of sinful parents, will, as soon as he is capable thereof, be prone to sin. And this leads us to consider, What is objected against what has been before laid down, in explaining this doctrine as though it were inconsistent with the sense of several scriptures, which speak of sin, as derived from our immediate parents. For the understanding of which, in general, let it be considered, that no sense of any scripture is true, that casts the least reflection on the divine perfections. If we could but prove, that our souls were propagated by our immediate parents, as our bodies are, there would be no dif- ficulty in allowing the sense the objectors give of several scrip- tures, from whence they attempt to account for the corruption of nature in a difl^erent way, since God would not then be the immediate author thereof. But, supposing the soul to be crea- ted by God, we must take some other method to account for the sense of some scriptures, which are brought in opposition to the foregoing explication of the origin of moral evil. The first scripture, which is generally brought against it, is, in Psal. li. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me ; the meaning of which is, I was con- ceived, and born guilty of sin, with an inability to do what is good, and in such a state, that actual sin would necessarily en- sue, as soon as I was capable of committing it, which would bring with it a propensity to all manner of sin. And that Da- vid had a sense of guilt, as well as the pollution of nature, is plain, from several verses of this Psalm ; especially in ver. 9, 14. It is therefore as though he should say, I was a guilty creature, as soon as I was conceived in the womb ; and left of God, and so sin has the ascendant over me. I was conceived a sinner by imputation, under the guilt of Adam's first sin ; and to this I have added much more guilt, and lately that of blood- guiltiness. So that though he is said to have been shapen ift iniquity y it does not necessarily follow, that his soul was crea- ted with infused habits of sin. Whatever the parents are the cause of, with respect to this corruption and pollution, let it be attributed to them ; but far be it from us to say, that God is the cause thereof. Again, it is said, in Job xiv. 4. Who can bring- a clean thin^ aut of an unclean f no not one. It is no strain upon the sense of this text, to suppose, that by unclean^ he means guilty \ and by cleanness^ innocency, as opposed to it; for, in most places of this book, it is so taken, that is, in a forensick sense ; and therefore, why not in this ? And, if so, then it is not at all in- consistent with the above-mentioned explication of this doc- VoL. IL S - 154 , Of SIN. trine. See chap. xi. 4. I am clean in thine eyes^ that is, guilt- less ; otherwise Zophar's reply to him would not have been so just, when he saith, God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth ; and, in chap. xv. 14. What is man^ that he should be clean ? and he^ that is born of a zvojnan, that he should be righ- teous ? where, to be righteous, seems to be exegetical of being clean; and both of them, being taken in a forensick sense, it agrees well with what Job is often reproved for, by his friends, namely, boasting too much of his righteousness, or cleanness : thus he says, in chap, xxxiii. 9. I am clean without transgres- sion, neither is there iniquity in 7ne ; that is, I am not so guil- ty, as to deserve such a punishment, as he inflicts : He findeth occasions against me, &c. Surely, cleanness here is the same with innocence, as opposed to guilt; and, in chap. ix. 30. If I xvash myself with snow tvater, and make my hands never so clean ; this plainly implies, that if he should pretend himself guiltless, yet he could not answer the charge which God would bring against him, neither could they come together in judg- ment, ver. 32. Now, if this be so frequently, if not always, the sense of clean, in other places of this book> why may not we take, the sense of these words. Who can bring a clean thing out cf an unclean, to be this ; that a guilty child is born of a guilty parent, which will be accompanied with uncleanness, and it will be prone to sin, as soon as it is capable thereof? Another scripture, which we bring to prove original sin, is in Gen. vi. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man, is only evil continually. Why may not we understand it thus ? The imagination of the thoughts are evil, as soon as there are imaginations, or thoughts, though not before. And this ra- ther respects the corruption of nature, than the first rise of it; and so does that parallel scripture; in Gen. viii. 21. The ima- gination of man^s heart is evil from his youth ; q. d. Sin in- creases with the exercise of reason. And, in Psal. Iviii. 3. The xvicked are estranged from the womb ; they go astray as soon as they be born speaking Ues» This agrees well enough with what we have said concerning their separation from God, from the womb, from whence ari- ses actual sin ; so that they speak lies, as soon as they are ca- pable of it. There is also another scripture, usually brought to prove ori- ginal sin, which is to be understood in a sense, not much unlike that which we but now mentioned, viz. Isa. xlviii. 8. Thou xvast called a transgressor from the xvomb. This doth not over- throw what we have said ; for a person may be a transgressor, as it w^ere, fi'om the womb, and yet the soul not have a pro= pensity to sin implanted in it by God, in its first creation. Again, in Gen. v. 3. Ada?n begat a son in his oxvn likeness^ OF SIN. 135 that is, a fallen creature, involved in guilt, and liable to the curse, like himself; and that would be like him, in actual sin, when capable of it, born in his image^ as having lost the di- vine image. Again, in John ili. 6. That which is born of the fleshy is Jlesh, We may understand this, that every one that is born of sinful parents, is a sinner, destitute of the Spirit of God, which is a great truth. But surely our Saviour did not design hereby to signify, that any one is framed by God with a propensity of sin ; which is all that we militate against in this head, (a) V. The last thing to be considered, is, that all actual trans- gressions proceed from original sin. These are like so many streams that flow from this fountain of corruption ; the one dis- covers to us what we are by nature ; the other, what we are by practice ; and both afford us matter for repentance, and great humiliation, in the sight of God. But since we shall have oc- casion to enlarge on that part of this subject, which more es- pecially relates to actual transgressions, with their respective aggravations, in some following answers,* we pass it over at present; and shall conclude this head with some practical in- ferences from what has been said, concerning the corruption of 6ur nature, as being the spring of all actual transgressions. 1. We ought to put a due difference between the first dis- coveries there are of this corruption of our nature in our in- fancy, and that which arises from a course, or progress in sin ; the latter has certainly greater aggravations in it than the for- mer, and is like a spark of fire, blown up into a flame. Accor- * See Quest, cv.— cli. («) The mind of man is as open to the view of God, as our words or actions are ; the intention is ordinarily the seat of guilt ; for the merely physical action of the body deserves neither praise nor blame ; the Lord is able not only to detect, but to punish in every instance such guilt ; his justice thereiure requires that he should exercise such power- To prefer the creatures to the Creator, is to deny his superior excellency, and that he ic the source from whence we have derived tlie good which we pos- sess ; it is to g'ive the honour which is due to him, imto others ; it is a robbeiy committed on hun; it is a revolting from his allcjjiance, and treason, wliich ought to be punished. It is an evidence that we have no love for him, when we desire communion and acquaintance with other olyects on their own accoimt. It is a proof of enmity against him, for we cannot at the same time fix our highest aflfoctions on sensual pursuits and on holiness ; and an attachment to the former evinces hatred of the latter; and so an aversion to an holy God. If we are enemies to God, Omnipotence must and will prevail, nor can he suffer in the universe, bis enemies to be finally prosperous, possessing still llieir enmity. ^^'llere there exists not the love of God, there is no obedience to his laws, for this is the principle of obedience ; all the good deeds of such are but a semblance of holiness, and must be rejected by him who viewrs the motive with tlie action. Disobedience to his laws is to be punislied with death, the implied penalty of all divine laws ; and the least punishment that tlic magnitude of au offence against an infinite Majesty can admit. t3S OF man's misery by the fall. dingly, it is our duty, as the apostle says, to exhort otie a7iother daily ^ while it is called to-day, lest any be hardened^ that is, lest this corruption of nature be increased, through the deceitful- ness of sin, Heb. iii. 13. 2. Let us carefully distinguish between being born innocent, which the Pelagians affirm, and we deny, and being born defi- led with sin, and so having a propensity of nature to it, as soon as we have a being ; or let us more especially take heed that we do not charge this on God, as though he were the author thereof, as well as of our being, as though it were infused by him, and not acquired by us. 3. Since this corruption of nature so early discovers itself, and abides in us, as long as we are in this world, let us take heed that we do not use means to increase it, by giving way to presumptuous sins ; or endeavour to excite or draw it forth, either in ourselves, or others ; for this will occasion abundance of actual transgressions. Thus having considered that guilt which we bring with us into the world, and that corruption of nature, which discovers itself, as soon as we appear to be intelligent creatures, or are capable of any disposition to sin ; we proceed to speak concern- ing the misery and punishment that ensues hereupon. • Quest. XXVII. What misery did the fall bring- upon man- kind f Answ. The fall brought upon mankind the loss of communion with God, his displeasure and curse, so as we are, by nature, children of wrath, bond-slaves to Satan, and justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come. HAVING considered the doctrine of original sin, as im- puted to, and inherent in us, we are now led to speak concerning the miseries that are consequent hereupon, or the punishment that is due to it. And, inasmuch as the former of these is equal in all j and the latter increases, in proportion to that degree of obstinacy, and hardness of heart, which disco- vers itself in all ages, and conditions of life, and it is attended with greater guilt, as it is more deeply rooted in us, and gains very great strength by actual sin j it is necessary for us to con- sider the punishment due to original sin, as such, and how it differs from a greater degree thereof, which is due to its in- creasing guilt. The former of these is hot distinguished from the latter, by many who treat on this subject j which gives oc- casion to some, who deny original sin, to represent it in the most terrible view>; as though there were no difference between or man''s misery »y the jau- 13f the wrath of God, that infants are exposed to, and that which is inflicted on the most obdurate sinner : but, that we may re- move prejudices against this doctrine, and set it in a just light), we shall consider the punishment due to original sin, in both these respects. I. The punishment due to original sin, as such, namely, iu those who are charged with no other guilt, but that of Adam's first sin. This more especially respects those that die in their infancy, before they are capable of making any addition to it. Concerning these, I cannot but conclude with Augustin, in his defence of original sin against the Pelagians, that the punish- ment thereof is the most mild of any, and cannot be reckoned so great, as that it might be said of them, that it had been bet' ter for them not to have been horn.* That this may farther appear, let it be considered, that the punishment due to actual sin, or the corruption of nature in- creased thereby, is attended with accusations of conscience, in- asmuch as the guilt, that is contracted by it, arises from the opposition of the will to God ; and the alienation of the affec- tions from him, is oftentimes attended with rebellion, against a great degree of light, and many other aggravations, taken from the engagements which we are under to the contrary, and is per- sisted in with obstinacy, against all those checks of conscience, and means used to prevent it ; and, in proportion to the degree thereof, they, who contract this guilt, are said, as our Saviour speaks of the scribes and Pharisees, to be liable to the greater damnation^ Matt, xxiii. 14. and the prophet Jeremiah speaks of some of the gi-eatest opposers of his message, as those who should be destroyed with double destruction^ Jer. xvii. 18. This is certainly a gieater degree of punishment, than that which is due to original sin, as such ; and, with respect to these, there are oftentimes many sad instances of the wrath of God break- ing in upon che conscience, as he says by the Psalmist, that he would reprove them^ and set their iriiquities in order before their eyes^ Psal. i. 21. and what our Saviour says elsewhere, con- cerning the xvorin that dieth noty Mark ix. 44. is to be applied to them. But this punishment does not belong to those who have no other guilt, but that of Adam's sin, imputed to them. li this can be made appear, as, I hope, we shall be able to do, it may have a tendency to remove some prejudices, which many entertain against the doctrine of original sin, who express themselves with such an air of insult, as though they were op- posing a doctrine which is contrary to the dictates of human ♦ See Auff. contra Jvlianum, Lib. V. cap. 8. Ego non dico, parviilos sine baptism^ Christi worientes taiita p.etia esse plectendos ; itt eis non nasci potins expediret. Et ejtisd. de peccat. merit. & remsis. Lib. I. cap. 16. Potest proinde recte did, parviUtt cir^e baptismo de Qorpore exeuntes, in damnatioTie omnium mitigsimo/uturot. 138 OF man's misery by the fall. nature, as well as represents God, as exercising the greatest severity against those who are chargeable with no other sin than this ; and they generally lay hold on some unwary expres- sions, contributing very little to the defence of this doctrine, which might as well have been spared ; for they are no less ex- ceptionable, though prefaced with an apology, for the want of pity, which such like unguarded expressions seem to contain in them, when they say, that their milder thoughts, concerning this matter, will do those infants, who are tormented in hell, no good, as their severer ones can do them no prejudice. We may therefore be allowed to make a farther enquiry into this matter, especially when we consider, that those, who die in in- fancy, will appear, at the last day, 'to have been a very consider- able part of mankind. And some tender parents have had a due concern of spirit about their future state, and would be very glad, were it possible for them, to have some hopes concerning the happiness thereof. Various have been the conjectures of divines about it. The Pelagians, and those who verge towards their scheme, have concluded, that they are all saved, as supposing that they are innocent, and not, in the least concerned in Adam's sin : but this is to set aside the doctrine we are maintaining ; and therefore, I cannot think their reasoning, in this respect very conclusive. Others, who do not deny original sin, suppose, notwithstand- ing, that the guilt thereof is atoned for, by the blood of Christ. This would be a very agreeable notion, could it be proved ; and all that I shall say, in ansv/er to it, is, that it wants confirma- tion. As for those who suppose, with the Papists, that the guilt of original sin is washed away by baptism, as some of the fathers have also asserted, this has so many absurd consequences attend- ing it, that I need not spend time in opposing it; one of them is, that it makes that, which, at most, is but a sign or ordinance, for our faith, in which we hope for the grace of regeneration to be the natural means of conferring it, which is contrary to the design of all the ordinances, which God has appointed : but, passing by this, which will afford little foundation for hope. Others have concluded, that all the infants of believing pa- rents, dying in infancy, are saved, as supposing that they are interested in the covenant of grace, in which God promises, that he will be a Ciod to believers, and their seed. This would be a very comfortable thought, to those who have hope concerning their own state. But I cannot find that this argument is suffi- ciently maintained ; since it seems very evident, that all such like promises rather respect the external, than the saving bless- ings of the covenant of grace. Others therefore conclude, (as many good and pious Chris- tians have done, that when they have been enabled, by an act Of MAN*S MISERY BY THE FALL.. 139 of faith, in which they have enjoyed some sensible experience of the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit, to give up their infant-seed to Christ, whether it be in baptism, or not) from the frame of their own spirit, and the evidence they have had of the power of God, exciting this act of faith, that God would own that grace which he hath enabled them to exercise, and con- sequently that he has accepted of this solemn act of dedication of them to him, which has given them comfortable and quiet- ing thoughts about the salvation of their infant-seed. This is not only an excellent method, used by them, but it seems to be as just a way of reasoning about the salvation of those who die in infancy, as any that is generally made use of; and, it may be, David might infer the salvation of his child, when he says, I shall go to him ; hut he shall not return to me, 2 Sam. xii. 23. from some such method as this. But, since these are uncommon instances of faith, and such as every sincere Chris- tian has not always been found in the exercise of, I would hope, that there are multitudes of infants saved, concerning whom -we have no certain ground to determine who they are ; and why may not we suppose, that there are many of them» who belong to the election of grace, that are not the seed of believing parents ? However, notwithstanding all the pious and kind thoughts, which the conjectures of men suggest, we must be content to leave this, as a secret that belongs to God, and not unto us to know. Therefore all that I shall attempt, at present, is, to prove, that if all, who die in their infancy, are not saved, yet their condemnation is not like that which is due to actual sin, or those habits thereof, which are contracted by men. And here it must be allowed, pursuant to our former method of reason- ing, that, if they are not saved, they have the punishment of loss inflicted on them; for the right to the heavenly blessed- ness, which Adam forfeited and lost, respected not only him- self, but all his posterity. Whether they have any farther de- gree of punishment inflicted on them, or how far they are lia- ble to the punishment of sense, I dare not pretend to deter- mine. I do not care to conclude, with some of the Remon- strants, such as Episcopius, Curcellseus, and others, that they always remain in- an infantine state, or, that they have no more ideas in the other world, than they had in this ; for this is to suppose what cannot be proved. Besides, if they always re- niain in this state, this must be supposed, either to be the con- sequence of nature, and argued from their want of ideas, while they were in this world, or else it must be by a particular dis- pensation of providence, respecting some infants in the next, and not all. To suppose the former, is to suppose that none are saved, since remaining in as infantile state, is rot salva- 146 or man's MliJfRY tV TllE rAtL. tion ; for it is beyond dispute, the soul that is saved, whether it went out of the world an infant, or a man is exceedingly en- larged, and rendered receptive of the heavenly blessedness. And if, on the other hand, they suppose, that their remaining in this infantile state, is by a particular dispensation of provi- dence, this, was it true, would be a small punishment, indeed, inflicted on them for Adam's sin : But we have as little, or less ground to conclude this, than that all infants are saved ; and therefore I cannot give into this notion, which, indeed, differs but little from that of the Papists, who suppose them, if dying unbaptized, to remain in a state of insensibility ; which is no other, than an ungrounded conjecture. And, as for the ac- count which we have, in some of their writings concerning the place alloted for them, which they call Limbus Infantium^ and its situation between heaven and hell, this is no better than a theological romance ; and it cannot but be reckoned trifling and ludicrous, and nothing else but an imposing their own fan- cies, as articles of faith. I dare not, indeed, allow myself to be too peremptory, or give my thoughts too great a loose on this subject : but, since it is taken for granted by all, who give into the doctrine of ori- ginal sin, that infants, if not saved, are liable to the punish- ment of loss, which has been before considered, as the imme- diate consequence of the imputation of Adam's sin; yet it doth not appear, to me, that they have such a tormenting sense of the greatness of their loss, as others have who were adult, and had received the knowledge of divine things, which infants are not capable of. These, as it is more than probable, carry the ideas, which they had received of divine things, out of the world with them, which infants cannot be said to do ; and therefore, if ever they have the knowledge thereof, and con- sequently of the glory of the heavenly state, it must be by ex- traordinary revelation. How far they may be led into this matter, by observing the glorious work, which shall be per- formed in the most visible manner, in the day of judgment, I pretend not to determine. This, indeed, will give them some ap- prehensions of the happiness which others are possessed of, and they are excluded from : But even this cannot have so great a tendency to enhanse their misery, as when hardened and pre- sumptuous sinners, who have despised and neglected the means of grace, are said, as our Saviour speaks to the Jews, To see Abraham^ Isaac^ and Jacob^ i?i the kingdom of God, and they themselves thrust out, Luke xiii. 28. as intimating, that this will, in a judicial way, be a means to enhanse their misery; and consequently they cannot but have such a tormenting sense thereof, as what will make their loss appear greater, and so OF man's misery by TJiE FALL- 141 i.eiider them more miserable th;m infants can be, who never had these means of grace in this world. But, because it is not safe to be too peremptory as to this matter, all that I shall farther observe is, that whatever con- ceptions they may have of the happiness, which they are not possessed of, yet they shall not have that part of the punish- ment of sin, which consists in self-reflection, on the dishonour that they have brought to God or the various aggravations of sin committed, which is a very great degree of the punishment of sin in hell ; and therefore, when the wrath of God is said to break in on the consciences of men, whereby, in a judicial way, sins, before committed, are brought to remembrance, and the means of grace, which they have neglected, cannot but occa- sion the greatest distress and miseiy, this is certainly a punish- ment that infants cannot be liable to ; and, if the condition cf the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon is represented by our Sa- viour, as more tolerable than that of Capernawn^ so in propor- tion the condemnation of infants, who have no other guilt but that of original sin, will be more tolerable than that of the heathen, inasmuch as they had no natural capacities of doing good or evil. And this is all that I pretend to determine, which amounts to no more than this, that, since punishment must 1)6 proportioned to the crime; as they are liable only to the guilt of Adam's sin, which is much less than being liable to it, with those other transgressions that proceed from it; therefore their punishment must be less than that of any others, This, I think, may safely be asserted : and, if we proceed nn farther in our enquiries about this matter, but confess our ig- norance of many things relating to the state and capacity oi separate souls, it will be more excuseable, than for us to pre- tend to a greater degree of knowledge, than is consistent with our present state. II. We shall consider the punishment due to original sin., when attended with many actual sins, proceeding from a na- ture defiled, and prone to rebel against God. This is greater or less, in proportion to the habits of sin contracted, as will be more particularly considered, w^hen we speak of the aggra- vations of sin, and its desert of punishment.* We shall there- fore, at present, speak to it in the method in which it is laid down in this answer. 1. By the fall of our first parents, all mankind lost commu- nion with God. This was enjoyed at first ; for God having made man, with faculties capable of this privilege, designed to converse with him; and, indeed, this was one of the blessings promised in the covenant, which he was under, and it was a kind of prelibation of the heavenly state ; therefore it follows, * Ste Quest, cii. clii Vol. II. T 143 OF man's misery by the f all. that the fall of our first parents could not but first expose them- selves, and then their posterity, to the loss of this privilege ; and, indeed, this was the more immediate result of sin com- mitted, and guilt hereby contracted. It is a reflection on the divine perfections to suppose that God will have communion with sinners, while they remain in a state of rebellion against him; or that he will iove and manifest himself to them, and admit them into his presence, as friends and favourites, unless there be a Mediator who engages to repair the injury offered to the holiness and justice of God, and secure the glory of his perfections, in making reconciliation for sin, and thereby bring- ing them into a state of friendship with God : But this privi- lege man had no right to, or knowledge of Avhen first he fell, and consequently God and man could not zcalk together^ as not being agreed^ Amos iii. 3. God was obliged, in honour, to withdraw from him, and thereby testify his displeasure against sin, as he tells his people, Tour iniquities have separa- ted between you and your God; and your sins have hid his face from yoiij Isa. lix. 2. This consequence of sin is judicial; and, at the same time, through the corrviption of nature, as the result of that enmity against God, which follows on our fallen state, man is farther considered, as not desiring to converse with God : His guilt inclined him to fly from him, as a sin-revenging Judge; and his loss of God's superiiattiral image, consisting in holiness of heart and life, rendered him disinclined, yea, averse to this privilege ; so that, as he was separate from the presence of God, he desired to have nothing more to do with him, which is the immediate result of his sinful and fallen state. 2. Man, by his fall, was exposed to the divine displeasure, or to the Avrath of God, in which respect, as the apostles says,. we are, by nature children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3. by which we are not to understand, as some do, who deny the guilt and pu- nishment of original sin, that notliing is intended hereby, but that we are inclined to wrath as signifying those depraved and corrupt passions, whereby we are prone to hate God, and ho- liness, which is his image in man, which is rather the conse- quence of original sin, and discovers what we are by practice, whereas this text speaks of what we are by nature ; and it seems a very great strain and force on the sense of the word, when some understand this mode of speaking, that we are children of wrath only by custom^, which according to the pro- verbial expression is a second nature; or as tho' it only signi- fied the temper of their minds, or their behaviour towards one another, as giving way to their passions as the apostle says, that they lived in malice and ejivy^ and hated one another. Tit, iji= 3, as though it denoted only the effects of the corruptioa OF man's misery by TH,E FALL. 14!? of nature, not their liableness to the wrath of God due to it ; whereas it is plain, that the apostle makes use of an hebraism, very frequently occAirring in scripture, both in the Old and New Testament; as when a person, that is guilty of a capital crime, and liable to suffer death, is called, A son of death: so our Saviour calls Judas, who was liable to perdition, A son of ptrdiiion^ John xvii. 12. so here children of xiAath are those that were liable to the wrath of God, by which we are to un- derstand that punishment, which is the demerit of sin ; not that wrath is a passion in God, as it is in us; but it signifies either his will to punish, or his actual inflicting punishment on them, in proportion to ihe crimes committed, whereby he designs to glorify his holiness. If this be meant by the punishment due to all mankind, as they come into the world with the guilt of the sin of our first parents, in which respect guilt denotes a liableness to punishment and all punishment Contains some de- gree of wrath ; I say, if this be the meaning of their being so by nature, I am far from denying it. For the only thing that I have militated against, is, the supposition, that the punish- ment due to original sin imputed, bears an equal proportion to that of guilt contracted, whereby the nature of man is render- ed more depraved, by a continuance in sin ; and therefore I cannot but acquiesce in that explication given hereof by the learned Beza, who is a most strenuous defender of original sin,* who, when he speaks of men as children of wrath, by na-^ ture^ as all mankind are included herein, understands this, not as referring to the human nature, as created by God^ but as corrupted by its compliance with the suggestions of Satan; and therefore we suppose, that as the corruption of nature is daily increased, whatever punishment is due to it, at first, there is notwithstanding a greater condemnation, which it is exposed to, as the consequence of sin committed and continued in; and this is described, in scripture, in such a way, as renders it, beyond expression, dreadful; Who knoweth the power of thine, enger? even according- to thy fear ^ so is thy zurath, Psal. xc. 11. or, as the prophet says, JVho can stand before his indig- nation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger ^ Nah. i. 6. 3. Man, as fallen, is exposed to the curse of God, which is an external declaration of his hatred of sin, and will to punish it, which we sometimes call the condemning sentence of the law, as the apostle says, As many as are of the works of the iaWf arc under a curse as it is written, Cuised is every one that • Vid Bez.inloc. Ubiamque Ira est, ihi & peccaUtm; quo sine exceptione in- Tolvi totam humanam genlem idem testatur, Rom. i. 18. Sed naturam tauten intel- lige non qttateniis creattt e^t, v^ntfn ^imtentis p(r ffinielj svff.eestitnrm corruj>t0 «??? 144. OF man's misery by the fall. condnueth not in all things that are zvritten in the book of ths lazu to do thsm^ Gal. iii. 10. so that whatever threatnings there are by which God discovers his infinite hatred of sin, these we are liable to as the consequence of our fallen state ; and accor- dingly, as we were, at first, separate from God, the sin of our nature tends, according to the various aggravations thereof, to make the breach the wider, and our condemnation much greater. 4. By the fall, we became bond-slaves to Satan : thus it is said, that the devil has the poxver of death, Heb. ii. 14. and sin- ners are described, as xvalking according to the prince of the pQXuer of the air, the spirit thatnoxv xvorketh in the children of disobediejice, Eph. ii. 2. and he is elsewhere described, as a strong ?na?i armed, xuho keeps the palace, till a stronger than he shall overcome Imn, and take from him all his armour, Luke 'Xi. 21, 22. The heart of man is the throne in which he reigns, and men are naturally inclined to yield tliemselves slaves to him, and corrupt nature gives him the greatest advantage a- gainst us. None of us can say, as our Saviour did, The prince of this xvorld cometh, and hath nothing in me, John xiv. 30. lor we are as ready to comply, as he is to tempt, especially if not prevented by the grace of God, and therefore may well be said to be bond-slaves to him. No age, or condition of life, is exempted from his assaults, and he suits his temptations to Our natviral tempers, and hereby we are overcome, and more and more enslaved by him ; and certainly this must be a state of misery, and that more especially, because such are enemies to Christ, and withdraw themselves from his service, despi- sing his protection, and the rewards he has promised to his faithful servants ; and our Saviour says, that xve cannot serve two masters. Mat. vi. 24. and so long as we continue bond- slaves to Satan, we contract greater guilt, and the dom'nion of sin increases therewith ; so that to be the servants of Satan, is to be the servants of sin ; and we are herein miserable, in that we serve on6 who intends nothing but our ruin, and is pleased in all steps leading to it, and will be as ready to ac- cuse, torment, and make us more miserable in the end, as he is to solicit or desire our service, or as we can be to obey him. I^et us therefore use our utmost endeavours, that we may ht free from this bondage and servitude ; and accordingly let us consider, (1.) That Satan has no right to our service. Though he be permitted to rule over the children of disobedience ; yet he has no divine grant, or warrant for it, to render it lawful for him io demand it, or us to comply therewith, and he is no other thau Sfn u-surper, and declared enemy to the king of heaven; and, or man's misery by the fall. 145 though sinners are suffered to give themselves up to him, thia is far from being by divine approbation ; therefore, (2.) Let us professedly renounce, groan under, and endea- vour, through the grace of God to withdraw ourselves from his service, whenever we are led captive by him, and not be his willing slaves, to obey him with our free consent, or out of choice, and with pleasure ; and, in order hereunto, (3.) Let us list ourselves into Christ's service, put ourselves'' under his protection, and desire his help, against the wiles and fiery darts of the devil. (4.) Let us improve the proclamation of liberty made in the gospel, and rejoice in it, as the most desirable blessing. If the Son make youfree^ then shall ye be free indeed^ John viii. 36. The last thing observed in this answer, is, that, as fallen crea- tures we are justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come ; by which we are to understand, not on- ly the consequences of original sin, imputed to, but inherent in us, and increased by that guilt which we daily contract, which exposes the sinner to punishment in both worlds, in proportion to the aggravations thereof. This we are led to speak to, in the two following answers, (a) {a) It has been frequently objected, if they that are in the flesh be dead in sin, or so wholly inclined to evil, that they " cannot please God" they must be viewed, as miserable rather than guilty, as objects of pity rather than subjects for punish- nient. To analyse is to enervate this objection. Wherein consists the impotency, and what is the guilt of an evil action ? It there be any physical defect in the under- standing, or any external obstacle, which may prevent a conformity to the reveal- ed will of God ; it is an excuse, the party is clear : but this inability is of a dif- ferent kind ; the sensuul heart is prevailingly inclined to the objects of time and sense, and the mind possesses no ability to resist its strongest inclination, which is but tiie common case of every deliberate choice. Evil men cannot see, because they shut their eyes ; they cannot hear, because they stop their ears ; they cannot come to Christ, or, which is the same thing, will not apply to him by faith. They persevere in such opposition until deatli or despair fixes their enmity ; except their wills are changed, and they are drawn by divine grace. The guilt of an evil action, depends not upon, or exists not in the mere action of the body ; otherwise brutes, and machines of wood and inelal, would be sub- jects of blame. The guilt is seated in tfie intention, and lies in the inclination of tlie mind to that which is prohibited ; and the habitual preponderancy of the in- clinations to evil, marks a worse character, than a sudden and individual choice of it. If the prevailing desires of that which is evil, be the only impotency of the state of ilcith in sin, and at the same time the only guilt of the party ; this inahility and guilt are concomitant, and always in exact proportion to" each other; or ratlier may be considered as the same thing, under different aspects and names : it results therefore th^t as certainly as vice is not virtue, iho impotency to gw-d of the unrenewed man, is do excu.se for his giiflt. 146 or THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. Quest. XXVIII. What are the punishments of s'm in thii xvorld ? Answ. The punishments of sin in this world, are either inward as blindness of mind, a reprobate sense, strong delusions, hardness of heart, horror of conscience, and vile affections ; or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures for our sakes, and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments, together with death itself. Quest. XXIX. What are the punishments of sin in the world to come? Answ^. The punishments of sin in the world to come, are ever- lasting separation from the comfortable presence of God, and most grievous torments in soul and body, without inter- mission, in hell-fire for ever. I. TTN the former of these answers, we have an account of 1 those punishments which sin exposes men to in this world. These are distinguished as being either inward or outward, personal or relative ; of which, those that are styled outzvardy v/hich more especially respect our condition in the world, as we are liable to many adverse dispensations of providence there- in, and are generally reckoned, by sinners, the greatest, as they are most sensible while they groan under the many evils and miseries which befall them, in their bodies, names, estates, re- lations, and employments, and they end in death, the most for- midable of all evils ; though, in reality, the punishments of sin, which are styled ifirvard, such as blindness of mind, hardness of heart, &c. how little soever they are regarded by those who fall under them, by reason of that stupidity, which is the na- tural consequence thereof : yet they are, by far, the greatest and most dreaded by all, who truly fear God, and see things in a just light being duly affected with that which would render them most miserable in the end. Here we shall consider. Firsts Those punishments that are called inward, which re^ spect either the understanding, will, conscience, or affections. Accordingly, 1. We are said to be exposed to blindness of mind: This the apostle describes in a most moving way, when he speaks of the Gentiles^ as xvalking in the vanity of their mind, having;- the zmderstanding- darkened, being- alienated fro7n the life of Gody through the ignorance that is iJi them, because of the blindness of their heart, Eph. iv. 17, 18. Ignorance and error are defects of the understanding, whereby it is not able to find out, nor de- sirous to enquire after the way of truth and peace ; and accor- dingly the apostle says, The way of peace have they not kngwn^ or THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. 147 Rom. iii. IT. and by reason hereof, we are naturally inclined to deny those doctrines, which are of the greatest importance, namely, such as more immediately concern the glory of God, and our own salvation. This ignorance is certainly most dan- gerous, and cannot be exempted from the charge of sin, much more when we are judicially left to it, as a punishment for other sins committed by us. 2. Another punishment of sin, mentioned in this answer, is strong delusion, which is the consequence of the former. This is taken from the apostle's words, For this cause God shall send them strong delusion^ that theij should believe a lie^ 2 Thess. ii. 11. the meaning of which is nothing else but this, that God •suffers them, who receive not the love of the truth, but take pleasure in unrighteousness, to be deluded, by denying them that spiritual aud saving illumination, which would have effec- tually prevented it. Now, that we may consider what the apos- tle means bv these strong delusions^ we may observe, that every error, or mistake in lesser matters of religion, is not intended hereby ; for then few or none, would be exempted from this judgment; but it includes in it a person's entertaining the most abon\inable absurdities in matters of religion, which are con- trary to the divine perfections, and the whole tenor of scrip- ture, and subversive of those truths, which are of the greatest importance ; or, when persons pretend to revelations, or are turned away from the truth by giving credit to the amusements of signs, and lying wonders ; with which Antichrist is said to come, after the working of Satan ; and the consequence hereof is, that they believe a lye^ which they suppose to be confirmed liereby. Errors, in matter of religion, are sometimes invincible and unavoidable, for want of objective light, or scripture-revelation, as in the Heathen, Mahometans, and others, who through the disadvantages and prejudices of education, are estranged fronn the truth : but even this in some respects, may be said to be judicial ; for, though such do not sin against the gospel-light, yet they are guilty of other sins, which justly provoke God to leave them in this state of darkness and ignorance. But the punishment of sin, when God gives men up to this judgment, is more visible in those, who have had the advantages of edu- cation, above others, and have had early instructions in the doctrines of the gospel ; yet, by degrees, they arc turned aside from, and have denied them, and so forsaken the guide of their youth^ Prov. ii. 17. These sometiiaes call those sentiments about religious matters, which once they received, implicit faith, and please themselves with their new schemes of doc- trine, looking, as they call it, with pity, or, I might rather say, ^ifidain, on others, who ai"e not disentangled from their fetters, I4S OF THE PUNISHMENT OP SIN. or have not shook off the prejudices of education, nor arrived to so free and generous a way of thinking, as they pretend to have done. But how much soever they may glory in it, it is a sad instance of God's giving them up, in a judicial way, to the vanity and delusion of their minds ; and accordingly they be- lieve that to be a truth, which others can prove to be a lie, and which they themselves onco thought so. Now this appears to be a punishment of sin, in that the gospel, which once they pro- fessed to believe, had not that effect, or tendency, as it ought, to subdue their lusts and corruptions ; but thcj," rebelled against the light, and Avere under the pov/er of presumptuous sins : their understanding, and talents of reasoning, have been en- larged, and, at 'the same time, the pride and vanity of their minds hath not been subdued, and mortified, by the grace of God ; whereupon, they have been given up first to question, then to deny, and afterwards to oppose, and, in the most pro- fane and invidious manner, to ridicule those sacred and impor- tant truths, which they once received. This is a sad instance of the punishment of sin ; and the use that I would make of it, may be in the following inferences, (I.) That we ought not to be content with a bare speculative knowledge of divine truths, but should endeavour to improve them, to promote practical godliness, as they have a tendency to do in all those, who, as the apostle saith, have so learned Christy as that they have been taught by him, as the truth is in jfesus, Eph. iv. 21. (2.) We ought not to content ourselves with an implicit faith, or believe the doctrines of the gospel, merely because they have been received by wise and good men, in former or later ages, but should be able to render a reason of the faith and hope that is in us, as built upon clear scripture evidence ; so, on the other hand, we must take heed that we do not despise the many tes- timonies which God's people havx given to the truth, or for- sake the footsteps of the flock, as though God had left his ser- vants to delusions, or groundless doctrines, and there were no light in the world, or the church, till those, who have studiously endeavoured to overthrow the faith delivered to, and main- tained by tlie' saints, brought in that which they, with vain- boasting, call new light, into it. (3.) Let us strive against the pride of our understanding, which oftentimes tempts us to disbelieve any doctrine whicii we cannot fully account for, by our shallow methods of reason- ing, as though w'Q were the only men that knew any thing ; and, as Job sa)-s, Wisdom must die xvith us. Job xii. 2. (4.) If we are in doubt concerning any important truth, let us apply ourselves, by faith and prayer, to Christ, the great • prophet of his church, v» ho has promised liis Spirit to lead hii> OF THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. 149 people into all necessary truth, to establish them in, and to keep them from being turned aside from it, by every wind of doc* trine, through the management and sophistry of those who lie in wait to deceive. And to this we may add, that we ought to bless God for, and to make a right use of the labours of others, who have not only been led into the knowledge of the gospel themselves, but have taken a great deal of pains, and that with good success, to establish the faith of others therein. (5.) If we have attained to a settled knowledge of the truth, and, more especially, if we have been blessed with a spiritual and practical discerning thereof, let us bless God for it, and endeavour to improve it to the best purposes, which will be a preservative against this sore judgment of being given up to the blindness of our minds, or strong delusions, and thereby to forsake our first faith. 3. Another punishment of sin, which more especially re- spects the will, is hardness of heart, and a reprobate sense, when men are given up to the perverseness and obstinacy of their natures, so that they are fixedly resolved to continue in sin, whatever be the consequence thereof, when they cannot bear reproof for, and refuse to be reclaimed from it, whatever methods Ire used in order thereunto. Thus the prophet speaks^ concerning a people, which had had forewarnings by sore judg- ments, and were, at that time, under sad rebukes of providence; yet God says, concerning them. They rvill not hearken unto me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted^ £zek. iii. 7. and the apostle speaks of some, who have their conscien-> ces seared with a hot iron^ 1 Tim. iv. 2. and others, who are described, as sinning- tvilfully, Heb. v. 26. that is, resolutely, being head-strong, and determined to persist therein ; and are as the man described in Job, Who stretcheth out his hand against God, and stre?igtheJieth himself against the Almighty ^ he run-' neth upon him, even upon his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers. Job xv. 25. Thus corrupt nature expresses its enmity and opposition to God; and, as sinners are suffered to go on in this way, it may well be reckoned a punishment of sin, or an instance of God's judicial hand against them for it. This hard* ness of heart is sometimes compared to a stone, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. or a rock, Jer. xxiii. 19. or an adamant, which is hardly broken with a hammer, Zech. vii. 12. or an iron sinerv, and their brow is said to be as brass, Isa. xlviii. 4. and sometimes they are compared to a swift dromedanj, traversing her ways ; or the -wild ass, \iscd to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure, Jer. ii. 23,' 24. and the bullock unaccus" tomedto the yoke, Jer. xxxi. 18. or to the deaf adder, that stop' peth her ears ; that rvill not hearken to the voice of the charmers^ charming never so zuisehjy Psal. Iviii. 4, 5c This stupidity of Vol. IL U tSb OP THE PUNISHMENT OP SIN. the heart of man is so gi*eat, that it inclines him to go on in a com'se of rebellion against God, and, at the same time, to con- clude all things to be well ; whereas, this is the most dangerous symptom, and a visible instance of God's judicial hand, as a punishment of sin in this life. There are several instances, in vhich this hardness of heart discovers itself; as, (1.) When men are not afraid of God's judgments threaten- ed, nor regard the warnings given thereof before-hand, or when they refuse to humble themselves under them, as God says to Pharaoh, How long' xvilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Exod. Xt 3. (2.) When the^- stifle, and do not regard those convictions of conscience, which they sometimes have ; and, though they know that what they do is sinful, and displeasing to God. yet they break through all those fences, which should have prevented their committing it, as the apostle speaks of some. Who knoio- ing the judgment of God, that they xvho commit such thbigs, are ■worthxj 0^ death ; not only do the same^ but have pleasure iJi them that do them, Rom. i. 32. (3.) Men may be said to be hardened in sin, when they dp Tiot mourn for, or repent of it, after they have committed it : but, on the other hand, endeavour to conceal, extenuate, and plead for it, rather than to forsake it. And here we may take occasion to enquire, [l.] What are those sins which more especially lead to this judgment of hardness of heart. These are, 1st, A neglect of ordinances, such as the word preached, as though we counted it an indifferent matter, whether we wait at wisdom's gate, or no, or make a visible profession of subjection to Christ, and desire of communion with him herein ; and par- ticularly when we live in the constant neglect of seci-et prayer : thus the hardened sinner is described, when it is said, Tea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God, Job xv. 4. 2dly, Another sin leading to it, is, a person's delighting in, or associating himself with such companions, as ai'e empty and vain, express an enmity to the power of godliness, and frequent- ly make things sacred, the subject of their %vit and ridicule, choosing such for his bosom-friends, who cannot bear to con- verse about divine things, but rather depreciate, or cast con- tempt upon them ; such an one is called, A companion of fools^ and is opposed to those that -walk -with wise 7ne7i, xvho shall be ■wise, Prov. xiii. 20. and there is no method which will have a jnore direct tendency to harden the heart, or root out any of the remains of serious religion, than this. ^dly, A shunning faithful reproof, or concluding those our enemies, who are, in this respect, our best friends. He that can- apt bear to be told of Jiis crimes, by others, will^ in a little OF THE PtJNISHMENT OF SIN. 151 while, cease to be a reprover to himself, and hereby will be ex- posed to this judgment of hardness of heart. 4thlyy Our venturing on the occasions of sin, or committing it presumptuously, without considering the heinous aggrava- tions thereof, or the danger that will ensue to us thereby ; these things will certainly bring on us a very great degree of hard- ness of heart. But, since there are some who are afraid of falling under this judgment, and are ready to complain, that the hardness, which they find in their own hearts, is of a judicial nature ; this leads us to enquire, [2.] What is the difference between that hardness of heart, which believers often complain of, and judicial hardness, which is considered, in this answer, as a punishment of sin. There is nothing that a believer more complains of, than the hardness and impenitency of his heart, its lukewarmness and stupidity under the ordinances ; and there is nothing that he more de- sires, than to have this redressed, and is sometimes not with- out a degree of fear, lest he should be given up to judicial hard- ness ; and therefore, to prevent discouragements of this nature, let it be considered, (1.) That judicial hardness is very seldom perceived, and never lamented ; a broken and a contrite heart is the least thing that such desire : But it is otherwise with believers ; for, as it is said of Hezekiah, that he xvas humbled for the pride of his hearty 2 Chron. xxxii. 26. so all they, who have the truth of grace, and none but such, are exceedingly grieved for the hard- ness of their heart, which is an argument that it is not judicial, how much soever it be, in common with every sin, the result of the corruption of nature, and the imperfection of thi& present state. (2.) Judicial hardness is perpetual ; or, if ever there be any yemorse, or relenting, or the soul is distressed, by reason of its guilt, or the prevalency of sin, it is only at such times Avhen he is under some outward afflictions, or filled with a dread of the wrath of God ; and, as this wears off, or abates, his stupidity returns as much, or more, than ever : Thus it was with Pharaoh, when he was affrighted with the mighty thundering and hail, with which he was plagued, he sent for Moses and Aaron^ and &aid unto them^ I have sinned; the Lord is righteous^ and I and my people are wicked^ Exod. ix. 2T. but, when the plague was removed, it is said, that he sinned yet more^ and hardened his heart. But it is otherwise widi a believer ; for sometimes, when no adverse dispensations, with respect to his outward circum- stances in the world, trouble him, yet he is full of complaints, and greatly afflicted, that his heart is no more affected in holy duties, or inflamed with love to God, or zeal for his glory, or am OF THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. that he cannot delight in him as he would, or obtain a conipleat victory over in-dwelling sin, which is his constant burden ; and> whenever he has a degree of tenderness, or brokenness of heart, under a sense of sin, it is not barely the fear that he has of the ivrath of God, as a sin-revenging judge, or the dreadful conse- quences of sin committed, that occasion it, but a due sense of that ingratitude and disingenuity, which there is in every act of rebellion against him, who has laid them under such inexpres- sible obligations to obedience. (3.) Judicial hardness is attended with a total neglect of all holy duties, more especially those that are secret ; but that hard- ness of heart which a believer complains of, though it occasions his going on very uncomfortably in duty, yet it rather puts him upon, than drives him from it. (4.) When a person is judicially hardened, he makes use of indirect and unwarrantable methods to maintain that false peace, which he thinks himself happy in the enjoyment of; that, which he betakes himself to, deserves no better character than a re- fuge of lies ; and the peace he rejoices in, deserves no better a name than stupidity : but a believer, when complaining of the hardness of his heart, cannot take up with any thing short of Christ, and his righteousness ; and it is his presence that gives him peace ; and he always desires that faith may accompany his repentance, that so, whenever he mourns for sin, the comforta- ble sense of his interest in him, may aiford him a solid and last- ing peace, which is vastly different from that stupidity and hard- ness of heart, which is a punishment of sin. There is another expression in this answer, which denotes lit- tle more than a greater degree of judicial hardness, when it is styled, A reprobate sense^ or, as the apostle calls it, A reprobate mind, Rom. i. 28. which God is said to have given them up to, "who did not like to retain him in their knowledge ; the meaning of which is, that persons, by a course of sin, render their hearts so hard, their wills so obstinate and depraved, as well as their understandings so dark and defiled, that they hardly retain those notices of good and evil, which are enstamped on the nature of man, and, at some times, have a tendency to check for, and re- strain from sin, till they are entirely lost, and extinguished by the prevalency of corrupt nature, and a continued course of pre- sumptuous sins J and, as the result hereof, they extenuate and excuse the greatest abominations : Thus Ephraim is represent- ed, as saying. In all my labours, they shall Jind none iniquity in me that were sin, Hos. xii. 8. whereas God says in a following verse, that they provoked hi?n to anger most bitterly, ver. 14. and, after this, they entertain favourable thoughts of the vilest actions, as some are represented doing, Who call evil good, and OF THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. 133 good evil ; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness ; that put bitter for sxveet, and sxvcet for bitter y Isa. v. 20. 4. The next spiritual judgment mentioned in this answer, as a punishment for sin, is a person's being given up to vile affec^ tions. This God is said to have done, to those wliom the apos- tle describes, as giving themselves over to the comynitting of those sins, which are contrary to nature, Rom. i. 26. such as all men generally abhor, who do not abandon themselves to the most notorious crimes : This is a contracting that guilt, which is re- pugnant to those natural ideas of virtue and vice, which even an unregenerate man, who has not arrived to this degree of im- piety, cannot but abhor. These are such as are not to be named among Christians, or thought of, without the utmost regret, and an afflictive sense of the degeneracy of human nature. 5. The last thing mentioned in this answer, in which the in- ward punishment of sin, in this life, consists, is, Horror of con- science. Under the foregoing instances of spiritual judgments, conscience seemed to be asleep, but now it is awakened, and that by the immediate hand of God, and this is attended with a dread of his wrath falling upon it : horror and despair are the result hereof; The arroxvs of the Almighty are zvithin him, the poison xuhereof drinketh up his spirit ; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against him. Job vi. 4. and, Terrors take hold on him as waters ; a tempest stealeth him axvay in the night, Ihe east xvind carrieth him axvay, and he departeth; and, as a storm, hurlcth him out of his place. For God shall cast upon him, and not spare ; he xvouldfain flee out of his hand, chap, xxvii. 20—22. This differs from those doubts and fears, which are common to believers, inasmuch as it is attended with despair, and a dreadful view of God, as a God to xvhom vengeance belongethy and is attended, as the apostle says, xvith a certain fearful look- ^^i'fo^' of judgment, andfery indignation, xvhich shall devour the adversaries, Heb. x. 27. Before this, he took a great deal of pains to stifle convictions of conscience, but now he would fain do it, but cannot ; which is a sad instance of the wrath of God pouring forth gall and wormwood into it, when he says, to use the prophet's words. Thine own xvickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee, Jer. ii. 19. But, now we are speaking concerning horror of conscience, we must take heed, lest we give occasion to doubting believers, who are under great distress of soul, through a sense of sin, to apply what has been said, to themselves, for their farther dis- couragement, and conclude, that this is a judicial act of God, and a certain evidence, that they have not the truth of grace : Therefore we may observe, that there is a difference between this horror of conscience, which we have been describing, and Ijf4 OF THE PUNlSHMEIifT OS SIN. that distress of soul, which believers are often liable to, in three respecis. (1.) The former, under horror of conscience, flee from God, as from an enemy, and desire only to be delivered from his wrath, and not from sin, the occasion of it ; whereas the belie- ver desires nothing so much, as that his iniquity, which is the occasion of it, may be subdued and forgiven, and that he may have that communion with God which he is destitute of; and, in order thereunto, he constantly desires to draw nigh to him. in ordinances, and, if he cannot enjoy him he mourns after him : Thus the Psalmist complaineth, as one in the utmost dtgree of distress, Thy wrath lieth hard upon me^ and thou hast abided me with all thy zuaves^ Psal. Ixxxviii. 7. yet he says, Unto thee have I cried, 0 Lord, atid in the morning- shall 7ny prayer pre* •Vent thee, ver. 13. (2.) The one reproaches God, and entertains unworthy thoughts of him, as though he were severe, cruel, and unjust to him ; whereas the other, with an humble and penitent frame of spirit, complains only of himself, acknowledges that there is no unrighteousness with God, and lays all the blame to his own iniquity. (3.) Horror of conscience, when it is judicial, seldom con- tinues any longer, than while a person is under some outward afflictive dispensation of providence, under which sin is increas- ed, and the removal thereof leaves him as stupid as he was be- fore : whereas it is otherwise with a believer ; for the removal of God's afflicting hand, as to outward troubles, will not afford him any remedy against his fears, unless sin be mortified, and God is pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon him, and give him joy and peace in believing. Secondly, Having considered the zVnfar^ punishments of sin, in this life v/e are now to speak something concerning those, which, in this answer, are styled outward, of which some are the immediate consequence of the first entrance of sin into the world, and others are increased by the frequent commission thereof; the former includes in it the curse of God upon the creature for our sakes, and our liableness to death ; the latter respects those various other evils that befal us, of which some are perso- nal, and others relative ; accordingly, many evils are said to be- fal us, in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments, 1. The curse of God was denounced against the a-eatures, immediately after man's apostasy from him : This is, in part, contained in the threatning. Cursed be the ground for thy sake. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; by the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground, Gen. iii. 17 — 19. and it is very elegantlv described by the apostle, who speaks of faj the creature as subject to vajiity, not willingly^ {a) ^Imc. means aniipaj natum in maTi. The rdiefef the body is spoken of. OF THE PUNISHMENT OF SlN. 133 but by reason ofhim^ ruho hathaubjected the same in hope; (b) and ot the -whole creation'' s groaning and travelling in pain together until noxu^ Rom. viii. 20 — 22. the gcneriil scope and citsign whereof seems to be this, that it retains the visible marks of the curse of God, which ioliowed upon man's sin. This I ra- ther think to be the sense thereot, than to suppose, as some do, that the creature^ here spoken of, is the Gentile world, and the ■vaniti/^ whica they were subject to, that idolatry which they were universally addicted to ; for that does not seem to agree ■with what the apostle says, when he supposes that their subjec- tion to this vanity was not willingli/, neither can it well be call- ed the bondage oj' corruption. But if, on the other hand, we lake it for that part of the creation, which was more immediately designed for the use of man, being abused, and so subject to that vanity, which is the consequence of his fall, this agrees very well with its being 7iot willi?jgli/ ; for he is speaking here of creatures not endowed with understanding and will, yet abus- ed by those that are, and therefore their subjection to man's va- nity, is not so much from themselves, as from man's sin ; and then he speaks of the liableness of all these things to corruption, as the wx)rld is decaying and growing toward a dissolution. How far this curse of God, on the creature, extended itself, whether only to this lower world, or to the heavenly bodies themselves, such as the sun, moon, and stars, I pretend not to determine; tor I desire not to extend my conjectures beyond the line of scripture, which speaks of the earthy as cursed for vuvi's sake; and how far the other parts of nature, are liable to corruption, or inclined towards a dissolution, it is hard to say. All that I shall add, on this head, is, that, v/hen this is called a punishment, which is consequent on man's sin, it more espe- cially respects man, who is the only subject of punishment in this world : inanimate creatures are the matter, in which he is punished, but he alone is the subject thereof. 2. There are other evils that befal us, in which we are more immediately concerned, and these are either personal or rela- tive ; and, accordingly, (1.) We are liable to bodily diseases, which are a continual weakness, or decay of nature ; and afterwards to death, v,^hich is the dissolution of the frame thereof. All the pains and dis- orders of nature, whereby our health is impaired, and our pas- sage, through this world, rendered uneas} , are the consequence of our sinful and fallen state, and, in that respect, are sometimes styled, a punishment of sin : thus, when our Saviour healed the man that was sick of the palsy, he intimates, that his sickness was the consequence of sin, by the mode of expression used, Thy sins are forgiven thee^ Mat. ix. 2. and the Psalmist speaks CbJ ver. 20. is a parenthesis, except, "in ftobe!' » Waiteth &c. evns qf Cod (\ lUnhpethattheqrecanrey^ci' -/ v/ 156 Oi THE PUNISHMENT OF SIK. of God's pardoning the iniquities of his people^ and healing" all their diseases, Psal. ciii. 3. at the same time ; in this respect, they are st) led, in a more large sense, a punishment of sin : but, when they have a mixture of the wrath of God in them, and are not rendered subservient to our good, nor included among those dispensations, which are called fatherly chastisements, as they are not in those that are in an unjustified state, they are, in a more proper sense, punishments of sin. Thus the diseases that God brought on the Egyptians, are reckoned among the plagues of Egypt, and so were a visible instance of the vindic- tive justice of God. The same thing may be said of death, which is the dissolution of the frame of nature, which is a con- sequence of sin, in all, and in the most proper sense, a punish- ment of sin, in those, who are liable not only to the stroke, but the sting of death, and thereby are brought under the power of the second death. (2,) There are many evils that befal us in our names, when we meet with reproaches and injurious treatment, as to what concerns our character in the world, from those who act as though their tongues Avere their own, and they were not ac- countable to God, for those slanders and revilings, which they load us with. We are, in this case, very ready to complain of the injustice done us, by their endeavouring to deprive us of that, which is equally valuable with our lives : but we ought to consider, that sin is the cause of all this, and God's suffering them thus to treat us, and thereby to hinder our usefulness in the world, must be reckoned a punishment of sin. (3.) There are other evils that befal us in our secular con- cerns, namely, our estates and employments in the world, which are entirely at the disposal of providence, which renders us rich, or poor, succeeds, or blasts, our lawful undertakings. This God may do, out of his mere sovereignty, without giving an accoimt of his matters to any one. But yet, when we meet with nothing but disappointments, or want of success in business, and whatever diligence, or industry, we use, appears to be to no purpose, and adverse providences, like a torrent, sweep aM'^ay all that we have in the world, and poverty comes upon us, like an armed man, this is to be reckoned no other than a punishment of sin. (4.) There are other evils, which we are exposed to, in our relations, by which we understand, the wickedness of those who are nearly related to us, or the steps they take to ruin themselves, and cast a blemish on the whole family to which they belong. The bonds of nature, and that affection, which is the result thereof, render this very afflictive : and especially when they, who are related to us, attempt any thing against us to our prejudice, this is a circumstance that sharpeneth the edge of the affliction. And, as it is a sin in them, which is contrary OF THt PUNISHMENT OF SIN. 1S7 lu the dictates of nature; so sometimes we may reckon it si punishment which we are liable to, as the consequence of our sin in general. But, if we have occasion to reflect on our for- mer conversation, as not having filled up every relation with those respective duties, that it engages to ; if we have been un- dutiful to our parents, or unfaithful servants to our masters, or broke the bonds of civil society, by betraying or deserting our friends, and setting aside all those obligations which they have laid us under; this oftentimes exposes us to afflictive evils of the like nature, whereby the affliction we meet with in others, appears to be a punishment of our own sin. Thus concerning the punishment of sin in this life ; from whence we may make the following remarks. 1. Whatever evils we are exposed to in this world, we ought to be very earnest with God, that he would not give us up to spiritual judgments. The punishments of sin, which are out- ward, may be alleviated and sweetened with a sense of God's love, and made subservient; to our spiritual and eternal advan- tage. But blindness of mind, hardness of heart, and those other evils, which tend to vitiate and defile the soul, which have i» them the formal nature of punishment, these are to be dreaded like hell ; and, as we are to be importunate with God to pre- v^ent them, so we ought to watch against those sins that lead to them ; and therefore let us take heed of being insensible, or stupid, under any afflictive evils, as neglecting to hear the voice of God, who speaks by them, or refusing to receive instruction by correction. 2. Let us not be too much dejected, or sink under those out- ward afflictive providences, which we are liable to ; for, tliough they be the consequence of sin, yet, if we have ground to con- clude, by faith, that our sins are forgiven, they are not to be reckoned the stroke of justice, demanding satisfaction, and re- solving never to remove its hand from us, till we are consumed thereby; since believers often experience, what the prophet prays for, that God in wrath remembers mercy ^ Hab. iii. 2. 3. Let us take heed that we do not ascribe afflictive provi- dences to chance, or content ourselves with a bare reflection on them, as the common lot of man in this world, who is horn to trouble as the sparks jiy upwards : For, this we may do, and not be humbled for that sin, which they are designed to bring to remembrance, as they are to be reckoned a punishment thereof^ 4. Let us not murmur, or quarrel with God, as though he dealt hardly with us, in sending afflictive evils ; but rather let us bless him, how heavy soever they appear to be, that they are not extreme, but mitigated, and have in them a great mijr- ture of mercy. Thus God says, concerning the evils that he had brought upon Israel, that in mecimr? he would debate xvith Vpj.. II. X • Ijfg &£ THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. ihem^ who stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east rvindr and by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged^ Isa. xxvii. 8, 9. and, by this means, God not only afflicts us less than our ini- quities deserve, but brings good to us thereby in the end. If the guilt of sin is taken away, we have ground to conclude, that all these things shall work together for good^ as he has promised they shall, to those that love him. This leads us to consider, II. The punishment of sin in the world to come. Though the wrath of God be revealed, in many instances, in a very ter- rible manner, as a punishment of sin in this life, yet there is a punishment unspeakably greater, which sinners are liable to, in the world to come. That this may appear, let us consider the following propositions. 1. That the soul exists after its separation from the body by death ; which is evident, from the immateriality thereof, and its being of a different nature from the body. This was known and proved by the light of nature ; so that the very heathen, who had no other light than that to guide them, discover some knowledge of it. But this is more plain from scripture ; as when it is said. Fear not them which kill the body^ but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear himy which is able to destroy both soul and body in hcU., Matt. x. 28. 2. The soul thus existing, though separate from its body, must be supposed to retain those powers and capacities it had, while united to it, which are proper to it, as a spirit, and parti- cularly as the subject of moral government ; and those powers and capacities may also be supposed to be in it in a greater de- gree, when dislodged from the body, which is a great hindrance to it in its actings, as every one sensibly experiences ; therefore it follows, 3. That it cannot but be happy, or miserable, in another world ; for there is no middle state between these two. This is farther evident from what was observed in the last proposi- tion, concerning the continuance and increase of its powers and faculties, whereby it is rendered more capable thereof, than it js now. 4. If it goes out of this world, under the weight and guilt of sin upon it, it must retain that guilt, because there is no sacri- fice for sin, extending itself to that world j no mediator, no gos- pel, or means of grace ; no promises of, or way to obtain for- giveness? therefore, 5. Wicked men, whose sins are not forgiven in this worlds are the subjects of punishment in the other. 6. This punishment cannot be castigatory, or paternal, or consistent with the special love of God, or, for their advantage, as the punishments of the sins of believers are in this world, since it is always expressed as the stroke of vindictive justice, demanding Stitisfaction for sins commilted. OF THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. 159 7. Some are happy in a future state, namely, tliose who are justified ; for, xvhom he justified^ them he also glorrfied^ Rom. viii. 30. But this is not the privilege of all ; therefoie they who are not justified, or whose sins are not pardoned, are the sub- jects of the punishment of sin in the ^v^orld to come. This is a very awful subject, and should be duly improved, to awaken our fears, and put us upon using those means, which God has ordained to escape it. But I shall not, in this place, enlarge upon it, since it is particularly insisted on under another an- swer,* and therefore I shall only observe, that, as sin is objec- tively infinite, as being against an infinite God, it deserves eter- nal punishment. And therefore all the punishments inflicted on sinners, in this world are not proportioned to it; and conse- quently there are vials of wrath, reserved in store, to be poured on those, who wilfully and obstinately persist in their rebellion against God, and the punishment will be agreeable to the nature of the crime ; so that as sin is a separation of the heart and af- fections from God, and contains in it a disinclination to con- verse with him, as well as unmcetness for it, the punishment thereof will consist in a separation from his comfortable pre- sence, and that is to be separated from the fountain of blessed-^ «es3, which must render the soul beyond expression, misera- ble. This is generally called a punishment of loss ; and there is besides it, a punishment of sense, expressed by those gi-ievous torments, which are to be endured in soul and body ; the soul, in a moral sense, may be said to be capable of pain, as it has an afflictive sensation of those miseries which it endures ; and the body is so in a natural sense, which, as it has been a partner with the soul in sinning, must likewise be so in suffering. And this farther appears inasmuch as the body endures several pains and evils, as punishments of sin in this life, which shall be con- tinued, and increased in another. This is usually expressed by that punishment, which is most terrible, namely, of fire ; and the place in which it is inflicted, is hell, and the duration there- of is to eternity. But of these things elsewhere, (a) * See Quest. Ixxxix. (a) Tlie faculties of the soul speak it made for eternity; particularly con- science points to a time of retribution. The same truth may be deduced from ttie holiness, justicp, and even tlie goodness of God; from the moral agency df snan ; from the course of the conduct of men; and from the unequal administrs- lion of justice : but the solid and clear proofs are found in the word of God. How pitiable the condition of tliat man, who having spent his life williout a view to a, final account, has no other hope in thehourofdeatli, except that which is found- ed upon the groundless supposition, that God will cease to be holy, just, and ti'ue ; that he will change from his origmal purpose, subvert the order of his go- vernment, and surrender the demands ot religion, conscience, and reason, to .save the guilty in their sins. Humanity would lead us to entertain a secret vrisb, that the impenitent should 160 OF MAN S RECOVERY. Quest. XXX. Doth God leave all mankind to perish in the state cf sin and miser ij ? Answ. God will not leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery, into which they fell hy the breach of the first covenant, commonly called, the covenant of works ; but of his mere love and mercy, delivereth his elect out of it, and bringeth them to an estate of salvation by the second covenant, commonly called the covenant of giace. HITHERTO we have considered man as made upright, and having many blessings in possession, and more in expectation, according to the tenor of the covenant he was un- be permitted to drop into non-existence, and that the demands of justice should be waved ; but this sentiment is unadvised, and springs from an ignorance of the demerit of sin; defective views of the importance of rectitude in the administra- tion of the div'me government; from imperfect conceptions of God's perfections ; from our own interest, or from a faulty sympathy for the undeserving. Existence is a blessing; but when prostituted to the dishonour of the Creator, the party will not be at liberty to throw it up when he chooses, and thus elude the de- mands of justice. The minds of the unrenewed are directed prevailingly to temporal things ; a total separation from them, is, perhaps, the first sense of punishment which is felt. They have not in life sought eternal happiness, yet they generally have supposed it possible to be attained, or that mercy would bestow it. The dis- covery of their eternal sep:u-ation from heaven, the society of the blessed, the beatific vision of God, from fulness of joys, and rivers of pleasures, will produce abject despair. This will be aggravated by the reflection that they might have been happy. The blessings of providence, the mercy of God in making provision for their recovery, the love and compassion of Christ, the means of grace, the in- vitations and warnings of the Gospel, all abused and lost, will augment their re- morse to an inconceivable degree. The malice and hon-ors of their cursed socie- ty of fiends and damned spirits, will be another source of torment. Great as these distresses may be, the separate spirits are dreading greater evils. ** Hast thou come to torment us before the time?" When the judgment has passed, " death" the bodies which hftd been dead, " and hell" the spirits wliich had been in Hades, " shall be cast into the lake of fire." If their bodies shall be raised spiritual, incorruptible, and immortal, which is affirmed of the righteous; and seems probable, because the earth will be destroyed, and they will be asso- ciated with spirits, yet the sense of the pain, which arises from burning, may be given and continued in them by tlie application of fire, oreven without it. But that which imbitters all their distresses in the highest degree, is, that they shall be eternal. The original words of the scripture expressive of their perpetuity, being unrestrained by any implied or expressed limitation, should be understood as wlien applied to Deity, or the happiness of the saints. The same •perpetual duration is also shown by negation, which is the sti'ongest language. " The yuorm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" it is " urujvenchable fire," and *' their end^'' (or linal state,) " is to be burned" We read of a sin which shall " not be forgiven." " J\/'ot every ove-^shall enter into the kingdom ;" and where Christ is, they " cannot come." Tliey will " have judgment ivithout mercy." None of these things are true, if all men shnll be saved. Perhaps justice required that these evils should be disclosed ; but if they be unjust, it was improper to threaten them. Our aversion to them springs from our ignorance of the evil of sin. Nevertheless, the sacrifice of Christ, and tho warnings of scripture, speak their extent ; and f^e continuance of the damned in BU)p establishes their certainty. OF man's recovery. 161 der. We have also observed the first entrance of sin into the world, with all those miseries that attended it ; and we are now led to speak of that inestimable display of divine love and grace, which appears in our salvation, which is considered more gene- rally in this answer j wherein there is, I. Something supposed, namely, that if God had left man in the state into which he brought himself by sin, he would have perished for ever. He was not only in danger of I'uin and de- struction, but sunk into it. He was like a brand in the fire, that would soon have been consumed, had he not been plucked out of it. His state v/as not only miserable, but hopeless, inasmuch as he could not think of any expedient how he might recover himself. He was guilty, and no creature could make atonement for him ; separated from the comfortable presence of God, whose terrors made him afraid, and whose hand was heavy upon him; neither could he apply himself to any one, who would interpose or appear in his behalf, whereby he might be restored to the enjoyment of those privileges, which he had forfeited and lost. What tongue can express, or heart be suit- ably affected with the misery of this condition ! And this would have been our deplorable case for ever, had we been left of God in our fallen state. But we have, in the gospel, a door of sal- vation opened, or glad tidings proclaimed therein, to those who were sunk as low as hell, which is the only spring and hope of comfort, to those who are afflicted with a sense of their sin and misery* Accordingly, it is farther observed, II. That God will not leave all mankind to perish in that state, but designed to deliver his elect out of it, and bring them into a state of salvation. That God designed not to leave man- kind in this miserable condition, appears from the discovery he has made of the way of salvation which was contained in that promise, which God gave to our first parents, respecting the seed of the rvoman^ who was to break the serpent's head; or the Saviour's being manifested that he viiq-ht destroy the "ii'orks of the devil; and all the promises contained in the gos- pel, are, as it were, a farther improvement on it, or a continued declaration of God's purpose relating to the salvation of his people. The work of redemption wrought out bv Christ, as God incarnate, was a wonderful discovery of this great truth, that T'lod had a design to recover and save lost sinners ; and all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, by whom the redemption pur- chased by Christ, is applied, and that joy and peace, which they have in believing, which are, as it were, the first fruits of eternal life, these are all a convincing proof that God deter- mined not to leave man to perish in his fallen state. And to this we may add, that even the malice and rage of Satan, and all the endeavours used by him, to defeat this design, and the 1^2 OF man's recovery. glorious victory which God enables his people to obtain over him, who are made more than conquerors through him that loved them; these are so many convincing proofs, that God designed not to leave man, in his ruined condition, but to make known to him the way of salvation ; first, to make him meet for it, and then to bring him to the possession of it. Salvation is an inestimable privilege, containing in it all the ingredients of blessedness, such as are adapted to the condition of miserable sinners; and it is a very comprehensive one; which will appear, if we consider what we are hereby delivered from^ and what we are possessed of. There is a great variety of bless- ings contained in the former of these ; as, we are saved from sin, namely, from the guilt thereof in justification, and from the dominion thereof in sanctification, and from that bondage wc were liable to, whereby we were in perpetual dread of the wrath of God, desiring to fly from his presence, and naturally incli- ned to yield ourselves subjects and slaves to his greatest ene- my : all these we are delivered from. And there are many posi- tive blessings and privileges, which we are made partakers of; such as, grace and peace begun here, and perfected in glory hereafter ; and these are not only such as exceed our highest desert, but tend to make us completely and eternally happy. Here we are to consider, 1. The subjects of this privilege. Salvation is not extended to all miserable creatures ; for, fallen angels, who were the first that rebelled against God, were left to perish, without hope of salvation, being reserved for ever in chains under darkness. And as for fallen man, how extensive soever the proclamation of salvation in the gospel is, as it is now preached to all nations, and all who sit under the sound thereof, are commanded and encouraged to press after it ; yet this privilege is applied only to those who were ordained to eternal life. The purpose of God, relating hereunto, and the application thereof, are joined together in that golden chain of salvation. Whom he predestina- ted^ them he ako called; and -whom he called^ them he also justi^ Jied ; and whom he jiistijied, them he also glorified^ Rom. viii. 30. But this has been more particularly considered elsewhere*. 2. Here is the only moving cause, or reason, why God bestows this great salvation, or why he has designed to bring any ol the sons of men to it ; and that is his mere love and mercy. Salvation, whether considered in its first rise, in God's eternal purpose, or in the execution thereof in the work of conversion and sanctification, as well as in the completing of it in glorifi- cation, is ascribed to the sovereign grace and mercy of God. Are we Chosen in Christ to be holy^ or predestinated to the a- doption of children by him? this is said to be to the praise oj' OF MAh's recovery. 163 the glory of his grace, Eph. i. 4 — 6. And the apostle elsewhere, when resolving this great privilege of salvation, in all the branches of it, namely, regeneration, renovation, and justifica- tion, into the same original cause and ground thereof, to wit, the kindness, love, and grace of God, excludes all those works of righteousness which we have done, from being the induce- ment, or moving cause leading to it, Tit. iii. 4 — 7. so that it was the grace of God that laid the foundation stone, and it is that that brings the work to perfection. To make this farther appear, let it be considered, that salva- tion must either be of grace, or of debt ; either the result of God's free favour to us, or it must proceed from some obligation, which he is laid under by us, to confer this privilege upon us* Now it is certain, that it cannot take its rise from any obliga- tion that we can lay on him j for whatever difference there is between the best of saints and the worst of sinners, it is from God, and not from the sinner himself. We have nothing but what wejirst received from him, of whom, arid through rvhom^ and to xvhom are all things, Rom. xi. 35, 36. Moreover, this salvation must be conferred, in such a way, as redounds to the glory of him, who is the author of it, where- by all the boasting in the creature is excluded, and therefore it cannot take its rise from any thing done by us ; it is 7iot of ■works, lest any man should boast, Eph. ii. 9. And, indeed, this 13 contrary to the main design of the gospel, which is, that no flesh should glory in his presence. And the circumstances in which those are, who are said to be the objects of salvation, are such as argue it to be altogether of grace ; for, whom did the Son of Man come to seek and to save, but them that were lost ? or, to whom was the way of salvation discovered, but to those who were going astray from God, and were neither inclined to return to him, nor apply themselves to any one, who might di- rect them how to regain his lost favour ? And, if they had, it would have been to no purpose ; since no creature could make known the way of salvation, any more than apply the blessings contained therein. Were man only to be considered as a creature, and so not properly the object of salvation, which is no other than a lost sinner ; or did he expect nothing else but some effects of com- mon goodness, or the blessings of nature, he could not expect them in a way of merit ; for that is contrary to the dependanct; of the creature on God ; therefore the blessings of Providence must be considered as the result of his free favour. And were man in a sinless state, and able to perform perfect obedience, as he was at first, his ability hereunto must be supposed to be an unmerited favour; and accordingly the obedience performed would be no other than a just debt due to God. and therefore t64 OF man's recovery. would afford him no plea, from any merit of condignity, for the conferring any privilege, as a reward thereof : this therefore, must be the result of the divine favour. But, when we consider him as a sinner, he is altogether una- ble to do what is good ; and therefore, if salvation were entire- ly to depend on our performing obedience, so that any failure therein would deprive us of it, we should never attain it ; for this obedience would be so imperfect, that God could not, in honour, accept of it. But alas ! fallen man is so far from any disposition, or inclination to perform obedience, that his heart is naturally averse to it; The carnal mind is enmittj against God; for it is not subject to the law of Godj neither indeed can be., Rom. viii. 7. If therefore, such an one is saved, and that in such a way, that God is pleased to love him, and manifest himself to him, it must be a wonderful instance of divine grace, which no one, who has experienced it, can think on, but with admiration, especially when considering how discriminating it is ; as one of Christ's disciples said unto him, Hozv is it that thou wilt manifest thyself u7ito its, and not unto the world? John xiv. 22. 3. Having considered salvation, as designed for all the elect, we proceed to consider the means of their attaining it; or their being brought into a state of salvation by the second covenant, commonly called the covenant of grace. As salvation is as- cribed to the grace of God ; so it is an instance of condescend- ing goodness, that our faith, relating hereunto, should be con- firmed by such a dispensation, as is generally styled a covenant. Thus David, speaking concerning it, says. He hath made xvith me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure ; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. This covenant, as to what respects the parties concerned therein, and the manner in which the grace of God is displayed in it, toge- ther with the various dispensations, or administrations thereof, is particularly considered under the five following answers. The only thing, that remains to be insisted on in this, is its be- ing called the Second Covenant, as opposed to the covenant of works, which is styled the First. The covenant of works has been considered under a foregoing answer * ; and therefore all that I shall observe, concerning it, at present, is, that though life was promised therein, as including all those blessings, which were suited to the state of man in innocency, yet there was no promise of salvation in it, which is the restoring of for- feited blessings, or a recovery from a state of death and ruin. In this respect, the covenant of grace is opposed to it. Again, though Adam was the head of that covenant, whose obedience, or apostacy, would convey life or death to all hispos- OF man's recovery. 16i tcrity, whom he represented, yet he stood not in the relation of a Mediator, or surety, to them, for that was inconsistent with the dispensation he was under, and is apphcable to no other co- venant, than that which we are considering, as thus opposed to it. Moreover, perfect obedience was demanded, as a condition of man's attaining life, and this he was thoroughly furnished to perform ; whereas, in the covenant of grace, if God should in sist on our performing perfect obedience, the condition would be in its own nature impossible, and therefore we should here- by rather be excluded from, than brought into a state of salva- tion ; and whatever obedience we are engaged to perform, as expectants of salvation, this is entirely owing to the grace of liod, by which xve are xvhat we are^ as well as attain to the blessings we hope for : Herein the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, differ. The next thing that we are to observe, is, that the covenant of grace is called the Second Covenant ; and this leads us to enquire, whether we have any ground, from scripture, to con- clude, that there are more covenants than these two ; or, at least, whether what we call the Second Covenant, or the cove- nant of grace, may not be subdivided into two covenants; since the apostle seems to speak of two covenants made with fallen man, viz. one that was made with the Israelites, given from mount Sinai, which was designed to continue no longer than that dispensation they were under, lasted; and the other is, that which the church has been under, ever since the gospel dispensation was erected, which is to continue to the end of the v/orld. These are described by their respective properties, in an allegorical way, and illustrated by a similitude, taken from two mountains, Sinai and Sion; and two persons, men- tioned in scripture. Agar and Sarah : The former of these is said to gender unto bondage ; the latter brings those, who are under it into a state of liberty. Gal. iv. 24. £s? seq. and one of these covenants is said to be better than the other, and particu- larly called a new covenant ; the other is represented as decay' ing, waxing old, and ready to vanish away, Heb. viii. 6, 8, 13. Moreover, the apostle seems to speak of more covenants tlian one, made with the Jewish church ; for he says, that to them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants^ Rom. ix. 4. &c. and elsewhere, speaking concerning the Gen- tiles, as aliens from the commonzuealth of Israel, he adds, that they were also strangers from the covenants of promise, Eph. ii, 12. which seems to argue, that there were more than two co- venants with man ; one with innocent man ; the other, the gos- pel-covenant, which we are under; and, besides these, there were other covenants, ipade with Israel, which seems tp carry Vol. II. Y 166 OF man's recovery. in it the appearance of an objection, to what was before ob- served, that there was, in reaUty, but two covenants, and that whenever we read of any covenant in scripture, it is reducible to one of them. This may, without much difficulty, be accounted for, con- sistently therewith, if we consider the sense of those scriptures above mentioned. Firsts As to those scriptures, that seem to speak of two distinct covenants, made with fallen man, to wit, one with the Israelites, the other, that which we are under, they really in- tend nothing more than two different dispensations of the cove- nant of grace ; in which sense we are to understand the apos- tle, when he speaks of the two covenants, the Old and the Netv^ the First and the Second: the covenant is the same, though the dispensation of the grace of God therein, or the way of reveal- ing it to men, differs. But this will be more particularly in- sisted on in those following answers, which respect the vari*^ ous administrations of grace, under the Old and New Testa- ment; therefore we proceed, Secondhj^ To enquire into the meaning of those other scrip- tures, before-mentioned, which seem to speak of more cove- nants than one, which the Jewish nation was under. By the covenants there mentioned, the apostle seems to refer to some different times, or periods of the church, before our Saviour's incarnation, of which some divines take notice of four ; in each of which, there was something new and distinct from the rest, in the dispensation of divine providence towards the church. The first of these took its rise from the promise which God gave to man, as soon as he fell, relating to that salvation, which was to be brought about, in its proper time, by the seed of the woman. The second period of the church began after the flood, when God is said to have revealed his covenant to Noah, which he established between him and cdl jiesh upon the earth., Gen. ix. 17. A third remarkable period, or change of affairs in the church, was, when (iod called Abraham out of an idolatrous country, to sojourn in the land of promise., as in a strange country., at which time he established his covenant with him, promising to be a God to him., and his seed., and in- stituting circumcision as a token thereof Gen. xvii. 7 — 11. upon which occasion, this particular dispensation thereof is called, 7^he covenant of circumcision, Acts vii. 8. The fourth and last dispensation, or period, which more especially respected the seed of Abraham, as increased to a great nation, is what we read of, soon after they were delivered from the Egyptian bondage, when God was pleased to separate that nation, as a peculiar people to himself, and sent Moses from mount Sinai, where he appeared to them, to demand their" explicit consent OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 167 to be his people ; upon which occasion, when they had pro- mised, that all that the Lord had said, they would do and bt obedient, and a public and solemn sacrijice xvas off'ercd, and the people sprinkled with the blood thereof^ it is said, They saiv God, and did eat and drink, as a tarther sign and ratification of this dispensation of the covenant, Exod. xxiv. 1 — 11. and af- terwards many statutes and ordinances were given them, con- taining those laws, which God required of them, as a cove- nant people ; and this continued till the gospel-dispensation, which succeeded it, was erected. This seems to be the mean- ing of what the apostle speaks, in the scriptures before cited, when he says, that the church of the Jews had the covenants, as intending nothing else thereby, but the dispensation of the covenant of grace, as subdivided into several periods, during the various ages of the church, from the fall of Adam to our recovery by Christ. Thereibre, though those dispensations were various, yet whatever God has transacted with man, in a federal way, may be considered under two general heads ; the first called the covenant of works; the other, the covenant of grace ; the latter of which is to be farther considered, under the following answers. Quest. XXXI. With xvhom was the covenant of grace made? Answ. The covenant of grace was made with Christ as the second Adam ; and in him, with idl the elect, as his seed. AS the covenant of grace is opposed to that which was made with Adam, as the head of mankind, so it is consider- ed in this answer, as made with the second Adam, and, in him, with all his elect, who are described, by the Psalmist, as a seed that shoidd serve him, -which should be accounted to the Lord for a generation, Psal. xxii. 30. and the prophet Isaiah, speaking of them, says, He shall see his seed, Isa. liii. 10. In explaining this answer, we shall consider, I. What we are to understand by a covenant in general, and more particularly how it is to be understood, as used in scrip- ture. The word commonly used in the Old Testament,* to signify a covenant, being taken in several senses, may be bet- ter understood, by the application thereof, in those places, where we find it, than by enquiring into the sense of the root, from whence it is derived. Sometimes, indeed, it signifies such a compact between two parties, as agrees with our com- mon acceptation of the word, especially when applied to trans- actions between man and man ; as in the covenant between Abraham, and those neighbouring princes, that were confedf 169 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACEr rate xvith him, where the same word is used, in Gen. xiv. 13^ and in the covenant between Isaac and Abimelech, mentioned in Gen. xxvi. 38, 29. and in that between Jonathan and Da- vid, in 1 Sam. xx. 16, 17. in all which instances there was mu- tual stipulation, and re-stipulation, as there is in human cove- nants ; and, for this reason, some apply those ideas to the word, when it is used to signify God's entering into covenant with man. But there is another acceptation thereof when God is re- presented as making a covenant with man which is more agree- ble to the divine perfections, and that infinite distance there is- between him and us ; therefore We find in several places of scripture, that when God is said to make a covenant there is an intimation of some blessings which he would bestow upon his people, without any idea of stipulation, or re-stipulation, annexed to it : thus we read, in Jer. xxxiii. 20. of God's cove' nant of the day and night, or that there should be day and night in their season ; and, in Gen. xi. 9, 10, 11, of God's establish- ing his covenant xvith Noah, and his seed, and every living creature, that alljiesh should not be cut off any more, by the xvaters of a Jlood. And, in Ezek. xxxiv. 25. when God pro- mises to cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, and that his people should dxvell safely in the wilderness, and that he would confer several other blessings upon them, mentioned in the fol- lowing verses J this is called, his making with them a cove- Tiant of peace* And, when God promises spiritual blessings to his people, in Isa. lix. 21. he says. This is my covenant xvith them ; my Spirit that is upon thee, and the xvords that I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, ?ior out of the mouth of thy seed^s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth, and for ever. Moreover, sometimes the Hebrew word, which we trans- late covenant, is used to signify a statute, or ordinance, which God has established, or appointed, in his church: thus, in Numb, xviii. 19. when God ordained, that Aaron and his sons should have the heave-offerings of the holy things, he says. These have I given thee, aiid thy sons and thy daughters xvith thee,- to be a statute for ever, and adds, in the words imme- diately following, It is a covenant of salt for ever, before the Lord, And as for the word used in the New Testament,* by which Jhe LXX generally translate the Hebrew word, before-men- tioned, in the Old Testament, this signifies- the same thing ; so that both the words imply little more than a divine estab- lishment or ordinattce, in which God gives his people ground to expect promised blessings, in such a way, as redounds most; to bis own glory; and at the same time, they, who are expef-- OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 169 tants thereof, are not exempted from an obligation to perform those duties, which this grace obliges them to, and which will be an evidence of their right to them. And I cannot but farther observe, that among other accep- tations of the word, especially as used by the apostle, in his epistle to the Hebrews, in chap. ix. 15 — 18. it signifies a Tes- tament ; which word some who treat on this subject, rather choose to make use of, than to call it a covenant, being war-* ranted so to do, by the sense given of it in this scripture ; and their reason for it is, not only because, as the apostle says, it was confirmed by the death of the Testator ; but because they conclude, that this more conduces to the advancing the grace of God, in this dispensation, than to style it a covenant^ in that sense, in which the word is commonly used, when applied to other matters : but 1 would rather acquiesce in that medium, betwixt both extremes, which some have given into, who join both the ideas of a covenant and a testament together*, and style it, in some respects, a covenant, and, in others a testa- ment. If it be called a covenant, they abstract from the ideas thereof, some things, that are contained in the sense of the word, as applied to human contracts, and add to it other things, contained in a testament; such as the giving or bequeathing certain legacies, as an act of favour, to those who are denomi- nated, from thence, legatees, interested in those gifts that are thus disposed of by the will of the testator. Or if, on the other hand, we call it a testament it seems very agreeable, to this dispensation, to join with it the idea of a covenant, more especially as to what contains the concern of Christ herein, as the Head thereof, or the Person in whom all the benefits, con- tained in this testament, are first reposed, as they are purcha- sed by his blood, and, as the consequence thereof, applied by his Spirit. And this agrees very well with the subject-matter of this answer, in which the covenant is said to be made with him, and with the elect in him, as well as with %vhat is con- tained in that answer immediately following, in which the cove- nant of grace is described in such a way, as they describe it, who say that it was made with believers. This is necessary to be premised, that we may not, in our explication of this doctrine, advance any thing which is inconsistent with its be- ing a covenant of grace : and, that \iq. may farther consider this matter, we shall proceed to shew, II. What there is in the idea of a covenant, as we genei-ally understand the word, M'hen applied to signify a contract be- ♦ Thise style it, Testantenio FoeJus, or Foediis Testamentariitm, or Tettamen- iin Foederak. \u^ Rather, " ratified ever a. dead hodv," an ancient roodp y'l'cfivpnaiitin'c. 170 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. tween man and man. In this case, there are two parties, one of which is said to stipulate, or enter into a covenant with the other, in which he makes a proposal, that he will confer some favours on him, upon certain conditions, provided he will o- blige himself to fulfil them ; and the other party complies with the proposal made, and, in expectation of those advantages, con- sents to fulfil the conditions enjoined, and accordingly is said to re-stipulate ; as when a person engages another to be his servant, and to give him a reward for his service ; and the o- ther consents to serve him, in expectation of the wages which he engages to give him : in this case, each party is supposed to be possessed of something, which the other has no right to, but by virtue of this contract made between them : thus the ser- vant has no right to the rewards, which his master promises, nor has the master any right to his service, but by mutual con- sent. Each party also pi'oposes some advantage to himself, and therefore, when they enter into this agreement, they are supposed, in some respects, to stand on a level with each other. No one will enter into a covenant with another, for the perform- ing that which he had an antecedent right to ; nor will any one engage to perform any service, as a condition of his receiving those benefits, which he had a right to, without any such con- dition enjoined on him. Moreover, when two parties are said to enter into covenant with one another, they are supposed, in some respects, to stand in need of some things, which they had before no right to ; one party needs the reward proposed ; the other, the service which he enjoins, as a condition of his be- stowing it. These things are generally supposed, and con- tained in contracts between man and man. III. When God is said to enter into covenant with man, what method soever we take to explain this federal transac- tion, we must take heed that we do not include in it any thing that is inconsistent with his infinite sovereignty, or argues him to be dependent on his creatures, as though he had not an ante- cedent right to their obedience, which he demands in this cove- nant, or it were left to man's arbitrary will whether he would perform it or no. Though men may be said to have some things in their own power, so that one has a right to that, which another has no right to, but by his own consent, and are en- tirely left to their liberty, whither they will consign over that right, which they had to it, to another, who could not other- wise lay claim to it ; yet this is by no means to be applied to man when considered as having to do with the great God. The best of creatures have no right to any thing, separate from his arbitrary will ; and therefore though stipulation and re-stipula- tion are proper words, when applied to a man's covenant, they fought not to be made use of, when we explain this covenant between God and man. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 171 IV. Though the parties concerned in the covenant, as ex- plained in this answer, to wit, God the Father, and Christ the Head ol" his elect, are both divine Persons, so that one of them is not infinitely below the other, as man is below God;' and therefore it is more properly called a covenant, in this res- pect, than that which God is said to enter into with man, (and, if stipulation and re-stipulation is, in any respect, applicable to the divine dispensation, it may be applied in this case :) never- theless, there are some things, which are implied in the idea of a covenant between man and man, that cannot, consistently with the glory of these divine Persons, be contained in this federal transaction between them; particularly, as he that en- ters into covenant with another, proposes some advantage to himself hereby : thus a master, when he stipulates with one to be his servant, is supposed as much to need his service, as the servant does the wages that he promises to give hira ; there is a kind of mutual advantage arising from thence : but, in the covenant of grace, whether God be said to make it with man, or with Christ, as the Head of his elect, the advantage that* arises from thence is our's, and not God's. In this respect, ■ what was done by Christ, made no addition to the essential glory of God, or the divine blessedness, any more than man can be said, in that respect, to be profitable to him : thus some understand those words of the Psalmist, as spoken by our Sa- viour, when he says, 3fy goodness extendeth not to thee^ but to the saints which are in the earthy Psal. xvi. 2, 3. and this agrees very well with some other things, contained in the same Psalm, which are expressly, in other parts of scripture, applied to him ; and, if so, then the meaning is, that whatever glory God the Father designed to demonstrate by this federal transaction with his Son ; yet he did not, as men do, by entering into covenant^ with one another, propose to receive any addition of glory from ' it, as though he were really to be profited thereby. Again, when men enter into cov^enant with one another, they are supposed to have different wills, and accordingly they might refuse to enter into those engagements, which they bring themselves under, as well as comply with them; the obliga- tion, on both sides, is founded in mutual consent, and that is 'supposed to be arbitrary : but, when we consider the eternal compact between the Father and the Son, we must conclude, that though they be distinct as to their personality, yet, hav- ing the same essential perfections, the will of the Father and the Son, cannot but be the same. Therefore when manv, who explain this doctrine, represent one as proposing, the other as complying, with the proposal ; one demanding, the other ex- pecting, and each depending on mutual promises, made by one to the other, this, it is true, seems to be founded on some 172 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. scripture-expressions to the same purpose, wherein the Holy Ghost is pleased to condescend to make use of such modes of speaking, which are agreeable to the nature of human cove- nants, as he does in various other instances ; nevertheless, we must not so far strain the sense of words, as to infer, from hence, any thing that is inconsistent with the divine glory of the Father and the Son. And to this we may add, that no act of obedience can be performed by a divine Person, in the same nature, as there cannot be an act of subjection in that na- ture, which is properly divine ; and consequently when we con sider Christ, in this respect, as entering into covenant, and en- gaging to perform those conditions, which were insisted on therein, these are supposed to be performed by him, as Me- diator, or God incarnate, in his human nature ; and, in this respect, he is the Head of the covenant, which is made with him, and, in him, with the elect* Therefore we must sup- pose, when we speak of a covenant between the Father and the Son, that, whatever be the will of the Father, the same is the Son's will; and whatever conditions the Son consented to perform, as stipulated in this covenant, it was in his human nature that the work was to be done ; and therefore it is well observed, in some following answers, that he, who is the Head or Mediator of this covenant, is, as it was absolutely necessa- ry for him to be, both God and man, in one Person. But of this more hereafter. V. There are several expressions used, in scripture, that give us sufficient ground to conclude, that there was an eter- nal transaction between the Father and the Son, relating to the salvation of his elect, which, if explained agreeably to the di- vine perfections, and consistently with the glory of each of these divine Persons, is not only an undoubted truth, but a very im- portant article of faith, as it is the foundation of all those bless- ings, which are promised, and applied to us in the covenant of grace, in which is all our salvation and our hope. Here let it be considered, that, when we speak concerning a covenant, as passing between the Father and the Son,, we understand there- by, that there was a mutual consent between them both, that the work of our redemption should be brought about in such a way, as it was, by our Saviour, when this eternal agreement had its accomplishment ; and accordingly the Father is said to have set him up^ as the Head of his elect, fro7n everlastings Prov. viii. 23. and ordained, that he should execute those of- fices, which he was to perform, as Mediator, and receive that revenue of glory, that was the result thereof; and the Son, as having the same divine will, could not but consent to do this ; and this is called, his eternal undertaking; and, both these to- ' OF THE COVENANT OF CRACE. , 173 gether, are styled the eternal covenant, between the Father and him. For the proof of this doctrine, we might refer to those several scriptures that speak of our Saviour as called^ and giv- en for a covenant of the people^ Isa. xlii. 6. and fore-ordained, 1 Pet. i. 20. to perform the work which he engaged in, in the behalf of his elect ; and also consider him as consenting to do every thing for his people, which he did in time, and to stand in every relation to them, that wa'> subservient to their redemption and salvation, which he could not but do, as hav- ing the same divine will with the Father j and without his consent, it could not properly be said that there was a cove- nant between them. We might also prove it from those sever- al scriptures, that speak of him, as sanctified and sent into the worldy John x. 36. to act as Mediator, sealed by the Father^ John vi. 27. and receiving 2i poxver to lay down his life^ and take it up again^ John x. 1 8. that so he might answer the great end of our redemption thereby; and also, from his being em- powered to execute the offices of a Prophet, Priest, and King j confirmed in his priestly office by the oath^ Psal. ex. 4. Heb, vii« 21. of the Father, sent by him to execute his Prophetical of- fice to those whom he was to guide in the way of salvation ; and, as God'*s King^ set on his holy hill of Zion^ Psal. ii. 6. When we consider all these things done, on the Father's part, as antecedent to Christ's acting as Mediator, and, at the same time, when we compare them with other scripture:?, that speak of the Son, as consenting to do the will of God, or complying with his call, willing to be and do whatever was necessary, to secure the gieat ends designed thereby; when we consider him, as taking the human nature into union with the divine, not without his own consent thereunto, and as bearing the punishment due to our sin, which it Avould not have been just for God to have inflicted, withort his will or consent; I say, this mutual consent between the Father and the Son, that those things should be done which were subservient to the redemp- tion and salvation of the elect, which the scripture is ver}- ex- press in giving an account of, these are a sufficient foundation for our asserting, that there was a covenant between tlie Fa- ther and the Son relating thereunto. But now we shall enquire, more particularly, into the sense of those scriptures, on which this doctrine is founded. And here we cannot wholly pass over what we read, in Psal. cxix. 122. Be surety for thy servant for good; and Hezekiah's prayer, in Isa. xxxviii. 14. / am oppressed; undertake^ or be surety, for me. The Hebrew words are the same in both places, and signifies, not barely to confer some privileges on persons, but to do this under the character of a surety; and therefgrc when Vol. JL Z i74i OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. David and Hezekiah pray that they may be delivered, either from their enemies, or their afflictions, by addressing them- selves to their Deliverer under this character, it must be sup- posed that they understand him, as having undertaken to be a Surety for his people, which is a character that belongs only to the Son. And since it is so evident, that his Mediatorial work and character was so well known to the Old Testament church, as their salvation was equally concerned herein with ours ; and, since they are often repi-esented as addressing themselves to him by faith and prayer, it seems more than probable that he is so considered in these texts, when it is desired that he would be surety for theyn^ namely, that as he was appointed by the Father, and had undertaken, by his own consent, to stand in that relation, they pray that they might be made partakers of the benefits arising from thence. There is also another scripture, in which the same w^ord * is used, which seems to be applied to our Saviour, viz. in Jer. XXX. 21. Their nobles, or, as it ought to be rendered, in the sin- gular number, their noble, or magnificent person, shall be of themselves^ and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them ; and I xvill cause him to draxv near, and he shall approach unto me ; for -who is this that engaged his heart to approach to 7/2C, saith the Lord? This sense of the text is very agreeable to several other prophecies, relating to the Messiah's being of the seed of Israel ; and when it is said, / Tvill cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me, it implies, that he should sustain the character, and perform the work of a surety, in the behalf of his people, for that is the proper sense of the word there used ; for rvho is this that hath engaged his heart unto me f that is, who is there, among the sons of men, that dares engage in this work, or is qualified for it I Or it may be un- derstood with a note of admiration ; that is, how glorious a per- son is this, who hath engaged his heart, or (as it was deter- mined that he should) has freely consented to approach unto me, that is, in so doing, to act as a surety with me for my peo- ple ! And that this is a more probable sense of the text, than to suppose that it is meant either of Zerubbabel, or some other governor, that should be set over them, after the captivity, ap- pears, if we compare it with ver. 9. in which it is said. They shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, which can be meant of none but Christ, inasmuch as David was dead ; and none that sat on his throne, or descended from him, can • The Hebretv -word in this, and the two other scriptures above tnevfloned, is J'^i' wliich signifies. In fidem suam recipere ; spondere pro aliquo ; a/id it is used in xeveral other scriptures, in the same sense, for a person^ s undertaking to heasuretif for anotftcr. See Gen. xliii. 6. chap. xliv. 32. J'rov. xi. 15. Job xvii. 3. 2 Kingn wii). 32. «nrf elsewhere. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. ITjr be called David in this place, because divine worship is said to be performed to him, which could not be done without ido- latry, which no true sense of scripture can give countenance to ; and this is a character given of our Saviour in other scriptures : thus, in Ezek. xxxiv. 24. I will be thch- God^ and iny servant David a Prince among them; and, in Hos. iii. 5. They shall seek the Lord their God^ and David their King-^ and fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter day ; that is, they shall ad- here, and give divine worship, to the Messiah, whom their fathers rejected, when they are converted, in the latter days. Now it is this David^ their King^ who is said to have engaged his heart to approach unto God ; and then, in the words imme- diately following, ver. 22. God reveiils himself, as a coyenant- God, to them, which is the consequence of Christ's engaging his heart to approach unto him : Te shall be my people^ and I roill be your God. Now this proves an eternal transaction be- tween the Father and the Son, in that the Father wills, or de- termines, that he shall draxv ncar^ or approach to him, as a sure- ty, and the Son consents, in that he has engaged his heart to do it ; and all this with a design that his cov^enant should be established, and that he should be a God to his people. There is another scripture which proves that there was a federal transaction between the Father and the Son, from seve- ral expressions therein used, namely, in Isa. xlii. 1, 6. which is, beyond dispute, spoken concerning our Saviour; for it is •applied to him in the New Testament, Matt. xi. 18 — 21. Here- in God the Father calls him his Servant ^ as denoting that it was his will, or (to use that mode of speaking, which is gene- rally applied to covenants between man and man) that he stipu- lated with him, to perform the work which he engaged in, as Mediator, to which he is said to be called in righteousyiess ; and, with respect to his human nature, in which he performed it, he is styled God\v electa as fore-ordained hereunto, and the person in xuhom his soul delightcth^ as he is glorified by him in the faithful discharge thereof; and, that he might not fail there- in, God promises to hold his hand^ and keep him; and, as the result of his having accomplished it, to give him for a covenant of the people^ for a light of the Gentiles. And elsewhere, in Isa. xlix. 8, 9. which also appears to be spoken to Christ, not only from the context, but from the re- ference to it in the New Testament, 2 Cor. vi, 2. /;2 an accep- table time have I heard thee^ and in a day of salvation have I helped thee ; and I will preserve thee^ and give thee for a cove- ?iant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to itiherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth ; to them that are in darkness, Shexu yourselves, we have a plain intimation of his being ordained by the Father to per- i/(> OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. form that work, which he was engaged in, as Mediator ; and his being' given for a covenant of the people, signifies his being sent into the world, in pursuance of a covenant, in which the salvation of his people was contained. And there is another tJcripture, in which our Saviour, speaking to his disciples, says, in Luke xxii. 29. / appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed ;ne;* or, I confer the blessings of this kingdom upon you, in a covenant way, as my Father hath appointed me to do, in that eternal covenant, which passed between him and mc. Again, thei'c are several revv-^ard?, ^\*hich were promised to him, as the consequence of his discharging the work committed to him, some of which respected that glory which belongs to his person, as JVIediator; and otiiers, more especially, respected the salvation of kis people, and therein the success of his un- dertaking : thus it r. said, in Isa. liii. 10. When thou shah ynake his soul an ojfermg for sin, Its shall see his seed ; he shall pro- long his days^ and 'he pleasure of tLe Lord shall prosper in his hands ; together with several other things relating to the event, and consequence of his performir.g the work he was engaged in. Moreover, as he was called to this work, or, as it was, as we before explained it, the result of tlie Father's will, that he should perform it ; so we have elsewhere an account of his own con- sent, as implying, that it v.aslhc result of his own will, as well as his Fathcr^s : thus it is said, in Psal, xl. 6 — 8. Mine ears hast tlwci, opened, or bored ; alluding to a custom used under the cerer;onial law, by wliicli the willing servant was signified to be obliged, by his own consent, to serve his master for ever, Exod. xxi. 5, 45. Thus God the Father, engaged Christ, if I may so eapre*?: it, to perform the work of a Mediator; and then we ha-^e an account of his consent hereunto, when he says, Lo, J com,!;, I deB,^kt io do thy rvi/l, 0 my God ; yea, thy laiv is tvit/iirt my heart .; and this mutual consent is farther expressed m Isa. J. 5. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and Ixvas not, rebellious ; neither turned away back. And he is farther represented, as making a demand, or in- sisting on the accomplishment of what was stipulated in this covenant ', and this he had a warrant to do from the Father, in Psal. ii. 3. Ask of me, arid I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of thf earth for thy posses^ sion, 'X'hese, and many other scriptures of the like nature, sufr ficicntly prove this doctrine, that there was an eternal covenant between the Father and the Son, relating to tiie redemption and salvation of tiie elect ; and this implies more than his be- ing barely fore-ordained to perform the work he was engaged m, as he is said to have been, 1 Pet. i. 2. for that, alone, would • Awt?.'?*««i CKfft K(x6«c if;«6«T« f.» e mutnt f*u ^fiKttnt. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 177 not have proved that there was a federal transaction between the Father and him ; since it may be said of any one, who is engaged in works of an inferior nature, that God, who called him to perform them, fore-ordained that he should do so ; but when it is said, concerning our Saviour not only that he enga- ged in tlie work of our redemption, as the result of his Father's will, but of his own, and so consented to do whatever was in- cumbent on him, as Mediator, this certainly argues that there was an eternal covenant between the Father and him, with re- lation to this matter, so far as we may be allowed to retain any of those ideas taken from human covenants, when we speak of any transaction between two divine Persons* There is but one scripture more that I shall mention, which, though some will not allow that it relates to this matter, yet, if we duly consider tlie scope and design thereof, together with its connexion with the foregoing words, may probably appear to be of some weight to confirm this doctrine ; namely, in Zech. vi. 13. in which it is said, The counsel of peace shall be betwee^i them both. Some, indeed, understand these words, as referring to Joshua and Zerubbabel, and that they signify their mutual consent, to promote the peace and welfare of the church. But this cannot reasonably be concluded to be the sense of the text ; for Zerubbabel is not mentioned in this chapter ; nor are there any two persons spoken of therein, that it can be applied to, but Jehovah and the Branch, that is, the Father and the Son, who are mentioned in the foregoing words ; Christ, who is call- ed the Branch, is said to build the temple of the Lord^ and to be a Priest upon his throne ; and this work, which he was engaged in, and the royal dignity, which he was advai^xced to, are both of them said to be the result of a counsel, or federal transaction, that was between them both. If it be objected to this, that this counsel of peace only respects the harmony that there is between Christ's priestly and kingly offices, as both of them have a reference to our salvation : this cannot well agree with the meaning of the word counsel^ which implies in it a confederacy between two persons, and not the tendency of two offices, executed to bring about the same end. And, if it be farther objected, that the grammatical construc- tion of the words do not favour the sense which we give of them, inasmuch as they contain an account of something that was future, and not from all eternity. To this it may be replied, that it is not, in the least, disagi-eeable to the sense of the words, and other phrases of the like import, used in scripture, to un- derstand them in the sense before-mentioned, since it is no un- common thing, in scripture, for that to be said to be, that ap- pears to be : thus it is said, Let all the house of Israel know cssuredlijj that God hath made that same JesuSj vjhorn ye hav 178 or THE COVENANT OF GP.ACE. crucified., both Lord and Christ., Acts ii. 36. that is, he hath, by his raising him from the dead, demonstrated him to be both Lord and Christy which, in reality, he was from all eternitj' ; so, in this text, when it is said, that the counsel of peace shall be betvjeen them both., it signifies, that Christ's building the tem- ple, and bearing the glory, and sitting as a Priest upon his throne, is a plain evidence, or demonstration, that there was a counsel or covenant, between the Father and him, from all eter- nity, relating to the peace and welfare of his people, who are the spiritual house that he builds, and the subjects whom he governs, defends, and saves. Thus concerning the federal trans- action that was between the Father and the Son ; and, since this is called, in this answer, The covenant of grace ^ it may be necessary for us to enquire, VI. Whether this be a distinct covenant from that which God is said to enter into, or make with man. This covenant is said, indeed, to be made with Christ, as the head of his elect : but it may be enquired, whether there be not also ano- ther covenant, which is generally styled the covenant of grace, that is made with the elect, as parties concerned therein. Every one, that is conversant in the writings of those who treat on this subject, will observe, that divines often distinguish between the covenant of redemption, and that of grace ; the former they suppose to be made with Christ, in the behalf of his elect; the latter, to be made with them, in w^hich all spiritual blessings are promised, and applied to them, which are founded on t Christ's mediation; and accordingly they say, the covenant of Srcdejnption was made with Christ more immediately for him- -s.. fself ; whereas the covenant of grace is made with believers for ; iGhrist's sake, in which respect they suppose that these are two tlietinct covenants, and explain themselves thus. 1. In the covenant of redemption, made with Christ, there were several promises given, which more; immediately respected himself; and these related, some of them, to those supports and encovaragements that he : hould receive from the Father, which were necessary, in order to his being carried through the suf- ferings he was to undergo, viz. that God rvould hold his hand, that he should 7iot fail, or be discouraged, Isa. xxiv. 4. and others respected that Mediatorial glory, which should be con- ferred upon him, when his sufferings wej-e finished; as it is said, Ought not Christ to have suffered, and to enter into his glory ? Luke xxiv. 26. and that he should have a nayne given him above every name, Phil. ii. 9. and many other promises to the like purpose. And, besides these, there were other promises made to him, respecting his elect; as that he should have a seed to serve hhuy Psal. xxii, 30. dxid that he should see of the travail of his soiil^ or THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 179 and be satisfied; and that God xvoidd divide him a portion rvitk the great^ and he shoidd divide the spoil xvith the strongs Isa. liii. 11, 12. or that his difficult undertaking should be attended with its desired success, that so it might not be said that he died in vain. But, on the other hand, in the covenant of grace, which they suppose to be distinct from that of redemption, God promiseth forgiveness of sins, and eternal life, through Christ ; or that that should be restored to us by him, v/hich we lost by our fall in Adam, with great advantage ; and that all the blessings, which we stand in need of, for the beginning, carrying on, and completing the work of grace in us, and the making us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, should be freely given us. Now, as these promises are made to the elect, the covenant, in which they are contained, is called, The covenant of grace., and so distinguished from the covenant of redemption. 2. In the covenant of redemption, as they farther explain it, the elect, on whose account it was made, were considered, as to be redeemed by Christ : But, in the covenant of grace, they are to be considered as redeemed by him ; therefore the covenant of redemption is antecedent, or subservient, to the covenant of grace. 3. They farther suppose, that the conditions of the covenant of redemption, on which the promises made therein were found- ed, are what Christ did and suffered in his own Person ; where- as faith, wrought in us, is generally styled by them, a condi- tion of the covenant of grace, and as such it is variously ex- plained, as we shall have occasion to observe, under the next answer, in which faith is said to be required, as the condition to interest believers therein; in this respect, among otlier.s, the covenant of redemption is oftentimes explained, as a distinct covenant from that of grace. I confess, I am not desirous to offend against the gcnei"ation of those Avho have insisted on this subject, in such a way, as that they have not advanced any doctrine derogatory to the di- vine perfections, or subversive of the grace of God, displayed in this covenant ; and therefore I am inclined to think, as some have done, that this controversy may be compromised ; or, if we duly weigh those distinctions that are necessary to be con- sidered, it will appear to be little more than what consists in different modes of explication, used by those, who, in the main, intend the s^me thing. I shall therefore humbly offer my thoughts, about this matter, in the four following heads. (1.) It is to be allowed, on all hands, that the covenant of redemption, as some style it, is a covenant of the highest grace, so far as it respects the advantages that the elect are to receive 180 OP THE COVENANT Ot' GRACE. from it ; for it is a wonderful instance of grace, that there should be an eternal transaction between the Father and the Son, re- lating to their salvation, and that herein he should promise to Christ, that, as the reward of his obedience and sufferings, he would give grace and glory to them, as it is allowed by all, who have just notions, either of the covenant of redemption, or that of grace, that he did herein. (2.) It must be farther allowed, on both sides, whether it be supposed that the covenant of grace, and the covenant of re- demption, are distinct covenants, or not, that salvation, and all the blessings, which we generally call privileges of the covenant of grace, have their first foundation in this transaction, between the Father and the Son ,* so that if there had not been such a covenant, which some call a covenant of redemption, we could have had no promise of these privileges made in the covenant of grace. (3.) As there is nothing promised, or given, in the covenant of grace, but what is purchased and applied by Christ, so there is nothing promised to Christ, in the covenant of redemption, as some style it, but what, some way or other, respects the ad- vantage of his people : thus whatever was stipulated between the Father and the Son, in that covenant, was with a peculiar regard to their salvation. Did Christ, as their surety, promise to pay that debt, which was due from them, to the justice of God ? this must be considered, as redounding to their advan- tage. And, was there a promise given him, as was before ob- served, that God xvould hold his hand^ that he should not fatly or be discouraged^ till he had finished the work that he came about ? this must also be supposed to redound to our advan- tage as hereby our salvation is secured, which it could not have been, had he sunk under the weight of that wrath, which he bore. And, was there a promise given him, that he should, af- ter his sufferings, enter into his glory ? this also redounds to the advantage of the elect ; for it not only consists in his being freed from his sufferings, and having some personal glories put upon him, but in his going thither to prepare a place for them, and with this design, that they should be brought there to behold his glory ; and this is also considered, as a pledge and earnest of their future happiness, to whom he says, Because 1 live, ye ahall live also, John xiv. 19. (4.) When we consider this covenant, as made with Christ, whether we call it the covenant of redemption, or of grace, still we must look upon it as made with him, as the Head and Re- presentative of his elect, and consequently it was made with them, as is observed in this answer, as his seed ; therefore if the question be only this, whether it be more or less proper to call this two covenants, or one, I will not contend with tliem, who OF THE COVENANT OF GRAGE. 18i in compliance with the common mode of speaking, assert, that , they are two distinct covenants : but yet I would lather choose to call tliem two great branches of the san^e covenant ; one ' whereof respects what Christ was to do ancTsuffer, and the glo- ry that he was to be afterwards possessed of; the other more immediately respects that salvation, which was to be treasured up in and applied by him to the elect ; and therefore I cannot but think, tliat what is contained in this answer, that the covenant of grace was made with Christ, as the Head, and, in him, with the elect, as his seed, is a very unexceptionable explication of this doctrine. VII. Since we frequently read, in scripture, of God's enter- ing into covenant with man, and man with him, this is next to be explained, in such a way, as is consistent with the divine perfections, and, in order hereto, we have, in our entrance on this subject, enquired * into the grammatical sense of the word 2>, 34. We might also consider the descrip- tion hereof, as it is called, A covenant of promise^ Eph. ii. 12. and they, v/ho are interested herein, as called, The children of ■promise., Gal. iv. 28. Nevertheless, God has ordained, that, pursuant to this method of applying the promises of this cove- nant, none should have ground to expect to be made partakers thereof, but in such a way, as tends to set forth his infinite sovereignty, and unalienable right to obedience from his crea- tures, which they arc bound to perform, not only as subjects, under a natural obligation to obey the divine law, but as those who are laid under a super-added engagement thereunto, by the grace of the covenant. This -vs'IU prepare the way for what 3Tiay be farther said, in order to our understanding the mean- ing of those scriptures, that speak of God's entering into a co- venant with man, and m.an with hinio Therefore let it be ob- served, 1. That when God entered into a covenant with Christ, as the Head of his elect, this included his entering into co^'enant with them ; as it is expressed in this answer ; so that they have their respective concern therehi in all things, excepting what re- lates to his character, as Mediator, Redeemer, Surety, and those peculiar branches of this covenant, which, as was before ob- served, belong only to himself, which some call the covenant of redemption, as distinct from the covenant of grace. From hence it may be observed, without any strain on the sense of words, that the same covenant that was made with him, was in that peculiar branch thereof that respected the elect, or the privi- leges that they were to receive from him, made with them. This is very agreeable to, and tends to explain that peculiar inode of speaking, often used by the apostle Paul, concerning believers being crucified xvith Christ., Gal. ii. 20. dead., Rom. vi. 8. buried., ver. 4. quickened or risen, Col. ii. 12. comparedj with chap. iii. 1. and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ yesus, Eph. ii. 6. as denoting their being made parta- kers, as his members, of the benefits arising from Christ's suf- ferings and glory, as really as though they had suffered, and were now actually glorified with him. 2. Since the covenant of grace is sometimes called a cove- nant of promise, for the reasons before-mentioned, we may ea- sily understand hereby, that God's entering into covenant with 1 — ' ■ -■ ■-' ■- ■ - ■ .... ■ ■--_■, _. . - — ■ with reference to that mariner- of teaching wliicji was used, and rested in unde» the obscurities of the Old Testament dispensation, and the corrupt interprcta. tioas of tlie Jeivish doctors j or both mjvy be included. . . Gigit OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. i8^ his people, signifies his giving, or making known to them, those great and precious promises, that are contained therein, which have a more immediate reference to their salvation ; and, on the other hand, his keeping covenant with them, implies, his bestowing on them the blessings promised in it, which is other- wise called his remembering his holy covenant, Luke i. 72. or \ns performing the truth to Jacob^ and the mercy to Abrahaviy ivhtch he had sxvorn unto them from the days of eld, Micah. vii. 20- and it is sometimes called his shewing them his covenant^ Psal. XXV. 14. not barely in a way of revelation, but special ap- plication of the blessings contained therein, and his bringing them Into the bond of the coiieuant, Ezek. xx. 37. that is, en- gaging or obliging them to obedience, from the constraints of his lovx and grace, manifested in the promises of this covenant ; so that now they are doubly bound to be his, not only as he is their Creator and Sovereign, but as he has made them, by this federal transaction, the peculiar objects of his favour and grace. 3. When God is pleased, as he often does, to annex to this covenant a demand of faith, repentance, or any other graces^ to be exercised by those, who may claim an interest in the blessings thereof, this is agreeable to that idea, which, as wa^i before observed, is contained in this covenant, by which it is denominated an establishment, or divine appointment, or, as it is sometimes called, a statute, Numb, xviii, 19. Psal. L 16. and tliis respects the connexion of those graces with salvation, and their indispensiblc obligation thereto, who hope to attain it. But this is rather a consequence of God's entering into cove- nant with them, than an antecedent condition, stipulated by him^ which would infer a kind of suspense in him, whether he should fulfil his promise or no, till the conditions were performed^ This is the principal thing we militate against, when we except against the use of the word stipulation, with relation hereunto j whereas, if nothing else were intended by this word, but the necessary connexion, which God has ordained, that there should be between the blessings promised, and the grace de- manded in this covenant, as some^ who use the word, under- stand nothing else by it ; I would not contend about persons using, or laying aside an improper, and, I think, I may say, un- sci-iptural mode of speaking. Thus concerning the meaning of God's entering into cove" nant with man. We shall now proceed to the latter branch c£ this head, namely, what we are to understand by those scrij>- tures that speak of man's entering into covenant with God : such a mode of speaking we have, when Moses says to the peo- ple, 2'e stand this day all of you before the Lord ij our God, that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, rvhich the Lord thy Godmaketh with thee thi^ t/y^/, 184 OF THE GOVEiWilNT OJ GRACE, Deut. xxix. 10—12. and it is said elsewhere, The people enter ^ ed into a covenaiit to seek the Lord God of their fathers^ with all their hearts^ and -with all their soul^ 2 Chron. xv. 12r and that, j^osiah made a covenajit before the Lord^ to -walk after the Lordj, and to keep his commandme7its, and his testimonies, and his sta- tutes xvith all their heart, and with all their soul, to perform the -words of this covena?it, that zvere written in this book, and all the people stood to the covenant, 2 Kings xxiii. 3. This is a most solemn transaction, and includes in it the very essentials of prac- tical religion ,* therefore it is necessary for us to enquire, what we are to understand thereby ; and, since scripture is the best interpreter of itself, and parallel texts give light to each other> we may observe what is said elsewhere, upon the like occasion, where God speaks of some that chiise the things that please him^ love the name of the Lord, and to be h/s servants, and take hold of his: covenant, Isa. Ivi. 4, 6. so that to enter into covenant, is to take hold of God's covenant ; to embrace the blessings promis- (p.d therein, as the apostle speaks of those who died in faith, no* having- received the promises, or the blessings promised, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and em- braced them, Heb. xi. 13. Again, as we receive the blessings of the covenant by faith, so to enter into covenant with God im- plies, a professed dedication of ourselves to a covenant-God, with a due sense of our obligation to yield that obedience, which we are engaged to thereby, or a declaration that we pretend not to lay claim to the blessings of the covenant, without being ena- bled, by his grace to comply with the demands thereof; and this is sometimes expressed, by swearing to the Lord, as it is said. Unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swedr, Isa. xlv. 23. As God, when he enters into a covenant with man, is sometimes said to swear to him, or to confirm his promise by his oath, upon which account the covenant of grace is sometimes called his oath, as in one of the scriptures before-mentioned, and others that might have been referred to, Luke i. 72, 7S. so, on the other hand, our entering into covenant with him, is our s^vear- tng fealty, as subjects do to their princes, whereby they own them to be their rightful governors, and themselves under an obliga- tion to serve them. This is farther explained, in that solemn transaction^that pass- ed between God and his people, in the close of the ministry and life of Moses, Deut. xxvi. 1 7, 1 8. by which we may understand what is meant, in other places, by God's entering into covenant with them ; this is expressed by his avouching them to be his peculiar people, as he had promised them, and that they should keep all his commandme?its ; q, d. he conferred this privilege wpon them with that view, that they might reckon themselve?? utlder the highest obligation to be obedient to him ; and tj|>cr OF THE COVENANT OF CRACE. 185 we have an explication of man's entering into covenant Avitli God, when it is said, Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God^ that is, thou hust publicly declared, that thou art willing to be subject to him, as thy covenant-God, and express- ed a ready inclination, pursuant hereunto, to walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judg- ments, and to hearken unto his voice : this is such an entering into covenant, as is incumbent on all who expect the blessing thereof ; and, if any one intends nothing more than this by re- stipulation, when he uses the word in explaining this doctrine, I will not contend with him ; but, since it is to use a word without its proper ideas, which others annex to it, I humbly conceive this doctrine may be better explained without it. Quest. XXXII. Hoxu is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant ? Answ. The grace of God is manifested In the second covenant in that he freely provideth, and offereth to sinners a Media- tor, and life and salvation by him ; and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith, with all other saving graces, and to ena])le them unto all holy obedience, as the evidence of the truth of their faith and thankfulness to God, and as the way which he hath appointed to salvation. SINCE the covenant, which we have begun to consider, is called the covenant of grace, it is necessary for us to shew in what respects the grace of God is manifested therein ; and, in order thereunto, we may observe, I. That life and salvation, which are very comprehensive blessings, containing all that sinful creatures stand in need of, are promised herein. Hereby the grace of God is more eminent- ly illustrated than it was in the first covenant ; in which though life was promised, yet there was no promise of salvation, or of the recovery of a forfeited life. This is only brought to light by the gospel, which contains a glorious discovery of the grace of this covenant : the blessings promised therein, are, grafe here, and glor}' hereafter ; all which are contained in that promise, / tvillhe a God to thee, that is, I will deal with thee in such a way, as that all my divine perfections shall contribute to thy happi- ness. And sometimes when God reveals himself as a covenant- God, he promises, as he did to Abraham, that he xvill be their shield, and their exceeding- great rexvard, Gen. xv. 1. And there are other promises respecting the forgiveness of sin ; as when Ood 6av5. /, even /, am he thut bhUeth out thu trans?-) essions^ fo; 186 OT THE COVENANT OF GRACE. mine own sahe^ and -will not remember thy sms, Isa. xliii. 25. and, that we may consider this in its utmost extent, the apostle says as much as can be expressed in words, which is the conse- quence of God's being a covenant-God to his people, when he tells them, All things are yours ^ whether Paul^ or Apollos^ or Cephas^ or the worlds or Hfe^or death^ or things present^ or things to come ; all are yours, 1 Cor. lii. 22. II. Man could not have been made partaker of these invalua- ble blessings contained in this covenant, without the interposi- tion of a Mediator ; for he no sooner rebelled against God, but he Was separated from his presence and deprived of all those blessings, which he might otherwise have expected; and, on the other hand, the holiness and justice of God obliged him to testify his displeasure against him, whereby he was utterly ex- cluded from all hope of obtaining any blessings from him : the perfections of the divine nature rendered it necessary^ that a sa- tisfaction for sin committed, should be insisted on ; and this could not be given by man in his own person, nor could he reasonably expect that God should receive him into favour without it, as having rendered hiiTiself guilty in his sight, and so liable to condemnation. Therefore, since he could do nothing that had any tendency to repair the injuries which he had offer- ed to the divine justice, if ever he have access to God, and ac- ceptance in his sight, it must be in and through a Mediator ; which leads us to consider what we are to understand, by a me- diator, and what was to be done by him, in order to the procur- ing this favour. A mediator, in general, is one who interposes between two parties that are at variance, in order to make peace ; and this he does, either by endeavouring to persuade the party offended to lay aside his resentment, and forgive the injury, which is a less proper sense of the word ; or else by making an overture of satisfaction, as an inducement hereunto. In the former sense it would have been an affront to the divine Majesty, and an injury to his justice, for anv one to desire that God should be recon- ciled, without a satisfaction given ; in the latter, we are to un- derstand the word Mediator, when applied to Christ, in this an- swer. He is not therefore herein to be considered barely as a Mediator of intercession, as pleading that God would remit the 5 debt, out of his mere sovereignty or grace ; but as a Mediator of satisfaction, or a Surety, entering into an obligation to answer ' all the demands of justice. In this respect, he is the Mediator of the cov'enant; whereas, when he is sent, by God, to reveal, or make known the blessings thereof to man, he is styled. The Mes- senger of the covenant, Mai. iii. 1. It was possible for a mere creature to perform the work of a mediator, in this lower, and less proper sense of the word ; or, provided satisfaction were or THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 187 given to the justice of God, to intercede with him for the shi- ner, or intreat him to turn away from the fierceness of his wrath, which sin deserved, in which sense Moses is styled a mediator^ and in no other * ; so some understand that text, as spoken of him, when the apostle says, Gal. iii. 19. of the law, thati^ ivas ordfitned by angels^ in the hand of a mediator \ ', and, agreeably hereunto, Moses says, I stood betxoecn the Lord and you at that timc^ to shexo you the -word of the Lord ; for you zvere afraid^ by reason of the fre^ Deut. v. 5. and elsewhere, after Israel had sinned, in worshipping the golden calf, he says, Tou have sin- ned a great sin, and nozv I xvill go up unto the Lord : peradven- ture, I shall make an atonement for your sin^ Exod. xxxii. 30. not that he was to be accounted a mediator of satisfaction, for the atonement he hoped to make, was by entreaty, or humble supplication, that God would not destroy them, as they had de- served. This I call a less proper sense of the word Mediator ; whereas, in this answer, Christ is styled a Mediator, m the same sense in which he was a Redeemer, or Surety, for man, or made a proper atonement to procure reconciliation between God and man by his blood, of which more will be considered, when we speak concerning Christ's priestly office. III. It is a very great instance of grace, that God should ad- mit of a Mediator, who might have exacted the debt of us in our own persons ; and, we being unable to pay it, might have punished us with everlasting destruction. That he was not o- hliged to admit of a Mediator, will appear, if we consider the nature of the debt due from us, who were obliged to perform perfect obedience, or else to suffer punishment ; and therefore he might have refused to have allowed of this to be performed by another, in our stead : in this case, it is not like as when pe- cuniary debts are paid, which cannot be refused by the credi- tor, though paid by one that is surety for the debtor. But, since this will be more particularly considered, when we speak con- cerning the satisfaction which Christ gave to the justice of God, as our great High-Priest, all that we shall add, concerning it, at present, is, that it was an instance of that grace, which wa^ displayed in the covenant, in whicl) Christ is considered as a Mediator of satisfaction. IV. The grace of God farther appears, in that he not only admitted of a Mediator, but provided one. It was impossible for fallen man to find out any one that would so much as plead his cause, or speak a word in his behalf, till satisfaction were first given ; and no mere creature could pay unto God a ran- som that was worthy of his acceptance, or available, to answer the end designed thereby. If the best of creatures had under- * Svch an one is more properly called Internuncius, than Mediator. '. Vid. Jicz. aird Whitbti in he. J 88 OF THE COVENANT OF GRAC£. taken the work, it ivould have miscarried in his hands : HoVv deplorable and hopeless then must the condition of fallen man for ever have been, if God had not found out the expedient him- self to bring about our redemption ! this was a blessing un- thought of, unasked for by him. I will not deny but that man might have some ideas of the divinity and glory of the second Person in the Godhead, as the doctrine of the Trinity v/as re- vealed to him, while in a state of innocency, as it was necessary that it should be, in order to his worshipping of each of the di- vine Persons, and i doubt not but he retained some ideas here- of when fallen. But it may be questioned, whether he knew that it was possible for the Son of God to be incarnate ; or sup- pose, for argument-sake, v/e allow that he had some idea of the possibility thereof ; yet he could never have known that he was willing to submit to this astonishing instance of condescension, and thereby to put himself in the sinner's room, that he might procure that redemption that was necessary for him. This mys tery of the divine will was hid in God, and therefove could ne- ver have been knov/n by him without revelation, and conse- quently would not have afforded him any matter of relief in his deplorable state. How wonderful therefore was the grace of God, th.iL he should find out this expedient, and lay help on one that is mighty, or provide one to do that for him, which none else could have done ! And to this we may add, that it was no less an instance of divine grace, that God the Sun should consent to perform thi-^ work for him : hJs undertaking it, was without the least force or compulsion ; for that would have been inconsistent with his consenting to become a Surety for us, and, as such, to suffer in our room and stead, since all punishment must either b*e de- served by him, that bears it, or else voluntarily submitted to : The former of these can by no means be said of Christ ; for s* personal desert of punishment is inconsistent with his spotles- purity, and would have rendered the price, laid down by him for our redemption, invalid ; therefore he voluntarily conde- scended to engage in this work. Pie gave his life a ransom for many ; and this is considered as a peculiar display of grace in him, as the apostle expresses it, 2^e know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christy that though he was rich, yet, for your sakes, he 'became poor, that ye, through his poverty, might be rich, 2 Cor- viii. 9. V. This Mediator being provided for man, without his de- sert or expectation, we proceed to consider him as offered to him, and, together with him, life and salvation. This is the great design of the gospel, to discover, or make an overture hereof to him ; without this, the gospel could not be preached, nor a visible publication made of the grace of the covenant con- OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 189 tained herein : but, since the overture of grace, or the call of God to accept of, and embrace Christ, as offered in the gospel, is more particularly considered under a following answer *, we shall reserve the farther consideration of this matter to it. VI. It is farther said, in this answer, that the grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in his requiring faith, as the condition to interest believers in Christ. This expression may be allowed of, or excepted against, according to the method ta- ken to explain it, which we shall endeavour to do, and therein shew in what sense we deny the covenant of grace to be condi- tional ; and then enquire, whether there be not another sense, agreeable to the divine perfections, in which these words may be understood, and other expressions, of the like nature, fre- quently used by divines, in which faith is styled a condition thereof; and accordingly we shall enquire, 1 . What we are to understand by a person's having an inter- est in Christ. This implies our having a right to claim him, as our Mediator, Surety, Advocate, and Saviour, and with him all those spiritual blessings, which are purchased and applied by him to those whom he has redeemed ; so that such an one may say, upon good grounds, Christ is mine, together with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in hiiji. Here let it be considered, that it is one thing to say, that Christ is the Redeemer and Saviour of man, or, in particular, of his elect, who are given to him for this end ; and another thing for a person to say, he is my Redeemer or Saviour : the former of these i^ a truth, founded in scripture-revelation ; and according- ly every one may say, as Moses expresses it, 2>a, he loved the people^ Deut. xxxiii. 3. or his peculiar chosen people ; or, as the apostle says, Christ loved the churchy and g'ave hiynself for it^ Eph. V. 25. But he, who has an interest in Christ, has a right to claim him, as his Saviour, and therefore may say, with the apostle, He loved me^ and gave himself for nie^ Gal. ii. 20. This I rather choose to express, by a believer's having a right to claim him as his Saviour, than his being actually enabled so to do, inasmuch as many have an interest in Christ, who are des- titute of that assurance, which would give them a comfortable sense thereof in their own souls. 2. We are now to consider how faith is said to be required, as the condition to interest us in Christ ; or how far this expres- sion may be qualified and explained, without asserting any thing derogatory to the glory of God, or the grace of the covenant. The word condition^ though often used when we speak of con- tracts between man and man, as an essential ingredient therein, is not so plainly contained in those explications of the covenant of grace, which we have in scripture ; and, whenever we use itj * See Quest. Ixvii. Vol, II. - B b 190 OF THE COVENAKT OF GRACE. with a particular application thereunto, we must understand it in such a sense, as is agreeable to the divine perfections. There- fore, that we may compare these two senses of the word condi- tion together, in order to our determining how far it may be used, or laid aside, in explaining this doctrine, let us consider, (1.) That in human covenants, in which things are promised on certain conditions, these conditions are supposed to be possi- ble to be performed, otherwise the promise, depending thereon, is rendered void, and it contains no other than a virtual denial to make it good. Thus the king of Israel did not, at first, un- derstand the message sent him by the king of Syria, requiring of him to heal Naaman of his leprosy, as a condition of peace and friendship between them ; and the inference he makes from it was, that he had a design to seek a quarrel against him ; and his reasoning would have been just, had it been intended in this sense, since the condition was not in his own power. Moreo- ver, if a master should tell his sen^ant, that he would give him a reward, in case he would perform the work of ten days in one, he would conclude nothing else from it, but that he was resolved not to give him any thing. Now, to apply this to our present purpose, we must consider whether faith, when it is a condition of the covenant of grace, be in our own power or no. There are some external acts thereof, indeed, which are so ,* but these are too low to be deemed conditions of salvation, or of the blessings of the covenant of grace ; and as for those acts which are supernatural, or the effects of the exceeding greatness of the power of God, though they are inseparably connected with salvation, yet they are not in our power ; so as that we may conclude, that they are proposed as conditions, in the same sense as those things are said to be, that are supposed to con- tain this ingredient in them. In this respect, the covenant of grace, as to the conditionality of it, differs from the covenant of innocencv, in which perfect obedience, which was the condition thereof, was so far in man*s power, that he could have performed it, without the super- added assistance of divine grace : but when, on the other hand, perfect obedience is considered, as a condition of fallen man's entering' into life^ in which sense our Saviour's reply to the young man's question, in Matt. xix. 1 T. is understood by many, this is a plain intimation that eternal life is not to be obtained this way, inasmuch as the condition is impossible. (2.) When conditions are insisted on, in human covenants, it is generally supposed, that though it be possible for the per- son, that enjoins them, to assist, and enable him, who is under this obligation, to perform them, yet he will not give him that assistance ; for, if he does, the contract can hardly be reckoned f^nditional, but Solute : thus if a creditor should tell an in- OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 191 solvent debtor, that he will discharge him, provided he pays the debt, and, ac chj same time, gives him to understand that he will supply him with a sum of money, that shall enable him to do it, this is altogether the same as though he had discharged him, without any conditional demand of payment. This I can- not but mention, because there are some persons, who speak of faith, as a condition of the covenant of grace, and, at the same time, take it for granted, that it is not in our own power to perform it : nevertheless, since God has promised that he will work it in us, they conclude it to be conditional ; whereas such a promise as this would render the covenant absolute, or, at least, not conditional, in the same sense, in which human cove- nants are, and only infer what we do not deny, that there is a necessary connexion between that grace, which God will ena- ble us to perform, and salvation, which he has promised in this covenant. (3.) When any thing is promised to another, on condition that he do what is enjoined on him, it is generally supposed that it is a dubious and uncertain matter whether this condition shall be fulfilled, and the promise take place ; or, as I may ex- press it, every condition contains not a necessary, but an un- certain connexion between the promised advantage, and the dtity enjoined, and that for this reason, because all human cove- nants depend on the power and v/ill of men, who are under conditional engagements to perform what is demanded therein; and these are supposed to be mutable and defective, and, as far as the^' are so, the performance of the condition may be reck- oned dubious ; and he that made the promise is liable to the same uncertainty, whether he shall make it good or no. This will hardly be denied, by those who defend the other side of the question, who, in explaining the nature of human liberty, generally suppose, that every one, who acts freely, might do the contrary ; therefore they must, from hence, conclude, that, if the performing the conditions of a covenant be the result of man's free will, it is possible for him not to perform them, and therefore it must be a matter of uncertainty, whether a person, who promises a reward upon the performance of these condi- tions, will confer it or no. But, however this may be applied to human covenants, we are not to suppose that faith, or any other grace, is, in this respect, a condition of the covenant of grace, as though God's conferring the blessings promised therein were dependent on the will of man, as determining itself to the exer- cise of these graces ; in this respect, we cannot but deny the covenant of grace to be conditional. (4.) If we take an estimate of the worth and value of a con- dition enjoined, the advantages that he, v/ho enjoins it, expects to receive from it, or the reference that the performance thereof 192 OF THE C»VENANT OP GRACE. has to tlie procuring the blessing promised, in which case the person, who has fj^ilfilled it, may be said to merit, or have whereof to glory in himself, as to what concerns the part he has performed therein : this must not be applied to any trans- action between God and man, and therefore is wholly to be excluded from those ideas, which are contained in the word condition^ when applied to the covenant of grace, as will be al- lowed by most, who do not give into the Popish doctrine of the merit of good works. Concerning the worth and value of faith, and all other graces, I would not be thought, in the least, to depreciate or divest them of that excellency, which they have, above all other effects of God's power and blessings of providence ; whereas certainly we ought to bless God for them, or glory in him, as the Author of them : but that which we would fence against in this matter, is nothing more than what our Saviour does, when he says. When ye shall have done all those things zvhich are commanded you^ say^ We are unprojita- ble S€rva7its, Luke xvii. 10. And I would not have any one suppose, that whatever condition is performed by us, has such a value put on it, as that eternal life is hereupon due to us, in a way of debt, which would make way for boasting. It is true, the conditions which Christ performed in that branch of the covenant, which more immediately respected himself, which some call the covenant of redemption, were properly merito- rious, and the blessings he purchased thereby were given him in a way of debt, and not as an undeserved favour : but, if we suppose that there is the same reference of faith, or any other grace acted by us, to that salvation, which we expect, we turn the covenant of grace into a covenant of works, and resolve that into ourselves which is due to God alone. But since many excellent divines have asserted faith to be a condition of the covenant of grace, who do not understand the word condition., either as containing in h any thing dubious or uncertain on the one hand, or meritorious on the other; and probably they choose to express themselves so, in compliance d with custom, and to explain away the common ideas of the word co7idition, as applied to human covenants, rather than al- together to lay it aside ; and, it may be, they do this, lest they should be thought to deny the necessary connexion between faith and salvation : I shall therefore, for the same reason, con- clude this head with the following propositions, whereby our not using the word condition., may be vindicated, from any just exception ; or, our using of it may not appear to be inconsis- tent with the divine perfections, or the grace of this covenant. Therefore, 1st J We shall lay down this as an undoubted truth, the de- nial whereof would be subversive of all religion, that faith, and or THE COVENANT ©F GRACE. 193 all Other graces, are required by God, and our obligation there- unto is indispensible ; whether it be reckoned a condition of the covenant or no, it is no less a duty. («) It is true, there are (a) " The law of God itself requires no creature to love him, or obey him, be- yond his strength, or with more than all the powers which he possesses. If the inability of sinners to believe in Christ, or to do things spiritually good, were of this nature, it would undoubtedly form an excuse in their favour ; and it must be as absurd to exhort them to such duties, as to exhort the blind to look, the deaf to hear, or the dead to walk. But the inability of sinners is not such as to induce the Judge of all the earth, (who cannot do other than right) to abate in his requirements. It is a fact that he does require them, and that without paying any regard to their inability, to love him, and to fear him, and to do all his com' •mandmeiits always. The blind are admonished to look, the deaf to hear, and the dead to arise. Isa. xlii. 18. Eplies. v. 14. If there were no other proof than what is af- forded by this single fact, it ought to satisfy us that the blindness, deafness, and death of sinners, to that which is spiritually good, is of a different nature from that which furnishes an excuse. This however is not the only ground of proof. The thing speaks for itself There is an essential difference between an inability which is independent of the inclination, and one that is owing to nothing else. It i9 equally impossible, no doubt, for any person to do that which he has no mind to do, as to perform that which surpasses his nattiral powers; and hence it is that the same terms are used in the one case as in the other. Those who were under the dominion of envy and malignity, couin not speak peaceably ; and those who have eyes fidl of adultery, cannot cease from sin. Hence also the following lan- guage— Hoxo CAN ye, being evil, speak good things P — T'he natural man receiveih not the things of the Spirit of God,neiiher can he knoiv them — The carnal mind is enmity againtt God ; and is not lubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be — They that are in thefesh cannot pfease God — J\o man can come to me, except the Father ivho sent me draw him. — It is also true, that many have affected to treat the distinction between natural and moral inability as more curious than solid. ' If we be unable, say they, we aie unable. As to the nature of the inability, it is a matter of no ac- count. Such distinctions are perplexing to plain Chi-istians, and beyond their ca- pacity.' Bat surely the plahiest and weakest Christian in reading liis bible, if he pay any regard lo what he reads, must perceive a manifest diffei-ence between the blindnessofBartimeus, who was ardently desirous that he might receive his sight, and that of the unbelieving Jews, who closed their eyes, lest they should see, and be converted, a}id healed .- Mark x. 51. Matt. xii. 15. and between the want of the natural sense of hearing, and the state of those -who have ears, but hear not. So far as my observation extends, those persons wlio affect to treat this dis- tinction as a matter of mere curious speculation, arc as ready to make u.se of it as other people where their own interest is concerned. If they be accused of in- juring their fellow-creatures, and can allege that what they "did was not hiow- ingly, or of design, I believe they never fail to do so : or when cliarged with ne- glecting their duty to a parent, or a master; if they can say in truth that they were unable to do it at the time, let their -will have been ever so good, they are never known to omit the plea i and should such a master or parent reply by sug- gesting that their want of ability arose from want of inclination, they would very easily understand it to be the language of reproach, and be very earnest to main- tain the contrar}-. You never hear a person, in such circumstances, reason as he does in religion. He does not say, " If I be unable, 1 am unable ; it is of no ac- count whether it be of this kind or that :" but labours with all his might to es- tablish the difference. Now if the subject be so clearly understood and acted upon where Interest is concerned, and never appears difficult but In religion, it is but too manifest where the difticulty lies. If by fixing the guilt of our conduct upon our father Adam, we can sit comfortably in our nest; we shall be very averse to a sentiment that tends to disturb our repose, by planting a thorn in it. It is sometimes objected, that the inability of sinners" to believe In Christ, is not the effect of their depravity ; for that Adam himself Ln his purest state was 394 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE* some who distinguish between the obligation of a law, and that of a covenant ; the former of which depends on an express com- mand ; the latter is the result of some blessings promised or oiily .1 natural many and had no power to perform spii-itual duties. But this ob- jection belongs to another topic, and has, I hope, been already answered. To this, however, it may be added — The natiLval man -who receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, (1 Cor. ii. 14.) is not a man possessed of the holy image of God, as was Adam, but of mere natural accomplishments ; as were the wise men of the world, the philosophers of Greece and Rome, to whom the things of God were foolishness. Moreover, if the inability of sinners to perform spiritual duties, were of the kind alleged in the objection, they must be equally unable to commit the opposite sins. He that from the constitution of his nature is absolutely unable to understand, or believe, or love a certain kind of truth, must of necessity be alike unable to shut his eyes against it, to disbelieve, to reject, or to liate it. But it is manifest that all men are capable of the latter; it must therefore follow, that nothing but the depravity of their he;u"ts renders them incapable of the former. Some winters, as hath been already observed, have allowed that sinners are the subjects of an inability which arises from their depravity ; but they still contend that this is not all; but that they are both naturally and morally unable to believe in Christ ; and this they think agreeable to the scriptures, which represent them as both unable and tin-ivilling to come to him for life. But these two kinds of ina- bility cannot consist with each other, so as both to exist in the same subject, and towards the same thing. A moral inability supposes a natural ability. He who never in any state was possessed of the power of seeing, cannot be said to shiit his eyes against the light. If the Jews had not been possessed of natural powers, equal to the knowledge of Christ's doctrine, there had been no justice in tliat cutting question and answer. Why do ye not understand my speech 7 Because ye OANNOT hear my -word. A total physical inability must of necessity supersede a moral one. To suppose, therefore, that the phrase, JVo tnan can coirw to me, is meant to describe the former ; and, Ye will not co7ne to me that ye may have life, the latter ; is to suppose that our Saviour taught what is self-contradictory. Some have supposed that in ascribing physical or natural power to men, we deny their natural depravity. Through the poverty of language, words are obli- gjed to be used in different senses. When we speak of men as by nature depraved, we do not mean to convey the idea of sin being an essential part of human nature, or of the constitution of man as man : our meaning is, that it is not a mere effect of education and example ; but is from his very birth so interwoven through all his powers, so ingrained, as it were, in his very soul, as to grow up with him, and become natural to him. On the other hand, when the term natural is used as opposed to moral, and ap- plied to the powers of the soul, it is designed to express those facidties which are strictly a part of our natuxe as men, and which are necessary to our being accountable creatures. By confounding these ideas we may be always disputing, and bring nothing to an issue. Finally, It is sometimes suggested, that to ascribe natural ability to sinners to perform things spiritually good, is to nourish their self-sufficiency ; and that to represent their inability as onh moral, Is to suppose that it is not insuperable, but may after all be overcome by efforts of their own. But surely it is not ne- cessary, in order to destroy a spirit of self-sufficiency, to deny that we are men, and accountable creatures ; which is all that natural ability supposes. If any per- son imagine it possible, of his own accord to chuse tliat to which he is utterly averse, let him make the trial. Some have alleged, that • natural power is only sufficient to perform natural things ; and that spiritual power is required to the performance of spiritual things.' B*t this statement is far from accurate. Natural power is as necessary to the performance of spiritual, as of natural things : we nuistpossess the power* of men In order to perform the duties of good men. And as to spiritual pow er, or, which is tJie same thing-, » rig'ht state of mind, it is not properly a faculty of OF THE COVENANT OF GRx\CE. 195 conferred, which has in it the obligation of a law, but not the formal nature of it ; and therefore they conclude, that we are commanded by God, as a Lawgiver, to believe and repent, but that it is more proper to say, we are rather engaged by him, as a covenant-God, than commanded to exercise these graces : but this dispute is rather about the propriet}' of words, than the main substance of the doctrine itself; and therefore I shall en- ter no farther into this critical enquiry, but content myself with the general assertion, that faith, and all other graces are neces- sary duties ; without which;, it is impossible to please God^ to use the apostle's expression, Heb. xi. 6. or to have any right to the character of Christians. 2dly^ Faith, and all other graces, are to be also considered as blessings, promised in the covenant of grace. This appears from those scriptures that speak of them as the gifts of God, Eph. ii. 8. purchased by the blood of Christ, and so founded on his righteousness^ 2 Pet. i. 1. and wrought in us by his Spi- rit, and the exceeding greatness of his power ^ Eph. i. 19. and as discriminating blessings, which all are not partakers of, as the apostle says. All men have not faith^ 2 Thess. iii. 2. This may be farther argued, from what Christ undertook to purchase for, and apply to his people, as their federal Head; so that, in pursuance hereof, all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, are bestowed on them, in him ; and hereby the cove- nant is made good to them, as God is said, together -with Christy to give them all things, Rom. viii. 32. First, Christ is given for a covenant of his people, and then, upon his fulfilling what he undertook to procure for them, all that grace, which is treasured up in him, is applied to them ; therefore faith, and other concomitant graces, are covenant-blessings. 3dltf, There is a certain connexion between faith, with other concomitant graces, and salvation. But this having been con- sidered elsewhere, together with the sense of those scriptures, that seem to be laid down in a conditional form, from whence the arguments, to prove the conditionality of the covenant of grace, are generally taken ;* all that we shall add, at present, is, that since, in this eternal covenant between the Father and the Son, it was agreed, established, and, on our Saviour's part, undertaken, that the elect should be not only redeemed, but sanctified, and enabled to exercise all grace, before they are brought to glory, this is made good to them in this covenant ; and therefore, as the consequence of Christ's purchase, faith, • See Vol. I. paffe 479, 480. the soul, but a quality whicli it possesses : and which though it be essential to the actual performance of spiritual obedience, yct is n^t recssavy to our beinsi: under oSWfarwi to perform it.'* ' Ft-tiEu " 19G OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. and all otlier graces, are wrought in the soul, which afterwards, in receiving the end of faith, is brought to eternal salvation ; so that we may as well separate Christ's undertaking to redeem his people froni their attaining salvation, as we can his apply- ing those graces which accompany it. However, when we speak of these graces, as connected with salvation, we must not conclude that they are the cause thereof. Though we are saved in a way of believing, we are not saved for our faith ; and therefore I cannot but approve of what is observed by many divines, who treat of this subject, that these graces are the way to heaven, though Christ's righteousness be the cause of our coming there.* I am sensible there are some who express their dislike of some of the most unexceptionable modes of speaking, if not altogether agreeable to those which they make use of, who can hardly approve of any one's assert- ing, that faith, and other graces, are the way to salvation; part- ly, because they are the beginning of salvation, and principally, because Christ styles himself. The Way^ John xiv. 6. But to this it may be replied, that though grace be glory begun, yet it may as truly be said to be the way to complete salvation, as the traveller's setting out, and going forward on his journey, is the way to the end thereof, without which it can never be attained ; and, though Christ be the way to salvation, as every thing that tends to fit us for, and bring us to it, is founded on what he did for us, as Mediator ; yet this does not, in the least, overthrow the connexion of grace with glory, in the method in which he brings his people to it, by first working faith, and all other graces in them, before the work is brought to perfec- tion, or the top-stone thereof is laid. Aithlif^ If we assert more than this, namely, that faith is a condition of the covenant of grace, or, as it is expressed in this answer, a condition to interest believers in Christ, we must distinguish between God's bestowing the blessings of the cove- nant of grace, pursuant to his secret will, or his eternal pur- pose ; and our having a visible ground, or reason, to claim an interest in them : the former of these cannot be supposed to be conditional, without making God dependent on our act; the latter may, and, I think, ought to be deemed so. Thus faith is a condition, or an internal qualification, without which no one has a warrant to conclude his interest in, or lay claim to the saving blessings of the covenant of grace, so that whea it is said to be a condition to interest believers in Christ, in this an- swer, we are to understand it, as that which evinces our claim to him, or gives us ground to conclude, that we are redeemed by him, and to expect that he will bestow upon us complete * The former of these is s^eneralfff ^tf.ed^ Via ad regnuro : the lafter, Causa reg-- OF THK COVENANT OF GRACE. 197" salvation. To deny this, would be to suppose, that an unbe» liever has a warrant to conclude that Christ loved and gave himself for him, or that he shall be saved by him ; which is a doctrine that I cannot but oppose with the greatest detestation, as what contains in it an unwarrantable presumption, and leads to licentiousness, which, I hope, nothing, that has been said on this subject, has the least tendency to do. Thus we have con- sidered how faith may be said to be a condition of our laying claim to an interest in Christ ; we proceed, VII. To consider how the grace of God is glorified, in his having ordained, that we should apprehend or discern our in- terest in Christ, and the blessings of the covenant, by faitho Of all other graces, faith is that which has the greatest ten- dency to discover to the soul its own vileness, and nothingness; and, indeed, every thing that we behold in Christ its object, has a tendency to abase us in our own sight. Do we, by faith, behold Christ s fulness ? This has a tendency to humble us, un» der a sense of our own emptiness. Do we look on Christ as the Fountain of all righteousness and strength ? This leads U3 to see that we are destitute hereof in ourselves; so that, as faith beholds all that we have, or hope for, as being founded ©n, and derived from Christ, and gives us hereupon the greatest sense of our own unworthiness, this is in its own nature adapted to advance the grace of God ; and therefore God, in taking this method to apply the blessings of the covenant, requiring faith, as an instrument, hereof, ordained the best expedient, to illus» trate, anu set forth his own grace as displayed therein. But since it is a very difficult matter to believe, as this grace of faith is the gift and effect of the power of God^ we are now to consider, VIII. That the grace of the covenant is farther manifested, in that God has promised, and pursuant thereunto, gives his Holy Spirit to work faith, and all other graces' that are con- nected with, or flow from it. That we have in the covenant of grace a promise of the Holy Spirit, to work in us, that grace which God requires, is veiy evident; for he says, I will pour upon the house of David^ and upon the inhabitants of Jerusu' lem^ the Spirit of grace^ and of supplications^ Zech. xii. 10, and elsewhere, God promises to pour his Spirit upon their seed, and his blessings upon their offsprings Isa. xliv. 3. and this is farther set forth, in a metaphorical way, when he promises to sprinkle clean xvater on his people, and that he would cleanse them from all their fit hiness^ and from all their idols^ and give them a nexv hearty and put a new spirit within them^ and take axvay the stony heart out of their fesh^ and give them an heart ^ffesh^ and all this is said to be done by his Spirit, which he promised to put within thcm^ Ezek. xxxvi» 25 — 27< And m^re Vol. it. C c 198 OF THE COVENANT OE GRACE. particularly, the Spirit, as woi-king faith in the liearts of be- lievers, is called, for that reason, The Spirit offaith^ 2 Cor. iv. 13. and all other graces are called, The fruit of the Spirit^ Gal. V. 22, 23. so that they are from the Spirit, as the Author of all grace, and they proceed from faith, as one grace tends to excite another : thus the heart is said to be purified by faithy Acts XV. 9. which is said also to work by love^ Gal. v. 6. and hereby we are enabled to overcome the xvorld ; and this produ- ces all holy obedience, which is called. The obedience offaithy Rom. xvi. 26. Thus concerning the Spirit's working faith and all other graces. Again, it is farther added, that the truth and sincerity of faith IS evidenced as well as the grace of faith wrought by the Spi- rit ,* and this is also a blessing promised in the covenant of grace. Hereby we are enabled to discei"n our interest in Christ, and om- right to all the blessings that accompany salvation ; in which respect, the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he shews them his covenant, Fsal. xxv. 14. He not only discovers to them that there is such a dispensation of grace in general, but that they have a right to the blessings promised therein, and accordingly seals them unto the day of redemption^ Eph. iv. SO. and hereby they are enabled to walk comfortably, as know- j ing in whom they have believed, and, are induced to the great- ' est thankfulness, as those, who are under the highest obligations to God, who promises and bestows these, and all other bless- ings, whereby his grace is abundantly manifested, in this cove- nant. Quest. XXXIII. Was the covenant of grace always administer- ed after one and the same manner P Answ. The covenant of grace was not always administered after the same manner ; but the administrations of it, under the Old Testament, were different from those under the New. Quest. XXXIV. fforv was the covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament. Answ. The covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament, by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the passover, and other types and ordinances, which did all fore-signify Christ then to come, and were, for that time, sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Mes-. siah, by whom they then had full remission of sin, and eter- nal salvation. Quest. XXXV. Hoxu is the covenant of grace administered ■?mdsr the Ne%u Testament ? OF THE COVENAiJT OF GRACE. 199 Answ. Under the New Testament, when Christ the substance was exhibited the same covenant oi" grace was, and still is, to be administered in the preaching of the word ; and the ad" ministration of the sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, in which, grace and salvation is held forth in more fulness, evidence^ and efficacy, to all nations, HAVING considered the nature of the covenant, in which God has promised salvation to his people, and how his grace is manifested therein, we proceed to speak concerning the various dispensations thereof, or the way in which God has been pleased, from time to time, to discover and apply the bless- ings contained in it, for the encouragement of his people to hope for salvation. This he has done, at sundry times^ and in divers manners^ Heb. i. 1. the first method of administration was be- fore Christ's incarnation ; the other, in all succeeding ages, to continue to the end of the world. Accordingly we are led to consider, I. How the covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament. As God has always had a church in the world, in the earliest ages thereof, which has been the seat of his spe- cial presence, and been favoured with the displays of his glo- ry ; so he has made known, and applied to them, the blessings ©f salvation, or the promises of this covenant, in which they are contained. How he has done this, is particularly consider- ed in this answer; in which there is something supposed, name- ly, that it was absolutely necessar}-, for the salvation of the elect, that God should, some way or other, reveal Christ to them, by whom they were to obtain remission of sins > for he was to be the object of their faith, as well as the fountain of their blessedness. This he could not have been, unless he had taken some methods to lead the world into the knowledge of hi,s Person, and that work he designed to engage in, whereby they, who lived before his incarnation, might be encouraged to look for the benefits which he would procure, bv what he was to do and suffer, in order thereunto. Now, that he has done so, and that the method which he has taken therein, was sufficient to build up his elect in the faith of the promised Messiah, is what we are particularly to consider, and so shall shew, 1. That God revealed Christ, and the blessings of the covC' nant of grace, to his church of old. There were two ways by which he did this ; one was by express words, or an intimation given from heaven, that the Messiah, the prince of life, should, in the fulness of time, take our nature, and dwell among us; and that what he was then to be, and do, should be conducive to the salvation of those who lived before his incarnation, as much as though he had done this from the beginning of the. iJeO OF TtiE COVENAKT OP GRACE. world : tlic other was, by types, or significant ordinances, which are only different ways of discovering the same important doc- trines to them. (1.) God revealed Christ then to come to the Old Testament church, by promises and prophecies ; to the end, that though they were not, at that time, to behold him, as manifested in the flesh, they might take a view of him by faith, and hereby he might be rendered the object of their desire and expectation, that when he came, it might be no unlooked-for event, but the accomplishment of those promises and predictions that related thereunto : thus God told Abraham, not only that he should be blessed with a numerous off-spring, but that, in his seedy that is, in the Messiah, who should descend from him, all the na- tions of the earth should be blessed; he likewise says to Israel, by Moses, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet ^ from among thy brethren^ like imto me i unto him ye shall hear- ieny Deut. xviii. 15. and, in following ages, there were promi- ses and predictions, that gave farther light, concerning the per- son and offices, the sufferings and glory of the Messiah, as it is said, To him give all the prophets xvitness^ Acts x. 43. And the prophet Isaiah is so express, in the account he gives of this matter, that he is styled, by some, the evangelical prophet j what he says, concerning him, is so particular, as though it had been an history of what was past, rather than a prophecy of \vhat was to come ; accordingly he foretells, that he should be born, or given, as a public blessing to the world, and describes him not only as having the govermiient upon his shoulder , but as having the perfections of the divine nature, which discover him fit for that important trust, when he styles him. Wonder- ful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, Isa. ix. 6. And, as he speaks of his birth, zo he intimates, that he should be born of a virgin ; chap. vii. 14. and he describes him, in chap. liii. as condescending to bear our sins, as standing in our room and stead, designing hereby to make atonement for them ; he speaks of him, as brought like l| a lamb to the slaughter, and cut off out of the land of the living, making his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, and after this, that he should prolong his days, and that the consequence hereof should be glorious to himself, and of . the highest advantage to his people : and he describes him else- where, chap. Ixiii. 1, &c. in a most elegant manner as one tri- umphing over conquered enemies ; travelling, or pursuing his victories, in the greatness of his strength, and making it appear that he is mighty to save. Another prophet speaks of him as a Branch that should grow out of the root or stock of David, when it was almost dead and Jry, and th-at he should set up a more glorious throne, and ex- OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE- SQl ercise a government over his people in a spiritual way, Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. And the prophet Micah gives us an account of the very place of his birth, and speaks of Bethlehem, as rendered famous and renowned by his being born therein, who should be a ruler in Israel^ though otherwise it was little among' the thou- sands ofjudah^ Micah v. 2. Another prophet signifies his com- ing at that time, v/hen God would shake all nations^ that is, fill the world with civil commotions, and cause it to feel the sad effects of those wars, whereby the kingdoms of the world had been dis-jointed, and many of them broken in pieces, that then the desire of all nations should come^ and Jill his house, to wit, the second temple, xvith glory, Hag. ii. 7. And the prophet Daniel speaks of him as the Messiah, or Christ, the character by which he was most known, when he was here on earth, and gives a chronological account of the time when he should come, and be cut off, though not for himself and hereby confirm the covenant, and at the same time, cause the sacrifce and oblation^ that is, the ordinances of the ceremonial law, to cease, and so make way for another dispensation of the covenant, to wit, that which we are under, which was to succeed in the room thereof. (2.) The covenant of grace was also administered by the va- rious types and ordinances of the ceremonial law, which were all significant signs of that grace, that should be displayed in the gospel, which was to be obtained by Christ. Many of these types and ordinances were instituted before the whole body of the ceremonial law was given from mount Sinai. The first wc read of was that of sacrifices, which were offered in the first ages of the world, Avhereby they had an early intimation given them of the blood of the covenant, which should be shed to expiate sin. And, after this, circumcision was instituted, first given to Abraham, as a visible mark, or token, of the covenant, immediately before the birth of Isaac, the promised seed, at that time, when God was pleased to enter into covenant with him. Gen. xvii. 9, 10. and this ordinance was continued in the church, throujjhout all the generations thereof, till our Saviour's time, and is explained by the apostle, as a sign, or seal of the righ- teousness of faith, Rom. iv. 11. Another type was the passover, which was first instituted in commemoration of Israel's departure out of Egypt, which had in it many significant rites and ceremonies, whereby our re- demption, by Christ, was set forth ; upon which occasion, the apostle calls him our Passover, xvho is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. V. 7. and in allusion hereunto, he is styled. The Lavib of God, zvhich taketh axvay the sin of the rvorld, John i. 29. Thi re were many other ceremonial ordinances, or tvpes, which God gave to the Jewish nation, which were significant representations of the grace that was to be displayed in the gos- 2Q^ OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. pel, or, as it is expressed in this answer, they fore-signified Christ then to come, which contained as the apostle expresses it, A shadow of good things to come, Heb. x. 1. so that they all pointed at the grace of the covenant, or the acconaplishment of what was to be performed by Christ, after his incarnation : but this will be more particularly considered, when we speak of the ceremonial law, as distinguished from the moral, under a following answer *. Therefore, at present, we shall only con- sider the types in general, and their reference to the grace of the covenant, whereby the Old Testament church were led into the knowledge of the Messiah then to come, together with what he was to do and suffer, to purchase and apply the blessings of this covenant to his people. And here we shall shew, Isty That there were typical ordinances under the ceremo- nial law. This we are obliged to maintain, against those who have advanced several things relating to the origin of the cere- monial law, which tend very much to divest it of its spirituali- ty and glory f , when they assert, that all the rites and ordinan- ces thereof were derived froin the Egyptians ; and that they were first observed by them, before known and received by the church ; and that the reason why God accommodated his law thereunto, was because he knew how tenacious they were of that religion in which that generation had been trained up in Egypt, and how difficult it would be for them wholly to lay it aside, and to give into another way of worship, which was al- together foreign to it : nevertheless, they say that he cut off, or separated from it, every thing that was idolatrous, and adapt- ed other things to that mode of worship, which he thought most conducive to his glory. But though he commanded his people, when they left Egypt, to borrow vessels of silver and gold, to be used in that service they were to perform in the wilderness ; yet far be it froin us to suppose, that God, in ordaining this law, borrowed any part of it from them. It is true, there were rites of worship used by the Egyptians, and other nations, which had some affinity with the divine law, and were received by them in common with other heathen nations, by tradition, from the church, in former ages ; and it cannot be denied, but that the Israelites sometimes corrupted the worship of God, by in- iroducing some things into it, which were practised by neigh- bouring nations : but God gave no countenance to this matter, by accommodating his law to theirs. But since this has been pvirposely and largelv insisted on, with much learning and judg- ment, by othei-s :j:, I shall pass it over. There are others, who ranke farther advances on this subject, ♦ See Quest, xcii. f ViJ. S[)encer. de leg.Ht'br. andehmf. Dissert, de Urlm &f Thnmmim; & Mar- shami Can. Chron. il- Vid. Wiis'd Es'iipti-ccc. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 203 tending to overthrow that which appears to be the main design of the ceremonial law, together with the spiritual meaning of it ; these not onlv conclude, that the main end of God's givrng ic to the Jews, was because it was necessary that there shoulc; be some form of worship erected, otherwise they would have in- vented one of their own, or practised that whicii they had re- ceived from the Egyptians ; and the more pompous and cere- monious this form was, and especially the nearer it came to that of neighbouring nations, it would more readily be received and complied with : but, that there was no design herein to ty- pify, or shadow forth Christ, or the blessings of the covenant of grace ; these therefore, were commanded duties *, (whereby the people were to be kept employed,) but not typical ordinan- ces. But it is very strange that any, who have read some ex- plications hereof, occasionally mentioned in the Old Testament, and especially that large comment on the ceremonial law, given by the apostle, in his c'Jstle to the Hebrews, should embrace this opinion. 2dlij^ Whatever ordinances were typical, they respected Christ, his person, oifices, the grace of the covenant, and the v/ay of salvation, by him ; therefore I cannot approve of what I occasionally meet with, in some ancient commentators, and other modern writers, who sometimes speak of things being ty- pical of other things besides Christ, and what relates to the work of redemption by him. Thus some speak of those noto- rious wicked persons niicntioned in scripture, as Cain, Pharaoh, and others, as though they were types of the devil ; and of An- tiochus Epiphanes, as a type of Anti-christ. And others speak of some things as types of Gospel-ordinances, so they call cir- cumcision a type of baptism, and the passover of the Lord's supper ; and several writers, ainongst the Papists, suppose, that the bread and wine, that v/as brought forth by Meichisedck to Abrahain, was a type of the Eucharist, as they call that ordi- nance. Others speak of Noah's being saved in the ark from the deluge, as a type of baptism, being mis-led herein by a mis- taken sense of the woid, used by the apostle, when he says, having spoken before of Noah's being saved in the ark, The like figure -whereiinto^ even baptism^ doth also now save iis^ 1 IVt. iii. 21. &c. whereas the meaning of the Greek word f is not that this was a type of baptism, but that it signified, as bap- tism also doth, that salvation, which we have by Christ. or//?/. When we consider what was typified by those ordinan- ces, under the ceremonial law, we must avoid two extremes ; namely, that of those who make more types, than the Holy Cihost designed in scripture ; and others, who will not acknow- ledge many things to be t}'pes, Vi'hich plainly appear to be so : * jPr>rceJita cbservcmtitr + tivrin/Tros^ 204 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. the former give too great scope to their vAt and fancy, when they reckon every thing to be a type, that may be adapted to Christ, and the gospel-state ; and accordingly suppose, many persons and actions done by them to be typical, which it is hard to prove that they were designed to be, or were looked upon as such by the Old Testament-church, Thus it would be 9. difficult matter to prove that Samson (especially in any other respect than as he was a Nazarite) was a type of Christ. But, if it could be proved, that the success he sometimes had in his skirmishes with the Philistines, was a type of Christ's victories over his and our enemies ; yet it doth not appear, though some have extended the parallel so far, that his carrying the door and posts of the gate of Gaza to the top of a hill that is before Hebron, Judges xvi. 3. signifies Christ's resurrection. But it is abominable, when any one supposes, as some have unwarily done, that his loving a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah, ver. 4. was a type of Christ's loving the Gentile church. But, because I would not give any occasion to conclude that I have light thoughts of the performance of some, who have explained many things, which they call types, in scripture, with a very honest and good design, to lead the world into the know- ledge of several great gospel-truths ; I shall take leave to dis= tinguish between those things, which were plainly designed, in scripture, to be types, and some other, which, though it doth not appear that they were looked upon as such by the Old Tes- tament-church, yet they may be accommodated to illustrate oi- explain some doctrines contained in the gospel. If any one call tliese methods of illustration, types, because there is some ana- logy or resemblance between them and Christ, or the benefits of the covenant, they may extend their illustrations as far as they please ; I will not contend with them. It is not their say- ing, that such and such things are similitudes, by which Christ may be set forth ; but their asserting that these similitudes were designed by God, to be ordinances for the faith of his church, to lead them into the knowledge of Christ, that I militate against, when I suppose that some are chargeable with an ex- treme, in extending this matter too far, which, it is certain, many have done. But this may give occasion to enquire ; when we may deter- mine that a thing is designed, by God, to be a type of Christ, and the grace of the covenant ? To this I answer, (I.) As to what respects persons,, or, as it is commonly ex- pressed, personal types, though I cannot say, that every one, whose life and actions bear a very great resemblance to some things that are remarkable in the life of Christ, is a type of him, in any other sense, than, a-s we are 1^, by th^ analogy, or OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 205 resemblance of things, to speak of it, in a way of accommoda- tion or illustration ; yet we have some directions given us, by which we may conclude some persons to be types of Christ; one of which is, when he is called by their name : thus our Sa- viour's being called David, in several scriptures, Hos. iii. 5. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. and David's often speaking in the Person of our Saviour, in several of his Psalms, seems to intimate, that he was looked upon, by the church in his day, as a type of Christ. Again,Moses seems to imply as much concerning himself, when he speaks of Christ as a Prophet^ whom the Lord God nhoidd raise up from ainong their brethren^ and he adds, that he should be iike unto him, and consequently typified by him, Deut. xviiu IS. and the apostle seems to intimate as much, when he com- pares Moses and Christ together, in point of faithfulness, that the one ~ivqs faithful as a servant in God's house, the other as a Son over his' own house^ Hcb. iii. 2, 5, 6. Again, when any remarkable actions, were done by persons mentioned in scripture, which wei-e allowed to be typical, it follows, from thence, that the person, who was appointed to be ,God's minister in doing them, was a type of Christ. Thus we may conclude Joshua to have been reckoned, by Israel, a type of Christ, in leading them into the land of Canaan, upon the same groimd that they had to look upon that land, as a type of the gospel-rest, which we are brought to by Christ. And, for the same reason, Solomon might be called a type of Christ, as he built the temple, which was reckoned, by the Jews, as a type of God's presence, in a way of grace with his people ; and there are other passages, that might be referred to in scripture, which farther prove him to be a type of Christ.* And nothing is more evident, than that the priests, under the law, who were ministers in holy things, and the high priest, iu a way of eminency, were types of Christ ; they are so consi- dered in the explication thereof, given in the epistle to the He- brews ; and they farther appear to be so, inasmuch as the church had sufficient ground to eonclude, that their ministry was ty- pical, or the gifts, or sacrifices that they offered, were types of what was offered by Christ, for our redemption. And this leads us, (2.) To consider those types, which are called real, or things done, as being ordinances designed to signify the grace of the covenant. These were either occasional, or stated ; the former whereof were designed for types, at those times, when the things were performed. But it doth not appear that they were so afterwards, in succeeding ages ; as their passing through • See P$al. Ixii. the title, compared with the mbject-mattev cf the PeMlm, v/hich tpeaks of Christ in the person of Solomon. Vol. II. D d SOS" or THE COVENAKT OT" GRACE. the red sea, being tmder the cloud, their eating manna in the wilderness, and drinking waier ihat came out oj the rock. All these things are expressly mentioned, by the apostle, as types, 1 Cor. X. 1, 3, 4. compared with ver. 11. and we may add thereto the brazen serpent, which was plainly a type of Christ, and, as such, our Saviour applies it to himself, in John iii. 14. But all these were occasional types, which were ordinances to the church no longer than the action was continued. Again, there were other things, which seemed to be stand- ing types, or ordinances, in all successive ages, tili Christ the Anti'^/pe came, as circumcision, the passover, sacrifices, and other rites of worship, used in the temple service ; these things being expressly mentioned, in scripture, as types, we have ground to determine them to be so. Thus concerning the cove- nant of grace, as revealed to the church of old. 2* We are now to consider, that the method which God took in the administration of the covenant of grace, under the Old Testament, was biitlicient to build up his elect in the faith of the promised Messiah. There were, indeed, many types given to the church, but these would not have led them into the knowledge of Christ, and salvation to be obtained by him, un- less God had taken some method to explain them ; for they had not a natural tendency to signify Christ, and the blessings of the covenant of grace, as words have, according to the com- mon sense thereof, to make known the ideas they convey : but their signification was, for the most part, if not altogether, in- stituted, or annexed to them, by the divine appointment, and naany of them had not the least resemblance, in themselves, of ■what they were ordained to signify ; therefore it was necessary that they should be explained. For we may say the same thing of a type, that is said of a parable, as they are both figurative representations of some less known ideas, that are designed to be conveyed thereby ; now a parable is styled, by the Psalmist, A dark saying, Psal. Ixxviii. 2. and, by the prophet Ezekiel, A riddle, Ezek. xvii. 2. and our Saviour, speaking thereof, in this sense, tells his disciples, that U7ito them it zvos given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in para- bles, Luke viii. 10. and they are elsewhere opposed to a plain way of speaking, as when the disciples say, Norv speakest thou plainly^ and speakest no proverb, or parable, John xvi. 29. as it is rendered in the margin ; so when Nathan reproved David for his sin, in the matter of Uriah, he first represented it by a parable, taken from the rich man^s robbing the poor man of his ewe-lamb, which, before he explained the meaning of it, was not understood hj him, 2 Sam. xii. 1 — 6. But when he told him, Thou art the man intended hereby, it was as evident to him, as though he had made use of the most significant words OF THE COVENANT OF GKACi;» 2i>f relating to this matter. The same may be said concerning types under the Old Testament dispensation ; they would have been unintelligible, had there been no explication annexed to them, whereby the spiritual meaning thereof might be understood. And, if we consider them as a part of religious worship, we cannot suppose that thai consisted only in some bodily exercises, such as killing of beasts, sprinkling the blood, &c. for that is no part of religion, any otherwise than as it refers to, and leads the faith of those, who are engaged therein, into the knowledge of some things, in which it is more immediately concerned. But this argument having been insisted on elsewhere,* and the necessity of God's leadmg his church into the meaning of the ceremonial law, having been considered and proved, from the divine goodness, and a brief account having been given of the method which God took to lead them into it, which tends to obviate any objection that might be made against it we shall only observe, at present, that as there is a very clear explication given hereof, in several places in the Nev/ Testament, so there are some expressions used in the Old, which seem to refer to the spiritual meaning thereof; and, if it be allowed that the church had then the least intimation given them^ either by some hints, contained in scripture, or by some other methods of re- vealing it, that there was a spiritual meaning affixed thereunto, which it is plain there was, then it will follow, that they might easily, from this direction, have applied this to particular in- stances, and have attained a very great degree of the know- ledge of the spiritual meaning of these types and ordinances. That this may farther appear, let it be considered, that they were led* into several doctrines relating to the Messiah, and the offices that he was to execute as Mediator, by express words, and thev must be given up to a very great degree of judicial blindness, as the Jews are at this day, if they could not under- stand thereby many of those great truths, which relate to the way of salvation by Christ. Now, if they were led into them, by this more plain method, they might easily accommodate the typical ordinances thereunto, and accordingly the one would be a key to the other : thus, when they were told of the Mes- siah's bearing the iniquity of his people, as the prophet Isaiah does, or of the hordes laying on him the iniquity of us all, Isa» liii. 4, 6. they might easily understand that the same thing was signified by some rites used in sacrificing, as when the priest was to lay his hand on the head of the sacrifice, before he slew it, and its being, upon this occasion, said to bear the iniquity of the congregation^ Lev. iv. 4. compared with chap. xvi. 21, 22. therefore they could not be at a loss, as to the spiritual ■* Sin F».'./.^ojcs53--<& 20S OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. meaning thereof. And, when we read elsewhere such expres- sions, as plainly refer to the thing signified, by some ceremo- nial ordinances, viz. The circumcision of the hearty Deut. xxx. 6. The calves of the lips, Hos. xiv. 2. The sacrifice of thanks- giving, Psal. cxvi. 1 7. and many other passages of the like na- ture, it cannot reasonably be supposed that they were wholly strangers to it ', and therefore these types and ordinances were, in an objective way, sufficient to build them up in the faith of the Messiah. This being considered, it may very evidently be inferred, from hence, that they had full remission of sins, and eternal life, as it is farther observed ; and therefore it is not necessary to suppose, with some of the Pelagians and Socinians, that they might be saved without the knowledge of Christ ; nor, with the Papists, that they were incapable of salvation, till Christ came and preached to them after his death, and so discharged them from the prison, in which they were detained ; nor with some among the Protestants, who extend the bondage of the Old Testament-church so far, as though they were not fully justi- fied, but lay under a perpetual dread of the wrath of God. This we often meet with in the writings of many, who, in other re- spects, explain the doctrine of the covenant of grace in a very unexceptionable way. And here I cannot but observe, what is well known, by those who live in the United Netherlands, that this matter has been debated with so much warmth in those parts, that it has occasioned divisions and misunderstandings among divines, who, in other respects, have adhered to, and well defended the doctrines of the gospel, against those who have opposed them. The judicious and learned Cocceius, whona I cannot but mention with the greatest respect, who lived about the middle of the last century, has been, and is now, followed by many divines, in those particular modes of explaining this doctrine, which he makes use of: his sentiments, indeed, about this matter, were not wholly new ', but having written com- mentaries on several parts of scripture, he takes occasion to explain great numbers of texts, agreeably to that particular scheme, which he maintains ; and while, on the one hand, he runs great lengths, in explaining what he reckons to be scrip- ture-types and predictions, and thereby gives great scope to his imagination on the other hand, he extends the terror, bondage, and darkness, which the church was under, during the legal dispensation, farther than can well be justified, and advances several things in defending and explaining his scheme, which many divines, who do not give into his way of thinking, have excepted against. Instead of'making but two dispensations of the covenant of grace, according to the commonly received opinion, he s;^!?- or THE COVENANT Of GRACE. 209 poses that there were three ; * namely, the first from God's giving the promise to our first parents, immediately after they fell, relating to the seed of the woman, that should break the serpent's head, to his delivering the law from mount Sinai ; which dispensation had nothing of terror, or bondage, in it, any more than the dispensation which we are under; and he sup* poses, that the church had clearer discoveries of Christ, andl the blessings of the covenant, than they had after Moses's time. The second dispensation was, that which took place when God gave Israel the law from mount Sinai, which he generally describes as a yoke, which they could hardly bear ; and sometimes as a curse, a rigorous dispensation, in which there was a daily remembrance of sin : and the reason of God's exercising this severity, and shutting them up in a judicial way, under terror, darkness, and bondage, was, because they revolted from him, by worshipping the golden calf, a littie be- fore the law was given ; upon which occasion, God put a vail upon his ordinances, covered the mysteries of the gospel by types, and, at the same time, did not lead them into the mean- ing thereof, which as was before observed, would have a ten-, dency to leave them in a state of darkness, as to the great doc- trines that were signified by these types and ordinances of the ceremonial law. And this he supposes to be the meaning of what the apostle says, concerning the double vail; one put on the things themselves, the other, on the hearts of the Jews ; and both these were typified by the vail, which Mosgs put over his face ^ 2 Cor. iii. 13 — 15, and this darkness was attended with distress and terror of conscience, whereby they were, as the apostle says elsewhere. All their life-tiine subject to boH" dage^ Heb. ii. 15. which they explain, concerning the church of the Jews, under the legal dispensation. And they add, that all this continued as long as that dispensation lasted, or till it was succeeded by the third, viz. the gospel-dispensation, which we are under, whereby the church was delivered from this yoke, which neither they^ nor their fathers^ xvere able to bear. But that which I would take occasion to except against, in this scheme, is, 1. They seem to make the terror, bondage, and darkness, which the church was under, greater than they ought to do ; for, I humbly conceive, all those scriptures, which they refer to for the proof hereof, are to be taken, not in an absolute, but a comparative sense. It is one thing to say, that this dis- pensation was less bright and comfortable, than the present dispensation, which we are under, is ; and another thing to say, • Thefirst, he and his foUotvers cull, Oeconomia promissionis, or, ante-legalis the second, Oecontrai* iogda ; tfti third, Oeconomia evangelica. 210 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE« that it was so dark and comfortless, as they generally represent it to be. 2. I cannot but think, as I have before observed, that the church of Israel had a clearer discerning oi the meaning of the ordinances of the ceremonial law, than tht- se divines would al- low them to have had ; or, at least, that the vail, that was upon their hearts, principally respected a part of them, and that in some particular ages, not in every age of the Jewish church; for some of the Old Testament-samts seem to have discovered a great degree of light in the doctrines of the gos- pel, as appears more especially from several of the Psalms of David, and some of the writings of the prophets. 3. Whatever degree of judicial blindness and darkness the church of the Jews might be exposed to for sin, it does not sa fully appear that this was inflicted as a punishment on them, for worshipping the golden calf at the foot of the mount Sinai: but there were several instances of idolatry and apostacy from God, that gave occasion thereunto, which, when they repent- ed of, and were reformed from, the effects of his wrath were taken away ,* therefore we are not to suppose, that the cere- monial law was given, at first, as a yoke, or curse, laid on them for this sin in particular. 4. We are not to extend the bondage and darkness thereof so far, with respect to any of them, as to suppose, that, under that dispensation, they had not full remission of sin ; for the contrary hereto seems to be contained in several scriptures ; as when it is said, Blessed is he xvhose transgression is forgiven^ ■whose sin is covered^ blessed is the 7nan to whom the Lord im- puteth not iniffuity ^ Psal. xxxii. 1, 2. and. There is forgiveness with thee^ that thou mayest be feared^ Psal. cxxx. 4. and else- where, Thou^ Lordy art good, and ready to forgive, and plen- teous in mercy, to all that call upon thee; and thou hast forgiv- en the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin, Psal. Ixxxvi. 5. and Ixxxv. 2. and elsewhere, Who is a God like unto thee, that par doneth iniquity, ajid passeth by the trans- gression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his mnger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He "will turn again, he will have compassion upon us ; he will subdue our ini- quities; and thou xvilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea, Micah. vii. 18, 19. These, and such-like scriptures, seem so plainly to over- throw this part of their scheme, that they are obliged, in de- fence thereof, to understand them all, as containing nothing else, but a prediction of that blessedness, which the New Tes- tament-church should receive, and not as a privilege that was enjoyed under the legal dispensation, which I cannot but think. to be an evasive perversion of the sense of those scriptures, but OF THE COVENANT OF •RAC^. 211 now referred to, and others of the like nature ; for it is plain that the apostle, reft-rriiig to one of them, to w it, the words of the Piialmist, in Rom. iv. 6. compared with ver. 9. says, that therein David describes the blessedness thut cometh not on the circumcision only^ that is, not only on the Jews, but on theun- circumcision also, that is, the gospel-church; which is a plain argument, that this blessedness, that accompanies forgiveness, was a privilege, that the Old Testament-church enjoyed, and not barely a promise of what the New Testament-church was to expect : ^. d. was the Old Testament-church the only bless- ed persons in enjoying forgiveness ? No, sa} s he, as they for- merly enjoyed ic, we who believe, are partakers of the same privilege. And to this we may add, that, in consistency with this scheme, they entertain some unwarrantable notions about the justification of the Old Testament church. Some say, that it was less full ; others, which is a more unguarded way of speak- ing, that it was less true ; * and, agreeably hereunto, they sup- pose, that they had no other ideas of the doctrine of justifica- tion, but as implying in it the divine forbearance, or not pun- ishing sin ; though they had a perpetual dread that it would be punished at last, and no comfortable sense of the forgiveness thereof.f But this is certainly an extending the terror and bondage of that dispensation farther than we have just ground, from scripture, to do, whatever turns they give to several scriptures in defence thereof; and therefore we must conclude,, as it is obser\'-ed in this answer, that the Old Testament-church had full remission of sins, as well as eternal salvation. II. We are now to consider the covenant of grace, as ad- ministered under the New Testament, which is the dispensa- tion thereof, that we are under and is to continue to the end of the world, which by way of eminency, we call the gospel- dispensation ; concerning which it is observed, * Minus plena, or minus vera. t For tlie proof of this, they often refer to that scripture in Rom. ili. 25. in -which it is said. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, to declare his righte- ousness, for the remission of sins tliat are past, through, or after, the forbear- ance, ot God, luhich they suppose to contain an intimation of the privilege luhich the gospel-church enjoyed, namely, remission of sins .- whereas, under the legal dis' petisation, there was nottdng else apprehended by them, but the forbearance of God.- so that tlie Old Testament-church had Traftrtv ajuaplttev ; the JVew Testament church, iKftTiv ; and they all suppose, that they looked upon Christ as Fidc-jussor, and not Expromissor, which are terms used in the civil law ,• thefomzer ofioliich sig-nifes a person's undertaking to be a surety, and, at the same time, leaxing the creditor at his liberty to exact the debt, either of him, or the debtor himself .- whereas, Expro- missor, signi/es, a person's undertaking to be a surety,in sofvU and large a sense, as that, by virtue hereof, the debtoi*is discharged Therefore, since they did not, to clearly, know that God would discharge them, by virtue of Christ's undertaking' to be a Surety, but concluded that he might exact the debt, either of him, or them,' this wat the foundation tfthat terrer end bondage, ■uhich they were perpetually sub. 312 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 1. That it began when Chi-ist, the Substance, was exhibit- ed. He is called the Substance thereof, without any particu- lar limitation of the word; and therefore we may understand thereby, either that he was the Substance of "the ceremonial law, as all the promises and types thereof had a peculiar re- ference to him ; and, as the apostle says, To him give all the prophets zviSness, Acts x. 43. or else he may be considered as the Substance of the New Testament-dispensation, the sub- ject-matter of the ministry of the gospel. Thus the apostle speaks of Christ criicijied^ as the principal thing which he dc' termined to knoxVy or insist on, in the exercise of his ministry, and that with good reason, since all gospel-doctrines w^ere de- signed to lead us to hirn, and set forth- his glory, as the Foun- tain and Author of our salvation, 1 Cor. i. 23. chap. ii. 2. And both the seals of the new covenant, namely, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, signify that salvation which we enjoy, or hope for, by Christ, our consecration to him, and communion with him : thus he is truly styled the substance of both the dis- pensations of the covenant ; the former looked forward, and pointed out Christ to come, as the object of the church's de- sire and expectation; the latter represents him as being come, and so the object of our joy and thankfulness, for the blessings which he has procured for us. And this leads us to consider when it was that the New Testament-dispensation commenced, which is here said to be upon Christ's being exhibited, Christ's exhibition implies in it, either his public appearing when he was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, or else it has a particular respect to the time •when he first entered on his public ministiy and went about doing good, confirming his mission by uncontested miracles : this he did immediately after his baptism, whereby he appear- ed to be the Person, whose coming the prophets had foretold, and whom John the Baptist had pointed at, and given the world ground to expect that he would immediately shew him- self, in a public manner to them Avhich he did accordingly. This appearing of Christ, was like the sun's rising after a night of darkness, and therefore, in some respects, the gospel-dis- pensation might be said to begin then ; nevertheless, in pro- priety of speaking, it could not be said fully to commence till Christ's resurrection : then it was that the ceremonial law ceas- ed, all the types and ordinances thereof having had their ac- complishment in him. Thus the prophet Daniel speaks first of Christ's being' cut off^ and thereby conjirming the covenant^ and then of the sacri^'ce and oblation\i ceasing^ Dan. ix. 26, 27. and, when that dispensation was at an end, the gospel dispensation immediately succeeded it. We are now to con- sider, OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE, 213 2. How these two dispensations differ. They were, indeed, the same for substance, both before and since the coming of Christ, as was before observed, when we considered that th& covenant of grace, notwithstanding the different dispensations thereof, is but one. And this farther appears, in that the bles- sings promised therein were the same, to wit, redemption through the blood of Christ, and compleat salvation by him. He was tlie Mediator and Fountain of all that happiness which his people enjoyed, either before or after his incarnation? nevertheless, the way of administering this covenant, under the gospel dispensation, diffciT. from its former way ; (1.) In that it was, before this, predicted and signified, that Christ should come, and therefore the Old Testament-church waited for his appearing ; and accordingly they are represent- ed as saying. Until the day breaks and the shadows Jlee axvay s turn, tntj beloved^ and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether, Cant. ii. 17. But the New Testa- ment-church adoi-es and magnifies him, as having appeared to put axvay sin by the sacr'ijice of himself and fully accom- plish the work of our redemption thereby ; and, in the preach- ing of the gospel, he is represented as having abolished death^ and brought life and immoi tality to light, and done every thing for us that is necessary to bring about our redemption. And this is also signified by the sacramento of the New Testament, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, which, though they may be justly called gospel-types, or external signs of Christ, and the blessings of the covenant of grace ; yet they differ from the n-pes under the ceremonial law, not only in the matter of them, but in that they refer to the work of redemption, as fully ac- complished by him, which the ceremonial law could not from the nature of the thing, be said to have done. (2.) The gospel-dispeusation differs from the legal, and very much excels it, as grace and salvation is therein held forth in more fulness, evidence, and efficacy, to all nations. This is founded on what the apostle says, 2 Cor. iii. 7 — 11. when com- paring the two dispensations together, he calls one the minis' tration of death, or condemnation^ and describes it, as that which. is now done aivay, which while it continued, was glorious ; the other he calls, the ministration of the Spirit, or of rightt" nusness, and speaks of it, as excelling in glory. Whether the fonner is styled. The ministration of death, because of the terrible manner in which the law was given from mount Sinai, upon which occasion the people said to Moses Let not God speak with us, in such a way, any more, lest we die ; or whe- ther it respects the many curses and threatenings, denounced in that dispensation, to deter the people from sin, we will not determine : but it is certain, that the apostle speaks of the gos- VoL. JI. JE e '214 Of THE cioVZNAKT OF GRACZ. pel-dispensation, a3 excelling in glory, which is the principaS thing Ave are now to consider, and this it might be said to do^ 1st, As grace and salvation are therein held forth with great- er clearness, or evidence. This we may truly say without supposing the legal dispensation to be so dark, as that none of the church, in any age thereof, could see Christ, and the way of salvation by him, to be signified by any of its types or or- dinances. We may observe, that when the apostle speaks of this dispensation, he does not say absolutely that it had no glory, but that it had no glory in this respect by reason of, or compared with, the glory that excelleth. Now the gospel-dis- pensation excels the legal, as to its clearness, or fulness of evi- dence, in that the accomplishment of the predictions, or the making good of the promises of redemption and salvation by Christ, affords greater evidence of the truth and reality of these blessings, than the bare giving the promises could be said to do ; for though one gave them the expectation, the other put them into the actual possession thereof, when Christ the Sub- stance, was, as was before observed, exhibited, and the cere- monial law had its accomplishment in him. 2dly, Under the gospel-dispensation, grace and salvation re- vealed therein, are attended with greater efficacy; for as the greatest part of the Old Testament-church were not so much disposed, as they ought, especially in some ages thereof, to enquire into, or endeavour to attain a clearer discerning of the spiritual meaning of the ceremonial institutions, through the blindness of their minds, and the hardness of their hearts, s© the effect and consequence hereof, was answerable thereunto, inasmuch as there was but a small remnant of them, who ob- tained mercy to be faithful, who rejoiced to see Christ's day, and embraced the promises which they beheld afar off; where- as, in the gospel-dispensation, the word of the Lord had free course^ and was more eminently glorified in those places where it was made known : but this will iarther appear, if we con- sider, ^dly. That it excelled in glory, in regard of the extent there- of; for it was under this dispensation that that promise was to have its accomplishment, that Christ should be a light to the Gentiles, and God's salvation unto the end of the earth, Isa. xlix. 6. or that God would destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that was spread over all nations^ chap. xxv. 7. It was then that a commission was given to preach the Gospel to every creature, Mark xvi. 15. or that Christ should be preached unto the Gentiles and believed on in the World, 1 Tim. iii. IG. In this respect, the gospel-dispensation certainly excelleth in glory, and it is owing hereunto that we ehjoy, at present, this invaluable privilege. But if this present OF THE COVENANT OP CRAC£« 215 (lispenaatlon be only reckoned the dawn and twilight, or the beginning of that glory that shall be revealed at Christ's se- cond coming, as grace is sometimes styled glory begun ; or if the apostle's description of it, when he says, that tve are come unto the heavenly yeriisalevi^ and to an mnumerable company of a7ij^els^ to the general assetnbly and church of tJie Jirst-born^ and to the spirits of just tnen made perfect^ Heb. xii. 22, 23. con- tains an intimation, that the glory, which still remains to be re- vealed, is nothing else but the perfection of this present dis- pensation, that we may conclude that it far excelleth all others in glory. From what has been said, in comparing the former, and pre- sent dispensation of the covenant of grace, we may infer. [l.] The care of God extended to his church, in all the ages thereof; so that he never left them without the means of grace, which, ho\^ various soever they have been as to the matter of them, have yet tended to answer the same end, namely, lead- ing the church into the knowledge of Christ. [2.] We may farther infer the necessity of external and visi- ble worship, which the church was never wholly destitute of, for then it would have ceased to have been a church ; and also the necessity of divine revelation, as to what respects the way of salvation by Christ ; and therefore we must not conclude, that the church was, at any time, without some beams of gospel- light shining into it, or that they were left, as the Heathen are, to seek the Lord^ if haply they might feel after him^ as the apos- tle speaks, Acts xvii. 27. or that, before the gospel-dispensa- tion commenced, salvation was to be obtained, by adhering to the light and dictates of nature, which discovers nothing of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, or of that remission of sin, which is only to be obtained through him, [3.] Christ's having been revealed to, and consequently known by the Old Testament church, as the promised Mes- siah, may give some light to our understanding what we often read in the New Testament concerning persons believing in him, upon his working of miracles, or using some other me- thods to convince them that he was the Messiah, when, at the same time, we do not read of any particular discovery made to them relating to the glory of his Person, and offices, and the design of his coming into the world, which was necessaiy to their believing him, in a saving way, to be the Messiah. Thus when he converted the woman of Samaria, by revealing him- self to be that Prophet^ whom the church expected, when he told her some of the secret actions of her life, she immediately believed in him, John iv. 18, 19, 29. and many of her fellow- citizens believed on him, upon the report that she gave them iiereof, ver. 39. and, when he opened the eyes of the man that 216 Ol THlE COVENANT OF GRACE; was born blind, he only asked him this question, Dost thou be- lieve on the Son of God f and then discovers that he was the Person \ and it immediately follows, that he believed and -wor- shipped him^ John ix. 35, 3V, 38. And there were many other instances of the like nature in the New Testament, in which persons believed in Christ, before he gave them a particular ac- count of his design in coming into the world, barely upon his working miracles, which gave them a conviction that he was the Messiah; whereas faith supposes not only a conviction that Christ is the Messiah, but a knowledge of his Person, and the offices he was to execute as such. This may very ea- sily be accounted for, by supposing that the Jews had been be- fore instructed "in this matter, and therefore they wanted no new discoveries hereof; accordingly they believed in him, and worshipped him, as being induced hereunto, by those intima- tions that were given to them, under the Old- Testament dis- pensation, that the Messiah, v/henever he appeared, would be the Object of faith and v.orship. [4.] Since the gospel is more clearly preached under this present dispensation, than it was liefore ; this tends to aggra- vate the sin of those who despise Christ, as revealed therein, as our Saviour says. This is the condemnation that light is come into the xvorld^ and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, chap. iii. 19. Before our Saviour's incar- nation, the Old Testament-church might be said to reject the covenant of promise, or not regard the gospel contained there- in ; but, under the New Testament-dispensation, sinners reject the covenant of grace, as confirmed, ratified, and sealed, by the blood of Christ ; and, as the apostle says. Count the blood of the covenant tvherexvith he ivas sanctified, an unholy thing, and therefore are thought worthy of much sorer punishment, Heb. X. 29, Quest. XXXVI. Who is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace f Answ. The only mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father, in the fulness of time became man, and so was and continues to be God and Man, in two entire distinct natures, and one Person for ever. QtJEST. XXXVII. How did Christ, being God, become Man ? Answ. Christ, the Son of God, became Man by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived OF THE MEDIATOR OP THE COVENANT. 217 by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance, and born of her, yet without sin. l^fEXT to the covenant of grace, and its various adminis- Jt^ trations, we have, in some following answers, an account of the Mediator thereof, who is set forth in the glory of his Person ; the offices that he executes, and the estate in which he either was, or is, together with those accessions of glory, with which he shall perform the last part of his work in the close of time. The first thing to be considered, is the consti- tution of his Person, as God-man, Mediator; and here, I. He is set forth as the only Mediator of the covenant of grace. How we are to understand his being Mediator, has been already considered *, and it was observed, that he did not make peace, by intreating, that God would remit the debt, without giving that satisfaction, which was necessary to be made, for the securing the glory of the divine justice. Herein we militate against the Socinians, who suppose him to be sty- led a Mediator, only because he made known unto the world those new laws contained in the gospel, which we are obliged to obey, as a condition of God's being reconciled to us ; and giving us a pattern of obedience in his conversation ; and, in the close thereof, confirming his doctrine by his death ; and then interceding v/ith God, that, on these terms, he would accept of us, without any regard to the glory of his justice, which he is no farther concerned about, than by prevailing that it would de- sist from the demands M^hich it might have made, and so pardon sin without satisfaction; But this is directlycontrary to the whole tenor of scripture, which represents him ?LS^'iving- his life a ran- som for manij^ Matt. xx. 28. upon which account it is said he made peace through the blood of his cross^ Col. i. 20. and that God brought him again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant^ as the God of peace ^ Heb. xiii. 20. and, at the same time, appeared to be a God of infinite holiness and justice, and Christ a Mediator of satisfaction : But this will be farther "considered, when we speak concerning his Priesth' office f. That which we shall, at present, observe is, that he is styled the only Mediator : Thus it is said, There is one Mediator be- tween God and men^ The man Christ jfesus, 1 Tim. ii. 5. In this we oppose the Papists, who greatly derogate from the glo- ry of Christ by pretending that the angels, and glorified saints, are mediators of intercession, and that they not only offer up supplications to God in the behalf of men here on earth, but '.vith them they present their own merits, as though ChristV * Set Pase 379. Vol. I. f ^^^ 0^^^^- sli^- 218 OF THE MEDIATOIi OJf THE COVENANT. redemption and intercession had not been sufficient without them; and accordingly a great part of their worship consists in desiring that these good offices may be performed by them, on their behalf, which I cannot but conclude to be a breach of the jirst^ or, at least, let them put never so fair colours up- on it, of the second commandment ; which will be farther con- sidered in its proper place. The scriptures they bring, in defence of this practice, are nothing to their purpose. For whenever an angel is said to intercede for men, as it is expressed. The angel of the Lord an- swered and said^ 0 Lord of hosts, how long- zoilt thou not have mercy OJi ferusalem, and on the cities of fudah ? Zech. i. 12, or to be the object of their prayers, or supplications, as Jacob says. The Angel zuhich redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, Geh. xlviii. 16. no other person is intended hereby but Christ the angel of the coveiiant. Another scripture, which they bring to the same purpose, is that, in which Moses says. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servaiits, Exod. xxxii. 13. which they miserably pervert ; for Moses does not desire that God would hear the prayers that these saints made to him in the behalf of his church ; but that he would remember the co- venant that he made with them, and so accomplish the promi- ses thereof, by bestowing the blessings that his people then stood in need of. And there are two other scriptures that are often cited by the Papists, to this purpose, which, they think, can hardly be taken in any other sense ; one is in Rev. v. 8. where it is said, that the four beasts, and four and txventy elders fell doxun before the La?7ib, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints; and the other is in chap. viii. 3. A77d another angel caiyie and stood at the altar^ havijig a golden censer ; and there ivas given unto him muck incense, that he shoidd offer it with the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar, which xvas before the throne. It must be allowed, that there are many passages, in this book, which are hard to be understood j but there are none contrary to the ana- logy of faith, or derogatory to the glory of Christ, as the sense they give of these scriptures is ; and therefore we must enquire, whether they may not be understood otherwise by us ? It is said, indeed, the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, had golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saiiits ; but it is not full)^ determined whether, by these beasts and elders, are intended the inhabitants of heaven, or men on earth. If it is only an emblematical representation of those prayers that are directed to God from the church in this world, it is nothing to their purpose. But we will suppose that, by these beasts and elders, here spoken of, who fell dotun before the Lamb, are meant «r THE MEDIATOR OF THE •OVENANT. 219 tlae inhabitants of heaven : nevertheless, we are not to under- stand, that they are represented as praying for the saints here on earth ; for the golden vials full of odours^ are only an emblemi of the prayers that are put up by the saints here on earth, which God accepts of, or smells a sweet savour in, as perfumed with odours of Christ's righteousness. This may be illustrated by those political emblems, that are used in public solemnities ; such as the coronation of kings, in which the regalia are carried b) the prime ministers of state, not to signify that they have any branch of kingly dignity belonging to them : but the whole ceremony is expressive of his honours and prerogatives, who is the principal subject thereof; so when the heavenly inhabi- tants are represented, in this vision, in such a way, as they are here described, it only signifies, that the prayers, which are put up by God's people here on earth, through the mediation of Christ, are graciously heard and answered by him. As for the other scripture, in which it is said. Another angel stood at the altar ^ and there was given him much incense^ that he should offer it, xvith the prayers of all saints, that is generally understood, by those who do not give into this absurd opinion of the Papists, as spoken of our Saviour, and then it makes nothing to their purpose, but rather militates against it. But if it be objected, to this sense of the text, that our Saviour can- not properly be called another angel, and therefore it must be meant of one of the created angels ; the sense but now given of the foregoing scripture may be accommodated to it, and so the meaning is, this angel, or one of the angels, stood at the altar before the Lamb, and, in an emblematical way, is set forth, as having incense put into his hand, which he presents to him; not as offering it up for himself, but as signifying that it was for the sake of Christ's merits, that the prayers of his people, here on earth, ascended with acceptance in ihe sight of God. And it is as though he should say to Christ, " The incense is thine, *' thou hast a right to the glory thereof ; and therefore let all *' know, that this is the only foundation of the church's hope, " that their wants shall be supplied by thee." So that this does not give the least countenance to the Popish doctrine, of chore being other mediators between God and man besides our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of the Papists, indeed, are sensible that this opinion tends tD detract from the glory of our great Mediator, and therefore they chuse ratiier to assert, that the saints and angels are medi itors between Christ and mi-.n, so that we are through their means, to have access to him, and by him, to the Futhcr : but, since <. Christ not only condescended to tike our nature upon him, and therein to procure rcdtmntion ibr us ; hv.t in- vited his people to come to him y and since it is said, through 220 OF THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. him we have an access unto the Father^ Eph. ii. 18. and nn mention is made of any, by whom we have access to Christ ; and our access to God is founded only in his biood, we have nothing else to do, but, by faith, in what he has done and suf- fered to draw nigh to God, as to a Father, reconciled to this great and only Mediator. II. This Mediator is described, as to his Person, as God incarna';e, or, as it is expressed, the eternal Son of God, of one substance, and equal with the Father,,wi)0 became Man, and that, m the most proper sense, by assuming to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, which are the two constituent parts of man. Here we are to consider, 1. Tne Person assuming the human nature. He is styled the eternal Son of God, of one substance with the Father, and, with respect to his personality, equal with him.* This is the same mode of speaking that was used by the Nicene fathers^ in defence of our Saviour's divinity against the Arians, which we have largely insisted on, in our defence of the doctrine of the ever-blessed Trinity^] and having also explained what we mean by Christ's Sonship, as referring to his Person and cha- racter, as Mediator,:}: we shall add no more on that subject at present, but take it for granted, that our Saviour is, in the most proper sense, a divine Person, and shall consider him as as- summg the human nature ; accordingly we may observe, (l.) That it v/as the second Person in the Godhead who was incarnate, and not the Father, nor the Holy Ghost. This wc affirm agamst the Sabellians, who deny the distinct PersoncJity of the Father, Son, and Spirit ; and assert that the Father, or the Holy Ghost, might as truly be said to have been incarnate, as the Son, since their Personality, according to them, is not so distinct, as that what is done by one divine Person, might not be said to have been done by another.^ (2.) It follows, from hence, that the divine nature, which belongs in common to the Father, Son, and Spirit, cannot be properly said to have been incarnate. It is true, we read, that God was manifest in the fleshy 1 Tim. iii. 16. and elsewhere, that in him^ namely, in the human nature, dwelleth all the ful- ness of the Godhead^ Col. ii. 9. from whence some take occa- sion to conclude, that the human nature was united to the God- head, or that the Godhead of Christ was said to be incarnate : but if this be asserted, it must be with caution and a distinc- tion. I cannot therefore suppose, that the Godhead absolutely- considered, but as including in it the idea of its subsisting in the Person of the Son, was incarnate | which is very well ex- • See Vol. I.Pagv 243. ■J- See Quest, ix, x, xi. t Vide the noie, Vol f. Page 279. § For this reason, the Sabellians are often called, b^ antient writers, Patripassiaii OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 22i pressed, when we say that the human nature was united to the second Person in the Godhead, rather than to the Godhead itself. (3.) Christ being farther considered, as the eternal Son ot God ; it follows from hence, that he existed before his incar- nation, which has been largely insisted on, under a foregoing answer, in defence of Christ's proper deity. In this we oppose not only the Socinians, who deny that he existed before he was conceived in the womb of the blessed Virgin ; but also the Arians, especially those of them who take occasion to explain, without disguise, or ambiguity of words, what they mean when they speak of him, as being before time, which comes infinitely short of what is intended by his being styled God's eternal Son, and so existing with him before time. Thns we have an account of the Person assumii^ the human nature. 2. We are now to consider the nature assumed, or united to the divine Person, which was an human nature, consisting of a true body, and a reasonable soul ; so that as Christ is, in one nature, God equal with the Father, in the other.,|ie is Man, made, in all the essential properties of the human nature, like unto us. Here we may consider, (1.) That, since this is a matter of pure revelation, we have sufficient ground, from scripture, to assert, that our Saviour is both God and Man. Many of the scriptures, that have been before referred to, to prove his deity, expressly attribute to him. an human, as well as a divine nature, and speak of the same Person as both God and Man; as when God styles him. The Man that is my Felloxv^ Zech. xiii. 7. or, when he, who is ye- hovah^ our j-ighteoiisness^ is also described as a branch raised xinto David^ Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. that is, of the seed of David ; or, as the apostle says, he, rvho is over all^ God blessed for ever, was of the fathers concerriing the fleshy or his human nature, Rom. ix. 15. Moreover, when we read of the same Person, as styled, The mighty God^ and yet a Child horn unto ns^ a Son given^ Isa. ix. 6. or of the same Person's being called Em~ manuel, God with i/s, and yet born of a Virgin^ Isa. v^ii. 14. com- pared with Matt. i. 23. or, when we read of the Word\s being made fleshy and dxvelling among us : and elsewhere, being called the Son of God^ fcsiis Christ our Lord., and yet made of the seed of David ^ according to the flesh., Rom. i. 3. or, God manifest in the fesh, 1 Tim. iii. 16. These, and many other scriptures, as plainly prove him to be man, as thej^ do that he is God.^ And, indeed, the arguments to prove his humanity, taken from * Seetlie same scriptures, and others to the like purpose, before cited, fur tfieproof of Christ's proper deify, wider Quest, ix. X. xi. y'ol. I. Page 302, to 319. and also tvhat has been said concerning- his Sonshtp, as imp'T/iJt^ him to !><; God-man ,Me' ■ (Jiator. Vol. I. Page 274. 279, tic. Vol. II. F f 222 ©t tHE COVENAKT OF 6RACE* thence, are not so much contested, as those that respect hia proper deity ; and therefore, if these scriptures prove him to be God, they contain as strong and conckisive arguments to prove him to be Man, so that the bare mention of them is sufficient, especially when we consider, as it cannot be denied, that all these scriptures speak of the same Person ; therefore, (2.) When Christ is said to be both God and Man, it does not imply that there are two Persons in the Mediator ; and ac- cordingly it is said, in the answer we are explaining, that though these natures are distinct, yet the Person who has them, is but one. This is to be maintained against those who entertain fa- voui-able thoughts of that ancient heresy, first broached by Nes- torius,* whose method of reasoning cannot be reconciled with the sense of those scriptures, which plainly speak of the same Person, as both God and Man, and attribute the same actions to him in different respects, which is inconsistent with assert- ing, that the Mediator is both a divine and a human Person ;; and it cannot be denied but that it is a contradiction in terms, to say, th„ *jW0 Persons can be so united, as to become one. However, n must be acknowledged, that this is one of the in- comprehensible mysteries of our religion ; and when divines have attempted to explain some things relating to it, they ha re only given farther conviction, that there are some doctrines con- tained in scripture, which we are bound to believe, but are at a loss to determine how they are what they are asserted to be. If it be objected, that we cannot conceive of an human na^ ture, such an one as our Saviour's is that has not its own Per- sonality, since there is no parallel instance hereof, in any other men, which I take to be the principal thing that gave occasion to the asserting, that he had a human Person, as well as a di- vine; The answer that I would give to this objection, is, that though, it is true, every man has a distinct subsistence of his own, without being united to any other person, yet we have no ground to conclude, that the human nature of Christ, even in its first formation, had any subsistence separate from the di- vine nature. Had it been first formed, and then united to the divine nature, it would have had a proper subsistence of its own ; but, since it was not, its Personality, considered as uni- ted to the second Person in the Godhead, is contained therein, though its properties are infinitely distinct from it. 3. These two natures are distinct ; united but not confound- ed. This is asserted, in opposition to an old exploded heresy, * J^estorms ions Bishop of Constantinople, in the reign ofTJieodos!:'.s,theyoiingery .5. D- 428. vjIw very -ivarmhi maintained, that the Virgin Mary -was not the mother of that Person that -was God, hiit of a distinct human Person, called Christ, tvhich rupees censured and condemned by the council at Ephesus, *3. J), 431. OF THE Covenant of grace. 2^$ which was maintained by some, who, to avoid the error of Nes- torius, and his followers, went into the other extreme,* and usstrted, that the divine and human nature of Christ were con- founded, or blended together, after the similitude of things that are niixed together in a natural or artificial way, whereby the; composition is of a different nature from the parts of which it is compounded^ by which means they debase his Godhead, and advance his manhood ; or rather, instead of supposing him to be both God and man, they do, in effect, say, he is neither God nor man. The main foundation, as I apprehend, of this absurd and blasphemous notion, was, that they could not conceive how he could have a divine and human understanding and will, without asserting, with Nestorius, that there were two persons in the Mediator, whereby they split against one rock, while endeavouring to avoid another. And to fence against both ex- tremes, the fathers, in the council of Chalcedon, explained the doctrine in words to this purpose : That the two natures of Christ were indivisibly and inseparably united, without sup- posing that one was changed into the other, or confounded with it. Therefore we must consider, that though these two natures are united, yet each of them retains its respective properties, as much as the soul and body of man do, though united to- gether, which is the best similitude by which this can be illus- trated, though I do not suppose that, in all respects, it answers it. Thus, in one nature, Christ had all the fulness of the God- head, and in nothing common with us ; nothing finite, derived, or dependent, or any other way defective. In his other nature, he was made in all things like unto us, sin only excepted : ia this nature, he was born in time, and did not exist from all eternity, and increased in knowledge, and other endowments, proper thereunto. In one nature, he had a comprehensive know- ledge of all things ; in the other, he knew nothing but by com- munication, or derivation, and with those other limitations that finite wisdom is subject to. In one nature he had an infinite sovereign will ; in the other, he had such a will as the creature has, which though it was not opposite to his divine will, yet its conformity thereunto was of the same kind with that which is in perfect creatures ; so that though w:e do not say that his human will was the same with his divine, as to the essential proper- ties thereof; yet it may be said to be the same, in a moral sense, as conformed thereunto, in like manner, as the will of man is said to be subjected to the will of God. • These are called Evlijchians, from Eutyches, an abbot of Constantinople, -whOf •when he had gained a great deal of ri'lmtation, in disputing against jYestorius, in the council at Ephesus, a fe-.u years after, viz. A. D. 448. propagated his opijuOVy •ivhich leac candeimed, as heretical, in the- covnoi! «r Ghnlcedon, »i. B. 4olv 224 OP THK COVENANT OF GRABE. Had this been duly considered, persons would not have been so ready to give into an error so dangerous and blasphemous, as that which we are opposing. And we have sufficient ground, from scripture, to distinguish between his divine and human understanding and will, inasmuch as it is said, in one place, speaking of his divine understanding, Lord^ thou kiwwest all things^ John xxi. 17. and of his human, Of that day and hour knoxveth no man; no^ not the Son^ Mark xiii. 32. and so of his will, it is sometimes represented as truly divine, in the same sense as the Father's, as when it is said, As the Father raiseth up the dead,, and quickeneth them,, even so the Son quickeneth •whom he willy John v. 21. and elsewhere, If we ask any thing according to his ■will he heareth us, 1 John v. 14. and. Him that cometh to ?ne, I will in no wise cast out^ John vi. 37. And, in other places, he is represented as having an human will, es- sentially distinct from the will of God ; as when he says, Not my rvill, but thine, be done, Luke xxii. 42. 4. The nature that was assumed by the Son of God, is far- ther described, as truly and properly human. It was not an an- gelic nature ; as the apostle says, He took not on him the Jiature of angels, inasmuch as he did not design to redeem the angels that fell, but he took on him the nature of the seed of Abraham^ Heb. ii. 16. And, this nature is farther described, as consist- ing of a true body, and a reasonable soul. (1.) Christ is described as having a true body. This is main- tained against those who, in an early age of the church,* de- nied that he had a real human nature. These, it is true, do not deny his deity ; but they suppose, that it was impossible for God to be united to human flesh, and therefore that he appear- ed only in the likeness thereof; as some heathen writers repre- sent their gods, as appearing in human forms, that they might converse with men. Thus they suppose, that the Godhead of Christ appeared in an human form, without a real human na- ture, in which sense they understand that scripture. He took upon him the form of a servant, and was viade in the likeness of men, Phil. ii. 7". as though, in that place, the similitude of a man were opposed to real humanity ; or, at least, they suppose, that he had no other human nature when he dwelt on earth, than what he had, wbxn he appeared to the church, under the Old Testament-dispensation, viz. to Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and several others, in which they conclude, that there was only the likeness of a human body, or an aerial one, which, accord- ing to some common modes of speaking, is called a spirit. To give countenance to this, they bring some other scriptures, as when it is said, after his resurrection, that/te appeared in ano- * TJiis absurd opinio?}, eitbversive of Christianity, tvas propagated by geTcral a- nioii^ tfie Cnoiticks, in (he second ceMury, who, for thia reason, viere called jyocstx OF tHE eOVKNANT OF GRACE. 225 therform to two disciplas^as theij xualked into the country^ Mark xvi. 12. so when he appeared to Mary, it was in such a form, ^s that she knerv not that it xuas Jesus^ but supposed him to he the gardener^ John xx. 14, 15. and especially when it is said, in another scripture^ Luke xxiv. 21. when his two disciples at Emmaus knew him^ he vanished out of their sight ;* which they understand of his vanishing, in the same sense, as, according to the popular way of speaking, a spectrum is said to do. But this opinion is so absurd, as well as contrary to scrip- ture, that it only shews how far the wild and extravagant fancies of men may run, who are so hardy, as to set aside plain scrip- tures, and take up with some few passages thereof, without considering their scope and design, or their harmony with other scriptures. And, indeed, there is scarce any thing said con- cerning him in the New Testament, but what confutes it; where we have an account of him, as being born, passing through all the ages of life, conversing familiarly with his peo- ple, eating and drinking with them, and, at last, dying on the cross, which put this matter out of all manner of dispute ; as also when he distinguishes himself from a spirit, \vhen the db- ciples were terrified upon his standing unexpectedly in the midst of them, supposing that he had been a spirit, he satisfies them that they were mistaken, by saying, Behold mij hands and my feet ^ that it is I mysef: handle ?n^, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones^ as ye see me have^ Luke xxiv. 29. As for those scriptures in the Old Testament, which speak of his appearing in a human form, assumed for that purpose ; whether there was, in every one of those instances, a real hu- man body that appeared, though, in some of them, it is be- yond dispute that there was, I will not pretend to determine ; yet it must be considered, that this is never styled his incar- nation, or becoming man, but it was only an emblem, or pre- libation thereof; and when it is said, in the scripture before mentioned, tliat he was made in the likeness of men^ it does not from hence follow, that he was not, after his incarnation, a real man, for the likeness of man is oftentimes so understood in scripture ; as when it is said, on occasion of the birth of Seth, that Adam begat a son in his ow7i likeness^ Gen. v. 3. And as to that other scripture, in which Christ is said to ap- pear in different forms, it is not to be supposed that there was a change in his human nature, but only a change in his coun- tenance, or external mein ; or he appeared with other kind of garments, which rendered him not immediately known by them. And when, in the other scripture, it is said, he vanished out of their sight, nothing is intended thereby, but an instantane- ous withdrawing of himself from them, which, it may be might contain something miraculous. 226 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. (2.) Christ is farther described, as having taken to himself a reasonable soul, to which his body was united. This is main- tamed against the Arians, who deny that he had an hum.m soul, concluding that the divine nature, such an one as they will allow him to have, was, as it were, a soul to his body ; which is found- ed partly on their misunderstanding the sense of those scrip- tures, in which it is said. The Word was made Jlesh^ John i. 14. and God was manifest in the Jleah^ 1 Tim. iii. 16. and, For as- onuch as the children are partakers of Jlesh and bloody he also himself likewise took part of thesame^ Heb. ii. 14. a'nd, Ofwhom^ as concerning' the fleshy Christ came, &c. Rom. ix. 5. But the principal argument, by which this opinion is supported, is, be- cause they suppose, that, if he had an human soul, distinct from his divine nature, he must have had two understandings and wills, to wit, a divine and an human, and then it would have been possible for him to have had contrary ideas in his mind, and determinations in his will, as man, to what he had as God, which would infer a sort of confusion of thought, and irregu- larity of actions : but to this it may be answered, 1*?, As to the former, relating to his assuming flesh, it is a very common thing, in scripture, by a synecdoche^ of the part for the whole, Horjlesh to signify the whole man, consisting of soul and body, of which we have many instances in scripture ; as when it is said. All flesh had corrupted his way^ Gen. vi. 12. that is, all men had corrupted their way ; and the prophet speak- ing concerning the vanity of man, as mortal, says, All flesh is grass^ Isa. xl. 6. ^dly^ As to the other branch of their argument ; we allow that Christ, as Man, had a distinct understanding and will, irora what he had as God, and that his human understanding was not equally perfect with his divine, neither had his human will the sovereignty and glory of his divine will. And, if it should be also allowed, that if his human understanding and wall had not always been under the influence and direction of his divine, he might have had contrary ideas, and determinations, as man, to what he had as God ; yet we cannot allow that the divine nature would so far suspend its direction and influence, as that his human understanding should have contradictory ideas to his divine, so that this inconvenience should ensue, which would occasion a confusion and disorder in his actions, or me- thods of human conduct. It was no disparagement to him, nor hindrance to his work, to suppose that his human soul w^as sub- ject to some natural imperfections, which were inconsistent with the infinite perfection of his deity ; however, it is sufficient to assert, that, as Man, he knew every thing, which he was oblig- ed to perform, in a way of obedience, and consented to, and delighted in every thing that was agreeable to his divine will, which would render his obedience compleat j though we sup- ©F THE eOVENAMT OF GRACE. 227 pose, that the nature, in which he performed it, was less per- fect than that to which it was united ; therefore this method of reasoning is not conclusive, and we must suppose, that he had a human soul, distinct from his divine nature. This is evident, because he could not perform obedience in the divine nature, his human soul being the only subject thereof, and it is proper to the deity to be dispassionate ; therefore those sinless passions which lie was subject to, were seated in his soul, as united to the body ; and that he had such passions, is very plain from scripture ; for he says. My soul is exceeding- sorroxvful^ even unto deaths Matt. xxvi. 33. And there are various other pas- sions besides sorrow, which he was subject to, which, though free from sin, were altogether inconsistent with the infinite per- fection of the divine nature. 9. This human nature is said to have been conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin. Here we may observe, (2.) That there was something in the formation of Christ's human nature, in which he resembled the rest of mankind, in that he was not produced, and brought into a state of manhood in an instant, or created out of the dust of the ground, as Adam was, but was born, or as the apostle expresses it, made of a woman^ Gal. iv. 4. to denote his being formed out of her sub- stance ; and accordingly he began his state of humiliation in infancy, that he might, in all respects, be made like unto those whom he came to redeem. Herein the promise made to our first parents, relating to his being the seed of the womatiy Gen. iii. 15. was not only fulfilled; but another express prediction, by the prophet Isaiah, who says. Unto us a Child is born^ Isa. ix. 6. (2.) There was something peculiar and extraordinary in his formation, as he w^as an extraordinary Person, and to be en- gaged in a work peculiar to himself; so he is said to have been born of a Virgin, not because, as some suppose, that that is a state of greater sanctity, than any other condition of life, but, as was before observed *, that he might be exempted from the guilt of Adam's first sin, which he would have been liable to, though sanctified from the womb, had his human nature been formed in an ordinary way. It was certainly necessary that his human nature, which was, in its first formation, united to his divine Person, should be perfectly sinless ; since it would have been a reproach cast on the Son of God, to have it said con- cerning him, that he was, in die nature which he assumed, es- tranged to, and '-eparate from God, as all mankind are, who are born in an ordinary way. And this was also necessary for his accomplishing the work of our redemption, since as the a- postle says, Such an High Priest became iiSj zvho is holy^ harm- * iSteFaefe 112 ante. 228 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. /(f^.r, vndcfdcd^ and separate from sinyiers, Heb, vii. 26. And, in order to his being born ot a Virgin, there was an extraordi- nary instance of the power of God ; and therefore it is said, The Holy Ghost shall come it pan thee., and the power of the High- -est shall overshadorv thee^ Luke i. 35. His being born of a Virgin, was an accomplishment of that prediction which we read of in Isa. vii. 14. The Lord himself shall give you a sign ; Behold^ a Virgin shall conceive^ and bear « Sofi, and shall call his name Immaniiel. This text being so convincing a proof of Christianity, and, as such, referred to in the New Testament, Matt. i. 22, 23. the Jews, and many of the modern Deists, have endeavoured to weaken the force there- of, which renders it necessary for us to illustrate and explain it, agreeably to the scope and design of the prophecy, contain- ed in the context ; which we shall endeavour to do, in the fol- lowing Paraphrase. Says God to the prophet, " Go to Ahaz, **- and bid him not be faint-hearted, by reason of the threatened '* invasion by the confederate kings of Israel and Syria ; but let ''^ him ask a sign for the confirmation, of his faith, that I may '"'^ herebv assvire him, that they shall not be able to do him any *' hurt : but I knoAV, before-hand, his unbelief, and the sullen- *' ness of his temper, that he will refuse to ask a sign ; there- *' fore, when thou goest to meet him, take thy young son Shear- ■■' jashub in thine hand, or in thine arms, from whom thou may- *^ est take occasion to deliver part of the message which I send " thee with to him ; tell him, that though he refuse to ask a sign, '■'' 7ieverthcless *, the Lord shall give thee a sign, to his people, ^* whom thou shalt command to hear this message, as well as Ahaz, they being equally concerned herein ; therefore let them know, that, though their obstinate and wicked king calls a com- pliance with my command a tempti7ig me, and therefore will " not ask a sign, I will not give him any other sign, than what *' the whole house of Israel shall behold, in future ages, which, ** though it cannot be properly called a prognostic sign, yet it '■•* will be, v/hen it comes to pass, a rememorative sig?i f, and that •' shall be a glorious one ; for. Behold a Virgin ^ shall conceivey * So tlic Jlebrev) icard ought to be rendered, rather than therefore ; for so it is un- ckrstood in other scriptures, particularly in Jer. xxx. 16. f Tins is a pint distinction relatinp- to signs mentioned in scripture; in tvhich, ^ometiiuiis a sisfu did not take place till the thing signijied, or brought to remem- brance thereby, had been accomplished. See Exoa. iii. 12. 1 Sam. li. 34. Isa. xxxrii. ;>0. Jer. xliv. 29, 30. aa Bishop Kidder -well obienvs. See Demo7tstrat. oft/ie Jiles- sias. Part II. page 105, in Fd. i The Ilebreio word HO 7j^ is truly rendered a Virgin, as it is translated by the LXX. [» 7riifbt/i(] who -well vnderstand the sense of it, in this ajxd other places, ivliere •»e meet -uith it : as also doth t/te Chaldee Paraphrast tints understand it, and tlie Siiriac, Arabic, and vulgar Latin versions : and this sense agrees with the gram- matical constrnctio7i of the word, which is derived fr-om CD*?.!' abscondit, and it ab- iv.cks tu the custom usefi among the Jev>a of keeping their virfi.'zs concealed till thvh u. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 229 *' and bear a So?i^ and thou shalt call his na7ne Iinmanuel, When '■'■ this wonderful thing happens, a thing new and unheard of, *' which shall be created in the earthy that a woman should co 771- *■' pass a man^ as it is said elsev/here, Jei*. xxxi. 22. then the *' house of David shall understand the reason why I have not " suffered these two kings to desti'oy Judah, so that it should *' be broken^ that it be not a people^ as Ephraim shall, xvithiii *' threescore and Jive years, [ver. 8.] for then th^ Messiah could *' not come of the house of David ; and what he shall do for *' them, when he comes, is the ground and reason of all the tem- " poral deliverances that I work for them, and particular!}' of *' this from the intended invasion of these two confederate kings. *' Tell them, moreover., that as this shall be a reme7norative sig7i^ " so I will give them to understand, at present, that they shall " be delivered in a little time ; for before this Child, which thou *' hast here brought with thcCj shall ^norv to recuse the evil, and *' chuse the good, or shall know the difference between moral " good and evil, that is, in tAvo or three years time. The lajid " that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her ki7igs ; or " those two kings, which thou dreadest, sh«all be driven, by the " king of Assyria, out of their oAvn land. And inasmuch as my *' peoi")le may be afraid, that, before these two yeai's are expir- ed, they shall be brought into such straights, through famine, or scarcity of profusions, which generally attend sieges, that *' they shall want the necessaries of life ; let them know that " this child, meaning Shear-jashub, shall not want butter a7id *' ho7iei;, that is, the best and most proper food for it, that he *' maij knoxv, or rather, 7mtil * he know to refuse the evil, a7id " chuse the god, that is, till these two kings, Rezin and Pekah, *' be utterly destroyed." Thus having considered our Saviour's being born of a Vir- gin, there is one thing more that is to be observed under this "head, namely, that he was of her substance, v. hich is particular- ly mentioned in this answer, with a design to fence against an .vere viarried; therefoi'e us a learned writer -well observes, T^Ulp Notat statum so- litarium domi dclltesceutlum ideoq; cxlebiim & virginum; and in those t~.co fila- ces, in -ivhic/t it is objected hj the Jews, that the loord does not signify a virjjin, but a young woman, namely, Prov. xxx. 19. and Cant. vi. 8. In the former, as one ob- ferves, Promptissimuni est inteliigere vincula anioris quihus virgo iiicipit ad- sti-ingi tiituro sponso suo ; ami therefore it may be understood of a virgin, in the lilrroi sense of the toord. J'id. Coca. Lexic. in V^c. 'J'he LXX. indeed, render if, a\Sf^ IV n-.Txlt, end the vulgar iMtin version, Viri in r.dolescentia ; but the Chaldee I'araphrast renders it, ^ iri \\\ ^'il•gine. And as for the later scripttwe, in ivhich it is said, there are tlireescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number, it is plain, the 7yo)v/ virgins is nut opposed to young women, for such were viany of them that are called queens and concubines, hut to persons defonrcd ; there- fore wc may coiiclude, that the word always signifes a virgin, and tlierefore is rigld-i ty translated in the text, under our present consideration. * So the tiord is pi'operly rendered by the Chaldee Paraphrast. Vol. II. G g <( (( 230 er the covenant of grace. ancient heresy, muintalned by the Gnostics in the second cen- tury, and hath been defended by others, in later ages, who sup- posed, that our Saviour did not derive his human nature from the Virgin Mary, but that it was formed in heaven, and sent down from thence ; and that the Virgin's womb is only to be considered as the first seat of its residence in this lower world, which they found on those scriptures which speak of his com- ing down from heaven^ John iii. 13, 14. which they understand concerning his human nature ; whereas, nothing is intended thereby but the manifestative presence of his divine nature, in which respect God is, in other scriptures, said to come down into this lower world, Gen. xi. 5, 7. And another scripture, which they bring to the same purpose, is that, in which, they suppose, he denies his relation to his mother, when he says, Who is my mother ? and who are my brethren ? Whosoever shall do the xvill of my Father^ xvhich is in heaven^ the same is my brO' ther^ and sister, and mother. Mat. xi. 48. 50. in which he does not deny his natural relation to them, but designs to shew, that his regard to persons in the exercise of his public ministry, was principally founded on their doing the will of his Father. And whereas they farther suppose, that if his human nature had, in any respect, been derived from the substance of the Virgin, ei- ther she must be concluded immaculate, as the Papists do, or else he must have been born a sinner ; this hath been already proved to be no just consequence, inasmvich as the formation of his human natui-e, though it were of the substance of the Vir- gin, was in an extraordinary and miraculous way, whereby he was exempted from the guilt of original sin. There is another opinion maintained by some of the school- men, which, though it be not generally received, seems, to me, ■not altogether improbable, namely, that Christ's human body, though formed in the womb of the virgin, and a part of her sub- stance, yet, as to the manner of its formation, it differed from that of all other human bodies, inasmuch as the matter, of ivhich they consist, receives its form in a gradual way, and they cannot properly speaking be styled human bodies, till organized and fitted to have their souls united to them ; whereas these ^suppose that the body of Christ, in its first formation, was ren-^ dered fit to receive the sou\, which was, in an instant united to it ; and both soul and body, at the same time, without having any separate subsistence, were united to the divine nature. This account of the formation of Christ's human body, though I think it most adapted to the union of his soul and body with the divine nature, in the very instant of its formation, and there- fore cannot but conclude it a more probable conjecture than what is generally received, yet I do not lay it down as a necessary article of faith j nor would I, from hence, be supposed to den^ OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 231 that the bod}' of Christ grew in the womb like other human bodies, after the soul is united to them ; nor would I set aside the account the scripture gives of the virgin's accomplishing the full number of days^ in which she should be delivered^ Luke ii. 6. GiJ. iv. 4. Thus we have considered our Saviour, as having a true body and a reasonable soul, and both united to the di- vine nature, whereby he is denominated God incarnate, in this answer. 6. Our Mediator is farther said to have been inccanate, in the fulness of time ; and it is added, he shall continue to be both God and man for ever. (1.) Let us consider what is meant by Chilst's becoming man in the fulness of time. The human nature could not be united to the divine from all eternity ; since it i« inconsistent with its being a created nature, that it should exist from eter- nity ; notv/ithstanding he might, had it been so determined, have, assumed this nature in the beginning of time, or immediately after the fall of man, who then stood in need of a Mediator ; but God, in his sovereign and wise providence, ordered it other- wise, namely, that there should be a considerable distance of time between the full of man and Christ's incarnation, in ordej;' to his recovery, which is called, in scripture, th.it fulness ofttme^ Gal. iv. 4. that is, the time foretold by the prophets, and parti- cularly Daniel, Dan. ix. 24, 25. whose prediction had an ad- ditional circumstance of time annexed to it, which gave occa- sion to the Jews to e::pect his coming at the same time that he was incarnate. That there was an universal expectation of the Messiah at this time, appears from the disposition of many among them to adhere to an}" one, especially if he pretended himself to be a prophet, or that he would make some change in their civil af- fairs ; and the Jewish historian '•* tells us of many tumuUs and seditions that were in that age. Some of their ring-leaders he st}'les magicians ; and persons pretending to be prophets, though, indeed, he does not expressly say that they assume the charac- ter of Messiah, yet he observes, that the time in which this was done, gave occasion hereunto f ; by which he means tliat it be- ing at that time that the Jews expected that the Messiah, their king, should come, they thought it a fit opportunity to make these efforts, to shake off the Roman yoke ; and they were so far irom concealing the cxjiectation they had thereof, that it was well known by the heathen, who were not without jealou- sies concerning them, with respect to this matter j so that some celebrated writers among them observe, that it was generally ♦ See Joseph. Antiq. Lib. XVIII. cap. 1. SJ Lib. XX cap. % S/ tie Mdl. Jud, Lib. II. cap. 6. 233 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. received throughout the east, according to some ancient pre* dictions, thai, at that time, the Jews should obtain the empire ; * and there are several expressions, in scripture, which intimate as much : thus Gamaliel speaks of one Thtudas, who boasted himself to be sotnebody^ by which, it is probable, he means the Messiah, to -whom a number of men^ about four hundred^ joined themselves^ and xvere slain^ Acts v. 36, ^7. which some think to be the same person that Josephus mentions, the name being the same ; though others are rather inrlined to think that it was another pretender to this character, from some critical remarks they make on the circumstance of time referred to by Gamaliel, being different from chat which is mentioned by Josephus. f However, this does not affect our argument ; for it is plain, from hence, that, about that time, the Jews were disposed to join themselves to any one who endeavoured to persuade them that he was the Messiah. And this farther appears, from what our Saviour says. All that ever came before vie^ .are thieves and robbers^ John x. 8. by which, doubtless, he means, several that pretended to be the Messiah, in that age, before he came ; and it is said elsewhere, Luke xix. 11. a little before our Saviour's crucifixion, that theij^ that is, the Jews, generally thought that t'he kingdom ofGod^ and consequently the Messiah, whom they expected, shoidd hnme- diatelij appear ; and he alr.o foretels, that between this and the destruction of Jerusalem, that is, before that age w^as at an end, many false Christs^ should arise^^x\rl warns his followers not to adhere to them. Mat. xxiv. 24—26. Moreover, had not the Jews expected that the Messiah would appear at that time, they would never have sent in so formal a manner, as they are said to have done, to enquire. Whether John the Baptist^ when he exercised his public ministry amongst them, zvas he? John i. 19 — 21. And, when he had convinced them that he was not the Messiah, but that our Saviour would soon appear publicly amongst them, who had the only right to this character, he found it no difficult matter to persuade ihem to believe it ; and accordingly Jerusalem and all Judea, that is, the people almost universally attended on his ministry, and were baptized, making a profession of this faith, and of their expec- tation of, and willingness to adhere to him ; and it was the re- port, that the wise men, who came from the east, had received from the Jews, who were conversant with them, that this was the time that the Messiah should appear, that brought them to * Vid. Siieton in Vespas. Percrebuerat oriente toto, ventus & coiisfans opinio, ess« infatig ; ut eo tempore Judea, profecti, rerum poiireiitiir ; & Tacit. Histor. Lib. V. Plvribns pcrtvosio inerat, anti(juis sacerdotnm lita-is contineri, eo ipso tempore fc'S ■Iff v^.i-isceret, Oriens, profectiq ; Jtidec. rerum potirentur. I i>ee Li^ht/oQfs 7V9r)cs, Vol. I. Peg. 7&5y 766. OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. 23S Jerusalem, from their respective countries, otherwise that pre- ternatural meteor, or star, which they saw, could not have given them a sufficient intimation concerning this mattei", so as to in- duce them to come and pay their homage to iiim ; and when they came, and enquired of Herod, Where is he that is born king- of the Jews? how surprizing soever it might be to that proud tyrant, to think that there was one born, who, as he sup- posed, would stand in competition with him for the crown, yet it was no unexpected thing to the Sanhedrim, w^hose opinion in this matter he demanded, in an hypocritical manner ; therefore they say, he was to be horn in Bethlehem^ according to tbe pre- diction of tlie prophet Micah ; whereas, if they had not known that this was the time in which he was to be born, they would have replied, that it was an unseasonable question, and a vain thing, to ask where a person was to be born, whose birth was not expected in that age ; and they might easily have satisfied Herod, and removed the foundation of his jealousy and trou- ble, and thereby have prevented that inhuman barbarity com- mitted on the infants of Bethlehem, if they had told him that the time spoken of by the prophet Daniel, in which the Mes- siah was to be born, was not yet come : but they knew other- wise ; and in this respect, Christ might be said to be born hi the fulness of time* That which we shall fai^ther observe, con- cerning it, is, Ist^ That it was at that time when God had sufficiently tried the faith of the Old Testament-church, in waiting for his com- ing, and thereby glorified his sovereignty, who hath the times and seasons of his bestowing all blessings in his own power. 2vhich the Son of God became Man. (2.) Christ shall continue to be God and Man for ever, or the union of these two natures is indissoluble : as to his divine nature, he is necessarily eternal and unchangeable ; and the hu- man nature shall continue for ever united to it, as the result of the divine purpose, in which God intends that some ends, glo- rious to himself, honourable to the Mediator, and advantageous to his people, should be attained thereby. For, l>s^. If he had had a design to lay aside his human nature, he would have done it when he finished his Avork of obedience and sufferings therein, and thereby had so far answered the end of his incarn ition, that nothing more was necessary for the pur- chase of redemption : but when he rose from the dead, as a Conqueror over death and hell, and was declared to have ac- complished the work he came into the world about, it is cer- tain he did not lay it aside, but ascended visibly into heaven, and shall come again, in a visible manner, in that same nature, to judge the world at the last day. 2<3%/, The eternity of Christ's human nature appears from the eternity of his mediatorial kingdom, of which more under a following answer, when we come to speak concerning the glo- ry of Christ's kingly office. It appears, also, from the eternity of his intercession, which, as the apostle expresses it, He ever liveth to make^ Heb. vii. 25. for his people : thus he does, by appearing in the human nature in the presence of God, in their behalf; therefore he must for ever have an human nature. Zdly^ His saints shall abide for ever in heaven, and, as the apostle says, Shall ever be •with the Lord^ 1 Thess. iv. 17. and their happiness shall continue both as to soul and body ; and, with respect to their bodies, it is said, they shall be fashioned like unto Chrisfs glorious body., Phil. iii. 21. therefore his glo- rious body, or his human nature, shall continue for ever united to his divine Person. Mhly^ His retaining his human nature for ever, seems neces- sary, as it redounds to the glory of God : it is an eternal monu- ment of his love to mankind, and an external means to draw forth their love to him, who procured those mansions of glory, which they shall for ever be possessed of, by what he did and oufFered for them therein. NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. 235 Quest. XXXVIII. IVhy was it requisite that the Mediator should be God? Answ. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath ot God, and the power of death, give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and interces- sion ; and so- satisfy God's justice, procure his favour, pur- chase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation. Quest. XXXIX. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be 3Ian ? Answ. It was requisite that the Mediator should be Man, that he might advance our nature, perform obedience to the law, suffer, and make intercession for us in our nature, have a fel- low-feeling of our infirmities, that we might receive the adop- tion of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace. Quest. XL. Why was it requisite that the Bfediator should be God and Man in one Person ? Angw. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to recon- cile God and Man, should himself be both God and Man, and this in one Person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole Person. OU R Mediator having been considered as God and Man, in one person, we have a farther account of the necessity of being so. And, I. It was necessary that he should be a divine Person, for se- veral reasons here assigned, with others that may be added. As, 1. If he had not been God, he could not have come into the the world, or been incarnate, and have had the guilt of our sins laid on him, with his own consent'; for he could not have been a party in the everlasting covenant, in which this matter was stipulated between the Father and him ; and, had he not con- sented to be charged with the guilt of our sin, he could not have been punished for it, inasmuch as God cannot punish an inno- cent person ; and, if such an one be charged with this guilt, and consequently rendered the object of vindictive justice, as our Saviour is said to have been, in scripture, it must be with his own consent. Now the human nature could not consent to its own formation, and therefore it could not consent to bear our iniquities ; since to consent supposes the person to be existent, which Christ, had he been onlv Man, would not have been be- 233 NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. fore his incarnation, and therefore he could not have come int© the world as a Surety for us, and so would not have been fit, in this respect, to have discharged the principal part of the work, which he engaged in as Mediator. 2. There is another thing, mentioned in this answer, which rendered it requisite that the Mediator should be God, name- ly, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sink- ing under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death. It must be allowed, that the weight of the wrath of God, due to our sin, was so great, that no mere creature could, by his own strength, have subsisted under it. We will not deny, that a mere creature, supposing him only innocent, but not unired to a divine Person, might have been borne up, under the great- est burthen laid on him, by the extraordinary assistance of God, with whom all things are possible ; nor that God's giving a pro- mise that he should not fail, or be discouraged, is such a se- curity, as would effectually keep it from sinking; yet when we consider the human nature, as united to the divine, this is an additional security, that he should not sink under the infinite weight of the wrath of God, that lay upon him ; for then it would have been said, that he, who is a divine Person, miscar- ried in an important v/ork, which he undertook to perform in. his human nature, w^hich would have been a dishonour to him : sa far this argument hath its proper force. But, 3. There is another reason, which more fully proves the ne- cessity of the Mediator's being a Divine Person, viz, that this might give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession, that so what he did might have a tendency to an- swer the valuable ends designed thereby, namely, the satisfy- ing the justice of God, procuring his favour, and purchasing u peculiar people to himself. Had he been only man, what he did and suffered, might indeed have been sinless, and perfect in its kind ; nevertheless, it could not be of infinite value, for a finite creature, as such, cannot pay an infinite price, and thereby ansM'^er the demands of justice. Had nothing been de- manded of him but a debt of obedience, '^vhich he was obliged to perform for himself, as a creature, it would not, indeed, have been necessary that it should be of infinite worth and value, any more than that obedience, that was due from our first pa- rents, while in a state of innocency : But when this is consi- dered as a price of redemption paid for us, and as designed to procure a right to the favour of God, and eternal life, this must be of such a value, that the glory of the justice of God might be secured, which nothing less than an infinite price could do ; and the law of God must not only be fulfilled, but magnified, and made honourable ; and therefore the obedience, which was required, must not only be sinless, but have in it an infinite N*ECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. 227 worth and value, that hereby, when in a way of intercession, it is pleaded before God, it might be effectual to answer the ends designed thereby ; but this it could not have been, had he not been an infinite Person, namely, God as well as Man. 4. Another reason assigned for this, is, that he might give his Spirit to his people. It is necessary that redemption should be applied, as well as purchased; and that the same Person, as a peculiar branch of glory due to him, should perform the one as well as the other ; and, in the application of redemption, it was necessary that the Spirit should be glorified, that hereby he might appear to be a divine Person ; and, as he acts herein in subserviency to the Mediator's gloiT, as has been before observed *, he is said to be sent by him, which he could not have been, had not Christ had a divine nature, in which re- spect he was equal with him ; nor could he be said to give that which the Spirit works, as he promised to do, when he told his disciples, If I depart, Ixv'ill aend him unto you^ Joha xvi. 7. 3. It was necessary that Christ should be God, that he might conquer all our enemies, and so remove every thing out of the way that tends to oppose his name, interest, and glory ; these are sin, Satan, the world, and death. Sin, which is opposite to the holiness of God, is that which spirits, excites, and gives being to all opposition there is against him, either in earth or hell, and endeavours to eclipse his glory, controul his sove- reignty, and reflect dishonour on all his perfections. This must be subdued by Christ, so that it may no longer have domijiionoxtx: his people, Rom. vi. 14. and, in order hereunto, its condemn- ing power must be taken away, by his making satisfaction for it, as our great High Priest; and also its enslaving power sub- dued by the efficacy of his grace, in the internal work of sanc- tification. And, upon his having obtained this victory over sin, Satan is also conquered when his prisoners are brought from under his power; and he finds himself for ever disappointed, and not able to detain those, who were, at first, led captive by him, nor to defeat the purpose of God relating to the salvation of his elect, or to boast as though he had wrested the sceptre out of his hand, or robbed him of one branch of his glory. IVIoreover, the world, which is reckoned among the number of God's enemies, must be conquered inasmuch as it opposes his name and interest in an objective way, from whence cor- rupt nature takes occasion either to abuse the various gifts and dispensations of providence, or by contracting an intimacy with those who are enemies to God and religion, to become more like them, as the apostle says, The friendship of the world ii: * See\o\.l. Pwi'e 291, 292. Vol. II. / H h 238 NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES* enmity with God, James iv. 4. Now Christ must be God, that- he may discover its snares, and enable his people to improve the good things of providence to his glory, and over-rule the evil things thereof for their good. And as for death, which is reckoned among Christ's and his people's enemies, which the apostle calls, The last enemy that is to be destroyed^ 1 Cor. xv. 26. this is suffered to detain the bodies of believers, as its prisoners, till Christ's second comingj but it must be destroyed, that so they may be made partakers of complete redemption ; and this is also a part of the Media- tor's work, as he raises up his people at the last day. And all / these victories over sin, Satan, the world, and death, as they require infinite power, so it is necessary that he, who obtains them, should be a divine Person. 6. It is necessary that the Mediator should be God, that he might bring his people to everlasting salvation, that is, first fit them for, lead them in the way to Heaven, and then receive them to it at last; for this reason, he is styled. The author and Finisher of our Faith^ Heb. xii. 2. and it is said, that as he be- gan the goodxvork^so he performs it, Phil. i. 6. or carries it on to perfection. Grace is Christ's gift and Avork ; as he purchas- ed it by his blood, while on earth ; it is necessary that he should apply it by his power; even as Zerubbabel, who was a type of him, after he had laid the foundation-stone of the temple, at last, brought forth the head-stone thereof xvtth shoutings, crying^ Grace^ grace, imto it, Zech. iv. 7. so Christ works all our Works for us, and in us, till he brings them to perfection, and presents his people unto himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and xvithout blemish, Eph. v. 27. and this is certainly a divine Work, and consequently he, who performs it, must be a divine Person. And to this we may add, 7. It was necessary that our Mediator should be God, inas- much as the everlasting happiness of his people consists in the enjoyment of him. He is not only the Author of their com- plete blessedness, but, as we may express it, the matter of it; they are made happy, not only by him, but in him ; accordingly heaven is described as a state, in which they behold his glory, John xvii. 24. and see hifu as he is, 1 John iii. 2. therefore, since he is the Fountain of blessedness, it is requisite that he should be God, as well as Man. II. It was requisite that the Mediator should be Man. When we speak of the necessity of Christ's incarnation, we are not to understand hereby, that this was absolutely necessary, without supposing the divine will, or purpose, to redeem man ; for since our redemption was not in itst-lf necessary, but was only say as the result of God's purpose irelating thereunto ; so NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. 28S Christ's incarnation was necessary, as a means to accomplish it. This is what divines generally call a conditional necessity * ; so that since Christ was ordained to be a Mediator between God and man, it was requisite that he should become Man : The reason assigned for it is, that he might perform obedience to the law. That obedience to the law was required, in order to his making satisfaction for sin, we shall have occasion to con- sider, when we speak of his Priestly office ; therefore all that need be observed under this head, is, that this obedience could not be performed by him in the divine nature, in which respect he cannot be under any obligation to perform that which be- longs only to those who are creatures, and as such subjects ; therefore, if he be made under the law, he must have a nature fitted and disposed to yield obedience. Some have enquired, whether it was possible for Christ to have answered this end, by taking any other nature into union with his divine Person ; or, whether this might have been brought about by his taking on him the nature of angels ? I shall not en- ter so fai' into this subject, as to determine whether God might, had he pleased, have accepted of obedience in any other nature, fitted for that purpose j but we have ground, from scripture, to conclude, that this was the only way that God had ordained for the redemption of man } and therefore, though Christ might have performed obedience in some other finite nature, or might have taken the nature of angels, this would not, in all respects, have answered those many great ends, which were designed by his incarnation. And therefore, since this was the way in which God ordained that man should be redeemed, it was necessary that he should take the human nature into union with his di- vine; and inasmuch as he was to vield obedience to the same law, that we had violated, it was necessary that he should be 7nade of a womaii^ as the apostle expresses it, Gal. iv. 4. God had ordained, as an expedient most conducive for his own glo- ry, that he, who was to be our Redeemer, should run the same race with us ; and also, that he should suffer what was due to us, as the consequence of our rebellion against him, that so, as the Captain of our salvation^ he should be made perfect through sufferings^ Heb. ii. 10. And inasmuch as sufferings were due to us in our bodies, it was necessary,. God having so ordained it, that he should suffer in his body, as well as in his soul ; and as death entered into the world by sin, so God ordained it, that we should be redeemed from the power of the grave, by one, who died for us ; in which respects, it was necessary that he should be man. There are also other ends mentioned in this answer, which render this necessary-, namely, that he might advance oui* na- ' Ilis otKeneise styled, Necebsitas consequentiK. 240 NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. ture. It was a veiy great honour which that particular nature, which he assumed, was advanced unto, in its being taken into union with his divine Person. Though it had no intrinsic dig- nity, or glory, above what otlier intelHgent, finite, sinless beings are capable of; yet it had a greater relative glory than any other creature had, or can have, which may be illustrated by a similitude taken from the body of man, how mean soever it is in itself, yet, when considered in its relation to the soul, that adds a degree of excellency to it, in a relative sense, greater than what belongs to any creature, destitute of understanding j so the human nature of Christ, though it had not in itself a glo- ry greater than what another finite creature might have been advanced to ; yet, when considered as united to the divine na- ture, its glory, in a relative sense may be said to be infinite. It follows from hence, that since Christ's being truly and properly man, was a particular instance, in him, of the advance- ment of our nature, to a greater degree of honour, than what has been conferred on any other creature, this lays the highest obligation on us to admire and adore him; and should be an inducement to us, not to debase that nature which God has, in this respect, delighted to honour, by the commission of those sins, which are the greatest reproach unto it. Another consequence of Christ*s incarnation, whereby it far- ther appears that it was requisite that he should be man, is that, in our nature, he might make intercession for us. For the un- derstanding of which, let it be considered, that the divine na- ture cannot properly speaking, be said to make intercession, since this includes in it an act of worship, and argues the Per- son, who intercedes, to be dependent, and indigent, which is inconsistent with the self-sufficiency and independency of the Godhead; therefore, had he been only God, he could not have made intercession for us, and consequently this is the necessa- ry result of his incarnation. Object. 1. It may be objected hereunto, that the Spirit is said to make intercession for the Saiiits^ according to the zvill of God., Rom. viii. 27. whereas he has no human nature to make intercession in ; therefore Christ might have made intercession for us, though he had not been incarnate. Ansxv. When the Spirit is said to make intercession for us, this is not to be understood of his appearing in the pre- sence of God, and so offering prayers, or supplications to him in our behalf; but it only intends his enabling us to pray for ourselves, which is an effect of his power, working this grace in us ; therefore the apostle, speaking concerning the same thing, says, elsewhere, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts^ crying., Abba., Father., Gal. iv. 6. that is, enabling tis to cry, Abba^ Father : Such an intercession as this, is not JIECESSITY OF THK MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. 241 unbecoming a divine Person ; and this is what is plainly the sense of those scriptures, in which the Spirit is said to inter- cede for us. As for Christ's intercession, it consists, indeed, in his praying for us, * rather than enabling us to pray ; there- fore it was requisite that he should be Man, in order there- unto. Object. 2. It is generally supposed, that Christ made inces- cession for his people before his incarnation : Thus we cannot but conclude, that he is intended by the angel of the Lord^ who is represented as pleading for Israel ; 0 Lord of hosts^ hoiv iongxvilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem^ and upon the cities offudah^ against xvhich thou hast had indignation these three- score and ten years ? Zech. i. 12. and also as pleading in their behalf against the accusations of Satan, The Lord rebuke thee^ O Satan ; even the Lord^ which hath chosen Jerusalem^ rebuke thee : Is not this a brand ivhich is plucked out of the fire ? chap, iii. 2. If therefore he made intercession at that time, when he had no human nature, his incarnation was not iiecessary there- tmto. Ansxv. Though we allow that Christ is often represented, in the Old Testament, as interceding for his people ; yet these ex- pressions are either proleptical, and do not denote, so much, •what Christ then did, as what he would do, after he had assum- ed our nature ; or they imply, that the salvation of the church, under that dispensation, was owing to the intercession that Christ would make after his incarnation, as well as to that sa- tisfaction which he would give to the justice of God in our na- ture ; so that Christ, in those scriptures, is represented as pro- curing those blessings for his people, by what he would, in re- ality, do after his incarnation, the virtue whereof is supposed to be extended to them at that time : He did not therefore /or- mally^ h\it virtually, intercede for them; and consequently it does not prove that his incarnation was not necessary for his making that intercession, which he ever lives to do in the be- half of his church. It is farther observed, that it was requisite that our Media- tor should be Man, that he might have a fellow-feeling of our infirmities : Thus the apostle says. He was touched with the feeling of our infrmities, having been, in all points ; in his hu- man nature, tempted like as we are, yet xvithout sin, Heb. iv. 15. As God, it is true, he has a perfect, namely, a divine know- ledge of our infirmities, but not an experimental knowledge thereof; and therefore, in this respect, had he not been Man, he could not have been said to sympathize with us herein ; and therefore his compassion towards us, has this additional mo- tive, taken from his incarnation : It was in this respect that he had the passions of the human nature, and thereby is induced, And in presenting his glorious body With the marks of saftering. 242 NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES, from what he once experienced, to help our infirmities, as being such as he himself condescended to bear. And to this it may be added, as a farther consequence of his incarnation, that we are made partakers of the adoption of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness, to the throne of grace. This the apostle also gives us occasion to infer, from his being made of a woman, and made under the law, not only that /ie 77ught redeem them that -were under the laxv^ but that we might receive the adoption of sons, Gal. iv. 5. and encourages us, from hence, to cowe boldly to the throne oj" grace, Heb. iv. 16. As Christ's Sonship, as Mediator, includes his incarnation, and was the ground and reason of the throne of grace being erected, to which we are invited to come ; so, he being, iji the same respect, constituted Heir of all things, believers who are the sons of God, in a lower sense, are notwithstanding, styled, Heirs of God, and Joint heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 1 7". He is the Head and Lord of this great family, who purchased an inheritance lor them, and they the members thereof, who, in the virtue of his pur- chase, have a right to it ; therefore his incarnation, which was necessar}'' hereunto, was the great foundation of our obtaining the privilege of God's adopted children, and of our access by him to the Father. We first come by faith to hinn, who, if we allude to Elihu's words, rvas fanned out of the clay, and there- fore his terror shall Jiot make us afraid, neither shall his hand be heavy upon us, Job xxxiii. 6. and through him, we come to God, as our reconciled Father. III. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God and man, in one Person. Had his human nature been a distinct human Person, the work of our redemption would have been brought about by two persons, which would each of them have had the character of Mediator, unless two persons could be so united, as to constitute but one, which is no better than a con- tradiction. And it is farther observed, in the answer under our present consideration, that there were works to be performed, propel- to each nature : in the human nature he was to perform ^■every thing that implied subjection, obedience, or suffering; and though none of these could be performed by him, in his divine nature, yet an infinite worth, value, and dignity, was to be added thereimto, which was not so much the result of any thing done by him in that nature, as of the union of the human nature with it J upon which account, the obedience he performed, had, in a relative sense, the same value, as though it had been performed in his divine nature ; and, upon this account, it is said, that God purchased the. church with his oxvn blood, Acts'xx. 28. And to this we may add, that as each nature was distinct, and their properties not in the least confounded, as was before observed ; so we often read, in scripture, of distinct properties NECESSITY OF THE MEDIATOR'S TWO NATURES. 243 attributed to the same person, which are opposed to each other, na.i.ely, mortality and immortality, weakness and omnipotency, dependence and independence, &c. which could not be, with any p: opriety of speaking, applied to him, had he not been God and m.m, in the same person. This is generally styled by divmes, a co7nmunkation of properties* concerning which we must ob- serve, that the properties of one nature are not predicated of the other ; as the Lutherans suppose, when they conclude, that the human nature of Christ is omnipresent, upon which their doc- trine of consubstantiation is founded ; but we assert, that the properties of one nature are predicated of the same person, to whom the odier nature also belongs ; so that when we say the Pel son, that was God, obeyed and suffered; or the Person, that was man, paid an infinite price to the justice of God, we are far from asserting, that the Godhead of Christ obeyed, or the man- hood merited ; f and this is the necessary result of his two na- tures being united in one Person. There are two things obser- ved, in illustrating this matter. 1. That the works of each nature must be accepted of God for us, as the works of the whole Person, or of the same Per- son ; therefore, if the nature that obeyed and suffered had beexi an human person, his obedience and sufferings could not have been of infinite value, or accepted by God as a sufficient price of redemption ; for they could not have had this value reflected on them, had they not been the works of a divine Person : and those rays of divine glorj', that shined forth in his human na- ture, could have no immediate relation to it, had it been a dis- tinct Person from that of his Godhead. 2. It is farther observed, that those works, which were per- formed by him in each nature, are to be relied on by us, as the works of the whole Person : this reliance contains in it an in- stance of adoration, and supposes the Person, who performs them, to be God, which he was not in his human nature ; there- fore we are to adore our Mediator, and rely on the works per- formed by him, in his human nature, as he is God and man in one Person. As wc have sufficient ground, from scripture to conclude, that the Mediator is the Object of divine adoration; so we are to depend on him, as a divine Person, for salvation; and our worship herein does not terminate on his human na- ture, but on his deity : but, if his human nature had been a dis- tinct human person we could not be said to adore him that died for us, and rose again ; so that, upon all these accounts, it is necessary that he should be not only God and man, but tliat these two natures should be united in one Person. * See Vol. I. page 261. f This is generally styled, h; divines, CemiliUnicatio idiowatum in concreto- noa in ftbstructo, 244 OF THE mediator's NAME AND OFFICES. Having considered our Mediator as God and man, in one Person, we are now to speak of him as having those glorious titles and characters attributed to him, expressive of his media- torial work and dignity ; accordingly, he is variously denomi- nated as such in scripture : sometimes he is called, Lordy Phil, iv. 5. at other times, Jesus, Matt. i. 21. and elsewhere. The Lord Jesus y Acts ix. 17. and also, The Lord Christ, Col. iii. 24. and, in other places, The Lord Jesus Christ, chap. i. 2. He is called Lord, to denote the infinite dignity of his Person, as God equal with the Father ; which name is given him in the New Testament, in the same sense, in which he is called Je- hovah in the Old, as has been observed under a foregoing an- swer,* and to denote his divine sovereignty, as the Governor of the world, and the church, and particularly as executing his kingly office as Mediator ; and, in the two following answers, he is described by his mediatorial characters, Jesus, and Christ. Quest. XLI. Why xvas our Mediator called Jesus f Answ. Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins. Quest. XLII. Why xvas our Mediator called Christ V Answ. Our Mediator was called Christ, because he was anoint- ed with the Holy Ghost above measure, and so set apart, and fully furnished with all authority and ability, to execute the offices of Prophet^ Priest, and King of his church, in the es- tate both of his humiliation and exaltation. I. ^^UR Mediator is very often called Jesus in the New \Jf Testament, which name signifies a Saviour, as it is par- ticularly intimated by the angel, who gave direction, that he should be so called, before his birth. Matt. i. 21. and he is not only styled our Saviour, but our Salvation, in the abstract : thus the prophet, foretelling his incarnation, says. Behold, thij Salvation cometh ; his reward is with hi?n, and his xvork before him, Isa. Ixii. 11. and, when Simeon held him in his arms, he blessed God, and said. Lord, noiv lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Luke li. 28 — 30. He is a Saviour, as he brings about salvation for us, and we attain it by him ; and he may be styled our Salvation, as our eternal blessedness consists in the enjoy- ment of him. Salvation contains in it a preserving and deliver- ing us from all evil, which some call the negative idea thereof, and a conferring on us the greatest good, which is the positive * Sec Vol I.pas-c 296. "06. OF THE mediator's NAME AND OFFICES. 24^ Idea of it. In saving us from evil, he is sometimes said to de- liver us front this present evil worlds G:il. i. 4. and elsewhere we are said to he saved from wrath through him^ Roin. v. 9. and, as all the deliverance we experience, or hope for, is in- eluded in the word Salvation^ so are all the spiritual blessings wherewith we are blessed, in this, or a better world ; and, upon this account, he, who is the purchaser and audior thereof, is called Jesus. 1. Since Christ is called JcsuSj let us be exhorted to take heed that we do not entertain any luiwortliy thoughts of him, or that salvation which he hath procured, by supposing- it inde- finite, or indeterminate, or that he did not come into the world to save a certain number, who shall eventually obtain this bless- ing ; but that he is the Redeemer, and consequently the Saviour of many that shall finally perish, which is little better than a contradiction. And let us not suppose, that it is in the power of man to make his salvation of none effect ; for whatever dif- ficulties there may be in the way, he will certainly overcome them, otherwise he would be called Jesus, or a Saviour to no purpose; and therefore they, who suppose him to be the Saviour of all mankind upon this uncertain condition, that they improve their natural powers, or the liberty of their will, so as to ren- der his p^urpose, relating to their salvation, effectual, which otherwise it would not be, do not give him tlie glory which be- longs to him, as called Jesus. 2. Let us take heed that we do not extenuate his salvation to our own discouragement, as though he were not able to save, to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, or did not come into the world to save the chief of sinners ; or we had -►certain ground to conclude our case to be so deplorable^ as that we are out of the reach of his salvation. 3. Let none presume, without ground, that he is their Sa- viour, or that they have an interest in him as such, while in an unconverted state ; or vainly conclude, that they shall be saved by him, without faith in, or subjection to him. 4. Let this name Jesus tend to excite in us the gi'eatest thankfulness, especially if we have experienced the beginning of the work of salvation ; and let such encourage themselves to hope, that having begun the good work in them, he will finish it, when he shall appear, a second time, without sin, unto sal- vation. IL Our Mediator is called Christ, or, as it is generally ex- pressed in the Old Testament, the Messiah, which signifies a person anointed : thus it is said, IVe have found the Mcssias ^ which is^ being interpreted.^ the Christ, John i. 41. or, as it )«; in the margin, the anointed. And, as anointing was made us; of under the ceremonial hiw, in the public inauguration and i.\:- ■ Vol. n. I i 246 OF THE mediator's name AND OFFICES. vestlture of prophets, priests, and kings, in their respective of- fices, they are, for that reason, called God'*s ajiobited: thus it ia said, concerning the prophets. Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm^ Psal. cv. 15. Kings are likewise so sty- led, as Samuel says, Surely the Lord^s anoitited is before hirriy 1 Sam. xvi. 6. These were often anointed, though not always ; * but the priests were always anointed, when they first entered on their office ; and the high priest is described by this charac- ter, as he upon xvhose head the anointing oil xvas poured; so we read of the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard^ even Aaron''s beard^ that rvent down to the skirts of his gar^neJits^ Psal. cxxxiii. 2. This was not an insignificant ceremony, or merely political, in which respect it is used, in our day, in the inauguration of kings ; but it was an ordinance to signify God's designation of them, to the office which they were to execute, in which they were to expect, and depend upon him for those qualifications that were necessar}' thereunto; but It was more especially designed to typify the solemn inaugura- tion and investiture of our Saviour, in the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King of his church ; and, in allusion hereunto, he is called, the Messiah^ or the Christ. His anointing was not ex- ternal, or visible, with material oil; but, in a spiritual sense, it signified his receiving a commission from the Father to execute the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King : upon which account^ he is styled, God's holy child Jesus^ xvhom he had anointed^ Acts iv. 2 7. And this unction, as it was of a spiritual nature, so it was attended with greater circumstances of glory ; and the offices he was appointed to execute, were more spiritual, exten- sive, and advantageous, than theirs, who were types thereof: thus the Psalmist says of him, God^ thy God^ hath anointed thee tvith the oil of gladness y above thy fellows ^ Psal. xlv. 7. accor- dingly he was anointed to execute his prophetical office, to • Prophets luere, indeed, oftentimes set apart for that office, -mthout arwintitig ,• but it seems probable, from the command of God to Klijah, to a7U)int EHsha to be « prophet in his room, that ivheii they -were called, in an extraordinary manner, to be public proplicts, and in that reipccC, us it is said concerning the prophet Jeremiah, [chap. i. 10.] Set over n.-itions and kingdoms, tfiC7i tliey -were not only sanctified and ordained hei'evnto, but the ceremoriy of anointing luas used, especially -when some othei' prophet was appointed to instal them in this office. Jind as for kings, though they were not alivays anointed, yet this ceremony was generally used, as is obsei^wd by some Jewish writers, when the kingdom was rent out of the hand of one, and ano- ther was, by immediate divine diraction, substituted to reign iji his stead.- thuv, when the kingdom was taken from Saul, Duxfid was anointed ; and it was also used in other instances, though the crown was inherited by lineal descent, when any other made pretensions to it. Thus David comtnanded Solomon to be anointed, because ..Idonijah pretended to it, \\K\r\gs I. o4,.'\ And Jnash was anointed, though he had a right to the crcwn, as descended from Ahaziah, who was king before him, because the crown had, for some time, been usurped by Alhaliah, [2 Kings xi. 12.] In these, and such Uke cases, kings were installed in their office by unction, though, in other itistances^ Ji "was not tiniversallt/ practised. lot* THE mediator's NAME AND OFFICES. 247 jf reach the gospel to the poor ^ Luke iv. 18. and his priestly, so the prophet Daniel speaks of him, as finishing transgression^ making a?i eiidofsin^ bringing in an everlasting righteousness:, Dan. ix. 24. which he did as a Priest; and then he speaks of anointing him, who was most holy, as infinitely excelling all those who were anointed with holy oil. He is also said to be anointed to execute his kingly office ; and, with respect there- unto, is called the Lord's anointed ; and God says, concerning him, I have set^ or as it is in the mai'gin, anointed, my king upon my holy hill of Sion, Psal. ii. 2. Now there are three things which are more especially intended in this unction, which are panicularly mentioned in this answer. 1. His being set apart, or separated from the rest of man- kind, as the only Person who was designed to execute the of- fices, together with his public investiture therein. For the right understanding of which, let it be considered, that there was an eternal designation of him by the Father thereunto : thus the apostle speaks of him, as one rvho rvas fore-ordained before the foundation of the rvorld, 1 Pet. i. 20. And some think, that this is intended by that expression of the Psalmist, Ixvill declare the decree ; the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Psal. ii. 7. and that this is also intended by his being set up from everlasting, Prov. viii. 23. This we may call his eternal inauguration, which was the foundation, ground, and reason of his incarnation, or of that inauguration, or investiture, which was visible to men in time, which is the second thing to be considered, in his being set apart to execute these offices. When he came into the world, there was a glorious declara- tion given, both to angels and men, that he was the Person whom God had conferred this honour upon, and accordingly he received glory from them, as Mediator, by a divine war- rant ; so some understand that scripture. When he briugeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God xvorship him, Heb. i. 6. And elsewhere we read, Luke ii. 10, 11. of the angels being sent as heralds, to make procla- mation of this matter to men, at his first coming into the world. And, when he entered on his public ministry, there was a di- vine declaration given, as a farther visible confirmation hereof, immediately after his baptism, when the heavens xuere opened unto him, and he saxu the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him, and lo, a voice from heaven, saying. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. iii. 16, 17. and John the Baptist was immediately raised up, as a prophet, to signify this to the world, which he did at that time, when our Saviour first entered on his public ministr}', and speaks of him, as preferred before himself, not only as having a more ex*. '248 OF THE mediator's NAME AND 0?PICES. celleiit nature, but as being set apart to an higher office, than that which he was called to ; and accordingly he styles him, The Lamb of God^ intimating, that God had set him apart, as the great Sacrifice that was to be offered for sin, John i. 29, 30. and, soon after this, he gives another testimony hereunto, to- gether with a glorious, yet just, character of the Person, who was invested with this authority, Avhen he says, concerning him, A 7nan can receive nothtng^ except it be given him from hvavem q. d. " I have not received this honour of being the Christ, and " doing the works which he does, but it is given him from hea- *' ven : I am not the bridegroom of the church, but his friend^ *' who rejoice greatbj^ because of his voice ; what he hath seen *' and heard^ that he testified; and God hath sent him, xvhose " word he speaketh ; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure ^' tmto him ; the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things *' iyito his hand, John iii, 27 — 35. therefore he is set apart, by him, to perform tlie work of a Mediator, which beiongeth (( *' not imto me." 2. Christ was furnished with authority, or had a commission given him, to perform the work he was engaged in, as Media- tor. This was absolutely necessary, since, as the apostle says, concerning the priesthood in general, that 7io inan taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God, and authorized by him to perform it, as was Aaro7i; so also Christ glorified not himself but he that said unto him. Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee ; and. Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec, Pleb. v. 4 — 6. As it was reckoned an intrusion, and no other than an instance of profaneness, for any one to ex- ercise a sacred office, without a divine warrant, it was necessary that our Saviour should be furnished therewith : the^ work he was to perform was glorious, the consequences thereof of the highest importance, and his services would not have been ac- cepted, or availed to answer the great ends thereof, had he not received a commission from the Father. And that he came into the world with this commission and authority, derived from him, he constantly asserts and proves, he asserts it, when speak- ing concerning himself, that God the Father had scaled him, John vi. 27. and elsewhere says, 1 have power to lay down my life, mid to take it again; this commajidment have J received of my Father, John x. 18. and he not only asserts, but proves it; every miracle that he wrought being a confirmation thereof, in which respect a divine testimon}' was affixed to his commission : thus he says. The works that I do, in my Father'' s 7iame, they bear "witness of me, vcr. 25. and elsewhere, when he asserts his au- thority, and proves, that the words ivhich he spake, he spake ?iot of himself ; he adds, the Father that dxvelleth in 7ne, he doth the works, John xiv. 10, 11. He appeals to those miraculous work§, OT THt mediator's NAME AND OFTICES. 24^ which were performed either by himself, or by the Father, which he might well do, because the Father and he had the same divine power, and thereby intimates, that the commission, which he received irom the Father, was attested in this extra- ordinar- manner. 3. Our Saviour's unction included in it an ability to execute those offices, which he was engaged in, as Mediator. We have before observed, that when persons, under the ceremonial law, were anointed to execute the offices either of prophet, priest, or king ; this was not only an ordinance, to signify that they had a dlvme warrant to execute them, but they were hereby given to expect those qualifications that were necessary to the dis- charge" thereof. God never calls to an office, but he qualifies for it : thus our Saviour \vas furnished with ability, as well as autaority ; this was more especially applicable to his human nature, in which he was to obey and suffisr; as to his divine nature, that could not be the subject of a derived power, or qualifications conferred upon it. Now this ability, with which our Saviour was furnished, as man, was that which rendered him fit to perform the work which he came into the world about. As a Prophet, he was qualified to preach the gospel with greater wisdom and authority than all others, who were ever engaged in this work : his very enemies confessed, that never ?nan spake like him^ John vii. 46. and he had continual assistance from God, which preserved him from all mistakes ; so that what he delivered was infallibly true, and, as such to be depended on : he was also furnished with zeal for the glory of God, yet such as was tempered with sympathy, meekness, and compassion towards his people ; and an holy courage, Resolu- tion, and fortitude, which preserved him from fainting, or be- ing discouraged under all his sufferings ; and a constant dis- position and inclination to refer all to the glory of the Father, and not to assume any branch of divine honour to his human nature ; and, by this means, the whole discharge of his minis- tr}' was acceptable, both to God and man. Thus concerning the reasons why our -Saviour is called Christ. And this leads us to consider the offices which he was anointed to execute, upon the account whereof he is styled, the Prophet, Priest, and King of his church. Here we shall pre- mise some things in general concerning these three offices : and then speak to each of thein, as contained in the following answers. 1. Concerning the number of the offices, which he executes .: they are three. Some have enquired, whether there are not more than three executed by him, inasmuch as there are seve- ral characters and relations, which Christ is described by, and i^ said to stand in, to his people, besides those of Prophet, 250 OF TKE mediator's NAME AND OFFICES. Priest, and King: thus he is styled, The Head of the body ^ the churchy Col. i. 18. and an Husband^ to it, Isa. liv. 5. and a Jiridegrooniy John iii. 29. and elsewhere he is said to perform the office of a Shepherd: thus he styles himself, The good Shepherd^ John x. 14. and he is called, The Captain of our sal- vation^ Heb. ii. 10. and many other characters of the like na- ture are given him, from whence some have taken occasion to think, that several of them contain ideas, distinct from those of a Prophet, Priest, and King, and therefore that there are more offices than these executed by him : but all that need be said to this, is, that these, and other characters and relations, which are ascribed to Christ in scripture, are all included in, or redu- cible to one or other of these three offices ; therefore we have no reason to conclude, that he executes any other offices, dis- tinct from them, as Mediator. 2. The condition of fallen man, and the way in which God designed to bring him to salvation, which was adapted there- unto, renders it necessary that Christ should execute these three offices. Accordingly, we are all of us, by nature, ignorant of, and prejudiced against divine truth, as the apostle observes, The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God^ for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he kiiow them^ because they are spiritually discerned^ 1 Cor. ii. 14. therefore it is necessary' that Christ should execute the office of a Prophet, to lead us into aU truth, and give this spiritual discerning thereof. Moreover, we are all guilty before God^ Rom. iii. 19. and can by no means make atonement, give satisfaction to his justice, or procure a pardon ; nor can we plead any thing done by us, as a ground thereof; therefore we need that Christ should exe- cute the office of a Priest, and so first make atonement, and then intercession, for us. And as to the way in which God brings his people to salva- tion, this requires Christ's executing his threelold office. Sal- vation must be pvirchased, proclaimed, and applied ; the first of these respects Christ's Priestly office ; the second, his Pro- phetical ; and the third, his Kingly ; accordingly he is said to be made of God unto us wisdom^ righteousness, sanctification, arid redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30. and elsewhere he styles himself. The Way, the Truth, and the Life, John xiv. 6. Moreover, in the execution of these offices, and bringing us thereby to salvation, he deals with God and man in different respects ; with God, more especially, as a Priest, in satisfying his justice, and procuring his favour : thus the high priest un- der the law, who v/as a type of Christ's Priestly office, is said to be ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifees for ^'>ins, Heb. V. 1. even so Christ, OF THE mediator's NAME AND OFFICES. 251 our great High Priest, by offering himself a sacrifice, perform- ed that part of his ministry which peri lined to God, in the be- half of men ; and he also deals with Uod, by appearing in his presence, continually making intercession for them ; and, on the other hand, he deals with men, as designing to bring them to God, which he does more especially as a Prophet and King. 3. These three offices, which Christ executes, are distinct, and therefore not to be confounded. This we maintain against Socinus, and his followers : they speak, indeed, of Christ, as 3 Prophet, Priest, and King, which they are obliged to do, be- cause the words arc so frequently mentioned in scripture ; yet the sense they give of them, amounts to little more than an ac- knowledgment of his Prophetical office : and even this, as they explain it, contains in it nothing more than what other prophets, that went before him, either were, or might have been, qualified to perform ; for any one, who is under divine inspiration, may infallibly declare the will of God, and give forth those laws, by which God has ordained that his church should be governed ; and our Saviour, according to them, does little more than this. They speak of him, indeed, as a Priest, but not as making satis- faction for our sins to the justice of God, nor by interceding in the virtue thereof, but only by putting up prayers and sup- plications to him on our behalf; which differs very little from those prayers and supplications that were put up by other pro- phets in behalf of the people. Again, they speak of him as a King, but not as subduing our wills, or conquering our enemies, by almighty power ; or, if they allow that he subdues us to himself, as a King, yet, in their farther explaining thereof, they mean nothing else by it, but liis gaining us over to his side by aiguments, freeing us from our ignorance, and over-coming our prejudices against truth, by a clear revelation of it ; or, if they speak of his conquering our enemies, they intend nothing else by it, but his guarding and defending his people, by furnishing them with arguments to resist their subtle attempts against them, all which things are reducible to his Prophetical office ; so that, though they speak of him as executing three offices, it is no more than if they should assert, that he executes but one ; and the most they in- tend by all this, is, that he is a teacher, sent from God, and consequently not much superior in excellency to Moses, who was a prophet, raised up from among his brethren, and had the honourable character given him, that he was faithful in all his house ; whereas, the apostle proves, by what he says of our Lord Jesus, that he was counted worthy of more glory ^ as he who hath builded the house^ hath more honour than the house; and farther styles him a divine Person, when he says, he that buih all things is Cod, Heb. iii. 2, 3, 25^ OF Christ's prophetical orricr. 4. These three offices, which Christ executes, are not to be divided, especially when they are executed in such a way, as is effectual to the salvation of those who are concerned herein. He may, indeed, in an objective way, reveal the will of God, or give laws to his church, as a Prophet, without working sa- vingly upon the understanding : he may also execute his kingly office, as a judge, in pouring the vials of his wrath on his ene- mies, without subduing the stubbornness of their wills, or bring- ing them to the obedience oi faith : nevertheless, we must con- clude, that, wheresoever he executes one of these offices in a saving way, he executes them all. In this respect, though the offices be distinguished, yet in the execution of them, they are not divided : thus whosoever is so taught by him, as a Prophet, as to be made wise to salvation, is redeemed by his blood, as a Priest, overcome by his power as a King, and brought into sub- jection to his will in all things ; so all for whom, as a priest, he i has purchased peace, to them he will, in his own time, proclaim ' it, as a Prophet, and enable them to believe in him, by making them willing in the day of his power. 5. He executes these offices in a twofold state ; first, of hu- miliation, and then of exaltation, with different circumstances agreeable thereunto; which twofold state will be considered in some following answers. What we shall observe, at present, concerning it is, that that part of Christ's priestly office, in which he made atonement for sin, was executed on earth in his state of humiliation : whereas the other part thereof, consisting in his intercession, together with some branches of his propheti- cal and kingly office, were executed both in earth and heaven, though in a different manner, agreeable to those circumstaiices of glory in which he was, and is. Quest. XLIII. How doth Christ execute the office of a Pro- phet ? Answ. Christ executeth the office of a Prophet, in his reveal- ing to the church, in all ages, by his Spirit and word, in di- vers ways of administration, the whole will of God, in all things concerning their edification and salvation. T ^H AT which may be first observed, before we consider the parts of Christ's prophetical office, and the manner of his executing it, is the order in which it is mentioned, as set before his priestly and kingly offices, which may give us occasion to enquire whether it be executed before them. 1. If we consider the natural order of his executing his three offices^ or the dependence pf the execution of them, one on the OF Christ's prophetical office. 253 other, then it must be observed, that he first executes his priest- ly office, and, pursuant hereunto, his prophetical and kingly ; for sinners must first be redeemed by his blood, before they can be brought to a saving knowledge of him, or an entire subjec- tion to him ; therefore he first deals with God as a Priest, in Gur behalf, and thereby prepares the way of salvation, and lays the foundation thereof, in his oblation and intercession, and then, as a Prophet and King, he deals with men, and thereby brings them to God. In this respect, therefore, if these three offices were to be laid down in their natural order, we must say, that Christ executes the office of a Priest, Prophet, and King. 2. If we consider the order in which our Saviour executed these offices, in the exercise of his public ministry, we may say, he first produced his commission, or proclaimed the end of his coming into the world, and proved himself to be the Messiah^ and so discovered himself to his people, as the great Prophet of his church ; and, after that, he laid down his life, as a sacrifice for sin, as a Priest, and then he conquered his enemies, spoiled principalities and powers, and exerted the exceeding greatness of his power, in the application of redemption, as a King. It is in this respect that the offices of Christ are generally treated of, in the same method in which they are heie laid down ; so that his prophetical office is first mentioned, which is what we are now to consider. And, I. We shall shew how Christ is described, in scripture, as the- Prophet of his church. There are many expressions where- by his prophetical office is set forth : Thus he is styled, a Teach- er come from God, John iii. 2. and he calls himself our Master^ Matt, xxiii. 8. or the Lord of our faith, and, as such, is distin" guished from all other teachers, some of which affected very much to be called Rabbi, and would persuade the world, by an implicit faith, to believe whatever they said : But our Saviour advises his disciples to refuse that title ; for, says he, One is your 7naster, even Christ, Again, he is called, a law-giver^ Mat. xxxiii. 22. or, the one and only lawgiver ; and, it is added, that he differs from all other law-givers, in that he is able to save, and to destroy, James iv. 12. he is also called. The Angel, or Messenger of the cove- jiant, who reveals the covenant of grace to us ; and brings these glad tidings, that is, in him, reconciling the world to himself. He is also called. The apostle, as well as the hi;^li Priest, oj our profession, Heb. iii. 1. as he was first sent of God to pub- lish peace, before he appointed others, who are called aposdes, or inferior ministers to him, to pursue the same design. He is also styled, A xvitness to the people, their leader and commander, Isa. Iv. 4. and he is farther described, as a faithful ivitness^ Rev. i. 5. Vol. II, K k 254 OF Christ's prophetical office. And he is set forth by several metaphorical expressions, which denote the execution of this office, viz. The lig'ht which shineih in darkness^ John i. 5. Thus the prophet Isaiah describes him, tvhen he says. Arise j shiiie^for thy light is come^ and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee^ Isa. Ix. 1. He is likewise com- pared to the sun, the fountain of light, and so called. The Sun cf righteousness^ that was to arise with healing in his xvings^ Mai. iv. 2. and, The bright and morning star^ Rev. xxii. 16. by which ,and many other expressions to the same purpose, this prophetical office of Christ is set forth in scripture. II. We shall now consider what Christ does in the execution of his prophetical office, as he is said to reveal the will of God to his church. And, 1. How he was qualified for this work, which supposes him to have a perfect knowledge of the divine will. We have be- fore observed, that the Socinians, agreeably to the low thoughts they have of him, as a mere creature, suppose, that he was un- acquainted with the will of God till he entered on his public ministry; and, in order to his being instructed therein, that he was, soon after his baptism, taken into heaven, and there learn- ed, from the Father, what he was to impart to mankind, which they suppose to be the meaning of those scriptures, that speak of him, as coming down from heaven., or coining forth from the Father y into the world, John vi. 38. compared with chap. xvi. 28. and his speaking as the Father had taught him^ or what he had seen with his Father, chap. viii. 28, 38. But, since we have shewn the absurdity of this opinion elsewhere, when speaking an defence of our Saviour's deity *, and have considered that those scriptures, which mention his coming down from heaven, plainly refer to his incarnation, and that the mode of expression is the same, as when God is said, in other scriptures, to coine dovvn into this lower world, by his manifestative presence here, •which is not inconsistent with his omnipresence ; thei-efore I shall only add, at present, that those scriptures, which speak of Christ's being taught the things which he was to impart to the church, as they do not overthrow the omniscience of his divine mature ; so they give no countenance to this supposition, that his jhuman nature was taken up into heaven to be taught the will -of God. In this nature, indeed, he needed instruction, and had jio knowledge but what he received by communication ; and it IS plainly said of him, that he increased iti xvisdom, as he advan- ced in age : But the knowledge which he had, as man, which was sufficient to furnish him for the execution of this office, pro- -ceeded from a two-fold cause, namely, the union of that nature with his divine Person, the result whereof was, his having all ihost perfections that belong to it, of which the knowledge ot • See \q\. 1. Page 347—350. OF Christ's prophetical office. 255 tlivine things is one; for it would have been a dishonour to him, as God, to be united to a nature that had the least blemish or detect, or was unqualified to perform the work which he was therein to engage in. And, besidlis this, our Saviour had an. miction from the Holy Ghost, which, as has been already ob- served, implies not only his receiving a commission, but, to- gether therewith, all necessary qualifications to discharge the work he was engaged in, which include in them his knowing the whole will of God ; as it is said, God gave not the Spirit bij measure unto him^ John iii. 34. that is, he gave it in a greater measure to him, than he ever did to any other, as the work, that he was to engage in, required it. 2. Let us now consider what is the will of God, which Christ reveals. This includes in it every thing that relates to our sal- vation, or that is necessary to be known and believed by us, iu order thereunto, viz. that God had an eternal design to glorify his grace, in the recovery of a part of mankind from that guilt and misery, in which they were involved, and putting them in- to the possession of compleat blessedness ; and that, in order hereunto, each of the Persons in the Godhead designed to de- monstrate their distinct Personal glory, that, in this respect, they might receive adoration and praise from men ; the Father, as sending our Saviour, to be a Redeemer ; the Son, as taking that character and work upon him j and the Spirit, as applying the redemption purchased by him. Moreover, he was to make a public proclamation that salva- tion was attainable ; and that the way to attain it,' was by sin- ners coming to him as a Mediator, by whom they might have access to the Father ; and to invite them to come to him by faithj as he often does in the gospel. He was also to let them know, that this faith is the gift of God, and in what way they may expect to attain it, to wit, in a constant attendance on the ordinances of his own appointment ; and, to encourage them here- unto, that there are many great and precious promises, which are all put into his hand, to apply and make good to his people. These, and many other things, which contain in them the sunx and substance of the gospel, are what we understand by the will of God, which Christ communicates, as a Prophet, to his church. As it may be observed, that these doctrines are sucli as are matter of pure revelation, which could not have been known without it, as well as of the highest importance, and there- fore worthy to be made known by so excellent a Person. And this leads us to consider, III. The persons to whom Christ reveals the will of God, namely, the church; to them the lively oracles of God are com- mitted ; and they are built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Jesirs Christ himself being the chief Cornet-stone. 256 oi Christ's prophetical office. As for the world, which is sometimes opposed to the church, it is said, that, bif wisdom it knew not God^ 1 Cor. i. 21. that is, not in such a way as he is revealed in the gospel j but the church, Avhich Christ loved, and fof which he gave himself, is said to be sanctified hij the word^ Eph. v. 26. and to them it is given, to knotv the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to others it is not given^ Matt. xiii. 11. so that the church is the seat, and the object of the execution of Christ's prophetical, as well as of his other offices ; They are taught by him as the truth is in jfe- stis^ Eph. iv. 21. IV. We are now to consider the way and means by which Christ reveals the will of God to the church ; there are two ways by which this is done. 1. Objectively, which is an external method of instruction, the effect and consequence whereof is our hearing of him by the hearing of the ear, or as the apostle calls it, our having the form of knowledge^ and of the truth in the /aiu, Rom. ii. 20. This in- struction Christ is said to give by the word : And this he did ; first, by publishing the glad tidings of salvation in his own Per- son, which he mentions, as one great end for which he was sent into the world, as he says, I ynust preach the kingdom ofGod^for therefore am I sent^ Luke iv. 43. and accordingly he styles himself. The Light of the xvorld, John viii. 12. and it is said, that he was anointed to preach good things unto the meek^ sent to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives^ and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, Isa. Ixi. 1. and when he is represented, as complying with the call of God, and delighting to do his will, he adds, / have preached righteoustiess in the great congregation ; lo, I have not refrained my lips, 0 Lord, thou knowest, I have not hid thy righteousness xvithin my heart, I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salva- tion ; I have not concealed thy loving-kindness, and thy truth, from the great congregation, Psal. xl. 9, 10, And as Christ preached the gospel in his own Person, so, when he left the world, he gave commission to others to preach it, and his Spi- rit to instruct them what they should deliver, by whose inspira- tion his word was committed to writing, which is the fountain of all truth ; and, by this means, the church attains, as at this day, the knowledge thereof. 2. Our Saviour reveals the will of God to his people, in a subjective way, which is internal, whereby he deals with their hearts, which he disposes and fits to receive the truth : Here- by he opens the eyes of the understanding, to see a beauty and glory in the gospel^ and inclines all the powers and faculties of the soul to be conformed to it ; and this he does more especially in those in whom he executes his prophetical office effectually, tmto salvation. This is styled, in this answer, Christ's execu- OF Christ's prophetical ohice. 257 ting his prophetical office by his Spirit, as distinguished from the execution theixiof by his word. We read sometimes of the Spirit's teaching us, in scripture as our Saviour tells his disci- ples, that He, viz. the Spirit, xuould guide them into cdl truths John xvi. 13. and of believers having their souls purified^ in oheying the truth, through the Spirit, 1 Pet. i. 22. and at other times of Christ's teaching by his Spirit. Now there is no es- sential difierence between Christ's teaching as God, and the Spirit's teaching, since the divine glory of the Son and Spirit, to which this effect is attributed, is the same : But Christ's teach- ing by his Spirit, only denotes, as was before observed under a foregoing answer, the subserviency of the Spirit's acting here- in, to Christ's executing this branch of his prophetical office, whereby he demonstrates his personal glory *. V. We are now to consider the various ages in which Christ is said to execute this office. That he did this after his incar- nation ; first, in his own Person, and then, by taking care that his gospel should be preached in all succeeding ages, until his second coming, has been already considered. We may also ob- serve, that Christ executed his prophetical office before his in- carnation : Thus it is said, that, bij his Spirit, he preached un- to the spirits in prison, that is, to the world before the flood, who are represented in the v^-ords immediately following, as dis- obedient, xvhen once the long-siiff'ering of God xvaited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. so that Noah who was a prophet, was his inferior minister, raised up, and spirited by him, to preach to the world, which upon that account, is called Christ's preaching, and accordingly herein he executed his prophetical office. And he is also said to have given the law from mount Sinai, as the apostle's words seem to intimate, when he says. Whose voice shook the earth, Heb. xii. 26. to wit, mount Sinai, which trembled when he gave the law from thence ; and that this refers to our Saviour, appears from the words immediately foregoing, wherein it is said, See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, namely, Christ; /or if they es- caped not who refused him that spake on earth, to wit, from mount Sinai, or when he spake on earth, much more shall not we escape ifwc turn away from him, that speaketh from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth. Sec. ver. 25. Moreover, that he executed his prophetical office before his incarnation, and thereby led his church into the knowledge of divine truth, is evident, from the account we have, in scripture, of his appearing to them in the form of a man, or an angel, which he more frequently did, before the word of God was committed to writmg, and afterwards occasionally in following ages : Thus he appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and • See Vol. I.Page 291,?9J. ^258 OF Christ's priestly Offici!; sent him into Egypt to demand liberty for Israel, and afterward:* he led them through the red sea, as appearing in the pillar of the cloud and fire ; and he is described, as the angel which iva.'j ■with Moses in the church in the wilderness xvhich spake to him in mount Si?iaij arid with our fathers^ who received the lively ora- cles^ Acts vii. 38. which is a farther proof of what was before mentioned, that he gave the law from thence ; and while they travelled through the wilderness, he led them about^ or went be- fore them, in the pillar of cloud, and instructed them., Deut. xxxii. 10. so that all the knowledge of divine things, which they attained to, was the result of the execution of his prophet- ical office unto them. And when at any time they opposed Moses, his under-minister, he appeared in Person and vindica- ted him ; as in that particular instance, occasioned by Aaron's and Miriam's speaking against him, wherein it is said. The Lord came down in a pillar of a cloudy and stood in the door of the tabernacle., and said.. If there be a prophet among you., /, the Lord., xvill make myself known unto him in a visio?i^ and xvill speak unto him in a dream ; my servarit Mioses is not so., xvho is faith- ful in all ?nine house. Numb. xii. 5 — 7. which is a farther inti- mation, that Christ then executed his prophetical ofiice, by in- spiring the prophets, who were raised up at that time.* To conclude this head, we may observe the diiference be- tween Christ's executing his Prophetical office, before and af- ter his incarnation. In the former of these, as was but now hinted, he occasionally assumed the likeness of the human na- ture, that he might the better converse with man, but was not really incarnate ; in the latter, he delivered the mind and will of God, as dwelling in our nature. Before this, he discovered what was necessary to be known by the church at that time, and gave them those promises which related to the work of our redemption, to be performed by him : but, in the present exe- cution of his Prophetical office, he opens a more glorious scene, and represents all those promises, as having their accomplish- ment in him, and displays the divine perfections, in bringing about our salvation, in their greatest beauty and lustre. Quest. XLIV. How doth Christ execute the office of a Priest? Answ. Christ executeth the office of a Priest, in his once of- fering himself a sacrifice, without spot, to God, to be a re- * The force of this argument, and the application of these and several other scrip- tures to Christ, depend upon this supposition, which, ive take for granted, and, -were it needful, might easily be proved, that -wheriever a divine person is said, in scripture^ to appear in the form of an angel, or to appear in a claud as a symbol, or emblem of his presence, t!us is always meant of our Saviour. But compjtre Watts *s Woi'kSi 5 vol. 381, and Edwards's Works, 4 Y5. (which was accomplished when Abiathar, in the beginning of Solomon's reign, was thrust from the priesthood) it again descended in Zadock, to the elder branch of Aaron's family. * It is vei-y hard to determine the reason of the translation of the high priesthood from Eleazar to Ithamar'' s family, or the exact time xvheri this -was done. The learn- ed Dr. Lightfoot {See his Ji'orks, Vol. I. page 51.] givesxi very probable account fiereof, or the best conjecture that, I think-, can be made relating to it, ivhich is this r Jle supposes, that Jepthah offered his daughter, not as devoting her to perpetual vir- ginity, but by ptitting her to death, -which ivas one of the most vile and inhuman ac- tions that -we read of in scripture : it tvus, in Jepthuh, a sin of ignorance, arising from the disadvantage of his education, 07td the ill example of those from -ichom he took it, before he was raised up to be a Judge : but the iiigh priest ought to have re- strained him from it, by telling him, that it -vas a sj>i ; -whereas, instead thereof, it is more than probable t/iat lie ivas active herein, or the person by ivhom this sacrifceva.': performed ; and consequently this -was such an instance of male-administration, that, for it, the high priesthood -was taken from that branch of Aaron's Jamilti, in lehich it then Teas, and t-^nsferrrd to another. 264 OF Christ's priestly office. Again the priesthood itself was not designed to continue for ever, but only during that dispensation ; after which, there was to be no altar, priests nor, sacrifice : But Christ's priesthood, as it was unalienable, so it could never be forfeited by male- administration, or descend to any other ; thejiefore he is said to be a Priest for ever, which seems to be the meaning of that scripture, in which his priesthood is considered, as different from the Levitical priesthood, as tfiose priests xverc made xvith- out an oath ; but this ivith an oath, by hitn that said unto him. The Lord sxvare, andxvill not reperit. Thou art a priest for ever, chap. vii. 21. which oath not only signifies the establishing of him in his priesthood, but it secured to him that he should ne- ver fall from it. There are other things in which Christ's priesthood differs from that of the priests under the law, in that theij entered in- to the holy places made xvith hands, but Christ into heaven it self chap. ix. 7. compared with ver. 24. and then it was only the high priest that was to enter into the holy of holies : But, as the apostle observes, that under the gospel, in the virtue of Christ's sacrifice, all believer's are admitted into the holiest of all, that is, they have access through faith, into the presence of God, by fhe blood of Jesus. And lastly, under the law, there was a certain order of men that were priests, and yet all the people were not so ; but, under the gospel-dispensation, believers are staled, an hc-ly and a roy- al priesthood, and the sacrifices they offer vp, are spiritual sac- rifices, acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9. And this leads us, 2. To consider Christ's priesthood, as typified by Melchize- flek, concerning whom it is said, in Gen. xiv. 18, 19, 20. that Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine to Abraham, returning from the slaughter of the kings; and he 7vas priest of the most high God, and he blessed him, &c. And this is referred to, as tending to set forth Christ's priesthood, in Psal.. ex. 4. The Lord hath sxvorn and xvill not repent; thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek ; and the apostle, in Heb. vii. refers to these scriptures, which are the only places of the Old Testament where this is mentioned, and applies them to Christ's priesthood as containing many thinc>;s which were not typified by the Aaronical priesthood. And it may be observed, that when the apostle enters on this subject, he premises this concerning it, that it contained a very great difficulty, as he says. Of whom [i. e. Melchizedek] we have ma^ ny things to say, and hard to be uttered, Heb. v. 11. that is, hard to be explained, so as to be fully understood ; it will be no strange thing therefore if we cannot fully explain it,. or as- sert some things concerning it^ which are only probable ; and OF Christ's priestly office. 265 certainly this observation of the apostle should induce us to treat on this subject with the greatest humility and modesty. As to what we have to say concerning it, I hope we shall ad- vance nothing contrary to the analogy of faith, how difficult so» ever some phrases, used in scripture, relating thereunto, may seem to be : And the method in which we shall proceed, shall be ; frst^ to enquire who this Melchizedek was ; andy seco?id/yy how we have herein an eminent type of Christ's priesthood in some things, in which it was not shadowed forth by the Aaron- ical priesthood. We shall now enquire who this Melchizedek probably was ; and here we pass by the conjecture of some who lived in an early age of Christianity, whom Epiphanius mentions *, who supposed that he was the Holy Ghost ; which appears to be a very absurd notion, inasmuch as we never read in scripture, of the Holy Ghost's appearing in the form of a man, iu)r of his performing any of those offices which belong to the Mediator ; and therefore it is equally contrary, to the tenor of scripture, to call him the priest of the most high God, as it is to call the Father so ; and thus Melchizedek is styled, in the scripture we are explaining. I shall add no more, as to this ungrounded opinion ; but proceed to consider that which is more common- ly acquiesced in, namely, Firsty That he was a man : But when it is farther enquired, what man ? there are three different opinions relating hereunto. (1.) The Jews generally conclude that he was Shem, the son of Noah, as also do many other ancient and modern writers, who pay a deference to their authority and reasoning f . The principal thing that induces them to be of this opinion, is, because it appears, from scripture-chronology, that Shem was living at that time, when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the kings \. And they farther add, that Shem, having received the patriarchal benediction from his father, might truly be reckoned the greatest man in the church, aiid that both as a priest and a king, as Melchizedek is described to be. But * Viil. Uphiph. Ilcer. Page 67- § 7- f ^Imons;- the latter, is the learned Dr. LiShtfuot. See his Works, Vol. I. Page 12. and Vol. II. Page 327. t IFe have ito account of the year when this battle was fought ; tut it is evident that it ivas- before hnac was born, and consequently before Abraham had lived 25 years in the kind of Canaan. And thai Shem was then living, appears from hence, that from the Jlood to AbrahartC s coming into the land of Canaan, was 427 years, as appears by considering the sum total o/ the years of the lives of the patriarchs, mentioned in Gen. xi. 10. ii seq. and also that Terah was 130 years old when Abraham was 6m It, as appears, by comparing Gen. \'i. 3'2. vy/'M Acts vii.4. and Gun. xu. 4. and by considering Abraham as 75 years old, as it is there said he was, when he left llaran. .Vo^f Sliem was born 98 or 100 years before the food, as appears by iiomparing %Qbi„ that he was " made like to the Son of God," should have said, av o u/oc 7s 0», that he was the Son of God. — i. Because it would be uuwortliy the manly sease of Paul, to say nothing of iVisp/rnfjow, to labour through a long dissertation to prove % mere truism, which it would disgrace an ideot to utter, and insult a child to oiler for information ; namely, that Messiah's priesthood was very like itself. — 6. Because it would be extremely irreverent to suppose, that the" adorable God lifted up his hand and swore, tl^liis Son's priesthood, should be like his Son's priesthood. An identical pro^ition does not require such a solemn confir- mation." Gbay OS PErssTnooD 268 OF Christ's peiestly office, there : But, as he explains it, in the words immediately follow- ing, it implies, that he was king of peace, as this word Salem signifies ; and accordingly he is set forth by two of those glo- rious titles, which are given him elsewhere in scripture, name- ly, king of righieousness, as it is said concerning him, that a king shall rise and prosper, who is called. The Lord our righ- teousness, Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. and likewise, The Prince of Peace, Isa. ix. 6. And that which makes this opinion more probable, is, that it doth not appear that Jerusalem was called Salem, which is supposed to be a contrrctionof the word Jerusalem, till some ages after this; for, till David conquered it, it was commonly known by the name of Jebus, 1 Chron. xi. 4. 2dly, The apostle's description of him, as being -without fa- ther, Tvithout mother, rvithout descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, is rather applicable to a divine Person than a mere man. And as for the sense, which is generally given of these words, namely, that he was without father, cifc. because no mention is made thereof in scripture, viz. in those two scriptures in the Old Testament, in which he is spoken of; this seems more strained and forced, than to understand them according to the proper sense of the words ; and, if, indeed, this imports nothing else, but the silence of scripture, widi re- lation thereunto, there are many other persons who have as great a right to this character as Melchizedek ; as Job, Elijah, &fc. whereas Melchizedek is thus described, as distinguished from all others. To this we may add, (which will farther strengthen this ar- gument) what the apostle says, that in this respect, he was 77iade like the Son of God, that is, as is generally supposed, a type of him. Now, if his being \f\\.\\o\x\. father, mother, descent, &c. in the common acceptation of the words, be inconsistent with his being a type of Christ to the church, in Abraham's time, then certainly that cannot be the sense thereof; for he was, without iloubt, a type of his priestly, and kingly office to him, and the church, in his days, as well as to those who lived in following ages. Nov/, that he could not be a type thereof to many, who lived in that age, is evident ; for they, who lived in the place where he was born and died, knew his father, mother, descent, beginning, or end of life ; therefore he was no type of Christ's eternal priesthood to them. And as for Abraham, though he might not know his father, mother, or descent, or the exact time when he was born, and so, in that respect he might, in part, be made like to the Son of God, to him, as signifying, that his priestlv office was not derived by descent, as the Aa- ronical priestiiood descended from i^jjfents to children : yet he could not be a type of the everlasting duration of Christ's priestly office since he was then no more without end of days, OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 269 in the common sense in which that expression was taken, than Abraham, or any other who lived with him, who could not be supposed to know the time, or place, of their death. And, if, according to the common opinion, Melchizedek is said to be without father, mother, descent, ^c, because there is no men- tion thereof in scripture, this could not be a type to Abraham, or any other, before the word of God was committed to wri- ting. 3dli/, There is another thing, which may be observed in the apostle's description of him, Heb. viii. 8. when he says, that he liveth^ (a) and accordingly is opposed to those priests that e order of Melchisedek ; and so it signifies, that there is a similitude, or likeness, between whjit he then appeared to •■272 OF Christ's priestly office. be, and what he really was, after his incarnation. And as for his being called another Priest^ that does not imply that he was a Priest different from Melchisedek, but from the priests under the law ; for the apostle, as appears by the context, is com- paring Christ's Priesthood with the Aaronical ; and therefore, when he executed his Priestly office, after his incarnation, he might well be styled another Priest, that is, a Priest not de- scending from Aaron, but the anti-type of Melchisedek, as pre- figured by this remarkable occurrence. Thus concerning that difficult question, who Melchisedek Was ? All that I shall add is, whedier it were Christ himself, or some other person, yet it is evident that there was herein a very eminent type of Clirist's Kingly and Priestly office ; and more especially of his Priestly, as containing in it several things that were not shadowed forth by the Aaronical priesthood ; par- ticularly, though the Aaronical priesthood contained a type of Christ's making atonement, by shedding his blood ; yet there was nothing in it that typified the glory of his Person, his im- mortality and sinless perfection, the eternal duration of his Priesthood, or his being immediately raised up by God, for that end J nor was there herein a type of the Kingly and Priestly of- fice of Christ, as belonging to the same Person, since the priests under the laAV were not kings, nor the kings priests. Moreover, Melchisedek's being represented as without Jh' ther, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning' of days, nor end of life, plainly signifies, that the execution of his priestly office depended immediately on God, who raised him up, as an extraordinary Person, for this end, as well as that he remains a Priest for ever ; so that, if we take both these types together, we have a very plain and clear representation of Christ's Priestly office. And this leads us to consider, III, The necessity of Christ's executing this part of his Priestly office, which consists in his making satisfaction to di- vine justice. This is generally denied by those who oppose his divinity j and particularly the Socinians, who maintain, that God pardons sin without satisfaction. CaJ And others, who do not fa J "That death is a punishment for sin, and that all mankind are by death cf fered as a sacrifice for sin, is not only a doctrine of revealed Religion, but the plain dictate of Reason. For, though it is Revelation alone that can teach us, how God threatened death as the punishment of a particular sin, yet Reason must be obliged to acknowledge, that men die, because they are sinners. But if men die. t>€cause they are sinnets, and Reason itself must receive this, as the most justi- ciable cause of Death ; then Reason must allow, that the death of all mankind is appointed by.the true God, as a sacrifice for sin. But, if Reason must acknow- ledge the death of all mankind as a sacrifice for sin, then it can have no just ob- jection against the sacrifice of Christ, because it was human. Revelation, therefore, teaehes nothing more liard to be believed on this point, ihaii KeasoiJ teaches. For. if, it be just and fit in God, to ap^:ir and devote aV OF Christ's priestly office. 2Z3 altogether deny the satisfaction of Christ, suppose, that God might have pardoned sin without it ; but that it was more ex- pedient to make a demand of it, than not, inasmuch as his hon- our, as the Governor of the world, is secured thereb}-, and there- fore that his demanding satisfaction, is the result of his will ; and accordingly, that he might have required and accepted of a satisfaction, less valuable than what was given him by our Sa- viour : This opinion is equally to be opposed with the former, as derogatory to the glory of the divine perfections. Now, when we assert the necessity of satisfaction, we mean, that God could not, in consistency with his holiness and justice, pardon sin without it ; and that no satisfaction, short of that which Christ gave, is sufficient to answer the end designed there- by, or worthy to be accepted by God, as a price of redemption. And, when we assert that satisfaction was necessary-, we would be understood as intending it in the same sense, as for- giveness of sin, or salvation is so ; the necessity hereof being conditional, or founded on this supposition, that God designed to save sinners. This, indeed, he might have refused to have done, and then theie would have been no room for satisfaction to be given to his justice : But, since God designed to be recon- ciled to his people, and to bring them to glory, we cannot but assert the necessity of satisfaction in order thereunto ; and, to prove this, let it be considered, 1. That the necessity hereof appears from the holipess of God ; and accordingly, (1.) Inasmuch as he is infinitely perfect, he cannot but will and love that which is most agreeable to his nature, and which contains the brightest display of his image, which consists in righteousness and true holiness, as it is said. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness y Psal. xi. 7. And it follows, from hence, (2.) That he cannot but hate, and have an infinite aversion to, whatever is contrary hereunto ; for, if his love of holiness be founded in the perfection of his nature, then his hatred of sin, which is opposite to it, must be founded therein : Thus it is said. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil^ and canst not look on iniquity^ Hab. i. 13. and elsewhere, Thou hatest all workers of iniquity^ Psal. v. 5. Now God's hating sin, consists in his in- finite opposition to it, and so it is natural to him, or in his will, to punish it ; and consequent thereunto, in his actual punishing of it. If the first of these be necessary, the others must be so likewise ; or, if he be an holy God, he cannot but determine to punish sin, and afterwards put his determination in execution. men to death, as tlie proper /(u.-uVm^Mr of their sins ; how can it be proved to be unjust and unlit in OoJ, to receive the death of Jesus Christ, for the same ends f" UU.MAX R£Ai>O.V. 274 OF CHRIST^S PRIESTLY OFFICE. (3.) It is fit he shoLiid manifest his hatred of sin, other- wise he could not be glorified by his creatures, a« an holy God; for he cannot have the glory of any attribute ascribed to him, unless there be a visible display thereof; therefore it is neces- sary to demonstrate his hatred of sin, by punishing it; and, hence an obligation arises from a necessity of nature, and not bare- ly from an act of his will, to bring to condign punishment ail sin, even that which he designs to pardon : But this could not have been done without a demand of satisfaction to be giv- en, by a surety, in the sinner's behalf, which plainly evinces the necessitv of satisfaction, which was the thnig to be proved. 2. This farther appears, from the punishment threatened by the law of God, which is also necessary. For the understand- ing of which, let it be considered, (1.) That God cannot but give a law to intelligent creatures, who, as such, are the subjects of moral government, and there- fore under a natural obligation to yield obedience to him : But this they could not do, if the law were not given and promul- gated. (2.) It was necessary for God to annex a threatning to his law, in which respect punishment v/ould ■)e due to those who violate it, whereby obed'ence might be enforced, and that fear, which is excited by it, would be an additional motive hereunto ; otherwise the sinner would be ready to conclude, that he might go on jn his rebellion against God with impunity. (3.) If this law be violated, as it is by siix, the truth of God, as the result of the threatning annexed to it, obliges him to punish it, either in pur own persons, or in the person of our Surety, that so the honour of his law might be secured, which he is obliged to vindicate, as it contains a bright display of the glory of his perfections. 3. If God could, consistently with his own perfections, par- don sin without satisfaction, he would not have sent his well- beloved Son to suffer for it. This plainly appears from his wis- dom and goodness. It is not consistent with the glor}^ of his wisdom, for him to bring about a thing with so much difficulty, and with such displays of his vindictive justice, in punishing one who never offended him, if he could have answered the greaX end hereof on easier terms or have brought about the work of our salvation without it ; neither does it consist with his goodness to inflict piiishment, where it is not absolutely ne- cessary, since, agreeably to this p.^rtection, he delights rather to extend compassion, than to display his vindictive justice, it it might be avoided. Accordingly he is described, in scripture, (speaking after the manner of men) as punishing sin with a kind of regret, or reluctancy, Hosea. xi. 8. Thus it is said to be his strange ivork^ Isa. xxviii. 21. and that he doth not afflict rv'rJ- i^^gly-, nor grieve the children ofvwUy Lnnj. iii. 33. baton tlv OP Christ's priestly office. Z75 other hand, dcUq-hteth in mercif^ Micah vii. IS. Therefore if he coald, consistently with his perlections, have pardoned sin with- oiu s.v;istaction, he could not have conirnanded the sword ol his vindictive justice to awake against the man that is his fellow^ Zcch. xiii. r. ds an expeJicut to bring about an end, that might have been attained without it. Moreover, it God couid iiave pardoned sin without satisfac- tion, then his giving his own Son to perform it for us, woukl not have been sucti a wonderful instance of divine grace, as it is represented to be in scripture ; for it could not have been the only expedient to bnng abotit our salvation, if satisfaction were not absolutely necessary thereunto, (a J IV". We are now to consider what kind of satisfaction God demanded, for the expiating of sin. There are many who do not pretend, in all respects, to deny the necessity of satisfaction ; but, when they explain what they mean by it, it amounts to little more than a denial thereof: Thus the heathen, who had learn- ed, by tradition that sacrifices were to be offered, to make atone- ment for sin, concluded that these were sufficient to satisfy for it, and thereby to deliver from tlie guilt thereof. And some of the Jews, in a degenerate age of the church, seemed to have no- thing else in view, and to have no regard to the spiritual mean- ing thereof, or their reference to Christ's satisfaction, as tvpes of it, when they rested in them, as supposing, that the multi- tude of their sacrifices were sufficient to satisfy for those vile abominations, which they were guilty of; upon which occasion, God expresses the greatest dislike thereof, when he says. To ivhat purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me ? I am. full of the hurnt-offerings of rams ^ and the fat of fed beasts^ and I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he-goats, Isa. i. 11. And elsewhere he tells them, I spake not to your fa- thers^ nor coynmanded them in the daij that I brought them out of the land of Egypt^ concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices^ Jer. vii. 22. He does not mean that these were not instituted by him ; but it is as though he had said, I did not hereby intend that they should be reckoned a sufficient price to satisfv my jus- tice for sin. And, to. fence against this supposition, the apos- tle says, that it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take cnvay sins, Heb. x. 4. for they were far from being 'JL sufficient price to satisfy God. Moreover, the Papists speak much of human satisfactions, • onsisting in various penances, fastings, leading a mortified life, parting with their estates, and submitting to voluntary po- verty, with a design to make atonement for sin. The main foundation of this opinion, is their stipposing, that, wliatever satisfaction God demands for sin, it is the result of his will, and fa_) All the reasons upon which pjircions are granted in human governments fail in the Divine. 576 OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OFFICE. therefore he might accept of the smallest Instance of obedience and suffering, as sufficient to compensate for it, because he has deemed it so; and therefore they distinguish between giving •satisfaction to God and to his justice. God, say they, may ac- cept of, or be satisfied with the smallest price, instead of that which is most valuable ; whereas nothing can, properly speak- ing, be said to satisfy justice, but that which has in it a value in proportion to what is purchased thereby. As to the former branch of this disthiction, we deny that God can accept of any thing as a price of redemption, but what has a tendency to se- cure the glory of his perfections, and that, nothing less than an infinite price, can do, and therefore the distinction is vain, and nothing to their purpose ; or, if they suppose that God can be satisfied with what justice does not conclude sufficient, then it is blasphemous, and derogatory to the divine perfections. There- fore we can allow of no satisfaction, but what tends to set forth the glory, and fulfil the demands of divine justice ; (a) accord- («) " The scripture insists on full atonement, and yet every where holds up "the deliverance of sinners as an act of pure grace. This is a gordian knot in divi- nit}'. Let us not by violence cut it asunder, but attempt fairly to untie it. Before we proceed, it may not be improper to observe, that the greatest dlf- liculty with which this part of the subject is embarrassed, appears to have ori- g-inated in the want of an accurate definition of justice and grace. Theologians have said much about these, yet few have defined them with sufficient accuracy to render them intelligible, or make them appear consistent. I shall therefore. First, explain the meaning of the word grace. Secondly, the meaning of the word justice. Thirdly/, apply these explanations to this part of Hifi subject, with a view to solve the ditficulty with which it is embarrassed. First. What are we to understand by the word grace ? We are to understand by it the exercise of favour, and consequently the be- stowment of good where evil is deserved, and may injustice be inflicted. Where there is no exposure to evil, there is no room for the exercise of grace. He who is not guihy is not a subject of pardon. He who does not deser\'e punishment cannot be said to be freed from it by an act of favour. Grace therefore always implies, that the subject of it is unworthy, and would have no reason to complain, if all the evil to which he is exposed were inflicted on him. Grace will appear p;reat according to the view which the sinner has of his own ill desert, and the ronsciousncss he possesses' of the punishment or evil from which he is delivered. rJrace and justice are opposite in their nature. Grace gives; justice demands. Their provliices are entirely separate. Though they are united, yet they are not blended in man's salvation. Hence that remarkable passage in JRom. xi. 6 ; " If by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more work." Secondh'. What lu-e we to understand by the word justice .'' It assumes three denominations ; — commutative, distributive, and public. "t . Commutative justice respect;? property only.* " It consists in an equal ex- c'lunge of benefits," or in restoring to every man his own. 2- Distributive justice i-espects the moral character of men. It respects them as accountable creatures, obedient or disobedient. It consists in ascertaining •their virtue and sin, and in. bestowing just rewards, or inflicting just punish- ments. 3. Public or general juntice, respects what is fit or right, as to the cliaracter * Sec Doddri if t's Lif jtures. p. 199 ,• and aft© Dr. Eawards' tfttrd jermvrj, preached ?t Neiy navle to introduce mctapliysics into this discu<;sinn, we could more effec tually expose the idea of punishing a nuncntit^' -" sin in the absfract." We aic no cimccpruaU ists; and the controversy between tht- Nominalists and Realists is now at an e.,A It previiled lone: enough. It agitated the Kuropcun universities, iiitrrested tlirones, .nd shed much precious mood. No philosopher will now dctciid the ouinions of the Realtsvs. Abstract k.-bs hive ni, counterpart In catui-e. Stew. Phil. Miiid. ck iv, 6 2, Jc ? " 280 or Christ's priestly office. short hereof : thus the prophet represents one, as making' a ven' large overture, which one would think sufficient, if a finite price were so, when he speaks, in a beautiful climax, or gradation, of coming before the Lord with burnt-offerings^ and these well The ivord sin, too, represents the transgressions of angels. If the Redeemer suft fered for sin in general, he made atonement for devils, although he took not on him the nature of angels. And if public justice demanded no more than the dis- play of Jehovah's hatred of sin, then Chnst is dead in vain, for such display is made in the everlasting punishments of Hell. But justice demanded more. It de- manded the punishment of the sinner ; and could not be satisfied with any tiling short of this, unless Messiali should so unite himself to sinners, not only by assu- ming their nature, but by becoming in law their representative, as to bear all tlie sins of all the persons for whom his sufferings were intended to ^tone. We ob- ject also to this argument in defence of indefinite atonement. Because it takes for granted, what does not exist, that if all the demands of divine justice are satisfied lo the full by the atonement, then grace is excluded from our pardon. Tliis is not the case. Justice is indeed satisfied. It does not oppose, but demand the salvation of all for whom Christ died. Here is no diffi- culty — no Gordian knot. Grace reigns through righteousness. We refer our readers to what is said on this subject, page 377, and conclude our examination of this argument in the words of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster. " Al- *'' though Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full " satisfaction to God's justice in the behalf of them that ;u'e justified; yet, inas- " much as God acceptetli the satisfaction from a siu-ety, which he might have ♦'* demanded of them, and did provide this surety, his own only son, imputing his *' righteousness to them, and requiring nothhig of them for their justification, but " faith, which also is his gift, their justification is to them of free grace." CHRisTiAJi's Magazine, voi,. iir. Atonement imports reconciliation, a being at one. The Hebrew signifies to 6ovei\ The Greek word denotes a commutation, as of enmity for friendship. But we use atonement for ransom, or price, and we never jii-a)^ for it. Redemption imports a deliverance. To say that the ransom was paid indefivitely, that is, not more for one than anotlier, is plainly contraiy to his views, who spoke of those who were given to him, and of his laying doivn his life for his sheep. His sacrifice was real, and its object could not be sin in general, a mere abstract term ; a sacri- fice of which Satan might avail himself, as well as man. If the atonement, and redemption be indefinite, so were the decrees or purposes, the suretyship of Christ, the foreknowledge of God, and the promotion of the glory of God in the work. On the other hand, to represent these transactions, so strictly as matters of debt, and credit, as that the quantum of price was exactly commensurate to the guilt of the saved, and neither more nor less, is not warranted by the word of God. This is to impute the cause of damnation to Christ's not having died for those who perish ; and not to their guilt. Both these conclusions are erroneous. Christ died for oilmen, and every man, not in tlie sense of the universalists, nor in the same sense as he died for his sheep ; but that his sacrifice is sufficient for all i and God the Father, whose mercy cin reach no fallen creature, but in Christ, Jias autliorized the offer of covenant mercy to all ; and desires the destruction of none. Thus men perish only by their sins. The Sacrifice of Christ is of infinite value, for he is a Divine person ; and the sins of all men can be no more than in- finite. The truth seems to be, that the sacrifice is infinite ; that the offer is to be gene- ral ; that man perishes by his own fault only ; and all this is according to the eter- nal purposes of God. Nevertheless the salvation of the saints was certain; the price particularly paid with a view to them ; who are eventually effectually call ed, justified, tanctified, and brought to glory. OF Christ's priestly opfice. 281 chosen, calves of a year old^ and a multitude of them ; Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of ranis^ a price which very few were able to give, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? in which he offers more than it was possible to give ; then he as-' cends yet higher, and, if it were sufficient, would part with his jirst-born for his transgression^ the fruit of his body^ for the st7i of his soul; all which is reckoned an inconsiderable price, not sufficient to procure the thing designed thereby ; and there- fore he that offers it, is advised instead of pretending to satisfy divine justice by a finite price, to walk humbly with his God^ Micah vi. 7, 8. and, whatever obedience he is obliged to per- form, not to have the v^anity tn thint that this is a sufficient price to answer that end. 2. Satisfaction must bear some similitude, or resemblance, as to the matter of it, to that debt which was due from those for whom it was to be given. Here we must consider v/hat was the debt due from us, for which a demand of satisfaction was made ; this was twofold. Ist^ A debt of perfect and sinless obedience, whereby the glory of God's sovereignty might be secured, and the honour of his law maintained. This debt it was morally impossible for man to pay, after his fall ; for it implies a contradiction to say that a fallen creature can yield sinless obedience ; nevertheless, it was demanded of us, though fallen ; for the obligation could not be disannulled by our disability to perform it. 2dly^ There was a debt of punishment, which we were liable to, in proportion to the demerit of sin, as the result of the con- demning sentence of the law, which threatened death for every transgression and disobedience. Now, to be satisfaction to the justice of God, it must have these ingredients in it. As to the infinite value of the price that Avas given, this is contested by none, but those who deny the divinity of Christ ; and these arguments that have been brought in defence of tliat doctrine ,* and others, by which we have proved the necessity that our Mediator should be God, render it less needful for us, at present, to enlarge on this subjt- ct.*= But there are many, who do not deny the necessity of an infinite satisfaction, who will , not allow that it is necessary that there should be a resemblance between the debt contracted, and satisfaction given ; and, by these, it is objected. Object. 1. That the least instance of obedience, or one drop of Christ's blood, was a sufficient price to satisfy divine jus tice ; in defence of which they argue, that these must be sup- posed to have had in them an infinite xalue ; but nothing can be greater than what is infinite, and therefore that one single act of obedience was sufficient to redeem the whole world of • See Quest. XXXVIIL 282 OF Christ's priestly office. fallen men, or the whole number of fallen angels, If God had / pleased to order it so. Answ. Though we do not deny that the least instance of obedience, or sufferings performed by our Saviour, wotild have been of infinite value, inasmuch as we do not conclude the in- finity of obedience to consist in a multitude of acts, or in its being perfectly sinless ; nor do we deem his sufferings infinite, merely because they were exquisite, or greater than what man- kind are generally liable to in this world, but because they were the obedience and sufferings of a divine Person ; neiilier do we deny, that, according to the same method of reasoning, the least act of obedience and suffering, performed by him, would have been infinite. Nevertheless, it does not follow from hence, that this would have been a sufficient price of redemption ; for the sufficiency of the price does not only rise from the infinite va- lue thereof, but from God's will to accept of it ; and he could not be willing to accept of any price, but what had a tendency to illustrate and set forth the glory of his holiness, as a sin- hating God, and of his sovereignty in the government of the world, in such a way, that the most fit means might be used to prevent the commission of it, and of his truth, in fulfilling the thi-eatnings denounced, which man was exposed to, by his violating the law. Now these ends could not be answered by one single instance of obedience, or suffering, and therefore God could not deem them sufficient; and it is plain that he did not, for, if he had, he would not have delivered our Siivioii;" to suffer all that he did ; concerning whom it is said. He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, Rom. viii. 32. Moreover, it was necessary that redemption should be brought about in such a way, as would lay the sinner under the highest obligation to admire the love, both of the Father and the Son. Now, if Christ had performed only one act of obe- dience, or suffered in the least degree, this instance of conde- scension, though infinite, would not have had so great a ten- dency to answer this end ; nor could it have been said, as it is, with a great emphasis of expression, that G^d commendeth his love toxvards us, in that while we xuere yet sinners, Christ died for us, Rom. v. 8. Object. 2. It is objected, by others, that Christ's active obe- dience was no part of the satisfaction which he gave for us, inasmuch as this was a debt due fi-om him for himself, his hu- man nature (in which alone he could yield obedience) being under a natural obligation to perform it ; therefore he could not be said to pay that debt for us, which was due for himself. As for his passive obedience, that, indeed, might be performed for us, because, being an innocent person, he was not under any obligation to suffer, but by his own consent; but this cannot be. 07 Christ's priestly orncE. 283 said of his active obedience. And it is farther objected, that if he h:!d p"rlormed active obedience for us, this would have exempted us from an obhgation to yield obedience ourselves, and cons;:quendy this doctrine leads to licentiousness. Ans-ii'. We allow that Christ as Man, was obliged to per- form obedience, as a d<.bt ciue trom him, as a creature, and con- sequently, now he is in heaven, he is under the same obliga- tion ; though tliis has no reference to the work of our redemp- tion, which was finished before he went thither : nevertheless, the obedience he pcrlormed before his death, might be deemed a part of that satist action which he gave to the justice of Ciod for us ; for, (l.) His being under the law, was the result of his own vo- luntary consent, inasmuch as his incarnation, which was ne- cessary, to his becoming a subject, was the result of the con- sent of his divine will. Now, if he came into the world, and thereby put himself into a capacity of yielding obedience by his own consent, which no other person ever did, then his obe- dience, which was the consequence hereof, might be said to be voluntary, and so deemed a part of the satisfaction which he gave to the justice of God in our behalf. (2.) Though we do not deny that Christ's active obedience Avas a debt due to God for himself, yet it does not follow, from hence, that it may not be imputed to us, nor accepted for us ; even as that perfect obedience which was to have been per- formed by Adam, according to the tenor of the first covenant, though it were to have been imputed to all his posterity, was, nevertheless, primarily due from him for himself. (3.) As to that part of the objection, in which it is supposed, that Christ's obedience for us, would exempt us from an obli- gation to yield obedience, this is generally brought, by those ivho desire to render this doctrine odious, and take no notice of what we say in explaining our sense thereof. Therefore, in answer to it, let it be considered, that, when we say Christ obeyed for us, we do not suppose, that he designed hercbv to exempt us from any obligation to yield obedience to God's commanding will, but only to exempt us from peiforming it ■with the same view that he did. We are not hereby excused from yielding obedience to God, as a Sovereign, but from do- ing it with a view of meriting hereby, or making atonement for our defect of obedience, which w^s the result of our fallen state ; and therefore we are to say. When we have done all^ we arc unprofitable servants ; we have done that which was our diitif to do^ Luke xvii. 10. without considering it as that righteousness, by which we are to be justified in the sight of God. We un- derstand our obligation to yield active obedience, in the same sense, as we are obliged patiently to suffer whatever afflictions 'ia4 ' or Christ's priestly offici. God is pleased to lay on us, from which we are not exempted by Christ's sufferings : the only difference between them is, that his sufferings were penal and satisfactory ; he suffered for us, that hereby he might purchase for us eternal life, which is not the end of a believer's suffering ; therefore, why may it not be allowed, that Christ might perform obedience for us, and we, at the same time, not be excused from it ? Object. 3. As to what concerns the sufferings of Christ, it is objected, by others, that the whole of his passive obedience was not demanded as a price of redemption for us but only what he endured upon the cross, which was the greatest and most formidable part of his sufferings ; and particularly those which he endured from the sixth to the ninth hour^ while there was darkness over all the land^ in which his soul was afflicted in an extraordinary manner, which occasioned him to cry, (Matt, xxvii. 45, 46.) 3Iij God^ my God^ xvhy hast thou forsaken me P* As for his other sufferings, endured in the whole course of his life, these are allowed to have been a convincing evidence of liis love to us, and designed, as an example, to induce us to bear afflictions with patience ; but that it was only his sufferings upon the cross that were satisfactory, and that was the altar on which he offered himself for us; which appears from those scriptures which speak of our redemption and justification, as the effect of his crucifixion and death, rather than of his suf- ferings in life. Ansiv. To this it may be replied, that, though redemption and salvation be often attributed, in scripture, to Christ's death, or to his shedding his blood upon the cross for us, yet there is, in all of them, a figurative way of speaking, in which, by a Sy- necdoche, a part is taken for the whole ; therefore his suffer- ings in his life, though not particularly mentioned therein, are not excluded. There is one scripture, in which, by the same figu- rative way of speaking, our justification is ascribed to Christ's active obedience, when it is said, By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, Rom. v. 19. in which, though his pas- sive obedience be not mentioned, it is not excluded ; therefore, "when we read of Christ's sufferings on the cross, as being a part of his satisfaction, we are not to suppose that his sufferings in life are excluded. The apostle plainly intimates as much, when he says. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death^ even the death of the cross^ Phil. ii. 8. he humbled him- self not only in his death, but in all the sufferings he endured imto it, in the whole course of his life ; therefore we must con» elude, that what he endured in his infancy, and that poverty, temptation, reproach, and contradiction of sinners against him- * These, nvhich are sti/led, Passiones trihorirc, ultinix, are generally called, Psn» satisfacloritc ; and all his sufferings before them, Psnst conyinccotes. ot Christ's priestly office. 28^ self, and all the other miseries which he underwent, during the whole course of his life, which were a part of that curse which was due to us for sin, were submitted to by him to expiate it, and consequently were a part of that satisfaction. As for the cross's being styled, as it is by some ancient and modem writers, the altar, on which Christ offered himself, we think that little more than a strain of rhetoric; or, if it be de- signed to illustrate the opinion we are now opposing, we deny that it ought to be called the altar ; for it is no where so styled in scripture, neither have we ground to conclude, that the altar, upon which the sacrifices under the law were offered, was a type of Christ's cross in particular ; and, indeed, we have a better explication of the spiritual meaning thereof, given by Christ himself, when he speaks of the a/tar, as sanctifijin^ the giftj Matt, xxiii. 19. alluding to what is said concerning its being most holy^ and -whatsoever touched it^ shall be holy^ Exod. xxix. ^7. from whence it is inferred, that the altar was more holy than the gift, which was laid upon it, and it signifies, that the altar, on which Christ was offered, added an excellency to his offering; whereas nothing could be said to do so, but his di- vine nature's being personally vmited to his human, which ren- dered it infinitely valuable. This is therefore, the altar on which Christ was offered ; or, at least this is that which sanc- tified the offering, and not the cross on which he suffered *. V. We shall now prove, that what Christ did and suffered, was with a design to give satisfaction to the justice of God; and, that what he offered, was a true and proper sacrifice for sin. All allow, that Christ obeyed and suffered ; and even the Socinians themselves will not deny that Christ suffered for usy since this is so plainly contained in scripture : But the main stress of the contoversy lies in this ; whether Christ died mere- ly for our good, namely, that we might be hereby induced to believe the truth of the doctrines he delivered, as he confirmed them, by shedding his blood, or that he might give us an ex- ample of patience and holy fortitude under the various evils we are exposed to, either in life or death ? This is the sense in which they understand Christ's dying for us : But there is a great deal more intended hereby, to wit, that he died in our room and stead, or that he bore that for us, which the justice of God demanded as a debt first due from us, as an expedient for his taking away the guilt of sin, and delivering us from his wrath, which we were liable to. Tliis will appear, if we consi- der, 1. That he is, for this reason, styled our Redeemer, as hav- • It is an abominable strain of blusphemv, which sume Pupish rjrittrs make unt ofy -when ihey soy that not only the crus.^ vms the altar, but that it xoas sacrrd, and had a virtue to sanctify llie gift offered thereon, whi'-h f? thefoimdatian of t/mt JJi}:'* atron.f adoration vhich thev trlT'' ti ?' Vo>.. IL O o 286 Of Christ's priestly orncE. 'ing purchased us hereby, or delivered, us, in a judicwi waTr out ot the hand oi vindictive justice, which is the most proper, if not the only sense of the word redemption. The Socinians, indeed, speak of Christ as a redeemer ; but they understand the word in a metaphorical sense, as importing his delivering us from some evils, that we were exposed to ; not by paying a price of redemption for us, but by revealing those laws, or doc- trines, which had a tendency to reform the world, or laying down some rules to direct the conversation of mankind, and re- move some prejudices they had entertained ; whereas we as- sert, that herein he dealt with the justice of God, as offering himself a sacrifice for sin. This appears from those scriptures that speak of his soul^ as made an offering for sin^ Isa. liii. 10. or his being set forth to be a propitiation^ to declare the righteousness of God for the remis- sion of sins, Rom. iii. 25. in which respect, he answeredthe types thereof under the law, in which atonement is said to be made by sacrifice, which, being an act of worship, was performed to God alone, whereby sin was typically expiated, and the skmer discharged from the guilt, which he was liable to ; and, in this respect Christ is said, as the Anti-type thereof, to have offered himself xvithout spot to God, when he shed his bloodier us, or to have put axvaij sin bij the sacrifice of himsef Heb. ix. 26. and to have given himsef for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sxveet smelling savour. Moreover, what he did and suffered, is st}led a ransom, or price of redemption ; aiid accordingly they, who were concern- ed therein, are said to hel'ought with a price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. and he saith, concerning himself, that he came not to be minis- tered unto, but to minister,- and to give his life a ransom for ma- ny. Matt. XX. 28. We read, in scripture, of a person's paying a sum of money, as 2^ ransom for his life, when it was forfeited, by his having been the culpable occasion of the death of ano- ther, Exod. xxi. 29, 30. and if such a consideration, when ex- acted as a price of redemption, be styled a ransom, a person's laying down his life for aaother, may, with equal propriety, be so called. And this Christ is said, in many scriptures, to have done for us ; upon which account he is styled our Redeemer. Object. We oftentimes read, in scripture, of redemption, where there is no price paid : Thus Israel is said to be redeem^ ed out of Egijpt, Deut. vii. 8. and Babt/lon, Micah iv. lOi And elsewhere, speaking of their deliverance out of captivity, God saith, Izvill redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible, Jer. xv^ 21. whei-eas there was no price of redemption paid for their deliverance, either out of Egypt or Babylon, but it was by the immediate power of God. So Jacob, when he speaks of his de- liverance from evil by the angel, styles this, his redemption fror- OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OFFICE. £8,? cM evi/^ Gen. xlviii. 16. Now, though we allow that the angel he there speaks of, was our Lord Jesus Christ; )'Ct the delive- rance he wrought for Jacob was not by paying a price for him, but by exerting his divine power in order thereto. Moreover, others are called redeemers, who have been God's ministers in delivering his people : Thus Moses is called a ru- ler and deliverer bij the hands of the angel^ rvhich appeared to him in the bush^ Acts vii. 2>5. so our translators rendered it*: but it ought to be rendered a Redeemer ; therefore there may be i-edemption without satisfaction. Anszc. This objection, how plausible soever it may seem to be, is not unanswerable ; and the reply which may be given to it, is, that though deliverance from evil may be styled redvmplion^ as it is oftentimes in scriptm-e : the reason of its being so call- ed, is, because of the reference which it has to that ransom that Christ was, after his incarnation, to pay for his people. This was the foundation of all that discriminating grace that God, in former ages, extended to his people. It was on the account hereof that he did not suffer them to perish in Egypt, or Ba- bylon, and accordingly their deliverance is called a redemption.^ from thence ; whereas, we never find that any deliverance, which God wrought for his enemies, who have no concern in Christ's redemption, is so called. And whereas Moses is styled, in that scripture but now re- ferred to, a Redeemer., the deliverance he wrought for them, as an instrument made use of by the angel that appeared to him, ma}-, wdthout any impropriety of expression, be called a re- demption, and he a redeemer, inasmuch as that deliverance that Christ wrought by him, was founded on the purchase v.'hich he designed to pay, otherwise Moses, would not have been so styled. 2. There are many scriptvircs that speak of Christ's obedi^- ence and sufferings, as being in our room and stead, whereby he performed what was due from us to the justice of God which is the proper notion of satisfaction. Thus we are to under- stand those expressions, in which he is said to die for U6\ as the apo:-tle says ; In due time Christ died for the tjf\^-odh/, and ivhilc we xvere yet sinners., Christ died for us,, Rom. v. 6, 8. by which we are to understand, that he endured those suffer- inj^s in life and death which we are liable to, with a design to procure for us justification, reconciliation to God, and eternal salvatioia, and herein he was substitued in our room and stead, as well as died for our good. f. • At'TfiiTlll'. f There are several propositions used, in the J^'ew Testament, in esrplaiviuff t/iif: doctrine, lunnely, > ■■, and the Latin ivord, that answers to it, is soTnetimes used in the same sense. Vid. Ter. in Jlndr. Ego pro te molam. As for the preposition ttvli, that is seldom or never xised, but it signifies a substitntim of one thing, or person, in the roo?n of another : Thus ivhen Christ is said to give his ■life a ransom, at'}: 5to,\>.£<)j tor many, in Matt. xx. 28. Mark x. 46. this plainly im- ports his being substituted in their romn, as cpptars by the frequent use thereof in other scriptures. AVe Matt. ii. 22. chap. v. 38. andch:\p. xvii. 27. Lukexi. Jl tmdin sevsral other places, Vid- Grot. '? Testament. According to his last institution, the assignation of the ever- lasting inheritance, is called " the New Testament in his blood, wliich was shed for many, for the remission of sins." This signifies to us, not only that Clu-ist had a perfect right to tlie honour of settling the inheritance, not only that his death as a testator was necessary to put his people in possession of it ; but, that that inheritance had its foundation precisely in the shedding of his blood, in his deep- est humiliation, and his violent deatli ; as thereby tlieir sins, which otherwise stood in tlie way of salvation, could be forgiven. If, instead of the JK'ew Testa- ment, we rather choose to translate it the J\'ew Covenant ,• the allusion will be somewhat different, but tlie matter the same. This leads us to the epistle to the Hebrews, in which all these doctrines are ascertained to us at great length, and with invincible arguments. That epistle was intended to demonstrate indeed, the autliority of Christ's instruction abovt« all the prophets, and even Moses himself: but also, under propositions borrowed from the ancient religion, and fitted to the Hebrews, to reconcile his pi-iestly of- fice with the intention of the Levitical sacrifices, and to exalt it infinitely above OF Christ's priestly office. 295" Answ. To this it may be answered, that the infinite value oi* Christ's sufferings did compensate for their not being eternal. And, indeed, the eternity of sufferings is the result of their not Aaron's priesthood. Christ being a Higlit Priest of unchangeable power, needed not to offer up sacrifices for his own sins, but having offered himself up once to God, he thereby made rcconcihation for sin, made an end of it, ojiened a sure way to heaven, and " can save unto the uttermost all who come unto the Father by him." Head the 5th and the 10th chapters. Would you, on account of the doc- trine so full of consolation, suspect this epistle, and erase it from the volume of holy scripture ? In it, however, no doctrine occurs, which is not also mentioned fdsewherc ; and this apostolic epistle is surpassed by none of the rest, in sublim- ity of matter, in weight of evidence, in glorifying the grace of God in Christ, in strong consolation, in encouraging to the spiritual warfare, and in the most ani- mating motives to holiness and perseverance. Besides, in the Saviour's satisfaction only lies the reason, why his suffering to- gether with his resurrection, are every where represented to us as the sum and .substance of the gospel. No other part of his history and ministration are so lul- ly propounded, and that by all the Hvangclists. — We have already seen, that the Apostles ]jreached, not only the doctrine of evangelic morality, but chiefly Christ himself, that is, his person, work, and two-fold state. Paul would know nothing among the Corinthians, " but Jesus Christ and him crucified." The O'oss of Christ was tliat alone in which he gloried. He reduces the knowledge of Clirist, for the excellency of which he counted all things but loss and dung, to the know- ledge of the power of his resurrection, and of the fellowship of his sufferings. — In that most important conversation on the holy mount, between our Lord, and two of the celestial inhabitants, the two great teachers and reformers under the old dispensation, we find no more mentioned, but that it turned upon that de- cease which he shoidd accomplish at Jerusalem. — In the cross, and the other hu- miliations and sufferings of the Saviour comprehended under it, the love of God towards men, in not sparing his own Son, as also his wisdom and power unto sal- vation are displayed in a peculiar and a most conspicuous manner. In the cross, is the abolishing of the power and the fear of death. Deliverance from the dominion of sin, as also the glory to come, are its pleasant fruits. The plain, ]>ut most consolatory symbols of the grace of Jesus, in Baptism, and the Holy Supper, point us in like manner to his atoning death, witli a charge to shew it forth in particular. The medium of our acceptance and justification before God, is every where in the gospel said to he faith in Christ: and that indeed in opposition to, and with warning against the law, or the seeking of our justification by the works of the law. Now if believing 111 Christ signify only, to receive and to olicy his doctrine concerning the rational grounds and duties of religion ; how then is the doctrine and tt\e righteousness of faith quite another thing than the demand and righ- teousness of the law whether we consider the moral law naturally, or as written by Moses } Nay, Moses had also taught the capital doctrines of rational religion, God's existence, unity, providence, the duties of man, &c. and that the love of God, and ot our neighbour, is more than all sacrifices, was often inculcated under the old economy, and not unknown to the Jews. — Or does the jirohibition of seek- ing righteousness by the law, only mean the omitting of the .Mosaic rights ? But in the places quoted, and in others, the /aw cannot possibly be undeistood in such a limited sense. Besides the righteousness of faith, in contradistinction to that of the law, had place even under the old dispensation. Further, these extei-- nal solemnities could indeed be :ibolished ; but they were instituted by God him- self, and hence the observing of them did not so militate again.st a rational reli- gion, that it in itself could make a man condcniKable. — Paul constantly teaches, that the opposition between faith and the law, in respect of our seeking righteous- ness by thein, consists m this, that God's inflexible laiv condemns all sinners, Jews and Gentiks ; that by the woi:ks of the hiw, no flesh s!)all be j ustified ; th'.-^, 296 OF Christ's priestly office. being satisfactory, which cannot be applicable to those that Christ endured; and as for that despair, attended -vvkh impa- tience, and other sins committed by those that suffer eternal through sin, ihe law is beccme wei'kto give life: but that faith :^ckno^Vl'Jdges and embraces Christ, as he who fulfilled the righteousness of the hiw, was made a curse for us, and set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, not only in his doctrine, but in his blood, for a demcnstration of the righteousness of God'. And vvhy else was " Chn^t crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolisliiiess ?" Sc.rely, not so mucli on account of the capital truths of ration.d religion taaght by him. The Jcwish doctors, and the best philosophers among tlie Heathens, who had acknowledged them were honoured on that ac- count. Nor was it because Christ, continuing a worthy and faithful, but an im- successful teacher ot his doctrine, was unjustly accused, and shamefully put to death. The memory of a condemned Socrates was not held in contempt The reason was purely this, that the Saviour's suffering was proclaimed as the only ground and cause of our reconciliation and salvation : while the Jew.s and Hea- thens thought to be saved by the value of tiieir own virtue: and to them it was exceeding strange, and most mortifying to their pride, that penitently acknow- ledging their gu;lt, they belioved to seek life in the deep abasement of a cruci- fied Mediator, .md in his justifying resurrection. All our reasoning tlius far makes it evident, that we must not understand the. S7iffe7-i)igs of Christ for sin, merely as if God, being about to announce by tiie gos- pel, grace and life to the nations, would previously manifest his aversion to sin, by a striking example of his veng-eance ; and for that purpose, deliver up an am- bassador vc:^ ted with exti.iordinary ])rivilcges, to so much sorrow and shame. Surely all preceding ages had already exhibited awful instances of God's fearful displeasure with the sins of individuals and communities, without deliverance from sin being ever ascribed to them. That a mean man among the people, that a teacher wandering about in poverty, should be shamefully put to death by a civil judge, was much leiss calculated to exhibit a signal and extraordinary exam- ple 01 divine wratli, than the immediate interposition of Providence, which had often, in former times nfucted, and still could inflict miraculou-s punishments on the most eminent persons, or on whole nations. At any rate, to manifest a righ- teous abhorrence of sin, vengeance behoved not to fall upon one perfectly inno- cent. This last would be quite absurd ; imless the innocent person, (as holy scripture has aire dy taught us) should with God's approbation, as spontaneous- ly, as generously, substitute himself in our place, by bearing our sin. — Accord- ingly, sacred scr-pture represents the sufferings of Christ, not only as a proof and confiinnation, but as the cause of our reconciliation. We by no means exclude other adv.iiitages asct ibed by Socinus to the Sa- viour's deatli Beyond all doubt, he thereby confirmed his integrity and the truth of his mission. But, pray, was it ever heard, that a fidse prophet, in the found- ing of a new sficiety, mentioned his own, his certain, iiis fast approaching, and most offensive puni.^limcnt of death, as the intention of his mmistay ; and made it an article of his doctrine r — In confirmation of his doctrine and mission, Jesus generalh appealed to his miracles ; and yet, where are the forgiveness of om- sins and a title to life ascribed to his miracles, as tliey often are to his bloody death ? — For 'vhat doctriiie was Jesus condemned ? I»iot for the truths and prescriptions of natural reason ; but because he dec hired himself to be higher far than any hu- man prophrt. (See Section IX.) If the celestial chorus at his birth, if the Father's voice at h s inauguration, if his glory on the m(;unt, had been openly perceived b\ the Jev.ish council and all the people; if tlie lightnings darted forth in con- firmaticn of Moses and Elias, had caused him to be honoured ; especially if he had satisfied their prejudices concerning the Messias; if, with legions of his Fatlteys angels, he had destroyed the Roman government, broken that yoke, re- cox ering and extending David's mighty kingdom; their infidelity would have been conqucredj and eagerly would they have confided in him. They would have OF Christ's priestly office. 297" punishments, that arises from the eternal duration of them, as well as irom the corruption of nature, which refuses to subscribe to the justice of God thi;rein, while complaining of the severity of his dispensations. Thus we have considered Christ's death, as a true and proper saoiiice for sin. We might now take notice of an expression that is used in this answer, which is taken from the words of the apostle, that once offered himself^ Heb. ix. 28. and that zvk/iout spot to God^ vcr. 14. This oifcring being sufficient to answer the end designed, there was no need of repeating it, or of his doing any thing else with the same view ; the justice of been more eas.ly urawn by giving bread, oi- causing manna to rain, than by pro- mising iheni hiS flesb and blood. — A steady martj rdom was n)ore necessary to the preaching of the apostles ; because tlieir doctnne in a g-reat measure referred to and was built upon ihe truth of ihe all-important events of tlie Saviour's death and exaltation. In i elation to which, as they could nut be deceived, so likewise their sincerity behoved to be pat beyond suspicion. But the Lord Jesus Christ h.'.d abundance of glorious mcc^ns to < or.fiiui h.s doctrine; and if nothing else liad been to be effectuated by it, he behmxd not to have undergone a cursed death upon the hiil of mfamv ; and that under the pretence of a legal procedure, which caused the multitude to revolt from him, his friends to be offended at him, and piun.;.ed his best followers in deep distress. We also respect the design of exhibi'ar.g in his sufferings, an example of love, submission to, and confidence in God. TJut such an extremity of ^hame was not neces.sary for tliat purpose ; and his sulferings were accompanied with so much perlarbation, vehement distress, cries and tears, that quite other ends were ever to benbtuiued by tliem ; else he would not have exceeded many valiant mariyrs. Besides, could any apostle, courageously foreseeing, and alluding to his own martyrdom in confirmation of the truth, and tor an e.vample to othti i, be able to say, as did Christ, " whoso cateth my ilesh and drinketh my blood, hatli eternal life ; for my flesh is meat indeed, anci my blood is di'iiik indeed, &c. ?" 2 Tim. iv. 6. compared with Joh.n vi. 51 — 57. Do men in spite of the divine testimony, find reasons and scruples against a vicarious satisfaction ; if we ai-e not much mistaken, they are easy to solve. But for stronger reasons combat the persuasion, that the Holy Supreme Being can show himself favourable, or indifferent, to the voluntaiy violation of those laws and moral duties from which he himself cannot absolve a rational creature; or to speak in a plain and familial* manner, that God can, and also will suffer sin to escape with impunity. If then, (to conclude in the language of the apostle, when enlarging on tlie glory of Christ,) the Son of God, by himself purged our sins ; how narrowly and how pei'versely would we limit his saving work to his preaching/ How incon- sistent is it with ihis, that men, according to the usual phrase among Christians, a.scribe efficacious wjeTi7s to Christ ; but in an unusual sense understand them only of liis doctrine and his excellent character ? against which sentiment, too, much could be objected How evidently then is that confirmed, which we as- serted, that Christ himself in his person and performances, is the cause and ground of our salvation ? If the suffering and death of Christ alone have merit- ed salvation for the innumerable multitude of all them who ever believed in him, or shall believe; if his siiflering, though short in duration, was the satis, factory ransom, to deliver all those sinners from the fear of death, aiul from the wrath to come ; then the infinite worth of his person and work, must surpass all understanding; then from that most gracious deliverance wc deduce an im- portant proof of his more than human, his divine excellency." Dr. Wyitpebsbe. S98 OF Christ's priestly office» God having declared itself fully satisfied when he was raised from the dead. But having before considered the infinite value of what he did and suffered, and its efiicacy to bring about the work of our redemption, whereby it appears to be more excellent than all the sacrifices that were oflfered under the ceremonial law, I need not say any more on that subject; and as we have also considered Christ as being sinless, and therefore offering himself as a Lamb, without spot and blem- ish, and how this was the necessary result of the extraordinary formation and union of the human nature with his divine Per- ■son, and the unction which he received from the Holy Ghost j I shall only observe, at present, what is said concerning his of- fering himself to God. This he is said to have done, in the scripture but now referred to, through the eternal Spirit ; which words are commonly understood of his eternal Godhead, which added an infinite value to his sacrifice, or, like the altar, sanc- tified the gift, which is certainly a great truth : But it seems more agreeable, to the most known sense of the word Spirit^ to understand it concerning his presenting, or making a tender of the service he performed by the hand of the eternal Spirit unto God, as an acceptable sacrifice. But the main difficulty to be accounted for, in this scripture, is, what is objected by the Socinians, and others, who deny his deity, namely, how he could be said to offer himself to God, since that is the same as to say, that he offered himself to him- self, he being, as we have before proved, God equal with the Father. But there is no absurdity in this assertion, if it be un- derstood concemii:ig the service performed by him in his hu- man nature, which, though it was rendered worthy to be offer- ed, by virtue of its union with his divine Person, this act of worship terminated on the Godhead, or tended to the securing the glory of the perfections of that divine nature, which is com- mon to all the divine Persons ; and it is in this sense that some ancient writers are to be understood, when they say, that Christ may be said to offer vip himself to himself, that is, the servic^ performed in the human nature was the thing offered, and the object hereof, to which all acts of worship are referred, was the divine nature, which belongs to himself as well as the Fa- ther, (a) (a) " In the consideration of this subject, which every Christian must deem most highly deserving the closet examination, our attention should be directed to two difterent classes of objectors : those who deny the necessity of any me- diation whatever ; and those who question the particular nature of that media- tion, which has been appointed. \Vhilst the defst on the one hand ridicules the very notion of a Mediator : and the philosophizing Christian on the other, fash- ions it to his own h}-pothesis ; we ai-e called on to vindicate the word of truth fl'om tbe jiijurioas attacks of both; and cwdfully to secure it, not only against OF Christ's priestly office. 299 VI. We shall now consider the persons for whom, as a Priest, Christ offered himself, and so enter on that subject, that is so much controverted in this present age, namely, whether the open assaults of its avowed enemies, but against the more dangerous misre- presentations of its false or mistaken friends. The objections which are peculiar to the former, are upon this subject, of the same description with those which they advance against every other part of leve- latjon ; bearing with equal force against the system of natural religion, wJiich they support, as against the doctrines of revealed religion, which they op- pose. And indeed, this single circumstance, if weighed with candour and reflection ; that is, if the deist were truly the philosopher he pretends to be ; miglit suffice to convince him of his error. For the closeness of the analo- gy between the works of nature, and the word of the gospel, being found to be such, that every blow v/hich is aimed at the one, rebounds with undiminished force against the other : tlie conviction of their common origin must be the infe. rence of unbiassed understanding. Thus, when in the outset of his argument, the deist tells us, that as obedience must be the object of God's approbation, and disobedience the ground of his dis- pleasure, it must follow by natural consequence, that when men have transgress- ed the divine commands, repentance and amendment of life will place them in the same situation as if they had never offended : — he does not recollect, that ac- tual experience of the course of nature directly contradicts the assertion ; and that, in the common occurrences of life, the man who by intemj)erance and vo- luptuousness, has injured his character, his fortune, and his health, docs not find iiimself instantly restored to the full enjoyment of these blessings on repenting of his past misconduct, and determining on future amendment. Now, if the at- tributes of the Deity demand, that the punisimient should not outlive the crime, on what ground shall we justify this temporal dispensation ? The diflPerence in ikgvee, cannot aft'ect the question in the least. It matters not, whether the pun- ishment be of long or short duration ; whether ui this world, or in the next. Jf the justice or the goodness of God, require that punishment should not be in- flicted when repentance has taken place ; it must be a violation of those attri- butes to permit any punishment whatever, the most slight, or the most transient. Nor will it avail to say, that the eyils of tlds life attcnd:uit upon vice, are the ef- fects of an established constitution, and follow in the way of natural conse- quence. Is not that established constitution itself, the cflect of the divine decree ? And are not its several operations as much the appointment of its Almighty fra- mcr, as if they had individually flowed from his immediate direction ? But be- sides, what reason have we to sujipose that Gotl's treatment of us in a future state, will not be of the same nature as we find it in this ; according to establish- ed rules, and in the way of natural consequence ? Many circumstances might be urged on the contrarj', to evince the likeliliodd that it will. But this is not ne- cessary to our present purpose. It is sufficient, that the deist cannot /jro-.e that it will not. Our experience of the present sti^te of things evinces, that indemnity is not the consequence of repentance here : can he adduce a counter-experience to sliow, that it will hereafter .? The justice ;uid goodness of God are not tlien Tiecdssarili/ concerned, m vu-tue of the sinner's repentance, to remove all evil con- sequences upon sin in the next life, or else the arrangement of events in this, has not been regulated by the dictates of justxe and goodness. If the deist admits the latter, what becomes of his natural religion ? Now let us inqi.'ire, whetlicr the conclusions of abstract reasoning will coin- cide witli the deductions of experience. If obedience be at all times our duty, in what way can present repentance release us from tiie punishment of fomier transgressions ? C;ui repentance annihilate what is past ? Or can we do more by pi-esenl obedience, than jicquit ourselves of present obligation ? Or, does the contrition we experience, added to the positive duties we discharge, constiuite a surplusage of merit, which may be transferred tu tht reduction of our former demerit.' Aud is the justification of tlie pliilosopher, who is too enlightened to 300 OF Christ's priestly office, Christ died for all men, or only for the elect, whom he design- ed hereby to redeem, and bring to salvation ; and here let it be premised. be a Christian, to be built, after all, upon the absurdities of supererogation? " We may as well affirm," says a learned Divine, " that our former obedience atones for our present sins, as that our present obedience makes amends for an- tecedent transgressions." And it is surely with a peculiar ill grace, that this sufficiency of i-epentance is urged by those, who dtny the possible efficacy of Christ's mediation ; since the ground on which they deny the latter, equally serves for the rejection of the former: the iiecessary co?inexion between the me- rits of one being, and the acqu.ttal of another, not being less conceivable, than that which is conceived to subsist between obedience at one time, and the for- giveness of disobedience at another. Since then, upon the whole, experience (as far as it extends) goes to prove the natural inefficacy of repentance to remove the effects of past transgressions; and the abstract reason of tlie thing, can furnish no link, whereby to connect present obedience with forgiveness of former sins : it follows, that however the contem- plation of God's infinite goodness and love, might excite some faint hope, that mercy would be extended to the sincerely penitent ; the animating certainty of this momentous truth, without which the religious sense can have no place, can be derived from the express communication of the Deity alone. But it is yet urged by those, who would measure the proceedings of divine wisdom by the standard of their own reason ; that, admitting the necessity of a Revelation on this subject, it had been sufficient for tlie Deity to have made known to man his benevolent intention ; and that the circuitous apparatus of tlie scheme of redemption must have been superfluous, for the purpose of rescuing the world from the terrors and dominion of sin; when this might have been ef- fected In a way infinitely more simple and intelligible, and better calculated to excite our gratitude and love, merely by proclaiming to mankind a free pardon, and perfect indemnity, on condition of repentance and amendment. To the disputer, who would thus prescribe to God the mode by which he may best conduct his creatures to happiness, we might as before reply, by the appli- cation of his own argument to the course of ordinary events : and we might de- mand of him to inform us, wherefore the Deity shoidd have left the sustenance of life, depending on the tedious process of human labour and contrivance, in rearing from a small seed, and conducting to the perfection fitting it for the use of man, the necessary article of nourishntent ; when the end migiit have been at once accomplished by Its instantaneous production. And will he contend that bread has not been ordained for the support of man ; because that, Instead of the present circuitous mode of its production, it might have been rained down from heaven, like the manna in tlie wilderness ^ On grounds such as these, the philo- sopher (as he wishes to be called) may be safely allowed to object to the notion of forgiveness by a Mediator. With respect to every such objection as this, it may be well, once for all to make this general observation. We find, from the whole course of nature, that God governs the world, not by independent acts, but by connected sys- tem. The instruments which he employs in the ordinary works of his Providence, are not physically necessary to his operations. He might have acted without them, if he pleased. "He miglrt, for instance, have created all men, without the in- tervention of parents : but where then had been the beneficial connexion between parents and children; and the numerous advantages resulting to human society from such connexion?" The difficulty lies here : the uses arising from the coii- Tiexiona of God's acts may l^e various; and such are the pregnmicies of his works, that a single act may answer a prodigious variety of purposes. Of the several pur- poses we are, for the most part, ignorant : and from this Ignorance are derived most of our weak objections against the ways of his Providence ; whilst we fool- ishly presume, that, like human agents, he has but one end in view. This obscrvatien wc shall find of material use in our examination of tlie re- > OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 3Gl L That it is generally taken for granted, by those who maintain cither side of the question, that the saving effects of Christ's death do not redound to all men, or that Christ did maining arguments .idduced by the deist on the prest nt subject. And there is none to which it more forcibly applies than to that by wjiicli he endeavours to prove the notion of a Mediator to be inconsistent with the divine immutability. it is eitlier, he affirms, agreeable to the will of God to grant siJvation on repen- tance, and then he will grant it without a Mediator; or it is not agreeable to his will, and then a Mediator can be of no avail, unless we admit the mutability of the divine decrees. But the objector is not, perhaps, aware how far tli is reasoning av.'U extend>. Let us try it in the case of prayer. All such things as are agreeable to the will of God must be accomplished, whether we pray or not ; and therefore our pray- ers are useless, unless they be supposed to have a power of altering his will. And mdeed, with equal conclusiveness it might bi- pi-oved that repentance itself must be unnecessary. For if it be fit that our sins should be forgiven, God will forgive us without repentance: and if it be unfit, repentance csm be of no avail. The error in all these conclusions is the same. It ctmsists in mistaking a conditional for an absolute decree ; and in supposing God to ordain an end »malterably, without any concern as to the intermediate steps, whereby that end is to be accomplished. Whereas tiie ■manner is sometimes as necessary as the ac< proposed ; so that if not done in tiiat particular way, it would not have been done at all. Of this observation, abunda?it illustration may be derived, as well from natural as from revealed religion. " Thus we know from natural re- ligion, tliat it is agreeable to the will of God, that the distresses of mank nd should be relieved : and yet we see the destitute, from a wise constitution of Providence, left to the precarious benevolence of their fellow-men ; and if not re- lieved by tliein, they are not relieved cu all. In like m.'uiner, in Revelation, in the case of Naaman the Syrian, we find that God was willing he should be liealed of his leprosy ; but yet he was not willing that it should be done, except in one par- ticular manner. Abana and Pharpar were as famous as any of the rivers of Isra- el. Could he not wasli in tl)em, and be clean .'' Certainly he might, if ihe design of God had been no more than to heal lum. Or it might have been done with- out any washing at all. But the healing was not the only design of God, nor the most important- The manner of the cure was of more consequence in the mora^ design of God, than the tKre itself : the eflect being produced, for the sake of manifesting to the whole kingdom of Syria, the great pov.'er of the God of Israel, by which the cure was performed." And in like manner, though God willed that the penitent sinner should receive forgiveness; we may see good reason why, agreeably to his usual proceeding, he might will it to be granted in cue particu- lar manner only, through the intervention of a ,Mediatk ? strong, only as he feels tliat his nature is corrupt, and from a conscious- ress of that corruption, is led to place his whole reli.ance upon God? What is the description which the apostle of tlie Gentiles has left us, of the st.ite of the v. orld, at 'he coming of our Saviour ? — being' fiUedtt'ith all unrighteousness, fornication, toickedness, oivetonsness, malicitiusness ,■ full cf envv, murder, debate, deceit, inO' lig-)iity ; -vin.sperers, backbiiei k, huters of Hod. despitefvl. proitd, boasters, inventors of evil tilings^ disobedient to parents, tcilhoiit understanding, covenant breakers, iv/thoiit natural affection, implaciible, tatmercifid — ivhn, knotving the jiidgmeiit of God, that they luhich commit snch things are laortby of death, not only do the same, bjit have pleasure in them that do them. Here were the fruits of that natural goodness of the human heart, -nhich is the favorite theme and fundamental principle with that class of Christians, with whom we are at present concerned. And have we not then had full experiment of our natural powers ? And shall we yet have the madness to fly back to our own sufficiency, and our own merits, and to turn away from that gracious support, which is oflered to us through the mediation of Christ ? No : lost as men were, at the time Christ appeared, to all sense of true religion : lost as they must be to it, at .all times, when left to a protid confidence in tiieir own sufficiency : nothing short of a strong and salutary terror could awaken them to virtue. Without some striking expression of God's ablioirence of sin, which might work power- fully on the imagination and the heai-t, what could prove a sufficient counterac- tion to the violent impulse of natural passions ? what, to the entailed deprava- tion, which the history of man, no less than the voice of Revelation, pronoun- ces to have infected the whole human race ? Besides, without a full and ade- quate sense of guilt, the very notion of forgiveness, as it relates to us, is unin- telligible. We can have no idea of forgiveness, unless conscious of something to be forgiven. Ignorant of our forgiveness, we remain ignorant of that goodness which confers it. And thus, without some proof of God's hatred for sin, we re- main unacquainted witji the greatness of his love. The simple promulgation then, of forgiveness on repentance, could not answer 4lie purpose. Merely to knorj tjie condition, could avail nothing. An inducemei\t , OF Christ's priestly offic£, 30& 2. It is allowed, by those who deny the extent of Christ's death to all men, as to what concerns their salvation, that it may truiv be said, that there arc some blessings redounding ofsiiUlc.ent force to ensure its JulJUmcnt was essential. Tlie system of sufficiency hud been fully tried, to siitisfy niaiikimt oi'its folly. It was now tuTie to nitro- duce anew svstcin, the syslc;in of /uumtiiy. And for this purpose, what expe- dient could luive been deviled more smluble than that which ha.s been adopted? — the sacrifice of tiie Son of God for tlie sins of men: proclaunincf to the world, by the greatness of the ransom, the immensity of the g'Uilt : and thence, at the same time evincing', in the most fearful manner, God's utter abhorrence of siu, in requiring such expiation; and the infinity of his love, in appointing- it. To this expf dient for man's salvation, though it be the clear and express lan- guage of Scripture, I have as yet sought no support from the authority of Scrip- ture itself. Having hitherto had to contend witn the deist, who denies all Reve- lation ; and the pretended Christian, who rationalizing away its substance, finds it a mere moral system, and can discover in it no trace of a Redeemer : to lu-ge tlie declarations of Scri])tiire, as to the particular nature of redemption, would be to no purpose. Its aulliorlty disclaimed by the one, and evaded by the other, eacli becomes unassailable on any ground, but that which he has chosen for liimself, the ground of general reason. I5ut, we come now to consider the objections of a class of Christians who, as they profess to derive their arguments from tlie language and meaning of Scrip- ture, will enable ns to try the subject of our discussion by the only true stan- dard, the word of Revelation. And indeed, it were most sincerely to be wished, that the doctrines of Scripture were al all times collected purely from tlie Scrip- ture itself: and that preconceived notions and ai-bitrary theories were not first to be formed, and then tlie Scripture pressed into the service of earh fanciful, dogma. If God has vouchsafed a Revelation, has he not thereby imposed a duty of submitting- our understandings to its perfect wisdom ? Shall weak, short- sighted m;^n presume to say, " If 1 find the tliscoverles of Revelation correspond to my notions of what is right and fit, I will admit them : but if they do not, I am sure they cannot be the genuine sense of Scripture : and 1 am sure of it, on this principle, that the wisdom of God c:mnot disagree with itself?" That is, to express it truly, that the wisdom of God cannot but agree with what this judge of the actions of the Almighty deems it wise for him to do. The language of Scrljjture must then, by every possible refinement, be made to surrender its fair and iiatnral meaning, to tiiis predetermination of its necessary import. But the word of revelation being thus pared down to the puny dimensions of human rea- son, how diflers the Christian from the deist ? 'i"he only dift'erence is this : that whilst the one denies that God hath given us a Revelation ; the other, compelled by evidence to receive it, endeavours to render it of no ttFect. But in both there is the same self-sufficiency, tlic same pride of understanding that would erect itself on the ground of human reason, and that disdains to accept the divine fa- vour on any conditions but its own. In both, in short, the very characteristic of \ a (Christian sijirit is wanting — Humilitt. For in what consists the entire of Christianity, but in thi.s ; that feeling an utter Incapacity to work out our owa salvation, we submit our whole-selves, our hearts, and our imderstandings, to the divine disposal; and relying on God's gracious assistance, ensured to our iionest endeavours to obtain it, through the Mediation of Christ Jesus, we loofc up to hiiii, and to him alone, for safet} ' Xay, what is the very notion of religion, but this humble reliance upcm God ? Take this away, and we become a race ot" independent beings, claiming as a debt the reward of our good works ; a sort of contracting party with the Almighty, contributing nought to his glory,, but anxious to maintain our own independence, and ovir own rights. And is it not to subdue this rebellious spirit, which is necessarily at war with virtue and with God, that Christianity has been introduced? Does not every page of revelation, peremptorily pronounce this; and yet shall we exercise this spirit, even upon Christianity itself.' Assuredly if wc do ; if» ea tke ©^ntrar^', oar pride »f under- 304 97 Christ's prie&tly oiFfCE. to the whole woHd, and more especially to those who sit un- der the sound of the gospel, as the consequence of Christ's death; inasmuch as it is owing hereunto, that the day of God's standing;, and seit'-sufRciency of reason, are not made to prostrate themselves before the awfully mysterious trutiis of revelation ; if we do not bring down the rebelliotis spirit of our nature, to confess that the -wisdom of man is but foolish- ness 7vith God; w^e may beia* the name of Christians, but we want the essence oi" Christianity. These observations, though they apply in their full extent, only to those who reduce Cliristianity tb a system purely rational ; yet are, in a certain degree ap- plicable to the description of Christians, whose notion of redemption we now come to consider. For what but a preconceived theor_\', to which Scripture had been compelled to yield its obvious and genuine signification, could ever have led to tlie opinion, that in the death of Christ there was 710 expiation for sin,- that the word sacrifice has been used by the writers of the New Testament mei'ely in a figurative sense ; and that the whole doctrine of th€ redemption nmounts but to this, " that God, willing to pardon repentant sinners, and at the aame time willing to do it, only in that way, which would best promote the itause of virtue, appointed that Jesus Christ should come into the world; and that he, having taught the ])ure doctrines of the gospel ; having passed a life of exemplary virtue; having endured many sufferings, and finally death itself, to prove his truth, and perfect his obedience ; and having risen again, to manifest the certainty of a future state; has not only, by his example proposed to man- kind a pattern for imitation ; but has, by the merits of his obedience, obtained, through his hitercession, as a reward, a kingdom or government over the world, whereby he is enabled to bestow pardon and final happiness, upon all who will accept them on the terms of sincere repentance." That is, in other words, we receive salvation through a Mediator : the mediation conducted through inter- cession : and that intercession successful in recompense of the meritorious obe- dience of our Redeemer. Here, indeed, we find the notion of redemption admitted : but in setting up, -fbr this purpose, the doctrine oi pure intercession, in opposition to that o^ atone- ment, we shall perhaps discover, when properly examined, some small tincture of that mode of reasoning, which, as we have seen, has led the modern Socinian to conte' d against the idea of redemption at large; and the deist, against that of revelation itself For tiie present, let us confine our attention to the ahjections\vh\<:\\ the patrons of this new system bring against the principle of atonement, as set forth in the doctrines of that church to which we more immediately belong. As for tiiose which are founded in views of general reason, a little reflection will convince us, that there is not an}-, which can be alleged against the latter, that may not be urged with equal force, against the former: not a single difficulty with which it is attempted to encumber the one, that does not equally embai-rass the other. This having been evinced, we shall then see how little reason there was for re- linquishing the plain and natural meaning of scripture; and for opening the door .0 a latitude of interpretation, in which, it is but too much the fashion to in- tUilgc at the present day, and wliich if persevered in, must render the word of Cod a nullity. The first, and most important of the objections we have now to consider, is >hat which represents the doctrine of atonement, as founded on the diiine im- tJacubility — inasmuclv as It supposes, that to appease the rigid justice of God/ it Vv'as requisite that punishment should be inflicted ; and that consequently the sinner co7fW not by -any means have been released, had not Christ suffered in his stead. AVere this a faithful statement of the doctrine of atonement, there >ind indeed been just ground for the objection. But that this is not the fair re- presentation of candid truth, let the objector feel, by the application of the same mode of reasoning, to the system which he upholds. If it was necessary to the -i.>rgivGneiss of man. that Christ should siifler ; aiid through the merits of his obe- oi- Christ's priestly office. 305" patience is lengthened out, and the ]5reachmg of the gospel continued to those who are favoured with it ; and that this is attended, in many, with restraining grace, and some insiiinces 'lience, and as the fruit of his intercession, obtain the power of granting- ihat forgiveness ; does it not follow, that liud not Christ thus suffered ami interceded, we could not have been forgiven ? And lias he not then, as it uere, taken us out of tlie hiuids of a severe and strict judge ; and is it not to him alone tiuit we owe our pardon ? Here the argument is exactly parallel, and the objection of impla- cability equally applies. Now what is the answer ? " That although it is through the merits and' intercession of Christ that v.e are forgiven ; yet these were not the fn-octiriiig cause, but tlie means, bj' which God originally disposed to forgive, thought it right to bestow his pardon." Let then the wovAinttrcessioii be chan- ged for saa-ifice, :ukI see whether the answer be not equally conclusive. The sacrifice of Christ was never deemed by any who did not wish to calum- niate tlie doctrine of atonement, to have made God placable, but merely viewed as the means appointed by divine wisdom, by which to bestow forgiveness. And agi-eeably to tliis, do we not find this sacrifice every where spoken of, as ordained by God himself? — God so loved the ivovld, that he gave his only begotten Son, that -.vhosoever believeth in him shotdd not perish, but have everlasting life — and hereiyi is love, not that ive loved God, but that he loved vs, mid sent his Son to be the propi- tiation for our sins — and agaui we :ire told, that we are rr deemed -tvith the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and -without spot — leho verily -zvus fore- ordained before the foundiUion of the world — and again, that Christ is the Lamb slain from tlic foundation of tlie world. Since then, the notion of the efficiency of the sacrifice of Christ, contained in the dsctrine of atonement, stands precisely on the same foundation with that of pure intercession — merely as the ineans whereby God has thought fit to grant his' favour and gracious aid to repentant sinners, and to fulfil that merciful intention, which he had at all times entertain- ed towards his fallen creatures : and since by the same sort of representation^ the charge of implacability in the Divine Being, is as applicable to the one schcni^ as to the other ; that is, since it is a calumny most foully cast upon both : we may estimate with what candour this has been made by those who hold the one doctrine tlie fundamental ground of their objections against the other. For, oa tlie ground of tlie expression of God's unbounded love to liis creatures every where through Scripture, and of his several declarations that he forgave them freely, it is, that they prmcipally contend, that the notion of expiation by the sacrifice of Christ cannot lie the genuine doctrine of tlie New Testament. But still it is demanded, " in what way can the death of Christ, considered as a sacrifice of expiation, be conceived to operate to the remission of sins, unless by the appeasing a Being, who otherwise would not iiave forgiven us?" — To this the answer of the Ciiristian is, " 1 know not, nor does it concern me to know in what inamier tlie sacrifice of Christ is connected with the forgiveness of sins : it is cnougli, that this is declared by God to be the medium througli which mv salvation is eflccted. I pretend not to dive into the counsels of the Alniight}. ( submit to his wisdom : and I will not reject his grace, because his mode of vouch- safing it is not withm my compreliension." But now let us try the doctrine of pure intercession by this same olijection. It has been asked, how can the suflljr- ings of one Being be conceived to liave any connexion with the forgiveness ot anotlier. Let us likewise inquire, how the meritorious obedience o4' one Being, can be conceived to have any connexion witli the pardon of the transgressions of anotlier: or whether the jirayers of a righteous Being in behalf of a wicked i)er- son, can be imagined to have more weight in obtaining forgiveness for the trans- gressor, than the same supplication, seconded by the offering up of life itselt; tf procure that fji-giveness ? The fact is, the want of discoverable connexion has notiiing to do with either. Neither tlie sacrifice nor the intercession has, as far as we Ci.n comprehesid, any efficacy whatever. All that up know, or can know of the one or of the other is, that it has been appointed as the means, by which God Rrre dvtgmiinet.1 to act with respect to man. So that toobject to the one, because 306 OF Christ's priestly Ofeice. of external reformation, Avhich (though it may not issue in their salvation) has a tendency to prevent a multitude of sins, and a greater degree condemnation, that would otherwise ensue. the mode of operation is unknown, is not only giving up ihe oilier, but tlie very- notion of a Mediator; and if followed on, Coivaot fail to lead to pure deism, und perhaps may not stop even the)"c. Thus we have seen, to what the general objections against the doctrine of atonement amuunt. The charges of divine implucubihty, and of inefficacious means, we have found to bear with as little force aga.nst this, as against the doctrine which is attempted to be substituted in its room. We come now to the objections whicli are drawn from the immediate hinguage of scriptiu'e, in those passages in which the nature of our redemption is descri- bed. And first, it is asserted, that it is no where said in scripture, that God is reconciled to us by Christ's death, but that we are every where said to be recon- ciled to God. Now in ihis objection, which clearly lays the whole stress upoit 9ur obedience, we discover the secret spring of this entire system, which is set up m opposition to the scheme of atonement : we see that reluctance to part with the proud feeling of merit, with which the principle of redemption by the sacri- fice of Christ is openly at vvar : and consequently we sec tlie essential difference "there is between the two doctrines at present under consideration ; and the ne- cessity there exists for separating them by the clc.u-est marks of distinction. But to return to the objection that has been made, it vei'y fortunately happens, that we have the meaning of the words in their >cripture use. defined by no less an authority than that of our Saviour himself — If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath avght against thee, leave there thy gift be- fore the altar, and go thy -cv-ny — -first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Now, from this plain instance, in which tlie person offending is ex- pressly described, as tlie party to be reconciled to him wlio had been offended, by agreeing to his terms of accommodation, and thereby making his peace with him ; it manifestly appears, in what sense this expression is to be understood in the language of the New I'estament. The very words then produced for the pur- pose of showing that there was no displeasure on the part of God, which it was necessary by some means to avert, prove the direct contrary : and our being re- conciled to God, evidentl}' does not mean, our giving up our sins, and thereby lay- ing aside our enmity to God, (in which sense the objection supposes it to be ta- ken) but the turning away his displeasure, whereby we are enabled to regain hivS favour. And indeed it were strange, had it not meant this. What ! are we to suppose the God of the Christian, like the deity of the Epicurean, to look on with indifierence upon the actions of this life, and not to be offended at the sin- ner .? The displeasure of God, it is to be remembered, is not like man's displea- sure, a resentment or passion, but a judicial disapprobation : which if v.e abstract from our ivitlon of God, we must cease to view him as the moral governor of the v.'orld. And it is from the wani of this distinction, whicli is so higiily necessary i and the consequent fear of degrading the Deity, by* attributing to him what migVit appear to be the weakness oi passion . that they, who trust to reason more than to scripture, have been withheld from admitting any principle that implied displeasure on the part of God. Had they attended but a little to the plain lan- guage of scripture, they might have rectified tlieir mistake. They woidd there have found the wrath of God against the disobedient, spoken of \\\ almost every page. They would have found also a case whicli is exactly in point to the main argument before us ; in which there is described, not only the wr.tth of God, but fhe turning away of his displeasure by the mode of sacrifice. The case is that of the three friends of Job, — in which God expressly says, that his wrath is kin- died against the friends of Job, becaiise they had not spoken of him the thing that ■.IMS right ; and at the same time directs them to offer up a sacrifice, as the way of averting his anger. But then it is urged, that God is every where spoken of as a being of infinite love. True ; and the whole difficulty arises from building on partial texts. A^'hen OF Christ's priestly office. iiDT ITiese may be called the remote, or secondary ends of Christ's death, which was princlpaiiy and immediately designed to re- deem the elect, and to purchase all saving blessings for them. nic-M pt'rptuuillA' t-ik oi'liud'.-. ja.nce, as being- nccc-bsunl) niocLiieil by his good- ness, l!iey seem to forget tiiat it is no less the language of scripture, and of rea- son, tli;it his goodness should be modified by his justice. Our error on this sub- ject proceeds i'roni our oWn narrow views, which comr>el us to consider the at- tribuies of the Snprtnic Ueing, as so many distinct qualities, wlien we should conceive of thcni as insepirably blended together; and his whole nature 'dfi oTie great impulse to what is best. As to (iod's displeasure against sinners, there can be then upon the whole no reasonable ground of doubt. \nd against the doctrine of atoneiuent, no difficul- ty can arise from the scrijitui-e phrase of men being reconciled to God.- since, as ■we have seen, that directly implies the turning away the displeasure of Gotl, so as to be again restored to his favour and protection. But, though all this must be admitted by those who will not shut their eyes t^ainst reason and scripture; yet still it is contended, that the diuth of Christ cannot be considered as a propitiatory sacrifice. Now, when we find him descri- bed as the Lamb of God ivhich taketh a-way the sins of the ivorld; when we are told, that Christ hath q-iven himself for vs, an offering- and a sacrifice to God; and that Le needed not, like the high-prirsts under ilie law, to offrr vp sacrifice dtdiy, first for his o-wii sins, anil then for the people's,- for that this he did once, -when he offered up himsef; when heisexpressly asserted lo be the propitiation for oarsins ,- andCiod is said to have loved us, and to havje sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins; when Isaiah describes hissoidas made an offering fjr sin ,- wlieii it is said Uiat God spared not his oivn Son, but delivered him vp for us all; and that Inj him ive have received the atonement; when these, and many other such passages are to be found ; when every expression referring to the'death of Christ, evidently indU cates the notion of a sacrifice of atonement and propitiation ; when this sacrifice is jiarticularly represented, as of the nature of a sin-offering ; which was a spe- cies of sacrifice " prescribed to be offered upon the commission of an offence, af- ter whicii the offending person was considered as if he had never sinned :" it may- well aj)pear surprising on what ground it can be questioned, that tiie death of Christ is pronounced in scripture to have been a sacrifice of atonement and ex- piation for the sins of men. It is asserted, that the several passages which seem to speak this language, contain nothing more th.an figurative allunons: tliat all that is intended is, that Christ laid down his life/c-r, that is, on account o/mankind: and that there be- ing circumstances of resemblance between this event and the sacrifices of tiie law, terms were borrowed from the latter, to express the former in a manner more lively and impressive. And as a proof that the application of these terms is but figurative, it is contended, 1st. That the death of Christ did not corres- pond literally and exactly, to the ceremonies of the Mosaic sacrifice : 2dly. That being in different places compared to different kinds of sacrifices, to cdl of which it could not possibly correspond, it cannot be considered as exactly of the na- ture of any : and lastly, that there was no such thing as a sacrifice oi' propitiation or expiation of sin under the Mosaic dispensation at all ; this notion having been entirely of Heathen origin. As to the two first arguments, they deserve but little consideration. The want of an exact similitude to the preciseform of the Mosaic sacrifice, is but a slen- der objection. It might as well be .said, that because Christ was not of the spe- cies ot animal, which had usually been offered up ; or because he was not slain in the same manner ; or because he was not offered by the high-priest, there could have been no sacrifice. But this is manifest trifling. If the formal notion of a sa- crifice for sin, that is, a life offered up in expiation be adhered to, nothing more can be required to constitute it a sacrifice, except by those who mean to cavil, not to discover truth. Again, as to the second argument, which from'^he comparison of Christ's Jealh, to tlie different kinds of sacrifices, would infer tliat it was not of the na- 3d& OF Christ's vriestly oif ice. which shall be applied in his own time and way : Neverthelesi; others, as a consequence hereof, are made partakers of some blessings of common providence, so far as they are subservient to the salvation of those, for whom he gave himself a ransom. ■ .. . .■ » tiire ox aiii/, it may be replied, timt it uill more reasonably follow, that it was of tlie nature of all. Rescmbliiig' that of the Passover, inaHmucli as by it we were delivered from an evil yetgrcatci- than tijat of Eg-;, ptiim bondafjc; partaking the natm'e of the sin ojferhip-, as being accepted in expiation of transgression ; and similar to the institution of the saipe-goaty as bearing the accumulated sins (rt' all: .may we not reasonably suppose that this one great sacrifice contained the full imp'.irt and completion of the whole sacrificial system ? c\.nd that so far from being- spoken of in fig'ure, as bearing some resemblance to the sacrifices of the law, tliey were on the contrary, as the apostle expressly tells us, but figures, or faint and partial representations of this stupendous sacrifice which had been or- dained from the beginning ? And besides, it is to be remarked in genera], with respect to the figurative application of the sacrificial terms to the death of Christ; that the striking reseinbhmce between that and the sacrifices of the law, ■which is assigned as tiie reason of such application, would have produced jusi the contrary effect upo.i the sacred writers; since they must have been aware that the constant use of such expressions, aided by the strength of the resem- blance, must have laid a found;ition for error, in that which constitutes the main doctrine of the Cliristian faith, fieing addressed to a people whose religion was entirely sacrificial, in what hut the obvious and literal sense, could the sacrificial representation of the death ofCiuist luive been understood? We come now to the third and principal objection, which is built upon the asi-ertion, that no sacrifices of atonement (in the sense in which we apply this term to the death of Christ) had existence under the Mosaic law : such as were c;dled by that name having had an entirely different import. Now that certain offerings under this denomination, related to things, and were employed for the purpose of purification, so as to render them fit instruments of the ceremonial worship, must undoubtedly be admitted. That others were again appointed to relieve jfterso^ii- from ceremonial incapacities, so as to restore them to the privi- lege of joining in the services oftiic temple, is equally true. But thattliere were otiiers of a nature strictly propitiatory, and ordained to avert the displeasure of God from the transgressor, not only of the ceremonial, but, in some cases, even ol' the moral law, wlU a]3pear manifest upon a very slight examination. Thus we find it decreed, that if a ftoul «?» and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie imto his 7ieighbo7ir in that tuhich was delivered to him to keep — or have found that ■which -icas lost, ajtd lieth concerning it, and sweaiieth falsely, iAen, because he hath sinned in this, he shall 7iot only make restitutio?! to his ncighbo%ir — but he ahall bring his trcspu&s-offerivg unto the Lord, a ram luithout blemish out of the flock; and the priest shall make an atoszmi^^t for hitn befoi^e the Lo7-d, and it^shall be foh- GiVEN HIM. And again in a case of criminal connexion with a bond-maid who was betrothed, the offender is onlered to bring his trespass-offering, and the priest is to make atonement for him -vith the trespass-offering, for the sin -zuhich he hath dove; and the si7i vhich he hath done shall be forgiven- him. And in the case of all offences which fell not under the description of pres^imptumis, it is manifest from the slightest inspection of the book of Leviticus, that the atonement pre- scribed, was appointed as Lhe means whereby God might he propitiated, ot recon- ciled to the offender. Agam, as to the vicarious import of the Mosaic sacrifice ; or, in other words, its expressing an acknowledgment of what the sinner had deserved ; this not only seems directly set forth in the account of the first offering in Leviticus, where it is said of tlie pei'son who brought a free-will offering, he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering, and it shall be accepted fob him to make atonement for him : init the ceremony of the scape-goat on the day of expiation, appears to place this matter beyond doubt. On this head, l^o\v<;ver, as DQt beijig" nrrp<;sarji to my ar.o;umtnt. T sljall not at present enlarge. OF giiribt's priestly office. 30S ,o. It is allowed on both sides, and especially by all that oa\ u the divinity and satisfaction of Christ, that his dttath was suf- ficitnt to redeem the whole Morld, had God designed that it Ttird expiatory sacrifice (iii the sti'ict imd ])i'0|)cr sense ot" the word) was a part of the Mosaic institution, iliere rcmiuiis tlitn, 1 trust, no sufncient rtuson to deny. That it existed in like manner amonysi the Arabians, In tlie t.me ot' Job, Y.e have already seen. And diat its un.versal prevalence in tlie Heathen world, liioiigii corrupted and disfipfured by idohitions practices, was the result of an orig-ina! diviiiC apjjomtment, every candid inquirer wiii find little reason tocbubt. But be this as it may, it nnist be admitted, that pi^npitiatory suaifces not only existed throng'li the whole Gen'.de world, but had place Lntuei' the law of Moses. The arj^iimenl then, v.isich from the non-cxisience of such sacrifices aniont^si the Jew s, would deny the term wiven applied to the death of Christ, to indicate such sacrifice, necessarily falls to the g-iound. Hut, in fact, they who deny the sacrifice of Christ to be a real and propei- sa- crifice for sin, must, if tliey arc consistent, deny th;.t unij such sacrifice evei did exist, by divine appointment. For on what principle do tliey deny the former, i)ut this ? — that the s^lfferin,^•s and death of Chr;si, for the sins and salvation of men, can make no chang-e iri God: cannot render him nmre ready to forgive, more benevolent than he is in his own nature; and consequently can have no power to avert from the olfender die punishment of Ins transgression. Now, on the same principle, cjvjt,/ sacrifice for the expiation of sin, must be impossible. And this explains the true cause w by these persoi'.s will not admit the language of the New Testament, clear and exprc ss as it is, to signify a real and proper sa- crifice for sin: and why they feel it necessarj to explain away tiie equally clear and txiiress description of that species of sacrifice in the old. Setting outwith a preconceived erroneous notion of its nature, and one which involves a manifest contradiction; they hold theniselves justified in rejecting every acceptation of scripture whicli supports it. Hut, had they more accurately examined the true import of the term in scriplurc use, they would \vA\e perceived no such contra- diction, nor would tlicy have found themselves compelled to refine away by strained and unnatuial interpretations, the clear and oIjmous meanmg of the sa- cred text. They would have seen, that a sacrifice for sin, in scripture language, implies solely this, " a sacrifice wisely and graciously appointed by God, the mo- ral governor of the world, to expiate the ffiiiti of sm in such a manner as to avert the piaiin/tmcnt of it from the oflender." To ask vhi/ God should have appointed this particular mode, or in 7v/iut way it can avert the punishment of sin, is to take us back to the general point at issue with the deist, which has been already dis- cussed. With the Cin-istian, v. ho admits redemption under «?;?/ modification, such matters cannot be subjects of inquiry. V>n\. even to our imperfect apprehension, some circumstances of natural con- nexion and fitness may be pointed out. The wliole may be considered as a sensi- ble and strikhig representation of a punishment, which the sinner was conscious he deserved from God's justice : and then, on the part of God, it becomes a jKib- lic declaration of his holu displeamtre against sin, and of his nicrcifal compun&ion for the sinner; and on the p.u't of the offender, when otlc'ied hy or ior him, it implies a sincere cmfegsion of guilt, and a heartj desire of obtnimng /-an/o/i .• and upon the due performance of this service, the sinner is pardoned, andcsc;;pcs the penalty of his transgression. This we siiall find agreeable to tlic nature of a sacrifice for sin, as laid down in the Old 'I'estament. Now is tiiere any thing in this "degrading to tlie iionour of God ; or in the smallest degree inconsistent v. idi the dictate*! of natural rea- son P And in this view, what is there in the deatli of Christ, as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, that may not hi a certain degree, be embraced by our natural notions.' For according to the explanation just given, is it not a (ieclaradon to tlie whole world, of the gi-eatness of their sins; and oi tiie ]r.-oportionnte mercy and comiiassion oi' Cod, who had ordainenumstance indeed there is, in which the sacrifice of Christ differs from ail those .sacr.ficsion of tile offerer. The blood of bulls and of goats could have possessed no Virtue, wherebv to cleanse Ir.m from his offences. Still less intelligible is the application of the /)lood of the viCt im to the purifying of the parts of the tabernacle, - and the apparatus of 'Jie cc-renionial worsliip. Wi this can clearly have had no other than an imtituted meaning; und can be understood only as in reference to some blood-sheda.ng, whicii in an eminent degree possessed the power of puri- fying from pollution. In short, admit the sacrifice of Christ to be held in view in the institutions of tiie law, and every part is plain and intelligible; reject that notion, and every theory devised by the ingenuity of man, to explain the natui'e of the cei-emonial worship, becomes trifling and inconsistent. Graining then the case of the Mosaic sacrifice and thi.t of Abel's to be the same; neither of them in itself efficacious; both instituted by God; and both in- stituted in reference to tliat true and efficient sacrifice, which was one day to be offered : the rite, as practised beiore the time of Christ, may justly be considered as a s.vcHATMKNTAi, fiKMoaiAL, sho-wmg forth the Lord^s death nntil he came ; and when accompanied with a due fiaili ai die promises made to the early believers, may i-easonable be judged to liave been equally acceptable with that sacramental meniori^'i, which has been enjoined by our Lord himself to his followei's, for the i-hou-iiig firth his death until his coming again. And it deserves to be noticed that this vcT\ analogy seems to be iniimaied by our Lord, in the language used by him at the institution of that solemn Christian rite. For in speaking of his own blood, he calls it, in direct reference to the blood wherewith Moses established and sanctified the first covenant, the blood of the irn-vr covena7it,rjliich was shed for the remission of sins : thus plainly niarking out the similitude in the nature and objects of the two covenants, at the moment that he was prescribing the great sacramental commemoration of his own sacrifice. From this view of the subject, the history of scripture sacrifice becomes con- sistent throughout. The sacrifice of Abel, and the patriarchal sacrifices down to the giving of the law, record and exemplifv tho^e momentous events in the his- •orvof man, — the death incurred by sin, and that inflicted on our Redeemer. When length of time, and mistaken notions of religion leading to idolatry and every perversion of the religious principle, had so fiir clouded and obscured this expressive act, of primeval worship, that it had ceased to be considered by the nations of the world in that r 'a2^ or CKHISTb PRIESTLV OillCi-y a discharge from the hand of justice, then God will not exact the debt twice, so as to bring them under the condemning sen- tence of the law, whom Christ, by his death, has dehvered from it : this is certainly a privilege that does not belong to the whole world, but to the sanctified. Moreover, some are not justified or discharged for the sake of a ransom paid, and never shall be ; therefore it may be con- cluded, that it was not given for them. IV. It farther appears, that Christ did not die equally and alike for all men, in that he designed to purchase that dominion over, or propriety in them, for whom he died, which would be the necessary result hereof. As they are his trust and charge, given into his hand, to be redeemed by his blood ; (and, in that respect, he undertook to satisfy the justice of God for them, which he has done hereby) so, as the result hereof, he acquired a right to them, as Mediator, by redemption ; pursu- ant to the eternal covenant betv/een the Father and him, he obtained a right to bestow eternal life on all that were given to, and purchased by him. This tends to set forth the Father's glory, as he designed hereby to recover and bring back fallen creatures to himself; and it redounds to Christ's glory, as Mediator ; as herein he not only discovers the infinite value of his obedience and sufferings, but all his redeemed ones are 3-endered the monuments of his love and grace, and shall for ever be employed in celebrating his praise : But certainly this is inconsistent with his death's being ineffectual to answer this end, and consequently he died for none but those whom he will bring to glory, which he could not be said to have done, had he laid down his life for the whole world. V. That Christ did not die, or pay a price of redem.ptioa for all the world, farther appears, in that, salvation, whether begun, carried on, or perfected, is represented, in scripture, as the application thereof; and all those graces, which are wrought by the Spirit in believers, are the necessary result and conse- quence thereof. This will appear, if we consider, that when Christ speaks of his Spirit., as sent to convince of sin, rig-hteous- ness, and judgynent, and to guide his people into all truth he says, He shall glorify mc,for he shall receive of mine, and shall shetv it unto you, John xvi. 14. the meaning of -Avhich is, that he should apply v/hat he had purchased, whereby his glory, as our Redeemer, would be eminently illustrated ; and elsewhere, when the apostle speaks of the Spirit's work of regeneration and sanctification, he considers it as the result of Christ's death, and accordingly it is said to be shed on us abundantly, through jfesvs Christ our Saviour, Tit. iii. 6, And when we read of his redeeming the?7i that xvere under the law, their receiving the adoption of sons, GtiJ. iv. 5. aind ail the privileges coptained in bi* Christ's priestly ofmck. • o23 it, these are considered as the necessary consequences thereof; and Christ's being not spared^ but delivered up unto death for those who are described as chosen, called, justified, and such as shall be hereafter glorified, is assigned, as a convincing evi- dence, that God will xvith him free.hj give them all things^ Rom. viii. 32. Now this cannot, with the least shadow of reason, be applied to the whole world ', therefore Christ did not die for, or redeem, all mankind. That the application of redemption may farther appear to be of equal extent with the purchase thereof, we shall endeavour to prove, that all those graces, which believers are made parta- kers of here, as well as complete salvation, which is the con- summation thereof hereafter, are the purchase of Christ's death. And herein we principally oppose those who defend the doc- trine of univei'sal redemption, in that open and self-consistent way, which the Pelagians generally take, who suppose, that faith and repentance, and all other graces, are entirely in our own power ; otherwise the conditionality of the gospel-covenant, as they rightly observe, could never be defended, and they, for whom Christ died, namely, all mankind, must necessarily re- pent and believe. Thus a late writer ^ argues, in consistency with his own scheme ; whereas some others, who maintain the doctrine of universal redemption, and, at the same time, that of efficacious grace, pluck down with one hand, what they build up with the other. It is the former of these that we are now principally to consider, when we speak of the graces of the Spirit, as what are purchased by Christ's blood ; and, that this may appear, let it be observed, 1. That complete salvation is styled. The purchased posses- sion^ Eph. i. 14. and our deliverance from the xvrath to come^ is not only inseparably connected with, but contained in it, and both these are considered as purchased by the death of Christ, 1 These, i. 10. Rom. v. 9, 10. and the apostle elsewhere, speaking concerning the church, as arrived to its state of per- fection in heavj.n, and its being without spot or wrinkle or any s.uih thing, and xvithoul hlcr,n.sh, tliat is, uhen its sanctification is brought to perfection, considers this, as the accomplishment ot that great end of Christ's giving himself for it, or laying down iiis life to purchase it, Eph. v. 25, 27. 2 It follows, from hence, that all that grace, whereby be- lievers are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, which is the beginning of this salvation, is the purchase of Christ's blood. Accordingly God is said to have blested us xvith all spiritual blessings in heavenlif places, (or, as JLt may be better rendered, in what concerns heavenlij things) in Christy Eph. i. 3. that is, for the sake of Christ's death, * _Set Whiibxfi discourse, kc.paje 110—112. 324 ©"F Christ's priestly office. which was the purchase thereof; therefore it follows, that faith and repentance, and all other graces, which are wrought in us in this world, are purchased thereby : Thus it is said, Untcf ijQU it is given in behalf of Christ to believe^ as well as to ex- ercise those graces, which are necessary in those who are called to suffer for his sake^ Phil. i. 29. and elsewhere God is said to have exalted Christ to be a Prince and a Saviour^ to give re- pentance^ as well 215 forgiveness of sins ^ Acts v. 31. And, since his exaltation includes in it his resurrection from the dead, it plainly argues, that he died to give repentance, arvd consequently that this grace was purchased by him ; and when our Saviour speaks of sending the Spirit, the Comforter to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of Judgment, which comprizes in it that internal work of grace that is wrought by him, he considers this as the consequence of his leaving the world, after he had finished the work of redemption by his death, and so purchased this privilege for them, John xvi. 7, 8. VI. That Christ did not die for all mankind, appears from his not interceding for them, as he saith, I pray not for the ■world, hut for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine; and not for his disciples alone, but for them also -which should believe on him through their w^ord, John xvii. 9, 20. This far- ther appears from a believer's freedom from condemnation be- ing founded on Christ's intercession, as well as his death and resurrection, Rom. viii. 34. and his being, at the same time, styled an Advocate -with the Father, and a propitiation for our sins, 1 John ii. 1, 2. And this may be farther argued from the nature of Christ's intercession, which (as will be considered in its proper place *) is his presenting himself, in the merit of his death, in the be- half of those for whom he suffered ; as also from his being aU "ways heard in that which he pleads for, John xi. 42. which ar- gues that they shall be saved, otherwise it could not be sup- posed that he intercedes for their salvation : but this he cannot be said to do for all mankind, as appears by the event, in that all shall not be saved. Object. To this it is objected that Christ prayed for his ene- mies, as it was foretold concerning him, by the prophet, who saith, He made intercession for the transgressors, Isa. liii. 12. and this was accomplished at his crucifixion, when he saith, Father, forgive them, for they knoxv not what they do, Luke xxiii. 34. That which Christ here prayed for, was forgiveness, which is a privilege connected with salvation ; and this he did in the behalf of the multitude that crucified him : but it cannot reasonably be supposed, that all these were, saved : therefore if ov Christ's priestly OFFict. 326 Christ's death and intercession respects the same persons, and necessarily infers their salvation, then it would follow, that this rude and inhuman multitude were all saved, which they, who deny universal redemption do not suppose. A7isru. Some, in answer to this objection, suppose, that there is a ibundation for a distinction between those supplications, which Christ, in his human nature, put up to God, as being bound, by the moral law, in common' with all mankind, to pray for his enemies ; and his Mediatorial prayer or intercession. In the former of these respects, he prayed for them ; which prayer, though it argued the greatness of his affection for them, yet it did not necessarily infer their salvation ; in like manner, as Stephen, when dying, is represented as praying for those who stoned him, when he saith, Lord, latj Jiot this sin to their charge. Acts vii. 80. or, as our Saviour prays for himself in the garden, 0, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from, mc. Matt. xxvi. 39. whereby he signifies the formidableness of the death he was to undergo, and that his human nature could Tiot but dread such a degree of suffering : this they suppose to be different from his Mediatorial intercession for his people, in which he represents the merit of his death, as what would ef- fectually procure the blessings purchased thereby ; in this lat- ter sense, he could not be said to pray for any of those who crucified him, who are excluded from salvation. But, since this reply to the objection hath some difficulties attending it, which render it less satisfactory, especially because it supposes that he was not heard in that which he prayed for, when he desired that God wovAd forgive them, I would rather chuse to take another method in answering it ; namely, that when Christ prays that God wonXd forgive them, he means that God would ^ not immediately pour forth the vials of his wrath upon that wicked generation, as their crime deserved, but that they might still continue to be a people favoured with the means of grace; this he prays for, and herein was answered; and his intercession for them, though it had not an immediate respect to the salvation of all of them, had, notwithstanding, a subserviency to the gathering in of his elect amongst them, whose salvation was principally intended by this intercession, as it was for them that he shed his blood ; and accordingly I apprehend, that this desire that God would forgive them, im- plies the same thing as Moses's request, in the behalf of Israel, did, when he saith, Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, as thon hast forgiven this people from Egypt, until noxv^ Numb. xiv. 19. where to pardon intends nothing else but God's not punishing them as their sin deserved, in an immediate, and exemplar\- way and manner. VII. The doctrine of universal redemption hath some ab- VoL. II. T t ti 526 OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OITICE. surd consequences attending it, not consistent with the divim- periections ; as, 1. It would give occasion for Christ to be called the Saviour <5f those who shall not he eventually saved by him, the Redeem- er of many, who are held in chains by the justice of God, and receive no saving benefit by his redemption, or for him to be said to express the highest instance of love, in dying for those who shall for ever be the objects of his hatred, which implies a contradiction ; and what is this but to say, that he delivers those from the ivrath to c.omt\ 1 Thess. i. 10. who are, and shall be for ever, children of wrath f therefore we must either assert universal salvation, or deny universal redemption. 2. It will also follow from hence, that he satisfied the iustice of God for all the sins of all men ; for to lay dov/n a price of redemption, is to discharge the whole debt, otherwise it would b^ to no purpose. Now, if he satisfied for all the sins of every man, he did this that no sin should be their ruin, and conse- quently he died to take away the guilt of final impenitency in those who shall perish ; and therefore they have, by virtue here- of, a right to salvation, which they shall not obtain : it follows then, that since he did not die for all the sins of all men, he did not, by his death, redeem all men. 3. If Christ died for all men, he intended hereby their sal- vation, or that they should live : but it is certain he did not in- tend the salvation of all men ; for then his design must be frus- trated with respect to a part of them, for whom he died, which contains a reflection on his wisdom, as not adapting the means to the end. Moreover, this supposes that Christ's attaining the end he designed by his death, depends on the will of man, and consequently it subjects him to disappointment, and renders God's eternal purpose dependent on man's conduct. 4. Since God designed, by the death of Ciirist, to bring to himself a revenue of glory, in proportion to the infinite value thereof, and Christ, our great Mediator, was, as the prophet saith, to have a portion xvith the great^ and to divide the spoil zvith the strongs as the consequence of his pouring- out his soul 7Wto death^ Isa. liii. 12. it follov.s from thence, that if all are not saved, for whom Christ died, then the Father and the Son would lose that glory which tiity designed to attain hereby, as the work would be left incomplete ; and a great ])art of man- kind cannot take occasion from Christ's redeeming them, to adore and magnify that grace, which is displayed therein, since it is not eventually conducive to their salvation. Having endeavoured to prov-e the doctrine of particular re- demption; we shall now consider the arguments generally brought by those who defend the contrary scheme, who suj)- pose, that God designed, as the consequence of Christ's death. OF CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 32,7 to save all mankind, upon condition of their repenting and be- lieving, according to the tenor of the gospel-covenant, which is substituted in the room of that which was violated by man's apostacy from God, whereby sincere obedience comes in the room of that perfect obedience, which was the condition of the first covenant. This th.ey call man's being brought into a sal- vable state by Christ's death ; so that Christ rendered salvation possible ; whereas faith, repentance, and sincere obedience, ren- der it cei-tain. And, so far as this concerns the design of God, in sending Christ to redeem the world, they suppose that God determined hereby to put man into such a state, that all may be saved, if they will. And, as to what conceras the event, to wit, man's comply- ing with the condition, they that defend universal redemption are divided in their sentiments about it; some supposing that Christ purchased faith and repentance for a certain number of mankind, namely, those who "shall repent and believe, and pur- suant thereunto, will work those graces in them ; whereas others, who had not these graces purchased for them, shall perish, though Christ has redeemed them. These suppose, that redemption is both universal and particular, in different re- spects ; imheisal^ in that all who sit under the sound of the gospel, have a conditional grant of grace contained therein, whereby they are put into a salvable state, or possibility of at- taining salvation ; and particular^ with respect to those who shall repent and believe, and so attain salvation ; in which sense they apply that scripture, in which God is said to be the Saviour of all men^ especially ojthost that believe^ 1 Tim. iv. 10. This some call a middle way, between the Pelagian and Cal- vinistic methods of reasoning about this subject ; but it appears to be inconsistent with itself, inasmuch as they, who give into this hypothesis, are forced sometimes to decline what they have been contending for on one side, when pressed with some ar- guments brought in defence of the other ; theicfore we shall pass this over, and consider the self-consistent scheme, in which universal redemption is maintained. The sum of all their arguments, who defend it in the Pela- gian way, amounts to this, viz. that Christ died not to purchase salvation absolutely for any, but to make Avay for God's enter- ing into a new or gospel covenant with men, in which salva- tion is promised, on condition of faith, repentance, and sincere obedience, which they suppose to be in the power of those who have the gospel. And, that the heathen may not be excluded, though it cannot be styled a gospel-covenant to them, there are abatements made, as to what concerns faith, founded on divine revelation, and the only condition that entitles them tc .;alyatia;?. 328 OF Christ's priestly office. is their yielding sincere obedience to the law of nature, in pro- portion to their light. They farther add, that this gospel-covenant must be condi- tional, otherwise it could not be called a covenant^ as wanting an essential ingredient contained in every covenant ; and these conditions must be in our own power, otherAvise the overture of salvation, depending on the performance thereof, would be illusory ; and it could not be called a covenant of grace, inas- much as there can be no grace, or favour, in promising a bless- ing upon impossible conditions ; neither could this gospel-cove- nant be styled a better covenant than that which God entered into with our first parents, in which the conditions were in their own power ; nor could it be an expedient to repair the ruins of the fall, or bring man, in any sense, into a salvable state. So that, according to this representation of the doctrine of parti- cular redemption, there are not only many absurd consequen- ces attending it, which detract from the glory of the gospel, but it is contrary to the holiness, wisdom, justice, and goodness of God, and so derogates as much from the divine perfections, as any thing that is argued in defence of universal redemption can be pretended to do. And, to sum up the whole argument, there is an appeal to scripture, as that which gives countenance to it in a multitude of instances. This is the substance of all that is said in defence of this doctrine ; and, in opposition to it, we shall take leave to observe, (1.) That it is taken for granted, but not sufficiently proved, that Christ died to purchase the covenant of grace ; whereas, if the difference between the covenant of redemption, and the co- venant of grace, be only circumstantial, as has been b ^fore ob- served,* then the death of Christ is included among the con- ditions of this covenant ; and if so, the covenant itself could not be the purchase thereof: but, if by Christ's purchasing the covenant of grace, they only meant his purchasing the graces given in the covenant, we are far from denying it, though they generally do. That therefore which we are principally to op- pose, is their sense of the conditionality of the covenant of grace, and its being essential to a covenant to be conditional, namely, to depend on uncertain conditions, in our power to perform, it being as they suppose, left to the freedom of our own will to comply with or reject them, and thereby to esta- blish or disannul this covenant : but having elsewhere proved that the word covenant is often used in scripture, without the Idea of a condition annexed to it,f and also considered in what respects those ideas, contained in a conditional covenant be- tween man and man, are to be excluded, when we speak of a * See Page 178, 179, ante. f *"?« P^^« 1^9, 170, ante. OF Christ's pRiiisn.Y orncE, 32^ covenant between God and man ; * and having also, in main- taining the doctrine of election, endeavoured to defend the ab- sokiteness of God's will, and shewed in what sense we are to understand those scriptures that are laid down in a conditional form, f which may, with a little variation, be applied to our present argument ; we shall, to avoid the repetition of things before insisted on, add nothing farther in answer to this part of the argument, we are now considering, but only that it im- plies God to be, in many respects, like ourselves, and suppo- ses that it is in our power to frustrate, and render the death of Christ, which was the highest display of divine grace, incflec- tual, and so prevent his having that glory, which he designed to bring to his own name thereby. (2.) As to what is farther argued, concerning the covenant of grace being a better covenant than that which God made with man in innocency, and therefore that the conditions there- of must be in our own power, otherv/ise God, by i-nsisting on the performance of what is impossible, subverts the design of the gospel, and the covenant hereupon ceases to be a covenant of grace ; it may be replied that though we freely own that the covenant of grace is, in many respects, better than that which God entered into with man in innocency, and that it would not be so were it impossible for those, who are con- cerned therein, to attain the blessings promised to the heirs of salvation ; yet we cannot allow that it must necessarily be con- ditional, in the sense in which some understand the word, much less that the conditions thereof are in our own power, or else the design of the gospel must be concluded to be subverted. Therefore we may take leave to observe, that when God is said to require faith, and all other graces in this covenant-dis- pensation, and has connected them with salvation, this does not overthrow the grace of the covenant, but rather establish it ; for grace and salvation are not only purchased for, but promi- sed and secured to all who are redeemed, by the faithfulness of God, and the intercession of Christ and shall certainly be applied to them ; and whereas, the graces of the Spirit are not in our own power, this is so far from overthrowing the design ot the gospel, that it tends to advance the glory thereof, as God hereby takes occasion to set forth the exceeding riches of his grace, in making his people meet for, and bringing them, at last, to glory. And, though it be not possible for all to attain salvation, this should be no discouragement to any one to at- tend on those means of grace, under \vhich we are to hope for the saving effects of Christ's death, whereby we mav conclude that eternal life is purchased for us, and we shall at last be brought to it. * .Sec Pose 190. arte. t '?«"? Vol I Page A77, 480. J30 or chuist's priestly officl. (5.) As to what is farther alleged, concernhig the covenaiu of grace, as designed to repair the ruins of the fall, or God's intending hereby to bring man into a salvable state ; Ave are never told, in scripture, that what was lost by our first apostas)^ from God, is to be compensated by the extent of grace and sal- vation to all mankind ; and it is not the design of the gospel to discover this to the world, but that the exceeding riches of di- vine grace should be made known to the vessels of yncrcu^ bef on- prepared unto glory ^ Rom. ix. 23. This is, as some express it* the plank that remains after the ship-wreck,* or the great foun- dation of our hope, and possibility of escaping everlasting de- struction; and it is a xiiuch better ground of security, than to lay the whole stress of our salvation on the best improvements of corrupt nature, or those endeavours which we are to use, to improve the liberty of our will, in order to our escaping ruin^ without dependraice on the divine assistance ; which is the me- thod that they take to attain salvation, who thus defend the doctrine of universal redemption. (4.) As for our being brought into a salvable state by the death of Christ ', the gospel no \vhere gives all mankind ground to expect salvation, but only those who have the marks and charactei-s of Christ's redeemed ones ; and these are not brought by his death unto a mere possibility of attaining it, but the scrip- ture represents them as having the earnest^ or first-fruits there- of, and speaks of Christ hi them^ as the hope of glory ^ Eph. i. 14. Rom. viii. 23. They are also said to be reconciled to God hy the death of his Son, chap. v. 10. which is more than their having a bare possibility of salvation, as the result and conse- quence thereof. (5.) That which is next to be considered, is, what concerns the doctrine of particular redemption, as being derogatory to the divine perfections^ together with many absurd consequen- ces, wiiich are supposed to attend it. It is very common, in all methods of reasoning, and particularly in defending or opposing the doctrine of universal redemption, for persons to endeavour to make it appear, that the contrary scheme of doctrine is chargeable with absurdities ; and, as we have taken the same method in opposing universal redemption, it may reasonably be expected, that the doctrine of particular redemption should have many absurd consequences charged upon it ; to which we shall endeavour to reply, that thereby it may be discerned v.'hether the charge be just or no. And, 1. The doctrine of particular redemption is supposed to be inconsistent %\ith the goodness of God, as it renders salvation impossible to the greatest part of mankind, and their state irre^ ■" Tabula fjost rMvfragiwm. i»ii- chriot's priestly omCE-. 3;{1 {rievablc h}' any means that can be used, and so has a tendency to lead them to despair. But to this it ma}' be replied, Isty That it must be owned, that they, for whom Chrij^t did not die, cannot be saved ; and therefore, had Ciod described any persons by name, or given some visible character, by which it might be certainly concluded that they were not redeemed, it would follow from thence, that their state would be desperate. But this is not his usual method of dealing with mankind : he might, indeed, have done it, and then such would have been thereby excluded from, and not encouraged to attend on the means of grace ; but he has, in wisdom and sovereignty, con- cealed the event of things, with respect hereunto, from the world ; and therefore there is a vast difference between men's concluding that a part of the world are excluded from this pri- vilege; and that they themselves are included in that number: the latter of which we have no warrant to ;>ay, concerning our- selves, or any others, especially so long as we are under the means of grace. There is, indeed, one character of persons hi the gospel, which gives ground to conclude that Christ did not die for them, and that is what respects those who had commit- ted the unpardonable sin. I shall not, at present, enter into the dispute, whether that sin can now be committed or no, since we may be occasionally led to insist on that subject under ano- ther head ; but there seems to be sufficient ground to deter- mine, cither that this cannot be certainly known, since the ex- traordinary gift of discerning" of spirits is now ceased ; or, at least, that this cannot be applied to any who attend on the means ©f grace with a desire of recci\'ing spiritual advantage thereby. 2d/i^y If Christ's not dying for the whole world be a means to lead men to despair, as salvation is hereby rendered impos- sible, this consequence may, with equal evidence, be deduced from the supposition, that all mankind shall not be saved, which they, who defend universal redemption, pretend not to deny : but will any one say, that this supposition leads men to despair? or ought it to be reckoned a reflection on the divine goodness, that so many arc left to perish in their fallen state, bj' the ju- dicial hand of God, which might have applied salvation mito all, as well as purchased it for all mankind ? 2. The doctrine of particular redemption is farther supposed to be inconsistent \yith the preaching the gospel, which is gene- rally styled a door of hope ; and then the dispensation we are under cannot be called a day of grace ; which renders all tlie overtures ot salvation made to sinners illusory, and contains in it a reflection, not only on the grace of God, but his holiness. In order to our replying to this, something must be premised to explain what we mean by a day of grace, and the hope of the gospel^ wbicb accompanies it# ^ud here let it be considered. o'32 OF Christ's priestly offick. (1.) That we hereby intend such a dispensation in whicls sinners are called to repent and believe, and so obtain salvation ,; not that we are to suppose that it is to be attained by their own power, without the special influences of the Holy Ghost, for this would be to ascribe that to man, which is peculiar to God ; nor that God would give his special grace to all that sit under the sound of the gospel ; for this is contrary to common obser- vation and experience, since many make a profession of religion who are destitute of saving grace. As for the hope of the gospel, or that door of hope that is opened therein to sinners, we cannot understand any thing else thereby, but that all, without distinction, are commanded and encouraged to wait on God in his instituted means of grace, and the event hereof must be left to him who gives and withholds success to them, as he pleases. All have this encouragement, that, peradventure they may obtain grace, under the means of grace ; and this is not inconsistent with their being st}ded a door of hope, and God is not obliged to grant sinners a greater de- gree of hope than this, to encourage them to wait on him in his ordinances, notwithstanding there is a farther motive inducing us hereunto, namely, that this is his ordinary way, in which he works grace ; oi", if God is pleased to give us desires after the efficacy of his grace, or any degree of conviction of sin and misery ; this is still a farther ground of hope, though it fall short of that grace of hope that accompanies salvation. (2.) As to what concerns the preaching of the gospel, and the overtures of salvation to all therein, which, upon the sup- position of Christ's not dying for all men, they conclude to be illusory, and repugnant to the holiness of God. To this it may be replied, that we do not deny that in preaching the gospel, Christ is offered to the chief of sinners, or that the proclama- tion of grace is made public to all, without distinction : but this will not overthrow the doctrine of particular redemption, if we rightly consider vv^hat is done, in offering Christ to sinners ; which, that it may be understood, let it be observed, 1*^, That God has given us no warrant to enter into his se- cret determinations, respecting the event of things, so as to give any persons ground to conclude that they are redeemed, and have a warrant to apply to themselves the promise of salvation, or any blessings that accompany it, while in an unconverted state. Ministers are not to address their discourses to a mixed multitude of professing Christians, in such a v/a}', as though they knew that they were all effectually called, and chosen oi God. Our Saviour compares them to the faithful and xvise stexvard^ whose business it is to g-ive every one their portion oj meat in due sea.'ion^ Luke xil. 42. and therefore they are, con- sistent! v with what is contained in scriptuiv, to tell them, th:r<. OF CHRIST 3 PRIISTLY OFFICE. 3^5 salvation is purchased for a part of mankind, and they know not but that they may be of thai number, which will be an evi- dence to them that they are so. 2/////, When Christ is said to be ofFtred to siniius, in the preaching of the gospel, that, which is intended thereby, is his being set forth therein as a most desirable object, altogether lovely, worthy to be embraced, and submitted to ; and not only so, but that he will certainly save all whom he effectually calls^ inasmuch as he has purchased salvation for them. 3 * See Whitbtfs JJhcourse, Lepage U'j. or Christ's priestly offige."^ 3^9 arc some scriptures that assert particular redemption, but that these are but lew ; and therclbre the doctrine of universal re- demption must be aquiesced in, as being maintained by a far greater number of scriptures : but, in answer to this, let it be considered, that it is not the number of scriptures, brought in defence of either side of the question, that -will give any great advantage to the cause they maintain, unless it could be made appear that they understood them in the true and genuine sense of the Holy Ghost therein : but this is not to be passed over, without a farther enquiry into the sense thereof, which we shall do, and endeavour to prove that it does not ov^erthrow the doctrine we have been maintaining, how much soever the mode of expression may seem to oppose it ; and, in order hereunto, we shall first consider in Avhat sense a//, all mcn^ the zvorld^ alt the xvcrld, and such-like words are taken in scripture, as well as in common modes of speaking, in those matters that do not immediately relate to the subject of universal redemption ; and then we may, without much difficulty, apply the same limita- tions to the like manner of speaking, which we find in those scriptui-es which are brought for the proof of imiversal redemp- tion. Here we are to enquire into the meaning of those words that are used, which seem to denote the universality of the sub- ject spoken of, Avhen nothing less is intended thereby, in va- rious instances, which have no immediate reference to the doc- trine of redemption. And, (I.) As to the word all. It is certain, that it is often used when every individual is not intended thereby : thus we read in Exod. ix. 6. that all the cattle of Egypt d'led^ ^\ hen the plague of murrain was inflicted on the beasts ; whereas it is said, in the following words, that none of the cattle of the children of hracl died ; and, from ver. 3. it appears that none of the Egyp- liatvi' cattle died^ sa\e those in the field ; and it is plain, that there \\as a great number of cattle that died not, which were reserved to be cut off by a following plague, viz. that of hail^ in ver. 19. Moreover, it is said, in ver. 25. that the hail smote every herb of the field ^ and brake every tree of the field ; yet we read, in chap. x. 5. of the locusts eating the residue of that which escapedy and re?nained unto ihevi frovi the hail. Again, we read, in Exod. xxxii. 3. that all the people brake off" the golden ear-rings which were in their ears\, of which Aaron made the calf, which they worshipped ; whereas it is not probable that all wore ear-rings ; and it is certain, that all did not join with liiem, who committed idolatry herein ; for the apostle intimates as much, when he speaks of some of thejn as being idolaters^ who sat down to eat and drink ^ and rose up to plnij^ 1 Cor. x. 7. And some conclude, that those of the tribe ut Levi, \\\\o gaiJiered tl'.e.msehca unto Moses^ and joined with 340 OF Christ's priestlt office. him in executing the vengeance of God on the idolaters,, art said to be on the Lord^s side ; not barely because they repented ol" their idolatry, but because they did not join with the rest in it ; and, it this be the sense of the text, yet it does not appear that they were all exempted from the charge of idolatry, though it be said, that all the sons of Levi were gathered to him ; for we read, in ver. 29. of every man''s slaying his son, and his bro- ther ; and, in Deut. xxxiii. 9. it is said, on this occasion, that they did not knoiu their fathers, nor their children, that is, they did not spare them ; therefore some of that, as well as the other tribes, joined in the idolatry, though they were all gathered to Moses, as being on the Lord's side. Again, we read, in Zeph. ii. 14. where the prophet speaks concerning God''s destroying Syria, and making Nineveh deso- late, that all the beasts of the nations shall lodge in the upper lintels of it ; by which he intends that those beasts, that gene- rally lodge in the wilderness, or in places remote ft-om cities, such as the cormorant and bittern, &c. should take up their re- sidence in those places, which were formerly inhabited by the Ninevites ; therefore all the beasts cannot be supposed to sig- nify ail that were in all parts of the world. Again, the prophet Isaiah, in chap. ii. 2. when speaking of the multitude which should come to the mountain of the Lord\'i- house, which he expresses by all nations coming to it, explains what is meant by all nations coijimg to it, in the following verse, namely, that many people should say^ Let us go up to the moun- tain of the Lord ; and the prophet Micah, referring to the same thing, says, in chap. iv. 2. that many nations shall say. Let us go up to it, as containing a prediction of what was to be fulfilled in the gospel-day, in those that, out of various nations, adhe- red to the true religion. Again, it is said, in 1 Chron. xiv. 17. that the fame of David went forth into all the lands, which cannot be meant of those which Avere far remote, but those that were round about Judea. Moreover, it is said, in Matt. iii. 5, 6. that Jerusalem, and all fudea, a7id all the region round about fordan, xvent out to John, ajid -were baptized of him ; which cannot be understood in any other sense, but that a great number of thenn went out to him for that purpose. And when it is said, in Matt. xxi. 26. that all men held John as a prophet, it is not to be supposed that the Scribes and Pharisees, and many others, who cast con- tempt on him, held him to be so ; but that there were a great many who esteemed him as such. And when our Saviour says, in Matt. x. 22. Te shall be hated of all meii for my name^s sake, it is certain, that those that embraced Christianity are to be ex- cluded out of their number who hated them. Again, when it \% said, in Acts ii. 5. that there were dwelling at jferusalcm. OF Christ's priestly office. 341 yen's of every nat'icn under heaven^ it is not to be supposed that there were Jews residing in every nation, who resorted to Jerusalem ; upon which occasion, a learned writer * puts this question, Were there any who resorted there from England or Scotland ? Again, we read, in John iii. 26. that John's disciples came to him, complaining, that Jesus baptized^ and all men came un- to him ; by which nothing more is to be understood, but that many, among the Jews attended on his ministry, which were, by far, the smaller part of that nation. By these, and many other scriptures, that might be brought to the same purpose, it appears, that the word All sometimes denotes not every indi- vidual, but a part of mankind. (2.) Let us now consider the sense in which we are to un- derstand the ivorld^ or all the world ; from whence it will ap- pear, that only a small part of the world is intended thereby in many scriptures : thus the Pharisees said, upon the occasion of a number of the Jews following our Saviour, in John xi. 19. The xvorld is gone after him. How small a part of the world was the Jewish nation ? and how small a part of the Jewish na- tion attended on our Saviour's ministry ? yet this is called the world. Again, it is said, in Luke ii. 1. There went 07/ 1 a decree fr 07)1 Augustus^ that all the xvorld should be taxed ; by which nothing more is intended than those countries that were subject to the Roman empire ; and, in Acts xvii. 26. it is said, that these that have turned the xvorld upside doxvn^ are come hitlier also ; which cannot be meant in any other sense, but those parts of the world where the ajjostles had exercised their ministry. And when the apostle tells the church, in Rom. i. 8. that their faith xvas spoken of throughout the xvhole world^ he only means those other churches that were planted in several parts of the world. And, in Acts xi. 28. it is said, that Agabus signified^ by the Spirit^ that there xhould be a great dearth^ throughout all the xvorld; by which nothing is meant but all adjacent countiies, which is to be ta- ken in the same sense, as when it is said, in Gen. xli. 51. that all countries came into Egypt to buy corn, because the famine tms so sore in all lands^ that is, in the parts adjacent to Egypt : thus we have sufficient ground to conclude, that all vien^ the xvorld^ and all the xvorld^ is often taken for a small part of man- kind. But, that we may be a little more particular in considering the various limitations these words are subject to in scripture, as well as in our common modes of speaking, let it be observed, Ist^ That sometimes nothing is intended by all men^ but all sorts of men, without distinction of sex, nation, estate, quality, * Vid. Eras, in loc. Vol. IL X x 5ft2 9>F Christ's priestly offici^A and condition, of men in die world : thus the apostle says, iu 1 Cor. ix. 19. J made myself servant to all^ that I might gain the more ; this he explains in the following verses, as including men of all ranks and characters : To the Jeivs^ I became a Jew; to them that were under the law^ an under the law ; to them that xvere xvithout the law^ as without law ; to the weak^ I became iveak : I became all things to all meUy that by any yneans J might gain some. 2dly^ Sometimes the word All, or the xvorld^ is taken for the Gentiles, in opposition to the Jews : thus the apostle saith, in Rom. xi. 12. Noxu rf the fall of them ^ viz. the Jews, be the riches of the worlds that is, of the Cientiles, as he explains it in the following words ; And the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles^ hoxv much more their fulness ? and in ver. 32. he saith, God hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mer- cy upon all.'^' 2dly^ The world is sometimes taken for those who do not believe, in opposition to the church : tlms it is said, in Rev. xiii. 3, 4. All the xvo rid xvondcred after the beast and they xvor- ii hipped the dragon; which is farther explained, in ver. 8. where it is said, that all that dxvell upon the earth shall xvorship him^ xvhose 7iames are not xvrittcn in the book of life ; and in 1 John y. 19. it is said, We knoxv that xve are of God, and the xvhole xvcrld licth in wickedness^ or, as some render it,f ^7^ the zvicked cne, as being subject to Satan ; but the church is exempted from that charge, notwithstanding the universality of this expression. Athly^ Sometimes the word All is limited by the nature of the thing spoken of, which is very easy to be understood, though not expressed : thus the apostle in Tit. ii. 9. exhorts servants to be obedient inito their oxvn masters^ and to please them xuell in all things; "which must be certainly understood as intending all things just, and not contrary to the laws of God, or the civil laws of the land, in which they live. Sthly, The word All is often used, not only in scripture, but la our common modes of speaking, to signifv only those, who . are the objects of that thing, which is done for them, and then the emphasis is laid on the action, or the person that performs it; as when we say, all malefactors under a sentence of death, are to be pardoned by the king; v/e mean nothing else by it, but that all, who are pardoned, do receive their pardon from him; or when we say, that virtue renders all men happy .^ and •vice miserable ; we mean, that all who are virtuous are happy, :md all who are vicious miserable ; not that virtue, abstracted from the exercise thereof, makes any happy, or vice miserable; in which case, the word all is not taken for every individual person, but only for those who are either good or bad : and this OF Christ's priestly office. a-t^ is iigreeable to the scripture-mode of speaking; as when it i:a ^.aid, in Prov. xxiii. 21. Droxufiincss ,shall clothe a ?na?iy or every man, ruif/i raga ; or sloth reduces all to po\v.rtv; not all man- kind, but all who are addicted to this vice4 Moreover, it is said, in Psal. cxlv. 14. T.hc Lord upholdeth all tkatfoll^ and idiseth tip all thoae that be boxved doxvn ; which is not to be understood, <\^ though God keeps all mankind Irom tailing, or raises every individual person, that is bowed down, so as not to sulFer him to sink under his burden; but that ail who are uplield, or raised up, when bowed down, are made par- takers of this privilege by the Lord alone. Having shewn in what sense the word All^ or all the xuorldy is frequently used in scripture, when not applied to the doctrine of redemption ; we shall now consider the application thereof unto it, whereby it may appear, that those scriptures, which are generally brought in defence of the doctrine of universal re- demption, do not tend to support it, or overthrow the contrary- doctrine that we aj-e maintaining. 1. The fir.^t scripture, that is often referred to for that pur- pose, is 1 John ii. 2. in which it is said, Concerning our Saviour, that he is the propitiation for our sins^ and not for ours only^ but also for the sins of the xvhole ruorld. For the understanding of which, wc must consider, that it is more than probable that the apostle writes this epistle to the converted Jews, scattered through various countries in Asia, as Peter is said to do, 1 Pet. i. 1. and James, James i. 1. for which reason they are called general epistles ; as likewise this of John is, inasnmch as they are not addressed to particular churches among the Gentiles, converted to the iaith, as most of the apostle Paul's are. Now, it is plain, that, in the scrijJture but now mentioned, when these believing Jews are given to understand, that Christ is a propi- tiation for their si/is, and not for their'' s only^ but for the sins of the whole xvorld; the meaning is, not for their sins only, who were Jews, but for the sins of the believing Gentiles, or those who were converted by the ministry of the apostle Paul, who is called the apostle of the Gentiles. This has been before con- sidered to be the meaning of the word xvorld in mdny scrip- tures ; and so the sense is, that the saving effects of Christ's death redound to all who believe, throughout the w orld, whether Jews or Gentiles. 2. Another scripture generally brought to prove universal redem])tion, is, that in Ileb. ii. 9. That lu\ to wit, Christ, by the grace of God^ should taste death for every vxan. For the understanding of which, wc must have recouise to the words immediately following, which are plainly an illustration thereof; accordingly they, for whom Christ tasted death, are styled many sons^ who are to be brought to glory ; and, in order there- (j44 OF Christ's priestly office. unto, Christ,, the Captain of their salvation,, was made perfect through sttjfering-s,, which is an explication of his being crowned with glorij and honour,, for the suffering of death ; and it plainly proves, that it was for these only that he tasted death, and that by every man,, for whom he tasted it, is meant every one of his sons, or of those who are described, in ver. 11. as satictifed, and whom he is not ashamed to call brethren ; and they are fur- ther styled, in ver. 13. The cJiildren xvhom God hath given him; so that this sense of the words being so agreeable to the con- text, which asserts the doctrine of particular redemption, it can- not reasonably be supposed that they are to be taken in a sense which has a tendency to overthrow it, or prove that Christ died equally and alike for all men. 3. Another scripture, brought for the same purpose, is 1 Cor. XV. 22. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But let it be considered, that the apostle is not speaking directly concerning redemption in this text, but concerning the resurrection of the dead ; and, if it be understood of a glorious resurrection unto eternal life, no one can suppose that every in- dividual of mankind shall be made partaker of this blessing, which is also obvious, from what is said in the verse imme- diately following, where they who are said to be made alive in Christ, are described as such, whom he has a special propriety in, Christ the frst fruits,, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming; and therefore the meaning is only this, that all of them, who shall be raised up in glory, shall obtain this privilege by Christ, whose resurrection was the first-fruits thereof. I am sensible that the reason of the application of this scrip- tuin; to prove universal redemption, is principally taken from the opposition that there seems to be between the death of all mankind in Adam, and the life which is obtained by Christ ; and therefore they suppose, that the happiness, which we enjoy by him, is of equal extent with the misery we sustained by the fall of Adam ; but, if this were the sense of the text, it must prove an universal salvation, and not barely the possibilitj' there- of; since the apostle is speaking of a privilege that should be conferi'ed in the end of time, and not of that which we enjoy un- de-rj,the gospel-dispensation ; accordingly it does not, in the least, answer the end for which it is brought. 4. The next scripture, by which it is supposed that universal redemption may be defended, is that in Rom. v. 18. As by the offence of one,, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justif cation of life. For the understanding of which scripture, let it be considered, that the blessing, which is said to extend to all, is no less than justification of life, and not merely a possibility of attaining salvation^ and, in the foregoing verse. QF Christ's priestly office. 345 they, who are interested in this privilege, are said to receive abimdancf of grace, and of the gift of righteousness^ and to reign in life by Jesus Christ. Now certainly this privilege is too great to be applied to the whole world ; and, indeed, that which the apostle, in this verse, considers, as being upon all men unto jjistif cation of life ^ he explains, when he says, Many .shall be made righteous ; therefore this free gift ^ ivhich came upon all men unto justification^ intends nothing else, but that a select number, who are said to be many, or the whole multi- tude of those who do, or shall believe, shall be made righteous. Object. If it be objected to this sense of the text, that there is an opposition between that judgment which came by the of- fence of one, to wit, Adam, upon all men, unto condemnation, and that righteousness, which came upon all men, unto justifi- cation ; and therefore all men must be taken in the same sense in both parts of the verse, and consequently must be extended, to all the world. Ansrv. To this it may be replied, that it is not necessary, nor reasonable, to suppose, that these terms of opposition have any respect to the universal extent of condemnation and justifica- tion ; for the apostle's design is not to compare the number of those who shall be justified, w'xxh that of those who were con- demned by the fall of Adam ; but to compare the two heads together, Adam and Christ, and to shew, that as we are liable to condemnation by the one, so we obtain the gift of righteous- ness by the other; which is plainly the apostle's method of reasoning, agreeable to the whole scope of the chapter, as may easil}- be observed, by those who compare these words with several foregoing verses. 5. There is another scripture brought to prove universal re- demption, in 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. The love of Christ constraineth IIS ; because we thus judge^ that if ojie died for all^ then ivere all dead ; by which it is supposed, that the apostle is here pro- ving that all mankind Are dead in sin, and that the medium by which he proves it, is Christ's dying for all men ; so that the remedy is as extensive as the disease, and therefore that this is an undeniable proof of universal redemption. But this is not a true representation of the apostle's method of reasoning; for he designs not to prove that all wtfi-e dead in sin, but to it. That this mav appear, let us consider the con- nexion of this text with what goes before. The apostle speaks oi them, in the foregoing verses, as having assurance of their iiiture salvation, and as groaning to be clothed upon with their house, -I'hich is from heaven ; and as having the first fruits of the Spirit, and says that the apostles were made manifest in their consciences, that is, they had something in their own con- scir^nccs that evinced the success of thtnr ministry- to them, 346 or Christ's priestly office.. upon which account they had occasion to glory on their behali ♦ all which expressions denote them to have been in a converted state. And the apostle adds, in ver. 13. Whether xve be beside our' selves^ or whether zve be sober, that is, whether we have a great- er or less degree of fervency in preaching the gospel, it is for God, that is for his glory, and for your sakes ; for the love of Christ, that is, either his love to us, or our love to him, con- straineth us hereunto; because we thus judge, that if one, namely, Christ, died for all, that is, for you all, then were all dead, or you all arc dead, that is, not dead in sin, but you are made partakers of that communion which believers have with Christ in his death, whereby they are said to be dead unto sin, and unto the world ; and the result hereof is, that they are obli- ged to live not to themselves but to Christ. This seems more agreeable to the design of the apostle, than to suppose that he intends only to prove the fall of man, from his being recovered by Christ, since there is no appearance of any argument to the like purpose, in any other part of the apostle's writings ; whereas our being dead to sin, as the consequence of Christ's death, is what he often mentions, and, indeed, it seems to be one of his peculiar phrases : thus he speaks of believers, as bei7ig' dead to sin, Rom. vi. 2. and dead with Christ, ver. 8. and elsewhere he says, Tou are dead. Col. iii. 3. that is, you have communion with Christ, in his death, or are dead unto sin; and the apostle speaks of their being dead xvith Christ from the rudiments of the xvorld, chap. ii. 20. that is, if you have communion with Christ, in his death, you are obliged not to observe the cere- monial lav/, v/hich is called the rudiments of the world ; and, in several other places, he speaks of believers being crucified, dead, buried, and risen, from the dead, as having communion with Christ therein, or being made partakers of those benefits which he procured thereby. If, therefore, this be the apostle's frequent method of speaking, why may not we suppose, that in this verse, under our present consideration, he argues, that be- cause Christ died for them all, therefore they were, or they are all dead} * And, being thus dead, they are obliged, as he ob- serves in the following verse, not to live to themselves, but to Christ that died for them, and thereby procured this privilege, which they are made partakers of. If this sense of the text be but allowed to be equally probable with the other, it will so far weaken the force thereof, as that it will not appear, from this scripture, that Christ died for all men. 6. Universal redemption is attempted to be proved, from * It may be observed, that as in the scriptures before meiitioiied, the same word «t*i9-av;v is used in the same tense, rianielt/, the second aorist, luhich oitr tnmslatovs think fit to render in the present tense ; and therefore it maij as veil be rendered here in the present tense, and so the meaving is. You cM fur whom Chrixt di-^d are dead. oi' ciirist'3 priestly otfice. 347 John iii. IG. God so loved the worlds that he gave his only be' gotten Son., that whosoever helievcth hi him should not perish., but have everlasting life : But, it" we unde'-stand the xvorld^ as taken lor the Gentiles, as it is oftentimes in scripture, then the sense of the text seems to be this, which is not inconsistent with special redemption, namely, that the love of God, which was expressed in sending his Son to die for those whom he de- signed hereby to redeem, is of a much larger extent, as to the objects thereof, than it was in fonner ages ; for it includes in it not only those who believe among the JeMs, but whosoever believes in him, throughout the world ; not that their believing in him is the foundation, or cause, but the effect ot his love, and is to be considered as the character of the persons, who are the objects thereof. In this sense, we are also to understand, ano- ther scripture, in John i. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh axvaij the sin of the world., that is, of all those whose sins are expiated hereby, throughout the whole world. r. The doctrine of universal redemption is farther maintain- ed, from our Saviour's words, in John vi. 33. The bread of God is he that comcth down from heaven., and giveth life unto the rvorld; which is explained in ver. 51. I am the living breads which came down from heaven ; if any man eat of this bread., he ihall live for ever ; and the bread that I xvill give, is my flesh., which I will give for the life of the world: But it does not ap- pear, that Christ hereby intends that his death was a price of redemption paid for all mankind ; for he speaks of the applica- tion of redemption, which is expressed bv his giving life, and not barely of his procuring a possibility of its being attained; and they, to whom he gives this privilege, are described as ap- plying it to themselves, by faith, which is doubtless, the mean^ ing of that metaphorical expression, whereby persons arc said to eat of this bread., or his flesh ; so that the meaning of this scripture is, that the death of Christ is appointed, as the great means whereby all men, througliout the whole world, who ap- ply it by faith, should attain eternal life : But this cannot be said of all, without exemption ; and therefore jt does not from hence appear, that Christ's death was designed to procure life for the world. 8. There is another scripture, brought to the same purpose, in Matt, xviii. 11. The Son of man is come to save that which is lost., that is, as they suppose, all that were lost ; and conse- quently, since the whole \\ orld was brought into a lost state by the full, Christ came to save them. The whole stress of this argument is laid on the sense that they give of the Greek word*, which we render, that which ivas lost., wherebv they understand every one that was lost ; whereas it only denotes, that salvation o48 or Christ's priestly offici. supposes them, that have an interest in it, to have been in a lost state. And, indeed, the text does not seem iinmediately to respect the purchase of redemption, or salvation, by Christ's shedding his blood, as a Priest, but the application thereof, in effectually calling, and thereby saving lost sinners. This is il- lustrated by the parable of the lost sheep^ (in the following words,) which the shepherd brings back to the fold, upon which occasion he says, that it is not the vjill of your Father which is in heapen, that one of these little ones should perish. And this farther appears, from our Saviour*s using the same mode of speaking, with this addition, that he came to seek^ as well as to save^ Luke xix. 9, 10. them, upon the occasion of his convert- ing Zaccheus, and telling him, that salvation was come to his house. And this agrees well with that prediction relating to Christ's executing his Prophetical office, in the salvation of his people, as being their Shepherd; in which he is represented, as aaying, / ivil! seek that which was lost, a?id bring again that which ivas driven awaijy and xvill hind up that xvhich was bro- ken, andxvill strengiliot that which xvas sick, Ezek. xxxiv. 16. Moreover, the parable of the lost sheep, which Christ recover- ed, appears bv its connexion with the foregoing verses, to have a particular respect to those little, or hiimble ones, that believe in him, who went astray, by reason of some offences that were cast in their way ; and therefore, when he had deiiounced a threatening against those who should offend any of them, and cautioned the Avorld that they should not do this, by despising them, Matt, xviii. 6, 10. he supposes this treatment would cause some of them to go astray; upon which he says, that one of his ends of coming into the world, was to seek, to save, and to re- cover them. 9. Universal redemption is farther argued, from the univer- fjality of divine grace ; and accordingly that text is often re- ferred to, in Tit. ii. 11. The grace of God that bringeth salva- tion, hath appeared to all men : But this seems very remote from the sense of the Holy Ghost, in these woixls ; for by the grace of God is meant the gospel, that brings the glad tidings of sal- H ation ; and its appearing to all men, signifies being preached to the Gentiles : or suppose, by the grace of God, we under- stand the display of his grace in the work of redemption, it is not said, that it was designed for, or applied to all men, but on- ly that the publication thereof is more general than it had for- jnerly been. And when the apostle, in ver. 14. speaks more particularly concerning redemption, he alters his mode of cx- ])ression, and considers it, with its just limitation, with respect to the objects thereof, viz. that he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a pe- culiar peopky zealous of good wor/is. We shall add but one •OF Christ's priestly office. 349 scripture more, which is brought in defence of universal re- demption, viz. 10. That in which the apostle speaks of God, in 1 Tim. iv. 10. as t/ie Saviour of all inen^ especially of those that believe; where- in universal redemption is not asserted ici the same sense in which they mainiuin it, viz. that God hath brought all men in- to a salvablc state, so that they may be saved if they w^ill : But the meaning of this scripture is, that God is the Saviour of all 7/?<-/?, that is, his common bounty extends itself to all, as the Psahnist observes. The Lord v; good to all^ and his tender mcr-^ cics are over all his works^ Psai. cxlv. 9. but he is more espC" ciallij the Saviour of them that ielievc^ inasmuch as they are interested in the special benehts pi.ri-chased by his redemption, who are said to be saved in the I.ordxviih an everlasting salva- tion., Isa. xlv. 17. There are several other scriptures brought to prove univer- sal redemj)tIon, as when it is said, that God zvill have all men to be saved^ and come to the knoxvledge of the truths 1 Tim. ii. 4. and. The Lord is not willing- that any should perish^ but that all should come to repentance^ 2 Pet. iii. 9. which have been be- fore considered * ; and therefore we pass them over at present, and some other scilptures, from vv'hehce it is argued, that Christ died for all, because he died for seme that shall perish, as when the apostle speaks oi' some false teachers^ who deny the Lord that bought them^ 2 Pet. ii. 1. and anotlier, Destrotf not him with thy meat^forxvhom Christ d'led^ Rom. xiv. 15. and that in which the apostle speaks of a person xvho counted the biood of the cove- nant xvh'erexvith he was sanctified anunholy things Heb. x. 29. and some other scriptures to the like purpose, the consideration whereof I shall refer to a following answer f, in which the doc- trine of the saints' perseverance is defended, (a) * See Pn^e .501. Vol. I. | See Quest. LXXI.Y. (a) " That tlie atonement is infinitely I'lill or sufficient for all mankind, is evident from llie infinite dignity undtxct-llenceof die Saviour, and iVom the nature of the utonemeiit. The Saviour, as has been already oliserved, was in his divine nattire find over all, one witli the Father, and equal with him in all divine perfection. And beiag thus a person of infinite ditjnity and worth, it gave an infinite value or efficacy to Iks obedience, sufierings and ck:ath, and thus rendered his atonement infinitely full. It appears tiom express declarations of scripture, that Christ has died for all mankind, orhasniacie an atonement sufficient for all. Thus it is declared, ''That he by the grace of God should taste death for evciy man, uiul iliat he is the Sa- viour of all men, especially of those that believe." 'CbcV^ passages clearly teach, ihat the Saviour has died, or made atonemi-nt for all inankind, .md it seems, that the last of them cannot rationally be understood in any othr-r sense. For it ex- pressly declares, that he is the Saviour, not of those who believe only, but of all men in distincticm from these. Then f >re iiis atonement must have "had respect to all the human race. Accordingly Christ is cal'.c! " 'l"he Lamb of God which tuketh aw.iy the sin of the world ; and the Saviour of tin; world." The apostle .lobn, addie.vsing christiani, say.s, " He is the propitiation for our sins, and notfor Vol.. II. Yy SSO oi' Christ's priestly office. Thus eoucerniug the first branch of Christ's Priestly ofSce, consisting in his offering himself a sacrifice, without spot, to God, and the persons for whom this was done. We should ours only, but also for the sins of the whole workl." Here also Jesus Clmst is tleclarcd to be tiie propitiation for the sins of the whole world, in distinction from those of believers. These, and ot))er similar passages teach in the clcai'est nianner, that Clirist has made an atonement for all mankind, or for the whalc: world. It seems harldly possible for wortls to express this sentiment more clear- ly than it is expressed in these passages ; and some of them will not xdmit of any other sense, without a very forced, unnatural construction. Slioidd it be said, that such expressions as all men, the ~.i)orld, &c. must some- times be understood in a limited or restricted sense ; it may be answered, that it is an established, invariable rule, that all phrases, or passages of scripture ai'e to be understood in their most plain, easy, and literal import, unless the connex- ion, the general analogy of faith, or some other necessary considerations require a diiferent sense. But in the present case it does not appear, that any of these considerations require, that these passages should be understood in any other than tlieir plain, natural meaning. — That the atonement is sufficient for all mankind, is evident from the conside- ration, that the calls, invitations and offei's of the gos'pel are addressed to all, without exception, in the most extensive language, ll is ."^aid, " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the eai'th. Whosoever will, kt him take the wa- ter of life treely. Ho, every one that thii'steth, come ye to the waters, and he that Iiath no money : come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without mo- ney, and without price. Go, and preach the gospel to every creature." The )n'eachers of the gospel are directed to tell their hearers, that all things are rea- dy— that all may come, who will, and :ire to invite and urge all, to come to the gospel least and freely partake of the blessings of salvation. But how could the offer of salvation be consistently thus made to all without any limitation ; if the atonement was sufficient but for a part or for the elect only .■' On this supposition it could not with truth and propriety be said to all, that all things are ready, plentiful provisions are made for all, and whosoever will, may come. Were a feast, sufficient but for fifty provided : could we consistently send invitations to a thousand, and tell them that a plentiful feast was prepared, and tliat all things \\ ere ready for their entertainment, if they would but come i" \V()Vild not such an invitation appear like a deception ? If so, ihen the offi;.'r and invitation of the gos- pel could not have been made to all without discrimination, as they are ; if there was no atonement, but for a part .As therefore the invitations of the gospel are thus addressed to all, it is a proof that Christ has made an atonement for all mankind. Agam, the scripture represents, that there is no difficulty in the way of the salvation of the impenitent, but what arises from their own opposition of lieart or will. Thus the Lord Jesus says to the unbelieving Jews, " Ye will not come un- to me, that ye may have life. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would i have ^.ithered thy children — and ye would not." In the parable of the marriage sup- per, it is represented, that there was no difficulty in the way to prevent those who were invited, from partaking of th.e feast, but their own unwillingness to come. But if there was no atonement made but for those only who are saved ; then there would be an insurmountable difficulty in the way of the salvation of all others, aside from the one arising from their own opposition of heart. As there- lore the scripture teaches, that there is no difficulty in the way of the salvation of any under the gospel, but what arises from their own unwillingness, o/v wick- ed opposition of heart, it is manifest, that there is an atonement for all. The word of God teaches, that it is the duty of all, who are acquainted with the gospel, to believe in the Lord Jesus, and trust in him as their Redeemer, and t iiut they are very criminal for neglecting to do this. It is therefore declared in '•ite sacred scriptures, that it is the command of God, " that we should believe '>A tfie name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that those, who believe not, aye c.o,ii- OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE. 35JI WOW proceed to consider the second branch thereof, consisting^ in his making continual intercession for them, for whom he of- fered up himself: But, this being particularly insisted on in u following answer *, we shall pass it over at present, and pro- ceed to consider the execution of his Kingly office. Quest. XLV. How doth Christ execute the ojffice of a Kingf' Answer. Christ executeth the office of a King, in calling out of the world a people to himself, and giving them officers, laws, and censures, by which he visibly governs them, in be- stowing saving grace upon his elect, rewarding their obedi- ence, and correcting them for their sins, preserving and sup- porting them under all their temptations and sufferings, re- straining and overcoming all their enemies, and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory, and their own good ; and also in taking vengeance on the rest who know not God> and obey not the gospel, 4 KING is a person advanced to the highest dignity; in this JTIL sense the word is used in scripture, and in our common acceptation thereof, as applied to men ; and more particularlv it denotes his having dominion over subjects, and therefore it is a relative term ; and the exercise of this dominion is confin- ed within certain limits : But, as it is applied to God, it denotes imiversal dominion, as the Psalmist says, God is King- of all the earthy Psal. xlvii. 7. in this respect therefore, it is proper- ly a divine perfection. That which we are led to consider, in this answer, is how Christ is more especially styled a King'^ as ♦ See Quest. LV. demned alreadv, because they Iiave not believed on tlie name of the only begoUeu Son of God."- It is maniU-st from the various reasons which have been sajifgested, that the atonement of Jesus Clirist is iniiijitely full, or sufficient for the sulvation of all mankind, if tliey would but cordially receive it, and that the want of such an atonement, is not the reason, wliy all are not saved. It will no more tijllow, that all will l>e saved, l>ecause the atonement is suffi- cient for all, than it would, that all would eat of the marriage supper in the pa. rable, because it was sufficient for all, and all were invited. This parable was designed to represent the gospel and its invitations, — As tliosc, who neglected the invitation, never tagted of the supper, altliough the provisions were plentiful tbr all ; so the scriptures teach, that many will not comply with the terms and invitations of the gospel, and partake of its blessings, although the atonement \% abundantly sufficient iur all. For the Saviour declares, tiiat" many are called, but tew are cliosen, and strait is the gate and narrow is the way which lendeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Coskkcticvt Evang. Mao. Such interpretation of Scripture does not require the admission that the atonement was ab- solutely indefinite. Christ niinht know his sheep and die tor th«m. and vet, by the sapie cov<, «.«iit or purpose tirccure terms for others vvliicli Lc k-it w ihcv would rr^ect. S52 or CHRIST'S kingly offick. ' Mediator. Divines generally distinguish his kingdom into that which is natural, and that which is Mediatorial ; the former is founded in his deity, and not received by commission from the Father, in which respect he would have been the Governor of the world, as the Father is, though man had not fallen, and there had been no need of a Mediator ; the latter is, what we are more especially to consider, namely, his Mediatorial king- dom, which the Psalmist intends, when he represents the Fa- ther, as saying, l^et have I set nuj King upon my holy hill of Zio77^ Psal. ii. 6. The mediod in which we shall speak concerning Christ's Kingly office, shall be by shewing who are the subjects thereof; the manner of his governing them ; and the various ages in which this government is, or shall be exercised ; together with the different circumstances relating to the administration of his government therein. I. Concerning- the subjects governed by him. These are ei- ther his people or his eiiem'ies ; the former of these arc, indeed, by nature, enemies to his government, and unwilling to subject themselves to him, but they are made willing in the day of his power, are pleased with his government, and made partakers of the advantages thereof; the latter, to wit, his enemies are for- ced to bow down before him, as subdued by him, though not to him ; so that, with i*espect to his people and his enemies, he exercises his government various ways. Which leads us to consider, II. The manner in which Christ exercises his Kingly gov- ernment; and that, First, With respect to his people. This government is ex- ternal and visible, or internal and spiritual; in the latter of which he exerts divine power, and brings them into a state of grace and salvation. The Church is eminently the seat of his government, which will be fiirthcr observed under a following answer * ; and therefore, at present we shall only consider them as owning his government, by professing their subjection to him, and thereby separating themselves from the world; and Christ governs them, as is observed in this answer, by giving them officers, laws, and censures, and many other privik-gts, which the members of the visi'^le church are made partakers of; of which more in its proper place. Tiiat which v/e shall principally consider, at present, is Christ's exercising his spiritual and powerful government over his elect, hi those things that more immediately concern their salvation. And here we may obserx'e, 1. Their character and temper, before they are brought, in X saving way, into Christ's kingdom. There is no difference * See quest. LXII, LXIII. 7y com- pared with Luke xiv. 26. and, that self-denial must be their daily exercise, that no idol of jealousy must be set up in their hearts ,• no secret or darling lust indulged, as being not only- contrary to the temper and disposition of his subjects, and a dishonour to their character, but inconsistent Avith that supreme love that is due to him alone : he also warns them not to hold any confederacy with his enemies, strictly forbids them to make any covenant with death and hell, and requires that all former covenants therewith should be disannulled and broken, as con- taining a tacit denial of their allegiance to him. Thus concerning the methods which Christ useth in an ob- jective way, to bring his people to his kingdom. But these are not regarded by the greatest part of those that sit under the sound of the gospel ; nor, indeed, are they effectual to answer this end in any, till he is pleased to incline and enable them. OF Christ's kinglv ofiice. 3^7 fiy his power, to submit to him ; he must first conquer them before they will obey. Before this they had no more than an external overture, or representation of things, in which he dealt \vith them as intelligent creatures, in order to their becoming his subjects out of choice, as having the strongest motives and inducements thereunto : but this is an internal work upon the heart, whereby every thing, that hindered their compliance is removed, and they are drav,-n by that power, without which none can come unto him, John vi. 44. their hearts are broken, their wills renewed, and all the powers and faculties of their souls inclined to subscribe to his government, as king of saints. This leads us to consider, 3. How persons first express their willingness to be Christ's subjects; what engagements they lay themselves under, and what course they take pursuant thereunto. (1.) They cast themselves at his feet with the greatest hu- mility and reverence, being sensible of their own vileness and ingratitude, and, at the same time, are gi-eatly afifected with his clemency and grace, who, notwithstanding their unw^orthiness, invites them to come to him ; which they do, not as desiring to capitulate, or stand upon terms with him, but the)' are willing; that he shovdd make his own terms, like one that sends a blank paper to his victorious prince, that he might write upon it Avhat he pleases, and expresses his willingness to subscribe it. This may be illustrated by the manner in which Benhadad's ser- vants, when his army was entirely ruined, and he no longer able to make resistance against Ahab, present themselves be- fore him with sackcloth on their loins, and ropes on their heads^ in token of the greatest humility, together with an implicit ac- knowledgment of what they had deserved ; and without the usual method of entering into treaties of peace, the only mes- sage they were to deliver was, I'/iy servant Bcnluulad saith^ I pray thee let me live, 1 Kings xx. 32. Thus the humble re- turning sinner implores forgiveness, and a right to his life, as an act of grace, at the hand of Christ, who has been represen- ted to him, as a merciful king, and read}- to receive returning sinners. (2.) This subjection to Christ is attended with the greatest love to, and desire after him, which they express to his per- son, and his service, as well as those rewards that attend it, be- ing constrained hereunto by that love and compassion, which he hath shewed to them ; and by those just ideas whicli they are now brought to entertain, concerning eveiy thing that be- longs to his kingdom and interest. (3.) They consent to be the Lord's, by a solemn act of self- dedication, or surrender of themselves, and all that they have, to him, as seeing themselves obliged so to do ; and thcrcfovt- Vol,. II. Z 2 SS8 OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE. they desire to be his, to all intents and purposes, his entire!}'', and for ever. (4.) Since there are many difficult duties incumbent on Christ's subjects, and many blessings which they hope to re- ceive, they express their entire dependance on him for grace, to enable them to behave themselves agreeably to the obliga- tions they are. under, that they may not turn aside from him, or deal treacherously with him, as being unsteadfast in his cove- nant : they also rely on his faithfulness for the accomplishment of all the promises, which afford matter of relief and encourage- ment to them ; and this is accompanied with a fixed purpose, or resolut on to wait on him, in all his ordinances, as mean? appointed by him, in which they hope to obtain those blessings they stand in need of. (5.) Tills is done with a solemn withdrawing themselves from, renouncing and testifying their abhorrence of those to "whom they have formerly been in subjection, whose interest is contrary to, aiid subversive of Christ's government. These they count to be their greatest, yea, their only enemies, and proclaim open war against them, and that with a fixed resolution, by the grace of God, to pursue it to the utmost ; like the courageous soldier, who, having drawn his sword, throws 2iw?iy the scab- bard, as one that will not leave off fighting till he has gained a complete victory ; and this resolution is increased by that ha- tred which he entertains against sin, and is exercised in propor- tion to it : the enemies against whom he engages, are the world, the flesh, and the devil ; the motives that induce him thereunto are because they are enemies to Christ, and stand in the way ol his salvation. Nov.', that he might manage this warfare ■with success, he takes to himself the whole armour of God, which the apostle describes, Eph. vi. 11—17. which is both offensive and defensive. And he also considers himself as obliged to shun all treaties or proposals made by them, to turn him aside from Chi'ist, and all correspondence with them, and to avoid every thing that may ])ro^■e a snare or temptation to him, or tend to Christ's dishonour. And to this v.e may add, that he hath a due sense of his ob ligation, to endeavour to deliver others from their servitude to sin and Satan, to encourage those who are almost persuaded to submit to Christ, and to strengthen the hands of those who are already entered into his service, engaged with him in the same warfare against his enemies, ;md pursuing the same design, conducive to his glory. The methods he takes in order here- unto, are truly warrantable, and becoming the servants of Christ ; he is not like the scribes and Pharisees, who were very zealous to gain proselytes to their interest, M'hich, when they had done, thc?j made them two -fold more the children of hell than \ OF Christ's kingly offick. 3;59. ihemsehes^ Matt, xxiii. 15. but makes it his business to con- vince those he converses with, that they are subject to the greatest tyranny of those who intend nothing but their ruin; that they serve them who have no right to their SL-rvice, and, that the only way to obtain liberty, is to enter into Christ's service, and then they will h^ free indeed, John viii. 36. Moreover, he endeavours to remove those prejudices, and answer all objec- tions which Satan usually brings, or turnishes his subjects with, against Christ and his government. If they say, with the daughters of Jerusalem, What is thij beloved more than another beloved? he has many things to say in his commendation; as, the church is brought in using various metaphorical expres- sions to set forth his glory, and he joins with them in that com- prehensive character given of him, wdiich contains the sum of all that words can express. He is altogether lovelif ; this is my beloved^ and this is mij friend^ 0 daughters of yerusalem^ Cant. V. 9, 16. This concerning the way in which Christ's subjects engage against, and oppose Satan's kingdom. But let it be f irthcr considered, that the opposition is mu- tual : when persons are delivered out of the power of darkness, and translated into Christ's kingdom, they are not to expect to be wholly free from the assaults of their spiritual enemies, and these oftentimes gain great advantages against them from the remainders of corrupt nature, in the best of men. The devil is represented, l)y the apostle, as a roaring lion, who xvalketh about seeking whom he maif devour, 1 Pet* v. 8. Sometimes he gives disturbance to Christ's subjects, by inclining men to exercise their persecuting rage and fury against the ciiurch, designing hereby to work upon their fears ; at other times, he endeavours, as it were, by methods of bribery, to engage unstable persons in his interest, by the overture of secular advantage ; or else to discourage some, by pretending that religion is a melancholy thing, that the\- who embrace it, are like to strive against the stream, and meet with nothing but what will make them un- easy in the woild. This opposition, which is directed against Christ's kingdom, proves oftentimes very discouraging to his subjects ; but there are attempts of another nature often used to amuse, discourage, and destroy their peace, by taxing them with hypocrisy, and pretending, that all their hope of an inter- est in Christ's favour and protection, is but a delusion, and therefore it had been better for them not to have given in their names to him, since the only consequence thereof will be the aggravating their condemnation. If the providences of (iod be dark and afflictive, he endeavours to suggest to them hard thoughts of Christ, and to make them question his goodness, and faithfulness, and to say, with the Psalmist, Verily, I have 'learned mv heart in va'viy and have washed my hands in inno- 560 OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICK. cency, Psal. Ixxiii. 13. and, when God is pleased, at any time, for wise ends, to deny them his comforting presence, the ene- my is ready, on this occasion, to persuade them, as the Psalm- ist represents some speaking to the like purpose, that there is no help for them in God^ Psal. iii. 2. These methods are often used, by the enemies of Christ's kingdom, to weaken the hands of his subjects, whereby the ex- ercise of their graces is often interrupted, and they ai-e hurried into many sins, through the violence of temptation; neverthe- less they shall not wholly revolt. Grace may be foiled, and weakened thereby, but it shall not be utterly extinguished; for, though they be guilty of many failures and miscarriages, which discover them to be in an imperfect state, yet they are preser- ved from relapsing into their former state ; and not only so, but are often enabled to prevail against their spiritual enemies, in which the concern of Christ, for their good, eminently disco- vers itself; and, if the advantage gained against them be occa- sioned by their going in the way of temptation, or not being on their guard, or using those means that might prevent their be- ing overcome thereby, this is over-ruled by Christ, to the hum- bling and making them more watchful for the future ; or if God has left them to themselves, that he may shew them the sin and folly of their self-confidence, or reliance on their own strength, this shall be a means to induce them to be more de- pendent on him for the future, as well as importunate with him, by faith and prayer, for that grace, which is sufficient to prevent their total and final apostasy, as well as to recover them from their present back-slidings. And these many weaknesses and defects, which gave them so much uneasiness, will induce them to sympathize with others in the like condition ; and the various methods which Christ takes for their recover}^, will render them skilful in directing others how to escape, or dis- entangle themselves from this snare, in which they have been taken, and which has given them so much uneasiness. We might here have enlarged on that particular branch of this subject, wdiich respects the warfare that is to be carried on by every one who lists himself under Christ's banner, and owns him to be his rightful Lord and Sovereign, which takes up a very considerable part of the Christian life; as he is said to •wrestle not only ag-ainst Jiesh and blood, but ag-ainst principali- ties, ag'ainst poxvers, against the rulers of the darkness of this xvorld, and against spiritual xinckedness i?i high places, Eph. vi. 12. and elsewhere we read of the fiesh lusting against the Spi- rit, and the Spirit against the flesh. Gal. v. 1 7. But this wiK be considered under a following answer, in which we shall be tr^ to speak of the imperfection of sanctification iu believers, OF CHRIST S KINGtY Off ieii« 361 together with the reasons thereof;* and therefore we pass it over at present, and shall proceed to consider, 4. How Christ deals with his subjects after he has brought them hitherto, and inclined and enabled them to submit to his government : this is expressed in the answer we are explaining, in the following heads. (1.) He rewards their obedience. This supposes that he requires that they should obey him, and that their obedience should be constant and universal, otherwise they deserve not the character of subjects ; and, as to what concerns the regard of Christ to this obedience, though herein men are not pi-ofita- ble to God, as they are to themselves, or to one another, yet it shall not go unrewarded. The blessings which Christ confers on them are sometimes styled a reward, inasmuch as there is a certain connexion between their duty and interest, or their obeying and being made blessed, which blessedness is properly the reward of what Christ has done, though his people esteem it as an act of the highest favour ; in this sense he rev/ards their obedience, and that either by increasing their graces, and esta- blishing their comforts here ; or by bringing them to perfection hereafter. But inasmuch as their obedience is, at present, very imperfect, which tends very much to their reproach, and af- fords matter of daily humiliation before God, it is farther ad- ded, (2.) That Christ corrects them for their sins. This is in- serted among the advantages of his government, though it is certain, that afflictions, absolutely considered, are not to be de- sired ; nevertheless, since they are sometimes needful^ 1 Pet. i. 6. and conducive to our spiritual advantage, they are included in this gracious dispensation, which attends Christ's govern- ment, as by these things men live, Isa. xxxviii. 16. How much ^soever nature dreads them, yet Christ's people consider them as designed for their good, and therefore not only submit to them, but conclude that herein he deals with them. As we arc far from blaming the skilful chirurgeon, who sets a bone that is out of joint, or cuts off a limb, when it is necessary to save our lives, though neither of these can be done without great pain : thus when God visits our transgressions with the rod, and our iniquities with stripes, we reckon that he deals with us as a merciful and gracious Sovereign, and not as an enemy, since his design is to heal our backslidings, and prevent a worse evil from ensuing thereby, (3.) He preserves and supports his subjects under all their temptations and sufferings. There are two sorts of temptations mentioned in scripture, to wit, such as are merely providential, which are designed as trials of faith and patience ; as when the * See Qw$t. LXXriIf 362 OT Christ's KiiiGLY office. apostle says, My brethren^ count it all joy when ye fall into di- vers temptations^ knoxoing this^ that the trial of your faith ivork- eth patience^ James i. 2, 3. and elsewhere the apostle Paul, speaking of the persecutions which he met with from the Jews, calls them temptations^ Acts xx. 19. But, besides these, there are other temptations which arise from sin, Satan, and the world, whereby endeavours are used more directly to draw Christ's subjects from their allegiance to him : thus it is said. Every man is tempted^ when he is draxun arvay of his own lusty and enticed^ James i. 14. and elsewhere, They that xvill be rich, that is, who use indirect means to attain that end, or make this the grand design of life, fall into te?nptationy and a snare^ and into }nany foolish and hurtful lusts ^ xvhich droxvn men in de- struction and perdition^ 1 Tim. vi. 9. and the devil, who has a great hand in managing these temptations, and solicits us to comply therewith, is, for that reason, called, by way of emi- nency, the tempter^ 1 Thes. iii. 5. and Matt. iv. 3. In both these respects, believers are exposed to great danger, by reason of temptations, and need either to be preserved from, or support- ed under them, that they may not prove their rum ; and this Christ does in managing the affairs of his kingdom of grace for his people's advantage, and herein that promise is fulfilled to them. There hath no temptation taken you^ but such as is C07n- mon to man ; but God is faithful^ who xvill not suffer you to be tempted above xvhat ye are able^ but xoill^ xuith the temptation also^ make a xvay to escape^ that ye may be able to bear it^ 1 Cor. x; 13. (4.) Christ powerfully orders all things for his own glory, and his people's good, as they are said to work together for good^ Rom. viii. 28. and herein his wisdom, as well as his good- ness, is illustrated. Sometimes, indeed, they cannot see from the beginning of an afflictive providence to the end thereof, or what advantage God designs thereby ; herein we may apply those words of our Saviour to Peter, though spoken with ano- ther view. What I do^ thou knoxvest not now^ but thou shall know hereafter^ John xiii. 7. This will eminently appear, when they shall see how every step which Christ has taken in the management of his government, has had a subserviency to pro- mote their spiritual advantage hereafter. Thus we have con^ sidered how Christ executes his Kingly office, more especially towards his people, who are his faithful subjects. Secondhj^ We are now to speak concerning the exercise of Christ's Kinglv government towards his enemies. He is, as has been before observed, their King; not by consent, or vo- luntary subjection to him, nor do they desire to own his autho- rity, or yield obedience to his laws ; but they are, notwith- standing,'to be reckoned the subjects of his government ; which is exercised, OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE. 3S5 1. In setting bounds to their power and malice, so that they thenism, shall have their accomplishment in an eminent degree; and this shall also proceed from, and be attended with a greater degree of the effusion of the Spirit, and the consequence here- of will be a more glorious light shining throughout the world, than has ever done ; and thai these two, the Jews and Gentiles, shall be both joined together, in one body, under Christ, their visible ancf glorious Head. Moreover, some suppose, that Jerusalem, and the countries youi?<:l about it, shall be the principal seat of this kingdom, tp OP CHRIST*S KINGLY OFFlCt, 36© which these new converts shall repair ; so thai, as there the glo- rious scenv^ of the gospel was first opened, in that part of the eaith, the glory of Christ's personal reign shall begin. Others, to this, add, that, at this time, the temple at Jerusalem shall be buiii, which shall far exceed that which was built by Solomon, in glory ; and that the New Jerusalem shall be also built and adorr.c:d in a magnificent way, agreeable to what is said of it in scripture, Rev. xxi. which they understand in a literal sense. In this I must take leave to differ from them, though not in what was but now hinted, concerning the conversion of the Jews, and the fulness of the Gentiles going before it. 2dly^ Though some suppose that the general conflagration, spoken of by the apostle Peter, 2 Pet. iii. T, 13. shall be after this thousand years reign, which is certainly the more proba- ble opinion-; yet others have concluded, that it shall be before it and that the nexv earthy wherein dwelleth righteousness^ which believers according to God'' s promise look for ^ shall arise out of the ruins of the old. Thus a late writer says,* who advances many things concerning the ante-diluvian world, as well as this new one, with an elegr^ncy of style, that is very entertaining, and, in many instances, runs counter to the sentiments of all that went before him, than which a more ingenious romance is hardly extant : but since, for the most part, he brings in scripture to give countenance to what he advances, and lays down a peculiar scheme concerning this Millenfiium, I cannot v.'holly pass it over. He supposes, that the reign of Christ, on earth, shall be ushered in by a general conflagration, in which all the inhabitants thereof must necessarily be consumed, and the world reduced into a second chaos by fire ; and, as his master De Cartes describes the form of the world when first created, and how the various particles of matter were disposed, in order to its being brought to that perfection to which it ar- rived afterwards, so he describes the form to which the world shall be framed ; which, when done, being at a loss to find out inhabitants for it, he supposes that the dead shall be raised ; to which he applies what is said in scripture concerning the Jirst resurrection^ and then this thousand years reign begins : but he is more at a loss, as might easily be supposed, to account for Gog and Magog, the enemies of the church, which shall give it great disturbance at the close thereof; and, since he cannot easily suppose them to be raised from the dead for this end, he fancies that they shall spring out of the earth ; which so much embarrasses his scheme, that, whatsoever scriptures he brings in defence of it, it must be supposed by impartial judges, ^ be attended with the greatest absurdities. * Vi^- BufTiet. TeUuf. TIiem\ Lib. ir. i^rci OF Christ's kingly office. -Sdlif^ There are others, who suppose that the general confla- gration shall not be till the end of the thousand years reign ; nevertheless they conclude, that the dead shall be raised, and more particularly those who are designed to reign with Christ. And, with respect to this, the sentiments of persons are some- "what different, inasmuch as some suppose that none shall be raised, at this time, but those Avho have suffered martyrdom for Christ's sake ; and that this is the meaning of that expres- sion, I satv the souls of them that xvere beheaded for the wit- ness of fesus^ and the word of God^ and they lived and reigned a. thousand years,, Rev. xx. 4. Others suppose, that because many, who have not suffered death for Christ's sake, have, in other respects, passed through an equal number of persecu- tions and reproaches in life, and were ready to suffer martyr- dom, had they been called to it, these are not excluded ; and therefore that all the saints shall be raised from the dead, as the apostle says. The dead in Christ shall rise first,, 1 Thess. iv. 16. that is, a thousand years before the wicked; and that this is intended by what is styled the first resurrection ; they shall rise, not to be received immediately into heaven, but shall be first openly acknowledged, and acquitted by Christ, the Judge of all, and then reign \s\A\ him on earth, throughout the whole period of time. A^thlij,, Others suppose, that, during this thousand years' reign, the public ordinances of God's worship, namely, the preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments, and the present order and discipline of churches, shall entirely cease ; to which they accommodate the sense of some scriptures, to wit, that in which it is suid, concerning the New Jerusalem, that there zvas no te7nple therein that the city had no need of the sun,, nor of the vroon to shine in it,, Rev. xxi. 22, 23. and elsewhere, when the apostle says, that the church, in celebrating the Lord's Supper, was to to shew forth the Lord^s death till he come,, 1 Cor. xi. 26. they suppose that the meaning is, that they were to do this till he shall come to reign on earth, and no longer. Sthly,, There are some who entertain very carnal notions of the saints reigning with Christ, inconsistent with perfect holi- ness ; and speak of pleasures, which they shall then enjoy, that are more agreeable to Mahomet's paradise, than the life of saints, admitted to such privileges, which they suppose them to be partakers of. And some proceed yet farther in their wild and ungrounded fancies, when they think that a small number of the M^icked shall be left in the world, to be, as it were, slaves to them ; all which are inconsistent with the spirituality of Christ's kingdom. Such extremes as these, many, who, have defended Christ's personal reign on earth, have unwarily run into ; among whom there are some ancjent writers, who ha^-tr I Of Christ's kingly oificl^ ^ff led the way to others, who speak of it as the generally receiv- ed opinion of the fathers in the tliree first centuries * ; but these are not much to be ch^jjended on, as to the sense they give of scripture, any more than those who have lived in latter ages, es]jecially in those things which they advance, that seem to be inconsistent with the spirituality of Christ's kingdom: But if this account, which they give of it, appear to be contrary there-' unto, what they farther say concerning it, and others, who im- prove upon their scheme, is much more remote from it, when they speak of the building of Jerusalem, and that being the principal seat of Christ's reign ; and of several things relating to it, which are of such a nature, and contain so great a re- proach on Christ's kingdom, that I forbear to mention them ; and there are very few who will think them consistent with the character of saints. This gave disgust to Augustin, who, at lirst» adhered to this opinion, but afterwards was justly prejudiced against it f. Thus we have given a brief account of the different senti- ments of many, who treat in their writings of Christ's personal reign, of which some are maintained by persons of great worth and judgment, and seem more agreeable to the sense of those scriptures, that are brought to defend them, than others ; these ought to be farther considered, that it may appear whether they • Justin ,MiirtiiV seems to speuk of it not onli/ as ftis o'cini opiniov, bvt as that -which ■was generally held by the orthodox in Ids day, joins the belief hereof -with that of the resurrection uf the dead, and supposes it to be founded on t/ie ■writings of some of the propliets. Vid.Jvstin Martyr Dialog, cum. Try ph. Jvd. page 307. 'E>a eT*, x*/ s/t^k tun opd'jyvivfjicyif icoOa TraDila. Xptneivct, Ktu a-a/ixof «tv*c skt/v ytvyi^idni iTrtinySa., aai ^Mfct «7W fy luxTH-h-HfA. ctnoJ'o/unS^us'M x.ii K-oa-fM^o-n km TrKeLluv^tm, ci frpopurcu ^l^()(lnK,KA^ Ho-^taf, Kitot axw< o/jLcKdyairn. Jlndlrenxus [Vid.advers.JIa,r. Lib. V. cap. 3o.J not only give* into this opinion, but intimates, that it ivas brought into the church before his titm, by one Fapias, cotemporary teith Polycarp, and that he recieved it from those leha tiad it imparted to them by the apostle John : But Eitsebius, Vid. Euseb. Hist. £c- cles. JJb. III. cap. 33.] though he speaks concerning this Papius, an one -loho -uxis intimate •with i'olycarp, not-withstanding represents him as a very -tceak man ; and therefore there is little credit to be given to his account of this mutter, as agreecble to the apostle's sentiments or -writings ; and Irenxus himself in the place before men- tioned, cites a passage out of the same author, -which, he pretends, he received from those that had it from the apostle John, concei-ni7ig a certain time, in nvhich tliere shall be 7'iues, -wliich shall prodtice ten thousand branches, and each of these as many s-maller branches ; and each of these smaller branches have ten thousand t-wigs, and every t-.vig shall bear ten thousand clusters ofgrapts, andcx-ery cluster ten tiiousand grapes ; -which sheivs that the man -was ready to s-w(.l!ow any fable he heard; and, if it -was told him so, to father it upon the apostle, -which discovers ho-iv little credit -ivas to he given to tvhat he says concerning this opinion, especially as he explains it, as transmitted to the church by the apostle John. And TertuHian is aUo mentioned, as giving some occasional hints, -ufuch she-w that he was of this opinion. And Eactan- tius, -who, in his Ciceronian sU/le, describes the happy condition that the church shall bt in, f -without having much regard to those sftiriiual privilrges that it shall enjoy, in -wiiiih sense the predictions of the prophets, conceiiiing it, are principally to be vii- deistoodj takes his plan more t specially from some tlungs that are said concertiifig it, in the SybiHiiie oracles. Vid. Lanctant. de vita beat. JJb. Vlf. cap. 24. ^ Epitom. «^l^ \rul.A:'g.dcCiv.Dei.Lib.XX.cap.7. .572 OF Christ's kingly ofiice. are just or no. As for those, which can hardly be called any other than romantic, and have litde more to support thtm, dian the ungrounded conjecture of those who advance them, and are so far from agreeing with the general scope and design of scrip- ture, that they contain a reflection on the methods of Christ's government, rather than an expedient to advance it ; these car- ry in themselves their own confuta.tion, and nothing farther need be said in opposition to them. Before we proceed to consider how far Christ's reign on earth may be defended, and in what other respects several things, which are asserted, relating to some circumstances, that they suppose, wilt attend it, do not seem to be sufficiently founded on scripture, we shall take leave to premise some things, in ge- neral, relating to the method in which this subject ought to be managed. 1. So far as the scripture plainly gives countenance to this doctrine in general, viz. that the administration of Christ's go- vernment in this lower world, shall be attended with great glo- ry, and shall abundantly tend to tiie advantage of his church, this is a subject of too great importance to be passed over with neglect, as though we had no manner of concern therein, or it were a matter of mere speculation ; for certainly all scripture is written for our learning, and ought to be studied and improv- ed by us, to the glory of God, and our own edification. And as for those texts that speak of Christ's government, as exer- cised in this world, they contain matters in them not only aw- ful and sublime, but our having just ideas thereof, will be a di- rection to our faith, when we pray for the further advancement of Christ's kingdom, as we are bound daily to do. 2. We must take heed that we do not give too great scope to our fancy, by framing imaginary schemes of our own, and then bringing in scripture, not without some violence offered to the sense thereof, to give countenance to them; nor ought we to acquiesce in such a sense of scripture, brought to support this doctrine, as is evidently contrary to other scriptures or t» the nature and spirituality of Christ's government. 3. We must take it for granted, that some of those scriptures, which relate to this matter, are hard to be understood, and therefore a humble modesty becomes us, in treating on this subject, rather than to censure those who differ from us, as though they were departed from tlpt faith, which is founded on the most obvious and plain sense of scripture, especially if they maintain nothing that is derogatory to the glory of Christ; which rule we shall endeavour to observe, in what remains to be considered on this subject. And since most allow that there is a sense, in which Christ's kingdom shall be attended with OF Christ's kingly oi fice. 37L greater circumstances of glory than It is at present, ■vve shall pro- ceed to shew, (1.) How Christ's kingdom shall be advanced, in this lower world, beyond what it is at present, and that in such a way as agrees very well with the sense of several scriptures relating thereunto, without giving into some extremes, which many have done, who have plead for Christ's personal reign on earth, iri such a way, in which it cannot easily be defended. \v'e freely own, as what we think agreeable to scripture, Ist^ That, as Christ has, in all ages, displayed his glory, as King of the Church, as has been before observed; so we have groimd to conclude, from scripture, that the administration of of his government in this world, before his coming to judgment, will be attended with greater magnificence, more visible marks of glory, and various occiuTences of providence, that shall tend to the welfare and happiness of his church, in a greater degree, than has hitherto been beheld, or experienced by it, since it was first planted by the apostles, after his ascension into heaven ; which we think to be the sense in general, of those scriptures, both in the Old and New Testament, which speak of the latter- day glory. Some of the prophets seem to look farther than the first preaching of the gospel, and the glorious display of Christ's government that attended it, which was, in part, an accomplish- ment of some of their predictions relating hereunto, inasmuch as there are some expressions, which they make use of, that seem as yet not to have had their accomplishment : Thus the prophet Isaiah, when he speaks of the glory of the Lord as aris- ing^ and being seen xipon the church, and the Gentries coming to this light, and kings to the brightness thereof. Isa. Ix. 1. ^ ^eq. and many other things to the same purpose, which denote the glorious privileges that the gospel-church should enjoy : Though this, in a spiritual sense, may, in a great measure, be supposed to be already accomplished ; yet there are other things, which he fortels concerning it, which do not yet appear to have had their accomjjlishment : as when he says, that thy gates shall be open continually ; they shall not be shut day nor fiigfit, jir ver. 11. And the same mode of speaking is used, concerning i the New Jerusalem, in Rev. xxi. 25. as denoting the church's i^ being perfectly free from all those afflictive dispensations of ■ providence, which would tend to hindej^ *'e preaching and suc- K cess of the gospel ; and that violence sHiild be no more heard ^L i/i thy land, wasting nor destruction in thy borders, vt-.r. 18. by ^■which he intends the church's perfect freedom from all j)ei secu- l^tlon ; and that the stm shall be no more thy light by dai/, m-ifher for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee ; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God tliij glory, Ver. 18, 19. This is so far from having been vet accomplished, Vol. II. 3 B 374 OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE. that it seems to refer to the same thhig, that is mentioned con- cerning the New Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. 23. and ahnost express- ed in the same words, which, if it be not a metaphorical de- scription of the heavenly state, has a peculiar reference to the latter-dav glory ; and, when the prophet farther adds, that thi^ people shall be all righteous^ as denoting that holiness shall al- most universally obtain in the world, as much as iniquity has abounded in it, this does not appear to have been yet accom- plished. Again, when the prophet Micah speaks of the Mountain of •the Lord^ bemg established in the top of the mountains^ iind ex- alted above the hills^ and that people should flow unto it^ Micah iv. 1. though this, and some other things that he there mentions, may refer to the first preaching of the gospel, and success there- of; yet what he farther adds, that thei/ shall beat their swords into plowshares^ and their spears ifito priming-hooks ; and na- tion shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war aiii^ more ; but they shall sit every man under his vine j and under his fig-tree^ and none shall make them afraid, ver. 3, 4. This prophecy, so far as it may be taken otherwise than in a spiritual sense, seems to imply a greater degree of peace and tranquility than the gospel-church has hitherto enjoyed ; there- fore when he says, that this shall be in the last days, ver. 1. we have reason to conclude, that he does not mean barely the last, or gospel dispensation, which commenced on our Saviour's as- cension into heaven, but the last period thereof, viz. that time which we are now considering. As to the account we ha\'e hereof in the New Testament, es- pecially in many places in the book of the Revelation, that speak of the kingdoms of the world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and of his taking to himself his great fowir and reigning. Rev. xi, 15, 17". and what is spoken con- cerning the thousand years reign, chap. v. 20. whatever be the sense hereof, as to some circumstances of glory that shall attend this administration of the affairs of his kingdom, it certainly has not yet had its accomplishment, and therefore leads us to expect that it shall be attended with greater degrees of glory redounding to himself, which we call the latter-day glory. Idly-, Many privileges will redound to the church hereby j for as Christ is said {q peign on earth, so the saints are repre- sented as reigning wii.n,,him, as they say. Thou hast made us nrito our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Rev. V. 10. and elsewhere, when the apostle speaks of Christ's reigning a thousand years, adds, that they shall reign xvith him. Rev. XX. 6. which cannot be taken in any other sense than for a spiritual reign, agreeable to Christ's kingdom, which is not of this world \ therefore, OF Christ's kingly office. 373 Zdly^ We have, from hence, sufficient ground to conclude, that when these prophecies shall have their accoinplisiiment, the interest of Christ shall be the prevailing interest in the world, which it has never yet been in all respects, so that godliness shall be as much valued and esteemed, as it has been decried, and as universally j and it shall be reckoned as great an hon- our to be a Christian, as it hus, in the most degenerate age of the church, been matter of reproach. And to this we ma)'^ add, that the church shall have a perfect freedom froui persecution in all parts of the world ; and a greater glory shall be put on the ordinances, and more success attend them, than has hither- to been experienced. In sliort there shall be, as it were, an universal spread of religion and holiness to the Lord, through- out the world. 4t/i/t/^ When this glorious dispensation shall commence, we have sufficient ground to conclude, that, the Anti-christian pow- ers having been wholly subdued, the Jews shall be converted. This may be inferred from the order in which this is foretold, in the book of the Revelation, in which the fall and utter ruin of Babylon is predicted, in chap, xviii. And, after this, we read in chap. xix. of the ynarriage of the Lamb being coync ; and lijs wife^ as having- made herself ready ; and others who are styled blessed^ arc called to the marriage-supper^ in ver. 7", 9. This, as an ingenious and learned writer observes*, seems to be a pre- diction of the call of the Jews, and of the saints of the faithful, namely, the gospel church, who were converted before this time, being made partakers of the spiritual privileges of Christ's kingdom, together with them, and so invited to the marriage- supper ; accordingly, by the LamPs wife^ is intended the con- verted Jews, who are considered as espoused to him ; and in- asmuch as their being ignorant ofGod''s righteousness^ and go- ing about to establish a righteousness of their oxvn^ and not sub- mitting themselves to the righteousness of God^ Rom. x. 3. oc- casioned their being rejected ; so, when they are converted, and these new espousals are celebrated, it is particularly observed, that this righteousness shall be thjeir greatest glory, the robe that they shall be adorned with; so that when this bride is said to have made herself ready, it follows, in Rev. xix. 8. To her ■was granted^ that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and •white; for the fine linnen is the righteousness of the saints. This prophecy, being placed immediately before the account of the thousand years'* reign, in chap. xx. gives ground to conclude, that it shall be before it, or an introduction to it. Object. I am sensible there are some who question whether those prophecies, especially such as are found in the Old Tes- • Viil. Mede Comnict. miri. itt Apocal. cc\p. xix. and Dv. More, and otklfs, tyfn ore of the name n^nuion <;» !>> this matter. 3T6 OF Christ's kingly office. lament, that Forettll the conversion of the Jews, had not their full accomplishment in the beginning of ihe gospel-state, when many churches were gathered out of the Jews, and some of the apostles were sent to exercise their ministry in those parts of the world, where the greatest number of them resided, upon which account Peter is called the apostle of the Jews; {or God wrought eff'ectualhj in him to the apostlcship of the circumcision^ Gal. ii. 8. and he, together with James and John, direct their inspired epistles to thein in particular. Ansxv. But to this it may be replied, that there are some scriptures, in the New Testament, relating to this matter, which do not seem, as yet, to have been accomplished, but respect this glorious dispensation, in which there shall be, as it were, an luiiversal conversion of them in the latter day ; particularly what the apostle says. If the casting cnvay of them be the recon- ciling of the rvorldy what shall the receiving of them be^ but life from the dead? Rom. xi. 15. And he adds, I xvoidd not^ bre- thren^ that i/e shoidd be ignorant of this mystery^ that blindjiess in part is happened to Israel^ xintil the fdness of the Gentiles he brought in^ and llien all Israel shall be saved, ver. 25, 26. This seems, as vet, not to have been accomplished ; and as for those scriptures, in the Old Testament, that predict many things in favour of the Jewish nation ; though I will not deny that many of them had their accomplishment, either in their return from the Babylonish capti\ity, or in those that were converted in the beginning of the gospel-dispensation, yet I cannot think that they all had ; for the prophet Hosea seems to foretell some things that are yet to come, when he speaks of them, as being 7nani/ days without a king, without a prince, without a sacri- fice, and u'ithout an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim, Hos. iii. 4. which seems to point at the condition in which they now are ; and he adds, in the following words, Af- terwards the children of Israel shall seek the Lord their Gody and David their ii//^, to wit, Christ, a7id shall fear the Lord and his goodness iti the latter days ; which seems to intend their conversion, which is yet expected. Thus far our faith, as to this matter, may be said to be built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets : but, if we pre- tend to determine the wa)', and manner in which this shall be done, we must have recourse to uncertain conjectures, instead of solid arguments. That learned writer whom I have before mentioned,* gives his opinion about it, which I will not pre- tend to disprove, though, indeed the ingenuit)^ thereof is more to be valued than its convincing evidence. He supposes it shall be somewhat like the conversion of the apostle Paul, by Christ's appearing with a glorious light on earth, and then retiring to ^ SceMedes Worlds, Book IV. Epkt. 17. JPfl^e 938-^9 iO. OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICi:. 3^7 •heaven again : but the accommodathig one particular circum- stance of providence, (in which Christ seems to have another end to answer, namely, that Paul might be qualified for the apostlcship by this extraordinary sight of him) to this matter, as an argument of the Jews being converted in such a manner, proves nothing at all ; therefore the best way is to leave this among the secrets which belong not to us to enquire after.* Thus concerning the conversion of the Jews, as what is ex- pected to go immediately before those glorious times that we are speaking of. And to this we may add, Sthlij^ That there shall be a greater spread of the gospel through the dark parts of the earth ; and so that scripture, ^vhich was but now referred to, concerning the Ge^itiles coining to the light of this glorious morning, or the forces of the Geji- tiles coming unto the church, Isa. Ix. 3, 5. shall have a fuller accomplishment than hitherto it has had ; as also another scrip- ture in which the prophet says, that the earth shall be full of the knorvledge of the Lovely as the waters cover the sea^ ch. xi. 9« We will not deny but that this had, in part, an accomj^lishment, ^v•hen the gospel Avas first preached by the apostles ; and, in- deed, the prophet intimates, that these things shall come to pass when a rod shall come out of the stem of jesse^ ver. 1. that is, after Clirist's incarnation, who was of the seed of Da- vid, according to the flesh. Therefore I cannot but think that those words. In that daij^ which we often meet with in scrip- ture, ver. 10, 11. signify the whole gospel-dispensation, from the beginning thereof to its consummation, in Christ's coming • Ab for the story that J\[e(k relates, to give countenance to tliis opinion, con- cerning Christ's appearing, in a glorious maimer, upon the Jews demanding such an extraordinary event, (after a public disputation, held three days, Oetiveen Gre- gentiits, an Arabian Bishop, and Herbanus, a Jeio, a midtittide of spectators being present, both Jews and Christians) and signifying that he ivas the same Person that their fathers had cnicif.ed ; and their being Jirst sti'i/ch blind, as Paul ivas, uiul theii like /urn, converted and baptized, there are several things, in this account, that seem fabulous and increihble ; though it is 7wt improbable that there ~,vas a disputation held bet-.veen Gregenlius and the Jews, about tlie truth of the Christian religion, tibout the year of our Lord 470 / or, as others suppose', 570 ■■ yet it is much to be ques- tioned, 'vhether the account we have of it be not spurious, ivritten, by one who calls himself by that name, in Greek, about three or four hundred years since ; aiid espe- cially, because so eu'traordiiiary a miracle, wrought in an age when miracles had, for so c'lsiderable a time, ceased, is not taken notice of by other writers, of more repu- tation in the age in which it is ioid to be wrought, especially since it would have been one of the most extraordinary fjroofs of the Christian religion that have been giveti ■'inct our Saviour's time. And it is very strange, that, as the result hereof, ive mil- lions and a hrjfof the Jews should be converted at once, by thin miracle, and yet this thing be passed over in silence by other wiiters ; and it is very much to he questioned whether there were such a multitude of Jews gathered together iit one kintrdori, and indt^d,whc!hcr that kingdom consisted if such a number of people ; arid, if there were to many Jtws, we must suppose that there was an eqi/id nvmber of ClvuUiaus present ; bu: that so many should be present at one disputation, srems incredible to a v,v-y great degree. I'id. Gregen. disputat. cum Ilerban.ful. 192, & 200 & Cave. J/ts(. lit. Tom. J. page J6 j. 378 OF Christ's kingly office. to judgment; and then we may look for some things, which the prophet here foretells, as what should come to pass in one part thereof, and other things in another. And as to what re- spects the knowledge of Christ being so extensive, as that it is said to cover the earth ; or Christ's being elsewhere said to be a iig-ht to the Gentiles^ though it denote the first success of the gospel in the conversion of the Gentiles, it does not argue, that such-like texts shall not have a farther accomplishment when those other things shall come to pass, which the prophet men- tions in the foregoing verses, under the metaphor of the xuolf dwelling with the lamb, he. and other things, which relate to a more peaceable state of the church, than it has hitherto expe- rienced. And it seems sufficiently evident, that, Avhen this hap- py time shall come, the interest of Christ shall be the prevail- ing interest in the world, and the glory of his kingdom shaH be more eminently displayed, than, at present, it is. In these respects, we are far from denying the reign of Christ in this lower world, for we think it plainly contained in scripture ; nevertheless, (2.) There are several things in their scheme, which we do not think sufficiently founded in scripture. As, First, We cannot see sufficient reason to conclude that Christ shall appear visibly, or, as they call it, personally, \\x his human nature, on earth, when he is said eminently to reign therein. If they intended nothing else by Christ's appearing visibh^, or personally, but his farther evincing his Mediatorial glory, in the effects of his power and grace, which his church shall experience, as it does now, though in a less degree ; or if they should say, that some greater circumstances of glory will then attend it, this would not be, in the least, denied : but more than this we cannot allow of, for the following reasons : 1st, Because the presence of Christ's huraaa nature, here on earth, would not contribute so much to the church's spiritual edification and happiness, as his presence, by the powerful in- fluence of his Holy Spirit, would do. This is sufficiently evi- dent ; for when he dwelt on earth, immediately after his incar- nation, his ministry was not attended with that success that might have been expected; which gave him occasion to com- plain, as the prophet represents him speaking to this purpose, / have laboured 171 vain, 1 have spent my strength for nought^ Israel is not gathered ; and, upon this, he is, as it were, com- forted with the thought, that, notwithstanding, he should be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, that is, accepted of, and after- wards glorified by him, and that he should be given for a light to the Gentiles, Isa. xlix. 4 — 6. that is, that the gospel should be preached to all nations, and that then greater success should attend it. Now this is owing to Christ's presence l>y his Spi- OF Christ's kingly office. 379 rtt ; therefore, if that be poured forth in a more plentiful degree on his church it will contribute more to the increase of its graces, and spiritual comforts, than his presence, in his luiman nature, could do without it ; and therefore it cannot be argued, that Christ's presence, in such a way, is absolutely necessary to the flourishing state of the church, to that degree, in which it is expected in the latter da}'. It is true, the presence of his human nature here on earth was absolutely necessary, for the impetration of redemption, or purchasing his people to himself by his death ; but his presence in heaven, appearing as an Ad- vocate for them, and, as the result thereof, sending down his Spirit, to work all grace in their souls, is, in its kind, also ne- cessary. This our Saviour intimates to his disciples, imme- diately before his ascension into heaven, when he says. It is expedient for you that I go axuay ; for if I go not axvay^ the Comforter xvill not come^ John xvi. 7. and, if there be some pe- culiar advantages redounding to the church, from Christ's con- tinuance in heaven, as well as his ascending up into it, it is not reasonable to suppose that the church's happiness, as to their spiritual concerns, should arise so much from his coming from thence into this lower world, as it does from those continued powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, which are said to de- pend upon, and be the consequence of his sitting at the right hand of God in heaven. 2^/ is such as shall be after the final judgment, and ronscquently* it is u description of the glorious state of Christ's kingdom in heaven, rather than here on earth. Thus having considered what we think to be the general de- sign of tiiose scripture?, which speak of Clirist's reigning in or over the earth, and of the happy state of the church at that time ; and, on the other hand, endeavoured to prove, that seve- ral additional circumstances, which, some suppose, will attend it, are nofi sufficiently founded on scripture, and, in some re- spects, seem inconsistent with the spirituality of Christ's king- dom, and, with the ground we have to expect, that the present mode of administration, and the laws and ordinances thereof, shall continue as long as the world endures : v/e shall now con- sider the sense they give of some scriptures, on which the main stress of their argument depends, together with the in- conclusiveness of their way of reasoning from them, and also in what sense we apprehend those scriptures are to be under- stood. 1. As to what concerns the Jlrst resurrecfio7i, which thev found on that scripture in Rev. xx. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath a part in the Jirst resurrection^ on such the second death shall have no poxcer^ but they shall be priests of God^ and of Christy and shall reig-n with him a thousand years : a learned and judicious writer * supposes, that the first resurrection shall be only of the martyrs, and that it is to be taken in a literal sense, and that this shall open the scene of Christ's thousand years' reign, and that the second resurrection shall be at the close thereof, in which the whole Avorld shall be raised from the dead, and then follows the final judgment : but he differs from many of the ancient and modern Chiliasts, in that he says, he dares not so much as imagine that Christ shall visiblv con- verse with men on earth ; for his kingdom ever hath been, and shall be, a kingdom, which is of such a natui-e, that his throne and kingly residence is in heaven ; and though the deceased martyrs shall re-assume their bodies, and reign, yet it shall be in heaven ; whereas the saints, who shall be then living, and have not worshipped the beast, nor his image, nor received his mark, these shall reign on earth ; for he supposes, that scrip*- ture, that relates to this matter, to contain a vision of two dis- tinct things, namely, one respecting those that were beheaded for the witness of jfesus^ and these lived and reigned with Christ, but not on earth ; the other respecting those, who, though they had not suffered, had not 7vorshipped the beast nor his image. These also reigned during this thousand years, not in heaven, but on earth. These are considered, as in their way to heaven ; the other, as received into the heavenly country, as • Vid. Mede de Resurrec. prim. Lib. Ul. /'age ZlU, 749, 75Q. oS-i Of Christ's kingly office. a peculiar prerogative conferred upon them, as the reward of their martyrdom ; and this first resurrection he supposes to be against no article of faith, but may be as well defended, in the literal sense thereof, as the resurrection we read of in Matt. xxvii. 52, 53'> in which it is said, tliat the graves rucre opened, and inajiij bodies of the saints!^ tvh'ich slept, arose ^ arid came out of their graves, after Christ'' s resurrection ; and, with a becom- hig modesty, he cites Augustin's words to this purpose,* that if nothing more were intended hereby, but that the delights of this kingdom were spiritual, the opinion would be tolerable, and that that father was once of that judgment. Thus he says as much as can be said in defence of this opinion ; and nothing- is wanting to support his argument, but sufficient evidence, that the text must necessarily be taken in a literal sense. But v/hen others proceed much farther, and conclude that Christ shall appear visibly on earth, and that the design of the first resurrection is, diat they, who shall be raised from the dead, should live here on earth; this we see far less reason to conclude to be the sense of those words, and accordingly shall take leave to consider what may be said in opposition to it. Therefore, if they shall be raised, their bodies must either be con-uptible and mortal, or incorruptible and immortal ; to suppose that they shall be raised corruptible and mortal, and consequently liable to the other infirmities of life, is to suppose their resurrection to be of the same kind with that of Lazarus, and others that were raised by our Saviour : but this is so dis- agreeable to the character of saints, raised from the dead to reign with Christ, that it is not generally asserted by those who treat on this subject. Therefore they must be raised incorrup- tible and immortal ; and, if so, it will follow from hence, that this world will not be a place fit for their abode ; for they shall be raised Vvith celestial bodies, and so fitted to inhabit the hea- venly mansions ; neither will those accommodations, which this earth affords, the food it produces, or those other conve- niences which we enjoy therein, by the blessing of providence^ be agreeable to persons who are raised up in a state of perfec- tion, as they must be supposed to be, or, as the apostle styles- it, raised in glory. And, since they are appointed to live and converse with men in this lower world, I cannot see how there can be any conversation between them and others, v/ho continue to live in this Avorld, not, like them raised from the dead, but retaining their present mortal frame. If their vile bodies, as the apostle speaks concerning the bodies of the saints, when raised from the dead, shall be fashioned like tmto Christ^s glorious bo- dy, Phil. iii. 12. how can weak frail creatures intimately con- verse with them ? And if it be said, that they shall not be rais- * Vid. Auff. dc civ. Dei, Lib. xx. cap. 7. OF Christ's kingly office. 385 eJ with such a glory, but that this shall be deferred till they are translated to heaven, as was true with respect to our Sa- viour's human nature, after his resurrection ; th©«gh this be possible, yet it seems not agreeable to the account we have of the circumstances jf glory, with which the saints shall be raised from the dead. But that which seems to make this opinion more improbable, is, that it is inconsistent with that state of blessedness, into which they have been once admitted, namely, in their souis, wherein they have been in the immediate vision and fruition of God ; as travellers arrived to their journey's end, and wanting nothing to complete their blessedness but their resurrection ; and, now they are supposed to be raised from the dead ; yet theh- blessedness is diminished, by their being appointed to live in this lower world, and, as we may say to leave that better countrv, in which they have been, to re-assume the character and condition of pilgrims and sojourners upon earth. To this it will be objected, that we may as reasonably sup- pose, that these saints shall be raised in circumstances, fit to converse with the rest of the world, as any that have been rai- sed from the dead have formerly been. I cannot deny but that this is possible ; but yet it does not seem probable, inasmuch as they shall not be raised from the dead for the same end and design that others have been, that the power of God might be illustrated, or some contested truth confirmed b}- this miracle ; but that some special honour, or privilege, might be conferred on them, as the rcAvard of their former sufferings : but this is disagreeable to their being raised in such a state, as that their happiness is thereby diminished. Moreover, what valuable end is answered by this their change of condition, which might in some measure tend to justify the assertion? Must they live here, that they might perform an extraordinary ministry, to promote the edification of their mor- tal brethren, whom they found living upon earth ? This was not absolutely necessary, for God has appointed other ways for the edification of his church ; and, if he did not think fit, be- fore, to send down ministers, to preach the gospel, from hea- ven, to them, but ordained the common method of preaching it by others, less qualified for this work, who are subject to like infirmities with those to whom they preach, why should we iuippose such an alteration in the method of divine providence on this particular occasion ? And if we suppose that they shall continue on earth till Christ's appearing to judgment, then it must be argued, that they were sent here not only to be helpers of the faith of others, •who live therein, but to be exposed, in common with them, to a seconijj warfare upon earth : not, indeed, with flesh and blood, 381) OE CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE. but with those who are represented in the same chapter, in which the first resurrection, and thousand years' reign, are men- tioned, zs.compassing- the caiup of the saints aboiit^ and the be- loved city ; and therefore they are called back from a triumphant Ui a militant state. If it be said, that the}^ shall be admitted into heaven before this battle begins, that can hardly be supposed ; for if God send them to be companions with his mortal saints, in their pros- perous state, will he call them away Avhen the time of their greatest danger approaches, in which their presence might be of the greatest service to their brethren, v/ho are left to strug- gle with these difficulties ? Thei-efore, upon the whole, we can- not suppose that any shall, in a literal sense, be raised from tiie dead, till this glorious, though spiritual reign of Christ shall be at an end, and the day of judgment draws nigh, which is agreeable to the general scope of all those scriptures, which speak of the resurrection and iinal judgment. Object. But to this it will be objected, that the scripture else- where intimates, that there shall be two resurrections ; for the apostle says, in 1 Thes. iv. 16. th^t the dead in Christ fdiall riae first ; therefore why may not this resurrection be understood in the same sense with that mentioned in Rev. xx. vrhich has been before considered ? Ansxv. We do not deny but that this resurrection, which the apostle speaks of, must be taken in a literal sense ; but let it be observed, that he does not here mention any thing of the thousand years' reign, but of the day of judgment, when Christ shall descend from heaven xvith a shout^ and with the voice of the arch-ungel^ with which the glory of that day shall begin, and then the dead shall be raised, in which the saints and faith- ful shall have the pre-eminence ', they shall rise first, that is, before others, mentioned in the following verse, that are a/ive^ Tvho shall be caught up with them in the clouds. And this shall also be done, before the wicked shall be raised, to the end that, when Christ appears, they^ as it is said elsewhere, may appear xvith him in glory ; and that they may bear a part in the solem- nity of that day, and be happy in his pr>.^sence ; v.hen others are raised to shame and everlasting contempt, and filled with the utmost confusion and distress. Moreover, this first resurrection of those that died in Christ, is not particularly applied to them that suffered martyrdom for him, much less is there any account of its being a thousand years before the general resurrection ; therefore it may very well be understood of a resurrection a very short time before it, and consequently gives no countenance to the opinion, which has been before considered, concerning this resurrection, as go- ing before the reign of Christ on earth. OP Christ's kimgly officp. 387 2'i There is another scripture brought in defence of another part of their scheme, taken tVom the apostle's words, in Rom. viii. 21 — 23. where he speaks ot" the creaturen'' present bondage^ and Jature deliverance, and their xvcdting for the adoption^ to ivit, the redemption of their bodies^ which, they suppose, will have its acconiniishir.ent, when this reign of Christ begins : but I cannot think that the apostle, in that scripture, intends any- thing else, but that the whole creation is liable at present, to the curse, consequent upon man's fall; and. that the deliverance he speaks of, shall be at the general resurrection, when the saints shall be raised immortal and incorruptible, which is what they now wait and hope for. Thus we have considered the sense that is given of some scriptures, by those who understand the reign of Christ on earth, as attended with various circumstances, which we cannot rea- dily allow of; and shewed, that some of those texts, which are usuallv brought to support that particular scheme, have refer- ence to the return of the Jev. s from captivity,* and others, that predict their building of Jerusalem, and the temple there, Jer. xxix. 5. isa. xliv. 28. and the setting up their civil and reli- gious policy, had their accomplishment after their return from the Babylonish captivity ; anr I that those, which seem to look farther, and respect some privileges v/hich they shall enjoy in ihe last days, will be fulfilled, when they arc converted to Christianity, and partakers of many spiritual privileges, in com- mon with the gospel-church ; therefore I need oniy^ mention tv.'o scriptures more, which we understisnd in a sense very different from what some do, who treat of Christ's reign on earth. As, Ist^ That in which we have an account of the general con- flagration, w^iich, as was before observed, some ir:\\\ who give too great scope to their w^it and fancy, beyond all the bounds of modesty, and without considering those absurdities that will follow from it, have maintained that it shall be immediately before Christ's reign on earth begins : the scripture diey bring for that purpose, is that in 2 Pet. iii. 10, 13. in w-hich the apos- tle says, that the heavens shall pass azvau with a great noise^ and the elements shall melt xvith fervent heat ; the earth also, and the xvorks that are therein, shall be bur)it up. Nevertheless 7ve, according to his promise, look for nexv heavens, and a new earth, xuherein dxvelleth righteousness. This scripture, it must be confessed, is hard to be understood. We are far from think- ing, as some do, that it is only a metaphorical description of some remarkable providences, tending to the ruin of Christ's enemies, and the advantage of his people ; certainly the words are to be taken in a literal sense ; for the apostle had been ' .Vce Ezek, xxxvii. 21. mdJcr. ixxvii. 7—13. & aUl>i pasai/ri. o8& ' OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE. speaking, in the foregoing verses, of the old worl^, which, 6<.-z. ing overjioxvn tvith xvater^ perished ; which is, without doubt,,. to be taken in a literal sense. And noAV' he speaks, as some call it, of a second deluge, which shall be not by water, but by fire,* in which the heavens and the earth shall pass aivay^ or be dissolved^ that is, changed, as to the form thereof, though not annihilated. By the heavens and the earthy the learned Medie well understands that part of the frame of nature, that was subjected to the curse, or that is inhabited by Christ's enemies, and includes in it the earth, water, and air, but not the heaven- ly bodies, which are not only at a vast distance from it, but it is little more than a point, if compared to them for magnitude* And he also (notwithstanding some peculiarities held by him, as before mentioned, relating to the Millennium) justly ob- serves, that this conflagration shall not be till the end of the world, and consequently it shall be immediately before the day of judgment; and, indeed, the apostle intimates as much, when he speaks of this awful providence, as reserved to the day of judgment^ and perdition ofungodhj men^ in ver. 7. The main difficulty to be accounted for, is, what is meant by these new heavens^ and a new earthy wherein dwelleth righteousness^ which are appointed as an habitation for the righteous. Concerning which, if I may be allowed to give my sense thereof, with that humility and modesty that the difficulty of the subject calls for, I cannot think that there is any absurdity, if we suppose, that, by these new heavens andjieiv earthy the apostle means, that the form of them shall be so changed, as that they shall be an apartment of heaven, in which, together M'ith those other parts of the frame of nature, which are designed to be the seat of the blessed, the saints shall dwell and reign with Christ for ever. 2(//y, We shall now consider the sense that may be given of that scripture, in Rev. xx. and more especially what we read therein, concerning the first resurrection^ in wOiich the martyrs are said to live^ Avhen this tliousand years' reign begins, and the rest of the dead not to five, till these thousand years be finished^ in ver. 4, 5. on which the stress of tl:-; whole controversy prin- cipally depends. I cannot but adhere to their opinion, who think that these words are to be taken in a metaphorical sense ; and then they, who were beheaded for the ivitness ofjesus^ viz. the martyrs, shall live when Chi'ist's spiritual reign begins, that is, the caiise, for which they suffered martyrdom, shall be re- vived : this is supposed to have been in a languishing and dy- ing condition, during the reign of Anti-christ, and towards the close thereof, to be at the lowest ebb, and, as it were, dead ; I • So Jrenaus styles it, Mv. Hxr. Lib. V. cap. 29. Diluvium snpcnenie* ^ OF Christ's kingly office. 398 say, this shall be revived, these martyrs shall, as it were, live again, not in their own persons, but in their successors, who espouse the sanae cause. Before this, the enemies of Christ, and his gospel, persecuted and trampled on his cause, insulted the memory of those that had suffered for it ; but afterwards, when it is said, Babylon in fallen^ is fallen^ then Christ's cause revives, and that which was victorious over it dies, and shall not rise again, or be in any capacity to give disturbance to the church, till the thousand years are finished, and Satan is loosed again otit of prison, to give life and spirit to it; and then we read of a new war begun, a fresh batlle fought, the nations de- ceived^ the camp of the saints compassed about ; and this will continue till Christ shall come, and put an end to it at the day of judgment, when the devil shall be cact into the lake ofjire and brimstone. In this sense some, not v/ithout ground, under- stand the account which is. given of the slaying and risitig- of the 7'jiincsses^ Rev. xi. T, 11. as signifying that the gospel, which before had been persecuted, and the preaching thereof prohibited, shall then prevail without restraint. The rvitnesses^ death^ denotes their being silenced ; their risi)ig and standing upon their feet^ their having liberty again to preach. And there- fora why may we not understand the resurrection, in the chap- ter we are nov.' considering, as taken in the same sense ? And this agrees very well with the sense of ver. 6. in which it is said, concerning them, who have apart in the first resurrection^ that is, the saints, who live and reign with Christ, 07i such this second death hath no power ^ that is, whatever the enemies of the church may attempt against them, after this thousand years reign, shall be to no purpose; for they shall not prevail, their cause shall never die again. Or, if it be applied to their per- sons, the ii'ieaning is, that they shall not die eternally. Eternal death is a punishment to be inflicted on their enemies, who shall be cast into the lake offire^ which is expressly called the second death^ in ver. 14. But these, as it is said, in Rev. ii. 11. shall not be hurt of it^ i. e. not exposed to it ; but, as they have lived with Christ, in a spiritual sense, on earth, so they shall live with him for ever in heaven. We are, in givmg this sense of the text, under a kind of ne- cessity to recede from the literal sense thereof, because we cannot altogether reconcile that to the analog)- of faith. And it will not seem strange to any, who consider the mvstical or allegorical style in which this book of the Revelation is writ- ten, that this text should be understood in the same sense : However, that this sense may be farther justified, let it be con- sidered, that it is not disagreeable to what we find in many other scriptures, that speak of the church's deliverance from its troubles, under the metaphor of a resurrection ; and of the Vol. n. 3 1? 590 «p Christ's kingly ottici^ destruction of its enemies, under the metaphor of death. Thus the Babyionish captivity, and Israel's deliverance from it, is described, in PLzek. xxxvii, 1 — 12. The former by a metaphor taken from a valley full of dry bones ; the latter by another ta- ken from their being raised out of their graves^ living- and standing- on their feet an exceeding- great army. And, in Ezra ix. 9. we read of God's extending mercy to them, who were before bond-men, and not forsaking them in their bondage, giving them an opportunity to set up the temple and worship ol God; this is called, ^iui/;^ them a reviving; and the pro- phet, speaking concerning the captivity, in Lam. iii. 6. says. He has set me in dark places^ as they that be dead of old ; and the prophet Isaiah speaks concerning their return from capti- vity, as a resurrection from the dead, Thy dead men shall live^ together with my dead body shall they arise; axvakc^ and sing ye that dwell in the dust^ Isa. xxvi. 19. Many other scriptures might be cited, out of the writings of the prophets, to justify this metaphor: ciil sense of the words, deaths and resurrection and also some out of the New Testa- ment, of which I need only refer to one, which has a particular respect to the subject under our present consideration, when the apostle says, that the receiving of them ^ to wit, of the church of the Jews, when converted, shall be as life from the dead^ Rom. xi. 15. therefore the scripture gives countenance to ite being called a resurrection. On the other hand, M'e might refer to some scriptures that speak of the ruin of the churclv s enemies, under the metaphor of a state of death : thus, in Isa. xxvi. 14. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased^ they shall not rise ; therefore hast thou visited aiid destroyed ther.i, and made all their memo- ry to perish ; and, in chap. xiv. he describes the utter destruc- tion of the Chaldeans, the church's enemies, by whom they had been carried captive, in a veiy beautiful manner, and carries on the metaphor, taken from persons departed out of this world, in. ver. 9, 10, II. and says, in particular, concerning the king of Babvlon, Thy pomp is brought dorvn to the grave, the noise cf thy viols; the worm is spread under thee, and the ruorms cover thee; which signifies the political death of that empire, and the utter inability which followed upon this, of their giv- ing distm-bance to the church of God, as they had formerly done. These, and many other scriptures of the like nature, may, in some measure, justify the sense we have given of the ficrlplure before mentioned, relating to the death and resurrec- tion of Christ's cause, for which his martyrs suffered, and the death of the Anti-christian cause, which ensued thereupon. Thus concerning Christ's reign on earth, and what may be probably supposed to be the sense of those scriptures that are brought ia defence thereof. ^Ve h:ive not entered into the par- OF Christ's kingly office* >3©l ticulaf consideration of what is said concerning the time, or the number of years, which this glorious dispeiisation shall con- tinue. We read, indeed, of Christ's reig-Jihisr a thoxisand ijearSy bv which we are not to understiuid the eternal exercise of hia government; for it is said not only to be on earthy but this pe- riod is also considered, as what shall have an end : which that excellent Father, whom I before mentionea, did not duly con- sider, when he reckoned this as a probable sense of this thou- sand years, and produces diat scripture to justify his s- nse of the words, in which it is said, that God has remembered his covenant for ever, the xvord which he comynanded to a thousand generatio7is, Psal. cv. 8. by which we ai-e to understand, that God will establish his covenant with his people, and make good the promises thereof throughout ail the ages of eternity. This, indeed, sufficiently proves that a thousand years might be taken for eternity, agreeably to the sense of scripture ; but it is plain, from the context, that it is not to be so taken here, in Rev. xx. As for the other sense he gives of this thousand years y* namely, that they might be understood as containing a great but indeterminate number of years, in the latter part of the last thousand which the world shall continue, so that, by a figura- tive way of speaking, a part of a thousand years may be called a thousand years ; f this I will not pretend to argue against, nor to say that those divines are in the wrong, who suppose that a thousand years is put for a great number of years, and that it does not belong to us to say how many ; I say, whether we are to acquiesce in this, or in the literal sense of the words, I ■will not determine ; only we must conclude, as we have scrip- ture ground for it, that they shall end a little before Christ's coming to judgment; during which short interval ic is said, Satan will be loosed a little seasoti, and make some fresh eftbrts against the church, till he, and those that are spirited and ex- cited by him, to give disturbance to it, perish in the attempt, and are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. This is all that I shall say concerning the time appointed for this glorious reign, cur principal design being to speak concerning the advantages that the church shall enjoy under it. We have endeavoured to avoid two extremes, namely, that of those who do not put a just difference between it and the • rid. Jlvs- de Civ. Dn. Lib. XX. cap. 7. f Tlds is very agreeaMe to the scripture -mode of speaking ,- votJdiig is more com- mon thanfor the cardinal number to be put fjr the ordinal; and so the meanivi^ is, that tliis reign shall continue to the thousandth year ^ or till the last li}{}0 years uftlie ■world shall have an end, what part soever of his 1000 t/ears it began in. 'I'hvs God tells Jbrnham, in Gen. xv. 13. that liis seed sliall be a stvangtr in it land lli;:t is not theirs, to wit, Egiipt, and shall serve ti)em, and they shall afflict tlicni 400 years ; xuhereas it is certain that his seed were not above 215 years in Egypt, and they -oere not slaves, or afflicted there 100 years; therefore the meaning is, q. d. that they shall ajlict thtm till 400 years are expired, fro-tn this time. 392 QF Christ's KINGLY office. heavenly state j as also another extreme, -which wc have not yet mentioned, which several modern writers have giv€n into, who suppose, that this thousand years' reign is long since past, and that the binding of Satan therein consisted only in some de- grees of restraint laid on him, and that the reign itself contain* ed in it only some advantages, comparatively small, that the church enjoyed at that time, and that the thousand years' reign began in Constantinc's time, v.hen the empire became Chris- tian, about the year of our Lord 300, and that they ended about the year 1300, when the church met with some new dif- ficulties from the eastern parts of the world, which they sup- pose to be intended by Gog and Magog. =>'• But we cannot see sufficient reason to adhere to this opinion, because the state of the church, when Satan is said to be bound a thousand years, is represented as attended with a gre^ .ter degree of spiritual glory, holiness, purity of doctrine, and many other blessings attending the preaching the gospel, than we are given to un- derstand by any history that it has yet enjoyed. As to what concerns the general method, in which we have insisted on this subject, I hope v/e have not maintained any thing that is derogatory to the glory of Christ's kingdom, nor what has a tendencv -;o detract, from the real advantage of the saints. Do they, on the other side of the question, speak of his reigning ? so clo v/e. They, indeed, consider him as reigning in his human nature, and conversing therein with his saints ; which opinion we cannot give into, for reasons before men- tioned : but it is not inconsistent with the glory of Christ to assert, as we have done, that he shall reign spiritually ; and the consequence hereof shall be, not the external pomp and gran- deur of his subjects, but their being adorned with purity and universal holiness, and enjoying as much peace, as they have reason to expect in any condition short of heaven. Moreover, we have not advanced any thing that has a tendency to detract from the spiritual blessings aiid advantages of Christ*s king- dom, which the saints shall enjoy in this happy period of time. If, notwithstanding all this, it be said, that there are some ad- vantages which the contrary scheme of doctrine supposes that the saints shall enjoy on earth, beyond what we think they have ground to expect from scripture ; nevertheless, their not enjoy- ing them here will be fully compensated with a greater degree of glory, which they shall have when they reign with Christ in heaven ; which leads us to consider. The eternity of Christ's mediatorial kingdom ; concerning which it is said, lie shall reign over the house of Jacob for every and of his kingdom there shall be no end, Luke i. Z3. As he is described, by the apostle, as a Priest for ever^ Heb. v. 6. and * .S'.-r .Ynfi/er on th^ tievdatiov, prop. 33, 34. pa?ef>l, 6?. OF Christ's kingly office. 393 as ever Uviii^ to make intercession for those that cotne unto God by hiniy chap. vii. 25. so he shall exercise his kingly office for ever; not. according to the present method of the administra- tion thereof, but in a way adapted to that glorifitMl state, in which his subjects shall be, in another wcild. There is, indeed, a scripture that seems to assert the con- trary, which the Socinians give a very perverse sense of, as though it were inconsistent with his proper deity ; and accord- ingly thej^ suppose, that, as he was constituted a divine Person, or had the honour of a God, or king, conferred on him, when he ascended into heaven, as the reward of the faithful discharge of his ministry on earth ; so this was designed to continue no longer than to the end of the world, when he is to be set on a level with other inhabitants of heaven, and be subject to the Father^ when God shall be all hi all. This they suppose to be the meaning of the Apostle's words, in 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25, 28. Then cometh the cnd^ xuhen he shall have delivered tip the king- dom to God^ even the Father ; when he shall have put down all rule^ and all authority and power., for Ite must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet ; and xvhen all things shall be sub- dued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject imto him., that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. It must be acknowledged, that this is one of those things, in Paul's epistles, that are hard to be understood ; but I humbly conceive that we may give a sense of it, very remote from that but now mentioned, which is subversive of his Godhead, and of the cteraity of his kingdom. Therefore, for the understanding thereof, let it be considered, (1.) That when the apostle speaks of the end coming when he shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father ; by the kingdom we may, without the least strain on the sense of the text, un- derstand his material kingdom, or the subjects of his kingdom, which is very agreeable to that sense of ihfe word, both in scrip- ture and in common modes of speaking; as wiien we call the inhabitants oi a city, the city ; so we call the subjects of a king- dom, the kingdom : taking the words in this sense, we must suppose, that the subjects of Christ's kingdom are his trust and charge, and that he is to deliver them up to the Father at last, as persons whom he has governed in such a way, as that the great ends of his exercising his kingly office, have been fully answered, as to what concerns his government in this lower world. This is no improbable sense of Christ's delivering up the kingdom to the Father. But it may also be taken in another sense, to wit, for the form of Christ's kingdom, or the present mode of government, exercised towards those who are in an imperfect state : this shall be delivered up., that is, he shall cease to govern his peo- S94 OF CHRIST'S KINGLY OFFICE. pie in such a way as he now does ; but it doth not follow, frona hence, that he shall not continue to govern them, in a way adapted to the heavenly state. And when it is said, that he shall put donm all rule and all authority and powcr^ the meaning is, that all civil and eccle- siastical government, as it is now exercised in the world, or the church, shall be put down, as useless, or disagreeable to the. heavenly state, but it does not follow, from hence, that he shall lay aside his own authority and power. (2.) When it is said, in ver. 25. that he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet^ it does not imply that he shall not reign afterwards, but that he shall not cease to reign till then, which is the sense of that parallel scripture, in which it is said. Sit thou at my right-hand^ until I make thine enemies thy footstool^ Psal. ex. 1. which does not denote that he shall, after his enemies are made his footstool, sit no longer at God's right hand, as advanced there to the highest honour. It is very evident, from several scriptures, as well as our common mode of speaking, that the word Until does not always signify the cessation of what is said to be done before, but only the con- tinuance thereof till that time, as well as afterwards : thus it is said. Our eyes -wait upon thd Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us, Psal. cxxiii. 2. by which we are not to under- stand, that, when God extends mercy, the eyes of his people cease to wait upon him, but we will not leave off waiting upon him, until we have received the mercies we hope for; and, af- ter that, we will continue to wait for those mercies that we shall farther stand in need of; and elsewhere Job says, Until I die^ Ixvill not remove mine integrity from me ; mine heart shall not reproach me, as long as I live. Job xxvii. 5 — 7. This does not imply that he would retain his integrity no longer than he lived. If the word Until be frequently used in this sense, then there is no ground to suppose, that when it is said Christ shall reign zintil he has put all his enemies under his feet, that it denotes that he shall not reign to eternity, nor any longer than till all things be subdued unto him : but, indeed, it rather argues, that he shall reign for ever, than that he shall cease to reign ; for when all enemies are removed out of the wav, and his right to govern is no longer contested by them, shall he then cease to exercise that sovereign dominion which he has over all things ? (3.) Since the main difficulty, and the greatest stress of the argument brought against the eternity of Christ's kingdom, is what the apostle farther adds, in ver. 28. of this chapter, that ivhen all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him^ that God may be all in all. It is said, indeed, that the Son shall be subject to the Father, viz. as man ; but can any one suppose that the Son is not now sub- or CHRIST^S KINGLY OFFl'CE. 3'95 ject to the Father ? And when it is farther added, God shall be all in ail, is it to be supposed that he is not now so i If this be far from being the true meaning of these words, then the sense they give thereof is not just, but we are to understand them thus, that in the end, when all the ends of Christ's ad- ministering his mediatorial government in this lower world are answered, and the present form or method of administration shiill cease, then it shall appear, that the whole plan thereof had the most direct tendency to promote the Father's glory, or to answer those most valuable ends for which this mediatorial kingdom was erected; and, by this means, it will more emi- nently appear, than ever it has done before, that this work is from God, and worthy of him. If the Son's kingdom had not been subjected, or subservient to the Father's glory, the sub- jects thereof would not have been delivered up, or presented to the Father, as the Mediator's trust and charge committed to him ; and, if God had not been all in all, or the administration of Christ's kingdom had not been the effect of divine power, in all the branches thereof, it would not have had so glorious and successful an issue, as it will appear to have in the great day. This I take to be the plain sense of this scripture, which can- not reasonably be denied, if we consider that it is very agree- able to our common mode of speaking, to say, that a thing is, when it appears to be what it is, which may be thus illustrated : Suppose a king has gained a victory over his enemies, or quel- led some civil broils, or tumults, in his kingdom, he may say, upon that occasion. Now I am king; that is, I appear to be so, or my establishment in the kingdom seems less precarious. We have an instance of the like mode of speaking in scripture, when David says upon the occasion of bringing the affairs of his kingdom to a settled state, after Absalom's rebellion, Do I not knorv that lam this day king over Israel? 2 Sam. xix. 22. that is, I appear to be so, since that, which tended to unhinge, or give disturbance to my government, is removed out of the way. IMoreover, that things are said to be, when they appear to be, is agreeable to that mode of speaking used by the Israelites, when, upon their receiving the fullest conviction that the Lord was God, pursuant to Elijah's prayer, by an extraordinary dis- play of his glory, in working a miracle to confute thtir idola- try, they fell on their faces, and said. The Lord he is God; that is, lie now appears to be so, by those extraordinary effects of his power, which we have beheld. If therefore this be no un- common mode of speaking, why may we not apply it to that text which we are now endeavouring to explain ? and so con- clude, that the sense but now given of the Son's being subject to the Father, and God's being all in all, contains in it nothing absurd, or contrary to the scripture way of speaking, and con- 396, Of Christ's humiliation. seqiiently the eternity of Christ's kingdom is not overthrown thereby ; and therefore we must conclude, that as his kingly government is now exercised in a way agreeable to the present condition of his church, so it shall be exercised in a glorious manner, suited to the heavenly state, when ail his saints and subjects shall be brought there. Thus we have considered Christ, as executing his offices of Prophet, Priest, and King ; we now proceed to speak concern- ing the twofold state in which they have been, are, or shall be executed by him ; and first concerning his state of humiliation. Quest. XLVI. JV/iat was the estate of Chrisfs hwniliation P' Ansv/. The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condi- tion, wherein he, for our sakes, emptying himself of his glo- ry, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and, after his death, until his resur- rection. Quest. XLVII. Iloru did Christ humble 1 urns elf in his con- ceptioii and birth ? Answ. Christ humbleth himself in his conception, in that, be-' ing from all eternity, the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased, in the fulness of time, to become the Son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her ; with divers circumstances of more than ordi- nary abasement. Quest. XL VIII. How did Christ humble himself in his life? Answ. Christ humbled himself in his life by subjecting him- self to the lav/, v.hich he perfectly fulfilled, and by conflict-" ing with the indignities of the world, temptations of Satan, and infirmities in his flesh ; whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition. IN considering Christ's low and humble state, while he was in this world, we m.ay observe, that this is styled his emp- tying himself of his glory ^ when he took on him the form of a servant : thus the apostle expresses it, in Phil. ii. 7. for the words,* which we render, he made himself of no reputation^ are to be so understood. Now, since his incarnation is so express- ed, we must, before we proceed any farther on this subject, en- quire, how this was inconsistent with his Godhead ? and, whe- ther he might be said, in taking our nature, to empty or hum» QF Christ's nuMiLiATiQN. :^<^t blfe himself? and also, whether his incarnation may, properly speaking, be called a part of his humiliation '! There is a sense in Avhich he may be said to humble himself^ in his di\ine nature ; as, when we read of God^s humbling him- self, to behold the thing's that are in heaven and in the earthy Psal. cxiii. 6. This is so far from being a dishonour to him, that it is expressive of his glory, as it argues, that there is au infinite distance between him and the creature. In this sense, the second Person of the Godhead might be said to humble himself, in assuming the human nature, and thereby, as it were, casting a veil over his glory. This is such a sense of Christ's, humiliation^ as denotes infinite condescension, but no diminu- tion, or loss of divine glory ; neither can this be styled his emp- tying himself of glor}^, or humbling himself, in that sense in which the apostle expresses it, as above mentioned. It cannot be denied, but that Christ's incarnation was the highest instance of condescension ; and, if nothing more be intended than this, when persons speak of Christ's humbling himself in his incar- nation, or taking our nature into union with his divine, we are far from denying it. But we are not now speaking of Christ's humbling himself in a relative sense, as God, but his being in a state of humili- ation, as God-man Mediator; in which sense, the act of incar- nation, or taking the human nature into union with his divine Person, cannot, properly speaking, be styled a branch of his mediatorial humiliation ; for that which tends to constitute the Person of the Mediator, cannot be said to belong antecedently to him as Mediator. For the understanding of which, we may observe, 1. That the Person of Christ is to be considered in two dif- ferent respects, viz. as God, or as Mediator; in the former sense, he was, from eternity, a divine Person, and would have been so, if he had not been Mediator : but when we speak of kis Person, as Mediator, we always consider him as God- man,* 2. Everj' mediatorial act,j according to the most proper and literal sense thereof, supposes the constitution of his Person, as • Wlten we consider Christ ax Mediator, from all eternity, we include, in t/ii» idea; his htimnn nature, as wliut tuus to be tiasumtdin titnc. There is a prolcpsis in tvch a mode ofspeaicing; us, when lie is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of llie world; in the saute sense he luiffht be said to be man from tlw Jlundution of the ivorld; and so we undei stand it, xuheii we speak of him as God-man JMeiliaior,frii arjmnevts, rj,':ieh /.?,';a" Jiot e^itn- inis tJie particiiiar atcqunt nf- ' • OF Christ's HtrMiLiATiov. 399^ it to have been, during his infancy, in that state, in which other infants are, as having the powers and faculties of the soul not deduced into act, as they afterwards are; therefore wc can rec- kon this no other than a groundless and unnecessary conjecture^ and cannot but admire this instance of his humiliation, while he was an infant. And, indeed, since he came to redeem in- fants, as well as others, it was becoming the wisdom and good- ness of God, that he should be like them, in most other re- spects, except in their being born guilty of Adam's sin. If his passing through tlie other ages of life was designed for our ad- vantage, as he was therein like unto us, and as the apostle says, able to sj^mpathize with us, in the various miseries that attend them ; so this affords the like argument for that peculiar com- passion, which he has for infants, under those evils that they are liable to. What we have here asserted, against those who think it a dis- honour to him, to suppose, that he was liable to any imperfec- tion, as to knowledge, during his infancy, is not to be reckoned a groundless conjecture, without sufficient reason to support it j since it is expressly said, in scripture, in Luke ii. 52. that he increased in xvisdom as well as stature ; therefore we suppose, that Christ's humiliation began in those natural infirmities, which he was liable to, that are inseparable from a state of in- fancy. 2. Another branch of Christ's humiliation, respecting his birth, was, that he should be born of a woman of very low degree in the world, rather than of one, whose circumstances and charac- ter therein were superior to those of all others, and called for an equal degree of respect from them. The blessed virgin was, indeed in a spiritual sense, honoured and respected above all women, as the salutation given her, by the angel, imports. Hail thou that art highly favoured^ the Lord is xuith thee; Blessed art thou among women^ Luke i. 28. notwithstanding, it is plain she was far from being honourable in the opinion of the world. It is true, she was, of the seed of David, which was a princely line : But the sceptre \vas now departed from it ; therefore, when our Saviour is said to have the throne of his father Da- vid^ chap. i. 32. given him by Ciod, it is certain he had it not from his parents, in a political sense. It is called, indeed, the , throne of David, as referring to that promise made to David, 2 Sam. vii. 12, — 16. that one should descend from him whom God would set on his throne^ whose kingdom he rvould establish for ever. Whwt relates to the establishment of David's king- dom, and the eternity of it, certainly looks farther than the reigu of S(.)lomon, or the succession of kings, who were of that line ; so that David's kingdom continuing for ever, denotes the ptT- petuity thereof, in Christ's b^-ing set, in a spiritual scase, ou his 406 ©F Christ's humiliation, throne, which seems to be the meaning of the angel's words, He shall sit on the throue of his' father David. He had not, in- deed, a right to David's crown by natural descent from him, for that seems contrary to what was foretold of him ; for though it is said, that a rod shall come of the stem of fesse^ and a branch shall groxv out of his roots; Isa. xi. 1. which plainly re^ fers to our Saviour, ns being of the seed of David ; yet it is as plainly intimated, that he was not to inherit the crown of Da- vid, in a political sense, by right of natural descent from him, inasmuch as it is said, He shall g-rorv vp before him as a tender plant^ and as a root out of a dry ground^ chap. liii. 2. To this we may add; that his mother's condition in the world appears to haA^e been very low, in that she was treated with an uncommon degree of neglect, as it is particularly re- marked, Lvike ii. 7. desig-ning to set forth our Saviour's humi- liation in his birth, that she brought forth her first-born Son, and xvrapt linn in swaddling clothes^ and laid him in a manger, because there rvas no room for them iti the inn. No room, be- cause his mother was poor, and therefore was treated in such a manner; better accommodations were reserved for others, who, at that time, in which there was great resort to Bethlehem, "jvere better able to satisfy the mercenary demands of those, at >vhose house they lodged. As for Joseph his reputed father, he was not one of the great men of this world, but lived by his industry, his occupation be- ing that of a carpenter^ Mat. xiii. 55. This was sometimes ob- jected against oiir Saviour by his enemies, who did not consi- der, that the mean condition of his parents was a part of that state of humiliation, which he was to pass through, in discharg- ing the work for which he came into the Avorid, and plainly dis- covered, that he cast the utmost contempt on all the external pomp and grandeur thereof, and thought no honours worthy of his receiving, but such as were of a spiritual nature. 3. There is another circumstance of humiliation, taken from the places of our Saviour's birth and residence. He was born 5n Bethlehem, a city, which though once esteemed honourable when David dwelt there : yet, at this time, it was reckoned, by the Jews, not as one of the principal cities of Judah. The pro- phet Micah styles it, Litlc among the thousands of Judah ^ Mi- cah v, 2. But as for the place of his abode, Nazareth, that was fiespised, even to a proverb; so that the Jews reckoned, that_ nothing good or great could come from thence. Thus Natha- niel speaks their common sense, M^hen he says. Can there any good thinr coyne out of Nazareth P John i. 46. And this was- afterwards improved against him, as an argument that he was tio prophet ; when the Jews say, not concerning this place alone, tint tlie whole country, in which it was, to wit, Galilee, Out of OT Christ's humiliation. 401 it ariseth no prophet^ chap. vii. 51. And this is expressly inti- Miated, as a design of providence, that it should be a part of his humiliation, as it is said. He dxvelt in a city called Nazareth^ that it mi^ht be fulfilled^ which rvas spoken by the prophetfi\ He ahall be called a NazareJie^ Matt. ii. 23. by which we are not to understand, that any of the pi'ophets foretold this in express words, as having particular reference to the place wliere he lived : But the meaning is, that as the prophets, Avith one con- sent, spake of hiin, as being in a most low and humble state, so this was a particular instance hereof; and, in that respect, what was spoken by them, concerning his state of humiliation, in various instances, as fulfilled in this *. II. Christ's state of humiliation appeared throughout his whole life, and that in several instances. 1. In his subjecting himself to the law; and accordingly he was under an obligation to yield obedience to God in even* thing that was required of him, during the whole course of h;^J life. This, indeed, was the necessarv result of his incarnation ; so that he no sooner became man, but he was under a law, which no creature is, or can be, exempted from. Nevertheless, it ViSis so far founded on his own consent, as he consented to be incar- nate, which was certainly an instance of infinite condescension; and his being, in pursuance thereof, actuallv made under the law, was a branch of his mediatorial humiliation. 1*^, He was made under the law, that is, he was obliged to obey the precepts thereof; and that not only of the moral law, which, as to some of its precepts, the best of creatures are un- der a natural obligation to yield obedience to; but, besides this, there were several-positive laws, which he submitted to yield obedience to, in common with these he came to redeem, which oliligatiou he perfectly fulfilled, as it is observed in what he says to John the Baptist, Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righ- teousness^ Mat. iii, 15. q. d. it becometh me, in common Avith all mankind, to yield perfect obedience to the law ; and else- where he speaks of himself, as coming into the world to fulfil the laxi\ chap, v, 17. And we may observe, that it was not one single act, but a course of obedience, that he performed, • TAi.9 seem^ to be a bettt-r senae nfthc text, than tvhat is r^x'nt by noitie, who siip- paae, that is -wus an accomplishmetit of ivhat is foretold, by the pi ofi.'ic'.i, concerniti-r A/s beiiiff IX J J\etzar, the Brunch, in Isa. xi. I. Jer. xiii. 5. '/.''ch. vi. 12. /.r that r,-frrs to Ma bein^ of the seed of David, and not to the place of his abode, so that he cnuhl not be celled the Branch because he dxvelt in A'azareth. Others suppose, he is so called from TIJ Mizir, -which si.j^nifet, in its application, one that dxvelt in J^'a- tareth, and, in its derivation, one that is separated, and that either to God, as the .\'azarites were of old, or from men, bii some peculiar marks ofivfamu, or reproach, last upon him, us Joseph is said to have been, in Gen. xlia: 26. separate from l)is lirt'tliren. These do, in effect assert the same thing that ive have obferv^d, ••iz. that fit it the conairrent tense of all the prophets, that he should be in a loxo and htiirUile fUrte, of which his residing in S'aTareth tpoj a particular instance. . 40J «y Christ's humiliation* during bis whole life, as it is said, in this answer, he perfectlyN fulfilled the law, which is agreeable to that sinless perfection, which is ascribed to him in scripture. 2dly^ He was made under the law, that is, he was subject to the curse thereof, that was due to us for sin ; which is called, by divines, the maledictory part of it; as it is said, Christ hath rtdeemed us from the curse of the laxVy being made a curse for nSy Gal. iii. 13. As he obeyed what the law enjoined, so he suffered what it threatened, as a punishment due to us for sin. 2. Our Saviour conflicted with the indignities of the world. When he was an infant, Herod sought his life; and, had not his parents been warned by God, to flee into another country, he had been slain, as well as the children that were barbarous- ly murdered in Bethlehem, Mat. ii. 13. But he was most per- secuted, and met with the greatest indignities, after he appear- ed publickly in the world ; for before that time, till he was about thirty years of age, it might be reckoned a part of his humiliation, that he was not much known therein, and was, at least, a considerable part of that time dependent on, and sub- ject to his parents. It is true, he did not then meet with much opposition from the Jews, while they were in expectation that he would appear as an earthly monarch, and deliver them from the Roman yoke : But when their expectation hereof was frus- trated, and they saw nothing in him but what was agreeable to his state of humiliation, they were offended; and, from that time, the greatest injuries and indignities were offered to him, as will appear, if we consider, (1.) That they did not own his glory as the Son of God, nor see and adore his deity, that v/as united to the human nature, when, being made flesh, he dwelt among us ; and therefore it is observed, that though the world mas made by him^ the xvorld knerv him not^ John i. 10. or, as the apostle saj's, concerning him, (for so the words may be rendered) Whom none of the princes of this xvorld kntiv^ 1 Cor. ii. 8. they knew, or owned him not to be the Lord of glory ; and, as they knew him not, so they desired not to know him ; therefore the prophet says, We hid^ as it xvereour faces from him^ Isa. liii. 3. (2.) They questioned his mission, denied him to be the Christ, though this truth had been confirmed by so many incon- testable miracles : This is that unbelief which the Jews are so often charged with. Thus when they come to him, and tell him, Hoxv long dost thou 7nake us to doubt ? tell us plainly., whc' ther thou be the Christ or tio P To which he replies, I told yoUf and ye believed noty and appeals to the xvorks xuhich he did in his Fathers name^ John x. 24 — 26. which one would think were a sufficient evidence hereof: But yet they were obstinate Jind hardened in unbelief; ,and not only so, but. "OF ClIRIS^^'s llUMILIATIOiJi 4G® (o.) They reproached him, as though he wrought mh'acles by the power of the devil, which was the most malicious and groundless slander that could be invented, as though Satan's kingdom had been divided against itself, or he would empow- er a person to work miracles, as a means to promote the inter- est of God, and thereby to weaken his own, as our Saviour just*^ ly replies to that charge., Mat. xii. 24 — 26. And, indeed, they knew, in their own consciences, that this was a false accusation, and hereby sinned against the greatest light, and fullest convic- tion ; which occasioned him to denounce that terrible and aw-^ ful threatning against them, that this sin should never be forgiv' en thetrty neither in this wtrld^ nor in the xvorld to cotne, (4.) They reproached him as to his moral character, for no ether reason, but because he conversed, in a free and friendly manner, with his people, and went about doing them good. If he, at any time, accepted of the least common instances of kind- ness, or conversed with sinful men, with a design to promote their spiritual advantage, they revile him for it : Thus he saysi, The Son of ?nan came eating- and drinking-, and theij sai/. Be- hold a man gluttonous , and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicana.^ and sinners, chap. xi. 19. (5.) It was a matter of common discourse amongst thcm^ that he was a deceiver of the people, though the evidence o£ truth shone like a sun-beam in every thing that he said and did.; Thus it is said There were much murmuring among the people concerning him; for some said. He is a good nicui, others said, .2iai/ ; but he deceiveth the people, John vii. 12. (6.) Sometimes they wtre uneasy at his presence, and desi- jrous to be rid of him, and his ministry. Thus the Gergesenes, because they had suffered a little damage in the loss of tlieir swine, unanimously besought him to depart out of their coasts^ Matt. viii. 34. Thus they knew not their own privilege, but were weary of him, who was a public and universal blessing to the world. ' (7.) Many refused to give him entertainment In their hous- es, or to treat him with that civility, which a common traveller expects; which occasioned him to complain, x\\?it the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests ; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head, chap. viii. 20. (8.) At some times, even before his last sufferings and cru- cifixion, they attempted to take away his life, and thereby ex- pressed the greatest degree of ingratitude and hatred of him. Their attempts, huleed were to no purpose, because his hour was not yet come : Thus, when he had asserted his divine glo- jry, they not only charged him with blasphemv, but took up stones to stone him, John viii. 59. and even his fellow-citizens, ampng whom he had been brought up, and to whom he hagl 404 QF Christ's humiliatioj^. usually read and expounded the scripture, 07i the sabbath-days t , thescnotoniy thrust him out of the citif, hut led him to the brow of an hill J designingtoputhim todeath, by casting him down Ironi it, but he passed through the midst of them, and for the present, escaped their bloody design : This was a more aggravated crime, as it was committed by those who were under peculiar obligations to him, Luke iv. 16. compared with 29, 30. Thus. he endured, not only, as the aposde says, the contradiction of dinners against himself Heb* xii. 3. but the most ungrateful and injurious treatment from those, to whom he hud been so great a friend, which was a great addition to his sufferings, so that during his whole life, he might be said to have been, as the prophet styles him, A man ofsorroxvs, and acquainted ivith grief Isa. liii. 3. 3. Our Saviour conflicted with the temptations of Satan : Thus it is said, He xvas in all points, tempted, like as xve are, yet without sin, Heb. iv. 1$. or. He suffered being tempted, chap, ii, 18. though we are not to understand by his being, in all points, tempted, like as we are, that he had any temptations aris- ing in his own soul, as we have, from the corruption of our na- ture ; for this would have been inconsistent with his perfect ho- liness ; and therefore what the apostle says concerning us, that^- veruman is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed, James i. 14. is, by no means applicable to him; but that he was tempted by Satan, is very evident from scripture. Some think, that Satan, was let loose upon him, and suffered to express his utmost malice against him, and to practise all those usvial methods whereby he endeavours to ensnare man- kind, in those remarkable seasons of his life, namely, in his first entrance on his public ministry, and immediately before his last sufferings ; the former of these none deny ; the latter some think we have ground to conclude from his own v/ords, in which he says, The Prince of this xvorld cometh, and hath nothing in me, John xiv. 30. where it seems, that by iheprince of this world, he means the devil, inasmuch as he is so called elsewhere, chap. xii. 31. as well asthegodofthis world,2 Cor. iv. 4. and the prince of the poxuer of the air, Eph. ii. 2. If this be the sense of our Sa- viour's words, The prince of this world cometh, it is as if he should say, I expect that, together with my other sufferings, I shall be exposed to the last and most violent efforts that Satan will make. As he assaulted me when I first entered on my pub- lic ministrv, so he will do it now I am about to close my work On earth : Then he endeavoured to ensnai-e me v»ith his wiles?; now he will endeavour to make me uneasy with his fiery darts. This was, as it were, the hour of the powers of darkness : and we may suppose, that if they were suffered, they would attempt to discourage our Saviour, by representing to hiin the fwrmi-- GF Christ's humiliation* 4Qi? (iahlencss of the death of the cross, the insupportableneKs of the M')ath of God due to sin, and how much it was his interest to take some method to save himself from those evils that were impending : Thus we may suppose, that our Saviour appre- hends the tempter as coming : but we may observe he says, he hath nothing' in vie^ that it;, no corrupt nature, that shall make me receptive of any impressions, arising from his temptations. His fiery darts, though pointed and directed against me, shall be as darts shot against a rock, into which they cannot enter, but are immediately repelled. But some think, that by the prince of this xvorld^ our Saviour does not mean the devil, any otherwise than as he instigatecl his persecutors to accuse, condemn, and crucify him ; and that this is most agreeable to the words ixiimediately foregoing, Hfreafter I xvill not talk much xvith you^ q. d. I have not much time to converse with you; for he who will Ijctray roe, and those that are sent to apprehend me, are ready to come ; I naust in a very little time, be accused and tried, and, as the conse- quence hereof, condemned, though they will find nothing in me worthy of death ; I say, since it is questioned, whether this be not as probable a sense of this text, as that above mentioned, and therefore that this cannot be reckoned an instance of Christ's temptation, which was more immediately from Satan, we shall pass it over, and proceed to consider that conflict, Avhich, with- out doubt, he underwent with the devil, in his first entrance on his public ministry. This we read of in Matt. iv. 1 — 11. and Luke iv. 1 — 13. And, because there is a small difference between these two evangelists, in the account they give of this matter, from whence the enemies of divine revelation take occasion to reproach it, as though it were inconsistent with itself, we shall briefly con- sider and vindicate it from calumny. We may observe, that Matthew says. When he had fasted forty days^ the tempter came to him; whereas Luke says. He xvas forty days tem^pted of ths devil; and Mark speaks to the same purpose, Mark i. 13. Mat- thew seems to speak of his temptations as at the end of the for- ty days ; the other two evangelists intimate, that he was tempt- ed more or less, all the forty days. There is no contradiction in these two accounts ; Luke only adds a circumstance which Matthew omits, to wit, that Satan assaulted him with various^ temptations, all the time he was in the wilderness ; whereas these, which are recorded by both the evangelists, were towards the end of the forty days. Again, Matthew, speaking concerning the first of these temp- tations, introduces the devil, as saying to our Saviour, If t ho it be the Son of God command that these stones be juade bread; whereas Luke speaks but of one stone ; Command xYi^l this ston^ Voj,. L^ 3 F 408 OF Christ's HUMiLiATioisr. be viade bread. This seeming contradiction may easily be re- conciled, by considering, that by these stones in Matthew, may be meant one of these stones, which is a very common hebra- ism ; as when it is said, that Jonah ivas gone doxvn to the sides of the ship^ Jonah i. 5. that is, one of the sides ; and elsewhere it is said, that, when Christ was upon the cross, the thieves^ which were crucified with, him, reviled him, Matt, xxvii. 44. which hebraism Luke explains, when he says, One of the viaiefactors railed on him, Luke xxiii. 59. So in this temptation, Satan pointing at some large stone, tempted him to turn it into bread j and Matthew intends no more, when he says. Command that these stones^ that is, one of them, be made bread. Again, we observe another difference in the account given by Matthew, from that given by Luke, respecting the order of the temptations. Matthew speaks of Satan's tempting him to fail doxvn and ivorship him^ as the third and last temptation, which, as it is more than probable, it was; but Luke, inverting the order, lays down this temptation in the second place. How- ever, there is no contradiction between these two; for the cre- dit of an historian is not weakened, provided he relate matters of fact, though he does not, in every circumstance, observe the order in which things were done, especially when nothing ma- terial depends upon it ; so that, upon the whole, the difference between the accounts of these two evangelists, is so inconsider- able, that it is needless to say any thing farther on that head. We shall therefore proceed to consider Christ's temptation, as we find it here recorded. And, 1. We may observe the time in which he was exposed there- unto, to wit, immediately after his baptism, Vt'hen he first en- tered on his public ministry, having but just before received a glorious testimony, by a voice from heaven saying. This is inij lelovcd Son^ inxvhom I araxvell pleased^ Matt. iii. 17. upon which it is said, TJien roas he led into the wilderness^ to be tempted of the devil^ or, as Mark farther explains it. Immediately the spirit driveth him into the rvildernessy Mark i. 12. From whence we mav take occasion to infer, (I.) That God's children have reason to expect, in confor- mity to Christ their Head, that, after extraordinary manifesta- tions of divine love, they may sometimes meet with great temp- tations ; so that, as grace is excited by the one, it may be ex- ercised, tried, and the truth thereof more ]')lainly evinced by the other; and, indeed, in us, there is a particular reason for it, which was not applicable to our Saviour, namel}', that after great honours conferred upon us, M'hen God is pleased to mani- fest hiiriself to us, we may be kept, as the apostle says, con- cerning himself on the like occasion, from being exalted above ffieasurey 2 Cor. xii. 7. OF Christ's humiliation. 407 (2.) We may, from hence, observe, how Satan shews his malice and en\y at God's people, so that when they are raised nearest to heaven, he will use his utmost endeavours to bring them down to hell; and hereby he shews his opposition to God, by attempting to rob him of that glory, which he designs to bring to himself, by these extraordinary manifestations, as well as liis people, of the blessed fruits and effects thereof, whereby he thinks to counteract what God is doing for them. (3.) As our Saviour >vas tempted just before his entrance on his public ministry, we learn, from hence; that when God de- signs tliat his people shall engage in any great, useful, and dif- ficult work, they are like to meet with great temptations, which God suffers that he may put them upon being on their watch, and fortify them against many other temptations, which they may expect to meet with, in the discharge thereof. Many iu- btances of this we have in scripture ; particularly in Moses, when called to go into tlie land of Eg)pt, Exod. iv. 1, 10, 13. and the j^rophet Jeremiah, when sent to a people^ whose faces he xvas ■afraid of Jer. i. 6, 8. Satan suggested several unwarrantable excuses, to discourage them from undertaking the work to which they were called. 2. The next thing to be observed is, the place in which Christ was exposed to these conflicts v/ith the tempter, namely, the yvili/cnicss. It is not our business to enquire what wilderness it was, whether one of the smaller wildernesses in the land of Judea, or the great wilderness on the other side Jordan, since the scripture is silent as to this matter; though the latter seems more probable, since tbere are higher niountains in it than in the other ; and we read, that that wilderness, in which Christ was tempted, had in it an exceeding high mountain, from whence the devil shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, tmd the glory of them. I'here was in that wilderness mount Nebo, fiom the top whereof Moses took a view of the whole land of Canaan : But, passing by the consideration of the par- ticular wilderness, in which Christ was tempted, we shall ob- serve, that the place which providence designed for this conflict was a wilderness. (1.) That he might fast during the time of his being there, that being a place destitute of necessarv food : And this was or- dered by providence, not only as a particular instance of his hu- miliation, but that Satan might, from hence, take occasion to suit one of his temptations to his condition, as being an liungred. (2.) Another reason was, that being separate from all his fricncls and acquainumce, he might be neither helped nor hin- dered by them, that so Satan might have the greatest advantage he could desire against him, as solitude is a state most udapt- 408 oi" Christ's humiliation* cd to temptations ; and consequently that his afHiction herein, and the victory he should obtain, should be more remarkable ; As none was with him to offer him any assistance, so none could take occasion to claim a part in his triumph over the ad- versary. As to what is said, in the text, concerning his being led by the Spirit^ into thexuilderness to be tempted^ we humbly conceive that it is the Holy Spirit who is there intended, as the words seem to import ; for it would not be so proper to say, he was led by the impure spirit, the devil, to be tempted of the devil ; and Luke says, that, being full of tJie Holy Ghost ^ he xvas led by the Spirit^ that is, the Holy Ghost, with whom he was filled, into the wildetmess^ Luke iv. 1. Besides this, it doth not seem agreeable to the holiness of Christ, to suppose, that he went in- to the wilderness at the motion and instigation of the devil ; for that would have been an unjustifiable action. We may law- fully go, in the way of temptation, when providence leads us there j but it is not lawful for us to go within the verge of Sa-f tan's temptations, by his own instigation. And this seems lar^ ther probable, inasmuch as it is said, that, after the devil xvas departed from himy he returned in, or by the power of the Spi- rit, into Galilee, ver. 14. If he returned by the power of the Holy Spirit out of the wilderness, have we not equal ground to conclude that he was led by him into it at first. But if it be said, that he did not go into the wilderness by the instigation of the devil, but was can-ied thither with violence by him : though this would clear our Saviour from the guilt of going by the devil's persuasion in the way of temptation ; yet we can hardly allow that God would suffer the devil to have so much power over Christ's body, as to carry him where he pleas- ed, by a violent motion. * If it be replied to this, that the devil might as well be said to carry him into the wilderness, as to take him up into the ho- ly city, and set him upon a pinnacle of the temple, by a vio- lent motion j In which sense some understand that passage in the second temptation, wherein it is said, that the devil did so, in ver. 5. what answer may be given to this, will appear from what may farther be said, when we speak of this temptation in jiarticular. 3, We shall now consider the three temptations, mentioned in this scripture, which he was exposed to, And that, (1.) More generally j and accordingly we may observe, 1st, That the two first of tjhem were very subtil : so that some would hardly have discerned wherein the sin lay, had he complied with them ; but that v/ill be considered under a iol- lowing head. We need only remark, at present, that herein the ^evil acted like a deceiver, and appeared to be, as he is elsct OF Christ's humiliation. 409 Nvhere called, The old serpent. In the third temptation, he open- ly discovered his own vileness, and blasphemously usurped diat glory which is due to God. alone, when he tempted our Saviour to fall down and worship him. 2fl['/y, In these temptations, he insinuates, that some advan- tage would accrue to our Saviour from his compliance there- with. This he generally does when he tempts us, wherem he makes an overture of some advantage which we shall gain by our compliance. The advantage he proposed, by the first temp- tation, was, that hereby he might prevent his starving with hunger. By the second, he proposed, that he might gain popu- lar applause, by casting himself down irom the temple, among the people that were walking near ic, that they might admire him for his wonderful action ; and, in both these temptations, he urges him to give a proof of his being the Son of God, bv which means his doctrine might be moie readily received. lu the third temptation, indeed, the advantage is altogether carnal, and such as, had Satan considered the holiness of the Person he v/as speaking to, and his contempt of the kingdoms of the world, and the glory thereof, he might easily h^we supposed that our Saviour v/ould have despised the overture, as well as abhorred the action. odhj^ We may observe, that in the second temptation, the devil refers to a promise contained in scripture, and so puts him upon that which carries in it the appearance of dutv, name- ly, his depending upon the divine protection, in expectation that God would give the angels charge over him : but he quotes the scripture fallaciously, by leaving out a very m.aterial thing contained in it. He shall give his angels charge over thee^ io keep thee in all thy xvays^ Psal. xci. 11. whereby it is implied, that none have a right to depend on the divine protection, but they who are in the way of duty, which Christ would not have been, had he complied with this temptation. Mhly^ Another thing we observe is, that our Saviour not only refused to comply with the temptation, in -all these three instances, but he assigned a reason of his refusal, whereby it appears that he did this with judgment; and hereby we arc instructed not only to refuse to comply with Satan's tempta- tions, but we should be able to give a reason of our refusal. And, as we farther observe, that our Saviour answers all these temptations, by referring to scripture, which he adhered to, as a rule to direct his conduct, and therein expressed the rreatest deference to it : so he teaches us to do the same, as the Psalmist says, By the word of thy lips I have kept vie from the paths of the destroyer^ Psal. xvii. 4. it is by the sivord of the Spirit, ivhich is the word of God^ that we tjiicnch all the firru darts- of the xvichpd^ Eph. vi. 16, 17. 410 OF Christ's humiliation. (2.) We shall now proceed to consider the three temptations in particular, together witli our Saviour's answer to each of tlKiu, and that in the order in which they are related by the evangelist Mt^.tthew, in chap. iv. First., The first temptation was, that he would prove his be- ing the Son of God, by commanding stones to be made bread. The subtiity of this temptation consists, . 1. In that it seemed not only lawful, but necessaiy, for Christ, on some occasions, to give a proof that he was the Son of God ; and his working miracles was the way by which this was to be done. And it would not seem, to some, unlawful for him to work a miracle in turning stones into bread, since we read, among other miracles, of his multiplying the loaves and iishes to feed the multitude ; therefore why may he not pro- duce bread, in a miraculous manner, as well now, as at any other time ? 2. Satan puts him upon working this miracle, from a princi- ple of self-preservation which is a duty founded in the law of nature, to supply himself with necessary food, being an hun- gred; and, if it was lawful for him to produce bread to feed others, was it not lawful to do the same for his own subsis- tence, especially since he was in a place in which food was not to be obtained by any other means ? 3. He pretends to have a great concern lOr our Saviour's welfare, that so he might not perish with hunger : thus he thought to gain an advantage o\ er him, by a pretence of friend- ship, as he often does in those temptations he offers to us, to promote our own welfare by unlawful means. Let us noAV consider wherein the snare lay, which our Sa- viour was thoroughly apprized of, and in what respects he would have sinned, had he complied with this temptation. I'his will appear, if we consider, (1.) That it Avas not lawful for him to work a miracle to gratify the devil ; and that for this reason in particular, I)ecause it would have been contrary to the- general end and design ol his working miracles, which was only for the advantage of his people, who are the proper subjects of conviction thereby ; for liim to work them with any other design, Vvould have been to prostitute a sacred ordinance, or to applv it to whom it did not belong. When the woman of Canaan came to him, beseeching him to work a miracle, in casting the devil out of her daugh- ter; she being not a member of the Jewish church, or one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel^ our Saviour tells her. It is not meet to take the childreiiUs bread., and cast it unto dogs ; and that he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Is- rael., Matt. XV. 24, 26. that is, he was only to work miracles tor the conviction of those who were the proper subjects there- OF Christ's humiliation'. 411 of; and, doubtless, he would not have wrought this niiracle at her request, ha'd she not been a proper subject ol" conviction, ■which she was, as an elect person, though not by nature an Is- raelite. Now, to ajiply this to our present purpose, the devil was not a subject of conviction, and tiierefore Christ was not obliged to prove himself the Son of God to him ; for which reason he would have sinned, had he complied with this temp- tation. (2.) Had it been otherwise, it doth not seem necessary, at this time, for him to prove himself to be the Son of God, since that had, but a little before, been sufficiently attested, by a voice from heaven ; and therefore to work a miracle to confum it at present, would argue a disbelief of that testimony. (3.) For Christ to work a miracle for his own subsistence, seems disagreeable to the main design of his working miracles, which, as was before hinted, was his people's conviction that he was the Messiah ; and therefore it does not sufficiently a):)pear that he ever provided for the necessities of himself, or his fa- mily in such a way.* But suppose he had at any time, sub- sisted himself bv working a mirrji:le, it would have argued a distrust of the providence of God to have supplied his hunger, at present, that way ; as though God, Avho had hitherto preser- ved him without food, could not have continued so to do, as long as he was in the wilderness. And it would also have been contrarv to one design of his being led there by the Spirit ; which was, that he might humble himself by fiisting, as we)! as conflict with Satan's temptations. Thus concerning the first temptation that was offered by the devil. Let us now consider Christ's answer to it. This is contained m ver. 4. It is ruritten, 3Ian shall not live by bread alone^ but by rvanj ivord that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The scripture here referred to, is in Deut. viii. 3. where we have the • Somp ancient and modern tenters have siijipo.tcd, that our Siifiotir provided/or the neceixitics of his parents 171 a miraculous imni ; but the argument, -which tlietj bring to prove thin, is not sufficiently conclusive, namehi, that tvhrn he wrought his Jirst public mirade, in Cun-A of Galilee, mentioned in John W. his motlicr desired him tn -n'orh a miracle to supply them at the marriage-feast -.vith -cine, vei: 3. which, theii suppose, she -would never have thought of, had he not, some time />: fore this, -urough^ miracles in private to supply her necessities, or provide food for her family ■• but thu: does not folio-ic, from her desiriiig him to do it now, since she might know, that, ivhen he was entered on his public mir.istry, he was to work miracles : and therefore desired him, on this occasion, to put forth the first instunc of his divine pn-iver therein. ,.^gaiu, this is said to be the ht^-'mumf!; of laiiMcles wliicli lie tlid in (lunn or(ialileo,f'-/-. 11. and, probably, the first miracle that he wrnnght in any pUtce ; uiid. indeed, hi-i rpply to her, when she desired that he would work- this miracle, seems to imply, that he had never terotight miracles to provide fur her family, -when he says, V\'oni:in, Nvhat Ii;ive 1 to do with thee ? 9. d. my -jiurl ing miraclfs ix no part of that ohcdii^nce •tvhich I n:ce to thfc, nor art thou to e rpect any frivutc ud-^(mtagi- ihrrt by, fur ihae are to be -uroiight -with another viviv. 412 oi- Christ's hujiili4.tion. very same avoids ; •which, as they are applied by our Saviour to repel this temptation, imply in them two things : Ist^ That man hath a better life to secure, than that which is maintained by bread, to wit, the life of the soul : thus it is said, A marl's life consisteth not in the abundcmce of the things luhich he possesstth^ Luke xii. 15. If we take it in this sense, it is as though he he should say, If I comply with this temp- tation, I should sin against my own soul ; and, by using unlaw- ful means to support my natural life, should lose that spiritual life, which consists in the divine favour; or rather the mean- ing is, 2dli/^ That it Is by the word of God's power that our lives are upheld ; which power, though it be ordinarily exerted in the use of means, by applying that proper food, which God gives us ; yet this power can sustain us without it, when we are call- ed, in an extraoi'dinary manner by him, to depend upon it, and have ground to conclude, as our Saviour now had, that our de- pendence should not be in vain. Hitherto he had depended upon it, for almost forty days, since he was fu'st brought into the wilderness; and therefore he concluded, that it was his duty to exercise the same dependence, so long as he was there. Secondly^ The second temptation was that, in which Satan endeavoured to persuade him to cast himself down from a pin- nacle of the temple, expecting that God would presei-ve hiui safe from danger ; pretending that he would give his angels charge concerning him., and in their hands theij shoidd hear him up^ lest., at any time^ hs should dash his foot against a stone. This was a snare laid by the subtle adversary, for his life ; and herein v.'e may observe, 1. That as, ia the former temptation, he solicited him to dis- trust the providence of God, and our Saviour's reply to it, con- tains an Intimation of his firm resolution to depend upon it, for his farther preservation, though without the necessary food of life ; novf he tempts him, since he is resolved to depend upon the power and providence of God, to do it, in an unlawful way, which is no other than a presuming on the divine protection, without a sufficient warrant. 2. He tempts him to the sin of self-myrder, which would be the consequence of his presumption; for, if providence did not preserve him, which he had not sufficient ground to conclude that it would, wh.en engaged in an unlawful action, such as throwing himself down from the temple would have been, this certain!)^ would have proved his death. And the tempter had something farther than this in view, namely, to put a stop to the work of our redemption, and defeat the great design of Christ's coming into the world ; for, if he had died this way, by his own hands, he vrould have contracted guilt, and brought OF Christ's humiliation 413 a dishonour to the divine name, rather than have given satis- faction to divine justice, and finished the work he was sent in- to the world about. 3. In this, Satan tempts him also to a vain-glorious, and fruitless action, which was far from answering any valuable eVid : his throwing himself down from the top of the temple, among the people, who were gathered together in that public place of resort, might, it is true, have amused them, when see- ing a person flying through the air ; but it would not have been an expedient to confirm their faith, since there was no explicit appeal to this miracle for the confirmation of any contested doctrine ; and therefore it would have contradicted the general design of his working miracles, and, in that respect, been un- lawful. Had he been, indeed, at this time, at the bottom of the temple, disputing with the Jews about his mission, and offer- ing to confirm it, by such a miracle as they should chuse ; and, had they insisted on it, that he should go up to the top of the temple, and cast himself down amongst them, and signified that this miracle should decide the controversy, for their conviction, I don't apprehend that it would have been unlawful for him to have done it ; nor would it have been an instance of presump- tion for him, to expect the divine protection in so doing. But the case was otherwise circumstanced at present; the devil, who was assaulting him in the wilderness (as was before ob- serv^ed) was no proper subject of conviction ; and none of his people were present, to desire that this miracle should be wrought, that they might believe. Having thus considered the matter of the second temptation in general, it may not be amiss for us to enquire into the mean- ing of those words, in ver 5. which are generally considered, as preparatory to it : thus it is said, The devil taketh him up in- to the holy citij^ and setteth him on a pinnacle of the teynple. The most common opinion of those, who give their sense of this scripture, is, that the devil had power over the body of Christ, to carry it from place to place ; which they reckon not to be an improbable supposition, from the account that some give, who write on the subject of witchcraft, of persons beinjj so carried by him in a preternatural way : but these relations have not much weight in them; and many persons of judg- ment question the truth thereof; but whether they be true or false, it makes nothing for this purpose, for which they are brought. We do not question, but that the devil, by divine per- mission, might carry persons, by a violent motion, from place to place ; but whether our Saviour was carried by him frora the wilderness to the top of the temple, is the question to be de- bated. Thev, who sunpose this to have been reallv done, either Vol. ir.' 3 G 414' OF Christ's iiumiliatios* think that. Christ went there together with, and at the instiga- tion of the devil, without any thing preternatural in his being f:onveyed there by him ; or else, that the devil carried hin^ there from the wilderness through the air ; the latter of which is the most commonly received opinion : but we cannot see suf- ficient reason to acquiesce in cither of them. (1.) As to the former of these opinions, I cannot think it lawful for our Saviour to go from the wilderness to the tem- ple at the instigation of the devil, for that would be go in the way of temptation, without a divine warrant* Had the Spirit of God carried him thither, and encouraged him to throw him- self doAvn from thence, it had been his duty to have done it, as much as it was to abide in the wilderness, being led there by the Holy Spirit: But as it would have been unlawful for him to come into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, so it would be no less unlawful to go from thence to the temple, at his desire. Moreover, it may be greatly questioned, whether our Saviour was fit to take so long a journey, as from the wilderness to the temple, after he had fasted forty days, and, it may be, his strength impaired thereby. And, indeed, when we read, Luke jv. 14. of his return out of the wilderness into his own coun- try, it was by the power of the Spirit, which supplied his want of strength, for so great a journey ; therefore, as his coming there was by the Spirit, his safe conduct back again was by the same Spirit. And we cannot suppose that he went out of the wilderness till the Spirit carried him out into his own country ; therefore it does not appear that he went to the temple by the solicitation of the de\'il, to be tempted by him there, and after-' wards returned to the wilderness, to submit to his last tempta- tion. (2.) We cannot altogether give into the other opinion, wliich, as was before observed, is the most common, namely, that the de- vil was permitted to carry our Saviour through the air, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, (which seems to be the more direct and literal sense of the words of the evangelist, relating to this matter) for the following reasons. Is?, The pinnacle of the temple, upon which the devil is sup- posed to have set our Saviour, was, as some writers observed, the sharp point, or apex, or extremity, of a. cone, on which it was not possible for the smallest bird to pirch ; therefore a man could not stand upon it, and consequently Christ could not be said to be sit upon, it. To this, it is true, it is generally replied, that by his being set on a pinnacle of the temple, -is meant his being set upon one oi the batlkments, near one of the spires of the temple, on which OF Christ's humiliation-. 415 men may conveniently stand. Here they suppose the devil pla- ced our Saviour, and then tempted him to cast himself down from thence. But suppose this he sufficient to account for those words that speak of Christ's Ijcing set on a pinnacle of a temple, and so enervates the force of tliis reason against it, let it be far- ther considered, 2dly, That it does not seem probahle that the devil should have so much power over our Saviour, so as to carry him from place to place at his will; But if it be replied to this, that it contains no absurdity for God to suffer it ; nor was it any mo- ral evil in Christ to be thus carried, who must be supposed herein to be altogether passive ; let it be farther considered, 3o7y, That if the devil really carried him througli the air, from the wilderness to the temple, this could not well be done, in an invisible wav ,* for that is contrary to the nature of things ; for even the motion of a bird, which is a far less creature, through the air, if it be in the day time, is not invisible. Nov/ if this preternatural motion of our Saviour's body through the air was visible, how comes it to pass that no notice was taken of it by the JeAvs, which would have been as remarkable an oc- currence, as his flying from a pinnacle of the temple to the ground ? Some of them, doubtless, would have been amused at it, and probably it would have given them occasion to have saitl something concerning tliis preternatural event; and others, it may be, would have reproached him for it; and from his flying; by the power of the devil, would have taken occasion to say, that his other miracles were wrought by the same power, which would have given umbrage to the objection, when they said, He casteth out devils by Beeizebith, the prince of the devils. If it be farther objected, that the devil might carry him to the top of th€ temple by night, and so his motion through the air not be observed. This seems very improbable ; for then he must continue there all night, till the people were gathered to- gether the next day on the plain, at the foot thereof, otherwise his casting himself clown from thence, would not have answer- ed the end designed thereby, there being none of the Jews pre- sent to observe the miracle ; and so the devil might have spared the pains of carrying him to a pinnacle of the temple, and might have as well tempted him to have cast himself down from a pre- cipice in the wilderness. We own, notwithstanding, that it might be replied to this, that the devil might raise a thick fog in the air in the da}-time, so that the people could not see him conveyed from the wilderness to the temple : But, though this i>e possible, it doth not seem probable, especially when we con- sider the other reasons brought against this supposition in ge- i^eral : therefore wc must have recourse to some other sensCj :n which this scripture is to be understood. 41(^ ©F Christ's humiliation. Accordingly some suppose that this was only done in a vi- sion, and that he continued all this time in the wilderness ; which will in some measure, account for several difficulties, that ■^vould arise from the supposition, of the devil's having power over him to carry him from place to place ; and this agrees with those other scriptures, that speak of his being tempted forty days in the wilderness. Nevertheless, this sense does not ap- pear vtvy probable, as it supposes the devil to have had a great- er power over Christ's imagination, than can readily be allow- ed of. And it seems to contain an absurdity in this respect ; that Christ could not be said to Avork a miracle, by throwing himself from a pinnacle of the temple, if he were all that while standing in the v.ilderness; and what proof would that have been of his being the Son of God? Object* If it be objected to this, that many things are said to be done, in vision, by the prophets, which could not well be said to be done otherwise ; as the prophet Ezekiel, when he was among the captives in Babylon, is said to be took by a lock of his head^ and^ by the Spirit^ lifted up between the earth and the heaven^ and brought in the visions of God to ferusalenij Ezek, viii. 3. the meaning of which is, that he had an impres- sion hereof made on his imagination, not much unlike to a dream, which inclined him, at the same time, to think himself carried to Jerusalem, and to behold the idolatry that was prac- tised there. Anszu. To this it may be replied, that this was a divine im- pression upon the soul of the prophet ; and we are not, from hence, inclined to think, that because God has sometimes ap- peared in vision to his people, that the devil was suffered to do so, with respect to our Saviour, or to have power over his imagination, to give it that disturbance, that would result from hence. Therefore there is another sense, a little different from this, in which V'^e cannot but acquiesce, though not without great deference to those who are otherwise minded, namely, that the devil had neither power over Christ's bod)'', nor actually carried him from the wilderness to a pinnacle of the temple, on the one hand, nor had he power to give disturbance to his imagination on the other : But that he tempted, or endeavoured to persuade him to go with him to Jerusalem, which is called the holy city, and then to go up to the top of the temple, and so cast himself down among the people. Object, The principal objection that is brought against this sense of the words, is taken fom its being contrary to the lite- i-al, or grammatical sense thereof, inasmuch as the devil is said to take him ufj into the holy city, and set him en a pinnacle of OF Christ's humiliation. . 417 the temple ; which does not seem to imply barely his discours- ing with him of going there, and casting hinaseif down from thtrnce. Ansxv. The only answer that need be given to this objection, is, that, since what is done in vision, is represented in scrip- ture as though it had been actually done, why may we not sup- pose, that what is offered in conversation, may be represented as though it had been actually done, especially considering, that wnat was only discoursed of between two persons, is sometimes said to be done. As when the chief butler reports the conver- sation which he and the chief baker had with Joseph in the prison, he represents Joseph as doing what he only spake of, when he says, 3fe he restored unto 7nine o^ce^ and him he hang' ed^ Gen. xli. 13. Therefore there is no absurdity in supposing, that the devil's carrying our Saviour to Jerusalem, and setting him on a pinnacle of the temple^ denotes nothing else but his tempting him to go there. And, if we take it in this sense, the temptation is no less subtle, or pernicious, in the design there- of ; and our Saviour's answer to it, is equally opposite, and to the purpose, as though we suppose the devil had power to car- ry him there. We shall now consider Christ's answer to this temptation, which is contained in these words. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thij God^ in which he refers to the words of Moses, Deut. vi. 16. which though they more immediately relate to the peo- ples murmuring, and questioning, whether Godxvas among them or not^ Exod. xvii. 7. upon which occasion the name of the place was called Massah ; yet, inasmuch as there are various ways of tempting God, this general prohibition might w^ell be applied by our Saviour to Jiis own case, in answer to Satan's temptation ; and then it is as though he should say, I will not tempt the Lord my God, either by desiring a farther proof of my Sonship, which has so lately been attested, by a voice from heaven ; or rather, I will not tempt him, so as to expect his protection, when engaged, according to thy desire, in an unlaw- tul action. Thirdly^ The third and last temptation, which w.is the most audacious, vile, and blasphemous of all, is contained in ver. 8, 9. in which Satan makes an overture of the kingdoins of the ivorld^ and the glonj thereof to him, provided he would fall down and ivorship him; in which we may observe, 1. Something preparatory to it, when it is said. The devil tak~ eth him up into an exceeeding high mountain^ and sheiveih him all the kingdoms of the ivorld^ and the glory of them. Whether this was actually done, or he only tempted him to go up into an high mountain, which was more convenieat for this purpose. 41& t)f Christ's hujIiliatiox. ' I will not peremptorily determine. Thei-e are not so many dil» ficulties attending the supposition, that it was actually done, as there were in the former temptation. If it be concluded, that it was actually done, it is very much to be doubted, whether there was any mountain so high, as that he might, from thence have a prospect of the kingdoms of the world ; or if there was an exceeding high mountain in the wilderness where Christ was tempted, yet, if we consider the nature of the vision, there aie iwo things that would hinder a person's seeing the kingdoms of the world, though it were from the highest mountain. (1.) The convexity, or unevenness of the surface of the earth, which' would hinder the strongest eye from seeing many king- doms of the world ; besides, the sight would be hindered by other mountains intervening, (2.) If there were several kingdoms, or countries, which miglit be beheld from the top of an exceeding high mountain, yet the organ of sight is too weak to reach many miles. There- fore, when Moses was commanded, by God, to go up to the top of mount Pisgah, to take a view of the whole land of Ca- naan, it is generally thought there was something miraculous in his strengthening his sight, to see to the utmost bounds there- of; accordingly it is said, that the Lord shaved him all the land^ Deut. xxxiv. 1. Now this can hard!}' be applicable to the case before us, relating to the devil's shewing our Saviour all the kingdoms of the world; therefore the best and most common sense that is given hereof, is, that he made a representation of the kingdoms and glories of the world in the air, and presented them to our Saviour's view in a moment ; and a mountain was more convenient for this purpose, than if he had done it in a valley ; which seems to be the most probable sense of this text. 2. We shall now consider the temptation itself, which is menr tioned in ver. 9. All these things xoill I g'we thee^ if thou xvilt fall down and xvorship me. The evangelist Luke adds something that is omitted by Matthew, as a farther illustration of this temptation namely, that the poxver of conferring a right to the kingdoms of the world, was delivered unto him; and that to xvhomsoever he will he gives it, Luke iv. 6. In this temptation, we may observe, Isty The abominable pride and insolence of the devil, and his appearing herein to be the father of lies, nothing could be move false, than for him to assert that the v/orld was given to him to dispose of, as he pleased ; whatever hand he may have in disposing of it among his subjects, by divine permission; yet he has no right to do this : so that herein we may observe iiis proud and blasphemous insinuation, in pretending to have a grant from God to dispose of that which he reserves in li'-s -own hand, to give as he nleasoii. o-F Christ's iiumiliatiox. 419 2^///, All that he pretends to give our Saviour, is only the kingdoms of the world ; and, in exchange for them, he must quit his right to that better world, which he had, b)' inheritance, ^i right to, and a power to dispose of, which the devil has not, odlijy He pretends to give our Saviour nothing but what, as God iiud Mediator, he had a right to. 1'his Satan maliciously questions, when, by the overture he makes thereof, he insinu- ates, that he must be beholden to him for it. 4rthly^ This he proposes, as an expedient for him, to arrive to glory and honour an easier way, than to attain it by suffer- ings i therefore it is as though he should say ; tliou expected a kingdom beyond this world, but there are many troubles that lie in the way to it; whereas, by following my advice, and com- plying with this temptation, thou mayest avoid those sufferings, and enter into the present possession of the kingdoms and glories of this world ; by which, it is probable, he makes him an over- ture of the whole Roman empire : But this our Saviour de- spises, for he offered it, who had no right to give it ; and the terms, on which the overture was made, were very disiionour- able ; and the honour itself was such, as he did not value, for his kingdom M'as not of this world. If he had aimed al earth- ly grandeur, he might easily have attained it ; for we read, that he might once, not only have been made a king, but that the peo- ple intended to come and make him so bij force^ John vi. 15. upon which occasion, he discovered the little value he had for this honour, bv his retiring from them into a inoimtaiji himself ulone^ rather chusing to continue in the low estate, which he de- signed to submit to in this world, as a man of sorrows, and ac- quainted with grief. Thus concerning the overture made by Satan to our Saviour. Nov/ let us consider the condition on v/hich he made it, name- ly, that \\Q should fall down and worship hhn ; in which wc may observe his pride, in pretending to have a right to divine hon- our, and how he attempts to usurp the throne of God, and that to such a degree, that no one must expect favours from him, without giving him that honour, that is due to God alone. Again, he boldly and blasphemously tempts Christ to aban- don and withdraw himself from his allegiance to God, and, at the sanie time, to deny his own deity, us the object of worship, and thereby to cast away that crown of glory, which he has bv nature, and to put it on the head of his avowed enemy. Thus ccnceming the third and last temptation; we may cousider, 3. Christ's reply to it, together with the repulse given to the adversary, and victory obtained over him, who hereupon de- parted from him ,; where we may observe, (1.) That he again makes use of scripture, referring to what 420 or Christ's humiliation. is said therein, in different words, though the sense be the same, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God^ and serve him^ and to hiin shall thou cleave^ Deut. \'i. 13. and chap. x. 20. This is a duty not only founded in scripture, but in the law of nature, and may be pi-oved from the perfections of God, and our relation to him, as creatures. (2.) Our Saviour detests the temptation with the greatest abhorrence, can no longer bear to converse with the blasphe- mer, and therefore says, Get thee hence^ Satan. He commands him to be gone, and Satan immediately leaves him, being, as it were, driven away by his almighty power. This is more than we can do ; nevertheless, in the like case, we ought, as the apos- tle did, to beseech the Lord that he anight depart from us, 2 Cor. xii. 8. or, to use our Saviour's words on another occasion. The Lord rebuke thee, 0 Satan. Thus Christ's temptations, though very gi'ievous and afflictive, were not only surmounted, but the adversary, that assaulted him, was overcome by him, in his own Person, (a) From what hath been said, concerning Christ's temptations, we infer, (a) This portion of scripture has been subjected to much examination, which has resulted in a variety of opinions with respect to the things contained in it. We suppose the major part of christians take the whole as a literal representa- tion of the facts ; such seem to choose the safest side. There is another opinion, ■which is entertained b}^ many ; that the whole was a \'ision ; the Saviour's being in the wilderness ; his fasting for forty days ; the several temptations ; and the relief afforded by the angels. This latter interpretation is an assumption of unwarrantable latitude in the interpretation of the word of God. All are realities, even the presence and temp- tations of Satan, and the resistance given him ; but the temptations may have been proposed to the Saviour, when exhausted with hunger, and when sunk into some species of waking vision, little distinguishable from a dream. Satan has not the power of forcing men into sin ; his temptations are always disguised; for the knowledge that tliey are such, is the strongest moti%e for re- sisting them ; if therefore Satan had discovered himself to Jesus in a visible form, it would not only have been contrary to his usual course, but must have ensured him a defeat. The replies of Christ were in every instance by scriptures recollected, which leads us to think that it was all before the eye of his mind only ; also one of Sa- tan's temptations was from scripture ; these things well accord with its having been in vision. The changes of place seem to have been too sudden, and also impracticable. He was in the wilderness when tlie temptations began, and when they ended ; which agrees with the supposition that his rapid transition to a pinnacle of the temple, and from thence to a very high mountain, were only in idea. It is very imaccountable that lie should have been transported to the battle- ments of the temple for a dangerous place, when the country afforded precipices enough, and still more so, that this could have taken place without^ublick ob- servation ; but such flights of the imagination, when the body is fainting witli hunger, would not be extraordinary ; nor would it excite any wonder, if the per- son in such exigency should find Satan occupied in giving a turn to his ideus OF Christ's humiliation. 421 if/, The desperate and unparalleled boldness of Satan, in -that though he knew well enough that Christ was the Son of God, and therefore able not onl) to resist, but to destroy him ; yet he should venture thus to assault hira : whereas, at other times, he seems to be afraid of him, which occasioned him to say, Art thou come to destroy us before the time ? Mark i, 24. and elsewhere. Art thou come to torment us before the timef Matt. viii. 29. Besides, he knew, that by this action, his own guilt and misery would be increased; but what will not malice, and a deep-rooted hatred of God and godliness, prompt per- sons to ! The attempt was certainly most unfeasable, as well as prejudicial to himself. Did Satan suppose that he should gain a victory over hira ? Could he think, that he, who was God, as well as man, was not more than a match for him ? It may be, he might hope, that though the human nature of Christ were united to the divine, yet it might be left to itself; and then he thought it more possible to gain some advantages against it, which was a groundless supposition, and altogether unbecoming the relation that there is between these two na- tures : and it was also impossible that he should be overcome, inasmuch as he -was filled with the Holy Ghost from his first conception, and the unction which he had received from the Holy Ghost, would have effectually secured him from falling. Whether the devil knew this, or no, he did not consider it ; and therefore this attempt against our Saviour, was an instance of the most stupendous folly jn him, who is described as the old serpent for his great subtilty. 'i.dly^ From Christ's temptation, we may infer the greatness There is not a mountain on earth from whence all tlie kingdoms ar« visiblci here tlierefore we are obliged to give up the literal sense, and nuiy discover an index to the interpretation of the other temptations. It IS not called a vision ; in like manner neither did Micaiah nor Jacob denomi- nate their visions. They represented what ai^peaitd to them; and so we pi-esume Jesus related these things to bis disciples just as tliey appeared to his mind. Satan, though he can and docs in various ways, by external and internal means, through the medium of our bodies, suggest thoughts, and tlnis take possession of our hearts in a certain sense ; yet he knows not our thoughts ; it is the attri- bute of God only to search the heart. Every tljing acted by Satan in this instance could have taken place without his knowing the mind of Christ.* If it bud not been in visirm, then Jesus must have spoken audibly his respective answers; Sa- tan would have known them, and, we presume, in some instance replied ; but there is not one reply of Satan, which is an acltlitional proof that he suggested the temptations, and the Saviour resisted them by mental answers, with which the enemy was unacquainted. Adopting tlMs general view, tiie particular parts will be easily imderstood. • It is highly proSabJe that S:.tan did not know th.it this was the Christ; he speaks douht- fiilly of hi^ being the •• Son of God;" this he had heard, we supiKise, at his liaptism, a short time before. Satan is not omnipresent, nor omniscient, atul prob.iblv knew less than the an^ls of these things which they desired to pry into. Christ's divinity was chiefly concealed thirty y^ars, not always shown in his life, nor at his death. It was the man only that could be tiuis bamhied and tempted ; God neither tempts nor can be temi'trd by' any. Vol. II. 3 H 422 OF Christ's humiliation. of his sufferings. It could not but be grievous to him to be in- sulted, attacked, and the utmost endeavours used to turn him aside from his allegiance to God, by the worst of his enemies. And, as Satan's temptations are not the smallest part of the affliction of his people, they cannot be reckoned the smallest part of his own ; nevertheless, the issue thereof was glorious to him- self, and shameful to the enemy that attacked him. 3fl?/j/, This affords encouragement to believers, under the va- rious temptations they are exposed to. They are not, indeed, to think it strange that they are tempted, inasmuch as they are herein conformed to Jesus Christ, the t. aptain of their salva- tion ; but they may, from Christ's temptation, be instructed that it is not a sin to be tempted, though it be a sin to comply with Satan's temptations ; and therefore that they have no ground to conclude, as many do, that they are not God's children, be- cause they are tempted. Moreover, they may not only hope to be made partakers of Christ's victor)-, as the fruits and effects thereof redound to the salvation of his people ; but to receive help and succour from him when they are tempted, as he, who suffered^ being tempted^ is able to succour them that are tempted^ Heb. ii. 18. Thus concerning Christ's humiliation, as tempted. 4. Christ humbled himself, in being subject to those sinless infirmities, which were either common to the human nature, or particularly accompanying that low condition in which he was. Some of those afflictions, which he endured, took their rise from the sin or miser\- of others : thus he is said to have been afflicted in all the afflictions of his people^ Isa. Ixiii. 9. which is an instance of that great sympathy and compassion which he bare towards them. Sometimes he was grieved for the degene- racy and apostacy of the Jewish nation, the contempt they cast on the gospel, whereby his ministry, though discharged with the greatest faithfulness, was, through the unbelief of those among whom he exercised it, without its desired success : thus he is represented by the prophet, as complaining, / have la- boured in vain ; I have spent my strength for nought and in vain, chap. xlix. 4. and, when he had almost finished his minis- try among them, and looked upon Jerusalem as a self-ruined people, lie beheld the city and zvept over it, Luke xix. 41. And, besides this, he Was sometimes grieved for the remainders .of corruption, and the breakings forth thereof in those whom he loved, in a distinguishing manner: thus he was sometimes af- flicted in his own spirit, by reason of the hardness of the heart of his discijjles, and the \-arious instances of their unbelief. These afflictions, more especially, might be called relative, as the occasion thereof was seated in others : but there were many afflictions which he endured that were more especially OF Christ's hvmii.iation in death. 42j pci-sonal ; such as hunger, thirst, fatigue, weariness in travelling to and iro in the discharge of his public ministry ; and that poverty and want of the common necessaries of life, wjiich he submitted to, whose divine bounty supplies the wants of alj creatures. These, and many other sufferings, he endured ui life, which were agreeable to that state of humiliation, in which he was, dtiring the whole course thereof. And this leads us, Secondlif^ To consider his humiliation immediately before, as well as iu and after his death. Quest. XLIX. Hoxv did Christ humble himself in his death? Answ. Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas, forsaken bv his disciples, scorned and rejected by the world, condemned bv Pilate, and tor- mented by his persecutors, having also conflicted with the , terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God's wrath, he laid down his life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross. Quest. L. Wherein consisted Christ''s humiliation after his death P Answ. Christ's humiliation after his death, consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death, till the third da} , which hath been otherwise expressed in tiiese words, He descended into helL IN considering the subject matter of these answer?, we are led to take a view of our Saviour, in the last stage of life, exposed to those sufferings which went more immediately be- fore, or attended his death. And, I. Let us consider him in his sufferings in the garden, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death j und he desired his disciples, not only as an instance of their sympathy with, and regard to him in his agony, that they woultl tarry at a small distance from him, while he went a litde farther, and prayed, as on'i that tasted more of the bitterness of that cup, wijich he was to drink, than Ik had done before ; but pressed this upon them, as what was necessary to their own advantage, when he says, Watch and pray that ye enter not into tempta- tion^ Matt, xxvii. 38, 39. 41. But they seemed very lilile con- cerned, either for his distress, or their own impending clanger; for, when he returned, he found them asleep, and upbraids them for it. What, could ye not xvatch ivith me one hour ? ver. 40. and 424 OS Christ's humiliation in deatk. afterwards, though he had given them this first kind and geir* tie reproof, for their unaccountable stupidity, and repeated his charge, that they should watch and pray; yet, when he came a second time, he found ihem asleep again, ver. 43. This was, doubtless, an addition to his afflictions, that they, who were un- der the highest obligation to him, should be so little concerned for him, il. After this he was betrayed by Judas, a pretended friend, which added to the affliction. This does not argue any unwil- lingness in him to suffer, as is evident from his own words, some time before, viz. / have a baptism to be baptized with^ and how am I straitened till it be accomplished? Luke xii. 50. As also from his going up to Jerusalem with that design, as know- ing that his hour was at hand. How easily might he have de- clined this journey, had he been unwilling to suffer ? And, if he thought it his duty to be at Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover, which was not absolutely necessary, (for all were not obliged to come there at the feast) he might, notwithstanding, had he been unwilling to suffer, have went there privately : but, instead of that, he made a more public entrance into it than was usual, riding in triumph, and accepting of the loud acclama- tions and hosannas of the multitude, which, any one might suppose, w ould draw forth the envy of his inveterate enemies, and sharpen their malice against him, and thereby hasten the execution of their bloody design. Again, that he did not suffer unwillingly, appears, in that, when the band of officers, being led by Judas, was sent to ap- prehend him, He asks them^ whom seek ye ? They answered him^ Jesus of Nazareth ; Jesus saith unto them, I am he; upon which we read, that they went backward, and Jell to the ground^ John xviii. 4'— 6. and gave him an opportunity to make his escape, had he intended to decline these last sufferings : but he not on- ly delivered himself into their hands, but prohibited the over- ture of a rescue, which Peter attempted in his favour, ver. 10, 11. As to what concerns his being beti'ayed into the hands of his enemies, by one of his disciples, this is often mentioned, as a very considerable part of his sufferings : the price which the traitor demanded, or which was the most they would give for this barbarous and inhuman action, was thirty pieces of silver.^' This being foretold by the prophet, is represented as an in- stance of the highest contempt that could be cast upon him : he calls It a goodly price that I was prized at of them, Zech. xi. IS. it was the price of a serva?it, or slave, when pushed by the ox, so that he died, Exod. xxi. 32. This shews how little he was * A fnece of silver is the same 7t>hick is elsewhere called a thekel, w/tich was valu- ed at about half a croiun, English monetf ; so tl-nt the 7v hole price for -which our Sa ■ dour v;'a> sold into their hands, rvas Tit inore than three pounds fjieen shUlimgy. OF Christ's humiliation in death. 4^5 valued, by those who were under the highest obligations to him. And providence permitted it to be a part of his sufferings, that we may learn from hence, that hypocrites sometimes mix them- selves with his faithful servants, who, notwithstanding the mask, or disguise of religion, which they affect, their hypocrisy will, one time or other, be made manifest. This was not a wound given by an open enemy, but a pretended friend, and therefore more grievous j and this might also give occasion to some to cast a reproach on his followers (for what will not malice sometimes suggest) as though they were all like him ; and their pretence to religion were no more than hypocrisy. III. Another instance of Christ's humiliation was, in that he was forsaken by his disciples : thus we read, that when he was apprehended, all the disciples forsook him and Jied, Matt. xxvi. 56. from whence we may learn, 1. How unable the best of God's people are to exercise that holy courage and fortitude that is necessary in trying dispensa- tions of providence, especially when destitute of extraordinary assistance from the Spirit of God. 2. This was ordered by providence, to add weight to Christ's sufferings, in which none stood with him to comfort or strength- en him ; as the apostle Paul says, At my first answer no man- stood with me, but all men forsook me^ 2 Tim. iv. 16. which could not be otherwise than a very afflictive circumstance; nevertheless, 3. There was a farther design of providence in permitting this cowardise, namely, that they might not suffer with him ; and therefore it is observed, by one of the evangelists, that when our Saviour was apprehended by the officers, he desired leave of them, that his disciples might go their way^ John xviii. 8. If they had been apprehended, it may be, they might have been accused, condemned, and crucified with him ; which might give occasion to some to suppose, that they bore a part in the purchase of our redemption ; which belonged to him alone ; and therefore it is said, concerning him, I have trodden the wine press alone^ and of the people there was none with me, Isa. Ixiii. o. To this we may add, IV. That it was another part of Christ's sufferings, that he was disowned and denied by Peter ; since this would give oc- casion to some to think that he was not worthy to be acknow- ledged by his friends, while he was insulted and persecuted by his enemies. In the account the evangelist gives of this mat- ter. Matt. xxvi. 69 — 72. we may observe, 1. That Peter was not, at this time, in the way of his dutj', though, probably, it was love to our Saviour, and a desire to see die issue of his trial, that might occasion his going into the High Priest's Palace; yet this he had no call to do at present. 426 OF Christ's iiuiuliation in death. it was a running into the midst of danger, especially consider- ing our Saviour, as in the scripture but now referred to, had got leave for his disciples to withdraw. This, Peter oughc to have done : for, as we are not to decline sufferings when called to bear, them, so we are not, without a sufficient warrant, to rush into them, to go, as he did, in the way of temptation. 2. It was not only shame that induced him to deny our Sa- viour, but fear; for, it is probable, he might be informed that the High Priest asked him concerning his disciples, as well as his doctrine, therefore he might think, that by owning him and his doctrine, he might be exposed to suffer with him ; which, notwithstanding his self-confident resolution a little before, when he said. Though I should die with thee^ yet I -will not de- ny thee^ ver. 25, he was now afraid to do. 3. He was not only accosted by the damsel, who told him, that he was with Jesus of Galilee ; but he was attacked by 07ie of the servants of the High Priest^ being his kinsman^ xvhose ear Peter cut off^ who said, Did I not see thee in the garden ■with him ? John xviii. 26. This still increased his fear ; for he not only appeared as a witness against him, and charged him with having been with him in the garden, but also intimates, that he attempted to rescue him, and that by force of arms, which, as he apprehended might render him obnoxious to the lash of the law as endeavouring to make a riot, for which he concluded that he was liable to suffer punishment ; and the per- son, whose ear he cut off", being the High Priest's kinsman, this would lay him still more open to his resentment. Thus Peter, through the weakness of his faith, and the pi-evalency of his fear, denied our Saviour ; and this was thrice repeated with curses and execrations annexed to it, which still increased his guilt, tended to expose religion, as well as cast a reproach on our Saviour, who was then bearing his testimony to the truth. V. Another instance of Christ's humiliation was, that he was scorned and rejected by the world; scorned, as though he had been inferior to them. Thus he is represented by the Psalmist, as saying, / am a zuorm and no man ; a reproach of men^ a7id despised of the people. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip^ they shake the head^ Psal. xxii. 6, 7. This was, doubtless, a malicious design, to fill the minds of men with prejudice against it, and make them ashamed to own it. Our Saviour puts these both together, when he speaks of per- sons being ashamed of him^ and of his words^ Mark viii. 38. They had often rejected him, by their unbelief; and this crime was the greater, because they were under the greatest obliga- tions to the contrary. How often did he invite them, in the most affectionate manner, to come to him, and annex hereunto a promise of eternal life ? We find, notwithstanding, that he OF chuist's humiliation in death. 427 had reason to complain, as he does, T'e 7vill not come to me, that ye might have iife^ John v. 40. Here we migiit observe the temper of the Jews, before he ap- peared publickly among them, to have been different from what it ^as afterwards. When John the Baptist, his fore-runner told them, that he would shortly be made manifest to Israel, multi- tudes flocked to his ministry, counted him as a great prophet, and rejoiced in his light for a season, and, at the same time, were baptized, and professed their willingness to yield obedience to Christ. But all this was upon a groundless supposition, that he would appear as an earthly monarch, erect a temporal king- dom, bring all othei' powers into subjection to it, and so deli-* ver them from the Roman yoke, and advance them to great honours in the world : but, when they saw it otherwise, and that he appeared in a low humbled state, and professed, that his kingdom was not of this world, and therefore his subjects must seek for a glory that lies beyond it, which cannot be be- held, but by faith, and, in the expectation hereof, take up their cross, and follow him, immediately they were offended in him : thus the prophet foretels, that he should be for a stoJie of stum- bling'^ and a rock of offenvc to both the houses of Israel^ Isa. viii. 14. and the Psalmist stjdes him. The stone which the builders refused., Psal. cxviii. 22. both which predictions are applied Xo Christ by the aposde Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8. This was also fore- told by Simeon, concerning our Saviour, when he was in his infancy. Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of manij in Israel., and for a sign, which shall be spoken against^ Luke ii. 43. And this offence taken at him, is intimated to have been almost universal, as appeared from the small num- ber that adhered to him, when he was here on earth, which gave him occasion to say, Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me., Matt. xi. 6. This treatment he met with throughout the whole course of his ministry, when they loaded him with the most injurious reproaches : but, immediately before his death, they filled up the measure of their iniquity, by reproaching him to the ut- inost ; then it is observed that they blasphemed, and cast con- tempt tipxm him, with respect to all those offices which he exe- cutes as Mediator. As to his prophetical office, with what abominable profaneness do they speak of the sacred gift of prophecy, which their fathers alv. ays counted a peculiar glorj', which was conferred upon some of them, whereby they were honoured above all other nations in the world ! And what con- tempt do they cast on him, who had sufficiently proved him- self to be greater than all other ])rophcts \ when as It is said, Theij smote him with the palms of their hands., sailing. Prophesy unto us, thou Christ., who is- he that smote thee? chap. xxvi. 67, 42^ 0F Christ's humiliation in death. 68. They also expressed their blasphemy in contemning hi3 priestly office, when they say, He saved others, himself he can- not save, chap, xxvii. 42. and also his kingly, when, in deri- sion, they put on him a scarlet robe, platted a crorvn of thorns, and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand, arid bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, sayiiig, Hail king of the Jews, ver. 28, 29. They also expressed the greatest contempt of him, by pre- ferring a vile and notorious criminal, who was a robber, and a murderer, before him ; and accordingly, as the prophet says. He was numbered xvith the transgressors, as though he had been the greatest of them, whereas he had done no violence ; neither was any deceit in his mouth, Isa. liii. 9, 12. Thus the apostle tells them, Te denied the Holy One, and the fust, and desired a viurderer to be granted unto you^ Acts iii. 14. when Pilate made an overture to release him, they cried, with one consent, JVQt this man, but Barabbas, John xviii. 39, 40. From hence we may learn, 1. That the best of men are not to expect to pass through the world Avithout reproach, or contempt, how exact, innocent or blameless, soever their conversation be. 2. We are not to judge of persons, or things, especially in matters of religion, merely by the opinion of the world con- cerning them ; since it is no uncommon thing for religion it- self to be had in contempt, as well as those who adhere to it. 3. We ought not to have respect to the praise or esteem of men, as a motive to induce us to choose and adhere to the way of God and godliness : thus our Saviour says, / receive not honour from men, John v. 41. that is, I value it not, so as to regulate my conversation thereby ; and then he adds, How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only, ver. 44. 4. Let us not thmk the worse of Christ, or his gospel, be- cause they are reproached, but rather, as the apostle adviseth. Go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach, Heb. xiii. 13. and not only be content to bear it, but count it our honour; as he says elsewhere, concerning himself, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord jfesus Christ. Gal. iv. 14. 5. Let us take heed, that while we seem to honour Christ by our profession, and testify pur abhorrence of the contempt that was cast on him, by his enemies, we do not reproach him by our practice ; and that either by sinning presumptuously, which is called, A reproachiyig of the Lord, Num. xv. 30. or not by reproving and bearing our testimony against those who blaspheme and revile him ; by which means, we shall partake with them in their crime. or Christ's humiliation in death. 429 VI. Our Saviour was condemned by Pilate. The former in- dignities offered him, were without any pretence, or form of , law; but now he is set before a court of judicature, and there tried, and sentence passed immediately before his crucifixion. In this they had no regard to the exercise of justice, nor de- sire to proceed in a legal way with any good and honourable design, but to prevent the inconvenience that would have arisen from their putting him to death in a riotous and tumultuous manner, without the form of a trial. This the}- had in some particular instances, at other times, designed, or attempted to do, but they thought it not a safe way of proceeding ; since they might afterwards have been called to an account for it, by the civil magistrate, as the town-clerk says, upon occasion of the tumult at Ephesus, PFt' are in danger to be called in (juestion for this daifs uproar^ Acts xix. 40. Therefore our Saviour, being apprehended, is brought before Pilate, the Roman gover- nor; ancl there were the chief priests and elders met together, as his accusers and prosecutors ; and the whole process was the most notorious instance of injustice, that ever was practised in any court of judicature in the woild. Whatever pretence of law there might be, the assembly was certainly tumultuous. It is not usual for persons who are tried for capital matters to be insulted, not only by the rude multitude of spectators that are present, but bj^ the judge himself, as our Saviour was, being spit upon, buffeted, and smote with the palms of their hands; and Pilate also, with a sarcastic sneer, unbecoming the charac- ter of a judge, says. Behold the Man; Behold your King^ John xix. 5, 14. Here we may observe, 1. Concerning his persecutors, that they sought false wit- nesses against him, that is, they endeavoured to persuade, or bribe any that they could find, among the most vile and profli- gate wretches, to come in against him ; nevertheless, they could not bring this matter to bear for some time : thus, it is said, They sought false 'tvitnef':s against fesiis to put him to death^ hut found none; r/ca^ though many false xvitriesses came^ yet found they none^ Matt. xxvi. 59, 60. The evidence that many gave was not regarded, and therefore they were set aside ; at last they found two, whom they depended on, as legal eviden- ces : but it is observed, that their xvitness did not agree together^ Mark xiv. 59. and, if they had agreed in their testimony, the matter alleged against him was no crime, namely. We heard him say^ 1 will destroy this temple that is made with hands i a/uf, within three days^ I will buih! another made without hands^ ver. 58. which refers to what he had said when he drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and foretelling his resur- rection from the dead, he uses this metaphorical way of speak- ing; that when they had do.stroved this temple, meaning his Vol. II. n I X 430 OF CHRIST S HUMILIATION IN DEATH. bodv, he would raise it up in three days. We will suppose, that the Jews, then present, did not understand what he meant by this expression, or that he did not explain it, as the evangelist does : but let them take it in what sense they would, it carries in it no crime for him to say so ; and therefore it is observed, that when this was witnessed against him, though the High Priest urged him to make a reply, be held his peace^ and an- swered nothings because there was nothing alleged worth an ansv/er; the thing he was charged with, carried in it its own confutation, and inferred not the least degree of guilt in him. This his enemies themselves seemed to be sensible of; and therefore they ask him this trying question, Art thou the Christy the Son of the Blessed? expecting that his reply to this would have afforded matter for them to proceed upon his conviction. To this our Saviour gives a direct answer, saying, I am; and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power ^ and coming in the clouds of heaven^ ver. 62. Here he was called to give a reply ; the question was worthy of an answer ; and t;ierefore he does not, on this occasion, hold his peace, but wit- Kv C3.. d a good confession, though he knew it would cost him his life. 2. Some things may be observed concerning Pilate's con- duct in his trial ; as, (1.) He acted contrary to that good advice that was given him bv his wife ; which, because the Evangelist thinks it wor- thy to be taken notice of, as occasioned by a dream, in which she told him, She had suffered many things because of him, Matt, xxvii. 19. gives ground to conclude that it was a divine dream, v/hich rendered the advice more solemn, and, as such, deserved his regard. (2.) He acted against the dictates of his own conscience ; for , he knexv that the chief priests had delivered him for etivi/y Matt. XV. 20. and therefore he ought to have stopped all farther pro- ceedings, as in cases of malicious prosecutions ; and it farther appears that he acted against his conscience, in that he took 7i!a(cr and washed his hands before (he multitude, saying, I arn invocent of the blood of this just Person, Matt, xxvii. 24. (3.) He appears to have been a very mean-spirited man, and therefore was apprehensive that the Jews had he released our Saviour, would have accused him to Caesar, for sparing one ■0->hom tliey wouM have pretended to h^ve been an usurper, and a rebel, inasnuu:h as he is styled Kihg of tlie Jews. Accord- ingly he feared that he should have been turned out of his place,' or otherwise punished, provided the matter were not fully heard, or the misrepresentations that might be made there- of, were believed by him. This seems the main reason of his flclivcring our Saviour up to them, to be crucified : thus it is OJ CH&iaT's HUMILIATION IN DEATH. 431 observed, that Pilate first sought out to release him ; but, upon the Jews saying, If thou let this man go^ thou art not C'cesai'^s friend^ he brought Jesus forth^ and sat down in the judginent seat^ and, in haste, delivered him unto them to be crucified^ John xix. 12, 13, 16. (4.) When he thought it his interest to comply with the Jews in this matter, he did not pass sentence on him himself, it may be, thinking that not so adviseable, as being contrary to the profession he had a little before this, made of his innocency : but he asked his prosecutors, what he should do with him ? which was a flagrant instance of baibarity and injustice, in one who had the character of a judge or magistrate.* VII. Our Saviour was tormented by his persecutors, scour- ged, buffeted, smitten with the palms of their hands, crowned with thorns, which, as most divines suppose, pierced his h'^ad, and drew blood from thence, which v/as a part of the torments he endured. And to tiiis we may add, that they compelled him to bear his cross, till his strength was so exhausted, that he could carry it no longer; and then they obliged one Simon, u Cyrenian, to bear it ; or, as Luke says to bear it after him^ John xix. ir. compared with Luke xxiii. 26. that is, as some sup- pose, to help him to carry it, going behind, and bearing a part of the weight thereof. These things he endured, immedi- ately before his crucifixion, from wicked men, divested of iUI humanity, as well as religion : but still there is something more afflictive than this, which he endured; accordingly it is farther observed, VIII. That he conflicted with the terrors of death, felt, and bore the weight of God's wrath; these were the sufferings which • Pilate is characterized, by various writers, as a man of inhuman cruelty, insa- tiable avarice, and inflexible obstinacy. An instance of Ids cruelty we liuve mention- ed in Luke xiii. 1. in his mingling the blood ofihe Galileans vviili tlieir s.-.ciiiices, that is, as some suppose he fell upon them -ivithout a fair trial, and murdered ihem- ■;ufdle they -were engaged in a solemn act of religious worship, offering sacrifce tic Je- rusalem, in one of the public festivals ; pretending, though without a fair trial, that they were of the same mind, with Judas of Galilee, who had persuaded many of ihi Galileans to refuse to give tribute to Cesar. A learned writer {\'ni. Grot, m Liike xlii. 1.) supposes, not only that this was the occasion of this inhuman action, which Ls not improbable, (though Josephns makes no mention of it) but also that this is one of those things which was reported to tlie emperor, who did not approve of it. And ufterwarda there were other instances of his oppression and mal-adminislration laid I'efore Tiheriu.i, which, had not that emperor's death prevented, it -would have occa- sioned his disgrace ; and afterwards he fell under the displeasure of Ids successor, and was not only turned out of his procuratovship, bat reduced to such nuserable cir- eumstunces, that he laid violent ltu:ids on himself ( Vul. Pliil. Jud. de Leg.. :4i! Caj. Si. Joseph. Anliq. Lib. XVIU. cup. 5 &. Eiiseb. Hist, 'secies. Lib. 11. Ci>p. ".) There- fore we may wM suppoie, that though he hail, in other respects no regard io the Jews ; yet, on this occasion, lie feared, lest they shoulil report his vile actions to the emperor, and that they would represent tids to him with a malicious insinuation, tlutt he was Ida enemy, because he spared our Saviour: this o'.xasioncd him to deliver him vp to tliert, to Jo v.hat ?//. »> wtild '^ith hint. 43^ QF Christ's humiliation in death. he endured, more especially in his soul. From whence we uiaj' observe, that the death he was going to endure, was exceeding formidable to him, and accompanied with great terrors; there- fore there must certainly be some bitter ingredient in it, more than in the death of others. If we enquire what it was therein that seemed so terrible to him, when many of the martyrs, who have been, as the apostle says, pressed out of measure above strength^ 2 Cor. i. 8. that is, suffered as much as frail nature could well bear, have endured it without any dread of the wrath of God, the sting and bitterness thereof being taken away ; why then should our Saviour, who never contracted the least degree of guilt, have any conflict of this nature in his own spi- rit ? To this it may be replied, that there were some things in his death that rendered it more formidable, than it ever was to any of his saints and martyrs. For, 1. It is more than probable that the powers of darkness had a great hand in setting before his view the terrors of the Avrath ( of God due to sin, which none are better able to do, than they who are the subjects thereof; and therefore it is observed, in this answer, that he conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness. The devil is sometimes said to have the power of deaths Heb. ii. 14. that is, if the Spirit of God do not coine in with his comforting presence, but Satan be suffered to do what he can to fill the soul with horror, he hath certainly power to make death, beyond measure, terrible. His design herein, vv'ith respect to our Saviour, was either to drive him to despair, induce him to repent of his undertaking what he came into the world about, or, at least, to take some indirect methods to decline sufferings. That Satan had some hand in this mat- ter, we may infer from what our Saviour says, when, consider- ing himself as fallen into the hands of his enraged enemies, he tells thein, not only that this was their hour^ that is, the time in which they were suffered to express their rage ond malice against him, but that it was the hour of the poxver of darkness^ Luke xxii. 53. 2. His death was in itself more terrible than the death of his people, when the sting and bitterness thereof is taken away from them ; therefore it is farther observed, in this answer, that he felt and bore the weight of God's wrath, which was the pvmish- ment of the sins of his people, for whom he suffered. It was upon this account that he is said to begtJi to be sore amazed^ and to he vcrij heavy^ to cry out, Mij sold is exceeding sorrorV' fid^ even unto death; and to pray, that, if it xvvi\' possible^ this part oT his sufferings might pass from him, Mark xiv^ 33 — 36. We cannot suppose that he was afraid of death ; but the wrath of God was what he principally feared. And, since this wrath is-, in jl'stir. so terrible, he might well be supposed to ho auia- OF Christ's humiliation in death. 433 2ed, and exceeding sorrowful, at the view thereof, not for hia own sin, but ours, and yet herein not to be guilty of any sin himself. That this may farther appear, let it be considered, that as he hore our sins ^ 1 Pet. ii. 14. and it pleased the Lord to bruise him for them, Isa. liii. 6. so he bore every thing that was a punish- ment thereof, excepting some circumstances that are peculiar to us, and were inconsistent with his perfect holiness, and the efficacy of his sufferings, to take away the guilt of our sin ; and therefore we must suppose that he bore, that is, he had an af- flictive sense of the wrath of God due to it. Nothing less thaa this could occasion him to sweat drops of blood, in his agony, in the garden. Had there been no circumstance in his death, but barely his leaving this miserable world, wherein he had such ill treatment, it would have rendered his stay therein less desirable : but, when he considered those bitter ingredients that were therein, and how he should, when on the cross be forsa- ken of God, as to his comforting, though not his supporting presence, this made his death more formidable, than the death of any of his people can be said to be. And this leads us to consider the last part of his sufferings ; and accordingly it is farther said, IX. That he endured the shameful, painful, and cursed death of the cross. The pains that he endured before, in being buf- feted, scourged, and crowned with thorns, were very great ; but what he suffered, when nailed to the cross, and hanging on it till he died, was too great for words to express. His body was, as it were, torn asunder by its own weight, and the small and very sensible nerves and fibres thereof broken, by their violent extension. The apostle therefore speaks of it, as the most cruel death, as appears by the emphasis he puts on the words. He humbled himself unto deaths even the death of the crossy Phil. ii. 8. This death was a punishment peculiar to the Romans, while the empire was Heathen ; but when Christian- ity obtained in the world, it was forbidden bv supreme autho- rity, not only because of the barbarity of it, but out of respect and honour to our Saviour, who suffered it.* And therefore we have only some monuments of antiquity that discover what kind of death it was ; but there is enough said of it to give us ground to conclude, that it was the most cruel, painful, and for- midable death ; wherein the body was fastened to, and exten- ded on a tree, or stake, driven into the ground for that pur- pose ; the arms extended on a transverse beam ; the hands and feet fastened, cither by ropes or nails. The former of these, a« some suppose, was often used in fastening persons to the cross ; and, if so, then the nailing our Saviour to it was an instance of » rid. Sozom. lEst. Eccl. lab. I. cap. 8 434 OF Christ's humiliation is deatk. unusual cruelty ; but whether this observation be just, or no, is uncertain. It appears that our Saviour was nailed to the cross, by the mark and print of the nails remaining after his resurrection, which he shewed to Thomas for his conviction, John xx. 27. and this greatly tended to increase the pain of his crucifixion, in which the weight of the whole body depended on the hands and feet, which being nervous, are more sensible of pain, than many other parts thereof; and, they being wounded with the nails, the pain must be much more exquisite, and this not only for a little while, but for several hours ; all which time he felt the pains of death, and did, as it were, die many deaths in one. This kind of death was so cruel, and so excessively torment- ing, that some of the Roman emperors, who were of a more merciful disposition, when persons, for the highest crimes, had deserved it, notwithstanding ordered, that they should first be slain, and then hanged on a cross, to be exposed to shame, or as a terror to others, without suffering those inexpressible tor- lures, which would attend their dying on it. But our Saviour submitted to all these ; and so willing was he to bear them, that when they offered him a mixture of wine and myrrh, as a nar- cotic, or stupifying potion, that he might be less sensible of his pain, which was the only kindness they pretended to shew him, and which is, by many, supposed to be customary in such cases, he received it not ; which is as though he had said, I con- temn all your offered assistances to ease my pain, as much as I do your insults and reproaches ; all my ease and comfort shall be derived from heaven, and not from you. Thus concerning the death of the cross, as exceeding painful. There is another circumstance observed in this death, name- ly, that it was shameful. Many think it was styled so, because persons, who suffered it, were stripped of all their garments : but I am inclined to think, that this opinion, though almost uni- versally received, is no better than a vulgar error ; for the Ro- mans, who were a civilized nation, would not admit any thing to be done, which is so contrary to the law of nature, as this thing would have been, had it been done. Besides, there are other circumstances mentioned by the evangelist, Mark xv. 40, 41. which farther argue the improbability thereof. Object. To this it is objected, that the soldiers parted oui Saviour's garments, and divided them among themselves, after they had cast lots for his upper garment, or seamless coat, John. xix. 23. which they suppose to have been done before his crti- cifixion. Answ. But to this it may be replied, that it seems more than probable, that only his upper garment, or seamless coat, wai.' taken from him before he was nailed to the cross, and othe^r or Christ's humiliation in death. 43J garments were not taken till he was dead, and, when he was iiiken down from it, they were exchanged for those linen gar- ments in which he was buried. This seems evident from the words of the evangelist, who intimates, that his garments were taken o^ xvhen they had crucijied him. Therefore the principal reason why the death of Christ is called shameful, as the apos- tle styles it, when he says. He despised the shame., Heb. xii. 2. is because it was a punishment inflicted on none but those who were charged with the vilest crimes, or who were slaves ,* and therefore it is called a servile punishment.* When any one Avas made free of Rome, he was exempted from it ; and there- fore it was reckoned the highest crime to punish such an one with it, because of the reproach thereof. It is farther observed, that the death of the cross was a cur- sed death ; upon which account the apostle speaks of Christ, as being nwde a curse for us., as it is xvritten., Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree., Gal. iii. 13. For the understanding of which, let it be considered, that to be accursed, sometimes sig- nifies to be abandoned of God and man ; but far be it from us to assert this concerning the blessed Jesus, who had done no violence, neither was any deceit found in his mouth. There- fore the meaning of that scripture, as applied to him, is only this, that the death of the cross had a curse annexed to it, and it denotes that the person, who thus suffered, died the death of those who were made a public example, as though they had been abandoned of God. Now though Christ's death had this appearance, yet he was, at the same time, God's beloved Son, * It is freqvently stvled, bri the Romans, Servile supplicium, (Vid. Val. Max. Lib 11. de discipl. rrilit. § 12.) as being infiicted, bij them, on none but slaves,- so one (Vid. Ter- Aiidr.) represents a master spea Ling to his servarit. Quid nieritus es .' To which he replies, Cnicem. SJ Jnv. in Satyr, 6. says. Pone Crucem servo. Cicero inveighs, -with so much earnestness, against this severe and cruel punishmeJit, that he signifies how glorious and delightful a thing it -would be for him to declaim against it, not on/y at the expence of his strength, but of his very life : Quorum ego de accibis.sima niortc, cnulelissinioq ; cruciatu dicam, cum cum locum traclare captro ; & ita dicam, ut si me in ea qiicrimonia, quani sum habiturus de istius Ci'udclitatc, & de civium Rom, indignissiina morte, iion modo vires, vcrum etiaru viUi deficiat, id milii pi-a;clari;m &. jucundum putcm. Jnd elsewhere he intimates, Ihat it teas univcrsnlJy reclcned the highest crime to crucify any one that was free of Home, in a beautiful climax, or gradatioJi of expression : Facinus est, vinciri civenri \{ inanum ; scelus verberari : prope parricidium necari : quid dicam in cnicem lollerc ? (\'id Orat. in Vcrr Lib. V.) And eUewhere he says, Nomen ipsum cru- cis, absit'non modo a corpore civium Romanorum, scd itiam a coptatione, oculis, auribus. ^ind he adds concerning it, together with other cruelties that attended it, llaruni eniiu omnium rerum nun solum eventus, atque perjics.sio, scd etiam con- ditio, expectatio, mentio i))sa deniquc, indigna cive liomano, atque liominc libero est. (Vid. Orat. pro C. Rabir.) ./is for llie cruelty of this death, it was so great, that the g'-catest tortures that are expressed by the -,uord Crncintus, are plainly derived from Crux : and some of the Ror.mn emperors, -.vho were of a more merciful disposi- tion than ot.'iers, considering the inhutnanity of this kind of death, when they exposed some persons for their a-itnec to p^ihlic shame upon the cross, ordered thcmfrU to bs put to death by Me i-u'ord. -iS^ or Christ's Hb.AnnATioN in death. in whom he v/as well pleased, how much soever he bore the external marks of God's wrath, or abhorrence of our sins, for Avhich he suffered. The scripture which the apostle refers to, is in Deut. xxi. 22, 23. fron) whence we may take occasion to observe, that, after the Jews had put persons to death for no- torious crimes, they sometimes hanged them on a tree, and such were deemed accursed. The common punishments, which were ordained, in scrip- ture, to be inflicted on malefactors, were burning, slaying with the sword, or stoning ; and when persons were hanged up be- fore the Lord, that they might be a public spectacle to others, it was done after they were slain : thus it is said, that Joshua smote the five kings, and slew them,, a7id then hanged them o» Jive trees until the evening-^ Josh. x. 26. so David slew the two men that murdered Ishbosheth, and then hanged them over the pool In Hcshhon^ 2 Sam. iv. 12. and, inasmuch as these are said to be hanged before the Lord^ \t was a significant sign of God's righteous judgment inflicted on them for their crimes, upon which account they were said to be cursed : but our Saviour was not liable to the curse of God, as one who had committed any crime that deserved it ; but it had respect to the kind of death which he endured for our sins, who were thereby expo- sed to the curse, or condemning sentence of the law. Thus con- cerning Christ's humiliation in his death. We are now to consider his humiliation after his death. Though the greatest part of his humiliation was finished wheo he yielded up the ghost, yet his state of humiliation was not fully ended till he rose from the dead ; therefore it is observed in the latter of these answers we are now explaining, that he was buried, and continued under tlie power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell^ as it is contained in that Creed, which is commonly attributed to the apostles. Here we may observe, 1. That Christ was buried. Before this, while he hanged on the cross, he had, as it was before observed, the visible mark of the curse of God upon him, without any desert of his own ; and this he was delivered from, when he was taken down from thence. It was a custom, among the Romans, to suffer the bo- dies of those that were crucified to hang on the cross till they were devoured by wild beasts, or fowls of the air, or turned to corruption, unless they were given to their relations to be bu- ried, as an act of favour : but, in this instance, we may observe, that Christ's implacable enemies desired that his body might be taken down soon after he was dead ; not out of respect to him, but for fear the land should be defiled, as God had ordained in the law, that if a person were hanged on a tree^ his body should not remain all night upon it^ but must be buried, lest the land OT Christ's humiliation in death^ 43-r fihould he defied^ Deut. xxi. 22, 23. and they were the more importunate that he should be taken down, because of the sanc- tity of the approaching- day, John xix. 31. They petitioned Pilate for it with one view, and Joseph of Arimathea, ver. 38. with another; he begged the body that he might bury it. Here we may observe, that, after the Jews had done their worst against him, and he was taken from the cross, there was a becoming honour and respect shewed to his sacred Body ; and herein that scripture was fulfilled, He mode his grave wit/t the xv'icked^ and xv'ith the rich in his death^ Isa. liii. 9. which words, indeed, seem to have some difficulty in them, as they are thus translated ; for, though he was crucified with the wick- ed, it can hardly be said that he made his grave with them ; and therefore I would chuse to render them, as some exposi- tors do,* His grave was appointed^ viz. by his persecutors, to have been Tviih the zvic/ied^ that is, they designed to have thrown him into the common grave of maleiactors, who had no marks of respect shewn them : but it was otherwise with Christ, for he made his grave xvith the richy that is, he was buried in the tomb of Joseph, a rich and honourable counsellor, where he himself designed to lie, which he had thrown out of the rock for that purpose. This honour, as the prophet observes, was conferred on our Saviour, because he had done no violence ; nei- ther xvas deceit found in his mouth. There were several reasons why God ordained that he should be buried, and that in such a way and place, as he was ; for, (1.) His burial was a convincing proof to the world that he was really dead ; so much depended upon his death, that it was thought necessary that there should be an abundant evidence thereof. It is, indeed, expressly said, that he borved his headj and gave up the ghost^ John xix. 30. and his enemies WQre con- vinced thereof, and therefore thought it needless to break hir, legs, as they did those of the thieves, who were crucified with him ; providence ordering this, that that scripture should be fulfilled^ which fore-signified, that a bone of Imn shoidd not be broken. But, besides this, that there might be a farther proof that he was really dead, it is said, that, even when they knew it, they pierced his side^ which, of itself, would have killed him, had he not been dead : this the)'^ did, that they might be sure he was dead, before they took him down from the cross, chap. xix. 33, 34. And it is farther observed, that Pilate, his unjust judge, was resolved to be satisfied that he was really dead, be- fore he gave orders for his being taken down from the cross : thus it is said, that Pilate marvelled if he xvere alreadif dead} and calling tinto him the centurio?}^ he asked him zvhether he had been any xvhile dead ? Mark xv. 44. It may be, the reason • SiV Lo-xth in he. Vol. II. -2 K 4JS OJ? CHRIST^S HUMILIATION IN DEATH. why they were so iniquisitive to know whether he AVcre really dead, or no, was because he seemed to die in his lull strength ; for there is something remarkable in that expression, when the evangelist says, Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost, V(*r. o7. whereby it appeared, that his spirits were not so much exhausted, but that he might, according to the course of nature, have lived longer ; but he seemed by an act of his own will, to surrender his soul to God. This was so remarka- ble an occurrence, that it was not merely by accident that it is mentioned by the evangelist ; and, indeed, it was the means of the centurion's conviction that he was the Son of God, ver. 39. (2.) Providence ordered that he should be bmned by persons of reputation and honour, that so the world might know, that how much soever the rude multitude despised him, persons of iigurc and character in the world paid a due respect to him, John xix. 39, 40. (3.) It was farther ordained, that he should be buried in q^ new tomb, wherein never man was' laid ; that so his resurrec- tion might be more fully demonstrated, that none might pre- tend that another was raised instead of him, since no other was buried in this grave. The fine linen, in which his body was %VTapped, and the sweet spices, or pei-fumed ointment, with which it was embalmed, was not only agreeable to the method of sepulture, used by the Jews, but it was a public testimony of that respect which his friends bore to him, to whom his memory was precious : so that Nicodemus, who, before this, was afraid to come publickly to him, or who, as it is said, at the first, came to Jesus by night, hrought a mixture of mijrrh and aloes, and they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes, with the spices, as the maji- ner ofthe Jews is to bury, chap. xix. 30, 40. „,i2. As Christ died, and was buried, so he continued under the power of death till the third day ; this the apostle calls, Death''s having dominion over him, Rom.'^'i. 9. and it must be reckoned a part of his humiliation, as well as the act of dy- ing; for, Ist, Though liis soul enjoyed the bliss and happiness of hea- ven, immediately after his death, as he tells the penitent thief, jtliat that day he should be with him in paradise, Luke xxiii. 43. .yet, inasmuch as it was, when separate, in a state of imperfec- tion, and. had a natural desire, and hope of re-union with the .body, this argues that there were some degrees of perfect bles- sedness, that it was not then possessed of. 2dhj, So long as he continued under the power of death, he was not fully discharged by the justice of God; neither was xUe work of satisfaction complete, till he was declared to be the Son of God with power, and to have fully conquered death and OP Christ's humiliation i\ death. 439 hell, by his resurrection from the death ; this was therefoi*c a part of his humihation. 5dly^ His body, while remaining a prisoner in the grave, could not actively bring that glory to Ciud, which it did before, or would do alter its resurrection ; and it was, at that time, in- capable of the heavenly blessedness, and, in particular, of \X9 being so glorious a body, as now it is. All these things attending the state of separate souls, or the unseen state, into which Christ is said to go, immediately after his death, some call, as it is observed in this answer, his de- scent into hell, which is what we are next to consider : but, since this is largely and judiciously handled by several writers,* I shall insist on it with brevity. And, [l.] Consider it as founded on scripture, as the judicious Calvin does,f without regard had to its being inserted in any creed of human composure : thus it is said, Thou xvilt not leavt^ my sold in hell ; neither rvilt thou suffer thine Holy Ont to see corru/jtion., Acts ii. 27. where it seems, as the author but now mentioned observes, to be put l^efore his death ; and therefore he supposes, that the apostle hereby intends the sufferings which our Saviour endured in his soul, which were not, in all respects, unlike the punishment due to sin in hell : and herein he is fol- lowed by several modern writers ; and the principal reason, which they assign for it, is, because, as our Surety, he endured all the essential parts of that punishment, which our sins had deserved ; and therefore they suppose, that he endured an af- flictive sensation of the wrath of God, which bore some resem- blance to that which is endured in hell. But, though I would not extenuate Christ's sufferings, espe- cially in that part thereof, that was most formidable to him, which was the cup that he desired, if it were possible, that it might pass from him ; nor can we suppose that anj' thiftg less than a view which he had of the wrath of God, due to our sins, Would fill him with that horror and amazement, which he ex- pressed : yet we ought carefully to distinguish between this part of his sufferings, and the punishment of sin in hell, inasmuch as. he was. exempted from tli^ .stin^ of conscience, and a con- stant sense of the everlasting displeasure of God, together with despair of any better condition, or the least relaxation, as a ju- dicious writer observes. :|: And besides, it is expressly said, in this scripture. Thou wilt not leave my soul ; which shews, that though he n^.ight be destitute of the comfortable sense of GodV. presence, which occasioned him to cry out. My Gody my Gody * Vid. JVitx. in S;/mhol. Exercitat. 18. avd Pearson on the Crcrd .Irtide 5. a^ui ParhiT (ie dencenun Cliristi aaradise. But whether above, or below tlie sur- face, is unimportant. None but the Divine Spirit is ubiquitary, but the transi- tions of others may be as quick as thought. They have means of communication with each other, and can receive what answers to our sense of light, without bo- dily serifses, and no doubt vastly more satisfactorily, than we do in our most vi- vid dreams. The Divine Nature of Christ was, and is, omnipresent ; for he de- clared he was in heaven whilst on earth, and it is not probable that his human •>oul was separated from this »Uit hit; dea'Ii my more th:>.n during his life. 442 OF Christ's humiliatiOxV in death. . The method which the Papists take to evade the force of this argument, is, by pretending that our Saviour speaks of his be- ing with him in heaven, as he is there in his divine nature ; or, since that appears to be so great a strain on the sense of the text, that very few .will much regard it ; they have another eva- sion, which is as little to the purpose, by pretending, that there ought to be a stop put after the words to day ; and so the mean- ing is, that now at this time, I say unto thee, that thou shalt be with me in paradise, or heaven, when I ascend into it, after I have descended into hell, and that other place which I must go to, before I come to heaven : but this sense of the text is so evasive, that none, who read the scripture impartially, can sup- pose that it is just; and therefore nothing farther need be said to it. 2dli/^ It appears that Christ immediately went into heaven, as to his soul, when he died upon the cross, from his last words. Father^ into thine hands I cotnmend my spirit ; xvhich haviiig said^ he gave up the g-host, Luke xxiii. 46. This giving up him- self to God, implies a desire that God would receive his spi- rit ; even as Stephen said, with his dying breath. Lord JcsuSy receive my spirit^ Acts vii. 59. Christ, in effect, desires that God would receive his spirit; and can we suppose this prayer to be unanswered, or that he was not immediately received in- to heaven ? We might farther have shov/n how little ground they have to conclude that Christ went to preach the gospel to those, who, by reason of the darkness of the Old Testament-dispensation, were detained in prison, as being unfit for the heavenly state : but the falseness of this supposition has been considered else- where,* and therefore pass it over at present. And as for that scripture, which they bring in defence hereof, that Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison, \ Pet. iii. 19. it is plain from the context, that the apostle means nothing else thereby, but his sending Noah to preach to the old world, who were disobedient, and, for this, were sent into the prison of hell, after the long-suffering of God had xvaited on them ivhile the ark was bid/ding. How easy a matter is it for those, who re- gard but the analogy of faith, or the context of those scrip- tures, which they bring in defence of their wild absurdities, to pretend to prove any thing from scripture ! («) * See Vol. I.pngx' 54, 55, and page 209, mite. {a) 1 Peter iii. IS. describes the suiTerinfi^'s, death, and resurrection of Christ, as encouraarement tor the suffering- saints. There are no prepositions before c-^fKt, and Tirni'fji'xn (flesh and spirit :) our transhitors have taken tlic fornrier as the da- tive of the/)«)-i affccted,\\\f: latter as the dative of the cause; and have expressed the former bv ni, the latter by bu- Some prepo.sition, or prepositions must be in-: sertcd in thc'traj:islation. It i's said, to preserve the antithesis, tJie same shyuld OF curist's humiliation in death. 4:4' OF Christ's exaltation. ed, is, because it was the day wherein they prepared every thing that was necessary for the solemnity of the day following, and gave a dispatch to their worldly affairs, that they might not be embarrassed therewith, and that by fore-thought and medita- tion on the work of that day, they might be better prepared. This was on the sixth day of the v/eek, and Christ died in the evening, not long before sun-set ; and it is also said, that he rose again from the dead when the seventh day was past, very early in the morning on the first day of the week, chap. xvi. 1, 2. so that our Saviour continued in the state of the dead a part of the sixth, the whole seventh, and a part of the first day of the week ; upon which account he is said to rise again on the third day, 1 Cor. xv. 4. that is, the third day, inclusive of the day of his death, and that of his resurrection. The learned bishop Pearson, in his marginal notes on the fifth article of the Creed, illitstrates it by a tertian, or third-day ague, which is so called, though there be but one day's intermission between the paroxisms thereof, and so the first and third day are both included in the computation. This is farther illustrated by him and others, who treat on this subject, viz. that the scripture of- ten speaks of a number of days, inclusive of the first and last ; as when it is said, When eight days were accomplished^ our Saviour was circumcised, Luke xii. 21. including the days of his birth and circumcision, betvi^een which six days intervened.* Thus our Saviour continued three days in the state of the dead, in- clusive of the first and last j or, he rose again, the third day, according to the scriptures. We shall now consider what reasons may be assigned why providence ordered that Christ should continue three days, and no longer, in the state of the dead. 1. It seems agreeable to the wisdom of God that there should be some space of time between his death and resurrection, that ao there might be a sufficient evidence that he was really dead, since much depends on our belief thereof. He might have brea- thed forth his soul ii^to the hands of God one moment, and re- ceived it again, as raised from the dead, the next : but God, in wisdom, oidered it otherwise ; for, had he expired, and rose from the dead, in so short a time, it might have been ques- tioned whether he died or no ; whereas his lying in the grave - till the third day, puts this matter beyond all dispute. 2. It was agreeable to the goodness and care of providence that our Saviour should not continue too long in the state of * Thic observation is. of u^e for ilie explainivg the seine of several scriptuveiy rMch coittcdn a ceeirdvg contradiction between them : thus, in Lvke ix. 'ZB.iiis saidy About eigiit days after these sayings, Jesus took Peter and John and James, and went up into a moiintain to pray ; whereas Jdark sat/s, in chap. ix. 2- that this xvas 4one after six dajs, Luke speaks of the eight days, inclusive of the frst and last i- yifaric speaks of eight days, exclusive ofihem both, -which is but six daijs. OF Christ's exaltation. -^ss Hie dead : had he continued several years in the grave, there could not liave been an appeal to his resurrection, during all that space of time, to confum the faith of his people concern- ing his mission. God would not keep his people too long in suspense, whether it was he that was to redeem Israel ; nor would he too long delay the pouring forth of his Spirit, or the preaching of the gospel, which were designed to be deferred till Christ's rising from the dead ; and it seems most convenient that he should soon rise from the dead, that is, on the third day, that the world might have a convincing proof of his re- surrection, while his death was fresh in their memories, and the subject-matter of the discourse of all the world. And they, having been told of this before-hand, were, or ought to have been in expectation of this wonderful and glorious event ; and consequently it would be an expedient for their greater con- viction. Object. To what has been said concerning Christ's arising again on the third day, so as that he lay but one whole day in the grave, and a part of two days, it is objected, that he is said, in Matt. xii. 40. to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earthy which includes a longer time than what is before mentioned ; therefore he was crucified on the fifth day of the week, not on the sixth j and it is also contrary to Avhat has been said conceraing his being crucified on the preparation before the Sabbath. A?isru. In answer to this objection, let it be considered, 1. That it cannot be denied, according to the scripture-ac- count of time, that the measure of a day contains the space of time, from one evening to the next, which is twenty-four hours. This we call a natural day, the night being the first part there- of, and not the morning accozding to our computation, as we reckon a day to contain the space of time from one morning to the next. The reason why the Jews thus begin their day, is, because it is said. The evening and the morning were the first day^ Gen. i. 5. and the Sabbath day was reckoned to continue the space of time, from the evening of the sixth day, to the evening of the seventh, viz, from sun-set to sun-set; as it is said. From even unto even shall ye celebrate ijour sabbath. Lev. xxiii. 32. This farthei* appears, from what is said concerning our Saviour's going into C'apcrnaiwi, and, on the Sabbath day^ entering into the syjiagogiie, and teaching ; whereas it is said, in a following verse. When the Sabbath was over, they brought unto him all that were diseased and possessed with devils ; and the city was gathered together at the door, and he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, &c. Mark i. 21. compared with ver. 32—34. from whence it appears, that the Sabbath was over at sun-set that doy ; for the Jews, thinking it unlaw* 456 or Christ's exaltation* fill to heal on the Sabbath day, as they expressly say elaC' where, would not bring those who had diseases to be healed till the Sabbath was past. 2. When a whole natural day, consisting of twenty-four hours, is spoken of in scripture, it is generally called a day and a night, or an evening and a morning. The Jews have no com- pound word to express this by, as the Greeks * have : thus it is said, Unto two thousand and three hundred daijs^ then shall the sanctuary be cleansed^ Dan. viii. 14. The word which we render daijs^ in the Hebrew, signifies, as our marginal reference observes, evening mornings or so many spaces of time, each of which consists of evening and morning; and elsewhere it is said, that Moses was upon the TCionnx. forty days and forty nightSy Exod. xxiv. 28. that is, forty of those spaces of time, which we call days, each of which make a day and a night ; so that a day and a night, according to the Hebrew way of speuking, Imports no more than a day ; therefore, when our Saviour is said to be three days and three nights in the heart of tlie earth, it is an hebraism, which signifies no more than three days, or three of those spaces of time, each of which be- ing compleated, consists of a day and a night. 3. It is a very common thing, in scripture, for a part of a day to be put for a day, by a synecdoche of the part for the v/^hole ; therefore a part of that space of time, which, when completed, contains day and night, or the space 6f twenty-four hours, is called ; therefore that which is done on the third day, before it is completely ended, is said to take up three days in doing : thus Esther says. Fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three daySj night or day ; I also and my maidens will fast likewise^ and so will J go unto the king", Esth. iv. 16. whereas it is said after this, that on the third day Esther put 07i her royaf .•apparel, and stood in the court of the iing^s house^ chap. v. 1. therefore she could not be said to fast three whole days, but a part thereof; for, before the third day was ended, she went to the king. Therefore a part of three days, or that which is said to be done after three days, or three days and three nightrs which is all one, that may be said to be done on the third daj , though not completely ended. Therefore our Saviour may be said to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, that is, a part of those spaces of time, which, if completed, would have contained three days and three nights. VI. Christ raised himself from the dead by his own power. Here let it be considered, 1. That no power but what is divine, can raise the dead, since it is a bringing back the dissolved frame of nature into the same, or a better state than that in which it was before its • !ZVjts they call vy;^_6«^«f\'. OF ciiuist's exaltation. 457 dissolution, and a remanding the soul, which was in the hand of God that it may be again united to its body, which none can do, but God himself. Accordingly the apostle mentions it as a branch of the divine glory, and God is represented, as he ivho qukkenelh all things^ 1 Tim. iv. 13. therefore the body of Christ was raised by divine power : thus the apostle says, This Jesus hath God raised up^ Acts ii. 32. and, when he mentions It elsewhere, he makes use of a phrase that is uncommonly em- phatical ; he wants words to express it, when he speaks of the exceeding greatness of his power -which he xvrought in Christy "when he raised him from the dead.* 2. Since the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are God, as has been observed under a foregoing answer,! it follows, that this infinite power belongs equally and alike to them all, and there- fore all these divine Persons may be said to have raised Christ's body from the dead. That the Father raised him, no one de- nies that speaks of the resurrection ; and the apostle expressly says, that he xuas raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father^ Rom. vi. 4. And it is farther said, that he raised him- self from the dead : thus he tells the Jews, speaking of the tem- ple of his body, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it «/>, John ii. 19. And that the Holy Ghost raised him, seems to be implied in that expression, in which it is said. He was declared to be the Son ofGpd with poxver^ according to the 'Spirit of holiness^ by the resurrection from the dead, Rom. i.4. that is, the Spirit, by this act of divine power, declared him to have been the Son of God, and to have finished the work he came about ; and elsewhere he is said to be quickened by the Spirit^ 1 Pet. iii. 18. 3. Christ, by raising himself by his own power, declared that he was the Son of God, that is, not only a divine Person, which his Sonship always implies, but his mission and authority to act as Mediator J and also that he had accomplished the work that he came into the world about. As to what our Saviour says, concerning his raising himself by his own power; the Socinians apprehending this to be an argument tending to overthrow the scheme they lay down, who deny his divinity, are forced to make use of a very sorry eva- sion, when they pretend to give the sense of that scripture be- fore mentioned. Destroy this temple^ and after three days Izvill raise it up. They suppose, that the meaning is only this, that the Father put life into his dead body, and united it to the soul, and, after that, he lifted himself up out of the grave, which is certainly a very jejune and empty sense of the words : * Eph. i. 19, 20. DTTt/tCAt^iv (U«).t9ec t»ij Si'iautiet avlie, painer that is t^rent, even to an hyperbole. t S:e Qutit. IX, XI 458 or CHRIST^S EXALTATIOK. Is it so great a matter for a Person, who was quickened bv divine power, to lift up himself from the grave, in which he lay ? In this sense, any one may be said to raise himself up, as well as Christ, or any one might raise the dead after this, by taking him by the hand, and lifting him up from the ground. This shews how much men are sometimes put to it to support a cause that is destitute of solid arguments for its defence* According to this method of reasoning, the whole world may be said to raise themselves at the last day, when God has put life into their dead bodies : but certainly more than this is im- plied in Christ's raising himself up, inasmuch as it is opposed to his body's being destroyed, or the frame of nature's being dissolved in death ; therefore he certainly intends that he would exert divine power, in raising himself from the dead, and here- by declare himself to be a divine Person, or the Son of God. VII. We are next to consider the effects of Christ's resur- rection, either as they respect himself or his people. 1. As to what concerns himself. This was a demonstrative evidence that he had fully satisfied the justice of God, or paid the whole price of redemption, which he had undertaken to do ; for hereby he was released out of the prison of the grave, not only by the power, but the justice of God, and received a full discharge ; and accordingly was, in this respect, justified, and a full proof given that the work of redemption was brought to perfection. It is also observed, that hereby he conquered death, and de- stroyed him that had the power of it^ to wit, the dev'il^ Heb. ii. 14. and so procured to himself a right to be acknowledged as the Lord both of the dead and the livings Rom. xiv. 9. This is, in some respects, different from that universal dominion which he had over all things, as God, which was the result of his be- ing the Creator of all things and was not purchased or confer- red upon him, as the consequence of his performing the work which he came into the world about : I say, this dominion, which we are considering, is what belongs to him as Mediator; and it includes in it a peculiar right which he has, as Media- tor, to confer on his people those blessings which accompany salvation ; and his right to give laws to his church, defend them from their spiritual enemies, and bestow all the blessings on them, which were promised to them in the covenant of grace» and also in his ordering all the affairs of providence to be sub- servient thereunto. Had he not designed to redeem any of the race of mankind, he would have had a dominion over the world, as God, the Judge of all ; a right to condemn and banish his enemies from his presence : but he could not be said to exer- cise dominion in such a way, as it is displayed, with respect to the heirs of salvation ; far that v^ould have been inconsistent OF chuist's exaltation. 459 with his divine perfections. Had he not died, and rose again, he would, indeed, have had a right to have done what he would with his creatures ; but as he could not, without this have re- deemed any, so he could not confer, upon a peculiar people, that possession, which he is said hereby to have purchased. 2. The eifects of Christ's resurrection, which respect his peo- ple, consist more especially in four things. (1.) Their justification is owing hereunto. And we are said sometimes to be justified by his death, or by his bloody Rom. V. 9. so elsewhere we are said to be justified, both by his death and resurrection, in different respects. Who is he that condemn neth ? it is Christ that diedy ijea^ rather that is risen again^ chap, viii. 34. by which some understand, that Christ, by his death paid the debt, which we had contracted, to the justice of God; and, by his resurrection, he received a discharge, or acquit- tance, in their behalf, for whom he died, and rose again ; so that when he was discharged, his people might be said to be discharged in him, as their public Head and Representative. This is well expressed in our large English Annotations,* viz* that " our justification, which was begun in his death, was per- *' fected in his resurrection. Christ did meritoriously work our "justification and salvation, by his death and passion; but the " efficacy and perfection thereof, v/ith respect to us, dependeth " on his resurrection. By his death, he paid our debt ; in his " resurrection, he received our acquittance, Isa. liii. 8. Being " taken from prisoix^ and from judgment. When he was dis- " charged, we, in him, and together with him, received our dis- " charge from the guilt and punishment of all our sins ;" which is very agreeable to what is said in this answer, that he did all this as a public Person, the Head of his church. Nevertheless, there is another notion of our justification, which consists in our apprehending, receiving, or applying his righteousness by faith, which, as will be observed in its proper place, f cannot, from the nature of the thing, be said to be before we believe. (2.) Another effect of Christ's resurrection, is our quicken- ing in grace ; as it is said. When rue were dead in sins^ he hath vith the voice of the arch-angel, denotes, that the arch-angel is distinguished from him ; to this it may be replied, that this does not necessarily follow from hence ; for the meaning of the words may he this, that the Lord shall descend with a shout, or powerful word of command, given forth by him, who is the prince and Lord of all the angels, and transmitted by them to the whole world, who shall be hereby summoned to appear be- fore him. 2. He is said to come \vith the sound of a trumpet ; which Seems to allude to the use of trumpets, to gather the hosts of Israel together, when they were to march by their armies, or in the day of their solemn festivals, and in the year of Jubilee^ which was proclaimed thereby ; and accordingly this eterual Jubilee, and triumph of the saints, is said to begin with the sound of a trumpet ; not that there shall be a material trumpet, like those in use among us, as some, Avho have low apprehen- Jiious of the glory of this day, have supposed, as though there were nothing figurative in the mode of speaking ; whereas the principal thing intended thereby is, that there shall be some- glorious ensigns of the divine majesty, or the effects of his pow^ er, which shall fill his saints with exceeding great joy, and his enemies with terror, and shall be a signal to all to appear before liis tribunal. This is all we need to determine concerning it j though I will not altogether deny the literal sense of the words, provided they be understood in the same manner, as when God appeared from mount Sinai, tyi^/j the voice of a trumpet exceed- ing loud, Lxod. XIX. 16. it is not improbable that there will be a sound like that of a trumpet formed in the air, bv the imme- Vor. II, 3 Q iB6 T«E BZatllTS OS REDE?.IPTIOK. diate power of God, which shall be heard throughout the whole world, which will be an intimation to all, that the great Judge of quick and dead is at hand, and will be a branch ol that exter- nal glory, with which he shall appear. We might here have proceeded to consider Christ as seated on his throne, and the glorious work that he shall be engaged in, in judging the world in righteousness, which is the last thing mentioned in this answer : but, since we are led particularly to* Insist on that subject, and to speak concerning the persons to be judged, as set at Christ's right or left hand, together with the manner of proceeding in that day ; the sentence passed, and the final estate of angels and men determined thereby, together with the consequence thereof, both to the righteous and wick- ed, in some following answers,* we shall proceed to speak con- cerning the application of redemption, or the benefits procured by Christ's mediatioH. Quest. LVII. JF/iat benefits hath Christ procured by his me- diation ? Answ, Christ, by his mediation, hath procured redemption* with all other benefits of the covenant of grace. Quest. LVIII. Hotv do xve come to be made partakers of the . benejits -which Christ hath procured? f Answ. We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath procured, by the application of them unto us, which is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost. Quest. LIX. Whg are made partakers of redemption through Christ ? i^Nsw. Redemption is certainly applied and effectually com- municated to all those for whom Christ hath purchased it, who are, in time, by the Holy Ghost, enabled to believe in Christ, according to the gospel. I. TTN the first of these answers, we have an account of the Jl blessings, w^hich Christ, as Mediator, has procured for his people, namely, redemption, with all the other blessings of the covenant of grace; and accordingly we may observe, that the covenant of grace is the foundation of all the blessings that we enjoy, or hope for; and, among these, redemption is inclu- ded, which having been before considered, we need not, at pre-- "sent enlarge on it. * ^ee Queit. LXXXVin.—Xa THE BENEFITS OF REDEMPTION. 4B? As for those other benefits of the covenant of grace, which are the consequents of our redemption, they differ from it, in that redemption is said to be Wrought out for us by Christ, in his own Person, whereas some other benefits we enjoy, are, more especially considered as wrought in us; and these are particularly mentioned in several following answers ; which treat of effectual calling, sanctification, repentance unto life, and other graces, which are inherent in us, whereby our hearts and actions are changed and conformed to the will of God. And there are other blessings which, more especially, respect our atate God-ward; such as jusrificatioi\ in which our sins are pardoned, and our persons accepted ; and adoption, wherein we are made and dealt with as God's children ; and there are seve- ral other benefits which follow hereupon, whereby the work of grace is carried on, and we enabled to go on in the ways of God, with spiritual peace and joy in believing, till we come to glory. II. It is farther observed, that we are made partakers of these benefits by the application thereof to us ; first, they are purcha*- sed, and then applied. We are first redeemed by price, and then delivered by the almighty power of God, and the applica- tion hereof is said to be more especially the work of the Holv Ghost ; whereas the purchase of it only belongs to the Me- diator. In considering the application of redemption, we may ob- serve, that it is a divine work, and therefore not to be ascribed to ourselves, but it is the gift of God, Eph. )i. 8» and, as it is a work appropriate to God, so it is, in several scriptures, said to be wrought in us by the Holy Ghost. Accordingly we are said to be born of the Spirit^ John iii. 5. and saved by the xvash- ing- of regeneration^ and refiewing' of the Holy Ghost, Titus iii, 5. upon which account, the Spirit is sometimes called the Spi- rit of holiness, and power, and he is said to dwell in us ; which plainly shews that he is eminently glorified in the application of redemption. But inasmuch as it is said. In one of the answers we are ex- plaining, that this is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost, which is a mode of speaking often used by those who treat on this subject ; this is to be considered with great cau- tion ; and therefore when Me speak of it, as the work especially of God the Holy Ghost, we are not to understand it as though the Father and the Son were not equally concerned therein ; for it is allowed by all, who have just ideas of the doctrine of the ever-blessed Trinity, that those works, in which anv of the divine perfections are displayed, belong equally, and alike, to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; * therefore when the appU- • Thus divines gw^rulUi ami, Opera Trimlatis ad extra sunt indivisa. 488 THE BENEFITS OF REPEMPTIOK. cation of redemption is said, more especially, to belong to the Holy Ghost, we are to understand nothing else by it, but thajt this work is peculiarly attributed to the Spirit, inasmuch as hereby he demonstrates his Personal glory, in the subserviency of the work performed by him, to the glory of the Father, and of Christ the Mgdiator : but this we shall pass over, having in- sisted on it elsewhere,* III. We are now to consider redemption as certainly and effectually applied to all, for whom it was purchased, together with the character of the persons who are interested therein. In this account of the application thereof, there is something- supposed, namely, that it is not applied to all mankind. This every one will allo^v- ; for even they, who plead for universal redemption, do not assert the universal application of it, or that all mankind shall be eventually saved, as being contrary to the whole tenor of scripture ,* therefore we must conclude, that it is applied to none but those for whom Christ has purchased it. This is evident, because the design of the purchase thereof was, that they, who Avere redeemed, might reap the benefit of it. And, in this sense, it is farther observed, that it is certainlij and cf- fecttialhj applied to them ; from whence it Icllows, that the ap- plication thereof does not depend on the will of man, or on some uncertain conditions, which God expects we shall perform, that so the death of Christ might be rendered effectual ; for what- ever condition can be assigned, as conducive hereunto, it is the purchase of Christ's death ; in which respect, the Spirit's ap- plying one saving benefit, must be considered as a condition of his applying another ; which is not only an improper sense of the word condition^ but it contains several things derogatory to the divine glory : but this need not be farther insisted on, since we have had occasion to speak of it elsewhere.f This leads us to consider the character of the persons to whom redemption is applied. These are described as such, who are enabled to believe in Christ, according to the gospel. This is a very extensive character belonging to those who are inter- ested in Christ's redemption, as it includes in it all other gra- ces, which accompany or flow from saving faith ; and we are not, by nature, disposed to believe in Christ, but are rather averse to it ; therefore it is farther said, that we are enabled to believe in him, as will be considered under a following answer.:}; And this is said to be done according to the gospel, and it not only discovers to us the object of faith j but contains many in- valuable promises of this and other graces, that accompany sal- vation. And this grace of faith is farther said to be wrought in time, to denote, that though the purpose relating hereunto was from eternity, and the purchase thereof was made before we * See Yol I. pare 291, 292. f S^c page 185, ISr, 322, 32i t See Que^t. Ixxii. DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. 489 had a being, yet the application of it is in God's appointed time, when, after having run great lengths in impenitency and unbe- lief, he is pleased to call us by his grace, and thereby bring us into the way of salvation. Quest. LX. Can theij xvho have never heard the gospel^ ancts^o know not Jesus Christy nor believe in hvn, be savedy hij their living according to the light of nature 7 Answ. They who, having never heard the gospel, know not Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the law of that religion which they pro- fess ; neidier is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone, who is the Saviour only of his body the church. THIS answer is an inference deduced from the foregoing; for, if redemption be only applied to those who are ena- bled to believe in Christ, according to the gospel, then it fol- lows, that they who have not the gospel, cannot be made par- takers of this privilege ; and the general scope and design there- of is to assert the necessity of divine revelation, as well as faith in Christ, against those v/ho suppose that the gate of salvation is much wider than our Saviour has determined it to be, who sa}'s, Strait is the gate^ and tiarroxu is the vjay which Icadeth Kiito life^ and few there he that find it^ Matt. vii. 14. I am sen- sible that this doctrine cannot but be disrelished by them, who are disposed to exclude any from a possibility of attaining sal- vation ; and are ready to charge those with groundless censo- riousness, and want of Christian temper, v/ho pass so severe a sentence on so great a part of mankind, as are included in it. It is also contrary to the presumptuous hope of corrupt nature, Vvhich is unwarrantably prone to expect salvation, -without faith in Christ. This some defend by arguments, but many more seem to do it by their practice. They who maintain the doctrine of universal redemption, design hereby to advance the goodness of God, and arc ready to conclude, that it is inconsistent with that divine perfection to exclude any from a possibility of salvation ; and therefore it is not agreeable to their method of reasoning, to confine the means of grace to so small a number, as that of those to whom the gospel is preached; accordingly many of them have assert-, ed, that the Heathen, as well as Christians, are put into a sal- vable state by the death of Christ, so that they shall be saved if they live according to the dictates of the light of nature, though they laow nothing of Christ and the gospel. But, iit 4i9"0 DISADVANTAGE OJp NOi ilKAUIx^JG THK OOSPEL. order to their maintaining this argument, they have some great difficulties to surmount, inasmuch as, while they attempt to aggrandize the mercy of God, they seem to overthrow the ne- cessity of divine revelation, as well as run counter to the sense of many scriptures. Therefore some who have asserted universal redemption, have not extended the universality of it any farther, than to those who are favoured with the gospel ; but either leave it, as a matter which we know nothing of, and ought not to enquire into, or else they seem to suggest, that the dark traditional knowledge of the gospel, which they suppose, some of the Hea- then have had, was sufficient to lead them to a small degree of faith in Christ ; or, since that cannot well be defended, others have supposed, that God may lead many of the Heathen into the knowledge of Christ, before they go out of the world, by some secret methods, not to be discerned by us. These are not willing, v/ith the Deists, to set aside the necessity of divine re- velation ; whereas others, who do not suppose it necessary to solvation, but only to our farther improvement in the way there- unto, and therefore conclude, that Christianity is only a bright- er, or clearer v/ay to heaven ; these are., more especially, oppo- sed in this answer we are explaining. I am sensible that this subject, we are entering on, has been treated with more rejection and censure than many others ; and wc are hereby supposed to conclude, that the divine dispensa- tions are too severe, and that that goodness and mercy, which >s his nature and delight, is not suSicicntly advanced and mag- nified; and that it is a sour and ill-natured way of reasoning, to suppose that any are put under a necessity of perishing, for want of a divine revelation, and that it does not become us to pass a damnatory sentence on any, more especially on so great a part of the world, as that is, who know nothing of Christy and the way of salvation by him. It is necessary for us there- fore to premise, 1. That we pretend not to pass a judgment concerning the iinal state of particular persons, by concluding, that they, who are now strangers to Christ, and his gospel, shall always re- main so ; for we knov/ not when, to whom, or by what means, God may reveal Christ, to those who now sit in darkness, and are unacquainted with the way of salvation by him. And as for the possibility of God's revealing Christ, in a secret way, to those who do not sit under the sound of the gospel, we will not jdcny it; however, we cannot infer the certainty of events, from the possibility thereof, and therefore we must have a clearer proof hereof, before \vt can believe it. 2. God might justly have excluded the whole race of man- kind from a possibility of attaining salva^on> as well as the fall- DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. 491 en angels ; for there was nothing out of himself that moved him to have compassion on those who are the heirs of salvation, any more than others. ;• 3. We are far from supposing that the Heathens shall be condemned for not believing in Christ, whom they never heard of, or not complying with the gospel-overture, which was never made to them. Invincible ignorance, though it be an unhap- piness, and a consequence of our fallen state, is not a crime ; therefore, 4. The Heathen shall be judged by the law of nature ; and, if the apostle's words, As ma7iy as have sinned without laxxr^ shall perish xvithout law, Rom. ii. 12. be applicable to them, which, I think, no one will deny ; yet their condemnation can* not be equal to that of those, who neglect and despise the great salvation offered to them in the gospel. 5. The Heathen, who have had no other light but that of of nature, cannot be exculpated from the charge of many ac- tual sins committed by them ; in which respect they have re- belled against the light they have been favoured with. All of them, indeed, have not contracted the same degree of guilt with those whom the apostle describes, who committed sins contraiy to nature, being- Jilled xvith all uwis^hteousness, fornication^ co- vetousnessy maliciousness, wickedness, chap. i. 25, 26. & segr- and many other sins of the blackest nature, and therefore all of them are not liable to the same condemnation. And, in- deed, some of the Heathen moralists have been a blessing, in many respects, to the age in which they lived, who, by their writings and example, have endeavoured to reform it from vice and immorality ; and it is certain, that they shall not be punish- ed for crimes which they have not committed : but whether the best of them shall be saved by the merits of Christ, though destitute of faith in him, is the question under our present con- sideration. To conclude that their good works have merited salvation, is not only contrary to the analogy of faith, but it is more than what can be said concerning the best works that were ever performed by Christians ; and to argue, as many do, from the goodness of God, that they shall be saved, is certainly an inconclusive way of reasoning, unless we had some intima- tion of his purpose relating thereunto. If God has determined so to do, we must have recourse to his revealed will, and prove, from scripture, that there are promises of eternal life made to those who have no interest in Christ, and some ground, at least, to conclude, that some shall be happy in beholding his glory in another world, who have had no communion, by faith, with him in this. These things must first be proved, before we can see reason to deny what is contained in this answer, ivhich we pro- ceed to consider. Accordingly it is observed. 492 DT3ADVAKTAGE OF n6T HEARING THC GOSPEL. I. That they who never heard the gospel, and neither know por believe in Christ, cannot be saved. This supposes, that faith and salvation are inseparably connected ; and, though it be par- ticularly applied to those who are destitute of the gospel ; yet it is levelled against all, who presumptuously expect salvation, without ground, who remain in a state of unbelief and impeni- tency, whether they have the means of grace or no. And here let us consider that many who are called Christians, though they know little more than the bare name of Christ, yet they doubt not but that they shall be saved by his merits, and so live and die in this fatal mistake, how vile soever their con- versation has been, as the prophet Isaiah says. Thou art wea- ried in the greatness of thy xvay ; yet saidst thou not^ There is no hope^ Isa. Ivii. 10. or like the person whom Moses speaks of, who, xvhen he heareth the words of this curse^ yet blesseth himsef in his hearty sayings I shall have peace^ though I walk in the imagination of mine hearty to add drunkenness to thirsty Deut. xxix. 19. It is too notorious to be denied, that a great part of men though grossly ignorant, and openly profane, who live without God in the world, notwithstanding, expect to be saved ; and it is one of Satan's great engines, by which he en- deavours to banish all religion out of the Avorld, by persuading his deluded subjects that all things shall go well -with them, though they make no pretensions to it. This presumption is rather founded in stupidity, than supported by arguments, and is a great instance of the alienation of the mind and affections from God, and shows how deceitful and despei-ately wicked, the heart of man is, when destitute of divine grace. But what shall we say of those who pretend to defend this^ and thereby put a sword into the hands of those who adhere to them, to destroy themselves ? This the Deists do. And, in- asmuch as their method of reasoning is subversive of the Christian religion, and of faith in Christ, as connected with salvation, I cannot omit to mention it in this place. These pre- tend not to be Atheists, though they express not a due vene- ration for the divine Majesty, that they may not be excluded from the society of mankind, who have some degree of abhor- rence of Atheism impressed on their nature. They talk, indeed of God, and of natural religion, but make revealed the subject of their scorn and ridicule. If they read the scriptures, it is apparently with a design to burlesque them, and charge them with inconsistency and self-contradiction. When they speak of revelation, or the gift of prophecy, they give it no better a term than enthusiasm ; and, when they mention the fiiilings, recorded in scripture, of those who were otherwise holy and excellent men, they take occasion maliciously to reproach them, and in- sinuate, that they were vile persons, guilty of the most enor DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. 493 mous crimes, and yet were saved : and wickedly infer from thence, that there is nothing solid and substantial in i-eligion, but that persons may be as safe and happy without it, as with it. If they refer to the brightest and most excellent part of the character of the saints recorded in scripture, this they suppose to be the effect of implicit faith, and to take its rise from pnest- craft. And our Saviour himself is not only divested by them of his glory, but reckoned, as, they suppose, Moses was of old, a designing person, who brought a new set of notions into the world to amuse and confound it. As for his miracles, which none but the blinded Jews, and they wJho are equally prejudi- ced against Christianity, never pretended to contest, much less to vilify, these they treat with the utmost scorn and contempt, as a late writer has done, whose blasphemy has been made manifest, by those who have wrote in defence of this part of our religion. But inasmuch as persons, who are not disposed to indulge so great a degree of profaneness, have been sensible that this is not a right method to extirpate Christianity, since it cannot but be treated with the utmost abhorrence, by those who read the scripture with any religious design ; there are others who, though they speak of God, yet glorify him not as God. These will, indeed, allow him to have some diviiie perfections ; but they cast a reproach on his providence, and suppose, that he is too great to be affected with, or concerned about the actions and behaviour of so mean a creature as man. And as what we call sin, can be no disparagement to his glory, so he Is too good and pitiful to his creatures, to punish them, at least, with eter- nal torments for it ; so that if they allow the soul to be immor- tal, and capable of happiness in another world, which all of them, without exception, do not; yet they suppose that God made no creature to be for ever miserable. And as for those laws which he has given to mankind, which are enstamped on their nature, and contain nothing but what might have been known without revelation, these they pretend to be designed only to keep the world in order, to promote the interest of ci- vil society, to prevent men from murdering one another, dis.- turbing the tranquillity of the government in which they live^ or invading the property of others ; which is not doing as they would have others do to them. And as for the punishment of sin ; that is no farther to be regarded, than as vice and immo- rality render persons obnoxious to bodily diseases, some marks of infamy, which custom has annexed thereunto, or the lash of human laws. This is all the scheme of religion, that some among the Deists endeavour to piopagate ; and every thing that is built more immediately upon divine revelation, they not only reckon unnecessarv, bu; enthusiastic, and no other than a con- Vol. II. a R 4ii}4 DISADVANTAGE 01' NOT HEARIN-G THE GOSPEI. trivance of some, who, with a view to their own interest, en- deavour to puzzle the world with mysterious doctrines, which neither they, nor their votaries understand. It must be supposed, that these men do not think that the knowledge of Christ, or faith in him, is necessary to salvation ; yet they doubt not but that it shall go well with them in ano- ther world, if there be a future state, which, through the in- fluence of that scepticism, which is, for the most part, a con- comitant of Deism, they sometimes question. We shall not make so great a digression from our present subject as to give ii particular reply to these assertions, which, though propaga- ted with much assurance, are not pretended to be defended by solid arguments ; and, indeed, the whole gospel is a reply to it. Whatever doctrine thereof is maintained by Christians, it will have a tendency to give them an abhorrence of it, and con- firm their faith against such attempts, as are used to stagger and pervert it. Thus concerning the methods that are used, by some, to overthrow revealed religion, and the necessity of faith in Christ to salvation. We shall now proceed to consider on what grounds persons hope to be saved, without the knowledge of Christ, or faith in him. And, 1. Some have no other ground of hope but the goodness of the divine nature ; and accordingly they think, that because God delights not in the misery of any of his creatures, but takes all occasions to make himself known, as a God of infinite kindness and compassion, whose thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways as our ways, and will not resent those injuries which we may offer to him, but will lay them under eternal obliga- tions to him, who have, by their sins rendered themselves un- worthy to be saved by him ; therefore they hope that all things shall go well with them, though they are utter strangers to the way of salvation by a Redeemer, and ar£ altogether destitute of faith in him. But this we cannot call any other than a presumptuous con- fidence ; it is nothing else but to abuse the riches of God's goodness, and to claim an interest in it, without ground. It is, indeed, a very great truth that God delights in mercy ; and that this attribute cannot be too much admired or advanced by us ; but yet it must not be set in opposition to any of his other perfections. He is certainly a just and holy, as well as a mer- ciful God ; and therefore we are not to suppose that one of these perfections shall be glorified, to the dishonour of another. Might not fallen angels as well make use of the same argument, ai d say, that because God is merciful, therefore he will deliver them from those chains of darkness and misery, in which they are held ; as that the mercy of God should be presumed to be DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE OOSPEL. 49S a foundation of hope, to those who have no ground to conclude their interest in it, as expecting it another way, than that in which he has declared his will to glorify it ? And it is certain, that whomsoever God designs to glorify his mercy in saving, he first determines to advance the glory thereof, in making them meet for salvation, by sanctifying or purifying their hearts by faith. To separate these two, is therefore a dishonour to the divine perfections : God never designed to save his people in sin, but first to save them from it, and then to crown the work, which he had begun, with complete blessedness. Therefore the man who lives in all excess of riot, and yet hopes for salvation, must be guilty of a groundless presumption. When we read, in scripture, of God's extending mercy, we find that there are certain marks and characters annexed, of those persons who have ground to lay claim to an interest in it : thus it is said. The Lord is merciful and gracious^ sloxv to anger , and plenteous in merci/, Psal. ciii. 8. but then it is added, that this mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upcn them thatfeaj- him ; to such as keep his covenant^ and to those that remember his command- ments to do them^ ver. 17, 18. and elsewhere the Psalmist ad~ mires the goodness of God, (which is, doubtless, beyond ex- pression wonderful) when he says, 0 hoxv great is thy good- ness^ which thou hast laid itp^ and wrought, in which he speaks of the present displays of goodness, and the future reserves thereof; but it follows, that this belongs only to them that fear him, and to them that trust in him before the sons of men f Psal. xxxi. 19. and elsewhere it is said. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant and his te$ti- monies, Psal. xxv. 10. that is, to them, exclusively of all others. Moreover, we never read of God's glorifying his mercy but in Christ; first, in bringing sinners nigh to him, by his blood, and then in applying redemption purchased by his Spirit : thus the apostle says, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. v. 1 9. and then he adds, as an expedient to give sinners a ground of hope, that they have an interest in this pri- vilege, that, in the gospel, he sends an embassy to them, to be- seech them, as thej/ value their own souls, to be reconciled to God, by complying with the gospel-overture, and repeiiting of, aid desisting from their rebellion against him. And, when he is represented as the Father of mercies, and the God of all com" fort, he is, at the same time, styled, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, chap. i. 3. to denote, that this mercy is dis- played in and through a Mediator; and therefore our hope of attaining it, must be founded in our interest in him, which canr not be considered otherwise, than as including in it the grace of faith. Are they, who have a right to expect salvation, called J^cirs of God, and joir^t-heirs xuith Christ P Rom. viii. 1 7. ^h»y 496 DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. are farther described, as conformed to his imoge^ ver. 29. Have they a right to the inheritance of the saints in light ? they are characterized as made meet for it^ Colos. i. 12. and when the apostle exhorts persons to look for the mercy of God nnto eter- nal life, he intimates that this would be a presumptuous expec- tation, were it separate from their keeping themselves in the love of God, ]\x(S.Vanting in his enquiries about the way to attain it. As for the gospel, that had not been publicly preached, at that time, to the Gentiles, and he had not had any opportunity to con- verse with the apostles, or to sit under their ministry, before this ; but his conversation had been principally among the Jews, from whom he might be informed, that though they did not believe our Saviour, who was crucified, to be the Messiah: yet the Messiah was expected ; and, when he came, he would do that for his people, which was foretold by the prophets* Here his faith rested, and he wanted only a convincing evi- dence that our Saviour was he ; and this Peter was sent to communicate to him. (2.) If we should suppose him not to have been converted before Peter was sent to him, which seems more probable, be- cause, in Peter's relation of this matter to the apostles, he adds a particular ciixumstance that implies as inuch, in chap. xi. 14. namely, that he ahonld tell him xvords^ rvherebij he and all his house, shoidd be saved; it plainly argues, that, before this, they were not in a state of salvation ; and, if so, then the ob- jection, which supposes that he was, is sufficiently answered : but, if we acquiesce in this answer to it, there is one difficulty that remains to be accounted for, viz, how this is consistent with his character, as a devout man, fearing God, and his prayers and his alms being accepted by him ? The only reply I shall give to this, is, that some duties may be performed that are materially good, by those who are not in a state of salvation ; and that these works may, as far as they have any circumstance of goodness in them, come up for a memorial before God : thus God owned the humiliation, re- pentance, and reformation of the Ninevites; and it is said, that when one came to our Saviour, and told him how he had observed the commandments of God, and, at the same time, expressed an earnest desire to inherit eternal life ; it is re- marked on this occasion, that though he would not part with all for Christ, and therefore was not to be reckoned a believer; yet Jesus, beholding' him, loved him, Mark x. 21. that is, he approved of what was good in him, though it wanted some circumstances that were necessarj- to denominate an action good in all respects. Therefore, why, may we not suppose titat God approved of what was excellent in Cornelius's charac- ter, before he m as converted by Peter's preaching ? Object, G. It is farther objected, that the heathen had some means of salvation, v*-hich took their first rise from divine re- \ elation, as appears from several rules and modes of worship, •which they had, by tradition from the Jews. It was a general- ly received opinion anions; thcni, that the sins thev commit- 508 , DI5ADVANTAGF OF NOT HEARINCJ THE GOSPEL. led, were, some way or other, to be expiated, or some atone- ment was to be made for them ; upon which account they of- fered sacrifices, and, in order thereunto, had their temples, al- tars, and priests, consecrated for that purpose ; which is some- thing more than they had learnt from the law of nature. Ansxu. This argument has very little weight in it ; it is true, it seems to allow that there is a necessity of persons being, at least, in a small degree, apprised of some doctrines, which first took their rise from divine revelation : but that which was transmitted to the church, pure and uncorrupt, was hand- ed down to several nations by uncertain tradition, with a great mixture of corruption ; so that it is hard to find such a resem- blance between them, as would denominate them of divine ori- ginal. But suppose they had a conviction that sin was to be expiated by sacrifice ; yet they had no manner of idea con- cerning the reference, of those sacrifices they offered, to Christ, which, as the apostle observes, was the only thing, in those sacrifices that were performed by a divine warrant, which had a tendency to take axvay stn^ or 7}iaie them that did the scrvics perfect^ as pertaining- to the co?isciencey Heb. ix. 9. and there- fore, when the Jews offered sacrifices, and observed several other rites of worship, which were instituted by God, yet, in- asmuch as they rested in the external performance thereof, and were destitute of faith in Christ, and other religious duties that were to attend them, they were reckoned no better than vain oblations^ Isa. i. 13. or unprofitable services: how much more might all the rites of worship, observed by the heathen, be deemed so ? Therefore this does not give us sufficient ground to conclude, that they had the means of salvation, who were destitute of divine revelation, and faith in Christ. III. It is farther observed, in this answer, that Christ is the Saviour only of his body the church. This seems to obviate an objection that might be brought against the impossibility of attaining salvation, without faith in Christ ; for some will be ready to conclude, that Christ may be a Saviour by his death, to those who are strangers to him, and not members of his body the church, and therefore it is added, that he is the Sa- viour only of such ; which is what several understand, when they say, that there is no salvation out of the pale, or inclosure of the church. This is rather to be explained than denied ; and it will appear, from what is said in the following answers, wherein the visible church is described, as including in it those who profess the true religion ; and the invisible church is call- ed the body^ of which Christ is the Saviour^ Eph. v. 23. and the members thereof are said to be made partakers of union and communion with him, and to be inseparably joined to him, as their head and Husband, when they are effectually dt I'HE CIIURCn, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 509 tailed ; so that these have an interest in that salvation, which he has procured. From hence we have ground to conclude, that he will save none by his merits, but such who are made partakers of the internal graces of the Spirit, and are united to him by a lively faith, founded on divine revelation; which is agreeable to what has been before maintained in this answer, which establishes the necessity of divine revelation, or the im- possibility of persons attaining salvation by framing their lives according to the light of nature, who never heard of the gospel, nor of Jesus Christ, the sum and substance thereof. If this be reckoned an hard saying, tending to lessen the mercy of God, with respect to the objects thereof, it must be considered, that we have no other rule of judging concerning this matter, but what is contained in scripture. If God has therein made known to his people the only way of salvation, we have no warrant to extend it farther than he has done, or to say, that because he can apply his grace in such methods, as are altogether unknown to us, that therefore he will do it, is no just or conclusive argument. And the great design of all that has been said, in this answer, is to induce us to set the highest value on Christ, and his gospel ; to adore and magnify him for the privileges which we enjoy, in being favoured with it, and to put us upon improving it to the best purposes ; for, if they are excluded from the benefits thereof, who never heard of it. How shall we escape^ if zife neglect so great salvation ? Heb. ii. 3. Quest. LXI. Are all they saved who hear the gospel^ and live in the church ? Answ. All that hear the gospel, and live in the visible church, are not saved, but they only who are true members of the church invisible. Quest. LXII. What is the visible church P Answ. The visible church is a society made up of all such as, in all ages, and places of the world, do profess the true re- ligion, and of their children. Quest. LXIII. JVhat are the special privileges of the visible church ? Answ. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God's special care and government, of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies, and of cnjoving the communion of sjynts, the nr- Voi,. ir. • c. T SiO or TI1£ CUL'R.CH,, ViiJIBLC ktS']^ I.VVISiBLE. dinary means of salvation^ offers of grace by Christ to all the niembets of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved, and exclud'^ ing none that will come unto him. Quest. LXIV. JVhat is the invisible church? Answ. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head. fT|^HEY who are made partakers of Christ's redemption, A and are brought into a state of salvation, have been be- fore described, as members of Christ's body the church ; and we are now led to consider them as brought into this relation to him, and accordingly are to enquire in what sense they are members of Christ's church, and so to speak of this church as to its nature, constitution, subjects, and privileges. And, I. What we are to understand by the word churchy as we find it applied in scripture. 1. It is sometimes used to signify any assembly that is met together, whatever be the design of their meeting. Though, indeed, it is very seldom taken in this sense in scripture ; nevertheless, there are two or three places in which it is so un- derstood : thus the mviltitude that met together at Ephesus, who made a riot, crying out. Great is Diana of the Ephesians, aix called a church ; for the word is the same, which wc gener- ally so render, in Acts xix. 32. Our translators, indeed, ren- der it. The assembly was confused^ and, in ver. 39. it is said. This matter ought to be determined in a laivful asseyyibhj^ that being an unlawful one; and, in ver. 41. The toivn-clerk dis- missed the assevibly ; in all which places, the word, in the Greek *, is the same which we, in other places, render church; and the reason why our translators have rendet-ed it assembly^ is, because the word church is used, in a very uncommon sense, in these places ; and we do not find it taken in that sense in any other part of scripture. 2. It is frequendy used, by the Fathers, metonymically, for the place in which the church met together for religious wor- ship, and so it is often taken among us, and some other re- formed churches, as well as the Papists ; bui it does not suffi- ciently appear that it is ever so understood in scripture. It is true, some suppose, that it is taken in this sense in 1 Cor. xl. 28. where it is said. When ye come together in the churchy I hear that there are divisions among you; and, they think, it is farther explained, and proved to be taken in this sense, from M'hat the apostle adds, in ver. 20. When yc co?r.i' together ?■: 'eF TI:E ClIURGII, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. ^.1 one place ; and also from what is said in ver. 22. Have ye not houses to eat and drink in, or despise ije the church ofUod'i^ From whence they conchide that the apostle means nothing else but the place where they were convened together, and, more especially, because it is here opposed to their own houses. But to this it may be replied, that, in the first of these ver- ses but now mentioned, viz. "ivhen ye come together in the fhurchy it may be very easily understood of particular persons met together with the rest of the church ; and when it is said, in ver. 20. that when ye come together into one place , this does not refer to the place in which they were assembled *; but to their meeting together with one design, or accord. And when it is said, in ver. 32. Have ye not houses to eat and drink iuy or despise ye the church of God? the opposition is not between their own houses and t))e place where they were together; but the meaning is, that by your not eating and drinking in your own houses, but doing it in the presence of the church, or the assembly of God's people that are met together, you are not only chargeable with indecency and interrupting them in the work which they are come about, but you make a kind of schism among them, as doing that which they cannot, in con- science, approve of, or join with you in ; and this you arc read}' to call caprice, or humour, in them, and hereby you despise them. And, indeed, the place of worship cannot pro- perly speaking, be said to be the object of contempt: there- fore the apostle does not use the word, in this metonymical sense, for the place of v.'orship, hut for the worshipping as- semblv. » Object. The word synagogue is often taken metonj-mically, In scripture, for the place where persons v;ere assembled to worship : thus cur Saviour is said somelim.es to teach in the ay7iagogue of the ye7vsy Matt. iv. 23, and elsewhere we read of one, concerning vv'hom the Jews say. He loveth cur nation^ and hath built us a synagogue, Luke xii. v. and elsewhere the Psalmist speaking of the church's enemies, says, thev have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land, Psal. Ixxiv. 8. nnd the apostle James, adapting his mode of speaking to that Vv'hich was used among the Jews, calls the church of God a ■synagogue, If tlwre covie xmto your assembly, or synagogue, as it is in the margin, a 7nan with a gold ring, he. James ii. 2. where the word is taken for tiie place where they were assem- bled ; therefore we have as much reason to understand the M'ord church for the place where tiie church meets together. Answ. It is true, the word synagogue, in most of these * The ivorils *Ti n atvh, when used el!!F-:vheri', rnnnot be understood ofthcplacr ':i>fiere person n ivere met, but ofilie iiminimitu of those 7v/io si'ere enffaged in the cant-:- tiCticn; and therefore it if rendered Bwan], in .Irt^W]..}. qvd rbnp.'n-.'^fy.' hi2 Of THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, scriptures, is taken for the place where persons meet together on a religious account, though it is very much to be doubted whether it be to be understood so in the last of the scriptures referred to, and therefore our translators render it assembly ; and so the meaning is, when you are met together, if a poor man come into your assembly, you despise him : but suppose the word synagogue were to be taken in this, as it is in the other scriptures, for the place of worship, and that, by a pari- ty of reason, the word church may be taken in the same sense; all that can be inferred from hence is, that they, who call the places of worship churches^ speak agreeable to the sense, though it may be not the express words of scripture : but this is so trifling a controversy, that it is not worth our Avhile to say any thing more to it. The learned Mede * insists largely on it, in a discourse, founded on those words of the apostle before-mentioned. Have ye not houses to eat and drink in, or despise ye the church of God? in which he attempts to prove, that the apostle, by the church, means the place of worship, from the opposition that there is between their oxvn houses and the church of God, the inconclusiveness of which argument has been before con- sidered. What he farther says, to prove that there were pla- ces in the apostle's days, appropriated, or set apart, for divine worship ; and, in particular, that the room in which they met together, on the days of our Saviour's resurrection, and eight days after, in which they were honoured with his presence, was the same in which he ^at his last Passover with them, and instituted the Lord's Supper, and that it was in that place that they constantly met together for worship, and that therein the seven deacons were afterwards chosen, mentioned in Acts vi. and that after this a goodly church was erected on the same spot of ground > these are no other than uncertain conjectures. 'I'hat they met together in an apartment, or convenient room, in the dwelling-house of some pious disciple, is very probable ; but his observations from its being an upper room, as freest from disturbance, and nearest to heaven, seems to be too tri- fling for so great a man. And what he says farther, in de- fence of it, as supposing that this is what is intended by their breaking bread from house to house, in Acts ii. 4, 6, is not so agreeable to the sense of uie Greek words f , as our translation, which he militates againi^t, and supposes, that it ought to be rendered in the house, that is, in this house appointed for th^ same purpose. What he farther adds, to prove that there were particular places appropriate for worship, in the three first Centuries, by referring to several quotations out of the Fathers, who live4 * Sec his Tj^rks, Vol. I. Book II. Pqg^ 405, & seq. \ K*t cwov. OF THE CHUncII, VJSIBLE AND 1NVISIBL£# 513 in these ages, is not to be contested ; though the objection he brings against this behig universally true, taken from what Oi-igen, Minutius, Felix, Arnobius, and Lactantius say, con- cerning the Christians, in their time, declining to build them, after they had been disturbed and harrassed, by various perse- cutions, seems to have some weight in it, and is not sufficient- ly answered by him. What he says on this subject, may be tonsulted in the place before-mentioned. All that we shall sa}', as to this matter, is, that it is beyond dispute, that, since the church was obliged to convene together for religious worship, it was necessary that the usual place, in which this was peiformed, should be known by them. But it still remains uncertain, whether, (though, at some times, in the more peaceable state of the church, they met constantly in one place) they did not, at other times, adjourn from place to place, or sometimes convene in the opeji air, in places where they might meet with less disturbance from their enemies. All, who are conversant in the history of the church in those ages, know, that they often met, especially in times of perse- cution, in caves, and other subterraneous places, near the graves of those v/ho had suffered martyrdom, in which their end was not only to encourage them to bear the like testimony JO C^hristianit}', that they had done, but that they might be more retired and undisturbed in their worship. - But, to add nothing more on this subject, as being of less moment, that which I woiUd principally militate against is, what that excellent wi-iter, but now mentioned, attempts to prove, in his following Dissertation *, concerning the rever- ence that is due to these churches ; not only whilst divine du- ties are performed therein, but at other times, as supposing that they retain a relative sanctity, which calls for ^ eneration iit all times. The main stress of his argument is taken fron^ the sanctity of those places, which, by divine appointment, were consecrated for worship, under the ceremonial law ; and tlie revei-ence that was expressed by persons when they entered into tiiem, which, by a supposed parity of reason, he applies to those places which are erected for worship under the gos- pel-dispensation. To which it may be replied, that it does not follow, that be- cause the tabernacle and temple had a relative holiness in them, and therefore the same thing is applicable to the places of wor- ship under the gospel-dispensation. For the temple was a t\-pe of God's presence among men, and in particular of the in- carnation of Christ, which was a glorious instance thereof; and it was an ordinance for their faith in this matter, and there- fore holy. And besides, there was a visible external symbol A 514 OF THE CHUR(iH, VISIBLE AXD INVISIBLE* of God's presence in these places, whose throne was upon the mercy seat, between the cherubims, in the holy of hoUes; and therefore this might well be called a holy place, even, when worship was not performed in it : but it is certain, that other places of worship, and, in particular, the synagogues were not then reckoned so, vrhen no worship was performed in them, though they were erected for that purpose ; and our Saviour seems to insinuate, that the holiness of places is taken awav under the gospcl-dispcnsation, as appears by his reply to t\\t Woman of Sarnaria, when speaking concerning X\\q\y fathers -vorshipping in that mountain, viz. in the temple tl)at was erected on mount Gerizzim,he says, that the hovr conetkxvhen ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, zvor- ship the Father, John iv. 20, 21. that is, no place shall be so consecrated for reli^-ious worship, as that it shall be more ac- ceptable there than elsewhere, and consequently no veneration is to be paid to any such place more than another, where the same worship may be performed*. But this is little other than a digression from our present design, which is to shev/, that the word church, in scripture, is, for the most part, if not al- ways, taken for an assembly of Christians met together for re- ligious worship, according to the rules which Christ has ^iven for their direction herein. The Hebrew word, in the Old Testament, by which the church of the Jev/s is signified, is generally rendered the con- gregation f , or assembly ; so that in our translation, we never meet with the word church in the Old Testament ; yet what is there called the congregation, or assembly of the Israelites, might, very properly, be called a church, inasmuch as it is so • Jt may be observed, thai though thclcarned author beforC'inejitioned gives suffi- cient exidence, from the Fathers, that there -vcrc several places appropriated, oiul some erected, for divi?ie worship, during the three first Centuries; and he thinks, that ivhether they teere consecrated or no, there -was a great degree of reverence paid to them, even at such times, ivhen divine service tvas not performed in them s Yet he does not produce any proof for this out of the writings of the Fathers, in. those' Centuries ; and it is impossible that he shoulil, for from Eusehius's account of this watler, it appears that the consecration of churches was frst practised in the Fourth Century, [Vid. ejusd. Hist. Eccl. Lib. X. cap. 5.] ,^s /or the quotations tluit Mr. jyfc'de brings from Chrysostom and Ambrose, to prove' that reverence' ivas paid to the chiircLes in their times it must he observed, that they .lived in the Fourth Cen-i tnry, in ivhich churches being not onht appropriated, but consecrated for public v.-or- ship, it is no ivonder to find the Fathers of that age e.rpressing a reverence fur them. ^Nevertheless, it is very evident, from tlie -words of these Fathers here cited, that the^f intend thereby nothing ehe but a reverent behaviour, -chich ought to he cvftres.^ed by those ivho come into tite church to perform any act nf divine u-orship ; and this we are far from denying, whether the e.rtevnal rites of consecration be used or no. .dn for his quotation taken from Tcrtulian, who lived in the end nf tlie Second Century it don't prove that he thought thot reverence ought to f>e expressed to the places of worsjiip, but that the highest reverence ought to be used in the acts of worship, and particularly in prayer, which is rt.v undoubted in;!h, wheilier |«e"::ws/;;> God in tha church, or avn where ek\\ QI THE cmJECH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 515 ^tyled iitthe New Testament : thus it is said, concerning Mo- ses, that he was vi the church in the xuilderness^ Acts vii. 38- But it is certain the word church is peculiarly adapted, in the New Testament, to signify the Christian church worshipping God, according to tlic rules prescribed by our Saviour, and others, delivered by his apostles, under the Spirit's direction; which is the sense in which we are to understand it, in speak- ing to these answers, {a) And this leads us to consider, (n) The word Church is of Greek JiTivation. Kc/^i-jxov is used by ancient au- thors for the place of public worship. The old word Kyroike, contracted into Kirk, and sofieneJ into church, is a compoui.d of Kyg/8 atim. It is of very ex- tensive sigultical ion. rh'.;ch is Used gcuerally in our version of the New Tes- tament, for the Greek Ejotwi^i:;. 4. It signifies distinct worsliipping societies. Ps. xxvi. 12. In this verse, the Psalmist professes his resolution to honour the institutions of social worship. He had rattier accompany tiie saints to the cougrcgation, than sit in the society of 5 he wicked, ver. 5. In boUi cases the same Hebrew word is used; the Septu- agint use; Exx\h«*, and the English translators, congregation. KEL, and Ec» clcsia, are, with equal propriety, applied to the hateful clubs of the wicked, aiid to tlie worshipping assemblies of the saints. 5. 'I'he word is also applied to a reprreentative assembly. — Atur tUe regular oigunizatioin of the Israelitish commonwealth, althouglj Mo, ses transacted all public business with the chiefs, he is uniformly represented as speaking unto all Israel. This form of speech was not to be misunderstood by Uie.K-v,.-. They had not learned to deny that principle upon which the repre- seated identify with the representative. l")eut. xxix. 14, 16, 25. When Moses M"js t.hout to ^iv.^ his lai,: advice to th-: Mirbrcws, he suirunjnecl th? KEI. before 516 OF THE CIIURGII, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLEr" II. That the church is distinguished into visible and invim ble^ each of which are particularly defined, and will be farther insisted on, under some following heads; but before this, wc him. Deut. xxxi. 30. In this instance, the word unquestionablj' sigiuties a re- presentative body. My reasons for considering it so, are, 1. l"he obvious nieaning of Ibe passage. Ver. 29. " Gather unto me all tlxj elders of your tribes — that I may speak these words in their ears." — ver. 30 " And Moses spake in the ears of all the "^Hp — the words of this song." The KEL of Israel are the elders and officers met together. 2. It is impossible it can be otherwise. Moses could not speak in the ears of all Israel, except by representation. No human voice caii extend over two mil- lions of men. 3. Upon the principle of representation Moses uniformly acted. He instruct- ed the elders, and the elders commanded the people. Deut. xxvii. 1. " And " Moses, with tlie elders of Israel, commanded the people.''^ Without multiplying texts, I refer the reader to Exod. xii. 3. " Speak unto all the congregation of " Israel"— verse 21. " Then .Vloses called for all the elders of Israel." Even in the most solemn acts of religion, the elders represented the whole congregation. Their hands were placed upon the head of the bullock which was offered to m ke atonement for the whole congregation. Lev. iv. 15. And that the reader may not be without an inst.ance of the use of the word KEL, in the most ab- stract form which can exist upon the representative principle itself, I refer him to Gen. xxviii.3. Here it is applied to a single individual. Higher tli an this, representation cannot be carried. Ver. 1. " Isaac called Jacob, and blessed " him— ver. 3. " That tliou mayest be a IvEL." Jacob was a KEL, as the repre- sentative of a very numerous posterity. 6. The word is used to signify a council — an assembly for deliberation and judgment. Gen. xlix. 6. The patriarch speaks of Simeon and Levi, these two are a KEL. It is, indeed, a representative one. Verse 7. " 1 will divide them " in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." This could have been said of the two sons of Jacob, only as including* their posterity. This KEL was however a council. They consulted and determined to destroy the Schechemites. The assembly was a conspiracy. The Septuagint renders the word by IviutrK. The KEL m which Job cried for redress, could not haf e been the church of Ln-ael, but a court of Judicature. Job xxx. 28. Solomon, acquainted with the laws of Israel, must have referred to the pow^r of Judicatures, in detecting crimes, when he spoke of the KEL, in Prov. xxvi . 26. and v. 14. The KEL, to which Ezekiel refers, xvi. 40. and xxiii. 45—47- cannot be mis- taken. The prophet himself expressly says this KEL woidd sit in judgment try, and decide, and execute the sentence, upon those who came before tliem. In these verses, the Septuag'uit renders the word by O^xa, and our translation of it is company. By the law of God, regular courts of jurisprudence were established among the Israelites. In no instance was the whole body of the people to be judges. Deut. xvi. 18. The rulers in each city, the officers of justice, are uniformly called elders, and unto these elders met in council, is every case referred. He must be, indeed, little acquainted with the law given by Moses, who is ignorant of this fact. See Deut. xxi. xxii. and xxv. chapters. These elders met in council. To them the name Presbytery was applied ;n latter times. Moses and the prophets use th.e names KEL and OD-EH. These words are used indiscriminately in the Old Testament. It is to be observed, that they are translated in the Septuagint, generally by ecclesia and synagoga. Thi>; phraseology is adopted in the New Testament. Tlie New Testament writer s use the Septuagint translation of the scriptures in their quotations from the Old Testament. OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLt* 5'15f may offer something by way of premisal, concerning the rea* son of this distinction. The word churchy according to the grammatical construction thereof, signifies a number of persons Xehemiah summoned before the council the nobles and rulers who transgres- sed the law. Neh. v. 7. They exacted usury for tlieir money, and are to be tried by the competent authorities. The word ^Hp, in this verse, we translnie as- senib'y, and the Septuag:nt reads ExxXJtir;*. Compare Numb. xxxv. 24, with Deut. XIX. 12, and it will appear, that the congregation which judicially ti-ied the man-slayer, is the Eccleaia of elders. See also Josh. xx. 4. " He .shall de- " clare his cause in the ears of the ddera" — ver. 6, " And stand before the con- *' 2 re jation fov judgment." The wonl Ekx>j)o-«, in the New Testament, is not, any more than Its corres- pondents in the Old, confined in its application to a popular assembly. It sig- nifies a tumultuous mob, Acts xix. 3'2, and the city council, Acts xix. 39. This sense of the word is justified by the best Greek authors. Consult Passor, who quotes Demosthenes and Suidas, in defence of this application. Hence, the verb Et/xj>,i3 is, in the middle and passive voices, to appeal from an inferior to a superior Judicatory. " Plutarch," says Parkhurst, " several times applies the verb in tlic same view." Acts xsv. 11, 12, 21, 25. See also Chap. xxvi. 32. and xxviii. 19. In the application of Ecclesia to the christian church, which is the most com- mon use of it in the New Testament, it signifies the whole church militant — all the elect of God — private societies of believers — single organized congregations — sc% eral congregations united under a Presbytery — and church nileis met i)i Judicatory. 1. The clmrch militant is an Ecclesia. Matt. xvi. 18. and Acts ij. 47. " The " Lord added to the church daily." 1}. Tiie whole body of elect and redeemed sinners. Eph. v. 25. " Christ also " loved the cluircli, and gave himself for it" — ver, 27. " That he might present " it to himself a glorious church." 3. Two or til ree private Christians, met for prayer and conference, or living together in u family, are an EnKKmriu.. Acts xiv. 23. " They had ordained them elders in every church." The Ecclesia, or Church, existed prior to its organi- zation, by the election and ordination of rulers. It existed, in this sense, even in private houses. Itom. xvi. 5. and Col. iv. 15. 4. Tiie word signifies an organized congregation. Acts xiv. 23. The Eccle- sia did not cease to be one, when presbyters were ordained to teach and to rule in the congregation. 5. The word is applied to several congregations regularly presbyterateJ* There is nothing to render this application improper. It is no abuse, in any lan- guage, of a generic term, to apply it to any collection of the individuals belong- ing to that genus, in a connexion which manifests the restriction. Tlie church of Christ in Philadelphia, is all Christians in that city, although there should be «ne hundred congregations in it. The church in Corinth, is as intelligible a phrase as the church in the house of Nyinphas — The church on earth, or, the church in glory. This application is not only just, but scriptural. The saints in Corinth were one Ecclesia. 1 Cor. i. ','. But in Corinth were several congrega- tions. There were more Ecclesias than one, xiv. 34. Corinth was a city ot great extent, wealth, aut their hands on the head thereof, as well as the priests, who had the main concern in this service. From hence it is inferred, that since, besides the sacrifices that Were offered for particular persons, there were daily sacrificcB offered in the behalf of the whole congregation ; and because it was impossible for them to be present to bear a part in this service, jt was necessary that some should be deputed to repre- sent the whole body of the people, that so there might be a number present to assist in this service, that these acts of wor- ship might be performed in the most public manner ; and inas- much as this was to be performed daily, it was necessary that some should be deputed, whose proper business it was to at- tend ; and he thinks that as there were priests deputed to minis- ter in their courses, so there was a number deputed to repre- sent l-he people, who went up to Jerusalem with the priests of the respective course. And he farther jjdds, that at the same time that these were mjnistering in the temple, the people met together, and spent that week in those synagogues which were near the place of their abode, in fasting, and other acts of reli- gious worship, in which, though at a distance, they implored a blessing on the service that their brethren were performing. As for the rest of the people, they Avere obliged to be pre- sent at Jerusalem, at the solemn and public festival, performed three times ^, year; and others of them, who had committed, any sin that was to be expiated by sacrifice, were to come up thither to the temple at other times, and bring their sacrifices to atone for the guilt which they had contracted. If it be said, that this was, indeed, a solenm method of wor- ship, exceeding beautiful, and also had a circumstance in it, which was its glory, viz. that the templerservice was t) pical oi Christ, and the way of salvation by him : but what methods were there to instruct the people in the doctrines of religion ? It would not iTiuch conduce thereunto for them to come up to Jerusalem, to worship at the three yearly festivals : how did they spend their Sabbaths? or, what acts of worship were thcv engaged in, in their respective places of abode ? ' * Sce}iisiro'.ks,ro'..I.pat-e t TH ayix (Mnn Tln-jfjiiilo( wotf* ^i^iclvok aai^ijtt (^i7r:tS>iri Scttfjicvat K*t Trowtt itio-u; *TrtliMi*• >. <\': xh-< p'. nr : ; .i<^ • r,t'the word, it is a tenn o/off!ce, in the ch'irfh." M'hEnn'.-, Em.. Cat." 554 or THE CHURCH, VISIBLE- AND INVISIBLE. he says, Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of dou- ble honour,, especially those who labour in the tvord and doctrine^ 1 Tim. V. 1 7. the double honour here intended seems to be not only civil respect, but maintenance, as appears from the follow- ing words, Thou shall not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn; and the labourer is xvorthy of his reward. Now these suppose that this maintenance belongs only to such as labour in ■word and doctrine,, and not to those other Elders, who are said to rule well; therefore there are elders that rule well,, distinct ■from those that labour in xvord and doctrine. Others, indeed, think, that the apostle, in this text speaks only of the latter sort, and then the stress of his argument is laid principally on the word Labouring,, q. d. Let every one who preaches the gospel, and presides over the church, have that honour conferred on him that is his due ; but let this be greater in proportion to the pains and diligence that he expresses for the church's edification. Nevei-theless, I cannot but think, since it is agreeable to the laws of society, and not in the least repugnant to any thing we read, in scripture, concerning the office of an Elder, that, in case of emergency, when the necessity of the church requires it, or when the work of preaching and ruling is too much for a Pastor, the church being very numerous, it is advisable that some should be chosen from among themselves to assist him in managing the affairs of government and performing some branches of his office, distinct from that of preaching, which these are not called to do, as not being qualified for it : these are helpers or assistants in government ; and their office may have in it a very great expediency, as in the multitude of coun- sellers there is safety, and the direction and advice of those who are men of prudence and esteem in the church, will be very conducive to maintain its peace and order : but I cannot think that this office is necessary in smaller churches, in which the Pastors need not their assistance. And this leads us to speak concerning the office of a Pastor, which consists of two bran=< ches, namely, preaching the word, and administring the sacra- ments on the one hand ; and performing the office of a ruling Elder on the other. 1st,, We may consider him as qualified and called to preach the gospel. This is an honourable and important work, and has always been reckoned so, by those who have had any concern for the promoting the glory of God in the world. The apostle Paul was very thankful to Christ that he conferred this honour upon him, or, as he expresses it, that he counted him faithful and put him into the ministry , chap. i. 12. and elsewhere he concludes, that it is necessary, that they, who engage in this work, be sent by God ; Hoiv shall they preach except they br OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 55o &mt? Rom. X. 15. This is a necessaiy pre-requisite to the pastoral-office, as much as speech is necessary' to an orator, or conduct to a governor : nevertheless, a person may be employ- ed, in the work of the ministry, who is not a pastor ; these may be reckoned, if they discharge the work they are called to, faithfully, a blessing to the world, and a valuable part of the church's treasure ; yet considered as distinct from Pastors, they are not reckoned among its officers. This is a subject that very well deserves our consideration : but, inasmuch as we have an account elsewhere * of the qualifications and call of ministers to preach the gospel, and the manner in which this is to be done, we pass it over, at present, and proceed, ^dly^ To consider a minister, as invested in the pastoral of- fice, and so related to a particular church. The characters by which such, who are called to it, arc described, in the New Testament, besides that of a Pastor, are a Bishop or Overseer, a Presbyter or Elder, who labours in word and doctrine. The world, it is certain, is very much divided in their senti- ments about this matter, some concluding that a Bishop is not only distinct from, but superior, both in order and degree to those who are styled Presbyters or Elders ; whereas, others think, that there is either no difference between them, or, at least, that it is not so great, as that they should be reckoned distinct officers in a church. The account we have, in scrip- ture, of this matter seems to be somewhat different from what were the sentiments of the church in following ages. Some- times we read of several Bishops in one church : thus the apos- tle, writing to the church at Philippi, directs his epistle to the Bishops and Deacons, Phil. i. 1. and elsewhere he seems to call the same persons Bishops and Elders, or Presbyters ; for it is said, that he sent to Ephesus, and called together the Elders oj the churchy Acts xx. 17. and advises them to take heed to them- selves^ and to all the Jlock over ivhom. the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers^ or Bishops, ver. 28. and, at another time, he charges Titus to ordain elders., or Presbyters, i/i every cit7j ; and then gives the character of those whom he was to ordain, bid- ding him take care that they were blameless, and had other qualifications, necessary for this office ; and, in assigning a rea- son for this, he adds. For a Bishop must be blameless, &c. where, it is plain, the word Elder and Bishop are indifferentlv used by him, as respecting the same person. And the apostle Peter 1 Pet. V. 1. addresses himself to the Elders of the churches, to whom he writes, styling himself a7i Elder together rvith than;]' and, besides this, a xvitness of the siij'erings of Christ, which was his character, as an apostle. And he exhorts them to per- form the office of Bishops, or Overseers,:}: as the word, which 9''^ ^ diocesan churches ; and his diocesan cLurchrs not 'f? d'tcovered, &c. OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AKT) INVISIBLE'. 557 any other bond of union, but nearness of habitation, I cannot so readily conchid.<', that tlieir church-state depended princi- pally on this political circumstance ; but rather that Christians thought it most convenient for such to enter into a church-rela- tion, who, by reason of the nearness of their situation to each other, could better perform the duties that were incumbent on them, pursuant hereunto. But, notwithstanding- this, it appears from several things oc- casionally mentioned by the Fathers, that the church admitted none into its communion, but those whom they judged quali- fied for it, and that not only by understanding the doctrines of Cluistianity, but by a conve^ation becoming their profession thereof; and it was a considerable time that they remained in a state of probation, being admitted to attend on the prayers and instructions of the church, but ordered to withdraw before the Lord's supper was administered : these are sometimes call- ed Hearers by Cyprian ; at other times. Candidates, but most commonly Catechumens. And there were persons appointed not only to instruct them but to examine what proficiency they made hi religion, in order to their being received into the church. In this state of trial they continued generally two or three years *; such care they took that persons might not de- ceive themselves, and the church, by joining in communion v/ith it, without having those qualifications that are necessarj" thereunto. This is very different from parochial churches, as understood and defended by many in our daj'. Therefore when churches were called parishes, in the three first centuries, it was only a circumstantial description thereof. In every one of these churches there was one who was call-, ed a bishop, or overseer, with a convenient number of elders or presbyters; and it is observed, by that learned writer but now referred to, that these churches, at first, were com- paratively small, and not exceeding the limits of the city, or village, in which they were situate, each of which was under the care, or oversight, of its respective pastor, or bishop. This was the state of the church, more especially, in the three first centuries : but, if we descend a little lower to the fourth century, we shall find that the government tliereof was very much altered, when it arrived to a peaceable and flour- ishing state; then, indeed, the bishops had the oversight of of larger diocesses, than they had before, which proceeded from the aspiring temper of particular persons'}, who were • See Clarksrm^s primitive eldscbpacy, chap. 7. in lehich he obserr'eB, that it teas decreed. La some councils, that theii shouhl continue in this state of probation, at least. t-ujo or three years ; and that .lite-uitin continued solovg a Catechumen, as appears from the account that Father gives of his age, xuheii ronxerted to Ch<-i.',tinmiit, on J afterwards received into the church hy Ambrose. t Sec Primitive Jipiccopacv, J'rgc 189 — 197. Vol. II. i B S$8 OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, not content till they had added some neighbouring parishes to their own, and so their churches became very large, till they extended themselves over whole provinces. But even this was complained of by some, as an abuse ; which occasioned Chrysostom so frequently to insist on the inconvenience of bish- ops having churches too large for them to take the oversight of, and not so much regardmg the qualifications as the num- ber of those over whom they presided ; and he signifies his earnest desire, that those under his care might rather excel in piety, than in number, as it would be an expedient for his bet- ter discharging the work committed to him *. Thus concerning the character and distinction of the pastors of churches, together with the form of the church in the first ages of Christianity ; and what is observed, by many, concern- ing the agreement and difference which there was between bi- shops and presbyters : but this has been so largely insisted on, by many who have written on both sides the question, and the controversy turning very much on critical remarks made on some occasional passages, taken out of the writings of the Fa- thers, without recourse to scripture ; it is therefore less neces- sary, or agreeable to our present design, to enlarge on that head : however, we may observe, that some of those who have written in defence of Diocesan Episcopacy, have been forced to acknowledge, that Jerom, Augustin, Ambrose, Chrysos- tom, in the Fourth Century; and, in some following ages, Sedulius, Primatius, Theodoret, and Theophylact, have all held the identity of both name and order of bishops and pres- byters in the primitive church f. Jerom, in particular, is more express on this subject than any of them, and proves it from some arguments taken from scripture, m hich speak of the dis- tinction that there was between them, as being the result of those divisions, by which the peace and order of the church was broken, and that it was no other than an human constitu- tion, (a') This opinion of Jerom is largely defended by a * See Clarkson's Primitive Episcopacy, chap. 8. in luhich he refers to several places, in the writings of that excellent Father, to the same purpose. f See Stillingfieet Iren. Page 276. {d) " More than foiirteen hundred years ago the superiority of the Prelates to Presbyters was attacked, in the most direct and open manner, as having no au- thority from our Lord Jesus Chi-ist. The banner of opposition was raised not by a mean and obscure decluiiner ; but by a most ccmsummate Theologian. '• By one " who, in the judgment of Erasmus, was, without controversy by far the mo.si •• learned and most eloquent of all the Christians ; and the prince of Christian '< Divines."* — By the illustrious Jerome.f * We qnote the words of ooe who was assuredly no friend to our cause, vid. Cave, His. Lilt. Script: Eceles.p 171. Ed 1720. Fol. t Prosper, who was nearly his cotemporary, calls him magister mvndi : i. e. the teacher of the world. /*. OP THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 559 learned writei- *, who shews that it is agreeable to the senti- ments of other Fathers, who lived before and after him. Thua * Vid. Blondel. Apol. pro Sent. Jlieron. — ■ ' "-' ' "' ■ ' _ ' II ■ '" , . I, i' '.""_'' I '" '7,' ' I I -'i ' ' ' ■■' ' ■ ' ■' .t» Th\is he lays down both doctrine and fact relative to the government of the church, m his commentary on Titus i. 5. That thou shouldest ordain Presbyters in every city, as I had appointed thee* — " What sort of Presbyters ouglit to be ordained he shows afterwards, — If any be " blameless, the husband of one teife, &r. and then adds, /or a bishop must be blame- " less as the steward of God, Sic. A Presbyter, therefore, is the same as a Bishop . " and before there were, by the instigation of the devil, parties in religion ; and it " was said among different people, / am of Paul, and I of ^polios, and I of Ce~ "/(Arts, the churches were governed hy the joint cov.nsel of the Presbyters. But •* afterwards, when every one accounted those whom ht* baptized as belonging •' to himself and not to Christ, it was decreed throvghotit tlie ivhole -world, that one, " chosen from among the Presbyters, should be put over the rest, and tiiat the *' whole care of the church should be committed to him, and the seeds of schisms " taken away. " Should any one think that this is my private opinion, and not the doctrine of " the scriptures, let iiini read the words of the apostles in his epistle to the Phi- " lippluns ; ' Paul and 'I'imotlieus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints " in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons,' Sec. Phi- " lippi, is a si7igte city of Macedonia; and certainly in one city there could not " be several bishops as they are now styled ; but as they, at that time, called the " very same persons bisliops wliom they called Presbyters, the Apostle has spo- " ken without distinction of bishops as Presbyters. " Should tliis matter yet appear doubtful to any one, unless it be proved by an " additional testimony ; it is written in the acts of the Apostles, that when Paul " had come to Miletum, he sent to Ephesus and called the Presbyters of that " church, and among- other thingr, said to them, ' take heed to yourselves and to " all the flock in whicii the Holy Spirit hath made you Bishops.' Take particii- " lar notice, that calling the Presbytkhs of the siwgle city ot Ephesus, he after- " wards names the same persons Bishops." After further quotations from the epistle to the Hebrews, and from Peter, he proceeds : " Our intention in these '" remarks is to show that, among the ancients. Presbyters and Bishops -were the " VERT SAME. But that BY LITTLE AND LITTLE, that the plants of dissensions '* might be plucked up, tlie whole concern was devolved upon an individual. As " the Presbyters, therefore, kxow that they are subjected, bt the custom of the ' CHURCH, to him who is set over them ; so let the Bishops know, that they are " greater than Presbyters more by custom, than by any real appointment of " CHRIST." • " Q;>i qirilis Presbyter debeat ordinari, in consequentibus disserens hoc ait : Si quis est sine crimine, uiiius uxoris vir," et caetera : postea intulit, " OporCet. n. Episcopum sine crimineesse, tamj^uam Dei dispertsatorem." Idem cat ergo Presbyter, (jui et Epi'jcopus, et antequam diaboli inattnctu, studia in religione fiercnt. et diceretur in populis; " Ejjo sum Pauli. ego Apollo, ego autem Cephse:" communi Presbyteroruni ct/milio ecclesise Kubernabantur. Postqu.tra vero unus- Quisque eos. quos baptizaverat. suos putabut esse, iion Christi : rh toto orbe decretum est. ut unus ae Prcs'iyteris elictus superpcnerctur cateris, ad quern omnis ecclesia cura pertineret et schisma- tum semina tollerentur. Putet aliqnis iion scripturarum, sed nostram, esse seiitentiam Episcopum et Presbyterum unum esse; et aliiut tetatis, aliudesse nonien officii: relegat Apostoli ad l'hili|>- ponses verba diceiitis: Paulus et Timotheus servi jesu Christi, omnibus Sanctis in Christ© Jcsu, qui sunt Chilippis, cum Kpisccpii et UiHcotiis, gratia, vobis et pax, et reliqua. Philippi una est urbs M:icedoniffi. et certe in una civitate plures at nnncupantur, Episcopt tste non poterant. Scd quia eoadcm Episcip's illo tempore q\ios et Presiytercs appellab;(nt, propterea indifferi-ntei de Episcopis quasi de Preslivteris est locutiis. Adhuc hue alitui videatur ambiguum, iifsi alterc tes- cimonio comprobetur. In ActibuR Apostoloru'i> scripium est, quod cum vffnisset Apostolus Mile- cum, niiseiit F.phesum. z^n%. |>ost< a e^sdeni Episcofot dixei it - Hee.- propterea, at ostenderemus apud veteres eosdeui fuisse Presbyteros i|UOs et Episcopns. Paulittim vero, ut dis- sensionum plaiitaria evellrrennir, ad nr.um omiieni 'olicitudinpm essedelatam -Suuttrjjn Prf.s- byteri ^ciunt it ex ecciesia cotnueludine ei, qtii '^'u i propositus fuerit, esse subjectos ita Episcopi roverint «e nugis ccnsuetudine qium chpMilionis dominice leritate, Preshvteris etse majares. fliercnymi Cent ; in Tit: I. 1. 0pp. T.m. VI a. \6t,ei. VKttrii; Paris, 1623. Tii. 5'6l^ QP THE CUUilCII, VlSimi, AND INVISIBLL. concerning a pastor, as styled a bishop or presbyter ; we shall now consider him as invested in his office, whereby he becomes related to a particular church of Christ. That no one is pas- He pursues the same argument, with great point, in his famous Epistle to Evagrius, asserting and proving from the Scriptures, that in the beginning and during the Apostles' days, a Bishop and a Presbyter were the same thing. He then goes on : " As to the tact, that afterwards, one was elected to preside " over the rest, this was done as a remedy against schisni ; lest every one draw- " ing his proselytes to himself, should rend the church of Christ. For even at " Alexandria, from the Evangelist Mark, to the Bishops Heraclas and Dionysius, " the Presbytei's always chose one of their number, placed him in a superior sta- " tion, and gave him the title of Bishop :, in the same nianner as if an army should " MAKE an emperor ; or the deacons should choose from among themselves, one " whom they knew to be particularly active, and should call him archdeacos Yov, excepting ordination, what is done by a Bishop, which may not be done by a Presbyter .-' Nor is it to be sup]50sed, that the church should be one thing at Rome, and another in all the world besides. Both France and Britain, and Af- rica, and Persia, and the East, and India, and all the barbarous nations wor- ship one Christ, observe one rule of truth. If you demand authority, the globe is greater than a city. Wherever a Bishop shall be found, whether a\ Rome, or " Eugubium, or Constantinople, or llhegium, or Alexandria, or I'anis, he has " the same pretensions, the same priesthood."* Here is an account of the origin and progress of Episcopacy, by a Father whom the Episcopalians themselves admit to have been the most able and learned man of his age ; and how contradictory it is to their own account, the reader will be at no loss to perceive, when he shall have followed us through an analysis of its several parts. 1. Jerome expressly denies the superiority of Bishops to Presbyters, by divine fight. To prove his assertion on this head, be goes directly to the scriptures ; and arc;ues, as the advocates of parity do, from the interchangeable titles of Bishop and Presbyters ; from tlie directiojis given to them without the least intimation of difference in their authority ; and from the ^)Qwers of Presbyters, undisputed in his day. 2. Jerome states it as an liistorical fact, tiiat, in the original constitution of th^ clmrch, before the devil had as much influence as he acquired afterwards, //iff clmrches -were governed by tlie joint cojinsels of the Presbyters. o. Jerome states it as un historical fact, that this government of the churches, by Presbyters alone, continued until, for tlie avoiding of scandalous quarrels and schisms, it was thoiiglit expedient to alter it. " Jlfterii.jd Heracl im ik Uionysium V.\>\iii:.Q[>o%, presbyteri seiiiptrunumex se etcctum, in e.xcelstori ?rndu cotlucatum Epiaccpum r.oviinubuid tn\m inQit, exc^pta ordin^itionc, Efiicopus, ^ynod prdibyter mm facial? Ncc altera Koinaiia; mbis Ecclesia, altera totius orbis existinianda est l.t CJallias. & Brittaniae, & Afr.ca, & Persis, !i Oriens, &. India, ik omnes barbur* nationcs unuin Christum adorart, imain observant regulam verltatis. Si auctf^ritas quaeritur.orbis major eat iirbe. tnucuniqut: fuprit Epi.icopus, sive Bomaj, sive Eugmbii. sive Constantinopoli, sive Rhetii sive AkxaiiUi ise, sivr lams; ejusdem meriti, ejusdcni Ik ti- cerdotii. Weron, 0pp. T- 1'. ]>■ f>-' •■ QF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 561 tor of the catholic church, has been observed, under a fore- going head*, wherein we shewed, that the church, when sty- led catholic, is not to be reckoned the seat of goveniment ; and therefore we must consider a pastor as presiding over a parti- cular church ; and, in order hereunto, it is necessary that he should be called, or chosen, to take the oversight of it, on their part, and comply with the invitation on his own, and, after that be solemnly invested in, or set apart, to this office. (1.) We are to consider what more especially respects the church, who have a right to choose, or call those, who arc qualified for the work, to engage in this service, and to per- * See Page 522, ante. Some, indeed, choose to say, that persons that stand more immediately related to their respective churches, are pastors m the catholic church, though not oi' it ; which, if the -words be rightly wderstood, does not militate against vhiit we assert. O vcu Si t Tioifxnv (irltv mu at 7rp:2u.lx UKiKou-^uli. Ignat. epist. ad Phil:id. p. 42. complished when the apostolic epistles were written, because Jerome appeals to these for proof that the cliurches were then governed b}' the joint counsels of Presbyters, and it is incredible that such ruinous dissensions, had they existed, should not have been noticed in letters to others beside the Corinthians. The disease indeed, was of a nature to s|n'ead rajiidly ; but still it must have time to travel. With all the zeal of Satan himself, and of a parcel of wicked or foolish clergymen to help him, it could not march from people to people, and clime to clime, but in a course of years. If Episcopacy was the apostulic cure for .schism, the contagion must have smitten the nations like a flash of lightning. This woulU Lave been quite as extraordlnaiy as an instantaneous change of government: — No: the progress of the mischief was gradual, ai\d so, according to Jerome, was the pi-ogress of the remedy which the wisdom of the times devised.* We agree with them, who think that the experiment introduced more evil than it banished. 5. Jerome states as historical facts, that the elevation of one Presbyter over tlir others, was a human contrivance ; was not imposed by authority, but crept in bv custom ; — and that the Presbyters of his day, knew this very well. ^'Is, therefore, says he, the Presbyters know that tltcy are subjected to their superior by custom ; so let the bishops hwu> that they are above the Presbyter s, rather by the cusTo.n 0¥ THE cHuucH, tha7i by the Lord's appointment. 6. Jeiiome states it as an lustovical fact, that the first bishops were made b^ the Presbyters themselves ; and consequently they could neither have, nor com municate any authority above that of Presbytei'.s. *« Afteiiuards^'' says he, " to " prevent schism, one was elected to preside over the rest." Elected and comrais- sioned by whom i My the Presbyters : for he immediately gives you a broad fad which it is impoasible to explain away. " At Alexandria," he tells vou, " froni " the evangelist Mark to tlie Bishops ileraclas and Dionysius," i.e. till al)out th( middle of the tliird century, " the Presbyters ul-wcys chose one of their number, " placed him in a eitperior station, anv j-i ;i i::iii iifficer and he wan'od a name. So they apprLiiriated the term Bishop to him ; and thus aviiidid the vdium of in'jeuting a tit'e unknown to the scripture. The peopte, no douht, were luldtlut there wa« no m.iteri;d alteration in the ^criptaral order; and hearinjj nothing bu; . .lanie to which they hr.d ahrtn s been accustomcct. they were the less srarfled. 56% OK TU£ CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBL£. form the two branches of the pastoral office, namely, instruct ing and governing. This is not only agreeable to the laws of society, but is plainly contained in scripture, and appears to have been the sentiment and practice of the church, in the three first centuries thereof. The church's power of choosing their own officers, is sufficiently evident from scripture. If there were any exception hereunto, it must be in those instances in which there was an extraordinary hand of providence in the appointment of officers over them; but, even then, God some- times referred the matter to their own choice : thus, when Mo- ses made several persons rulers over Israel, to bear a part of the burden, which before was wholly laid on him, he refers this to their own election, when he says. Take ye xvise merty and understandings and known among your tribes^ and I tvill make them rulers over yoti^ Deut. i. 13. And in the gospel- church, which, at first, consisted of about an hundred and tzuen- fij members^ Acts i. 15. when an apostle was to be chosen to succeed Judas, they appointed txvo omX. of their number, and prayed, that God would signify -which of them he had chosen; and, when they h^d given forth their lots^ the lot fell upon Mat- t-hias, and he rvas numbered xuith the eleven apostles^ ver. 23. so we render the words : but if they had been rendered, he %vas numbered among the eleven apostles, by common suffrage or vote, it would have been more expressive of the sense there- of*. Soon after this, we read of the choice of other officers, to wit, deacons in the church, chap. vi. 3. and the apostles say to them. Look ye out among you seven men^ xvhom ye may appoint over this business. And afterwards, in their appoint- ing elders, or pastors, over particular churches, we read of their choosing them by vote or suffrage : thus it is said, in Acts xiv. 23. JVheJi they had ordained them elders in every church ; so we translate the words f ; but they might be better rendef- ed. When they had chosen elders in every church by lifting up of the hand. This was, and is, at this day, a common mode of electing persons, either to civil or religious offices, (a) And • 'SsjyK^'ri-\yi^ii7^y\ fxii the J^Pe-w Testament, viz. in 2 Cor. viii. 19. where it is rendered, he was chosen, Jtc. See more to this purpose in the place but no-io mentioned. (fi) Xvgormm signifies, to hold out the hand. It is compounded of Xaj, thf VT:!d, -w^'i T«(v»v < n extend The s.cf.ior, holdirg- out tlie hand, is expressive of or THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. S^S. It might be easily proved from the Fathers, that this was the universal practice of the church in the three first centuries, ani not wholly laid aside in following ages, till civil policy, and secular interest usurped and invaded the rights thereof: but this argument having been judiciously managed by Dr. Owen^'*^, I pass it over, and proceed to consider, (2.) That a pastor being thus chosen, by the church, and having confirmed his election by his own consent; then fol- lows his being separated, or publicly set apart to this office, with fasting and prayer, which is generally called ordination. This does not, indeed, constitute a person a pastor of a church, so that his election, confirmed by his consent, would not have been valid without it; yet it is not only agreeable to the scrip- ture-rule, but higidy expedient, that, as his ministerial acts are to be public, his first entering into his office should be so like- wise, and, in order thereunto, that other pastors, or elders, should join in this solemnity ; for, though they do not confer this office upon him, yet thereby they testify their approbation of the person, chosen to it ; and a foundation is laid for that • See the True Mittire of a Gospel church, Page 78—83. -vherc it appears, from Tgiiatim, TertuUiaii, Origen, and Cfpnan, that thin ivus practmedin the three first centuries; and from Blmtdel's .ipolog)/, ivhich lie refers to, that it was con- tinned in some following- ages. choice and resolution. It moi-ks a decision of the will, whether intimated or exe.. ci'.ted. The word Trfoxtir^rowt), is used to signify divine appointment. Acts x. 41. ^ufCTovtui, Human clioice, however expressed. 2 Cor. viii. 19. .\nd odly, i*. sig'- iiifies to elect to office, by holding up the right hand. " At Athens, some of the magistrates were called Xii^o7cv;i7c/, because they were elected by the people [n this m:mner." Parkhurst. The right of choosing spiritual rulers, is in the christian people; the power of ordination, in those who are already ordained. Xe/goTsv«"fiibtcd hv nrdinnrv ngeiirv, M'Tt.od'sEccx. Cirt-. 564 Qr THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AKD INVISIBLE. f harmony of pastors and churches, that tends to the glory^ of God, and the promoting of the common interest. This also fences against several inconveniences which might ensue; since it is possible that a church may chuse a person to be their pas- tor, whose call to, and qualification for this office may be ques^ tioned; and it is natural to suppose, that they would expect that their proceedings herein should be justified and defended by other pastois and dmrches, and the communion of church- es maintained : but how can this be done if no expedient be used to render this matter public and visible, which this way pf ordaining or setting apart to the pastoral office does ? And they who join herein testify their approbation thereof, as what is agreeable to the rule of the gospel. This public inauguration, or investiture in the pastoral of- fice, is, for the most part, performed with imposition of hands, which, because it is so frequently mentioned in scripture, and appears to have been practised by the church in all succeeding ages, it will be reckoned, by many, to be no other than a fruitless attempt, if not an offending against the generation of God's people, to call in question the warrantableness thereof. It is certain, this ceremony was used in the early ages of the church, particularly in public and solemn benedictions : thus Jacob laid his hands on Ephraim and Manasseh, when he bles- sed them ; and also in conferring political offices, Numb, xxvii. 18. Deut. xxiv. 9. It was also used in healing diseases in a miraculous way, 2 Kings v. 11. Mark vii. 32. and it was some- tinges used when persons were eminently converted to the Chi'istian faith and baptized. Acts ix. 17". These things are very evident from scripture : nevertheless, it may be observed, that, in several of these instances, it is, and has, for some ages past, been laid aside, by reason of the discontinuance of those extraordinary gifts, which were signified thereby. There was, doubtless, something extraordinary in the patriarchal benedic- tion ; as Jacob did not only pray for a blessing on the sons of Joseph, but as a prophet he foretold that the divine blessing, which he spake of, should descend on their posterity; and therefore we don't read of this ceremony's being used in the more common instances, when persons, who were not endow- ed with the spirit of prophecy, put up prayers or supplications to God for others. And though it was sometimes used, as in the instances before-mentioned, in the designation of persons to political offices ; yet it was not in those times in which the church of the Jews was under the divine theocracy, and extra- ordinary gifts were expected to qualify them for the office they were called to perform. And whereas we frequently read, in scripture of imposition .of handsj in the ordination, or setting apart of ministers to the OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE* 565 pastoral office, while extraordinary gifts were conferred, and of these gifts being also bestowed on persons who were converted to the Christian faith, and baptized; in these, and other in- stances of the like nature, tliis ceiemony was used, as a sig- nificant sign and ordinance for their faith : but it is certain, that the conferring extraordinary gifts to qualify for the pas- toral office, is not now to be expected ; therefore it must either be proved, that, besides this, something else was signified, which may be now expected, or else the use thereof, as a sig- nificant sign, or an ordinance for our faith, cannot be well de- fended. And if it be said, that the conferring this office is signified thereby, it must be proved, that they who use the sign, have a right to confer the office, or to constitute a person a pastor of a particular church. If these things cannot easily be proved, then we must suppose that the external action is used, without having in it the nature of a sign, and then it is to be included among those things that are indifferent ; and a per- son's right to exercise the pastoral office, does not depend on the use ; nor, on the other hand, is it to be called in question, by reason of the neglect thereof. But, to conclude this head, if the only thing intended hereby be what Augustin under- stood to be the meaning of imposition of hands, on those who were baptized in his day, namely, that it was nothing else but a praying over persons *, I have nothing to object against it: but if more be intended hereby, and especially if it be reckon- ed so necessary to the pastoral office, that it cannot be accep- tably performed without it ; this may give just reason for many to except against it. (3.) We shall now consider the pastor, as discharging his bffice. This more immediately respects the church to which he stands related, especially in what concerns that branch there- 6f, which consists in presiding or ruling over them. If there be more elders joined with him, with whom he is to act in concert, this is generally called a consiatory^ which I cannot think essential to the exercise of that government, which Christ has appointed ; though sometimes it may be expedient, as was before observed : but whether there be one, or more, that bear rule in the chui"ch, their power is subjected to certain limita- tions, agreeable to the laws of society, and those in particular which Christ has given to his church. As the nature of the office we are speaking of, does not argue that the church is without any government, or under such a democracy as infers confusion, or supposes that every one has a right to give laws to the whole body ; so it has not those ingredients of absolute and unlimited monarchy or aristrocacy, as are inconsistent with • Vid. Aug. ck Bapt. contr. Donat. lAb. III. cap. 6 ^uid est aliud tnanite impo- sitio qnain oiatio siiper hominem? Vol. II. 4 C 565 O.F THE CjrURCH, VISIBLE AKD liSV'lSIBLE. liberty; and therefore we suppose, that a pastor, and other el- ders, if such be joined Math hiin, are hot to rule according to their own will, or to act separately from the church in the af- fairs of government, but in their name, and with their consent; and therefore they are generally styled, the instruments by which the church exerts that power which Christ has given it; and accordingly a church, when officers are set over it, is said to be organized. This is called, in scripture, the power of the keys, which, agreeably to the laws of society, is originally in them, and is to be exercised in their name, and with their con- sent, by their officers ; and therefore a pastor, or other elders- with him, have no power to act without the consent of the church, in receiving members into, or excluding them from its communion. This I cannot but think to be agreeable to the law of nature, on which the laws of society are founded, as well .as the gospel-rule. , ., , ,1 am sensible that many of the reformed churches, who al- ,4ow that this power is originally in them, conclude notwith- standing, and their practice is consonant hereunto, that it may be consigned over to the pastor and elders, and that this is ac- tually done by them wlien they chuse them into that office. The principal argument, by which this is generally defended, is, that because they are fit to teach, they are fit to govern, without being directed in any thing that relates thereunto. But the qtiestion is not concerning the fitness of persons for it, Avhich is not to be denied ; but whether the church ought to divest itself of that power which Christ has given it, especially when it may be exerted without anarchy or confusion ; which it certainly may, if this power be not abused, or the due exer- cise thereof neglected. And, in order hereunto, a church- officer is to prepare matters for the church, that nothing tri- fling, vain, or contentious may be brought before them ; and to communicate them to it, to desire to know their sentiments about them, and to declare, improve, and act pursuant there- unto. There are, indeed, some branches of the pastoral office, which are to be performed without the church's immediate di- rection ; such as preaching the woi'd, administring the sacra- ments, visiting the sick, comforting the afflicted, endeavouring to satisfy them that are under doubts, or scruples of conscience, and excite and encourage them to pci i'orni those duties, which their professed subjection to Christ, and their relation to his church, oblige them to. (4.) We shall now con.sider pastors, or elders of churches, as employed occasionally in using their best endeavours to assist others in some difficulties, in which their direction is needed or desired. This is what we call a synod^ which Avord OF THE CIIURCK, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 567 is very much disrelished by some in our age ; and it were to be vvisiied, that there had been no occasion for this prejudice, from the account we have of the abuses practised by synods and councils in former ages. This gave great uneasiness to Gi-egory Nazianzen, who complains of confusions, and want of temper which were too notorious in some synods in the age in which he lived *. And afterwards we find, that almost all the corruptions that were brought into the church, were coun- tenanced bv some synod or other ; and many of them assumed to themselves a power of making laws, which were to be re- ceived with equal obligation, as though they had been delivered by the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost ; and a door was opened by them to persecution, so that they have in many instances, taken away not only the religious, but civil rights of mankind. It will therefore be thought strange that I should so much as mention the word ,• but though I equally detest every tiling of this nature, that has been practised by them ; yet it is not impossible to treat on this subject in an unexceptionable manner : It is certainly a warrantable practice, founded in the law of nature, for persons who cannot compromise a matter in debate, to desire the advice of others. The same is, doubtless, true in religious matters ; therefore we suppose that there may be some matters debated in a church, which cannot be issued among themselves. And in this case, provided it be an affair of importance, it is expedient for them to apply themselves to other churches, to give their advice in tliis matter by their pas- tors and elders : If it be some corruption in doctrine that has insinuated itself into it, they may desire to know the sense of others about it, still reserving to themselves a judgment of dis- cretion, without reckoning their decrees infallible ; or if it be in matters of conduct, which, through the perverseness of some, and ignorance of others, may be of pernicious tendency, if suitable advice be not given ; then it ought to be desired and complied with, so far as it appears to be agreeable to the mind of Christ. This is therefore not only allowable, but very ex- pedient.' I have nothing to say as to the number of persons, to whom this matter may be referred : A multitude of counsellors may sometimes be mistaken, when a smaller number have given bet- ter advice ; neither have I any thing to allege in defence of oecumenical councils, much less such as have been convened by the usurped power of the bishop of Rome. But we are speak- ing of a particular church under some difficulties, desiring the advice of as many as they think meet to refer the matter to : or if a Christian magistrate demands the advice of the pastors or elders of churches, in his dominions, in those religious af *'-' * rid. Girg. J\'ai:. F.pint 43. 'ul P'-'irbj,. 568 OF THE CHURCH, VISJBLE AND INVISIBLE. fairs that are subservient to his government, they ought to obey him. These things are altogether unexceptionable : But when ministers give vent to their own passions, and pretend to give a sanction to doctrines that are unscriptural ; or if they annex anathemas to their decrees, or enforce them by excommunica- tion, or put the civil magistrate on methods of persecution ; this is going beyond the rule, and offering prejudice rather than doing service to the interest of Chnst : But when they only signify what is their judgment about some important ar- ticles ot faith, or church-discipline, or some intricate cases of conscience, in which it is desired ; and endeavour to give con- viction rather by arguments, than barely their authority, this is not only their duty, but an advantage to the church, as the sy- nod that met at Jerusalem was to the church at Antioch, Acts XV. 31, — 33. Thus we have considered the office of a Pastor. It might be expected that we should consider that of a Teacher, which many think to be a distinct officer in the church, as the apostle says. He gave some pastors and teachers, Eph. iv. 11. There are many, who treat on this matter, that suppose a teacher to be a distinct officer from a pastor ; but yet when they call him a teaching elder, and allow him to have a part of the govern- ment of the church, as well as to be employed in the work of preaching, their method of explaining the nature of this office supposes it to differ little or nothing from that of a pastor, ex- cept in name. If they say that the difference consists in that the pastor is superior in honour and degree, to a teacher, and make the latter no more than a provisionary officer in the church, appointed to perform what properly belongs to the pastor, when he is absent, or indisposed, or, for any other reason, desires him to officiate for him ; I cannot see reason to conclude that this is the meaning of the word teacher, as mentioned by the apos- tle ; so that whilst they plead for its being a distinct office in the church, and, at the same time, explain it in such a way, there seems to be little else but a distinction without a difference. As for the opinion of those who think that it was, indeed, a distinct office, but that a teacher was called, by the church, to some other branches of teaching, which the pastor could not well attend to, and that these were such as were styled, by the primitive church, Catechists ; this deserves our consideration. We read, in the early ages of the church, of persons who had this office and character : Their work was such as needed those gifts, which our blessed Saviour was pleased to bestow on men, for the propagating his interest in the world, as much as any other ; for, whether they preached publicly or no, as the pas- tor was called to do, their business Avas not only to instruct the catechumens, who were disposed to embrace the Christian OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND IN^VISIBLI?. 569 doctrine, but all who were willing to be taught by them ; for which end there Avere public schools erected, which were un- der the direction, care, lind countenance of the church, in which the method of instruction was, by explaining the scrip- tures, and, in public and set disputations, defending the Chris- tian religion against those who opposed it, by which means ma- ny were converted to the Christian faith from among the hea- then J and others, who were initiated therein, were, by this means, as well as by public preaching, established and con- firmed therein, and thereby qualified for church-communion, and then baptized and joined to the church. Thus we read, in the writings of the Fathers, and church-historians, of several who performed this office with very great reputation and use- fulness * ; and it is thought, by some, to have been not only agreeable to the practice of the church in the apostle's days, but derived from it ; and though it be not so plainly mention- ed in scripture, as some other officers are, yet that the apostic refers to it, when he says, Let him that is taught in the xvord^ comviunicate unto him that teacheth^ Gal vi. 6. that is. Let him that is catechized communicate to the catechist f . But this is, at best, but a probable sense of the word, and therefore not sufficient of itself to give ground to conclude, that the apostle intends this when he speaks of teachers, as distinct officers from pastors. However, though, doubtless, the practice of the church, as above-mentioned, in appointing such officers was commendable ; yet it does not fully appear, tliat this is what the apostle intends, though I will not deny it to be a probable conjecture ; and I should acquiesce in it, rather than in any other sense of the text that I have hitherto met with, did I not think that the words pastors and teachers might not be as well, if not better, understood, as signifying one and the same office ; and therefore I had rather understand them as Jerom and Au- gustin do :}:, q. d. He gave some pastors^ to wit, teachers^ or pastors that are teachers, or engaged in preaching the gospel, which is the principal branch of their office. And that which • ^'ear the latter end of the second century, Pantccmis ivaa a celebrated catechist, i:i t/ie school supported 61/ the church at Alexandria; and Clemens Jlleaandrinus ■was hisjirst scholar, and afterguards sticceeded him in the ivorb of a teacher ; and Driven icas Clement'' s scholar, and ivas ufterioards emploi/ed in the same -zi-orh in that school. And, in the fourth century, .dthanasius, who strenuously defended the faith, in tlie council ofjXice, against Sarins, had his education in tlie same school.; and Didymus, li'ho flourished about the middle of that century, was u catechist therein, and Jerom and Jhiffinus were his scholars. f So the vulvar Latin translation renders the u'orrf Kst7>ixiiv7/,Ei qui se catcchizat. ± Vid. Ilieron. in Ephes. iv. 11. ^Xon ait alios paslores, and alios magtstros ; sed alios pastores, et Jifa^^istros, ut qui pastor est, esse d:bcat & mai^ister ; nee in ecclesiis pastoris sibi novKn assumere, nisi posset docere giios pascit . iJ Aug-, epist. 59. pastores & doclores eosdem puto esse, ut non ■•Vtos pastores alios doclores intelligci- mns, sed idea cum pradixisset pastores sulfjunxicne d'/ctares vt in(el'.i£crent pastores adojficiiim sxiump'rtinere doctrinatn. 510 OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE ANO INVISIBLE. gives me farther ground to understand the words in this sense^ is, because the apostle, \vhen he enumerates the officers ot a church elsewhere, speaks of teacher^ without any mention ot pastors, as it is said, God has set some in the church ; Jirst^ apostles; secondarily^ prophets ; thirdly^ teachers, 1 Cor. xii. 28. where no mention is made of pastors, as being included in the word teachers ; and this is agreeable to what we observed else- where,* which is all we shall add on this head. The next officer in a church is a deacon, whose work and business is described as serving tables. Acts vi. 2. that is, the I^ord's table, by providing what is necessary for the Lord's supper, and assisting in the distribution of the elements. He is also to supply the poor with necessaries, and to take care that the minister may be maintained, and other expenses defrayed ; and, in order hereunto, he is to receive the contributions raised by the church for those ends ; so that the office is properly se- cular, though necessary and useful, as subservient to others that are of a spiritual nature. The apostle gives an accoimt of the qualifications of those who are to engage in this office, in 1 Tim. iii. 8 — 13. in which he speaks of them as persons oi an un- blemished character, of great gravity and sobriety, and othe? endowments, which may render them faithful in the discharge of their trust, and exemplary and useful in their station. In the first age of the church, after the apostles' days, when it was under persecution, it was the deacon's work to visit and give necessary relief to the martyrs and confessors : but we do not find that they performed any other branches of service be- sides tliis, and those above mentioned ; though Tertullian speaks of them, in his time, as being permitted to baptize in the absence of bishops and presbyters,f in which they went beyond the scripture-rule, and, after this, they preached ; and this practice has been defended by all who plead for diocesan episcopacy unto this day. But the arguments they bring for it, from scripture, are not sufficiently conclusive, Avhen they say, that Stephen and Philip, who were the first deacons, preached ; for this they did as evangelists, not as deacons. These indeed, as it is said of the bishop, in 1 Tim. iii. 2. ought to be apt to teach : thus they are described, ver. 9. as holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience ; yet this extends no farther than that they should be fit to edify those, by their instructions, whom they relieved, by giving them a part of the church's con- tributions, that, by their conversation, they may do good to their souls, as well as, by what they give them, to their bodies. * The particfe y.*t seema to be exfir^etical, and ovght to be rendered even. See the note ill VoL I, page 318- The -eordi are, 'Jo'M %c 'toiy.ma.; kai Mu.iic. j I'id, Tertidi. de bapt. baptizandi habet jns episcopus, doctrinte presbyter! & ffia'ovi. OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 571 And when it is farther said, that they who have used the ojjice a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree,, and great boldness in the faith, ver. 13. this does not sufficiently prove, as many ancient and modern writers suppose, that tliis qualifies them lor the oftice of presbyters, since there is no affinity between these two offices ; and one cannot, properly speak- ing, be a qualification for the other : but the good degree is, probably, to be understood of their having great honour in the church, as persons eminently useful to it ; and great boldness in the faith, is not boldness in preaching the gospel, but reso- lution and stedfastness in adhering to the faith, and, in their proper station, defending, and being ready, when called to it, to sufl'cr for it. Thus we have considered the government of the church, and the officers which Christ has appointed in it. (a) («) Christ has not ludijeci chiircl^-power in the hands oi diocesan hislwps, tha* . beiip rule over preaching presbyters. (1.) The scriptures expressly tbrbid all lordly dominion in the cimrch, 3 John 9. 1 Pet. v. 3. Luke xxii. 25, 26. Matt. XX. 25, 26. Not tyrannical, but lordly dominion, however mild, is here pro- hibited. The Greek word expressing- it is used by the seventy in Gen. i. 2fl. Psalm Ixxii. 8. ex. 2. to express dominion, which none dare pretend to be Z^- rannical. — How absurd to imagine, that the mother of James and John asked a tyraiiiiicul power f(ir her sons from Christ ! Or that he, who acknowledged Ce- sar's authority. Matt. xxii. 21. would represent all heathen rulers as tyrants .' (2.) Bishops and Presbytei-s are represented as the very same officers in scrip- ture. Several bishops ov overseers were at Ephesus, all of whom are called elders «v presbyters, Acts xx. 17, 28. Several bishops g-overned the church in Philippi, no great city, having no interior officers but deacons, Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. iii. ,". The reason w hy elders or p7vsbyterg must be of good report is, that bishops must, be blameless ; which mai-ks them the same, Tit. i. 5, 6. Elder.s must feed Gotl'-; flock Eeiscoi'ou:>T£s, acti?)^ the part of bishops over them, 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. Juda.-J \\ud. sk bishopric. Acts i. 20. Peter and John, not Inferior apostles, were, presbi - ters, 1 Pet. v. 1. 2 Jolin i. (3.) 'I'he power of or dinning pastors, which diocc- ■sans claim for their distinguishing prerogative, is, by the scripture, placed in no standing church-officer, but in the iiresbytery, or meeting ofeUlers. Nay, where elders were ordained, even the apostles did' not by iht.mseives ordain'pastor.?, but concurred as members of the pi-csbyten', 2 Tim. i. 6. 1 Tim. iv. 14. To anticipate objections, it must be observed, (1.) That the twkltiv and the SETExrr disciples whom (;hribt, before his deaUi, appointed to preach the gos- pel, had all of them equal power and autliority, and but a rtm/joruj-^ commission. Watt. X. Luke x. 1 — 21. C^) The apostleship for life bestowed on several after his resurrection, was an extraordmary office, in which they had no successors. (3.) That neither Timothy nor Titus were fi.xed diocesans, but itinerant evan- gelists, who either travelled with the apostles, or were sent by them to supply their place, 1 Thess. i. 1. 2 Thess. i. 1. Rom. xvi. 21. Web.xiii. 23. Col. i. 1. Pliij. ii. 19. 2 Cor. i. 1. 1 Cor. iv. 17. xvi. 10. 2 Cor. i. 19. iii. 2. 1 Tim. i. 3. 2 Tim. iv. 9 10. 12. Gal ii. 3. 2 Cor. ii. 13. vii. 6, 7. viii. 16, 23. xii. 18. Tit. iii. 12. (4.) That the angels of tlie Asian churches were not diocesan bishops, but llieir pastors in general : and lience one angel is sometimes addicssed as se-oeral persons. Rev. ii. 10, 24. (5.) That for the first three hundred years of the Christian church, such as niodemted in their courts, or were more aged, or had more noted con' gregations, were often called bishops : and, in the last case, had other ordained preachers to assist tJicm, and to officiate in case of their imprisonment or deatli. But we \\Avc no decisive proof of any diocesan lords. Nor do any, except the principal pastors of Jiome, seem to have struggled hard for such a pre-eminence. '.o.l That no Protestant church, except in Lngland and freland, is governed by Sr2 -©F-THE CHURGH, VISI^Lfi AND INVISIBLE. 6. The last thing to be considered, is the privileges of the visible church, particularly as the members thereof are said to be under God's special care and government, and, as the con- tliocesan bishops, properly so caUed, tlioug'h indeed Ihe almost nominal Ones of Sweden and Denm:u-k would gladly be such. (7.) That almost all the noted primitive doctors of the Christian church grant that diocesan Episcopacy lias no foundation in scripture. (8.) Scarcely one argument hath ever been produced for the support of diocesau Episcopacy, but hath been effectually overturned by some other learned prelatist ; nor indeed can they combat the Popish govern- ment without desti-oying their own. (9.) Diocesan bislvops, as such, have never been any honour to the church, or centre of unity : but have often been introdu- cers and supporters of Popish abominations. If Christ has not lodged church-power in the community of the faithful, or in magistrates, or in diocesan bishops, he must have placed it m officers of Ins oxon appointment. Matt. xvi. 19. witi. 18 — 20. 2 Cor. x. 8. Heb. xiii. 7. 17. 1 Tim. v. 17. 1 Thess. V. 12. — Some of these were exthaordi^ahy, appointed for the first erection of the gospel-church. (1.) Apostles, who had an immediate commis- sion from Christ equally extended to all nations, as occasions offered, — were privileged with an infallibility in their doctrine; — had a constant power of work- ing miracles as directed by God, and of speaking languages which they had ne\'er learned ; — had power to confer the miraculous influences of tlie Holy as;o7's, teachers, bishops or overseers, in the church, 1 Cor. xii. 28. Eph. iv. 11. Acts xx. 28. Rom. xii. 6 — 8. (2.) The qualifications of such officers are divinely prescribed, 1 Tim. iii. 1 — 8. v. 21, 22. Tit. i. 5 — 9. (3.) Such characters are, by the Holy Ghost, ascribed to them, as import authority and call to their word, as pastors, teachers, rulers, ste^vards, preachers, heralds^' ambassadors, bishops, Eph. iv. 11. 1 Cor. xii. 28. 1 Tim. v. 17. 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2. Luke xii. 42. Rom. x. 15. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. Acts xx. 28. 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. Rev. i. 20.^ 1 Thess. V. 12. Col. i. 7. Eph. vi. 21. Matt. ix. 38. (4.) The manner of Iheir entrance on their office, by the call of the church and ordination of the presby- terv, is divinely prescribed, Acts i. 15 — 26. xiv. 23. 1 Tim. iv. 14. (5.) The work which belongs to this ofSce is divinely prescribed, 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. 1 Tim. iv. 14—15. Acts vi. 2, 4. 2 Tim. iv. 2. ii. 25, 26. 2 Cor. xii. 15. 1 Cor. 9, 16, 17- Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 4. Heb. xiii. 17. Acts xxvi. 17, 18. Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. 1 Cor. ji 23—26. 2 Tim. ii. 2. Cor. v. 4, 13. Tit. iii. 10. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. (6.) People's behaviour towards ministers is prescribed by God, 1 Thess. v. 12, 13. 1 Tim. v. 17. Heb. xiii. 7, 17. Gal. vi. 6. 1 Cor. ix. 7—19. 2 Thess. iii. 1. (7.) God has m-omised tiiem^ encouragement in. and a rewp.rd of tlieir work, 2 Cor. iii. 3, 5, OF THE chur<1:h, visible and invisible* S75 sequence hereof, have safe protection and pfeservatiotl, what' ever opposition they may meet with from their enemies ; and they also enjoy communion of saints, and the ordinary means of salvation. ssa=: 6. Rev. ii. 1. Matt, xxviii. 20. xvi. 19. John xx. 23. Mutt. X. 40—42. Luke x. 16, John xiii. 20. 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. Tlie office of the gospcl-minlstry is PEnPErtiAL, contintiing till the end of the world. (1.) God has provided nothing to supply its place: Nor can any be- stowal of the Holy Ghost exclude it, any more than it did, in the apostolic age. Acts I. — xxi; xxvi. 17, 18. Heb. xi. 40. (2.) The necessity of it is /ier/)e<«a/, Men are in every age ignorant and corrupt ; Satan active ; heresy and error ra- Ijing, or ready to spring up ; gospel-mysteries much unknown j the conversion of sinners, edification of saints, and silencing of gainsayers, still necessary, 1 Tim. iv 1—3. 2 Tim. iii. 1—7. 2 Thes.%. ii. 3—12. Acts xxvi. 17, 18. Eph. iv, 12 — 15. Tit. i. 11. (3) The removal of the gospel-ministry is represent,.d as a heavy judgment, which it could not be, any more than the abolislving the .tcwish ceremonies, unless the perpetual continuance of it were necessary. Rev ii. 5. (4.) God has wonderfully presen cd a gospel-ministry amidst all the de- structive rage and persecution of heathens and antichristians. Rev. vi ; xi ; xii ; xiv. (5.) The divine ordinances, which are connected with a gospel-ministry, are appointed to continue till the end of the world, Eph. iv. 11 — 13. Matt, xxviii 19, 20. 1 Cor. xi. 26. 1 Tim. vi. 14. It is requisite to a man's being a minister of the gospel, that he be divinely qualified with, (1.) J°re/)e»' aWWips rendering him apt to teach; which include.': rational and experimental knowledge of divine truths, and being able to explain and inculcate them in a manner calculated to enlighten the minds, impress the consciences, and excite the aflections of his hearers, Eph. iv. 7 — 11. 1 Cor. ix, 7. iii. 8. vi. 19, 20. 1 Tim. iii. 2. 1 Cor. xii. 8. Col. iv. 3, 4. 1 Cor. iv. 19. ii. 2, 4, «, 7, 1.3. 2 Cor. ii. 14. v. 11. iv. 2, 5. 2 Tim. ii. 15. Isa. 1. 4. xlix. 1, 2. Iviii. 1. Mic. iii. 8. 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. Acts xxiv. 25. (2.) A blameless, holy, and edifyintj conversation, 1 Tim. iii. 1—8. 2 Tim. ii. 2, 21, 22. Tit. i. 5—9. (3.) Distiii- j^uished zeal for advancing the glory of God in Christ, and tender compassion to the souls of men. Rev. iii. 19. Psalm Ixix. 9. cxix. 139. Gal. iv. 18, 19. 2 Cor, xii. 14, 15. 1 Thess. ii. 8. 1 Pet. v. 2. Jude 22. All heads of families, teachers of youth, and even neighbours, ought, in a private manner, to instruct those under their charge in the truths of the gospel; but none, without being regularly called to it, however well qualified, ought to exerci.se any part of the ministerial office. (1.) The scripture plainly distin- rishes between ffifts for, and a missio7i to that office, .Tohn xx. 21, 23" Isa. vi, , 7, 9. (2.) It most expressly declares a call absolutely necessary to render one a public teacher, Rom. x. 15. Heb. v. 4, 6. Jer. xxiii. 21, 32.' (3.) The character of preachers, heralds, ambassadors, stewards, -uatchmen, angeh, messen- gers, 8a;. necessarily import a divine call, 1 Cor. ix. 17. 2 Cor. v. 20. 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2. Heb. xiii. 17. Rev. i. 20. (4.) Rules prescribed for the qualifications, elec- tion» and ordination of gospel-ministers are declared binding until the second coming of Christ, 1 Tim. iii. 1 — 8. v. 21, 22. vi. 13. (5.) God severely punish- ed Korah, Saul, Uzza, Uzziah, and the sons of Sceva, for their intcnnedling witl\ the work of the sacred office. Num. xvi. S— 11, 32 — 38, 40. 1 Sam. xiii. 8, — 14. IChron. xiii. 9,10. 2 Chron. xxvi. 16— 18. Acts xix. 13—16. (6.) To ru.sh into the ministerial office, without a proper call, is inconsistent with a proper impression of the awful nature of the work, 2 Cor. iii. 5, 6. ii. 16. Ezek. iii. 17—21. xxxiii. 1—20. Rom. i. 1. Gal. i. 15, 16. John iii. 27, 28. Heb. xiii. 17. V. 4, 5. and introduces wild disorder and error. Gal. ii. 5. (7.) Cluist'd manifold connexion with this office, — in his being the author of it, Eph. iv. 11, 12. his suspending much of the order and edification ofiiis churcli on it, Acts XI. 28. 1 Pet. V. 1 — 3. his including such power and authority in it. Matt. xvi. 19. xviii. 18. his committing such an important trust to ministers. Col. iv. 17. J Tim. vi. 20. hb enjoining his people to honour sin J n!>rv ihcTD, 1 Tim v 17 Vol. II. 4 n 57^, OS Tliil CHURCH, VIsiBLE AND INVISIBLE. (1.) We shall consider the church, as under the care of Christ. This is the result of his propriety in them, and his having undertaken to do all things for them, as Mediator, — ' , ■ . , - . ■~- Heb. xiii. 7, 17- and his pfomiiing present assistance in, and future gracious re- wards to their faithful dischai'ge of their work, — manifest the necessity of a di- vine and regular call to it. Matt, xxviii. 20. 1 Pet. v. 4. The call of an ordinary pastor to his work ought to be iwo-fold. (1.) A divine call, which consists in God's inwardly inclining his heart to it in an humble manner, and by regular means ; and which is often attended by a train of provi- dences shutting him up to it, exclusive of any other. (2.) An ecclesiastical call^ which consists in the election of the Christian people to whom he is to minister, and the ordination of the presbytery. That adult Christians have a right from Christ to choose their own pastors, is evident: (1.) The church being a volun» tary society, none imposed upon her members by men, can be related to them as tlieir pastor. (2.) None can so well judge what gifts are best suited to their spiritual edification as Christians themselves. (3) If men may choose their ser- vants or physicians, why hinder Christians from choosing the servants and sub- ordinate physicians of their souls ? (4.) The scripture allows the election of pastors in ordinary cases to adult Christians, and to none else. Acts i. 15 — 26. vi. 1 — 6. xiv. 23. (5.) Christ requii-es his people to try the spirits, which sup- poses their ability to do so, and their power to choose such only as they find most proper to edify their souls, and to refuse others, 1 John iv. 1. (6.) The introduction of ministers into their office hy Patronage, of whatever form, has its origin from Popery ,■ tends to establish a tyranny over men's consciences, whom Christ has made free ; — to fill pulpits with naughty, impious, and indo- lent clei'gymen ; — encourages simony, sacrilege, and perjury; — and effectually gives Christ the lie, modelling his kingdom after the form of those of this world, Ezek. XXX IV. 2 — 4. Isa. Ivi. 9 — 12. John xviii. 36. — The ordination of candidates ciiosen for the ministerial ofllice is not the work of the people, but of the presby- tery, 1 Tim. i. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6. ii. 2. Acts xiii. 1—3. xiv. 23. 1 Tim. v. 21, 22. i he work of pastors, when ordained, is, (1.) With much inward compas- sion and zeal for the welfare of their hearers' souls, to feed them with the truths of Christ, according to their different necessities, both publicly and privately, whether in the form of sermons, lectures, catechising, or exhortation, when sick, Ssc. 1 I»et. v. 3. 2 Cor. v. 11. 1 Cor. ix. 16. Phil. i. 17, 24, 25. 1 Tim. vi. 20. iii. 15. iv. 15, 16. 2 lim. iv. 2- Gal. vi. 6. Heb. v. 11, 13. 1 Cor. iii. 1. Acts XX. 20. 21, 27, 28, 31, 35. xxvi. 17, 18. Ezek. xxxiv. 1—16. iii. 17—21. xxxiil. 1—20. Col. i. 28, 29. Isa. xl. 11. 1. 4. 1 Thess. ii. 2—12. v. 12. James v. 14. 2 Cor. xi. 28, 29. (2.) To administer the sacraments, in a proper manner, to proper persons. Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. vii. 6. 1 Cor. xi. 23 — 29. (3.) To rule over their people with impartiality, zeal, meekness, and prudence, censuring offen-- ders, and absolving penitents, Heb. xiii 17. 1 Tim. v. 20, 21. i. 20. Tit. iii, 10, 11. Rev. ii. 2, 14, 20. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. (4.) To care and provide ior the poor, Gal. ii. 9, 10. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. 2 Cor. viii; ix. (5.) To give them- selves habitually to effectual fervent prayer for the church of Christ in general, and especially for those of their particular charge. Acts vi. 2, 4. Eph. iii. 14 — 19. i 15 — 20. Gal. iv. 19. Col. iv. 12. (6.) To exemplify their doctrines and exhorta- tions, in an eminently meek, humble, holy, and edifying conversation, 1 Thess. i. 10. 1 Tim. iv. 7, 8, 12, 16. vi. 11, 12. 2 Tim. ii. 1, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23. iii. 14, Tit. i. 7—9. ii. 7, 8. Matt. v. 16—48. It. It is plain from scripture-declarations, that Christ has appointed rulers in his church that are not appointed to preach the gospel, Rom. xii. 7, 8. Heb. xiii. 7, 17. Different gifts qualify men for teaching and for ruling, Eph. iv. 7. Such rulers are necessary for the assistance of pastors, Gal. ii. 9, 10. Acts vi. 2 — 4. Exod. xviii. 17 — 23. — The complete form of every Christian congregation re- qim-es several elders. Acts xx. 17 — 38. xiv. 23. Christian churches have courts simiiir to those Jewish ones, which had the power of excommunication; and vrhich con.sisted of elder» ruling as representatives of the congregation, Matt, ffi OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 575 that are necessary to their salvation. This care, extendecl towards them, is called special, and so differs from, and con- tains in it many privileges, dietinct from, and superior to that XvLU. 13—17. Num. xxxv. 24. Deut.iix. 12. Josli. xx. 4, 6. Exod. xii. ^. 21 by comparing of which texts we find that congregation denotes rulers of it. The SEVEXTT use the very word ecclesia which is translated churcli in Matt, xviii, 17. — But tlie divine appointment oi ruling riders is still more evident, (1.) From Kom. xii. 5—8. where \%e find in tiie one both; of the gospel-church raoPHEsriN(;, frhich mcludes teaching and exhortation, which may corresiJond VAith teachers ^nd pastors, Eph. iv. 1 1 and ministrt, answerable to the deacon that gives out the church's chaiity, and sh/'ws mercii in visiting the sick and imprisoned, — .ind to the elder that rit'lea with iinACLr.s denote work- jers of mii'acles, — set by God in the Christian church, ^\lule they are represented as different from helps or deacons, Acts vi. 1 — 6. their designation of govern- meyits marks that their office is chiefly, if not solely, executed in riding. It much more properly denotes them riders of church-members, than mere managers of church-money. — It is further observable, that tiod has set some, not ax^, govern- menis ov governors in the cliuj-ch. (3.) From I Tim. v. 17. where some elders are represented as worthy of double honour, though they do no more than rnh: ii:ell, v/hile others arc represented as more worthy of double honour, because they not only rule -ifell, but also labour in word and doctrine. — All which clder.s belong to the church, Comp. chap. i. 19. iv. 14. iii. 15. — Kopiontes, hibauring, doth not denote uncommon diligence, but the common duty of all gospel-minis- lers, 1 Cor. iii. 8. 1 Thess. v. 12. .?ohn iv. 38. — Maeista, especially, — always in llie New Testament distinguishes persons or things of the same general class, one from another, Acts xx. 38. xxiii. 26. xxvi. 3. Gal. vi. 10. Phil. iv. 22. 1 Tim. iv. lU. V. 8. 2 Tim. iv. 13. Tit. i. 10. Philcm. 16. 2 Pet. ii. 10. Not only do most of the chief Fathers in the Christian church declare ior ruling ciders ; but even Papists and Episcopalians, v/ho inveigh against tlicm, have a shadow of them, in their chancellors, officials, commissaries, wardens : and bishops having no care of souls, are lay elders, properly so called. — Independents also manage most of their congregational affiiirs by a few of their number. The necessary qualifications of ruling elders are, (1.) True piety, 1 Tim iv. 12. 2 Tim. ii.21, 22. (2.) Capacity for judging causes, 1 Chron. xii. 32. Deut. i. 13. 1 Kings iii. 5—15. Isa. xi. 2—5. Numb. ji. 16, 17. (3.) Wisdom, prudence, and uprightness of conduct, connected with a good report from others, 1 Tim. iii. 1 — 8. Psalm ci. 2 — 8. — Their ordination ought to be transacted in mucii the same manner as that of teaching elders or pastors. — Their duly in gene. riiWs io rule xvell ; particularly, (1.) In judging the agrecableness of doctrines to the word of God, — -judiciall)- declaiing what seems good to the Holy Ghost and to them, in controverted points of principle or practice. Acts xv. 28, 29. xvi. 4. Rev. ii. 2. Acts xx. 17 — 31. (2.) In admitting persons to church-fellowship on proper qualifications, Matt. xvi. 19. (3.) In directing or encouraging church- members to obsen'e Christ's laws, for the honour of God and their own mutual edification, Hob. xiii. 7, 17. (4.) In taking care, that all the ordinances of twe gospel be duly preserved in their purity and perfection. Song i. 7, 8. (5 ) bi carefully watching over the moral behaviour of church-members, — instructing, admonishing, cx'iorting, comforting, or rebuking tliem, as they find cause, Heb. xiii. 17- (6.) In visiting the sick in body, or distvesi-:<:d in mind. Jam- v. 14, {7.) In making {jrovision fijr the poor, or other cxpenccs necessary flir promo- tin,? the spiritual vielfare of the congregation. Acts xi. 27 — .30. (fi ) In judg- ing t!ie case of offenders ai^d penitents, in order to censure the furriVer, and ab- fcoTve the latter. Matt, xviii. 15 — 18. xvi. 19. (9.) In regulafnii'- ('lot'; n'T.'.^tiQj.'', thanksglvJAg, th" Lord's suppT, f^c 1 Cor. xiv 2C, 40 576 OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. which is expressed in the methods of his common providence in the world. There are several metaphorical expressions used, in scripture, to denote Christ's care of, and the particular re- lation he stands in to his church : thus he is described as their Shepherd, performing those things for them that such a rela- tion imports, Psal. xxiii. 1, 2. and Ixxx. 1. Isa. xl. 11. Jer. xxxi. 10. namely, his giving them, in a spiritual sense, rest and safety, gathering, leading, and defending them ; and as such he does more for his people, than the shepherd, who, being faithful to his trust, hazards his life ; for Christ is ex- pressly said to g-ive his life for his sheep^ John x. 11. Moreover, his care of his church is set forth, by his stand- ing in the relation of a Father to them ; which argues his ten- der and compassionate concern for their welfare, as \\nell as safe- ty, Deut. xxxii. 7". Psal. ciii. IC. Isa. Ixiii. 16. Jer. xxxi. 9. jNow the care of Christ, extended to his Church, consists, Ist^ In his sepai-ating them from, and, as it were, gathering them out of the world, or that part of it that lieth in xvicked- tiiess^ as the aposde says. The whole ivorld lieth in -wickedness^ 1 John V. 19. or, as the word may be rendered, in the wicked one ; upon which account it is called, Satan's kingdom. He gives them restraining grace, brings them under conviction of sin, and humbles them for it ; and, by the preaching of the gos- pel, not only informs them of the way of salvation, but brings them into it. 2.i/7/, By raising up, and spiriting some amongst them for extraordinary service and usefulness in their station, adorning them with those graces, whereby their conversation is exempla- ly, and they made to shine as lights in the world,* and not on* ly in some particular instances, but by a constant succession, fill- ing up the places of those Avho are removed to a better world, with others, who are added to the church daily, of such as shall be saved. in. The divine appointment of Deacons in the Clu*istian church, is beyond dis- pute. Acts vi. 1—6. 1 Tim. iii. 8—11. Rom. xii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 38. Phil. i. 1.— They ought to be men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost, and of -ivisdom, 1 Tim. iii. 8 — 10. Acts vi. 3. — Their election and ordination ought not, in its manner, to differ from that of elders. Acts vi. 1 — 6. — Their work is to manage the temporal affairs of the congregation relative to the table of the poor, tlie ta- ble of ministers, and the table of the Lord, Acts vi. 2- 1 Cor. xii. 28. No other work is annexed to their office in scripture. Hence though some of the first seven deacons, becoming.evungelists, might preach and administer sacraments, yet none, as deacons, have any right to do so. There is no hint in scripture, tliat the offices of huling elder and df.acox ■were designed to be temporary. Both of them were appointed on moral grounds and necessities respecting every church and period. The rules concerning them both are to be observed till the end of the world, 1 Tim. vi. 13, 14. No con- gregation can therefore answer to Jesus Christ, for dropping of deacons, any. more than for the dropping of ruling ciders, Rnpwsr'p systim OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 577 Zdlify His care is farther extended, by fatherly correction, to prevent their ruin and apostacy, which, as the apostle says, is an instance of his love to them Heb. xii. 6, T. and also of his keeping them from, and in the hour of temptation^ Rev. iii, 10. and bruising' Satan under 'their feety Kom. xvi. 20. and in sup- porting them under, and fortifying them against the many dif- ficulties, reproaches, and persecutions, they are exposed to ia this world, as Moses says, in the blessing of Asher, As thy daxjSy so shall thy strength be; the eternal God is thtj refuge^ and underneath are the everlasting arms^ Deut. xxxiii. 25, 27. (2.) The visible church is under Christ's special government. It is a part of his glory, as Mediator, that he is the supreme Head and Lord thereof; and this cannot but redound to the advantage of his subjects, as these we are speaking of are said to be, who profess subjection to him, which is not only their duty, but their peculiar glory, as they are thereby distinguished from the world, and entitled to his special regard. He is their King; and accordingly, Isty He gives them laws, by which they are visibly govern- ed, so that they are not destitute of a rule of government, any more than of a rule of faith, whereby their peace, order, edifi- cation, and salvation, are promoted, and all the advantages, which they receive from the wisdom and conduct of pastors, or other officers, whom he has appointed to go in and out before them, to feed them with knoivledge and understandings Jcr. iii. 15. to watch for their souls, Heb. xiii. IT. are all Christ's gifts, and therefore privileges which the church enjoys, as under his government. 2dlijy He protects and preserves them, notwithstanding tlie opposition of all their enemies; so that whatever attempts have been hitherto made to extirpate or ruin them, have been inef- fectual. The church has weathered many u tempest, and had safety, as well as various marks of the divine honour and fa- vour, under all the persecutions, which it has been exposed to ; so that, according to our Saviour's prediction, 7 he gates of hell have not prevailed against it. Matt. xvi. 18. and all these afflic- tive dispensations of providence are over-ruled for the promot- ing his own glory, and their spiritual advantage. (3.) Another privilege, which the church enjoys, is com- munion of saints. Communion is the consequence of union, and therefore since they are united together as visible saints, they enjoy that communion, which is the result thereof. Theapos- tle speaks of a two-fold fellowship which the church enjoys, their attaining whereof he reckoned the great end and design of his ministry, when he says. That which we have seen and heard de- clare 7ve unto yoUy that ye also mai/ have fellozuship with us , and t7-ulif our fellowship /v nith the Father^ and with his Son S78 OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLeT yesus Christy 1 John i. 3. The former of these is included in church communion ; the latter is an honour which God is pleased sometimes to confer on those who are brought into this relation : It is what all are to hope for, though none but they, who are Christ's subjects by faith, are made partakers of it. However, the communion of saints is, in itself, a great privilege, inas- much as that a common profession, which they make of subjec- tion to Christ, and the hope of the gospel, which they are fa- voured with, is a strong motive and inducement to holiness. And it is not the smallest part of the advantage, which arises from hence, that they are interested in the prayers of all the faithful that are daily put up to God for those blessings on all his churches which may tend to their edification and salvation. And as to what concerns the members of particular churches, who have communion with one another; there is a great ad- vantage arising from mutual conversation about divine things, and the endeavour, which they are obliged to use to build up themselves in their holyfaith^ Jude ver. 20. and to consider one another to provoke unto love^ and to good works, not forsaking- the assembling of themselves together , but exhorting one another, Heb. X. 24, 25. and also the obligations they are under to bear one another'' s burdens, and so fulfil the lata of Christ, Gal. vi. 2, iind to express that sympathy and compassion to each other, un- der the various afflictions and trials which they are exposed to. And to this we may add another privilege which they are made partakers of, in that they have communion with one ano-? ther in the ordinance of the Lord's supper, in which they hope for and enjoy communion with him, whose death is shewed forth therein, and the benefits thereof applied to them that be- lieve. (4.) The church is farther said to enjoy the ordinary means of salvation, and the offers of grace to all the members thereof in the ministry of the gospel, by which we are to understand the word preached, and prayer. These are called the ordinary means of salvation, as distinguished from the powerful influen- ces of the Spirit, which are the internal and efiicacious means of grace, producing such eflfects, as infer the right which such have to eternal life. These ordinary means of grace the church is said to partake of. It is for their sake that fhe gospel is con- tinued to be preached, and a public testimony to the truth there- of is given by them to the world ; and, in the preaching there- of, Christ is offered to sinners, and, pursuant thereunto, grace given, whereby the church is increased, and built up by those who are taken out of the world, as God makes these ordinan- ces effectual to answer that end. The duty of waiting on him therein is ours, the success thereof is intirely owing to the di- 67 THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. '579 vine blessing attending it. These are the privileges that the vi- sible church enjoys. We might have proceeded to consider those which the mem- bers of the invisible chucch are made partakers of, namely, u- nion and communion with Christ in grace and glory ; but these arc particularly insisted on in some following answers. END ©P THE SECOND VOLUME* \ Princeton Theological Semmary-Speer Library 1 1012 01144 9305