Notes: To All Those Humble-Hearted Readers,
Notes: TO ALL THOSE HUMBLE-HEARTED READERS,
8
“The Covenant (namely of Works) being made with Adam, not only for himself but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression.” Shorter Catechism, quest. 16. — “The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ, as the second Adam, and in him, with all the elect, as his seed.” Larger Cat., quest. 31.
9
See chap. 2. sect. 3. note.
10
Namely, by doing and dying for them, namely: the elect.
11
Thus the impetration or purchase of redemption, and its application, are taught to be of the same extent; even as Adam’s representation extends to the elect, and the ruin by his fall extends to all mankind.
12
Uniting with Christ by faith.
13
That is, to the way of the Covenant of Works, which innocent Adam was set upon fulfilling.
14
That is, till we are brought to despair of obtaining salvation in the way of the Covenant of Works. Mark here the spring of legalism: namely, the natural bias of man’s heart towards the way of the law as a Covenant of Works, and ignorance of the law in its spirituality and vast extent, Rom. 7.9; 10.2, 3.
15
There is not one word of Jesus Christ the glorious Mediator, nor of faith in his blood, in all the advice given by this [proposed] casuist to the afflicted; and agreeable to that, is the effect it has on the afflicted, who comforts himself, without looking to the Lord Jesus Christ at all, as it appears from the next paragraph. Behold the Scripture pattern in such a case: Acts 2.37, 38, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins.” Chap. 16.30, 31, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.”‘ And thus we read in the Directory [for the Public Worship of God – Edinburgh 1645], entitled “Concerning Visitation of the Sick”: “If it appears that he does not have a due sense of his sins, endeavours ought to be used to convince him of his sins — to make known the danger of deferring repentance, and of salvation at any time offered, to awaken the conscience, and to rouse him out of a stupid and secure condition, to apprehend the justice and wrath of God; “— here this miserable comforter finds the afflicted, and should have taught him concerning an offended God, as there immediately follows — “before whom none can stand but he that, being lost in himself, lays hold of Christ by faith.”
16
This sentence, taken from the English service-book, is in the “Practice of Piety,” p. 122, cited from Ezek. 33.14, 16; it is reckoned among these Scriptures to be an ignorant mistake which keeps a sinner from the practice of piety. But the truth is, it is not to be found in the Old or New Testament; and therefore it was objected against, as standing in the service-book under the name of a “Sentence of Scripture,” pretended to be cited from Ezekiel 18.21, 22.— Reasons Showing the Necessity of Reformation [by Cornelius Burges, London 1660], etc. p. 26.
17
Mark here the spring of Antinomianism: namely, the lack of a sound conviction of the odiousness and filthiness of sin, rendering the soul loathsome and abominable in the sight of a holy God. Hence, as the sinner does not see his need of Christ, so neither will he receive and rest on Christ for all his salvation, but will go about halving it, grasping at his justifying blood, but neglecting his sanctifying Spirit, and so he falls short of all part or lot in that matter.
18
Namely, legalism and Antinomianism.
19
A short and pithy description of the middle path, the only pathway to heaven — “Jesus Christ (the Way, John 14.6) received truly (by faith, John 1.12; this is overlooked by the legalist) and walked in accountably,” by holiness of heart and life, Col. 2.6; this is neglected by the Antinomian. The Antinomian’s faith is only pretended, and not true faith, since he does not walk in Christ accountably. The legalist’s holiness is only pretended and not true holiness, since he has not “received Christ” truly; therefore he is incapable of walking in Christ, which is the only true holiness competent to fallen mankind. Thus, the legalist and the Antinomian are each destitute of true faith and true holiness; because there can be no walking in Christ without a true receiving of him; and there cannot be a true receiving of him without walking in him: so both of them are off from the only way of salvation; and continuing so, they must perish. Therefore it concerns everyone who has a value for his own soul, to take heed that he be found in the middle path.