CHAPTER IV: The same continued:
rivulet, which runs naturally and constantly, but as the prophet says, runs softly, with a slow and gentle current; let a land-flood come upon it, it will prove a river, a strong and violent stream. But when that land-flood ceases, then the brook is not so swelled, though it goes on still, so much of it as was truly and naturally so, and had a spring. So it is here. At first, half thy heart, thy unregenerate part, was turned a temporary believer too; and self-love, the great Simon
Magus in thee, was wrought upon, and became a temporary believer; but yet besides, and over and beyond that, there was a little fountain opened in thy heart, and this continues still to flow, when the landflood ceases; and then look, what is true grace indeed holds out the conflict against itself in worldly lusts, and bears alone the stress of all; and then worldly lusts begin to contend purely with this little grace in us, and that fights it out alone, and then is the truer trial of grace, though less discernible to sense than it was at first.
CHAPTER IV
That the work of grace in true believers differs in kind from that which is in temporaries, proved, because true holiness of heart cannot be produced by any virtue of the covenant of works since the fall; but that it is peculiar to the covenant of grace to effect this.
God hath put that genius and disposition into the grace of the new covenant in us, as might answerably glorify the grace of God in Christ towards us, according to the tenor of that covenant. And the soul accordingly hath in it a radical disposedness to give up the soul to Christ, to be acted by him, and to be made sensible of its own insufficiency to act itself, and so to glorify Christ as its root for
sanctification, as well as its Saviour for justification; and accordingly, sooner or later, both through the inexperience of its own inability to act itself, and of that continual infused strength which from without it feels freely derived, as the Spirit pleaseth to dispense, and whereby it is carried on to motion; especially when by the word, and the relation of that truth out of it, it is called upon to do this, it actually doth most readily submit, and followeth the truth revealed therein in a continual dependence upon Christ, to do all in him, and through him, as being that which glorifies Christ and debaseth itself, and so it practiseth accordingly. But I do withal conceive, that this giving up the soul to be acted only by Christ, doth arise rather from the grace of faith, unto which, of all graces in us, the predominancy and prime agency is committed under the new covenant, Rom. 4:16, whose office it is to enervate and spoil all derived grace in us of its strength, by discovering its weakness and insufficiency, as also to carry them out of all to Christ, to abide in him as their only element, in which they move, and from whom also. And this faith also doth from its object revealed to it and apprehended by it; namely, that the tenor of this second covenant (under which the soul is now brought) is clean altered and changed, in respect of God's dispensing strength and motion, from what was in that first covenant with Adam, with whom the covenant was struck, being the covenant of nature. Hence God's concurrency with it was ordained suitable to the principles by nature bestowed, which were habitual graces; that is, to concur with them according to their kind, as in a free agent, as with other natural principles in their kind. And hence they had a strength to act from themselves, according to the freedom of man's will to use it. But now that power is forfeited, through the breach of that covenant, which was, as now the strength of sin (as the apostle speaks), so then of grace. And therefore the strength of grace to act under the second covenant can never be in grace itself, but in him who is the strength and foundation of that covenant, Jesus Christ. Faith being thus
'taught of God, the truth as it is in Jesus,' this lesson of dependence for motion, as well as that for justification, doth keep all those principles of graces in us from attempting to put forth in their own strength, and carries them out of themselves to Christ, and teacheth
them to lay down their own abilities in subjection to his Spirit.
Therefore this living in Christ is attributed to faith: Gal. 2:20, 'The life I now lead is by the faith in the Son of God,' which evacuates still all the power of grace, any otherwise than as in Christ the fountain, and preserves the soul in a sense of its weakness under his second covenant, that so 'the power of Christ might rest upon it,' 2 Cor. 12:9.
Faith being herein to all graces that which moralists say that prudence is to all other virtues, their governor and tutor, was made thus the great officer in this second covenant, because it would give all to grace and Christ, Rom. 4:16. Otherwise, I do not conceive that in the graces themselves there is any such peculiar inbred instinct, differing from what under the first covenant; and therefore the apostle Paul and all else have found it the hardest lesson to have their hearts brought to this dependence, and not to trust in themselves, and act from themselves; because grace was not at first brought up to it, to be of itself thus poor and beggarly, as this second covenant hath made it.
2. It is acknowledged that one essential difference between a temporary work and a saving is, that the one acts all from itself, though it be received, and that grace evangelical acts or is in disposition to act from Christ as a head, as well as to Christ as a lord, and accordingly is taught to depend at length for sanctification in working, as well as for justification, upon Christ; which I take to be the main difference intended in that 15th chapter of John, in the parable of the vine, and bringing forth 'fruit in Christ,' as the Syriac reads the words, through 'abiding in him,' in a continual sense that they of themselves can do nothing without him. And this fundamental principle did Christ teach his disciples then at his departure. So that Christ is 'made to us sanctification,' as well as justification, by a new covenant. Yet so as, 1. It may be a long while ere such true grace is taught distinctly and knowingly to itself thus to do, as may seem to have been the case of these his disciples, and of Peter, not long after this new lesson of their faith towards Christ; for this, as in other things of more concernment, was little or not so distinctly as yet exercised; as they exercised faith on God, but not so
distinctly on Christ, John 14:1, therefore Christ calls for it. Thus also they had not prayed in his name—'Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name'—nor yet so distinctly knew how they were in him, and how he acted all in them, as appears by the 20th verse of the 14th chapter of John; and yet in the mean time that grace was acted by Christ secretly. And herein it falls out, as Christ says to Peter, John 13:7, in another case, 'What I do now thou knowest not, but thou shalt know hereafter.' So it is with them; that Christ doth all in them they at present haply do not know, but when their union to him is cleared up to them, and their faith taught more distinctly out of the word, of their dependence upon Christ, they then more distinctly acknowledge all they formerly did was from him, and give him the praise. And 2dly, In the mean time, such souls do acknowledge all they have and do is not from themselves, but Christ only, if they do any good; which acknowledgment (upon all occasion of their quickening) is to be taken interpretativè; for this doing all in Christ by faith is not always apprehended by many poor souls that in a sense of their emptiness wait upon Christ for all, and do from their souls desire to attribute all to Christ, and yet always discern not how the strength to do all flows upon an act of faith fetching that virtue from Christ, or from union with him, because that their union is yet doubted by them. They acknowledge both that Christ is and must needs be the fountain of all, and accordingly have recourse to him by acts of recumbency in all, and virtue comes from him insensibly upon such acts put forth; but yet the connection between the cause and the effect they do not see, nor can hang them together, the power that works in us being as secret as that of the heavens on our bodies, and as strong as that of physic, which yet is often not discerned; and therefore the apostle prays for the Ephesians, chapter 1:19, 'that their eyes might be opened to see that power wrought in them.'
3. It is acknowledged that all the gifts and graces in temporaries, whereby they conform to the law, &c., are all conveyed by the knowledge of Christ; for thereby it is said they conform to the holy commandment, 2 Peter 2; but yet these are by no other tenor conveyed, than as that moral light and natural light which Christ sets
up in the dark hearts of all men, John 1:9; neither are they any more conveyed by a covenant, or as the foundation of a covenant, than such light to heathens is or was, although they be conveyed by the knowledge of the word, and of the covenant of works, set on by the Spirit of bondage, and also of the covenant, which being indefinitely propounded to them, as well as to the elect, in the ministry of it,
Christ, for the magnifying of saving grace in and towards his own the more, and many other ends, makes trial how far corrupt nature remaining such may be induced, by working upon the principles therein, and also by infusing such principles thereupon as may stand with nature remaining still corrupt (though adorned and garnished), and how far it may be carried on and invited by this indefinite revelation of the gospel, to close with Christ and the grace of the gospel, and, as Christ's phrase is, how 'nigh the kingdom of God' it may be brought, and accordingly be obedient, which yet it 'falls short of (as the phrase is in the Hebrews). God meets them in the indefinite promulgation of the gospel, as he did Balaam, and enlightens them, and allures them; and as he 'filled the Gentiles' hearts with food and gladness,' and so 'left not himself without witness,' acts thereby to lead them to repentance, Rom. 2, so he makes impressions of further joys and sweetness from himself
(though not in himself as their chiefest good) upon the hearts of temporaries, to lead them to repentance and faith, so that, though it be a work tending to salvation in this sense specified, yet not saving, or which hath salvation annexed to it at any time, as, Heb. 6:9, the apostle distinguished them.
4. It is acknowledged that such thus wrought upon, though by the gospel, do for their persons remain still under a covenant of works, or under the law, because they were created under it, and having been once thus married to the law, until they die to the law to be married to Christ, they according to the rule of law are never freed from this husband, but (as Rom. 7:1–4, &c.) the law hath still power over them; and hence also those graces and gifts they use in a legal way, though they be exercised about evangelical objects, and do turn
(as my expression hath often been) the gospel and the acts required
therein into law (their husband the law converting all its own way); yet they trust on their own righteousness, and upon their own acts of faith, repentance, &c., the counterfeits whereof are wrought in them; and even the ordinances of the ceremonial law (which unto true believers were then evangelical, through their faith looking at Christ, and justification through him, Ps. 51) were yet all turned by the carnal Jews into pure legal performances, they going about in a legal way to expiate their sins by sacrifice, Ezek. 33:13; and so Rom. 9:32,
'They sought righteousness as it were by the law,' says the apostle there; so these seek a righteousness in their evangelical acts (such I call them in respect of their object), but 'as it were by the works of the law.' And as in point of justification they thus err, so also in acting of their graces, they do all as it were by the law, as Adam at first did, but by their own strength, and so bring not forth fruit in me, as Christ complains, John 15, and so are cut off, as there it is said.
5. I yield these graces and gifts given them to be a true real work, as reality is opposed to hypocrisy, taking hypocrisy for acting a part, and so that word ὄντως, speaking of the work on them really, 2 Peter
2:18, implies; yet still so as compared with true sanctification it is but counterfeit, as of aurichalcum we say that it is false gold, though it be true metal; and of a brass shilling it is counterfeit coin, though true metal, and which otherwise may serve to many purposes; and so I ever accounted it an expression not according to the word, to call them 'hypocrites,' but rather 'temporaries,' πρόσκαιροι.
6. Grant also I do, that through those gifts and habits they are enabled to perform duties of the law and gospel; Herod heard gladly, did many things, and many others much more; yet as the apostle says, Rom. 2, of the Gentiles, they do but τὰ τοῦ νόμου, 'the things of the law,' but not in doing do they obey the law, nor is the action legal, or such as the law requires, no, not for the kind of it; but as the heathens did in civil things many things commanded by the law in the second table, by moral habits of virtues, which were yet when done splendida peccata, so these temporaries perform the religious duties of the first table in many things (by the like habits infused);
but they serve God but 'in the oldness of the letter,' as the apostle says of the best of the Jews, Rom. 7; but still not 'in the newness of the Spirit,' as his distinction there is, that is, from a received principle of spirit, opposed to flesh; so that indeed they conform not to the spiritual law, as the apostle calls it, which only truly is the law, as appears in that chapter; 'the law is holy and spiritual,' and when he thus served God he yet says he was 'without the law,' ver. 9, because without the spiritual light of it in his understanding, and therefore without all true genuine spiritual dispositions suitable thereunto in his affections. And hence it appears to me (as many ways else) that the difference of their specious holiness from true sanctification in the elect, should not only lie in acting of itself, or from another, though that be true, but in the materials themselves; that is, that the one reacheth not to a true spiritual conformity to the holiness of the law in any degree, nor is such as was in Adam in innocency, whereas the other doth; neither is there true love to God, nor is God made the supreme end, until which be done there cannot be said to be true holiness in the heart or action till they be predominant. For holiness is a setting up God as the supreme end, or it is not holiness; so until then self-love is the predominant principle, and so they remain wholly flesh still, though self is diverted from worldly to heavenly objects; and so all their actions from these graces are deficient of legal righteousness, such as should be in them; and without love to God as the predominant principle, there cannot be any true legal sanctification, for 'love is the fulfilling of the law,' and 'the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart,' 1 Tim. 1:5.
God requires aright manner and a right end, or else the command is not said to be done at all; so Deut. 6:25, 'This is your righteousness, if you observe all these commandments as he hath commanded them;' without which there is no more true legal righteousness, or anything of the image of God, than of the true image of a man in the body without the soul; and bodily exercise and godliness are opposed by the apostle.
7. I acknowledge this work to have also a 'goodness' in it—so Hosea 6:4, it is called—but yet which still falleth short of the goodness
which is in the law, of which the apostle says, Rom. 7:12, 'The law is holy, spiritual, and good,' for it is not the law written in the heart, but τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν, Rom. 2:15 (so in the Gentiles), that is, something which produceth many effects of the law. And in the Jews it is called, ver. 20, μόρφωσις, 'a form of knowledge, and of the truth of the law,' which he had in his mind, which as it signifies a system or body of the law (as we say) in his mind, so withal insinuates the slightness of it for the kind; it is but a form, a picture, in comparison of the real law itself, and so 2 Tim. 3:5, μόζφωσις, 'a form of godliness,' is opposed to the power or reality of godliness, and so I confess it hath a goodness in it. (1.) Natural, as it is a creature wrought by the Spirit. (2.) Moral, so far as the letter of the law may be called such, as in a picture there is a double truth and goodness, the one natural in the substance of the colours laid on, the other relative or artificial as it is a picture, and as more or less it comes near the life, but still so as it reacheth not that kind of goodness that is in the man himself. So hath this work, the more lively it is, the more goodness, but still not that which is in the law, which is holy, spiritual, and good. I call it a literal goodness, because it is the image of the letter, not spiritual. As a picture represents the outwards, so this; and if it counterfeits the inwards (as in some of a finer thread), yet still it is but the picture thereof. And that not any such a kind of true righteousness was ever renewed in any that perish eternally, and that no man that is but under a covenant of works attains it, nor that ever the first covenant availed to work any such righteousness in any one since the fall, much less in all the Jews, I prove by these reasons among many other.
(1.) That is made the very fundamental difference between that first covenant, and that second of grace, that in the latter God 'writes the law in the heart,' by giving 'a new heart and a new spirit,' Jer. 31:33,
Heb. 8:8–11; that is, a heart conformable to the law; for the law written in the heart is imprinted dispositions suitable to the law, which is called 'the law of the mind.' That scripture, Heb. 8, being so express, and making this the difference of the two covenants, it seems that that which is made the difference of the latter covenant,
cannot be made common to the first; compare with this Heb. 10, where it is said, Christ hath 'for ever perfected' (therefore none of them perish) 'them that are sanctified,' ver. 14 And what sanctification is it? In the 15th and 16th verses he explains it by alleging the words of that second covenant, which at once interpret what it is to be 'perfected for ever,' and what to be 'sanctified:' to be perfected for ever, is to have your sins forgiven and remembered no more; and to be sanctified, is to have the law written in the heart, ver.
16. What God hath thus put together for ever, let no man sever. The same is the difference that is put between the two covenants, 2 Cor.
3, throughout. The one wrote it upon men's consciences, but as in letters upon stone, there they might read it; but the other in living letters, in dispositions suitable in their whole hearts. The gospel changeth into the same image, the law not so; and this was by Moses himself put, when he came at the end of all to publish this second covenant, which he doth in the 29th and 30th chapters of Deuteronomy throughout. He tells them, verse 1, chapter 29, that it was a covenant 'besides that made at Horeb,' which he did now publish, that is, the second covenant; and ver. 12, 13, it was that covenant he swore to Abraham, and that was the second covenant,
Heb. 6:16–18. That covenant, made to Abraham with an oath, was to shew the immutability of his counsel to the heirs of life, that is, the elect; and so Luke 1:72, 73, we have it. Again, the covenant there was the second covenant, for, Rom. 10:6, Paul, in opposition and distinction to the law, quotes the words of that covenant then promulged, in 30th chapter, as proper to the gospel; 'The righteousness of faith speaks on this wise,' &c. Now chap. 30:6, among other promises peculiar to this covenant, this is one, to 'circumcise the heart,' and so to cut off the foreskin of flesh, and to 'give them an heart to love the Lord;' and this is delivered as that which should be fulfilled under the New Testament, upon the Jews at their last call, because then it eminently takes place; and in opposition to this he speaks of those Jews who had the first covenant, that God had not given them a heart to perceive to that day, by all he had wrought; so chap. 29:4.
(2.) My second reason is, that to be 'under the law' is to be under the predominancy of sin, and so their state is distinguished (Rom. 6:14) from that of grace. 'Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.' Now if these, under such a work, have still a predominancy of sin, they cannot have true legal righteousness or holiness, which, if not predominant, at least is not holiness.
Again, (3.) In the seventh chapter, which follows, the apostle, in his own person, now, when evangelically sanctified, sets forth, as his corrupt part remaining, by 'the law of the members,' so the regenerate part in him by 'the law of the mind,' which is a conformity to the law of God in the inward man, approving it, delighting in it, and though the imperfection of it still drives him to Christ to deliver him, to whom he flies, ver. 25, yet so as he there doth abstractly and apart consider his grace in itself, as it is a created habit in the heart, and as it is a conformity to the moral law (of which he there speaks), as it is holy, spiritual, and good, verses 12, 14.
(4.) The fourth reason is, that in the highest instances of temporaries, they are still reckoned men unregenerate, and flesh,
&c., and grace evangelical, as it is considered abstractly, a qualification conformable to the command, is mentioned as the difference from the work on them, and not only as it is acted by Christ in us, though that be true, John 15:1, 2, &c., as I said before.
First, In the 6th of Hebrews, how are those enlightenings, tastings, &c., distinguished from true evangelical graces, which are called, ver.
9, 'better things' (that is, in themselves for the work and substance of them), and 'things that have salvation' (as the word is) annexed to them. We find the grace of love unto the saints in truth, and a labour of love thence issuing, to be the thing instanced in, and are mentioned to be in them oppositely to their enlightenings.
Answerably, the thorny ground, the highest degree of temporaries, unto which these enlightened are compared, ver. 7, 8. How is it distinguished from the fourth ground, Luke 13:15, but by the change
in the subject of the heart, 'a good and honest heart' receiving the word; honest, as in not robbing Christ by taking anything to itself, so also in conforming itself to all the commands, as truly as laying hold on promises. And so the other, the stony ground, their fault was, that still they remained unrenewed at all; for the stony ground wants root in sese, in themselves, that is, as they wanted Christ, so also a true principle of sanctification in themselves. But 'the root of the matter is in me,' says Job, pleading his own righteousness.
As in like manner, concerning the foolish virgins, the difference put between them and the wise is, that the wise had 'oil in the vessel,' habitual grace, which those other wanted, though they were acted for present performances, as a dead body is by angels for a fit, having oil in their lamps for present acts. And then the thorny ground was a heart, though humbled, yet never regenerated nor sanctified: for Jer.
4:3, 4, the 'taking away the foreskin of the heart' is opposed to 'sowing among thorns;' and our Saviour shuts up all that parable with this, 'From him that hath not, shall be taken what he hath;' and in Luke 13. it is explained 'what he seems to have;' so as indeed it was not true sanctification, but seeming such. So these in 2 Pet. 2:20, who really, ὄντως, escape from the world, embrace the holy commandment, through the knowledge of Christ, yet, 1. they are said but to escape, τὰ μιάσματα,' not τάς φθορὰς, that is, the defilements outward, and in that respect they are called virgins, Matt. 25. But they escape not inward corruptions at all of lust, as, by being
'partakers of the divine nature,' the true believers are said to do (chap. 1 ver. 4). In opposition to these;—
Secondly, They are therefore called swine, for their natures still remaining as afore, though washed outwardly; and the dogs vomiting out through present pain, yet with a stomach to the vomit, and therefore were never renewed into so much as true legal sanctification inward; which, if they were, such expressions of differences could not be given them; nay, they are on purpose given them to express the contrary. And for that expression of goats elsewhere, it seems not to note out any farther degree of men not
saved, than such as these were, but rather seems to be put for all wicked men, placed at the left hand, in opposition to the sheep.
Obj. It may be objected, that they are said to be sanctified through Christ's blood, Heb. 10.
I answer, 1st, In that sense, as elsewhere, they are said 'to believe,' and Judas to repent, Matt. 27. All graces have a counterfeit called by their name, as in herbs and stones, and as the picture of the king is called the king.
Ans. 2d, Shew me a place that they are justified (when yet a promise thereof is affirmed to belong to them), which being an act of God upon us, hath no counterfeit. Yea, or shew a place that they are said to be born again; which, if they are not, they are still flesh, and so have no holiness begun.
Ans. 3. That is said to be sanctified, which is set apart from common uses, as the priests, the sabbaths, &c. So in men their graces, though not sanctifying their persons inwardly, yet they set them apart to God in many works done for him, and to his church in their gifts outwardly.
Ans. 4. Which being the purchase of Christ's blood, is said to be done by his blood: Eph. 4, He gives gifts 'to the rebellious also,' and being wrought by a knowledge of Christ's blood, as Peter speaks, and that as in the covenant of grace revealed, therefore they are said to be
'sanctified by the blood of the covenant.'
Obj. That instance of Abimelech, Gen. 20, may be objected, he having followed his conscience in the matter of Sarah, so as if he had known her to be Abraham's wife, he would not have taken her, and this act God acknowledgeth to be integrity.
Ans. 1. The answer is, that it is acknowledged such in the sense as Abimelech meant it, who pleads there his innocency in what he might seem to have been guilty of, speaks according to the judgment
of his conscience, and such an integrity God acknowledgeth; and the meaning is, Abimelech followed his principles in it, and so it was good in its kind, but not in that court God means to keep hereafter.
So in that speech of Paul, Acts 23:1, he speaking in a court of Pharisees, where he was to justify himself and his cause, he speaks according to their principles, 'I have kept a good conscience' (says he), and might well say so afore them, but not afore God. For in his estate of unregeneracy, whilst in the flesh, he says the affection of sins which were by the law, that is, stirred up by the light of the law in his conscience, had a force in his members to bring forth fruit unto death, that is, outward actions against conscience and that light of the law therein.
Ans. 2. There is a twofold integrity: 1. Absolute, which agrees with the first rule of the word. So this action of Abimelech, though he followed his conscience, was not integrity. But, 2, it might be comparative integrity; namely, in that he followed his conscience, which was his immediate rule. Integrity, we know, is a conformity to its rule, and so conscience being a man's rule, when a man's actions are squared to it, they are said to have a kind of integrity in them; but there being a rule above conscience, to which both conscience in the motives, matter, &c., ought to be conformed, from which natural conscience swerves, therefore an act which is wrong in such a respect it is not integrity. A man may honestly tell an untruth, because it agrees with what he thinks, yet it is an untruth; and veritas est conformitas cum suo archetypo; so is integrity.
And as I have thus proved, that no true spiritual holiness, regularly to act according to the law, was ever renewed in such temporaries, so that not any promises of life, justification, adoption, communion with Christ, or covenant, is made to any such works by God. And as in the former I granted some things, so in this. 1. That it is their persons and works are under a covenant of works, for all are either under the law, or under grace, Rom. 6:14; yet it is but by reason of their first creation, when they were made under the law, and had it written in their hearts, unto which, in that respect, they are eternally
subject till they die to that law, and are married to Christ, Rom. 7.
And, 2, I think that in judging men at the latter day, God will condescend to proceed with corrupt nature, not in the rigour of that law, but according to what was by nature or otherwise revealed thereof unto them, as appears, Rom. 2:12, 16, God winking at much of their ignorance, as it is in the Acts; and the rather, because Jesus
Christ he is their judge then, who may (for he hath paid for it) relax of that righteous exaction of the law in a way of abatement, that they
'without the law should be judged without the (written) law,' by the law written in their hearts, by natural light, &c., and so punish them with less punishment, who by reason of such work have had fewest sins; and as such a work is a restrainer of corruption in them, so there will be a minoration of their punishment, unless they have returned again unto their vomit, when their latter end is worse than their beginning, as Peter speaks. And, 3, I acknowledge that so far as any goodness is in it, it is respected and accepted by God himself; and so far as it serves to any end, as God hath ordained, as he did that act of Jehu, 2 Kings 10:30, God commends it, and says he had done well, and all that was in his heart to do, and accepted it to a temporal reward: but in any spiritual acceptation he rejected it, yea, in one of the prophets* he calls it 'the murder of Jehu;' having his own ends in it. No man can bring forth fruit to God, which he accepteth, until he be married to Christ, and dead to the law, Rom.
7:4.
And so in this life, whilst Christ governs, he is pleased, I grant, to reward such legal performances (and as he crowns other his graces, so those) with rewards within their own sphere, as he did Ahab for humbling himself, and in the parable, gave the penny to the labourer; and accordingly also forgiveness, namely, in a way of forbearance, to 'have patience' with sinners (as in that parable of the evil servant, the forgiveness is expressed but by no more), which forbearance is truly a forgiveness, in that he loseth so much glory so long unrecovered on them, and spendeth riches of mercy, which he will never reckon to them, farther than as they have abused them; yet this is but so much as he vouchsafed the heathens, towards whom he
exercised riches of forbearance, Rom. 2:4, 5. But that he should work these common graces in a way of any covenant, or make any such promises of adoption, justification and forgiveness, the same for substance with these to the elect, and these proportioned to that degree they shall act their graces given; for this I see no footstep at all in the word, or in anything written to prove it. Neither can I see how, without a contradiction in adjecto, any such covenant, though for Christ's sake, should or could be made with creatures fallen and sinful, that had broken it already, how they could come to be capable of promises of forgiveness, &c.; for the covenant of works given to Adam, which we call fœdus naturæ, and the moral law (the copy of it), promulged by Moses, says expressly, 'Cursed is he that continueth not in all things,' Gal. 3, and already all mankind have not continued in all things, having sinned in Adam, and so are incapable of any promises of forgiveness, of life eternal, and communion with Christ in any degree, upon condition of imperfect doing of the law, though never so holily; for if any such promises be made, it must be supposed that this first covenant of nature (now in the renewing of it to corrupt nature) was attempered and allayed by Christ in the rigour of it; but how this is consistent with that sentence yet in force,
'Cursed is he that continues not in all things contained in the book of the law to do them,' I cannot conceive.
The argument in show for it is, the renewing that covenant in Horeb with the Jews, Exod. 20, and elsewhere; which, together with the ceremonial law joined with it, was sprinkled with blood, with glorious promises, that they should be to him 'an holy nation,' and 'of priests,' &c., and also God's saying, 'Do this and live:' when also it is said, that God sanctified that people to himself, and promised to be their God, and was present with them, &c.
For answer; this covenant, which was fœdus subserviens to the gospel (as learned Cameron calls it), had many scopes and aspects; but none of them is that scope which is here put upon it.
1. It was truly the promulgation of the covenant of nature made with Adam in paradise (in the moral part, the ten commandments), and did refer thereto, and so did call them to look but to that estate they once were in, and now were fallen from; and because the story of Adam's righteousness was lost, what was written in his heart was there renewed, only delivered negatively, because man was turned against it—'Thou shalt not,' &c., which was written rather affirmatively, 'This thou shalt do,' &c., in Adam's heart; and God delivers it now covenant-wise, because he presents himself as ready to perform his covenant—'Do this, and thou shalt live'—and calls on them to perform their part, they being born under the covenant as creatures; hereby at once to convince man of his impotency to fulfil it, and withal to shew what God would have done for man if he had kept it; and it was thus promulged with evangelical purposes to drive men to Christ. Neither did the promulgation of it convoy any heart to them to do it in the least degree; for God, when they promised to fulfil it, said, 'Oh that there wore an heart within them!' &c., Deut.
5:29. And Joshua, at the same time when the covenant was renewed, intimates to them that the purpose of that covenant was not as if they could do anything of it, but to shew them rather their inability to do it, Joshua 24:19. Thus Joshua, when he renewed it, told them, 'Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is holy and jealous, and will not forgive your sins.' Yet they, in confidence of their strength, would take it as a covenant they were to perform, ver. 21. And Joshua tells them, ver.
22, that they were therein witnesses against themselves. So as both God and Joshua would have them understand by it, and the promise of life by it, their inability rather, which yet they were not brought to be sensible of. And so when Moses did so distinctly propound the second covenant, Deut. 29 and 30, he tells them, that by the former covenant God had not given them ears to hear, nor hearts to perceive, ver. 4, chap. 29; and to propound it thus covenant-wise, was the most fit way to convince them of their inability, that in the attempting the obedience of it they might see 'the weakness of the law through the flesh,' that it could not do, as afore it did in Adam, not in the least degree, Rom. 8:4. And answerably the ceremonial law annexed to it concurred in this very scope. It was given that they,
now fallen, might under their own hand, as it were, acknowledge themselves debtors to this moral law, both as sinners fallen unto the curse of it, and yet the obedience of it obliged; so Gal 5:3, 'He that is circumcised is a debtor to the whole law;' and so to the curse of it, and Col. 2:14, it is called 'The handwriting of ordinances against us.'
God, at the same time he promulged the ten commandments, brought a bond for men to seal, and therein to acknowledge themselves bound and debtors to it.
And as this was one scope both these had, so the moral and ceremonial put together (both which put together, I have long observed as given the Jews to be reckoned one covenant, out of Heb.
9:15–19 compared) became in the latter* of them, as to the outward performance, fit matter of an outward covenant with these Jews, as they were a national church; and so considered as such a covenant, with promises suitable, I do acknowledge it given de novo to the Jews, though fallen, as they were a church; but this, being proper to the Jews, hath no influence or relation at all to temporaries under the gospel; and so, in all those places quoted, where the law was given, did they stand as a church to enter into covenant with God, as in that 19th Exodus, &c.; and the apostle calls the whole as thus considered, 'a carnal commandment,' Heb. 7:6, because, besides their spiritual use, in typifying things heavenly to spiritual believers then, they had an outward carnal use to the whole nation, who became a church, and therefore called holy, as set apart from the nations, to be separated to God's service and worship prescribed in the law ceremonial and moral, and so as also a 'nation of priests,' wherein yet was typified out the spiritual assemblies of true saints and churches under the gospel, and is so applied by Peter, 1 Pet. 2:5,
6. And this covenant was founded on a redemption and deliverance of that nation out of Egypt, as that of the gospel is upon our redemption through Christ; and yet they being sinners, how should they have access to God that was holy? They therefore had Moses, a typical mediator, Gal. 3:19. The people stood afar off, and Moses only drew nigh; as by Christ we have access to the Father, Eph. 2; and so it had a blood sprinkled upon the book, Heb. 9:19, Exod. 24:8, and
answerably outward justifications, δικαιώματα, Heb. 9:1, as well as the gospel, and a remission, ver. 12 of that chapter. But how? Not at all purifying the conscience from the guilt of sin, from dead works, or from the power of sin, but of the flesh and outward man; for that is the very difference that is put, ver. 13, 14, and therefore there was no promise of such a forgiveness as should clear the conscience, or reach it in the least to pacify or purify it, nor therefore of any true ground for any such legal faith, but a forgiveness of reprieval, not to be destroyed for their sin if they offered sacrifice, as it is expounded in the psalmist exegetically, Ps. 78:38, and was so limited by God and Moses their mediator also, Num. 14:19, 20. Pardon 'as until now'; that is, spare them at present; and God says, I have pardoned; that is, so far; but threatened to take vengeance, however, afterwards when he should visit; for as their church fellowship was outward, so their forgiveness, so their promises of blessedness, were outward annexed thereunto, which God fulfilled. And they had also sins which were no sins morally, as the touching the dead, and so had a sanctification and a justification which were not really such; that is, not of the heart and conscience from the guilt and power of sin. And they had
'promises' typical, Heb. 8:5, 6, and in that respect those of the gospel are called 'better.' And they had an answerable communion with God in a church fellowship, and an outward presence of God amongst them in visible signs of a cloud and ark, and the observances of the ceremonial law were the expiations of the transgressions of the moral, in respect of the outward transgressions of it, so as the outward punishment (which else to the despisers of it without mercy had befallen him, Heb. 10:28), was remitted and they absolved, and stood recti in curia again, as we say. And they had promises of a life, that 'in doing they should live,' even in that good land of Canaan, the type of heaven, Deut. 6:2, 18. And this covenant, promises, &c., considered in these two fore-mentioned scopes thereof, was truly, and toto genere, differing from that second covenant of the gospel given, Deut. 29th and 30th chapters, and was that old covenant God found fault with.
Yet so, 3dly, As the holy and great God had not made such an outward covenant with that nation as a church in such promises, such a justification, adoption, sanctification, outward and carnal, had not he therein had a farther scope in types, hereby to note out another covenant, church, promises, justification, sanctification, true and real, whereof he made this the shadow; and this he did for Christ's sake also, whom and whose covenant these things typified out, and so made this covenant and promises in the very terms of the thing signified, thereby to point out those glorious promises, that real holiness, justification, adoption of the gospel, Heb. 9:21–23 compared, which true believers among them had in their eye, and had wrought in them, and they endeavoured after, so as to them it was gospel also, yet in this, differing from that delivered, Deut.
29:30, that there it is expressed clearly and directly in plain words, here it is unfolded in a parable, that had also another scope besides it unto the carnal Jew. And because this covenant had these several and various aspects (though some more, some less principal), hence though the carnal Jews should have literally performed the typical covenant in the letter, yet God finds fault with them, as wanting spiritual holiness, to which by the moral law they were obliged as creatures, and as a church redeemed, and which in the ceremonial law was typified out as that which was aimed at in those types; and hence were those continual complaints and finding faults by the prophets (who understood the spiritual intent of all) for their want herein.
Now then that covenant, those promises, that sanctification, thus understood, how far is it from any such scope as is put upon it by some men to convey a true sanctification by a mere legal covenant unto others of the Jews beside the elect? I acknowledge that, as it was an outward covenant, so it had an answerable grace went with it to some of the Jews not regenerate, to help them outwardly to keep the law, as it had in Paul, who was blameless in it through conscience enlightened by it, Phil. 3. But withal I have sometimes thought that those heavenly enlightenings, tastings of the powers of the world to come, &c., which are now in temporaries under the gospel, wore
never under that covenant wrought in the hearts of any unregenerate amongst them, because sinning against truth so acknowledged seems to be proper to the times of the gospel, and presumptuous sinners then did but sin against Moses's law, which is spoken oppositely to sinning against the truth of the gospel (Heb. 10:26, 28 compared), and temporaries now under the gospel are not to be church members if they could be known to be such; and the Jews were not in respect of any such work from the law as then members, but typically only.
My reason is, because that churches are to consist of 'saints elect,' therefore only under the covenant of grace, 1 Pet. 5:13, and such as are so sanctified as that Christ will perfect the work, Phil. 1:5–7. That they are admitted de facto, is because the rules given saints in the word, whereby we are able to judge of others by, are but such as temporaries may seem to them to be true saints, and so they are bound to receive them; yet not if discerned such; for to them the seals of the second covenant (which they are not under) cannot belong; but such are our sacraments now, viz., the seals of the covenant of grace, 'This is the blood of the New Testament,' says
Christ, and only so.
So as I add this for a conclusion, God hath made trial of corrupt nature, how far it might be wrought upon by several workings of his
Spirit and truth, without attainment of true holiness. And this is manifested in three several degrees of the revelation of his truth, with workings of his Spirit proportioned thereunto.
1. He made, and still makes, trial how far the light of nature would go without the law (though not derived by nature, but from Christ, John
1:9), which light of nature is God's truth, so called Rom. 1:18; and ver. 19 it is also called God's manifestation of himself to them; and 'God's wisdom,' 1 Cor. 1:21, and which had that effect in the hearts of many of them the law hath in some things: Rom. 2:15, τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου, 'The effect of the law' it is there called, and the revelation of this truth had a spirit within them, as Seneca (the highest instance among them for knowledge moral that ever was) calls it, Est spiritus in nobis qui ita nos tractat at a nobis tractatur, who made
impressions of many moral virtues on their wills, and also in and to their consciences, for their consciences are said, συμμαρτυρεῖν, to witness; with whom? God in their consciences, who witnesseth also; the same word that is used of the Spirit's witnessing with our spirits,
Rom. 8:16, revealed and then seconded that light with a bondage of accursing if they transgressed, and fed the fear of death, Heb. 2:15, and excusing if they obeyed, Rom. 2:15, which was a reward for so much integrity as was found in their actions; and the highest instance for practice I know, of how far corrupt nature might be empowered this way, was Socrates, who suffered for that truth of God manifested to him.
And 2. A further revelation of truth was made to the carnal Jew, who 'had a form of knowledge and of the truth of the law,' Rom. 2:20; but, as I take it, without any perceivance of the truth of the gospel and the spiritual redemption by Christ, by reason of that carnal commandment, in the letter of which 'they rested, 2 Cor. 3:13, 14, through the veil on Moses's face, and on their hearts, so as the glimmering notion thereof was peculiar to the elect during those times; and this had a further measure of the Spirit (for Neh. 9, as he gave them on mount Sinai, good commandments, ver. 13, so also his
'good Spirit to instruct them,' ver. 20), who became a Spirit of bondage to them, Rom. 8:15, and who (according as that covenant was literal and outward, so far as de novo struck with them) did accompany the revelation of it with the habits of devotion, and of a zeal of God misguided, with warmth, Rom. 10:2, and his worship, to serve God 'according to the oldness of the letter,' but not at all 'in the spirit,' which is to worship only 'in truth.' And the highest instance I know that God held forth of this work was Paul, who was 'blameless as concerning' that outward 'righteousness of the law,' Phil. 3:6, and wherein he exceeded others of his companions, yet without the true holiness of the law as it is holy, for so he was 'without the law,' Rom.
3. A farther discovery was made under the gospel, wherein as there is a plain revelation of Christ and the way of salvation in him (which is