;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'<?-? Tv.vrst FJenct. Tom. I. Loc. 5. Quest. 5.
18 THE WORK OF CREATION.
rrcts of the divine will, or words of command given concerning
their production, which immediately ensued hereupon ; and
there was, in several instances, an interval between the produc-
tion of one thing and another, which belonged to the same day's
work ; particularly, in the sixth day, there v.'as first a w^ord of
command given, by which beasts and creeping things were
formed, and then another word given forth, by w^hich man was
created, when, indeed, there was an approbation of the former
part of this day's work, in ver. 26. God says, That it xvas good^
before the general approbation, expressed in ver. 31. in the end
of the day, was given, when God saw everij thing- that he had
made, and behold it 7vas very good.
There is nothing, in this opinion, (the main reason and foun-
dation whereof has been before obser\'ed) that can be much
disliked, neither is it very material whether it be defended or
opposed ; and therefore, I think, they speak with the greatest
prudence, as well as temper who reckon this among the num-
ber of those questions, which are generally called problematical,
that is, such as may be either affirmed or denied, without any
great danger of departing from the faith;* and, indeed, I can-
not see that the reasons assigned, which induce persons to ad-
here to either side of the question, with so much warmth, as
to be impatient of contradiction, are sufficiently conclusive.
The main objection brought against their opinion, who plead
for an instantaneous production of things in each day, is, that
for God to bring the work of each day to perfection in a mo-
ment, and, after that, not to begin the work of the next dav,
till the respective day began, infers God's resting each day from
his work ; whereas, he is not said to rest till the whole creation
was brought to perfection. But I cannot see this to be a just
consequence, or sufficient to overthrow this opinion ; since
God's resting from his work, when the whole was finished,
principally intends his not producing any new species of crea-
tures, and not barely his ceasing to produce what he had made ;
for such a rest as this might as well be applied to his finishing
the work of each day, though he took up the whole space of a
dav therein, as if he had finished it in a moment.
And, on the other hand, vrhen it is objected against the com-
mon opinion relating to God's bringing the v/ork of each day
to perfection by degrees, so as to take up the space of a day in
doing it, that it is not agreeable to the idea of creation. This
is no just waj/ of reasoning, nor sufficient to overthrow it;
since we generally conclude, that God's upholding providence,
which some call, as it v.'^ere, a continued creation, is no less an
instance of divine and supernatural power, than his producing
them at first: but this is not pcrfonned in an instant; never-
" Vid. Wifii hi Si/fntol. JFlx^rdt 8. § 66,
THE WOUK OF CREATION. 19
theless, it is said to be done, as the apostle speaks, in Heb. i-
3. By the xvord of his power. Besides, there are some parts of
the creation, which, from the nature of the thing, could liardly
be produced in an instant, particularly those works which were
performed by motion, which cannot be instantaneous ; as the
dividing the light from the darkness, the gathering the waters
together into one place, so that the dry land should appear;
and if this took up more than a moment, why may it not be
supposed to take up the space of a day ? So that, upon the
whole, we may conclude, that though it is certain that spirits,
^uch as angels, or the souls of our first parents, could not be
otherwise created, than in an instant, inasmuch as they are im-
material, and so do not consist of parts successively formed ;
yet none ought to determine, with too great peremptoriness,
that other works, performed in the six days, must each of them
be performed in an instant, or else the work could not proper-
ly be called a creation ; and therefore the commonly received
opinion seems as probable as any other, that has hitherto been
advanced, as it is equally, if not more agreeable, to the express
words of scripture.
Here we shall give a brief account of the work of the six
days, as it is contained in the first chapter of Genesis ; in the
tirst day, the first matter out of which all things were produced,
was created out of nothing, which is described as being without
forniy that is, not in that form which God designed to bring it
into ; whereas, in other respects, matter cannot be without all
manner of form, or those dimensions that are essential to it,
and, as it was created without form, so without motion; so
that as God is the Creator of all things, he is the first mover.
Nevertheless, I am far from thinking, that all God did, in the
creation of things, was by putting every thing in motion, and
that thi,s brought all the parts of the creation into their respec-
tive form. As an artificer may be said to frame a machine,
which, by its motion, will produce other things, which he de-
signed to make by the help thereof, without giving himself any
farther trouble ; so they suppose, that, by those laws of motion,
which God impressed upon matter at first, one part of the
creation brought another into the various forms, which they
attained afterwards.* And the first thing that Avas produced,
which was a farther part of the six days work, was light ; con-
cerning this, many have advanced their own ill-grounded con-
* This ii the maiittHng that is advanced by Des Cartes, in his philosophy, -which
formerly obtained more in the ivorld than it does at present ; though there arc several
divines »>» 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,<J Hybernis parceba7itf!atibus Euri. "Virg. Qeorg. -
THE CREATION OF ANGELS. 2j
created all things, which were, at first, pronounced by him veru
good^ Gen. i. 31. It is certain, nothing imperfect can come out
of the hand of God, and the goodness of things is their perfec-
tion. Every thing that was made, was made exactly agreeable
to the idea, or platform thereof, that was laid in the divine
mind. All things were good, that is perfect, in their kind, and
therefore, there was not the least blemish in the work. Every
thing was beatifui, as it was the effect of infinite wisdom, as
well as almighty power. Whatever blemishes there are now
in the creation, which are the consequence of the curse that sin
has brought upon it, these were not in it at first, for that would
have been a reflection on the author of it.
And there is another thing, in which the goodness of those
things did consist, namely, as they were adapted to shew forth
the glory of God in an objective way, whereby intelligent crea-
tures might, as in a glass, behold the infinite perfections of the
divine nature, which shine forth tKerein.
If any enquire, whether God could have made things more
perfect than he did ? it might easily be replied to this, that he
never acted to the utmost of his pov/er, the perfections of crea-
tures were limited by his will ; nevertheless, if any persons pre-
tend to find any flaw, or defect of wisdom in the creation of all
things, this is no other than a proud and ignorant cavil, which
men, through the coiTuption of their nature, are disposed to
make against the great Creator of all things, who regard not
the subserviency of things to answer the most valuable ends,
and advance his glory, who, in -wisdom has made them all.
In this respect, the inferior parts of the creation were good ;
but, if we consider the intelligent part thereof, angels and men,
they were good, in a higher sense. As there was no moral
blemish in the creation, nor propensity, or inclination to sin,
so these were endowed with such a kind of goodness, whereby
they were fitted to glorify God, in a way agreeable to their su-
perior natures, and behold and improve those displays of the
divine perfections, which were visible in all his other works ;
which leads us farther to consider what is said concerning them,
as the most excellent part of the creation.
Quest. XVI. Hoxv did God create angels ?
Answ. God created all the angels, spirits, immortal, holy, exr
celling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his com-
mandments, and to praise his name, yet subject to change.
THERE are two species of intelligent creatures, to wit, an-
gels and men. The former of these are more excellent ;
and we ai-e in this answer, led to speak concerning their nature,
2& THE GEEATION OF ANGEXS.
and the glorious works which they are engaged in : But let it
be premised, that this is a doctrine that we could have known
little or nothing of, by the light of nature. We might, indeed,
froqa thence, have learned, that God has created some spiritual
substances, such as the souls of men ; and we might argue, from
his power, that he could create other spirits, of different natures
and powers, and that some of them might be without bodies,
as the angels are ; yet we could not have certainly determined
that there is such a distinct order of creatures, without divine
revelation, since they do not appear to, or visibly converse with
us ; and whatever impressions may, at any time, be made on
our spirits, by good or bad angels, in a way of suggestion, yet
this could not have been so evidently distinguished from the
working of our own fancy or imagination, were we not assisted
in our conceptions about this matter, by what we find in scrip-
ture, relating thereunto. Accordingly, it is from thence that
the doctrine, which we are entering upon, is principally to be
derived ; and we shall consider it, as the subject-matter of this
answer, in seven heads.
I. There is something supposed, namely, that there are such
creatures as angels. This appears, from the account we have
of them in the beginning of the creation of all things. The
moi-ning stars sang tog-ether^ and all the sons of God shot/ted for
joy^ Job xxxviii. 7. which can be no other than a metaphorical
description of them. They are called the morning stars^ as they
exceed other creatures, as much in glory, as the stars do the
lower parts of the creation. It would be a very absurd method
of expounding scripture to take this in a literal sense, not only
. because the stars in the firmament do not appear to have been
then created, but principally because these are represented, as
engaged in a work peculiar to intelligent creatures ; and they
are called, the sons ofGod^ as they were produced by him, and
created in his image ; whereas men, who are sometimes so
railed, vrere not created. They are elsewhere called spirits,
Psal. civ. 4. to distinguish them from material beings ; and a
fayyie offire^ to denote their agility and fervency, in executing
the divine commands. It is plain, the Psalmist hereby intends
the angels ; and therefore the words are not to be translated, as
some do, xvho maketh the winds his angels, and the Jlame ofjire
/lis ministers, as denoting his making use of those creature?
who act without design to fulfil his pleasure ; because the apos-
tle, to the Hebrev.'s, chap. i. 7. expressly applies it to them,
and renders the text in the same sense as it is in our transla-
tion. They are elsewhere styled, Thrones, dominions, princi-
palities, and pozvcrs, Coloss. i. 16. to denote their being advan-
ced to the highest dignity, and employed in the most honour-
able services. And that it h net men that the apostle here
XHE C^LEATION OF AUGELSi 27
Speaks of, is evident, because he distinguishes the intelligent
parts of the creation into visible and invisible ; the visible he
speaks of in the following words, ver. 18. in which Christ is
said to be the Head of the body^ the church ; therefore here he
speaks of invisible creatures advanced to these honours, and
consequently he means hereby the angels.
Moreover it appears, that thei*e are holy angels, because there
are fallen angels, who are called in scripture, devils ; this is so
evident, that it needs no proof; the many sins committed by
their instigation, and the distress and misery which mankind is
subject to, by their means, gives occasion to their being called.
The rulers of the darkness of this -worlds Eph. vi. 12. And,
because of their malicious opposition to the interest of Christ
therein, spiritual xvickedness in high places. Now it appears,
from the apostle Jude's account of them, that they once were
holy ; and they could not be otherwise, because they are crea-
tures, and nothing impure can proceed out of the hand of God,
and, while they were holy, they had their residence in heaven :
This they lost, and are said not to have kept their first estate,
but left their own habitation^ being thrust out of it, as a punish-
ment due to their rebellion, and to be reserved in everlasting;
chainsy under darkness^ unto the judgment of the great day^
Jude, ver. 6. Now it is plain, from scripture, that it is only a
part of the angels that left their first estate ; the rest are called
holy angels^ and their number is very great. Thus they arc
described, as an innumerable company^ Heb. xii. 22. This is
necessary to be observed against the ancient, or modern Sad-
ducees, who deny that there are either angels, or spirits,
whether good or bad.
II. We farther observe, that the angels are described, as to
their nature, as incorporeal, and therefore called spirits. It is
but a little, indeed, that we can know concerning the nature oC
spirits, in this present state ; and the first ideas that we havs
concerning them, are taken from the nature of our souls, as, iu
some respects, agreeing with that of angels. Accordingly, bcr
ing spirits, they have a power of thinking, understanding, will-
ing, chusing, or refusing, and are the subjects of moral govern-
ment, being under a law, and capable of moral good or evi!,
happiness or misery.
Moreover, they have a power of moving, influencing, or act-
ing upon material beings, even as the soul moves and influen-
ces the body, to which it is united. This we understand con-
cerning the nature and power of angels, as spirits, by compa-
ring them with the nature of the soul ; though there is this dif-
ference between them, that the souls of men are made to be
united to bodies, and to act by and upon them, whereas angels
are designed to exist and act without bodies ; nevertheless, by
28 THE CREATION OF ANGELS.
the works, which ai-e often, in scripture ascribed to them, it
appears that they have a power to act upon material beings.
As for the conjecture of some of the fathers,* that these spi-
rits are united to some bodies, though more fine and subtil than
our's are, and accordingly invisible to us, we cannot but think
it a groundless conceit; and therefore to assert it, is only to
pretend to be wise above what is written, and to give too great
a loose to our own fancies, without any solid argument.
III. It follows, from their being spirits, and incorporeal, that
they are immortal, or incorruptible, since nothing is subject to
death, or dissolution, but what is compounded of parts ; for
death is a dissolution of the composition of those parts, that
were before united together ; but this is proper to bodies. A
spirit, indeed, might be annihilated ; for the same power that
brought it out of nothing, can reduce it again to nothing. But,
since God has determined that they shall exist for ever, we
must conclude that they are immortal, not only from the con-
stitution of their nature, but by the will of God.
IV. Besides the excellency of their nature, as spirits, they
have other super-added endowments ; of which, three are men-
tioned in this answer.
1. They wei-e all created holy; and, indeed, it could not be
otherwise, since nothing impure could come out of the hands
of a God of infinite purity. Creatures make themselves sin-
ners, they were not made so by him ; for, if they were, how
could he abhor sin, and punish it, as contraiy to his holiness ;
nor could he have approved of all his works, as verij good^ when
he had finished them, as he did, Gen. i. 31. if he had created
any of the angels in a state of enmity, opposition to, or rebel-
lion against him.
2. They excel in knowledge, or in wisdom, which is the
greatest beauty or advancement of knowledge. Accordingly,
the highest instance of wisdom in men, is compared to the wis-
dom of an angel. Thus the woman of Tekoa, when extolling
David's wisdom, though with an hyperbolical strain of com-
pliment, compares it to that of an angel of God^ 2 Sam. xiv. 20.
which proves that it was a generally received opinion, that an-
gels exceeded other creatures in wisdom.
3. They are said to be mighty in power : thus the Psalmist
speaks of them, as excelling in strength^ Psal. ciii. 20. and the
apostle Paul, when speaking of Christ's being revealed from
heaven, in his second coming, says, thai: it shall be with his
mighty angels^ 2 Thess. i. 7. And, since power is to be judg-
ed of by its effects, the great things, which they are sometimes
represented, as having done in fulfilling their ministry, in de-
* Vid. Augustin. de Civ. Dei, Lib. XV. cap. 23. Tertull. de Idololatria, & alibi
passdm.
THE CREATION OF ANGELS. 2^
fence of the churchy or in overthrowing its enemies, is a cer-
tain evidence of the greatness of their power. Thus we read
of the whole Ass^•rian host, consisting of an hundred and Jour-
score and Jive thousand men^ being destroyed in one night ; not
b\' the united power of an host ol angels, but by one ot them..
The angel of the Lord did it; but this will more evidently ap-
pear, when, under a following head, we speak of the ministry
of angels.
V. These natural, or super-added endowments, how great
soever they are, comparatively with those of other creatures,,
are subject to certain limitations : their perfections are derived,
and therefore are finite. It is true, they are holy, or without any
sinful impurity ; yet even their holiness falls infinitely short of
God's, and therefore it is said concerning him. Thou only art
hohj^ Rev. XV. 4. and elsewhere. Job xv. 15. speaking concern-
ing the angels, who are, by a metonymy^ called the heavens, it
is said, they are not clean in his sight, that is, their holiness,
though it be perfect in its kind, is but finite, and therefore in-
finitely below his, who is infinitely holy.
Moreover, though they are said, as has been before observed,
to excel in knowledge, we must, notwithstanding, conclude, that
they do not know all things ; and therefore their wisdom, when
compared with God's, deserves no better a character than that
of folly. Job iv. 18. His angels he charged zuith Jolly. There,
are many things, which they are expressly said not to know,
or to have but an imperfect knowledge of, or to receive the
ideas thev have of them by degrees : thus they knoxv not the
time of Christ^s second coming, Matt. xxiv. 36. and they are
represented as enquiring into the great mystery of man's re-
demption, or as desif-ing to look into it, 1 Pet. i. 12.
And to this let me add, that they do not know the hearts of
men, at least not in such a way as God is said to search thv
heart, for that is represented as a branch of the divine glory ,^
Jer. xvii. 10. 2 Chron. vi. 30. And, besides this, it may be
farther observed, that they do not know future contingencies^
unless it be by such a kind of knowledge, as amounts to little
more than conjectiu-e ; or, if they attain to a more certain know-
ledge thereof, it is by divine revelation. For God appropriates
this to himself, a glory, from which all creatures are excluded^
therefore he says, S'hexv the things that are to come, that is,' fu-
ture contingencies, that zue may knoxv that ye are gods, Isa. xli.
23. which implies, that this is more than what can be said of
any finite mind, even that of an angel.
As to the way of their knowing things. It is generally sup-
posed, by divines, dtat they know them not in a way of intui-
tiott, as God does, who is said to know all things in himself,
bv an linderivjed knovrledge ; but whatever thev kpow, is either
' Vol. II. B
20 THE CREATION OP ANGELS.
communicated to them, by immediate divine revelation, or elaf.
is attained in a discursive way, as inferring one thing from
another ; in which respect, tht knowledge ot the best of crea-
tures appears to be but finite, and infinitely below that M'hich
is divine.
Again, though they are said to be mighty in power, yet it is
vriih this limitation, that they are not omnipotent. There are
son things, which are the effects of divine power, that angels
are .^eluded from, as being too great for them ; accordingly
the} 5' ere not employed in creating any part of the world, nor
do they uphold it; for as it is a glory peculiar to God, to be
the Creator of the ends of the earth., so he, exclusively of all
otheu, is said to uphold all things by the -word of his power.
Avid to this we may add, that we have no ground to con-
clude, that they are employed in the hand of providence, to
maintain that constant and regular motion, that there is in the
celes.ial bodies, as some of the ancient philosophers * have
seemed to assert ; for this is the immediate work of God, with-
out the agency of any creature subservient thereunto.
Again, to this let me add, that how great soever their power
is, they cannot change the heart of man, take away the heart
of stone, and give a heart of flesh ; or implant that principle
of spiritual life and grace in the souls of men, whereby they
arc said to be 7nade partakers of a divine nature., or created in
Christ Jesus unto good Tvorks ; for that is ascribed to the ex-
ceeding greatness of the divine power, and it is a peculiar glory
belonging to the Holy Spirit, whereby believers are said to be
born from above ; this therefore is too great for the power of
angels to effect.
VI. We have an account of the work or employment of an-
gels ; it is said, they execute the commands of God, and praise
his name. The former of these will be more particularly con-
sidered, under a following ansAver,f when we are led to speak
of their being employed by God, at his pleasure, in the ad-
ministration of his power, mercj^ and justice ', and therefore
we shall now consider them as engaged in the noble and de-
lightful work of praise : they praise his name. For this end
thev were created ; and, being perfectly holy and happy, they
are fitted for, and in the highest degi-ee, devoted to this ser-
vice. This work was begun by them as soon as ever they had
a beinq; : they sang together., and celebrated his praise in the
beginning of the creation, Job xxxviii, 7.
* Thisious theopinioTi of Aris^tle, thovgh he doernot call them angels, bjit in-
telligent Beings, for ruiti'd is a character beloiigivg to them, derived only from scrip-
ture : neither do wefnd that this -uork is assigned to them, as a part of their mlms'
try therein.
\ See Quest, XI^.
THE CREATION OF ANGELS. 31
And when the Redeemer first came into this lower world,
and thereby a work, more glorious than that of creation, was
begun by him, they celebrated his birth with a triumphant
song ; as it is said, that with the angel that brought the tidings
thereof to the shepherds, there was a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God^ and sayings Glory to God in the highest ; on
earth peace ; good will towards men, Luke ii. 14. Whether all
the hosts of heaven were present at that solemnity, we know
not ; but there is sufficient ground to conclude, from the har-
mony that there is in the work and worship of the heavenly in-
habitants, that they all celebrated his incarnation with their
praises ; and this was a part of that worship, which, upon this
great occasion, they gave, by a divine warrant, to him, who
was then brought into this lower world, Heb. i._ 6.
Moreover, they praise God for particular mercies vouchsafed
to the church, and for the success of the gospel in the conver-
sion of sinners thereby ; on which occasion, they express their
joy as our Saviour observes, though it be but one sinner that
repenteth^ Luke xv. T, 10. And,
Lastly^ They are represented, as joining in worship with the
saints in heaven ; for which reason the apostle, speaking con-
cerning the communion that there is between the upper and the
lower world, as well as the union between the saints departed,
and the angels, in this work of praise, says, Te are come wito
the innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and
church of the first-born, which are ivritten in heaven, cuid to
the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. xii. 22, 23. and they
are also represented as joining with all others, which are before
the throne, the number ofxvhom is ten thousand times ten thou-
sand, and thousands of thousands, saying, xvith a loud voice,
Worthij is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessings
Rev. V. 11, 12.
This is a branch of that social worship, which they are en-
gaged in ; and since we cannot suppose that it is performed
without harmony, otherwise it wants a very considerable cir-
cumstance, necessary to render it beautiful, and becommg a
state of perfection, we must conclude, that there is the greatest
order among these heavenly ministers ; but whether they are
to be considered, as having a government, or hierarchy, among
themselves, so that one is superior in office and dignity to
others; or whether they have a kind of dominion over one
another; or whether some are made partakers of privileges,
that others are deprived of; this we pretend not to determine,
since scripture is silent as to this matter. And what some have
laid down, as though it were deduced from it, is altogether
inconclusive ; and therefore they, who express themselves so
peremptorily on this subject, as though they had received it by
32 THE CREATION OF ANOEL3.
divine inspiration, or were told it by some, who have been con-
versant among them in heaven, must be reckoned among them,
whom the apostle speaks of, who intrude into those things which
they have not seen^ vainly piift up by their Jieshly mind, Colbs.
ii. 18.
The Papists are very fond of this notion, as being agreeable
to that unscriptural hierarchy, which they establish in the church
here on earth, which they pretend to be, in some respects, found-
ed upon it, instead of better arguments to support it *. All
the countenance Avhich they pretend to be given to it, in scrip-
ture, is taken from the various characters, by which they are
described, as cherubim^ seraphim, thrones, dominions, princi-
palities, poxvers, angels, arch-angels, all which expressions they
suppose to signify various ranks and orders among them ; and
when they speak of three classes, or degrees of dignity, and of-
fice, under which they are distributed, and that some of those
characters are reduced to one, and others to another of them,
this is nothing else but to impose their own chimerical fancies,
as matters of faith ; and when they speak of some of them, as
being of a superior order, and admitted to greater honours than
the rest, whom they compare to ministers of state, who always
attend the throne of princes, or stand in their presence ; and
others that are einployed in particular services for the good of
the church, and are conversant in this lower world : This is a
distinction which the scripture says nothing of; for they ail be-
hold the face of pod in heaven, and are in his immediate pre-
sence ; and they are all likewise called ministering spirits, sent
forth to 7ni7iister to them xvhich shall be the heirs of salvation.
The great oracle which they have recourse to, where the
scripture is silent, is a spurious writing, that goes under the
name of Dionvsius, the Areopagite, concerning the celestial
hierarchy f ; which contains not only inany tilings fabulous, but
unworthy of him, who was converted at Athens by the apostle
* Itis strenuously maintained by Baronias, BeVarnmie, and many other roriters ;
as also by many of the schoolmen, as Dnnindus, Tho. Aquinas, and others.
+ 'JTiis book is sufficiently proved to be spcirious, inulnot to have been known in the
Jour or Jive first ages of the church, as not being mentioned by Jerom, Gennadins,
and others, who make mention of the writers of their own and firmer ages, and pass
their censures on them, as gemnne or spuriovs. And, from others of the Fathers, who
lived in tliosc centuries, it plainly appears, that the doctrines r,i<iintcuncd in this book,
eoncerning the celestial hierarchy, wl re not then known by tite chnrch. It is also
proved to be spurious, because the author thereof 'nakes mkntion of holy places, svcti
as temples, altars, &cfsr divine worship, and tatcchuijwns, ami (he like, and many
other things, unknown to the church till the fourth cejitvry ; and he uses the word
Hypostases to signify the divine Persons, which was not nstil till then. He also speaks
«f the institution »f monks, and various sorts of them, which were nut knotiii till long
after the apostolic age ; yea, he quotes a passage cut of Ckmens Alexo^ulriiius, who
lived in the third century. These, and many other arguments, to the same piirpose,
ere maintained, not only by Protestants, but some impartial Popish writers, wliich
sufficiently prove it spurious. See Dallaus Be Scrip. Dio7>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 <srfin.yiu;i]x t^u kti a?.?,« (sr^tpi^u, Quod beatum
& immortale est neque ipsum negotia habet, neque alii prsebel ; ichich eocpression
some of the -wiser heathen have taken jiist offence at. And accordingly Cicero, [Vid.
ejusd. Lib. I. De Xat. Deor.] referring to this passage, says, that whatever ven&'u-
tion Epicurus pretended to have for the gods, yet he was no better than an Atheist,
and brought a god into his philosophy, that he might ?iot fall under the displeasure
of the seriate at Athens .• thu-i he says, Novi ego Epicureos omnia Sigilla veneran-
tes; quanquam video nonnuUis videri Epicurum,iie in ofFensionem Athenienslum
caderet, verbis reliquisse Deos, resuslulisse : And Lactantius observes the same
tfiing concerning him, and describes him as a deceiver and a hypocrite. Hie vero si
aliud sensit, & aliud loculus est ; quid aliud appellandus est, qiiam deceptor,
bilinguis, malus, & propterea stultus ? Vid. iMctant. de ha Dei, Cap. 4. And ax
for the Poets, it ivas only tlte most vain among titem, -who gave countenance to im-
morality, and endeavoured to dsbauch the age in -which they lived, that gave out thif
notion ; amh in our age. this s/'ems to be one oj thffrat principles of Deism.
4& THE WORKS or PROVIDENCE.
culiar to God, thereibre all creatures act under his influence,
that is, by his providence. If it is in God, not only that we
live, but move, and act, then there is no motion, or action in
the world, whether in things with, or v/ithout life, but is under
the influence of providence. Tiierefore we shall proceed to
consider the providence of God, as conversant about all things,
the least as well as the greatest, and about things that are agree-
able, or contrary to the laws of nature, and particularly how it
is conversant about the actions of intelligent creatures, such as
angels and men.
1. The greatest things are not above, nor the least and most
inconsiderable below the care and infiuence of providence, and
consequently it must extend itself Uj all things. The most ex-
cellent of finite beings are but creatures, and therefore they
are dependent upon God, as much as the least : thus it is said.
Me doth according- to his ^vill^ i?i the army of heaven^ as well as
among- the inhabitants of the earthy Dan. iv. 35. Sometimes we
read of the providence of God, as conversant about the most
glorious parts of the frame of nature : it is by his influence that
the sun appears to perform its regular motions ; he hath fixed
it in the heavens, as in a tabernacle appointed for it. And those
creatures that are most formidable to men, as the leviathan,
vt'hich is repi-esented as the fieixest of all creatures, who abide
in the sea, and the lion of all the beasts of the forest ; these
are described as subject to his providence, and receiving their
provisions from it, Job xli. Psal. civ. 21. and the inconsider-
able sparroxv doth not fall to the ground without it, Matt. x.
29, 30. and the very hairs of our head are all numbered ; which
is a proverbial expression, to denote the particular concern of
providence, as conversant about the most minute actions of life.
2. The providence of God is conversant about those things
■which come to pass, either agreeably, or contrary, to the fixed
Jaws of nature, the whole frame whereof is held together by
him : the successive returns of seed-time and harvest^ smmner
and winter^ day and nighty are all ordered by him, Gen. viii.
22. the elements and meteors are subject to his appointment;
Fire and hail, snoxv and vapour^ and stormy zvind^ fulfil his
word, Psal. cxlviii. 8. He looketh to the ends of the earth, and
seeth under the xvhole heaven, to make the weight for the winds,
and he weigheth the xvaters by measure; xvhcn he made a de-
cree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thundery
Job xxviii. 24' — 26.
And as for eflfects, that are above, or contrary to the course
of nature, these are subject to, and ordered by, his providence.
It was contrary to the course of nature for the ravens, which
are birds of prey, to bring provisions to mankind, yet these
were ordeerd to bring a supply of food to the prophet, Elijah,
THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. 49
i Kings xvll. 4. And the lions, who knew no difference be-
tween Daniel and his persecutors, and were naturally inclined
to devour one, as well as the other, were obliged to make a
distinction between them, and not to hurt the one, but imme-
diately to devour the other, Dan. vi. 22, 24. And a whale
was provided, by providence, to receive and bring the prophet
Jonah to land, when cast into the sea, chap. i. 17. So the fire
had no power over Shadiach, Meshach, and Abed-ncgo, when
thrown into it, but immediately consumed those who were or-
dered to cast them in, Dan. iii. 22, 27.
3. We shall consider providence, as conversant about intel-
ligent creatures, and more particularly man, the most excellent
creature in this lower world. He is, as it were, the peculiar
care, and darling of providence ; as it has rendered him capa-
ble of enjoying the blessings of both worlds, fitted him to glo-
rify God actively, as well as objectively, and governs him in a
way suited to his nature, and as one who is designed for greater
things, than other creatures below him are capable of. Here
we shall consider the providence of God, as ordering the state
and condition of men in this world, and then speak, more par-
ticularly of it, as conversant about the moral actions of men,
considered as good or bad.
Firsts To consider the providence of God, as it respects the
state and condition of man in this life ; and, in particular, Avhat
respects not only his natural, but religious interests.
(1.) There is a peculiar care of providence extended towards
us, in our birth and infancy. The Psalmist acknowledges this,
when he says. Thou art he that took me out of the xvomb ; thou
didst make me hope xvhen I xvas upon my mother'' s breasts ; I
ivas cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from viy
mother'^s belly^ Psal. xxii. 9, 10. Providence has provided the
breast, and the most proper food contained therein, for the
nourishment of the infant, at its first coming into the world ;
and it has put those tender bowels into the parents, to whose
immediate care they are committed, that, without any argu-
ments, or persuasive motives thereunto, besides what nature
suggests, they cannot, unless divested of all humanity, and be-
coming worse than brutes, neglect and expose it to harm. Thus
the prophet says, Can a xvoman forget her sucking child^ that
she should not have compassioji on the so7i of her xvomb P Isa.
xlix. 15. Therefore, be the parents never so poor, there is
somcthihg in nature that inclines them rather to sufftr them-
selves, than that the helpless infant shoidd be exposed to suf-
fer through their neglect ; which is a peculiar instance of the
care of providence. To this we may add, the time, and place
in which we were born, or live; the circumstances of our pa-
' r-nts, as to what concerns the world, especially if they arc such
\
50 TII£ V/ORKS OF PROVIDENCE-
who are religious themselves, and earnestly desire that ihtii
children may become so, and endeavour to promote their spi-
ritual, as well as their temporal weifai-e. These are all instan-
ces of the care of providence.
(2.) We shall now consider the concern of providence for
man in his childhood, and advancing years. This discovers it-
self in furnishing us with natural capacities to receive instruc-
tion, which are daily improved, as we grow in years ; and,
though every one has not an equal degree of parts, fitting him
for some station in life, that others are qualified for, yet most
are endowed with that degree thereof, as may fit them for the
station of life, in which they are placed, so that they may glo-
rify God some way or other, in their generation.
(3.) We shall consider the care of providence, respecting
various other ages and conditions of life. It is this that fixes
the bounds of our habitation, determines and over-rules the ad-
vantages or disadvantages of conversation ; the secular callings^
or employments, which we are engaged in, together with the
issue and success thereof. Again, health and sickness, riches
and poverty, the favour or frowns of men ; the term of life,
whether long or short, all these are under thexjirection of pro-
vidence : One dieth in his full strejigth^ behig wholly at ease and
quiet. His breasts are full of milk ^ and his bones are moistened
•with marrotv- And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul^
a7id never cateth with pleasure^ Job xxi. 23 — 25. Likewise, as
to what respects the injurious treatment we meet with from
men ; providence is so far concerned about it, as that it some-
times permits it for thd trial of our graces ; and at other times
averts the evil designed against us, by softening their tempers,
allaying their resentments ; /is in the instance of what respected
Laban's and Esau's behaviour towards Jacob ; or else finds
some way to deliver us from the evil intended against us.
(4.) We shall now (Consider the providence of God, as re-
specting, more especially, the spiritual concerns of his people.
There are some kind foot-steps thereof, that have a more im-
^nediate subserviency to their conversion ; particularly, their
being placed under the means of grace, either bringing the gos-
pel to them, or ordering their abode where it is preached, and
that in such a way, as is most adapted to awaken, instruct, con-
vert, or reprove, as means conducive to that great end. More-
over, it is very remarkable in casting our lot, v/here we may
contract friendship and Intimacy with those, whose conversa-
tion and example may be made of use to us, for our conviction,
imitation, and conversion.
And to this let me add, that sometimes there is a peculiar
hand of providence, in sending afflictions, which are sanctified,
and rendered means of grace, and have a tendency to awaken
THE WORKS or PROVIDENCE. 51
men out of their carnal security. This is one way whereby God
speaks to man, to withdraw him from his purpose^ and hide
pride from him. Job xxxiii. 14, 17, 19. Sometimes God makes
his exemplary judgments, that are abroad in the world, effec-
tual to warn others to flee from the wrath to come. And as for
the preaching of the gospel, there is a peculiar hand of provi-'
dence, sometimes in giving a suitable word, in which case God
often over-rules the thoughts and studies of his ministers ; so
that they are, as it were, directed without their own fore-
thought relating to this event, to insist on such a subject, that
God designs to make instrumental for the conversion of souls.
This he sets home on the consciences of men, keeps it fixed on
the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts, and enables
them to improve it to his glory in the conduct of their lives.
Secondly, We shall proceed to consider the providence of
-God, as conversant about the actions of men. If other crea-
tures are dependent on him, in acting, as well as existing, then
certainly man must not be exempted irom this dependence.
There are several scriptures which speak of intelligent crea-
tures, as under the influence of providence. Thus it is said.
The ki7ig'*s heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of
water, he tiirneth it whithersoever he xcill, Prov, xxi. 1. and
elsewhere the prophet saj^s, 0 Lord, L knoro that the xuay of
man is 7iot in himself; it is not in man that uoalketJi to direct
his steps, Jer. x. 23. that is, he cannot manage himself in the;
conduct of life, either as an intelligent creature, or as abeliever,
without supposing the natural or spiritual influence of divine
providence.
Now these actions are considered as moral, and so agreea-
ble or contrary to the divine law, in which different respects
they are, either good or bad.
(1.) We shall consider the providence of God, as conver-
sant about the good actions of men ; and it is so, not only by
upholding the powers and faculties of the soul, in acting, or i«
giving a law, which is the rule thereof; nor is it only conver-
sant about them, in an objective way, or by moral suasion, as
iffording rational argimients or indutements thereunto, but as
implanting and exciting that principle, by which we act; espe-
cially, as it respects the work of grace in the souls of men,
which is what we call the gracious dispensation of providence,
exercised towards men, not barely as intelligent creatures, but
as believers. But this we shall not insist on at present, because
we shall be led to speak to it under some folloAving answers,
which more particularly set forth the grace of God as displayed
in the gospel. We are now to consider the actions of men iu
a more general view ; which, when v,'t style them good, it is
pnly as containing in tliem a less degree of conformity to the
52 THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE^
divine law ; but refer the consideration of the goodness of ac-
tions, as under the influence of special grace, to its proper place.
All that we shall observe at present is, that every thing that is
good, in the actions of intelligent creatures, is under the direc-
tion and influence of providence. This does not carry the least
appearance of a reflection on the divine perfections, while we
suppose God to be the Governor of intelligent creatures, acting
as such ; and therefore, I presume, it will not be much con-
tested, by any who allow a providence in general. But,
(2.) We shall proceed to consider the providence of God, as
conversant about evil actions. This is a subject which contains
in it a very great difficulty ; for we must use the utmost cau-
tion, lest we advance any thing that may argvie him to be the
author of sin ; and yet we are not to suppose that the provi-
dence of God is to be wholly excluded from those actions that
are sinful; for there is certainly some meaning in such scrip-
tures as these, when God savs, concerning Pharaoh, I xvill har-
den his hearty Exod. iv. 21. and, Sihon king of Heshbon xvould
not let us pass by him; for the Lord thij God hardened his
hearty and made his heart obstinate^ that he might deliver him
into thy hand^ Deut. ii, 30. and elsewhere it is said, concern-
ing Shimei, The Lord said unto him curse Davidy 2 Sam. xvi.
10. and, concerning Joseph's brethren, who sold him into
Egypt, it is said, It xvas 7iat you that sent me hither^ but God^
Gen. xlv. 8. and concerning the false prophets that deceived
Ahab, it is said. The Lord hath put a lying spirit in the ruouth
of all these thy prophets ^ 1 Kings xxii. 22. These, and such-like
scriptures, are not to be expunged out of the Bible, but ex-
plained in a way consistent with the divine perfections ; and
nothing can be inferred from them, if this be not, that the pro-
vidence of God is some way conversant about those actions
that are sinful ; but yet it is not in such a way, as either ar-
gues him to be the author or appi-over of sin. (a) Accordingly I
would choose to express myself, concerning this matter, to this
effect : That the providence of God is conversant about those
actions, to which sin is annexed, rather than that it is conver-
sant about sin itself, or "the obliquity, or sinfulness thereof.
Now, that we may understand this matter, we must distinguish
between what is natural, and what is sinful in an action ; the
former is from God ; the latter, from ourselves. This is often
illustrated by such similitudes as these. The motion of a bowl
is from the hand that throws it ; but the irregularity of the mo-
tion is from tlie bias that turns it aside. So the motion of a
horse is excited by the whip, or spur of the rider ; but il it goes
lame, the defect, or halting that it has in its motion, proceeds
from an inward indisposition in the horse, and not from the
rider. Others illustrate it by a similitude, taken from the«un c
(rr) Vide ante. Vol. I. p. 5l2i in note.
THE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. 53
drawing forth vapours from the earth, by that heat, which has
a tendency to exhale them^ but the stench that attends wliat is
^exhaled from a dunghill, is not from the sun, but from the na-
ture of the subject from whence it is drawn forth. So the pro-
vidence of God enables sinners to act in a natural way ; but
the sinfulness, irregularity, or moral defects, that attend those
actions, is from the corruption of our own nature : or, to speak
more plainly, the man that blasphemes, could not think, or ut-
ter his blasphemy, without the concurrence of the common
providence of God, which enables him to think or speak. These
are natural actions ; but that the thoughts, or tongue, should
be set against God, or goodness, that is from the depravity of
gur nature.
Again, to kill, or take away the life of a man, is, in some
respects, a natural action, as it cannot be done without thought,
er strength to execute what we design. These are the gifts oi'
providence, and, in this respect God concurs to the action..
Thus Joab could not have killed Abner, or Amasa, if he had
not had a natural power to use the instrument, with which he
did it. This was from God ; but the malice, that prompted
him to abuse these gifts of providence, and his hypocritical
subtilty, and that dissimulation, or disguise of friendship, which
gave him an opportunity to execute his bloody design, was
from the wickedness of his own heart.
Thus having considered, that the providence of God may be
conversant about that which is natural in a sinful action, with-
out reflecting dishonour on him, as the author of sin ; v/e shall
now proceed to consider, in what manner it is conversant about
such actions, by which we may better understand the sense of
those scriptures, which were but now referred to ; and, I hope,
nothing therein will be accounted derogatory to the divine glo-
r}^, when we observe,
1. That the providence of God may be conversant, in an
objective way, about those actions to which sin is annexed.
without his being the author, or approver of it. Sin would not
be committed, in many instances, if there were not some ob-
jects presented, which give occasion thereunto. The object that
presents itself may be from God, when the sin, which is occar
sioned thereby, is from the corruption of our nature. Thus
Joseph's brethren would not have thought of killing, or selling
him into Egypt, at least, when they did, if he had not obeyed
his father's command, in going to deliver his message, and sec
how it fared with them. Providence ordered his going to en-
quire of their welfare, and hereby the object was presented to
them, which their own corrupt nature inclined them to abuse ;
so that, as soon as they saw him, they entered into a conspiracy
against him. In the former of these respects, in whic« the pro-
Vol. II. H
'54 THE A^ORKS O? PROVIDENCC.
vidence of God was thus objectively conversant about this ac-
tion, God is said to have sent Joseph into Egypt; though every
circumstance, tliat was vile and sinful therein, was -from them-
selves.
Again, in the instance before mentioned, of Shimei^s cursing
David : Providence was conversant about this action, so far, as
it ordered that David should come by at that time when Shimei
was there, otherwise he would not have cursed him ; and when
it is said, in the scripture but now mentioned. The Lord said
unto Shimei^ Curse David ; the meaning is this; the Lord hath
brought me into so low a condition, that the vilest persons,
, who, before this time, were afraid to open their mouths against
me, now take occasion to give vent to their malicious re-
proaches, as Shimei did ; the providence of God was conver-
•sant about this action, in an objective way. Now, whitt it is
so conversant about, that, according to the scripture-mode of
speaking, God is said to do ; as when the man-slayer killed
one, through inadvertency, who was presented as an object to
him, God is said hereby to deliver him into his hand^ Exod,
sxi. 13. yet in all sinful actions, God's presenting the object,
does not render him the author of that sin, which is to be as-
cribed to the corruption of nature, that took occasion to exert
itself by the sight of it. This will farther appear, if we consider,
(1.) That such an object might ha\^ been presented, and the
sinful action not have ensued hereupon : thus the xvedge of
gold^ and the Bab'jhnish gartnent^ were no temptation to other
Israelites, ivho saw them among the spoils of Jericho^ as well
as Achan, though they were so to him, through the covetous
ness of his own temper, and the corruption of his nature, th ,.;,
discovered itself, and internctlly moved him to this sinful action.
(2.) Such objects are not presented by providence, as de-
signing hereby to ensnare, or draw persons to sin, though God
knows that they will take occasion to sin thereby; but there,
are other ends of their being presented, which maj' be illustrated
by a particular instance. God knows, that if the gospel be
preached, some will take occasion to reproach it : He orders,
notwithstanding, that it shall be preached; not that men naight
take occasion to do this, but that those, whom he has ordained
to eternal life might be converted by it. So our Saviour ap-
peared publickly at the feast of the passover, though he knew
that the Jews would put him to death ; the end of his going to
Jerusalem was not that he might draw forth their corruption,
but that he might finish the work, which he came into the world
about : He was at that time engaged in his Father's work, but
they performed that v/hich they were prompted to do, by satan
SUid their own Avicked henrts.
2. When the providence of God is said to be conversant;
T3iE WORKS OF PROVIDENCE. 55
about sin, it is in suffering or permitting it, not in suggesting,
or tempting to it ; for no one ought to say, as the apostie Javnes
expresses it, JVhen he is tempted^ that he is tempted of God; for
God cannot tempt anij man; but, when he is tempted, he is
draiun arvaij by his own /usty and enticed^ chap. i. 13, 14. But,
so far as the providence of God denies restraining grace, frora
■whence corrupt nature takes occasion to break forth, it is con-
versant about sin occasionally, not eftectualiy; as when the
banks, or fiood-gatcs, that keep the waters within their due
bounds, are broken down, by ihe owner thereof, who does not
think fit to repair them, the waters will, according to the course
of nature, overflow the country ; or if the hedge, or inclosure,
that secures the standing corn, be taken away, the beasts, by a
propensity of nature, will tread it down, and devour it ; so if
that which would have a tendency to restrain, or prevent sin,
be taken away, it will be committed; and the providence of
God may do this, either in a way of sovereignty, or as a punish-
ment for former sins committed, without being charged as the
author of sin. It is not the same, in this case, as when men do'
not prevent sin in others, when it is in their power to do it,
since they are under an obligation hereunto : But God is under
no obligation to extend this privilege unto sinful men ; and
sxjmetimes he suffers that wrath, which he v/ill not restrain, to
break forth as having a design, some way or other, to glorify
himself thereby ; as the Psalmist says. Surely ^ the xvrath ofraan
shall praise thee; the remainder of xvrath thou shalt restrain.,
Psal. Ixxvi. 10.
,^. The providence of God may be said to be concerned about
sin, in over-ruling it for his own glory, and his people's good :
In the former instances, it discovers itself, before the sin was
committed ; but, in this, it is consequent thereunto. This is a
wonderful instance of his wisdom, in that, since the sinner ob-
stinately resolves to rebel against him, this shall not tend to
lessen, but to illustrate some of his perfections : Thus he over-
ruled the wicked action of Josepli's brethren, in their selling
him into Egvpt, to presence their lives, in the time of famine ;
accordingly he says, God has sent 7ne before you to preserve life^
Gen. xlv. 5. And the vilest action tliat ever was committed in
the world, namely, the crucifying the Lord of glor}% was over-
ruled, for the saving his people from their sins ; and sometimes
we read of God's punishing the obstinacy and rebellion of men,
by giving courage and success to their enemies against them :
Thus Nebuchadnezzar's success in arms against the Jews, was
ordered by the providence of God, to punish their idolatry;
first, by carrying the greatest part of them captive, and then,
when pursuing those who contraiy to God's order, fled into
Egypt, by 4estroying or carrving them captive likewise ; and^.
&6 THE WORKS OF PROVIDE^fCl:*
in doing this, he is called God^s servant, Jer. xliii. 10. not as
though he had any religious regard to the honour and com-
mand of God herein; but his design was only to enlarge his
dominions, by depriving others of their natural rights ; yet God
over-'ruled this, for the setting forth the giory of his vindictive
justice, against a sinful people. And Cyrus, on the other hand,
was raised up to be Israel's deliverer from captivity. His suc-
cess in war, which God designed should be subservient there-
unto, is styled, His girding hivi^ Isa. xlv. 1, 5. and God pro-
mises, that he would loose the loins of kings ^ to open before him
the two leaved gates : And all this was done with a design that
he should give liberty to his people ; thoi'gh Cyrus had no more
religion, nor real regard to the interest of God in the world,
than other kings, who design little else but the satisfying their
own ambition; for it is expressly said. Thou hast not known
me. God did not approve of that corruption, which might give
the first occasion to the war, or that injustice that might appear
in it : but, notwithstanding, he over-ruled it, to answer the ends
c>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<m his duty, but cause his light to shine;
nor purposely afflict the sensibility ot'his eitmies, but treat them with mildnes.i
and kindness. The demure and dcjectv^d countenance iS to be avoided, not only
bfioause the christian has a right to be chferfu), but becau.se when voluntary, it
m4 T«£ FALL OF MAN.
/
2. God calls them to an account for what they had done, and^
they, through fear, hide themselves from his presence ; which
shews how soon ignorance followed after the fall. How un-
reasonable was it to think that they could hide themselves from
God ? since there is no darkness^ nor shadow ofdeath^ where the
workers of iniquity may hide themselves^ Job xxxiv. 22.
3. God expostulates with each of them, and they make ex-
cuses ; the man lays the blame upon his wife, ver. 12. The
womaUy whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tre»^
and I did eat ; which contains a charge against God himself,
as throwing the blame on his providence. The woman whonu
thou gavest to be with me. And here was an instance of a
breach of affection between him and his wife : as sin occasions
breaches in families, and, an alienation of affection in the near-
est relations, he complains of her, as the cause of his ruin, as
though he had not been active in this matter himself.
The woman, on the other hand, lays the whole blame on the
serpent, ver. 1 3. The serpent beguiled me, and 1 did eat. There
was, indeed, a deception or beguiling ; for, as has been already
observed, an innocent creature can hardly sin, but through in-
advertency, as not apprehending the subtilty of the temptation,
though a fallen creature sins presumptuously, and with delibera-
tion J however, she should not have laid the whole blame on
the serpent, for she had wisdom enough to have detected the
fallacy, and rectitude of nature sufficient to have preserved her
from compliance with the temptation, if she had improved those
endowments which God gave her at first.
We shall now consider the aggravations of the sin of our first
parents. It contained in it many other sins. Some have ta-
ken pains to shew how they broke all the Ten Commandments,
in particular instances : But, passing that by, it is certain, that
i^ hypocritieal ; and because also it injures the cause by exciting disgust and
tontempt, and provoking persecution, where a mild and evenly deportment would
comm^md th* respect and admiration even of tlie evil themselves.
Contempt and ridicule will come. But the christian should know that this in-
dicates detect in the authors of them. !*■' religion were, as the infidel hopes it will
prove, witliout foundation, to ridicule the conscientious man for liis weakness, is
rudeness, weakness^, aad want of gei'.;rosity. If religion be doubtful, to ridicule
it is to run the hazard of Divine restnlment, and highly imprudent. If it be cer-
tain, it is to rush upon the bosses of God's buckle .'^ and the most horrid inso-
lence.
Ridicule is no test of truth, for the greatest and most important truths may be-
subjected to wit; it is no index of strengU'. of understanding; and wit and great
knowledge almost never are found togrtiicr. !t indicates nothing noble or gene-
rous, but a little piddling genius, and conlempfible pnde.
He wlio yields lo the sliame of" Uiat wliich is good, weakens his powers of re-
sistance, provokes the Spirit of grace, hardens his conscience, strengthens the
liands of tl»e enemy, exciter the conterapt of the wicked thcmsehe.'s, giieves his
fellow christians, aifronts God to his face, and incurs the judgment of Chris-
^ "Whosoever i.*^ a^femedi of me and mv word>'. 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 <Iefincs hereof, l>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<l all
the principles of philosophy, to suppose, that one spirit can pro-
duce another, in a natural way, and so repugnant to the ideas
which we have of spirits, as simple beings, or not compounded
of parts, as bodies are, that it seems almost to be vuiiversally
exploded, as being destitute of any tolerable argument to sup-
port it, though it was formerly embraced by some of the Fa-
thers.* And they, who pretend to account for it, by the simili-
tude of one candle's lighting another, and yet the flame remain-
ing the same as it was before, have only made use of an un-
happy method of illustration, which comes far short of a con-
clusive argument to their purpose. And as for the likeness of
natural dispositions in children to their parents, that does not,
in the least prove it ; since this arises very much from the tem-
perament of the body, or from the prejudices of education.
Therefore this method to account for the origin of moral evil,
being not much defended at present, we may pass it over, as a
groundless conjecture.
As for Arminius, and his followers, they have very much
insisted on a supposition, which they have advanced, that the
universal corruption of human nature arises only from imita-
tion. In answer to which, though I will not deny but that the
progress and increase of sin, in particular persons, may be very
much owing to the pernicious example of others, with whom
they are conversant ; yet it seems very absurd to assign this,
as the first reason thereof; for it may easily be observed, that
this corruption of nature, or disposition to sin, is visible in chil-
dren, before they are capable of being drawn aside, by the in-
fluence of bad examples ; and indeed, their being corrupted
thereby, is rather the effect, than the cause of this first propen-
sity that there is in nature to sin ; and it would soon appear,
that, if they never saw any thing but what is excellent or wor-
thy to be imitated in those, under whose care they are, the^'
would soon discover themselves, notwithstanding, prone to the
contrary vices. And we may as well suppose, that wisdom,
or holiness, takes its rise from imitation, in a natural way, as
that sin, or folly, does so : But nothing is more common, than
* TerUilUan vias of this opinion, [Vid. ejiisd. de Jnima] and Augnstin, though he
sometimes appears to give into the opinio'i of the tradvctioii of the sold; yet, at other
times, he is in great doubt about it, as ready to give it up for (Ml indefmsibk opinign,
Vid. Aug. de Orig, Anim. U in Gen. ad liter lid. 10.
OF SIN. 129
for children to be very degenerate from their parents. And
whatever attempts are used to instil principles of virtue into
them, it is nothing else, but striving against the stream of cor-
rupt nature, unless the grace of God interpose, and do that
which imitation can never be the cause of.
Therefore we must take some other method to account for
this corruption of nature, and at the same time, maintain, that
the soul is from God, by immediate creation, which, though it
be not so plainly contained in scripture, as other ai tides of faith
are, yet scripture seems not to be wholly silent as to this matter ;
especially when God says. Behold^ all souls are mine^ Ezek. xviii.
4. and elsewhere, which is more express to this purpose, God
speaks of the souls that he made^ or created, Isa. Ivii. 1 6. and
the apostle, for this reason, styles him. The Father of spirits ^
Heb. xii. 9. and that in such a sense, as is opposed to the fa-
thers of the flesh; therefore, taking this for granted, the difhculty
which will recur upon us, which we are to account tor, is, how
can the soul, that comes out of God's immediate hand, be the
subject of moral evil ? To assert, that it is created guilty of
Adam's first sin, or under an obligation to suffer that degree of
punishment, which is due to it, is not inconsistent with the di-
vine perfections, as will farther appear, v/hen, under a following
head, we consider what this punishment is : but to suppose that
it is created by God impure, or with an inclination, or propen-
sity to sin, cannot well be reconciled with the holiness of God.
This is what has been acknowledged by most divines, as one
of the greatest difficulties that occur in the whole scheme of di-
vinity. Some, with a becoming and religious modesty, have
confessed their inability to account for it, and advise us rather
to bewail, and strive against it, than to be too inquisitive about
the origin and cause of it. And, indeed, this is far better, than
cither to darken counsel by words, without knowledge, or to ad-
\ance what we cannot prove ; and I would rather chuse to ac-
quiesce in this humble ignorance thereof, than to assert any
thing which contains the least insinuation of God's being the
author of it. It is certain, there are many things which we
know to be true, though we cannot, at the same time, account
ierr the manner of their being what they are, and are at a loss
to determine their first original, or the natural cause thereof:
7 bus, though we are sure that the body is united to the soul,
which acts by it, yet it is very hard to determine by what bands
they are united, or how the soul moves the body, as its instru-
ment in acting. Moreover, we know that the particles of mat-
ter are united to one another ; but it is difficult to determine
what is the cause thereof. So if we enquire into the reason of
the different colour, or shape of herbs and plants ; or why the
grass is green, ^cl not white or red j no oae would be blamed
130 OF SIH.
if he should acknowledge himself to be at a loss to account fov
these, and other things of the like nature. The same may be
said, if we should confess that we are at a loss to determine
wh?it is the first rise of the propensity of the nature of man to
sin : nevertheless, if we keep within the bounds of modesty in
our enquiries, and advance nothing contrary to the divine per-**
fections, v/e may safely, and with some advantage to the doc-
trine of original sin, say something as to this matter, that here-
by we may remove the objections that are brought, by some,
against it.
Various ways have been taken, as was before observed, to
account for the origin of moral evil, which we cannot acquiesce
in, by reason of the many absurdities that attend them ; there-
fore it may be more excusable for me to offer my humble
thoughts about this matter, in which, I hope, I shall not much
deviate from the sentiments of many, who have judiciously and
happily maintained this doctrine.
There is, indeed, one conjecture, which I meet with, in a
learned judicious divine, which differs very much from any ac-
count which we have of it by any other,* namely, that the
mother while the child is in the womb, having a sinful thought,
impresses it on its soul, whereby it becomes polluted, in the
same manner as its body is sometimes marked by the strength
of her imagination : but this opinion is so very improbable, that
it will hardly gain any proselytes to it ; and it only discovers
how willing some persons are to solve this difficulty though in
an uncommon method, as being apprehensive that others have
not sufficiently done it.
But, that we mav account for this matter in the most unex-
ceptionable way, which does not in the least, infer God to be
the author of sin nor overthrow the doctrine of imputation of
Adam's sin to his posterity, we must consider this propensity
of nature, or inclination that there is in the souls of men to sin
as a corrupt habit, and therefore that it is not infused by God ;
and consequently though the soul, in its first creation, is guilty,
that is, liable to suffer the punishment due to it for Adam's sin
imputed, yet it does not come defiled out of the hands of God j
or, as one well expresses it,| " We are not to think that
* Vid. Pictet. Theol. Clir. Lib. V. cap. 7- Jibsit ut animnm crenri impuram dica-
vnurs, cum vihil inipunim e Dei nanibiis prodire possit. — Dum infcms est in ittero
■matris, cum intime ei conjuJigaUir, objecta iji ejus cerebrum easdem iwpressioties effi-
ciunt, ac in matris cerebrum. — Jhc patet ex eo quod contingitmulierihns pr<cgnanti~
bus ; cum enim avide inspiciunt aliipdd, vel r\ibro, velfavo colore, vel patUdo tinctum;,
contigit sxpi^sime ut infantes quos in utero geslant, tali colore tittcti nascantur. I(a
intime corpus <J aniinnm n7iiri, ut admotum corporis, cerlx orianturin mente coga-
:iones. — Motus, qidjiunt in cerebra infantium idem prxstare in illis, ac in matribxts,
vempe eorum animain rcccns creatam rebns sensibilibus & carnalibus alligave ; tiru'-:
mdemus infautium animas omnia ad se & ad suum referre corpus.
j" See Du *Modin''s Jlnatoinij of Armniardsm^ Chap, X § 3. 15^ If.
GF SIN. 131
*^ God put original sin into men's souls ; for how should he
" punish those souls, which he himself had corrupted ? And he
" adds, that it is a great wickedness to believe that God put into
*' the soul an inclination to sin ; though it is true God creates
" the souls of men destitute of heavenly gifts, and supernatural
" light, and that justly because Adam lost those gifts for him-
self and his posterity."
Another judicious divine* expresses himself to this purpose ;
that, though the soul is created spotless, yet it is destitute of
original righteousness, as a punishment of Adam's first sin;
and accordingly he distinguishes between a soul's being pure,
so as the soul of Adam was when it was first created, that is
to say, not only sinless, but having habits, or inclinations in its
nature, which inclined it to what was good ; and its being crea-
ted with a propensity, or inclination to evil, which he, with good
reason denies ; and, as a medium between both those extremes.^
in which the truth lies, observes, that the soul is created, by
God, destitute of original righteousness, unable to do what is
truly good ; and yet, having no positive inclination, or propen-
sity in nature, to what is evil ; this is plainly the sense of his
words, which I have inserted in the margin.
Now if it be enquired, how this corrupt habit, or inclination
to sin, is contracted ? the corruption of nature necessarily en-
sues on the privation of original righte\)usness. Some have il-
lustrated this by an apt similitude, taken from the travellers
wandering out of his way, or taking a wrong path, as occasion-
ed by the darkness of the night, in which, his want of light is
the occasion, though not properly the cause of his wandering-
Thus man is destitute of original righteousness, or those habits
of supernatural grace, which are implanted in regeneration ; and
what can be the consequence thereof, but that his first actions,
as soon as he is capable of doing good or evil, must contain in
them nothing less than a sin of omission, or a defect of, and
disinclination to, what is good ? and, by this means, the soul be
comes defiled, or inclined to sin ; so that we first suppose it in-
disposed to what is good, and that this arises from its being-
destitute of supernatural grace, which it lost by Adam's fall;,
• See Turret. Instit. TJieol. Elenct. Tom. I. Loc. 9. Q. 12. § 8, 9. Licet animc.
sine vlla labe creetw a Deu, nan crtatur tainen cvmjustitia originali, quails animc
^iJaini, adima^mm J^ei,- sed cum ejus caventia in pa nam prirni peccati. Ut hie
distingvenduin sit inter animam puram, impuram, & iion pttram. Itla pitra dicitur,
qu<£ ornata est habit ti sanctitatis ; impiira, qvce coiitrariiim habilum ivjustitix habet;
non piira,qtix licet mdliim habcat habilum bomim, mdhim tameii habet malum, ted
creatur simfjliciter cum faeiiUatibns imtnndibus ; qualis supp07iilur creari a Deo
post hipsum, quia imaffo JJei ainissa semel per peccatum, 7ion potest omplius restitvi,
nisi reg-eneratioiiis benejicio per Spiritum Sanctum. Qiiamvis autem utiimx creentt/v
a Deo destitute J7tstitia originali ; non propterca Sens potest cenaeri author peccat\
quia aliud est impuritateinivfu !<.''•''' ol' 'i^ /,,r.,-/,7 '/.,>, >.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
<ovenant^ and the common acceptation thereof in scripture, whe^p
applied to any transaction between God and man, and have
shewn, that, however, there may be stipulation and re- stipula-
tion, and thereby a passing over of mutual rights, from one
party concerned to the other, in covenants between man and
man ; yet that this cannot, consistently with the glory of. God^
and that infinite distance which there is between him and the
creature, be applied to the covenant of grace, and have 'pVodu-
ced some scriptures to prove, that the main thing to be consi-
dered therein, is God's promising the blessing-s that accompany
salvation to his people.
Other scriptures might have been referred to, to the same
purpose, in which, when God is said to make a covenant with
his people, we read of nothing but provnises of temporal, or
spiritual privileges, which he would confer on them : thus, when
he made a covenant with Abraham, he says, Ujito thy seed have
T given this land^from the river oj Egypt ^ xinto the great river^
■ he river Euphrates^ Gen. xv. 18. and elsewhere he says, 77/:'^
.v/ia// be the covenant that I xvill make xvith the house of Israel^
Jzuill put my^kao in their inward parts, (a J and zvrite it in
* See Page 168. ante.
fa J We ve not to suppose that thei/ shaU not teaoh evcrij man,h.c. is designed
to exclude all public and private, ministerial, tUniily, and social instruction; for
this is founded on tlie law of nature, and is enforced in the New Testament in-
stitution of a gospel-ministry to continue to the consummation of all things,
{Mattlt. xxvili. 20. and EpU. iv. U, 1'2, 13.) and in tlie oblifration that it has laid
upon Christian parertts to bring up their children in the mature and admunition of
the Lord; (Eph. vi. 4.) as also in the directions that are g'en in this very epistle,
_ chap. iii. 13. and x. 24, 25. to private Christians, to exhort one another daibj, &.c.
This passage therefore must be taken, either in a comparative .sense, as such ex-
pressions often are: (See iic xliii. 18. ./t-r. xxlii. 18 and -l/u/. ix. 13.) Qr eUe
Vol. II. A a
ISii OP THE 6GVENANT OF GRACE,
their hearts^ and tvill be their God, and they shall be my people.
Theij shall all know me^ from the least to the greatest of them ;
for I rvill forgive their iniqnity, and I xvill remember their sin
no more., Jer. xXxi. 2>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.
2<//j/, It was at that time when the measure of the iniquity
of the world was abundantly filled, whereby his people might
observe the deplorable state into which sin had brought man-
kind, and the utter impossibility of our recovery without a Me-
diator, and that the light of nature could not discover any
method by which the redemption and salvation of man miglit
be brought about.
.3^/z/, It was at that time that the Jewish church was at the
lowest ebb, and therefore the most seasonable time, and they
were laid under the highest obligations to adore and magnify
him : their political state was broken, the sceptre departed from
Judah, and they wxre brought under the Roman yoke, which
sat very uneasy upon them ; neither could they ever expect to
make that figure in die world as they once had done, there-
fore now was the time for the Messiah to come, and erect his
kingdom. And, besides this, they were given up to a very great
degree of judicial blindness and hardness, and were disposed
to make void the law of God by their traditions ; so that reli-
gion, among them, was at a very low ^bb ; therefore it was the
234 OF THE COVENANT OF GRACEi,
fittest, time for God to display his grace, in reviving his work,
and preventing his cause and interest from wholly sinking in
the world. This was the time in >vhich 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 Y<yl. 491,
OP Christ's priestly offic£. 259'
conciliation for the sins of his people, and in making conti-
nual intercession for them.
IN considering Christ's Priestly office, as described in this
answer, we may observe the two great branches thereof,
namely, the offering himself a sacrifice ; and making interces-
sion. There are several scriptures which expressly mention both
of them : thus he is said, through the eternal Spirit^ to have of-
Jered himself,, •without spot,, to God,, Heb. ix. 14. and then de-
scribed as having entered into heaven,, now to appear in the pre-
sence of God for us,, ver. 24. and elsewhere the apostle speaks
of him, as having an tmchangeable priesthood,, and being able to
save them to the utterrnost that come unto God by him,, and that
this is founded on his offering up himself, and making inter-
cession for them, chap. vii. 24, 25, 27. In considering this, we
may observe,
I. The reason of his being styled a Priest, which denomina-
tion was taken from those who exercised the priestly office un-
der the ceremonial law, who were types of him, as such : ac-
cordingly we may consider; that the office of the priesthood was
executed by sundry persons, appointed to this service. A priest
was a public minister, who was to serve at the altar, to offer
both gifts and sacrifices for sins,, Heb. v. 1. That these were
offered in all the ages of the church, after the fall of man, ap-
pears, from the sacrifice that Abel offered, which the apostle
calls an excellent one, and, upon this occasion, says, that he
obtained ruitness that he xvas righteous,, God testifying of his
g'ifts, Heb. xi. 4. and therefore it follows, that it was instituted
by him : yet it does not appear that there was, in that early age
of the church, a set of men solemnly and publickly invested in
this office : but the heads of families are generally supposed to
have been the public ministers in holy things, and particularly
priests, though they do not appear to have been then so styled ;
and thus it continued till about the time that God brought Is-
rael out of Egypt, when, by his appointment, all the first-born
of the children of Israel were consecrated to him ; and these
officiated as priests, during that small interval of time, till the
jiriesthood was settled in the tribe of Levi, upon which occa-
sion God says, I have taken the Levites from among the children
cf Israel,, instead of all the frst-born,, because all the first-born
ore mine ; for on the day that I smote all the first-born,^ in the
land of Egypt,, I halloxued unto me all the first-born in Israel^
Numb. iii. 12, 13. And, when God gave the ceremonial law
from mount Sinai, he appointed that tribe to minister as priests
in holy things. Of these some had one part of the ministry of
the sanctuar)' committed to them, and others another ; particu-
larly the priesthood, or the charge of offering gifts and sacrifi
Z&Q OF Christ's priestly office.
ces^ was more, especially committed to the family of Aaron, of
which the eldest son, in their respective generations, was gene-
rally advanced to the high priesthood, and other descendants
from him were common priests, who acted under, or were as-
sistants to him in all the parts of his ministry, excepting that
which respected his entering into the holy of holies. These
were invested in their respective offices by unction, though the
high priest's office and unction had some things peculiar in it,,
in which it exceeded theirs ; and they were all types of Christ's
priesthood, though the high priest was so in an eminent de-
gree : which leads us to consider,
II. The Priesthood of Christ, as typified under the ceremo-
nial law, and that either by the service which was commonly
performed by the high priest, and other priests under him, or
as it was typified by Melchizedec, who is occasionally men-
tioned in scripture, as shadowing forth Christ's Priesthood in
some particular instances, which were not contained in other
t3'pes thereof.
1. We shall speak concerning the priests vmder the law, as
types of Christ's Priesthood, and particularly shew wherein,
their priesthood agrees with, or differs from his.
(1.) Wherein they agree.
1*^, Every high priest xvas taken from among men^ as the
apostle observes, Heb. v. 1. and xvas ordained for men in things
pertaining to God, And, to this we may add, that he was taken
from among his brethren, and so must be a member of that
church, in whose name he administered, and of which he was
the head, by the dignity of his office. In this, he was a lively
type of Christ, who, in order to his being an High Priest, be-
came man, that he might perform this ministry for men in
things pertaining to God. It is true, the validity of his office,
or the efficacy thereof to answer its designed end, arose from
the dignity of his Person, as God; yet the matter thereof, or
the ministry he performed, required that he should be taken
from among men, and have all the essential properties of the
human nature ,• so that, as the high priest was taken out of the
church, or from among his brethren, and, by office, was the
head thereof, Christ w^is a member of the church, and, as such,
complied with those ordinances which God had instituted there-
in, and from t'ne dignity of his Person and office, was the Head
thereof: as a Member of it, he was exposed to the same temp-
tations and miseries as they are, and s(f is able to sympathize
with, and succour them under all their temptations, Heb. iv. 15.
compared with chap. v. 2. and as the Head thereof, he manages
all affairs relating to it, and expects that all his people should
be entirely subjected to him.
2dly^ The miitter of the priest's office, or the things that were
OF CHRIST^S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 26i
-offered by him, were, as was before observed, gifts and sacri-
fices offered for the remission of sins ,* which blessing could not
be attained without shedding of bloody as the apostle observes,
"without shedding- of blood there is no remission^ chap. ix. 22.
Thus Christ was to redeem his people, and procure forgiveness
of sijis, and make atonement for them by sacrifice, or by the
shedding of blood.
3^/y, After the high priest had offered sacrifices, there was
another part of that ministry, which was peculiar to himself, in
which he was an eminent type of Christ, which he performed
but once a year, to wit, on the great day of expiation, when he
went into the holiest of all within the vail, with blood and in-
cense J the blood he sprinkled on the mercy-seat over the ark,
and caused the smoke of the incense to ascend and cover the
mercy-seat, and from thence he received an intimation from
God, that the sacrifices, which he had offered for the people,
were accepted, after which he went out, and blessed them, in
the name of the Lord; in all which, he was a lively type of
Christ's executing his Priestly office, chap. ix. 3, 7. compared
with Lev. xvi. 14. who first offered an acceptable sacrifice for
us on earth, and then entered into heaven, (which was typified
by the priest's entering into the holy of holies) to present his
sacrifice before God, and to make intercession for us ; and, as
the consequence hereof, he blesses his peqple, in turning them,
from all their iniquities, and in x;onferring all the other fruits
and effects of his sacrifice upon them. Thus Christ's Priest-
hood was shadowed forth by that ministry, which was perform-
ed by the priests under the ceremonial law ; nevertheless,
(2.) There were many things in which they differed ; as,
\st^ The priests under the law were mere men ; but Christ,
■though truly man, was more than a man. Though he was made,
in all the essential properties of die human nature, like unto
us ; yet he had a divine nature, in which he was equal with
God ; and therefore his ministry could not but be infinitely
more valuable, than that of any others, who were types of him.
2dhj^ The priests under the law were of the tribe of Levi,
and therefore theirs is called, by the apostle, The Levitical
priesthood^ Heb. vii. 11. But our Saviour, as Man, was of the
tribe of Judah, and therefore did not derive his priesthood
from them by descent, as they did from one another, chap. vii.
13, 14.
3^/y, The sacrifices which were offered by the priests under
the law, were no other than the blood of beasts, appointed for
that purpose ; but Christ offered his own blood, chap. ix. 12, 14.
^ithly^ The priests under the law were sinners ; accordingly
Aaron was obliged ^r.?? to offer up sacrijice for his own sins,
and then for the peoplvs\ chap, vii, 27. but Christ needed not
Vol. IL L 1
262 OF Christ's priestly office.
to do this, for he tuas hohj^ harmless^ undefiled^ and separate
from sinfiers^ ver. 26.
Sthltf^ The sacrifices offered by the priests under the law,
could not expiate, or taie axvay sins^ chap. x. 4. but Christ, by
the offering that he has made, hasybr ever perfected them that
are sanctified^ or made a full atonement for all sin. Now since
it is said, that it was impossible for sin to be expiated by the
sacrifices under'the law, we are to enquire in what sense atone-
ment was, or could not be made thereby : if the sin was of such
a nature, or that it was punishable by human judicature, the
making atonement by sacrifice, in many instances, put a stop to
the prosecution, and took away the guilt, which the person had
contracted, as to any farther proceedings of men against him ;
for this was an ordinance appointed by God, in which the of-
fender had an external and visible recourse to the blood of Je-
sus, signified by the blood which he offered; and this is sup-
posed to have been accompanied with repentance for the sin
committed, which gave satisfaction to the church, as to what
concerned this matter, as offensive to them ; and they could de-
mand no more of the offender, in order to their declaring, that,
so far as they were judges, his guilt was expiated, by that which
was signified by the sacrifice which he brought, which was of-
fered for him, and therefore the crime that he committed was
pardoned.
It is true, there were some crimes that were to be punished
with death ; and, in this case, the church was not to receive sa-
tisfaction by sacrifice, nor were proceedings against the guilty
person to be stopped by this means : and, among other crimes,
that of wilful murder was one which admitted of no sacrifice ;
so, I think, the meaning of what the Psalmist says, is to be un-
derstood. Thou desirest not sacrifce^ else tvoidd I give it^ PsaL
li. 16. as implying, that the guilt of blood was such, that he
had hereby forfeited his life, which, though no subject had
power enough to take away, yet God might, for this, have set
his face against him, and have cut him off, in a visible manner,
from among his people, as he often did, when crimes were not
punished in a legal way. This punishment God graciously re-
mitted, when he told him, by Nathan, that he had put axvaij
his siuy he should ?iot die^ 2 Sam. xii. 13. and David, when he
testifies his repentance, in this Psalm, would have oflfered sa-
crifice, but he finds that none was ordained for the sin he had
committed. In other cases, indeed, the church was satisfied,
excommunication, or some other punishment, prevented, and
the offender taken into favour, by his offering sacrifice, in which
respect, this service is called making atonement for him : but,
in other respects, it was impossible to expiate sin thereby, so
as to procure justification in the sight of God; for they could
OF Christ's peiestly office. 263
not expiate it, as to what concerns the conscience, as it is said,
that the sacrijiccs: could not make him^ that did the service^ per-
fect^ as pertaining' to the conscie?icey Heb. ix. 9. so that, that
guilt of sin, which burdens the consciences of men, as having
more immediately to do with God, was taken away only by
Christ's sacrifice ; in which respect, the efficacy hereof far ex-
ceeds all the ends and designs of the sacrifices, which were of-
fered under the law. And this farther appears, inasmuch as
these sacrifices were to be repeated, there being a continual re-
membrance of sin ; for this supposes, that sin was not hereby
wholly expiated in the sight of God : and, in this, they also
<lifFer from the sacrifice Christ offered, inasmuch as that, being
effectual to take away sin, was offered but once, chap. x. 10, 14.
6thltj, The priests under the law were mortal, and therefore
the priesthood was successive ; but Christ, as he was not from
them by a lineal descent so he had no successor in his priest-
hood. In this, the apostle opposes him to them, when he says,
They tridy xvere many, because they were not suffered to con-
tiniie, bij reason of death ; but this man, because he continueth
ever^ hath an unchangeable priesthood, chap. vii. 23.
Again, as the priesthood ceased, in particular persons, by
death, so the high priesthood was sometimes taken away from^
those that were advanced unto it, for some instances of mal-
administration : thus the high priesthood, for some time, de-
scended in the line of Eleazar, the elder branch of Aaron's fa-
mily ; and afterwards, during the reign of the judges, it was
transferred to the younger branch of his family, namely, the
descendants from Ithamar, in which line it was when Eli was
high priest ; * and afterwards, when his sons, by their vile be-
haviour, forfeited their right to the high priesthood, and God
threatened that he would take it away from his family, 1 Sam,
ii. 30. compared with ver. oS. and 1 Kings ii. 2>5. (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 <icn. v. 32. with cliap. xi. 10. and vii. 11. Therefore, when Abraiiam
vent out of his country into the land of Canaan, Shem was 525 or 527 years old,-
and, when Shem died, he was 600 years old. Gen. xi. 10, 11. therefore Shem lived
more than half a hundred nears after this battle wusfovght.,
26'6 OF Christ's priestly office.
there are two very considerable objections against this opinion^
which have weight enough in them, if not to overthrow it, at
least to make it very doubtful : namely,
1st, That Shem's father, mother, and descent, together with
the beginning of his life, and afterwards the end thereof, were
well known, the year when he was born, and the time that he
lived, being particularly mentioned in scripture ; and therefore
the apostle could not say concerning him, as he does concern-
ing Melchizedek, that he was without father^ without mother,
"Without descent having neither heginning of days ^nor end of life;
meaning, as most expositors suppose^ that he was so, because
these were not known, or mentioned in scripture.
^dlij. It is very plain from scripture, that Shem's place of
abode was not in the land of Canaan, and therefore he could
not be said to be king of Salem, that is as it is understood by the
greatest number of expositors, of Jerusalem ', since this was the
seat of the posterity of Ham, one of Shem's brethren ; accord-
ingly from Canaan, his son, that land took its name. This evi-
dently appears fi-om what is said in Gen. x. 6—20. where the Je-
busite, Emorite, Hivite, and other inhabitants of the land of
Canaan, are said to be the descendants of Ham. For these
reasons, Melchizedek does not appear to have been Shem.
(2.) There is one learned writer, who conjectures that this
Melchizedek was Ham *, which, indeed, agrees very well with
the place of his residence : But there are other things which
render this opinion not in the least probable ; not only because
the same thing may be observed of Ham, as was before of
Shem, that he could not be said to be without father, without
mother, without beginning of years, and end of life : But it
may farther be said concerning him, that he had not received
the patriarchal benediction from Noah, his posterity having
had a curse entailed upon them, as it is said, in Gen. ix. 25.
Cursed he Canaaii. Therefore some question, whether Ham
might be reckoned a member of the church, {a) much more whe-
ther he deserved to be called a priest of the most high God, and
king of righteousness; though it is true, this author f supposes,
that Ham was not cursed by Noah, but only Canaan his son,
and his posterity ; therefore he might have been an excellent
person, and deserved the character given of Melchizedek. But
there are very few who will be convinced by this method of
reasoning ; and therefore we pass it over, and proceed to con-
sider,
(3.) That the greatest part of divines suppose, that it is not
only the safest, but most probable way of solving this difficult}-,
to confess, that it is impossible to determine who he was, and
* SeeJurieiCs critical history, vol. I. chap. 11. f See critical history, vol. I. page 110-
(a) As yet there was no church.
OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OfFICi:. 26f
that the Holy Ghost has purposely concealed this matter, from
us, that he might be a more eminent type of Christ ; and
therefore they suppose him to have beeii a certain unknown
king and priest residing at Jerusalem, at that time when Abra-
ham was met by him, and that this ought to put a full stop to
all farther enquiries about him : upon which account, it may
well be said, concerning him, that he was without father, with-
out mother, ^c. that is, these were not known ; and what does
not appear to be, is sometimes said, in scripture, not to be.
Thus concerning their opinion, who suppose that he was a
man.
Secojidlif^ There is another opinion concerning him, which
though not so commonly received as the first and third above
mentioned, which though probably it may not be without some
difficulties attending it, yet it very much deserves our conside-
ration, namely, that Melchizedek was our Lord Jesus Christ
himself, assuming, at that time, the form of a man, and per-
sonating a priest and a king, as he did on several occasions,
designing thereby to prefigure his future incarnation *(a) And
it is argued in defence of this opinion,
Ist^ That when the apostle describes him as king of Salem, he
does not hereby intend Jerusalem, or that at that time, he resided
* This opitiion is viaintcdTied by Cunmus, [Vid. ejusd. Itepub. Hebr. Lib, III.
cap. 3.] U7id some others after him.
(o) " Some insist that he is none otlier than the Son of God himself, who, as-
suming the appearance, or reality, of humanity, exhibited to Abraham an early
picture of his tuture priesthood.
" This is all over contemptible. — 1. Because every high priest is taken from
among men ; the appeararice of humanity is not enough. — 2. Because if he was at
that time a priest, and discharged the duties of his office, he mustliave " suffered
often," (twice) " from the beginning of the woi'ld;" and not " by the once of-
fering up of himself have for ever perfected them who are sanctified :" then,
moreover, Abraham would have received the promised blessing, contrary to the
scriptures : and, in fine, the appearance of the Son of God, as the Son of Mary,
was superfluous. If, to avoid those absurdities, it be alleged that though he ap-
peared as a priest, he did not discharge the duties of his office : then, in the first
place, he is tlegraded into a mere pageant, an officer without functions ; and, in
the second place, he is stripped of all typical character: for the priest who nei-
llier sacrifices, nor intercedes, can never be a tjpc of one who does both. — 3. Be-
cause, if Melchisedec was the Son of God, whether in real humanity, or only in
its appearance, he must have been a type of himself; the ideas of identity and si.
vtilarity are confounded ; and Paul histead ot saying, ap-ays/ai/zsvoc l(euiu>%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 </?f,
by which he seems to be described as immortal, and so oppos-
ed to mortal men. It is not said, that he once lived, and that we
have no mention made of the time of his death, but he liveth^
which sbme conclude to be an ascription of that divine perfec-
tion to him, whereby he is styled the living God, or, as it is*
said in one of the following verses. He ever liveth^ ver. 25. to
denote his eternal priesthood; or, as he says concerning him-
self elsewhere, I am he that liveth, and was deady and behold I
am alive for everinore^ Rev. i. 8.
Afthly, That which still makes this opinion more probable, is
the consideration of the place, where they, who defend the
other side of the question, suppose he lived, and the people to
whom he ministered as a priest, which seems not agreeable to
the character given him, as the greatest priest on earth. The
inhabitants of Jerusalem, at that time, were idolaters, or at
least, they had no relation to the church of God, which was
then seated in Abraham's family ; for, when Abraham sojourn-
ed in Gerar, not many miles distant from it, in the south-west
border of the land of Canaan, he gives this description of it,
that he thought surely the fear of God was not in this place ;
and it can hardly be supposed that Jebus, or Jerusalem, was
much better. If the Canaanites had been members of the true
church, Abraham would not have lived as a stranger and so-
journer amongst them, not desirous to converse with them.
Since therefore Jerusalem, or Salem, was inhabited by those
who were not worshippers of the true God, how could Melchize-
dek be said to be their priest, or a minister in holy things to them ?
for, though an holy man may be a king over a wicked people,
such an one cannot well be said to be a priest to those, who de-
sire not to be found in the exercise of God's true worship.
Sthh/y It seems farther probable, that Melchisedek was not
a priest, or king, whose usual place of residence was Jerusalem,
where he administered and reigned, inasmuch as we do not read
that Abraham, at any other time, conversed, or joined with him
in worship, though the place where he sojourned was but a few
CaJ He liveth for any thing' to the contrary shev/n in hi^ histojy.
Vol. II. Mm
270 OF CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE.
miles distant from it, wiiich we can hLirclly suppose that he
would have neglected to do, or that we should have had no ac-
count of any intercourse between these two men, (who must be
reckoned the greatest and best that lived on earth) besides that
mentioned in the scripture we are now considering.
Gthh/^ This may be larther argued, from what the apostle
says, that Meichisedek blessed Abraham, and infers, from
thence, that he was superior to him, inasmuch as the less is bles-
sed of the better^ Hcb. vii. 7. There are but two senses in which
a p^rsoa is said to bless another ; the one is, bv praying for a
blessing on him, or as God's messenger, signifying, that he
■would bless him ; and the other is, by conferring blessedness
upon him, or making him blessed. Now, if Meichisedek had
only blessed .Vbraham, in the former of these senses, which he
might have done, had he been a mere man, the apostle could
*not have inferred frotn hence, his superiority to Abraham ; for
the lowest of men may in this st^^nse, bless the greatest, that is,
prav for a blessing on them, and God might employ such to de-
clare to others that they arc blessed ; yet it would not follow,
from hence, that thc}^ are, in this respect, greater than them.
Meichisedek blessed Abraham, and therefore, as the apostle in-
fers, v%-as greater than him, and consequently he blessed him,
by making him blessed, or conferring some of those blessings,
which he has to bestov/, as a divine Person, the Fountain of
blessedness.
These are the most material arguments which are brought
in defence of this opinion ; from whence it seems probable, that
our Saviour on this occasion assumed the form of a Man, as he
often did, and appeared to Abraham with the mien and likeness
of a King and Priest ; as he is said elsewhere to appear to Joshua.
in the form of a warrior, with his sword drav/n in his hand, and
soon discovered to him who he was ; so we may suppose, thtit
at this time, he appeared to Abraham as a King, and a Priest,
and discovered to him who he was, and the right he had to the
spoils he had gained, of v/hich he accepted the tithes, partly, to
signify that this was to be the way in which the priesthood was
to be supported in future ages ; but principally to give herein a
type of that divine homage, which we owe to him, as the Priest
and King of his people. I will not be too tenacious of this side
of the question, but, to me, it seems the more probable, especi-
ally if what is objected against it does not weaken the force ot
the arguments brought to support it ; which is now to be con-
sidered.
Object. 1. The place of Melchisedek's residence is said to be
Salem, or Jerusalem, in the land of Canaan, where he was a king
and priest. Now this could not be said of our Lord Jesus
Christ ; for, as his kingdom was not of this world, so he never
resided, or fixed his abode in any part of it before his incarnu-
OF Christ's priestly office. 271
tion. It is true, he sometimes appeared then in the form of a
Man, or an Angel, that he might occasionally converse with
his people; yet he never continued long, or dwelt amongst them,
till he was made flesh; whereas, Meichizedek seems to be de-
iscnbed as an inhabitant ot the land of Canaan, dwellhig in Sa-
Icni, therefore it cannot be meant oi him.
Andzv. Tnis objection takes some things for granted, that
will not readily be allowed, by those who entertain the contra-
ly way of thinking, viz. that Salem is the name oi a place, and
that there he resided ; whereas it may be replied to this, that it
is rather a character of his person ; for, if Tzedek be a charac-
ter of his person, as signifying righteousness, why should it be
denied that Salem, from the Hebrew word Shidom, is also a
glorious character, belonging to his person r especially consid-
ering the apostle explains both of them in this sense, when he
says, that these words, by interpretation, are, King-ofrig-fiteoiis-
7ZCW, and King- of peace^ Hcb. vii. 2. and, if this be true, there
is no force in the other part of the objection, taken from his re-
siding in any particular place before his incarnation.
Ohject. 2. It is farther objected, that our Saviour is said to
be a Priest, after the order of Melchisedek^ chap. vii. 17. and it
is also added, that after the similitude of Melchisedek there
ariseth another Priest^ ver. 15. meaning our Saviotir; there-
fore he cannot be the same person with Melchisedek.
Ansrv. This objection is much more material than any other,
which is brought against this opinion, which, I am apt to think,
determines the sentiments of many, who give into the common-
ly received opinion concerning him : But, as it ought to be con-
sidered, whether the arguments, in defence of the other side of
the question, be conclusive ; so it may be replied to it ; that
Christ might be called a Priest, after the order of Melchisedek,
though he were the person intended by him, if we take the
words in this sense ; viz. that, by his appearing in the form of
a Priest and a King to Abraham, he afforded a type, or figure,
of what he would really be, and do, after his incarnation, and
herein gave a specimen of his Priestly and Kingly office, which
he would afterwards execute. And this might as well be said
to be a type hereof, as any of his appearances, in the form of
a man, were typical of his incarnation, which divines generally
call a prelibation thereof, which differs very little from the sense
of the word ti/pe.
As to what is said concerning another Priest, arising after
the .similitude of Melchisedek, though it may be reckoned a strong
objection against our argument ; yet let it be considered, that
aft-i^r the similitude of Melchisedek, imports the same thing as
after tl>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
nav<n,i:.T5,
OF Christ's priestly office. 27Z
ingly, we are to consider, that the satisfaction which was de-
manded by the justice of God, for the expiation of sin, must
contain in it two things ; namely,
of" God, iuul the good of the universe. In this sense, justice coinprises all moral
goodness, and properly means tlie righteousness or rectitude of God, by which
all his actions are guided, with a suin-enie regard to the greatest good. Justice,
considered in tliis view, forbids that any thing should take place in the great
plan of God, wiiich would tarnish his glory, or subvert the authority of his law.
T/urd/i/. Let us now apply these explanations to the solution of the difficulty
vinder consideration.
1. Did Christ satisfy commutative justice ? Certainly not. Commutative jus-
tice had no concern in his sufferings. Men had taken no property from God, and
consequently were under no obligation to restore any. But do not tlie scriptures
represent Christ as giving himself a ransom, and as buying his people with a
price? They do. They also represent men, while under the influence of sin, as
prisoners, slaves, captives. These expressions are all figurative, borrowed from
sensible to express moral or spiritual things, and therefore are not to te explain-
ed as if literally true. If we say thatClu-ist hath redeemed us, that he has bought
us, that he has paid the debt and discharged us — if we have any consistent mean-
ing, it must be tliis : That in consequence of what ChrLst has done, we are de-
livered from sin, in as great a consistency with justice, as a debtor is delivered
from his obligation, or the demands of law, when his debt is paid. That is, God
extends pardon in such a way, through Clirist, that he does not injure the autho-
rity of his law, but supports it as effectually as if he inflicted punishment.
2. Did Christ satisfy distributive justice.' Certainly not. Distributive justice
respects personal character only. It condemns men because they are sinners, and
rewards them because they are righteous. Their good or ill desert are the only
ground on which distributive or moral justice respects them. But good and ill
desert iU'e personal. They imply consciousness of praise or blame, and cannot be
transferred or altered so as to render tlic subjects of them more or less worthy.
What Christ did, tlierefore, did not take ill desert from men, nor did it place them
jn such a situation tliat God would act unjustly to punish them according to their
deeds. If a man has sinned, it will always remain a truth that he has sinned, and
that according to distributive justice he deserves punishment. In this sense jus-
tice admits the condemnation of Paul as much as it does of Judas. The salvation
of the former is secured, and his condemnation rendered impossible by another
consideration.
3: Did Christ satisfy public justice.' Undoubtedly he did. This is evident
from w hat has already been advanced respecting the necessity of atonement, iu
order to a consistent exercise of mercy. Christ's sufferings rendered it right and
fit, witli resjjcct to God's character and the good of the univer.se, to forgive sin.
The atonement made by Christ presented the law, the nature of sin, and the dis-
pleasure of God against it, in such a light, that no injury would accrue to the
moral system, no imputation would be against the righteousness of the great Le-
gislator, though he should forgive the sinner, and instate him in eternal felicity.
Perfect justice therefore is done to the universe, though all transgressors be not
punished according to their personal demerit. The death of Christ therefore is
to be considered as a great, imjwrtant, and puljlic transaction, resjjccting God
and tiie whole system of rational beings. Public j ustlce requires, that neither any
of these be injured, nor the character and government of the great Legislator dis-
respected, by the pardon of any. In these respects public justice is perfisctly sa-
tisfied by tlie death of Christ. This is evident from the following passages of
scripture. Uom. iii. 21; " Hut now the righteousness (rectitude or justice) of
God is manifested without the law, being witnessed by the law." Before the in-
troduction ofthe.se words, the apostle had dcmonstrnted, that the whole world,
Jews and Gentiles, were all under sin and condemnation. " Now," says he, " we
know tliat whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to them that are under the
faw, that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world become guilt j' be-
Vox. II. N n
Sr'g or Christ's priestly omCE.
1. It must be of infinite value, otherwise it would not be suf-
•ficient lo compensate for the injuries offered to the divine name
by sin, which is objectively infinite, and therefore deserves a
fore Clod." All, if treated according lo dJstnbuiive justice, must be found guilty
find condemned. " Therefore," says Paul, " by the deeds of the law shall no flesh
bt' justified." How, then, it might be inquired, can any be justified, and yet God
noi give up his law, but appear perfectiy righteous and just? The answer fol-
lows. " By the righteousness of God, which is manifested without the law, being
witnessed by the law." Rom. iii. 21. That is, the righteousness or justice of God,
■with lespect to himself and the universe, is clearly manifested, though he do not
execute the law, as to distributive justice, on transgressors, but pardon and save
them. This is so far from beitig contrary to the law, that it is witnessed by the
law. For the suffei-ings of Christ demonstrate, that God no more gives up the
penalty of the law, than if he should inflict it on the original transgressor. The
ri,<liteousness or justice manifested in this way is througli Christ; " whom," says
Paul, " God ii: til .^^et forth to be a propitiation, through fiiith in his blood." For
\V!i;itend? '• To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins." " To de-
clare at this time his righteousness (for this purpose) that he might be just, and
the justifier of him that believeth m Jesus," Jlom. iii. 25, 26. Hence it is said,
** Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to eveiy one that believeth,"
Rom. X. 4. That is, the end of the law is as fullj' answered in the salvation of
men by Clinst, as it would have been if they had never transgressed, but had ob-
tained life by perfect obedience. It is said, " If we confess our sins, lie is just to
forgive us our sins," 1 John 1.9. He is just to himself, to his law, to the uni-
verse. God styles himself" a just God,' and a Saviour." Is. xlv. 21. Hence jus-
tice and mercy harmonize in man's salvation.
From the preceding statcmentof the nature of grace and justice, it appears.
First, That atonement, and consequently the pardon of sin, have no respect to
commutative justice.
Secondly, That the sufTerings of Christ did not satisfy distributive justice,
since that respects personal character only ; and therefore, with respect to dis-
tributive justice, salvation is an act of perfect grace.
Thirdly, That Christ's sufferings satisfied public ju.stice; and therefore, with
respect to public justice, salvation is an act of perfect justice.
Thus the seeming inconsistency between full atonement for sin, and pure
grace in salvation, vanishes and disappears. The system of redemption rises in-
to vie^^ like a magnificent edifice, displaying tlie greatest order, proportion and
beauty." Dh. Maxct.
*' To reconcile gi*ace with justice in the salvation of the sinner, is the Gordian
*' knot, which divines generally have been unable to untie. Upon the principle
*' of an indefinite atonement, the difiiculty vanislics. If all the sins of a certain
" individual have been atoned for by the Redeemer, free grace will not appear in
*• his pardon ; because justice would, in that case, require his salvation. But jus-
*' tice is \\\ve&{o\(\,commvtative, distributive, 2ind. pvblic. Commutative justice has
" no concern in this case. Public justice is satisfied by the atonement, because
** the governor of the universe displays his displeasure at sin in general in the
*' sufferings of Christ. The exercise of distributive justice is entirely set aside,
" and herein is grace exhibited, the sinner is p.ardoned at the expence of distri-
" biitive justice."
" Although we have stated this argument with all the precision of which we
are capable, we must observe, that notwithstanding the show of minute discus-
sion which it makes, its whole force consists in its obscurity, and the confusion
of ideas which it produces. The indistinctness of vision which it causes, is the
only reason for any man's offering his hand to those who, by proposing it, pro-
mise to be his guide to the temple of truth.
We object to this division of a divine attribute — we object to the use which
is made of it— we object to the argument, because it multiplies, instead of solving
OF Christ's priestly office. 27^
ipunishment proportioned to it, and consequently the price de-
manded to satisfy for it, must be of equal value. The justice of
God would cast the utmost contempt on any thing that falls
difficulties — and it tukcb for graHted, what does not exist, a difficulty in recon-
ciliMj^' justice with grace.
We object to this divisionof a divine attribute. It is not correct, even as it ap-
plies to man. VVe are peri'cclly aware that the Schoolmen, following the steps of
heathen philosophers, adopted this division. Suanz btidds upon it the doctrine
ot" merit, in order to supply the faffic oi intluigences With works of supci-eroga-
tion.* But, howeyer variously divine justice may be exercised about its .several
objects, we have no reason to believe, that tliere are ihree diflerent attributes of
justice, or even that the principle in man, which induces him to act honestly in
commercial transactions, and to give to every man his due, is any way difterent
from the principle which inilueiices a good magistrate to conduct wr.h equity
his public administration. It is one principle exercised upon various objects.
The Scriptures, which uniformly ascribe righteousness to Jehovah, and afford in-
sttuues of its exercise m thrice three various ways, never intimate that there are
three distinct attinbutes of divine justice.-j-
• VVe object to the use that is made of this division. There is no reason for ex-
cluding comw^frtiiue justice any more than distributive, as distinct from public
justice, from having any reference to tlie case of the sinner's pardon. We can
readily conceive of a civil ruler, having, independently of his official duties, cer-
tain private and personal duties to discharge towards those, who, in sucii case,
are upon terms of equ,.lity with himaelf Jiut no equality exists between the crea-
ture and Creator. 'I'lie pardon of sin most assuredly approaches as near to the
forgiveness of a debt as the remission of a personal offence, which has no reference
to the divine authority. Sin is a tuant ofconforviity unto, or a transgression of tor
■LAW.i Besides, the Scriptures frequently represent .lehovah condescending to
act towards men upon the footing of a previously existing contract or covenant,
but never upon the footing o*' private relation, setting aside Ins authority. He
hath taught us to pray, •' Forgive us our debts ;" but never to say, " pardon pri-
vate oflences which are no transgression of thy law." We cannot even conceive
of the exercise of distributive justice by tlie Lord, separate from his authority as
our king, our lawgiver, and our judge. We cannot conceive, that it is matter of
indifference whether God does or does not exercise distributive justice towards
his creatures ; and much less can we admit that even, for the sake of mercy, he
is ever guilty of one act of distributive injustice. We, therefore, object to the use
which is made of this threefold division of the attribute of justice. And we also,
Object to the wliole argument which it involves, because it multiplies instead
of solving difficulties around the doctrine of the sinner's justification.
It requires us to believe that God has violated, or set aside the demands ot
distributive justice m the salvation of his chosen— that the sufferings of our Re-
deemer were the punishment, not of transgressions which are, in tact, commit-
ted, but of sin in the abstract— and that public justice requires only an exhibition
of llie divine displeasure at sin.
Sin, in the abstract, is only a word. Like an algebraical character, it repre-
sents all the transgressions of individual persons. These particular sins are reali-
ties; but sin in general, or in tlie abstract, is only the sign, the word, which we
employ in reasoning.§ It is not for the sign, but the ihmg that Jesus suffered.
• See Owen on Jus. chap. ii.
t "Were this the proper place, it would be easy to show, l.y a criticism on the best writers
upon this subject, th.t their definitions of commutative, distributive, and public lustice inter
tere, .ind are otherwise essentially incorrect." ' "-»
■ I Shorter C^irechi'.ni.
, } •• Did wc deem it eli»;il>le 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, <fw, tts/k, vvip, and <t;^i ., <r»* and T^tft refer to the occasion and cause
of Christ^s death, to wit, our sins : Thus it is said, in Horn. iv. 25. Who was de-
livered tor our offences, Oj 7tmfti:%fn t% Trst^rrluf/.sLU ny.cty ; and, in 1 I'ct. iii. IS.
288 OF CHRI5T''3 rRlESTLY OiriCE.
That Christ died, in this sense, for his people, farther ap-
pears, Irom his being therein said to bear their sins, as the a-
postle expresses it, Who his own self bare our sins in his own,
body on the tree., 1 Pet. ii. 24. and elsewhere it is said. He
tvas wounded for our transgressions^ he was bruised for our ini-
quities; the chastisement of our peace xvns upon him^ and with
his stripes we are healed; and the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquitif of us all ; He is bronght as a lamb to the slaughter^ he
was cut off' out of the land of the living ; for the transgressions
of niij people was he stricken, Isa. liii. 5 — 8. all which expres-
sions plainly denote that he suiFered that which was due to
them, or that he died in their room and stead.
And this he is farther said to do, in a sense, in which none
but he ever died for any other, and therefore much more must
be understood by it, than his dying for the good of mankind.
The apostle speaking of this matter, opposes Christ's sufferings
tb his own, with respect to the end and design thereof, when
he saith ; IFas Paul crucified for you, 1 Cor. i. 13. which is as
though he should say, it is true, I have suffered many things
for the church's advantage : yet it would be a vile thing for
you to entertain the least surmise, as though my suffering were
endured with the same view that Christ suffered ; for he died
as a sacrifice for sin, that he might give a price of redemption
to the justice of God, which no one else ever did.
Object. 1. It is objected, to what hath been said in defence
of Christ's dying in our room and stead, inasmuch as he bare
our iniquities, that these expressions denote nothing else but
his taking them away, which he might do, if he had not died in
our room and stead. Thus we have an explication of that scrip-
ture before mentioned, which speaks of Christ's bearing our
iniquities, v/herein it appears that nothing is intended thereby
but his taking av/ay some afflictions we were liable to; as it
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, n«»; A/uaprMv eru&i : a?id, in this case, his
substitution in oiir rootn unci stead is principu'hi argued, fro7n its being for our sins,
for -wliich death iixis diie. ^'Is for vref, luhenevcr it refers to Christ's ■n^ffeiings, it
plainly sigvifes Ids being substituted in our room and stead ; as /nRom. v. 6. Christ
died vrt^i aaiQttv, for tlie ungodly; and, in Tit. ii. li. "Who gave himself for us.
Of fJifKfv itvla vTTSf ««*!'. .ifid this is not only used in the J^few Testament to signi-
fij the subsiitution of the person dying in the room of another, qr, in other itistances,
acting in his stent!; as in 2 Car. v. 20. Phil, ver. 13. but it is takeji in the same
sense li^hen used in otiier writers, Vid. Euripid in Alctst, (j.r\ bvit<r^ wtp rts /' nvSpocy
mid Dancsth. in Corott. tyw Tvb' -jntp ck vunce>> ■■, 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. <k SatiffiCt. Christ, cap. 9.
OF Christ's priestly office. 289
is said, upon the occasion of his casting out devils^ and healing
all that -were sick^ that this was done that it might be fuljilledy
•which xvas spoken by Esaias the prophet^ sayings Himself took
cur injirmities^ and bare ovr sicknesses^ ^l?it. viii. 16, 17. which
he might be said to do, without his dying to satisfy the justice
of God for us in our room and stead.
Atisw. There are two things to be considered in the death
gf Christ, which, though distinct, are not to be separated ; one
is, his beaiiug those griefs, sorrows, or punishments, that were
due to us for sin ; the other is, his taking them away, as the
effect and consequence of his having born or answered for
them ; and the design of the prophet Isaiah, in his liii. chap-
ter, is to shew that Christ did both these, as appears by seve-
ral expressions therein; accordingly when he is said, in ver. 4.
To have borne our griefs^ and carried our sorrows^ both these
.senses are to be applied to it ; one of which is explained by the
apostle, in 1 Pet. ii. 24. Who his own self bare our szjis in his
own body on the tree ; and the evangelist, in the text under our
present consideration explains these words of the prophet in
both senses, when he saith. Himself took our infirmities^ and
bare our sicknesses^ that is, he submitted to give satisfaction for
them, and, as the consequence thereof, healed those diseases
v/hich vre were liable to, as the fruit of sin. The objection
therefore taken from this scripture, against the doctrine we are
maintaining, is of no force ; for though Christ took away those
miseries, which were the effects and consequences of sin, it doth
not follow that he did not do this, by making satisfaction for it.
Object. 2. There are other ends of Christ's dying for us,
mentioned in scripture, where though the same mode of speak-
ing be used, different ends are said to be attained thereby, from
that of his giving satisfaction to the justice of God : Thus it is
said, that he gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us
from this present evil -worlds Gal. i. 4. that he might purify un-
to himself a peculiar people^ zealous of good works^ Tit. ii. 14.
and that he might hereby leave us an example that we shoidd fol-
low his steps, 1, Pet ii. 21. and that he might acquire to him-
self some additional circumstances of glory, thus it is said. He
died, and rose and revived, that he might be Lord, both of the
dead and living, Rom. xiv. 9. These, and such-like ends, are
said to be attained by Christ's death, which do not argue that
he died in our stead, but only for our advantage.
And to this it may be added, that others are represented as
suffering for the church, as well as Christ, namelv, for their
good, where there is no difference, in the mode of speaking,
from that other scripture, in which Christ is said to die for us.
Thus the apostle saith, / rejoice in my suj^erings for you, CoT.
'. 24. and this he explains elsewhere, when he speaks of his
290 OF Christ's priestly office,
being afflicted for the church's consolation and salvation^ 2
Cor. i. 6.
Jnsrr. We do not deny but that there are other ends designed
by Christ's sufferings and death, besides his giving satisfaction
to divine justice, Avhich are tlie result and consequence thereof;
therefore we must consider him as dying in our stead, and theu
the fruits and effects, which redound to our advantage; one is
so far trom being inconsistent with the other, that it is neces-
saiy to it; and, in some of the scriptures but now mentioned,
both these ends are expressed, the former being the ground and
reason of the latter ; as when it is said, He gave iivmelf for
our si?is, that he might deliver us from this present evil xvorld:
the meaning is, he first made satisfaction for sin, and then, as
the consequence thereof, in the apphcation of redemption, he
designed to deliver us from the evils we are exposed to in this
world ; and when, in another scripture before-mentioned, the
apostle speaks of Christ' s purifying unto himself a peculiar peo-
ple^ zealous of good ivorks^ he mentions this not as the chief,
much less as the only design of his giving himself for his peo-
ple ; but it is said, he did this first, that he might redeem
them from all iniquity^ namely, by giving a satisfaction to jus-
tice for them, and then, that having redeemed, he might purify
them to himself; and when it is said, that he died^ that he
might he Lord^ both of the dead and livings the meaning is, that
he might purchase that dominion which he hath over them as
Mediator ; or that having satisfied divine justice for them, as
a Priest, he might, have dominion over them as a King ; so
that these two ends are not inconsistent with each other, and
therefore the latter doth not destroy the former.
And as for that scripture, in which the apostle speaks of his
sufferings for the church, or for their co7isolation and salvation^
we may observe, that he doth not say that he suffered for them,
much less, in their room and stead, or as a propitiation to
make reconciliation, that hereby he might promote their con-
solation and salvation, as Christ did ; much less is it said of
any besides him, that he gave his life a ransom for them^ which
is an expression peculiar to himself, wherein his death is re-
presented as a price of redemption for them *.
3. T."hat Chrit.t died in our room and stead, and consequent-
ly designed hereby to give satisfaction to the justice of God
for our sin, appears from liis death's being typified by the sacri-
fices under the ceremonial law, which, it is ])lain, were substi-
tuted in the room of the offender, for whom they were offered.
We read of the priesfs layijig his hand on the head of the sa-
C7'ifice, a7id confessing over it the inif/uiiies oi^ those for whom it
was offered, upon which occasion it is said to have born them.,
* See the note immediatelii precceding.
OF Christ's priestly office. 2^1
Lev. xvi. 21, 22. And the consequence thereof was their being
dischuged from the guiit which they had contracted, which is
called, making atonement for sin. Now that tKis was a type of
Clirist's making satisfaction for our sins, by his death, is evi-
dent, inasmuch as the apostle having spoken concerning this
ceremonial oi'dinance, applies it to him, when he saith, that
Christ xuas once offered to bear the sins of many ^ Heb. ix. 28-
And elsewhere, when referring to the sacrijice of the Lord's
passovcr^ as the paschal lamb was styled, Exod. xii. 27. He
sa}'b that Christ our Passover is sacrificed for iis^ 1 Cor. v. /.
And, as such, he is said to be made sin for xis^ xvho knexv no siUy
that xve might be made the righteousness of God in him^ 2 Cor.
V. 21. And as they who were ordained to perform this service,
are called priests, Christ, as typified thereby, is so styled.
I \n\ sensible it will be objected, that the sacrifices under the
ceremonial law were not instituted with a design to typify
Christ's death ; which would hardly have been asserted by any,
as being so contrary to the sense of many scriptures, had it not
been thought necessary to support the cause they maintain.
But, having said something concerning this before, in consider-
ing the origin of the cerenwnial law *, I shall only add, that
it is very absurd to suppose that God appointed sacrifices not
as types of Christ, but to prevent their following the custom of
the Heathen, in sacrificing to their gods, and that they did not
take their rites of sacrificing from the Jews, but the Jews from
them ; and God, foreseeing that they would be inclined to fol-
low their example herein, indulged them as to the matter, and
only made a change with respect to the object thereof, in ordain-
ing, that, instead of offering sacrifice to idols, they should offer
if to him. But this runs counter to all the methods of pro\'i-
dence in the government of the church, which have been so far
from giving occasion to it to symbolize with the religion of the
Heathen, in their external rites of worship, that God strictly
forbade all commerce with them. Thus Abraham was called
out of Ur of the Chaldees, an idolatrous country, to live in the
land of Canaan, and thci'e he was to be no other than a stran-
ger, or sojourner, that he might not, by too great familiaritv
with the inhabitants thereof learn their ways. And afterwards
the Jews were prohibited from having any dealings with the E-
gyptians ; not because civil commerce was unlawful, but lest
this should give occasion to them to imitate them in their rite.s
of worsiiip J to prevent which, the muitiplying horses was for-
bidden, Deut. xvii. 16. upon which occasion the church saith,
in Hos. xiv. 3. We ivill not ride upon horses, neither xvill ive say
any more to the xvork of our hands, T'e are our gods, that is, wc
Tivill not do any thing that may be a temptation to us to joiu
292 OF Christ's priestly office.
with the Egyptians, or other Heathen nations, in their idolatry ;
therefore certainly God did not ordain sacrifices in compliance
with the Heathen, but to typify Christ's death.
Thus we have endeavoured to prove that Christ gave satis-
faction to the justice of God for sin, as he was a true and pro-
per sacrifice for it. I might, for the farther strengthening of
this argument, have proved, that the end of Christ's death, as-
signed by the Socinians, namely, that he might make atonement
for sin, can hardly be reckoned an expedient to confirm any doc-
trine ; for there are many instances of persons having laid down
their lives to confirm doctrines that have been false, and nothing
more is proved hereby, but that the person believes the doctrine
himself, or else is under the power of delusion or distraction ;
whereas a person's believing the doctrine he advances is no evi-
dence of the truth thereof: and as for our Saviour's confirming
his doctrines, that was sufficiently done by the miracles which
he wrought for that end. And indeed, were this the only end
of Christ's dying, I cannot see how it differs from the death of
the apostles, and other martyrs, for the sake of the gospel ;
whereas Christ laid down his life with other views, and for
higher ends, than any other person ever suffered.
And to this we may add, that if Christ died only to confirm
his doctrine, or, as it is farther alleged, by those whom we op-
"pose, that herein he might give us an example of submission to
the divine will and patience in suffering, this would have been
no manner of advantage to the Old Testament saints ; for Christ
could not be an example to them, nor were the doctrines, which
they pretend he suffered to confirm, such as took place in their
time. Therefore Christ was no Saviour to them, neither could
they reap any advantage by what he was to do and suffer ; nor
could they have been represented as desiring and hoping for
his coming, or, as it is said of Abraham, rejoicing to see his day.,
John viii. 56. and if we suppose that they were saved, it must
have been without faith in him. According to this method of
reasoning, they not only militate against Christ's being a pro-
per sacrifice ; but render his cross of none effect, at least to thero.
that lived before his incarnation ; and his death, which was the
greatest instance of love that could be expressed to the children
of men, not absolutely necessary to their salvation, (a)
(n) " The judicious, whether Trinitarians, or Unitarians, have always acknow-
ledged an intimate connexion between the doctrine of Christ's true Godhead, and
tliat of his satisfaction for sins; as botii must be at once confessed, or denied. !f
he by his siiiferings could satisfy the avenging- justice of God for the sins of all
believers ; then he bel\oved to be more than any creature. If on the contrar}-, such
a thing was not necf ssary, then no other end coold be so important, that for it
(iod should empty himsclt^ and " assuming the form of a servant, become obe-
dient to the death of the cross."
Hut the tnith of Christ's satisfaction is cantarmad in thp. TflrAof 0«d by so
OF Christ's priestly office. 295
Object. Before we close this head, we shall consider an ob-
jection generally brought against the doctrine of Christ's satis-
faction, namely, that he did not undergo the punishment due
many testi monies, and these of the clearest kind, that tliose of another opinion,
findliiemselves under a necessity lo give even' where to these passages an arbi-
tran- sense ; so feeble, impriper, and f<ii'-fetched, thul by such a strain of inter-
pretation, people are in danger of turning from all the doctrines of the Bible and
of .pronouncing it the most uncertain of all doctrinal books, and the most ready
to mislead. On this subject much has been written ^^'e shall only observe the
following things as suitable to our purpose.
In the course of Christ's prophetic teaching upon earth, we find evident proofs,
that he had appeared not only i<)r that end, but ch.efly for a very different jjur-
pose, namely, to suffer and to die; that bc-ing a saving work, and of the utmost
necessity He declared that he came to minister, and 10 give his life a ransom for
many. .VIore than once he informed his disciples, that by a bitter and a most
hurr'.'ding kind of sutfering, which hung over his head, that which was written
concenv ig him, behoved to be accomplished.
Mi-. c.rcum.stances and manner of acting were wholly directed to that end.
The joyful solemnizing of his birth, by a retinue of spirits immortal and enthro-
ned, -.vas heard by good witnesses indeed, but of low degree, and few in number;
and kVJth some express testimonies on earth, during his quiet education in a re-
mote arnl contemptible town, titey were almost gone out of mind. His heavenly con-
secri'.'on was shown to John only; his glor.ficaiLion on the mount, only to thi-ee of
his followers, of which he forbade tliem to speak till after his resurrection, or to
make him known every where as Christ. Several times he commanded not to
propagate the cures lie had wrought. Ofien his preaching was involved and figu-
rative, more adapted to inflame ^xt great against him, than to unite the maiiy in
his favours. Yet his greatness could not be wholly unknown, and when men
would have exalted him, he shunned it. By all these things, the judgment and
the confidence of the people concerning him, was muih more vague and unsta-
ble, than even concerning liis austere forerunner. — In one word, his ministry was
so conducted as might best serve, not to prevent, but to pave the way for his far-
ther suffering and deatii, while the clearer and more extensive spi-ead of his doc-
trine, and thereby at the same time, the publication of his death and his glory,
behoved to be the work of the apostles in his name.
That Christ suffered and died for the good of his church, is without contro-
versy ; so also did the apostles. But was any of them crucified for us, as was
Christ } To say this, would in Paul's judgment be the utmost absurdity. What
then hath the Saviour done, which no other did ? — " He was delivered for our of-
fences." " He suffered for our sin, the just for the unjust; that he might bring
us to God." He •' died for our sins." " The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth ua
ftom all sin." — -And so indeed, tiiat he delivered us from sin, by taking it upon
himself. For he w ho neither had nor knew sin, was of God made to be sin for us,
that we might Ik' tlie righteousness of God in him. He " bare our sins in his own
body upon the tree." " Behold, said John, the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sin of the wdrlil." \nii\\o\v does \v^ take it away ? By his death. For to say
a lamb takes away sin, is not sense, if thciv lie not an allusion to the Paschal
Lamb, or to otiier sacrificed lambs, wliich were to be slain according to the law.
" Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." " Yc are redeemed by the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot." — He put him-
self in our pl.ice, fulfilled for us the demands of God's holy law, and for us satis-
fied his inflexible justice. Why, pr.ay, of all men, of all the saints, of all the most
excellent teachers, wa» Christ only free from all moral ihipurity .'Asa Prophet,
this was not absolutely necessary for him ; but necessary it was that he, being to
fulfil the law for others, should have no need to satisfy for his o^^-n sin. " God
sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and that for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh ; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." Cod sent
forth his Son made under the law, to redeem them who were under the law."^
Vol. II. P p
294 OF Christ's priestly office.
for our sins, because he did not suffer eternally ; nor were his
sufferings attended with that despair, and some other circum-
stances of punishment, which sinners are liable to in the other
world.
The apostle confirms this in the clearest manner, giving us at the same time, a
notable sign of tlie remarkable curse in the death of Christ. It is written, " Cur-
sed IS every one, who continueth not in all things which are written in the book
of the law to do them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being
made a curse for us : for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangeth on a tree."
Tliis important doctrine is incidcated on us in many places, under the notions
of a purchase, a ransom, a propitiation, and a testament ; by which the virtue and
the efficacy, of Christ's deatli are elucidated. Let it not be objected, that these
phrases are borrowed from other things, and therefore to be understood in an
improper and figurative sense. A figurative sense is not however, no sense at all,
or without sense ; but serves to make profound subjects more comprehensible to
a common understanding.
1. .f Purchase. Believers in their soul and their body are God's, " because
they are bought with a price ;" they are the church of the Lord God, which he
hath purchased with his own blood. The song unto the Lamb runs, " Thou wast
slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood ;" which strongly indicates,
that their salvation is to be ascribed to the merits of his bloody death.
2. A Ransom. In the New Testament, the word deliverance is often used in
translating one, which properly signifies a redemption, or ransom. Thus it is writ-
ten, *• ye were redeemed from your vain conversation, not by corruptible things,
as silver or gold, but by the precious blood of Christ." This redemption is ex-
plained by the forgiveness of sins. It is, therefore, his blood and death, where-
with he made payment, in order to procure our discharge from the debt of sin.
He came " to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." — t.vrfm. Matt. xs.
28. and Avrtwrpov. 1 Tim. ii. 6.
3. A Propitiation. Sometimes this in the Greek is called etTroKetretxxefy}!, (con-
ciliatio) that is, a reconciliation. Accordingly, believers are now reconciled to
God by the death of his Son ; by his cross ; by the blood of his cross, and in the
body of his flesh through death. " God was in Christ reconciling the world to
himself:" which is farther explained, " not imputing their trespasses to them."
— Bat it is also culled a pi'opitiation, in the translation of /xa<r|Mof, (expiatio) used
concerning the victims which were anciently slain, as a typical propitiation in
place of the guilty. So now Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our
shis. . For God " sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins." God hath set him
forth to be a propitiation through faitli in his blood, for a demonstration of his
nghteousness, by (or rather because of J the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, " the
Lamb of God hath so taken away the sms of the world," that he took them upon
himself, that he bare them, that he died In the place of his people.
4. >'? 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 ,Mediat<ir.
Although in the present stage of the subject, in which we are concerned with
the objections of the deist, the argument should be confined to the deductions
of natural reason ; yetlhave atldedthis instance from Revelatior', ljec;tuse, strange
to say, some who assume the name of Christians, and profess not altogether to
discard the written word of Revelation, adt;pt the very principle whicli we have
just examined. For what are the doctrines of that description of Christians, in
the sister kingtlom, * who glory in having brought <lown the high things of God
to the level of man's understanding? Thai Christ was a person sent into the world
to promulgate the will of God : to communicate new lights on the snbject of re-
ligious duties : by his life to set an example of perfect obedience : by his deatU
to manifest his sincerity : and by his resurrection to convince us of the great
truth winch lie had been commissioned to teach, our rising again to future life.
This, say they, is the sum and substance of Christianity. It furnisiies a purer
morality, and a more operative enforcement : its morality more pure, as built oji
juster notions of the divine nature : and its enforcement more operative, as found-
ed on a certainty of a state of retribution. And is then Chr'stiaaity nothing bi.;t
' England.
Vol. II. Q q
805 OF Christ's priestly oftice.
not die, in this respect, for all the world, since to assert this
would be to argue that all men shall be saved, which every
one supposes contrary to the whole tenor of scripture.
an^w and more formul proinuigalion of ihe religion of nature? Is tlie dt^avhof
Christ but an attestation of his truth ? And are v.e, after all, left to our own me-
rit for acceptance : and ubliged to trust for our salvation to the perTcction of our
obedience ? Then indeed, has the g'leut Author of our religion in vasn subinitted
to tiie Jig'onies of the cross ; if after having given to m:inkind a hiw, which leaves
them less excusable in their transgressions, he has left them to be judged by the
rigour of that law, and to stand or fall by their own personal desei-ts.
It is said, indeed, th it as b\- tliis new dispensation, the certainty of pardon on
repentfi"iCe has been rrade known, mankind has been ii;formed of all that is es-
sential in the doctrine ot mediation. Btit graniing that no more was intended to
be conveyed, than the sufficiency of repentance; ATt it remanis to be considered
in riffiat -way thai repentance was likely to be brought abovit. U as the bare de-
claration thi't God would forgive tlie repentant sinner, sufficient to ensure his
amendment ? Or was 't not rather calcidated to render him easy under guilt,
from ihe facility of reconciliation ? What was there to alarm, to rouse the smucr
fi'om the apathy of habitual transgression ? V.'liat was there to make that im-
pression which the nature of God's moral government demands ? Shall we say
that tlie grateful sense of divine mercy would be sufficient; and ihat the gene-
rous feelings of our nature, awakened by the supreme goodness, wuuld liave se-
cured our obedience ? that is, shall we say. that the love of virtue and of right
would have maintained man in his allegiance? And have we not then had abun-
dant experience of wliat man can do, wlien left to his own exertions, to be cured
of such vuin and idle fancies ? What is the '.ustory of man, from the creation to
tiie time of Christ, but a continued trial of his natural strength ? And what has
been the morul uf that history, but that man is strong, only as he feels liimself
we.>k ? 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 ordaine<l this method, v, l:ci'eb\, in a manner
consistent with his attributes, his fallen creatures might be agaln'taken into his
Vol. II. R r
si© ©F Christ's priestly office.
should be a price for them, Avhich is the result of, the infinite
value oi ic ; therefore,
4. The main question before us is, whether God designed
favour, on 'clicir nuikins^ themstlves parties in this great sacrifice: that is, on
their comply-ng witli those conditions, which, on the received notion of sacrifice,
woiild render them parties in this; namely, an adequate conviction oF guilt, a
pri-porWonate sense of God's love, and a firm deteimination, with an iiumble
fa. til in the suffic.encv ot'tiiis sacrifice, to endeavour after a In'e of amendment
and obedience ? Thus mucli falls within the reach <)f our compreliension on this
mysterious subject. Whetlier in the expanded range of God's moiai govern-
nii.nt, some otlier end may not be held in view, in the death of his only begot en
Soil, It is not for us to enquire ; nor does it in any degree concern us : what God
hus been pleased to reveal, it is alone our duty to believe.
One remarkable c>numstance indeed there is, in which the sacrifice of Christ
differs from ail those .sacr.fic<s which were oft'ered under the law. Our blessed
Lord was not only tlie Svbji^ct of the ofTenng, but the Priest who ofiered it.
Therefore he has become not only a sacrifice, but an intercessor ; his interces-
sion being founded upon this voluntary act of benevolence, by which he offered
himself 'uithoiit spot to God We are not only then in virtue of the sacrifice, for-
given ; b:.t in vii-tue of the intercession admitted to favour and grace. And thus
the scripture notion of tlie sacrifice of Christ, includes every advant:;ge, which
the advocates for the pure hitercession, seek from their scheme of redemption.
But it also contains others, which tliey necessarily lose by the rejection of that
notion. It contains the great advantage of impressing mankind w itli a dite sen.se
of their guilt, b) compelling a comparison with the immensity of \he sacrifice
made to redeem them from its effecis. It contains that, in short, which is the
soul and substance of all Christian virtue — Humiutt. And the fact is plainly
this, that n every attempt to get rid of the scripture doctrine of atonement, we
find feelings of a description opposite to this evangelic quality, more or less to pre-
vail : we find a fondness for tiie opmion of man's own sufficiency, and an unwil-
lingness to submit with devout and implict reverence, to the sacred word of
revelation.
In the mode of inquii-y which has been usually adopted on this subject, one
prevailing error deserves to be noticed. The nature of sacrifice, as generally
practised and understood, antecedent to the time of Clirist, has been first exami-
ned; and from that, as a ground of explanation, the notion of Christ's sacrifice
has been derived : whereas, in fact by this, all former sacrifices are to be inter-
preted ; and in reference to it only, cv.n they be understood. From an error so
fundamental, it is not wonderful that the greatest perplexities should have arisen
concerning the nature of sacrifice in general; and that tliev should ultimately
fall with cumulative confusion on the nature of that particular sacrifice, to the
investigation of which fanciful and mistaken theories had been assumed as
guides. Thus, whilst some have presumptuously attributed the e:u-ly and uni-
versal practice of sacrifice, to an irrational and superstitious fear of an imagined
sanguinary divinit\ ; and have been led in defiance of the express language of
revelation, to reject and ridicule the notion of sacrifice, as originating only in
the grossness o( superstition : others, not equally destitute of reverence for the
sacred word, and consequently not treating this solemn rite with equal cVisre-
spect. liave yet ascribed its origin to human invention ; and have thereby been
compelled to account for the divine institution of the Jewish sacrifices as a mere
accommodation to prevailing practice; and consequently to admit, even the sa-
ci'ifice of Christ itself to have grown out of, and been adapted to, this creature
of human excogitation.
Of this latter class, the theories, as might be expected, are various. Jn one,
sacrifices ai-e represented in the light o? gifts, intended to sooth and appease the
Supreme Being, in like manner as they are found to conciliate the favour of men :
in another, they are considered i\s federal rites, n kind of eating and drinking with
God, as it were at his table, and thereby implying the being restored to a state
OF Christ's PRIESTLY OFFICE. 311
the salvation of all mankind by the death of Christ,' or whether
he accepted it as a price of redemption for all, so that it might
be said that he redeemed some who shall not bt saved by him ?
ot'tr.Liulship \vitl» luiii, by repentance and confession of sins -. in a third, tlitv are
descriucd as hut sifinboUcul actions, or a more expressive language, Uenot'.ng' the
giMtitndc of the ofiertr, In sucli as are eucharistlcal ; and in those that are expia-
tor ■, the acknuvvledg'nient of, and contrition ibr sin strongly expressed by the
death of the animal, representing- that death which the ofl'erer contessed to be
his own tlesert
To these different li\TDoiheses, which in the order of their enumeration, claim
respectively tlie names of Spencer, Sykes, aitd H'uvbitrtoii, it m-AX generally be re-
phcc'., that lhe/«c< of \bel's sacrifice seems iiKonsisient with them ail : w itli the
fiisi, iiiusmuch as it must have been antecedent to those distinctions of property,
on wliici) alone experience of the effects of gifts upon men could liave been found-
ed: witli the second, inasmuch as it took place several ages prior to that period,
at Avhich both the words of scripture, and the opinions of the wisest coninienta-
tors have fixed tiie permission of animal food to man : with the third, inasmuch
as the lang-iiage, wh;cli scripture expressly states to have been derived to our
first parents from divine instruction, cannot be supposed so detective in those
terms that related to the woi-ship of God, as to have rendered it necessary for
Abel to call m ihe aid of actions, to express the sentiment of gratitude or sor-
i-ow; and still less l:kely is it that he would have resorted to that species of ac-
tion, wliich in the eye of reason, must have ivppeared displeasing to God, the
sla'jgiiter of an unoffeiiding- animal.
_ To wgc tiiese topics of objection in their full force, ag-ainst the several theo-
ries 1 have mentioned, would lead to a discussion far exceeding the due limits of
a discourse from this place. 1 therefore dismiss them for the present. Nor shall
I, in refutation o\' Xh^- general idea of the human invention of sacrifice, enlarge
upon tlie Mwwrsa//^^ of the practice ; the sameness oi' the notion of its efficacy,
pervading nations and ages the most remote; and the unreasonbleness of suppo-
sing any n.itural connexion between the slaying of an animui, and the receiving
pardon for the violation of God's laws, — all of which appear decisive against
that idea. But, as both the general idea and the particular thei;ries which have
endeavoured to reconcile to it the nature and origin of sacrifice, have been caused
by a departure from the true and only source uf knowledge ; let us return to that
sacred tbuntain, and whilst we endeavour to establish the genuine scripture
notion of sacrifice, at the same time provide the best refutation of every other.
It requires but little acquaintance with scripture to know that the lesson
which it every where inculcates, is, that man i)v disobedience had fallen under
the displeasure of his Maker; that to be reconciled to his favour, and restored
to tiie means of acci-ptable obedience, A Redeemer was appointed, and that this
Redeemer laid down his life to procure for repentant sinners forgiveness and ac-
ceptance. This surrender of life has been called by tlie sacred writers a sacri-
fice; and the end attained by it, expiation or atoneriaent. U'lth such as have been
desirous to reduce Christianity to a mere moral system, it has been a tiivourite
object to represent this sacrifice as entirely figurative founded only in aUusion
and similitude to the sacrifices of the law ■ wl'iereas, that this is spoken of by
the saci-ed writers, as a real and proper sacrifice, to which tliose under the law-
bore respect but as tj'pes or shadows, is evident from various passages of hoh'
writ, but more particularly fi-om tJie epistle to the Hebrews ; in \\liicli it is ex-
pressly said, that the law having a shadow of gvod things to come, can nexer -.vith
those sacrifices rJach theij offered year by year continually, make the comem there
unto perfect ,—bnt this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat
dor^sn on the right hand of God. And again, when the writer of tins ep.stle speaki
of the high-pnest entering into the holy ofliolies with the blood of the sacrifice,,
he asserts, that this was a figure for t'/ie time then present, in which were offered
both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him (hat did the serrice perfect ; but
i'hvif! being rtme. ern high priest of gnoe^ f'-<iirr, '-. rn,ne t v<jt. k/i th-i bhod af'qntrfa
312 OF CIlRISl's PRIESTLV 6iilCL,
This is afHrmcd by many, who mnintain universal redt;mpt!on,
which wc mast aike iedve to deny. And they farther add, as
an V x])lication hfjreoi, that Christ died that he might put all
wid calves, bvi by tvs own diuod, he entered once into the holy place, havvng- obtained
eternal redempt/onfo;' iis ,-for, he adds, ifi/ie blood of bulls arid of goats sanctifietk
to tlie purifiiiiig- of the JJeah, hoxu much more shall the blood of i^hrist, mho through,
the eternal Spirit, offered himsefivilliout npot to God, purge your conscience from
(lead toorks to aci-ve the living God? It mast be Uiincccisary to detuil more of
thf iva.nerous passai^es wiacii go to prove that the s.icr fice of Christ was a true
and efTective saci-.fice, whilst those of the law wore but faint representations,
and inadequate cop.cs, intended f -r its introduction.
Now, i the sacrin<:es of the Laio appear to have been but preparations for this
one great sacifice, we are natuivily led to c:)nsider whether the same may not
be asserted of sacrifice from tlie beg'niung: and whetlier we are not warranted
by scripture, in pronouncing' the entire rite to hare been ordained by God, as a
type of that oxe sACHtFicE, ui which all others were to have ditiir consummation.
Tliat the institution was of lilvme ordinance, may, ;n the first instance, be rea-
Sonublv inf':;rred from the strong and sensible attestation of the divine acceptance
of sacrifice ui the case of Abel, again m that of Noah, afterwards m tiiat of \bra-
liam, and also ft oin tlie systematic establishment or it by the same divine antlio-
rity. 111 the dispensation of Moses. An*! whether we consider the book of Job as
the production of Vloscs ; or of that pious wonslupper of the true Cod, among
the descendanls of Abraham, whose name it be. rs ; or of seme other person wiio
lived a short time after, and composed it from tjie materials left by Job lumself;
the representation there made of God, as prescribing sacrifices to the friends of
Job, in every supposition exhibits a strong authority, and of high antiquity, upon
this question.
These few facts, \vhich I have stated, unaided by any comment, ami abstract-
ing altogether from the arguments which embarrass the contrary hypothesis,
arid to whicli I have already alluded, might perhaps be sufficient to satisfy an in-
quiring and candid mind, that sacrifice must have had its origin in ditine IjV-
.sTi'f rnoy. But if in addition, this nte, as practised in thi' earliest ages, shall
be found connected v;ith the sacrifice of Chnst, confessedly of divine appoint-
ment; little doubt can reasonably remain on ihis head. Let us then examine
more partica'.'."ly the circumscance of the first sacrifice oifered up by Abel.
It IS clear from the words of scnpture, that both Gain and Abel m.ade obla-
tions to tlie l/3rd. It IS clear also, notwithstanding the well known tanclful inter-
prrtatiim of an eminent comiiientator, that Abel's was an animal sacrifice. It is
no less clear, that Abel's was ac(:epted, whilst that of Gain was rtjecied. Now
wliat could have occasioned the distinction ? The acknowkdgujent of the Su-
preme Being and of ins universal dominirm, was no less strong in the ofiermg- of
the fruits of the earth by (.'am, than m tliat of the firstlings of the flock by .Abel;
the intrinsic efficacy of the gift must have been the same m each, each giving of
tJie best that lie possessed; the expression of gratituile, er|ually significant and
forcible in both. How then is tiie diiference to lie exijlametl .' If v.e look to tlic
writer to the Hebrews, he informs us, that ihe ground on winch Abel's oblation
was jireferred to that ot Gain, was, that Abel olfeied his m faith ; and the crite-
lion of this faith also appears to have been, in the opinion of tlws writer, the ani-
mal sacrifice. ')'he words are remarkable — Hy fiith .Ibel offered ttnto God a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain, by yvhich he obtained tvitness that he w«,9 righteojt'j,
God testifying of his gifts. The words liere translated, a more excellent sacrifice,
are in an early version rendered a much more sacrifice, whicli phr,ise, though un-
couth in f jrm, adequately bonveys the original. The meaning then is, that by
faith -\bel offered th;it wh.ch was much more of the true nature of sacrifice tiian
what had been offered by C.iin. .Abel consequently was directed by faith, and
tins faith wai manifested m the nature of his .tTer..ng. What then are we to in-
fer.' — Without some revelati.in granted, sonic assiuance held out as t'le object
t).f faith, Abd could not have exercised this virtue ; and without some peculiar
OF Christ's priestly office* 31S
men into a solvable state, or procure a possibilit}' of salvatioa
for them ; so that many mijjht obtain it, by a right improve-
ment of his death, who shall faU short of it ; and also that it
mode of siici'ifice enjoined, he could not havci exemplified his faith by an appro-
priiile offering. The offering made, we have already seen, was that of an animal.
Let us consider wiiether this coulil have a connexion with any divine assurance
Communicated at tliat early day.
It is obvious that the promise made to our first parents, conveyed an intima-
tion of some future deliverer, wh(^ should overcome the tenipter that had drawn
man from his innocence, and remove those evils which had been occasioned by
the fall. Tliis assurance, without which, or some other ground of hope, it seems
d.fficult to conceive how the principle of religion could have had place among
m(.n, became to our first parents the g, and object of faith. To perpetuate this
fund:imental article of religious belief among the descendants of Adam, some
striking memorial of the fall of iu;in, and of the promised deliverance, would
naturally be appointed. And if we admit that tlie scheme of redemption by the
death of tile only begotten Son of God, was determnied from the beginning; tliat
is, if we atlimt that w'nen God had ordained the deliverance of man, he had or-
dained the means: if we admit that Christ was the Lamb slain from the founda-
tion of the ivorld ; \vhat memorial could be devised more apposite than Unit of
au;mul sacrifice ?— exemplifying, by the slaying of the victim, the death whicbi
ha'l been denounced against man's disobedience : — thus exliibiting the awful
lesson of that death which was the wages of sin, and at the same time represent-
ing that death which was actually to be undergone by the Redeemer of man-
kind:— and hereby connecting in one v;ew, the two great cardinal events in the
history of man, the fall, and the rkcovekt : the death denounced agai.'ist sin,
and the death appointed for that Holy One who was to lay dosni his life to deli-
ver man from the consequences of sin. The institution of ammal sacrifice seem,s
then to have been ]5cculiarly significant, :is containing all the elements of reli-
gious knowledge : and the adoption of this rite, with sincere and pious feelings,
would at the same time imply an humble sense of the unworthiness of the offer-
er ; a confession that death which was inflicted on the victim, was the desert of
of those sins which had arisen from man's transgression; and a full reliance
.upon the promises of deliverance, joined to an acquiescence in the means ap-
pointed for its accomplishment.
1 r this view af the matter be: just, there is nothing improbable even in the stip-
position that that part of the signification of the rite whicii related to the sacri-
fice of Christ, might have been in some degree made known from the beginning.
But not to contenil for tliis, (scripture having furnished no express foundation
for the assumption,) room for the exercise of faith is equally preserved, on the-
idea that animal sacrifice was enjoined in the general as \he religious sign of
lliith in the promise of redemption. Without any intimation of the way in which it
became a sign. Agreeably to these principles, we shall find but little difficulty
in determining on what ground it was that Abel's offering was accepted, whilst
that of Cain was rejected. Abel, in firm reliance on the pron^ise of God, and in
<;bcdience to his command, ofrei"ed that sacrifice which hutl been enjoined as the
religious expression of his faitii ; whilst Cain, ilisregarding the gracious assurnn-
(ics that had been vouciisafed, or at least disdaining to adopt the prescribed
mode of manifesting his belief, possibly as not appearing to hh reason to possess
any efficacy or natural fitness, thought he had sufficiently acquitted himself of
jiis duty in acknowledging the general superintendanee of God, and expressing-
his gratitude to the Supreme Benefactor, by presenting some of those good
things which hetlureby confessi-d to have been derived from his bounty. lu
short, Cain, the first-born of the fall, exhibits the first fruits of his j)arentb' dis-
obedience, in the arrogance and self-sufficiency of reason, rejecting the aids of
revelation, because they fell not withhi i';.? apprehension of right, lie takes the
ftrst plucir in the aftnak pf id<frsm, and Utiplw*, m his pronU rejection of the or-
314 . OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OFFICE.
is in their power to frustrate the ends thereof, and so render
it ineffectual. This we judge not only to be an error, buc such as
is highly derogatory to the glory of God ; which we shaii en-
dinance of sacrifice, the same spirit, which, m later days, hus actuated his en-
liS-hie?ied foWowers, in rejecting the sacrifice of Christ
This view of the subject receives strengtli, from the terms of expostulation in
which God addresses CaJi, on his expressing resentment at the njection of his
offering-, and the acceptance of Abel's. The word^ ai the present version are,
if thou doest -well, shalt thou not be accepted? — and if ikon doest not luell, sin licth
at the door — which words, as they stand connected in ilie context, supply no very
satisfactory meaning, and have long served to exercise the ingenuity of commen-
tators to but little purpose. But if the word, which is here translated sin, be
rendered, as we find it in a great variety of passages in the Old Testament, a sijr
OFFKRiNG, the reading of the passage then becomes, if thou doest -ivell, shalt thou
not be accepted ? and if thou doent not ivell, a sin offering iieth even at tlie door.
The connexion is thus rendered evident, God rebukes Cain for not conforming
to that species of sacrifice which had been oi}ered by Vbel. He refers to it as
a matter of known injunction; and hereby points out the ground of distinction
in his treatment of him, and his brother: and thus, in du-ect terms, enforces the
observance of animal sacrifice.
As that part of my general position, which pronounces sacrifice to have been
of divine institution, receives support from the passage just recited ; so lo that
part of it which maintains tliat this rite bore an aspect to the sacrifice of Christ,
additional evidence may be derived from the language of the writer to the He-
brews, inasmuch as he places the blood of Abel's sacrifice in direct comparison
with the blood of Christ, which he slvies pre-eminently the blood of sprinklmg ^
and repi-esents both as speaking good things, in different degrees. What tnen is
the result of the foregoing reflections ? — The sacrifice of Abel was an animal sa-
crifice. This sacrifice was accepted. The ground of this acceptance vvr.s the
faith in which it was offered. Scr.pture assigns no other object of this faith but
the promise of a Redeemer: and ot this faith, the offering of an animal in sacri-
fice, appears to have been the legitimate, and consequently the instituted, ex-
pression. The institution of animal sacr.fice then, was coeval with the fall, and
had a reference to the sacrifice of our redemption. But as it had also an imme-
diate and most apposite application to that important event in the condition of
man, which, as being the occasion of, was essentially connected with the work
of redemption, that likewise we have reason to think was included in its signifi-
cation. And thus, upon the whole, sAcHiFicB appears to have been ordained as a
standing memorial of the death introduced hj sin, and of that death which was to be
suffered by the Redeemer.
We accordingly find this institution of animal sacrifice continue until tlie giv-
ing of the law. No other offering than that of an animal being recorded in scrip-
ture down to this period, except in the case of Cain, and that we have seen vvas
rejected. The sacrifices of Noah and of Abraham are stated to have been burnt-
offerings. Of the same kind also were the sin-offerings presented by Job, he be-
ing said to have oilered burnt-offerings according to the number of his sons, lest
some of them might have sinned in their hearts. But when v/e con^e to tlie pro-
mulgation of the law, we find the connexion between animal sacrifice and atone-
ment, or reconciliation with God, clearly and distinctly announced. It is here
<leclared that sacrifices for sin should, on conforming to certain prescribed modes
of oblation, be accepted as the means of deliverance from the penal consequences
of transgression. And with respect to the /)i'Ci///fir efficcy of anuial sacrifice,
we find tliis remarkable declaration, — the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have
given it to you upon the altar, to make atonement for the soid: in rei'.ience to winch
wonls, the sacred writer formally pronounces, that without shedding of blood there
is no remission. Now in what conceivable light can we view this institution, but
m relation to that great sacrifice which 7uas to make atonement for sins : to that
f^Iood of sprinkling, which was to speak better things than that ofjbel, or that
©F CHRIST S PRIESTLY OFFICE. 315
leavour to make appear, and to establish the contrary doctrine,
nanieh-, that Christ died to purchase salvation for none but
those who shall obtain it. This may be proved.
of the kw . I he law itself is said to tiiive h.-.d respect solely mito h.m. To what
else can the principal liistitution of the law refer? — an institution too, which un-
less so referred appears utterly unmeaning. The offering up an animal cannot be
iiT'.agined to have liad any intrinsic efficacy m procuring pardon tor the trans-
jjre>sion 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<?/ere?«ce in which its true value consisted: when
the mere rite remained, without any remembrance of the promises, and conse-
quently unaccompanied by that faith in their fulfilment, which was to render it
an acceptable service : when the nations, deifying every passion of the human
heart, and erecting altars to every vice, poured forth the blood of the victim,
but to deprecate the wrath, or satiate the vengeance of each offended deity:
wlien with the recollection of the tnie Cod, all knowledge of the true worship
was effaced from the minds of men : and when johied to the absurdity of the sa-
Ciificial rites, their cruelty, devoting" to the malignity of innumerable .sanguinarj'
gods endless multitudes of human victims, demanded the divine interference j
then we see a people peculiiu-ly selected, to whom, by express revelation, the
knowledge of the one God is restored, and the species of worship ordained by
him from the beginning, particularly enjoined. The principal p;trt of the Jewish
service, sve accordingly find to consist of sacrifice ; to which the virtue of expia-
tion :iiid atonement is ex])ressly annexed : and in the m:inner of it, the particulars
ap|)ear so minutely set fortli, that when the ol^ect of the whole law should be
brought to light, no doubt could remain as to its intended application. The
Jewish suci-ifioes tUereFore seem to have been designed, as tliose from the begin.
316 OF Christ's priestly offiCe,
I. From those distinguishing characters that accompanv sal-
vation, which are given to those for whom he died.
1. They are called his sheep^ in John x. 11. / am the good
ning-h;»d been, to prefiE;'uie that one, wh.ch was to m.Jv.;- atonement for .ill man-
kind. And as in this all were to lecenv their cousimimution, so -with this they all
conclude: and ihe institution doses with the con. pletion ot' its object. But, as
the g-ross perversions, winch had pervaded the Gentile world, had readied like-
wise to the chosen people; and as die temptations to idoLitry, wlucii surrounded
them on all sides, were so powerful as perpetually to endan,e:er their adherence
to the God of their fachers, we find ihe ceremonial service adapted to tlieir car-
nal habits. And since the law itself, with its accompanying sanctions, seems to
have been principally temporal ; so the worship it enjoms is found to have been
for the most p." rt, rather a public and solemn declaration of allegiance to the true
God in opposition to the Gentile idola'.ries, tlian a pm-e and spiritual obedience
in inort 1 and religions matters, which was reserved for that more perfect system,
appointed to succeed m due time, when the state of nunkind would permit.
That the sacrifices of the law should therefore have chiefly operated to the
cleansing from external impurities, and to the rendering persi ns or things fit to
approach God in the exercises of the ceremonial worsliip; whilst at tlie same
time they were designed to prefigure the sacrifice of Christ, which was purely
spiritual, and possessed the transcendant va-tue of atoning for all moral pollu-
tion, involves m it no ir.consistency whatever, since in this tiie true proportion of
the entire dispensations 's preserved. And to this point, it is particularly neces-
sary that our atteniion should be directed, in the examination of the present sub-
ject; as upon tlie apparent dispropurii<yn in the objects and effects of sacrifice in
the VIo-i.iir- r.nd Christian sciu-mes, theprmc-pal objections against their inten-
ded correspondence h:;ve been founded.
The sacrifices of the law then being prepamtory to th.at of Christ ; the la-m it-
se^J being but a schoolmaster to bring iis to Christ ; the sacred writers in the JWru
Testament, naturally adopt the SHCiifieial teriiis of the ceremonial service, and by
their refeience to tiie use of tliem as employed under liie law, clearly point out
the sense in which they are to be understood in their application under tlie gos-
pel. In examining, then, the meanirig of such terms, when they occur in the
JVew Testament, we are cief-rly directed to the explanation that is circumstan-
tially given of them in the Old 'I'hus, when we find the virtue of atonement at-
tributed to the sacrifice of Christ, in l:ke manner as it had been to those under
the law ; by attending to the representation so minutely given of it in -the latter,
ve are enabled to comprehend its true import in the former.
Of the several sacrifices under tlie law, that one which seems most exactly to
illustrate the sacrifice of Clirist, and which is expressly compared with it by the
writer to the Hebrews, is that which was offered for the whole assembly on the
solemn anniversaiw of expiation. The circumstances of this ceremony', whereby
atonement was to be made for the sins of the whole Jewish peojile, seem so stri-
kingly significant, that they deserve a particular detail. On the day appointed
for this general expiation, the priest is commanded to offer a bullock and a goat
as sin-offerings, the one for himself, and the other for the people : and having
sprmkled tlie blood of these in due form before the mercy -seat, to lead forth a
second goat, denominated the scape-goat ; and after laying both his hands upon
the head of tiie scape-goat, and confessing over him all the iniquities of the peo-
ple, to /)»< //lew w/;o?i ifAe Ae^^J of the goat, and to send the animal, thus bearing
the sins of the people, away into the wilderness : in this manner expressing by au
action, which cannot be misunderstood, that the atonement, which it is directly
affirmed was to be eflfected by the sacrifice of the sin-offering, consisted in re-
moving from the people their iniquities by this symbolical translation to the ani-
mal. For it is to be remarked, that the ceremony of the scape-goat is not a dis-
tinct one : it is a continuation of the process, and is evidently the concluding part
and symbolical consummation of the sin-offering. So that the transfer of the ini-
quities of the people upon the head of the scape-goat, and the bearing them
or Christ's priestly office. Qif
Shepherd^ the ^ood Shepherd g-iveth his Ihfe for the sheep. This
metaphor imist certainly imply, that they, for whom Christ
died, arc distinguished from the world, as the objects of his
immediate care, and special gracious providence : But, besides
this, there are several things in the context, which contain a
farther description of these sheep^ for whom he laid down his
life, which cannot be applied to the v/hole world : Thus it is
said, in ver. 14. I know mij sheep^ and am knoivn of them^ that
is, with a knowledge of affection, as the word knowledge is of-
ten used in scripture, when applied to Christ, or his people.
Again, these sheep are farther described, as those who shall
certainly obtain salvation ; as our Saviour says concerning them,
in ver. 27, 28. My sheep hear my voice, and I knoiv them, and
they folloxu ?ne; and I give unto them eternal life, and they
away to the wilderness, manifestly imply that the atonement effected by the sa*
ci'lfice of the sin-offering', consisted in the transfer and consequent removal of
tiiose iniquities. Wliat then are we taught to infer from tiiis ceremony ? — Thift
as the atonement under the law, or expiation of the legal transgressions, was re-
presented as a translation of those transgressions, in the act of sacnfice in which
the animal was slain, and the people thereby cleansed from their legal impuri-
ties, and released from the penalties whicli had been incurred ; so the great atone-
ment for the sins of mankind was to be cflected by the sacrifice of Christ, under-
going for the restoration of men to the favour of God, that death which had been
denoiuiced against sin ; and which he suffered in like manner as if the sins of
men had been actuallij transferred to him, as those of the congregation had been
sttmbolically traiisieiTed to the sin-offering of the people.
That til is is the true meaning of the atonement effected by Christ's sacriiice,
receives the fullest confirmation from every part of both the Old and the New
Testament : and that thus far the death of Christ is vicarious, cannot be denied
without a total desregard of the sacred writings.
It has indeed been asserted, by those who opjjose the doctrine of atonement as
thus e.xplaincd, that nothing vicarious appears in the Mosaic sacrifices. With
what justice this assertion has been made, may be judged from the instance of
the sin-offering that has been adduced. The transfer to the animal of the iniqui-
ties of the people, (which must necessarily mean the transfer of their penal ef»
fects, or the subjecting the animal to suffer on account of those iniquities) — this
accompanied with the death of the victim ; and the consequence of the whole be-
ing the removal of the punishment of those iniquities from tiie offerers, and the
ablution of all legal ofliensiveness in the sight of God : — tlKis much of the nature
of vicarious, the language of the Old Testament justifies us in attaching to tJie
notion of atonement. Less than this we are clearly not at liberty to attach to it«
And what the law thus sets forth as its e^;press meaning, directly determines
that which we must attribute to the great atonement of which the Mosaic cere-
mony was but a type : always remembering ccu'efuUy to distinguish between the
figure and the substance ; duly adjusting their relative value and extent; esti-
mating the effcacy of the one as real, intrinsic, and universal ; whilst that of the
other IS to be viewed as limited, derived, and emblematic.
It must be confessed, that to the principles on which the doctrine of the Chris-
tian atonement has been explained in this, representation of it, several objec-
tions, in addition to tho.se already noticed, have been advanced. These, however,
cannot now be examined in this place. The most important have been discus-
sed ; anf! as for such as remain, I trust that to a candid mind, tlie general view
of the subject which has been given, will prove sufficient for their refutation,"
Dn. Mab&b.
Vol. H. S 8
318 ■ OF Christ's priestl-Y off ice.
snail never pcy'iah ; neither shall anij pluck them out of my hand:
but this privilege, without doubt, belongs not to the whole
world.
They are also considered as believers, inasmuch as faith is
the necessary consequence of Christ's redemption, and accord-
ingly are distinguished from the world, or that part thereof,
wnich is left in unbelief and impenitencj- : Thus Christ says,
concerning those who rejected his Person and gospel, in ver.
26. Te believe not^ because ye arc not of my sheep.
2. They for whom Christ died are called his friends^ and,
as such, the objects of his highest love, in John xv. 13. Greater
love hath no man than this^ that a man lay doxvn his life for his
friends^ and they are farther described, in the following words,
as expressing their love to him, by doing -whatsoever he com-
mandeth them ; and, he calls them friends, so they are distin-
guished from servants, or slaves, who, though they may be
made partakers of common favours, yet he imparts not his se-
crets to them; but, with respect to these, he says, in ver. 15,
16. All things that I have heard of my Father^ I have made
kno~tV7i unto you ; And they are fiu'ther distinguished from the
world, inasmuch as they are chosen by Christy and ordained
that they should go and bring forth fruit ; and there are seve-
ral other privileges which accompany salvation, that are said
to belong to these friends of Christ, for whom he died.
Object. It is objected, that what Christ here says, concern-
ing his friends, is particularly directed to his disciples, with
whom at that time he conv^ersed and these he considers as per-
sons who had made a right improvement of his redeeming love;
and therefore, that redemption which the whole world might
be made partakers of, if they would, these were like to reap the
happy fruits and effects of.
A71SW. To this it may be replied, that whatever promises, or
privileges, Christ's disciples v.'ere made partakers of, if these
do not immediately respect their character as ministers, but as
Christians, they are equally to be applied to all believers. Now.
that what-Christ says to them, whom he calls his friends, is appli-
cable to all believers, appears from their beisg described as abid-
ing in Ai^;z, and bringing forth much fruity under the powerful in-
fluence of his grace, xvitiiout zvhom they can do nothing ; and, when
he speaks, in ver. 1 9, 2fi. of the '(vorld'^s hating them, because they
are not of the tvorld, and of the Comforter'^ s being sent to testify of
him, in order to the confuTiiation of their faith, this belongs to
all believers, as such; therefore thev are as much described as
Christ's friends, for whom he laid down his life, as his disci-
ples, to whom he more immediately directed his discourse.
And as for the other part of the objection, namely, that these
had made a right improve merit of Christ's redemption : the
OF Christ's priestly office. • 319
■jcply that may be given to it, is, that none but Christ's friends
can be said to have made a right improvement of redemption,
and therefore none but such have any ground to conclude that
Christ died for them : but this is not the temper and charac-
ter of the greater part of mankind, therefore Christ did not die
for the whole world: and it is very evident, from this charac-
ter which Christ gives of them, for whom he died, that either
they are, or shall be, of enemies, made friends to him.
3. They are called, The Children of God that were scattered
abroad^ who should be gathered together in one^ as the conse-
quence of his death, in John xi. 52. This gathering together
in one, seems to import the same thing, with what the apostle
speaks of, as a display of the grace of the gospel, and calls it,
their being gathered together in Christ their Head, in Eph. i.
10. and one part of them he considers, as being already in hea-
ven^ and the other part of them on arth^ in their w^a}' to it ; and he
speaks such things concerning them, in the foregoing and fol-
lowing verses, as cannot be said of any but those that shall be
saved. Now, if Christ designed, by his death, to purchase
this special privilege for his children, certainly it cannot be
supposed that he died for the whole world ; and elsewhere the
apostle speaking, in Heb. ii. 10. concerning the Captain of our
iialvation'' s being made perfect through sufferings considers this
as a means for bringing many sons to glorify which is a pecu-
liar privilege belonging to the heirs of salvation, and not to the
whole world.
Object. 1. It will be objected to this, that nothing can be
proved from the words of so vile a person as Caiphas, who re-
lates this matter ; and therefore, though it be contained in scrip-
ture, it does not prove the truth of the doctrine, which is pre-
tended to be established thereby.
Answ. Though Caiaphas was one of the vilest men on earth,
and he either did not believe this prophecy himself, or, if he
did, he made a very bad use of it, yet this does not invalidate
the prediction : for though wicked men may occasionlly have
some prophetic intimation concerning future events, as Ba-
laam had, the instrument, which the Spirit of God makes use
of in discovering them to mankind, does not render them less
certain, for the \vorst of men may be employed to in^part the
greatest truths : therefore it is sufficient to our purpose, that it
is said, in the words immediately foregoing, that being high
priest that year^ he prophesied^ as it was no uncommon thing
for the high priest to have prophetic intimations from God, to
deliver to his people, whatever his personal character might be;
so that we must consider this as a divine oracle, and therefore
infallibly true.
Object. 2. If it be allowed, that what is here predicted was
^20 OF CHRIST S PRIESTLY OIFICE,
true, yet the subject-matter thereof respects the nation of tht
Jews, concerning whom it cannot be said, that ever)' individual
was in a state of salvation, and therefore it rather militates
against, than proves the doctrine of particular rec-epiption.
Ansxv. It is evident, that when it is said that Christ should
die for that natioyi^ the meaning is, the children of God in that
nation ; for the children of God, that dwelt there, are opposed
to his children that were scattered abroad ; and so the meaning
is, Christ died that they should not perish, who have the tem-
per, and disposition of his children, wherever the place of theii"
residence be,
4» They for whom Christ died are called his churchy where-
of he is the Head; and the Bodijy of whom he is the Saviour,
in Eph. V. 23. and these he is said to have loved., and given
himself for., in ver. 25. Now the church is distinguished from
the world, as it is gathered out of it ; and the word church., in
this place, is taken in a very different sense, from that in which
it is understood in many other scriptures. The apostle does
not mean barely a number of professing people, of which some
are sincere, and others may be hypocrites, or of which some shall
be saved, and others not ; nor does he speak of those who are
apparently in the way of salvation, as making a visible profes-
sion of the Christian religion : But it is taken for that church,
which is elsewhere called ^/ie6-/?ow5ec/'6'Arw?, and is united to him
by faith, and that shall, in the end, be eternally saved by him j
this is very evident, for he speaks of them, as sanctified
and clearised with the washing of water by the xvord., in ver. 26.
And, as to what concerns their future state, they are such as
shall be presented to himself a glorious church., not having spot
or wrinkle., or any such thing., in ver. 27". Now, since it was
for these that Christ died, it cannot be reasonably concluded
that he died equally and alike for all mankind.
And to this we may add, that they are called his people^
whom he designed io save from their sins., in Matt. i. 21. and
also a peculiar people., who are described by this character, by
which they are known, as being zealous of good xvorks^ in Tit.
ii. 14. and, by his death, they are said not only to be redeem-
ed, so as to be put into the possession of the external privileges
of the gospel, but redeemed from all iniquity., and purified unto
himself; all which expressions certainly denote those distin-
guishing blessings which Christ, by his death, designed to pur-
chase for those who are the objects thereof.
II. That Christ did not die equally, and alike for all man-
kind, appears from his death's being an instance of the highest
love, and they, who are concerned herein, are in a peculiar
manner, obliged to bless him for it as i^uch. Thus the apostle
©F Christ's priestly office,. .321
joins both these together, when he says in Gal. ii. 20. He lov-
ed me^ and gave himself for me ; and elsewhere it is said, in
Rev. i. 5. He loved us^ and washed us from our sins in his own
blood; and herein it is said, that God commendeth his love to-
wards us, in Rom. v. 8. as that which is without a parallel.
And besides, when he speaks of this love of Christ expressed
herein, he seems to distinguish it from that common love which
is extended to all, when he says, Christ died for us ; and, that
we may understand what he means thereby, we must consider
to whom it was that this epistle was directed, namely, to such
as were beloved ofGod^ called to be saints^ in chap. i. 7. They
are also described as such, who were Just if ed by Chrisfs bloody
and xi'ho shoidd be saved from zurath through him ; reconciled
to God by the death of his Son^ and who should be saved by
his life; and, as such, who Joyed in God through our Lord Je-
sus Christ, and by him had received the atonement, in chap. 9 —
11. therefore surely they, who were thus beloved by Christ, to
whom he expressed his love by dying for them, must be dis-
tinguished from the world. And our Saviour speaks of this, as
far exceeding all that love, which is in the breasts of men, to
one another, in John xv. 18. Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends. There-
fore we have no reason to suppose that he died equally and
alike for all, for then there would be an equal instance of love
herein to the best and worst of men ; Judas would have been as
much beloved as Peter ; the Scribes and Pharisees, Christ's avow-
ed enemies and persecutors, as nuich beloved as his disciples and
faithful followers, if there be nothing discriminating in his d)ing
love. Therefore we must conclude that he died to procure some
distinguishing blessings for a part of mankind, which all are not
partakers of.
And, as this love is so great and discriminating, it is the subject-
matter of the eternal praise of glorified saints : Yht new song xh^A
is sung to him, in Rev. v. 9. contains in it a celebrating of his
glory, as having redeemed them to God by his blood, out of eve-
ry kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, who were ad-
mitted into his immediate presence, as the objects of his distin-
guishing love. And certainly .all this implies more than his
purchasing th^gospcl-dispensation, or the discovery of the way
of salvation to mankind, of whom the greatest part neglect, de-
spise, and reap no saving advantage thereby.
III. There are some circumstances attending the death of
Christ, which argue, that it was not designed for all the Morld :
particularly, he died as a Surety, or as one who undertook to
pay that debt, which the justice of God might have exacted of
men in their own persons. This has already been proved ; and
that which may be inferred from hence, is, that if Christ, bv
4ying, paid this debt, and when he rose from the dead, rcct iv->
'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<//?/, It includes in it an informing sinners, that it is their in-
dispensible duty and interest to believe in Christ, and in order
thereto, that they are commanded and encouraged to wait on
him for that grace, which can enable them thereunto : and, as
a farther encouragement, to let them know that there is a cer-
tain connexion between gi-ace and salvation ; so that none, who
are enabled, by faith, to come to Christ, shall be cast out, or
rejected by him. This is the preachmg and hope of the gospel ;
and, in this sense, the overtures of salvation are made therein ;
which is not in the least inconsistent with the doctrine of par-
ticular redemption.*
Object, Though this be such a method of preaching the gos-
pel, as is consistent with the doctrine of special redemption ; yet
there is another way of preaching it, which is more agreeable
to the express words of scripture, and founded on the doctrine
of universal redemption ; and accordingly sinners ought to be
told, that the great God, in the most affectionate manner, ex-
postulates with them, to persuade them to accept of life and
salvation, when he represents himself, as having- no pleasure in
the death of the 7vicied^ and, with an earnestness of expression
says, Turn ye^ turn ye^from your evil rvays ; for ivhy will ye
die^ 0 house of Israel? Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Therefore the design
of the gospel is, to let the world know that God's dealing with
mankind, in general, are full of goodness ; he would not have
any perish, and therefore has sent his Son to redeem them all,
and, as the consequence hereof, pleads with them to turn to
him, that the}- may reap the benefits purchased thereby.
Ansu: Whatever be the sense of these expostulator}' expres-
sions, which we frequently meet with in scripture, we must not
suppose that they infer, that the saving grace of repentance is
in our own power ; for that is not only contrary' to the sense
of many other scriptures, but to the experience of every true
penitent, whose language is like that of Ephraim, Turn thou
me^ and I shall he turned^ Jcr. xxxi. 18. nor must we conclude,
that God designs to save those that shall not be saved ; for
then he could not say, My counsel shall standi and J xvill do all
• See t/iis instated on, and farther explained, in anrwer to an objection to the sante
purpose, against the d»clrine of jmrtioidar election, in Vol. I. page 503,. 509
Vol.. II. U H
034/ a Christ's priestly orricr..'
7ny pleasure^ Isa. xlvi. 10. If these ideas, as unwonliy of God,
be abstracted from the sense of such-like scriptures, we may
Understand them, not only in a way that is consistent with the
divine perfections, but with the doctrine of particular redemp-
tion ; which, that it may appear, let it be considered, that it is
a very common thing, in scripture, for God to condescend to
iise human modes of speaking, and those, in particular, by which
various passions arc set forth ; notwithstanding, we must not
conclude that these passions are in God as they are in men.
Such expostulations as these, when used by us, signify, that wc
earnestly desire the good of others, and are often warning them
df their danger : but all is to no purpose, for they are obsti-
nately set on their own ruin, which we can by no means pre*
vent; it being either out of our power to help them, or, if wc
could, it would not redound to our honour to do it. This draws
forth such-like expostulations from men ; but the weakness con-
tained in them, is by no means to be applied to God : it can-
not be said to be out of his power to give grace to impenitent
sinners ; nor, in case he has so determined, will it tend to liis
dishonour to bestow it. Now, that we may understand the
sense of these scriptures, let it be considered,
1. That life and death^ in scripture, are oftentimes used to
signify the external dispensations of providence, as to what con-
cerns that good or evil, which God would bring on his people :
thus it is said, See^ I have set before thee this day^ life andgood^
death and evil, Dent. xxx. 15, 19, 20. where Ife is explained
in the following words, as signifying their being multiplied and
blessed in the land, xvhither they were to go to possess it; and
when God advises them in a following verse, to choose life, the
consequence of this is, that both they and their seed should live,
that they might dwell in the land, which the Lord sware to their
fathers to give them ; and elsewhere, when God says, by the
prophet Jeremiah, I set before you the xvay of life, and the way
of death, Jer. xxi. 8. he explains it in the following words, as
containing an expedient for their escaping temporal judgments,
when he says, He that abideth in the city, shall die by the siuord,
and by the famine, and by the pestilence ; but he that goeth out,
and falleth to the Chaldeans, shall live. And I cannot see anv
reason to conclude, but that many other expressions, of the like
nature, in which God promises life, or threatens death to the
house of Israel, by the proj^hets, who often warned them
of their being carried into captivity, and dying in their ene-
mies' land, have a more immerliute respect thereunto ; and that
proverbial expression, which the Israelites are represented as
making use of. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the
childrens'' teeth are set on edge, Ezek. xviii. 2. seems to inti-
mate no more than this ; ^. d. that our fathers have sinned, and
OF Christ's priestly Office. 355
thereby deserved that the nation should be ruined by being
carried captive, and we must sulL-r for their sins ; in answer to
which, God tells them, that this proverb should not be used
by them, but this evil should be brought on them for their own
iniquities, or prevented by their reformation, namely, by for-
saking their iclolatry^ lohoredom^ violence^ opprcasion, and other
abominations. And then he adds, ver. 12, 13, 17, 18. the soul
that swncth^ it shall die^ that is, if you continue to commit these
vile enormities, you shall be followed with all those judgments
which shall tend to your utter ruin ; but if the wicked xvill turn
from all his sins xvhich he hath committed^ he shall surely live^
he shall not die, ver. 21. If this be the sense of these and such-
like texts, then it was not wholly olit of their own power thus
to tutTi to God, how much soever that special grace, which ac-
companies salvation, be out of our power. It is one thing to
say, that man cannot work a principle of grace in himself, or
to do that by his own pov/er, which is the special gift and work,
of the Spirit of God, and, as the consequence thereof, have
ground to expect eternal salvation ; and another thing to ^ay,
that he cannot abstain from some gross enormities, as an ex-
pedient to prevent desolating judgments. But if it will not be
allowed that this is the sense of all those scriptures, that pro-
jTiise or threaten life or dealh^ which I do not pretend peremp-
torily to assert, kt it be farther added,
2. That if spiritual and eternal blessings be included in the
word life, and the contrary in death, in the scriptures but now
referred to, we may account for the sense of them, without sup-
posing that God designs what shall never come to pass, to wit,
the universal salvation of mankind, though a part of them shall
not be saved, by considering desire, in him, as signifying the
effects of desire in men.* Thus God's not desirinp^ a thing,
denotes it not to be the object of desire ; accordingly when he
desires not the death of sinners, it implies, that they ought to
endeavour to avoid it, as the most formidable evil ; and, on
the other hand, his taking pleasure in a thing, as he does in the
salvation of his people, signifies not only his intending to save
them, but the inexpressible happiness which they shall attain
thereby ; and, when he exhorts them, as an expedient to attain
this privilege, to turn, this signifies the inseparable coimexiou
between salvation and repentance, or turning to God, which,
though it be God's gift, it is, notwithstanding, oiu* act and in-
dispensible duty. Therefore, if we take this, ar.d such-like
scriptures. In either of diese tv/o senses, they are far from giv-
ing countenance to the doctrine of universal redcmptisjn.
3, There is another absurd consequence charged upon the
doctrine of special redemption, namely, that it is incoufistent;-
• Patiienes ty-ibunntar Peo qu^acf e^ccTu.^,
236 OF Christ's priestlt omcE.
with our being exhorted and encouraged to repent and believe-
for the remission of sins^ or to the saving of the soul^ as scrip-
ture gives all men a warrant to do, Acts ii. 38. and since all
ai-e commanded to exercise these graces, and to expect salva-
tion, as connected therewith, the doctrine of particular redemp-
tion, as a late writer insinuates, puts us under a necessity of
believing a lie. And he farther adds, that if the condition, an-
nexed to thp promise of salvation, be impossible, and known
to be so, it gives no encouragement to set about it ; and, if he
who promises knows it to be so, he promises nothing, because
nothing that a person can obtain, or be the better for, whereby
he is deluded, and a cheat put upon him, by pretending kind-
ness, in making the promise, and intending no such thing.*
Thus that author represents the doctrine of particular redemp-
tion, as containing the most blasphemous consequences that
words can express : he must therefore have been very sure that
his argumeiit was unanswerably just, though, I hope, we shall
be able to make it appear that it is far from being so; which,
that we may do, let it be considered,
(1.) That v/e are to distinguish between a person's being
bound to believe in Christ, and to believe that Christ died for
him ; the first act of faith does not contain in it a person's being
persuaded that Chrisl died for him, but that he is the Object
of faith, as lij is represented to be in scripture ; and accordingly
it supposes that we are convinced that Christ is the Messiah,
that he puixhased salvation for all who shall attain it, and is
able to save, unto the utmost, ail that come unto God by him ;
and also, that it is our duty and interest so to do. And, since
saving faith is not in our own power, but the work and gift of
divine grace, we are encouraged to wait on God in his ordi-
nances, and, with fervent prayer, to beseech him that he would
work this grace in us, acknowledging, that if he should deny
us this blessing, there is no unrighteousness in him ; and we
are to continue waiting on him, and using all those means
which are in our power, though they cannot attain their end,
without his blessings ; and, when he is pleased to work this
grace in us, we shall be enabled to put forth another act of
faith, which is properly saving, as intended by the scripture,
which speaks of believing- to the saving of the soul, which con-
sists in receiving of him, and resting on him for salvation, aa
hoping that he hath died for us, inasmuch as he hath given us
that temper and disposition of soul, which is contained in that
character which is given of those for whom Christ died.
(2.) We must farther distinguish between God's command-
ing all that sit under the sound of the gospel to believe in
Christ ; and his giving them ground to expect salvation, beiorp
• See Whitby s Discourse, page 145, 146.
OF Christ's priestly office. 337
they believe in him. Faith and repentance may be asserted to
he duties incumbent on all, and demanded of them, when,
at the same time, it doth not follow that all are given to ex-
pect salvatioji, upon the bare declaration that they are so.
Accordingly the command and encouragement is to be consi^
dered in this order ; first, as it respects our obligation to be-
lieve ; and then, as it respects our hope of salvation ; and nei-
ther the former nor the latter of these does, in the least, infer
that God intended to save all mankind, or gave them ground
to expect salvation, who do not believe in Christ.
(o.) As to what is fai-ther suggested, concerning salvation's
being promised on such conditions, as are known, both by God
and man, to be impossible, the only answer that need be given
to this, is, that though with mem this is impossible^ yet xvtih God
all thi/i^'s are possible, JMatt. xix. 26. When we consider faith
and repentance, as conditions connected with salvation, or as
evincing our right to claim an interest in Christ, and that sal-
vation, which is purchased by him, (in which sense, as was be-
fore observed,, we do not oppose their being called conditions
thereof, by those who are tenacious of that mode of speaking ;^
and we do not call them impossible conditions, any otherwise
than as they are so, without the powerful energy of the Holy
Spirit ; we cannot think that our asserting, that it is impossible
that all mankind should thus repent and believe, is a doctrine
contrary to scripture, which gives us ground to conclude, that
all men shall not be saved, and consequently that all shall not
believe to the saving of the soul. And, when we consider the
impossibility thereof, we do not suppose that God has given all
mankind ground to expect this saving faith, upon which the
blasphemous suggestion, relating to his deluding men, is found-
ed ; it is enough for us to say, that God has not told any one,
who attends on his ordinance^., in hope of obtaining this grace,
that he will not give him faith ; and more than this need not
be desired by persons to induce them to perform this dutv,
while praying and waiting for the happy event thereof, to wit,
our obtaining these graces, and so being enabled to conclude
that Christ has died for us.
4. If all the absurdities before mentioned will not take place
to overthrow the doctrine of particular redemption, there is
another argument, which they, who oppose it, conclude to be
unanswerable, namely, that it does not conduce so much to ad--
vance the grace of God, as to assert that Christ died for all
men, inasmuch as more are included herein, as the objects of
divine favour, therefore God is hereby more glorified.
To this it may be replied, that it does not tend to advance the
divine perfections, to suppose that God designed to save anv
* See Pose 195, 197, ante.
338 OF CHRIST^S PRIESTLY OFFIGJL,
that shall perish, for that would be to argue, as has been before
considered, that the purpose of God, with respect to the salva-
tion of many, is frustrated. But, since the stress of the argu-
ment is laid on the display of the glory of divine grace ; that
does not so much consist in the extent of the favour, v/ith re-
spect to a greater number of persons, as it does in its bLilng free
and undeserved, and tending, for this reason, to lay the highest
obligation on those who are concerned herein, which is the
most known sense of the word grace.
But inasmuch as it will be objected, that this is only a criti-
cism, respecting the sense of a word, it may be farther replied
to it, that if the grace, or goodness of God, be more magnified
by universal, than particular redemption, as including more,
who are the objects thereof, the same method of reasoning
would hold good, and they might as well attempt to prove,
that there must be an universal salvation of mankinds for that
would be a greater display of divine goodness, thrfn for God
only to save a few ,• and it would be yet more eminently dis-
played, had he not only saved ail mankind, but fallen angels.
Shall the goodness of God be pi-etended to be reflected on, be-
cause he does not extend it to all that might have been the ob-
jects thereof, had he pleased ? Has he not a right to do what
he will with his own ? And may not his favour be communicar
ted in a discriminating way, whereby it will be more advanced
and adored, by those who are the objects thereof, without our
taking occasion from thence to reply against him, or say, what
dost thou ?
And to this it may be added, that they, who make use of this
method of reasoning, ought to consider that it tends as much
to militate against the doctrine they maintain, namely, that
God hath put all mankind into a salvable state, or that Christ,
hy his death, procured a possibil'ity of salvation for all ; which,
according to their argument, is not so great a display of the
divine goodness, as though God had actually saved all man-
kind, which he might have done; for he might have giv'en re-
pentance and remission of sins to all, as well as sent his Son
to die for all ; therefoie, upon this head of argument, univer-
sal redemption cannot be defended, without asserting univer-
sal i5alvation. Thus concerning those absurdities which are pre-
tended to be fastened on the doctrine of particular redemption ;
we proceed to consider the last and principal argument that is
generally brought against it, namely,
5. That it is contrary to the express words of scripture ; and
•some speak with so much assurance, as though there were not
one word in scripture, intimating, that our Lord died only for
-a few, or only for the elect ;* though others will own^ that thei t>
* 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.
<ii; Christ's kingly office. S53
between them and the rest of the world, who are the subjects
of Satan's kingdom ; their hcaits are by nature, full of enmity
and rebellion against him, and they are suffered sometimes to
run great lengths in opposing his government, and their lives
discover a fixed resolution not to submit to him, whatever be
the consequence thereof: Other lorda^ says the church, have
dominion over them^ Isa. xxvi. 13. theij serve divers lusts and
pleasures^ Tit. iii. 3. rvalk according- to the course of this worlds
according to the prince of the power of the air^ the spirit that
710ZV ivorketh in the children of disobedience^ Eph. ii. 2. and
some of them have reason to style themselves, as the apostle
Paul says he was before his conversion, 1 Tim. i. 15.
Sometimes, indeed, they meet with some checks and rebukes
of conscience, m hich, for a while, put them to a stand ; and
they seem inclinable to submit to Christ, as being afraid of his
vengeance, or their own consciences suggest the reasonableness
thereof; and this issues in some hasty resolutions, aiising from
the terror of their own thoughts, or the prospect of some ad-
vantage, which will accrue to them thereby, whereby their con-
dition may be rendered better than what they, at present, ap-
prehend it to be ; and this extorts from them a degree of com-
])liance with the gospel-overture, especially if Christ would
stoop to those terms, which corrupt nature is willing to conform,
itself to ; or make those abatements, that would be consistent
with their serving God and mammon. In this cate, they are
like the person whom our Saviour mentions, who being called,
replies, I g'o^ Sir^ and went ?iot^ Matt. xxi. 30. Sometimes they
jjromise that they will submit hereafter, if they may but be in-
dulged in their course of life for the present, and, like Felix,
would attend to these matters at a more convenient season ; or,
as one is represented, desiring our Saviour that he might first
(fo and bury his father^ Matt. viii. 21. by which we are not to
miclerstand his performing that debt, which the law of nature
obliged him to perform to a deceased parent, w-hich might hav-e
been soon discharged, and been no hindrance to his following
Christ : but he seems to be desirous to be excused from follow-
ing him till his father was dead, and all this with a design to
gain time, or to ward off present convictions, his domestic af-
fairs inclining him not immediately to subject himself to Christ,
or to take up his lot with him, or to forsake all and follow him,
though he was not insensible that this was his duty. This is the
temper and character of persons before they are effectually per-
suaded to submit to Christ's government; and the consequence
hereof is oftentimes their not only losing their convictions, but
returning with stronger resolutions to their former course, and
adding greater degrees of rebellion to their iniquity.
2. There are several methods used, by Christ, to bring sin-
3p/i. OP CHRIST^S KINGLY 0FF1C£.
ners into subjection to him ; some of which are principally ob-
jectionable, and, though not in themselves sufficient, yet neces-
sary to answer this end. Accordingly,
(1.) He gives them to understand that there is an inevitable
necessity of perishing, if they persist in their rebellion against
him, as our Saviour says. Except ye repent^ ye shall all likc-
rvise perish^ Luke xiii. 3. or, as it is said elsewhere, Who hath
hardened himself against him., and hath prospered P Job ix. 4»
and that the consequence thereof will be, that those his etiemics
that tvould not that he should reign over them., shall be brought
forth., and slain before him, Luke xix. 27. And this is not only
considered in a gener.il way, as what other sinners are given tor
expect, but impressed ou <he conscience, and particularly ap-
plied to himself, whereby he is convinced that his present
course is not only dangerous, but destructive, and fills him with
that distress and concern of soul, which is the beginning of
that work of grace, that shall afterwards be brought to perfec-
tion.
(2.) Christ holds forth his golden sceptre, and makes a pro-
clamation to sinners to return and submit to him, and, at the
same time, expresses his willingness to receive all that by faith,
close with the gospel-overture, and cast themselves at his feet
with sincere repentance : thus he says, Hiin that cometh to me,
I will in no rvise cast out., John vi. ST. and, how vile soever they
have been, iheir unworthiness shall not be a bar to hinder hisj
acceptance of them.
(3.) He also shews them their obligation to obey and sub-
mit to him, as their rightful Lord and Sovereign, who claims
divine worship from them, Psal. xlv. 11. and what unanswer-
able engagements they are laid under hereunto, from all that
he did and suffered in life and death, whereby he not only ex-
pressed the highest love, but purchased to himself a peculiar
people, who must own him as their King, if they expect to reap
the blessed fruits and effects of his purchase, as a Priest : this
Christ convinces them of. And,
(4.) He represents to them the vast advantages that will at-
tend their subjection to his government, as they shall not only
obtain a full and free pardon of all their past crimes, and be
taken into favour as much as though they had never forfeited
it, but he will confer on them all those graces that accompany
salvation, and advance them to the highest honour ; upon which
account they are said to be made kings and priests unto God.,
Rev. i. 6. yea, he will grant them to sit rvith him in his throne.,
Rev. iii. 21. not as sharing any part of his Mediatorial glory,
but as being near to him that sits on the throne, and having
all those tokens of his regard to them that are agreeable to their
'oonditionj or the rclatipn they stand in to him, as subjects. He
OF cubist's kingi.y office. 35*5
presents to their view all the promises of the covenant of grace,
which are in his hand, to accomplish, and gives them giound
to expect all the blessings he hath purchased, assures them that
he 'will admit them to the most delightful and intimate com-
munion with himself here ; that he xviU keep them from falling-^
and, in the end, present them faultless before the presence of his
glory xvith exceeding joy^ Jude, ver. 14. and as for their past
follies, ingratitude, and rebellion against him, he tells them,
that these shall be passed over, and not laid to their chargCy
Rom. viii. 33. for their confusion and condemnation, how ex-
pedient soever it may be for him to bring them to their remem-
brance, to humble them, and enhance their love and gratitude
to him, who will, notwithstanding, forgive them.
(5.) He gives them to understand what duties he expects
from them, and what are the laws that all his subjects are obli-
ged to obey, and accordingly that he will not give forth any
dispensation or allowance to sin, which is a returning again to
folly ; neither will he suffer them to make their own will the
rule of their actions, or to live as they list, nor to give way to
carnal security, negligence, or indifference in his service, but
they must be always pressing forwards, running the race he
has set before them with diligence and industry, that they be
not slothful^ but foUorvers of them,, who^ through faith and pa-
tience, inherit the promises, Heb. vi. 12. and not only so, but
fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, Rom. xii. 11. that they must
have a zeal for his honour, as those that appear to be in good
earnest, and prefer his interest to their own ; and that this must
be tempered with meekness, lest, whilst they seem to be es-
pousing his cause, they give ground to conclude that the indul-
ging their irregular passions is what they principally design.
As for the obedience he demands of them, it must be univer-
sal, with their whole heart, and to the utmost of their power;
and therefore if the duty enjoined be difficult, they must not
say, as some of his followers did, This^ is a hard saying, who
Can hear it ? John vi. 60. but rather, in this case, depend on
his grace for strength to enable them to perform it ; and, as
they are to obey his commanding will, so he tells them they
must submit to his providential will, and therein glorify his
sovereignty, and reckon every thing good that he does, inas-
much as it proceeds from a wise and gracious hand, and is ren-
dered subservient to answer the best ends, for his glory and
their advantage.
Moreover, he tells them, that whatever obedience they mav
be enabled to perform, they must ascribe the glorv thereof not
to themselves, but to him, as he is the Author and Finisher of
faith, and works in them all those graces that he requires of
it|\cm. And, when they have thus engaged in his service, and
iGi56 OF Christ's kingly office.
their faces are turned heaven-ward, he obliges them never t«
think of returning to their former state and company, or sub-
ject themselves to the tyranny they are delivered from : as the
angel ordered Lot, when he was escaped out of Sodom, not so
much as to look back, as one that had a hankering mind to
what he had left behind him,- or like the Israelites, who longed
for the onions and garlic, and the flesh-pots of Egypt, whea
they were on their journey towards the good land, which God
had promised them. Thus Christ expects that all his subjects
should not only obey him, but that they should do this with
unfainting perseverance, as not being of them xcho drcixv back
unto perdition., but of them that believe to the saving of the sordy
Heb. X. 39. Thus concerning their present obligations and fu-
ture advantages, together with the duties they are engaged to
perform ; or the laws of Christ's kingdom, which he makes
known to them, before they are brought into subjection to him.
And to this we may add, that he not only presents to them the
bright, but the dark side of the cloud, and sets before them the
many difficulties and troubles, they are like to meet with in this
world, in common with the rest of his subjects, that they may
not hereafter be under any temptation, to complain as though
they were disappointed, when things go otherwise than they
were given to expect : as with one hand he represents to their
view the crown of life ; so, with the other, he holds forth the
cross, which they must take up and follow him. Matt. xvi. 24.
if they would be his disciples. He does not conceal from them
the evils they are like to meet with from the world, but tells
them plainly, that they must expect to be hated of all men for
his name sake. Matt. x. 22. and be willing to part with all
things for him, especially if standing in competition with him ;
so that he xvho loveth father or mother^ son or daughter^ yea,
his oxvn life^ more than him^ is not rvorthy of him^ ver. 2>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
<unnot do what they would against his cause and interest in
the world. How far soever he may suffer tliem to proceed to
the disadvantage of his people ; yet he is able to crush them in
a moment ; and, when he sees their rage, and how they set
themselves against him with their combined force, and insult,
as though they had brought their designs to bear, as not doubt-
ing the success thereof, he tells them plainly, that thei/ imagine
a vain tlihig^ and that he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh ;
the Lord shall have them in derision^ Psal. ii. 1, 4. and the rea-
son is very obvious, because God is greater than man. Though
it would be a dishonour to him to sav, that he is the author of
sin, yet it redounds to his glory, that he sets bounds and limits
to it, and over-rules it by his wisdom to his own glory ; as it
is said, Surelt/, the ivrath of man shall praise thee ; the remain-
der of xvrath shah thou restrain^ Psal. Ixxvi. 10.
2. Christ has exercised his Kingly government in gaining a
victory over his enemies; this he did, when he spoiled princi-
palities and poxvers^ and made a shew of them openly^ triumph-
ing over them in his cross. This, indeed, was done by him,
when he was in the lowest depths of his sufferings, and, in a
more eminent degree, exercised his Priestly office; yet, in some
I'espects, he is said, at that time, to have exercised his Kingly,
and that in a very triumphant manner, as it is here expressed ;
and elsewhere he is said, through deaths to have destroyed him
that had the poxvei' of deaths that is^ the dfvil, Heb. ii. 14. here-
by he purchased those restraints which the powers of darkness
were brought under more than they were before. Satan's chain
was hereby shortened, and his subjects delivered out of his
hand, being ransomed by the blood of Christ ; and, as the con-
sequence thereof, they were afterwards persuaded to with-
draw their necks from that yoke, v/hich they were formerly
under, by the power of that grace that attended the preaching
of the gospel, whereby they were subjected to Christ's govern-
ment. Moreover, our Saviour tells his people, that he had
overcome the xvorld^ John xvi. Z^. not only because he had in
his own Person, escaped the pollution thereof, and not been en-
tangled in its snares, nor hindered in the work he was engaged
in, by the afflictions and injurious treatment that he met with
trom it, but as he procured for them those victories over it,
whereby they shall be made more than conquerors through him
that loved them.
3. Christ's kingly government is, and shall more eminently
appear to be exercised towards his enemies, in punishing them
for all their rebellions against him. There are reserves of ven-
geance laid up in store, and more \ials of wrath, which shall
be poured forth on Satan, and all the powers of darkness, which
S$4 OF Christ's kingly omice.
they are not without some terrible apprehensions of, I'roin tlm'
knowledge they have of God as a just judge; upon which ac-
count they are said to believe and tremble, James ii. 19. and
as for all his other enemies, he will break them with a rod of
iron ; he xvill dash them in pieces like a potter^ s vessel^ Psal. ii,
9. or bring them forth, and slay them before him, Luke xix.
27. Thus concerning the manner how Christ's kingly govern-
ment hath been exercised, both towards his people and his ene-
mies ; and this leads us to consider.,
III. The various seasons, or ages, in which Christ's kingly
government has been, or shall be exercised, together with the
different circumstances relating to the administration of it
therein. As soon as ever man fell, and thereby stood in need
of a mediator to recover him, Christ was revealed, as one who
had undertaken his recovery, and, as a victorious king, who
should break and destroy that power, that had brought him
into subjection to it. Now there are various periods, or sea-
sons, in which he has executed his kingly office, or shall con-
tinue so to do.
1. He did this before his incarnation, during v/hich time his
government was visible, as to the effects thereof, as extended
to ail those who wei-e saved under the Old Testament-dispen*
sation : they v/ere subdued and defended by his divine power,
that was then exerted, as M-ell as discharged from condemna-
tion, by virtue of the sacrifice, which, in the fulness of time^
he was to offer for them. We have already shewed how he
executed his prophetical office during this interval ; * now we
must consider him as exercising his kingly office. The majes«
tic way in which he delivered the law from mount Sinai, was
a glorious display thereof; and the Theocracy, which they
were under, which is described, in scripture, as a government
distinct from, and excelling all others in glory, and the subser-
viency of it to their salvation, was a farther evidence that he
was their king. This he evinced, at one time, by his appear-
ance to Joshua, as the captain of the Lord's hosts ; and at ano-
ther time it was represented in an emblematical way, when he^
was seen by the prophet Isaiah, as sitting upon a throne^ and
his train jilling the temple. And in the book of Psalms, he is
frequently acknovv'ledged by the church as their king; concern-
ing whom it is said, Thij throne^ 0 God^ is for ever and ever ;
the sceptre of thij kingdom is a right sceptre^ Psal. xlv. 6. and,
in many other places he is described as the King^ the Lord oj
hosts, not only as predicting the future exercise of his govern-
ment, but as denoting what he was at that time ; concerning
whom it was said, Is not the Lord in Zion ? Is not her King in
her ? Jer. viii. 1 9. And when God declares that he ha4 a4'
OF Christ's kingly office. 365i
vanced him to this mediatorial clignitA^, and set kim on his holy
kill of Zton^ the kings and judges of the rurth are exhorted to
serve him ivithfear, and, in token ot theii- v.'illingness to be his
subjects, to /diss the Son^ lest he be cingry^ and theij perish from
the waij^ ivhen his wraih is kijidled but a tittle^ Psal. li. 6, 10, 12,
2. Alter his incarnation, when he first came into the world,
he was publickly owned, by the wise men (who came from the
East) as one that rvas born King of the Jervs^ and the gifts which
they presented to him of gold, frankincense, and m3'rrh, Matt.
ii. 2. compared with ver. 11. the best presents that their coun-
try afforded, were designed to signify that homage which was
due to him, as one w horn God had appointed to be the King of
his church, though his external mein, and the circu: stances of
his birth, contained no visible mark of regal dignity. While he
conversed with his people, in the exercise of his public minis-
try, he gave them frequent intimations hereof, vv hen descril^ing
the nature of his kingdom, as spiritual, and not of this world ;^
and, when one of his followers addressed him, as the Son of
God^ and the King of Israel^ he is so far from reproving him,
as ascribing to him a glory that did not belong to him, that he
not only commends his faith that was expressed herein, but
gives him to understand, that he should have a greater evidence
of this truth, when he should see the heavens opened^ and the an-
gels of God ascending and descending upon him, John i. 49 — 51.
And, in the close of his life, when he entered into Jerusa-
lem, with a design to give himself up to the rage and fury of
his enemies, providence, as it were, extorted a confession of
his regal dignity, from the unstable multitude, and, at the same
time designed to fulfil what was foretold by the prophet Ze-
chariah, when he says, Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion ;
shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem ; behold, thy King cometh unto
thee ; he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an
ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass, Zech. ix. 9. and their
saying, Hosannah, blessed is the King of Israel, that cometh in
the name of the Lord, John xii. 13. was the result of a present
conviction, which they had of this matter, though it was not
long abiding, and hereby they v/ere, as it were, condemned out
of their own mouth. And, after this, when Pilate asked him
this question, in plain terms, Art thott the King of the jews?
he publickly professes himself to be so ; nevertheless, he gives
him to understand, that his kingdom was not of this world, upon
this account the apostle says, that before Pontius Pilate he wit-
nessed a good confession, ^nd styles him, King of kings, and
Lord of lords, 1 Tim. vi. 13, 15.
3. Christ still executes his Kingly office in that glorified
state, in which he now is. This the apostle intimates, when al-
luding to the custom of kings in their solemn triumphs over
VoT. n. 3 A
3.66 t)f CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICE.
their enemies, (who throw medals amongst the people to per-
petuate the remembrance thereof, and bestow donatives, oi"
peculiar marks of favour upon this occasion) when he speaks
of him, as ascending up on h'lg'li^ having led captivity captive^
and chen g-iving' gifts unto vie7i^ Eph. iv. 8. In this exalted
state there are undeniable proofs of his regal dignity in the
blessings which his church, in this world, receives, as the re-
sult of it as well as in the honours that are paid him by the in-
habitants of heaven. The Socinians, indeed, will not allow that
he executed his Kinglv office on earth : but this is contrary to
the account we have of his executing it in his humbled state,
as above mentioned; therefore we must suppose, that when
Christ entered into his glory, he did not begin to reign ; though,
from that time, he has exercised his government in a different
manner, upon the account whereof the gospel dispensation,
■which ensued thereon, is called, by way of eminence, his king-
dom ; and, because this dispensation began upon his ascension
into heaven, it is sometimes called, in the New Testament, the
kingdom of heaven.
I need not add much concerning the present exercise of his
Kingly government, since the greatest part of what has been
said, under this answer, has a particular regard to it. It was
after his ascension into heaven that the gospel-church was esta-
blished, which is sometimes called his visible kingdom ; then
it was that the laws and ordinances, by which it was to be go-
verned, were made known to it, together with the peculiar pri-
vileges that were then bestowed upon it, as the effects of
Christ's royal bounty : then the Spirit was sent, and, by his
assistance, the gospel was preached to all nations, saving grace
plentifully bestowed on multitudes, who were enabled to sub-
ject themselves to him, as King of saints ; and, in this manner,
Christ has hitherto exercised his Kingly government, and will
do until his second coming.
Here we shall take occasion to consider what is advanced,
by several, concerning Christ's reigning a thousand years on
earth, which, they suppose, will intervene between the present
administration of the affairs of his kingdom, and the saints
reigning with him in heaven for ever. This opinion has not
only the countenance of many ancient writers, who have de-
fended it, but it seems to be foimded on several scriptures ; so
that we shall be led, in considering this subject, rather to en-
quire into the true sense of those scriptures, that speak of
Christ's reigning on earth, than to deny that he will, in any
sense, reign therein, in a way circumstimtially different from
that in which he now administers the affairs of his kingdom.
And here we shall consider what is advanced, by some, con-
cerning this mattei-, who assort many thing-s relating thereunto,
OF Christ's kingly office. 367
wtiich stand in need of stronger arguments to defend them,
than have hitherto been brought ; and then we shall consider
how far we have ground, from scripture, to say, tliat Christ
shall reign here on earth, and all his saints that shall live
therein, with him, and what we may conclude to be the true
sense of those scriptures that are brought in defence of Christ's
j)ersonal reign.
The opinions of those that treat on this subject, are so dif-
ferent, that to speak distinctly to them all, would be too great
a diversion from my general design : and this also renders it
more difficult, to lay down the state of the question in a few
words. However, I shall briefly attempt this ; and, that we
may prooceed with greater clearness, shall consider what is
asserted, by several writers, concerning Christ's personal reign
on earth, which shall be in the latter end of the world, and is
to continue, from the time that it commences, a thousand years.
(1.) Some have supposed, that this thousand years' reign in-
cludes in it the whole compass of time, in which Christ shall
judge the world. This is called, indeed, in scripture, a day ;
but it cannot reasonably be supposed that it shall take up no
more than the space of twenty- four hours; and therefore they
suppose, that it shall contain the space of a thousand yearSy
which they found partly on that scripture, in Psal. xc. 4. A
thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday -when it is past;
and more especially on the apostle's words, in 2 Pet. iii. 8. One
day is with the Lord as a thousand years ^ and a thousand years
as one day ; and this they apply, in particular to the day of
judgment, which is spoken of in the verse immediately fore-
going-; and, since we have ground to conclude that this shall
be done on earth, and also, that, when Christ judges the world,
it may be truly said, he exercises his Kingly office in a most
glorious manner; therefore they conclude, from hence, that this
thousand years' reign includes in it all the time that he will take
up in judging the world : but, even in this matter, all do not
agree in their sentiments ; for some think, that, in this judicial
process, none are to be judged but the saints, who, being ac-
quitted I)y him, are said to reign with him ; and, in order here-
unto, that they shall be raised froni the dead, which they sup-
pose to be merait by the first resurrection^ and that the rest
shall not be raised till the thousand vears are finished. Rev.
XX. 5. But this seems not agreeable to the account we have
elsewhere, in scripture, of Christ's raising the dead, coming to
judgment, and determining the state, both of the righteous and
wicked, as what is to be done in or near the same time, each
of these being distinct branches of the same solemnity. And
that which makes this opinion still more improbable, is, be-
eause in the same scripture in which we have an account of
368 OF Christ's kingly office.
this thousand years' reign, it immediately follows, that, when
these years shall be expired, Satan will be loosed out of his
prison, and suffered to deceive the nations ^ and then we read
of other enemies which the church shall have, concerning whom
it is said, that they shall be gathered together to battle ; and it
is farther said, that they went ^ip on the breadth of the earthy
and compassed the camp of the saints about^ and the beloved city ;
and all this is to be done between the end of the thousand years
feign and the general judgment, when the dead., small and great^
shall be raised, the books opened, and all judged out of those
things that are xvritten therein, according to their xvorks ,* there-
fore this opinion concerning the thousand years' reign, inclu-
ding in it the time in which Christ shall appear, in this lower
world, to judge his saints, does not seem to be the sense of
that scripture on which this opinion is supposed to be founded,.
Rev. XX. 12.
(2.) The more common opinion, which is defended by seve-
ral ancient and modern Chiliasts, or Millenaries, as they are
generally called, is, that our Lord jesus Christ shall, some time
in the last days, before he comes to the final judgment, appear
in this lower world, in his humr.n nature, and dwell and reign
among the inhabitants theieof, in such a way, as may render
it a kind of middle state between that which the church is now
in, and heaven j more glorious than the former, and yet very
much inferior to the latter. And here they suppose,
\st, Tlir.t there are several things w^iiich shall go immediate-
ly before it, as tending to usher in tiie glory of that kingdom,,
to wit, the conversion of the Jews, which is to be effected at
once. And, in order hereunto, some conclude that the dispen-
sation of miracles shall be revived ; which they argue from
hence, in that all the remarkable changes that have formerly
been made in the affairs of the church, have been introduced
by miracles ; and the Jews, more than any other nation in the
world, have been desirous of a cqnviction by such a method
as this.
Moreover, it is also supposed, that, at the same time, those
ssriptures that foretel a greater fulness of the Gentiles, or the
conversion of many, who still remain in the darkness of hea->
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^/</, If he should appear on earth In his himian nature, he
must either divest himself of that celestial glory, which he is
clothed with therein, agreeable to the heavenly state ; or else
his people, with whom he is supposed to reign, must have such
a change made in their nature, that their bodies must be ren-
dered celestial, and their souls enlarged in proportion to the
heavenly state, otherwise they would not be fit to converse with
him, in an immediate way, by reason of the present frailty of
their nature. Of this we have various instances in scripture :
thus when iVIoses saAv (iod's back-parts^ that is, some extra-
ordinary emblematical display of his glory, God tells him,
Thoii canst not see my fate ; for no vian can see me and live; and
it follows, that while this glory passed bv him, God put him in
a citft of the rock^ and covered him rvith his hand^ Exod. xxxiii.
20 — 23. and assigns this as a reason, because his face should
not be seen. He could not, because of the imperfection of this
present state, behold the extraordinary emblematical displays
of the divine glory, without the frame of nature's being broken
thereby ; on which occasion Augustine says, understanding the
words in this sense. Lord, let me die, that I may see thee.*
Moreover, when Christ appeared to the apostle Paul, at his
^first conversion in the glory of his human nature, he fell to the
* Jifon'ar ut videnm-.
380 OF CHRIST a K.1MGLY OFritK.
earthy trembling- and astonished^ Acts ix. 6. as not being abli
to converse with him ; and afterwards, when the same apostle
was caught up into the third heaven^ and had a view of the glo-
ry thereof, this was greater than his frail nature could bear, and
therefore he says, that xvhether he was in the hodij, or out of
the hodij^ he could not tell^ 2 Cor. xii. 2. And John, the belo-
ved disciple, who conversed familiarly with him, when in his
humbled state, and leaned on his breast at supper^ John xxi. 20.
when he appeared to him, after his ascension, in a glorious em-
blematical way, says, When Isaxv hini^ I fell at his feet ^ as dead^
Rev. i. 17. compared with the foregoing verses, and the apos-
tle Paul says, Though -cue have known Christ after the fleshy yet-
now henceforth know xve him so no ?nore^ 2 Cor. v. 16. that is,
whilst we are in this world, inasmuch as we are incapable of
conversing with him in his glorified human nature. This is also
agreeable to what the apostle says, that fesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdora of God^ 1 Cor. xv. 50. that is, man, in this
present st.'.te, cannot enjoy those privileges which are reserved
ibr him in heaven, v.'hich include in them a convfersing with
Christ, in his human nature, as well as with others, that are in-
habitants of heaven.
odlij^ If we suppose that Christ will reign personally on
earth, it must be further enquired;- v»hethtr they that reign
with him, during this period of time, shall die, or no ? If not,
that seems contrary to the fixed laws of nature, and this pre-
sent state, as mortal, being opposed to a state of immortality
and eternal life; but if they shall die, then they must necessa-
rily lose one great advantage, v.-hich they now enjoy, in dying,
namely, being with Christy Phil. i. 23. for when they die, in
some respect, they must be said to depart from Christ,Kand,
whatever advantage the presence of the human nature of Christ
is of to the inhabHants of heaven, that they must be supposed
to be deprived of, whilst he is reigning on earth. These, and
other things to the same purpose, are consequences of Christ's
personal reign, in his human nature, on earth; for which rea-
son we cannot acquiesce in their opinion, who maintain it.
Secondly^ There is another thing, that we cannot approve of,
in the fore-mentioned scheme, relating to Christ's thousand
years' reign on earth, when they assert several things concern-
ing the conversion of the Jews, which seem contrary to the
analogy of faith. We have before taken it for granted that the
Jews shall be converted, when this glorious reign begins, or
immediately before it: but there are several things they add to
this, which, we think, they have no ground, from scripture, tq
do ; we shall mention two.
(1.) That after the Jews are converted, they shall continue
a distinct body of people, governed by their own laws, as they
OF CHRIST S KINGLY OFFICER. 38.1
were before Christ's incarnacion. But we rather cbnckidc, that
they shall be joined to, and become one body with the Chris-
tian church, all marks of distinction being laid aside,^and shall
hQ grafted into the same olive- ti'ee^ Kom. xi. 24. that is, into
Christ; and certainly the middle wall of partition, which was
taken away bv Christ, shall never be sei up again. This seems
to be intended by our Saviour's word?, There shall be onefold^
and one shepherd^ Jobn x. 16.
(2.) Besides this, there are several other things, which they
assert, concerning the Jews rebuilding the temple, at Jerusalem,
and that being the principal seat of Christ's reign, where the
saints shall reside and reign with him. As for the temple, that
Avas only designed as a place of \rorship, during the dispensa-
tion before Chri.st's incarnation, and was, in some respects, a
type of his dwelling among us in our nature ; and as for the
temple service, as it is now abolished, it shall continue to be
so, till the end of the world ; and then, what occasion is there
for a temple to be built ?
And as for Jerusalem's being rebuilt, or the land of Judea's
being the principal seat of Christ's kingdom on earth, we hum-
bly conceive it to be an ungrounded supposition, or a mistake
of the sense of soine scriptures in the Old Testament, which
"were literally fuililied in the building of Jerusalem, after the
Babylonish captivity, and have no reference to any thing now
♦.o come. And as for the land of Canaan, though it had a glo-
ry put on it some ages before our Saviour's incai-nation, as be-
ing the scene of many wonderful dispensations of providence,
in favour of that people, while they remained distinct from all
other nations in the world ; yet we cannot conclude that it shall
be a distinct place of residence for them, when, being convert-
ed, they are joined to the Christian church : and therefore the
land of Canaan will be no more accounted of, than any other
part of the world ; and, considering also the srnallness of the
place, we cannot think it : ufficient to contain the great number
of those, who, together with the Jews, shall be the happy sub-
jects of Christ's kingdom.
Thirdly^ There is another thing, in which we cannot agree
with some who treat of Christ's rtign on earth, namely,, when
they suppose that the saints, who are to reign with him, are to
be in £ sinless state, little short of the heavenly. It is true,
herein the)' are much divided in their sentiments : but some
assert, that thev shall be free from all the remainders of cor-
ruption ; and, indeed, their argument leads them to it, if we
consider the saints as being raised from the dead, and their
souls brought back from heaven, into which, when they first
entered, they were perfectly freed from sin. From lieixe it
will necessarily follow, that there will be no room for the mor— ,
Vol. II. ' 3,Q
385- - OF Christ's kingly orncE.
tification of sin, striving against it, or resisting those tempta-
tions, Avhich we are now liable to from it : this we cannot con-
clude to be a privilege that any have ground to expect, while
in this world; and, indeed, those graces, whereby we subdue
our corruptions, or strive against temptations, are peculiarly
adapted to this present state in opposition to the heavenly.
^Moreover, when they say, as some do, that this reign shall
be such, as that the saints shall be free from all manner of
trouble, internal or external, personal or relative, at least, so
long as Satan is bound, that is, to the end of tliese thousand
years ; this seems to be more than what Christ has given his
people ground to expect, who tells them, that, in the zvorld, ye
shall have^ at least some degree of tribulation^ John xvi. 33.
and that they must wait for a perfect freedom from it till they
come to heaven.
Fourthly^ We cannot tiiink, as some do, (as has been before
observed, that, during this thousand years' reign, the preaching
of the vv'ord, and the • administration of the sacraments, shall
cease, and all other lav/s and ordinances, which Christ has or-
dained for the gathering and buiiduig up of particular churches,
for the bringing in his elect, for the propagating his name and
intei-est in the world by these methods, shall all be discon-
tinued, as there will be no cccasioii fpr them. This is what we
think altogether tmgrounded ; for v/e cannot but suppose, that
as soon as the whole number of the election of grace are brought
in, and thereby the end and design of the preaching the gospel
is answered ; or v, hen Cluist can say, Here am I, and all that
thou hast given me, he will present them to the Father, and
so receive his militant church into a triumphant state in heaven.
And, indeed, it seems a very Avealc foundation, on which this
part of their scheme depencls, when they say, that those texts
which speak of Christ's being with his ministers to the end of
the worlds Ivlatt. xxviii. 20. and elsewhere, that, in the Lord's
supper, his death is to be commemorated till he cotne^ 1 Cor.
xi. 26, relate to the coming of Christ in the Millennium, which
seems a very much strained and forced sense thereof. And as
for that other scripture, v/herein it is said, that the New Jeru-
salem had no temple^ and that it had no need of the siin^ nor the
moon, for the g-lorii of the Lord did lighten it, and the Lamb
ivas the light thereof Rev. xxi. 23. this must not be brought
to prove that the ordinances of divine worship, shall cease du-
ring this thousand years' reign, unless they can first make it ap-
pear that the New Jerusalem has reference thereunto ; where-
as some think that the Holy Ghost is here describing the hea-
venly state, which agrees very well with its connexion with
what is mentionc d in the foregoing chapter ; and if this be the
-^er;;se thereof, the glory which the church shall then arrive to.
6f Christ's kinv-^ly office. 3J8;>
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,fr<jm
nil eternity.
f By Cla-isCs mediatorial acts, we mean every thing that lie did and suffered, in
the whole course of Ids obedience. Unto death. This is not to be considered in a prolep-
tic sense, aswluit he did as JMediator, btfore his incarnation, may be said to be, an
fie nught then, in sonw rttpecte, be said to execute his prophetical or kingly offices, as
Mediator, or as one who deuigncdin tlicfubwsn (ftime, t9 take iivr uatvvs intu Vnifin
vith his divine I'tison,
Voji. n, 3 E
3*5^ OT? Christ's humiliation-;-
Cod-man Mediator, and consequently it supposes him to be in*
carnate. This is evident, because what he did here on earth
\vas performed by him, in obedience to, and as having received
a commission from, the Father ; which could not be perform-
ed any otherwise than in his human nature.
4. Christ could not be said to assume the human nature in-
to union with his divine Person, as God-man, for that implies
a contradiction in terms ; nor could it be said, that, before this,
he performed any act of obedience to the law, for that suppo-
ses the human nature to be assumed, and therefore is conse-
quent to his incarnation.
4. For our farther understanding this matter, we may dis-
tinguish between the act of incarnation, or taking the human
nature into union with his divine Person ; and the state in
which he was, after this. The former was an instance of di-
vine condescension ; the latter, in the most proper sense, was
a branch of his mediatorial humiliation. And this leads us to
consider the various instances in which Christ is said to have
humbled ' himself, in some following answers, namely, in his
birth, life, death, and after his death.
I. Christ humbled himself in his birth ; and that,
1. In that he submitted to be in a state of infancy, in com-
;mon with all, who come into the world. This is the most un-
active state of life, in Avhich we are under a natural incapacity
of enjoying, or conversing with God, or being of any other use,
than objectively, to men, inasmuch as the new-born infant is
destitute, at least, of the regular exercise of thought ; and is
also exposed to various evils, that attend its infantile state ;
sensible of a great deal of pain and uneasiness, which renders
it the object of compassion ; and knows not what is the secret
cause thereof, nor how to seek redress. This stage of life our
Saviour passed through, and thereby discovered a great degree
of humiliation.
We have no reason to think, with the Papists *, that, during
his infancy, he had the perfect exercise of his reasoning pow-
ers, as though he had been in a state of manhood, as supposing
that the contrary would have been a dishonour to him. For,
if it were in no wise unbecoming the divine nature to continue its
imion with his body, when separate from his soul, and there-
fore in a state of the greatest inactivity, it could be no dishon-
our for it to be united to his human nature, though we suppose
* See Bellarm. Tom. I. Lib. IV. cap. 1. ivho pretends that it is vniversaUy heldhy
them, luheji hesuys, Critholicoriim, communis seritentiafuit,Christi animam ab ip-
sa sua creatione repletam scientia & gratia; ita ut nihil postea clldicerit quod
antca nesciret, nee ullam actionem fecerit a\it faccre potuerit qvr<e emendatione
ej^uerit. I'ca decent cum magistro omnes TUeologi & eiiam omnes Patres. This
}i€ endeavours to maintain (>ii 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 a<l inferos.
t nU. Jiistitiit. Lib. 11. cu/i. 16. § 10.
i rid. /•'"rtv.vo/i on t/i" Cte-d, .Jrtic. 5.
440 OF Christ's humiliation in death.
•why hast thou forsaken me ? yet he was not destitute of the
supporting presence of God, nor separate from his love, which
always redounded to his Person; though the effects of God's
■wrath, which he bore, might fill him with the greatest uneasi-
ness, from the afflictive view, which he had thereof in his soul.
However, though the senje of this text must be thus qualified,
if we suppose that it denotes Christ's sufferings in his soul be-
fore his death ; yet it does not sufficiently appear that the apos-
tle speaks of his sufferings antecedent to it; because it is br6ught
in as an argument, to prove that he should be raised fi-om the
dead, and accordingly his flesh is said to rest in hope ; therefore
we shall proceed,
[2.] To consider Christ's descent into hell, as contained in
one of the articles of the creed, that is commonly attributed to
the apostles, which is particularly referred to, in tlie answer
under our present consideration, wherein it is put after his
death. Here something might have been premised concerning
that Creed in general, and the reason of inserting this article in
it: but this having been insisted on with great judgment by
Others,* all that I shall add, is, that notwithstanding what we
meet with in some fabulous and spurious writings, this Creed
was not compiled by the apostles, how consonant soever it be
to the doctrines laicl down by them : for we have no account-
given of it by any ancient writers before the fourth century,
therefore it is of later date, than either the Nicene or Athana-
sian Creed ; the former of which was composed about the year
of our Lord 325, the latter not long after it. In the Nicene
Creed, there is no mention made of Christ's descent into hell,
though the Athanasian Creed inserts it ; but there is no men-
tion therein of his being buried. The words are these : He de-
scended into hell, and the third day he arose from the dead ;
from whence some conclude, that nothing else is intended but
his being buried, or continuing in the state of the dead, till his
resurrection, {a) Some think, indeed, that there was a margi-
nal note in some copies of this Creed, to explain what is meant
* Vid. History of the apostles Creed-
(a) The Creed called the A postles' is not offered by the first writers in whom
it is found, upon its own authority. They attempt to prove it from the scrip,
•«ures, and we can receive it in no other way. The article " He descended into
hell " did not originally stand in tlie Eastern, nor in the Homan creed ; it was first
found in the creed of Aquileia, wlilch had nothing of Christ's burial ; and no
tioubt as «te»c is often put for the grave, tiiis article meant in it his burial. When
inserted from tlience into the two other creeds, ^^ liich mentioned his burial al-
ready, it was understood of his human soul. Yet it stands incoherently, for his
body was crucified, dead, buried, arose, and was seen to ascend : but this article,
in the raidst of tliose verbs, predicate^ something of another subject, his soul.
"Vet if taken in the sense of" Thou -wilt not leave my soul in hell" (Psa. xvi. Acts
i}<) it is true. But '7IX;:' and «^;;r are each tidtoii fvv the invisible world or scpa-
or Christ's humu-iation in jjeath. 441
by his descending into hell, namely, that he was buried ; which
the compilers ot the apostles Creed afterwards thought to be a
part of the Creed itself, and therefore they add, that he died,
was buried, and descended into hell. But passing by this cri-
tical rer.iark, concerning the reason of the insertion hereof in
tills article, we shall proceed to consider how this is explained,
bv various writers, who treat on this subject. And,
(1.) The Papists and Lutherans assert that our Saviour de-
scended locally into hell after his death ; not to suffer any of
the torments that are endured there, but to shew himself as a
conqueror over those who are detained in it, and triumph over
them. As for the Papists, they suppose, that he went also into
a place, which they describe * as a prison, where the souls of
the old Testament-saints were detained, as being incapable of
entering into heaven, inasmuch as they had not a sufficient dis-
covery of Christ and the gospel made to them, while they were
here on earth ; and therefore they were detained in this, which
we may call a fictitious place, which they represent as being be-
tween heaven and liell ; not, indeed, according to them, a place
of torment, but they suppose it was such, in which they were
destitute of the heavenly blessedness ; and they add, that im-
mediately after Christ appeared among them, and manifested
himself to them, they believed ; in which sense they understand
that scripture, where it is said, that the gospel xuas preached to
thciyi that arc dcad^ 1 Pet. iv. 6. and, upon this, he carried them
with him into heaven. This opinion of Christ's descending lo-
cally into hell, is very absurd, and contrary to scripture ; par-
ticularly,
1.9/, To what he says to the penitent thief upon the cross,
To-da7j thou shalt be xvith me in paradise^ Luke xxiii. 43. by
which, doubtless he means heaven, which is called paradise in
other scriptures, 2 Cor. xii. 2. compared with 4. and Rev. ii. 7.
* This theu call Limlms Patrum.
rate state, of the good, as well as evil, both in the old and new Testament, and
this was thought by Jews and Gentiles to be under the surface. Thus Abraham
and l^azarus were supposed there, and Samuel to have been called up from
Uicncc. (Jhrist asserting his divinrty, must allege he came from heaven, for that
was the place of God. He also returned thither, and is to come from thence ; yet
he has gone to prepare a place, and his disciples expected by his promise to be
with liim, and so all other Christians. His descent therefore means that his soul,
when separated from his body, was immediately with the separate spirits, who
are happy, and so said to be in i>aradise. 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'<i
As to what they say conceTning Christ's descending into
hell, to triumph over the devils, and others, who were there
plunged into that abyss of misery, this conjecture has no foun-
dation in scripture. We read, indeed of his spoili?ig- principaJi-
tics and porvers., and making a shexu of them openly^ triumphing
over them; but it was in his cross^ and not in hell, Col. ii. 15.
and elsewhere of his destroying him that had the power of deaths
that is^ the devil, Heb. ii. 14. But it was not by going in his
own Person into that place, where he is detained in chains of
darkness ; it was not by any thing done by him after his death,
but, as it is expressed, by death, as he purchased that victory,
which he obtained over him on the cross, which was the seat
of his triumph in this respect ; and therefore there is no foun-
dation to assert his local descent into hell.
(2.) The most probable opinion concerning Christ's descent
into hell, which I cannot but acquiesce in, is what is observed
in this answer, as implying his continuing in the state of the
dead, and under the power of death till the third day. The.
word hell, indeed, in our English tongue, generally, if not al-
ways, signifies that place of torment, which they are adjudged
to, who are for ever excluded from the divine favour : thus it
is said, concerning the rich man in the parable, that tji hell he
lift up his eyes, being in torments, Luke xvi. 23. But the He-
'■'-■■' ■ '■ ■ ■ I ...
be repeated, and so it will be ; " Was quickened in the Spirit," which will refer
t(» his human soul. But his human soul was not dead, and could not be quicken-
ed. And it is absurd to svibstitute the adjective quick, (as Dr. Horscley has done)
for this is to make, not translate scripture. Nor could his human sowX quicken
his bod}- ; it was the power of God, whether we understand by S])irit his divine
nature, the person of the Father, or of the Holy Spirit. Now as tlie word Spirit
here cannot mean his human soul, this passage will not prove that it went to any
phcc, or prison, whatever.
By -ti-hich, (var. 19.) relates to the Divine Spirit: lie, that is, Christ, -zseuC
(Trcftu^a; havin}:^ gone,) preached (this is also the indefinite past tense) to the spi-
rits ii: prison. 'I'he omission of the substantive verb makes tlie present tense; and
the spirits here spoken of were still in prison, at the time of the writing' this epistle,
:uul therefore whether good or evil, tliey had not been set at large by Christ from
their im])risonment. The word disobedient is also the indefinite participle. If'e/it,
preached, and disobedient, are all the same tense ; and, coming together, evident-
ly relate to the same time. UJIt alt connect them witli, and pin them down to the
time of the verb -waited, whicii is tlie unfinished action, was -uuiiting, the tense,
V. hich is most definite, and in this case actually connected witli absfjlute time,
to wit, " in the days of Aonh." The going forth, the preaching, and the di^:obe-
ilience, were therefore all, as well as the -u-diting of Cod, in the clays of Noah, aiui
not between tlie death, and resurrection of Ciirist.
Tlierea.son that the Ai)i)stlc fbtes on the fearful example of rejecting divine in-
structions in the days of Noah, was probalily that Noali had been called in !vcrip7
ture A preacher of righteousness .- the I^ord bud also said of that generation, that
his Spirit should not always strive with man, which implies, that liis Spirit did gn
forth with the preaching of that a*e ; and their disobedience was proved by their
destruction by the deluge; and their death i.i imp- nitency was a proof of their
everlasting punishment.
444 OF Christ's exaltation.
brew and Greek words,* which we often translate hell^ have
not only that, but another sense affixed to them, as they some-
times signify the ^rrtt)<: ; so our translators frequently render
the word ; as when Jacob speaks of bringing' down his gray
hairs ixiith sorrow to the graKje^ Gen. xlii. 38. and elsewhere it
is said, The Lord killeth and tnaketh alive ; he bringeth doxvn to
grave^ and bringeth up^ 1 Sam. ii. 6. And it is taken for the
state of the dead : thus Jacob, when he thought that his son
Joseph was torn in pieces, without being laid in the grave, says,
I Will go down into the grave, unto my son. Gen. xxxvii. 35.
There are many other places in which the Hebrew word is so
rendered ; and as for the Greek word, that, according to its
proper derivation and signification, denotes the state of the dead,
or the unseen state : thus our Saviour, after death, continued
in the state of the dead, his soul being separate from his body
till the third day, when his state of humiliation was finished.
This leads us to consider Christ's state of exaltation.
Quest. LI. What was the estate ofChrisfs exaltation?
Answ. The estate of Christ's exaltation comprehendeth his
resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Fa-
ther, and his coming again to judge the world.
Quest. LII. Hoxu was Christ exalted in his resurrection?
Answ. Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that, not hav-
ing seen corruption in death, of which it was not possible for
him to be held, and having the very same body in which he
suffered, with the essential properties thereof, but without
mortality and other common infirmities belonging to this life,
really united to his soul, he rose again from the dead the
third day, by his own power ; whereby he declared himself
to be the Son of God, to have satisfied divine justice, to have
vanquished death, and him that had the power of it, and to
be Lord of quick and dead ; all which he did as a public
Person, the Head of his church, for their justification, quick-
ning in grace, support against enemies, and to assure them
of their resurrection from the dead at the last day.
THE former of these answers containing only a general ac-
count of what is particularly insisted on in some follow-
ing answers, we pass it over, and proceed to consider Christ as
exalted in his resurrection. And accordingly we may observe,
I. That he did not see corruption in death. Corruption accor-
ding to our common acceptation of the words imports two thing",
OF Christ's exaltation. 445,
1. The dissolution of the frame of nature, or the separation
of soul and body, in which sense every one that dies sees cor-
ruption ; for death is the dissolution, or separation of the two
constituent parts of man ; which therefore the apostle calls the
dissolution of this earthly tabernacle^ 2 Cor. v. 1. Now when
our Saviour is said not to see corruption, it is not ta be under-
stood in this sense ; because he really died.
2. It consists principally in the body's being putrified, or
turned into dust. In this sense it is said, Thou wilt not suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption^ Acts ii. 2r. which is explain-
ed in a following verse, in which is said, that his Jiesh did not
see corruption^ ver. 31. i. e. he did not continue long enough
in the state of the dead, for his body to be corrupted, which it
would have been, without a continued miracle, had it lain many
days in the grave.
If it be objected, that to lie two or three days in the grave
is sufficient to contract some degree of corruption ; therefore
Christ's body could not, in all respects, be free from corruption.
To this we answer, that there was a peculiar hand of provi-
dence, in keeping it from being corrupted, during that short
space of time, in which it continued in the state of the dead,
which was an indication of the great i-egard which God had to
him, his sufferings therein being now at an end. But there may
be another reason hereof assigned, inasmuch as the filth of sin
is sometimes illustrated by things putrified and corrupted, to
beget in us a detestation thereof; therefore God would not suf-
fer the body of Christ to be corrupted ; as his soul had not the
least taint of moral corruption in life, it was not expedient that
his body should have the least mark or emblem of it in death.
And it was also necessarj', that his body should not see coi--
ruption, by being turned into dust, as the bodies of all men will
be ; otherwise we could not have had so evident a proof, that
the same body which died, was raised again from the dead,
which will be farther insisted on, under a following head, when
we consider the reason why he rose again so soon as the third
day.
II. It was not possible for our Saviour to be held any longer
under the power of death : this is taken from Acts ii. 24. For
the undcrstiinding whereof, let us consider, ;
1. That had he continued always under the power of death,
it would have argued the insufficiency of his satisfaction, so
that his obedience in life, and his sufl'erings in death, could not
have attained the end designed thereby ; and conscquontl)' the
infinite worth and value thereof would, in effect, have been de-
nied. Therefore the justice of (iod being fully satisfied, it could
not refuse to release him out of prison, that is, to raise him
from the dead.
Vol.. II. 3 L
44& OF Christ's exaltation.
2. It was not possible that he should be held any longer un-
der the power of death, than till the third day, because the pur-
pose and promise of God must have its accomplishment. And,
indeed, he was given to understand, before he suffered, that his
body should be detained no longer in the grave ; as he inti-
mates to his followers. Destroy this tejnple^ and in three days 1
xuill raise it up^ John ii. 19. This event, therefore, was propo-
sed as a sign, and an appeal is made thereunto, for the confir-
mation of his mission and doctrine ; therefore it was impossi-
ble that he should l)e held any longer in the grave."
III. We are to prove, that Christ actually rose again from
the dead. The two main proofs, necessary to support our faith
herein, are, 1. A sufficient testimony given hereof by crea-
tures, 2. A farther confirmation of it by miracles, which are a
divine testimony. Both these we have ; and it may be farther
observed, that the great ends of his death and resurrection are
fully pbtained, as appears by daily experience ; all which af-
forded us unquestionable matter of conviction.
Firsts As to the former sort of testimony. It was attested
by sufficient, undeniable evidence ; as,
1. By two angels, who were sent from heaven, as the first
witnesses thereof: they are described as being in shining gar-
ments^ xvho saidy Why seek ye the living among the dead? he
is not here^ but is risen, Luke xxiv, 4 — 6. They are called in-
deed, two men, because they appeared in human form ; but ano-r
ther evangelist calls them txuo angels, John xx. 12.
2. It was attested, by several men and women, who were his
familiar friends and followers before his death, and saw and
conversed with him, after his resurrection, and therefore had
sufficient proof that it was he M'ho suffered that was raised from
the dead. And, lest the testimony of his apostles should not be
reckoned sufficient, though there were enough of them to attest
this matter, he was afterwards seen by a great number, namely.
Above Jive hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6. and surely^
all these could not be deceived, in a matter of which it was ne-
cessary for themselves, as well as others, that they should ha\e
the fullest conviction.
Now that it was morally impossible, that his disciples, in
particular, should be imposed on, will farther appear, if we
consider,
(1.) That they were his intimate associates; it was for this
reason, among others, that providence ordered tl^at he shoul4
appear to, and converse mostly with them : ^ad he appeared
to others, who never knew him before, and told them that he
was risen from the dead, though they could not questron hia
being alive, whilst they conversed with him ; 3'et they might
l?.oubt whether he was the same person who died, and so was
OF Christ's exaltation. 447
Raised from the dead : and it cannot well be conceived that such
cquld receive a full conviction, as to this matter, without a mi-
racle : but, when he appeared to those who were intimately ac-
quainted with him, before his death, the conviction is easy and
natural," for,
If his countenance, or outward appearance, as much resem-
bled what it was before his death, as ours after a fit of sickness
does what it was before ; then his aspect, or external appearance
to them, would afford such matter of conviction, as very few
pretend to gainsay ; especially, considering it was but three days
since they saw him, before he was crucified. But it may be ob-
jected to this, that his countenance was so altered, that it was
hard to know him by it, insomuch that Mary, one of his inti-
mate acquaintance, when she first saw him, mistook him for
the gardener, John xx. 14, 15. and it is said, that, ajier this he
appeared in another form unto txvo of them^ Mark xvi. 12.
As to the former of these scriptures, Maiy might easily mis-
take him for another person, through suvprize, and not look-
ing stedfastly on him, as not expecting to see him. This her
mistake, therefore, may easily be accounted for, though we
suppose his countenance not much to differ from what it was
before his death.
As to the other scripture, which speaks of his appearing, in
another form ^ to two of his disciples^ as they walked into the
country ; this is mentioned, with some particular enlargement,
bv the evangelist Luke, together with the conversation our Sa-
viour had with them ; and it is observed, that their eyes were
holden, that they should not know him^ Luke xxiv. 16. and that
afterwards their eyes were opened and thcij knexv him^ ver. 31«
May we not, from hence, suppose, that there was something
preternatural, either in the change of Christ's countenance, to
the end that, at first, they should not know him ; or else, that
there was some impress upon the minds of the disciples, that
prevented their knowing him ? If the former of these be sup-
posed, as agreeable to St. Mark's words, relating to his appear-
ing in another form ; this miracle will not give sufficient occa-
sion for us to conclude that our Saviour's countenance was so
much altered, when, in other instances, he appeared to his dis-
ciples, that it was impossible that they should know him there-.
bv : but, if this should be allowed ; or, if it should be objec-
ted, that the most intimate friends may mistake the person
whom they see, if there be nothing else to judge by, but the
likeness of his countenance, to Vvhat it was before ; then let
us add,
(2.) That our Saviour not only appeared to his disciples, but
conversed with them, and brought to their remembrance what
had passed between him and them before his d:ath : thus he
448 or Christ's lxaltatiok.
says, These are the xvords that I spoke unto you while Iiuas yet
ivith yc-i, &c. Luke xxiv. 44. Now, when a person not only
discovers himself to others, but brings to mind private conver-
sation that had before passed between them, at particular times
and places ; this leaves no ground to doubt whether it be the
same person, or no. Therefore his appearing to, and conver-
sing with his intimate, particular friends, and calling to mind
former conversation held with them before his death, proves
that he was the same Person that had lived before ; and con-
sequendy they might be as sure that he was raised from the
dead, as they were that he died.
3. Those persons, who, after his resurrection, were witnesses
to the truth hereof to the world, were very worthy of credit ; for,
(1.) They were of such a temper, that they would believe no-
thing themselves, but upon the fullest evidence ; and this they
had to such an extreme, as is uncommon ; providence so order-
ing it, that we might, from thence, be more sure that we were
not imposed on by their report. They were incredulous, even
to a fault; for,
1st, Though they had sufficient intimation given them, that
our Saviour would rise from the dead, at that time that he real-
ly did, and were also credibly informed by the women, who
had an account hereof from the angel, that he was risen ; yet
it is said. Their rvords seemed to them as idle tales^ and they
believed them noty chap. xxiv. 11,
2r//i/, After they had received a farther account of this mat-
ter, from those two disciples, who conversed with him, going
to Emmaus, and therefore had sufficient ground, from them, to
conclude that he was risen from the dead ; yet, when our Sa-
Tiour, at the same time that they were reporting this matter to
them, appeared in the midst of them, they were terrijied, as if
they had seen a spirit, Luke xxiv. 36, 37. This farther disco-
vers how much they were disinclined to believe any things
without greater evidence than what is generally demanded in
like cases.
odly, The report given by the rest of the disciples to Tho-
mas, concerning his resurrection, and his having appeared to
them, and conversed with them, which was a sufficient ground
to induce any one to believe it, was not, in the least regarded
bv him, who determined, that unless he saxu in his hands the
print of the nails, mid put his finger into the print of the nailsy
and thrust his hand into his side, he would not believe ; in which
he was afterwards indulged by our Saviour for his conviction.
All these things are plain proofs that the disciples, who were
to be witnesses of this matter, were not persons of such a tem-
per, as that they might easily be imposed on, and therefore their
report is more convincing to us.
OF Christ's exax-tai^on, 449
(2.) They were men of an unspotted character, unblemished
honesty and integrity, which is a very necessary circumstance
to be regarded, in those who are evidences to any matters of
fact : their conversation was subject to the inspection of their
most inveterate enemies, who, it thej could have found any
thing blame-worthy therein, would, doubtless, have alleged it
against them, as an expedient to have brought t,heir persons
and doctrines into disrepute, which would have had a tenden-
cy to sap the very foundation of the Christian religion; and
the Jews need not have had recourse to persecution, or called
in the aid of the civil magistrate to silence theu, if they could
have produced any instances of dishonesty, or want of integri^
ty, in their character. The apostle Peter, who was one of the
witnesses to this truth, appeals to the world in the behalf of
liimself and the rest of the apostles, when he says, IVe have not
folloived cunninglij devised fables^ 7vhen we made known untQ
you the power and -coming of our Lord Jesus Christy but were
eye-witnesses of his Majesty^ 2 Pet. i. 18. and, indeed, their
writings discover not only great integrity, but holiness, and
therefore the same apostle styles them all, Holy men of God,
ver. 21.
(3.) They could not be supposed to have the least prospect
of advantage by deceiving the world, as to this matter ; but,
on the other hand, were to look for nothing else but the greatest
degree of opposition, both from the Jews and the Heathen.
The former, who had always been such enemies to their Lord
and Master, would, doubtless, be so to them ; and, besides this,
they reckoned it their interest to oppose and persecute every
one who propagated this doctrine, inasmuch as they apprehen-
ded, that, if the world believed it, it would fasten an eternal
mark of infamy upon them ; and they were also apprehensive,
that it would bring on them the guilt of his bloody that is, the
deserved punishment thereof, Acts v. 28. If any one should
object, that they might have some view to their own interest^
when they first became Christ's disciples, or expect some se-
cular advantage, by being the subjects of his kingdom, as ap-
prehending that it was of a temporal nature ; this they had not
any ground foK from him. Besides, since his crucifixion, aH
expectations of that kind were at an end ; and therefore their
reporting that he was risen from the dead, if he had not been so,
would have been to invent a lie, contrary to their own interest.
Moreover, they would herein not only have imposed on
others, but have incurred the divine displeasure, and ruined
their own souls, the happiness whereof was equally concerned
in the truth of their testimony with that of ours ; and none can
suppose that they ever appeared so desperate, as not to regard
what became of "th«m, either in this or another world.
450 OF Christ's exaltatiok*
Thus we have considered the testimony of those apostks,
who saw and conversed with Christ after his resurrection, to-
gether with their respective character, as witnesses hereof. And
to them we have the addition of another witness to this truth,
namely, the apostle Paul, who saw him in an extraordinary
manner, after his ascension into heaven, and heard his voice,
saying, Saul^ Saul^ xvhy persecutest thou me? lam Jesus.^ xvhom
thou persecutesty chap. xxvi. 14 — 16. upon this occasion he says,
concerning himself. Last of all he xvas seen of me also^ as of one
born out of due time^ 1 Cor. xv. 8. that is, one who had this
qualification for the apostleship, or his being a witness to Christ's
resurrection, after that time, in which others were qualified to
bear their testimony hereunto, that is, after his ascension into
heaven. And we may observe, concerning this witness, that he
was well known, by all the Jews, to have been one of the most
inveterate enemies to Christianity in the world ; which he fi^e-
quently afterwards took occasion to mention, that so his testi-
mony might be more regarded ; and, indeed, nothing short of
the fullest evidence, as to this matter, could induce him to fore-
go his secular interest, and in common with the rest of the apos-
tles, to expose himself to the loss of all things, in defence of
this truth.
And, now we are speaking concerning the witnesses to
Christ's resurrection, and the apostle Paul, as attesting this,
from his having seen him in glorified state, we may take notice
of one more evidence hereunto, namely, the blessed martyr Ste-
phen, who declared, in the presence of his enraged enemies,
Behold^ I see the heavens opened^ and the Son of 7nan standing
on the right hand of Go d^ Acts vii. 56. He was, doubtless, one
of the holiest, and most upright men in his day ; and, when he
gave this testimony, it is said, in the foregoing words. He was
full of the Holy Ghost; and certainly the Holy Ghost, would
not suggest a falsity to him : and this he spake when ready to
expire, and, at such a time, men are under no temptation to
deceive the world; so that if, at any time, they are to be be-
lieved, it is then, when they are in the most serious frame, and
thoughtful about the world into which they are immediately
passing. Thus concerning the testimony of Christ's friends and
followers to his resurrection.
And, to this, we might add the testimony of enemies them-
selves hereunto ; they were forced to own this truth, though it
was so much against their own interest, and made their crime,
in crucifying him appear so black and heinous. Thus we ma}'
observe, that when Christ was buried, the Jews desired Pilate,
from the intimation which they before had received, that he
was to rise again after three days, that his sepulchre should be
made sure till that time, which was done accordingly ; a stone
OP Christ's exaltation. 451
rolled to the mouth thereof, and sealed, and a watch appointed
to guard it; and these were Jews, as Pilate says, Te have a
ivatch^ go your ivay, make it as sure as you caii^ Matt, xxvii.
C5. He did not order Christ's friends and followers to watch
the sepulchre, but his enemies ; and it is observed, concerning
them, that when the stone was rolled from the door of the se-
pulchre, by the ministry of an angel, the keepers^ or the watch
which Pilate had set, did shake and beca7ne as dead 7nen^ chap,
xxviii. 4. or were ready to die with fear. This could not throw
them into a sleep, for fear awakens, rather than stupifies the
passions; upon this it is said, Some of the xvatch came into the
city ^ and shcxved unto the chief priests the things that were done;
and xvhen they had assembled together^ and had taken counsel^
they gave large money unto the soldiers^ sayings Say z/e, his
disciples came by nighty and stole htm axvay^ zuhile rue slept ;
and, since this would render them liable to the governor's re-
sentment, and some degree of punishment for their not attend-
ing their respective post, with that watchfulness that was ne-
cessary, they add, We will persuade hii7i and secure you; upon
which it is said, They took the money, and did as they were
taught ; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews
until this day. This is the most stupid and absurd method that
could be taken, to discountenance the doctrine of Christ's re-
surrection ; and, indeed it contains a proof thereof : the soldiers,
at first, reported matter of fact ; but the evasion thereof con-
futes itself. Must we not suppose, that there were a consider-
ble number that watched the sepulchre ? Doubtless, they would
take care to have several there present, lest those who might
come to steal him away should be too strong for them : and, if
there were several of them present, could they be all asleep at
the same time ? and could the tomb be opened, which they had
made stronger than ordinary, and the stone rolled from it, and
yet none of them be awakened out of their sleep ? Besides, if
they were asleep, their evidence, that Christ was, at the same
time, stolen away by his disciples, is too ridiculous to be re-
garded by any, who consider what sort of evidence deserves to
be credited ; for how could they know what was done when
they were asleep ? Thus concerning the testimonv given to
Christ's resurrection, both by angels a,nd men. We proceed to
consider,
Secondly, How it was confirmed by miracles, which are no
other than a divine testimony. The former sort of evidence, in-
deed, is sufficient to convince any one, who does not give way
to the greatest degree of scepticism : but yet we have farther
proof of it ; for, as the apostle says, If we receive the witness
of men, the witness of God is greater, 1 John v. 19. Now God
himself ha« been pleased to ^et hh seal to this truth, or to con-
4i}2- OF CHRIST^S EXALT ATlONi
firm it by the extraordinary testimony of miracles, which were
wrought by the apostles ; which was, in some respect, necessa-
ry, that the faith of those, who were to be convinced thtreby,
might be properly divine, and therefore founded on greater evi-
dence than that of human testimony, how undeniable soever it
were : thus it is said, that with great power gave the apostles
witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus^ Acts iv. 33. and
the Holy Ghost, in particular, by whose immediate efficiency
these miracles were wrought, is said to be a witness hereunto :
thus the apostles say, We are his witnesses of these things^ and
so is also the Holy Ghost^ -whom God hath given to them that
obey him^ chap. v. 32. the meaning of which is, we are speaking
and acting by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost, confirm-
ing to you this great truth. And, indeed, those miraculous gifts
of the Holy Ghost were an extraordinary means for the convic-
tion of the world concerning this truth; which our Saviour gave
his followers ground to expect, at this time, before his death,
when he spake concerning the Spirit, which was not before given,
John vii. 36. that is, not in so great a degree, so as to enable them
to speak with divers tongues, and work various sorts of miracles,
beyond what they had done before ; accordingly it is said. The
Hohj Ghost was not yet, or before this, given, because that Jesus
was not glorified. This Christ also promised them, immediate-
ly before his ascension into heaven, that these signs shall fol-
low them that believe ; in my name shall they cast out devils ;
they shall speak xvith nevj tongues^ they shall take up serpents^
and, if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands, and they shall recover, Mark xvi. 17, 18. These
miracles are called signs, as ordained to signify or give a proof
of Christ's resurrection ; and they are said to be wrought by
them, who had the faith of miracles, believed it themselves,
and hereby induced others to believe it ; and also they wrought
them in his name, v/ith a design to set forth his glory, which
could not have been evinced hereby, had he not been risen from
the dead.
And to this we may add, that all the gifts and graces of the
Spirit, which believers are made partakers of, are convincing
evidences of this doctrine. But this will be considered under
a following head, when we speak to the latter part of this an-
swer, respecting the fruits and consequences of Christ's resur-
rection, which the church, in all the ages, thereof, experiences,
whereby the work of grace is begun, carried on, and perfected
in them ; which leads us to consider,
IV. The properties of the body of Christ, as thus raised
from the dead, as it is said, in this answer, that the same body
was raised again, with all the essential properties thereof, but
without mortality, and other common infirmities belonging to
this life.
OF Christ's exaltation, 453
1. It was the same body which suffered that was raised from
the dead, otherwise it could not be called a resurrection : thus
the apostle Paul, speaking concerning the general resurrection
at the last day, compares it to the springing up of seed, 1 Cor.
XV. 37, 38. that is sown in the ground, which, though it be
very much altered, as to its shape, and many accidental pro-
perties, yet it is the same for substance that was sown ; ac-
cordingly, every seed hath its own body ; the matter is the
same, though the form be different.
2. When it is said, that the body of Christ had the same es-
sential properties which it had before his death, we are to un-
derstand hereby, that it was material, and endowed with the
•ame senses that it had before, which were exercised in the
same manner, though it may be, in a greater degree.
3. It is farther observed, that it had not the same accidental
properties which belonged to it before ; for it was without mor-
tality, and other infirmities of this life ; thus the apostle speaks,
concerning the resurrection of all believers to this purpose, It
is sozvn in cerriiption^ it is raised in incorruption ; it is sown
in dishonour^ it is raised in glorij ; it is sown in xveakncss^ it is
raised in poiuer ; it is sown a natural body^ it is raised a spi-
ritual body^ ver. 42 — 4'4. and it is said in particular, concern-
ing our Saviour, that, being' raised from the dead^ he dieth no
viore^ Rom. vi. 9. that is, he was raised immortal. And as be-
lievers, after their resurrection from the dead, shall be delivered
from the common infirmities of life, such as hunger, thirst,
pain, sickness, and the like ; much more may we conclude that
our Saviour was so : but how far his human nature was chan-
ged as to all the properties thereof, it is not for us to pretend
to determine, nor ought we to be too inquisitive about it ; ne-
vertheless, we may conclude, that though it was raised incor-
ruptible and immortal, and exempted from the common infir-
mities of this life ; yet it was not, while here on earth, clothed
with that lustre and glory which was put upon it, when he as-
cended into heaven ; the reason of which might probably be
this, that he might converse with men, or that they might be
able to bear his presence, which they could not have done, had
his body been so glorious, as it is now at present, since his
ascension into heaven.
V. It is farther observed, that Christ was raised from the
dead on the third day, that is, he continued in the state of the
dead, from the evening of the sixth day, to the morning of the
first, which is the Christian Sabbath : thus the day on which
Christ died is said to be the preparation^ and the Sabbath drexv
on^ Luke xxiii. 54. which another Evangelist explains, and says.
It was the preparation^ that is, the day before the Sabbath^ Mark
XV. 42. The reason why the day before the Sabbath is so call-
VOL. II. 3 M
454> 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
<juickened us together with Christ, Eph. ii. 5. This implies
either that his death, being the procuring cause of all inherent
grace begun in regeneration, and carried on in sanctification ;
his was the first step taken in order to his applying what he
had purchased ; and that afterwards we are raised, as the con-
sequence thereof, from the death of sin, to a spiritual life of
holiness ; or else it denotes that communion which believers
have with Christ in his resurrection, as well as his death, as he
is the Head and they the members ; which is agreeable to that
peculiar mode of speaking, often used by the apostle Paul, who,
* S^e tfis votes on Rom, iv. 25, f See QueH. LXX, LXXII.
460 or CHRISTIE EXALTATION.
in several places of his epistles, speaks of believers, as cruci-
fied, dead, and buried, risen, and ascended into heaven, and
sitting at God's right hand, in heavenly places, in, or with
Christ.*
(3.) This is also a means for our support against our ene-
mies, whose utmost rage can extend itself no farther than the
grave. They, for whom Christ died, and rose again, shall ob-
tain a glorious resurrection and eternal life with him ; and there-
fore he advises his people not to be afraid of them that kill the
hody^ and^ after that have no more poxoer that they can do^ Luks
xii. 4. which will farther appear, if we consider another effect
of Christ's resurrection, m-z.
(4.) That they are hereby assured of their resurrection from
the deitd at the last day. Christ's resurrection is, as it were,
the exemplar and pledge of their's; as hereby he conquered
death in his own Person, so he gives them ground to conclude,
that this last enemy ^ which stands in the way of their complete
blessedness, shall be destroyed^ 1 Cor. xv. 36. accordingly it is
said, that he is risen from the dead^ and become the first fruits
of them that slept^ ver. 20. But this will be farther considered,
under a following anawer.f
Quest. LIII. IIoxv was Christ exalted hi his ascension ?
Answ. Christ was exalted in his ascension, in that having, af-
ter his resurrection, often appeared unto, and conversed with
his apostles, speaking to them of those things pertaining to
the kingdom of God, and giving them commission to preach
the gospel to all nations ; forty days after his resurrection,
he, in our nature, and as our Head, triumphing over ene-
mies, visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to re-
ceive gifts for men, to raise up our affections thither, and to
prepare a place for us, where himself is, and shall continue,
till his second coming at the end of the world.
Quest. LIV. Hgxv is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right
hand of God?
Answ. Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God,
in that, as God-man, he is advanced to the highest favour
with God the Father, with all fulness of joy, glory, and
power over all things in heaven and earth, and doth gather
and defend his church, and subdue their enemies, furnish
his ministers and people with gifts and graces, and maketh
intercession for them.
• See Pa^e 182, ante. f See Quest. LXXXVIL
OF c^irist's exaltation.' 46J
IN tlic former of tliesc answers, we have an account of
Christ's ascension into heaven ; in the latter, of his sitting
at the right hand of God, which contains a circumstance of glo-
ry, that was immediately consequent hereupon. And accord-
ingly we are led,
Firsts To consider Christ's ascension into heaven. Here we
may observe,
1. The distance of time between his resurrection and ascen-
sion, and what he did during that interval. It is expressly said,
that he shexved himself alive after his passion^ by many infallible
proofs^ being seen oj them^ viz. the apostles, forty days^ and
speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God^ Acts
i. 3. Some of the evangelists are more particular on this sub-
ject than others : but if we compare them together, we may
observe,
1. That our Saviour, during this interval, did not converse
freely and familiarly with the world, as he had done before
his death, during the exercise of his public ministry ; and, in-
deed, we cannot learn, from any account given by the evan-
gelists of this matter, that he appeared, so as to make himself
known, to any but his friends and followers. He might, it is
true, have appeared to the Jews, and thereby confuted that
lie,'which they so studiously propagated, that his disciples came
by night and stole him away, and consequently that he was not
risen from the dead : but he thought, as he might well do, that
he had given them sufficient proof, before his death, that ho
was the Messiah ; and, since he designed that his resurrection
should be undeniably attested, by those who were appointed to
be the witnesses thereof, it was needless for him to give any
farther proof of it. And, besides, his enemies being wilfully
blind, obstinate, and prejudiced against him, he denied them
any farther means of conviction, as a punishment of their un-
belief; therefore he would not appear to them after his resur-
rection. And, indeed, hud he done it, it is probable, consider-
ing the malicious obstinacy and rage which appeared in their
temper, that they would have persecuted him again, which it
was not convenient that he should submit to, his state of humi-
liation being at an end.
2. He did not continue all the forty days with his apostles ;
nor have we ground to conclude that he abode with them in
their houses, as he did before his death, nor did he eat and
drink with them, excepting in two or three particular instances,
mentioned by the evangelist, Luke xxiv. 41 — 43. John xxi. 13.
tile design of which was to prove, that, after his resurrection,
he had as true an human body, with all the essential proper-
ties thereof, as he had before his death ; and therefore was not, as
they supposed l\im to be, when first t[iey saw him, a spectrum.
VoT.. ri. 3 N"
462 OF CHRIST S EXALTATION.
All the account we have of his appearing to his friends and
followers, is, that it was only occasionally, at such times as they
did not expect to see him. At one time, he appeared to the
two disciples going to Emmaus, and made himself known to
them, when they came to their journey's end, and then with-
drew himself in an instant ; afterwards, we read of his appear-
ing to the apostles, when they were engaged in social worship,
on the day of his resurrection ; and also, that he appeared to
them again on the first day of the following week, John xx. 19.
compared with ver. 26. and another time at the sea of Tibe-
rias, chap. xxi. 1. and it is expressly said, after this, that this
was 710XV the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disci-
ples^ after that he xvas risen from the dead^ ver. 14. And, be-
sides this, we read elsewhere of his being seen of above five
hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6. which was probably in
Galilee, where his followers generally lived, which was the
country in which he mostly exercised his public ministry before
his death. This seems to have been appointed as a place of
general rendezvous, if we may so express it, as he says, After
/«m risen, I xvill go before you into Galilee, Mark xiv. 28. and
the angel gives the same intimation, Go your way, tell his dis-
ciples that he goeth before you into Galilee ; there shall ye see
him, as he said unto you, chap. xvi. 7. Now this intimation be-
ing, as is more than probable, transmitted to his followers, five
hundred of them waited for him there, and accordingly he ap-
peared to them. All these appearances were only occasional ;
he principally designing thereby to convince them of the truth
of his resurrection, and to give his apostles, in particular, in-
struction concerning some things, which they were unapprised
of before. ThuS concerning the time which Christ continued
here on earth, in which he sometimes appeared to his disciples.
We now proceed to consider what he imparted to them, du-
ring his stay Avith, or at those particular times when he appear-
ed to them. Here we cannot cei-tainly determine any thing far-
ther than the account we have thereof in scripture, in which,
as was before observed, it is said, that he spake of the things
pertamiyig to the kingdom of God. By the kingdom of God, I
humbly conceive, is meant either that glorious state and place
to which he was to ascend, where they should, at last, be with
him, which was a very useful and entertaining subject, and
they could not but be happy in hearing those things from him ;
or else, we are hereby to understand the gospel-state, which, in
the New Testament, is often called the kingdom of God, or the
kingdom of heaven. And accordingly, as he designed they should
be his ministers, whom he would employ in preaching the gos-
pel, and thereby promoting the affairs of his kingdom ; it was
necessary that they should receive instructions concerning this
OF Christ's exaltation. 463
ttiatter, without which they could do nothing for the promoting
his interest in the world; or, at least, they must have a parti-
cular direction from the Holy Spirit relating thereunto, or else,
they would have had no warrant to give instructions to the
church concerning this new dispensation. We have no ground
to doubt but that they had the Spirit's direction in every thing
that they laid down for the church, as a rule of faith, or prac-
tice, afterwards : this they seem not to have had, while our Sa-
viour was with them ; however, it is more than probable it was
a part of what he discoursed with them about, as he ordered
them to teach those, to whom they were sent, to observe all
things whatsoever he had commanded them^ Matt, xxviii. 20.
(1.) We have sufficient ground to conclude, that he gave
them direction concerning the observation of the first day of the
week, as the Christian Sabbath. He had told them, before his
death, that he was Lord of the Sabbath^ Mark ii. 28. and now
we may suppose that he more eminently discovered himself to
"be so, by changing the day from the seventh to the first day of
the week. That they had this Intimation from him, concerning
the Christian Sabbath, seems probable, because it was observed
by them, in the interval between his resurrection and ascen-
sion ; and, we i-ead, more than once, of his giving countenance
to their observance of it, by his presence with them ; whereas,
at this time, the Holy Ghost was not poured forth upon them ;
therefore their practice herein seems to be founded on some
intimation given them by our Saviour, during his continuance
with them forty days ; though perhaps this might be confirmed
to them afterwards, by extraordinary revelation from the Holy
Cihost.
(2.) It was in this interval that our Saviour gave them a
commission to preach the gospel to all nations, and instituted
the ordinance of baptism. Matt, xxviii. 19. which differs very
much from the commission he had before given to his twelve
disciples, when he ordered them not to g-o in the 7uaij of the
Gentiles, nor to enter into any city of the Sayyiaritans, but rather
io go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, chap. x. 5, 6. where-
as now none are excluded, but their commission must be exer-
cised throughout the whole world, wherever they came; and,
together with this, he promised to be with them, so as to assist
and succeed them in their ministry, to the end of the world.
Aloreover, he enjoined them to tarry in the city of Jerusalem^
until they were endued xvith poxver from on high, waiting there
for the promise of the Father, or for their being baptized by the
Holy Ghost, which privilege they should soon after receive,
Luke xxiv. 49. compared with Acts i. 4, 5. This was a very
necessary advice which our Saviour gave them ; for, though
they had a commission to preach the gospel, they wanted those-
464" OF CIIRIBT's EXALTA'frtrS-;.
qifalifications for it, which they were to receive from the Holv
Ghost. They were also to tarrj^ at Jerusalem, after they had
received extraordinary gifts from the Holy Ghost till they had
an intimation given, in Avhat parts of the world they should be-
gin the exercise of their public ministry.
(3.) Though it be not particularly mentioned in the evan-
gelical historj', yet it is not improbable, that our Saviour spake
to his disciples concerning the nature of the gospel-church, and
its government, and how they were to exercise their ministry
therein ; what doctrines they should preach, and what success
should attend them ; and also what they should suffer for his
sake. Why may we not suppose that he spake of these things
to all his apostles, when he condescended to tell Peter, by what
death he should glorify God? John xxi. 19. And their know-
ledge of many of these things was necessary for the right dis-
charge of their ministry, which they were to begin at Jerusa-
lem, where the first church was to be planted ; and it can hardly
be supposed that he would only give them a commission to
preach the gospel, without some instructions relating thereunto :
but, since this is only a probable argument, let me farther add,
that it is certain they afterwards had particular direction from
the Holy Ghost, relating hereunto, who was given, after Christ's
ascension into heaven, to lead them into all truth, or to impart,
by them, to the gospel-church, an infallible and standing rule
of faith and practice.
II. After our Saviour had continued forty days on earth from
his resurrection, and, in that time, conversed with his apostles
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God ; it is observed,
that he ascended into heaven, or, as it is here expressed, visi-
bly went up into the highest heavens. There are two phrases,
in scripture, whereby this is set forth : thus it is said, He xuas
taken iip^ and he xvent iip^ Acts i. 9, 10. which variation of ex-
pression is used by the Holy Ghost, as some think, to denote
two different respects, or circumstances, attending his ascen-
sion. His going up^ signifies, that he ascended into heaven by
his own power, pursuant to that right which he had to that
glory; as he says elsewhere, Ought not Clmst to suffer^ and to
enter into his glory ? Luke xxiv. 2G. And when it is said, he
was taken vp into heaven, that signifies the Father's act in ex-
alting him. As he sent him into the vi'orld, so he took him out
of it, into a better, when he had finished his work upon earth.
This variety of expression we find used in several other scrip-
tures : thus it is said, that he ascended up on high^ Eph. iv. 8.
entered into heaven^ Heb. ix. 24. and so put in his claim to the
heavenly glory ; and, on the other hand, it is said, that he was
received up into heaven, Mark xvi. 19. and consequently his
flaim to it admitted of, and accordingly he was exalted to this
OF Christ's exaltation. 465
honour by God^s right hand^ Acts ii. 33. as what was due W
him, as the consequence of his sufferings.
But, that we may more particularly consider what it was for
Christ to ascend into heaven,
1. We are not to understand hereby that his divine nature
was translated from earth to heaven, or changed the place of
its residence ; for that is contrary to the omnipresence thereof.
Whenever a change of place is ascribed to it, it respects not
his essential, but his manifestative presence. Though it was
united to the human nature, yet it was not confined to it, or
limited by it ; and though it displayed its glory therein, in one
way, whilst he was here on earth, and in another, when he as-
cended into heaven ; yet, considered as to its essential glory,
it fills all places ; in which respect it is said, that he was in hea,-
ven whilst here on earth.*
2. When we say, that Christ ascended into heaven in his hu-
man nature, this is not to be understood in a metaphorical sense,
as though it denoted only his being advanced to a more glori-
ous state, than he was in before his death ; since heaven signi-
fies a glorious place, as well as state. Were it only to be taken
in the former sense, it might, for the same reason, be said,
that there are no saints, or angels, locally in heaven, since the
metaphor might as well be applied to them, as to our Saviour,
which is directly contrary to the known acceptation of the word
in scripture. Moreover, that his ascending into heaven denotes
a change of place, as well as state, is evident, inasmuch as,
though his state of humiliation was over immediately after his
resurrection ; yet he says, concerning his human nature, that,
during his abode fort)' days here on earth, though raised from
the dead, / am not yet ascended to my Father, John xx. It,
therefore,
3. His ascension into heaven is to be understood, in the most
proper and known sense of the word, inferring a change of
place, as well as state, denoting his being carried from this
lower to the upper world, in his human nature, and so entering
into that glorious place, as well as triumphant state. This is
called. The heaven oj" heavens, Psal. cxlviii. 4. which gives us
ground to conclude, that the word heaven is taken in various
senses in scripture : thus it is sometimes taken for the air ; and
accordingly the fowls, that fly in it, are said to^y in the midst
of heaven, Rev. xix. 17. and sometimes it is taken for the clouds,
and so we read of the rain, Deut. xi. 11. or dew of heavejiy
Gen. xxvii. 28. as coming down from thence ; and sometimes
it is taken for the stars, as we read of the stars of heaven, chap,
xxii. ir. but, besides all these senses of the word, it is taken
for the seat of the blessed, the throne of God, where he mani-
• Sev Vol. r.pa^eoAT
466 OF Christ's exaltAtioht.
fests himself, in a glorious manner, to his saints and angels^
To this place Christ ascended ; and, in this respect, it is not
only said that he xuent into heaven, but that he was made higher
than the heavenSy Heb. vii. 26. or that he ascended far above all
heavens y Eph. iv. 10. Thus it is said, in this answer, that he
went up into the highest heaven.
Now that Christ ascended into heaven, and that in a visible
and glorious manner is evident from the account we have here"
of in scripture : which, together with the circumstances that
went immediately before it, is what is next to be considered.
Accordingly we read, in scripture,
That when the eleven disciples were assembled together, he
came with a design to take his leave of them ; and, after hav-
ing opened their understandings that they might understand the
scriptures^ and had farther confirmed their faith, by applying
them to himself, and had concluded all those necessary instruc-
tions, which he gave them, he led them as far as Bethany ; and
then it is said, in Luke xxiv. 50 — 5Z. He lift up his hands and
blessed them ; and^ xvhile he blessed them^ he was parted from
them^ and carried into heaven. But, inasmuch as this relation
seems somewhat different from the account given of it by the
same inspired writer, in Acts i. 12. who observes, that, when
Christ had ascended into heavea, in the sight of his disciples,
they returned to ferusalemyfrom the mount called Olivet^ which
is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day^s journey ; and therefore it is
plain that he ascended into heaven from that mountain ; how
then could he ascend thither from Bethany ? It is observed,
that Bethany, John xi. 1 8. was about fifteen furlongs from Je-
rusalem, and the mount of Olives a Sabbath-day's journey ;
so that Bethany and the mount of Olives seem to be almost a
mile distant from each other : if Christ ascended from one of
these places into heaven, how could he then be said to ascend
from the other.
The answer that may be given to this seeming inconsistency,
between these two accounts of the place from whence Christ
ascended into heaven, is, that the town of Bethany was situate
at the foot of the mount of Olives ; therefore that part of the
mountain that was nearest to it, might have two names, to wit.
Olivet, which was the name of the whole mountain, or Betha-
ny, which denomination it might take from the adjoining vil-
lage.
Or, if this be not sufficient to account for the difficulty be-
fore mentioned, we may suppose, that when the evangelist says^
in one of these places, that our Saviour led them out as far a.^
Bethany., he does not say he was taken up into heaven from
thence ; but, after he led them there, he blessed them^ and^ xvhilt
he blessed them^ he was parted from them; therefore it is proba
of Christ's exaltation. 467
We, that, when he was come to Bethany he gave them an inti-
mation that he should soon be received into heaven ; and, while
he was going from thence, or going up the mount of Ohves,
he continued blessing them ; and, when he was come up to that
part of the mount from whence he ascended, he /ifts up his
hajids^ and conferred his last benediction on them, upon which
he ivas parted from thcm^ and a cloud received slx\<\ conveyed him
to heaven; so that there is no inconsistency between the two
scriptures, as to the place from whence he ascended. It is far-
ther observed, tliat his ascension was visible ; they looked sted-
faathj towards heaven as he went up^ Acts i. 10.
From this account of Christ's ascension into heaven, we may
make two or tliree remarks.
1st, As to the place from whence he ascended, which was
the mount of Olives, it may be observed, that it was the same
place to which he often retired, when he was at Jerusalem, to
converse with God in secret, Luke xxiii. 39. Here it was that
he was in his agony, ver. 44. in which he sweat great drops of
blood, when having a very terrible apprehension of the wrath
of God, which he was to bear, as a punishment due to our sin,
which was the most bitter part of his sufferings ; and therefore
here he chose to begin his triumphs, as from hence he ascen-
ded into heaven. And hereby it seems, as it were, to give an
intimation to his people, that they ought to set the glory, which
they shall be advanced to, against the sufferings of this present
life, as a gromid of encouragement and support to them. That
place, which, at one time, discovered nothing but what was
matter of distress and anguish of spirit ; at another time opened
a glorious scene of joy and happiness. This mountain, which
before had been a witness to that horror and amazement, in
which our Saviour was, when in the lowest depths of his hum-
bled state, now represents him as entering immediately into
his glory.
The place in the mountain, from whence he ascended, is not
particularly mentioned ; nor is there any mark of sanctity put
on it ; though the Papists with a great deal of superstition,
pretend to discover the very spot of ground from whence our
Saviour ascended, and impose on those who will believe them,
by shewing them the print of the feet, which, they suppose, he
left behind him upon the mountain ; in which place they have
erected a church, open at the top, to signify his ascension into
heaven : but this is little better than a fabulous conjecture. It
is an easy matter to find some hollow place, in any mountain ;
but to say that any such small valley was made by our Sa-
viour's feet, as a memorial of his ascending from thence, is no-
thing else but an imposition on the credulity of ignorant per-
sons, ^rithout scripture- warrant.
468 OF Christ's exaltatiok.
2f//y, From what is said concerning Christ's conversing with
his disciples about the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God, we may observe, that the work he was engaged in, just
before his ascension into heaven, was of such a nature, that it is
a very desirable thmg for a person, when called out of the world
to be found so doing. Our Saviour's whole conversation, while
on earth, had some way or other, a reference to the kingdom of
heaven, and had a tendency to bring his people there ; and this
was the last subject that he conversed with them about.
3f//i/, What is said concerning his blessing them when he
was parted from them, was agreeable to what is mentioned con-
cerning Elijah, whose translation into heaven was a type of
Christ's ascension thither, concerning whom it is said, that he
bade Elisha ask what he should do or desire of God for him.,
before he was taken from him., 2 Kings ii. 9. As the great de-
sign of our Saviour's coming into the world, was to be a pub-
lick blessing to his people ; so the last thing he did for them,
was blessing them, and that either by conferring blessedness
upon them, as a divine Person, or else by praying for a bless-
ing for them as man, whereby he gave them a specimen of the
work which he is engaged in, in heaven, who ever lives to make
intercession for them ; and it is farther observed, that he lift up
his hands., and blessed them. Sometimes when persons blessed
others, they did it by laying their hands upon them : this Ja-
I cob did, when he blessed the sons of Joseph, Gen. xlviii. 14.
»as a sign of his faith, which was herein expressed, that bless-
ings should descend from God upon them. And, when many
persons were blessed at the same time, instead of laying their
hands on them, they sometimes lifted them up ; accordingly
Aaron is said to lift up his hands toxvards the people., and bless
them., Lev. ix. 22. So Christ lifted up his hands when he blessed
his disciples, as an external sign of his lifting up his heart to
God, while he prayed for the blessings which they stood in
need of. Thus concerning Christ's ascension into heaven. '
There is one thing more mentioned in this answer, which I
cannot wholly pass over, namely, that he did this as our Head.
The headship of Christ is a circumstance often mentioned by
the apostle Paul, who supposes him to stand in this relation to
his people, in every thing that he did for tbem as Mediator, in
which he is considered as a public person, the Representative
of all his elect, who acted in their name, as well as for their
interest ; which leads us to consider,
III. That it was necessary that Christ should ascend into
heaven after he had finished his work on earth ; for this was
an accomplishment of what was foretold concerning him. This
the Psalmist mentions, in a very beautiful and magnificent way.
Lift up your heads., 0 ye gate^y and be ye lift up y€ everlasthig
pj CHRlST'a EXALTATION. 4^9
doors^ and the Kin^ °f S^<^^y shall come ia^ Psal. xxiv. 9. and
elsewhei e it is said, Thou hast ascended on hi^h^ Psal. Ixviii.
18. which the apostle Paul particularly applies to his ascension
into heaven, as a prediction thereof, Eph. iv. 8. and this was
also signiJfiid by that eminent type of it, which was equivalent
to a prediction, in the high priest's entering into the holiest of
jdl, which the apostle also speaks of, as shadowing forth the
same thing, Heb. ix. 7", 8, 9, 11, 24.
Moreover, this was foretold by our Saviour himself, whilst
he was here on earth, before and after his death, when he tell*
his disciples, I go to prepare a place for you^ John xiv. 2. and,
I ascend to my Father^ &c. chap. xx. 17. so that there was really
an appeal to his ascension into heaven, as well as to his resur-
rection, for the proof of liis mission, and his relation to God,
as his Father, therefore it was necessary that he should ascend
thither. It was also necessary, as this was a glory promised
him, as the consequence of his sufferings; and accordingly it
became him^for xvhom are all things^ and by xvhom are all things^
to make the Captain of our salvation pet feet, through y or after
his siifferingSy Heb. ii. 10.
It was also necessary that he should ascend visibly into hea-
ven, or that his apostles, who were to be witnesses thereof, as
well us of liis resurrection, should see him go thither : for this
was necessary to be believed, as well as the other, and what-
ever they were to give their testimony to, must be the result
of the fullest conviction ; and therefore, that t}iey might con-
vince the world that he was ascended into heaven, they must
be qualified to tell them, that they saw him ascend there.
Object. If it be objected, that, since they might give their
testimony that he rose again from the dead, though they did
not see him rise, they might attest the truth of his ascension,
though they had not seen him ascend into heaven.
Anszu. To this I answer. It is true, their witness that he was
risen from the dead, was sufficient, though tbey did not see him
rise, inasmuch as they saw him after he was risen, and had un-
deniable proofs that he was the same Person that suffered ; yet
there is a circumstance attending his ascension into heaven,
which renders it necessary that they should see him ascend
there, though it was not necessary that they should see hi?n rise
Irom the dead, in order to their giving conviction to the world
as to this matter; for he did not design that they should see
iiim, after his ascension, till his second coming to receive them
into heaven, and then their testimony will be at an end ; and
therefore it was necessary that they should see him ascend. The
apostle Paul, it is true, at his conversion, saw him clothed w ith
his heavenly glory in his exalted state ; but this was a singular
itnd extraordinary instance, which he gave his other disciplej^.
Vol. II. 3 O
470 OF Christ's exaltation. '
no ground to expect ; therefore, that they might want no quali-
fication that was necessary, in order to the fulfilling their testi-
mony, he ascended into heaven visibly, in the presence of all
his apostles.
IV. There are several great and valuable ends of Christ's
ascension, mentioned in this answer, some of which were glo-
rious to himself, and all of them advantageous to his people.
Accordingly it is observed,
1. That he triumphed over his enemies ; as the apostle s^^s,
JVheJi he ascended up on high^ he led captivity captive^ Eph. iv.
8. which is an allusion to the solemn triumphs of princes, after
having obtained some remarkable and complete victories. Now
the empire of Satan was demolished, his prisoners ransomed,
and accordingly delivered from his power; and the gospel,
which was to be preached throughout the world, was a public
proclamation of liberty to captives, and the opening of the pri-
son doors to them that were bound, Isa. Ixi. 1. compared with
Luke iv. 18.
2. Christ ascended into heaven, that he might receive gifts
for men. The scripture seems to distinguish between Christ's
purchasing and his receiving gifts for men ; the former was
done by his death ; the latter was consequent on his ascension
into heaven. There are two expressions used relating to this
matter, namely, that of the Psalmist, Thou hast received gifts
for men, Psal. Ixviii. 1 8. and the apostle's reference thereunto,
when he says. He gave gifts unto men, Eph. iv. 8. that is, he
received gifts for men, with a design to give them to them,
which he did, after his ascension into heaven, when there was
a verv great effusion of the Spirit on the gospel-church erected,
and furnished with a variety of ministers, such as Apostles^
■prophets, pastors, and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints,
for the xvork of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, ver. 11, 12. which is a farther allusion to the custom
of princes in their triumphs, on which occasion they extend
their royal bounty to their subjects.
3. Christ's ascension into heaven to prepare a place for his
.people, as he told them he would do, after his death, John xiv.
2< and accordingly he is said to have entered there as the Fore-
runner, Heb. vi. 20. and so he took possession of those hea-
venly mansions in their name, to which he designs, at last, to
bring them.
4. It is farther observed, that he ascended into heaven, to
raise up their affections thither, and to induce them to set their
affections on things above, Colos. iii. 2. That place is always
mo^t dear to us, which is our home, our rest, where our best
friends reside ; our thoughts are most conversant about it, and
•wc are inclined to desire to be with them there; therefore.
o^ Christ's exaltatio^n.
471
Christ's being in heaven, together with all his saints, is a
motive to all believers to have their co7iversatipn in heaven^
which is the character given of them by the apostle, Phil,
iii. 20.
5. I'he last thing observed in this answer is, that Christ de-
signed to continue in heaven till his second coming at the end
of the world ,* as it is said, Whom the heavens must receive^ till
the thne of the restitution of all thing's. Acts iii. 21. and then
he will come again in this lower world, not to reside or fix his
abode here, but to receive his people into heaven, where they
shall be with him to all eternity, as it is said, So shall zve ever
be zvith the Lord, 1 Thes. iv. 17. Thus concerning Christ's
exaltation in his ascension into heaven ; we now proceed to
consider him,
Secondli/, As exalted in sitting at the right hand of God,
which is a glory that was conferred upon him after his ascen-
sion into heaven. This is a figurative way of speaking, which
the Holy Ghost condescends to make use of; and it cannot be
understood in any other sense, since God being a Spirit, is
without body, or bodily parts ; and, being immense, the hea-
ven arid heaven of heavens cannot contain him, 1 Kings viii. 27.
therefore it does not denote the situation of Christ's human
jnature in some particular part of heaven, but his being advan-
ced to the highest honour there. As the right hajid, amongst
men, is used to signify some peculiar marks of honour con-
ferred on them who are seated there ; thus when Bathsheba
went in unto king Solomon, he caused a seat to be set for her,
and she sat at his right hand, chap. ii. 19. So when Christ is
said to sit on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens, Heb. viii. 1. it denotes the highest degree of honour
conferred on him, as Mediator ; and particularly his sitting
there denotes,
1. That glorious rest which he enjoys, after having sustain-
ed many labours and afflictions in this world; a sweet repose,
and perfect deliverance from all those things which formerly
tended to make him uneasy, while in his way to it.
2. It also implies that honour and supreme authority wliich
he is invested with. Others are represented as servants stand?
ing in the presence of God; accordingly it is said, Thousand
thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before him, Dan. vii. 10. but Christ is distin-
guished from them all by this mark of regal dignity, in that he
sits and rules upon his throne, Zech. vi. 13. Thus the apos-
tle says, concerning him, that, having purged our sins, he sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, intimating,
that he was made so much better than the angels, as he hatft^
472 OF dHRIST S INTERCESSION.
By inheritance^ obtained a more excellent name than ihei/^ Heb,
i. 3, 4. which he farther proves, when he says, To which of
the angels^ said he, at any time, sit on my right hand t^U J make
thine enemies thy footstool, ver. 13.
3. It also signifies the perpetuity, or eternal duration of his
Mediatorial glory and authority, as to sit, in scripture, often
signifies, to abide : but this has been before considered, when
we spake concerning the eternity of Christ's kingdom *.
There are other things, mentioned in this answer, which are
the fruits and effects of Christ's sitting at the right hand of
God, to wit, the exercise of his power over all things in hea-
ven and earth ; and, as the consequence thereof, gathering and
defending his church, subduing their enemies, and furnishing
his ministers with gifts and graces: but these will be more
particularly insisted on, under a following answer, in which we
shall be led to speak concerning the special privileges of the^
f isible church f. Therefore what we are next to consider is,
that Christ, as sitting at the right hand of God, makes inter-
cession for his people.
Quest. LV. Hoxv doth Christ make intercession .?
Answ. Christ raaketh intercession, by his appearing in our
nature, continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit
of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to
have it applied to all believers, answering all accusations
against them, procuring for them quiet of conscience, not-
withstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the
throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services.
THE intercession of Christ, as has been observed, under
a foregoing answer, is a branch of his priestly office, and
is founded on his satisfaction. The reason why it is mention-
tioned in this place, after we have had an account of his death,
resurrection, and ascension into heaven, is, as I conceive, be-
cause the apostle lays down these heads in the same order,
when he speaks of them. It is Christ that died, yea, rather that
is risen again, xvho is even at the right hand of God, who also
makcth intercession for us, Rom. viii. 34. In speaking con-
cerning Christ's intercession,
I. We shall consider the necessity thereof; and that,
1. Because this was foretold and typified. It was predict-
ed, concerning him, that he should make intercession for trans-
gressors^ Isa. liii. 12. and elsewhere God the Father is re-
* See Page 393. f See Quest. IxJi, Ixiii;
OF Christ's intercession. 473
presented, as saying to him, Ask ofme^ arid 1 ukall give thee
-the heathen for thine inhentanee, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for thi/ possession, Psal.Vu 8. which woi-ds, though they
contain the form of a command, are, doubtless, a prediction
relating to this matter, whereby it is intimated, that the glori-
ous success of the gospel, when preached to the world, should
not only be the purchase of his death, but the consequence of
his intercession; and what Elihu speaks of an advocate, as
pleading the cause of a poor afflicted person, and saying, De-
liver him from g-oing down to the pit; I have found a ransom;
and as it is farther added ; He shall pray unto God, and he shall
he favourable to him, and he shall behold his face with joy ; for
he will render unto man his righteousness. Job xxxiii. 23, 24,
26. seems rather to be understood of Christ them any other ;
for it is most agreeable to the character given him of a mes-
senger with him, and an interpreter one among a thousand, and
his being gracious unto him, when he thus makes intercession
for him.
Moreover, when the Psalmist represents him, as saying,
concerning his enemies, I xvill not take up their names into mtf
lips, Psal. xvi. 4. it plainly intimates his design to intercede
for all others, namely, for his people. And that David does
not here speak in his own person, but in the person of Christ,
is very evident, because it was his duty, in common with all
mankind, to pray for his enemies ; and therefore he speaks of
another sort of intercession, viz. Christ's, that which is differ-
ent from that which one man is obliged to make for another.
This appears, in that, in some following verses, we have a pre-
diction of his rising from the dead before he saw corruption,
as it is particularly applied to him in the New Testament,
Acts ii. 31.
And to this we ma}^ add ; that as Christ's intercession was
expressly foretold by the prophets ; so it was typified by the
High Priest's entering every year into the holy of holies, with
blood and incense, to appear before God in the behalf of the
people, as making intercession for them. This is expressly
applied to Christ, as the anti-type, and his entering into hea-
ven; now to appear in the presence of God for us, Heb. ix. 7,
9. compared with ver. 11, 12, 24.
2. Christ's intercession was necessary, as the condition of
fallen man required it. Some have been ready to conclude,
that, by reason of that infinite distance there is between God
and man, it was necessary that there should be an advocate to
procure for him a liberty of access to God : but that does not
evidently appear, for as we have no ground to conclude, that
the holy angels, though infinitely below him, are admitted into
474 OF CHFvIST S 1NTERQES3I0K.
his presence, or made partakers of the blessings, that are the
result thereof, by the intervention of an advocate, or inters
cessor, with him, in their behalf; so man would not have stood
in need of a Mediator, or advocate, to bring him into the pre-
sence of God, or plead his cause, any more than he would have
needed a Redeemer, had he not fallen : but his present cir-
cumstances require both j it is necessary therefore that Christ
should intercede for him.
(1.) Because, being guilty, he is rendered unworthy to come
into the presence of God, and actually excluded from it ; as
the Psalmist says, Thoti art not a God that hast pleasure in
imckedness ; neither shall evil dxvell with thee. The foolish shall
not stand hi thy sight ; thou hatest all xvorkers of iniquity,
Psal. V. 4, 5. This punishment is the immediate consequence
of guilt, whereby the sinner is exposed to the curse of God,
wdiose holiness obliges him to order such to depart from him.
Moreover, there is a servile fear, or dread of him, as a con-
suming fire that attends it ; upon which account, he desires
rather to fly from, than to have access to him ; therefore he
needs an intercessor to procure this privilege for him.
(2.) There are many accusations brought in against him, as
a ground and reason why he should be excluded from the di-
vine favour, and not have any saving blessings applied to him,
which must all be answered ; and therefore there is need of an
advocate to plead his cause.
II. None but Christ our great Mediator and advocate, is
fit to manage this important work for us. We cannot plead
our own cause ; for guilt stops our mouths, as well as renders
us unworthy of any blessing from God. And it is certain
that no mere creature can do this for us ; for none can speak
any thing in their favour, who are under a sentence of con-
demnation, unless an expedient were found out to bring them
into a state of reconciliation with God, for that would tend to
the dishonour of his justice ; and none can plead for any bles-
sing to be bestowed on them, but he who v/as able to make
atonement for them, which no mere creature could do, since
the greatest price, that he can give, is far from being of in-
finite value : but such a price as this Christ has laid down, as
has been before considered, in speaking concerning his priest-
ly office; and therefore he alone is fit to be an advocate, or
intercessor, for his people ; which leads us to consider,
III. That Christ is his people's advocate, or makes inter-
cession for them. This appears from several scriptures ; thus
it is said. He ever liveth to make intercession for them., Heb.
vii. 25. ?cndwe have mi Advocate with the father ^ fesus Chrhti
the righteous^ 1 John ii. 1.
OF CTIRIST^S INTERCESSION. 475
1. Christ is represented as making intercession for his peo-
ple before his incarnation; as when it is said, Zech. iii. 2. The
Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee^ 0 Satan *.
2. After his incarnation, he interceded for his people in his
human nature ; and while he was here on earth, he did it a-
greeably to that state, in which he then was, though the effi-
cacy of his intercession depended on his compleating the work
of our redemption, which was not done before he arose from
the dead ; in which respect, there was something proleptical in
his intercession then, as well as when he is represented as
making intercession before his incarnation ; therefore,
3. As the price of redemption was not fully paid till his
state of humiliation was at an end, upon which account he is
generally styled a consummate Mediator fi-om that time, when
he was made perfect through sufferings, Heb. ii. 10. so he was,
after that, a compleat advocate, or intercessor, for his people ;
in which respect, he is said, in a way of eminency, to make
intercession for them, after his death, resurrection, and ascen-
sion into heaven, in his glorified state, in which he manages
their cause with an advantageous plea, which he could not use,
while here on earth ; for then he had not accomplished his
work of redemption, and therefore could only plead the pro-
mise made to him, upon condition of his bringing that work
to perfection, which was then only begun. And also what-
ever act of worship he then performed, it was agreeable to that
state of humiliation, in which he was : but now he is in hea-
ven, and consequently his work of redemption finished j he
pleads his absolute and actual right to receive those blessings
for his people, and apply them to them, which God before had
promised in the covenant of redemption; and this he does
with those cireumstances of glory, that are agieeable to his
exalted state, as sitting at God's right hand, and having such
visible marks of the divine favour, that nothing can be denied
him that he asks for. It is true, while he was here on earth,
he says. Father I thank thee, that thou hearest me always, &c.
John xi. 41, 42. which he might well say, inasmuch as there
was sufficient security, or ground to conclude, that he could
not fail in the work which he was engaged in, so as to leave it
incomplete. How much more may he say this, when he is in
his exalted state, and pleads as one that lias brought the work
he came into the world about, to perfection ?
• Christ did not intercede for his church before /lis incarnation formally, inaa-
much as it is inconsistent -with /lis divine nature to pray; prayer being an act of
Ivor ship; but virtually, by tvhich toe arc to understand that all the blessintrs ivhich
the church then enjoyed, iverc fuundfd on the sacrifice, xohich, in the fulness of time,
he designed to offer ; and this is, by a pro'."psis, represented as though it had been
then done, in the same sense as he is eketvhere said to be the Lamb slain, from the
l"i»unflation of the world. See page 297. .
4t^ QF ilHRIST's INTERCESSION*
And to this kt me add, that he will intercede for his peor
pie for ever, as he shall always continue in this exalted state.
And, indeed, it cannot be otherwise ; if Christ's presence in
heaven be a full and comprehensive plea for all the blessings
we enjoy or hope for ; then so long as he shall abide there, he
will intercede for us, and that will be for ever. That this
may farther appear, let it be considered; that the sacrifice,
which he offered for his people while on earth, procured for
them not only the blessings they enjoy in this world, but those
that they shall be possessed of in heaven. And as his bein^
received into heaven was a convincing evidence, that what he
did and suffered, before he went thither, was accepted, and
deemed effectual to answer all the valuable ends thereof ; so
his continuance there will remain a standing and eternal evi-
dence thereof; which contains in it the nature of a plea. But
this respects not only the blessings thay now enjoy, but all that
they hope for, therefore their eternal happiness is founded
thereon; which is what the apostle principally intends, when
he says, He ever hveth to make mtercessiori for tliem^ Heb.
vii. 25.
IV. We shall now consider the difference between Christ's
intercession for us with the Father, and our praying for our-
selves, or others, and that when we address ourselves either
to men or God.
1. When we intercede with men to obtain some favour from
them, we hope, either by our arguments, or importunity, or
at least, by our interest in them, or some obligation which we
have laid them under, to persuade them to alter their minds,
as we are treating with mutable creatures. But this is by no
means applicable to Christ's intercession, in which he deals
with an unchangeable God, who has, in various instances, de-
clared his love to, and willingness to save all those, whose
salvation he intercedes for; in which sense we are to under-
stand our Saviour's words, I say not unto you., that J will pray
the Father for you ; for the Father himself loveth you, John
xvi. 26, 27.
Moreover, when we intercede with men for any favour, we
don't usually present any price paid by us for the benefit w€
intercede for ; but Christ in interceding^ for his people, pre-
sents the merit of his obedience and sacrifice, which is the only
thing that renders it effectual.
2. When we pray to God for ourselves, or others, this dif-
fers from Christ's intercession, in that we present ourselves
and our petitions to him in the name of Christ, and hope for
a gracious answer, in the virtue of his mediation and righte-
ousness ; so that our access to God is mediate, Christ's im-
mediate. We plead vrhat he hath done for us, as our Surety i
OF Christ's intercessicu*. 477
and not any thing- done by ourselves ; but he pleads what was
done bv himself. We acknowledge, in all our supplications,
that'we are unworthy of the least of his mercies ; whereas he
appears in our behalf before God, as one who is worthy to
have that granted which he pleads for.
V. We shall now consider how Christ makes intercession ;
and it is observed, that he does this,
1. By his appearing in our nature continually before the Fa-
ther in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on
earth. This is taken from the practice of attornies, or advo-
cates, in civil courts, when a cause is to be tried, in which
case the plaintiff or defendant does not appear himself, but his
advocate appears for him : thus Christ appears in the presence of
God for us. This virtually includes in it the nature of a plea. For
the understanding of which, let it be considered, that as God
cannot, consistently with the glory of his divine perfections,
save any of the fallen race of mankind, upon any other condi-
tion, than that satisfaction should be given to his justice, and
such a price of redemption paid, as tended to secure the glory
of his holiness, and other perfections, he has, in his eternal
covenant with the Son, promised, that if he would perform
this work, then he would bring his people to glory. Christ,
on the other hand, undertook it with this encouragement, that,
when he had perfected it, he should be received into glory, as
a public testimony that justice was fully satisfied; therefore
his being set at God's right hand, in heavenly places, as the
consequence thereof, is a convincing evidence, to angels and
men, that his work is brought to perfection. Accordingly his
being there, or appearing in heaven, contains in it the nature
of a plea ; more especially if we consider him as appearing
there as our Head and compleat Redeemer, who has finished
the work which he came into the world about. This I take
to be the principal idea in Christ's intercession.
If it be farther enquired, whether he makes use of a voice,
as we do, when we pray for ourselves, or others ? I dare not
deny that he does, since he made use of words when he pray-
ed for his people on earth ; which was a short specimen of his
intercession for them in heaven : but yet it must be considered,
(1.) That it is impossible for words to express the particu-
lar necessities of every one, whom he appears for in heaven,
at the same time ; and to suppose that Christ represents the
case of one at one time, and another at another, as we do when
we prav for different persons, is hardly sufficient to answer
all the valuable ends of his intercession, for all his people at
all times ; neither are we to suppose, since the human nature
of Christ is not omniscient, that he has therein a comprehen-
sive view, at once, of all the particular necessities of his peo-
VoL. II. 3 P
4rs OF Christ's iktercessiok.
pie, for that would be to confound his human nature with his
divine ; and it is only in the human nature that he prays,
though the efficacy of this prayer is founded on the infinite
value of his oblation performed therein, which was the re-
sult of its union with the divine, as has been before observed*;
therefore,
(2.) When Christ is said to make use of words in interce-
ding lor his people, these are principally to be considered, as
expressive of their wants and infirmities in a general way j so
that a few comprehensive words may include in them the
general idea of those things that are common to them all. In
this respect, I am far from denying that Christ, in interceding
for his people, makes use of words ; but, when we consider
his being in heaven, or appearing in the presence of God in the
behalf of his people, as virtually containing (as was before
hinted) the nature of a plea, this extends itself to every par-
ticular necessity of those for whom he intercedes at all times.
2. It is farther observed, that Christ, in making intercession,
declares hi? will to have the merit of his obedience and sacri-
fice applied to all believers : thus he says, Father^ J will that
the]! fi^'^o xvhom thou hast given me be with me where lom^ that
they may behold my glory ^ &c. John xvii. 24. in which he does,
as it were, make a demand of M'hat is due to him, in right of
his purchase ; and so it is distinguished from a supplication,
or entreaty, that God would bestow an unmerited favour. All
our prayers, indeed, are supplications, that God would bestov^
upon us undeserved blessings ; but Christ's prayer is a kind of
demand, of a debt due to him pursuant to the merit of his
obedience and sufferings. Moreover, this mode of speaking
may be farther understood, as containing an intimation of his
divine will, to have what he purchased, in his human nature,
applied to his people ; though this is rather a consequence of
his intercession, than, properly speaking, a formal act thereof.
3. It is farther observed, that he intercedes for his people,
by answering all accusations that may be brought in against
them : thus the apostle, Rom. viii. ZZ^ 34. supposes a charge
to have been brought in against God's elect, and that they
were under a sentence of condemnation ; and shews how this
sentence is reversed by the death of Christ; and the charge
answered by his intercession. If Ave consider the many things
laid to the charge of God's elect, either by the world, satan,
or their own consciences, these are supposed to be either fal&t;
or true. What is falsely alleged, Christ, as their Advocate,
answers, by denying the charge, and undertakes to vindicate
them from it : but Avhen the thing laid to their charge is un-
deniably true; as, for instance, that they are sinners, and hav(^
♦ See Page 235.
OF Christ's intercession, 479,
thereby contracted guilt, and deserve to be for ever banished
from tiie j^resence ol God ; this Christ undertakes to answer,^
no otherwise than by pleading the merit of his obedience and
satisfaction, -whereby they obtain remission of sins and a right
to eternal life.
VI. Christ, by his intercession, procures for his people
many valuable privileges, three of which are mentioned in
this answer.
(1.) Quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings.
This supposes, that the best believers on earth, by reason of
the remainders of indwelling corruption, are liable to many
sinful infirmities ; as it is said, There is not a Just man upon
earth, that doth good and sinneth not, Eccles. vii. 20. and. If
ive say xve have no sin, zue deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us, 1 John i. 8. And these have a proportionable de-
gree of guilt attending them ; and this guilt has a tendency to
make the conscience uneasy, unless we have an Advocate, who
has a sufficient plea to allege in our defence : but such an one
is Christ, and consequently his intercession procures for us
this privilege ; If any man sin xve have an Advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, chap. ii. 1.
(2.) He also procures for us access, Avith boldness, to the
throne of grace. As sin renders us guilty ; so guilt exposes us
to fear, and a dread of coming before the throne of God, as a
God of infinite holiness and justice : but when he is represeiit-
cd as sitting on a throne of grace, as the consequence of Christ's
death and intercession, our servile fear is i^emoved, and we
are encouraged, as the apostle says, to come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that rue may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need, Heb. iv. 16.
(o.) Another consequence of Christ's intercession is, the ac-
ceptance of our persons and services ; first, of our persons,
then of our services ; as it is said. The Lord had respect unto
Abel, and to his offering. Gen. iv. 4. The acceptance of our
persons is a branch of our justification, which is fouiided on
Christ's sacrifice and intercession, as it is said. He hath made
us accepted in the beloved, Eph. i. 6. And the acceptance of
our services, which are performed by faith, supposes the re-
moval of the guilt that attends them, by reason of our sinful
infirmities : thus God's people are called an holy priesthood,
and said to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Je-
sus Chri.st, 1 Pet. ii. 5.
VII. Let us consider how Christ's intercession ought to be
improved by us.
1. It is a great remedy against those desponding or des-
pairing thoughts, which we are sometimes liable to, by reason
of the guilt of sin, when charged on our consciences ; in which
480 OF Christ's coming to judge the world.
case, we should give a check to ourselves, and say, with the
Psalmist, Why art thou cast do7vny 0 my soul? and why art
thou disquieted within 7ne P Psal. xlii. 10. Why should we
entertain such sad and melancholy thoughts, especially if Christ
intercedes, on our behalf, for the forgiveness of all our sins ?
and our sincere repentance, together with the exercise of those
other graces, that accompany it, will afford us an evidence of
our interest in this privilege, which will be an expedient to
raise our dejected spirits, and fill us with the joy of his sal-
vation.
2. Christ's intercession is to be improved by us, as an en-
couragement to prayer ; and, as a farther ground, to conclude,
that our poor, broken, imperfect breathings, shall be heard and
answered for his sake, who pleads our cause.
3. This is a great inducement to universal holiness, when
we have ground to conclude, that those services, that are per-
formed to his glory, shall be accepted, upon the account of his
intercession.
Quest. LVI. How is Christ to be exalted in his coming- ag-ain
to Judge the world?
Answ. Christ is to be exalted in his coming again to judge
the world, in that he, who was unjustly judged and con-
demnejil by wicked men, shall come again at the last day, in
great power, and in the full manifestation of his own glory,
and of his Father's, with all his holy angels, with a shout,
with the voice of tlie arch-angel, and with the trumpet of
God, to judge the world in righteousness.
OUR Saviour being in his exalted state, is to continue at
the right hand of God, till he has finished the remaining
part of his work, in the application of redemption, and, by his
Spirit, in the methods of his providence and grace, brought in
the whole number of the elect; after which follows another
branch of his Mediatorial glory, when he shall come again to
judge the world at the last day, which is the subject matter of
this answer. For the understanding of which, let it be con-
bidered,
I. That though he was, before this, solemnly invested with
a power of exercising judgment, and is continuall)' distribu-
ting rewards and punishments in the course of his providence;
yet the full manifestation of his glory, as Judge of quick and
dead, and that in a visible manner in his human nature, is de-
ferred till the last day. Though he be now known by the
judgments that he executes, which are oftentimes attended with
OF chuist's coming to judge the world. 481'
wonderful displays of his divine glory ; and, though the eternal
state of all men be fixed by him at their death, at which time
a particular judgment is passed on them by him, as the apos-
tle says, It IS appointed unto nie7i once to die, a7id after this the
judgmetit^ Heb. ix. 27. yet this is done without those external
and visible marks of glory in his human nature, with which he
shall appear in the end of time. This is styled, The last day^
John xi. 24. chap. xii. 48. and, in that respect, that measure
of duration, which we generally call time, will be ended, and
another, which is distinguished from it, which, by reason of
its having no end, is called eternity, shall commence ; not that
it is like eternity of God, without succession : but some think
it differs from time, principally in this, that it shall not be des-
cribed by the same measures that it now is ; nor shall the mo-
tion of the heavenly bodies produce those effects which they
do, in the frame of nature, whereby the various changes of
seed-time and harvest, summer and winter, day and night fol-
low each other in their respective courses.
Some, indeed, think that this is called a day^ in the same
sense as the present season, or dispensation of grace, is some-
times called the sinner's day^ Luke xix. 42. or the day of God's
patience, and long-suffering. And when this shall be at an
end, and the gospel, which is compared to a glorious light,
that shines therein, shall be no longer preached, the end there-
of being fully answered, this may well be styled the last day,
when Christ shall come to judgment.
II. This glorious appearing of Christ to judge the world, is
set in opposition to that part of his state of humiliation, in
which he was unjustly judged and condemned by wicked men,
and is designed to aggravate the crime of those, at whose tri-
bunal he stood, who, though he then told them of this matter,
namely, that he7-eafter they should see the Son of man sitting' on
the right hand of power ^ and coming in the clouds of heaven^
Matt. xxvi. 64. yet they believed him not. And this may also
be considered, as set in opposition to all that contempt, which
his name, interest, and gospel, daily meet with, in an ungodlv
world, whereby he is, as it were, judged and condemned afresh,
and the unjust sentence that was passed upon him, in effect,
approved of; from all which, Christ shall be for ever vindica-
ted, when his glory shines forth in a most illustrious manner,
as calling the whole world to stand at his tribunal, and reward-
ing every one according to their works.
III. The time when Christ shall thus come to judge the
world, is unknown, either by angels or men; and, indeed, our
Saviour himself, while here on earth, speaks of this, as a se-
cret, that had not been made known to him, as man, Mark xiii.
32. and the reason why God has thus concealed it, is because
482 OF CHRIST^S COMING TO JUDGE THE WORLD.
he would not give occasion to any to indulge the least degree
ot carnal security, (for the same reason that he has not made
known to us the term or bounds of life) but that we may be
ah7ays ready for his coming. Therefore we cannot but reckon
it an instance of unwarrantable presumption in several Jewish
writers, and some of the Fathers after them,* to suppose, a^
they do, that the world shall continue six thousand yeai-s, from
the creation ; and that, as it was made in six days, and the se-
venth ordained to be a Sabbath, this had a mystical significa-
tion ; and accordingly, in its application to this matter, a day
answers to a thousand years ; or that, as the world was two
thousand years without the written word, or law of God, and
after that, two thousand years under the law, so the days of the
Messiah shall continue two thousand years, and then follows
the eternal sabbatism at Christ's second coming. As for the
Jews, who speak of this matter, their unbelief is condemned
out of their own mouths; since thev do, as it Mere, concede,
that the time in which the Messiah was to come, was that in
which he actually appeared ; notwithstanding, this is a ground-
less conjecture, so far as it respects the end of the world ; and,
indeed, it is an entering into a secret, which is altogether hid
from mankind.
IV. We are now to consider that glory with which Christ
shall appear, when he comes to judge the world. Accordingly
it is said, he shall come in the full manifestation of his own
glory, and of his Father's, with all his holy angels, and with
other circumstances, that will be very awful and tremendous.
1. He shall come in his own glory, by which we are to un-
• .'is for the .Texvish luriters, they mention a tradition taken froin one Ellas, which,
some think, rffars to a spiirioris imiting, that loent under the name of the prophet
Jilijah : but this they leave uncertain .• neither do they signify tuliether i! ivas a wri-
ten or an oral tradition ; nor do they intitnofe when, or lohere, this UliasUvcd. Hoio-
ever, the tradition •mas received by many of them. It is tnentiuned in the Talmud in
Tract- Sanhedrim, cap. xi. § 29. Edit, a Voce. Traditio est clomiis Ellae : Si-x mille
annoB durat nimulus: bis niiile annis inanitris & vnstltas. Bis mille aniiis Lex.
Denique bis mille anni.s dies Christi. At vero propter peccatu nostra & jiluriuia
& enormia, abierunt ex bis, fjui abicvinit. And the sairwis7ncntionedin another
Talnmdic treatise, called, Avoda Sara, (Vid. eund- edit, ub Edzard. cap. 1. page 65.
citm. ejiisd. annot. page 244:, U seq.) And J\Tanasy.eh lien-Israel asserts the same
thing, ( Fid cjtisd. de Creat. frohl. 25.) Othtr writers, among ihcni, improve upon t/ds
conjecture, and pretend, l/iat as the .ii/n ivas created the fourth day, so the ./Messiah
■:uas to come, after 4000 years, by ivhich they appear to be self-condemned. Ifoiaever,
us an expedient to diseJnbarrass themselves, they all pretend, that Chri.it's coming is
deferred for their sin-i ; -n'hich evasion is too iveak to -ivnrd off the evidence which ri-e
have for the tn/lJi of Christianity. That se-vcral of the Fathers imbibed this notion,
concerning the u-orld's continuing 6000 yeai's, according to the number of the days
of the creation, is evident. Laclanlius begins his jytillennium then, and supposes,
that the thousand years, from thence to the end of time, answers to the seventh day
or Sabbath of rest. (Vid- Lactant. de Fit. Beat. § 14.) Angustin, who does not give
into the J^fdlennivm, supposes, that time will end with the 6000 years, which answers
to the sirth day of the creation; and then, according to him-, follows an eternal sab-
batism, ( Fid. Aug. de Civ. Dei^ Lib, XX. cap. 7.J
ot Christ's coming to jiJdge the world. 48S
derstand, that the glory of his divine nature shall shine forth,
or be demonstrated in a more illustrious manner, than it has
hitherto been. When he was here on earth, this glory had,
as it were a veil put on it, by reason of the low and humbled
state of his human nature : but, when he shall come again in
his exalted state, it will never be a matter of doubt to any,
whether he be God incarnate or no. And to this we may add,
that there will be many things done by him, when he comes
to judgment, which will be eminently the effects of his divine
poAver, wisdom, justice, goodness, and faithfulness, whereby
the glorv of his divine nature will farther appear, in determin-
ing the final state, both of angels and men.
2. He is also said to appear in his Father's glory. For the
understanding of which let us consider,
(1.) That whatever work he is engaged in, or glory he re-
ceives as Mediator, it takes its rise from the Father; it was he
that called him to perform it, sanctified, and sent him into the
world, furnished him with an human nature, united to his di*
vine Person. From him it was that he received a commission
to lay down his life, and to take it upon him again ; and it is
he who hath appointed the day in which he will judge the
Vr-^orld ; and, pursuant to this decree and appointment, he will
come to perform this glorious work.
(2.) Every thing that he does as Mediator, is referred to
the glor\' of the Father; as he says, I honour my Father^ John
viii. 49. and therefore this work, which is, as it were, the lay-
ing the top-stone of the glorious fabric of our salvation, will
tend eminently to set forth the Father's gloiy, who laid the
foundation stone thereof.
(3.) Whatever work he performs for the honour of the Fa-
ther, he receives from him, a testimony of his highest appro-
bation of him therein. When he was here on earth, as the apos-
tle sa)-s. He received from the Father honour and glory ; xvheii
there came such a voice to him from the excellent glorify sayings
This is i7iy beloved Son in whom I am well pleased^ 2 JPet. i. 17.
This testimony was given to him at his baptism, and transfigu-
ration in the holy mount; the latter of which the apostle more
immediately refers to, as appears by the following words ;
therefore we may conclude,
(4.) That since his coming to judgment will be the most Il-
lustrious part of his mediatorial work, he will have the most
glorious testimony from the Father ; and, indeed, his receiv-
ing the saints into heaven, who are styled, Blessed of his Father^
who '■^hall inherit the kingdom which he had prepared for them^
from the foundation of the worlds INIatt. xxv. 34. will be a stand-
ing monument of his approbation of him, or well-pleasedness
with wiiatever he has done in order thereunto ; and therefore
he may well be said to come in the glory of his Father.
484 OF Christ's coming to judge the would.
V. He is farther said to come in the glory of his angelsr.
This, indeed is to be understood in a sense different from that
of his appearing in his own glory, or that of his Father; for
the angels are said rather to behold and admire his glory, than
to confer any branch thereof upon him. However, they are de-
scribed as attending him in his coming, as it is said, He shall
come in his g'hry^ and all the holy angels with him^ ver. 31. and
accordingly he will appear in the glory of his angels, as they
shall be his retinue, and bear a part in the solemnity of that
day, whereby they not only acknowledge his rightful authority
to engage in this glorious work, but their willingness to attend
him in every ptirt thereof, in which he thinks fit to employ them,
as ministering spirits, in subserviency to the proceedings of that
day. And this leads us to consider that glorious solemnity,
together with some things that will be done, preparatory to
Christ's judging the world. Accordingly it is said,
VI. That he shall come with a shout, with the voice of the.
arch-angel, and with the trumpet of God, which are the apos-
tle's words, 1 Thes. iv. 16. and he adds, that this shall be atten-
ded with the resurrection from the dead, and the change of
those who being found alive^ shall be caught up together in the
clouds^ to meet the Lord in the air ; and elsewhere he says, The
trumpet shall sounds and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
mid we shall be chariged, 1 Cor. xv. 52. and our Saviour speaks
of a throne's being erected ; and that when he shall come in his
glory ^ and all the holy arigels xvith him^ he shall sit on the throne
of his glory ^ Matt. xxv. 31, 32. We also read of the gathering
of the whole world before him, and the separation of the righ-
teous from the wicked, which is said to be done by the minis-
try of angels, chap. xxiv. 31. and chap. xix. 28. these things
will immediately go before Christ's judging the world : but
since it is expressly said, in this answer, that he shall come
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet
of God, this we shall particularly consider. And,
1 . When he is said to come with a shout, and with the voice
of the archangel, it does not seem probable, that by a shout, is
meant an articulate sound, as the word is sometimes applied,
when used by us, as signifying that joy and triumph which is
expressed by those who shout for victory. Notwithstanding
the word may be understood in a metaphorical sense, signify-
ing some triumphant expressions of joy, suitable to the great
occasions ; or the word,* which we render a shout, may signi-
fy the powerful word of command given by our Saviour, where-
by the dead are called out of their graves ; and agreeable here-
unto, it is added, that Christ shall come with the voice of the
arch-angel. This has given occasion, to some, to enquire,
whether there be one among the angels wlio is called so, as
or Christ's coming to judge the world. 4^
being the prince and chief of all the rest, who will receive the
word immediately from Christ, and transmit it to other angels,
whereby the world will be summoned to appear before his tri-
bunal ; but it is very difficult for us to account for this matter.
That there is a very beautiful order and harmony among the
angels, is beyond dispute ; nevertheless, we have no ground to
assert, that one is superior to the rest, unless that be the mean-
ing of the word arch-angel, in this, and two or three other scrip-
tures, in which we meet with it. But, though I will not con-
tend with those who are otherwise minded, yet I am rather in-
clined to thhilc that the word is always applied to our Saviour,
and that he is called the arch-angel, as he is the head and so-
vereign of all the angels, who, as the apostle says, zvere created
by him, aiuffor him. Col. i. 16. and who are commanded to xvor-
sihip him, llcb. i. 6. and, as it is said elsewhere. Angels, autho-
rities, and powers, are made subject unto him, 1 Pet. ii. 22.
therefore he certainly has a greater right to this glorious cha-
racter than any creature.
If to this it be objected, that Christ's being said to come
>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.<t, ver. 21.
2. Otiiers have no foundation for their expectation of salva-
tion, but by extenuating sin ; and are hardly persuaded to con-
fess themselves to be sinners, how vile soever their conversa-
tion be : thus it is said, concerning Ephraim, The balances of
deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress ; yet he refused to
acknowledge this, and says, In all my labours they shall find
none iniquity in me, that xvere sin, Hos. xii. 7, 8. and, when
the prophet Jeremiah exhibits a charge against a degenerate
age, and tells them, Thou hast taught the wicked ones thy ways^
also in thy skirts is found the blood of poor innocents; what
abominable stupidity were they guilty of, when they reply to
this, Because lam innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me,
Jer. ii. 33 — 35.
Sometimes they build their hope of salvation, though they
cannot exculpate themselves from the charge of sin, on the bare
supposition, that some others are greater sinners than them-
selves : thus the Pharisee pleases himself, that he was not guil-
ty of some notorious sins : that he was no extortioner, or adul-
terer, nor even as the Publican, whom he looks upon with great
contempt, Luke xviii. 11. or if they are forced to conclude
themselves to be among the number of the vilest and most no-
torious sinners, yet they presume that God will not punish them
eternally for this, but will make some allowance for the pro-
pensity of human nature to sin, or the force of those tempta-
tions, which they have not been able to withstand ; or, if they
are liable to any extraordinary afflictions in this life, they sup-
pose that these are sufficient to compensate for all the sins that
they have committed, and therefore their miseries shall not be
extended beyond it ; so that, that which lies at the root of this
presumptuous hope, is a secret denial of the infinite demerit of
sin, or that it deserves eternal punishment. Now, that we may
shew the vanity of that expectation, which has no other foun-
dation than this, let us consider,
(1.) That to extenuate sin, is an argument that persons are
unacquainted with themselves, know not the plague of their
own hearts ; and therefore it is the most destructive fallacy that
men can put on themselves ; and it js a sad token that they are
given up to judicial blindness : but, when God shall charge sin
on the conscience, or, as the Psalmist speaks, reprove them, and
set their iniquities in order before their eyes, Psal. 1. 21. which
DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. 497
he will do, at one time or other, they shall appear to have been
self-deceived, and the ground of their hope of salvation, sink
under them.
(2.) To simpose that sin does not deserve eternal punish-
ment, is an affront to the holiness of God and a disbelief of
those threatenings which are denounced against it. It is, in ef-
fect, to deny that sin is objectively infinite, which cannot be
done, without denying, in effect, that God is a God of infinite
perfection ; it is a flying in the face of his justice, and charging
him with mal-administration ; to such it may be said, as Elihu
says to Job, JFilt thou condeynn him that is most just P Job
xxxiv. 17. or, as God speaks, to reprove and humble him, JFi/t
thou also disannul my judgmeJit ? Wilt thou condemn me that
thou mayest be righteous ? chap. xl. 8. But since the eternity of
the punishment of sin is particularly insisted on, under a follow-'
ing answer,* we shall add no more on that head at present ;
only let it be considered, that this method of reasoning has a
tendency to banish all religion out of the world ; and it is never
made use of, but by those who make no pretensions to it.
3. If it be reckoned preposterous for any one to found his
hope of salvation on the extenuating of his sins, others have a
more plausible pretence, when they expect to be saved, because
they perform some works that are materially good, though
these are not only destitute of the grace of faith, but strangei"s
to the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. If they perform some
moral duties, or abstain from some gross enormities, much
more if they have a form of godliness, and are reckoned to be
religious persons by the world, and, in many instances, are use-
ful to those with whom they converse, they are ready to con-
clude, that they do, as it were, merit eternal life thereby, and
God, for this, becomes a debtor to them ; the former sort above-
mentioned have too light thoughts of sin ; these set too great a
value on their duties, which is contrary to what our Saviour says,
When ye shall have done all those things xvhieh are commanded
yoUy say^ We are unprofitable servants^ Luke xvii. 10. I would
not have it thought that hereby I design to depreciate any mo-
ral duties, or virtues, which have in them a degree or exccllen-
C}', in proportion to their nature : but the only thing that I in-
tend hereby is, that good works which do not proceed from a
right principle, and are not performed for right ends, if there
be not an internal principle of grace implanted in regeneration,
nor faith in Christ, as the main spring thereof, or, if they be
put in the room of Christ's righteousness, and so made the
loundation of our justification, or right to eternal life, they are
not accepted by God ; and that hope of salvation, which !<v.
founded thereon, is vain, and unwarrantabl»%
• S^e Qitest. LXXXJX
498 DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL.
4. There are others, who, as it is expressed in this answer,
frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the law of
that religion which they profess, and doubt not, but in so doing,
they shall be saved. This presumption is defended by many,
who call themselves Christians, who suppose, that a person may
be saved in any religion, whether true or false : these do not
stick to say, that, if they lived at Rome, they would embrace
the Popish doctrines ; or, if in Turkey, they would profess the
Mahometan faith ; or, had they been born in India, among the
Pagans, they should have ground to conclude that they are in
a safe way to heaven. This opinion certainly reflects dishonour
on the Christian name ; and it savours so much of scepticism,
that these must be supposed to conclude, that there is nothing
certain in religion ; or, as to the different modes thereof, that
these are only a political engine, a mere human invention,
which stands upon no other basis, but tradition, and has nothing
else to propagate it, but implicit faith. This is the notion which
they, who set themselves against divine revelation, entertain
concerning religion in general; or, if there be any thing in it
that escapes their reproach and censure, it is only such maxims
as are founded in the laws of nature, viz. that we ought to do
to others as we would have them do to us, govern our passions,
that they may not be outrageous, and disturb not only our own
peace, but that of all civil societies ; and that we must not of-
fer injuries, or violence, to those whom we converse with ; but
rather be gentle, good-humoured, kind, and compassionate to
them, and abstain from those enormities, which are abhorrent
to nature. This they suppose to be sufficient to denominate any
one a good man, who need not entertain any doubt of his owii
salvation : but this is to set aside all revelation, and disbelieve
the demonstrative evidence which we have of the truth of the
Christian religion, and it is to cast contempt on that, as unne-
cessary, which has in it the gi'eatest excellency. It also contains
a denial of that which is experienced by all true believers,
namely, that revealed religion has the greatest tendency to dis-
pose them to glorify God, and to do good to men ; these sen-
sibly find, that they have the greatest comfort, and most solid
ground of hope, in a firm adherence thereunto : and laying all
the stress of their salvation on what is revealed in the gospel j
and desiring to adhere stedfastly, by faith, to Christ, as the only
way of salvation.
II. It is farther observed, in this answer, that there is sal-K
vation in no other but in Christ. The scripture is very full and
express to this purpose ; Thus it is said. Neither is there salva-
tion in ony other / for there is none other name under heaven
g-ivcn among" men^ xvhereby we must be saved^ Acts iv. 12. and
elsewhere the apostle says, Other foundation can no man lay.
.J3ISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. 499
than that is laidy which is Jesus Christy 1 Cor. iii. 11. On
him the church is built ; he is the only Mediator between God
and man, the only Redeemer, who purchased salvation for
those who shall be made partakers of it : He laid the founda-
tion-stone of this glorious fabric, and therefore we must con-
clude, that the carrying on of this work belongs to him, till the
top-stone is laid, and the work brought to perfection ; upon
which account he is styled, The Author and Finisher offaithy
Heb. xii. 3. Accordingly we may obsei-ve,
1. That faith, and all other griv.ces that accompany salvation,
have a peculiar reference to Christ : Thus we are said to ob-
tain precious faith through his righteousness^ 2 Pet. i. 1. and
he is said to dtuell in the hearts of his people by faith ^ Eph. iii.
17, and to increase their faith, Luke xvii. 5. and he is also the
Object of faith, as he says, Te believe in God, believe also in me^
John xiv. 1. and this grace is frequently described as a coming
to him, chap. vi. QtS. and it is such a coming as implies more
than an attendance on his ordinances ; for it is connected with
salvation, which is the meaning of that metaphorical expres-
sion, in which it is said, that such shall never hunger nor thirst ;
by which we are to understand that all their desires shall be
fulfilled, and they shall be satisfied with that perfect blessed-
ness, which he will make them partakers of. Besides, it is
such a coming to Christ, as is the effect of God's almighty
power ; therefore he says. No man can come to me, except the
Father "which hath sent me draw him, ver. 44.
This will farther appear, if we consider that salvation is
founded on Christ's executing his three offices of Priest, Pro-
phet, and King. The first of these he executes in our behalf ;
not in us, but for us, whereby faith, and all other graces, are
purchased ; whereas, in the execution of his other two offices,
namely, his Prophetical and Kingly, especially when it is ren-
dered effectual to salvation, his people are the subjects in whom
they are executed ; the work performed is internal, and the
oonsequence of it is the soul's giving that glory to him, that is
the result thereof ; and this cannot be done, without our know-
ing him to be a Mediator, and, as such, ordained and qualified
to execute them. This cannot be known without divine re-
^■elation.
Moreover, this is evident, from the apostle's method of rea-
soning, in which he considers our calling on the name of the
Lord as inseparably connected with salvation, and necessar}-
thereunto, and that this proceeds from faith ; for, says he. How
shall theij call on him, in whotn they have not believed P Rom.
X. 14. And this faith supposes the preaching of the gospel,
which gospel is represented, in many scriptures, as a display of
the glory of Christ : therefore it follows, that there is no sal-
;iOO DISADVANiAG£ Oi' NOTHEARIKG THE GOSPELv
vation without divine revelation; or that they,, vvho never
heard of Christ, and consequently never believed in him, have
no right or claim to it.
We might also observe the account which the same apostle
gives of that worship, which is necessary to salvation, when he
says, Through him xve have access^ by one Spirit^ unto the Fa-
ther^ Eph.. ii. 18. To have access to God, is certainly necessa-
ry to salvation ; and this is by a Mediator, which is elsewhere
called. Coming to God by him : But this cannot be done without
the knowledge of him, as the way to the Father, and that faith
in him, which is founded thereon. Moreover, salvation is to be
considered as a promised blessing, founded in the covenant of
grace, and therefore they, who are strangers to this covenant,
have no right to lay claim to the promises thereof, which are
no where contained but in divine revelation, and accordingly
they are said to be yea and amen in Christy to the glory ofGody
2 Cor. i. 20. Therefore, what hope can there be of obtaining
these promised blessings, without the knowledge of Christ ?
2. It farther appears, that there is no salvation without faith
in Christ, as founded in divine revelation, inasmuch as there
is no justification without it. Justification is inseparably con-
nected with salvation by the apostle, when he says, WhoM he
justified^ them he also glorified^ Rom. viii. 30. To separate
these two, is to suppose, that a person may expect salvation,
without being delivered from the guilt of sin, and the con-
demning sentence of the law ; or to have a right to eternal life,
without being able to plead any righteousness that is worthy of
God's acceptance, which is certainly to build our hope on a
sandy foundation, and is contrary to those scriptures that set
forth the impossibility of our being justified by the works of
the law, or the necessity of faith in Christ's righteousness, in
order to our claiming this privilege. This the apostle Paul fre-
quently inculcates ; therefore it follows, that no one can plead
any thing done by him, as the matter of his justification, though
he could say, as that apostle did, touching the righteousness
that is 171 the laxv^ lam blavieless, Phil. iii. 6. and elsewhere he
says. Though I know nothing by myself^ yet I am not hereby
justified^ 1 Cor. iv. 4. If the best saint in the world must have
something, to support his expectation of being discharged from
condemnation, that is infinitely more valuable than any act of
his own obedience ; then certainly that obedience, which is
performed, according to the dictates of the light of nature, with-
out divine revelation, is far from being a sufficient foundation
to support a person's hope of justification and salvation : But
such who are destitute of the gospel, have nothing else to
plead ; therefore we must conclude, as it is expressed in this
answer, that they, who never heard the gospeK and belie^ e not
m Christ, cannot be saved.
DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. 501
3. This may be also inferred, from those scriptures that set
forth the pernicious consequence of unbelief, as it is said. He
that believes not is condeinJied already^ and shall not see life^ but
the wrath ofGodahideth on him^ John iii. 18, 36. and elsewhere,
If ye believe not that J am hcy ye shall die in your sins^ chap,
viii. 24. And inasmuch as faith is founded on divine revela-
tion, there are other scriptures that represent those who are
destitute of it, as being in an hopeless state : thus the apostle
tells the church at PIphesus, that xvhen they were Gentiles^ and
consequently strangers to the gospel, they had no hojje, being'
without God in the worlds Eph. ii. 12. so that, whatever know-'
ledge they had of a God by the light of nature, or whatever
blessings they received from common providence, they had not
.such a knowledge of him, nor such an interest in him, as gave
them hope of salvation. The apostle does not speak of them as
being in an hopeless state, because their conversation had been
more vile than that of other Gentiles, as acting contrary to the
dictates of the law of nature ; but he speaks of them as Gen-
tiles, that is, without the light of divine revelation ; and there-
fore what he says, concerning them is applicable to all the Hea-
then, as sucli.*
Again, it is farther observed, in scripture, that, before Christ
was preached to the Gentiles, they were not the objects of his
special care and goodness, but, in this respect, neglected by
him ; accordingly it is said, that, in times past he suffered all
nations to ivalk in their own xoays^ Acts xiv. 16. and elsewhere
these are called. Times of ignorance, ivhich, it is said, God
winked at, chap. xvii. 30. as it is in our translation : but this is
not so agreeable to the sense of the Greek word,f as if we ren-
dered it, during the times of this ignorance, God having over-
looked them, that is, the Gentiles, hath now commanded all men
every xvhere to repent ; and, if they were disregarded by him,
they could not be supposed to be the objects of his special grace,
or to have a right and title to salvation.
Moreover, the apostle Paul, when speaking of some among
the Heathen, who excelled others in wisdom ; notwithstanding
being destitute of gospel light, he casts the utmost contempt on
those attainments in the knowledge of divine things, which they
gloried in, as being insufficient to salvation ; and therefore he
says, that whatever they knew of the perfections of the divine
nature, so far as they may be known without divine revelation,
yet by xoisdom they knew not God ; and therefore he says. Where
is the ivise ? xvhere is the scribe? xvhere is the disputer of this
xvorld? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this xvorld?
I Cor. i. 20.
• // Iff a rule in logic, A quatcr.iis ad omne valet cons''qu«*nti4.
Vol. II. 3 S
?q2 disadvantage or noi hearing the gospel.
Object. 1. It is objected, that it is contrary to the goodness
of God to condemn persons for invincible ignorance, as that of
the Heathen must be supposed to be, since it was impossible
for them to know the way of salvation by a Redeemer.
Ansxv. To this it may be replied, that we must distinguisl^
between God's condemning persons for not knowing the gos-
pel, which is to condemn them for invincible ignorance^ and
his not giving the gospel to a greater part of the world, (as a
necessary means of grace and salvation) whom he designed, as
we before observed, to overlook, and suffer to walk in their
own way. If the goodness of God had laid a natural obliga-
tion on him, without an act of his sovereign will, to bestow the
means of grace, or the knowledge of the way of salvation on
them, then it would have been contrary to his divine perfec-
tions to have denied the gospel to any, and so to condemn
them who are ignorant thereof. It is one thing for God to
leave them in their fallen state, the result whereof would be
their not knowing the way of salvation ; and another thing for
him to condemn them for this, as though there were no other
reason obliging him to inflict this righteous judgment on them.
Object. 2. It is farther objected, that the apostle says, in Rom.
i. 19. That -which may be knoxvn of God^ is manifest in them;,
for God hath shervn it unto them; and, in chap. ii. 14, 15. When
the GeJitiles which have 7iot the lazv^ that is, any other law than
that of nature, do^ by nature the things contained in the law;
these having not the laxv, are a larv unto thejnselves ; which shew
the xvork of the knv xvritten in their hearts^ their consciences
also bearing them xvitiiess^ and their thoughts the mean xvhile
accusing or else excusing one another. From hence it is argued,
that the Gentiles have sufficient knowledge of the divine law,
i.o bring them into a state of salvation ; their consciences are
said to excuse thern^ that is, not to charge guilt upon them ;
therefore they are justified by vv^alking according to the dic-
tates of the light of nature.
Ansxu. 1. As to what the apostle said, in the former of these
scriptures, that thatxvhich marj be known of God^ is manifest in
them^ or shewed to them ; he does not speak of those things
\v^hich are to be known of God, that have an immediate refer-
once to salvation ; nor does he say, that every thing necessary
to be known of him, in order thereunto, is manifest in them ;
but, that of God xvhich is hiowji hij them^* is from him as the
God of nature, he has shewn it to them, that is, he has given
them sufficient li'^ht to discover his eternal poxver and Godhead,
in a way of reasoning from the things that are made, as he
tulds, in ih^ following words ; but the eternal power and God-
* TO J.V*S"CV TS Q».
DISADVANTAGE OF NOT IIEARIXG THE GOSPEL. 50o
head may be known by those who are destitute of that know-
ledge, which is necessan" to salvation.
2. As to the other scripture, mentioned in the objection, iu
which the Gentiles are said to do by nature the things contained
in the laxv ; he does not infer from thence that they are the ser-
vants of God, or willing subjects to his government, or, indeed,
that they fulfil the law of nature ; and therefore we cannot sup-
pose that he concludes them justified thereby, which is contra-
ry to the whole tenor of the apostle's doctrine, in other parts
of his writings. It is true, he says, that their consciences some-
times excuse^ as well as, at other times, accuse them ; yet it must
be considered, that conscience may excuse, or plead not guilty,
with respect to the charge of some crimes, which are commit-
ted by others, when, at the same time, this does not exempt
them from the guilt of sin in general, or give them a right and
tide to eternal life. The apostle therefore designs only to shew
liow far the corruption of men may be restrained, by their att;
tending to the dictates of the light of nature, whereby a great
deal of sin and guilt might be prevented ; but he does not de-
termine that God has any farther design of grace toward them ;
for, if he had, he wovdd have given them the means of salva-
tion ; and if he has not said that he will save them, without
giving them these means, we have no ground to assert that he
will; for this is to conclude, without sufficient evidence from
scripture.
Object. 3. It is said, in Rom. ii. 4. that the g-oodness of Go(t
leadeth to repentance ; but repentance is certainly connecteft
with salvation ; therefore the goodness, or bounty of God,
which persons, who have no other right but that of nature, have ,
some knowledge of, may lead them to salvation,
Answ. It is evident that the apostle, in this scripture, does
not speak to the Gentiles, but to the Jews ; for, having consi-
dered the vile abominations which were practised by the Gen-
tiles, in the foregoing chapter, in this he reproves the Jews,
when he savs, in ver. 1. Thou art inexcusable^ 0 vian^ that
Judg-cst^ and ijet dost the same things ; and, in ver^ 17. Beholdy
thou art called a Jerv^ and restest in the laiv^ and- makest thij
Boast of God; therefore, if the apostle is speaking to them, when
he says. The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance^ we are
not only to understand hereby the bounty of common provi-
dence, or those effects of the divine goodness, which are known
and experienced by the whole world ; but the goodness of God,
which they had experienced, who were the peculiar objects
thereof, and favoured by him, above all the rest of the world,
to whom pertained the adoption^ the glorify the covenants^ and
the giving the fcnv, and the service of God, and the p"o?riisr%, Hk
504 DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOKVLL.
we read, in chap. ix. 4. therefore certainly they were highly to
blame, that they were not hereby led to repentance.
Object, 4. It is farther objected, that the apostle, in dispu-
ting with the Athenians, in Acts xvii. 27. put them upon stek-
inp- after God, if haply they might feel after him, and find him;
whereas, if it were impossible to find God, that is, the way of
acceptance in his sight, by the light of nature, it would have
been a preposterous thing for the apostle to have put them upon
seeking him ; therefore it follows, that they are not destitute of
all means of grace, or without a possibility of salvation.
Ansiv, To this it may be replied, that, if by seeking the Lord^
the apostle means enquiring into the way of salvation by a Re-
deemer, and pressing after faith in him ; as it is said, Seek
and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you^ Matt.
vii. 7. and. If thou seek him, he ivill be found of thee, 1 Chron.
xxviii. 9. this does not argue, that the Heathen, before the
gospel was preached to them, in seeking, might find the way
of salvation : For,
1. Though he be speaking to the Heathen, yet they are con-
sidered, at this time, as having the gospel preached to them
by him, and therefore not destitute of the external means of
grace, which he advises them to attend to, in hope that their
endeavours might be succeeded.
2. If, on the other hand, he speaks to them without regard
to the privilege they then enjoyed, and so inform them what
they might attain to, without divine revelation, which is the
only sense that seems, in the least, to favour the objection ;
then, by seeking the Lord, we must understand their enquiring
into the divine perfections, so far as the knowledge thereof is
attainable by the light of nature ; and the consequence of it
would be their attaining such a degree thereof, as would dis-
cover the absurdity of that idolatry that they were guilty of,
which the apostle is arguing against. And we may observe,
that he makes use of such a mode of speaking, as is very a-
greeable to this sense of the text, when he says, If haply ye
might fed after him; which is a metaphor, taken from those
who ai^e endeavouring to find their v/ay in the dark, in which
they feel after things which they cannot see, and sometimes
they find them. And, when he concludes, that haply, or, per-
adventure, you may find him, this implies, that though the
Heathen, by the light of nature, had some means of attaining
such a measure of knowledge, as would have given them a full
conviction that there was but one God, and that this God ought
to be worshipped in a way agreeable to his divine perfections,
and consequently that they ought not to think that the God-head
zuas like to gold or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's
device, which would have effectually confuted that gross idola-
msADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARING THE GOSPEL. SX)j
try, which they were charged with ; yet some did not attend to
the light of nature, so far as this amounts to, which was the
case of those whom he was disputing with; and therefore his
design is to reprove their idolatry, and persuade them to seek
after that knowledge of God, which would have induced them
to forsake it ; so, that, in that part of his argument, he does
not seem to proceed any farther than this ; and therefore, when,
in another part of it, he treats of that knowledge of God,
which is more immediately connected with salvation, he speaks
of jfesus and the resurrection^ diough they treated it with ridi-
cule and contempt; therefore it does not follow, that the Hea-
then, by the light of nature, had a sufficient discovery of tliQ
way of salvation.
Object. 5. There is another objection against the doctrine
we are maintaining, taken from some instances of those who
are supposed to have been destitute of divine revelation, as
living without the pale of the church, and yet recommended in
scripture, as men excelling many others in grace, concerning
whom there is no reason to doubt, but that they were in a state
of salvation ; such as Melchisedeck, Job, and his friends, with
whom the dispute was held, mentioned in the book of Job ;
and, in the New Testament, the Centurion concerning whom
our Saviour says. Verily^ I have not found so great faith., no
vM in Israel^ Matt. viii. 10. and Cornelius, whom we read of
in the Acts of the Apostles; these were all supposed to be in
a state of salvation, and yet reckoned among the Heathen,
Answ. 1. As to Melchisedeck, we have, under a foregoing
answer *, given our sentiments v^ho he was, which, if what
was there observed be true, will render this objection of no
force : but, inasmuch as it is founded on the commonly-receiv-
ed opinion, namely : that he v/as a priest and a king in the
land of Canaan, we may add, that this will make very little to
their purpose ; for, it is certain, he was not an idolater, or a
stranger to revealed religion ; and therefore it cannot be argu-
ed, from hence, that they, who are so, may be in a state of sal-
vation.
2. As for Job, and his friends, mentioned in that book which
goes mider his name, it is certain, that they were Avell ac-
quainted with the revealed will of God, as appears from the
subject-matter of that book ; and to say, that they were out of
the pale of the church, as they did not descend from that branch
of Abraham's family, from which the Israelites came, this
will not do much service to their argument, unless it could be
proved that they were strangers to the faith, and way of salva-
tion, that was professed by the church. We have, under a
foregoing answer |, considered them, as living before the scrip-
• Sic pare Z6G—26S. ■*• StcI. Vol, 458,459.
506 DISADVANTAGE OF NOT HEARIKO THE GOSPEL.
tu^-es were committed to Avriting, and also before the distinc*
tion between the Jew and Gentile was much known in the
woiid, or, at least, before the true worshippers of God had
universally apostatized to idolatry; and therefore, though
many other nations were idolaters, and, probably, some were
so in the country where they lived, yet it does not appear that
they were so; therefore this cannot be brought, as an argu-
ment, to prove, that such who are destitute of the knowledge
of the true God, as founded on divine revelation, may be in
the way of salvation.
3. As for the centurion, though he was a Roman officer^ it
does not follow, from hence, that when he came tp our Saviour,
and expressed his great faith and humility, that he was an
heathen ; for he had seen or heard of Christ's miracles, and
his doctrine, and probably, might be convinced thereby, and
disposed to believe in him from that conviction ; and, it is cer-
tain, his words do not argue him to be an heathen; therefore
this part of the objection is foreign to the design for which it
is brought.
4. As for Cornelius, it is true, there are many things ex-
traordinary in his character, viz. that he was a devout 7nan, and
one that feared God; ivho gave much alms to the people^ and
prayed to God always^ Acts x. 2. and it is farther said, con-
cerning him, that his prayers and his alms came zip for a me-
jnorial before God; all which expressions seem to favour the
objection. Notwithstanding it may be replied to it,
(1.) If this account, concerning him, give ground to con-
clude that he was in a state of salvation before Peter v/as sent
to preach the gospel to him, which the learned Beza *, and
others, suppose : nevertheless, it must be proved, that he was
altogether a stranger to divine revelation, and the account we
have of the way of salvation, therein, or else the argument,
taken from thence, in opposition to what we are maintaining,
is of no force. It is true, it is svCid^xhvit he fell down at Pctcr'^s
fect^ and xvorsh'tppcd him^ ver. 25. which seems to argue him
to be no better than an heathen idolater at that time : but they
who conclude him to have been, at the same time, in a state
of salvation, reckon this nothing else, but an instance of extra-
ordinary civil respect, which, because it had the appearance of
religious worship, Peter, as it is intimated in the following
words, refused to receive it, lest some present should conclude
that he gave him that honour, which belongs to God alone.
All that I shall say, in answer to the objection, as supposing
him to be in a state of salvation, is, that though he was a Ro-
man, and bred up in their religion, yet it appears, from his
p-eneral character that he was very much concerned about the
* Vkl. Bez. in lac..
DI3ADVANTAGB 0¥ NOT IlfeARING THE GOSPEL. 507
salvation of his soul, and th-erefore, doubtless, he had not been
>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<r«.
The woixls EjacXi)9-ja in the New, and 7np in the Old Testament, are synoni-
mous. They both proccetl from the same root 7p, the voice. The nicamn}» of
each is asseinbU — ;iny number of persons met, by previous appointment. The
verb, in each l.diguagc, from which tlie noun immediately proceeds, is, to call
out, to call together, and the noun is that v.hich is so called.
It is, of course, no abuse of lunjjuage to apply the word to any assembly,
great or small, which meets for social or judiciary purposes. The character of
the assembly is known from the connexion in which tlie word is used, and not
from the word itself. In this latitude of ap]3licatlon, the inspired writers of both
Testaments made use of the words '^pp and E;cxxae-;x.
In the Old Testament, the former of these words is applied to a number ol
idolatrous women — bands of soldiers — the commonwealth of Israel — distinct
worsliippin^' con^/c^ations — a representative assembly — a council, and, 1 may
;4dd, to other assemblies of evei-y description. ^
1. The word /Hp is used in Jer. xliv. 15. It is applied to a great number of
idolatrous women, who, together with their husbands, persisted in their oppo-
sition to the command of God by the prophet Jeremiah. It is worthy of being
remarked, that the Septuagint, in this instance, renders the word by 2t/va^&.-j;<.
Our translation renders it multitude.
2. It signifies bands of soldiers. Ezck. xxvi. 7. These marched against Tyrus,
«ndcr tlie direction of the tyrant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The Sep-
tuagint renders it, as above, synagogues, and tlie English translators, covi'
panies.
3. The word (which, for the sake of the English reader, I shall write KEL,)
is used for the whole commonwealth of Israel. That people, called by God,
were bound together by a sacred ritual, aiul all were commanded to keep the
passover. Exod. xii. 6. Our translation renders it the whole assembly, and in
the Septuagint it is n«y to 7T>^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, a<id population. In it were several heathen temples, dedicated
to diHerent pagan divinities. There were upwards of a thousand prostitutes at-
tending at the temple of Venus. In this city, Paul met with uncommon suc-
cess ill preaching the gospel. Here lie abode nearly two years. Considering th«
rapidity with which the gospel was then spreading, attended with miraculou.s
power, is it reasonable, that in Conntli there was yet but one congregation oi"
professed Christians .'' In the present day, without any supernatural, or even un-
common success, it is not singular for a preacher, in a large city, to collect in
a few years a congregation of religious professors. At the first sermon of Paul,
numbers were cimverted. After this, the Lord informs him, ho ha'i " mucti
Vol. II. 3 U
olS Oi THE ClIUKGII, VISliJLL AiND IKVir.lIlLL,
that arc called ; and, in its application to this present subject^
every one, who is a member thereof, may be said to be called
•to be made partaker of that salvation v/hich is in Christ. Now,
as there is a twofold calling spoken of in scripture, to wit, one
visible and extersial, whereby some are made partakers of the
external privileges of the gospel, and all the ordinances there-
of; the other internal, and savii!g, whereby others arc made
partakers of those special and distinguishing blessings, which
God bestows on the heirs of salvation : the former of these our
Saviour intends, when he says, Many are called^ biitfexv are
chosen^ Matt. xx. 16. the latter is what the apostle speaks of,
when he connects it with juslijication znd g-lorifzcation^ Rom.
viii. 30. Now they who are called in the former of these sen-
ses, are included ill that branch of the distinction which re-
spects the visible church ; the latter are members of that church
which is styled invisible ; the former are members of Christ by-
profession ; the latter are united to him, as their Head and
Husband, who arc made partakers of spiritual life from him,
and shall live for ever with him. The members of the visible
church are the children of God, as made partakers of the ex-
ternal dispensation of the covenant of grace ; such God speaks
of, when he says, I have nourished and brought up children,
" people in this city." Here were several pastors — public officers with a diver-
sity of tongues, suited to the vvunts of the church ; yet, when Paul v.rote his
epistle, all the coiig'i-eg-ations, although dificving about the merits of their res-
pective founders, are called one Ecclesia. In a similkr sense is the word appli-
ed to the chiu'ch at Ephesus, at Antioch, and Jerusalem.
6. EKKKnirtx is applied to an asse7nbfy of eldens. Matt, xviii. 17. The constitu-
tion of the Jewish courts is known. Each synagogue liad Its ciders and officers,
The inferior courts were subordinate to the Snuliedrim. Never were cases de-
cided by the populace. Our Redeemer spoke in the common language of Jude:<
He referred to the synagogue court. AV'h.en translated into Greek, wliat otliei
name should be given to tliis Judicutorj', than the one given, Ecclesia ? 'ihere
J8 no misun<lerstanding of this text, by one wlio impartially considers the Con-
nexion. There are in the ehurcli autliorized riil/:rs, distinct from t.iie ruled.
The rulers, and not the ruled, must ultiniately- determine enntroversies. To
officers, was commitied the power of tlie keys — the power of biiuling and loos-
ing; and this Ecclesia, ver. 17, has the ])ower of bindh,^ and loosing, ver. 18. —
und it may consist even of two or three persons, ver. 2u. The whole passage is
a directory for the application of ecclesiastic power conferred upcn church ofii-
cers. Ch. xvi. 19. I shall close this note, by a quotation from the lectures of
Dr. Campbell, of Aberdeen. It misst appiiur extraordinary from the pen of such
u scholar. " But in any intermediate sense between a sing].' congregation and
*■ the wliole conimuiiity of Christians, not one instance can Ix; brought of th«
application of the word Exkm.s-;*, in sacred writ. If any impartial hearer is not
aatistjcd on this point, let him examine every passage in the New Testament,
wherein the word we render church is to be found ; let him canvas in the wri-
tings of t!ie Old '( tstament every sentence v. Jierein the con-espondcnt word or
curs, and if he find v^&:nvle pauMge, wherein it clearly means either tlie priest
Irood, or the rulers of tlic nation, or any thing th:i^t can be called a church n.
^jrcscntative, let him fairly admit the distinction as scriptural and proper."
MC'Ll.Oi's Cirr.fUlS'M
OF THE CHURCir, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. ol$
Isa. I. 2. and ciseuherc he says, concerning the church of the
Jews, who were externally in covenant with him, Israel is imj
.fOUy even mij first-bcrn^ J^xod. iv. 22. But the members of
the invisible church, are the children of God by faith, Gal. iii.
IQ. and because chihh-en, in this sense, therefore /!e?r*; heirs
of God^ and joint-heirs xvith Christy Rom. viii. 17. These
things must particularly be insisted on ; and accordingly,
I. We shall speak something concerning the invisible church,
which is desci-ibed, in one of the answers we are explaining,
as containing the whole number of the elect, that have been,
are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ their Head.
1. The)' are said to be elect, and subject to Christ their
Head ; upon which account, some have included, in this num-
ber, the hoi)' angels, inasmuch as they are styled, by the apos-
tle, elect angels^ 1 Tim. v. 21. and Christ is, in some respects,
their Head, as the apostle calls him, The Head of all princi-
pality and poivery Coloss. ii. 10, and elsewhere the church is
said to come to an innumerable company of angels^ Heb. xii.
22. But though they are, indeed, elected, it may be question-
ed, whether they were chosen in Christ, as the elect amoni\-
the children of men are said to be ; and, though Christ be st\ -
led their Head : yet his Headship over them doth not include
in it those things that are implied in his being the Head ai
his chosen people, as he is the Head of the covenant of grace,
on which their salvation is founded; ox the Captain of their
aahation^ as he is styled, chap. ii. 10. who, having purchased
them by his blood, brings them into a state of grace, and then
to glory. For these and such-like reasons, I would not assert
that angels are properly a part of Christ's invisible church, and
therefore it only includes those that are elected to salvation
among the children of men.
2. They are farther rlescribed as such, who have been, arc,
or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head; there-
fore there is a part of them that are not actually brought into
him. These our Saviour speaks of under the metaphor of
sheep, v/ho were not of this fold^ concerning whom he says.
Them also J must brings and they shall hear my voice^ John x.
16. And there is another part of them, who ai'e triumphant,
in heaven, as well as tliose that are actually called by the grace
of God, who are in their way to heaven, struggling, at present,
with many difliculties, through the prevalency of corruption,
and conflicting with many temptations, and exposed to man\"
evils that attend this present state. These different circun'-
stances of those who are brougiit in to Christ, give occasion to
that known distinction between the church triumphant ard
militiuilv
j20 of the church, visible and invisible.
Object. To that part of this description of the invisible
thuich, which includes in it those that shall be gathered unto
Chrisx, it is objected, that no one can be said to be a member
of this church, who is not actually brought in unto him ; for
that would be to suppose, that unconverted persons might be
members thereof, and consequently that Christ is their Head,
Shepherd and Saviour; though they be characterized, in scrip-
ture, as children of wrath, running in all excess of riot, refu-
sing to submit to him, and neglecting that great salvation which
is offered in the gospel : How can such be members of Christ's
church, and that in the highest sense thereof?
And it is farther objected, against the account given of the
invisible church in this answer, that a part of those who are
said, to be the members thereof, are considered at present as
not existing ; and therefore it must be a very improper, if not
absurd, way of speaking, tO say, that such are members of
Christ's church.
Answ. I am not inclined to extenuate those expressions of
scripture, which represent unconverted persons as children of
wrath, in open rebellion against God, and refusing to submit
to him ; nor would I say any thing from whence such might
have the least ground to conclude that they have a right to any
of the privileges of God's elect, or Christ's invisible church,
or that they are included in that number; for that would be to
expose the doctrine of election to one of the main objections
that is brought against it, as though it led to licentiousness :
nevertheless, let it be considered, that this answer treats of the
invisible church; therefore whatever privileges are reserved
for them, who, though elected, are in an unconverted state,
these are altogether unknown to them ; and it would be an un-
warrantable presumption for them to lay claim to them. How-
ever, we must not deny that Ciod knows who are his, who are
redeemed by Christ, and what blessings, pursuant thereunto,
shall be applied to them : he knows the time when they shall
be made a willing people, in the day of his power, and what
grace he designs to work in them : he considers the elect in
general, as given to Christ, and Christ as having undertaken
to do all that is necessary to fit them for the heavenly blessed-
ness.
Moreox'er, we must not suppose but that God knows, with-
out the least doubt and uncertainty, the whole number of those
who shall appear with Christ, in glory, at his second coming;
for things that are future to us, are present, with respect to
him, as with one single view, he knows all things, past and to
come, as well as present ; and therefore, if the expression made
tise of be thus qualified, which is agreeable to the design of
this a,ji5werj I cannpt see that the cbjectio'n has sufficient force
OF THE CHURCH, Visible AND INVISIBLE. 6S^1
m overthrow it, any more than those arguments that are usual-
ly brought against the doctj-ine of election, can render it less
worthy to he received by us.
As for the other branch of the objection, that they, who are
not in beings cannot be denominated, members of Christ's
church in any sense : though it be allowed, that such cannot
be, at present, the subjects of any privileges ; yet we must
consider, that, since God seeth not as man seeth, they may, in
his eternal purpose to save them, be considered as the objects
thereof, and therefore in his accoimt, be reckoned members of
Christ's invisible church, that is, such as he designs to bi"ing
into being, and afterwards to make them meet to partake of
the inheritance of the saints in light. Therefore I see no rea-
son to except against this mode of speaking, in which they are
described, as such, v/ho shall be gathered under Christ, their
Head: lio we ver, if the objection only respected the propriety,
or impropriety, of a word, provided it had not a tendency to
overthrow the doctrine of God's certain and peremptory elec-
tion, I would not militate against it.
3. This church, which is said to consist of the whole num-
ber of the elect, is styled invisible ; by which we are not to
understand, that their election of God cannot be known by
themselves, since we have sufficient ground, from scripture, to
conclude, that believers may attain the assurance thereof in
this life : but it is so called, because many of them have finish-
ed their course in this world, and are entered into that state,
in which they are, with respect to those that live here, no more
seen.
Moreover, the number of those who are styled the members
of this church, cannot be determined by any creature. It is
only known to God ; and that grace, which any of them ex-
perience, how far soever they may arrive to the knowledge of
it themselves, cannot be said to be certainly and infallibly known
by others ; and therefore the apostle says, concerning them,
that their life is hid with Christ in Gody Col. iii. 3.
However, though this church be, at present, invisible, yet
when the whole number of the elect shall be brought in to
Christ, and, as the apostle speaks. Gathered together unto him,
2 Thess. ii. 1. then it shall no longer remain invisible; for
xvhen Christy who is their life ^ shall appear^ they also shall ap-
pear with him in glory^ Col. iii. 4. We may farther observe
concerning the church, as thus described,
(1.) That it has many glorious characters given of it: thus
it is frequently called Christ's spouse, in the Song of Solomon,
by which he seems to intend more than what could well be
said concerning the Jewish church; for the description there
given of it, as being all fair^ and -without spot, Cant. iv. 7.
Oti2 OI' THE CMURCH, VISIBLE AKD ISIVI3I6LE.
and is rather applicable to the state in which the saints shall be
hereai'ter, than that in which they are at present ; and there-
fore I am inclined to think, that he speaks of the invisible
church, or the election of grace. And this character, given
of them, is taken from that conjugal union which there is be-
tween Christ and believers ; on which account it is said else-
where, Thij Maker is thine Husband^ the Lord of hosts is his
7ia)ne ; mid thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel^ Isa. liv. 5.
and the Psalmist describes it, in a very elegant manner, as
thus related to Christ, when he says, upon thy right-hand did
stand the queen in gold of Ophir^ Psal. xlv. 9. and then speaks
of it, as arrived to the highest pitch of honour and happiness,
v/hen introduced into the king's presence in raiment of needle-
xvork^ xvith gladness and rejoicings being brought into his
palace^ ver. 14, 15. and the apostle calls it, The General
Assembly and church of the first-born^ which are zvriiten, Heb.
xii. 23. or, as it is in the margin, enrolled in heaven; and it
is also considered, when presented by Christ to himself, or
to his ov.n view at last, being brought to perfection, as a glo-
rious church ; 7iot having- spot or xvrinkle.^ or any such thing;
but holy^ and xuithout blemish^ Eph. v. 27. In this respect it
may be called. The holy catholic churchy though many, with-
out sufficient ground, understand those words of the creed, in
which it is so culled, in a sense xtrj different from, and infe-
rior to it.
(3.) This invisible church is but one body, and therefore
not divided, like the vueible church, into many particular
bodies, as will be observed luidcr a following head. This
seems to be the meaning of that expression, in which it is said,
Mif dove^ my undefilcd is but otie, Cant. vi. 9.
(3.) It is not the seat of human government, as the visible
church is ; nor are persons said to be received into i<s com-
munion. And whatever officers Christ has appointed, to SC'
cure the order, and to promote the edification of his churches,
these have nothing to do in the church, considered as invisi-
ble ; however, it is eminently under Christ's special govern-
ment, who is the Head, as well as the Saviour thereof.
(4.) There are many special privileges, which belong to it,
that include in vhem all the graces and comfort?, which are
applied to them by the Holy Spirit: and so they are consider-
ed, as enjoying union and communion with Christ, in grace
and glory, as being called, justified, sanctified, and many ol
them assured of their interest in Christ here and all of them
shall be glorified with him hereafter. These privileges are in-
sisted on, in several following answers; for which reason wc
pass them over at present, and proceed to consider another of
thie answers, which we arc to explain : And accordingly.
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. o2<i
II. We have an account of the visible church, which is
described as a society, made up of all such, who, in all ages,
and places of the world, profess the true religion, and of theii*
children. In this description of the church, we may observe,
1. That it is called visible, not only because the worship
performed therein, and the laws given to those particular
churches, of which it consists, are visible ; but its members arc
so, or known to the world : and the profession they make of
the true religion, or subjection to Christ, as their Head and
Sovereign, is open, free, and undisguised, whereby they are
distinguished from the rest of the world.
2. It is called a society, which denomination it takes from
the communion which its members have with one another :
!iut, inasmuch as the word is in the singular number, denoting
but one body of men, it is to be enquired whether this be a
proper mode of speaking, though frequently used.
(1.) It is allowctl, by all Protestants, that there are, and
have been, ever since the preaching of the gospel by the apos-
tles, many particular churches in the world *; and this is
agreeable to what we often read of in the New Testament, as
the apostle Paul directs his epistles to particular churches ;
such as that at Ephesus, Corinth, Fhilippi, &c. Some of
these were larger, others smaller, as denoting, that no regard
is to be had to the number of persons of which each of them
consists : thus we read of churches in particular houses, 1 Cor.
xvi. 19. and these may each of them, without the least im-
propriety of expression, be styled a visible church, for the
reasons above mentioned.
(2.) It must also be allowed, on the other hand, that the
church is spoken of in the singular number, in scripture, as
though it were but one : thus it is said that Saul 77iade havoc of
the clmrcli^ entering into every hoiise^ and holing- men and wo-
vun^ cojnmitted them to prison. Acts viii. 3. and, speaking of
himself, he says. Concerning zeal, persecuting the churchy
Phil. iii. 6. and elsewhere, that, beyond measure, he persecuted
the church of God, and wasted it. Gal. i. 13. Now it is certain,
that it was not one particular church that he directed his per-
secuting rage against, but all the churches of Christ, wherever
lie came, especially those in Judea, which he speaks of in the
jjlural number, ver. 22. by which he explains what he means.
by his persecuting the chwxh of God; for it is said. He xvhicb
* The Paphts, indeed, pretend that there is no other church in the -n^orUl, but
that ivhich tlicy ctijle cathoUc end visihle, vf which t.fe bishop of Rome ii the hi\idf
but tw-e may s(i!^i, in aus-.i'er Co this vitin boast, as it is said concerning the church in
•Sanlis, in Rtv.Vu. 1. 'J'hou hast a uaine rliat thou livest, and art dead. Fro-
ifstiints, thmigh they cpcuL vftciUlmes of the visible church as ore, vet they don't
demi but that there are 7iiutitt particular chrirches afjitmned ill it. See the (isset/.'
bill's Civfjisiijn of faith, c.'ui^. L' J. § 4. ' "
■524 OF THE CilURCU, VISIBLE AIVD INVlSIBLi!.
Persecuted US in times past^ now preacheth the faith zvhich oner'
he destroyed, ver. 23. and elsewhere it is said, God hath set
some in the church; first, apostles ; secondarily, prophets ; third-
ly, teachers, 1 Cor. xii. 28. by which we are to understand all
the churches ; for the apostles were not pastois of any particu-
lar church, but acted as pastors in all the churches wherever
they came, though every church had its own respective pastor
set over it, who was, in a peculiar manner, related to it ; yet
all these churches are called, in this place, the church. There-
lore we are not to contend about the use of a word, provided
it be rightly explained, whether persons speak of the church in
the singular, or churches in the plural number. If we speak of
the church, as though it were but one, the word is to be taken
collectively for all the churches of Christ in the world : this the
apostle explains, when he speaks of them all, as though they
were one body, under the influence of the same Spirit, called in
9ne hope of their callijig, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one
God and Father of all^ who is above all, and through all, and in
thein all, Eph. iv. 4 — 6. this is that unity of the Spirit xvhick
they were to endeavour to keep, and so to act agreeably to their
faith herein ; and, in this respect, we freely allow that all the
churches of Christ are one ; there is but one foundation on
which they are built, one rule of faith, one way to heaven, in
which they all professedly walk. Moreover, the churches of
Christ have not only communion with one another, in their par-
ticular societies, but there is a communion of churches, where-
by they own one another, as walking in the same fellowship
"with themselves, express a sympathy with each other in afflic-
tive circumstances, and rejoice in the edification and flourish-
ing state of each other. In these respects we consider the
churches as one, and so call them all the church of Christ.
Nevertheless, this is to be understood with certain limita-
tions ; and therefore we are not to suppose that the church, as
the seat of government, is one ; or that there is one set of men,
who have a warrant to bear rule over the whole, that is, over
all the churches of Christ ; for none suppose that there is one
universal pastor of the church, except the Papists. All Pro-
testants, however they explain their sentiments about the catho-
lic visible church, allow, that the sec\t of government is in each
particular church, of which no one has any right to give pas-
tors to other churches, or to appoint who shall be admitted in-
to their respective communion.
(3.) There is another thing in this description of the visible
church, which stands in need of being explained and defended,
when it is said, that it consists of all such as, in all ages, and
places, of the world, do profess the true religion : if nothing be
ijitended hereby, but that no one has a right to the privilege ov
or THE CHURCH, VISIBLE ANtJ INVISIBLE. 52J
Gomtnuhion of saints, or fit to be received into any church of
Christ, but those who profess the true religion, namely, the
faith on which it is built j this I am far from denying; for that
would be to suppose that the church professes one faith, and
some of its members another; or that it builds up what it al-
lows others to throw down.
But I am a little at a loss to account for the propriety of the
expression, when the church is said to be a society, professing
the true religion, in all a^-eSi It cannot be supposed that the
church, or churches, that are now in being, are any part of that
society which professed the true religion in Moses*s time, or
in the apostolic age ; but it is principally the propriety of ex-
pression that is to be excepted against ; for I suppose, nothing
is intended hereby, but that as the church, in every respective
foregoing age, consisted of those who embraced the true reli-
gion, it consists of no other in our age.
There is one thing more which I would take leave to observe
in this description of the church, which renders it incomplete,
inasmuch as it speaks oij it as consisting of those who profess
the true religion ; but n ',kes no mention of that bond of union
which constitutes every particular branch of this universal
fhurch of Christ. It speaks, indeed of those qualifications
Vv-hich belong to every one as a Chri;itian, which is a remote,
though necessary condition of being received into church com-
munion ; but takes no notice of that mutual consent, which is.
the more immediate bond by which the members of cvcr\'
church coalesce together : but this we may have occasion to
•speak of under a following head.
The last thing I observe, in this description of the visible
church, is, that it consists not only of the professors of the true
religion, but of their children ; this is rather to be explained,
than denied : however, I cannot but observe, that many have
run too great lengths in what they have asserted concerning the
right of children to this privilege. Some of the Fathers have
not only considered them as members of the church, but
brought them to the Lord's table, and given them the bread
dipped in the wine, the aame way as food is applied to infants,
when they were too young to discover any thing of the design
thereof: that which led them into this mistake, was their mis-
understanding the sense of our Saviour's words, Except ye eat
the fieah of the Son of 3 fan ^ and drink his bloody ye have no life
:n ijou^ John vi. 53. supposing that this was meant of their
eating bread, and drinking wine in the Lord's supper, though
they might easily have known that this was not our Saviour's
meaning; inasmuch as the Lord's supper was not instituted, till
some time after, and, when instituted, it was not designed to
be reckoned so necessan* to salvation, as that the bare not par-
Voj.. ir. ' 3 X
,af20 OF THE GilURGK, VISIBLE AXD INViSIBLL«
tfiking thereof should exclude from it. Cyprian gives an at
rount of his administering it to an infant brought by her mo-
ther ; and relates a circumstance attending it, that savours so
much of superstition, in that grave and ]:)ious Father, that I
forbear to mention it.* And this was not only practised by
him, but by several others in some following ages. And many
in later ages speak of children as incomplete members of the,
church ; and some suppose that this is the result of their bap-
tismal dedication ; others that it is their birth-right, and as the
tonsequence hereof they have maintained, that when they come
to be adult, they rather claim their right to church-communion
than are admitted to it, as those are, who are not the children
of church-members, and as a farther consequence deduced from
this supposition, they assert, that if they are guilty of vile enor-
mities, and thereby forfeit this privilege, they are in a formal
Avay to be excommunicated, and that it is a defect in the go-
vernment of the churches in our day, that this is not practised
by them.
This is not what is intended by children's being members of
churches, together with their parents, in this answer ; but that
which I think all will allow of, viz. that children being the pro-
perty of parents, they are obliged to dedicate them, together
with themselves, to God, and pursuant thereunto to endeavour
to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,
hoping that through his blessing on education, they may, in his
own time and way, be qualified for church communion, and
then admitted to it, that hereby the churches of Christ may
have an addition of members to fill up the places of those who
are called off the stage.
As to the concern of the church in this matter, which in some
respects redounds to the advantage of the children of those who
are members of it, they are obliged to shew their regard to
them, so far as to exhort their parents, if there be occasion, to
express a due concern for their spiritual welfare ; or, if they
are defective herein, to extend their censure rather to the pa-
rents, than to the children, as neglecting a moral duty, and so
acting unbecoming the relation they stand in to them. Thus
concerning the description given of the visible church in this
answer; we shall now proceed to speak more particularly of it,
and accordingly shall consider the former and present consti-
tution and government thereof. And,
I. As to what concerns the state of the Jewish church be-
fore the gospel-dispensation; this was erected in the wilder-
ness, and the laws by which it was governed, were given by
God, and transmitted to Israel by the hand of Moses. There
was a very remarkable occurrence preceding their being settled
" Tid. Ci'pr. de Laps. cap. 1. ^ 1-3.
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND IVVISISLE. SQ.7
as a church, that we read of, Exod. xix. 7, 8. in which God
demanded iin explicit consent from the whole congregation, to
be his people, and to be governed by those laws he should give
them, upon which they made a public declaration, that all that
the Lord hath spokai xve toill do. And Moses returns the ivords
of the people unto the Lord, And soon after this there was ano-
ther covenant-transaction between God and them, mentioned in
• a following chapter, when Moses came and told the people all
the worda of the Lord^ and oil his judgments ; and the people
ansxvered xvith one voice, sailing", All the xuords xuhich the Lord
hath said will xve do. And this was confirmed by sacrifice, and
he took half the blood thereof and put it in hasons, and half of
the blood he sprinkled on the altar, and he took the book of the
covenant and read it in the audience of the people ; upon which
they repeat their engagement, all that the Lord hath said xvill
xve do, and be obedient. And then he took the blood and sprijikled
it on the people, and said, behold the blood of the covenant xuhich
the Lord hath made xvith ijou, concerning all these xvords, Exod.
xxiv. 3, 5 — 9. and then we have an account of an extraordi-
nary display which they had of the divine glory, They saxv the
God of Lsrael, and did eat and drink, ver, 11. which was a far-
ther confirming this covenant. And upon some important oc-
casions they renewed this covenant with God, avouched him to
be their God, and he condescended at the same time to avouch
them to be his peculiar people, Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. Thus the\'
were settled in a church-relation by Ciod's appointment, and
their solemn covenant and consent to be his people.
After this we read of God's settling the form of their church-
government, appointing those various ordinances and institu-
tions which are contained in the ceremonial law, and settling a
ministr)- among them, and giving directions concerning everv
branch of the work that was to be performed by thein. Aaron
and his sons had the priesthood committed to them, who were
to offer gifts and sacrifices ; the High-Priest wns to be chief
minister in holy things, the other priests assistants to him in
most branches of his office ; and when the temple was built^
and the service to be performed therein established, the priests
attended in their respective courses, each course entering on
their ministry every Sabbath, 2 Chron, xxiii. 4. and there be-
ing twenty-four courses, 1 Chron. xxiv. it came to their respec-
tive turns twice ever\' year. The porters also, who were to wait
continuallv at the avenues of the temple day and night, to pre-
vent any unclean person or thing from coming into it, as wcH
as its being plundered of the treasures that were laid up in
chambers adjoining to it ; these also ministered in their courses,
the number whereof was the same with that of the pricstK,
1 Chron. xxiii. 5. compared with chap. xxvi. And the dingers.
528 or THE ciiuacii, visible and in^-isiblf.,
who attended some parts of the worship, ministered in 'their
<;eurscs, 1 Chron. xxiii. 5. compared with chap, xxv.
And besides these, there were some appointed to I'epresent
the people, v/ho were chosen to come up from their respective
places of abode with the priests v,hen they ministered in their
courses ; these arc called stationanj vien. Dr. Lightfoot* gives
an account of them from some Jewish writers who treat on this
subject; not that we have any mention of them in scripture;
but they suppose that it took its rise from that law in Lev. i.
.3, 4. where they who brought an offtring to the Lord were obli-
ged to be present, and to j>ut 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<i2i,''3':o.
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 529a
To this we answer, that God also appointed a sufficient num-
ber to be their ministers in holy things, helpers of their faith as
to this matter, viz. not only the priests, but the whole tribe of
Levi, whose place of residence was conveniently situated : they
had forty-eight cities in various parts ot the land ; some of
which M'ere not far distant from any of the people. These in-
structed them in the way of God, the people sought the kyioxi^-
Jedge hcrcoi from their viouths^ Mai. ii. 7. And there were,
besides the temple, several other places appointed for religious
■worship : tliese were of two sorts, namely,
1. The si/iiogogues^ ^vhich were generally built in cities, of
which hardly any were Avithout them, if they consisted of a
number of penions v/ho v.ere able to erect them, and had lei-
sure, from their secular employments, to preside over, and set
forward, the work to be performed therein;* and that v/as of
a different nature from the temple-service, in which gifts and
sacrifices were to be offered, God having expressly forbidden
the erecting any altars elsewhere ; therefore the v.'orship per-
formed in them was prayers, reading and expounding the law
and the prophets, and instructing the people in all other duties
of religion, which were necessary to be performed in the con-
duct of their lives.
The manner of doing this, was not only by delivering set
(liscourses, agreeable to our common methods of preaching,
Acts xiii. 15. and seq. but holding disputations and conferen-
ces together about some important matters of religion : thus
the apostle Paul disputed in the syjiagogues^ chap. xvii. 17,
19, 8. This was done occasionally; but the Jews met con-
stantly in them for religious worship ; and our Saviour encou--
raged them herein with his presence and instructions : thus it
is said, not only that he taught in their synagogues^ but that
this was his constant practice ; for it is said. He came to Na-
zareth ; and^ as his custom xvas^ he xvent into the synagogue on
tlie Sahbath-day^ and stood up for to read^ Luke iv. 15, 16.
And there were also certain officers appointed over every
synagogue : thus wc read sometimes of the rulers of the syna-
gogues^ Mark v. 22. Luke viii. 41, 49. whose business was to
prevent the doing any thing that was indecent and disorderly;
and there were some persons from whom a word of exhorta-
tion was expected, who were called, chap. iv. 20. ministers
thereof.! And we are not to suppose that this method of pror
* These -were called C3'3bt32 Otiosi. See Light foot' t Works, Vol I. page 610—
613. CJ Vitriiig. tie Synag- Vet. page 530, & seq. And Lightfoot says, fram one of
tfw Tttlmiuls, that there -^^.re no less than 460 nynagogues in Jerusalem, Vol I page
.'363, 370. and that tlie land -vas full oftfiem; in tuhich they met every finLbalh, in,d
Same ether days of the lueek.
f See tr^o-e of this in t'.ose pnjj^ea of Li^htfoot bf;fora referred to.
S30 or THE ciruRctr, visible and invisible.
moting religion in the synagogues, was only practised in the
last and most degenerate age of the Jewish church, but that
they had their synagogues in the more early and purer ages
thereof, which, if we had no express account of in the Old
Testament, yet it might be inferred from this account ihei-eof
in our Saviour's time ; for certainly there were no methods
used then by the Jews to instruct the people in matters of re-
ligion, that were not as necessary, and consequently in use, in
foregoing ages. It is true, we do not oftentimes read of syna-
gogues in the Old Testament; notwithstanding there is men-
tion of them in that scripture, before referred to, in Psal. Ixxiv.
8. in which the Psalmist complain?, that thei/ had burnt up all
the synagog-ues of God in the land ; where the word being in
the plural number, it cannot be meant, as the Chaldee Para-
phi'ast renders it, of the temple. This appears from the con-
text, in which he speaks of the enemies of God roaring in the
midst of the congregations ; and, besides this, he expressly men-
tions their burning the temple, by casting f re into the sunctua-
rif ofGod^ atid casting doxvn the dcveUing-pIace of his name to
the ground^ in ver. 5,7.
2. Besides these synagogues, tliere were other places, in
which public worship was performed, called, Places oi prayer,*
Mr. Mede gives an account, from Epiphanius, of the difference
that there was between these and the synagogues, vv'hen he says,
that a proseucha, or a place appointed for prayer, M'as a plot of
ground, encompassed with a wall, or some other like mound,
or inclosure, open above, much like to our courts ; whereas a
synagogue was a covered edifice as our houses and churches
are. He also adds, that the former of these were generally fixed
in places without the cities, in the fields, in places of retire-
ment ', and that they were generally rendered more private, and
fit for the work that was to be performed in them, by being
surrounded with a plantation of trees ; and he supposes, that
these were not only made use of in our Saviour's and the apos-
tles time, but in foregoing ages ; and that the grove that Abra-
ham is said to have planted, in which he called on the name oj
the Lcrd^ Gen. xxi. 33, was nothing else but one of these con-
venient places, planted for that purpose, in which public vvor'^
ship was performed, which seems very probable. f
And we read, in scripture concerning high places. These, as
Lightfoot observes,+ are sometimes used in scripture, in a com-
mendable sense : thus Samuel is said to go up to one of these
high places, 1 Sam. ix. 19. to perform some acts of religious wor-
ship; and we read of another high place, in which there Vi'as a
* Upcffwy^i, Prosenchte. 'EuKlitpm, iirfofrwKlxpttt, Oratoria.
t .SVt' J/erfe's Works!, Vol. I. Hook l.DhC. »,
i ,SV;' Vol I. jKige 698.
.Q¥ THE CUURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 5St
rampani/ of prophets, with a psaltery, and a tabrct, and a pipe, and
a harp before them, and they did prophesy, chap. x. 5. It is true,
in other scriptures, we read of them as abused by that idolatry
that was perlbrmed in them, 1 Kings xi. 7. chap. xii. 31. These
the pious kinjjs of Judah, who reformed religion, took away;
and when it is said, in some of their reigns, that how nnich so-
ever they destroyed idolatrous worship, yet the high places were
not taken axuay, 2 Kings xii. 3. xiv. 4. xv. 4. that learned writer
thir.ks, that they should not have been destroyed, as places of
%vorship, or public assemblies, and therefore tli^it this is not
reckoned as a blemish in the reign of these kings, that the high
places were not taken away ; for whatever abuse there was, it
consisted in that sacrifice and incense were offered there, which
were parts of worship confined to the temple ; so that if they
had not only reformed them from the abuse of those that exer-
cised their idolatry therein ; but had also proceeded to reform
this abuse of sacrificing there, they might lawfully have met
there to perform religious worship, which, it is supposed, they
did in svnagogues, high places, and groves, that were appointed
for that purpose : thus then they met together for religious wor-
ship in other places besides the synagogues.
Again, we read, in the New Testament, that Paul went, oil
the Sabbath day, out of the city of Philippi, by a river-side^
where praiier was xvont to be made. Acts xvi. 13. where he also
. preached the word by which Lydia was converted ; this some
think to be one of those places where they resorted for prayer,
and other public worship : and others suppose, that the place
mentioned in the gospel, which our Saviour resorted to, when
it is said, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and con^
tijiued all night in prayer to God, Luke vi. 12. ought to be ren-
dered, in that pariicular place where prayer was wont to be
made to God.* But the Greek words may as well be rendered
as they are in our translation ; and then it has no respect to an)
particular place of prayer, but imports his retirement to per-
form this duty. Thus we have endeavoured to prove, that the
church of the Jews had other places in v»^hich worship was per-
formed, besides the temple, which was of very great advantage
lor the pi-opagating religion among them. We might have far.-
ther proceeded to consider their church-censures, ordained by
God for crimes committed, whereby persons were cutoff from
among their people, by excommunication, when the crimes ther
were guilty of did not deserve death : but I shall not enlarge
any farther on this liead, but proceed to speak concerning the
gospel-church, and so consider,
II. The metliods taken, in order to the first planting and in-
crease thereof, by the apostle?. When our Saviour had finished
* 'F.T Ti> <trfi',rjyti t» ©«, in prosenrjia Dti.
S32 OF THE CHURCH, VlSIBLi: AND INVISIULif!.
the Avork of redemption, after his resurrection, he altered tiK;
form of the church, and appointed his apostles not only to sig-
nify this to the world, but to be instruments in erecting this
new church. We have before considered these apostles as quali-
fied to be witnesses to Christ's resurrection, and also as having
received a commission from him to preach the gospel to all
nations, and an order to tarry at Jerusalem till they received
those extraordinary gifts from the Hol}^ Ghost, that were ne-
cessary for their performing the work they were to engage in'.
Now, pursuant hereunto, they all of them resided at Jerusa-
lem ; and, a few days after Christ's ascension into heaven, the
Holy Ghost was poured upon them on the day of Pentecost^
Acts ii. 1, 2. upon which, they immediately began to exercise
their public ministry in that city, in which they had the advan-
tage of publishing the gospel to a numerous concourse of peo-
ple, who resorted thither, from various parts of the world, in
■which the Jews were dispersed, to celebrate that festival. Some
suppose, that there was a greater number gathered together in
that city, than Avas usual, it being one of those three feasts to
which the Jews resorted from all parts of the land : though a
learned writer* supposes, that the Jews were not obliged to
come to this feast from other nations ; neither were they, that
came there, said, as these are, to dwell at Jerusalem ; therefore
he thinks that that which brought them here from the several
parts of the world, was the expectation which the Jews, gene-
rally had, that tht; Messiah would appear, and erect a tempo-
ral kingdom, and that Jerusalem was the place where he would
iix his throne, and therefore they would be there to wait on
liim, and share the honours they expected from him.
But, whatever occasion brought them here, it was a season-
able opportunity for the gospel first to be preached ; and ac-
cordingly Peter preached his first sermon to a multitude that
were gathered together, and therein exercised the gift of
tongues, by which means his discourse was not only under-
stood by men of different languages ; but they had herein a"
plain proof that he was under the inspiration of the Holy
Ghost; and he takes occasion to improve this amazing dispen-
sation of providence, by telling them that it was an accomplish-
ment of what had been before predicted by the prophet Joels
and then he preached Christ to them, declaring that he, and the
rest of the apostles, were all witnesses that God raised him fron\
the dead, and exalted him by his right-hand, and that, pursu-
ant hereunto, this extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost M-as
conferred on them.
The success of his first sermon was very remarkable ; for
there were added to the church, as the first-fruits of his mini?-
* Sr? Lijhtfoat on ^cts 1:. 5. Vol I page 751, T^^Q-
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 53p
try, three thousand souls^ ver. 41, 47. We also read, that the
Xord added daily to the church such as should be saved; arid,
soon after this it is said, that the number of the men^ of whoitx.
the church consisted, was about Jive thousand^ chap. iv. 4. i.
very large and numerous chiuxh, meeting, as is more than pro-
bable, in the same city, where we must conclude, that they fixed
their abode, rather than that they returned to the respective
places from whence they came, that they might have an oppor-
tunity to sit under the sound of the gospel, which was, at that
time, preached no where else ; and that which makes this more
probaWe, may be inferred from the method taken tor their sub-?
sistence in the world ; there would have been no occasion for
those who had possessions to sell them, and dispose of the price
thereof to supply the exigences of their fellow-njembers, had
they not removed their habitations, and forsook all for the sake
of the gospel.
This church had wonderful instances of the presence of God
r.mong them, which did more than compensate for the loss they
must be supposed to sustain, as to their secular affairs. "We
read, for some after this, of little else but success attending the
gospel, and persecutions rair-:ed by the Jevv's against it, M'hich
rather tended to their own shame and confusion, than the ex-
tirpating of it ; and when they so far prevailed, at length, that,
after the death of Stephen, the first martyr, a new persecution
^was begun, by the instigation of Saul, (as yet not converted to
the faith) the consequence hereof being the scattering of this
church throughout the regions of fudea and Safiiaria, chap,
yiii. 1. this was ordered for the furtherance of the gospel, for
wherever they came, they preached, and many believed : but
the apostles, at the same time, obeying the order that was be-
fore given them, continued at Jerusalem, chap. i. 4. and there
still remained a church in that city sitting under their ministry.
This was wisely ordered, by the providence of God, not only
as an accomplishment of those predictions that respected the
gospel's first being sounded from thence, but that, in this
church, a sufHcient number might be trained up for the exer-
cise of the ministry in other pUices, when there should be oc-
tasion for it ; and, in order hereto, they had some advan-
tages Avhich fto schools of learning could afford them, for
tliey had the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost. Here it
was that the prophets and evangelists were first raised up, be-
ing immediately taught by God. This was the first scene of
the gospel-church. Here it continued till the apostles were or-
dered, by the Holy Ghost, to travel into those parts of the
world, in which, by his direction, their ministry was to be ex-
ercised : the greatest part of tliein were ordered to those pla-
ces, where some of the Jews resided ; bkit Paul was ordained.
Vol.. 11. ;l Y
SM OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AiVn INVISIBLE.
to exercise his ministry among the Gentiles. Accordingly wt
read, that the HoUj Ghost said. Separate me Barnabas and Saul,
for the work whereunto I have called them. Acts xiii. 2. This
divine command thty immediately obeyed ; and then we read
of churches erected in various parts of the world by his minis-
try, who is styled, 1 he apostles of the Gentiles.
There are several things observable in the exercise of his
ministry :
1. Wherever he came he preached the gospel, and confirm-
ed it by miracles, as occasion served ; and this was attended
with such wonderful success and expedition, that, without a
remarkable hand of providence going along with him, the mul-
titudes that were converted by his ministry, exceeded not only
what might be clone by one man, in the compass of his life, but
several ages of men. At one time we read of him exercising
his ministry from Jerusalem, round about to Illyricum, Rom.
XV. 19. at other times, in several parts of Asia Minor; then
in, Spain, and at Rome, and some parts of Greece, ver. 28. so
that, wherever he came, his ministry was attended with won-
derful success, as the Roman emperor says, I came, I saxv, I
conquered.
2. When the apostle had, by the success of his ministry, pre-
pared fit materials for a church, inasmuch as it would take up
too much of his time to reside among them till they were pro-
vided with a pastor, and other officers, which were necessary
to carry on the work that was begun in it^ he sent for one of
the Evangelists, who, as was before observed, were fitted for
this service, by those extraordinary gifts, which they had re-
ceived, while they continued in the church at Jerusalem. The
office of these evangelists seems to have been principally this ;
that they were to set in order the things that xoere -wanting, or
left, by the apostles to be done, and ordain elders in every city,
as the apostle Paul intimates, when giving this charge to Titus,
1'itus i. 5. who appears to have been an Evangelist, particular-
ly ordained to minister to him, to build upon the foundation he
had laid. These evangelists appear to have had all the qualifi^
cations for the ministry that the apostles had, excepting what
respected their having seen Jesus, whereby they were qualified
to be witnesses of his resurrection ; and they continued till they
had performed that part of their work, in settling pastors, and
other officers in churches ; and then they were ready to obey
another call, to succeed the apostles in some other places, and
so perform the same work there.
3. While the apostles v^^ere thus concerned for the gathering
and building up of churches, and were assisted herein by the
evangelists, there was a continual intercourse between them
and those chiuxhes, whose first rise was owing to the success
0¥ TlIK CTTURCir, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. o35
of their ministn-. Accordingly they conversed with them by
epistles ; some of which they received by the inspiration of
the Holy Ghost, as designed to be a rule of the churches faith
in all succeeding ages. Some of these epistles were written by
other apostles, but most of them by Paul, Phil. ii. 19. who
sometimes desires to /i?iozu their state ; at other times, he in-
forms them of his oxvtiy and the opposition he met with ; or
the success of his ministry, the persecution he was exposed to
for it, Coloss. iv. 7. 2 Cor. i. 8. 1 Cor. xvi. 9. and the neces-
sity of the churches, which required their contribution for their
support; and therein he often enlarges on those important
truths, which, had he been among them, would have been the
subject of his ministry. This was necessary to strengthen their
hands and encourage them to persevere in that faith which
they made profession of.
And to this we may add, that there were, upon several oc-
casions, messengers sent from the churches to the apostle, to
inform him of their state, to transmit to him those contribu-
tions which were necessary for the relief of other churches, and
to give him that countenance, encouragement, and assistance,
that his necessities required ; and some of these were very ex-
cellent persons, the best that could be chosen out of the church
for that service. The apostle calls some of them, The mes:
sengcrs of the churches^ and the glory of Christ, 2 Cor. viii.
23. which is an extraordinary character. Some think, he in-
tends hereby that they were the messengers of those churches,
which churches are the glory of Christ, that is, the seat in
which he displays his glory ; others suppose, that he calls these
messengers, the glory of Christ, as they, by their wise and
faithful conduct, promoted his glory, which was not dependent
on it, but illustrated thereby. Sometimes they were ministers
of churches, sent occasionally on these errands : thus Epaphro-
ditus was a messenger and minister of the church at Philippi,
Phil. ii. 25. and Onesiphorus was sent to strengthen and en-
courage the hands of the apostle, when he was a piisoner at
Rome, whom he speaks of with great aifection, when he says,
He sought me out diligently, and found me, and -was not asham"
ed of my chain, 2 Tim. i. 16, 17. These were very useful per-
sons to promote the interest of Christ, which was carrying on
by the apostle, though it docs not appear that this was a stand-
ing office in the church, their service being only occasional.
Thus we have considered the apostle, as engaged in gathering
and building up churches, in such a way, as was peculiar to
them in the ilrst age of the gospel.
III. We shall now proceed to speak concerning that state
and government of the church, that was designed to continue
longer than the apostolic age, and is a rule to the churches of
536 or THE eilURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.
Christ in our day. We have before considered the evangelists
as succeeding the apostles, in appomting officers over churches,
directing them to ht persons, that might be called to this ser-
vice, and instructing them how they should behave themselves
in chat relation; which was necessary, in that they were not to
expect such extraordinary assistances from the Spirit of God,
as the apostles and the evangelists had received, any more than
pastors, and other church-officers are to expect them in our
day ; which leads us to consider the nature, constitution, and
government of the churches of Christ, in all the ages thereof.
And,
1. What we are to understand by a particular church, and
what is the foundation thereof. A church is a number of vi-
sible professors, called to be saints, or, at least, denominated,
and, by a judgment of charity, esteemed to be saints; united
together by consent, in order to their having communion with
bne another; and testifying their subjection to Christ, and
hope of his presence in all his ordinances ; designing hereby
to glorify his name, propagate his gospel and interest in the
world, and promote their mutual edification in that holy faith,
which is foimded on the scripmre revelation; and in order
hereunto they are obliged to call and set over them such pas-
tors, and other officers, as God has qualified for that service,
to be helpers of their faith, and to endeavour to promote their
order, whereby the great and valuable ends of the church-
communion may be answered, and God therein be glorified.
This description of a particular church is agreeable to, and
founded on scripture, as may be easily made appear, by refer-
ring to several scriptures in the New Testament, relating to
this matter. Accordingly we read that the members of Christ
are characterized as saints by calling, or called to be saints^
Rom. i. 7- and the churches in Macedonia are said to give their
own selves to the Lord and to the apostles^ by the will of God^
2 Cor. viii. 5. to sit under their ministrv, and follow their di-
rections, so far as they imparted to them the mind of Christ,
and might be helpers of their faith and order, to his glory ;
and we read of their professed subjection unto the gospel of
Christy chap. ix. 13. and the church at Ephesus is farther des-
cribed, as built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets^
namely, the doctrines laid down bv them, as the only rule of
faith and obedience, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cor-
ner-stone. And as to what respects their duty towards one an-
other, they are farther said to build up themselves in their most
holufaith^ and to keep themselves in the love of God^ that is, to
do every thing by the divine assistance, that is necessarv in
brd'.'r thereunto, looking for the mercy of our Lordfesus Christ
nnto eternal life, Jude, ver. 20, 21. or, as it is said elsewhere,
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 3^7
to consider one another^ to provoke imto love^ and to goodworks^
not forsaking the assembling of themselves together^ Heb. x. 24,
25. inasmuch as this is an instituted means for the answering
of that great end. Many other scriptures might have been
brought to the same purpose, tending to prove and illustrate
the description of a gospel-church, as above-mentioned.
But this may be also evinced, in a method of reasoning from,
the laws of society, as founded on the law of nature, and ap-
plied to a religious society, 'svhich takes its rise from, and is
built on divine revelation ; and, in order hereunto, we shall lay
4own the following propositions.
(1.) It is agreeable to the law of nature, and the whole ten-
or of scripture, that God should be glorified by social w orship,
and that all the members of these worshipping societies should
endeavour to promote the spiritual interest of one another.
Man is, by the excellency of his nature, fitted for conversa-
tion, and, by his relation to others, who have the same capa-
cities and qualifications, obliged hereunto; and, as the glory
of God is the end of his being, it ought to be the end of all
those intercourses, which we have with one another ; and, as
divine worship is the highest instance of our glorifying God, so
we are, as intelligetit creatures, obliged to w*orship him in a
«ocial way.
(2.) It is the great design of Christianity to direct us how
this social worship should be performed by us as Christians,
paying a due regard to the gospel, and the glory of the d^^ me
perfections, as displayed therein, which is the subject-matter
of divine revelation, especially that part thereof from whence
the laws of christian society are taken.
(3.) They who have been made partakers of the grace of God,
are obliged, out of gratitude to him, the Author thereof, to pro-
claim his glory to the world; and as the experience thereof, and
the obligations persons are laid imder hereby, is extended to
others, as well as ourselves ; so all, who are under like engage-
ments, ought to be helpers of the faith and joy of each other,
and to promote their mutual edification and salvation ; and, that
this may be done,
(4.) It is necessary that they consent, or agi-ee, to have c©m-
munion with one another in those duties in which they express
their subjection to Christ, and desire to wait on him together
in all his holy institutions.
(5.) The rule for their direction herein, is contjuned in scrip-
ture, which sets forth the Mediator's glory, as King of saints;
gives a perfect directory for gospel worship, and encourage-
ment to hope for his presence therein, Avhereby it may be-at-
fended-with its deslreci success.
538 or THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.
(6.) Since Christ, in scripture, has described some- persons
as qualified to assist and direct us in this matter, as well as
called them to this service, it is necessary that these religious
societies should choose and appoint such to preside over them,
who are styled pastors, after his own heart, that may feed them
with knowledge and understanding, whereby his ordinances
may be rightly administered, and the ends of church-commu-
nion answered, to his glory, and their mutual advantage.
In this method of reasoning, the constitution of churches
appears to be agreeable to the law of nature : nevertheless, we
are not to suppose with the Erastians, and others, that the
church is wholly founded on the laws of civil society, as though
Christ had left no certain rule by which it was to be governed,
besides those that are common to all societies, as an expedi-
ent to maintain peace and order among them ; for there are
other ends to be answered by church-communion, which arc
more immediately conducive to the glory of Christ and the pro-
moting revealed religion, which the law of nature, and those
laws of society, which are founded thereon, can give us no di-
rection in. It is a great dishonour to Christ, the King and
Head of his church, to suppose that he has left it without a
rule to direct them, in what respects the communion of saints;
as much as it would be to assert that he has left it without a
rule of faith. If God was so particular in giving directions
concerning every part of that worship that was to be perform-
ed in the church before Christ's coming, so that they are not,
on pain of his highest displeasure, to deviate from it, certain-
ly we must not think that our Saviour has neglected to give
these laws, by which the gospel-church is to be governed,
which are distinct from what arc contained in the law of na-
ture.
And, from hence, it may be inferred, that no church, or
religious society of Christians, has power to make laws for its
own government, in those things that appertain to, or are to
be deemed a part of religious worship : I don't say a church
has no power to appoint some discretionary rules to be observ-
ed by those who are of the same communion, provided they
are kept within due bounds, and Christ's Kingly office be not
hereby invaded. There is a very great controversy in the
world, about the church's poAver to decree some things that are
styled indifferent ; but persons are not generally agreed in de-
termining what they mean by indifferent things. Some hereby
understand those rites and ceremonies that are used in religi-
ous matters, which they call indifferent, because they are of
less importance; whereas, by being made terms of communion,
they cease to be indifferent; and whether they are of greater or
less importance, yet if they respect a necessary mode ef wor
or THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 53^
ship, conducive to the glory of God, so that hereby he is mouc
honoured than he would be, by the neglect of it, this is to car-
ry the idea of indift'erence too far, and to extend the power of
the church beyond its due bounds : for as the terms of com-
munion are only to be fixed by Christ, and the means by whieh
he is to be glorified, (which have in them the nature of ordi-
nances, wherein we hope for his presence and blessing) must
be sought for from him; so the church has not power to or-
dain, or give a sanction to them, without his warrant; there-
fore, when we speak of those indifferent matters, which the
church has power to appoint, we mean those things which arc
no part of religious worship, but merely discretionary, which
may be observed, or not, without any guilt contracted, or cen-
sure ensuing hereupon ; which leads us to consider,
2. The matter of a church, or the character of those per-
sons who are qualified for church-communion. We have al-
ready considered the church as a religious society ; it is there-
fore necessary that all the members thereof embrace the true
religion, and, in particular, that they deny none of those fun-
damental articles of faith, w hich are necessary to salvation. It
is not to be supposed that the members of any society have a
perfect unanimity in their sentiments about all religious mat-
ters, for that is hardly to be expected in this world ; but they
are obliged, as the apostles says, to hold the head^ from which
all the body^ by joints and bands^ having nourishment minister edy
and knit together^ increaseth xvith the increase of God, Col. ii.
19. and publicly to avow, or maintain, no doctrine subversive
of the foundation on which the church is built. Revealed re-
ligion centres in Christ, and is referred to his glory, as Me-
diator; therefore every member of a church ought to profess
their faith in him, and willingness to own him, as their Lord
and Law-giver, and to give him the glory that is due to him,
as a divine Person, and as one who is appointed to execute the
offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. The apostle gives a
short, but very comprehensive description of those who arc fit
Tnatter lor a church, v/hen he saj s. We are the circumcision
ivhich xvorship God in the Spirit^ end rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and hu'oe no confidence in the flesh, Phil. iii. 3. It follows*
from hence, that every religious society is not a church; for
ialse religions have been propagated among the Heathen, and
others, in distinct societies of those who performed religious
worship ; but yet they had no relation to Christ, and therefore
not reckoned among his churches.
On the other hand, we cannot determine concerning every
member of a particular church, that his heart is right with God;
tor that is a prerogative that belongs only to the Searcher ol
hearts; it is the external profession that is eur rule of judg-
540 Ol TKK CMURCII, VISIBLE A.SiU iAVISlBLE.
ing. All are not in a state of salvation, who are church-mcm»
bars; as the apostle says, They are not all Israel xvhich are of
Israel^ Rom. ix. 6. He makes a distinction between a real
subjection unto Christ by faith, and a professed subjection to
him : as he says, concerning the church of the Jews, He is not
a Jexv xuhich is one outxvardhj^ neither is that circumcision
which is outward in the jiesh ; but he is a Jexv which is one in^
Tvardly^ and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit^ and
not in the letter^ whose praise is not ofnien^ but ofGod^ chap.
ii. 28, 29. nevertheless, they were all church-members, pro-
fessedly or apparently devoted to God. Concerning such, we
are bound, by a judgment of charity, to conclude, that they
are what they profess themselves to be, till their conversation
plainly gives the lye to their profession. The visible church is
compared to the net^ that had g-ood and bad fish in it, Matt^
xiii. 47. or to the great hoiise^ in which are vessels of various
kinds; so7-ne to honour^ and some to dishonour^ 2 Tim. ii. 20.
some fit for the master's use, others to be broken, as vessels
ruherein is no pleasure^ Jer. xxii. 28. some are sincere, others
hypocrites : nevertheless, till their hypocrisy is made manifest,
they are supposed to be fit matter for a church.
3. We are now to consider the form, or bond of union,
whereby they are incorporated into a society, and sO denomi-
nated a church of Christ. It is neither the profession of faith,
nor a conversation agreeable thereunto, that constitutes a per-
son a member of a particular church ; for, according to the laws
of societ}', there must be a mutual consent to walk together, to
have communion one with another in all the ordinances which
Christ has established. As the materials, of which a building-
consists, do not constitute that building, unless they are cemen-
ted and joined together; so the union of professing Christians,
whereby they are joined together, and become one body, by
mutual consent, is necessary to constitute them a church, as
much as their professed subjection to Christ to denominate
them a church of Christ. Hei-eby they become a confederate
body ; and as every one, in a private capacity, was before en-
gaged to perform those duties which are incumbent on all men,
as Christians, now they bring themselves, pursuant to Christ's
appointment, under an obligation to endeavour, by the assist-
ance of divine grace, to walk becoming the relation they stand
in to each other ; or, as the apostle expresses himself. Building-
lip themselves on their most holy faith^ Jude, ver. 20. whereby
the ends of Christian society may be answered, and the glory
of Christ secui-ed ; and they have ground to expect his presence
in waiting on him in all his holy institutions. By this means
they, who were before considered as fit matter for it, are said
tp be united together, as a church of Christ. But, inasmuch a-;
• F THE CHURCH, VISIBLE ANB INVISIBLE. 541
this principally respects the foundation, or erection of churches,
there are other things necessary for their increase, and the
maintaining that purity, which is the glory thereof, and there-
by preventing their contracting that guilt which would other-
wise ensue ; which leads us to consider,
4. The power which he has given them, and the rules which
he has laid down, which are to be observed by them in the ad-
mission to, and exclusion of persons from church-communion.
And,
(1.) As to what respects the admission of members, that
may fill up the places of those, whose relation to them is dis-
solved by death. Here we must consider, that it is highly rea-
sonable that they should have all the satisfaction that is neces-
sary, concerning the fitness of those for it, who are to be ad-
mitted into church-communion ; and also enquire what terms,
or conditions, are to be insisted on, and complied with, in or-
der thereunto. We must not suppose that these are arbitrary,
or such as a church shall please to impose ; for it is no more
in their power to make tei-ms of communion, than it is to make
a rule of faith, or worship. In this, a church differs from a ci-
vil society, where the terms of admission into it are abitrary,
provided they do not interfere with any of the laws of God, or
man : but the terms of Christian communion are fixed by
Christ, the Head of his church ; and therefore no society of
men have a right to make the door of admission into their own
communion straighter or wider than Christ has made it.
This is a matter in which some of the reformed churches
differ among themselves, though the dissention ought not to
arise so high as to cause any alienation of affection, or any de-
gree of uncharitableness, so as to occasion any to think, that
because they do not, in all things, agree, as to this matter,
therefore they ought to treat one another as those who hold
the head, and are designing to advance the interest of Christ,
in the various methods they are pursuing, in order thereunto.
1 think it is allowed, by most of the churches of Christ, at least
those who suppose that persons have no right to church-com-
munion, without the consent of that particular society, of which
any one is to be made a member, that nothing short of a pro-
fessed subjection to Christ, and a desire to adhere to him in
all his offices, as well as worship him in all his ordinances, can
be reckoned a term of church-communion. For we suppose the
church to be built upon this foundation ,* and nothing short of
' it can sufficiently set forth the glory of Christ, as the Head
thereof, or to answer the valuable ends of church-communion.
Therefore it follows from hence, that as ignorance of the way
of salvation by Jesus Christ, disqualifies for church-commu-
nion; so do immoralities in conversation, both of which df
Vol. II. 3 Z
A42 OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLi: AND INVISIBLE.
iiominate a person to be alienated from the life of God, a stran^
ger to the covenant of promise, and in subjection to Satan, the
god of this world, which is inconsistent with a pi-ofessed sub-
■^ection to Christ* Therefore a mind rightly informed in the
great doctrines of the gospel, with a conduct of life answerable
thereunto, is to be insisted on, as a term of church-communion.
But that in which the sentiments of men are different, is with
Jrespect to the way and manner in which this is to be rendered
visible, and whether some things that are nierely circumstan-
tial, are to be insisted on, as terms of communion.
1st, As to the former of these. That those qualifications,
which are necessan/ to church-communion, ought to be, some
way or other, made visible, this is taken for granted by many
nn both sides ; and, indeed, without it the chmxh could not be
called visible, or a society of such as profess the true religion,
and, together with it, their subjection to Christ. And, this, in
a more especial manner, must be made known to them, who
are to hold communion with them, as called to be saints ; which
cannot, from the natui-e of the thing, be done, unless it be, some
way or other made to appear. If it be said, that there is no oc-
casion for this to be explicit, or the profession hereof to be made
any otherwise, than as their relation to a church denominates
them to be visible professors ; this is only a presumptive evi-
dence that they are so, and does not sufficiently distinguish
them from the world, especially from that part of it, which
Inakes an outw^ird shew of religion, and attend on several
branches of public worship. This is certainly very remote from
the character given of all those churches which we have an ac-
count of in the New Testament, concerning some of whom the
apostle says, that their faith was not only known to that parti-
-cular society to which they belpnged, but it was spread abroad,
or spoken of, throughout the whole xvorld, 1 Thes. i. 8. com-
pared with Rom. i. 8. This it could never have been, if they,
who were more immediately concerned to know it, had receiv-
ed no other conviction than what is the result of their joining
with them in some external acts of worship.
And it may also be inferred, from what is generally allowed,
by those who explain the nature of the Lord's supper, which is
a church-ordmance, and lay down the qualifications of those
who are deemed fit to partake of it ; particularly that they are
under an obligation to examine themselves, not only concern-
ing their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, but their faith
to feed on him, their repentance, love, and new obedience,
trusting in his mercy, and rejoicing in his love ; and they as-
seft the necessity of their renewing the exercise of those gra-
•ces, which may render them meet for this ordinance.* And
• Sec Que^t. CLJX CLXXIV
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 543
this is consonant to the practice of many of the reformed
churches, who will not admit any into their communion, with-
out receiving satisfaction, as to their having these qualifications
for this ordinance. And, since the matter in controversy with
them principally respects the manner in which this is to be gi-
ven, and the concern of the church herein, we may take occa-
sion to infer, from hence, that there is the highest reason that
the church should receive satisfaction, as well as those who
preside over it; inasmuch as they are obliged, in conscience, to
have communion with them, and reckon them among the num-
ber of those who have been made partakers of the grace of
Christ, which they cannot well be said to do, unless this be,
some way or other, made visible to them ; which leads us to
consider,
2dlij, The manner in which this profession is to be made
visible, namely, whether it is to be done by every one in his
own person ; or a report hereof by another in his name, may
be deemed sufHcient. This I can reckon no other than a cir-
cumstance ; and therefore one of these ways is not so far to be
insisted on, as that a person should be denied this privilege,
(whose qualifications for it are not be questioned) because he
is unwilling to comply with it, as thinking that the main end
designed thereby may be as effectually answered by the other.
If a person be duly qualified, as the apostle says concerning
Timoth}', to 7}iake a good profession before many witnesses^
1 Tim. vi. 12. and this may not only have a tendency to an-
swer the end of giving satisfaction to them, but be an expe-
dient, in an uncommon degree, to promote their edification ; if
he have something remarkable to impart, and desire to bear
his testimony to the grace of God, which he has experienced,
in his own person, and thereby to induce others to join with
him in giving him the glory of it, there is no law of God, or
nature that prohibits, or forbids him to do it; nor ought this to
be censured, as though it could not be done, without its being
liable to the common imputation, as though pride must be the
necessary inducement leading him thereunto ; for that is such
an instance of censure and repi-oach, as is unbecoming Chris-
tians, especially when it is alleged as an universal exception
against it. Nevertheless, I am far fi-om pleading for this, as a
necessary term of communion ; nor do I think that a person's
desire to give the church satisfaction, in such a way, ought al-
ways to be complied with; since whatever occasion some may
suppose they have for it, all are not fit to do it, in such a wa}',
as may tend to tiie church's edification. There are various other
vv^avs by which a church may know, that those who are propo-
sed to its communion have a right to it, which I forbear to
mention ; but one of them is not to be so far insisted on, as that
S44 OP TI1J£ CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.
a bare refusal to comply with it rather than another, provided
the general end be answered, should debar a person otherwise
qualified for it, from church-communion. The church being
thus satisfied, he is joined to it by their consent, and is hereby
laid under equal engagements with tliem, to walk in all the or-
dinances and commandments of the Lord blameless. And this
leads us to consider,
(2,) The exclusion of members from church-communion.
This is agreeable to the laws of society, as well as their admis-
sion into it ; and hereby a becoming zeal is expressed for the
glory of God, and a public testimony given against those who
discover the insincerity of their professed subjection to Christ,
which was the ground and reason of their being admitted into
that relation, which now they appear to have forfeited, this
leads us to consider,
Firsts That the church has a right to exclude those from its
communion who appear to be unqualified for it, or a reproach
to it ; under which head, I cannot but take notice of the opi-
nion of the Erastians, that a church has no power, distinct from
the civil government, to exclude persons from its communion.
This was advanced by Erastus, a physician in Germany, soon
after the beginning of the reformation : and that, which seems
to have given occasion hereunto, was the just prejudice which
he entertained against the Popish doctrine, concerning the in-
dependency of the church upon the state ; which was then, and
is at this day, maintained, and abused to such a degree, that if
a clergyman insults the government, and sets himself at the
head of a rebellion against his lawful prince, or is guilty of any
other enormous crimes, he flies to the church for protection,
and generally finds it there, especially if the king should, in any
respect, disoblige them, or refuse to lay his crown at their feet,
if they desire it : this, I say, was a just prejudice, which gave
the first rise to this opinion, in which, opposing one extreme
the first founder of it ran into another.
The argument, by which it is generally supported, is, that
this tends to erect, or set up one government in another :* but
this is not contrary to the law of nature and nations, when a
smaller government is not co-ordinate with the other, but al-
lowed and protected by it : the government of a family or cor-
poration, must be acknowledged, by all, to be a smaller govern-
ment included in a greater ; but will any one deny that these
are inconsistent with it ? May not a master admit into, or ex-
clude, whom he pleases from being members of his family ? or
a corporation make those by-laws, by which it is governed,
widiout being supposed to interfere with the civil government?
And, by a parity of reason, may not a church, pursuant not
' Imperiumiv impm«.
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 545
only to the laws of society, but the rule which Christ has given,
exclude members from its communion, without being supposed
to subvert the fundamental laws of civil government i We do
not deny, but that if the church should pretend to inflict cor-
poral punishments on its members, or make use of the civil
sword which is committed into the hand of the magistrate ; or
if it should act contrary to the laws of Christ, by defending,
encouraging, or abetting those who are enemies to the civil go-
vernment, or excluding them from those privileges, which the
laws of the land give them a right to ; this would be a noto-
riously unwarrantable instance of erecting one government in
another, subversive of it : but this is not the design of excom-
munication, as it is one of those ordinances which Christ has
given to his church.
Secondly y We are now to consider the causes of inflicting
this censure on persons ; and these are no other than those
things which, had they been before known, would have been a
bar to their being admitted to church-communion. And there-
fore when a person is guilty of those crimes, which, had they
been known before, he ought not to have been received j when
these are made to appear, he is deemed unqualified for that pri-
vilege which he was before admitted to partake of; on which
account we generally say, that every one first excludes him-
self, by being guilty of those crimes that disqualify him for
church-communion, before he is to be excluded from it, by the
sentence of the church. But that we may be a little more par-
ticular on this subject, let us consider,
tsty That they who disturb the tranquillity of the church, by
the uneasiness of their temper, or v/ho are not only unwilling to
comply with the method of its government, but endeavour to
make others so : or who are restless in their attempt to bring
innovations into it, or propagate doctrines which are contrary
to scripture, and the general faith of the church, founded there-
on ; though these be not directly subversive of the gospel, yet,
inasmuch as the persons are not satisfied in retaining their own
sentiments, without giving disturbance to others, who cannot
adhere to them ; such, I think, ought to be separated from the
communion of the church, purely out of a principle of self-
preservation, though it be not their immediate duty to judge
the state, so much as the temper of persons, whom they with-
draw from.
2dhjy If a person propagate a<loctrine subversive of the gos-
pel, or that faith on which the church is founded, he is to be
excluded. It is such an one, as I humbly conceive, whom the
apostle styles an heretiCy and advises Titus to reject hiniy and
speaks of him as one that is subverted^ and sinneth^ being- con-
demned of himself ^ Tit. iii. 10, 11. Some think, that the person
546 OF THE CHURCH, VlSlHLi: AIS'D INVISIBLE.
here spoken of, is one who pretends to believe one doctrine^
but really believes another which is of a most pernicious ten-
dency, and therefore is to be rejected, not for his sentiments,
but his insincerity, and, upon this account, he is said to be
self -condemned '* . But I cannot acquiesce in this sense of the
text ; for, though there may be some in the world who thmk,
to find their account, gain popular applause, or, some way or
other, serve their worldly interest, by pretending to believe
those doctrines which they really deny ; yet this cannot be truly
said of the person, whom the apostle, in this scripture, des-
cribes as an heretic : he is, indeed, represented as inconsistent
with himself; and this is supposed to be known, and all,eged,
as an aggravation of the charge on which his expulsion from
that religious society, of which he was a member, is founded :
but did ever any man propagate one doctrine, and tell the world
that he believed another, so that he might, for this, be con-
victed as an hypocrite ? And certainly this could not be known
without his own confession, and the church could not censure
liim for it, but upon sufficient evidence. If it be said, that
they might know this by divine inspiration, which, it is true,
they were favoured with in that age, in which, among other
extraordinary gifts, they had that oi discerning of spirits; it
is greatly to be questioned, whether ever they proceeded against
any one upon such extraordinary intimations, without some ap-
parent matter of accusation, which was known by those who
had not this extraordinary gift ; for, if they had a liberty to
proceed against persons in such a way, Avhy did not our Sa-
viour reject Judas, who was one of that society that attended
on his ministry, when he knew him to be an hypocrite, or self-
condemned^ in a most notorious degree, yet he did not; and
the reason, doubtless, was, because he designed that his church-
es, in succeeding ages, should, in all their judicial proceed-
ings, go upon other evidence, which might easily be known
by all, when they expelled any one from their communion.
Besides, if this be the sense of the text, and the ground on
which persons are to be rejected, then no one can be known to
be self condemned now ; for we have no such extraordinary in-
timations thereof, since miraculous gifts are ceased : and is
there any thing instituted as essential to the church's proceed-
ings, in the methods of their government, which could not be
put in pi-actice, except in the apostolic age ? and, if so, then
having recourse to extraordinary discerning of spirits, as a
foundation of this procedure, will not serve the purpose for
which it is alleged.
It must therefore be concluded, that the person here said to
bv. self-condemned, was not deemed so, because he pretended
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 54f7
to hold that faith which he really denied ; but because his pre-
sent professed sentiments were the reverse of what he had be-
fore pretended to hold, which was a term on which he was
admitted into the church; and in this sense he is said to be
self-condem7icd^ as his present errors contained a contradiction
to that faith which he then profc.'oed, in common with the rest
of that society, of which he was admitted a member.
3^/i/, Persons are to be excluded from church-communion
for immoral practices, which not only contradict their profess-
ed subjection to Christ, but argue them to be in an unconvert-
ed state. When they were first received into the church, they
were supposed, by a judgment of charity, to be Christ's sub-
jects and servants : their own profession, which was not then
contradicted by any apparant blemishes in their conversation,
was the foundation of this opinion, which the church was then
bound to entertain concerning them ; but, when they are guil-
ty of any crimes, which are contrary to their professed subjec-
tion to Christ, the church is to take away the privilege which
they had before granted them ; for hereby they appear to be
disqualified for their communion; and this is necessary, inas-
much as, by it, they express a just detestation of every thing
that would be a reproach to them, or an instance of disloyalty
to, or rebellion against Christ, their Head and Saviour.
(3.) We ai-e now to speak concerning the method of pro-
ceeding in excluding persons from chuixh-comniunion. We
must consider this as a judicial act, and therefore not to be.
done without trying and judging impartially the merits of the
cause. A crime committed is supposed to be fii'st known by
particular persons, who are members of the church; or if any
injury be done, whereby another has I'eceived just matter of
offence, he is supposed to be first apprised of it, before it be
brought before the church. In this case, our Saviour has ex-
pressly given direction concerning the method in which he is
to proceed when he says. If thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alo7ie. If
he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thij brother: but if he xvill
not hear thee, then take xvith thee one or tzvo more, that, in the
mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but
if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an Heath-
en-man, and a Publico?!, Matt, xviii. 15 — 17. If this scrij^ture
be rightly understood, it will give great light to the method of
proceeding in this matter.
And here we must consider, that the crime is called a tres-
pass, and accordingly is, in some respects, injurious to others,
whereby the offender contracts some degree of guiit, which he
is to be reproved for, otherwise there would be no room for a
548 OF TU£ CHUaCU, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLt:*
private rebuke, or admonition, in order to bring him to repen-
tance; nor, upon his obstinate refusal thereof, would the church
have ground to proceed in excluding him from its communion:
nevertheless, we are not to suppose the crime to be of such a
nature, as is, in itself, inconsistent with a state of grace, or af
fords matter of open scandal to the Christian name; as if a
person were guilty of adultery, theft, or some other notorious
crime ; for, in this case, it would not be sufficient for the per-
son, who is apprised of it, to give him a friendly and gentle
reproof; so that, upon his confessing his fault, and repenting
of it, all farther proceedings against him ought to be stopped ;
for herein, I humbly conceive, that he that has received infor-
mation concerning it, ought to make it known to the church,
that so the mattejr might not only be fully charged upon him,
but his repentance be as visible, as the scandal he has brought
to religion, by his crime, has been. If I know a person to be
a traitor to his Prince, a murderer, or guilty of any other
crime, whereby he has forfeited his life, it is not sufficient for
me to reprove him privately for it, in order to bring him to re-
pentance ; but I must discover it to proper persons, that he
may be brought to condign punishment : So, in this case, if a
person be guilty of a crime, that in itself disqualifies for church-
communion, and brings a reproach on the ways of God, the
church ought to express their public resentment against it^
which will tend to secure the honour of religion ; and there-
fore it ought t9 be brought before them immediately, and they
to proceed against him, by excluding him from their commu-
nion; though, for the present, he seem to express some de-
gree of sorrow for his crime, as being made public ; and if
they judge that his repentance is sincere, and the world has
sufficient ground to conclude it to be so, then they may express
their forgiveness thereof, and so withdraw the censure they
have passed upon him.
But, in crimes of a lesser nature than these, a private ad-
monition ought to be given ; and if this be to no purpose, but
the person go on in sin, whereby it appears to be habitual, and
his repentance not sincere, after this, the cause is to be brought
before the church ; but, in order hereunto, the person that first
reproved him, must take one or two more, that they may join
in the second reproof; and, if all this be to no purpose, then
they are to appear as evidences against him, an^ the church is
to give him a public admonition; and, if this solemn ordinance
prove ineffectual, then he is to be excluded, and his exclusion
is styled his being- to them as an Heathen-man, or Publican,
that is, they have no farther relation to him any more than they
have to the Heathrv or Publicans, or no immediate care of
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 54^
him, any otherwise than as they are to desire to know whether
this censure be blessed for his adv »atage. And this leads us,
(4.) To consider the temper with which this censure ought
to be denounced, and the consequences thereof, with respect
to him that falls under it. The same frame of spirit ought to
discover itself in this, as in all other reproofs, for sin commit-
ted, in which there ought to be a zeal expressed for the glory
of God, and, at the same time, compassion to the souls of
them, who have rendered themselves obnoxious to it, without
the least degree of hatred redounding to their persons. The
crime is to be aggravated in proportion to the nature thereof,
that so he that has committed it may be brought under con-
viction, and be humbled for his sin, and yet he is to be made
sensible that his spiritual advantage is intended thereby.
This is very contrary to those methods which were taken in
the corrupt state of the Jewish church, who, when they excom-
municated persons, denounced several curses against them; and
their behaviour consecjuent thereupon, was altogether unjusti-
fiable. We have an account, in so:ne of their writings, of two
degrees of excommunication practised among them, one of
which only deprived them of some privileges which that church
enjoyed, but not of all. Anothetr carried in it more terror, by
reason of several anathemas annexed to it, which contained a
great abuse and perversion of the design of that law relating to
the curses that were to be denounced on mount Ebal, mention-
ed in Deut. xxvii. which was not given as a form, to be used
in excommunication, but to shew them what sin deserved, and
that this might be an expedient to prevent those sins, which
would expose them to the divine wrath and curse *. And
though they pretend to have a warrant for this from Deborah,
and Barak's cursing Meroz^ Judges v. 23. or Joshua's de-
nouncing a cvrse upon him that should rebuild jfericho^ Joshua
vi. 26. yet this does not give countenance to their proceedings
herein ; for we must distinguish between those anathemaSy
which were denounced by immediate divine direction, by some
that had the spirit of prophecy, and those curses which were
denounced by others who were altogether destitute thereof f.
Moreover, as the Jews, in the degenerate ages of that church,
abused the ordinance of excommunication, as above-mention-
ed ; so they discovered such a degree of hatred to those whom
• The former of these Jinvish -ariters call i)-\^ Nlddul ; the latter tltey call o^n
Cherem, or KHDE? Scammatlia, and ion* performed -with several execrations, by
which tltey, as it -mei'e, bound them over to suffer both temporal and eternal pnrdshr
ments. See Ltghlfoot's Ifora Uebr. & Talmud, in 1 Cor. v. 5.
f See more on this subject in Vitrivga dv Syr.ogoff. Vet. Pa^. 7^S. and also the
form used, and the instrument draton up, when a person ivaa e.rcommvnicated and
anatliemutized, in Selden de jure Mit. & Gent. Lib. JV. cap. 7. and Jiitxt. Lex.
Talm. in voce CHEliEM
Vol. II. 4 A
0^0 OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.
they excommunicated, as ought not to be expressed to the vilest
of men. An instance of tliis we have in their behaviour to-
wards the Samaritans, who, according to the account we have
from Jewish writers, were excommunicated in Ezra's time,
for building a temple on mount Gerizzim, and setting up cor-
rupt worship there, in opposition to that which ought to have
been performed in the temple at Jerusalem, For this they
were justly excluded from the Jewish church *; but their mo-
rose behaviour towards them was unwarrantable. That there
was an irreconcilable enmity between them, appears from the
woman of Samaria's answer to our Saviour, when desiring her
to give him water ; from whence it is evident that he was far
from approving of this behaviour of the Jews towards them :
the woman was amazed that he should ask water of her, and
hereupon says to him. How is it^ that thou, being a Jew, ask-
est drink of vie, xvhich am a woj7ian of Samaria ? for the feivs
have no dealings -with the Samaritans, John iv. 9. that is, they
retain that old rancour and prejudice against them, that they
will not have any dealings with them which contain the least
obligation on either side. These things were consequences of
excommunication which they had no ground for in scripture.
As for the Christian church, they seem to have followed the
Jews too much in that, in which they are not to be imitated.
Hence arose the distinction between the greater and the lesser ex-
communication, which is agreeable, though expressed in other
words, to that which was before mentioned ; and those ana-
themas, which were denounced against persons excommunica-
ted by them, how much soever it might have argued their zeal
against the crimes they committed, yet it is no example for us
to follow. It is beyond dispute, that they endeavour to make
this censure as much dreaded as was possible, to deter men
from committing those crimes that might deserve it. Tertul-
lian calls it, An anticipation of the future judgment f ; and Cy-
prian supposes such an one to he far from a state of salvation \.
And some have supposed, that persons, when excommuni-
cated, were possessed by the devil, which they conclude to be
the sense of the apostle, 1 Cor. v. 5. when he speaks oi deliver-
ing siich unto Satan §; and that Satan actually seized, and took
possession of them ; and that God granted this as an expedi-
ent, to strike a terror into the minds of men, to prevent many
• See an account of the maimer of their excommunication . and the curse denounc-
ed against them at t!iat time, and the first cause of it, taken from Josephus, and
other Jnvish loriters, in Lighlfooi's Harks, Vol. 11. Pag. 538 — 6-10. and Vol. f.
Pag. 599.
f Vid. Tert. Jpol. cap. 39. Surrimtim fiitari jmlicii prsjuclicitim.
i Vid Cftpr. de. Orat. ])um. Timencliim est, & orandum, ne iluin qins abstcii-
tus s(;pa.rat!ir a Christ! corpore, prociil lemaneut a salutv
§ Vid. Cave's Prim. Christ. Part. HI. cap. 5.
OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. ^$51
sins being committed ; and that this was more necessary at that
time, when they were destitute of the assistance of the civil
magistrate, who took no care to defend the chmch, or to punish
those crimes that were committed by its members : but I can-
not think that there was e\er such a power granted to the
church, how much soever the necessity of affairs be supposed
'io require it. We read nothing of it in the writings of those
Fathers, who lived in the early ages thereof; such as Justin
Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, or Cyprian, who would, doubtless,
have taken some notice of this extraordinary miraculous punish-
ment attending excommunication, had there been any such
thing. Some of them, indeed, speak of the church's being fa-
voured, in some instances, with the extraordinary gift of mira-
cles, and particularly that of casting out devils, after the apos-
tles* time ,• * but we have no account of the devil's possessing
any, upon their being cast out of the church.
We read, in scripture, of delivering a person excommunica-
ted to Satan, 1 Cor. v. 5. but I cannot think that the apostlq
intends any more by it, than his being declared to be in Satan's
kingdom, that is in the world, where he rules over the children
of disobedience ; and, if his crime be so great, as is inconsis-
tent with a state of grace, he must, without doubt, be reckoned
a servant of Satan, and, in this sense, be delivered to him. And
there is a particular end thereof, mentioned by the apostle,
namely, The destruction of the Jiesh^ that the spirit may he sa^
ved in the day of the Lord fesxis ; so that the person's good is
to be intended by it, that he may be humbled, brought to re-
pentance, and afterwards received again into the bosom of the
church.
• Juitin Martyr tells the Java, {Vid ejusd. Colloq. cum Tryph.) that the ehureh,
in his time, had the gift ofprop/iecy ,• -vhich Eiisebiiis {in Hist. Eccles. Lib. IV. cap.
\7.) takes notice of, and, dnnltless believed it to be true in fact, thoiigh it be very
much questioned whether there -were any such thing in tlw fourth ceiitrtry, in -which
he lived. Gregory JVyssen, and liasil, -who lived a little after Ettsehins, assert, thaf
there loere many miracles -wrought in the third century, by Gregory of J^Teo-cesarea,
for -which reason he is called Thaumatiirgus ; though it is not improbable that they
might be imposed on in some things, -which they relate concerning liim, esp/:cially -when
they compare Idm -with the apostles, and ancient prophets, not excepting jMoses him-
self in this respect ; and, it is certain, many things are related, of his miracles, -which
seem too fabulous to obtain credit; yet there is ground enough, from all that they say,
to suppose that he -wrought some, and that therefore, in his time, they -were not foholhi
censed, ( Vid. Greg. JVyss. in cit. Greg. Thaum. and Basil de Sp. Sunct cap. 29.)
. Ind Origen affi<ms, that, in his time, the Christians had a po-wer to perform Tnani/
miracidous cures, arid to foretell things to come, (Vid Lib. I. contr. Ccls.) i.ai tjt
i)(y>t TH ayix (Mnn Tln-jfjiiilo( wotf* ^i^iclvok aai^ijtt (^i7r:tS>iri Scttfjicvat K*t Trowtt itio-u;
*TrtliM<ri Ksu cfma-i t<v* *«?* to Qhkhuh. th xo-ytt vipi fxiwolvttv. If this had not been true,
Celsus, -who -wanted neither malice, nor a tvill to oppose, would certainly have de
tected the fallacy. ,ind Tertullian, (Vid. ^ipologet. cap. 23.) appeals to it for the
proof of tlie Christian religion, offering to lay his life and reputation at stake, if the
Christians, lolien publicly calling upon God, did not cure those loJit lea-e posited
■with devils. ^
5SZ OF THE CHURCH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.
Thus we have considered the general description of a church,
the matter and form thereof, and the power granted them of
receiving persons into, or excluding them from communion.
Now from hence we may infer,
1st, That nearness of habitation, how much soever it may
contribute to answer some ends of church-communion, which
cannot be attained by those who live many miles distant from
each other, is not sufficient to constitute persons church-mem-
bers, or to give them a right to the privileges that attend such
a relation. Parochial churches have no foundation in scripture,
for they want both the matter and form of a church ; nor are
they any other than a human constitution.
2dli/ The scripture gives no account of the church, as Na-
tional or Provincial ; and therefore, though persons have a right
to many civil privileges, as boi-n in particular nations, or pro-
vinces, it does not follow from thence, that they are professedly
subjects to Christ, or united together in the bonds of the gos-
pel. Therefore if a church, that styles itself National, excludes
persons from its communion, whether it be for real or suppo-
sed crimes, it takes away that right which it had no power to
confer, but what is founded on the laws of men, which are
very distinct from those which Christ has given to his churches.
And this leads us,
5. To consider the government of the church, by those offi-
cers which Chriist has appointed therein. Tyranny and anarchy
are extremes, inconsistent with the good of civil society, and
contrary to the law of nature, and are sufficiently fenced against
by the government which Christ has established in his church :
he has appointed officers to secure the peace and order thereof,
and has limited their po\ver, and given directions that concern
the exercise thereof, that so it may be governed without op-
pression, its religious rights maintained, the glory of God, and
the mutual edification of its members hereby promoted.
We have already considered those extraordinary officers
which Christ set over the gospel-church, when it was first con-
stituted, namely, the apostles and evangelists : (a) But, besides
(a) " The A-ro;o\cc is an extraordinary ambassador of Christ. He was commis-
sioned for extraoi-dniary purposes. Like the generals of a victorious army, the
apostles exercised, in the name of their King, authority throughout all parts of
the vanquished empire, until the regular magistracy was organized and fully set-
tled. Tliey have no succe:.-iors in this respect. The presbyter is fully competent
to all ordinary administrations. In relation to such cases, the apostles them-
selves are no more thasi presbyters. 1 Pet. v. 1.
Church goveinment is subordinate to evangelic doctrine. The power given to
the apostles, was intended solely for subserviency to their preaching. 2 Cor. xiii.
8. Teaching is the highest dignity in the church, because it is the most useful and
laborious sei-vice. Preaching was the principal work of the a])Ostles. The ambi-
tion of prelates has inverted this divine m-der. Preaching Ls tlie meanest service
or THE CHUrXK, VISIBtr. AND INVISIBLE. i)53
these, there arc others which he has given to his churclies; and
these either such as are appointed to bear rule^ more especially,
in what respects the promotinj; their faith and order, who are
styled Pastors and Eid(n-s ; oi others, who have the oversight
of the secular affairs of the church, and the trust of providing
for the necessities of the poor committed to them, who are
called Deacons.
Concerning the former of these, to wit, Pastors and Elders,
we often read of them in the New Testament : neveitheless,
all are not agreed in their sentiments, as to one particular re-
lating hereunto, namely, whether the Elders spoken of in scrip-
ture are distinct officers from Pastors ; or, whether Christ has
appointed two sorts of them, to wit, preaching and ruling El-
ders ? Some think the apostle distinguishes between them, when
in the popish and episcopal churches. It is tnei-ely subservient to the govfcrn-
ment of bishops and of popes. The biihops exalt the mean above ihe end. Go-
vemment is, with theni, the principal part of religion. To be in power is more
dignified than to edify.
Apostolic authority was founded upon apostolic gifts. God was the author of
both, and both were subservient to teaching. None can pretend to a succession
of apostolic power, without a successicm of the gifts which qualified for it.
The evangelists were extraordinary ministers. As ordained pi-esbyters, they
exercised the ordinary power of the pastor. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Their piincipal work
vras teaching, and organizing churches, by apostolic djrection. The ordinary
ministers stood in need of this assistance, i'hey had not, as yet, the New Testa-
ment revelation in writing. The evangelists, in part, supplied this defect. Timo-
thy would have been, to the churches which he visited, what the epistles sent to
him by Paul, are to us — a directory upon which we may depend.
ETriiricoTrct is a name of ofiice. It is borrowed from the synagogue j'n, (Cha-
zan, overseer.) Maimonides de Sanhed. Cap. 4. describes him, as " the presbyter
\vl»o labours in word and doctrine." Bishop and presbyter, or, as our transla-
tion sometimes reads, overseers and elders, are different names of the same offi-
cer. Acts XX. 17 — 28. Presbyter is expressive of the authority, and episcopos, of
the duty, of the pastor.
. The angel of the church is analogous to the SELIH-JERUR of the synagogue.
The nov n^^lff was the minister whose office it was publicly to read and explain
the law and the prophets. The duties of the christian minister mav be known,
by the names given to him in the scriptures. The names which are divinely given
to men, are always expressive of some important article of their conduct and
character. Presbyter is a term of power, and points out Xht ruler ; pastor points
out a public purveyor of spiritual provisions for tl\e church; bishop, the spiritual
/7«/)ecr«r of the state of the congregation; teacher, \.\\e public «>i*<r7/c<or of the
congregation ; and ari^e/.the measenger of God to men. All these characters unite
in the minister of the gospel. Uy each of these names is he knov.n in the scrip
tures.
^nnjcwt, and its parent Greek verb, are derived fi cm tlie Hebrew [HJ, to minis-
ter. Diaconos, is o)ie tvho renders a sendee. It i'? applied, in the New Testament
to the Redeemer himself Rom. xv. 8. — To any religious worshipper. John xii. 26*.
— To women useful in religious concerns. Rum. xvi. 1. — To civil rulers. Rom
xiii. 4. — 'l"o all ministers of religion, whether extraordinary as apostles, or ordi-
nary pastors. 1 Cor. iii. 5. Acts i. 14. Col. i. 7.
Every person, pubhc or private, male or female, who renders any service to ano-
ther, is a deacon. Knt, »>• >. <\': 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''^ <?wff?f. clviii. clix. ^ ri'xTrtntrCtf]'::;. * JT/rwcrui*--
556 '«F XUL tJiL'RCH, VlSlULli AN© I'NVlSlBLt.'
we render Taking' the Oversight^ signifies ; from whence it is
evident, that Elders and Presbyters had the character of
Bishops, from the work they were to perform.
Moreover, that venerable assembly, that met at Jerusalem,
to discuss an important question brought before them bv Paul
and Barnabas, is said to consist of the Apostles and Elders,
Acts XV. 6. Now, if Bishops had been, not only distinct from,
but a superior order to that of Elders, they would have been
here mentioned as such, and, doubtless, have met together with
them ; but it seems probable that they are included in the gene-
ral character of Elders. Some think, that the same persons are
called Bishops, because they had the oversight of their respec-
tive churches ; and Elders, because they were qualified for this
work, by that age and experience which they had, for the most
part arrived to ; as the word Elder signifies not only one that
is invested in an office,* but one who, by reason of his age,
and that wisdom that often attends it, is fitted to discharge it,
1 Tim. V. 1.
We read nothing in scripture, of Diocesan chilrches, or
Bishops over them, how much soever this was pleaded for in
many following ages; and they, who maintain this argument,
generally have recourse to the writings of the Fathers, and
church-historians, which, were the proofs, taken from thence,
more strong and conclusive than they are, would not be suffi-
cient to support the divine right thereof. I shall not enlarge on
this particular branch of the controversy, inasmuch as it has
been handled with a great deal of learning and judgment, by
many others,! who refer to the writings of the Fathers of the
three first centuries, to prove that churches were no larger in
those times than one person could have the oversight of, and
that these chose their own Bishops. Some think, indeed, that
there is ground to conclude, from what we find in the writings
of Ignatius, TertuUian, Cyprian, and other Fathers in these
ages, that there was a superiority of Bishops to Presbyters, at
least, in degree, though not in order; and that the Presbyter
performed all the branches of that work, that properly belonged
to Bishops, only with this difference, that it was done with their
leave, or by their order, or in their absence ; and there being
several Elders in the same church, when a Bishop died, one of
those were readv to succeed him in that office.
Some, indeed, speak of the church as Parochial, and contra-
distinguished from Diocesan ; but, inasmuch as it does not
appear, by their writings, that these Parochial churches had
f See Calderxiiond Alter. Damsc. Jameson's fundamentals of the hie'i'archy ex-
amined: Forrester's hierarchical bishop's claim, &c. and Clarkson'sno erndtnrr fi>^
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. <t vocavcrit I'resbvti ros eccslesi* ejusdcm, qiiilms postea inter tsetera
sit locutus : r.ttendtie Vibis. et cnmi gregi in quo vm Spiritus snnctus pfsuit Episccpos, p,!.tcere
ecclesiam Dcmini quam 'icqtiisivit per si'.r.guinem suum. Et hoc diligentius obs' rvate, quo niodo
unius civitath Kphesi Freshyteros vt>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<ards," says he, " when
" every one accounted those whom he baptized as belonging to himself, and not
*' to Christ, it was decreed throughout the whole world, that one, chosen from among
" the Presbyters, should be put over the rest, and that the whole care of the
" chfarch should be committed to him."
4. Jerome states it as an historical fact, that this change in the government of
the chuich — this creation of a superior order of ministers, took place, not at once,
but by degrees — " Paulatim," says he, " by little and little." The precise date on
whcQ this innovation upon primitive order covimenced, he does not mention ; but
he says jjositively, that it did not take place till the factious spirit of the Corin-
thians had spread itself in difterent countries, to an alarming extent. " Inpopulis,"
is his expression. Assuredly, this was not the work of a day. It had not been ac-
• (i;aod autem postea «k«j <?/ei:/!(j est, qui CKteris pneponeretar, in schismatis remedium fac-
tum fst: ne iinusquisque ad se trahecis Christ! Ecclesiain ruinpcret. Nam et Alesandriae a Mar-
co Kv:uiEelistaus(jut>.jd Heracl im ik Uionysium V.\>\iii:.Q[>o%, presbyteri seiiiptrunumex se etcctum,
in e.xcelstori ?rndu cotlucatum Epiaccpum r.oviinub<ii:t : quo inodosi exertitus imperutorem facial ;
3.M A\.vzo\neliSiint de se.i\\cm iirdastvium iioveriiit ii'atcliidiacDtmm vocent. S>uid 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, an<l gave him the title of Bishop?''
Chuistiax's Magazine.
• Our opjjonents, v.lio contend tliat nothing can br concluded from the prnmiBcuous use ot thr
scriptural titles otcflice. ure yet (.•impelled to :ii-kiio\vl;dKe that Bislicp and Preshytcr wtrt af-
ttfi'nrds .^ei^ar.itcd and restricted, tlie toritier lo the superior, and the latter to the intcrii-r order
lias blown lli'- seen t. When oni_. of the Tresbyters v.us set nver the he.ids ot" the others, therr-
>v 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\ fxi<ra Tcm eii'aii ttrro;o\uv, -iuhich Ueza raiders, Corailiunlbii§
calculis allectus est cum undecem Apostolis.
f XiipcToviif o-vli; auTo/f w/!ST/?uT6/!8c HAT nMMtriav, Cum ipsi pci' suffrag'ia creassent
per singiilas ecclesias Presbyteros. The learned Dr. Oiuen, in his True J\''uture
of a Gospel-church, &c. Pa^e 68 — 71- proves that the loord x^ifii'Tovict, in several
Grepk -ariters, is used to signify the choice of a person to office by suffrage, or vote,
■which -WHS dmie by lifting up the hand. And he observes, that all our old English
translations render the vjords, in this text, ordaining or creating elders by thesuff-
rasfe of the disciples. And he farther observes, that the luordis but once more used
i>i 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«<ratvT6c, Acts xiv. 23, em-
braces election and consequent ordination of elders in the church.
Tlie hand is the instrument of power. X«g is used in scripture for ministerial
action. Acts xiv. 3. Luke iv. 11.
Hence, imposition of hands is a communication of power. This significant
action was known to the patriarchs. Gen. xlviii. 14.
The presbyters of the synagogue were ordained by the laying on of hands. In
its scriptural usage, this action is universally expressive of some communica-
tion from him who lays on the hand, to him upon whom it is laid. In any other
.sense, it is a common, and not a religious action.
1. It is a mean of communicatmg bodily vigour. Mark vi. 5.
2. It is a communication of special blessing. Gen. xlviii. 14. Mark x. 16.
3. It is a mean of imparting the power of miracles — the gifts of the Holy
Ghost. Acts viii. 17.
4. And it is a communication of ministerial authority. Numb, xxvii. 18. 23.
Dent, xxxiv. 9. 1 Tim. v. 22. Physical strength, special blessing, miraculous
power, and moral authority, have, according to divine appointment, been com-
municated by the laying on of hands. These things have also been otherwise
communicated. God selects means adequate to the end.
All the communications mentioned in scripture as made by the imposition of
hands, are of an extraordinary kind, except one — that of authority. This ia
.iloor cariable of being Vf>"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<TK:t>.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
<T host on others, and of sending forth evangelists, or by themselves ordaining
presbyters and deacons, IMark xvi. 15 — 20. Acts i. — xxi. (2.) Evangelists,
who assisted the apostles in planting or weltering churches, and, by their direc-
tion, ordained presbyters anddeacoiis, and erected judicatories in infant church-
es. (3.) Prophets, who explained dark passages of scripture, and sometimes
foretold futiu-e events, 1 Cor. xiv. 29—32. Acts xi. 28. xxi. 10, 11.
Others of these officers were onnixART, which are divided into Bisaors, Ovik-
sEEHs or Elders, and Deacons. Bishops or elders are subdivided mio pastors,
or elders thai labour in -word and doctrine, and elders that only rule well. Theif
wame Bishop or Oterseek mai'ks iheir authority over and inspection of others.
Pres utter or Elder denotes their gravit}', prudence, and experience, and their
being but subordinate rulers under Christ to declare and exectitehis laws. Thus
we have three distinct kinds of church-officers. Pastors, Ruling Elders, and
Deacons. The office of the first includes the power of the two latter; and that
of the second tlie power of the last, but not the distinguishing power oftlie first;
and the ofRce of deacons includes no power peculiar to either of the two prece-
ding offices.
I. The pastoral of/ice is a spiritual relation to the Christian church, empower-
iftg men to preach the gospel, dispense the sacraments, and concur in acts of
governing church-members. Its divine institution is evident. (1.) God fur-
nishes and appoints y>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 <liligence. Here different gifts, given to profit with-
al, infer different offices, l'".ph. iv. 7—11. 1 Cor. xii. 7, 8. Here is one tliat ndrv,
r.haracterlzed by different gifts and different work. {?.) From 1 Cor. xii. 28.
M'liere we find governments, that \s, governors, even as >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
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11