The Online Library of Liberty

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• Introduction
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• The Divine Feudal Law Represented
• §1.
• §2.
• §3
• §4
• §5
• §6
• §7
• §8
• §9
• §10
• §11
• §12
• §13
• §14.
• §15
• §16
• §17
• §18
• §19
• §20
• §21
• §22
• §23
• §24.
• §25
• §26
• §27
• §28
• §29
• §30
• §31
• §32
• §33
• §34
• §35
• §36
• §37
• §38
• §39.
• §40
• §41
• §42
• §43
• §44
• §45
• §46
• §47
• §48
• §49
• §50
• §51
• §52
• §53
• §54
• §55
• §56
• §57
• §58
• §59
• §60
• §61
• §62
• §63
• §64
• §65
• §66
• §67
• §68
• §69
• §70
• §71
• §72
• §73
• §74
• §75
• §76
• §77
• §78
• §79
• §80
• §81
• §82
• §83
• §84
• §85
• §86
• §87
• §88
• §89
• §90
• §91
• §92
• §93
• §94

§54

Of Sanctification as the necessary Fruit of Justification and Regeneration.But altho’ the Covenant establish’d in Christ comes in the Place of the Primitive Covenant which was broken by the first Parents of Mankind; yet there remains from that Covenant an Obligation to Holiness of Life and Manners, as a thing inseparably annexed by God to the Humane Nature. Which Obligation, after the Fall, would draw Men into Damnation, because the Power to fulfil it is lost, and yet the Justice of God does not cease to exact it; and we have lost also by our Imperfection, and inherent Corruption, all endeavour to resist what is corrupt and wicked in us. Now therefore by the Covenant of Christ there is such Provision made against the Misery of Men, that the Satisfaction of the Saviour supplies what the Rigour of the Divine Justice demands, and by Faith and Regeneration new Powers are produced for the doing of those Things which that Obligation requires; and through the Satisfaction of the Saviour the Imperfections are not imputed to Damnation, but are as it were overlook’d, as are also the Faults committed without our Choice, and the evil Motions proceeding from the original Pollution: The malignant Operation of which the Faithful have Power in this Life utterly to extinguish, tho’ this is what they ought continually with all Diligence to endeavour. From whence there is no small difference between the Primitive Holiness which Man had preserv’d, if he had persisted in his State of Innocence, and that which is perform’d by the Regenerate. The Rule indeed of both is the same Law, as to the chief Heads of it, which include the Love of God, and of our Neighbour: Only the Law of loving our Neighbour must be extended, by reason of the Corruption which is fallen upon Mankind to many Cases, which there was no Place for in the Primitive State. As for instance, there would have been no Place in that State of Mankind for the Vertues of Patience, Mercy, Beneficence to the Poor, or the like, because it would have been perfectly free from all Misery. Whereas now the doing Good to Religious Poor, or the Brethren of Christ, makes an eminent Part of the Love to our Neighbour, which is requir’d of us. But the Primitive Holiness differs much in point of Perfection from that which the Faithful are now able to perform. For the Primitive Righteousness, as being in all Respects perfect, could approve it self to God by it self. But the Sanctity of the Regenerate being in it self imperfect, and blotted with the Contagion of Original Corruption, Rom. 7:14, &c. is acceptable with God for the full Satisfaction of the Saviour: So that there is now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8:1. Therefore whereas otherwise, even he that breaks the Law in one Point is guilty of all, Deut. 27:26. James 2:10. Christ hath freed us from that Curse, Gal. 3:1, 11, 12, 13. As also the Obedience of the Regenerate does not proceed from the Compulsion of the Law, because Christ hath satisfied that both actively and passively; and they are no more the Servants of the Law, but they by a free Spirit yield a filial Obedience to God from the Powers bestow’d upon them by Regeneration. We are freed from the Law, that being dead, wherein we were held, that we should serve in Newness of Spirit, and not in the Oldness of the Letter, Rom. 7:6. That we should yield our Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable Service, Rom. 12:1. And being renewed in the Spirit of our Minds, we put on the new Man, who after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness. Whence also our Saviour is not to be accounted a new Lawgiver, but a Fulfiller of the Law, Mat. 5:17, 18. and its last and most accurate Interpreter. Who also has thus taken away the Terror and Curse of it, and clearly explain’d the Sublime and Spiritual Nature of it, as tending chiefly to a Purity of the Mind; but which was wrested by the Jews almost wholly to External Works, Mat. 5:6. From thence also it is that Holiness of Life and Manners is not inserted into the Covenant of Christ, properly as a Primary Condition, but it is reckon’d only as a Fruit and necessary Consequent of Justification and Regeneration. But so notwithstanding, that the Necessity of it is not at all the less; forasmuch as this is the very End of the Redemption purchas’d for us by Christ, that we should serve God in Righteousness and Holiness, Luke 1:74, 75. That we should be the Workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works, which God hath before ordain’d or prepar’d, that we should walk in them, Eph. 2:10. Col. 1:22. Tit. 2:14. Yea, tho’ in the last Judgment the Saviour in his final Sentence will appeal to good Works, this he will do, not because we are not to be justified by Faith, but because good Works are Things that fall under the Notice of the Sences, and those will be present then, and bear Witness of them to whom they were done, Mat. 25:35. Rom. 2:6. Luke 16:9. Gal. 6:7, 8. Whence both the Practice of Repentance, and believing in Christ, and the Endeavour after Holiness of Life, or the Vertues, Actions and Works, which are worthy of the Christian Calling, are so twisted together, that no one of them can be, or take place, without the other. For Repentance, unless Faith be added, leads to Despair. And it is a Mockery to pretend to Faith if Repentance does not attend it; that is, if a Man persists to wallow in his former Sins. And Faith, if it be not attended with Holiness of Life, is a vain and presumptuous Perswasion, a dead Tree without Fruit, which shall be hewn down, and cast into the Fire, Mat. 7:19. &c. But good Works, unless they proceed from Faith, are not acceptable with God, yea, indeed are not good. So that those Divines are altogether void of Reason who are sollicitous only about the Theory of Christian Religion, or who inculcate only Faith in Christ, and make no Account of Holiness of Life. For as true Faith is effectual by Love, Gal. 5:6. so Faith without Works is dead, James 2:17. And as in Mar. 16:16. and John 3:18. he is said to be condemn’d already who does not believe; so no less is it said of them who profess Faith in Christ in Word but deny him in their Deeds, that Christ knows them not, Mat. 7:22, 23. Luk. 13:27. Eph. 5:5. Gal. 5:19, 20, 21. Rev. 22:14, 15. Where, among those who love and make a Lie, I believe may be put the Mass-Priests and Monks, who deceive the People with Fables and false Opinions, driving them from reading the Scriptures themselves. They love a Lie who gain by it. But what it is to make a Lie, or commit Sin, may be sufficiently gather’d from Rom. 7:4, 5, 6, 15, 17, &c. 8:1, 10. and 1 Joh. 2:8, 9, 10. compar’d with Ch. 2. Ver. 1. and Ch. 1. Ver. 8. that is, to sin with Endeavour, and to profess, as it were, a Liberty of sinning, but not to labour as yet under the Sins of Weakness. Lastly, As above we have said of Faith, that altho’ it is the Primary Condition of the Covenant, yet it has not the Nature of Merit, so the same thing must be said concerning Holiness of Life. Neither has this Covenant the Nature of a Contract of buying and selling, or of letting out and hiring, or of any unnam’d Contract, as when I give that thou may’st do, or I do that thou may’st do; in which Case there is requir’d an Equality between the Things perform’d on both sides: But it has some Agreement with a Feudal Contract, wherein one Party does out of Favour confer something upon the other; but what is perform’d on the other Part has not the Nature or Quality of Retribution, but only of Acknowledgment, and of a Testimony and Proof of a grateful, faithful, and devoted, Mind, Rom. 11:35. And that the rather, because the one side here might require the Performance of the other Party in this Covenant by meer Command.