covenant, or (which is a word expressing greater comfort to us) a new will or testament made, wherein Christ hath bequeathed unto us many glorious legacies, which we shall undoubtedly receive, when we shall have performed the conditions, when we shall be found qualified so as he requires of us.

20. Till which conditions be performed, by the power of God's Spirit assisting us all that we obtain by the death of Christ is this: That, first, whereas God, by reason of sin, was implacably angry with us, would by no means accept of any reconciliation with us, would hearken to no conditions; now, by virtue of Christ's death and satisfaction, he is graciously pleased to admit of composition; the former aversion and inexorableness is taken away; or, to speak more significantly, in St. Paul's language. (Ephes. ii. 16.) "The enmity is slain." Secondly, That whereas before we were liable to be tried before the throne of his exact, severe, rigorous justice, and bound to the performance of conditions, by reason of our own contracted weakness become intolerable, nay, impossible unto us; we are released of that obligation, and though not utterly freed from all manner of conditions, yet tied to such as are not only possible, but by the help of his Spirit which inwardly disposeth and co-operateth with us, with ease and pleasure to be performed. Besides which, we have a throne of equity and grace to appear before. Mercy is exalted above, even against justice; it rejoiceth against judgment; it is become the higher court, and hath the privileges of a superior court, that appeals may be made from the inferior court of justice to that of mercy and

favour. Nay, more; whereas before we were justly delivered into the power of Satan, now being reconciled to God, by the blood of Christ, we are (as it is in Col. i. 13.) delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the king

dom of his dear Son.

21. All this, and more (if it were the business of this time to be punctual in discovering all) hath Christ wrought for us, being aliens and strangers, yea, enemies afar off, without God in the world. Yet for all this that Christ hath merited thus much for us, and more; notwithstanding, take away the power of Christ's resurrection and life; take away the influence of his Holy Spirit, whereby we are regenerated and made new creatures, and we are yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. For though (as it is, Heb. x. 19.) we have rappnoiav, i. e. liberty, and free leave to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; though there be a way made open, yet walk we cannot; we are not able to set forwards into it, as long as we are bound and fettered with our sins; though there be an access to the throne of grace, yet it is only for them which are sanctified.

22. And, therefore, what dangerous consequences do attend that doctrine, which teacheth, That, immediately upon the death of Christ, all our sins are actually forgiven us, and we effectually reconciled. But because another employment is required by this time, I will, out of many, make use of two reasons only to destroy that doctrine; whereof the one is taken from the nature of the second covenant, the other from the necessity of Christ's resurrection.

23. For the First: If we, that is, the elect of

God (for I am resolved to have to do with none else at this time) be effectually reconciled to God, by virtue of Christ's death, having obtained a full perfect remission of all our sins, why are we frighted, or, to say truly, injured, with new covenants? why are we, seeing our debts are paid to the utmost farthing, the creditor's demands exactly satisfied, the obligation cancelled; why then are we made believe, that we are not quite out of danger; nay, that unless we ourselves, out of our own stock, pay some charges and duties extraordinarily, and, by the bye, enforced upon us; all the former payments, how valuable soever, shall become fruitless, and we to remain accountable for the whole debt?

24. But it may be (and that seems most likely) there is no such thing indeed as a new covenant. Promises and threatenings are only a pretty kind of rhetorical device, which God is pleased to use, sometimes to allure us, and win our hearts to do that which shall please him; at other times to startle and affright us, when we are about something contrary to his command. And, to say the truth, this must of necessity be the issue of the former doctrine: for how is it possible to make these things hold together! We are already perfectly reconciled to God by the death of his Son, without any consideration had to our personal faith and repentance; and yet, unless we do earnestly repent us of our sins, and with a lively faith adhere to God's promises, we shall never be reconciled unto God: or these? All our sins are already remitted, and that only for the virtue of Christ's satisfaction; and yet, unless we believe, our sins shall never be forgiven us.

25. So that by this reckoning, we must be forced to purge the gospel of those troublesome, dangerous terms of covenant and conditions, of those fruitless, affrighting conjunctions, Si credideris, si non pænitentiam egeris. Or (which is all one) soften them into a sense utterly repugnant and warring against the natural force and signification of the words: on this wise; where the Scrip-. ture saith, If thou repentest not, thy sins shall not be forgiven thee; thou art not to conceive, that forgiveness of thy sins is a work yet to be done, or that it has any dependance upon any thing in thee: but this great blessing shall be hid from thine eyes, thou shalt never come to the knowledge of it, and thereby shalt live here a discontented, pensive, suspicious life. Again: If thou believest, thou shalt be saved: that is, thou shalt obtain a comfortable assurance of hope, nay, an infallible faith of thy future salvation; though that was intended thee, without any consideration of thy faith.

26. So that the gospel of Christ is not the power of God unto salvation: for how can the word be an instrument of that which was long ago absolutely performed and purchased? and therefore Christ his preaching, his miracles, and tears, the apostles' travels and persecutions, the sending of the Holy Spirit, baptism, eucharist, imposition of hands, absolution, and many more blessed means of our salvation, were not instituted for this end, to make us capable of remission of our sins (for that, it seems, was already not only meritoriously, but effectually procured, and without all manner of conditions infallibly destined to God's elect); but only for this end, that

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whilst they live here, to their thinking, in danger and hazard (but they are fools for thinking so) they may now and then be a little cheered and comforted with apprehending what Christ hath done for them; and to what a comfortable state and inheritance he hath destined them. Thus the covenant, which God hath sworn shall be everlasting, is by the improvidence and ignorance of some men rendered unprofitable; yea, utterly abrogated: but (ne quid inclementius dicam) we have not so learned Christ.

27. The second reason destroying the former doctrine, I told you should be taken from the necessity of Christ's resurrection. For, if the immediate effect of Christ's death be the purchasing of a perfect reconciliation with God, and full remission of sins for us the elect of God; then (I will not say, what benefit, but) what necessity is there of Christ's resurrection in respect of us? For, by this account, after the consummatum est upon the cross, when the satisfaction was perfected, and our debts paid; though Christ had afterwards miscarried, though he had been detained by death, though his soul had been left in hell, and he had seen corruption; notwithstanding, we should stand upon good terms with God, unless we shall conceive of him worse than of the most oppressing usurer, that when a debt is discharged, and the bond cancelled, will notwithstanding not release the prisoner, unless the undertaker come in person, or by main force deliver him.

28. I confess, that to see a friend that had ventured so far for us, as our Saviour did; that to do us good had put himself in such extreme dan