But in the mystery of God and his grace, the harmony and suit- ableness of one thing unto another, with their tendency unto the
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 61
same end, is incomparably more excellent and glorious than that which is seen in nature or the works of it. For whereas God made all things at first in wisdom, yet is the new creation of all things by Jesus Cliiist ascribed peculiarly unto the riches, stores, and treasures of that infinite wisdom. Neither can any discern it unless they are taught of God ; for it is only spiritually discerned. But yet is it by the most despised. Some seem to think that there is no great wis- dom in it ; and some, that no great wisdom is required unto the com- prehension of it : few think it Avorth the while to spend half that time in prayer, in meditation, in the exercise of self-denial, mortification, and holy obedience, doing the will of Christ, that they may know of his word, to the attaining of a due comprehension of the mysteiy of godliness, as some do in diligence, study, and trial of experiments, who design to excel in natural or mathematical sciences. Wherefore there are three things evident herein : —
1. That such an harmony there is in all the parts of the mystery of God, wherein all the blessed properties of the divine nature are glorified, our duty in all instances is directed and engaged, our salva- tion in the way of obedience secured, and Christ, as the end of all, exalted. Wherefore, we are not only to consider and know the several parts of the doctrine of spiritual truth, but their relation, also, one unto another, their consistency one with another in practice, and their mutual furtherance of one another unto their common end. And a disorder in our apprehensions about any part of that whose beauty and use ariseth from its harmony, gives some confusion of mind with respect unto the whole.
2. That unto a comprehension of this harmony in a due measure, it is necessary that we be taught of God; without which we can never be wise in the knowledge of the mystery of his grace. And herein ought we to place the principal part of our diligence, in our inquiries into the truths of the gospel.
3. All those who are taught of God to know' his will, unless it be when their minds are disordered by prejudices, false opinions, or temptations, have an experience in themselves and their own prac- tical obedience, of the consistency of all parts of the mystery of God's grace and truth in Christ among themselves, — of their spiritual har- mony and cogent tendency unto the same end. The introduction of the grace of Christ into our relation unto God, makes no confusion or disorder in their minds, by the conflict of the principles of natural reason, with respect unto our fii'st relation unto God, and those of gi'ace, with respect unto that whereunto we are renewed.
From the want of a due comprehension of this divine harmony it is, that the minds of men are filled with imaginations of an mconsis- tency between the most important parts of the mystery of the gospel,
52 ON JUSTIFICATION.
from whence the confusions that are at this day in Christian religion do proceed.
Thus the Socinians can see no consistency between the grace or love of God and the satisfaction of Christ, but imagine if the one of them be admitted, the other must be excluded out of our religion. Wherefore they principally oppose the latter, under a pretence of asserting and vindicating the former. And where these things are expressly conjoined in the same proposition of faith, — as where it is said that " we are justified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood," Rom. iii. 24, 25, — they will offer violence unto common sense and reason, rather than not disturb that harmony which they cannot understand. For although it be plainly afiirmed to be a redemption by his blood, as he is a propitiation, as his blood was a ransom or price of redemption, yet they will contend that it is only metaphorical, — a mere deliverance by power, like that of the Israelites by Moses. But these things are clearly stated in the gospel; and therefore not only consistent, but such as that the one cannot subsist without the other. Nor is there any mention of any especial love or grace of God unto sinners, but with respect unto the satisfaction of Christ as the means of the com- munication of all its effects unto them. See John iii. 16; Rom. iii. 23-25, viii. 30-33; 2 Cor. v. 19-21; Eph. i. 7, etc.
In like manner, they can see no consistency between the satisfac- tion of Christ and the necessity of holiness or obedience in them tliat do believe. Hence they continually clamour, that, by our doc- trine of the mediation of Christ, we overthrow all obligations unto a holy life. And by their sophistical reasonings unto this purpose, they prevail with many to embrace their delusion, who have not a spiritual experience to confront their sophistry withal. But as the testimony of the Scripture lieth expressly against them, so those who truly believe, and have real experience of the influence of that truth into the life of God, and how impossible it is to yield any acceptable obedience herein without respect thereunto, are secured from their snares.