Divine consolations, or, The teachings of God in three parts ... with an answer to the objections made against it, and Doctor Crips [sic] booke justified against Steven Geree / by Samuel Richardson.

An Answer to severall Passages in a Treatise, intituled, The Triumph of Faith; By T G. the se∣cond Impression.

IN which T. G. endeavoureth to maintaine, that our Justification it selfe was not at Christs death, but at, and by his Resurrection; Secondly, that the worke of our Salvation is not yet effected, but Christ is a doing of it by his Intercession, &c. I thought it necessary for the clearing the truth, (namely, that we are justified by his bloud) to remove these ob∣jections by giving a briefe Answer to what he there saith.

Co••••erning the Resurrection of Christ, he saith.

T. G. Yea rather that is risen againe, Rom. 8. 34. Rather compared to his death. The Resur∣rection of Christ served for a double use and end; as an evidence to our faith, that God is fully sa∣tisfied

by Christs death; Secondly, It had as great an influence into our Justification as his death had, in both respects it deserves rather to be put upon it, Pag. 65. & 102, 103.

Ans. Its Christ that dyed, yea rather that is ri∣sen againe, &c. Rom. 8. 34. The scope of the Apostle here in his triumph in Christs death gives us to understand the visible ground and cause of triumph, and that was rather in the Resurrection of Christ, then in his death; for that did more declare him to be the Sonne of God, then his death did; for any one might be crucified, and dye; but no false Christ could rise againe: and had be not risen, he had not been the true Christ; and if he had not risen, they could not be assured that he was the Son of God, who onely could take away sinne; therefore Christs Resurrection declared these things: First, That he was the Son of God; Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the dead, Eph. 1. 4. Second∣ly, It declared he had taken away sin by the sa∣crifice of himselfe, and we are not in our sinnes, see 1 Cor. 15. 1. 4. 5. 17. Thirdly, It declared that those who witnessed Christ to be the Sonne of God, &c. that they declared the truth, and so justified them to be true witnesses: therefore the Apostle saith; If Christ be not risen, we are found false witnesses, 1 Cor. 15. 14, 15. He rose againe for our justification, Rom. 4. 24. Before men Christs resurrection justified us in decla∣ring

him to be the Sonne of God, in that wee are true witnesses. Fourthly, It declares to us that we shall also rise in due time; see 1 Cor. 15. the 12. to ••ers. 24. Therefore Christ by his death did justifie, that is, free the Elect from the punishment of sinne.

And that the Resurrection of Christ had no influence at all in that Justification which is our freedome from sinne; appeares by these Reasons.

1. We are justified by his bloud, Rom. 5. 9. His Resurrection is not his bloud.

2. We are made righteous, that is, justified by his obedience, Rom. 5. 18, 19. His Resurrecti∣on is no part of his obedience. What Christ did as God was no obedience; not the divini∣tie but the humanity is capable of obeying; but Christ raised himselfe as God by his infi∣nite power, Eph 1. 19, 20, 21. see Joh. 10 18. I grant his Resurrection is necessary to our e∣ternall happinesse and glory, 1 Cor. 15. 23. &c. But its no part of his obedience, nor did it save us from our sinnes.

3. His resurrection was no obedience to the Law; for the Law required no more but death, Gen. 2. 17. And therefo••e his death was a full satisfaction of the Law, Heb. 2. 9. Gal. 3. 13. The Law did not require nor desire that we ••••••••uld rise againe.

4. We were justified through his Redemption, Rom. 3. 24. Therefore not through his Re∣surrection:

he redeemed them by his bloud; Thou hast redeemed us by thy bloud, &c. Re∣vel 5. 9.

But he saith; The resurrection of Christ makes up that summe of that price paid for us, p. 66.

Ans. Then Christs bloud was not a suffi∣cient price for sin; you contradict your selfe; for, you say, the Resurrection of Christ did e∣vidence that God was fully satisfied by Christs death, p. 65. And in p. 66. you say the resur∣rection of Christ makes up the summe of that price, as if God were fully satisfied with an imperfect and insufficient price; therefore you adde another price, as you call it, to make up the summe of that price paid for us: if his bloud was a perfect and sufficient price, it wanted nothing to make it up. In another place you confesse Christs death was a suffici∣ent price, p. 225. Yea a price more then e∣nough to satisfie Justice, even to overflowing, p. 230. (then I hope it was such a full and per∣fect price, that it needed nothing to make it up) you say and unsay, and contradict your selfe.

But he saith; The acqu••ttance to free from the debt was at and by his Resurrection, p. 70.

Ans. Then it made not up the sum of the price paid; for the acquittance is no part of the paiment of the debt, nor no act of the debtor, but of the creditor: an acquittance ••but a visible testimony that the debt is paid,

neither are acquittances of absolute necessitie among honest men. I have received and paid many debts without any acquittance, and we are fully discharged in justice and conscience. I require no acquittance of that faithfull and just one, who ever lives, and I know he is just, I know all is paid, therefore I am satisfied.

T. G. His lying in the grave was a part of his humiliation and so of his satisfaction, as generall Orthodox Divines hold, p. 107.

Ans He was buried and laid in the grave, to manifest that he was dead indeed, Mat. 27. 59, 60. Acts 13. 29.

H••s humiliation went no further then his life, his death was the last act of his obedience, He humbled himselfe and became obedient [unto the death] even the death of the Crosse, Phil. 2. 7, 8. In his humiliation his life was taken from the earth, Acts 8. 33. Death put a stop to his humiliation, it went no further then his life.

His lying in the grave was no part of his o∣bedience, therefore no part of his humiliati∣on; and therefore no part of satisfaction: he had a command to dye, but none to lie in the grave, Joh. 10. 18. & 12. 49. Also how could Christ obey when he was dead, or did he suffer when he was dead; if he did not suf∣fer when he was dead, he did not satisfie then when he was dead; his humiliation and satis∣fact••••n consists in his suffering; you should have alledged for proofe the Word of the

Lord; the thoughts of men are vaine.

The record and testimony of God is truth, and the highest authority, and only will beare sway in the hearts and consciences of those that love the Lord.

For your generall Orthodox Divines, we thought they were more divine then other men; we fell downe at your feet, we thought we could not worship you enough, unlesse we shut our eyes, and suffered our understandings to be led captive by you: if you said to us stand, we durst goe no further; we were con∣tent to see by your eyes, and to call things af∣ter your names; when wee did see any light, if you told us it was darknesse, wee beleeved you, till we found you deceived us: Know you not that matters of Religion are to be tryed by the Scriptures onely: If an Angel from hea∣ven teach otherwise, we reject and detest it.

Its a poore shift in the want of Scripture to alledge the saying of men, in Religion we are to heare none but God, Isa. 8. 20. The testi∣monies of men are no proofe; all men are ly∣ers; in them we do not beleeve, Psal. 116. 11. Cease from men, Isa. 2. 22. They doe or may deceive. Wee cry nothing but the Word of God in matters of Religion, the word we im∣brace without men; if the Word say it, we be∣leeve it, and not else, therefore speake Scrip∣ture we pray you, doe no more scare us with such great words, wee know many call you

Orthodox, and others that differ from you Heretickes: you call your selves Divines; but why is it, because you are exercised in mat∣ters divine, or because you are made partakers of the divine nature: if so, then many trades∣men may be called Divines as well as you, see∣ing the Reason is the same: Gods being is onely divine.

Concerning the Intercession of Christ, he saith:

Intercession is an act, p. 204. In his intercession he intreateth, p. 194. Its his praying for us in hea∣ven, p. 176. 179. 185. 189. Intercession is ask∣ing, p. 339. Christ by his own prayers seconds the cry of his bloud p. 253. Jesus shall intercede for the pardon of them, p. 246. The 17. of John is a pattern and instance of his intercession for us in heaven, p. 24••.

Ans. The 17. of John declares Christ spake words in his own person: and then the summe of that you say, is this; That Christ in his per∣son now he is glorified; speaks words to God for us, &c.

2. If it be so, then there is no perfection in glory, for where perfection is, there needs no words; God is perfect, so is Christ in glory, and must Christ speak words to God, that God might know his minde, and so prevaile; is this sutable to a condition of glory, in which is perfection?

3. Your words imply that God the Father

loveth us lesse then Christ; that he need to be prayed and intreated, &c. But Christ is so far from needing any to pray and intreat him, that he prayeth and intreateth God for us; which cannot be, because they are one, 1 Joh. 5. 7. Therefore equall in love: God the Father is said to Elect us, give us to Christ, and send Christ to dye for us: God is as well pleased with us as Christ is, and he loveth us as well as he loveth Christ: Christ saith, Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me: thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world, Joh. 17. 23, 24. The Father himselfe loveth you, Joh 16. 26. 27. He of himselfe without intreaty loveth us; God cannot love us more nor lesse then he doth, his love is infinite, without beginning or end; that which is infinite, is not capable of being greater or lesser; and its the more glorious, because it is so, his knowledge cannot be grea∣ter nor lesse then it is: the same may be said of his love, he never began to know, to will, to love, they are one in God: God is love; its his being, 1 Joh. 4. 16. I can say in a holy re∣verence and confidence, in the satisfaction of Christ, in admiration and thankfulnesse; if God can condemne me let him, he cannot deny himselfe: the eternity and certainty of the Saints happy estate, lesseneth not his love: when we conceive of him in the highest emi∣nency we can, still we come short, we cannot reach it; Such knowledge is too wonderfull for

me; it is so high I cannot attaine unto it, Psal. 139. 6. O the depth of his wisdome and wayes, they are past finding out, Rom. 11. 33.

Christs bloud speaketh, Rev. 6. 9. Heb. 11. 4. So the bloud of sprinkling speaketh within us better things then that of Abel, Heb. 13. 24. It speaketh peace to the conscience.

But he saith; Intercession is a praying for us in heaven, p. 180.

There be many heavens, Deut. 10. 14. The kingdome of heaven is within you, Luk. 17. 21. The Church is called Heaven, Rev. 12. 7. Mat. 11. 12. The ayre is called heaven, 1 Kings 18. 45. The heaven of heavens cannot con∣taine God; in him wee live, move, and have our beeing.

2. Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us, [in us] The Spirit it selfe maketh inter∣cession for us, Rom. 8. 26, 27. Christ, the Fa∣ther, and Spirit are one; The Spirit of Christ which was [in them] 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Lord is that Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 17. The Spirit of your Fa∣ther speaketh [in you) Mat. 10. 20. Rom. 8. 34.

3. Christ is our advocate and intercessor, in respect of that which he did for us in his own person when he was upon the earth before he suffered; when he poured out his soule unto death, and made intercession for us, Isa. 53. 12. Holy Father, I pray that thou keep them from evill; I pray not for these alone, but for them also which shall beleeve in me. Father, I will that they which

thou hast given me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, &c. Joh. 17. 9. 11. 15. 19. to 26.

4. Christs intercession holds forth the con∣tinuation of the efficacy of the vertue and fruit of Christs sacrifice, that it doth for ever remaine in force a full satisfaction for all the sinnes of the Elect. This is very sweet, and full of divine consolation, to satisfie the dis∣couraged soule, which is the maine thing in∣tended by such expressions: it is a figurative speech, as the Scripture ascribes to God, eyes, hand, arme: the Anthropomorphites conclude that God the Father hath a body, with eyes like unto us: So the Papists picture him to be an old man, &c. If one should say, God is ca∣pable of forgetfulnesse, because he saith, he will remember our sinnes no more. These conclu∣sions are unreasonable, and so is your position that Christ speakes words now in his person, &c.

But he saith; Christ doth as much worke for us in heaven at this instant, as ever he did on the earth, p. 214.

Ans. You confesse that a Surety is more then an Intercessor; and is it not more to dye for one, then to speake for him; if so, Inter∣cession is not so much: see you not how you contradict your selfe in your discourse.

Christ is said to be set downe at the right hand of God, to declare to us that his work is done;

while the Priest was executing his offices, he was to stand, Heb. 10. 11. Which declared that Christ the substance of those Priests, was not to sit untill he had finished in his person his offices of Priesthood.

He saith; That none of his offices should lie i∣dle, he appoints this full and perpetuall worke in heaven, that as a Priest by praying and interceding God would have Christ never to be out of offices, or out of worke for ever, Heb. 7.

Ans. If the end of Christs praying and in∣terceding is, that he might not be out of offi∣ces, or out of worke, then its not because of our sinnes.

That he doth execute any offices in his person in glory, or that he doth any worke there, is still to prove; doe the Angels pray for us, &c. or are they idle o•• out of worke.

He saith; He lives but to intercede, p. 208.

Ans. Then it seemes after this life when all the Saints are gloried, Christ must continue praying and interceding for us, or else he must cease to live. I hope you will not say, when we are in glory, that he shall need then to in∣tercede for us: if so, then it seemes he shall be out of office, or out of worke: by your ex∣position you have run your selfe upon a rock, I shall be glad to see you get off againe, I have afforded you my helpe.

He saith; His living to intercede, is said to keepe God and us friends, that we may never fall

out more, though pardoned by his death: Interces∣sion is principally intended for sinnes after conver∣sion, p. 208. God saies to him, now doe you looke to them, that they and I fall out no more: not but sinnes after conversion are taken away by his death, and sinnes before it by intercession also, p. 209.

Ans. God saith no such thing, you vent your vaine conceits, and father them upon God, and say he sayes so; I wonder at your bold∣nesse; sure you either know not what you say, or thinke you may say any thing. When you write againe, tell us in what place wee may reade that God says so: it is better to say lesse, and prove more.

2. Can you tell that ever God fell out with his Elect, and was not their friend, or that it is possible for God not to love us, or not to be a friend to us: you insinuate both, but are able to prove neither.

3. Tell me, what is God liable to fall out with us for, if for sinne, you confesse that is pardoned by his death, and those sinnes after conversion taken away by his death: to what purpose is it for Christ to pray and intreat for that which he knows is pardoned before; and what hath God granted Christ, in granting the pardon of that which was pardoned be∣fore? Suppose I pay to one all that I owe him, all that he can desire and require, need I pray and intreat him to forgive me the debt; but if I doe, and he grant my desire, he forgives

me nothing, because I owe him nothing: is not this the case also? how are our sinnes par∣doned, if we be liable to suffer for them?

4. You present God to be a friend, but a very uncertaine one, in that he need to have one to be continually praying and intreating him, to keep him friends with us, that we may not suffer for that which is pardoned; hath God pardoned us, and is he now ready to de∣stroy us? he said, he would remember our sinnes ••o more. Heb. 10. 17, 18. And doth he now remember them? You present God to be changeable, who is immutable and changeth not.

5. You present God to be an angry God, yet God saith; Anger is not in him, Isa. 27. 4. How can I, or Christ say, thy will be done, if his will be to fall out with us: it seemes he hath a great will to it, if he must be continually prayed and intreated to forbeare, and to be ••acified, and not to fall out with us.

6. The Father needs no more intreating then Christ doth, and that is none at all, for these Reasons.

There is no place for Intercession; for

1. Because satisfaction is made for the sinnes of the Elect, for them it was that Christ suffe∣red death: it is an act of injustice for to suffer for that which is satisfied for, or to require any thing of me, for that which before full sa∣tisfaction hath been made.

2. We are reconciled, therefore need none to reconcile us; also his death is that which reconciled us, therefore not his praying and intreaty, Rom. 5 10. Before Christ suffered, he made intercession; also there is no place for intercession for that which is pardoned by his death.

3. If Christs bloud clenseth from all sin, pray∣ing and intercession clenseth us not from any sinne.

4. If Christ blessing his Disciples, blessed all those that shall beleeve to the end of the world, as you confesse, p. 42. and that the of∣fering of himselfe once, made so full a satisfa∣ction, as he needed to doe it but once, p. 242. Why may not this intercession when he was upon the earth, though if it were but once, be as effectuall to serve for ever, as the rest, espe∣cially when we consider that in the 17. Of John, Christ prayed for all that were given him that shall beleeve. Christs prayer was granted, Father, I know thou hearest me alwayes. What benefit have we to the end of the world by that prayer in John 17. if it was not sufficient and effectuall for us; if it was sufficient and granted, there is no need of his continued praying for it; if Christ had intended in his person to pray and intreat for us now, what needed Christ to have prayed for us when he was upon the earth, so many hundred yeares before we were borne, if he prayes so for us

now, would not they be sufficient for us, see∣ing they are continually, as you say; if all that Christ can aske, is lesse, yea far lesse then the service he hath done to God comes to; our lives, pardon, salvation, if these be not enough, but too small a requitall, as you affirme, p. 244. there is no ground, or reason, justice or equi∣tie, that Christ should for ever aske and pray, before he or we can have it, especially if we consider God teacheth us to give to others their due without a continuall asking, yea be∣fore they aske; to pay and pray comes not freely off.

5. Because the Father himselfe loveth us, his heart is as much for our happinesse as Christs is, therefore Christ need not pray to God to love us, the reason is rendred by Christ, Joh. 16. 26, 27. Joh. 3. 16. Eph. 1. 3. 5. 9. 11. The Spirit of the Lord doth not, nor need not helpe us to make requests, to be loved, to be justified, saved from the punishment of sinne; these things are already done, onely to know it not, or more fully to know it, Christs pray∣er John 17. is, to keepe us from evill; and we are to pray for many things, though not to be loved &c.

6. If Christ by his death had fully satisfied for our sinnes, as you confesse, and that at Christs Resurrection, God gave Christ an ac∣q••••••••nce for all our sinnes, a discharge, p. 103. to 107. And that Justification gives title to

eternall life, Rom. 5. 18. p. 161. and that by Christs Resurrection our justification is made irrevocable for ever, p. 103. Then there is no need of any intercession, it is safe and sure, there is no danger, there needs no care or feare, because its done and past recalling; he dyed as a publique person, he rose as a pub∣lique person, and there is a formall, legall, irre∣vocable act of Justification of us passed and in∣rolled in the Court of heaven between Christ and God, in his being justified we were justi∣fied in him; so that thereby our justification is made past recalling, p. 286. If so, there is no need of Christs praying and intreating (in his person in glory) for us.

He saith; Intercession is a praying for us in hea∣ven, otherwise the salvation by his death were not perfect, the performance of that part in heaven is the perfection of it, p. 189. The vertue of his bloud with prayers in the heavens, makes atonement by both, p. 180. Bloud hath the loudest cry of all things else in the eares of the Lord, as Judg. 12. 13. Gen. 4. 10. Christs bloud cryeth louder then A∣bels, p. 218. 249. 251. Rev. 9. 6. Christs bloud cryeth for pardon, p. 250. If his righteousnesse be put into the opposite ballance with all our sinnes, will carry it by meere righteousnesse and equitie, p 246, 247.

Ans. Then that cry is enough, and another needlesse, then his righteousnesse is enough, and there is no need of more: you answer

and contradict your selfe, you deny the suffi∣ciency and perfection of Christs righteous∣nesse, and adde something to it to make atone∣ment, and so deny Christs death to be suffici∣ent to perfect us, contrary to Heb. 10. 10. 14. and so piece it out to make it up, but if it be by both, one is not sufficient to doe it, nor is it by the offering of himselfe: and in another place yee extoll it beyond all bounds.

T. G. God hath two attributes; Justice and free grace: the first is satisfied by bloud, the latter by intreaty, p. 192. Free grace must be sought too and intreated by Christ, p. 193. Favour and in∣treaty to effect it, p. 175.

Ans. 1. If Justice be satisfied, there is no more required.

2. You lessen the glory and freedome of free love. That love it selfe need to be satis∣fied, or was ever unsatisfied, that it ever need∣ed any intreaty, I remaine unsatisfied; tell me in what place in the Bible may I reade, that free grace, the free love of God was ever to be satisfied, or to be intreated; or that in∣treaty is any satisfaction at all.

T. G. The greater the person Christ, the sooner he will prevaile, p. 15. All matters of intercession are carried by way of favour, if he should deny him any thing, he should deny himselfe, which God can never doe, Eph. 1. 6. The beloved of the Lord, 2 Sam. 12. 24. p. 335.

Ans. If Christ and the Elect are one, tell me

which is the greatest, the Elect are a piece of himselfe; flesh of ••is flesh, and bone of his bone: We are not onely in favour, and so shall ever be, but we are in union with God, and one with him; thy Maker is thy Husband, Isa. 54. 5. Christ saith, I goe to my Father, and to your Father, and to my God and your God. Yee are of God little Children; they are one with God, and God is one with them, John 4. 4. John 10. 30, 31. We have favour and interest with God, we may have boldnesse, Heb. 10. 19. We are well, we are healed, and delivered from the curse: Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the Devill, Heb. 2. 14, 15. He brought Sonnes to Glory, Heb. 2. 10. Having loved his own, Joh. 17. The Elect are his own, and God loves them.

T. G. His obedience can never be requited, p. 245.

Ans. What not by God, he obeyed as man, aud it is sufficiently requited; the divine be∣ing cannot be beholding to the humane.

T. G. Salvation is as free as if Justice had not been satisfied, p. 193.

Ans. Its so to us, but not to Christ, he paid a great price for it.

T. G. Obs. We are saved over and over, p. 175.

Ans. That which is more then enough, is needlesse.

Obj. Christs favour with the Father, and in∣tercession alone, might have procured pardon for us,

but it was Gods will to have Justice satisfied.

Ans. If it had not been his will to make a Law, and to have it satisfied, we should never have needed neither favour nor Saviour.

But you say, those words of Christ, viz. I say not that I will pray the Father for you, Joh. 16. is such a speech as Christ used Joh. 5. 45. I will not accuse you to the Father: he insinuates that he will: as we say, I doe not love you, p. 279, 280.

Ans. This your exposition teacheth us not to beleeve what Christ saith, and that his words are not truth, & that he doth not meane as he saith, but the quite contrary; and that Christ would not have us thinke that he meaneth as he saith: Christ saith; Doe not thinke that I will accuse you to the Father, Joh. 5. 45. Yet, you say, he insinuateth that he will. By this rule I may say, when God saith, Thou shalt not commit adul∣tery, he would not have us thinke he meaneth so; these words insinuate that we may; Is not this the same? I wonder at your rashnesse, vanitie, and boldnesse.