A treatise of justifying righteousness in two books ... : all published instead of a fuller answer to the assaults in Dr. Tullies Justificatio Paulina ... / by Richard Baxter.

Aphorism.

BƲt the Covenant-Conditions are not * 1.1 broken, when-ever the Precept of the Gospel is transgressed, or the Covenant neglected, ex∣cept it be final.

Animadvers.

This seems more acute than solid. For may not the Con∣ditions of the Covenant be broken, though they be not finally broken? The Conditions of the New-Covenant are, to re∣pent and believe. Now if they to whom the New-Covenant is tendered, be impenitent and unbelieving; so long as they are so, they break the Conditions of the New-Covenant, whether it be only for a time, or to the end. Indeed if the Covenant-Conditions be at length performed, they are not absolutely bro∣ken; but yet broken they are, whilst they are not performed, and yet ought to be performed. The New-Covenant you grant, may be neglected; but it is not neglected, if the Conditions of it be performed: And to distinguish between not-performing the Conditions of the Covenant, when it is tendered, and break∣ing the Conditions of it; I think is not sound.

Reply.

1. You seem (by your silence) to grant the main thing I here intend; viz. Thes. 33. That Christ died not to satisfie for the Violation of the Covenant of Grace, but of Works only.

2. I did explain what I meant by [Violating the Conditions] in the last word of the Thesis, [So as that the offend •• should fall under the Threat]: But more fully in the Appendix.

3. By [the Threatning,] I mean not [every dis∣covery of an imminent danger;] but that proper act of the Law, which is obligare ad poenam.

4. I still confess, that for Ʋnbelief and Impenitency, men remain obligati ad poenam per Legem naturae, till they believe, and so that Obligation be dissolved.

5. But still I deny it, as to the proper Obligation of the New-Law: For I conceive that is per∣emptory, remediless and undissolvable. And there∣fore I think it both sound and necessary to distin∣guish between the proper Violation of the Cove∣nant, and the temporary non-performance of the Con∣ditions. Yet I resolve not to contend about the Word or Name: If you think the one is as properly to be called a Violation as the other, and I think not, this is a matter of no great moment. But as to the thing intended by that word, I say, that Ʋnbelief not final, is no such Violation of the New-Law, as to make us obligati ad poenam hujus Legis propriam, or that this Law should oblige us to punishment. For else we must say, that Christ came to satisfie his own Law, and be a Mediator between himself, as Mediator, and sinners, which I am loth to say. Indeed the Gospel-Covenant doth non-liberare, while men continue their unbelief. But I conceive it doth not obligare ad poenam propriè, viz. ad non-liberationem & ad poenam majorem, but for final non-performance. For if it do, it is either absolutely, or conditionally: Not abso∣lutely (which you here confess;) for then there were no remedy: For the absolute Threat of the New-Law is irrevocable and remediless. And if but con∣ditionally, then it is no Obligation: For it were no Condition, if it suspend not the Act of the Law. If a King say to a company of imprisoned Mur∣therers,

He that will promise a new-life shall be pardoned; and he that will not, shall not be par∣doned, but at the Assizes suffer a double torment. Here the Condition of present Liberation in∣deed is present, promising amendment; and for want of present promising, he shall want present Liberation. But the Condition of Liberation or Condemnation at the Assizes, is promising any time between this and then. And so here: The Go∣spel doth not remediare, dissolve the Laws Obligati∣on, as long as we continue impenitent. But it ob∣ligeth us not to Condemnation at Judgment, but upon final Unbelief. If yet any say, that this pre∣sent non-Liberation is poena novae Legis, and so far it may be said obligare: Though I should rather say, it doth non dissolvere obligationem, yet I shall confess, that this non-Liberation may in some sort be called poena, and I will not stick at this. Only remember that this is nothing to the Obligation, to sentential Condemnation de futuro, which we speak of. 2. And that Christ need not die for this: For this non-libe∣ratio dum non credo, is a penalty that I bear my self (non enim liberor;) and therefore Christ need not bear it for me.

But I come so lately from a fuller handling this point with another, that I must say no more of it now.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Page 163.