and he crowneth his own gifts, not our merits, saith Augustine, his own work, not our work; for we are mere vessels to contain grace as grace; and mere patients in this love: and so he loveth Christs imputed righteousness in us; and this righteousness imputed is not simply eternal, but hath ⟨p. 22⟩its rise in time. If then Antinomians say, we make our time-holiness a cause and condition of eternal love, they must remove this objection themselves; for imputed righteousness which they make the cause of eternal love will stand against them, more then against us. For we say, both imputed and inherent righteousness are mere conditions, no causes of eternal love, and that not simply, but as they are protracted and continued, to carry us on to glory; yea imputed righteousness is no more a cause of eternal love, being only a thing temporary, and not eternal, à part ante, nor inherent righteousness; so must all these be expounded. The Lord cloveth the righteous. dThe Lord loveth truth in the inward parts, ehe taketh pleasure in them that fear him. The Lord is ravished with fone of his Spouses eyes, with one chain of her neck; to him she is all fair, and not a spot in her. All these include not only inherent holiness, but imputed righteousness, and both have their use in time, but can never prove that our time excellency, whether imputed or inherent, is the cause, condition, reason, merit, or ground of the Lords eternal, immanent, and unchangeable love; but the fruits thereof and the condition of its continuance. And that our Lord loves us with the same love of complacency, that is, that he driveth on his chariot paved with love, in sweet fruits of free election, the same way, with the same delight; But that when the justified person, whores, swearers, kills the innocent, denieth the Lord Jesus, as did Peter, and David, God loveth us as much as when they believe, pray, walk in all holy conversation, and that God is not a whit displeased with the Saints, for these sins, because all his displeasure, or revenging justice, was drowned and swallowed up in Christs sufferings, is to us abominable.
and he crowneth his own gifts, not our merits, saith Augustine, his owne worke, not our worke; for we are meere vessels to containe grace as grace; and meere patients in this love: and so he loveth Christs imputed righteousnesse in us; and this righteousnesse imputed is not simply eternall, but hath ⟨p. 22⟩its rise in time. If then Antinomians say, we make our time-holinesse a cause and condition of eternall love, they must remove this objection themselves; for imputed righteousnesse which they make the cause of eternall love will stand against them, more then against us. For wee say, both imputed and inherent righteousnesse are meere conditions, no causes of eternall love, and that not simply, but as they are protracted and continued, to carry us on to glory; yea imputed righteousnesse is no more a cause of eternall love, being onely a thing temporary, and not eternall, à parte ante, nor inherent righteousnesse; so must all these be expounded. The Lord cloveth the righteous. dThe Lord loveth truth in the inward parts, ehe taketh pleasure in them that feare him. The Lord is ravished with fone of his Spouses eyes, with one chaine of her necke; to him she is all faire, and not a spot in her. All these include not onely inherent holynesse, but imputed righteousnesse, and both have their use in time, but can never prove that our time excellencie, whether imputed or inherent, is the cause, condition, reason, merit, or ground of the Lords eternall, immanent, and unchangeable love; but the fruits thereof and the condition of its continuance. And that our Lord loves us with the same love of complacency, that is, that he driveth on his chariot paved with love, in sweet fruits of free election, the same way, with the same delight; But that when the justified person, whores, swearers, kils the innocent, denieth the Lord Jesus, as did Peter, and David, God loveth us as much as when they beleeve, pray, walke in all holy conversation, and that God is not a whit displeased with the Saints, for these sinnes, because all his displeasure, or revenging justice, was drowned and swallowed up in Christs sufferings, is to us abominable.
- cPsal 146.8
- dPsal. 51.6.
- ePs. 147.11.
- fCant. 4.9.7
