A Body of Divinity 21. The Fall: Original Sin Q-16: DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION?
A: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him, by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression.
'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,' &c. Rom 5:12.
Adam bein ...read
A Body of Divinity 22. The Fall: Man's Misery By The Fall Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL?
A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever.
'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity ...read
A Body of Divinity 23. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: The Covenant Of Grace Q-20: DID GOD LEAVE ALL MANKIND TO PERISH 1N THE ESTATE OF SIN AND MISERY?
A: No! He entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect out of that state, and to bring them into a state of grace by a Redeemer.
'I will make an everlasting covenant with you.' Isa 55:5. Man being by his fall plunged into a labyrinth of misery, and having no w ...read
A Body of Divinity 24. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ The Mediator Of The Covenant 'Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant,' &c. Heb 12:24.
Jesus Christ is the sum and quintessence of the gospel; the wonder of angels; the joy and triumph of saints. The name of Christ is sweet, it is as music in the ear, honey in the mouth, and a cordial at the heart.
I shall waive the context, and only speak of that which concerns our prese ...read
A Body of Divinity 25. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ's Prophetic Office 'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet,' &c. Deut 18:85.
Having spoken of the person of Christ, we are next to speak of the offices of Christ. These are Prophetic, Priestly, and Regal.
'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet.' Enunciatur hic locus de Christo. It is spoken of Christ.' There are several names given to C ...read
A Body of Divinity 26. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ's Priestly Office Q-35: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A PRIEST?
A: In his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.
'Now once in the end of the world has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.' Heb 9:96.
What are the parts of Christ's pri ...read
A Body of Divinity 27. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ's Kingly Office Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING?
A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.
Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16.
Jesus Christ is of mi ...read
A Body of Divinity 28. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ's Humiliation In His Incarnation 'Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.' I Tim 3:16.
Q-xxvii: WHEREIN DID CHRIST'S HUMILIATION CONSIST?
A: In his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross.
Christ's humiliation consisted in his incarnation, h ...read
A Body of Divinity 29. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ's Exaltation 'Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, &c.' Phil 2:2.
We have before spoken of Christ's humiliation; we shall now speak of his exaltation. Before you saw the Sun of Righteousness in the eclipse; now you shall see it coming out of the eclipse, and shining in its full glory. Wherefore God has highly exal ...read
A Body of Divinity 30. The Covenant of Grace and its Mediator: Christ The Redeemer Q-xxx: HOW DOES THE SPIRIT APPLY TO US THE REDEMPTION PURCHASED BY CHRIST?
A: The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
In this answer there are two things. It is implied that Christ is the glorious purchaser of our redemption, in the words, T ...read
A Body of Divinity 31. The Application of Redemption: Faith 'The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.'
Gal 2:20.
The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us.
Christ is the glory, and faith in Christ the comfort, of the gospel.
What are the kinds of faith?
Fourfold: (1.) An historical or dogmatic faith, which is belie ...read
A Body of Divinity 32. The Application of Redemption: Effectual Calling 'Them he also called.' Rom 8:80.
Q-xxxi: WHAT IS EFFECTUAL CALLING?
A: It is a gracious work of the Spirit, whereby he causes us to embrace Christ freely, as he is offered to us in the gospel.
In this verse is the golden chain of salvation, made up of four links, of which one is vocation. Them he also called.' Calling is nova creatio, a ne ...read
A Body of Divinity 33. The Application of Redemption: Justification 'Being justified freely by his grace.' Rom 3:34.
Q-xxxiii: WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION?
A: It is an act of God's free grace, whereby he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, and received by faith alone.
Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An er ...read
A Body of Divinity 34. The Application of Redemption: Adoption 'As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' John 1:12.
Having spoken of the great points of faith and justification, we come next to adoption.
The qualification of the persons is, As many as received him.' Receiving is put for believing, as is clear by the last words, to th ...read
A Body of Divinity 35. The Application of Redemption: Sanctification 'For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.' I Thess 4:4.
The word sanctification signifies to consecrate and set apart to a holy use: thus they are sanctified persons who are separated from the world, and set apart for God's service. Sanctification has a privative and a positive part.
I. A privative part, which lies in the purgin ...read
A Body of Divinity 36. The Application of Redemption: Assurance Q-xxxvi: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WHICH FLOW FROM SANCTIFICATION?
A: Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.
The first benefit flowing from sanctification is assurance of God's love.
'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet 1:10. Sanctif ...read
A Body of Divinity 37. The Application of Redemption: Peace Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. I Pet 1:1.
Having spoken of the first fruit of sanctification, assurance, I proceed to the second, viz., Peace, Peace be multiplied:'
What are the several species or kinds of Peace?
Peace, in Scripture, is compared to a river which parts itself into two silver streams. Isa 66:12.
I. There is an ex ...read
A Body of Divinity 38. The Application of Redemption: Joy 'The fruit of the Spirit is joy.' Gal 5:52.
The third fruit of justification, adoption, and sanctification, is joy in the Holy Ghost. Joy is setting the soul upon the top of a pinnacle - it is the cream of the sincere milk of the word. Spiritual joy is a sweet and delightful passion, arising from the apprehension and feeling of some good, whereb ...read
A Body of Divinity 39. The Application of Redemption: Growth In Grace 'But grow in grace.' 2 Pet 3:38.
True grace is progressive, of a spreading and growing nature. It is with grace as with light; first, there is the crepusculum, or daybreak; then it shines brighter to the full meridian. A good Christian is like the crocodile. Quamdiu vivet crescit; he has never done growing. The saints are not only compared to st ...read
A Body of Divinity 40. The Application of Redemption: Perseverance 'Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.' I Pet 1:1.
The fifth and last fruit of sanctification, is perseverance in grace. The heavenly inheritance is kept for the saints, and they are kept to the inheritance. I Pet 1:1. The apostle asserts a saint's stability and permanence in grace. The saint's perseverance is much oppos ...read
Thomas Watson