the world cannot purchase one inch of it He that dreames of buying Christ shall die without Christ II. Behold the sufficiency of Christ for spiritual life Two things are necessary for the bodily life food and rayment 1 Tim. 6. 8. Jesus Christ is both food and rayment He is set out as rayment in Baptisme Gal. 3. 27. and he is held out as food in the Sacrament of the Supper He is every way sufficient for all the concernments of the soule he feeds it he cloaths it and that with the best food and the best rayment with himself His flesh is meat his blood is drink his righteousnesse is cloathing substantial durable cloathing III. The misery of those that are without Christ All men are by nature strangers to Christ Eph. 2. 12. He that is without Christ is without spiritual rayment he is a naked man The Scripture calls the state of nature a state of nakednesse Ezek. 16. 4 8. and Rev. 3. 18. A naked condition is a miserable condition Nakednesse is a very comprehensive word A naked man is exposed to the scorn of every eye it s a shameful object Rev. 3. 18. A naked man is exposed to every storm every shower wets him every wind pierces him A naked man is unfit for employment he is neither fit to fight nor to labour Such as are without Christ are unspeakably miserable Their condition is full of shame their condition is full of danger they have nothing to cover them from Gods wrath from the devils rage They have nothing to warme their hearts when they are cold with feares terrors despaires and spiritual anguish A naked body amongst darâ—s and swords is not such a spectacle of compassion as a naked soule exposed to the arrows of Gods wrath They are as unfit for any work as the naked man is for labour and travel Vid. Esay 3. 6. he that is without Christ hath neither bread nor rayment IV. The misery of those that reject Christ None but mad men and barbarous men reject cloathing 'T is the character of a distracted mad-man to refuse raiment Vid. Luke 8. 27. You read a sad story of a man possessed with a Legion of devils and the text saith he wore no cloathes his madnesse is evidenced by that that he would suffer no cloathes to be put upon him for v. 35. When Christ had cured him the text saith he sate at the feet of Jesus cloathed and in his right minde 'T is a signe that that man is spiritually possessed with a Legion of devils that will not be cloathed with this spiritual garment And yet the world is full of these spiritual Bedlams They will go naked Let Ministers say what they will let the spirit of God use never so much importunity they will not be cloathed They will have none of Christ These garments are hanged out every day in the publick market yea men are intreated to take them even without money and yet they will not Is it not just that such men should be buried in hell in their own rags that will not embrace Christ that they may be cloathed with eternal salvation V. None so well arrayed as Saints Dives had purple c. Luke 16. 19. They have Christ VI. Here is comfort for poor Christians counsel for proud men you that will have the best apparel and new fashion VII When you put on your garments think of Christ A serious Christian may spirituallize every thing he useth or beholds VIII Hinder none from Christ Exod. 22. 27 28. Job 24. 7. Amos 2. 8. Doct. 2. ' Its the duty of men to put on the Lord Jesus Christ This is often recommended to us in Scripture Two things I shall briefly open 1. What it is to put on Christ How we must put him on 2. Why we must put him on 1. Christ is put on two wayes There is a double putting on of Christ 1. A putting on of Christ for justification When by faith we apply him unto our selves by faith for righteousnesse The Apostle tells us that Christ is made unto us of God justification 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is called Jehovah our righteousnesse Jer. 23 6. 'T is by his righteousnesse that the beleever is constituted righteous in foro Dei which is by an act of grace of God imputing and reckoning this perfect righteousnesse of Christ unto him as his own righteousnesse Now then doth a person put on Christ when by an act of faith he doth apply Christ and his righteousnesse unto himself for justification This was that which the Apostle desired Phil. 3. 9 That he might be found in Christ not having his own righteousnesse which is by the Law but that which is by the faith of Iesus Christ the righteousnesse of God by faith When this righteousnesse is actually applied received relied upon then is Christ put on This is one piece 2. A putting on of Christ by imitation When we imitate the gracious life of Christ This refers to Sanctification and new obedience To put on Christ is virtute Spiritus Christi undique nos munire quâ idonei ad omnes partes sanctitatis reddamur Calvin And so Erasmus In as much as ye are spiritually ingraffed into Christ hunc ipsum induite eluceat in omni vitâ quem sitis professi exprimite quem imbibistis c. Zuinglius When we apply his righteousnesse for our justification when we put on his example and expresse his vertues in a course of sanctification then and not till then do we put on Christ as the Scripture requires II. Why we must put him on There is good reason I might be large in each but I shall onely give general Reasons 1. Christ is of no effect to us if we do not put him on Garments neither warm nor cover nor defend nor adorne the body if they be not put on Christ is rendred invalid to such as do not apply him His righteousnesse will not justifie you if you do not by faith put it on as a garment His holy life will do you no good if you do not imitate it His righteousnesse will perish as to you his vertues will be lost as to you if you do not actually put on both The Apostle speaks of making Christ of no effect Gal. 5. 4. 2. If we do not put on Christ both these wayes we can have no hopes of salvation If Jesus Christ be not put on for righteousnesse there is no remission of sinne All our guilt is imputed to our selves 'T is by the imputation of his righteousnesse that our sins are covered Rom. 5. 20. And where there is no remission there can be no salvation And if we do not put on the vertues of Christ in a course of sanctification we can have no Scripture-hope of heaven The Apostle is expresse for this He that hath this hope purifieth himself as Christ is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. Our Justification is by Christs righteousnesse and our Sanctification is an evidence of our Justification
others but an unmeasurable fulnesse of all grace A fulnesse of redundancy which from him might flow out to all the Elect for the filling of them with a fulness of sufficiency Of this the Scripture speaks John 3. 34. and Iohn 1. 16. In all these respects God hath raised him up to be a Horne of salvation Thus much for the opening of the Doctrine The Uses of this Doctrine Vse 1. For Information in two things First The miserable condition of those that are without Iesus Christ Who are without Christ Not onely Jewes and Turks and Pagans but all unbeleevers in the Church Whosoever is without true saving faith is without Christ 'T is faith that makes Christ Actually ours Faith unites us to Christ and Christ to us Their misery is very great Christ is a horn of salvation the onely Horn of salvation he that is without Christ is without salvation God hath put the salvation of men into Christs hands 1 Iohn 5. 11. He hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne And he that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life ver 12. God himself cannot save him that is without an interest in Christ He hath set down this way of salvation and he cannot deny himself It is a question amongst the Schoolmen whether God could have saved sinners without Christs satisfaction They generally conclude upon good grounds that he might but now 't is not so much as a question God hath resolved that whosoever is saved shall be saved by Christ and without mutability he cannot save men another way Better never to have seen the light then to die without an interest in Christ And he that doth not beleeve truely in him hath no saving interest in him Iohn 3. 18. How shall I know whether I do truly beleeve or no I shall here to help you lay down a twofold note of true faith 1. It is a heart-purifying grace This effect of faith the Apostle mentions in Acts 15. 9. Whosoever hath true faith in Christ will find his heart purified and cleansed thereby The efficient cause of the purification of the heart is the Spirit of God who is called the Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2. â—3 The 〈◊〉 cause is Christs blood 1 Iohn â— 7. The instrumental cause is faith This grace purifies the hearâ—â— as it is an instrument whereby the blood of Christ which purifies is conveyed to the soul and as it doth take hold upon the promise of cleansing the promise is I will sprinkle clean water Ezek. 36. 25. Faith applies this promise and improves and so purifies the heart If you have not purification of heart you have not faith and if you have not faith you have not Christ as a Horne of salvation Now that heart may be said to be purified that hath these three properties 1. If it bewaile impurity Impurity that is truly lamented is in Gods account as if it were removed Rom. 7. 23 24. If thy pollution be thy greatest burden thy heart is purified in Gods sight 2. If it be cautious of every thing that may defile A heart that is purified dares not willingly come neere any defiling puddle it will avoid occasions temptations of defilement Iob 31. 1. Carefulnesse of shunning defilement is an infallible note of purification 3. If it be through inadvertency defiled it will not be quiet till it be made clean A purified heart cannot lie in any uncleannesse when God hath once discovered it to him Thus David when he saw his pollution with what earnestnesse doth he run to the Laver that he may be washed Ps 51. 2 7. 2. Saving faith hath very high and precious thoughts of Christ This character is laid down by the Apostle in 1 Pet. 2. 7. No unbeleever can truly have precious thoughts of Christ nay they have low thoughts of him as 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and Cant. â— 9. Try your faith by this note Now if Christ be truly precious 1 He shall reigâ—â— and rule over thee His precepts will be as precious as his promises His Sovereignty will be as precious as his sacrifice his yoke will be as desirable as his merits the Apostle opposeth saith and disobedience 1 Pet. 2. 7. Where Christ is disobeyed he is not beleeved in 2 If Christ be truly precious to thee his dishonours will pierce thy soul The dishonours done to him in his truths worship government will be a greater grief to thy heart then all the dishonours that are done unto thy selfe 3 If Christ be truly precious to thee it will be thy meat and drink to do him any service Thou wilt make it thy study to set him up and to make him great where ever thou comest 4 If Christ be precious to thee all his Ordinances will be precious Thou wilt have a high esteeme of his Word of his Sacraments of his Sabbaths and that for his sake who hath instituted these things If it be not thus with thee thou art an unbeleever and if an unbeleever thou hast for present no saving interest in him that is the horne of salvation Secondly The impossibility of the perishing of any of the Elect. Their eternal salvation is a thing of absolute certainty They can never perish They may seem to be lost sometimes in their own apprehension I said saith Jonah I am cast out of thy sight Jonah 2. 4. He was in his own eyes as if he had been a cast-aâ—ay 〈…〉 impossible it should be so as in other 〈…〉 so in this because Christ is the horne of their salvation He that hath wrought their salvation is able to preserve salvation for them and them for salvation If Christ be able to save you ye shall be saved When you look upon that in your selves that may seem to hinder your salvation look upon that that is in Christ to maintain your salvation You shall be as certainly saved as Christ himself is saved Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. John 17. 24. Your salvation is now fully accomplished he that was able to accomplish your salvation is able much more to apply it now it is accomplished Consider these seven Notions to make this out 1 Christ will not lose the merit of his blood nor be deprived of the end of his death and he must do both these if one of his Elect should miss of salvation 2 Christ did not conquer for the Devil but from the Devil Christ will not be at the charge and cost of redemption and when he hath done suffer the devil to go away with the spoile 3 Christ will not impoverish himself to enrich the Devil and impoverished he should be if one of the Elect should perish for every Saint helps to make up his mystical fulnesse So the Apostle tells us Eph. 1. ult 4 Iesus Christ will not rob his Father to enrich the Devil Now if
both thee and them How unable is that to expiate sin which doth it selfe stand in need of expiation 3. The Popish purgatory is also a direct despising of this fountaine it reproaches Christs purgatory as if it were not sufficient contrary to Heb. 1. 3. 3. The Socinians despise this fountaine in that they deny Christ to be a price for sinne They say Christ did not suffer vice nostâ—â in our stead but onely commodo nostro for our profit to be as an example to us We deny not but that Christ by his sufferings hath left us an example of patient sufferings The Apostle is expresse for this 1 Pet. 2. 21. but this was but an inferior and lesse principal end of his sufferings We have benefit by Pauls death and all other Saints but the principal end was to be a propitiation for sinne Therefore he is called a ransome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. A counterprize because the end of his sufferings was to satisfie the justice of God for our sins The Apostle saith That he himself bare our sinnes in his body on the crosse and by his stripes we are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. If Christ did not suffer in our stead as well as in our nature we must suffer and satisfie for our selves God will have satisfaction but the Scripture saith and let us for our comfort beleeve it That he was wounded for our sinnes he was brâ—â—â—sed for our offences the chastisemenâ— of our peace was on him and that God hath laid on him the iniquity of us â—ll Esay 53. 5 6. 4. All unbleevers that make no use of this fâ—untain are guilty of despising it Though men do not with the Jews wash in the blood of bulls or with Papists make other expiatories either of the Masse or Purgatory nor with Socinians deny the satisfaction of his blood yet if we reject the â—enders of grace in and through his blood made in the Gospel we do despise it as much as they The Prophet makes not beleeving in Christ and despising of Christ equivalent Esay 53. 1 3. There is no medium between not beleeving and despising I have two things to say to all that despise this fountain First It is a great sinne 'T is a despising of the richest love the deepest wisdom the gloriousest grace that ever God did or could manifest to the sâ—nnes of men The washing away of sinne by Christs blood is the deepest plot of infinite wisdome the richest piece of unsearchable grace that ever was manifested to the sons of men 'T is that which the Angels do and shall study for ever Secondly The danger is great He that despiseth Christ despiseth cleansing All that hate me love death Prov. 8. 38. 'T is a question disputed by Divines whether God could have forgiven sinne without satisfaction Most conclude God by his absolute power might but now he hath declared himself that he will not expiate sinne any other way nor by any other meanes but by Christ whom he hath set forth to be a propitiation for sinne Rom. 3. 25. Therefore he that refuseth to wash in this fountain must of necessiâ—y perish in his own filthinesse Behold ye despisers saith the Apostle and wonder and perish Acts 13. 41. God himself cannot now save him that rejects Christs blood 2. Let the opening of this fountaine occasion the opening of other fountainâ— in all our hearts Deep calleth unto deep Psal 42. 7. There are five fountains which the consideration of the opening of this fountaine should open in the heart of every beleever 1 A fountain of love We should set this fountaine wide open both to God and Christ It was love that set open this fountain Rev. 1. 7. and it should work love in us towards him again we are commanded to love Christ We are threatned with a curse if we love him not in 1 Cor. 16. 22. The streams of this fountaine if any thing will cause the springs of love to overflow in our hearts 2. A fountain of thankfulnesse The Apostle speaking of the redemption we have by Christs blood begins with Benedictus Deus Ephes 1. 3. We are unworthy to wash in this fountaine if we do not daily render praises to God and Christ for it Ordinary thankfulnesse will not serve for such an extraordinary fountain We owe much thankfulnesse to God for the fountains of common water and much more for this fountain of Grace in the blood of Christ Sing Davids song of praise Psal 103. init Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Our hearts if it were possible and our lips too should be as full of praises as this fountain is of grace 3. A fountaine of sorrow This fountain shews our guilt We should not have wanted a fountain for sin if we had not fallen into sin We should never think on this fountaine for sinne but we should break forth into sorrow because of sin 4. A fountain of faith We can neither wash in this fountain nor go to it without faith Christ will be to us still as a fountaine sealed if we do not beleeve in him In his Name through faith in his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall have remission of sins Acts 10. 43. This is the testimony both of Prophets and Apostles And then 5. A fountain of humility and self denyal By nature we have proud thoughts of our selves All the good which is wrought in us we arrogate to our selves This should teach us to ascribe all our purification to Christ 'T is this fountaine that hath cleansed us if we be cleansed The fountain is opened to our hands We could neither open the fountain nor come to the fountain God hath done both This is the second branch of Exhortation 3. Make daily use of this fountain Bathe your selves in it continually Though once washing be enough to purge away sin as to the maine work yet there will be need of daily purging Though we need no new sacrifice for sinne yet we need daily applications of the merit of that one sacrifice upon every miscarriage 4. When ever you see a fountaine of water think on Jesus Christ Had we spiritual hearts we might think on Christ all the day long few creatures but have some memorial of him He bears the names of his people upon his breast Should not we bear him in our heart by holy thoughts and mediations on him The more we think on him the more shall we love him and the more will he communicate his love to us This is the second Use 3. For Consolation This Doctrine is the foundation of all comfort to beleevers 1. Against that bitter fountaine which is in our hearts We have a bloody fountain in our nature which is alwayes running The droppings of this fountain defâ—le us defile our services Well oppose this fountain to that fountain Gods fountain is more able to cleanse then this fountain is to defile This fountain can drown thy fountain Christ is a greater cleanser then sin is a defiler Micah 7. 19. The sea of Christs blood is deep enough to drown all thy sins Though thy fountain defile thee daily yet Christs fountain can cleanse thee daily 2. Against their inability to make use of this fountain They are discouraged because of the obstructions which lie in their way This text tells you they are all done away the fountain is not â—ealed it stands wide open day and night FINIS
God will hear me So in that other sad case they did wait for deliverance though God hid his face from them Esay 8. 17. The people were in great distraction because of Senacherib's Army and many waited on Rezin and Remaliahs sonne yet did the true beleevers wait on God for salvation This is the duty this hath been the practice of godly men in all ages In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open two things 1. What 's meant by waiting for a promise 2. Why the people of God do wait on God for the fulfilling of his promises 1. For the first Waiting on God for the fulfilling of his promises comprehends these three things 1. A firme beleeving that the thing shall comâ— to passe Waiting is the acting of hope and the foundation of hope is faith Faith is the substance of things hoped for Hâ—b 11. 1. 'T is impossible the soul should wait on God for that which it doth not firmly beleeve shall be made good by God Abraham would never have waited for a sonne of promise if he had not first beleeved the promise of a Sonne Simeon could not have expected the consolation of Israel if he had not first beleeved the promise of God for the birth of him who was the Consolation of Israel Take away the belief of the promise and waiting for it ceaseth 'T is not an act either of Grace or Reason but of â—olly and madness to wait for that which is not first beleeved This is the first 2. A patient tarrying of the Lords leisure Waiting on God for a promise is an act of patience as well as faith He that beleeveth makes not haste Esay 28. 26. and he that waiteth makes not haste He that would have a promise fulfilled one day before Gods time is not a waiter but a Commander The holy Ghost describes waiting on God for a promise by tarrying till it be made good Hab. 2. 3. He was a wicked man who said Why should I wait on God any longer 2 King 6 33. True waiting doth not limit the holy One of Israel either for manner or time Râ—st on the Lord wait patiently that 's Davids counsel Psal 37. 7. Daniel waited for the fulfilling of that promise of the Churches deliverance out of Babylon till the set time came Psal â—â— 2. 13 which was pen'd by David Waiting on God is called by David a being silent to God Psal 62. 1. A quick eye and a silent tongue becomes him that waits on God He that waits on God may pray for the hastening of the promise but the conclusion of all might be not when I will but when God will Our Saviour tells his Apostles what it is to wait on God â—ct 1 4. Tarry at Jerusalem saith â—e and wait for the promiâ—e of the Father He that sets God a time to fulfilâ— his promise doth not wait for a promise but steale a promise The Church expresseth well the nature of true waiting upon God Psalme 123. 2. Our eyes wait upon the Lord until that he have mercy upon us 3. An earnest desire to have the promise made good Patient waiting forbids murmuring but it doth not forbid desire Waiting for a promise cannot be without hungring after the promise The Church in Psal 123. 2. Was contented to stay Gods time yet in the next verse she expresseth her desire Have mercy upon us O Lord have mercy upon us The Apostle expounds waiting by a word signifying desire 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hastning â—â—to the coming of thâ— day of God There is a two fold hastening of a promised good The one arising from impatience The other arising from desire now though waiters must not hasten any good with a hastening of impaâ—ience yet they may and must hasten it with a hastening of desire To hasten any good which God hath promised out of discontent argues distrust of God but not to hasten out of ardent desires argues some sleighting of the good promised I have longed for thy salvation O Lord saith the Prophet Ps 119. 174. Longing is the very height and extremity of desire A waiter may not be a limiter of God but he may be a pâ—titioner unto God for the fulfilling of his promise The Scripture expresseth waiting by a word which signifies heat of desire Rom 8. 19. The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies waiting or looking with a stretched out neck As a prisoner looks for an expected pardon or as a man looks for a friend whom he hath long expected and would gladly see This vehement desire for the fulfilling of the promise is to be expressed 1 By frequent musings and meditations The â—oul must have its thoughts much upon the promise What David saith of the Precepts of God that they are alwayes before him so we must say and so must we do with the promises of God they must be ever before us we must meditate on them all the day long 2 By â—ervent prayer Patience in waiting for a promise and passionate earnestnesse in praying for the fulfilling of it are not inconsistent We must daily beg of God that he would give being to his promises We must say with the Church Come away my beloved c. Cant. 8. ult 3 By careful use of all lawful means to make good the condition of the promise We must be as earnest to do what God hath commanded as to enjoy the good which God hath promised This is the first particular 2. For the second Why godly men do thus wait for the good which God hath promised I shall name a seven-fold Reason First They know their selves to be servants Servants must wait upon their Masters for the good they expect Psal 1â—3 2. The people of God know they are but servants and servants that do depend upon the free will of God for every thing this makes them willing to wait on God He that will not wait on God denies himself to be a servant and denies God to be his Masterâ— Luke 12. 35 36. And then Secondly They know God hath given theâ— both faith and hope for this purpose that they may wait on him Waiting is nothing else but the acting of hope A childe of God would not have any grace lie idle in his soule He knows God hath given every grace for exercise Not to employ and act grace received is to abuse grace received A childe of God would not abuâ—e a thing so exceâ—â—nt as hope is Now he knows that hope is given to enable him to waite for the fulfilling of promises Ergo. And Thirdly They know in some measure what a great sinne it is not to wait To refuse to wait on God for the fulfilling of his promise is to slight God to undervalue the promise as if there were nothing in it worth our waiting for A man cannot lightly disparage either God or his promises more professedly then by refusing to