own glory that he might in this way manifest that mystery of the Trinity and his glorious attributes yet this does not derogate from the greatness of Gods love in sending his Son to dye mans corrupt reason is ready to entertain diminitive thoughts of the compassions of God in this thing sometimes the heart reasons that God did it for his own glory but he could have glorified himself in mans ruine or he might have glorified his grace towards the Angels that fell and not towards man and certainly if God did it for his glory men do very ill to entertain any thoughts that do diminish from the glory of God sometimes the heart reasons that it would have been hard measure for God to have left mankind to have perished without providing a way of salvation seeing we came sinners into the world but it was upon no such account that God did it he was not conscious of any wrong in his dealings to man his dispensation towards mankind in punishing of them with the loss of his image for their sin in Adam and in imputing the sin of Adam is equal and righteous Rom. 3.23 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God men likewise reason sometimes against the riches of Gods grace in this thing from hence that sin don't hurt God but though it don't hurt him yet it wrongs him if a man should revile his Prince it may be it would not hurt him if he should throw stones at him as Shimei did at David yet he might not hurt him but he would wrong him greatly so sin is a great wrong unto God Psal 51.4 against thee thee only have I sinned and it is wonderful love for God to give his Son to dye for us John 3.16 so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. I shall pass by other considerations to help to shew the greatness of his love and onely select those five that serve to enforce the argument that lies before us 1. It was great love that God should send his son to endure such sore sufferings for us it was much that God should condescend upon any account that his Son should undergo such sufferings it was a great thing that God should be willing that Christ should be brought into such a condition when we consider the glorious excellency of his person and the dear love of the Father to him it may well be admired by us that God should find in his heart to put him upon such sufferings we may well conclude that those persons for whose sakes all this was were greatly beloved of God that the heart of God was mightily concerned in their good it was a great thing for the glorious Son of God to suffer any thing much more to bear what he did his suffering was very great he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.4 1. He suffered much pain though many men have endured more yet it was a great deal that the Son of God endured especially when he was cruelly scourged and after that crucified that manner of death was exquisitely painful Psal 22 16. they pierced my hands and my feeet the nailing of his body to the cross and the weight of his body being born by those wounded parts for so many hours could not be without exquisite pain he expresses it by his bones being out of joint Psal 22.14 it must needs be a terrible torture because persons that were crucified was not wont to be very long in that condition before they dyed The suddenness of their death could not be from the meer effusion of blood but the exquisiteness of their pain contributed much to it 2. He suffered much disgrace he endured all manner of indignities from men he of whom God said let all the Angels of God worship him subjected himself to great contempt they flouted at him mocked him made themselves sport in abusing him spit on him yea the punishments that were inflicted on him were very disgraceful such as were wont to be inflicted on the basest of men the death of the cross was a shameful death his enemies studied to render him vile and contemptible the Heathens were wont afterwards to upbraid the christians with their crucified God. 3. He suffered much inward trouble not onely from the sence he had of his outward troubles and from the temptations of the Devil but also from Gods withdrawing the sence of his savour putting into him the sence of his wrath the fiery wrath of God typified by that fire from heaven that consumed the sacrifices took hold of him as believers have great inward peace of conscience arising from his righteousness so had he great inward sorrow arising from the guilt of our sins he tells his Disciples that his soul was very sorrowful and very heavy even unto death Mat. 26.28 and as this was the occasion of his sweating great drops of blood so probably of his suddain death he dyed before the others that were crucified with him of which it is hard to assign any other reason than this that the sence of Gods wrath much hastened his death as God tells Moses that no man can see his sace and live that is the sight of Gods love and glory as the Saints see it in heaven is such that the nature of man in this state of mortality cannot bear it it would kill him to have such a sight so there is a parity of reason that the sence of Gods wrath in the extremity of it is too much for mortal man to bear and was the thing that hastened the death of Christ 4. He suffered a state of death and he continued in a state of death for some time his body and soul were rent asunder which state is contrary unto nature the union of body and soul was dissolved and his body left for a time stark dead and his soul in a preternatural estate of separation a state which nature does abhorr exceeding contrary to the instinct and inclination of nature 2. It was great love for God to send his son to dye for us when we had grievously offended him for we were looked upon under that consideration when God sent his Son to dye for our salvation 't is true ' that at that time some of the Elect were in heaven ' wholly saved from the guilt and pollution of sin others of them were not then born and so were uncapable of being actual offenders at that time but we were looked upon in that action as offenders for the sins of the Elect that were in heaven were not at that time satisfied for their debt was not paid And God certainly knew that the Elect that were to be born would be Offenders Christ when he died died for Transgressors Isa 53.6 all we like shee have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all for God to take such care of the salvation of man that had abused him and
and Acts 20.28 to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood To compleat the fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of a Mediator there were necessary some special qualifications of the humane nature especially holiness and wisdom his holiness was necessary unto all his Offices he would not have been fit to have executed his Prophetical Office without that he had need be holy and faithful that is to declare the mind of God to man without this he would not have him fit to have executed the Office of a King he that rules the world and judges mens eternal estate had need be holy without this he would not have been fit to have executed the Office of a Priest he that was to work out righteousness for others and satisfie for their sins must be holy and this qualification was perfect and compleat in Jesus Christ Heb 7.26 For such an High-priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Here Christ's holiness is set forth positiorly he was holy and negatively in three branches He was harmless free from actual sin undefiled that is free from original pollution separate from sinners free from that common sin of mankind which they committed in Adam the other qualification of wisdom was especially necessary unto the execution of his Prophetical and Kingly Offices this he needed an extraordinary measure of and God has furnished him suitably Joh. 5.34 God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him by which expression we are not to understand infinite gifts for the humane nature is not capable of an infinite qualification but extraordinary qualifications beyond what God does bestow on other men this was spoken concerning those gifts given him at the time of his Baptism when the Spirit rested on him and questionless are far exceeded by those gifts bestowed on him when he Ascended to the Right-hand of God. A second thing requisite unto the Mediatorly Office of Christ was the consent of the Fathor There was a necessity of his approbation that the Mediator might have authority to discharge his Office there could be no redemption without the consent of him whose prisoners we are and altho the sufferings of Christ were in their own nature a valuable consideration for our redemption yet there could not be satisfaction without the consent of God. God might not be imposed on nor any satisfaction obtruded upon him without his consent the Office of a Mediator as it implies authority over man so it implies subsection and subordination to God and accordingly in this work Christ is Gods servant Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold and the Scripture does give in abundant evidence that the Father did consent to this undertaking of Christs he is called Gods Elect Isa 42.1 mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth he was chosen by God to this work so he is said to be foreordained 1 Pet. 1.20 Christ did not intrude into this Office but was called of God Heb. 5.5 6. when he came into the world be was sent of God John 5.37 he came with a commission and it was under Gods hand and seal John 6.27 God has confirmed Christ in his Office be an Oath Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek The third thing requifite to the Mediatorly Office of Christ was his own consent It was not meet that such an Office should be forced upon him that it should be put upon him to dye for sinners without his own choice and that if we consider the innocency and excellency of his person but he did freely consent to take this task upon him his will as he is God is the same with the Fathers and as man he closed with it he voluntarily undertook this work of redeeming and saving sinners Heb. 10.6 then said I lo I come in the volumn of the book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Gal. 2 20. he loved me and gave himself for me John 10.18 no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self The consent of the Father and the Son is represented to us in Scripture after the manner of a covenant called by Divines the covenant of redemption in which transaction we may take notice of these five Articles 1. The Father promised to fit the son for the work of redemption by preparing an humane nature that so he might be capable of working out our redemption Heb. 1â— 5 a body thou hast prepared me his manifestation in the flesh was preordained 1 Pet. 1.20 2. The Son covenanted to answer the law for us that he would suffer for our sins and work out righteousness for us Mat 20.28 The Son of man came to give his life for a ransome for many John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and power to take it again and this Commandment have I received of my Father 3. The Father covenanted to accept the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ for the Elect that their debt should be remitted unto them and they saved thereby Isa 44.6 it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribe of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee to be a light unto the Gentiles that thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth Isa 53.10.11 12 when he shall make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. 4. The Father covenanted to invest him with full authority to accomplish the salvation of his redeemed ones and apply to them the benefits of his death and in order to this to advance his humane nature unto highest dignity and glory John 17.2 thou hast given him power over all flesh that he may give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Eph. 1.22 he hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be bead over all things to the Church 5. The Son covenanted fully to accomplish the salvation of all the Elect John 6.39 this is the will of the Father that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day These things were agreed to between the Father and the Son. The fifth Proposition for the clearing this Argument is That Christs work as Mediator was not to restore Man to his former condition but to bring him to Salvation Our primitive estate in Adam was an estate of innocency we were habitually holy without any offence probationers for glory neither in an estate of condemnation nor in an estate of justification and God if he had so pleased might have appointed Christ to have restored us to our primitive condition to have set us free from the guilt and power of sin and so might put us upon it to have wrought for our own blessedness again according to the tenor of the former Covenant but Christ
to heaven when there was a better path before sure God who is infinite in wisdom would not have provided a righteousness for sinners in Christ if they could provide one for themselves this providence of God does speak you to be under a dreadful mistake Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Rom. 8.3 4 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Gal. 2.16 5. This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is cross to Gods design the great design of God in pardoning and saving of sinners is to glorifie the riches of his grace to let the world understand what a gracious God he is God has other methods to glorifie his other attributes by the creation of the world by his giving of the Law by eternal punishments upon wicked men and angels he glorifies his power wisdom holiness and justice but notwithstanding these works of God the pardoning grace of God lay hid but he has contrived the salvation of sinful man as for the further manifestation of his other attributes so in special to make known the riches of his pardoning and saving grace Eph. 1.7 in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 2.7 speaking of the benefits we have by Christ he gives this as the reason That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus and this way of salvation by Christ and a proper means for the furthering of this end though Christ has purchased pardon and glory for us that does not hinder the manifestation of Gods grace for though our pardon and salvation be a due debt in respect of Christ yet it is a free gift in respect of us though there be a purchase yet not by us but God sent his Son to make that purchase for us Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord but when men seeks salvation by their own righteousness they seek it in a way directly repugnant to the design of God this is a way to exalt themselves and to rob God of his glory when men trust in themselves they glory in themselves they boast in their own excellency and not in the free grace of God for if it be of works then it is no more grace Rom. 11.6 the self-rightous man does cross Gods end if he should attain Salvation in that way God would miss his aim the self-righteous man takes a course to dash the counsels of God to pieces and make the design that was upon his heart in the salvation of Sinners come to nothing he seeks to overthrow this glorious contrivance of God for the advancement of the glory of his grace if man should have salvation as the fruit of his own earnings and the reward of his own deservings man would be blessed but the glory of grace would not be manifested Gods design would fall to the ground and the counsel of his heart for ever miscarry but the counsels of God stand for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive that God will not be true to his own design but gratifie the humors of men by saving of them in such a way as is destructive to it surely men are horribly stupid to expect salvation in such a way as will not stand with Gods design what ever hopes of this kind men feed themselves with they will end in disappointment if such men be not disappointed God must be disappointed CHAP. IX USE II. Examination Whether men do believe in the Righteousness of Christ VSE II. TO put you upon the Examination whether you do put your trust in the righteousness of Christ if so then you are in a safe condition and may stand before God another day with comfort in the great day of the Lord multitudes that have made a profession of Religion will miserably fail of their expectations and that upon this account that they want the Wedding Garment but although you have many failings yet if you believe in Christ you shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 all your Religion signifies nothing as to your salvation if you do not believe in Christ if you would know then what you are like to meet withal at the day of judgment whether you shall find acceptance with the Lord when tousands shall not try your selves by this whither you do believe on Jesus Christ there be some other wayes of trial from all those things that do accompany salvation but this is the principal way to which indeed all others are reduceable there be other properties that are evidential of a mans safety but this is the foundation evidence as that which gives him his right and title to salvation 1 Joh. 5.13 I have written to you that believe on the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life examin therefore whether you do indeed believe on the Son of God there be many that say they have Faith Jam 2.14 there be many pretenders to Faith there is as much deceit in the heart about Faith as about any other grace there are imitations and resemblances of Faith such as the Scripture does give the name of Faith unto Luk. 8.13 which for a while believe all sorts of men that make prosession of the Doctrine of salvation by Christ profane men profess this and self-righteous men profess this men that were never sensible that God was indeed angry with them and men that do imagine that they have pacified him are both of them pretenders to Faith in Christ men that do indeed trust in that that they never did much provoke God and men that trust in that they have pleased him again do both make profession of their Faith in Christ therefore it stands you in hand strictly to examine whether you do indeed believe in the righteousness of Christ And you may try it these several wayes 1. By the foregoing work of Humiliation 2. By the manner of the souls first closing with Christ 3. By the living a life of Faith on Christ Jesus 4. By that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ 1. Try your Faith by the foregoing work of Humiliation there is a preparatory work necessary before a sinners closing with Christ this is a work that comes between the rest of the foul in sin and the sinners accepting of Christ men do not immediately step out of a condition of quietness in sin into a state of salvation a tree must first be prepared bofore it be laid in the building the bodies at the resurrection must be prepared before life
be put into them so the heart of a sinner must be first prepared before it be united unto Christ Act 2.37 9.4 5 16.29 30 and hence the call of the Gospel is particularly directed to them that are prepared to such as are a thirst Isai 55.1 to such as are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 not but that it is other mens duty also to believe but because it is their next and immediate work to close with Christ whereas it is other mens next work to come off from the World and out of themselves in order to their closing with Christ There are two degrees of this preparation the first is a work of awakening whereby the sinner is convinced of a present necessity of peace and reconciliation with God whereby be is put upon a diligent use of all means in order to his salvation the other is Humiliation whereby the sinner is brought out of himself and off from all his carnal confidences to yield himself a Prisoner to God until the soul be thus humbled he is not capable of Faith men will not come to Christ till they are convinced of an absolute necessity of Christ men will never take salvation as a gift of free grace until they are convinced of the necessity of the free grace of God they that are whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Mat. 11.12 and they that conceit themselves whole do conceit that they don't need the Physitian men that do not come off from all their own confidences will not put their confidence in Christ and therefore until men have this work of Humiliation God does not open their eyes to see the offer of the Gospel so that whatsoever Faith men have that have not had a work of Humiliation their Faith is not of the right kind for this is the manner of God whenever he has fully prepared a soul for Faith by a work of Humiliation then to infuse Faith and many times he does it presently when he has by the wonderful work of his spirit prepared a sinner for Christ he does bestow Christ upon him though I dare not say there is any direct promise made to Humiliation in the Scripture a man is not an heir of the promises till he does believe yet universal experience does confirm it it seems to be in this case as in the work of nature when the Child in the womb is prepared for a soul God does alwayes infuse a soul into it though there be no such promise so where the sinner is prepared for Faith God does infuse that In order to your making use of this Trial we shall consider what this work of Humiliation is and the manner how it is wrought Question What is the work of Humiliation Answer 1. Negatively in two particulars 1. It is not a broken bleeding spirit for sin many men take it to be so and when they understand that they must be humbled before their coming to Christ they strive after this broken frame of spirit and when they find but little of it they complain they are not humbled enough and give that as a â—â—ason why they do not come to Christ but what sinners find this way is more like humility than humiliation men think if they could get much of this Spirit they should be prepared for Christ indeed but this is quite another thing from that humiliation that does go before Faith. Argument 1. This appears because an unregenerate man can't trnly mourn for sin from what principle should he do it before he is born again he may be grieved for it under other considerations as it exposes him to a great deal of misery here and hereafter yea as it is in it self evil but not as the greatest evil as it is against God to suppose that a man can sincerely mourn for sin before his conversion it is to suppose him converted before his conversion it is in regeneration that all the graces of the Spirit are implanted in the heart it is then that the heart of stone is taken away Ezek. 11.9 while men remain in a state of nature as they do under this work of humiliation it is absolutely beyond them to hate sin or mourn for sin nature improved by common conviction will never produce this effect every naturul man is dead in sin Eph. 2.1 all his works in religion are dead works Heh 9.14 there is no inclination in his heart to mourn for sin men must have a work of new creation upon them before they can do this Eph. 2.10 created in Christ Jesus unto good works Argument 2. While natural men seem to have relentings and breakings of heart for sin it is impossible but they should put their confidence therein as long as he does imagine that there are any good affections in himself he will be lifted up with them these affections will keep him from being humbled men will feed upon these husks as long as they can get them there is no bringing of a natural man out of his strong hold until it be thrown to the ground a bleeding heart is meat for carnal confidence there is that spirit of pride and slavish fear in natural men that as long as they can imagine any good in themselves they will hang upon it Rev. 3 17. thou sayest thou art rich and increased in goods Argument 3. When a man is indeed under the work of humiliation he sees he cannot mourn for sin he sees his mourning frames are gone he finds his heart shut up and the pangs of affection which he sometime had gone beyond recovery in order to the work of Humiliation God makes men to see their hard hearts and hence they are wont to complain when God is about to humble them that God has left them and is giving them over to an hard heart But it is one thing to be judiciously hardned another to have their eyes opened to see the natural hardness of their heart then a man sees that his heart is an heart of stone Argument 4. Mourning for sin is a fruit of reconciliation it folows upon the revealing of the mercy of God in Christ all the sorrow and shame that went before were meerly legal but evangelical repentance follows Faith men never come to have any genuine mourning for sin before they are converted all that went before was in hypocrisie but a spirit of repentance flows from faith and is peculiar to such as are reconciled Ezek. 6. ult thou shalt loath thy self when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou bast done saith the Lord God. 2. Humiliation is not a willingness to be damned some have thought that to be necessary and that this was humiliation some have thought they have attained to this and 't is possible that under some strong pang persons may find somewhat of this nature but certainly they did not know their own hearts in it neither does God require any such thing of men in order to their coming to