a Kingdom that cannot be shaken of which none can dispossess us our Sufferings may be many long and grievous but then all will be at an end when Christ shall place us at his right hand Heb. 6.19 Which Hope have we as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil We have a sure Anchor in the stormy gusts of Temptations 1 Thes. 5.8 Let us put on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation and Eph. 6.17 And take the Helmet of Salvation Hope is our Helmet in the dreadful day of Battel As long as we can lift up our heads and look to Heaven we should patiently bear all Calamities We shall at last hear this Blessed Voice Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World SERMON XXII MATTH XXV v. 35 36. For I was an Hungred and ye gave me Meat I was Thirsty and ye gave me Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye Cloathed me I was Sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came unto me WE have seen the Sentence now the Reason of the Sentence For The Illative Particle sheweth that many like the Sentence would be glad to be entertained with a Come ye blessed of my Father But turn back upon the Reason to Visit Feed and Cloath they have no mind or to any other serious Duties and Acts of Faith and Self-denyal but we must regard both and I hope in a business of such moment you will not be skittish and impatient of the word of Exhortation I shall first Vindicate the words and then give you some Observations from them First Vindicate them and assert their proper sense and intendment for upon the Reading four Doubts may arise in your minds 1. That good Works are the reason of this Sentence 2. That the good Works of the Faithful are only mentioned and not the evil they have committed 3. That only works of Mercy or the fruits of Love are specified 4. All cannot express their Love and Self-denyal this way Let me clear these things and our way will be the more easie and smooth afterward I. For the first Doubt That works are assigned as the reason of the Sentence of Absolution For the Papists thence inferr their Merit and causal influence upon Eternal Life I Answer 1. 'T is one thing to give a Reason of the Sentence another to express the Cause of the Benefit received and adjudged to us by that Sentence A Charter may be given to a sort of People out of meer grace and Priviledges promised to all such as are under such a qualification though that qualification no way mâ—riteth those Priviledges and that Grace promised As if a King should offer Pardon and Preferment to Rebels that lay down their Arms and return to their Duty and Allegiance and live in such bounds their returning to their Duty doth not merit this Pardon for it was a meer act of Grace in the Prince much less doth their return to their Duty and living peaceably within their ancient bounds merit the Honours and Advancement promised yet this is pleadable in Court and the Judge that taketh knowledge of the Cause taketh the Reason of his Sentence from their peaceable Living within their bounds whereby he Judgeth them capable of the Honours promised and expected So here God of his meer Grace promiseth the Pardon of our Sins and to bestow upon us Eternal life if we Believe and Repent and return to the Duty we owed him by our Creation Our Obedience is not the Cause of our Pardon or of our right to Glory but his free Promise but yet this qualification must be taken notice of by our Judge in the great day as the Reason of his Sentence The sprinkling of the Door-posts with Blood was not a proper cause to move the destroying Angel to pass over but according to that Rule he must proceed the admitting all that have a Ticket to any Solemnity is not the Cause why they are worthy to be received This is clear that a Person is justified in some other way than a Sentence is justified These works are produced to justifie the Righteousness of his Sentence before the whole World A Sinner is justified by Faith Christ's Sentence by the Believers Obedience 2. That Works merit not the Blessings promised and adjudged to us is evident For they are due Luke 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable Servants ne have done that which was our Duty to doe And they are imperfect Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect And they are Gifts of God for which we ought to give him thanks 2 Cor. 8.1 A Grace of God bestowed on us and Gifts have no Equality with the Reward Rom. 8.18 And they are done by Servants redeemed by an Infinite Price 1 Pet. 1.19 With the Precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot being already appointed Heirs of Eternal Life Rom. 8.17 Deserving eternal Death Rom. 6.17 and that need continually implore the Mercy of God for the Pardon of Sin So much as you ascribe to mans Merit so much you detract from the Grace of God And the more sin is acknowledged the more Illustrious is Grace Rom. 5.20 Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound You cross the Counsel of God all glorying in himself 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his presence And Deut. 9.4 5 6. Speak not thou in thy Heart after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying For my Righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this Land but for the wickedness of these Nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee Not for thy Righteousness or for the uprightness of thine heart dost thou go to possess their Land But for the wickedness of these Nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy Righteousness for thou art a stiff-necked People 3. That Works are produced as the undoubted Evidences and Fruits of a true and sound Faith Justification is opposed to Accusation before Gods Tribunal A double Accusation may be brought against us That we are Sinners or guilty of the breach of the first Covenant And that we are no sound Believers having not fulfilled the Conditions of the Second From the first Accusation we are justified by Faith From the latter we are justified by Works and that not only in this World but in the day of Judgment Christs Commission and Charge is to give Eternal Life to true Believers and the Mark of true
not only came into our Natures but he must come into our Hearts This Union is common to all tho I confess it is only reckoned and imputed to the sanctified Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren And to the Children of God Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same 9. It is not a mixture as if Christ and we were confounded and mingled our Substances together That is a gross Thought and suiteth with the Carnal Fancies of a Corporal eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood We are not mixed his Substance with ours and ours with his he remaining still a distinct Person and we distinct Persons 10. It is not a Personal Union as of the two Natures in the Person of Christ. We are not united to Christ so as to make one Person but one Mystical Body 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ. The whole is Christ Mystical but every Believer is not Christ. Thus I have endeavoured to remove all gross and unworthy Thoughts But now Secondly Positively What it is I Answer We cannot fully tell till we come to Heaven then we shall have perfect knowledg of it then Christ is all in all John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you Then our Union is at the height But for the present we may call it an Union of Concretion and Coalition for we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 planted into him Rom. 6.5 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joined to the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 It is immediatly with Christ we are united to Father and Spirit but by Christ as the Foot is united to the Head but by the intervention of other Members So we are united to the Father and the Spirit but by Christ as an Arm or Foot of the Son belongeth to the Father but as the Son belongeth to the Father The Love of the Father is the Moving Cause of it the Spirit is the Efficient Cause of it but it is with Christ. And it is by way of Coalition as things are united So as they may grow and live in another as the Branches grow in the Vine and the Members being animated and quickned by the Soul grow in the Body so are we united with Christ as our Vital Principle that we may live and grow in him that we might live in him Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and grow in him Ephes. 4.15 16. But speaking the Truth in Love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ. From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love So that this is enough in general to call it an Union of Concretion and Coalition such an Union whereby Christ remaineth and liveth and dwelleth in us as a Vital Principle As the Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cause and Principle of Life to the Body so is Christ to us Before God breathed the Soul into Adam his Body tho otherwise organized and formed lay but as a dead Lump without Breath and Life but no sooner was the Soul put into him but he began to live So Christ being mystically united inableth us to live to act to grow and increase more and more More particularly to open it to you is hard because it is a great Mystery Life Natural is a Mystery not sufficiently explained much more Life Spiritual But now First I shall shew how it is wrought and brought about and in what Order For there is a difficulty there to be cleared For since Union is said to be by Faith Ephes. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith And Faith is an Act of Spiritual Life it seemeth there is Life before our Union with Christ So that this Union seemeth to be the Effect rather than the Cause of the Spiritual Life and some say it is the Effect of the Beginning and the Cause of the Continuance and Increase of it and conceive the Order thus That Christ is offered in the Gospel and by receiving Christ we come to be united to him and then to be possessed of his Righteousness and receive further influences of Grace and that the first beginning of Spiritual Life is not from Union but Regeneration by virtue of which Faith is given to us that we may be united to Christ. But I suppose this Method is not right Briefly then for the manner and order how it is wrought take it thus Union it is by the Spirit on Christ's part and Faith on ours he beginneth with us as the most worthy as having a quickning and life-making Power in himself 1 Cor. 15.45 The last Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickning Spirit By the Spirit he infuseth Spiritual Life the first Act of which is Faith that is the first Grace that acteth upon Christ and maketh the Union reciprocal that so in him we may have Righteousness and Grace Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith All Graces flow from Union with Christ so doth Faith Believing is an Act of the Spiritual Life but it is at the same instant of time and not before The first Band of Union is the Spirit for the Gift of the Spirit is the Cause of Faith and every Cause is before the Effect in Nature tho not in Time for Positâ causâ in actu ponitur effectus But the Spirit is not given us in the least moment of Time before the being of Faith for the Spirit being infused immediatly excites Faith to take hold of Christ. Secondly What is that Act of Faith by which we close with Christ I Answer The apprehending embracing taking hold of Christ To as many as received him c. John 1.12 trusting him with our Souls that is the Faith that gives us an Interest in Gospel-Privileges But what is this receiving Christ I Answer Receiving presupposeth Offering it is a Consent to what is offered an Accepting of what is given Receiving is a word used in Contracts and noteth the Consent of one Part to the Terms which the other offereth The Scripture chiefly delighteth in the Similitude of the Matrimonial Contract as a Woman accepteth a Man for her Husband so do we receive Christ. When a Man's Affections are set upon a Woman he sendeth Spokesmen to tell her of his Love and that he is ready to give her an Interest in himself
is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead To convert Souls to God there needeth a mighty working of efficacious Power which exceedeth all contrary power which might hinder and impede that work Men by Nature are averse from God the Devil seeketh to detain them from him and his powerful Engine is the World But now if they are to be raised as Christ was raised what can oppose this work So that we have not only the Merit of his Humiliation but the Power of his Exaltation And besides that this Power is likely to be exercised for us we may consider that Christ is said to rise by his own Power Joh. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up Joh. 10.17 I lay down my life that I may take it again and to be raised by the Power of his Father which noteth Authority to rise again and having fully done his work upon which account he is said to be brought again from the dead Heb. 13.20 and the Apostle inferreth from thence vers 21. Being made perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Now if both these be implied in Baptism it doth mightily oblige the Parties baptized to look after the effect of these two Acts of Christ Mediation for Christians should not only believe the Death and Resurrection of Christ but feel it by the Merit of his Death and Efficacy of his Resurrection we obtain this new life and both are the causes of our dying to sin and living to God Secondly What it sealeth or confirmeth The new Covenant wherein God hath promised the gift of the Spirit to renew sanctifie and heal all those that enter into it We have the Grace to destroy sin by virtue of the Death and Burial of Christ but the Promises are in the new Covenant That the new Covenant is sealed in Baptism see Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall de damned Now the great Promise of the new Covenant is the Spirit to renew and cleanse the Soul Surely this is properly signified in Baptism Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God And Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost As the body is washed with water without so is the Soul cleansed by the Spirit within As at the Baptism of our Saviour the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him was a visible Pledge of what should be done afterward for at his Baptism the fruit of all Baptisms was visibly represented we are admitted Children of his Family as Christ was declared to be the well beloved Son of God Mat. 3.17 and we have the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father As God promiseth to pour out water on him that is thirsty and floods on the dry ground so to pour out his Spirit on the seed and his blessing upon thy off-spring Isa. 44.3 And the Spirit it self is figured by Water Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a-thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Now unless we will receive this Grace in vain we are bound to wait for and obey the Spirits motions either by way of restraint or excitation Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God we that pretend to come to God for this Promise of the Spirit as in Baptism we do Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Thirdly It obligeth as there is a kind of undertaking to shew forth the likeness of Christs Death and Resurrection by our submission to it Our receiving Baptism implieth two things 1. A publick and open Profession 2. A solemn Bond wherewith we bind our Souls 1. A publick and open Profession wherein we profess a Communion with Christs Death and Resurrection or to dye and rise with Christ. In the general that Baptism is an open Profession for it is required as a sign of the Faith that is in our hearts Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation And Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost As Circumcision was the Badge of the Jewish Profession so is Baptism of the Profession of Christianity Therefore the Jews are called Circumcision and we are called the purified people Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and those that are purged from their sins 2 Pet. 1.9 And more distinctly what we profess is plain and evident in this Ordinance we profess to dye and rise with Christ. 1. Death yea in the Text not only and simply to be dead but to be buried with Christ. If Baptism expresseth an image of Burial and every Burial supposeth Death not only of Christ but us surely we are bound not only to dye unto sin at first but to make our mortification more thorough and constant for as Burial noteth the continuance of Christs Death so should we persevere and increase in the mortification of sin for Burial is a continued dying to sin we should not only renounce and give over all the sins of our former lives but presevere in this resolution and increase in our endeavour against sin daily A Christian living in sin and serving his lusts is like a Spectre and Ghost arisen out of the grave 2. So for Christs Resurrection In this Ordinance we profess to rise again with Christ and therefore should not only put off the old Man or body of sin but have an earnest impulsion within our selves to the duties of Holiness and
lowly in heart For Obedience Heb. 5.8 Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered For Patience and Self-denial 1 Pet. 2.21 23. Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Thus in his Graces must we resemble him 2. In his States of Humiliation and Exaltation wherein we must be content to follow him who first suffered and then entred into the Glory that he spake of His people are usually afflicted persecuted slandered now they must suffer all for the hopes of a better life because therein they do but follow the Captain of their Salvation who was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 And if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together Rom. 8.17 So 2 Tim. 2.11 12. If we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also reign with him 2 Cor. 4.10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh And in many other places where Christs Pattern is urged to bespeak our Patience and incourage our Hopes that we may bear his Cross after him with an hope of those endless Joys which our Redeemer now possesseth He first endured the shame Heb. 12.2 and was misrepresented in the World as we are but at length was vindicated being mightily declared to be the Son of God with power 3. In the special Acts of his Mediation which are his Death and Resurrection These are of special consideration for these are not barely a Pattern propounded to our imitation but have a great influence upon our dying to sin and living to Holiness To clear this let me note to you That effects of Grace in us are ascribed to those Acts of Christs Mediation which carry most correspondence with them thus our Mortification is referred to Christs dying and our Vivification to his Resurrection unto life our heavenly mindedness to his Ascension So that all Christs Acts are spiritually verified in us we dye to sin as Christ dyed for sin and rise again to newness of life as Christ rising from the dead liveth a new kind of life to what he did before Let us a little state the dependence of the one upon the other Our Acts depend on Christ four ways 1. As the Effect on the Cause 2. As the thing purchased on the Price 3. As the Copy on the Pattern 4. As the thing promised on the Pledge thereof 1. As the Effect on the Cause By the same virtue by which Christ was raised from the dead by the same Almighty Power are we raised to newness of life the same Almighty Power is engaged for working Grace and carrying on Grace and perfecting Grace in Believers which wrought in Christ when he was raised from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. According to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Compared with Rom. 6.4 Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life 2. As the thing purchased on the Price All Christs Actions have an aspect on his Merit The Foundation was laid in his Death This Resurrection evidenceth that this Purchace holdeth good in Heaven and that his Merit Ransom and Satisfaction are perfect Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification 3. As the Copy on the Pattern or Original Christ dying and rising in our Nature is a Pattern to which all the Heirs of Promise must be conformed as the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 15.23 First Christ then they that are Christs 4. As a thing promised on the Pledge thereof Christ dying is a Pledge of our dying to sin and his rising a Pledge of our rising to Holiness first and Glory afterwards Therefore our old man is said to be crucified with him Rom. 6.6 and we are said to sit down with him in heavenly places Eph. 2.6 It is already done in the Mystery and shall be surely done in the effectual application in all that belong to God 5. If there be a likeness to his Death by infallible consequence there shall be a likeness to his Resurrection Those that are dead with Christ shall also live with him Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live Where sin is mortified there is a new life engendered which will at length end in the life of Glory It must needs be so for these reasons First Christ is not divided those that really partake with him in one Act partake with him in all it is a necessary consequence The death of sin and the life of Holiness are the two branches wherein we profess our Communion with Christ in his Death and Resurrection and therefore these cannot be sundred we must reckon upon both or else we have neither Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye your selves also to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. In our dying to sin Christs dying is conspicuous in us and his Resurrection in our walking in newness of life as it was with him so must it be with us Secondly God doth not love to leave his work imperfect Now imperfect it would be if besides ceasing to do evil we should not learn to do well Amos 5.14 Seek good and not evil that you may live and again vers 15. Hate the evil and love the good Their affection to good must be evidenced by their cordial detestation of evil and their hatred of evil must kindle their affection to good This is perfect Christianity it is said of the foolish Builder That he began and was not able to make an end Luke 14.30 Our Conversion is compleat when there is a turning from sin to God Thirdly That the temper of our hearts may carry a meet proportion with the Divine Grace Duty is the Correlate of Mercy now Grace and Mercy are not only privative but positive Gen. 15.1 I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Psal. 84.11 The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly So the godly man is described Psal. 1.1 2. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate day and night There is not only an abstinence from gross sins but an earnest love to God and his ways Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Fourthly This is the end of Mortification God subdueth sin to make way for the life of Grace 1 Pet. 2.24 That we
to the law partly through the law requiring a righteousness so exact and full in order to life as the corrupt estate of man cannot afford partly by the body of Christ introducing a better hope that is his crucified body which is the foundation of the new Covenant besides Paul argueth this that the law doth only discover sin but cannot abolish it but doth increase it rather it bindeth over to death and therefore cannot free from death and so to fallen man 't is a law of sin and death and then answereth the Objections that might be brought against this Is therefore the law sin God forbid Rom. 7.7 and verse 10. The commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death and so was a law of death and working wrath and all not because of any defect in Gods institution but the weakness of our flesh that is the corruption of our nature nature being depraved cannot fulfil it or yield perfect obedience to it Once more 't is said Acts 10.39 By him all that believe are justified by the law of Moses The Law of Moses was either the ceremonial law All the oblations and Sacrifices the washings and the offerings then required could not take away sin for they were but shadows and figures of what was to come Heb. 9.9 They were figures which could not make him that did the service perfect as appertaining to the conscience and again Heb. 10.1 4. They were shadows of good things to come and it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins They might obtain some temporal blessings or remove some temporal judgments as they obeyed God in them but did little as to the ease of the soul as it was conscious of sin or under fears of the eternal punishment they that looked beyond them to the Messiah to come with an humble and penitent heart might have their consciences cleansed from dead works Every effect must have a cause sufficient to produce it The blood of bulls and goats was no such cause had no such vertue the effect was far above it there was a more precious blood signified and shadowed out thereby that could do it indeed Or secondly the moral law given by Moses partly because we cannot keep it of our selves and the best works that the regenerate perform are so imperfect and mixed with so many infirmities and defects that they stand in need of pardon Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all of us Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 and partly because they cannot fatisfie for the least sin whereby the Infinite Majesty of God is provoked This is only spoken to shew why the Scriptures do so often speak of the weakness of the Law and how impossible it is the Law should give us life that we may wholly be driven to Christ. 4. The utter impotency of the Law to produce this effect may be known by these two Things which are necessary to salvation Justification and Sanctification The Law can give neither of these 1. It cannot give us Justification unto life the Law promiseth no good to sinners but only to those that keep and observe it he that doth them shall live in them Do and live sin and die this is the voice of the law that was a way whereby an innocent person might be saved but not how a sinner might be saved The Law considered us as innocent and required us to continue so Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of the law to do them Gal. 3.20 But alas all we have broken with God Rom. 3.23 We have all sinned and are come short of the glory of God The Gospel considereth us in this sinful estate and therefore it promiseth remission and requireth repentance both the priviledg and the duty concern our recovery to God Secondly If the law could be fulfilled for the future past sins would take away all hope of reward by the law for the paying of new debts would not quit old scores what satisfaction shall be given for those Transgressions let me express it thus the paying of what we owe will not make amends for what we have stolen we have robbed God of his Glory and Honour tho for the future we should be obedient to him yet who shall restore that we have taken away Or satisfie for the wrong done to Gods Justice Thirdly The law had no power of taking away of sin but only of punishing of sin as it threatned death to the sinner but how we should escape this death it told us not being all shut up under sin we are shut up under wrath and there is no escape but by Jesus Christ. 2. It cannot give us sanctification It calleth for duty and puts in mind of it but giveth no strength to perform it for being corrupted within we are little wrought upon by a law without to which our hearts stand in such enmity and contrariety but let me prove it by two Arguments 1. They that did not keep themselves in innocency cannot recover their integrity now 't is lost 'T is easier to preserve life than to restore it when once dead any fool may open the Flood gates but when once the waters are broken in who can recall them Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one that is who can purifie his heart when 't is once defiled with sin This is an evil not to be remedied by instruction but inclination 2. Suppose they could recover themselves they would soon lose it again As Adam gave out at the first assault so we would be every moment breaking with God the sure estate and the everlasting Covenant is provided for us by Christ and our condition by Grace is more stable God by Christ hath ingaged his faithfulness to give us necessary and effectual grace to preserve the new life 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called Austin compareth the state of Job and Adam Job was more happy in his misery than Adam in innocency he was victorious on the Dunghil when the other was defeated on the Throne he received no evil counsel from his wife when the first Woman seduced Adam he by grace despised the assaults of Satan when the other suffered himself to be worsted at the first temptation he preserved his righteousness in the midst of his sorrows when the other lost his innocency in paradise So much better is it to stand by the Grace of Christ than our own free will the broken vessel being cemented again is strongest in the crack Well then you see that our misery is such that God only can help us by some new treaty of relief and therefore let us see what God hath done for us Secondly The means of our deliverance they are tvvo his Incarnation and Passion 1. His Incarnation He sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh let me first open the words Secondly shew what benefit we have
absent from the Body and present with the Lord. IN this verse the Apostle repeateth what he had said verse the 6th with some amplification Here take notice of two things 1. His confidence of sight or of a Blessed Condition to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are confident I say 2. His preference or esteem of sight or of that Blessed Condition before the present estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and willing rather to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord. Where two things 1. What he was willing to quit the Body We are willing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Travel out of the Body 2. What he did choose and perfer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be at home with the Lord to dwell in the same House with the Lord Christ. This he preferred before remaining in the Body Let us a little explain these Circumstances 1. His Confidence of sight to be had at length We are confident I say There is a twofold Confidence 1. The Confidence of Faith 2. The Confidence of assurance or of our own Interest Both are of regard here 1. Faith in part produceth this willingness to go out of the Body and injoy the Heavenly life and comfortably to leave the time and means thereof to God Faith where it is in any vigour begets in those that live by it an holy boldness whereby we dare undertake any thing for God not fearing the power and greatness of any Creature No not death it self Secondly assurance of our own Interest doth much more heighten this confidence and holy boldness when we know assuredly that our end shall be Glorious and that when we depart out of the Body we shall be present with the Lord. The hope of our Salvation is not uncertain 2. His preferring and choosing the future estate before the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we approve it we like it better Rom. 15.26 It hath pleased them of Macedonia and 27. Verse it hath pleased them verily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word also Matth. 17.3 So here we make choice rather and are infinitely better pleased to leave this Body behind us here and to go out and die that by this means we may come to our home and Bliss in Heaven So that Faith doth not only shake off the fear of Death but inkindle in us an holy desire of it for what we render and willing is are more pleased or better pleased The points are Four 1. That our Happiness in the World to come lyeth in being present with the Lord. 2. That we are present with the Lord assoon as the Soul flitteth out of the Body 3. That this state is chosen by the Saints as more pleasing to them than to dwell in the Body 4. This will desire and choice cometh from a confidence of the reality of a better estate and our own Interest in it 1. That our Happiness in the World to come lyeth in being present with the Lord. This hath been in part touched on in the 6th verse I shall only add a few Considerations Surely it must needs be so Because this is the felicity denyed to wicked men but promised and granted to the Godly Denyed to wicked men John 7.34 Where I am thither ye cannot come That is so living and so dying they have no leave no grant to be there where Christ is Paradise is closed up against them But 't is opened to Gods faithful Servants by the promises of the Gospel Job 12.26 There where I am there shall my Servant be Christ will not be ever in Heaven without us As Joseph brought his Brethren to Pharaoh so Christ will bring us to God Wicked men desire not Christs company in this Life and therefore they are justly secluded from coming where he is but the Godly are trained up to look and long and wait for this when they shall come before God Reasons 1. Because then we shall have sight and Immediate communion with him And our Happiness floweth from him without the intervention of any means Acts. 3.19 Days of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Compare it with 2 Thes. 1.9 The wicked shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power Eternal Happiness is granted to the Elect by the full revelation of Christs face Rev. 22.4 They shall see his face And the very look and face of Christ is the cause of vengeance on the wicked Rev. 6.16 They shall say unto the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and the wrath of the Lamb. Christs face produceth powerful Effects either in a way of grace or punishment In the days of his flesh we had a proof of it both ways The Lord looked upon Peter and that melted his heart Luke 22.61 And when the High Priests Servants came to attaque him John 18.6 He looked upon him and said I am he And they went backward and fell to the ground But surely in Heaven we shall need no more to make us happy than once to see the face of Christ. In thy presence or in thy face is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore Psa. 16.11 The fruition of Gods Immediate presence is not like the joys of the World which can neither feed nor fill a man But in seeing him we shall have full content and compleat felicity The Children of God long to see God in his Ordinances Psa. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may a well in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in his Temple There is but one thing David was Sollicitous about and Importunate for in his Prayers what was this one thing Not that he might be setled in his regal throne which he seemeth not yet to be when that Psalm was penned for the Sept. in title add to what appeareth in our Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before he was anointed But that he might injoy the sweet pleasures of daily and frequent converse with God that he might behold the beauty of the Lord. So Psa. 42 2. My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God David was Impatient of being debarred from the presence of God Now if there be so great and so longing a desire to see God in these Glasses wherein so little of his glory is seen with any comfort and Satisfaction how much more to see him immediately and face to face If that Glimpse which God now vouchsafeth be so glorious what will it be when he shall fully shew himself to his People face to face 2. Because then we shall converse with him without Impediment and distraction Here bodily necessities take up the far greatest part of our time Luke 10.41 Thou art cumbred about many things but one thing is necessary The
Vers. 31. we have 1. The Person who shall be the Judge The Son of Man 2. The Manner of his Coming It shall be August and Glorious Where note 1. His Personal Glory He shall come in his Glory 2. His Royal Attendance And all the Holy Angels with him 3. His Seat and Throne Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory First the Person is designed by this Character and Appellation The Son of Man He is called so to shew that he is True Man and descended of the present Race of Men He might have been True Man if God had framed his Substance out of nothing as he did Adam out of the Dust of the Ground And this Title is given him here as in many other Places when the last Judgment is spoken of as I shall shew you by and by 1. Partly to Recompense his foregoing Humiliation or despicable Appearance at his First Coming 2. Partly because of his Second Coming He shall appear visibly in that Nature as he went from us Act. 1.11 In like manner c. Christ shall come in the Form of a Man but not in the same humble and mean Appearance as now when he spake these things to them For 't is added for the manner 1. For his Personal Glory He shall come in his Glory Not in the Form of a Servant but becoming his present State All Infirmities shall be removed from his Soul and Body 'T is not a borrowed Glory but he shall come in his own Glory 'T is said Matth. 16.27 The Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father Here in his own Glory The Son of Man and the Son of God is only one Person and his Glory as God and his Father's Glory is the same So that He shall come in his Glory noteth either 1. His Divine Power and Majesty which shall then conspicuously shine forth Or 2. The Glory put upon the Humane Nature and so it will note his plenary Absolution as our Surety The Father sendeth him from Heaven in Power and great Glory He appeareth without Sin Heb. 9.28 He doth not say They that look for him shall be without Sin but He shall appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation That is fully discharged of our Debt First He came in carnem He shewed himself in the Nature of Man to be judged Then in carne He shall shew himself in the Nature of Man to judge the World At his First Coming he was holy yet in the Garb of a Sinner we judged him as one forsaken of God His Second Coming shall make it evident that he is discharged of the Debt he took upon himself 2. His Royal Attendance The Angels shall attend him both to honour him and to be employed by him 3. His Royal Posture He shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory A glorious Throne beseeming the Son of God and the Judge of the Quick and the Dead shall be erected for him in the Clouds Such as none can imagine how glorious it shall be till they see it Secondly The next thing that is offered in these words is The presenting the Parties to be judged And there you may take notice 1. Of their Congregation And before him shall be gathered all Nations 2. Their Segregation And he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats In the Segregation we have 1. The ordering them into two several Ranks and Companies Sheep and Goats Vers. 32. 2. As to Posture and Place Vers. 33. And he shall set his Sheep on the Right Hand and the Goats on his Left Not only a Separation as to Crhist's Knowledge and discerning them but a Separation in Place I begin with the first Branch The Appearance and sitting down of the Judge Two Points I shall observe 1. Doct. That the Iudge of this World is Iesus Christ. 2. Doct. That Christ's Appearance for the Iudgment of the World shall be Glorious and full of Majesty For the first Point That Iesus Christ is the Worlds Iudge 1. Here I shall enquire why he is Judge 2. In what nature he doct act or exercise this Judgement whether as God or Man or both First Let us enquire how Christ cometh to be the Worlds Judge and with what Conveniency and Agreeableness to Reason this Honour is put upon him To a Judge there belongeth these four things 1. Wisdom 2. Justice 3. Power and 4. Authority 1. Wisdom and Vnderstanding by which he is able to judge all Persons and Causes that come before him according to the Rules and Laws by which that Judgment is to proceed For no Man can give Sentence in a Cause wherein he hath not Skill both as to matter of Right and Wrong and sufficient Evidence and Knowledge as to matter of Fact Therefore in ordinary Judicatures a prudent and discerning Person is chosen 2. Justice is required or a constant and unbiassed Will to determine and pass Sentence ex aequo bono as Right and Truth shall require He that giveth wrong Judgment because he doth not accurately understand a thing is imprudent which in this business is a great Fault But he that doth rightly understand a Matter and yet is byass'd by perverse Affections and Aims and giveth wrong Judgment in the Cause brought before him that is highly impious and flagitious Therefore the Judge must be Just and incorrupt 3. Power is necessary that he may compell the Parties judged to stand to his Judgment and the Offenders may receive their due Punishment For otherwise all is but precarious and arbitrary and the Judgment given will be but a vain and solemn Pageantry 4. There is required Authority For otherwise if a Man should obtrude himself of his own accord they may say to him Who made thee a Judge over us Or if he by meer force should assume this Power to himself the Parties impleaded have a pretence of Right to decline his Tribunal and appeal from him Certainly he that rewards must be Superiour and much more he that punisheth For he that punisheth another bringeth some notable Evil and Dammage upon him but for one to bring Evil upon another unless he hath right to do it is unjust Therefore good Authority is required in him that acts the Part of a Judge These things as they stand upon evident Reason and are necessary in all Judicial Proceedings between Man and Man so much more in this great and solemn Transaction of the Last Judgment For this will be the greatest Court that ever was kept both in respect of the Persons to be judged which shall be all Men and evil Angels high and low small and great rich and poor Princes and Subjects and in respect of the Causes that shall be produced the whole Business of the World for six thousand Years or thereabouts or the Retributions made which shall be Punishments and Rewards of the highest Nature and Degree because Everlasting And therefore there must be a Judge sought
on his head nor the Entertainments made him when he lived upon earth but the feeding and cloathing of his hungry and naked Servants The greatest part of Christians never saw Christ in the Flesh But the Poor they have alwayes with them Kindness to these is Kindness to him Again Among these he doth not mention the most Eminent the Prophets and Apostles or the great Instruments of his Glory in the World but the least of his Brethren even those that are not only little and despicable in the esteem of the World but those that are little and despicable in the Church in respect of others that are of more eminent Use and Service Again The least Kindness shewn unto them Mat. 10.42 Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward He had spoken before of kindness to Prophets and righteous Men Men of Eminent Gifts and Graces then ordinary Disciples among these the least and most contemptible either as to outward Condition or State of Life or to Use and Service and it may be inward Grace Now all this sheweth what value Christ sets upon the meanest Christians and the smallest and meanest Respect that is shewed them The smallness and meanness of the Benefit shall not diminish his Esteem of your Affection any thing done to his People as his People will be owned and noted When the Saints that newly came from the Neglects and Scorns of an unbelieving World shall see and hear all this what cause will they have to wonder and say Lord who hath owned thee in these Alas in the World all is quite contrary Let a Man profess Christ and resemble Christ in a lively manner and own Christ thoroughly presently he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set up for a Sign of Contradiction and that not only among Pagans but Professing Christians yea by those that would seem to be of great note in the Church as the Corner-stone was refused by the Builders 1 Pet. 2.7 And therefore when Christ taketh himself to be so concerned in their Benefits and Injuries they have cause to wonder Christ was in these and the World knew it not 3. At the Greatness of the Reward That he should not only take notice of these Acts of Kindness but so amply remunerate them In the Rewards of Grace God worketh beyond humane Imagination and Apprehension 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things God hath prepared for them that love him We cannot by all that we see and hear in this World which are the Senses of Learning form a Conception large enough for the Blessedness of this Estate Enjoyers and Beholders will wonder at the Grace and Bounty and power of their Redeemer 'T is transcendent hyperbolical weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Where is any thing that they can do or suffer that is worthy to be mentioned or compared with so great a Recompence When these Bodies of Earth and Bodies of Dust shall shine like the Stars in Brightness these sublime Souls of ours see God face to face these wavering and inconstant Hearts of ours shall be immutably and indeclinably fastned to love him and serve him and praise him as without Defection so without Intermission and Interruption and our Ignominy turned into Honour and our Misery into everlasting Happiness Lord what Work of ours can be produced as to be rewarded with so great a Blessedness VSE That which we learn from this Question of theirs supposed to be conceived upon these Grounds is 1. An humble Sense of all that we do for God The Righteous remember not any thing that they did worthy of Christ's Notice and we should be like-minded Nehem. 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the Greatness of thy Mercy When we have done our best we had need to be spared and forgiven rather than rewarded On the contrary Luk. 18.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus to himself God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Extorioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican And those Isa. 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have have afflicted our Souls and thou takest no Knowledge They challenge God for their Work None more apt to rest in their own Righteousness than they that have the least Cause Formal Duties do not discover Weakness and so Men are apt to be puffed up they search little and so rest in some outward things 'T is no great Charge to maintain painted Fire The Substantial Duties of Christianity such as Faith and Repentance imply Self-humbling but external things produce Self-exalting They put the Soul to no stress Loaden Boughs hang the Head most so are holy Christians most humble None labour so much as they do in working out their Salvation and none so sensible of their Weaknesses and Imperfections Old Wine puts the Bottles in no danger there is no Strength and Spirits left in it So do formal Duties little put the Soul to it On the other side they are conscious to so many Weaknesses as serious Duties will bring into the View of Conscience and have a deep Sense of their Obligations to the Love and Goodness of God and a strong Perswasion of the Blessed Reward None are so humble as they They see so much Infirmity for the present so much Obligation from what is past and such sure Hope of what is to come that they can scarce own a Duty as a Duty None do Duties with more Care and none are less mindful of what they have done They discern little else in it that they contribute any thing to a good Action but the Sin of it This is to do God's Work with an Evangelical Spirit doing our utmost and still ascribing all to our Mediator and blessed Redeemer 2. What Value and Esteem we should have for Christ's Servants and Faithful Worshippers Christ treateth his Mystical Body with greater Indulgence Love and Respect than he did his Natural Body for he doth not dispense his Judgment with respect to that but these He would not have us know him after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 Please our selves with the Conceit of what we would do to him if he were alive and here upon Earth but he will judge us according to the Respect or Disrespect we shew to his Members even to the meanest among them To wrong them is to wrong Christ Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his Eye The Churches Trouble goes near his Heart which in due time will be manifested upon the Instruments thereof To sleight them is to sleight Christ He that despiseth you despiseth me To grieve and offend them is to grieve and offend Christ. Matth. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little Ones for I say unto you That in
career of Sin 1 Cor. 11.32 For when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World How many Disappointments did we meet with in a carnal Course As David said to Abigail 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which seâ—â— thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy Advice and blessed be thou which hast kept â—â— this day from coming to shed Blood and from avenging my self with mine own Hand O how sweet is it to see Eternal Love in all that befalleth us It will be our speculation in Heaven we shall know as we are known and be able to interpret all the Windings and Circuits of Providence Vse 3. It shameth us that we adjourn and put off our Love to God till old Age when we have spent our strength in the World and wasted our selves in Satan's Work we dream of a devout Retirement O consider God's Love to us is as ancient as his Being and are not we ashamed that we should put off God till the latter and none decrepid part of our Lives It is a commendation to be an old Disciple and God loveth an early Love Jer. 2.2 Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the Kindness of thy Youth the Love of thine Espousals before our Affections are prostituted to other Objects Under the Law the first-Fruits were the Lord's he should have the First God's Children are wont to return Love for Love and like Love therefore let it be as Ancient as you can Do not say Art thou come no torment me before my time and dream of a more convenient Season Vse 4. It teacheth us to disclaim Merit 1. God's Love was before our Being and Acting Paul out of a less Circumstance concludeth Election not to be of Works Rom. 9.11 For the Children being yet â—â—-born neither having done Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said The Elder shall serve the Younger God's Election is before all Acts of ours therefore we deserve nothing but all is from God It is not a thing of Yesterday our Love is not the cause of God's neither is it a fit Reward and Satisfaction Object But doth not God foresee our good Works or at least Faith and final Perseverance He knew who would believe the Gospel who would live Holy and who would remain in their Sins I Answer If this were true there were not such a gracious Freedom in Grace It is true God foreseeth all things that shall be but first he fore-ordaineth them Prescience includeth and supposeth Preordination things are not because they are foreseen but they are foreseen because they shall be From Predestination issueth Faith Sanctification Perseverance So that we are not chosen because we are Holy but to be Holy Ephes. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love And to be rich in death James 2.5 Hearken my beloved Brethren Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World Rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him As Paul saith of himself 1 Cor. 7.25 I give my Judgment as one that hath obtained Mercy of the Lord to be faithful not that God foresaw that he was so Our Ordination to Life is the Cause of Faith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed 2. When we were we were not lovely there was nothing to excite God to shew us Mercy Our natural Condition is described Titus 3.3 For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures living in 〈◊〉 and Envy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hateful and hating one another All are abominable and worthy of hatred yet one hateth another as if he were lovely and the other only abominable There are two Causes of Self-conceit we have not a Spiritual Discerning and are partial in our our own Cause and guilty of Self-love 1. We have not a Spiritual Discerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are filthy deformed hateful in the Eyes of God stink in the Nostrils of God If we see a deformed Creature overgrown with Scurf and Sores or a stinking Carkass we turn away the Head in great abomination and cry O filthy yet we are all so before God A Toad a stinking Carkass cannot be so loathsome to us as a Sinner is to God If a Man had but a Glass to see his own natural Face he would wonder that God should love him Indeed we have a Glass but we have not Eyes What could God see in us to excite him to shew Mercy God is not blinded with the vehemence of any Passion yea the Object is uncomely uncomely to a Spiritual Eye much more to the Father of Spirits 2. Self-love blindeth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Men would hold together and like one another all would be well but now we cannot love one another and live with one another in safety we seem such odd Creatures Fratrum concordia rara est We are hateful Creatures to God to Angels to Devils to our Selves Object But some are more civil and refined Answ. It is true Natural Corruption doth not break out in all with a like Violence but a benummed Snake is a Snake a Sow washed is not changed As when the Liver groweth other parts languish one great Lust intercepteth the nourishment of other Corruptions Object But do not some use Free-Will better than others Sure God loveth them more Answ. No not according to the Works which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Tit. 3.5 God's Original Motives to do good are from himself Vse 5. We are not to measure God's Love by Temporal Accidents that which cometh from Eternity and tendeth to Eternity that is an evidence of his special Love Eccles. 9.1 No Man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before him The Pleasures of Sin are for a Season Heb. 11.25 and Afflictions are for a season but Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places which come from Heaven and tend to Heaven which have no dependance upon this World whether it stand or no these evidence the best Love God's special Mercy Why they were devised before ever the Foundations of the World were laid and it is most of all shewed when the World is at an end Therefore moderate your desires of Earthly Things which the Apostle calls this World's Goods 1 John 3.17 they are of no use in Eternity And bear Afflictions with more Patience you do but lose a little for the present that you may be safe for ever Hic ure hic seca ut in aeternum parcas Vse 6. It presseth us to get an Interest in this Eternal Love How shall we discern it 1. By the Scope and Aim of your Lives and Actions Do you labour for another World 2 Cor. 4.18
may be confirmed by the Types of the old Law the Sin-offering was not to be eaten by the people at all and the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving was not to be eaten the third day after it was offered Lev. 7.16 17 18. the eating of the Peace-offerings wherein they rejoyced before the Lord and gave him thanks was a solemn Feast like the Lords Supper now they might eat it the same day in which it was offered with acceptation but not on the third day then it was unlawful the eating it the same day taught them to hasten and not delay but with speed while it is called to day to be made partakers of Christ to eat his flesh in Faith and to be thankful for his Grace the longest time was the second day the third it could not be eaten not only upon a natural reason that the flesh might be eaten while it was pure and sweet for by the third day it might easily putrefie in those hot Countries but upon a mystical reason to foreshadow the time of Christs Resurrection whose rising from the dead was on the third day and the third day I shall be perfected Luk. 13.32 So our Feast on the flesh and blood of Christ representeth his Death rather than his Resurrection Well then Christ hath appointed two Sacraments which represent him dead but none that represent him glorified for Sacraments were instituted in favour of Man and for the benefit of man more directly and immediately than for the Honour of Christ exalted Therefore in these Ordinances he representeth himself rather as he procured the glory of others than as possessed of his own Glory and would have us consider rather his Death past than his present Glory His Death is wholly for us but his Glory for himself and us too For understanding this we must distinguish between what is primarily represented in the Sacraments and what is secondarily and consequentially It is true the consideration of his Humiliation excludeth not that of his Exaltation but leadeth us to it primarily and properly Christs Death is represented in the Sacraments and consequentially his Resurrection and Exaltation as those other Acts receive their value from his Death as to our comfort and benefit as his Resurrection and Intercession we remember his Death as the meritorious cause of our Justification and Sanctification but his Resurrection as the publick Evidence of the value of his Merit according to that of the Apostle Rom. 4.25 He dyed for our offences and rose again for our justification Therefore primarily and directly we are baptized into his death and in the Lords Supper we shew forth his death by which he satisfied Divine Justice for us but secondarily and consequentially we remember his Resurrection which sheweth that his Satisfaction is perfect and God who is the Judge and Avenger of sin could require no more of Christ for the Atonement of the World While the punishment remaineth in the guilty person or his Surety the debt is not fully paid but the taking our Surety from Prison and Judgment sheweth that provoked Justice is contented So in Baptism the immersion or plunging in Water signified his Death and the coming out of the Water his Resurrection and in the Lords Supper we annunciate his Death but because we keep up this Ordinance till he come we imply his Resurrection and Life of Glory therefore we do but consequentially remember it So it is for Christs Intercession it is but a Representation of the Merit of his Sacrifice and receiveth its value from his Death Heb. 9.12 By his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Our High Priest now appearing before God and representing the value of his Sacrifice for all penitent Believers the foundation was in his Death As this is true of the cause so it is true of the benefits procured by that Cause the great benefit which we have by Christ is Salvation which consists in the destruction of sin and a fruition of those things which by Gods appointment are consequent upon the destruction of sin namely Eternal Life and Happiness Now as these things are consequent upon the destruction of sin so Baptism and the Lords Supper signifieth and sealeth them but consequentially its primary use is to signifie the destruction and abolition of sin by the Death of Christ as for instance We are baptized for the remission of sins Act. 2.38 and Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins and in the Lords Supper Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins So that you see these benefits are more expresly signified in Baptism and the Lords Supper the Resurrection of the Body and Eternal Life more remotely and consequentially The Death of Christ first purchased for us Justification and Sanctification therefore they are first represented directly and primarily Baptism and the Lords Supper represent these especially so now you see why the Apostle saith Ye are baptized into his death 2. By the Rites used in both these Ordinances Baptism signifieth the Death and Burial of Christ for immersion under the water is a kind of Figure of Death and Burial as our Apostle explaineth it v. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death and the trine Immersion the threefold Dipping used by the Ancients is expounded by them not only with reference to the Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost in whose Names they were baptized Mat. 28.19 but the three several days wherein Christ lay buried in the grave as Athanasius expoundeth it and many others interpret it as a similitude of Christs death for three days So for the Lords Supper Luke 22.19 20. He took bread and brake it and gave it to them saying This is my body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also the cup after supper saying This cup is the New â—estament in my blood which is shed for you His Body is represented as dead and broken and so proper food for our Souls his Blood as poured out and shed for us Well then here we remember Christ as dying on the Cross rather than as glorified in Heven 3. By reason it must needs be so 1. With respect to the state of Man with whom the new Covenant is made it is made with Man fallen and a Sinner therefore Baptism and the Lords Supper imply our Communion with Christ as a Redeemer and Saviour who cometh to save us from our sins Mat. 1.21 and nothing can save us from our sins but a crucified Saviour Therefore these Ordinances imply a Communion with his Death Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by the means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance So here the intervention of his Death was the way and means to expiate
have some kind of remorse and trouble but they cannot help or free themselves 2. Observe that the Gospel looketh forward to the time to come It respecteth not what Believers have been before Conversion and turning to God but thenceforward they must forsake their sinful lusts and turn to God So 1 Pet. 4.2 That he no more should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God Time is short work is great since it is not enough for a Christian to cut off one member but the whole body of sin must be destroyed and they have been too long dishonouring God and destroying their own Souls and cherishing divers lusts in themselves Therefore now they should more earnestly set about the mortifying of sin Now as this is an encouragement to those that have long been serving their base lusts and vile affections and been eminent in wickedness so it is an ingagement to them to double their diligence for the future to serve God by virtue of their deliverance by Christ Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life If the Gospel doth not look backward surely it looketh forward it obligeth us to be more assiduous and serious in the study of Holiness after Conversion that if it be possible they may restore the Lord to his honour reclaim those whom they have hardened in sin and get their own hearts more loosened from it since custom hath deeply rooted it in them 3. Observe the Apostle saith That we should not serve sin It is one thing to sin another thing to serve sin Though sin doth remain in the godly it doth not reign in them to serve sin is to yield willing obedience to it This may be done two ways First When men slavishly lye down in any habit and course of sin There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a way of sinning as David Psal. 139.24 See if there be any way of wickedness in me David would not be corrupt in any of his ways And again Psal. 119.29 Remove from me the way of lying Some are given to one sin some to another some covetous others sensual some proud others brutish there is some iniquity they regard in their hearts and make much of and indulge in themselves and so grow slaves to that imperious lust Now whatever good properties we have otherwise we must take heed of any one perverse habit or evil frame of spirit lest it hamper us and make fools of us and make us liable to be caught again after some shew of escape A beast escaped with an halter is easily caught again so this lust indulged will bring us into our old bondage Secondly When we willingly indulge any presumptuous acts For Joh. 8.34 He that committeth sin is the servant of sin If we allow our selves to commit any one gross sin we serve it Other sins steal into the Soul by degrees but these at once therefore we must take heed that we run not wilfully into these inordinacies and yet hope to escape the danger Secondly How all this must be improved by us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing this The word signifies 1. Knowledge 2. Consideration 3. Assent 1. Knowledge understand this This is of use here for ignorance of Christ and his Gospel is a great cause of sin whereas a sound knowledge produceth mortification Ignorance causeth men to become brutish 1 Pet. 1.14 Not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance 1 Cor. 15.34 Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame On the other side knowledge is an help to mortification provided it be found and such a knowledge both for matter and manner as it ought to be For matter that it be a thorough knowledge Eph. 4.20 21 22. But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts If men were thorougly instructed in the Christian Doctrine they could not so easily sin against God but a partial knowledge incourages our boldness in sinning For manner it must be lively 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Joh. 8.32 And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make ye free Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote on my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth It is but a form of knowledge not the lively light of the Spirit which doth not break the power of our lusts 2. It may import Consideration and so knowing this is seriously considering this Many Truths lye by neglected unimproved for want of consideration and that is the cause of mens sins they consider not Gods benefits Isa. 1.3 The ox knows his owner and the ass his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider nor his Judgments Job 34.27 They turned back from him and would not consider his ways that is made the reason of their sin they consider not his ways that is the ways of his Providence towards them and others If men did consider and ponder with themselves how hateful sin is to God with what severity he will punish it what obligations they have to the contrary it would much check the fervour of their lusts and they could not go on so quietly in a course of disobedience against God but they do not seriously consider what they are a doing Above all the Death of Christ should be considered by us as 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot If men would know that is ponder these things in their hearts and discourse with themselves Why was so great a price given for our Reconciliation but that sin might be destroyed and the great Make-bate between God and us removed out of the way 3. Knowing is often put for Assent For Faith is not a Doubting but a certain Knowledge And this enliveneth every Truth If you do believe that Christ came to take away every sin you have no reason to cherish it The Word worketh not till it be believed Heb. 4.2 To us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it But then it worketh
not any iniquity have dominion over me neither this nor that One sin allowed may keep God out of the Throne and may keep afoot Satans interest in the Soul Certainly he that is in the state of Grace lieth in no known sin Every known sin sets up another God and Lord and all his actions will have an evil tincture from that sin every action will be levelled with the main thing which he affects be it what it will be therefore it is dangerous to know any thing to be sin and yet to go on still to commit it though it be not in materia gravi in an hainous case as for instance vain speeches wanton gestures c. he knoweth it is a sin to be idle it cometh into his mind his Conscience telleth him that he should not yet he will so for immoderate Gaming as to the expence of Time or Money if one convinced that he should not yet will use it these lesser failings persisted in and kept up constantly against the light and checks of Conscience may amount to a dangerous evil Surely all that fear and love God should be very tender of displeasing and dishonouring him The domination of acts of sin is dangerous though they be not setled so as to damn him ye they may cause God to afflict you hide his face from you and humble you with a sense of his displeasure Small sins continued in against checks of Conscience may do us a great deal of harm and get the upper hand of the Sinner and bring him under in time after if habituated by long custom so as he cannot easily shake off the yoke or redeem himself from the Tyranny thereof they steal into the Soul insensibly and get strength as multiplied acts but gross presumptuous sins by one single act bring a mighty advantage to the Flesh weaken the Spirit advance themselves suddenly 4. As particular sins get into the Throne by turns sometimes one sometimes another so there are evil frames of Spirit that do more directly oppose the Esteem and Soveraignty and Power of God in the heart as those three mentioned 1 Job 2.16 The lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life either Voluptuousness or the inordinate love of Pleasures when men make it their business to gratifie their Senses and glut and throng their hearts with all manner of Delights or else are surprized with an unmeasurable desire of heaping up Riches or affectation of Credit and Honour Now these evil frames of heart should be the more watched and striven against because these sins rise up against God as he is the last End and chief Good they set up Idols instead of God Mammon instead of God All that are carnal and unsanctified are under the power of these Luke 8.14 That which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring forth no fruit to perfection they never carry on Religion to any good effect and purpose And there are none of Gods Children but need constantly to be mortifying and subduing them as in a Garden the weeds will grow because the roots are not quite plucked up so there must be a constant Mortification because they are natural to us and the back biass of Corruption is not wholly taken off even in the most mortified of Gods Children 5. There is a Dominion of Sin which is more gross and sensible or more secret and close More open for though sin doth reign in every one by Nature yet this Dominion doth more sensibly appear in some than others who are judicially given up to be under the visible dominion of sin as the just fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke and are set forth as warnings to the rest of the World as men hung up in Chains of Darkness they are apparently and in conspectu hominum instances of this woful slavery every man that seeth them and â—s acquainted with their course of life may without breach of charity say There goeth one who declareth himself to be a servant to sin This may be either as to sin in general or to some particular sin First To sin in general Whosoever he be that instead of trembling at Gods Word scoffeth at it and maketh more account of the course of this World than of the Will of God of the Fashions of men than of Gods Word and thinketh the scorn of a base worm that would deride him for godliness a greater terrour than the wrath of the eternal God and the love of his carnal Companions is prized as a greater happiness than Communion with Christ and instead of working out his Salvation with fear and trembling runneth into all excess of Riot or carelesly neglects his precious Soul while he pampereth his vile Body and doth voluntarily and ordinarily leave the Boat to the Stream and give up himself to serve his Corruptions without resistance or seeking out for help this man is without dispute and in the eye of all the World a slave to sin Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness It is an apparent case a man that giveth up himself to go on in the way of his own heart restraineth himself in nothing which it affects is one of sins slaves So our Lord Jesus Joh. 8.34 Verily verily I say unto you whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin there needeth no further doubt nor debate about the matter He that goeth on in a trade of sin and maketh that his work and business in the World never seriously looking after the saving of his Soul this Soul is one in whom sin reigneth Secondly To some particular Sin As we have instances of carnal Wretches in the general so of some poor captive Souls that remain under the full Power and Tyranny of this or that Lust and are so remarkable for their slavery and bondage under it that the World will point at them and say There goeth a Glutton a Drunkard an Adulterer a covetous Worldling and Muck-worm a proud envious Person there sin is broken out in some filth Sore and Scab that is visible to every common eye and view either their Covetousness or Gluttony or ambitious affectation of Greatness c. Observers may truly say There 's one whose God is his Belly a slave to Appetite 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise themselves liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage They grow proverbial for giving up themselves wholly to such a conquering and prevailing Lust. As in natural things several men have their distinct excellencies some are famous for a strong sight some for an exquisite ear some for a nimble tongue some for agility of body so these have some notable excess in this or that sort
spiritual favours especially as apprehended under the quality of a felicity or natural good and as separated from the means Numb 23.10 O that I might die the death of the righteous and my last end might be like theirs They may long for the death of the Righteous tho loath to live their life but these desires are neither truly spiritual nor serious nor constant nor laborious so that if we consider what man is in his natural estate blind in his mind perverse in his will rebellious in his affections this work can only be wrought but by the Spirit of God Will a nature that is wholly carnal ever resist and overcome the flesh But so we are by nature John 3.6 Can flesh destroy its self Can a man of himself be brought to abhor what he dearly loveth And he that drinketh in iniquity like water be brought to loathe sin and expel and drive it from him On the other side will he be brought to love what he abhorreth There is enmity to the Law of God in a carnal heart till grace remove it Rom. 8.7 Can we that are worldly and wholly governed by sense look for all our happiness in an unseen world till we receive another Spirit The Scripture will tell you no 1 Cor. 2.12 14. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned and 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off What man of his own accord will deny present things and lay up his hopes in Heaven Can a stony heart of its self become tender or a dead heart quicken its self or a filthy heart cleanse its self bring a clean thing out of an unclean it cannot be 2. The honour of our Redeemer requireth that our whole and intire recovery to God should be ascribed to him Not part only as our freedom from guilt while the power of sin is subdued and broken by our selves Renewing Grace is his gift as well as reconciling Grace and we can no more convert our selves to God than we can reconcile our selves to him both go together and both are obtained by the same merit and both are received from the same hand Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins and 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God As by the vertue of his blood and sufferings he reconciled us to God so by the Almighty Power of his Grace he doth cure and heal our natures and imprint Gods Image upon our souls The work of Redemption would have ceased for ever if Christ had not paid our ransom for us Psal. 49.8 So the work of Renovation Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Surely Christ hath purchased this grace and purchased it into his own hands not into anothers and sendeth forth his conquering and prevailing spirit to bring back the souls of men to God this work must not be disparaged nor looked upon as a low natural common thing for this is to lessen the benefit of the new Creation which is so much magnified in Scripture 2. The necessity of our Co-operation if we by the spirit 1. We may 2. We must 1. We may God hath given us gifts which are not in vain the new nature or principle of Grace infused into us all which tend to weaken and mortifie sin Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith Hope 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure Love which looketh backward or forward teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. So that we may or caâ— if we be not wanting to our selves do something to the crucifying of the flesh certainly after Regeneration we are or may be active otherwise there would be no difference between the renewed and the carnal and some of Gods best gifts would be in vain you are to improve the death of Christ to imbitter sin to you by his sufferings to improve the Grace received pray for the supply of the spirit to retrench the provisions of the flesh to walk as in the sight of God and prepare for a better world to maintain a constant conflict with sin and watch over all your ways There are means of Grace appointed to weaken sin as the Word and Sacraments and many Providences which might be of great use to you if you did improve them 2. We must For two Reasons 1. That God may apply himself to us in our way 2. That we may apply our selves to God and meet him in his way 1. That God may apply himself to us in our way God being our Creator doth preserve the liberty of his workmanship he applieth himself to every creature according to the nature of it so as to improve it not destroy it he offereth no violence to our natural faculties but super-addeth grace draweth that we may run Cant. 1.4 Not hoised up as dead things by Pulleys and Engines the will is not compelled but overcome by the sweet efficacy of Grace being acted by God we act under God that is by our own voluntary motion and in a way of operation proper to us I say God influenceth all things according to their natural inclination he inlightneth by and with the Sun burneth by and with the fire reasoneth with man acts necessarily with necessary causes and freely with free causes draweth us with the cords of a man Hos. 11.4 Now we pervert this order if we lie upon the bed of ease and cry Christ must do all Christ that doth all for you doth all in you and by you he propoundeth reasons which we must consider and so betake our selves to a godly course he sheweth us our lost estate the possibility of Salvation by Christ sweetly inviting us to accept of Grace that he may pardon our sins sanctifie our natures and lead us in the way of holiness to eternal life 2. That we may meet with God in his way He hath appointed certain duties to convey and apply this Grace we are to lie at the Pool till the waters be stirred to continue our attendance upon God with all diligence and seriousness till he giveth grace Mar. 4.24 And he said unto them Take heed what you hear with what measure ye meet it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given God will have Believers bestir and put forth themselves and he will help them in and by their own endeavours We must not idlely
think that Grace will drop to us out of the Clouds he was an evil and a sloathful servant that did not improve his Talent To neglect duty is to resist Grace and to run away from our strength God hath promised to be with us while we are doing therefore we are to wait for this power in the use of all holy means that our corruption may be subdued and mortified USE is to exhort with all diligence to set about the mortifying the deeds of the body by the Spirit Two Things I shall press you to 1. Improve the death of Christ. 2. A right carriage towaâ—ds the spirit 1. Improve the death of Christ For the term Mortifie or Crucifie often used in this matter respects Christs death and every where the Scripture sheweth that the death of Christ is of excellent use for the mortifying of sin I shall single out a few places Gal. 2.20 I a am crucified with Christ. Three Propositions included 1. Christ crucified 2. Paul crucified 3. With Christ. It doth not imply any fellowship with him in the acts of his Mediation there Christ was alone only that the effects of his death were accomplished in him a participation of the benefits of his Mediation so Rom 6.6 knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin may be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Then was there a foundation laid for the destruction of sin when Christ died then was the merit interposed or price paid and the obligation laid upon us to mortifie it Something there was to be done on Gods part the body of sin was to be destroyed which intimateth the communicating of his spirit of grace to weaken the power and life of sin and something done on our part that henceforth we should not serve sin There was a time when we served sin but being converted we must change masters and betake our selves to another service which will be more comfortable and profitable to us One place more 1 Pet. 4.1 For as much as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin That is since Christ hath suffered for you you must follow and imitate him in suffering also or dying with him namely in dying to sin as he dyed for sin or mortifying our lusts and passions For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that hath suffered in the flesh or is crucified in his carnal nature it hath not respect to suffering afflictions but mortifying sins for 't is presently added He hath ceased from sin given over that course of life so that he should no longer live the rest of his life in the flesh to the lusts of men but the will of God He inferreth the obligation of this correspondence and conformity from Christs dying From all these places we collect 1. 'T is an obligation This was Christs end and we must not put our Redeemer to shame 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil That the interest of the Devil might be destroyed in us and the interest of God set up with glory and triumph shall I go about to frustrate his intention or make void the end of his death cherish that which Christ came to destroy tye those cords the faster which he came to unloose By professing his name we bind our selves to die to sin Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein not ab impossibili but ab incongruo 2. That the death of Christ was a lively and effectual pattern of our dying to sin For the Glory of God and our Salvation Christ dyed a painful shameful accursed death now we must crucifie sin Gal. 5.24 Be crucified to the world Gal. 6.14 That is to say Christ denied himself for us and we must deny our selves for him he suffered pain for us that we should willingly digest the trouble of Mortification and suffer in the flesh in our carnal nature as he did in the human nature 1. The death of Christ was an act of self-denyal he pleased not himself Rom. 15.3 Minded not the interest of that nature he had assumed parted with his Life in the Flower of his Age when most cause to love it And will you part with nothing make it your business to please the flesh and gratify the flesh he loved you and gave himself for you and will not you give up your lusts 2. The death of Christ was an act of pain and sorrow of all deaths crucifixion is the most painful and shameful Sinful nature is not extinguished in us without trouble as sin is rooted in self-love self-denyal is a check to it as this self-love is mainly a love of pleasure or the delight we take in sin so the pains of Christs death check it shall we wallow in fleshly delights when Christ was a man of sorrows Christs sufferings are the best glass wherein to view sin will you take pleasure in that which cost him so dear he was mocked spit upon buffetted he bare the shame due to our vain conversations A Malefactor was preferred before him Therefore when you remember Christs death you learn how to deal with sin the Jews would not hear of Christs being King Away with him we have no King but Cesar such an Holy indignation should there be a in a renewed soul Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Let it not King it we have no King but Christ. 3. 'T was a price paid that we might have grace Every true Christian is a partaker of the fruits of Christs death and one fruit is that we might die unto sin 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness This is communicated to us by the spirit he bought sanctification as well as other priviledges Eph. 5.25 26. As Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word And Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 1 Pet. 1.18 Redeemed us from our vain conversations We are ready to say I shall never get rid of this naughty heart renounce these sensual and worldly affections our hearts are so wedded to the interests of the flesh but Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible 2. Carry it well to the spirit 1. Believe that the Holy Ghost is your sanctifyer and resign up your selves to him as such that he may recover your souls to God This is but fulfilling our baptismal vow Mat. 28.19 Go baptize all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost To God the Father as
when he called himself the Son of God John 5.18 The Jews sought the more to kill him not only because he had broken the sabbath but said also that God was his father making himself equal with God And they were not mistaken in it For Christ was indeed so the Son of God as to be equal in essence power and glory with the Father Their fault was that they denied this Title to be due to Christ. The Apostle explaineth it Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God 'T was no Blasphemy no Usurpation of Divine Honour Christ was not thrust down from Heaven for Robbery and Usurpation as the sinning Angels were but was sent down This Divine Honour did justly and rightly belong to him Now that God spared him not on this occasion is the great demonstration and condescention of his Love 2. The singular and infinite love between God and Christ He is called his dear Son Col. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father loved him dearly and we are chary of what we tenderly love Therefore the only begotten Son is said to be in the bosom of the Father John 1.18 which intimateth not only his co-existence with him from all eternity but the mutual familiarity delight and complacency which the Divine persons have in one another which is also set forth Prov. 8.30 Then was I by him as one brought up with him I was daily his delight rejoicing always before him As two Mates or Companions of suitable dispositions always bred up together and rejoycing in one another Thus is Heaven fain to lisp to us in our own Dialect to set forth the intimacy oneness and delight that is between the Father and the Son yet God spared him not 3. Though he had no equal or advantageous exchange Christ is more worth than a thousand Worlds as the people could say of David thou art worth ten thousand of us 2 Sam. 18.3 How much more may it be said of Christ What could God gain that might be an equal recompence for the Death of Christ All the World set against God is nothing less than nothing Isa. 40.17 Now no man doth give much for what is but little esteemed but God gave his own Son to recover the perishing World of Mankind 2. Positively But delivered him up for us all Mark 1. The person who did it 2. The act what he did delivered 3. The persons for whom For us all 1. The person who God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all This word is used of several agents Judas delivered him John 19.11 He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin Pilate delivered him to be crucified John 19.16 the high Priests delivered him to Pontius Pilate Matth. 27.2 The people delivered him up to be scourged and crucified by the Gentiles Matth. 20.19 yea Jesus Christ delivered up himself Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences And here God delivered him up for us all one word is used but the act proceeded from several causes the people delivered him out of ignorance and inconsiderate zeal Judas out of covetousness and treachery the high Priests out of malice and envy Pilate out of a faulty compliance with the humours of the people and to preserve the reputation of his government Christ out of obedience to God God himself to shew his infinite love to us 'T is for our comfort to observe Gods act in this tradition if it had been done without Gods knowledge and consent nothing had been done for our salvation God doth nothing rashly or unjustly Therefore since Christ was delivered by the determinate counsel of God Acts 2.23 the reason must be enquired into 't was out of his love to recover a lost world that he might make satisfaction to provoked justice for our wrongs and offences so that Christ died not by the meer wickedness of man but the righteous and wise ordination of a gracious God and so 't is a great argument of Gods love and a ground both of gratitude and confidence to us We must look to the fathers act to whom we make our prayers with whom we would fain be reconciled whose judgment we fear whose favour we seek after Now he appointed his own Son to do the office of a Mediator for us the law which condemneth us is the law of God the wrath and punishment which we fear is the wrath of God the presence into which we come is the presence of God and the fountain of all blessings we expect is the favour of God and God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all to assure our comfort peace and hope his hand is chief in it 2. The act what he did he delivered him up not only to be made flesh for us 1 John 14. which was a state of being at the greatest distance from his nature who was a pure Spirit But God who is a Spirit was made flesh that he might be nearer to us and within the reach of our commerce and took a mother upon earth that we might have a father in Heaven which maketh all the promises of God more credible to us for the exaltation of man is a thing of more easie belief than the abasement of the Son of God if he will assume flesh we may reasonably expect to be apparelled and cloathed upon with his glory but also made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 Sin is taken in Scripture sometimes for a sacrifice for sin or a sin-offering by a metonymy of the adjunct for the subject as piaculum in Latin is both a sin and a sacrifice for sin so the Priests in the Prophets reproof are said to eat the sins of the people Hosea 4.8 that is the sacrifices when they minded nothing but to glut themselves with the far of the offerings part of which was the Priests portion and so Christ was made sin for us that is an expiatory sacrifice for our sin So in the beginning of this chapter Rom. 8.3 God by sending his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh hath by sin condemned sin in the flesh that is by the sufferings of Christ or his becoming a sin-offering hath put an everlasting brand upon sin to make it odious and hateful to the Saints Once more Made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 to note the pain and shame of his death and to shew that Christ was appointed to bear that curse of the law and punishment which belongeth to us which was so grievous and terrible as that his humane nature staggered and recoiled a little by a just abhorrence of the great evil which he was to undergo and when he was under it his soul was exceeding sorrowful and heavy unto death so that it extorted from him tears and strong cries yet God spared not his Son but delivered him up to these penal and dreadful evils God might be said not to spare his Son if he had only used him as
and irresistible you may depend on the good he undertaketh to do though this peace be assaulted yet it will stand Gods manifesting or hiding his face is enough to make a creature happy or miserable 1. USE is Information to shew us 1. The misery of wicked men they are not justified by God and therefore the charge of Gods broken law lyeth heavy upon them and the weight of it will sink them to the nethermost Hell It may be the world may flatter and applaud them and they may absolve and acquit themselves at an easie rate but there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa. 57.20 'T is not our security delighting our selves to sing lullabies to our own souls for we are never upon sure terms till God justifieth us many absolve themselves upon easie terms either because they sit still and cry God mercy or upon the account of their superficial righteousness as the Pharisees justified themselves no we must judge our selves but 't is God must justifie us till we have our discharge from him we are never safe therefore it concerneth us to consider upon what terms we stand Are we troubled in mind or at peace if troubled in mind take Gods remedy if we be at peace whence cometh it Is it warranted by the Covenant of God that granteth no pardon no justification but to those that repent and believe 2. The happiness of the godly 'T is in vain to accuse those whom God acquitteth you need not fear an accuser not because innocent but becuse justified Though the world revileth you the Devil would stir up legal fears revive your old bondage when your hearts condemn you for many defects you must stick to this God justifieth for the reproaches of the world you need not be troubled at them when they accuse you falsly of pride hyprocrisie covetousness you may say as Job Job 16.19 My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high He that is the Judge of all men is a witness and observer of their ways and will acquit those whose hearts are upright with him from the censures of the world God will not ask their vote and sufferage when Satan would revive your bondage by the thoughts of death and the consequence of it consider wherefore did Christ come into the world and die for sinners but to free us from those tormenting fears Heb. 2.14 15. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage But when our hearts condemn us especially for some wounding sin the case is otherwise God by conscience writeth bitter things against you Job 13.26 we must not smother our sin nor deny our guiltiness but appeal from Court to Court Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark our iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared and Psal. 43.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified If it be from the general view of sin or the remembrance of some special sin sue out your pardon in Christ your justification is not nullified you are still under a pardoning Covenant and the actual pardon on repentance is granted to you 2. USE Is to press us to get into this blessed condition that you may say 't is God that justifieth Consider the weight of the case it concerneth damnation or salvation whether you are under the curse or heirs of promise And all this is depending before God To justifie is Gods act but man must fulfil the condition Well then let us suppose a Judiciary Process there will be such at the last day certainly For we must all stand before the Tribunal seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 Our cause lieth before God now and our qualification must be tryed and judged now in order to our reconciliation with God as hereafter in order to our everlasting fruition of him in glory Well then The Judge is God Gen. 18.23 and Psal. 94.2 Lift up thy self O thou Judge of the earth The Judge accepteth the godly while they are in the body 2 Cor. 5.9 That whether we are present or absent we may be accepted with him but he is angry with the wicked every day Psal. 7.11 The Witnesses are Satan and Conscience the Plea in Traverse is about our guiltiness according to a double rule the Law of Works or Grace if according to the law of Works alas none of us can stand in the judgement there we plead not Innocent but Guilty Christ could say John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin but here 't is otherwise Rom. 3.19 All the world is become guilty before God Here is no denial no extenuation all are become corrupt none doth good no not one Now Christ was made sin and underwent the curse for us To the second the Law of Grace there must be first an hearty acceptance of an offered Saviour and a consent both of subjection and dependance Secondly Sincere obedience Rom. 8.1 They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit he liveth as one turned from the world and the flesh to God the more sensible we are of our own vileness the more we see the necessity of a Redeemer SERMON XLIV ROM VIII 34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again from the dead who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us IN the former verse Justification is considered as opposite to accusation now as opposite to condemnation There Who shall lay any thing to our charge Here Who is he that condemneth With respect to both we must look upon Christ as our Advocate and God as our Judge Somewhat in this verse concerneth our exemption from the danger of accusation namely all the acts of Christs Mediation here mentioned somewhat in that verse concerneth the question propounded here about condemnation namely the sentence of God as our Judge For the answer given there must be repeated Who is he that condemneth 'T is God that justifieth We need not fear an Accuser because we have an Advocate we need not fear to be cast in the judgment because we have a favourable Judge who will not justifie and condemn too Thence ariseth this part of the triumphant song which the Apostle puts into the mouth of a believer Who is he that condemneth 't is Christ that dyed c. In the words we have 1. A Triumphant challenge Who is he that condemneth 2. The ground of it 'T is Christs Mediation 'T is Christ that dyed c. 1. The challenge Who is he that condemneth 'T is meant with respect to Gods judgment in the world the Saints have been and often are condemned nor only to death James 5.6 Ye have
may be the badness of the times The Best Christians may decay in bad times The reason is given Matth. 24.12 Because iniquity doth abound the love of many shall wax cold Iniquity beareth a double sense either a general or a more limitted sense When there is a deluge of wickedness sin by being common groweth less odious The limited sense is taking iniquity for persecution because of the sharpness of persecution many shall fall off from Christianity This should not be so Christians should shine like stars brightest in the darkest night Phil. 2.15 16. Or like fire or a fountain hottest in coldest weather as David in Psa. 119.126 127. It 's time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold above fine Gold But 't is hard to maintain the fire when the World keepeth pouring on Water There is a certain liberty which we are apt to take in evil times or a damp and deadness of Spirit which groweth upon us 2. It cometh from a cursed satiety and fulness Our affections are deadned to things to which we are accustomed and we are soon cloyed with the best things The Israelites cryed out Nothing but this Manna A full stomach loatheth an hony comb When first acquainted with the things of the Spirit Communion with God and Intercourses with Heaven we are affected with them but afterwards glutted But this should not be because in Spiritual things there is a new inviting sweeetness to keep our affections fresh and lively as in Heaven God is always to the blessed Spirits new and fresh every moment And proportionable in the Church where there is more to be had still greater things than these In carnal things this satiety is justifiable because the imperfections of the Creature which formerly lay hid are discovered upon fruition And all earthly things are less in injoyment than they were in expectation But it is not so in Spiritual things every tast provoketh new appetite 1 Pet. 2.2 3. 3. From a negligence or sluggish carelesness We do not take pains to keep our graces alive we do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 Rowse up the gift that is in us As the Priests in the Temple were to keep in the holy fire So we by prayer and diligent meditation constantly keeping love a work watchfulness against the incroachments of worldly and fleshly lusts and when we neglect these things love decreaseth 4. Sometimes it cometh from freeness in sinning Neglect is like not blowing the Fire hid in the Ashes sinning is like pouring on water 1 Thes. 5.10 Quench not the Spirit Secure dalliance with the pleasures of sin brings a brawn and â—eannes upon the heart and God is neglected and our love to him very cold 6. There remaineth nothing more but the cure and remedy against this evil and that concerneth prevention or recovery 1. The remedy by way of prevention is 1. That we should labour to get love more fixed and rooted Eph. 3.17 That ye may be rooted and grounded in love At first our affection may hastily put forth its self like the hasty blossoms of the Spring which are soon nipped But a Christians business is to get a solid affection and bent of heart towards God That love may be as it were the very constitution of our Souls And the frame of our hearts may be changed into an addictedness and devotedness to God Many content themselves with flashes and good moods and meltings at a Sermon which soon vanish and come to nothing because they have no root The word of grace which revealeth the love of God is not ingrafted in their Souls so as that it may be the very frame and temper of their hearts Many receive this word with joy Matth. 13.21 But he hath no root in himself They were once affected with the offers of remission of sins and Eternal Life But this affection is not so great so deep as to controul contrary affections Christ doth not dwell in the heart by faith A visit there is but not an abode A transieâ—t motion of the Spirit but not a constant habitation a draught of the running stream but they have not the fountain within them John 4.14 2. You must increase and grow in love if you mean to keep it Phil. 1.9 I pray that your love may abound more and more 1 Thes. 4.1 As ye learned how to walk and to please God so abound in it more and more At first love is but weak but progress of it is to be endeavoured otherwise a small measure of it meeteth with so many things to extinguish it that it cannot maintain it self Nothing conduceth to a decay more than a contentment with what we have received and there is no such way to keep what we have as to go on to perfection They that row against the stream if they do not ply the oar will be driven back by the force of the Tide Therefore every day you should hate sin more and love self less the world less yet Christ more and more Love being as it were the heart of the New Creature he that hath most love hath most grace and is the best and strongest Christian. 3. Love must still be excited and kept in act or exercise Not lye as a sleepy useless habit in the Soul It must be the principle and end in every duty that is we must work from love and for love From love for 't is not an act of thankful obedience if love be not acted in it Oh beg that this Grace may be more increased in us all graces Ordinances Word Sacraments tend to keep in this love-fire and keep it a burning All these institutions serve but till love is perfect and then they cease but love remaineth Besides all this if love be not excited and kept a work carnal love will prevail a corrupt and base treacherous heart had need be watched and kept from starting back The back-bias of corruption will again recover strength For love cannot lye idle in the Soul either it must be directed and carryed forth to God or it will look out to worldly things If our love ceaseth concupiscence ceaseth not And within a while the World will become superiour in the heart and Mammon be placed in Gods room and stead be respected as our end and happiness For man cannot live but he must have some last end of his actions Nor can he long cease from owning and respecting that end But the Soul will set up another in its stead Therefore the more we desist from loving God the more we intangle our selves with other things which get strength and secure their interest in our Souls as they are confirmed by multiplied acts Therefore the love of God must still be kept a-foot that no other thing be practically preferred before him John 4.14 It must always be springing up and flowing forth 4. Observe the first declinings For these are the cause of all the
to repent and believe but for repentance and faith its self to be wrought in us Put it into the instance of Peter and Judas For otherwise God would do no more for Peter than for Judas if God did only give a power to will if we please to do it so man would difference himself 1 Cor. 4.7 Then Peter no more than Judas and Judas as much as Peter Lord I thank thee that thou hast given me some supernatural help namely a power to return to thee if I will And the like help thou hast given to my fellow disciple Judas but this I have added of mine own accord a will to return and be converted And though I have received no more than he yet I have done more than he since I have accepted grace and he remaineth in sin I owe no more to thy grace than Judas did but I have done more for thy Glory than Judas did 5. Our first choice and willing the things of God is not only given us but our willing and working when we are converted Grace is no less necessary to finish than to begin and the new state dependeth absolutely on its influence from first to last He worketh all our works for us There is not one individual act of grace but God is interessed in it as the Soul is in every member there is not only a constant union by vertue of their subsistence in the Body but there is a constant animation and influence and the members of the Body have no power to move but as they are moved and acted by the Soul So grace is twofold habitual which giveth the Christian his supernatural being 2 Pet. 1.4 Who hath made us partakers of the divine nature And actual which raiseth and quickeneth them in their operations To this sense must these places be interpreted John 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing And 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing but our sufficiency is of God You will say then what difference is there between the regenerate and unregenerate a natural man and a new creature I Answer there is somewhat in them which may be called a new life and a new nature somewhat distinct from Christ or the Spirit of Christ that worketh in them there is the habits of grace or the seed of God 1 John 3.9 which cannot be Christ or the Spirit for 't is a created gift Psa. 51.10 Create in me a clean heart This is called sometimes the Divine nature sometimes the new creature sometimes the inward man sometimes The good treasure Matth. 12.35 A stock of grace which may be increased 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All which are not competible to the Spirit so that when the Spirit worketh on us 't is in another manner than on the regenerate At first conversion we are meer objects of grace but afterwards instruments of grace first upon us and then by us He worketh in the regenerate and unregenerate in a different manner he works on the unregenerate while they do nothing that is good yea the contrary the regenerate he helpeth not unless working striving labouring there is an inclination towards God and holy things which he quickeneth and raiseth up 6. In the same action unless God continueth his assistance we fail and wax faint for God doth not only give us the will that is the desire and purpose but the grace by which we do that good which we will and purpose to do these two are distinct to will and to do And we may have assistance in one kind and not in another willing and doing are different For Paul saith Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not There needeth grace for that also to will is more than to think and to exert our will into action is more than both in all we need Gods help we cannot think a good thought nor conceive an holy purpose much less perform a good action So that we need renewed strength every moment The heart of man is very mutable in the same duty and we can keep up our affections no longer than God is pleased to hold them up While the influence of grace is strong upon us the heart is kept in a warm holy frame but as that abateth the heart swerveth and returneth to sin and vanity instance in Peter se posse putabat quod se velle sentiebat Use 1. Let us apply this 1. Take heed of an abuse of this Doctrine 1. Let it not lull us asleep in idleness because God must do all we must do nothing this is an abuse the Spirit of God reasoneth otherwise Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do Work for God worketh it cannot be a a ground of loosness or laziness to the regenerate or unregenerate 1. Not to the unregenerate their Impotency doth not dissolve their obligation A drunken Servant is a Servant and bound to do his work though he hath disabled himself 't is no reason the Master should lose his right by the Servants default Again Gods doing all is an ingagement to us to wait upon him in the use of means that we may meet with God in his way and he may meet with us in our way 1. That we may meet with God in his way God hath appointed certain duties to convey and apply his grace We are to lye at the Pool till the Waters be stirred to continue our attendance till God giveth grace Mark 4.24 Take heed what ye hear With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you As you measure to God in duties so will God measure to you in blessings 2. That God may meet with us in our way God influenceth all things according to their natural inclination God inlightneth with the Sun burneth with the fire reasoneth with man acts necessarily with necessary causes and freely with free causes he doth not oppress the liberty of the creature but preserveth the nature and interest of his workmanship draweth men with the cords of a man Hos. 11.4 He propoundeth reason which we consider and so betake our selves to a Godly course The object of regeneration is a reasonable creature upon whom he worketh not as upon a stock or a stone and maketh use of the Faculties which they have shewing us our lost estate and the possibility of Salvation by Christ sweetly inviting us to accept of Christs grace that he may pardon our sins sanctify our natures and lead us in the way of holiness unto eternal life Now these means we are to attend upon 2. Not to the regenerate Partly because they have some principles of operation there is life in them and where there is life there is a