the Mediators performing according to His undertaking as well as there is faithfulnesse in Gods performing whatever He hath spoken of Him or promised to Him Ye shall only take two or three testimonies for this The 1. is Matth. 3.14 and 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt and hath accordingly performed it so that the Father is well pleased A 2d is John 17.4 Where He appeareth before the Father and useth it for an argument for His Glorifying him with the same glory he had with the father before the world was I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do I have gotten a task and piece of Work committed to me and now it 's performed And that other Word which He hath on the Cross is remarkable to this purpose It 's finished Now the task and work is ended and I have no more to do but presently to passe to the Victory and to the dividing of the Spoil And a 3d. Testimony is our Lord Jesus His ascension to Heaven and the glory that He will appear in at the day of Judgement when His Kingdom shall be consummat That shall be a proof and testimony that He left nothing undone that was given Him to do that He bare the Sins of many that He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that pulled of the hair and that He satisfied justice freely and ascended to Heaven as it is 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of Godliness saith the Apostle God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit fully absolved as having performed all whatsoever He undertook Seen of Angels and raised up unto glory Use This is also though a general yet a very comfortable Doctrine to the People of God in as far as from it they may know that there is no more to be payed to the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect It hath gotten full Satisfaction The Cautioner hath payed all their Debt and is now exercing His Offices for applying to them His purchase making intercession for them overseeing them proving a Tutor to them guiding them and all that concerns them and His Church even doing all things well managing the affairs of His Fathers house as a Son and He cannot but guide all well Other sheep saith He I have which are not of this fold them I must bring in and they shall hear my voice and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish A most pregnant ground of comfort to the Believer that his eternal well-being cannot but be sure and sicker because it hath the Father and the Mediator their faithfulnesse ingaged for it If Jehovah perform the Promises made to the Mediator and if the Mediator perform His ingagement to Jehovah and raise up Believers at the last day then it must follow that their Salvation is sure This is the main ground on which Believers peace is founded and here we may allude to that Heb. 6. He hath sworn by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie that the heirs of promise who are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them may have strong consolation even so here There are two immutable things to wit Gods promise to the Mediator and God will and must keep His Word to Him and the Mediators ingagement to God and He will and must keep His Word to Him And indeed we have good proof of both already For it was this ingagement that made the Father send the Son of His Love out of His bosome to be incarnat and to undergo the work of Elect Sinners Redemption and it was this ingagement that made the Mediator die of whom the Father exacted the Price till He declared Himself Satisfied and well pleased Now when these things that seemed most difficult are accomplished what can fail 1. Then there is here ground to fix our Faith upon and indeed there is need to fix it rightly The ground that our Salvation and Perseverance in the Faith is founded on is not our continuing to Pray to Believe and to Love God but this ingagement betwixt the Father and the Son and it is the cause procuring the other as an necessary and infallibly certain effect It 's mainly on this that believers shuld rest quiet and confident 2. It should make Believers humble and cheerful seeing though they be weak in themselves yet here they have a grip and hold for every hand as it were Jehovah's Word and the Mediators Word for their through bearing 3. It should much commend believing and the state of a Believer who have such ground of assurance The greatest Monarch on earth hath not such ground of assurance for his Dinner or Supper as the poor Believer hath for eternal Life For the Word spoken by Jehovah to the Mediator and the undertaking of the Mediator to Jehovah cannot fail and the Believer hath that to rest upon as the ground of his assurance More particularly The Articles on the Mediators side are as I said in these Four exprâ—ssions He hath poured out his soul unto death He was numbred with the transgressours he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours 1. He must die expressed in these Words He poured out his soul unto death Which implyes Three things 1. That it is an Article of the Covenant of Redemption and of the Mediators undertaking that he should die for Sinners And so it is a needlesse curious and unwarrantable dispute whether fallen man might have been redeemed any other way or whether a drop of His blood was not enough to redeem man because we see here it is Determined and Articled in the Covenant of Redemption that He should die Jehovah will have the Mediator dying And be possible what may to Gods Soveraignity which we would not make to clash with His Justice nor His Just ce with His Soveraignity this may bound and limit us that it 's concluded in this Covenant of Redemption that the Mediator shall lay down His Life and it being concluded It 's certain 1. That God hath given man a Law threatning him that if he should break that Law he should die 2. That all Mankind and so the Elect have broken that Law and so are lyable to the Threatning and Curse 3. That the Mediator became Cautioner and undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt it was necessary that He should die because He undertook to pay their Debt and to satisfie for their Sin which was death by the Law to them and so the Justice of God is vindicat He cannot be called unjust nor partial nor unholy though He do not actually punish every Sinner that hath Sinned in his own Person because Gods holinesse and Justice appears conspicuously that He would rather execute what was due to the Elect on His own Son then that their Sins should go unpunished
grave and buried as if death had gotten the victory over him And so he dies a most shameful death after he had lived a most mean and abject life 2. For his afflicted condition it is clear if we consider what troubles did accompany him in his life and at his death No sooner was he born but as I said he is persecuted by Herod so that himself and his parents must needs flee down to Egypt and they being but poor folks behoved in so long a journey to meet with many difficulties That they were but poor may be seen by Maries offering after her Purification And when he came forth in his Publick Ministry at his very entry to it he was most terribly tempted of the Devil taking occasion of his hunger after long fasting And all along the exercise of it what contradiction did he meet with from the Scribes and Pharisees How did he travel on his feet from place to place Often suâ—ject to weariness and fainting sometimes men will not so much as give him lodging which he suffers patiently and rebukes his Disciples for their impatience and preposterous zeal Luke 9. Many calumnies and reproaches were cast upon him He was called Beelzebub a Deceiver a friend of Publicans and Sinners How did some of his frâ—ends according to the flesh snarl at him and offer to bind him as a mad man What plots and conspiracies were laid and made to take away his life And when it came to the upshot of all Peter shamefully denied him and all the other Disciples forsook him and fled Many other things befell him as may be seen in the History of his Sufferings written by the Evangelists We read that he wept thrice to let us know that it was his frequent and familiar exercise And a little before his death we read that he was in a great agony and did therein sweat blood and offered prayers with strong cryes and tears but we read not that he did laugh or that ever any worldly mirth was found in him which clearly makes out this truth That he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief For Use It would take the tongues of Men and Angels to speak of it it being the most remarkable and soul-refreshing Subject that ever the world heard of even that of which the Angels sing Luke 2.10 11. Good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people that unto you is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And this shall be a sign to you ye shall find the babe wraped in swadling-cloaths lying in a manger Sure we should not sing less but more then Angels Men being more concerned then Angels in these things And therefore 1. Behold believe and wonder that he that was rich became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich that he that was Lord of all became servant to all that he that was the infinite God the express image of his Fathers person and thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet humbled himself and became of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant c. Behold we say believe and wonder at this 1. In respect of the cause it came from to wit everlasting love He did and suffered all this most willingly there was no constraint on him But as it is Psal 40. He delighted to do his Fathers will He had power to lay down his life and to take it up again 2. In respect of the end it was not to add to his own glory for as God his Glory being infinit it was not neither was capable of diminution or addition but he became poor that we might be made rich He was a man of sorrows that we might be made to rejoice he wept that we might laugh he wanted that we might have Is not this love stooping thus loâ— to be wondered at Was there ever the like heard of That God the great Party offended should come so low to recover the despicable Parties offending and that even while they were rank enemies to him God commendeth his love to us saith the Apostle Rom. 5.8 that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us And saith himself John 15. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends But when we were enemies Christ died for us Were it then an unsuitable use of this Doctrine to be beholding believing and wondering at his love and to be often thinking and saying What is man that God should be so mindful of him as to send the Heir of all things his own Son into the world as his great Ambassadour and Commissioner to negotiat a peace betwixt himself and rebel-sinners which he was to purchase by becoming so very low and by suffering so very much 2. See in this the great evil and hurt of sin and the difficulty of making peace betwixt God and a sinner who hath provoked God Is it a little matter that made our Lord condescend and stoop so low O! if folk knew the evil of sin And that ere Justice could be satisfied the Son of God behoved to become Man and a deeply humbled Man The Sword of his avenging Justice behoved to awake against him and smite the man that was his fellow rather then that sin should go unpunished and Justice should want satisfaction Beware lightly to boast and brag of mercy or to think it easie to make your peace with God And remember that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 3. See in this much condescending in our blessed Lord Jesus and a motive as well as a copy of patience in him who is content to be made of a woman made under the Law who submits himself unto the Law and takes on a mean and afflicted state of life in the world It 's a wonder that Christs members should take so ill with a mean suffering and hard lot seing their lot is far very far from the contempt reproaches sorrows weights and griefs that accompanied their Head and Lord And it 's a shame that believers minds and hearts should be set so much on these things that he who was and is their Lord and Master and the Heir of all things possessed so little of or that they should place their happiness in whole or in part in the injoyment of these things or their misery in the want of them More patience under the Cross under watchings weariness reproaches c. would become us much better our blessed Lord Jesus had a great many moe 4. See this to be not only a motivâ— to patience in respect of outward things but a stâ—pping stoâ—e and ground of encouragement to go forward to Christ with every want spiritual and temporal It 's much that our Lord became Man but it 's more that he became a man under griefs afflictions sorrows and temptations and was subject to death it self And that he hath bowels of
that way of Preaching most that layes open the mistery of Faith in Christ and of Hearers to love that way of Preaching best not so much that which fills the head with Notions as that which serves to help to close a Bargain betwixt God and you This was Pauls great design in Preaching as we see 1 Cor. 2.2 and 1 Cor. 1.23.24 He no doubt taâ—ght other things but he compended all in this or levelled all at this as the scope and this was his main Design in his Preaching and Pressing of other things The 3d. Use Serves To make a sad discovery of many of you is this Gospel the external mean of Justification Then see if ye ever knew any benefit ye got by it ye will belike say that ye are in friendship with God but how I pray you came ye by it There is little châ—nge to the better in your Knowledge and as little odds in your Practice ye are as much given to Covetousnesse Tipling Lying Swearing Pride Vanity c. as evâ—r and are these think ye the Fruits of Justification do ye think that to be Justification which is neither from the Word nor conform to it If God would commend this to your hearts I think it might alarm you to more serious thoughts of your Condition I put it to your Conscience if ye can conceive any difference betwixt you and these that never heard the Gospel ye are baptized and hear preachings c. But alace it 's none of these that Justifies they are only useful as they lead you forward to the use making of Jesus Christ Again let me ask you what effect hath Preaching upon you Hâ—th it convinced you of Sin â—o how then can it convince yâ—u of Righteousnesse Therefore if ye would make sure Justification indeed try it by the Word 1. What was it that put you to seek after Righteousnesse and Justification was ye ever convinced of the need of it and if ye have been convinced was it by Preaching of the Word 2. If ye have been convinced of your Sin and misery where sought ye for a remedy was ye led in through the Word to seek a Plaister to heal that wound of Conviction 3. What was it that warranted you to take hold of that Word or that gave you right to it I know that ye will say that it was Christ holden out in the Word that ye did betake your selves to but what weight laid ye on Gods call in the Gospel warranding you to lay hold on the Promise of Righteousnesse and Pardon of Sin through Christ I know there are many who though there had not been a call from God would have confidently stepped forward to the Promise but were ye ever like to Peters hearers pricked in your hearts and made to say men and brethren what shall we do Or being some way pricked was it Gods call holding out the Promise to be to you and your children and to as many as our God shall call that brought you to rest on the Promise God hath designed preaching for this end and ye would try if ever ye was put to it to look to Gods call that gâ—ve you warrand to believe for there is nothing more certain then this that wherever Faith is sicker and well built it 's grounded on Gods call and doth take His Faiâ—hfulnesse for it's Back-bond to say so and warrand More particularly we come to speake of this Word as it respects the inward mean or the inward instrumental cause of Justification which is Faith for there is this order and method 1. The Sinner is convinced and made sensible of Sin and brought to reckon for it in his own Conscience before God 2. There is Christs being holden forth interposing himself to take on Sinners Debt and satisfyâ—ng the Ju â—ice of God for it which is the meritorious Cause 3dly There is Gods Offer in the Gospel holding our Christs Righteousnesse to lost Sinners and calling them to make use of it 4ly Upon this there is Faith's receiving of the Offer and resting upon Christ and His Righteousnesse for Life which to speak so is the inward instrumental Cause taking hold of the external and as I said of Christ in it 5. And lasty follows Gods imputing the Righteousnesse of Christ to the Sinner and absolving him by vertue of that Righteousnesse from the guilt of his Sin as if he had never Sinned In speaking of this inward instrumental Cause Five things would be cleared which we suppose are implyed in the Words 1. The necessity of Faith holden out as the Mean by which Justification is come by 2. The immediat Object of Justifying Faith and that is Christs Sufferings or Jesus Christ as Suffering Travelling in Soul and paying our Debt 3. The Act of this Faith on this Object which is not a bare speculative Knowledge or a meer Historical Faith but something that really Acts on Christ with respect to His Sufferings 4. The effect of this Faith taking hold on Christ and His Sufferings and that is Justification which is not the making a Sinner to be Just by inherent Righteousnesse but the Actual absolving of him from the Guilt of Sin and from God's Curse the changing of his State and the bringing him from under the Curse into good terms with God 5. The manner how Faith concurres in proceeding or bringing about this effect wherein we have this general That Faith hath a peculiar influence in the Justification of a Sinner that no good work nor any other Grace hath There is none of all these things but it is in this miserably declined generation wherein the Devil sets himself mightily to obscure Truâ—h as the Lord by the Gospel doth clear it contraverted I shall only endeavour to clear the positive part and let you see what is Truth in these things whereby ye may be brought to discover and abhore the errors that are contrare thereto The 1. Doctrine than is this That before a man can be Justified and Absolved from the Curse of God due to him for Sin there is a necessity of Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ This is clear from the Words and from what hath been said in the opening of them up If it be by his knowledge or the knowledge of him that many are justified then it cannot be that they are Justified before they come to the Knowledge of Him or from Eternity only in passing take two or three words of Advertisement and then we shall confirm the Doctrine 1. When we speak of Justification it 's in respect of our being absolved and fred not from the pollution of Sin but from the guilt of it as it makes us obnoxious to the Curse the clearing of the effect will clear this more 2. When we speak of Faith it 's not to be understood as it were a Declaration or Manifestation of our Justification Or it is not to be understood of Faith in the hight of full assurance and as it is a plezophory but of
common favours that they have received as evidences of Gods care and kindnesse conclude their Justification It may be some have had now and then deep convictions or have win to Tears in Prayer or at a Sermon Others it may be have had some joy now and then at hearing the Word Others will it may be dream of such and such Heavenly things and have as they suppose a vision of them in their sleep and some joy will follow on it when they are awaked Others may have met with many deliveries by Sea and Land and God hath dealt wel with them and their Children in external things but alace these things may befall unbelievers not one of them nor all of them together if there be no more will Justifie ye would rather try these things whether they be found and evidences of special Love or not by your believing If they have Faith in Christ carried along with them It 's well If ye can say that after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise and that your joy followed upon your closing with and resting upon Christ ye have no reason to question it but where such tastes goes before and are without believing it 's suspect-like there are many of you that have multitudes of things that ye lean to beside Christ and never seriously put your selves to the tryal whether ye be indeed fled to Him 2. Use We would commend this to you as a ground of Tryal of your selves if ye be Justified if ye have seriously taken with your sin and embraced God's offer of the Righteousnesse of Christ and rested on it make this once sure that ye have been sensible of Sin that ye have been beaten from your own Righteousnesse and that ye have fled to Jesus Christ and closed with His Righteousnesse offered in the Gospel then this will natively follow that by His Knowledge thou art Justified His Word speaks it out plain to thee It may be that some think this to be a broad mark and that others will think it narrow Yet it 's a solid mark and no other thing is or can be a mark but as it implyes this though some may presumptuously gather from it a broad conclusion yet it will be found to be as straining and searching a mark when well considered as other marks and evidences are that we cannot at first so easily lay hold upon and therefore we would say that it 's not every one that thinks he believes but it 's such as really believe who have this evidence and for preventing of mistakes we shall follow this evidence of Justification to wit Faith to the very rise of it 1. It supposes a Charge and Summonds as it were given to the Persons to appear before God 2. There is a Sentence discovered standing against them and over their heads by the Covenant of Works now what can ye say to these Two where I desire you not so much to speak your light as your practice and experience what a Charge or Summonds was put in your hands Have ye read the Lybel of your Sins And have ye seen the breaches of the Law and your lyableness to the Curse of God for the same If so then what means the good opinion that many of you have of your selves This is even the thing that the Apostle sayeth of himself before his conversion Rom. 7.9 Before the law came I was alive but when the commandement came sin revived and I died That is before the charge was put in my hand and I summoned to appear before Gods Bar I had a good opinion of my self and I thought that all was well but when I came to take up the Law in the Spiritual Meaning and broad extent of it I saw my self lost and gone and that conceat fell These Three then usually preceed Faith 1. That a person hath had a good opinion of himself 2. That this person is Summoned or Charged to answer at Gods Bar. 3. That the person is made to passe Sentence on himself as lost and undone by reason of the Laws Sentence and Curse standing over his head unrepealled Now how hath it been with you as to these The most part are quite of another disposition then Paul was They think they are well enough because they never discovered their rotten condition but try well how it is with you go in and see if ever ye discovered in your selves 1. An inclination to establish your own Righteousnesse 2. Was ye ever under a work of the Law humbling you and 3. Was ye ever in your own apprehension lost If so then ye are such as Christ came to call 2ly In the next room consider what ye betook your selves to for answering that Charge and for a remedy of that lost condition there is no remedy but the offer of Christ's Righteousnesse in the Gospel Some being charged wirh Guilt betakes themselves to Prayer and that is well done in so far but if ye hold there and go no further it 's not right It 's here as it was with these who lived under the Law who when they had Sinned made use of Sacrifices and the greatest part held there and went no further whereas the believer looked through the Sacrifices to Christ So if ye hold at Prayer and other Duties and go no further these will not profit you but know ye what it is to go to Prayer and in Prayer to go to Christ and rest on his Sacrifice for your acceptance I fear there be great ignorance here The most part know not what they have done when they were charged or if they did any thing they prayed or if they went any further on they looked to the promise of Gods mercy but that is not far enough gone How many such are there who have made their Prayer their only intercessour and have presumed to step in on God's mercy without a Mediator 3. Suppone that ye have betaken your selves to Christ as to the remedy come on and try how your union hath been made up with him where did ye seek and find him Christ Jesus is to be found in the Gospel in the Ministry of the Word Therefore that is put in on good reason in the definition of Faith given to us in the Catechism That its a resting on him as he is offered in the Gospel but I fear and suppose that many have another Christ to speak so whom they have gotten without knowing or making any use of the Word or offer of the Gospel which is the power of God for salvation to them that believe 4. Wherewith did ye take hold on him or how did ye act on him was it by Faith or not There are many who act on him as they think by Prayer not as the meritorious Cause but as the efficient cause of Justification praying for pity and pardon from Him but this is not to take hold of Christs Righteousnesse by Faith Others think that if they can love and serve Him
their Debt This will be clear if we consider all these Scriptures that make offer of the pardon of Sin for it 's offered not in the condition of Faith in a more general Notion of it but on condition of Faith in him So Rom. 5.22 24 25. The righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. John 1.12 To as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his name Where the Faith that hath the Promise of Justification and the priviledge of Adoption annexed to it is called the receiving of Christ and believing on his name It may also be cleared and confirmed by good reason 1. Faith does not Justifie as it 's cosidered in it self as an Act but as it relates to and units with Christ as the meritorious cause of Justification 2. Neither does Faith Justifie as it looks to every Object which the Word holds forth But as it respects Christ offered in the Gospel whom it receiveth because there is no other thing that can bear the Souls weight and burden Therefore he as offered in the Gospel must be the Object of Faith as it 's saving and justifying 3. The terms of the Covenant and Gods offer clears it also For Gods offer of Justification is not on these terms that a Sinner shall believe his Word in the general but that he believe on His Son whom He hath sent and receive Him as these Scriptures cited before to wit John 3.16.18 and Mark 16.16 Shew where the terms are set down whereon God offers Life to Sinners 4. If we could imagine a man to have all Knowledge and all Faith if Faith Act not on Christ as Redeemer Cautioner and Surety for such as come to Him it will not avail us nor be counted to us for Righteousnesse which may also confirm this truth The Uses of this Doctrine are such as serve both to clear the nature of Faith and to direct us in our practice The 1. Use Then serves to clear the Truth as the Papists corrupt many Truths so they corrupt this Truth concerning the nature of Justifying and Saving Faith in these Three 1. In the Object 2. In the Subject 3. In the Act of it As for the Object of this Faith they make it to be every thing that God reveals and sometimes they take in their own Traditions the reason is because they give not Faith a Causality in Justification nor the capacity and place of a thing acting on Christ particularly but take it in as a common Grace or at the best as a Grace that is Radical and gives Life to other Graces but never as taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse which quite overturns the way of Justification through Faith in Him for Faith that layeth not hold on His Righteousnesse cannot Justifie and their making the Object of Faith to be so broad doth enervat both the immediat merit of Christs Righteousnesse and the exercise of Faith on it 1. Then we grant that there is a Historical Faith requisit as to the whole Word of God yet we say that the Faith that Justifies is properly that Faith that singles out the Righteousnesse of Christ and takes hold of it So that it 's not our believing that the World was made that there will be a day of Judgement nor our believing that a Saviour of Sinners is come into the World and hath suffered c. that Justifies but it 's a closing with a receiving of and a resting on that Saviour a singling out of the Promise that makes offer of him as for instance where it 's said If thou believe on the Lord Jesus thou shall be saved and pitching on that and resting on him holden out in the Promise Faith gives the Soul footing here whereas before it's case was very desperat 2. We may clear what we are to look to as the object of Justifying and Saving Faith by our putting in these Three Words or Expressions in the Doctrine to wit Christ Jesus his Righteousnesse holden forth in the promise of Gods free grace in the Gospel and which are needful to be taken in though it be not alwayes necessary that we be explicit ln the uptaking of them 1. There is need of taking in Christs righteousnesse because it 's our defence at the Bar of Gods Justiâ—e even as a Debitor whose Debt the Cautioner hath payed hath that to answer when he is charged for it that his Cautioner hath payed it 2. There is need to take in this Holden forth in Gods promise in the gospel because though Christ be the Object of Justifying Faith and His Righteousnesse be the ground of the Souls defence before God yet Gods Promise must be looked on by Faith for the use making of Christ and His Righteousnesse and as a warrand to rest on Him and to expect Justification through Him and thus Faith hath Christs fulnesse or His full and compleat Satisfaction for Righteousnesse and Gods Faithfulnesse impledged that the Believer shall be accepted through it And it s on this ground that Faith sometimes looks on God as Able sometimes as Faithful Therefore it 's said Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost and Heb. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promised whereupon there is a closing with the offer in the Promise and a looking to obtain that which is Promised as if they had a Righteousnesse of their own and this the Apostle calls the law of faith Rom. 3.27 Because to Justification there is beside the payment of the Debt a Law declaring the man to be absolved requisit and the Sinner having Gods offer and Promise that upon his accepting of Christs Righteousnesse he shall be Justified instructs that his Debt is payed by his Cautioner and that therefore he ought to be and is accordingly absolved And though Gods Promise be not so properly a Law yet the Apostle calleth it so and it is a solid defence to the Soul that is fled to Christ Who may thus reason I have no Righteousnesse of my own but Christs Righteousnesse by Proclamation is offered to me in the Gospel and I have heartily received it and closed with it and God is faithfull to make good His Promise to me and this looks to Christ as He is revealed in the Gospel 3. There is need to put in this word The promise of Gods free grace because hereby the Sinner is made to see whence the Promise came and of what nature it is and gives ground to take hold of the Promise and of that which is made offer of in it the Promise is of free Grace therefore it 's alwayes called the Covenant of Grace So Rom.
comprehended the way of a Sinners Justification in the Gospel Covenant and promises and makes offer of it to all that hear of it saying He that believes in the Son shall not perish but have eternal life and all that believe on him shall be justified from all things whereby they could not be justified by the law of Moses This is the external instrumental cause of Justification that holds out the way to Life which supposes the former 4. When this is made offer of in the Gospel there is the oâ—eration of Gods Spirit on the Soul illightning the Mind of the Sinner convincing him of his hazard chasing him to Christ and powerfully perswading him to take hold of His Righteousnesse made offer of to him whereupon the Soul comes to put forth the Act of Faith and to rest upon His Righteousnesse as when it was said by Philip to the Eunuch Act. 8. If thou believest thou mayest justified The Soul answers I believe in Christ the Son of God whereupon it becomes a bargain and this is the inward mean or instrumental cause of Justification 5. Follows Gods imputing to that Sinner that receives Christ as He is offered and rests upon Him by Faith His Righteousnesse and Christs payment and satisfâ—ction to Justice is counted his and according to this his Sins are pardoned for the merit of that Righteousness and he himself is accepted accounted Righteous as if he had never sinned and he hath such a sentence past on him as is held forth in these words of Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered to whom the Lord imputs to iniquity and in these Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus c. Even as before he fled to Christ there was a Curse standing against him And this is an Act of God the Soveraign and efficient Cause To declare his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus as it is Rom. 3.26 which is the final cause We may confirm this either as to the positive part that by believing a Sinner is Justified or as to the negative part that there is no other way possible whereby a Sinner can be Justified but by believing So that this great Effect follows from a sensible Sinners taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse by Faith Ye may look upon a few Scriptures to this purpose as namely Gal. 2.16 Where the Apostle entering in the debate layes down this conclusion Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ as if he had said we have taken this way for the attaining of this end believing that we might be justified The Apostle speaks here 1. Of a Justification by Faith which is opposit to Works and as he ascribes it to Faith so he denyes it to Works 2. He makes it exclusive and will have no other thing to concur in the manner at least but Faith Knowing saith he that a man is not justified by works but by faith 3. He holds out his own and other Believers practice Even we have believed that we might be justified As if he said we took this way of Faith to be absolved before God which by the Law or the Works of the Law would never have been See also to this purpose the Epistle to the Romans 1 2 3 4. and 5. Chapters especially the 3 and 4. In the 3d. chap. v. 25. When he is summing the Doctrine of Justification into a compend he sayes Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins c. Where Christs Righteousnesse is called a Propitiation through faith and Faith is holden out as the Channel in which Justification runs and in the words following the Believer is holden out as the Object of it So Chap. 4. It 's holden out in the instance of Abraham particularly v. 5. To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Where the Apostle propones Two wayes of a persons aiming to be Justified The 1. whereof is when a man works or worketh not on that account to be Justified by them and on that account seeks to be Justified and that way is rejected The 2. is when a man hath no works but by Faith betakes himself to Christ's Satisfaction and that way is established for that mans Faith is counted for Righteousnesse and is the ground of his peace before God we gave some Scriptures before for this and shall not therefore now insist There is also good reason why it cannot be otherwayes 1. If we consider what man is in himself ungodly rebellious having nothing to present unto God but when a Righteousnesse is presented to him by way of offer and he is through Grace brought to accept of the offer of Righteousnesse of another nothing can be conceived to be brought to receive it but his Faith and iâ— Christs Satisfaction be his Justification and if it be Faith that takes hold of it we have a clear reason why Justification is attributed as to Faith 2. Consider That this contributs most to Gods end which is to glorifie himself especially in his Grace in the Justification of Sinners even to hold forth the manifold riches of His Grace and nothing contributs to this so much and so well aâ— that which speaks the Sinner to be empty and nothing empties the Sinner more then Faith it being the great Act of Faith to bring the Soul of it's own bottom and to stop all boasting to drive it out of it self to be found in Him Therefore it 's said to be of faith that it might be of grace Rom. 14.16 As if he had said if it were by any other thing it could not be by Grace but Faith claims nothing but the Righteousnesse of Christ to rest on He hath payed the price and made the Satisfaction and that Satisfaction is mine saith Faith because it was offered to me and I have been brought to lay hold on it and the nature of this pleading stops the mouth of the creature and proclaims Justification to be alone the effect of Gods Grace and of Christs procurement 3. Consider That if it depended on any other thing our Justification could never be perfit when we speak of Justification and call it perfite It is not so to be understood as if Faith were perfite but Christs Satisfaction which is our Righteousnesse and which Faith layes hold on is perfite â—hough our Faiths grip be weak Hence it is that the weak Believer is Justified as well as the strong all who look unto Christ though with a weak sighted eye yet Salvation through him as well as Abraham because His Righteousnesse is perfite which weak Faith takes hold of as well as
strong Faith Now if Justification were founded on ought within us it could never be perfit but by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses And one of them made at free as another It 's not here as if one part of the Debt were scored and blotted out and not anoâ—her but all is blotted out becausâ— the Righteousnesse presented before God's Tribunâ—l and imputed to us which is the Defence that Faith gives in is perfiâ—e We may compare strong and weak Faith to two Advocats the one more able and the other weâ—ker pleading the cause before a just Judge strong Faith pleads more strâ—ngly fully and distinctly weak Faith pleads not so fully and distinctly but both pleading on the same ground God the Judge Judgeth not according to the distinctnesse or undistinctnesse of the pleading but according to the Defence or Reason given in and absolves both alike and the weak Believer is as fully pardoned as the strong is The Uses are many and comfortable 1. It serves for our Direction if any were asking how they may come to be Justified This Doctrine answers by Faith in Jesus Christ by taking with your Sin and taking hold of Christs Righteousnesse offered to you in the Gospel and by making that your Dâ—fence before God And is not this a Lesson worthy the learning which the whole Word of God aims at even to instruct you how to make your peace with Him It 's by the knowledge of Christ or by Faith in Him by resting on Him as He is offered in the Gospel and this cannot but be a solid and sicker way of Justification because we have Gods Word for it it 's founded on His Faithfulnesse and on the Transaction made betwixt God and the Mediator we have also the experience of all the Saints for it Abraham before the Law David under the Law and Paul since the Law all of them were led the same way ye would take noâ—ice of this not only as the great question in Catechizing or Examination but as ground whereon ye build your peace if ye were dying There is a perfite Righteousnesse in Christ made offer of to you in the Gospel on condition ye will receive Him as He is offered and if ye so receive Him it shall be yours and ye shall at Gods Ear be absolved the Righteousnesse of Christ shall be as effectual for your absolution as if it were inherent in your selves and Faith shall unite you to Him and make you one with Him In a word ye must all come before Gods Tribunal and there are but two Defences to be proposed either something in your selves as your love and charity or good carriage and duties or to take with your Sin to condemn your selves and to flee to Christ and present His Righteousenesse as the Righteousnesse of the Cautioner that hath payed your Debt and according as ye take the one way or the other ye may expect to be Justified or not and this Doctrine rejects the one way and ownâ— and confirms the other which is by Faith And therefore 2. which is the great Use of all this Doctrine here there is ground laid down to any that would be Justified how they may win to it and a warrand to propose Justification as a thing attainable through Faith in Him ye have it in your offer on these terms and therefore let me earnestly intreat you to accept of the offer if this be the way of Justification take this way seing there is an absolute necessity of Faith in every one that should be at Justification make it sure that ye are indeed fled to Christ and that it is His Righteousnesse which ye make your Defence before the Bar of Gods Tribunal We shall branch forth this Use of Exhortation in these Two or Three words 1. When Christ is spoken of in the Gospel let him be by Faith received and if ye would know what this is labour 1. To know and to take up the difference betwixt self-Righteousnesse and that Righteousnesse which is by Faith For many are so ignorant that they know neither the one nor the other or at least not the one by the other 2. When ye are come to know the difference betwixt these two and are soberly weighing what ye would lippen to in your coming before God with indignation shuffle out and cast by disclaim and renunce your own Righteousnesse and grip to the Righteousnesse of Christ here Faith will have a double Work upon the one hand to reject Self-righteousnesse and upon the other hand to rest upon the Righteousnesse of Christ alone according to that Philip. 3.9 3. When ye have gotten your own Righteousnesse casten and Christs Righteousnesse closed with there is a necessity to cover and hide your selves in it that ye may never so much as in the vaging conceit of your mind be found out of it It alluds to the City of refuge wherein when once entered into and abiden in the person was safe buâ— if he was at any time found without he was in hazard to be killed by the avengâ—â— of blood which held out not only the Act of Faith fleeing to Christ but it 's abiding in Him being hide in Him containing and keeping it self in Him and continuing to plead it's Defence on that ground There may be in a fit of sad exercise a renouncing of our own Righteousnesse but when that is over and we begin to conceit something of that which we have done we are ready to forget Christs Righteousnesse and to lean to our own and that it in a manner to come out of Christ and from our City of Refuge if ever we were in Him Faith as it betakes it self to Christ so it States it self in Christ where only it dare abide the tryal 2. We would commend this to you as the great ground of your Peace and Hope even that ye would put it to the tryal and make it sure whether ye be in the Faith or not It is true there are many beguiled in this and take themselves to be in the Faith when they are not and others question their Faith and their being Justified without just ground yet it 's impossible to win to clearnesse of interest in Christ or to the having of any solid and comfortable hope of enjoying God except there be some clearnesse that we are in the Faith and have indeed betaken our selves to Christ which cannot be win at without putting it to the tâ—â—al Other evidences serve to clear our Justification as they clear our Faith and as they prâ—ve Faith so they conclude and prove our Justification and the out-gate promised Now if believing be such an evidence of Justification and of a well grounded hope of Hâ—aven is there not reason we should put it in good â—earâ—esâ— and frequently to the tryal and seek to know whether we be in the Faith or not The Apostle 2. Cor. 13.5 Doubles his
becoming ours The Uses are several 1. For information and conviction and we would 1. be informed in and understand well the meanining of this Doctrine when we say that Faith is necessary to Justification and concurreth in attaining of it as no other thing doth that ye may give it it 's right place and may make no confusion of these things that are distinct 1. We deny not Works notwithstanding of all that we have said to be necessary more then we do Faith but the great difference is anent the giving of Faith and Works or Faith as it is a work on equal share in respect of causality in our Justification And therefore we would beware with Papists to attribute a sort of condignity to Faith as if it merited eternal Life which flowes from their ignorance of Gods Covenant For they think that since He commands us to believe and promiseth Life to believing that there is a merit in believing as they fancie there is in Prayer Almes-deeds and others Duties or good Works but in this respect as it is a Work in us the Apostle excludes Faith and makes our Justification free whereas if Faith in Justification were considered as a Work meriting our Justification it should not be free and although there be no Papists in profession here amongst us yet it may be there are some and that not a few that think God is obliged to them because they believe and that expect Heaven and life Eternal on that ground even as when they pray they think they should be heard for their Praying and when they give Almes that they should be rewarded for the same as a meritorious Work 2. Neither do we understand when we say that Faith is necessary to Justification and concurreth in the attaining of it That by believing we are disposed to be holy and so more enabled to Justifie our selves which is also a Popish Error wherein I fear many professors of the Gospel amongst us ly who think they are obliged to their Faith because it disposes them to hear read pray and the like and so enableth them to work out a Righteousnesse to themselves whereby they expect to be Justified This is another fault and Error to be guarded against For though we give Faith a radical vertue to keep Life in other Graces yet so considered it is still a piece of inherent Holiness and pertains to Sanctification and not to Justification 3. When we say that Faith concurres in the attaining of Justification we do not say that it concurres in the same manner that Repentance Prayer and good Works do concur But it may be said here seing we grant that good Works and Duties are necessary what then is the difference I answer in these two 1. Faith is the proper and peculiar condition of the Covenant of Grace and not our Works or Holiness whereof Faith considered as a Work is a part Works is the condition of the Covenant of works for it sayes in this manner The man that doth these things shall live by them but the Covenant of Grace in opposition to it sayes If thou believe with thy heart in the Lord Jesus and confess with thy mouth that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved as it is Rom. 10. What Works is in the one Covenant Faith is in the other Covenant and that as it is opposed to Works and to Faith it self as it is a Work in us 2. There is a peculiarness in Faith's concurring for the attaining of Justification in respect of it's instrumentalness in taking hold of Christ for our Justification or in receiving and resting upon Him as we said before for that end For when Christ is offered in the Gospel Faith flees to Him receives Him takes hold of Him and rests on Him neither Repentance nor Prayer nor any good Work hath an aptitud and fitness to receive Christ and present His Satisfaction to God as the ground of the Sinners defence as Faith hath And therefore it 's so often said by Divines according to the Scripture that Faith is the instrumental cause of our Justification which we shall clear in two or three similitudes which the Scripture makes use of 1 Christ compares Himself to the brazen Serpent lifted up in the wildernesse John 3.14 Man by Sin is stung deadly as the Israelites were by the fiery Serpents Christ Jesus as suffering and hung or lifted up upon the Cross is proposed to our Faith to look upon as the brazen Serpent was proposed to them that were stung and put up on a poll for that end and as there was no healling to the stung Israelites except they looked to it and the cure followed to none but to these who did behold it So Christ Jesus proposed as the Object and meritorious Cause of Justification Justifies none but such as look to Him by Faith and although they were to look to the Brazen Serpent yet their look gave no efficacy to the cure but it flowed from Gods ordaining that as a mean of their Cure even so it is not from any efficacy in Faith considered in it self that Sinners are Justified but it is from Jesus Christ the Object that Faith eyeing Him lifted up as the Saviour of the elect and His Satisfaction as appointed of God for that end doth Justifie and therefore it may well be called an instrumental cause because it is not Christ abstractly considered that Justifies more then it was the Serpent considered abstractly without their looking to it that did cure but Christ considered and laid hold on by Faith and in this respect Faith is said to Justifie even as the e e looking to the Brazen Serpent put them in capacity of the Cure though the Cure flowed from Gods appointment and not from their looking So is it in Faith's concurring for the attaining of Justification A 2d Similitude is that of miraculous Faith We find it often said by the Lord in His working such Cures Thy faith hath made the whole There was no efficacy in Faith it self for producing the Cure but it was the mean by which the Cure was transmitted to the Person under such a disease So it is in believing in order to our Justification It is by believing on Christ that our Spiritual Cure in Justification is transmitted to us and we are said to be Justified by Faith as they were said to be cured by Faith because by Faith it is convoyed to us A 3d. Similitude for clearing that Faith may well be called the instrumental Cause of Justification may be this even as the Advocats pleading may be called the instrumental Cause of the Clients absolving As suppose a man whose Cautioner had payed his Debt were cited to answer for the Debt his Advocat pleads his absolution and freedom from the Debt because his Cautioner hath payed it although the Debt was payed yet the man had not been absolved if it had not been so pleaded on this behalf So the concurrence of Faith in the
these Causes We know not when or if ever hereafter we may have occasion to speak so much to the Doctrine of Justification Therefore let me presse the â—â—udy of it upon you again and again Seek to know what this imputed Righteouâ—nesse is and how different from that which is in your selves What is the true meaning of it as a main â—hing of the Gospel without which the Covenant of Grace can never be understood aright the Ignorance whereof makes many live in security upon the one side and keeps many in much anxiety upon the other 5ly Observe That although Christ Jesus hath born the iniquities of many even of all His own people yet not the iniquities of all men and women but only the iniquities of them that shall be Justified and brought to the actual possâ—ssion of that which He hath purchased This may be made out from these Three in the Text 1. The relative Their It 's their iniquities which are born by Christ that shaâ—l be Justified and who these are the former Words tells Through his knowledge shall he justifie many 2. The connexion made by the Prophet betwixt these two Many shall he justified for he shall bear their iniquities All whose iniquities Christ hath born shall be Juâ—â—ified It could not be an argument to prove their Justification if Christ should bear the in quities of others or of all men and women multitudes of whom are never Justified for it might be objected That Chrisâ— bears the iniquities of those many who are never Justified which would be quiâ—e contrary to Gods Covenant and exceedingly maâ— the consolation of the Believer Beside that it would make the Prophets reasoning here inconsequent and impertinent 3. Consider these Words not only as they stand in connexion with the former but as they are a reason why in Juâ—â—ice such should be absolved and so they will also clear the Doctrine for so considered they imply that it 's Just that the Believer should be Justified even as when the Cautioner hath payed the Debt it 's just that the principal Debtor should be absolved and upon the other hand it is not just that the Debtor for whom the Cautioner hath not Satisfied should be absolved The Words will bear these twofold consequence for he knits these two their being absolved and Christ bearing their iniquities and being made lyable to their Debt and He consequently disjoyns theâ—e two Christs not bearing the iniquities of others and their not being abâ—olved and so although Christ hath born the iniquities of many only that is of the Elect and hath Satisfied and Suffered for them yet not for all but for the many who in due time shall throâ—gh His Knowledge that is through Faith in Him be Justified and these who are left to pay their own Debt Christ never died for them it were very unlike the Prophets reasoning to say that such a man is in Hell and yet Christ bear his iniquities Use 1. It serves to confirm the former truth would ye know whose iniquities Christ â—ath born It 's of as many as are Justified the inâ—quities of such He bare and of no moe 2. It serves to provock you that have gotten in Christ this priviledge to be very thankful This is it that makes the Song of praise heartsome Revel 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue and nation Because it 's not a common but a peculiar special mercy if any be so 6ly From the connexion Observe That although Christ hath not born the iniquities of all Men and Women yet He hath born the iniquities of all that believe and none ever believed on Him but they may conclude that He hath born their iniquities and on that pleads their Justification through His Satisfaction although there be a restriction upon the one side yet there is none on the other all are not Justified but these only whose iniquities He hath born yet all who through His Knowledge or Faith in Him are Justified their iniquities He hath born And hence it will follow That never a Person believed but Christ hath born His iniquities Not that the mans believing is the cause of Christs bearing for His bearing ' of the mans iniquities is the cause of His believing But it is to shew the connexion betwixt His bearing and the mans believing and that His believing is the evidence of Christs bearing of His iniquities And this is more comforâ—able then the Doctrine of universal Redemption a thousand times For it joyns Christs dying and the Justification of all that believe on Him So that there are none that by Faith betakes themselves to Him but they may expect freedom from the Curse and Absolution before the Throne of God Whereas the Doctrine of universal Redemption saith Christ hath died for all yet all shall not be saved and I wot not whether I shall be saved or not and what ground of anxiety is that but this Doctrine hath solid consolation in it Christ hath not died for all simply but for all Believers he hath born all their Sins But I have betaken my self to Him by Faith therefore He died for me He hath born my iniquities and I shall never bear them my self but be Justified I suppose we need not to stay on the confirmation of this 1. It 's impregnably proved from the reasoning of the Prophet in this place All that are Believers cannot but be Redeemed and Justified because He hath born their iniquities who by Faith betake themselves to Him 2. If Faith in Christ be a saving Fruit of His Death and if none can believe but these whose iniquities He hath born then where-ever Faith is the person may conclude that Christ hath born his iniquities and that he shall be justified But Faith in Christ is a saving Fruit and Effect of His Death for He hath purchased it among the rest of these Spiritual blessings spoken of Ephes 1.3 Where we are said to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in him and it being a Promise of the Covenant of Grace it cannot but be purchased by the Death of the Testator Christ Jesus Therefore c. 3. It 's clear also from the Apostles reasoning Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Will he not who hath payed such a dear price for us to purchase reconciliation to us make it out by bestowing on us the Fruits of His purchase The 1. Use Serves to vindicat this our Doctrine concerning Christs dying for and bearing the iniquities of Believers only which is most unjustly loaded with reproaches and debated against by mens cavillings as if it were a comfortless Doctrine sure it 's more comfortable more sure and more agreeable both to the Wisdom and Grace of God then the Doctrine of universal Redemption is For put these together That all Believers are redeemed and justified That
think we must report can we report any other way then it is with you Shall we or dare we say that such a Man was a fine civil Man and that therefore he will not be reckoned with though he believed not in Christ No no but this must be the report that such a Man and such a kind of Men though Christ was long wooing them would not embrace Him though He invited them to the Wedding yet they would not come nay they mocked and spurned at it they trode the Blood of the Covenant under Foot and counted God a Liar in all His Offers and said by their Practice that they should be happy though they took not this way many of you who would not take it well if we should speak this to you in particular will find it to be a Truth one day And if ye shall say What would we be at The answer is at hand Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved This is the End of the Gospel and the mean of your Happiness it 's the great and the main thing that we call for which if it be not obtained the ground of the Complaint will continue And do you think this any strange hard or uncouth thing that when we bring to you the Offer of Christ in the Gospel we bid you receive it and flee in to Him to hide you from the Wrath to come and yet this is all we seek of you it 's neither your Shame nor your Skaith that we seek but that ye may take with your Sin that ye may judge and condemn your selves that your Mouth may be stopped before God and that ye may flee to Jesus Christ in earnest and close with Him on His own Terms As therefore ye would prevent the greatly aggravated Sin to wit sinning against the Gospel and the Complaint of the Ministers thereof against you and the terrible Vengeance of the Mediator Kiss the Son cast open the everlasting Doors of your Hearts and let the Gospel and Christ the King of Glory have access We pray you stand not in the way of your own Happiness refuse not to do Him that much pleasure and satisfaction for all the travel of His Soul as to give Him your Souls to be saved Now God Himself keep you from this Folly and Soul-destroying madness SERMON X. ISAIAH LIII I Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed WE have spoken somewhat these days past to sundry Doctrines from this part of the Verse and particularly of the sad Complaint which Isaiah hath in his own name and in the name of all the Ministers of the Gospel that the savoury Report concerning Jesus Christ is not received and that though Life and Salvation through Him be offered to many yet there are but few scarce here one and there one that do embrace it this is the sad result Lord who hath believed our report Words that being spoken by such a Prophet and so often mentioned in the New-Testament may and should as often as we speak hear or reâ—d them put both Ministers and People to a holy demur and to look what becomes of all our Preaching and Hearing when this was all the Fruit even of Isaiah's Preaching as to the greatest part of his Hearers Ere we leave this part of the Verse it will not be unmeet that we speak a little to these three First To what may be the Causes why when the Gospel is powerfully Preached there are so few Believers Secondly How it comes to pass seeing so few Believe that generally so many think they Believe and so few suspect their own Faith And Thirdly To the necessity that lyes on the Hearers of the Gospel to enquire at and try themselves concerning their Faith and to have some solid Satisfaction in it Although we mention no particular Doctrines now yet considering the Doctrines we spoke to before these things will not be unsuitable to them nor impertinent to you For the first The Causes why so few believe the Gospel we cleared to you already That generally the powerful Preaching of the Gospel hath been with little Fruit so that Isaiah hath this sad Complaint Lord who hath believed our report and our Lord Jesus hath it also on the matter Mat. 11.7 We have piped to you and ye have not danced we have mourned to you and ye have not lamented and in the same express words John 12.38 And when it is so with sweet Isaiah in the Old Testament and with our blessed Lord in the New that spoke with such Power and Authority ye may see there is reason for us to enquire into the Causes why it is that so few Believe In speaking to which 1. We intend not to touch on all the Reasons that may be gathered together of Peoples not profiting under the Gospel but of these that ye have most reason to look to and that are most obstructive of Faith in you 2. Though we might speak of Reasons on the side of them that speak to you for who is sufficient for these things and we shall not deny but we have culpable accession to your Unfruitfulness yet it were not much to your edifying to insist on these 3. Neither will we speak to these soveraign Causes on God's part who in His Holy Justice gives up People to Unfruitfulness when they receive not the Truth in Love Neither 4ly Shall we insist on these Causes that may arise from the Devil who waits on wherever the Word is preached to mar the Fruit of it as we may see Mat. 13.19 the evil Spirits like as many Crows when the Seed of the Word is sowen waiting on to pick it up and ye would know that ye never come to hear the Word but there are as it were Flocks of Devils attending you Hence it is that some are rocked and lulled asleep some have their Minds filled with worldly Thoughts some forget all that they Hear ere they go out of Doors thus it is with many Hearers of this Gospel their Hearts are trode upon as the Way-side by Devils and Foul-Spirits that never a word takes impression on them and though ye may think such expressions uncouth-like and strange yet they are sadly true Satan waited on when Christ preached and sure he will scar no more to do so at our Preaching than he did at His if he stood at Joshua's right Hand to resist him he will no doubt be at ours But we say we will not insist on these But 5ly We shall speak a little to these Causes that are common in you which ye your selves mâ—ght know if ye would observe them and we would exhort you to take notice of them when we tell you of them First Then we offer or rather assert this for a Cause The want of serious minding the great concernment of the work of your Salvation and that this preached Gospel is the Word of the Lord by which ye must be saved Alace
that ye think not Faith and Holiness necessary but that ye may come to Heaven another way and this is an old Fault and Deceit it was in Moses his days for some are brought in Deut. 29.19 saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart and add drunkenness to thirst though I tipple daily at my Four Hours though I follow my Lusts and Pleasures and take my fouth and fill of the World we cannot be all Saints c. The Lord will not spare that man but His anger and jealousie shall smoke against him and all the curses that are written in this book shall ly upon him and the Lord will blot out his name from under Heaven and though this be not now believed it shall be found verified There are many when they come to Judgment that will know to their cost the truth of many things they never believed before as we find in that rich Man who says to Abraham Send some to tell my brethren that they come not to this place of torment it says as much as that He in his life-time did not believe how terribly-tormenting a place Hell is and it is even so still Though Men and Women have immortal Souls yet they go on following their sinful way and believe not that any evil shall befall them till God's Curse and Vengeance overtake them A third Ground or Cause is That Folk never think themselves in hazard nor suffer their hazard to affect them and therefore they seek not after the Remedy hence the Jâ—ws Scribes and Pharisees rejected Christ why they were righteous Persons whole and needed not the Physiciâ—n And thus it is with many of you ye will take with it that ye are Sinners but not with the gracelesness of your Nature and this makes it that when Life and Reconciliation with God are offered we have almost none to accept of it why so ye are generally in your own opinion good Friends with God already none of you almost think that ye have hatred at God and so ye carelesly and unconcernedly let the opportunity of making your Peace with Him slip over even like these Jews spoke of Joh. 8.44 45. who when Christ said to them Ye have the devil to your father answered he had a devil and that God was their Father that they were come of Abraham and were not born of fornication So it is with many of you ye could never endure to even your selves to Hell nor to take with it that ye were heirs of Wrath as if ye had been born with other Natures then the ordinary Race of Mankind is and this keeps so many of you that ye get no good of this Gospel for it seeks Sinners to pardon them and Enemies to reconcile them and till the Feud be once taken with the Friendship will never be sought after nor will it find Merchants though when once the Enmity is taken with the Gospel hath many sweet peaceful and comfortable words to speak to the Man afterwards A fourth Ground is The love of Money and of the World which is the root of all ill This is given as a main Cause Matth. 13. why the Word profites not The seed is sowen among thorns and the thorns spring up and chock it the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches chocked the Word This is not oppression nor stealing but entanglement with and addictedness to the things of this present World Folks allowing themselves too much satisfaction in their Riches and Pelf counting themselves as if all were well if they have it and grieved if they want it as if there were nothing but that to make Happy being wholly taken up about it and leaving no room for the concerns of their Souls for Prayer and Seeking of God nor for Challenges to work on them they are so wholly taken up with their Callings and Business for they lay it for a Ground that they must be rich and then they give themselves wholly to all things that may contribute to that end and that chockes and suffocates the Word that it never comes up that nothing comes to perfection therefore Christ says Luke 21.24 Take heed ye be not overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life I am afraid that many moe among you who are civil and esteemed vertuous and frugal shall perish in this Pit of Worldly-mindedness then shall perish by Drunkenness Gluttony Fornication or the like and yet there is nothing more frequent in Scripture then words spoken to scar Folk from Earthly-mindedness How hard is it says Christ for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heaven and such a Man is he that is taken up with Riches and places his Happiness and Contentment in them whether he have more or less of them We speak not this to foster Idleness in any but to press Moderation in the use of lawful things Ye think it enough if we cannot charge you with Oppression Stealing Whoring and the like but this Gospel will charge you with the love of Money and if it find the love of the World in you the love of the Father will not be found in you Doth not your experience tell you that it 's not an easie matter to be much taken up with the World and to win at a suitable disposition for Duties of Religion and to be painful in them A fifth Ground is Folks little prizing of the Gospel and the Benefites that come by it They look not upon it as their Happiness to have Communion with God they who are invited to the Marriage of the King's Son Mat. 22. will not come and the reason is given they made light of it the Offer of the Gospel hath no weight it relishes not If a Market of fine things at a cheap Rate were proclaâ—med ye would all run to it but ye delight not in the Word of God ye prize not the Gospel and the precious Wares that it exposeth to sale amongst you And to evidence and make out this I would ask you these few Questions And 1. I would ask you how often or rather how seldom have you sitten down purposly and thanked God for sending the Gospel to you ye have given thanks for your Dinner but how often have ye given Him thanks that ye have the Gospel Sabbath-days and Week-days 2. How little do many of you wait on the Preaching of it were there a Message sent to you but from some ordinary Man let be from a great Man ye would straiten your selves and your Business too somewhat that ye might hear it and yet it 's a wonder to think how some in this Place except on the Sabbath will hardly be seen in the Church from one end of the Year to the other 3. Had ye any evident to draw of House or Land ye would seek to have it drawn very well and sure but many of you never sought to have the evidents of Heaven made sure ye
Grace of God exercised within Mens Hearts as well as the Word is preached outwardly to the Ear wherever Faith is begotten these two go together the Word without and the power of Grace within the one of which is distinct from the other 2. That this powerful internal and immediate work of Grace within is not common to all the Hearers of the Gospel but a rare and peculiar thing to some to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed it's but one or few of many to whom it 's revealed To these we have spoken already 3. The third is which indeed holds out the scope of all that there is an inseparable connexion betwixt these two the begetting of Faith in the Hearers of the Gospel and the application of this powerful work of the Grace of God for working of it so that where this powerful work of Grace is not there is never Faith nor Conversion wrought and where this powerful work of Grace is there is Faith and Conversion The Prophet makes them reciprocal and commensurable who is the Believer he to whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed and who is the Unbeliever he to whom the Arm of the Lord is not revealed These two are so conjoyned and knit together as they are never separated and so they must stand or fall together That we may be the more clear we shall take up the Doctrine in two distinct Branches The first whereof is That except the powerful work of God's Grace concur the most powerful preaching of the Gospel will never beget Faith in the Hearts of the Hearers of it The second is That where-ever this powerful work of Grace goes along with the preaching of the Gospel or wherever the Lord applyes His Grace with the Word preached there Faith is begotten in the Heart and that Soul is effectually united to Christ and savingly changed The one of these Branches serves to shew the necessity of God's Grace from the consideration of our sinfulness and impotency or inability and of the emptiness and ineffectualness of all outward Means in themselves and so to stop all Mens Mouthes as being utterly unable to contribute any thing to their own spiritual Good or Conversion that being the product of the Grace of God The other Branch serves mightily to commend the Grace of God as being the powerful Arm of the Lord that brings to Believe that calls and converts such and such Persons according to a prior engagement and transaction betwixt the Father and the Son As for the first of these It will easily be believed among Men and Women that have any true sense and feeling of the Corruption of their Nature and find dayly somewhat of the Law of the Members warring against the Law of the Mind and we are perswaded if all that ever received Faith were brought to depone in this matter they would bear witness that there is no Mean that without the effectual Power of the Grace of God can bring a stranger Sinner to close with Christ and believe on Him and if all that are now before the Throne of God in Heaven were called to speak to this great Truth they would put their seal to it and say Not unto us but to thy Name be the glory of our believing we had never believed if it had been left to the power of our own Free-will and if the power of thy Grace had not wrought in us the very Will as well as the Deed or Act of believing Yet because this Doctrine as we said serves to discover the sinfulness and impotency of Nature and how little we are obliged to our selves in this great work and to hold forth the absolute necessity of the Grace of God and how much we are obliged to it in the work of Faith and Conversion and to hold forth withall the emptiness and ineffectualness of all outward Means without this Grace and because it wants not its own considerable opposition from the enemies of the Truth we shall give you some Grounds for confirmation of it The first whereof is drawen from these express instances of Scripture wherein it is clear That there hath been much powerful Preaching and by the most eminent Preachers and yet the generality of People have been fruitless under it and their fruitlesness hath been brought to this very Ground to wit that the work of God's Grace and His out-stretched Arm went not along with it The first instance is Deut. 29.4 That Moses was a skilled Preacher who will deny he being faithful in all the House of God yet says he after much and long Preaching and after many Signs and Wonders wrought the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear unto this day where he not only puts a difference betwixt the preaching of the Word without and the work of Grace within but shows the necessity of the concâ—rrence of the work of Grace and lays the great weight of the Peoples profiting or not profiting on the wanting or having of that A second instance is in this Prophet Isaiah were there any among all the Preachers before or since that preached in a more Evangelick strain then he did and yet when he hath complained of the paucity of Believers saying who hath believed our report he fixes and stays on this as the cause to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed And Chap. 6.9 10. he gives an account of the sad Commission he had from the Lord who said to him Go and tell the people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people sat c. where there is also a clear distinction made betwixt the inward working of Grace and the outward Ministry A third instance and one that is beyond all exception is in our bless'd Lord Jesus who spake as never man spoke and preached with such power and life that even carnal Hearers wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth for he preached with Authority and not as the Scribes and yet Joh. 6.44 when they begin to murmure at Him what says He Murmure not at these things none can come to me except the Father draw him none can Believe except the powerful Grace of God work Faith in him there must be a higher hand then ought ye see or hear a more powerful work then any external Preaching of mine as Prophet of my Church ere a Soul can believe on me and though his Hearers were not free of the guilt of this their Unbelief but had their own sinful accession unto their continuing in it yet our Lord looks in on the soveraign way and work of Grace and holds there telling them that his external Ministry will not do the turn but there must be an inward powerful immediate work of Grace for the working of Faith We add a fourth instance and it is of that chosen Vessel Paul who laboured more abundantly then all the rest of
Souldiers And we esteemed him not That is we the people of the Jews who owe him more respect esteemed him not And hence he concludes that it is no wonder that but few believe on him And so in the words following he goes on to describe his Humiliation and to remove the offence that might be taken at it Surely he hath born our griefs c. As if he had said there is no such cause to skar and stumble at Christ for his lowness and base outward condition for it was not for himself but for us that he became so low and therefore it did not become us to think so little of him His griefs and sorrows are humane infirmities that he subjected himself to for our sake For the wrath of God which he suffered for us is spoken of afterwards And because there is great difference betwixt Christs bearing of infirmities and our bearing of infirmities He being like to us in all things except sin I shall for clearing of this name three distinctions given by Divines when they discourse of this purpose 1. They distinguish and put difference betwixt the taking on of infirmities and the contracting of infirmities The taking on of infirmities is the assuming of the effect without the cause of the infirmity without the sinful defect Contracting of infirmity is the drawing on of the defect with and by the cause Now we draw on the cause with the effect Christ took on the effect but he had no sinful defect in him to draw on such infirmities He might have taken on the nature of man without the infirmities if he had so pleased but he took on the nature and infirmities without the cause 2. They distinguish betwixt these infirmities which are simply natural such as man might have had though he had never sinned and these infirmities which flow from mans nature as fallen and corrupted The first sort may be called Passive and look to suffering as to be hungry thirsty weary sensible of that which hurts the body The second sort may be called Active and are sinful as flowing from sin and tending to sin as inclination to ill and indisposition to good dulness as to the uptaking of Gods mind c. Our Lord took on the first sort of infirmities that are simply natural and may be without sin But he was free of the other that implyes corruption in the nature He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin saith the Apostle Heb. 4.15 3. They distinguish infirmities in these that are called natural and common to all men as men and these that are personal and acquired as flowing from some defect in generation or are drawn on by some intemperance grossness in the life and conversation As some Families are subject to Diseases that come by Generation Others draw on Diseases by Whoredome Drunkenness and the like Now our Lord was free of these last because being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin there was no defect in His Generation And being blameless in his life and conversation he could acquire none of these infirmities and therefore the infirmities which he bare are of the first sort that is such as are common to all men and to men as men And hence we think it probable which some say That as our Lord was not sick so he was not capable of sickness being so perfect in his constitution or complexion which makes for the glory of Grace and saith That our Lord behoved to die a violent death there being no principle in him tending to a natural death though notwithstanding he did most willingly to satisfie Justice for sinners And this may serve to explain these words That he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs We come now to observe some things from the words And 1. From the condition our Lord is described to come to the world in Observe That the Messiah the Lords Servant that was to redeem his people was to become man This is here supposed and Prophesied of as the first step of his Humiliation He is called a Man And it is an aggravation of it that he was to be a man of sorrows Or taking our Lord Messiah to be already come we may take the Observation thus That the Lord Jesus Christ the eternal Son of the eternal Father is also a true and real Man A common truth yet a truth fundamental to the Gospel whereof we are not to think the less or the worse because it is a common truth When the fulness of time came saith the Apostle Gal. 4 4. God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law Who as it is Philip. 2. Thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet took upon him the shape of a Servant and was made in likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient c. So Heb. 2.14 It 's said of him That forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same c. And vers 11. 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 vers 16. He took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham wherefore in all thinge it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren He was made even like unto us in all things except sin And if we look to the way of grace there was good reason for this that the Redeemer of sinners behoved to be Man 1. If we consider the interposed or adjoyned threatning to the Covenant of Works The day thou eats thou shalt surely die There must be a satisfaction to Justice and the curse threatned must be born 2. The curse must be born by man the Nature that sinned must die the Party offending must satisfie in his own Person or in a Cautioner And 3. By our Lord's becoming Man 1. He came to have a right as being near of Kin to sinners to redeem them And 2. By this the Law hath right to pursue and exact the Debt of him And 3. By this Grace hath access to commend the Redeemer of sinners to sinners Heb. 2.17 18. And 4.15 16. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to he made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest c. And that we have such a Redeemer it makes God to say so trystable and Grace to have access 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus and this gives man access to step in to God 4. This makes the mystery of Godliness to shine the more radiantly and the wisdome and love of God to shine the more conspicuously thorow it 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh And John 1.14 The Word was made
removing a main obstruction that hinders your Faith and that is the undervaluing of him For if undervaluing of him be the great cause of unbelief and that which mainly obstructs Faith then the esteeming of him from a due impression of his worth must be a great mean of and help to Faith and the more he be esteemed of the more will he be believed on It hath an attractive vertue to draw sinners to love him a screwing vertue to screw up the affections towards him and withal a fixing and establishing vertue to settle and stay the Soul upon him by believing the soul that from the right impression of his worth esteems of him knows that it may lippen to him for he is holy and true And hence it is that the great thing that believers take to ground their prayers upon is some excellency in God some one or other of his Titles and Attributes upon which they fix to bear them up under and against any difficulty that presseth hard upon them This fixes also their hope and expectation of attaining of any good thing that they want through him And therefore upon the one side we would commend to you the study of Christ's worth and upon the other an high estimation of him as that which will fix your Faith and Love and Hope on him This we see to be in a high degree in Paul Philip. 3. I account all things saith he to be but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of him and his transcendent worth ye would not think it lost labour to read and study these places of Scripture that shew what our Lord Jesus is in his Person Nature and Offices that ye may have the Faith of his God-head fixed and may be clear as to the excelling fulness that is in him as namely that of Isai 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given the government shall be upon his shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of whose Kingdom and Government there shall be no end And to study his excellent Properties his Eternity Omnipotency Faithfulness Mercy c. common to him with the Father and Holy Ghost and the excellent qualifications that as Mediator he is replenished with being full of grace and truth and in all things having the preheminency See Col. 1. John 1.14 and Heb. 1.2 3. c. The reason why we press you to this is not only that ye may have more clear Theory and Contemplation But also and mainly that your affections may be delighted in him and that your Faith may without hink or hesitation come to give him credit Ignorance of Christ breeds disestimation and disestimation makes you not to give him credit and thus ye are kept at a distance from him There is no study more pleasant more precious and more profitable There is here then a task for you that ask what ye shall do even to read and study the excellency of Jesus Christ and to labour to have it well fixed in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts It will give you notable direction what to do even that which is well-pleasing to God and may be very profitable to you through his blessing Use 5. See here the great necessity and conveniency of studying the disestimation of Christ that is in us as well as of studying the worth that is in him and what he hath out of love suffered for us These two are put together in the Text it being needful for us to be as well acquainted with the one as with the other We shall give you this use in two short Doctrines The 1. whereof is That it is a necessary duty for the hearers of the Gospel to study throughly and to be convinced of and clear in their disestimation of Christ as well as of his worth and excellency because it maketh up repentance and maketh it flow and thorowly humbleth the sinner when he findeth this desperat wickedness and perversness to be in himself and maketh him kindly to loath and abhor himself and unless this desperat wickedness be seen and felt that great and bitter mourning spoken of Zech. 12.10 will never flow forth The 2. is That where folk have any just estimation of Christ and of his worth and are sensible of the evil of unbelief there will also be some sense of the sin of undervaluing of him and the more sense they have of the evil of unbelief they will be the more sensible of their undervaluing of him And will with the Prophet here cry out He was despised and we esteemed him not And from both these ye may see the necessity of studying to find out this corruption the search and discovery whereof will in-sight you in the evil and perversness of your nature and so deeply humble you and also serve highly to commend Christ and his Grace to you and without the discovery of this corruption it 's impossible ever to be humble thorowly or to have right thoughts of Christ and of his Grace Use 6. It serves to let us see the necessity of believing in Christ and of the imploying of him because there is no other way to be free of the challenges of misprising and not esteeming of him but by receiving of him and believing on him A 7th Use may be added and it 's this That the moe there be that despise Christ and the greater difficulty there be in believing on him the more reason have they to be thankful that he graciously works any suitable estimation of himself in and brings them to believe on him These who have gotten any glimpse of his Glory which hath lifted him high in their estimation to the drawing forth of their faith and love after him would praise him for it It 's he and only he that opened your eyes to see him and gave you that estimation of him and circumcised your hearts to love him let him therefore have all the praise and glory of it This is the Word of God and himself bless it to you through Jesus Christ SERMON XIX ISAIAH LIII IV V. Vers 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Vers 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed THis is a most wonderful Subject that the Prophet is here discoursing of even that which concerneth the sufferings of our blessed Lord Jesus by way of prediction several hundreds of years before his Incarnation It was much that he was to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief But this was more that he was despised and we esteemed him not There is wonderful grace upon the one side that our Lord became so very low and wonderful contempt and enmity on the other side that we despised him and
such an end and yet so as he must flee into it ere he can plead for the benefit of the City So suppose a sinner to be fled to Jesust Christ by Faith he may plead for exemption from wrath by God's determining and appointing a Mediator for such an end And the Mediator Jesus Christ hath this priviledge conferr'd on him that he that thus flees unto him shall be safe Yet it is also suppos'd that such a sinner hath fled to him else he could not expect safety through him notwithstanding of Gods determining the Mediator for safety Thus we would have these three put together And yet as we said they differ for Gods determination is the efficient cause fountain of all Christs satisfaction is the meriâ—orious cause and our believing is the ground on which we have right to plead for the benefit of his satisfaction Even as the man that fled to the City of Refuge his safety was not by any vertue in his running but by God's determination yet his running to the City was requisite as the mids and except he run or fled to it he could not plead for the benefit of the City So our believing gives us ground to plead a right and title to Christ and his satisfaction without which we could not have that right But 2dly Because one will take up this under one notion and another under another To clear it therefore a little further we shall again consider in this Covenant these three steps 1. The determination of it as it is enacted in the Council of the God-head which in sum is this that such and such persons shall be satisfied for by the Mediator and his satisfaction accepted for them 2. The execution of this Covenant where we take in all our Lords sufferings all the stroaks and wounds that Justice pursued him with as Cautioner for the Elect and God's accepting and justifying of him and declaring his accepting of him and being well satisfied with what he did and suffered by his raising him from dead 3. The application of his purchase by his accepted satisfaction which consists in these 1. That these that were given to Christ on this condition that his satisfaction should stand good for them should be justified and saved that is that in due time application of his satisfaction should be made to the persons given him to to be saved by him Which takes in Christ's making intercession that Renewing-grace Faith c. may be given to such persons 2. That the work of the Spirit who as the Sanctifier begets Faith and perswads to imbrace Jesus Christ shall be given them Then 3. follows the Believers actual coming to Christ being sweetly and powerfully drawn to rest on him and his satisfaction Whereupon follows the application of the sentence of Justification and Absolution that results from the former So that whereas it was before Cursed is he that continues not in all things written in the Law Now it is He that believeth on Jesus Christ hath eternal life and shall never come into condemnation All these go and agree well together the Covenant as the ground Christ's satisfaction as the meritorious cause and the application of his satisfaction by Faith which entitles and gives the Believer a right to it The reason why we have so much insisted on this is that we may teach you to joyn respect to the Covenant of Redemption Christ's suffering and your believing together It will not be Faith that will justifie that is without respect to the Covenant Neither will the Covenant and Christ's satisfaction justifie without Faith yet ye would so put them together as the glory of Salvation through Grace may not lye on Faith but on God's everlasting Love and on Christ's satisfaction And indeed it is no little practick for a Soul sensible of sin in the exercise of Faith so to lay the weight of its Salvation on Christ and the Covenant as it neglects not running to Christ by Faitâ— and so to lay hold on Christ by Faith as it lay not the weight on Faith but on Christ and the Covenant As in the comparison before used suppose a man that had killed another unawares had been taken before he wan to the City of Refuge God's determination was not the cause of that but his not running or his not coming at the City So it may be that some are apprehended by the Justice of God that are less sinful than others yet the reason or câ—uâ—e is not in God's Covenant nor in Câ—rists want of worth but in the persons not running or not fleeing to Christ as to the City of Refuge and therefore they are not heard to plead for immunity by vertue of that satisfaction before the Bar of God A 2d sort of Uses are for exhorting and encouraging Sinners to come to Christ There is here then 1. A clear ground to our our Faith and a plain way opened to Heaven and a mighty encouragement to perswade Sinners to lay hold on Christ and to take this way for obtaining of life This Text opens as it were the gates of the City of Refuge and points out the way how to eshew the wrath which is to come There is a way here laid down in the Wisdom Justice Go dness and Grace of God which is made offer of in the Gospel and since it is so we beseech you that ye would not receive this Grace in vain but seing there is a Covenant well ordered and sure a Mediator and a Ransom provided and a way laid down how to come to Christ by Faith let all of you who come under the conviction of Sin and apprehension of Wrath step to and close with him and plead for Pardon by vertue of his Wounds and for healing through his Stripes with respect to the Covenant There are these four things here that will serve to give ground for this Application if we consider 1. The great ground of Faith that is here 2. The great reason we have to make use of this ground 3. The great encouragement we have so to do And 4ly The great necessity we have to make this Application A little to each of these But we shall premit one word to all and it 's this That considering you are all in tryfting terms with God whether ye live at a distance from him the Uâ—e will by way of Exhortation reach you or whether ye be brought to greater nearness under the sense of Sin and have some seriousness in seeking after God it will reach you for Consolation In a word we would exhort all and it may convince some comfort others But to the first thing we proposed We declare and proclaim this as a true and faithful saying that there is here an Everlasting Covenant wherein the salvation of the Elect is concluded through Christs satisfaction to Justice for them and a way laid down for making Peace betwixt God and all them that will thorowly renounce their own righteousnâ—ss and lay hold
on this Satisfaction even such a way as procures Justificatâ—on and Healing to them And for your confirmation consider in general if it be possible that this Covenant of Redemption the Sufferings of the Mediator and the Promises made to Believing can be for nought did the Father pursue the Cautioner so hotly for nothing or did the Cautioner pay such a Ransom for nothing no certainly if it had not been to communicate Pardon and Peace with Healing by his Wounds anâ— Stripes to them who were lyâ—â—le to Condemnation and under the dominion of Sin neither of these would have been And therâ—fore for grounds of your Faith more particularly see here 1. A full Satisfaction God hath made way to Sinners Peace with himself by satisfying himself fully in Christ the Mediator for the sins of elect Believers so that a sinner that in the sense of sin betakes himself to him needs not to fear any back-accompts because what ever might make for our Peace was fully said on him so that we may with holy and humble boldness say that we are not come to the mount that might not be touched nor to blackness and darkness tempest and the sound of a trumpet but we are come unto mount Sion the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling Our invitation therefore to you is not to bid you come and compt for your own Debt your selves but to come and accept of Christs payment of it and of his Satisfaction whereby Justice is compleatly satisfied 2. See here as another ground of Faith the Justice of God not with respect to us but to the Bargain betwixt the Father and the Son who are the principal Parties and we to speak so but Parties accidentally in this Covenant the Covenant being primarly and mainly betwixt God and the Mediator the Justice of it appears in this that it hath respect to a Covenant which is fulfilled on all sides and therefore the Elects believing and taking hold of the Mediators Satisfaction cannot but be accepted as if he had payed the the Debt himself the Father to speak so had the carving of the Bargain and what satisfaction his Justice was to receive to his own mind and as it was Justice on the Sons side to satisfie according to his undertaking so it 's Justice on the Fathers side to pardon and be at peace with the Sinner that by Faith flies unto Jesus Christ 3. See in this Bargain not only Justice but Mercy as its just so it s a graciously free Bargain which is wonderful and may seem somewhat strange if not paradoxal yet it s nothing inconsistent with the way of Grace it 's just that the Cautioner should pay the Debt and yet that Debt is most freely and frankly pardoned as to us it 's Justice in the height as to the Mediator but free Grace as to us in the height we come to it freely and without price though it cost him dear And that is one of the Mediators Undertakings that it should be free to his Seed Joh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that he who seeth the Son and believeth on him should have eternal life 4. Consider the reality and sureness of the Bargain it is such as it cannot fail having such Pillars to lean on the Faithfulness of God engaged on just and equal terms and the glory of God as the end and having a most necessary and câ—rtain effect to wit Healing to all to whom this soveraign Medicine is applyed This stability and sureness of the Covenant flows from Gods engaging to the Mediator and the Mediators engaging to God from the Mediators satisfying and the Fathers accepting of his Satisfaction which being confirmed by the Blood of the Testator it becomes a Testament which cannot be annulled nor altered or changed And if all this be so let me put the question is there not good ground here to exhort the Hearers of the Gospel to believe in Christ and on Believing to look for Life through him and a most solid ground laid down whereupon to build the hopes of Eternal Life and therefore seing this is the up-shot of all that Life is to be gotten freely by Faith in Jesus Christ improve this way of Salvation for making your Peace under no less certification than this even as ye would eshew reckoning with Divine Justice in your own Persons for the least Farthing of your Debt If it be objected here by any 1. We are at enmity with God and cannot satisfie I answer This Text tells you that satisfaction is not sought from you but from the Mediator who hath already given it and the Father hath accepted it for all such as shall by Faith plead the benefit of it 2. If ye shall say we know not how to win at God we are such as cannot step on foot forward and so very sinful and miserable that we know no such Transgressors and Wretches I answer Was it not for such that the Mediator transacted even for such as we Transgressors Rebels Despisers of him and such as judged him to be smitten and plagued of God If he had been Caution only for righteous Folks there had been some reason for such an objection but it is for Sinners for most hainous Sinners Nay this way of reasoning and pleading says on the matter that Christ needed not have laid down his life 3. If it be said We are so sinful and backsliding so filthy and polluâ—ed that we think we are not within the reach of healing I answer This reasoning would if it held turn in effect to this that ye are not within the reach of Gods Grace and for Christs Satisfaction which is not only injurious but even blasphemous to the Grace of God and to the Satisfaction of the Mediator if your sin be ugly and horrible he suffered horrible Wraâ—h he was wounded bruised chastised c. 4. If it be said further We can do nothing for our selves we cannot come to Christ we know not what it is to Bâ—lieve or if we win to do any thing alace all our Goodness is as the morning Cloud and early Dew that soon passeth away I answer The Covenant is not transacted betwixt God and you but betwixt God and the Mediator and the ground of your Peace as to the procuring cause depends on the Mediators performing his part of the Covenant in your name And further as for your Believing it is a piece of the Fathers engagement to the Mediator and must certainly be made as effectual as the Father must keep his word to the Son according to these Promises of the Covenant I will put my law in their hearts and write it in their minds they shall all know me and they shall be all taught of God And thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power and the like All these Promises were in the Covenant betwixt the Father
undergoing the Curse and Suffering that which the Elect should h ve suffered for It is not the work of a Court to pass a sentence but also to see to the execution of the sentence not only are orders given to the sword to awake and smite but the sword falls on and smites him actually and though from the apprehension of the anger of God as Man and without the sensible and comforting manifestation of his Fathers love and his seemingly forsaking him for a time He prayed Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me yet it will not be and he submits most sweetly to it and not only is the cup put in his hand but the dregs of wrath are as it were wrung out into it and he must needs drink it up all which manifestly kythes in his agony in the garden when he is made to sweat blood and in his complaint if we may so call it My soul is exceeding sorrowful and what shall I say and in these strange words uttered by him on the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me all which tell us plainly that not only was he enacted Sureâ—y and had the sentence past on him but that really he satisfied and had the sentence executed on him that in his Soul he was really pierced and wounded and that with far deeper wounds then these were which the Souldiers by the spear and nails made in his Body before the Elects discharge of their Debt could be procured and obtained What it was more particularly that he suffered the following words hold out But here it 's clear that he suffered really and suffered much that not only he undertook to pay but that he was actually pursued and made to lay down to the least Farthing whatever was due to Justice by the Elect And this is the cause why these words are brought in as the reason why he suffered so much even because so many and so great sins with all their aggravations were laid upon him and if his sufferings were not great and undergone for this end to satisfy for the Elects Debt that they might be set free the Prophets scope would not be reached neither would there be a suitable connexion betwixt the latter and the foregoing words As for the 2d To wit some Reasons of the Doctrine we shall shortly give you these three why the Elects sins were laid on Christ and put on his account and why he was made to underly the compleat punishment of them by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption 1. Because it did much contribute to the glory of God for he had designed in his eternal Council that his Grace should be glorified in the salvation of the Elect and that his Justice should also be glorified in punishing of sin either in themselves or in their Cautioner and as free Grace and Mercy must be glorious in saving the Elect and Justice in being satisfied for their sins so it 's to that end that since the Elect cannot pay their own Debt that their Cautioner pay it and pay it fully that the Lord in exacting satisfaction from him in their name may be known to be just 2. This way makes much for the confirmation of the Faith of the believing Elect and for their consolation for the confirmation of their Faith for what can Justice demand that it hath not gotten it is fully satisfied and then for their consolation seing the Father put his own Son to suffer and to so great suffering for them what is it that they may not confidently expect from such a Fountain 3. This serves to hold out the wonderful great obligation of the Elect to God and to the Mediator for the greater their sin was the more he suffered the greater their Debt was the more he payed and they are the more in his common and the greater Debters to him and ought the more to love him and their duty for his sake as it is said of the woman Luk. 7. She loved much for much was forgiven her so this way of paying the Elects Debt calls and strongly pleads and also makes way for much warm and tender love in them to Jesus Christ In the 3d. place We come to the Uses of the Doctrine To which I shall premit this word of desire to you That ye would not look on these things as tasteless or unsavoury for had we not had these precious truths to open up to you we should have had no meetings to this purpose no ground to speak of life to you nor any the least hope or expectation of life And indeed it may be sadly regrated that amongst a multitude of professing People these substantial truths of the Gospel are so wersh and little relishing to the most part which too evidently appears in the unconcerned wearying and gazing posture of some in the slumbering sleeping of others in our publick Assemblies If our hearts were in a right frame half a word to say so to this purpose would be a wakening and allaruming to us However this is a great priviledge in it self Heathens may and do know something of moral duties but it 's a priviledge which we have and they want that the fundamental truths of the Gospel are amongst us and not amongst them The 1. Use serves to let us see the brightness of the Glory of Grace and Truth of Mercy and Justice shining clearly here Can there be any greater mercy and more pure mercy than this that the Lord should be gracious to sinners and to great sinners rhat had turned every one of them to their own way in providing a Mediator and such a Mediator in providing such a help for them and laying that help upon one that is mighty and that he should have done this of his own head so to speak with reverence when the Elect were in their sins and when thâ—re was nothing to be the impulsive or meritorious cause of it And that the Father should have laid this weight of punishment on Christ the Son of his love and pursued him at this rate of holy severity for sinners debt O! what grace and mercy shines here And 2. The spotless Justice of God doth also here wonderfully manifest it self O! How exact is Justice when it will not quite a farthing even to the second Person of the Godhead when he became Man and man's Surety But since he hath put himself in the room of sinners The Lâ—ed maketh all their iniquities to meet on him This is matter of admiration to Men and Angels to consider how Justice and Mercy run in one Channel and shine in one Covenant the one of them not incroaching upon the other Use 2. We may gather from this same insight and clearness in the very great sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ For these things are here put together 1. That he suffered for all the Elect Us all 2. For all the sins of all the Elect and for all the sins of all
it down for either the Elect behoved to die or he himself and since it is so as if he said then behold here is my life take it and I will lay it down that they poor things may go free and therefore does my Father love me says he because I lay down my life for my sheep not because it 's taken from me against my will but because I wiâ—lingly and of my self lay it down and when he is brought before Pilate and Herod and they lay many things to his charge Mat. 26.63 and Mark 15. He held his peace so that it 's said that Pilate marvelled Mark 15. he knew that he could not but have much to say for himself as all men in such a case use to have but he answered nothing or as it 's in the Text yet he opened not his mouth the reason was because he would not divert the course of Justice nor mar the Lords design in the work of the Elects Redemption through his death and sufferings He came not into the world to accuse Pilate or the Jews and to justifie himself though now and then for the conviction of enemies and for his own necessary clearing he did let a word fall but being engaged for the Elect he wil needs perform all that Justice called for And in this willingness he hath a respect to two things 1. To the Fathers satisfaction for his willing suffering is that which makes it a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to him 2. To the Elects consolation that they may know thâ—y had a willing Saviour that had no necessity laid on him to satisfie but satisfiâ—d willingly And from these two arises a third even the glory of the Mediators satisfaction for herein his love to the Elect shines brightly I lay down my life for my sheep this is the heart-waâ—ming commendation of his sufferings that with delight and pleasure he underwent them as if he had been purchasing a kingdom to himself Now to come to the Use of all these Doctrines when they with the things contained in them are laid together we profess we cannot tell you what excellent Uses they yield Would to God we were all in such a frame as the Eunuch was in when he read this Scripture as tâ—e divine History gives us an account Acts 8. ver 32. and forward who when Philip had begun to preacâ— to him on this excellent suâ—ject was so taken that before the Sermon or Discourse was at an end be ng holily impatient at any longer delay he says to Philip Here is water what hinders me to be baptized I say again would to God we were all in such a frame and that this were the fruit of such a Doctrine as this to many of you nay to all of you Use 1. Wonder Believers at the extensiveness and infinitness of the Grace of God and at the heart-affecting and soul-ravishing love of the Mediator at Grace in God that spared the Debtor and exacted payment from the Cautioner the Son of his love at love in the Mediator that payed so much and so willingly and cheerfully If any subject of thoughts be pertinent for us while we are about to celebrate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper certainly this were pertinent concerning a crucified Christ in stating himself in our room to pay our Debt and doing this of his own accord without the solicitation or interposing of any Creature and doing it withall so frankly and cheerfully Was ever the like of this love heard tell of for one and more especially for such a one to suffer so much and so cheerfully unrequired we would have you confirmed in the Faith of this great and sweet Truth that he had never better will nay never so good will to eat his Dinner then and as he had to suffer and satisfie Justice for you though at a dear rate He says John 4. It was his meat to do the fathers will that sent him and to finish his work Have ye suitable thoughts of his love when ye read the Gospel have ye in the Word seen him standing before Pilate in your room not answering when he is accused and Pilate marvelling at his silence and did Pilate marvel knowing and being convinced of his innocency and have ye never marvelled or marvelled but very little sure your little marvelling at his silence is the more sadly marvellous that the cause of his silence when he was charged with your iniquities with such and such a piece of your miscarriage with such a vain and roaving heart with such a wanton look with such a profane or idle word of yours with the horrid sin of your having so abused slighted and neglected him c. that the cause I say of his silence at such a terrible accusation and charge and not vindicating of himself or saying these faults miscarriages and transgressions are not mine as he might have done was pure love to you O! is not this strange and yet most true wonder then more at it Use 2. Here is strong consolation to Believers and wonderful wisdom in the rise and convey of it in uniting Justice and Love out of which the consolation springs Justice exacting upon and distressing the Son of God and he satisfying Justice so fully that though all the Elect had satisfied eternally in Hell it had not been made to shine so splendidly and gloriously Justice also on the Mediators side in yielding and giving satisfaction though it should oppress and break Soul and Body And yet love both on the Father and Mediators side on the Fathers side love in finding out this way of satisfaction to his own Justice when there was no cure but by wounding of his own Son and yet he was content rather to wound him than that the Elect should suffer and be wounded eternally and love on the Mediators side who willingly yields and undergoes their Debt and will not hide his face from shame and spitting what may not the Believer expect from God when he spared not his own Son for him and what may he expect from Christ who spared not himself for his sake and who is that good Shepherd that laid down his life for the Sheep and held his tongue and quarrelled not with those that smote him will he quarrel with a poor Sinner coming to him and pleading for the benefite of satisfaction no certainly but as the word is Zeph. 3.17 He will rest in his love or as the word signifies He will be silent or dumb in his love he will not upbraid thee nor cast up thy former miscarriages he will not say reproachfully to thee where wast thou so long playing the Prodigal he is better content with thy recovery than ever he was discontent or ill-pleased with all the wrong thou didst unto him Use 3. This word of Doctrine lays down the ground whereupon a sinner sensible of sin may build his expectation of peace with God The transaction concluded and agreed upon is the ground of his coming
Covenant He hath not promised to justifie all nor to make all believe but some only He as it were saith to the Mediator these I give thee to be redeemed by thee and on the laying down of thy life and satisfying for them I promise to make them believe and that through faith in thee they shall be justified therefore saith Christ John 6.44 Murmure not among your selves no man can come unto me except the Father who hath sent me draw him And who are they that shall believe on him See v. 37. All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and him that cometh I will in no wise cast him out but will make him dearly welcome And vers 45. Every one that hath heard and learned of the Fâ—ther cometh unto me And John 17.2 That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Thus ye see what we mean when we call this a differencing Decree 2. We say that it is a definite Decree both in respect of tho number numbered that is about so many and no moe and not all and in respect of the number that numbers such a man and such a woman in particular in such a place and not such an other person They are all particularly designed and are therefore said to be written in the Lambs Book of Life It is not all who are foreseen to believe who are elected as if election did follow believing as the cause of the Decree But it 's such a number whom the Lord ingageth to the Mediator to draw to teach and make them believers 3. We say it is a Decree that is free as to all merit in them whom it reacheth and it 's free in these three respects 1. In respect of any thing in the person or persons elected who are supposed to be lying as the rest of the World therefore it 's said of Jacob and Esau Rom. 9 11. The children being not yet born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand c. That is God respected not the doing good or evil in his electing of the one and passing by of the other 2. In respect of Christ's satisfaction and redemption which presupposeth this Decree to be and is the mids by which it is accomplished so that we are redeemed because we are electâ—d The Elect were Gods people when Christ did undertake and engage for them and in this respect election is a Founâ—ain-grace and Christ's death is not the cause of Election though it be the cause of all the benefits that follow upon it 3. It 's free in respect of God's absolute Soveraignty who acts herein according to the purpose of his own will having no reason without himself as it is clear Matth. 11. Evâ—n so Father because it seemed good in thy sight And Eph. 1.11 Being predestinate according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will As the Potter hath power over the Clay and makes of the same lump on Vessel to honour and another to dishonour as he pleaseth So the Lord acts most Soveraignly in the Decree of Election 4. We say that this Decree is absolute and peremptory Which is not so to be understood as if it admitted of no midses in the execution of it But this is the meaning that the performing and bringing about thereof depends on nothing without God neither can it be possibly frustrated These sheep can never be plucked out of his hand neither can they ever perish but must needs all and every one of them actually enjoy that which is decreed for them by this Decree else they could not be called God's people if they might not be his Thus ye see whâ—t is the meaning of these words my people â—hat is his Elect people in or by the Decree of Election I shall shortly give you some few grounds from Scripture to clear and confirm this truth The 1. whereof is taken from the names that the people of God get and from the expressions that are used in making mention of them in Scripture which will infer all that hath been said as namely they are called my sheep John 10. his Sheep that he knows as it were by head-mark by name and sirnâ—me which cannot but be his they are call d the election of Grace Rom. 11.5 at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace and vers 7. the election hath obtained and the rest were blinded it 's impossible but the Elect must obtain there being an inseparable connexion betwixt the decree and the end thereof they are said to be written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world before there was any mention of themselves or consideration of ought in themselves they are said to be loved and beloved and ordained to eternal life Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed where believing is made a fruit and effect of this decree of election it s so far from being a cause thereof they are called blessed of the Father Matth. 25. and these whom he blesseth cannot but be blessed they are called such as are given to Christ holding forth a peculiar differencing of them from others they are called the people whom he foreknew and predestinated Rom. 8.29 whom he did foreknow them he did p eaâ—stinate c. and Rom. 11.2 God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew every one was not so foreknown for Christ will sâ—y to many at the great day depart from me I never knew you Titles and names of this kind are frequent in the Scripture whereby God differenceth some from others which hath its rise from Gods purpose and decree of election A 2d ground is taken from the opposition which the Scripture maketh betwixt the Elect and others who are not elected which shews clearly that election cannot be understood of all as if there were a general and conditioâ—al election hence it 's said Jacob have â—â—loved and Esau have I hated the electing of the one is laid foregainst the râ—jecting of the other so John 10 the Lord sayâ— of some that they are his sheep and of others they are not my sheep and Rom. 9. the Apostle speaks of some vessels of mercy which are before prepared for glory and of somâ— vessels of wrath fitted for destruction and 2 Tim. 2.21 some are said to be vessels of honour some of dishonour some are ordained to eternal life Acts 13. and some are ordained of old to that destruction as Jude speaketh some are written in the Lambs book of life and some not Revel 20. and wherefore is all this spoken but to let us know that God hath freely and soveraignly in his decree put a difference betwixt some and others which as it began to speak so in God's eternal purpose so it will continue in the event Which is a 3d. ground of confirmation and it will be
two Natures in one Person remains still He was God and Man still though as was hinted before there was a Suspension of such a Measure at least of the sensibly Comforting Influence of the Divine Nature from the Humane as had wont to be let out thereto And yet there was even then a sustaining Power flowing from the God-head that Supported Him so that He was not swallowed up of that which would have quite and for ever swallowed up all Creatures as is evident in this crying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Which shewes that though the Union and Relation stood firm yet a comfortable Influence was much restrained 2. There was no sinfull Fretting no Impatiencie nor carnal Anxiety in our Lord all along His Sufferings for He did most willingly undergo them and hâ—d a kindly submission in them all As is evident by these Words But for this cause came I into this hour And not my will but thy will be done 3. There was not in H m any distrust of Gods Love nor any unbelief of His Approbation before God neither any the least Dâ—ffidence as to the Out-gate For in the Sadest and Sharpest of all His Conflicts He was clear about His Fathers Love to Him that the Relation stood firm and that there would be a Comfortable Out-gate as His Prayer before shews wherein He styles God Father And these hardest like Words uttered by Him on the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me do also shew wherein twice over He confidently asâ—â—rts His Interest My God my God Though He was most terribly Assaulted yet the Tentation did not prevaill over Him 4. Neither are we to conceive that there was any inward Confusion Challenge or Gnawing of Conscience in Him such as is in Desperat Sinners cast under the Wrath of God Because there was no inward cause of it nor any thing that could breed it yea even in that wherein He was Cautioner He was clear that He was doing the Fathers will and finishing the Work that was committed to Him and that even under the greatest Apprehensions of Wrath Therefore all such things are to be guarded against in our Thoughts least otherwayes we reflect upon our Innocent and Spotless Mediator But 2. To speak a Word to that wherein it doth consist 1. It did consist as we hinted before in the God-head's Suspending it's Comfortable Influence for a time from the Humane Nature Though our Lord had no Culpable Anxiety yet He had a Sinlesse Fear considering Him as Man and that the infinit God was Angry and Executing Angryly the Sentence of the Law against Him Though He was not angry at Him considered as in Himself but as He stood in the room of the Elect as their Cautioner of whom He was to exact the Payment of their Debt and could not but be in a wonderfull amazment as the Word is Mark 14.33 He was sore amazed And Heb. 5.7 It 's said when he had offeâ—ed up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and tears unto him that was able to save him from death he was heard in that which he feared Which looks to His wrestling in the Garden 2. He had an inexpressible sense of grief not only from the petty outward Afflictions that He was under which may be called petty comparatively though they were very great in themselves but also from the Torrent of Wrath flowing in on His Soul That Cup behoved to have a most bitter Relish and an inconceivable Anguish with it when He was a drinking of it as appeared in His Agony O! â—s He was Pained and Pinched in His Soul The Soul being especially sensible of the Wrath of Goâ— 3 It consisted in a sort of wonderfull Horrour which no question the marching up to say so of so many mighty Squadrons of the highly provoked Wrath of God and making so Furious and Formidable an Assault on the Innocent Humane Nature of Christ that considered simply in it's self was a finit Creature behoved necessarily to be attended with Hence He prayes Father if it be possible let this cup depart from me Intimating that there was a Sinless Loathness and a holy Abhorrence to middle with it and to adventure upon it Though we have not Hearts rightly to conceive nor Tongues suitable to express those most exquisite Sufferings yet these things shew that our Lord Jesus was exceedingly put to it in His Holy Humane Soul The 2 Use Serves to stir us up to wonder at the Love of God the Father that gave His own Son and exacted the Elect's Debt of Him and made the Sword of His Justice to awake against Him And to wonder at the Love of the Son that ingadged to be surety for them And humbled Himself so Low to lift them up It was wonderfull that He should stoup to become Mâ—n and to be a poor Man and to die but more that He should come this length as to be in an Agony of Soul and to be so tossed with a Tempest of Terrible Wrath though He was not capable of Tossing as meer Creatures are This being well considered would highten exceedingly the praise of Grace in the Church and very much warm the Hearts of Sinners to Him And for pressing this Use a little and for provocking to Holy Wondering at this Love consider these Four 1. Who it was that suffered tâ—us Even He that was without guile He that was Gods delight His Fatheâ—s Fellow the express image of his person He thâ—t made all things and who will one Day be Judge of all Iâ—'s even He that thus Suffered 2. Whâ—t He Suffered even the Wrath of God and the Wrath of God in such a Degree and Measure as was equivalent to all that the Elect should have Suffered Eternally in Hâ—ll which presseth forth from Him these expressions which we hinted at before 3. For whom all this was which makes it appear to be yet more wonderfull It was for a number of lost straying sheep That were turned every one to his own way as it is verse 6. For Dyvours and debauched Bankerupts that were Enemies to and in Tops with Him Some of them Spitting in His Face some of them upon the Consultation of taking away His Life as may be gatherâ—d from Acts 2. Yea take the best of them for whom He suffered even those whom He took to the Garden with Him to be Witnesses of His Agony and we will find them sleeping when He is in the hight of it and is thereby cast into a Top Sweat of Blood and out of Case to Watch and bear Burden with Hâ—m but for an hour It had been much for Him to have Suffered for Righteous Persons but as it is Rom. 5. God commends his love to us in this that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 5. The manner how He Suffered to wit most Willingly and Patiently though He easily could hâ—ve commanded more then twelve legions of Angels to rescue Him yet He would not but
Curse as if he had never had Sin But the difference lyeth here that this last acception of the Word absolves a Man though he have Sin in himself by the interposing of a Surety and Cautioner who payes his Dâ—bt and procures the Sentence of Absolution to him And in this Sense Justification is as if a Man were standing at the Bar of Gods Tribunal Guilty and having a witness of his Guilt in himself and God out of Respect to the Mediator His Satisfaction and Payment of His Debt which He hath laid hold upon by Faith does pronunce that sinfull Person to be Free Absolved and Acquitted from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin and doth accordingly Absolve him upon that accompt So then Justification is not to be considered as Gods Creating and Infusing of gracious habits in us but the declaring of us to be Free and Acquitted from the Guilt of Sin upon the account of Christs Satisfying for our Debt This we will find to be very clear if we consider how the Word is taken both in the Old and new Testament as namely Isaiah 5.23 Woe unto them that justifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him And Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord. Where the plain meaning of the Word can be no other then this that when a Judge pronounces a man to be Just although he be unjust it is a wicked thing which the Lord abhores And so Psal 51.4 That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest That is that thou might be declared to be so And Matth. 11.19 Wisdom is justified of her children 2. We will find this meaning of the Word to be clear if we consider Justification as distinguished from Sanctification For in that Popish sense they are both made one and the same but they are distinguished in Scripture As 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified Where he looks on these two Benefits of Justification and Sanctification as distiâ—ct and distinguisheth the one of them from the other now Sanctification being the Grace that renews our nature and makes an inward spiritual change Justification must needs be that Act of Gods Grace that takes away the Guilt of Sin and makes Sinners to be friends with God through Christs Righteousness and so is a relative change of their State 3. It will be clear if we consider to what it is opposed in Scripture it is not opposed to sinning as Sanctification is but to these two 1. To the charging of a Sinner with somewhat unto Condemnation And 2. To the Act of Condemning now the opposit to Condemnation is Absolution as is clear Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifies who shall condemn c. Gods Justifying is put in as opposit to the Charging and Lybelling of the Elect and to the Condemning of them therefore none of these can be and so Justification there looks both to the part of an Advocat pleading and declaring a man to be Free and to the part of a Judge pronouncing him to be Absolved and Justified which well agrees to Our Lord Jesus who Justifies His People both wayes 4. It may also be cleared from parallel Scriptures where Justifying is called Reconciling As 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us c. And how that comes to pass is told in the last v. For he made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him So that to be made the Righteousness of God is to be Justified and to be Justified is to be made friends with or to be reconciled to God and that not by working a moral Change but upon the account of Christ's Satisfact on bringing us into friendship with God So Eph. 1.6 Where to be Justified is exponed to be made accepted in the Beloved And what else is that but to be in good terms with God to have him passing by all quarrels as having nothing to say against us but accepting us through Christ as Righteous So Acts 13.38 39. Be it known unto you that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could be justified by the law of Moses A place that clearly holds forth that as all the Elect are naturally chargable by the Law as being Guilty of the breach thereof and that they cannot be absolved from it by ought in themselves so they are through Faith in Jesus Christ freed from it As if the Lord had said ye are fred from the Sentence of the Law because through Christ is preached unto you Remission of Sins and there is away laid down for your Absolution who believe from the Guilt of Sin and from all the consequents of it 5ly It 's clear from the Text because it 's such a Justifying as hath in it Christs being Sentenced in our Room as the cause of it now He was Sentenced in our Room not by having Sin infused in Him which were Blasphemous to think but by having our Sin imputed to Him and therefore our Justification must be our Absolution by having His Righteousnesse imputed to us As is clear throughout this Chapter Therefore it s said He hath carried our sorrows and born our griefs He was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our iniquities by his strips we are healed He laid on him the inquitie of us all And in these words By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities It 's a Justification that comes to us by Christ's taking on our Debt And this we cannot imagine to be otherwayes but by a Legal Change or by a Change of Law-rooms He coming as Surety in our Room and we having Absolution by vertue of His Satisfaction So that the meaning of the Words in short is As if the Prophet had said would ye know what we have by Christ's Sufferings Even this to wit That many as many as whose iniquities He bore and satisfied for shall be Acquitted and Absolved from the Guilt and Punishment of their Sin through His Satisfaction They shall be fred from the Sentence and Curse of the Law which they deserved And shall be declared Righteous through the Righteousnesse of their Cautioner which they have laid hold upon by Faith Hence Observe 1. That all Men and Women even all the Elect themselves are by nature lyable to an arraignment before the Justice-seat of God That they are Justified supposes a bringing of them as it were before His Tribunal ere they can be Justified and have the Sentence of Absolution past in their favours The Apostle takes this for granted
Christ in these and that they have the Grace from Him to preform them He furnishes the Stock and they Trade with it and so for the attaining of Life they are obliged to their own Trading which is in Words to pretended Grace but really to put our own Works and Righteousnesse in the Room of Christ's Righteousnesse as the ground or meritorious cause of Justification for the Grace given to us enabling us to Work is not Christ's Righteousness but our own because given to us and working in us and so it is alwayes our selves and our own Righteousnesse not Christ and His Righteousnesse that we rest upon A 2d Instance of some Folk that speak of Christ and of attaining Life through Him yet it is not in respect of His Merit but in respect of His Strength for such will say we hope through Christs Strength to come to Heaven their meaning wherein is that He will help them so to repent and believe so to be holy and resist tentations as they shall come to Heaven thereby as the deserving cause of their coming thither It 's true there is something right here when in it's own place if whole Christ were rested upon Justification being put in the first place and His Merit rested upon for that it were good that His strength were leaned to and made use of for performing the duties of Sanctification but when His Strength is rested upon as the alone thing and when we look not to Christs Purchase and Merit as the ground of our acceptation but to Christ as enabling us to do Duties to the end that we may give God a recompence thereby at the best it is but He and we together this certainly is wrong for nothing is proposed as a Satisfaction to Gods Justice here but what is immediately our own A 3d. Sort are somewhat wiser who it may be think that any thing that is in themselves is not worth the naming but partly through Christs Merit and partly through what they have and can do themselves or by these joyned together they hope to be saved This was the Doctrinal Error of the Galatians who attributed Justification to Christ and to the Works of the Law joyntly This way ascribs to Christs Righteousnesse this much that it makes our own Righteousnesse to be accepted as the ground of our Justification before God which in some respect is worse then the Covenant of Works for the Covenant of Works sought a perfect Righteousnesse but this way offers an imperfect Righteousnesse and to mend and to eke out our imperfect Righteousness it takes in the Righteousnesse of Christ but there is no such Covenant or way of Justification in Scripture for God made but two Covenants for men to attain Life by one of Works which is now impossible The other of Grace by which only it is possible to attain Justification and Life This makes a third Covenant or Contrivance by a mixture party of some Works in us and partly of some Grace in Christ to make up what is inlaking in our Works and yet this way is very pleasing to our nature and that to which we are much inclined for Justification for men are naturally disposed to think that they give Christ enough when they allow His Righteousness to make up what is defective in their own It 's true indeed that Christs Merits do wash our Duties but our Duties come never up to be the ground of our Justification in whole oâ— in part which is evident from this that ere Christ make our Duties or Performances acceptable He makes our Persons first to be accepted and that once being then any thing performed by us in Christ's strength according to the will of God is acceptable also But now we proceed further in the Words of the Text and before we come to the causes of our Justification we shall briefly Observe two or three things that lye obviously in our way The 1. whereof is this That the Absolving of a Sinner through the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse is the proper and native result of Christs Purchase and the great intendment of it His Sufferings and Soul-travel were undergone to procure Justification to many So that if we would know what is the Fruit of Christs Soul-travel here it is By his knowledge shall many be justified Therefore Rom. 5.9 It 's attributed to his Blood Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath and 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God through him That which I mean is this That Christs intendment in His dying was to redeem and really and actually to procure Absolution and Justification before the Throne of God to so many as should believe on Him Or we may take the Doctrine these two wayes which yet come both to the same account 1. Thus that the things which Christ intended in Hâ—s Death was not a meer possibility that Sinners might be Justified nor to lay down a conditional way of their Justification whereby â—hâ—y might come or not come to it and so to make it possible buâ— that which He intended was that their Juâ—â—ification might follow absolutly I do not mean instantly and without the interveening of a condition For here His knowledge comes in as the condition but that which I mean is that He diâ—d that their Justification might actually and certainly follow as a fruit of His Purchase In a word His Death and Sufferings were not to make Juâ—â—ification possible to all but that so many as He bargained for might be absolutely Justified or that many that is all the Elect might be actually Justified because He shaâ—l bear their iniquities therefore by His knowledge they shall be Justified We Observe it for these Ends or Uses 1. To give an answer to that question What is the native result of Christs Death to His People we say it is their absolute and actual Justification These that would extend the Grace of God and the Death of Christ so broad and wide as to leave out none say in effect that the design thereof was to lay down such a way as makes it possible to all to be Justified and yet such a way as makes it possible that none at all shall be justified for it hirgs justification on the free will of the creature so in striving to make Grace broader then God allows they come to make it none at all by leaving it on mans freewill whether it shall be effectual or not But blessed be God the Covenant of God was not on these terms for it is said here That by his knowledge he shall justifie many 2. It gives us these two practical Uses 1. It shews what should be our intendment in our Use-making of Christs Death and that is that we may be Justified and Absolved by it even to make use of it for attaining to Pardon of Sin and Peace with God If this be over-looked and neglected all
Faith comes by hearing as it is Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the word of God and in the same Chap. v. 14 15. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Where the Apostle clearly and convincingly inâ—â—rt the necessity of a lawfully called Ministry for preaching of the Gospel and for carrying on the Work of Justifying and Sâ—ving Faith The reason is because if their be a necessity of Faith and if no Faith can â—e without Knowledge then there must necessarily be something to reveal it I speâ—k here of the ordinary way of Gods revealling Himself what He may do â—xtraordinarly towards Dumb and Deaff Persons to Idiots and Young Children I midle not with that but leave it to Himself as a Secret which He thinketh not fit to impart to u I call the Gospel the external mean of promoving our Justâ—fication in Four respects 1. Because it layes before us the Object of our Faith for in it as it is Rom. 1.17 is the righteousness of God revealled c. and Rom. 11.21 22. it 's said Now the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifested c. We would never know the way how a Sinner comes to be at peace with God and to be Justified without the Gospel 2. Because it not only reveals the Object of Faith but it makes offer of it and hereby a Sinner that hears the Gospel hath warrand to imbrace and make use of Jesus Christ's Righteousnesse and to rest upon it and therefore if tentation should say to the Sinner though Christ dyed what is that for thee Faith hath this to reply The Gospel calls me and that warrands me to come to Him and to make use of His Death the Promise as it is Act. 2. Is to as many as the Lord our God shall call And in this respect the Promise is our Right and Evident whereby we come to have a claim to Christ 3. Because God makes use of the Word preached for ingaging of Sinners to Christ and for making them to take hold of Him It 's true that it is not powerful of it self and without the Spirit yet it 's the ordinary mean that God maketh use of Therefore sayeth the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warefare are not carnal though they be weak in themselves yet they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds And in this respect the Gospel not only offers Life but through Gods blessing as a mean begets Life and by the Spirit accompanying it Sinners are ingaged to take hold of Christ and to rest on Him for Salvation 4ly Because this Word being taken hold of and closed with contains the pronuncing of the Sinners Absolvitor of His absolving Sentence when it sayes If thou believest thou shalt be justified and saved upon supposition of believing the Sentence stands good to the Believer Thou art past from death to Life There being no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus The 1. Use Serves to clear that which we hinted at before in naming this for a cause of Justification though it be the external instrumental cause yet it is a Cause The 2. Use Serves to teach you to put a Pryce on the Gospel It 's the bane both of prophane secure Sinners and of a sort of vain and giddy People among us that they prize not the Preaching of the Gospel as the external instrumental Cause that concurres in the Justification of Sinners but if ever ye be absolved ye will be beholden to this preached Gospel I will not say alwayes to the Preaching but sure to the Gospel that is Preached This on the one hand reproves these who will be ready to say that they have Faith who yet never knew the Gospel to do them good and such also who seldom come to hear and who never care for preaching And upon the other hand it reproves these who when they fall a Tottering Reeling and wavering and begine to incline to error cast at the preaching of the Gospel having it may be slighted it before in their hearts whether when Satan once gets them he tosses them in a great measure as he pleases and makes them so giddy by frequent turning about that they scarcely leave to themselves a foot-broad of Scripture-ground to stand upon But as ye respect the glory of Christ the good of your Souls and your absolution before God esteem much of the Gospel For it 's the power of God to salvation And if ever ye ye come to Heaven it will be by this Gospel as the external mean These Nations that never heard it will think you to be most desperatly wicked and miserable who have had it and yet so unworthily slighted it For pressing of this Use a little Take Two or Three Directions in reference to it 1. Walk under the Convictions of the necessity of the Gospel For there is no absolution without it It is true God might have taken another way but on the supposition that He hath appointed Faith to be a mids to Justification and that Faith supposes Knowledge then certainly Knowledge doth suppose a necessity of hearing the Gospel ye will never value Preaching nor any other Ordinances of Christ if ye see not a necessity of them and know them not to be for your good 2. Study to know what is the main End and Design of and what is the advantage that is to be had by the Ordinances many come to the Preaching of the Gospel to hear and learn some Lesson for informing their Judgement some come to get Directions in refâ—rence to some particular Dutie some to get a doubt loosed none of which are to be dissallowed in themselves but rather in so far to be commended but how few come to it as to a mean to carry on and bring about their Justification and to bring them out of Black Nâ—ture into a State of Grace It 's the sum of Pauls Preaching and the end of it as the Divine Historian shews Act. 26.18 To open blind eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in him 3. Aim in your practice to carry on this Design even to put a close to the Treaty anent Justification betwixt God and you when ye come to the Preaching and hears us declare in the name of the Lord that a believing Sinner hath accesse to have his Sin taken away and to be Justified through the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse ye would step to hearing this Proclamation made of the pardon of Sin by one of Christs Ambassadors in His Name and accept of embrace and cordially close with it if it were just now at this very occasion 4. This would be the great design both of Preachers and Hearers Of Preachers to follow
your very hearts open to it without which ye can never expect to be Justified before the Tribunal of God Now let God Himself blesse the same Word to you through Jesus Christ SERMON LVIII ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities SOme further and more serious apprehensions of our Sin and hazard would make the reading of these Words to be refreshful and welcome to us The stayed thoughts of an Arrestment laid upon us to appear before God's Tribunal and to reckon for our Debt would make us think much of a Cautioner The want whereof make the glad tydings of the Gospel to be tastlesse and without relish This is the great scope of these Words to shew how a Summonded Sinner arraigned at Gods Bar may be Justified and fred from the charge that he is lyable to For sayes the Prophet By his knowledge who is the surity of the Covenant shall many be justâ—fied That which we last left at was this That Faith in Christ receiving and resting on Him is necessary for the attaining of Justification so that in Gods way these are so linked and knit together That never one shall be Justified but a Believer Though there be a Righteousnesse in Christ yet it shall be derived and communicated to none come to Age but to these who by Faith betake themselves to Christ what way the Lord takes with infants Elect Infants I mean is not that which the Prophet aimes to speak of though it be Christs Righteousnesse that is communicated to them as well as it is to them who are at Age yet as to the manner of communicating it God hath His own way which we know not Now that we may learn in speaking to these Truths not only to get some Light for informing of our Judgement but also some help for our practice take two or three Uses ere we proceed any further The 1. Use then is To let you see the absolute necessity of believing in Christ Jesus and that it is as necessary for the attaining of our Justification as Christs dying is For our Justification is an effect flowing from several Causes and the want of any of them will mar it There must necessarly be a concurrance of them all to bring it about And therefore though their be an excellent worth in Christs Righteousnesse yet there is a necessity of Faith to lay hold upon it and to make it ours Gods order in the Covenant bears this out wherein he hath knit the Promise of Pardon of Sin and of Justification to Faith and resting on Christ and there is good reason for it As 1. The Lord will have a Sinner to know what he is obliged to Christ which Faith contributs much unto For Faith stands not in the way of the freedom of Justification but rather commends it for the Lord would have us know that we hold our Life of Him and not to receive Him by Faith is an evidence of highest presumption Therefore it 's said Rom. 4.16 It is by faIth that it might be of grace God hath chosen this way that the freenesse of His Grace in pardoning of Sin may be seen 2. The Lord by this le ts the unbeliever know that the reason of his own ruine is of himself There shall not be one unbeliever found that shall have it to say that the blame lay on God or on Christ because the offer was made to them on condition of receiving it by Faith and they not performing the condition their Guilt is aggreged by their slighting of the offer It 's true that we are not now dealling with them who down-right deny the Truth of this Doctrine but alace what better are they who do in their practice deny it and live senslesly and securely under the Gospel We conceive that there are Three sorts of Persons that have need of a Word to be spoken to them here 1. Such as live carelesly and securely as we just now said as if God required nothing of them at all as they were born they know not how so they live they know not how and when they are pressed to a change of their state and way they make excuses partly from the sinfulnesse of their Nature that they can do nothing partly from the abundant Grace of God that He must do all But it will never excuse you that ye wanted Grace and had a Sinful Nature for whom I pray can ye blame for it ye that make a bachel of His mercy if ye continue to do so shall never get good of it For He hath said that He will Justifie and save none but the Believer There is none other that hath the promise of Pardon it is not made to any thing that is to be brought forth or done by your own strength or by the strength of Nature or of free-will But God hath laid down this order and method and made it known that ye should believe and receive the offer of Christ in the Gospel renunce your own Righteousnesse and betake you to Christ's Righteousnesse otherwayes ye cannot on good ground expect to be Justified 2. Others will set about many things that are good but the Work of believing they can never be brought to mind or own they will make a sort of Conscience of Prayer of keeping the Church of reading the Scriptures c. But to give obedience to the Command of Believing they mind it not they can live and die without it This was the woful and Soul-ruining practice of the Jews of old as we are told Rom. 9. They took much pains to come by Righteousnesse but they attained it not because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone when they had gone part of the way as it were and come to the Stone of believing there they fell and brake their necks Hence there are many who promise Heaven to themselves and think that they have done something for it who yet never laid hold on Christ for their Justification but let me tell you that though you could go the greatest length in Holinesse that ever any did since Adams fall it will not avail you if ye neglect Faith in Christ I say not this to disswade you from the Duties of Holinesse God forbid but to divert you from seeking Justifiâ—ation by them study the Duties of Holinesse but seek alwayes by any means to be found in Christ and in His Righteousnesse and not in the Righteousnesse of your Duties as to your Justification It is true none that have any tollerable measure of Knowledge will profâ—sse down right that they lean to holy Duties yet many are so ignorant that they cannot distinguish betwixt Faith and Works and there are not a few who have a hope of Heaven such as it is who nâ—ver knew any thing of the exercise of believing A 3d. Sort are these who because of some
and by his knowledge shall many be justified and again it is subjoyned as the reason why many shall by Faith in Him be justified Because he shall bear their iniquities By the Knowledge of Him that Offered Himself in a Sacrifice many are Justified and many are Justified because He bears their iniquities which will infer this that Faith considers Him as satisfying for the iniquities of His People in it's acting on Him for Justification and Pardon of Sin it is true Christs Offices are not divided and it is not true Faith if it take not hold of Him and make not use of Him in all His Offices but as there are several evils in us which His Offices do meet with and are suited unto so should Faith take hold of them and make use of them for curing and removing of these evils He is King Priest and Prophet and Faith takes hold of Him as a King to command and subdue us to Himself as a Prophet to illuminat us and cure our blindnesse and as a Priest to satisfie Divine Justice and to procure the pardon of Sin as we are not to seperat so we are not to confound these we use not to say that Christ as a Prophet doth Justifie us nor that as a Priest He doth illuminat us no more should we nor can we well say that as a King He satisfied Justice for us The same blessed God is Wise Righteous Holy Faithful Just Merciful c. Yet He is diversly considered in respect of our conceiving and use-making according to our need so is it here For clearing whereof take these grounds 1. The Scripture speaks of and points Christ out in His Sufferings as the Object of Justifying Faith Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth for a propitiation through faith in his blood where the Blood of Christ and He as Suffering is proposed as Faiths Object so 1 Cor. 1. We preach Christ crucified 1 John 2. We have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins where He is holden forth in His Sufferings as the propitiation that Faith layeth hold on John 3.14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him c. Where Christ lifted up and as dying on the Cross is made the Object of Justifying Faith even as the brazen Serpent lifted up was the Object that they looked to when they were stung and cured 2. It 's also clear from the Laws lybelling and charging us for the Debt of our Sin that makes us lyable to condemnation and Faith being the mean of our Justification and absolution from the Debt it must needs look to the Cautioners paying of our Debt and so answering the Charge which was done in His Death for He payed our Debt Satisfyed the Penalty of the Law and came under the Curse in suffering Death as is clear Gal. 3. the 10. v. being compared with v. 13. So Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of Gods elect it is God that justifies who shall condemn it is Christ that died which is brought in as Faith's answer to the charge The charge cannot be denyed for we are guilty of so many Sins and therefore lyable to condemnation but saith Faith Christ hath died It proposes Him dying as a Satisfaction for answering the charge and for obtaining of absolution 3. Christ as Suffering and Satisfying Justice is our Righteousnesse and therefore must be the object of Faith as it 's Justifying whereupon it pleads an absolution before the Throne of God So that when we come to plead and found our Defence before Gods Throne it is not on this that Christ is a King and hath subdued us but it is on this groâ—â—d That He is our Priest and hath satisfied Justice for us and payed our Debt and procured a discharge to us So the Apostle speaking of Christs Sufferings Col. 2. Sayes That he blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross It 's Christ as Suffering that is the ground of our Peace and therefore Faith as Justifying must so consider Him Though we desire to move nothing needlesly yet laying it once for a ground That Justifying Faith layes hold on Christ as a King This will follow as a consequence and as we suppose as a reason That our obedience to Christ as a King hath the same influence and the same Causality in our Justification that Faith 's resting on Christ's Satisfying for as a Priest hath because as Christs Priestly Office gives us a warrand to rest upon Him for Justification so would His Kingly Office if it were the Object of Justifying Faith as such when taken hold of for our obedience We have touched on this 1. That ye may see the warrantableness of this Doctrine which is received in the Churches of Christ and that ye may consider Christ as the high priest of your profession and plead Justification from His Sacrifice acting Faith upon Him accordingly 2. That we may put a Bar against the introducing of Justification by Works under one pretext or another how specious soever seing the Scripture so directly opposes Faith and Works in our Justification For if we once admit that Christ as King is the Object of Justifying Faith as such it would overturn the distinct way of Faith's acting upon Christs Righteousnesse for answering the Charge put in the Sinners hand by the Law and when the soul getteth a challenge for Sin would put it to look what obedience it hath given to Christ as a King to answer that challenge or charge by and would in the same manner also put the Soul to gather the ground of it's peace from the one as well as from the other that is both from Christs Righteousness and from it's own obedience not only as an evidence but a social cause or not only to it 's own sense but as to the effect But we leave this as a â—hing to be regrated that when theâ—e is ground enough of stumbling because of our ignorance and blindness there should and that very unnecessarily be such new occasion of stumbling to Souls cast in the way of Faith We come now to speak of the Act of Faith as Justifying called here Knowledge and the knowledge of him to shew that it points at Justifying Faith for if it were not so it were the same with common Knowledge whereby we believe any History of the Bible but this being Justifying Knowledge it must be Knowledge of another kind We shall here clear 1. Wherein the Act of Justifying Faith consists 2. Remove some mistakes about it and make some Use of it For the First we suppose there are these Four requisit in or to Justifying Faith though not alwayes in the same degree 1. That there be distinct Knowledge in some measure of the Object an antecedent that Faith presupposes and
for which cause Faith gets the name of Knowledge here and elsewhere in Scripture the antecedent being put for the consequent For Faith hath alwayes Knowledge with it though Knowledge hath not alwayes Faith 2. That there be an assent to the thing known as when we know that we are Sinners and that it is the Blood of Christ that must cleanse us from Sin we must assent to the truth of these as Christ sayes John 8. If ye believe not Moses his writings how shall ye believe my Words If ye assent not to the truth of that he hath written how can ye believe my speaking both these are in the understanding and if there be no more this makes but Historical Faith 3. When the Soul knows it's a Sinner and under the Curse and that Christ is a Saviour and that there is Salvation to be gotten by such a Mean and that he an able Saviour and hath assented to the truth of these there is a consenting of the heart to that Truth conditionally proposed and made offer of that is to receive Christ as he is offered in the Gospel which in Scripture is called a receiving of Him John 1.12 To as many as received him c. And this is an Act of the Will respecting Christ as offered and a bargain proposed that will make the Soul happy where Faith accepts 4. There is a resting on Christ received as a good bargain which is also an Act of the heart or will called in Scripture a committing our selves to him a leaning on him or rolling our selves on him which we conceive to be the same that Paul hath Philip. 3.9 That I may be found in him When the Soul places it's safety here and lippens to Christs Righteousnesse alone as contradistinguished to it 's own These Two last Acts are properly the essence of Faith as Justifying and they are well holden out in the Catechism where Faith is described to be a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon Christ as he is offered in the Gospel we shall illustrat it in a comparison made use of before to this purpose Suppose there were a number of Rebells that had incurred the Princes displeasure and were guilty of Treason by the Law suppose also the Princes Son or some Courtier hath satisfied for them and procured their Pardon and Peace upon which there comes out a Proclamation that if they will submit and yeeld themselves and lay down their Arms they shall be pardoned and admitted to friendship as if they had never Rebelled These Rebels must know 1. That there is an Act of Favour past and a Proclamation made on such Terms 2. They must have a general Faith and Assent to the thing and that there is no Question but such a thing is done 3. There is a consultation by the understanding with the will if they will admit of and receive it and trust themselves to it And then 4. There is the hearts consenting to accept of the offer of Grace on the Terms of the Proclamation and a resting on it which is a lippening of their Defence to it that if ever they should be called to an accompt they will make use of such an Act of Grace and of the Proclamation for their Defence and safety and lippen to it and to His Faithfulnesse who made the Proclamation believing that He will fulfil His Word and Promise It is just so here in a Sinners acting Faith for Justification We may instance and illustrat it also in the example of the Prodigal wherein we may find something of all this when he had been in the hight of his distraction and madness in his natural condition It 's said He came to himself he knew and believed that there was meat enough in his Fathers house and resolved to go home upon his knowledge follows his resolution and his will consents I will rise and go which supposes his Faith of an offer of meat on condition of his going and then there is that whereon he grounds his Defence I will say father I have sinned I will disclaim all and betake me to thy Grace implyed in the word Father he resolves to table his Defence on this ground and upon this comes home More particularly 1. Knowledge of the Object rested upon is necessary Rom. 10. How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard It is not possible we can believe what we know not And as every other step hath some doctrinal mistake and some practical so hath this The Doctrinal mistake is that Error of Papists unworthy to be refuted They say there is no Knowledge requisit to Faith Yea some of their prime men have said that Faith is rather Ignorance then Knowledge but surely then Faith would not be called Knowledge if it might rather be defined Ignorance but this they maintain to keep the People in Ignorance of the Gospel and it 's the ground of many moe Errors and much Delusion It 's even as a blind man could go well in a slippery place where are many Pits for Knowledge is no lesse necessary to Faith then eyes are to such a man The practical Errors in this are such as we find in many of you who think ye can believe well but ask and put you to it ye cannot tell what many of you are obstinat maintainers of implicit Faith while ye say ye have Faith and yet cannot tell what it is nor whereon it is grounded but we say that Knowledge is so necessary to Faith that if it be not a part of it yet it 's necessarly antecedanious to it and presupposed Therefore if ever ye would be accounted Believers study Knowledge and the Knowledge of Christ Crucified at least so far as to ground your Faith upon It 's sad that so many will maintain the reality of their Faith and yet are grosly Ignorant of the Fundamentaâ—s of Religion Knowledge is the very use of and first step to believing and yet it 's hardly possible to brangle the vain confidence of many whom it 's as impossible to bring to Knowledge 2. There is an Assent requisit to the Object Known which is that we call historical faith and this is to be confirmed in the general Truths contained in the Gospel as that Adam was made according to Gods Image that he fell and brake the Covenant of Works and made himself and all his lyable to Gods Curse That we are by that Covenant under Gods Curse That Christ Jesus the Son of God according to the Covenant of Redemption entered Himself Cautioner for the Elect that He really died and payed their Debt That His purchase is made offer of in the Gospel and that according to the Covenant of Grace there is an real absolution from Sin and an eternal happinesse to be had at the great Day through embracing of Him There must be an assent to the Truth of these things for it is impossible that they who think not themselves Sinners and that mind
a Marriage contract especially when it 's so full free and rich on the Proposer and Suiters part but either that Folk think it is not fit for them or that they think nothing of it at all and this is it that hinders closing with Christ Matth. 22. They made light of it and went away c. and Psal 81. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me 2. When any thing is made equal to Christ much more when any thing is preferred to him he is undervalued and not esteemed of when he gets little or none of Folks care and labour little of their time little of their love and delight few or none of their thoughts c. but they are quite carried away after other things for where the treasure is there the heart will be also and were Christ our Treasure and precious in our esteem our Hearts would be more set on him but it 's strange sad and even astonishing to think how little our Spirits are exercised with the thoughts of Christ how little they are taken up with longing for him and delighting in him and yet we will think that we esteem him 3. Our Lord is undervalued when he is not made use of and imployed and lippened to as an able and sufficient Saviour If there be a learned and skilful Physician in a City in all or most Diseases or an able Lawyer to plead all Causes if Folk have Diseases to be cured and Causes to be pleaded and yet do not imploy such a Physician or such a Lawyer but go to some other though far less skilful and able they undervalue him It is even so here when Folks have many Sins and they seek not to him for Pardon many not only Temporal wants but also and mainly many Spiritual wants and do not acknowledge him in them neither seek to him for supply of them many predominant Evils and they seek not to him to mortifie them many Snares and Temptations and they do not make use of him to prevent and lead them by them and many Spiritual Causes to be pleaded before God or at his Bar and they do not imploy him as Advocate to plead for them 4. He is undervalued when Folk think not themselves happy enough in him nor sicker enough in bargaining with him and when he doth not satisfie and fully content them as if he were yea and nay and as if all the promises were not yea and amen in him when he is not credited intirely and rested upon he is not esteemed of hence he complains John 5. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life and Matth. 23. How often would I have gathered you and ye would not he would to say so with reverence fain do them a good turn but they will not lippen to him O! how much undervaluing of Christ is there even among believers when they hold and draw with him intertain jealousies and suspitions of him scarcely credit him and when they do at any time credit him are in a manner ready to take back their word again How often are Creature-comforts overvalued by them And how often are the consolations of God small with them These and many other wayes are they even they in some considerable measure and degree guilty of undervaluing of Christ Use 2. Take with this sin acknowledge and seek pardon for it It were a good token of some tenderness to be mourning for enmity against Christ and for undervaluing of him as well as for Drunkenness Fornication Theft or any other gross sin And where that gracious and right mourning that is spoken of Zech. 12.10 comes it will be in special for this undervaluing of Christ to the hight of piercing of him We would ask any of you that think ye repent if this sin of slighting him hath pierced you as it did these Acts 2 It may be some think themselves so cleanly and perfect that they have not many sins to mourn for O! dreadful mistake But though ye had no more is not this enough that ever there should have been enmity in your bosome at Christ And should not this prick you at the very heart that ever ye should have so undervalued him But readily they that see fewest sins in themselves will see and take with least of this sin Use 3. It serves to be a warning to all men in nature to consider what their condition is Do ye that have this enmity and are undervaluers of Christ know what is in your hearts And do ye consider what posture ye will be found in if Grace make not a change in the day of Christ ye will be found amongst these despisers and haters that would not have him to reign over them How will you dar to appear or in what posture will ye appear before him when he whom ye despised shall come in the glory of his Father with all the holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory And yet appear ye must How will the conscience then gnaw and the heart be affrighted How will challenges waken yea sting and prick you on this ground that the Son of God the Heir of all things the Lord of lords and King of kings who proposed Marriage to you was undervalued and Marriage with him made light of and that a thing of nought was put in his room and place Will not this be a horrible challenge in that day And if ye would consider what will be their posture that mocked and buffetted him and plucked off his hair that nodded with the head and cryed Aha and bade him come down from the Cross that did scourge him and hang him up upon the Cross betwixt two Thieves Such a posture will all of you be in who have despised and disesteemed him ye will meet with that same sad sentence Bring out these mine enemies that would not that I should reign ever them and slay them before me O! what a strange punishment suppose ye will that be when the Saviour of sinners shall stand by and look on till he see vengeance execute on sinners that despised him Think on it for there is such a day coming when ye will all appear before him and when your reckonings will be cast up suffer not your selves to be cheated into an opinion that it will be accounted a little sin to be found under this guilt of despising Christ and let not one of you put it off himself and over upon another they will be found despisers of him that would never let it light nay even many that have Preached him and that would have been angry at prophanity in others as may be gathered from Mat. 7.22 The 4. Use serves to commend this to you as a piece of your duty to study to know Christ and to have the suitable impression of Christ and of his worth as the great mean contributive to the bringing you to credit him and believe on him and to the