whether they be things in earth or things in heaven And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled how in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy mark holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Colos. 1. 21 22 23. And thus it is Grace unchangeable Grace to us because it was obtained yea compleatly obtained for us by Jesus Christ God-man Object But some may say how was it possible that one man Jesus by one offering should so compleatly obtain and bring in unchangeable grace for such an innumerable company of sinners as are to be saved Answ. First in that he was every ways fitted for such a work And secondly in that as I said before he did every ways compleatly satisfie that which was offended by our disobedience to the former Covenant And for the clearing of this First Consider was it man that had offended He was man that gave the satisfaction For as by man came death even so also by man did come the resurrection from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 21. Secondly Was it God that was offended he was God that did give a satisfaction To us a Child is born to us a Son is given And his name shall be called the mighty God Isa. 9. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God but for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. 9. he made himself of no reputation c. Phil. 2. 5 6 7. Thirdly For the further clearing of this to shew you that in every thing he was rightly qualified for this great work see what God himself saith of him he calls him in the first place man and secondly he owns him to be his fellow saying Awake O sword against my Shepherd against the man mark the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 13. 7. So that now let divine and infinite Justice turn it self which way it will it finds one that can tell how to match it for if it say I will require the satisfaction of man here is a man to satisfie its cry and if it say but I am an infinite God and must and will have an infinite satisfaction here is one also that is infinite even fellow with God Fellow in his essence and being Prov. 8. 23. Fellow in his power and strength 1 Cor. 1. 24. Fellow in his Wisdom see again the same verse Fellow in his mercy and grace Tit. 2. 10. compared with ver 11. together with the rest of the attributes of God so that I say let justice turn it self which way it will here is a compleat person to give a compleat satisfaction thus much of the fitness of the person Secondly For the compleatness of the satisfaction given by him for us And that is discovered in these particulars First Doth justice call for the blood of that nature that sinned Here is the heart blood of Jesus Christ. We have redemption through his blood Ephes. 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Zech. 9. 10 11. 2. Doth justice say that this blood if it be not the blood of one that is really and naturally God it will not give satisfaction to infinite justice then here is God purchasing his Church with his own blood Acts 20. 28. 3. Doth justice say that it must not only have satisfaction for sinners but they that are saved must be also washed and sanctified with this blood Then here is he that so loved us that he washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. 4. Is there to be a righteousness to cloath them with that are to be presented before divine justice then here is the righteousness of Christ which is even the righteousness of God by faith Rom. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. 5. Is there any sins now that will fly upon this Saviour like so many Lions of raging Devils if he take in hand to redeem man he will be content to bear them all himself alone even in his own body upon the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. 6. Is there any Law now that will curse and condemn this Saviour for standing in our persons to give satisfaction to God for the transgression of man he will be willing to be cursed yea to be made a curse for sinners rather than they shall be cursed and damned themselves Gal. 3. 13. 7. Must the great and glorious God whose eyes are so pure that he cannot behold iniquity I say must he not only have the blood but the very life of him that will take in hand to be the deliverer and Saviour of us poor miserable sinners he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep John 10. 11. 8. Must he not only dye a natural death but must his soul descend into hell though it should not be left there he will suffer that also Psal. 16. 10. and Acts 2. 3. 9. Must he not only be buried but rise again from the dead and overcome death that he might be the first fruits to God of them that sleep which shall be saved He will be buried and also through the strength of his God-head he will raise himself out of the grave though death hold him never so fast and the Jews lay never such a great stone upon the mouth of the Sepulchre and seal it never so fast 1 Cor. 15. 2. Luke 24. 34. 10. Must he carry that body into the presence of his Father to take possession of Heaven Heb. 9. 24. John 14. 2 3. And must he appear there as a Priest Heb. 6. 20. as fore-runner ver the same as an Advocate 1 John 2. 1 2. as Prophet as a Treasure-house as an Interceder and Pleader of the Causes of his people he will be all these and much more to the end the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ might be made surer to all the seed Who then can condemn it is God that justifieth because Christ hath dyed yea rather that is risen again Who now seeing all this is so effectually done shall lay any thing the least thing who can find the least flaw the least wrinkle the least defect or imperfection in this glorious satisfaction Object But is it possible that he should so soon give infinite justice a satisfaction a compleat satisfaction for the eternal God doth require an eternal lying under the Curse to the end he may be eternally satisfied Answ. Indeed that which is infinite must have an eternity to satisfie God in that is they that fall into the prison and pit of utter darkness must be there to all eternity to the end the justice of God may have its full blow at them But now he that I am speaking of is God Isa. 9. 6. 2. Tim. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 8 9. Phil. 2. 4 5 6. and so is infinite Now le which is true God is able to give in as litttle a time an infinite satisfaction as Adam was in giving the dissatisfaction Adam himself might have given satisfaction
Scripture Gal. 3. 10. which saith For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse mark they that are of the Works of the Law now for to be of the works of the Law it is to be of the works of the righteousness thereof that is to abstain from sins against the Law and to do the commands thereof as near as ever they can for their lives or with all the might they have and therefore I beseech you to consider it for mens being ignorant of this is the cause why so many go on supposing they have a share in Christ because they are reformed and abstain from the sins against the Law who when all comes to all will be damned notwithstanding because they are not brought out from under the Covenant of Works and put under the Covenant of Grace Object But can you in very deed make these things manifestly evident from the Word of God methinks to reason this is very strange that a man should labour to walk up according to the Law of God as much as ever he can and yet that men notwithstanding this should be still under the Curse Pray clear it Answ. Truly this doth seem very strange I do know full well to the natural man to him that is yet in his unbelief because he goeth by beguiled reason but for my part I do know it is so and shall labour also to convince thee of the truth of the same First Then the Law is thus strict and severe that if a man do sin but once against it he I say is gone for ever by the Law living and dying under that Covenant If you would be satisfied as touching the truth of this do but read the third of the Galations at the 10. verse Where it saith Cursed is every one that is not a man shall misss by that Covenant that continueth not in all mark in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them pray mark here is a curse in the first place if all things written in the Book of the Law be not done and that continually too that is without any failing or one slip as I said before Now there is never a one in the world but before they did begin to yield obedience to the least command they in their own persons did sin against it by breaking of it the Apostle methinks is very notable for the clearing of this in that 3 of the Romans and also in the fifth in the one he endeavours for to prove that all had transgressed in the first Adam as he stood a common person representing both himself and us in his standing and falling Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore saith he as by one man sin entered into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men mark that but why for that all have sinned that is for as much as all naturally are guilty of original sin the sin that was committed by us in Adam So this is one cause why none can be justified by their obedience to the Law because they have in their first place broken it in their first parents But secondly In case this should be opposed and rejected by quarrelsome persons though there be no ground for it Paul hath another argument to back his Doctrine saying For we have proved already that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin First As it is written there is none righteous no not one Secondly They are all gone out of the way they are together mark together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Thirdly Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of asps is under their lips Fourthly Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness Fifthly Their feet are swift to shed blood In a word Destruction and misery are in their ways And the way of peace they have not known Now then saith he having proved these things so clearly the conclusion of the whole is this That what thing soever the Law saith in both shewing of sin and cursing for the same it saith All to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. So that here I say lieth the ground of our not being justified by the Law even because in the first place we have sinned against it for know this for certain that if the Law doth take the least advantage of thee by thy sinning against it all that ever thou shalt afterwards hear from it is nothing but curse curse curse him For not continuing in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Secondly Thou canst not be saved by the righteous Lavv of God the first Covenant because that together with this thy miserable state by original and actual sins before thou didst follow the Law since thy turning to the Law thou hast committed several sins against the Law In many things vve offend all So that now thy righteousness to the Law being mixed with sometimes the lust of concupiscence forâ—idation coverousness pride heart-risings against God coldness of affection towards him backwardness to good duties speaking idle words having of strife in your hearts and such like I say these things being thus the righteousness of the Law is become do weak through this our flesh Rom. 8. 30 and so notwithstanding all our obedience to the Law we are yet through our weakness under the Curse of the Law for as I said before the Law is so holy so just and so good that it cannot allow that any failing or slip should be done by them that look for life by the same Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing Gal. 3. 10. and this Paul knew full well which made him throw away all his righteousness But you will say that was his own Ansvver But it was even that which while he calls it his own he also calls it the righteousness of the Law see Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. and to account it but dung but as dirt on his shoes and that that he might be found in Christ and so he saved by him without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 28. But thirdly Set the case the righteousness of the Law which thou hast was pure and perfect without the least flaw or â—auâ—o without the least mixture of the least sinful thought yet this would fall far short of presenting of thee blameless in the sight of God And that I prove by these arguments The first Argument is That that which is not Christ cannot redeem souls from the Curse It cannot compleatly present them before the Lord. Now the Law is not Christ Therefore the Moral Law cannot by all our obedience to it deliver us from the curse that is due to us Act. 4. 12. The second Argument is That that righteousness that is not the
close in with Jesus Christ and would willingly take him upon his own terms only they being muddy in their minds and have not yet attained the understanding of the terms and conditions of the two Covenanss they are kept off from closing with Christ and all is because they see they can do nothing As for example come to some souls and ask them how they do they will tell you presently that they are so bad that it is not to be expressed If you bid them believe in Jesus Christ they will answer that they cannot believe if you ask them why they cannot believe they will answer because their hearts are so hard so dead so dull so backward to good duties and if their hearts were but better if they were more earnest if they could pray better and keep their hearts more from running after sin then they could believe but should they believe with such vile hearts and presume to believe in Christ and be so filthy Now all this is because the Spirit of the Law still ruleth in such a soul and blinds them so that they cannot see the terms of the Gospel To clear this take the substance of the drift of this poor soul which is this If I was better than I think I could believe but being so bad as I am that is the reason that I cannot this is just to do something that I may believe to work that I may have Christ to do the Law that I may have the Gospel or thus to be righteoua that I may come to Christ. O man thou must go quite back again thou must believe because thou canst not pray because thou canst not do thou must believe because there is nothing in thee naturally that is good or desireth after good or else thou wilt never come to Christ as a sinner and if so then Christ will not receive thee and if so then thou mayest see that to keep off from Christ because thou canst not do is to keep from Christ by the Law and to stand of from him because thou canst not buy him Thus having spoken something by the way for the direction of those souls that would come to Christ I shall return to the former discourse wherein ariseth this objection Object But you did but even now put souls upon fulfilling the first condition of the Gospel even to believe in Christ and so be saved but now you say it is alone by Grace without condition and therefore by these words there is first a contradiction to your former sayings and also that men may be saved without the condition of faith which to me seems a very strange thing I desire therefore that you would clear out what you have said as to my satisfaction Answ. Though there be a condition commanded in the Gospel yet he that commands the condition doth not leave his children to their own natural abilities that in their own strength they should fulfill them as the Law doth but the same God that doth command that the condition be fulfilled even he doth help his children by his holy Spirit to fulfill the same condition For it is God that worketh in you mark in you believers both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Thou hast wrought all our works in us and for us Isa. 26. 12. So that the condition be fulfilled it is not done in the ability of the creature But Secondly Faith as it is a gift of God or an act of ours take it which way you will If we speak properly of salvation it is not the first nor the second cause of our salvation but the third and that but instrumentally neither that is it only layeth hold of and applieth to us that which saveth us which is the love of God through the merits of Christ which are the two main causes of our salvation without which all other things are nothing whether it be faith hope love or whatever can be done by us And to this the great Apostle of the Gentiles speaks fully for saith he God who is rich in mercy loved us even when we were dead in our sins Eph. 2. 4. that is when we were without faith and that was the cause why we believe for he thereby hath quickned us together through the meritorious cause which is Christ and so hath saved us by Grace that is of his own voluntary love and good will the effects of which was this he gave us faith to believe in Christ read soberly that second of the Ephesians at the 4 5 6 7 8 verses Faith as the gift of God is not the Saviour as our act doth merit nothing Faith was not the cause that God gave Christ at the first neither is it the cause why God converts men to Christ but faith is a gift bestowed upon us by the gracious God the nature of which is to lay hold on Christ that God afore did give for a Ransom to redeem sinners this faith hath its nourishment and supplies from the same God that at the first did give it and is the only instrument through the Spirit that doth keep the soul in a comfortable frame both to do and suffer for Christ helps the soul to receive comfort from Christ when it can get none from it self beareth up the soul in its progress heaven-wards but that it is the first cause of salvation that I deny or that it is the second I deny but is only the instrument or hand that receiveth the benefits that God hath prepared for thee before thou hadst any faith so that we do nothing for salvation as we are men But if we speak properly it was Gods Grace that moved him to give Christ a Ransom for sinners and the same God with the same Grace that doth give to the soul saith to believe and so by believing to close in with him whom God out of his love and pity did send into the world to save sinners so that all the works of the creature are shut out as to justification and life and men are saved freely by Grace I shall speak no more here but in my discourse upon the second Covenant I shall answer a hell-bred Objection or two to forewarn sinners how they turn the Grace of God into wantonness And thus you see I have briefly spoken to you something touching the Law First What it is and when given Secondly How sad those mens conditions are that are under it Thirdly Who they are that be under it Fourthly How far they may go and what they may do and receive and yet be under it which hath been done by way of answers to several questions for the better satisfaction of those that may stand in doubt of the truth of what hath been delivered Now in the next place I should come to some application of the truth of that which hath been spoken but I shall in the first place speak something to the second Doctrine and then afterwards I shall speak
by the Law but by imputation and is really the righteousness of another namely of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ which is unto all and upon all that is imputed to them that believe Rom. 3. 22. But if they were under the Old Covenant the Covenant of Works then their righteousness must be their own or no forgiveness of sins If thou do well shalt not thou be accepted but if thou transgress sin lieth at the door saith the Law Gen. 4. 7. Fourthly In a word whatsoever they do receive whether it be conversion to God whether it be pardon of sin whether it be faith or hope whether it be righteousness whether it be strength whether it be the Spirit or the fruits thereof whether it be victory over sin death or hell whether it be heaven everlasting life and glory unexpressible or whatsoever it be it comes to them freely God having no first eye to what they would do or should do for the obtaining of the same But to take this in pieces 1. In a word are they converted God finds them first for saith he I am found of them that sought me not Isa. 65. 1. 2. Have they pardon of sin They have that also freely I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely Hos. 14. 4. 3. Have they faith It is the gift of God in Christ Jesus and he is not only the author that is the beginner thereof but he doth also perfect the same Heb. 12. 2. 4. Have they hope It is God that is the first cause thereof Remember thy word unto thy servaut wherein THOU hast caused me to hope Psal. 119. 49. 5 Have they righteousness It is the free gift of God Rom. 5. 17. 6. Have they strength to do the work of God in their generations or any other thing that God would have them do that also is a free gift from the Lord for without him we neither do nor can do any thing John 15. 5. 7. Have we comfort or consolation We have it not for what we have done but from God through Christ for he is the God of all our comforts and consolations 2 Cor. 1. 8. Have we the spirit or the fruits thereof It is the gift of the Father How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. Thou hast wrought all our works for us Isa. 26. 12. And so I say whether it be victory over sin death hell or the devil it is given us by the victory of Christ But thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. Rom. 7. 24 25. Heaven and glory it is also the gift of him who giveth his richly all things to enjoy Mat. 25. So that these things if they be duly and soberly considered will give satisfaction in this thing I might have aded many more for the clearing of these things At first when God came to man to convert him he found him a dead man Eph 2. 1 2. he found him an enemy to God Christ and the salvation of his own soul he found him wallowing in all manner of wickedness he found him taking pleasure therein with all delight and greediness 2. He was fain to quicken him by putting his Spirit into him and to translate him by the mighty operation thereof 3. He was fain to reveal Christ Jesus unto him man being altogether senseless and ignorant of his blessed Jesus Mat. 11. 25 27. 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10. 4. He was fain to break the snare of the devil and to let poor man poor bound and fettered man out of the chains of the enemy Now we are to proceed and the things that we are to treat upon in the second place are these First why it is a free and unchangeable grace Secondly Who they are that are actually brought into his free and unchangeable Covenant of Grace and how they are brought in Thirdly What are the priviledges of those that are actually brought into this free and glorious grace of the glorious God of heaven and glory For the first Why it is a free and unchangeable grace and for the opening of this we must consider First How and through whom this grace doth come to be first free to us and secondly unchangeable This grace is free to us through conditions in another that is by way of Convenant or Bargain for this Grace comes by way of Covenant or Bargain to us yet made with another for us First That it comes by way of Covenant Contract or Bargain though not personally with us be pleased to consider these Scriptures where it is said Psal. 89. 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant And as for thee also by the blood of thy Covenant speaking of Christ have I sent forth the prisoners out of the pit wherein was no water Zech. 9. 9 10 11. Again You have sold your selves for nought and you shall be bought without money Ezek. 34. 23 24. Chap. 37. 24 25. Blessed be the Lord therefore saith Zacharias for he hath visited and also REDEEMED his people And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us To perform his mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant or Bargain Luke 1 68 69 70 71 72. And if any should be offended with the plainness of these words as some poor souls may be through ignorance let them be pleased to read soberly that 49. Chapter of the the Prophet Isaiah from the 1. verse to the 12. and there they may see that it runs as plain a Bargain as if two should be making of a Bargain between themselves and concluding upon several conditions on both sides But more of this hereafter Now secondly This Covenant I say was made with one not with many and also confirmed in the conditions of it with one not with several First That the Covenant was made with one see Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and to his seed was the promises made he saith not to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ ver 17. And this I say the Covenant which was confirmed before of God in Christ c. The Covenant was made with the seed of Abraham not the seeds but the seed which is the Lord Jesus Christ our head and undertaker in the things concerning the Covenant 3. The condition was made with one and also accomplished by him alone and not by several yet in the nature and for the everlasting deliverance of many even by one man Jesus Christ as it is clear from
This is now a wrong faith as is evident in that it is placed upon a wrong object for mark this faith is not placed assuredly on Gods grace alone through the blood and merits of Christ being discovered effectually to the soul but upon God through those things that God hath given iâ— as of gifts either to preach or pray or great works or the like which will assuredly come to nought as sure as God is in Heaven if no better faith and ground of faith be found out for thy soul savingly to rest upon As to the second cause of the Objection which runs to this effect God loves men upon the account of their believing I answer that God loves men before they believe he loves them he calls them and gives them faith to believe But God who is rich in grace with his great love wherewith he loved us when when we believed or before even when we were dead in our sins and so far off from believers hath quickned us together with Christ by grace you are saved Eph. 2. 4 5. Now also I suppose that thou wilt say in thy heart I would you would shew us then what is saving faith which thing it may be I may touch upon a while hence in the next thing that I am to speak unto O they that have that are safe indeed The Second Thing THe second Thing that I am to speak unto is this Who they are that are actually brought into this free and unchangable grace and also how they are brought in Answ. Indeed now we are come to the pinch of the whole discourse and if God do but help me to run rightly thorow this as I do verily believe he will I may do thee Reader good and bring glory to my God The Question containeth these two branches First who are brought in Secondly how they are brought in the first is quickly answered Christ Jesus came into the world â—o save sinners Jewish sinners Gentile sinners Old sinners Young sinners great sinners the chiefest of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 14 15. Rom. 5. 7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Mat. 21. 31. Publicans and Harlots that is Whores and Cheaters Exactors shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven For I came not saith Christ to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mark 2. 17. A sinner in the Scripture is described in general to be a transgressor of the Law 1 John 3. 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law But particularly they are described in a more particular way as first such as in whom dwelleth the devil Ephes. 2. 2 3. Secondly such as will do the service of him John 8. 44. Thirdly such as are enemies to God Col. 1. 21. Fourthly such as are 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. 2 Chron. 33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 c. Acts 9. 1 2 3. 1 Tim. 1. 14 15 16. Acts 19. 19. Acts 2. 36 37. Drunkards Whoremasters Liars Perjured Persons Covetous Revilers Extortioners Fornicators Swearers possessed with Devils Thieves Idolaters Witches Sorcerers Conjurers Murderers and the like these be sinners and such sinners that God hath prepared Heaven Happiness Pardon of Sin and an inheritance of God with Christ with Saints with Angels if they do come in and accept of Grace as I might prove at large For Gods grace is so great that if they do come to him by Christ presently all is forgiven them therefore never object that thy sins are too great to be pardoned but come taste and see how good the Lord is to any whosoever comes unto him The second thing is How are these brought into this everlasting Covenant of Grace 2. Answ. When God doth indeed and in truth bring in a sinner into this most blessed Covenant for so it is he usually goeth this way First He slays or kills the party to all things besides himself and his Son Jesus Christ and the comforts of the Spirit For the clearing of this I shall shew you first with what God kills secondly how God kills and thirdly to what God kills those whom he makes alive in Jesus Christ. For the first When God brings sinners into the Covenant of Grace he doth first kill them with the Covenant of Works which is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments This is Pauls Doctrine and also Pauls experience It is his Doctrine where he saith The ministration of death engraven in stones the ministration of condemnation which is the Law in that place called the Letter kills 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 8 9. The Letter saith he killeth or the Law or the ministration of death which is another place is called a sound of words Heb. 12. 19. because they have no life 〈◊〉 them but rather death and damnation through our inability to fulfill them Rom. 8. 3. doth kill 2 Cor. 6. Secondly It is his experience where he saith I was alive once that is to my own things Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. without the Law that is before God did strike him dead by it but when the commandment came that is to do and exercise its right Office on me which was to kill me then sin revived and I died and I was killed and the commandment or the Law which was ordained to be unto life I found to be unto death For sin taketh occasion by the commandment deceived me and thereby slew me Rom. 7. 9 10 11. And indeed to speak my own experience together with the experience of all the Saints they can seal with me to this more or less Quest. But how doth God kill with this Law or Covenant Answ. First by opening to the soul the spirituality of it The Law is spiritual saith he but I am carnal sold under sin Rom. 7. 14. Now the spirituality of the Law is discovered this way First by shewing to the soul that every sinful thought is a sin against it I sinner when the Law doth come home indeed upon thy soul in the spirituality of it it will discover such things to thee to be sins that now thou lookest over and regardesâ—â—â— that is a remarkable saying of Paul when he saith Sin revived and I died sin revived saith he as if he had said those things that before I did not value nor regard but looked upon them to be trifles to be dead and forgotten but when the Law was fastened on my soul it did so raise them from the dead call them to mind so muster them before my face and put such strength into them that I was over-mastered by them by the guilt of them Sin revived by the commandment or my sins had mighty strength life and abundance of force upon me because of that insomuch that it killed me Mat. 5. 28. Secondly It sheweth that every such sin deserveth eternal damnation Friends I doubt there be but few of you that have seen the spirituality of the Law of Works but this is one thing in which it discovereth
things that we have heard and not in any wise to let them be questioned and the rather because you see the Testament is not only now made but confirmed not only spoken of and promised but verily sealed by the death and blood of Jesus which is the Testatour thereof My Brethren I would not have you ignorant of this one thing that though the Jews had the promise of a sacrifice of an everlasting high Priest that should deliver them yet they had but the Promise for Christ was not sacrificed and was not then come an High Priest of good things to come only the Type the Shadow the Figure the Ceremonies they had together with Christs engaging as Surety to bring all things to pass that was promised should come and upon that account received and saved It was with them and their dispensation as this similitude gives you to understand Set the case that there be two men who make a covenant that the one should give the other ten thousand Sheep on condition the other give him two thousand pound but for as much as the Money is not to be paid down presently therefore if he that buyeth the Sheep will have any of them before the day of payment the Creditor requesteth a Surety and upon the engagement of the Surety there is part of the Sheep given to the Debtor even before the day of payment but the other at and after So it is here Christ covenanted with his Father for his Sheep I lay down my Life for my Sheep saith he but the Money was not to be paid down so soon as the bargain was made as I have already said I yet some of the Sheep were saved even before the Money was paid and that because of the suretiship of Christ as it is written Being justified or saved freely by his Grace through the Redemption or purchase of Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare himself righteous in his forgiving the Sins that are past or the Sinners who died in the Faith before Christ was crucified through Gods forbearing till the payment was paid to declare I say at this time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. 24. 25. 26. The end of my speaking of this is to shew you that it is not wisdom now to doubt whether God will save you or no but to believe because all things are finished as to our Justification The Covenant not only made but also sealed the Debt paid the Prison Doors â—lung off of the Hooks with a Proclamation from Heaven of Deliverance to the Prisoners of Hope saying Return to the strong hold ye Prisoners of Hope even to day do I declare saith God that I will render unto thee double Zech. 9. 12. And saith Christ when he was come The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because be hath anointed me to preach the Gospel that is good Tidings to the Poor that their Sins shall be pardoned that their Souls shall be saved He hath sant me to bind up the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of the Sight of the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised and to comfort them that mourn to preach the acceptable Year of the Lord. Luke 4. 18 19. Therefore here Soul thou may'st come to Jesus Christ for any thing thou wantest as to a common Treasure house being the principal Man for the distributing of the things made mention of in the New Covenant he having them all in his own custody by right of Purchase for he hath bought them all paid for them all Dost thou want Faith then come for it to the Man Christ Jesus Heb. 12. 2. Dost thou want the Spirit then ask it of Jesus Dost thou want Wisdom Dost thou want Grace of any â—ort Dost thou want a new Heart Dost thou want strength against thy Lusts against the Devils Temptations Dost thou want strength to carry thee thorow afflictions of Body and afflictions oâ— Spirit through Persecutions Wouldest thou willingly hold out stand to the last and be more than a Conquerour then be sure thou meditate enough on the Merits of the Blood of Jesus how he hath undertaken for thee that he hath done the work of thy Salvation in thy room that he is filled of God on purpose to fill thee and is willing to communicate whatsoever is in him or about him to thee Consider this I say and Triumph in it Again This may inform us of the safe state of the Saints as touching their Perseverance that they shall stand though Hell rages tho' the Devil roareth and all the World endeavoureth the ruine of the Saints of God tho' some through ignorance of the vertue of the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ do say a man may be a child of God to day and a child of the Devil to morrow which is gross ignorance for what is the Bloud of Christ the Death the Resurrection of Christ of no more vertue than to bring in for us an uncertain Salvation or must the effectualness of Christs merits as touching our Perseverance be helped on by the doings of Man surely they that are predestinated are also justified and they that are justified they shall be glorified Rom. 8. 30. Saints do not doubt of the salvation of your Souls unless you do intend to undervalue Christs Blood and do not think but that he that hath begun the good work of his grace in you will perfect it to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Phil. 1. 6. Should not we as well as Paul say I am persuaded that nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. O let the Saints know that unless the Devil can pluck Christ out of Heaven he cannot pull a true Believer out of Christ. When I say a true Believer I do mean such a one as hath the Faith of the Operation of God in his Soul Lastly Is there such Mercy as this such Priviledges as these is there so much ground of Comfort and so much cause to be Glad Is there so much store in Christ And such a ready heart in him to give it to me Hath his bleeding Wounds so much in them as that the Fruits thereof should be the Salvation of my Soul Of my sinful Soul As to save me sinful me rebellious me desperate me what then Shall not I now be holy Shall not I now study strive and lay out my self for him that hath laid out himself Soul and Body for me Shall I now love ever a Lust or Sin Shall I now be ashamed of the Cause Wayes People or Saints of Jesus Christ Shall I not now yield my Members as Instruments of Righteousness seeing my end is everlasting Life Rom. 6. Shall Christ think nothing too dear for me And shall I count any thing too dear for him Shall I grieve him