put forth its power and strength in him namely thus 1. it did strongly excite impell and draw him to what was evil so Rom. 7.15 That which I do I allow not what I hate that do I V. 17. It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me V. 19. the evil which I would not that I do V. 23. I see another law in my members c. 2. it did strongly oppose resist hinder him as to what was good V. 15. what I would that do I not V. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not V. 21. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Thus Sin acted in Paul in whom its power and strength was much broken and thus it doth in a much higher degree act in the Vnregenerate in whom it is in its full strength and vigour 1. Sin in such exerts its power in its vehement urging and impelling of them to what is evil I say to what is evil for indeed all its impulsions are to that Sin is for nothing but Sin Sin in the Habit is altogether for Sin in the Act Indwelling Sin is wholly for dwelling in Sin it bends and works entirely that way urget ad Peccata Peccatum And no wonder that it so doth since the principle always moves and excites to those acts which are consentaneous to it self therefore Sin agreeing with Sin the sinful Nature solely stirs up a person to that which is sinful And how entire restless unwearied impetuous is it in this the truth is though there was no Devil to tempt the graceless Sinner yet that Law of Sin which is in himself would be enough to make him sin in a great measure as he doth as to many Men and many Sins of those men 't is but the Devils over-eagerness which puts him upon tempting of them for without that the thing would be done to his hand as dry wood would burn without blowing Corrupt Nature is continually egging solliciting exciting the unsanctified man to what is evil 't will not let him alone day or night unless he gratifie it and its motions are so urgent and violent that he poor creature either cannot or will not make any considerable resistance What an instance was Amnon of this he was under the Law of Sin it had such a power and Soveraignty over him and was so impetuous in its workings in him that he walked sadly pined away fell down-right sick and all because he knew not how to satisfie that Lust which wrought so strongly in him towards his own Sister read 2 Sam. 13.2 c. So Ahab Sin put him upon the coveting of Naboths Vineyard and this it did with such violence that he would eat no bread because he could not have his will 1 Kings 21.5 Solomon tells us of some who sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 O the Law of Sin it sollicits to this and that evil and its sollicitations thereunto are so pressing and earnest that it will receive no repulse yea the Sinner is so over-powered that he is even carried away with it like an empty Vessel in a fierce and rapid stream In whatever point the Wind stands it blows so fiercely so strongly that there 's no standing against it I mean whatever the Lust be in which the Sin of Nature vents it self whether Vncleanness or Ambition or Coveteousness or what you will that comes with such a force and violence upon the natural man that he falls before it and yields to it We speak much in another sense of the Law of Nature truely the grand Law of Nature as depraved is to command and incline men to sin against God and this it must needs do with a mighty power and efficacy in those in whom 't is wholly depraved 2. Secondly this Law of Sin shews it self in its opposing and hindring of what is good 'T is a Law which always runs counter to Gods Law it will be sure to further what that forbids and to hinder what that commands for it always sets it self in a direct opposition thereunto Doth that call for such and such Duties are there some Convictions upon the Sinners Conscience about them doth he begin a little to incline to what is good how doth Sin now bestir it self to make head in the Soul against these convictions and good inclinations how doth it endeavour to nip the blossoms to stifle and smother the initial propensions to what is good to kill the Infant in the Cradle as Herod would have done with Christ to make all Conceptions in order to Obedience and Holiness to prove abortive There is in Sin a fixed rooted aversation to whatever is holy and spiritual which it puts forth to its utmost wherever 't is upon the throne it doth not onely work a loathness to duty but a loathing of duty it countermands where 't is in its full power all the motions and excitations of the blessed Spirit thereunto O sometimes the Spirit comes to a man and says thou hast neglected prayer hitherto 't is high time now to set upon it thus long thou hast liv'd and all this time thou hast not minded the reading of the Scriptures the hearing of the Word preached c. come now let them be minded all thy days thou hast been a stranger to holiness now be holy thou hast been a despiser of Christ hitherto now love fear receive honour him thus the good Spirit would draw on the Sinner to what is good Well! is indwelling Sin quiet now O no! it puts forth it self with its greatest vigour and strength in opposition to the breathings of the good Spirit it saith Sinner let Word and Spirit say what they will do thou hold on thy course keep on thy way God is merciful fear it not Duty is burdensome meddle not with it what need is there of all this praying hearing believing repenting holy walking c. These are the bold oppositions and subtil insinuations of Sin against what is good set forth by the lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 these are its cursed renitencies and reluctancies against duty Now till the regenerating Spirit comes with his victorious grace to conquer them the Sinner is wholly under their power so that they do most effectually and prevailingly keep him off from what is good You have it exemplified in the Young-man Matth. 19.22 in Felix Acts 24.25 and in several others This is the very Case of men before Conversion whether you consider the Law of Sin as it puts forth it self with respect to Evil or with respect to Good the Unconverted are under it it hurries them on to what is wicked and as powerfully holds them off from what is holy in both respects they are entirely under the command of it as a Law
Law of Sin and that which is peculiar to the graceless Some there are who set themselves to sin 't is the thing they aim at which they deliberate contrive muse how to bring about their serious thoughts from time to time are at work in order to it like to that person whom David describes Psal 36.4 He deviseth mischief on his bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good like to the wickedness of men before the Deluge Gen. 6.5 c. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually 't is meant not onely of imaginations which had Sin in them materially and subjectively but also of those which were for Sin and in order to Sin intentionally and finally The Apostle sets it forth by making provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 when the Sinner hath his forecasts and projects for Sin Now * When the Flesh hath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providenâ—ial projecting and forecasting ability at command and at her service it is certain her supremacy is in the full Mr. Rich. Bifeild The Gospels glory c. p. 235. where 't is thus unquestionably 't is the Law of Sin this doth most certainly discover the absolute unbroken full power and dominion of Sin Joh. 8.34 Whoever commits Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes it or frames it as an Artist doth a thing which is proper to his trade or art who sins de industriâ datâ operâ what of him why he is the servant of sin that is he is fully under its Command and is a perfect slave and vassal to it 'T is never thus with regenerate persons this * Deut. 32.5 spot is not the spot of Gods Children 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin he doth not frame sin or contrive how to sin in the sense named but now It cannot be denied but that even a Child of God may sin after deliberation nay as to some particular sinful act he may deliberate in order to the doing of it there was a great deal of deliberation in Davids killing Vriah 't was a plotted contrived sin that which was brought about by many deliberate thoughts ô but in such an One this is very rare and seldome 't is but in this or that particular act 't is not a thing that he holds on in God forbid it should be so And therefore though this be a great aggravation of sin when it is committed deliberately and a sad evidence that it hath too much power and strength in the heart yet every deliberate sin is not enough to prove a man to be under the Law of sin when the designing and contriving is customary and that too as to a Course in sin ô then 't is the Law of sin 2. When the Temptation easily prevails and there is little or no resistance and opposition made to sin then 't is the Law of sin and that which is proper to the unregenerate If the Town be surrendred and yields upon the first Summons 't is a sign the Assailers are very strong and the Defendants very weak if the tinder takes fire upon the first little spark that falls into it surely 't is very dry so here when Satan doth no sooner lay the temptation before the Sinner but he immediately closes with it and falls before it and yields to it this argues that Sin and Satan have a full power in and over him But I lay the main stress of this Head upon little or no resistance to the motions suggestions commands of sin Possibly it no sooner commands but the Sinner readily obeys if he chance to make some some opposition 't is as bad as none at all 't is not lively vigorous resolute but cold dull faint and languid ô this is a sad demonstration of Sins heighth and regency in the Soul The bare Commands of Sin as hath been said do not make it to be a Law but when there is a ready willing subjection to those Commands then 't is a Law Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 'T is a brand upon Ephraim that he was * Hos 5.11 willingly walked after the Commandment may not this be charged upon men before renovation with respect to the Commands of Sin We read of Satan that he takes some captive at his will 2 Tim. 6.26 and truly so it is with the sinful Nature too it doth with the unregenerate what it will it commands governs orders them even as it will it meets with little or no resistance upon all occasions it doth but speak the word and the thing is done The true Convert stands upon his guard fights it out to the last hee 'l dye rather than yield Sin doth not so easily do his work in him he may sometimes â—e a Captive to it as being overborn with its strength but he will not be a Subject to it so as to give willing obedience to it which shows that he is not under the Law of Sin When 't is willingness in the way of duty then 't is the day of * Psal 110.3 God's power when 't is willingness in the way of sin then 't is the day of Sins power There may be some resistance made to Sin and yet its dominion may be high but when 't is no resistance then its dominion is high indeed A Sinner sometimes from the stirrings of Conscience may make a little opposition but Sin having his Will in its entire consent that opposition soon goes off and so Sins Sover aignty is as absolute as ever it was 3. When Sin carries it in spight of all opposition then 't is the Law of Sin and that power of Sin which only suits with the unregenerate state when 't is committed with little opposition ab intra and in spight of all opposition ab extra I assure you then it hath a great power Many there are who are so much under the strength and dominion of the hellish Nature that nothing shall hinder them from what is evil As the sincere Christian set never so many hinderances and discouragements before him yet being under the Law of the Spirit he will be and do good so è contrà the man that is destitute of Grace set what hinderances or discouragements you will before him yet being under the Law of Sin he will be and do evil Let the threatnings of the Law of God stand in his way like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand yet hee 'l sin let the Scepter of the Gospel be held out to him yet hee 'l sin set the Love Grace Mercy of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Wrath Justice Severity of God before him yet hee 'l sin set the Death Sufferings Agonies Wounds Blood of the Lord Jesus before him yet hee 'l sin let Conscience smite him let Word
make some resistance to Sin and therefore they conclude they are not under its power But alas this will not prove it for 1. this resistance may be but a faint weak half resistance 2. it may be bus to this or that Sin nor to every Sin 3. it may be to Sin but not as Sin that is Sin may be resisted because of the Effects and Consequents of it as it kindles God's wrath brings punnishment ends in Hell exposes to shame before men c. and yet as considered in its own nature as 't is an offence to God a breach of the holy Commandment an aberration from the straight Rule so no resistance may be made to it but the Sinner readily closes with it and likes it well enough now such a resistance as this will not amount to a proof or evidence of not being under the Law of Sin There is a resistance indeed which will undeniably prove it as when 't is hearty thorough vigorous universal when 't is such that the utmost strength of the Soul goes out in it against Sin when 't is made to every sin and to sin as sin where 't is thus 't is no Law of Sin he that thus opposes and resists it 't is most certain he 's none of Sins slaves and subjects if therefore it be thus with any of you 't is well but you must not bottom too much upon meer resistance if it be not thus qualified and stated Indeed no resistance is a good affirmative Argument to prove Sins dominion but every kind of resistance is not a good negative Argument to prove no dominion thereof Sincere Christians may fetch much comfort from their resistings of sin but as to those which are common and ordinary in Others little comfort can be fetch'd from them 2. Persons may be free from very many Sins may not have such violent inclinations to some particular Sins and yet for all this be under the Law of Sin The reason is this because there may be some Other sins in which though not in these it may exercise full authority over them possibly they are not proud but they are covetuous they are not openly vitious but they are worldly they are not unclean but they are spightful and malitious now reigning Sin never limits it self to any one Sin though it be not obey'd in this or that if its Commands be observed in any other sin 't is enough willing and full subjection to it in any one sin I speak not of particular acts but of the kinds of Sin evinces its dominion Thou pleasest thy self because such Corruptions and Lusts do not prevail over thee I but if any other single Lust rules thee so that it hath thy heart and thou yieldest free and entire Obedience to it this sufficiently determins thy Case thou art under the Law of Sin As * Jam. 2.10 whoever keeps the whole Law of God and yet offends in one point is guilty of all so whoever opposes the whole Law of Sin and yet in some one point resigns up himself to it he is as truly under the power of it as if he obeyed it in all its Commands There needs not thirty Tyrants at once to enslave a people one is enough 3. Sin may seem to lye still and quiet in the heart to let Sinners alone that they shall not feel its urgings and impulsions to what is evil especially in such a violent and impetuous manner and yet they may be under its full strength and empire For this stillness and quietness of sin may proceed meerly from the entireness of its reign or because it meets with no opposition the Soul doth whatever it will have it do no wonder then that 't is still Pharaoh himself was so till the people of Israel would cast off his yoke but then he bestirr'd himself and march'd in all his rage and fury against them O when the Sinner begins to think of changing his master when Christ and Grace are competitors with Sin who shall rule how doth it then though it was quiet before shew it self and put forth all its strength for the securing of its dominion We say Natura vexata seipsam prodit when Sin is vex'd and cross'd a little then you shall see and feel what it is but so long as 't is pleas'd all is still and calm And do any say they feel not the impetuous risings stirrings motions of Sin doth not this proceed from their insensibleness if so then Sins power is very high for the less is the Sinners sense the greater always is Sins power if all be in peace 't is a sign the strong man keeps the house Luk. 11.21 Sin evermore hath the fullest dominion where it gives the least disturbance where it troubles least it rules most if there be little or no sense no conflict no trouble 't is a very bad sign that Sin is entire upon the throne 4. There may be some trouble upon the Conscience after the commission of sin and yet it be the Law of Sin 'T was so in Cain in Ahab in Judas c. where there is no after-grief Sin indeed reigns there may be some after-grief and yet for all that Sin may reign too Upon the commission of some known Sin natural and enlightned Conscience may fall upon a man and vex him sorely Sin usually hath not that power in the Conscience which it hath in the other Faculties it may entirely have the Will and Affections whilst yet Conscience stands off and is not so fully on its side no that unless it be a cauteriz'd Conscience will give in its dictates against Sin and if it be not hearkened to it will smite and vex and gaul the Sinner to some purpose And because sometimes 't is fast asleep and neglects to do its office therefore God himself interposes to awaken and set it on the Sinner Conscience saith God go and do thine office make such a man know what he hath done tell him of his Sin and spare him not pursue him from place to place with the sense of his guilt c. Well! now all this may be but in order to his smarting and not in order to his healing this trouble may be only penal and not medicinal or penitential and therefore doth not amount to any proof of freedom from the Law of Sin I would not discourage any true penitent know therefore Sin never reigns where the Soul grieves for it provided 1. that the ground of this belief be right viz. because God is offended the good Spirit grieved the holy Law violated c. 2. that the effect of this grief be * Poenitentia est mala praeterita plangere plangenda iterum non committere Ambr de Poen Inanis est Poenitentia quam sequens inquinat Cu'pa nihil prosunt lamenta si iterantur peccata Aug. reformation and the leaving that Sin which the Soul seems to mourn over if there be not these two things accompanying the trouble
what could there be in them to pacisie an angry God or to to purifie a guilty Sinner what was the blood of a Beast as considered in it self to expiate the sin of a Man The Apostle plainly tells us Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin therefore he sayes there was no perfection by the Levitical Priesthood Heb. 7.11 and the Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 in which were offered gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 9.9 So that whatever virtue those Sacrifices had further than the taking away of civil guilt ritual uncleanness securing from Church and State-penalties it wholly depended upon the institution of God and the merit of Christ The brazen Serpent heal'd such as were stung yet not from any intrinsick power in it self but only as God was pleas'd to give that power and efficacy to it and so 't was here in the case of the old Sacrifices These four things I have laid down both to clear up the Sacrifices themselves and also because they are of great use to set us right in our conceptions about Christ the great Sacrifice which must be opened by them Answerably now to these two great Ends and Effects of the Mosaical Sacrifices the same were designed to be done and were actually done by the Lord Jesus when he offered up himself to God upon the Cross whereby he also 1. atoned God 2. expiated the sin of the Elect. As God was angry and offended with the Sinner so Christ by his death procur'd atonement pacification reconciliation as the Sinner lay under guilt so Christ brought about the purgation or expiation of his guilt both of these were done by him and that too not only really but in a much higher way than what was done by the old Sacrifices therefore he was a true proper expiatory Sacrifice yea the most eminent expiatory Sacrifice Of atonement and reconciliation by Christs Sacrifice 1. For atonement or reconciliation By Adams Fall a sad breach had been made 'twixt God and Man Sin had greatly incens'd the holy God against his sinful Creatures nay there was a mutual and reciprocal enmity contracted between them Things being in this dismal state the blessed Jesus interpos'd himself in order to the appeasing of an offended God and the reconciling of him and the Sinner the two parties that were at variance For the effecting of which he did not only as a bare Internuntius treat with both or only offer up prayers to the one in which respect Moses atoned God Exod. 34.10 11 12 13 14. and intreaties to the other 2 Cor. 5.20 and so proceed by some verbal interposures but when nothing else would do it he was willing even to lay down his own Life to die as a Sacrifice upon the Cross by this means to bring God and Man together again in amity and love By which death of Christ the offended God was perfectly atoned and reconciled to the Sinner so as that now upon the satisfaction made to him therein he could without any injury to his Justice and Holiness receive the Sinner into his favour and not inflict upon him that wrath and punishment which he had made himself obnoxious unto this is the true notion of atonement and reconciliation by Christ and all that we * Non statuimus Deum irato propriè factum esse propitium sed Christi Satisfactione causas irae divinae obliteratas esse ut salvâ justistiâ suâ possit gratiam exhibere Essenïus p. 253. mean by it But that this was thus done by him what one thing is there in all the matters of Faith wherein the Gospel is more clear and full 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.10 11. 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 And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 2 Cor. 5.18 19. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Col. 1.20 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself c. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death So Eph. 2.13 14 c. Isa 53.6 the chastisement of our peace was upon him i. e. by his penal sufferings our peace was made with God 'T is true which our * Socin de Serv◠p. 1. c. 8. Adversanies would fain improve to their purpose that all along in these Scriptures the reconciliation is said to be on Mans part as if Sinners were reconcil'd to God not God to them but there 's a special reason for that viz. * Baxters Life of Faith p. 189. because they were the first in the breach they fell out with God before he fell out with them as also because the averseness to reconciliation is on their part wherefore if they be willing to be reconcil'd to God and are actually reconciled to him there 's no question of it but that he is willing to be reconciled to them and is so actually Some would have the reconciliation as on God's part to be spoken of Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is according to the Hebrew Enallage as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as * De Satisf p. 93. Grotius well observes Howerver supposing that this Text doth not so expresly hold forth the thing yet there is enough in those convincing Reasons Arguments and Consequences which the Word elsewhere affords to prove the reconciliation to be mutual as is fully proved by divers Which reconciliation you see was accomplished by Jesus Christ yea by his death and blood so that he exactly answers to the first effect of the Jewish Sacrifices Of the Expiation of Sin by Christ's Sacrifice 2. The for the Second the expiation of sin that also was done with great advantage by Christ his death carried indeed a Sin-expiating virtue in it and was most truly of an expiatory nature Let us a little look into the Scripture see what it saith about this and that we shall find not only to assert the thing but so to assert it as withal to set down and determine the nature and true notion of it I mean this
Gospel as well as under the Law Page 13 'T is not only No Condemnation to Believers but positive Salvation Page 16 Of the dreadfulness of Condemnation Page 25 How it may be avoided Page 32 Persons exempted from it are to be thankful and chearful Page 37 c. What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 There may be troubles in the Conscience after Sin and yet Sin may reign Page 212 The Contrariety of the two Walkings Page 95 The Corrupt Nature set forth by Flesh Vide Flesh The Covenant of Redemption touched upon Page 298 Of the New Creature Page 65 Of the crucifying the Flesh Page 66 D. The Law of Death opened Page 152 249 Sin and Death go together especially when 't is the Law of Sin Page 250 How the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Death Page 253 c. Comfort from hence to such against the Fear of Death Page 257 In temptations to Sin 't is good to consider that 't is Sin and Death Page 254 Comfort to Believers as to Death from their Vnion with Christ Page 81 Christ's Death a strong Dissuasive from walking after the Flesh Page 128 The main Ends of Christ's Death made good against the Socinians Page 518 c. Man had not died if he had not sinned Page 250 Of the Saints Dignity from their Vnion with Christ Page 96 Of the Dominion of Sin See the Law of Sin E. The converting Spirit works efficaciously and irresistibly Page 234 Of the spiritualness of a mans Ends. Page 111 Expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 449 That finished on Earth not done in Heaven Page 505 The Nature of this Expiation Page 510 The Extent of it Page 511 Vide Sacrifice F. God the Father's Love to be admired in his sending of Christ Page 303 Saints are to think well of God the Father as well as of God the Son Page 305 Faith the Bond in the Mystical Vnion Page 49 Faith to be repeated in fresh applications to Christ Page 553 There are but few in Christ Page 118 Flesh is in the Best Page 91 All particular Sins comprehended in Flesh Page 97 Of being in the Flesh and walking after the Flesh ibid. Flesh taken for corrupt Nature Page 99 Why that is set forth by Flesh Page 100 Flesh considered more Generally Page 99 Particularly Page 101 The Philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit Page 105 What it is to walk after the Flesh Vide Walking What the Flesh is by which the Law is made weak Page 263 Of Christ's being sent in Flesh that opened Page 375 He did not bring his Flesh from Heaven Page 376 Of the verity of his Flesh against the antient Hereticks Page 377 379 380 That proved ibid. How he was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 406 c. And but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 410 c. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh Page 417 He as sent in Flesh is to be believed on Page 424 Of Freedom from the Law of Sin Vide the Law of Sin Freedom from its Guilt and from its Power Page 150 Of Christ's Fulfilling the Law Vide Law G. The eternal Generation of Christ the Son of God proved Page 324 c. The difference between that and common Generation Page 356 Its mysteriousness Page 354 Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion Page 415 The Priviledges of Believers under the Gospel above those under the Law Page 450 Grace set forth by Spirit and the Reasons why 't is so Page 104 c. There should be in Saints a Growth in Spiritualness Page 137 Of the Spirits being a Guide Page 108 Whether Christ took our very Guilt upon him Affirmed Page 490 H. Heaven made credible upon Christ's Incarnation Page 447 Holiness press'd from Vnion with Christ Page 75 From being made free from the Law of Sin Page 225 From the Incarnation of Christ Page 437 The Holiness and sinlesness of Christ's Humane Nature Page 411 The necessity thereof Page 414 The difference of the Humane Nature as in Christ and as in us Page 386 Of the advancement of the Humane Nature by Christ's assuming it Page 451 Christ to be highly Honoured 'T is shewn wherein Page 363 Humiliation the way to Consolation Page 5 6 Saints to be humbled that they were so long under the Law of sin and that sin still hath such a power in them Page 217 c. As also that there should be that Flesh in them by which God 's own Law is made weak Page 271 Humility press'd from Christ's taking our Nature Page 437 Of the HypostaticalVnion Vide Vnion I. About the Idem and the Tantundem With respect to Christ's Sufferings Page 489 To his Active Obedience Page 608 c. Of the Imputation of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience How the imputation thereof is to be stated Vide ibid. The Incarnation of Christ largely discoursed of Page 372 c. His Mission and his Incarnation two distinct things Page 376 The Latter not impossible not incredible Page 386 The Grounds laid down why Christ was Incarnate Page 387 c. Prophesies and Types of it ibid. Seven Propositions insisted upon for the explication of it Page 393 c. What benefit had they by Christ who lived before his Incarnation Page 397 Why he was Incarnate just at that time when he was incarnate Page 398 A firm Assent is to be given to the Verity of Christ's Incarnation as also a firm Adherence to him as incarnate Page 420 c. Many other Duties urged from this Incarnation Page 426 c. As also the Comfort of it to Believers is set forth in several Particulars Page 441 c. Whether if Man had not sinned Christ had been incarnate Neg. Page 406 Of Inclinations Good or Evil and their difference in the Godly and Others Page 110 The severity of God's Justice in Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 543 The Law unable to Justifie Page 266 Whether there be two distinct integral parts of Justification Page 602 In the Justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness Page 610 As to Christ we are justified by Works as to our selves by Faith Page 610 L. Law of Sin what it is Page 151 What the Law of the Spirit is Page 159 All Vnregenerate persons under the Law of Sin Page 169 c. How Sin is a Law opened in the proper improper notion of a Law Page 172 c. Wherein Sin acts as a Law Page 177 How it may be known when it is the Law of sin That particularly opened Page 179 c. All the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Sin Page 154 203 c. They are freed from Sin only as 't is a Law Page 149 203 206 Their freedom from the Law of Sin proved from Scripture and Argument Page 207 c. How fâ—r men may go and yet not be freed from the Law of Sin Page 210 A serious Exhortation to all to get free from it
do you think of this are you able to bear it Alas * Is 33.14 who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings this made the Sinners in Zion afraid and filled Hypocrites with fearfulness and will it not sooner or later have the same effect upon you who are out of Christ If this Condemnation or eternal Death was total abolition or annihilation as some * See Calov Socin proflig de morte aeternà Contr. tertia p. 11 13. Cloppenb Compend Socinian cap. 8 p. 134. c. With many others Socinians make it to be it would not be so bad this would be a great allay to it for surely whatever some learned men may say to the contrary no being would be more desirable than such a being but 't is not so 3. The Condemnatory Sentence being once past it will be irreversible and irresistible When 't is once out of the Judges mouth there 's no reversing of it as the Penalty is intolerable so the Sentence is irreversible The poor condemned Sinner will presently fall upon his knees and most earnestly beg mercy but all in vain all his intreaties beseechings tears wringing of hands will avail nothing time was when he would not hear Christ and now Christ will not hear him Now to be sure the season of Grace is over once condemned and ever condemned there 's neither appealing from the Judge nor repealing of the Sentence And then too I say 't is irresistible as soon as 't is past Christ will have his Officers by him who shall see it put into execution his Guard and retinue of Angels shall be ready for this service these * Matth. 13.30 Reapers shall gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them and who shall be able to resist The Judge amongst the Jews was to see the Offender punished before his face Deut. 25.2 Christ will not only pass sentence but he himself will see execution done Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me And as there will be no turning of him so neither will there be either flying from him or making resistance to him When man condemns God can save but who can save when God condemns If the Three Children be thrown into the fire God can take them out but when the Unbeliever is thrown into Hell-fire or to be thrown into Hell-fire who then can either hinder or deliver O come to Christ and get into Christ betimes if you defer till the Sentence be past you must suffer it and there is no remedy As God says * Is 43.13 I will work and who shall lett So when he condemns and will have his Sentence executed who shall lett what can man do to defend himself or to hinder God! Job 31.14 What shall I then do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him 4. The Vnbeliever and Christless person will not only be condemned by God but he will also be condemned by himself Self-condemnation will accompany Gods condemnation and that is very miserable Next to being condemned by God nothing so sad as to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by ones self When the poor Sinner shall be upon his Trial Conscience will accuse as well as the Law and condemn as well as the Judge And as soon as ever the Judge shall have passed Sentence Conscience will fall upon the guilty condemned person and say is not this just and righteous hast not thou * Jer. 2.17 procured this to thy self must not such a course have such an end is not this the fruit of thy sin This will highly justifie God for the more the Sinner condemns himself the more he acquits God but greatly heighten his own misery You read how at the great day there shall be * Per apertionem librorum significatur ut unicuique conscientia sua nec enim opus erit testibus externis suggestura sit omnem suam vitam Voss de Extr. Judicio the opening of the books Rev. 20.12 these books are mainly two the book of Scripture and the book of Conscience As to the latter men keep it shut here but God will open it to some purpose then and Sinners shall be forced to look into it and read over the sins of their lives written there in very legible characters And what a sad time will it then be when as God condemns without and above so Conscience shall condemn below and within Such as are out of Christ will feel all this to be true to their inexpressible grief and torment if it be not prevented by timely repentance 5. I might add which indeed will be but a more particular explication of the former Head this condemnation will be the sadder especially to such who live under the Gospel because they will lye under the sense and conviction of this that they have foolishly and wilfully brought all this misery upon themselves For and their hearts will tell them of it Christ offered himself to them from time to time but they refused to close with him he tendered pardon to them but they slighted it and who will pitty the Traitor that dyes for his Treason when his Prince offered him a pardon and he scorned to accept of it they might have been saved as well as others would they but have hearkened to the free gracious hearty often repeated invitations which in the Gospel were made to them how often would Christ * Matth. 23.37 have gathered them as the Hen gathers her Chickens but they would not and therefore now their Souls are lost forever O Sinner * Hos 13.9 thy destruction is of thy self and the consideration of this will sadly gnaw upon thy Conscience forever this is the worm that never dyes The Jews when they had adjudged a Malefactor to dye the Judge and the Witnesses used to lay their hands upon him and to say thy blood be upon thy own head in imitation of which the Murderers of our Saviour said * Matth. 27.25 His blood be on us and our children Thus Christ when he shall have pass'd the dreadful Sentence of eternal Death upon the impenitent and unbelieving he 'll say Your blood be upon your own heads Now is not here enough if the Lord would please to set it home upon the Conscience to awaken and terrifie secure Christless Sinners You who are out of Christ pray believe me as sure as God is and is a just and righteous God as sure as his Word is true so sure are you if you go out of the world before you have got into Christ to be condemned forever And will you not lay this to heart before it be too late is it not high time for you to think of these things will nothing awaken you but only the feeling of everlasting flames will you not mind the damned state till you
safe Take the Saints apart from Christ the strongest could not stand take them as joyned and united to him the weakest shall not fall When the first Adam was our head our condition was mutable in him we stood upon very slippery ground but now when Christ is our head we-stand fast and firm * Psal 125.1 even as mount Zion never to be removed 'T is but the same Grace now which we should have had upon our first creation I speak of the kind not of the degree yet 't is not amissible as that was because of our union with another head God will hear their Prayers 9. Are you in Christ this assures you of the audience of your Prayers If ye abide in me saith Christ ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you◠What an incouraging word is this God will grant your requests for the love he bears you upon other accounts but to be sure he will do this for you you being under such a near conjunction to the Son of his Love Vnion and Communion go together 10. Are you in Christ know then that Vnion and Communion go together and is not this full of comfort As all communion is founded upon union so all union terminates in communion and the closer is the union the fuller is the communion Union with Christ is a very enriching thing it interests a person in all that Christ is or hath this is that fellowship of the Son to which the Saints are called 1 Cor. 1.9 You being in Christ his Person is yours you are his and he is yours My beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 Upon the Covenant relation God is yours upon the Mystical Vnion Christ is yours You being in Christ all his Attributes are yours his wisdome yours to guide you his power yours to protect you his mercy yours to pity you his All sufficiency yours to supply you and so in the rest As the Father in the Gospel once said to his Son * Luk. 15.31 Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine so saith Christ to the believing Soul thou art ever in me all that I am or have is thine Being in Christ you share with him in all his Offices hence you are Kings and (a) Omnes Christiani sant Sacerdotes quia membra unius Sacerdotis August de Civ De◠lib. 20. cap 10. Priests as he is in a spiritual and mystical notion Rev. 1.6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God c. 1 Pet. 2.5 Saints are stiled an holy Priesthood and v. 9. a royal Priesthood Being in Christ you bear his name as hath been shown and you partake with him in his high Relations and Dignities he 's a Son of God so are you Joh. 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father he 's heir of all things Heb. 1.2 you joynt heirs with him Rom. 8.17 Being in Christ all his Merit is yours his sufferings (b) Caput membra sunt quasi una persona mystica ideo satisfactio Christi ad omnes fideles pertinet sicut ad su◠membra Aquin. 3. p. Q◠49. Art 1. satisfaction are as much to your advantage as if you had suffered and satisfied in your own persons You being in Christ all the (c) Unio haec est spiritualis illa relatio hominum ad Personam Christi quâ jus acquirunt ad omnes illas benedictiones quae ad ipso praeparantur Ames medul lib 1. cap. 26. fect 2. Fides purè docenda est quod per eum sic conglutineris ut ex te Christo fiat quasi una Persona quae non possit segregari ut cum fiduciâ dicere possis ego sum Christus h. e. Christi justitia victoria vita est mea vicissim Christus dicat Ego sum ille peccator h. e. ejus peccata mors mea sunt quia adhaeret mihi ego illi conjuncti enim sumus per fidem in unam carnem os Luther Homo cum fiduciâ possit gloriari in Christo dicere meum est quod Christus vixit egit dixit passus est mortuns est non secus quam si ego illa vixissem egissem dixissem passus essem mortuus essem sicut sponsus habet omnia quae sunt sponsae sponsa habet omnia quae sunt sponsi c. Idem blessings priviledges which he hath purchased are yours as justification atonement adoption access to God c. You being in Christ that very glory which he hath is yours see Rev. 3 2◠Joh. 17.24 Luk. 22.29 You being in Christ all the promises in him are Yea and Amen to you 2 Cor. 1.20 Gal. 3.29 You being in Christ all his victories and triumphs over enemies are yours Rev 2.26 27. Upon Union with Christ you have Vnion too with the * See Sedgw. on the Covenant p. 208. Father and the Holy Ghost In a word you being Christ's all is yours 1 Cor. 3.21 and what can be said further Is not all this enough for your comfort Here 's blessed communion flowing from a blessed union here 's partaking indeed of the fatness of the Olive upon your being ingrafted into it as 't is Rom. 11.17 Vnion secures from Condemnation 11. Are you in Christ then 't is no condemnation so the Text expresly tells you O what a ground of rejoycing is exemption from condemnation what can be sweet to him who is obnoxious to it what can be bitter to him who is secur'd against it this is the happiness of all in Christ Poor Christless Souls are condemned over and over Law and Gospel and Conscience and which is worst of all the great God condemns them but 't is not so with you who are in Christ to you 't is no condemnation You are justified here and shall be solemnly publickly declared to be so at the great day You are in Christ◠not only as the members in the head which is your Mystical Vnion but as the Debtor in the Surety which is your Legal Vnion Christ's payment and satisfaction is yours and God will not fall upon him and you too for payment The Wife under covert is not liable to an arrest or action at Law but all must fall upon her Husband You being married to Christ this supersedes the process of the Law against you if it be not fully satisfied it must seek its reparation at the hands of your spiritual Husband Christ himself as to any condemnatory charge it cannot fall upon you Amongst all the damned in Hell there 's not one in Christ to be found that 's no place for such as are limbs of him And to shut up all upon this Vnion 't is not onely No condemnation but 't is also certain salvation 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also Christ the Head is in Heaven and where he is there he will have
upon the Conscience it speaks nothing against the dominion of sin 5. Men may do that which materially is very good and may hold on in so doing for some time and yet be under the Law of Sin O there are many who pray hear the Word attend upon Ordinances give alms c. and yet Sin is still regent in them because 1. though they do all this yet the heart is not at all changed in them now Sins power never goes off till the heart be made new 2. because which is more demonstrative the heart is rotten in all this Christ hath the external duty but Sin hath the heart some outward respect is shown to God but yet the heart is set for some Lust against God as you read of those Ezek. 33.31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetuousness 'T is a thing too common for men even in their external serving of God to serve Sin more than God and Gods work is done by them for the matter of it but Sin so far interposes its authority and strength as that it carries it in the Sinner as to his Ends in what he doth and if it can but sway and order him in them God may have the external act but still it hath the soveraiguty and power within The same holds true too as to a plausible outwardly good Conversation external piety is too well consistent with the internal reign of Sin it rules in the fair professing-Hypocrite as well as in the gross and scandalous Sinner By this you see you may run your selves upon great mistakes in taking up with such Evidences as will not prove your being made free from the Law of Sin O that the consideration thereof might make you the more careful lest you as many thousands are to their eternal undoing should herein be deceived as also quicken you to the tryal of your selves by those things which will infallibly prove the thing in hand What are they why no allowed subjection to Sin no tame quiet submission to its commands inward renouncing nay abjuring of its authority a rooted vigorous opposition to it in all its cursed suggestions an utter dislike and hatred of it the bent and impetus of the heart set against it universal resignation of a mans self to the Law and Will of God an hearty willingness nay desire to come under the rule and government of the Lord Jesus c. these are the things you are to enquire after and to judge by for these are sure Evidences which you may relye upon Happy is that man who finds these in himself he may with confidence build upon them that he is indeed made free from the Law of Sin but he that is confident upon any thing short of these will sooner or later find he was too credulous So much for this Use VSE 2. To exhort Sinners to make out after this freedom The next shall be to exhort you and others yea all men in the whole world if I could reach them to labour after and make sure of a share and interest in this blessed freedom from Sins power and dominion Regenerate persons you hear have it shall the Vnregenerate sit still and be quiet and contented under the want of it God forbid To be made free from the Law of Sin what a mercy or priviledge is this ô how much is there in it to excite draw allure Sinners to desire love and value it and to be industrious after it He that can upon good grounds say over the words of the Text needs no higher happiness 't was more for Paul to say the Law of the Spirit of Life c. than if he could have said that God had given him all the Kingdoms Crowns Diadems Riches Honours Pleasures of this world You see he applies it to himself and surely he had comfort enough in that application now Sinners when will you be able to say the same of your selves that you also by the power of the Spirit are made free from the Law of Sin ô as Eliphaz once said to Job hear it and know it for thy self Job 5.27 so I would say to you hear this and know it for your selves so as to get it for and to be able to appropriate it unto your own selves so as to take the me here as coming out of Pauls mouth concerning himself into your mouths one by one concerning your selves Sirs this is a thing of such importance that we Ministers cannot speak too much or be too earnest about it 't is the great end of our Lord and Master in his employing us in the work of the Ministry to open your eyes to turn you from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.18 and therefore though I have said so much already to press the thing upon you yet I must further plead with you in order to the more effectual pressing of it Therefore consider hath not this Sin tyranniz'd long enough over you are you willing still to continue under its thraldom and vassalage must this cursed Vsurper forever sit upon the throne shall it yet command and give Law to you What woful and miserable bondage attends its empire and government hath been described largely shall all that be nothing to you to be slaves the very worst of slaves shall that be but a little thing in your eye Other bondagé not half so bad you cannot bear you detest and dread it shall the worst bondage only be tolerable nay eligible 'pray look * Pag. 189 c. back to the description of Sins bondage and methinks your hearts should rise at it 'T is an astonishing thing to consider that so excellent a Creature as Man who hath such an excellent Being in him as a reasonable and immortal Soul should so tamely submit to so base aâ—thing as Sin and make no more of servitude to it Doth God in the Gospel so graciously tender Liberty privative and positive to you and will you not accept of it may you be made free and will you not ô stupendious folly is this after the manner of men with respect to external liberty or bondage When God sent Moses to deliver Israel out of their bondage what madness would it have been in them not to have accepted it let there be a ransom sent to the poor Captives under Turkish cruelty would they not readily embrace it ah Sinner the Lord Jesus came from Heaven on purpose to redeem thy poor captive Soul out of the hands of Sin and Satan he hath on his part effected what he came about he now offers his Merit and Spirit to make thee free nay he invites intreats sollicits beseeches thee that thou wilt accept of the liberty purchased for thee and yet wilt thou hug thy chains play with
legis impotentiam aliò ut Legem absolvat à culpá quam dat carni viz. nostrae i. e. corruptae nostrae naturae Muscul Ne quis parum honorificè Legem impotentÃae argui putaret vel hoc restringeret ad Ceremonias expressit nominatim Paulus defectum illum non à Legis esse vitio sed Carnis nostrae corruptelâ Calvin through our Flesh 't is not so in and from it self but only through our depraved nature 't is meerly by accident et aliundè that it lies under this impotency The Law is not to be blamed but we had not we finn'd the Law would have been still as able and mighty in its operations as ever it was did it but meet with the same subject it would soon appear that it hath the same power which it had before Adam fell So that I say the Law is not at all in the fault but only we because of the Flesh Observe here the wisdom and care of our Apostle where-ever he seems to tax the Law there he will be sure to vindicate it As where he speaks of its irritating of corruption he there layes the blame upon his own wicked nature not at all upon the holy Law Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the commandment came Sin revived and I died And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death For Sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me Yet vers 12 13 14. The Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good Was then that which is good made death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear Sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And thus we should carry it with respect to the Laws weakness O in it self 't is mighty and powerful but there is sin in us by which only the Law is made weak there therefore the blame must lye Could we but get rid of this Sin we should soon find what a mighty thing the Law is so mighty that nothing would be too high or too hard for it 2 Secondly Take heed that you do not cast off the Law upon this pretence 'T is indeed weak as to such ends but yet 't is a Law and that which is obligatory to all even to Believers themselves under the Gospel State and Covenant Shall we because of this weakness especially it being occasioned by our selves cast off the Law and pretend that we are not under the obligation of it we must not so argue Observe it in the Apostle even when he was proving the weakness of the Law as to Justification and shewing that God had found out another way for that viz. the way of Faith yet foreseeing that some might run themselves upon this rock and infer from hence that they had nothing to do with the Law he therefore adds * Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law in its proper place and Sphere The Creature as a creature is under a natural and therefore indispensable obligation to this Law so as that nothing can exempt him from that obligation It commands to love fear serve honour obey God wherein it obliges so strongly that God himself with reverence be it spoken cannot free the creature from its obligation to these duties True indeed Believers are not under the curse rigor or bondage of this Law or under it as it is the condition of life but they are and it cannot be otherwise under the obligation of its commands as to an holy life There may be and blessed be God there is a great change as to circumstances a great relaxation as to the Laws rigors severitys and penaltys but for the main duties of Obedience and Holiness it is eternally obligatory and never to be abrogated O therefore do not look upon your selves as made free from this Law though it be weak and unable to justifie and save you it can damne upon the breaking of it though it cannot save by the keeping of it 3 Thirdly Neither must you upon this look upon the Law as altogether weak or useless I say not as altogether weak for though as to some things it be under a total impotency yet as to other things it still retains its pristine power It cannot take away sin or make righteous or give life which it promis'd at first and for which it was appointed for the commandment was ordained to life Rom. 7.10 here 's the weak side of the Law as to these 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as to the commanding of duty the directing and regulating of the life the threatning of punishment upon the violation of it here it can do whatever it did before The Laws preceptive and punitive part where 't is not taken off by Christ are yet in their full strength only as to the promissory part of it viz. its promising life upon the condition of perfect Obedience there 't is at a loss In a word its authority to oblige to duty or punishment is the same that ever it was but its ability to give righteousness or life in which respects only the Apostle here speaks of it is not the same If God open this Law to you and set it home upon your Consciences you will find it hath yet a very great strength and efficacy in it let it not therefore be altogether weak in your eye Nor altogether useless For Some will be ready to say if the Law be thus weak then what use is there of it to what end doth it serve what is to be looked for from that which can do so little for us But do not you thus reason For though the Law be not of use to you as to Justification I mean in a way of immediate influence upon the Act or State a remoter influence it may have yet in other respects 't is of great and admirable use viz. as a Monitor to excite to duty as a Rule to direct and guide you in your course as a Glass to discover sin as a Bridle to restrain sin as an Hatchet to break the hard heart as a * Gal. 3.24 Schoole-master to whip you to Christ The Lord Jesus indeed hath taken Sin-pardoning God-atoning Justice-satisfying Soul-saving work into his own hands he would not trust this in the hands of the Law any longer because he knew the weakness of it but for other work the awakening and convincing of a Sinner the terrifying of the secure the humbling of the proud the preparing of the Soul to close with Christ though this last act be only eventual and accidental as to the Law all this work I
say yet lies upon the Law Be you who you will Believers or unbelievers regenerate or unregenerate the Law is of marvellous use to you 'T is a rule to all whether they be good or bad and as so none are exempted from it as is by several Divines sufficiently proved against the Antinomists and it hath too very good and useful effects upon all whether called or uncalled Saints or Sinners Our Apostle who here doth so much depress the Law in respect of Justification doth elsewhere in other respects speak much of its usefulness Rom. 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Gal. 3.19 24. Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith I must not launch out into this vast Ocean you have variety of * Taytor's Reg. Vitae Burg. Vind. Legis Boltons Bounds c. Baxter in several Treat with divers Others Facessat longè ex animis nostris profana ista Opinio Legem non este regulam Est enim inflexibilis vivendi regula Calvin Treatises upon this Argument namely to prove that the Law is still a Rule and still very useful in those great effects which have been mentioned I refer you to them for further satisfaction This I only touch upon as it lies in my way both that I may prevent dangerous mistakes and also shew you how you are to carry it towards the Law O let it be highly esteemed reverenced honoured by you yea bless God for it for though indeed 't is weak and unprofitable as the Covenant of Works yet as 't is a Rule and as it produces such effects upon the Conscience so 't is of great use and highly beneficial So much for the 2d Vse Thirdly Use 3. Was the Law thus unable to do for the Sinner what was necessary to be done then never look for Righteousness and Life from and by the Law For as to these it cannot do your work unless you could do its work it cannot justifie or save you unless you could perfectly obey and fulfil it O pray expect little from it nay nothing at all in this way you cannot answer its expectations and it cannot answer yours It highly concerns every man in the world to make sure of righteousness and life but where are these to be had only in Christ in the way of believing not in the Law in the way of doing We would fain make the Law stronger than indeed it is and 't is natural to us to look for a righteousness from it because there was our righteousness at first and that suits best with the pride of our hearts Man is not so averse to the Law in point of obedience but he is as apt to rest upon the Law for Heaven and Happiness if he can but do something which the Law requires O this he looks upon as a sufficient Righteousness and as a good Plea for Heaven Especially when Conscience is a little awakened then the poor Creature betakes himself to his doing to his obedience to the Law and this he thinks will do his work till God lets him see his great mistake As 't is * Hos 5.13 said When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judab saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound just so 't is with the convinced Sinner in reference to the Law both as to his practise and also as to his success I would not be mistaken in what I have said or shall further say as if I did design to take off any from Obedience to the Law God forbid all that I aim at is only to take men off from trusting in that obedience and from leaning upon that as their Righteousness We should be doers of the Law for * Rom. 2.13 not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified yea we should go as far as ever we can in our endeavours after a Law-righteousness for though that be not sufficient to justifie us before God yet that must make us righteous in his eye * Vide Burg. of Justif 2d p. Serm. 22. p. 215. as to qualitative and inherent righteousness and so we are to understand that Text with many others of the same import * Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us But yet when we have gone the furthest the Righteousness which we are to rely upon is only the Gospel Righteousness or the imputed Righteousness of the Lord Jesus if we take up with any thing short of that we are * O nos miseros si vel tantillum nostra salus basi tam infirmá nitatur Beza in 1 Joh. 1.8 miserable and lost for ever As to the Law is it thus weak or rather are you thus weak and yet will you bottom your expectation and confidence there can you fulfil or satisfie it in its demands of perfect personal universal constant Obedience If you cannot then which nothing more certain it can never then do your business nay upon the least failure it will be your enemy to plead against you for the non-performance of its Conditions and so though it cannot as a Friend do you much good yet as an Enemy it can and will do you much hurt What a sad case is the legalist in the Law condemns him because he doth no more obey and the Gospel condemns him because he doth no more believe he 's lost on every hand O this is woful And yet how many precious Souls split themselves upon this rock millions of men look no higher than the Law that is the foundation upon which they build their confidence for Life and Salvation Could we but get into them and be privy to the Grounds of their Hope we should find that 't is not Christ and Faith in him but the Law and some imperfect Obedience thereunto upon which they bottom they deal honestly wrong no body live unblameably make some external Profession perform such duties are thus and thus charitable to the poor c. and hereupon they are confident of their Salvation Now I deny not but that these are very good things I wish there was more of them yet when any rest in them or upon them for Righteousness and Life they set them
directè solum tollebant reatum ratione poenae temporalis in figurâ tantum promitterent piis effectum Spiritualem aeternum puta ablationem reatus aeterni five poenae infernalis Vossius de Idolol l. 1. p. 297. virtue and efficacy which was in them was all derived from and did all depend upon this great Sacrifice the Lord Jesus Alas what could they do by any inherent virtue in themselves for the expiating of Sin and pacifying of God! Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away Sins how often doth the Apostle go over this viz. the weakness of the Levitical Sacrifices with respect to expiation and atonement doubtless whatever virtue or efficacy was in them in order to the production of these effects it wholly depended upon Christ the Sacrifice that was to come Yet here I would not be misunderstood in such a sense I do not make the Law-Sacrifices to be meer types or altogether weak for as to that which the Apostle calls the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9.13 they were more than types and had more than * See Dr. Stillingfleete in his Discourse concerning the True Reason of Christ's Sufferings p. 423. c. a typical expiation and with respect to that by virtue of God's institution they were able to effect it But besides this there was the making of persons perfect as pertaining to the Conscience the purging of the Conscience c. Heb. 9.9 14. now as to this their strength was wholly derived and their use wholly typical By the purifying of the Flâ—â—â— is meant exemption from those Civil and Ecclesiastical penalties which upon such transgressions of the Law the Jews were lyable to God gave them with respect to their polity such and such Laws which if any did break they were so and so to be punished yet he was so gracious to them as to allow in several Cases the offering of Sacrifices in order to the expiating of their guilt and the preventing of the punishment threatned to them as they stood in such a politick capacity therefore as to this Sacrifices had a real efficiency and also a full efficacy By the making perfect as pertaining to the Conscience is meant the doing away of Sins guilt in the sight of God the setting of things right betwixt God and the Sinner the pacifying of his wrath securing from eternal punishments now as to this the Mosaical Sacrifices could do nothing here they were meer types and altogether weak this was to be done by the alone Sacrifice of Christ So that whereas Some do argue against the Sacrifices under the Law as not prefiguring Christ because they had no power or virtue in them to take away Sin I answer 1. As to the taking away of external guilt and obligation to external punishment so far they had a power 2. Suppose they had had * This made good by Jacob ad Portum contra Ostorod p. 468. Turretin de Sat. Christi p. 237. none at all yet for all that they might have had this use as I hope the brazen Serpent was a real type and prefiguration of Christ in reference to his Spiritual healing of the poor Sin-stung Soul and yet that of it self had no virtue at all to bring about that effect which should bear any analogie unto the thing typified 4. That those old Sacrifices had a special reference to Christ the great Sacrifice is evident from this because with him they * Cum pro misso Messiâ ince perunt Sacrificia cum Messiâ defuncto defuncta sunt c. Franzius Disp 10. thes 98. See him also Disp 21. p. 757. began and with him they ended For as soon as ever Christ had been exhibited in that primitive Promise Gen. 3.15 that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head c. immediately upon this as Divines do not only conjecture but prove Sacrifices did commence and as soon as he himself came and had offered himself upon the Cross as the true Sacrifice within a very little while the Jewish Sacrifices ceas'd Within a few years after their Temple was destroy'd and with that all their Sacrifices expir'd yea in process of time though †The full story in Socrates l. 3. c. 20. Sozom. l. 5. c. 22. Julian gave them encouragement to reedifie the Temple for this very end that Sacrifices might again be used and the Jews thereupon endeavoured to their utmost so to do yet God from Heaven blasted them in all their attempts in a miraculous and extraordinary manner ‖ Vide Cyprian adversus Judaeos l. 1. c. 16. Tertull. contra Marcion l. 2. O the true Sacrifice was come therefore there shall be no more use of what was but typical thereof as the dark shades of the night vanish when the Sun itself arises The Heathen Oracles entrench'd too much upon Christ's Prophetical Office and therefore at his coming they must * Reade Plutarch de Oraculorum defectu p. 409. cease and Sacrifices did as much entrench upon his Priestly Office and the oblation of himself and therefore after his Death they shall and did cease too 'T was prophesied of the Messiah that he should cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease Dan. 9.27 and Heb. 10.8 9. Above when he said Sacrifice and Offering and burnt Offerings and offering for Sin thou wouldest not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the Law Then said he Lo I come to do thy will O God He taketh away the first that he may establish the second that 's the observation which the Apostle makes upon it And this very thing the ceasing of Sacrifices was reveal'd to some amongst the Jews themselves for in the Age before Christ's coming they had got this Prophesie amongst them †Vorstius ex Jalcutt ad finem Ezrae c. Sic consentiunt in abolitionem Sacrificiorum Alting Shiloh p. 423. Omnes oblationes cessabunt in futuro saeculo in the Age that is next to come all Sacrifices shall cease And if there be not something extraordinary in the case why do the modern Jews they knowing how express and positive God's institution and command is about Sacrifices live in the omission of them for as to that which ‖ Buxtorf Synag Judaica c. 20. p. 357. some speak of as to their annual Sacrificing even now at the time of the great Expiation I cannot give any great credit to it Let not any think that all this Discourse concerning the reference of the antient Sacrifices to Christ the true Sacrifice is unnecessary for I have gained two things by it 1. That the Lord Jesus is the great Sacrifice all former Sacrifices pointing to him as the end matter substance * Omnia haec suo modo in typo facta perfectissimè in Christo praestita sunt in veritate reipsa c. utpote qui mortis suae Sacrificio peccata nostra delevit ab irâ Dei