least so difficult as that phrase imports Do they not say David by his Fall did wholly shake off all grace branch and root and yet there was no such difficulty to that How easily did one sinne draw on another So that it would have been absurd to have said that Bathsheba who was meerly passive at first did so strongly tempt David that if it were possible he would have fallen into Adultery And if further you say The godly may fall into fundamentall errours though Elected Even the disciples did not beleeve Christs Resurrection and his spiritual Office as a Messiah We answer they may a while but God will graciously recover them These Vipers shall not stick upon them till they die Though they have swallowed these deadly things yet they shall at last vomit them up As God though he suffered Christs body to be dead and buried in the grave yet he would not let it see corruption Thus it is here Though the Godly may erre dangerously and fall fouly yet they shall not see corruption Lastly It is answered that the Elect before their conversion may lie in all sinne and be deceived by all kinde of errours Therefore there cannot be any strength from this because Elected But the Reply is easie By elect are meant such who do not only partake of that mercy but such who finde the effects of this upon their soul Elected and converted And that this is included is plain because it is said If it be possible to deceive even the Elect Now he is said to be deceived that was in the right and Truth it 's improper to say They shall deceive such as are already in a plain deceived way So that this necessarily inferreth That it is meant of Elected persons who finde the mighty power of this upon their hearts Argum. 2 A Second Argument is from the Covenant of grace and Gods sure mercies which are made to such and this makes them stand like Mount Zion yea firmer for at the day of Judgemnt that shall be shaken but these will go safe thorow the fiery Triall This Magna Charta of which you have several branches or promises every where is clearly laid down Jer. 32.39 30. God there promiseth first the Conversion of his people He will write his Law in their inward parts and then he promiseth Perseverance He will put his Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him God there promiseth he will never turn from them and he will so graciously affect their hearts as they shall never turn from him and this Covenant the Prophet cals an Everlasting Covenant it shall last above the Sunne and Moon it shall not be like the former Covenant that was broken and indeed it must needs continue for it promiseth all those qualifications which may enable to persevere and perseverance it self For whereas it may be thought Gods own Children may through carelesse negligent and slothful walking undo themselves God saith He will put his fear in their hearts as being the special Antidote against Apostasie fot Blessed is he that feareth alwaies Prov. 28.14 It 's a blessed thing not to be in a doubtfull perplexing fear that is a cursed hellish thing the portion of Cain and Judas but in a filiall godly Fear as Joseph was when he said How can I do this and sinne against God Now sinne can never come in at the Gate while Fear is the Porter Therefore above all things God saith He will put his Fear in their hearts and this promise is spoken so peremptorily and absolutely that it 's an absurd thing with the Arminians to suppose some condition on mans part that it may be made good as if God indeed were ready to put his fear in their hearts for his part nothing shall be wanting only they must not put a stop to his munificence for this is as if God had said I will give you a will to fear me if you will I will make you to will if you will or I will make you to persevere if you will persevere I will make you that you shall never depart from me if ye will not depart from me What a ridiculous and absurd sence would hereby be put upon this Glorious Promise The Arminians doe to evade this powerfull Argument Say This was made to the whole body of the Jews in their Captivity and are busie in finding out subtle Reasons That it was never made good and are off and on like Noahs Dove not knowing where to set their Feet Whereas the Apostle in Hebr. 10.16 17. doth very plainly apply it as the Covenant of Grace to all Beleevers Argum. 3 3. A Third Argument shall be From the Mediatour of this Covenant or the way to ratifie and confirm these Gracious Promises which are from the first to the last that we shall have Everlasting Glory from Predestination to Glorification and that is by Christs bloud So that Christ is become their Mediatour their Head and they his Members The Covenant is confirmed by the Death of Christ and the Sacraments are visible Seals to confirme this 2 Corinth 2.20 All the Promises of God are in Christ Yea and Amen There is not Yea and Nay but a sure infallibility in them Hence this Priesthood of Christ and our Blessing in him as Abrahams Seed is said to have a Promise and an Oath to confirm it Hebr. 6.18 That by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation Christ then by his Bloud purchased these Priviledges for us he obtained by his Death our Salvation and his Priesthood for this purpose was confirmed by an Oath How then can we ever think or imagine that they should perish who have such preservation and Security provided for them Indeed we see the Angels and Adam though full of Grace to Apostatize and the Godly man though weak in Grace and surrounded with many Temptations yet safely preserved but the Reason is plain They have a Mediatour of this New Covenant who by his Death will certainly bring them to Glory for if this were not so but all depended upon mans indifferent power Christ might have died and not one man have been saved who cannot but detest and abhorre such a thought that by the Arminian Position Christ might have suffered and endured all those Agonies and not one be saved all might have been in vain but the Scripture speaks otherwise Isaiah 53.11 The work of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand He shall see his Seed and the Travell of his Soul and shall be satisfied Christ would not have been satisfied in his Soul had he not seen the Fruit and Event of his Agonies and Sufferings and that such persons were saved for whom he died Argum. 4 4. A Fourth Argument is taken From Christs peculiar Praier and Intercession for their Preservation And thus the Argument runnes Those for whom Christ offered up a Mediatory Praier and earnestly begged and entreated that they might
degrees and subjective perfection also yet Cursed is he that doth not continue therein Gal. 3.10 as you see Adam did not but Christ from the beginning to the end of his daies held it out yea his love did most appear at the later end for then was the greatest and hardest parts of his work to undergo but though in all that reproach contempt and scorn yet he was not weary he did not give over his work he did not fail or faint in the later end Thus Christ was our David fighting against Goliah and in his conquest we did overcome Lastly He so finished it that he hath left nothing to be done either by Angels or men in that way and kinde as he did Therefore all these doctrines that maintain free-will that hold the mediation and intercession of Saints in heaven that maintain merits and satisfactions all these blaspheam the sufficiency of Christ and say Christ hath not finished his work for either Christ was a totall and perfect Mediator or else a partiall if a totall and perfect then there needeth no more one Sun is sufficient all things added are superfluous if a partiall Mediatour then he did not finish his work then he did it by halves and so Angels and Men are to share with him in his glory It 's true they have many distinctions to mince the matter but these fig-leaves cannot cover Adams nakednesse and it 's made the sinful property of man fallen to seek out many inventions God made man upright but they have sought â—ut many inventions Eccl. 7.29 They have many colours and pretences many distinctions and excuses to cover their sins with But you will say If Christ hath done all and we are to doe nothing then what need we be diligent and zealous in the waies of godlinesse Sin or not sin it will be all one Christ hath done all therefore we may eat and drink and rise up to all excesse of riot No that is a Non sequitur For our duties are not required to that end which Christs was but yet they are necessarily commanded for other ends Though Christ did work and finish his work yet thou must work and endeavour to finish thy work too But how It 's good to understand this for here Popery and the true Religion part here they oppose one another We pleade the necessity the presence the command of good and holy works as well as they only we differ in the end They presse them for such an end as Christ did his work for us for merit for justification for our salvation This we say is to derogate from Christ This is to make Christ of no effect whosoever repents beleeveth doth any holy duty for this end is guilty of spiritual Idolatry he maketh another Christ to himself besides the true Christ but then there are other ends for which we do these duties partly because God hath commanded them as the way to walk in if ever we will be saved so that though our holy life deserve not heaven yet our wicked and ungodly life deserveth hell and then partly to glorifie God and to testifie our thankfulnesse and love to him yea there is an inseparable connexion between a man interested in Christ and a holy life as there is in the fire with heat and light In the next place Consider the properties of this work Christ â—â—â—nished And 1. It was a work of infinite value and worth whatsoever Christ did it had a transcendent excellency because he was God as well as man so that we are not to consider those works he did as of a meer man though never so holy but as one of a divine nature 2. They were Mediatory works all that he did and suffered tended to a propitiation and reconciliation with God so that as the nature of them was infinite so the end of them was precious and admirable what should man have done if Christ had not done thus 3. It was not only his work but our work Alas Christ was not obliged to these duties for his own sake but it was for our sake so that the godly with great affection may consider of these works of Christ for they concern thee They are our works both impetrativè they merit for us they procure good for us and imputativè we are made the righteousnesse of God as our sins were accounted his 4. The necessity of this working and working so perfectly and that doth appear from the justice of God and purity of the Law and partly from our impotency from the justice of God for that being infinite nothing could satisfie him but what was of infinite worth It would have been injustice in God to have given us heaven otherwise and then partly from the holinesse of the Law that admits of no works but perfect pure and holy Therefore to say God accepts of imperfect holinesse and accounts that as compleat which is not so is to attribute false judgement unto God and lastly our own impotency proclaimeth the necessity of Christs perfection for take us as we are in our selves so we are nothing but sin and a curse In stead of working Gods work we do the devils and take us as regenerated then though we be partakers of Gods grace yet the remnant of corruption within us doth staine and infect all that we do Lastly Here is the glorious visibility of Christs perfect working in his resurrection ascension and now sitting at the right hand of God in glory which could not have been had not Christ perfected his work for what is the reason the devils and damned in hell are detained to Eternity in those prisons of darknesse Is it not because of their insufficiency to perfect their sufferings to make them adequate to Gods justice to bring as great glory to God as ever sin did evil or dishonour In that therefore Christ hath overcome the grave and the bonds of death we have an infallible evidence of his perfect working Vse of Instruction how dangerous all those doctrines are which proclaim free-will merit under any notion whatsoever As they give that to man which belongs not to him so they take that from Christ which is due yet this is a most natural sin in all either in whole or in part to take off from Christ not to be beholding to him only God hath commanded us to come out of our sins by repentance and our own works by faith and the Apostle doth not only exclude sins but even working also from Abrahams Justification Rom. 4. There is a danger of being a Pharisee when thou ceasest being a Publican Vse 2. of great Consolation to the broken-hearted sinner This is the glad tidings of the Gospel to those who sit under the sentence of eternal death Christs works will abundantly answer all the temptations about thy own works Two things lie like two Mountains upon the godly The weakness of their graces and the strength of their corruptions If
desperate That the door of heaven is not absolutely bolted upon him is of great consequence 2. We who are the Ministers of the Gospel by Christs death finde a way so opened for all Gentiles that now we may promiscuously preach the Gospel to all As we cannot so neither indeed are we to let any such thoughts enter our hearts as whether such be reprobated or no But we are so to preach and exhort as if every one that we publish the Gospel to were within the Sphear of Christs Death And certainly if the Apostle writing to Churches wherein many were corrupt both for doctrine and manners did yet give them the Title of a Church and Saints and Beleevers not excluding any from the benefit of Christ We may also do so in our preaching and therefore this is to be observed That the Epistles are written to Churches already planted and therefore it 's no wonder if he use such universal phrases for that comprehends those that are within the Church already and in the judgement of charity we may speak so especially it being their Obligation and duty as Christians to repent and receive Christ But when we say that the Ministers by Christs death have a Commission to offer Christ to all You must know that is in a due order and method We do not propound Christ as a Saviour to them in the first place But we are to do as Paul when he preached to Felix Act. 24.25 who desired to hear of Christ he began first with temperance and righteousnesse and the world to come Felix being guilty of Injustice and unchaste courses Paul preacheth about those sinnes and hell laying open the wrath of God insomuch that he made Felix to tremble so that Christ must have a way made for him The mountains must be laid low and the valleys exalted and all flesh must be convinced to be grasse Before Christ can be entertained this ought to be our Method To men plunged in sinne we are to discover unto them the wrath and anger of God all the curses that are due to him who breaks the Law in the least iota To make men see their poverty and misery and when men are thus prepared and humbled then we exalt the brazen Serpent so that by Christs death the Ministers Commission is greatly enlarged and made more ample then in the Jewish administration 3. Even Reprobates have this advantage by Christ that they enjoy all the mercies they have That they have health wealth and the comforts of this world For seeing that by Adams sinne all was forfeited and a curse come upon every thing now by Christ who is the heir of all things they come lawfully to enjoy the mercies they have Heb. 1. It is Christ that beareth up the world if he did withhold his arm the whole world would fall into rubbish It 's true indeed if we speak of a sanctified use so wicked men have none of the comforts they enjoy but being impure all things are impure to them so that the curse of the Law is not taken off from them because they are not yet in Christ otherwise they have a lawfull right before God and man to the comforts they enjoy for that is not to be received though many pious men have preached it that wicked men have no right to the goods they have but are as Theeves and Robbers and shall answer for every bitt of bread they eat as Usurpers This is against the Scripture which saith God hath given the Earth to the Inhabitants thereof Psal 115.8 And that command Thou shalt not steal doth make it evident that both by Gods Law and mans Law what wicked men have in Righteous waies they are true and lawfull Possessors of and this say Divines cometh by Christ who restored the Forfeit Adam made else the world would not have subsisted a moment Although it must be granted that some Learned men attribute the enjoyment of Comforts which the ungodly have not to Christ but to the patient Providence of God whereby he doth not take the present Forfeiture But may not this Patience of God be attributed to Christs death seeing he did not use any such to the Apostate Angels but they were immediately chained up in the close Prison of utter darknesse 4. It is by Christs Death That many unregenerated men are partakers of the common gifts of Gods Spirit There are many that live within the Church of God though not regenerated yet have great gifts and abilities They have many admirable endowments Now how come these but by Christ as Eph. 4. So 1 Cor. 14. It is the Spirit of Christ that giveth severall gifts to men Christ is the Vine and so not onely Grapes but the very Leaves come from his Sap and Juyce So that what temporary Faith Joy Enlargements in Praier and common gifts of the holy Ghost any in the Church have it comes by Christs death Yea Lastly Christ by his Death is made Lord of the whole world And hath conquered all the Inhabitants that are therein So that they are Christs as a Lord that bought them by his Death Thus that place is to be understood 2 Pet. 1.1 speaking of ungodly men whose damnation would swiftly come upon them for the damnable heresies they brought in It 's said They denied the Lord that bought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ bought them in that by his Death which was an Atonement only for the godly yet he thereby was made Lord over all So that although it cannot be said he is the Saviour of all in the strict sence of a Saviour Yet we may say he is the Lord over wicked men they are his Vassals and Servants and he can order and dispose of them as he pleaseth for his Churches good The last Notandum to be propounded is to see how different they are amongst themselves who have maintained universal Redemption For some go so farre that they are rejected and cried out upon by others though Universalists also And 1. Some have said and endeavoured to prove That so universall is the grace of God obtained by Christs Death that it 's not only sufficient but efficacious in all men as they are men They think that by Christs death every man by his own natural Reason and power may be able to save himself Thus Puccius wrote a Book wherein he glorieth of an hundred and twenty Reasons to prove this but this is so monstrous that others cry out of it For by this means all unbeleevers and heathens should be partakers of the grace of Christ whenas Joh. 3.24 He that beleeveth not the anger of God abideth on him 2. There are another sort called Huberians from Samuell Huberus who thought that Christ by his Death procured actuall Reconciliation with God without any respect to Faith or Repentance So that he saith Christ did as actually and applicatively bring Gods Reconciliation to all mankinde as Adam did actually condemnation And that therefore none are damned
hast an Interest in Christs Death thou art not only dead to sinne but to the world God forbid that I should glory saith Paul but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead Col. 3.2 3. Therefore not onely grosse prophanesse doth exclude from a propriety in Christs Death but an immoderate frame of heart to these lawful things below Indeed if thy overflowing affections to these things be a burthen to thee and matter of daily conflict then it 's plain these immoderate affections are not in a quiet pacifical dominion over thee and so they are the evil thou wouldst not do And then these can never hurt non sensus but consensus nocet But if they do withall delight so possesse thy heart that they quite dead thee to God and heaven Thou sindest no rellish in heavenly things comparatively to the earthly Thou canst say contrary to David when thy Wine and Oyle encreaseth thou hast more joy then those that trust in God Psal 4. Then art thou to fear Christs Death and his Praier doth not as yet belong to thee Hence it is that the efficacy of Christs death is much discovered in the godly by this twofold Death it works on them a death to sinne and a death to the world Even his Resurrection manifests it self in quickning of us to all holinesse and seeking of those things that are above Let us then see by the effects that Christs Death belongs to thee 3. They that have an Interest in Christs Death they make that an example of all patience and humble Resignation 1 Pet. 2.21 24. Christs Death is not onely efficacious and meritorious but exemplary also So that if the Lord afflict us it is no more then what hath been done to his only Sonne already Though he were a Sonne yet he learned Obedience saith the Scripture by those sufferings Heb. 5 6. Now then behold Christ in all his sufferings when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not What threatnings might not Christ have denounced against the Jews because they killed him who was the Prince of glory and so dear to his Father but he is like a Lamb that opens not his mouth before the shearer or the killer Oh then how should this shame us for our unruly passions for our impatient workings and commotions of soul Oh silence thy Soul saying Did Christ bear his afflictions no otherwise Did Christ refuse the bitter cup that was given him to drink Did he not say Not my will but thy will be done 4. He that hath advantage by Christs Death looks upon the bitternesse and uglinesse of sinne as being so foul that nothing but the bloud of Christ could wash it away The very thoughts of Christs Death presently makes him say Oh the cursed and foul nature of all sinne Neither men nor Angels could take away the spot of it but only Christs Death Wicked men therefore they are said to trample under feet the bloud of Christ Heb. 10. Because they have not those right precious thoughts about it as they ought to have Though the bloud of Christ speaks better things then that of Abel yet it doth in some respects speak more terrible things because by that we see how infinitely God is displeased with sinne how unsatisfied his justice was till such an atonement was made So that if we look into hell if we behold all the torments and miseries there it doth not so fully represent the foul guilt of sinne as Christ crucified on the Crosse sweating drops of bloud and crying out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me 5. They that shall have advantage by Christs Death they are infinitely affected with that love of God and Christ therein As you see in Paul That love of Christ giving himself for us sinners and enemies to be reconciled thereby to God Oh how mightily did it constrain Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us holds us in an extasie working on us as the Spirit did on the Prophets in their illuminations and prophesies And why so Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead To consider from what a dying damning estate Christs Death doth free us must needs be like fire burning and inflaming a man all over If we had not been desperately dead dead every way dead in sin dead in guilt dead in respect of all earthly hope Christ would not have died for us Oh then the unspeakable affections and enlargements which the Death of Christ works in those that have a propriety therein 6. They that have a propriety in Christs Death will resign all they have up unto Christ and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motives but unto Christ Rom. 6.10 11. 1 Pet 2.24 so 1 Cor. 6.20 the Apostle urgeth because we are bought with a price therefore we are none of our own and we should glorifie God in soul and body He then that can claim a Title to Christs Death looks not upon his body his estate his health his parts the faculties and affections of his soul as his own his love is not his anger is not Oh how rare then are they who may urge this Argument Christ died Christ was crucified for me for unlesse thou art a redeemed man and that from thy self and all creatures in the world to live wholly to Christ and to resigne all up to him here is little hope for thee Observe then these qualifications and if upon true search they can be found in thee then proceed to make an application of all those glorious priviledges that come by Christs death Fear not let not the devil or thy own guilty heart keep thee off from tasting yea eating abundantly of this honey Hearken what Christ speaks to his Church concerning priviledges and gracious favours Cant. 5.1 Eat O Friends drink â—ea drink abundantly And 1. Those that can pleade Christs Death may also pleade his Resurrection Intercession and whatsoever glorious actions of his are done for his people If Christ died for thee he rose again for thee he interceded in heaven for thee When thou saiest he is an Advocate to pleade thy cause Rom 8. It 's Christ that died who is risen again so that the Death of Christ is the foundation of all his other gracious acts Hence it is that the remission of our sins is attributed to the shedding of his bloud The atonement of our iniquities is given unto his death because in it he did manifest the greatest obedience unto the will of God and the lowest humiliation of himself for us Phil. 2. If then thou hast a propriety in the death of Christ Christ hath done the utmost for thee even to die for thee You see that put him upon the greatest struglings and agonies if he would have refused in any thing it would
minde The world was not in a greater Chaos and Confusion at first then we are naturally in our Souls Not knowing understanding or beleeving any thing of God Therefore the Apostle cals such Darknesse it self Ephes 4. And darkened in the minde That is the Eye the Sunne of the Soul and if that be dark all the body must be dark This Spirituall blindenesse and Ignorance upon every mans minde is that which makes him of himself incurable We pity corporally blinde men Oh but the spiritually blinde are lamentable every one is sensible oâ—â—osing their bodily Eye Lord that I might receive my Sight saith he to Christ But oh that there were such a tendernesse and a melting affection about thy Spirituall blindenesse Now Christ hath a Propheticall Office to cure this he doth not only teach by the outward Proposition of the Object but also by giving a Seeing Eye and vouchsafing Spirituall Illumination to the minde and the Understanding In the second place we were under the guilt of our sinnes The Curse of the Law did pursue us we were no waies able to expiate the Guilt of the least sinne Though Rivers of bloud had runne down our Eyes yet they could not have cleansed one sinne or spot away The Jews offered Thousands of Sacrifices but they could not obtain by the Efficacy of them any Remâ—ssion of Sinnes The Heathens sacrificed their Sonnes and Daughters to appease the wrath and fury of their Supposed gods but that could not prevail Oh when the Conscience of a man is arraigned for Sinne when Guilt burneth in the bowels as hot as fire Then a man will think of nothing but compensation Oh that I could satisfie God Oh that I could make amends again as man may do to man but this is impossible Therefore Christ becomes a Sacrifice for this end If we cannot redeem our naturall death much lesse our Eternall Without Bloud there is no Remission of sinne Christs Death ratified and confirmed the Promise and therefore the Covenant of Grace is also called a Testament because this was confirmed by the Death of the Testator Look then as it was with those Israelites when the Destroying Angel passed by if the Posts were sprinkled with bloud then they escaped the destroying Angel so if we be watered and cleansed in the bloud of Christ then we do escape the destroying vengeance of God and thus there is his fitnesse by his Priestly Office 3. We were by sinne in a miserable bondage and captivity to sinne and Satan The Israelites bondage in Egypt or in the Babylonian Captivity was nothing to this Spiritual slavery It 's not indeed so terrible and grievous to flesh and bloud yea they like those Chains and cords of vanity well enough but when Paul is once awakened by the Spirit of Regeneration and that the power of Grace hath prevailed upon him then for those very Reliques of Corruption that are within he crieth out Oh miserable man that I am Rom. 7. Now Christ is fitted with Kingly power to conquer and destroy the power of sinne and Satan There is no lust no Corruption that is too bigge for the King of Glory to overcome Thus as the Jewish Priest represented Christ in his Priestly Office So Joshua the Sonne of Nun did Christ in his Kingly Office as the Apostle insinuateth for Heb 4.8 Heb. 7 2. as no Ogs or Sonnes or Anak the greatest Giants and warlike men in the world were able to stand before him but he did bring the People of God unto their Rest Thus also will Christ who is both the King of Righteousnesse and King of Peace subdue all our Spirituall Enemies and establish us in Everlasting Rest He will first be a King of Righteousnesse and then a King of Peace he will first conquer thy lusts and then give thee a Crown of Glory Oh then admire this fitnesse of Christ to be thy Mediatour See how admirably there is a proportionable fullnesse in him for every emptinesse of thine In the Fourth place Christ is Sanctified or prepared for this work of Redemption If you do regard the peculiar and proper benefits that accrew to us by this Sanctification It would be infinite to reckon all Consider 1. Remission and Forgivenesse of our sinnes that is often attributed to his bloud Now how great a mercy this is David will tell us Psal 32. when he saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Blessed It 's the inbred appetite of all to be blessed But they mistake in what it lyeth Therefore the Psalmist telleth us The rich man The great man the prosperous man is not blessed but he whose sinnes are forgiven And indeed though a man had Solomons abundance yet if sinne be not forgiven how can he be blessed You see Cain in the midst of his Cities he was building yet he had no quiet because sinne was not forgiven yea David in the midst of all his Kingly glory did not take any rest but he was disquieted with roaring in his bones all the night long because sinne was not pardoned 2. Christ is sanctified to sanctifie us This is plain in the Text Christ died not only to take away the guilt of our sinne but to make us an holy people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Therefore the garments of the Saints were made white in the bloud of the Lamb Revel 7.14 Do not the Godly groan under the power of Corruption but Christ will sanctifie them as he sanctified himself to that end 3. Peace of Conscience and boldnesse at the Throne of Grace Through him we have free accesse The Apostle hopeth because of him to go boldly unto God This hand-writing against us this gulf is taken away 4. We glory in Tribulations in Afflictions because by Christs Death the sting of them is removed yea we are raised above the fears of Death Christs Death doth take away our Death O Death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15. SERMON XCIX Sheweth further what is implied in that phrase of our Saviour I sanctifie my self Handling chiefly the Priestly-Office of Christ in Opposition to the Socinians and for the Comfort and Direction of Penitent Sinners JOHN 17.19 I sanctifie my self for them c. WE are demonstrating what is implied in this phrase I sanctifie my self for them There remain more particulars which are as follow First This signifieth That Christ was wholly set apart for us that he had no other work or imployment but to minde our good and procure it for us In the Scripture phrase to be sanctified is often used for to set apart and dedicate to such a work that if it be otherwise imployed there is a kinde of prophanation and pollution so if the vessels dedicated to Gods service and sanctified were imployed as Belshazzar did in any common use this was the polluting and defiling of those vessels In some sense it holds here Christ was made man and made under the Law not for himself
but for us Insomuch that if he had done other work then this he had as it were polluted himself he would not then have been doing the work of a Mediatour Though some learned men think That Christ obeyed the Law for himself yet that cannot be because all glory and happinesse was due unto him from the first beginning of his Incarnation He prayed indeed for the manifestation and external possession of that glory which yet he saith he had before the world was made with the Father Seeing therefore that Christ had by vertue of the personal Union all blessedness and happiness due unto him He could not observe the Law that by the obedience thereof he might inherit eternal life but the whole course of his life whether in doing or sufferings was wholly for our good That as the Sunne was made not for it self but for the world so this Sunne of Righteousnesse did arise with healing in his wings for us alone He came as a Physician of whom we could not say Physician heal thy self This then is a treasure of infinite consolation That whatsoever Christ was or did it was wholly for us had it not been for man fallen the Scripture doth not intimate he would have become man It is true some Schoolmen say That the Incarnation of Christ was in it self so glorious a demonstration of Gods wisdome and power and so desirable in it self that though man had not sinned yet Christ would have been made man this being a more glorious thing then the creation of the world or any thing therein yet the Scripture supposeth no other end why Christ came into the world but to be a Saviour which implieth man a lost sinner Hence Isa 9. To us a Sonne is born To us a childe is given and Paul who gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Therefore his death is compared to a price and a ransome and he himself to a Mediatour and Surety All which denominate he was not for himself but for us yea his Names speak thus much he was a Jesus because he saveth his people from their sinnes a Christ because anointed to do this work An Head because of his influx into his Members Hence the Schoolmen do well determine That the habitual Grace of Christ and the Grace that he had as head is all one really and differs only notionally Of his fulnesse we have all received Joh. 1.16 Grace in Christ is not to be considered as his personal perfection but as our fulnesse As the Fountain hath water not for it self but the streams and as the Head doth not sentire or put forth acts of sense for it self properly but the whole compound Insomuch that there is nothing which Christ did as Mediatour but it was all for us and therefore the Scripture saith Col. 1.11 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Christ then is for us and the Apostle saith He sought not to please himself Rom. 15.3 and he became poor that we might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. Hence secondly it followeth That if Christ sanctified himself thus wholly for us if we do not by faith improve him for those ends God appointed him we make him a Christ in vain to have sanctified himself and died in vain Even as the Sunne would shine in vain if all were blinde and did not enjoy the light of it as the brazen Serpent would have been exalted in vain if none that were stung would have looked upon it Oh then let the godly fear lest by their unbelief and distrust they make Christ a Christ in vain his Sanctification of himself wholly in vain Unbelief doth practically what those false teachers of righteousnesse by the Law did doctrinally If righteousnesse come by the Law saith the Apostle then Christ died in vain And thus it is here If Christ sanctified and fitted himself to enrich thee to justifie thee to sanctifie thee and thou by thy unbelief wilt not receive those things then is he a Christ in vain as to thee Oh remember If God will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his Name in vain how much more that taketh Christ in vain which is the most glorious name as we may say whereby God is made known Thirdly This Sanctification of Christ did denote some kinde of sinne and pollution upon him by way of imputation For such things as were unclean they were sanctified by legal Rites Now it 's true Christ of himself had no uncleanness being then holy undefiled and separate from sinners yet because he was our Surety and undertook our debt bearing our sinnes upon him therefore it is that he had imputed sinnes though not inherent Even as the scape-goat had the sinnes of the people laid upon it Hence it is that Heb. 7. ult his second coming is said to be without sin implying that his first was nor because our sins were laid on him and therefore did he so much strive in prayer with those excessive agonies in his soul because of the sense of Gods anger for our sins Though then the Scripture saith He took all our infirmities upon him but without sin that is to be understood of sin inherent in him no such viper could fasten on him yet in respect of imputation our sins were charged on him and so he sanctified himself in his oblation by taking away the guilt of them Oh then consider the infinite love of Christ and be amazed at it that he should become sin and a curse for us that he should be under the displeasure of God for us who was in our persons to have conflicted with it Fourthly In that Christ is here said to sanctifie himself for us there is hereby implied That Christ was a Priest to make an atonement for us and hereupon we might enlarge our selves concerning Christs Priestly-office which is of great concernment as appeareth by the Apostle at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews who doth so industriously assert and explicate this Office as being that which is the foundation of all our grace and consolation I shall only mention these particulars First This Priestly-office did consist in offering up himself a Sacrifice Every Priest was to expiate sin by Sacrifices Now because God would not have burnt-offerings any longer neither could the blood of Rams and Goats purge away sin therefore Christ came to make an atonement So that now we have reconciliation with God upon a two-fold ground his Mercy and his Justice It 's his mercy to send Christ into the world yet in that Christ must satisfie by his death it 's justice And this must needs administer much boldness at the throne of grace for justice can not now implead us The only attribute that a sinner would fear is Gods justice though he be gracious yet he is just also he demonstrated his justice in destroying all the apostate Angels and not saving one of them The Scripture represents him every where to be a just God that will not
me and I in thee for God is called the Father of all men To which purpose the Apostle alledgeth that of the Poet We are his off-spring Act. 17.27 Thus also he is called the Father of Believers in respect of Adoption for so our Saviour Joh. 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father but he is called the Father in respect of a true and proper generation of his Son as is more to be shewed The Socinians would have him called the Son of God partly because of that extraordinary conception and birth partly because of the constituting and sanctifying of him to the Office of a Priest and partly but principally because of his Resurrection and Exaltation to that great power and dominion which now he hath but these things are only declarative and consequential to that eternal generation whereby indeed he is the Son of God properly and thus the Jews understood it when they accused him for blasphemy because by saying He was the Son of God he thereby made himself God which our Saviour doth not deny or refuse but proveth it more firmly Lastly In that he is called the Father it is thereby implyed That he is the fountain and original of divine being to the Son Thus John 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself To have life in himself is only proper to God Now as the Father hath it so also hath the Son but he hath it by donation or communication from the Father In this sense it is that Christ saith He speaketh nothing of himself but as he heareth of the Father still reducing all things unto him not that the Divine Nature is begotten but the second Person who hath the Divine Nature Secondly The property of the Son is to be begotten of the Father And herein lieth the true proper difference of those two Persons The Father is of himself not begotten the Son is of the Father and begotten Now this doth imply that Christ hath not his being by creation as Adam had and Angels who therefore are called The sons of God but truly and really by generation for so the Scripture appropriates this to him That he is the only begotten Son of God only you are not to measure this spiritual and eternal generation with that of the creatures but to abstract it from all such humane imperfections and therefore though it be truly a generation yet it 's not of the same univocal nature with that of creatures So that as God is not in a predicament neither is there the same univocal being to God and the creature Thus it is also in this generation Let us not therefore judge of this mystery by examples and instances from the creature for as the nature of God is incomprehensible so also is this generation Vse 1. To bewail the doctrinal errours and blasphemies whereby the devil hath seduced many in this point Oh pray to God to preserve thee from such poison Many desperately preach and write that Christ is not truly God nor the eternal God and so make us guilty of horrible Idolatry and withall overthrow the pillars and foundations of Religion By this we see that blasphemy and damnable heresies are in our nature which we should be plunged into if God leave us unto our selves Vse 2. Of Exhortation To take heed not only of unbelief in respect of the promises but also the doctrinals This gift is also of God It 's he that inableth and confirmeth the heart in this particular also and indeed dogmatical faith is the foundation of salvifical Vse 3. To admire the love both of Father and Son in procuring our salvation for us The Fathers love is seen to send his only begotten Son the Son of his love in whom he delighted more then in all creatures into the world and to die such an ignominious death for us enemies And then the Sons love is seen in leaving that glory and blessedness he had for a while to be in a state of wrath and anger for our sakes No wonder if the hearts of men and Angels can never be sufficiently enough taken up with these things Vse 4. To indeavour after such an unity as the Father and Son have It 's the president in the Text Doth the Father and Son ever disagree Doth the Son will one thing and the Father another Neither ought there to be any disagreement amongst believers SERMON CXVIII The Glorious Mystery of the Saints Vnion with Christ and with the Father by him Opened JOH 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me c. IN these words we have the nature and quality of the godly mans Union declared 1. That it is an holy and godly Vnity they are one in Christ not in the devil or sin as wicked men are 2. It 's not a bodily Union and visible but spiritual and invisible because it 's an Unity in the Father and the Son 3. It 's not absolutely and adequately equall to the Union between the Father and Son for our Saviour doth plainly separate and make a difference he said not before As thou Father art in us and we in thee but in me and I in thee distinguishing himself thereby in a transcendent way from the creature so neither in this place doth he say That they may be one with us though that also is true in a mystical sence Christ the Head and the Church his body being one in that respect because that might imply Unity of nature and essence but one in us Now for all believers to be one in the Father and the Son may admit of a twofold Exposition 1. The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per for so it 's often used and then the sence would be That they may be one by us that is by thy grace for it 's not nature but grace that makes this Unity Thus Eph. 5.8 we are said to be light in the Lord that is by the Lord But this seemeth not so genuine therefore the 2d Interpretation is more received which makes the expression to be declarative of that terminus in which all the godly are united The Center in which all the lines meet The Head in which all the members The Root in which all the branches The Spring in which all the streams are conjoyned and he saith in us for though we are proximely and immediately united unto Christ our head yet thereby we also are united to the Father Obs That all believers are united to Christ and in him to the Father This Union of Believers with Christ is an unspeakable mystery The Scripture represents it under many similitudes yet we cannot conceive of it according to its dignity But as the hypostatical Union of the two Natures in Christ into one person doth exceed our comprehension so likewise doth the mystical Union of believers with Christ and in him with the Father
traveller drinketh of the fountain the Sun or spring are not helped thereby but our infirmities refreshed And if it be objected That the humane nature was given Christ as God and he had not this from all eternity neither was this by declaration only Therefore something may be given Christ as God de novo which he had not from all eternity Several things may be said to this especially these two 1. That nothing can be given to Christ as God which he himself doth not give himself And therefore if any creature men or Angels could have given him something of themselves this would have argued imperfection but it was Christ as God that did assume this humane nature to himself Therefore Joh. 1. God is said to become man and to dwell amongst us so he is said to take not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Therefore what is given him is given by himself But yet Secondly and more fully The humane Nature was indeed assumed by the Divine but not to any intrinsecal perfection of the God-head but to make perfect the humane Nature So that we cannot so properly say The humane Nature was given to Christ as God as that the divine Nature assumed the humane Nature not necessarily but voluntarily not out of indigence but bounty not because it was to be perfected thereby but to perfect the humane Nature Secondly Christ as Mediator might have something bestowed and given upon him by the Father For although as Mediator he must necessarily be God also yet because to be Mediator doth imply a compound as it were viz. God-man Therefore in that respect he is capable by way of gift of that which otherwise absolutely as God he could not receive and in this respect as Mediator he still acknowledgeth He received his Doctrine from the Father that it was from the free love and goodness of God to appoint him to be a Mediator Now of all the gifts which the Scripture speaks of as most eminently and signally bestowed upon him is that glory and exaltation he was lifted up into after he had been in a state of humiliation This the Scripture doth often inculcate but here is some Doubt about the explication of this For the Socinians denying Christ to be essentially God do affirm That this glory became due unto him only upon his obedience unto death and that upon such perfect obedience then and not before God appointed and constituted him God and Lord gave him this high excellent glory commanding men and Angels to worship him with the same religious worship that God himself is to be worshipped But this is fully against Scripture which as it makes him God while on earth so also King and Lord of all although after his death he came to a fuller possession of this glory he was alwayes King and Head of the Church having a right to all glory but yet did not actually receive it but in such a method and order God had appointed The other Doubt is about the Orthodox themselves Whether Christ did merit this glory for himself or no Some eminent Divines do wholly deny it making his glory only the consequent of his humiliation not the reward of it merited by the Lord Christ But there seemeth no danger in yea there appeareth some necessity of affirming That Christ merited his own glory as well as ours Not but that as God he had a right to all glory only the same glory was due unto him upon a two-fold title 1. By natural inheritance as it were being the only begotten Son of God And secondly by purchase and conquest Even as Joash obtained his Kingdom partly by his natural right and partly by conquest subduing Athaliah who unjustly detained the Kingdom from him This Mediatory glory then was both a gift and a reward unto Christ although even all this glory that Christ is invested with doth also redound to our good and glory Thirdly From this glory that is thus given to him as Mediator ariseth a fervent dispute amongst Divines Whether Christ as Mediator be to be adored with religious worship But 1. This is confessed by the Orthodox against the Socinians That Christ is by Nature the true God which they prove from religious worship given unto him for we are commanded to believe him therefore in him also are we to worship insomuch that the Socinians are guilty of high Idolatry let them mince the matter never so much while they give religious worship to Christ and yet profess him to be a meer man But now the Socinians to overthrow this argue in this manner He that is worshipped with a divine worship as he is Mediator is not worshipped as God But Christ is worshipped as Mediator In answering of this Objection The Orthodox go several wayes Some deny the minor viz. That Christ is not to be religiously adored as Mediator though they acknowledge that even to Christs humane Nature there is due some veneration inferiour to the divine But we may well enough grant the Proposition true That Christ as Mediator is to be adored with divine worship because as he is Mediator he must necessarily be God and so therein is included the ratio formalis sub quà of all religious worship So that to be worshipped as Mediator and as God are not opposite but one is necessarily included in the other For that such a religious invocation of Christ as Mediator is lawfull appeareth by that prayer of Stephen Lord Jesus receive my spirit Act. 7.59 The Vse may be of Instruction Doth God the Father thus exalt and glorifie Christ Was this his purpose from all eternity thus to have him magnified for ever Then let it be our constant work and the daily imploiment of our soul to give him all honour and praise Oh let us be ashamed more that we have not honoured Christ as he ought to be Whom Ahashuerus would have honoured all the people were ready to bow unto how much rather then ought we to glorifie the Lord Christ whom the Father doth therefore exalt because by his sufferings we are also glorified Now we may glorifie him three wayes 1. Doctrinally by maintaining all those true opinions that advance him in his Nature Offices and all operations for us For he that denieth any of his Natures or his Offices or his works for us he doth greatly rob Christ of his glory and how busie hath the devil been in all ages thus to dishonour Christ because by this means the Head and the foundation of the Church is endangered which proveth mortal to the Church Socinians destroy one of the Natures Papists obscure his Offices so that in very few Churches is Christ set up in all his glory 2. Christs glory is to be cordially in thy heart and orally in thy mouth Oh what inlarged affections and ravishment of soul did Paul shew when he mentions Christ he speaks of him as the