determination of the work to Christ our head to dye and rise again from the dead Rom. 4. ult So it was free grace 3 In the effectual application of Christs merits and in our actual vocation when true faith is wrought in the heart Eph. 2.7 8. so free grace is apparent 4 In the sealing of it up to the heart when as the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 all which are implyed or expressed in the Text. Proofs for the Confirmation of this point abound as Tit. 3.4 5. After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared c. kindness and love of God are asserted as the moving or impulsive Cause of our Salvation but not a tittle of the works of righteousness in our selves taken notice of and vers 7. Justified by his Grace wee should bee made Heirs Eph. 1.6 7. To the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein hee hath made us accepted in his Beloved in whom wee have Redemption c. Which grace farther appears 1 That God prosecutes not his Cause against us according to the rigour of the Law and his vindictive justice but leaves any place space and probability for Reconciliation 2 That being the Party offended hee should yet appoint the manner and means of our Reconciliation 3 That hee spared not his beloved Son nor any care to effect this Reconciliation 4 That hee without any dignity of ours ingrafts us into his Son and makes us partakers of his righteousness Quest Why is a sinner so freely justified Reas 1 Because it was impossible for the Law or any legal Righteousness to justify sinners Rom. 8.3 That which was impossible for the Law in that it was weak through the flesh the Lord sending his Son c. Exact righteousness free from Spot the Law required or it could not justify But sinful man through the flesh that is corruption of his heart and inclination to evil could not so observe the Law as to attain to such perfect righteousness because Eccl. 7.20 There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not much less can any natural man do it Reas 2 To remove two inconveniences 1 To exclude boasting 2 Those terrors of Conscience which otherwise sinners must needs bee subject to whilst they live in the world 1 Boasting is excluded Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law by the Law of Works No but by the Law of Faith Justification by works puffs up the proud heart of man with a Conceit of ability to justify himself as the Doctrin of the Pelagians Papists Arminians doth They can answer that question 1 Cor. 4.7 Who hath made thee to differ I have made my self to differ this breeds pride but justification through free grace laies low having nothing of our own but all of free gift 2 Terrors of Conscience are excluded which Legal righteousnesse exposeth to 2 Thess 2.16 God hath loved us and given us everlasting Consolation through Grace but without grace our Case is desperate Rom. 4.15 The Law worketh wrath Hence intelligent Papists are driven to horrid extremities even to desperation it self oftentimes Hence those large allowances which in their Cases of Conscience their Casuists use to give men about the breach of the Law Hence their Doctrin of venial sin And they use to renounce their Principles at their death and fly to free Grace living in one Religion dying in another Reas 3 Because those things that are conferred in justification cannot bee deserved but must bee granted by free favour as Remissions of sins and imputation of divine righteousness for so it is call'd Rom. 3.22 The Righteousnesse of GOD without the Law Now nothing in a finite Creature can deserve or procure that which is of infinite worth and eternal duration Use 1. Of refutation of that Popish Doctrin of Merit Popish merit of Congruity and condignity refuted and first of their merit of Congruity as a necessary and acceptable Preparative to justification which is a meer Dream 1 Because without faith 't is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 but this merit is before faith is infused 2 The tree must needs bee good before the fruit can bee good Matth. 7.18 but yet the man is not sanctified 3 God accepts not the offerer for the gift but the gift for the offerer Gen. 4.4 4 When the Conscience is defiled all things are defiled Tit. 4.15 Now for their merit of Condignity wherein their righteous works done by a righteous man make God a Debtor to them and he in Justice is bound to justify them consider only Rom. 11.6 If by grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no grace but if it bee of works it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work Papists are Martyres Diaboli i. e. grace and works are flatly opposite to each other Gal. 5.4 Yee are faln from grace that is saith Luther as hee that falls out of a ship is drowned c. and hee calls such Martyrs Diaboli that undergo much and perish at last as your Popish Justiciaries Use 2. To shew the inexcusable condition of all the World before God that slight this admirable free grace of God If Christ holds forth this free grace daily to prophane wretches what will become of them what will they say for themselves at the day of judgement that despise it or turn it into wantonness what Paul pressed upon the Jews at Antioch Act. 13.38 is at this day commended to unbeleevers and prophane ones of this age The Embassadors cry Be it known unto you Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgivenesse of sins And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which you could not bee justified by the Law of Moses Hearken unto this all you that remain unjustified you that have followed lewd courses uncleanness pride wantonness company keeping despising of the word bee it known unto you that through Christ is preached unto you the free remission of your sins If any that lived civilly could be justified by the works of the Law yet your hearts can tell you you cannot but behold here is free Justification tendred you by Gods rich Grace How long will you stand out and despise this Grace As you love your own souls accept of the mercy offered Say yee wee like our sins and our profits better then hear what follows vers 40. Beware least that come upon you which was spoken of by the Prophets Behold yee despisers and wonder and perish c. that is as your rebellion and contempt is intollerable so the Lord shall bring his dreadful and unsupportable destruction upon you and this shall bee your misery that you shall not beleeve it until it seizes upon you more than ordinary judgements both here and hereafter follow the neglect of such great salvation Beware then in the fear of God least this
was and confessed them as Saul and Pharaoh did and a while abstained from them as Simon Magus from his Sorcery and making restitution of their ill gotten goods In the mean time not seeking with diligence the Pearl of price but putting off all upon Christ and his grace hoping that they shall find mercy though they fly not to this satisfaction as the Man-slayer with fears terrours and restlesse speed from the Avenger of bloud to the City of refuge forgetting that God will make us know the worth of a Redeemer and of satisfaction by Christ before wee shall have it Psal 107.12 13. Hee brought down their strength with labour they fell down and there was none to help Then they cried unto the Lord c. Let all such carelesse wretches know That if justification be a state of Blessednesse Psal 32.1 2. then their state is a state of cursednesse And though they sleep in that estate their damnation slumbereth not but may come on them in a night and stop their breath while they lye sleeping Vse 2. Faln mans misery Let us hereby bee convinced of the misery of faln man whose state is not only dangerous but desperate without this satisfaction And yet alas how little is it considered by wretched Sinners our days are like those Matth. 24.39 We have many Noahs preachers of righteousnesse to warn us of the evil to come but no man takes warning Wee are singing and chanting to the sound of the Viol while God sounds an alarum by the trumpet of warre Wee are dancing in jollity while God is marching in Battalia We are drinking in the Wine and strong Drink while God is letting out our Blood Wee are devouring the Creatures while wee are devoured of the Creator Wee are joyning Sexes in Marriage while God is separating soul from body Swimming in pleasures till we are drowned in the floud and no man takes warning as if there were no danger in the matter wherefore to give you ataste of it 1 Consider that all have sinned Rom. 3.23 All without exception have been in an estate of sin and in want of that righteousnesse that should stand before God for acceptation And though education or a better nature should stop sin in some from bringing forth so early or breaking out so foulely as it doth in others yet there is no difference there lyes a hidden Spring-head in all both Jewes and Gentiles circumcised and uncircumcised binding them over to the Wrath of God And least you should therefore say you shall escape as well and your condition is as good as others 2 Consider we all are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 come short of his grace by the losse of original righteousnesse and of his glory by the separation which our sins have made The fruition of God is the Goal of our race wee run to obtain our sins have cast us behind in this race as the Greek word there sounds Justification by Christs satisfaction is the only way now left to attain the end of our race which whosoever wants must never hope to enjoy God 3 Nothing in the Creature can justifie Good Works Duties Services Prayers Tears Groans are all too mean to make God to account him righteous no nor to give all his estate to the poor and his body to bee burnt for Religion for the Law required that God should bee served with all our might and all our power and ability but by the works of the law can no flesh bee justified Rom. 3.20 Moreover by the Law sin is known and manifested but what makes known sin cannot justify from it for 't is madnesse for a Traytor when hee is convicted of Treason by some Statute to expect an acquittance by that Statute that condemned his Crime to Death so 't is in man to expect Absolution by the Law which condemns his sin to death The Law therefore leaves man without all hope 4 The grace of God cannot justify any soul without Christs satisfaction Men may hope to bee saved by Gods Grace and Mercy but without Christs satisfaction their hope is meerly groundlesse Paul names Gods grace in the Text but addes through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus not by grace without it The Devil would plead Gods grace to get out of his misery if that would do it as well as you Every carnal wretch would plead it 'T is a pretious Plea to flye to Gods grace yet none is welcome but hee that hath a High-Priest Heb. 4.15 16. Let us come boldly to the throne of Grace what may any poor soul come Surely no unlesse hee hath the Therefore to the Wherefore Unless hee hath a High Priest that was tempted in all points like unto us Else hee 'le finde the throne of Grace to bee a Judgement Seat and may call to the mountains to fall upon him Revel 6.16 to save him from the wrath of him that sits upon the Throne when hee comes to beg for grace Nothing but the redemption that is in Christ Jesus can procure the souls welcome No gift of man can appease God Prov. 6.34 35. The jealous God will not spare in the day of vengeance hee will not regard a ransome neither will hee rest contented though thou givest many gifts God-man in one person is alone the accepted price The Father would not take a farthing more than his justice did exact nor a farthing less than what was due As where ten pound is due the Creditor exacts not twenty and where twenty pounds are due hee will not accept often so the father required Christ for satisfaction being the exact return according to the fathers Justice For Job 34.23 God will not lay upon man more than is right And Paul clears him Rom. 3.5 6. what shall wee say then Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Hee is no Extortioner to take more nor could take less than his due He doth not willingly afflict the children of men Lam. 3.34 35. much lesse doth hee exceed in the affliction of his own Son Now therefore if God required his Son as an infinite price for the satisfaction of his infinite wrongs to become a ransome for lost man surely man was faln into a most woful estate Beware therefore O sinful wretch that sleepest in thy security least God cause his consuming fire to fall on thee this moment as it did on Sodom O what a remediless what a helpless estate is thy soul fallen into Let thy tears run down like a river day and night give God no rest cease not to complain to him Let thine heart like Noahs Dove find no place to rest on till thou hast gotten Christs satisfaction to bee thy souls Ransome Use 3. Of Instruction and Exhortation to every man Instruction to take the right way to justification to take the right way for Justification The world hath been tampering about it ever since Adams fall and the Devil hath so much over-clouded it That the greatest
God to roar even the fierce wrath of the Almighty So that as the Greek Church prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was unknown torment that our Saviour underwent Hee encountred both the fathers wrath kindled by the sins of all the Elect and entered the lists with Satan and all the powers of darkness Luke 22.23 This is your hour and the power of darkness All the Devils in Hell were up in Armes and issued out of their gates Principalities and Powers are all let loose against the Redeemer of the World This is some part of the second death of Christ but to clear it further wee will answer a few objections Object How could Christ suffer the pains of the second death without dis-union of the God-head from the man-hood for the God-head could not dye Sol. 1 Joh. 3.16 God laid down his life for us The person dying was God else his person could have done us no good The person suffering must bee God as well as man but the God-head suffered not As if you shoot off a Cannon in the bright Ayr the air suffers but the light of it suffers not Actions and Passions belong to Persons Nothing less than that Person who is God man could bear the brunt of the day and overcome for our justification Object How could Christ indure Hell fire without grievous sins as blasphemy and despair Sol. The perturbations of Christ were like the shakings of pure water in a clean glass the water remains pure still When Christ was shaken there was no mudd in the bottome which rises in us when wee suffer extremity And again as the body of Christ dyed without dividing the God-head from it So his soul dyed the second death without parting of the God-head from it Besides Blasphemy and Despair are no parts of the pains of the damned but the consequents and follow the sense of Gods wrath in a sinful creature that is overcome by it Rev. 16.9 But Christ had no sin of his own nor was overcome of wrath and therefore held fast his integrity Object But when did Christ suffer hell torments they are inflicted after death not before it usually but Christs soul went strait after death into Paradise how else could hee say This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Sol. 1 'T is not impossible that the pains of the second death should bee suffered in this life Time and place are but circumstances the main substance of the second death is the bearing Gods fierce wrath The favour of God in Hell to a man would make Hell a Heaven The place is not a part of the debt neither and therefore ought to bee no part of the payment The laying down of the Price makes the satisfaction This is all that is spoken and threatned to Adam Gen. 2.17 Thou shalt dye the death and this may bee suffered here Wicked go to Hell as their Prison because they can never pay their debts otherwise the debt may as well bee paid in the market as the Gaol This Christ did in the dayes of his flesh when hee offered up strong crys and tears Heb. 5.7 not after death Object But the pains due to mans sins are to bee everlasting how can Christs short sufferings countervail them Sol. If the measure of a mans punishment were Infinite the duration needs not be infinite Sinful mans measure of punishment is finite and therefore the duration of his punishment must bee infinite because the punishment must bee answerable to the infinite evil of sin committed against an infinite God But Christ God-man suffered punishment in measure infinite and therefore there is no ground why hee should indure it eternally Add moreover that the dignity of Christs persons did excuse him from punishment infinite for duration for Act. 2.24 It was impossible that hee should bee holden of death because hee was both the Father of Life and the Lords Holy One. Besides continual imprisonment in Hell arises from mans not being able to pay the price for could hee pay the debt in one year hee needs not lye two years in Prison Now the debt is the first and second death because therefore sinful man cannot pay it in any time he must endure it eternally But Christ is ready pay hee laies it down upon the nail to the full for all Christs Elect therefore it is not required of him that hee should suffer for ever Neither can it stand with Gods Justice to hold him under the second death having paid the debt Now that hee hath paid he witnesseth Joh. 19.30 saying when hee had received the Vinegar It is finished So vers 28. After this Jesus knowing that all things were accomplished Many Interpretations are given of the place but this alone will hold water That the heavy wrath of the Lord which did pursue Christ and the second death that filled him with grievous terrors is now over and past It cannot bee construed of the fulfilling all Types and figures for many Types and Prophecies did pre-figure his death as that Dan. 10. that the Messiah must bee cut off and all the Sacrifices must dye the Prophecy of his Resurrection Psal 16.10 the prophecy of his intercession and sitting at Gods right hand Psal 110.1 Isa â—3 ult Therefore the former sense only is true Use 1. Of Terror to Carnal Persons Conceits removed if any argument can shake the heart of a careless wretch that lives in sin this may to consider Christs sufferings for sin imputed to him This will likewise remove those vain conceits men have taken up to secure themselves in sinning 1 That sin hath no such great evil in it as is imagined and therefore they make a mock of sin blaspheming them 1 Pet. 4.3 4. that run not to the same excess of riot with them Let such know that besides the judgements recorded in Scripture against sin and the tumbling of Angels down from heaven reserving them in chains under darkness besides the casting Adam out of Paradise for sin and the drowning the old World the fire and brimstone of Sodom the destruction of Jerusalem the torments of the damned in Hell-fire where the worm dyeth not and the fire goeth not out Mark 9.44 46 48. That which is ten thousand times more terrible take thou notice of that Christ suffers an agony for mans sin behold God dying for the sins of the Elect. See his misery who is but a surety 1 Cor. 2.8 Sins of men crucify the Lord of Glory and put him to so painful so shameful a death as thou hast heard God over all blessed for ever is cursed in but bearing thy sins If God so punished the surety how will he deal with the principal Canst thou hope O impenitent Soul to speed better in thy own sins than Christ could that bare but the sins of others 1 Sam. 14.39 As the Lord liveth who saveth Israel though it bee in Jonathan my Son hee shall surely dye said Saul If the Son must dye what will become of
they shall be made as if they had not been dyed at all Though our sins by reiterating of them and long continuance in them have doubly and deeply seized on us yet by Gods discharging us of them wee become as if wee had never committed them Mic. 7.19 I will cast all your iniquities into the depth of the Sea As when all the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea and they sank like a stone there was no fear of their reviving again And marvellous is that promise Jer. 50. vers 20. In those daies and at that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall bee sought for and shall not bee found and the sins of Judah and they shall not bee for I will pardon them whom I reserve None by any search shall bee able to finde any sin to charge upon Gods People Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect 2 This full forgiveness flows from the satisfaction of Christ Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood there is no remission Eph. 1.7 Colos 1.14 In whom wee have redemption through his blood c. 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 8.34 Hee loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood Heb. 1.3 Christ his own self purged away our sins Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit c. 3 The satisfaction of Christ was available for the remission of the sins of all the faithful before his comming in the flesh Rom. 3 22. Rev. 13.8 hee was flain from the foundation of the World viz. in Types and in the vertue of his death and efficacy thereof Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever and Act. 15.11 Wee beleeve that by the grace of Jesus Christ we shall bee saved as the Fathers Where by the grace of Christ wee may understand as some do the inherent grace of sanctification for that alone will never save any man or bring him to heaven but by the grace of Christ is to bee understood the obedience and satisfaction of Christ and the fruit thereof in our reconciliation Act. 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse c. and this was the meaning of that first promise Gen. 3.13 The seed of the woman c. ie Christ who was therefore manifest to destroy the works of the Devil So Isa 53.5 the faithful of those times say he was wounded for their transgressions c. and 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Of which salvation the Prophets inquired diligently who prophesyed of the grace that should come unto you searching what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signify when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow All the true Prophets from the beginning of the World prophesied of the grace and salvation that should come to you by the sufferings of Christ yea the Prophets inquired and searched diligently after this grace besides though there was the same saving grace in the Church from the beginning of the World yet wee have a great prerogative above them who prophesied of that grace not onely that came to them but should come to us 1 Because of a clearer light that shined at the shining of the Sun of righteousnesse and hath been growing since that time 2 Because there is a greater efficacy of the holy Spirit since Christ is ascended 3 Because there is a larger communication of this grace which is now extended to all nations This may further appear to us by the sameness of the Sacraments 1 Cor. 10.1 2. they were baptized unto Moses c. they did all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink c. Reas 1. Taken from the eternal surety-ship of our Saviour Christ Heb. 7.22 Christ hath undertaken before the foundation of the World to be a surety for the Elect and given his bond for the debt and the after payment thereof Now when a Surety hath undertaken thus a sufficient surety bound himself in behalf of the Debtor it is no marvail though the Creditor set the Debtor at liberty before payment bee actually made as God did the faithful before Christs incarnation Reas 2. Taken from the excellency of Christs person whose satisfaction must needs have infinite worth and dignity in it 1 Joh. 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son c. if it be the bloud of the Son of God it must needs have a very cleansing vertue in it Psal 130.7 Rom. 5.17 there is abundance of grace c. God forgives not so much as one sin unlesse he hath accepted of the bloud of Christ for the pardon of it and when this is accepted God must pardon all Again to forgive one sin is an act of Gods free love and that cannot stand with any enmity Reas 3. From beleevers acceptation in Christ which is the receiving of us into favour Ephes 1.6 7. and those who are in Gods favour have their persons and services pleasing to God and so hath this large forgivenesse Rom. 8.1 Reas 4. Because it was the Spirit of Christ that was in the Prophets that did reveal the ministry of Christ to them 1 Pet. 1.10 11. and by them to all the faithful in those times sufficiently unto salvation Reas 5. From the glory of Gods grace by this means Eph. 1.6 7. it is forgivenesse according to the riches of Gods grace that hath so provided for us that our sins are so fully pardoned yea of the very chiefest beleeving sinners as of Paul Manasses and such as crucified the Lord of glory Vse 1. To discover to us the unexcusable and helplesse estate of all unbeleevers who lye under the guilt of their sins especially in these times and places and ends of the world who have the offer and tender of this grace of Christ and yet put it away from them for was the death of Christ sufficient to save those sinners that lived under the Old Testament that had so little light and so much darknesse knowing so little of the Mystery of the Gospel and is it not sufficient to save you from your sins who have this grace so abundantly preached and pressed upon you Why then I say as Matth. 11.20 Thou Capernaum that art lifted up to Heaven c. it shall bee more tollerable for Sodome and Gomorrah than for thee It is true many unbeleevers perished before Christ's coming and were left under the Wrath of God Job 3. ult but innumerable persons more in these dayes Whose Hell shall be greater and hotter than theirs to whom pardon is offered and yet refused Such cannot plead the greatnesse and multitude of their sins for the satisfaction of Christ is so full of vertue and efficacy that it exceeds the greatnesse of sins such shall have nothing to plead before the Lord one day but their bloud shall be upon their own heads because they have despised the bloud of Christ Acts 18.6 And besides
that imputeth If any man doth perfectly perform those things that the Law commandeth the reward of righteousness is imputed to him according to debt for this hath the foundation in himself and his perfect performance but if a man works not but having transgressed the Law beleeveth to him the reward of righteousness is accounted according to grace for it hath a foundation out of himself in anothers performance viz. in Christ Which the Apostle proves vers 5. To him that works not c. If the imputation should bee made according to the foundation that is in himself sin should bee imputed to condemnation for hee is ungodly but now faith is accounted to the ungodly for righteousness therefore this must bee founded on the grace of him that imputes The former kind of imputation is onely by way of supposition and no man was ever justified by it in the sight of God but the latter is the common way whereby Abraham and all beleevers are justified in Gods sight Object It seems to bee an unrighteous act and implies falsehood to impute righteousness to a sinner as it is to impute sin to a righeeous person Prov. 17.15 To justify the wicked and condemn the righteous are both an abomination to the Lord and the contrary is reputed an act of Gods justice 1 King 8.32 Exod. 34.7 Answ It is against Law and justice to justify the wicked without cause when there is no satisfaction made by the offender himself or by any other on his behalf suitable to the will of the persons offended and persons concerned do consent but now when God justifies and imputes righteousness to the ungodly having received a full and sufficient satisfaction by his sons obedience this is no unjustice at all but every way most just the Lord Jesus and the father being content and consenting to it 2 There is no falshood in this imputation of righteousness because God can call things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 and hee doth truely make those righteous whom hee justifies by his imputed righteousness Rom. 8.4 that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in us which if it be meant of imputed righteousnesse as it is commonly taken the phrase shews it to bee as really ours as if wee had done it our selves if it bee taken of inherent righteousness as some of the learned take it it shews that where this imputed righteousnesse is there is also inherent as an effect thereof though it bee but imperfect begun and an effect of the former Object But this imputed righteousnesse is but a work of the thought and Cogitation only and is not a real matter therefore is not to bee rested in Answ This Righteousness that is imputed is really given to beleevers it is called the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 that which is given is really our own to all such purposes wherein it may concern us Object But if Christs righteousness bee Imputed to us then it seems to follow that the beleever is as righteous as Christ and therefore every beleever is a redeemer and a Saviour of others for Christ was so Answ This will not follow because 1 The beleever is still a sinner in himself so was not Jesus Christ the righteous 2 Because the vertue that is in the head is communicated to all the members it doth not therefore follow that every member is thereby made a head to have such an influence into all the other members as the head hath 3 Redeemer Saviour Surety c. are denominations proper to him as he is a pay-master and satisfier of the Law in the behalf of others and not as any thing is due from himself and although his righteousnesse by a Legal Imputation to us and acceptation on our behalf is called ours and wee may bee properly said to bee righteous in his righteousness yet his surety-ship as such cannot bee imputed ours hence none of those denominations as of Saviour Redeemer c. So that though we be pay-masters and satisfiers of the Law under this imputation and by Gods account yet we are not therefore sureties or redeemers For it is proper to us onely to bee redeemed not to be redeemers So that the righteousness of Christ whereby hee satisfies the Law is applyed by imputation to the beleever not his Surety-ship Redeemer-ship because proper onely to the Redeemer and not communicable to the redeemed so much as by imputation for Redeemer and Redeemed are Relata ergo opposita neither doth the Law in demanding Satisfaction look at Surety-ship but paiment whether it bee in the person of the offender or of the surety Therefore this objection falls to the ground as vain and frivolous for though the Law calls a sinner perfectly righteous in his justification yet it calls him not a surety or a Redeemer for the Law calls not for a Surety c. but accounts the sinner as righteous touching the demands of the Law as one that never brake the Law yea as the Surety himself made under the Law for satisfaction to the Law by Active or Passive Obedience do equally dismiss or acquit the person that is under it from the Guilt Curse or Condemnation of it Reas 1. Taken from the union of the beleever with Christ for being once made one with Christ all his benefits become his so that the righteousnesse of the head is communicated to all his members The oyntment on the head of Aaron ran down on his skirts and members Thus Paul desired to bee found in Christ not having his own righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 hee desired the righteousnesse which is through faith i. e. imputed righteousnesse apprehended by faith and hee shews the reason why it is made the beleevers because we are found in him that is ingrafted into his Mystical body and are made one Mystical person with him and this will serve to answer Popish objections Obj. How can a man bee made righteous by another mans righteousnesse more than rich by another mans riches Ans Though the righteousnesse bee compared to a Garment in Scripture yet the Person of Christ is really united to the beleever which cannot be spoken of a garment Besides also Christ's imputed righteousnesse there is also imparted righteousnesse Reas 2. From the compar son between the first and second Adam for as Adams transgression of the Law of God is imputed to all his posterity and that in respect thereof they are reputed sinners and accursed and liable to eternal death so also Christs obedience whereby he fulfilled the Law is so imputed to the members of his Mystical body that in regard of God they stand as innocent justified and accepted to eternal life The Argument is Pauls Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many are made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Vers 17. As by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reign in life by
God in such a way as to overthrow his truth his truth of his promises Tit. 1.4 Grace Mercy and Peace are from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ There is no Mercy to bee expected from God but through Jesus Christ Luk. 1.50 His mercy is on them that fear him they that do not fear God have no title to his mercy so there is the truth of his threatnings that hee will not bee merciful to any wicked transgressour Psal 59.5 to any one that loves his sin and lives in it and refuses to bee reformed Gods mercy is as it were the bridge over the pit to carry the soul to heaven but a man that hath his eies will bee careful that he tread not beside as upon the shadow of the bridge instead of the bridge Yea it is railed as it were with his truth beware of going without the rail lest you drop into the pit now those that we speak of go with out the rail and the promises and threatnings are against them so they do evidently trust in a lye saying They shall have Peace Mercy walking in the stubbornness of their own hearts Deut. 29.19 20. but the Lord saith hee will not bee merciful to such but besides the great delusion is that they do look for pardon of sin by meer mercy with the wrong or denial of the justice of God 3 There cannot possibly bee any remission of sin unlesse that God can pardon in Justice as well as Mercy There can bee no dispensation for this If God could have pardoned sin without the price of redemption then certainly Christ dyed altogether in vain For what did the father send forth Christ to bee the Propitiation for sin to shew his justice how can they beleeve that if Gods justice did not exact the price If the price might have been omitted without any prejudice to his justice could God bee eternally just if hee had not punished sin at all Prov. 17.15 To justify the wicked without satisfaction to justice is an abomination to the Lord and will the Lord do that which is abominable to him will any King put his own Son to death to save a traitours life when hee can freely pardon the traitour if hee will surely that were an unnatural and a cruel part and can wee think that God the Father will give up his onely begotten Son to death to save sinners when hee may out of meer grace and mercy pardon them without such a sacrifice certainly God would never do it Briefly the sinner must necessarily satisfy justice either by himself or by his surety or else it is utterly impossible that his sin should bee forgiven Heb. 10.26 27. Without a sacrifice for sin there remains nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries Doth any soul expect pardon without Christ then hee expects peace without any sacrifice for him but the Text saith that without this there remains nothing but a fearful expectation c. Briefly such a hope of pardon is interpretatively no better than Atheism and denial of God For it denies the justice of God it denies his purity and holinesse it denies his Soveraignty yea it denies Christ if the Lord bee God hee is just and holy and Judge of all the World and if hee bee just hee cannot pardon sin but in a way of justice and that sealed by Christs blood I pray consider that Psal 89.13 14. Thou hast a mighty arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand consider what a God you have to deal withall hee is a mighty strong God no creature is able to withstand him if hee bee displeased Object I but he is merciful too Answ 1. Psalm 89.14 Justice and judgement are the habitation of his Throne mercy and truth shall go before his face justice and judgement are the basis and supporter of his Throne take away justice and you pull down his royal Throne you make him no longer King or Judge mercy and truth are his harbingers 2 They are offered first and when refused Justice doth execution So a like place Psal 36.5 6. Thy mercy O Lord is in the Heavens and thy faithfulnesse reacheth unto the Clouds that is there is a vastnesse and immensity in both they are very great but whence is his Justice so great his righteousnesse is like the strong mountains c. as if hee had said the righteousnesse of God is as unsupportable and unmoveable as the strong mountains and his judgements they do not swim aloft but they are an infinite and unsearchable depth You cannot bear them nor remove Gods righteousness nor measure or fathom his judgements and thou that art a sinner hast these mountains ready to fall upon thee and art sinking into this great deep What is it that makes the Devils eternally miserable but that they have no Christ to satisfy the justice of God and if a sinner on earth live and dye without Christ he is as uncapable of salvation as those in the 2 of the Ephes 12. Object 2. The Justice of God is answered in Christ for mee Answ True indeed there is no other Name under heaven given amongst men whereby wee shall be saved and happy is that soul that can groundedly plead this and most miserable is he or shee that is deceived herein it is an errour in the foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay Beloved let us take heed of an errour in this which is very common 1 Joh. 3.6 7. Consider whether there bee not Gods Writ sent out against you frequently signed in an open Court as Micaiah said to Ahab 2 Chron. 18 2â— hath not the Lord pronounced against thee in the threatnings in his Word yea hath not the Arrest been served upon thee in the secret accusation of thy conscience when thou hast shifted it off as Felix did Pauls Sermon Act. 24.25 Consider how thy heart is affected with the doctrin of Gods justice and the judgements to come Is it not with thee as it was with that unhappy Felix doth not thy heart I say not onely tremble but swell against the truth of God doth it not secretly wish there were no Assizes yea art thou not still in the Jailours custody as a malefactor Beware of that which Elihu speaks Job 36.17 18. thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee that is they are seizing upon thee Because there is wrath beware lest hee take thee away with his stroak then a great ransome cannot deliver thee will hee esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength Gods Justice in a Sinners Justification THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH SERMON ON Rom. 3.25 26. That he might be just and the Justifier c. NOT onely the exact Truth of God Doct. 1 or the abundance of his Grace but also his strict justice do concur and act in the justification of a sinner in
his grace wherein hee hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence It was such abundance of wisdome that no creature could reach unto or comprehend that this strange way should bee found out for a sinners attonement 2 The Glory and Riches of Gods grace are singularly manifested hereby it had been glorious grace if that God should or could of his good will alone towards men have pardoned their iniquities as Saul said to David 1 Sam. 24.19 If a man find his enemy will hee let him go well away but sinful men and women which of themselves are Gods enemies and cannot hide themselves any where but God will finde them hee not only lets them go well away and freely pardons them but freely forgives them in such a way that cost him so exceeding dear as the blood of his onely Son When there was no other sufficient remedy for the misery of man but this when as the pardon and redemption of souls is so exceeding costly and pretious this above measure exalts the riches of Gods grace as David said 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer of that that cost mee nothing This was Davids royal spirit So this is Gods royal love that hee saved not his people in a way that cost him nothing 1 Joh. 4.9 10. Herein is the love of God manifest to us that hee sent his Son into the World to dye that wee might live by him And again Herein is love that hee sent his Son to bee a Propitition for our sins they that do not understand this have too low and mean conceits of the love and grace of God 3 Here is a demonstration of the glory of the Holinesse of the Lord in his so hating and punishing of sin even to the uttermost though but imputed and that to such a Son he that breaks a pitcher because deadly poyson was in it or burieth a beggars coat because infected with the plague shews his hatred to them but hee that throws away a vessel of gold because poysoned or burneth or burieth some royal and rich robes for the leprosy cleaving to them hee is carried with greatest indignation against the corruptions of them now this is the case of Gods hatred of the sins of the Elect imputed to the Son of God here is the pearl of great price even the richest treasure so and so dealt withall this is mighty holiness and hatred of sin Psal 99.8 9 It is said Thou art a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions Whence hee inferres Exalt the Lord our God for hee is holy hee speaks of the Lords manner of forgiving of the sins of his people it was with vengeance for their inventions surely this is an holy God but this is incomparably more to pardon the sins of his Elect in such a way by laying the chastisement of their peace on his only Son Oh what an holy God is this 4 Adde to the rest the glory of Gods Kingdome Providence and Government This is that which the Saints do blesse the Lord for Psal 145.10 11. They speak of the glory of thy kingdome and talk of thy power now the glory of Gods kingdome appears in this that hee rectifies all the disorders that are in the world by sin there is no confusion in the World but that which is in sin or brought in by it which hath made the world like that woful land Job 10.21 22. A land of darknesse and of the shaddow of death without order now to bring all into order again was a busy work and this is a glorious work of the government and providence of the Lord. There are strange examples of Gods glory in holy Writ concerning this in the sin of Josephs brethren selling Joseph into Egypt to bee a bond-servant accused imprisoned and in great abasement many years what strange disorder was here how strangely did the Lord rectify and amend this by setting him at liberty making him Ruler over all the land of Egypt and making his brethren to stoop to him and be beholding to him for their sustenance afterwards Another Example I might tell you of of the great confusion among the Jews by Hamans sin in the daies of Ahasuerus yet how gloriously did the Lord work for his Church in the confusion of Haman and the deliverance of the Church and the destruction of their enemies Here was a great deal of disorder by sin but Gods providence set all in right order again yea and brought great good out of all this disorder that wee may say according to Sampsons riddle out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong sweetnesse but the matter in hand is a greater and deeper riddle Adams sin had brought a woful Ataxy and confusion into all the world and grievous dishonour to God then Providence findes out a way by the death and blood shed of the second Adam to bring all into a better order than ever they were before in the Lord makes a better and a surer covenant and ordered in all things 2 Sam. 23.5 and Christ is set up in his Kingdome to order and to establish it with justice and judgement for ever Isay 9.7 Ye may see by all this what abundance of glory redounds unto God by the death of Christ and the sinners justification thereby Vse 1. Refutation of Socinians Refutation of that damnable blasphemy of the Socinians in making the death of Christ onely exemplary and no wise satisfactory whereby they do rob God of his glory and would disappoint him of his principal end of the incarnation of his onely begotten Son yea and rob him of his glory which hee hath sworn that hee would not give unto another The Devil hath formerly done great mischief to Christian Religion by Heresies of Monstrous shapes but this is a blasphemy of a more bloody dye whereby hee induces down-right Paganism or as bad as Turcism again Oh that such a Godlesse Christlesse-villany should bee ever tollerated to harbour amongst Christians This is a lamentation and shall surely bee the saddest lamentation of these last perilous times Use 2. The Doctrin of Gods justice is sutable to the Gospel It may serve to discover and confute the general mistake and error about the Doctrin of the Gospel Truely the Lord hath dealt graciously with us in the times of the New Testament and especially with his people in these latter times wherein the Grace of God and the Riches therof are more abundantly sounded forth and magnified above former ages and most blessed is the estate of those vessels of Grace the persons that receive it in truth and are made partakers thereof but beloved I do very much fear lest that Satan get advantage by this means to make innumerable persons to miss their mark and Gods mark too causing them utterly to pervert the doctrine of the Gospel and the grace of God and his principal plot and purpose therein so as to cause many to forget
for remission of sins as to declare the justice of God yea and though sin abounds yet Grace abounds much more 3 Remember also that this justice is satisfied in the death of Christ for sins of all sorts and degrees I might tell you of multitudes for Davids Murther and Adultery for Pauls persecution and blasphemy for the Corinthians Theft Covetousnesse Drunkenness Extortion reviling unnatural Lusts 1 Cor. 6.10 11. Thence it is said 2 Cor. 5.21 That Christ was made sin for us that is all manner of sin was imputed unto him yea and he was made a sacrifice for all manner of sin without exception on the behalf of all beleevers this may much incourage a poor sinner to fly to him 4 Faith in Christs blood so it bee of the right kind though never so weak is the means to bring home the satisfaction of Christ I have spoken of it before and also that wee ought especially to attend unto that faith of the right kinde seems to bee described by that phrase The justifier of him that is of the Faith of Jesus that may imply two things First That true faith is a separating and distinguishing grace as when the Jews are said to bee of the Circumcision Gal. 2.12 Col. 4.11 it is spoken to distinguish them from all others Alas That is a poor faith that makes no distinction between a beleever and an unbeleever a ruffian and a Saint 2 The phrase imports a powerful and efficacious faith that overswaies the whole man and the whole Course so that hee may bee said to be of the faith So Gal. 3.9 They which be of the faith are blessed with faithful Abraham that is as Abraham was of the faith I mean efficaciously for kind though not for degree see that ye be not mistaken in this Use 5. Exhortation to beleevers in three branches Beleevers should understand and claim their priviledge 1 Let it perswade them now to understand their good estate and boldly to claim their priviledge their good estate is such as is very pretious in these times I may tell them of that 1 Pet. 5.12 and testify as Peter did that this is the true grace of God wherein yee stand much is spoken in these daies of the grace of God but I fear many will find at the last that the grace they trust in will not bee found the true grace of God neither will they stand in it but the beleevers estate that builds upon his union with Christ and his communion with him in Gods justice satisfied is that which will stand and the beleever shall stand by it Now hereupon humbly and boldly claim a discharge from satisfied justice upon all occasions in infirmities relapses temptations desertions and sinkings of heart lay claim to the manifest demonstration of the justice and mercy of God in Christs death for both are here wrapped together and our ground is 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Little Children these things I write unto you that ye sin not if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father and a Propitiation c. every Child of God though but a little one and such an one as makes conscience not to sin may have daily recourse to this Propitiation where mercy and justice meet These bee the wings of God as it were that with David wee should make our refuge in the worst times Psal 57.1 2 Let us eternally celebrate the name of God in Christ They should praise the name of God in Christ his justice mercy holiness wisdom providence c. for his glory in all these things is the last end of all these dispensations towards his people this therefore should bee adored by us and by these things wee live wee may take up Davids Song of mercy and judgement in this sense also Psal 101.1 and adde that Psal 17.15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and salvation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof David was a good Arithmetician in counting Gods mercies judgements hath his new Songs still for renewed mercies but he is fain to confesse that his Arithmetick fails him hee cannot sum up the numbers thereof so wee may say we cannot number things God hath and should have all his glory in the Saints 2 Thess 1.10 3 Let this bee an ingagement to us 3 They should bee righteous as God to be righteous as our heavenly Father is righteous that is to follow the pattern of Gods righteousnesse Oh beloved if the Lord hath thus declared and glorified himself to us in a way of righteousness and if it cost him so dear to shew himself both just and merciful towards us what an inviolable bond is this to us to be righteous before him and to glorify Gods righteousnesse in a righteous conversation in righteous dealing and judging and walking continually yea let us declare and demonstrate this before God and men yea make it our end as the Lord makes it his Lastly Let us do it at This time Now when there is so much unrighteousness among Professors as it is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 That Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation that is the worst Generation that ever water wet so though the Generation wee live in be very bad yet let us labour to be just in it for they must be such that would bee sheltered in this Ark when the floods of error and sin and wrath do overflow all Finally let me conclude with that Hos 10.12 Sow to your selves in righteousnesse and reap in mercy break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till hee come and rain down righteousnesse upon you the seed of righteousnesse sown by us shall bee watered with the showres of Gods righteousnesse from heaven and you may then conclude assuredly that yee shall have a plentious harvest and crop of everlasting mercy from the Lord. Finis Deo Gloria A Table of the chief things in this Treatise For the readier use of which thou art desired Gentle Reader first to correct the figures of the 20 21 29 66 69 178 272. pages In the exact enumeration of any other escapes of the Press we should little advantage the Work and seem too too mistrustful of thy ability to correct them and of thy charity to cover them they being not many nor of any great moment A. ACquittance of our sins to bee gotten from God pag. 46 49 Affection of God to his elect is eternal but the manifestation of it not before faith pag. 91 Afflictions of the godly are not properly called punishments pag. 61 Wherein they differ from the punishments of the wicked pag. 62 95 Comforts to be had under them pag. 65 Agony of Christ in the Garden and on the Cross described pag. 53 54 Anger of God its severity unknown to several sorts of sinners pag. 93 94 No appeal to bee made from Gods sentence pag. 9 The manner of application of redemption pag. 32 104 Attributes of God
as 2 Pet. 2.12 and chained fast to his lust by the bonds of iniquity Act. 8.23 his own iniquity shall take the wicked Prov. 5.22 3 Hee suffers innumerable miseries and intollerable Heb. 2.15 through fear of death c. When a man hath spent his wit youth strength state and worn out himself in the Devils drudgery when his body soul and Credit are all lost by the Devils service what reward for his true and trusty obedience Rom. 6. ult The wages of sin is death and Psal 11.6 7. Fire snares brimstone stormy tempests of Gods furious indignation this is the portion of his Cup. 1 Aggravation of this bondage of sinners O the misery of natural man far surpassing that of a Beast if a Dog bee chained hee howls if the Swine bee bound hee cries but sinful man laughs in the middest of his bondage hee counts it his liberty to live a slave to the Devil and thinks to gratify his fleshly lusts is liberty yea and promise others liberty in this course too whilest themselves are servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 though they have no more liberty than the Oxe that is lead to the slaughter 2 They will not beleeve nor understand their bondage as when Christ offered liberty to the Jews Joh. 8.32 they said they were never in bondage to any Their thraldome entered not into their thoughts and they disliked that our Saviour should mind them of it As it fared with those men that Elisha lead to Samaria they were bands of the Syrians yet followed the Prophet being blind into the City of their enemies thinking they had gone to Damascus So it is with these while the Devil lead them to Hell where they must perish beyond all hope and take up a room amongst murthering Spirits they yet conceive they are walking towards Heaven and defie the Devil as having nothing to do with him who are at the very Pits mouth the very brink of Hell and by no means will bee stopped O beloved Let no man deceive himself imagining that if the Laws of men take not hold of him but hee goes where hee lists and doth what hee will then hee is the onely man that leadeth a free Life but rather know that every States Free-man is not Christs Free-man or redeemed one No no there bee many that fare daintily live in all Lieentiousness have their fill of Worldly Pleasures and run at randome like the Beasts in the Wildernesse that are more arrant Slaves than those that row in the Gallies of Turky Let them turn the inside outward and they will finde Legions of domineering Devils commanding over them If thou didst never feel this spiritual bondage 't is a certain sign thou art under it still Colos 1.13 Who hath delivered us c. See Luke 11.21 its aggravation 1 In that it is of the Soul Peter Epist 1. Chapter 3. speaks of Spirits in Prison a natural mans spirit is one of them and shuts up in Sin too which is the worst Prison 2 Here the means of escape are far more difficult another Slave may run away or his bolts bee removed or hee may buy his liberty but here is no possibility of it Rom. 7.24 3 Here bee more bad Masters they serve divers Lusts Tit. 3.3 So many Lusts so many Masters Jacob found it hard to please Laban one bad Master 4 Here men love their bondage so that if liberty bee offered they refuse it Joh. 8.36 Christ proclaimed liberty to the Jews but they refused it Yea Caution to children of godly Parents not to think they are born free by way of Caution know That the Children of godly Parents though they use to think themselves born free through their Parents Covenant are not free from this bondage It was the Jews great delusion Joh. 8.33 39. that they stood so much upon their parentage that they were Abrahams seed Christ tells them another story you are of your Father the Devil and so said the Baptist Matth. 3.9 Think not to say within your selves c. you are a Generation of Vipers To speak then a word in mercy to all Church-Children and to all the Children of Godly Parents 'T is true you have a great blessing and precious priviledges that are born of such Parents but know that this spiritual Freedome comes not by discent Joh. 1.13 Which are born not of the flesh c. Yea more godly parentage makes a Childes condemnation much worse whilest hee lies still in his natural estate Ezekiel 16.3 your Father was an Amorite c. They were in the sight of God but as the Nations devoted to destruction if they do evil though of the stock of Israel Manasses the Sonne of Godly Hezekiah did worse than the Amorites 2 King 21.11 So many Children of Godly Parents are worse than the Indian Salvages And it is to bee feared that when your Parents are gathered to their Fathers as it follows vers 12 13. The Lord will stretch over New-England the Line of Samaria and the Plummet of the house of Ahab and will wipe New-England as a man wipes a dish wiping and turning it upside down You have more to answer for than the Indians have you have publick priviledges and private instruction and examples Remember that the Lord will one day say to you if you continue in this estate as he did to the Jews Joh. 8.40 you do thus and thus so did not Abraham you are lofty and proud so was not your father you follow loose company so did not your Father you love the pot and revelling so did not your father you care not what mischief you do to others so did not your Father you live in unclean courses you talk cursedly c. as it is v. 39. if you were Abrahams children in Gods account you would do the works of Abraham that is you would be godly and humble and righteous and sober as your Parents were Therefore lay aside all such foolish conceits and look to the rock from whence you were hewen Isa 51.1 and tread in the steps of your godly Parents Redemption by Christ sufficient THE FOURTH SERMON ON Romans 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Doct. THat there is a singular and plenteous redemption wrought by Jesus Christ sufficient to make satisfaction to God for the vilest sinners Two uses have been handled Vse 3. Comfort to the redeemed Comfort to all those that have interest in Christ for to them belongs this plenteous redemption A mercy greater than ever was bestowed upon the Creature as appears 1 In that they are redeemed from the Justice and Wrath of God and the Curse of the Law that the blessing of Abraham may come upon them Gal. 3.13 14. that is all the blessings of the Covenant of grace And what can be more than this 2 In that they are redeemed from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 so that no sin can hurt them and though they complain of
the greatnesse and multitude of their sins yet have they a good and sure hope through grace still Psal 130.6 O Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multum esse magnum esse plurimum esse The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying great and multiplied redemption that though sin abounds yet grace shall much more abound 3 In that they are redeemed from the perpetuity of all miseries felt or feared Thus did Job comfort his heart Job 19.25 Oh that my words were written oh that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an Iron Pen and in-laid in a Rock for ever What words were these that hee would thus eternize Why these I know that my redeemer lives and that he shall stand the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy my body yet in my flesh shall I see God c. that is hee will redeeme me from all my troubles in life and death it self and saies at death Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed mee O God of truth Psal 31.5 Quest How shall we know that we have a part in this Redemption Answ Trial of our redemption by Christ 1. If we be not in bondage to sin which appears in the commission and practise of sin according to that rule Joh. 8.34 Verily verily I say unto you that whosoever commits sin is a servant of sin This rule is universally true no man is set at liberty that commits sin and vehemently asserted Verily verily without all controversie and generally inclusive Whosoever doth it as 1 Joh. 3.8.10 He that commits sin is of the Devil yet note that committing sin is not intended of every particular individual act for so all men commit sin 1 Joh. 1.8.10 the free-men of Christ as well as the bondslaves of the Devil but of the common practice and work of wicked men so 't is 1 Ioh. 3.9 Hee that is born of God doth not work sin and 't is opposed to vers 7. where 't is said Hee that doth or worketh righteousnesse is righteous Now to doe righteousnesse is to exercise it customarily voluntarily deliberately to chuse a righteous course so to commit sin is voluntarily to live in the practice or allowance of any course of sin whatsoever So that he which gives common allowance to any one sin can have no comfort in this redemption but is in bondage still for saies Paul Rom. 6.16 Know you not that to whom you yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants you are c. You lose your own freedome yea you have sold your selves Isa 50.1 Behold for your iniquities you have sold your selves you take profit and pleasure and sell the Devil the eternal possession of your souls yea he holds them by conquest too 2 Pet. 2.19 Of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage Satan fights by tentations and subdues the soul so that it obeys him as a lawful Soveraign as often as it voluntarily chooses any sin ransack therefore an enlightned conscience and it will soon give an Account of liberty or bondage through the observation of thy course of life Obj. But may not a childe of God live and dye in such a state as David 2 Sam. 12.9 or as Paul Rom. 7.14 I am carnal and sold under sin Sol. It is impossible 1 Joh. 3.9 that hee that is born of God should so sin because the seed of grace abides in him and works these four things 1 A will and resolution in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 2 A resistance and reluctation against every known sin Gal. 5.17 3 Watchfulnesse about every concernment to prevent sin 1 Ioh. 5.18 4 Restlesnesse in case of relapse As in the Natural body all is restlesse till every joynt be in its place again so in a gracious heart 't is never satisfied till it come back into Gods way Where therefore this restlesnesse and reluctancy is wanting the soul is plunged into the depths of this hellish bondage The heart is hard to be perswaded of this estate and therefore Christ hath spoken so earnestly If thou seest not this misery or act unwillingly to try thy self or wouldest passe over the matter slightly thou mayest infallibly report thy self a slave to Satan and subject to this bondage 2 Consider how Redemption is applied of which Elihu gives an elegant description Job 33.19 to vers 25. Hee is such a one as is pinched with his bondage and chastened with strong pain his soul draws neer to the Grace and his life to the Buryers Then if there be a messenger one of a thousand to declare to man his righteousnesse God will be gracious unto him and say Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransome 1 The Lord opens the Ears to Discipline How redemption is applied which were before quite stopped up 2 Then he is arrested with the Lords indignation clapt up in prison and laid by the heels 3 Then he looks for deliverance and bayl and some messenger of glad tidings How earnestly doth his soul long for a ransome 4 At last the Lord saith I will be gracious Thus the spirit of bondage precedes and the spirit of adoption follows None set at liberty but such as know their bondage Obj. But a man may see his bondage and never be redeemed out of it Sol. True but none miscarry that are painfully inquisitive after the means of redemption Acts 23.7 16.30 For Reprobates see their bondage and sink under it as Cain and Judas seeking either no means through sluggishnesse and deadnesse of heart or false means through folly and blindnesse 3 Consider what resistance hath been made against thee in thy deliverance out of thy captivity for none is set at liberty without much opposition Satan like Pharaoh Exod. 3.19 will not let you goe no not with an high hand Hee will never let goe as long as he can hold you Luke 11.21 The strong man armed keeps the Palace holds his Prisoners with all his might till a stronger than he comes and ejects him Seek after this resistance 4 See what assistance of God thou hast had against all this resistance by the Devil As he stretched out his arme to deliver out of Aegypt Exod. 6.6 so he puts forth mighty power to deliver from the powers of darknesse by the spirit of his grace Col. 1.12 13. Acts 26.28 Hast thou felt this mighty power Vse 4. Of instruction and exhortation to shew men whither to goe for Redemption And 1 To those that find themselves to bee in this bondage Haste you for there is redemption in Christ none such to be had or heard of all the world over beside And what then should you doe but seek after this Zech. 9.12 Instruction to men in Spiritual bondage Turn you to your strong hold
the iniquity of us all Charged all the sins of the elect upon him And Christ comes of his own accord to undertake the debt Heb. 10.7 Loe I come to doe thy will Gal. 2.4 He gave himself for our sins Hee becomes Surety Heb. 7.22 Jesus was made Surety of a better Covenant for testaments use not to have Sureties Hence Christ is made a Debtor in mans room legally and by consent as really and truly as sinful man was before Neither will the Father follow the Law upon the poor beggarly bankrupt elect of Mankind but prosecutes the rich Surety and Christ must pay all And though other Creditors stand bound with their Surety here the Surety Christ stands bound alone 3 The matter of this satisfaction that the Father exacts from his Son are all his sufferings upon earth especially his obedience to the death of the Crosse Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin c. The Father requires that the Son should bear all that was threatned to the first Adam Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye 4 The form of this satisfaction stands in the manner thereof which was in every respect most perfect 1 Because the Person offering was God 2 The dignity of the offering Hee gave himself Ephes 5.2 3 The merit of the Oblation which had all perfection by the Hypostatical union Hence it must needs be of infinite value God and man in one Person voluntarily standing in the stead of faln man that is of the elect and drinking up the very dreggs of his Fathers Cup of indignation So that the Father saith I will bee gracious for I have found a Ransome Isa 53.5 Hee was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was upon him that is Christs sufferings are the means of our reconciliation and take away the enmity between God and us the word is of the plural number comprehending all peace external internal external And the word will more fully suit the matter if it be translated as the Septuagint hath done it Psal 69.22 and it will bear retributions The chastisement of our Retributions were upon him that is the punishment wee should have paid our selves hath he paid and made all even between God and the elect Obj. But what need this satisfaction for our justification Could not God by his meer grace forgive Sol. There is a necessity of satisfaction And though man could forgive a wrong God could not Reas 1. Because of his nature Jer. 25.26 That hee might be just and to declare his righteousnesse c. 1 Holinesse and righteousnesse are not of the essence of man as they are of God neither doth man hate sin essentially as God doth Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Judgement of God that those which commit such things are worthy of death c. Justice is to give to every one as hee deserves therefore Gods Judgement is so His holy nature requires sin to be punished in the Principal or in the Surety 2 To declare Gods righteousnesse God would shew it to all the world how just he is in punishing sin and requiring full satisfaction for sin Hee would make men and Angels know by an unheard of example in his own Son that if he bee but a Surety for sinners God will not abate him any thing of the payment he requires Zaleâ—cus King of the Locrians made a Law that Adulterers should have both their eyes put out now his Son being guilty of that sin that hee might observe the Law and yet favour his Son he put out one of his own eyes another of his Sons to declare to all his Subjects his justice in executing his Laws So the Father shewed his Justice in the severe punishment of his Son Reas 2. That Gods unchangeable Decree might stand Rom. 3.25 it is translated whom God set forth It may better be translated whom God decreed for so the word usually signifies in Scripture hinting to us that God had past an irrevocable Decree that Sin should never bee forgiven nor Man reconciled nor his Wrath pacified or appeased without satisfaction made Yea he decreed that his Son should give himself a Propitiatory Sacrifice for sin Psal 33.11 Now Gods Decree is not to be reversed therefore this satisfaction must be given Reas 3. Because of Gods Truth declaring that there shall not be pardons granted without a sufficient price paid Which was signified by all those offerings and sacrifices of old there being a Typical satisfaction exhibited in them accomplished in Christs death 1 Cor. 5.7 and Pro. 17.15 To justifie the wicked is an abomination to the Lord c. It is so always without due and legal satisfaction See also Ezeck 18.4 Heb. 9.22 But what God hath fore-told must come to passe Act. 1.16 The Scripture must needs bee fulfilled therefore satisfaction must be given Vse 1. To shew the unjustified estate of such as have no part in Christ If Christs redemption be necessary Unjustified without Christs satisfaction for the justification of a sinner then how miserable must their condition bee that are destitute of the redemption wrought by Christs satisfaction They goe away as the Pharisee unjustified still How dreadful then is the condition 1 Of Christs enemies who reject the satisfaction of Christ Enemies to Christs satisfaction through wilfulnesse carelesnesse and Apostacy Paul speaks of them with tears in his eyes full of pity and commiseration Phil. 3.18 Many walk of whom I told you often and now tell you again weeping that they are enemies to the Crosse of Christ Many that little thought they were such many where Christ is eminently profest many whom I have often warned of it many whose estate I bewail with tears many whose end is destruction described vers 19. men that mind only their back and belly earthly things Enemies they are to the Crosse of Christ for that would crucifie their lusts but they uphold them they 2 Pet. 2.1 deny the Lord. 2 Of the Contemners of the Word Contemners of his Word For such as slight the Word slight Christ and his satisfaction Joh. 12.48 they disannul Christ as to their own salvation that receive not his word Now it is not enough to testifie we take Phisick because we take it in our hands or mouthes unlesse we swallow it to purge and cleanse nor that we take food when we only take meat and set it by us unlesse we feed on it so nor to have the Word in our hands or in our ears or heads unlesse it converts us Psal 19.7 and cleanse us Joh. 15.3 Nor is it enough to admire and commend Sermons so did the Pharisees Mat. 22.22 3 Of carelesse men Careless of their foundation who take up either their own good conceits of themselves Luke 16.15 or a good testimony from their Neighbours brethren and flatterers or an approbation by the godly as Judas by the Apostles being a little sorry for their sins as Ahab
without shedding of blood there is no remission So that the blood of Christ is the Antitype aimed at in the blood of those Sacrifices that were slain for sins Doct. That Christ by way of Satisfaction for sinners suffered the full and utmost punishment due to the sins of the Elect. Col. 1.20 To clear which 1 Consider that hee endured bodily infirmities and weaknesses as hunger Matth. 4.2 thirst weariness Joh. 4.6 poverty 2 Cor. 8.9 wanting the ordinary provisions and comforts of this life Mat. 8.20 The Son of man hath not where to lay his head Isa 53.3 Hee was an abâ—ect among men a man of grief and acquainted with infirmity 2 Hee also underwent ignominy and extream disgrace by unjust accusations and vile reproaches hee is charged with blasphemy and of Leagues with Devils yea with Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Matth. 12.24 accused of sedition Rebellion Drunkenness Gluttony and that hee was a friend of Publicans and Sinners Matth. 11.19 3 Hee received many other injuries before his death as binding buffeting Luk. 22.63 scourging spitting blind-folding and evil intreating as if hee had been some fool or mad-man Isa 50.6 Hee gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair hee hid not his face from shame and spitting 4 Hee suffered Death it self Neâ—at est vincire civem Romanam scelus verberare quid dicam in crucem tollere Cic. cloathed with all the circumstances of horror and terror both a shameful and a painful death which none but Slaves and bond-men could bee put to Roman free-men never felt it It was a lingring and tedious death his hands and feet stabbed with nailes his bones put out of joynt Psal 22.14 A death accursed of God Gal. 3.13 and therefore Paul speaks it out with an Emphasis Phil. 2.6 Christ suffered onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. Hee was obedient to the death even the death of the Cross T is true some kind of sufferings called by Divines dishonourable sufferings not suitable to his person nor consistent with the Prophecies of him as noysome diseases tearing of his body in pieces breaking his bones or the corruption or rotting of any one part Act. 2.27 could not bee suffered by him Thus much the body of Christ suffered Now for his soul-suffering Christ not only suffered bodily death but also the pains of the second death Isa 53.12 Hee poured out his soul unto death yea unto deaths for the Original word is in the plural number to shew that it stands in two things 1 In the absence and withdrawing of God from the soul and the hiding the light of Gods countenance from it leaving it to blackness of darkness It was Sauls sad complaint That God was departed from him 1 Sam. 28.15 So was it Christs misery when hee cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Matth. 27.46 which departure of God answers the pain of loss that the Elect should have suffered yet know that Christ was left but for a time and that in regard of sense and feeling of comfort only and no farther 2 The fierce Indignation and wrath of God seized upon him setting open the flood-gates of his anger to overwhelm him with an unsufferable torture of which when Heman had but a small drop to that full Cup which Christ drunk hee complains Psal 88.16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over mee and thy terrours have cut mee off At the taste of which Job Job 6.4 cries The Arrows of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirits the terrors of God set themselves in array against mee And this suffering of Christ answereth to that punishment of sense the Elect should indure The second death is expressed Isa 30. ult By Tophet aâ—â— a pile of fire and much wood The breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone doth kindle it The breath of Gods displeasure is the very bellows of Hell that blows up that infernal fire as truely easless as endless to these Reprobates that bear the punishment of their own sins alone but oh how heavy when upon Christ is laid the iniquity of Vs all Isa 53.6 so that hee is well said Rev. 19.15 To tread the wine-Press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God Christs suffering of the second death was either in the Garden or on the Cross 1 His Agony in the Garden is described Mark 14.33 Matth. 26.28 Luke 22.44 Mark saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee began to bee amazed and to bee very heavy or wee may more fully express it thus Hee begun to be gastred with wonderful astonishment and to bee satiated filled brimfull with heaviness A very sad condition Matth. 26.38 hee said my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death It is beleagured or compassed round with sorrow for so sounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the sins of the Elect like a huge Army meeting upon him made a dreadful on-set on his soul Luke 22.43 44. 'T is said Hee was in an Agony That 's a conflict in which a poor Creature wrastles with deadly pangs with all his might mustring up all his faculties and force to grapple with them and withstand them Thus did Christ struggle with the indignation of the Lord praying once and again with more intense fervency Oh that the Cup may pass away if it bee possible while yet an Angel strengthened his outward man from utter sinking in the conflict Now if this weight that Christ bare had been laid on the shoulders of all the Angels in heaven it would have sunk them down to the lowest hell It would have crackt the Axel-tree of Heaven and Earth It made his blood startle out of his body in congealed cloddered heaps The heat of Gods fiery indignation made his blood to boil up till it ran over yea affrightened it out of its wonted chanel The Creation cost him but a words speaking and it was done but it costs bloody sweats soul-distraction to go through the work of redemption 2 His Agony on the Cross where hee drinks down the very Gall and dregs of the Cup that hee but sipped of before You hear him groaning out Matth. 27.46 with a loud voice Eli Eli Lamasabachthani Which is not as Papists say a leaving of Christ in the hand of the Jews for the misery of death of the Saints of the meanest rank doth not argue that God hath forsaken them 2 Cor. 4.9 Wee are persecuted but not forsaken Nor may we think the God-head ever had left the man-hood or that our Saviour had forsook his Father for hee called him still My God my God but the forsaking was the Fathers with-drawing the light of his countenance and then what could follow but darkness and extream horror The words are taken from Psal 22.1 where the blessed God is spoken to as quite and clean gone out of the hearing of his crying and roaring Now that must needs bee much more than forsaking that made the Son of
the Servant what will become of the Slave Laugh on but know that Christ wept for sin rejoyce thou but withall remember that Christs soul was heavy to the death about it And it may bee thou wilt one day hear God laughing at thy misery as thou dost at thy sin Prov. 1.26 'T is said of Babylon Rev. 18.7 So much as shee hath glorified her self so much sorrow and torment give her Christ smarted for the sins of the Elect and thou must one day expect to feel as much torment for sin as thou hast taken pleasure in committing of it The sport and pleasure of sin is like that play 2 Sam. 2.14 where they destroyed each other Young men in merriment and jollity make a mirthful pastime of Drunkenness and riotting till their sports prove the bloody murtherers of each other Man nor Angel durst not call Christ accursed if the Holy Ghost had not said it Gal. 3.13 and surely then O vain man thy condition must needs bee exceeding cursed if Christ were accursed for sin imputed only Oh the gall of bitterness that sin will bring wretched men into Knowest thou not that it will bee bitterness in the latter end 2 Sam. 2.26 2 Conceivest thou 2 Conceit that God is merciful and therefore thou shalt do well enough though thou dost continue in sin Know that God spared not his only Son Rom. 8.32 and why should hee spare thee his very enemy would hee not spare a Son and an onely Son and will hee spare a stranger an enemy Shall a Son of Belial speed better than the Son of God Did Christs neerness of relation abate him nothing and shalt thou bee abated hopest thou to finde more mercy at Gods hands than Christ could Luke 23.31 If this bee done in the green tree what will hee do in the dry Christ was not such dry fuel for his Fathers wrath to burn up as thou art Rev. 14.10 They shall drink of the wine of Gods wrath poured out without mixture 3 But I will pray 3 Conceit and amend my life and turn over a new leaf and God will be gracious Canst thou pray better than Christ hee prayed earnestly Luke 22.44 with strong Cries and Tears Heb. 5.7 hee spent whole nights in prayer Luke 6.12 yet must he dye the death Canst thou reform and bee more holy than Christ hee fulfilled all righteousness Matth. 3.17 Hee did alwaies what pleased the Father Joh. 8.29 and yet all would not bee taken for current pay without his bearing the extremity of Gods fearful indignation What hope canst thou then maintain while thou lyest in sin 4 If I go to Hell I shall have company 4 Conceit and will speed as well as others and will bear it as well as I can wilt thou bear it O heap of dust Hast thou an Arm like God Job 40.9 knowest thou what thou sayest Christ is stronger than all Men and Angels that created the Heavens and bears up its Pillars that they stagger not yet blood leaps out of his veins when hee comes to encounter his Fathers wrath Hee cries with tears Father if it be possible Let this Cup pass from mee And again hee groans it out Psal 90.11 Who knows the power of his Anger that made his Son thus to cry out The earth trembled at it The Sun mourned under an Eclipse at the sight of it The graves opened to sigh at his sorrow The rocks cleft in sunder Was the mighty God put to all these perplexities to bear his Fathers wrath And shall such a worm as thou art bee able to wade through such a bottomless Sea of miseries All Christs sufferings were voluntary and chosen by himself and perfectly known before hee suffered them so that hee was prepared for them nor had hee any sin to weaken his strength or increase his burden and fully knew what infinite good his sufferings would do to save thousands to reconcile God and man to glorify God but not one of these chearing considerations can bee found in thy sufferings Thine will bee violent and suddain and unknown until thou feelest them and wilt have the burden of thine own sin as well as misery a pittiful gaulded back to bear so great a burden no good can come by all thy torments and canst thou hope to bear so great a burden as this to eternity Oh saies Spira That I might indure the wrath of God but twenty thousand years but it must bee eternally Thy soul must say after millions of years The pit is bottomeless The fire is unquenchable 5 But Christ hath suffered 5 Conceit therefore surely I never shall suffer these things Christs sufferings cannot prevent nor ease the torments of Christlesse souls Rev. 6.16 17. 1 Pet. 2.8 None can have the benefit of his death that have nor the benefit of his life His blood justifies none that continue strangers to the will of God Cavil But this is Legal Preaching in Gospel times speak to us of peace in Christ Reply Surely this is Gospel Preaching and a principal Doctrin of the Gospel too If justification by Christ be legal Doctrin what is Evangelical The Spirit saies in the Gospel though men love not to hear it Eph. 5.6 That the Unclean Malitious Covetous Drunkards shall never enter into the Kingdom of God And in truth all the threats of the Law and torments of the damned cannot set out sin in so ugly and dismal a face as this point doth The Law shews sin a sword to draw our blood but this shews it to be a Spear drawing the heart blood of the Son of God The Law makes man accursed the Gospel makes the Son of God accursed The sin of all the world on one man could not bring him so low as the least sin of the Elect can bring the Son of God Adams sin threw him out of Paradise from earth to earth and his Sons into hell that is but from earth to hell but Christ is by imputed sin fallen from the glory of heaven to the very sorrows of hell Whither then will the sinner fly for succour Do not think O impenitent man that thou canst better thy self by flying from the Law to the Gospel If Christ for sin suffered such things where shall the ungodly and sinner appear 1 Pet. 4.17 The Extremity and exactness of Christs Sufferings THE SEVENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.24 25. Through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Doct. WEE have already proved and in part applied this Doctrin That the Redemption of Sinners was wrought by Christs suffering the utmost and full punishment duâ— to sin Wee are now to proceed to the second use Vse 2. This informs that no punishment properly so called belongs to the Members of Christ nor are any of their Afflictions to bee deemed punishments for sin For if Christ hath suffered to the full All the punishment due to his Members then there is no punishment left to them to suffer but Christ hath suffered to
So was it with the Church Cant. 3.4 I found him whom my soul loveth c. 2 The Lord intends to make us more watchful for future times that wee may more rigidly separate and bee divorced from the Creature Adulterous hearts have their stoln waters which God hates and therefore imbitters them and shews us thereby our carelessness about the main As the Mother hides her self behind some tree or wall to make the Childe watchful and to cry after her and search and hang upon her armes so doth God 3 The Lord intends by it to make Christians ransack the right ground of Faith and Hope to dive into the Scriptures and to search the experiences of other Christians Psa 77.56 saying have you any word of comfort for such a soul as mine It will make him to regard a gracious man as one of thousand It will make him Catechise himself whether hee hath any evidence of Gods love or whether hee lives not in some sin or other or whether hee bee willing to part with all for Christ or whether hee maintains any Communion with God which are quickning questions Now then if any man be under this calamity to think himself forsaken of God 1 Let him consider That the extream sufferings of Christ were to reconcile God and man to bring God back again to man and man to his God 1 Pet. 3.18 19. which hee must wait for 2 Let him not pass the sentence of reprobation upon himself or say hee is an Hypocrite because for the present he is under trouble of Spirit It had been a dreadful Conclusion for Christ to have questioned whether hee was the Son of God because of his desertion Say rather wee may have the presence of his Grace and Spirit when wee want the presence of his comfort As a man in a swoon may have a living soul though hee wants the operation of it and a man may injoy some light of the Sun in the firmament though the Sun be eclipsed So may a Saint have life and direction from God when hee finds not its comfortable actings 3 Let him take Christs course to set faith and praise awork When Christ was in his agony he prayed the more earnestly Luk. 22.41 and used his faith eminently crying My God my God c. Joh. 12.27 Now is my soul troubled here is your case Father save mee from this hour here is your duty of faith crying Father of prayer save mee from this hour 4 Plead for the Fruit of Christs desertion which was that thou maiest not bee utterly forsaken ply him hard and thou wilt find him nighter thee than thou wast aware of 3 And be upheld in death it self Thou shalt bee upheld in death it self for Christ hath triumphed over death Hell and the Devil in the cross Col. 2.15 And not only triumphed over them as overcome but hath taken great spoiles even all their armour deaths sting is plucked out the bonds of the Grave are broken Death is vanquished by Christs death Heb. 2.14 which resolves Sampsons knotty riddle Judg. 14.14 Out of the eater commeth forth meat and out of the strong comes sweetness Paul keeps the thanksgiving day for that happy victory 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks bee to God c. For the whole Conquest is perfected Heb. 10.14 and that for ever And the Testament is for ever confirmed Heb. 9.17 by the death of the Testator Nothing is wanting to carry us happily to glory through death it self There needs no more sacrifices nor no second offering for sin All is finished Quest This is good news but how shall I know that I have a right to this comfort Answ It s a weighty Question and needs a solid resolution which wee shall hereafter more fully give At present take that rule Heb. 10.14 Hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified So Heb. 5.9 Hee became the Author of Salvation unto them that obey him No Prophane no nor unsanctified man however civilized hath any part or portion in this consolation Such therefore as think there cannot bee a Saint on Earth or think it too soon to be holy or make a mock at a precise Gospel-Conversation may in no wise apply this comfort to themselves It is not enough to bee Church-members or visible Saints but wee must bee sanctified in truth and reallity Christ should lose a great part of the effects of his sufferings if wee should not bee sanctified Eph. 5.25 26. Christ gave himself for his Church that hee might sanctify it and cleanse it and can any man think hee will lose his end and miss his main intent surely no. There is none but the Church mystical who are truely sanctified and cleansed that have any fellowship in this businesse Let the upright in heart therefore take this Consolation as a dish prepared for none other but their refreshing Psalm 32. ult Deut. 33.1 Use 4. Of Refutation of that ignorant discourse of foolish People who affirm That the least drop of Christs blood is sufficient to save the world The least drop of Christs blood will not save Why say they so because of the dignity of the person of Christ If this were true then the Circumcision of Christ was enough for there was a drop of blood shed or his Crown of thornes was enough for t is like they drew blood Then all Christs sufferings besides were superfluous and vain Then God were unjust to take more than was his due Then Christ was foolish and imprudent to pay more than hee needed But Christ himself saies these many things were necessary Mark 8.3 The Son of man must suffer many things Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his Glory There was a Necessity of suffering and of suffering these things There was a necessity in respect of the end that the Elect might have the blessing and therefore Christ is made a Curse that hee might bear the Curse due to their sin Gal. 3.13 The Exactness of Christs sufferings THE EIGHTH SERMON ON Rom. 3.24 25. Through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ WEE have already in part applyed this Doctrin That the Redemption of sinners was wrought by Christs suffering the utmost and full punishment due to sin Wee are yet farther to proceed in our application Use 5. Exhortation and direction The refuge of greatest sinners And first to the vilest sinners For this Doctrin darts forth a little light to those poor souls in the dark dungeon of their natural yea most sinful estate It shews a possibility of escape from the wrath to come 'T is true none but a sanctified man can have any comfort in Christs death or conclude his salvation by the death and sufferings of Christ Yet there is hope of salvation a far off Psal 89.19 There is help laid upon one that is mighty Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness dwells Eph. 2.13 You that were a far off Psal 119.155 Salvation is far
have destroyed Christ had not the sins of the elect met on him 2 The killing Christ is a farre fouler bloud-guiltinesse than ever David incurred than to kill an only Son or to murther a Josiah a King a godly King for this is the crucifying the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 and may therefore well be lamented 3 The love we owe and bear to Christ for his unparallel'd condescentions to make us heirs of glory should engage our hearts to weep for his death as he did for Lazarus's death Joh. 11.35 56. which the Jewes took notice of to be the probate of his love Behold how he loved him Thus Christ imputes the repenting tears of that sinful woman Luke 7.47 to love Christs great graciousnesse makes the most stony heart to lament its provocations 4 The sense of our dreadful and undone estate that needed the death of Christ to establish a Covenant of Grace with us should provoke us to bee in bitternesse as God expects Ezeck 16.62 63. And I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord. 5 The Spirit of grace and supplication is now poured forth into the soul and that Spirit is a spirit of Lamentation and works and continues a broken and contrite spirit in all that receive it as it did in those Converts Acts 2.37 Pricking them to the heart for all their wrongs and injuries put upon Christ for embruing their hands in his precious bloud Look back therefore upon thy pleasure that thou hast taken in sin and with what greedinesse thou hast committed it and compare them with Christs sufferings and what hee deserved at thy hands that it may break thy heart as it did Davids 2 Sam. 12.7 8. when hee had long lain in a slumbering condition and God told him how much he had done for him wondring that after so much love he should despise his Commandements and make so wretched a requital How doth he cry out upon his sins vers 13. and loathes himself Obj. But a Christian should rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ how then comes it to be the object of sorrow Sure Paul thought otherwise Gal. 6.14 Sol. How the Crosse is a ground of rejoycing as well as of mourning It is true Christs Crosse is a ground of rejoycing as well as a ground of sorrow Of sorrow in respect of that hand we had in his death the wounds which our sins gave him the hard dealing and unkind requital he hath received for all his love Of joy in respect of the benefits and good we receive by his death Let us therefore maintain a spring of godly sorrow for our sins and streams of joy for the blessings we receive by him which is the true eating the Passeover with bitter Herbs Exod. 12.8 Also making confession of their sins Levit. 16.21 The Papists have a seeming practice of this duty keeping Good-friday in penance and lamentation setting up a Crucifix before them and zealously hating the Jewes for putting Christ to death but think not of their own sins that they had a hand in it To whom Christ might justly say as to the Women weeping at his Crosse Luk. 23 28. O yee daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves for your sins whereby you have wounded me which is the duty of every Christian 2 Upon the consideration of Christs extream sufferings for Sin the Members of Christ are pressed hard Christs members should hate sin to hate every evil way and to shun all sin for ever 1 Because it was one end of Christs crucifying To hate sin is the end of Christs death that sin and the flesh should be crucified Gal. 5.24 that They that are Christs have crucified the flesh understanding by the flesh the corruption of Nature with the affections and lusts of it Christs members should pluck up the very roots of sin the very inward lusts that grow in the heart Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might bee destroyed that is the whole corruption of Nature may be killed by the death of Christ yet not so farre as to free us from all sin but that we might not serve sin or obey it in the lusts thereof For this cause did Christ bear our sin upon the Crosse That we being dead unto sin might live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 That is that we should behave our selves like dead men not to be moved nor inticed to sin For first this was the end which God propounded to himself in his Sons death to destroy sin Wee must be very careful how we frustrate the end of God in our giving way to sin Secondly Christ hath by his death merited the death of sin and so we are said to dye with Christ and so bee freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Thirdly adde to this the efficacy of Christs death which works the ruine of sin in all his members Hence Phil. 3.10 wee read of a power and force in the death of Christ to make us conformable to his death while his Spirit is killing sin in us So that Christs death hath no comfort for them that hate not sin 2 Our sin killed Christ We must hate sin because it killed Christ if then wee have any love to Christ wee must needs kill sin Psal 97.10 Yee that l ve the Lord hate evil The Love of Christ constraineth us to it 2 Cor. 5.14 The law of Nature makes a man that hee cannot indure the sight of one that hath killed his father or his dear Friend but his very heart will rise against him and hee cannot choose but follow the Law upon him to the utmost to hang him if all the law in the World will do it And can wee bee so unnatural that sin should destroy our dearest Saviour and we not be avenged upon it How should wee bee transported with Indignation at sin that brought on our Redeemer the pains both of the first and second death Then let us pursue our sins with all possible detestations if wee let them go wee are no Friends to Christ Let us stab them to the heart till they bleed their last that drew the blood of Christ Let them never come to any Sanctuary or City of refuge but as Avengers of that precious blood let us leave sin no shift no way to escape Let us say to them as David to the young man that told him hee had slain Saul 2 Sam. 1.14 How wast thou not afraid to stretch out thy hand to destroy the Lords annointed and David commanded him strait to bee slain do thou likewise Reason thus also against all temptations these sins were the death of my Saviour and why should they bee my delight They pierced his hands and feet
and wounded his soul and why should they be contentment to mine God forbid 3 Minde the desert of sin We must fear sin because it crushed Christ and the severe proceedings of God against it in Christ our surety Luke 23.31 If this be done in the green tree what will bee done in the dry Christ was the Green tree full of sap exceeding fruitful the true vine Joh. 15.1 the very embleme of fruitfulness yea the tree of life Rev. 2.7 yet this could not exempt him from his sharpest sufferings Christ was free from all sin in his nature the Devil himself could find nothing in him Joh. 8.46 but we have a World of wickedness in us Christ was full of righteousness Rom. 5.17 and wee full of wickedness yet God spared not his Son where shall wee ungodly and sinners appear Christ was the onely begotten and wee are in comparison strangers if hee had no tenderness to his Son what can his Slaves hope for Christ was both God and Man in personal Union strengthened by Angels yet what Agony what tears what conflicts did hee undergo wee are but stubble but a rotten stick fit fuel for everlasting burnings how shall wee stand in the day of tryal O it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 Oh that wee had hearts to apprehend the evil of sin before wee come to feel it Blessed are they that beleeve and fear and tremble and never experimentally know the vileness of sin God seeing the hardness of our hearts hath manifested the evil of sin by the sufferings of Christ a better argument then all the curses racks and torments of Hell it self could produce to demonstrate the dreadful nature of it This may convince the hardest hearts in the world and let the very godly themselves see that sin is more vile than ever they imagined it to bee 4 Know that sin will kill us as well as it killed Christ if wee prevent not the malignity of it Death is the proper wages of sin both the first and second death Object But a Childe of God is in no danger of sinning nor of eternal punishment Sol. Surely 't is true Doctrin that 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God Wee know how Churches have smarted for sin for little sins in the Worlds account The Jews cast off for unbeleef Saints corrected though not damned for sin the Church of Ephesus for forsaking her first love Laodicea for lukewarmness threatned to bee dis-Churched Add that Ezek. 9.6 the destroying Angel had a charge to begin at Gods sanctuary Yea many godly men smart for their boldness in sin here in this World Paul writes to Saints Rom. 8.13 and yet tells them If you live in the flesh yee shall dye and speaks not onely of a temporal but eternal death You will say 't is not possible for Saints to dye eternally I answer 't is as possible for Saints to dye eternally as to sin eternally Let all men look to it for sin continued in will certainly destroy all its practitioners Having therefore these considerations Let us dread to have any thing to do with sin This consideration is proposed to this very end Heb. 12.2 3. that the sight of what Christ endured by sin might make us constant and couragious in withstanding all the fiery darts of the Devil and declining every evil way striving against it unto blood vers 4. as Christ did to the very death not refusing the worst of sorrows The worst sorrow is better than the best sin to eschew the best of sins to part with your heart blood as well as your good names ease and profit if God call you to it Thus doth Peter argue 1 Pet. 4.1 2. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered in the flesh for us let us arm our selves likewise with the same minde for hee that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that hee no longer should live the rest of his life in the flesh to the lusts of men c. The issue of the words is this The Faithful have Union and Communion with Christ and therefore they must bee conformable to Christ in Holinesse but must ceafe from sinne arguing thus That if wee have lost our head for sin it is not possible we should live in sin any longer but we have lost our head for sin Or thus All they dyed in Christ for sin for whose sin Christ dyed and they that dyed once for sin cannot sin any more If therefore thou continuest to sin how beleevest thou that Christ dyed for thee Let thy conscience bee the judge 3 Hath Christ loved us so dearly Christs death merits our love that merited heaven for us as to suffer such dreadful torments for us then what shall wee do for Christ O man return this day an Answer to the Lord what course thou wilt take to walk suitable to his kindness When David received a deliverance from God hee saies Psal 18.1 I will love thee dearly O Lord my strength God shewed him much love and hee intends to make a retaliation And indeed love is the Load-stone of love Never was such love shown as that of Christ Rev. 1.5 Who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Eph. 5.2 Who gave himself for us his life and blood and all Yea hee parted with his fathers love which was a thousand times better than life for us Hee became accursed that might have been blessed Let us not bee scanty in our love to him but give him our heart both freely and liberally to the death his death well merits our love that merits heaven for us Where Christ hath laid such deep ingagements sleepy faint good wishes will not serve the turn Love in Christ was stronger than death 't is pitty that any cold velleities of love and service should bee our sacrifice All blessings of the World should endear us more and more to the Lord but oh what an Obligation should it bee that Christ became a Curse for us The very Master-piece of all mercies and blessings to the Elect yea it gives a sweet seasoning to all our blessings which have a Curse cleaving to them for all that are out of Christ turning all their sweet morsels into the poyson of Asps or into gravel Prov. 1.32 yea their prosperity is destructive Alas what are Riches and Accommodations and good fare when the Lord once charges Sin upon the conscience what is it to bee rich and reprobate to bee deliciously fed with the rich Glutton and a damned creature The World is a Prison and Riches are shakels Creatures are enemies all wee have is vanity and vexation of spirit all blessings turned into cursings Mercies are curses without Christs death yea and all Ordinances gifts parts duties c. without Christs blood are but carnal things You say how doth that appear why Eph. 1.3 those are alone spiritual
blessings that are given us in Christ Yea they are dead and deadly things without Christ for the letter killeth 'T is his Divine power that sets all a work 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us then fix our thoughts therefore on Christs sufferings not onely now and then giving them a slight glance or two as they come in our way Let us dwell on the Meditation of his infinite love till our hearts are warmed and inlarged by it till it kindles heavenly affections in us till his love constrains us to every good duty 2 Cor. 5.14 'T is that the greatest part of the World never knew God hath not shewed his love to all people Let Christs love therefore work love in thee out-biding all other loves Matth. 10.37 to hate the very best things in nature in comparison of Christ yea our love to Christ should make us bold to attempt anything commanded by him So it wrought in Paul Act. 21.13 I am ready to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus And if any man love him not saith Paul 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him bee accursed till the Lord come 4 Let this Argument inforce brotherly love 'T is the Holy Ghosts own inference We cannot bestow our love better than on them whom Christ loves 1 Joh. 4.11 If Christ so loved us wee ought to love one another For wee ought to love them best that Christ loved best Wee cannot bestow our affections better than where Christ hath bestowed his Now Christ hath bestowed his dearest bowels on the Saints so also ought we to bee tender of each other Far be it from any Christian to bee of the mind of Josephs brethren to hate him the more because their Father Jacob loved him or because the Saints have more grace or more infirmities than our selves They must bee loved for their Fathers sake though they should give us some cause to slight them Christs Propitiation THE TENTH SERMON ON Rom. 3.24 25. Whom God hath set forth a Propitiation I Have spoken of the Redemption and Satisfaction of Christ and the fulness of that satisfaction Now of the efficacy thereof which is expressed in the word propitiation together with the efficient cause thereof i.e. God the Father and his manner of working in the word set forth Propitiation signifies the Lords Reconciliation to sinners by way of Sacrifice Heb. 2.17 Propitiation what it means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is said to bee a merciful High-Priest in things pertaining unto God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Where the Verb of which the word in the Text comes is used It belonged to the Priest when the people had sinned to make reconciliation for them to God by way of sacrifice as often in Levit. 5. 6. for which end God appointed certain expiatory sacrifices in the time of the Law the beast must dye instead of the sinner And this doth singularly set forth and express both the Priestly Office of Christ that it belongs to him and him onely to make an attonement and that by way of Sacrifice and oblation to God So Levit. 23.27 28. Propitiation is also often used for the Mercy Seat Heb. 9.5 referring to Exod. 25.17 18 21 22. which Mercy Seat covered the Ark of the Testimony wherein were put the two tables of the Law and there saith God I will meet thee I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat from between the two Cherubims for all things that I will give thee in commandement unto the children af Israel Where wee may consider 1 That as the Mercy Seat covered the Tables of the Law from the face of God dwelling between the Clâ—â—ruâ—ims aboue the Ark So Christ doth cover the transgressions of both the Tables of the Law from the face of God that hee should not behold sin so as to impute it to the faithful Thus 1 Joh. 2.2 2 The Mercy Seat was the place where God used to meet his people and to shew himself reconciled to them 3 There they might consult with God in their straights 4 That over against the Mercy Seat the Priest went daily to offer sacrifice Heb. 9.6 So that in this word is contained both the means appointed for the attonement i.e. The Sacrifice of Christ and also the Lords reconcilement unto the persons of his people 5 The Mercy Seat contained the Law so doth Christ all our righteousnesse 6 It was interposed betwixt the Testimony and the Lord so is Christ betwixt God and our sins Doct. Through the sacrifice of Christs blood the Father is pacified That through the Sacrifice of Christ God is pacified and appeased with all those that have fellowship with Christ 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Christ is called our propitiation in the abstract Signifying that all which is requisite to pacify Gods anger against us is laid up in Christ and his Death there needeth nothing more but onely the pleading of his merit with the Father which also Christ himself doth as our Advocate 1 Joh. 4.10 God sent his Son to bee the propitation for our sins 1 Thess 1.10 Rom. 5.9 Being justified by his blood wee shall bee saved from wrath through him This was typified by all the Sacrifices from the beginning of the World All the vertue in them was by vertue of Christs death Heb. 10.4 The death of a beast could not suffice by way of Exchange for the death of a man If a subject should bee a Traytor to his Sovereign would the King take his Cattels life for his much less then can the wrath of God bee appeased with the blood of beasts It is onely by Christs death Rom. 5.1 Matth. 3.17 Eph. 1.6 Luk. 2.14 The Mercy Seat was called the Propitiatory as here Christ is called the Propitiation No propitiation was by the Mercy Seat without blood Heb. 9.7 thus sweetly prefiguring the satisfaction of Jesus Christ Quest Wherein stands this pacifying of Gods anger Answ There be three things implyed in it 1 The wrath of God before to bee kindled against sinners Rom. 3.5 2 That the effects of his anger in punishment and judgements are hanging over the sinners head 3 It doth mainly import the turning away of those judgements and the quenching of that wrath with the exemption and delivery of the sinner there-from All which wee finde Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated c. So Isa 59.2 compared with Eph. 2.13 Quest How God is pacified toward them whom he loved eternally How can God bee said to bee pacified towards them that have fellowship with Christ seeing that undoubtedly God loved them from all eternity Answ 1 Eph. 2.3 whatever wee are by grace yet by Nature wee are children of wrath Or as the Apostle Rom. 11.8 Concerning the Gospel they are enemies but as touching Election they are beloved for the Fathers-sake So indeed Gods chosen being yet in a natural estate they are enemies to God and God is an enemy to them in regard of
men prosper Answ They do sometimes prosper outwardly but then God sendeth leannesse into their souls as Psal 106.15 and spiritual judgements Psal 81.10 Hos 4.14 To bee under wrath and not to feel it is the worst of conditions When God doth reserve his wrath for men and lay it up in store unto the day of the righteous and dreadful revelation thereof Vse 2. Comfort to men in Christ Here is great consolation to men in Christ The great thing that wee have to fear is the wrath of God and that which mainly doth trouble the soul is his anger Now wee being in Christ this is done away Hos 4.14 Rom. 8.1 All sins are covered All good shall be bestowed Every affliction shall be sanctified and advantagious We may boldly meet with God and consult with him before his Mercy Seat Object But doth not Gods anger sometimes smoak against the sheep of his pasture Psal 74.1 David complains there was no soundness in his flesh because of Gods anger c. Answ It cannot bee denyed but that his anger may bee so far kindled against such a one that hee may hide his face from him and lay sad afflictions upon him But then it is not the vindicative or destructive wrath of a Cruel Enemy or as to sinners unreconciled But his wrath is medicinal Jerem. 9.7 Roman 5.11 the Corrections of a Father who though he loves yet will not cocker his childe but teach him duty as Psal 99.8 Hos 2.6 7. Num. 12.14 Object Yea but my affliction is in my soul and conscience too therefore it is his anger and vengeance Answ Why is hee not a God that hideth his face sometimes from his own Israel Isa 45.15 therefore do not too rashly conclude by this Quest What shall I then do Answ 1 Enquire into the ground of thy interest in Christ and that throughly 2 Ransack thy conscience and see what relapses thou hast had and labour to recover thy self and rise again Rev. 2.4 5. 3 Betake thy self to Christs sacrifice and propitiation afresh Isa 8.17 4 Humble thy soul before the Lord and be ashamed of thy offence Numb 12.14 Use 3. Of Admonition Take heed of rash judging of the children of God to teach us to take heed of rash judgement concerning the children of God However for the present they are or may bee afflicted by the hand of God The fashion of the World in this case is to conclude that either they are very Hypocrites or else greater sinners than other men and that now the vengeance of God hath found them out Thus did Jobs friends judge him and God was offended with them for it Job 42.7 So did Shimei curse David 2 Sam. 16.7 8. And the Barbarians Paul Act. 28.4 That vengeance would not suffer him to live This Christ forbiddeth Luke 13.2 3 And Psalm 41.1 3. sets forth diverse blessings of a man that judges wisely of the poor in the time of his affliction It s a singular grace of God and shall never go unrewarded As the Moon is nearest to the Sun when the least light doth outwardly appear So is God nearest to the Godly when they have the least outward Light of Comfort Psalm 91.15 Above all beware that the Afflictions of the people of God bee not a stumbling block to thee as it often falls out by the just judgement of God upon uncharitable persons Thus the death of the young Prophet that spake against the Altar hardened Jeroboam in his Idolatry and his other sins God doth afflict many times because hee loves And he will not bee traced in his waies as ordinarily men may be Eccles 7.14 God hath set Adversity and Prosperity the one against the other to the end that man should finde nothing after him that is that none may find out that end which God hath in afflicting of his servants Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements c. Christ a Propitiation THE ELEVENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.24 25. Whom God hath set forth a propitiation Doct. THat through the Sacrifice and bloud-shed of Christ God the Father is throughly pacified with all those that have interest in Christ From whence now followeth Vse 4. It may put us upon serious enquiry how the Lord stands affected towards each of our persons whether his wrath be appeased towards us or no It is a question requiring the most serious consultation and full resolution Luk. 14.31 seeing that God cometh with such force and strength against us It is time to enquire whether it be peace or no And wee should not rest until wee could say as Psal 85.2 3. And of your selves in particular as 1 Thess 5.9 God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation Loc a state of Wrath is opposed to a state of Salvation and some there are that are appointed to it Ah should every one say am not I one of those This is the first Question that must be resolved for our Salvation Mat. 3.7 This made the Pharisees and Sadduces to make some shew and semblance of Repentance and flock to the Baptism of John And it is the first work of the Law of God upon a Sinner Rom. 4.13 The Law worketh wrath that is it discovers the Wrath of God against the sinner And it is certain that till this Work of God be done and this Question cleared to thy soul thou hast not taken one step from Wrath and Hell 2 This concerns not one or a few actions of sin but our state in and under wrath and all depends on this if the Lord doth hate our persons what hope of peace with him can wee have Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh whatsoever they doe they cannot please God If a man know not his estate he knows not what to avoyd or what to doe but hee must needs goe on in the dark and worship hee knows not what nor how 3 Satan strives to hide this from every soul so long as hee can Hee blindes mens eyes 2 Cor. 4.4 5. 1 By godlesse cogitations Psal 14.1 2 By presumption Revel 3.17 Matth. 7.21 3 By over-charging our hearts with sensual lusts and the cares of this life Luk. 21.34 4 By an evil Conscience Joh. 3.20 5 By Idols set up in our hearts Isa 44.20 6 By the practice example and company of evil men of the world Joh. 7.48 Have any of the Rulers beleeved on him 4 If a man is a stranger to this inquisition and unwilling to this search he is evidently the subject of Gods anger Psal 10.4 5 6. and also vers 11. 13. and it is a manifest token of the Atheism of his heart 5 There will come times when every sinner shall be forced to enquire into this and that when it is near past hope of remedy As when death approaches and the anger of God beginneth to seize us Then shall wee say is not this evil come upon us because the Lord is not among us Deut. 31.17.29.24 25. Then will
In former times by the sacrifice of the Law the Mercy Seat and other types thus was Christ then set forth Act. 10.36 All these interpretations are usefull and precious which I comprehend therefore in this Doct. Christ was purposed and proposed our Propitiation That God the Father purposed from eternity and proposed in fulness of time his Son Jesus Christ to bee the propitiation for sinners 1 It s much insisted on in Scripture that the eternal decree and purpose of God is mentioned as the ground mark of our redemption 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God and the sanctification of the Spirit and obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Here wee have three works of the divine persons in the salvation of souls The Fathers election the Sons redemption and the Spirits application And these two latter are grounded in the former As also 1 Thess 5.9 1 Joh. 4.10 Act. 4.28 2 Christ was proposed formerly in the Old Testament I mean in the promises prophecies and types Act. 10.36 Luke 1.70 1 Pet. 1.10 11. The Prophets prophecyed of the grace of God in Christ and testified before hand of the sufferings of Christ c. Heb. 9.22 3 Most clearly in the Gospel-times 1 Pet. 1.20 The Lamb fore-ordained was manifested and offered in our times 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Gods purpose and grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began but is now made manifest by Christ c. when he came in flesh then was the fountain set open Zach. 13.1 Quest How was the decree of God the Father about the propitiation of Christ Answ There was from all eternity a gracious Covenant betwixt the persons of the Holy Trinity as it is expressed Isa 53.10 c. with Heb. 10.8 The Father saith If hee will make his soul an offering for sin c. And the Son saith Loe I cometo do thy will my God Quest Why did God the Father purpose from eternity Christ to be our propitiation Answ No reason can bee given but the good pleasure of the Lord Isa 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him c. It s called the love of God and the free love of God 1 Joh. 4.10 that hee sent his Son to bee our propitiation Nothing without God whether faith or works or perseverance foreseen could move God to purpose any mans salvation For I may speak it with reverence God could not foresee any mans faith and good works except hee had decreed to give faith and obedience too himself Quest Why did God propose in the times of the Old Testament Christs propitiation Answ 1. It was necessary for the salvation of all the Elect before the comming of Christ there being no salvation to be had in any other but him Act. 4.12 and no salvation by Christ but by his sacrifice Heb. 9.22 but this is certain that God appointed their salvation and therefore appointed the means thereof that is the proposal of the Sacrifice and propitiation of Christ 1 Thess 5.19 2 It was necessary for after times for hence it is that Christ and his Apostles did Preach still out of the Old Testament Besides If they had one way of salvation and wee another then there would have been more waies to heaven than one and that would have endangered our salvation for wee should have been left in doubt and suspicion which way to take But the Scripture shews us that wee must bee saved as the fathers were Act. 15.11 Quest Why was Christs sacrifice proposed so openly since the comming of Christ Answ 1. In respect of the Elect both Jews and Gentiles that both might see their free admittance to him and acceptation in him Act. 2. cap. 3. 2 In respect of the reprobates that they might be left without excuse and Gods justice cleared in their destruction Eph. 2.13 Use 1. The hainousness of their sin who do neglect Christ This may serve to discover the hainousnesse of their sin that do either neglect or despise Christs Sacrifice or propitiation For 1 Consider that that revelation of Christ in the Old Testament though but dark and imperfect yet was sufficient and effectual unto the salvation of all the Elect then the Patriarks and Prophets c. John 1.29 Act. 10.43 Could the Ceremonies and the shadows save how much more Jesus Christ the body it self as hee is now revealed Could they see the Promises afar off and embrace them then And wee when they are near at hand put them away from us Had they but the predictions of Christs death and were saved by it and wee are not who have the full accomplished thereof God reserved for us these better things sad and very sinful is it if wee become never the better but the worse Act. 13.32 33. The Promise which God made unto the Fathers hee hath fulfilled unto us their children the neglect of these must needs be a more hainous sin for which the Patriarks and Prophets of old shall stand up in the judgement and condemn us 2 Because Christ is so generally and freely offered to all that will receive him Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him come and take of the waters of life freely What can men say but that their destruction is now of themselves wholly and that they are self-murtherers This will make the fire of Hell furnace seven times hotter than ordinary and worse than Sodomes Hell to think how ready and open the way to the Mercy Seat was and nothing hindered thee from it but thine own vile heart To see persons worse sinners than thy self saved in Heaven and thou thrust out Mat. 8.11 12. Many shall come from the East and West c. 3 It s aggravated by this that Jesus Christ was the onely propitiation determined of God for sinners from everlasting both his person and the manner of his redemption Psal 33.11 And hence unless wee could null the Counsel of God its impossible to finde any other propitiation No equivalent price for mans redemption besides this No Mercy Seat but meerly this By Gods decree the matter is eternally limitted that there is not any other way than by Christs death How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.2 3. what recompence of vengeance can bee sufficient for this sin not onely if wee despise or scorn but if wee neglect or care not for this salvation Now hee that doth take care about this salvation will use all means rowl every stone take any pains about it will as Darius Dan. 6.14 18. Set his heart to the matter cared for it laboured about it passed the night without his accustomed meal his musick or his sleep and early and in haste arose and went unto Daniel whom he cared for thus 2 Cor. 7.11 Now if this bee the true care then those who have no fixed settled serious thoughts about their salvation That will not abate one jot of their sinful delights nor carnal contentments for it but
Image in so much that hee hath the fathers broad Seal to bee our propitiation and it can be had no where else 3 Hee is the fathers Annointed who received the Spirit without measure qualifying and furnishing of him with all such sufficiencies as were requisite to his Mediators office and this unction was with the Holy Ghost and Power Act. 10.38 i.e. with power to do whatever his office required to be done Mot. 2 Consider Christ in his person as hee is Immanuel God in our nature as being man hee is fit to be a propitiatory sacrifice and being God is able to vanquish all his sufferings and to give infinite vertue and value to them Being man he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and hath a feeling of our infirmities and being God hee is able to apply all his sufferings unto us that a poor beleever may call him Ithiel and Ucal Prov. 30.1 God with mee and the strong one 2 As hee is a middle Person a Mediatour betwixt God and man 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Heb. 8.6 A Mediatour of a better Covenant established on better promises he is a daies-man between God and sinful man and one fit to deal with both parties at Variance And therefore wee need not complain as Job doth Job 9.32 33. Hee is not a man as I am that I should answer him and wee should come together in Judgement neither is there any daies man or umpire between us that may lay his hand upon us both Yea but Jobs redeemer was a fit redeemer and umpire that could lay his hand upon God and take up all matters with him and lay his hand upon the sinner and bring him to God again 3 Consider Christ in all his fulness and freeness to Communicate that fulness of his His fulness Col. 1.19 it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell See also 1 Cor. 1.30 Heb. 7.25 how free hee is to communicate his fulness Heb. 2.17 Hee is a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining unto God to make attonement c. Joh. 7.37 38. hee makes solemn Proclamation of mercy to all commers and promises the Spirit of grace unto them 4 Consider Christ as just and a justified person and so fitted to purchase and procure our justification Truely if he had not been justified hee could not have justified us 1 Tim. 3.16 hee is said to bee justified in the Spirit i. e. justified by his divine nature whereby hee raised up himself from the dead As at his death hee was condemned by all sorts so at his resurrection hee was absolved and justified from the sins of his Elect imputed unto him and from all the accusations of the world who looked upon him as a grievous malefactour So that his righteousness both personal and publike appeared before all the world and that God the Father was well pleased with him and in him with all that shall beleeve on him Mot. 3. Consider the pretious excellency of the grace of Faith Which appears 1 In that it is an uniting grace It tyes and unites the soul to Christ and to God in Christ Other graces make the soul to bee like to Christ but faith makes the soul to bee one with him Eph. 3.17 thy Love Patience Humility Heavenly-mindedness make thee very like to Jesus Christ but faith makes thee to bee one with him as a member with the head and that is a greater and better condition for ought I can conceive than the state of the Elect Angels Though they are confirmed in glory by Christ yet they are not so united to Christ as a Beleever is They are the children of God by Creation but Beleevers by Adoption being united to the natural Son of God 2 This is the grace that assures us of our eternal Election Act. 13.48 Tit. 1.1 wee may thence most certainly conclude that our Names are written in the book of life Gods Council concerning our everlasting estate lies hidden in the bosome of God till such time as hee commends his love to us in his Son Jesus by working faith in our hearts this is the Coppy of Gods eternal decree and hath written upon it concordat cum originali it agrees with the Original This is the very meaning of this grace that God hath set his heart upon thy soul Now what ever God gives else as Honour Riches or Excellent spiritual gifts without faith brings but little comfort and a man may be a reprobate for all these things which fall alike to the just and unjust 3 Faith in Christ possesseth us of him and that no other grace will do Eph. 3.17 Heb. 11.1 And hence it is the first quieting-grace to the soul Isa 30.15 Thus saith the Lord in returning and rest yee shall bee saved in quietness and confidence shall bee your strength Heb. 4.1 3. there is a Promise made of entering into Gods Rest and wee enter into it by Faith wee who have beleeved are entered woe have this true Sabbath whereof the unbeleeving Jews had but the type wee have the true Canaan typified by the other this is the very Harbour of a tossed and weather-beaten soul As Mr. Burroughs well expresseth it Faith is the first grace that descries land when the soul is in the tempest and storm of a troubled Conscience Oh Beloved this is the excellency of faith that it not only discovers Land for wee may bee cast away for all that but it carries us safe into the harbour for that is our entrance into our Rest the landing of the wearied soul on Christ its rest Mat. 11.28 Quest But how should I get faith in Christ Direct 1 Be very careful to study the knowledge of Christ Yee may bee sure you cannot beleeve on him whom you do not know This is that which is commended by Christ himself as that wherein life eternal doth consist Joh. 17.3 and Paul who was rapt into the third heavens prefers this before any other knowledge Phil. 3.8 hee calls it the over-exceeding and super-excellent knowledge of Christ This is that which acquaints the soul with a Physitian a Redeemer a Saviour a Propitiation and whatever God requires for satisfaction or man desires or can desire for perfection Tell a wounded spirit that is full of horror of Conscience all the most profound and transcendent notions in the whole circle of Learning they will not a jot refresh him or bring him the nearer to heavenly joys Let him bee acquainted with all the motions of heaven they cannot bring him to heaven With all the secrets of nature they cannot bring him out of the dreggs of nature nor make him a Childe of Grace This is sufficiently experienced in the Heathen Philosophers who for all their great knowledge were ignorant of God witnesse the learned Athenians among whom the true God was but an unknown God Act. 17.23 and the reason was because their knowledge was not joyned with the knowledge of Christ There is no other knowledge
their peace but let mee tell you that these fruits are changeable things often in the wain and sometimes invisible and what will you do then for peace besides you rob Christ by this means of the honour of his Propitiation of his Sacrifice and whole office of mediation and is this any other than making Christ unprofitable and of none effect Gal. 5.2 4. Besides it is preposterous and disorderly to look for the fruit before the tree to look for our graces before wee look for Christ or look for children before marriage with Christ Seeing they all flow from our union with Christ if true and Evangelical hence they must needs bee but bastard graces that are found before Christ and will give but little comfort of our good and justified estate Direct 2. Set before you in your meditations the name of the Lord Jesus and what is meant by that name Psal 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee The names of Christ are of his Person Natures Offices Benefits Attributes what condition can any poor creature be in that cannot find something named in Christ for to help him out of it Cant. 1.3 Thy name is an ointment poured forth it yeelds a most pretious and comfortable savour to every one All the names of Christ have great sweetnesse in them I apply it a little to Justification Jesus a Saviour of sinners Matth. 1.21 A Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 Our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 The names of Christ have promises annexed to them with the strongest ingagements the Lord hath sworn and Psal 110.4 1 Tim. 1.15 Beloved it is another matter than is commonly conceived to bee contemplating on Christ It is the Angels work who stretch forth their wings over the Mercy Seat and towards the Mercy Seat shall bee the faces of the Cherubims Exod. 25.20 i.e. they look continually towards the Propitiation and Peter expounds it 1 Pet. 1.12 the Angels desire to pry into the mystery of Christ. Yea what is the beatifical vision but this to see God Heb. 12.14 It is a grievous infirmity in us that this heaven upon earth is no more frequented or delighted in by us Moreover looking upon Jesus is the best means to revive and draw forth our faith Heb. 12.1 Looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith where it is implyed that the carrying on of our faith and finishing of it is that viewing of Christ by the eye of faith Direct 3. Wee must stir up our selves to beleeve on Christ with reasons drawn from the Promises and Names of Christ Though carnal reason bee an enemy to faith yet sanctified reason is a marvellous succour to faith when wee set our reason and discourse to make inferences and draw heavenly conclusions out of Gospel promises This caused Abraham by Faith to offer up Isaac Heb. 11.17 19. viz. in that hee accounted or reasoned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God was able to raise him from the dead vers 19. hee reasoned thus must I offer up Isaac how then shall all the families of the earth bee blessed in him why surely Gods Commandement shall not disanull his promises concerning the Messiah Thus 1 Pet. 4.1 For as much as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves with the same mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or discourse for hee that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin See the arguing here if Christ hath suffered for sin and killed sin so ought we to bee as ready to destroy and kill sin and cease from it forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh hee hath born our sins and they were charged upon him and hee hath given them their deaths wound let us arm our selves by this incouragement to go on to the same conflict Learn wee to use our Logick this way and it will arm us for those combates wee meet withall in dealing with sin or Satan For although faiths principles are above reason yet it discourses argumentations and conclusions are guided by reason Reason is an ill Mistress but a good Hand-maid unto faith for faith is much strengthened and the wisdome of a Christian is exceedingly seen in it by such particular conclusions and consequences drawn from the doctrin of Christ nature of God and the Promises which do overthrow particular carnal reasonings causing security presumption fears doubts or despair and without doubt this makes greatly for securing the heart and fortifying our faith and confidence against any temptation of Satan onely let mee adde a Caution or two 1 That this bee not a suddain or transient businesse either too soon and rashly to catch up a Conclusion that is not in the Premises Or when wee have a right conclusion too suddainly to have done with it but if you will have good by it it must bee permanent and abiding on the heart that it may soak into it and strengthen it against any malignant distempers that it is disturbed and troubled withall A good plaister will not benefit that is on and off immediately nor a potion work kindly that is not kept in the stomack therefore saith David Psal 119.97 98. O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day thou through thy Commandements hast made mee wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with mee and Psa 45.1 My heart is inditing or boiling up i. e. meditating or inventing a good matter and this requires time for a good concoction 2 Take heed of Sophistical reasonings in this case of Paralogismes James 1.22 false reasonings for by these we deceive our souls and couzen our selves If wee have the light of Christ by faith it will discover all the delusions and deceipts of darkness that Satan seeks to involve our reasonings in Therefore let us still have an eye to the proposition of Faith looking up to the Spirit for assistance in the improvement of it Direct 4. Indeavour to know that you do truely beleeve on the Lord Jesus I know whom I have beleeved 2 Tim. 1.12 There is beleeving and knowledge that wee do beleeve truely on Christ Now to know that wee do beleeve is to know not so much the strength of faith as the truth of it how weak soever and true faith is a receiving of whole Christ with the whole heart it is opposed to a partial or hypocritical receiving of Christ such as is spoken of Jer. 3.10 Psal 12.3 therefore it s called beleeving with all the heart Act. 8.37 38. and hence it s called faith unfeigned Now to know this wee must view our own hearts and consciences to see if they work thus towards Christ Now if God hath wrought such a Faith in you you may say with Paul I know whom I have beleeved and this knowledge is a reflex act and may be helped by these two Questions 1 Is there nothing of Christ my soul excepts against or cannot actually cloze withall as the holiness of Christ the selling all for him the cross of
there is no other way in the New Testament for attonement but by the blood of some sacrifice and this is of none but Christ Reas 2. That is especially to bee apprehended and rested upon by faith for Justification that presents not only to God by his own appointment and his justice full satisfaction but to the troubled soul of a Sinner peace and satisfaction Now this the blood of Christ doth because it hath expresly the satisfaction in it and carries the pay with it Hee made him sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 that is a sacrifice for sin Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Nothing that hee did besides this could free us from the curse So 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ suffered for us the just for the unjust to bring us unto God Now when wee are brought unto God wee are justified The destruction of death and Satan is from Christs death Heb. 2.14 By death he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil Rom. 5.9 10. When wee were sinners wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Son So that in Christ crucified when as faith apprehends him there is the essence of justification laid up and therein what may satisfy God and what may satisfy the troubled conscience of a sinner is contained and therefore this is the sure way to attain a justified estate Reas 3. Because of the contempt that the world doth cast upon Christ crucified it pleased the Lord therefore to advance and glorify the Cross of Christ This reason is exprest in 1 Cor. 1.23 24. Wee preach Christ crucified to the Jew a stumbling block c. but to them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God All the wise ones in the World have stumbled at the cross of Christ and thought it a matter of disgrace that the Saviour of the World should bee hanged on a tree but hee will have the World to know that this is the power of God and the wisdome of God and for the honour of Christ that hee crucified is advanced and made the object of our faith and the author of eternal salvation Wherefore God hath highly advanced him and given him a name above every name c. Phil. 2.6 Reas 4. We may reason from both the Seals which are appointed by God for the confirmation of faith in Christ crucified Know yee not that as many as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death and buried with him in Baptism Rom. 6.4 6. and therein wee are planted together in the likeness of his death and our old man is crucified with him So that baptism hath its main respect to Christs death and the washing away of our sins by his blood and the same is verified of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.23 the end of it is to shew forth the Lords death Now why doth hee give us such means and helps to strengthen our faith in Christs death but especially to confirm our faith and assurance of our justification by that death Vse 1. This discovers unto us the perniciousnesse of the Socinian Doctrines that make Christ's death onely for Imitation and Exemplary that Christians should onely follow the example of his patience but they deny the satisfaction and merit of Christ's death So that they do leave no foundation or footing for faith to lean upon yea all our Christian Religion is utterly disanulled and frustrate by this means I may say as Paul in the like case that then our faith is in vain and wee are still in our sins 1 Cor. 15.17 and this is one of those damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 that brings swift destruction upon the souls of them that seduce and are seduced therefore wee should take heed of them Use 2. It shews us the great danger of the ignorance of Christ crucified The danger of ignorance of Christ crucified which doth most certainly conclude the want of Faith in Christs blood It is not possible to beleeve in any object without some knowledge of it and therefore such are undoubtedly in an unjustified estate who are thus destitute of this faith If any man have so much as a well-grounded hope of reconciliation with God it can bee built onely upon the death and satisfaction of our Saviour Faith in Christ crucified is called the knowledge of Christ crucified Isa 53.11 by his knowledge c. and 1 Cor. 2.2 Surely then if wee know not Christ crucified wee do not beleeve on him Luke 1.77 Quest How may it appear that the knowledge of Christ crucified is wanting or obtained by us Answ Tryals of our knowledge of it 1 By the rellish that we have of Christ crucified and the preaching of the Cross The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness 1 Cor. 1.17 18. Beleeving is called the eating of the body of Christ and drinking of his blood Joh. 6. Now if wee cannot relish the doctrin of it and it will not down with us surely it is because wee know not what Christ crucified means Now what little relish it hath with multitudes of hearers is evident because the ministry of it is so little regarded and accepted by our drowsy careless dull formal and curious hearers and professors those glad tydings are no delight at all to them Some sleep scandalously some gaze about others will hardly stir out of doors to hear it were it so they could have some new Lights or Teachers after their own lusts such preaching as maketh the Cross of none effect they would flock after them and prick up their ears to hear them but cannot down with such light Manna and plain doctrin as this is Tri. 2. The knowledge of Christ crucified is an humbling knowledge Prov. 30.1 2 2 Cor. 5.14 it putteth a Christian into a mourning frame that as long as a man lives it will keep his soul in a bleeding condition Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have peirced and mourn c. They are so sensible of sin and of the dishonour wrong done unto God thereby that they are still grieving under the sense of it And though a Christians heart is not alwaies in the same frame but sometimes some deadness and hardness is upon it yet they cannot be at rest in such a condition and it is looked at as an uncomfortable state till they recover themselves and a broken frame again But where the knowledge of the Crosse of Christ is unsound it will consist well enough with a proud unbroken untamed disposition of spirit Tri. 3. The knowledge of Christ crucified if sincere is mortifying and killing of the reign of sin Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our Old man is crucified with him c. Phil. 3.8 10. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ What knowledge vers 10. That I might know him and the
power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings and this was that he might undoubtedly conclude his communion with Christ in his death how should be conclude that hee addes being made conformable to his death and what conformity to Christ's death can there be without mortification of sin I might adde also those places that speak of the cleansing vertue of the death of Christ Heb. 9.14 1 Joh. 1.7 Tri. 4. The true knowledge of Christ crucified doth crucifie us to the world and the world to us Gal. 6.14 Paul looked at the world as a dead thing a carrion which hee loathed so hee looked at the honours riches delights and lusts that the world dotes upon hee looked at it as a dead Carcase yea a crucified i. e. an accursed thing to set his heart upon and though Paul was eminent this way and above the ordinary sort of beleevers yet you shall find all the faithful even the weakest have some measure of this disposition in them as Zacheus when salvation came to his house Luke 19. and Phil. 3.18 19. they that minde earthly things are enemies to the Crosse of Christ but our conversation is in heaven hee speaks of all the faithful there is our trading and dealing Briefly the Apostle makes covetousnesse not only enmity against God Jam. 4.4 but intollerable in a Church of Christ 1 Cor. 5.11 If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous c. Oh then what exceeding cause is there to inquire into our knowledge of Christ to see what it is if it cannot stand with a covetous or worldly frame of heart Vse 3. Instruction to beleevers where to cast anchor in whatever storms or tempests that wee meet withall in this present life that is that we pitch our faith and exercise it in Christ crucified O beloved in the Lord I beseech you not to content your selves with Spiritual things in the lump or the Mystery of Christ in a heap though they may give some sweet savour yet they are in comparison like a bundle of Spices that are whole or a Box of Oyntment shut up and not poured out If the Spices be bruised and the Oyntment poured out oh then how sweet and fragrant is the smell and so let us break as it were this Mystery of Christ in pieces and labour for a distinct understanding and beleeving in Christ this will make these things farre more savoury behold the several beauties of Christ as the Church did Cant. 5.10 see the beauty of every part of Christ Remember what himself said Where the Carcasse is c. this is the crucified Saviour and who are Eagles but beleevers to whom the Crosse of Christ is savoury and they will sent it a great way and flock together from farre to feed upon it Mot. 1. Consider we what it is to bee a Christian truly it is to sprout and spring up out of the grave of Christ Isa 53.10 When he shall make his soul an offering for sin hee shall see his seed i. e. his posterity and Joh. 12.24 Verily verily I say unto you except a grain of wheat fall to the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit fruit which springs forth from Christs death Heb. 2.10 who by suffering death brought many sons to glory i. e. the children of God and Christ the whole Catholick Church are but the seeds that sprout out from a Crucified and dying Redeemer Mot. 2. There is all sufficiency to be had for justification in a crucified Saviour Luke 14.17 Come for all things are ready and such an one that comes shall never hunger nor thirst Joh. 6.35 The soul is compleat in Christ Col. 2.10 and though there is nothing but emptinesse in other things and those that feed upon them feed on ashes Isa 44.20 and labour in the fire Hab. 2.13 follow the East wind Hos 12.1 and spend their labour for that that is not bread Isa 55.1 2. yet there is fulnesse enough in Christ crurified there is bread eough as the Prodigal saith in our Fathers house Luke 15.17 â—â— Alas quoth he I follow after those things that will not satisfie and am ready to famish for want of bread amongst the husks of the profits and pleasures of this world but in Christ crucified is bread enough full satisfaction and supply of all my wants then whither shall I goe but unto him and beleeve on him Mot. 3. Consider whose bloud it is the bloud of himself i. e. of the person that is God that must needs have infinite worth and value in it Mot. 4. The Lord Jesus himself takes contentment and satisfaction in beleevers betaking themselves to him and his crosse Hee is satisfied in seeing the travel of his soul Isa 53.10 11. The woman that hath had sore travel in Child-bearing when she beholds the fruit of her body forgets her pains and is comforted So it is with our blessed Saviour who takes great contentment when such sinful Creatures doe fly unto his precious bloud for refuge and sanctuary Dir. 1. Above all things take pains to know Jesus Christ and him crucified and that experimentally this was Pauls setled resolution and determination 1 Cor. 2.2 and he picks out above all other this sweet flower or jewel The phrase is not ordinary but it is used to signifie that Paul made it his end that he proposed to himself in Christ let me tell you there is enough in Christ crucified to busie your meditations upon Dir. 2. Labour to see the daily necessity of Christ crucified every day as long as thou livest consider that every day not only in regard of sins but the best duties you have need of this bloud of sprinkling Heb. 9.19 20. He sprinkled with bloud both the tabernacle and the people and the book and the vessels of the ministry almost all things were purged with bloud and when the destroyers are abroad Heb. 11.28 there is nothing in the world can keep off the destroyer but the bloud of the Paschal Lamb Heb. 13.20 21. Dir. 3. O have a singular care to take heed of sinning against the bloud of Christ how ever held forth to thee It is held forth in the ministry of the Gospel Gal. 3.1 2. and in the Sacraments and there is a dreadful wrong done to the bloud of Christ by unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.27 such an one is guilty of the Body and Bloud of Christ i. e. he commits such a sin as Judas or the Jewes in murthering Christ Oh! how loud doth the bloud of Christ cry against such sinners that so prophane the Lords Table either by ignorance or mean preparation to it and so Apostacy from the faith is called trampling under foot the bloud of Christ c. Heb. 10.26 27. Dir. 4. Doe as the faithful of old in offering up their sacrifices for propitiation or sin-offerings for they were all types of our Propitiation and Christs
Sacrifice what they did in the type wee must doe in the substance 1 Bind the Sacrifice to the Altar Psal 118.27 this is fixing the heart on Christ crucified in the promise and we have very slippery hearts in this case they had need to be bound to it 2 They put their hands on the head of the Burnt-offering Levit. 1.4 and the Jewes tell us they always did it with empty hands and laid on both their hands with all their might so you must lay hold on Christ in the Promise with an empty hand and doe it with all your might and weight 3 They confessed over the sacrifice their iniquities Lev. 16.21 so must wee confessing that wee have justly deserved that which Christ hath undergone So God will smell a savour of rest Levit. 16.21 Of Remission of Sins THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON ON Rom. 3.25 For the remission of sins that are past THus farre of the Object of Justifying Faith Now it remains that we speak of the ends of Justification which are two in the text 1 In respect of God to declare his righteousnesse 2 In respect of man for the remission of sins illustrated and specified in these words Sins that are past together with the ground of the specification or the impulsive cause through the forbearance of God I shall at this time begin with the latter of these viz. remission of sins that are past Two questions are here to be spoken to 1 Quest What is meant by remission of sins 2 Quest What is meant by remission of sins that are past Quest 1. What is meant by remission of sins Ans The word here translated Remission signifies loosing that is opposed to binding by a borrowed speech from Prisoners that are bound with fetters and chains that are very painful and grievous from which when they are loosed and set at liberty they are greatly eased and comforted so it is with poor sinners it is exceeding grievous to the soul to bee bound with the cords of iniquity and sin Prov. 5.22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins But when sins are forgiven then the soul that was captivated by Sin and Satan is loosed from its bands As a captive redeemed whose ransome is paid It is true the poor Sinner generally thinks himself most at liberty when he sins most and is in Satans safest custody when he is in a worse case than the vilest slave in the Gally but when once he comes to the sight of them he sees also his thraldome and bondage he longs after a discharge and freedom which he accounts the greatest happinesse in the world Quest 2. What is meant by remission of sins that are past Ans Some interpreters doe take it for the pardon of those sins that are committed before conversion that all those sins through the forbearance of God are pardoned which are mentioned they say not as though the pardon of sins is restrained unto them that are past but past sins are mentioned to warn them that are pardoned not to take liberty for the future to embolden themselves in sin But it seems to have another sense and that is to signifie the forgivenesse of sins that were committed before the coming of Christ wherein the Apostle shewes the reason why the Lord did not deferre the the revelation of Christ until his incarnation but did in the dayes of the Old Testament propose and set forth Jesus Christ in the times of the Patriarks and Prophets and this was done to signifie unto us that not only such sins might be forgiven that were committed since his coming but also such as were committed before And I incline the rather to this exposition First because he spake of proposing of Christ in the Old Testament as a propitiation as hath been shewed Secondly Because hee said vers 21. the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ was testified by the Law and the Prophets that sins might bee forgiven to beleevers from the foundation of the World Thirdly Because hee addes by the forbearance of God or his long-suffering whereby the Lord stayed in so long expectation of the comming of his Son into the World till the satisfaction was actually made for God would not have forgiven the sins of the Fathers committed long before unless that in his great patience hee had respected the future propitiation of his dear Son Fourthly Because hee also addes vers 26. To declare at this time his rightoousness i.e. at this time since the comming of Christ hee doth declare and shew forth his righteousnesse which hee did not clearly demonstrate before his sons incarnation but now hee makes all the world to see how just hee is that hee would not forgive any sins no not in the daies of the fathers without full satisfaction by the death of his onely begotten Son Doctr. The full remission of sins That such is the efficacy and vertue of the satisfaction of Jesus Christ that it is available to the full remission of all the sins of the faithful from the beginning of the world to the end thereof This appears to bee plain and the full meaning of this place in that the Apostle insists upon the remission of sins past how long soever before Christs comming in the flesh and before his death which might seem all this while either not to bee forgiven or if forgiven yet that it was upon some other account than the death of Christ But now it appears that the sins of the Patriarks and Prophets were remitted onely upon this ground of Christs satisfaction promised and to come and therefore much more we may conclude that by the vertue of Christs death all the sins of beleevers since the coming of Christ are pardoned and forgiven Let me clear up these things to you and shew 1 That this remission is full 2 That it flows from the satisfaction of Christ 3 That it was available for the remission of the sins of the faithful before the comming of Christ 1 That this remission of the sins of beleevers is full and compleat of all their sins past present and to come and the Scriptures are clear for it Col. 2.13 And you hath hee quickened together with him having forgiven you all sins and trespasses Wee could not bee quickened to life eternal without the forgiveness of all sins any one sin retained without pardon would keep us in a state of death and this is that which God promiseth Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against mee Here then is no exception of any sins how many and how great soever they were but saith I will pardon all Isa 1.18 Though your sins bee as scarlet they shall bee white as snow and though they bee as crimson yet they shall bee as white as wooll Scarlet and Crimson are double and deep dies dies in Grain yet God will take away these double dies that
there is nothing left to trouble our peace and hinder our comfort Isa 35. last The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joies upon their heads It is a blessed time the ransomed of the Lord have none can hinder their joy and blessedness Rom. 4.6 Psal 32.1 There is nothing can hinder our blessedness but sin and that being slain by Christs death our great enemy is overcome So that the blood of Christ that is available for the pardon of our sins past is also available for the sins that are to come and follow his death Use 3. Lay claim to pardon Instruction to true Beleevers Seeing there is such efficacy in the blood of Christ for the remission of all their sins let them learn this high part of spiritual wisdome to lay claim to this full pardon and let them not charge their consciences with the guilt of their sins for this is in a sort to lessen if not deny the force and vertue of the death of Christ which is to bee abhorred by every Christian Heb. 10.2 They that are once purged have no more Conscience of sin i.e. of the terrours and guilt of sin unsatisfied for if God and his word conclude us to bee under sin then wee must conclude so too but if they discharge us and set us at liberty then shall wee wrong Scripture wrong God and Christ and our own Souls to charge our selves with the guilt of our Iniquities One would think Beleevers need not any advice in matters of this nature but it is a sure rule that the Carnal man and unbeleever thinks it the easiest matter in the World to put over all his sins upon Christ and perswade his heart that his sins are pardoned whereas a Beleever accounts it a difficult business to remove the mountains of sin and as it were by faith to cast them into the midst of the Sea so as to conclude the Remission and Forgiveness of all their sins So that they have great need of this advice and the want of this wisdom is that which breeds so many bad thoughts fears doubts discouragements and darknesse in the hearts of true beleevers When as sometimes they think upon their sins they are ready quite and clean to sink them thus it was with David Psal 38.4 Our Iniquities are gone over our heads c. with Job Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest mee possesse the sinnes of my Youth Job 14.16 17. Thou watchest over my sins thou sealest up my Transgression in a bag c. and with Moses Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance who speaks there in behalf of the Church then in distresse This is that which is so grievous to Christians in case of temptations and desertions spiritual that they look at their sins as unpardoned or standing in full force against them and so the death of Christ as invalid and not reaching to the pardon of them Truely in such and the like cases I know not what to call it whether Pride or Weakness or Folly that poor Beleevers do frame inditements against themselves and take their debts upon themselves which the Lord Jesus hath discharged And it is like as if some poor man were cast into Prison for debt and some rich friend should lay down a full summe to discharge the debt and cancell his bonds and so set him at liberty and hee refuse the kindness and say nay but this payment is not sufficient but I must discharge it my self or else I will never come out What will you call this Truely this is your case that your spirits are over-whelmed with your sins you go like malefactors with fetters and bolts about their heels Though your liberty is purchased and the Prison doors are set wide open yet you will not bee delivered and come out You account not the pay of Christ current and go about drooping discouraged and uncomfortable disabling your selves for any duties and create needless miseries to your selves Well remember the point and use in hand that the blood of Jesus Christ hath cleansed us i. e. all true beleevers from all iniquities 1 Joh. 1.7 Dan. 9.24 Rom. 5.11 Isa 38.17 Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back It is a borrowed speech from men when they regard not a thing they cast it behind their backs and thus God doth with the guilt of beleevers sins Object But is not this a ground of looseness prophaneness and incouragement to Libertines Drunkards and Unclean persons for they will say why should wee bee troubled for our sins how many soever wee have committed seeing Christ by his death hath purchased the full remission of our sins therefore they think they may revel carouse swagger drink whore cozen what not and need never bee troubled for their sins Answ This is just the conceit of the Familists and Antinomians that maintain wee need not to bee troubled for our sinnes and that justified persons have nothing to do with repentance any more or if they do repent they do undervalue Christ and his Death as if hee had not sufficiently satisfied for our sins Now to prevent the cavils of ungratious hearts and to give Gods people that portion of Instruction that belongs to them I answer in these particulars Answ 1. There is no unbeleever hath any ground in the Word to conclude the pardon of his sins in the state of his unbeleef or that hee hath any real benefit by the death of Christ If they conceive otherwise they couzen their own souls Heb. 10.38 If any man with-draw himself my soul shall have no pleasure in him that is he will not pardon him Joh. 3.18 Hee that beleeves not is condemned already The sentence is already passed upon every unbeleever in the Word of God yea and in the Counsel of God upon him that shall continue obstinately and finally in the sin of unbeleef whereby such great indignity is offered to Gods Grace and Word and especially such horrid rebellion and unthankfulnesse to the Lord Jesus Christ For so it follows because hee hath not beleeved in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Surely hee that is condemned for sin hath not the remission of sin but is going to execution for sin 2 There is no unregenerate unsanctified or disobedient person but is an unbeleever and therefore destitute of any comfort in Christs death This the Scriptures do clearly hold forth for Regeneration and Faith goe together 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Psal 32.1 2. Joh. 1.12 13. They that beleeve are sanctified Heb. 10.11 By one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Without obedience there is no faith Heb. 5.9 and dreadful is that place spoken of Christ Exod. 23.21 Provoke him not obey his voice for hee will not bear your transgressions so it may bee rendred hee
will not carry your load or bee it he will not pardon c. this is spoke of Jesus Christ by God the Father and the Israelites that rebelled against him found that the Lord made it good whereas so many thousands perished in the Wilderness and so shall all the like persons finde in these daies and to the end of the world for certainly to a wicked man nothing is pure To him that is defiled and unbeleeving Tit. 1.15 but grace teacheth to deny ungodliness c. Tit. 2.12 Heb. 10.22 therefore ungodly unrenegerate unsanctified disobedient persons have no portion or lot in this business 3 There is no greater sign of an unsanctified unregenerate and wicked heart than to make an unsanctified use of the grace of God and to abuse the doctrin of it to wantonness and licentiousnesse There can bee no greater character of an ungracious heart and a swinish spirit that hath nothing to do to challenge these Gospel pearls neither knows the nature property and worth of them Remission of Sins through Christs blood THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON ON Rom. 3.25 Through Faith in his blood 4 LET every true beleever know his duty and the bounds of their comfort in this case and this will bee opened by two sorts of conclusions Quest 1 How far a true beleever that hath interest in Christ and his sins forgiven him may charge his soul with sin This must bee cleared that wee may avoid the Rocks that some Sectaries do clash against and I shall clear it in these Conclusions 1 Every beleever is bound impartially to find out by strict examination of himself the secret corruptions that are in his heart or any ungodly practices that are in his Life and Conversation yea so as to judge himself for them that the very least of them is sufficient to bring Gods curse on him and the guilt of eternal condemnation should not the Lord of his free grace in Christ prevent it Every sin in its own nature and power doth and will procure guilt and condemnation to the soul unless that Christ by the merit of his death doth free us from it God called for this searching formerly in times of the Churches calamities Lam. 3.40 Hag. 1.5 7. Thus saith the Lord set your hearts upon your ways Yea this is commanded to every one that receives the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.28 31. Let a man examine himself not onely concerning his Faith but also concerning his sins Yea hee addes that wee should discern and judge our selves which self-judging is to proceed to self condemnation Ezek. 36.31 When God hath given his a new heart and spirit then they shall remember their own evil waies and doings that were not good and loathe themselves in their sight or judge themselves worthy to bee destroyed I say not that beleevers should judge that they shall be condemned but onely that they are worthy to bee condemned 2 Beleevers notwithstanding this forgiveness ought to mourn for their sins Ezek. 7.16 They that escape shall every one mourn for their iniquities like the doves in the vallies Isa 59.11 We roar like Bears mourn like doves for our transgressions are multiplyed So Peter having denyed his Lord remembred the words of Jesus and went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26.75 yea this the Lord commands us Jam. 4.8 9. Bee afflicted and mourn and weep and let your laughter bee turned into mourning Sin pardoned is sin and calls for sorrow and sorrow according to God 2 Cor. 7.10 3 Beleevers are bound for all the forgiveness of sin to confess and acknowledge their iniquities it is notable to this purpose that was practised by Paul even in his last daies 1 Tim. 1.13 15. where hee laies open his sins of persecution and blasphemy hee calls himself the chiefest of sinners and therby hee arises to say that the grace of God was exceeding abundant towards him c. This also the Lord requires of us Jer. 3.13 Onely acknowledge thine iniquities and 1 Joh. 1.9 If wee confesse our sinnes c. as if hee should say that otherwise wee cannot lay claim to the promise of forgiveness It is woful divinity of some in these times that a Christian should not confess sin 4 Repentance and that often renewed for sins frequently committed is still required of the best beleevers Ezek. 8.30 Thus saith the Lord Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not bee your ruine and Christ said to the Disciples Matth. 18.3 Except you bee converted and become as little Children c. The Disciples themselves have need to bee converted still So that Repentance is necessary to beleevers by necessity of Precept as it is also by necessity of Means to dispose and quality at least for the comfort of remission yea no childe of God can have the comfort of pardon before hee hath repented Object But you will say a true beleever hath pardon of his sin though hee hath not the comfort of it without repentance yea it is possible that a beleever sinning may dye without repentance and go to heaven as David lying so long in his great sins might have been taken away without repentance Ans It is possible yet God usually gives space to repent to all beleevers and Christ hath purchased repentance for those that hee hath purchased remission for and gives them together Repentance and Remission go hand in hand together hence ariseth another necessity of repentance viz. a necessity of intent and constitution as an inseparable evidence of faith and forgivenesse and a determined means or condition of escaping death and damnation Luke 13.1 3. Mark 1.15 Rev. 2.5 3.19 Eph. 6.7 Isa 1.16 18. Jer. 36 3. Act. 26.18 Jer. 31.20 Heb. 10.22 Oh! let us bee perswaded to maintain and increase repentance in our hearts as long as wee live not as though thereby wee can make God amends or satisfy the justice of God by it that is an ignorant and Popish conceit nothing can satisfy but the death of his Son and his blood but consider that 1 Christ hath commanded that repentance and remission of sins should in his Name be preached to all nations Luk. 24.47 Those things that are to bee preached together are to bee received together It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bitter sweet of the Ministry and must bee joyned yea mixed together as a most wholesome confection So the Passeover was to bee eaten with bitter hearbs Christ also gives them together Act. 5.31 and God hath exalted him for this end Act. 5.31 2 By our continued and unfeigned repentance wee shall have many and singular benefits as 1 Hereby wee shall come to know experimentally the bitterness of sin as well as the sweetnesse of it It is good to look upon sin as full of gall and wormwood Jer. 2.19 See and know what evil and bitter thing it is c. Zach. 12.10 They shall bee in bitterness as for a first born 2 Thy repentance will cause thee to
so prosperous as a pardoned estate And this right use of pardon stands in deep humility and abasement of our selves Ezek. 16.63 That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord. 2 Another use of it is in vigilancy and watchfulnesse at all times and in all places against sin Psal 85.8 3 In a resolved care and conscience of obedience for the time to come Jerem. 31.33 38. 4 To love God so much the more as the poor woman Luke 7.47 Now I come to shew you how farre a Christian ought to goe in comforting his soul about the forgivenesse of his sin 1 A beleever holding his integrity should never conceive How farre a beleever ought not to charge his soul with sin or let his heart be perswaded that any of all his sins shall ever bring guilt upon him so as to cause Gods revenging justice to bind him over to wrath If any one shall doe so hee sins and bears false witnesse against God and his own Soul It is one thing to say we are worthy to bee condemned and another thing to say or think we shall be condemned indeed For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 because Christ hath condemned their sin sins guilt is on them as the Viper on Pauls hand which he soon shook off without any hurt Or like the Lions in the Den where Daniel was cast who though they were hungry God shut their mouthes and they had no power on Daniel Dan. 6.22 25. but when they who caused Darius to make the Decree were cast in the Lions tare them suddenly in pieces before they came to the ground Just so it is with the sins of the faithful and the sins of wicked men and unbeleevers the sins of the faithful though they are of a killing and Lion-like nature for the wages of every sin in it self is death yet the Lord Jesus in the behalf of beleevers stops the Lions mouthes and takes away the guilt and the condemning power of it so that it cannot hurt them But when it meets with an unbeleever it soon slayes him Psal 34.21 Evil shall slay the wicked yea sin shall lye at his door Gen. 4.7 the filthinesse of the unclean person shall devoure him the disobedience of the stubborn shall plague him the pride of the haughty and scorner shall rend the very caul of his heart one day c. but so it is not with poor beleevers though their sin hath teeth and jaws and power to make them worthy of condemnation yet it shall never be able to fasten condemnation on them 2 Every faithful soul is bound to perswade his heart that God doth not nor ever will charge any one sin upon him He will never follow the Law upon him here for his hurt curse or mischief in this life God may indeed hide his face from him and write bitter things against him and deal with him as an angry Father with a disobedient Childe but will never prosecute him at his Law as an enemy or Judge but a beleever may say with holy Job chap. 13.15 Though hee stay me I will put my trust in him because he sees no iniquity in Jacob Numb 23.22 What is that Not to trouble you with the delusions of the Familists the meaning is that the Lord takes no notice of the sins of his Israel to impute them or to punish them but only to pardon cover and cure them Isa 53.6 all the sins of beleevers meet in Christ as in the center like so many Diameters of a Circle or as all the Rivers meet in the Sea so all the Sins of beleevers on Christ in the full punishment and curse of them Therefore let every beleever make conscience to consider what God hath revealed in the Promise and take heed that you make not God a Lyar and be sure that you are discharged from all your sins by Christ but let not any unbeleever or prophane person meddle with this priviledge for he hath no part or fellowship with it they shall bear their own drunkennesse scorning Sabbath-breaking and all manner of prophanenesse the Devil is let loose iniquity is upon them and the flying roul of Curses and Divine vengeance is gone forth against them They have sinned and be sure their sin will find them out Num. 32.23 as a Bloud-hound findes out a Thief But you that are beleevers glorifie the name of Christ and his Death and I charge you take heed what you say or think in this case as though God would avenge himself on you or deal with you as an enemy 3 Every true beleever should exempt his soul from any fear of the charge of any sin upon it by any accuser in this world so as to break off the love of God in Christ from him Famous is that bold challenge of Paul Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect be it Devil or World or Conscience there is nothing can be of such force and power as to affright us as though wee might fall from the love of God whereby hee hath loved us in Christ Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace c. 4 A beleever should take heed of speaking or thinking that God is so displeased with him as to neglect him reject him or forget him for his sins Isa 40.27 28. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord c. Isa 49.14 Sion said God hath forsaken mee c. yea though he should fall into some foul sin yet hee should not conceive his condition hopelesse and helplesse 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Psal 130.3 though he must see that he repent and bee suitably humbled for such falls but this is his comfort when hee falls he shall arise not perish-through hardnesse and impenitency but be raised by true remorse hearty sorrow and humiliation for his sins or any one in particular that he hath fallen by Vse 4. It is exhortation to the performance of several duties about or concerning the pardon of our sins 1 Wee should learn from hence highly to esteem the pardon and forgivenesse of our sins for these grounds 1 Because it is a peculiar property of God A property of God to forgive sin belonging to the Lord alone to forgive sin that is expressed in the text in these words through the forbearance of God forbearance and remission belong only to the Lord as his Prerogatives royal Exod. 34.7 Forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Isa 47.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions c. Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity c. Oh! there is an infinite evil in sin and therefore requires an infinite power to remove it Hence it is made an argument of the God-head of Christ to forgive sin Matth.
it may be cleared from the Spiritual businesse it ever puts the soul upon it is active like the vestuous woman which puts her hand to every â—â—rk â—rov 31. â—4 17. 2 Thess 1.11 Hence it is that the 〈…〉 by his faith Heb â— â— believers doe all i. e saith 〈…〉 the faithful of old were inabled to do so great works old were inabled to do so great works Heb. 11.33 Subdued kingdoms wrought righteousnesse c. but it is most especially busie in the use of Ordinances as the Word Prayer Seals though it will not bee 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 callings it works by love and is our victory over the 〈◊〉 1 Joâ— 5.4 So that a true faith is imploying it self on all hands for a beleevers good Now alas when 〈◊〉 faith is but a dead drugge in us or is but an underling in the heart and is at the command of every lust profit or pleasure truly it is not lively much lesse shall you live eternally by it 4 Clear up the way and fruits of forgivenesse of sins the way of bringing it home unto the soul is the Word Acts 26.18 the Word was preached to open mens eyes If ever wee come to the right knowledge of the pardon of our sins it must be by the Word preached working these particulars 1. Illumination discovering effectual your sin and misery to us with a through sense and feeling of it 2 The conversion of the soul and turning of it from darknesse to light Now when the league with Hell is disaâ—ulled then wee come to receive forgivenesse of sin Besides 〈◊〉 the fruit of forgivenesse there bee many 〈…〉 of this sappy root let mee name some First the 〈…〉 heart to love Christ with fervency Luke 7.47 〈…〉 were many were forgiven her for she loved much her love was the effect not the cause of her pardon So Psal 116.1 3 4 c. Quest What kind of love is this to God Ans Such a love as inlargeth the heart in duties to God as it did that poor woman and David and Peter Hence is in them a love to the Word and Ordinances and the Children of God it is not possible for a man to have great debts forgiven him and that out of pitty and bounty when hee hath nothing to pay but that his love should bee kindled and his heart in a light fire in zeal for God 2 A forgiving disposition in case of personal wrongs Ephes 4.32 Bee yee kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us and this note is given by our blessed Saviour with great earnestnesse and asseveration affirmatively and negatively If yee forgive men their trespasses then your heavenly Father will forgive you Matth. 6.12.14 15. and if yee from the heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you Hee speaks indefinitely every one not excepting any it is a sad sentence for a malicious heart But a merciful heart that can forgive private wrongs and strive against motions of malice and revenge and be humbled for them and that from the heart how great soever the injuries are it is a sure fruit of Gods pardoning him and his freedom from guile and reigning Hypocrisie Psal 32.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.19 6 Maintain and improve the forgivenesse of sin cleared up unto thee and this will be by daily and diligent observation of our wayes by often reckonings with God and getting the Book still crossed by suing out a pardon of course and therefore Christ teacheth us to pray daily Forgive us our debts This was Davids practice as appears by Psal 119.58 59. and other places and this must bee joyned with a resolution and care to shun future sins and failings and hereby wee shall know we are of the truth i. e. sincere and shall assure our hearts before him 1 Joh. 3.19 Now this improvement is First by holy humble and thankful abasement of our selves before God continually Hos 3.5 Ezek. 16. ult so Ezek. 36.29 I will save you from all your uncleannesses then shall yee remember your own evil wayes c. Beware of pride covetousnesse carnal rejoycing shaking off sorrow for sin it is a bad symptom when a man doth so 2 Bee careful to improve your interest in the favour of God for others not only near relations but even for strangers especially for the publick as Noah Daniel Job Moses Samuel c. they were still standing in the gap 3 Bee ready to comfort other with the same comfort wherewith God hath comforted us 2 Cor. 1.4 4 Know and bear in mind your ingagement to the Lord. The Princes pardon is the condemned Malefactors life as Mephibosheth said 2 Sam. 19.28 All my fathers house were dead men before thee Pardon of sinne is the eternal life of the sinner and hee is passed from Death to Life by it Yea as the offending God by Sin is an infinite evil so the forgivenesse of the offence is an infinite good and wee may say What shall wee render to the Lord for all his benefits towards us Surely as Psalm 116.8 9. Hee hath delivered our souls from death our eyes from tears and our feet from falling that we should walk before the Lord in the land of the living Of the Righteousnesse of Christ THE NINETEENTH SERMON ON Romans 3.21 But now the righteousness of Christ c. IN the handling of the point of Justification I have spoken of the several causes thereof and the end thereof in regard of men viz. Remission of sins and thereupon immediately followes the accounting of the beleeving Sinner righteous unto Salvation that is by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ unto the Sinner and that being described in the context and same portion of Scripture I shall proceed unto it now where the handling of it may come in at the due place for our better understanding thereof In the two verses 19 20. the Apostle shewed before Negatively that Justification is not by the works of the Law now he shewes Affirmatively how we are justified and that is expressed 1 By the matter of it The righteousnesse of God amplified by way of opposition to the Law without the Law i. e. without the works of the Law any way Co-working or meriting our justification 2 This is set forth by the Adjunct of the approbation and testimony of the Law and the Prophets 3 By the instrument that is faith of Jesus Christ understand it not actively for the faith whereby Christ beleeved but passively the faith whereby Christ is beleeved on 4 The subject beleevers and those universally and emphatically set down unto all and upon all that beleeve Quest What is meant by the righteousnesse of God Ans It is not to be understood of that whereby God himself is righteous as Osiander said for that is essential to God and cannot be communicated to the Creature but this righteousnesse is elsewhere called the righteousnesse of Christ
and the righteousnesse of faith this may appear clearly by the opposition Rom. 10.3 4. The Jewes went about to establish their own righteousnesse and would not submit to Gods righteousnesse and there Gods righteousnesse in contra-distinction to that which is our own righteousnesse is yet explained to be our righteousnesse for these reasons 1 Because God appointed this righteousnesse for the justification of a sinner The righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 i. e. of Gods institution and appointment and 2 Cor. 5.21 2 It is called Gods righteousnesse because Christ who is the subject of it is God-man Phil. 2 6-8 3 It is so because it is God who is the giver of it and not only so for he gives inherent righteousnesse also but that God only imputes it out of the free riches of his Grace whence the Apostle calls it Phil. 3.9 The righteousnesse which is of God by faith i. e. ordained and imputed by God and made ours by faith apprehending of it 4 It is called Gods righteousnesse because it is such as pleaseth God and which he in his strict justice doth approve of for this will make the man blessed to whom it is applyed Rom. 4.6 There are here two Points I desire to insist on Doct. 1. It is the righteousnesse of God Gods righteousnesse which the Scripture holds forth for the Sinners justification and this righteousnesse of God is made the sinners by way of imputation this I take to bee the meaning of that phrase Vnto all and upon all them that doe beleeve i.e. Gods righteousnesse is bestowed on them for justification For the opening of this it will be inquired What is the righteousnesse of God that is here spoken of Ans Of Christs active and passive obedience 1. It is the whole obedience of Christ both Active and Passive that is such a righteousnesse as every man ought to yeeld and perform unto God and that is first passive in a way of suffering penalty for his transgression this every sinner doth owe to God by the sentence of the just Law which requires that the sinner should suffer Death and Curse for his sin Rom. 6.23 Gal. 3.10 2 The sinner oweth obedience unto God besides satisfaction for his former breaches for the Law saith Gal. 3.12 the man that doth these things shall live in them not the hearers c. but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 Rom. 11.5 It stands not with reason that laying or inflicting the penalty threatned for transgressions should make man thereby become lawlesse or not bound to the possitive duties of obedience Therefore seeing the sinner oweth all this righteousnesse Christ our Suerty must needs fulfill all this righteousnesse for sinners that is both dying and doing as it is said Matth. 3.15 and all is comprchended in Phil. 2.8 That hee was obedient unto the death which implies that there is an obedience that falls short of death as also a further obedience in suffering death in which respect it is also said that Christ is the end of the Law c. Rom. 10.4 now the end of the Law is perfect righteousnesse both in doing what is commanded and suffering the due punishments therefore Christ was to perform both 2 The righteousnesse of Christ was most perfect that nothing could be added to it but that righteousnesse that is both active and passive is more perfect than his passive righteousness alone For suppose that a Malefactor hath suffered the whole punishment of the Law for his offence it is required to his future righteousness that hee should doe that which the Law requires so it is required of us but wee cannot fulfill the Law our selves therefore Christ must fulfill it for us Rom. 8.3 3 That which Christ did as a Mediator he did not for himself but for us but all that Christ did after his Incarnation were Actions of a Mediator for as soon as ever he was God-man he was our Mediator and if his active obedience were the obedience of a Mediator then it was performed for us as such for it is certain that every action of a Mediator tends to reconciliation Now to say that his active obedience did fit him to be a Mediator cannot consist for how could that fit him to bee God-man that was done after the word was made flesh Gal. 4.4 Quest Why is the righteousnesse of God requisite for our Justification Reas 1. Mans insufficiency in his righteousnesse From the insufficiency of the righteousnesse of man to reach to such an end or to answer the righteousness of the law Rom. 8.3 That which was impossible for the Law in that it was weak through the flesh c. for this consider these three particulars 1 That no man in this life hath perfection of grace and holinesse in him by reason of the remaining flesh and corruption Rom. 7.14 The Law is spiritual I am carnal vers 23. I see a Law in my members c. so that a man can neither doe the good that he would nor avoyd the evil that he hates unless he be holier and perfecter than Paul 2 No man in this life can perfectly observe all those good works that the Law requires every mans experience might prove this Yet adde 1 King 8.46 There is no man that sinneth not Eccles 7.20 there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not Paul himself professeth that he was not perfect Phil. 3.12 who ever loved the Lord in the Law sense Deut. 6.5 3 No man can perform any one particular duty or in every point work so exactly that he shall in full answer the rigour of the Law Job 9.3 If he will contend with a man none can answer him one for a thousand So Psal 130.3 Psal 43.2 I dare appeal to any man alive even the holiest for I speak not of Hereticks and Atheists c. darest thou appear before the Lord with any prayer that ever thou didst make or any other duty and say Lord proceed against me according to any sin or weaknesse that was in this prayer or that duty alas saith Paul 1 Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified c. though I my self could discern no defect in my righteousnesse yet I would not plead it before God for he can espy evils enough in my best righteousnesse Job 9.30 31. If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge mee in the ditch and mine own cloathes shall abhor me Reas Perfect righteousnesse required for justification 2. Taken from the perfection of that righteousnesse that is required for the justification of a beleever Perfect and Meritorious righteousnesse must have these conditions in it 1 In regard of the thing that is to be obeyed it must be all the revealed will of God both for the substance and every circumstance thereof Jam. 2.10 Deut. 6. ult it must bee all
one Jesus Christ As Adam was the common root of all Mankind and so his sin is imputed to all his posterity so Jesus Christ is the common root of all the faithful and his obedience is imputed to them all For it were absurd to say that Adams sin had more power to condemn than Christ's righteousnesse hath to save or that God should not impute Christ's righteousnesse as well as Adams sin Reas 3. Because wee are justified by anothers righteousnesse and that only and therefore by imputed righteousnesse for anothers righteousnesse can no other way be made ours but only by imputation Now that is in the text that it is Gods righteousnesse that the beleever hath yea that is more that there is but that only righteousnesse for all beleevers So Rom. 5.18 By the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men for justification of life Were it any other than imputed righteousnesse it would be manifold as many as there are justified persons but it is said to bee the righteousness of one that comes upon all men Reas 4. From the imputation of our sins to Christ for therein is a sufficient ground of the imputatatio of his righteousnesse to us 2 Cor. 5.21 How was Christ made Sin for us Not sin inherent for he had no sin but by imputation So likewise the beleever is made Gods righteousness not by inherent righteousness but by righteousness imputed Vse 1. To men that trust in inherent righteousnesse To shew us the unjustified estate of those that trust in some inherent righteousness as looking to bee justified thereby Which is not only the cursed Doctrin of the Papists for then I should not trouble you or my self now with it but it is deeply in every carnal heart that we are naturally justifiers of our selves such as the Pharisees were which is so dangerous a gulf that there is this double inevitable danger following thereupon 1 That confidence in our own righteousness doth utterly exclude us from the righteousness of God and imputed righteousness Christ is made of none effect to them that seek to bee justified by the works of the Law Rom. 10.3 4. Gal. 5.4 It is in this case with the soul of a man as it is with his body Though a deadly disease doth possess most of the parts yet it may be curable but where the throat swells or the vital passages are stopped up that a man can receive neither food nor physick every man will say that such a Patient is but a dead man So it is in the souls case True it is that every sin is of a deadly nature and some more than others Drunkenness and Adultery and Murther are foul sins yet there is an Hysop in Christ's Bloud that cleansed David from them but if a man trust in his own righteousness this stops the Wind-pipe and the throat yea obstructs all the passages of the spirits from the head so that it strangles the soul that it can receive no help from Christ As the case was with the proud Pharisee Luke 18.11 12. 2 This maks a man unprofitable under all the means of grace be they never so precious that a proud Professor in many a year shall be never the better for them Jer. 17.5 6. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord for hee shall bee like the heath in the Desart and shall not see when good cometh but shall inhabit the parched places in the Wildernesse in a salt land and not inhabited Mark in the place are these particulars 1 The text reacheth to trusting in our selves as well as trusting in others it is trusting in man and flesh 2 It extends to all false confidence that is in a departure of the heart from God 3 That whatsoever good comes to others be it Spiritual or Temporal such shall not see it or injoy it the parched Heath is not the better for Sun or Rain i. e. for any means of grace all the preaching in the world shall never pluck a man into a state of Salvation whilst he continueth in such a condition or be made to bring forth any fruit unto God for all our fruit proceeds from Jesus Christ neither will there ever bee any saving grace wrought in the heart unlesse he bee the root and bottom of it from whose righteousnesle all sap nourishment motion yea all vital spirits are to bee drawn Qu. But suppose a man doth not altogether trust in his own righteousnesse but only in part and in some lower degree is there such danger in this so that Christ's righteousnesse be our foundation and our own righteousnesse in trusted in an inferiour degree is there likely to be so much hazard of our salvation in this Ans It is but just thus with the Papists that divide their confidence between Christ's righteousnesse and their own in the point of Justification But Paul was not of their mind who would have none of his own works Phil. 3.9 and David who saith Psal 71.16 I will make mention of thy righteousnesse and thine only Mark the Emphasis doubled thine and thine only It is a great policy of Satan in this case to tell us that it is good to have two strings to our bow that if one break another may hold and so two are better than one It is true such policy is many times lawful in humane affairs and some Spiritual but stark naught in the point of justification There must be but one only righteousness and that must bee Gods too It is observable among Naturalists that for the generality the parts of the body are doubled two hands two eyes two Tongues the Palat being Lingula a little Tongue the Liver double the Spleen being a little Liver the Lungs also having two Lobbes or parts two Leggs c. but there is but one Heart and but one Head So there are many graces required in a Christian but there is but one Lord one Faith one Righteousness but if there be more it is monstrous yea dangerous too as it was with the vessel in Acts 27.41 Whose fore part ran a ground and stuck fast and the hinder part was broken with the violence of the sea So hee that trusts partly on Christ's Righteousness and partly on his own will hazard the wracking and undoing of his whole soul in resting any part on the ground of his own own righteousness But here are two Cavils to be removed Obj. 1. Carnal persons will say Is it so that all our own righteousnesse our praying hearing receiving reading c. cannot justifie us and all our holy duties cannot make us righteous before God let us then cast away all care about these things let us ryot and be drunk and prophane the Sabbath and live as we list for all our righteousnesse and holinesse will not justifie or save us Ans This Objection smells of Popery too but take these three particulars for answer 1 Why
Justice is one of Gods Essential Attributes so that he is denied to be God if he bee denied to bee just hence Paul reasons Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance God forbid for then how should God judge the world this is to thrust God out of his Judgement Seat Hence it is that there is no work of God that hee doth to Mankind at any time but there must needs be an act of Justice in it Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes therefore if he pardon sin he must doe it in a way of righteousnesse and if he punish sin he must doe it in a way of righteousnesse this he doth by the necessity of his nature It is most certain this righteousnesse of Gods nature is eternal and sin is committed in time but this being supposed that sin is committed it must necessarily follow that a just God must punish it Obj. 2. But with what punishment must he punish it For Answer look into Rom. 1.32 who knowing the Judgement of God c. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the righteousnesse of God In this answer of the Apostle there are three things to be noted First That this is universally known even by the very Heathens that he speaks of and whose wickednesse he describes before even they by the light of nature and the workings of their own Consciences do acknowledge the justice of God Secondly That this righteousnesse of God is the cause fountain and rule of all punishments that are inflicted for thus it is described that they that commit such things are worthy of death and that the wages of sin is death yea even eternal death Thirdly this is natural and essential to God for though in respect of the exercise of it it is occasioned by men or devils yet in respect of the foundation and root of it the Divine perfection or Gods blessed nature requires it Now for the Objection Object If a man can forgive a trespass committed against him then God can without satisfaction Answ It follows not for first a man forgives wrong done unto him but to forgive sin without satisfaction is another matter for sin hurts an universal good Secondly It is one thing for a private person to forgive the offence and another thing for a publick person as a Judge if a Judge forgives without satisfaction hee sins against his office and calling now shall not the Judge of all the world do right Thirdly a mans justice is not essential hee may bee a man though unjust but Gods justice is himself Fourthly a man is subject to a Law but God is a Law to himself Object If God punish sin naturally and necessarily then hee must punish sin to the utmost of his power as fire burns but God doth not so Answ This follows not for that necessity whereby God punisheth sin requires not that hee should punish sin as much as he can but as much as is just for God doth not act as senselesse creatures but with understanding and will with liberty accompanying his actions Eph. 1.11 Hee worketh all things after the counsel of his own will thus you see how the justice of God being the very nature of God it must needs act in the justification of a sinner Reas 2. The same may bee cleared by the infinite holinesse and purity of God which is likewise one of his divine perfections Thou art a God of purer eies than to behold iniquity So 1 Sam. 2.2 God cannot behold sin with an eye of approbation but when hee looks upon it it is with an angry and revenging eye Psal 5.4 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness God hates sin naturally and necessarily therefore hee must punish it either in the Sinner or the Surety according to the demerit of it Exod. 31.7 He will by no means acquit the guilty though hee bee most merciful to those that are in Christ in whom his justice is satisfied yet hee irreconcilably hates and abhors all such as are guilty Jer. 44.4 Do not this abominable thing that I hate hee cannot acquit them or free them from punishment but hee must violate his own nature therefore hee must needs condemn and punish them and whomsoever hee justifies it is upon the ground of the satisfaction of his justice in and by Christ on their behalf and thus you see there must needs be justice in the pardon of them because he is unchangeably holy Reas 3. A third Reason or Ground is taken from the supream providence of God and his Government of the world considered with the nature of sin Psal 9.4 5. Thou sittest in thy throne judging right and vers 5. Thou hast rebuked the heathen thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast put out their name for ever This Supream government of God is universal and extended to all the World Hee doth necessarily impose and exact obedience at the hands of reasonable creatures and in case of disobedience hee must needs reduce the creature into order as being Judge and Law-giver Hence are these places 2 Thess 1.6 It is righteous with God to recompence vengeance to those that trouble you Heb. 2.2 Every transgression of the Law received a just recompence of reward Jude 7. The Sodomites suffer the vengeance of the justice of eternal fire Now let sin bee considered and it overthrows the supream government of God Rom. 1.31 It s rebellion against him it pulls him out of his Throne and deposes him from it therefore by some act of Government and Authority which is exercised in a way of justice the sinner must bee brought into order and though Gods wise and gracious dispensation hath laid upon Christ the punishment of our sins I mean the sins of the elect yet punished they must bee in the sinner or surety and there can be no dispensation for that without denial of the judiciary power and justice of Almighty God Vse 1. First use for Conviction and Terrour to vile sinners that are out of Christ It is a terrible thing to be out of Christ That seeing pardon of sin is not onely in a way of mercy and truth but also in a way of righteousnesse it shews us what a groundlesse delusion they please themselves withall that live in their unbeleef and impenitency and yet hope to bee saved by the Mercy of God In vain such do hope for the mercy of God yea there is none so desperately wicked living near the means but that upon this very ground they sleep securely in sin and commit it with greediness because God is so merciful Now to discover the grosseness of this deceit consider first that though God bee infinitely merciful yet his mercy alwaies goes together with his truth Psal 86.15 Hee is plenteous in Mercy and Truth i. e. as God hath abundance of mercy so hee is plenteous in truth his truth is in fulfilling both his promises and threatnings thou canst not expect mercy of
Sin is opposite to Gods nature which is proved divers ways and so is nothing in the world but sin of other things it is most true that is said Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things but it cannot be said so of sin for hee is no cause of it neither hath he any influence into it Gal. 5.17 the Flesh and Spirit in a Child of God are contrary one to another that is the regenerate and unregenerate part but these are contraries remisse but contraries in the highest degrees can never bee reconciled together therefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6.14 15. What fellowship hath righteousnesse what communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial God is perfect righteousnesse and light and in him is no darknesse at all 1 Joh. 5. Sin is unrighteousnesse and darknesse that hath no light in it therefore what fellowship or communion can there be betwixt these hee means none at all it is against the nature and being of all things now if there can be no communion then no justification for justification is part of a sinners communion with God therefore justification doth necessarily require punishment and satisfaction for without this the Law remains in force and the Law is the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 and sin in the full strength of it is strongly opposite to God And mark these places Jam. 1.13 Job 34 10-13 Deut. 32.3.4 Moses there calls for audience and so doe I and as he begins his speech so may I also say upon this occasion Give ear O heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words of my mouth c. Hee summons the unreasonable Creatures to give attention to what he was about to speak and what was it I will publish the name of the Lord ascribe yee greatnesse to our God Hee is the rock his work is perfect all his ways are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he he proves God to be the Rock and God of truth or the true God because he is without iniquity and all his works are without sin whence it follows that if there were the least sin in God or done by God he could not then bee the Rock his wayes would not bee perfect nor could hee bee stiled just and right or the God of truth Hence it may bee thus reasoned That must needs bee extreamly evil which if it were in the least degree in God would instantly take away his being But such an evil is sin c. If there should be such a poyson saith a godly Divine that if one drop of it should fall into the Ocean Mr. Burroughs all the whole Ocean should be in one moment poysoned or if one drop of it should get into Heaven that then presently the Sun Moon and Starres should fall down and be annihilated you would say that this were a strong venemous poyson certainly if one drop of sin should get into God the infinite being of God would instantly cease to bee the Sea though large is not infinite the Heavens Sun Moon and Starres are not infinite but sin would disanul the infinite being of God Obj. But why then doth not Sin destroy the being of the Creature in which it is Ans One sin did destroy the Angels that sinned one sin destroyed all Mankind and though they are not quite annihilated yet they are worse than nothing having lost their first estate yea Psal 39. every man in his best estate is altogether vanity or rather all vanity sin destroys the life of God in men and the Image of God Hos 13.9 Prov. 6.32 Sin destroys the soul c. and it separates from God if you separate a branch from the root it dyes or if a Beam were separated from the Sun it would suddenly dis-appear and dye or come to nothing Quest How may it appear that sin is opposite to the nature of God This is a great matter to be cleared and if we beleeve that there is a God and such a God as the Scripture describes then wee may know him by the contrary Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt Ans 1. Sin is wholly evil and God is wholly good God is light in whom is no darknesse 1 Joh. 1.5 6. Gen. 6.7 Sin is darknesse without any light Ephes 5.8 the same Apostle saith Rom. 7.18 That in his flesh there dwells no good thing that is in his corrupt nature If wee doe consider other things such as affliction death and the like these have some good in them and are the works of God the Devil himself hath some good in him for the Angelical nature is the good Creature of God that therefore must needs bee extreamly bad that is worse than the Devil so for Hell we think it to be very bad but that is kindled by the breath of God Isa 30. last but we cannot speak so of sin 2 The workings of sin doe prove it to be opposite to God Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh i. e. The best thing that is in an unregenerate man c. it is not only an enemy but enmity whatsoever is in the nature of enmity is found in fleshly wisdome the fleshly wise ones are the greatest enemies to God and though such have goodly pretences oftentimes of the greatest love of God yet God accounts them to bee such as hate him hee looks upon sinners under no other notion but as his desperate enemies that bear a deadly hatred against him Thus you have it exprest in the second Commandement I will visit the sins of them that hate me you would account it a fearful accusation to charge you with hatred of God and yet it is so indeed if you are in your natural estate for the Lord terms you Haters of him and he calls things by their right names And the Apostle Paul speaking of the Gentiles Rom. 1.30 amongst other vile things which hee chargeth them with Hee saith they were haters of God and hence it is that the Scripture frequently ascribes that to wicked men which argues the greatest hatred Isa 3.8 Their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory all that a sinner speaks or doth is against the Lord Hee strives against God Isa 45.8 Woe bee to him that striveth against his Maker hee fights against God Job 15.25 hee stretcheth out his hand and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty 1 Sam. 15.23 One would think it had been a very small sin that Saul committed in sparing Agag when hee had gone so farre in putting so many of the Amalekits to death yet Samuel brands him to bee a Rebel in so doing Rebellion is as the sin of Witch-craft c. yea there is never a sinner but seeks to take away the being of God or at least to pull him out of his throne Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God the fool there
and clear when thou judgest David was now all for justifying of God in whatsoever hee said and did and so should wee Let us take heed of entertaining such thoughts as do rise up against the justice of God 't is a great sin to fly out against the Justice of civil Courts as is the practice of some The Prophet Isaiah speaks of a sad time wherein hee lived Chap. 59.4 None calls for justice nor any pleads for the truth Amos 5.10 They hate him that rebuketh in the Gate this is a horrid crime to bee against the Justice of the Magistrate but wee speak now of a higher matter which is the justice of God himself and to be against this is to bee against God himself for Gods Justice is his very Name and being It were well if they would consider this who do so vehemently decry the preaching of the Law whereas every wise and sober Christian knows 't is his duty to love the strictest commands of God and that they are very useful to keep him from sinning against God Psal 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee and so in another place By the words of thy mouth saith David I have kept mee from the paths of the destroyer And as some are against the strictnesse of the Commands so others are offended at the severity of Gods threatnings Amos 7.10 The Prophet there denounced the judgements of God against Jeroboam and Amaziah said The Land was not able to bear his words and hee must bee gone from Bethel vers 12.13 How harshly did the chief Priests and Pharisees resent those threanings of Christ Luk. 20.16 when Christ there told them that the Lord of the vineyard should destroy the cruel Husbandmen and give the vineyard to others they said God forbid and as it was with them so it is with the people with whom wee have to do in our ministry God forbid say they that there should bee so much severity in God as Ministers speak of but beloved is not preventing justice pretious justice and preventing Physick the best doth it not argue much tenderness in a father to threaten the Rod to his Childe if hee shall adventure to come near to a pit where hee may bee drowned So I say of the judgements of God as they are all righteous and just when they are executed upon Gods Enemies so they are for the prevention of sin in his Children wherefore instead of slandering the Justice of God or repining at it let us justify his waies Lam. 3.39 40. Why doth the living man complain a man that suffereth for his sin Let us search and try our waies and turn again unto the Lord. The drowning of the Old World the burning of Sodome with fire and brimstone the destruction of Jerusalem seems harsh to flesh and blood and some there are that quarrel against and are not afraid to deny the eternity of Hell torments and yet wee are not displeased with a man that kills a brood of Serpents or a kennel of wolves and why Because there is an antipathy in our natures against such harmeful Creatures Now thus it is in Case of sinning against God sin is contrary to Gods nature and Gods nature is contrary to sin if fire burns fuell who blames it or wonders at it and why it is the nature of fire so to do and it is the nature of the holy God to hate sin Psal 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and upright in thy judgements Conclusi 3. If there bee so much evil in sin Wonder at Gods patience in forbearing sin then wonder at the patience of God in forbearing of thee thus long and grow to a self-abhorring and see what an indispensible necessity lies upon every soul for to bee deeply humbled for sin and turned universally from it even whilst it is called to day take notice of that Jerem. 8.8 No man repenteth of his wickedness saying what have I done and let that place bee verified in us Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have peirced and mourn Mr. Calvin interprets that place of God the Father and there may be a truth in it that each person is pierced by our sins Oh! Therefore Mourn as for an onely Sonne and let us bee ashamed that wee can mourn for every petty loss or cross Yea suppose it were the loss of an only Son but cannot mourn at our peircing of Jehovah If a man had brought confusion or destruction upon the whole Creation yet this were infinitely short of the evil of sinne that is a wearinesse to God himselfe Isaiah 1.14 The Lord there complaines of the sinnes of his people though they did so many costly duties that hee was weary to bear them what cannot the infinite God bear them and can a sinful heart bear them Yea how dare a poor wretch live wilfully one hour in sin when as hee knows that God will not pardon it without great Repentance But here perhaps hee will shift or pervert some Scripture or another to palliat his Conscience But now if wee thorowly understand and consider the Argument I am upon wee can finde out no way to escape punishment for our sinnes If this bee true that God cannot in justice pardon sin without punishment God will punish all our sinnes either in our own Persons or in our Surety When I say God cannot let sin pass unpunished the Reason is because God cannot do that which is contrary to his Nature nor change his Nature it were a contradiction to conceit this It is said in the second of Timothy 2.13 God cannot deny himself c. And shall a Sinner then dare to live one hour in such an estate that if God do not or cannot deny himself if hee dye in it hee shall infallibly bee damned Doe not go away now and say as the people did of Ezekiel Chapt. 20. verse the last Do they not say of mee O Lord God doth not this man speak Parables But Friends this is no parable that I Preach but a plain Truth and undeniable and therefore if you are rational you must needs yeeld to the strength of these things 4 If there bee so much evil in sin then let us set our strength against it and all the temptations of Satan whereby by hee labours to draw us into it I might here tell you of the danger of sinne how that death is the wages therof and that eternal fire shall bee the portion of all impenitent sinners But Brethren it is a stronger Argument when I tell you that it is contrary to God and this is true not only of great sinnes but also of small as it is sin those little sinnes as wee term them even vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 and Idle words Matth. 12.36 do expose you to Eternal Wrath not onely a prophane Conversation but also a vain Conversation will prove thy destruction without a Redeemer and therefore Christ dyed for this end to redeem
the intensnesse and strength of it that it was stronger than death and all this to wash us from our sins 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive wee the love of God because he laid down his life c. sustaining the pains of death Of what death the First and Second Death He washed us in his bloud from all the filthinesse of Hell and Death All the dunghills in the world cannot defile us as sin doth and it was the filth of sin that Christ's bloud washed us from Sin defiles the soul yea the whole man Matth. 15.19 You then that are beloved ones and washed can yee content your selves with a slight consideration of this What manner of love is this Qualis Quantus 1 Joh. 3.1 Ephes 3.18 That yee may comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge c. Mark here is a thing that concerns all Saints and wee should labour for such might and strength as not only to apprehend in our minds but comprehend and lay hold upon all the measures of this love in our hearts and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge i. e. either all other knowledge or else all the knowledge of carnal persons or all the knowledge of the Saints in the perfection of it that is it is the most desirable blessing in the world to understand the love of Christ aright Wee can never know too much of this love What should this love work upon our hearts truly wee should bee rooted and grounded in love not only have some leaves of profession but be rooted and grounded in it and it may lye deep in our hearts as roots and foundations use to doe yea this love of the Lord Jesus must bear up all the bulke and wait of our Christian trials yea as a root feed and nourish other graces and holy indeavours in us Oh it is much to be lamented that so many have left their first love They are but few sure that have ever had any rooted or grounded love to Christ at all that is suitable to Gospel measure or rule Luk. 7.47 What is the Gospel measure of love A. Matth. 10.37 Hee that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me i. e. our love to Christ should exceed all other loves and affections in our hearts yea in comparison of Christ we should hate father and mother c. Luk. 14.26.33 wee should hate all forsake all so farre as they stand in competition with Christ or the things of Christ else we cannot be the Disciples of Christ Instr 4. Redeemed ones have great boldnesse towards God This may work in all redeemed ones a marvellous boldnesse towards God that which the Scripture often expresses Ephes 3.12 In whom wee have boldnesse of accesse with confidence Heb. 10.19 Having boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus It is sweet and precious that we have Heb. 4.16 Let us goe with boldnesse to the Throne of grace c. i. e. to Christ our High Priest hee hath set up a Mercy-seat for us And is that all Nay but saith the Apostle Heb. 12.23 Wee are come to God the Judge of all and we are come to the Seat of Justice and wee may in an humble boldnesse plead the justice of God and say Lord who art the Judge of all doe mee justice thou art just and therefore the Justifier of him that beleeveth in Jesus Oh ponder and take again upon thy heart the meaning of this it is not only that hee may bee merciful and gracious and the Justifier of beleevers though that bee a sweet and precious truth too to be beleeved and rejoyced in but it is that hee may bee just Oh beloved this is the very quintessence of faith when as the beleever by faith shall present unto God the Father the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ for satisfaction for sins and goe to him with a full price in his hand and current pay and to say as they doe in dealing here is one and there is t'other and this is not bare distributive but commutative justice between God and man where there is not only Geometrical but Arithmetical proportion that is weight for weight and measure for measure is observed Oh then tender all the pay together all the obedience of Christ active and passive tender we to the righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ it is such a jewel as exceeds our sins infinitely though they have been very many and great Gods justice shall be no loser by us at all and let poor beleevers incourage and embolden their hearts with this Luther was bold when he prayed thus not only Fiat voluntas tua but Fiat voluntas mea not only let thy will be done but let my will be done and it was but the confidence of faith upon this ground we are speaking of Oh beloved the world will account this malepertnesse to come thus before God that they are more bold than welcome but they are strangers to these things and to all that liberty we have in Christ Gal. 2.4 It would be sauciness indeed for those that are out of Christ to approach at any time on this manner to God but let the Children take this as the daily portion of the Childrens bread and it is no wrong to that text 1 Joh. 1.9 to take it in this sense If we confess our sins he is just for Christs sake to forgive us our sins nor to that 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse Inst Adore the righteousnesse of God in all his wayes 5. If God be thus just exactly just in the justification of a Sinner let us learn to acknowledge and adore the righteousness of God in all his wayes Psal 145.17 If his mercy doth not pardon one sin but in a course of justice through the death of Christ then doubtlesse the Justice of God will not be bafled or turned aside in the managing other matters in the world The light of Nature sees nothing but mercy in this case but the light of Grace sees Gods justice also So that though God deals otherwise many times in many things than we could have expected or can see a reason of yet he is always just and holy in his proceedings and it is not enough for us to acknowledge the righteousnesse and holinesse of God in some of his ways and works or in his ways towards others and not towards our selves and in his dealing with some persons and not with all but wee must justifie the Lord in our hearts and words always in all things toward all in all the ways of his providences in his afflicting the godly as well as punishing the wicked Ezra 9.13 yea in the prosperity of the wicked In his great Counsels of Election and Reprobation in the rejection of the Jews c. of which when Paul had spoken Rom. 11. he
was besides since the foundation of the world 2 In respect of the severity and universality of the execution of justice Sea Joseph de bello Jud. upon all sin and sinners that receive not but reject Christ crucified There was never such justice executed upon any people as there was upon the Jews for this sin Mark 13.19 So I may say in regard of others that now set at nought the grace of God in Christ their judgement sleeps not Mat. 11.20 c. It shall bee more tollerable for Sodome and Gomorrah at the day of judgement than for such and dreadful is that Mal. 4.1 2. Behold the day comes that shall burn as an oven and all the Proud and all that do wickedly shall bee stubble and the day comes that shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts and leave them neither root nor branch but to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousnesse appear which healing in his wings these daies of Christ to them that fear God are refreshing Sun-shining daies but for the rest the oven the fiery furnace is heating for them yea seven times hotter than ordinarily it uses what shall now become of proud ruffian-like Professors and carnal Gospellers there will bee bundles of such stubble thrown into the Oven now in the daies of the Gospel Quest 2. Why was the demonstration of the glory of Gods justice the main end of the shedding of Christs blood Rom. 9.22 23. Wee have indeed in the general that the glory of Gods mercy is aimed at in the decree of Election of the vessels of mercy and the glory of Gods justice in the vessels of wrath but how can this concern our Saviour Christ Answ All the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 but the glory of God is divided in some sort in respect of men and women Elect and Reprobate but all the glory of God is united together in Christ so to give you the reasons of the point Reas 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. It is taken from the exceeding glorious excellency of the justice of God that as it is said of true justice though but humane that neither the morning nor the evening star is so admirable as justice is It may bee much more said of the justice of God which is infinitely brighter than the Sun in the firmament that dazles the eies of the brightest Angels in Heaven that they are fain to cover their faces from the beholding of it When the Spirit of God describes the Lord in his glorious Majesty it sets him forth with the clothing of righteousnesse See Isa 59.17 Hee put on righteousnesse as a breast-plate and the helmet of salvation upon his head hee put on the garments of vengeance for cloathing and was clad with zeal as a Cloak c. Psal 94.1 2. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self Lift up thy self thou judge of the earth render a reward to the proud Gods lifts up himself exceedingly when hee sits on his judgement Seat and exercises justice in exactnesse in those famous Visions of Dan. 7.9 10. Rev. 4.2.3 the Lord is described as sitting upon his Throne of Majesty and Justice in a glorious manner and in his Royalty Yea moreover for the necessity and usefulnesse of Gods justice the World cannot bee without it hence the Lord is described with his plumb-line in his hand Amos 7.7 8. So Isa 28.17 the plumb-line is the embleme of Divine Justice look how necessary the plumb-line is to the rearing of a building and the repairing of it such is the use and necessity of Divine Justice hee takes away the unevennesse and inequality of persons and things by reason of sin hee tries them by this level were it not for this the whole frame of the world would totter and tumble down so that the demonstration of the glory of Gods Justice is a glorious end Reas 2. It was necessary that the Justice of Gods proceedings should bee cleared above all things in the death of Christ It was liable in the judgement of flesh and blood to grievous exceptions and cavils as appears both by Scripture and experience Isa 53.3 4 The Jews say Wee thought him smitten of God and afflicted So 1 Cor. 1.23 Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Learned Greeks foolishnesse the Jews thought it enough excuse for them to reject Christ because hee was hanged on a tree and the Greeks thought it folly to look for salvation from him that could not save himself from such an ignominious death yea it was a cunning plot of the Devil to suggest this to the Heathen of old Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem It is rank folly to hope for salvation by anothers death And it is the hellish reasoning of blasphemers in these times how can it stand with the Justice of God that the just should suffer for the unjust should not the righteous rather be delivered and the unrighteous be punished Therfore the Lord here would stop every mouth and cut off all objections when hee saith that the death of Christ was to that end to demonstrate to all the World the glory of his Justice there cannot any thing in the World bee mentioned like unto this to clear up the Justice of God when as the Lord would not spare his onely Son having no more but sin imputed Thus of the second Reason Reas 3. Is taken from the glory of other attributes God hath the glory of other Attributes with the Glory of his Justice that redounds to God together with the glory of his justice as especially of his Wisdome Grace Holinesse and providential Government First The Glory of the Wisdome of God appears herein that hee hath devised a way in that desperate extremity that sin hath cast all mankinde into that a remnant might be saved I will not say as some do weakly if not dangerously to reconcile Justice and Mercy together for they are not to bee opposed or dis-agree in God but are one and the same pure and simple being in him but to glorify his infinite excellencies * The Scripture speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the language of men in the reconciliation of his chosen ones that sinne might bee punished and condemned and the sinner escape the Law might bee made up and accomplished Justice might have its course and the Supream Majesty offended might be reconciled Hence it is said Col. 2.3 That in Christ Jesus all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge are hidden The meaning whereof is not only that Jesus Christ hath all Wisdome and Knowledge in him but that also the Wisdome of the Father in all the abundance thereof shines most clearly in the sending and whole mystery of Christ And more plainly Eph. 1.7 In Christ wee have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of our sins according to the riches of
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation 6 There is the imputation of Christs propitiation to particular selected sinners this is also ascribed to the Father Rom. 4.6 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works 7 There is the infusion and gift of Faith to apprehend this and the comfort of it Eph. 2.8 Yee are saved by grace through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God c. Lastly The preservation of faith and grace unto glory is attributed to the Father Rom. 8.3 Whom he hath justified them also he hath glorified These things I mention not that any should conceit that the other persons are excluded from such intensness and wonderful acts of love to sinners for as Christ saith Joh. 14.11 Beleeve mee that I am in the Father and the Father in mee So that their love is one and Joh. 5.23 The Father hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men may honour the Son as they honour the Father as they honour him not more nor less but therefore I speak these things to shew that a carnal heart hath no just cause from the Scripture to make or conceit any disparity in the divine subsistence To shut up this use The love of all the Divine persons equal Let us consider the infinite love of all the persons of the holy and undivided Trinity to poor sinners that hath devised and provided such an unspeakable way of Righteousness and Peace to kiss each other that poor sinners might bee justified and saved Eph. 2.7 That in ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his kindnesse towards us in Christ Jesus So here that at this time he might declare his righteousness And can wee imagine that all this cost and labour of Gods love in Christ should bee lost can wee possibly fear that God should lose his end in the shedding of his Sons blood as sure as hee is just hee is the justifier of him that beleeveth in Jesus this the Text shews and wee cannot without Atheism question his justice therefore why should the beleever question the other so that wee may boldly say with Paul who shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.38 39. Use 4. Carnal and obdurate persons should consider this end of God Exhortation and it is 1 To carnal and unregenerate persons to remember and seriously consider the weight of this point Let mee propound this Meditation to all such as have benummed and obdurate hearts and consciences That the Lord would have his Justice declared and proved by such a manifest token thereof represented wheresoever the Gospel or Christ is Preached yea why is this reserved for the last times of the daies of the Son of man why truly the Lord hath a most wise and holy end therein surely that it may bee an awakening to Christlesse sinners in the times of the Gospel I beseech you to say to your own hearts why would the Lord have this Justice declared to mee and such exact Justice as this is can any reasonable Creature imagine that such justice should bee executed upon the Son of God that had no sin but by imputation and yet that a Christlesse sinner should escape the justice of God and his righteous judgement Surely Their judgement sleeps not neither doth their damnation slumber If any say that hee looks at Christ as answering the justice of God let such a one hear what Christ saies to such Mat. 7.23 Depart from mee yee workers of Iniquity I know you not Ah poor creature bethink thy self at the last that the Avenger of blood is pursuing of thee at the heeles yea sin lyeth at the door This was Preached in a sick time and thou hast yet no sanctuary or place of refuge to hide thy self in yea that Justice is riding circuit in the Country and goes from house to house yea from person to person yea this Gospel justice which is the most terrible which must stand at the bar to answer it in their own persons and let not any please themselves with their priviledges or profession call that to minde Zephan 3.5 which is spoken of Gods people of old The just God is in the midst of them every morning he brings his judgements to light but the unjust knows no shame Oh beloved this the Lord will do even still that judgement shall begin at the house of God Now take a few Considerations 1 That now in the times of the Gospel it is in vain for any man to plead ignorance of Gods justice Considerations and directions to hard-hearted sinners seeing that it is so solemnly published and declared 2 No man can now doubt of it seeing that in Christs death there is such a manifest token and demonstration of it yee may bee sure that Gods threatnings against sin are in good earnest when hee makes such execution 3 There bee very few that do know the justice of God even amongst Professors what means that heavenly Prayer Joh. 17.25 Righteous Father the World hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent mee hee speaks of God as a righteous Father even towards himself which none of the world knows and hee doth evidently intend or comprehend the Jews in that world though the people of God 4 If justice bee not satisfied and anger with-drawn all thy proud Helpers will stoop under him Job 4 1â— Mat. 3.17 conceive what helps the World can afford thee or the wit of men invent they will bee but broken reeds to succour or support thee God is not well pleased but in his Son Quest What course should a poor sinner take in this Condition Ans 1 Let him conclude undoubtedly with his own soul that there is abundance of unrighteousnesse in every sin committed by him much more in all his sins together seeing that Gods justice proceeds so severely against imputed sin Gods justice and judicial proceedings do clearly discover and are directly opposed to the unrighteousness of sin therefore labour by all means to see by the consideration of Gods righteousnesse what abundance of unrighteousnesse there is in sin Ponder that place well Rom. 5.20 Where sin abounds there grace abounds much more but the Law entred that sin might abound The Law shews that there is abundance of wickednesse in every sin do not think that it belongs onely to some kinde of sins of an hainous nature for it belongs to all sins whatsoever being transgressions of Gods Law as the Text is clear therefore do not sleight any sin 2 Bee sure that God is exceeding willing that his justice should bee satisfied in and by the Surety and hee would not have poor sinners to indure the brunt and the intollerable burthen of it thou maiest in the saddest thoughts of thy condition stay up thy heart with this that Christs death was as well
worth and due esteem 46. It s efficient cause 2. The impulsive 11. The meritorius cause 22. the instrumental cause 120. the end thereof pag. 163 Justification by men is of no value 7. How to discern that God justifies us 10 125 99. Justification how to be attained pag. 19 45 303 K. KIngdom of God set up through Christ pag. 296 How to know that a man is justified pag. 10 99 Knowledge of Christ crucified necessary and how discerned pag. 158 Knowledge of God is to be of him in all his Attributes pag. 291 L. THe Laws first work is the discovery of sin and wrath pag. 98 Spiritual liberty the best newes on earth 33. to be sought with diligence and resolution 34 and to be kept entire pag. 36 Love to Christ 86 276. and the degree thereof according to the Gospel pag. 277 Love to God for the pardon of sins of what sort it is pag. 191 19 Love to the Members of Christ pag. 88 Love of God the strongest ground of assurance pag. 300 M. THe matter of Justification passively taken is the person elected otherwise it s the redemption by Christ pag. 239 Mercy alone no sufficient ground for hope pag. 244 44 Mercies are Curses without Christ pag. 87 Popish Merit refelled pag. 15 Meritorious cause of redemption 22. amplified pag. 107 Ministry of the Word its use and efficacy 117 113. Christ generally and seriously offered therein 78. and diligently to be attended pag. 75 Misery of irregeneracy 42 92. and an unjustified estate pag. 200 Mourning for sin pag. 80 81 N. NAtural man is a bond-man 26. pitty to bee exercised towards such pag. 37 O. OBedience of Christ both active and passive our righteousnesse pag. 196 Obedience and homage to Christ perswaded pag. 50 General offer of Christ in the Gospel pag. 117 78 P. PAcification or attonement by Christ 91. Reasons of it 92. Means to get the benefit 103. When we should use it and how 105 106. Duties flowing from it pag. 118 119 Pardon of sin to bee still prayed for 180. how it may bee cleared to a mans self 189. it must bee sought so as may consist with Divine Justice 227. No sin so vile final impenitency excepted but may be pardoned pag. 72 Patience of God to sinners admirable pag. 265 Peace of Conscience how farre found in all the redeemed pag. 102 Perfect righteousnesse what it must be pag. 198 Possibility of salvation a sufficient ground to seek it pag. 103 Power of God to be dreaded by impenitent sinners 103. It is eminently manifested in the pardoning of sin pag. 269 Presumption reproved pag. 248 Prayer incessant to bee made for our redemption pag. 35 77 Price of our redemption paid only to God 22. The properties thereof pag. 24 Promises justifie as they exhibit Christ pag. 139 Propitiation what it signifies 89. when more especially to bee made use of and how to doe it pag. 105 Proposition of Christ for a propitiation in times of the Old Testament and of the New pag. 108 110 Punishment of Christ our redemption pag. 52 Punishments properly so called not inflicted on the Elect. pag. 61 62 63 R. TRyals whether we be redeemed 30 31 32. From what evils we are redeemed 29. The duties of redeemed ones pag. 35 36 37 Redemption what it is 21. It s excellency 23 29 33. It is by Christ and the reasons of it 22 23 24. how applied 32. and obtained pag. 34 Reformation for future no expiation for sins past pag. 260 Remission of sins what it is 164. highly to be prized 184. how gotten 187. It is equally bestowed on all beleevers 186. Remission of sins and imputation of righteousnesse goe together pag. 206 Renouncing our own righteousnesse wherein it stands pag. 224 Repentance to bee continually renewed and increased pag. 78 Righteousnesse of God in Justification what it is 196 240. why called the righteousnesse of God 195. wherefore requisite 197. This alone to bee trusted in 213. how it is evidenced in Justification 241. and witnessed to by the Law and Prophets 198. It is conveighed to us by imputation pag. 206 No righteousnesse of our own can justifie us 43. our ingagement at this time to be righteous S. SAlvation manifested as possible and probable by the redemption of Christ pag. 71 Sanctification required and an evidence of Justification 69. v. works Satans subtilty to hold men secure in sin pag. 98 261 Satisfaction what the matter and form of it is 39. The necessity of it in Justification 40 41 43 70. Directions to compasse it 46 74 to 79. Comforts by it 48 49 170. Duties it calls for 80 to 88. It was available before the death of Christ 166. It was made to the full 48. The manner of it pag. 51 The evils of security in sin pag. 98 99 Self-justifiers in a sad estate pag. 6 Sin is a debt and how 29. It is opposite to the nature of God 255. proved 257. A destroyer of the Creatures 256. In what respect it may be called infinite 259. It is to be striven against 266. shunned 83 86. and hated 267. Any sin allowed enough to condemn us 214 The disposition of a childe of God in regard of sin 31. How farre a beleever may charge his soul with it 176. and how farre take comfort about the forgiveness of it pag. 182 Socinians error manifested pag. 297 Godly sorrow to bee always kept alive and in exercise urged upon several considerations pag. 80 81 82 Souls of men much to be prized pag. 119 Sufferings of Christ 52 53 54. Objections about them answered 55 56. how they set forth the glory of Gods Justice 292. How necessary they were 70. They doe not at all exempt any Christlesse souls pag. 59 Sufferings of Saints are suited to their conditions pag. 63 T. TError to persons unjustified pag. 6 57 c. Terrors of Conscience excluded by free justification pag. 15 Thankfulness to God urged 227 37 All Persons of the sacred Trinity co-operate in our Justification pag. 3 115 301 V. UNbeleevers danger 124. and inexcusablenesse 110 168 Unbelief under the Gospel a token of Reprobation pag. 234 235 W. VVAY to Salvation but only one 110. even Christ pag. 111 Wisdom of God seen in a Sinners Justification pag. 295 The profit that accrueth to all by the Word pag. 101 Dreadful condition of them that contemn the Word of God pag. 42 Wee must work out our salvation with Gods working pag. 75 Works how said to justifie pag. 122. They are required in justified persons but not to their Justification 50 130 214. what use they are of pag. 216 Works of the Trinity ad extra undivided pag. 3 Wrath of God against Sinners intollerable 261. All men by nature are under it 101. What such ought to doe pag. 102 103 116 FINIS