Sentence of Condemnation upon him notwithstanding this because though in Christ he be justified yet he is not absolved until such time as he hath his particular Pardon as for example A company of Persons for Rebellion against their Soveraigne are actually proclaimed Traytors and if taken are by the Law adjudged to dye the young Prince desirous to save the lives of some of these gives his Father a Ransome for them the persons ransomed known only to the Prince and his Father are now pardoned and so esteemed in sight of the Prince and his Father yet because the names of these Persons are concealed and it is a secret to whom this belongs the Law therefore which proceeds not upon secret but knowne grounds takes no cognizance thereof but though many of them be justified and the Princes Son hath a general Pardon in his hand for them yet in regard the particular Pardons are not given forth the Law not acknowledging them pardoned because in a Legal way they are not followes the general Sentence upon all without exception until such time as the particular Pardon is produced and then as each hath his particular Pardon produced so the Law actually acquits him and not before This is the Comparison the Application is In Adam's Fall we all were proclaimed Traytors and adjudged to dye Christ willing to save a certaine number of these condemned persons gives his life a ransome for them which God accepts and hereupon Christ hath a general Pardon given to him by vertue of which all these persons considered in the Lump as in him their common Person are pardoned yet because it is a secret known to God and Christ alone who they are which are pardoned the Law of God therefore which proceeds not upon secret but manifest things takes no notice of this but followes the general Sentence of Condemnation upon all until such time as each one hath a particular Pardon drawne out of the general given an applied to him so that a man may vertually be justified in Christ as his common Person and yet justly under an actual sentence of Condemnation from the Law 2 From the effects of that Sentence viz. Punishments here on Soul and Body as they flow from Divine Wrath and are for the satisfaction of Justice not that Souls in Christ are freed from all sufferings in Soul and Body for they suffer through Adams Fall in both as well as others but these their sufferings are Fatherly Chastisements not legal Punishments inflicted out of wrath to satisfie Justice which for them is already by Christ satisfied yea Death it self which they with others suffer is not a Legal punishment but a translation to a better life Now punishments are the effects of this Sentence only as they are Legal punishments all which they are freed from and so from all the effects of this Sentence 3 From the Final execution thereof viz. the Condemnation of Hell this such as are in Christ are freed from also 1 Thess 1. last 2 But why must this be so Ans 1. Because a soul in Christ is one actually united to him and one with him and being so no Sentence of Condemnation can fall upon him but the same must light upon Christ himself who is one with him As a Woman after Marriage though shee owe ever so many Debts yet the Arrest doth not light upon her but upon her Husband 2 Because the Law which should condemn him hath satisfaction given now to condemn after satisfaction received were unjust and illegal 3 Because such a one hath a pardon given him Now after pardon there is no sentence of Condemnation though before there might now they have a Pardon and such a one as is 1 With satisfaction to the Law therefore not a forced or constrained Pardon but a most just one 2 Purchased and therefore due by debt though not to us God owes us nothing yet to Christ he is in debt As the Pardon respects us it is all Free Grace free grace in God to accept of Christs payment for us he might have made us paid the Debt our selves As it is the courtesie of the Creditor to accept a Surety hee might make the Debtor pay himself Free Grace when he hath accepted of it to give forth the Pardon to this or that Soul rather than another another might have had it and thou and I have wanted it yet as the Pardon respects Christ its Debt he paid dear for it 3 Sealed with Bloud the New Testament which brings this pardon is sealed with the bloud of the Testator now after such a pardon there can be no condemnation 4 Because he is by a publick act of God acknowledged a just and righteous Person I doe not say he is accounted an innocent person because once he was guilty but a just and righteous person because though once guilty yet not now Now this publick justification of him hath more in it than a bare pardon for that only remits Sin and takes away unrighteousness this conferres grace and gives righteousness so as that such a person is now no longer looked upon not only as no sinners but as a righteous person that hath obeyed all the commands of God And this Justification is such that as none can bee more legal so none is of more force to keep off Condemnation he being justified both by the party offended and the Judge himself for God is both these and it is God that justifieth Row 8.33 and what can bee more for any mans justification 5 He is in the hands of two omnipotent Keepers who as they have power sufficient to defend him so are resolved never to deliver him up to Justice Joh. 10.28 29. God and Christ But what if the Keepers differ within themselves then hee may bee delivered up No saith Christ no fear of that for I and my Father are one vers 30. 3 But what is that which frees those which are in Christ from Condemnation Ans 1. NEGATIVELY Not the righteousnesse of old Adam although the unrighteousnesse of old Adam brought Condemnation upon us yet the righteousnesse of old Adam cannot free us from it the best of old Adams righteousnesse since the Fall is marred by his unrighteousnesse so that although once it were sufficient to bring us to glory yet now it is lame yea through the Fall sinful and altogether imperfect that which will help forward our Condemnation instead of freeing us from it so as that though a man should never in all his Life-time commit any part of the unrighteousnesse of old Adam yet such now is his righteousnesse that in following of that hee might hasten his condemnation But secondly and POSITIVELY Our freedome is through the righteousness of Christ the new Adam Rom. 3.20 21 22. chap. 5.18 19. which righteousness is two-fold Active Passive the Active gives us Title to glory the Passive frees us from condemnation as our Justification to life eternal hath respect to Christs active obedience so our
justification from death eternal hath respect to his passive Rom. 5.10 Christs Passive obedience viz. his death and sufferings is that frees us from condemnation for herein hee bare the curse of the Law and was condemned for us So that all the free dome poor souls have from that guilt which is brought in by sin and the consequence thereof viz. a sentence of condemnation here with its effects and the final execution thereof hereafter is by the death of Christ his blood his passive obedience 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Hence these and such like Scriptures which attribute justification to the blood death and sufferings of Christ speak not of justification fully but onely of a part of it viz. Justification from death eternal Hence also wee learn how exceedingly every Saint is beholding to Christ for dying for had hee not dyed wee had been all to this very day under the fearful sentence of condemnation with all the effects thereof and should have been under the final execution thereof for ever in hell hereafter and also for fulfilling the Law of God actively for him which had hee not done though his death shoud have freed him from hell yet could hee not have had an entrance into Heaven 4 But wherein doth it appear that this freedome from condemnation is such a great and glorious priviledge Answ 1. Is it not a great and glorious priviledge for a man to have all his accusers mouths stopped This is the priviledge of those who are freed from condemnation Suppose a Malefactor under sentence hath a pardon that very act stops all his accusers mouthes as to that thing for which hee was condemned So the act of Gods pardoning grace stops sins mouth consciences mouth the Devils mouth As there can bee no legal condemnation without a precedent accusation so there can bee no accusation as touching things remitted after pardon When Satan accused Joshua Zach. 3. begin Christ stops his mouth Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire So when the Devil accuseth any soul which hee hath delivered from condemnation Christ stops his mouth is not this Satan one whom I have freed from condemnation Have not I plucked him out of the fire Are not his sins pardoned Why then Satan doest thou rake up these old businesses again 2 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to bee freed from that which to bee under would make one unspeakably miserable for ever Soules freed from condemnation are so under condemnation and under the wrath of God which burnes like devouring flames of fire I Under condemnation and under all the plagues and judgements of God under the weight of all thy sins each of which will one day weigh like a mountain of lead under all the dreadful curses of the Law under the sting and biting of a tormenting conscience under the power of the Devil under all afflictions as legal punishments for sin c. 3 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have ground to beleeve that I shall injoy an eternal life with God in glory after this short life is ended This is the soules that is freed from condemnation Christ would never have freed him from the one but in order to the other Hee would never have plucked him out of hell but in order to the putting him into Heaven and therefore once freed from hell and thou art safe for ever returning thither again Joh. 5.24 There is a passage from death to life but none back again 4 Is it not a great priviledge to bee in such a condition wherein I can triumph over all my enemies spiritual and temporal Soules freed from condemnation are in this condition they can triumph over sin because they see the guilt thereof taken away and have the promise and strength of Christ to mortifie it in them over the Law because the curse is gone Gal. 3.13 over the Devil because they see principalities and powers spoyled over death because it s but an entrance into life and so far as there is evil in it it s swallowed up into victory over hell because Christ hath delivered them from wrath to come over the malice reproaches contumelies of the world because Christ hath overcome the world and also they behold all the malice of the world bound up in a chain and that chaine to bee at the disposal of their Father 5 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to know assuredly that although through infirmity I fall into sin yet sin shall never be laid to my charge This is that souls also which is freed from condemnation Rom. 8.33.34 6 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have a share and propriety in all that is Christs this is their's they are heirs of God and coheires with Christ and so Christs life death riches wisdome righteousness strength grace glory all is theirs 7 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all our afflictions and crosses turned into blessings and mercies This also is their's they meet with no affliction but it is a mercy to them if in poverty their poverty is a mercy if in sickness if in temptation under reproach under losses yea death it self yet it is a mercy 8 Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have God and the whole Creation at peace with a man This likewise is theirs God is at peace with that soul Col. 1.20 and all the creatures which are at war with others are at peace with him Such are in Covenant with God and being so God makes a Covenant for them with all the creatures as Job 5.23 Hos 2.18 9 And lastly Is it not a great and glorious priviledge to have all things working together for our good Health if wee can have it strength parts riches honours if wee can have them Satans temptations Gods hidings c. all things conspiring as it were our good This is the priviledge of called souls who are freed from condemnation Rom. 8.28 Object O but will some poor soul say Were I freed from condemnation surely the Devil would not bee so busie with mee by his temptations I should not bee so under his power as I am Answ 1. It is one thing to bee under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission God permitting Satan to have a power over thee another by way of voluntary subjection Christ was under the power of Satan by way of Divine permission when his body by Satan was transported from place to place So also Peter when hee was left to be winnowed by Satan and Paul when buffeted yet none under Satans power by way of voluntary subjection 2 Thy temptations rather argue that thou art freed from condemnation than otherwise Satan doth not use to trouble his friends but those that are his enemies or in a way to bee so Object But I finde corruption strong within mee which surely would not bee were I freed from condemnation Answ 1. It is one thing to have the guilt of
sin removed which brings under condemnation and another to have the being and acting of sin removed Paul had the guilt removed yet not the being or acting Rom. 7. 2 It is one thing to be under sin as sins captive another as sins servant Thou art under sin but is thy will against it The evil that thou doest doest thou hate and count it thy burden and hell desiring as earnestly the mortification as pardon of it thou art then not under sin as sins servant but onely as its captive as Paul was Rom. 7.24 and yet hee triumphs There is no condemnation Object O but were I freed from condemnation I should have more life in Duties Ordinances than I have Answ 1. There is a difference betwixt the having of life and the feeling of it do not say because thou doest not feel life therefore thou hast none 2 Thy feeling the contrary to wit a want of life argues thou hast it for a dead man feels nothing Use 1. See then what a vast difference there is betwixt the condition of one that hath interest in Christ and another mans the one is freed from condemnation the other is under it There is as much difference as is betwixt one man going up the gallowes to bee hanged and another going from the gallows with a pardon in his hand to the Court there to sit at the Princes Table 2 How blessed then is the condition of every soul interessed in Christ Such are freed from condemnation David Psal 32. saith Blessed is hee whose iniquities are forgiven Why because such a one is freed from condemnation take away the cause you remove the effects so take away sin and condemnation ceaseth the blessedness therefore lyes in this that such are freed from condemnation O who would not then seek an interest in Christ what Drunkard Swearer in this Congregation but would do it when the condition of such is so blessed A man when frantick or mad though condemned to dye yet hee thinks his condition as good as the best but when hee comes to himself and sees where hee is then hee cryes out O that I were in the condition of such a one and such a one So when men are mad after their lusts and besotted with them they think their condition good though under a sentence of condemnation but when such shall at the houre of death or judgement come to themselves and see where they are then shall they cry out O that I were in such a ones condition and such a ones Balaam when hee came to dye would dye the death of the righteous So when men come to dye O then that I were such a one whom if they could they would have hanged while they lived 3 Then how great a sin and how much below their condition is unbeleef in the people of God Soul hath Christ freed thee from condemnation and wilt thou distrust him for salvation And doth Christ say as much to thee and wilt thou by unbeleefe give Christ the lye Deale not thus O soule by thy loving Saviour 4 This casts many persons and brings most men in the Countries Towns and Parishes of the world under condemnation Why they have not interest in Christ and such and onely such are freed therefore all others are under it still 1 Art thou one who livest and walkest in prophane courses a Drunkard Swearer unclean person c. thou art one cast by this doctrine for as yet thou hast not interest in Christ 1 Joh. 1.6 If wee say that wee have fellowship with him and walke in darkness wee lye and do not the truth If such have not fellowship with Christ then no actual interest in him communion flows from union if it bee a lye to say they have communion much more to say they have actual interest and consequently union 2 Art thou a moral man and restest here thou also hast as yet no interest in Christ Heathens many of them did excel in Morality yet knew not Christ The Scribes and Pharisees came behinde none of our Moralists yet hear what Christ saith to them Matth. 5.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 3 Art thou a Religious man or an outward Professor resting here in thy outward Profession and the performance of some external duties Stand thou by too thou hast not as yet interest in Christ Rom. 2.28 29. For hee is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but hee is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Object But though I have not interest in Christ is there no hope for a soule in this condition Answ No continuing in it but mistake not hope there is thou mayest yet come to Christ and so come out of it and so although for the present thou hast not interest in Christ yet possibly coming to Christ thou mayest have it and then there is hope for thee I say soul which soever of these conditions is thine there is hope thou mayest come to Christ and in this way there is hope for thee Art thou a prophane sinner a persecutor read 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Mark 3.28 Verily I say unto you All sins shall bee forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme Art thou a moral man so was Nicodemus Joh. 3. Art thou an outward professor only and so an hypocrite indeed read Isa 65. vers 2. with 5. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way which was not good after their own thoughts which say Stand by thy self come not near to mee for I am holier than thou these are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day 5 And lastly This is comfort to the Saints against the guilt of all sin whatsoever Are souls in Christ freed from condemnation Then poor soul thy sins shall never condemn thee they may rob thee of thy peace and comfort here but shall never of thy Crown and glory hereafter they may bring corrections upon thee but never condemnation for thou art freed from that Amen SERMON II. ROM 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation THree Observations I have raised from these words 1 That it is a Saints priviledge to be freed from Condemnation 2 This comes from our in-being in Christ 3 Those who are freed from Condemnation are such who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit I handled the First the last day now for the Second viz. Doct. That our freedome from Condemnation comes from our in-being in Jesus Christ In the
Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingly Law or the Law of Christ as King of Saints This distinction Christ teacheth us Mat. 5. where repeating and opening of the Moral Law he saith it was said of old thus and thus i. e. thus Moses said thus the Law as it was Moses his Law said but saith he I say unto you i. e. thus the Law as it is my Law saith unto you This Paul well knew and therefore Rom. 7. handles the Law under this two fold consideration as Moses his Law he saith we are dead to it delivered from it and have nothing to doe therewith as Christs he saith he did approve of it delight in it and endeavour to conforme thereto So Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death he makes a clear distinction betwixt the Law as it was in Moses his hand administring sin and death to those under it and in Christs giving spirit and life and he saith that beleevers by being under the Law as Christs are freed frâ—m as Moses's And in Gal. 2.19 For I through the Law am dead to the law that I might live unto God He tells us that by vertue of being under the Law as it is in the hand of Christ he tells us he was dead to it as in the hand of Moses These things laid down I say Gospel walking is to make the Law of God i. e. the Moral Law as it is the Law of Christ the rule of our lives and actions For the making out of this three things are to be proved 1 That the Moral Law in Gospel-times is a Rule to Beleevers else making it our Rule cannot be Gospel-walking 2 That it is a Rule only as in the hand of Christ 3 That to obey and observe the Law as it is in the hand of Christ is truly and properly Gospel-walking The first I make good by these Arguments Argument 1. If the coming of Christ doth not destroy the Law as a Rule but fulfill or compleat the same then is the Law in Gospel-times a rule to beleevers But the first is true Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill What fulfilling is the fulfilling here spoken of Not so much Christs fulfilling the Law for us as our common person though this bee a truth as the perfecting or compleating of the Law I came to fulfill the Law that is to compleat the Law to fill up the Law which the Jewes took by halves or peece-meals and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie to replenish perfect or fill up a thing being as some say a Metaphor taken from a Ship under sayl whose sayls are filled with wind and this Christ's own speaking to the end of the Chapter clearly shews he going on to declare the spiritual sense and meaning of the Law beyond what the Jewes understood thereof or Moses had discovered to them Therefore the latter Argum. 2. If the Moral Law bee a perpetual and everlasting Rule to Saints in all Ages then to Saints in Gospel-times But the first is true Mat. 5.18 for Verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled As long as Heaven and Earth remaines so long doth the Law remaine and the fulfilling thereof remaine Here observe by the way that the Greek word translated fulfilled is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not signifie as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the precedent verse to perfect or fill a thing up but to doe or performe a thing Now there is a two-fold fulfilling or performing of the Law a fulfilling or performing thereof in Christ as our Head and common Person this was perfectly accomplished by and in Christ when hee was here and there is a fulfilling or performing of the Law in us the Members this because it is imperfect and wrought by degrees goes perpetually on increasing till wee come to bee wholly like our Head and this I take it is that which is here spoken of which shall remaine as long as Heaven and Earth remaine i. e. as long as Heaven and Earth stands Saints shall goe daily on fulfilling of the Law till in the end their obedience comes to bee perfect as Christs was Argum. 3. If the preaching of Faith doth not make voyd the Law but establish the same then doth the Law still remaine as a Rule to Beleevers in Gospel-times But the first is true Rom. 3.31 Nay we establish the Law i. e. by the preaching of the Gospel wee doe not over-turn the Law make men Libertines and free them from the obedience of the Law no but we establish the Law set it upon a better and surer bottome than it stood on before and bring men to a more free full and spiritual observance thereof than they will bee brought any other way therefore the latter Argum. 4. If the substance of those things which are required in the Moral Law are commanded in the Gospel promised to Gospel-times then doth the Law remaine a Rule to Beleevers still But the first is true as for example Doth the Law in general require of us to love God with all our heart with all our soul with all our might and with all our strength and to love our neighbour as our selves and doth not the Gospel every where command these things Doth the Law require of us to love serve and obey one God and the true God and doth not the Gospel doe this Doth the Law require us to worship God in his owne way forbidding all Idol worship and doth not the Gospel doe this 1 Cor. 10.20 21. 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. doth the Law require us to sanctify Gods Name and doth not the Gospel too Jam. 5.12 Doth it require the sanctifying of the Sabbath and is not this promised to Gospel-times Ezek. 44.24 in the purest Gospel which shall be when the Jewes are called they shall hallow Gods Sabbath and I take it for this reason the command of keeping the Sabbath is mentioned both in the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law in the Judicial Law to teach us that the keeping holy one day of seven is natural in the Moral to teach it is Moral and in the Ceremonial Law to teach us the command of the Sabbath is Evangelical the Ceremonial Law being but the Gospel under Types and Figures Doth the Law require obedience to Superiours and doth not the Gospel yea is not the Fifth command in expresse words commanded Ephes 6.2 Doth the law forbid Murder Adultery Theft False-witness-bearing coveting anothers goods and right and are not all these forbid in the Gospel Rom. 13.9 therefore the law remaines a Rule to beleevers under the Gospel Argum. 5. If Christ as a common person did yeeld obedience to the Moral Law then is the
hands of them all 1 Divine JVSTICE and displeasure Man was no sooner faln from God but he fell into the hands of Justice Justice having the Creature in bonds will not release him without satisfaction made Christs owne who were in the bulk of fallen Mankind being now with the rest in the hands of Justice Christ goes and surrenders up his own life in the stead of theirs and by dying conquers Iustice and so wins those which were his owne for whom lie dyed out of Justices hands 2 SIN As man by the fall was a prisoner to Justice so a subject to Sin Christs own being in this vassalage with the rest under the guilt of sin and power of it Christ that hee might ransome and redeem his own incounters this enemy likewise giving a deadly blow to it as Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should not serve sin and by this his ingagement hee gains his own out the hands of sin from under the guilt of it and the dominion likewise This remarkable conquest of Christ over sin in the behalf of his own we have recorded 1 Cor. 5.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks bee to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Where wee have a list of those potent enemies that Christ by conquest hath rescued his own out of the hands of three of them being brought in together the first is Death which through Christs Conquest is swallowed up into victory vers 54. The second is Sin The third is the Law over all which Christians through Christ have the victory vers 57. and may boldly triumph O death where is thy sting 3 Which is one in die former List and none of the least or weakest is the LAW Man fallen from God falls under the curse and condemnation of the Law the Law curses him and condemns him darts down all its thunderbolts upon the head of the sinner Christ now seeing his own among the rest lying under a curse a sentence of condemnation that hee might regain his own hee puts himself under the Curse and saith Curse mee O Law but deliver and let go my own the Law streightway bends all its power against Christ and turnes the edge of its curses upon him but falling upon a mighty one the Law is vanquished and overcome and all its Curses being plucked out of its hands Christ taketh up his own and in a triumphant manner carries them away from under the curse of the Law This is lively set forth Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree 4 The WORLD Christs own in the Text are said to bee in the world how in the world in the world as a friend No but in the world as a mortal enemy that hates malignes them would if it could eat them up Joh. 15.19 If yee were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Christ seeing his own in the hands of such an Enemy ingageth this Enemy likewise and will not quit the field till hee hath got the Conquest and broken the power of this Enemy and so redeemed his own as Joh. 16. last These things I have spoken unto you that in mee yee might have peace in the world yee shall have tribulation but bee of good cheer I have overcome the world 5 The DEVIL The Devil is the Laws and Justices Jaylor Man by his falling from God coming under the power of the Law and Justice falleth into the hands of this Jaylor Christ seeing his own in the croud among the rest now in the hands of this powerful and cruel Jaylor that hee might ransome his own hee falls upon this Jaylor pitcheth a field with this potent Prince of darkness and having given him a total foile hee carries his own away as the glorious and triumphant spoyles and trophies of his victory This Conquest is set forth Col. 2.15 And having spoyled principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 6 And lastly HELL Hell is the Devils prison Christs own among the rest through mans fall and the enmity of Satan the Jaylor were in danger to bee cast into this prison Christ seeing this assaults the Jaylor breaks open the prison doors and in token of victory hath the Keyes of the prison delivered into his hands As when a General conquers a City or Castle the Keyes in token of victory are delivered into his hands So Christ having conquered the Jaylor and broken open the prison hath the Keyes delivered to him And hereby Christ frees his own from all fears of being cast into this prison for the Keyes are not now in the hands of Satan the Jaylor who is their enemy but in the hands of Christ who is their loving friend and hath therefore gotten the Keyes into his hand that they might not bee cast in Rev. 1.18 I am hee that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keyes of Hell and of Death Lay all together and it will evidently appear that Christ hath a right a glorious right unto his own by Conquest for hee hath fought for them with many potent enemies and by the strength of his Almighty Arm wrested them out of the hands of them all who therefore now himself alone and no other hath the right the onely right to challenge them as his own 4 They are Christs own by Compact or Covenant The Father having by Covenant put them into Christs hands They are not onely given as before but given by Covenant for when Christ stood a common person a Covenant was drawn up betwixt the Father and him in which Christ Covenanted on his part to satisfie the Fathers Justice the Father again Covenanted to give to Christ a seed this is expressed Isa 53.10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin hee shall see his seed hee shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand This Covenant as saith a godly man of our times is Dialogue-wise expressed Isa 49. where Christ at the first and second verses begins shewing his Commission and Qualification and asking what hee should have for so great a work God answers vers 3. and offers low onely the Elect of Israel Christ who was now making his bargain thought these too few and therefore saith If that were all hee should labour in vain vers 4. yet tells God hee would do his work though it were but for these
convincing thereof and cry out of it and yet are strangers to Gospel-humiliation Many a one cryes out of his Drunkenness c. and resolves against it I have been so and so O but I think I will never do so more I will turn over a new leaf c. and yet are not humbled Cain saw his sin and run mad upon it and Judas saw it and hanged himself and yet were not humbled So men may sinne till they runne mad hang and drowne themselves and yet not humbled 4 It doth not arise from looking on the Law and the threats thereof and pressing these on the soul Some there are who hearing of repentance and Gospel-humiliation would fain get a repentance and humiliation of their own and hereupon they run to the Law and read over and over the Threats Curses and Damnations of the Law thinking by this to do the deed when alas poor souls they do but knock a flint to get water out of it none comes and they knock knock knock their hearts and the Law together to bring forth the water of repentance and all to no purpose none comes 2 What manner of looking upon Christ is this that doth beget this Gospel-humiliation Answ It is not a looking upon Christ with the outward and bodily eyes Thus many saw Christ when hee was here below yea thus they beheld Christ who yet crucified him and yet this did not beget Gospel humiliation in any that beheld him only thus And thus likewise every one shall see him when hee comes as Rev. 1â—7 Behold hee cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him yet wee read not that this shall humble any who are not otherwise humbled indeed mens hearts shall fail them for fear men shall bee gastered and at their wits end when the Drunkard and Sabbath-breaker and hee that comes hither now to scoffe and flout and jeer shall see Christ coming in flaming fire to take vengeance on him they shall bee at their wits end mens hearts shall faile them the Captain and the sturdy valiant Souldier which now have hearts like Lions and Tigers and will not bee startled though they meet with men or Devils who have lived here prophanely drinking and swilling their hearts who never failed them shall at this day when they shall see Christ coming to take vengeance on prophane persons faile them and shake and quiver within them like an ashen leaf and they shall cry to the mountains and rocks to fall on them c. and yet for all this they shall bee far from having any work of Gospel-humiliation upon them therefore it is not looking upon Christ with the bodily eyes doth it But that looking upon Christ which begets this true Gospel-humiliation it is looking upon Christ with a spiritual eye an eye of faith that is looking upon Jesus Christ not as if he were a man onely like other men walking here but as one that God the Father sent into the world to dye for the fins of poor sinners and who when hee was here did suffer death to this end that hee might take their sins away and by dying hee hath washed mee a poor foul filthy sinner and cleansed mee from all my sins When a poor Drunkard c. who hath lived like a Swine twenty thirty forty years lookes thus upon Christ hee is ashamed of himself and mourns bitterly for his sins when hee can say I have been such a vile Drunkard such a Sot such a Whoremaster as there hath not been such another in the Country and yet Christ dyed for mee and hath washed and cleansed mee this humbles thoroughly this begets Gospel-humiliation 3 But how doth this looking upon Christ as pierced for sin beget this true Gospel-humiliation Answ 1. By clear convincing a man of sin There is nothing in the world which brings such clear and strong convictions of sin as this doth the Law hath no such convictions as grace hath and beholding of Christ brings the Law though it come and tell a sinner of a thousand sins hee is guilty of here and here and here thou hast failed at such and such a time thou hast been drunk been with thy Queans yet the Law presently puts a man upon doing which being a very natural way the poor sinner which had a wound quite through but even now comes and claps a duty or two on and so all is healed up and the man is as whole as a fish and now hee thinks himself no sinner at all and therefore observe where ever the Law is most preached and urged there men are beaten into a road of Civility and there is no men in the world that bless themselves more that they are in a good estate and without sin than these men But now looking upon Christ that doth fully and clearly convince a man of sin when a poor soul looks upon a pierced Christ O saith the soul what a vile wretch am I I was drunk at such a time prophaning the Sabbath at such a time and suffering my children to do it at such a time and behold this sin I see it piercing of Jesus Christ I was sleighty formal in duty proud unbeleeving envious against my brother at such a time and behold yonder I behold those very sins piercing of Christ This convinceth the soul of all sins and it so convinceth as the soul sees there is no other way in the world nor help for it but to run to Jesus Christ and to flye to the blood of Christ O saith the soul I am such a sinner and I see there is no help nor releef in the world for mee but yonder bleeding Christ 2 By exceedingly aggravating of a mans sins The Law cannot aggravate sin as looking upon a pierced Christ will and doth O this wondrously aggravates sin 1 It shews that every sin I commit is against a loving Father O saith the soul thus and thus have I done against God and behold what a loving Father hee is to mee yonder I behold his Son his onely begotten Son hanging upon the Cross and hee is whipping and wounding of him for what I have done beeause otherwise I must have been whipped and wounded for it to all eternity O the greatness of his love and O the greatness of my rebellion O that ever I should bee such a wretch and walk thus as I have done 2 It shews that every sin committed it wounds Jesus Christ and goes to the heart of Christ When it looks upon Christ as pierced then it sees such a sin I committed at such a time that comes and gives him a blow and such a one and such a one that comes and runs him in the side then the soul looks upon it self and saith O what a wretch am I the other day I was light and wanton and behold now I see that very sin wounding Jesus Christ the other day I was got with my merry companions in such a Chimny-corner with my
Fiddle my Pot and Tobacco-pipe singing and making merry and jovial and behold that very sin then committed it thrust a spear into the side of Christ O vile creature therefore that I was that ever I did thus the other day I sat dressing and trimming and pricking up my selfe curling and laying out my haire by handfulls three houres together and altogether neglected prayer c. and now I see that sin wounding Jesus Christ The other day I was with my Queans in such a corner c. railing at these Round-heads Independents Sectaries c. and now I see this also wounding Jesus Christ The other day I was speaking evill of my brother grudging against him proud arrogant c. and now I see this piercing the side of Jesus Christ 2 By bringing a pardon in hand to the soul looking upon Jesus Christ brings a pardon in hand to the soule Now a man being convinced of sin and then his sin aggravated to the highest and then a pardon brought this will breake his very bea rt for his sinne to thinke that eyer hee should do thus When a man comes to thinke thus I am the vilest sinner that hath been in all the Country O but yonder Christ hee hath been pierced for my sins and behold I see him And to assure mee that hee is pierced for my sinnes behold God the Father through the wound that was made in his side hath given mee an Acquittance and here I have my pardon in hand which though it hath cost mee nothing yet Christ hath paid dear for it and thinking and beleeving thus hee reflects upon himselfe and his sinnes and his heart melts all into tears and O saith the soule that ever I should do thus that ever I should do thus and now it calls it selfe Wretch and Foole and Devil it hath walked so towards God and it is so incensed against his sinnes that were they flesh and blood to bee fought with as wee fight with men it would presently try its life with them 4 By assuring him of a Crown and Inheritance that God hath laid up for him The Soule lookes upon Christ as pierced and as it is convinced of sinne hath sinne aggravated and a pardon brought So also by looking upon Christ it hath assurance given it of a Crowne it shall one day enjoy O saith the soule now I behold that very thing viz. my sinne which kept mee from enjoying of a Crowne and Kingdome Christ hath taken it away A Crowne from all Eternity was prepared for mee and nothing is in the way to keepe mee from possessing of it but this I have been a filthy sinfull and a foolish creature and have both forfeited my Crowne to Gods Justice and given the same to the Devil But behold yonder Jesus Christ hath bought this Crowne againe for mee satisfying Gods Justice and by force hath taken the same from the Devil and hee gives it mee freely though hee hath paid his dearest blood for it When the soule looks upon this and considers the infinite love of Christ in it and its wretchedness that it should cause Christ to suffer thus much it is even melted and broken to peeces The most effectual means to kill and subdue Sin One SERMON on 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous IN the former Chapter the Apotle laies before Beleevers that plenteous Redemption that is in Jesus Christ and the precious vertue and merit of his Bloud to cleanse poor Sinners from their sins vers 7. But if wee walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin and also what riches of pardoning grace and mercy are in God to poor sinners In the first verse of this Chapter hee makes use of these things to stirre up to holinesse of life and modification of sin in all Beleevers These things write I unto you that you sin not as if he should say I doe not write these things that now you might live as you lift and sin boldly because Christs Bloud is so efficacious and Gods Grace so free no nothing lesse but I write these things that from such considerations you might be more provoked to holinesse of life and the mortification of sin in you the end of these discoveries and the use you should make of them is purity not prophaneness holinesse not licentiousnesse These things write I that you sin not By the way observe two things Obser 1. That the end of Gospel Revelation is to keep men from sin 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Acts 26. â—â— To open tâ—eir eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Rom. 8.3 4. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And this must needs be the end of Gospel-Revelation because 1 God sent Christ to this end Tit us 2.13 14. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 2 The Gospel is preached to this end Acts 14.15 We also are men of like passions with you and preach unto you that yee should turne from these vanities unto the living God c. 3 The Spirit is given to this end to make us holy 4 It was the end of all Gods administrations it was the end of the Legal administration Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made c. which administration being weak and not able to doe it as Rom. 7.9 10 11. For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Chap. 8.3 4. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spiit Heb. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing of a
resolution too but sayest thou well yet sin I will overcome thee then thou fallest to praying thy selfe against it and gettest others to pray for thee and runnest to this Minister and the other and â—readest thy case before him and askest his advice what thou shouldest do in it notwithstanding all this thine own endeavours or any help they can afford thee thy sin is still too strong for thee well then When there is no other way thou knowest left thou fallest to keeping of Fasts makest vows and covenants and doest as good as swear to the Lord of heaven and earth that henceforth thou wilt bee as godly as passes and never sin against him more nor do as thou hast done and then it may bee before two dayes or a week come at an end thou breakest all and art now in a worse case than ever and even at thy wits end O poor souls This is the way you go in to get holinesse to have your sins mortified and this is the fruit of it after all your striving and strugling tugging and pulling to fetch your sins out by head and ears they abide there still and the reason is because you go about it in a way of working whereas you should look for all from Grace and so study the Grace of God more Sin it is like Sampson binde them with ever so many iron fetters of the Law it will snap them all to peeces Though in some these fetters chain sin which is because sin is willing to bee chained that so hereby they may bee lulled asleep in a good opinion of themselves and thereby deceive their owne souls yet others whom God out of love will not suffer to bee gulled in this manner finde it otherwise they see and know by woful experience that all these fetters are but like so many twine threads bind a Lion with a twine thread and what doe you you were as good and better sit still and doe nothing for he will but tear and rent you the more So sin by all this doth but rage the more The Apostle excellently sets this forth Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to be unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Sin taking occasion Sin made an advantage of the Commandement to bee more insolent Without the Law sin was dead Sin lay still and did not shew that livelinesse which was in it till the Commandement came to restraine it and then it began to bestir it self the Commandement would have laid bonds upon it then sin which lay asleep and as it were dead before gets up saith the Commandement you shall be curbed and bound nay but saith Sin I will not be bound saith the Commandement you shall not doe thus nay but saith Sin I will doe it and the more because you say I shall not Therefore poor Soule hast thou been toyling and sweating and tiring thy self with thy Vowes and Covenants one year after another to master thy sins and is all hitherto to no purpose then poor Soule take another way for hitherto thou hast been out of the way labour to get a sight of the rich grace of God to poor sinners and then thy heart will from a holy ingenuity say What is there such abundance of grace in God to poor sinners is hee willing to pardon me a poor Sinner give mee Heaven and make mee blessed for ever and shall I bee such a Wretch as to nourish such a deadly enemy to him in my bosome as this my sin is O no no I le never bee so base and unworthy and deal so ungratefully with so good a God I tell thee poor Soule that such considerations as these are will more weane thy heart from sin and beget a hatred thereof within then ever all the thunderings or terrors of the Law either will or can doe The Advocateship of Jesus Christ a great ground of the Saints comfort and support under sins and infirmities IN One SERMON on 2 Joh. 2.2 If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous THe last opportunity I read these words unto you but was then besides my own intention when I pitched on them taken up in the way that nothing was spoken to them I come now to the words wherein the Apostle seems to prevent an Objection which some poor soules from what hee had said before would bee ready to make thus Object You tell us that these precious Gospel-truths which now have been declared to us are revealed for this very end that wee should not sin if so what will become of us who have heard these things over and over and yet still do what wee can wee fall into sin and are ever and anon overcome thereby sure wee are of all most miserable wee are undone for ever Answ If any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father as if hee should say Poor soul wouldest thou not sin because the Grace of God is so free and yet doest thou sin For all this bee not discouraged do not throw away all thy hope for put the case wee do sin yet there is remedy Wee have an Advocate with the Father In the words wee have 1 The SVPPOSITION of anevill If any man sin which wee are not to understand as though the thing spoken in way of supposition were a thing which might possibly bee or not bee for it is not so the thing is a certaine thing that every man doth sin none is or can whilst hee is here bee exempted from sin and so indeed it is not a supposition or a thing supposed to bee but a thing which really is As if the Apostle should say Well grant it that you sin for there is none in this world exempted from sin any man may sin as well those which are Fathers as you which are children it is not said have sinned but do sin relating as well to sin pre sent and yet to come as sin past 2 The prescription of A REMEDY and that is Christ Jesus our Advocate and Propitiation Wee have an Advocate with the Father or rather these words are laid down as a bottome or foundation for the faith comfort and support of poor Saints against and under all their sins and infirmities Of the first viz. the evil supposed Doct. The best and dearest of Gods children are not priviledged from sin whilst they are here Sin is a leprosie that cleaves to us all more or lesse whilst wee are in this world Wee never read of a Saint so holy in Scripture but look him over and wee shall finde some spot upon him here or there Noah Abraham David Peter Paul none of them were without their
him of the spiritualnesse of his own conversation as a pattern for him to imitate vers 10. stirring him up thereto vers 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them So also to Titus having in Chap. 1. marked out and warned Titus of a dangerous sort of men vers 10. and 16. In the two next Chapters hee puts Titus on to minde and follow spiritual and practical matters But speake thou the words which become sound doctrine Chap. 2. vers 1. c. In Rom. 14.17 When there were contentions in the Church about observing dayes and eating meats hee labours to withdraw them from questions of this nature to the minding and attending of things more spiritual as not to offend their weak brethren vers 13. and to minde righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost vers 17. So when there was strife in the Churches of Galatia about Circumcision and legal Ceremonies some being brought to beleeve and practice these things the Apostle recalls them to spirituals Chap. 5.6 and Chap. 6.15 telling them that in Christ or in the dayes of the Gospel these were not the things to bee minded but the new creature and faith which worketh by love In Coloss 2. When many were drawn to strange and sottish errors and practices that others who were yet pure might not bee defiled and led a way as hee saith vers 4. hee calls them to minde spiritual things vers 2 3 6 7 8 9 10. telling them that the onely cause of others miscarriage was the neglect of these vers 19. Yet farther in Heb. 13.9 The Apostle having admonished beleevers to beware of errors and strange doctrines hee gives them this rule for a preservative to labour that their hearts might bee established with grace To end in Jude 20.21 The Holy Ghost having deciphered in the former verses the false Apostles and given them their doom hee exhorts to this very duty as the best remedy against such evils But yee beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life All which Scripture allegations wherein I have been more large than is usual by reason of the usefulness of this truth and sutableness thereof to these times argue the truth of the Doctrine viz. That the onely and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the Errors and Evils of the Times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things In the further carrying on of this I shall handle two things 1 What I mean by spiritual things 2 Why the exercising the heart in these is such a special way to preserve a Saint from the errors and evils of the times hee lives in Concerning the first By spiritual things I understand such things as either tend to the glory of God the edifying my brother the winning of souls the begetting and increasing of my own peace the mortifying of sin in mee the quickning of grace c. Such things as these I call Spiritual and all principles and practices whatsoever which produce these or such like effects I may terme spiritual truths and spiritual works And on the other side whatsoever opinion or practice it is which doth not produce such like effects but the contrary I may justly exclude from the name of Spiritual Thus you have a general notion of what I mean by spiritual things but now for our helpe in the exercising of our hearts about spiritual things it is very needful that wee have yet a more distinct and particular knowledge of those spiritual things our hearts should bee exercised about which things though they are many more than I am able to speak of or if I were have time to do it yet for the helpe of those who for want of matter are at a losse what to exercise their hearts about and so usually take that which comes next to hand which oftentimes turns to their undoing I shall therefore having a large field before mee glean together some few handfuls of spiritual things which may serve for matter for us to exercise our hearts about As to begin with that in finite eternal incomprehensible love of God to poor sinners how freely God loved them when as yet there was nothing lovely in them yea how this love was towards them from all eternity and continues to eternity again And also how fruitful this love and grace of God towards them hath been appearing as in electing and choosing them in his Son Christ from all eternity to bee vessels of glory and heires of salvation who naturally were of that very lump whereof many become vessels of dishonour and heirs of damnation so also in the fulness of time in sending his onely begotten and beloved Son who was fore-ordained to bee a Prince and a Saviour out of his own bosome into the world there by him to accomplish his own eternal decree concerning the salvation of his Elect. This is a thing our hearts should bee much taken up with and our thoughts exercised about Again How that this Jesus Christ the onely begotten of the Father being sent into the world did willingly part with for a time all the glory that hee was right heire unto and possessor of above and took upon him that so hee might accomplish the work of our redemption our nature being made man and born of the seed of David according to the flesh so exceedingly honouring humane nature far above the nature of Angels which hee took not by uniting it to the Divine Again which our hearts should bee much exercised about how that together with this our nature hee tooke upon him the infirmities and miseries thereof being poor hungry made a reproach persecuted and tempted c. that hee might bee in all things like unto his brethren and bee made a merciful and faithful High Priest and such a one as might bee touched with a feeling of our infirmities and might sympathize with us in and under them all and how that after hee had finished all things which were to bee done by him for our good hee last of all offered up himself a sacrifice for us bearing our sins in his own body on the Tree together with all the wrath of his Father due to us for all our sins whereby pouring out his soul unto death and making it an offering for sin hee gave full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice for the transgression of his people whom by his death hee delivered from wrath to come blotting out the hand-writing that was against them and contrary to them taking it out of the way and by this one offering perfecting for ever all them that were sanctified or set apart by the Father Again farther How that having dyed for our sins he is risen again
many even of as many as do beleeve therefore that obedience is not the souls righteousnesse 2 Faith is a Law-duty and the work of faith a Law-work though the object of faith be of Gospel-revelation now if a Law-work be the condition of the New Covenant It is not a Covenant of grace but works Rom. 11.6 If it bee of works it is no more grace else work is no more work 3 A man might stay upon Old Covenant works because the condition of his Covenant as Hezekiah did 2 King 20.4 and Abijah did 2 Chron. 13.12 But a man may not stay upon his faith nor intreat favour for his faiths sake but for Christs sake The Old Covenant made premises unto performances the New Covenant makes promises of performances Many promises indeed are made of comfort to them that mourne of rest to them that are weary of pardon to them that confesse but not because they mourne are weary or confesse In promises of this nature faith findes footing not in a condition but in a connexion as also when the promise saith The barren shall bring forth I will poure water upon dry ground here is no condition for barrennesse and drinesse is none but here is a connexion unto faith a heart full of groans an eye full of tears a life full of reformation may bee good signes but bad grounds faith knowes nothing but Jesus Christ 4 The condition of the Old Covenant was to bee performed in the power of him that was in Covenant and was no part of the Covenant to be given of God in which respect it is compared unto Pharoahs Taskmasters who required the whole tale of Bricke but gave no straw Faith is no such condition because the work of God wherein hee is mindful of his Covenant and Engagement though not to the creature yet to himself and to his Son on the behalfe of the creature 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 1.17 18 19 2.8 Hagar hath seed but in a natural way an Ishmael who was of the Law of Works after the flesh Sarah also hath seed but in a supernatural way an Isaac who was of promise of faith of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Works were the condition of the Old Covenant and not Fruit Faith is the fruit of the New Covenant and not the condition 5 What is properly conditional in the constitution is certainly uncertain in the event all the good covenanted for hangs upon the condition as that which may bee injoyed or lost The Old Covenant was so according to the tenour whereof Ishmael the childe thereof is cast out But the New Covenant is not so not a Covenant which way bee broken Heb. 7 22.-9.15 16 17. being of the nature of a Testament Luke 22.20 1 Cor. 11.25 therefore not a Covenant properly conditional or having faith for a condition as Works were in the Old Covenant I shall adde no more under this head lest I bee reproved for furnishing so large a Porch to so little an house The New Covenant is a Covenant of Grace distinguished from the Old in the fulnesse thereof The Old Covenant had but the shadow of good things but the shadow of Election Vocation Justification c. The High Priest was but a shadow So the Temple the Sacrifice the Peace Heb 10.1 2. None fully purged or fully pardoned or furnished with a full answer to every charge and challenge of the Law Heb. 9.9 But the New Covenant hath the substance being full of Christ it is full of grace and truth For by one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Under this Covenant no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 not that a man is past sinning or past feeling but because hee is past charging Rom. 8.33 34. No more conscience of sin as transgression of the Law which is a Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 No more conscience of sin as a debt to that Law and so needing new Sacrifice but as Christ made satisfaction once and at once Rom. 6.10 Heb. 7.27 1 Pet. 3.18 so hee is made righteousnesse The Old Covenant was a weak Covenant not in commanding or condemning power it is able to damn a whole world for disobedience but in helping a poor miserable undone creature Rom. 8.3 What can the Sun do for a blinde man a Physitian may help nature but cannot give it the Old Covenant is like unto those Physitians upon whom the woman that had the Bloody-issue waited twelve years and spent all her substance being never the better but the worse The New Covenant is like unto Christ if wee touch but the hemm of that Garment there is healing which doth not onely declare a Law for the heart but also write it upon the heart not impose a duty onely but dispose unto obedience administring not onely the letter but the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 The Old Covenant is like unto Moses the Minister thereof who could not lead the people into Canaan The New is like unto Joshua a Type of our Jesus under whom the Tribes received their Inheritance Compare the times of Moses and Joshua and you will finde a fulnesse of grace in Joshuahs time Compare the times of the Old and New Covenant you will finde a fulnesse of grace in the New Covenant time exceeding fulnesse comparative with the former time 1 Moses his Spies brought up an ill report upon the good Land Numb 13.32 but Joshuahs returned with glad tidings Jos 2.23 Vnder Moses the Land is seen as a Land to bee obtained by warlike performances and the enemies being mighty they are discouraged Under Joshua the Land is seen as a Land of Promise to be given unto them in faithfulnesse Reformations under the Old Covenant commonly miscarry men are discouraged and run from Moses backe again into Egypt when corruption and temptation shew themselves men say as the Prophets servant Alas what shall wee do Under the New Covenant mans eye being open unto the Lord they can say with the Prophet There are more for us than bee against us and with the Apostle Wee can do all things Jesus Christ strengthning of us 2 Moses led the people toward the Land within sight of it and left them Joshua led them into Canaan Under the Old Covenant men may bee toward the Kingdome and nigh unto it but under the New they enter it and possesse it Agag may bee taken prisoner and bound under the one but hee is hewn in sunder and destroyed under the other 3 Under Moses Circumcision was neglected during the time that Israel was in the Wildernesse Under Joshua it was renewed Jos 5.5 9. So under the Old Covenant men are driven from iniquity by fear of punishment or dragged on in a way of duty by hope of reward the heart not yet set against that nor for this Vnder the New Covenant the heart is circumcised to love the Lord and thereby sweetly drawn after him 4 No Jubilee was kept by Moses nor by the people in his time but
because Ishmael was borne of the Bond-woman who had no absolute right and could therefore convey none to her seed but Esau of Rebecca who was a Free-woman had a right to convey which Esau despiseth Upon this Principle another follows viz. That carnal and slighty Gospel professors of which Esay was a Type doe prove to bee worse and more vile than meer legalists of which Ishmael was a Type for observe Esau having despised his Birth-right degenerates into a prophane person Heb. 12.16 but Ishmael not so for after that he was cast out of his Fathers Family hee was yet very strict as I shall shew hereafter By what wee have said it is now clear enough that the Moral Law as it is Sarahs Law the Law of the New Covenant so it is not to bee cast out because it belongs to the Free-woman who must not be rejected But for so much of the Moral Law as belongs to Hagar i. e. is a part of the Old Covenant and not brought by Christ into the New all that is to be cast out for it belongs unto the Bond-woman and what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman c. From this double consideration of the Moral Law as it is the Law of Hagar the Old Covenant and as it is the Law of Sarah the New several useful lessons doe arise 1 Hence we may learne how to reconcile such Scriptures as seeme to have opposition and contradiction in them about the Law as namely Rom. 7. where the Apostle tells us vers 4. Wee are dead to the Law and vers 6. delivered from the Law yet saith vers 12. The Commardement is holy just and good vers 14. The Law is spiritual vers 16. I consent saith he to the Law that it is good vers 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man vers 25. with my minde I my selfe serve the Law of God How may we reconcile these doth not the Apostle speak contradictions Not so for in verses 4.6 hee treats of the Law as it is the Law of Hagar the Old Covenant and so he saith we are dead to it delivered from it in the following verses he treats of the Law as it is the Law of Sarah or of the New Covenant and so hee calls it spiritual holy just and good consents to it delights in it serves it c. So Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law i.e. the Law hath set mee wholly free from the Law Is not this a contradiction No for the Apostle speakes of the Law under its twofold consideration as it is the Law of the old Covenant and as the Law of the New and so his meaning is this I through the Law through receiving embracing or having to doe with the Law as it is the Law of the New Covenant am dead to the Law that is am set wholly free from the Law and have nothing to doe with it as it is the Law of the Old Of the like interpretation are those words Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death i.e. By the Law of the New Covenant or the Law as it is the Law of the New Covenant which the Apostle calls the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus because the New Covenant-ministration is a ministration of the Spirit a ministration that giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6.8 and hath Christ for the Mediator of it Heb. 8.6 chap. 9.15 chap. 12.24 and the Bloud of Christ as the seal or ratification of it Heb. 9.16 17 18. I am freed or delivered from the Law as it is the Law of the Old Covenant which as such is called A law of sin and death because sin is discovered by the Law of the Old Covenant but not mortified by this discovery but rather enlivened and the soul findes it self inwardly more provoked to it Rom. 7.5 7 8 9 10 11. Hence the discovery of sin which is by the Old Covenant not killing sin but rather making it to increase it consequently kills the soul and so it becomes a Commandement unto deaths a law of death a ministration of death 2 Corinth 3 7. So also Rom. 6.14 the Apostle speaking of Beleevers saith We are not under the law but under grace yet 1 Cor. 9.21 speaking of himselfe who was a Beleever he saith he was under the Law to Christ Are not these contradiction No because in the first place the law is spoken of as it is the Law of the Old Covenant administred by Moses so Beleevers in Gospel-times are not under it in the latter the Law is spoken of as it is the Law of the New Covenant administred by the Lord Jesus so Paul himself and all Beleevers who are willingly subject to Christ are also willingly subject to his Law Againe 1 Tim. 1.9 it is said The law is not made for a righteous man i. e. the righteous person is one that hath nothing to doe with the Law nor the Law with him so that in effect the Law is made voyd to him it is to him as though it were nothing and he to it as though there were no Law in the world yet Rom. 3. last it is said Doe wee make voyd the law through faith nay we establish the law what may we judge of these expressions The answer is still what I have said The Apostle in the former place confiders the Law only as it is the Law of the Old Covenant in which respect he saith it is not made for the righteous man i. e. he hath nothing to doe with it he is not under it in the latter only as it is the Law of the New Covenant and in this respect the preaching of faith doth not nul the Law to the Beleever but doth rather establish it as I am coming to shew Thus we see how this distinction about the Moral Law both doth and will bring all those opposite Scriptures which concern the Law to a sweet concord and harmony one with another 2 Hence wee may learne That the Moral Law doth still remaine as a rule to Saints even in Gospel-times for mark it the Moral Law is Sarahs Rule as well as Hagars now though Hagar the Servant in Gospel-times is an outcast yet Sarah the Mistris still remaines in the Family and governes there The Moral Law therefore as it is Sarahs Rule remaines in as full force even in Gospel times as ever Now because some not understanding this distinction have weakly and unadvisedly cast the Moral Law wholly out of doores as being a thing of no use to Beleevers under the New Testament as there are others that hand over head will bring it in I shall therefore establish this Position that the Moral Law is yea must bee a Rule to Saints even under the New Testament and that by these following Arguments Arg. 1. If the coming of Christ doth not destroy the Law as a Rule but
threat of death in case of disobedience and the promise of life upon condition of obedience by assuring her seed in giving forth this rule unto them that they are already most certainly freed from death and possessed of life and that therefore shee gives not forth this rule unto them to bee as a way or meanes through the observance of which they may escape the one or obtaine the other but only as a declaration of their Fathers will and their duty that by it they may bee instructed how they ought to walk and to please God Hence the obedience of Sarahs Children so farre as they are subject to their Mother Sarah only receiving their Law out of her hand is pure Gospel obedience i. e. obedience springing from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as the principal efficient cause from love and thankfulness to-their Father as the moving cause from an earnest desire that their Father might have some service from them and glory by them as the final cause and this is pure Gospel obedience when God is Agent Motive and End in all we doe 4 Hence wee may learn That a true Beleever as he doth not expect life and salvation from his obedience to the Law so should hee not fear death and condemnation either by his falling short in obedience or by his disobedience This Position will sound harsh in some cares and be accounted a leavened Principle but doe but observe how naturally it flowes from what hath been laid downe and proved for if the promise of life and salvation upon condition of obedience and the threat of Death and Condemnation to the disobedient bee proper to the Law as Hagars Law and if the Law as Hagars Law be now cast out then hath a Beleever nothing to doe with the Law as it is a law promising life to the obedient or threatning death to the disobedient and if so then cannot he expect life and salvation from it though hee should obey it nor need hee fear death though hee disobey it This necessarily follows that which hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to delivered from c. hee can neither expect good no nor fear evil from But the Law as Hagars Law hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to it delivered from it therefore he can neither expect good nor need he fear evil from it Obj. But it will be said Such a principle as this dâ—th open a wide gap to all manner of licention nesse Ans Not so but contrariwise it is co a gracious heart the most powerful motive and the greatest help that can bee to holinesse for as there is nothing moves such a one so strongly as doth this perswasion upon the heart that whatsoever it hath is of the free love of God only and that this love is such as that nothing can separate from it so nothing affords the Soule more firme help and reliefe against sin and temptations to sin than doth the knowledge and assurance of this that sin and temptation though it should conquer cannot condemn for so long as the Soul looks upon a possibility of being condemned by sin if vanquished by it he is in continual fear and therefore whensoever hee findes the motions of sin or temptations to sin stirring in himself hee presently grows weak and faint through this fear I shall bee vanquished and so condemned and as a fainting man is not in a capability to stand up against an enemy assaulting him with full strength so this fainting Soul whose strength through fear is gone before it is assaulted sinkes downe presently under the assault and is without any great resistance made a captive to that thing it hates which thing the Apostle Paul had large experience of in himself when hee said Sinne taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead for I was alive without the law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to bee unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But now when a Soul apprehends this that Hagars condemning Law hath nothing to doe with him and can from the clear knowledge of this say beleevingly to sin and temptation when hee feeles it beginning to stirre O sin O temptation though I should now yeeld to thee which is the thing thou wouldest have yet know this that thou shalt never condemn me which is the thing thou seekest hereby he doth as I may say disanimate the strength of sin and temptation and mightily encourageth himself and so adds to his owne strength that whereas be ever before encountred sin with disadvantage hee doth now encounter it with advantage and fights with the greatest resolution that can bee and without faint-heartednesse which faint-heartednesse comes in by the doore of this fear if I am conquered I am undone but if this fear be removed from the heart and the Soul once throughly perswaded of this my condition doth not depend at all upon the event of this Combate but whether I conquer or am conquered that is the same then shall it finde its hands made strong to fight and its heart also mightily resolved Such a state or condition as this I am speaking of there is but it is knowne only of those whom God hath brought out of Hagars School and who are in the School of Sarah my meaning is such as God hath enlightned to see and enabled to receive in the love of it this blessed truth that rigid servile Hagar is an out-cast and hath no longer rule over them having neither punishments to inflict nor rewards to bestow upon them but milde and loving Sarah is their only Mother and hath the sole government of them whose Children though they may be corrected with gentle rebukes yet can they never become out-casts and bee disinherited as Hagars may Till wee come into Sarahs Schoole we cannot learn this lesson yea Sarahs Children whilst they continue in Hagars Schoole will be offended at it Thus we have done with the First Question viz. what we are to understand by the Old Covenant I come now to the Second viz. Quest 2. What kind of Covenant this Old Covenant is Ans This is indeed the knotty Question and if there be any peece of the Doctrine of the Covenants that seemes to have perplexing difficulties in it this is it Before I can deliver my thoughts hereof positively it is necessary that something bee laid downe Negatively in opposition to that common principle which holds this Old Covenant to bee a Covenant of Grace and to differ from the New only in respect of administration so making the Old and the New not to be two diverse Covenants but two administrations of one and the same Covenant the one more dark the other more clear but the Covenant to bee for substance the same and
righteousnesse should have been by the Law but thus if there had been a Law given that could have given life hee doth not at all deny the Law as ordained to life but elsewhere as I have noted already expresly affirmes it to be a truth but the only thing he denies is the Laws giving of life the Law though ordained to life could not give it and upon this very reason the Apostle proves it not to bee against the promises because it could not give life if it could have given life it would have disanulled the promise but though it was ordained to life yet so long as it neither did nor could give this life to any Soul in was not against the promises so that indeed from the very words of the text rightly opened all the strength and force of the objection falls of it self From what hath been said it appears That the mistake of the Scribes Pharisees and the generality of the Jewes in Christs and the Apostles times in the great Article of Justification had not this for its ground viz. a looking upon Moses Covenant to be a Covenant holding forth life eternal for that was a truth and so farre they were in the right but their mistake lay in this viz. A supposition that life eternal was attaineable by it which their unacquaintednesse with the condition of this Old Covenant making it to be all one both in respect of temporal life and eternal viz. a meer literal obedience did rush them into they took the blessing of the Covenant in its full and whole extent as reaching both things temporal and eternal but the condition they halved taking that part which was most easie for them to performe and by so doing made up that most false and dangerous conclusion so much opposed by the Apostle Paul viz. That Justification and Salvation was attaineable by the works of the Law Had they rightly understood the condition upon which spiritual and eternal blessings were given forth as they did that condition which gave them a right to temporal this opinion of Self-righteousnesse would in them have dyed of it self as it did in Paul to soon as ever hee came to this understanding Rom. 7.9 10. Quest But what was the condition required for the giving forth the spiritual and eternal blessings of the Old Covenant Ans A most diligent exact and constant observance of those things that the Moral and Judicial Laws did require not only according to the Letter but the spiritual meaning of them Now that the Law as the same was the Law of the Old Covenant did require spiritual obedience as well as literal is clear from these Scriptures Deut 6.5 6. Chap. 10.12.16 Chap. 11.13 Chap. 26.16 And this Christs Exposition both of the Law Moral and Judicial Matth. 5. doth clearly hold forth for first Christ falls upon the Moral Law and spiritualizeth it shewing that the transgression of the heart in respect of any of the things commanded in that Law was as real a breach of the Law as transgression in act Then upon the Judicial Law shewing that under those Judicial Statutes which were but as the shell were contained more spiritual precepts which they stood as much obliged to if they would have righteousnesse by the Law as the other And that this was the condition of the Law for life eternal is clear because the Law pronounceth the Curse of death eternal unto all those that should not continue to doe whatsoever was written in the Book of the Law Gal. 3.10 now it was not only written in the Book of the Law thus and thus thou shalt doe but also as the fore-quoted Texts doe prove that thou shouldest doe thus and thus keep Gods Commandements Statutes Judgements with all thy heart with all thy might and with all thy soul if therefore a man did according to the Letter keep every Command which was sufficient to procure outward mercies and avert outward Judgements yet if he did not doe this constantly and that with all his heart with all his might and with all his soul i. e. perfectly hee could not bee freed from the curse of death eternal because I say so much is not done as is required in the Book of the Law This perfect obedience to the Law therefore not only according to the letter but the spiritual meaning of it and perseverance herein was the condition upon which the spiritual and eternal Blessing of the Old Covenant were given forth Now because no man living since the fall of Adam was ever able to give such obedience to the Law as it requires but all have done and doe offend against it spiritually in thought word and deed Hence the Apostle concludes no man can be justified by the works of the law Rom. 3.20 Gal. 2.16 chap. 3.11 but rather indeed all men are guilty convinced of sin and cast by it and therefore he saith By the law is the knowledge of sin and every mouth by it is stopped and all the world are become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 20. yea by the workes of the law the Curse is upon every man that stands under them Gal. 3.10 and therefore hee calls the Law or Old Covenant a killing letter a ministration of death 2 Cor. 3.6 7. and a Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 i. e. in stead of justifying and giving eternal life it doth no other but condemn kill and inflict eternal death upon those under it which also the Apostle found true in his owne experience Rom. 7.10 for which cause he affirmes the Law or Old Covenant to be abolished for the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof Heb. 7.18 19. i. e. because it was altogether unable to give eternal life to any that stood under it or to make them perfect in the businesse of Salvation and therefore there was a necessity of abolishing it and bringing in instead thereof a better hope Yet that none in this great businesse may lye under mis-apprehensions let it be here considered that this inability of the law to give life which the Apostle makes the reason of abrogating or disannulling therof did not arise from any weaknesse that was in the law it self but rather from the weaknesse of those to whom the law was given to performe what it required The law considered in its self was throughly able to have given life could they have obeyed it but the weaknesse was in them that could not by reason of the imperfection of corrupted nature obey it nor give the law it s owne termes for life Hence the Apostle Rom. 8.3 saith that the law could not justifie give eternal life c. because it was weak through the flesh the weaknesse lay not in the law it self but in man through the fall made weak corrupted and depraved and rendred altogether unable to give the law its termes but yet what the law could not give to man for himself because hee being a lump of flesh could not give it its termes it could and