was punished in the Sodomites c. with the utter destruction of this City and themselves Gen. 19. 24 25. Yea they suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Also the Male Sechemites for the sin committed by Hamors son were all put to the sword Gen. 34. 25 26. Our first Parents sinned against the Eighth Commandment in taking the forbidden fruit and so brought the Curse on themselves and their posterity Gen. 3. 16. Again the punishment due to the breach of this Commandment was by Jacob accounted death Gen. 31. 30 32. and also by Jacobs sons Gen. 44. 9 10. Cain sinning against the Ninth Commandment as in Gen. 4. 9. was therefore cursed to the earth verse the 11. And Abraham though the Friend of God was blamed for false witness by Pharaoh and sent out of Egypt Gen. 12. 18 19 20. and both he and Sarah reproved by Abimelech Gen. 20. 9 10 16. Pharaoh sinned against the Tenth Commandment Gen. 12. 15. and was therefore plagued with great plagues verse 17. Abimelech coveted Abraham's Wife and the Lord threatned death to him and his except he restored her again Gen. 20. 3. Yea though he had not come near her yet for coveting and taking her the Lord fast closed up the Wombs of his house verse 18. I could have spoken more fully to this but that I would not be too tedious but speak what I have to say with as much brevity as I can But before I pass it I will besides this give you an Argument or two more for the further clearing of this that the substance of the Law delivered on Mount Sinai was before that delivered by the Lord to man in the Garden As first Death reigned over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression that is though they did not take the forbidden fruit as Adam did but had the transgression been no other or had their sin been laid to the charge of none but those that did eat of that fruit then those that was born to Adam after he was shut out of the Garden had not had sin in that they did not actually eat of that fruit and so had not been slaves to death But in that Death did reign from Adam to Moses or from the time of his transgression against the first giving of the Law till the time the Law was given on Mount Sinai it is evident that the substance of the Ten Commandments was given to Adam and his Posterity under that Command Eat not of the Tree that is in the midst of the Garden But yet if any shall say that it was because of the sin of their Father that death reigned over them to that I shall answer that although original sin be laid to the charge of his Posterity yet it is also for their sins that they actually committed that they were plagued And again saith the Apostle For where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4. 15. For sin is not imputed where there is no Law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses saith he Rom. 5. 13 14. But if there had been no Law then there had been no Transgression and so no death to follow after as the wages thereof for death is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. and sin is the breach of the Law an actual breach in our particular persons as well as an actual breach in our publick person 1 John 3. 4. Again they are no other sins then those against that Law given on Sinai for the which those sins before mentioned was punished therefore the Law given before by the Lord to Adam and his posterity is the same with that afterwards given on Mount Sinai Again the Conditions of that on Sinai and of that in the Garden are all one the one saying Do this and live the other saying the same Also Judgment denounced against men in both kinds alike therefore this Law it appeareth to be the very same that was given on Mount Sinai Again the Apostle speaketh but of two Covenants to wit Grace and Works under which two Covenants all are some under one and some under the other Now this to Adam is one therefore that on Sinai is one and all one with this and that this is a truth I say I know that the sins against that on Sinai was punished by God for the breach thereof before it was given there so it doth plainly appear to be a truth for it would be unrighteous with God for to punish for that Law that was not broken therefore it was all one with that on Sinai Now the Law given on Sinai was for the more clear discovery of those sins that was before committed against it for though the very substance of the Ten Commandments was given in the Garden before they were received from Sinai yet they lay so darkly in the heart of man that his sins was not so clearly discovered as afterwards they were therefore saith the Apostle The Law was added Gal. 3. 19. or more plainly given on Sinai in Tables of Stone that the offence might abound that is that it might the more clearly be made manifest and appear Rom. 5. 20. Again we have a notable resemblance for this at Sinai even in giving the Law for first the Law was given twice on Sinai to signifie that indeed the substance of it was given before And secondly the first tables that was given on Sinai was broken at the foot of the Mount and the other was preserved whole to signifie that though it was the true Law that was given before with that given on Sinai yet it was not so easie to be read and to be taken notice of in that the stones were not whole but broken and so the Law written thereon somewhat defaced and disfigured But if any object and say though the sins against the one be the sins against the other and so in that they do agree yet it doth not appear that the same is therefore the same Covenant of Works with the other Answ. That which was given to Adam in Paradise you will grant was the Covenant of Works for it runs thus Do thus and live do it not and die nay thou shalt surely die Now there is but one Covenant of Works If therefore I prove that that which was delivered on Mount Sinai is the Covenant of Works then all will be put out of doubt Now that this is so it is evident First Consider the two Covenants are thus called in Scripture the one the administration of death and the other the administration of life the one the Covenant of Works the other of Grace but that delivered on Sinai is called the ministration of death that therefore is the Covenant of Works 2 Cor. 3. For if saith he the ministration of death Written and Ingraven in stones was glorious c. Secondly the Apostle writing to the Galatians doth labour to beat them off from trusting in the Covenant of Works but when he
the Law command thee to love the Lord thy God with all thy soul with all thy strength with all thy might c. and can the natural man do this Jer. 13. 23. How can those that are accustomed to do evil do that which is commanded in this particular Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Doth the Law command thee to do good and nothing but good and that with all thy soul heart and delight which the Law as a Covenant of Works called for and can'st thou being Carnal do that But there is no man that hath understanding if he should hear thee say so but would say that thou wast either bewitched or stark mad Sixthly they that are under the Law are in a sad condition because that though they follow the Law or Covenant of Works I say though they follow it it will not lead them to Heaven no but contrariwise it will lead them under the Curse It is not possible saith Paul that any should be justified by the Law or by our following of it for by that is the knowledge of sin and by it we are condemned for the same which is far from leading us to life being the ministration of death 2 Cor. 3. and again Israel that followeth after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness wherefore because they sought it not by faith but by the Law and by the Works thereof Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Seventhly they that are under the Law are in a sad condition because they do not know whether ever they shall have any wages for their work or no they shall have no assurance of the pardon of their sins neither any hopes of eternal life but poor hearts as they are they work for they do not know what even like a poor Horse that works hard all day and at night hath a dirty Stable for his pains so thou mayest work hard all the days of thy life and at the day of death instead of having of a glorious rest in the Kingdom of Heaven thou mayest nay thou shalt have for thy sins the damnation of thy soul and body in Hell to all eternity for as much as I said before that the Law if thou sinnest it doth not take notice of any good work done by thee but takes its advantage to destroy and cut off thy soul for the sin thou hast committed Eighthly they that are under the Law are in a sad condition because they are under that administration upon whose souls God doth not smile they dying there for the administration that God doth smile upon his Children through is the Covenant of Grace they being in Jesus Christ the Lord of life and consolation but contrariwise to those that are under the Law for they have his frowns his rebukes his threatnings and with much severity they must be dealt withal For they break my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord Heb. 8. 9. Ninthly they are in a sad condition because they are out of the faith of Christ they that are under the Law have not the faith of Christ in them for that dispensation which they are under is not the administration of faith The Law is not of faith saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 2. Tenthly because they have not received the Spirit for that is received by the bearing of faith and not by the Law nor the Works thereof Gal. 3. 2. Eleventhly in a word if thou live and die under that Covenant Jesus Christ will neither pray for thee neither let thee have one drop of his Blood to wash away thy sins neither shalt thou be so much as one of the least in the Kingdom of Heaven for all these priviledges come to souls under another Covenant as the Apostle saith For such are not under the Law but under Grace that is such as have a share in the benefits of Jesus Christ or such as are brought from under the first Covenant into the second or from under the Law into the Grace of Christs Gospel without which Covenant of Grace and being found in that there is no soul can have the least hope of eternal life no joy in the holy Ghost no share in the priviledges of Saints because they are tied up from them by the limits and bonds of the Covenant of Works For you must understand that these two Covenants have their several bounds and limitations for the ruling and keeping in subjection or giving of freedom to the parties under the said Covenants now they that are under the Law are within the compass and the jurisdiction of that and are bound to be in subjection to that and living and dying under that they must stand and fall to that as Paul saith To his own master he shall stand or fall The Covenant of Grace doth admit to those that are under it also liberty and freedom together with commanding of subjection to the things contained in it which I shall speak to further hereafter But now that the former things may be further made to appear that is what the sad condition of all them that are under the Law is as I have shewn you something of the nature of the Law so also shall I shew that the Law was added and given for that purpose that it might be so with those that are out of the Covenant of Grace First God did give the Law that sin might abound Rom. 5. 20. not that it should take away sin in any but to discover the sin which is already begotten or that may hereafter be begotten by Lust and Satan I say this is one proper work of the Law to make manifest sin it is sent to find fault with the sinner and it doth also watch that it may so do and it doth take all advantages for the accomplishing of its work in them that give ear thereto or do not give ear if it have the rule over them I say it is like a man that is sent by his Lord to see and pry into the labours and works of other men taking every advantage to discover their infirmities and failings and to chide them yea to throw them out of the Lords favour for the same Secondly Another great end why the Lord did add or give the Law it was that no man might have any thing to lay to the charge of the Lord for his condemning of them that do transgress against the same You know that if a man should be had before an Officer or Judge and there be condemned and yet by no Law he that condemns him might be very well reprehended or reproved for passing the Judgment yea the party himself might have better ground to plead for his liberty than the other to plead for the condemning of him but this shall not be so in the judgment day but contrariwise for then every man shall be forced to lay his hand on his mouth and hold his tongue at the Judgment of God when it is passed
Scripture Gal. 3. 10. which saith For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse mark they that are of the Works of the Law now for to be of the works of the Law it is to be of the works of the righteousness thereof that is to abstain from sins against the Law and to do the commands thereof as near as ever they can for their lives or with all the might they have and therefore I beseech you to consider it for mens being ignorant of this is the cause why so many go on supposing they have a share in Christ because they are reformed and abstain from the sins against the Law who when all comes to all will be damned notwithstanding because they are not brought out from under the Covenant of Works and put under the Covenant of Grace Object But can you in very deed make these things manifestly evident from the Word of God methinks to reason this is very strange that a man should labour to walk up according to the Law of God as much as ever he can and yet that men notwithstanding this should be still under the Curse Pray clear it Answ. Truly this doth seem very strange I do know full well to the natural man to him that is yet in his unbelief because he goeth by beguiled reason but for my part I do know it is so and shall labour also to convince thee of the truth of the same First Then the Law is thus strict and severe that if a man do sin but once against it he I say is gone for ever by the Law living and dying under that Covenant If you would be satisfied as touching the truth of this do but read the third of the Galations at the 10. verse Where it saith Cursed is every one that is not a man shall misss by that Covenant that continueth not in all mark in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them pray mark here is a curse in the first place if all things written in the Book of the Law be not done and that continually too that is without any failing or one slip as I said before Now there is never a one in the world but before they did begin to yield obedience to the least command they in their own persons did sin against it by breaking of it the Apostle methinks is very notable for the clearing of this in that 3 of the Romans and also in the fifth in the one he endeavours for to prove that all had transgressed in the first Adam as he stood a common person representing both himself and us in his standing and falling Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore saith he as by one man sin entered into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men mark that but why for that all have sinned that is for as much as all naturally are guilty of original sin the sin that was committed by us in Adam So this is one cause why none can be justified by their obedience to the Law because they have in their first place broken it in their first parents But secondly In case this should be opposed and rejected by quarrelsome persons though there be no ground for it Paul hath another argument to back his Doctrine saying For we have proved already that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin First As it is written there is none righteous no not one Secondly They are all gone out of the way they are together mark together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Thirdly Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of asps is under their lips Fourthly Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness Fifthly Their feet are swift to shed blood In a word Destruction and misery are in their ways And the way of peace they have not known Now then saith he having proved these things so clearly the conclusion of the whole is this That what thing soever the Law saith in both shewing of sin and cursing for the same it saith All to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. So that here I say lieth the ground of our not being justified by the Law even because in the first place we have sinned against it for know this for certain that if the Law doth take the least advantage of thee by thy sinning against it all that ever thou shalt afterwards hear from it is nothing but curse curse curse him For not continuing in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Secondly Thou canst not be saved by the righteous Lavv of God the first Covenant because that together with this thy miserable state by original and actual sins before thou didst follow the Law since thy turning to the Law thou hast committed several sins against the Law In many things vve offend all So that now thy righteousness to the Law being mixed with sometimes the lust of concupiscence forâ—idation coverousness pride heart-risings against God coldness of affection towards him backwardness to good duties speaking idle words having of strife in your hearts and such like I say these things being thus the righteousness of the Law is become do weak through this our flesh Rom. 8. 30 and so notwithstanding all our obedience to the Law we are yet through our weakness under the Curse of the Law for as I said before the Law is so holy so just and so good that it cannot allow that any failing or slip should be done by them that look for life by the same Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing Gal. 3. 10. and this Paul knew full well which made him throw away all his righteousness But you will say that was his own Ansvver But it was even that which while he calls it his own he also calls it the righteousness of the Law see Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. and to account it but dung but as dirt on his shoes and that that he might be found in Christ and so he saved by him without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 28. But thirdly Set the case the righteousness of the Law which thou hast was pure and perfect without the least flaw or â—auâ—o without the least mixture of the least sinful thought yet this would fall far short of presenting of thee blameless in the sight of God And that I prove by these arguments The first Argument is That that which is not Christ cannot redeem souls from the Curse It cannot compleatly present them before the Lord. Now the Law is not Christ Therefore the Moral Law cannot by all our obedience to it deliver us from the curse that is due to us Act. 4. 12. The second Argument is That that righteousness that is not the
conditions betwen the Father and Christ. Wherefore when he cometh into the vvorld he saith Sacrifices and Offerings thou wouldest not that is the Old Covenant must not stand but give way to another Sacrifice vvhich thou hast prepared which is the giving up my Manhood to the stroaks of thy Justice for a body hast thou prepared me Heb. 13. 20 21. This doth prove us under Grace Secondly On the Mediators side that he should be put to death and on God the Fathers side that he should raise him up again this was concluded on also to be done between God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. On Christs side that he should die to give the justice of the Father satisfaction and so to take away the curse that was due to us wretched sinners by reason of our transgressions and that God his Father being every ways fully and compleatly satisfied should by his mighty power revive and raise him up again He hath brought again our Lord Jesus that is from death to life through the vertue or effectual satisfaction that he received from the blood that was shed according to the terms of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 21 22. Thirdly On the Mediators side that he should be made a curse and on the Fathers side that through him sinners should be inheritors of the blessing what wonderful love doth there appear by this in the heart of our Lord Jesus in suffering such things for our poor bodies and souls Gal. 3. 13 14. This is Grace Fourthly That on the Mediators side there should be by him a victory over Hell Death and the Devil and the curse of the Law and on the Fathers side that these should be communicated to sinners and they set at liberty thereby Zech. 9. 12. Turn to the strong hold saith God ye prisoners of hope even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee Why so It is because of the blood of my Sons Covenant verse 11. which made Paul though sensible of a body of death and of the sting that death did strike into the souls of all those that are found in their sins bold to say O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin that is true and the terrible Law of God doth aggravate and set it home with unsupportable torment and pain but shall I be daunted at this No I thank my God through Jesus Christ he hath given me the victory so that now though I be a sinner in my self yet I can by believing in Jesus Christ the Mediator of this New Covenant triumph over the Devil Sin Death and Hell and say do not fear my soul seeing the victory is obtained over all my enemies through my Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. This is the way to prove our selves under Grace Fifthly that on the Mediators side he should by thus doing bring in everlasting righteousness for Saints Dan. 9. 24. and that the Father for this should give them an everlasting Kingdom 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. Eph. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Luke 22. 28 29. But in the next place this was not all that is the Covenant of Grace with the conditions thereof was not only concluded on by both parties to be done but Jesus Christ he must be authorized to do what was concluded on touching this Covenant by way of Office I shall therefore speak a word or two also touching the Offices at least some of them that Christ Jesus did and doth still execute as the Mediator of the New Covenant which also was typed out by the Levitical Law for this is the way to prove that we are not under the Law but under Grace And first His first Office after the Covenant was made and conâ—â—ded upon was that Jesus should become bound as a Surety and stand ingaged upon Oath to see that all the conditions of the Covenant that was concluded on between him and his Father should according to the agreement be accomplished by him And secondly that after that he should be the messenger from God to the world for to declare the mind of God touching the tenor and nature of both the Covenants especially of the New one the Scripture saith that Jesus Christ was not only made a Priest by an Oath but also a surety or bonds-man as in the 7 of Hebrews at the 21. 22. verses in the 21. verse he speaketh of the priesthood of Christ that it was with an Oath faith in the 22. verse By so much also was Jesus made the surety of a better Testament or Covenant Now the Covenant was not only made on Jesus Christs side with an Oath but also on God the Fathers side that it might be for the better ground of stablishment to all those that are or are to be the children of the Promise Methinks it is wonderful to consider that the God and Father of our souls by Jesus Christ should be so bent upon the salvation of sinners that he would covenant with his Son Jesus for the security of them and also that there should pass an Oath on both sides for the confirmation of their resolution to do good as if the Lord had said My Son thou and I hâ—â—e here made a Covenant that I on my paâ—â— should do thus and thus and that thou on thy part shouldest do so and so now that we may give these souls the best ground of comfort that may be there shall pass an Oath on both sides that our children may see that we do indeed love them Wherein God willing more ABUNDANTLY to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel in making of the Covenant confirmed it by an Oath That we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Heb. 7. 21. Mark the sixth Chapter saith God confirmed his part by an Oath and the seventh saith Christ was made or set on his Office also by an Oath Again Once saith God have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David Psal. 89. 34 35. nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth as was before cited Herein you may see that God and Christ was in good earnest about the salvation of sinners for so soon asever the Covenant was made the next thing was who should be bound to see all those things fulfilled which was conditioned on between the Father and the Son The Angels they would have no hand in it The world could not do it The Devils had rather see them damned then they would wish them the least good thus Christ looked and there was none to help though the burthen lay never so heavy upon his shoulder he must bear it himself for there was none besides himself to uphold or so much as to step in to be bound to see the conditions before mentioned fulfilled neither in whole
of the body of Jesus Christ of which these were a shaddow and a type for the accomplishing of the second Covenant For Christ was by Covenant to offer a Sacrifice and that an effectual one too if he intended the salvation of sinners A body hast thou prepared me I am come to do thy will Heb. 10. I shall therefore shew you First what was expected of God in the Sacrifice in the Type and then shew you how it was answered in the Antitype Secondly I shall shew you the manner of the offering of the type and so answerable thereto to shew you the fitness of the Sacrifice of the Body of Christ by way of answering some questions For the first of these First God did expect that Sacrifice which he himself had appointed and not another To signifie that none would serve his turn but the body and soul of his appointed Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant John 1. 29. Secondly This Sacrifice must not be lame nor deformed it must have no scar spot or blemish to signifie that Jesus Christ was to be a compleat Sacrifice by Covenant 1 Pet. 1. 29. Thirdly This sacrifice was to be taken out of the flock or herd to signifie that Jesus Christ was to come out of the race of Mankind according to the Covenant Heb. 10. 5. But Secondly As to the manner of it First the sacrifice before it was offered was to have the sins of the Children of Israel confessed over it to signifie that Jesus Christ must Isa. 53. 4 5 6 7. 1 Pet. 2. 24. bear the sins of all his children by Covenant As for thee by the blood of thy Covenant in his own body on the tree Zech. 9. 10 11. Secondly It must be had to the place appointed namely without the Camp of Israel to signifie that Jesus Christ must be led to the Mount Calvary Luke 23. 33. Thirdly The sacrifice was to be killed there to signifie that Jesus Christ must and did suffer without the City of Jerusalem for our salvation Fourthly the sacrifice must not only have its life taken away but also some of its flesh burned upon the Altar to signifie that Jesus Christ was not only to dye a natural death but also that he should undergo the pains and torments of the damned in hell Fifthly Sometimes there must be a living offering and a dead offering as the goat that was killed and the scape goat the dead bird and the living bird Levit. 14. 3 4 5 6. To signifie that Jesus Christ must dye and come to life again Sixthly The goat that was to dye was to be the sin-offering that is to be offered as the rest of the sin-offerings to make an atonement as a type and the other goat was to have all the sins of the Children of Israel confessed over him Levit. 16. from the 7. verse to the 22. and then to be let go into the wilderness never to be catched again to signifie that Christs death was to make satisfaction for sin and his coming to life again was to bring in everlasting Rom. 4. 25. justification from the power curse and destroying nature of sin Seventhly The scape goat was to be carried by a fit man into the wilderness To signifie that Jesus Christ should be both fit and able to carry our sins quite away from us so as they should never be laid to our charge again Here is Grace Eighthly The sacrifices under the Law commonly part of them must be eaten Exod. 12. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. To signifie that they that are saved should spiritually feed on the body and blood of Jesus Christ or else they have no life by him John 6. 51 52 53. Ninthly This sacrifice must be eaten with unleavened bread To signifie that they which love their sins that devilish leaven of wickedness they do not feed upon Jesus Christ. Now of what hath been spoken this is the sum that there is a sacrifice under the New Covenant as there was sacrifices under the Old and that this sacrifice did every way answer that or those Indeed they did but suffer for sin in shew but he in reality they as the shadow but he as the substance O! when Jesus Christ did come to make himself a sacrifice or to offer himself for sin you may understand that our sins was indeed charged to purpose upon him O how they scared his soul how they brake his body insomuch that they made the blood run down his blessed face and from his precious side therefore thou must understand these following things First that Jesus Christ by Covenant did dye for sin Secondly that his death was not a meer natural death but a cursed death even such a one as men do undergo from God for their sins though he himself had none even such a death as to endure the very pains and torments of hell O sad pains and in expressible torments that this our sacrifice for sin went under The pains of his body was not all no but the pains of his soul for his soul was made an offering as well as his body yet all but one sacrifice Isa. 53. To signifie that the suffering of Christ was not only a bodily suffering but a soul suffering not only to suffer what man could inflict upon him but also to suffer soul torments that none but God can inflict or suffer to be inflicted upon him O the torments of his soul they were torment indeed his soul was that that felt the wrath of God My soul saith he is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Mat. 26. 38. My soul is troubled and what shall I say John 12. 27. The Rock was not so rent as was his precious soul there was not such a terrible darkness on the face of the earth then as there was on his precious soul. O the torments of hell and the eclipsings of the divine smiles of God were both upon him at once the Devils assailing of him and God forsaking of him and all at once My God my God saith he why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 46. now in my greatest extremity now sin is laid upon me the curse takes hold on me the pains of hell are clasped about me and thou hast forsaken me O sad Sinner this was not done in pretence but in reality not in shew but in very deed Otherwise Christ had dissembled and had not spoken the truth but the truth of it his bloody sweat declares his mighty cries declares the things what and for what he suffered declares Nay I must say thus much that all the damned souls in hell with all their damnations did never yet feel that torment and pain that did this blessed Jesus in a little time Sinner canst thou read that Jesus Christ was made an offering for sin and yet go on in sin Canst thou hear that the lead of thy sins did break the very heart of Christ and spill his precious Blood And canst thou find in thy heart to
now is killed to his own righteousness and counts that but dung but dross not worth the dirt hanging on shoes O then says he Thou filthy righteousness Isa. 64. 6. how hast thou deceived me How hast thou beguiled my poor soul How did I deceive my self with giving of a little alms with abstaining from some gross polutions with walking in some ordinances as to the outside of them How hath my good words good thinkings good meanings as the world calls them deceived my ignorant soul I want the righteousness of faith the righteousness of God for I see now there is no less will do me any good Fourthly It is also killed to its own faith its notion of the Gospel it s own hope it s own repentings it s own promises and resolutions to its own strength it s own vertue or whatsoever it had before now saith the soul That faith I thought I had it is but fancy that hope I thought I had I see it is but hypocritical but vain and groundless hope now the soul sees it hath by nature no saving faith no saving hope no grace at all by nature by the first Covenant Now it crieth out How many promises have I broken and how many times have I resolved in vain when I was sick at such a time and in such a streight at such a place Indeed I thought my self a wise man once but I see my self a very fool now O how ignorant am I of the Gospel now and of the blessed experience of the Work of God on a Christians heart In a word it sees it self beset by nature with all evil and destitute of all good which is enough to kill the stoutest hardest hearted sinner that ever lived on the earth O Friends should you be plainly dealt withal by this discovery of the dealing of God with a sinner when he makes him a Saint and would seriously try your selves thereby as God will try you one day how few would there be found of you to be so much as acquainted with the work of God in the Notion much less in the experimental knowledge of the same And indeed God is fain to take this way with sinners thus to kill them with the Old Covenant to all things below a crucified â—hrist First Because otherwise there would be none in the world that would look after this sweet Jesus Christ. There is but a few that go to Heaven in all comparatively and them few God is fain to deal with them in this manner or else his Heaven his Christ his Glory and everlasting Happiness must abide by themselves for all sinners Do you think that Manasseh would have regarded the Lord had he not suffered his enemies to have prevailed against him 2 Chron. 33. from the 1. verse to the 16. Jer. 31. 18. Do you think that Ephraim would have looked after salvation had not God first confounded him with the guilt of the sins of his youth What do you think of Paul Acts 9. 4 5 6. What do you think of the Jailour Acts 16. 30 31 32. What do you think of the Three Thousand Acts 2. 36 37. Was not this the way that the Lord was fain to take to make them close in with Jesus Christ Was he not fain to kill them to every thing below a Christ that they were driven to their wits ends insomuch that they were forced to cry out Whbat shall we do to be saved I say God might keep Heaven and Happiness to himself it he should not go this way to work with sinners O stout hearted rebels O tender hearted God! Secondly Because then and not till then will sinners accept of Jesus Christ on Gods terms So long as sinners can make a life out of any thing below Christ so long they will not close with Christ without indenting but when the God of Heaven hath killed them to every thing below himself and his Son then Christ will down on any terms in the world And indeed this is the very reason why sinners when they hear of Christ yet will not close in with him there is something that they can take content in besides him The prodigal so long as he could content himself with the husks that the swine did eat so long he did keep away from his Fathers House but when he could get no nourishment any where on this side of his Fathers House then saith he and not till then I will arise and go to my Father c. I say Ths is the reason therefore why men come no faster and close no realier with the Son of God but stand halting and indenting about the terms they must have Christ upon for saith the drunkard I look on Christ to be worth the having but yet I am not willing to lose ALL for him all but my pot saith the drunkard and all but the world saith the covetous I will part with any thing but lust and pride saith the wanton but if Christ will not be had without I forsake all cast away all then it must be with me as it was with the young man in the Gospel such news will make me sorry at my very heart But now when a man is soundly killed to all his sins to all his righteousness to all his comforts whatsoever and sees that there is no way but the Devil must have him but he must be damned in hell if he be not clothed with Jesus Christ Oh! then saith he give me Christ on any terms whatsoever he cost though he cost me friends though he cost me comforts though he cost me all that ever I have yet like the wise Merchant in the Gospel they will sell all to get that pearl I tell you when a soul is brought to see its want of Christ aright it will not be kept back Father Mother Husband Wise Lands Livings nay life and all shall go rather then the soul will miss of Christ. I and the soul counteth Christ a cheap Saviour if it can get him vpon any terms now the soul indents no longer Now Lord give me Christ upon any terms whatsoever he cost for I am a dead-man a damned man a cast away if I have not Christ. What say you O you wounded sinners Is not this true as I have said would you not give Ten thousand worlds if you had so many so be you might be well answered that your sins shall be pardoned and your souls and bodies justified and glorified at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly The Lord goeth this way for this reason also that it might make the soul sensible what it cost Christ to redeem it from death and hell When a man cometh to feel the sting and guilt of sin death and hell upon his conscience then and not till then can he tell what it cost Christ to redeem sinners O! saith the soul if a few sins are so terrible and lay the soul under such wrath and torment what did Christ undergo who bare the
by this Law to purpose I do beseech you to take notice of these following particulars besides what hath been already spoken First I shall shew the danger of them by reason of the Law as they come from Adam Secondly as they are in their own persons particularly under it 1. First as they come from Adam they are in a sad condition because he left them a broken Covenant or take it thus because they while they were in him did with him break that Covenant Oh! this was the treasure that Adam left to his posterity it was a broken Covenant insomuch that death reigned over all his Children and doth still to this day as they come from him both natural and eternal death Rom. the 5. It may be Drunkard Swearer Liar Thief thou dost not think of this 2. Secondly he did not only leave them a broken Covenant but also made them himself sinners against it he made them sinners By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom 5. 19. And this is worse than the first 3. Thirdly not only so but he did deprive them of their strength by which at first they were enabled to stand and left them no more than dead men Oh helpless state Oh! how beggarly and miserable are the sons of Adam 4. Fourthly not only so but also before he left them he was the conduit-pipe through which the Devil did convey of his poisoned spawn and venome nature into the hearts of Adams sons and daughters by which they are at this day so strongly and so violently carried away that they flie as fast to Hell and the Devil by reason of sin as chaff before a mighty wind 5. Fifthly in a word Adam led them out of their Paradise that is one more and put out their eyes that is another and left them to the leading of the Devil O sad Canst thou hear this and not have thy ears to tingle and burn on thy head Can'st thou read this and not feel this and not feel thy Conscience begin to throb and dagg If so surely it is because thou art either possessed with the Devil or besides thy self But I pass this and come to the second thing which is the cause of their being in a sad condition which is by reason of their being in their Particular persons under it First therefore they that are under the Law they are in a sad condition because they are under that which is more ready through our infirmity to curse than to bless they are under that called the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. that is they are under that dispensation or administration whose proper work is to curse and condemn and nothing else Secondly their condition is sad who are under the Law because they are not only under that administration that doth condemn but also that which doth wait an opportunity to condemn the Law doth not wait that it might be gracious but it doth wait to curse and condemn I it came on purpose to discover sin Rom. 5. 20. The Law entred saith the Apostle that the offence might abound or appear indeed to be that which God doth hate and also to curse for that which hath been committed as he saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. Thirdly they are in a sad condition be-because that administration they are under that are under the Law doth always find fault with the sinners obedience as well as his disobedience if it be not done in a right spirit which they that are under that Covenant cannot do by reason of their being destitute of Faith therefore I say it doth controle them saying This was not well done this was done by the halves this was not done freely and that was not done perfectly and out of love to God and hence it is that some men notwithstanding they labour to live as holy as ever they can according to the Law yet they do not live a peaceable life but are full of condemnings full of guilt and torment of Conscience finding themselves to fail here and to fall short there omitting this good which the Law commands and doing that evil which the Law forbids but never giveth them one good word for all their pains Fourthly they that are under the Law are in a sad condition because they are under that administration that will never be contented with what is done by the sinner if thou be under this Covenant work as hard as thou can'st the Law will never say Well done never say My good servant No but always it will be driving of thee faster hastning of thee harder giving of thee fresh commands which thou must do and upon pain of damnation not to be left undone Nay it is such a Master that will curse thee not only for thy sins but also because thy good works were not so well done as they ought to be Fifthly they that are under this Covenant or Law their state is very sad because this Law doth command impossible things of him that is under it and yet doth but right in it seeing man at the first had in Adam strength to stand if he would have used it and the Law was given then as I said before when man was in his full strength and therefore no unequality if it commands the same still seeing God that gave thee strength did not take it away I will give you a similitude for the clearing of it set the case that I give to my servant ten pounds with this charge lay it out for my best advantage that I may have my own again with profit now if my servant contrary to my command goeth and spends my money in a disobedient way is it any unequality in me to demand of my servant what I gave him at first nay and though he have nothing to pay I may lawfully cast him into Prison and keep him there until I have satisfaction So here the Law was delivered to man at the first when he was in a possibility to have fulfilled it now then though man have lost his strength yet God is just in commanding the same work to be done I and if they do not do the same things I say that are impossible for them to do it is just with God to damn them seeing it was they themselves that brought themselves into this condition therefore saith the Apostle What things soever the Law or Commands saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. and this is thy sad condition that art under the Law Gal. 3. 10. But if any should object and say but the Law doth not command unpossible things of natural man I should answer in this case as the Apostle did in another very much like unto it saying They know not what they say nor whereof they affirm For doth not
to their eternal state but he heareth them as to several streights that they go through in this life I and gives them case and liberty from their trouble Here this poor wretch was almost perished for a little water and he cryed and God heard him yea he heard him out of Heaven Read also the 107 Psalm 23. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Psal. 106. 15. He gave them their desire and sent leanness to their souls But some may say methinks this is yet more strange that God should hear the Prayers the cries of those that are under the Law and answered them Answ. I told you before he doth not hear them as to their eternal state but as to their temporal state For God as their Creator hath a care of them and causeth the sun to shine upon them and the rain to distill upon their substance Mat. 5. 45. Nay he doth give the Beasts in the field their appointed food and doth hear the young Ravens when they cry Psal. 147. 9. which are far inferiour to man I say therefore that God doth hear the cries of his Creatures and doth answer them too though not as to their eternal state but may damn them nevertheless when they die for all that Secondly They may receive promises from the mouth of the Lord. There are many that have had promises made to them by the Lord in a most eminent manner and yet as I said before are such as are cast out and called the Children of the Bond-woman which is the Law see Gen. 21. 17 18. And the Angel of the Lord called out of Heaven to Hagar that was the Bond-woman saying fear not for God hath heard the voice of the Lad where he is Arise lift up the Lad and hold him in thine hand FOR I WILL MAKE OF HIM mark there is the promise For I will make of him of the son of the Bond-woman a great Nation Thirdly Nay they may go further for they may receive another heart than they had before and yet be under the Law There is no man I think but those that do not know what they say that will think or say that Saul was under the Covenant of Grace yet after he had talked with Samuel and had turned his back to go from him saith the Scripture God gave him another heart 1 Sam. 10. 9. another heart mark that and yet an out-cast a rejected person 1 Sam. 15. 26 29. Friends I beseech you let not these things offend you but let them rather beget in your hearts an enquiring into the truth of your condition and be willing to be searched to the bottom and also that every thing which hath not been planted by the Lords right hand may be rejected and that there may be a reaching after better things even the things that will not only make thy soul think thy state is good now but that thou mayest be able to look sin death hell the curse of the Law together with the Judge in the face with comfort having such a real sound effectual work of God Grace in thy soul that when thou hearest the Trumpet sound seest the graves flie open and the dead come creeping forth out of their holes when thou shalt see the Judgment set the books opened and all the world standing before the Judgment seat I say that then thou mayest stand and have that blessed sentence spoken to thy soul Come ye blessed of my Father wherit the Kingdom prepared for you from before the Foundation of the World Mat. 25. 34. Object But you wil say for all this we cannot believe that we are under the Law for these reasons As first because we have found a change in our hearts Secondly Because we do deny that the Covenant of Works will save any Thirdly Because for our parts we judge our selves far from legal principles for we are got up into as perfect a Gospel order as to matter of practice and discipline in Church Affairs as any this day in England as we judge Answ. First That mans belief that is grounded upon any thing done in him or by him only that mans belief is not grounded upon the death burial resurrection ascension and intercession of Jesus Christ for that man that hath indeed good ground of his eternal salvation his faith is settled upon that object which God is well pleased or satisfied withal which is that man that was born of Mary even her first-born Son that is he doth apply by faith to his soul the vertues of his death blood righteousness c. and doth look for satisfaction of soul no where else then from that neither doth the soul seek to give God any satisfaction as to justification any other ways but doth willingly and chearfully accept of and embrace the vertues of Christs death together with the rest of his things done by himself on the Cross as a Sacrifice and since also as a Priest Advocate Mediator c. And doth so really and effectually receive the glories of the same That thereby mark that thereby he is changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Thus in general but yet more particular First To think that your condition is good because there is some change in you from a loose prophane life to a more close honest and civil life and conversation I say to think this testimony sufficient for to ground the stress of thy salvation upon is very dangerous First Because such a soul doth not only lay the stress of its salvation besides the man Christ Jesus that died upon the Cross But Secondly Because that his confidence is not grounded upon the Saviour of sinners but upon his turning from gross sins to a more refined life and it may be to the performance of some good duties which is no Saviour I say this is very dangerous therefore read it and the Lord help you to understand it for unless you lay the whole stress of the salvation of your souls upon the merits of another man namely Jesus and that by what he did do and is a doing without you for certain as sure as God is in Heaven your souls will perish And this must not be notionally neither as with an assenting of the understanding only but it must be by the wonderful invisible invincible power of the Almighty God working in your souls by his Spirit such a real saving holy saith that can through the operation of the same Spirit by which it is wrought lay hold on and apply these most heavenly most excellent most meritorious benefits of the man Christ Jesus not only to your heads and fancles but to your very souls and consciences so effectually that you may be able by the same faith to challenge the power madness malice rage and destroying nature either of sin the Law death the Devil together with hell and all other evils throwing your souls upon the death burial resurrection and intercession of that man Jesus without Rom. 8 32
Christ alone but with believers also I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and Judah c. 1. Answ. First It cannot be meant that the New Covenant was made with Christ and the House of Israel and Judah as the undertaker thereof for so it was made with Christ alone which is clear in that it was made long before the House of Israel and Judah had a being as I shewed before 2. Answ. But Secondly These words here are spoken first to shew rather the end of the Ceremonies then the beginning or rise or the New Covenant Mind a little The Apostle is labouring to beat the Jews to whom he wrote this Epistle off of the Ceremonies of the Law of the Priests Altar Offerings Temple c. and to bring them to the right understanding of the thing and things that they held forth which was to come and to put an end to those If you do but understand the Epistle to the Hebrews it is a discourse that sheweth that the Son of God being come there is an end put to the Ceremonies for they were to continue so long and no longer It saith the Apostle stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation that is until Christ did come But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come c puts an end to the things and ordinances of the Levitical Priest-hood read the 7 8 9 10. Chapters and you will find this true So then when he saith The days come in which I will make a New Covenant it is rather to be meant a changing of the administration a taking away the type the shadow the Ceremonies from the House of Israel and Judah and revealing by the Birth of Christ and the Death of Christ and the offering of the Body of him whom the shaddows and types did point out to be indeed he whom God the Father had given for a Ransom by Covenant for the souls of the Saints and also to manifest the truth of that Covenant which was made between the Father and the Son before the world began for though the New Covenant was made before the world began and also every one in all ages was saved by the vertue of that Covenant yet that Covenant was never so clearly made manifest as at the coming death and resurrection of Christ and therefore saith the Scripture He hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to the works of righteousness which we have done but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began there is the Covenant but it was made MANIFEST by the APPEARING of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to LIGHT through the Gospel Therefore I say these words are rather to discover that the time was come to change the dispensation to take away the type and bring in the substance and so manifesting that more clearly which before lay hid in dark sayings and figures And this is usual with God to speak in this manner Again if at any time you do find in the Scripture that the Covenant of Works is spoken of as the first Covenant that was manifested and so before the second Covenant yet you must understand that it was so only as to manifestation that is it was first given to man yet not made before that which was made Christ And indeed it was requisite that it should be given or made known first that thereby there might be a way made for the second by its discovering of sin and the sad state that man was in after the fall by reason of that And again that the other might be made the more welcome to the sons of men And in this did Christ in time most gloriously answer Adam who was the figure of Christ Rom. 5. as well as of other things for as the first Covenant was made with the first Adam so was the second Covenant made with the second for these are and were the two great publick persons or representators of the whole world as to the first and second Covenants and therefore you find God speaking on this wise in Scripture concerning the New Covenant My Covenant shall stand fast with HIM Psal. 89. 28 34 35. My mercy will I keep for HIM for evermore saith God my Covenant shall stand fast with HIM this HIM is Christ if you compare this with Luke 1. 3â— My Covenant will I not break namely that which was made with HIM nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lie unto DAVID to whom this was spoken figuratively in the person of Christ for that was Gods usual way to speak of the glorious things of the Gospel in the time of the Law as I said before Secondly The conditions also were concluded on and agreed to be fulfilled by him as it is clear if you understand his saying in the 12. of John at the 27. verse where he foretelleth his death and saith Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I into the world unto this hour as if he had said My business is now not to shrink from my sufferings that are a coming upon me for these are the things that are a great part of the conditions contracted in the Covenant which stands between my Father and I therefore I shall not pray that this might be absolutely removed from me For for this cause came I into the vvorld even this was the very terms of the Covenant By this you may say we are under Grace Now in a Covenant there is these three things to be considered First What it is that is covenanted for Secondly The conditions upon which the persons who are concerned in it do agree Thirdly If the conditions on both sides be not according to the agreement fulfilled then the Covenant standeth not but is made void And this New Covenant in these particulars is very exactly fulfilled and made out in Christ First The thing or things covenanted for was the salvation of man but made good in Christ. The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost The Son of Man did not come to destroy mens lives but to save them I give my life a ransom for many And this is the will or Covenant of him that sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the day John 6. 39. Secondly As touchsng the conditions agreed on they run thus First On the Mediators side that he should come into the vvorld and then on the Fathers side that he should give him a body This was one of the glorious
down and to take it up again and this commandment have I reecived of my Father John 10. 15 16 17 18. even this commandment hath my Father given me that I should both do this thing and also tell it unto you Thirdly He was not only sent as a Messenger to declare this hit Fathers love but also how dearly he himself loved sinners what a heart he had to do them good where he saith All that the Father hath given me shall come to me and let me tell you my heart too saith Christ He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out As my Father is willing to give you unto me even so am I as willing to receive you As my Father is willing to give you Heaven so am I willing to make you fit for it by washing you with my own blood I lay down my life that you might have life and this I was sent to tell you of my Father Fourthly His Message was further he came to tell them how and which way they should come to enjoy these glorious benefits also by laying down motives to stir them up to accept of the benefits The way is laid down in John 3. 14 15. where Christ saith As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up or caused to be hanged on the Cross and die the death That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The way therefore that thou shalt have the benefit and comfort of that which my Father and I have covenanted for thee I am come down from heaven to earth on purpose to give thee intelligence and to certifie thee of it know therefore that as I have been born of a woman and have taken this body upon me it is on purpose that I might offer it up upon the Cross a Sacrifice to God to give him satisfaction for thy sins that his mercy may be extended to thy soul without any wrong done to justice and this thou art to believe and not in the notion but from thy very whole soul. Now the motives are many First If they do not leave their sins and come to Jesus Christ that their sins may be washed away by his blood they are sure to be damned in hell for the Law hath condemned them already John 3. 18 19. Secondly But if they do come they shall have the bosome of Christ to lye in the kingdom of Heaven to dwell in the Angels and Saints for their companions shall shine there like the Sun shall be there for ever shall sit upon the Thrones of Judgment c. Here is Grace Methinks if I had but time to speak fully to all things that I could speak to from these two heavenly Truths and to make application thereof surely with the blessing of God I think it might perswade some vile and abominable wretch to lay down his arms that he hath taken up in defiance against God and is marching hell-wards poste haste with the Devil I say methinks it should stop them and make them willing to look back and accept of salvation for their poor condemned fouls before Gods eternal vengeance is executed upon them O therefore you that are upon this march I beseech you consider a little What shall Christ become a drudge for you and will you be drudges for the Devil Shall Christ covenant with God for the salvation of sinners and shall sinners covenant with Hell Death and the Devil for the damnation of their souls Shall Christ come down from Heaven to Earth to declare this to sinners and shall sinners stop their ears against this good tidings Will you not hear the errand of Christ although he telleth you tidings of peace and salvation How if he had came having taken a command from his Father to damn you and to send you to the Devils in Hell Sinner hear his message he speaketh no harm his words are eternal life all men that give ear unto them they have eternal advantage by them Advantage I say that never hath an end Besides do but consider these two things 't is like they may have some sway upon thy soul. First When he came on his message he came with tears in his eyes and did even weepingly tender the terms of reconciliation to them I say with tears in his eyes And when he came near the City i. e. with his message of peace beholding the hardness of their hearts he wept over it and took up a lamentation over it because he saw they rejected his mercy which was tidings of peace I say wilt thou then slight a weeping Jesus one that so loveth thy soul that rather then he will lose thee he will with tears perswade with thee 2. Not only so but also when he came he came all on a goar blood to proffer mercy to thee to shew thee still how dearly he did love thee as if he had said sinner here is mercy for thee but behold my bloody sweat my bloody wounds my cursed death behold and see what danger I have gone through to come unto thy soul I am come indeed unto thee and do bring thee tidings of salvation but it cost me my heart blood before I could come at thee to give thee the fruits of my everlasting love But more of this anon Thus have I spoken something concerning Christ being the messenger of the New Covenant but because I am not willing to cut too short of what shall come after I shall pass by these things not half touched and come to the other which I promised even now which was to shew you that as there was Levitical Ceremonies in or belonging to the first Covenant so these Types or Levitical Ceremonies did represent the glorious things of the New Covenant In those Ceremonies you read of a Sacrifice of a Priest to offer up the Sacrifice the place where and the manner how he was to offer it of which I shall speak something First As touching the Sacrifice you find that it was not to be offered up of all kind of beasts as of Lions Bears Wolves Tigers Dragons Serpents or such like To signifie that not all kind of Creatures that had sinned as Devils the fallen Angels should be saved but the Sacrifice was to be taken out of some kind of Beasts and Birds to signifie that some of Gods Creatures that had sinned he would be pleased to reconcile them to himself again as poor fallen Man and Woman those miserable Creatures God the God of Heaven had a good look for after their fall but not for the cursed Devils though more noble Creatures by Creation than We. Here is grace Now though these Sacrifices were offered yet they were not offered to the end they should make the comers to or offerers thereof perfect but the things was to represent to the world what God had in after ages for to do which was even the salvation of his Creatures by that offering
whether they be things in earth or things in heaven And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled how in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy mark holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Colos. 1. 21 22 23. And thus it is Grace unchangeable Grace to us because it was obtained yea compleatly obtained for us by Jesus Christ God-man Object But some may say how was it possible that one man Jesus by one offering should so compleatly obtain and bring in unchangeable grace for such an innumerable company of sinners as are to be saved Answ. First in that he was every ways fitted for such a work And secondly in that as I said before he did every ways compleatly satisfie that which was offended by our disobedience to the former Covenant And for the clearing of this First Consider was it man that had offended He was man that gave the satisfaction For as by man came death even so also by man did come the resurrection from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 21. Secondly Was it God that was offended he was God that did give a satisfaction To us a Child is born to us a Son is given And his name shall be called the mighty God Isa. 9. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God but for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. 9. he made himself of no reputation c. Phil. 2. 5 6 7. Thirdly For the further clearing of this to shew you that in every thing he was rightly qualified for this great work see what God himself saith of him he calls him in the first place man and secondly he owns him to be his fellow saying Awake O sword against my Shepherd against the man mark the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 13. 7. So that now let divine and infinite Justice turn it self which way it will it finds one that can tell how to match it for if it say I will require the satisfaction of man here is a man to satisfie its cry and if it say but I am an infinite God and must and will have an infinite satisfaction here is one also that is infinite even fellow with God Fellow in his essence and being Prov. 8. 23. Fellow in his power and strength 1 Cor. 1. 24. Fellow in his Wisdom see again the same verse Fellow in his mercy and grace Tit. 2. 10. compared with ver 11. together with the rest of the attributes of God so that I say let justice turn it self which way it will here is a compleat person to give a compleat satisfaction thus much of the fitness of the person Secondly For the compleatness of the satisfaction given by him for us And that is discovered in these particulars First Doth justice call for the blood of that nature that sinned Here is the heart blood of Jesus Christ. We have redemption through his blood Ephes. 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Zech. 9. 10 11. 2. Doth justice say that this blood if it be not the blood of one that is really and naturally God it will not give satisfaction to infinite justice then here is God purchasing his Church with his own blood Acts 20. 28. 3. Doth justice say that it must not only have satisfaction for sinners but they that are saved must be also washed and sanctified with this blood Then here is he that so loved us that he washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. 4. Is there to be a righteousness to cloath them with that are to be presented before divine justice then here is the righteousness of Christ which is even the righteousness of God by faith Rom. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. 5. Is there any sins now that will fly upon this Saviour like so many Lions of raging Devils if he take in hand to redeem man he will be content to bear them all himself alone even in his own body upon the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. 6. Is there any Law now that will curse and condemn this Saviour for standing in our persons to give satisfaction to God for the transgression of man he will be willing to be cursed yea to be made a curse for sinners rather than they shall be cursed and damned themselves Gal. 3. 13. 7. Must the great and glorious God whose eyes are so pure that he cannot behold iniquity I say must he not only have the blood but the very life of him that will take in hand to be the deliverer and Saviour of us poor miserable sinners he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep John 10. 11. 8. Must he not only dye a natural death but must his soul descend into hell though it should not be left there he will suffer that also Psal. 16. 10. and Acts 2. 3. 9. Must he not only be buried but rise again from the dead and overcome death that he might be the first fruits to God of them that sleep which shall be saved He will be buried and also through the strength of his God-head he will raise himself out of the grave though death hold him never so fast and the Jews lay never such a great stone upon the mouth of the Sepulchre and seal it never so fast 1 Cor. 15. 2. Luke 24. 34. 10. Must he carry that body into the presence of his Father to take possession of Heaven Heb. 9. 24. John 14. 2 3. And must he appear there as a Priest Heb. 6. 20. as fore-runner ver the same as an Advocate 1 John 2. 1 2. as Prophet as a Treasure-house as an Interceder and Pleader of the Causes of his people he will be all these and much more to the end the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ might be made surer to all the seed Who then can condemn it is God that justifieth because Christ hath dyed yea rather that is risen again Who now seeing all this is so effectually done shall lay any thing the least thing who can find the least flaw the least wrinkle the least defect or imperfection in this glorious satisfaction Object But is it possible that he should so soon give infinite justice a satisfaction a compleat satisfaction for the eternal God doth require an eternal lying under the Curse to the end he may be eternally satisfied Answ. Indeed that which is infinite must have an eternity to satisfie God in that is they that fall into the prison and pit of utter darkness must be there to all eternity to the end the justice of God may have its full blow at them But now he that I am speaking of is God Isa. 9. 6. 2. Tim. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 8 9. Phil. 2. 4 5 6. and so is infinite Now le which is true God is able to give in as litttle a time an infinite satisfaction as Adam was in giving the dissatisfaction Adam himself might have given satisfaction
sins of Thousands and Thousands and all at once This also is one means to make souls tender of sin it is the burned child that feareth the fire to make them humble in a sense of their own vileness to make them count every thing that God giveth them a mercy to make much of the least glimpse of the love of God and to prize it above the whole world O sinners were you killed indeed then Heaven would be Heaven and Hell would be Hell indeed but because you are not wrought upon in this manner therefore you count the ways of God as bad as a good man counteth the ways of the devil and the ways of the devil and hell as good as a Saint doth count the ways of God Fourthly Again God is fain to go this way and all to make sinners make sure of Heaven So long as souls are senseless of sin and what a damnable state they are in by nature so long they will even dally with the Kingdom of Heaven and the Salvation of their own poor souls but when God cometh and sheweth them where they are and what is like to become of them if they miss of the Crucified Saviour Oh then saith the soul would I were sure of Jesus what shall I do to get assurance of Jesus And thus is God forced as I may say to whip souls to Jesus Christ they being so secure so senseless and so much their own enemies as not to look out after their own eternal advantage Fifthly A fifth reason why God doth deal thus with sinners it is because he would bring Christ and the Soul together in a right way Christ and Sinners would never come together in a beloved posture they would not so suitably suit each other if they were not brought together this way the sinner being killed O when the sinner is killed and indeed struck dead to every thing below a naked Jesus how suitably then doth the Soul and Christ suit one with another Then here is a naked sinner for a righteous Jesus a poor sinner to a rich Jesus a weak sinner to a strong Jesus a blind sinner to a seeing Jesus an ignorant careless sinner to a wise and careful Jesus O how wise is God in dealing thus with the sinner he strips him of his own knowledge that he may fill him with Christs he killeth him for taking pleasure in sin that he may take pleasure in Jesus Christ c. Sixthly But sixthly God goeth this way with sinners because he would have the glory of their salvation Should not men and women be killed to their own things they would do sacrifice unto them and instead of saying to the Lamb THOU ART WORTHY Rev. 5. 9. Job 40. 14. Rom. 3. 27. Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. they woul say their own arm their own right hand hath saved them but God will cut off boasting from ever entring within the borders of eternal glory for he is resolved to have the glory of the beginning the middle and the end of the contriving and saving and giving salvation to them that enter into the joys of everlasting glory That they may be called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorifyed Isa. 61. 3. I might have run thorow many things as to this but I shall pass them and proceed Now Secondly The soul being thus killed to it's self its sins its righteousness faith hope wisdom promises resolutions and the rest of its things which it trusted in by nature In the next place it hath also given unto it a most glorious perfect and never-fading life which is first a life imputed to it yet so really that the very thought of it in the soul hath so much operation and authority especially when the meditation of it is mixed with faith as to make it though condemned by the Law to triumph and to look its enemies in the face with comfort notwithstanding the greatness of the multitude the fierceness of their anger and the continuation of their malice be never so hot against it This imputed life for so it is is the obedience of the Son of God as his righteousness in his suffering arising ascending interceding and so consequently triumphing over all the enemies of the soul and given to me as being wrought on purpose for me So that is is there righteousness in Christ that is mine Is there perfection in that righteousness that is mine did he bleed for sin it was for mine Hath he overcome the Law the Devil and Hell the victory is mine and I am counted the Conqueror Nay more than a conqueror through him that hath loved me and I do count this a most glorious life for by this means it is that I am in the first place proclaimed both in Heaven and Earth guiltless and such a one who as I am in Christ am not a sinner and so not under the Law to be condemned but as holy and righteous as the Son of God himself because he himself is my holiness and righteousness and so likewise having by this all things taken out of the way that would condemn me Sometimes I bless the Lord my soul hath had the life that now I am speaking of not only imputed to me but the very glory of it upon my soul For upon a time when I was under many condemnings of heart and feared because of my sins my soul would miss of eternal glory methought I felt in my soul such a secret motion as this Thy righteousness is in Heaven together with the splendour and shining of the spirit of grace in my soul which gave me to see clearly that my righteousness by which I should be justified from all that could condemn was the Son of God himself in his own person now at the right hand of his Father representing me compleat before the mercy-seat in his own self so that I saw clearly that night and day where ever I was or what ever I was a doing still there was my righteousness just before the eys of divine glory so that the Father could never find fault with me for any insufficiency that was in my righteousness being it was compleat neither could he say where is it because it was continually at his right hand Also at another time having contracted guilt upon my soul and having some distemper of body upon me supposed that death might now so seize upon as to take me away from among men then thought I what shall I do now is all right with my soul have I the right work of God on my soul Answering my self No surely and that because there were so many weaknesses in me yea so many weaknesses in my best duties for thought I how can such a one as I find mercy whose heart is so ready to evil and so backward to that which is good so far as it is natural Thus musing being filled with fear to die these words came in upon my soul Being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ as if God had said Sinner thou thinkest because thou hast had so many infirmities and weaknesses in thy soul whilst thou hast been professing of me therefore now there can be no hopes of mercy but be it known unto thee that it was not any thing done by thee at the first that moved me to have mercy upon thee neither is it any thing that is done by thee now that shall make me either accept or reject thee behold my Son who standeth by me he is righteous he hath fulfilled my Law and given me good satisfaction on him therefore do I look and on thee only as thou art in him and according to what he hath done so will I deal with thee This having stayed my heart and taken off the guilt through the strength of its coming on my soul anon after came in that word as a second testimony He hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to the works of righteousness which we have done but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And thus is the sinner made alive from the dead being justified by Grace through the righteousness of Christ which is unto all and upon all them that believe according to the Scriptures And the life that I now live it is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. I lay down my life for my sheep John 10. 10 15. I I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more then being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10 21. That as sin reigneth unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Secondly This life is not only imputed to him that is wrought on by the spirit of Grace that is not only counted his but also there is put into the soul an understanding enlightened on purpose to know the things of God which is Christ and his imputed righteousness 1 John 5. 20. which it never thought of nor understood before 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11. which understanding being enlightened and made to see such things that the soul cannot be contented without it lay hold of and apply Christ unto it self so effectually I say that the soul shall be exceedingly revived in a very heavenly measure with the application of this imputed righteousness for thereby it knoweth it shall find God speaking peace to its self and with a fatherly affection say Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee the righteousness of my Son I bestow upon thee For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the thy flesh I have sent forth my only Son and have condemned thy sins in his flesh Rom. 8. 3. 4. And though thou hast gone astray liste a lost sheep yet on him I have laid thine iniquities and though thou thereby didst undo and break thy self forever yet by his stripes I haue healed thee Thus I say the Lord causeth the soul by faith to apply that which he doth by grace impute unto it for thus every soul more or less is dealt withal the soul being thus inlightned thus quickned thus made alive from that dead state it was in before or at least having the beginnings of this life it hath these several vertuous advantages which they have not that are dead in their sins and trespasses and under the Law First It seeth what a sad condition all men by nature are in they being in that state which it self was in but a while since but now by grace it is a beginning to scrable out of it now it seeth the whole world lieth in wickedness 1 John 5. 19. and so liable to eternal vengeance because of their wickedness Ah friends let me tell you though you may be ignorant of your state and condition yet the poor groaning hungering Saints of God do see what a sad woeful miserable state you are in which sometimes makes them tremble to think of your most lamentable latter end you dying so and also to flie the faster to their Lord Jesus for very fear that they also should be partakers of that most doleful doom and this it hath by vertue of its own experience knowing it self was but a while ago in the same condition under the same condemnation O! there is now a hearty blessing of God that ever he should shew to it its sad condition and that he should incline its heart to seek after a better condition O blessed be the Lord saith the soul that ever he should awaken me stir up me and bring me out of that sad condition that I once with them was in It makes also the soul to wonder to see how foolishly and vainly the rest of its neighbours do spend their precious time that they should be so void of understanding so forgetful of their latter end so senseless of the damning nature of their sins O that their eyes was but inlightned to see whereabouts they are 〈◊〉 surely they would be of another mind then they are now in Now the soul wonders to see what slender pins those poor creatures do hang the stress of the eternal salvation of their souls upon O methinks saith the soul it makes me mourn to see that some should think that they were Born Christians and others that their Baptisme makes them so others depending barely upon a traditional historical faith which will leave their souls in the midst of plerplexity O that they should trust to such fables fancies and wicked slights of the Devil as their good doings their good thinkings their civil walking and living with the world O miserable profession and the end thereof will be a miserable end But now vvhen the soul is thus vvrought upon it must be sure to look for the very gates of hell to be set open against it vvith all their force and might to destroy it Novv hell rageth the devil roareth and all the world resolved do be the best they can to bring the soul again into bondage and ruine Also the soul shall not want enemies even in its own hearts lust as covetousness adultery blasphemy unbelief hardness of heart coldness half-heartedness ignorance with an innumerable company of attendants hanging like so many blocks at its heels ready to sink it into the fire of hell every moment together with strange apprehensions of God and Christ as if now they were absolutely turned to be its enemies which maketh it doubt of the certainty of its salvation For you must understand that though a soul may in reality have the righteousness of the Son of God imputed to it and also some faith in a very strong manner to lay hold upon it yet
at another time through temptation they may fear and doubt again insomuch that the soul may be put into a very great fear lest it should return again into the condition it once was in Jer. 32 40. O saith the soul when I think of my former state how miserable it was it makes me tremble and when I think that I may fall into that condition again how sad are the thoughts of it to me I would not be in that condition again for all the world and this fear riseth still higher and higher as the soul is sensible of Satans temptations or of its working of its own corruptions Ha! these filthy lusts these filthy corruptions O that I was rid of them that they were consumed in a moment that I could be quite rid of them they do so disturb my soul dishonour my God so defile my conscience and sometimes so weaken my hands in the way of God and my comforts in the Lord O how glad should I be if I might be stripped of them Rom. 7. 24. Which fear puts the soul upon flying to the Lord by prayer for the covering of his imputed righteousness and for strength against the Devils temptations and its own corruptions that God would give down his holy spirit to strengthen it against the things that do so anoy its soul and so discourage it in its way with a resolution through grace never to be contented while it doth find in it self a triumphing over it by faith in the blood of a Crucified Jesus Secondly The soul that hath been thus killed by the Law to its things it formerly delighted in now O now it cannot be contented with that slender groundless faith and hope that once it contented it self withal No no but now it must be brought into the right saving knowledge of Jesus Christ now it must have him discovered to the soul by the spirit now it cannot be satisfied because such and such do tell it is so No but now it will cry out Lord shew me continually in the light of thy Spirit through thy word that Jesus that was born in the days of Cesar Augustus when Mary a Daughter of Judah went with Joseph to be taxed at Bethelâ—m that he is the very Christ. Lord let me see it in the light of thy spirit and in the operation thereof and let me not be contented without such a faith that is so wrought even by the discovery of his birth crucifying death blood resurrection ascension intercession and second which is his personal coming again that the very faith of it may fill my soul with comfort and holiness and O how afraid the soul is lest it should fall short of this faith and of the hope that is begotten by such discoveries as these are For the soul knoweth that if it hath not this it will not be able to stand neither in death nor judgment and therefore saith the soul Lord whatever other poor souls content themselves withal let me have that which will stand me instead and carry me through a dangerous world that may help me to resist a cunning Devil that may help me to suck true soul satisfying consolation from Jesus Christ through thy promises by the might and power of thy Spirit And now when the poor soul at any time hath any discovery of the love of God through a bleeding dying risen interceding Jesus because it is not willing to be deceived O how wary is it of closing with it for fear it should not be right for fear it should not come from God Saith the soul Cannot the Devil give one such comfort tro Cannot he transform himself thus into an Angel of light So that the soul because it would be upon a sure ground cries out Lord shew me thy salvation and that not once or twice but Lord let me have thy presence continually upon my heart to day and to morrow and every day for the soul when it is rightly brought from under the Covenant of Works and planted into the Covenant of Grace then it cannot be unless it be under some desperate temptation contented without the presence of God teaching comforting stablishing and helping of the soul to grow in the things of the Lord Jesus Christ because it knoweth that if God hath but with-drawn his presence in any way from it as he doth do sometimes for a while that then the Devil will be sure to be near at hand working with his temptations trying all ways to get the soul into slavery and sin again also the corrupt principle that will be joyning and combining with the wicked one and will be willing to be a Co-partner with him to bring the soul into mischief which puts a soul upon an earnest continual panting after more of the strengthening preserving comforting and teaching presence of God and for strong supplies of faith that it may effectually lay hold on him Thirdly The soul is quickned so that it is not satisfied now without it do indeed and in truth partake of the peace of Gods Elect now it is upon the examination of the reality of its joy and peace Time was indeed that any thing would serve its turn any false conceâ—ts of its state to be good but now all kind of peace will not serve its turn all kind of joy will not be accepted with it now it must joy in God through Jesus Christ now its peace must come through the vertue of the blood of Christ speaking peace to the conscience by taking away both the guilt and the filth of sin by that blood also by shewing the soul its free acceptance with God through Christ he having compleatly fulfilled all the conditions of the first Covenant and freely placed it into the safety of what he hath done and so presents the soul compleat and spotless in the sight of God through his obedience Now I say he hath peace through the blood of his Cross and sees himself reconciled to God by the death of his Son Col. 1. 20 21. or else his comfort will be questioned by him It is not every promise as cometh now upon his heart that will serve his turn no but he must see whether the Babe Jesus be presented to the soul in and through that promise now if the Babe leap in his womb as I may say so say it is because the Lords promise sounds aloud in his heart coming to him big with the love and pardoning grace of God in Jesus Christ I say this is the first and principle joy that the soul hath that is quickened and brought into the Covenant of Grace Fourthly Now the man finds Heavenly sanctification wrought in his soul through the most precious blood of the man whose name is Jesus Christ. Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate Now the soul finds a change in the understanding in the will in the mind in the affections in the judgment and also in the conscience through thâ—
inward man a change and through the outward man a change from head to foot as we use to say For he that is in Christ and so in this Covenant of Grace is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. or hath been twice made made and made again O now the soul is resolved for Heaven and Glory now it crieth out Lord if there be a right eye that is offensive to thee pluck it out or a right foot cut it off or a right hand take it from me now the soul doth begin to studdy how it may honour God and bring praise to him Now the soul is for a preparation for the second coming of Christ endeavouring to lay aside every thing that may hinder And for the closing in with those things that may make it in a beloved posture against that day Fifthly And all this is from a Gospel Spirit and not from a Legal natural principle for the soul hath these things as the fruits and effects of its being separated unto the Covenant of Grace and so now possessed with that spirit that doth attend yea and dwell in them that are brought into the Covenâ—nt of Grace from under the Old Covenant I say these things do spring forth in the soul from another root and stock then any of the actings as other men do for the soul that is thus wrought upon is as well dead to the Law and the righteousness thereof as the first Covenant as well as to its sins Sixthly Now the soul begins to have some blessed experience of the things of God even of the glorious mysteries of the Gospel 1. Now it knoweth the meaning of those words My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed John 6. 55. and that by experience for the soul hath received peace of conscience through that blood by the effectual application of it to the soul. First by feeling the guilt of sin dye off from the conscienceâ— by the operation thereof Secondly by feeling the power thereof to take away the curse of the Law Thirdly By finding the very strength of Hell to fail when once the blood of the man Jesus Christ is received in reality upon the soul. 2. Now the soul also knoweth by experience the meaning of that Scripture that saith Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6. 6. Now it sees that when the man Jesus did hang on the tree on Mount Calvary that then the body of its sins was there hanged up dead and buried with him though it was then unborn so as never to be laid to its charge either here or hereafter and also so as never to carry it captive into perpetual bondage being it self overcome by him even Christ the head of that poor creature And indeed this is the way for a soul both to live comfortably as touching the guilt of sin and also as touching the power of the filth of sin for the soul that doth or hath received this indeed and in truth finds strength against them both by and through that man that did for him and the rest of his fellow sinners so gloriously overcome it and hath given the victory unto them so that now they are said to be overcomers nay more than conquerâ—rs through him the one man Jesus Christ Rom. 8. 33 34 35 36 37. 3. Now the soul hath received a â—aith indeed and a lively hope indeed such a one as now it can fetch strength from the fulness of Christ and from the merits of Christ. 4. Yea now the soul can look on it self with one eye and look upon Christ with another and say indeed it is true I am an empty soul but Christ is a full Christ I am a poor sinner but Christ is a rich Christ I am a foolish sinner but Christ is a wise Christ I am an unholy ungodly unsanctified creature in my self But Christ is made of God unto me wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. 5. Now also that fiery Law that it could not once endure nor could not once delight in I say now it can delight in it after the inward man now this Law is its delighe it would always be walked in it and always be delighted in it being offended with any sin or any corruption that would be any ways an hinderance to it Rom. 7. 24 25. And yet it will not edure that even that that Law should offer to take the work of its salvation out of Christs hand no if it once comes to do that then out of doors it shall go if it was as good again For that soul that hath the right work of God indeed upon it cries not my prayers not my tears not my works not my things do they come from the work of the spirit of Christ it self within me yet these shall not have the glory of my salvation no it is none but the blood of Christ the death of Christ of the man Christ Jesus of Nazareth the Carpenters Son as they called him that must have the Crown and Glory of my salvation None but Christ none but Christ and thus the soul labours to give Christ the preeminence Col. 1. 18. Now before I go any further I must needs speak a word from my own experience of the things of Christ and the rather because we have a company of silly ones in this day of ignorance that do either comfort themselves with a notion without the power or else do both reject the notion and the power of this most glorious Gospel therefore for the further conviction of the Reader I shall tell him with David something of what the Lord hath done for my soul and indeed a little of the experience of the things of Christ is far more worth than all the world It would be too tedious for me to tell thee here all from the first to the last but something I shall tell thee that thou mayest not think these things are fables Reader when it pleased the Lord to begin to instruct my soul he found me one of the black sinners of the world he found me making a sport of Oaths and also of Lies and many a soul-poysoning meal did I make out of divers Lusts as Drinking Dancing Playing Pleasure with the wicked ones of the world The Lord finding of me in this condition did open the glass of his Law unto me wherein he shewed me so clearly my sins both the greatness of them and also how abominable they were in his sight that I thought the very clouds were charged with the wrath of God and ready to let fall the very fire of his jealousie upon me yet for all this I was so wedded to my sins that thought I with my self I will have them though I lose my soul O wicked wretch that I was but God the great the rich the infinite merciful God did not take this advantage of my soul to cast me away and say then take
of God Angels and Devils But I say if thou dost believe these things indeed thou dost believe that then so long ago even before thou wast born he did bear thy Sins in his own Body which then was Hanged on the Tree and never before nor since that thy old Man was then Crucified with him namely in the same Body then Crucified see 1 Pet. 2. 24. and Rom. 6. 6. This is non-sense to them that believe not but if thou do indeed believe thou seest it so plain and yet such a Mystery that it makes thee wonder But in the third Place this glorious Doctrine of the New Covenant and the Mediator thereof will serve for the comforting and the maintaining of the comfort of the Children of the New Covenant this way also that is that he did not only dye and rise again but that he did ascend in his own Person into Heaven to take possession thereof for me to prepare a Place there for me standeth there in the second part of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring me safe in my coming thither and to present me in a glorious manner without spot or wrinkle or any such thing that he is there exercising of his Priestly Office for me pleading the 〈◊〉 of his own Righteousness for me and the vertue of his Blood for me That he is there ready to answer the Accusations of the Law Devil and Sin for me Here thou mayest through Faith look the very Devil in the Face and Rejoyce saying O Satan I have a precious Jesus a Soul comforting Jesus a Sin-pardoning Jesus Here thou mayest hear the biggest thunder-crack that the Law can give and yet not be daunted Here thou mayest say O Law thou may'st roar against Sin but thou can'st not reach me thou may'st Curse and Condemn but not my Soul for I have a righteous Jesus a holy Jesus a Soul-saving Jesus and he hath delivered me from thy Threats from thy Curses from thy Condemnatious I am out of thy reach and out of thy bounds I am brought into another Covenant under better promises promises of Life and Salvation free promises to comfort me without my Merit even through the Blood of Jesus the satisfaction given to God for me by him therefore though thou lay'st my Sins to my charge and sayest thou wilt prove me Guilty yet so long as Christ is above ground and hath brought in everlasting righteousness and given that to me I shall not fear thy threats thy charges thy Soul-searing Denunciations my Christ is all hath done all and will deliver me from all that thou and whatsoever else can bring an Accusation against me Thus also thou may'st say when Death assaulteth thee O Death where is thy sting Thou may'st bite indeed but thou canst not devour I have comfort by and through the one Man Jesus Jesus Christ he hath taken thee Captive and taken away thy strength he hath pierced thy Heart and let out all thy Soul destroying Poyson therefore though I see thee I am not afraid of thee though I feel thee I am not daunted thou hast lost thy sting in the side of the Lord Jesus through him I overcome thee and set foot upon thee Also O Satan though I hear thee grumble and make a hellish Noise and tho thou threaten me very highly yet my Soul shall Triumph over thee so long as Christ is alive and can be heard in Heaven so long as he hath broken thy Head and won the field of thee so long as thou art in Prison and canst not have thy desire I therefore when I hear thy Voice do pitch my Thoughts on Christ my Saviour and do hearken what he will say for he will speak comfort he saith he hath got the Victory and doth give to me the Crown and causeth me to Triumph through his most glorious Conquest Nay my Brethren the Saints under the Levitical Law who had not the New Covenant sealed or confirmed any further than by promise that it should be I say they when they thought of the glorious Privileges that God had promised should come though at that time they were not come but seen afar off how confidently were they perswaded of them and embraced them and were so fully satisfied as touching the certainty of them that they did not stick at the parting with all for the enjoying of them Heb. 11. How many times doth David in the Psalms admire triumph and perswade others to do so also through the Faith that he had in the thing that was to be done Also Job in what Faith doth he say he should see his Redeemer though he had not then shed one drop of Blood for him yet because he had promised so to do and this was signified by the blood of Bulls and Goats Also Samuel Isaiah Jeremiah Zechariah c. how gloriously in confidence did they speak of Christ and his Death Blood Conquest and everlasting Priest-hood even before he did manifest himself in the flesh which he took of the Virgin We that have lived since Christ have more ground to hope than they under the Old Covenant had though they had the Word of the Just God for the ground of their Faith Mark They had only the Promise that he should and would come but we have the assured fulfilling of those Promises because he is come they were told that he should spill his Blood but we do see he hath spilt his Blood They ventured all upon his standing Surety for them but we see he hath fulfilled and that faithfully too the Office of his Suretiship in that according to the engagement he hath redeemed us poor Sinners They ventured on the New Covenant though not actually Sealed only because they judged him faithfull that had promised Heb. 11. 11. but we have the Covenant Sealed all things are compleatly done even as sure as the Heart-Blood of a crucified Jesus can make it There is as great a difference between their Dispensation and ours for comfort even as much as there is between the making of a Bond with a promise to Seal it and the sealing of the same It was made indeed in their time but it was not sealed untill the time the Blood was shed on the Mount Calvary and that we might have our Faith mount up with Wings like an Eagle he sheweth us what encouragement and ground of Faith we have to conclude we shall be everlastingly delivered saying Heb. 9. 16 17 18. For where a Testament or Covenant is there must of necessity be the Death of the Testatour for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testatour liveth whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without Blood As Christ's Blood was the Confirmation of the New Covenant yet it was not sealed in Abraham Isaac or Jacob's days to confirm the Covenant that God did tell them of and yet they believed therefore we ought to give the more earâ—est heed to believe the
glittering Angels ministering before him besides when the ungodly shall appear there with their pale Faces with their guilty Consciences and trembling Souls that would then give thousands and ten thousands of Worlds if they had so many if they could enjoy but one loving look from Christ. I say then then shalt thou have the hand of Christ reached to thee kindly to receive thee saying Come thou blessed step up hither thou wast willing to leave all for me and now will I give all to thee here is a Throne a Crown a Kingdom take them thou wast not ashamed of me when thou wast in the World among my Enemies and now will not I be ashamed of thee before thine Enemies but will in the view of all these Devils and damned Reprobates promote thee to Honour and Dignity Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Thou shalt see that those who have served me in truth shall lose nothing by the means No but ye shall be as Pillars in my Temple and Inheritours of my Glory and shall have a place to walk in among my Saints and Angels Zech. 3. 7. O! Who would not be in this Condition Who would not be in this Glory It will be such a Soul-ravishing Glory that I am ready to think the whole reprobate World will be ready to run mad Deut. 28. 34. to think that they should miss of it then will the vilest Drunkard Swearer Liar and unclean Person willingly cry Lord Lord open to us yet be denied of entrance and thou in the mean time embraced entertained made welcome have a fair Mitre set upon thy Head and clothed with immortal Glory Zech. 3. 5. O therefore let all this move thee and be of weight upon thy Soul to close in with Jesus this tender-hearted Jesus And if yet for all what I have said thy Sins do still stick with thee and thou findest thy hellish Heart loath to let them go think with thy self in this manner Shall I have my Sins and lose my Soul Will they do me any good when Christ comes Would not Heaven be better to me then my Sins And the Company of God Christ Saints and Angels be better then the Company of Cain Judas Balaam with the Devils in the Furnace of Fire Canst thou now that readest or hearest these Lines turn thy Back and go on in thy Sins Canst thou set so light of Heaven of God of Christ and the Salvation of thy poor yet precious Soul Canst thou hear of Christ his bloody Sweat and Death and not be taken with it and not be grieved for it and also converted by it If so I might lay thee down several Considerations to stir thee up to mend thy pace towards Heaven but I shall not there is enough written already to leave thy Soul without excuse and to bring thee down with a Vengeance into Hell-fire devouring Fire the Lake of Fire eternal everlasting Fire O! to make thee swim and roul up and down in the Flames of the Furnace of Fire The End If thou wouldest have a more full discourse hereof Read Dâ—d upon the Commandments * But only in tongue * Some professors take them at the best they are but like Dogs spuing out their filth for a time The last part of the Objection * I beseeth you do not think that because I say this therefore I am against the Ordinances of the Gospel for I do honour them in their places yet would not that any of them should be idolized or done in a wrong spirit I touched upon this in the first Doctrine * But it is impossible that the righteousness of man by the Law should save him * Besides the reasons already given * The word David in this place signifieth Christ as also in these Scriptures I might give you more Scriptures but pray consider the second thing Did I think this would â—â—ect with any opposition I should be in this more large Yet the second Adam was before the first and also the second Covenant before the first This is a Riddle David here is to be understood Christ. Christ is put into office by the Father to do all things contained in the New Covenant His Surtiship However it is in other ingagements yet it is thus in this Though the debtor together with the surety is liable to pay the debt by the Law of man yet Christ our surety only by the Covenant of Grace As Christ did not suffer in his body without suffering in soul nor yet in soul without his suffering in body it was because not the body without the soul but both the body and soul of the Saints should be for ever saved These things have I spoken to shew you that Saints are under Grace These things are more fully laid down in that part of the book which containeth the discourse of the priviledges of the New Covenant You must not understand that love in God is a passion as it is in us but the love of Gâ—d is the very essence or nature of God 1 John 4. 16. Come to the touchstons sinner Six reasons of this discourse That soul that hath the right work of God upon its heart is not only killed to its self but also made alive to Christ. * Like as the Children of Israel who fled for fear when the ground opened its mouth to swallow up Corah and his company Ps. 103. 1 23. * But this may be its temptation taking place through the timerousness of the soul. * This conviction seized on my soul one Sabbath day when I was at play being one of the first that I had which when it came though it seared me with its terrour yet through the temptation of the devil immediately striking in therewith I did rub it off again and became as vile for some time as I was before like a wretch that I was Do not think that I am against the order of the Gospel Dan. 9. 24 25. 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. * This is the Doctrine that I will live and dye by and be willing to be damned if it saves me not I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation therefore I preach Christ Crucified to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness Rom. 1. 1 Cor. 1. Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 9. 24 25. * Shall not we then that see all things already done before us make it a strong Argument to increase out Faith * For they were 〈◊〉 so many sure promises with a remembrance in them also for the better satisfaction of them that believed them You that are resolved to go on in your Sins meddle not with this